Mockingjay Part 1 + the Miami International Book Fair

My weekend has been very bookish so far. And it feels so refreshingly good.

I usually see any Hunger Games movie the night before it officially opens, whether it's midnight or 8pm. This year, though, I had to wait to see it on Friday night since my best friend, who I always go with, couldn't do it the night before. So not only did I have an extra day of pent-up excitement, but this is MOCKINGJAY. Does anyone understand this? This is part one of the most heartbreaking, stress-inducing, soul-crushing books ever.

They included direct quotes from the book, skipped a few parts (and twisted them around), and even added a few things. Like the other two movies, Mockingjay Part 1 had "behind the scene" type of scenes, what I like to call "background scenes." In the books, it's solely told by Katniss's perspective so we don't know anything except for what she tells us and thinks. However, in the movies, they can't portray that so they add scenes from the Capitol's perspective, District 13's perspective, and even gives us further insight into scenes we didn't have. SPOILER-ish: In the book, when they go rescue Peeta, all we do is wait with Katniss and rejoice when they're found. In the movie, Katniss and all of us watch them break in. The whole audience grows more tense, even though we've read the books, because we're waiting for what they find and the suspense grows. Personally, I LOVED this. END OF SPOILER. 

I tried looking up Mockingjay gifs, but the really good ones (like with Peeta) are too spoilery in my opinion. If you've seen the latest trailer, you'll know how he looks, but I think seeing his transition progress is the best way to really FEEL. I don't want to rob you of that. It's also possible that my heart broke all over again and I was feeling super emotional while looking at those Peeta pictures and gifs. 

Again, I say, if you're "Team Gale" this is for you:

He's a jerk and you obviously haven't read the 2nd half of Mockingjay

I tried to ignore any comparisons or critiques I had and watch it from a moviegoer's perspective. But there was one thing that I loathed entirely: Jennifer Lawrence's wig. It wasn't so bad when she wore her hair in a style, but when it was just down, it distracted me. (The guy who sat in my row and laughed during tense, emotional scenes visiting District 12 anyone? and whose cellphone went off didn't help either. He can go have an unhappy life.) 

And then I met some amazing authors the next day. 

My sister, her friend, and I went to the Miami International Book Fair on Saturday. First, we sat in on Robin LaFevers and Kami Garcia's panel. I recorded LaFevers, but the quality didn't turn out well and I'm too lazy. Basically, she gave us a rundown of her books (Garcia, too). But it was really interesting to hear about how she came up with the idea. She found Brittany, which is a region of France, and its cultural and historical roots. Also, Anne of Brittany is pretty cool, and she talked about her influence with the series so I suggest researching her up. As for Kami, she was hilarious and I could've probably listened to her for a long time.

Shae and Robin meet. I snatch a selfie with her. 

Shae is Ms. Robin's assistant and after the signing, she took us to the author's suite (a big room filled with all the authors from the HUGE event) to talk. 

This doesn't even do it justice for how many people were in here

Then we said our goodbyes and got in line to have Maggie Stiefvater sign our books. 

An hour or so later, we listen to Jennifer Lynn Barnes and Melissa Marr talk for their panel. They completely captured my attention. I inwardly begged to listen to more because I'm so intrigued by Barnes' psychology brain and Marr's insight from her own personal situations. 

 AND SHE RECOGNIZED ME! 

 Afterwards, the guy who was in charge of the HarperCollins booth made me a deal and gave me a brand spankin' new hardcover of Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley (one of my 2014 favorites) for only $5. I hugged it all the way to the car.

My $5 favorite and the three signed books! 

I'm feeling overwhelmed with school (my tweets are proof) and I'm trying to take advantage of being home for about 10 days, but having two days devoted to books (even if it's a movie adapted from a book) was worth it. I thank my friends for dealing with my fangirling tendencies before, during, and after Mockingjay Part 1. And I thank my sister for brining me to the book fair.

Have you seen Mockingjay Part 1 yet? Have you read any of the books above? 

Review: SNOW LIKE ASHES by Sara Raasch

Title: Snow Like Ashes
Author: Sara Raasch
Publication date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

I've been trying to come up with the exact words to use for this review. It's difficult. Snow Like Ashes made me feel conflicted throughout the story, not loving it, but not hating it either. 

