Top Ten Tuesday (42)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This weeks topic is Top Ten Books I Read in 2013. I'm going to make this super easy and do the last ten books I read! 

1. Everyday by David Levithan.
2. Reboot by Amy Tintera.
3. Champion by Marie Lu.
4. Not A Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis.
5. Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
6. The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas.
7. Pawn by Aimee Carter.
8. The Program by Suzanne Young.
9. This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales.
10. The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle.

That was just a couple of the amazing books I got read this year! Let me know how you guys did this year in the comments <3 br="">

Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: MTV Books
Source: Conference
Stand Alone
Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.

Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…

Review
I'm gonna be honest and say I had some troubles getting into this. It started off way slow! Once it got going, I fell in love. The concept was amazing as were the characters.

This tells the story of Bailey. Her family shunned her because of her younger sisters recording contract. She is forced to move in with her grandfather. She gets a job playing in a couple tribute bands. In one of those bands, she meets someone who could change her life forever.

It took me some time to get used to Bailey. She had a pretty big back story. It effected her personality. It took a very long time for us to see the true Bailey. She was an incredibly great character. Once you get used to her she is very enjoyable. Now Sam, was absolute perfection. He couldn't have been better. One thing I loved about Sam and Bailey was their complexity. They had to learn to work together and it wasn't easy.

This book really had an amazing storyline. It was so unique! Once I got into it, I couldn't stop reading. I loved the Nashville setting. I loved all the music aspects. I loved that I couldn't predict the story. I was really happy to see a more mature read. It was just enough to satisfy. Overall I'm surprised by how much I loved this story! I can't wait to see more from this author!

Top Ten Tuesday (41)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This weeks topic is Top Ten Books I Wish Santa Would Bring Me. I always ask for books for Christmas, so this is a easy topic for me! This will be a mix of books I'm asking for and ones that I hope Old Saint Nick will just know about.

• Harry Potter boxed set-Yes, I already own all of the books, but I see that pretty, new boxed set everywhere and my shameless book collector heart beats a little faster.
• Champion by Marie Lu-Not getting this the day it came out killed me. Seeing all the rave reviews and talk about the ending since then has just made it worse. I'll be reading this as soon as I get it.
• These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner-I read this book and absolutely loved it. I read it as an ARC and with a cover like that how can I not want to own the gorgeous finished copy?
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak-I know, I can't believe that I haven't read this book either. I've heard so many people say it's their favorite book and I want to see the movie so bad. The only reason I haven't just bought it is because I want the pretty UK edition of it. Don't ask me why. I don't know myself.
• Dare You To and Crash Into You by Katie McGarry- I loved Pushing the Limits and ever since I read it I've been waiting and dying to read the next two. I'll definitely do a little happy dance when I finally have these in my hands.
• Looking for Alaska by John Green-I want this one for the same reasons I want the Harry Potter boxed set and The Book Thief. I've read it, but for some reason I think I need to own the super pretty UK edition. I don't even have room for the books I already have.
• Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout-This is one of my favorite series by one of my favorite authors and I honestly don't know what I'm going to with myself now that it's over.
• Vampire Academy by Rachelle Meade-Another how haven't I read this book. It's so many people's favorite series. I would love the boxed set, but I figure it might be best to just start with the first one.
• Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano-This authors Chemical Gardens series is one of my favorite dystopian series out there. The premise of this book sounds so cool and different and if she writes the same way as she did before, I know I'm going to love it.

That's it! I could definitely come up with more, but I don't think Santa's sleigh would be able to get off the ground. What about you? What are you hoping Santa will bring you tonight? Let me know in the comments and I'll see what if I can get a last minute word to the North Pole :)

I hope all you lovely people who read our blog have a lovely Christmas, New Years, and winter break! Read some good books *<: font="">

Twin Falls by Lena Brown Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Buzz Books USA
Source: Publisher
First book in a possible series
*This was gifted to me by publisher for review*
Twin Falls, Texas
Population: Unknown.
What if you thought you were all alone in the world, only to find out you had a secret twin in a hidden colony deep under the red dirt in the middle of nowhere? After her mother dies, Eve is sent to live with a family she never knew, just days before her 16th birthday. The one-horse town is a cover for the Order of the Messenger Angels, but their enemies, The Crusaders, believe they are evil incarnate and won’t stop until the Order is wiped out. Eve’s heart — and her life — are in danger. Can she save them before it’s too late?

Review
This was a little on and off for me. It was just okay for me. It had some good aspects and some bad.

This tells the story of Eve. It's time for her to face her past and get back to Twin Falls. As she gets used to her new life, her powers grow and she discovers who she really is.

