Meet Cute | Book Review

Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet

Edited by: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Number of Pages: 320

Average Rating: 3.68/5 stars

My Rating: 3.2/5 (Averaged)

Published: January 2, 2018

Read in January 2018

Summary According to Goodreads

Whether or not you believe in fate, or luck, or love at first sight, every romance has to start somewhere. Meet Cute is an anthology of original short stories featuring tales of “how they first met” from some of today’s most popular YA authors. 

My Thoughts

This is an anthology that was only recently released, and was on my “most anticipated” list of 2018. Although this was not the best anthology I have ever read, I did find it quite enjoyable. There were a fair share of cliches, but also some very unique ideas that impressed me. My favourite thing about anthologies is getting to experience new authors, and to get a taste of their storytelling without investing in a full-length novel. From reading this anthology I have found some new authors I want to read more from, and I consider that a success!

Individual Ratings:

- Siege Etiquette by Katie Cotugno: 2/5

- Print Shop by Nina LaCour: 4/5

          - I liked how modern this story was!

- Hourglass by Ibi Zoboi: 4/5

          - I liked the main character in this one, but was expecting more romance than drama 

- Click by Katherine McGee: 4/5

          - I couldn’t give this one an entire five stars, because there were some aspects that weren’t entirely unique

- The Intern by Sara Shepard: 2/5

          - I liked the idea of this story, but it need much more development than it got. The characters had no personality, and that took away all of the romance in my opinion. 

     

- Somewhere That’s Green by Meredith Russo: 4/5 stars

     

- The Way We Love Here by Dhonielle Clayton: 5/5

          - I need a full novel of this!

     

- Oomph by Emery Lord: 4/5 

          - I love stories that involve travel and romance, so this was totally up my alley

     

- The Dictionary of You and Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout: 3/5

          - This was a cute read that I read quite quickly, but wasn’t anything mind-blowing

    

- The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love by Jocelyn Davis: 3/5 

          - Original enough and quirky enough to keep my attention, but I felt as though there was too much "filler"

     

- 259 Million Miles by Kass Morgan: 5/5

          - I am quickly becoming a huge fan of this author, and a bigger fan of the sci-fi genre!

     

- Something Real by Julie Murphy: 3/5

          - This one didn’t blow my mind, but it was cute and fun enough that I am interested in checking out one of her full-length novels. 

     

- Say Everything by Huntley Fitzpatrick: 2/5

- The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon: 4/5

          - This was not a story I was expecting, and I think it was the best way to end this anthology

Trouble | Book Review

Trouble

Written by: Non Pratt

Number of Pages: 380

Average Rating: 3.87/5 stars

My Rating: 5/5 stars

Published: March 6, 2014

Read in January 2018

Summary According to Goodreads

When the entire high school finds out that Hannah Shepard is pregnant via her ex-best friend, she has a full-on meltdown in her backyard. The one witness (besides the rest of the world): Aaron Tyler, a transfer student and the only boy who doesn’t seem to want to get into Hannah’s pants. Confused and scared, Hannah needs someone to be on her side. Wishing to make up for his own past mistakes, Aaron does the unthinkable and offers to pretend to be the father of Hannah’s unborn baby. Even more unbelievable, Hannah hears herself saying “yes”. 

My Thoughts

I read this novel in two sittings while away on vacation. It was raining one day on the cruise, and I just sat in a shelter outside and read straight through, it was so good. I picked this up as a bargain book, and still cannot believe how much it has stuck with me.

This novel is written in alternating perspectives between Hannah and Aaron, and I can’t imagine this story being told in any other way. It is written as days instead of chapters, so we get each person’s perspective on things as they are happening and that was so refreshing to experience. Having the story told in daily entries over the course of a year helped to keep the story flowing smoothly, but also provided a unique insight into the lives of the characters. This writing style was an interesting blend of prose and diary entries, and it made the novel all the better. 

On the topic of perspectives, the characters were written so well that it was easy to believe these were real people. I have watched my fair share of “16 & Pregnant” and “Teen Mom”, and this was pretty close to the dramatics that ensue on the shows. I found it so refreshing to read a contemporary novel where the two main characters don’t fall in love, they just become best friends. They are there for each other when they need it, and there is no sexual motive behind any of their actions. They are good kids that made stupid mistakes, but were able to grow and develop throughout the story. 

