P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Release Date: May 26, 2015  

Publisher:  Simon And Schuster Books For Young Readers

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 352

Summary: Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

My Thoughts: I loved To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before last year when I read it! I devoured that book quickly and with no sleep. I stayed up until I finished it. Just loved the whole idea. So I was beyond excited for this one! I waited and waited until it was released but then it took me a while to sit down and read it.

If you haven’t read this one yet, stop right here. Don’t read any more. Especially if you haven’t read the first one! We are back with Lara Jean! Lara Jean is still dating Peter, but for real this time. I still liked Peter. There was just something sweet about him. But things aren’t smooth for her. When a video gets posted of Lara Jean in the hot tub with Peter and it looks like she’s naked, things go haywire! She’s so embarrassed and this isn’t something she would normally do ever!  

And I really did hate that Peter let his ex get away with so many things and his relationship with her. That part really irked me a lot. I still liked Lara Jean’s family and friends. I tended to almost like all of the characters.

Another boy is also in the picture. Another boy from her past. And I liked him enough but not as much as the love triangle in the first book. I don’t even know if I’d call this a love triangle. I never really felt much of a connection between him and Lara Jean.

I really did enjoy this novel quite a bit. I still wanted to read more. And I wanted to know more.

Overall: I still like Peter a lot. Some things could have been handled a bit better by him but that's okay. Nobody is perfect. I also loved the dynamic of Lara Jean and her sisters. And even the boy from the first book went okay. I really did like this one, but not quite as much as the first one! Love Lara Jean’s personality!

Cover: Like it! These covers are just so darn cute!

What I’d Give It:

All We Have Is Now by Lisa Schroeder

All We Have Is Now by Lisa Schroeder

Release Date: July 28, 2015  

Publisher: Point

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages:272

Summary: What do you do with your last day on earth?

Just over twenty-four hours are left until an asteroid strikes North America, and for Emerson and everyone else who didn't leave, the world will end. But Emerson's world already ended when she ran away from home. Since then, she has lived on the streets, relying on her wits and on her friend Vince to help her find places to sleep and food to eat.

The city's quieter now that most people are gone, and no one seems to know what to do as the end approaches. But then Emerson and Vince meet Carl, who tells them he has been granting people's wishes -- and gives them his wallet full of money.

Suddenly, this last day seems full of possibility. Emerson and Vince can grant a lot of wishes in one last day -- maybe even their own.

My Thoughts:  All We Have Is Now was an interesting story. I liked it.

What would you do if you knew life as we know it was going to end? How would you spend your final moments?

An asteroid is coming at the earth. Life is about to change for most people.

For Emerson and Vince their ideal day is to spend it helping people. Vince lost his mom when he was young and he’s been out on the streets a while. Emerson left home because she didn’t get along with her mom’s boyfriend. They both have had it rough, not knowing where their next meal will come from or their next place to sleep.

Emerson and Vince run into a guy named Carl. Carl makes them realize how they want to spend their last moments. I loved how a lot of the plot intertwined together.

I really liked all the characters. Even the smaller characters we meet along the way. I also really liked Frankie, Emerson’s sister.  Loved the characters.

I also really did like the ending,though I felt like I wanted to know more. I am glad we get a glimpse into what happened but I wanted more details.

Overall: I really liked this one a lot. All We Have Is Now was an interesting one and I really liked the characters and plot. It was also a very fast read for me. Only took a few days to get through it. I liked how Schroeder did this! I liked how it was all put together.

Cover:  Love it! Love the colors and even though there isn’t too much detail, its still really cute!

What I’d Give It:

A Million Miles Away by Lara Avery

A Million Miles Away by Lara Avery

Release Date: July 7, 2015

Publisher: Poppy

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 320  

Summary: Perfect for fans of Nicholas Sparks, this breathtaking story of love and loss is guaranteed to break your heart and sweep you off your feet.

When high school senior Kelsey's identical twin sister, Michelle, dies in a car crash, Kelsey is left without her other half. The only person who doesn't know about the tragedy is Michelle's boyfriend, Peter, recently deployed to Afghanistan. But when Kelsey finally connects with Peter online, she can't bear to tell him the truth. Active duty has taken its toll, and Peter, thinking that Kelsey is Michelle, says that seeing her is the one thing keeping him alive. Caught up in the moment, Kelsey has no choice: She lets Peter believe that she is her sister.

As Kelsey keeps up the act, she crosses the line from pretend to real. Soon, Kelsey can't deny that she's falling, hard, for the one boy she shouldn't want.

My Thoughts:  Wow, did I really like this one a lot! We are introduced to Kelsey and Michelle who are twin sisters. They both are so much alike, yet so different from one another. Michelle is the one who goes through a lot of guys quickly and Kelsey has had the same boyfriend for a while.

Well, when Michelle dies one night Kelsey is left feeling so hurt and mad. She has a hard time coping and she finds solace in Michelle’s boyfriend Peter. The catch; Peter doesn’t know Michelle is dead and he believes he is talking to her. In reality, he’s talking to Kelsey now.

I really liked the plot of this one. Yes, Kelsey shouldn’t have pretended to be Michelle but it just happened and things got out of hand.

I really loved this one. I loved how things went down. I loved the relationship between Kelsey and Peter even if it was far from perfect. I just really enjoyed this one.

Overall:  A great story! Great characters and neat plot even if it was a bit weird! I raced through this one. Enjoyed it quite a bit!

Cover: Like it! I’d probably pick it up in the store if I saw it!

What I’d Give It:

Find Me Where The Water Ends (So Close To You #3) by Rachel Carter

Find Me Where The Water Ends (So Close To You #3) by Rachel Carter

Release Date: July 1, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 352

Summary:  Lydia has been trained into a person she might have once feared: focused, fierce, deadly. Although she never wanted the life of a Montauk Project recruit, the Project has captured someone she loves-someone she'll do anything to save.

Then Lydia glimpses a world in which the Montauk Project never existed. The Project has taken so much from Lydia already, but she knows that she will sacrifice everything to make her vision of a world without the Project a reality.

Publishers Weekly said that "readers will be hooked" by Rachel Carter's plot-twisting So Close to You series. The conspiracy theories, romance, and compelling "what if?" questions build to a satisfying series end, makingFind Me Where the Water Ends the perfect fit for the teen fans of light science fiction like The Time Traveler's Wife.

My Thoughts: Another story where I really enjoyed the first few books but then this one felt kind of slow to me. Usually its the second book in a series that is slow but the last few end books were slow for me in a few series I’ve been reading.

We are back with Lydia who is working with the Montauk Project to keep her grandfather safe. Lydia gets put on a mission with another boy and girl, and of course Wes! How nice! LOL

A lot of this one is spent out in the woods on the run trying to get away from the authorities and hoping the Project rescues them.  I really liked the new characters. They both were interesting and enjoyable people to get to know.

I also liked that we are back with Wes and Lydia and learn more about their relationship. I just wasn’t as invested in this couple this time around. I liked them, and I wanted them together but by now I just want things to be peachy!

I really liked the ending, that's what did it for me!

Overall:  I was so swept away by the first in the series and by the third I just want them together already and everything to be ok! LOL I recommend this series! I'd say this is between a 3.5 and a 4 cupcake rating for me!

Cover:  Love it! The girl just has such pretty hair! I love all the covers!

What I’d Give It:

Sea by Heidi Kling

Sea by Heidi Kling

Release Date: June 10, 2010

Publisher: G.P. Putnams Books For Young Readers

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 336

Summary:  Still haunted by nightmares of her mother's death, fifteen-year-old Sienna Jones reluctantly travels to Indonesia with her father's relief team to help tsunami orphans with their post traumatic stress disorder-something Sienna knows a lot about. Since her mother's plane went missing over the Indian Ocean three years before, Sienna doesn't do anything if it involves the ocean or planes, so this trip is a big step forward.

But the last thing she expects is to fall for Deni, a brooding Indonesian boy who lives at the orphanage, and just so happens to be HOT. When Deni hears a rumor that his father may be alive, Sienna doesn't think twice about running away with him to the epicenter of the disaster. Unfortunately, what they find there could break both their hearts.

My Thoughts:  I waited forever and ever to read Sea but I really liked it! We are introduced to Sienna who lives with her father. Her mother died a while back on a trip her parents took. They always do stuff for other countries, charity work and helping after tragedies. Like tsunamis, stuff like that.  

After school gets out, her father plans a trip and this time he invites Sienna along to help out. This makes Sienna excited but also fearful. She’s never really done anything like this before. She usually gets left behind.  She’s used to it.

She ends up going with her father and meets a lot of kids. I loved the little girl she meets. I also liked seeing how rough it really was over there. She had to go to the bathroom in a hole and just washing her hair was hectic. All the little things we take for granted are a huge deal in other countries, and we usually don’t think twice about them.

She also meets a boy named Deni. Man, I really liked him from the get go. He was tough yet sensitive. He lost his family and now he’s all alone.

When Deni gets word that his father might still be alive he needs to leave and see if its true. Well, Sienna is worried about him so she hatches a plan.  Man, that did not end how I expected.  What he finds is crazy yet it just fit so well. Even if things were a little weird and not what I expected, I liked it.

I really liked this one a lot. It was beautiful and interesting and I liked reading about what it was like over there and what people went through. It really opens your eyes and makes you appreciate things a little bit more.

Overall:  An enjoyable read. Makes you put things in perspective. I highly recommend this one! Don’t know why I waited so long to read it!

Cover: Love it. The cover is what originally drew me into this book a few years ago! I’m so glad I read it. Probably more of a 4.5 rating for me.

What I’d Give It:

Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu

Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu

Release Date: November 5, 2013

Publisher:  G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages:  384

Summary:  He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

My Thoughts:  When I read Legend, it was exciting and one of my favorites of the year!

I am finally done with the series! When I started Champion, I wasn’t sure to think. We are right back there with June and Day and neither of them are really enjoying life. They are living life without each other doing their own thing. They both have their own battles they must face.

I don’t want to say very much about this one in this review incase you haven’t started the series yet. I thought the first part was good, than towards the middle it got somewhat boring and I felt like I wanted it to speed up. And then the end, it got a lot better. It just had a very slow middle and I almost put it down completely but I needed to know how this series was going to end.

I really enjoyed this series but the last one was my least favorite. However, I did really enjoy Day and June again and Day’s little brother. I also really liked the last few pages of Champion! Loved those!

Overall:  I liked this one but not as much as the first two. I’m glad how things ended up though. Nice story!!! One of my favorite series of all time! I think this is more of a 3.5 cupcake rating for me!

Cover: I like it! I think Legend has the best cover though!

What I’d Give It:

Thornhill (Hemlock #2) by Kathleen Peacock

Thornhill (Hemlock #2) by Kathleen Peacock

Release Date: September 10, 2013

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books  

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages:  352

Summary: Mac can’t lose another friend. Even if he doesn’t want to be found.

The ripple effect caused by Mac’s best friend Amy’s murder has driven Mac’s new love, Kyle, to leave Hemlock and disappear from her life forever. But Mac knows that Kyle plans to enroll in a rehabilitation camp, where he can live with other werewolves. She refuses to accept his decision, especially since the camps are rumored to be tortuous. So she sets out in search of Kyle with a barely sober Jason—and Amy’s all-seeing ghost—in tow.

Clues lead Mac to find Kyle in a werewolf den in Colorado—but their reunion is cut short by a Tracker raid. Now Mac and Kyle are trapped inside the electric fences of Thornhill, a camp for young werewolves. As she devises an escape plan, Mac uncovers dangerous secrets buried within the walls of Thornhill—and realizes that the risk to the people she loves is greater than ever before.

My Thoughts: I liked Hemlock but I didn’t outright love it. With Thornhill, I liked it even better. I guess because we jump right into the storyline and we already know who the characters are.

We are back with Mac who is a human. This time she is in her father’s presence but not for long. Mac and her friends get captured and sent to a werewolf rehabilitation camp. I love how Mac plays the werewolf so well. She fools plenty of people instead thinking she’s one of them. I also loved that we are back with Jason and Kyle. I just love both boys a little bit and I have a hard time figuring out who I like more.

I think the best part of this one was the characters once again. They made me laugh but they also were very likable. I also really did like the plot and seeing how things went down.

I can’t wait to read the third and final book in the series! Hopefully soon.

Overall: I’m still really torn between Jason and Kyle. I want to like Kyle and I want Mac with him but part of me also likes the Jason aspect and what he brings to the mix. I really liked this one.

Cover:  I like it! It’s cute! Love how she is just standing there!

What I’d Give It:

Jesse’s Girl by Miranda Kenneally

Jesse’s Girl by Miranda Kenneally

Release Date: July 7, 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 304

Summary:  Practice Makes Perfect.

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?

My Thoughts: I really love the Thousand Oaks stories! Each one features different characters and they usually tie back to someone in previous books. I always enjoy learning about more characters!

In Jesse’s Girl, we are introduced to Maya who is a rocker! She loves music, she loves playing, and she enjoys singing even though at times she has a rocky start. She gets nervous to sing in front of people. It does help her to sing with others.  Maya gets the opportunity to shadow a real life singer for her class assignment.  She gets paired up with Jesse Scott!  Jesse Scott is famous! All the girls want to date him, all the guys wish they were him.

Maya and Jesse are an unlikely pairing. Even though they have a lot in common, they are also very different. I loved how sweet and exciting Jesse was underneath his tough exterior. He has learned not to get close to anyone and he’s been okay with that. Maya is pretty open. She likes being herself and she would stand up for what she wanted and believed in.

Maya and Jesse spend quite the day together. I really liked their first real day. I loved seeing all the little things they did.  

As the story progressed, I loved how seeing things went between them. It wasn't always perfect but Jesse and Maya were good together. They helped each other open up more and to go after what they wanted.  