What I liked: 

1. The political and power aspects. About 75% of this book, I'd have to say, was about politics and power. There was war that made me picture the "FOR NARNIA AND FOR ASLAN!" scene in The Chronicles of Narnia. There were poverty and power struggles between leaders. There were scenes with strategies laid out and you felt the struggle everyone was in. I've been getting more into these type of books lately so I appreciated it all.

2. The narrative. I like first impressions are important not just for real life, social situations, but also for books. I need to like the narrative and even better, if it's from the start. I quickly got into Meira's narrative, which is always relieving when it's through an ebook. I might have had issues in the story and my interest may have fluctuated throughout, but I liked the narrative.

3. A lot of THINGS happen. It's so vague, I know. But like I said, THINGS happen and I liked that nothing wasn't ever truly settled throughout. 

What I disliked: 

1. The lack of punch. While I like that THINGS happen, I still didn't get that WOW factor. I waited for that love to kick in, for me to be hungry for more, or to feel fangirling emotions for it. But I didn't. I just nodded and went, "Okay, that's a nice book." I can't wait to read the next book, not because of how this one affected me, but because I NEED answers and closure (which is a positive actually). 

2. The looming threat of a love triangle. Like Kiss of Deception, I feel weary about how the sequel plays out the romance. Meira has always had a crush on her best friend Mather. But then this new guy shows up and throws a wrench in everything, but always stirs something up in Mather. Typical. But a love triangle doesn't actually come to life. It's implied. It's definitely hinted at for the next book. I wouldn't be surprised if it does, but oh, I'll be disappointed. So it hasn't crossed that line yet, but I hate that I felt that way throughout. 

3.  I was so dang confused. World building in a fantasy book is tricky. It's especially difficult when debut authors try to make complex worlds. Props to them, but I could've used more clarifications. I didn't really understand how the Seasons worked. At about halfway, I felt that I had a little grasp on what I was reading (eerily similar to how I feel about geometry concepts), but not enough that I could explain to others...or anywhere close. 

It wasn't the best fantasy I read, but it definitely wasn't horrible. It came close to which outweighed more: positives or negatives. But in the end, the positives won. Because of the political aspects, the few surprises (albeit some were predictable), and THINGS, I'd tentatively recommend this one. 

Verdict: Not a fantasy that I LOVE, but I'm hoping for the best (and no love triangle) for the sequel.

Review: THE JEWEL by Amy Ewing

Title: The Jewel 
Author: Amy Ewing
Publication date: September 2, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

I'm such a sucker. A naive, little reader who gets cover cover lust. Also, legitimate synopsis desires. I wasn't a fan of The Selection, despite the fact that the dresses are beautiful and the synopsis is addicting. The Selection did continue to get me to read its books, but only because it resembled a guilty pleasure reality TV show and I wanted to know what happened (and regretted doing so). The Jewel resembles it in a way. Same pretty cover, same amazing synopsis, and same disappointing and guilty pleasure. But worse in some areas and better than others. 

I won't be comparing the two through the review because, even though they both made me really angry, it's not fair. Violet is actually a pretty good main character at first. She has me interested in her life, her family, and her situation. I care about her and especially about her best friend Raven. I wanted to know more and I felt excited at the book's prospects. 

Then it crashed. And it was bad. 

We're introduced to Ash, who's relationship to the family was a bit confusing to me. He was the Duchess's niece's companion who did sexual favors? and completely off-limits to Violet, the Duchess's property. Of course, they apparently hit it right off and in no time flat, are confessing their undying love to each other. 

What. Just. Happened. WHAT JUST HAPPENED? I stared in shock at my iPad and was trying to figure out how Violet and the whole book suddenly took a downward spiral. 

I think I tried to wipe away what I just read from my brain because after a few weeks, I couldn't really remember all their transgressions. But here are a couple of Goodreads updates: 

47%: Speaking about your irrationality is not the same as as removing it. Please fix yourself.

68%: I now think this is turning into stupidity and I hate that I've stayed up late when I have work in the morning. 

I finished the book and gave it 2 stars for two reasons: 

1. I liked the beginning. It deserves SOME credit for that. 
2. Raven. I'm telling you, I liked Raven. When we got into that nasty Ash business, I wanted to ditch Violet and go straight to poor Raven. 

