Lab Girl by Hope Jahren // One of the Best Memoirs, Ever.

Lab Girl, by Hope Jahren
Publication: April 5, 2016, by Knopf
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Pages: 290
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

Acclaimed scientist Hope Jahren has built three laboratories in which she’s studied trees, flowers, seeds, and soil. Her first book is a revelatory treatise on plant life—but it is also so much more.
Lab Girl is a book about work, love, and the mountains that can be moved when those two things come together. It is told through Jahren’s stories: about her childhood in rural Minnesota with an uncompromising mother and a father who encouraged hours of play in his classroom’s labs; about how she found a sanctuary in science, and learned to perform lab work done “with both the heart and the hands”; and about the inevitable disappointments, but also the triumphs and exhilarating discoveries, of scientific work.
Yet at the core of this book is the story of a relationship Jahren forged with a brilliant, wounded man named Bill, who becomes her lab partner and best friend. Their sometimes rogue adventures in science take them from the Midwest across the United States and back again, over the Atlantic to the ever-light skies of the North Pole and to tropical Hawaii, where she and her lab currently make their home.

My Thoughts:

Hope Jahren has just converted me, has just converted me into loving research and plants and all things that have to do with the ground that we walk on, the smells that we smell and the things that we see. I mean, I have always been a science fanatic, been interested in the field of science and labs and all of that cool stuff that Hope expresses about in this whole non-fiction research-based novel. Lab Girl has just opened a new light for me, and showed that hey, women and girls can be interested in these kinds of things too, and we can all make a living out of it. I'm probably not going to go into the field that has to do with plants, but Jahren explains many things that have to do with science as a whole. If you are interested in modern events or themes, such as feminism, being eco-friendly, caring about the Earth and traveling, this is perfect for you. If you're like me, and adore taking breaks from ordinary fiction and deciding to begin reading non-fiction, this is a perfect start. Lab Girl is simply adored by myself and I would recommend it to everyone out there for a nice read with a cup of lemonade by your side. Don't forget a swirly straw to patch things up, too!

I'm not the gardener in my house—my mom is. I've always enjoyed nature and taking photos of the world and the things I see, though. Jahren has caused me to appreciate more of the things around me, and I believe that she hadn't meant to, either. This is no way was a self-help book where readers were supposed to learn 100% from the author and the things that she studied and believed in. Instead, this was a book about Jahren—it's a memoir, if you would really like to know. It's a memoir that has Jahren's special touch and is not one of those books that you'll find anywhere. It's not similar to a memoir written by a celebrity where they talk about their struggles. This contains some of Jahren's struggles, of course, as we all struggle from time to time, but a lot of this was focused on Hope's passions and job and career, and how much hard effort she put in to succeed and make things happen. I learned so much about the world, about Hawaii, about different flora, about universities that she attended/taught at, and I would certainly like to see this at this year's Goodreads awards come December. I imagine it being a high bestseller already, and feel so fortunate to have read it before it was actually released. 

This was absolutely fabulous, from my perspective. Jahren knows exactly what she's doing when it comes to writing or talking about science and all of that. She gave so many explanations that seem absolutely correct, that have so much meaning to them and made me want to read forever and want to do something different with my life, other than medicine or your ordinary science fields. We got the ability to learn about her family, friends, the people who changed her life during her long journey towards PhDs and all of her accomplishments that still wow me. I feel inspired now to go out and follow her on all of her social media accounts and catch her attention. She is one strong and amazingly intelligent woman. Women rule.

"My mother believed that there was a right way and a wrong way to do everything, and that doing it wrong meant doing it over, preferably a few times".

I now will never, ever take down a tree. I will never think about saying, "that plant is ugly" or "what's the use of having a garden?" I know that if I did think that, this book would somehow try to fit itself in my life once more. This is a fabulous memoir that I just want to recommend to everyone, and perhaps, eventually, read it again and again for more laughs, and seeing more of Hope from a different perspective in a different period of time. (Did I mention that I shipped her with her research partner? Truth: they did not get together. This is not a story about love!)

"People are like plants: they grow toward the light. I chose science because science gave me wha I needed—a home as defined in the most literal sense: a safe place to be".

Lab Girl is a seriously easy book to read because it's coming straight from Hope Jahren's mind—she seems so easy to talk to, so naturally, she writes as if she's speaking straight to someone. It turned out very lovely, and teaches us to appreciate nature and the amazing people around you, all of these ideas being proved by science. She explains her discoveries, and the many accomplishments that she has gained, without making them sound too big of a deal. (THEY ARE ASTONISHING THOUGH.) The astonishing things for her, are plants.

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

What are some other memoirs written by scientists? Do you appreciate plants and trees with great love?

Love and Profanity by Nick Healy // I Wish I Could Have Rethought My Choice to Read This

Love and Profanity, by Nick Healy
Publication: March 1, 2015, by Switch Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 232
Format: Hardcover
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

Here are forty short, brilliant, and unforgettable true stories from writers famous and on-the-rise. Here is the intensity of daily life. Here are transformative moments arising from the mundane. Here are strange and surprising tales that tap into universal truths. Here are teenagers in full splendor and horror. Here they are, bursting with love and profanity.

My Thoughts: 

Love and Profanity first caught my attention when I saw its cover. NOT THE ONE WITH THE TONGUE AND THE TONGUE RING. That one is really nasty. But this one, the one with the red and the heart on it. I came into this preferring an anthology that is about sweet love and first love, and how couples do not have it great twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I was looking forward to be reading (really) short stories by authors who I have never heard about prior to. Switch Press, I must say, this was not a good book, nor a good anthology. It's the worst anthology I have ever read, compared to the others that have come into my life. Love and Profanity has a little to do with love, but nothing to do with profanity. I mean, to describe it, I would love to use profanity in the meantime, but none of it was found here. The title doesn't make sense at all, to begin with.

These stories were actually really, really short. I could definitely have written some stories that were better than a few that were here. Some of them were so stupid that I had to skip it or else my mind was going to explode. People—there was one about a guy who would poo to his pants and a girl saw him do it. I was reading this at school and I had my friend read that one. She couldn't believe the book that I was reading. *laughs out loud* And then there were the few good ones that actually left an impact on me, like the ones about tests or the one about the girl living in Florida and has issues with her father. But honestly? This book is not the guide to adolescence or however you prefer to call it. I couldn't relate to hardly any of the stories and they're just not me. This is a completion of weird stories.

It's a quick read, when you think about it. I like reading anthologies because the plot keeps changing. I cannot review this novel on its plot because there are so many stories, and like always, some are better or worse than others. Some were relatable, most were not. I didn't like the way that love was portrayed here, but I guess that some teenagers see it the way it was written. (Back to the poop story) 

I should have DNFed this, you know? It was a waste for me because I didn't take no happiness out of this book at all. No enjoyment, whatsoever. 

Love and Profanity is a quick, short read, but at the same time, it took me a while longer because I hadn't felt like finishing it. You're better off without it, but there are a few stories that were brilliant. I must look into the books of those particular authors.

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

What is a recent anthology that you have read? Do you like anthologies?

The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone // Weirder, Different Than Initially Expected

The Loose Ends List, by Carrie Firestone
Publication: June 7, 2016, by Little Brown BFYR
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 346
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½

Maddie has big plans to spend the last months before college tying up high school “loose ends” alongside her best friends. Then her beloved grandmother drops two bombshells: (1) Gram is dying. (2) She’s taking her entire family on a round-the-world cruise of dreams come true—but at the end, Gram won’t be returning home.
With a promise to live in the now without regrets, Maddie boards the Wishwell determined to make every moment count. She finds new friends in her fellow Wishwellians, takes advantage of the trip’s many luxuries, gets even closer to her quirky family, and falls for painfully gorgeous Enzo. But despite the copious laughter, headiness of first love, and wonder of the glamorous destinations, Maddie knows she is on the brink of losing Gram, and she struggles to find the strength to let go in a whirlwind summer shaped by love, grief, and laughter.

My Thoughts:

Cover designs these days are actually pure gold. I'm no artist, but I am absolutely in love with everything that has do with books and art put together. Honestly, with all of the amazing aesthetics out there these days, who would not want to read this gorgeous book with THAT COVER? No one would not want to read this, most likely. I must say that Carrie Firestone's debut is no way as beautiful as the cover is. I feel tricked, but I guess that's what happens when one judges a book by its cover. At the same time, I would label The Loose Ends List as a bronze-medalled story instead of the gold that its cover promises. This is an interesting take on bucket lists, except it's not really about death pertaining to the protagonist, but to her grandmother. Firestone shows so much creativity in this story, but it surely didn't end up a five star read. I love the originality, setting, and the many themes that come out of the story, especially in the sad ending that definitely sparked some tears in some readers.

The Loose Ends List is narrated by a snobby, rich girl who keeps expecting more than she already has. She is so unoriginal that I just expected her to not be the designated driver and to drink all of her worries away. That would be your typical contemporary teenage romance. Thankfully, the partying thing was out of question, but Maddie seemed to complain about everything else. Especially the traveling aspect of the Wishwell, the cruise ship that she and her family were exploring the world on. I would do just about anything to attend the Wishwell and travel to exotic places like Rio, Venice, Rome and the imaginary Wishwell Island on, but Maddie seemed like she dreaded all of the traveling part, but just kept looking for opportunities to hook up with her "love at first sight" interest, Enzo, who she basically sees on the first day of her trip.

I think I need to stop ranting about Maddie as a whole or else I would probably end up rating this a little lower than I initially had. 3.5 stars suits this book because other than the fact that I thought that Maddie was a complete brat for most of the novel (besides the parts where she got intimate with her grandmother and family), everything else was swell. I enjoyed reading about the Wishwell itself and the concept of it, although that even sounded so absurd that I don't think anyone would take the cruise's goal into consideration and make it real in reality. Wondering what the absurdity is? The Wishwell is basically a death trip. People who are dying with terminal illnesses go on this cruise with their families, and after exploring the world and going to different destinations, they decide that it's time to let go, if you know what I mean in a casual way. 

"I watch her lips move and wonder what the cancer looks like inside her. It is a dream. I will wake up and she will be fine" (24).

And that's basically what happened with Maddie's grandmother. As mentioned above, their family is filthy rich, living lives in New York City and Connecticut, and one day, out of the blue, Maddie's Gram announces that she has pancreatic cancer. There is mixed reactions, including some hysterical bawling, some straight faces, some passing out, but everyone has the same thoughts: what will they do without Gram? She decides that the whole family will go on the Wishwell and enjoy her last moments with her. In the midst of it, Maddie falls in love with Enzo... obviously.

I adored Enzo and Maddie together. It seemed that when they had their scenes together, Enzo completed her and made her a better person than readers initially knew her as—see my snob rant above. And I also loved the reason why he was on the Wishwell and how that all mixed in with Maddie's family and other close friends who they meet on the ship. The best thing? The huge group of family members and people that the O'Neill/Levines got to hang out with on the ship. Firestone rapidly introduces all of the family members to us within the first few chapters, and then a huge group of people who they will hang out with on the ship afterwards. I kind of began singing "We Are Family" by the end because I felt so physically attached to them. Heheh.

The Loose Ends List was honestly so easy to read. Firestone is such a casual writer, but a smart one at the same time. She created a story that just screams "teenagers" and "grief" and all of those themes/motifs that would make you sob. I didn't sob, because I guess I was just strong the day I read this, but it seemed right if one ended up bawling on the pages. IT'S SO SAD. Maddie had to let go of some people who were very dear in her heart, but I felt the same way in the end. See above: physical attachment. (I also was very attached to Enzo, but that's a different story. *giggles like a little girl*)








The Loose Ends List is seriously a lovely summer read. I brought it with me when I went on vacation, but sadly never got to it, though began it right after and it carried that mood that makes me just want to hop on a cruise and travel the world, once again. It has a definite catchy synopsis and concept that has never been written about before, and I am very curious to see what else Firestone has in mind (she is such a creative author) with her future stories. I would certainly read them all, if they stay contemporary-romance. I don't even want to imagine what absurdity she would create with fantasy. 

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

What is an interesting/weird contemporary romance that you have recently read? Would you pick up weird/different novels that have mixed reviews?

My Life With the Walter Boys by Ali Novak // I LOVE CONTEMPORARY SO MUCH.

My Life With the Walter Boys, by Ali Novak
Publication: March 1, 2014, by Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: ½

My Life with the Walter Boys centers on the prim, proper, and always perfect Jackie Howard. When her world is turned upside down by tragedy, Jackie must learn to cut loose and be part of a family again.
Jackie does not like surprises. Chaos is the enemy! The best way to get her successful, busy parents to notice her is to be perfect. The perfect look, the perfect grades-the perfect daughter. And then...
Surprise #1: Jackie's family dies in a freak car accident.
Surprise #2: Jackie has to move cross-country to live with the Walters-her new guardians.
Surprise #3: The Walters have twelve sons. (Well, eleven, but Parker acts like a boy anyway)
Now Jackie must trade in her Type A personality and New York City apartment for a Colorado ranch and all the wild Walter boys who come with it. Jackie is surrounded by the enemy-loud, dirty, annoying boys who have no concept of personal space. Okay, several of the oldest guys are flat-out gorgeous. But still annoying. She's not stuck-up or boring-no matter what they say. But proving it is another matter. How can she fit in and move on when she needs to keep her parents' memory alive by living up to the promise of perfect?

My Thoughts:

At the time when I read this, which was, actually, a few weeks ago, I kind of was bored with everything I was reading. Who knows? If Ali Novak's debut Wattpad-turned-published contemporary romance about a girl who lost everything, and then had everything, including a new family after moving into the Walter household hadn't come into my life, I would've went into a reading slump, and my Goodreads challenge would have been even more at stake. It already is, in case you were wondering. I'm like, 60 books behind schedule. Anyways, I must say that My Life With the Walter Boys is absolute literary brilliance. For anyone seeking a new, never-been-done-before kind of story that has every bit of gushing, squealing and ship-creating in it, I would strongly recommend reading this. It changed the way I look at contemporary-romance and how others look at the genre. Many tend to stay away from it because some books become cheesy and predictable, and although this was really, really predictable (I know some of you really dislike that), I loved it. So much that I want to go and read everything that Ali Novak has written. After I grabbed a copy of this at BEA last year, I discovered that Ali is also the author of another book Sourcebooks was amazing to hand out: The Heartbreakers. My younger sister read it and adored it, so I am very excited for it, too.

My Life With the Walter Boys is one of those books that you imagine becoming a TV show slash sitcom. I would love to watch it if that ever became something. It's so real, normal though significant at the same time. I loved our protagonist, Jackie Howard, who reminded me a little too much of myself, being obsessed with school and a total perfectionist. I loved the romance, even the love triangle that formed. This was an exception to all of the bookish things I once said I hated. For some reason, this seems like the book I would dislike, in the end. Somehow, it was the opposite. 

The only thing I have to complain about is the predictability. But that's what occurs when a teenage girl writes a book about romance and releases it on Wattpad. That's the only way that predictability occurs. Only with romance. I knew that the ending would occur the way it did, and there was nothing that was a shocker for me. But thankfully, I liked the characters too much to have to dislike this book even more. 

Jackie, like the title states, is in a house with the Walters. There's eleven guys. GUYS. (I would go nuts) She has just lost everything, including her parents and her sister, in a car crash that she was supposed to be in, if she hadn't caught the flu. She lost her NYC luxurious life, her friends, and has to move to the other side of the country—Colorado, because her uncle cannot take custody of her. Instead, her mom's old best friend and her family are Jackie's new home. Of course, she hates all of them at first, blaming them on her horrible life, but as she forms a connection with the older boys, like Alex and Cole, romance sparks. Duh.

