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April 30, 2014

Blog Tour: Tease by Amanda Maciel

I'm glad to be part of the official blog tour for Tease!




Title: Tease
Author: Amanda Maciel
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication date: April 29, 2014
Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 336
Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault.

At least, that's what everyone seems to think. Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. Now Sara is the one who's ostracized, already guilty according to her peers, the community, and the media.

During the summer before her senior year, in between meetings with lawyers and a court-recommended therapist, Sara is forced to reflect on the events that brought her to this moment—and ultimately consider her role in an undeniable tragedy. And she'll have to find a way to move forward, even when it feels like her own life is over.
I went into this book without really knowing exactly what it was. I actually thought it was a murder mystery, but I was wrong. Tease was much more than that.  If you actually don't know what this book is about, it's about bullying. But this time, it's from the bully's POV! I actually found that very refreshing and different, and I really wanted to read a book that takes on the bully's POV instead of the one getting bullied. I actually know a few people who just couldn't stand reading this book because they couldn't relate to the main character, Sara (bully) or whatnot. I didn't think I really had to understand Sara's actions or agree with them to enjoy this book. 
Sara, along with a few of her friends, have been bullying and harassing Emma Putnam, a girl in their school who they think is a major slut. The book goes from now and then, which is from before Emma's death, and after Emma's death. I really thought the characters were believable, and the ways they bullied here actually happen to a lot of teenagers right now. Everything was really realistic, and that made me enjoy the book even more. Despite this book being from the bully's POV, that does not mean that the author wants us to feel sorry for the bully or any of that. In my opinion, I think it's to show how wrong bullying is, and what it can do for the one being bullied and sometimes for the bully him/herself. Even though Sara did bully Emma, and caused her to commit suicide, there were times where I knew she didn't want any of that to happen. 
Overall, this book was definitely different than most of the books I previously read about bullying. I like that it shows a different spotlight of it. I think Amanda Maciel did a fantastic job in her first novel, Tease, which was also beautifully written. I really do recommend this book to all contemporary readers out there. Even though you might not be able to stand the characters and the bullying you, I really advise you to go on. The ending will be worth it all.  



Amanda Maciel has worked in book publishing since graduating from Mount Holyoke College and is currently a senior editor at Scholastic. She spends her free time writing, running, or riding the subway with her young son. She lives with him, her husband, and their cat, Ruby, in Brooklyn, New York. Tease is her first novel. 

April 27, 2014

Review: The Taking by Kimberly Derting

The Taking (The Taking, #1)
Title: The Taking (The Taking, #1)

Author: Kimberly Derting
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication date: April 29, 2014
Genre(s): YA (Sci-Fi/Aliens/contemporary/????)
Source: Edelweiss
Format: eARC
Pages: 368
A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?
I've read Kimberly Derting's The Pledge trilogy and really enjoyed it. Knowing that I went ahead and requested The Taking because it has two of my favorite things, memory loss, and mystery. Of course this book is labeled as science fiction, paranormal, aliens.. but I feel it has a very contemporary feel. and I must confess.. I loved it. I feel that Derting can write an amazing contemporary novel and I am hoping she'll do that soon! Anyways back to The Taking, I thought this novel can't be confined to one genre.. it is exactly like The Pledge.. where it has historical and dystopian elements along with political and 100 other! This is why I love Derting's books, they are thoroughly thought out, intricate in the details, and very unique. 
Kyra wakes up in the back of a gas station mart with no idea how she got there. Turns out she's been missing for five years but without aging a single day. She's still in her softball uniform from the last day she remembers, hair ribbons, dirt stains and all but everyone has moved on.. five years in the future exactly. Austin, her boyfriend, is now at university and clearly moved on and Tyler, his younger brother, is now 17 years old, a year older than her! All this mystery and head scratching was totally addicting. I couldn't put the book down and kept on flipping the pages as quickly as I could. It was really hard seeing how everything has changed in those five years and I really felt bad for Kyra. However the developing friendship between her and Tyler was just so adorable and heartwarming. I love Tyler so much! We all should demand a neighbor/friend/potential more? like him in our lives! I thought this side of the story was written impeccably by Derting. The romance didn't feel forced or overpowering, or too slow, too fast.. it was just perfect (hence my comment about her potentially being an amazing contemporary writer!). 
The non-contemporary aspect of the novel was subtle at the beginning but prevailed in the second half of the novel and that was when everything went to crap, in the craziness full blown out, everything that could go wrong went wrong sense. I loved it! It was such a thrilling read! And on top of all that, The Taking even made me cry! See what I mean by the author combining and weaving so many different genres in a novel? Towards the end is when we get 10% of our questions answered but don't count on being able to figure out the whole novel because even after finishing it, I still have about 100 questions which is why I am SO SO excited for the sequel and will sell a percentage of my soul if I could get it early! What I am basically saying is this is a time where you need to take my recommendation seriously and go out and BUY the book because you're going to want to re-read it, trust me. 

April 26, 2014

Juhina's Favorite Reads in 2014 So Far

2014 has been a FANTASTIC reading year so far! there has been SO MANY amazing books that I read and ended up giving 5/5 stars. It is CRAZY.. seriously. I think I gave more 5 star ratings in the first three months of 2014 than I did in all of 2013! I read a total of 33 books in the first three months. Here are all the books I gave 5/5 stars that I think you should ALL READ!

Three (Article 5, #3)Ignite Me (Shatter Me, #3)
These two dystopian trilogies did not disappoint! their last books were everything I wanted them to be. Three was such a strong book to end the trilogy with and I truly loved everything about it. Chase and Ember are one of my favorite dystopian couples. As for Ignite Me.. this book killed me.. in a good way. Everything about it, to the last comma and full stop was pure perfection. It felt like Tahereh Mafi knew what I wanted  precisely and just handed it all to me in the form of this beautiful book. I even did a liveshow of Ignite Me and discussed it with 5 other people because I couldn't stop thinking about it. If you haven't started both Article 5 and Shatter Me trilogy.. then you better get on with it!


Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)Siege and Storm (The Grisha, #2)
The Grisha trilogy.. I am both happy and sad that I only read it this year.. happy because I didn't have to torture myself through the one year wait for each book.. but sad because I won't be able to be a part of the story for long.. since Ruin and Rising is coming out in June. This trilogy, consisting of Shadow and Bone as well as Siege and Storm, is written so well, the world constructed so fascinating and interesting.. I never wanted to leave it. The whole Grisha system is so darn good.. I fantasized about being a Grisha myself. Ruin & Rising is in my top three most anticipated releases this year. It seriously should give you an indication of how much I love this trilogy.

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1)
I flew through Vampire Academy. I got so addicted.. I couldn't put it down. If you are ever in a reading slump, this will take you right out of it. I loved the writing and Rose's voice.. she's snarky, a trouble maker, and a freaking kick butt protagonist. This would remind you of why YA books are so awesome. 

Don't Look BackThe Secrets of Lily Graves
I love my mysteries! and I am SO happy I found not one.. but TWO AMAZING ones. Don't Look Back is a memory loss, disappearance mystery while The Screts of Lily Graves is a murder mystery. Don't Look Back was creepy at times and so addicting, had a delicious love interest and plot twist after plot twist that had you guessing for the mystery until the end. The Secrets of Lily Graves had such a unique plot line with the main protagonist belonging in a family of morticians. I just absolutely loved Lily Graves, I would seriously want to be her best friend.. and the twist? just WOW.. mind blowing.. also the romance was perfect. 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)My Life with the Walter Boys
Biggest Flirts (Superlatives, #1)Ditched: A Love Story
Who would have guessed huh? contemporaries have overtaken this post! With books like To All the Boys I've Loved Before, My Life With the Walter Boys, Biggest Flrits, and Ditched? who would doubt such a thing? the first three are all 2014 releases while Ditched is a 2012 release. 

To all the Boys I've Loved Before is so so so so perfect. Jenny Han is no doubt one of the best YA contemporary writers ever. I can't and will not stop obsessing over this book, the plot line, the CUTENESS, Lara Jean, and all the adorableness that is made up of this book. My Life with the Walter Boys is Cheaper by the Dozen in a book, with a ton of charged awkwardness and tension that comes with a girl living in a house with 12 other boys. Biggest Flirts is another fun novel by Jennifer Echols. I loved the idea behind this new series and I loved how memorable Tia will be. This book is perfect as a summer read. Ditched is the cutest, most fun book you'll ever read. Justina is recalling her prom night that started less than 12 hours earlier in a seven eleven, at 6am, to some random stranger by the stains of her dress. Every stain has a story and it is done in chronological order. This book was hilarious and I laughed out loud many times. Plus the romance is so so cute.


Check out my reviews of some of these books:

Have you read any of my favorites? if yes, what do you think of them? if not then which ones are you most excited to read or already have on your tbr??

April 23, 2014

Mini Reviews: Dear Killer and Nearly Gone - The Mystery Edition


Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell

April 1st, 2014
DNF
Source: Publisher

It's so disappointing how excited I was to get into this book, to just end up hating it with a passion. I actually found the idea cool. I never read a book from the murderer's POV, but this book was just so unrealistic! How is it that the main character, Kit, is a professional killer at the age of 16. Apparently, her first kill was with her bare hands, at the age of EIGHT!!! How is that even possible? The story felt childish, Kit was such an annoying character. She really felt flat for me, and I just couldn't stand her, or her "evil" mom. The book also felt really repetitive. It was always her receiving a letter, her talking about how killing is no good or evil, and then her committing the murder. Same story over and over again. I also kind of expected what was going to happen in the end. After a hundred pages of reading, I decided that I wasn't going to continue. That being said, I opened the last page of the book, and the ending was exactly as I expected it! How boring, I can't say how disappointed I am because of this book.

Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano
March 25, 2014
4.5/5 stars
Source: Edelweiss 

This book was SO SO SO GOOD! I definitely LOVED it! Now THIS is what I call a Mystery/Thriller book! Nearly Gone was just a roller coaster ride for me. It really creeped me out, and it was so addicting as well! Through out the whole book, I just never expected who the killer was! At the end, I was just so shocked! The main character, Nearly Boswell is a genius. When she receives some messages that "hint" about the murders that have been happening, she thinks it's her responsibility to solve the puzzle, and tries to save the next target before he/she gets killed. It is so cool to see the clues she receives, how she perceives them, and what she does to try to figure it out! Nearly was such a great character, and you can see her develop throughout the story. She grows into a better person, and even develops a better relationship with her mother. The romance is just SO GOOD! I loved all the characters, all the relationships that developed, and everything about the story! I definitely did not expect Nearly Gone to actually be this good,and I'm so glad I got to read it!


April 21, 2014

Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1).
Title: To All The Boys I've Loved Before (Book #1)
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada
Publication date: April 15, 2014
Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)
Source: Publisher 
Format: ARC
Pages: 368
Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control in this heartfelt novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series.

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them... all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.
Jenny Han is just an amazing contemporary writer. To All the Boys I've Loved Before was one of my most anticipated books of 2014.. and basically a book I was waiting from Jenny Han ever since she wrote The Summer trilogy… and that was years ago. To say I had high expectations of it is an understatement. But To All the Boys was everything I ever wanted in a contemporary, it was so so cute, adorable, fun, have I mentioned cute? and I love love loved the main protagonist Lara Jean. She's half korean and I LOVED that. I am such a huge fan of the korean culture and even went on vacation to South Korea so reading up about her culture and background just made me so happy. The synopsis is one of the best synopses I've ever read in a contemporary novel. She's a genius, seriously. Her secret letters to all her crushes get mailed to them all? the catastrophe! the awkwardness that will ensue, and the promised hilarity were just too exciting! 
Of course, without a doubt, Jenny Han delivered. She was able to let these characters come to life and imprint on the readers.. I still remember them all, Lara Jean, Kitty, and Margot, known as the Song girls, as well as Josh and Peter. Also, Han knew how to write a book from a teenage girl's perspective.. it was believable and it showed through the writing. Lara Jean herself was such an adorable character and I loved her to pieces. The situation she was put in was so embarrassing but the way she handled it was just how any panicky teenager would. I especially loved young Kitty and her cute yet lethal temper. That girl can hold a grudge and I just loved her know it all attitude too. As for Josh and Peter, and all the other boys in the letters, I really liked them. I truly loved one of them but I don't want to say which one in order to not skew your perspective before starting the book. However I adored him and I just loved his relationship with Lara Jean. It was swoon worthy yet innocent yet cute yet frustrating, yet (insert every other emotion you can think of). Basically, these two were one hell of a team! 
To All the Boys isn't just fluffy, as with all of Han's books, all the characters go through character development and you witness that gradually. Lara Jean in the beginning of the book is a different, yet the same, Lara Jean at the end. She's more mature, has more life experience that made her grow, and a, not better per say, more developed version of her self. I loved the dynamic between the Song girls and I wanted to get in their sisterly hugs because of how adorable they were. I can't say enough positive things about this book. I loved it to pieces and I will be re-reading it soon because I need to get back into Lara Jean's world, it puts a smile on my face and gives me happy feelings <3. I can't wait for the second book, P.S. I Still Love You, and I am so impatient.. but one thing I know for sure, I am going to love it! 
Below is a non-spoiler review as well as a spoiler discussion. I give enough warning before I start the spoiler discussion 

April 18, 2014

Review: The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

The Geography of You and Me
Title: The Geography of You and Me 

Author: Jennifer E Smith
Publisher: HBG Canada
Publication date: April 15, 2014
Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary/Mystery)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 324
Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen's relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and -- finally -- a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.
I have read Smith's previous two books, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and This is What Happy Looks Like. I personally liked the first more than the second but even then, both books didn't wow me. I am a huge contemporary fan so I read a ton of contemporaries and I felt I was missing the wow factor. However, I wanted to read The Geography of You and Me because I wanted to give her writing another try and because of the intriguing synopsis. While I also wasn't wowed by this book, I can point out that this would be many people's cup of tea. I ended up giving it 3 stars which is a rating that means I liked the book but I did have a couple of issues with it. So the synopsis, have I mentioned how awesome it is? I like books told in 24 hours or we witness the lives of the main protagonists at a slower pace than we're used to. Also the whole idea of getting stuck with a hot stranger in an elevator made it sound exciting. However, I just felt that the author didn't grasp the full potential of such a setting. The whole elevator scene was short, as well as the night they spent exploring Manhattan. I wished we got more. I feel that I always say that for Smith's books. I wanted more exploring, more adventure, activities, and more emotions.  
Lucy and Owen meet up for that half day then each are whisked into their own lives. Lucy has to move across the atlantic ocean while Owen's dad is going traveling across the US in hopes of getting a job. There was some great background with both their families and just emotional depth but I just wasn't invested. I honestly don't know if it's a "it's me, not you" thing with Smith's books. I can never fully enjoy them while so many people do. I did start getting interested when Lucy and Owen started building up their own lives alone.. but then I get pushed right out of the caring circle because of their obsession for each other. They've only known each other for 24 hours, at least a third of that was spend on them asleep so I just don't get how they just couldn't move on from this. They both get a girlfriend/boyfriend but all their thoughts are on each other. I just found that really crappy of both of them and unfair to their partners. I wished there was more at stake, a better root for their love towards each other.. because no matter what, they were infatuated by each other and that doesn't logically result in them spending months thinking and obsessing over each other. Maybe i'm a cynic, but I just can't wrap my head around it. I do have to point out that I love how the relationship between Lucy and her parents got better in a nondramatic way. It was all because of lack of communicating their thoughts and feelings to each other and I liked how they were able to get past that. 
Basically if you were a fan of Smith's previous two books then this is for you. Also if you don't mind insta-love contemporary books then you would also enjoy this. I did enjoy it, hence the 3 star rating, but it isn't a book that I will remember a couple of months from now.
 Check out my mini review of The Geography of You and Me along with Don't Look Back!