While I did notice that The Jewel avoided some cliches, it didn't avoided the biggest. It gave me insta-love and all the tropes that go with it when Ash came into the picture. I think some people will still enjoy this because that doesn't matter to them (or they even like it), which is fine. I think The Selection fans will either love it because of The Selection or hate it because it's compared to The Selection. 

Verdict: Disappointing to the max. 

How do you like insta-love? Do you DNF if a book you're reading goes into a downward spiral FAST? 

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.

ReaLITy Check: Growing Up

Books are our friends, right? WRONG. Friends don't lie, at least they shouldn't lie. Therefore, books cannot be our friends. Rewind to the beginning of my senior year, or even before that, and you'll see what I'm talking about. Fiction is fiction for a reason and I know that authors try to stick to realism, but need to spice things up. It's especially hard in contemporary because it's our world. Well, in late high school, I realized that everything I thought I knew about graduation was false, thanks to YA contemporary.

Do you know how many YA contemporary books are set in public high school? A lot. Do you know how many of those are set in senior year, usually the spring before they graduate? A lot more. Do you know how many of those realistically portrayed what senior year is supposed to be like? A whole lot less. Real life is no fun and usually boring so I get wanting to spice things up, but is it really necessary to traumatically disappoint me? 

I took the ACTs earlier than most, but still continued to take it throughout my senior year to boost my  score (I did well the earlier times, but a certain scholarship I needed required a high score that I kept missing by a point or less). There've been books that have talked about the SATs and others that have talked about scholarships. A lot of times, there has been mention of stress about picking a college and deciding what to do or how to get there or coping with growing up. But I NEVER read a book that accurately described the stress and the confusing, mundane tasks to actually reach college. 

The super long list I was never informed I had to do to reach college includes...

• Paying to just apply for college 
• Writing AT LEAST a 500 word essay (one I looked at had TWO!) along with other repetitive questions
• Actually deciding on which college, which requires lots of research and worrying
• Making sure the college you want knows you're accepting
• Signing up for housing (required, along with a meal plan for my college)
• Worrying about your roommate
• Waiting forever to hear about your room assignment
• Signing up for orientation
• Completing FAFSA
• Sending in your immunization forms...several times
• Repeatedly sending in your transcripts
• Applying for lots of scholarships
• Waiting to see if you're accepted for those scholarships, and having panic attacks when you're not and having dance parties when you are 
• Worry more about money, repeat this 10x
• Go to orientation and be severely bored
• Sign up for classes
• Wait

These are just the ones I remember off the top of my head and they don't even include junior year. Or deciding on which major you want. The problem with YA contemporary fiction is that it's way more fun than real life. I'm not saying that I don't want that, but it's cruel to realize you don't live in the same world. I constantly read about these people "worrying" (yeah, sure, whatever. Your stress is MINUSCULE compared to mine) about colleges, but they end up going to an out of state university. Those bad boys are about $20,000 more expensive! If you're a normal kid, where are you getting all this money from? What about the transportation home? What about your ACT/SAT scores? I've read a story where the girl was obsessed with memorizing vocabulary, but what about the other aspects? What about all the mundane details? Aren't you going to at least mention them? 

The growing up process is extremely different in fiction than it is in reality, as should be expected. But being a book lover makes it complicated. You want to connect with the character and have her feel the same way as you, but it's hard when your stress level is sky high and hers barely reaches the fence level. 

So fiction has given me another unrealistic expectation to grumble about because life is way harder than the (contemporary) main characters' growing up problems. Unless you live in Panem, I don't believe your complaints. Too bad you have [this problem] to deal with, but yay for you, you magically get accepted into the school of your choice far away even though you never studied. 

What's your complaint with YA contemporary, especially with school settings? Did you find your expectations for growing up completely delusional? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Unique Books I've Read

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

What I love about Top Ten Tuesday is these lists are purely subjective. You can see what people say about a certain genre or certain experience. Some people hate contemporary, others breathe in Sarah Dessen. This week's topic is about the most unique books I've read, whether it's because of a character or how it twists something around. I'm sure a couple of these won't be unique to others, but that's the beauty of this feature. In no particular order:

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anna Blankman

I've read plenty of retellings, but this was not only refreshing because of its historical spin, but THOSE ANTAGONISTS. They're even creepier because one of them (Hitler) was real. 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Most girls talk about their love interest's eyes, body, or how lush his hair is. In this, she talks about her obsession with his chin, and his hair is far from perfect. Also, it includes fan fiction and realistic college experiences. 

