By Your Side by Kasie West | Book Review

Reading Group: High School+ 

Personal Rating:  5 out of 5 Stars

Synopsis:  An irresistible story from Kasie West that explores the timeless question What do you do when you fall for the person you least expect?

When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.

Only he doesn’t come. No one does.

Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn at first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?

Cover: The cover of this book shows people who are supposed to represent Autumn and Dax.  I like how they're wearing the outfits they're described to be wearing while they were stuck in the library.  There is also a chair, which I think is supposed to be the one Dax often sat in as he read Hamlet in.  There are a ton of books around to represent the actual library, without showing the typical library shelves, something I like because it gets the representation across in a more subtle way. 

My Review: I feel like this book is just what I needed right now.  I'm currently home for Columbus Day Weekend and I wanted to read something fun that would take my mind off of midterms and school.  Honestly, I was surprised that Dax and Autumn being stuck in the library didn't take up a larger amount of the book.  Granted, it took up about a third, but I just assumed it would take up more.  Once they were out of the library, Autumn had to learn how to balance the real world and the bubble of only having Dax around.  I loved how the two of them still hung out in locations that made it seem like it was just them alone in the world; the greenhouse, Autumn's car, the empty park.  Autumn was stuck with conflicting feelings of falling for someone who blatantly says he wants no attachments and someone who everyone is depending on you to heal.  Of course eventually, Autumn follows her heart and chooses the one who makes her feel the most comfortable and safe rather than the one who almost always has her on the verge of a panic attack.  She also eventually tells her friends about her anxiety and ends the story happily.  You guys know by now that happy story endings will always be my favorite.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quick, meaningful read because even though it is a young adult novel it does cover topics of mental illness and figuring out what's best for yourself rather than what everyone assumes.     

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The Distance Between Us by Kasie West | Book Review

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West 

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Money can't buy a good first impression.

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers learned early that the rich are not to be trusted. And after years of studying them from behind the cash register of her mom's porcelain-doll shop, she has seen nothing to prove otherwise. Enter Xander Spence—he's tall, handsome, and oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and the fact that he seems to be one of the first people who actually gets her, she's smart enough to know his interest won't last. Because if there's one thing she's learned from her mother's warnings, it's that the rich have a short attention span. But just when Xander's loyalty and attentiveness are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she'd ever realized. With so many obstacles standing in their way, can she close the distance between them?

Cover: I feel like this cover is a little misleading because both characters are so well dressed.  Not that people who don't have a lot of money can't have nice clothing, but I think the cover would be more effective if Caymen was wearing jeans or something more casual.  

My Review: I enjoyed this book.  It can be a struggle to date someone who isn't in the same financial situation as you because there are just things your families do differently, especially these two because their financial situations are so different from each other.  Also, there is nothing like a family secret that gives a book a good plot twist.  Ironically, the plot twist in this book has to do with money!  And Xander is the one to uncover it!  Craziness.  This book was a nice read and a quick read.  It would be a nice one to read on the beach or outside somewhere.  It was kind of a Romeo & Juliet themed book because Caymen's mom doesn't want her involved with the rich and be at risk of getting close to her grandparents.  And I feel like rich people mingle amongst the rich so for Xander to bring this poor girl as a date to anything is not something that was going to go over well with everyone in his family.  However, you don't always chose who you fall in love with and at the end of the day it doesn't always matter what your family thinks, if they're being unreasonable.       

My Review:

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