Love and Luck by Jenna Evans Welch // I Now WANT to Go to Ireland

Love and Luck, by Jenna Evans Welch
Publication: May 8, 2018, by Simon Pulse
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 303
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.
So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.
And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.
That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way.

My Thoughts:

Love and Luck is a book I have been anticipating for over a year. After practically devouring Love and Gelato, I instantly sought more from Jenna Evans Welch, queen and master of writing chick-lit books that stem away from the rest and just leave readers feeling all giddy inside. This was such an entertaining read that I cannot stop thinking about to this day. The author's choice of writing this book in the setting of Ireland was honestly so smart; I do not know much about the country and its culture aside from pubs, greenery and four-leaf clovers, however, this book just opened my wanderlust and made me discover that I want to head on a similar road-trip that the characters went on. 

What made this book so special is the fact that it was not about the romance. It was more than that; it was about family and forming relationships that will last a lifetime, and learning about who we are, instead of kissing and making the 'most of the summer' in that way. Love and Luck was beautiful, and the best part was the relationship between Addie, our protagonist, and her brother, Ian, and the fact that the two of them had severe issues with each other, but spent the summer attempting to work it out in the best way possible: a good old-fashioned road trip across a foreign country, not knowing anything about the path that they are on. And of course, this was also a book about dealing with heartbreak and moving on after someone you once trusted broke that trust.

I also loved seeing an appearance by Leena and Ren, and the fact that this book did not take place during the same time as the first book. This was just a burst of entertainment and happiness for me. I am praying deep down inside that this series will continue; imagine if Addie's brothers will have their own stories coming up really soon!

Love and Luck was such a lovely read. There was just the right amount of drama, bits of romance, and moments that created a lovely story that every teen should pick up.

What books have the best settings around the world?

Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch // AGH. I'm in Love!

Love and Gelato, by Jenna Evans Welch
Publication: May 3, 2016, by Simon Pulse
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 389
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.
But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.
People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

My Thoughts:

It is rare for me to be in love with a book, especially during my current tough reading slump. I find that it is quite difficult to find enjoyable books that are different than the rest and contain the most important thing I look for in a book: a plot that is in no way boring. However, Love and Gelato by the AH-MAZING Jenna Evans Welch shocked me and showed me that there is hope in this world to find good books. I loved the setting of Florence, Italy, and the romantic interest, Ren. Those are just two of the mini captivating points that I am still currently obsessed with.

Even though I closed this book back in August 2017, I feel as if I just finished it. Ren and Lina's story seems to be living in my head for an extra long period of time, longer than what I averagely deal with. This is not a story that is just about the romance, hence the title. Jenna Evans Welch creates Lina's persona as one that is struggling to find the truth about her roots and who she actually is. She has little to no knowledge about her father, and what Italy really means to her. However, as she has the best summer of her life (I am still envious to this day about what she experienced, agh) the secrets begin to flood out and we as readers begin to strive to want to find out THE TRUTH. And, to not burst your bubble or anything, the truth is not leaked until THE END. But not the last page - so don't be one of those sneaky people and scan the last page for spoilers. It won't get you anywhere. *winks*

This is one of those books that is perfect for you to read on a day at the beach, a day by the pool, or on a day where you can see twenty feet of snow outside of your window. It will develop so much wanderlust in you, and you will want to email the publisher like a maniac, asking them to show you the author's next novel. TRUST ME, I've tried. (Just kidding!) But I guess that this is a sign that you. Will. Be. Incredibly. Addicted.

Lina was the most kick-butt contemporary-romance protagonist I have read about in a looong time. I loved that she was skeptical of her surroundings and what she was being told by her father. She wasn't naive, WHICH, for chick-lit books, is a trait quite easy to find in narrators. And the best thing was that she had the most amazing connection with Ren. *heart eyes* REN IS MY BOO. MY LOVE. I'd really appreciate it if Lina passed him over to me!

