Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

Goodreads Blurb

Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.
Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…

After reading Such a Rush I was absolutely ecstatic to find out that Echols was writing another YA--especially since the cover was gorgeous and matches Such a Rush so well! And I was not let down.
Dirty Little Secret definitely has a lot in common with Such a Rush and right away, we can tell that this isn't going to be one of the lightest reads. While it wasn't heartbreaking and raw like I'd hoped, it had a nostalgic and sort of bittersweet feel to it that made me fall in love with the story.

Bailey was definitely a fierce and a seemingly independent person and I loved that about her, but she got pushed around way too easily sometimes. Not in the sense that she did what others did, but she let others control her emotions really. One mention of her sister or parents and she would just clam up or get angry, and that sort of ruined her image of a calm and headstrong character (though she did retain that image well at times!) She was a rebellious character who, overall, I did enjoy reading about! Her snark was definitely hilarious though and I absolutely loved her snips at Charlotte (a band member).
I alternated between empathizing Charlotte to hating her, to loving her, but I guess she acted like any of us and, I think, out of all the characters, I connected with her more than anyone else. Bailey's parents were absolutely ridiculous and I wanted to punch them while I wanted to slap some sense into Julie sometimes.

The romance was definitely a bit insta-lovey. I didn't really appreciate how easily Bailey broke under Sam's begging and how quickly they fell in love (a steamy kiss on day one was apparently in order). Their relationship was also sort of built on lies (then Sam said he would never lie to Bailey (though at least he admitted he was a liar!) and seemed really rushed with conditions set. "If you don't do this or that, we'll break up." But the romance definitely had it's sweet moments that I enjoyed and their relationship was by no means easy.
Sam was...sort of a douchebag in all honesty. He kept asking Bailey for things and got angry or mainuplative whenever he didn't get his way. At first, he reminded me of a cute puppy, but it got tiring after the first few times. He also, several times, chose music over Bailey which, by the way guys? Isn't going to make a girl like you more. He's definitely a selfish guy (and I definitely think they'd break up in the near future) but he was exactly what Bailey needed to realize her own needs and dreams.

What impressed me was definitely the musical part of this. It was well written and it seemed as if Jennifer Echols experienced it first hand!
Not only that, I found it sort of amazing how she made it so that half the book was one day and still absolutely captivating. The second half of the bookw as definitely drama filled and definitely made me anxious, but the ending was absolutely perfect!

Jennifer Echols digs up another romantic story that isn't as perfect as some people like to believe, but with heartrendingly real characters. A fun read that I definitely recommend, it's filled with laughs and heartache--you could say it's one of the perfect summer reads!

The musical part of the story
Pages: 288

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Series: Standalone

Publisher: MTV Books

Release Date: July 16, 2013

Rating: 3.5-->4 stars

If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

Goodreads Blurb

A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.
Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.
Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

Oh my my my. Oh my. If I Lie was such an amazing book that, by the end of it, I had an emotional breakdown. Or, as close as you can get with a book! This book was absolutely, positively, completely heart wrenching. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there was a quality to this novel that just ripped your heart out and made you sob a waterfall. 
I'm not kidding. 

"Just leave Quinn. Nobody wants you here."

The way this story was told surprised me--we start after the big scandal and see what happened through memories. It's a great way to tell this story and somehow made an already emotional tale even more so. Part of it may be that we learn the secret early on in the book, so it wasn't really something that book had to rely on to be amazing. Oh, I don't make sense anymore do I? 

I'm bruised from the inside out.

These characters were so fleshed out and so real that it hurt sometimes. They're easy to connect to and they're wonderful characters in general. Quinn was in so much pain, but she held her head high--God, even her father seemed to hate her! I, honestly, would've blurted out the truth almost immediately, but that Quinn was strong enough to brace herself for all this...it was amazing. 
George was, by far, my favorite character. Even more so than Quinn herself! He was the only one who believed her and stuck by her and he brought a lot of dry humor when it was needed. He was definitely the father figure in this book and I adored him. He was sweet in a cranky kind of way and he just made me smile through my tears a lot of times.
"One day, people will see that about you, and you are going to knock them on their asses with how stunning you are." 

So many things happen in a book that's not really even 300 pages, so I was surprised by how...perfect it was. So many things happen, one right after another, but all of these things just kind of flow into one another and smooth each other out. I had no idea what I was crying for after a while--was it because of this? Was it because of that? Maybe both? Or this thing? They all became just...a story someone had to tell.

Sometimes a moment defines you, defines how people see you for the rest of your life.

If I Lie is a beautifully written story that will stun you. It plays on the fact that there are always two sides to every story and that sometimes you don't always know the whole story. It's a bittersweet kind of book that'll leave you in tears--joyful and mournful ones. It's just that kind of story. Whether you're a contemporary fan or not, this is definitely one you don't want to miss out on.  

Some words hit you like a tree branch slapping you in the face. And some words rip into your flesh, leaving scars so deep, they never completely fade.


Pages: 276
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Stand alone
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: Aug. 28, 2012
Rating: 7/5

Bruised by Sarah Skilton

Goodreads Blurb

When Imogen, a sixteen-year-old black belt in Tae Kwon Do, freezes during a holdup at a local diner, the gunman is shot and killed by the police, and she blames herself for his death. Before the shooting, she believed that her black belt made her stronger than everyone else -- more responsible, more capable. But now her sense of self has been challenged and she must rebuild her life, a process that includes redefining her relationship with her family and navigating first love with the boy who was at the diner with her during the shootout. With action, romance, and a complex heroine, Bruised introduces a vibrant new voice to the young adult world -- full of dark humor and hard truths.

Oh my GOSH! Abrams publishes some of the best books, EVER.

Bruised definitely surprised me! At first I thought this would mainly be Imogen going through work and school, being comforted by friends, feeling numb, having a steamy romance, but it was so much more to my surprise!

This book, I think, is more about relationships and accepting that no one can change the past. It's about realizing your own strengths and weaknesses, and I don't thin I could describe it any other way! It was definitely a heartfelt novel that tugged at some strings. I didn't cry, but throughout the second half of the book, when things get deeper and darker, the entire time, tears were pushing to get out.

The number one thing about this book are the relationships between Imogen and all these characters. There was Hunter, her mom, her dad, Ricky, Shelly, Hannah, DJ, and so many other secondary characters. I really can't explain it but something about the way that these relationships were...they just managed to get to you! The ones that I felt stood out the most?  Hunter who didn't seem to know why his sister hated him and I did sympathize with him, but Imogen definitely had a reason to be pissed at him; her dad who was trying to do his best, and loved Imogen, who just missed the guy her dad USED to be--before diabetes, before it looked like he gave up; DJ, who left Imogen alone when she needed a friend the most. I can actually relate to this and can definitely say a friend like that? They don't DESERVE to be my friend and I loved Imogen for still fighting to stay strong.

Just wanted to give you a glimpse. :)

Now, the romance aspect of this honestly wasn't important. It was the finding someone who understood that was significant. And I loved Ricky! He was sweet and had his cute flaws (like laughing when he's nervous! Which isn't a flaw, but I still had to mention) and he put up with Imogen. Even when she punched him straight in the face. Ouch. He was honestly the perfect guy for Imogen! Talk about a match made in heaven!
As for Imogen herself, she was definitely one of those lovable flawed characters who still annoyed you sometimes. But hey, my friends annoy me sometimes but I still love em!

Throughout the book, Imogen struggles to not only come to terms that the gunman died, but also that she can't remember anything, and seems to think she and Ricky hid under the tables the entire night.
SPOILER.
That's not what happened.
But Imogen is definitely one of those strong heroines in a totally different way. She's out to prove herself and throughout the book, we see little bits and pieces of what made her her, and why she feels this way. The way that this is written is unbelievable because it somehow helps you connect with the plot more.

Like I said up top, this book gets a lot deeper and sadder in the second part of it. Something just sparks this hopelessness and it makes everything so much more raw. The first half isn't bad, but it doesn't seem as serious as the second half. (But when they say dark humor, they mean dark humor.)

Did any of this ramble make sense? Prrrooobbaaabbllyyy not. But here's the entire thing in short:
Read the book, buy the book. It's incredibly well written and I think everyone should read it, or at least understand what Imogen is going through. It's a hearbreaking book that you will absolutely love!

