Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith

Title: Don't Read the Comments
Author: Eric Lord
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Publication date: January 28, 2020
Pages: 368
Source/format: e-ARC//Publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Divya Sharma is a queen. Or she is when she’s playing Reclaim the Sun, the year’s hottest online game. Divya—better known as popular streaming gamer D1V—regularly leads her #AngstArmada on quests through the game’s vast and gorgeous virtual universe. But for Divya, this is more than just a game. Out in the real world, she’s trading her rising-star status for sponsorships to help her struggling single mom pay the rent.

Gaming is basically Aaron Jericho’s entire life. Much to his mother’s frustration, Aaron has zero interest in becoming a doctor like her, and spends his free time writing games for a local developer. At least he can escape into Reclaim the Sun—and with a trillion worlds to explore, disappearing should be easy. But to his surprise, he somehow ends up on the same remote planet as celebrity gamer D1V.

At home, Divya and Aaron grapple with their problems alone, but in the game, they have each other to face infinite new worlds…and the growing legion of trolls populating them. Soon the virtual harassment seeps into reality when a group called the Vox Populi begin launching real-world doxxing campaigns, threatening Aaron’s dreams and Divya’s actual life. The online trolls think they can drive her out of the game, but everything and everyone Divya cares about is on the line…

And she isn’t going down without a fight.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Right from the first page, Divya tells her mother don't read the comments. She is talking about her Glitch channel where she plays Reclaim the Sun. Divya uses sponsorship revenue she makes from playing Reclaim the Sun in her streams to help her mother pay rent, groceries and bills. She does this out of the kindness of her heart so her mother doesn't have to work another part-time job on top of two jobs while her mother takes graduate classes. Divya's father is out of the picture since he left the family awhile back.

Aaron, on the other hand, isn't worried about finances but doesn't get support from his family to fund his hobbies. He wants to pursue a career to develop video game storylines. Aaron definitely doesn't want to follow the footsteps of becoming a doctor. His mother wants him to be a doctor and both parents push him to do internships or to work instead of playing video games to boost his chances of getting into a good college.

Divya and Aaron meet through Reclaim the Sun and they support each other in ways others cannot. While people have way too much time trolling Divya, Divya doesn't give up. She rebuilds and fights back. With popular culture and political issues intertwined within the novel, Eric Smith creates a novel that is relatable.

Smith's Don't Read the Comments is written in a dual POV with Divya and Aaron alternating chapters about how Reclaim the Sun impacts their lives. And readers see how their worlds collide through the game. Smith tackles racism, sexism, online bullying, doxing, social-economics and much more within the gaming industry. Stereotypes are broken down in this novel. I highly suggest this book for readers who enjoyed reading Warcross by Marie Lu and When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon.

One of my favorite quotes:

"A chorus of loud cheering erupts in my handset, the voices of hundreds from all over, and my heart feels full to bursting. While the money to help Mom out is great, and the extra funds I'm putting away for college are almost as good, this is the reason I keep streaming." ARC of Don't Read the Comments, page 35.

Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Something in Between
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: October 4, 2016
Pages: 432
Source/format: Finished copy from Ellie

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

It feels like there’s no ground beneath me, like everything I’ve ever done has been a lie. Like I’m breaking apart, shattering. Who am I? Where do I belong?

Jasmine de los Santos has always done what’s expected of her. Pretty and popular, she’s studied hard, made her Filipino immigrant parents proud and is ready to reap the rewards in the form of a full college scholarship.

And then everything shatters. A national scholar award invitation compels her parents to reveal the truth: their visas expired years ago. Her entire family is illegal. That means no scholarships, maybe no college at all and the very real threat of deportation.

For the first time, Jasmine rebels, trying all those teen things she never had time for in the past. Even as she’s trying to make sense of her new world, it’s turned upside down by Royce Blakely, the charming son of a high-ranking congressman. Jasmine no longer has any idea where—or if—she fits into the American Dream. All she knows is that she’s not giving up. Because when the rules you lived by no longer apply, the only thing to do is make up your own.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Jasmine de los Santos is a hardworking high schooler who wants to attend a good college. She makes sure her grades are high and she is currently a cheerleader at her school. She is lucky to be selected to receive the United States National Scholarship from the Department of Education. Unfortunately, she finds out her family does not have green cards. Jasmine's perfect life starts to crumble.

