The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel: A Hate-to-Love Romance With More Hate Than Love

The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel
Published: May 12th, 2020
Publisher: Forever
# of pages: 334
Tropes: Hate-to-love, opposites attract, office romance
Heat level: Steamy (kissing, talk of sex, but no on-page sex)
My rating: 3.5 stars
Acquired this book: From the publisher in exchange for honest consideration
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Liya Thakkar is a successful biochemical engineer, takeout enthusiast, and happily single woman. The moment she realizes her parents' latest dinner party is a setup with the man they want her to marry, she's out the back door in a flash. Imagine her surprise when the same guy shows up at her office a week later -- the new lawyer hired to save her struggling company. What's not surprising: he's not too thrilled to see her either after that humiliating fiasco.

Jay Shah looks good on paper...and off. Especially if you like that whole gorgeous, charming lawyer-in-a-good-suit thing. He's also arrogant and infuriating. As their witty office banter turns into late night chats, Liya starts to think he might be the one man who truly accepts her. But falling for each other means exposing their painful pasts. Will Liya keep running, or will she finally give love a real chance?

It took me a while to get into this book. My main issue was with the heroine, Liya; right from the first page, you could see how angry and defensive she was. On the one hand it made me curious because I wanted to know what made her that way - and seeing the way her dad treated her gave a good indication - but her behavior and attitude in the first chapter just felt like an overall bad first impression. That impression continued for some time and it took me at least half the book to feel like I connected with her in any way.

That being said, I have an appreciation for characters like Liya because they’re realistic. There are a million different kinds of personalities, and it’s only right for different types to be portrayed in books. We get a lot of sweet, quirky female leads, so it’s nice to see something completely different, but this is where reading becomes so subjective; in real life and in books, I’m drawn to those sweet and quirky people, so Liya’s instant anger, rudeness, and disrespect were jarring. She had justifiable reasons for her anger, distrust of men, and annoyance with the community, but because she was so harsh, I felt some of her good attributes were overshadowed. 

Even though it took me a while to get into the book and I never did feel a true connection with the characters, there were plenty of things I did like. I enjoyed Liya’s friend group and Jay’s family - they brought a lot of humour and heart to the story. I liked that despite everything she’d been through and how people saw her, Liya remained strong and independent, and she was determined to live her life how she wanted to, not how others thought she should. She had put up walls to survive and she didn’t need anyone to save her, but what she didn’t know she did need was a champion - someone to stand up for her, believe in her, and show her unconditional love - and she found that in Jay. She also got all of that from her friends, but she never thought she’d find it in a man; from her experience, men were all the same and only wanted certain things: absolute control and sex among them. Through patience and determination (and a bit of stubbornness too) Jay proved Liya wrong and showed her not all men are alike and that she could trust him and finally let down her walls. I also really enjoyed the cultural aspects of the book. Having grown up in a very white community, I always love learning about different cultural and religious practices.

Once I got into the story, I enjoyed The Trouble With Hating You quite a bit. I wish there had been more love than hate in this hate-to-love romance, but once Liya’s walls started to come down, I enjoyed watching the progression of her relationship with Jay. I look forward to more books from Sajni Patel in the future.

Have you read The Trouble With Hating You? Are you a fan of the hate-to-love trope?

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The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton: Wenches and Girl Knights and Feminism, Oh My!

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton
Published: May 5th, 2020
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
# of pages: 384
My rating: 5 stars
Acquired this book: From the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest consideration
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Working as a wench―i.e. waitress―at a cheesy medieval-themed restaurant in the Chicago suburbs, Kit Sweetly dreams of being a knight like her brother. She has the moves, is capable on a horse, and desperately needs the raise that comes with knighthood, so she can help her mom pay the mortgage and hold a spot at her dream college.

Company policy allows only guys to be knights. So when Kit takes her brother’s place and reveals her identity at the end of the show, she rockets into internet fame and a whole lot of trouble with the management. But the Girl Knight won’t go down without a fight. As other wenches join her quest, a protest forms. In a joust before Castle executives, they’ll prove that gender restrictions should stay medieval―if they don’t get fired first.

This book was such a delight. The title and cover piqued my interest immediately, and the synopsis had me certain I’d be cheering for Kit, which is exactly what happened.

As a history nerd, Kit Sweetly knows the history books have an unfortunate tendency of leaving out or overlooking badass women. As a teenage girl who works in a medieval-themed restaurant called The Castle, she knows some people still have fairly medieval views when it comes to what women can and can’t do. Wanting to channel her inner Joan of Arc and become a Castle knight like her brother, Kit is tired of being told only cis men can perform in the nightly jousting shows, so she sets out to do something about it.

I loved Kit. She was feisty and smart and determined. She’d been knocked down by life - her family lived in poverty and her dad was an addict - but she refused to stay down, and I admired her tenacity. It’s not every day one gets the chance to do their part in challenging the patriarchy, and while I loved that aspect of the story and rooted for Kit and her friends, this book was about much more than that. Kit was a regular teen with normal ups and downs - family drama, friend issues, worrying about college - and she felt real and relatable.

This is the second book I’ve read recently about teenage girls challenging patriarchal views and shaking up the status quo (the other one was Rules for Being a Girl by Katie Cotugno and Candace Bushnell). I wish there had been more books like this when I was a teen, but I’m so glad they’re being written now. I also truly appreciated the poverty representation - something that’s familiar in real life to many people, but rarely seen in books - and the diversity within Kit’s friend group. There was also an adorable, swoony friends-to-more romance that had me grinning and squeeing.

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly is a sparkling debut from Jamie Pacton. It strikes a perfect balance of fun romcom and heartwarming story about friendship, life, and overcoming obstacles. This is one of those books I'd love to see adapted for the big screen!

Have you read The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly? What did you think? Have you read any books recently with strong themes of feminism?

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Review: South of Sunshine by Dana Elmendorf

South of Sunshine by Dana Elmendorf
Series: Standalone
Published: April 1st, 2016
Publisher: Albert Whitman
256 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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What is Kaycee willing to risk for the sake of love?
And what will she risk for acceptance?

In Sunshine, Tennessee, the main event in town is Friday night football, the biggest party of the year is held in a field filled with pickup trucks, and church attendance is mandatory. For Kaycee Jean McCoy, life in Sunshine means dating guys she has no interest in, saying only “yes, ma’am” when the local bigots gossip at her mom’s cosmetics salon, and avoiding certain girls at all costs. Girls like Bren Dawson.

Unlike Kaycee, Bren doesn’t really conceal who she is. But as the cool, worldly new girl, nobody at school seems to give her any trouble. Maybe there’s no harm if Kaycee gets closer to her too, as long as she can keep that part of her life a secret, especially from her family and her best friend. But the more serious things get with Bren, the harder it is to hide from everyone else. Kaycee knows Sunshine has a darker side for people like her, and she’s risking everything for the chance to truly be herself.

I had really high hopes for South of Sunshine. I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover, and when I found out the book was f/f YA I was even more excited. I’ll read all the LGBTQ books I can get my hands on, and if it’s f/f, so much the better since the majority of LGBTQ, especially YA, seems to be m/m. Within the first couple chapters, I had issues and was worried about the direction the book was taking and that I’d be disappointed. Unfortunately, I was right about being disappointed. I ended up having very mixed feelings about South of Sunshine.

Sunshine, Tennessee hasn’t quite joined the rest of the 21st century in its way of thinking. It’s a small town full of racists, homophobes, and hypocrites. Most people seem to be pretty religious and take their ‘wholesome ideals’ from the Bible. Except those ideals make them fear and loathe anyone who’s even remotely different from them. It was quite sickening to read about, but was a definite eye-opener to the type of discrimination and bigotry that still exists in this world. This bigotry is what makes Kaycee hide her true self. She’s always known she was different, but in a town that hates ‘different’, she hides the side of her that likes girls, and unhappily dates boys instead. Until Bren comes to town. Bren is different in more ways than one, and she’s proud of who she is. She doesn’t hide the way Kaycee does, and she stirs up the feelings Kaycee has tried so hard for so long to hide.

My issues with the book mainly revolved around Kaycee. I sympathized with her problem of being afraid to come out. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live in a town - and even in a house, since her mother seemed like a bigot, too (although I did end up appreciating her mother’s eventual baby steps toward acceptance) - where you knew if you were your true self, you’d be shunned and possibly worse. But her behavior at times was appalling. For someone who was so worried about being judged, there was an awful lot of slut shaming, girl hate, and judgement from Kaycee. Like to the point where I found myself cringing and wanting to DNF the book on several occasions.