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern

A girl with a disability and a boy with OCD. Hello, love.

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg 

My favorite part of the whole book: the transcripts of present-day Macallan and Levi at the end of each chapter. 

Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot 

There might be other books out there with a diary format, but for me, Princess Diaries is the only one I've read. It can be tiring, but really fun. 

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Can we all give Rae Carson and her character Elisa a round of applause? From the start of the book, Elisa is described as fat and weak. But when she starts getting stronger and more exercise, there's no fat shaming and from what I gathered, she still wasn't considered "slim." But she loved her body and rocked it. 

If I Stay by Gayle Forman (ghost-ish)

A girl decides if she should stay with the living or go and be with her parents after death. All the while, she's basically a ghost. I consider that unique.

Shatter Me by Taherah Mafi

The writing style can be annoying has so many crossed-off words like this

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

DRAGONS!

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Many authors either want their characters to be rough, tough, and kicking some booty or somewhat girly and non-athletic. With my dear Celaena, she's a GIRLY assassin. She kills, but she loves her parties and dresses.

Bonus: Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson - SUPER close to finishing so I can't list it officially, but that twist halfway deserves recognition.

What are some books that were unique to you?

Review: PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG by Anna Blankman

Title: Prisoner of Night and Fog
Author: Anne Blankman
Publication date: April 22, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review.

In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.

Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler.

And Gretchen follows his every command.

Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.

As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?

From debut author Anne Blankman comes this harrowing and evocative story about an ordinary girl faced with the extraordinary decision to give up everything she's ever believed . . . and to trust her own heart instead.

Review: 

First line: Gretchen Müller peered through the car's rain-spotted windshield. 

I wish that the only response needed for this book is a standing ovation because that's easy. Sometimes you get a book that you enjoy to the point that you don't really have anything to say. You really liked it...now what? I'm sure there was a flaw somewhere throughout the book, but honestly, I can't remember and I'm glad I don't.

What I do remember is how great the antagonists were. Surprisingly, Hitler wasn't the only big, bad antagonist. No, it was her brother. That's right. HER BROTHER. I have no words to express how terrifying and despicable Reinhard was. "Uncle Dolf" was too, we all know that, but we had an even closer look in this book of how Gretchen's older brother was, who was implied to be a mini version of Hitler. Reinhard was a spectacular antagonist because he he wasn't coldhearted—he was no-hearted. He didn't care for a single thing, lacked emotion, and tortured for fun. SPOILER I couldn't take it when her kitten died. I was ready to just stop reading.END OF SPOILER.

Then Hitler is told in a new perspective, as Uncle Dolf. He's shown as seemingly sweet and caring and in a fatherly way. Even if I didn't know he was Adolf Hitler, I would've thought him as a bad guy and definitely skeevy. 

New perspective on a historical figure? Check. Twisted antagonists? Check. Oh, did I forget to mention that we also have a great main character, a realistic portrayal of the historical setting, and an ever-present feeling of dread over our heads? Well, we do. It's sometimes hard to read historical fictions in third person, but Blankman did a superb job in still connecting me to Gretchen, sympathizing with her, and really knowing her. I felt her confusion and despair, which is necessary. I never actually felt safe in the story. The dread loomed over me, threatening to take away my characters or rain more hardships on them. In this story, that was even refreshing because I wanted to be apprehensive. And like all books, I wanted to be sucked in and to keep reading so I can find out at the end if everyone comes out alright. 

Really, what else is there to say? 

Verdict: If you love historical fictions, READ THIS. If you don't love historical fictions, STILL READ THIS.

Review: BETTER OFF FRIENDS by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Better Off Friends
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Publication date: February 24, 2014
Publisher: Point (Scholastic)
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

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: 

First line: I was probably the first kid ever excited for summer to be over.

This book. I had so much love for this book that I felt like my heart was going to start pumping out cupcake batter and the Happy Days theme song. There were annoyances throughout, but the conversation made everything worth it. 

I do have to warn you right from the start that the ebook may be a little wonky. Hopefully they fixed it from ARC to publication, but if you bought the ebook, the formatting might be off. Every chapter ends with a adorable banter between the two characters, Levi and Macallan, usually reflecting on what was just told in the chapter. In the e-galley, it was hard to understand the switch since there isn't any heads-up before they switch from one tense to the other. Thankfully, I quickly got the hang of it and it never ruined my reading pleasure. In fact, it was my favorite part of the entire book.

