Cute, funny, YA chick lit
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Everything is going sixteen-year-old Jennifer's way. Her boyfriend Max Brown is a handsome, witty senior who works with her on the school newspaper, and she is on track to be a future journalist. She has two great best friends who are intensely loyal to her. Her parents are divorced because her father is gay, but she and her mother get along well, and her father and his significant other are sensitive, kind and loving toward her. But then, tragedy strikes. Seemingly out of the blue, Max dumps her. Jennifer is heart broken. She can do nothing but sob on any available shoulder until she begins to follow the advice of a book her grandmother gives her called The Breakup Bible by Dr. Emory Emerson.

Though it is obvious to Jennifer's 13-year-old brother--and will be to most readers--that Max has dumped Jennifer because she won't "go all the way," this is not obvious to Jennifer, her girlfriends, her mother, her grandmother, or even her father. Maybe the author was trying to keep her novel "clean" by avoiding sex (other than multiple make-out sessions between Jennifer and Max before the breakup), but it did seem a bit odd to me personally that this essential element of the breakup is left entirely unexplored. Jennifer spends a huge amount of time in this story wondering why Max dumped her, and without learning, or admitting, his true motivation, her intense need to know, "Why did this happen?" could never fully be answered.

I really enjoyed the subcharacters in this book a lot. None of the conflict comes from terrible family relationships or disloyal girlfriends, which is a nice change in YA. The story is about exactly what the title states--Jennifer's struggle to overcome her broken heart. However, there is also a very interesting subplot about Jennifer learning to take her desire to have a career as a journalist much more seriously once she isn't living an existence dedicated to feeding Max's ego.

I read this as a Kindle edition. It is well-formatted and well-edited and, therefore, easy to read.

I rate this book as follows:

Heroine: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Writing: 4
Chick-Lit Plot: 4
Coming-of-Age Plot: 4
Overall: 4
2485381
I received this from Net Galley for review. This is a cute book. I haven't read the first one, and I'm not sure I will. Mainly because this one gives me a pretty good idea of what happens in the first. That being said, this is a good book even without reading the first one. It says alot for an author and a series when you can pick up the book up and enjoy regardless of what happened in earlier books. Many of the contemporary YA books I've read lately are light and easy to read. This one does not disappoint.

What I like: Allison did a fantastic job with the development of all the characters. There was a wide range from Amy-the attention getter- to Viv and Sharese-the ones that are okay with not dating because they are picky. Even though the primary theme in the book is dating I think there were some good lessons for everyone to learn regardless of age.

What I loved: The growth of Kayla. At sixteen she's pretty well rounded for a teen in love. There is a constant tension between her and Jared, and yet there isn't a love triangle. It's quiet refreshing for YA novels. Many people may not agree with me on this, but I loved that everyone who had a bad relationship-Kayla included- didn't get a happy ending, they had a realistic ending. The part that I loved was that they dealt with it, and came out on the good end.

What I'd change: There were multiple times where the story jumped and I had to reread what was going on. For example, Kayla would be talking to a friend at night one minute and the next sentence she was at lunch the next day. I read this in ebook format, so I'm not sure whether or not that had something to do with. This is a nit pick though, and didn't take away from the book.

Would I recommend? Yes. One of the great things about this book is that it would appeal to younger teens as well as older. I'm not sure it would appeal to most adults, but hey if you like Contemporary YA then this is a good one to read.
1136013
Two Way Street was a cute and quick read. As a member of the audience that is far older than Barnholdt's target I was pleased that it kept me entertained despite the fact that my own relationship experience gave me a much different perspective of Jordan and Courtney's situation.

Barnholdt wrote her teenage characters with great clarity and in a most believable way. The jock wasn't too dumb, the brain too smart, and their friends were the right combination of comic relief and supportive sounding board. The situations they found themselves in for the most part were high school oriented (parties, dates, etc.) and showcased in a realistic light.

I did, however, have a small problem with the idea that Courtney's parents made her go on a cross-country road trip with Jordan despite their break up. I found that somewhat unbelievable. I doubt a parent would add to an already stressful situation (going off to college for the first time) by requiring their child to travel with a former boy/girlfriend. Having said that, I was able to over look that aspect to enjoy the different situations Jordan and Courtney were put into. I was able to compartmentalize the parental issue, as it really was what drove the overarching plot.

