Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu // A Beautiful Premise

Afterward, by Jennifer Mathieu
Publication: September 20, 2016, by Roaring Brook Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Abuse
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

When Caroline's little brother is kidnapped, his subsequent rescue leads to the discovery of Ethan, a teenager who has been living with the kidnapper since he was a young child himself. In the aftermath, Caroline can't help but wonder what Ethan knows about everything that happened to her brother, who is not readjusting well to life at home. And although Ethan is desperate for a friend, he can't see Caroline without experiencing a resurgence of traumatic memories. But after the media circus surrounding the kidnappings departs from their small Texas town, both Caroline and Ethan find that they need a friend--and their best option just might be each other.

My Thoughts:

Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu is a story I am so grateful to have finally read. I loved everything that it was about, everything that it was inspiring and trying to tell readers. The author did a fabulous job at writing this story as if the main characters, Caroline and Ethan, were real, and if the kidnappings of Ethan and Caroline's brother actually did occur. As the title suggests, this story takes place as the aftermath of the kidnappings. Instead of the mystery part that every kidnapping story seems to deal with (the victims trying to escape), this focuses on the emotions the characters are enduring and how they feel they can strengthen.

This is a beautiful story that I cannot forget about. Once I began reading, I was not able to stop and it became so addictive. And although I would normally not be the biggest fan of a book involving a romance between two characters who are both dealing with some kind of personal issues, this somehow worked. Mathieu used her brilliant writing skills to create a balance between remedy (of Ethan's), acceptance (Caroline's acceptance of what occurred to her brother), and love. It just shows that everyone is meant to recover from many of the traumas they experience. 

READ THIS NOW. It's an underrated story that has so much potential to please readers. I enjoyed its characters, premise, writing style - all of it. By the end, I was completely pleased and ready to read more like it.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What are some other kidnapping YA books?

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum // Promising and... Good.

What to Say Next, by Julie Buxbaum
Publication: July 11, 2017, by Delacorte Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 292
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½

When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?

My Thoughts:

Julie Buxbaum's What to Say Next looks as promising a glass of iced, cold pink lemonade. No jokes. When I first saw its cover and read the summary, I discovered that this could be the cutest summer read ever. The word I can use to describe this book is "good." It surely was not amazing or phenomenal or *insert extremely positive adjective here* but hey — I enjoyed it. I loved the back-and-forth perspective change between the two protagonists, Kit and David, who were interesting, conflicted characters, who, by the end, I discovered were quite similar.

Buxbaum introduces us readers to this book by making it seem as if high school is like what we see it is in movies. That's acceptable; this is a chick-lit book, after all. However, learning who Kit and David really are helps us understand that everyone is conflicted in some sense - that we are all able to create different personalities that do not describe us well. Kit, the so-called popular girl at school who seems to be getting everything she wants in life, finds that her life completely changes when her father dies in a car accident. And everything starts crumbling. She finds that her friends are acting too fake, not wanting to address what actually happened, and that her mother is hiding more secrets about her and her father's relationship. 

Her life collapses until she starts to pay attention to the "weird" David Drucker. And I loved that David was Kit's remedy, and that she was his. That's the kind of love I want - the one that you do not expect and that fits so well in your life. Agh. I guess you can tell that I totally supported the characters' relationship and loved it.

But. 

There's always a but.

It felt forced. I felt that Kit kind of moulded herself into David's arms without really wanting to. Buxbaum wanted to create a relationship that was unlike others, so she put the 'weirdo and popular girl' together. And of course that will cause audiences to go mad and excited, because it's different than all of the other contemporaries out there. Yay for that - but meh. In addition, I was bored every now and then, which made me take around two weeks to finish this. *frowns*

What to Say Next makes me feel like I do not really know what to say next. It was DEFINITELY GOOD. I loved the concept and relationship, and aside from a few negative spots, I definitely recommend it.

*A review copy was provided by the author in exchange for a honest review. Thanks so much!*

What is the coolest, most atypical relationship you have seen in books recently?