The dialogue at the end sounds as if it's present-day Levi and Macallan and it shows why I love the chemistry between the two and why I love the conversations throughout the book. It has banter. Think of any positive word that's synonymous with wonderful and you just described the banter. At least, that's how it was for me. Many authors in YA do try to have their characters banter, be witty, and have this natural chemistry. Unfortunately, they fail. But fortunately for us, Elizabeth Eulberg doesn't! Unless Elsa from Frozen struck your heart with ice and you had no one to love, you will smile. You can't do anything, but smile, to be honest. 

Levi moved from California to Wisconsin and on the first day of school, Macallan gets stuck with showing him around their junior high. They end up eating lunch together and with Macallan having to come over to his house every Wednesday (because neither her dad or uncle can pick her up that day), they eventually do become best friends. Through alternating POVs, every other chapter, and narrating from middle school to high school, we see their friendship progress. But does it actually progress into a relationship or not? 

After bantering, what did I love the most about this book?

Family. Levi's parents are still happily married and completely normal, while Macallan's mom died and her mentally disabled uncle lives with her and her dad. After Macallan cooks one night for the both families, it becomes a tradition to have a family dinner together on Sunday nights. If authors ever complain about how it's hard to incorporate the positive family relationships without boring readers because they don't know how to or make it cliche, I will forever point to this book. The families aren't perfect. Levi's and Macallan's families aren't even blood, but they form a familial connection together that makes me sigh happily. 

Best friends. Why did I never have a guy best friend? I have guy friends, most of them acquaintances, but never have a really close guy best friend and now I feel like I accomplished nothing in life. Wouldn't life be more fun with one? The chemistry between Macallan and Levi is incredibly cute that it's almost sickening. They're the type of best friends that everyone wishes they could be a part of, especially since they're best friends with the opposite sex.

The feel. Take note, the feel is different than the feeeeeels. The feels (note: it's plural) are the emotions involved and it causes the swooning to happen. It can squeeze your heart, make you twirl, and cause your toes to clench. The feel (note: no s on the end) is basically the atmosphere of the book. It's like walking around two different colleges. Each one has a certain feel to it. Better Off Friends had a fantastic feel. It was the perfect romantic-comedy movie in book form. Think 13 Going on 30 meets When Harry Met Sally with some additional love sprinkled on top. 

There are a few annoyances that I hate even mentioning since I loved the book so much, but when I try to figure out if I should read something, I always want to know the good and the bad. 

The other friends. Oh, I don't have a problem with the other friends specifically, but how Macallan in particular handled them. When Levi made his way into Macallan's life, he actually worked his way up into the #1 Best Friend slot. So? Well, she already had two close friends. Soon, I didn't care about one of them, but I was concerned about Danielle, the loyal one.  She was always there for Macallan, supportive and loyal. We did see them spend time together, but I felt like Macallan used her at times when she and Levi hit a rough patch. Using friends annoys me, in fiction or in real life. When this issue popped up, I lost a little sympathy for Macallan since I was only worried that Danielle was being ditched.

Macallan. I did like Macallan overall, but she wasn't my favorite. From somewhat ditching Danielle to even acting self-righteous at times, I groaned at her attitude in parts of the book. Eulberg still made her likable with other characteristics, actions, and circumstances she was put in though. But I can think of a few people who will rate this book lower for her attitude in places. 

Minor things that don't even matter anymore. 'Nuff said.

The whole point of this book is that it makes you wonder if guys and girls can really be just friends. Would Levi and Macallan be better off friends? Or should they become more? I won't spoil this for anybody, but I did sway in my own thoughts of how they should end up. By midway, I was firmly set in my decision...and I won't tell you what that was. Amazingly, even though it resembles a chick flick, it doesn't have a lot of romance. They date other people, they flirt some, there was the tiniest bit of action early on, but the majority of the book was about friends. Best friends. To put it simply, I liked that. 

No, wait, I loved it. 

Verdict: A really cute, really fun, really everything book that left me jealous of Macallan and reminded me why I love best friend stories.

Note: Any quotes may be changed in publication.

The Dos and Don'ts of YA Romance

Imagine you're reading a book that you're liking and connecting with, it's feeling good and you're bobbing along, ready to see what happens next. Then WHA-BOOM. Something annoying happens and it's lost. All of it. The connection, the interest, the patience, the respect, and the increasing love. It comes to a screeching halt and then disappears. That wha-boom can come from many things and vary from person to person. Sometimes the wha-boom isn't really a wha-boom at all, but is a build-up of repeated offenders. But there is one aspect of a story that gets a beating more than others—in my opinion, at least—and that's romance. In YA, romance is a fickle thing and can conjure up more groans from me than any other part (the narrative and realism are very close). So I decided to make up a list of my personal dos and don'ts of YA romance (hence the title).

DO: Let it simmer

I want the slow-burning kind of love! I do enjoy a whirlwind romance now and then, but I realized that I'm in desperate need for a friend-turned-lover kind of relationship. Let that tension build! It builds up my emotions, the feels, the angst, and while it's not a quickie romance, it's still very exciting.

DON'T: Insta-love it

Of course, the opposite of tension-feeling and realistic love is insta-love. Who likes instant-anything? I'd much rather cook my oats then have those nasty packets, so why would I want to make my fictional romance instant as well? 

DO: Talking is a beaut

I don't want to be bogged down by dialogue and I love affection just as much as the next person (ahem, Alienated), but it would be nice if they talked more than they lay hands on each other. This is a bit like insta-love in the way of not feeling authentic. I don't FEEL the romance when all there is between them is lust.

DON'T: Overuse the understanding card

A big problem I have, especially in contemporary, is when the girl protagonists talk as if their love interest is so amazing and so special because he "understands" her like no one else. He can understand you, but don't keep saying it over and over as if I'm a stupid reader and you're trying to convince me of something. Hearbeat by Elizabeth Scott, anyone?

DO: Incorporate other "life stuff," but DON'T force conflict

We have a twofer! Here's the thing. Personally, I need something to be going on besides the romance. It can involve the romance, but make me care. Be cautious! I see many books just add conflict because they know they need it, but it's not developed well so I still don't care. And now I'm just annoyed.

DON'T: Clinginess

When I read about a love interest who clings, like guys who border on being abusive because they're controlling, I really feel like squirming and yelling, "GET OFF OF ME." Yes, they're on the other person, but I feel suffocated and frustrated just looking at it. And from what I hear from Twilight readers, I'm looking at you, Edward.

DO: Caring is sharing
When I say that, I mean that when you show that the two lovers truly care about each other (deeper than the quick, superficial stuff), it spills over and makes ME care. So really, the caring is being shared around. Rae Carson's Hector and Elisa , anyone?

DON'T: Make her be a flip-flopper
Flip-flopping usually happens to girl protagonists during a love triangle. Even though there should NOT be a love triangle anyways (so overrated, Lauren can tell you why), if you do have one, don't make her flip-flop between the guys. I get the heart's conflict, but when she constantly says she's in love with one and then says it to the other, I really wish that both guys would dump her. She deserves to be forever-alone.

What are your dos and don'ts for YA (or any category) romance?

Happy Valentine's Day! Go to my list here to have recommendations for great swoon-worthy books!

Review: BRIGHT BEFORE SUNRISE by Tiffany Schmidt

Title: Bright Before Sunrise
Author: Tiffany Schmidt
Publication date: February 14, 2014
Publisher: Walker Children's (Bloomsbury)
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

When Jonah is forced to move from Hamilton to Cross Pointe for the second half of his senior year, "miserable" doesn't even begin to cover it. He feels like the doggy-bag from his mother's first marriage and everything else about her new life—with a new husband, new home and a new baby—is an upgrade. The people at Cross Pointe High School are pretentious and privileged—and worst of all is Brighton Waterford, the embodiment of all things superficial and popular. Jonah’s girlfriend, Carly, is his last tie to what feels real... until she breaks up with him. 

For Brighton, every day is a gauntlet of demands and expectations. Since her father died, she’s relied on one coping method: smile big and pretend to be fine. It may have kept her family together, but she has no clue how to handle how she's really feeling. Today is the anniversary of his death and cracks are beginning to show. The last thing she needs is the new kid telling her how much he dislikes her for no reason she can understand. She's determined to change his mind, and when they're stuck together for the night, she finally gets her chance. 

