Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin review

Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.

Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.

From Goodreads

Kelsey is funny & poignant. We meet her & her three best friends in the final glory days of their last summer before high school where Kelsey unveils her big plans for freshman year. Naturally everything she has planned goes awry almost instantly & as her friends begin to bloom in their own niches, Kelsey finds herself odd-girl-out.

I really enjoyed Kelsey's inner monologue throughout her ordeals & we're not just talking run-of-the-mill freshman stuff. She's pretty much an embarrassing disaster waiting to happen simply because she's not patient enough to wait for the right moment. Although in some instances she is too patient & that causes just as much drama. Even through her ups & downs, Kelsey remains true to her plan to make it the best year possible. That kind of resilience is what helped me overlook some personality flaws in characters & their decisions.

The writing was nuanced enough to allow for individuality, but at the same time rhythmic enough that I felt I could almost predict where things were going. While not necessarily a bad thing, I did feel like I spent a fair amount of time trying to puzzle out when the author was going to make "x" happen. Still enjoyable to watch it all unfold, but a tad bit frustrating.

The enthusiasm & melodramatic nature of teen girls though makes up for any frustration I incurred. Seriously if you took several of the sassiest & wittiest women on comedy television you'd have these gals. It was a riot & a bit heartbreaking to watch them triumph & suffer, but you knew in the end they would benefit from the experience.

Overall I'd have to say this was a quick, light read that definitely lends itself to becoming a series. I'm not sure if that's in the works, but I'm hoping so!

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin review

Hooked by Catherine Greenman review

Thea Galehouse has always known how to take care of herself. With a flighty club-owner mom and a standoffish, recovering-alcoholic dad, Thea has made her own way in her hometown of New York, attending the prestigious and competitive Stuyvesant High School. But one chat with Will, a handsome and witty senior, and she's a goner—completely hooked on him and unable to concentrate on anything else.

Always worried that she loves Will more than he loves her, Thea is pleasantly surprised when their romance weathers his move to college and Will goes out of his way to involve her in his life. But then, Thea misses a period. And that starts Thea and Will on a wild ride that neither of them could have possibly prepared for. When they decide to keep the baby, their concerned parents chip in what they can to keep Will in school and give both teenagers a comfortable place to raise their child. But when a freak accident leaves Thea shaken and threatens to upend their little family altogether, Thea is forced to turn to the last place she would have chosen for comfort: her stiff, uncompromising father.

From Goodreads

Thea Galehouse is one of those lucky girls who gets to keep her dreamy boyfriend even after he goes to college. She's not so lucky in that her mother is sexually-explicit with her, while ignoring the majority of her shenanigans & her father has been predominately absent from her life despite having a loud opinion about it. Will & Thea seem like such a good fit & I have a feeling that they might have gone the distance if they hadn't got caught up in it all.

When Thea chooses to have the baby (while simultaneously lying to everyone about getting an abortion) she effectively sets herself up for everything else that happens to her. While that may sound obvious, I believe that some things might not have happened to her (both good & bad) had she not chosen to keep the baby. This book definitely does not sugar coat the reality of teenage parenthood, but I also don't think that this is necessarily most girls' experiences. I think they'll be able to relate to Thea in ways that other readers can't & I think that is a really positive selling point to the book.

I didn't find anything so glaringly obvious at fault with this book. Personally I enjoyed the crocheting metaphors throughout the book & how this simple hobby helps Thea through some dark times. The wonkiest thing about this book had to be Thea's mother. A former adult nightclub owner, she is emotionally distant & wants to be Thea's friend more than anything else. I think this really helped contribute to Thea's predicament, but not so much that it was obvious that this kind of thing was going to happen to her.

A tender-hearted read, Hooked is a phenomenal book that allows us a glimpse at what could be for many girls.

Hooked by Catherine Greenman review

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley review

As he continued to stare, I wanted to point to my cheek and remind him, But you were the one who wanted this, remember? You're the one who asked-and I repeat-Why not fix your face?

It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.

She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?

From Goodreads

Terra Cooper is the youngest child (and only daughter) of a former world-famous cartographer. Now the laughing stock of the cartographic world, her father takes his personal anguish out on everyone in his life. Terra has always been a blight in his world because of the port wine birthmark that covers a good majority of her face. Disallowing her from making her own choices in her life has simply made Terra's choices easier. Just as her two older brothers have done she intends to leave their home & never look back. That is until she literally runs into Jacob on her way back from a procedure on her face. He sees her for who she really is & who she can be & helps to inspire her to look beyond what she's carefully laid out in her life.

Justina Chen Headley deserves a big hats-off for this phenomenal book about accepting & creating yourself. Terra is such a versatile character. While she's pretty, with a popular boyfriend & decent grades, she's also introverted, artistic & self-conscious. She is every teen girl wrapped into one. I found her very appealing & sympathetic. Watching her grow & become inspired/learn from others' mistakes around her was such a thrilling part of the book.

Jacob adds a twist in the tale as the devil's advocate to almost everything Terra says & does. He's always pushing her, but at the same time allowing her to do things herself. He is also a different facet of what Terra could be. Jacob has encountered some of the same issues that Terra currently faces & he proves to her that there is a different way to handle the situation.

There is a lot of character development & cartographic references that might not appeal to all readers, but I really enjoyed those parts. Justina seems to have a knack for allowing a story to flow while still giving it a needed structure. While I felt like I wanted to know more about some of the peripheral characters, I realized that it would have detracted from the overall story. So if you're looking for an inspiring, realistic fiction you can't do any better than this book.

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley review

Stolen: A Letter to my Captor by Lucy Christopher review

Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

From Goodreads

Stolen from an airport seems like a headline you would see for a small child, not for a late teenager. Unfortunately for Gemma that is her current reality. While "vacationing" with her parents, Gemma is whisked away by a ruggedly handsome young fellow through deceit & drugs. When she finally comes to, she finds herself locked in a bedroom in the middle of nowhere. And we're not talking "middle of the forest" nowhere, we're talking "in the outback of Australia with nothing but sand dunes & rocks" nowhere. Immediately she begins to freak out about what he might have done to her or might still do to her.

Gemma's not completely stupid; she's seen enough television & movies to know that the bad guy always has a plan for his captive, the police are probably looking for her, & her parents are worried sick. What she didn't know is that her captor has a name, Ty, the police are quickly losing any & all hope on her trail & Ty questions her parents' care. While she continually resents Ty, tries to escape (think outside the box on the word "escape"), she does start to come to terms with her imprisonment. While he is still odd, Ty never tries to hurt her & cares for her to the best of his abilities. He's built the whole set up, just for her.

Such a terrifying & jarring story, Stolen is told from Gemma's point-of-view in the form of a letter to Ty. We see the whole thing through her eyes, including her perception of Ty & his behavior. What I feel is lacking is more of Ty's input. I know it's part of his characterization to be stand-offish & withholding information, but I kind of wish we could have known more about him.

I wouldn't consider this a "must read" but definitely a "should read" because I did enjoy the book. The style lends itself well to the story & I actually found myself being absorbed in it all. Give it a shot if you like a more unsettling story.

Stolen: A Letter to my Captor by Lucy Christopher review

Happy Birthday to Me by Brian Rowe review

Cameron is a young stud. On track for an ivy league education, this basketball star has got everything going for him. He even already has the leading lady, Charisma. Nothing seems to hold him back from doing whatever he wants; that is until a testy waitress's prank backfires.

After falsely claiming it to be his birthday, at the same restaurant, to the same waitress, within a short amount of time, Cameron discovers an unsettling truth. He is no longer a comfortable 17 year old, he is now aging a whole year of his life with each passing day. At first it's nothing too serious to worry about & he even enjoys some of the perks of looking a bit older. But when he continues to age, things that have always been true are changing with him. Cameron is dropped from the basketball team, right as they are preparing for the State Championships & Charisma decides that dating an older guy isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Cameron begins to accept the way things really are and discovers the value in his friends & family. Unfortunately he may not get to live long enough to celebrate that fact due to his condition. Can it be halted in time & if so, by what magic can it's effects be reversed?

Brian Rowe has captured my attention. While the story starts out picture perfect, like so many others, it quickly turns into a nightmarish fable. Cameron is a spoiled, ungrateful character that I wanted to punch from the get-go. The thing is, he doesn't really know he's spoiled because his way of life is the only one he's ever known. He's always had money, been popular & good looking, with very little self-esteem issues. Cameron doesn't really know what it's like to be anything but perfect, so the birthday curse was a magnificent way to take all that away from him, not quickly, but slowly so that he can learn from it.

The supporting characters (ranging from the drama queen Charisma to a vengeful, yet well-meaning waitress named Liesel & a nerdy little sister) keep the story moving & give us perspective on Cameron's changes. They kind of act like a marker of his progress during his transformation. Each one marks a different chapter in Cameron's life that allows one to see the full effect the aging condition has on him.

The writing was light & humorous, but still filled with all the want-to-know information. I found that while we were introduced to many characters, we only got to know a few well enough. I think there could have been a little more development of Cameron's family & maybe a little more information about Liesel. While I also think that the main character needed to take a cold shower (the boy was obsessed with trying to have sex with his girlfriend), I think the inclusion of a gay teammate gives the book an up-to-date feel. The good thing is that this is just the first in a trilogy of books to come.

If you're looking for something quirky, unique & fast, Happy Birthday to Me is a go-to book. What did y'all think?

Happy Birthday to Me by Brian Rowe review

Stay by Deb Caletti

Clara is in hiding. Christian, the love of her life, turned out to be a bit troubled (okay, a lot troubled), so her father has whisked her away to a remote island for the summer. She's been forced to get a summer job while she regroups about her college plans for the fall. With a famous author for a father & a long-deceased mother, Clara has been able to convince everyone in her life that they're touring Europe while he writes his latest best seller.

Things that Clara doesn't understand: how she let things get so out of control with Christian, what she's going to do in the fall, why her afraid-of-the-open-water father chose to spend the summer on an island, & how she really feels about sailing boy Finn. Regrouping is harder than she thought it would be because she spent so much time anticipating Christian's reactions & adjusting her behavior to suit his demands that she doesn't know much about who she really is on the inside.

When Christian starts calling her non-stop, despite changing her number several times, and she begins to feel like someone is watching her constantly, Clara decides that there is only so much hiding one can do before you must face your fears.

This was the first Deb Caletti book I've ever read & I think I may have been missing out on something. I thought this was going to be a gritty, emotionally taxing book, but Caletti only skims the surface of the dangerous relationship. She shows us all the signs of danger & really draws the tension tight, so much so that I actually gasped a few times regarding the characters' behavior.

Clara is not a helpless character at all. She is simply naive & a bit consumed by the idea of love. She wants to badly to be in love with Christian & to have something solid & consistent that she finds herself clinging to an even more unstable mess than her home life. Christian is not an unsympathetic character. I can see where a girl could be easily drawn in by him, but his actions spoke volumes. An even more compelling aspect of the book were the relationships between the adults on the island. They were so much more complex & foreboding that they really added something to the story.

Told with flashbacks to her relationship with Christian, Stay was a phenomenal book with just the right touches of everything. I hope you enjoy it too! Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Stay by Deb Caletti

Possession by Elana Johnson

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

From Goodreads

So, I couldn't really sum up this book very well, so I just used the summary from Goodreads. I never really got into this story. I read it, but only just to see what happened at the end. I was not a fan of the writing & the characters' actions & behaviors were quite foreseeable. It was a very cookie-cutter style futuristic, sci-fi piece that felt like a flop to me. I never became enamored with the characters & didn't find myself desperate to find out their outcome.

Vi was a decent enough character, a typical rebellious teen, with some side issues that cause her to scrutinize everything for the hidden meaning. Jag had more depth than I expected from his role, but still nothing compelling. I think the best thing he had going for him was the fact that the socio-economy/geographic populace he represents is completely misunderstood & being taken advantage of.

I think the most aggravating thing about this book was that it seemed, considering the lack of sufficient explanation, to expect the reader to already know how & why the things operated the way the did in the book. There wasn't really a lot of world-building or a chronicled chain of events leading to the present society. There was sufficient annotations, just no definitive overview.

I'm hoping this book will be revised before it hits shelves in June, but I'm not so sure. Has anyone else had the same reaction as me? Am I just expecting too much from the story?

Possession by Elana Johnson

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

Alex is a level-headed girl for the most part. As level-headed as she can be for a girl raised with the ghost of her long-dead mother & a scarcely present father. The most stable thing in her life has always been her two best friends Zack & Bethany. This terrible trio has been bonded together by their love for one another & their constant graduation-trip-to-Colorado planning.

They spend almost all of their waking time together, until new boy Cole shows up and sweeps Alex off her feet. In just a matter of weeks this budding romance turns into a full-blown relaitonship that consumes all of Alex's free time. But as their relationship moves forward, Cole becomes more & more possessive of Alex & even becomes extremely jealous of her relationship with Zack & Bethany. Things worsened quickly as Cole lashed out at Alex for the simplest things: missing his basketball practice, staying late at work to talk to her boss. Any little thing could upset him.

Alex starts to sees these changes, but thinks that things will get better if she can be better. A slippery slope begins to form & Alex doesn't know where it will end. She wants to best of both worlds with her best friends & Cole, but she doesn't know how to make it a reality; or if she'll make it through Cole's next temper-tantrum.

I must say that, despite having read the summary, this was not quite what I was expecting. There was a lot more depth to the story than an abusive boyfriend. The elements of Alex's mother's "mysterious" death, her devoted best friends, & her manager at her job all add something more to the story than I expected. All these things added more complexity to Alex & the storyline in general. Zack & Bethany were exactly what I would want & expect in best friends, especially ones together for so long.

While the story was compelling, the writing style was not at all like Brown's remarkable work in Hate List. This one was just told straight up with no intermittent articles. While there was some poetry written by the main character, it was not enough to break the flow. I think I would have enjoyed it more had there been some variance.

Overall this was an incredible book about a difficult subject that seems to be coming up more & more often in YA lit. Hopefully it is not in response to a growing trend among teenagers in general. Have you read Bitter End? What did you think? What do you think about the premise in general?

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown