ARC Review: Even If the Sky Falls by Mia García

Even If the Sky Falls by Mia García
Genre: YA Contemporary, Romance
Published May 10th 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books
Format: eARC
Length: 304 pages

All she needs is one night to be anyone she wants.

Julie is desperate for a change. So she heads to New Orleans with her youth group to rebuild houses and pretend her life isn’t a total mess. But between her super-clingy team leader and her way-too-chipper companions, Julie feels more trapped than ever.

In a moment of daring, she ditches her work clothes for DIY fairy wings and heads straight into the heart of Mid-Summer Mardi Gras, where she locks eyes with Miles, an utterly irresistible guy with a complicated story of his own. And for once, Julie isn’t looking back. She jumps at the chance to see the real New Orleans, and in one surreal night, they dance under the stars, share their most shameful secrets, and fall in love.

But their adventure takes an unexpected turn when an oncoming hurricane changes course. As the storm gains power and Julie is pulled back into chaos she finds pretending everything is fine is no longer an option.

ARC Review: The Way Back to You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott

The Way Back to You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott

Genre: YA Contemporary, Road Trip, Romance

Publication: May 3rd 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

Series: n/a

Length: 384 pages

Format: eARC

Goodreads

In this witty, heart-tugging novel, two teens take a spontaneous road trip across the Southwest to meet three strangers who received the life-saving organs of their late best friend—charting a journey of loss, hope, and love along the way.

Six months ago, Ashlyn Montiel died in a bike accident.

Her best friend Cloudy is keeping it together, at least on the outside. Cloudy’s insides are a different story: tangled, confused, heartbroken.

Kyle is falling apart, and everyone can tell. Ashlyn was his girlfriend, and when she died, a part of him went with her. Maybe the only part he cares about anymore.

As the two people who loved Ashlyn best, Cloudy and Kyle should be able to lean on each other. But after a terrible mistake last year, they’re barely speaking. So when Cloudy discovers that Ashlyn’s organs were donated after her death and the Montiel family has been in touch with three of the recipients, she does something a little bit crazy and a lot of out character: she steals the letters and convinces Kyle to go on a winter break road trip with her, from Oregon to California to Arizona to Nevada. Maybe if they see the recipients—the people whose lives were saved by Ashlyn’s death—the world will open up again. Or maybe it will be a huge mistake.

With hundreds of miles in front of them, a stowaway kitten, and a list of people who are alive because of Ashlyn, Cloudy and Kyle just may find their way to back to her…and to each other.

ARC Review: A Walk in the Sun by Michelle Zink

A Walk in the Sun by Michelle Zink

Genre: YA Contemporary, Romance

Publication: May 3rd 2016 by HarperTeen

Series: n/a

Length: 336 pages

Format: eARC from publisher

Goodreads

In this Bridges of Madison County for teens, Michelle Zink weaves a magnetic tale about summer love that stays with you long after the seasons change.

Rose Darrow never wanted to spend her life working on her family’s farm. But when her family is rocked by an unexpected tragedy she has no choice but to put her plans for the future—and dreams of escaping her small town—on hold.

Bodhi Lowell left home as a kid and hasn’t looked back. Years of working farm jobs has given him the one thing he wants most: freedom to travel without answering to anyone. He’s already looking past his job at Darrow Farm and plans on leaving in September—until he meets Rose.

Neither Rose nor Bodhi can deny the sparks flying between them, but with the end of summer looming, they must decide if it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all….

Review: Don’t Get Caught by Kurt Dinan | Blog Tour + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the DON’T GET CAUGHT blog tour! I recently read this book, and I really enjoyed it. Keep on reading for my thoughts on this book as well as a giveaway for a copy of your own!

ARC Review: This Is Where the World Ends by Amy Zhang

This Is Where the World Ends by Amy Zhang

Genre: YA Contemporary, Romance

Publication: March 22nd 2016 by Greenwillow Books

Series: n/a

Length: 304 pages

Format: eARC from publisher

Goodreads

A heart-wrenching novel about best friends on a collision course with the real world from Amy Zhang, the critically acclaimed Indies Introduce and Indie Next author of Falling into Place.

