Category Archives: The Must Reads

These are the books that I think are a must read.

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Review: If I Should Die by Amy Plum

Title: If I Should Die
Author: Amy Plum
Series: Revenants series
Rating: ★★★★★

I have loved this series from the beginning. There was something so perfectly romantic about it that had me falling in love hard from the very first pages.

It’s not the most beautifully written novel, nor is the world the most inventive. But there is something about Kate and Vincent that doesn’t need the pretty words in order to weave a romantic and amazing tale. Plum made me fall in love just by writing a fantastic love story.

Vincent has just been lost; his body burned, but his soul still on Earth. Kate fears all is lost, that once again, she has lost someone she loves more than anyone else in the world. Her parents’ death brought her Vincent, but she can’t see what will come for her now.

I don’t want to give too many spoilers because this is a book you don’t want to have spoiled. You want to read every page and want to know what is coming next. Experiencing the highs and lows of this novel was just an added bonus to the wonderful journey I went on.

The other revenants play a major role in this novel. There are twists that I didn’t see coming that made my gut twist and my heart clench up. I didn’t want to stop reading. I needed to know what was coming next and how the story would end.

If I Should Die is one of my favorite endings to a series. I’m sad to see it ending, but while I wish I could keep reading about Kate and Vincent, it ended the story perfectly. Loose ends were tied up, my heart is happy, and I’m still in love.

The Revenants series is a must read for anyone who wants to be swept up in a timeless romance set in one of the most romantic cities in the world. Be prepared to fall in love from the beginning and only have that love grow as the series concludes.

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

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Review: Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

Title: Dirty Little Secret
Author: Jennifer Echols
Rating: ★★★★★

Yet another amazing Jennifer Echols book.

I know when I pick up a book by Echols; I’m going to love it. I know I’m going to get the heart swoons, the stomach fluttering, and the little smile on my face. I also know I’m going to get a great story to go along with it. Dirty Little Secret is no different.

Bailey and her sister Julie used to go out and play the music scene together. Then Julie got a record deal and Bailey was left behind. Not only were her dreams pushed to the back burner, her family wanted to keep her a secret. That is the part of the situation that hurt Bailey most. Not that her sister found success, but that Bailey had to be sacrificed for her to get it.

Sam has a band and will do anything to make it big. That is his one focus. When Bailey entered his life, he didn’t expect his focus to change. He didn’t think making it big would cost him something he hadn’t had in a while.

The romance between these two is delicious. There’s attraction and there’s annoyance. There’s lust and there’s more annoyance. The push and pull never seems childish, but more like actual adults having misunderstandings and miscommunications and being forced to work through them if they want to be together.

Ace and Charlotte could be their own story. There is so much I want to know about those two. They may be secondary characters, but they gave the novel something special.

Dirty Little Secret is yet another fantastic Echols novel with country flair. If you’re looking for a romance that will leave you smiling and get music stuck in your head, this is the book for you.

If Dirty Little Secret sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

Thank you to Jennifer Echols for sending me an advanced copy of the novel.

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Review: Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend by Louise Rozett

Title: Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend
Author: Louise Rozett
Series: Confessions series
Rating: ★★★★★

I don’t talk about this often, because I don’t feel it is important enough to mention in reviews. However, Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend deals with this topic a lot. Depression.

I fight a daily battle with depression. I’m better now than I was two years ago, but it’s still a daily fight. Some days are good and some are bad. On those bad days, it’s hard to be able to express myself well. I have thoughts, but I can’t get them to come out the way I need them to.

Why did I feel like it was important to talk about this in my review of Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend? Because Rose is dealing with her own depression in this novel, and Rozett did such a perfect job of writing it, that it almost felt like I was reading a story about me.

Yes, Rozett wrote another great story about Rose dealing with high school, friends who seemingly have their lives together, a mother that doesn’t understand her, and a brother that doesn’t try and talk to her. On top of all that, Jamie keeps giving her mixed signals and it’s no surprise Rose isn’t quite sure if her head is screwed on straight. All of that isn’t why I loved this book so much, though.

Rose is not depressed in the “I hate life” way. She’s depressed in the “Why don’t I like anything” way. The difference between the two is one is easily identified as depression, while the other can be tricky. I’ve worked through both, and for me, not being able to understand why I don’t like anything is worse than hating everything. At least hate is an emotion.

Rozett managed to do something I haven’t found in other books. She made everything feel real. Rose’s inability to put into words how she feels or what she needs and wants is basically how I spent two years of my life. I have never read an author write depression so perfectly. This book gave me feelings; they weren’t great feelings, but they definitely weren’t bad feelings. Instead I felt all the struggle and difficulty come back full force, allowing me to connect with Rose in a much powerful way.

I am sure this book isn’t for everyone. It has its flaws, but it handles such a tricky subject perfectly. Rozett doesn’t try and make Rose feel worse than she needs to, or happier than she needs to. She makes her confused and frustrated, but she also gives her moments of breakthrough. For that reason alone, for how well Rozett wrote the depression struggle, this is a must read book for me.

If Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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

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Review: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

Title: The Sea of Tranquility
Author: Katja Millay
Rating: ★★★★★

Sometimes a book comes up and smacks you in the face with how amazing it is. You think you’re ready when you read it, and that the heartbreak you know is coming won’t sneak up on you. Then you’re reading the book and before you realize what it happening, you heart is in a million pieces, those pieces have lodged themselves in your throat, and you can’t breathe because of how perfect the words you are reading are.

The Sea of Tranquility is one of those books. I was wholly unprepared for what this book did to me. I knew it wasn’t going to be lighthearted, yet parts of it were. I knew there would be a bit of love, but I didn’t understand just how perfect that love would be. I knew my heart would break, but I didn’t realize how many pieces a heart could break into until I read this book.

Nastya is trying to find her way in a new life. Everything she has ever known was taken away from her in a few short moments and she’s left to rebuild some form of life. As much as she wants to find a way to live, things are holding her back. She can’t seem to find a way to move forward without things dragging her back to a world she doesn’t know how to live in anymore.

Josh loses the people he loves until it’s just him. He shuts people out, not wanting to risk losing anyone else. If he doesn’t give himself anyone to love, he won’t have to lose anyone else. He has people in his life, but he keeps them safely locked away from any real emotional connection to keep them safe.

When these two people started an unlikely relationship, I knew the hurt was going to come. They share some secrets, but keep others. What started as a relationship of toleration slowly becomes friendship which leads to romance. These two people don’t jump right into their feelings; both know that feeling can be dangerous.

Nastya and Josh are looking for the second chances. They’re looking for a way to forge ahead in life, even though their pasts haven’t been kind. They want the chance to love and be okay. Every page is laced with that need. Even more than they want each other, they need that second chance. Millay did an amazing job in keeping the story authentic, giving just the right about of hurt coupled with a pinch of hope.

I really don’t have the words to express how much this novel moved me. Nastya and Josh were broken, and they aren’t magically fixed in this book. To expect perfection after everything that happened would have made this book felt wrong. Even though everything wasn’t wrapped up in a perfect little bow, the last words of the novel were exactly what they needed to be. I will never look at pennies, garages, or woodwork the same again.

The Sea of Tranquility is a perfect book. Read it. There’s nothing else I can say.

You want to buy this novel and read it. I know you do. So click here:
Amazon
Audible
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IndieBound

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

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Review: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Title: Dare You To
Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limits series
Pages: 462 pages hardcover, 480 ebook
Rating: ★★★★★

I love to sleep. From the moment I wake up in the morning, I look forward to crawling back in bed that night, curling up in a ball, pulling the covers around me, and going to sleep. So when a book makes me want to avoid sleeping, makes me drink caffeine just so I can stay awake to finish it, I know that is an amazing book.

Dare You To is one of those books.

I hadn’t expected to love Pushing the Limits as much as I did, so when I started Dare You To, I was ready. I knew that if this book was anything like the first, I’d be in for quite a ride.

Beth takes care of her mother at all costs; risking herself in order to make sure her mom is somewhat safe. When things go horribly wrong and she ends up being forced to live with her uncle, all she wants is a way out.

Ryan is the town’s golden boy who can do no wrong. To everyone else, his life is perfect…he has the perfect parents, the perfect home, the perfect life. He can’t share the imperfections with anyone.

When Ryan is dared to get Beth to go on a date with him, he looks at her as a challenge. Beth doesn’t feel worthy of Ryan’s perfection and his attention, so she turns him down at every chance. When they start to fall for each other, secrets come out, trust is put to the test, and their relationship faces difficulties at every turn.

I think what I enjoyed most about Dare You To is how real the characters felt. It was easy to imagine these two people growing up in my city, going to my high school. They are both rough around the edges, but are constantly trying to make themselves better. They aren’t the amazing teens that sometimes fall into young adult novels…they make mistakes and don’t always think things through.

Pushing the Limits surprised me with how much I loved it. Even going into Dare You To with high expectations, I was still blown away. McGarry has an amazing way of writing and I’ll be anxiously awaiting the day I get to read what comes next.

If Dare You To sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound

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

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Review: The Boleyn King by Laura Andersen

Title: The Boleyn King
Author: Laura Anderson
Series: The Boleyn Trilogy
Pages: 368 pages paperback/ebook, 386 pages Kindle
Rating: ★★★★★

Okay. So. Alternate history. I wasn’t sure about this. I’m a huge history buff. As I write this review, the History Channel is on in the background and they’re talking about the founding fathers. Not only do I love history, but Tudor history is a time that fascinates me. Every person had a part, even the women (even though they were severely underestimated) and the fact that a country and religion was turned upside down because of a few select people amazes me. Writing a rewrite of that history could either be one of the best things I’ve read or one of the worst.

I am over the moon that The Boleyn King awed me. The way Anderson has crafted her story makes it feel as though this really could be the true history. She could have easily made the characters fit the better moral standards we have now, but it would not have felt authentic. The drama is there, both in the court and with France, and Anderson has done an extraordinary job of imagining how the past could have been dramatically different. With one change, so much potential was unleashed and Anderson took full advantage.

The story is written mostly in 3rd person from four points of view; Minuette, Dominic, Elizabeth, and William. Minuette is an orphan born on the same day and William and grows up as a part of his and Elizabeth’s lives. She is fortunate and knows it, but never takes advantage. Dominic is the best friend of Will and always speaks his mind when others would lie to the king. William knows he needs that and trusts Dominic more than nearly everyone else in his household. Elizabeth is the dutiful princess wishing for something a little more free. She knows her role, but that doesn’t stop her from dreaming of having choices.

These four have grown up together and their friendships create a fantastic story. I cared for every single one of them and the dynamic between all these characters unfolded wonderfully. Will and Elizabeth had their moments of being royal, and then a few pages later they are just people with their friends. Minuette and Dominic are able to speak more freely with the royals than most and that creates a special kind of tension and jealousy within the court.

The Boleyn King drew me in on the first page and it only got better from there. It’s not hard to picture this as a history book instead of a fiction novel and that is what I love most about it. Anderson completely convinced me of this alternate history and waiting for the next book is going to be its own form of torture.

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

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Title: Scarlet
Author: A. C. Gaughen
Series: Scarlet series
Pages: 292 pages hardcover/ebook, 304 paperback/Kindle
Rating: ★★★★★

Everyone knows the basic story of Robin Hood. He and his band of Merry Men steal from the rich and give to the poor. There are so many versions of that basic story that adding yet another tale to the mix seems a bit too much. Don’t let that stop you from reading Scarlet however, because this is one of the best twists on the story I’ve ever read.

Scarlet is a girl hiding in Robin’s band. She doesn’t want it known that she’s a girl and she doesn’t want those that do know to treat her any differently. She’s hiding her true identity from everyone, even Robin and John, who think they know her best. When her past catches up to her and starts putting people at risk, she must decide how far she will let the violence go before she steps up and puts an end to it.

There is a bit of a love triangle, but it isn’t overdone. John is the flirt of the group, but when he starts to feel more for Scarlet, he starts to change his ways. Robin tries to stay away, knowing any feelings could put the group in jeopardy. Both boys give Scarlet feelings she isn’t sure how to handle, or if she even deserves the attention. By the end of the novel, it is clear where the romance is going to go, even if Scarlet has only just figured out her own feelings.

I loved reading about the fighting. Gaughen can write fight scenes amazingly well. I followed the action and could picture every move in my head. I could see Scarlet throwing her knife and jumping around. Each time she was faced with something, she found a way to fight through it. She knows sometimes it’s better to run than to stand and fight, even when all you want to do is make a stand.

Scarlet is a fast-paced novel that pulls you in right away and makes you feel for the characters. It’s a fantastic twist on the Robin Hood tale and I’m glad there will be more to come. I can’t wait to see where Scarlet, Robin, John and the rest of the boys go next and who they will face.

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

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Review: Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

Title: Let the Sky Fall
Author: Shannon Messenger
Series: Let the Sky Fall series
Pages: 416 pages
Rating: ★★★★★

I went into this book doing something I try so hard not to do. I hoped. I hoped this book was going to whisk me away and make me fall in love and be everything I wanted it to be.

Usually, hoping about books leads to disappointment. When I’m disappointed in a book, it’s hard for me to look past my hopes and dreams and find a way to love a book despite not living up to expectations.

Let the Sky Fall not only lived up to what I had hoped, it soared so far past my hopes that I didn’t know what to do with myself when I finished. I literally sat in my chair and stared at a wall for five minutes because I just didn’t know what I was supposed to do with myself.

The story is told from Vane and Audra’s points of view. Vane can’t remember what his life was like before he lost his family to a tornado. Audra knows exactly what Vane is missing, but doesn’t want him to remember one part of it. Audra must keep Vane safe at all costs, but doing so puts both of them at jeopardy for feelings they shouldn’t have.

The story of the sylphs is something I had never read before. The world of the sylphs is so wonderfully crafted, that I could almost believe there are true sylphs that walk among us. Messenger created a parallel world that fits so perfectly into our real one that I found myself looking at the trees move in the wind tonight and wondered who was controlling it.

The relationship between Audra and Vane is sweet and powerful. There’s something there that I can’t explain. It just fits. It’s like when you see those elderly couples in love, 75 years later, and you know that there is just something between them that isn’t supposed to have a name. It goes beyond love and I can’t say enough how much I loved it.

The only negative thing I can say about this book is that I have to wait forever for the next one. I’ll be reading this book several times between now and when the net novel is released. This is definitely a must read book.

If you think Let the Sky Fall is your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound

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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: 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