YABookNerd

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Fresh Fiction Reviews (4)

I've been reading some fun books for Fresh Fiction and wanted to share them with you:

Rockstar romance to touch your heart

Love and Death Among the Cheetahs by Rhys Bowen

Welcome to the Jungle...

Blackmail turns into a Fake Romance

Worst Fake Date Ever (Sort of)

The power of Sisterhood

Roses are Read...

Friday, September 6, 2019

Review: No Judgements

When a hurricane threatens the island where she lives, Bree isn't concerned. She's lived through one before. But when everyone starts asking her about her evacuation plans, she briefly wonders if she's made a mistake. Her ex-boyfriend, her mother, and her roommate all try to get her to leave. Instead, she stays.

And it's a good thing she did, because the bridge connecting her island to land collapses in the storm, leaving people stranded. Bree realizes this mean their pets they left behind will need someone to care for them. When she tells one person she will look after their pet, word spreads. Now she's looking after numerous pets and making sure they have enough food. Luckily, she has someone to help her.

Drew is her boss's nephew. He's sexy, stubborn, and an animal lover too. She's been warned about dating him. But when the storm throws them together, sparks fly. Is there something real between them?

My Thoughts: I saved this one for a day off because I knew that I wouldn't want to put it down. And it was the right choice. I loved Bree - how she wasn't sure what to do with her life but fell in love with the island. My heart broke for her - in regards to her ex-boyfriend and also her mother. I loved how Bree spent time with boss's family - and her relationship with each of them. I enjoyed the banter between Bree and Drew. I love how they helped the island and the animals in the aftermath of the hurricane. I admit, I was surprised by the ending. That threw me for a loop. I'm looking forward to reading more about this island community.

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: ARC sent for review
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Library Recommendation: A must have for your romance collection.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Upcoming Review: Paris Project

Cleveland hates her hometown, but she has a plan to leave. She can't wait. She's going to gain cultures and then move to Paris. The first step - take ballet lessons. Her sister pays for lessons, but on the first day, Cleveland gets kicked out of the school.

It totally wasn't her fault. But without ballet, will her own plan fall apart? How will her life get better if she's forced to stay in Florida with small minded people?

My Thoughts: I was excited to read this book because of the Paris aspect, but there's so much more going on in this book. I really liked it. I loved the relationship between the sisters. I liked reading about Cleveland's incarcerated father - because I haven't read many middle grade books with a parent in jail. My heart broke for her as she struggled with her relationship with him - trust issues, sadness at his being behind bars, missing him, and anger. I loved her obsession with Paris. I liked her friendship with Declan, especially the foodie parts. There's so much going on here that I just wanted to wrap Cleveland up in a hug and tell her it will be okay.

Cover Thoughts: Charming
Source: BEA signed ARC
Release Date: October 8, 2019
Library Recommendation: Grab this one for your school and public libraries.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Picture Book Review: River

A traveler takes her canoe down the Hudson river and has herself an adventure.

This is an older picture book for early elementary school students. It's about hardship, determination, and adventure. The woman has a plan but of course things don't go as expected, but through it all, she stays strong. She meets animals. She sketches her trip. She makes the best of things. The illustrations are amazing and peppered throughout the story - in a watercolor format. The ending of the book is sweet. This a fantastic book to share!

* Release Date: October 1, 2019

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Taylor Swift Book Tags: Lover

I saw this at Musings of (Book) Girl and I adore Taylor Swift, so of course I gave it a try.

I'm choosing books that I've read and enjoyed this year.

This book was SO sad. There's a terrible moment with a dog that made me cry like a baby. But it was a good book. I simply don't like books with sad parts about animals

Both the main characters have been through A LOT of family and personal drama. It's what initially connects them. A wonderful book about flawed (human) characters who don't always make the best choices.

Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer

Could it be anyone other than Hattie? I'm so impressed by the Year of Hattie and all her plans. Of course Whit is amazing too.

Daisy Swan doesn't need a man - with her brains she can create a cosmetic line.

Although Theo is quite useful in his own way...

Riley doesn't think she has an eating disorder, but her parents sent her to treatment center anyways. (I know that eating disorders are an illness and are not strictly mental health, but they do require a new way of looking at the world, your body, and food. Plus this book was amazingly good and the author struggles with her own eating disorder.)

The boy next door gets a second chance at love while Brooke tries to pull herself together.

Stalking - public libraries - and a possible challenge for the mayor. I can't wait to see how this all shakes out in the next book.

I loved the romance in this book - the banter, the looks, and the forbidden nature of it. I loved the nerdiness and of course the fact that she's a librarian.

The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson

I don't think any explanation here is necessary. A powerful yet hard to read book.

Because it made me think about a LOT of things in my WIP - and how much it needs to change before it's ready. If you're a writer, there's lots of great writing advice in this book!

Dear Ally, How do You Write a Book? by Ally Carter

This book made me want to wander the streets of Paris!

What would you do if your life shattered into a million pieces? And in an instant everything changed?

I don't read much about science fiction and space, but this was really good!

I'm a sucker for books about royalty and boarding school, so this was always going to be one that I loved. Also I love the enemies to lover trope. This book is so good, but doesn't get talked about enough. It's more of a quiet YA.