There’s sort of a gray area in YA, especially when you’re reading as an adult. I know I’m not the ‘intended audience’ for YA. I’ve been out of my teens for a long time, as have many other readers/lovers of YA, so we have the experience and possible wisdom that most teens are lacking for another few years at least. It’s hard being a teen and being ruled by hormones and emotions - I may be far out of my teens, but I do remember that clearly. That sense of urgency - done well - is part of what I love about YA. And because of that, I can usually understand mistakes and stupid or hormone-fueled decisions, especially when they’re part of a character’s growth. But in Kaycee’s case, there were a few things that really pissed me off. They were things I couldn’t excuse away with ‘but she’s only seventeen, this is part of her growth’. It seemed like a bit of stewing and an apology absolved her from her bad behavior and she didn’t really have to be responsible for her actions. I get that in this case, part of Kaycee’s behavior had to do with her being brought up in a stifling environment, surrounded by judgmental, hypocritical bigots, but at the same time, would I want my teenage nieces reading a book where slut-shaming and girl hate was sprinkled liberally throughout, and be led to think it was okay? NOPE. Some people would be able to take it for what it was - a lesson in the small-mindedness of some people and how some people are a product of their environment, but others might internalize it in a different way, and isn’t there enough hate out there? I don’t usually get so analytical when I read, but I did with this one, hence my mixed feelings.

So...Kaycee was an okay character and Bren was an okay character. Kaycee had a major case of instacrush that turned into instalove, but I felt like we didn’t get to learn much about Bren except she had a great hair and smelled like ocean and spice. There wasn’t a whole lot of actual romance so much as Kaycee thinking about Bren all the time. I enjoyed their romantic interactions, but wish there had been more of them and that Kaycee hadn’t spend the entire time analyzing her feelings for Bren and the possible consequences of those feelings. Van, Kaycee’s gay best friend, was my favourite character. He was the only one with any real personality, and at times I felt like I knew him better than I knew Kaycee. Kaycee was like Bren in a way - all we really learned about her was surface stuff. The entire plot centred on her being gay and coming out in a bigoted town, but we didn’t learn anything about her beyond that. I think this contributed to the plot dragging at times, especially since she had a lot of long inner monologues.

Overall, I was disappointed with South of Sunshine. I guess I should know better than to have really high hopes about books anymore, but I couldn’t help it. This book encompassed a lot of serious issues - coming out, homophobia, racism, religion - but the way it was dealt with left me with kind of an icky feeling. After so much tension and angst, the whole thing came together with rainbows and sunshine - literally. The pride-flag-waving part of me enjoyed the ending, and I appreciated that things ended on a happy note (especially since there are so many doomed f/f romances), but it felt rushed, plus slightly unbelievable.

All that being said, I always encourage people to try books for themselves. I know plenty of people who loved South of Sunshine, so if you’re curious about it and you’re looking for a coming out f/f book with a happy ending, South of Sunshine might be for you.

Have you read South of Sunshine? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? What's the last book you were really looking forward to but were disappointed by?

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Review: Into the Dim by Janet B Taylor

Into the Dim by Janet B Taylor
Series: Into the Dim #1
Published: March 1st, 2016
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
432 pages (eARC)
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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When fragile sixteen-year-old Hope Walton loses her mom to an earthquake overseas, her secluded world crumbles. Agreeing to spend the summer in Scotland, Hope discovers that her mother was more than a brilliant academic, but also a member of a secret society of time travelers. Trapped in the twelfth century in the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Hope has seventy-two hours to rescue her mother and get back to their own time. Along the way, her path collides with that of a mysterious boy who could be vital to her mission...or the key to Hope’s undoing. Addictive, romantic, and rich with historical detail, Into the Dim is an Outlander for teens.

When I first read the synopsis of Into the Dim, I remember my eyes getting bigger and bigger with excitement. Scotland. Secret society. Time travel. Eleanor of Aquitaine. All things that should make for a Marie Book. I went into it trying hard not to expect too much ‘just in case’, but ended up completely loving this book from beginning to end. It wove together elements of contemporary, science fiction, and historic fiction into a book that was nearly impossible to put down.

