Wanderlust Wednesday: The Road Trip Book Edition

Check out my previous Wanderlust Wednesday posts.

I love road trips. As soon as the weather turns nice every year, I start itching to take a road trip. There's something wonderful about being in a car with someone you love, music blasting, windows down, inhibitions lowered. Since I love road trips so much, it's only natural I'd love books about road trips. Whenever I read a synopsis and see the words 'road trip', I automatically add it to my TBR. The best road trip books are as much about the emotional journey as the physical one. There's just something about being with someone in such a small space. You can learn a lot about them - things they tell you and things they don't. How do they handle stressful situations? Do they have annoying habits? Is their taste in music amazing or does it suck? I think the music and the snacks people choose for a road trip says a lot about them. ;-)

These six books are very different, but they have a few key things in common: amazing characters who grow and learn a lot, the ability to make you both laugh and cry, and a fun journey that spans many miles.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson {My review}

One of my favourite road trip books, and one of my favourite books, period. This is always the first book I recommend to people looking for road trip books (or contemporary YA or sweet, swoony romance, or basically anything...). Amy and Roger are fantastic characters, plus they meet a bunch of fun people along the way, and have some interesting adventures. This book is very sweet, very swoony, plus it kicks you right in the feels in ways you're not expecting. Oh, and the playlists and drawings are epic and make the book that much more special and memorable.

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord {My review}

Friendship, romance, country music, and a tour bus. This book gets a ton of hype, and with good reason. I love Reagan, Taylor Swift...I mean Dee, and Matt. There aren't enough books that showcase friendships as much as romance, but this book does it so well, plus it's beautifully written.

Trust the Focus by Megan Erickson {My review}

This was my most recent road trip book and I'm still swooning. Seriously. Justin and Landry's story is beautiful. I felt like I was right there in that RV with them while they travelled across the States to honour Justin's dad. Friendship, romance, humour, sexytimes, swoons, and realistic obstacles that tugged at my heartstrings and made it impossible not to root for these two. This is one of my new go-to books when I recommend not only road trip books, but also LGBTQ books.

 

In Honor by Jessi Kirby {GoodReads}

A sweet car, a bad boy, and shared grief...this is another road trip book that tugs on your heartstrings. Jessi Kirby has a way of writing books that make you really think about your life, your choices, and what truly matters, and In Honor was no exception.

Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole {My review}

In my review for this one, I said it was and wasn't what I was expecting. I loved the road trip aspect, and watching Anna and Kat's friendship turn into something more. I was even expecting the religion aspect from the synopsis, but I went in wary, because books with religious themes don't always sit well with me. Strangely enough, that ended up being one of the things I loved most about the book, because it was dealt with in such a real, honest way, as was the relationship between the girls, and the grief Anna was experiencing. It wasn't always easy to read, but sometimes the books that make you uncomfortable end up being the best kinds of books, and that was definitely the case for me with Kiss the Morning Star.

 

That One Summer by CJ Duggan {My review} 

 

That One Summer has one major difference from the rest of the books on this list: the others are set in America, but this one is set in Australia. I love the Summer series and the Onslow gang, and it was great to see them all together on this road trip. There were a lot of ups and downs along the journey, but there were plenty of fun moments too. This is also another book that showcases not just a swoony, sexy romance, but also really great friendships.

  

Have you read any of these? What are some of your favourite road trip books? What's the best road trip you ever took? What would your dream road trip be? Let's talk here or on Twitter!

   
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Review: Golden by Jessi Kirby

Golden by Jessi Kirby

Series: Standalone

Published: May 14th, 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

277 pages (hardcover)

Genre: Contemporary young adult

Acquired this book: Bought

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Book Depository || Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

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.

 

After having read and loved Jessi Kirby’s debut novel, Moonglass, I was eager to read Golden. I’d been hearing nothing but glowing things about it, and how it was affecting people on an emotional level, so I couldn't wait to dive into it and experience it for myself. I'm glad to say that this book is worth every bit of the hype surrounding it.

Parker has lived her entire seventeen years doing what was expected of her. She’s been a good student, hasn’t gotten in trouble, and has tried to please her mother by living up to her incredibly high standards. When she finds the journal of a girl who died ten years before in a car accident and discovers that her perfect life wasn’t really as it seemed, Parker begins to question not only her own life, but the accident that killed her town’s golden couple. What follows is a story that encompasses all the best things about contemporary young adult - self-discovery, friendship, romance, adversity, change, a mission for the main character to focus on - as well as elements that make Golden unique, like its mystery.

