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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Click to Subscribe L.M. Augustine

Pages: 214
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Indie
Release Date: May 9, 2014

135,789. That’s how many subscribers sixteen-year-old West Ryder has on his web vlog series. But he only has eyes for one of them. As one of the internet’s most prestigious video bloggers, West talks about high school relationships under the name “Sam Green.” As far as he knows, no one from school, not even his best friend, Cat, has seen his videos. But the highlight of the whole thing is Harper Knight, who comments every day at exactly 2:02 in the afternoon. He doesn’t know anything about her aside from the occasional deep philosophical messaging on why pizza tastes so delicious, but as stupid as it sounds, he might be falling for her. So when they finally agree to meet in real life, West’s hope for romance seems more and more in reach. But that all changes as soon as he arrives at their meeting spot and sees Cat walking toward him, wearing the same “I <3 Sam Green” T-shirt Harper promised she'd have on.To his alarm, West realizes he is falling in love with the best friend who has always been a sister to him.

So, after Eileen ranted about this, of course I had to read it. (First of, you must know how I thought that Eileen was just advertising her YouTube thing because she had the words "Click to Subscribe" as her profile pic. What?)

So this was an adorable read that was just so cute! (And sort of highlights how guys can be so stupid when it comes to girls. No offense, guys.) I loved Cat and West's relationship because of how hilarious they were together and how perfect they were! L.M. Augustine did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life and their humor was definitely contagious! They acted so realistically and I loved the awkward moments! Because, honestly, those were sort of hilarious.

Now, I haven't had the best experience with Indie books, but Click to Subscribe was one of the few I really liked! It was a rather short read, but definitely enjoyable! And this book definitely made my eyes wet. Surprisingly, there was a subject that was touched in this book, and it made me want to cry. It was horrible, but I also kind of felt bad for his father. I also hated it when West would push Cat away, just because he was her best friend.

Speaking of, I felt like West was just an idiot when it came to his relationships. Maybe this is because I'm a girl or because I sort of could understand how Cat felt, but I really wanted to slap him sometimes. He kept giving her hope, then pushing her away, giving him hope, then pushing her away. I really wanted to cry for Cat sometimes, but I got why he didn't want to risk it. She was his best friend and if their dating didn't go well...he'd be basically alone. But Cat loved him so much, and I just wanted to shove him and give her a chance. He was in love with Harper--he's already in love with Cat.

Cat was my favorite character. She was fiery and hilarious! She made me laugh and I loved how she was okay to accept not being a couple with the guy she loved per his request. I loved how she said she'd never give up on him, and I loved how sweet she could be! Not to mention she was entirely snarky and I'd love to have her as one of my close friends!

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Waiting on Wednesday

Free To Fall by Lauren Miller

What if there was an app that told you what song to listen to, what coffee to order, who to date, even what to do with your life—an app that could ensure your complete and utter happiness? What if you never had to fail or make a wrong choice?

What if you never had to fall?

YES YES YES YES YES. THAT IS ALL. JUST YES. I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THIS OMG! It sounds so cool and I absolutely ADORED Parallel last year and OH GOD CAN WE JUST. CAN WE. I CAN'T EVEN. ADKSJF;SLKD J;KSDJF;LSDKHF;LSDHFCLDSHF GIVE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

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Burn Bright by Bethany Frenette

Pages: 304
Genre: Supernatural
Series: Dark Star #2
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: Feb 25, 2014

Audrey Whitticomb saved her entire city.Well, kind of. The superhero Morning Star (who just happens to be Audrey's mom) might have played a small part, and her sidekick, Leon—Audrey's sort-of boyfriend, who is gorgeous... and frustrating—maybe helped, too.But after two peaceful months, there is a vicious new threat in Minneapolis. Her name is Susannah, and she's a Harrower, a demon hell-bent on destroying people like Morning Star, Leon, and Audrey—the Kin. Like others before her, she seeks the Remnant, a Kin girl who has the power to unleash the inhabitants of the Beneath. But to what end?Audrey already has a ton on her plate: dealing with her best friend Tink's boy drama, helping her other best friend Gideon figure out his nightmares, and exploring the highs and lows of "dating" Leon. But when she develops a powerful new ability, Audrey seizes on the chance to fight, despite her mother's protests and Leon's pleas.As Audrey gets closer to figuring out Susannah's motives and tracking down the Remnant, she'll uncover more than she bargained for. The terrible truth is staring Audrey in the face. But knowing the truth and accepting it are very different things.

So, if you follow me on Twitter, you know that I've been dying for a book where the main character isn't the prophetic savior or bringer of doom. I mean, they're fun, but so typical nowadays. But this series definitely doesn't follow that road! While Dark Star was a fun read, it didn't really make an impression, but Burn Bright? It definitely did. I adored it and just loved reading it!

I was a bit fuzzy on what happened in Dark Star, but Burn Bright craftily weaves in the storyline from book one into this sequel. Soon enough I was traveling with Audrey on her wild adventures (and getting almost killed too. Well, that's not good) and getting into the Harrower-version of a catfight.

Yeah. It was fun!

The plot is unbelievably action-packed, filled with so many fights, new powers, new problems, and twists that just made me gape at the pages. I mean, seriously? It twisted my head around, and the twists were just so...wow. 

And there was Audrey. Oh Audrey...Audrey, Audrey, Audrey. She was one stubborn character and I loved her all the more for it! While she did irritate me sometimes for keeping some very important things secret, she won me over with her obvious loyalty for her friends and anyone she loved. She was so headstrong and I just loved her determination and her snark! I also loved her best friend type of relationship with her mom--it was so sweet.

Leon was just an adorable character who I loved! Sure, he was uptight sometimes, but Audrey loosened him up when he need to stop being so stiff, and they were just such a cute couple. I loved their steady romance and their relationship was so fun! At first I didn't like him, but he grew on me. Sort of like moss. (I'm pretty sure it was that way in Dark Star too! It just says more that Leon was able to get into my good graces--again. *wink*)

This is pretty much the best sequel you could ask for! It doesn't disappoint and I just loved it! It was so amazing and I was pretty much gushing about it the days that followed after I finished! Also, you guys. Have you seen the gorgeous covers?

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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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