Hope has led a very sheltered life. Not only did her mother homeschool her, she also led Hope to believe she didn’t need anyone else in her life - no friends and few interactions with the outside world. Hope’s adopted father loved her, but his family was horrible to her, so Hope stayed away from them as much as possible. She developed a lot of phobias throughout her seclusion, plus she awkward and uncomfortable around other people. A few months after her mother’s death, Hope’s dad is already moving on, so when Hope’s mom’s family invites her to visit in Scotland, she goes. She’s not there long before she learns all kinds of fantastical things, including the fact her family is in a secret society of time travelers, and her mother isn’t actually dead - she’s trapped in London in the 1100s.

Hope was a great main character. She started out really timid and afraid of her own shadow, but she overcame so many obstacles - both mental and physical - along the way. She surprised me with her strength, and I ended up feeling proud of her for how strong, smart, and resourceful she was. I liked that the book started out like a contemporary, giving you time to get to know, like, and even understand Hope, and then BAM, not only does time travel exist, but she’s about to experience it. The book truly grabbed and held my attention once the characters travelled back in time. It all seemed so well thought out, and the plot was incredibly engaging. I’ve always been fascinated by Eleanor of Aquitaine (talk about a badass woman!), and I loved her part in the story. I also enjoyed the other characters and their side stories, and thought they were a great addition. It was obvious Taylor had done her research, and I appreciated that she touched on various aspects of what life was like then, from how horrifically common rape was to how a man essentially owned and controlled his wife to anti-Semitism and a bit of what life was like if you were Jewish. As a history nerd, I loved the little details and facts that were worked into the story, especially since I just visited London for the first time last year.

Overall, I loved Into the Dim. It was action packed, had great twists, plenty of intrigue, and a slow-building romance that kept me guessing and made me swoon. The vivid writing sucked me in - there were even a few times where I was breathless because the things that were happening seemed so real. I had high hopes for this book, and it exceeded my expectations. I can’t wait for the next book!

 

Have you read Into the Dim? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you have a favourite time travel book?

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Review: The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie
Series: The Abyss Surrounds Us #1
Published: February 8th, 2016
Publisher: Flux
288 pages (eARC)
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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For Cassandra Leung, bossing around sea monsters is just the family business. She’s been a Reckoner trainer-in-training ever since she could walk, raising the genetically-engineered beasts to defend ships as they cross the pirate-infested NeoPacific. But when the pirate queen Santa Elena swoops in on Cas’s first solo mission and snatches her from the bloodstained decks, Cas’s dream of being a full-time trainer seems dead in the water.

There’s no time to mourn. Waiting for her on the pirate ship is an unhatched Reckoner pup. Santa Elena wants to take back the seas with a monster of her own, and she needs a proper trainer to do it. She orders Cas to raise the pup, make sure he imprints on her ship, and, when the time comes, teach him to fight for the pirates. If Cas fails, her blood will be the next to paint the sea.

But Cas has fought pirates her entire life. And she's not about to stop.

Pirates and sea monsters and kickass girls OH MY! The Abyss Surrounds Us was my first read of 2016; it’s rare to start the year with a book that’s so amazing and sets such a high standard you’re afraid all other books will pale in comparison, but that’s what this book has done. It’s been a long time since I read something that captured my complete attention the way The Abyss Surrounds Us did. The story played out like a movie in my mind with every detail sharp and real and larger than life.

This book is full of great characters. I was surprised how quickly and easily I was sucked into the story and then I realized it was Cas’s voice. There’s just something about her, and I spent the entire book feeling like I was hanging on her every word and action. She’s strong, smart, passionate, and funny, and she felt so real. She started out seeming like a regular girl - mind you, a regular girl who risks her life every day dealing with sea monsters - and then morphs into this badass girl living among ruthless pirates and doing whatever it takes to survive, even when it means crossing into a grey moral area. The other characters in the book were equally real; I was immediately intrigued by Swift and terrified by Santa Elena. Every character served a purpose.

The romance wasn’t as much a part of the story as I’d expected/hoped, but it was done so perfectly I didn’t mind. Cas’s sexuality was another part of this story that made it unique: she was gay, but there was no coming out, it wasn’t an issue or an obstacle, it was just part of who she was, and I loved that so, so much. Don’t get me wrong, I will always support coming out stories, but I’ve been desperate for books where a character is gay and out and their orientation isn’t part of the story’s conflict. Cas and Swift’s relationship was complicated for so many reasons, but they had sizzling chemistry, and there were moments that were sweet and funny and achingly beautiful. I loved the push and push, the will-they-won’t-they, the tentative alliance, then friendship, then budding feelings.