Parker reminded me of myself in so many ways. While I wasn’t as driven as she was in high school, I was still the type to always try to do the right thing, make people happy, not rock the boat, not speak my mind. I understood Parker’s realization and then regret about letting things pass you by because you’re too afraid, too shy, too worried about the consequences or being embarrassed or getting hurt. Her personality, her inner dialogue, her reactions and revelations, all really resonated with me and felt completely genuine. I was invested in her story and in her success, and I wanted to see her burst out of her self-imposed bonds and really live, which is exactly what she did.

Golden is the type of book that quietly creeps into your heart and makes you feel every little bit of it. It poses questions - what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life - it makes you think not only about the choices you make and how each decision can affect your future, but it also makes you stop and evaluate your life, where you’re going, what you want. When faced with those big questions, Parker realized she wasn’t happy with the direction her life was taking, and she set out to change it, even if she didn’t quite realize at first that that was what she was doing. She broke rules, did things for herself, took chances, and I loved every minute of her journey.  

  

Just like every good contemporary YA book, Golden is about change. It has this almost bittersweet feeling to it at times. Maybe it’s because I’m older than the characters and my high school years are far behind me, and even though Parker’s story was different from mine, it felt like getting a glimpse into the past and seeing your own life as it was at seventeen, with huge changes on the horizon. Parker’s changing relationship with her mother, her best friend, her love interest, even herself, are both beautiful and poignant, while also making your heart ache. I can remember my last year of high school and thinking nothing would change between my best friends and me, but nothing was ever the same after high school, and Parker’s best friend knew that.

I also loved the thread of romance throughout the story. It was understated but so well done. It almost took a backseat to the romantic element of the mystery Parker was trying to solve, but I enjoyed every one of Parker and Trevor’s interactions, the slow burn of it, the will they/won’t they feeling of anticipation. This was a love story in so many ways, and it left me feeling satisfied and happy. Plus Trevor had some pretty swoonworthy moments. In a way I wish we'd seen more of him, and yet the way it was done was perfect and I wouldn't change it.

If you enjoy contemporary young adult, read Golden. If you enjoy coming of age stories, read Golden. If you enjoy stories about self-discovery, read Golden. If you enjoy a good mystery that will keep you guessing while holding you completely captivated, read Golden. Basically you just need to read Golden. Beautifully written and engaging, with the ability to both warm and break your heart, I defy anyone to read this story and not come away changed in some way. 

Favourite Quotes:

"...I've got this pang of regret when I think of how much I have probably missed out on in the last few years because I was too scared to take a risk, or too shy to speak up, or too worried to be bold." ~ page 85

"...come Monday, I'll be on the road, somewhere between who I've always been and who I want to be." ~ page 170

"True love, meant to be, fate, destiny, serendipity, kismet. They're all big, romantic words. Words saved for movies and books and fiction. Not for real life. In real life parents get divorced, and people live unfulfilled lives, and love goes unrequited, and there are no second chances, or do-overs, or perfect moments." ~ page 213

"And now I don't know what comes next. I can't know until I walk the road I've chosen." ~ page 266

"Up until tonight, I thought that making big choices took courage - more than I had. But what I realize, here, now, is that it's not actually making the choice that takes courage. It's facing it afterward. Owning up to it, whether it's good or bad." ~ page 267

 

 

 

{Read my review of Moonglass}

 

 Have you read Golden? What did you think? Do you know what you want to do with your one wild and precious life? Have you read either of Jessi's other books (Moonglass and In Honor)?

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Book Haul - September 16th, 2012

Hi guys! I hope you've all had a fantastic week. I haven't had a chance to post a book haul for awhile so this is the last three or so weeks' worth of books.

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WON/GIFTS

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick {GoodReads}

In Honor by Jessi Kirby {GoodReads}

Kobo cover from my friend Laura

Signed Defiance bookmark from CJ Redwine

BOUGHT

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally (ebook) {GoodReads}

Defiance by CJ Redwine {GoodReads}

LIBRARY

The Bungalow by Sarah Jio {GoodReads}

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine {GoodReads}

Wake by Amanda Hocking {GoodReads}

So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti {GoodReads}

Chocolat by Joann Harris {GoodReads}

NETGALLEY

Dante’s Girl by Courtney Cole {GoodReads}

Splintered by AG Howard {GoodReads}

Huge thank you to Amy from Book Goonie, Elemillia from Gone Bookserk, Laura, CJ Redwine, Lakehouse Press, Abrams, and NetGalley. 

What books did you get this week? Tell me in the comments below or post a link to your Book Haul/In My Mailbox, Showcase Sunday, Stacking the Shelves, etc. 

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Top Ten Books on my Fall TBR

 Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

 

Just now when I searched 'top 10 Tuesday' on my blog to copy my template, the first post that popped up was last fall's top 10 TBR - how weird! A year and a handful of days later, there are still some books from that list that I haven't read - oops! Here's what I hope to read this fall:

1. In Honor by Jessi Kirby - I was supposed to get an ARC of this one but it never came, so I was thrilled when I won a book of my choice last week, and finally picked this book. It should be here this week, and I can't wait to start it. I loved Jessi's Moonglass.

 

2. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout - this is another book I won, and it should be here next week. I've heard nothing but good things about all of Jennifer's books, so I'm excited to finally see for myself what all the fuss is about.

 

3. Wake by Amanda Hocking - I've heard mixed things about this one; in fact, I don't think any of my blog friends have enjoyed it so far, but I like to make up my own mind about books.

 

4. Endlessly by Kiersten White - I read Paranormalcy and Supernaturally and loved them, so I can't wait to see how the trilogy ends, even though I'm sad this is the last book. 

 

5. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally - this is one I've been wanting to read for a really long time, and it was the first book I bought for my new ereader week before last. 

 

6. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - this one is long overdue. I've owned it since just after it came out, and I loved Anna and the French Kiss, so I have no idea why I haven't read this one yet.  

7. Changeling by Philippa Gregory - I've never read any of Phillipa's books, although I'd like to, so I was curious when I saw that she'd written a YA book. It hasn't had good reviews on GoodReads, but, again, I like to see for myself. 

8. This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel - I won this one in July, and I keep hearing great things about it, and its sequel, Such Wicked Intent, which was just released last month.

 

9. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith - I bought this one with a gift certificate early this summer, and still haven't read it. I've heard amazing things, and since YA contemp is my favourite genre, I'm eager to read it.

10. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine - I signed up for a Morganville Vampire reading challenge at the beginning of the year, and still haven't read any of the series - oops again! I'm hoping to read several paranormal books in October for my Spooktacular Paranormal Reading Challenge, and this will be one of them.

 

Have you read any of these? What do you think I should start with? What books are on your fall tbr? Let me know in the comments, or leave a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post and I'll come visit you!

 

Top Ten Fave Books I’ve Read During the Lifespan of My Blog

 Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

It's been a really long time since I participated in Top Ten Tuesday. In fact, I don't think I've done one all this year - crazy! This one was really hard to do, because I've read and loved a ton of books in the year and however many months that I've been blogging. I managed to narrow it down though, and here's my top ten for today.

Top Ten Favourite Books I’ve Read During the Lifespan of My Blog

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Paris! Anna. Etienne. Canadian flag pin. Movies. Sleeping alone in the dorm. Humor. Romance. Did I mention Paris? What’s not to love?

Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Touching, funny, emotional, worthy of the ‘epic’ in its title. I’ve always wanted to take a cross-country road trip, and this book had my wanderlust itching as I fell in love with Amy, Roger, and all the secondary characters.

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Lyrical writing, unique storyline, beautiful love story.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Riveting, exciting, romantic, brilliantly unique.

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Another story that got my wanderlust going. I connected so much with Bria, fell in love with Rowan, and felt like I was right there with them as they explored and learned and grew.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Another fantastically unique concept, totally different from other dystopians, which often feel like the same old recycled story with new characters. Brilliant characters, beautiful writing - overall amazing book.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

A dark and gritty retelling of Little Red Riding Hood...with werewolves. Incredible.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

When I read Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen, I was barely in my mid-teens and I couldn’t imagine loving one of her books more. It was my story - it felt like she’d written it just for me, but I think I loved Along for the Ride at least as much. There’s a reason why Sarah Dessen is known as the YA contemp queen, and it’s because of books like Along for the Ride.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

I’d been looking for a truly amazing faerie book, and I found it with The Iron King. Enchanting, romantic, exciting, funny - it had a bit of everything with a healthy dose of fae lore (I love all things fae).

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Incredibly emotional, beautifully written, poignant.

I fell in love with the characters in each of these books - I was able to relate to the female leads, and I swooned over the guys (seriously...every single one of these books has at least one swoonworthy boy...I'm all about the romance and swoonworthy boys!). Even though it's been a long time since I read a few of these, I still think about them often.

What are some of your favourite books that you've read in the lifespan of your blog? Have you read any of the books from my list? Be sure to leave a comment or a link, and I'll visit you in return!

Top 10 Tuesday: Cover and title lovin'

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It was created because of their love of lists and books, and since I love those things too, I thought it'd be a fun meme to participate in!

Top Ten Books Whose Titles Or Covers Made Me Grab it From the Library

I have a strange method of picking books: I go into the library, wander around, pick books at random if I like the cover or title, and don’t read the synopsis. I almost never know what a book is about before I read it, because I don’t read the synopsis 95% of the time. I don't necessarily judge books by their covers - I've read some great books with terrible covers and some terrible books with great covers - it's just how I operate. This strange and screwy method has only steered me wrong once or twice in the last few years (with one example below), so this question is actually perfect for me, and fairly easy to answer. The clickable ones lead to my reviews; the rest are ones I read before I started blogging.

1. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen. For this one, it was the cover and title that hooked me. A couple years ago, I went into the library, and had planned to only get the books on my list since I’m totally OCD at the library and always get more books than I can possibly read. I made the mistake of pausing at the new releases, and my eye was automatically drawn to The Sugar Queen. I put it back, got the books on my list, but couldn’t stop thinking about The Sugar Queen, so I grabbed it on my way out…and it ended up being one of my favorite books ever. It’s actually on my re-read list for this winter.

2. The Year of Living Famously by Laura Caldwell. This was another book I happened upon at the library, and another favorite.

3. Nocturne by Syrie James. I love the cover of this one, and since I like vampire books, I gave it a try. This was one of my very few misses. It was alright, but not great.

4. The Irish Princess by Karen Harper. I’m obsessed with all things Irish, so the title caught my attention, as did the pretty girl's flaming red hair and the castle on the cover lol

5. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson. Plain and simple: love the title, love the cover, one of my favorite books of 2011.

6. Moonglass by Jessi Kirbi. I was intrigued by the title, and the cover is so pretty. Another favorite of 2011. 

7. Falling in Love With English Boys by Melissa Jensen. Just as I love all things Irish, I also love all things English, so between the cute title and even cuter cover, I had to read this one.
 

8. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. As a rule, I read everything that Sarah Addison Allen writes because she’s brilliant. That rule wasn’t in effect at the time I picked this book up (loved the title and cover), but it was afterwards!

9. A Place Called Here by Cecelia Ahern. Cecelia’s books are the same as Sarah’s – she writes them, I read them. This was one of the first books of hers I read, and it was because the title intrigued me.

10. Ghost Walk by Heather Graham. The title of this one, along with the eerie cover, caught my attention; it was the first Heather Graham book I read, and after reading it, I quickly read almost all the other books she’d written.

So, what are your top 10 books that you bought (or, if you're like me, got from the library) based on their covers or titles?

Book Review: Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Published: May 3rd, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing
232 pages (hardcover)
Genre: Young adult romance
Acquired this book: at the library
Warning: may include spoilers
{Amazon || GoodReads}

Synopsis: I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.

While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.

What I thought of Moonglass:

Moonglass is a beautifully written and heartbreaking story about love, loss, friendship, regret, and moving on. I enjoyed watching Anna learn life lessons – like that people aren’t always what they appear – and grow as a person. All the characters were great, both main characters and secondary ones. I loved Anna, her dad, Tyler, her dad’s best friend, Anna’s new friends Ashley and Jillian, James the lifeguard, everyone. They all had something to teach Anna.

I appreciated that even though there were elements of romance in the book, the romance itself wasn’t the main storyline. Anna and Tyler liked each other, but they didn’t get together instantly and they weren’t inseparable, needy characters. The story was more about Anna’s journey and the lessons she had to learn, rather than her relationship with Tyler. I did like them together, and I enjoyed the scenes where they were sort of trying to figure each other out and become more than friends.

I really liked the fact that this book was short – just 232 pages. So many books are unnecessarily long and add so much filler that at times, it’s easy to forget what the story is really about. The reader doesn’t get a chance to get side-tracked with Moonglass, because it’s short and to the point. I wish more books were like that.

I know a few people who have been put off by this book because they heard it was sad, but don't let that stop you from reading it. It's such a lovely story, and so well-written, that even though it is heartbreaking, it's totally worth it. I often try to stay away from books where a parent has died because it hits so painfully close to home, but I would recommend this book to anyone.

In My Mailbox Week 7 - aka my first video blog EVER

In My Mailbox is weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.  The idea is to share books you've acquired during the week, whether you've won them, bought them, picked them up at the library, received them for review, whatever.  It's a great way to bring attention to books and authors and share the love!

I really give huge kudos to the people who make video blogs every week. It was really nerve-wracking! I'm extremely shy in real life, and I'm hoping that doing vlogs will  help me get over that. 

Sorry it's not the clearest, my webcam is ancient. I was going to get rid of it a year ago because I thought I'd never need it again, but turns out it finally came in handy again!

Sites mentioned:

Esther's Ever After

Novel Publicity

Books mentioned:

Witch Song by Amber Argyle {GoodReads || Amazon}

Olga: A Daughter's Tale by Marie-Therese Browne {GoodReads || Amazon}

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa {GoodReads || Amazon}

Soul Protector by Amanda Leigh Cowley {GoodReads || Amazon}

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby {GoodReads || Amazon} 

Be sure to let me know what you got this week, or post a link to your IMM!