Not As Much Football As I Thought...

Until Friday Night (The Field Party #1)

by Abbi Glines

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published August 25th 2015 by Simon Pulse

ISBN: 9781481438858

Library

ABOUT:

To everyone who knows him, West Ashby has always been that guy: the cocky, popular, way-too-handsome-for-his-own-good football god who led Lawton High to the state championships. But while West may be Big Man on Campus on the outside, on the inside he’s battling the grief that comes with watching his father slowly die of cancer.

Two years ago, Maggie Carleton’s life fell apart when her father murdered her mother. And after she told the police what happened, she stopped speaking and hasn’t spoken since. Even the move to Lawton, Alabama, couldn’t draw Maggie back out. So she stayed quiet, keeping her sorrow and her fractured heart hidden away.

As West’s pain becomes too much to handle, he knows he needs to talk to someone about his father—so in the dark shadows of a post-game party, he opens up to the one girl who he knows won’t tell anyone else.

West expected that talking about his dad would bring some relief, or at least a flood of emotions he couldn’t control. But he never expected the quiet new girl to reply, to reveal a pain even deeper than his own—or for them to form a connection so strong that he couldn’t ever let her go…  (Goodreads)

RATING: 4 Stars

REVIEW:

First thing, this is so not a “clean” teen read. These kids are drinking and having sex right and left. It’s the one big thing that annoyed me. Maybe I’m wrong or live in the wrong part of the country, but I really don’t remember kids in High School doing that constantly. There were parties sure, and I know drinking and sex took place, but it just seemed so over done in this book. Maybe I’m just old and things have changed. 

Anyway, the book is actually about West who is a jock with a major secret. His Father is dying. Then there’s Maggie who’s new to town and doesn’t talk due to what she saw happen. Of course when you have a secret, the person you can rely on to not tell it is the girl who doesn’t talk, so wa la a romance is formed. The two form a bond and while Maggie helps West with his Father’s death, West helps Maggie find her voice. Aw ! How sweet!  And yes with all the Father/Son moments in this book I did cry a bit. If you don’t you have no soul! (Just kidding about the no soul, but it is really sad and touching in parts.)

This book is a really quick read with a ton of characters who end up having continuation books of their own. Because it switches back and forth from West’s point of view to Maggie’s you really get to learn more about the characters and form deeper bonds with them. I think if it was all in Maggie’s point of view I would have hated West and thought he was a complete jerk. But because I got to see what he was going through with his dad through his eyes, feelings, and thoughts it made me understand him so much better. 

Overall, if you’d like to cry pick up this book. If you want a decent misunderstood teen romance story also pick up this book. Be warned though that it’s not for young teens. Even High Schoolers might not be ready for everything yet. 

Read It Before You See The Movie!

Five Feet Apart

by Rachael Lippincott

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published November 20th 2018 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 9781534437333

Library

ABOUT:

Can you love someone you can never touch?

Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too? (Goodreads)

RATING: 4 Stars

REVIEW:

This book is marketed as being just like “A Fault In Our Stars”. If you’re only looking at a romance between two sick kids then yes, it’s exactly like that. In reality though it has a lot of differences. 

The two main characters of this story share the same disease, Cystic Fibrosis.  They aren’t supposed to get within six feet of each other, so of course that means they can never ever touch. But when you’re a teenager and a cute boy is staying right next door, of course crushes occur. And crushes can lead to romance. To take back a little bit of what their diseases have stolen from them, the main characters decided to live by the new five feet apart rule. 

Possible spoiler….

Of course at one point they end up touching in order to save one of their lives. They both live to see the end of the book but you know they both aren’t going to live long (especially one of them). They also aren’t together at the end of the book. How can you really have a romance if you can’t touch or get to close? Our two teens do learn a lot from each other and in the end come away with new views on life because of it. 

I enjoyed this book mostly because I learned things about a disease that I wasn’t really familiar with. It made me see things through someone else’s eyes and made me look at my life a bit differently. It wasn’t the best written books, I think mostly because it’s taken from a screen play to a movie, but it did keep me interested up until the end. Because I have seen the trailer for the movie I kept picturing Cole Sprouse as Will. I feel like that might have made things a bit more entertaining for me as well. 