The Abyss Surrounds Us is a pretty damn near perfect debut from Emily Skrutskie. It’s original, compelling, and had me gripping my ereader in a white-knuckled grasp through at least half the book. I can’t wait to see what happens in the second book!

Have you read The Abyss Surrounds Us? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you read science fiction? Have a favourite book about pirates or sea monsters?

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Review: The Distance From A to Z by Natalie Blitt

The Distance From A to Z by Natalie Blitt
Series: Standalone
Published: January 12th, 2016
Publisher: HarperCollins
352 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Acquired this book: Via Edelweiss in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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Seventeen-year old Abby has only one goal for her summer: to make sure she is fluent in French—well, that, and to get as far away from baseball and her Cubs-obsessed family as possible. A summer of culture and language, with no sports in sight.

That turns out to be impossible, though, because her French partner is the exact kind of boy she was hoping to avoid. Eight weeks. 120 hours of class. 80 hours of conversation practice with someone who seems to exclusively wear baseball caps and jerseys.

But Zeke in French is a different person than Zeke in English. And Abby can’t help but fall for him, hard. As Abby begins to suspect that Zeke is hiding something, she has to decide if bridging the gap between the distance between who she is and who he is, is worth the risk.
 

The Distance From A to Z is a fun, adorable, romantic debut from Natalie Blitt. It encompasses everything I love about contemporary YA - realistic characters, great banter, strong friendships, and a slow burn romance.

This story was really different for a lot of reasons. I’m a sucker for boarding school/dorm-type stories, and I liked that Abby was a high school student who was admitted to an eight-week summer program to become fluent in French so she could potentially go to school in France, a place she’d always been fascinated with. I also liked the baseball element - the fact Abby hated it, and the reasons behind it (her family’s all-consuming obsession led her to not even want to hear about baseball, let alone watch it, discuss it, etc).

I loved the contrast between Abby and Zeke being complete opposites, but Abby and her roommate Alice being so similar they joked about being the same person. In some ways I connected more to Alice than to Abby - her anxiety (holy wow were some of the situations familiar) and her passion for writing. Their connection was one of my favourite parts of the book, and I appreciated that they taught each other some important lessons.

Another thing I loved: the French lessons. Being Canadian and half-French, I should be more fluent than I am, but I’ve always loved the language and I loved Abby’s passion for it. I was also quite impressed with myself that I understood most of what she and Zeke were saying (but I loved that the translation was always included, and in a fun, natural way - extra points for that). I liked how things were different for French Abby and French Zeke compared to their regular, English-speaking selves. They were like different people, their best selves, and they could forget about their differences and the outside world in general.

The Distance From A to Z was such a fun, light book. There were serious, real-life issues, but mostly it was a book that made me grin and giggle. And I won’t lie - I cried at the end. It was just so sweet! I can’t wait for more from Natalie Blitt.

 

Have you read The Distance From A to Z? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Are you fluent in a language other than English? If you could learn any language, what would it be?

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Review: Last Year’s Mistake by Gina Ciocca

Last Year’s Mistake by Gina Ciocca
Series: Standalone
Published: June 9th, 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
313 pages (ARC)
Genre: Contemporary young adult
Acquired this book: From Simon & Schuster Canada for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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Before:
Kelsey and David became best friends the summer before freshman year and were inseparable ever after. Until the night a misunderstanding turned Kelsey into the school joke, and everything around her crumbled—including her friendship with David. So when Kelsey's parents decided to move away, she couldn't wait to start over and leave the past behind. Except, David wasn't ready to let her go...

After:
Now it's senior year and Kelsey has a new group of friends, genuine popularity, and a hot boyfriend. Her life is perfect. That is, until David's family moves to town and he shakes up everything. Soon old feelings bubble to the surface and threaten to destroy Kelsey's second chance at happiness. The more time she spends with David, the more she realizes she never truly let him go. And maybe she never wants to.

I have mixed feelings about Last Year’s Mistake. I was instantly drawn in by the cover, curious about the synopsis, and even more curious by the mix of reviews I was seeing. There were elements of the book I liked, but there were also things that bothered me. I felt a bit of a disconnect throughout, like I could never quite get invested in the characters or the story, and I had trouble remembering what was going on whenever I set it down for awhile.