Each of the Walter boys (and Parker, of course, who is the only girl in the family, excluding their mother) had their own personality—that was interesting. It's so interesting to ponder about how an author must conquer twelve different personalities (that's without Jackie) into a single novel. Twelve different characters who have different hobbies, opinions, appearances... this is crazy. Ali Novak did it wonderfully. We have our popular, player boy who Jackie finds herself attracted to, Cole, who has a twin, and then there's Alex, who is the computer-freak and Jackie also finds him attractive. It kind of was instalove between her and Cole, but that's okay. It didn't bother me. Yet again, here I am talking about how INSTALOVE DOESN'T BOTHER ME. Am I hearing myself correctly? I think I am, though.

It was extremely easy to relate to Jackie. Although I thankfully had not gone through what she had, I loved her as a character. She goes through a swift character transition, from good to bad, doing many things that in the past, she would never believe that she would do. Some may think that this is a a cheesy kind of thing to add into contemporary romance, but honestly, it happens to many people. Sometimes, being too good is boring. *twiddles eyebrows* I promise, I don't have anything bad in store.

My Life With the Walter Boys is just such a fun, summer read. Purchase it, bring it to the beach, pool, or even couch with you and just devour it. Ali Novak writes with a very fast pace that keeps us readers addicted, and unable to put it down and take a breath until it's all over. When it was over, I swear, I felt such an attraction to the Walter family that I felt like I, myself, had lost everything.

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

Unrivaled by Alyson Noël // A Floppy Book Only About Drama

Unrivaled (Beautiful Idols #1), by Alyson Noël
Publication: May 10, 2016, by Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 420
Format: Hardcover
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

Everyone wants to be someone.
Layla Harrison wants to leave her beach-bum days for digs behind a reporter’s desk. Aster Amirpour wants to scream at the next casting director who tells her “we need ethnic but not your kind of ethnic.” Tommy Phillips dreams of buying a twelve-string guitar and using it to shred his way back into his famous absentee dad’s life.
But Madison Brooks took destiny and made it her bitch a long time ago.
She’s Hollywood’s hottest starlet, and the things she did to become the name on everyone’s lips are merely a stain on the pavement, ground beneath her Louboutin heel.
That is, until Layla, Aster, and Tommy find themselves with a VIP invite to the glamorous and gritty world of Los Angeles’s nightlife and lured into a high-stakes competition where Madison Brooks is the target. Just as their hopes begin to gleam like stars through the California smog, Madison Brooks goes missing. . . . And all of their hopes are blacked out in the haze of their lies.
Unrivaled is #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël’s first book in a thrilling suspense trilogy about how our most desperate dreams can become our darkest nightmares.

My Thoughts:

For me, Alyson Noël's books are either a hit or a miss, go one way or the other. I never know what to expect when I read books written by her. Sometimes, they go amazingly and I can't help but squeal about the summer-related story that has captivated many readers. Other times, I am so disappointed (specifically with her fantasy novels) that I just have no other choice but to DNF them. It's been a few years since Alyson released a new novel, and when I heard about Unrivaled, later seeing its cover, I knew I was in for a good read. Well, it sucks to say, I was completely wrong. I seriously didn't like this one. Unrivaled was just a catty book full of complaints, gossip and drama that I couldn't care less about because I cannot relate to the story or lifestyle of these spoiled teenagers living in Los Angeles, having "the time of their lives." Would I even recommend this to fans of Private by Kate Brian? No, because at least that story was realistic. This is no way realistic unless you're a heiress and live like these characters do. 

This was a chore to read. I barely was able to finish it. I skimmed the last fifty pages or so and found out that WOW, nothing changed! This was just a snoozefest that had no passion in it. It seemed that Alyson was basically struggling her way to write this novel and make it entertaining. Normally, I don't mind these kinds of books because I like drama. I have read books by the author of Gossip Girl and enjoyed those tens of thousands of times more than I enjoyed this one. WHY DIDN'T I LIKE IT, UGH. I really wished I enjoyed this because it has a gorgeous cover and it looked interesting. I didn't see almost any good in it.

The only positive I was able to see was the beginning of the book. I liked the beginning of the story, and the two nice, promising quotes that kind of spoke to me were found in the beginning. I wanted to read about the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, California, a city I have always wanted to visit and fall head over heels in. (It may happen soon, who knows?!) Alyson gave readers a hugely negative image of Hollywood and the tourism image. I don't feel naïve enough to believe it because we had a group of nasty characters, but you know, it could be true.

"For Madison Brooks, the boulevard was everything she'd dreamed it would be. Maybe it didn't look anything like the snow globe she'd had as a kid, the one that showered small squares of golden glitter over a miniature version of the Hollywood sign, but she never expected it would" (2).

You see, I found that quote on the second page. After a few chapters, things plummeted down. I WANTED THE BEAUTIFUL MALIBU CALIFORNIA SETTING WITH NICE PEOPLE, SURFING, AND THE GOOD LIFE. Not clubbing. That's not my kind of thing, whoops. Also, there was a big focus on Layla, who sticks as one of the "normal" protagonists, and her gossip blog. Adding to all of the boyfriend-girlfriend drama occurring in the book, this is an addition. Wow. 

As mentioned before, the characters were nasty. Madison, Aster, Tommy... they were all trying so hard to impress each other even though they had no brain cells in them. Honestly, they made the worst decisions and I would never do the things that they did. Mateo and Layla were the only reasonable ones, and I found that was true because they were normal. Ugh.

"LA was a town of actors and storytellers, populated by those more comfortable playing an imaginary role than being themselves, and the prize always went to the one who faked it best" (136).

Unrivaled is a book that perhaps people who enjoy books with no plot would actually love. I remember it being one of my most anticipated reads this year, and I just wanted to love it after grabbing it at BEA. The gorgeous cover is the only good part, aside from two normal characters and a nice beginning. Otherwise, I wouldn't waste my time reading this at all. It was as if I were forced to read it, and I still don't know why I continued.

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

Do you like Alyson Noel's writing? What is an author that occasionally has good books, and occasionally writes bad ones?

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson // Dogs, Romance and More!

The Unexpected Everything, by Morgan Matson
Publication: May 3, 2016, by Simon and Schuster BFYR
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 517
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

Andie had it all planned out. When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future. Important internship? Check. Amazing friends? Check. Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks). But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.
Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected. And where’s the fun in that?

My Thoughts:

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson | noun | 1. a book that is the pure definition of summer and everything that it holds. 2. a book that features tons of cute dogs where readers grow overly attached to them. 3. a beautiful story of friendship, real love and all of the good stuff in life.

Morgan Matson is my favourite contemporary author of all time, residing with John Green in my golden shelves of awesomeness (one day, I vow that I will actually possess this shelf), but if you know me, you mostly likely already knew that. The Unexpected Everything was probably my most-anticipated read of the year, and it definitely reached its expectations, though a tiny bit on the lower side. As usual, Morgan's writing drags, just like mine tends to do when I'm in school, writing an essay and I discover that I can't stop overdosing on words. That's exactly what happened in this case, and what has happened with every single book by Matson. When I first saw the page count, 517 pages made me feel giddy, overly excited. Honestly? How could a YA novel that is all contemporary-romance stem towards a 500+ page count? You have to be an amazing writer, which Morgan is, but you also have to have this idea that doesn't get boring and that could progress into this greater page count.

The Unexpected Everything was expected for me to enjoy. I just knew that I would love it. Dogs? A nerdy-cute love interest? A girl who's smart and obsessed with school? A book that is written throughout a period of a whole summer? These all looked like things that I would love about this book, and it seriously is true. This was such a good read. Now, I don't know how I would be able to live a summer like our protagonist, Andie, had, because that was just chaotic (and awesome at the same time), and as always, I just loved the mentality and extra moral that Morgan adds to her stories time after time.

Before we get to anything, we NEED TO discuss the puppies/dogs. I actually never had a clue that Morgan's story would revolve around dogs. At all. I just thought the cute dogs on the cover huddled around the model (who is supposed to be Andie) were just a nice addition. EVERY DOG MENTIONED, I WOULD JUST GO BACK TO THE COVER. Guys, you see the adorable, big, fluffy white dog? THAT IS BERTIE. NOT "BIRDIE" (that made me laugh out loud honestly), but Bertie. He is the cutest thing on Earth and I seriously was so overly-attached to him that I want to name my future child Bertie. (Even if I have a girl) Bertie is "Clark's dog," without stating any spoilers. I love him. And Clark. But especially Bertie.

"Books were everywhere. Not in haphazard piles—there was absolutely nothing about this place that seemed haphazard—but there were floor-to-ceiling built-ins on all sides of this very large room, and they were absolutely rammed with books. It was the kind of room—big couches, comfy chairs—that you would expect a TV in, but I didn't see one anywhere. All I could see were books" (116).

I would also like to thank Morgan for appreciating books. A big theme of this story is booknerds and loving books in general. Our protagonist, Andie, never really reads unless it's school-related (HOW DARE SHE?!), but once she meets Clark, secret book-nerd/author, her appreciation grows. Morgan also adds in excerpts from what would be Clark's books, which I also formed a bond with. Man, this author just makes readers bond with everything/everyone!

Basically, this story is so relatable. Not about dog-walking or the romance between Clark and Andie, but because of Andie herself. I LOVED HER. Andie is the daughter of a Congressman, who is a single father after Andie's mother died from ovarian cancer. She loves school, plans on going into pre-med, is looking into internships, plans everything out, has her life planned out, and has a great group of friends who always support her. It sounds perfect, right? Her internship fails. Her father doesn't act like a father. Her relationships only last three weeks. Her summer job is dog-walking. I loved how Morgan looks at imperfections and creates the summer of a lifetime (with many flaws) for Andie and her friends. Friendship was a hugely important theme of this story, and I loved how tight-knit Andie's group was. Toby, Bri, Palmer, Tom and Clark all had their own personalities which made this a really fun read. I couldn't just pick my favourite character. They were all astonishing.

As Morgan had in every book of hers, especially Since You've Been Gone, romance is a big factor, but not everything. That is why I like to call Morgan's stories real and inspiring, because they closely live up to the lives of teenagers. BUT THE ROMANCE WAS REAL. Candie, Ark, whatever ship name you would like to provide the two, they were perfect for each other. Clark was just the happiest, most hilarious fictional boyfriend of any heroine and I just loved how awkward he was and how quickly he did become comfortable with Andie.

Cheers to the father-daughter relationship and how Matson keeps implanting the fact that Andie's life isn't perfect. I must admit, I hated Andie's dad for the first half of the book, but he kept making me smile and laugh. I have to praise that precious relationship, you know? 

"We said our good-byes and headed out shortly after that. I got into the Mustang, running my hand over the steering wheel for just a moment before checking the time and realizing I had to get going. There was someone I needed to meet" (516).

So at times, this book dragged. It became boring and I just wanted that boring phase to get by before the good stuff came around. There were those every now and then, and I honestly wanted this book to be perfect, and to be honest, it wasn't fully. But I still loved it. IT'S TOO LONG, ALTHOUGH I LOVE MORGAN'S WRITING. If this were fantasy... that'd be a different story.

If only I had a summer like this... *sighs* Cheers to dogs, Bertie, romance, pizza, scavenger hunts, road-trips to tell someone you love them, Diet Coke and fantasy novels! As always, I am so impressed with Morgan Matson's work and this is the reason why I read contemporary-romance: to get in a specific mood. Now? I need to go to the pool and kind of wash my brain a little because it hurts. Five-hundred-and-seventeen pages in a row (basically) does hurt your head.

Do you like Morgan Matson's writing? WHAT ARE SOME BOOKS WITH DOGS/PUPPIES?