Heartbreakers and Fakers by Cameron Lund

Hi all!

If you were awaiting for a review for a YA book, today is your day! 

Quick shout-out to Netgalley for giving me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

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Heartbreakers and Fakers is Cameron Lund's second novel - her first novel was The Best Laid Plans. 

Heartbreakers and Fakers is very much a book I would have totally read in high school!  The storyline is classic YA and in a way, it was predictable.  A diverse novel, this was not but it didn't make it bad. 

The story starts off with the main character Penny, waking up and finding herself outside in a lawn chair the morning after a party, with no shoes but only one sock. 

As the reader, we quickly learn that Penny did something she shouldn't have the night before with Kai, who is the boyfriend of her best friend, Olivia. 

In a story that involves a few twists, we come to learn that there is more to this story than just a bad decision. 

Like A LOT MORE - a whole lot more than I would have originally thought.  

The ending really surprised me because it was nothing like I expected at all. 

This was definitely an easy read - I would say that it's a beach read or even a by-the-pool read!

- Jillian

Flight of the Puffin by Anne Braden

 

Happy Saturday!

I am here today to share with you my thoughts on Flight of the Puffin by Ann Braden. 

I was sent a copy of the ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

First things first, I'm going to kick off this review and admit that I totally judged this book by its cover and I wasn't sure if it was going to be something that I would want to read.  But I came to my senses and I am glad that I did. 

Braden's story takes the reader to share the experiences (and thoughts) of 4 characters.  Side note: I know that at least 3 of the characters are pre-teens, I don't know about the age of the 4th character. 

Libby knows that she doesn't want to live up the expectations that everyone in town has set for her: to be a bully just like her dad and her brother. 

Libby knows that she wants to be more.  She comes across a rock in the art closet with an inscription on it: "Create the world of your dreams".  Libby takes this inspiration and runs with it.

Braden shows that one act of kindness can cause change - influencing the mind of one person and make a change in how they view the world carries a positive impact. 

Braden also shows how misinformation can lead to unintentional and unwanted consequences. 

That being said, Braden also shows that reader how being informed can change perception.

All in all, I really did enjoy this story!

- Jillian

Starfish by Lisa Fipps

I know that posts about middle grade reads do not view so well on the blog but I'm sorry, this book is just too good to pass up!

I am working on some YA stuff to share soon!

I was lucky enough to snag an ARC of this book from one of the several School Library Journal events that I attend virtually.  What's even better is that this book was on my TBR list on my Goodreads!

Now it's time dive into this mini review!

Starfish by Lisa Fipps introduces the reader to 12 year old Ellie at the end of her summer vacation.  Her best (and only) friend, Viv is leaving Texas and moving to Indiana.  Ellis is dreading returning to school in September on her own because she's bullied about her weight.  

The theme of the story is Ellie's weight but you don't just see how she is bullied by her fellow classmates, you see how she is bullied by her mother and her brother about her weight as well.  That fact alone made Starfish different and standout to me - it tackles topics that are very real and uncomfortable to think about, let alone experience.

I also loved how there was involvement by the teacher/librarian and how the library provided itself to be a safe space for Ellie.  One of my favorite quotes from this book is about the teacher/librarian in the story: "It's unknown how many students' lives librarians have saved by welcoming loners at lunch".

What I absolutely loved about this book is how Ellie (with help) began to see her self-worth and begins to accept herself and love herself.  

Ellie is the inspiring hero that we all didn't know we needed. 

I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this book in a heartbeat!

Happy weekend, everyone! 

- Jillian

The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey- Reshelved Books

**The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey was sent to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

For anyone who has been patiently waiting a new YA book review from me, look no further than this post!

The Library of Lost Things introduces us to Darcy Wells, a 17 year old girl who's been hiding the fact that her mother is a hoarder. With a new building superintendent, the secret that Darcy has worked so hard to hide is threatening to be exposed.  In a few weeks from when the author introduces the reader to Darcy, she will be 18, no longer at worry for CPS to take her away but fueled by the prospect that her home might be taken away from her and her mother. 

I didn't find there was as much focus on Darcy and her mom's relationship. I kinda thought that it could have been more involved? Yes, we knew that there was a shopping addiction and that her mother had other shortcomings but that was kinda it.  (Maybe the lack of her mother's appearance was to show that she was somewhat absent?! Update: I think it was totally intentional!)

Book Cover was copied from Amazon- linked above

Other than that, I felt like everything that Darcy was going through was relatable.  Having a fear of being out in front of an audience on a stage: normal.  Being on that stage and having to have your first kiss at the same time: terribly mortifying and yet a totally relatable feeling.  Having strong feelings for someone who you know can only be your friend and nothing else: also a normal thing. 

Darcy as a character was just bland.  There wasn't anything that made her stand out in my mind. 

My final feelings on this book are the following: it fell a little flat for me.  I found it to be very slow going for a good amount of the book.  It wasn't until the last 3 or 4 chapters that the story picked up from me. 

I would give this book 3 coffee beans out of 5 coffee beans.  

This book will be available for purchase on October 8, 2019.

~ Jillian 

When Polly met Olly by Zoe May- Reshelved Books

Hi everyone

Summer is here and if we're looking for any good beach reads, you've come to the right place.

You guys, this year I'm feeling that romance books might make good beach reads. 

"When Polly Met Olly" was an ARC that I received from NetGalley.  Like all NetGalley reviews, books are approved to be read in return for an honest review!

I found “When Polly Met Olly” by Zoe May to be a cute book.

As a struggling photographer, Polly interviews and accepts a job as a matchmaker.  Just a change in her career is surprising to not only her friend, Gabe but to Polly herself.  Add in the fact that Polly has been down on her luck with dating for quite sometime. 

In a effort to keep the new job that she's grown attached to and to help her boss in business, Polly goes "undercover" to interview with the rival matchmaking service to be matched with a date.   During her "undercover operation", Polly mets Olly!  He conducts her interview for matchmaking.  There was a flash of chemistry between Polly and Olly in that moment. 

Even though I found this book to be cute, I can see where somethings in the story would frustrate people.  Though it did fall a little flat for me...I thought that there could have been a little more funny and a little more romance.
  
The book was lacking in a few things: the ending with Alicia was a little bit of a cop out and I felt that Gabe and Scarlett just kinda fell off the face of earth.  I think that it would be neat to see what was going on with Gabe and his relationship with Adam.  In a way, I was getting the vibe that there was trouble in that paradise. 

"When Polly Met Olly" is getting 3.5 coffee beans out of 5 from me.  I would still recommend it as a beach read- even though my overall and final feelings on it where a little impartial. 

- Jillian

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves- Reshelved Books

Hiya everyone,  

Once upon a time when I was a better blogger, I had signed the blog up for an account with NetGalley.  I didn't follow the recommendations for NetGalley and I requested far more than I realized than I should have. Not realizing that I would be approved for a decent amount of what I requested.  This caused me to become so overwhelmed with books that I just stopped reading all together.  I'm not talking about days here, either.  I'm talking months.

Cover art was copied from book listing on Amazon

Before I quit reading in the Fall, I was approved by NetGalley (in exchange for an honest review) to read this title: The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves. 

Safe to say that now I'm no longer overwhelmed with books and here I am reading this book months later.... 

The Girl He Used to Know is a book that I really enjoyed. I thought of this book as being a coming of age tale. Yes, I know, the main character, Annika is a 32 year old woman who's reflecting on her life 10 years ago.  When you think of a coming of age tale, you think of teenagers, not a woman who's in her early 20s but let me explain. 

Annika is a young woman, who may fall on to the Autism Spectrum.  She had to learn and train herself for social interactions, with her friends and with her boyfriend.  There's other stuff that took place in the book, that once you read it, it'll make sense as to why I say this. 

As I digress.

I really enjoyed this ARC.  It held my interest and I enjoyed seeing the progress that Annika was able to make. 

The ending of the book blew me away.  It wasn't something that I expected but given that the book took place in 2001 during August and September, I shouldn't have been that the events of September 11th were a part of this book.  Being brought to the time when individuals didn't know what was going with their loved ones who were working in the Twin Towers, near or in the City at that time, was very surreal. 

I'm giving The Girl He Used to Know 4 coffee beans out of 5 coffee beans.

Catch ya'll later!

~ Jillian