Waiting on Wednesday (169): PS I LIKE YOU

WOW is hosted by Breaking the Spine

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

July 26th, 2016 from Point

What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?

While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she's flustered -- and kind of feels like she's falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer -- but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart?

From beloved author Kasie West (The Distance Between Us) comes an utterly charming story about mixed messages, missed connections, and the magic of good old-fashioned secret admirer notes.

West's books always tend to be charming / adorable, so I'm sure this will be a delight to read!

What are you waiting on?

Mini-Review: UNBREAK MY HEART by Melissa Walker

Title: Unbreak My Heart
Author: Melissa Walker
Published: May 2012
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 232
POV: 1st person
Format: Kindle eBook
Source: Purchased
Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf.

"Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life.

Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now.

Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?"

Considering the plot – a girl who falls head-over-heels for her best friend's boyfriend and consequently becomes a social outcast because of that choice – I expected to dislike Unbreak My Heart. But, Walker skillfully portrays Clem's character in such a way that she quickly became someone readers can enjoy, forgive, understand, and even relate to. Alternating between the past and present, Clem narrates both her past actions / life and her current summertime journey on a sailboat with her family. There is a romance, that much is obvious from the cover alone, but there are also other relationships being created and mended – namely, Clem's relationship with her family and with herself. Unbreak My Heart is an unexpected pleasure, delving honestly into love, family, and friendship. 

Highlights: James is an incredibly vibrant character, and I really wish the reader could have seen his drawings. Clem's family, especially her little sister Olive, are definite highlights. This story is very focused on friends and families, which I always love. Sailing for the summer is a different plot point for me, and I love how Walker shows the ups and downs of such a "vacation." Even Clem is a highlight, if only because I didn't expect to like her so much, and she proved to be a wonderful protagonist worth rooting for. 

Lowlights: Clem can be a bit bratty and her moody behavior can be a bit much at times, but it adds to her realism (considering her age). I wish there was more closure for Amanda and Clem, I'm curious to know how things worked out between them. Also, the cover. The image is great, but that darn heart and cheesy pink may scare away some readers (like me). 

Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf (normal/high 4 out of 5). This book is fantastic, worth owning, and has earned a spot in the royal library. I enjoyed this story very much, despite a few small issues, and would recommend this book to other readers.

Top Ten Books At The Top Of My Summer TBR List

SUMMER TBR – REVIEW BOOKS
1.   STARRY NIGHTS by Daisy Whitney
2.   THE BITTER KINGDOM by Rae Carson
3.   THE BONE SEASON by Samantha Shannon
4.   WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE by Trish Doller
5.   THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE by Leila Sales

SUMMER TBR – PLEASURE READS
6.   IN HONOR by Jessi Kirby
7.   SLICE OF CHERRY by Dia Reeves
8.   FROI OF THE EXILES by Melina Marchetta
9.   THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS by Sarah Ockler
10.   DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT by Laini Taylor

Now, I just have to decide what to read first. That will be challenging....if you want to participate in this meme, visit The Broke and The Bookish for more information!

What's at the top of your summer TBR list?

SYNC: Download Two Free Audiobooks of OF POSEIDON and THE TEMPEST

From May 30th to August 21st, SYNC (and some fabulous publishers) will once again be giving YA lovers the opportunity to download one YA audiobook and one classic audiobook each week! That's 24 free audiobooks for the entire summer! This week, you can download these two audiobooks for free: 

OF POSEIDON by Anna Banks

"Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...

Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance." -- Read more on Goodreads

THE TEMPEST by William Shakespeare

"In The Tempest, long considered one of Shakespeare's most lyrical plays, Prospero - a magician on an enchanted island - punishes his enemies, brings happiness to his daughter, and comes to terms with human use of supernatural power. The Tempest embodies both seemingly timeless romance and the historically specific moment in which Europe begins to explore and conquer the New World." -- Read more on Goodreads

Click here to visit SYNC and download both audiobooks.

I'll be posting a reminder each week, so hopefully none of us (myself included) will miss out on any of these excellent titles! You can view the schedule of audiobooks on Sync's website.

Happy listening! 

Giveaway: YA Paperback Book of Choice

What better way to start spring & summer than with a new book? 

I may be a fan of hardcover novels, but I adore paperbacks too.  They're light & perfect for a trip to the beach. So, I thought I'd show some paperback love and give one away to my readers. 

International 

Ends on May 17th, 2013

Please read my Contest Policy

(Book Depository must ship to you)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Release: May 3rd, 2011

Pages: 224 (Hardcover)

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Source: Amazon Vine

Summary:

"I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both." 

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface. 

While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.

Review: Moonglass is a lot more than a summer book - it's a spectacular and heartfelt story. 

From the first page in, Anna's voice grabbed me. As the chapters went by, it was easy to see that Anna's not like other YA heroines, but she was still relatable and likable. The ocean has always been a part of Anna's life, and it was also what led to her mother's death. Moving to Crystal Cove, the place where her parents met years ago, she starts uncovering secrets about her parents - and especially her mother - that she never could have believed... 

Set in Crystal Cove (and yes, Kirby's descriptions of it do make it sound like a gorgeous, stunning place to live), Moonglass is flush with wonderful descriptions of the beach, cottages and summer life...It makes this book the perfect summer read. Kirby's prose is reminiscent of Sarah Dessen's work, with easy to enjoy characters and a nice flow to the writing. In the end, I felt it was worthwhile to read this story. Filled with  a dash of humor and touching, heartwarming moments, Moonglass is worthy of being put on your To-Be-Read list.

Highlights: Kirby introduces a more confident protagonist with Anna, which is a bit of a rarity in YA lit. Despite her extra-flirtatious attitude, she was still human and had flaws and doubts. I enjoyed how her other supporting characters were flawed as well - no one in this story was perfect. While there is a romantic element, it never felt too important to story (which I loved. This book was about Anna and her family, plain and simple).

Lowlights: It was far, far too short and not enough for me to give it a full rating. I was honestly surprised by how quickly it ended, because the story didn't feel complete to me. I need more of these characters(like Tyler, Ashley, and my favorite character - the Crystal Crawler), and more development with them. *fingers crossed Kirby writes a sequel*

Rating:   

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

Keeping the Moon
Sarah Dessen

Release: 2004 (originally 1999)

Pages: 228 (paperback)

Publisher: Speak

Source: Own

Book Summary:

Fifteen-year-old Colie has never fit in. First, it was because she was fat. Then, after she lost the weight, it was because of a reputation that she didn't deserve. So when she's sent to stay with her eccentric aunt Mira for the summer, Colie doesn't expect too much. After all, why would anyone in Colby, North Carolina want to bother with her when no one at home does?

But Colby turns out to be a nice surprise for Colie. Almost without trying, she lands herself a job at the Last Chance Bar and Grill. There she meets fellow waitresses Morgan and Isabel - two best friends who teach her what friendship is all about and help her to appreciate who she really is. 

"Believe in yourself up here and it will make you stronger 

than you could ever imagine" (Dessen 88).

Dessen is truly a master at young adult realistic fiction - from endearing and quirky characters to the depth of the themes and messages, she rarely fails to write stories teens (and older) can relate with and grow from reading. Colie Sparks is young, moody, and has a lip ring her mother hates. She was once overweight, but lost it all when her mother became a fitness instructor. Even with the lost weight, she still isn't confident in herself - in fact, she's anything but confident. She overreacts, she hides and slinks away when she should stand up for herself, and she's insecure...in other words, she's a teenage girl coming into her own self. Reading this novel now, it's easy to see how young she is, and while she may be mature in some aspects, her youth shows.

Colby in the summertime jumps off the pages. And the characters are wonderful: Norman and his artistic, laid-back approach to life is endearing; Mira's almost child-like joy in the small things and her ability to see past what's "broken" is wonderfully inspiring; and let's not forget the dynamic duo - Morgan and Isabel - both with their own quirks (I'm particularly fond of the scene we first read about Morgan - it gets me laughing every time) and plenty of memorable and touching moments. It's easy to get drawn into Colie's new life, the subplots of the other characters lives, and I couldn't ask for better characters to read about (except, of course, for the Wish Catering crew in The Truth About Forever - I could read about them all day, everyday).

A coming-of-age story set in a summer town with interesting characters (not to mention an artsy guy, sunglasses, and plenty of time spent in a cool roadside cafe)? Sign me up for a summer like that.

Highlights: I always get something out of Dessen's novels - always. Dessen's words are true to the heart, and there's always something to learn or take away with you. I love novels like that - the ones that are both enjoyable and meaningful to me. Dessen truly speaks "teen" and her characters always seem like real people I could meet somewhere. 

Lowlights: It seems like it jumps around a bit, this might have been a novel that could have done better with more pages. The writing didn't feel as cohesive as Dessen's other novels. This isn't by far Dessen's best novel, but it is highly enjoyable. Colie's youth was frustrating at times, but she's young, so I get it. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

My Reviews of Other Works by Sarah Dessen:

Along for the Ride

What Happened to Goodbye