Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton

Goodreads Blurb

I can’t weep. I can’t fear. I’ve grown talented at pretending.
Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them. Longing, Shame, and Courage materialize around her classmates. Fury and Resentment appear in her dysfunctional home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, save one—Fear. He’s intrigued by her, as desperate to understand the accident that changed Elizabeth’s life as she is herself.
Elizabeth and Fear both sense that the key to her past is hidden in the dream paintings she hides in the family barn. But a shadowy menace has begun to stalk her, and try as she might, Elizabeth can barely avoid the brutality of her life long enough to uncover the truth about herself. When it matters most, will she be able to rely on Fear to save her?

OH MY GOD I LOVED THIS BOOK. 

But instead of ranting to you, I would like to link several tweets of mine.

https://twitter.com/nikki_wang/status/313861405109538816

https://twitter.com/nikki_wang/status/313860439668817920

https://twitter.com/nikki_wang/status/313861696131301376

https://twitter.com/nikki_wang/status/313850454176038912

The idea of Some Quiet Place is original and too amazing for words! I absolutely loved meeting all the Emotions and Elements and seeing how their “jobs” affected their personality and I think that Kelsey Sutton wrote these characters perfectly.Then again, I’m sort of biased since I’m part of the Fear fan club!

Speaking of Fear, the romance(s). There was a love triangle, but it was far from annoying. Okay, I lie. It was absolutelyfrustrating whenever Elizabeth would choose Joshua over Fear. Sure, Joshua was sweet and adorable and all, but he was so…boring, compared to Fear. (It’s obvious, whose team I’m on, isn’t it?) Fear was definitely my kind of YA boyfriend—cocky, arrogant, sweet at times, and always there for her when she needs it. Also, paranormal abilities. Fear was such an amazing character who I loved.
What surprised me was that I honestly wasn’t sure, at first, who she would end up with. And, when I finally thought I knew who she’d end up with, it turned out to be the other guy. Which surprised me, but…well, no hints. But when you read it, I bet you’ll be able to tell my reaction immediately. It induced a lot of…strong feelings.

Elizabeth was a…well, I can’t really describe her. While she couldn’t feel the touch of Emotions, she still seemed to care about people. She was a strong character, though I’m not quite sure if that has to do with her or the fact that she didn’t feel hatred or humiliation or guilt or any of those. There really are no words to describe Elizabeth!
Joshua was, like I said, a sweet character who seemed to love our heroine and he was…understanding, in a way. But he also struck me as a bit naïve and I sort of wanted to kill him for taking Elizabeth away from Fear.
And I already pretty much described Fear, but let me say it again—he was absolutely one of my favorite YA guys ever. EVER.

I did not expect any of this. At all. I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen and while a bunch of crazy theories were running through my head, none of them were even close! Here’s what happened—my eyes went wide and mouth my dropped open. My heart broke, then fixed itself, and then it went swimming in my stomach. It then started running to who-knows-what and promptly died. At least, that’s how I felt while reading Some Quiet Place. You guys, you guys, you guys. There are no words for the twists or the plot. And I also almost cried, which if you guys didn’t know, is pretty weird for me since this wasn’t a contemporary in any way.

The world building was magnificent too! How the Emotions and Elements were personified and how they lived on another plane, and how they could duplicate themselves so that they could attend every summons, and how their effects still lingered after. It was all ingenious! But I did have some questions—if the Emotions felt emotions, wouldn’t the others come? And how could they ignore some of their summons when there’s a rule that they can’t? There were a few world building holes, but otherwise I did love it! They didn’t really interfere with my enjoyment of this that much anyways.

Some Quiet Place has managed to climb its way up to one of my favorite debuts of 2013! It’s near perfect and one of those books I can’t stop recommending. I’m hoping everyone’s going to pick it up and squeal over Fear this book with me!

Pages: 350

Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural

Series: Some Quiet Place #1

Publisher: Flux

Release Date: June 8, 2013

Rating: 10/5 ABSOLUTE STARS

Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith

Goodreads Blurb

Things you earnestly believe will happen while your parents are away:

1. You will remember to water the azaleas.

2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.

