Summer Time Book Review: Since Last Summer

Books perfect for the beach or to read by the pool

Rory's now the guest for the summer at the Rule house, instead of being the errand girl. She and Isabel are hoping to have the best summer ever.

Rory has an art internship, which leave Isabel alone. The days stretch endlessly before Isabel. She's annoyed with Rory for spending her free time with Connor instead of with her.  She when she meets a boy, who works at a cafe in need of another waitress, she takes the job. She still thinks about Mike from last summer, but Evan could change that.

Rory's having trouble with Connor. They give off the appearance of a happy couple, but the relationship's full of hurt feelings and misunderstandings.

Can Rory and Isabel save their summer?

My Thoughts: I really liked this sequel - set one year later. I loved the feel of summer from the book - the moments on the beach with the waves crashing, the hot sun, and then freedom. I liked seeing both Rory and Isabel working and how their jobs differed.  I liked the summer romances, but more importantly, I loved the friendship between the two girls.

Cover Thoughts: Great

Source: My Library

Top Ten Tuesday: Friendship Books

This week's topic is Friendship books. I tend to think of friendship books as sisterhood books - female friends. That's not to say I don't appreciate books where guys and girls are friends or books about guy friendships. When you talk about friendship books, sisterhood books are the first that come to mind. Here are a mix of tween and teen books.

- meme from The Broke and the Bookish

Books I'm Dying to Read: June Edition

Here's a list of books I can't wait to get my hands on come June- and there's a lot of them! 

Since Last Summer: Love Joanna Philbin and can't wait to see what happens next

#Scandal: In the social media age - one moment can ruin everything

Suddenly Last Summer: Loved the first book in the series - dying to read more about this family

Tea Shop of Lavender Lane: Life in Icicle Falls is always a great read - book 5 in this series with small town charm.

Beekeeper's Ball: Sequel to the Apple Orchard - can't wait to see what happens next.

Cinderella's Dress: Kate's family protects the real Cinderella's dresses - but trouble appears in the family and in the world.

Engaged in Murder: First in a new series about a woman starting a new business - creating the perfect proposal. 

Diva Wraps it Up: Love this series - looks like a Christmas cozy mystery

Top Secret 21: Still loving this series

Body in the Woods: 3 teens find a dead body in the woods - first in a new mystery series

Thicker than Water: Can't wait to see what happens to Max in the second book.

Manhunt: 3rd book in the Silver Jaguar Society - this time it's about an art heist!

Lost Mission: Loved the first book and can't wait to see what happens next to Boy Nobody.

Murder Complex: Described as action packed, blood soaked thriller = I'm so there!

My Faire Lady: Finding love while working at a Renaissance Fair

On My Holds List (78)

My Librarian friend Jess from I Read to Relax came up with a great idea.  It's to highlight the books on hold at the library. I usually have 20-40 items checked out at the library and another 20 items on hold. 

Summer Books/Beach Books

How to Meet Boys: I love Catherine Clark's books - they go out like hotcakes at my library. I'm so happy to have a new book by her.

Since Last Summer: Really enjoyed the first book in the series - can't wait to see how things have changed in a year.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before: This sounds so good - plus I loved Jenny Han's summer series.

What I Thought Was True: tagline: A swoony summertime romance = sounds perfect

Rules of Summer

* Comes out in early June - Look for this one!*

Rory needs to get escape her mother and her mother's new boyfriend. She finds the perfect summer getaway -working for the employers of her aunt in the Hamptons. She's going to be their errand girl. As soon as she steps off the train, she realizes that she's been transported into another world.

A world where the staff and the family don't mix. She's been warned not to mix with the family and to stay out of their way. After her first night where she spills sauce on Isabel's dress, she believes it. But there's something about Isabel.

Isabel Rule isn't sure where she belongs. She spent a year in California and feels out of touch in the Hamptons. She hates the catty behavior, the gossip, and the obsession with money. Isabel starts hanging out with Mike, a boy from town.

She needs help sneaking out to see Mike and it looks like befriend Rory just might be the answer. Two girls from different worlds for a friendship over the summer that will forever change them.

My Thoughts: The perfect summer book and the start of a new series! It's a mix of Judy Blume's Summer Sisters and the Melissa de la Cruz's Au Pairs series. A fantastic novel about finding yourself and what you're made of. I loved the feel of this book, I devoured it. Both have a summer romance that changes them and puts their friendship in a whole new light.  I loved how the friendship grew between Isabel and Rory - how horrible it started, but little by little, they began to understand each other and appreciate the other.  Put this on your to-read list, you don't want to miss it!!

Cover Thoughts: Very Summery! Love the feel
Source: ARC from the publisher
Similar Read: The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

Review: Daughters Join the party

Emma, the last to know anything in her family, learns that her father will be running for President - on the day she gets kicked out of her boarding school. She was attending a summer session, but now her parents are scrambling to find her a school for the fall.

Her parents force her to attend the same school as her overachiever perfect brother - Remington. He's the golden boy of the family and the school.

