Third Degree by Julie Cross

Third Degree by Julie Cross
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Publisher: Flirt (Random House)
Pages: 240
Series: n/a
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

Fans of Monica Murphy and Tammara Webber will savor this New Adult novel—a story about coming of age in the heat of the moment—from Julie Cross, the internationally bestselling author of the Tempest trilogy.

I used to be “Isabel Jenkins, child prodigy.” As lame as that sounds, at least it was an identity. But now I’m not sure what I am. I just failed the most important exam of my life—the emotional readiness test required to get into a medical residency program—and it turns out my parents can’t stand each other. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of my life, and that means re-enrolling as a college freshman, but this time I’m shutting the books and majoring in being eighteen.

But so far, my roommate hates me and I’m not into the party scene. The only good thing about school has been getting to know my insanely hot RA. Marshall Collins makes me wonder about everything I missed while I was growing up too fast. Pretty soon we’re hanging out constantly, but for the first time, I find myself wanting more than a no-strings-attached physical relationship. And the lesson I really need is one Marsh definitely can’t teach me: love. Because I’m going to be alone forever if I don’t learn fast.

My Thoughts:
Third Degree tells the very interesting story of a child prodigy. Isabel was definitely a difficult protagonist to read about. I loved the back story Isabel had, and I liked reading about her journey, but both of those things meant reading about a main character who was hard to identify and empathize with.

Some of my favourite scenes of this book were of Isabel at college, interacting with Marshall and her roommate. There are some seriously insane things that happen, mostly because Isabel’s socialization skills are near zero. I wish there had been a longer period over which Isabel was changing and learning, however I can see why things happened the way they did. What all occurred ended up feeling true to character, and I appreciated that.

Overall, I really appreciated what a different type of New Adult story this was, and even though Isabel was difficult, I really loved experiencing her journey.

The Cover:
Meh.

Rating:
[3/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble

The Worlds We Make by Megan Crewe

The Worlds We Make by Megan Crewe
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 288
Series: Fallen World #3
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

The virus has taken away Kaelyn’s friends, her family, her home.

And now a deadly enemy threatens to take the one hope she has left: THE CURE.

When Kaelyn and her friends reached Toronto with a vaccine for the virus that has ravaged the population, they thought their journey was over. But now they're being tracked by the Wardens, a band of survivors as lethal as the virus who are intent on stealing the vaccine no matter what the cost.

Forced onto the road again, Kaelyn and her companions discover the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta is their best hope for finding scientists who can reproduce the vaccine. But with the virus already spreading among them, the Wardens hot on their trail, and hundreds of miles to cross, Kaelyn finds herself compromising her morals to keep her group alive. Her conscience seems a small price to pay if protects them and their precious cargo. Unless even that is not enough...

In the final installment in Megan Crewe’s captivating the Fallen World trilogy, Kaelyn is on the run from her biggest adversaries yet. While she continues to face horrific loss, her resolve is still strong. But to survive this shattered world, will she have to sacrifice all that's left of the girl she was?

My Thoughts:
The Worlds We Make, the conclusion to the Fallen World trilogy, is a book filled with tough decisions, harsh realities, and heartbreaking situations. But don’t let that scare you away, because this book, out of the three, definitely has the most hopeful tone, despite its dark edges.

Kaelyn is a character who I definitely admire. She always seems to find the determination to go on, no matter how difficult her situation is. I really love her strength and how she cares for other people. Kaelyn is an intelligent and empathetic young woman, someone who has had to make tough decisions and do things that aren't pretty, but who ultimately wants to do right by people. She always sticks to her goal of ending the virus by getting her late father’s vaccine to the right people. This requires making huge choices, but I so loved seeing Kaelyn realize that she has the power to shape the world into a place where she wants to live.

Megan Crewe is a very powerful writer. You can really feel the frustrations and hopes and all of the things that the characters are feeling and experiencing. This book, like the others, really looks into the nuances of human behaviour, examining the type of things you'll do to survive. There’s also heart pounding action alongside these philosophical musings, as this book focuses on Kaelyn and her group trying to avoid those who aim to hurt them.

At the end of the book I felt like some things were a tad open ended, but the way the trilogy ended still felt very right. There was definitely enough closure and a “happy for now” type of ending, or at least “at peace for now”. This is such an interesting and thought provoking trilogy, and I'd definitely recommend it to all YA fans.

The Cover:
Like it.

Rating:
[4/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Chapters-Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress by Marissa Meyer
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 560
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Review Source: eARC through Raincoast Books

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

My Thoughts:
Basically? This book is incredibly epic! If you haven’t read this series before now, I highly recommend you drop everything and pick up Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress right away.

The main plot of Cress centres around stopping a certain wedding, but, of course, there are many snags along the way. I’m honestly not sure how Marissa Meyer packs so much action into her books without having them feel rushed or busy. I was only a quarter of the way through the book when already so much had happened. Cress is the type of book that you want to keep reading and reading to see what will happen next, but you also want to savour it and not get any closer to the end, because it’s just so good, and getting to the end will mean an even longer wait until Book 4.

Marissa has managed, so far, to be three for three in creating incredible leading ladies, who are equally endearing, but so different from one another, too. Cress is such a lovely character. She's absolutely brilliant, but she's also a bit wide eyed and unsure around people, having been kept in a satellite all alone for years. Cress also has a massive crush on Captain Thorne, which makes their interactions super adorable.

I’m honestly not sure how to describe how much I love these books. They feature crazy action as well as romance and heartbreak (my heart was ACHING for one character while I worried about another). Cress, like Cinder and Scarlet, is intricately plotted, presenting multiple POVs effortlessly. I care about all of the characters so much, and reading these books is like journeying with a group of friends. I can’t recommend The Lunar Chronicles enough, and I'm incredibly eager for Winter, the conclusion to the series.

The Cover:
Like.

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Chapters-Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Waiting for the Storm by Marie Landry

Waiting for the Storm by Marie Landry
Release Date: April 9, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 205
Series: n/a
Review Source: eBook for review from author through Xpresso Book Tours

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Seventeen-year-old Charlotte O’Dell knows this summer is going to suck. Her mother just died, her sister hates her, and her dad has completely checked out. Fulfilling her mother’s final wish, the family heads to Angel Island for the summer to stay in a beach house her mother once loved.

After a year of being shut away taking care of her mother, Charlotte is numb and practically afraid of her own shadow; she hopes going to the island will give her the time and space she needs to begin healing, and an opportunity to bring her family back together. When she meets her mysterious neighbor, Ezra, it doesn’t take long for Charlotte to confess the issues she’s developed. Ezra begins giving Charlotte assignments to get over her fears, and although she accepts his tasks, all she really wants is to be with him. When she’s with Ezra, she’s able to forget the hollow ache in her heart and the fact that her family is falling apart. But Ezra has secrets…

Can Charlotte pull what’s left of her family together, mend her broken heart, and allow herself to fall for Ezra? Or is it all just a storm waiting to happen?

My Thoughts:
‘Waiting for the Storm’ is a quiet book; it’s an emotional story about grieving, about love, and about change. The book is the day to day tale of Charlotte and her family the summer right after her mother’s death. Charlotte is dealing with the loss, but she’s very much a changed person from before. When Charlotte meets the boy next door, Ezra, she connects with him automatically.

I loved Charlotte’s narrative voice and her story. Charlotte loves books and she starts blogging for the island’s library. Charlotte is in a very isolated position, and yet just from her voice you can see the good person she is and what a good friend she would be. Ezra, meanwhile, is a quiet and mysterious character with secrets of his own, but he’s also sweet and he listens to Charlotte. More than that, he understands her. I really can’t describe how much I loved the scenes with Charlotte and Ezra. Their relationship was so sweet, full of butterfly feelings and sweet kisses, but I loved how they also had the deeper connection of friendship and sharing secrets.

Marie Landry did a fabulous job of combining romance with family issues. All the characters and relationships here are layered. Charlotte’s sister Ella is lashing out, while their Dad is falling into a depression. These things are big parts of the story, and each of them is resolved, or at least dealt with, by the end of the book. I felt the ending was a tiny bit wish fulfillment, in that it likely wouldn't work out so perfectly in real life, but I still loved it. I mean, who wouldn't want a happy and hopeful ending (or beginning, really) for characters they've grown to care for?

The reason why I liked ‘Waiting for the Storm’ so much is because of the emotions it made me feel. This book is just so beautiful and meaningful, and the characters felt like real people. The book also features a Canadian setting relatively close to me, so I knew the cities and schools mentioned, which is always a cool feeling. YA contemp fans, look no further for your next read: ‘Waiting for the Storm’ is not one to miss.

The Cover:
Like!

Rating:
[5/5]

Add Waiting for the Storm by Marie Landry on Goodreads and buy it on Amazon (only 99 cents during the tour!!).

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Addicted To You by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Addicted To You by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Release Date: June 13, 2013
Publisher: K.B. Ritchie
Pages: 322
Series: Addicted #1
Review Source: eBook from authors for review

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
No one would suspect shy Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own.

Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.

But when they go on a family boat trip, surrounded by open seas and limited male bodies in sight, Lily’s confronted with a big fear. Only one guy onboard can fill her addiction, and she’s sworn off going there with Loren Hale ever again.

Now the only person who can truly help her can barely help himself.

My Thoughts:
The first thing that comes to mind when I think about this book is “super intense”. It’s definitely a serious read, and very different from any other New Adult title out there that I’ve read. It’s interesting because it’s not really a romance at all, although there is a bones deep soulmate level of connection between Lily and Lo. This a book that deals with sex addiction, and something on this subject matter could easily become tawdry and seem like it's meant to be titillating -- thankfully that’s not the case here. The book presents Lily’s condition as a true addiction, with cravings and destruction just like an addiction to drugs would have.

Lily and Lo are two fairly damaged individuals who care about each other, but who have gotten into the habit of enabling each other. Even though they adore each other, their addictions have become the most important thing in their lives. The story ‘Addicted to You’ tells is very enthralling. I especially liked the inclusion of Connor and Ryke: these are characters who break into Lo and Lily's seclusion, slowly becoming entrenched in their lives.

When I finished the book I felt like it did have an ending, but I still wished for more details or direction about how Lily would seek more help for her addiction. Thankfully this wasn’t an oversight, and it appears that the authors are writing more books about these characters. ‘Addicted to You’ is a truly unique story, one that's tough to read at times, but is also very interesting and well written.

The Cover:
Like!

Rating:
[3.5/5]

Add Addicted To You by Krista & Becca Ritchie on Goodreads. Purchase on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, or Smashwords.

Secret for a Song by S.K. Falls

Secret for a Song by S.K. Falls
Release Date: June 3, 2013
Publisher: Self-published
Pages: ?
Series: n/a
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Saylor Grayson makes herself sick. Literally.

She ate her first needle when she was seven. Now, at nineteen, she’s been kicked out of college for poisoning herself with laxatives. The shrinks call it Munchausen Syndrome. All Saylor knows is that when she’s ill, her normally distant mother pays attention and the doctors and nurses make her feel special.

Then she meets Drew Dean, the leader of a local support group for those with terminal diseases. When he mistakes her for a new member, Saylor knows she should correct him. But she can’t bring herself to, not after she’s welcomed into a new circle of friends. Friends who, like Drew, all have illnesses ready to claim their independence or their lives.

For the first time, Saylor finds out what it feels like to be in love, to have friends who genuinely care about her. But secrets have a way of revealing themselves. What will happen when Saylor’s is out?

My Thoughts:
If I had one word to describe this book, especially at the beginning, it would be “unsettling”. It’s such an uncomfortable thing to read about a character who is so blasé about self-harming herself in so many ways. Saylor is a character who knows she’s hurting herself, but she gets a high from how it feels. This is a psychosis that's been ingrained in her for years, triggered by her want of attention from her emotionally distant parents. Now, this is something that normally I would shy away from reading about, but the way it’s presented seems so truthful and interesting. It’s so far from “normal” behaviours and ways of thinking, and yet as the reader you can’t help but empathize with Saylor in some way.

As the synopsis states, a connection grows between Saylor and Drew. It’s a beautiful relationship that feels built on trust and understanding -- they begin to truly know one another and teach one another, and yet the whole thing is built on a lie. It’s a painful thing to see this amazing relationship, when you just know it’s all going to come crashing down at some point. What I think is really beautiful, and so well done, is the gradual change you see in Saylor. It almost sneaks in there and you don't quite see how much she's grown at first, with actually being willing to see what’s she’s been doing as wrong, in how it’s affected their family, etc.

This is definitely a bittersweet story. It’s the type of book that you have to be in the mood for, so if you’re looking for a light read at this moment, I would hold off on this one. ‘Secret for a Song’ is gorgeously written and intricately plotted, a five-star read that I found incredibly interesting.

The Cover:
Beautiful.

Rating:
[5/5]

Find Secret for a Song by S.K. Falls on Goodreads, Amazon, and B&N. The author also has a great page for the book with FAQ and Book Club Questions.

When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney

When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Little Brown
Pages: 257
Series: n/a
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Filled with humor, raw emotion, a strong voice, and a brilliant dog named Sandy Koufax, When You Were Here explores the two most powerful forces known to man-death and love. Daisy Whitney brings her characters to life with a deft touch and resonating authenticity.

Danny's mother lost her five-year battle with cancer three weeks before his graduation-the one day that she was hanging on to see.

Now Danny is left alone, with only his memories, his dog, and his heart-breaking ex-girlfriend for company. He doesn't know how to figure out what to do with her estate, what to say for his Valedictorian speech, let alone how to live or be happy anymore.

When he gets a letter from his mom's property manager in Tokyo, where she had been going for treatment, it shows a side of his mother he never knew. So, with no other sense of direction, Danny travels to Tokyo to connect with his mother's memory and make sense of her final months, which seemed filled with more joy than Danny ever knew. There, among the cherry blossoms, temples, and crowds, and with the help of an almost-but-definitely-not Harajuku girl, he begins to see how it may not have been ancient magic or mystical treatment that kept his mother going. Perhaps, the secret of how to live lies in how she died.

My Thoughts:
Daisy Whitney has a special way with words. The things that she writes just reach out and touch my heart. It sounds cliche, but I find her writing incredibly meaningful. I love how the themes in ‘When You Were Here’ (love, life, loss, finding meaning) are universal, and yet it felt like Danny's words were meant directly for me, for me to feel & experience.

This one stands out to me, first and foremost, because of the male narrator. Danny is a lovely character: so sweet and a little bit broken as he copes with the death of his mother. The book is sad, of course, because of the theme, but it was the type of sad that I can handle. It was bittersweet throughout, with a few bursting moments of hope and renewal at the end.

The book also features two main female characters, Holland and Kana, who are very distinct from one another, and yet I adored them equally, in such different ways. I really loved the platonic friendship between Danny and Kana. It just felt so perfect to me, that representation of an incredibly meaningful relationship between a boy and a girl that wasn't romantic.

‘When You Were Here’ is sad but hopeful, and I found it to be beautiful and moving. It has a great travel aspect with Danny going to Tokyo, and also features an incredibly sweet relationship between a guy and his dog. This book is just so lovely and I highly recommend it; my first thoughts after finishing it were: 'So. Freaking. Good.'

The Cover:
Really like it!

Rating:
[5/5]

Find When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.