Waiting on Wednesday (158): P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU + VENGEANCE ROAD

WOW is hosted by Breaking the Spine

P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU by Jenny Han

May 2015 from Simon & Schuster BYR

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of makes it so amazing.

So glad there's a sequel! I need to know what happens next in Lara Jean's life.

VENGEANCE ROAD by Erin Bowman

September 1st, 2015 from HMH BYR

When her father is killed by the notorious Rose Riders for a mysterious journal that reveals the secret location of a gold mine, eighteen year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers--and justice. In the spirit of True Grit, acclaimed young adult novelist Erin Bowman brings to life the unpredictable and cutthroat days of the Wild West.

Disguised as a boy, gritty plains, justice, Wild West...I'm sold. Sounds like it will be an exciting story!

What are you waiting on? 

Review: TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han

Title: TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE
Author: Jenny Han
Published: April 15th, 2014
Series: To All The Boys I've Loved Before #1
Genre: YA contemporary
Pages: 368
POV: 1st person
Publisher: Simon and Schuster BYR
Format: Print ARC
Source: Vine Program
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

The concept for Jenny Han's latest YA contemporary To All the Boys I've Loved Before is likely every teenage girls worst nightmare, and Han pulls it off wonderfully. Lara Jean [Song] Covey is an apprehensive driver, middle sister, and a quiet, all-around good girl (plus, she has very classy taste in clothing). But, when the five love letters she keeps put away in her deceased mother's old hatbox are mailed to the boys, Lara Jean's life becomes a bit more complicated as she tries to control the damage in any way she can, with a little help from one of the recipients...

To All the Boys I've Loved Before is fun, flirty, awkward, and incredibly entertaining. Lara Jean is an easy girl to relate with, and much braver than she gives herself credit for. I was entirely unsure of what to expect from this novel, and Han surprised me with the directions she took. But, like all Han stories, this novel features realistically flawed characters, a strong emphasis on family, a complicated yet very sweet romance, and healthy dose of drama to tie it all together in one messy but realistic bow. To All the Boys I've Loved Before  is a sweet story that will make you feel a variety of emotions, and enjoy every second of it.

Highlights: Han excels at creating realistically flawed human beings. They make smart decisions and silly mistakes, they bicker and fight, they make you smile, they make you sigh with annoyance, and they make you chuckle under your breath. Lara Jean's family is very present in her life, and even when everything is chaos, they are still there for each other. 

Lowlights: I wasn't ready for the story to end. The romance aspect is only just beginning, and I'm curious to see where the sequel will take readers. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf (high 4 out of 5). While I love Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty much more, To All the Boys I've Loved Before is a wonderful story about family, friendship, and romance. 

Waiting on Wednesday (112): TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE

WOW is hosted by Breaking the Spine

TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han
April 22nd, 2014 from Simon & Schuster BYR

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters…

Love the cover & concept! I'm a fan of Han's Summer trilogy, so I'm excited for this book! The poor main character, though - so embarrassing! 

What are you waiting on?

My Top Ten Beach Reads

Hosted by (and above image from) The Broke and the Bookish

1.   SUMMER trilogy by Jenny Han (A, B, F, G, H, I)
2.   THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER by Sarah Dessen (A, B, E, F**, G, H, I)
3.   TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler (A, B, E, F, G, H, I)
4.   THE LAST SONG by Nicholas Sparks (A, B, E, F, G, H, I)
5.   MEDIATOR series by Meg Cabot (A, D, E*, F*, G, H, I)
6.   PRIVATE series by Kate Brian (A, B, F, G, H, I*)
7.   FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK by Melina Marchetta (C, D, E, F, H, I*)
8.   SIEGE AND STORM by Leigh Bardugo (B, C, D, E, F*, G, H, I*)
9.   BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore (B, D, E, F, G, H, I*)
10.   HARRY POTTER series by JK Rowling (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I* = PERFECTION)

Lea's Beach Read Requirements
(A) Takes place during summer (in at least one book, if series)
(B) Has light or serious drama
(C) Super epic journey
(D) Magic or supernatural element
(E) Awesome main characters, * if they're sassy
(F) Swoonworthy romance, * if I adore them
(G) Involves water (even if it's only vaguely)
(H) Family / friends are present
(I) Secrets! * if there are many secrets.

Yes, I've got a whole system (in my mind, so it's a bit weird to see it written down) when it comes to what qualifies as a beach read. And yes, I'm a strange, bookish person.

What's your favorite beach read?

In My Mailbox 51

******

For Review (From Amazon Vine/Publisher/Publicists):

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

All You Desire by Kirsten Miller

Legend by Marie Lu (two copies)

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

Bought:

Siren by Tricia Rayburn (Review)

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Divergent by Veronica Roth (Review)

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

From Tera Lynn Childs:

Splash Team kit for Fins Are Forever

(bookmarks/tattoos/pin)

From ABC Family:

Game Box to play Nine Paths to Chloe King

Bastet Charm for the Third Path

Thanks to Lauren, Amazon Vine, Penguin Group USA, Ksenia, Tera, and ABC Family :)

What did you get this week?