3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.

4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.

5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.

Things that actually happen:

1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.

2. He says he has her stuff.

3. What stuff? Her stuff.

4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—

5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—

6. You pick up a pen.

7. You scribble down the address.

8. You get on your bike and go.

9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*

*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.

Both exhilarating and wrenching, Hilary T. Smith’s debut novel captures the messy glory of being alive, as seventeen-year-old Kiri Byrd discovers love, loss, chaos, and murder woven into a summer of music, madness, piercing heartbreak, and intoxicating joy.

Wild Awake was a...memorable book. It was interesting and I'm not quite sure how to write this review! I had a ton of mixed feelings about it and this book was like a roller coaster--wait. Isn't that how you describe a relationship? But it's an apt description. I would adore it one moment, hate it another, find it disgusting, go back to loving it, then starting to cry. It was weird, and I don't think I've ever felt this many emotions in a book before!

This story deals with a lot of issues and has that gritty feel to it. Kiri is all but abandoned, her sister dead, her dream boyfriend not interested, her brother estranged, and her parents leaving her alone for six whole weeks. There's a sense of loneliness around our character and she was far from perfect--she was flawed and had scars all over (in the metaphorical sense), but she was real and she was hurt. While I enjoyed her sarcasm and her own way of understanding heartbreaking and sorrowful things, she did get annoying whenever she gave up and drank, or did drugs, or anything like that. She was horrible as a person and I hated what she did a lot of times. She was pathetic at times, but other times, she was so...understanding and almost sweet.

I loved the romance in the book. In a lot of ways it reminded me of What Happens Next--so perfectly imperfect and so bittersweet. Kiri and Skunk both had their issues and they were both in desperate need of one another. And I found it so perfect how it was Kiri's dead sister who brought them together in a way. Almost like she was looking after Kiri even then, which is really just me being all Happy-Ever-After, but I'll stick with it.

But as much as it was great and amazing, it was horrible too. What couple, who lost one of their daughters, would let their only other daughter stay home alone for 6 weeks? What girl would visit a virtual stranger at near midnight? There were so many stupid decisions in this, but it was riveting at the same time. There was a lot of drinking and drugs and partying going on that made me want to smack my head--a lot of times, Kiri ended up being stoned in important scenes. The ending was just so awkward and I honestly didn't get it and I felt like there were a ton of questions left unanswered and there were so many abrupt scenes that just ended.

Wild Awake is a gritty book that made my heart race and mouth drop open in shock. But it was also one that made me want to hit something and just shake my head in pity. Wild Awake was unbelievable, in one word. Good or bad, I can't say. Though I'm almost 75% sure it's good.

Pages: 400
Genre: Mature/Contemporary
Series: Stand alone
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: May 28, 2013
Rating: UNKOWN

Belladonna by Fiona Paul

Goodreads Blurb

Cassandra follows a trail of clues about the mysterious Order of the Eternal Rose to Florence. There she runs into a few familiar faces, including Falco, who is now working for a nine-fingered woman known as Belladonna. When Cass discovers Belladonna is involved in the Order, she won’t rest until she discovers the shadowy society’s true purpose, knowledge that will put her—and everyone she loves—in terrible danger.

Wow. Oh wow oh wow oh wow. I can not describe how much I love Belladonna, but I promise to do my best. Let me just say though, that I finished this in the morning at school, then put it in my locker (after squealing so much!) so that it wouldn't be harmed, right? During my entire first period, I couldn't stop thinking about the going  ons of Belladonna and went to my locker ASAP to read it again! I never reread books right after finishing. Moral of the story? Belladonna is a must-read, Venom is a must read, you all MUST READ THEM. They're seriously heartbreaking sometimes, and I wanted to cry. A lot. 