Juniors by Kaui Hart Hemmings // Hawaii Plus Romance Equals Awesomeness

Juniors, by Kaui Hart Hemmings
Publication: September 22, 2015, by G.P. Putnam's Sons BFYR
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

Lea Lane has lived in between all her life.
Part Hawaiian, part Mainlander. Perpetual new girl at school. Hanging in the shadow of her actress mother’s spotlight. And now: new resident of the prominent West family’s guest cottage.
Bracing herself for the embarrassment of being her classmates’ latest charity case, Lea is surprised when she starts becoming friends with Will and Whitney West instead—or in the case of gorgeous, unattainable Will, possibly even more than friends. And despite their differences, Whitney and Lea have a lot in common: both are navigating a tangled web of relationships, past disappointments and future hopes. As things heat up with Will, and her friendship with Whitney deepens, Lea has to decide how much she's willing to change in order to fit into their world.
Lea Lane has lived in between all her life. But it isn’t until her junior year that she learns how to do it on her own terms.

My Thoughts:

WE FINALLY HAVE A BOOK TAKEN PLACE IN HAWAII, THE LAND OF MY DREAMS. Kaui Hart Hemmings created a lovely Gossip Girl-esque story that I will never forget about because it's different than everything else. I just visited three Hawaiian islands this past March, and found that the state is my favourite place in the world. I felt so spiritually and emotionally connected to the beauty and stress-free life that it holds, and I was so happy to see that I recognized so many of the references Hemmings made in her writing to Oahu. The beaches, hikes, streets - I knew them all and it just made my day and year. I cannot admit that this was the best book I read this year (because then, I would have given this a 5 star rating), however, it was definitely an enjoyable one that I cannot recommend enough.

Juniors is about an angsty teenager who moves across the world to a place that has no meaning to her. I mean, I wouldn't have been complaining if I were in Lea's place, moving to the gorgeous island of Oahu, however, she was. Her mom is an aspiring actress, and her newest project requires her to move to Hawaii to film. Lea ends up going to a preppy boarding school where she feels excluded since she's the "new, weird girl" often described in novels/chick-lit films. Lea ends up becoming friends with Will and Whitney West, the siblings whose house Lea and her mother are staying in. 

And I guess you can kind of imagine what comes next. Boy meets girl, one (or both) of them plays hard-to-get, and they fall in love. BOOM. But, somehow, this book turns out lovely and different than others. I started to fall in love with this instantly as the Hawaii setting came along. I also really started to like Lea's character from the beginning as she had some kind of toughness in her - it really made her stand out as a character and female protagonist. It was also interesting how she was the one who made her own decisions in terms of her relationships. Yeah, there was kind of a love triangle, but at least Lea initiated it and realized what her feelings were telling her.

Yay to it all. This was so great. Read it, drink some pineapple juice while you're at it, and enjoy.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

Are there any other books that take place in Hawaii?

Wanderlost by Jen Malone // I Want to Travel the World Because of This Novel!

Wanderlost, by Jen Malone
Publication: May 31, 2016, by HarperTeen
Format: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 321
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

Not all those who wander are lost, but Aubree Sadler most definitely is on this novel’s whirlwind trip through Europe.
Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.
Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan unravels, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.
But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up.

My Thoughts:

For anyone who knows me, I am a travel geek. I want to travel the world, see as many countries as I can, stay in luxury hotels, meet locals, take gorgeous photos, and be happy forever. Those are (some) of my life goals, and I get SO jealous when people are doing all of that. But, of course, to acknowledge my hidden envy, I love reading books that take place in foreign countries. Especially books that take place in multiple countries. Jen Malone did that all for me with the phenomenal Wanderlost. I was introduced to a hilarious plot filled with secrecy, cute boys and destinations I NEED to visit (like Italy, duh), all in the midst of a great story that I will NEVER forget about.

Look at this: I read this book almost two months ago and I remember all of it. What is important to highlight is the author's storyline: this is about an accidental trip to Europe that the protagonist, Aubree, does not want to take part in. I guess you might be questioning AUBREE'S CRAZINESS and how she did not want to go, but THAT AIN'T THE POINT HERE. The point is: Europe. *insert heart, impressed eyes* Aubree takes the place of her sister, Elizabeth, on a tour across Europe. The catch here is: it is a tour for senior citizens, and SHE HAS TO LIE. Why? Because the tour company would never let Aubree do this on her own without any studying and maturity. Elizabeth wants a good reputation, so obviously, she does not tell anyone about this. 

AND BAM. The story begins, and Aubree is whisked off to foreign countries without any knowledge about them, finding that there is a romance waiting for her. And the romance starts with the tour company boss' son.

OOOF. I can imagine your jaw dropping right now. Now you're smiling because you realized I was right, right? Heh. I just want to mention how lovely this story was and how every character was special, important and unforgettable. I loved Sam, THE GORGEOUS love interest (who shared special phone calls with Aubree every night) and all of the senior citizens. There was constant drama, perfect to cause readers to become obsessed and intrigued.

You will love every page, every word that Jen Malone writes. This is a unique story, written by an author who was inspired by her own travels throughout the world. YAY! 

Wanderlost made me so lost in reading and I cannot help but squeal and fangirl. THIS IS A BOOK FOR ANY TIME OF THE YEAR. Go and enjoy it. (Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to find my own Sam!)

What is the best travel-around-the-world book you have read?

Forever... by Judy Blume // Girl Power and Glory

Forever... by Judy Blume
Publication: April 24, 2007, by Simon Pulse
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 192
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

When you build up something in your mind—really imagine it, wish for it—sometimes, when it actually happens, it doesn't live up to your expectations.
True love is nothing like that.
Especially not for Katherine and Michael, who can't get enough of each other. Their relationship is unique: sincere, intense, and fun all at the same time. Although they haven't been together all that long, they know it's serious. A whole world opens up as young passion and sexuality bloom.
But it's senior year of high school, and there are big changes ahead. Michael and Katherine are destined for another big "first": a decision. Is this the love of a lifetime, or the very beginning of a lifetime of love?

My Thoughts:

Forever... is a book that has been sitting in my bookshelf for years. LITERALLY YEARS. Four years, five years? Something like that. I have always been a fan of Judy Blume, and I felt the need to read all of her books. At last, I sought a quick, short read, and felt that it was the perfect time to pick this up. This is a story that every teenage girl needs to pick up and devour. Although it was written years ago, much of the concepts Blume explores in terms of sexuality still pertains to what is modern and known today. It is a story that will sit in your head, and a story every reader will probably remember for years because of the impact and innocence it delivers.

Judy Blume realistically approaches what it is like to be in a relationship. There aren't any depictions of cheesiness and unpredictability, as there is in normal contemporary romances. She showcases that Michael and Katherine are living in a real world where relationships occasionally have issues. But this book isn't about whether this couple will end up being together forever (as the title depicts) but what their relationship is like and whether there is any pressure to express sexuality. Some books get it completely wrong, but Blume got it completely right. This is for all of the feminists out there. It has so much humour in it and I just cannot get the story out of my head.

Basically, to put it simply, this is about two high school seniors: Michael and Katherine, who start a relationship and basically become addicted to each other. But it's not one of those teen chick-flick relationships, but a relationship that is sensual and real. It seemed so real and different than anything I have read before. The plot was fast-paced, both of the characters were likeable, and there was not much I could complain about. 

MY FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THIS? The lack of predictability. I normally pick chick-lit books up so I can get a nice idea (always expecting predictability) but this was a pleasant surprise. Put this on the list of Books Everyone Must Pick Up, please!

Forever... is a book I will remember forever. Read it, enjoy it, and enjoy the relationship Judy Blume creates, because it is gorgeous. What a lovely read.

What is your favourite Judy Blume book?