by

Painter of Silence by Georgina Harding

Painter of Silence had me intrigued from the first moment I read the description. I just knew it was going to be a book that slowly made my heart ache and twist, but it would be done so beautifully, I’d have no choice but to keep reading, knowing there may not be that perfect, happy ending.

The descriptions in this book are gorgeous. Harding paints the world in such a way that I could picture everything, down to the smallest detail. Usually books that are written that wonderfully fail to have a good plot to go with it, but Painter of Silence is not one of those books. It doesn’t have a life altering plot twist, or a love triangle for the ages. But it does have a story to tell, and between all the lovely words and phrases, Harding tells it.

Augustin can’t hear the world around him, and can only understand the world from how he sees it, can only communicate using pictures to show what he wants to say. He needs to find his childhood friend, Safta, and tell her something important. This is how he ends up on the stairs of the hospital, near death. The story weaves beautifully between the past and the present, showing how vastly different the worlds of Augustin and Safta are, even while being in the same location at times.

There’s the world before the war, when Augustin and Safta were friends, she being the only one who could communicate with him, at times. And then there’s the time leading up to the war, when her heart is broken by a family friend, and then her family being fractured and split apart because of the war. And there’s the after, when Augustin shows up at the hospital and he and Safta reconnect. Time passing in this novel flows effortlessly and it’s just another piece of this fantastically painted novel.

Painter of Silence is not a light read. I had to focus in on every word in order to get the full story. But it is so worth it to read these words. Harding has written an amazing work of contemporary fiction and it needs to be read.

by

Inbetween by Tara A. Fuller

Inbetween is a cute, lighthearted read that I would have enjoyed a little more if there had been some mystery or suspense to keep me hanging on. As it stands, I didn’t really feel like I had to keep reading or else I wouldn’t be able to sleep, not knowing what was about to happen.

Emma was a likable character, but she felt a little flat. She never had that huge, brave, self-sacrificing moment where she becomes something more than just a girl. She wasn’t a deplorable girl, she just wasn’t exciting. I would have liked to see a little bit more from her; taking a stand, having a way to fight for herself.

Finn is a sweet guy, but he fell into the same trap Emma did. He did fight for what he wanted a little bit more, but he still wasn’t overly exciting or heroic. He doesn’t find a way to fight for what he wants, and even though he gets what he wants in the end, it felt a little anticlimactic to me.

The secondary characters are what made this novel for me, despite my wishy-washy feeling about the main characters. Easton, Anaya, and Cash could all make for extremely interesting stories and people. They have potential to become really great characters and stories in the upcoming novel.

The plot never lags, but it’s not overly exciting, either. It’s a simple read without being easy, if that makes sense. I had to pay attention as I read, but didn’t mind if a distraction came up. I could easily just right back into the novel wherever I left off.

Overall, Inbetween is a sweet, simple read for someone looking for a book to simply enjoy. You don’t have to think and try and be one step ahead of the action. It’s a good way to get lost for a couple hours in a sweet teen romance.

by

The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt

I’ve read two of Lauren Barnholdt’s books and the thing I really liked about them was the characters seem so real. They’re teens who act a little melodramatic, feel emotions just a little too much, and don’t usually stop to think about how things will affect the future. Barnholdt writes real teens in her fictional books.

The Thing about the Truth is no different. Kelsey and Isaac are no different from her other characters in that they are perfectly written teens. They jump to conclusions and act impulsively, but they’re still sweet and wonderful.

I’m quite a bit like Kelsey; I’m usually deep into a novel wherever I go. She’s a little shy, thinks a lot about her future at college, and just wants to find a couple friends to fit with. She thinks with her heart before her head and it gets her into trouble.

Isaac is a nice guy who doesn’t always think and that’s what gets him into trouble. He’s supposed to be this perfect senator’s son, and under the pressure of looking good, he buckles and does imperfect things, getting him kicked out of private school and sent to public. Isaac may not always meet his father’s standards, but he’s not a bad guy. He’s sweet and attentive and it’s easy to see how much he cares for Kelsey.

I had a feeling this book would end the way it did, and I also had a feeling about what the huge incident was that got between them, but I still really enjoyed reading about the before and after. The Thing About the Truth is a speedy, but wonderful summer read that will leave you smiling, happy, and looking for that sweet romance.

by

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

I was a little worried when I started this book because I had high hopes for it and I was worried it wouldn’t live up to them. The religious aspect of this book had me a little worried, too. All of my concerns were unfounded, though, and I loved this book.

Some people might be a little bothered by Elisa’s personality and I can see why. However, she was born a princess. She never really had to do things for herself; people were always there to do them for her. She didn’t know how to be brave because she never had a reason to be brave. As the novel goes along, she gains confidence in herself and finds the courage to do what must be done, even in the face of danger. She starts thinking and planning and behaving less like a princess and more like a warrior. I’m incredibly excited to see how Carson continues this in the next book.

In regards to the religious aspect of the book, I felt it was handled amazingly. Elisa was chosen by God to do some service for the world. She doesn’t know anything about what she might have to do, or why she was chosen. She considers it more a burden than a gift, simply because it puts so much pressure on her and she doesn’t have a clue what to do about it. Even as she learns more about what being chosen means, she still feels this pressure. People expect her to do something, but no one knows what or when or how, and yet she’s expected to do this miraculous thing.

Each country thinks they are doing the right thing, the thing God wants, and yet none realize that it says in their books that they do not know God’s real will. They are all doing things in the name of God, interpreting the written word in a way that benefits them. This was done in a way that was subtle and not preachy, and it really gets a lesson across. This may have been my favorite thing about how Carson wrote this novel.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns was a fantastic novel that drew me in right away. It’s fast paced, and has enough romance and action to keep everyone intrigued. It’s definitely worth a read and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next part of this series.

by

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

I remember watching the Peter Pan movie was a kid and being completely fascinated with Neverland, Peter, and Wendy. There was something so sweet about their story; I fell in love right then. So when I heard about a story telling the before of Peter Pan, I was intrigued. I waited anxiously for this book to be released so I could dig in and fall in love.

Not one point of this book disappointed me. I knew it wasn’t going to end perfectly for the characters, simply because I knew the rest of the story. Tiger Lily only knows how to be her, and when someone arrives to her village that starts to say a person has to be a certain way in order to be right, she starts to question herself. She’s a girl, but doesn’t act like one. She doesn’t know how to take care of a home or sew. She knows how to hunt and swim and fit the expectations of being a boy. She doesn’t know what it means to love and when love is right in front of her, life falls apart and she loses herself.

Peter needs Tiger Lily to be everything he is, but just a little less so. He loves that she’s honest and can keep up with him, but it’s not until he meets Wendy that he realizes he wants Tiger Lily to be supportive of him as well, and that’s something she doesn’t know how to do. It hurt my heart as I read because as much as these two loved each other, it just wasn’t quite right and that was going to be their downfall. Even though they loved each other, they needed something different from each other. Unfortunately, they couldn’t change who they were to fit what they needed.

Tiger Lily is heartbreaking in how perfect it is. Even though the ending can be seen before even starting the book, I still spent the entire novel wishing it could end differently. The ending gave me peace, all the while breaking my heart so much I cried a little bit. This is definitely a book people need to read. It’s so achingly wonderful; I didn’t want to put it down.

by

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

I have been on the fence for over a year about reading A Discovery of Witches. It sounded interesting, but people were so divided on how much or how little they liked it. People either loved it or hated it and that made me worry a little bit. Usually, if a book is that polarizing, I tend to agree with the group that doesn’t like the book at all. But I finally decided to sit down and read and I’m now kicking myself for waiting so long.

A Discovery of Witches has a bit of everything. There’s a romance with a vampire, there’s science and history, there’s mystery and magic, there’s heroic knights; you think of something, and I’d be willing to bet it’s somewhere in this book. Somehow Harkness manages to fit all of this into one book without making it seem heavy and overdone. The beginning of the novel felt a little heavy and slow, and there was quite a bit of info dumping and description, but getting past that is so worth it.

The story is set up with the discovery of a manuscript important to so many different groups, but that only sets up the fight that is the rest of the novel. The manuscript opens Pandora’s Box, in a way, and the rest of the novel is Diana and Matthew fighting forces that are bigger than themselves. They must overcome everything set in front of them and work together to try and find the secrets the world has hidden away with time. Harkness has told this story beautifully. I actually slowed my reading pace down so I could drink in every word on the page, not wanting to miss a thing.

A Discovery of Witches is a fantastic, beautiful novel that drew me in and hasn’t let go. The world of witches, vampires and daemons has me enchanted and I’ll definitely be reading what’s to come in Diana’s story.

by

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

I had such high hopes for My Life Next Door. It looked like a perfect summer read that would leave my heart fluttering and my cheeks sore from smiling. For the first half of the book, I was pretty happy. It was a little slow, but it was sweet. And then the second half of the book came along.

The first half of this book was cute, even if it felt like it was dragging at times. It was a light, summer read that had me smiling and happy, even when I would wish for something to happen. If Fitzpatrick had just continued on that nice path, this book would have easily been a 4 star, maybe even a 5 star book. The romance was sweet and perfect. Samantha and Jase were refreshing characters to read. They didn’t have one track minds, but they weren’t completely stiff as boards, either. Jase was that perfect high school love almost every girl wishes they had.

And then the second half of the novel hit.

I don’t like drama for drama’s sake. In My Life Next Door, it felt like the drama was only added so the book could be dramatic. The characters didn’t really grow because of the main event. They didn’t come to any life changing conclusions. I spent most of the last half of the book wanting to throw my Kindle against a wall in frustration because Samantha changed from a character I liked, to one I couldn’t stand. Even when she decided to do the right thing, she had already wasted so much time doing the wrong thing I couldn’t look past it. I read the entire novel hoping Samantha would grow a backbone. She was presented with opportunity after opportunity to stand up for herself and what’s right, but when she didn’t do what was right because she didn’t want to stand up for herself, I couldn’t handle her anymore.

There were little things left unresolved that nagged me too. Samantha’s friendship with Nan had been twelve years of their lives and it ended in a five minute conversation. I felt like that was pushed to the side in favor of the large dramatics. And Clay’s sleazeball ways weren’t really addressed, except to say he left. That’s all I got after having to deal with him being one of the most horrible people I’ve ever read?

I think what frustrates me the most about My Life Next Door is that it could have been amazing. It could have been a great read that got across the point that perfect lives are only perfect on the outside while having a great dose of boy swoons to go along with it. Instead, it’s a book with a nice first half, and a second half that completely falls apart. Unfortunately, I won’t be telling my friends and family to read this book. It had so much potential and fell completely flat.

by

Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett

Once again, I judged a book by its cover. Only this time, the simplicity of the cover coupled with the title had me anxious to read Confessions of an Angry Girl. I also felt something for Rose, just based on the book summary. I hadn’t gone through the same things she did before entering high school, but I did have something that set me apart from everyone else.

Rose just lost her father, her brother has taken off for college, and her mom has basically shut down when it comes to doing the mom things. If all that isn’t tough enough, she’s starting high school, her friendships are strained, and a boy has her confused. It’s like the typical high school story, but with more layers to dissect.

I feel so much for Rose. She’s just confused on how she’s supposed to live now that her father is gone and life seems to take advantage of that. She grew up fast over the span of one summer, and unfortunately, her friends didn’t. She’s seen a side of life most of her friends haven’t yet, and that makes her the odd one out. I know exactly how that feels and it made me want to hug her through the entire novel.

This isn’t so much a romance novel as it is a story of Rose becoming comfortable and accepting her new normal. That said, there is a bit of a high school romance going on between Rose and Jaime. As frustrating as I found Jaime, he still makes Rose happy and because of that, I couldn’t be annoyed with him. He’s not the ideal guy for her, but he’s what she needs and that’s wonderfully set up for the next book.

Confessions of an Angry Girl is a fantastic novel that draws you right in and pulls at your heart with each turn of the page. It twists your heart just a little bit and makes you smile all at the same time. I can’t wait to read what happens next for Rose.

by

Once by Anna Carey

As much as I try to escape them, book trilogies keep pulling me back in. I’ll love the first book, the second will be a major disappointment, and the third will somehow manage to make me love it more than I thought I could. I loved Eve and wanted to keep reading Eve’s story, even though most book sequels disappoint me and only act as a bridge between the first and last books. Carey didn’t fall into this trap. She wrote a book that had its own identity, while still needing the other books to tell a complete story.

In Once, there’s a pretty big opening shock. I certainly didn’t see it coming. But I liked it. It made things different than how I thought they’d go. The other plot twists have me thinking about people differently and looking at who I trust and who I don’t. I love when an author can mess me around that much and still make me love a book.

Of course, this isn’t a standalone novel. You need to read Eve in order to know about Once. However, Once does stand by itself in the sense that it has its own stories, its own plot that are different from those in Eve. It serves as a set-up for Rise, but it’s more than just the set-up. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Anna Carey for writing a sequel that wasn’t novel-length filler.

Eve and Caleb are still ever present and had my heart pulling for them so hard. They jump into some decisions, just like teens would, regardless of their circumstances. But they also are great planners and can think of nothing more than how to get to the future where they are together. One plot twist had my heart breaking, even though I saw it coming. I just want the future for these two that they dream of.

Once was a wonderful sequel that jumped right over the trap of the sequel slump. There’s love, action and plotting. It had me completely engrossed from start to end. It’s going to be a long, long wait for the finale and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

by

Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman

Beautiful Lies sounded like a book that was right up my alley. Plus, Warman is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. There’s something about the way she writes a real story, one that doesn’t always have a happy ending, that draws me in, even though I always have a feeling my heart is going to be crushed several times as I read.

As a narrator, the main character is completely unreliable. And yet I believed every single word she said. I knew as I was reading that something wasn’t quite right with how she was viewing the world, and I still went along completely with her. She’s so unreliable as a narrator, that she becomes reliable. My heart was aching through the entire book, wanting to make things better for her, to tell her what was going on, to help her.

The plot of this novel had me guessing with every turn of the page. I never knew what was going to happen. I’d think I knew and suddenly there was another plot twist thrown in that had my head spinning is such a wonderful way. I wanted to figure the book out, I needed to, and that only propelled me to read faster and faster.

Beautiful Lies is a completely enthralling, entrancing novel that I couldn’t put down. If you like anything with a good mystery and suspense, read this book.