The characters in this story didn't wow me but they weren't bad. Eve had a great snarky personality. I loved how strong she was. I wished we had gotten to know Alphia a little more. We didn't get to see a whole lot of her. I liked both Luke and Jude but hated how Eve was practically with both of them. It wasn't like a love triangle. She had feelings and moments with both of them. By the end I found myself wishing we had gotten to see more of all the characters.

I'm a huge fan of angel books. I always have been. I loved the twins concept and the differences between them.  I liked that everyone had their own purpose. There wasn't a lot of action. The storyline was a little confusing. At times it was all over the place. I loved the underground school and the Texas setting. overall this may have just been okay but it was still enjoyable.

Waiting on Wednesday: Earthquake by Aprilynne Pike

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:

Earthquake by Aprilynne Pike

Expected publication: July 15th 2014 by Razorbill

Tavia Michaels has discovered that she’s an Earthbound—a fallen goddess with the power to remake the Earth—and that a rival faction of Earthbounds, the Reduciata, has created a virus that is literally wiping swaths of the planet out of existence. 
Tavia is captured and imprisoned before she can act on this information, along with her eternal lover, Logan. Huddled in a claustrophobic cell, they lose track of the days, their attempts to escape proving as ephemeral as Tavia’s newly gestating powers. But then Tavia and Logan are mysteriously rescued. . . .
They’re brought to the underground headquarters of the Curatoria, another group of Earthbounds that Tavia doesn’t fully trust. There, she’s told that she can save the Earth before it disappears. She agrees.
Tavia quickly realizes that she isn’t like other Earthbound, and as her abilities continue to awaken, they begin to threaten her centuries-long relationship with Logan. When Benson—Tavia’s former best friend and romantic interest—appears at Curatoria headquarters, Tavia will again have to make a choice about who to be with even as she tries to stop the virus that is destroying the world and uncover the truth about the two Earthbound organizations that have her tangled up in their webs.

Earthbound seriously blew me away! I'm a huge fan of this author. The wait for this pretty is going to be torture!

Let me know what you guys are waiting on in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday (40)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This weeks topic is Top Ten New To Me Authors I Read In 2013. I actually managed to get a few new to me authors this year so this should be a fun topic.

1. Mary Lindsey. This author lives in Texas and I've met her a million times. She is so nice! I finally had a chance to read one of her books and I've become a big fan! 
2. Aimee Carter. I got the chance to meet this author at a signing. Hearing her talk about her upcoming book had me excited to read. I got the chance to read Pawn and loved it to pieces! 
3. Kasie West. I had always wanted to read this authors books but never got the chance. Now I'm addicted and cant wait for more from her!
4. Victoria Scott. This is another Texas author. She is so sweet. I finally joined the Dante Walker fan club and I'm so glad I did!
5. Shannon Messenger. I had my eye on Let The Sky Fall forever but never got the chance to read it. Once I did, I became addicted. That series is something special! 
6. Jamie Canosa. This is a self published author that we've reviewed for. Those books are probably the best self published titles I've read!
7. Katie McGarry. I became a fan of this author at the beginning of the year. Now I'm a little obsessed!

That's all I could think of! Let me know who you guys would pick in the comments! 

November Monthly Wrap Up

Hey guys! I know this wrap up is a little late so sorry for that! Be sure and let us know what your TBR plans for this month are in the comments <3 font="">

Jasmine's wrap up

Marissa's wrap up

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Conference
First book in the Starbound series
It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 


Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 


Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. 

Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.
A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.


Review
I think I could fangirl about this book for the rest of my life. It was so amazing I don't even have words. 

This tells the story of Lilac, the richest girl in the world. And Tarver, a war hero. They are forced together after their ship is yanked out of hyperspace. They find themselves on a new planet and must survive. 

I didn't enjoy Lilac as much as Tarver but she was a great character. She had a very unique personality. She was a little stubborn at times. I liked seeing her grow up a little and at least try to be useful. Tarver was the most amazing character. He too was very unique. I loved his strength. I loved that he didn't baby Lilac but was still caring. Both characters changed and grew throughout the story. It was really cool seeing them grow stronger and grow closer. I loved that there was no insta love. In fact they hardly even liked each other for quite some time. They ended up having a really cute relationship. It was very complex. 

I don't read sy fy a lot but when I do I enjoy it. I had really high expectations for this. It met them easily. The storyline was fantastic. It was very action packed and suspenseful. The world building was very well done. Some of those twists made me scream. I didn't see anything coming. Overall in case you can't already tell, I adored this story. It was perfect and I cannot wait for more. 

Waiting on Wednesday: After the End by Amy Plum

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:

After the End by Amy Plum

Expected publication: May 6th 2014 by Harper

She’s searching for answers to her past. They’re hunting her to save their future.
World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.
At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.
When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.
Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

 

Doesn't this sound amazing? World War 3 and a unique setting! I'm a huge fan of this author so I cannot wait!

 

Top Ten Tuesday (39)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This weeks topic is Top Ten 2014 releases I'm dying for!

1. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi.
2. Infinite by Jodi Meadows.
3. The Warrior by Victoria Scott.
4. Opposition by Jennifer Armentrout.
5. Earthquake by Aprilynne Pike.
6. Evertrue by Brodi Ashton.
7. Of Neptune by Anna Banks.
8. Idols by Margaret Stohl.
9. What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick.
10. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins.

What are you guys most excited for in the upcoming new year? Let me know in the comments <3 font="">

The Planet Thieves Dan Krokos Review

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Publisher: Starscape
Source: Publisher
First book in The Planet Thieves series
The Planet Thieves is the first thrilling installment of a new middle-grade series by Dan Krokos.
Two weeks ago, thirteen-year-old Mason Stark and seventeen of his fellow cadets from the Academy for Earth Space Command boarded the SS Egypt. The trip was supposed to be a short routine voyage to log their required spacetime for summer quarter.
But routine goes out the airlock when they’re attacked by the Tremist, an alien race who have been at war with humanity for the last sixty years.
With the captain and crew dead, injured, or taken prisoner, Mason and the cadets are all that’s left to warn the ESC. And soon they find out exactly why the Tremist chose this ship to attack: the Egypt is carrying a weapon that could change the war forever.
Now Mason will have to lead the cadets in a daring assault to take back the ship, rescue the survivors, and recover the weapon. Before there isn’t a war left to fight.

Review
I didn't love this but I did enjoy it. I've never read a sy day middle grade before. 

This tells the story of Mason and his fellow cadets. They are aboard the SS Egypt. They expect an easy ride but are very mistaken. Their ship is attacked. Mason and the cadets are all that's left. 

I feel like the only character we got to fully know was Mason. We got to see the others but I didn't really connect with them. Mason was fabulous though. He was a super great leader. I liked that everyone had their own job to do and purpose to the story. There was a lot of characters with a lot going on. It was a little hard to keep up. I liked seeing the cadets take care of each other. I hope to see more of everyone in the next book. 

I loved the sy fy aspect of this storyline. It was very unique. But, I didn't like that there was always an insane amount of things going on. I liked the good guys vs bad guys. I loved all the pictures. There was lots of actions and suspense. If it focused a little more on the characters and less story it might have gotten 5 stars. It was still very enjoyable and exciting though. I highly recommend! 

Dare You To by Katie McGarry Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Bought
Second book in the Pushing the Limits series
Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."
"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....
"I dare you..."
If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....
Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.
But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....


Review
I may not have enjoyed this as much as Pushing the Limits but it was still amazing. This author has honestly become one of my favorites. 

This tells the story of Beth. She if forced to live with her uncle. No one at school knows about her past. Ryan has a past of his own. Ryan and Beth aren't exactly friends. Things start to change and it all starts with a dare. 

I think one of the reasons I didn't enjoy this as much was because I had a hard time connecting with Beth. She was a fabulous character. I was glad to get to read her story. I loved how complex and unique she was.  I just couldn't connect with her. I got annoyed with her a few times when it came to Ryan. I had troubles connecting with Ryan as well. I loved his personality. I loved how he didn't give up. I did end up really loving Beth and Ryan's relationship even though it took awhile. 

One thing I really loved about this story was that I had to wait to see how things would turn out. There is absolutely no predicting with this one. I loved how complex the story was. Ryan and Beth both had complex pasts. I loved getting to know them and seeing them grow together. I was the happiest person ever when we got to see Noah, Echo, and Isaiah. Overall I may not have enjoyed this as much as the first book but it was still amazing. I'm so glad I got to read it! 

Two Year Blogoversary!

 

OMG guys! It's really been two years! We've had the most amazing time in these past two years. We've made so many friends and had so many amazing experiences. This little blog has grown so much in these past two years. It doesn't feel so little anymore! We owe all you readers a big thank you. You've made our work worth it! Hopefully this coming year with be filled with even more amazing things!

 Now onto the fun part! Of course we have a celebratory giveaway for you guys! Over the past year we've found some extra books in our hands. So were going to give them away. Below you will find pictures of the extra books. If the winner doesn't see anything they want we will give them the option at another prize. We will also have an INT ONLY giveaway. If you aren't INT please don't enter! We've had problems with that before. Please no cheating! The US will have two winners and the INT will have one.


