Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher | Book Review

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Reading Group: High School+ and the whole book is about a girl's suicide so if that's not your thing I would stay far away

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: You can’t stop the future. 
You can’t rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why.  

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah's pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.

Cover: The cover of this book shows Hannah on a swing, presumably at a park, which is where her story begins.  Her story starts on a slide, not a swing, but I think the message is the same.  The innocence of a children's park contrasted with a girl who commits suicide.

My Review: I feel like everyone I know read this book in high school and I'm just getting around to it now.  In fact, this book came out 10 years ago, and there's a new addition out with new scenes that I want to read, but I think I'm going to hold off a little while so that this one isn't so fresh and I don't skim through the new one.  I definitely understand why this book was a best seller and why so many people I know have read it, it was wicked good.  The topic is very heavy, and the whole time I felt like shaking Hannah and telling her to let Clay help her.  I loved that it was stories about the past and that Hannah was already dead.  I didn't like that Hannah killed herself, but that was the whole point of the book.  What I mean is that if Hannah was missing and it was unclear if she were dead or not and it seemed like Clay was in a race against time only to find Hannah killed herself, I don't think I would have liked the book.  The tapes were a slap in the face to everyone who received them because they were listening to someone they would never get the chance to apologize to.  And it's a wake-up call to everyone who reads it.  We have people in our lives and no matter what they might mean to us, how we treat them matters.  Our actions may not be a huge moment for them, but if it adds to everything else that person may be going through, it could be the last straw.  Suicide isn't the answer, and I can imagine that people hate this book because Hannah just kind of gave up when she didn't receive the help she didn't straight up ask for, but that's how suicide happens sometimes.  It's easy to look back and see everything the person needed, but it may be impossible at the time.  That's why I absolutely love the ending of this book.  Clay couldn't help Hannah.  He didn't know how to at the time and when he figure it out she was already gone, but he noticed the same actions in Skye, and he didn't let her walk away.  Sometimes awful things need to happen for us to learn something, but what matters is that you do learn something.  I think everyone should read this book because Jay Asher is a great author and this book holds an important message.  I'm glad this is the book I got to start 2017 with.

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Last Train to Babylon by Charlee Fam | Book Review

Last Train to Babylon by Charlee Fam 

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Fans of Alice Sebold and John Green will be transfixed by this sophisticated, edgy debut novel packing dark humor, biting wit, and a lot of Jack Daniels.

Who put the word fun in funeral? I can’t think of anything fun about Rachel’s funeral, except for the fact that she won’t be there.

Aubrey Glass has a collection of potential suicide notes—just in case. And now, five years—and five notes—after leaving her hometown, Rachel’s the one who goes and kills herself. Aubrey can’t believe her luck.

But Rachel’s death doesn’t leave Aubrey in peace. There’s a voicemail from her former friend, left only days before her death, that Aubrey can’t bring herself to listen to—and worse, a macabre memorial-turned-high-school reunion that promises the opportunity to catch up with everyone . . . including the man responsible for everything that went wrong between Aubrey and Rachel.

In the days leading up to the funeral and infamous after party, Aubrey slips seamlessly between her past and present. Memories of friendship tangle with painful new encounters while underneath it all Aubrey feels the rush of something closing in, something she can no longer run from. And when the past and present collide in one devastating night, nothing will be the same again.

But facing the future means confronting herself and a shattering truth. Now, Aubrey must decide what will define her: what lies behind . . . or what waits ahead.

Cover: The cover of this novel is dark, but you can see that it's an aerial view of a girl.  

My Review: This book was another one that I got in the Barnes&Noble sales bin, but I ended up enjoying it.  I liked how the chapters went from the past to present so that you could figure out all the reasons why Aubrey didn't want to go to Rachel's funeral and why they had such a big falling out after being friends for ten years.  I thought it was interesting how the girl that may or may not have been assaulted by Max was Tonya and she had the ring that Aubrey gave her.  I thought it made the book kind of come together in a full circle, showing that we really aren't that different from the people around us and we all go through traumatic events.  I also thought that Aubrey's reaction to her rape was very real.  She was struggling to put the night back together and see if she could hold any of the blame for what happened and even though I don't think anything that happened was her fault I think she responded the way most people would.  What she went through was very complicated, and it affected her for the rest of her life.  It was sad that what happened with her friend and boyfriend after that went the way it did because Aubrey was going to tell Adam everything, but Rachel got to him first.  Rachel was never a good friend, but I understand why Aubrey didn't cut her off sooner.  When your friends with someone for so long, it is harder to cut them out of your life.  The most frustrating thing about this book was that we never heard the voicemail, but at the same time I liked that we didn't.  It was something that was just between Rachel and Aubrey, so from a literary aspect I respect that the reader didn't get to know what Rachel said, but from a reader's point of view, I am super curious.    

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Matt's Story by Lauren Gibaldi | Book Review

Matt's Story by Lauren Gibaldi

Reading Group Rating: High School+

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: We've seen Ella's story in The Night We Said Yes, but now we'll hear Matt's tale in this e-original novella from Lauren Gibaldi.

Seventeen-year-old Matt had the perfect life in Orlando. He met the girl of his dreams, rocked out on bass in an awesome band, and partied with the best group of friends he could ask for. But then his family gets a call and he has to move back to Texas—immediately. Now stuck with no possibility of ever seeing his friends in Orlando again, Matt is ready to give up. But can he open up his heart to new friends and a second chance?

Epic Reads Impulse is a digital imprint with new releases each month.

Cover: The cover of this novella is very similar to the cover of The Night We Said Yes except it's just Matt.

My Review: This novella was a prequel to The Night We Said Yes and it was told in Matt's point of view.  It was nice to know what was going on during the few months before he came back to Orlando.  This story gave insight into Matt's family and how it was when his brother was released from rehab.  During this time Matt also was able to gain the confidence he needed to return to Orlando and face what he left behind.  His friends, Cindy and Kat, were a really important aspect of this transformation for Matt.  He allowed himself to open up to them, the way he did to his friends in Orlando, but this time he was able to remain friends with them when he left.  This novella was short, only 83 ages, and it was a nice read.  The only thing I wish was part of it was maybe an epilogue that took place after The Night We Said Yes ended, just to check in on how things were with him and Ella after school started.    

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Like It Never Happened by Emily Adrian | Book Review

Like It Never Happened by Emily Adrian 

I got this picture of the cover off of Amazon and I don't know why the top of the cover is on the bottom

Reading Group: High School

Personal Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Stereotypes, sexuality, and destructive rumors collide in this smart YA novel for fans of Sara Zarr’s Story of a Girl, Siobhan Vivian’s The List, and E. Lockhart’s The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.

When Rebecca Rivers lands the lead in her school’s production of The Crucible, she gets to change roles in real life, too. She casts off her old reputation, grows close with her four rowdy cast-mates, and kisses the extremely handsome Charlie Lamb onstage. Even Mr. McFadden, the play’s critical director, can find no fault with Rebecca.

Though “The Essential Five” vow never to date each other, Rebecca can’t help her feelings for Charlie, leaving her both conflicted and lovestruck. But the on and off-stage drama of the cast is eclipsed by a life-altering accusation that threatens to destroy everything…even if some of it is just make believe.

Cover: The cover of this book show a boy and a girl sitting on bleachers.  This doesn't really have anything to do with the actual book except that the boy and girl could be Rebecca and Charlie and the bleachers may represent high school, but they didn't even go to a normal high school so I think it would have made more sense if they were sitting auditorium seats.

My Review: I gave this book 3 out of 5 Stars because I didn't hate it and I thought it was really well written, but it didn't do a whole lot for me.  I didn't find myself wanting to sit down and read it all in one go.  To me it felt like everything happened and was dealt with very quickly and it could have been drawn out a little bit more and maybe had a few more plot twists in it.  It also creeps me out when people have actual crushes on their teachers.  Like acknowledging that your teacher is attractive is one thing, but a planning on kissing him is weird to me, especially if he was in school with your sister.  There's an age gap between me and my siblings and the idea of kissing one of their friends or even someone in their grade is so weird to me.  But I know that's a personal preference thing, so I understand how people could give this book a 5 out of 5.  I really wanted Charlie and Rebecca to work out and I was so sad when he turned out to be a jerk.  However, I did enjoy the storyline with her sister, but again I wish there was more to it.  There was so much Rebecca could have learned about her sister and her life in New York and California before she came back home.  Obviously there was the twist with her running away to be with her girlfriend, but that's why she went to New York.  She went to California when they broke up, but it's been ten years since Mary's been back.  I wish her artwork was talked about a little bit more.  Part of me felt like Rebecca could have been an only child and the story wouldn't have changed much.  Mary's story was interesting, but it didn't really have a huge effect on the actual storyline.  So in general, I liked this book, but I think there could have been more to it to make it more interesting. 

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Tangled by Carolyn Mackler | Book Review

Tangled by Carolyn Mackler

Reading Group: Freshman in High School+

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Paradise wasn't supposed to suck.

Not the state of being, but a resort in the Caribbean.

Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen are all there for different reasons, but at Paradise their lives became tangled together in ways none of them can predict.  Paradise will change them all.

It will change Jena, whose first brush with romance takes her that much closer to having a life, and not just reading about those infinitely cooler and more exciting.

It will change Dakota, who needs the devastating truth about his past to make him realize that he doesn't have to be a jerk just because people think he's one.

It will change Skye, a heartbreakingly beautiful actress, who much come to terms with the fact that for once she has to stop playing a role or face the consequences.

And it will change Owen, who has never risked anything before and who will take the leap from his online life to a real one all because of a girl he met at Paradise...

From confused to confident and back again, one thing's certain: Four months after it all begins, none of them will ever be the same. 

Cover: The cover of this book is a pink, string heart and a blue, string heart coming together and making an area of purple.  One thing I do wish (and I have no idea why this bother me so much but it does) was that the purple was more ombre.  It goes pink, purple, blue and I think it would be better if it faded into purple like the colors slowly came together, the way the characters come together in the book.

My Review: I feel like I was slightly too old for this book.  I enjoyed it, but I know I would have enjoyed it more if I was a freshman in High School versus a freshman in College.  It's probably because all of the characters were around 15-years-old and even though I'm only nineteen there were moments when I was reading where I would just think that they would have such bigger things to worry about once high school was over.  To be honest, I also wasn't a huge fan of Jena and she was the one who started the story off and I thought she would be the one to set the tone for the book.  She was the one that I would just shake my head at and think about how the problems we have at the beginning of high school are so stupid by the time we graduate.  I really liked Dakota and Skye because their problems were less superficial than those of Jena and Owen.  Granted though they still had moments were I was just like what are you doing???  So basically this story took me a little while to get into, but once I did I was able to enjoy it.  Topics like family and grief and loneliness are relatable to a lot of people, but like I said I definitely think a younger me would have appreciated it more than present me.  I think my favorite part about this book is how the characters lives all come together.  The two boys and the two girls happen to be in the same vacation spot in the same week and then for months after they're still connected.  I like the idea that the people you meet in one moment of your life may come back into it and play a bigger role later.  It's kind of like the six degrees of separation and I just find that absolutely fascinating.      

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Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone | Book Review

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Reading Group: 16+/Sensitive Material (Mental Disorders, Suicide) 

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary:If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off. 

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

Cover: The cover of this book has each word on a different scrap of paper.  Representing how the poets would write on whatever paper they had available to them when they had inspiration to write.  

My Review: I must have a thing for books that involve some form hallucinations.  I feel like I've read  quite a few books recently with this topic.  It's really only my third (Along with Vanishing Girls and Sweet Nothing), but I've read them in a short period of time.  I've also been reading a few books that contain mental health issues so this book was right up my alley for current interests.  OCD is something that seems to me one of form on mental health that isn't talked about much.  Lately anxiety and depression have been front page and other mental health issues have been pushed off to the side.  This novel does a really good job showing that OCD is more complicated that having to be super neat or having intense rituals you have to do before going to bed.  I also liked that this book had the friendship and high school aspect.  There are friends that you may have had since elementary school and even though you know you're growing apart from them, you don't want to walk away from them because you don't have anywhere else to go.  Especially once you get to high school and it seems like everyone has their friend group.  Which is why you may need to try something new in order to make new friends.  For Sam it was poetry and the secret Poet's Corner.  With this group of friends she's more willing to share small details about herself and her OCD that she wasn't able to with the friends she grew up with.  And of course, a boy was involved, and you guys know I can't help but love a good love story.  AJ and the rest of the kids in Poet's Corner are able to understand Sam because they all have something that makes them feel different and like outcasts in some way.  However, when Sam discovers that her mind conjured up Caroline as a way to help her through stressful times, she removes herself from everyone.  Anyone would be freaked out if they realized they accidentally imagined their best friend, but when you already struggle with your thoughts, it makes it even worse.  Sam needed to accept herself and realize that there was a whole group of people who were also willing to let her in, she just had to let them.
One tiny thing that I noticed and liked about this book was the chapter titles.  Sam does a lot of things in threes, so all of the chapter titles are three word phrases, even the title is three words.             

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Panic by Lauren Oliver | Book Review

Panic by Lauren Oliver 

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes an extraordinary novel of fear, friendship, courage, and hope that Kirkus Reviews says "will have readers up until the wee hours," School Library Journal raves is "fast-paced and captivating," and E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars, calls "a thrill a minute."

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a poor town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do. Heather never thought she would compete in panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors. She'd never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought. 

Dodge has never been afraid of panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game; he's sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he's not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for. For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

Cover: The cover of this novel shows presumably Heather with her hair blowing across her face.  It doesn't give anything away about the plot of the book.

My Review: You know when you get off of a roller coaster or finish a race and you're just so hyped up and have insane amounts of adrenaline punning through your veins?  That's what the game Panic is like.  That's why so many people played it and why the book is so interesting to read.  You get sucked in to believing that you're the one accomplishing the tasks and you can't wait to see what the next one is.  This story also has personal stories that make us root for the winner to be Heather or Dodge for multiple different reasons.  This book reminded me of Assassin, a game my high school plays senior year where you're assigned a person and you use a water gun to "kill" them.  However, if Assassin is a level 4, Panic is level 104.  This novel is certainly an adventurous one that keeps you interested throughout the whole thing.  I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys stories that keep you guessing and maybe understand what it's like to not like their current situation.

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The List by Siobhan Vivian | Book Review

The List by Siobhan Vivian

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary:An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year before homecoming -- the list is posted all over school. Two girls are picked from each grade. One is named the prettiest, one the ugliest. The girls who aren't picked are quickly forgotten. The girls who are become the center of attention, and each reacts differently to the experience.

With THE LIST, Siobhan Vivian deftly takes you into the lives of eight very different girls struggling with issues of identity, self-esteem, and the judgments of their peers. Prettiest or ugliest, once you're on the list, you'll never be the same.

Cover: The cover shows a girl in front of the lockers holding the list.  It is unclear as to whether this is supposed to be one of the girls on the list in the story or just a random girl in the school.  Either way, it is clear to see from her face that she is effected by what names are on the list.  Maybe she's on it or maybe a friend, sister, or enemy is on it.

My Review: In High School, reputation is everything.  We care what others think of us above all else, even our own opinions.  It seems like we need validation from strangers to make sure that the opinions we have about ourselves are accurate.  This novel shows just how much words can effect how we view ourselves and others.  Ugly and Pretty are just words, but they hold so much more meaning than other words.  And everyone they're said to reacts differently.  This novel proves that.  Being called pretty may come with a need to please and a will to prove to everyone that, yes, you are pretty.  Being called ugly may force you to prove people wrong or make a stand.  Either way, the fight to prove a point always comes with casualties.  You may lose friends, respect, courage.  And once those things are gone it can be hard to get them back.  The List reminds us just how serious words can be and how harmful their effects may be.  It doesn't matter how old you are either, you are effected when things are said about you, especially when they're said anonymously.  I liked how this book gave the perspective of every girl on the list rather than following one of them.  However, when it was over I was still left with a lot of questions.  Does Bridget start eating or get the help she needs?  Does Lauren really leave the school?  Does Andrew apologize and try to get Danielle back?  I wish there was a short epilogue for each of the girls just to explain what happens after the dance.   

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The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider | Book Review

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Given Summary: Varsity tennis captain, Ezra Faulkner, was supposed to be homecoming king, but that was before—before his girlfriend cheated on him, before a car accident shattered his leg, and before he fell in love with unpredictable new girl Cassidy Thorpe.

Cover: The cover of this novel is adorned with a roller coaster.  There isn't a scene in the story with a roller coaster, so I imagine this cover is meant to remind us that life itself is a roller coaster.  There are ups and downs, and stuff that throws us for a loop.  Things happen in life that we don't always like or expect, but we can all make it through.  The cover also says, "Everyone gets a tragedy."  No ones life is perfect and bad things happen to everyone.  They may range in what you consider tragic, but everyones got baggage that they live with everyday. 

My Review: I really enjoyed this novel.  It was a story that was very real.  I mean, it is fiction, so of course there were some coincidences, but even those were things that could very well happen.  Ezra falls in love with the sister of the boy who crashed into his car and altered his life forever.  But if the two of them had grown up in the same area and she was new to the public school that could very well happen.  It would be a bit more of a stretch if she moved to his town.  The theme of friendship is very big in this story.  I think especially towards the end of high school you realize what friends are part-time and what friends are full-time.  And it's super common to lose touch with someone in middle school and then reunite with them in high school, even if you see them every day.  You guys know how I feel about happily ever afters and this book did that sneaky thing where it ends happy, but not with the two characters together.  That kind of bothers me because I feel tricked.  I also know that not every high school couple stays together and it's probably more common that they don't, but I am a complete sap and wanted Ezra and Cassidy to be together forever, okay.  This novel is definitely worth the read and if you read it please let me know what you think!  

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The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris | Book Review

The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris

Reading Group Rating: Young Adult

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date-Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy's biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school's second biggest hottie, and now Aly's pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from funny friend to tempting vixen is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable break up leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can't explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

Cover: The cover of this book is very sweet.  It depicts two people, presumably Aly and Brandon, hiding behind a heart.  I like the cover because they aren't close enough to be kissing (unless of course they are half ducks, but that would be weird and probably mentioned in the book...hehe) so what are they doing?  Are they about to kiss?  Are they smiling at each other?  Are they in that awkward phase were they want to be friends, but only because they're afraid to be more so they aren't making eye contact?  I think judging by where their hands are they are probably at least being flirty with each other.

My Review: I loved this book because it was relatable.  I think it's normal for people to start thinking about ways to change themselves at the end of the summer.  To think This year is going to be my year.  And even making small changes.  Do I think most people try to change as drastically as Aly did?  No.  But do I think a few people do every year?  Absolutely.  Everyone wants to be noticed in high school.  So they make some changes, come up with a few lies, it happens.  But eventually the real you comes through and you'll realize that it's easier to just be you.  And maybe, in your mission to change you discovered some new things about yourself and that's great, but the lies just make life messier not easier.  I think this book describes this perfectly.  It was a great story and of course I loved it because it had the best friends turned boyfriend and girlfriend aspect in there too.  And that part was obviously a big part, but I don't think it took away from the fact that Aly did a lot of self discovery at the start of her senior year.  Brandon too.  He had to admit some things to himself that he never thought he would.  Coming from someone who has been through senior year I can tell you that you do learn a lot about yourself during senior year.  It's scary and exhilarating at the same time.

Smile!  I'll talk to you soon!xxx

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