Something in Between is Melissa de la Cruz's first contemporary book and it's an important read for everyone. Not only are readers introduced to a diligent, over achiever Jasmine de los Santos but readers are introduced to immigration policies and what it means to be undocumented in the United States. Because of my current job, I can relate to what Jasmine is going through with finding out that her family doesn't have green cards and that they are in the United States undocumented.

The risk of being deported is very high. Students who are undocumented can attend school with no problems until they reach the college level. In order to receive federal aid through scholarships, work-study, federal loans, etc., one must be a citizen or be a permanent resident. Unfortunately those who are DACA students, get the short end of the stick.

Proving ones citizenship can be a struggle for most students in order to apply to college. Without the financial aid, they cannot attend school due to lack of money. Their parents work long hours in low paying jobs for a better life in America. All Jasmine wants is to attend college. Many students in her standing would want to do the same; they want to better themselves.

I applaud Melissa de la Cruz for introducing some of these issues to readers. Many do not know too much about certain immigration policies and de la Cruz educates readers about what is fact compared to what is fake news. This leads to less assumptions about immigrants living in the United States. De la Cruz breaks down stereotypes; she creates the foundation for readers to become more aware of what is going on in the United States in terms of immigration policies.

Something in Between is a thought-provoking coming-of-age novel I recommend to everyone. Not only is it enlightening but it's a vital novel to read during this time of age of the new presidency and the current issues raised in politics.

North of Happy by Adi Alsaid

Title: North of Happy
Author: Adi Alsaid
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: April 25, 2017
Pages: 368
Source/format: e-ARC from publisher and author as part of the North of Happy ARC Hop

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

New from critically acclaimed author of LET'S GET LOST and NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES. In the wake of his brother's untimely death, a teen chef runs away from home to find his true path in life.

Carlos Portillo has always led a privileged and sheltered life. A dual citizen of Mexico and the US, he lives in Mexico City with his wealthy family where he attends an elite international school. His friends and peers-fellow rich kids-have plans to attend college somewhere in the US or Europe and someday take over their parents' businesses. Always a rule follower and a parent pleaser, Carlos is more than happy to tread the well-worn path in front of him. He has always loved food and cooking, but his parents see it as just a hobby.

When his older brother, Felix--who has dropped out of college to live a life of travel--is tragically killed, Carlos begins hearing his brother's voice, giving him advice and pushing him to rebel against his father's plan for him. Worrying about his mental health, but knowing the voice is right, Carlos runs away to the US and manages to secure a job with his favorite celebrity chef. As he works to improve his skills in the kitchen and pursue his dream, he begins to fall for his boss's daughter--a fact that could end his career before it begins. Finally living for himself, Carlos must decide what's most important to him and where his true path really lies.

M Y  T H O U G H T S
 
"The world is a much bigger place than you realize," he said with a smile. "We're going to explore it." - ARC of North of Happy

Carlos Portillo lives in Mexico and has a close relationship with his brother, Felix. One of the things the brothers bonded over was finding the perfect taco. Over the course of a night, they would visit restaurants to find the perfect taco. However, things go astray and it ends up in Felix's death. Felix is the one who told Carlos to live life to its fullest and to explore the world. Don't just settle for what's in front of you but to get up and run with what you have to take it to the next level.

Carlos follows Felix's words and travels to the United States to visit Provecho, a restaurant in Washington State that he's seen on TV prior him leaving Mexico. Felix is always with him giving him advice to follow his dreams. Carlos meets Emma who works at Provecho and she is his helping hand to introduce him to Provecho as well as Washington.

The family dynamics is quite interesting in this book. Carlos follows the steps of his brother to explore to world. His mother tries to get him to come back home. Both parents are upset Carlos decided to get up and leave. But of course when family health is involve, Carlos will relocate back to his family

I have been following Adi Alsaid's books since Let's Get Lost. By far North of Happy is my favorite novel written by Alsaid. With careful research about working on the line, he incorporated his love for food in the best way possible.

Each chapter is titled after a recipe and includes the ingredients to make the recipe. I found this to be a very unique way to title and to introduce each chapter. Because the book is heavy on Carlos working his way up the line, food has an importance in the novel. Each recipe is significant to the plot of each chapter. Each chapter is a recipe of life.

Reading North of Happy is like sampling the cuisine with Anthony Bourdain and Chef Ramsey. Maybe it might not be as intense but food is an essential to life. Food is the essence of what it means to be living and it's the substance that keeps us going. Many cultures bond over food during many events and gatherings. It fuels us. As Felix mentions, "You will feel full to your soul." "A taco that makes you hungry for life and that makes you feel like you have never been more alive. Nothing short of that will do."

North of Happy will satisfy readers who love food, traveling and new beginnings. I can guarantee you that your mouth will be watering after reading this novel and your taste buds will be wanting to savor every chapter.

Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley

Title: Our Own Private Universe
Author: Robin Talley 
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: January 31, 2017
Pages: 304
Source/format: e-ARC from publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Fifteen-year-old Aki Hunter knows she’s bisexual, but up until now she's only dated guys—and her best friend, Lori, is the only person she’s out to. When she and Lori set off on a four-week youth-group mission trip in a small Mexican town, it never crosses Aki's mind that there might be anyone in the group she’d be interested in dating. But that all goes out the window when Aki meets Christa.

M Y  T H O U G H T S 

Akina (Aki) Hunter and Lori Smith have been best friends forever. Aki and Lori decide visit Mexico with their youth group traveling all the way from their home in Maryland. In a town outside of Tijuana, Aki and Lori help out with a volunteer project for a month with their church, the Holy Life in Silver Spring. In Mexico, there is a conference and a chance for the youth group to meet others from other Holy Life youth groups. Aki doesn't know what to expect when she spends a month in Mexico.

Aki and Christa Lawrence warm up to each other fairly early in the novel and a relationship develops. I like how Robin Talley lets the readers know Aki's thoughts and emotions throughout her journey of exploration of who she is. Aki's older brother Drew and father are on the trip as well. Not only is her friend Lori involved with her life but her family is as well. Her father is a youth minister and is leading the group. Both her father and her brother are very understanding and supportive of Aki. Drew also harbors a secret that he doesn't want his parents to find out about as well. Actually it seems like everyone in this novel has a secret that they don't want others to know about.

Aki's voice is realistic. Many teens will definitely be able to contact to her authenticity. Her trysts with Christa show how love is unpredictable. Talley describes first loves perfectly. That jealousy that one has when the other talks to their ex or even the butterflies one gets when they think about the person they like are feelings that anyone can relate to. It gives teens an idea that what they are feeling is normal. It's okay to whether to feel worried about someone liking you back or even feeling jealous. I was hoping Aki would be more honest since she didn't open up as much to others as I hoped her to. While others opened up to her, she couldn't trust anyone. This caused many friendship and relationship issues throughout the book.

Our Own Private Universe delves into race, interracial relationships and gender/sexuality. Talley writes a novel for people to feel find themselves and to learn about others. I applaud Talley for including safe sex within the novel. Some books don't go into detail about safe sex if sex is ever mentioned in a book. With Our Own Private Universe, Talley researched everything so carefully in order to provide accurate information. This is very important for teens who read this book.

Sisterhood of the Traveling ARC: The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics

Elizabeth from Book YAbber, Marci from The Plot Bunny and I are showcasing Amy Lukavics for the second post for Sisterhood of the Traveling ARC! Because the three of us love reading ARCs, we decided on sharing our ARCs with one another, not only to allow each of us to read a new title, but to promote how obtaining an ARC is not about trying to hoard an ARC for yourself.

ARCs are meant for promotional reasons. We figured that if we can share one ARC amongst the three of us, it means that the publisher is getting three times as much promotion from one ARC. Each of us will be doing a post on the title we decide to share.

Elizabeth, Marci and I have read Lukavics's first book, Daughters Unto Devils and it was just the right amount of creepiness. Her sophomore book, The Women in the Walls, is actually even better than her debut! The Women in the Walls have been on our list since we heard about it at the Halloween Teen Scream event in Salem, MA last October.

Title: The Women in the Walls
Author: Amy Lukavics
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: September 27, 2016
Pages: 304
Source/format: ARC from Elizabeth from Book YAbber

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Lucy Acosta's mother died when she was three. Growing up in a Victorian mansion in the middle of the woods with her cold, distant father, she explored the dark hallways of the estate with her cousin, Margaret. They're inseparable—a family.

When her aunt Penelope, the only mother she's ever known, tragically disappears while walking in the woods surrounding their estate, Lucy finds herself devastated and alone. Margaret has been spending a lot of time in the attic. She claims she can hear her dead mother's voice whispering from the walls. Emotionally shut out by her father, Lucy watches helplessly as her cousin's sanity slowly unravels. But when she begins hearing voices herself, Lucy finds herself confronting an ancient and deadly legacy that has marked the women in her family for generations.
"Something isn't right in this house."

M Y  T H O U G H T S

From the first page, I was hooked. The Women in the Walls devours you whole. From the beginning of the novel, Lucy Acosta knew something is wrong with the house she lives in. With all these random deaths and disappearances, she is suspicious about the house.

Amy Lukavics's sophomore novel blew me out of the water. I read her debut, Daughter Unto Devils last year and I couldn't wait to read The Women in the Walls. And boy, does it not disappoint. Lukavics writes description and dialogue well. The attic, the sinister voices in the walls and the creepy cemetery build up the eeriness. There are some instances of grotesque things in the book but it doesn't hinder the plot.

However, I was not a big fan of the lack of character development with some characters such as Margaret and Lucy's father. I did not see the twist at the end of the book. The ending is crazy but it's perfect!

Lukavics created a masterpiece. The Women in the Walls is equally intriguing, unsettling and chilling. This is a horror novel you want to pick up for sure!

If you want to follow the Sisterhood of the Traveling ARC feature on social media, please check out the hashtag, #TravelingARC3, for more reviews and photos. 

Halloween Teen Scream Recap

I had the pleasure to attend the Halloween Teen Scream event hosted by Wicked Good Books and Harlequin TEEN at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, MA earlier this week. Salem kicked off the Halloween Author Tour with three amazing authors, Kady Cross, Gena Showalter and Amy Lukavics.

The event had fun intros, Q & A, delicious refreshments, a costume contest and a book signing. It was definitely a memorable night with Elizabeth from Book YAbber and Marci from Reading in the Tardis.

I found it interesting how the some of authors didn't start their careers wanting to be authors right away. Gena studied microbiology and nursing before dropping out of the programs to pursue writing. Amy was in a dental assisting program and decided to write at the age of 19 because dental assisting provided too much pressure. A light bulb popped in her head with the idea, "I could write a story." Her first three books are dark contemporaries before she decided to write what really loved. Horror. And with that, Daughters Unto Devils was born! Kady has always loved writing when she was younger probably because her mother was always making up stories. As a teen, Kady wrote a lot of stories with angst and Duran Duran. After writing about 35 books, only one book Kady wrote did not get published.

For authors who are looking for advice, Kady, Gena and Amy provided excellent advice. Kady told inspiring authors to read outside your comfort zone because it can be inspiring and new genres can be created. Amy said perseverance is valued as much as creative drive. Patience is required and learning not to quit is super important. When writing a novel, you want to look at completing a complex puzzle and not trying to finish a marathon. Amy prefers not to set a word count when writing. Gena and Kady prefer to set a daily goal for themselves. However, social media can be very distracting when trying to reach a word count or when on deadline.

But what happens when your editor disagrees with something you wrote? Gena remarked how when she turned in The Darkest Kiss manuscript, her editor did not like Anya, the Goddess of Anarchy, as much as Gena did. Her editor wanted her to rewrite the manuscript with more sophistication but Anya is pure chaos! Gena claimed how she can't make Anya more sophisticated! Gena battled for two months and won! Her editor allowed Gena to keep Anya how she was written originally. Gena discussed how authors need to voice out their opinions on what they are passionate for.

What are the authors #1 horror inspiration? For Amy, even though it's cliché Stephen King inspired her. She is very fond of Carrie. Kady prefers Dracula with Frank Langella while Gena never really watched or read horror.

In terms of marketing and promotion, the authors believe in word of mouth. Kady wants to be better at promoting her books but she commented how "you can only write the best book you can" and hopefully readers will pick up the book. Gena believes in social media since its information is easily shareable. Kady jokingly mentioned how doing events with more well-known authors also boosts the word of the author to the public. Amy loves the social media interaction because it is more genuine and organic. Many authors are good friends and will promote their friends' books on social media to spread the word.

All three authors had some cool moments and interactions with readers over the years. Gena loves how readers will dress up as characters in her books and she remembered one time when a girl gave Gena flowers and told her her books helped her when she had cancer. Kady met a 9/11 firefighter and her books helped the firefighter through tough times. Her favorite interaction is when she was shopping with a friend at Torrid and the saleslady was ringing up clothing. The saleslady saw Kady's credit card. Kady's real name is Kathryn Smith and the saleslady was mentioning how her favorite author's name is Kathryn Smith. She pretty much freaked out when the Kathryn Smith at Torrid is the same person as the author. She was so excited she went to the back room to call her mom. Amy described how a fan remarked how a book dedication was misprinted and Amy later found out that the fan is the same person who co-wrote a book with Guillermo del Toro.

One member of the audience asked each author what is their favorite character they wrote about. Kady loves her Jack Dandy in the Steampunk Chronicles. Gena has a soft spot for William in Lords of the Underworld. Amy's favorite character is in a book that didn't get published. She loves her Gemma.

A reader was curious about the authors' ages since they all look so young. Surprisingly Gena is 40-years-old even though she looks like she is in her teens or early 20's. Amy is 28-years-old even though she looks in her early 20's and Kady is 44-years-old even though she looks like she is in her 30s.

And one of my favorite questions is what are the authors working on next? Kady is working on the second book in the Sisters of Blood and Spells duet. She hates the word duology and prefers the word duet. She is also working on a book about a revengeance spree against a girl who is assaulted. Gena's next book is Firstlife which is a Everlife novel. She is working on a bunch of other titles such as Strawberry Girl and The Darkest Torment in the Lords of the Underworld series. Amy has another horror book coming out next year called The Women in the Walls!

Elizabeth, Marci and I had a blast at the event. Hopefully you were able to catch Kady Cross, Gena Showalter and Amy Lukavics on tour this week.

Me, @nicolemoy and @BookYAbber at @WickedBooks @HarlequinTEEN event for @genashowalter @AlterKates @amylukavics pic.twitter.com/jJGisW0JEA

— VampyCarmilla (@MarciliaLoubach) October 27, 2015

Daughter Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics

Title: Daughters Unto Devils
Author: Amy Lukavics
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: September 29, 2015
Pages: 231
Source/format: Library // Hardcover

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly Ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries.

When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul.

My Thoughts

Amanda Verner has lived in the mountains with her religious family until Pa mentioned how the winter is gong to be a rough one. The family relocates south to a stretch of free land in the prairie. After searching for an abandoned cabin, the family finds one. However, the floors are covered in blood. Instead of being normal people and moving on after seeing such thing, the family decides to clean the place up and to move in. Little did they know, evil lurks.

Amanda has always been fighting her internal sins. Amanda thinks about bad things happening and they come true. What does that mean? She is the only one that sense something wrong and something evil in the air besides baby Hannah. She is the only one that hears the knocking, the one that hears a infant crying near the water pump and the only one that sees a ghost of a baby standing outside. Her sister Emily thinks she is delusional and pays no attention to what Amanda sees or hears. Amanda is so frightened that she wants to relocate her family somewhere else.

The first half of the novel moved at a snail's pace but the novel picked up in pace and scared the crap out of me at the end. I have so many questions about what happened. The build up was agonizing for me since I wanted something to happen right away. Although it took forever for the creepiness factor to pick up, I love the ending. It was the perfect classic horror ending that I have been looking for. It is bone chilling and atmospheric. Daughter Unto Devils would make a good film.

