YA Book #Review: Last Summer With Maizon (Maizon 1) by Jacqueline Woodson

Book Title: Last Summer with Maizon (Maizon 1)
Author: Jacqueline Woodson  |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher:  Puffin Books
Genre: Young Adult, Social Situations
Series/Standalone: Book 1
Format: Trade paperback, Trade Hardcover

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 144

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Publication Date: May 27, 2002
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Synopsis:

Margaret loves her parents and hanging out with her best friend, Maizon. Then it happens, like a one-two punch, during the summer she turns eleven: first, Margaret's father dies of a heart attack, and then Maizon is accepted at an expensive boarding school, far away from the city they call home. For the first time in her life, Margaret has to turn to someone who isn't Maizon, who doesn't know her heart and her dreams. . . .

Whew Chile, I was not prepared for this very emotional story and considering its size it packs quite a punch. I can totally see why Jacqueline Woodson has so many awards because she conveyed so much in so few pages and made it all relatable.  This is the story of two young girls who are in the summer right before 6th grade, and the changes their lives are about to face. Can they survive with their friendship intact or will the coming changes push them too far apart??

I do wish we had gotten more though but my gosh this was impactful. I felt Margaret's hurt about the changes in her life and the upheaval it caused.  After reading this I learned that the book is actually part of a series so I will be picking those up as well

Maizon's changes as well hurt my heart because I knew it was coming. She was so happy and hopeful and I knew the world is cruel to little black girls so I knew especially here in CT where I'm from that this wasn't going to end well for her. Even if it was an amazing opportunity. The world isn't the kindest to young smart black girls.

Margeret is an extremely inciteful child to be able to see what some adults would have missed. I'm glad Margeret and Marizon had each other for these changes and could rely on each other.

I loved the portrayal of friendships in this story. All the different friendships the girls experience and how they help them get through all the changes that happen.  I loved the glimpses of grief and how each person deals with it. A great read for any grade level to be sure.

 ★★★★★

Be prepared for some tough questions if you read this to the kiddos. And bring tissues. 
Happy Reading my loves, 

YA Book #Review: Rogue (Croak 3) by Gina Damico .@ginadamico

Book Title: Rogue (Croak 3)
Author:  Gina Damico |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher:  Graphia
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Mature YA
Series/Standalone: Book 3
Format: ebook, Trade Paperback

Cost: $9.99

Pages: 326

How I got it: Purchased 

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Sept 10, 2013
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Synopsis:

Lex is a teenage Grim Reaper with the power to Damn souls, and it’s getting out of control. She’s a fugitive, on the run from the maniacal new mayor of Croak and the townspeople who want to see her pay the price for her misdeeds. Uncle Mort rounds up the Junior Grims to flee Croak once again, but this time they’re joined by Grotton, the most powerful Grim of all time. Their new mission is clear: Fix his mistakes, or the Afterlife will cease to exist, along with all the souls in it.

The gang heads for Necropolis, the labyrinth-like capital city of the Grimsphere. There, they discover that the Grimsphere needs a reboot. To do that, the portals to the Afterlife must be destroyed…but even that may not be enough to fix the damage. Things go from bad to worse, and when at last the fate of the Afterlife and all the souls of the Damned hang in the balance, it falls to Lex and her friends to make one final, impossible choice.

Once again let's start with the amaze-balls covers, when they are all lined up together they are so pretty!!!  This has taken me several years to finish as I have placed it on like every TBR pile through the years. It's not because it wasn't engaging it's because I didn't want it to end and as much as I love it and can go back and re-read; there's nothing like reading the ending and finding the twists for the first time. I procrastinated reading this because I didn't want the series to end, I didn't want to let go of the amazing characters and I was scared she wouldn't do it justice. Man I'm an idiot!!

I have loved this group of ragtag Grim Reapers from the first and didn't want to part with them. Lex has been one of my favorite characters to read in a long time. As I have said a few times before she reminded me of Toilet seat Girl in Dead Like Me.