Jonah hates her at 3p.m., but how will he feel at 3 a.m.? 

One night can change how you see the world. One night can change how you see yourself.

Review: 

First line: "You've dropped something."

I don't know what I was expecting, but the plot turned out to be what I was and wasn't expecting, all wrapped up in one. These types of plots—where two people are stuck together for a night and their opinions about each other change in less than 24 hours—are tricky. It balances on a thin rope of being unrealistic and involving insta-love. But Bright Before Sunrise succeeded in not being annoying or too implausible. 

What makes this work:

Connection. It's an overall cute story, alternating between Jonah's and Brighton's narratives, displaying the times at the beginning of each chapter. What impressed me was that I was able to connect with both of these characters, even though they were vastly different. Jonah comes from Hamilton, which is represented as the projects, and has an extremely frustrating home life as well as a toxic girlfriend. Brighton, on the other hand, is the poster child for the sunny Cross Pointe and never lets herself have a break. I looked forward to both of their narratives, but I think I favored Jonah's more, partly because he had a backbone. 

Humor. There can be different layers of cute, from a cute that can seem a bit patronizing (like a pat on the head) to a cute that makes me smile. This was the latter. Since I did connect with both characters, they easily made me smile because I got it.

Having him in my bathroom seems way too intimate. I get naked in that shower every morning. The way-too-flimsy-but-neverseen-in-public bathrobe Evy gave me for Christmas is hanging on a hook behind his head.

Realism. You know where most stories with these kind of plots tend to go south? It's when their feelings suddenly change or when the whole story is focused on their romance. This is a contemporary novel and many contemporaries have romance as a focus, but it shouldn't always be that way. The author does a great job in making their relationship progress at a nice pace. It's only 12 hours, I know. But it doesn't feel like 12 hours. Whenever they found themselves more comfortable or reached a new hour or new step in their relationship/friendship, it was done with ease and realism. THAT is how it's done. What helped was that they were both working towards separate goals: Jonah with his achy-breaky heart and revenge, Brighton with her can-do attitude and participation goal. While Jonah hesitated with his plan to show his newly ex-girlfriend the truth (simultaneously embarrassing her), he developed feelings for Brighton. Not overpowering love that so many books seem to do, but slowly developed care. 

Another great example of realism in the book was the ending. Since it's the ending, I can't tell you why, but believe me, it was refreshing. 

Flaws. With Brighton as a main character, the story easily could have followed down a doomed path of "perfect" characters. I thank the author for not ruining her book that way. At one point, Brighton chose poorly, and stupidly didn't act as she should have. But before it became too late for the situation to be fixed, she wised up and had a tiny payback of her own. That's what should happen. Characters are supposed to be flawed. Who wants a Mary Sue? Brighton was overwhelmed with the night's events and emotions, which made her not make the smartest decisions. But she fixed it. She made me go from helpless to proud. I'll repeat myself, that's how it's supposed to happen. Flaws are involved. Brighton has a hard job of keeping up with her Miss Perfect image. Jonah deals with his crappy home life and a situation he hates being in. Both of them deal with irrational choices and overcome their own personal flaws. All of those "imperfections" come together to make a great book with dimensionality. 

Looking back, I don't know what I was expecting. It doesn't matter though because I got what I needed.

Verdict: A fast-paced story involving cuteness and depth as well as a natural relationship progression.

Note: Quotes may change from ARCs to publication.

The Blogging Age

A while back, an author called for the teenage bloggers on Twitter to speak up because she wondered if there was any. Do they exist? Are they good? It started a rain of questions for me, but not if they exist. I know they do. I'm one of them and I know quite a few others. Fast forward a couple weeks and there I am, researching BEA. For those of you who don't know, BEA is an event in NYC, which has many perks, but one of which is many bloggers go and meet authors and snag a boatload of ARCs.

I found something strange. On the registering prices, it says that you have to be 18 years or older to sign up. Most things require that to be the minimum age limit, but I was still surprised considering that a large portion of BEA was young adult fiction. Fiction that has protagonists usually at ages 15-18 years old. Fiction that is usually geared towards readers the same age as said protagonists. Fiction that is placed in the TEEN section of libraries and stores. Do they not realize that readers make up bloggers so therefore, there are teen bloggers out there who might want to attend BEA? I think I might have accepted that disgruntling fact if not for this next part.

