Despite hearing absolutely nothing but good things for Emery Lord's debut,
Open Road Summer, I have yet to read it. Sometimes I shy away from books that get a lot of love (I'm adversarial that way). Regardless, I was thrilled to snag an early copy of
The Start of Me and You and dived into it a bit early when I found myself in the mood for a sweet romance. Thankfully, it delivered. While the book isn't only a romance, its tone and story was exactly what I needed in those last stressful days before the start of spring break when my students (and I) were feeling so restless.
Paige Hancock has spent the last year trying to get over the shocking drowning death of her boyfriend a year before. She has decided that things need to change at the start of her junior year and she makes herself a list of the things she wants to do to live the life she wants: date Ryan Chase, her longtime crush; start going to parties/social events; join a group of some sort; travel; and swim. Since Aaron's death, she has been terrified of getting in the water and even dreams of drowning herself.
Paige is in a tight group with three other girls, and before she knows it, her group of friends has befriended Ryan and his cousin Max. Max is a somewhat nerdy boy who used to go to school with all of them, but has spent the past couple of years at a private school. He and Ryan are incredibly close, though, so he has decided to come back to public school after Ryan recently went through a break-up with his long-term girlfriend. Paige is surprised how easy she finds it to talk to Max and finds herself agreeing to join the Quiz Bowl team that he belongs to. She is also surprised how easy she finds it to be friends with Ryan after crushing on him for so long.
Paige's family is going through a lot, too. After a nasty divorce, Paige's parents have started dating each other. Paige knows she should be happy for them, but she just cannot get over how bad it was when their relationship fell about the first time. In addition, Paige's grandmother, who she is extremely close to, is battling alzheimers disease.
I loved
The Start of Me and You. I loved her group of friends (although I have to admit that I had a really hard time keeping the other three girls straight). I loved Max and Ryan and Max and Ryan together. I loved how realistic the story was, Paige was, her parents were, etc. I loved the writing--especially the different things the author had to say about friendship. I'm not even going to ramble on anymore.
The Start of Me and You was adorable without being cutesy which tends to be my favorite type of story. Read it. (And yes, I will be reading
Open Road Summer). Now here are some of my favorite quotes (taking from the ARC, so quotes may change):
When it all closes in, there are only two kinds of people: best friends and everyone else.
In history class yesterday, she raised her hand to politely suggest that the teacher was slut-shaming Anne Boleyn.
Definitely Recommend.
*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.*
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
TTT: Books Recently Added to My TBR
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme/original feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Click the link to go to their site to see the original list for today plus links to a whole slew of other blogs. After you read mine, of course.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Game of Thrones meets Ocean's Eleven. Game of Thrones meets Ocean's Eleven.
Comparisons to True Grit and vengeance on a biker gang? So much yes.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
The Start of Me and You (Early Book Review)
The Start of Me and You
Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamicsThe 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?
Paige Hancock has spent the last year trying to get over the shocking drowning death of her boyfriend a year before. She has decided that things need to change at the start of her junior year and she makes herself a list of the things she wants to do to live the life she wants: date Ryan Chase, her longtime crush; start going to parties/social events; join a group of some sort; travel; and swim. Since Aaron's death, she has been terrified of getting in the water and even dreams of drowning herself.
Paige is in a tight group with three other girls, and before she knows it, her group of friends has befriended Ryan and his cousin Max. Max is a somewhat nerdy boy who used to go to school with all of them, but has spent the past couple of years at a private school. He and Ryan are incredibly close, though, so he has decided to come back to public school after Ryan recently went through a break-up with his long-term girlfriend. Paige is surprised how easy she finds it to talk to Max and finds herself agreeing to join the Quiz Bowl team that he belongs to. She is also surprised how easy she finds it to be friends with Ryan after crushing on him for so long.
Paige's family is going through a lot, too. After a nasty divorce, Paige's parents have started dating each other. Paige knows she should be happy for them, but she just cannot get over how bad it was when their relationship fell about the first time. In addition, Paige's grandmother, who she is extremely close to, is battling alzheimers disease.
I loved The Start of Me and You. I loved her group of friends (although I have to admit that I had a really hard time keeping the other three girls straight). I loved Max and Ryan and Max and Ryan together. I loved how realistic the story was, Paige was, her parents were, etc. I loved the writing--especially the different things the author had to say about friendship. I'm not even going to ramble on anymore. The Start of Me and You was adorable without being cutesy which tends to be my favorite type of story. Read it. (And yes, I will be reading Open Road Summer). Now here are some of my favorite quotes (taking from the ARC, so quotes may change):
Definitely Recommend.
*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.*
Friday, March 27, 2015
Weekly Rewind 3.28.15
Weekly Rewind
The new books on my shelves and my week in a nutshell.
Since I started this blog I've participated in Stacking the Shelves, which is a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and I'm going to continue linking to that meme. Throughout my student teaching semester I was using my weekend post as a way to let people know what's going on in my life, so I've decided to rename my weekend post because this feature is more personal than just what books I've received. The Weekly Rewind will be about what's going on with me and my blog, as well as about the books I've added to my shelves.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Waiting on Wednesday (93) Instructions for the End of the World
Author: Jamie Kain
Publisher: St. Martin's Guide
Release Date: December 8, 2015
From the author of The Good Sister comes a gripping novel about two sisters who learn that there are things in life—love, loss, and self-discovery—that you simply can't prepare for.
He prepared their family for every natural disaster known to man—except for the one that struck.
When Nicole Reed’s father forces her family to move to a remote area of the Sierra Foothills, one without any modern conveniences, it's too much too handle for her mother, who abandons them in the middle of the night. Heading out to track her down, Nicole’s father leaves her in charge of taking care of the house and her younger sister, Izzy. For a while, Nicole is doing just fine running things on her own. But then the food begins to run out, the pipes crack, and forest fires start slowly inching their way closer every day. Wolf, a handsome boy from the neighboring community, offers to help her when she needs it most, but when she starts to develop feelings for him, feelings she knows she will never be allowed to act on once her father returns, she must make a decision. With her family falling apart, will she choose to continue preparing for tomorrow’s disasters, or will she take a chance and really start living for today?
Instructions for the End of the World is a gripping, young adult novel that explores family, friendship, and love in the midst of the most difficult and dangerous circumstances.
Why I'm excited:
Growing up in Wyoming I have a few survival skills under my belt--I can build a fire and can fish, for example, but I don't know how long I would last in the woods on my own. If I was with my husband, I would be fine--he would probably love it--but on my own, it would be a rough go. This book sounds different from anything else I've read, and I'm definitely curious about it. I like the simplistic cover, too. Keeping my eye out for this one.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Weekly Rewind 3.21.15
Weekly Rewind
The new books on my shelves and my week in a nutshell.
Since I started this blog I've participated in Stacking the Shelves, which is a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and I'm going to continue linking to that meme. Throughout my student teaching semester I was using my weekend post as a way to let people know what's going on in my life, so I've decided to rename my weekend post because this feature is more personal than just what books I've received. The Weekly Rewind will be about what's going on with me and my blog, as well as about the books I've added to my shelves.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Why, Publishers, why?! (Episode 8)
My biggest pet peeve is when beautiful HBs turn into lackluster PBs. I completely understand that publishers may choose to change the cover due to various reasons, low sales especially, but the thing for me is: I don't buy new hardcover books. Ever. I can't afford them and I just simply prefer soft covers. Trade PB has always been my preferred format. So when I'm salivating over a HB cover only to have it change before it comes out in PB, it makes me CRAZY. Publishers would probably make MORE money on PB sales if they kept the amazing HB covers!
That's why I call this post:
Today's pick: Broken Hearts,Fences, and Other Things to Mend
WTF is this!?! I can't. I can't even. This is the most inexplicable cover change I have ever seen in my life. LOOK at the HB cover. It is flawless. FLAWLESS!! The cutesy clouds, the hat, the colors, the typography. Everything about it is magical. WTF is this PB?! I just. What is this? It's like the publisher asked, how can we make the worst cover ever? I know, let's make the whole thing a garish pink and put a broken sucker on the front. Yep, sounds good. People will totally buy this. If I were the author of these books (who seems like lovely gal), I would be pissed that they did this to my book. I can't even type anything else about this, my blood pressure is going up.
Waiting on Wednesday (92) The Next Together
Author: Lauren James
Publisher: Walker
Release Date: September 3, 2015
How many times can you lose the person you love?
A powerful and epic debut novel for teenagers about reincarnation and the timelessness of first love from a talented young writer.
Teenagers Katherine and Matthew are destined to be born again and again. Each time their presence changes history for the better, and each time, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be tragically separated.
But why do they keep coming back? What else must they achieve before they can be left to live and love in peace?
Maybe the next together will be different...
In 1745, during the siege of Carlisle, in 1854 on the way to the Crimea, in 2019 and 2039 as first scientists and then students uncovering and rediscovering a dangerous plot, and in multiple timescales between, they are thrown together, with no memory of having met one another before, only an irresistible instinct that they must be with one another against all odds – even while the epic events unfolding all around seem sure to tear them apart.
Why I'm Excited:
That cover! In love. This sounds very cool. I love the idea of two reincarnated souls finding each other again and again. It sounds like more than a love story, too, which is awesome. I definitely have my eye out for this one.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Top Ten Tuesday: Spring TBR
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme/original feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Click the link to go to their site to see the original list for today plus links to a whole slew of other blogs. After you read mine, of course.
May 5. This is a reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood! It's a stand-alone! That cover!
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