The book is told in alternating chapters between Kelsey’s freshman year and senior year. In freshman year she’s best friends with David, but things at school are rough, and she doesn’t really have any other friends. In senior year, we see her as one of the popular kids, with a hot boyfriend. When David comes back into her life, old feelings are stirred up, and Kelsey feels conflicted. She can’t forget their shared past, no matter how hard she tries, but she doesn’t know how to have a friendship with David because of things that happened before, and because her boyfriend and friends think she and David have feelings for each other. There’s basically a lot of misunderstandings and confusion, Kelsey being possessive of David, and calling most of the other female characters (even one of her supposed closest friends) a slut or a whore.

There were a few points where I connected with Kelsey. The stuff that was happening to her before she left Connecticut broke my heart, and I could imagine how hard it must have been for her. I think I had trouble connecting with the romance because neither guy seemed all that great and we didn’t learn all that much about them because Kelsey spent so much time thinking about her situation. There were moments I liked David, and I definitely preferred him over asshat Ryan, but I never got that swoony feeling I love getting when reading contemporary YA, especially ones that are as romance-centric as Last Year’s Mistake.

One thing I appreciated about the book was how Kelsey and David weren’t each other’s first, last, and only relationship. They each dated other people, which is realistic. I’m a romance junkie and I adore reading about first love, watching characters fall for the first time, and feeling like they could be together forever, but it’s not necessarily the most realistic thing. Kelsey had to watch David date another girl, and then when she moved she started dating someone else, and David eventually did, too. A lot of teens do date multiple people, some serious, some not, and I liked that that was worked into the story...despite the story involving a love triangle and cheating. 

I also liked that Last Year's Mistake shows how ‘starting over’ isn’t always as easy as simply moving away, not knowing anyone, changing your hair, or deciding to act differently. In theory it’s easy, and you can make changes on the outside and even to your behaviour, but you’re still the same person. Your past stays with you no matter what and shapes who you are. Kelsey got a fresh start in some ways when she moved, but her life was far from perfect, and even some of the things she thought she wanted (like her dad’s success, for instance) turned out different than she expected. 

I was curious about Kelsey's best friend Candy and was surprised by what a good friend she turned out to be, but we hardly see her at all. She’s just sort of there, and I would have liked to see more interactions between her and Kelsey, especially because it seemed like Kelsey really needed someone to talk to. I also would have liked to see more of her family, especially her sister, who seemed to really want to be part of Kelsey’s life, but who Kelsey only seemed to think of as her annoying, nosy little sister. Most of the side characters felt like they were there just to serve a purpose and weren’t really fleshed out.

Overall, Last Year’s Mistake was just okay for me. It didn’t offer anything particularly original, or characters that grabbed my attention, heart, or mind. Even if I’d been able to get past the love triangle and cheating, I just couldn’t connect with the characters or story. That being said, I know plenty of people who have thoroughly enjoyed Last Year’s Mistake, so if you’re looking for something light and quick, and if you enjoy stories about second chances with a strong focus on romance, you might want to give this one a try.

 

 

    

Have you read Last Year's Mistake? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? How do you feel about love triangles? How about books with cheating? Let's talk here or on Twitter!

  
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Review: Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M Lee

Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M Lee

Series: Gates of Thread and Stone #1

Published: August 5th, 2014

Publisher: Skyscape

335 pages (eARC)

Genre: Young adult fantasy

Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration

Warning: May contain spoilers

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In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

When I read the synopsis of Gates of Thread and Stone, I was really excited. Plus, I mean, that cover is just so beautiful and eye-catching, right? Between the cover and synopsis, I had extremely high hopes for Gates of Thread and Stone, and I’m thrilled to say it lived up to my expectations. This book drew me in from the first page and held my attention right to the last page. It was gripping, exciting, mysterious, and well written, with a tightly woven, inventive plot.

I really liked Kai. She was feisty, smart, and strong. She loved her brother fiercely, and would do anything to make him happy and make life easier. She was a believable teenager - at times insecure, uncertain, selfish, impulsive - definitely flawed, and I loved that. We didn’t see much of Reev, Kai’s brother, but from Kai’s thoughts and memories of him, plus the few glimpses we did get, you were able to get a good sense of the protective, loyal older brother who would do anything to keep his sister safe.

Then there was Avan. Oh Avan. *swoon* I loved him. I loved the will they/won’t they pull between him and Kai, and the slow build of anticipation toward the possibility of something beyond friendship. I alternately sighed and squealed every time they touched, especially as the story went on and things were so uncertain. They had each other when everything was falling apart and even though there were moments I wanted to knock some sense into Kai, I loved these two together.

