Review: ON THE FENCE by Kasie West

Title: On the Fence
Author: Kasie West
Publication date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

She's a tomboy. He's the boy next door…

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she's got a bigger problem than speeding tickets-she's falling for Braden. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.

A lot of authors try to be The Great One in fun, YA contemporaries. There are so many superb authors out there. I have my favorites, but I have come to a solid conclusion. Kasie West succeeds. When it comes to summery books, she's your woman. 

Others try. 

While this wouldn't be my favorite West novel, it still doesn't disappoint. The main character Charlie is  the only girl in her family of brothers and single father. She's sporty, one of the guys, and her connection as a narrator doesn't waver for me. Their lifelong friend and neighbor has felt like one of the brothers, but as to be expected, Charlie's and Braden's perspectives of each other changes as situations unfold. 

I have to admit that I'm a sucker for these kind of stories. The next-door neighbor romance, the tomboy, the girl with lots of brothers; it instantly appeals to me. These stories also have predictability, but when they're fun and written by Kasie West, it's completely fine with me. Call me bias, I don't care. 

Charlie starts becoming interested in hot Evan, a cardboard cutout character, after her new job and discovery of makeup. I see it in the way of Evan solely being in the story to move things along. His presence pushes Braden's feelings to come to play, to get Charlie a new outlook, and to push Charlie to feel okay with putting effort into her looks. He's basically a stepping stone in Charlie's life and while he didn't impress me as a character, he was necessary to the story. 

I wish we knew more about Charlie's brothers. For the longest time, I couldn't remember who was who, except for possibly Gage. I would've liked to see their personalities come through a little more. The only thing we truly know is that they're incredibly sporty, include and love Charlie, and are protective. Here's the gray area: some bloggers have ranted about how sexist the brothers are. While I can see why they think that, as a girl who has a protective big brother and father, I see it as love. I'm all about WOMAN POWER! and not treating women as if they're naive, weak, or unequal. But they were being brothers. In my opinion and from what I can remember, I thought they were being sweet. Maybe if they had come across stronger to me I would have felt differently. But I saw it as innocent.

Just like with The Distance Between Us, I loved the interaction with the two lovebirds. I still believe that the greatest relationships are friend-based and that's what Charlie and Braden have.

"I already told you to stop reading me."
"I can read you because I know you better."

"In your dreams."

"Yes, you've been there, too."

It wasn't as if the whole book was perfect, there were annoyances and I nitpicked certain areas. I still wasn't disappointed though. It was fun. Summery. Cute. Romantic. Stable. Another Kasie West novel. 

Verdict: I only hate that I don't have another Kasie West book to binge immediately afterwards.

Quotes and other elements may change after publication.

Review: SUMMER OF YESTERDAY by Gaby Triana

Title: Summer of Yesterday
Author: Gaby Triana
Publication date: June 17, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Back to the Future meets Fast Times at Ridgemont High when Haley’s summer vacation takes a turn for the retro in this totally rad romantic fantasy.

Summer officially sucks. Thanks to a stupid seizure she had a few months earlier, Haley’s stuck going on vacation with her dad and his new family to Disney’s Fort Wilderness instead of enjoying the last session of summer camp back home with her friends. Fort Wilderness holds lots of childhood memories for her father, but surely nothing for Haley. But then a new seizure triggers something she’s never before experienced—time travel—and she ends up in River Country, the campground’s long-abandoned water park, during its heyday.

The year? 1982.

And there—with its amusing fashion, “oldies” music, and primitive technology—she runs into familiar faces: teenage Dad and Mom before they’d even met. Somehow, Haley must find her way back to the twenty-first century before her present-day parents anguish over her disappearance, a difficult feat now that she’s met Jason, one of the park’s summer residents and employees, who takes the strangely dressed stowaway under his wing.

Seizures aside, Haley’s used to controlling her life, and she has no idea how to deal with this dilemma. How can she be falling for a boy whose future she can’t share?

So. Much. Potential. 

Actually, its potential wasn't fully wasted because I liked this book for the most part. I stayed up reading it until way after midnight and thought about it for an extra 30 minutes or so. So where did it go wrong? 

Well, first, I'll tell you where it was right. Gaby Triana's writing style and voice connected with me. Again, I had a problem nearing the end, but in all, Haley's narration sucked me in. She made quips and didn't bore me. I felt like I could picture the setting, both in the past and future. I knew from the beginning that I'd pick up another Triana book right away because her writing captivated me in a fun way. 

Another plus was the first half of the plot, which kept me reading. I was interested to see the past and meet Haley's teenage parents and explore the surprise with her. I loved reading about how Haley was trying to deal with it all and I begged for more. 

