Monthly Archives: July 2016

The Heartbreakers

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the heartbreakersAuthor: Ali Novak
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Source:  BEA 2015

Goodreads: 

“When I met Oliver Perry, I had no clue he was the lead singer for The Heartbreakers. And he had no idea that I was the only girl in the world who hated his music.”

Stella will do anything for her sick sister, Cara—even stand in line for an autographed Heartbreakers CD…for four hours. She’s totally winning best birthday gift this year. At least she met a cute boy with soft brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes while getting her caffeine fix. Too bad she’ll never see him again.

Except, Stella’s life has suddenly turned into a cheesy love song. Because Starbucks Boy is Oliver Perry – lead singer for the Heartbreakers. And even after she calls his music crap, Oliver still gives Stella his phone number. And whispers quotes from her favorite Disney movie in her ear. OMG, what is her life?

But how can Stella even think about being with Oliver — dating and laughing and pulling pranks with the band — when her sister could be dying of cancer?

Ope’s Opinion: This is definitely a young adult book I would allow my teen to read.  It has characters with good values, but they have flaws, question themselves and other teens would be able to relate to them.

Although the synopsis talks about Cara having cancer and that does play a large part in the story, the story is more about triplets trying to figure out who they are as individuals.  It was interesting to watch each of them take a different path.

The parents are not in much of this story, but you can tell by the triplets that they are loved, are encouraged to be independent and are very supportive.

The story ended as you would expect and I liked that.

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Cupcake Cousins – Summer Showers

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cupcake cousins summer

Author: Kate Hannigan
Publisher: Disney – Hyperion
Genre: Children’s Book
Source:  BEA 2016

Goodreads:  It’s summertime, and the Bumpus family is growing! Aunt Rosie and Uncle Jonathan are expecting twins, and the entire family gathers together at Whispering Pines for a baby shower. Willow and Delia’s grandmother gives each of her grandchildren a family heirloom, but Willow’s has disappeared. Could it be lost in the cupcake batter-or will she have to tell her grandmother it’s gone for good? Follow cousins Willow and Delia’s tasty recipes once again as they solve the mystery of the missing keepsake and celebrate the excitement of new cousins in the second book in this charming series.

cupcake cousins

Ope’s Opinion:  I started reading this to Emma, who is 7 years old.  I think it was a little too long for her attention span.  I read it myself – it kept my attention, so I will try to read it to her again in about a year.  I liked the story and the characters.  It is appropriate and parents will actually like to read it themselves. 

Lies I Told

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lies i told

Author: Michelle Zink
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult
Source: BEA 2015

Goodreads:  What if, after spending a lifetime deceiving everyone around you, you discovered the biggest lies were the ones you’ve told yourself?

Grace Fontaine has everything: beauty, money, confidence, and the perfect family.

But it’s all a lie.

Grace has been adopted into a family of thieves who con affluent people out of money, jewelry, art, and anything else of value. Grace has never had any difficulty pulling off a job, but when things start to go wrong on the Fontaines’ biggest heist yet, Grace finds herself breaking more and more of the rules designed to keep her from getting caught…including the most important one of all: never fall for your mark.

Ope’s Opinion:  Even though the main characters in this book are high school age, the book felt more like an adult read.  The main characters were much more much mature and involved in adult situations.  This story is intense from page one until the last page ( which is not the end ).  I did not realize this book was part of a series, so the ending was not an ending – it just stopped.

All the characters in this book were interesting.  They each had distinct personalities.  I enjoyed their interactions.  I mostly liked Logan and Grace’s relationship – I thought they fell for each other a little too fast, but I liked that they took the relationship slowly.

I am still debating if I am going to read the next book.  It is called Promises I Made.

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This Just In…

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From my friend Mary Annbeach town

Published: May 19,2015
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Goodreads: reer Hennessy needs palm trees.

As a movie location scout, picture-perfect is the name of the game. But her last project literally went up in flames, and her career is on the verge of flaming out. Greer has been given one more chance, if she can find the perfect undiscovered beach hideaway for a big-budget movie. She zeroes in on a sleepy Florida panhandle town called Cypress Key. There’s one motel, a marina, a long stretch of pristine beach and an old fishing pier with a community casino-which will be perfect for the film’s explosive climax.

There’s just one problem. Eben Thibadeaux, the town mayor, completely objects to Greer’s plan. A lifelong resident of Cypress Key, Eben wants the town to be revitalized, not commercialized. After a toxic paper plant closed, the bay has only recently been reborn, and Eb has no intention of letting anybody screw with his town again. But Greer has a way of making things happen, regardless of obstacles. And Greer and Eb are way too attracted to each other for either of them to see reason.

Between an ambitious director and his entourage-including a spoiled “It Boy” lead actor-who parachute into town, a conniving local ex-socialite, and a cast of local fangirls and opportunists who catch the movie bug, nothing is going to be the same in Cypress Key. Now Greer is forced to make some hard choices: about the people and the town she’s come to care about, and about her own life. True love is only for the movies, right? Can Greer find a way to be the heroine in her own life story? Told with inimitable heart and humor, Mary Kay Andrews’ Beach Town is the perfect summer destination.

the weekenders

Published: May 17, 2016
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Goodreads: Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Others come only for the weekends-and the mix between the regulars and “the weekenders” can sometimes make the sparks fly. Riley Griggs has a season of good times with friends and family ahead of her on Belle Isle when things take an unexpected turn. While waiting for her husband to arrive on the ferry one Friday afternoon, Riley is confronted by a process server who thrusts papers into her hand. And her husband is nowhere to be found.

So she turns to her island friends for help and support, but it turns out that each of them has their own secrets, and the clock is ticking as the mystery deepens…in a murderous way. Cocktail parties aside, Riley must find a way to investigate the secrets of Belle Island, the husband she might not really know, and the summer that could change everything.

Told with Mary Kay Andrews’ trademark blend of humor and warmth, and with characters and a setting that you can’t help but fall for, The Weekenders is the perfect summer escape.

Thank you Mary Ann!