Say You'll Remember Me, Standing In A Nice Dress, Staring At The Sunset Babe....

Say You'll Remember Me

by Katie McGarry

Hardcover, 400 pages

Expected publication: January 30th 2018 by Harlequin Teen

ISBN: 9780373212378

NetGalley/ARC

About:

When Drix was convicted of a crime--one he didn't commit--he thought his life was over. But opportunity came with the new Second Chance Program, the governor's newest pet project to get delinquents off the streets, rehabilitated and back into society. Drix knows this is his chance to get his life back on track, even if it means being paraded in front of reporters for a while.

Elle knows she lives a life of privilege. As the governor's daughter, she can open doors with her name alone. But the expectations and pressure to be someone she isn't may be too much to handle. She wants to follow her own path, whatever that means.

When Drix and Elle meet, their connection is immediate, but so are their problems. Drix is not the type of boy Elle's parents have in mind for her, and Elle is not the kind of girl who can understand Drix's messy life.

But sometimes love can breach all barriers.

Fighting against a society that can't imagine them together, Drix and Elle must push themselves--Drix to confront the truth of the robbery, and Elle to assert her independence--and each other to finally get what they deserve.

(Goodreads)

Rating: 4 Stars

Review:

Another great contemporary romance, and usually those aren’t my kind of book. This book was a well written quick read. I really loved all of the characters and was rooting for all of them, even Elle’s parents who were oblivious to what they were doing to her the whole time, but I hope that they sort their priorities out and learn from the events that happen at the end of the book. Elle and Drix are so cute both together and a part. I loved Elle’s personality and how she wants to make a difference in the world. And I love Drix and how he changes and wants to be better and yet is so afraid that he’s going to go back to the “bad” guy he was before.  And Drix’s family/friends are all awesome and add so much extra goodness to the story! One of the focuses of this book was how poor/lower class people are usually thrown under the bus and blamed for things they didn’t do because they can’t afford to pay for lawyers to help them. It also focuses on how many lower class people fall into crime and drugs because there is nowhere else for them to go. They steal because they need to. They sell drugs because they need money for food. They do drugs and drink to escape horrible things at home. It’s an endless crap shoot for them. I liked that in this book there is a politician who wants to help fix this system. Elle’s dad seems to want to do good, but he’s also one of those guys who doesn’t care who he hurts to get what he wants. He’s too focused on the political game to see that he’s hurting his family. This story gave an interesting view point to the political side and the lower class side of things. Overall, this was a great read, though there is one part involving a pet that made me cry and I’m not a fan of crying while reading. I would recommend this book to those readers who like contemporary romances, family drama/relationships and those who like social issues. There is mention of sex and drugs, and some of the characters do drink so younger readers might not want to deal with that yet.

Just In Case The Title Did Not Get This Song Stuck In Your Head.....

Loved This Book So Much!!!

More Than We Can Tell

by Brigid Kemmerer

Hardcover, 416 pages

Expected publication: March 6th 2018 by Bloomsbury Children's

ISBN: 9781681190143

NetGalley/ARC

About:

*While this book exists in the same universe as Letters to the Lost, it is a standalone title.*

Rev Fletcher is battling the demons of his past. But with loving adoptive parents by his side, he’s managed to keep them at bay...until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back.

Emma Blue spends her time perfecting the computer game she built from scratch, rather than facing her parents’ crumbling marriage. She can solve any problem with the right code, but when an online troll’s harassment escalates, she’s truly afraid.

When Rev and Emma meet, they both long to lift the burden of their secrets and bond instantly over their shared turmoil. But when their situations turn dangerous, their trust in each other will be tested in ways they never expected. This must-read story will once again have readers falling for Brigid Kemmerer’s emotional storytelling.

(Goodreads)

Rating: 5 Stars

Review:

I hate to say it but I think I love this  book more than the first book Letters To The Lost…. And I loved that book! This book does take place in the same universe as Letters To The Lost and Declan and Juliet do show up from time to time, but this book really focuses on Declan’s best friend Rev and a new character named Emma. Rev and Emma’s stories deal with a lot of different issues. In this story we have abuse, internet trolling, women in the workplace dealing with harassment, redemption/facing daemons of the past, family drama, bullies, divorce, internet stalking/meet ups that go bad and more. It seems like a lot for one book to cover but Brigid does a wonderful job covering all of it. The story is well written, easy to follow (you do not have to read the other book to read this one by the way), and fast paced. I love the characters and I just want to hug them all and tell them it will be ok. I really hope that there will be another book in this universe. Maybe one about Mathew?? Just throwing that out there ☺ . I would definitely recommend this book and Brigid’s other book to readers. It is mostly a clean read, though it does deal with tough serious topics. 

A Twisted Supernatural Romance

The Wicked Deep

by Shea Ernshaw 

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: March 6th 2018 by Simon Pulse

ISBN: 9781481497343

Net Galley/ARC

About:

Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic meets the Salem Witch trials in this haunting story about three sisters on a quest for revenge—and how love may be the only thing powerful enough to stop them.

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself. 

(Goodreads)

Rating: 4 Stars

Review:

I’d say this book is more Practical Magic than it is Hocus Pocus, which was a bit of a letdown because I really love those movies/book.  And it’s really only Practical Magic in that the evil sisters’ spirits take over human bodies, like the evil bad lover does in Practical Magic. There really aren’t any ties to Salem except that people think the sisters are witches…. though the book states many times that they aren’t, and the town kills them for it anyway. The rest of the blurb about the book is true though. Three sister’s come back each year wanting revenge and they get that revenge by possessing 3 girl’s bodies and drowning boys. Of course it’s up to our heroine to try and stop these drownings, especially when the boy she loves life is on the line. There are twists that throw monkey wrenches into defeating the bad guys and having happily ever afters though, and I’m not going to go farther into it because I don’t want to spoil anything. The story was fast paced and kept me interested. The ending was kind of a letdown to me. I wanted certain characters to have happy endings and I’m not sure they really got what I wanted in the end…. It’s complicated. Over all though I enjoyed this read and would recommend it to those looking for a good supernatural romance with a bit of a twist. Younger readers might not be ready for the drinking and drugs that are done at the parties in the book though. 

What Would You Do In An Emergency???

All We Can Do Is Wait

by Richard Lawson

Hardcover, 288 pages

Expected publication: February 6th 2018 by Razorbill

ISBN: 9780448494111

ARC From NetGalley

About:

In the hours after a bridge collapse rocks their city, a group of Boston teenagers meet in the waiting room of Massachusetts General Hospital:

Siblings Jason and Alexa have already experienced enough grief for a lifetime, so in this moment of confusion and despair, Alexa hopes that she can look to her brother for support. But a secret Jason has been keeping from his sister threatens to tear the siblings apart...right when they need each other most. 

Scott is waiting to hear about his girlfriend, Aimee, who was on a bus with her theatre group when the bridge went down. Their relationship has been rocky, but Scott knows that if he can just see Aimee one more time if she can just make it through this ordeal and he can tell her he loves her, everything will be all right.

And then there's Skyler, whose sister Kate—the sister who is more like a mother, the sister who is basically Skyler's everything—was crossing the bridge when it collapsed. As the minutes tick by without a word from the hospital staff, Skyler is left to wonder how she can possibly move through life without the one person who makes her feel strong when she's at her weakest.

(Goodreads)

Rating: 3 Stars

Review:

The premise of this story really interested me and I was so happy when NetGalley gave me early access to it. However, it turned out to be more of a generic teen story instead of more of a action packed emergency story. The first chapter of this book was great! It made me get excited to see who would be rescued, what the families would do while they waited for the news, and what information we would get to hear about the rescue efforts. I was hugely disappointed. After the first chapter the book goes into alternating chapters between five teens who are waiting in a hospital for news on their loved ones. During all of these chapters we get a lot of back story on those characters lives. While this wasn’t horrible, it wasn’t what I was expecting. I wanted to know more about the bridge collapse, not more about their summer a year ago, or their messed up relationship with an abusive guy. I felt like these five teens coming together wasn’t very realistic. The chance that two teens on their own in a hospital finding each other during chaos and sort of becoming friends is slim. Change that number to five and the chances seem even less. The book was well written and it was a fast read, I just wish it was different. I wanted more than a generic teen drama book. In the end we still don’t know for sure why the bridge collapsed. We know who made it alive to the hospital, but we don’t know if they made it through surgery or what their lives will be like after. We don’t really know too much about the five teens after they find out about their loved ones either. The book just kind of ends. Overall, this wasn’t the worst read but it’s one that I would only recommend to older teens looking for a book with drama. There is abuse, sex, drugs, and drinking in it that younger teens might find to be to mature yet. 

Mermaids???

The Sweetest Kind of Fate (Windy City Magic #2)

by Crystal Cestari

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: February 13th 2018 by Disney-Hyperion

ISBN: 9781484752739

ARC From Publisher and Copy From NetGalley

About:

GREAT. I’ve somehow found myself tangled up with a siren, a mermaid, and a homicidal wicked witch who once tried to strangle me to death. Way to go, Amber!

Amber Sand, legendary matchmaker, couldn’t be more surprised when her arch nemesis, Ivy, comes asking for her help. Ivy’s sister, Iris, is getting married, and Ivy wants to prove her sister is making a huge mistake. But as Amber looks into Iris's eyes, there doesn’t seem to be a problem—Iris has clearly found her match.

It seems happily ever after is in the cards, but when Iris seeks out a dangerous, life-altering spell, it’s up to Amber and Ivy to set aside their rivalry and save the day.

While Iris is willing to put everything on the line for love, Amber continues to wrestle with her own romantic future. Her boyfriend, Charlie, is still destined for another, and no matter how hard she clings to him, fear over their inevitable breakup shakes her belief system to the core.

Because the Fates are never wrong—right?

(Goodreads)

Rating: 4 Stars

Review:

Just like the first book in this series, The Sweetest Kind of Fate is a cute, quick, fun supernatural adventure. All of our main characters are back, including evil Veronica. We have a light teen romance (very PG) again that doesn’t ruin the story. This time around our main character Amber the matchmaker is trying to save her arch nemesis’s sister from an evil witch. We get a mix of witches, werwolves, vampires, mermaids, sirens, humans, and more that come together to defeat the evil witch. The book has a bit of “teen” drama mixed in that teen readers will be able to relate to.  The way the author describes Chicago is perfect…. though I have been to the city many times and have been to many of the places that the characters go to in the book. Unfortunately I have not found the Supernatural restaurant/bar to visit yet. I think those who have not been to the city will still be able to picture it pretty well. This book/series is perfect for younger teens just getting started in YA, but I know older teens and teens at heart will enjoy it too. I hope that there will be more books in this series. 

Read This Book!!!

Devils Within

by S.F. HensonHardcover, 390 pages

Published October 31st 2017 by Sky Pony Press

ISBN 9781510714564

Checked Out From Library

About:

Killing isn’t supposed to be easy. But it is. It’s the after that’s hard to deal with. 

Nate was eight the first time he stabbed someone; he was eleven when he earned his red laces—a prize for spilling blood for “the cause.” And he was fourteen when he murdered his father (and the leader of The Fort, a notorious white supremacist compound) in self-defense, landing in a treatment center while the state searched for his next of kin. Now, in the custody of an uncle he never knew existed, who wants nothing to do with him, Nate just wants to disappear.

Enrolled in a new school under a false name, so no one from The Fort can find him, he struggles to forge a new life, trying to learn how to navigate a world where people of different races interact without enmity. But he can’t stop awful thoughts from popping into his head, or help the way he shivers with a desire to commit violence. He wants to be different—he just doesn’t know where to start.

Then he meets Brandon, a person The Fort conditioned Nate to despise on sight. But Brandon’s also the first person to treat him like a human instead of a monster. Brandon could never understand Nate’s dark past, so Nate keeps quiet. And it works for a while. But all too soon, Nate’s worlds crash together, and he must decide between his own survival and standing for what’s right, even if it isn’t easy. Even if society will never be able to forgive him for his sins.

Like a teen American History X, S.F. Henson’s Devils Within is gut-wrenching, thought-provoking, no-holds-barred look at the plague of white supremacy in contemporary American culture that may have you examining your own soul. (Goodreads)

Rating: 5 Stars

Review:

I choose to read this book because it was on the Morris Award Nomination list. I’m so glad I picked it up. This book is a haunting take on racism in the U.S. It focuses on a teen (Nate) who was born into a white supremacist group. His father was the leader of the group and tried force Nate to become like him. During an escape attempt Nate kills his Father basically before his dad can kill him. After time in jail and a mental facility, Nate is handed over to hide with his Uncle in a small town in Alabama. It is in this town that Nate discovers who he can really be, a good person. It’s hard for Nate. People aren’t exactly welcoming to him at first, including his own Uncle. Eventually Nate becomes friends with Brandon, who is a minority that his Father would have killed. This eventually opens Nate up to becoming friends with a variety of other people and to view them in different ways. It’s not all rainbows and sunshine in this new town. Nate has a hard time with flashbacks and hiding who he really is. He gets betrayed by people he trusts. And eventually his past comes looking for him in violent ways. 

This is S.F. Henson’s first book (as far as I understand), and wow, she really packs a punch. In the world that we live in right now, where there are constantly terrorist attacks and deportation threats, this book really shines a light on some of the home grown racism that is alive and thriving right here in our own backyards. It’s scary to read about how these groups think, run, and get away with what they do. The author says in her Author’s Notes that this book is based off of real events and things that the group did (red shoe laces, indoctrination, boot parties, etc.) are all real. Nate is an amazingly strong character. I was hoping he’d end up ok with a second chance in the end. After learning more about the Uncle, I felt the same way about him. This book really hits the nail with all the racism that is out there that people don’t realize is racism. Take a second and think about all the times you’ve thought about someone by their race. It could be something as simple as “Grrr I can’t believe that _________ guy just cut me off”. Or “Why do ____________ always think they can get away with that crap?”.  We all get mad sometimes, and usually pinning things on a race or even gender is the easiest way to get the frustration out. In the long run though those kinds of thoughts might be adding more fuel to the hate fire. After reading this book, I’m going to try and take a closer look at how I think about and treat others. I’d rather be a solution to the problem, than a cause. 

These hate groups are all over the country. Visit the Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) website to see an updated map of all documented groups. Its rather scary.  www.splcenter.org/hate-map 

Not Everything Is Black And White....

Renegades (Renegades #1)

by Marissa Meyer 

Hardcover, 556 pages

Published November 7th 2017 by Feiwel & Friends

ISBN: 9781250044662

Received in Shelflove Crate (Book Box)

About:

Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both. (Goodreads)

Rating: 5 Stars

Review: 

I loved Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series, but I wasn’t sure how this one was going to be. I love super heroes and villains but YA versions that are good are hard to come by. I had semi high hopes for Renegades going in and it didn’t disappoint. Despite it being pretty long (it’s over 550 pages) it was a fast read. It was refreshing getting to see a “villains” backstory and have it resemble something that could be the beginning of a superheroes. Nova has a good reason for hating the “good” guys and in her eyes the “bad” guys did more good than the superheroes. Having the good guys make mistakes and possibly not be as good as they think they are was refreshing too. Throwing in alternate views between Anarchist Nova and Renegade Adrian (a good guy who has a secret mission of his own) created a great balance between “good” and “bad”. It reminded me of the conundrum that is the x-men and how good and bad aren’t black and white, and everyone has their own opinion on the matter. Is Magneto bad for wanting to protect mutants and give them freedom? Are the X-Men good because they have a different vision for the same goal? It’s all your point of view on the matter. Renegade definitely leaves the reader rooting for both Nova and Adrian. I also loved the costumes for all of the characters. It reminded me of old school DC comics. The fact that the Puppet Master had a blimp that is his vehicle of choice was priceless for me as a old Batman movie fan. This book ends with a huge cliff hanger leaving us readers wanting more…. RIGHT NOW! I really don’t want to have to wait! Like the Lunar Chronicles, this book can easily be read and enjoyed by any teen young or old.  It’s going to be one of my book talk books at the Junior Highs for summer reading this year.  

A Wild Ride!

Gunslinger Girl

by Lyndsay Ely

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published January 2nd 2018 by jimmy patterson

ISBN: 9780316555104

Checked Out From Library

About:

Seventeen-year-old Serendipity "Pity" Jones inherited two things from her mother: a pair of six shooters and perfect aim. She's been offered a life of fame and fortune in Cessation, a glittering city where lawlessness is a way of life. But the price she pays for her freedom may be too great....

In this extraordinary debut from Lyndsay Ely, the West is once again wild after a Second Civil War fractures the U.S. into a broken, dangerous land. Pity's struggle against the dark and twisted underbelly of a corrupt city will haunt you long after the final bullet is shot. (Goodreads)

Rating: 5 Stars

Review:

So much more than it’s advertised as! This is not just a Western. In fact the Western scenery only last through a small part of the being of the book. After that the book takes a huge dystopian turn and our main character ends up in an almost Vegas like building where she joins a “trick” show. There is a ton of action and political backstabbing to keep the reader interested and on their toes. This book was well written and fast paced, I finished it easily in two days. I loved the characters, both the good guys and bad (even when you weren’t sure who was on which side… so much backstabbing!). I cared what happened to Pitty, Max and their friends and by the end of the book was hoping they’d all get to stay together and live happily ever after…. spoiler….. they don’t. I really hope that there will be a second book. The author definitely leaves it open for one with kind of a cliff hanger. Though nothing is too descriptive, there is prostitution, sex, and violence that younger teens might find to be to mature. However dystopian lovers who are ok with that stuff will gobble this amazing gem up!   

One With The Force

Rebel Rising

by Beth Revis

Hardcover, 410 pages

Published May 2nd 2017 by Disney Lucasfilm Press

ISBN: 9781484780831

Checked Out From Library

About:

When Jyn Erso was five years old, her mother was murdered and her father taken from her to serve the Empire. But despite the loss of her parents she is not completely alone—Saw Gerrera, a man willing to go to any extremes necessary in order to resist Imperial tyranny, takes her in as his own, and gives her not only a home but all the abilities and resources she needs to become a rebel herself.

Jyn dedicates herself to the cause—and the man. But fighting alongside Saw and his people brings with it danger and the question of just how far Jyn is willing to go as one of Saw’s soldiers. When she faces an unthinkable betrayal that shatters her world, Jyn will have to pull the pieces of herself back together and figure out what she truly believes in…and who she can really trust. (Goodreads)

Rating: 4 Stars

Review:

If you’ve looked at past posts of mine you might have seen that I am a big Star Wars fans. Being as such, I know how much likes/dislikes vary among fans. A fan who likes one thing might be yelled at by another fan who disapproves of that. It’s all a matter of opinion in my book though. I have seen all of the movies many times and have read some of the books and graphic novels. I’m no expert but part of my heart belongs to the series and always will. 

That said, I enjoyed this book. By the end of Rouge One I was hoping Jyn would make it somehow. This book at least gave me a little more of her story, even if it was backstory. Even though her story is tragic from start to finish, she is such a strong female character and I respect that. This book was not perfect. It was a tad slow in spots. Starting from when she hides from the Storm Troopers after her mother is killed, we get to see her life growing up to the point when Cassian finds her in prison at the beginning of Rouge One. The characters were pretty spot on, but not exactly like their movie counter parts. It’s a YA novel so that’s to be expected. Throughout the book we learn how Jyn was trained by Saw and what led her to become the person she is in Rouge One. How she kind of loses her humanity, but then finds it again. The fact that Rouge One is a standalone movie (not part of one of the trilogies) and that it introduced us to new characters who haven’t received official backstories yet helped this book. I’m not sure the author could have pulled off a book about the original characters (Luke, Leia, Han, Chewy).  To turn Jyn’s story into a YA novel was easy considering she’s pretty much a clean slate, and Revis does a good job setting her characters up. I think that any Star Wars fan of almost any age will enjoy this read. Like I mentioned before, it’s not perfect, but it is something to fill in the time between movies being released and to get you deeper into the Star Wars Universe. 

Warning... Heavy Topics Ahead

Exit, Pursued by a Bear

by E.K. Johnston

Hardcover, 248 pages

Published March 15th 2016 by Dutton Books for Young Readers

ISBN13: 9781101994580

Checked Out From Library

2018 Abe Lincoln Award Book Nominee

About:

Hermione Winters is captain of her cheerleading team, and in tiny Palermo Heights, this doesn’t mean what you think it means. At PHHS, the cheerleaders don't cheer for the sports teams; they are the sports team—the pride and joy of a tiny town. The team's summer training camp is Hermione's last and marks the beginning of the end of… she’s not sure what. She does know this season could make her a legend. But during a camp party, someone slips something in her drink. And it all goes black.

In every class, there's a star cheerleader and a pariah pregnant girl. They're never supposed to be the same person. Hermione struggles to regain the control she's always had and faces a wrenching decision about how to move on. The assault wasn't the beginning of Hermione Winter's story and she's not going to let it be the end. She won’t be anyone’s cautionary tale. (Goodreads)

Rating: 4 Stars

Review:

TRIGGER WARNING - RAPE

I picked this up because it is on the Abe Lincoln Book Award List (Illinois State High School Book List) this year, and as a Teen Librarian I try to read as many of them as I can. I can definitely see why this one was chosen for the list. It is well written and deals with a heavy topic. Yes our main character Hermione is raped while at summer training camp. Yes she doesn’t know who did it and that is a part of the story.  Yes she ends up pregnant and has to make a choice. This book is about so much more than that stuff though. She is not consumed by her rape. She goes through the emotions sad, confused, angry and comes out stronger. She fights to not be defined by what happened to her. She fights to stay a part of the cheerleading squad despite feeling uncomfortable about one of the males possibly being her attacker. With her support system (her parents and friends) she survives everything that is throw at her, including going back to where the rape happened. Yes slut shaming and victim blaming are a part of this story, but they aren’t the major key. The support system and strength are. What happens to Hermione during and after the rape is not everyone’s story, but it’s still important to see that sometimes when a victim is backed up and has support they can reclaim some of their power that was lost and grow stronger. Rape is never a good thing. But it shouldn’t be taboo to talk about either. This book does an excellent job talking about it and it’s consequences in a way that most books don’t. Some younger teens might find the topics in this book to “mature” for them yet. Other’s might gobble it up in one sitting. 

ABE Lincoln Read 2018 List

Could Have Been So Much Better...

All the Ways the World Can End

by Abby Sher

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published July 11th 2017 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

ISBN: 9780374304256

Checked Out From Library

About:

Lenny (short for Eleanor) feels like the world is about to end. Her best friend is moving to New York City to attend Julliard and her dad has terminal cancer. To cope with her stress Lenny is making a list of all the ways the world can end—designer pathogens, blood moon prophecies, alien invasion—and stockpiling supplies in a bunker in the backyard. Then she starts to develop feelings for her dad's very nice young doctor—and she thinks he may have feelings for her too. Spoiler alert: he doesn't. But a more age-appropriate love interest might. In a time of complete uncertainty, one thing's for sure: Lenny's about to see how everything is ending and beginning. All at the same time. (Goodreads)

Rating: 2 Stars

Review: 

This book was unmemorable. Nothing really happens during it. We have a selfish and self-absorbed main character (Lenny) who is dealing with her father dying in all the wrong ways. Mostly she spends her time hitting on her father’s doctors. Her mother and sister are just as selfish and are usually found doing nothing useful.  The whole boring plot of this book went nowhere. I usually enjoy family drama type books but this one missed all of it’s marks. With a title like “All the Ways The World Can End”, I was hoping for more on that topic. Instead it’s mostly used as a chapter starter with a short list or fact. They were semi interesting but not enough so to make the book actually good. I’m not sure that I would recommend this book to anyone, young, old or in between. Try “A Semi Definitive List Of Worst Nightmares” or “Speed Of Life” for a better read with a bit of family drama. 

Was College Really Like This For People???

I Hate Everyone But You

by Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin 

Hardcover, 344 pages

Published September 5th 2017 by Wednesday Books

ISBN: 9781250129321

Received ARC From Publisher

About:

Dear Best Friend,
I can already tell that I will hate everyone but you.
Sincerely,
Ava Helmer
(that brunette who won’t leave you alone)

We're still in the same room, you weirdo.
Stop crying.
G

So begins a series of texts and emails sent between two best friends, Ava and Gen, as they head off to their first semesters of college on opposite sides of the country. From first loves to weird roommates, heartbreak, self-discovery, coming out and mental health, the two best friends will document every moment to each other. But as each changes and grows into her new life, will their friendship be able to survive the distance? (Goodreads)

Rating: 2.5 stars

Review:

Definitely an Older/College YA read. I’m not even sure a High Schooler would want to read this yet. It covers themes of growing up and self-discovery, but was kind of offensive in doing so.  We’ve got LGBT bashing/misunderstandings, sleeping with your teacher, drinking until you’re flat out wasted, drugs, and what seems like never going to class (not so offensive, but still not something to promote). The one girl, Ava, is homophobic but likes to cover it up when she says something offensive by going “lol you’re my friend so it’s ok for me to say that”.  Gen tries to call her out on it but it doesn’t fix anything. Ava also has a tendency to offend other people too, but gets away with it because she has bad anxiety. Gen on the other hand is just at school to drink, do drugs, and sleep around. Both girls seem to never go to class or do any work at all. They both have a I’m better than everyone else attitude that gets beyond annoying. Throughout the book both girls sound the same, so half the time I found myself having to go back to try to figure out who’s talking. To make matters worse, nothing really happens in the book. They drink, have sex, make rude comments, have more sex, never go to class, complain, and do drugs. The book gets credit in the way that it was set up. I liked the texts, emails, etc. back and forth between the two long distance friends. I think if the topics were more realistic it could have been a good read. As it is, it is really giving American College kids a bad name. 

A New Subscription Box!

Pop Reads Box Review

December 2017 Box

Their 1st Box Ever!

What was in the box:

• An Elf movie quote print by LittleInklingDesign
• Marshmallow Cocoa Pop by BellaRoseChocolates (It was perfect and  yummy for hot chocolate making!)
• Candle from Diocandleco.
• An Elf movie Funko pop (I got Jovie, but Buddy or a Buddy Chase were also an option)
• Hagrid magnet book mark by BearlyPaperco.
• And the book of the month was Prince in Disguise by Stephanie Kate Strohm 

Overall thoughts:

I loved this box! I’ve tried many boxes over the past few years and have mostly ended up sticking with Owlcrate and Uppercase. If Pop Reads can stay constantly good I may have to add them to my permanent line up. The hot cocoa pop was delicious and chocolate is definitely a way to my heart. The candle smells great, very Christmas/winter like. The Funko Pop was a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t sure what I’d be sent, but I love Elf so this one was perfect for my collection. I had my Jovie displayed next to the quote print they send on my fire place. The perfect decoration addition! I love magnetic book marks and this Hagrid is so cute! He looks like he has a cup of cocoa and is already for the winter. I had already read the book (checkout my review in an earlier post) and loved it so I was so happy to receive a nice hardcover copy of it. I also met the author of the book at a YA Conference and she was so nice, so I’m happy to see her work in one of the Book Subscription Boxes. Overall I’d give this box a 5 Star review. Keep up the good work Pop Reads! I can’t wait to see what the future will bring from you!

Their next theme for January is “The Thief and the Cat” and comes with 2 Pops!!! My guess for the book is “Unearthed” but that’s only a guess.