The strength of Two Way Street lies in the author's ability to write the story from both Jordan and Coutrney's viewpoint. Going back and forth in time as well as character viewpoint is no small task and Barnholdt did so without confusing the reader. Unique visual prompts allowed us to know where we were in the story and with whom thus making it easy to follow.

Two Way Street was a good look into the minds of teenagers as they manage to navigate the relationships in their lives, become distinct individuals, and mature into adulthood.
1119489
That blurb, though.

How could anyone resist that blurb? And I promise youthe fun, quirky rom-com scenarios don't stop there.

Lainey Taylor is a bit of a mess. She's awkward and filter-less and repeatedly finding herself in situations that are both uncomfortable and hysterical. She's trying to balance the crunch of her dramatic family life with her overwhelming (and not in a good way) new job and she's finding that she's not super great at following the rules. This could get her in trouble in more ways than oneand even though her heart is big and her intentions are good, life isn't always fair.

I loved every single awkward bit of Lainey. I loved how she was strong even when it would have been easier to be weak, and I loved how she stood up for herself even when she wasn't entirely sure why she had to. She's plucky and fun, and I warmed to her immediately.

Brogan was a little more difficult for me to warm up to. Hes eccentric and a bit reclusive. Hes hot as hell, but a stickler for the rules (and there are many). He's barricaded by these impenetrable walls, and even when those walls come down, he doesnt seem to warm very muchor, at least, the warmth is short-lived and sporadic. It was hard for me to really invest in him as a hero, and certainly not as much as I invested in Lainey who was by far the more charming of the two.

I enjoyed their time together in specific momentssome of them played out in my head like scenes in a rom-com, but it was a bit choppy and I sometimes found it hard to hang on to that swoony feeling.

That said, this book was every bit as quirky and adorable as I hoped it would be. Its maybe a bit uneven, but still thoroughly enjoyable. I was immediately pulled in by the blurb, and I knew as soon as I opened to the first page that I was not going to be disappointed. The ending was adorably sweet and, overall, I found The Rule Book to be a light-hearted, hilarious, and fun little beach read.
666589
Bliss was a cute story with a serious funny bone at its core. The heroine was snarky, but in an endearing way. Sort of like a combination of Kristin Billerbeck and Jenny B. Jones. I loved the humor in this story and laughed out loud so many times I lost count. Indie was a great character and very real.

Her mother reminded me of a few of my friends' mothers when I was in high school. She had that whole flower child thing going and since my friends had flaky moms none of them knew much about church or faith either. I found Indie's search for Bliss endearing and her spiritual journey well done. I loved how she saw a difference in her new friends and how she decided that she needed to find her own way to truth and no longer follow her mother's training. That was great. I also loved the whole relationship with Nick. He was a great guy and Indie was lucky to have such an attentive male friend.

I would love to see a second book in this series. The heat was just starting to pick up with Indie and Nick. I want more! I want to see her roommate make a few changes in her perspective and to crave the same faith that Indie found. The characters seemed like real people to me, and the humor in the story was quite addicting. Great read!
3252293
This book is the second in a series, but can easily be read as a standalone. I haven't read the first book and had no trouble following along with this breezy, well-written story. I was quickly smitten with the main character, Daisy, a somewhat goofy college freshman who works as a morticians assistant. Although she is human, non-human creatures seem to swirl around her; so does a fair amount of excitement. I enjoyed Daisys misadventures and appreciated how well drawn some of the relatively minor characters were. Theres a lot of fun stuff here. I especially liked Lou, the monosyllabic mortician who speaks primarily in grunts that Daisy is a whiz at deciphering.

The only thing that bothered me about this book is that, at one point, it took a rather transphobic turn. Im genderqueer and am part of the trans community, and found the normally harmless humor of the story offensive, tone deaf, and hurtful in this particular section. Daisys fascination with a trans male characters packing, and the running joke it provided, seemed insensitive to me. I pack sometimes because my true identity is intersex. For me, and certainly for trans men, these are prosthetic devices that attempt to make our bodies as they should be. Making fun of someone for wearing them is similar to making fun of a chemo patients wig. Its just crass and mean. Picking on a vulnerable, marginalized community is cruel. I also want to point out that trans people are at a higher risk of suicide than cisgender (normal) people. With some reports estimating that forty percent of transgender people have attempted suicide, I believe that transgender people are far more likely to harm themselves than others.

Eventually, Daisy does evince some sympathy for the trans characters feeling of being trapped in the wrong body, but this is done in a few lines after maybe ten pages or more of tackiness. I feel bad about saying all of this. I know this is supposed to be a cute, lighthearted book, but it hurt my feelings. I was really enjoying it until this bunch of ignorance punched me in the face. Im giving this book three stars because I liked in until that point. I also don't think the author is transphobic. I think the culture is, and that just made its way into the book. I don't think most cisgender people will be as offended by this as I was. (And that, cisgender people, is called cisgender privilege.)
3211576
Cozy Mystery, Chick Lit, and Womens Fic  this book is a very entertaining hybrid of all my favorite genres and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Schoolteacher Sunny Vale is a very likable and relatable heroine. She lives in small town Colorado, has an adorable golden retriever named Beau, a good relationship with her neighbors, and a wonderful group of friends. What she doesnt have is a social life, but all that changes when the ladies in her book club decide to take turns setting her up on a different blind date six weeks in a row. Although Sunny humors her friends by going on these dates, which are increasingly hilarious and disastrous, the man who really revs her motor is the mysterious blond hunk next door. Jake Landon may or may not be responsible for the disappearance of Sunnys elderly neighbor, Walter, so hes not exactly good relationship material. Can she trust him, or will her heart lead her into danger?

There were a lot of laughs in this book (the doggy hijinks of Beau, all of the horrible, no good, very bad dates Sunny has to suffer through, and just about everything that comes out of the mouth of Edna, her octogenarian, CSI-loving friend), but there were also some genuinely scary moments (Ill admit I had to read one scene under a blanket. Yes, Im a wuss.) Author Jennie Marts is very witty, as evidenced by her clever book title, and she knows how to write a well-paced and engaging story populated with unique and memorable characters. Another Saturday Night was a terrific start to the Page Turners series and I look forward to reading future books, in which other members of the book club will step into the spotlight.
2592961
A Review of Grade A Stupid by A J Lape

I am not the biggest YA fan, so I approached this book with caution but once I began reading it, I was pulled in by the excellent writing style of the author. The characters are adorable and whilst the plot is not necessarily a huge shocker, it doesn't need to be, because the fun and entertainment in this story are the characters and the silly, 'grade A stupid' antics that Darcy engages in. I found this book to be adorable and am most impressed with the writing skill of this debut author.

YA fans - get this!

A review by Aneesa Price - Sugary, Spicy Reads
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GETTING LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN
by Cindi Madsen
April 28, 2015
Publisher: Entangled: Embrace
approximate pages: 270
Romance: Contemporary, New Adult / College, friends-to-lovers

** Provided by Netgalley in Exchange for an Honest Review. **

-- MY THOUGHTS --
Judging a Book by it's Cover:
The cover design is a nice monochromatic red/brown. Subtle and appealing. Add just a few touches of black to the font and it takes on an almost classic, old-school Hollywood vibe. The synopsis sounds like yet another college friends-to-lovers story with plenty of drama and fun antics.
Looking Deeper:
First thought: Similar plot to "She's All That" (1999, Freddie Prinze Jr, Rachel Leigh Cook) Alternating first-person POV's, clearly defined and easy to follow.
Short and extremely curvaceous, Lyla was taught easy on to hide her curves under layers of boho chic clothing. Studious and nerdy, she's socially awkward. When the buddy of her roommate's boyfriend is overheard referring to her as "fugly and boring", she makes it a point to makes some changes - not for him, but for her. Recruiting the help of her hockey-jock and chem lab partner, Beck, is just the icing on the cake.
The lead characters are easily likable. The secondary characters add a nice filling layer. The dialogue and interaction is believable and natural. The plot has it's moments of fun, seriousness, and emotional ups and downs all while reading with a smoothness that's rare to find. There were enough conflicts and challenges to keep things interesting and enough humor to balance the more serious issues. There was not a whole lot of predictability, but I did feel that the conclusion was left a bit rushed and open-ended. This does not mean that there were cliffhangers, but I think it could have benefited from an Epilogue 6, 12 or even further into the future. Overall, it was a fun read, lighter on the angst, heavier on comedic drama.

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Heat Level: 3.5
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Score: 4.3
Stars: 4
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-- REVIEWER INFO --
Tina J / Happily Ever Chapter
2790317
I was in desperate need of contemporary YA book and I got what I asked for.
It's pretty predictable (hence no 5 stars - HENCE, you see what I did here, wink wink) but very cute and enjoyable read.
Ethan will make your heart melt, he will make you swoon and drool a bit. He will make you crave... ummm.. doughnuts, of course ;-) Let's be honest, who doesn't love a boy who plays guitar!? I know, I do.
Courtney is a likable protagonist and I liked her. All of the drama could be avoided if she wasn't that insecure and if she just let him explain without jumping to conclusions and projecting her fears and insecurities on him.
Yes, I know that without the drama the book wouldn't be as good and the characters wouldn't have the chance to grow etc. On intellectual level I totally get it, but on emotional I'm just so pissed with Courtney! She was also getting on my nerves sometimes but I liked how she matured at the end. The epilogue was heart warming and gave me hope.
I liked Vanessa and Luke and I can't wait to hear more of them. they seem perfect for eachother.
The mum! Yes! Finally the parent is present in the book. In most YA novels the parents are mentioned at the beginning but then they conveniently disappear. I liked how they all had curfews (like real teenagers!), more than only one friend, hobbies and life outside relationships.
If you know me at all then you know that insta-love bothers me, and it bothered me a bit in this book too. I mean, I get lust and infatuation. You can be "in-like" with somebody after 4 weeks, but not "in-love". It's not realistic at all. You can't love someone without seeing the best or worst of them. You just can't and nothing and no one will convince me otherwise (hence only 4 stars). "I love you" aftes 5 seconds makes me laugh, not swoon.

I'm not sure if my 4 stars are full 4 stars. Let's say I'm giving this book 3,8, ok? There are few thing that bothered me, as I told you, but overall it's a sweet, coming of age story.

P.s. What's up with all those ridiculously long titles lately? Is that some kind of new trend? It's not that I didn't like this particular title, but's it's so damn inconvenient to pronounce when talking about this book with friends!
3583120
A light, enjoyable read. Penny moves to small town Hog's Hollow from NYC with her mother when her parents separate. Like any new kid, Penny is trying to find her place in a new town and new school. She very quickly finds that her place is NOT with the popular girls, led by Charity. A little cupcake accident at Charity's birthday party and a lifelong grudge between their mothers makes Penny the target of the local mean girls. Their little stunts are pretty amateur and fun to read - a locker full of pennies, dead fish in locker, etc. Her start in Hog's Hollow is pretty miserable. Thankfully, Penny does find a place in town. She loves working in her mom's new cupcake shop, has a close relationship with her grandmother, makes a great friend in Tally, and meets Marcus, the cute troubled boy.

Penny is a very normal girl. She doesn't have the sophistication that many books ascribe to girls from NYC. I like her normalness. She's timid but not too much; an obedient daughter but sneaky enough to investigate her parents' secrets; a good friend but unwilling to share her troubles or feelings with anyone. I loved Tally - Penny's blue-hair, artsy, animal-lover best friend. I loved her creative way of getting back at charity, her devotion to the animals at ARK, her willingness to share her problems with Penny, how she's not afraid of what people think of her. Markus is a great love interest too. Cute, smart, nice, and funny, but also struggling with his family's past.

The summary makes a big deal over a "choice" that Penny has to make regarding her family. I thought the big "to-do" was rather silly. This book is really about Penny growing up, making new friends, and adjusting to a new life. Her family's troubles seemed more like an excuse for a plot point than anything else. It was the least important part of the book for me.

All in all, this is a thoroughly pleasant read. It's nothing to write home about - in fact, two days after finishing it, I'm having some trouble remembering the book. But if you're looking for a light, enjoyable read, The Cupcake Queen certainly fits the bill.
4322435
YA readers will love this, I'm sure.  The young Heroine is going through a tough time in her life (a seriously ill sister), and after getting caught robbing a home, is sent to a boarding school.  There she meets a telepathic cat and some other psychic students, and goes on a time-traveling adventure to save the world AND her sister.  All in a day's work for a tattooed  tough girl.

Plot was a little choppy here and there, but the character development was good.  Romance slight.  Italics might have been clearer than quotes when telepathy was occurring between the Heroine and the cat.

This was fairly entertaining for me (an adult), so I'm sure that younger readers will really enjoy it.  For me,  I'd rate it as OK/3-Star fast and cute read.  Since it's a YA, I'm giving it a 4-Star based on its target audience.  Besides, I'm very impressed with the Authors promise at the end that if there were too many proofreading errors that they would be corrected.  Applause for that.
2972935
When I first began reading the book I was going to write it off as your typical romcom chick lit - trying too hard to be funny.

Basically a frivolous-silly-clueless girl meets Tall-Dark-Handsome Heathcliff-Brooding-tattoo-badboy-player who falls madly in love with said-frivolous-chick and renounces former badboy existence to live happily ever after in monogamous-bliss

But wow - was I mistaken. This book ventures into serious issues and trespasses into the tearjerker category. Pray, do not be concerned as there's enough witty one-liners to prevent a full-on sob but it you really wanna give the guys a cuddle.

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Characters:

Kennedy Somers: 22 yo, blonde, pretty but with low-self-esteem issues. She hides behind a sarcastic, indifferent exterior, always cracking up jokes (even during inappropriate settings) and is somewhat socially awkward which has resulted in a sparse social network.
This may have some connection to her upbringing, as her father wanted a son and wasn't sure how to handle having a daughter as his only child and subsequently he just treated Kennedy as a son denying her "girly" toys. And although her parents clearly love her and she them there is a strained relationship (although the interactions and dialogue with her dad are hilarious and cute).

Graham Malone: 27 yo, Golf instructor, Kennedy's room mate and best friend. He's protective of her and takes care of her (including cooking and cleaning up after her), which is related to his OCD (he has to have everything perfect - clean, cooked well etc (there's more to thios once you delve into the story and understand the issue of staying in control)).
He starts off as the Mr-Nice-Guy-could-Feature-in-a-Commercial but... BOOM events change and things happen. He has a strained relationship with his brother - which is VERY interesting.

Blake Malone: if this was your typical romance then Blake, with his rock-star good looks, biker style, drugs & alcohol background, brooding, troubled badboy persona would find redemption in Kennedy's love and they'd live happily ever after. But this isn't. The relationship between Blake and Graham is a crucial part of the story and it exposes the characters weaknesses and strengths.

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Overall enjoyable, funny, witty (although I did at first find some of Kennedy's occasional mental diarrhoea annoying) but it finally makes sense as we delve into the characters and the plot. Very romantic combined with a lovely family drama.
1813021
Really enjoyed this book. Not enough flame for me, but a beautiful YA coming out story. It took a while to get going but once I got into it, I read it within a day. It was a bit short--for example, I felt that some of the events towards the end were glossed over and too easily resolved. I don't want to go into details, but while the coming out to each other was beautiful, the societal aspects felt rushed. Still, a funny, light-hearted story. I'll read more of Mia Kerick. Thanks! I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
1577208
You know those romance books that just leave you with a cute dopey grin on your face? Theyre the ones you curl up with when you're having relationship issues, or a bad week at work. Sometimes those books are just what you need to get over your bad mood.
The Wedding Date was one of those books for me. I started it tonight around 7pm and finished it 11pm. It was a quick read, full of easy humor, cute flirtations, and a sweet romance. The premise was super adorable, and one of my favorite tropes honestly. I LOVE books where two characters who don't know each other pretend to be dating. It was so well done in this book!
The conflict between the characters was good, I understood both of their points of view. However, I wish there had been more sexual tension between them, Im a huge fan of angst and longing, butterflies in my stomach as I wait for the characters to brush hands or finally kiss. Drew and Alexa had chemistry to be sure, but they were together throughout pretty much the entire book, so I didn't get the longing I was hoping for.
I did, however, really like them individually as characters, and felt that they were well suited. It just felt as though they spent the majority of the book eating, and watching movies, and having sex. Like I said, I just really missed the angst.
My Takeaway: The Wedding Date was a cute light read with charming characters and a great supporting cast. I just wish that there had been more angst, more buildup. That being said, it was a one sitting book for me, and one that had me smiling by the end.
2989552
Don't You Wish is young adult chick lit at it's very best! It is fun, cute and has an adorable romance, and is the perfect book to bring along for a day at the beach, in the park or anywhere else you hang out to read during summer.