Lex is an angry sixteen-year-old, unfortunately, she has plenty of reason to be, so much has gone down since she came to Croak and it all seems to be going from bad to worse. In the last book, we were left with some heartbreaking news and given the choices she has to make I can understand why she's still so angry. Betrayed, angry, heartbroken Lex is on the run and keeping secrets. Her town of Croak was damaged when they went to war and now the Juniors and Uncle Mort are on the run trying to right the wrong done generations ago. While trying to stay one step ahead of the mob hellbent on making them pay for their transgressions.

Running, Crashing and Reaping as they go the Juniors are doing their best to undo the damage being done to the Grimsphere. Except they don't have the help they should because their enemies are moving faster than they are and have better PR. This is the book that holds the most amount of adventure, growth, and development for the Juniors. They each get their moment to shine and show that even with Lex as their leader they are fearless as well. They back her plans and she and Uncle Mort begin to rebuild their relationship. Even as they face the dangers of their mission they wouldn't be them without Fergus cracking a joke or Pip being dramatic. There are some sweet reunion moments for Lex and heartbreaking goodbyes as well.

I will say I started to cry when we go to the last few chapters as betrayals happened to the team, as each member began to step up and make a difference for the ultimate mission. As their enemies get savior and take the fight to another level, Lex, Uncle Mort, and the Juniors try to find a way to bring the townspeople around to their side.  As the battles continue, there are prices to pay and so many paid them, each taking a piece of Lex as it happened. Knowing that the Afterlife is in danger if they don't win the team keeps going even with the loses. New powers come into play, old enemies come back to *surprisingly* help when they realize they too will lose if the Grimsphere doesn't get the help it needs.

This is the darkest the books have gotten. And it's been the best adventure as well. I didn't see the ending coming and sobbed when I realized how far each town had to go to help right the wrongs. When you realize this is bigger than Lex and her quest for vengeance. When we learn all about Uncle Mort's past & some seriously surprising secrets about the history of Croak and the Grimsphere.  When the end comes it's bittersweet, heartbreaking and at the same time so perfect. When the Last does their job and then lays down their Scythe?? I just fell apart.

A fantastic end to a great series. I highly recommend it my loves, be ready for an adventure, for young love, for a great found family and be prepared for the loses that come with war.

 ★★★★★

Books In Series

• Croak (Book 1)
• Scorch (Book 2) 

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Shows: Dead Like Me 
• Books: (Adult Grim Reaper) First Grave on the Right;  Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones
• Song: Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult

Happy Reaping Reading my loves, 

YA Book #Review: Return To Paradise by Simone Elkeles .@SimoneElkeles .@fluxbooks

Book Title: Return To Paradise (Paradise 2)
Author:  Simone Elkeles |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher: Flux

Genre: Romance, Young Adult, Social Situations
Series/Standalone: Final Book
Format: ebook, Trade paperback

Cost: $8.99

Pages: 291

How I got it: Borrowed Ebook from Library

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Thriftbooks
Publication Date: Sept 2010
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Synopsis:

Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.

Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's determined to make a new life for herself.

But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie's accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them.

I read this one right after reading the first of the duet which is Leaving Paradise because that book left so much unanswered. I absolutely loved the conclusion to the story.

We picked back up a few months after the events of Leaving Paradise, seeing how life is going for both our characters and it's not all good. Once again Caleb is caught up when someone he trusts gets busted he makes his one phone call and it's a call that puts him on a different path than he'd seen for himself. As a way to avoid jail time, he must take a road trip and share with teens like himself how drinking had adversely affected his life. We know his secret from the first book as it had been the explosive ending that ripped him and Maggie apart.

Maggie is trying to move on, it's been eight months and no word from Caleb. She's decided to find a way to live with what happened that night and with the knowledge of the secret she holds. She's learning to forgive and decides that if Caleb couldn't trust her then perhaps he didn't love her as much as he claimed.   Then she gets to her summer trip and discovers that Caleb will be there as well. She can't be near him, but she can't be away from him as well.