"Anyone under the age of 18 (minors and infants) will only be permitted to register to attend if accompanied by a registered industry professional and will have to pay the industry professional rate to receive a badge."

Industry professionals are consultants, manufacturers, book packagers, wholesalers, and venture capital/investment bankers. The BEA 4-day pass, early bird registration, is $349, almost triple the amount of what a regular blogger would pay at $119. Does anyone know an industry professional? I sure don't. I doubt that if I did, they would go and/or let me register with them since it's likely that they won't be a family member. So not only am I dependent on someone else, but I am also restricted to who I sign up with (that means I cannot register with my 23 year old blogging sister) and I have to pay a ridiculous price for someone I am not. I'd have to pay the industry professional price because I'm forced to register with an industry professional, but I'm a blogger.

I'm just a 17 year old girl so I doubted that no one really cared what I thought, but I like to know the whys of everything. Why can't I do this? Why did this happen? Why did you say that? WHY? So true to my nature, I emailed BEA and asked why. 

The kind lady told me that it doesn't matter if I'm a few months away from my 18th birthday or a few years, it's about liability since I'm a minor. I quickly waved that off and said I absolutely understood. Like I said, most things operate for people 18 years old or older. I made my questioning more specific: why am I restricted to registering with an industry professional adult instead of, say, another blogger? 

She told me she'd have to talk to her manager/supervisor.

During that time, I tried to deal with my annoyance towards BEA and the frustration that started bubbling up inside a few weeks prior. YA books center around teenagers and are geared toward teenage readers, yet adult bloggers are the ones that have the head-start because they're over 18. This coming summer, I will be 18 and and in a few years, I'll be one of those adult bloggers and YA-reading adults. I love all those adult bloggers (remember, one of them is my sister) in their twenties to thirties (or to whatever age, I don't judge). But sometimes in this community, I feel as if the preference and "fun stuff" is geared towards the adults. BEA and ARCs are just two things that I think adult bloggers have in their favor. A lot of blogging duties or perks also rely on money and while I save, I don't have much money as a teenager and that's not because I spend. It's because I'm not allowed to have a job because I'm in school and am involved with extracurriculars. Of course, most twenty to thirty-somethings do have jobs so they do have a wallet to dip into to make their blog more successful. All the more power to them...which is kind of the point. 

I'll interrupt my musings to let you know that the BEA lady emailed me back and told me that I can register by myself and pay the blogger fee with a link she provided me and that I wouldn't have a problem getting in underage there because they would give me permission. Victory! Right? Well, I showered her with thanks, but still wondered at the numerous teenage bloggers who won't have the same outcome or won't know to email. And what about my whys? She answered why I have to be 18, but not why the rule was to register with an industry professional.

So here's what this whole post boils down to: why do the preferences seem to be given to adult bloggers in YA rather than actual teenage bloggers? Note the key word: seem. This is purely my pondering and my question. It seems like the most "successful" blogs are the YA ones run by adult bloggers because, yes, they tend to have more mature and better writing, more resources, and I bet publishing contacts like to connect with people their own age more (although I've talked with amazing publicists myself). However, I know there are teenagers running a more "successful" blogs than other blogs run by adults, but it's not the "most successful" if that makes sense. Why does BEA have a rule about who a minor can register with? Why do teenage bloggers have to pay a higher price just because that's who they're forced to register with? Why does it seem like there aren't nearly enough teenage bloggers out there blogging about YA books?

Many of the blogs I read are by twenty-something bloggers who are witty, personable, insightful, and friendly. I like their writing, style, and content. So I know that sometimes, age doesn't factor in with how much someone likes a blog. I guess I wonder why it's this great thing to find another YA blogger under the age of 18 (yes, 18 is still a teen, but considered an adult in most areas and out of high school) when most YA books are centered around under-18 year olds. I do know teenage bloggers and that's great, but why is adults blogging about YA the norm?

Can anyone answer my never-ending whys? I want to hear what YOU think about all of this in the comments below!

Edit: Your comments are awesome, but I realized I caused some confusion. I am now ALLOWED to attend BEA and while I made a big deal out of this, I still might not be able to go because of MY side of things now. Fingers crossed, but it's a very low percentage. But thank you and keep commenting your thoughts! If anyone is possibly interested in rooming together, contact me!