For the most part I think any teen could read this book and enjoy it. There is mention of two side characters having sex but it is such a tiny piece in an otherwise pretty clean book. 

A Hidden Gem....

The Sound of Drowning

by Katherine Fleet

Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Page Street Kids

ISBN: 9781624147111

NetGalley

ABOUT:

Meredith Hall has a secret. Every night she takes the ferry to meet Ben, her best friend and first love. Though their relationship must remain a secret, they’ve been given a second chance, and Mer's determined to make it work. She lost Ben once before and discovered the awful reality: she doesn't know how to be happy without him…

Until Wyatt washes ashore―a brash new guy with a Texas twang and a personality bigger than his home state. He makes her feel reckless, excited, and alive in ways that cut through her perpetual gloom. The deeper they delve into each other’s pasts, the more Wyatt’s charms become impossible to ignore.

But a storm is brewing in the Outer Banks. When it hits, Mer finds her heart tearing in half and her carefully constructed reality slipping back into the surf. As she discovers that even the most deeply buried secrets have a way of surfacing, she’ll have to learn that nothing is forever―especially second chances.(Goodreads)

RATING: 4 Stars

REVIEW:

This book is really hard to review without giving anything away. From the description it sounds like a straight up teen romance love triangle. I promise you though this book is so much more than that. It’s main focus is on serious issues that teens and adults go through. 

(Possible Spoilers In This Paragraph)

This books really deals with mental illness and PTSD. There is an abortion, death, dealing with loss, a serious accident, attempted suicide and more. It is deep and meaningful. The characters in this book have so much to overcome and deal with. The twist ending made me look at this book in a whole new way.  (Very Spoilery….. This book turns into a It’s A Wonderful Life type story at the end…. Which actually made it even more special.)

Overall, I really liked this book. I’m so happy that it was more than just a love story. It made me look at a few things in a different way, which I always appreciate. It does deal with a lot of serious issues that younger teens might not be ready for. Those who are ready I think will enjoy this hidden gem. 

Book 2 Review...

Archenemies (Renegades #2)

by Marissa Meyer

Hardcover, 471 pages

Published November 6th 2018 by Feiwel Friends

ISBN: 9781250078308

Library

ABOUT:

Time is running out. Together, they can save the world. But are they each other's worst nightmare?

Nova's double life is about to get a lot more complicated:

As Insomnia, she is a full-fledged member of the Renegades, a syndicate of powerful and beloved superheroes. She works with Adrian's patrol unit to protect the weak and maintain order in Gatlon City.

As Nightmare, she is an Anarchist—a group of villains who are determined to destroy the Renegades. Nova wants vengeance against the so-called heroes who once failed her when she needed them the most.

But as Nova, her feelings for Adrian are deepening, despite the fact that he is the son of her sworn enemies and, unbeknownst to Nova, he has some dangerous secrets of his own.

In this second installment of the Renegades trilogy, Nova, Adrian, and the rest of their crew—Ruby, Oscar, and Danna—are faced with escalating crime in Gatlon City, while covert weapons and conflicting missions have Nova and Adrian questioning not only their beliefs about justice but also the feelings they have for each other.

The line between good and evil has been blurred, but what's clear to them both is that too much power could mean the end of their City—and the world—as they know it. (Goodreads)

RATING: 4 Stars

REVIEW:

I loved the first book (“Renegades”) of this series. It reminded me so much of old school comics. The villains were awesome. The good guys made me question whether or not they were really good. There was plenty of action. It was great!

Fast forward to me being super excited for book two (“Archenemies”) and then being a bit let down by it. Don’t get me wrong, the book is not bad. I still enjoyed it a lot. Book two is just missing something that made book one special. It was slower and took more time to get to the point. There were a lot of details that I feel could have been condensed. The characters seemed to spend more time talking and thinking than they did fighting to save the world. The new formula that can take away powers is nothing new to the superhero genre and just seemed to be missing something to make it interesting, at least to me. 

Our favorite characters are all back, only this time I feel like the book spent way too much time on the “Good” guys. We barely saw our favorite super-villains. We got to learn a bit more about Adrian’s powers and home life. And we got to see how those labeled as “Good Guys” are in fact not so good. 

