Book Review: The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions) by Amy Spalding

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The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions)
Author: Amy Spalding
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: April 5th 2016
Review Source: Poppy

  

A ridiculously cute, formerly-famous new guy dropping into your life? It's practically every girl's dream.

But not Jules McCallister-Morgan's.

I realize that on paper I look like your standard type-A, neurotic, overachiever. And maybe I am. But I didn't get to be the editor of my school's long-revered newspaper by just showing up*. I have one main goal for my senior year-early acceptance into my first choice Ivy League college-and I will not be deterred by best friends, moms who think I could stand to "live a little," or boys.

At least, that was the plan before I knew about Alex Powell**.

And before Alex Powell betrayed me***.

I know what you're thinking: Calm down, Jules. But you don't understand. This stuff matters. This is my life. And I'm not going down without a fight.

Although The New Guy is not amazing, if you may say, it has it's perks. For instance, Alex. He's the new guy and he's a former well-known boy band. Oh yes, he is adorable.... and he's swoon-worthy. The way he was introduced was very interesting and left our main character speechless. Which is something Jules is not known for. She is the overachiever, well rounded girl that loves her position at the newspaper. Jules is not perfect but when her mind is set on something, she goes for it. Which is something I did admired. She loves to be in control and when she meets Alex, her life is not the same.

The New Guy is short and sweet. A story of two individuals in high school falling in love even in a sea of conflicts.

There were times this story felt so real, others not so much. I guess Jules was a little of a pusher over with no reasoning? She had her moments... In addition, this story has more dialogues then action-y scenes. I do have to admit, I laughed here and there with Jules' inner dialogue. One thing I did not like about this story is the pace. It was a bit too slow for my taste. I think it was all that dialogue?

Overall, the story was short, sweet and overall cute. Anyone looking for a rom-con read, then they should read this.

Book Review: Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys) by Amy Spalding

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Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys)
Author: Amy Spalding
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: April 7th 2015
Review Source: Poppy Books

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist meets Easy A in this hilariously realistic story of sneaking out, making out, and playing in a band.

After catching their bandmates in a compromising position, sixteen-year-old Los Angelenos Riley and Reid become painfully aware of the romance missing from their own lives. And so a pact is formed: they'll both try to make something happen with their respective crushes and document the experiences in a shared notebook.

While Reid struggles with the moral dilemma of adopting a dog to win over someone's heart, Riley tries to make progress with Ted Callahan, who she's been obsessed with forever-His floppy hair! His undeniable intelligence! But suddenly cute guys are popping up everywhere. How did she never notice them before?! With their love lives going from 0 to 60 in the blink of an eye, Riley and Reid realize the results of their pact may be more than they bargained for.

Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys) takes you straight into high school. And, every bit of it is enjoyable to say the least! We follow Riley, an alluring character, that literally makes you laugh out loud. No, seriously, Amy Spalding deserves all the awards for making you physically laugh very loudly. I definitely see the comparison to a movie like Easy A. It's about a characters' journey of growing up and maturing, making some sloppy mistakes along the way. Doesn't that define everyone at some point? It is definitely what makes Riley super relatable.

Riley tackles situations with a jump gun start. Like, speaking before you think so to say. She, and her best friend Reid, do make the pact that they each WILL try to make things happen with their crushes. But, what happens when one crush turns into three? *AKA Every other teenager in the world* (Okay, maybe saying every is a bit excessive but you get the picture.) All Riley is worried about is making out. Which is cute, but can seem a little too cheesy at some points. It didn't take away from the overall book though. Reid, on the other hand, calculates his every move which, in my opinion, is totally adorable. I couldn't decide who my favorite male character was. Reid, or Ted Callahan! There I go having two crushes. See what I mean?!

Kissing Ted Callahan, with all it's cuteness and LOL laughter, is definitely a must read for those in high school, or those wanting to walk down their teenage memory lane.

Cover Reveals: Persuasion | Lock & Mori | Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between

There have been quite a few cover reveals in the bookish world lately. 

Here are a few that stand out to us.

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Persuasion

The Heirs of Watson Island #2

Author: Martina Boone 

Release Date: October 28th 2015

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Grieving the death of her godfather and haunted by her cousin Cassie’s betrayal, Barrie returns from a trip to San Francisco to find the Watson plantation besieged by reporters and ghost-hunters. Some are hoping to see the ancient spirit who sets the river on fire each night, while others are chasing rumors of a stolen shipment of Civil War gold that may be hidden at Colesworth Place. Chaos descends as Cassie hires a team of archeologists to excavate beneath the mansion ruins. But more is buried there than treasure.

A mysterious, magical man appears at Watson’s Landing, claiming the key to the Watson and Beaufort gifts and the Colesworth curse also lies beneath the mansion. With a mix of threats and promises, he engages Barrie and Cassie in a midnight visit, but the spell he conjurs has potentially deadly consequences.

While Barrie and dreamy Eight Beaufort struggle to make sense of the escalating danger and their growing feelings for each other, Barrie has to figure out not only whom to trust, but which gift is more reliable—Eight’s or her own. With millions of dollars and the fate of the founding families at stake, she must choose between what she feels deep in her heart and what will keep her loved ones safe.

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Lock & Mori

Lock & Mori #1
Author: Heather W. Petty

Release Date: September 15th 2015

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock’s one rule—they must share every clue with each other—Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can’t trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

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Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Release Date: September 1st 2015

Publisher: Poppy

On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan only have one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they'll retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night will lead them to friends and family, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

This new must-read novel from Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, explores the difficult choices that must be made when life and love lead in different directions.

Book Review: Love, Lucy by April Lindner

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Love, Lucy
Author: April Lindner
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: January 27th 2015
Review Source: Poppy

While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food...and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician. After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation." But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse are over, too.

In this coming-of-age romance, April Lindner perfectly captures the highs and lows of a summer love that might just be meant to last beyond the season.

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to participate in a book blast for Love, Lucy. Thanks to Rockstar Blog Tours, we shared an awesome guest post from Lucy Sommersworth on the Top Ten Things she loves about Italy. Needless to say, after reading this post, I had to get my hands on Love, Lucy. One of my hobbies is to travel. I’d visited United Kingdom and France but not Italy. Man, I wished I had. Looking at those pictures, I told myself to plan a trip to Italy in the future and my anticipation for this novel was high.

Unto the story.

Love, Lucy was somewhat cute but it wasn’t what I was expecting. The book is divided into two parts. Part One: Italy and Part Two: Philadelphia. We meet Lucy Sommersworth. Recently graduated, Lucy makes a deal with her parents. She always dreamed to visit Europe for the summer. So she promised to major in Business in exchanged for this trip. Seems like a sweet deal, right? For Lucy, this is just another way for her father to manipulate her life. Acting is her passion but this is unacceptable to his eyes. If she cannot have one, then she hopes of a fabulous time in Europe.

During her time in Italy, Lucy finds love but returns to college with a broken heart. Though I enjoyed parts of the book, the romance felt short for me. I couldn’t picture Lucy in love with this boy she just met. I didn’t buy their love. I wish their time while in Italy were longer than the time they were apart. I wished for a longer and adventurous time of a summer love. I just didn’t feel their connection.

I did however liked how Lucy finally decides to follow her passion. Her father came off as a jerk so standing up to him wasn’t easy. Following her passion is the best decision she made in this story. Except it took her a while to make a decision.

Overall, Love, Lucy was an okay read but not the ideal book for romance. There were cute moments, adorable at times, but nothing to swoon about.

Waiting on Wednesday: Love, Lucy by April Lindner

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Love, Lucy

Author: April Lindner

Release Date: January 27th 2015

Publisher: Poppy

While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, 17-year-old Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food...and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician. After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation." But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse are over, too.

Inspired by E.M. Forster's A Room with a View.

Book Review: Locked by Parker Witter

Locked
Author: Parker Witter
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: August 19th 2014
Review Source: Poppy Books | Netgalley

"It had always been the three of us, and then it was the two of us-Ed and August. There was not, nor had there ever been a chance of a Noah and August. And that was fine. Because the truth was I had known Noah forever but I still had no idea who he really was. Especially not now. " In this sizzling novella, one girl must choose between loyalty and love.

August had the two best guy friends a girl could ask for in Noah and Ed. Then Ed confessed he felt more for her - and their new relationship changed everything. She had hoped it would be Noah that she'd end up with someday, but it's clearer than ever that Noah's just not interested in being a one-girl guy.

When the small seaplane the three of them are on crashes, August finds herself injured and marooned on an island with ... Noah. Unsure of what's become of Ed, August and Noah do their best to not lose hope as they fight to survive on an island that is not as deserted as they first believed. But fighting the elements - and their attraction to each other - becomes a losing battle. Soon, a secret from Noah's past that could bind them to the island forever is revealed, and August must choose between giving into her feelings for him, or struggling to make it back home.

After just watching Blue Lagoon: The Awakening I really wanted to read book similar to the movie. The stranded on an island type. I jumped at the chance to read Locked as it was just what I was looking for. Very pretty cover, too.

Locked began as a promising book but after chapter one it fell flat. Straight away I noticed there was a lack in detail. Where we needed details we didn’t get them but there was times where we were given information which was completely irrelevant and didn't contribute to the story. I was confused. August wasn’t a clear character. In fact, she was really blurry. I wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted or how she felt and the absence of character and emotional development didn’t help, either. After the plane crash I expected a certain amount of emotion from August and Noah, and what I got didn’t meet the ‘oh my god. Our plane just crashed and now we’re stranded’ level. That right there was a problem. If I’m honest, to me she felt emotionally numb. She didn’t react to situations or things like she should have. Neither did Noah.

And the ending... there’s no indication of a book #2. The abruptness of the ending and the overall set up was disappointing. It just made it feel like the book was for nothing.

Overall opinion: Putting all issues aside I still enjoyed the book. It had the potential to (maybe) be one of my 2014 reads but unfortunately I couldn't rate the book any higher because of the issues.

Book Review: Famous in Love by Rebecca Serle

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Famous in Love
Famous in Love #1
Author: Rebecca Serle
Reading Level: Young adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: October 21st 2014
Review Source: Poppy

The romantic story of a girl who gets plucked from obscurity to star in the next major feature film franchise based on a book and the ensuing love triangles she gets entangled in on—-and off screen.

Meet Paige Townsen, Rainer Devon, and Jordan Wilder…

When Paige Townsen, a young unknown, gets cast in the movie adaptation of a blockbuster book series, her life changes practically overnight. Within a month, Paige has traded the quiet streets of her hometown for a crowded movie set on the shores of Maui, and is spending quality time with her co-star Rainer Devon, one of People’s Sexiest Men Alive. But when troubled star Jordan Wilder lands the role of the other point in the movie’s famous love triangle, Paige’s crazy new life gets even crazier.

In this coming-of-age romance inspired by the kind of celeb hookups that get clever nicknames and a million page views, Paige must figure out who she is – and who she wants – while the whole world watches.

This book was really good from the beginning to the very end. I have never read a book by this author ever and I would read another book by her in the future. Hopefully it will be the sequel to this book.

This book reminded me of the Twilight Series minus the vampires and werewolves. This book is about a series called Locked that is going to turn into a movie. You will meet the main character Paige Townsen. She is just a normal teenager going to school and working at a part time job. If she isn't working or at school she is hanging out with her best friends Cassandra and Jake. Well Paige wants to be an actress so she tries out for the leading lady in the movie Locked. Well she ends up getting the part and is flown to Hawaii where they will be filming it. She meets the hot leading man Rainer. She has seen him in magazines and movies. She thinks he is so hot and can't concentrate on the movie set. Then in walks the other leading man of the movie Jordan. She is attracted to both of the men that are filming the movie with her and she can't decide who she wants to be because they both have feelings for her.

I really would love to keep rambling on about this really great book by this author. I really hope there is a sequel to this book. When your reading this book and you get to the part where she has both men loving her. It will remind you of Bella, Jacob, and Edwards love triangle. That's probably why I loved it so much.