Review: It's Not Summer Without You

Book: It's Not Summer Without You (Summer #2)
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Pages: 288
Source: Kindle Purchase
Date Read: March 28, 2011

Summary:

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach

Yani's Analysis:
This is one of the only series that the second book is actually better than the first. It is one year later and our favorite characters have grown up (or are more grown up then last time at least).

I thought I wouldn’t enjoy the book since most of it wouldn’t take place at the cousin’s beach house, but I loved it. The story still consists of the past and the present being woven together, but Jenny adds another narrator, Jeremiah. It was amazing seeing Jeremiah’s view on events that happened in the last book and the things currently happening. Also we get to see Belly and Conrad finally together, however it was very brief.

Now at this point I felt like I knew who Belly loved more, but I didn’t have a particular stand on who I felt she should be with. In most books, (except Nightshade) I’m always on the team that ends up with the girl, not because I like being right (although I do), but because I can tell who the real true love is. And while for myself I might like someone different, why shouldn’t the main character be with the one she really loves.

I love these summer books, because while most summer books are only about happy tales and good times. These summers are about hope, family, friends, and true love.

Review of the next book We’ll Always Have Summer: Tomorrow!

Ratings:

Plot: 5/5
Writing Style: 5/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Characters: 5/5

Similar Titles:

Endless Summer is two books in one and if you liked The Summer I Turned Pretty, I think you will definitely enjoy this lighter (romantic comedy) type novel. I love summer love novels and Hailey Abbott know how to write those well too.

Other Memorable Quotes:

"Happiness is a Slurpee and a hot pink straw."

Waiting on Wednesday #9

WOW is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

From Goodreads:
It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

So I tried reading the first book, The Summer I Turned Pretty in 2009 when it first came out and never really got into it. But Ginger over at GReads keeps raving about this book and we have similar tastes, so I picked it up again. I read the first and second book from 10:00pm last night till 1:00pm today with a little break in between for some sleep. Now I can't wait to read the last in the series. This is the one love triangle that I actually really love both boys!!

Luckily I got an early copy of this book so look for the review by the end of this week!

Can't wait for this book coming out: April 26, 2011

Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty

Book: The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer #1)
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Release Date: May 5, 2009
Pages: 276
Source: Bought
Date Read: March 27, 2011

Summary:

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

Yani's Analysis:

When this book was first published I heard great things about it so I bought it. I don’t remember where my mind was at the time, but I couldn’t get into it. I was annoyed by Belly, I thought she was juvenile. This time around it was her innocence and naiveté that made me love this book. It made her real. Like Cam says it’s the imperfections that make someone beautiful. I am so glad Ginger and others on twitter where raving about this book and I picked it back up.

I love “summer” books. All my life my family and I travel to the west coast of Florida for one week each summer. Every year, never missed it once. When I was 13 I met a boy there, and for the next 5 years I would see him and his family every summer. I thought it was true love, I really did, and looking back now I know it wasn’t. I think that held me back from believing that Belly really loves Conrad the first time around. The second time reading this book, I was there, I believed it, I felt it.

Along with the other events in this story, it was such a captivating read. I loved how Jenny went back and forth from present to past, to explain the character’s actions and emotions. And it wasn’t a methodical thing like one present on past chapter, it just happened when it needed to. I really really really liked this book and I seriously don’t know how I could have thought that this book wasn’t worth it, because it totally is…

Review for It’s Not Summer Without You: Tomorrow


Ratings:

Plot: 4/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Characters: 5/5

Similar Titles:

Endless Summer is two books in one and if you liked The Summer I Turned Pretty, I think you will definitely enjoy this lighter (romantic comedy) type novel. I love summer love novels and Hailey Abbott know how to write those well too.

Other Memorable Quotes:

"Summer was what mattered. My whole life is measured in summers."

Review: Nightshade (Deux)

Book:Nightshade
Author:  Andrea Cremer
Publisher:Philomel
Release Date: October 19, 2010
Pages: 452
Source: Kindle Purchase
Date Read: March 23, 2011

Summary:
Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers.

But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

Yani's Analysis:
Apparently werewolves are starting to become a favorite of mine, which is funny considering I was a HUGE Edward/vampire fan in Twilight, and because of that I stayed away from werewolf books for a while. But Nightshade is different, in fact the wolves of nightshade are not even werewolves, but Guardians who take the form of wolves to protect and serve the Keepers. They whole back story was one of the things that kept me reading, these Guardians really believe in duty and their life mission of protected the Keepers (even the evilish ones). And the Keepers treat them as pets. You can tell no one has ever questioned this because of their duty... until Calla meets Shay.

Calla is one of the strongest yet realistic female characters I have read. She is an alpha and while she doesn't back down from most things, including her alpha partner to be Ren, it takes her a while to build the courage to question her loyalty to the Keepers and all she has ever known about her own world. Slowly, with the help of Shay a human boy, she learns the truth about her world and for the first time ever she has to make a choice.

Back to Ren, I think this is the first time I have ever liked the #2 guy (guy who will probably lose in the love triangle situation) more than the guy she is clearly meant to be with. I hope I am wrong about this. Usually you can tell, even when the main character loves both, who she loves the most. But Ren was fantastic character, with all these layers.Shay was great too, a cute nerdy type that loved to read. There was a part in the book where philosophy was discussed and you can tell Andrea did her research. I mean guys actually discussing philosophical geniuses and ideas...definitely HOT!

Some people had problems with the sexual nature of Calla's relationship with the boys, but I didn't mind it at all. It was never gratuitous or too graphic, yes it was a little more intense then more YA novels, but I like it like that. Calla was really struggling with the attraction she felt for Ren and the love she felt for Shay, I thought it felt very real, considering their mind set of a wolf pack about honor, loyalty, and duty.

Ratings:

Plot: 5/5
Writing Style: 5/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Characters: 5/5

Quoted!

Yesterday, I was checking my blogging stats and the referring sites - funny how people where twittering about their referring sites today- and I noticed I was getting a lot of referral from Elizabeth Scott's website. As you know she is one of my favorite writers, so I obviously checked it out. And this is what I found...

YES, that's right my review is being quoted on Elizabeth Scott's website- insert fangirl squeal here EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. The other day Ginger at GReads posted an interview I had with her in which she asked my favorite moment of blogging so far... well that answer has changed and I think this is definitely it!

Why I Blog...

So I just got home from Ultra Music Festival and as per my usual bedtime routine I checked my google reader for interesting blog posts. This article by Kristi @ The Story Siren was just sitting there waiting for me. (BTDubs definitely think you all should go read it now, also read some of the comments if you can, everyone makes very interesting points)

Now I know 1:52 AM is probably not the best time to start writing my opinion, but I am wired from all the Redbull (with some vodka) and I want to get it all out before it slips my mind. Why I Blog.... I love books! Its actually a really simple reason and I am pretty sure I have mentioned it before. All my life I have always been a book lover, but all my friends are not really readers. So even when people didn't know how to use the internet, I used it as a resource to find the next book I would read. I didn't have friends that could recommend me anything, so I used reviews online to find a book I would like to read.

When I started my blog I did it for the younger me, the one looking for someone with similar tastes that could be my book pal. I did it so that when someone reads a a review of mine for a book that they have already read and they feel the same way as me about it, they could look at my others reviews for guidance as to their next book choice. That what I do when I read blogs, even now I am still looking for the next book to love.

I swear I have NEVER felt more myself, than when I am blogging or communicating with other bloggers. I am so glad I found this community... and am soooo excited to keep growing my blog and meeting new people. I don't get paid for this (in fact it takes away from my studies and my real job), I rarely get free books (and most of the time, if I loved it I will buy it), and I do do (haha) meme's (and that's because the ones I do are great ways to introduce someone to a book they can like/ or learn more about yours truly). Sorry if this post is a little scattered, I might have put too much of my personality and quirks in it, but it is how I really feel.

PS: Be sure to check out another really interesting post by Farrah over at I Eat Words here.
Update: Also just found Andye from the Reading Teen response to Kristi blog post, and can I just say Ditto.

In My Mailbox #11

In My Mailbox {aka IMMB} is hosted by The Story Siren.

Galley Grab:

ARC Book Tour: 

Bought: 

 

Library:

I am really excited for Wherever You Go, I have been eyeing this one for a while...