Title: All the Rage
Author: Courtney Summers
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary, Social Issues
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: April 14th 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: ARC received from publisher for Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review

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The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out,All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?


Courtney Summers is an author that I will forever read, no matter what age I am or what subject she decides to conquer. Courtney has a way of writing real and damaged characters that I relate to on a level that I have never experienced before. All the Rage is a very hard book to read. I am not going to sugar coat the topics in this book because they are horrible. Rape, bullying and guilt are prominent in every page you read and I will tell you know it was hard to read. But in the best way possible. These kinds of book need to be on shelves and read by as many people as possible.

All the Rage follows a young girl named Romy who was once part of the crowd, until one night with the Sheriffs son ruins her reputation and her life as she knows it. That night changes her life forever. Now she is outcast as a liar and the people she used to be able to turn to torment her on a daily basis. But one night changes the dynamic again, when a girl goes missing after a party and the entire town seems to blame her. Like I said this book is INTENSE.

I loved Romy's character because she was so incredibly real. With every turn of the page I felt more and more anxiety for her and what she was going through. I wanted to go through the page and just give her a hug because I think she needed one so badly. She needed someone to believe her for once and to see through the facade she was putting on. My heart literally ached whiled reading this book because the depiction of bullying was so realistic. Many people that have never been bullied don't realized how all encompassing it can become and how much it can run your life. And I am so glad that Courtney does this with every book that she writes.

All the Rage is a book that NEEDS to be read. The characters, the situations and the actions are things that need to be written and Courtney is doing that, and I am so grateful for her because it gives a voice to those that don't think they have one. I am not going to say much more about the book itself because the more I say the more you will know going in, and I think for this type of book you need to go in blind. It will make your reading experience that much more intense and that is what this book is about. This not a fast read. It will make you cringe and gasp in places and for me, I had to put it down many times. But please read this book. Kids need to know that these types of book exist because it will help them realize that they are not alone. These types of book matter, and I guess to end this review I need to thanks Courtney Summers for being brave enough to write these types of characters and for being one of the most amazing authors I have ever read.

Title: Little Peach
Author: Peggy Kern
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary, Abuse
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
Release Date: March 10th 2015
Publisher: Balzer & Bray/Harperteen
Source: eARC received from publisher ia Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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What do you do if you're in trouble?

When Michelle runs away from her drug-addicted mother, she has just enough money to make it to New York City, where she hopes to move in with a friend. But once she arrives at the bustling Port Authority, she is confronted with the terrifying truth: she is alone and out of options.

Then she meets Devon, a good-looking, well-dressed guy who emerges from the crowd armed with a kind smile, a place for her to stay, and eyes that seem to understand exactly how she feels.

But Devon is not what he seems to be, and soon Michelle finds herself engulfed in the world of child prostitution where he becomes her “Daddy” and she his “Little Peach.” It is a world of impossible choices, where the line between love and abuse, captor and savior, is blurred beyond recognition.

This hauntingly vivid story illustrates the human spirit’s indomitable search for home, and one girl’s struggle to survive.


Little Peach is not an easy book to read. It is a fast read, but the subject matter was not an easy thing to read. This book is dark. Darker than I thought it was going to be. Michelle is a character that was born into a bad situation. Life did not hand her any favors and it doesnt look like she ever will get any. Michelle ran away from home to escape her drunk and drugged up mother. This seemed liek a great idea for her until she gets to New York with no one to turn to and one where to sleep. That is where Devon comes in. He helps Michelle out but he is not what he seems, and when Michelle finds out it is too late. She is too deep in his world and she can't turn back.

I really don't know how to review this book because although the subject matter was handled in an interesting way and the voice of Michelle was quite well done, there was something missing for me. I didn't connect with Michelle on the level I needed for me to be invested. I think I was invested more in the overall outcomes of the story than the characters themselves. I wanted to know if all the characters would get out alive. I wanted to know what happened to make her wantto leave everything she knew and I am glad that we got glimpses of her past because it helped me get a better picture of Michelle and what she was dealing with.

The writing in this book is very curt and short and it helps build teh tension and showcase how niave Michelle was to the outside world and what was going on around her. I wish that the book was longer so we could have more in depth into Michelle and what actually happened to her before and after what happened. But as it stands this book is not for everyone. Be preapred for some very tough subjects like prostitution, child prostitution and rape. Like I said, this book is a tough one, I just wish there was more of a resolution in the end so we could see some semblance of hope for Michelle.

Title: Better Than Perfect
Author: Melissa Kantor
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: February 17th 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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Juliet Newman has it all. A picture-perfect family; a handsome, loving boyfriend; and a foolproof life plan: ace her SATs, get accepted into Harvard early decision, and live happily ever after.

But when her dad moves out and her mom loses it, Juliet begins questioning the rules she’s always lived by. And to make everything even more complicated there’s Declan, the gorgeous boy who makes her feel alive and spontaneous—and who’s totally off-limits. Torn between the life she always thought she wanted and one she never knew was possible, Juliet begins to wonder: What if perfect isn't all it’s cracked up to be?

Melissa Kantor once again delivers a tale that is equal parts surprising, humorous, heartbreaking, and romantic. Powerful and honest, Juliet’s story brilliantly portrays the highs and lows of life in high school and will resonate with any reader who has experienced either.



I fell in love with Melissa Kantor last yeats when I read her book One More Day and cried like a little baby for days. So when I saw that she was coming out with a new book this year I knew I had to read it. I went into this book blind, I hadn't read the synopsis or heard anyting about it from other bloggers. So when I got into the book I was surprised, and not really in a good way.

Juliet has the perfect life. The perfect family, the perfect grades and the perfect boyfriends. But when her dad moves out and her mother loses it everything around her falls apart. It doesnt help that her boyfriend is away on a family vacation when all of this happens. Juliet doesnt know what to do anyone, and then walks in Declan. Now here is where I had my issues with this book. I know there have been a lot of talk lately about cheating in YA and I will admit that there is some in this book and I was not okay with it. That is not to say that I ahe cheating in all books no matter the situation, if the story warrents it and it makes sense for the character then yes, I will look the other way. But for me, in this book it didn't make as much sense as it should have.

To me Juliet had hard situation to deal with, that much is crystal clear, and her wanting to escape that life is totally understandable. But for me she did not have to do anything with Declan. Having feeling for him is normal, she had been with her boyfriends for a long time, so seeing someone new and having attraction to them is normal, that is not my issue. My issue was that she never told her boyfriend. Never really felt it necessary to own up to her mistake. Another issue I had with this whoe senario was that she had every opportunity to tell her boyfriend that she needed space to figure stuff out, but she didn't. He was confirmatbale to her and so she stayed.

Although I liked the overall story, especially everything to do with Juliet's family, I just couldnt  get over her actions. I hate cheating in general, I am a product of such a relationhsip and honestly I have never been upfront with that, but it is what it is. It is the perogative of the people involved and for me these characters were not for me. I did not undertsand their relationhsip at all and in the end it wasnt for me. But that is not to say that this book washorrible. It was not, the writing was amazing as always and Melissa is still a favorite of mine, but this time it was just not for me.

I am so excited to be a part of the Changing Everything by Molly McAdams blog tour. I have loved Molly for years now so I am very excited to be able to share my love for this book!


Title: Changing Everything
Author: Molly McAdams
Series: Forgiving Lies #2.5
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook, 112 pages
Release Date: March 3rd 2015
Publisher: William Morrow Impulse
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelwiess for Blog Tour

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Paisley Morro has been in love with Eli since they were thirteen-years-old. But after twelve years of only being his best friend and wingman, the heartache that comes from watching him with countless other women becomes too much, and Paisley decides its time to lay all her feelings on the table.

Eli Jenkins has a life most guys would kill for: Dream job, countless women, and his best friend, Paisley, to be the girl he can always count on for everything else. But one conversation not only changes everything between them, it threatens to make him lose the only girl who has ever meant anything to him.

When tragedy strikes his family and Eli is forced to reevaluate his life, he realizes a life without Paisley isn’t a life at all. Only now, he may be too late.  


At this point in my blogging "carrier" I have read almost every Molly McAdams book that is available to me. So when I saw the chance to read Changing Everything early I jumped, because I knew I would love it. And I wasn't wrong. What I think I love the most about Molly McAdams is that you can read all her book as Standalones (expect for Deceiving Lies of course) and yet you get a special treat every once in a while when characters from other books make appearences. I love this aspect of the books because its almost like a glimpse into a different aspect of their world.

Changing Everything follows Eli and Paisley, two best friends who's relationhsip is completely one sided. Eli is a ladies man where as Paisley is sitting on the sidelines loving him from afar. But when she confront him about her feelings their realtionhip is tested more than it ever has. I really can't say more than that because it woudl ruin the overall story, but let me just say that Molly does sexual tension LIKE NO ONE ELSE. I love reading these scenes because not only are they hot but they also allow for characters to really develop and express themselves.

I loved these charcters so much, anhd I wish this book was a full length novel and not a novella because I wanted to see more of these characters. Eli is as swoon worthy as any male lead and although he was frustrating at best in the begnning we see his tranformation and I loved that. We get to watch as he grows up and realized what he wants and what he is willing to fight for. Paisley on the other hand was a quiet lead character, and I liked that she was the every girl. Someone who is incredibly likable and yet totally relatetable, but not overly annoying to read.

I love this book so much, and like I said before I just wish that it was a full length novel because I think these characters had more in them and I wanted to see more! Molly you have done it again. Perfection. I cannot wait to read more from you, especially Trusting Liam coming out this summer!




Molly was kind enough to send along a snippit of the book!

Eli, Eli, Eli … bad move.
Here’s a little snippet from CHANGING EVERYTHING for y’all!
Enjoy!

“Don’t you have a shirt you can put on?”
Stepping up behind her, I rested my chin on top of her head and picked at the
pastry she’d just pulled out of the bag. “I do, but you woke me up.”
“I woke you up? I’m late. And your head is heavy,” she grumbled.
I put more pressure on her head and she elbowed my stomach. “What’s this?” I
asked, and pointed at the wrapped sandwich she’d just set down.
“There are two sausage English muffins for you.”
“Do they have—”
“Extra cheese? Yes, they do.”
I hugged her waist tightly. “You’re the best.” Grabbing one of the sandwiches, I
unwrapped it and held it in front of her so she could have the first bite before taking my
own. “I forgot it was Sunday,” I mumbled around the food.
She laughed and started to unwrap her own sandwich. “Good thing it was my
week to get food or I’d be sitting at my apartment starv— Wait. If I woke you up, why
are you in jeans?”
“I could’ve walked out here naked.”
Her body went stiff. “You don’t sleep naked.”
I pointed in the direction of my room with my sandwich. “Carrie’s here.”
“Who’s Carrie?”
“The girl from the bar a few weeks ago.”
“There are a lot of girls from O’Malley’s when it comes to you, Eli,” she
countered.
“Ouch. The girl from the night of my birthday.”
“Oompa-Loompa?”
“Pay,” I growled in warning.
Paisley pushed against the island, trying to move me away. “Move, I need to
leave.”
“No, you don’t.”
“You have a girl in your bed who is probably as naked as you were five minutes
ago. I should not be here when she wakes up.”
“And you’re my best friend and it’s Sunday morning. This is our tradition and
she’s not going to stop it because I forgot what today was.”
“Eli, let me go!” she hissed and jammed both her elbows into my stomach.
I bent forward as I took a step back. “Fuck, Pay!”
“Language! Let the Oompa-Loompa eat my breakfast, she’ll think you did
something nice for her.” She took three steps away from me before I was able to grab her
hand to stop her. Turning quickly, she stepped back up to me and tried to get in my face.
All five feet of her. “Do you know how horrible you look when you do things like this to
all these girls?” she seethed. “You’re twenty-five, Eli, grow up and stop being such a
whore! Stop treating every girl you meet like all she is to you is your next lay. Stop
letting them all be your next lay! Find someone who you actually want to spend your
time with and—”
“Ohmigod. Are you, like, everywhere?”
Paisley whipped her head to the side to look at Carrie, but I couldn’t take my eyes
off of Pay. Where was this coming from? She’d joked about all the girls I slept with, but
she’d never flipped out on me like this.
“Did I interrupt something?” Carrie gasped and shrieked, “I knew it! You are
fucking her!”
Paisley scoffed and met my gaze. “No, he’s not. That should be obvious since I’m
still around and none of the other girls are.”


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Title: Promposal
Author: Rhonda Helms
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
Release Date: February 10th 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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promposal (n.)--an often public proposal, in which one person asks another to the prom, eliciting joy or mortification.

Camilla can't help hoping her secret crush, Benjamin, might randomly surprise her out of the blue with a promposal. However, when she's asked to prom by an irritating casual acquaintance--wearing a fancy tux and standing in front of a news crew--she's forced to say yes. Yet all hope's not lost. A timely school project gives Camilla a chance to get closer to Benjamin...and it seems like the chemistry between them is crackling. But is she reading into something that isn't there?

Joshua, Camilla's bestie, has been secretly in love with his gay best friend, Ethan, since middle school. Just as he decides to bite the bullet and ask Ethan if he'll go to prom with him, even if just as friends, he gets a shocking surprise: Ethan asks Joshua for help crafting the perfect promposal--for another guy. Now Joshua has to suppress his love and try to fake enthusiasm as he watches his dreams fall apart...unless he can make Ethan see that love has been right in front of his eyes the whole time.

The road to the perfect promposal isn't easy to navigate. But one thing's certain--prom season is going to be memorable.


Promposal is one of those books that just sucks you in because it is so damn adorable. I went into this book knowing nothing about the author or the book itself. I just like fun romantic reads and this seemed like a good choice, and I was right. This was a very fast read, I finished it in one sitting.

I really loved the authenticity of the plot and its characters. I loved that the high school setting felt real and genuine, something that can be hard to do in this genre. I think my favorite part of this story was that we got two different POVs, Josh and Camilla. I liked reading these two stories because even though they are completely two different characters their stories interacted on many levels so no matter whose POV you were reading we were getting info on each character.

Joshua's story was my favorite, maybe it was because he was just a genuine characters and nice guy overall. Or maybe because I loved that his high school experience being gay was anything but tragic. I thought that was a nice change from many other books I have read. I loved that he was out and no one really cared that much. I thought his crush on his best friend was adorable and I was routing for him the entire way. Camilla was a very different reading experience for me. She was harder to like as a character and narrator. I think I wanted her to have more of a backbone in some scenarios, but overall I routed for her in the end.

Even though I knew how the book would end, because it was just that kind of story, I still really enjoyed the read, It was a fast and fun book that made me smile from beginning to end. A great weekend read for anyone who loves a good sweet contemporary.

Title: The Last Time We Say Goodbye
Author: Cynthia Hand
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Day: February 10, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: eARC received by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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There's death all around us.
We just don't pay attention.
Until we do.

The last time Lex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn't look at her like she might break down at any moment.

Now she's just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that's all she'll ever be.

As Lex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there's a secret she hasn't told anyone-a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

Lex's brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn't have to be real to keep you from moving on.

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand, The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a gorgeous and heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and letting go.



This book was one of the best books I have read this year. Granted it is only February, but I can tell already that this book will stay with me for a while. Cynthia Hand is known for her Unearthly series, which my definition is paranormal so going in I didn't know what to expect. But man, this book was brilliant.

Lex is one complicated and intense character. Her life is filled with horrible events, first her parents divorce and her father leaves with a another woman. Then her brother commits suicide in their garage. I felt for her even before I knew the whole story. This book is hard to review for the shear fact that I don't want to spoil anything, so much happen but it doesn't feel like that much happens, if that makes any sense! I loved every part of this book. I loved that Ty, her brother, was as much a part of this book as Lex was. With flashbacks to his life before his death it made it seem like he was as much alive as he was in Lex's memory. What I think made Lex such a remarkable and relate-able character was withe the way that she dealt with her grief. She not only refused to deal with her brothers death properly but she also distracted herself with school work and grades, And it wasn't until the end that we really see her come to grips with what happened and what she could have done to change things.