Cass definitely sounds like a noble woman dead-set on her goal. She had all the makings and morals of a noble woman, except she had some definite spunk in her that makes you love her instantly! Honestly, she hasn't changed a bit since Venom, though she's definitely wiser and less naive than before. She's still a strong character, in my opinion, but there's definitely a lot of vulnerability on her side in Belladonna. And the things that brought her down? Oh, I wanted to cry. 

Falco. There was a LOT of Falco in Belladonna, thank God. I just...the extent of my love for him is immeasurable. Even with what's happened in this book. He was just as heartbreaking as before, just as swoon worthy as before, and just as sweet as before. But there's an edge to it, now that she's on a mission to save Luca. But, you guys, he still helps her, and they made me feel a heart tug. Falco still helped her because it's what she wanted and I...I...so, if Cass goes with Luca, can I have Falco? Just asking, of course.

But, just in case you wanted to be sure, Falco is all he was in Venom and so much more!

Luca wasn't really in Belladonna as much as I'd expected (sort of hoped? Sorry guys, I was thinking about Falco here!), but from what we do see from him, I think he's shaping up to be a guy who can almost, not quite, rival Falco in my eyes. He was just so incredibly sweet, willing to let Cass go if it meant she'd be happy. I honestly want my own Luca mixed with Falco. Yeesh, Fiona Paul definitely knows how to make guys we swoon about!

The writing? Do you even have to ask? the writing was just gorgeous! It never gave too much detail, but gave you enough so that you could clearly picture the scene in your head. And I'm no expert on Venice or the Renaissance (no matter what my parents want to believe), but everything felt historically correct at least, and that's pretty much what matters! 

Compared to Venom, Belladonna was a very quick read. It went by and I had no idea how I was already halfway into the book! There was a giant twist to the usual historical--vampires. But, you guys, without fully spoiling anything, I'm pretty sure there was a stage during the Renaissance where people did believe in vampires. And don't worry, Belladonna stays purely historical, thank goodness! But it was a fast plot that was quickly delivered that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Belladonna is definitely one of my favorite sequels, ever! Engaging characters, a quick plot, and amazing writing, Secrets of the Eternal Rose is definitely going to be your next favorite series!

Pages: 339

Series: Secrets of the Eternal Rose #2

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Publisher: Philomel

Release Date: July, 2013

Rating: 5

Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt

Goodreads Blurb

Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna's new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can't know.
Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer. 

I went into this having no expectations whatsoever, so imagine my shock when it turned out to be an amazing novel that I ended up loving!

My only complaint was that this...was...graphic. Incredibly so at times. And for a YA book...that was just, a bit too much. Other than that, I don't really have any other negative feelings besides that at times it was slow.

In the beginning, you see how Anna was slowly broken down, without even knowing it. She didn't know what was different, what was wrong, not consciously at least. She was...a complicated character that while I couldn't really connect with her, I could understand her. And she really...she really was broken and she couldn't see it. It just...hurt in a way that can't be explained, but I sympathized with her, deeply so. She wasn't solving her problems in any way by doing what she did, and honestly that was a little annoying, but it was her way to cope. She just didn't learn any different.

The writing in this was completely beautiful and it was just stunning. The way this story unfolds is definitely like poetry (but no, it's not in those weird literal poetry form paragraphs!) and I just fell in love with the story. It was emotional in a way that it doesn't make you cry, but it makes you think about your place in your family and in society itself.

Sam, honestly, wasn't very important until 5/6 into the book, near the end. So what we read is really Anna's path towards the person she's wanted to be and the family she's always wanted. Sam was just there to push her on her way, and that wasn't necessary till the end. So no, this isn't really a love story at all, is it?

Honestly, if you're looking for a light fluff, this seriously isn't the book for you. This is a brutally honest book that will make you not only look at the world differently, but yourself. I think I'd recommend this for fans of 13 Reasons Why and even for those who didn't really love it (like I did...)

Pages: 240

Genre: Contemporary/Mature YA

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Release Date: January 15, 2013

Rating: 3.5-->4 stars

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Goodreads Blurb

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.
Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!

Oh. My. God.This is possibly one of my Top 3 favorite books ever. I'm not even joking. This review will be possibly the most vague and probably won't even begin to describe my feelings for this amazing book. But I promise to try!

(Also, this is probably one of the only times I can't analyze characters, romance, plot, anything. Just One Day was so much more than just those specific things. But I can't explain how! you'll just have to read to see.)

I haven't read If I Stay, Where She Went, or any others. This is my first Gayle Forman book and I can promise that I'll be reading and loving the others. There was not one thing I didn't like about Just One Day. It made me think, it touched my heart, and it was surprisingly deep. The difference between falling in love and being in love really did make sense and I loved how it rang true. I loved how even though Allyson was looking for someone else, she was rediscovering herself all along. And I loved how she wasn't portrayed as some lovesick damsel pining for the guy. The way I saw it, she was looking for answers, for questions, not just for a guy.

So I'm going to try and talk about the characters. These were possibly the most real characters I've ever read about, and that's honestly saying something.They all touched my heart in some way and no matter how small or short their scenes were, I loved them.One thing I found strangely weird though, was that each person was kind and friendly, even though that's far from true. But hey, it's fiction right? And very good fiction too.

Just One Day is a novel that makes us question ourselves in ways we never have before and makes us wonder what love really is and who we really are. It will break your heart, put it together, and do it again and again. Just One Day will make you tear up, and you'll never stop thinking about it, because it just isn't possible to.

Pages: 320
Series: Just One Day #1
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Release Date: Jan 8, 2013
Rating: 7/5 stars

Lovely, Dark, and Deep by Amy McNamara

Goodreads Blurb

A resonant debut novel about retreating from the world after losing everything—and the connections that force you to rAnd I loveejoin it.Since the night of the crash, Wren Wells has been running away. Though she lived through the accident that killed her boyfriend Patrick, the girl she used to be didn’t survive. Instead of heading off to college as planned, Wren retreats to her father’s studio in the far-north woods of Maine. Somehwere she can be alone.
Then she meets Cal Owen. Dealing with his own troubles, Cal’s hiding out too. When the chemistry between them threatens to pull Wren from her hard-won isolation, Wren has to choose: risk opening her broken heart to the world again, or join the ghosts who haunt her.

Wow. Just absolutely wowness. Lovely, Dark, and Deep is actually the perfect words to describe it--minus the deep and adding emotional. This is definitely an amazing book to debut with and that cover is just plain gorgeous in my opinion! Seriously. WHAT is with all these beautiful covers, and premises that I just can't resist? 

The writing was so, so, SO stunning. I think it's because McNara decided to use present tense, unlike most books which use past. Personally, I love it when people use present terms. "The snow falls softly" sounds more...poetic, I guess than "The snow fell softly". And I just love how the words seem to flow more like that. So seeing that this was in present tense? Well my expectations went a bit higher and I was a bit worried that it wouldn't quite reach my expectations.

I loved the characters. they weren't necessarily far from perfect, but they had feelings that you could fell with them. They had the reactions some of us would have. Wren was such a real character, you guys. She went through so much, and even though she could be considered " self-centered", everyone has to admit, we'd probably do the same or at least something similar. And that's what I loved! the author captured these emotions, these actions, so perfectly, in my opinion. And that was...that was wonderful, for lack of a better word.

Cal, was, on the other hand, not perfect, per say, but very very close. He did react like some people would too, but...he's like, a mix of all the kind reactions. Nothing he did was ever really mean or even slightly annoying. He was just a character you had to fall in love with, sweet and so understanding, so I guess I can't complain there!

The romance was something I was iffy about. For someone who was heartbroken about her old-ex-now-dead-boyfriend, she fell in love pretty quickly. I guess I would've liked the romance to slow down a bit instead of going as quickly as it did. I expected Wren to feel denial at her feelings, honestly, so when she didn't...well, it surprised me for sure. I'm still deciding if that was a good or bad surprise.

