Review: Wesley James Ruined My Life by Jennifer Honeybourn + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, everybody! Today is my stop on the blog tour for WESLEY JAMES RUINED MY LIFE by Jennifer Honeybourn hosted by Xpresso Book Tours!

I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of this blog tour.

Down below you'll find my full review of the book, the purchase links, as well the author's social media links, a link to check out the rest of the blog tour and finally, the GIVEAWAY. I hope you all enjoy this one, folks!

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Add It To Goodreads!

Rating: PG

Genre: Contemporary

Score: ❤❤❤ 1/2

Page Count: 256

Stand Alone

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Published: July 18th, 2017

Sixteen-year-old Quinn Hardwick’s having a rough summer. Her beloved grandmother has been put into a home, her dad’s gambling addiction has flared back up and now her worst enemy is back in town: Wesley James, former childhood friend—until he ruined her life, that is.

So when Wesley is hired to work with her at Tudor Tymes, a medieval England themed restaurant, the last thing Quinn’s going to do is forgive and forget. She’s determined to remove him from her life and even the score all at once—by getting him fired.

But getting rid of Wesley isn’t as easy as she’d hoped. When Quinn finds herself falling for him, she has to decide what she wants more: to get even, or to just get over it

Review:

PROS:

Source

1. First off, I took a liking to the cute little cover this book has and since it's summer time and the season of contemporary romance reads, I thought this would be a good book to add to my summertime TBR. As if I need to make that list any longer than it already is at this point. Anyhoo, I thought the synopsis sounded pretty cute and lighthearted so I took a shot. I mean, who doesn't love a book with a medieval restaurant and a food truck, am I right? Here are my thoughts: 

2. The book ended up being super cute, and funny at times. It is a super quick read so if you want something to keep you entertained that doesn't take up too much of your valuable reading time, I'd suggest picking this one up as it's cute, fun, lighthearted and a little bubbly. It was a breeze to get through and the humorous tone of the story is present from beginning to end, making it a great summer read.

3. I also liked that the book mentions other issues going on in Quinn's life, not just having the story focus on the love-to-hate relationship she and Wesley have going on through most of the book. Quinn's grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer's which Quinn isn't taking so well as she was so close with her grandmother, as was Wesley but she chooses not to tell him about her current condition and the fact that she's now in a home. Quinn's father is also a gambler who is jobless and often takes advantage of people, including her, his own daughter.  Quinn has been having a hard time dealing with all of this, especially since she believes that Wesley was the reason it all happened, the source of all her problems. It was entertaining to see how Quinn chooses to punish Wesley for ruining her life in various ways, such as trying to get him fired from his job.

Source

CONS:

1. While I liked this book, as it was fun and quirky and cute, it didn't do much for me. The lack of swoon made me feel like this book fell a little flat for me as I wasn't really invested in the romance between Quinn and Wesley. There was also little-to-no transition from Quinn hating his guts to her falling in love with him. It felt rushed and sudden like a snap of the fingers. Personally, I like a slow simmering romance, the build-up, the angst even just a touch of it. This one though? Didn't have really any of that. I also thought the ending was too rushed and would have preferred another two or three chapter for the story to take its time to wrap things up in a cute little bow. 

2. I also liked the characters enough. I felt Quinn's character was overshadowed by the fact that she was so keen and determined to get revenge on Wesley that I didn't really get to know her as a character, even though at some points I did think she was funny and feisty. Wesley didn't really get much character development either which is too bad because I found him to be a quirky character and would've loved to have seen more development, interaction, and more time for the romance to build-up. They had a cute and subtle chemistry, but I needed just a touch more to really get me invested.

Overall, it was cute, quick, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves contemporary reads that aren't too dramatic but choose to take a simpler route with straightforward characters and fun, entertaining antics.  

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

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About The Author:

Jennifer Honeybourn works in corporate communications in Vancouver, British Columbia. She’s a fan of British accents, Broadway musicals, and epic, happily-ever-after love stories. If she could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, she’d have high tea with Walt Disney, JK Rowling, and her nana. She lives with her husband, daughter and cat in a house filled with books. Wesley James Ruined My Life is her first novel. 

Author Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

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Review: Internet Famous by Danika Stone + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, everyone! Today is my stop on the blog tour for INTERNET FAMOUS by Danika Stone hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club. 

I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of this blog tour.

Down below is my full review of the novel, the author links, full tour schedule, purchase links for the book should you fancy buying yourself a copy and, finally, A GIVEAWAY! Cue confetti cannons! Read on, bookworms!

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Add It On Goodreads!

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Young Adult

Score: 3 1/2 stars

Page Count: 320

Stand Alone

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Published: June 6th, 2017

High school senior and internet sensation Madison Nakama seems to have it all: a happy family, good grades, and a massive online following for her pop-culture blog. But when her mother suddenly abandons the family, Madi finds herself struggling to keep up with all of her commitments.

Fandom to the rescue! As her online fans band together to help, an online/offline flirtation sparks with Laurent, a French exchange student. Their internet romance—played out in the comments section of her MadLibs blog—attracts the attention of an internet troll who threatens the separation of Madi’s real and online personas. With her carefully constructed life unraveling, Madi must uncover the hacker’s identity before he can do any more damage, or risk losing the people she loves the most… Laurent included.

Review:

PROS:

Source

1. When I first stumbled upon this book, I couldn't but think it sounded like probably one of the cutest books ever. Because who doesn't love a book about the one thing that makes this world go round, the internet? This book practically had my name written all over it with the main character running a BLOG and FANGIRLING and the mention of all things interwebs such as vlogging, social media, and the fun and not-so-pretty moments of it all that make internet drama that much more interesting. So, obviously, I was able to snag a spot on the blog tour and was able to read this book only to be left with somewhat mixed feelings. Here's the review: 

2. I thought the premise of the story was pretty cute. It matches the cover perfectly if you ask me. Madi loves her blog more than a lot of things as it provides her an escape from her real life into the beautiful world of fiction in the form of pop-culture entertainment, mainly films such as 80's movies as she blogs about her thoughts on them. She has quite a huge following and with that following comes another set of drama and stress that cause Madi to have to fight yet another world-shattering battle: Internet trolls. I loved getting to see the real life and internet life of our main character as she struggles to keep both as separate as possible. Her life is anything but quiet and calm as her sister (who is autistic) needs Madi's constant watching over to make sure her sister's routine goes UNINTERRUPTED to avoid a freak out, her parents pretty much leaving Madi to "deal" with her sister on her own and also manage to keep up her school grades, getting ready to graduate, apply to colleges, figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life, etc. Basically, the cute premise is only the surface of the story but quickly dives into deeper topics which I appreciated.

Source

3. The book is cute overall, maybe a little cheesy or corny at some points but it killed it with all the 80's movie references and funny dialogue between characters. I was also a big of the layout of the book as it includes snippets of emails, text messages, Tumblr posts, even memes and pictures which was a great addition as the book kind of revolves around social media and pop-culture. It isn't a YA novel about the internet without a meme, am I right? Madi's blog posts were also fun to read and it made me wish that MadLibs was an actual blog as I was really entertained by Madi's choice of phrasing, internet humor and quirky commentary about whatever movie she watched and either enjoyed or wasn't a fan of. It's a book I found to be very current and familiar as I'm a blogger myself and I think that other bloggers, whether book, pop-culture or geeky bloggers alike would really enjoy this book. 

CONS:

1. Even though I was a fan for most of the book, there were times when I was either really annoyed or kind of frustrated while reading. I thought Madi was a nice character and handled stress somewhat well but at times, especially in the beginning of the book, she tended to overreact big time and fly off the handle a bit before thinking about the situation first. At times, she acted immature for her age and her freakouts got a little bit annoying as she overreacted (in my opinion) to her internet trolls giving her a hard time. 

2. Madi also seemed a bit harsh towards her sister Sarah who is autistic and therefore can't help it when she gets incredibly upset. Madi tended to get frustrated easily with Sarah (which I know is a realistic response from people who take care of kids with special needs) but I just felt like Madi blamed her sister a little without feeling guilty about it. Madi tried her best to take care of her sister as best she could since her parents were little to no help and she is young, has been watching over Sarah her entire life and I understand why she would get frustrated and upset at times. She needed help but I was a little wary about how she talked to or treated her sister. 

