A fabulous, romantic YA love story with some sizzle and spice to it
344228
There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to love this book.  I have loved all of the books in this series and this was no exception.  I very much enjoyed that this story is taking place at the same time as The Score (Dean's story) and we just see tiny snippets of that story in the background of this one.  Very clever writing.

John Tucker is a great guy, duh.  (All these guys at Briar are great.)  Sabrina is not the girl we thought she was when we saw her through Dean's eyes.  She's had to overcome a lot and she has built a fortress around her heart.  Tucker's a pretty smart fellow though and he won't push her.  He won't rush or make any demands.  He just gives her time.  And more time.  And then some more.  Meanwhile, he proves what kind of guy he is at every turn.

You'll find yourself hoping that all good things come to Tuck and Sabrina, especially the career goals they have worked so hard for.  I loved this entire story, and will be looking forward to the next one.  Hmmmm, Fitzy's book?  I hear Dean's sister (Summer) is coming to Briar.... :)
4877084
Oh how much of a sucker I am for adorkable, best friends-to-lovers stories? The answer is a HUGE! I just cannot help but fall in love with them while they're slowly realizing they're falling for each other. So when I saw this book and the chance to review it, I jumped on it quicker than you could say adorkable. And did I love it so much.

Sally (Sal for short) is tired of her mom and best girl friend trying to always set up on dates with random people, so she enlists the help of her childhood best friend, Becks. She asks her to pretend to be her boyfriend for a time and with it, to get off the meddling duo off of her back. What nobody knows is that Sal is actually in love with Becks, has been for a long time and this is like a dream come true. But if the dream stays true or reality steps in the way will only turn out at the end if at all.

I love Sal. I see myself so much in her, it was kind of frightening. Shes very smart, and a huge geek. Her love for Star Wars is just like mine and every reference for that or Harry Potter makes my heart sing in delight. She is just like a real teenager, someone I wish I couldve been her age. Shes sweet and caring and a joy to read about.
Becks on the outside is like every typical high school jock. Hes good looking, cocky, popular with all the girls and has a weird habit that helps them win their games. But on the inside, the side that only a selected close friend know, hes one of the sweetest, funniest guys ever. He loves Sally to pieces and even their friendship  not to mention their relationship  has such a great chemistry, which makes this book such a good and enjoyable read.

Meeting his gaze, I forced out the words, Ready to make it official?
Becks grinned, and the sight of that familiar expression, the look in those eyes Id loved forever, was enough to strengthen my resolve.
Reaching up, I gave myself no time to reconsider.
My lips were on his the next instant, meeting, feeling, rejoicing in this moment Id never thought but always hoped would happen. I knew Becks was surprised, could feel it in the stiffness in his shoulders, the tight set to his mouth. But it didn't matter. I was kissing Becks, my best friend, my Han Solo, my one. This was the best moment of my life. I was certain it couldn't get any better.
But then Becks started kissing me back.
His arms wrapped around my waist, his lips guiding mine, as he went from passive passenger along for the ride to full-on conductor. I gasped as he bent me back over his arm, and felt him grin through the kiss. My toes just skimming the floor, supported almost entirely by Beckss strength, I was happy to let him lead. Becks wasn't just a great kisser. He was a master. Far as first kisses go, it was a showstopper.

Who I really hate in this book (and that is my reason for lowering the five stars by a half) are Sals mom and best friend. They. Are. Horrible. Both of them act like being 17-18 and enjoying the single life (and secretly pining for your best friend) is the end of the world and a girl NEEDS to have a boyfriend to live a full life. I hated their attempts to set up Sal with losers or girls or anyone they come across. Their tries make me really angry and if I had a mother/friend like her, I probably wouldve ran away from home.

I just love the storyline of this book. It didn't really have any of those annoying tropes  okay, there was a tiny love triangle, but nothing we cant get over. Friends-to-lovers type of stories are one of my favorites and OGorman doesnt fail to bring us an entertaining story. The ending is satifsying, I couldn't have wished for a better one.