Love and Gelato is my love. And right now, I could really use a cup of gelato (preferably cinnamon flavoured) to make my day complete. AND ALSO, if I booked a trip to Italy, I wouldn't ~want~ anything else. GO READ THIS RIGHT NOW. If you're seeking a 'best book of the year,' this is it!

What are some other YA books set in Italy?

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler // The Beautiful Cover Fools Readers

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, by Sarah Ockler
Publication: June 2, 2015, by Simon Pulse
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 416
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.
Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.
Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them...

My Thoughts:

Oh no. For my first Sarah Ockler book, who is an author I have heard nothing but great things about, this did not go well at all. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is a highly hyped book that I have been meaning to read for a long time because duh, THE LITTLE MERMAID. When I was young, my favourite film, Disney or not, was The Little Mermaid and I envied Ariel because she was so pretty and I loved her voice. Yeah, I had an obsession with singing and Sebastian the crab. Hearing that this is a YA retelling of that amazing story, I knew I had to pick it up and fall in love with it. The latter didn't happen. I did pick it up, though, so, yay. Don't let the cover fool you, okay? This has one of the most gorgeous covers I have ever seen, and I guess I based my expectations too much off of that. I didn't like this book at all. It was hard to get into, had an annoying heroine, and I was completely bored and confused at times.

Why confusion, you ask? It was hard for me to discern whether this book was fantasy or contemporary. Everything that Ockler wrote about seemed to have some fantasy aspect to it and I didn't know if I should be naïve and believe it, or just see it as a play with words. It's interesting how our protagonist, Elyse, doesn't speak and that she lost her voice, but that kind of annoyed me because she was annoying without words, and just listening to her thoughts was gross. I was really frustrated for most of the book. And the setting is this random Cove and there's pirates? It's weird. This whole book is weird. I also own #scandal by Ockler, so I'm excited to see how my opinion will turn out in the end. At least that one is a mystery-thriller. This? I don't even know what to call it.

I'm guessing that people are adoring this over the diversity. We can already see it from the cover. I have never read about a character who is Caribbean. Elyse is a first for me and honestly? That's really interesting. Diversity is important for me in books, but it's not everything either. It was just a minor highlight that Elyse was who she was.

This had a cheesy theme: finding your inner voice. The synopsis that Simon Pulse provided even says it. It's a play on words, people! Just because Elyse lost her voice because of that boating accident doesn't mean that the theme has to be about her finding her inner and outer voice. Ugh. *flips hair*

Elyse, of course, because this is a contemporary-romance novel, has a romantic relationship with the cute guy, Christian. I hated him too, so they're perfect for each other! I couldn't care less about how their relationship bloomed, or however you call it. What a stuck-up frat-boy-like-character.

Okay, so there isn't instalove, which is great, but the fact that the two characters weren't of my liking made me a bit frustrated. Meh. BUT SEBASTIAN GUYS. Sebastian is Christian's younger brother and like the crab in the movie, I loved this guy and how he contributed to the novel. Now, I must say that the relationship between him and Elyse was adorable times a hundred.

This had potential. So much of it. If you believe in relatable, strong protagonists who don't have any bit of annoyingness in them, this isn't the book for you. Elyse, this book's "heroine," if that's what you call her (I wouldn't) was the major downer of this story. Sarah Ockler has been compared to other contemporary authors who are favourites of mine, like Jenny Han and Morgan Matson, but I totally do not believe in that statement. This is a contemporary gone wrong into the hole of boringness. 

What is a contemporary novel that didn't go well for you? Do you like Sarah Ockler's writing?

Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten // Books Like This Boggle My Mind

Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls, by Lynn Weingarten
Publication: July 7, 2015, by Simon Pulse
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

They say Delia burned herself to death in her stepfather’s shed. They say it was suicide.
But June doesn’t believe it.
June and Delia used to be closer than anything. Best friends in that way that comes before everyone else—before guys, before family. It was like being in love, but more. They had a billion secrets, tying them together like thin silk cords.
But one night a year ago, everything changed. June, Delia, and June’s boyfriend, Ryan, were just having a little fun. Their good time got out of hand. And in the cold blue light of morning, June knew only this—things would never be the same again.
Now Delia is dead. June is certain she was murdered. And she owes it to her to find out the truth…which is far more complicated than she ever could have imagined.
Sexy, dark, and atmospheric, Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls will keep you guessing until the very last page.

My Thoughts:

It is rare to find a book and actually call it "epic." It is also rare to fall in love with a book from the first page and read it in a sitting, or at least, it has been difficult for me to do that lately when every book I have been reading is a three star. Lynn Weingarten's Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls saved me from jumping into a reading slump and feeling useless with myself. She takes a real-life, crazy situation and makes it believable, switching between genres and making this a grief-bound-loss-story, to one that is a pure and favourite of mine, a psychological thriller.

Weingarten uses everything that she could in her writing style to capture the attention of readers. I fell in love from the first page, couldn't stop reading, and made sure that the atmosphere around me was not distracting, and certainly not loud and noisy. This precious, precious novel saved me from drowning and collapsing in all of the books I own, perhaps even saving me from giving up on books that are contemporary after all. As time goes by, I have found myself to be picky with novels, but this is love at first sight. The tricking plot that Weingarten creates is captivating, and a true adventure within an adventure that the main character, June, goes through. I adore this novel, and I seriously promise readers that it will be on my year's favourite list.

"Later, Delia would explain to June that finding a best friend is like finding a true love: When you meet yours, you just know." (61)

Lynn's characters just fall under so many topics and parts of life that it truly is difficult to pronounce what this book actually focuses on. It shares elements of murder, abuse, hallucination, jealousy, death, eeriness and mystery. But then again, June, the main character, falls under so many other things like having a horrible life which really leaves readers not being able to understand what the truth really is. In this case, it is totally acceptable to just not know. You will not know. You will not know anything until the last page where your world will collapse. Or at least, mine did. I seriously had to make sure that the book was seriously over and that there wasn't some invisible ink on the final back pages because I was shocked, and kind of in a good way. If you cannot handle the suspense, then I pray for you. 

Weingarten moves from perspective to perspective, from different periods of time when there are hints and clues that really give you the solemn answer to this mystery that June herself is bound to solve. Readers see the start of the toxic, addicting friendship that Delia and June make from the sixth grade, and how quickly things tear apart because of jealousy and really... because nobody had no freaking idea why. Friendships are like that, and instead of an author handing readers a cheeky, one-sided tale about two girls who become friends again or who go through loss, this is the ultimate truth. And we are seriously lucky to see both sides of the story, if you know what I mean.

You see... this book makes me contemplate some theories as I did with Michelle Hodkin's Mara Dyer trilogy. Because the ending was so abrupt and beautiful, every reader could make their own guess and see what would happen with that. I cannot stop thinking about what Weingarten left us with. Humans are savages, we all are in some way, and instead of hitting the violent side of things (well, we kind of did in a few ways), we get to take a look at sociopathy, lies, and desperation. The writing is very, very lyrical and melancholic, and I just kept guessing and guessing. I still do not know what to think and what to do with myself. I feel like I am in this clear bubble of nothing, trying to discover what the truth is to this novel. There is a point and main idea—destructiveness, in fact, but I love how readers are able to discuss and have their own say on this. It's not a clear, special ending, if you know what I mean. 

"Evan, Ashling, Sebastian. They all smile. Who are these people? Who is Sebastian? Who is Delia? What the fuck have we done?" (310)

I cannot digress anything more about this story—it is my love and I am so glad to have enjoyed it as much as I did. There is a slight romance, but as we get to know June more and more, we see that friendship is more important to her than guys.

Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls really is beautiful and pure. I could definitely see it as one of the best books, ever, period, and it such a savaged, interesting psychological thriller. Your heart will pound, you will be shocked and unsure of what will actually happen in the end. The characters are all so complex, but each have their own spark that makes them different. And in the end, this is a book solemnly about reality and the things that can occur if you're not careful. Agh.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America. Thank you so much!*

Do you enjoy psychological thrillers? Would you give this book a try by any chance? Have you read anything by Lynn Weingarten in the past? (I have, I love her writing!)

 

There Will Come a Time by Carrie Arcos // Written in the Same Style as Before

There Will Come a Time, by Carrie Arcos
Publication: April 15, 2014, by Simon Pulse
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 315
Format: Paperback
Source: Borrowed
Rating: ½

Mark knows grief. Ever since the accident that killed his twin sister, Grace, the only time he feels at peace is when he visits the bridge on which she died. Comfort is fleeting, but it’s almost within reach when he’s standing on the wrong side of the suicide bars. Almost.
Grace’s best friend, Hanna, says she understands what he’s going through. But she doesn’t. She can’t. It’s not just the enormity of his loss. As her twin, Mark should have known Grace as well as he knows himself. Yet when he reads her journal, it’s as if he didn’t know her at all.
As a way to remember Grace, Hanna convinces Mark to complete Grace’s bucket list from her journal. Mark’s sadness, anger, and his growing feelings for Hannah threaten to overwhelm him. But Mark can’t back out. He made a promise to honor Grace—and it’s his one chance to set things right.

My Thoughts:

There Will Come a Time is rich, special and a story that develops itself on grief, loss and mental illness. It was pretty enjoyable compared to other stories of its kind, and I'm pretty happy with the outcome. Carrie Arcos throws readers a story that may be found in some sections of the bookstore, though it, at the same time, has its own nice flair to it that makes it extra special. For once, we have a male protagonist by our side here who is easy going, but also who is very emotional, which I like and would prefer in characters. Even though they're guys, they're not supposed to all be macho and too cool for the book game—emotions are good.

"Their kindness kills me. It's not the sugary-sweet kind. It's genuine and motivated by love and there's no lighting it. Sometimes love can be more overwhelming than hate. So I don't go."

The story seems pretty simplistic, but it is in depth and utterly lovely. Mark, the main character, is overcoming the loss of his twin sister, Grace, who has committed suicide. The signs weren't really there, and everything is falling apart in his life at the moment. On the urge to discover what really happened to her, Mark teams up with her best friend, Hanna, and they honour their friend and sister by completing her bucket list and going on an exhibition that is different from most books.

This wasn't your average bucket list story. Instead of the achy-breaky boyfriend or girlfriend picking up the pieces left behind by the character who committed suicide and leaving readers unable to figure out what that person was really like other than learning about the things they wanted to achieve in life, we had a brother and best friend team up, just trying to figure out who Grace really was and what is Mark and Hanna's real relationship, because it always has been mixed. Grace's death may have been horrible and tragic, but at the same time, it threw in a new perspective for the characters who needed that boost of energy to boost their own relationships and find gratitude and happiness somehow, somewhere. It had a deep subject and bunch of concepts that leaves readers thinking. Arcos always adds that in her writing, and tweaks it at the end of chapters to leave suspense and readers wanting more. 

There Will Come a Time is an easy story to get by with. You don't have to have MUCH concentration onto the story to really find a good understanding. If you read the plot with an easy going attitude, the story would seem enjoyable and easy to you, depending on how much emotion you would really like to feel. Arcos' writing is better than Out of Reach, and there weren't too many flaws I actually saw in the plot. This is the right read for you if you certainly enjoy contemporary romance mixed with grief.

"This moment is not forever. This moment is me and you and us in time. This moment I want to tell you everything, but I can't because I am not everything and you are not everything. Not everything needs to be spoken. Because when you or I speak things, they come to be. Our words become worlds where people dwell and live and hurt and laugh, and there's no destroying what our words create."

Mark's character could be a best friend or shoulder to cry on for someone. If you have suffered grief or loss, Mark could be totally relatable. He shows aspects of what it's like to be a teenager, ordinary or not. And with the help (and romance) of Hanna, he (not to be cheesy) shows his true colours. You could be strong after loss, there is a light, even though it doesn't seem very promising from the first look at it. 