As they travel and share their stories with the group Caleb is struggling with being there and eventually everything comes to an explosive head.  As the other characters on the trip begin to tell their story and share who they are with Caleb & Maggie we see the many different ways it impacts them. I wanted to cry when we learned why one of the kids ended up in the group and at the same time I wanted to rage, how and why do people never protect their kids??? As the story progresses we return to their home town and they have to learn to live with what happened on the trip and each other. Caleb is back to trying to rebuild his family and this time he's not pulling his punches or keeping what he's feeling inside.

Secrets are revealed, relationships are impacted and finally, the one who should have told the truth from the beginning found a way to share the truth.  I loved how everything unfolded, and how the truth coming out made several people look at themselves and how their actions and beliefs aided in the confusion. I loved how Maggie's mom was with her daughter, how she wanted to protect her and how she wanted to make it all better at the same time wanted her daughter to never fail. I loved the developing relationship her mother had and totally understood her dilemma of trying to decide if rebuilding was better than starting over.

Maggie and Caleb are still awesome characters to read, their journey and growth were beautiful to read and I loved that we didn't get a perfect ending but a more realistic one. I loved the duet and hope Simone checks in on them a few years into the future so we can know just how they are doing.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• The Hard Truth About Sunshine  by Sawyer Bennet
• Did I Mention I Love You Series by Estelle Maskame

I will definitely be getting a copy to go on my shelves, I highly recommend you read the books my loves. 
Happy Reading my loves, 

YA Book #Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally .@Mirandakenealy .@SourcebooksFire

Book Title: Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks 1)
Author:  Miranda Kenneally |Website| Twitter| Facebook| 

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Romance, Sports Romance, Young Adult Romance, Young Adult
Series/Standalone: Book 1
Format: Trade paperback, ebook

Cost: $8.99

Pages: 288

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Publication Date: December 01, 2011
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Synopsis:

ONE OF THE BOYS

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

I have been reading Miranda's Hundred Oaks series out of order for a while and have caught glimpses of Jordan throughout, she's especially mentioned in the final book Coming Up For Air, Having read and loved the finale I wanted to see what started it all. I grabbed Jordan's book and just loved diving in. Right from the start, we see the dedication Jordan has to her craft and her need to prove to not just herself but everyone that she takes the game seriously.

Jordan Woods is the starting QB for the Hundred Oaks team, she's the daughter of a famous football player and the sister of a top collegiate football player, football is in her DNA. She's best friends with Sam Henry who also is her go-to guy on the field. She's been playing and kicking butt for years and this is her senior year, she's taking the team to the state championships so she can prove to her favorite school Alabama that she's worth having on their team.

For a book that's only 288 pages, Miranda packs quite a punch taking on the inherent misogyny within sports and how athletes are viewed. Jordan is good at the game and while her teammates and her high school coach take her seriously no one else seems to be doing the same. She wants to go to Alabama because it's her dream school and while it appears they are interested, there is a chance the opportunity isn't all it appears to be.  Miranda writes great likable characters and even the ones who seem to be the worst are even more nuanced once Jordan starts to pay attention.

For her senior year, Jordan wants to concentrate on getting that perfect season and getting into Alabama.  Then one day at practice a new guy appears and makes her knees weak, for the first time ever Jordan is noticing a guy, and this one could be a threat to her perfectly ordered life. Tyler Green is beautiful and someone she's happy to look at and get to know, he makes her nervous, uncertain and remembers that she's a girl. Jordan knows that she wants to explore these feeling she's having for the first time and while she's confident on the field she's not so sure anywhere else.  I loved the exploration of what makes girls feminine. Jordan discounted a few of the characters who eventually because good friends and sounding boards for her because she considered them "silly girls" because they embraced being 'girly'.  She believed and worked with the idea that she couldn't be taken seriously if she embraced her feminine side and as the story progressed she had to learn to balance the two.  Jordan's decision to explore with Tyler opens up a whole new world for her, and at the same time becomes a source of great upheaval, it makes her question friendships, and what she believes about relationships.

