Chasing Endless Summer by VC Andrews

 

Chasing Endless Summer by VC Andrews - 272 pages

A young girl trapped in a labyrinthine mansion may finally get the family she longs for when her estranged father reappears in her life in this new novel from the world of the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Flowers in the Attic and Landry series—now popular Lifetime movies.

After the tragic death of her mother and a long period of isolation under the thumb of a cruel grandfather, young Caroline Brady has little to hope for in her life in the foreboding Southerland mansion. Her only companion, her enigmatic cousin, Simon, may be a wolf in sheep’s clothing and is not to be trusted. But when Caroline’s estranged father suddenly resurfaces with news of a new wife and stepchildren in Hawaii that she’ll finally be allowed to visit, Caroline dares to hope for a new, normal life. Desperate for her father’s love, Caroline will do anything to stay in this new home. But her troublesome stepsister has other plans, and Caroline cannot tell who to trust and who to run from. Will her new stepbrother and stepsister be a light in her dark life, or will they blot out the last slivers of sun forever?

I read this one because one of my goals is to read more best seller authors.  I was not a fan of this one; to me it was boring and redundant.  

The Art of Holding On and Letting Go by Kristen Bartley Lenz

 The Art of Holding On and Letting Go by Kristen Bartley Lenz, 308 pages

When tragedy strikes atop Mount Chimborazo, fifteen year old Cara is unceremoniously shipped to Detroit to live with her grandparents. Used to the wide, wild spaces of the world, Cara must now balance her grief with the culture shock of the urban sprawl she now finds herself in. Torn between trying to fit in and yearning for her life to go back to her normal, Cara realizes that climbing may have prepared her all along as it becomes apparent she will have to learn to balance her life. Growing up means figuring what to cling to and what needs to be released, and it's a more difficult process than Cara ever thought.

Bruised by Sarah Skilton

Bruised by Sarah Skilton, 274 pages

Imogen is a sixteen year old girl whose life is shattered after a local diner is held at gunpoint and the night ends tragically.  Suddenly Imogen's life feels like a lie. Everything is called into question: her dedication, her hard work, the beliefs she has cultivated her entire martial art career. If her training couldn't help her when she needed it the most, what use was it? And without Tae Kwon Do, what's left?  Can she find her way back to normal? 

The imagery that Skilton uses is beautiful and brutal all at once. Imogen's anguish and trauma is heartbreakingly tangible. 

The Spark by Vi Keeland

The Spark by Vi Keeland -- 340 pages

Before I even met Donovan Decker, I knew his shoe size. You see, I’d gone away for a few days, and in my haste to get out of the airport, I’d grabbed the wrong suitcase.

After checking out the expensive footwear and tailored clothes, I dialed the number on the luggage tag hoping maybe Mister Big Spender might have my bag. A deep, velvety voice answered, and as luck would have it, he had my suitcase, too. Donovan and I met at a coffee shop to do the exchange. Turned out, it wasn’t just his voice that was sexy. The man holding my luggage was absolutely gorgeous, and we had an immediate spark.

He got me to admit that I’d snooped in his bag and then convinced me to make it up to him by letting him buy me coffee. Coffee led to dinner, dinner led to dessert, and dessert led to spending an entire weekend together. Donovan wasn’t just handsome. He was also funny, smart, and surprisingly down to earth for a man who wore seven-hundred-dollar shoes. Did I mention he also did my laundry while I slept? Definitely too good to be true. So what did I do to repay him for his kindness? I waited until he was in the shower, then ghosted him. My life was too complicated for such a great guy.

In the months that passed, I thought about Donovan often. But New York City had eight million people, so what were the chances I’d run into him? Then again, what were the chances I’d run into him a year later…when I’d just started dating his boss?

The Crush by Penelope Ward

The Crush by Penelope Ward -- 320 pages

It’s natural to want the one you can’t have. And for as long as I could remember, I’d secretly wanted my brother’s best friend, Jace. He was six years older and always treated me like the sister he never had. Fast forward a decade.

We were all in our twenties now. Jace had moved in with my brother, Nathan, and me to help us make ends meet after our parents died. It was just the three of us—an odd family dynamic. Living under our roof, Jace was as bossy and protective as ever. But he certainly didn’t look at me like a sister anymore. That was what made things so complicated. I was pretty much hot and bothered twenty-four-seven. And he was torn.

The signs were subtle, at first. Like on movie night, I’d casually rest my leg against his, and he wouldn’t exactly shift away. Still, I assumed he would never…go there. Nathan would kill us. The knowledge of that wasn’t enough to stop the inevitable, though. Eventually our slow burn exploded. But more than the physical attraction, we’d developed a strong connection. We just couldn’t get caught, right? That sounded simple. Until it wasn’t. This is a story of forbidden love, broken trust, and an unexpected second chance.

Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

 

Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier - 273 pages

Griet is a young girl living in the Netherlands when she is called across her town to live in Papist's Corner. She becomes the maid to one of the most famous Dutch painters of her time and, in turn, his muse for one of the most famous works of art in history. This piece of historical fiction by Tracy Chevalier served as inspiration for the movie of the same title and follows the journey of a young girl and the painting that she inhabits.

I have never read a Tracy Chevalier novel but have always wanted to - so I decided to try the most famous one. I was, for lack of a better word, disappointed. The book was tedious and slow and simply did not pique my interest, I suppose. I'll have to try a different Chevalier work sometime. 2/5 stars.