The world building in this book was fantastic. I was fascinated by the Labyrinth and the world beyond, and was able to picture it all clearly. The whole thing had a dark and creepy post-apocalypse vibe to it. I loved that this book was different from anything I’ve read.

I’ll admit, part of me was hoping this would be a really strong standalone. Up until close to the end I thought it might be, but by the end, I knew there would have to be a continuation. The ending was bittersweet, but I’m hopeful it will get worked out in the sequel, and since I loved these characters so much I’m happy to get the opportunity to see them again.

Gates of Thread and Stone is a fast-paced adventure full of magic and romance. I think this book will appeal to a lot of readers, whether you like fantasy, science fiction, post-apocalyptic, dystopian, or romance. Gates of Thread and Stone has a great concept, and Lori M Lee executed it with finesse. I highly recommend this one. 

 

   

Have you read Gates of Thread and Stone? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Let's talk here or on Twitter!

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Review: Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Series: Standalone

Published: April 15th, 2014

Publisher: Walker

342 pages (eARC)

Genre: Contemporary young adult

Acquired this book: From the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

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After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.

 

My review: This book was pretty much perfect so GO READ IT NOW.

Seriously though, Open Road Summer really is pretty much perfect. It came at the exact right time for me, between being in a reading slump, dealing with real life issues, and just basically feeling down. I needed an escape, and I got it in this book. It paired gorgeous writing with an amazing portrayal of friendship, a lot of character growth, a sweet romance, country music, and an epic road trip. 

I appreciated how the story basically launched right in. It would have been easy to give a ton of back-story right away, but it opened with a scene of Reagan and her best friend, Dee - a country music starlet - about to hit the road for the summer on a cross-country tour. We learned why Reagan was going on tour with Dee, and we learned a bit about the girls’ friendship, but it didn’t get bogged down in details. Right from the first page, I was completely hooked by Lord’s simple yet beautiful writing style, and I liked Reagan and Dee instantly. 

Since Nashville is currently one of my favourite TV shows, I loved the country music aspect of this story. I’m not sure if Lord modeled Dee after Taylor Swift, but that’s who I pictured throughout the book. She was sweet, humble, down to earth, and wrote honest, age-appropriate lyrics. Dee was the type of girl you want to be best friends with, and Reagan was lucky enough to hold that title. Reagan and Dee were a solid unit, almost more like family than friends. They knew each other inside and out, accepted each other’s faults, and loved each other unconditionally. Their friendship was definitely my favourite part of the book. There aren’t enough books that focus on strong, healthy female friendships; there’s so much backstabbing and fighting and hurt feelings, and while Reagan and Dee’s relationship wasn’t perfect, it was beautiful and heartwarming and made me tear up more than once.

I found myself really connecting with Reagan. I loved that she had a past; she had done stupid things, she’d made mistakes, and she’d had her heart broken. She was snarky and was the first person to admit that she’s a bitch, but she was fiercely loyal and protective of Dee, and I loved her for that. I loved her passion for photography, and the little surprises about her that were revealed throughout the story. There were a lot of bumps along the way, but she learned a lot, and it felt very authentic and realistic to me.

If you’re looking for a swoonworthy romance, Open Road Summer certainly has it. Matt Finch is one of my new favourite book boys. He was a lot like Dee - sweet and down to earth. He’d been through a lot, and he put on a good face, but underneath the jokes and the winks was a boy who was as broken as Reagan. I loved the way he challenged Reagan, and I also loved that their relationship wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. The progression was natural and believable, and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. 

Open Road Summer made me laugh, cry, and swoon. I could easily picture myself on the road with Reagan, Dee, and Matt, and I found myself constantly wishing I was on their epic summer road trip. I ran the gamut of emotions through the course of Open Road Summer, but I was left with a big smile on my face and a feeling of hope. I would love to see these characters again…maybe a companion novel from Dee’s perspective? *hint hint Ms Lord*

 

“My therapist one told me: you are the only person who can build emotional barriers, but you’re also the only person who can topple them. Other people can’t knock down the walls you’ve built, no matter how much they love you. You have to tear them down yourself because there’s something worth seeing on the other side.”

~Quote from the ARC of Open Road Summer~

 

Have you read Open Road Summer? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you like road trip books? Books about music?

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