Unfortunately, that's where it ends. It might not seem like it, but those plusses weighed a lot in my mind so I don't consider this a bad book, perse. I just expected something different. 

The plot for me

THE PLOT. Oh, what great things it could have done. In the synopsis, it introduces cute Jason, a boy Haley meets in her parents' era. In the beginning of the book, it introduces the idea that Haley feels out of place with her dad and his stepfamily and whatnot. So when I kept reading, I figured there would be romance, but that Haley would actually resolve familial issues along the way...or AT LEAST at the end. Unless I misunderstood, I thought that if the author implies trouble in an area and busts open a door for a conflict for the MC to overcome and satisfyingly resolve, the MC would, you know, do so. Instead, We saw her parents a couple of times (not even a handful, I think), focusing on this unbreakable, meant-to-be mumbo jumbo love between Haley and Jason, the boy who is her PARENTS' age. 

Let's get this straight real quick. Jason and Haley meet and she's in his era for a grand total of, I think, three days. In that already limited time, they're only together for about 50-75% of that because she's napping or on the run or he's at work. So they might share some "deep" information, but I personally believe it's still superficial in the grand scheme of things. Then Haley considers STAYING with Jason and this is where I'd like to remind you all once again that he is the same age as her parents. Same. Age. Yes, she only knows him as a teenager, but it's just...wrong. Her wanting to grow up with her parents is wrong. It's all wrong. 

It continues to be wrong when THINGS happen at the end. Things that I can't talk about because it's spoilery. Basically, it made me very, very peeved. One of the non-spoilery things at the end that made me angry was the fact that familial issues were not resolved. I think the author made an attempt for resolution, but I wasn't fooled. More superficial things happened, but none of Haley's complaints and problems were actually addressed. Do you know what that makes me? Dissatisfied. 

Verdict: Some people may love the direction it took, but I would have liked it a whole lot more if it was less romance and more family and exploration.

July Rewind and Review

Hosted by Bookshelvers Anonymous

Oh, July, you have done great things for me. Sure, I've had some breakdowns this month and lots of stress and guilt trips. But I also received many great books that I've been looking forward to posting about. My post and review list will be pathetically sparse though. Pretty much the lowest it's ever been so that means I'll be just adding it in one section and you just have to ignore the fact that this is all of July.

My Posts

• Disappointments of a Blogger (the title says it all)
• Books I Read But Never Reviewed (awesome idea stolen by Gillian)
• Presenting a Blogger...Jasprit and Rachel from The Reader's Den (interviewed a couple of my favorite bloggers!)
• Review: OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu (uncomfortably brave contemporary)
• Top Ten Tuesday: Words/Topics That Make Me Stay Away 
• Happy Birthday to Me!
• Wishlist Wednesday #18 - Six Months Later by Natalie Richards (What a happy story I have to tell you all)

Because I can't resist adding a post that I have already done...August bonus!

• Audiobook Appreciation

Stuff I Was Given

• Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller (Bloomsbury...which is funny since they also accepted me through NetGalley a month ago)
• How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski (YA Book Exchange)
• Parallel by Lauren Miller (ARCycling)
• Gilt by Katherine Longshore (ARCycling)
• Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook (ARCycling...I know, I am definitely catching up on my reviews asap!) 
• The Rules by Stacey Kade (Hardcover via Shelver for my birthday)
• For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund, Zits: Chillax by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, Belle by Beverly Jenkins, The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller (Birthday loot, thank you, parents!) 

Stuff I Bought

• All-American Girl by Meg Cabot ($1!)

A Few of My Favorite Blog Moments

• I got interviewed by Emma at her blog, so sweet!
• Encouraging people on Twitter, I love you all. 
• Stacey Kade said that she's sending me the next book in the Project Paper Dolls series when it's ready. *hugs*
• MY BIRTHDAY!
• When I posted Wishlist Wednesday #18, I got an amazingly sweet comment from the book's author, Natalie Richards. Then she emailed me and said she scrounged up an ARC to give me if I wanted it because she was happy that her book was on my wishlist and that I posted about it and thought it would be nice since she saw I just had a birthday. If I make another "Nicest Authors" list again, she definitely deserves to be on there. 

My birthday dinner/evening :)  [Dad is not shown, I'm in the pink]

~*~

Although fall semester will be starting in a couple weeks, my awful summer biology and lab will be OVER! Hallelujah. That means I will hopefully have more time to read since I've discovered I have more time to read during actual school time than during the summer. I'm seriously loving all these new books. 