The plot the plot the plot the plot. Lovelovelovelovelove. It wasn't like, full of twists or anything, but it told the story of a broken girl who was looking for her place in the world again. Seriously. What's not to love? The plot was just so emotional and while I didn't cry, Lovely, Dark, and Deep definitely pulled a few heartstrings. It was just...too good for words honestly. It's something you have to read to get!

The best thing was that it didn't have a happy ending after all, no matter what I thought. There's nothing perfect about the world, and there was nothing perfect about how this book ended. Am i allowed to use the word real again? No? How about believable? This story was so believable in so many ways, good and bad. I would've liked a happy ending (I'm a sucker for HEA's) but the way it ended...well, it was infinitely better. LOVE

Pages: 352

Series: Stand alone

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Release Date: October 16, 2012

Rating: 7 stars

Send Me a Sign by Tiffany Schmidt

Goodreads Blurb

Mia is always looking for signs. A sign that she should get serious with her soccer-captain boyfriend. A sign that she’ll get the grades to make it into an Ivy-league school. One sign she didn’t expect to look for was: “Will I survive cancer?” It’s a question her friends would never understand, prompting Mia to keep her illness a secret. The only one who knows is her lifelong best friend, Gyver, who is poised to be so much more. Mia is determined to survive, but when you have so much going your way, there is so much more to lose. From debut author Tiffany Schmidt comes a heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting story of one girl’s search for signs of life in the face of death.

I’ve read so many heartbreaking stories this year, you guys know that, but Send Me a Sign…heartbreaking is a total understatement. A mind-blowing story made of heartbreaks, and breakups, hope and understanding.

The amazing thing about this debut us that, if you hadn’t read the story, skipping to the tear-jerking parts, you would be completely dry-eyed. Using her writing talents, Tiffany Schmidt deftly creates characters that you learn to care about, tight, unbreakable bonds that you feel, not read, and a subtle romance that’s all too endearing.

“I make my own luck.”

The romance was definitely one of my favorite parts. There was Ryan, Mia’s perfect, popular, sort-of boyfriend who’s sweeter than he seems, and then there’s Gyver, her best-friend-nest door who’s been there through thick and thin. But he’s strictly a friend. Right?

The romance was so sweet, both interests caring and protective. While it wasn’t a live triangle, per say, it was definitely more than Ryan’s old reputation that made Mia hesitate in dating him. I honestly had no idea who Mia would end up with in the end, but the guy I rooted for in the beginning…let’s just say he totally lost my vote. Then gained it. Then lost it.

“I wouldn’t know until I went inside.”

The characters. Oh. My. Goodness gracious. I completely fell in love with them. They each had their own distinct personalities, their own flaws, and I loved them for it.

Mia seems like a shallow girl at first, I admit, but when you got to actually know her, she was sweet and kind and a bit insecure. She refused to tell her closest friends, and look read at how that turned out. I loved how her character (and her friends’ characters) really did fit “their season”. Mia was sunny but she got her own summer showers once in a while, and she was always there to cheer her friends up.

Out of all of Mia’s friends, I really didn’t like Lauren. She was that girl who told secrets behind a person’s back, the one who was always asking for reassurances, and made me feel as if she was just fishing for compliments daily, even when Mia had cancer. No. Just no.

“I didn’t want to know anymore.”

What I didn’t like was that Mia was so secluded. I mean, I get why she wanted to keep her cancer a secret, but instead of weaving all these lies (knowing her friends were bound to find out), she could’ve just told them and saved herself from a lot of suffering. I also wonder: if Hil, Ally, and Lauren were such good friends, why hadn’t they noticed that Mia was never as active and that all these sudden things were happening? It made no sense, they didn’t question it. There were just a few holes in the thinking, but all in all, it was an amazing read that all contemp lovers should read!

“At the hospital, it was the first time I realized I might not beat this. I might die.”

 

Pages: 384

Series: Stand alone

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publisher: Walker Children Books

Release Date: October 2

Rating: 7 stars