Janie and Micah, Micah and Janie. That’s how it’s been ever since elementary school, when Janie Vivien moved next door. Janie says Micah is everything she is not. Where Micah is shy, Janie is outgoing. Where Micah loves music, Janie loves art. It’s the perfect friendship—as long as no one finds out about it. But then Janie goes missing and everything Micah thought he knew about his best friend is colored with doubt.

Using a nonlinear writing style and dual narrators, Amy Zhang masterfully reveals the circumstances surrounding Janie’s disappearance in an astonishing second novel that will appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver and Jay Asher.

ARC Review: The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions) by Amy Spalding

The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions)
by Amy Spalding

Genre: YA Contemporary, Romance

Publication: April 5th 2016 by Poppy

Series: n/a

Length: 320 pages

Source: ARC from publisher (thank you!!)

Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository

A ridiculously cute, formerly-famous new guy dropping into your life? It’s practically every girl’s dream. But not Jules McCallister-Morgan’s.

I realize that on paper I look like your standard type-A, neurotic, overachiever. And maybe I am. But I didn’t get to be the editor of my school’s long-revered newspaper by just showing up*.

I have one main goal for my senior year-early acceptance into my first choice Ivy League college-and I will not be deterred by best friends, moms who think I could stand to “live a little,” or boys. At least, that was the plan before I knew about Alex Powell**.

And before Alex Powell betrayed me***.

I know what you’re thinking: Calm down, Jules. But you don’t understand. This stuff matters. This is my life. And I’m not going down without a fight.

* Okay, I sort of did. But it’s a sore subject.

** I mean, I guess everyone knows about Alex Powell? Two years ago, you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing about viral video boy band sensation Chaos 4 All. Two years ago, Alex Powell was famous.

***Some people think I’m overreacting. But this. Means. War.

Filled with romance, rivalry, and passive-aggressive dog walking, Amy Spalding delivers a hilariously relatable high school story that’s sure to have you falling for The New Guy.

Review: A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes #1) by Brittany Cavallaro

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Genre: YA Retelling, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller

Publication: March 1st 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

Series: Charlotte Holmes #1

Length: 336 pages

Format: eARC from publisher

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

ARC Review: Take the Fall by Emily Hainsworth

Take the Fall

by Emily Hainsworth

Genre: YA Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary

Publication: February 16th 2016 by Balzer + Bray

Series: n/a

Length: 368 pages

Format: eARC from publisher

Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository

 

WHO KILLED GRETCHEN MEYER?

Fear grips the residents of Hidden Falls the night Sonia Feldman and her best friend, Gretchen Meyer, are attacked in the woods. Sonia was lucky to escape with her life, but Gretchen’s body is discovered at the bottom of a waterfall. Beautiful, popular, and seemingly untouchable, Gretchen can’t be gone. Even as Sonia struggles with guilt and confusion over having survived, the whole town is looking to her for information…could she have seen something that will lead the police to the killer?

At the top of the list of suspects is Gretchen’s ex-boyfriend—and Sonia’s longtime enemy—Marcus Perez. So when Marcus comes to Sonia for help clearing his name, she agrees, hoping to find evidence the police need to prove he’s the killer. But as Gretchen’s many secrets emerge and the suspects add up, Sonia feels less sure of Marcus’s involvement, and more afraid for herself. Could Marcus, the artist, the screwup, the boy she might be falling for have attacked her? Killed her best friend? And if it wasn’t him in the woods that night…who could it have been?

DNF: What’s Broken Between Us by Alexis Bass

I guess I can’t exactly call this a review since I didn’t finish reading the book, but…

It’s always disappointing when you decide to DNF (or did-not-finish) a book, especially when you have high hopes for them.

With DNF reviews (I guess you could call it), I’ll talk about where I stopped, what I liked, why I stopped reading, etc.