How was your July? Hope you have a great fall!

Audiobook Appreciation

This year, I have expanded my reading world to the listening side of things. Audiobooks were never on my radar because of several things.

• I thought I would mourn the loss of a paperback in my hands.
• I sometimes listened to music while I read or multitasked so how could I possibly listen to something? What could I do if I was listening to a book? Sit there like a lump? 
• Narrators intimidated me. 
• If I listened to a book, what if any negative feeling towards the audio element of it made me dislike the actual book? What if I was missing out on a wonderful piece of art because something else got in the way? 
• I don't like change.

Looking back at my list, I realize that I sound like an old lady. I couldn't process this technology and didn't care to. I was still resistant even coming into the blogging world until I read Starry-Eyed Jen's blog. She is a big promoter of audiobooks and when I read her reviews, I questioned if I was really looking at audiobooks correctly. 

Then my sister started listening to The Hunger Games audiobook in the car and when I went with her on errands, she played it. Since I was forcing** myself to not reread The Hunger Games series until Catching Fire came out in November, I was okay with this arrangement. Sure, I was nervous when she started playing it that it would ruin my love for the series. However, that irrational thinking went out the window when she hit play and we were at the cave scene with Peeta. Well, hello there. 

**I was forcing myself because I had gotten so attached to the series that I got more emotional each time I read it. I needed to use self-control more and also not experience so much heartbreak. Yes, listening to the book is kind of like reading it, but let's not discuss that small detail. 

I still thought that I had no room for audiobooks even though I wanted to go on errands with my sister even more and just sit in the car when she went inside all the stores. But then LIGHTBULB! I realized that I could play it on the iPad speaker in the bathroom while I took a shower. So that's where I listened to all the emotional scenes with Peeta, sad Gale moments, even sadder Prim moments, and Finnick *sobs*. Of course, I also retracted my balking at the thought of listening to it on my daily walk because I couldn't just listen to them in the shower, I needed more time with this lovely series. There was also the fact that I kept getting goosebumps right after I shaved from all the feels. 

That's when I realized: Jen was right! Everyone was right! Audiobooks aren't boring and they shouldn't be intimidating. You can get into them and when you do, they are a wonderful thing. I actually did just sit on my couch as I played an addicting game wasting a lot of time when I should have been doing school so I could listen to my audiobook. 

The things I realized during my audiobook experiences expand every time. 

• Sometimes I don't have time to sit down and read a paperback. Even if I do, I probably just finished reading lots of chapters in my textbook or had to write and reread and reread and reread and reread some more an essay for school. Audiobooks are a great way to help your desire for fiction, but gives a break on your eyes. 
• Like I mentioned above, you can still multitask! Indulge yourself in an addicting phone game. 
• Narrators can give the story more life. Really, that surprised me the most. My audiobook review for The Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce will be coming soon, but the narrator? Fan-stinking-tastic. 
• I might get into books even more if I listen to them because the narrators not only give life to the story, but also pronounce words for me, give voices to the characters, and by listening to a book, I could possibly be wrapped up in the story more. 
• Sometimes change is a good thing. 

I still absolutely love my paperbacks and would rather get a physical book for my birthday than a disc, but audiobooks are great alternatives. 

How I now feel about audiobooks.

All summer, SYNCYA has been giving away two free audiobooks a week, one classic and one YA. It's wrapping up this month, but it's not too late to download a few! Unfortunately, my computer is being wonky and won't let me get to the website. So go to Jen's page and try to get to it there. Or use the powerful Google. 

I might be the last one to the audiobook party, but if you still haven't gotten into them, I strongly recommend starting. 

What are your favorite audiobooks? Do you use audiobooks? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books at the Top of My Summer TBR Pile

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

It's been summer for a while now, but while making this list, I can't help exclaiming, "It's suuuuummeeeerrtimeeeee!"

So here's my list of books that I fully plan on reading this summer. New or old, I'm determined to read them.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

I received an ARC of this one from the publisher a few months ago and have been staring at it on my bookshelf for a while now. Since I couldn't review this one until closer to the release date, I have been holding it off. However, I can't wait any longer and shall be devouring it soon. A space romance sounds summer-y to me. 

Zits: Chillax by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman 

This came out about a month ago, but I've been wanting it ever since I heard there was going to be a new Zits book. Sure, it's comics. I don't care. I can picture myself going to the beach and reading this to my heart's content. 

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Sequel to Shadow and Bone. The author is Leigh Bardugo. Do you REALLY need more information? Fine. I fell in love with the first book, I have heard only positive things about this one, I just bought Siege and Storm, and recently met Bardugo. I'm anticipating the swoon-age. 

Camp Boyfriend by J.K. Rock

I read the prequel novella on my iPad and was surprised how much I got into it because A. I usually am not as invested with ebooks as regular ones and B. My expectations weren't high. Since I already know I like the story and the main character, I look forward to this one even more. Summertime is specifically for camp books. 

The Program by Suzanne Young

A dystopian society about teen suicide with romance (obviously). Count me in! Actually, I was basically counted in months ago when I first saw it and started pining over it. I will buckle down and make sure I have this book in my hands in this summer. 

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

It hasn't been in my library nor have I been able to get an interlibrary loan on it. That won't stop me though even if if I have to write a letter to my library, stating my absolute need for it. It sounds amazing since I love the original Persuasion and I'm a huge fan of retellings. Also, my sister snagged the companion book at BEA so I do have that waiting for me too. 

Unspoken by Sarah Brees Brennan

I feel like I see this one on at least one positive Top Ten Tuesday list a week. Additionally, I know that my trusted blogger friend Gillian LOVES this book so there's another incentive. I, Sunny, pledge that I will stop procrastinating and read this book by its rumored amazing author. Also, it involves an imaginary friend/love interest. Bonus points for originality and a great cover.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

When I made its companion novel my Cover Love last week, I was bombarded by great comments saying that I HAVE to read this one. Of course, I also have my sister swooning about it whenever it's even mentioned. WWII stories (and anything related to WWII because hello, Captain America) are my thing and I'm excited just thinking about it. 

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson 

LOOK! It's a male author. I don't have many chances to read books by men so I'm looking forward to this one. Also, the real reason is because it's a twisted superhero story. Thank goodness for BEA and sisters because my sister's copy is only a foot away from me right this second. 

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

Once again, thanks to BEA and Shelver going, she got this for my mom. My mom raved about this one and it sounds like the perfect light read. It's technically in letter form, but it reads like any contemporary, first person fiction. If you want to be specific, it could also be considered New Adult, but not with all the sexuality that NA is known for. And it involves Jane Austen references! WIN. 

EDIT: As this is about to be posted, I already finished this one. Yay for me who actually wrote her Top Ten Tuesday way earlier than usual! Also, the book? Absolutely addicting. 

Honorable mentions: The Archived by Victoria Schwab (I've had it on my shelf for the longest time and NEED to read it), Everbound by Brodi Ashton (I love sequels and this is another one), Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers (another sequel that I can't wait to read!), A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan (repeatedly recommend by my other trusted blogger friend Alice)

What's on your summer TBR list? 

Presenting a Blogger: Lauren @ Love is not a triangle

I realized when I started blogging that I like to do two things: interview and meet/introduce bloggers. Interviewing allows us to get to know a person better and I don't think anyone can meet too many bloggers. In addition, when I love a blogger and their work, I want to treat them like a book by showcasing them whenever I can. So today, I have the pleasure of interviewing a great blogger, Lauren from Love is not a triangle. 

Hey Lauren! I'm so happy that you're here. Please introduce yourself and your blog.

Hi Sunny! Thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog. I feel incredibly honored. 

Hi, my name is Lauren, and I don't do crafts. I read. (I feel like I'm in a support group, with that intro). My blog name is Love is not a triangle, because while I love to read, I do not like love triangles. At all. However, I do have friends who like them. Triangle dislike is not a requirement to be my friend or read my blog. I do include a Love Triangle Factor and a Cliffhanger Scale in my reviews, though. Just in case you're like me and what to know whether a book has a triangle or a cliffy before you start it. 

Can I add in here how I love that? I think bloggers should have a support group! I also love your Love Triangle Factor and Cliffhanger Scale. 

Why or how did you decide to start blogging? 

I've always been a reader and have been active on Goodreads for several years, though I didn't start officially blogging until the end of July last year. I like that writing a review is a way for me to physically track my reaction to a book. I read so much that sometimes I forget the details. Reviewing books also allows me to keep up with my analytical and critical thinking skills in a way that I don't get in my daily life.

[Note: Book blogging group hug!]

It wasn't until I participated in a read-along for the book Outlander by Diana Gabaldon last summer that I actually made blogging happen. To join the read-along, you were supposed to be a blogger, because of weekly questions posts. Thankfully, the kind and generous Asheley @ Into the Hall of Books allowed me to post mine on her site. Through the event, I met so many other bloggers who like to read and discuss the same types of books that I do. And who read as much as I do. It was an exciting and refreshing experience to find people out there just like me. I really wanted to become an active member of that community. 10 months later, I'm loving being a part of the awesomeness that is book blogging. I'm even going to BEA this year. 

