Review: I Was Here *trigger warning*

I Was Here
by Gayle Forman

Synopsis

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of If I Staycomes "a heartbreaking novel about coping with loss" (People).
 
When her best friend, Meg, commits suicide by drinking a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how did she miss the signs of Meg's depression? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, and some secrets of his own. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.
 
"I Was Here is a pitch-perfect blend of mystery, tragedy, and romance. Gayle Forman has given us an unflinchingly honest portrait of the bravery that it takes to live after devastating loss."
—Stephen Chbosky, author of the #1 New York Timesbestselling The Perks of Being a Wallflower

synopsis from Amazon.com

Review

*Trigger Warning*

Gayle Forman does it again with this heart-wrenching book about a girl, Cody, and her reaction to the news that her best friend has committed suicide. The story takes us along for the ride as Cody learns information about Meg that surprises her. We also follow Cody as she realizes that grief is not black and white and there are actually many emotions that she is ALLOWED to have. Sadness. Anger. Guilt. Acceptance. - and everything in between. 

As someone who works in the mental health field, I truly appreciated this "behind-the-scenes" look at how it feels to be one of the people left behind when someone completes their suicide plan. Many people feel guilty and feel they should have seen the signs. The truth is that no one expects their loved one or even their acquaintance to commit suicide. And sometimes there are no visible signs that one can see. This is why it's important for us all to keep an open dialogue about mental health....to speak our minds when we feel that something is not right. Sometimes, all we need to do is listen. Listening to a loved one or even a random person can make a huge difference and become the encouragement that person needs for them to get help. I feel that this book did a wonderful job in portraying the story of those left behind...and just how complicated the human condition can get. 

Verdict

This story is worth reading, but it can also be difficult for those who have attempted or know someone who has attempted or completed suicide. Please - if you aren't ready to read, it's okay to skip for now. If you feel that reading and discussing it with someone who is understanding and patient will help, please do so. 

If you or anyone you know has had thoughts of suicide (or you want to know more about helping others), please read the information below:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1 (800) 273-8255

Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week

Languages: English, Spanish

Website: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Review: The Grown Ups

The Grown Ups

by Robin Antalek

Synopsis

From the author of The Summer We Fell Apart, an evocative and emotionally resonant coming-of-age novel involving three friends that explores what it means to be happy, what it means to grow up, and how difficult it is to do both together.

The summer he’s fifteen, Sam enjoys, for a few secret months, the unexpected attention of Suzie Epstein. For reasons Sam doesn’t entirely understand, he and Suzie keep their budding relationship hidden from their close knit group of friends. But as the summer ends, Sam’s world unexpectedly shatters twice: Suzie’s parents are moving to a new city to save their marriage, and his own mother has suddenly left the house, leaving Sam’s father alone to raise two sons.

Watching as her parents’ marital troubles escalate, Suzie takes on the responsibility of raising her two younger brothers and plans an early escape to college and independence. Though she thinks of Sam, she deeply misses her closest friend Bella, but makes no attempt to reconnect, embarrassed by the destructive wake of her parents as they left the only place Suzie called home. Years later, a chance meeting with Sam’s older brother will reunite her with both Sam and Bella—and force her to confront her past and her friends.

After losing Suzie, Bella finds her first real love in Sam. But Sam’s inability to commit to her or even his own future eventually drives them apart. In contrast, Bella’s old friend Suzie—and Sam’s older brother, Michael—seem to have worked it all out, leaving Bella to wonder where she went wrong.

Spanning over a decade, told in alternating voices, The Grown Ups explores the indelible bonds between friends and family and the challenges that threaten to divide them.

Review

I'm pretty picky about what books I read and I mostly stick to authors and genres I know. This is why I enjoy entering the Book Sparks Summer Reading Challenge. The challenge affords me the opportunity to find out about authors I never would have found out about on my own. Robin Antalek is one such author. The Grown Ups is a coming of age story for when you're "on the other side" also known as adulthood. It's a story told from the perspective of three individuals, Suzie, Sam, and Bella, starting from their early teen years to adulthood. Each faces similar, but unique experiences and heartaches - all while being a part of each other's stories.

This story is about growing up and how even when you're grown up, it doesn't mean you know all the answers. It's a beautiful and heartbreaking book. I will definitely be looking for other works by Robin Antalek.

Verdict

Read it!

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Review: Until You

Until You
by Jeannie Moon

Synopsis

When newly divorced Kate Adams is approached on the sunny deck of a California hotel by hockey star David Burke, and he invites her to dinner, she almost says no. He’s obviously younger than her. And charming. And drop dead gorgeous. But there’s also something sweet about David, so Kate—who hasn’t done anything spontaneous in a very long time—accepts his invitation. 

It is, after all, her fortieth birthday. 

However, a real romance with thirty-year-old David, whose picture is in the gossip pages as often as it’s in the sports pages, is out of the question. No matter how much she wants him, it’s just too risky. 
But meeting Kate has been David’s lightning strike. She’s the one for him, and he has no intention of giving up on her. 

So while Kate guards her fragile heart, David sets out to win her over with the same determination that drives him on the ice. 

And he’ll break every rule in the book if he has to. 

Review

I received an ARC of Until You by Jeannie Moon through Spark Point Studio in exchange for an honest review.

I hesitate to call contemporary romance books my guilty pressure. I don't think anyone should feel guilty about what they like to read. With that said, let me tell you my honest opinion about this book - I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The story was not the run of the mill, cookie-cutter kind of story. There were a lot of ups and downs and real character building happening in this story. The characters were very much like real people, making mistakes, having insecurities and wanting to be happy. I enjoyed the fact that the protagonist is a female fiction writer (best seller - thank you very much!) and that she wasn't so willing to be in a relationship. 