I was bothered how Ma called Amanda Daughter several times in the book. Why didn't she just call her daughter by Amanda? I wish Amy Lukavics built more layers regarding the characters. I feel like I couldn't really connect with many of the characters in novel and that the character development could have been better. Their personalities seem lackluster. For those who are sensitive to gore, there is quite a lot of it in the novel. Also, as a warning, teen pregnancy is prevalent as well.

If you are looking for a quick creepy read, check out Daughter Unto Devils. Just be careful when reading at night.

What We Left Behind by Robin Talley

Title: What We Left Behind
Author: Robin Talley
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: October 27, 2015
Pages: 416
Source/format: ARC from Publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆ 

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):


From the critically acclaimed author of Lies We Tell Ourselves comes an emotional, empowering story of what happens when love isn't enough to conquer all.

Toni and Gretchen are the couple everyone envied in high school. They've been together forever. They never fight. They're deeply, hopelessly in love. When they separate for their first year at college—Toni to Harvard and Gretchen to NYU—they're sure they'll be fine. Where other long-distance relationships have fallen apart, their relationship will surely thrive.

The reality of being apart, however, is a lot different than they expected. As Toni, who identifies as genderqueer, falls in with a group of transgender upperclassmen and immediately finds a sense of belonging that has always been missing, Gretchen struggles to remember who she is outside their relationship.

While Toni worries that Gretchen, who is not trans, just won't understand what is going on, Gretchen begins to wonder where she fits in Toni's life. As distance and Toni's shifting gender identity begins to wear on their relationship, the couple must decide—have they grown apart for good, or is love enough to keep them together?

My Thoughts

Toni and Gretchen first met at Martha Jefferson Academy for Young Women and are together ever since they first met. Time fast forwards and the two are heading to college. Toni is Harvard bound and Gretchen is planning to attend Boston University until she got off the wait list for New York University. Gretchen has always wanted to attend NYU but is afraid to tell Toni about her change of schools. Although the couple is four hours apart from each other, they try to make things work.

Toni finds friends who accept her. Not only does Toni learn about who she is and who she wants to be, but she feels comfortable in her new atmosphere. I don't know too much about genderqueer related topics but I am learning a lot from What We Left Behind. What I do like about What We Left Behind is the sexual and racial diversity. Most people are not educated about different terms and what the terms actually mean. We live in a progressive society and it is important for everyone to learn exactly what terms like genderqueer, intersex and non-binary mean. It helps everyone becomes more aware of others. A lot of people shun ideas and things they don't know about. By educating people, there is less confusion and more acceptance of others. Gender is more than just being male and female. It's about what you identify with.

The novel alternates between Toni's and Gretchen's POVs. However, I feel like the novel has an emphasis on Toni's journey. College is where one finds oneself and this is actually what Toni and Gretchen are doing. They are learning who they are. This coming-of-age story is eye opening to many issues most college students do not deal with daily. It is important that not only Toni and Gretchen have to live with the normal stressers in college, they also have to learn to accept who they are.

Although I like the premise of this novel, I feel like it falls short compared to Talley's debut, Lies We've Tell Ourselves. There is a lot of info-dumping, especially with the terminology, and the novel doesn't flow as smoothly as I would like it to. I would have liked to see the terminology being woven into the story in a less choppy manner. Instead of cementing a good relationship with Gretchen, who is totally open to pretty much everything, Toni is so obsessed with pronouns throughout the whole book. It is rather annoying at times. Toni contradicts herself throughout the novel by saying she is genderqueer or gender nonconforming and how she didn't like using labels. However, she judges each person she meets and tries to put them in a category. Nance even points it out to Toni. Also, so many people in the novel keep asking whether Toni is a freshman or not. Half the time in college, you cannot tell if someone is a freshman or sophomore. In high school you might be able to tell if someone is a freshman but it is definitely harder to depict different grade standings in college. I feel so bad for Gretchen because she keeps reaching out to Toni to talk or to meet up and Toni always cancels on Gretchen or says that she is too busy. I understand Toni is trying to figure out her life but it's not fair to keep Gretchen hanging like that.

Looking Ahead: What We Left Behind by Robin Talley

What We Left Behind by Robin Talley is definitely a book to look out for in the next couple of weeks. The novel will be released on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 by HarlequinTEEN.

