Review: The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine

The Secrets of Attraction
by Robin Constantine
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Publication Date: April 28th 2015
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780062279514
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss

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Set in the same world as The Promise of Amazing, this smart, surprising, and (of course) romantic follow-up to Robin Constantine’s debut novel follows two New Jersey teens as they become friends and fall in love.

Madison Parker is on fast-forward. Working toward a scholarship for a summer art program, she already has her future figured out. But when a visit from a family friend turns her life upside down, everything she thought she knew becomes blurred. All she wants is to stand still for a moment.

Jesse McMann is stuck on repeat. Reeling from a breakup that shattered his heart and his band, Jesse divides his time between working as a barista and trying to find the inspiration to write music again. All he wants to do is move forward.

The night Maddie strolls into Jesse’s coffee shop after yoga class, the last thing on his mind is hooking up, but her smile and witty comebacks are hard to ignore. The spark between them is undeniable, but once-a-week flirting is hardly the stuff of epic romance.

Kismet arrives in the unlikely form of Grayson Barrett. When Jesse discovers that Gray’s girlfriend is also Maddie’s best friend, he invites Gray to join his band as their new drummer, hoping this connection will give him more time around Maddie. Slowly but surely, Jesse and Maddie forge a friendship, but do they have what it takes to make their relationship truly sync? (Goodreads)

The Secrets of Attraction is the first book I’ve read by Robin Constantine. I was originally drawn to this book by its gorgeous cover, but I’m pleased to say that the story is wonderful as well! I’m a sucker for a good contemporary, and this book definitely delivered.

The thing I didn’t realize before starting The Secrets of Attraction was that the book is a companion novel to The Promise of Amazing. I wish I had known this before starting the book, as I always like to read books in order. I was still able to read the book just fine by itself, but I do, however, want to get my hands on The Promise of Amazing as soon as I possibly can, because I LOVED The Secrets of Attraction!!

The two main characters in the story were Jesse and Madison. I loved these two characters SO much. They were so wonderfully perfect for each other, even if it took them a while to finally figure it out. Each of them had issues in their lives, but when they were together, it was perfection. Their relationship was so very sweet; I couldn’t get enough of it.

I love that the chapters were told from alternate viewpoints between Madison and Jesse. I really love when authors do this, as I feel like I get so much more information from the different viewpoints and it’s nice to know how each characters is feeling about certain situations.

The secondary characters in the novel were really fantastic; both of the main characters had really great friends. Especially Wren and Greyson, who I see were the main characters in The Promise of Amazing. I am definitely going to have to go back and read their story, because if it was half as good as The Secrets of Attraction, I know I am going to love it. Also, the parents in the book were wonderful as well; I really appreciate a book where there are good parents.

The storyline for the book was super sweet, and had everything I always look for in a contemporary novel. This book makes me want to take up yoga, and start hanging out in coffee shops as well.

Overall; The Secrets of Attraction is the first book I’ve read by Robin Constantine, but it definitely won’t be my last!! This book made me laugh and giggle, and even swoon more than a few times. I loved it. I absolutely can’t wait to get my hands on more books by this author!!

Waiting on Wednesday #196 - Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

Tonight the streets Are Ours
by Leila Sales
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Publication Date: September 15th 2015
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ISBN: 9780374376659



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From the author of This Song Will Save Your Life comes a funny and relatable book about the hazards of falling for a person you haven't met yet.

Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her—including her needy best friend and her absent mom.

Arden finds comfort in a blog she stumbles upon called "Tonight the Streets Are Ours," the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter. When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a road trip to see him.

During one crazy night out in NYC filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was, either. (Goodreads)

I really, really enjoyed This Song Will Save Your Life by Sales,

so I'm super excited to see what she's come up with in this new book!

It souds like it's going to be one crazy night for Arden,

and I can't wait to go on the adventure with her!!

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

Review: Finding Paris by Joy Preble

Finding Paris
by Joy Preble
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Publication Date: April 21st 2015
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Pages: 272
ISBN: 9780062321305
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss

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An evocative and compelling story of two sisters who would do anything for each other--perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why and Speak. Joy Preble's stirring new novel explores the lengths to which sisters go to protect each other, and the winding road that brings two strangers into each other's lives.

Sisters Leo and Paris Hollings have only ever had each other to rely on. They can't trust their mother, who hops from city to city and from guy to guy, or their gambler stepfather, who's moved them all to Las Vegas. It's just the two of them: Paris, who's always been the dreamer, and Leo, who has a real future in mind--going to Stanford, becoming a doctor, falling in love. But Leo isn't going anywhere right now, except driving around Vegas all night with her sister.

Until Paris ditches Leo at the Heartbreak Hotel Diner, where moments before they had been talking with physics student Max Sullivan. Outside, Leo finds a cryptic note from Paris--a clue. Is it some kind of game? Where is Paris, and why has she disappeared? When Leo reluctantly accepts Max's offer of help, the two find themselves following a string of clues through Vegas and beyond. But the search for the truth is not a straight line. And neither is the path to secrets Leo and Max hold inside. (Goodreads)

The first thing that drew me to Finding Paris by Joy Preble was the gorgeous cover. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a sucker for a beautiful cover. I’ve had some of Joy’s other books on my to-read list for a while now, and I was curious to finally read something by her.

I love the relationship between the main character, Leo, and her sister Paris. They have a very special bond that not a lot of people have. Their mom is a bit of a disaster, who only seems to care about her new husband, who is a total flake. But Leo and Paris have each other, and really, that’s all they seem to need. Leo was definitely a strong character, even though she hid the worst of herself; she was still strong and determined to find where her sister had disappeared to. I wish Paris had been in the story a bit more, she was a really interesting character.

The leading male in the story, Max, for the most part, was pretty adorable. There were a few times in the book where he had me scratching my head, wondering what he was doing, but I can see now why he acted the way he did. Also, I love that he was kind of a nerd.

I love that the setting for the book is in Vegas. It doesn’t seem like I’ve read a lot of books where this is the setting, but I find the place fascinating, and hope to visit one day. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun.

While I enjoyed the story for the most part, I had a few issues as well. I kind of feel that the road trip that Paris sent Leo and Max on was a completely unnecessary; I can see why she did it, but I think the book could have been just as good without it. In the end, I ended up just being confused by what Paris was trying to accomplish with it, and with the scavenger hunt as well, especially sending her sister on a wild goose chase with a complete stranger. Also, the storyline for the book started out one way, and I thought I would be reading just another fun contemporary, but there is a twist at the end of the novel, one that I pretty much saw coming, and the story took on a different edge to it. I was a little thrown by this.

Overall; while I had a few issues with the book, I found still found the book to be a very interesting read. I flew through the pages to see what was going to happen next. The characters and the relationship between the sisters really made the book something special. I’m really looking forward to reading more by Preble in the future.

Review: 99 Days by Katie Cotugno

99 Days
by Katie Cotugno
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Publication Date: April 21st 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780062216380
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss

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Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me. (Goodreads)

99 Days is a book about facing your mistakes, and learning to start over. When Molly’s mom turns her biggest mistake into a best-selling novel, Molly’s first instinct is to run. After being away at boarding school for the past year, it’s time for her to return to her small town for the summer, to face the past she left behind, and the biggest mistake she ever made. 

It’s not often that I read a book where I felt both sympathy and insane frustration for a main character. That’s exactly how I felt about Molly while I was reading this book. There were SO many decisions that she made throughout the story that made me shake my head, or really, made me want to shake some sense into her. But then, in a way, I kind of get why she did the things that she did. Not that I agree with them at all, but I get it. Otherwise, I love how strong her character seemed to be. While all that was going on around her, when everyone blamed only her for what happened, she stayed headstrong, and didn’t let anyone bring her down. I always find that admirable.

All of the characters in the book are very well written. No one is perfect in this story; a few of them are super far from it, but they are all interesting nonetheless. I think Gabe was my favorite character in the whole book, and even he had many flaws. There are also characters in the book that you are REALLY going to hate, or at least I did. I didn’t appreciate at all how some of the girls treated Molly. Yes, she made a few bad choices in the book, but I don’t see how that was any of their business at all, and it made me SO angry how they treated her.

I’m not a huge fan of drama, but in this book, it was addictive! And it wasn’t just the drama, this whole book was addictive. Even while was reading it and thing how completely wrong so many things were as I turned the pages, I still couldn’t stop reading the book. It was this really weird type of intense, one that was, at times, uncomfortable.  And I just HAD to know how it was all going to end. Also, I really enjoyed the writing style for the book, and that each chapter was written for the specific day in Molly’s life. I really enjoyed the ending of the book as well.

Overall; while this book made me super uncomfortable in parts, I still really enjoyed reading it. I liked that the book was different than what I expected, that the characters and decisions made were so imperfect, and that the storyline was so realistic. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Katie Cotugno soon.

Review: School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins

School Spirits
(School Spirits #1)
by Rachel Hawkins
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Publication Date: May 14th 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 297
ISBN: 9781423148494
Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal
Source: Library

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Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt?

Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as the New York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance! (Goodreads)

School Spirits is a spin-off novel from Rachel Hawkins’ Hex Hall series. I adored the Hex Hall series, and I was super excited to finally start School Spirits. I’ve had the book on my to-read list for quite some time, but I never had a chance to check it out. Then I discovered that my library had the audiobook for it, and I decided to give it a listen. I enjoyed it so much!

The characters in the story are great.  Izzy is related to Sophie from the Hex Hall series, and she was such a great character. She was determined and headstrong, and also very mature for her age. It was fun seeing her first real experience at high school, after being homeschooled all her life. Seeing the world that we saw in Hex Hall through Izzy’s eyes was definitely interesting, and I enjoyed the different point of view.

The secondary characters are awesome as well. I really love Izzy’s mom, and also the new friends that she meets at her new school. They were all very interesting. But the most interesting is Torin, the warlock who was stuck in the mirror. I absolutely fascinated with Torin, and I’m dying to know more of his story!

There was not as much magic and monsters in this book as there were in the Hex Hall series, but there was enough to keep me entertained. They storyline mainly revolved around one particular witch, which was awesome, as they are some of my most favorite paranormals to read about.

Overall; I really enjoyed this spinoff novel! I am super curious to see if there’s going to be a sequel, as the end of the book was left to where there definitely could be one. I’d love to read it if there is!

Review & Blog Tour: The Truth Commission by Susan Juby

The Truth Commission
by Susan Juby
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Publication Date: April 14th 2015
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780451468772
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Publisher

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Open secrets are the heart of gossip -- the obvious things that no one is brave or tactless enough to ask. Except for Normandy Pale and her friends. They are juniors at a high school for artistsl, and have no fear. They are the Truth Commission. Then, one of their truth targets says to Normandy: “If you want to know about the truth, you might want to look a little closer to home.”  This dryly funny, knife-sharp novel, written as "narrative nonfiction" by Normandy herself, features footnotes, illustrations and a combination mystery/love story that will capture readers from the frst page. (Goodreads)

When The Truth Commission first crossed my path, I was definitely intrigued. The synopsis for the book sounded really refreshing and unique, and I was really curious to check the book out.

The story is about a girl named Normandy, and her two best friends Dusk and Neil. Together, these three friends form a group called The Truth Commission. Why? Because they believe it is their destiny to bring some much-needed truth into a world that is full of lies. But does the truth come at a price??

The main characters in the novel were all very interesting and likable. Normandy was definitely the most relatable character in the story for me. While she wanted to go along with her friends to find out the truth, it didn’t always make her feel great to actually know the truth. Dusk and Neil were the exact opposite; they didn’t mind knowing the truth at all. I loved how they were all such really great friends; you could tell that they really cared about each other. There are some other really cool secondary characters in the book as well that I enjoyed reading about.

The writing style for the book was very intriguing. I can’t say that I’ve read any other books that have been written as narrative nonfiction, so that was definitely different for me. But it didn’t take me long to catch on to the writing style, and I really felt like so much more information was included this way. I ended up reading the story just like I would any other novel.

My only complaint about the book is about Normandy’s family. I so wish she had a better home life, but it almost seemed as though her parents didn’t really care about her and were not supportive of her at times, and would let the sister get away with whatever she wanted, just for the sake of her artistic talents. I especially disliked her sister; I absolutely could not stand her at all. This family just didn’t seem right to me.

Overall; I found The Truth Commission to be an interesting read. I enjoyed the writing style for the book, and the main characters were a lot of fun. While I did have a few issues with the book, I still found it to be an entertaining read.

____________________________________________

Interview with Susan Juby:

Q. What inspired you to write The Truth Commission? How did you decide to write the book as narrative nonfiction?

A. I teach a course in narrative nonfiction and I’ve written a memoir. I thought it would be fun to create a novel written as though it was a piece of narrative nonfiction. In a sense, all first person narratives pretend they are creative nonfiction! The other thing that happened is that I was working on an adult crime novel and when I was about 200 pages into it I realized that I was using the story of someone close to me. I hadn’t even considered where the story was coming from. It was totally inappropriate and so I wondered what it would be like to live in the same family as someone who used all your stories no matter how you felt about it.

Q. Have you written other books in this style, or do you plan to in the future?

A.  I’ve written a memoir, which is a type of narrative nonfiction. I don’t think I’ll write any more novels structured this way, much as I loved the experience of writing this one.

Q. Will there be a sequel or companion novel for The Truth Commission?

A.  Right now I’m at work on a novel set at, or at least near, Green Pastures Academy of Art and Applied Design. An art school like that would be fertile ground for many types of stories!

Q. Was there any particular inspiration for your main character, Normandy?

A. No one person inspired Normandy. Like all of my characters she has to deal with things I have trouble with. I don’t like conflict or confrontation and neither does she. But I make her face the truths she’s been avoiding far more quickly than I’ve had to do. I think we all have things in our lives, qualities, people, situations, that don’t serve us. It’s hard to admit that!

Q. Are there any similarities between you and Normandy?

A. She loves odd people and strange hobbies. So do I. That said, I wish I was as gifted as Normandy in the needle arts!

Q. What influenced you to become a writer?

A. I love books. Always have. I wrote my first novel when I was in second grade. It’s as simple as that.

Q. What is the most challenging part of writing?

A. Not giving up when I get stuck. There are lots of ways to get stuck. Sometimes I don’t know what’s going to happen next, or my characters get boring, or my arm hurts or I worry that a story is not good. Novelists have to keep writing until things improve. It can be hard but experience helps.

Q. Do you have any upcoming projects that we can look forward to?

A. Look for a new novel in fall 2016!

Q. What book(s) are you currently reading??

A. I’m reading a book called The Culture of Fashion by Christopher Breward. It’s for research.

____________________________________________

About The Author:

Susan Juby is the bestselling author of the internationally popular Alice MacLeod books, which were made into a television series, and the critically acclaimed novels Getting the Girl and Another Kind of Cowboy. Her work has won the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize, been selected as a Children’s Book Sense Pick, a Kirkus Editor’s Choice, and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and been shortlisted for the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, an Edgar Award, an Arthur Ellis Award, and the Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award. Susan lives in Nanaimo, B.C., Canada, the setting for many of her books—including this one. Visit her online at www.susanjuby.com, follow her on Twitter @thejuby, or check out her hilarious video series, “The Writer’s Life,” on YouTube.

____________________________________________

PRAISE FOR THE TRUTH COMMISSION:

«”Juby’s bright dialogue and vivid, appealing characters draw readers along.”–The Horn Book, starred review

« "A surprising, witty, and compulsive read.” – SLJ, starred review

« “This is a sharp-edged portrait…with some thought-provoking ideas about what is real.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review


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Review: All The Rage by Courtney Summers

All The Rage
by Courtney Summers
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Publication Date: April 14th 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 321
ISBN: 9781250021915
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | Realistic Fiction
Source: Netgalley

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The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive? (Goodreads)

I was really looking forward to reading All The Rage by Courtney Summers. I read This Is Not A Test last year, and really enjoyed how unique the storyline was. I couldn’t wait to see what Summers’ had come up with in her newest book.

To be honest, All the Rage was a really hard book to read. The storyline for the book involves rape and abuse, and it completely blew me away. Actually, it made me angry. SO SUPER ANGRY. I was so angry for everything that this poor girl went through, not only at the hands of her rapist, but also by all those around her who made her life completely miserable. The world in which she lived was cruel, probably one of the cruelest stories that I’ve read about so far. And it was so very realistic as well; it makes me sick to know that stuff that happened in the book happens in real life all the time, and nothing is ever done about it. That makes me so incredibly angry, and so very sad.

I felt so insanely sad for Romy throughout the whole book, but I do have to admit, she handled everything that she went through so much better than I imagine most people would have. She was so strong and determined just to do what she had to do to get by. I kept waiting and waiting for her to talk to someone about what she was going through, her mom, someone, anyone. It’s so not healthy to hold things inside. While she had absolutely no friends or teachers to support her at school, she did have people that cared about her at home and at her work, and I was wishing that she would confide in someone. But she was surviving the best she could, and you can’t blame her for that.

I am really happy to say that Romy’s mom was a great mother. While her father wasn’t exactly in the picture, her mother was there, and she was very well written. As a mom to two teenage girls, this is something I always appreciate when I read books. I do, however, wish that the mom would have pushed a little more with Romy, to get her to talk, to find out exactly what was going on at the school. Sometimes giving space is a good thing, and sometimes it can cause you to completely miss what’s going on in life.

There are SO many people in this book that I wanted to rage at. I have read books where people were against the main character, but never a book like this. Never one where it seemed that almost everyone was against one person. They didn’t care, and you could read it plain as day.

The storyline for the book deals with so many sensitive topics, and it does it in a way that will make you hurt. But I am SO glad to see books like this coming out. The story was so realistic, and again, it makes me so sad to know that something like really happens.

Overall; while All The Rage was a really hard book to read, I’m glad I read it. It’s definitely an eye opener, and it will make people stop and think. I really hope that the young adults that read this book will take away a strong message; that they are not alone, that there are people out there to help, that they don’t have to suffer in silence. Read this book, and take away from it a message of hope.

Waiting on Wednesday #195 - Soundless by Richelle Mead

Soundless
by Richelle Mead
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Publication Date: November 10th 2015
Publisher: Razorbill
ISBN: 9781595147639



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From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore.

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever... (Goodreads)

  I'll admit,
I'm pretty freaking intrigued about this book!!
It's Richelle Mead, y'all... And Chinese folklore..
This is definitely going to be awesome.
I'm so super excited 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: Sisters of Blood and Spirit by Kady Cross

Sisters of Blood and Spirit
by Kady Cross
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Publication Date: March 31st 2015
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 288
ISBN: 9780373211487
Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal | Ghosts
Source: Netgalley

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Wren Noble is dead—she was born that way. Vibrant, unlike other dead things, she craves those rare moments when her twin sister allows her to step inside her body and experience the world of the living.

Lark Noble is alive but often feels she belongs in the muted Shadow Lands—the realm of the dead. Known as the crazy girl who talks to her dead sister, she doesn't exactly fit in with the living, though a recent suicide attempt and time in a psych ward have proved to her she's not ready to join her sister in the afterlife.

Now the guy who saved Lark's life needs her to repay the favor. He and his friends have been marked for death by the malevolent spirit of a vicious and long-dead serial killer, and the twins—who should know better than to mess with the dead—may be their only hope of staying alive. (Goodreads)

I absolutely could not wait to get my hands on Sisters of Blood and Spirit. I absolutely loved Kady Cross ever since I read the Steampunk Chronicles series, so I was curious to see what she would come up with in this ghost story.  I definitely was not disappointed.

Lark Noble is the girl that everyone thinks is crazy. Why? Because she can talk to the dead, mostly with her sister Wren, who was stillborn at birth, but who still hangs around to experience as much of the living world at Lark’s side as she possibly can. Lark tries to keep her head down and keep to herself so that she gives people no reason to think she is crazy. But all that changes when a group of kids need her help, especially when they convince her that she’s the only one that can help them.

Lark was a really awesome main character, but she’s one that grows on you over time. She’s been through so much in her short lifetime, and has learned the hard way how to be strong. I love how much she loves her sister, and wants to do the right thing by helping her new friends, even when she’s terrified of what could happen. She’s so determined, and I love that about her.

Wren was an awesome sister to Lark, and her being a ghost just makes her even more awesome. I love that even though she’s a ghost, she’s still just a part of the gang. The other kids go out of their way to include her, even though they can’t all see her. There are a lot of secondary characters in the book that you will really love, as well as a few you’re not going to love so much. But they are all well written.

There is a bit of romance in the book as well, and it was sweet and it definitely doesn’t overpower the book at all. I’m super curious to see where it’s going to go in the next book, and which characters are going to get together with whom.

I’ve recently become a pretty big fan of ghost stories, and I love the ones that keep me on my toes. That is exactly what happened with this book. Some parts were intense, and really kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen. There were also a few cringe-worthy moments in the book as well. I loved it. The end of the book came together very nicely, and left with me enough questions that I’m anxious to get my hands on the next book to get answers. I can’t wait to get the next book to see what comes next for Lark and her gang.

Overall; I really enjoyed reading this book. I love a good ghost story, and that’s definitely what I got with Sisters of Blood and Spirit. I am really excited for the next book in the series, as I have SO many questions that I need answers to, and I’m curious to see where the romance goes in the book. Check it out!

Review: The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things by Ann Aguirre

The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things
by Ann Aguirre
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Publication Date: April 7th 2015
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 328
ISBN: 9781250047502
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | Realistic Fiction
Source: ARC

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Sage Czinski is trying really hard to be perfect. If she manages it, people won’t peer beyond the surface, or ask hard questions about her past. She’s learned to substitute causes for relationships, and it’s working just fine… until Shane Cavendish strolls into her math class. He’s a little antisocial, a lot beautiful, and everything she never knew she always wanted.

Shane Cavendish just wants to be left alone to play guitar and work on his music. He’s got heartbreak and loneliness in his rearview mirror, and this new school represents his last chance. He doesn’t expect to be happy; he only wants to graduate and move on. He never counted on a girl like Sage.

But love doesn’t mend all broken things, and sometimes life has to fall apart before it can be put back together again… (Goodreads)

I was definitely intrigued when I received a copy of The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things by Ann Aguirre. I had read Aguirre’s Mortal Danger last year, which was a really interesting read, so I was pretty excited to see what she could do with a contemporary novel. Contemporaries are my favorite at the moment, and it’s always exciting to see what an author is going to come up with, and I was definitely not disappointed by the book. I really wish I would have picked it up sooner!

Sage Czinski is the Queen of Bright and Shiny Things. Every day she leaves a kind word on a post it note on the locker of someone who needs a little morale boost. Why, you ask? Because if she’s nice to people, but doesn’t get too close, then no one will find out about her past. The past that was a horrible experience and still gives her nightmares. And Sage has built a new life and reputation by doing this, even though no one really understands, that is until Shane Cavendish walks into her life and turns everything upside down.

One of the things I love most when reading a book is when I find myself really connecting with the main character. I found Sage to be very relatable. I love that she was so eco-conscious, and wanted to do good things for the earth. (I do my best to do this as well!) And I absolutely love that she leaves notes on the lockers of people who need a kind word. In high school, this could really mean so much to someone. If there were more people like Sage in real life, I imagine life could be easier for so many people. I really loved this character.

The romance in the book between Sage and Shane was super sweet. It was not a case of insta-love, but instead was a relationship that grew over time and built into something really special. And I loved seeing it this way, because Sage and Shane were so perfect for each other; they had really great chemistry together, and had such similar pasts. They were a really cute couple.

This book was a super cute read, but while it had it’s cute moments, it touches on some pretty serious issues as well, such as bullying and abuse. Having these issues in the book didn’t weigh the book down at all, however. The issues made me sad and super angry at times, but they didn’t really overpower the story to the point where it would become depressing. And the book wrapped up very nicely with a happy ending and only left me with a few lingering questions.

Overall; if you’re a fan of contemporary novels, you’ll really enjoy reading The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things. I really enjoyed the book, and I’m looking forward to reading more contemporaries from Ms. Aguirre in the future!