**********SPOILERS AHEAD************

This book also contains storylines that I usually hate in romance literature...and literature in general. For example: surprise pregnancy, more than 2 people's point of view, an engagement. I usually roll my eyes whenever any of these scenarios happens. They just irritate me. However, in this story? Not so much. Maybe it is because I came to like the characters, especially the protagonist Kate, so much. I wanted all the good guys to succeed and if that took some of these storylines to do it - so be it. I honestly just fell for the characters. 

Also, as a side note, I really don't like the covers of romance novels. I think this is why most of my romance titles reside in my Kindle/Nook/iBooks app on my tablet rather than on my shelf. I don't enjoy cheesiness. Regardless, this book is worth picking up in whatever format available. 

Verdict

If you enjoy romance stories, you'll enjoy this one. If you enjoy romance stories with an intelligent protagonist, you'll like it. If you like romance stories of the "major-sexy-times" persuasion...this book will probably not be enough for you.

Review: Can You Keep a Secret?

Can You Keep a Secret?
by Sophie Kinsella

Synopsis

With the same wicked humor, buoyant charm, and optimism that have made her Shopaholic novels beloved international bestsellers, Sophie Kinsella delivers a hilarious new novel and an unforgettable new character. Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets:

Secrets from her mother:
I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur.
Sammy the goldfish in my parents’ kitchen is not the same goldfish that Mum gave me to look after when she and Dad were in Egypt.

Secrets from her boyfriend:
I weigh one hundred and twenty-eight pounds. Not one eighteen, like Connor thinks. 

I’ve always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.

From her colleagues:
When Artemis really annoys me, I feed her plant orange juice. (Which is pretty much every day.) It was me who jammed the copier that time. In fact, all the times.

Secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone in the world:
My G-string is hurting me.


I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is.

Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger.

But come Monday morning, Emma’s office is abuzz about the arrival of Jack Harper, the company’s elusive CEO. Suddenly Emma is face-to-face with the stranger from the plane, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her. Things couldn’t possibly get worse—Until they do.

Review

I was in a mood for a sweet, funny contemporary book - and although I've only read Confessions of a Shopaholic by Kinsella, I knew that she was the way to go if I needed that lightheartedness. I was not disappointed!

Can You Keep a Secret? is one hilarious book. It's about a junior executive, Emma, who spends most of her life lying to the people around her. Not in a bad way really, but in a way that she thinks will help everyone be happy and "keep the peace." All that changes, however, after taking a turbulent flight home that makes her feel like she's going to die. This causes her to spill all her secrets to the gentlemen next to her - a gentlemen that she later discovers is her boss!

As if it weren't bad enough that her boss now knows all her innermost secrets, the event causes her lies to slowly unravel from the rest of her life - something Emma is so not prepared to deal with!

This story is such a joy to read that it took me about a day to finish (granted, I've been home with bronchitis, but you know...). If you are a fan of funny, contemporary fiction and Kinsella's other works, you'll love this!

Verdict

So much fun :D

Short Story Friday: The Hot Girl's Friend

The Hot Girl's Friend
by Lisa Scott

from Flirts Vol 1: 5 Romantic Short Stories

Review

It really hadn't occurred to me to find contemporary romance short stories. I've always thought of short stories as being about mystery or horror. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found this collection. 

I like cliches sometimes. There are certain ones I like and I can't help myself. They are like the perfect brownie or a bowl of perfectly buttered popcorn. One of my favorite cliches is that of the "plain" girl, who is most likely brown-haired and described as somewhat chubby, and the awesome sweet guy, who chooses said brown-haired girl over her bombshell blonde friend. After some chasing and misunderstandings, there is a happily ever after. 

Is the story deep? No. Am I going to remember the story years from now? Probably not. Do I still enjoy them? Yes. Definitely. 

Verdict

If you like contemporary romance and want an even quicker fix - look no further! Don't like romance? Definitely skip.  

Review: Better off Friends

Better off Friends
by Elizabeth Eulberg

Synopsis

WHEN HARRY MET SALLY . . . for teens, from romantic comedy star Elizabeth Eulberg.

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can't be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan's friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they're best friends -- which wouldn't be so bad if they didn't keep getting in each other's way. Guys won't ask Macallan out because they think she's with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can't help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again -- and one kiss away from true love?

Review

This book pretty much had me at "WHEN HARRY MET SALLY...for teens". I LOVE When Harry Met Sally. Love Love Love. And this book??? I loved it! It has two very believable characters with a believable love story. And the writing style! I loved how each chapter was written by either Macallan or Levi and in between they had their little banter in short dialogue (You'll get it when you read it because you WILL read it). 

Macallan is a strong leading female, which is my weakness! She's strong but emotional and not cold. Levi is misguided but lovable. Together they have the perfect friendship. And by perfect I also mean imperfect (because nothing is perfect people). This book definitely reminded me of when Harry Met Sally due to the intelligent banter of it's characters. There was a lot of love between friends and family and it spanned years...YEARS of the two leading characters' lives. That's right people - this isn't a love that happens after the next big dance or whatever. The duo basically meet in middle school and their friendship, with it's love and hardships, spans until Senior year in high school. 

I got this book from the library, but once it's in paperback, I'm so going to get it and re read it. 

Verdict

I loved it. If you love contemporary love stories with lovable characters who have their flaws but aren't annoying - this book is for you.