Yes this book left us with yet another cliffhanger. Yes if you read this one you’ll most definitely have to read book three as well when it comes out. Yes this book is still a good read for those of us who enjoy a good superhero novel. Yes it’s not as good as book one, but it’s still enjoyable. 

Overall, I’d say read this book. Teens of any age who are into superheroes will probably love this series. 

Wickedly Amazing!

The Wicked King

(The Folk of the Air #2)

by Holly Black

Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: January 8th 2019 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 9780316310352

Edelweiss

ABOUT:

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

RATING: 4 Stars

REVIEW:

Book number two in this series is surprisingly just as good as the first one. Jude and Cardan are back and this time they’re running the show. Or well, Jude is making Cardan do what she wants. More political twists and turns lay ahead of future readers of this book. Of course the King wouldn’t be Wicked if he didn’t do some horrible things throughout the book. I’m not one to spoil stories for people so I’ll leave it there.

If you enjoyed the Cruel Prince (book one in the series), you’ve got to get your hands on this one. And plan to get your hands on book three when it comes out at well because this one ends in a cliff hanger.

Overall, I’d say if you enjoyed book one read this one too! And if you haven’t read book one yet… what are you waiting for?!?

Wait! What's Going On?

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

(Mara Dyer #1)

by Michelle Hodkin

Hardcover, 452 pages

Published September 27th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

ISBN: 9781442421769

Library

About:

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.
She’s wrong. (Goodreads)

Rating: 4 Stars

Review:

Such a good warp your mind kind of book.

Strange things seem to happen around Mara Dyer. Is it just her PTSD or is it something more? Strange things happen to Noah to. Put the two of them together and you’ve got one strange mystery and seems to turn into something more than just two teens suffering from trauma.

I loved the feeling of this book. You never know what’s real and what’s in Mara’s head until you get further along in the story. Things get creepy and dangerous fast in this read.

Mara and Noah share a love hate relationship. At first it seemed a bit annoying but by the end of the book I loved both of the characters. The parents in the book I sort of wanted to smack, but that’s typical in YA novels.

Overall, this was an entertaining read for the month of October. A bit spooky. A bit of a mystery. A psychological thriller. More mature teens might enjoy it more, but younger teens looking for a creep factor might like it too.

Hit Or Miss?

Wildcard

(Warcross #2)

by Marie Lu

Hardcover, 341 pages

Published September 18th 2018 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Original TitleWildcard

ISBN: 9780399547997

Library

About:

Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.

Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on Emika's head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn't all that he seems—and his protection comes at a price.

Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves? (Goodreads)

Rating:4 Stars

Review:

I loved book number one (Warcross). Wildcard was still good but I felt like it was rushed and didn’t really have many surprises. There was something special from the first book that book two was just missing. There was a lot of I love him, I hate him going on in Wildcard which got to be a bit annoying. The end of the book also had issues. I don’t understand how there wasn’t more punishment dealt out. There was also a point where I was almost positive that there was going to be a book three, but then something changes within the last few pages to put a quick end to that.

Wildcard was still a decent read though. All the characters are back from book one to stop the NeuroLink. New characters are also brought in. There’s adventures and bounty hunters. There’s more Warcross games and Zero. There’s betrayal and a bit of forgiveness. I enjoyed most of the book and read it very quickly. It definitely lost a star from me due to the ending though.

Overall, if you read Warcross and enjoyed it, you have to read Wildcard to find out what happens. If you haven’t read Wildcard, what are you waiting for? Go and pick it up! It’s a fun read.

Another Great Series...

Pushing the Limits

(Pushing the Limits #1)

by Katie McGarry

Hardcover, 392 pages

Published July 31st 2012 by Harlequin Teen (first published June 1st 2012)

ISBN: 9780373210497

Library

ABOUT:

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible. Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again...

RATING: 4 Stars

REVIEW:

Poor misunderstood “bad” boy meets use to be popular but is now misunderstood but is still a “good” girl story. My kind of book. Yeah this is an older title, published in 2012, so I knew little bits would be out dated. We all have fancy smart phones now and dress a bit differently after a whole 6 years. But this was still a good read. It made me really feel for the characters and root for them. Sure there were pieces that were annoying (I hate when guys call girls baby or use other stupid nick names), but for the most part though I could get behind the characters actions. I loved that the chapters alternate between Noah and Echo, and that we get to see what both characters are really thinking and feeling.

