My Thoughts: The Map From Here to There by Emery Lord

The Map From Here to There
(The Start of Me and You #2)
by Emery Lord
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: January 7th 2020
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Pages: 368
ISBN: 9781681199382
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Netgalley Review Copy

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Available for Purchase:
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Acclaimed author Emery Lord crafts a gorgeous story of friendship and identity, daring to ask: What happens after happily ever after?

It's senior year, and Paige Hancock is finally living her best life. She has a fun summer job, great friends, and a super charming boyfriend who totally gets her. But senior year also means big decisions. Weighing "the rest of her life," Paige feels her anxiety begin to pervade every decision she makes. Everything is exactly how she always wanted it to be--how can she leave it all behind next year? In her head, she knows there is so much more to experience after high school. But in her heart, is it so terrible to want everything to stay the same forever?

Emery Lord's award-winning storytelling shines with lovable characters and heartfelt exploration of life's most important questions. (Goodreads)

I was super excited to get my hands on The Map From Here to There by Emery Lord, especially after I discovered it was the sequel to The Start of Me and You, a book that I read a few years ago and really enjoyed! I’m a huge fan of Emery’s wiring, and I couldn’t wait to get started on this newest book.

I had hoped to re-read The Start of Me and You before starting this sequel, as it’s been a few years, (and a LOT of books), since I read the story, and I couldn’t quite remember what happened. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to read it again, but once I started this sequel, the story came rushing back! Emery also does a good job of reminding us of things we may have forgotten, so that’s a plus as well.

One thing I do remember from the first book was how relatable I felt to Paige, especially with the anxiety and all. I get it, I really, really do, and because of that I totally understood how she felt as the story went along. Thankfully she has a pretty amazing support system to help her along the way, including a great family, lots of great friends, and a wonderful boyfriend as well. Yet, at times, she finds her way all on her own, and that is excellent growth from the first book.

The storyline for this book was lots of fun, and very easy to read. A lot of young adults are going to find this book super relatable, especially those in their last years of high school. The characters in the book are all SO great. I especially love the relationship between Paige and her best friends. Everyone should have a group of friends like that! They are all great and supportive, and I love them all. Along with the excellent family life as well!

Overall; The Map From Here to There was an excellent sequel to The Start of Me and You, and I’m so glad to have read the book! If you liked the first book, then I definitely recommend you check out this sequel. If you haven’t read the series yet, and love a good contemporary, do check out both of the books in this series!

Waiting on Wednesday:

The Map From Here to There
by Emery Lord
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: January 7th 2020
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
ISBN: 9781681199382

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Acclaimed author Emery Lord crafts a gorgeous story of friendship and identity, daring to ask: What happens after happily ever after?

It's senior year, and Paige Hancock is finally living her best life. She has a fun summer job, great friends, and a super charming boyfriend who totally gets her. But senior year also means big decisions. Weighing "the rest of her life," Paige feels her anxiety begin to pervade every decision she makes. Everything is exactly how she always wanted it to be--how can she leave it all behind next year? In her head, she knows there is so much more to experience after high school. But in her heart, is it so terrible to want everything to stay the same forever?

Emery Lord's award-winning storytelling shines with lovable characters and heartfelt exploration of life's most important questions. (Goodreads)

Anyone else super excited for this new book by Emery Lord?? I am SOOOOO excited to read it! I am huge fan of Emery's books, and I absolutely can't wait to check out this newest book.

Tweet Cute
by Emma Lord
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: January 21st 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books
ISBN: 9781250237323

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Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

A fresh, irresistible rom-com from debut author Emma Lord about the chances we take, the paths life can lead us on, and how love can be found in the opposite place you expected.

Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming ― mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

All’s fair in love and cheese ― that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life ― on an anonymous chat app Jack built.

As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate ― people on the internet are shipping them?? ― their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected. (Goodreads)

This new book by EMMA LORD, not to be mistaken as Emery Lord, sounds like it's going to be a super cute read! I love cute reads at the moment, so I'm very excited to check this one out!

•     •     •

Those are my WOW picks for this week!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

The Names They Gave Us
by Emery Lord
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: May 16th 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9781619639584
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Review Copy / Own

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Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Lucy Hansson was ready for a perfect summer with her boyfriend, working at her childhood Bible camp on the lake. But when her mom’s cancer reappears, Lucy falters—in faith, in love, and in her ability to cope. When her boyfriend “pauses” their relationship and her summer job switches to a different camp—one for troubled kids—Lucy isn’t sure how much more she can handle. Attempting to accept a new normal, Lucy slowly regains footing among her vibrant, diverse coworkers, Sundays with her mom, and a crush on a fellow counselor. But when long-hidden family secrets emerge, can Lucy set aside her problems and discover what grace really means? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
As soon as I heard about The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord, I knew it was a book I would HAVE to read. Not only because Emery is one of my most favorite authors, but also because the story just sounded really awesome, and I’ve loved ALL of the books I’ve read by Emery so far. This book definitely did not disappoint!!

There are SO many characters in this story to love, including the main character, Lucy. So much is going wrong for Lucy when we first meet her in the story, but she has an amazingly supportive family, and I LOVE that for her. When she becomes a counselor at a camp for troubled teens over the summer, she meets friends that she never expected to have, and they were all pretty awesome as well, and I enjoyed watching the relationships between them all grow over the course of the book. Seriously, there are so many great characters in this story.

The storyline for the book is both lighthearted and very emotional. It’s about cancer, and grief, and support, and finding faith and so, so much more. I love that the book touches on so many issues that are relevant to young adults today as well, and I know that so many people are going to be able to relate to parts of the story as they turn the pages. This book – it made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me feel ALL the emotions, and I loved every minute of it.

Overall; The Names They Gave Us was a really great read, and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to read it. As I said, I’m never disappointed by Emery’s books, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Add The Names They Gave Us to you reading list today, and if you love it, I know you’ll love the rest of Emery’s books as well!

Waiting on Wednesday #254 - The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

The Names They Gave Us
by Emery Lord
Website | Twitter | Tumblr

Publication Date: May 16th 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
ISBN: 9781619639584


Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

From acclaimed author Emery Lord comes a vibrant, compelling story of love, loss, faith, and friendship.

Lucy Hansson was ready for a perfect summer with her boyfriend, working at her childhood Bible camp on the lake. But when her mom’s cancer reappears, Lucy falters—in faith, in love, and in her ability to cope. When her boyfriend “pauses” their relationship and her summer job switches to a different camp—one for troubled kids—Lucy isn’t sure how much more she can handle. Attempting to accept a new normal, Lucy slowly regains footing among her vibrant, diverse coworkers, Sundays with her mom, and a crush on a fellow counselor. But when long-hidden family secrets emerge, can Lucy set aside her problems and discover what grace really means?

Emotionally-charged and unforgettable, Emery Lord’s storytelling shines with the promise of new love and true friendship, even in the face of life’s biggest challenges. (Goodreads)

Doing a little happy dance because
EMERY LORD HAS A NEW BOOK COMING OUT, Yo!
I love contemporary novels, and this one sounds like it's going to be a great one.
I can't wait to check it out!!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

Review: When We Collided by Emery Lord

When We Collided
by Emery Lord
Website | Twitter | Tumblr

Publication Date: April 5th 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9781619638457
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | Realistic Fiction
Source: For Review

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Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

We are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know…

Jonah never thought a girl like Vivi would come along.

Vivi didn’t know Jonah would light up her world.

Neither of them expected a summer like this…a summer that would rewrite their futures.

In an unflinching story about new love, old wounds, and forces beyond our control, two teens find that when you collide with the right person at just the right time, it will change you forever. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
Emery Lord has quickly become one of my most favorite authors to read. I loved her previous books, Open Road Summer and The Start of Me and You, and I absolutely couldn't wait to read When We Collided. I knew it would not disappoint, of course, and I loved it just as much as I expected to!!

I loved the main character in the story, Vivi, the moment I first met her. I found myself relating to her in so many different ways.  We see many different sides of Vivi throughout the novel, there are lots of ups and downs for her as the story goes along. I love that there are books in the world with stories like Vivi's, as I think this is a great way to get a message across to someone who may need to see it.

The character who stole the story for me would have to be Jonah. This boy has an amazing heart, and I love how much he loved his family. He had more on his shoulders than any 17 year old should ever have to bear, but he did and he set aside everything for his family, and I found that so very admirable. His family was really great as well, I loved all of his brothers and sisters, especially little Leah.

The storyline for the book is a lovely and sweet contemporary, but also carries a very strong message about mental illness. Again, I love that this message is there, and I hope that people will read this book, and relate, and know that there is so much help and hope out there for them. This story was super realistic, and beautifully written.  I loved it.

Overall; I enjoyed When We Collided just as much as I expected to. The storyline and the characters were so great, and I couldn't help but completely fall in love with everything about this book. Read it. I know you'll love it.

Waiting on Wednesday #202 - When We Collided by Emery Lord

When We Collided
by Emery Lord
Website | Twitter | Tumblr

Publication Date: April 5th 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
ISBN: 9781619638457



Pre-Order: Not yet available

Meet Vivi and Jonah: A girl and a boy whose love has the power save or destroy them.

Vivi and Jonah couldn't be more different. Vivi craves anything joyful or beautiful that life can offer. Jonah has been burdened by responsibility for his family ever since his father died. As summer begins, Jonah resigns himself to another season of getting by. Then Vivi arrives, and suddenly life seems brighter and better. Jonah is the perfect project for Vivi, and things finally feel right for Jonah. Their love is the answer to everything. But soon Vivi's zest for life falters, as her adventurousness becomes true danger-seeking. Jonah tries to keep her safe, but there's something important Vivi hasn't told him.

Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart and Jandy Nelson, When We Collided is a powerful story of two teens whose love is put to the test by forces beyond their control. (Goodreads)

WHOOOOOOO!!
We have a cover for Emery Lord's new book!! Isn't it great??
I imagine that we are going to be seeing this book on a lot of people's WOW posts today!!
I loved Open Road Summer and The Start of Me and You SO MUCH.
I can't wait to get my hands on this book.
I imagine it's going to be just as awesome the rest of them!

Be sure to stop by Emery's blog and check out her post for When We Collided!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

Review: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

The Start of Me and You
by Emery Lord
Website | Twitter | Tumblr

Publication Date: March 31st 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 384
ISBN: 9781619633599
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | Realistic Fiction
Source: Publisher

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Following her pitch-perfect debut Open Road Summer, Emery Lord pens another gorgeous story of best friends, new love, & second chances.

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamics The Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances.

It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live? (Goodreads)

The Start of Me and You is one of the top books on my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2015. I really enjoyed reading Open Road Summer last year, and I was super excited to see what Ms. Lord was going to come up with next. Having read the book I can honestly say, she blew me away with this novel. It was so far beyond good. If you see me give a 5 star review, please know that means I really, really loved a book. (I’m kind of stingy with my stars.) This book was definitely worth all 5 stars that I gave it, and if possible, I would give it even more.

When we first meet Paige in the novel, she seems a bit lost. After the death of her boyfriend, she closed in on herself. But it’s been a year and she’s finally ready to get back to her life, so she comes up with a plan to recreate herself, which includes getting her old crush, Ryan Chase to finally notice her, and to join a club to get herself out there more. But then Max walks into her life, and changes all her plans forever.

I found Paige to be a very relatable main character, especially her need to have *introvert time*, where you just have to step away from the crowd for a moment and take a breath. I could totally understand the overwhelming feelings considering everything that she went through, and this made me appreciate her journey to recreate herself even more. Luckily Paige had a great support system in her three awesome friends, especially in Tess, her best friend. These girls shared an amazing friendship, one of those rare, special bonds that I am always envious of. I loved Paige, she was such a great character, and I loved how well I connected with her.

There are just SO many secondary characters in the story that you are going to love. As I already mentioned above, Paige has some really great friends, especially Tess. Tess is one of those friends that every girl dreams of having. She was so awesome. There’s also Paige’s crush, Ryan, who was pretty great throughout the whole story. And then there is Ryan’s cousin, Max, who you are going to fall head over heels in love with because he’s so close to perfection, it’s insane. Paige and all of these characters have an amazing chemistry and friendships and they really make this novel even more amazing.

While there is a bit of romance in the book, it’s definitely not insta-love, and it doesn’t overpower the story at all. The relationship was sweet and adorable; one that grew over time, especially with one of the characters being oblivious for the most part. But I adored it. The storyline for the book was cute, but it also dealt with some difficult issues as well.  I loved the setting of the book as well; a lot of the story took place in a book store/ coffee shop, and I enjoyed reading about it so much, I found myself wanting to visit so that I could stroll through the aisle while I enjoy a drink.

Overall; The Start of Me and You is a wonderful novel filled with really great characters, wonderful relationships, and a lovely story. This book gave me all the feels; I laughed, I giggled, I cried, I wanted to climb into the book and live with these characters. It was such a great read. If you’re a fan of Emery Lord already, you’ll definitely love this new novel. If you’ve not yet read something by her, I highly recommend that you do so. Her books are so great.


My Instagram Journey with *The Start of Me and You*!!

ARC Giveaway *The Start of Me and You* by Emery Lord!!

Hey Bookworms!!

In celebration of the upcoming release of *The Start of Me and You* on March 31st,
I am giving away this lovely advance reader copy to one lucky winner!!
(Starbucks not included. lol!)

If you haven't yet read something by Emery Lord just yet,
trust me, you will want to.
I thought her previous book, *Open Road Summer* was amazing,
and *The Start of Me and You* is even better!!
You are definitely going to want this book.

Now on to the giveaway...


The Rules:

• One (1) winner will an ARC of The Start of Me and You.
• Open to US / CA Addresses Only.
• Giveaway ends March 23rd.
• Winner will be contacted via email.
  If you do not respond within 24 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
• By entering this Giveaway, you are agreeing to the terms listed above.
  
  There are lots of options to enter, so follow, tweet and like!!

Good luck, Bookworms!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday #158 - The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

The Start of Me and You
by Emery Lord
Website | Twitter | Tumblr

Publication Date: March 31st 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 9781619633599



Available for Pre-Order: Amazon

Following her pitch-perfect debut Open Road Summer, Emery Lord pens another gorgeous story of best friends, new love, & second chances.

It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for a year, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamics The Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances. (Goodreads)

Must. Have. This. BOOK!!
It seriously sounds amazing, and the cover is stunning.
I can't wait to read it!
If you haven't read Open Road Summer by this author,
You MUST do so now.
It's pretty great. :)

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

Review: Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Open Road Summer
by Emery Lord
Website | Twitter | Tumblr

Publication Date: April 15th 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780802736109
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Netgalley

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes. (Goodreads)

The first thing that attracted me to Open Road Summer was the gorgeously designed cover. Then I read the synopsis for the book, and I just knew that it was going to be a must read for me. After reading so many great reviews for the book, I couldn’t wait to get started on it. Let me tell you this, the book definitely does not disappoint!

The story revolves around Reagan, who sets out with her best friend on a summer music tour, in attempt to give up her rebellious ways and become a better person. Reagan has definitely not had the best childhood/young adulthood, and as a result she has been in some situations that she’s not exactly proud of. She jumps on the opportunity to go on the summer tour with Dee, what better way to leave the past behind and start over fresh. Reagan was a really great character. She was snarky and hilarious, and she did not let what happened in her past define her, and I found that to be very admirable. I found her to be a great young lady.

Reagan and Dee have been friends for FOREVER, and what a wonderful friendship they have. They have always been there for each other, through thick and thin, and nothing was going to change that. Even though Dee was a country music superstar, she was still really down to earth and just such a sweet person. I found her to be an extremely likeable character. Their friendship is the type that every girl dreams of.

Matt Finch is the love interest of Reagan’s in the story, and is also a singer on tour with Dee. I love that Matt makes Reagan want to be better; he brings out the best in her. Though their relationship did not get off to the best start, his charm finally wore her down and she saw the good in him as well. They were so insanely sweet together.

The storyline for the book was very cute, and makes for a really great summer read. The writing style flows gracefully, which also makes this a very quick read. I flew through the pages a lot faster than I expected to.

Overall, I really, really enjoyed reading this book! It definitely makes for not only a great summer read, but a great anytime read! I’m really looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Happy Reading!