Adorkable is a sexy, funny, fast-paced story that I finished in one setting. If you are looking for some cute afternoon read, I definitely recommend this one to you. Sal and Becks will capture your heart, be it older or younger and will hold it long after you finished their book.
1730169
I admit that I'm not always a fan of YA lit, as some of it tends to talk down to its readers. This book does NOT do that. Instead, we are gifted with some complex characters navigating fraught worlds and dark magicks, and it's no lie that I didn't want to put the book down. I am especially grateful for the treatment of romantic elements in this work, where an LGBTQ relationship unfolds and is treated as any other relationship, providing readers with a great example of a blossoming romance that feels authentic rather than sensational. I also love the way the folklore is woven throughout the text -- some of the more unfamiliar elements made me want to go looking for more information because they are used so skillfully in the story. Fast-paced with some surprising twists...in short, this is one YA book I would definitely recommend.
4136838
I'm a huge, huge fan of Lisa Brown Roberts and I might have gotten a little swoony when I met her at the RWA conference here in San Diego last month. Obviously I jumped at the chance to read and review The Replacement Crush and I was not disappointed. Vivian Galdi is broken hearted after a hot couple of weeks at the end of summer making out with her long-term crush, Jake, on the beach. But when school starts, popular Jake has already moved on to new surfer girl, Claire leaving Vivian not only devastated, but vowing to never allow that to happen again. How? By only dating boys that she could never have strong feelings for. Along comes hot, yet nerdy, Dallas, a recent transplant to Southern California from Wisconsin. When Viv's mom hires Dallas to help them take their sleepy seaside bookstore into the 21st century, Vivian and Dallas are forced to work together and the zing cannot be ignored. Which means Dalls is completely undateable.

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I love the book blogging angle so much, it inspired me to use gifs for the first time in a book review. I might be hooked, although it takes longer to find just the right ones.

Plot
The plot centers around the romance between Vivian and Dallas and Vivian's refusal to even give Dallas a chance because she knows they have serious zing. Something she's not willing to indulge in again. It's clear from the beginning the Dallas feels it, too, and he's determined to get Vivian to change her mind, although his methods are subtle. These two fight a lot, about ridiculous things. Dallas tries to rile her up and Viv fights to keep Dallas at arms' length, but that only increases the electricity between them.

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There are some cute subplots involving Vivian's relationship with the son of her mother's boyfriend, a guy she's known since kindergarten, a crush by one of her closest friends, and a mysterious visitor in town who may or may not be a famous rock star hiding out from the paparazzi.

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Setting
I loved the sleepy seaside community north of Los Angeles. At times, it felt very much like Encinitas, a town only ten miles north of me. Particularly with the the crunchy, granola, hippy liberal vibe I got while reading about surfing competitions, yoga, smoothies, and more. The author created a town that was as much a character in the story as any of her human characters.

Characters
Speaking of characters, they're all wonderful. Even Jake the snake, as the bad guy. He never comes off as stereotypical, although the author could have easily gone there without ruining the story. Dallas has depth that I haven't seen in a love interest in awhile, even though the story is told completely from Viv's point of view. There are times I wanted to shake some sense into Vivian for being "that girl" but the author even acknowledges that, taking away my ability to roll my eyes are her antics.

Ending
The ending is perfect. I love Viv and Dallas and the big romantic gesture was the perfect way to wind up this tale.

Top Five Things I Loved about The Replacement Crush:
1. Hot nerds. What's not to love about a gorgeous, smart guy that loves all the geeky things you do?

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2. Toff. Viv's surfing, sorta brother, is loyal, adorable, and a full of himself, and yet I can't help loving him. I hope we get a book from his point of view soon.

3. First kisses. Viv and Dallas's first kiss is one of the hottest teen kisses I've ever read, without crossing a line.

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4. Bookstores. Viv's mom owns a bookstore and many scenes take place there, making me feel as if I'm in my home away from home.

5. The ending. Well done, sweet, funny, and hot. A hard trifecta to achieve.

Bottom Line
The Replacement Crush is full of fun, quirky characters, witty banter, and obvious teen sexual tension that is a delight to read.

Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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I am a huge fan of Ms. Brockmann's adult romances (Troubleshooters Series) as well as an avid YA reader. And Night Sky is a wonderful addition to the YA romance/adventure genre. A perfect blend of YA romance, action, and mystery all told (and felt) through the main character Skylar Reid. Skylar is a wonderful blend of sass and insecurity which makes her a perfect YA heroine. And Calvin, her sarcastic and wheelchair bound sidekick, made me laugh all the way through the book.

Add in a charming and hunky YA hero, a kick-butt mentor, and a near future world where some kids have "greater than" enhanced physical abilities, and you have a fast-paced story which kept me turning the pages until I reached the end.

I cannot wait for the next in the series and am thrilled to discover there is an e-novella to read while I wait!
3281504
Don't be fooled by the "YA" (young adult) category. This book is not just for teens.

I've read some great recommendations for this book, so I ordered it on Kindle on a whim. I'm an avid Francophile and Paris is one of my favorite cities. Didn't know much about the story, so I hoped that it would at least be decent. Little did I realize that this book would not only cater to the Paris fan in me, but also the Anglophile who loves British-accented romantic heroes.

A couple of chapters later, and I'm hooked. Anna is a delightful, refreshing and hilarious young woman who is resentful of her parents' shipping her off to Paris to attend a private boarding school. She leaves her friends and family in Atlanta, Georgia and doesn't care (and know much) about Paris. She can't speak French, is scared to explore Paris on her own, can't figure out the food and the metro, left a budding romance with her crush Toph and misses her friends and family. Her new boarding school neighbor Meredith Chevalier feels sympathy for the newbie and takes her in. She is invited to eat breakfast the day after she arrives at school and meets Meredith's friends Rashmi, Josh, and the charming Etienne St Clair. Things start to look up. She develops an instant crush on St Clair but is disappointed to find that he has a girlfriend and seems to only want Anna as a friend. Anna herself can't decide who or what she wants - her cute "could be-boyfriend" Tosh who is waiting at home in Atlanta or this witty and gorgeous French-Anglo-American (did I mention that Etienne has a killer British accent and speaks fluent French)? As Anna and St Clair's friendship deepens, so do the complexities. St Clair has a long time girlfriend Ellie, her close friend Meredith also has a crush on St Clair, Tosh still seems interested, St Clair himself is an enigma, and Anna can't help herself and falls in love with her new best friend.

I won't spoil the story for everyone. Needless to say, I found this book utterly charming. Perkins understands that love isn't always easy - and Anna goes through a series of emotional highs and devastating lows. It is funny and sweet, but has its moments of drama. It keeps readers on their toes as the various relationships develop then threaten to fall apart. Anna and her friends and family are fully realized characters and the story and her experiences are completely relate-able. And may I add that Paris itself is an important character in this book. Anyone who has been there will be transported yet again to Notre Dame, the Pantheon, Jardin du Luxembourg and the lovely corners and streets of the Latin Quarter where much of the book takes place. I enjoyed every minute of reading this book. It's an absolute gem and I wish it didn't have to end. I am looking forward to hearing more from Stephanie Perkins and I hope she has many more books to come that are as delicious and enchanting as this one.
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4.5 Stars!

Famous by Default is a wonderful coming of age story of recovery, trust and young love.

I kind of loved this book. Sivan is a foster kid with a bad past who comes to live with Betty, the quirky woman who has opened her home to foster kids. The woman works some kind of magic and knows just the right thing to say or do. Sivan blossoms and grows in Bettys care, but there are always lingering dark thoughts that keep her distanced from most everyone. Then, we have Jax, the brother to one of the hottest bands in the country. Jax wanted no part of the band, but that hasn't stopped him from getting harassed by fans. When things get out of control, he is forced to move to Iowa to live with his Aunt Betty. When he and Sivan meet, sparks fly and we get the pleasure of living their developing relationship through M. K. Harkins words. Sivan and Jax are perfect, together and for each other. Jax has infinite patience when it comes to Sivan. Initially, he is presented as a whiny, bad boy, but soon we get a glimpse of the real man that Jax is. This book is YA and clean, so it is appropriate for most ages, although it does address some difficult topics.