Yes! It's amazing how great this community is. BEA! *sniff*

[Note: BEA has started and I am looking at every tweet, living vicariously through you all]

What genres do you love reading and/or reviewing the most? 

Hmmm. I'm not sure if I have a favorite genre. Also, sometimes I read a book and compose a review in my head as I'm reading, and then I write it very fast. But sometimes I finish a book and think "I have no idea what to say!" But it's not genre based. I can't read too much of one genre at a time. If I read a lot of contemporaries, I need to throw in fantasy or paranormal to balance myself out (and vice versa). Also, I'm terrible at categorizing book genres. I get contemporary, but everything else sits in one big lump o' speculative fiction in my head. And now authors like to mix up genres, which confuses me more.  

That doesn't actually answer your question. I read mostly young adult fiction of all genres, but I'm pretty flexible and willing to try new types of books. I do have trouble with alternate realities/parallel worlds for some reason. They don't always work for me. But maybe I'll find a book that I LOVE that fits within that category, and change my mind completely. 

Top three favorite authors? 

I am not very good at these top questions, so I'm going to give you four of my favorites: Melina Marchetta, Maggie Stiefvater, Jane Austen and Harper Lee. I love that Harper Lee wrote one book and was like "this is everything I wanted to say, and now I'm done."And it's still a masterpiece, and my favorite book!

Rebel. 

Who is your favorite YA couple? 

Another question I have such trouble answering. This changes a lot, but today I'll say Jonah Griggs and Taylor Markham from Jellicoe Road or Perry and Aria from the Under the Never Sky series. 

Perrrrry! 

Obviously, you hate love triangles (who doesn't nowadays?), but what would be some of your other bookish pet peeves? 

First I will say that my love triangle quirkiness is so huge and massive that I try not to have too many other pet peeves when I read. Because whether or not a book has a love triangle, and the severity of it, greatly affects my reaction to books. 

I prefer slow burn romances to insta-love. But I don't mind instant attraction if it's realistic, and as long as the characters don't jump immediately to "I love you." I've found with me, a lot of pet peeves are more about how an individual author approaches a topic, than an across the board turn-off. Sometimes a character will do something in one book that I think is incredibly annoying and off putting. But I'll read a different book with a a different character who does something similar, and it doesn't bug me as much, because it wasn't handled the same. Does that make any sense? I can't think of an example at this moment.  

The other thing that causes me a lot of problems is seeing the same storyline or plot flow in multiple books. If I start to notice a pattern, it makes the individual stories feel less real, and more contrived. For instance, I went through this whole period with contemporaries where I couldn't stand that almost all of them seemed to have this chaotic moment around 80% where the couple would have a massive falling out, and there would be tons of drama and stress for a while, before the happy conclusion. It happens in a lot of books, though recently it hasn't been bugging me as much, so maybe it's going away, or I'm not freaked out by it as much. 

Yes! Insta-love is blech as well as repetitive plots. 

What is one book that you recently read and loved? 

I LOVED The 5th Wave, though I'm not sure what I think about the last two pages. I also really liked Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith, which is a little out there, and won't appeal to everyone. But I thought it was an amazingly accurate picture of mental illness and had a fantastic romance. I'm currently reading The Bitter Kingdom, the final book in Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns series, and I can already tell that it is going to be epic and amazing!

You're killing me. All books that I'm DYING to read! 

Anything else you would like to add?

I'll probably think of something important to write here, once you publish this...Oh I know, I'm hosting a Summer Series Challenge with some blogging friends this June - August. It's to encourage people to finish the series they've already started, or read through some from start to finish. Stop by my blog if you're interested in learning more about it. It's going to be easy and stress free, and we want everyone to join! (I apologize for the shameless promotion.) 

No apologies needed! I'm glad you mentioned it because I forgot to ask! To go sign up or learn more, click here. 

This or That: 

Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla always.

Ebook or paperback? I switch between these a lot. Ebooks are better on the go, but I'd prefer to own a paperback that I can hold in my hands or lend to friends. 

Star Wars or Star Trek? Star Wars definitely. Or maybe it's just Harrison Ford, definitely. 

Brunette or blonde? (of the boy variety) Brunette for sure! I'm a blonde though.

Winter or Summer? SUMMER! I get so depressed about where I live in the winter, but love the summers and falls here. 

~*~

There you have it, folks. Now do me proud by hopping on over to say hi to Lauren on her blog, sign up for the Summer Series Challenge, and love her blog like I do. 

Blog: http://www.loveisnotatriangle.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurayjames

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1714237-lauren