I’ll Meet You There

I’ll Meet you There by Heather Demetrios

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. (Goodreads)

The Story:

Skylar Evans is ready to say goodbye to life as she’s known it in Creek View: Small town, double-wide trailers, no real future in sight. But life away from home is promising. She has a full ride scholarship to study art far from away from the dead-ends surrounding her. All she has to do is get through three months of summer.

Three months.

The problem is that Skylar’s mom is going nowhere. When she’s fired from her job at Taco Bell she essentially falls apart, what little stability she’s built for her and her daughter quickly crumbling under the weight of bad decision after bad decision. To make ends meet Skyler takes on more hours at the Paradise, an odd motel off the highway. She does it not only to pull extra weight at home, but to avoid her mom’s latest loser boyfriend. Her mother can’t seem to get it together and Skyler fears she’ll never be able to leave her behind to truly pursue her dreams.

Josh Mitchell has different plans. His life took an unexpected detour when he lost a leg while serving as a Marine in Afghanistan. He’s home again, but he’s not the same and he’s searching for a way, not only to build a life again, but to escape the pain and nightmares he’s enduring on a daily basis.

Skyler and Josh have always known each other, Josh, the cocky guy who was a legendary flirt, Skyler, the brainiac girl who was definitely going somewhere. They’re thrown together again when Josh returns to work at the Paradise and they develop a powerful bond that eventually becomes something more.

My Thoughts:

Holy cow. This book. It was crazy good.

The feelings. The massive swoons. It has everything.

Individually, I loved Skyler and Josh. They were the kind of people I’d always want to be around. Skyler is loyal to the end, even going to far as possibly giving up her dream—her full scholarship and ticket out of Nowhereland—to stay and take care of a mother who won’t (not can’t. Won’t) take care of herself. And what Sklyer isn’t willing to do for Josh. That girl—even before there’s a clear romance—is pretty much his only real friend at home. And Josh slowly sees he can let her in and show her the person he’s become in all his time away from home.

One of the great things about Josh is that there are chapters written from his perspective. They are beautiful and painful, tortured and fractured. Sure, he talks about Skyler sometimes and it’s sweet—but mostly, he talks about what he’s lived through and how he can’t leave it behind. It’s desperate and heartbreaking, and though I, personally, have no first-hand experience with PTSD, Demetrios paints such a vivid picture it left me stunned (and that much more grateful for our incredible soldiers).

It would be easy to pity either of these two–but don’t. Their struggles, their flaws, it’s what makes them amazing and human, and real. It makes them leap from the page and practically grab your heart from your chest. They have a beautiful, breathtaking story, a steamy hot romance (because did I mention that? Josh is all kinds of hot.), but it is also an all-consuming love story. You will not soon forget this story.

I hesitate to compare books to other books and characters to others because, of course, what I think and feel may differ from your opinion, but I have to say this.

When I was reading I’ll Meet You There, Skyler and Josh reminded me of another fictional couple I love: Taylor Markham and Jonah Griggs from Jellicoe Road. Please don’t misunderstand me, this is a completely different story. But these characters have that same pain, that same passion, that same crazy intensity.

This one is going down as a forever favorite. I’ll be reading and sharing it again and again.

Crush Intensity: 5/5 Amazing. READ THIS BOOK! Swoon City, all the way.

Thank you to Sandie and Daphne for recommending and sending this one to me. You girls felt this was “A Tammy Book” and you were SO right. As you both already know, I loved it.

Quotes:

“I don’t really know what it means to move on, but lately, with Sky, I’m starting to feel like I want to because when I look at her, I don’t see you or the war or any of the shit in my head. I just see her, and it’s like suddenly I can breathe again after holding my breath for so long.”–Josh

“It occurred to me that we were the same, in a way. Both of us treading water, pushing against forces we couldn’t control.”–Skyler

“He tasted like hope and healing. He tasted like the future.”–Skyler

Dreams of Gods and Monsters

Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3) by Laini Taylor

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael’s brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz … something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter? (Goodreads)

I have to be honest. I don’t know how to review this book because I don’t know how to say goodbye to this beautiful, breathtaking series. I mean, hello, I read this book last summer. Like, the summer that came before the one about to start. But it’s painful to let go.