There are so many important topics brought up in this novel, and each is dealt with in a way that doesn’t come off as a cliche or obnoxious. Each and every one of us has had (or is having) a unique high school experience, but there is some aspect within these 300+ pages that we can each relate to. Being a teenager is rough, and this novel did a great job of exposing some of the toughest times we can see in this time.

Overall, I can’t think of anything negative to say about this novel. For a debut novel it was written so well, the plot was developed realistically, and it was gripping from beginning to end. I think it is a perfect read for young adults, or parents of young adults (I have recommended it to my mother). This is not a novel I would have usually picked up, but it turned out to be one of my favourite novels ever. 

Before I Fall | Book Review

Before I Fall

Written by: Lauren Oliver 
Number of Pages: 470

Average Rating: 3.91/5 stars
My Rating: 1/5 stars 

Published: March 2010
Read in January 2018


Summary According to Goodreads

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.


My Thoughts

This was such a hard book to get through. Whenever I would put it down, I was not very eager to pick it back up. I did actually own a copy of this book, and brought it away with me on vacation, but decided to save the luggage space and donated it to the library on the cruise ship. 

If you know my rating patterns, you would know that I hardly (if ever) rate a novel with one star, as I try very hard to find redeeming qualities in everything that I read. Unfortunately I can’t really think of anything positive to say about my reading experience with this one. The plot was generally unique, not something mind-blowing, but also not something you see often in YA literature. The characters, however, could’ve been picked out of any contemporary high school novel, and didn’t stick out enough to redeem the spiraling plot. 

There was too much teenage drama and angst involved, and I found the story painfully repetitive. I understand that the main point of the plot was that she relived her dying day seven times, but nothing drastic seemed to change. Instead I got bored of reading the same interactions, and didn’t find anything significant (in a character development sense), changing from her day to day. I think if this novel was about 150 pages shorter, I would have been able to bump my rating up by a star, just because it would have made it quicker to read. 

The ending was bland and didn’t stick out to me in any way. I understand what happened, but totally missed the characters moment when she realized that’s what needed to happen. I struggled to find true character development, and not just Sam acting the way she thought she should. A lot of the development in both the plot and characters seemed forced, and that took away from the experience without a doubt. 

Overall, I think I held onto this novel for too long, and it was one I should have read when I was still in high school. Since the movie adaptation was added to Netflix, I did try to watch it but could not get past the first half hour. The actors did a good job of portraying the arrogant mannerisms, but none of it felt genuine or real. I would recommend this to anyone that is interested in the plot, but would warn not to set your standards as high as mine were. 

This Is Not a Love Letter | Book Review

This Is Not a Love Letter

Written by: Kim Purcell

Number of pages: 368

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Published January 30th, 2018

Read in January 2018

Summary According to Goodreads

One week. That’s all Jessie said. A one-week break to get some perspective before graduation, before she and her boyfriend Chris, would have to make all the big, scary decisions about their future - decisions they had been fighting about for weeks. 

Then, Chris vanishes. The police think he’s run away, but Jessie doesn’t believe it. Chris is popular and good-looking, about to head off to college on a full-ride baseball scholarship. And he disappeared while going for a run along the river - the same place where some boys from the rival high school beat him up just three weeks ago. Chris is one of the only black kids in a depressed paper mill town, and Jessie is terrified of what might have happened. 

As the police are spurred into reluctant action, Jessie speaks up about the harassment Chris kept quiet about and the danger he could be in. But there are people in Jessie’s town who don’t like the story she tells, who are infuriated by the idea that a boy like Chris would be a target of violence. They smear Chris’ character and Jessie begins receiving frightening threats. 

Every Friday since they started dating, Chris has written Jessie a love letter. Now Jessie is writing Chris a letter of her own to tell him everything that’s happening while he’s gone. As Jessie searches for answers, she must face her fears, her guilt, and a past more complicated than she would like to admit. 

My Thoughts

I received an e-book copy of this book in exchange for a review, but that does not influence my opinion on the novel. 

Although the title foreshadows that this will not be a romantic story, I went into this novel expecting a contemporary romance - but it hit so much harder than that. There are so many important themes covered in this novel, including but not limited to; racism, mental disorders, family dynamic, and friendship. I felt as though each of these was dealt with head-on and compassionately, however at times I felt that it was taking over the overall suspense of the novel. It was evident that the main focus of this story was the background of Jessie, and the relationship everyone in this town had to each other, and less about a potential kidnapping/murder of Chris. 

In browsing other reviews, I’ve seen comments talking about the lack of character building and description, but I feel it was written well enough when considering this entire novel is written as a journal. Our main character Jessie is writing letters to her missing boyfriend, who knows all of these people she references, so why bother adding personality details or physical traits? In my opinion adding that would have taken the reader farther out of the character’s shoes. 

I could not give this novel a perfect five-star rating, as I had some issues with the end conclusions. There were some things left unresolved, for example we never found out who was leaving her threatening calls and that was something I was curious about. I also would have liked more discussion on what some of the characters motives were, and to have seen the ending resolve a little bit slower. There was so much intensity built up that the revelation could have been much bigger and better than it was, but I also think that the way it was done was still okay. 

Overall, I thought this was a very powerful, painful, and thought-provoking read. I felt Jessie’s pain, and her manic episodes wondering what happened to Chris, and she brought so much life and energy (both positive and negative) into her letters. I was on the edge of my seat, and couldn’t put this novel down until I knew what happened. It is such a realistic story that I think is able to reach all reader’s through it’s biggest question of “what could I have done differently?” 

I recommend this novel to anyone interested in realistic young adult stories that deal with heavier topics, and I will be purchasing my own physical copy upon its release!

Clockwork Angel | Book Review

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)

Written by: Cassandra Clare

Number of Pages: 480

Average Rating: 4.33/5 stars

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Published: August 31, 2010

Read in November 2017

Summary According to Goodreads

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters - including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them.

My Thoughts

I didn’t love this novel as much as everyone told me that I would. I think my expectations were just too high.

I really liked the characters and how there was so much less focus on teenage angst, just because of the time it was set it. From reading this novel, I have discovered that I love Victorian London! I don’t tend to read historical fiction, but I was so in love with the language, the mannerisms, the technology (or lack thereof), just the whole atmosphere of the time.

Seeing Magnus Bane again and hearing the names of all these characters we met in the Mortal Instruments, made me so excited to get back into the world. A big issue that I had with this story, is that the general plot seemed very similar to that of the Mortal Instruments. A girl discovers the world of Shadowhunters through searching for a missing family member, she is stuck between two stubborn boys who are opposite personalities, and although she didn’t know this world until a week ago, she is suddenly a crucial part of a revolution. 

I couldn’t rate this a five stars, because it wasn’t perfect. I was able to put it down in favour of another novel, and not miss it terribly. At no point was I kept on the edge of my seat, nor was I surprised by any of the plot twists. Once the plot got going it was a quick read, but mostly because of Cassandra Clare’s smooth writing style.

Overall, this novel didn’t blow me away. I found it very slow to get into and again very similar to Jace and Clary’s story. I’m anxious to continue on with the series and the world to see how everything develops, but I am not as hooked as I’d hoped to be!

We'll Never Be Apart | Book Review

We’ll Never Be Apart

Written by: Emiko Jean

Number of Pages: 280

Average Rating: 3.84/5 stars

My Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Published: October 2015

Read in November 2017

Summary According to Goodreads

Murder. Fire. Revenge.

That’s all seventeen-year-old Alice Monroe thinks about. Committed to a mental ward at Savage Isle, Alice is haunted by memories of the fire that killed her boyfriend, Jason. A blaze her twin sister Cellie set. But when Chase, a mysterious, charismatic patient, agrees to help her seek vengeance, Alice begins to rethink everything. Writing out the story of her troubled past in a journal, she must confront hidden truths.

Is the one person she trusts only telling her half the story? Nothing is as it seems in this edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller from the debut author Emiko Jean.

My Thoughts

I think I may need to take a break from novels surrounding mental hospitals, because this one was not in my taste. I was hooked at the beginning and captivated to see where the story was going to go, but once I figured out the plot twists I lost interest. The synopsis gripped me from the very beginning, and I’d taken it out from the library before deciding to purchase my own when I saw it on bargain. I am a sucker for psychological thrillers, but this was yet another to lead to disappointment. I was definitely expecting something much creepier, and instead found myself sucked into teen hormones. 

Although this novel needed to be driven by its characters, I felt that they were a little too flat. Alice is an unreliable narrator as her memory of what has landed her in the hospital is hazy. I appreciated her diary entries to gain memories, as well as the way she was very guarded but manic, as it represented her issues well. Above all, Chase was a nice character to read. He is foreshadowed as the “bad boy” but is more rounded than he seems at first glance. I liked his big heart and that he wasn’t afraid to say what he was thinking. He was my favourite character, no doubt about it.

I have a very hard time believing that the hospital staff were naive enough to let Alice get away with everything that she did. From my experience, the staff are highly trained, know many warning signs, and are constantly around observing. So how was she able to leave the hospital undetected? They also prohibited physical contact between patients and steered away from relationships, so the lack of reality made it hard for me to enjoy.

I also have to give credit to Emiko Jean, because I found it hard to believe this was a debut novel. The structure was there, the writing style was there, and the characters were there, it was just a plot that’s been done too many times. The base of this novel was so solid, all of these areas just needed to be expanded and strengthened a little bit more. I can only hope that her next work will show an improvement and be much stronger!

Overall, this was just very plain. I cannot say that I hated this novel, but I didn’t love it either. If this is your first time in this genre, you would probably enjoy this as you wouldn’t know what to expect, and would find more suspense than I did. For me, it was just an easy-ish read that made my breaks at work pass by faster. It followed the same general plot lines, and the characters were not anything unique, just an un-original story. If this author ever publishes another novel I would likely check it out, but for now I’m in no rush.

The Love Interest | Book Review

The Love Interest 

Written by: Cale Dietrich

Number of Pages: 375

Average Rating: 3.16/5 stars

My Rating: 2/5 stars

Published: May 2017

Read in November 2017

Summary According to Goodreads

There is a secret organization that cultivates teenage spies. The agents are called Love Interests because getting close to people destined for great power means getting valuable secrets. 

Caden is a Nice: the boy next door, sculpted to physical perfection. Dylan is a Bad: the brooding, dark-souled guy who is dangerously handsome. The girl they are competing for is important to the organization, and each boy will pursue her. Will she choose the Nice or the Bad?

Both Caden and Dylan are living in the outside world for the first time. They are well-trained and at the top of their games. They have to be - whoever the girl doesn’t choose will die.

What the boys don’t expect are feelings that are outside of their training. Feelings that could kill them both.

My Thoughts

This novel was one that I was beyond looking forward to, but if I had to summarize my reading experience in one word I would say: disappointment. The plot seemed like one that I would really enjoy, even though it had been a while since I’ve read something dystopian-ish. 

The plot seems very contemporary, but unfortunately it was more angst and drama than romance. I am struggling trying to find the right words to describe this, but it was just so poorly done. There was no action or thrill, even when we got to the climax of the story it was boring. I was captivated by the idea that teenagers were being trained as spies and having people fall in love with them to learn their secrets - for me it totally went against the cliche romance story - but it was not realistic. The main girl, Juliet, is a shy science nerd with only a couple close friends and has never been on a date. But suddenly two hot guys show up at her school in the middle of the semester and are smitten with her? Only in young-adult literature. 

The characters were so dramatic, so cliche, and so unrelatable. One of my biggest draws into picking up this novel was the idea that the two boys end up falling for each other, and I am still so angry at the hot mess that scenario became. I was so aggravated by that “twist” that I put the book down for a solid 24 hours and even then struggled to pick it back up and finish. I don’t want to give away what this moment was, but I felt as though it downplayed the importance of an LGBTQIA character, while also making it seem like a joke. As I say in almost every review, the most important thing to me in a novel (especially contemporary) is characters, and I didn’t care what happened to any of these characters. The society they worked for could have killed them all off, and I wouldn’t have batted an eye. 

I think this novel could have been stronger if it was about 100 pages shorter. There were so many scenes or expanded dialogue that added absolutely nothing to the overall story, and slowed down the pacing. There is also a short epilogue at the end of the novel, which I also found unnecessary. Reading it I could tell that it took on a different tone, not in the way that our character grew but that it was written later as a last-minute addition. The characters felt different and the atmosphere was different, it just didn’t add anything redeeming. 

Overall, this is a novel that had potential to be great, but was just poorly executed. I hate that this review sounds so negative, but I was so sure this would be on my favourites list for the year. I give a little credit to the fact that it is a debut author, and I like the uniqueness of the spy-lovers plot line, but there was a lot of room for improvement. This is definitely not the first spy/contemporary novel that I would recommend, but I didn’t hate it enough to say it isn’t worth the read.