There Will Come a Time is a light, fresh dash of wonderfulness to your bookshelf. I'm sure that everyone could find something in it to devour and adore. Go for it because there's not too many out there that are similar. 

What are your favourite things to look for in a book related to bucket lists? Would you read this after I have convinced you?

ARC Review: Galgorithm by Aaron Karo // Cheesy and Not Much Point to It

Galgorithm, by Aaron Karo
Publication: May 5, 2015, by Simon Pulse
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

What if the secrets of dating and love were revealed in one simple formula? That's the tantalizing proposition high school senior Shane Chambliss offers the hopeless and hapless guys who come to him for relationship advice.
After the girl of his dreams breaks his heart, Shane devises a mysterious formula called the Galgorithm and establishes himself as the resident dating guru at Kingsview High School. But his attempts to master the art of romance go outrageously awry.
As Shane tries to navigate the ensuing drama, he must follow his heart, abandon all the rules, and ignore his own advice in a quest for true love. What he discovers, no formula could ever predict...

My Thoughts:

Galgorithm is a book with some petty themes and issues that the characters are basically basing their lives on. It was enjoyable, easy to read and easy to devour quickly, but it lacked a lot of things. And one of these big things are something I like to call realism. This story doesn't sound real at all; it sounds like a mix of mumbo jumbo and awkward phrases that are put together to make a YA novel. Yes, I have read cheesier stories with cheesier romance, but I can't say that this was fabulous or something great to compare it with. For most of the book, I was debating about what I really would've enjoyed about it if the story ended up going in my stubborn way.

This story is based on romance and some unrealistic moments that make me ponder and wonder why I thought that it would be somehow based on math. In case you hadn't ever noticed, I'm a math geek and that is one of the reasons why I picked this book up. I wanted the formulas and the cutesy nerdy things that I sometimes like to read about. Instead of being nerdy in a cute way, this book was outrageous and totally absurd. I cannot even point between what I enjoy and what I don't enjoy about this book. It's kind of confusing because it was promising in a different way.

This is about a weird teenage guy who wants to fall in love by using his ugly imaginary formula that he promises could get a girl for any guy. It's the name of the title of this book, Galgorithm. Once Shane gets dumped/rejected by "the hottest girl ever," he's basically acting like any teenage boy would—he's hungry for romance. And when he makes this formula, he plays around with love, friendship and some revenge, too. And it's freaking predictable.

If someone told me to write a book review on this before I even read it, I would have been able to write another summary from my guesses and get it 70% right. This book is awfully predictable. The ending was a no-brainer, where I totally saw that "thing" with Jak coming around, and it seemed too obvious. Aren't books supposed to make me crinkle and have me so shocked that I won't be able to do anything else that night? What has happened to modern storytelling, I ask?

I feel like I'm starting some kind of angry rant right here but of course there had to be positives about this story or I would never be here. My review would have been a lot shorter if it was just negativity. Galgorithm has an enduring group of characters whose attitudes and sarcasm always kept me giggling. It is a funny story, you know. Shane, Adam, Tristen, Jak, they were all a cool crew, just like how I imagine them like from the 90s awesome sitcoms that we like to rewatch today. *thinks of Friends* 

Karo is a good storyteller. If you're pretty naïve with reading contemporary fiction and find it okay if you read about a story that is so cheesy, then you'll seriously be okay. But I do think that I spent enough of my tweenhood and childhood reading about these lame, childish stories. At least it wasn't boring. That is one of the pros that I allow myself to constantly ponder about right now. 

Karo delivers a story that is more for entertainment than for actual enjoyment, well at least it is like that for me. Galgorithm is a witty, fun-filled novel that will spare you a laugh or two, but then in the long run, it doesn't make a reading experience too positive for me. I have read better, but I am glad I gave it the time and experience. Just look at the cover and the main slogan, "A guy. A girl. A formula" and think about what it really is about in the end. I bet you'll come up with the plot's events in a jiffy.

What do you think of very unrealistic contemporary? How much cheesiness can you spare and give time to actually read about?