Also, ABRAMS publishes some of my favorite books.
*Just want to clarify that my love of this and for ABRAMS is not because they sent me free copies of books. They seriously publish good stuff. SPLINTERED and THE STORYTELLER, anyone?*

Pages: 288
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Stand alone
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Rating: 4.5--->4 stars

What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton

Goodreads Blurb

How can you talk about something you can’t remember?
Before the ski trip, sixteen-year-old Cassidy “Sid” Murphy was a cheerleader (at the bottom of the pyramid, but still...), a straight-A student, and a member of a solid trio of best friends. When she ends up on a ski lift next to handsome local college boy, Dax Windsor, she’s thrilled; but Dax takes everything from Sid—including a lock of her perfect red curls—and she can’t remember any of it.
Back home and unable to relate to her old friends, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey “The Living Stoner” Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if she can just shake the nightmares and those few extra pounds, everything will be perfect... or so she thinks.

What I Liked

There were so many things I loved about What Happens Next but the one that stood out the most? It dealt with real problems, real insecurities, and real people. Our characters weren’t perfect—they were far from it, in fact. They weren’t gorgeous-but-didn’t-know-it. They just…weren’t gorgeous. And you guys, that is such a relief. Cassidy goes through real-life situations, ones that almost anybody can go through. It was…heartwarming and heartbreaking. Even Corey, our love interest isn’t perfect or liked. He isn’t the stereotype bad boy, cocky and handsome with a dark side. He’s sweet and even if he does deal in drugs…well, he has a good reason to. He wasn’t insanely hot either and he was far from cocky. He was just the outcast who had a few secrets of his own. That’s what I loved about him. His non-stereotypicalness. Which I totally just made up on the spot!

Pacing? It wasn’t too fast or too awkward—one problem after another. It flowed well and it wasn’t too crazy. One thing lead to another and even when some things surprised me, I realized that it really didn’t. I knew it was going to happen somehow. It’s one of those amazing books that don’t need a giant plot twist to make it good. I can’t explain why it was so good. It’s just…impossible! But it was just amazing the way it was written and all

What I Didn’t Like

The main character. I mean, she wasn’t annoying or anything, but she was a bit…not smart. I mean…going to a party with a guy who she barely met who’s older and already seems obsessed….ermmm…no. And when it turns out that no one is really there and letting him get you a drink? It’s just asking for trouble. Other than that I really don’t have many complaints. It was just great otherwise!

Pages: 320

Series:Standalone

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publisher: Poppy

Release Date: October 9

Rating: 4 stars

 

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Goodreads Blurb

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.
Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.
As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.

You know, just as a warning: When you reach the last half, I advise you to grab a tissue or two (or three, or four, or—you know what? Just take the entire box.) Seriously. You’re going to need it. If there’s one word to describe Second Chance Summer, it’s heartbreaking.

Can I say heartbreaking again? Yes? Ok, it was completely, utterly heartbreaking. All these things were happening and you keep thinking “he’ll be okay. He won’t die. HEA right?” but I’m spoiling this now: it’s not a Happy Ever After ending no matter how much you want it to. It was just inevitable but somehow you ignore the oncoming tragedy with the romance, the friendship, and all things inbetween. But when it does happen, it strikes you completely unaware, even when you know it’s happening in the next chapter. It’s this dreaded feeling that builds up in you and when it happens…agh! A book filled with second chances, I loveloveloved it!

Second Chance Summer seemed more like an insanely descriptive diary rather than a book, and that’s a good thing. Actions seemed so real, not far-fetched. Reactions were probable and the characters reminded me of what my friends would’ve done if I had slighted them like that. Characters seemed real. I haven’t read Matson’s debut, but you can bet I will after reading Second Chance Summer!

As sad as it is, Second Chance Summer is definitely a great Summer-ends read. Not one you want to read at the beginning of summer, but definitely one that will end your summer with a bang. Seriously guys. Y’all have to read this!

Pages: 468

Series: Stand-alone

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Release Date: May 8, 2012

Rating: 5 stars

"Standing across from me, five years older, all grown up, and much cuer han I remembered him being, was Henry Cosby."