As the story progressed with Jordan having so many lessons to learn, she's growing out of the idea that football is all she needs to be about, as she and her friends embrace the season and she explores her feelings she realizes that her friends are nuanced and have so many more facets to themselves than what they do on the field and that it's all acceptable. There are many lessons for Jordan, and for the people around her. I loved that she had so many different kinds of friends and friendships they were great friends and some were quite hilarious.  Her relationship with her brother is fantastic and I loved that even though her father didn't seem to care about her playing football, he still tried to reach her even if it was with things that she no longer liked. I loved the familial relationships because while her parents fundamentally didn't agree on football for Jordan they still had a great relationship, one where her mom wasn't afraid to call him out.

I loved the discussion of familial expectation and how it impacted each of the players on the team differently. What they wanted vs what their parents desired was a great source of stress for a few of the team and as Jordan realized it wasn't just her father's issues with her playing that she had to deal with as Captain.

I loved the overall lesson that what you once planned doesn't have to be the only way. Your dreams are allowed to change and sometimes embracing change can bring an even better outcome.  This was a fantastic start to this series and I can't wait to get to the others and share my thoughts with you.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Coming Up For Air
• Wild Cards Simone Elkeles 

Happy Reading my loves, 

ARC Book #Review & Giveaway: Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry .@Katiemcgarry .@InkSlingerPR

Book Title: Only A Breath Apart
Author:  Katie McGarry |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: Young Adult/ New Adult
Series/Standalone: Stand alone
Format: Hardcover, Ebook

Cost: $17.99

Pages: 368

How I got it: NetGalley ARC

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Jan 22,2019
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Synopsis:

Bestselling author Katie McGarry’s trademark wrong-side-of-the-tracks romance is given a new twist in the gritty YA contemporary novel, Only a Breath Apart.

Jesse Lachlin is cursed.

So the town folklore says, but while Jesse’s had his fair share of tragedy, the only curse he believes is in his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year, Scarlett Copeland.

Scarlett Copeland is psychic.

Glory Gardner tells Scarlett she has hidden psychic abilities, but Scarlett thinks Glory is delusional. What is real is Scarlett’s father’s irrational fears, controlling attitude, and the dark secrets at home. Scarlett may have a way to escape, but there’s a hitch: she’ll have to rely on the one person she used to trust, the same boy who broke her heart, Jesse Lachlin.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings for each other. But as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…

I don't know why, but going into this I wasn't thinking contemporary, I was expecting something futuristic or maybe a bit more paranormal; I'll take the awesome story we got instead.  If you're a long time reader or follower you are well aware of my love for Katie's writing and her stories.  This story took me out, I wasn't ready for all of it and man it slayed my emotions and I fell into the story and didn't want to come out.

I literally writing this right after I finished the book and I still can't process. Reading this and knowing that there are teens living this everyday breaks my heart. I wanted to rage at the adults in the scenarios that they were failing the children, As the story moved on and we realized that much of what was happening was generational we could see the setup to whether or not Jesse and Scarlett would be able to pull themselves out.  Does what everyone else in town believe about you really make you who you are??

We go into the story from Jesse and Scarlett's perspectives, when they met as children and learned to rely on each other for friendship and complicated love.  I absolutely love that they had each other to help weather the storm of growing up.  As the story progresses and we see the adults pushing their agendas, and ideas ( read that as fears, their failings, and fears) onto the kids and knowing that young children absorb whatever they believe will help I just wanted to yell, no that's not true don't believe it.  Jesse's home life is complicated, his mother doesn't really know how to parent, but luckily for her, her family is there to help even when she can't see it.  For Scarlett, her world changes one summer when her best friend, the boy she's always known distances himself from her and leaves her without a rudder in a world that is slowly suffocating her with its expectations and demands of perfection.

My heart broke so many times reading this, I wanted to yell that talking would help, but then realized the characters were right, it didn't always help.  There were so many lessons to be learned here by both Jesse and Scarlett. I absolutely loved Glory, Pastor Hughes & Marshall.  As adults, there were pretty amazing for the two to have in their corners and learn from.  I loved how Glory was such a great catalyst for change in their lives, was a great sounding board when they needed it and place to come to rest.

I would have loved more from the friends than we got in the story. I do understand the story is really about Jesse and Scarlett, however, their friends made many choices and chances for them and pushed them when needed and I wanted to know more about V, what made her tick, and why the lost boys ended up there. I wanted to know how their story changes and progresses as well.  I'm not sure I like all of Scarlett's friends because of the situation they put her in.

I was so invested in what was happening and I was so nervous the closer we got to the end of the book. I could see some of the solutions that were needed and understood the steps necessary for the characters to grow and change; I was super excited when those came through and understood why Katie made the decisions she did for the characters.  I was fully invested in their development and the progress being made. In the end, I felt proud as if they were my friends because I was so happy to see the success and growth.

I love, love that nothing was glossed over and made perfect, Katie shared the reality of the situation and how it doesn't always go the way we plan or hope.  I absolutely love the scenes where they are viewing the apartments because I had the same thoughts and was like Girl?!! I loved that Jesse knew not to say anything but let her learn the hard way the reality of the situation.  One of my favorite things wasn't the adults who stood for them when they needed, it wasn't the amazing friendships they had, it wasn't even that Jesse and Scarlett had such an amazing bond. I loved that therapy was seen and shown in such a positive light. I loved that the adults who cared gave them room to come to them but also let them know without a doubt I would believe you.  I loved their connection to the land as well, the fact that they felt the Earth breathing and could connect down to that?? Another of my favorite moments.

If you can't tell by now, I highly recommend this one. Be ready to be emotionally invested, to be angry and afraid to be nervous for the characters. To be excited as friendship becomes more, to be sad when reality crashes into the scenes and know fear.

Like all of Katie's books, this one also comes with a soundtrack and I think the songs she picked were perfect. I'll have that up this weekend along with a link to the Youtube playlist.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti  My Review
• Breathing Series by Rebecca Donovan  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck & Happy Reading my loves, 

#Excerpt: Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry .@katiemcgarry .@InkSlingerPR

Hi my loves,

I'm so excited to be sharing an excerpt from Katie McGarry's upcoming young adult novel ONLY A BREATHE APART.  I'm so excited to be a part of this tour and share an excerpt with you.  I was so excited when I saw that she had another book coming out as soon as she shared the pre-order link I one clicked it on amazon.  Y'all know how much I stan for her so it should be no surprise she's on my top most anticipated titles this year and since I ordered the book from last year (August 2018 to be exact) I'm not breaking the no new books rule. :) Now let's get to the good stuff down below.

Would you dare to defy destiny? Are our destinies written in stone? Do we become nothing more than the self-fulfilling prophecies of other people's opinions? Or can we dare to become who we believe we were born to be?

Book Title: Only a Breathe Apart
Author:  Katie McGarry |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr

Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: Young Adult
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, Ebook

Cost: $17.99 (Pre-order before 01/22 and get it cheaper)

Pages: 368

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play | B.A.M | iBooks  
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Synopsis:

Jesse dreams of working the land that’s been in his family forever. But he’s cursed to lose everything he loves most.

Scarlett is desperate to escape her “charmed” life. But leaving a small town is easier said than done.

Despite their history of heartbreak, when Jesse sees a way they can work together to each get what they want, Scarlett can’t say no.Each midnight meeting between Jesse and Scarlett will push them to confront their secrets and their feelings for each other.

Excerpt

SCARLETT

I’m defying my parents by attending a funeral. Reckless and adventurous teenage behavior, I know. Most seventeen-year-olds lie to their parents so they can go on a date with a forbidden boy or attend a party where there will be questionable behavior. Me? I’m outright lying to my dad, and it’s because Jesse Lachlin’s grandmother died.

The entire way here I’ve questioned my sanity, but I don’t know how I’d live with myself if I stayed home. Jesse Lachlin used to be my childhood best friend. We were inseparable. We had the type of friendship people strive to have, and then, a few years ago, he cut me so deeply that I still bleed. But ten-year-old me would have never abandoned a hurting Jesse. So today I’m not only honoring the memory of Jesse’s grandmother, but also the memory of our dead friendship.

On my way to the funeral, the high grass of the field swats at my legs, but I don’t mind the sting. I love walking barefoot in grass, I love the smell of the earth and I love that brief feeling of freedom open spaces can provide.

It’s the dog days of August. The type of hot that starts when the sun rises and makes you sweat through your clothes within minutes. While my skin and palms are on fire, the pads of my feet are cool against the dirt. The heat is unwelcome, but the sky is deep blue and the sun is bright, and for that, I can be grateful.

Walking out of the field, I stop short of crossing the one-lane road to slip on the flats that dangle from my fingertips. My mother would be mortified if she knew I was entering a church in a cotton daisy-print sundress. It’s not one of the dresses with stiff fabric and impossible back zippers she would have picked for me at an overpriced department store. It’s the type that’s machine-washable and breathable. The type of dress Jesse’s grandmother would have given her stamp of approval.

I can practically hear my mother heavily sigh and mumble my name, Scarlett, as if it were her personal, private curse word. Mom believes there’s a certain way to dress and behave, and I’m breaking all sorts of her rules today. Watch out, world. I’m officially rebellious.

I smile to myself because I’m the opposite of rebellious. For the last few years, I’ve followed every rule. I’m the teacher’s pet and the girl with straight A’s. I’m the poster child of perfection, and have earned every snarky ice princess comment Jesse’s friends whisper about me in the school hallways because he and I no longer speak.

There are only six cars in the parking lot of the white church, and that makes me frown. I thought more people would have wanted to attend. Jesse’s mud-covered pickup is there, and so is an unnaturally clean black Mercedes that belongs to his uncle. This ought to be interesting. Jesse and his uncle have a mutual hate for each other that runs deeper than any root of any tree.

Movement to my right and I slowly turn my head. Shivers run down my spine at the sight of Glory Gardner. Even though I’m seventeen and too old for ghost stories, I still can’t shake the ones regarding this woman. Girls would whisper over lunch boxes that Glory was a witch. As I grew older, I understood that witch meant con artist. She claims she can read palms, tarot cards and “sees” spirits from beyond the dead. All for a glorious fee.

She’s a beautiful woman—long dirty blond hair that’s untamed, even in a bun, and she has an eclectic taste in clothing. Today she wears a white peasant shirt and a flowing skirt made of material that shimmers in the sun.

Glory watches me like I watch her, with morbid curiosity. I knew her as a child, back when Jesse and I ran wild in the fields near her home, but we haven’t talked in years.

She stands under the shade of a towering weeping willow. There are lots of those trees around here. Mom says it’s because there is too much water in the ground. I say it’s because the people in this town have cried too many tears. Mom doesn’t like my answer.

I tilt my head toward the church, an unspoken question if Glory will be joining me. She shakes her head no. I’m not shocked. According to rumors, Glory will go up in flames if she enters the house of God. But who knows? Maybe I will, too.

The church is one of those picturesque, historical, one-room school buildings squeezed between a cornfield on one side and a hay field on the other. A huge steeple with a bell attempts to reach the heavens, but like anything created by a human, it falls tragically short.

The foreboding wooden door makes no noise as I open it, and I’m able to slip in without a huge, squeaking announcement. Orange light filters in through the dark stained glass windows, and its struggling beams reveal millions of dancing particles of dust.

On the altar, there’s no casket, but there is an urn. My heart dips—Suzanne is dead. I used to wish she were my grandmother, and many times, she treated me as if I belonged to her. Suzanne was the epitome of love, and the world feels colder now that she’s gone.

Choosing a spot in the back, I drop into a pew, and as I scan the church my stomach churns. How is it possible that this place is so barren?

Besides the Funeral Brigade, or the FB, as I like to refer to them, there aren’t many people here. The FB are the older group of woman who attend every funeral in our small town even if they didn’t know the person. Attending funerals isn’t my idea of fun, but who am I to judge?

The FB sit directly behind the one person the town believes to be the lone sane member of the Lachlin family, probably because he isn’t blood related—Jesse’s uncle.

On the left side of the church is Jesse. Only Jesse. And that causes a painful pang in my chest. Where are his stinking friends? The anarchists in training who follow Jesse wherever he goes? Where is the rest of the town? Yes, Suzanne was polarizing, but still, where is any respect?

Quietly, so I don’t draw attention to myself, I slip from the right set of pews to the left. Someone should be on Jesse’s side, and it’s sad it has to be me.

A door at the front of the church opens, and the pastor walks out from the addition the church build on as a small office ten years ago. I would have thought any pastor assigned to this place would be as ancient as this church. Sort of like an Indiana Jones Knights Templar scenario where he lives forever as long as he stays inside. But no, he’s the youngest pastor from the main, newer church in town. His name is Pastor Hughes, and he’s a thirty-something black man with a fit build who is just cute enough that he should be starring in a movie.

The pastor looks up, and he flinches as if startled. I peek over my shoulder then sigh. Clearly, he’s surprised to see me. Flipping fantastic.

His reaction, and the fact he won’t stop staring, causes every person to turn their heads. Lovely. I’ve had dreams like this where I enter a room and become the center of attention. Only in my dreams it’s at school, it’s my classmates and I’m naked, but still, this is disconcerting.

Eventually, the FB and Jesse’s uncle return their attention to the front, but Jesse doesn’t. He rests his arm on the back of the pew, and it’s hard to ignore that he’s made me his sole focus, but I do my best to act as if I don’t notice.

To help, I concentrate on what my mom taught me as a child—to make sure the skirt of my dress is tucked appropriately so that my thighs don’t show. I then fold my hands in my lap and straighten to a book-on-head posture. I can be the ice princess people claim me to be.

Five pews separate me and Jesse, and it’s not nearly enough. My cheeks burn under his continued inspection. Jesse has done this a handful of times since our freshman year. Glance at me as if I’m someone worth looking at, someone worth laughing with a little too loud and smiling with a little too much. Then he remembers who I am and snaps his gaze to someone else.

But he’s not looking away now.

“A gorgeous, heartfelt journey of redemption and love” (Wendy Higgins), ONLY A BREATH APART is a young adult contemporary novel from critically acclaimed Katie McGarry. “Haunting, authentic, and ultimately hopeful” (Tammara Webber), ONLY A BREATH APART will be available on all retailers on January 22, 2019!

A Little bit about Katie

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full-length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

And there you have it, I can't wait to get this in my hands and read and share my thoughts with you!!! What about you are you looking forward to this?? Have you read any of Katie's other works?? Share in the comments down below my loves and I'll see you tomorrow.

As always, Happy Reading

ARC Book #Review: Surviving Adam Meade (Survining Adam Meade 1) by Shannon Klare

Book Title:  Surviving Adam Meade
Author:  Shannon Klare |Website| Twitter| 

Publisher: Swoon Reads
Genre:  Young Adult Romance
Series/Standalone: Book 1
Format: Hardcover, ebook

Cost: $16.99

Pages: 256

How I got it: NetGalley

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: August 14,2018
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Claire Collins has a plan: get into college and leave North Carolina behind. What she doesn’t have is an idea for how to get rid of the local football star and womanizer extraordinaire—Adam Meade, who she can’t even avoid (despite many efforts), because Claire’s dad is the high school football coach.

Seventeen-year-old Adam Meade never fails. He always gets what he wants… until he meets Claire, the new girl who leaves him unnerved, pissed off, and confused. But there’s something about her that he just can’t resist…

With the bite of lemon meringue pie and the sugar of sweet tea, Surviving Adam Meade is a sexy and compelling young adult novel about two strong-willed people who think they know what they want but have no idea what they need

I dived into this and read it in one day. I loved it. I loved the angst, the silly fights the conversations and the fact that both of them where strong stubborn and knew what they wanted from life. I went into this blind as always and really found myself hooked from the start.

Claire is the main protagonist and this is told from her perspective as she shares her anger about moving during her senior year (totally understand almost happened to me) her father got a job as coach of the football team in a whole other state and she's forced to leave her friends and her social standing behind.  Along with it the boy she was in love with who she believed would be with her and even go to college with her decided he didn't wish to do long distance so she spent the summer with a broken heart.  Not a great way to start this move.  She's determined not to like anything here and she's even sworn to give up her love for football.

As the story progresses Claire meets people who don't give her the chance to ignore them like Riley the cheerleader, she's one of them now and even though she's reluctant at first she realizes they aren't so bad.  Still nursing a broken heart she isn't looking to meet anyone else and certainly not the arrogant football player who talked down to her when she helped her Father out at the game. Her brother is a great source of comedic relief and helps Claire come back to reality a lot. He's one of her biggest protectors and always has her back. They are a great sibling pair to read as they fight, insult and back each other up.

I absolutely loved their wittiness, I loved their back and forth and how they never let each other off the hook. Even though there are a few moments where they both go a little too far, they reign it back in a become somewhat friends. They pester and nag each other and as the semester and school year rolls on they become good friends. Neither wants this to be more because they're both seniors with their eyes set on the prize of college and Claire's set on one and Adam isn't sure where he wants to go.

As the story progresses we find out why Adam is the way he is, we read along as the season progresses and they push become state champions and as friendships and relationships fall beneath the strain of acceptance letters.  Claire at times was a bit delusional because almost everyone knows that very few high school relationships survive freshman year and yet she clings to this idea almost desperately.  Adam was very upfront and clearly stated what he did and didn't want.

There is so much angst and fun within the story that I really enjoyed it. it wasn't until the end that I realized that they never discussed them hooking up or doing anything else, even though in their casual conversations they talk about others hooking up and about them drinking and partying.  It felt kind of weird considering so much of the high school experience centers around all those emotions and feelings.  Why was a 'normal healthy male' before and then when they start dating it goes completely pg?? Not that the story needed it, it just felt odd that they had all this chemistry and there is no discussion of taking it further or not taking it further. No angst about what to do with all those feelings, nothing.

I really enjoyed that her parents had a great relationship, that they as a family had a good dynamic.  Even though Claire was angry about the move her family was still important to her and she still maintained her awesome relationship with her brother.  There are secrets that are revealed, relationships that end and friendships that change. I really enjoyed reading this one and am looking forward to the rest of their story.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• DIMLY (Did I Mention... Series) by Estelle Maskame 
• All I Need by Susane Colasanti
• So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti

A great fun read and because I've seen the synopsis for the next one I can't wait.   There is no date for when that one is due out though so I don't know.  I hope it's soon.  Happy Reading my loves, 

Stacking The Shelves (22) Paperbackswap Part Two

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page! Stacking The Shelves now has a new host and check out that new image!!

I made a video to accompany this as well.  

Paperbackswap

I'm still burning through the credits I have on paperbackswap and collecting so many of my favorite books, both for myself and for my sister who had me look up a few of her childhood faves as well. Here are the books we got this week:

First I finally found a copy of a book I've been dying to get my hands on. I've loved this series about summer love and lifeguards since I first borrowed it from the library in junior high.

Lifeguards: Summer's Promise

Then I stocked up on the rest of the Freshman books by Linda A Cooney, including:

Freshman  Loves

Freshman Secrets

Freshman Schemes

Freshman Changes

Freshman Fling

Freshman Rivals

Freshman  Nights

Freshman Flames

Freshman Dreams

Freshman Choices

Freshman Games

Not only did she (the trader) send in the books in BRAND NEW conditions!!! She also included a few more books

Class OF 88:

Freshman

Sophmore

Junior

Senior

Class Of 89

Freshman

Sophmore

Junior

Senior

Ahhh Nostalgia, I needed to grab these for the read bookshelves

Purchased 

I stopped by the Dollar Tree to grab a few more staples and of course I grabbed a few books as well.

Cube Chic by Kelley L Moore. I recently got a new space at my job and I'm trying to think of ideas to spice it up. This came right on time.

The Suja Solution by Anne Lawless. This looked interesting. Lots of juicing ideas, especially because i'm trying to do a cleanse after this bout of illness.

This is Why You're Sick & Tired by Jackie Warner. Looks interesting.

The Start Here Diet by Tosca Reno. Got it because I've been doing the Clean Eating diet from her for a few months now, and the turkey recipe I got from her years ago has become a staple.

What'd you get in your haul this week?? Share in the comments down below and I'll see you next week.

Happy Reading & Haulin' my loves