I really liked Annie, both as Invisible Annie and popular Ayla. As Annie her life is incredibly boring, as Ayla her days are filled with the drama of the rich and popular, and the only thing the two have in common is Annie's personality. As she starts living life as Ayla she has to make some important decisions about who she wants to be - is it worth being hot and popular if it means your friends expect you to shoplift even when you have your own black AmEx card? Is it worth giving up your virginity to a guy you hardly know just because he's hot and he expects you to?

There is much I loved about Don't You Wish, like the fantastic Miami setting and the sweet romance, but what really got to me was Annie's relationship with her mom (both as Annie and Ayla). I haven't seen my own mom in almost two years, and there was just something so heartbreaking about some of the mother/daughter scenes and Annie's homesickness. I have to admit, I cried more than once, but there was also scenes where I was laughing from joy.

If you like fun, easy reads about friendship, family and finding yourself, pick up Don't You Wish when it is released next month (or better yet, pre-order it), and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!
4302784
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Fun, light hearted read with a cute protagonist and a fun premise.  It was a little too predictable but over all an enjoyable read.

Opening Sentence: An early leaf loosens from a tree and blows into Max's jacket, fluttering down and getting crushed beneath the toe of her platform pump as she strides down the sidewalk purposefully to her next case.

The Review:

Max is 17 years old and she runs a very successful business helping girls get over their ex's.  Max went through a terrible experience -- her junior year in high school she got dumped.  Afterwards she left school and decided to get her GED.  She was so heartbroken and depressed she didn't know how to cope with it all.  Then she came up with a brilliant idea she would make a program for girls that have gotten dumped and help them get over it as quickly as possible. She works by referral only and the program has been very successful.  She has decided to go to college and major in psychology.  She plans to present her work to the head of the department and hopes that her research will help women all over the country.

Things couldn't get any better for Max, she is doing something she loves and helping others at the same time.  Then she runs into the one person she never expected to see again, her ex-boyfriend.  He's in town helping with his family business and he plans to be around for a while. Max soon realizes that she is not even close to being over her ex.  How can she expect to help heal others if she doesn't even know how to heal her own heart?  Max now has a new mission: to get over her ex and fast.

Max is a really likeable character.  She is really sweet and obliviously she really cares about helping others.  She is gorgeous, funny, confidant, and nice.  But underneath all of that she is just as insecure as every other girl out there.  She deals with everyone else's problems so she can avoid her own.  It was fun to watch her grow and develop as a person. Her emotions and experiences are something pretty much every teenage girl has gone through.  Because of that she was very easy to connect with.  She had her flaws and some were a little irritating at times, but overall, I really liked her.

This was a fun, light, and really fast read.  I enjoyed the romance, it was sweet and very cute. My biggest issue with this story was that the story didn't quite fit the characters for me.  I felt that the premise of the story fit better for younger girls and not someone that has the maturity level that Max was at. She is 17 years old and getting ready to apply to college, but the way she came across, I kept thinking that she was much younger than she really was.  But with that being said, I still really enjoyed this book.  I found Max refreshing and a fun character to get to know.  It was funny and quirky with lots of drama.  The writing was engaging and the booked flowed very well.  I would recommend this to anyone that is looking for a fun light contemporary read.

FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Over You. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review.