I adored the first two books, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, followed by Days of Blood and Starlight. Laini Taylor is an incredibly gifted writer, both in the worlds and characters she’s created, and in the heartachingly lovely way she tells their story. Her words are so gorgeous, so fraught with beauty and lust and pain that I could physically devour them.

If you have not read Daughter of Smoke and Bone I implore you to do so. You are missing out on something so unique. In fact, I envy you that you get to experience the heartbreak and unfathomable richness for the first time. And seriously, I don’t want to spoil it all for you. But OMG. The feelings.

This third and final book picks up after Days of Blood and Starlight. Karou, now the leader of the chimera through some crafty deception, is still estranged from Akiva. The White Wolf is dead and those who were once loyal to him must continue to believe that he is alive (when really it’s Ziri in all her awesomeness who has taken on Thiago’s form. Whew. It’s a lot to digest, I know). Basically, no one likes Akiva. Thiago’s loyal followers are suspicious of Karou, as always, there’s a queen who wants to kills Akiva. And that’s just part of the story. There’s so much going on that it’s a bit overwhelming.

My Thoughts:

This book had a slow build. There is so much going on, so many characters, that I both found it hard to keep up and hard to get into. In the beginning it felt as if nothing much was happening other than the inward struggle to keep Karou in power and the evil forces at bay. But there was a turning point, a place where 1) Karou and Akiva make slow progress toward each other once more (this is incredibly important to me, the romantic fool) and 2) It becomes glaringly obvious that they can’t ever be (but they have to try!).

Of course this story is much more than one of Karou and Akiva. It’s about family, friendship, and love, about sacrificing self (and often love) for the good of all. There are so many obstacles here, and so many times I hoped beyond hope that Brimstone would be back and life would return to the way it was in the beginning. Karou knows it’s not possible so she, despite what she fears or what she desires, does what she must. It’s almost painful to watch at times, but I couldn’t help but love her more and more every step of the way (and I’m speaking of the entire trilogy and the suffering she endures). In the same way, I love Akiva, led by this deep love for Madrigal, and later Karou, he too goes against the grain and sacrifices himself, partly to make up for his past sin and partly because it’s the right thing to do. His love for her… the feelings it gives me. The moments these two have, they’re magical.

I realizing I’m telling you very little about the actual story. I’m trying to avoid anything too spoilery. I feel like so little happened and yet so much. What I know is this: I love this trilogy. I love the characters and everything about the story. It ended differently from what I’d expected or hoped and yet it felt right. It left me with so many emotions that even now I’m not sure I’m ready for a reread.

Crush Intensity: 4.75/5 Nothing will ever top book #1, but this was a very satisfying end to a completely imaginative series. If you start it and struggle, press on. It’s worth the wait, I promise.

Royal Wedding

Royal Wedding (Princess Diaries #11) by Meg Cabot

For Princess Mia, the past five years since college graduation have been a whirlwind of activity, what with living in New York City, running her new teen community center, being madly in love, and attending royal engagements. And speaking of engagements. Mia’s gorgeous longtime boyfriend Michael managed to clear both their schedules just long enough for an exotic (and very private) Caribbean island interlude where he popped the question! Of course Mia didn’t need to consult her diary to know that her answer was a royal oui.

But now Mia has a scandal of majestic proportions to contend with: Her grandmother’s leaked “fake” wedding plans to the press that could cause even normally calm Michael to become a runaway groom. Worse, a scheming politico is trying to force Mia’s father from the throne, all because of a royal secret that could leave Genovia without a monarch. Can Mia prove to everyone–especially herself–that she’s not only ready to wed, but ready to rule as well? (Goodreads)

It’s been fifteen years since the publication of the first Princess Diaries book.

I know.

It’s gone by so fast.

And as many of you know, The Princess Diaries is my all-time favorite series. The books make me so happy because, while I was an adult when the first one was published, I felt Meg Cabot had tapped into who I was as a teenager. She perfectly, hilariously, described the thoughts that went through my head in high school (and, okay, sometimes as a grown up) and she introduced me to characters I fell in love with and, in a funny, bookworm way, bonded with.

And don’t even get me started on my boyfriend, Michael Moscovitz, Fake Man of My Dreams. There aren’t enough words, you guys.

Needless to say, I lost my mind when I found out there was going to be another Princess Diaries book. When I had the opportunity to read an early copy through Edelweiss, I DEVOURED it. I read endless excerpts to my adorable husband, sent crazy texts to my BFF (because, Michael, hello), and then read it again. Because I loved it.

The Story:

Mia is now twenty-six years old, a college graduate running a community center named after her dearly departed stepfather, Frank Gianni. She is still the Princess of Genovia, fulfilling her royal duties while balancing life with her longtime boyfriend, Michael Moscovitz.  As usual, Mia’s life is insane. She now lives in an apartment above the Genovian consulate, and is still guarded by Lars. She has a creepy stalker and she’s continuously hounded by the press for both political and personal reasons, so much so that often she can barely leave her home. A lesser man would have run in the other direction years ago, but Michael hangs in there, always making Mia see the positive, helping her deal with everything life throws her way, even as he continues to run his successful robotics firm. When the two finally get engaged it is blissful— until Grandmere goes bananas. The timing is perfect because the Renaldo family has been hit with a major scandal (one of a few they’ve been dealing with) as she sees this as a perfect press opportunity.

My Thoughts:

This book is sweet perfection.

I do not want to spoil the adorable, sweet details, nor do I wish to fill you in on the lives of the many other characters you and I have grown to love (simply because it’s such a treat to read about it). Rest assured, you will hear from Grandmere and Mia’s family, Tina, Boris, and the ever-hilarious Lilly. There are even appearances by Paolo and Lana. And more! But again, I don’t want to spoil it.

Diving into Mia’s life again is pure heaven. I adored it, enjoyed every single moment. As a fan, it was fun catching up with these characters that I’ve fallen in love with. But there’s more to it than that: there’s such a sense of delight I felt in seeing who they’ve become as adults. Their lives aren’t perfectly mapped out yet because they’re still young, but it’s so satisfying to see them as grown ups and observe how they’ve changed (and how they’ve stayed the same). I also loved seeing Mia and Michael’s relationship on a mature level. Michael is such a solid, steadying force in Mia’s crazy life, much like when they were teenagers. He loves her—freakouts, crazy family and all. They have such an adorable connection, both in their everyday discussions, in their sex life, and in the way they view their future. They are a sweet picture of romantic love, the kind you search your whole life to experience.

I loved this book. You don’t have to be a Princess DIaries fan to enjoy it, but if you are one, you will walk away with a giant smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart. This is everything we hoped it would be.

Crush Intensity: Eleven Million/5

One more quick, funny note. Michael and Mia’s wedding date is my birthday. When I saw this I may have spazzed out and texted my BFF, saying “I feel this is somehow significant.” She agreed, as any best friend would.

Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for giving me an e-galley of Royal Wedding (which I read three times).

Royal Wedding is in stores TODAY! I’m going to buy a copy. Are you?

Sometimes I Suck at Blogging

It’s been a really, really long time. Lots of fun things have happened. I’ve been working on a project that seems never-ending. I went to the first ever YALLWEST in April with my daughter and some friends of mine where, OMG I met Lauren Oliver and had a mini freakout (more pictures to come). And I’ve read some books. I mean, obviously.