Emma feels out of place next to him. Her family views her as a screw-up. She can't seem to do anything right. Luckily at school, she hangs out with Lizzie who introduces her to Hudson and Carina.

The three girls welcome Emma with open arms. Can Emma change people's opinion of her?

My Thoughts: I LOVED this series and I'm sad that this is the last book. I loved Emma's story. I loved her spunk, her outspokenness, and her daring attitude. I loved her determination and her spirit. I loved the romance, drama, and strong friendships in this series. I can't wait to read what Joanna Philbin writes next!

Cover Thoughts: Adorable - I love these covers and how they pop.

Source: My Library

Joanna Philbin came to RJ Julia's - a great independent bookstore not too far in CT. Here we are:


And here's the READ poster I made:

Review: The Daughters: Take the Stage

Hudson Jones love music – soulful music that makes you think. She’s not interested in the bubble-um pop music her mother’s famous for signing.

She now has the opportunity to become a major musical star. She’s recorded her tracks. When her mom her the tracks, she changed them. Now they don’t represent Hudson’s style, the songs are so similar to her mom’s style. Hudson knows they aren’t for her.

The first chance she has to perform in front on an audience, she runs off the stage. Her mother covers her absence with a fake food poisoning story. Hudson knows that she has to take control of her musical career and sing the way she wants to sing.

Can she stand up to her mom?

My Thoughts: The third book in the series takes Hudson’s perspective in the tale of three daughters trying to make their own way in life from outside their famous parents’ shadows. Hudson learns to take control over her life, even if it means making huge mistakes along the way. Luckily she has the support of her two best girlfriends. Their friendship is still rock solid. The drama, friendship, romance, and finding yourself continues in the addicting series.

Cover Thoughts: I love how the cover connect and I love how the girls pop against the mostly black and white background.

Source: My Library

Up Next: Daughters Join the Party - out in November

Cover Reveal

Here's the cover for the third book. I LOVE this series. I adore the covers. I love how the color makes the girls pop against the black and white background.

Available in May.

Thoughts?

Review: Daughters Break the Rules

After leaking a story damaging to her father and his business, Carina is in serious trouble. Not only is her father icing her out, but he's just cut her off. She no longer has unlimited credit cards.

Instead, she will receive an allowance of $20/week. Carina isn't sure she care survive, but she's determined to show her father she's not a spoiled brat.

Unfortunately, her crush asks her to go skiing over winter vacation in Switzerland. Carina jumps at the chance. Once she agrees, reality sets in when she realizes she'll need a way to pay for the trip.

She worms her way into planning a charity event on the expectation she draw big names. Carina meets with the people on Ava's list. However, once the vendors realize that it's a charity event and not for her father, they give her the cold shoulder. Carina's about to give up when she meets Alex.

He's a DJ who encourages her to look at the event in a whole new light. Soon, she's making huge changes to the event. Changes that won't cost her money. Best of all, she's spending more and more time with Alex. She finds herself confiding in him, everything except for the reasons she's really working for this event.

My Thoughts: This is the second book in the trilogy of three daughters who formed a bond due to their uber famous parents. They deal with real issues regardless of their family wealth and privilege. They're learning how to break out of their shells and live by their own rules. I love the transformation of Carina.

Cover Thoughts: I really like the mix of black and white and the colors. I think it makes the girls pop.

Source: My library

Next up: The Daughters Take the Stage out in May

Spotted: Joanna Philbin news

Joanna Philbin chats with SLJ about boys, her books, her life growing up and her writing. Read it here.

PLUS she answers three fan questions over at Poppy

Here's the first book cover.

You can read my review here.

I'm really looking forward to book 2: The Daughters Break the Rules out in November

What about you?

Review: The Daughters

Three best friends know how hard life in the spotlight (or in your parent's shadow) can be and the rules that can't be broken. Lizzie, the daughter of the hottest supermodel, hates having her picture taken. She looks so incredibly awkward comparatively to her ultra famous mother. Plus she hates it when her mother makes them pose together because Lizzie knows she's not beautiful, but she hates having other people acknowledge the fact.

After a huge fight with her mother over an accidental slip up that makes it on to youtube, Lizzie finds herself at a crossroads. She meets a photographer who sees something uniquely beautiful about her face - a new type of pretty with a natural look. On a whim, Lizzie agrees to become her model. Now Lizzie's loving the camera and the modeling work, but she is too afraid to tell her mother the truth. Will her mother accept Lizzie's decision after their fight about posing for photos together?

My Thoughts: I devoured this book - it's an addicting read filled with drama and friendship. I liked the twist having the parents as famous, not the daughters. Although the daughters will come into their own identities, they're struggling finding a separation from their parents. I can't wait for the next book due out in November.

Fun Facts: Joanna Philbin is Regis's daughter.

The Cover: This might not be final art work, but I like the contrast. The girls and colors are a bit different, but it's pretty much the same.

Source: I requested this from Little Brown & Company