The Last Forever by Deb Caletti

Pages: 320

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: April 1, 2014

Endings and beginnings sit so close to each other that it’s sometimes impossible to tell which is which.Nothing lasts forever, and no one gets that more than Tessa. After her mother died, it’s all she can do to keep her friends, her boyfriend, her happiness from slipping away. And then there’s her dad. He’s stuck in his own daze, and it’s so hard to feel like a family when their house no longer seems like a home.Her father’s solution? An impromptu road trip that lands them in a small coastal town at Tessa’s grandmother’s. Despite all the warmth and beauty there, Tessa can’t help but feel even more lost.Enter Henry Lark. He understands the relationships that matter. And more importantly, he understands her. A secret stands between them, but Tessa’s willing to do anything to bring them together—because Henry may just be her one chance at forever.

This was my first Caletti book and I'd been hearing wonders about her writing, so I was eager to start! The gorgeous cover helped too, and going into it, I was in love with the gorgeous writing and how quick the beginning was. I'll admit, it was a bit too fast, but I still enjoyed it.

But once she met Henry, things just went down from there.

At first I thought it would just be a rushed romance--and I've dealt with that so many times, I didn't think it would bother me that much. But it did. She felt a connection with him, was obsessed with him, tried to, basically, stalk him, after their first "fated" meeting. And she straddled him and forced a kiss on him at...I think their third meeting. When he didn't really show that much interest (or at least, not as much as I'd expect for a kiss on the third meeting.) And sometimes the things they said were so utterly cheesy and cliche.

But that really wasn't the bad point for me. While I got that it made it more realistic, I hated how Tessa acted so desperately to make friends with these three people, trying to force her way into the group. And when they didn't let her in, she just settled on insulting them behind their backs to their friend and her obsession, Henry and her grandmother.
Basically when things didn't go her way, she judged them on that one reason. She acted spoiled and I thought her to be assumptive and just a little bit deluded, thinking she knew someone after only a few meetings. And every time she would act self conscious or insecure, the writing made it feel more like she was just fishing for compliments instead.

 I was so very close to DNFing this, but I continued on for the plant. The mystery of what the plant was and the history behind it. But we learn what it is a little over half way into the story and after that...I didn't have much motivation to read it.

So I sort of skimmed the rest. (Before you all yell at me, I did read 75% of it and only skipped a bit to 80% then read from there.) The giant twist did surprise me, though! I was shocked, and while the way Tessa reacted was normal, I felt a little irritated by how drastic her reaction was. Then again, I've never felt that kind of betrayal.

I'll admit, I was sort of in a book slump (or, at least, it was the second book I'd almost DNF'd that week.) but unless you've read and loved several of Caletti's works, I can't really say I'd recommend it, though I do think you should give it a try if it sounds like something you'd love!

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Still Star-Crossed by Melinda Taub

Pages: 352

Genre: Retelling/Historical

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: July 9, 2013

Romeo and Juliet are gone. Will love live on? Despite the glooming peace that's settled on Verona after the recent tragedy, Montagues and Capulets are brawling in the streets. Faced with more bloody battles, Prince Escalus concludes that the only way to truly marry the fortunes of these two families is to literally marry them together. Everyone is skeptical, but none more so than the pair selected, for the most eligible Montague bachelor is Benvolio, Romeo's best friend, still anguished by the loss of his companions, and the chosen Capulet maid is Juliet's older cousin Rosaline, the girl Romeo first loved and whose refusal of Romeo's affection paved the way for bloodshed. Contrary to their late cousins, there's no love lost between Benvolio and Rosaline, yet they forge a bond to end the renewed feud not only to escape their forced betrothal, but to save their lives and the city of Verona itself. 

STILL STARCROSSED STILL STARCROSSED, OR WHEREFORE ART THOU OTHER .5 STARS.

I'm sorry I couldn't help myself. How else better to start out a review for a book based on the famous Romeo and Juliet? Or, rather, the continuation for this tragic love story. Because that's what this is, and that's what made Still Star-crossed such a fascinating read.

So I did ask where the other .5 stars went. And here I will share my only complaint about this book: the romance. I know, I know, it's a pretty big part of the book (or so you think), but really I only had a problem with who she ended up with. I suppose it was pretty obvious, but I just couldn't believe their relationship. It seemed so fake and rushed. I honestly felt like she could've done better with Option #1. But the story goes where the story goes right?

But other than that, oh my, this book was so close to perfect. I have to admire Melinda Taub for writing in Shakespearean, complete with thees and thous and didsts. She did a wonderful job with sticking to it, but sometimes a few modern terms slipped through the book. But I didn't mind! Or rather, I didn't notice. The book just enthralled me and had me mesmerized from Chapter One. While I was a bit wary about it at first, there's something about the writing that just draws you in and enchants you. I never was a fan of Shakespearean talk, but like this? I rather love it!

