Kissing Booth (Review)

The Kissing Booth

By: Beth Reekles

Meet Rochelle Evans: pretty, popular--and never been kissed. Meet Noah Flynn: badass, volatile--and a total player. And also Elle's best friend's older brother... 

When Elle decides to run a kissing booth for the school's Spring Carnival, she locks lips with Noah and her life is turned upside down. Her head says to keep away, but her heart wants to draw closer--this romance seems far from fairy tale and headed for heartbreak. 

But will Elle get her happily ever after?

BEA 13: Recap

Sorry, it has taken me forever to post my BEA recap, but it took me awhile to recover (I was still feeling the jet-lag from returning from studying abroad + BEA tiredness + I'm still in NY just to hang= not a lot of blogging time or energy).

I wanted to try something new while recapping so here's a different format!
Tell me if you hate it or love in the comments!

May 30th, Thursday

+1: Met Veronica Roth

 -1: Lost signed Veronica Roth Allegiant poster

+1: Talked to Veronica Roth about studying abroad for a little bit.

 -3: Me: I was studying abroad and was excited about the cover reveal for Allegiant.

      VR: Oh, really? Where were you?

      Me: Oh, I was in class!

      Me: But that's not what you meant...oh gosh...I was in Bath, England.

+1: Veronica Rossi remembered me!

+2: Met the epic reads tea time ladies!

+1: Did a book shimmy on camera

 -1: Embarrassing fangirling moments

+1:Margot from tea time recognized me from my twitter handle

+5: Met Naiche

+1: Harlequin Teen Blogger Breakfast

 -1: Was late to the Harlequin Breakfast

+1: Meet some really cool bloggers at the breakfast anyway

+1: Chatted with Katie McGarry after the breakfast

 -1: Phone died early in the day.

+1: Talked and met a bunch of bloggers

 -1: Got lost on my way to the Javitz Center

+1:Simon & Schuster Atria Party

 -3: Trying to hail a cab near the Javitz Center

 -1: No ARCs of the Fiery Heart by: Richelle Mead

 -1: Forgot my schedule at home

+3: Catch of the Day: All I Need by Susane Colansanti

+2: Met a nice cab driver

Daily total = +9

Overall feeling: it was a successful day, plus I got to hang out with Naiche and she's just really cool. All day, I had someone to talk to and we had similar opinions and taste in books.

May 31st, Friday

+1: Finally met Tahereh Mafi

+2: She recognized my twitter handle!

+1: Met author, Jeri Smith, in line and we got to chat it up a little.

+1: Saw Richelle Mead

-1: Aching body

-3: Line cutters

-1: Line cutters who try to justify themselves (boo to you)

+1: Signed copy of Something Strange and Deadly

+1: Signed copy of Fire with Fire

+2: Tag-teaming lines with Naiche

-4: Didn't get a ticket to Cassandra Clare signing

+1: The 5th Wave

+1: Met Liza Weimar in line for Wild Cards (she's hilarious!)

+3: A e-reader/book tote from quirk books

+1: My appreciation of carpeted rugs

+3: Catching the YA panel

+1: Won A Darkness Strange and Lovely ARC

Daily total= +8

Overall feeling: The first day was definitely kinder to me, but I still I had a great time. I wish I could've gotten the CC ticket, but it wasn't that important to me, I wasn't heartbroken. I really learned a lot of more stuff, blogging wise, and set some goal for myself next year. I want to progress blogging wise, and I realized that I'm kind of stagnant.

 

June 1st,  Saturday

-3: Started the day tired and sore

-5: Last copy of the Moon and More given to the person right in front of me

+4: Met Sarah Dessen Anyway

+1: Met Derry from Sourcebooks

 -1:No Naiche today

 -1: was late...again (3 for 3)

 -2: left my business cards in my suitcase...twice

+1: Had extra business cards on me

+1: Met Kate Brian

+1: Learned that Janet Gurtler next book is expected in 2014!

+1: Left BEA early

+3: Catch of the day: Picking up my A Darkness Strange and Lovely ARC

Daily Total: 0 

Overall feeling: My body ached and I didn't have my blogging buddy with me. There were a lot of lows but so many things that balanced them out. I had to leave early because I just really couldn't handle it but I think it was a success!

Overall BEA 2013 experience:

I met a lot of cool people and I'm proud of myself for making new connections. Sometimes I'm really loud and out there and other times I'm so quiet that I'm practically invisible, and I glad that either wasn't the case. I felt normal and loved being around people who loved books too. I learned so much this year and I have so many new goals. I asked the questions that I wanted to know and people were so responsive. I also learned things too: like staying with my family who leave about two hours away wasn't the best idea, even though it was cost effective.

The Iron Queen (Review)

The Iron Queen

By: Kaitlin Bevis

Life is hell for Persephone. Zeus will stop at nothing to gain access to the living realm and the Underworld, and as the only living god with a right to both, Persephone’s in trouble. Captured and tortured beyond the limits of her resolve, Persephone must find the power to stand against Zeus. But will she be strong enough? 

Meanwhile, Hades contemplates desperate measures to rescue his queen. Persephone never thought of herself as dangerous, but there’s a reason gods never marry for love. A being with the power to destroy all of creation shouldn’t place more value in one individual than the rest of the planet. But Hades...Hades would break the world for her.

To save the world and stop both Hades and Zeus, Persephone must make a difficult choice. One that may cost her everything.

Cover Reveal: A French Star in New York by Anna Adams

A French Star in New York (The French Girl series #2)

By: Anna Adams

Release Date: July 31st

Maude thought her life couldn’t get any better: her first music album is a hit, she’s about to meet her extended family and she’s looking forward to her first date with teen pop star, Matt.

But when scandal strikes Maude must part ways with Matt, and watch Soulville Records fall into the hands of an ambitious Alan Lewis, who will stop at nothing to turn Maude into an unparalleled star.

Between glamorous parties, an unauthorized tell-all book, a web of lies, new revelations about her French past and her rivalry with Lindsey Linton attaining a whole new level, Maude must fight for her voice to be heard and decide if being a star is more important than her love for music.

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The S-Word (Review)

The S-Word

By: Chelsea Pitcher

First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker.

But one week after Lizzie kills herself, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie's looping scrawl.

Lizzie’s reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn’t letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie’s diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn’t deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out.

Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh reality of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie’s quest for the truth behind Lizzie’s suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for—even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.

How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True [Review]

How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True

By: Sarah Strohmeyer

From Sarah Strohmeyer, author of Smart Girls Get What They Want, comes this romantic comedy about one girl's summer job from hell. Think The Devil Wears Prada set in Disney World.

When cousins Zoe and Jess land summer internships at the Fairyland Kingdom theme park, they are sure they've hit the jackpot. With perks like hot Abercrombie-like Prince Charmings and a chance to win the coveted $25,000 Dream & Do grant, what more could a girl want?

Once Zoe arrives, however, she's assigned to serve "The Queen"-Fairyland's boss from hell. From spoon-feeding her evil lapdog caviar, to fetching midnight sleeping tonics, Zoe fears she might not have what it takes to survive the summer, much less win the money.

Soon backstabbing interns, a runaway Cinderella, and cutthroat competition make Zoe's job more like a nightmare than a fairy tale. What will happen when Zoe is forced to choose between serving The Queen and saving the prince of her dreams?

Top Ten Books That Feature Traveling in Some Way

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Two Way Street

By: Lauren Barnholdt

Diary of a Crush: French Kiss

By: Sarra Manning

Saving June

By: Hannah Harrington

Wanderlove

By: Kristen Hubbard

The Disenchantments

By: Nina LaCour

Just One Day

By: Gayle Forman

In Honor

By: Jessi Kirby

Unbreak My Heart

By: Melissa Walker

Reunited

By: Hilary Weisman Graham

You Look Different in Real Life

By: Jennifer Castle

You Look Different In Real Life (Review)

You Look Different in Real Life

By: Jennifer Castle

A smart, fresh novel about five teens whose ordinary lives are captured on camera for the whole world to see, from a breakout author who "will be well received by Sarah Dessen fans" (ALA Booklist)

The premise was simple: five kids living their real lives, with a new movie about them every five years. But the six-year-olds who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who are hardly friends. And Justine, whose edgy sense of humor made her the surprise star of the first two films, now feels like a disappointment.

Still, they've all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how lonely it is to have fans instead of friends. So when the latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to really see yourself is through someone else's eyes.

With the "detailed writing and smart, realistically cool characters" (SLJ) that earned The Beginning of After critical acclaim and comparisons to Sarah Dessen, You Look Different in Real Life is a sharply observed, wholly engrossing book about the surface-level identities you can see on camera and the truths you can only see in real life.

Book of the Week (3): You Look Different in Real Life

Book of the week is something new that I'm starting to highlight my favorite book of the week. It doesn't have to be a book that was recently published or that I've just read, but a book that I really liked and I think that you might also enjoy.

You Look Different in Real Life

By: Jennifer Castle

Why I Love This Book?

This novel is fast paced and I finished it in two sitting, on the train, going to and from home. I loved trying to figure out who Justine was going to end up with and how the kids got so messed up in the first place. I also liked the premise, that these children grew up in front of the camera and it affected their lives to a really significant extent.

Why You Should Read It...

I've read a couple of YA novels where the protagonist was on a reality show, although this is different silently different, because Justine and the rest of the Five at Six cast, grew up on camera. Their lives had been impacted with the fame that has followed them since an early age. You Look Different in Real Life shows how fame can affect children later on. 

Also their is a romantic mystery of sorts. Will they or won't they? Who will Justine end up with?

Nantucket Blue (Review)

Nantucket Blue

By: Leila Howland

For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.

Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t. 

When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.

But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.

A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.