Book Review: Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger

Author: Kody Keplinger
Series: The DUFF Companion
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Release Date: April 28th 2015
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Kody Keplinger returns to the world of The DUFF in this brand-new companion novel!

Sonny Ardmore is an excellent liar. She lies about her dad being in prison. She lies about her mom kicking her out. And she lies about sneaking into her best friend's house every night because she has nowhere else to go.

Amy Rush might be the only person Sonny shares everything with— secrets, clothes, even a nemesis named Ryder Cross.

Ryder's the new kid at Hamilton High and everything Sonny and Amy can't stand—a prep-school snob. But Ryder has a weakness: Amy. So when Ryder emails Amy asking her out, the friends see it as a prank opportunity not to be missed.

But without meaning to, Sonny ends up talking to Ryder all night online. And to her horror, she realizes that she might actually like him. Only there's one small catch: he thinks he's been talking to Amy. So Sonny comes up with an elaborate scheme to help Ryder realize that she's the girl he's really wanted all along. Can Sonny lie her way to the truth, or will all her lies end up costing her both Ryder and Amy?

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Hodder's Children Books in exchange for an honest review.

I was ecstatic when I found out that Kody Keplinger was going to write another book set in the world of The DUFF. I absolutely loved that book and I wanted nothing more than spend more time with those characters.

What I like about Keplinger's books is that they always deal with important issues, no matter the age of the characters. Lying Out Loud, in my opinion, was about real friendships and lies. As Sonny found out, lies are so easy to tell. Sometimes they get discovered soon, sometimes they don't. But they are awfully easy to tell. And they ruin relationships. And it was also about true friendship, the one you can have with very few people in your life, the kind that will make the other person feel like a sibling. And how easy it is to lose it.

It was easy for me to relate with Sonny, mainly because I could see through her lies and figure out that they were about her trying to protect herself. Against what, I didn't know. However, at some point, I started wishing she'd get better at telling the truth. The lies eventually started to bother me a little.

I loved Amy. I really want a book from her POV, because she's a great character. I liked that she found it in herself to have a real talk with Sonny and tell her everything that was bothering her. Basically, she stood up for herself. I kept wondering, however, if she didn't have a crush on Ryder. I don't know why that seemed like what she was going through. Of course, she later explains in a conversation with Sonny why she was acting the way she did and I realized she was just scared of losing her best friend.

Ryder was such a hard character to like. He had no in-between, he was either hating something or someone, or loving them. That bothered me a little. Also, he could be a bit of a jerk. He hated everything small town for no good reason and he kept having that "I'm better than you" air about him. Maybe that too was a defense mechanism. Because I only got to meet him through Sonny's eyes, I can't be certain about that. But who knows, maybe there were other things that made him act the way he did.

What I loved was that every character from previous books make an appearance in this one. And I love it when seemingly unrelated books share some common link.

I keep hoping that Amy will get her own book, because she needs to be braver than she is right now. I thought she did a good job of defending herself and demanding the respect she deserved, but she still needs more. She needs to have that same courage with strangers in my opinion.

Anyway, I very much enjoyed this new book from Keplinger and I can't wait to read more books from this author.

Cover Reveal: And Then Forever by Shirley Jump

And Then Forever by Shirley Jump

Coming July 28th!

Welcome to Fortune’s Island, where the only rule is to follow your heart.

Love is an extravagance Darcy Williams can’t afford. She prefers the simple life, which includes waitressing at The Love Shack and avoiding temptation. But when a forbidden part of her past steps off the ferry, her safe, guarded existence is turned upside down.

Kincaid Foster has never gotten over his first love. When he sees the wild, beautiful blonde again, dancing her way around The Love Shack, the memories of Darcy’s soft skin, gentle touch, and heated kisses come rushing back. As the privileged son of a wealthy family, Kincaid was too young to stand up to his overbearing father when he and Darcy were together. Now, he’s back on the island—free of the family shackles—and the chiseled, big-time lawyer wants a second chance.

But, Darcy made a promise to keep a secret from Kincaid—a secret that is now a six-year-old girl who looks just like her daddy. If Kincaid finds out about their daughter, Darcy could lose everything. But, she can’t resist the man who stole her heart all those years ago. And it doesn’t take long before both of them realize that anything can happen on a hot summer night.

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Book Review: The Memory Hit by Carla Spradbery

Author: Carla Spradbery
Series: N/A
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Release Date: June 4th 2015
My Rating: 3.5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

On New Year's Eve, Jess's life is unrecognizable: her best friend is in the hospital, her boyfriend is a cheater. A drug-dealing cheater it would seem, after finding a stash of Nostalgex in his bag.

Nostalgex: a drug that stimulates memory. In small doses, a person can remember the order of a deck of cards, or an entire revision guide read the day before an exam. In larger doses it allows the user detailed access to their past, almost like watching a DVD with the ability to pause a moment in time, to focus on previously unnoticed details and to see everything they've ever experienced with fresh eyes. As Leon, the local dealer, says 'it's like life, only better.' What he fails to mention is that most memories are clouded by emotions. Even the most vivid memories can look very different when visited.

Across town Sam Cooper is in trouble. Again. This time, gagged and bound in the boot of a car. Getting on the wrong side of a drug dealer is never a good idea, but if he doesn't make enough money to feed and clothe his sister, who will?

On New Year's Day, Jess and Cooper's worlds collide. They must put behind their differences and work together to look into their pasts to uncover a series of events that will lead them to know what really happened on that fateful New Year's Eve. But what they find is that everything they had once believed to be true, turns out to be a lie ...

*Disclaimer: I received this e-galley from Netgalley and Hodder Children's Books in exchange for an honest review.

If there's something I love is being taken by surprise when I'm reading a book. Not because it's scary or because there's one detail that I didn't see coming, but because the story does not go where I think it will. This is what happened to me with The Memory Hit. Halfway through the book I was so sure I had it all figured out and then BAM! That ending!

The book is told from multiple POVs and the way they are put together is so interesting. At first it was a bit confusing, because I didn't quite understand how exactly some of these characters were related to each other. As you move forward however, obviously it all makes sense. But the change of perspective really shows that the one you thought was the villain might not be "the big bad". Also, if you're hoping for romance, you won't find it here. Which, honestly, was refreshing. I feel like there's always romance in YA, so for this book to not have any was actually a good change.

I have to be honest and say that I liked Cooper much more than I liked Jess. Jess wasn't unlikable, she just had certain moments where I did not understand why she was doing something or why was she acting a certain way. At times she'd seem a bit self-involved. But then I'd get to a scene where a bit of her back-story is explained and I start to understand her a little bit more, maybe even accept her. Cooper however, because of his family, was completely understandable. His actions made sense to me. He was just a lost guy, trying to keep his head above water. And he was trying to be the best brother he could.

There were some really scary scenes, with someone setting things on fire. That person seemed like a total sociopath. I had ideas of who it might be, but boy was I wrong! I did not see that one coming.

The book deals with drug addiction and how sometimes these drugs might give the idea of providing comfort. There were a few scenes that talked about that perceived comfort. There's a question here that I feel I should ask myself: would I want to relieve memories? To remember every detail of my past? Not really, no. But there's a good scene, in which Luke explains how he used the drugs and why.

I did think the ending was a bit too rushed. I didn't mind the ending, in the sense that I loved being that surprised, but it just seemed a bit too easy for the solution to be found in the way it was. Overall it was an interesting book, with a very unique ending.

Obsessed With Covers #21: Sweet & Until We Meet Again

Y'all know how much I love a pretty cover. I think about...40% of the books that end up on my shelves (be they physical or digital) do so because of the covers. Call me shallow but you have to admit that a pretty, shiny cover will catch your eye faster than a dull, boring one. Two, simple rules that I'll follow:

• 1, 2 or 3 (no more than 3, though) covers per week;
• books should be new-ish; no more than 2 years old.

Oh, before I share the covers that made me drool or want to stare at them for hours and hours, I have to say something. This is a semi-original idea. Why semi? Because almost every book blogger has something similar. The only thing I came up with was the title. If by any chance there's another blogger with a similar feature with the same title, I assure you I'm not stealing your idea. I'm just THAT bad with titles. Believe me, I'd love to be smarter and have a witty name for this feature, but I don't. So, no copyright infringement/theft/steal or anything of the sort was desired. All I can say is sorry :P

So, here are the prettiest covers I've seen this week - the seaside edition.

 It appears I have a thing for photographs in which the perspective is off. Which is why I love this cover. It's simple. And sweet (HA! See what I did there?) However, simple doesn't mean without a certain something. The water is calm, that's true. And the sky is clear, with only white, fluffy clouds. However that quote at the beginning of the cover is chillingly scary! So maybe not so sweet, huh? And is that blood on top of the "T"? Or a ribbon? The lover of all things scary in me wants to think it's blood.

The colors are gorgeous and they make me miss the sea. I also want to know more about this cruise...



Sweet - Emmy Laybourne

I love this cover so much. The swirly design before and after the title are great and the font used for the title is pretty as well. However the sea at night is just....dreamy! I love the sea and she (I always thing the sea is a she) has a deceiving calmness at night or right at sunset. I love that the sky colors are somewhat reflected in the water. And I love the rays of light on top of the landscape. It makes me wonder if the image is taken from behind a screen or maybe it's a magical, unseen screen? And the perspective is just awesome. I am hoping that the picture is continued on the spine and on the back of the cover, and maybe hint at the person who's looking at the girl. That would be awesome! Based on this cover, I'm adding this book on my TBR, because I need such gorgeousness on my shelves.

Until We Meet Again - Renee Collins

Book Highlight: Awaken by Skye Malone

Title: Awaken
Author: Skye Malone 
Series: Awakened Fate (Book One)
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Wildflower Isle
Publication Date: June 3, 2014
Cover Designer: Karri Klawiter

Running away from home was never Chloe Kowalski’s plan. Neither was ending up the target of killers, or having her body change in unusual ways. She only wanted a vacation, someplace far from her crazy parents and their irrational fear of water. She only wanted to do something normal for once, and maybe get to know her best friend’s hot stepbrother a bit better at the same time.

But the first day she goes out on the ocean, strange things start to happen. Dangerous things that should be impossible. Things to which ‘normal’ doesn’t even begin to apply.

Now madmen are hunting her. A mysterious guy with glowing blue eyes is following her. And her best friend’s stepbrother seems to be hiding secrets all his own.

It was supposed to be a vacation. It’s turning out to be a whole lot more. 

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The Series:

  

  

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Maddox slowed the boat, killed the engine, and then lowered the anchor. At least a mile off, the shore was a mosaic of green mountains and white buildings below. Puffs of clouds drifted over Santa Lucina, but out here, only the barest wisps hovered in the brilliant blue sky. Baylie leaned back on her seat, a smile on her face, while her dog just eyed the water as though trying to figure out how the demented humans could possibly think this was a good idea. 

“So…” Noah started. “Anyone want to go for a swim?” 

I smiled. My parents being so psychotic and all, we didn’t even have a bathtub in the house, just a stand-up shower the size of a broom closet. I’d never been able to teach myself how to hold my breath underwater, let alone swim. 

But that was going to change, starting now. 

“Well, um,” I began, feeling a bit reckless with excitement. “If you wouldn’t mind teaching me?” 

His eyebrows climbed. “Uh, no. I mean, sure. I–” The boat jumped. 

“What the hell?” Maddox cried as the rest of us grabbed at the guardrails. 

“Did we hit something?” Noah asked, scanning the water. 

Maddox shook his head. “I don’t–” 

The ocean around the boat began to bubble and roil. 

Noah swore. “Get us out of here!” he called to Maddox. 

His brother didn’t need the encouragement. Quickly, he scrambled back toward the driver’s seat and turned the key in the ignition.

The engine wouldn’t respond. 

Shudders shook the boat, while all around, the ocean’s surface began to foam like the calm sea had suddenly become a boiling pot on a stove. Waves surged from every direction at once, growing more violent by the second, and on all sides the water darkened, as though a shadow was spreading below us. 

“What’s happening?” Baylie cried. 

No one could answer. As if shoved from beneath, the deck tipped up at a sharp angle and then just as quickly rocked back, wrenching us hard as we fought to hang onto the guardrails. The lurching came again, throwing us forward and back. 

My grip broke. The metal rail hit me, knocking the air from my lungs. 

And then came the water. 

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Skye Malone is a fantasy and paranormal romance author, which means she spends most of her time not-quite-convinced that the magical things she imagines couldn't actually exist. A Midwestern girl who migrated to the Pacific Northwest, she dreams someday of travelling the world – though in the meantime she’ll take any story that whisks her off to a place where the fantastic lives inside the everyday. She loves strong and passionate characters, complex villains, and satisfying endings that stay with you long after the book is done. An inveterate writer, she can’t go a day without getting her hands on a keyboard, and can usually be found typing away while she listens to all the adventures unfolding in her head.

Skye also writes YA urban fantasy as Megan Joel Peterson and is the author of The Children and the Blood series. 

Website | Goodreads  Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Book vs. Movie: The DUFF

Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a book. A book about two teenagers and their relationship, a relationship based mostly on dislike and sex. A book were the teenagers used sex to feel a little bit better about themselves. A book with an absentee mother and an alcoholic father, on one side, and on the other side with two never-there parents, an estranged little sister and an infuriatingly cold grandmother. Then this book met a movie. The movie wanted to be friends with this book, so the book said yes and shared her story with it. Then the movie came out. Gone was the sex, gone the absentee parents and the alcoholic father. Even the sister and the grandmother went missing. The movie was still good and funny, but the magic of the book wasn't there.

The moral of this story? The book and the movie The DUFF might use the same characters and the same initial plot idea, that Wesley calls Bianca a DUFF, but they are not the same. Yes, the movie was funny. Yes, I laughed. Yes, I might even watch it again, because it was funny and because I kind of enjoyed it. But the book is better. (If you want to read my review, click here)

ATTENTION: SPOILER ALERT FOR THE BOOK AND THE MOVIE!

Here's the thing. I live in Europe. I don't know American culture. I've never even been to the USA. I've only had access to the American culture through books, movies, TV shows and the occasional news that I watch when I'm extremely bored. I have few friends from the States, but we don't talk about their culture, we talk about random subjects. I essentially know nothing about this culture. What I do know is that there is this idea spread all over the globe that teenagers don't have sex. Hell, apparently they don't even know what sex is - allow me to roll my eyes so hard, that I get a headache from it. 

 

Because let's be honest here, I guess it's ok for TV shows for teens to have sex in it but God forbid it that movies have sex in it (sarcasm!)! Look, I'm not saying the sex should be shown, or explicit (it would be porn then), but they could've hinted towards it. They do it all the time in cheesy, romantic movies, why not in this one?

This book was, in the opinion of a 27 year old European chick, amazing. It tackled something really important. Not the erotic part of the sex, but why the two characters were using it. The struggles of a girl abandoned by her mother, the shock of finding out her alcoholic dad relapsed. How that popular, rich boy would give his entire money for some time with his parents. The book had sex in it, but it was so much more than that. Why, just WHY would anyone decide to take that story and transform it into a story about how a guy helps the "ugly duckling" turn into a "beautiful swan"? There was no need for a makeover. 

So fine, there was no sex in the movie. I somehow get it, okay? You want parents to let their teen children see the movie. FINE! But the friendship that Bianca, Casey and Jessica have in the book is completely different than the one shown in the movie. There's a beautiful scene in the book where it is shown how Bianca and Casey became friends with Jessica. Okay, maybe they didn't have the time to put it in the movie, it would've taken at least 5 minutes off of the storyline, but it was such an important scene in terms of character development. It showed how Bianca and Casey were as people. And then, woven around that scene is a similar one, a present-time scene. Which showed another side of Bianca. In which she's shown that sometimes, she makes mistakes. I know I usually don't write in-depth reviews and that I don't focus on the subtleties of scenes or whatever, but I notice them (I'm also usually deathly afraid of saying something stupid and being called on it, so I keep most of it to myself. I'm growing as a person, as this post might show *feels proud*). The idea is that those character elements shouldn't be missing from the movie. I didn't want to see two gorgeous girl helping their third, not so gorgeous friend get a makeover. I wanted those two gorgeous girls being there for Bianca like they were in the movie, trying desperately to understand her and what her issues were.

And then there's the famous scene with Bianca's dad, Bianca herself and Wesley. Which is such an important scene for Bianca and Wesley. A scene that shouldn't be missing from the movie. I love Allison Janney, the actress who plays Bianca's mom. She's simply amazing. But I feel like Bianca's entire life was defined by her mostly missing mom and her alcoholic dad. I wanted her alcoholic dad in the movie, not the slightly annoying, "I have a great quote for everything" successful mom we got instead.

The movie was funny, the book was funny. But the book was not just a comedy, it had dramatic moments. The only dramatic moments in the movie were the ones where a video about Bianca leaks online, when she sees Wesley kiss Maddison on "her rock" and when she goes on a date with Toby. That's not drama! That's mildly annoying scenes and heartbreaking, yes, but not real dramas. Also, did we really need the cliched leaked embarrassing video? REALLY?

 

If you haven't read the book and you haven't lived in the 90s or missed any of the teen comedies from those years, this movie might be new to you. But to those who, like me, grew up on them, or even managed to see those movies nowadays, this is just another teen movie. Nothing new, only a few new words and technology. Again, I enjoyed the movie for its humorous moments, but as a story? The book was so much more and I encourage anyone old enough to grab the book and read it.