Tag Archives: Contemporary Young Adult

Tease

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Author:  Amanda Maciel
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Source:  BEA                                       tease

 

 

 

 

Goodreads:  From debut author Amanda Maciel comes a provocative and unforgettable novel, inspired by real-life incidents, about a teenage girl who faces criminal charges for bullying after a classmate commits suicide.

Emma Putnam is dead, and it’s all Sara Wharton’s fault. At least, that’s what everyone seems to think. Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma’s shocking suicide. Now Sara is the one who’s ostracized, already guilty according to her peers, the community, and the media. In the summer before her senior year, in between meetings with lawyers and a court-recommended therapist, Sara is forced to reflect on the events that brought her to this moment—and ultimately consider her own role in an undeniable tragedy. And she’ll have to find a way to move forward, even when it feels like her own life is over.

With its powerful narrative, unconventional point of view, and strong anti-bullying theme, this coming-of-age story offers smart, insightful, and nuanced views on high school society, toxic friendships, and family relationships.

Ope’s Opinion:  From the first page this book was very intense.  It  kept the tension up throughout the whole book.  It felt very realistic to me.  It was hard to read and a couple of times I wanted to put it down, but I just wanted to see where the story was going to go.  

 I liked that the subject of bullying was verbal and not really much physical bullying. Physical bullying is easier to spot.   I also liked that it was mostly  about girls.  

I didn’t like that the adults were not involved as much as I thought they should be.  But this also felt realistic in that I don’t think students tell the adults in their lives what is going on when they are being bullied or doing the bullying.

Amanda Maciel wrote the characters so vividly that you don’t like them – which I think is exactly what she was aiming for.  She did a great job of showing the influence one person has over another.

I think this book made me want to see if the bully was being bullied.  In this book I think Sara ( who was the bully ) was being bullied by Brielle.  That doesn’t give Sara an excuse to bully, but it just makes me think…

Rating: Four Chairs -I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.               de9fc-4chairs

Now & Forever

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Author:  Susane Colasanti           
Publisher:  Viking Juvenile
Genre:Contemporary Young Adult        now
Source:  BEA  

 

 

 

Goodreads:  What if your boyfriend was the world’s biggest rockstar?

Sterling is crazy in love with Ethan. Not only is he the sweetest boy she’s ever met, but he’s an incredibly talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter. And since forever, he’s believed he has what it takes to be a star.

When Ethan becomes an overnight sensation, he’s thrown head-first into the glam world of celebrity-and so is Sterling. Before she knows it, she’s attending red-carpet premieres, getting free designer clothes, and flying around the country to attend Ethan’s monumental sold-out concerts.

It’s a dream come true…but whose dream is Sterling living? And what do you do when “forever” comes to an end? 

Ope’s Opinion:  This book started out as a very simple young love story.  But I saw the characters grow apart and grow up at the same time.  It felt like an empowerment for girls book.  

It was great to see Sterling find out she needed to figure out what she wanted out of life before she shared her life with someone else.  I thought there was a lot of subtle advise to young women in this book –  the young girls need to find guys who adore them, not twist their lives around a boy.

One thing that was missing for me in this book was a positive adult role model.  Sterlings Gram was the only adult I read about that was available.

I have two granddaughters – I would want them to read this book and hopefully see that loosing yourself in a boy is not a great idea.  Hearing advice in a story is sometimes easier to absorb.

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.                    de9fc-4chairs

The Fine Art of Pretending

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Author:  Rachel Harris                          art
Publisher:  Spencer Hill Contemporary
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Source: BEA

 

Publication Date:  September 30, 2014

 

Goodreads:  According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you’re friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

Ope’s Opinion:  Oh, what a cute young adult read!  The story is a little predictable, but in a perfectly awesome way.  Seeing the story from both the girls ( Aly ) and the boys (Brandon) perspective really gave made this fun to read.

It was great to see Aly figure out who she really is and what she really wants.  I think young girls think what they look like and who their boyfriend is defines them.  This book really brought out the fact that Aly had to find herself before she could be comfortable with her friends.

I also think Brandon was portrayed as most boys in high school are – mostly interested in sports and friends.  Girls are a complication they don’t always know how to deal with!  It was great to see Brandon struggle with his feelings.

I would recommend this to a young adult reader.  I think they could relate to the characters, the story will keep their attention and it has an appropriate amount of romance in it.  There is a little more foul language then needed to be there, but not over the top.

 

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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A Little Something Different

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Author:  Sandy Hall                                          a little
Publisher:  Swoon Reads
Genre:  Contemporary Young Adult
Source:  BEA

 

 

Goodreads:  The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together. Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out.  But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes in their relationship.

Surely Gabe and Lea will figure out that they are meant to be together…

Ope’s Opinion:  This cute little book has a cute little story to tell.  It tells the story in a very unique way.  Gabe and Lea – the two main characters do not tell their own story.  It is all told from the perspective of those around them – including the bench and the squirrel.  Okay, the bench and squirrel were a little much for me.  

Although this was set on a college campus, the characters felt more like high school students.  Even the adults don’t really act their appropriate ages.

The story was moved along by all the characters points of view.  All the characters could see how Gabe and Lea were suppose to be together, but I struggled to see it through their eyes.  I do like that the author took a chance on writing the story this way.

It is a cute, quirky book.

 

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.

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Since You’ve Been Gone

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Author:  Morgan Matson                         since
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster
Genre:  Contemporary YA
Source:  BEA

 

Goodreads:  The Pre-Sloane Emily didn’t go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn’t do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell.But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just… disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try… unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple Picking at Night? Ok, easy enough.Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a Stranger? Wait… what?

 

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

 

Go Skinny Dipping? Um..

Ope’s Opinion:  Morgan Matson was one of the reasons I was so excited about BEA this year.  I couldn’t wait to meet her and get her next book.  She was worth the time in  line to meet and the book is worth the time to read!!

When I started reading this book I thought it was a YA Bucket list.  I was wondering what that would read like?  As I read, I enjoyed that the tasks on the list were completed in a different way then Emily ( and I ) thought would happen.  I also liked how I saw Emily learn and grow with each task.  It kept me reading.  It read really fast – the story kept moving.  The flashbacks gave you background to Emily and her relationships.  This also helped you understand the items on the list.  It was very clear when you were in the present and when you went to a flashback.

Each person brought into Emily’s life made an impact on her.  It was fun to watch Emily interact with Dawn, Gideon, Collins, even her brother and parents.  They each brought a unique perspective to Emily’s story and her finding herself.  Emily goes from seeing herself as a follower to seeing herself as a strong independent person.  Watching that happen in the book is very subtle and inspiring.

I would recommend this book. It has friendship, self-discovery, and a little romance. I am ready for Morgan Matson’s next book!!

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Breathe, Annie, Breathe

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Author:  Miranda Kenneally                           Breathe
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Source:  BEA

 

Available to buy tomorrow.

 

Goodreads:   Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can’t escape the guilt that if she hadn’t broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.

But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she’s at war with her body, her mind—and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms…and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book flowed like Annie’s running.  It started out slow with a few bumps and continued to get stronger and move faster.  You can read a lot of metaphors in the book about life and running or you can just enjoy the story.  It works really well either way.

Everyone deals with loss in their own way and in their own timing.  I think Annie is very mature for her age and handles her loss in a positive way.  It was fascinating to watch her become stronger in her running and her spirit at the same time.  It felt like a realistic pace of healing her heart so she could be open to someone new.

This is the first book in this series I have read. Now I want to go back and read all the other  books Miranda Kenneally wrote!  I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

This would have been a five chair, but the details of the sexual scenes were not necessary – especially for a young teen reader.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Coming Soon …..

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

This what I hope I find myself reading in July!

breathe

Publication Date:  July 15, 2014
Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire

Goodreads:  Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can’t escape the guilt that if she hadn’t broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.

But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she’s at war with her body, her mind—and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms…and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.

“Breathe, Annie, Breathe is an emotional, heartfelt, and beautiful story about finding yourself after loss and learning to love. It gave me so many feels. Her best book yet.” — Jennifer Armentrout, New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You

What is coming soon …. to a bookshelf near you?

Let me know – I am always looking for a good read!

Love and Other Foreign Words

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love and othr

 

Author:  Erin McCahan                                 love
Publisher:  Dial
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Source: Sparks Point Studio

 

 

 

Goodreads:  Perfect for fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell, Love and Other Foreign Words is equal parts comedy and coming of age–a whip-smart, big-hearted, laugh-out-loud love story about sisters, friends, and what it means to love at all.

Can anyone be truly herself–or truly in love–in a language that’s not her own?

Sixteen-year-old Josie lives her life in translation. She speaks High School, College, Friends, Boyfriends, Break-ups, and even the language of Beautiful Girls. But none of these is her native tongue–the only people who speak that are her best friend Stu and her sister Kate. So when Kate gets engaged to an epically insufferable guy, how can Josie see it as anything but the mistake of a lifetime? Kate is determined to bend Josie to her will for the wedding; Josie is determined to break Kate and her fiancé up. As battles are waged over secrets and semantics, Josie is forced to examine her feelings for the boyfriend who says he loves her, the sister she loves but doesn’t always like, and the best friend who hasn’t said a word–at least not in a language Josie understands.

Ope’s Opinion:  I bounced between three and four chairs.  I liked this book more then the average book, but it wasn’t a hold your breath kind of story.

This book was about love – all kinds – between sisters, parents, those about to get married and those still figuring out what love is all about.  The sisters love is the center of the story.  They were not always nice to each other, but they kept coming back to the fact that they love each other.

I loved that Josie ( the main character ) does not take romantic love lightly.   She thinks about her feelings before she expresses them.  Josie is very snarky – so if you like that kind of character you will really like her.

Erin McCahan can write good dialogue.  She keeps your attention.  I will read more of her books.

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Bloom

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Author:  Marilyn Grey                 bloom
Publisher:  Winslet Press
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Source: Winslet Press

 

Release Date:  May 19, 2014

 

Goodreads:  

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.
-Helen Keller

Have you ever wondered how many people would still love you if you were no longer beautiful? Have you ever thought of people who wake up and can’t stand the idea of seeing their reflections? Have you ever considered that death may be easier than life?

I never did. Not once. Not until one moment, one mistake, changed my life forever.

I woke up to beeping machines, hovering faces, and pain like you wouldn’t believe. I’m not just talking about my burns either. I’m talking about my heart.

My name is Sarah Jordan and this is my story. I’m tired of pretending to be perfect. Of painting on a smile when I’m struggling. My story isn’t always pretty and easy to read, but it hasn’t been easy to live either. I’m opening up. Letting you in. So maybe, just maybe, together we can peel away the masks and find true beauty. True life. Underneath it all.

Welcome to my heart … bound within the pages of Bloom.

Book 5 in The Unspoken Series. This is a 10 book series, best when read in order.

A beautiful, successful, sweet personality with the world at her fingertips, Sarah Jordan falls in love with James, a charming man who adores her. But he comes with broken pieces and a daughter he adopted when his brother and sister-in-law died in an accident he feels he could’ve prevented. When she finally decides to say yes to his many proposals, they are both burned in a campfire accident. After a year of hospital beds and stark lights, Sarah is released to go home with everything but her former beauty. As she recovers, James struggles with regret and guilt as Sarah fights to overcome the depression that comes with a new life so different from the one she loved so much. Her joy and security are tested while budding relationships cleanse wounds they never knew they had.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book has a heartbeat of it’s own.  You could feel it as you read each page. It is a love story, but not in the traditional sense.  It is about learning to know and love your true self.  

Sarah’s heartbeat started out weak and irregular.  As the story unfolds, it becomes stronger and more regular.  You root for Sarah to heal ( on the inside ) from page one. You will feel Sarah’s pain, you will see her hurt, and you will laugh with her.

Marilyn Grey writes a book that  will inspire you to be a more beautiful person from the inside out.  She writes in such a way that helps you see the world from another perspective.  I recommend this book.  Bloom is a beautiful book!

Rating: Five Chairs – This book is so good it will be passed on and on and on…..
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