Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham

1 Concert
2000 Miles
3 Ex-Best Friends
Alice, Summer, and Tiernan are ex-best friends.
Back in middle school, the three girls were inseparable. They were also the number one fans of the rock band Level3.
But when the band broke up, so did their friendship. Summer ran with the popular crowd, Tiernan was a rebellious wild-child, and Alice spent high school with her nose buried in books.
Now, just as the girls are about to graduate, Level3 announces a one-time-only reunion show.
Even though the concert’s 2000 miles away, Alice buys three tickets on impulse. And as it turns out, Summer and Tiernan have their own reasons for wanting to get out of town. Good thing Alice’s graduation gift (a pea-green 1976 VW camper van known as the Pea Pod) is just the vehicle to get them there.
But on the long drive cross-country, the girls hit more than a few bumps in the road. Will their friendship get an encore or is the show really over?

When I got this book, I hadn’t heard much about it. However, I recently starting hearing a bunch of praise. Naturally, I wanted to start reading Reunited, so I could see what all the hype was about. Reunited was so good! It had roadtrips and brief romances and a boy band. What more could a girl ask for?

Reunited is a story about three (ex)friends who go on a road trip to see the reunion show of their favorite boy band. Along the way they meet boys and run into numerous problems. The friendship bonding in here was so refreshing! I loved reading about a group of girls that set out to just have fun. All three girls were fun to read about, and their interactions with each other and the people they met were hilarious.

I seriously wanted to be right there with them in the VW Bus. When I finished reading Reunited, first I was enamored with how awesome the story was, then I was sad that I wasn’t one of the characters in the book. And the ending. It was predictable, but I loved it.

Reunited was really good. It was a hilarious, fun, and addicting novel. You should read it.

 

FTC- Received from publisher.

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.
High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.    
But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business — until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers — and the consequences could be deadly.

Jennifer Echols has done it again. Such a Rush blew me away. I read it last night (so I’m still kind of mesmerized by it), and it’s been hard to think about anything else. Anytime I read a book by Echols, I have high expectations, especially with her dramatic romances (instead of her romantic comedies).

From the very first page, Such a Rush caught my attention. The story demands that you listen to it, and the characters draw you in. Leah was such a strong character, that I couldn’t help but love her. She comes from a difficult background, but is able to break free of what’s holding her back and start doing what she wants to do. Leah, though sometimes clueless, is a really admirable character. And then there’s Alec and Grayson. Alec is the more adorable character ever. He’s understanding, comforting, and a great guy. Grayson however, is the mysterious, smooth, adrenaline-junkie. The chemistry between all the character is electric, but specifically between Grayson and Leah. I loved how their relationship didn’t feel like insta-love. It felt real.

The writing in Such a Rush is so poetic, and I really loved it. The characters were amazing, as always. Such a Rush is my new favorite Jennifer Echols book. It is so good. You should read this book as soon as possible.

FTC- Bought.

Waiting on Wednesday (41)

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos

October 16, 2012

Sixteen year old Rachel has always idolized her older brother Micah, but she knows he also secretly struggles with addiction. So when Micah doesn’t come home one night, Rachel panics.
Then Rachel gets an anonymous note telling her that Micah is a few hours away—and on the brink of destruction. Accompanied by Micah’s best friend Tyler, Rachel sets out to find her brother. With no concrete leads, Rachel and Tyler spend hours wandering the streets. But before Rachel can move on, she must confront her own dark secrets, her growing attraction to Tyler…and the possibility that Micah may never come home.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.
Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.
As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.

Second Chance Summer blew me away. After loving Matson’s previous novel, Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour, I was wary of how this one might be in comparison. The only things Matson’s books have in common with each other is how much I loved reading them. Second Chance Summer is an amazing summer beach read.

Taylor was a really strong main character. She was able to handle the huge things going on in her life, while still trying to work on the smaller ones. At times she got on my nerves, but the rest of the book was so good that I don’t mind her occasionally annoying me. All of the other characters were great as well.They were able to tug at my heartstrings throughout the whole novel.

Second Chance Summer had me crying like there’s no tomorrow. I don’t think it’s a sad book, but there are sad parts in it. The summary doesn’t give the story justice, and to me it makes it sound like a romance. It is about so much more than that (so if you’re not into romances, please don’t get the wrong idea about Second Chance Summer). Besides being about love, Second Chance Summer is also about family, and trying to cope with devastating news (like the news Taylor’s family gets). It’s about restoring old friendships and learning to forgive people, and trying to have a good time when all you want to do is curl up into a ball.

This book was amazing. Since originally reading it, I’ve already re-read it twice, and it never gets old. Morgan Matson is an extraordinarily talented writer, and I can’t wait to read her next book!

FTC- Bought

The Difference Between You and Me by Madeleine George

Jesse cuts her own hair with a Swiss Army knife. She wears big green fisherman's boots. She's the founding (and only) member of NOLAW, the National Organization to Liberate All Weirdos. Emily wears sweaters with faux pearl buttons. She's vice president of the student council. She has a boyfriend.
These two girls have nothing in common, except the passionate "private time" they share every Tuesday afternoon. Jesse wishes their relationship could be out in the open, but Emily feels she has too much to lose. When they find themselves on opposite sides of a heated school conflict, they each have to decide what's more important: what you believe in, or the one you love?

The Difference Between You and Me is fantastic. I received it without knowing anything about the story- and I didn’t read the summary before I started reading it. This made me completely unaware of what type of story I was getting myself into. Madeleine George wrote an amazing story, and it won’t get out of my head.

The Difference Between You and Me is written in dual points of view between Jesse and Emily- this helps readers get closer to both characters, and understand what’s going on in their head. Both characters were written incredibly well. Jesse isn’t afraid of what people think of her, and is labeled as ‘weird’ by some of her classmates. Emily is the polar opposite- she’s a perfectionist who feels the need to keep up her good girl reputation. I loved the way they interacted with each other, and how both characters were able to gradually progress into better versions of themselves.

Though this book wasn’t the romance I was expecting, it was still amazing. The Difference Between You and Me was about so much more than romance. It was two teens discovering themselves, how to cope with their lives, and so much more. Even if this book doesn’t fit into what you normally read, I think you should read it. This will probably be one of my favorites of the year.

FTC- Publisher.

Giveaway- Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Today I have the opportunityto give away a copy of Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only, and ends on August 3rd. You can enter by using the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post.

Here’s a summary of Pushing the Limits-

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.
So wrong for each other...and yet so right.
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Now without further to do, here is the Rafflecopter form!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday (40)

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Live Through This by Mindi Scott

October 2, 2012

Sometimes hiding the truth requires more than a lie . . .
From the outside, Coley Sterling’s life seems pretty normal . . . whatever that means. It’s not perfect—her best friend is seriously mad at her and her dance team captains keep giving her a hard time—but Coley’s adorable, sweet crush Reece helps distract her from the annoying drama. Plus, she has a great family to fall back on—with a stepdad and mom who would stop at nothing to keep her and her siblings happy and safe.
But Coley has a lot of secrets. She won’t admit—not even to herself—that her almost-perfect life is her own carefully-crafted façade. That for years she’s been burying the shame and guilt over a relationship that crossed the line. Now, Coley and Reece are getting closer, and as Coley has the chance at her first real boyfriend, a decade’s worth of lies are on the verge of unraveling.

Waiting on Wednesday (39)

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

January 1, 2012

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.
Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school -- until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

Never Enough Tour: This or That

Today I have the lovely Denise Jaden, author of Never Enough and Losing Faith, here for a this or that list!

1. coffee or tea? Tea (Bengel Spice is my favorite)
2. big city or small town? Small town
3. ice cream or cake? Oh, definitely ice cream
4. iTunes or Media Player? Ugh. Neither. Can I go back to my tape deck?
5. Print books or eBooks? Print books
6. sweet or sour? Sweet
7. batman or robin? Batman.
8. typed or longhand? Typed.
9. high school or college? College was much more fun.
10. TV or movies? Movies
11. cats or dogs? That’s a tough one. Probably cats, but I love them both.
12. winter or summer? SUMMER!
13. contemporary or sci-fi? Contemporary
14. zombies or unicorns? Unicorns=happy
15. pirates or ninjas? Arhhhhh, pirates!

This post is part of a tour hosted by Teen Book Scene.

Waiting on Wednesday (38)

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Crash by Lisa McMann

January 8, 2013

Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.
What she can’t handle is the vision. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode... and nine body bags in the snow.
She has no idea why this is happening to her or if she’s going crazy. It hardly matters, because the visions are everywhere--on billboards, television screens, windows--and she’s the only one who can see them.
But it’s not until the vision starts coming more frequently, and revealing more clues, that Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it's someone she knows. Someone she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.