With engaging characters, a heart-breaking but beautiful story and the wonderful young love between Sivan and Jax, you might just find you have a hard time putting the book down.
4916042
I hadn't heard much about this book, but for some reason, I knew it was going to be good. The beautiful cover - a model who fits to the description of the main character! symbols that actually have something to do with the story! - had When the Stars Go Blue screaming 'read me!' And I am so glad I did.

Soledad is what makes this whole thing work. I just love, love, love Soledad. She's not at all the cliched image you have in mind when you think ballerina - she's spunky and has some serious attitude, in a good way. Her confidence and insecurities are balanced perfectly - she's not the starving-herself, always-doubting-her-abilities, seriously-needs-to-grow-a-spine character the author could have easily made her out to be, but she's not the so-full-of-herself-it's-annoying dancer either. I loved reading about the feisty Soledad and her refreshing sense of humor, as well as being inside her head to know the insecurities she doesn't often let on she has. I just love Soledad - one of my favorite MCs in a long time!

The secondary characters are great, too. I don't want to say too much about them because I liked not knowing much and just seeing how the story develops and who ends up playing an important role, but they're really well done. Each one is complex and realistic. I liked reading about Jonathan's family situation and all of that. Raj is so adorable, and Taz is just... wow. I would have loved to see (even) more of those two! I liked reading about Soledad's family history, too, and Mamacita, Soledad's grandmother, is just plain awesome.

The romance is realistic - one of the most realistic romance storylines I've read in a while. The direction it ends up going is not predictable and actually took me by surprise, which is something that rarely happens with YA romance. (Not that I have anything against YA romances; they're just very predictable, often.) Jonathan's and Soledad's attraction is a little too strong in the beginning, in my opinion, and for a little while, I was dreading insta-love, but that didn't turn out to be the case at all. Their relationship develops over time, and it's flawed, complex and realistic; everything it's supposed to be.

***This paragraph contains spoilers!***
I would have liked to know a little more about Soledad's and Jonathan's fall-out and the accident. It probably has something to do with Soledad writhing in pain while it's happening and therefore not being able to explain what's happening all that well, but I would have liked what happens to be a little more clear. Maybe I'm being stupid, but it took me a while to get what happened, and I'm still not sure whether what I think is right.

The dancing is another aspect of When the Stars Go Blue I really enjoyed. I know nothing about dance, so I can't really judge any of this, but it sounds like Caridad Ferrer knows what she's talking about. The dance Soledad and the corps perform sounds amazing. I would have liked to know a little more about what, exactly, the corps are, though. In the beginning, Soledad is hesitant to join the corps because she was planning on sticking to ballet and latin dancing and because drum and bugle corps are so different from anything she's done. Maybe it's just because I know so little about dance, but I didn't see what makes it so different - her performance sounded similar to the kind of dancing she did before. Drum and bugle corps sounds strange and different, but I'm still not sure what exactly it is, and what exactly makes it so different.

I don't know what it is about it, but When the Stars Go Blue is just right. The writing is beautiful, and it sucked me right into Soledad's world - this is the kind of book where you're reading and so involved in the story you don't even notice anything going on around you. (At least it was like that for me.) With a main character I loved and won't soon forget, When the Stars Go Blue is one of the most realistic romances I've read in a long time!
706832
I read a lot of romance novels and I enjoy the beautiful innocence of a YA romance so I got this story expecting much of the same but I must say I was pleasantly surprised.
Zoe isn't just hiding who she is and what she loves she had turned herself into the classic "mean girl" and doesn't seem to even appreciate that she became everything she hated and which made her life miserable.  Her whole inner dialogue is about how to put on her mask, or as I thought of it, her shield. She is so consumed with that that she doesn't see what is happening around her, the boyfriend who won't take no for an answer, the sister drowning in expectations and what she is doing to her future by disregarding her education.  But as always you can only deny yourself so long before you realise how truly unhappy you are.  Luckily for Zoe her childhood friend Zak has never truly turned his back on her, even through all her bad behaviour and it can take the kindness of one person to give you the strength to embrace who you are.
Of course Zoe and Zak are in love but only with Zoe dropping the act can they truly fall in love and the journey to get there is frustrating, heartbreaking, messy but ultimately just beautiful.
1014200
This book is a fantastic YA Contemporary Romance story.  The characters are very easy to relate to, it is like reliving the high school years over again.  Finding that one true love.
I would really love to see the author continue this story in a second book.  College years and adult years.  I would also love to read more about about Justin, there seemed like a lot could be going on in his personal life with his parents.
I really enjoyed reading this book.  Great Read!!!
3217555
Let me preface this by saying I think Katie Cotugno is now one of my favorite authors. I absolutely LOVE the she tells stories and she has the BEST dialog. It feels so authentic.

ANYWAY

I decided to stop by the bookstore on my way home one Friday because I was in dire need of a good YA romance ASAP. I didn't want to wait two days (maybe more) for Amazon Prime so I did the thing I rarely do - pay full price for a book. But I did it because a) I really enjoyed How to Love by Katie Cotugno and b) this cover. Im the first person to say how much I dislike real people on the cover of books but I cant hate how beautiful book this is.

Now about the actual book - it was just as addicting as I thought it was going to be. Like I said, Katie Cotugno tells a great story and I LOVED every second of this story. I thought I was going to be annoyed by the love triangle but honestly I wasn't annoyed at all. It was the best love triangle I think Ive ever read. And thats saying a lot since I normally roll my eyes at them. But again, thats cause this author is just brilliant. Her characters are fun, realistic, relatable, and so wonderfully flawed. The best part is the characters call each other on these flaws (or at least the narrators mention the flaws) and it just makes reading that much more enjoyable because no one is perfect in her books.

I don't think I can say too much else - obviously, Im just fangirling like crazy - but this book was such a fun ride. There were some family issues, friendship issues, double standards were confronted (yes!), and, obviously, some drama.
4749802
I love the stories of girl and guy best friends that turn into more. I love the transformation stories (I did grow up in the time of Clueless and She's All That, after all) when they're done right. I love the pretend love interest story.

Well, lucky, lucky me? This book has all of the above. Rachel Harris has not only done these genres right, but she also wrote them in such a unique and utterly charming way that I am declaring this my favorite of her books to date.

Some may argue that the female transformation story sends a bad message. If you feel this way upon reading this book, I suggest you look a little closer. What you will see, upon that inspection is the story of Aly, a young girl who wants to see how the popular, carefree girl lives. What she discovers is a case of the grass always being greener, the discovery of some truths about herself, and the comfort in finding a middle ground.

This is a young adult romance, and yes, Brandon is absolutely swoon worthy. In fact, he is swoon worthy enough to make any creepy feelings this 30 year old reviewer has melt away into the oblivion as a non-issue. But it is also an exploration into a girl learning to love herself as well. And that's a beautiful thing.

Expect a lighthearted tale full of laughs and cute moments abound, a wonderful cast of loveable and love-to-dislike them characters, and a cleverly laid out narrative told in the frame of a countdown to homecoming. I cannot wait to see what the next book in the series will bring. In fact, I'm starting my own personal countdown right now.
1863354
This book was a great high school read.  It combines the YA genre with the paranormal seamlessly.  There was plenty of mystery and teenage angst.
There were two sexy guys to complicate Madison's life.  Her best friend and ex boyfriend was a love that she still lacked closure for. Then the new guy, Isaac moves to town.  He is sexy and mysterious and turns her life upside down.
As the story is spun, the paranormal side of the story blooms.  Everything shifts and the world Madison knew evaporates.  She is pulled into a web of good and bad, secrets and lies.
This book deserves four glittery stars for the well built world that the author developed.  She wrapped up the story nicely and successfully kept me ready for more.
3576906
YA is where I first fell in love with Nicole Williams' writing (YA PNR to be precise) and so it was lovely to be be back in this genre. This is a book that is refreshingly low on angst and yet full on story, with characters that epitomise the genre correctly. It is a niggle of mine when YA books have teens acting like 20-year olds but both Callum and Phoenix were age-appropriate with sometimes ill-thought and impulsive decision-making, one moment mature and other times a little immature. This is what I want to see in YA, true coming-of-age; TRUSTING YOU AND OTHER LIES delivered on this.

Phoenix was a definitely likeable, she had a little brattishness in her but lots of selflessness too. The main story revolves around a family situation and I really enjoyed this storyline and Phoenix's reactions and relationships with her parents. Harry, her younger brother made my heart warm all throughout the book, he was such a special part of the story for me. Callum, was the kind of boy/man I would have wowed over at their age and he was totally loveable, if a little superior. The chemistry between these two was perfect and my teen daughter who has also read the book thought the chemistry was just right too.

At 90% I was a little worried where things were going to end up but Nicole Williams brought an ending that satisfied completely and an epilogue that left me sighing. I hope there will be more YA from this author alongside her more mature books as she is super talented in this kind of writing too.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for a honest review.

Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
1814980
This book will hook you, charm you, and possibly make you break a sweat from pure steam.

It starts on a ski trip in Aspen, where Kolton and Shay meet and clash amidst a serious chemistry storm. Their story comes down to earth when their careers bring them together once more, and for me, that's when all my favorite parts came in.

Hate sex and charged bickering aren't my flavor of the month, but in this book, you can see so clearly how Shay and Kolton are both sweet, generous people who keep accidentally tromping all over each other's hot buttons. Throughout the book, Shay was almost painfully human in her fallibility and so relatable I felt like I probably had her name somewhere in my contacts list. I really enjoyed the details of her career as a designer and watching her mentally redecorate every room with incredible Pinterest-worthy visuals.

Kolton was smoking hot sexy, which in no way was impacted by his super sweet role as a single father. There's a whole cast of supporting characters as well, all quirky and charming and I'm already dying for the next two books. I can't WAIT to see Sawyer and Lily's friendship blossom into more, and I'm frothing at the mouth for Nico and Raven's snarky romance, which is sure to have lots of bumps along its road. Which is to say, the characters throughout A+. What really won this book its five-star rating, though, was the wooing.

I've read thousands of romance novels, and at this point, it's pretty hard for any of them to stand out for long. But over and over again, Kolton's romantic gestures came through as utterly unique. They were grand, sweeping, creative (THE SNOW GLOBE!) but they were also so personal (McDonald's, the movies with little notes...) that you felt that the characters really knew each other. It wasn't A love story. It was THEIR love story. And that's what made it great.
2864994
Susane Colsanti's debut novel offers a refreshing read in the contemporary YA genre, told in alternating POV voices, Sara and Tobey. What I loved most about this story was how refreshing it was. Colsanti manages to avoid the "insta-love" trope common in YA books, and really focuses developing Sara and Tobey's relationship over time. The romance wasn't too overly sweet either, but more importantly honest; so you can't help but root for Sara and Tobey as their interactions unfold in the novel. WHEN IT HAPPENS is definitely a fan favorite for any contemporary YA fans who want to read a fresh take on sweet, honest teen romance.
4104732
I received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Review and blog tour can be found on *Milky Way of Books*

I've been a fan of Kylie Scott's writing since the "Dive Bar" series, which is a NA. But seeing her writing a YA, I couldn't be more excited to get the chance and review the ARC of this book!

"Trust" is about two different people, from different sides of life who couldn't be more similar at heart. Edie is a unique mix of goodness and sass, who loves her body just as it is. She also gets bullied at school (something I deeply relate to), and after the events at the beginning of the book, she enrolls into a public high school.

John on the other hand, after all the rumors he has, tries to be a fine example of a student, get his head straight and tries not to get into trouble. As the two come closer together a bond fomrs.

The beauty of this book was the fact that Edie and John started as friends. The romance does not overshadow the plot and you have genuine teenage angst, friendship and heart-ache. I would love to see Kylie Scott try herself more into the YA writing! ;)