3. The romance was cute and cheesy as you'd expect from a quick and fluffy read such as this one but the love interest, Laurent, was just a little too overdone. Describing him as a "super-hot anime character come to life" was an instant turn-off for me. Add on the fact that Madi also described him as super-hot and perfect every other page was a little annoying. He was built up seemingly to have no flaws whatsoever and played more of a Superman role in the book than a love-interest, constantly having to "save" Madi from her freak outs. I think it the dramatics had been toned down a notch or two, I would have enjoyed their relationship a bit more than I did. 

Overall, this book was a cute and quick read and I did enjoy it. Would I reread it? Maybe. But not anytime soon. I would still recommend this book to people who maybe like a little more drama to their cute and fluffy contemporary novels and of course, all the pop-culture references to make your little geeky heart happy.

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Book Depository

iBooks

Kobo

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About The Author

Danika Stone is an author, artist, and educator who discovered a passion for writing fiction while in the throes of her Master's thesis. A self-declared bibliophile, Danika now writes novels for both teens (All the Feels and Internet Famous) adults (Edge of Wild and Intaglio). When not writing, Danika can be found hiking in the Rockies, planning grand adventures, and spending far too much time online. She lives with her husband, three sons, and a houseful of imaginary characters in a windy corner of Alberta, Canada. 

Author Links:

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Pinterest

Facebook

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ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY:
•1 paperback copy of INTERNET FAMOUS by Danika Stone
•U.S., Canada, UK ONLY
•Giveaway Runs Through 6/21

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Review: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold (Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series Book 1) by Iain Reading + Interview

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Rating: PG

Genre: Mystery

Score: ❤❤❤❤ 1/2

Page Count: 336

Book #1 of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: November 30th, 2012

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations.

After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush.

Review:

PROS:

1. First off, a HUGE thank you to the author and Kelsey Butts for sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an HONEST review! I was pretty excited to read this book since I was a little in the mood for a mystery but also something a little more fun and nothing heavy. It's actually a little difficult to find that type of mystery book that isn't too juvenile for my personal reading taste. I enjoy middle-grade books, don't get me wrong there. However, I find that I'm beginning to lose patience with them a little quicker as I get older. Right off the bat, Kitty Hawk was able to grip my attention and I'm so glad it did. Here's my review: 

2. Kitty Hawk really gripped me because of the big presence her character has from the very first page. There was no mistaking that she was the adventurous type and didn't at all let fear or worry stop her from taking on another adventure that would be seen as risky or even dangerous. At the same time, she wasn't an adrenaline junky, rather, she thought and planned out every trip down to the very last detail to be better prepared for a safe journey and be ready for any emergency that might arise. She was very smart and quick thinking, a problem solver and very confident in her ability to handle herself when in danger. She reminded me a lot of Nancy Drew meets Agent Carter and I loved that about her character. 

3. The story was a fun adventure to read about. It had a classic feel to it set in the present day which gave it a unique tone. At times, I imagined the book playing out in the time of Amelia Earheart and had to remind myself that Kitty Hawk's travels take place in the time of laptops and smartphones. I loved that it had an old school tone to it, however, as it made it so interesting and fun to read. It was refreshing to read and I don't have a problem with recommending this novel at all. You if you want just a nice, funny and relaxing adventurous read, please consider Kitty Hawk. You won't be disappointed.

4. The only real "problems" I had with the book would be that it did get a little info-dumpy at some points, although it wasn't too bad as it only happened a few times throughout the book but it was something I had to take note of for my review. I also thought some of the flashbacks felt a little disjointed from the story and it didn't provide a smooth transition back into the story once it was over. Had those two things been tweaked a little, I would totally have given this book a full five stars. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here: 

Amazon

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About The Author:

Iain Reading is passionate about root beer, music, and writing. He is Canadian but currently resides in the Netherlands working for the United Nations. 

Iain is the author of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series, The Wizards of Waterfire Series, and the dragon of the month club. To Learn more, go to https://www.amazon.com/Iain-Reading/e/B00B0NGI6Q/

Author Links:

Twitter

Facebook

Website

Goodreads

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

1. What inspired you to write the story of Kitty Hawk?

It was the character herself that inspired me.  I loved (and still love) the idea of a female teenaged pilot named Kitty Hawk who has the courage and ambition to embark on an around-the-world adventure to discover everything she possibly can about this planet we live on.  Truth be told I am a bit jealous of Kitty Hawk's adventures.  I mean, who wouldn't want to fly their own plane around the world and experience that kind of freedom?

2. What factors went into play when writing and planning Kitty Hawk's character?

I was very lucky when writing and planning Kitty Hawk's character because she was one that essentially "wrote herself".  Once I had the most basic idea of who she was and what she could do, the rest of it just fell into place.  That isn't to say that I haven't learned more and more about her as her travels have taken her from place to place, but it was always amazing to me how real she always was and how little work it was to "create" her - I think because she was already always there, waiting.  But even so, I will admit that it took me a while to really find her voice.  Her thoughts and actions and motivations were always there, but it took me a while to find her voice in describing those to other people.  (The books are in first person, you see....)

3. Were there any other big influences besides Jack London that inspired you to write Kitty Hawk's adventure?

In some ways I am a bit like Kitty Hawk myself, in the sense that I love travel and I love to see amazing beautiful places.  I don't get to fly to them in my own plane like Kitty Hawk does, but I still love to see them.  Kitty Hawk's first adventure in Alaska and the Yukon was also very much inspired by the powerful raw beauty of those places when you experience them for yourself.  This is true of any Kitty Hawk book as well.  The places in the books are as much characters as anything else.  And those places influence the story and almost write it for me.

4. Which of the characters do you most relate to in the book?

As much as I would like to relate to Charlie and be exactly like him, I have to say that Kitty Hawk herself is probably the one I relate to the most.  Not that I directly relate to her and see myself in her, but more like I relate to her motivations and thoughts and decisions.  She also thinks and says funny things that make me laugh.

5. Kitty Hawk has a habit of following in the footsteps of Amelia Earhart and Jack London. Is there a famous adventure you would love to take on if you could?

I have always been fascinated by the tales of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine's attempt to climb Mount Everest, which is strange because the urge to climb mountains is something that I really don't understand the appeal of.  But Everest, with its summit poking up into the jetstream, has always fascinated me.

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Review: Kate Triumph by Shari Arnold

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Rating: PG

Genre: Fantasy

Score:

Page Count: 288

Stand Alone

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: October 14th, 2014

Normal is so overrated. At least that's what seventeen-year-old Kate Triumph tells herself everyday. But the truth is she lives in constant fear that someone will discover how not normal she really is. With her startling speed and her unusual ability to heal, Kate believes she's something of a freak.

Then Andrew Shore arrives.

He claims he's her father, sticks around for a few days and leaves her a plane ticket. “Come to Mercer Island,” he says. “Give me a chance to get to know you.” Soon Kate is floundering in a world of new: new address, new car, new high school and, of course, new father. Not to mention Zack, her intriguing new neighbor, who makes her want to abandon her steadfast rule of never allowing anyone to get too close. But when she discovers someone is trying to kill her, life for Kate gets a bit more complicated. And a lot less normal. 

Review:

PROS:

1. First off, I would like to thank The Fantastic Flying Book Club for the digital review copy! I'm just going to jump straight into this book review because I'm seriously super excited to have been able to review it for you all. No more lollygagging! Here's the review:

2. I really loved Kate's character from the beginning. She was a strong and unique character who faced her fears and reality head on without making a sob-fest out of everything. She had no time for drama or the water-works even when the situation might have warranted a tear or two and I really loved that. It kept Kate's character from coming off as too juvenile and too sensitive, which more than likely would've gotten on my nerves after a while. Because she didn't let her emotions get to her, she was able to keep a clear head and didn't linger on past mistakes and regrets. 

3. I also loved how the book's ending catches you a little by surprise. I was about halfway through the book and it felt like it would need at least another two hundred pages to flesh everything out and give a great ending versus the small 200+ pages that tells the entire story. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the book wrapped up even though the book is quite short. It was able to deliver an ending that I was very satisfied with, not leaving me with a HUGE cliffhanger but still leaving it open should the author decide to revisit the story of Kate Triumph in a sequel. 

4. The book was funny, quirky exciting, action-packed and fast-paced laced with a little bit of romance and cool fighting and car-chasing scenes that kept me entertained until the very end. For this to be the first published work from the author, I can't wait to see what else the author has up her sleeve. Based on what I've gathered after reading Kate Triumph, I'd say Shari Arnold better give me another novel ASAP. She wrote a great cast of characters that had really great chemistry, wrote a strong female lead who didn't need fancy weapons to show her strength, and provided a short yet entertaining read that I'm so happy I was able to pick up.  

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Book Depository

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About The Author:

Shari Arnold grew up in California and Utah but now resides in Connecticut, with her husband and two kids, where she finds it difficult to trust a beach without waves. She writes Young Adult fiction because it's her favorite. And occasionally she takes photographs. 

Author Links:

Blog

Goodreads

Twitter

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Review: The Secret Billionaire by Teymour Shahabi + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, everyone! Today is my stop on the blog tour for THE SECRET BILLIONAIRE by Teymour Shahabi hosted by YA Bound Book Tours and I'm really excited to share this book with all of you lovely people!

I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of this blog tour.

Down below you'll find my full review of this book, the purchase links should you fancy buying a copy for yourself, the author's links, as well as a GIVEAWAY! Yay! Hope you all enjoy this review!

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Add It To Goodreads!

Rating: PG

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery

Score: ❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 370

Stand Alone

Publisher: PageWing Inc.

Published: September 29th, 2016

1960s — March 24. Billionaire Lyndon Surway takes off in his private plane and never returns.

His will leaves the entirety of his wealth—one of the largest fortunes in history—to his “dear friend Lucian Baker.” Only there is no trace of anyone by that name. And the fortune itself is nowhere to be found.

Andrew Day knows nothing of wealth and privilege, but he won a scholarship to study at the most exclusive school in the country, in the town where the mystery, decades later, remains unsolved. There he discovers friendship and danger with the aristocratic Cameron and the beautiful Olivia. But watchful eyes follow him everywhere... Until, one night, he comes across a secret that will change his life. As he begins to unravel what really happened to the Surway fortune, the question remains: who is Lucian Baker? 

REVIEW:

PROS:

Source

1. I was first interested in this book when I saw the cover. It looked dark and ominous so it roped me in pretty quickly, making me read the synopsis and leaving me feeling like I just HAD to get my hands on it! I'm such a sucker for a good mystery novel of any kind really so this one was impossible for me to pass up. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book but I was a little surprised that I liked it more than I was expecting. Especially since I wasn't really in the mood for reading a mystery novel. I'm a mood reader so sometimes that affects my enjoyment of a book. Anyhoo, let's get onto the review!

2. The characters in this book were really well written and developed. Our MC Andrew didn't really belong among the crowd of rich kids and didn't pretend like he belonged either. He mainly kept to himself but made friends easily with Olivia and Cameron. I thought his character was very realistic and although he was a young teenage kid attending an elite school, he was smart, clever, and didn't crack under the pressure of not only being in a strange new place but also with unraveling the mystery of Lucian Baker and the lost fortune of Lyndon Surway. Together with the help of his new friends, Andrew takes on a pretty hefty task of solving this age-old mystery in a way that kept the book entertaining. As he learned the ways of the school, their traditions, the town, the people, it kept the story moving forward and made me get a little attached to Andrew as a main character.

3. The writing was also so well done. The descriptions the author gives made it feel as if you as the reader were actually there and it was detailed but not lagging or info-dumpy. The author has an amazing talent for character development and world-building and that's something I really appreciate, especially when it comes to this book. To be honest, the book didn't feel at all like a debut novel but rather a book written by an author who knows what he's doing. It's been a really long while since I read a debut novel that didn't feel like one with the way it was written. The story was fun and had a certain energy from the very beginning that hooked me in right away. Not to mention that the mystery surrounding the Surway fortune and the mysterious Lucian Baker had my head spinning with thoughts along with the characters. 

4. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel as a whole. The reason why I didn't give this book a five-star rating is because while I enjoyed this novel, the energy that we have from the beginning and middle of the book seemed to drop and slow down towards the end. It just didn't have that certain oomph that was present for most of the novel and it slowed down too much. I think if the ending had been a little more exciting, I would have enjoyed it more. It does also end on a cliffhanger that I have mixed feelings about but I haven't quite settled on a feeling about it. It had a good plot, great characters, an entertaining mystery, and had a good narration to it. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

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About The Author:

Teymour Shahabi was born in Paris in 1985 of Persian parents. He moved to the United States to study Comparative Literature and Mathematics at Harvard University. He currently lives in New York City, where he's spent the last few years among serious grownups who probably have no idea he’s doing this. The Secret Billionaire is his first published book. 

You can watch (and help) him try to figure out writing and life at www.youtube.com/PageWingChannel.

Author Links:

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Facebook

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Review: Fifteen Seconds Of Normal by Alex Marestaing

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Rating: PG

Genre: Young Adult

Score: ❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 294

Stand Alone

Publisher: MyMilou Press

Published: October 11th, 2016

Step 1: Transfer High Schools. 
Step 2: Hide your Tourette’s. 
Step 3: Find your fifteen seconds of normal. 

Kaeya Garay has a plan. And it seems to be working.But when a curious interruption named Thatcher Kelly stumbles upon her “safe” place in the school’s abandoned art gallery, her grand plans for normalcy are suddenly derailed. 

Set over the course of three weeks, Fifteen Seconds of Normal is the quirky saga of a literature obsessed teen on the edge of a meltdown and the hope driven heroine who begins to pull him back. Fans of Eleanor and Park be warned. You won’t be able to put this one down. 

A “Breakfast Club” for a new generation from EPIC Award finalist Alex Marestaing, author of I’m Nobody: The Lost Pages

Review:

PROS:

1. Special thanks to Sara over at YA Bound Book Tours for the review copy. The sound of this novel was just something I couldn't pass on. I love the more melancholy type contemporaries, the kind that are perfect reads for a rainy day. I was pretty excited when I had the chance to review it for you all and I'm so happy that I could relax with this read. I was a little surprised that I ended up liking the book a lot more than I expected. Not that it was bad at first, it's just that I didn't expect that much from it. Always a great surprise if you ask me. Here's the review: 

2. I really liked the characters in the book, Sam being my favorite. He was the fun side-character that I couldn't help but love with his bubbly personality and goofy antics. Our main character was a unique one since I haven't seen any characters in any books I've read in the past who suffered from Tourette's. I think that's why I really liked Kaeya, she was a different kind of MC and struggled to keep her TS a secret from as many people as possible except for Sam and Thatcher, who never made Kaeya feel embarrassed about her TS. Thatcher was also a unique subject since he struggles to overcome a cruel meme made of him at school while also dealing with stresses at home and a broken relationship with his father. 

3. I really loved that the story went back and forth between Kaeya's POV and Thatcher's. We get to see what either character was dealing with and the kinds of stresses and emotions they were sorting through and trying to figure out on their own. I think it made for a nice development between the characters and made their growing feelings for each other a little more realistic. The romance wasn't to forefront of the story but merely an element that helped bring Kaeya and Thatcher closer together as they opened up to each other a little more. 

4. The story had a nice pace to it and while at times the romance did get a little cheesy, it was well written. There were equal parts romance, drama, humor, and grief as well as other subjects that were more raw and emotional. It was a bit of a darker and moodier contemporary that I fully enjoyed and at times, the book had me really feeling emotionally attached to the characters. The ending almost had me in tears even. And I NEVER cry while reading books. Like, EVER. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

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About The Author:

Once upon a time, author Alex Marestaing wrote a random letter to the Walt Disney Company asking if they needed any creative help. Fortunately, Disney had mercy on his embarrassing attempt to break into the publishing scene and gave him his first writing job. A lot has happened since then, including four novels, a beautiful wife, three kids, two cats, an extremely mellow dog, an honorable mention at the London Book Festival, a stint covering soccer in Europe and the U.S., and fun freelance work for companies such as Lego, Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins and The Los Angeles Times. Oh yeah, he also speaks at conferences around the country giving people advice such as “Writing letters to random companies isn’t always such a bad idea” 

Author Links:

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

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Review: Snowbirds by Crissa-Jean Chappell

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Rating: PG

Genre: Fiction

Score: 4.5 stars

Page Count: 280

Stand Alone

Publisher: Merit Press

Published: January 18th, 2017

Secrets Were a Way of Life.
But Secrets Have Gone Too Far …

Every year, Lucy waits eagerly for the arrival of the “snowbirds,” the Old Order Amish who come trundling into Florida on buses from the north, bringing Lucy’s best friend Alice, with whom she’s spent every winter she can remember. This winter is different. At sixteen, Alice is in the middle of “Rumspringa,” a season in which Amish teens try out forbidden temptations, in order to get them out of their system. Lucy is part of a different sect, in which teens aren’t allowed such bold experimentation, and she’s fighting to keep up as Alice races from one wild party to the next. Then, one night after just such a party, Alice vanishes. Wracked by guilt, Lucy knows that she should have been watching out for Alice, but instead, she was kissing Faron, an Older Order boy shunned by his society. Now, Lucy plunges into a search for her best friend—while also hiding her own secret, which could put her in even more danger.

Review:

PROS:

1. Special thanks to Merit Press for sending me a physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! When they contacted me about possibly reviewing the book, I was actually really excited to read it! I've never read a book that follows an Amish or Mennonite character before, let alone read any books that so much as mentioned it. I don't know much about their way of living but I have seen movies and shows that featured such a topic. I was even more interested when I read that it was a mystery and since I'm a sucker for mysteries, I just had to read it. Here's the review: 

2. I adored our main character Lucy. She's the type of girl who doesn't like letting people down, especially her father. At first, we see that Lucy is very obedient and is constantly making sure she's not breaking any 'rules' that she's assigned herself. But as the story goes on and Lucy realizes there's a lot more about the world that she wants to discover and her passion for wanting to go to college to study the ocean continues to burn bright, Lucy quickly gets caught up in a personal war. She has to choose whether to stay and do as her father expects of her or risk losing everything in order to go after her dreams. Not only that, but the disappearance of her friend Alice only has Lucy asking more questions about where her friend disappeared to, who she really was, and who should she trust.

3. The writing was really great. It was almost poetic at times when Lucy explains the emotions she's feeling, often comparing them to the ocean, snow, trees, rivers, and other surrounding nature. Lucy goes through a great deal of character development and she slowly starts to become more determined to find her missing friend, begins to question what she truly wants for her life, and if going after what she truly wants is worth losing everything she's ever known. The atmosphere was almost crisp like winter air and at times, you could almost feel the chill of the autumn/winter season as Lucy searches for Alice as the days grow cold. 

4. Overall, I just really enjoyed this novel. The mystery of Alice's disappearance and my love for the characters kept me hooked from the very first page. I was so dedicated to the story and as the search for Alice continues, I found myself really cheering for Lucy more and more. She really impressed me as a main character and her strength, passion, and loyalty was truly admirable. It's been a while since I've really loved a book as much as I did this one and I think it's a great read for anyone who wants a fresh and original mystery that also deals with a diverse subject. I'm honestly a little sad that the book is only 280 pages. Like, seriously. 

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About The Author:

Crissa-Jean Chappell was born in Miami and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Her debut young adult novel, TOTAL CONSTANT ORDER (HarperTeen) is a NYPL Book For The Teen Age and a VOYA Perfect Ten. Chappell’s second novel, NARC (Flux Books) is currently optioned for film. MORE THAN GOOD ENOUGH (Flux Books) is a Florida Book Awards medalist, which Kirkus calls, "compelling and emotionally nuanced." Chappell's newest YA novel is SNOWBIRDS (Merit Press, F+W Media, winter 2017). She holds a PhD and MFA from the University of Miami and has taught creative writing and cinema studies for over ten years. When she misses South Florida, she talks to the parrots in Prospect Park.

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