The end. Jesus it destroyed me on so many levels. I think I ugly cried so the last two chapters. I can't really explain what happens in the end because it encompasses so much of the entire story and what Lex goes through during the book. I absolutely LOVED this book more than I ever could have imagine. It is really hard to try and put my feeling into words, and I hope I did an okay job of it here. But if you love contemporary AT ALL please read this book. And as a side note, please read the Author Note at the end as well. Cynthia is an amazing woman and what she went through ad the strength she had to put it on paper is amazing. Please read it.

Title: My Heart and Other Black Holes
Author: Jasmine Warga
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Release Date: February 10, 2015
Publisher: Balzer and Bray
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness.

There’s only one problem: she’s not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel’s convinced she’s found her solution: a teen boy with the username FrozenRobot (aka Roman) who’s haunted by a family tragedy is looking for a partner. 

Even though Aysel and Roman have nothing in common, they slowly start to fill in each other’s broken lives. But as their suicide pact becomes more concrete, Aysel begins to question whether she really wants to go through with it. Ultimately, she must choose between wanting to die or trying to convince Roman to live so they can discover the potential of their energy together. Except that Roman may not be so easy to convince


I am a sucker for books that tug at the heart strings and this was one of those books. My Heart and Other Black Holes was one of those books that I had to debate whether or not to read because of the subject matter. Suicide is not something I like to read about. My grandmother committed suicide before I was born and sop my family and take it very seriously. And so It me a few tries to start this one because I had heard sop many great things. But in the end I am so glad I read it because it was a great story.

We follow Aysel a 16 year old girl who dealing with way more than she really should. Especially when you take into account what her father did (I will not tell you will just have to read it) and how everyone around her reacted. I loved reading her story because it was so different than my own. Then we meet Roman, a very depressed young man who meets Aysel on a chatroom for people who want to make a pact to die together. This subject is so intriguing to me. And Yet I know when I started reading how the book would end, it didn't hinder my reading experience. I really liked their building friendship and how it grew over the course of the story. Roman was such a different character than Aysel, you could tell he was more serious about dying and you knew something horrible happened to him. Once we find out what that is my heart broke for him. It really did. And I began to understand him more. I loved that we got to see Roman through Aysel eyes, and it was her feelings for him that made her want to live, which I thought was incredibly sweet.

The ending although predictable was very satisfying for me. I loved that it was not perfect in any sense of the word and it brings the feels. But overall it made sense for the characters and I really liked that. I will admit that the story did drag in places, but not too much to make me stop reading. I really enjoyed this story, and though it is about a subject that is normally extremely sensitive and sad, the author made it full of hope and love.

Title: I'll Meet You There
Author: Heather Demetrios
Series: Standalone
Gnere: YA Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Date: February 3, 2015
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

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If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.



I honestly don't know if I can write this review in the way that I want because I don't think I have the words to express how amazing I thought this book was. I'll Meet You There was a book I gravitated towards because of the cover, I mean come on it is GORGEOUS right? So I knew I had to read it. But what I don't think I expected was the impact this book had one me while I read it.

There is something about a story that you can relate to even though your life situation is nothing like the one you are reading about. And this book did that for me. I mean I do not live in a trailer park, My mom is NOTHING like Skylar's, who by the way made me so angry in parts of this book. Once you read it you will understand. My life is nothing compares to Skylars yet I related to her, I related to her dreaming of more than her small town life, I related to her worry that when she will will everything fall apart. Everything that was going on in her life made SENSE to me. And I think that is the main reason I gave this book a perfect score. Because not many books can comepletely and uttery make sense to me. And this one did.

The Love story. Now this book is so much more than Skylar and Josh. These two characters are some of the best characters I have read. Each have their own issues, Skylar with her home life, and Josh being in the Military and being injured. All of these things separately are horrible enough, but when you put these two characters together something amazing happened. I cant really explain it in words but their relationship was complicated, sweet, gentle and yet hard to read at times. I loved every second of their story and I really want to know more about them, I just wish the book had been longer!

What else can I say about this book? It was utter perfection. I have nothing bad to say about it. I read it in one sitting and MIGHT have cried at the end, but lets not tell anyone that part. I loved every page and every word. I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone who loved contemporary. This is the book you've been waiting for...trust me you do not want to miss this one.

Title: Twisted Fate
Author: Norah Olson
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, 272 pages
Release Date: January 20th, 2015
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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When Alyson meets Graham Copeland, the new boy next door, she instantly feels like he’s a kindred spirit—shy and awkward like her, someone who has trouble making friends. It’s impossible to resist having a crush on him. 

As usual, her sister, Sydney, sees things differently. In Sydney's mind, Graham's odd personality and secretive past scream psychopath, not sweetheart. Her gut is telling her to stay away from him, and to protect a love-struck Alyson from her own naïveté. But despite her instincts, Sydney is surprised to realize that a part of her is drawn to Graham, too. 

And the more Sydney gets to know him, the more she realizes just how right—and wrong—she is about everything.

Perfect for fans of Michelle Hodkin, and E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars,Twisted Fate is an unputdownable novel, teeming with suspense.



When I saw this cover I was in love. I loved the way it was set up and it just made me want to pick up this book, without knowing what this book was about. I usually always go into books blind, that way I have no expectations when it comes to what i am going to read. But sometimes that backfires on me, and unfortunately that is what happened with Twisted Fate. I went in blind when I should have read what this book was about.

I will admit that I really liked the mystery behind all the character, it made me finish the book to the very end, Sydney and Alyson were interesting character but it was Graham that kept me reading. He was a mystery from the beginning and I liked that he had a secret that no one knew of. I just wish the author had not written his perspective into the plot because I feel like it took away from his mystery and I sort of figured out his secret before it was time. And I think that had to do with the fact that his perspective kind of told me what happened without meaning to. I just wish that the reveal of what happened in Graham's past was better set up. Although I kind of knew what happened i still felt like a bit cheated. It felt rushed and a little anti-climactic, although it did make him seem more creepy and more disturbed than before, I still think it could have been done in different way that could have been better explained.

Throughout most of the book I did feel quite disconnected from these characters. I wanted to feel for them, for their situation but something was holding me back. I had to stake in their stories and I felt nothing for them and that was my biggest reason for giving this book the rating I did. The characters just did not do it for me. Sydney and Alyson fought all the time and their relationship was more volatile than I would have liked. They were sisters and I felt like they had none of that in their characters, although the truth at the end of the book explained all of this I still felt like it made no sense when I was reading. I had no idea why they didn't get along, there was really no back story, and the only reason I could see was that they were just very different people. Sydney was a loner and a bit goth and Alyson was the exact opposite. To me this was not a good reason for them to dislike each other so much. The other aspect of their relationship that I had a huge problem with was their relationship with Graham. I hate when characters fight over the same guy, especially when I see no likable quality in that guy. That was the situation for me with these characters. I just did not understand why they liked him or why they were fighting over him in the first place.

The end of this book was very interesting to me. I did not see the twist coming and I thought it explained a lot of what was going on throughout the book. I just wish that there was more explanation as to why it happened and what it all meant. We are kind of left in the dark at teh end of the book saying "okayyyy what now?" I felt a bit left out and I just wish that the ending had answered more questions then what was left.

Title: Black Ice
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary, Thriller
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Date: October 7th 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

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Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late.

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

BLACK ICE is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous…


I have loved Becca Fitzpatrick since I read the Hush Hush series, and I have been waiting for her to write something new and when I heard that she ventured into the contemporary thriller genre i knew i had to read it, and i am so glad I did because it was a wild ride.

Black Ice follows Britt, a young girl who is dealing with a bad breakup, a best friend who in my opinion is not the best, and trying to escape a twosome of men keeping her prisoner in the woods. I loved the concept of the book, and I loved that the book got to the point very quickly. There was no lull in the beginning with too much information dropping, and we I loved that we got to know the characters as the story went on. I loved that mystery the most.

I will say that I was not a fan of Britt's best friend. I found her character to be a bit superfluous and unneeded. Although she was great for certain scenes in the book, she never really made a difference as to how the book turned out. I felt like her character didn't mean anything to the overall story and I wish she had either been used more, or cut completely. And plus she was extremely annoying and very bossy, things I am not fond of in secondary characters.

The mystery element was great, and I loved how there were layers to it that kept growing as the story went on. I will admit that i figured out the main mystery quite quickly, and yet it did not ruin the book for me, i still really loved reading Britt's story and how she coped with everything that was happening to her. I will say that in the beginning I was skeptical of the romance between Britt and a certain somebody, but it grew on me as the story went on. I thought their personalities complimented each other well, and it felt real. Especially the end. I felt like the way this book ended made sense, although I would have liked more closure between Brit and her best friend. That part was left too open for me and i wish I got to see what happened there after everything that happened.

Title: How to Build a Girl
Author: Caitlin Moran
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary, Coming of Age
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: September 23rd 2014
Publisher: Harper
Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

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What do you do in your teenage years when you realise what your parents taught you wasn't enough? You must go out and find books and poetry and pop songs and bad heroes - and build yourself.

It's 1990. Johanna Morrigan, 14, has shamed herself so badly on local TV that she decides that there's no point in being Johanna anymore and reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde - fast-talking, hard-drinking Gothic hero and full-time Lady Sex Adventurer! She will save her poverty stricken Bohemian family by becoming a writer - like Jo in Little Women, or the Brontes - but without the dying young bit.

By 16, she's smoking cigarettes, getting drunk and working for a music paper. She's writing pornographic letters to rock-stars, having all the kinds of sex with all the kinds of men, and eviscerating bands in reviews of 600 words or less.

But what happens when Johanna realises she's built Dolly with a fatal flaw? Is a box full of records, a wall full of posters and a head full of paperbacks, enough to build a girl after all?

Imagine The Bell Jar written by Rizzo from Grease, with a soundtrack by My Bloody Valentine and Happy Mondays. As beautiful as it is funny, How To Build a Girl is a brilliant coming-of-age novel in DMs and ripped tights, that captures perfectly the terror and joy of trying to discover exactly who it is you are going to be.


I have wanted to read this book since I heard about it last years. I love Caitlin Moran, she is a great comedic writer and I lover her honestly on every subject she talks about. She when I saw that she was writing a book about growing up and becoming a woman I knew i needed to read it.

I loved Caitlin's way of writing the main characters voice, it was very stream of consciousness that made so much sense for a teenager, on many occasions I actually felt like I was inside her head and feeling the same things she was. I will be honest when I say that the writing style of VERY honest. Caitlin leaves nothing out and touches in many subjects including, masturbation, teen sex and dropping out of high school to pursue a career that many would think would lead nowhere. I loved this honestly and I felt very proud that she mentioned these kinds of things because I think in our society today girls are not looked at like that, and it was refreshing to see a character that was so real and forthcoming with these topics.

I had some issues with this book though, and one of them was the use of British slang. at time I had no idea what was happening because I honestly didn't get what the characters were saying. It made for a very hard read for me. I found myself taken out of the story on more than one occasion because I didn't get it. I didn't get what the characters were joking about and I didn't get what they were s concerned about because I wasn't in on the vocabulary they were using. Speaking of vocabulary, the characters in this book use the C word on so many occasions that it left me feeling very uncomfortable. I am very against that word and grew up hating it so seeing so many times, and being used so relaxing made me a bit weary of this book and its characters. 

Overall the story was great and very interesting, but there were times I was so removed from the story and its characters that it was hard for me to connect to what was going on and feel what the characters were feeling. I loved the authors ability to talk about such taboo subjects but ultimately this book felt a bit short for me.