Most important, I was reunited with the Fake Man of My Dreams, Michael Moscovitz. WHAT???? I know. I got an advance e galley of Royal Wedding a few months ago and devoured it. It’s been so hard not to talk about it, but I thought the review would be best right before the book’s release (so you’ll see it next week after I read it again because Michael). As a teaser, here is a text I sent to a couple of dear friends while reading the book:

“Michael Moscovitz has hair on his chest and he and Mia play a sex game called Fireman. I MAY DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

  Honestly, I’m lucky to have friends who understand this obsession. Or who at least pretend to.

Also, at the recommendation of Daphne and Sandie, I read a fantastic book called I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios. This book will go down as one of my favorites this year because it had that certain Taylor/Jonah Effing Griggs quality I so admire. I promise to review it soon, but let me just warn you now: swoonfest. Mostly, other than these two books, I haven’t done a ton of reading. I start books and don’t finish them–or I spend time enjoying books I’ve read a million times. I think it’s in part due to the fact that I loved both Royal Wedding and I’ll Meet You There so much that nothing new has compared. I’m hoping to come out of this slump STAT since I have a list of books to buy for summer, including Sophie Kinsellas’s first ever YA, Finding Audrey

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

 And Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

For now, it’s just good to be back!

I Mustache You A Question

Tagged by the ever-awesome Daphne @ Gone Pecan

Four Names People Call Me Other Than My Real Name

1. Tammy (my real name is Tamara)

2. Tam

3. Mama (perhaps my favorite)

4. Tee

Four Jobs I’ve Had

1. Assistant Buyer for a retail/catalog house (women’s dresses)

2. Wholesale Rep for an intimate apparel company

3. Account Executive for a sweater company

4. Cashier/Visual Merchandiser (so, I dressed mannequins) for a retail store

Four Movies I Would/Have Watched More Than Once

1. Signing in the Rain

2. Bridget Jones’ Diary

3. Any Disney Princess movie (because I love them)

4. Love, Actually

Four Books I’d Recommend*

* Um, really? FOUR?

1. The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

2. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

3. The Princess Diaries series

4. The Harry Potter series

Four Places I’ve Lived

1. Baldwin Park, CA

2. West Covina, CA

3. Phillips Ranch, CA

4. Corona, CA

Four Places I Have Been

1. Hawaii

2. Chicago

3. New York

4. Honduras

Four Places I’d Rather Be

Disclaimer: I want to be wherever my family is, so they’d have to be with me

1. English Countryside

2. Paris

3. Disneyland

4. Home (which is cheating because I’m home right now)

Four Things I Don’t Eat

1. Red Meat

2. Sushi

3. Anything “diet” (artificial crap)

4. Tofu (which makes life interesting because I eat mostly vegetables, and tofu offers

so much protein for people like me. It’s also disgusting).

Four of My Favorite Foods

1. Chocolate (does this count?)

2. Potatoes

3. Soup (like, I could live on soup)

4. Veggies (especially zucchini, baby spinach, and cauliflower)

Four TV Shows That I Watch

1. Bewitched (I own all the DVDs. They make me happy).

2. Downton Abbey

3. The Vampire Diaries

4. Fixer Upper

Four Things I’m Looking Forward To This Year

1. Big family vacation this summer (with my little family, my parents, and my favorite cousins)

2. YALLWEST

3. Royal Wedding, by Meg Cabot (which I’ve already devoured, but I’m excited to buy a beautiful official copy)

4. Foo Fighters concert in September with some of my favorite people!

Four Things I’m Always Saying

1. I love you (to my husband and children)

2. No! (to my dog, Boo Radley)

3. Dinner’s ready (seriously, I feel like I run a restaurant)

4. What’s in that? (I’m an organic loving label-reading Nazi. I’m sure it’s annoying to everyone around)

Four People I’m Tagging

I can’t think of four people who haven’t done this.

1. Sandie @ Teen Lit Rocks

2. Brittany @ The Book Addict’s Guide

And that’s all I’ve got…

Give Me More Wes

In case you haven’t seen it there is a new trailer out for The Duff…and it’s pretty stinking cute. Feast your eyes on a shirtless Wes another great YA book turned movie:

 

This definitely looks different from the book. Mae Whitman is far from anyone’s DUFF, but like the banter they show here. Bianca seems far less grumpy, and far more approachable than she did in the book, and clearly there have been some big changes. Also, it doesn’t look to me like this is going to have the steam the book did, but it looks fun.

 

What do you guys think? I’m in.

 

 

Captive

Captive (The Blackcoat Rebellion #2) by Aimee Carter

For the past two months, Kitty Doe’s life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister’s niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever.

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she’s accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape.

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she’ll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price? (Goodreads)

 

Captive is the sequel to Pawn. If you haven’t read the first book, I suggest you check it out…otherwise you may be just a teensy bit lost what with all the spoilers here and the rambling about characters you haven’t even had time to hate yet (Benji: hate. Knox: kiss).

 

Let’s get back up to speed:

 

Still masked as Lila Hart, Kitty is living under the reign of her evil Prime Minister uncle, Daxton Hart. As we learned in the previous book, Daxton is a big fat phony whose true identity is unknown because he’s been masked as well (meaning the real Daxton is probably dead). Cue that soap opera music! Augusta, the matriarch and true Evil Mastermind of the family, is a goner thanks to Kitty shooting her in the last book. Cecilia (Daxton’s sister) and the real Lila are in hiding now and the Blackcoats are moving forward in planning their rebellion. Knox, Lila’s fiancé (that Kitty has to pretend to be engaged to) is still deeply involved with the Blackcoats. He continues to play the game along with Kitty, trying to guide her through things, even helping her arrange private meetings with her snore inducing boyfriend Benji (whom he’s tagged as his personal assistant).

Feeling caught up?

In Captive, things pick up right where they left off. It’s Lila’s birthday soiree and Kitty is being her typical whiny self (I do like her, I swear) and moaning about how she wants to run away somewhere with Benji and live a boring happy life. Because that’s possible. Benji, ever patient, agrees to run away with her but the whole plan falls apart when they’re caught by Daxton himself. This is because Kitty breaks into Daxton’s safe and steals a file containing his true identity. Fake Daxton does not like that. Kitty hides the file somewhere no one can find it, leaving Daxton is furious. Let’s just say that someone ends up dead, someone turns out to be a major traitor, and someone else goes to Elsewhere (hence the book title).

This whole portion of the book was a little slow for me. Maybe it’s because, while I expected Kitty to continue to rebel, I imagined her doing it from the Hart home, right under Daxton’s nose. I didn’t want to see Elsewhere or imagine Kitty there. But things got very interesting. Elsewhere introduced a new group of characters, those you’ll instantly hate, those you’ll instantly love, and those you aren’t entirely sure you should trust. Kitty finds Blackcoats there as well, and she learns that while she’s still a prisoner, the fellow residents look up to her as a voice for their cause. Even Mercer, the hardened man who runs her sector, along with his wife, Hannah, offer her a place to stay (not that they’re nice). It’s difficult for Kitty to know who to trust, especially when her situation seems hopeless.

 

My Thoughts:

As I mentioned, even though I thought Pawn was great, this was a tough start for me. More than halfway through it I was interested but not fully invested. And then there was this moment where it all clicked and I couldn’t wait to pick it up again. There are many twists and turns and revelations. Kitty is better this time around because she grows to be very bold. She begins to worry less about herself and her happy ending with Benji and she sees the bigger picture. Hallelujah! Upping the stakes are a few new characters who are in a category unto themselves (Friend? Enemy? Frenemy?). I can’t even address the love triangle without serious spoilers (which stinks since that’s always my favorite part to discuss). Suffice it to say that there is some serious and well-deserved tension in Kitty’s relationship with Knox. Benji, on the other hand, is still the President of Snoozerville. I just nodded off while typing that.

If you liked Pawn I think this is worth your time. The end portion is particularly good, the kind of book I lost sleep over because I couldn’t put it down. Don’t you just love that?

Crush Intensity: 4/5 Captive grew on me. I’m eagerly anticipating the third and final book, Queen.

Where’d I Get It: This one was a Christmas present. It’s all mine!

Take Me On

Take Me On (Pushing the Limits #4) by Katie McGarry

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she’d never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can’t stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she’d stay away from. Yet he won’t last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it’s his fault his family is falling apart. He can’t change the past, but maybe he can change Haley’s future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they’ll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for. (Goodreads)

 

Haley’s family is struggling. They live with her uncle and cousin because her dad is out of work. They’ve lost their home and pretty much everything else and life is rough. As a former championship kickboxer, Haley now finds herself training West Young (brother to Rachel. That’s Rachel of Isaiah and Rachel, be still my heart). West got caught up in a tangle when trying to defend Haley to her abusive ex boyfriend and now he and said boyfriend—another boxer—are due to fight.

 

West and Haley have an obvious attraction to each other, but West is hiding who he truly is. He’s been kicked out of the Young home and forced to leave his fancy private school because of a strained relationship with his father. He wants to be there for Rachel as she recovers from her debilitating accident but he feels like the black sheep of the Young empire. Haley has no idea West comes from such a privileged background, and worse, she has no idea there is possibly a connection between the Youngs and her family’s troubles (you knew it right? There HAD TO BE). The two try to keep things professional, but their chemistry is undeniable and as they get deeper and deeper, West knows he has to tell Haley the truth. Either way, he knows he could lose her.

 

 

My Thoughts:

For me, nothing in this series will top Crash Into You. Apparently I have a thing for Isaiah. Seriously. I scoured this book for his name (he’s in there!). Still, all of the books in this series have been solid because Katie McGarry is so gifted in the art of writing sexual tension. She’s also pretty adept at writing an interesting bad boy. West isn’t your typical baddie because he’s not from the wrong side of the tracks, but he’s definitely somewhat destructive and willing to go against what the world expects of him. Haley, while from the rough part of town, is a sweet girl who cannot catch a break. I felt such compassion for her and a longing for her to find a way out of the nightmare of her life. That’s not all found in love, but I think love helps her believe there’s a better way and that’s a start.

 

This was a good story. Was it amazing? Not really, but I liked it. I enjoyed the will they or won’t they. I ate up the lingering glances and all the feelings. And I was chomping at the bit for some kissing. Here, McGarry does not disappoint.

 

Crush Intensity: 4/5 Not my favorite of the bunch, but a fun read all the same.

 

Where’d I Get It: The library

Things to Spazz Over in 2015

There’s all kinds of bookishness going on this year and like any nerd, I’m falling all over myself about most of it. The majority of it is related to real live hotly anticipated books, but some of it is related to films and event. It’s a feast for the book nerd in you.

 

Adorable

Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot (June 2015)- This is a major event in my life and I’m going to love it. I think we can all agree on that because my fake boyfriend, Michael Moscovitz is back. I am already swooning with anticipation. As Mia would say:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amiright?

 

Saint Anything- Um, you guys, Sarah Dessen has a new book coming out next year. ‘Nuff said.

 

The Raven Boys #4- THE LAST ONE. I’m already tearing up. If Gansey dies I’ll cut someone. Actually, if any of the characters I love dies I will lose it.

 

I Was Here by Gayle Forman- Love her. Can’t wait for anything new she writes.

 

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han- This is the sequel to To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. And I love Jenny Han.

 

 

 

 

Films:

Insurgent– I didn’t love the first movie but I appreciated two things:

1. A fabulous YA book getting some actual cred
2. Theo James

 

Mockingjay Part 2– I am constantly stunned at how well-done this film series has been. Of course, the books are always better, but the legions of young women who are hopefully being inspired to pick up one of these books, and better, to channel their inner kick-ass, is awe-inspiring.

 

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children– With Time Burton at the helm and Asa Butterfield attached to play Jacob, I have high hopes for this one. The book was absolutely magical.

 

Eleanor and Park– This book gave me so many feelings. It snuck up on me in the most incredible way. I cannot wait for the movie.

 

The DUFF- I am SO interested to see what they do with this book. It was funny and crass. The trailer I’ve seen looks quite different, but I’m holding out hope here.

 

Paper Towns- It’s such a wonderful thing to see John Green, who was loved for years in our world, get his due in the film industry as well. This is my second-favorite Green novel (because TFIOS, you guys. It cannot be surpassed), and have already been charmed by the photos and updates Green shares regularly online. Fingers crossed here.

 

Suite Francaise- How I adored this book. Though it’s not YA, it is breathtaking and thoughtful and the story of how it came to be…it’s incredible. Based on the trailer, it looks as though the filmmakers chose to focus on the second part of the book (the novel is broken up into two books that are related only by circumstance), but it looks gorgeous.

 

 

Event:

 

Ya’ll West– Have you seen the list of authors here? I will be making a fool of myself, no question.

 

LA Times Festival of Books– This event is always epic (and there’s a crepe truck, hello!)

 

Happy New Year Everyone!

Best Books of 2014

As this year comes to a close I think its time to chat about our favorite books of the year. For me, this was a tough reading year. There were definitely some books I LOVED, but it feels like there was less that totally blew me away. Because of this I spent a megaton of time re-reading books (okay, I always do that, but still). This year I found myself more lost in love with certain classics, or certain series and stand alones I’ve read multiple times, and those books—ones like Jellicoe Road, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone, Princess in Love, To Kill A Mockingbird, and the Jenny Han Summer series—often took center stage.

 

But fear not. I read some good new (or new to me) ones too.

 

The Stand Alones/ First in a Series

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

It was sold as a YA When Harry Met Sally and it really is all that and more. This was one of those books I wanted to start reading again immediately after finishing it.

 

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

In a word, breathtaking.

 

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (#1) by Jenny Han

This book was so cute, so fun, and something in it just resonated with me. I read it and adored it and then, within months, read it again and loved it just the same.

More Than This by Patrick Ness

You really can’t go wrong with Patrick Ness. The big question here is why on earth did I wait so long to read this?

 

Wonder by RJ Palacio

I avoided this book forever because I worried that as a mommy it would be unbelievably difficult to read. And you know what? It was every bit as amazing as I’d heard and more. Yes, there were tears, but there was so much joy, so much warmth. This one dug a hole deep in my heart. I think it should be required reading for all kids.

These Broken Stars ( Starbound #1) by Aimee Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

I loved this book from the first pages. It was unique and intriguing, and it took me on an entirely different journey than the one I’d expected. And the swoons were pretty excellent. Like, really good.

 

The Sequels

 

Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Boys #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

I can’t get enough of the gorgeous prose, of these characters, or of the crazy bananapants problems they encounter. After the fourth and final installment I’m certain to be grieving their loss.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3) by Laini Taylor

Oh, this series. See what I wrote above about grieving? All the feels. I can’t even explain it.

 

Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi

Oh sweet holy moly, these books. And Warner, setting panties aflame across the nation. This was a good journey and though it was technically the end (and a good, solid end), Mafi wrote it in a way that left a whole new world of possibilities to explore.

 

Just Call My Name (I’ll Be There #2) by Holly Goldberg Sloan

These characters slay me. Even though the first book ended so perfectly, I like that Sloan chose to explore some of the difficulties that follow Sam, Riddle, and Emily as they adjust to their new lives. Even happy endings take work.

 

 

Honorable Mentions:

Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson- So adorably cute that I’ll be reading it again soon. It gave me happy feelings.

 

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson- Another case of why did I wait so long?

Biggest Flirts (The Superlatives #1) by Jennifer Echols- All. The. Banter. I was into this book all the way, hook, line and sinker.

 

Happy Reading! If you’ve read something that knocked your socks off, please share it with me!