House of Earth and Blood: Crescent City #1 by Sarah J. Maas

House of Earth and Blood: Crescent City #1 by Sarah J. Maas - 804 pages

In Sarah J. Maas's first "adult" series, Bryce Quinlan faces the challenges of figuring out who she is as a half-Fae, half-human in Lunathion when her life is completely flipped on its head. Her best friend and many of her other friends are brutally murdered while she parties on the town. Years later, while Bryce is still attempting (or not attempting) to cope with the tragedy, an incredibly horrifying lead changes the entire investigation. It's up to Bryce and her new "guardian angel" of sorts, Hunt, to find Danika's killer... but not everything is as it seems as romance blossoms and Bryce learns that nearly everyone is a suspect.

This was my very first Sarah J. Maas book after hearing from so many people to read from this legendary YA author. I finished House of Earth and Blood in September of this year after finally graduating from college and finding time to read for leisure again. This was the perfect transition, for me, back into leisurely reading. Granted, the first 400 pages were *dense* (hear me out) but the *last* 400 pages were absolutely immaculate. The first half of the book is a lot of world-building and minor character development, while the last half is pure action and drama. I was absolutely enraptured by Lunathion once I was able to fully grasp it. I can't say that it is often that a book makes me cry... but I sobbed through the last fourth of the book - several times - and I can't say I feel any shame about that. Maas definitely makes you feel emotionally attached to these characters and their wellbeing. Follow that up with some incredible plot twists, this book will melt your mind in the end. It's a beautifully crafted universe and, by the end, I could definitely count this book as one of my favorites of all time. 5/5 stars

Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Drama by Raina Telgemeier-240 pages

I wanted to read at least one book/graphic novel on this month's challenge, which is school, so I did a search for good graphic novels with school settings and this is one that came up. I enjoyed reading this, even though it is set in middle school. I have always enjoyed drama/theater and acted in school plays in middle school and high school. This book was an easy read about middle school drama (both the theater kind and the real-life kind). The plot is cool, interesting and the book being set up as a play within a play is pretty cool. Overall, it was a fun, easy read.

Shifting by Bethany Wiggins

Shifting by Bethany Wiggins, 353 pages

18 year old Magdalene Mae has found herself tossed, once again, out of the current foster home she was in and placed in the care of her Social Worker's mother. Her long lists of arrests for nudity follow in her wake, but how does Magdalene explain it's because of her shifting during a full moon. Lately, though, her gift has been unpredictable and she is finding herself starting to change in the most inopportune moments. (Like during track practice.)
However, she finds her newest foster home in the tiny town of Silver City, New Mexico quite welcoming and a fresh new start -- if not for the school where she is bullied endlessly. She has landed her first job and now that she's on the cusp of adulthood, she is hoping that everything goes her way. Unfortunately, things start heading for the worse just as they started getting better. To complicate everything is the unwavering attention from high school popular rich kid - Bridger O'Connell. Bridger has a few secrets hiding as well and some could very well spell the end of Magdalene's life.

Pluto (v 1), by Naoki Urasawa (inspired by Osamu Tezuka)

Pluto (v 1), by Naoki Urasawa (inspired by Osamu Tezuka), 192 pages

First of all, let me say that I totally thought this book was a work of Tezuka that I had just never heard about-- and I was slightly disappointed when I realized that it is, in fact, inspired by Tezuka's Astro Boy series.  But that's ok- it's still a fascinating read.  This world is full of robots- some more human-like than others, but all are integrated into human society.  When indestructible robots are found destroyed, it takes a robot detective with a secret past to save the world's other robots.  This had a very Philip K Dick-ensian feel to it.

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep, 336 pages
(book 1 of Mythos series)

Gwen Frost is a gypsy teenager with the gift of touch. Anytime she touches an object or person, she can see, hear and feel everything they've ever felt, seen or said. The gift brings in a little cash for her until one day she inadvertently picks up  her friend's hairbrush and sees more than she has ever wished to see. Shortly after Gwen's mom is killed in an accident  and Gwen is taken from her grandmother's home and sent to Mythos Academy. A special school for those gifted by the gods to fight Loki and the Chaos war he wishes to bring. There Gwen learns all about who she is and what is so special about her long line of ancestors. She will also have to fight for her life because things are not always as they seem at Mythos Academy. The book is your typical teen fiction with teen angst, romance, drama, drinking, sex and drugs ... yet, it's still well done.

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler, 209 pages

Missy is a cutter. It's the one way she knows how to release all the anger, frustration, hurt and other emotions that war inside her body. Cutting herself brings release, she believes. One day, she meets Death... and slams the door in his face. She learns she is to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse - WAR. As she comes to terms with her life and who she is, changes for the better will start to take place. Don't worry, it isn't all doom and gloom. There is a bit of romance, peace and love in this novel, too.
While Rage is an emotional journey through one young teenage girl's life, it is also a good guide for parents and peers to understand a little more of what an "emo" might go through. It's a real eye opener. The author really did her homework by researching various sites and speaking with different people about the psyche of a cutter.

The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough

The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough, 692 pages

This is not something I would usually read, but I'm glad I did upon the suggestion of a friend.  I thought it would just be a dusty tale about a priest and some scandalous romance, made into a movie before I was born.  Which it is.  But it's also a sweeping family saga, full of romance, heartbreak, drama, and vivid descriptions of Australian farmland.  Full of robust, secondary characters, the primary story is that of Meggie Cleary and Father Ralph de Bricassart, doomed to a love that ends in tragic, but inevitable, consequences; and the story of family in 19th and early 20th-century Australia.