I've read Talley's debut novel, Lies We've Tell Ourselves, and I was blown away! It is empowering! Talley writes compelling novels about ongoing, difficult issues. Lies We've Tell Ourselves is centered around two high school girls living in 1959 during the epoch of desegregation. Talley's sophomore book, What We Left Behind, is focused on two college girls during the modern age. I am currently reading What We Left Behind and I am loving it! Check the blog next week for a review of What We Left Behind.

About the Book:

From the critically acclaimed author of Lies We Tell Ourselves comes an emotional, empowering story of what happens when love isn't enough to conquer all.

Toni and Gretchen are the couple everyone envied in high school. They've been together forever. They never fight. They're deeply, hopelessly in love. When they separate for their first year at college—Toni to Harvard and Gretchen to NYU—they're sure they'll be fine. Where other long-distance relationships have fallen apart, their relationship will surely thrive.

The reality of being apart, however, is a lot different than they expected. As Toni, who identifies as genderqueer, falls in with a group of transgender upperclassmen and immediately finds a sense of belonging that has always been missing, Gretchen struggles to remember who she is outside their relationship.

While Toni worries that Gretchen, who is not trans, just won't understand what is going on, Gretchen begins to wonder where she fits in Toni's life. As distance and Toni's shifting gender identity begins to wear on their relationship, the couple must decide—have they grown apart for good, or is love enough to keep them together?

About the Author:

Robin Talley, author of Lies We Tell Ourselves (September 2014) and What We Left Behind (October 2015), grew up in Roanoke, Virginia. A Lambda Literary Fellow, Robin now lives in Washington, D.C., with her wife, plus an antisocial cat and a goofy hound dog. When Robin’s not writing, she’s often planning communication strategies at organizations fighting for equal rights and social justice. You can find her on the web at www.robintalley.com or on Twitter at @robin_talley.

Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid

Title: Never Always Sometimes
Author: Adi Alsaid
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: August 4, 2015
Pages: 320
Source/format: ARC from NAS ARC Hop

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

Never date your best friend
Always be original
Sometimes rules are meant to be broken

Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they'd never, ever do in high school.

Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never die your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he's broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It's either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember.

Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they've actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love.

My Thoughts

I've read Adi Alsaid's debut Let's Get Lost and wasn't super blown away with it. However, I was super excited to read Never Always Sometimes and when Alsaid mentioned about an ARC hop, I jumped on board. Instead of just having ARCs float around the country, Alsaid wanted a way to bring readers together. Alsaid decided to have send ARCs to readers where we share a bit of ourselves with each other. That's right, Alsaid lets bloggers vandalize his ARCs! It's a way for everyone who reads Never Always Sometimes to connect with the previous readers and to leave notes for the next reader. For more information about the Never Sometimes Always ARC Hop, please check it out here.

Never Always Sometimes is such a sweet book about two friends David (Dave) and Julia who live in San Luis Obispo, Califronia. The day before high school starts, they make a list of high school clichés that they will never do called The Nevers aka Dave and Julia's Guide to an Original High School Experience.

Almost four years later pass by and it is getting hard to avoid some of the items listed on The Nevers. Dave suggested doing the list and Julia finally agrees. As Julia's mom puts it, there is "no point of living a life less ordinary if you don't know what the other side looks like" (ARC, page 99). Dave and Julia cross things off The Never list like dyeing their hair a color found in a rainbow or go on an epic "life changing" road trip. These clichés bring Dave and Julia closer than ever before.

This book is a cute read about a friendship between a boy and a girl. It's about the journey of enjoying the moment and doing something spontaneous. Dave and Julia enjoy each other's company and they are pretty much inseparable. I love the humor Alsaid includes in this book. Dave and Julia are likable characters. The things they say are hilarious. I was laughing so much at the ridiculous things Dave and Julia did throughout the book. They have guts! I would never in my life do most of the things on The Nevers list. FYI, this book has unrequited love and cheating. Although, I do not like cheating in books I read, the outcome of the actions are realistic.

I love how at the end of the book, Dave and Julia create The Always list for clichés they should embark on in college. Although the novel takes place during the academic year, Never Always Sometimes makes a great summer read. I highly recommend this novel if you are looking for a endearing contemporary.