It Sounded Better in My Head by Nina Kenwood

Another book review?

Don't mind if I do! 

Cover provided by Goodreads

This was ANOTHER ARC provided by the lovely wonderful people at Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It Sounded Better in My Head is the debut novel by Nina Kenwood. 

First of all - let’s think about this title. How many of us have said this in reference to something? I found the title to be perfection.  I also found the book to be perfection.

The book starts off with 18 year old Natalie on Christmas Day finding out that her mother and father have decided to get a divorce (after 20 years of marriage) - I think we all agree that is a pretty crummy Christmas gift. 

Kenwood goes on to present Natalie in a way that I found to be a little different from the norm.  Natalie is presented to us in almost a raw form- we learn that she suffers from cystic acne and the anxieties that are associated with her cystic acne, and who her best friends are (Zach and Lucy).  Right off the bat, we are introduced to Alex - Zach's older brother.   

Then as the reader, we get the see the relationship between Natalie, Zach and Lucy and how Natalie once fancied the potential of her being with Zach. 

I felt that Natalie was a character that we know.  Either we have felt like Natalie or we know a girl like Natalie.  As a reader, you could feel that her challenges and her feelings are very real.  These are feelings that aren't just felt in the beginning of the book - they are felt the entire way through.  Even in the characters of Lucy and Zach, there was honesty that was felt and they were relatable in their own ways.  Nothing that Kenwood wrote about in this book was less than honest.  

Would I recommend this book? 

You betcha I would! 

A huge thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review this title (albeit super late!)

- Jillian

You Have a Match by Emma Lord

Can I just say that I have been a terrible blogger over the last few months? 

COVID-19 is doing a doozy on my passion for reading.  And by that I mean that it has taken any enjoyment out of reading all together. 

Blah. 

Cover provided by Netgalley

This book was sent over for review back LAST JULY (Yess... That's July 2020!!) and I'm sorry to the lovely people who gave me the opportunity!  As always with ARCs, they are sent over for an honest review.

Here. We. Go!

You Have a Match is Emma Lord's second book.  Her first book was Tweet Cute - which was a title that I reviewed in January of last year.  If you're interested in reading that you can click here. 

You Have a Match is a fun contemporary YA novel to read.  The story follows Abby Day, a 16 year old who is not only about to go away to sleep away camp that will prepare her for the SATs but she's going to spend the summer getting to know her older biological sister! 

The beginning of the book starts with an at home ancestry/DNA test.   Abby, Connie and Leo all each take a test with Leo, who is hoping to discover some of his biological relatives.  Unfortunately, Leo doesn't find any matches but Abby does... little does Abby know, her match is going to change her life. 

When a teenage named Savannah reaches out to Abby, Abby is shocked to learn that she has a full-blooded sister she doesn't know about! 

Now. 

I really liked this book in the beginning, and I was going to prematurely declare it a victory but as it went on, there were a few things I found myself not liking.  I liked the idea of the book, I thought that the concept of finding a full sibling with a DNA test was fun and I liked how they were going to camp together to know each other.  But all of that got lost! 

The focus of the book would be on Savvy and Abby but as it went on, it seemed like there was a lot of other background noise.  There was mention of Abby and Leo's relationship on the side, then there was mention of Savvy's relationship with Jo and Mickey. About halfway through the book, there was mention of matching Magpie keychains but then as quickly as that was mentioned, it was gone.  Then there was a guy named Finn, who was a little short lived.

Then about halfway through (give or take), Abby is out early morning and runs into Savvy's parents and then goes running back to the camo after they ask her if she's a junior counselor, all the while Savvy is running and they almost collide and they are trying to each other that the other's parents are here. 

It was a very Parent Trap moment. 

In my opinion, it took too long to get to the point. 

I want to thank St. Martin Press & Wednesday Books for the opportunity to review You Have a Match as an arc! 

- 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

Pretty in Punxsutawney by Laurie Boyle Crompton

Cover was copied from Goodreads! 

Helloooooo everybody!

This review is brought to you all by Netgalley! In return, I will be posting a fair and honest review. 

Thank you (many thanks!) to Netgalley for approving this title and allowing me another chance to redeem myself after the Netgalley fail of 2018. 

I’m going to start off this review be asking how many of you all have watched a John Hughes film. I hope that everyone is eagerly waving their hands in the air (or punching their fist in the air ala Bender in The Breakfast Club)

Pretty in Punxsutawney was inspired by Groundhog Day and the John Hughes’s film, Pretty in Pink.  Th book follows new girl, Andie as she navigates her first day of school. Every day of over 4 months!  As the reader, we can see how Andie navigates each and everyday in the hopes of breaking the spell that has been cast over her. 

Each day Andie learns different and new things about her classmates and she tries to use them to her advantage. Without them knowing that she knows.

Boyle- Crompton was able to easily pull me in with the opening! However, by the time I was at chapter 3, I was starting to lose steam in my positive feelings about this book. 

My problem with the book was that it was repetitive and redundant.  (Which makes sense when you factor in that Groundhog Day was a movie based on reliving the same day over and over and over again).

I felt like at one point, even the story gave us on itself because of how Andie was going out about her days.  

While it wasn't my favorite book, I must say that it did have a positive message at the end; that you need to be the best you. 

I would give this book 3.5 coffee beans.  

If you are interested in reading Pretty in Punxsutawney, the book is available now!

~ Jillian