The characters were beautifully written, something that sort of surprised me. It's hard to shape characters when they've been created by someone else, but again Taub passes the test! They're thought out characters that have likes and dislikes, pet peeves and desires, and we get to learn almost all of them. I started to care for these characters--strange because it was written in third person omniscient, but somehow it worked. I really feel like Rosalie and I would've been best friends--she's just that amazing of a character!

And then we have the plot that surprised me time and time again. While it's been a while since I've read Romeo and Juliet, I think this story stays true to the original, and it really is a great continuation! But, contrast to Romeo and Juliet, this story is far from just a romance. There's a conspiracy that I honestly did not see coming--involving some people I never would've imagined. With a surprising mystery, with surprising twists, Still Star-crossed is more of a mystery than anything else! And a thrilling one at that.

Still Star-crossed is truly a brilliant novel that I have to recommend to anyone who's even heard of Romeo and Juliet (so basically, everyone.) A well written continuation of a star-crossed love gone horribly wrong, mixed with shocking twists, a murder mystery, and a few romantic gestures, this is a book that I think most people will adore--if not fall madly in love with it to the point of death.

Or not.

(P.S. I was tempted to write this entire thing in Shakespearean talk)

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Acid by Emma Pass

Pages: 416

Genre: Dystopian

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: Mar 11, 2014

The year is 2113. In Jenna Strong's world, ACID—the most brutal controlling police force in history—rule supreme. No throwaway comment or whispered dissent goes unnoticed—or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a horrendous crime she struggles to remember. But Jenna's violent prison time has taught her how to survive by any means necessary.
When a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed, and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID, and try to uncover the truth about what really happened on that terrible night two years ago. They have taken her life, her freedom, and her true memories away from her. How can she reclaim anything when she doesn't know who to trust?

I've been eyeing this book since early 2013, maybe even 2012, and you have no clue how disappointed I was when I found out that it released in 2014 in the US. Now I know how you INTL folks feel.

So the first thing I actually noticed about this book is that the given synopsis didn't seem to have anything to do with the story. After a while, you realize it has a lot to do with the actual story, and I sort of loved that little bit of obscurity.
The concept was rather unique too, although I didn't know how I felt about the only-girl-in-a-prison thing. It didn't make much sense--no other girl had ever done anything bad enough to land in jail? What? But I did love the rest of it, the on the run plot, and especially the second half of the book where she...re-rediscovers herself?

Yeah, the plot was badass and it was action packed, but there was still something about it that didn't...engage me as much as I wanted it to. I felt like it was too easy to put it back down at times, and the only thing that pushed me on was wanting to get to the ending. It wasn't the urge to figure out what was happening--it was easy enough to guess. The plot was sort of...undeveloped, I suppose. There were so many parts of it that didn't quite fit together and just seemed to be filler chapters. There was no one main goal--so I suppose Acid would be a fascinating TV show, but didn't seem to quite work as a book with it's pieced together plot, though it was still pretty enjoyable most times!

Jenna was such a kickbutt character at first, but after a while she turned...flatter. While she never really annoyed me, she didn't speak to me as much as she did at first. She lost her sass and her snark, and turned...blander, but still managed to be a pretty decent character, I suppose.

I'm unbelievably happy that there wasn't much focus on the romance, but her relationship with the would-be love interest seemed really rushed. She risked so many things for him, and I didn't understand why--maybe out of obligation? But it didn't make much sense, really. And that was about the extent of my feelings.

While it was a pretty decent read, Acid isn't really one I'd recommend much unless it really appeals to you. It maybe wasn't quite my kind of book, but I wouldn't completely turn away from it. 

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Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Pages: 336

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Mar 18, 2014

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you? 
When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.
Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most? 

(Review is marked with the slight snark stamp)

Let me be totally honest here--I was unbelievably excited for Side Effects May Vary. I was ecstatic when I got a review copy. I was practically in love with the synopsis before I ever saw the cover. And then it went ahead and, well, disappointed me.

Side Effects went off with a bang, I'll give it that, but things slowly started to go downhill from there.

The absolute first thing that irritated me was Alice. She was, frankly, a huge bitch and I couldn't see why anyone would like her. Sympathize, yes. But like? That was sort of a stretch for me.
She was a bitch to everyone around her and I'm not surprised she didn't have friends. I mean, I guess you could call her "flawed", but that didn't really excuse her for all the terrible things she did. (Yes, I know Luke was terrible and that Celeste and Mindi were terrible to you, but seriously? Then again they did some pretty extreme stuff too.) I think Harvey and his friends were the only decent teen characters in this book, in all honesty, and his friends didn't even really seem that well written.

Harvey, I'm not sure if I loved or what, though I'm leaning towards love. He was sweet, adorable, caring, and undeniably real. I loved that he actually tried to get past his love for Alice instead of pining after her like some lovesick puppy, but the thing is...he sort of just let her walk all over him and just sort of adored her for it. He would never stay angry at her, and while that was sweet, it just felt so weak of him to do that, but can you argue with a man in (puppy) love?

Another thing I wasn't really happy with, but didn't mind so much, was the way the story was told with alternating "Then" and "Now" chapters. Typically, I'm okay with that. In fact, I love it. But there was not set rhythm to them and we'd have maybe five "Then" chapters and two "Now" chapters or something, along with two POVs.

But, you know, as bad as I think I make it sound, Side Effects May Vary wasn't a completely terrible book, and I actually liked some of it. Alice did have her good and kind moments, though they were rare, but those parts redeemed her, if only a little. The story itself though was amazing and heartwarming and there were so many bits of it that just sort of stuck with  me--I just couldn't really get over Alice herself and the way Harvey just let himself be used.

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Nil by Lynne Matson

Pages: 384

Genre: Sci-fi

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Henry Holt

Release Date: March 4, 2014

On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have exactly 365 days to escape—or you die.
Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s naked in an empty rock field.
Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that she has to find a way to beat the clock, and quickly.

Ever since I first heard of Lynne Matson and Nil, I've been absolutely dying to read this story! Teens with only a year to live? To escape? Talk about fascinating!

The number one thing that I have to comment on (besides the hot guys, of course) is the amount of science that Lynne Matson manages to include. The clues that are scattered about the island, that our characters manage to piece together are unbelievably scientific and precise, and it was thrilling to see how they all fit together! The worldbuilding of the island is so thoroughly well built, I'm probably going to be paranoid of all noons and heat waves forever.

I absolutely loved the characters in Nil too! There were so many, but each was so individual, had such a range of personalities, it was hard not to fall in love with them. Each character, main or supporting, managed to wiggle into your heart--all the more heartbreaking for when Matson rips them away from you (and oh, she does this quite a lot.)

Plot wise, Nil is pretty much perfect--it's fast paced and as we learn more and more about this sinister island, things get more and more intense until suddenly twists are thrown at you left and right. I honestly, no matter how often you hear this, put it down. I got home from school, sat down, and read for two hours straight. With little explosions of caps and exclamation marks on twitter.
Especially the end. The ending was absolutely heartbreaking and heartwarming and I could not believe it whatsoever. It's really a perfect ending that I really loved and actually made me tear up!

My only slight complaint was the rushed romance and insta love in the beginning, but once you get used to it, it's a really sweet romance that made me love Thad and Charley all the more. The romance is adorable and in all honesty, sometimes I squealed at certain scenes. Except one in the end. That one made me cry.

Anyways.

Nil is definitely a book to check out when it releases with it's fantastic pacing, gorgeous writing, a cut throat island, and sci-fi elements that'll enrapture you the entire read! And who can forget about all the amazing characters that'll simply make you fall in love with the, no matter how...short...you know them?

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The Lure by Lynne Ewing

Pages: 288

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Feb 11, 2014

Fifteen-year-old Blaise Montgomery lives in the gritty outskirts of Washington, DC, where a stray bullet can steal a life on the way to school. Drugs and violence are the only ways to survive, so Blaise and her friends turn to gangs for safety, money, and love. When Blaise is invited to join Core 9, one of the most infamous crews, she jumps at the chance. Though her best guy friends, Rico and Satch, warn her about the danger, she agrees to be beaten for a minute straight as part of the gang's initiation ritual.
Now Blaise is finally part of a crew. A family.
But things get only more dangerous when she becomes a member of Core 9 and tensions with a rival gang heat up. Trek, the head of Core 9, asks Blaise to be his "lure," the sexy bait he'll use to track down enemy gang members and exact revenge. Rico and Satch tell her it's a death sentence, but Blaise can't resist the money and unparalleled power. As Trek puts Blaise in increasingly dangerous situations, she begins to see that there's more to lose than she ever realized-including Satch, the one person who has the power to get under her skin. With death lurking around every corner, should Blaise continue to follow the only path she's ever known, or cut and run?

I wasn't so sure about The Lure when I first heard of it, especially since the character already felt a bit naive and idiotic when the synopsis says that Rico and Satch warn her about the dangers (also it sort of reminds you of a love triangle right?) I was definitely wary and didn't really plan on reading it, but I got a copy and one thing lead to another...
And well, I'm so glad I took a chance!

Gritty is sort of an understatement for this book, where gang life is pretty much the only life--literally. In YA you'll see mentions of gangs where they're evil, someone caught up in gang life and desperate to get out, but I've never seen a book where a character strives to get in and thinks of it as a safety zone, and that's one of the things about The Lure. I'm probably one of the least qualified to know, but Blaise's situation struck me as heart achingly true and completely possible for anyone.

Blaise and her friends were naive and they were impulsive and they did make shitty decisions. But they were all understandable with their situations and they were portrayed in a desperate light where none of them really had a choice, and I pitied them.

Blaise, specifically though, didn't really seem to care about her friends in the latter part of the book. She did things behind her friends back and never really gave a crap about how her decisions would affect them unless it pushed the story forward.
I also wish that we'd seen more of her friends' situations and their own story lines throughout the story because, honestly, Blaise seemed to get herself into trouble most of the times while her friends had all been manipulated or pretty much forced into their situations.

The romance isn't really focused on throughout the story and I wouldn't necessarily SAY there was a love triangle, but there was definitely something. I'm not too sure I'm happy with the way it ended, but I'm glad it wasn't a love triangle at least!

The Lure is unlike so many books I've read before and while I was a bit out of my comfort zone, I still loved the gritty atmosphere, the desperate characters, and the wrenching story of no way out. I'd definitely recommend it if you're a lover of contemporary! (Gritty or otherwise.)

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Anthology: Grim

Pages: 480

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: Feb 25, 2014

CLAIRE DE LUNE and NOCTURNE author Christine Johnson, ed.’s GRIM, an anthology of dark fairy tale retellings, featuring stories by New York Times bestselling authors Ellen Hopkins, Amanda Hocking, Claudia Gray, Rachel Hawkins, Julie Kagawa, and others, to Natashya Wilson at HarlequinTeen, in a nice deal, for publication in Winter 2014, by Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (World).

So my first anthology review. This is actually going to be pretty short review (because there's no way I could write a review on each short story.)

The perfect thing about this is that I read it the week of Halloween. The spooky tales fit the mood, and retellings? Oh, I just absolutely adore those! (Who doesn't love fairy tales?)

Out of all the anthologies I've read, I just have to say--this is most definitely the best. I'm a fan of the majority of these authors and they definitely didn't let me down! From haunting and chilling to downright creepy and gruesome (with a sprinkle of humor and sci fi added of course!) these stories just brought to life the fairy tales of old. Something I actually liked was that they don't really tell you which fairy tales are being retold--and having gone through a fairy tale phase (still in that phase actually!) it was unbelievably fun matching fairytale to retelling. Not to mention how creative all the authors were in weaving in their own little twists to the originals.

Is that the end of my review? Guys, I thought you knew better! I always have things to say about fabulous books and, more specifically, retellings! 

I never realized how different writing styles to be, and that's definitely showcased here. And that's not bad at all! While there were some stories written like a true fairy tale or urban legend, some were written like a scene from a YA book while another was written in verse! All were gorgeous stories though that had me absolutely captivated!

Some were heartbreaking, some were hilarious, some were simply sad. But they all managed to just capture you like the fairy tales you grow up with and I definitely recommend this one for a rainy day read. There's a whirlwind of stories in here with fascinating characters, even if we only have them for a few thrilling pages!

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Bright Before Sunrise by Tiffany Schmidt

Pages: 304

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Walkers Childrens

Release Date: Feb 18, 2014

When Jonah is forced to move from Hamilton to Cross Pointe for the second half of his senior year, "miserable" doesn't even begin to cover it. He feels like the doggy-bag from his mother's first marriage and everything else about her new life—with a new husband, new home and a new baby—is an upgrade. The people at Cross Pointe High School are pretentious and privileged—and worst of all is Brighton Waterford, the embodiment of all things superficial and popular. Jonah’s girlfriend, Carly, is his last tie to what feels real... until she breaks up with him. 
For Brighton, every day is a gauntlet of demands and expectations. Since her father died, she’s relied on one coping method: smile big and pretend to be fine. It may have kept her family together, but she has no clue how to handle how she's really feeling. Today is the anniversary of his death and cracks are beginning to show. The last thing she needs is the new kid telling her how much he dislikes her for no reason she can understand. She's determined to change his mind, and when they're stuck together for the night, she finally gets her chance. 
Jonah hates her at 3p.m., but how will he feel at 3 a.m.? 
One night can change how you see the world. One night can change how you see yourself.

*Caution: Review is slightly blather because.*

After naming SEND ME A SIGN by Tiffany Schmidt one of my favorites of 2012, I was absolutely aching for her next contemporary and when I heard of Bright Before Sunrise, I almost died. After all, writing two people falling in love in a night was hard, never mind the fact that Jonah practically hated Brighton.

Almost 20 pages in, I already started to sympathize with the characters, especially Brighton. I've never seen a character who was so desperate to look fine or a character who was so...perfect. Or as perfect a heroine could get without being too annoying. She honest-to-God felt bad whenever she even slightly ignored someone or didn't please them or make them happy. She wasn't just pretending to be perfect--it was just in her nature, to make everyone feel as happy as she wasn't. But her flaw was that she kept doing what she thought her father wanted to do and Jonah was right--she repressed herself to be the perfect daughter, though I'm still not sure if she realized she was doing that until Jonah mentioned it.

Jonah wasn't exactly my favorite character at first, especially because he seemed so prejudiced towards everyone in Cross Pointe, but I could see how easy it was to mistake their kindness for snobbier tendencies, but still. Of course, as the story goes on, you start to understand him and his prejudices and you start to love him. He doesn't necessarily go through character development, but his eyes are certainly opened when he realizes the people at Cross Pointe aren't all mean or snobbish or as terrible as he thought. And we readers get to see what he's really like as he comes to Brighton's rescue several times, and in more ways than one.

The side characters were also pretty brilliant, and I loved Carly. While, when we first meet her, she seemed like a bitch. Clingy, possessive, and insecure. The typical mean girl. But through her few scenes, we see that she's more than just that stereotype. She seemed like that sweet misunderstood girl in the story, and I feel like I'd love to see things from her point of view.
Amelia seemed like an awesome friend, and protective of Brighton, but beyond that I can't really say. In the 24 hours of this book, she doesn't really show up much past the introduction, but she did seem like a supportive friend that I would love to have!

While the romance was a tad rushed (after all, they fall in love withing the span of about 5 hours) I did love that they didn't just immediately kiss, and that their love story started out pretty rocky with Jonah using her, then realizing how wrong he was about her. And, perhaps my favorite thing about it, they didn't claim they loved each other or anything and their relationship felt pretty open. We didn't have much resolution, and for once I loved that kind of ending. It just worked with the story! 

So yeah, I absolutely adored Bright Before Sunrise and it feels like the perfect summer read (or reread!) It's a book I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cute fluff or a love story where you fall in love with the characters as they fall for each other. 

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Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens

Pages: 336

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books 

Release Date: Feb 25, 2014

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer by her backyard pool. Instead, she hides in her closet, counts the slats in the air vent, and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.When Bodee Lennox—"the Kool-Aid Kid"—moves in with the Littrells after a family tragedy, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in this quiet, awkward boy who has secrets of his own. As their friendship grows, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her summon the courage to find her voice and speak up.

Let me be honest--when I first heard about Faking Normal, I wasn't sure if it was my kind of book. I adore emotional stories--they're definitely my favorite. But there's something about the raw stories (and not my toned down definition of raw--I mean that really heartbreaking, heart aching kind of raw about those issues that always manage to tear away at you.) that sort of wards me off. But I couldn't get the synopsis of Faking Normal out of my head. And I realized I needed to read it. And I tweeted for a contest.

And then I won an ARC. And I read it. And I loved it.

I read this at the perfect time, I think, when I was dying for one of those heart wrenching stories, and I got it. But on a much more higher level than expected.
Faking Normal is, if anything, an honest-to-God raw story, a real story, and one that just makes you love it all. There's something beautiful in the way Stevens writes her novel in a blunt style. There's no flowery writing, no random deep ponderings--it's a straight up story about a girl who's blaming herself and a secret she'd rather keep hidden.

Alexi was such a complex character, and I don't mean that lightly. Her personality was...explored, and she had such a strong voice throughout the story. Or, rather, not a strong voice, but a distinct voice. You could tell that Alexi blamed herself more for what happened than who did it to her. You could see the struggle she went through as she lied to everyone, as she pretended to be the same as she'd always been. And it was just...heartbreaking. Alexi is a character I could relate to though, despite what happened to her. Her wanting to tell someone, to get it out, her wanting to fall in love, to be loved, it was all...so...real.

One of my favorite things about this story, though, was the relationship between Bodee and Alexi. It wasn't romantic, it wasn't attraction, it was so much more than that. It was friendship throughout the book. It was love, but not the romantic kind that happens so often so quickly In fact, throughout almost the entire book, their relationship was pretty platonic. And for a girl who's always said that she needed kissing in her books, I loved it. So, so, so much. It was, I think, because that was what Alexi needed the most. A friend. Not a boyfriend, not a date, just a best friend she could trust and someone who would help her, if not understand her.

Bodee was just as intriguing a character as Alexi. He was layered and he was sweet and he was caring. But he was also protective and he got jealous and he was flawed. And so, in my book, he's one of the best literary guys out there. It's hard, I think, to write a character so imperfectly perfect, and even harder to write a supporting character as such. But Courtney C. Stevens pulled it off and I couldn't be more impressed or more in love with a story.

And then, the thing I loved, possibly the most, about this book: The bad guy...didn't seem like such a bad guy. Bad guys are always the evil ones, the manipulating ones, the one who's so absolutely playing you. But I don't think I've ever really seen a bad guy who wasn't that bad, who was just broken, upset, and alone. A bad guy where their "bad" action was a mistake. And it's just heartbreaking to realize that sometimes the bad guy never meant to be the bad guy.

Faking Normal is a book that'll stick with me for a long time coming and a book I think everyone should read. It's raw and it's heartbreaking and it's something I never thought I would love, but did.  Beautiful and broken and absolutely stunningly real, I don't think I've ever run into a book quite like Faking Normal. It's a read that you won't want to miss, and I mean that with all my heart.

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Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor

Pages: 304

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: Feb 18, 2014

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.
Even when she isn't sure what to say.
Even when Olivia misses months of school.
Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.
The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.

Maybe One Day was honestly one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I expected it to be absolutely heartbreaking, which I can confidently say it was. It was a beautiful story, really.

The most prominent thing about this poignant book was Zoe and Olivia's relationship. The story focuses solely on their friendship and it was absolutely beautiful how much they loved each other, depended on each other, and just...seemed to rely on each other all the time. It's rare to see such a strong relationship between friends in YA books where romance dominates and it's honestly one of the best things about this story. Seriously it made me fall in love with the characters even more, knowing how much they loved each other. Is that strange?

While you didn't see much of it, it's evident that Zoe and Olivia were passionate people, especially about dance and in general.
Zoe irritated me a bit, at first. She seemed selfish, bitchy, and just completely annoying, but she grew into a kinder person, but retaining her personality. Watching her evolve into this new person was heartbreaking, knowing she was changing for her best friend who never asked, but it made me hopeful, for a reason I can't really deduce.
Olivia was a sweet person who was nice to everyone, loved everyone, and was really just one of those people who considered others before her, and it was just...terrible, seeing her get weaker and weaker in the story even as Zoe became stronger and stronger.

There was a bit romance in the story, but it only really appeared in the middle of the book and even then, it only made rare occurrences. I loved Calvin, our love interest though, although I did find their relationship a bit random and the fact that the reason Zoe hated him was immature and pretty idiotic, all in all. But dammit, their relationship was adorable and I just adored it!

Kantor did an amazing job with Maybe One Day, a story of a gorgeous friendship rather than a guilty romance, and I'm so fully in love with it. The characters were beautiful, the story wonderful, and their friendship just absolutely heartbreaking, I can't even. I feel like it's absolutely perfect for fans of The Fault in Our Stars or for everyone who needs a good tearjerker.

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All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Pages: 368

Genre: Sci-fi

Series: All Our Yesterdays #1

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Release Date: Sep 3, 2013

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

My reaction when I first finished--
"OH MY FUCKING GOD
WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL
I CAN'T 
WHY
I REFUSE
WHAT"

and the like. 

But let's explain what I mean, shall we. Because the ending is the absolute best parts of the book. It's so complicatedly simple. It's so confusing. It's so perfect. It's so heartbreaking. 

The ending is one I never could've expected in my life, it's one that keeps shaking me to the core, every time I read it. It breaks my heart, and it lingers in my mind for days after I read it. There's just something about it. Something that's just 

So

Absolutely

Perfect.

I'm really not sure where to start after that, but let's go for the plot because it was just so...thrilling. It killed me every time I had to put it down, and I just wanted to drop everything and continue reading. It's literally a race against time, and things never get slow. I was always edgy and I ended up snapping at anyone who interrupted me while I read. It's spine-tingling and I just couldn't shake the feeling off after I read even one sentence. 

There were twists. So many twists. The way Terrill writes is magical, giving us hints after hints, and letting us fit the pieces together ourselves. It's truly amazing. 

Characters. Oh my gosh. It's really surprising how contrast the future versions are compared to the "present" ones. Em and Marina couldn't be more different. Em was toughened, hardened by years of betrayal and torture, living in her cell. She was fierce and broken, but you could still see a bit of Marina in her--compassionate, carefree, happy. Em was my favorite of the two, being more mature than her younger, whinier, and spoiled self, but seeing Marina grow as a character--seeing Em remember how she felt, how she was, it hurt. I ached. And I loved it. 

The side characters were just as well written--especially Finn! We didn't really concentrate on the romance much, but I can say that what is there gives your heart a little zap. And makes the ending so much more painful. 

The worldbuilding, the science behind it, is simple. And complicated. I honestly didn't understand it much, but it was decidedly more simple than some of the other time travels I've read. It's well thought out though, and brilliantly told, making it decently understandable! But it does sound plausible and the fact that it was so well researched makes the book infinitely times better. 

This is, by far, the best time travel book I've read in my life, and you can be sure I've read a lot. It talks about how a vision can turn you into a monster, how twisted someone can become, but it's also about second chances, and it's about hope. And all wrapped up in a beautiful packaged with spectacular writing, gorgeous characters we learn to love, and an ending that will rip out our hearts. 

I honestly don't care if you're a sci-fi fan or not--All Our Yesterdays is one you have to read, squeal over, cry over, and scream over. 

***UPDATE*** It seems All Our Yesterdays has a sequel? The ending seemed filled with closure, but I still can't wait to read it! Can I handle the pain though?

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Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

Pages: 240

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Harlequin Teen 

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Life. Death. And...Love?
Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.
But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.
Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.
Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?

I've been dying for Heartbeat since about June last year. It sounded sweet, it sounded heartbreaking, and I'm always one for a good girl/bad boy romance and contemporary standalone. And I tried to love the book, I really did. But I couldn't get past the hypocrisy and annoying character and thoughtless actions, no matter how much I wanted to love this story.

My main problem with the story was Emma. I just felt like she was so hypocritical when she kept going on and on about how Dan (her stepfather) didn't know what her mom would want while, at the same time, saying how her mother wouldn't have wanted this then going to "Well she can't do/say anything now. She's dead." It just made me want to slap her because how could she not realize how much pain Dan was going through? What made me want to slap her even more was that she hurt Dan as much as she could. Of course she couldn't just ignore him right? She had to give him even more grief about keeping his own son alive. 

I didn't really get her side. I did sort of understand how painful it must've been, but I just didn't understand why the hell she would think her mom would want the baby she sacrificed herself for to die? How could she think her mother would want the child to die and how could she think it was selfish of Dan to want to keep his son, her brother, alive. It made me so angry that she wanted the baby to die (at a certain point) and then suddenly contradict herself. Or at least, that's how it seemed to me.
There were times Emma seemed like an okay character, but that wasn't very often and she really just annoyed me.

The romance was...interesting. So I wasn't quite the biggest fan of it because I felt like it was really rushed--but I do think that for such a short story that it was pretty well paced, though I still wasn't wholly satisfied by it.

Despite all my misgivings though, Heartbeat seems to be a pretty well loved novel and the feel of the novel is actually pretty New Adult, so if you're a fan of NA, I definitely think this could be one of your next favorites!

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Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Pages: 352

Genre: Fantasy/Retelling

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Jan 28, 2014

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.
With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.
As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Oh God, the love I have for this book! As I'm writing this, I literally just finished reading it in one sitting at midnight, so excuse me as I collect my thoroughly gasted flabber off the floor and turn it back into a brain. I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting when I dove into Cruel Beauty, but I know it wasn't this. And for once, that's a good thing!

So I'm a giant fan of retellings. And when I say giant, I mean giant. Add in Beauty and the Beast? It just got better and better! The tale as old as time is one of my favorites and one of the more commonly retold stories--but it's so, so, so hard to get right. But I can say with absolute certainty that Rosamund Hodge is a genius author whose brilliance can not go unheeded.

Hodge is a wonder with words, something that you can easily see through her debut. I fell in love with the first chapter and couldn't let go after until I'd read everything and was clinging to my plush rabbit in agony. The most amazing part, I think, is the worldbuilding, which has it's feet set in the plot, the characters, and pretty much everything.
The world is a mix of high fantasy, paranormal, and Greek mythology, something I found extremely unusual, but undeniably enthralling. It was amazing seeing the world come to life in the pages and being told the world's history and background through snatches of folklore and tale and  absolutely fascinating, how the author pieces together bits of her fantasy world with that of Greece. Who knew demons and gods went together?

The plot, I realize, is actually rather slow, but you don't get bored at all. The tension between Nyx and Ignifex kept me laughing and giggling forever and you can't help but get sucked into the story once they meet. It's more than just the romance, of course. It's Nyx trying to defeat Ignifex, to avenger he mother's sacrifice, and to keep her promise. It's amazing how this goes about and there are still so many plot twists I can't accept. I refuse to accept.

Romance! There are hints of a love triangle, but I can't really say anything beyond the fact that, well, it's not really a love triangle and that I loved Ignifex from the moment we met him, with his snark and wit and charm about him!

Nyx is truly a badass character. She's not quite the assassin I was expecting, but she's tough, she's fierce, she's curious, but beyond all that, she's absolutely and brilliantly flawed. It's even stated in the book that her heart was threaded with darkness, and you can't help but relate to her sometimes. Not to her situations, of course (I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone engaged to a demon prince), but her feelings and her regrets. She's a broken character and it's just something you love about her.

The ending, I have to say, was absolutely perfect. And that's all I have to say about that.

So yes. Cruel Beauty is one of those books you can't help but fall in love with, and one of those books that'll automatically jump to your favorites list. It's gorgeously written with brilliant characters, a cutthroat plot, and a romance that'll set you on fire. It's like reading a fairy tale--there's honestly no choice but to get enthralled. I honestly can't recommend this book enough! So seven out of five stars it is! 

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Secret for a Song by S.K. Falls

Pages: 206

Genre: Contemporary/Psychological

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Createspace

Release Date: May 31, 2013
UPDATE: The book has been bought by a literary agent so it's no longer available. When it re releases though you guys need to get it and read it!

Saylor Grayson makes herself sick. Literally.She ate her first needle when she was seven. Now, at nineteen, she’s been kicked out of college for poisoning herself with laxatives. The shrinks call it Munchausen Syndrome. All Saylor knows is that when she’s ill, her normally distant mother pays attention and the doctors and nurses make her feel special.Then she meets Drew Dean, the leader of a local support group for those with terminal diseases. When he mistakes her for a new member, Saylor knows she should correct him. But she can’t bring herself to, not after she’s welcomed into a new circle of friends. Friends who, like Drew, all have illnesses ready to claim their independence or their lives. For the first time, Saylor finds out what it feels like to be in love, to have friends who genuinely care about her. But secrets have a way of revealing themselves. What will happen when Saylor’s is out?

After seeing this floating around the blogosphere for a while, I caved and asked the author for a review copy. And was it a good idea? Yes.

At first I was a bit wary because I've heard of this type of psychological syndrome before and I've never understood it. I got that people wanted attention sometimes, especially from absent parents, but I could never fathom how people could hurt themselves, make themselves sick, when others who were naturally sick were trying desperately to live their normal life or become better.
So it wasn't really a surprise that I hated Saylor at first. She didn't seem to understand the people around her, and her hurting herself--for attention, no less--irritated me to no ends. She had a sick fascination and all she wanted was attention, bad or not. She wanted to be noticed, and I loathed that, not to mention that she faked a terminal illness just to feel "special".

Saylor also developed as a character throughout the book, but it was so gradual I almost didn't notice. She starts to learn about the people behind the diseases, and how horrible it is, being sick. She starts realizing that maybe there are things more important than attention--much more important. She grew on me, and I honestly didn't realize it until her world fell apart and my heart just started hurting for her.

Falls clearly did a lot of research on not only Munchausen Syndrome, but all the other diseases mentioned, and it definitely seemed like she knew what she was talking about (but I'm no medical professional!) Not only that, she managed to delve into the mind of a teen with Munchausen and create a realistically portrayed character with it. No matter how annoying she was at first.

All the secondary characters were all amazing and I loved each individually, but we have to focus on Drew. He was absolutely sweet and adorable. And it was deja vu all over again with The Fault In Our Stars. Knowing that the YA love interest you're falling in love with has a disease that'll eventually kill him? It's horrible and bittersweet, especially when you feel like you're invested in their romance. The two just seemed to compliment each others' personalities and how they reacted around each other was just too sweet for words.

At the end of this novel, I actually couldn't read the last two pages because tears were rolling down my face and blurring my vision. I'm not even kidding. Secret for a Song is heartbreaking, but hopeful, and it leaves us with an open ending, giving us just a little bit of hope for our characters. Gorgeously written, beautiful, and lyrical, Secret for a Song is one I have to recommend. And will likely shove in your face should you mention standalones or contemporaries.

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Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

Pages: 352

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: Jan 7, 2014

Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.

Being Sloane Jacobs was definitely high on my TBR, especially since Meant to Be managed to get to my Favorites of 2012. And having the covers match? Score!
The premise definitely excited me--a YA version of the Parent Trap? Please! And I have always been one for these contemporaries that have a dramatic flair.

Being Sloane Jacobs didn't disappoint! At first, I felt a bit iffy about it--what are the chances of meeting someone with the exact same name and looks similar to you, has family problems, and ice skates too? But that's the thing about books like this--you can't help but fall in love with them, even with all their improbabilities.

To be honest, I wasn't exactly the biggest fans of these two girls. Sloane Devon seemed to judge to quickly, one of those "Shoot now, ask questions later" kind of people and Sloane Emily seemed a bit cliche in her rich-girl-with-problems situation. And yet, there's something about them that grows on you and makes you love them throughout the story. We get to see them develop as a character, seeing them out of their comfort zone, but still making the best of it. They were so different, dealing with their own problems, their own secrets, but they were still the same--wanting to forget themselves and live another life.

But, to me, the romance is my favorite part. Being Sloane Jacobs wasn't by any means focused on the romance, but really. Who can resist two swoony guys?
While we didn't really get the full story on them, they were still adorably wonderful. We had Matt, Sloane Emily's love interest, who was a player-turned-sweet kind of guy who was surprisingly romantic and unbelievably adorable.
Nando, Sloane Devon's blast from the past, had that mysterious thing going on and it was clear that he had a thing for our tomboy turned girly! He was just as adorable, really, and how he acted around Sloane? Squeals!
My only complaint was that both romances were a bit underdeveloped and that our love interests were lacking and not entirely written well.

But honestly, we can't forget the writing. Morrill's writing style is brilliant and that's pretty much all I have to say about that! For someone who usually dislikes dual POV, I enjoyed how the author split the scenes and how she would perfectly keep us hanging without making the cutoff seem too abrupt.
And oh, the hilarity! I loved the humor in the book and I honestly LOL'd so many times I'm pretty sure my stomach hurt at the end of the day!

Being Sloane Jacobs was a pretty fantastic read that had me falling in love with the characters--and falling out of my chair! Morrill has a way with words that makes you giggle too many times than any human should be allowed to and makes your heart ache. While there were a few things I didn't exactly like, I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a light read that'll cheer you right up!

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