Throwback Thursday! Blood and Choloate by Annette Curtis Klause

I believe that I was thirteen when I first read this book and I carried vivid memories of it with me for years.  It’s one of those books that I have loved to thrust at people and say, “This was so good!  I read it over 20 years ago and I still remember it!”  That’s kind of true and kind of not.  There was a lot that I forgot.

Let’s get this straight right away:  Vivian is not human.  She is a werewolf.  She wasn’t bitten and changed, she was born a werewolf and she was born into a pack.  A lot of people seem to be really bothered by the pack politics but, you know, these are not PEOPLE.

Anyway, it seems pretty obvious to me that Vivian is not human just in how she carries herself.  At the beginning of the book, she says that she sticks mostly to herself.  She doesn’t understand how to make friends because she has never had to, she just hung out with her age mates.  When one of her art pieces is featured in the school magazine, she is surprised to find a poem next to it that perfectly matches.  Werewolves are the subject of both works and she even suspects that there might be another werewolf at her school.  What she find is a boy with long hair and a relaxed, easy way about him that she finds irresistible.  They start to date.

This is taboo in her pack, though.  Humans and werewolves have to remain separate.  They can’t mate and telling a human what you are is against the Law.  The pack is already in a tumultuous time, having been chased out of their last home by a few angry men who burned their inn down with Vivian’s father inside.  Now the pack is without a leader and in shambles.  They decide to have an Ordeal where wolves fight to see who will lead.  In the meantime, Vivian is fighting with her mother who is going after the much younger Gabriel and she is avoiding her age mates who played a part in the loss of their last home.

I loved this book.  I read it faster than I have read a book in a long time.  There’s a lot going on here: friendships, romance, family dynamics, pack politics.  Vivian is learning to be a human but really she is also learning what it means to be a wolf and she has to learn which part of that is the most important to her.  

Excellent read!  Great for people who liked Twilight but with a little more edge.

-RYQ

Starry Eyes, by Jenn Bennett

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett is about a spectacular adventure with some cuteness, fun, romance and heartbreak.

Best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon are stranded together after a camping trip that goes wrong. With no one but each other, they are forced to face their issues. With witty jabs and insults as they try to make it back to safety. Fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature, what could possibly go wrong?

Both Zorie and Lennon are dealing with some major things happening in their lives and the one person that they would typically confide in, (each other) has been MIA. The solitude of the trail and camping allows them to open up to each other and share the things that have come between them. And they are some pretty major things. Now I'm not much of a hiker or camper, you might be able to convince me on this glamping thing, but I absolutely loved what Bennett created here.

This was such a unique setting to use for these characters and I adored Lennon's love for the trail and how it allowed him the time to come to terms with the things happening in his life. As always Bennett manages to weigh some heavy and overwhelming issues with lighthearted moments, and the story is so lovely and emotional and as always, the romance is sweet and delightful and I just want more and more.

This was a quick read but a a feel good adorable YA contemporary that I may re-read just because this  book did not let me put it down at all! I highly recommend this to YA contemporary romance fans and invite you to fall in love!

This was my first time reading Jenn Bennett's work and I can't wait to jump into more of it. *JK*

Dramatically Ever After, by Bandeira, Isabel

If you enjoyed reading the first book, Bookishly Ever After, you'll probably love Dramatically Ever After, the second book of the series. So, here are my reasons why this book is so great. I hope you don't mind, I have written it into a list.

1. Em is very dramatic. She's always flouncing off, yelling, getting all worked up, or missing the very obvious hits (which is probably why the title is Dramatically Ever After). She is also pretty competitive. She likes performing and public speaking. She doesn't like accepting constructive criticism but she's smart and ambitious. She likes to figure out what things mean for her as person. She has a good character development. She realizes that she's been defining herself with a lot of false dichotomies, and that despising someone else shouldn't be part of your identity.

2. The dialogue was excellent. The flirty dialogue was excellent at building up romantic tension, and the conversations between friends were great, and I really liked the style of the instant messages and emails-- but what was even better was the debates. There were lots of discussions about volunteering and fundraising, and what it really means to make a difference. There were also conversations about politics, as well as faith and belief in God.

3. The background of Boston and college. I think it's really hard for books to find a balance between characters being obsessed with college or not bringing it up at all, but this book gets it just right and I really liked how that part of the story worked. The setting in Boston-- museums, coffee shops, and so on, also added some flavor to the story.

4. It's the perfect companion novel. In a companion novel, the story and format should have a different focus but a similar feel. The author exactly understands what teenagers go trough and it made the story more realistic. I also liked how different Em is to Phoebe (from the first book) which made the story different and they fit together perfectly.

This book is utterly enjoyable and realistic. I loved the hate to love romance and I highly recommend it! *JK*

Seeking Mansfield, by Kate Watson

Seeking Mansfield by Kate Watson is sort of like Jane Austen re-telling Mansfield Park. It's been such a long time since I read Mansfield Park that I can't really comment on how faithful it is to the source material. I do know that the basic structure of it is similar and reading this made me really want to go back to re-read Mansfield Park.

I really liked both Finley and Oliver.  I loved their friendship and how they always supported each other. I loved the slow burn romance between them, too. We get both of their points of views throughout the story. Normally when we get both perspectives, we end up finding out that both characters have feelings for each other. I really enjoyed getting both perspectives here. I think that I could have ended up disliking Oliver a bit without his thought process of how he was justifying his actions. Instead I thought he was pretty adorable, even if he frustrated me at times.

I loved "uncle" Thomas and how the parents in this book were present. There were consequences for bad behavior and guidance when needed. I thought the other side characters - Harlan and Emma Crawford (Hollywood actors and new neighbors) and Tate and Juliette (Oliver's brother and sister) were all fairly well developed, though I would've liked a little more of Oliver's siblings. From what I remember of the Crawfords from Mansfield Park I thought Harlan and Emma were really well done though maybe a little more likable here.

Overall, I really enjoyed Seeking Mansfield. I liked the characters and the romance and the message of self-worth and standing up for yourself. It was an easy and addicting read. Though I thought the middle of the story dragged a little but it did pick right back up and I really enjoyed it. *JK*

Letters to the Lost, by Brigid Kemmerer

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer gave me some serious feels. It was absolutely beautiful and very emotional.

Working long hours at the cemetery for his mandatory community service, Declan finds a letter on a grave. After reading it, he decided to write back. Furious about someone reading her letter to her dead mother, Juliet writes another letter addressing the anonymous writer. Soon the two start talking anonymously and opening up to each other about the difficulties they're facing, slowly helping one another face the challenges and work through their problems. The only problem is that they actually know each in person and they dislike each other.

So the characters, the storyline, everything was just perfect. I can't get over how good this book turned out. At first I was a bit iffy about the characters, they were both great characters but they did little things that made me mad, like how Juliet was very judgmental of Declan and how he couldn't understand that his step-father and mother were trying to help him (even though it wasn't in the best way). But their character development was mind blowing, they went from okay characters to these strong and intelligent characters that you end up falling in love with. These two really help each other be better people, even though they can't see it at first.

The story was really captivating. You may end up reading the entire story in one day because it's that good! There was lots of action, and some really great twists that even I didn't see coming. *JK*

Under Rose-Tainted Skies, by Louise Gornall

I never came across the word, agoraphobia until I read Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall. I ended up googling the word agoraphobia and it basically means fear of places and situations that might cause panic, helplessness, or embarrassment. It's an anxiety disorder where you think the places you go to are unsafe and unable to get away and most people experience panic attack.

I can imagine that someone with agoraphobia doesn't have lots of friends. Maybe online, they may have friends. Social media, for example, might connect them to the outside world, because it's pretty much impossible for them to meet up with friends or invite them over.

In this story, it revolves around Norah's struggles to live her life with agoraphobia, anxiety, and OCD. I thought these mental health issues were all portrayed really well and weren't simply "cured" overnight because she met a cute guy. The guy is more of what leads her to work on everything more instead of what makes it all magically go away. Nothing felt too cheap and unrealistic in this story.

There were a few relationships Norah had, were done really nicely. I loved that moment when Norah realized that she'd become best friends with her mother, which is something that definitely sounds familiar. Her friendship with her neighbor, Luke also develops naturally.

My favorite part was that, even though there was a love interest and a romantic plot, love did not cure all. Luke is an incredible love interest and is so supportive but he doesn't attempt to cure her. I can't even tell you how much I dislike books that deal with mental health being easily solved by love. Love does not cure mental illnesses. Sure, they can definitely help but they do not cure it. *JK*

Our Chemical Hearts, by Krystal Sutherland

I really loved this book. It was funny and cute but it also had a lot of meaning. I loved how everything was balanced and it wasn't just a fluffy contemporary and it wasn't one of those books that will leave you feeling like you got ran over by a train. It had a perfect mix of humor and sadness.

I really liked the main character, Henry. I also loved his group of friends as well as his family which are quite amazing. I thought each character had interesting and different perspectives. Although I had a difficult time liking Grace in the beginning of the story. It was very obvious that Grace was keeping something major to herself so it is no wonder that her character was more of a mystery. I also enjoyed the interactions between Henry and Grace when they were together.

The main focus of this book is really solving the mystery that is Grace and Henry slowly builds a relationship with her. Grace does have some tragedy in her past which is greatly impacting her present life. Henry is patient and tries to be there for Grace even though he wants to move forward and focus on a future with her. For Henry, Grace become his total focus often to the detriment of other things in his life. In addition to being a story of first love, Henry learns a lot about himself, his family, and his friends over the course of the story.

Overall, Our Chemical Hearts is a great read. It's so well written and original. *JK*

The Secret of a Heart Note, by Stacey Lee

The Secret of a Heart Note by Stacey Lee is a perfect spice of romance. In addition, Lee adds a nice little touch of magic to the general story with our adorable main character, Mim, being an Aromateur. A type of "Witch" that has a nose unlike any other. Mim can smell the heart notes and the personality of the people around her and her ability to do this allows her to create love potions.

I loved her growth throughout the story. Mim goes on an incredible journey discovering her true self along the way. She also finds love on her path, with a sweet-hearted  boy who challenges her all the way. The romance, while very very subtle, was heartwarming and it was a crucial part of the story but it wasn't the main focus.

The Secret of a Heart Note is an interesting read. It was very quirky with all the elixir-making and surprisingly, those were my favorite scenes of the book. I loved all the descriptions of the scents, the process of making the elixirs and the effect of using these potions. There was something very magical about the whole thing.

Family is one of the themes throughout The Secrets of a Heart Note. Lee excels at developing relationships and at showing all the nuances and complexities there are to relationships. In this story, we get to experience the complicated, yet heartfelt relationship between a mother and a daughter. As they come from a long line of aromateurs, they have a family legacy with lots of expectations. While Mim enjoys creating these potions, part of her desires a normal teenage experience and she battles with that throughout the story. Family expectations can be rough on teenagers and I loved how deeply Stacey Lee explored that here. There were tense moments between Mim and her mother, but there were also those scenes that portrayed the pure love and respect they had for each other. It was a complicated and messy relationship, but it was inherently very authentic.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable read! Great characters, great plot, great writing. I very highly recommend this one. *JK*

My Lady Jane, by Cynthia Hand

I'm definitely a fan of historical fiction and romance. My Lady Jane, who are written by the co-authors, Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, is absolutely magical, adventurous, and heartwarming. I don't see how anyone could fail to fall in love with this story and its wonderful characters.

I seriously don't want to ruin any of the plot, so I'll just say this book is surprisingly hilarious. Basically, the story starts out adding its own twist on history, but then ends up chucking history out the window and rewriting a happier ending for King Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, and Lord Guildford Dudley. All of the familiar faces like Elizabeth I, Bloody Mary, and Mary Queen of Scots are featured. And the new ending could totally still fit in with actual history. There were so many hilarious references and actual lines pulled straight out of Monty Python and the Princess Bride. And Guildford's character kept coming up with a ton of Shakespeare's lines. I especially loved the characters and the mixing in of actual history with a fictional book. It was quite well done!

I also loved the slow-burn romance. Jane and Guildford, otherwise known as "G", were total strangers upon their first meeting at their wedding and hated each other. Of course, they gradually learned to tolerate one another, though there were too many annoying almost-kisses in my opinion. Lady Jane can be pig-headed and silly at times, but she's also brave and fearless and bold. Although I think she is a little too bold for this time period. *JK*

The Memory Book, by Lara Avery

Have you ever thought what it would be like to have a memory loss? I never thought about it until I read The Memory Book by Lara Avery. The author introduces to Sammie who suffers from Niemann-Pick Disease. I had to look up the disease and it's real!

Sammie is working towards being a valedictorian and practicing for debate tournaments; the next day, she receives a diagnosis that changes everything. She has NPC, a genetic disease that will slowly eat away her body and will cause her to forget everything and everyone. I can't even imagine what it must be like to be seventeen and to know that you may soon forget everyone you know.

This entire book is written kind of as a letter or journal. It's Sammie writing to herself so that she can look back and remember things. She still thought she could move away and go to college at NYU and become a lawyer. Sammie was a rare case because she didn't start manifesting symptoms until she was seventeen. It was good to see that she had such great determination. She was so focused and she didn't want to let anything get in the way of her plans. I'm also grateful that Sammie's family were so supportive especially her parents even though they fear for her life. They seem to want her to live her life, but at the same time they were terrified that she would forget she's in the middle of the street crossing.

This is a great read but it's incredibly heartbreaking and emotional! It's worth reading every word. *JK*

The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love, by Sarvenaz Tash

Confession Time: I am a geek. 

So with a title like The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love, how could the newest novel by Sarvernaz Tash NOT be awesome?

And if the title alone didn't have me convinced: When I opened the book at random and my eyes fell on the words #InigoMontoyaSmackdown... Well... OK, so I read a book based solely on a Princess Bride reference. And not only a Princess Bride reference, but a reference to my favorite character from The Princess Bride (side note: If you have not yet seen The Princess Bride, get thee immediately to the movie section and rent it). 

That and a patron with, shall we say, "very discriminating taste in Teen Literature" was absolutely raving to me about it.

Needless to say, there was A LOT of expectation riding on this quirky-looking little book. Usually when that's the case, I end up extraordinarily disappointed. It's like when you're eyeing that huge, beautifully-wrapped present that's been under the Xmas tree for weeks, speculating on what sort of coolness could be inside (a computer? a time machine? one million dollars?)...aaaand having it turn out to be a year's worth of socks (or something). The mental buildup is such that, no matter what, the reality will be a tremendous let down.

Let me state that THIS WAS NOT THE CASE with The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love. This book wasn't just as good as I hoped.

It was better!

Let me explain:

No... There is too much...

Let me sum up:

Graham, a self-proclaimed geek, has been harboring a secret crush on his best friend (and fellow geek), Roxy, for years. The two do everything together. They share a love of old-school comics...and even write and illustrate their own comic, The Misfits of Mage High. They even sometimes finish each other's sentences and think of the same things at the same time. So it should be easy to transition from friendship into relationship. But for some reason Graham hasn't been able to find the courage to tell Roxy how he feels. And Roxy remains oblivious.

Then comes the perfect plan: Robert Zinc, the creater of their favorite comic, The Chronicles of Althena, will be making his first public appearance in years at the upcoming Comic Con in NYC. Graham plans snag the coveted passes to this special, once-in-a-timelord-lifetime panel and take Roxy. Here, he will profess his undying love. And, of course, Roxy will realize she loves him right back. And they will live happily ever after. It'll be like Peter Parker and Gwen Stacey. Like Wesley and Buttercup. Like North and Althena. With a plan like this, what could go wrong?

Everything.

A snafu at the ticket area where Graham failes to get the passes to see Zinc starts the weekend off on a bad note. And things get worse from there. Namely in the form of a British "Stud Crumpet" vying for Roxy's affections. Add in a neurotic best friend, a popular girl a little too interested in geek culture, and a flirty Althena fan who actually got into the special panel (jealousy!!) and Graham is in for an unforgettable weekend.

Things just may not pan out as he expected.

The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love was fabulous! Packed with painfully awkward (but hilarious) situations, references to all forms of geekdom (from comics to movies to fanfiction), and unforgettable characters, this one is a winner on all counts. I loved it, loved it, loved it!

The only problem is anything I read afterward will be anticlcimactic. But that's not going to stop me from recommending it. So read it! --AJB

Lucky Few, by Kathryn Ormsbee

The first time Stevie encounters Max, he's lying in the neighbor's yard in a pool of (fake) blood. The second time the two bump into each other, Max is (fake) drowning in a local lake. Each time max is in peril, Stevie comes to his rescue. And each time she discovers Max's almost-deaths are nothing more than cleaverly-orchestrated acting. How frustrating!

With a meet-cute like this, how can it NOT be true love?

Stevie soon learns that Max recentely had a near-death experience and lived to tell about it. Ever since then, he's bound and determined to thumb his nose at Death by faking his death in as many ways as possible without... well, without actually dying. Stevie, along with her equally-quirky BFF Sanger, agrees to help Max complete his list, some of which are pretty bizarre (spontaneous combustion, anyone?).

What follows is a morbidly hilarious adventure, as the trio of teens cement their friendship over angry (and possibly rabid) peacock attacks, hypothermia, and deadly allergic reactions. 

But as Max's two-month deadline to complete the list approaches, some very serious truths come to the surface. And Stevie realizes that there are things even more important than (fake) death. Like friendship, love, and life.

Lucky Few by Kathryn Ormsbee is the perfect blend of quirky humor, serious life situations, and sweet romance. The characters were well-rounded, likable (but not without faults), and learns (tough) lessons that help them become a better person when everything is said and done. Another thing I liked: The ending wasn't one of those Happily Ever After types that's all wrapped up and tied with a big shiny ribbon. There are things that don't work out. There are loose ends. There are realizations that sometimes you can't erase certain things. But the ending is still satisfying.

I absolutely recommend this one! --AJB

Nil, by Lynne Matson

The premise of Lynne Matson's NIL sounded really interesting. Sort of a rip-off of the TV show Lost, but interesting just the same: You wake up on a mysterious and beautiful island, transported there (seemingly) randomly by a "gate", and have one year to catch an outbound "gate" home. Otherwise you die. Catching a gate isn't as easy as it sounds, because they only come once a day...and they appear (seemingly) at random around the island. And there are other people besides you hunting for gates. Plus, the island offers up its own perils (Lions and tigers and bears-oh my!-and wolves and hyenas and wild boars) that can do you in even before your original 365-day exparation date.

This is what 17-year-old Charley is faced with when she blacks out in the Target parking lot and wakes up on the island of NIL. 

I thought: Sweet! If I have to read a Dystopian, at least I can read something that sounds interesting instead of one of the many a wanna-be-the-next-Hunger Games that fill our shelves. NIL sounded like it would fit the bill nicely (besides, I was totally a fan of Lost back in the day).

Unfortunately, NIL didn't really get good until the last 1/4 of the book. Before that, there was a lot of romance based purely on insta-love. And it wasn't even the exciting sort of romance. The characters faced dangers, yes, but they seemed like things mentioned in passing. Even the ticking clock looming over everyone's head never seemed particularly threatening. Mainly, NIL was one big beach party where characters feasted on fish and tropical fruit, wore leis made from island flowers, and struck up (doomed) relationships with other islanders. Sure, characters died. Sure, they whined and speculated about how to get home. But it was all one big "whatever." I never really got fully invested in the story the way I wanted to.

But it kept me reading. Mainly because I was determined to finish the book. And when NIL finally did get good, it went quickly and I sped through the remaining chapters (the 'after NIL' bit did drag somwhat). A lot of questions were still left unanswered, however. I assume those issues will be addressed in the follow-up books. In the end, I did like NIL. But not enough to read the rest of the trilogy. --AJB

Summer of Sloane, by Erin Schneider

The day before Sloane is set to depart for Hawaii, where she plans to spend the summer, her best friend, Mack, drops a bombshell: Mack and Sloane's longtime boyfriend, Tyler, slept together. Twice. And now Mack is pregnant with Tyler's child. Understandably upset, Sloane immediately unfriends Mack and punches Tyler in the face, breaking his nose and fracturing her hand. Not the best way to begin the summer.

Once in Hawaii, Sloane receives multiple (as in hundreds of) apologetic calls, texts, emails, messages, etc. from both her ex-boyfriend and ex-BFF. Basically, they won't leave her alone. Sloane ignores all if it, though. It's not like there isn't plenty to distract her from the trouble back home. Namely, a romance with cute boy Finn. Then a tragedy makes Slaone re-think how she reacted to Mack and Tyler's betrayal and wonder if, maybe, things can be fixed. Eventually, Sloane is able to make peace with everything and move on with her life.

Erin Schneider's novel Summer of Sloane has so much angsty drama it's like reading a novelization of some cheesy daytime soap opera. Every single character comes with a ton of over-the-top baggage, and their reactions to events are often blown way out of porportion. This was my problem with this book. What should have been an easy, beachy read was instead a dramafest that exhausted me more than would reading a novel that delt with serious topics. It was just too much. But then after the ridiculous amount of drama, things are wrapped up far too neatly. Sloane makes peace with her issues far too quickly for all she went through. Other characters, too, come to easy resolutions. It felt like the author tried too hard to tie things up. 

If you're craving a TON of drama (and I DO mean a TON!), this one is for you. Otherwise, skip it and go for something else. --AJB

Jem and the Holograms #2: Viral

I am absolutely loving this graphic novel reboot of the old 1980s cartoon. Jem and the Holograms #2: Viral picks up where Showtime left off. 

Despite being disqualified from the Misfits Vs. competition for starting a food fight with the hosts, the Holograms' popularity is steadily rising. Unfortulately, not all is well with with the ladies of the band. Jerrica is feeling overwhelmed by all the duties that go along with managing (and also fronting) her sisters' band while trying to keep her identity as Jem a secret. This is becoming increasingly difficult with her investigative reporter boyfriend, Rio, poking around for an exclusive story. Kimber is depressed because things have not panned out so well with her starcrossed love interest (and also Misfits member), Stormer. Aja is caught up in a romance with Craig and Shana is (secretly) considering applying for a fashion school internship that will take her far from her sisters (and her band). Tensions are high in Camp Hologram. Seems the sudden fame may be taking its toll...

Meanwhile, at Camp Misfit, things are no better. The band's popularity has plummeted since the Food Fight Incident and they are taking the heat for everything that went down that day (even though it kind of was their fault, indirectly). The ladies are fighting amongst themselves and diva frontwoman, Pizzazz, is not dealing with her anger and frustration in the most constructive way. In attempt to turn the band's failing reputation around, the head of FiveByFive records assigns the ladies a new manager who definitely does not play by the rules (and is pretty much pure evil-at least so far).

Things come to a head when the two bands learn they will be sharing the bill of an upcoming tour. The Misfits crash a Halloween party hosted by the Holograms, hoping to dig up some dirt on their rivals, but end up fighting amongst themselves instead. Pizzazz storms off, Roxy and Jetta bicker about petty things, and Stormer finds Kimber and they have a very adorable make-up (and make-out) session. Meanwhile, Techrat snoops where he doesn't belong and discovers some very disturbing news about Synergy. 

The whole drama cumulates with Pizzazz getting into a car crash and sustaining potentially career-ending injuries to her vocal chords.

Can you say Cliffhanger?!?!?!

OMG!!! How can I wait until the third volume comes out?!?!?!?!?

What I really love about this series, aside from the colors (OMG, the colors! so pretty!!), is the character development. Unlike the old cartoon, where good and evil was very distinct and one-sided, these characters have actual depth. They're like real people. The "good guys" have flaws, make mistakes, get angry, and say/do things they regret. The "bad guys" aren't all bad and, actually, have a lot of heart (they just don't always show it). I especially liked the development of the Misfits in Viral, and look forward to getting to know their characters better in future volumes. In fact, they're quickly becoming my favorite part of the series.

Another great thing is the humor. I loved all the little jokes and quips. And the pop culture references (the Karate Kid bit was one of the best things about this book)!

This series just gets better and better! And I'm very excited for #3! --AJB 

The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright

As we all know you don't get to pick your family. We get stuck with them. For Evelyn (or Evie as she prefers) this is just the case. With her father as her only family member, nineteen year old Evie is sent on a sort of scavenger hunt around the globe where she embarks on a quest to find out more about her mother who passed when she was a child and more about herself. Her first task is to apply (and be accepted) at Oxford University, for a girl born and raised in the States with no one she knows in England this is a little scary. Here she finds an amazing group of friends that take her under their wings and show her what life is like across the pond. Among these new friends is Edmund. Once she meets him, there is an instant love connection. However, a love story can not be open and shut when the guy you are crushing on is a prince.

The Heir and the Spare is a super cute love story that is a quick and witty read. I love the romance in the book, however it is even topped by Evie's personality and the road she takes to find out who she is. Evie is a strong character that you can't help root for (don't worry you may 'boo' her a time or two as well). We are all afraid of life sometimes and I think the author does a great job at portraying this through Evie and Edmund's relationship. Once you pick this book up off of our new shelf, you won't be able to put it down.

P.S. If you were (or are) a fan of the Princess Diaries or The Prince and Me this will be right up your alley!

-JAC

Jem and the Holograms: Showtime, by Kelly Thompson and Sophie Campbell

Reading Jem and the Holograms: Showtime, a graphic novilization of the popular late-80s cartoon by writer Kelly Thompson and artist Sophie Campbell is akin to eating a gourmet cupcake from a fancy bakery. A gourmet cupcake frosted with an inch of sugary pink icing, generously drizzled with edible purple glitter and raimbow sprinkles, topped off with a squirt of whip cream, and crowned with a shiny candied cherry. It's sweet (sooo sweet), you can taste its absolute (squee!) adorableness in every bite, and for the rest of the day you can almost feel sparkly pink glitter seeping from all your pores, proving the accuracy of the "you are what you eat" theory.

Yeah...that's about right. 

I'll start by saying I've been hearing A LOT of positive buzz lately about this graphic adaption: Strong female characters, diverse characters (both in ethnicity and body type), LGBTQ appeal, a romance that's NOT a love triangle...all wrapped up in a colorful (literally and figuratively) and fun storyline. All good things (Hello! I am SO there!). Plus I'm a fan of both the old TV show and the more recent movie (Sign me up to read this thing! Like, yesterday!). So heck yes I was thrilled to finally get my hands on this book! Even more so than the second issue of Lumberjanes! 

All that said, I am so happy to report that Jem and the Holograms: Showtime is every bit as awesome as hype/buzz/hoopla reported it to be-and then some. Unlike the movie, which veers off in some different (but still so cute) directions, the graphic novelization sticks fairly close to what I recall of the original storyline. With some modern adaptions, of course:

The plot centers around a group of musically talented sisters who are trying to get their band, The Holograms, off the ground. Trouble is, their lead singer, Jerrica, has some major performance anxiety issues. How to solve this? Enter Synergy, a super-cool, super-fututistic, Avengers-worthy audio/visual supercomputer designed by Jerrica's late father. This allows the shy, mousy Jerrica to transform into the uber-pink, uber-sparkly Glamazon, Jem. Wearing this disguise, our heroine has no trouble conquering her stage fright. Soon the Holograms' video goes viral and attracts millions of fans. It also attracts the jealousy of current "It" band, The Misfits. So you can probably guess where things go from there. To complicate things, a squeedorable star-crossed romance starts up between Kimber of the Holograms and Stormer of the Misfits (OMG! those two are SO cute!). To complicate things even more, Jerrica starts dating Rio, a hunky music journalist who is determined to find out who Jem really is. The drama escilates, cumulating in a food fight that disqualifies the Holograms from participating in a Battle of the Bands against The Misfits...and then ends on a cliffhanger where our heroines crash the show anyway. Right in the middle of The Misfits' set. There's motorcycles shaped like guitars, holographic T-Rexes, lots of big colorful hair, diabolical plots, cute romances, humor, music, and lots and lots of action. 

I can't wait for the next book to come out!

So do I recommend this one? ABSOLUTELY!! --AJB

I'm Glad I Did by Cynthia Weil

In this story, a sixteen year old, J.J. Green graduated from high school and wants to be a songwriter in 1960's New York, but she comes from a background where all Green family members must be lawyers. When she lands a 3 month summer job as a writer and assistant at a music company, she makes a deal with her mom and embarks on the beginning of everything she ever wanted until murder gets in the way.

I think this was a nice, clean mystery with lots of interesting complications and characters. It is a book about family, secrets, and lies. I loved the setting and the way that the author incorporated the civil rights movement gently into a story about the musical world where race had already begun to be problematic. It was an easy and fast read, and had a little of everything -- romance, mystery, history. Themes of finding your voice, learning to forgive, and reaching for your dreams add a nice depth. The language and situations are completely appropriate for all ages. *JK*

The Carnival at Bray, by Jessie Ann Foley

It's 1993, and Maggie Lynch, 16, couldn't feel more lost.

Her emotionally unstable mom has just married her latest fling, a guy she barely knew four months, and uprooted the entire family, forcing a move from the familiar Chicago neighborhood to a dreary small town on the coast of Ireland. Unlike her outgoing younger sister, Maggie has trouble making friends her own age and fitting in at her strict Catholic school. She misses her old home, her friends, her grandmother. But she misses her rocker Uncle Kevin the most of all. Despite that her family thought Kevin was a horrible influence, there was no one Maggie related to better. Despite their 10 year age difference, Uncle Kevin was the only person in Maggie's life who treated her like an equal, like a person, and not like a child. He was her best friend, and the only person she fully trusted.

And now he's an ocean away. 

As the winter rain falls outside, Maggie spends hours shut in her room, listening to the bands Uncle Kevin introduced her to: Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, and especially, especially Nirvana. This music is the only thing that makes sense to Maggie. It's the only thing that makes her feel connected to anything resembling a normal life.

Then comes two very important turning points: Maggie falls deeply in love with a local boy and a sudden tragedy strikes her family.

Spurred into action by these events, and armed with a pair of concert tickets Uncle Kevin sent in his last care package, Maggie runs away from home to make a forbidden trip to Rome where she will finally see the band whose music kept her company during those lonely hours. But it's more than just a road trip. More than just a concert. It's the beginning of everything. And, in some ways, the end.

The Carnival at Bray, by Julie Ann Foley, initially sparked my interest because it is set in the time period when I was a teen--so I suppose one could call it historical fiction. But despite the dated pop culture references, mentions of bands now considered "classic rock," lack of modern technology (no cell phones), and absence of social media, it's still a story that's relatable to teens of today. Family drama, first love, music, unexpected changes, and finding one's place in the world...these are still very important and relevant issues, and The Carnival at Bray handles them beautifully. Maggie is a very "real" character, and Eoin is positively crush-worthy! 

The Carnival at Bray was up for several awards this year, and, having read it, it's easy to see why. This one is definitely recommended. --AJB

p.s. On a side note, I'd like to mention that this book would me more appropriate for older teen readers. 

Summer I Saved The World in 65 Days, by Michele Weber Hurwitz

Nina Ross didn't mean to start a pay-it-forward revolution that summer she turned 13. She just saw her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Chung, who had recently broken her leg and was on crutches, struggling to plant her annual marigolds... and Nina decided to help. So she snuck into her neighbor's yard and planted those flowers. 

This small deed gave Nina's happiness a boost, something she needed.

Nina had been feeling sort of lost lately. She's missing her grandmother, who passed away a few months back, and she's worried she's drifting apart from her BFF, who has become increasingly obsessed with boys, clothes, and beauty (things that Nina just doesn't "get"). But that one good deed, anonymously planting Mrs. Chung's marigolds, felt good. Really good.

It made Nina feel she had a purpose.

So Nina decides to anonymously do ONE good deed each day for the rest of the summer. All 65 days of it. She won't do it to get credit or praise. She'll just do it for the sake of doing it. Because it'll help someone out. Or just brighten their day. Nina doesn't realize what a difference these small, daily good deeds will make for the people living on her cul-de-sac. But suddenly her neighbors are smiling more and being kinder to each other. The cul-de-sac is a friendlier place.

But by helping everyone else can Nina sort out her own life dramas?

Additionally, not everyone is a fan of the mysterious "superhero" bent on helping people--and they want to expose that person for the mischief-maker they believe them to be.

Will things end happily?

You'll have to read the book to find out!

Michele Weber Hurwitz's sweetly inspiring novel The Summer I Saved the World in 65 Days is one of the most adorable books I've read lately. Not only is Nina an extremely likable character, but she's real and relatable too. Reading this book just may inspire you to do something nice for someone too. This one is highly recommended. 

The Summer I Saved the World in 65 Days is one of the books from our NEW Tween Section, where you'll find all sorts of awesome books aimed at younger readers--AJB