I loved how this one ended. I loved how Maya got to sing and have a chance to participate even though it wasn't quite what she expected.

I loved how this one turned out! And I loved the relationship of Maya to the characters from previous books!

Jesse’s Girl was another fantastic novel!

Overall: Loved it! I can’t wait until the next one comes out! Which character will it be? Just love these books! Love the way they are written and how cute they are!

Cover: Its sooooo darn neat! Love her boots and I just love how they look walking together. CUTENESS!

What I’d Give It:

Faking Perfect by Rebecca Phillips

Faking Perfect by Rebecca Phillips

Release Date:  June 30, 2015

Publisher: Kensington

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 272  

Summary: “Edgy and honest, Faking Perfect is the real thing.” –Huntley Fitzpatrick

When Lexi Shaw seduced Oakfield High's resident bad boy Tyler Flynn at the beginning of senior year, he seemed perfectly okay with her rules:

1. Avoid her at school.

2. Keep his mouth shut about what they do together.

3. Never tease her about her friend (and unrequited crush) Ben.

Because with his integrity and values and golden boy looks, Ben can never find out about what she’s been doing behind closed doors with Tyler. Or that her mom’s too busy drinking and chasing losers to pay the bills. Or that Lexi’s dad hasn’t been a part of her life for the last thirteen years. But with Tyler suddenly breaking the rules, Ben asking her out, and her dad back in the picture, how long will she be able to go on faking perfect?  

My Thoughts:  I wasn’t sure what was going to happen as I went into this. But, the story flowed just nicely! I loved Lexi and the way she looked at things.

Lexi lives with her mom and has never really known her dad. For all she knows he could be dead. At least thats how it starts.

She also lives next door to her best friend who is a guy, and of course she has a crush on a boy named Ben. Ben is perfect. The perfect student, the perfect son, the perfect everything at least in Lexi’s eyes. She’s also friends with his cousin so she’s around him quite a bit. Lexi wants Ben but she doesn’t make it obvious. In the meantime, Lexi is having an on and off again relationship with a boy named Tyler. If you can call it that. Mostly, Tyler sneaks into Lexi’s room at night and stays with her a while and then leaves.

I really liked this one a lot. I also liked seeing the different sides of Lexi. How she was with her mom, how she was with her best friend and next door neighbor and how she was with Ben and then bad boy Tyler.

Of course, I was team Tyler all the way. I wanted her to be with him. You can see the chemistry between them and how nice of a guy he really is even if it doesn't show on the outside.

I really enjoyed this one! I liked learning more about her family and I just loved Tyler! I want him to be mine! I loved getting to know him and seeing the softer side of him.

This contemp was really romantic and sucked me right in!

Overall:  I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I hadn’t heard much about it but decided to read it one day and I must say I loved it! I am so glad on how things turned out for Lexi too. I’m glad things went that way.

Cover:  Like it! Its nice but I’m not sure if I would pick it up for the cover alone!

What I’d Give It:

Jessica Rules The Dark Side (Jessica #2) by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica Rules The Dark Side (Jessica #2) by Beth Fantaskey

Release Date: January 10, 2012

Publisher:  HMH Books For Young Readers

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages:  320

Summary: It's one thing to find out you're a vampire princess. It's a whole other thing to actually rule. Newly married Jessica Packwood is having a hard enough time feeling regal with her husband, Lucius, at her side. But when evidence in the murder of a powerful elder points to Lucius, sending him into solitary confinement, Jessica is suddenly on her own. Determined to clear her husband's name, Jessica launches into a full-scale investigation, but hallucinations and nightmares of betrayal keep getting in her way. Jessica knows that with no blood to drink, Lucius's time is running out. Can she figure out who the real killer is —and whom she can trust— before it's too late?

My Thoughts:  I liked the first book in this series enough but I never truly loved it. I liked Jessica Rules The Dark Side more than that one. Maybe because it didn’t deal with Jessica and Lucius in school.

Now they are in charge and living in the family castle. They are rulers. I loved seeing Jessica as a princess and I loved the addition of Mindy coming to visit.  I even liked Mindy’s love interest. It fit perfectly.

When one of the elders is murdered it puts Jessica and Lucius in a very sticky situation and they have to figure out who did it.

If you haven’t read the first one, I don’t really want to give much away in this review so I’m going to keep it short.

I enjoyed this one more than the first and I’m glad. It took me a little while to get through the first and it felt really long and drawn out. I kind of just flew through this one.

Overall:  I liked this one. It had more mystery and I liked seeing Jessica grow up a bit. This one is probably more of a 3.5 cupcake rating!

Cover: Like it. I am so enticed by these covers. They are cute!

What I’d Give It: