Come Alive by Jessica Hawkins

Title: Come Alive
Author: Jessica Hawkins
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: May 30th, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 275
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: Netgalley
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Come Undone
Age Group: Adult

Determined to move on with her life, Olivia Germaine has vowed to forget David Dylan. Struggling to keep her head above water, she focuses on her new promotion and refuses to drown in the memory of their night together.

But when Olivia realizes what life without David means, she must decide if she is willing to risk everything for him . . . and if she is ready to reopen the wounds of her past.

Can Olivia move forward with her marriage despite her feelings for David?

And can David stay away like he promised?

Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.

So, this is one of those books where the people that are around me while I'm reading this wished that I was illiterate.

The way I wanted so badly to just jump Olivia and end her was so profound. I understand her, the commitment she made to Bill. But come on! The feels! The feels for David Dylan! They are there; I can see it, Pluto can see, all can see it except her!

David Dylan, I want you. Olivia might be difficult, but I will take you.

I just don't understand who would put themselves into that type of suffering. The way these two are, there is just no denying their attraction and their emotions for each other.

The whole thing was such an emotional roller coaster, I wasn't sure if I would come off of it in one piece, to be honest. I was pulling my hair at everything. I don't know how Hawkins does it, I honestly don't, because she is just a master at this.

The struggle that Olivia was facing and just how things were working out, or not working out in this case.

I still cannot believe I have to wait until September for the last book. One thing Hawkins has going for her is the fact that she keeps me wanting to come back for more and more!

Come Undone by Jessica Hawkings

Title: Come Undone
Author: Jessica Hawkins
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: January 1st, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 289
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: Netgalley
Interest: Series
Age Group: Adult

Olivia Germaine has already found love. Devoted wife, loyal friend, determined career woman - she’s created the life she always envisioned.

But when Olivia locks eyes with a handsome stranger across a crowded room, he peers a little too closely and sees emotions she thought she’d buried long ago.

David Dylan, alleged playboy and eternal bachelor, challenges Olivia to confront the life she’s built and to make decisions that could either lead to happiness . . . or regret.

Will Olivia be able to draw the line between lust and love?

And can David respect that line?

Can anyone say Best Erotic Literature of 2013?! I can, I can!

Okay, so maybe erotic isn't the genre this one falls under (even though there were plenty of scenes that had even me reaching for a glass of water) this romance novel is different and enjoyable. Hawkins never lost my attention throughout the book, and I am so glad I got the chance to read it!

At first, when I saw that this was bout a married woman possibly cheating, I thought I would hate her. I do, but only because she's so stubborn! I understand how she must feel and what she would be going through, but I just wanted to smack some sense into her or at least pray she sees the light soon.

The tension between her and David was so hot that if someone even thought of lighting a match it would start a huge fire.

I read this in one night, there was no sleeping until I found out what happened at the end.

I thought I would end up dying in the end when I saw where Hawkins left me. I am so glad that there was a second book and that there will be a third! I am so happy and so sad, because of the wait.

This is one of those moments when I wish that authors would write faster!

Still love this series though. It isn't just about the romance and the sex, but about finding oneself.

So, I have to say, this is the Best Romance Book of 2013! Heck, maybe it can even have both made up awards.

All I Need by Susane Colasanti

Title: All I Need
Author: Susane Colasanti
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: May 21st, 2013
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Acquired: BEA 2013
Age Group: Young Adult

The last night of summer is only the beginning.

Skye wants to meet the boy who will change her life forever. Seth feels their instant connection the second he sees her. When Seth starts talking to Skye at the last beach party of the summer, it’s obvious to both of them that this is something real. But when Seth leaves for college before they exchange contact info, Skye wonders if he felt the same way she did—and if she will ever see him again. Even if they find their way back to each other, can they make a long-distance relationship work despite trust issues, ex drama, and some serious background differences?

Teen favorite Susane Colasanti returns to the alternating-voice style of her beloved debut When It Happens in this Serendipity-inspired story about summer, soul mates, and the moments that change our lives forever

My first Susane Colasanti novel and I must say, this was worth it! A quick, fast, fun read about summer romancing. While I may never have one (then again, we can never say never) it was interesting the way this novel played out. Believe me, the line waiting (and the sore feet) I had to do at BEA in order to get this book was well worth it.

When Skye meets Seth, it's a summer romance waiting to happen. Skye, though, is still a high school junior, while Seth is off to college. Not only that, but they have their socioeconomic differences that come between the two throughout the novel.

While simple, this book still touched on a lot of really important and real life issues; not just for those in high school, but those in college.

I absolutely adored the changes in point of view throughout the book. Between Skye and Seth, I had a lot of fun getting into the mind of a guy.

The whole thing was entertaining and made me like this book a whole lot more.

Colasanti is wonderful.

The Pretty One by Lucinda Rosenfeld

Title: The Pretty One: A Novel about Sisters
Author: Lucinda Rosenfeld
Info: Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: February 5th, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
Pages: 320
Format: Electronic
Acquired: Netgalley
Age Group: Adult

Perfect. Pretty. Political. For nearly forty years, The Hellinger sisters of Hastings-on-Hudson-namely, Imperia (Perri), Olympia (Pia), and Augusta (Gus)--have played the roles set down by their loving but domineering mother Carol. Perri, a mother of three, rules her four-bedroom palace in Westchester with a velvet fist, managing to fold even fitted sheets into immaculate rectangles. Pia, a gorgeous and fashionable Chelsea art gallery worker, still turns heads after becoming a single mother via sperm donation. And Gus, a fiercely independent lawyer and activist, doesn't let her break-up from her girlfriend stop her from attending New Year's Day protests on her way to family brunch.

But the Hellinger women aren't pulling off their roles the way they once did. Perri, increasingly filled with rage over the lack of appreciation from her recently unemployed husband Mike, is engaging in a steamy text flirtation with a college fling. Meanwhile Pia, desperate to find someone to share in the pain and joy of raising her three-year-old daughter Lola, can't stop fantasizing about Donor #6103. And Gus, heartbroken over the loss of her girlfriend, finds herself magnetically drawn to Jeff, Mike's frat boy of a little brother. Each woman is unable to believe that anyone, especially her sisters, could understand what it's like to be her. But when a freak accident lands their mother to the hospital, a chain of events is set in motion that will send each Hellinger sister rocketing out of her comfort zone, leaving her to wonder: was this the role she was truly born to play?

With The Pretty One, author Lucinda Rosenfeld does for siblings what she did for female friendship in I'm So Happy for You, turning her wickedly funny and sharply observant eye on the pleasures and punishments of lifelong sisterhood

So, when I first started reading this, like back earlier in the year, I was having a hard time relating for a lot of reasons. The main reasons were: Age, Experiences, and most importantly Sisters. I only have a brother and I can relate absolutely nothing with him, since he's much older than me and we have different interests. But then, I joined a sorority and I got over a thousand sisters overnight, except for my three line sisters who I spent 78 days and 8 minutes with each and every day talking with and doing something. And it was through that experience that I got to see a little bit more about what it's like to have sisters.

Obviously, sorority sisters vs. real sisters is completely different, but there's a main core to it: There's fighting, there's laughing, there's crying, and in the end there's just a heck of a lot of loving, and that's something that I found as a consistent them in this novel.

All three sisters are very different and I found that Rosenfeld did an excellent job in highlighting these differences. I know how hard it can be to find a voice for every single character, because they are supposed to feel real, and real people are just so different from each other. But I think that she pulled out of really well. All their voices came through, even that of the secondary characters.

I like how each sister interacted with each other and the people around them. Yes, they had their differences and they had a lot of faults, but they also had each other and that made the novel even cooler to read as they worked it out.

This novel was funny, witty, heartfelt, and very realistic. It pulled the reader in and didn't let go!

If you are still looking for some nice summer reads, check this one out for sure!

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: The Lonely Hearts Club
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: January 1st, 2010
Publisher: Point
Pages: 290
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult

Love is all you need... or is it? Penny's about to find out in this wonderful debut.

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .

This is the first time I'm reading an Elizabeth Eulberg book, even though pretty much all her books are on my TBR pile and I am really excited I got to read this.

This was a quick read and I found it incredibly enjoyable.

Penny was a fantastic girl. She had a lot to work on and I'm glad she was able to grow from all her experiences. I kind of wish there had been a Lonely Hearts Club in my school, or that I had been smart enough to do one myself. I felt bad for her, but I was glad that she was able to move forward from that jerk.

I also learned a lot about the Beatles from her Beatles-loving-slightly-obsessed-parents. There were some characters that really surprised me, and I was glad about that. Eulberg didn't make her novel blatantly obvious. She had a lot of good tricks up her sleeves that brought the novel to life in interesting ways.

If you haven't read this book yet, don't waste time and I get going! It is unforgettable!

None of the Regular Rules by Erin Downing

 I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: None of the Regular Rules
Author: Erin Downing
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: November 20th, 2012
Publisher: ebook exclusive
Pages: 260
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Age Group: Young Adult

Sometimes, a few dares can change lives…

The weekend before the start of senior year, Sophie Erickson and her best friends, Ella and Grace, discover a handwritten list of dares tucked away in the glove compartment of Sophie’s beat-up old Toyota. But this isn’t just any list; it’s a dead girl's bucket list.

Sophie's beloved aunt Suzy died as a teenager in a fatal fall, leaving Sophie with an overly cautious family, a few fading photographs, and a bucket of bolts that barely passes for a car. But now, Sophie has Suzy’s list of the things she wanted to do in her last year of high school. Sophie can't help but wonder: What would happen if she tried to fulfill Suzy’s last wishes, to live out the longed-for life of her aunt, her hero?

As Sophie and her friends attempt to knock off the things on Suzy's list of dares, love blossoms in unexpected places and Sophie begins to feel that her life is finally coming together...when in fact, everything is slowly unraveling around her. When the truth about a long-held family secret threatens to shatter everything she believed to be true, Sophie is forced to question everything she knew about the life and people she believed in, and ultimately herself.

It has been a while since I read a good book, it has especially been a long while since I read a contemporary book that has hit home in a lot of places.

When I first heard about this novel, I knew it would be as wonderful as people claim it to be. It had a lot of potential and from the very first page that I read I feel in love.

Now, I haven't read too much from Downing beforehand, so it was a little refreshing to read this and have so much with it.

When Sophie and her best friend discover Sophie's dead Aunt Suzy's bucket list, Sophie decides to complete what her aunt never got the chance to. And one by one, Sophie and her friends begin to tackle a list that ends up changing their lives forever - not just for the good, but the bad as well.

In the beginning there was a great mix between Sophie and her friends, which I felt really brought out the story. Different girls who fit together perfectly, and who all took the list one by one discovering new things along the way, and not just about each other, but about themselves.

This was a quick read and can be done in one sitting. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it'll break your heart, and it'll make you want to start finishing up all the things on your own bucket list. This book really had it all and I'm glad that it lived up to all the talk that I heard about it.

This book is one that if I could, I would reread all over again!

Taking Chances by Molly McAdams

Title: Taking Chances
Author: Molly McAdams
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: October 16th, 2012
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 432
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Adult

**DNF

Eighteen year old Harper has grown up under her career Marine of a father's thumb. Ready to live life her own way and experience things she's only ever heard of from the jarheads in her father's unit; she's on her way to college at San Diego State University.

Thanks to her new roommate, Harper is introduced to a world of parties, gorgeous guys, family and emotions. Some she wasn't expecting yet, and others she never knew she was missing.

She finds herself being torn in two as she quickly falls in love with her boyfriend Brandon, and her roommate's brother Chase. Covered in tattoos, known for fighting in the Underground and ridiculously muscled...they're exactly what she was always warned to stay away from, but just what she needs. Despite their dangerous looks and histories, both adore and would do anything for Harper, including stepping back if it means she's happy.

Her first year away is turning out to be near perfect, but one weekend of giving in to heated passion will change everything

Now, I usually make an effort to finish a book. Especially books I bought, since that was my money and I am putting it to good use. But, for once, I am glad that I didn't pay full price for this book. I don't mean to be cruel, I don't want to be cruel; I try to find something good in every book I read, even books that I finish and I sit back and think to myself, "Why did I just read this?" But, I cannot find something good about this. Not. One. Thing.

Originally, Harper seemed like a pretty cool girl. Off on her own, finding herself - and slowly as Brandon and Chase came in the picture it all crashed and burned into unimaginable rumbles that no one can make heads or tales of.

First, I get it already, Harper is gorgeous! Fine! But does the reader need to be reminded of this on every single page? No! And fine, she has two guys who want her. I am a sucker for a good love triangle. I especially love it when the two guys (or two girls) are both equally amazing and who the main character ends up with is really a complete toss up. And for a moment I thought this was going to have a surprise. I mean, I was Team Chase, and I thought he was the best, and than I took myself off Team Chase and into Team-I-Can't-Believe-This-Garbage-Got-Published.

I don't want to insult the book, but this is the best way to describe it. Harper infuriated me. Okay, so the girls around campus who were after the same two guys she was into added a little drama, but it makes NO SENSE that she would take it so personal even AFTER being told that the women hated her. Does she have any brains? Any? And aren't there more guys on that campus or are they on a testosterone shortage? Are Chase and Brandon really the only guys that everyone wants? And can we see a little class in some of these ladies? I felt it extremely insulting of McAdams to show these girls in such a degrading manner.

And I don't even know what to say about this love triangle. It is such a mess that it just destroyed the story - like completely! It went up in flames, turned to ashes, swept away to half-way across the world, where it just vanished into little particles into the deepest depths of the world.

Could McAdams pick a team? No. Could Harper pick a team? Harper is a joke. No, you cannot be in love with two men. I am sorry, but you might think you love them both, but it just doesn't work that way with true love. Honestly, these men could have had better things to do with their lives then spend so much time fighting and drooling over Harper. I actually threw up a little in the end because it was sickening.

I don't want to give anything away, but if the men are as stupid as Harper than they deserve her. McAdams took Harper's stupidity to a whole new level that I never knew even existed.

Obviously I didn't finish this and I just skimmed to the end, and what I read made me wish I hadn't spent that $1.99 on the novel. Harper was cute, and then she became just as bad as the other women who were after Chase and Brandon. And I think McAdams showed reexamine a lot of things, because Harper was not a real college student. I could not think of anyone real who could connect with her. And the same goes for the supporting characters. This book was riddled with fake characters that everybody was just cardboard cut-outs.

This novel was so contrived. I mean, if these characters would have been all mannequins that would have been a better story. That way no one could see what a fail they were.

I realize that I am bashing this novel into high heaven, but I just don't know how else to express my frustration and the sick feeling I get when I think of it.

And I understand, especially for someone like Harper who was on a tight leash all her life. It feels good to be a little wild and reckless and to just find yourself. I mean, I would be a liar if I denied the fact that once I entered college I started to do things that I would never even think of doing when I lived at home. We are adults now and we are finding ourselves. What I don't understand is someone who enters college and completely throws away all their values. Which is what Harper did.

I give up and even though it is a DNF, I am going to rate this book. The cover of it should really have a ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO DARE TO READ THIS BOOK label.

Veer by Alyssa Rose Ivy

I was excited to take part in the blog tour from Xpresso Book Tours by Giselle

Title: Veer
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: November 29th, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 286
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Derailed
Age Group: Adult

Only when you let go can you learn to live.

Between the death of her mother and pushing through law school without her best friend, it's been a tough year for Becca. Needing a break from Boston, she moves to a tiny coastal North Carolina town for a relaxing summer. After bumping heads repeatedly with a local cop, she realizes her summer will be anything but quiet.

Three years after a career ending injury ruins his chance to play Major League Baseball, Gavin has a distrust of northerners and lately girls in general. He wants nothing to do with a girl who is only in town for the summer.

When the two give in to their impossible attraction, they realize that they may just have found the key to freeing themselves from the ghosts of their pasts

This is the sequel to Derailed and this book focuses on Molly's best friend from Boston, Becca. I was surprised, to be honest, that Ivy went this way with the story. Becca had one scene in the novel and was hardly mentioned after that first chapter, so it was a little of a surprise. I know she has a third book coming out, which focuses on Ben's brother Jake, and it feels like it would have made more sense to do Jake, but that's just me.

Becca felt really new and I liked that. I don't like how every guy seemed to be attracted to her. I don't understand what is with this obsession with attractive women, but it just irritated me. Why couldn't she be average? Why can't the guy fall for the average girl? This will be for another day, but it was just something that occurred to me.

Anyways, Becca carries a lot of package, like everyone else in town. Her mother just died and she has secrets that take a toll on her. The pairing with Gavin was a little unexpected. In the first book Gavin came off as a jerk, to me anyways, and I found myself rolling my eyes thinking about him. It was interesting the way he opened up in this book. Like the first there was a lot of talking and not much character building, but for Gavin I would say there was a lot of building.

For the most part things moved pretty fast between the two, especially for the short time they knew each other. But like the previous book this showed a lot of promise and I was really glad I read it.

Again, my own complaint is too much dialogue and not enough action and development. But if there is one thing that Ivy is really good at is writing about heavily emotional subjects.

I would read this book again. And the first. It was quick, cute, and quirky. It highlighted small town dramas and big time secrets, and put the characters in a wonderful new light. It also showed a whole different side to Jake that I really liked.

This was a wonderful read.

Derailed by Alyssa Rose Ivy

I was excited to take part in the blog tour from Xpresso Book Tours by Giselle

Title: Derailed
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: September 23rd, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 260
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Adult

When you're lost, sometimes the only place you can go is home.

Broken over the death of her fiancé, Molly leaves law school to return to her childhood home in North Carolina. Expecting to lay low until she can figure out what else to do with her life, she finds herself in the arms of her high school sweetheart, the boy who represents everything from the past she tried to leave behind.

Looking for an escape, she instead finds a way back to the girl she almost forgot existed and a future she never dreamed possible.

I was really expressed by this book. Let me get that out of the way.

This book was not what I was expecting. I thought that it would be something different but it turned out to live to it's name. Molly surprised me a lot. There were moments when I wanted to be angry with her and go on her but I didn't because in a lot of ways I could understand her reactions to certain things.

And Ben was such a sweetheart, I mean, I want my own Ben.

What I didn't like about this book and the sequel is the way she formats the conversation. I was reading this on my iPad, so obviously the page formatting is either more or less, but sometimes I felt like I was reading full pages of nothing but conversation and it was like, can I get something more? I felt like there wasn't enough character revelations through conversations. I like it when characters talk, but this much was too much.

Overall, I think I like this book. I was angry a lot at Molly's best friend. I probably couldn't handle her friend for anything and every time she showed up I just wanted to say, "No, no, no!!" And I just hated her.

There was a lot of emotions behind Molly, a lot of stuff that was built up and I was glad that she had someone to lean on throughout the way.

Besides some characters that could really, really, really use some help, I found myself getting well into Molly's head and enjoying the story. Molly was funny, she was smart, and she really found herself when she needed to focus on who she was. And the supporting characters gave the story a lot of flavor.

This was a great read to be honest.

Normalish by Margaret Lesh

Normalish Book Tour Stop hosted by Xpresso Book Tours

I was so excited to take part in this tour and after reading Normalish, I have to say that it wasn't what I was expecting.

Title: Normalish
Author: Margaret Lesh
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: October 5th, 2012
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Pages: 175
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Publisher
Age Group: Young Adult

Fifteen-year-old Stacy questions the strange world of high school, love, her role in a harsh universe, and life, in Normalish.

People tell you high school's so great and wonderful, but they're lying. It's mostly horrible and full of disappointment. It sucks. Your best friend abandons you. The jerk you're in love with pretends to be into you, and then the big dump. The boy you've really clicked with as a friend decides to go all crushy over you, so you break his heart just like yours was -- smashed into little pieces. Your sister goes mental, and you get involved with a guy who’s even crazier than she is (who you know is a very bad idea, but you do it anyway). Math only adds another stink of failure to the whole thing.

High school blows. Just ask freshman Stacy. She’d want you to know

I'm really glad that I got the chance to take part in this tour. I was  surprised just how interesting things turned out, both the bad and the good. I wasn't expecting half of what happened, and this is me who still remembers very clearly what it was like to be in high school.

For the most part I had a really hard time relating to Stacy. No offense, but she seemed to view life with two extremes (either things were going exceptionally well or things were going down the gutter). And I remember being fifteen and feeling the extremes (hello hormones) but at the same time I feel like it was too much to the point of being unrealistic. I was really nervous at where Lesh would take Stacy or where Stacy would take herself.

The subject of mental illness has always been a sore one for me, since I come from a family that has a long history of mental illness and there is no secret that my middle and high school life I was riddled with nothing but my own mental illness. It was interesting, to say the least, how Lesh made me see it from the other side. I always slightly prided myself in being someone who can see both points of view, but even I never knew what my own actions would effect people. Seeing how Stacy and her family had to deal with her older sister gave me at least some insight at what a lot of families go through who have similar experiences.

I was a little thrown off by the romance, but at the same time found myself liking it. I know Stacy's young, so obviously everything she's feeling can be blown out of proportion, and yes, she probably won't be deciding who she'll be spending the rest of her life with just yet, but at least Lesh was consist in Stacy's own inconsistency. If that makes sense, I think it does.

Anyways, Lesh brought to life what the first year of high school can be like for many people. And while I personally couldn't relate to Stacy, I had no trouble making connections to the supporting characters to people in my own school. I was friends with the Chads, the Anthonys, the Samanthas, and others who Stacy had to interact. In a lot of ways, I think it was them more than anything that kept me coming back.

Lesh takes a moment in a lot of peoples lives that can be both exciting and scary (first year of high school) and showers readers with all the extremes that could be felt. I was impressed with the style, and no matter how whiny, Stacy's voice came out in the end, which I found to be what gave this at least one more star in my rating. Four for originality and hitting a spot that most can look back at fondly (or some can look forward to, depending on where you stand!).

Hooked by Liz Fichera

Title: Hooked
Author: Liz Fichera
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: January 31st, 2013
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Pages: 368
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: ARC; Netgalley
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.

But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.

But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile...

I'm not really sure what to say about this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, found the drama to be very real, and overall just liked the characters. I finished rather quickly, which is actually not so bad.

When Fred, a young girl from the Rez, joins the boy's varsity golf team, teaming up with one of the best players on the team, Ryan Berenger. But Fred and Ryan are on the opposite side of the tracks and in order to be together they'll need to overcome their cultural differences.

But that won't be so easy considering that Ryan is not only popular but he also has friends who will do anything to keep Fred away from Ryan.

If I say this wasn't drama heavy, I'd be lying. For a moment I almost felt like I was on an episode of a teen drama. All I can say is that Ryan's friends really, really, really didn't want him to be with Fred.

I absolutely loved both narratives between Ryan and Fred. I liked being able to get into both their heads, though sometimes I feel like we got more one story than the other. There were a lot of moments that Ryan and Fred made me upset, but in a good way.

I wanted to claw out Gwen's and Seth's eye, but after reading, who wouldn't?

There was just so much going on, but I loved it. I liked the way things ended. The realistic aspect of it all drew me in, because there was nothing too out there (even though there would be no problem with that!) and I think that Fichera did an amazing job.

And the best part? There is a sequel! *squeals* I cannot wait for it!

The Memory Thief by Emily Colin

Title: The Memory Thief
Author: Emily Colin
Info: Twitter | Website | Facebook
Release Date: August 21st, 2012
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pages: 432
Format: Paperback
Acquired: From Publisher
Age Group: Adult

When Madeleine Kimble’s husband Aiden dies in a mountain climbing accident, Maddie can only think of his earnest promise to return to her and their young son. Aiden’s best friend J.C. feels great remorse over his inability to save him, but J.C.’s grief is also seasoned with the guilt of loving Maddie through the years. Meanwhile, across the country another young man wakes up in a hospital and finds that his memories have been wiped clean, and replaced with haunting dreams of a beautiful woman and a five year old boy whom he feels driven to find. What Nicholas Sullivan discovers upon his journey is utterly unexpected—and it will change all of their lives, especially Maddie’s

For starters, this book was amazing! It was an excellent break from all the erotica that I was reading (and I was reading enough to make me feel like a pervert) and I am so glad that I got the chance to interview the author!

This book reminded me of something that Jodi Picoult would write (and I love Jodi Picoult) so I was connecting well with this book! The touching moments - the one's that leave you breathless, the one's that leave you gasping, the one's that you will always remember - this book had it all.

I found myself in tears and hoping for the best. I didn't want to think of the worst, because it would just break my heart, but as I read and read, I realized that it wasn't as bad as I expected!

After Maddie begs her husband Aiden not to go mountain climbing, her worst fears are realized when she hears news of his death. The book shifts from various viewpoints, something I personally like. It helps, especially when authors like Colin's start to present pieces of the puzzle in those viewpoints.

This novel was heart-warming/breaking, it made a dozen emotions run through me, and I just loved every second of it!

The moment I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. If you are a Jodi Picoult fan, even Nicholas Sparks, this book is for you! It touches so close to home sometimes, I just had to wonder how the author was able to write this!

It was a beautiful story. Worth checking out!

Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Title: Speechless
Author: Hannah Harrington
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: August 28th, 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Pages: 288
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: ARC; Netgalley
Age Group: Young Adult

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret 

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself

Harrington does it again! A powerful novel with so much meaning and a young girl finding herself, slowly but surely. 

After Chelsea outs a classmate about being gay, he is nearly killed. Realizing what her actions had done, she takes a vow of silence. Now, she has to face her own inner guilt and as well as the harassment from classmates. But, Chelsea is stronger than what people realize and with the help of new friends she is ready to tackle the consequences of her actions. 

This novel, is by far, the most powerful one I have read this year. I wanted to insult Chelsea into little ribbons. I mean, she just seemed so naive about things. I almost couldn't believe how surprised she would be about the way people would react to news. Sure, gays are becoming a little more accepting in this world, but that doesn't mean everyone understands or acceptance the difference. But, I guess that's the whole point for Chelsea. It shows the flaw in her character and what she has to do to remedy that. 

My initial anger towards her dissipated quickly though. I know what it's like to be bullied, but to be bullied for doing the right thing is worse. It showed how self-involved Chelsea's supposed friends were truly, and it gave her an insight on herself, on who she use to be. 

The growing that she did wasn't quick but it was noticeable. I loved Harrington's character development. She takes time to weed out the problem before going in for the fixing, and I think that's what always makes her novel great. By the end the main character, and to some extent the reader, has learned something valuable to take with them. 

I, for one, could not do a vow of silence for so long. Just imagine, not saying anything for extended period. Harrington said she took this inspiration from the National Day of Silence, which many high school's host in order for students not to say anything for a full day the same way that gay and lesbian's keep quiet about who they are. I always did it back in high school for my friends and myself, and sometimes I just always believed that was as much as I could do. Yet, Chelsea has shown me that silence can play a part, but speaking out is just as important. 

She sacrificed a lot to do the right thing and that, in my eyes, makes her one of the most decent character's I have read. Just as one of the character's said, "Hate is easy. Love takes courage." 

This, like I said before, was one of the best books I have read this year. It's heartwarming, refreshing, and one book should be placed on everyone's TBR pile. Beautifully written, does not even begin to describe this work. It was pure amazing. 

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Title: Beautiful Disaster
Author: Jamie McGuire
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: August 14th, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 361
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: ARC; Netgalley
Interest: Series
Age Group: Adult

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match

Wow. Just wow.

I don't even know what to say exactly. I feel like I'm in a weird roller coaster with this book. I loved Abby and Travis, I hated Abby and Travis, I wanted to hug them both, I wanted to kill them; I was just all over the place with them.

Honestly, I don't know what to make of this book. Obviously I loved it because I gave it five stars, but I have conflicting emotions about this book. Abby and Travis are one of those couples that are so wrong for each other that it makes them just right for each other. There was a lot of breaking up and a lot of misery and there was just a lot of laughs, and as one character put it, when their happy it's all peace and butterflies, but when their angry at each other they take the whole world down with them.

I found myself laughing, at the edge of my seat hoping for the best. McGuire had my heart in my throat in one scene and she had me about to burst into tears in another. I started this book at 8pm and finishing up at 6am the next day. Once I was pulled in I wasn't able to pull out because this world just made no sense to me.

I'm a hardcore feminist, I am of the opinion that no woman needs a man to survive they just think they do, and for a moment I was afraid Abby would become one of those women. She was so strong and had her head on straight in the beginning, but when she got entangle with Travis it was like all that went out the window. I don't think at all that someone will look at this book and say, "Hey, I need to have a relationship this twisted and confusing because it looks fun!" Honestly, Abby and Travis are just one of a kind. That's the best way to put it. Like another book I reviewed, these two somehow work for each other even when they want to kill each other.

Now, this is where I would typically end, but I looked at other reviews that expressed how much they hate this book because of the "abuse" that goes on. And that's fine, not every book is liked (even Harry Potter has some haters) but I just want to point out to people that throw that word around just exactly what it is. Everyone knows that abuse has four different forms and each with a distinct definition:

(NOTE: These definitions are obviously my paraphrasing but I think by this point we all know what they mean when we see them. If not, Google is everyone's best friend). AND: There are some minor spoilers, but hopefully not too much.

Sexual Abuse: Also known as rape, improper touching, unwanted sexual attention, and making inappropriate sexual comments that make someone else feel uncomfortable. Does sexual abuse happen in this book? Absolutely not. Abby gives consent each time they are having sex, including when they weren't even together! Does he touch her in ways she doesn't want? Again, no.

Physical Abuse: We know this has hitting, pinching, leaving some physical mark on someone. Does Travis ever hit her? No. He even says himself he would never hit a girl. Now, there was a scene when he hit a guy and the guy fell taking Abby with him, but that punch was never meant for Abby and Travis didn't even know what he was doing when he hit the guy. The guy was touching her and he went like a raging bull. But he realized his error and did his best to make amends.

Verbal Abuse: Insulting or name calling. Putting someone down with words. Does Travis ever put Abby down or call her names? No. Not once, even when they were just friends or having one of their arguments.

Emotional Abuse: Also known as Psychological abuse. When someone is causing another character psychological trauma, such as anxiety, depression, or stress. Now, an argument can be made that Travis does cause have some emotional baggage that makes Abby feel completely out of her element. She does experience stressed and in someways she is depressed. BUT she is also doing the same thing to him. He feels just as much emotional turmoil as she does when they are apart. Its not like its his intention to make her suffer emotionally, or she him. It just happens because of the way things are happening between them.

And now, there is also the topic of stalking. First, he never crawls into her window to watch her sleep. But, when they are in bed together he does. I would like to know of one lover that has never done that to another lover. That's not called stalking, that's called appreciating what you have next to you. Almost every lover does it at one point or another.

Also, he is not following her around campus. If you wanted to talk to someone really badly who was avoiding you, I think just waiting for them to show up doesn't constitute stalking.

So, not everyone is going to like this book. I'm not even sure if I like it or not, but I do know that when two people have been through what they've been through I think that says a lot about where their relationship is going. I for one found myself enjoying this book just as much as I was having issues with it, but I do not think there was any form of abuse going on. Travis is just like any alpha male out there. Its what you make it and that's that. I highly recommend this book though. This is one that cannot go unnoticed.

Comeback Love by Peter Golden

Title: Comeback Love
Author: Peter Golden
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: April 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Acquired: From Publisher
Age Group: Adult

More than thirty-five years ago, Gordon Meyers, an aspiring writer with a low number in the draft lottery, packed his belongings and reluctantly drove away, leaving behind Glenna Rising, the sexy, sharp-witted med student he couldn’t imagine living without.

Now, decades later, Gordon is a former globe-trotting consultant with a grown son, an ex-wife, and an overwhelming desire to see Glenna again. Though she’s stunned when Gordon walks into her Manhattan office, Glenna agrees to accompany him for a drink. As the two head out into the snow-swept city, they rediscover the passion that once drew them together—before it tore them apart. And as the evening unfolds, Gordon will finally reveal the true reason for his return. . . . 

When Gordan met Glenna it was instant attraction. A story of two lovers discovering each other goes wrong in many ways and thirty plus years later Gordan has returned into Glenna's life, after seeking her out. Slowly the ties between the present and the past are drawn together as both of them question 'what if' and if the past could ever be relived.

I honestly don't know what had originally drawn me to this book. When I was first asked to participate in the blog tour, this one instantly jumped out at me. And it had nothing to do with the direct plot line: I have never had a man leave me and thirty years return (I haven't even lived thirty years!) but I did like this correlation between the past and the present.

I think that a lot of us are guilty at one point or another in letting our past actions be the driving force to the present, and in a lot of ways start to overshadow the future. I think that's what happened to Gordan, in my opinion. While he had moved on, he had a son, he didn't really move on. He returned to her, Glenna. But, and this might sound a little weird, I liked that this was told from a male's perspective. For a long time I have always read very heavily emotional books from a female's point of view, and I can connect. I could connect in a lot of ways with Gordan, somewhat, even though he's a guy.

The thing about Gordan is that even when he was a young college student, in someways, he was always looking back. And now thirty-five years later he still is. The parallel's between the past and the present were in a lot of ways surprising, but I wouldn't doubt at all if that was the author's intent. I think that Gordan had a lot of work, and reader's can see that just as well as Glenna. 

Glenna, I could never connect with her. She was very out there and in a lot of ways an open book. And the past Glenna, I honestly felt, was too far into the future for me. Or maybe I'm stuck in Hollywood's version of what the 1960-70's look like, but Glenna, to me, was a little ahead. And Gordan's feelings for her were very intense.

This book was very interesting and a little out of what I'm use to, but I'm glad I read this book. Even though I could connect with Gordan, I have to give this a four because like I said before, he had a lot of work as a person to develop and see that he wasn't the only who was hurting. Golden did an excellent job with this book though, and I would recommend this book to just about anyone.

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Title: Dreamland
Author: Sarah Dessen
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: May 11th, 2004
Publisher: Speak
Pages: 250
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Borrowed originally; bought later
Age Group: Young Adult

Rogerson Biscoe, with his green eyes and dark curly hair, is absolutely seductive. Before long, sixteen-year-old Caitlin finds herself under his spell. And when he starts to abuse her, she finds she's in too deep to get herself out...

This had been my very first Sarah Dessen book that I read and I finished it on one bus ride from St. Louis to Green Bay. This was also the first book I read about a young girl who was getting abused by her boyfriend, and this book made an impression me since I just saw an old Lifetime movie about a young girl who is killed by her abusive boyfriend. So, it all ended up connecting somehow.

I honestly loved this book or I wouldn't have devoured it. In fact, I loved it so much that when I saw this version pop up on Barnes and Noble, along with other cover redesigns I had to get it with five other books by Dessen.

This book was true and raw in places I never new it was possible. This book is different from what I expected because I never realized just how the mind of an abused woman works and the way she tries to justify. I mean, sure I've heard about it during Heath class when they were telling us about abusive relationships, but being in Caitlin's mind was different.

She was a girl who needed someone and Rogerson saw his opportunity to sweep in and take her away.

And his methods of getting her to use drugs and making her as dependent as possible to him was very realistic, if not down right scary how close it was to hitting the truth.

I kept waiting for Caitlin to wake up, but I saw her struggles as she refused to surface. And sadly her family life wasn't better; while her dad wasn't abusive, I could see why Caitlin would want to hold on to Rogerson and never let him go. That was something she had control over, until she lost it.

Very emotional and a roller coaster ride I didn't want to get off from. My first taste of Dessen was of one that I would remember for a long time, and while I'm not an addicted fan just yet, I see where fans fall hard for her. She is a creative author who takes a real life situation and forces her readers into the shoes of the character to feel what they feel, and does not let them go until the last page is reached.

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

Title: Bitter End
Author: Jennifer Brown
Info: Website
Release Date: May 10th, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 359
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Borrowed
Age Group: Young Adult

When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole -- a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her -- she can't believe she's finally found her soul mate . . . someone who truly loves and understands her.

At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her close friend Zack, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all her time with another boy? As the months pass, though, Alex can no longer ignore Cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats.

As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose -- between her "true love" and herself

 When I first saw this book I wanted to get it, but I was also a little skeptical about it. I instead hopped over to the library to read it, and I have to say I'm a little glad I didn't buy it. 

I had only ever read one other book that dealt with this type of abuse and it was twice as short but two times better. I could feel the character slowly slipping and I could feel the power he weld over her, but in this book I didn't really feel it. In fact, it felt more like Cole was just the bully down the street. 

Alex and her two friends, Bethany and Zach, are tight and are even planning a trip. And then Cole comes along. At first he seems perfect but as usually things go wrong, fast. 

He does the predictable things and she says the predictable words, and I can tell that Brown did put a lot of effort into this book, but for some reason things were not as tightly put as they should be. For example, the book kept alluding to Cole being a stalker, but I was hoping that would be played up a little more, and instead found myself frowning since he wasn't really a stalker. But jerk, most defiantly.  

While I saw a rift between Alex and her friends it wasn't the way I expected. To be honest it didn't seem that Alex was under Cole's control as much as she should have been, and obviously red flags should have gone up for Alex when she saw the other girl that went through the same thing she did. 

Though her rationalization of all the events was as I expected, though a little weak. In all honesty I think that Alex was more stupid than anything else. 

I haven't read any other works from Brown yet but I do here that they are not as bad as this, so I'm hoping for the best when it comes time to get to them. Disappointed but I guess there was a little bit of hope for the novel, if the author hadn't worked so hard to force the problem instead of the problem naturally forming like a book should. 

Who's Your Daddy, Baby? by Lisa Pell

Title: Who's Your Daddy, Baby?
Author: Lisa Pell
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: July 24th, 2012
Publisher: Aberdeen Bay
Pages: 327
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Publisher; ARC; Netgalley
Age Group: Adult

Inspired by the author’s experience, Who’s Your Daddy, Baby? is the story of Lori McGuire Pomay, a happily married career woman living in suburban Washington, D.C. Lori undergoes genetic testing for in vitro fertilization and her world is rocked when she is told the dad she always knew could not possibly have been her biological father. This mid-life shocker sends her into an alternately hilarious, heartwarming, and heartbreaking search for truth about her heritage – from Appalachian Cherokees to Purple Kings on a church stage, with high-rolling gamblers, car dealers, dentists, and all manner of confused amnesiacs in their seventies along for the ride.

With Lori’s mother having died in the 1990s, taking many of the answers to her questions with her, the situation was rife with miscalculations. Initially, the protagonist Lori McGuire Pomay’s only clues to a prospective unknown biological father’s identity are memories of her late mother discussing pre-marital dating in the mountains of southwestern Virginia, and faded old letters from several paternal contenders, written around the time of her conception in the apparently swinging spring of 1958. The hunt eventually involves possibly ten paternal prospects; their families and friends; the membership of two churches; the high-rolling gambler ex-husband of a famous Hollywood actress; two families of car dealers; several free-spirited road trips around Virginia, and numerous humorous telephone calls and e-mails.

It all boils down to timing and opportunity. Lori learns more than she ever wanted to know about the vagaries of female fertility, the fallibility of half-siblingship DNA testing, problems with blood type testing/mutations, the impact of several genetic mutations – and her late mother’s courtships. Readers learn more than they might have known about Appalachian heritage, northern European ethnicity, inbreeding, sex and Rock n’ Roll in the 1950s, the bonds of motherhood, and the nature of paternity. Throw in the onset of a puzzling hereditary vertigo condition set off by hormone injections, plus a trip to the hospital for chest pains, and "Who’s Your Daddy, Baby?" will leave your head spinning.  

The last thing someone wants to hear is that the father they grew up with is not their biological father, but this is the case for Lori. After this married woman finds out that her father cannot be hers, she goes on a wild search for her biological father, and along the way finding interesting characters.

When I was first asked to participate in the blog tour, I absolutely had to ask for this book. It went into a world of the sexual revolutions of the 1960's and the double standard that takes place on women.

This book was a look into the author's own experience when she discovered the truth. In many ways it can be read as a memoir, because the raw emotion expressed in this novel can shake up anyone.

The reason it received a four had been because I had a hard time relating to Lori. And not just because I discovered my father wasn't my father, but I just didn't get feel her in many ways. Sometimes I wanted to put down the book and not really bother and call this one a quitter, but I was driven by the desire to find out who the father was, which I think Pell did an amazing job keeping the reader's hooked for it.

What I found interesting had been the way Lisa went about trying to find her biological father, and most interesting had been the ending. But, the book does keep the reader interested in some areas, while others I just got the feeling of wanting to roll my eyes and move along.

Quirky, interesting, and original the story goes through the process of finding oneself and the people who come along the way to aid and support you. This story was not just about finding your biological father, but about finding your heritage and knowing where you come from.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Info: Website | Twitter 
Release Date: July 24th, 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Pages: 384
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: ARC; Netgalley
Age Group: Young Adult

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.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster from page one. I had no idea what to really expect when it came to this book, but I absolutely loved this book.

The author takes two teens who are both facing some of the toughest moments of their life (because being a teen is not hard enough apparently) and both have to begin healing. And the way the author brought two character's from completely different backgrounds together; it was just epicness in the making.

Pushing The Limits was beautifully written, almost poetry. There was a lot of kissing, which made me a little happy, and the way things fell into place I would never have imagined them happening the way they did. I found myself at the edge of my seat wanting to know each of these characters as much as possible.

Beautiful, haunting, and coming out truthfully with the tough choices that teens face today in a complicated world. For the most part I wished that neither Echo nor Noah would go through the tough time they were having. I especially found Echo's step-mother to be irritating but it seemed that both got a break in their life through a guidance counselor at school, someone I always found to know all the answers. Personal experience anyways.

This book I highly recommend to anyone that loves true life teen problems and someone who can connect to the loss of a love one and the healing that has to go with it.

McGarry writes a memorable book that will not be forgotten, even after turning the last page.

Torn by Stephanie Guerra

Title: Torn
Author: Stephanie Guerra
Release Date: May 15th, 2012
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Pages: 263
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: For Review; Netgalley
Age Group: Young Adult

Stella Chavez is your classic good girl: straight As, clean-cut boyfriends, and soccer trophies . You’d never guess that Stella’s dad was a drug addict who walked out when she was a kid. Or that inside, Stella wishes for something more.

New girl Ruby Caroline seems like Stella’s polar opposite: cursing, smoking, and teetering in sky-high heels . But with Ruby, Stella gets a taste of another world—a world in which parents act like roommates, college men are way more interesting than high school boys, and there is nothing that shouldn’t be tried once.

It’s not long before Stella finds herself torn: between the best friend she’s ever had and the friends she’s known forever, between her family and her own independence, between who she was and who she wants to be.

But Ruby has a darker side, a side she doesn’t show anyone—not even Stella. As Stella watches her friend slowly unravel, she will have to search deep inside herself for the strength to be a true friend, even if it means committing the ultimate betrayal.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I got this book, but there was so much hype from it that I couldn't wait to start reading it. And when I finally did, I won't lie, I was a little let down.

Stella is the all-American good girl. She has friends that she's known most of her life and a loving family - for the most part. The effects of her father's abandonment still lingers in the air, but aside from having to take care of her siblings, for the most part, everything is how it should be. 

And when Ruby enters the picture, things begin to change. From the moment Ruby walks into Stella life she makes sure to rock her world. Ruby takes Stella away from her very quiet life and introduces her to the world of drinking, college boys, and living a little wild. But, soon Stella realizes that as long as she holds on to Ruby, she will slowly lose those around her, including herself. 

Guerra did her best to show Stella's transition, and her rationalization for why she was doing what she did, but I felt like the story needed...something. Throughout the whole book I kept thinking something big was going to go on and that the reader's would make a big discovery, but it almost played out a little too well. There were no surprises and there was no....anything. In fact, I almost feel like near the end Guerra got really tired of writing and just finished with what she had. 

Personally, I neither hated this book nor loved it completely. It was a quick and easy read, but it leaves the reader wishing there was more. Or, at least it did for me. 

The character of Stella developed and change the way she would, but I sometimes felt that she went from being very plain and with no emotions, to just a little bit out there, and back again. And I felt like Guerra was trying to show how out-there-ish Ruby is, but I didn't like the way things finished.

And I especially didn't like the way things between Stella and Mike worked out. 

It was beautifully written and Guerra showed wide range of characters, but she didn't really develop them as well as she should. I don't know how to describe it really, but I would not suggests buying this book. Library or from a friend for sure.