It’s Not Summer Without You

February 19, 2019 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: It’s Not Summer Without You

Author: Jenny Han

Performer: Jessica Almasy

Length: 6 hr, 45 min

Series: Summer, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: 2011 by Recorded Books

Format: eAudiobook

Review: I was not quite as enamored with this book as I was with the first one, but it was still a great read. Han captures the feelings of grief, angst, heartbreak, regret, and guilt so so well. As with many trilogies, the second book hits the peak of conflict, so there really is no resolution at the end. I imagine the feelings of resolution will come in the third and final book, and I am really hoping that Belly chooses the brother that I feel is better suited for her.

I certainly experienced some feelings of frustration while reading this book. The characters are so young and impulsive that sometimes I just wanted to shake the selfishness right out of them. I think though that Han’s depiction of how the characters react to tragedy is realistic. It is hard to know exactly how you will cope with something until it happens to you, and sometimes in our hurt we push away the people that matter most and make rash decisions.

That said, I am really looking forward to the final book!

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

The Summer I Turned Pretty

February 12, 2019February 12, 2019 youwanttoreadthistrustme1 Comment

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Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty

Author: Jenny Han

Performer: Jessica Almasy

Length: 7 hr

Series: Summer, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: 2011 by Prince Frederick, MD : Recorded Books

Format: eAudiobook

Review: There is a lot of hype right now surrounding Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series due to the delightful Netflix movie adaptation that was released last year (if you haven’t seen it already, go watch it immediately!). I will probably get to that book series eventually, but her Summer trilogy has been on my “To Read” list for years, so I finally decided to check it out.

Jenny Han’s writing has a way of transporting me back in time. I literally felt 15 years old again as I was listening. The angst and anguish of first love and the end of childhood innocence was conveyed so incredibly well. It made me wish desperately that I had had a summer home in my youth. Seriously who doesn’t long for carefree days filled with waves and sun and ice cream! As someone who had many unrequited crushes in my youth, I could also completely sympathize with Belly’s longing to be noticed by the object of her affection.

Although this book is part of a trilogy, I almost wish it was a standalone. The ending of the book was very sweet, but I could sense that there was going to be a lot of heartache in the next book (which I of course checked out immediately upon finishing this one). Just like Belly, I did not want the summer to end!

They selected a great reader for this series. Her voice sounds age appropriate, and she infuses the story with a lot of emotion with the inflection and tone of her voice.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Historical · Romance · Young Adult

Lovely War

January 2, 2019 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: Lovely War

Author: Julie Berry

Page Count: 480

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: March 5, 2019 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Format: eBook

Review: In the past I have enjoyed both books relating to Greek mythology and World War I/II. Never before have a read a book that combines both themes. It is an interesting concept, and I gave the book an extra half star in my rating for originality.

There were parts of the story I really enjoyed, however, there were also parts that I felt fell short of my expectations. This story is meant to be a sweeping romance, intertwining three sets of lovers, but I did not feel swept away by any of the couples. It is a very sweet story, and I greatly enjoyed the historical aspects. The two mortal lovers are struggling through a very dark point in history, World War I. This is a less common setting than the more commonly discussed World War II.

Trench warfare is truly heinous, and I think the author did a good job of depicting how wretched and traumatizing fighting in this war was. I was less of a fan of the insta-love that sprang up between the two mortal couples. I know that war has a tendency to heighten emotion, but the complete and utter devotion that the couples felt towards each other upon meeting was a bit difficult for me to wrap my head around.

I was not at all a fan of how the author incorporated the mythological aspect of the Greek gods into the story. To be honest, it didn’t really seem as well constructed as the rest of the story, and it did not really add much to the plot other than an introduction of the mortal characters. I think the story would have read equally well if this portion of the story had been eliminated entirely.

In the end, I can safely say that I liked the story but did not love it.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Romance

Fumbled

November 27, 2018January 16, 2019 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: Fumbled

Author: Alexa Martin

Page Count: 320

Series: Playbook, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 23, 2019 by Berkley

Format: eBook

Review: This was one of those books that teetered between a 3 and 4 star rating for me. The story is very cute, and there were certain aspects that I thought were worthy of note, but there were also a few places it fell short for me.

The main character, Poppy, was great and I loved how down to earth she was. However, I personally did not think that there was enough build up leading to her rekindled romance with TK. He did not have to work very hard to be back in her life, and the attraction between them seemed mostly sexual. I would have loved to see them connect on a deeper level beyond their shared child. I did, however, really like that TK idolized her post-pregnancy body. This really spoke to me, because I have struggled with accepting the permanent changes in my body post-pregnancy, and it made me feel good to see stretch marks, saggy boobs, and a few extra pounds portrayed as desirable and beautiful.

I also don’t think that the author ever really provided an explanation as to how TK missed out on the news regarding Poppy’s pregnancy. It is implied that this was a machination of his meddling mother, but it was not explained how she got to his text messages before he did. And who was the girl that answered his phone? I suppose we may never know.

This is actually the second book in a series, and I like how the author incorporated characters and storylines from her first book into this one. From early on, it seemed pretty obvious that her next book will focus on a romance between two supporting characters, Maxwell and Brynn, and I think that will be fun.

It should also be noted that the author spent 8 years as an NFL wife, so I assume that her depiction of what life is like for the wives and girlfriends of players is pretty accurate.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Only a Breath Apart

November 20, 2018November 20, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: Only a Breath Apart

Author: Katie McGarry

Page Count: 368

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: January 22, 2019 by Tor Teen

Format: eBook

Review: This was a very sweet love story that tackled the very difficult topic of abuse. Both Scarlett and Jesse have been victimized by a parent, causing deep and lasting trauma.

At times this was a painful read, because it really shows how devastating and self-perpetuating the cycle of abuse can be. Sadly, it is not uncommon for a victim of abuse to blame themselves, and many are trapped in a toxic relationship because of fear, love, finances, and/or a misplaced belief that the abuser can change.

This story also demonstrates that there are different types of abuse, and that emotional/psychological abuse can be equally as damaging as physical abuse.

Scarlett and Jesse show that it is possible to heal, and that reaching out to people we trust can help us transcend a dangerous situation. There are many other important lessons to be found in this story and I think that makes it is a great reading recommendation for teens.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Fallen Heir

October 5, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Image result for fallen heir by erin watt

Title: Fallen Heir

Author: Erin Watt

Page Count: 300

Series: The Royals, Book 4

Publishing Date/Publisher: August 28, 2017 by Timeout LLC

Format: eBook

Review: It is hard for me to rate this book, because I LOVED the first three books in the Royals series, but not so much this one. This book focuses on a different Royal brother than the first three, and I was disappointed with how it turned out. Easton was perhaps my favorite of the Royal brothers, so I was very much enthused when I found out he would be getting his own book, but the writing of this particular book seemed to take a turn for the worst. Perhaps this is because the authors have published so many books in such a short amount of time, but this one felt kind of like an add-on, and it didn’t really add anything special to the series. The way it ended, I assume there will be a Book Five. I will probably read it, but I am far less excited for it than I was for this one.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Wild Crush

September 26, 2018September 26, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Image result for wild crush by simone elkeles

Title: Wild Crush

Author: Simone Elkeles

Page Count: 304

Series: Wild Cards, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: September 22, 2015 by NLA Digital LLC

Format: eBook

Review: This book is far from Elkeles best. It was a quick read, and it had it’s entertaining moments, but it was not delicious (which is the quality I’m looking for in a teen romance). If you are looking for a guilty pleasure read, her Perfect Chemistry trilogy is far better. I also enjoyed her Leaving Paradise duology. I don’t recommend diving into the realm of Elkeles with this book, because it might taint your opinion of her books in general. I say give the other books a try first and then circle back to this one if you feel like it.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fantasy · Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens

September 21, 2018October 9, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens

Editor: Marieke Nijkamp

Page Count: 320

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: September 18, 2018 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)

Format: eBook

Review: It can be very difficult to rate short story anthologies because the content is so varied; however, I think that 3 stars would be my average rating. As expected, some stories I enjoyed more than others, but overall I was impressed by the diversity of characters represented. There were LGBT characters, gender fluid characters, persons of color, persons of different religions, and of course, all characters had some sort of disability, whether it be physical, intellectual, or emotional. Some of the genres covered were horror, science fiction, fantasy, and romance.

There were a couple stories where it was not clear what disability the character had. The descriptions were very ambiguous, and if you did not know that this was part of an anthology featuring youth with disabilities, you would probably miss the fact that a disability was even involved. It would have been nice if the authors had covered what inspired the characters they created in their short bios at the end of the anthology.

Another thing that really stood out to me is that the title of the anthology does not adhere to person first language (i.e. Stories Starring Disabled Teens vs. Stories Starring Teens with Disabilities). Admittedly, I am very aware of this distinction due to a training I received at work, so perhaps it does not stand out to others the way it does to me.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Road to Somewhere

September 8, 2018September 8, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Image result for road to somewhere by kelley lynn

Title: Road to Somewhere

Author: Kelley Lynn & Jenny S. Morris

Page Count: Not Available

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: March 11, 2014 by Bloomsbury Spark

Format: eBook

Review: This book was the definition of O.K….certainly nothing to write home about. I did not feel any real attachment to the characters or romances. All in all, a truly forgettable read.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Leah on the Offbeat

September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Image result for leah on the offbeat

Title: Leah on the Offbeat

Author: Becky Albertalli

Performer: Shannon Purser

Length: 7 hr, 11 min, 21 sec

Series: Creekwood, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: 2018 by Harper Audio

Format: eAudiobook

Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, so I was thrilled when I found out the author was publishing a book highlighting another character introduced in the first of the Creekwood series.

Leah was a character I enjoyed very much in Simon’s book, and I was excited to get to know her better. Leah’s character is self-assured and opinionated, and she loves her appearance, despite the fact that her body type does not adhere to traditional standards of beauty. She is confident in just about every aspect of herself, except her sexuality and her art. Leah is a very talented artist, but she is reluctant to show her deeply personal work to the people in her life. Perhaps she is worried that it will be revealing of the secret she has been harboring from her friends…her bisexuality.

Based on the description above, I should love Leah, but once inside her head, I actually found her to be a bit obnoxious. To make matters worse, many situations in the book made me cringe, because Leah was outright rude or inconsiderate to the people around her. By the end of the book, I was not her biggest fan.

The romance between Leah and another character was also very problematic. Her love interest came off extremely flat and the chemistry just wasn’t there. The story also does not address any blowback that would have undoubtedly occurred if the romance progressed the way it did in the book. It was extremely unrealistic and disappointing when the author jumped over any inevitable falling out and just included a “happy ending” epilogue to gloss it all over.

Despite my disdain for this book, the performer did a great job with her narration. I would give her a higher star rating than the book itself if I could.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: