Category Archives: Contemporary

These are the books that fall into the contemporary novel genre.

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Review: Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

Title: Another Little Piece
Author: Kate Karyen Quinn
Pages: 432 Pages
Rating: ★★★★

It takes a lot for a book to creep me out. My heart doesn’t race, I don’t get goosebumps, and bumps in the night don’t scare me.

Another Little Piece had that creep factor. The jumping perspectives meant I was never sure what was going to happen next. Sometimes Annaliese just wants to be normal and other times the monster inside wakes up and wants to come out. The memories of the past start to haunt her and it’s easy to see that something isn’t quite right.

I didn’t find the jumping perspectives confusing. While they weren’t clearly marked, I found it easy to tell when Annaliese was seeing the world through different eyes. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it felt like a different person, but if felt like seeing an actor play multiple roles. Each time the perspective changed, it was like seeing Annaliese taking on a different character.

I liked that the relationship isn’t one of those “love you forever” ones. These are teens and they act like it. They speak of the future a little bit, but it’s never like some of the other novels out there, where the characters just know they’ll be spending the rest of forever with each other. In a story where there are a lot of unearthly elements, this small tie to the real world helped balance out the novel.

There were only a few things that took me out of the novel a little bit. I wish there was a little bit more explanation for why Annaliese is what she is now. It’s touched upon, but there isn’t ever really much depth in the explanation. I was also expecting a little bit more when it came to how the story ended. I felt like there was a lot of buildup for this dramatic event and then it fell a little flat. The resolution still worked, but it felt a little weak and lackluster.

Another Little Piece is a creepy novel that gave me goosebumps. It deals with the monster inside and what to do before that beast is unleashed. There’s a level of danger and urgency that made me keep reading until I had reached the end. The idea that everything could go completely wrong was always lurking in the background. If you’re looking for a novel that will give you that creepy feeling, Another Little Piece is it.

If you’d like to purchase Another Little Piece, You can find it here:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound

Thank you to HarperTeen and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: That Boy by Jillian Dodd

Title: That Boy
Author: Jillian Dodd
Series: That Boy series
Pages: 287 pages
Rating: ★★★★

I’ve been in the mood for a sweet book that will give me the flutters without having a supernatural component, or a ton of drama, or break my heart. That Boy is exactly that. Plus, it takes place in Huskers territory, and as a proud Huskers fan, that made the book even better.

Jayden has grown up with Phillip and Danny. They’ve been her best friends through everything, always there when she needs them. Even as they grew up together, their relationships never really moved past friendship. They liked how things were and didn’t want to jeopardize that.

Phillip is the calm one, the rational one, the one that will drop everything when Jayden needs help. Danny is spontaneous, doing things without thinking it through, and knows when to let Jayden stick things out. I like that the boys in her life are so different. Each boy has a role in her life and it’s easy to see how their little group builds each other up and supports one another.

Jayden isn’t more mature than her age, but she also isn’t stupid. She has to grow up fast in some ways, but she also acts her age at other times. She’s not the most responsible character I’ve ever read, but she’s also not irresponsible. She’s just a girl enjoying her life and making the most of it. Of course there were times I wanted to shake her and make her see what was going on around her, but it wasn’t out of frustration. It felt a little like when your friend can’t see what everyone else sees and you just want to talk some sense into her. For an author to make me feel like I’m actually friends with one of her characters is amazing.

That Boy gave me the flutters often. I’d read a page and get a silly smile and have that fluttering feeling. This book was exactly what I was in the mood for. I’m sure I’ll pick up the next books in the series whenever I need the silly smiles.

That Boy is a silly, happy, and sweet read that will leave you smiling and content. I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but if you’re looking for a romantic read without it being so sweet your teeth hurt, That Boy is definitely a great book to pick up.

If That Boy sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Audible

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Review: Dear Cassie by Lisa Burstein

Title: Dear Cassie
Author: Lisa Burstein
Series: Pretty Amy series
Pages: 352 pages
Rating: ★★★★★

I love fairy tales. I love that perfect happy ending. I spent the first 10 years of my life wishing I lived in a land that mixed Sleeping Beauty with Beauty and the Beast and I still hold out hope that one day my prince will come and everything will be perfect and wonderful. Even with that hope, when I’m reading, I’d rather have real than happy. Why is this important to know?

Because Dear Cassie is not a fairy tale. It does not have a perfect happy ending. This book will twist your gut and punch your heart. Cassie’s life has never been wonderful, but ever since she became the fall guy for her friends and their prom night, it’s been worse. She’s made decisions she never thought she’d have to face and she’s still dealing with the repercussions.

I didn’t read Pretty Amy before reading Dear Cassie, but I didn’t feel like that took me out of the story at all. The events of Pretty Amy are talked about enough that I could get a good picture of what happened. Even if I couldn’t, Dear Cassie deals more with the aftermath of that prom night and the choices Cassie makes. She is set to this rehab camp as punishment for the prom night events, but she’s working through something even more important and life changing.

Cassie’s disdain for herself broke my heart. There was no “right” solution and she did what she thought was best, yet she can’t help but beat herself up over it. She blocks herself off from people, using language and attitude as a way to keep people away. When Ben works his way past her defenses, it scares her. She’s seen the bad side of men and not much of the good side. Ben works hard to make sure she can see that whatever happened in the past does not have to be her future.

I’m sure some people won’t like the ending. It’s not a fairy tale ending. Everything isn’t tied up in a pretty bow. But it is perfect. It is real life. If this book had ended any other way, it just wouldn’t have felt right.

Dear Cassie was a gut-wrenching read. My eyes filled with tears the more I read. But as much as it hurts, it also gives hope and forgiveness. I can’t think of words to describe after finishing this book, but that’s a good thing. I will definitely be reading more from Burstein.

If Dear Cassie sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound

Thank you to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for a honest review.

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Review: Levitating Las Vegas by Jennifer Echols

Title: Levitating Las Vegas
Author: Jennifer Echols
Pages: 300 pages
Rating: ★★★★

Levitating Las Vegas is a departure from what I’ve come to expect from Echols. It has older characters and a paranormal aspect. As much as I love Echols, I wasn’t sure if this kind of book would feel right coming from her. I’m glad to say that after a bit of a shaky start, Echols definitely picked up and had me turning the pages as fast as I could.

Holly and Elijah tried to have that sweet high school romance, but their parents interfered. After they each are separately “diagnosed” with a mental illness, they avoid each other as much as possible. So when they discover the true about their mental powers, they once again find themselves drawn to each other.

From there it’s a whirlwind romance with a kidnapping with a twist, a road trip, and personal discoveries that change how they view the world. They have to make decisions quickly and hope that what path they end up on is the right one. They are at times unreliable, but that only makes the drama more heightened.

The first chapter or so felt a little off; it didn’t quite flow as well as the rest of Echols’ works. Once the setup has been laid out, the story gets going and the book flows much better.

Levitating Las Vegas is a fast-paced romance with a twist. Echols handled her venture into the paranormal in a way I would only expect from her and I can’t wait to read what comes next.

If Levitating Las Vegas sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon

Thank you to Pocket Star and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

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Review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Title: Jellicoe Road
Author: Melina Marchetta
Pages: 419 pages hardcover,442 paperback, 437 ebook
Rating: ★★★★★

Jellicoe Road is one of those books that has been on my radar for a while, but I just never got around to reading it. So many people had fallen in love with this book that I was a little worried to read it. I didn’t want to be disappointed. Finally, I decided this book needed to be read.

For the first 100 or so pages, I didn’t get it. I was confused by the two viewpoints and the focus on the wars between the schools. It wasn’t this heartbreaking story I had been told about. I didn’t really care about the war or the boundaries or the negotiations. They were interesting, sure, but that wasn’t the story I thought I was going to read.

And then it changed. Suddenly, things made sense. Taylor’s story and Narnie’s story were tied together somehow and I needed to find out how. Taylor’s need to know who her father was and to know what happened to her mother becomes the only thing she is concerned with. Everyone seems to know something that she doesn’t, but no one will tell her the secrets.

I figured out quickly what the ties were between the present and the past, but I still wasn’t prepared for how much my heart would hurt when Taylor’s life caught up to her. Her reluctance to rely on other people and to lean on them when she needed help made it all the more apparent how much she cares for Jonah Griggs and I was immensely happy Taylor had someone be there for her.

Jellicoe Road is an amazing novel that tells two different heartbreaking stories coming together. As the stories get closer and closer, you know something is about to break and when it happens, no amount of preparation can help. But then Marchetta heals you enough to fall hopeless in love with the story she wove. Jellicoe Road is definitely a must read novel and I can’t wait to read more of what Marchetta has to offer.

If Jellicoe Road sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound
Audible

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ONE TINY LIE Cover Reveal!

I am honored to be a part of the cover reveal for K.A. Tucker’s One Tiny Lie. I loved Ten Tiny Breaths and can’t after reading the synopsis for One Tiny Lie, I can’t wait to get my hands on it and read it. I know it will be one that makes me stay awake for as long as it takes me to finish.

ABOUT K.A. TUCKER:KathleenTucker

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

LINKS:

Blog
Website
Author Facebook
Twitter
Author Goodreads
One Tiny Lie Goodreads
Atria

ABOUT ONE TINY LIE:

Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents’ tragic death and Kacey’s self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would…and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows.

And now, without further ado, I give you the cover of

One Tiny Lie

Tucker_One Tiny Lie cover

Isn’t it gorgeous?! I love it. The colors, the simplicity…it’s perfect.

So now that you’ve read the blurb and stared at the cover, it’s time to pre-order! Simply click on the link you need below

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Review: Crash by Nicole Williams

Title: Crash
Author: Nicole Williams
Series: Crash series
Pages: 484 pages paperpack, 323 ebook
Rating: ★★★

I didn’t expect to enjoy Crash as much as I did. It was an easy quick read that did have a few issues, but it wasn’t horrible.

Lucy’s life changed drastically five years ago and her family still hasn’t recovered. Her father shuts out reality to cope, her mother freezes the rest of the world to cope, and Lucy tries to save things that don’t have much hope of being saved.

I think that reason is why Jude’s anger issues didn’t bother me as much as they usually would. Normally, if I read about a guy as angry and violent as Jude, I am immediately turned off. I wouldn’t put up with it in my own life and I don’t want to read about some girl putting up with it because the guy’s hotness cancels out his issues. But in Crash, Lucy knows he has issues. She doesn’t put up with it much and makes Jude start to change. Yes, he still has anger issues at the end of the book. But he isn’t the boy who needs saving anymore.

Don’t get me wrong, the violence still bothered me. If I met someone like that in my own life, I’d probably walk away. But in Crash I think it works a little better because Lucy knows and acknowledges Jude’s issues. Lucy’s main problem is feeling the need to fix everything, leading her to stick with Jude longer than she should have. In the end, though, they both grow from where they began in the story and I did like that.

As for the rest of the story, some things are a little far-fetched, but I can forgive because they don’t really add or take away anything from the novel. They could have been removed and the novel still would have read basically the same.

Crash wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. It has its issues, yes, but it also has its silver linings. I’ll probably read the next books eventually, since I’d like to know how Jude and Lucy’s story continues, but for now, it was a decent read that I enjoyed.

If Crash sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: Ten Tiny Breaths by K. A. Tucker

Title: Ten Tiny Breaths
Author: K. A. Tucker
Series: Ten Tiny Breaths series
Pages: 304 paperback, 262 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

I had this book figured out before I even started it. I knew what the twist would be; I knew how it would end. It was the little pieces; the little bits that I couldn’t quite figure out, that made me enjoy this novel.

Kacey’s life hasn’t been the same since she lost her parents, best friend, and boyfriend in a crash caused by a drunk driver. She still has her sister to live for, but to Kacey, her life feels shattered so much she doesn’t think it can ever be put together again. She runs off to Miami with her sister to start fresh. It’s a place no one knows them and no one knows her story.

Their next door neighbor is Trent. He’s practically perfect, except he’s not. He and Kacey begin a relationship and he manages to break down the defense walls Kacey has built up. He’s completely swoon-worthy and says the right things at the right times.

My favorite character, though, was Storm. She and her daughter are the real reason Kacey begins to change. They are the first to break down a piece of her wall and from there on pieces continually fall. She’s a contradiction, but one of the best characters I’ve read. This novel wouldn’t be the same without her.

I can’t really say what I wish was different about the novel without giving a major spoiler, but it did take me a little bit out of the novel. Things were forgiven just a little too easily and I wish there had been more time devoted to working through that problem.

Ten Tiny Breaths is about learning from tragedy and finding a way to move on with life. It’s about forgiveness and living for yourself. Second chances and love; it’s all important. Ten tiny breaths is a way to slow the world down and give you the perspective you need to tackle life’s problems, and Ten Tiny Breaths is just that. There are tough times, but it’s like taking those ten tiny breaths and finding yourself thinking clearer and feeling better.

If Ten Tiny Breaths sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

 

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Title: Dreamland
Author: Sarah Dessen
Pages: 250 pages hardcover/paperback, 256 ebook
Rating: ★★★

When I started reading Dreamland, I felt like it was going to be a book I struggled to finish. I just couldn’t get connected to Caitlin and I felt like I was reading from a distance instead of being right there. About halfway through, that changed.

Caitlin has always lived in the shadow of her older sister, Cass. So when Cass leaves one night without warning, Caitlin feels like it is her responsibility to step up and fill in that “perfect child” role. At the same time, she doesn’t want to be Cass. She doesn’t want to have to be perfect. She’s confused and doesn’t know which way to go. Her confusion ends up leading her down the wrong road, sending her life spiraling down a hole she never thought she’d end up in.

In the attempt to step out of her sister’s shadow, she falls into Rogerson’s. The relationship between these two is heartbreaking, horrific, and realistic. Caitlin’s confusion over how she feels about Rogerson is what makes it all worse because I can understand her thinking. Reading about her struggles made my heart ache for her. He met her when she was already down and only brought her lower.

I think the reasons I didn’t find myself completely loving this book are because of that initial disconnect between me and Caitlin, as well as how blind those closest to Caitlin were. Out of everyone that knew and loved her, not one took enough notice of her downward spiral. I understand why it was done that way, but I still wish one of them had shown something more.

Dreamland is a quick read, but a powerful one. It shows that sometimes the weak are actually the strongest and that what we see on the outside my only be an illusion.

If Dreamland sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble

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Review: The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

Title: The Rose Garden
Author: Susanna Kearsley
Pages: 441 pages paperback, 428 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

Time travel is a tricky thing. A novel written around it can either be wonderful or completely fail. Thankfully, The Rose Garden falls into the wonderful category.

After losing her sister, Eva heads back to the home where they had spent summers growing up. It is where Eva remembers Katrina being happiest, where she wants to spread her ashes. While there, she is faced with the fact that the house will never be the one she remembers because it is missing her sister. She also learns she has the ability to jump through time.

She goes back to the home in 1715, when the owners were two brothers on the wrong side of the crown. They manage to stay just above the law, but there is always the risk of being caught and falling prey to the constable. The more time Eva spends with Daniel, the older brother, the more she starts to fall for him.

She continues to jump back and forth, helping Mark and Susan set up the home so it can continue to operate in the future, all the while realizing that she doesn’t belong at the house at that time anymore. The more she is in the present, the more her heart wants to go back.

Kearsley paints a beautiful picture with her words. I have never been to Cornwall, and yet I could picture everything clearly in my mind. I could smell the see and feel the ground beneath my feet.

I don’t really know what to say about Daniel and Eva’s romance because it was beyond words. It fell exactly how it should have been. They never knew how much time they would have together and so they made the most of it. Daniel did not expect Eva to conform to his society’s standards when it was just the two of them, and Eva gave Daniel a reason to be happy. It was like reading about two puzzle pieces finally fitting together.

The Rose Garden is a fantastic novel about love and what it means to be happy. It also reminds us that home is not always a place with four walls and a roof, it’s about the feeling you have once you find it.

If The Rose Garden sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound