Shuffle, Repeat by Jen Klein

When Harry Met Sally for YA romance readers. This opposites-attract love story is perfect for fans of Huntley Fitzpatrick, Stephanie Perkins, and Jenny Han.
 
June wants high school to end and real life to begin. Oliver is soaking up senior year’s glory days. They could have coasted through high school, knowing about—but not really knowing—each other.

Except that their moms have arranged for Oliver to drive June to school. Every. Single. Day.

Suddenly these two opposites are fighting about music, life . . . pretty much everything. But love is unpredictable. When promises—and hearts—get broken, Oliver and June must figure out what really matters. And then fight for it. 

Goodreads Summary

I think I would be annoyed it my mom ordered a boy to drive me to school every day (even if it was nice of her and made it more convenient for me). As soon as I started this book I could see where it was going. Two very different and somewhat obnoxious people were going to be attracted to each other, but first they were going to undergo obstacles. Although Oliver wasn't dating June in the beginning, I knew they were going to end up together at some point. Oliver had a girlfriend, June had her own set of girls who were friends with her, and this whole set up sort of reminded me of Gilmore Girls plus some more mature parts. 

I actually preferred Oliver's character. He was quirky, funny, and wasn't afraid to tell June what he thought. June was a little bit harsher, though I think that was more due to the circumstances than her own character. Their high school romance was what I would want if I had actually wanted to date in high school. It was sweet, affectionate, and overall adorable. Their spats over music were hilarious and caused me to look up more than a few songs. I liked how June asked her girlfriends for advice and came to the realization that her mom was not just her mother, but a person with her own personality and life experiences. Overall, this book is highly recommended to young adult/teen readers.

4 Stars




This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Karolina's Twins by Ronald H. Balson

From the author of Once We Were Brothers comes a saga inspired by true events of a Holocaust survivor’s quest to fulfill a promise, return to Poland and find two sisters lost during World War II.

Lena Woodward, an elderly woman, enlists the help of both lawyer Catherine Lockhart and private investigator Liam Taggart to appraise the story of her harrowing past in Nazi occupied Poland. At the same time, Lena’s son Arthur presents her with a hefty lawsuit under the pretense of garnering her estate—and independence—for his own purposes. Where these stories intersect is through Lena’s dubious account of her life in war-torn Poland, and her sisterhood with a childhood friend named Karolina. Lena and Karolina struggled to live through the atrocity of the Holocaust, and at the same time harbored a courageous, yet mysterious secret of maternity that has troubled Lena throughout her adult life. In telling her story to Catherine and Liam, Lena not only exposes the realities of overcoming the horrors of the Holocaust, she also comes to terms with her own connection to her dark past.

Karolina’s Twins is a tale of survival, love, and resilience in more ways than one. As Lena recounts her story, Catherine herself also recognizes the unwavering importance of family as she prepares herself for the arrival of her unborn child. Through this association and many more, both Lena and Catherine begin to cherish the dogged ties that bind not only families and children, but the entirety of mankind. 

Goodreads Summary

Lena's story is fascinating. I love how the author dug into the mind of his character to produce a realistic account of the Holocaust from Lena Woodward's perspective. Her friend, Karolina, and her had a strong friendship and bond. Lena feels responsible for keeping a secret for decades. She must find her friend's twins. Nazi occupied Poland was a difficult and harsh regime to live under. I could tell the author had done a lot of research to the point of where I could picture it in my mind as I read along.

I enjoyed Lena's character. She was resilient, strong, and intelligent. I did, however, prefer Karolina. Catherine and Liam are a husband and wife team who are hired to track down Karolina's twins. Through their interactions with Lena we learn the true story behind what happened decades ago. I hate difficult choices or choices that are impossible to make and this story is rife with them. The author has a cadence to his writing that makes it easy to read for hours. This book is recommended to historical fiction (though parts of the story are true) readers.

4 Stars

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Rocks Fall Everyone Dies by Lindsay Ribar

Twin Peaks meets Stars Hollow in this paranormal suspense novel about a boy who can reach inside people and steal their innermost things—fears, memories, scars, even love—and his family’s secret ritual that for centuries has kept the cliff above their small town from collapsing.

Aspen Quick has never really worried about how he’s affecting people when he steals from them. But this summer he’ll discover just how strong the Quick family magic is—and how far they’ll go to keep their secrets safe.

With a smart, arrogant protagonist, a sinister family tradition, and an ending you won’t see coming, this is a fast-paced, twisty story about power, addiction, and deciding what kind of person you want to be, in a family that has the ability to control everything you are. 

Goodreads Summary

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book. It's very different than anything I have read before and it is difficult to describe why. I did not immediately like Aspen. He comes off as arrogant, self-assured, and much to cocky. I don't think I would like to have his ability to "steal" things from peoples' minds. I imagine it would be interesting for a day. I only started to see him in a different light when he began to realize how his "gift" affected the lives of those he used it on. I suppose it takes caring about someone (his girlfriend) before he thinks of the repercussions. Once he realizes that what he can do has negative affects on those around him he also realizes that he has been negatively affected by the gift, as well. Someone has been using his/her gift on him, but why and who?

Like I said, it took a while for me to become friendly to Aspen. His character changes radically over the course of the novel. Sometimes, I thought it was more a change of convenience or self-preservation than true personal growth. I thought the plot was interesting, but sometimes I had to put the book down and continue reading a different novel. I think the book is worth reading, but a different reader may get more from the book than I.

3 1/2 Stars





This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Beautiful Scars by Kilee Brookbank

Kilee Brookbank was a typical sixteen-year-old, thinking about school, soccer, her friends, and her boyfriend. But her last ordinary day erupted in an explosion that consumed her house, burning over 45 percent of her body and sending her to the very brink of death. After thirty-eight days of surgeries, skin grafts, perpetual physical therapy, and excruciating pain, she had to discover how to live again.

When Kilee returned home, she had to find a new “normal,” relearning how to tie her shoes, put on her makeup, and even turn a doorknob. In each moment of her long journey back to everyday life, she had to make choices that would define who she was and who she would become.

With unwavering support from her mom, Lori, and the rest of her family, Kilee faced her journey with determination, strength, and a positive attitude that inspired not only her community, but people around the world.

Told together by Kilee and Lori, Beautiful Scars is a story of recovery, healing, and hope, reminding us all that we’re never powerless, never alone, and that each challenge we face helps make us the people we are meant to be. 

Goodreads Summary

I can't imagine being Kilee. After a tragedy leaves her with nearly half of her skin burned she somehow manages to survive. Undergoing skin grafts and physical therapy helps her, but she must work through the pain. I never thought about the simple things I do with my hands or feet that became significantly more difficult for Kilee. Kilee doesn't sugarcoat anything for the readers or try to tell them that it will be perfectly OK. She relies on the support of family and friends to help her through this immensely difficult time. 

I really liked that the story was told from the perspective of Kilee and her mom, Lori. Lori's perspective made me think about the emotions and difficulties moms go through when something happens to their children. I am not a mother (just out of college!) and was a little selfish in not realizing this. I found the book interesting and a worthwhile read as a whole. I learned much more about the aftermath of a burn than my sister or I do in medical school. This book is worth a second look!

4 Stars


This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