This book is perfect for older teens looking for more “bad” boy romance novels.

Dare You To

(Pushing the Limits #2)

by Katie McGarry

Hardcover, 456 pages

Published May 28th 2013 by Harlequin Teen (first published May 22nd 2013)

ISBN: 9780373210633

Library

ABOUT:

Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

RATING: 4 Stars

REVIEW:

Ok, after reading Pushing the Limits it took me a bit to get use to Beth and Isaiah not being together. I got over it pretty quick though and Ryan did win me over.

This book takes place right after Pushing the Limits, but it uses different characters from book one. We have messed up “bad” girl Beth with super jock Ryan. The perfect formula for a Teen Romance novel.

Again we have alternating chapters (Beth and Ryan’s points of view) which give us details into how each one is feeing and dealing. This made me love the characters even more!

Characters from book one reappeared and new characters were brought it, leaving things perfectly open for book three.

Overall, another great YA romance that had me rooting and caring for the characters. It could be a standalone book, but goes better if you’ve read Pushing the Limits first so that all the characters mean more to you. I’d recommend this one to older teens looking for romance. The cover will definitely make many of them nerves about picking it up. I feel like it’s a bit misleading in the sexiness of this story.

 

Crash into You

(Pushing the Limits #3)

by Katie McGarry

Hardcover, 474 pages

Published November 26th 2013 by Harlequin Teen

ISBN: 9780373210992

Library

ABOUT:

The girl with straight A's and the perfect life—that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy family…and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker—a guy she has no business even talking to. But after the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

The last thing Isaiah needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks. But when their shared love of street racing puts their lives in jeopardy, Isaiah and Rachel will have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

RATING: 4 Stars

REVIEW:

Yay! Isaish finally gets a turn to find happiness!

Same as the last two books this one is also alternating chapters, which again gives us insight into both our characters worlds, which again makes things so much better. And yes many of the characters from the first two books make appearances again.

It’s the same type of “bad” boy, “good” girl formula story, but that’s ok. It works for teen drama romance books. Again the writing of this book makes you just want to root for the characters and hug them and tell them everything is going to be ok. Especially at the end of this one. I did not see that happening after reading the first two books in this series. This one could also be read as a stand-alone, but reading the first two books would make this one so much better.

Overall, again this is a great read that I would give to older teens looking for romance. Again the cover of this book makes it so teens are more hesitant to pick it up because they don’t know what their parents will think. (Yes I’ve had a few of them actually tell me that). And again the cover isn’t exactly what happens in the book. It could have been toned down some in the sexiness department and teens might pick it up more.

 

Take Me On

(Pushing the Limits #4)

by Katie McGarry

Hardcover, 544 pages

Published May 27th 2014 by Harlequin TEEN

ISBN: 9780373211180

Library

ABOUT:

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

RATING: 4 Stars

REVIEW:

Last book of the series goes to Rachel’s trouble making brother West, and a kick butt kick boxing girl named Haley. This one was just as good as the others. Same writing style, same love for all the characters, same other characters from past stories showing up. This one is probably the worst as a stand alone though, since it has so much to do with Rachel’s family from book three.

There’s a lot of family drama in all four of these books, but I feel like this one goes a bit deeper. Maybe because for once both teens have both parents alive and have siblings to deal with. Maybe its all the abuse that the teens deal with in their crazy messed up families. Maybe it’s the rich kid learning what it’s like to lose everything and the poor girl learning to fight for herself storyline. I’m not sure. I do know that all of that leads to one compelling and interesting romance.

Overall, I enjoyed this book just as much as the others. Again it’s an older teen read. And also again, that cover could have been toned down a little, although it is a bit better than some of the others.

 

PUSHING THE LIMITS SERIES AS A WHOLE?

Rating:  Pretty even across the board. Bad boy/girl romance stories that make you want to hug the characters and say it’s all going to be ok are usually fairly decent. This series gets a 4 star rating for consistency and leaving me wanting more.

Review:

A great older teen romance series. The books are fast moving quick reads. I love how characters overlap from book to book, and yet they all have their own stories. I do wish that there were more books in the series though. I really want to know what else happens to everyone.