We have one copy of each of the books pictured below. The first US winner will pick and then the second will chose from what is left!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

US Giveaway!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/29e2b518/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway



INT Giveaway!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/29e2b519/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday: Into the Dark by Bree Despain

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:

Into the Dark by Bree Despain

Expected publication: March 11th 2014 by Egmont

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.
Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.
Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

 

It's been forever since I've read a book by this author! I loved her Dark Divine series so much! I'm really excited to see what she does with this series :).

 

Let me know what you guys are waiting on in the comments <3 strong="">

 

Origin by Jennifer Armentrout Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Entangled
Source: Bought
Fourth book in the Lux series
Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.
After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.
All Katy can do is survive.
Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?
Together, they can face anything. 
But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?
And will they even be together?

Review
I have been dying for this book. That ending in Opal didn't make the wait easy. This didn't beat out Opal for my favorite book in the series but it was insanely amazing. 

Katy is being held prisoner at Mount Weather. Daemon is going to doing anything to get her out. While Daemon tries to rescue Katy, Katy discovers some new information while being held captive. 

Do I even need to tell you how amazing Daemon and Katy are? You should know that by now! Their incredibly bad ass. They have the most adorable relationship on the planet. I loved seeing them stay strong and do whatever they had to do to survive. I also loved seeing all the great secondary characters and even some new ones! 

There was something kinda different about this book. The storyline didn't seen the same as the past books. It wasn't a bad thing at all. There was lots of action but in a different way. I loved getting to know lots of new information. I loved that I had no idea where the story was going. I didn't see any of the twists coming. Overall I thought this was a great addition to the series. I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait for the last book. If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend! 


 

Top Ten Tuesday (38)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This weeks topic is Top Ten Books I'd recommend to X person. So you can pretty much pick anyone. I'm going to steal someone else's idea and do my future daughter. A lot of these were books I read as a preteen or books that helped me start reading!

1. The Anne of Green Gables series. This was my first classic series that I ever read. I loved it with all my heart.
2. A Little Princess. Another classic that I adored.
3. The Secret Garden. Clearly I had a thing for classics!
4. Shiver series by Maggie Stiefvator. This is one of my all time favorite series.
5. The Warrior Cats by Erin Hunter. I know this is a little kidish but I really loved reading these as a kid. I even read them through some of my teen years :).
6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This is one of those books I was scared to read but am so glad I did!
7. Delirium by Lauren Oliver. This series just has so much meaning to it!
8. Harry Potter. This is an obvious choice for many obvious reasons.
9. Twilight. This series started my reading life and I will forever love it for that!
10. Percy Jackson. This is like a right of passage for reading!

So as you can see I mixed that one up a little. I think these books are great for all ages! Let me know what you guys would pick in the comments <3 font="">

Waiting on Wednesday: The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:



The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
Expected release date: June 10th 2014        
from Greenwillow/HarperCollins

An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young's Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.

Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision. The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is-although he doesn't know it-one of the MC's programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family? Action-packed, blood-soaked, and chilling, this is a dark and compelling debut novel by Lindsay Cummings.

I've wanted to read this book ever since I first met Lindsay and she told us about it. It sounds so amazing and intense. And the cover is amaze-balls. And Lindsay is super nice and has pretty hair. What else could you want?

What are you waiting on?

Golden by Jessi Kirby Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Source: Conference
Stand Alone
Love, tragedy, and mystery converge in this compelling novel from “an author to watch” (Booklist).
Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap—one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery—she decides to take a chance.
Julianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz are remembered as the golden couple of Summit Lakes High—perfect in every way, meant to be together forever. But Julianna’s journal tells a different story—one of doubts about Shane and a forbidden romance with an older, artistic guy. These are the secrets that were swept away with her the night that Shane’s jeep plunged into an icy river, leaving behind a grieving town and no bodies to bury.
Reading Julianna’s journal gives Parker the courage to start to really live—and it also gives her reasons to question what really happened the night of the accident. Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference.

Review
Jessi Kirby never ceases to amaze me. This was absolutely amazing. I loved it with all my heart. 

Parker has always been the good girl. She's about to graduate without having ever done anything risky. She gets her hands on Julianna, a town legends, journal. She's determined to discover what really happened all that time ago. 

I loved Parker. I loved seeing her grow throughout the story. She was very relatable. I could see her struggling but still trying. By the end of the story, she was a completely different person. She wasn't changing for anyone but herself. I didn't really like Kat. She was a good friend with good intentions. She just didn't go about things the right way. Trevor, I really liked. He was super cute. I loved how patient he was with Parker. 

I didn't get into this story right away. Once I did, I couldn't put it down. I loved the storyline so much. It had a sense if adventure but was very moving. It definitely wasn't happy all the time. It touched on some pretty serious stuff. I loved not knowing how everything would turn out. I had to wait and see. I really didn't see some of that stuff coming. Overall this was the best summer read. If your in for an adventure, this is for you!