ARC Review: Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

Title: Autoboygraphy

Author: Christina Lauren

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA+

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Release: September 12, 2017

Format: eARC

 

Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.

But when his best friend Autumn dares him to take Provo High’s prestigious Seminar—where honor roll students diligently toil to draft a book in a semester—Tanner can’t resist going against his better judgment and having a go, if only to prove to Autumn how silly the whole thing is. Writing a book in four months sounds simple. Four months is an eternity.

It turns out, Tanner is only partly right: four months is a long time. After all, it takes only one second for him to notice Sebastian Brother, the Mormon prodigy who sold his own Seminar novel the year before and who now mentors the class. And it takes less than a month for Tanner to fall completely in love with him.

AUTOBOYOGRAPHY is a coming of age novel about a bisexual teen who moves to a very religious Mormon town who must keep his identity in secret. However, things take a turn once he falls for the bishop’s son. What comes next is one of the most heartbreaking, but truly incredible love stories I have read in a while.

The book starts off with Tanner Scott and his best friend Autumn laying on her bed discussing their class schedules. Autumn challenges Tanner to sign up for the school’s Seminar course, a course where you must write a full novel within a single semester. The Seminar is very popular and even more so since the town’s very own Sebastian Brother’s novel he wrote during the class gained a publishing contract. Tanner is reluctant, but he eventually concedes. Writing this novel might have been hard until he lays eyes on the handsome Sebastian Brother.

Tanner and Sebastian have an undeniable connection. While they try to keep things strictly professional and tame, they soon find themselves falling in love in a town where every look, every word must be kept secret and cautious. Their secret romance is intense and you can’t help but root for them because you just want them to be happy. Tanner is strong. He knows who he is and doesn’t try to be anything other than who he is. He likes boys. He likes girls. That’s just who he is and his narrative about his identity is amazing.

On the other hand, Sebastian’s own struggle is so heartbreaking that I just wanted to hug him. You can feel how much he is struggling and in pain. He is the bishop’s son. He’s from a very LDS family. He prays to God about everything and asks for forgiveness. Sebastian builds houses on the weekends! He’s a very sweet, very compassionate guy, but he doesn’t know who he truly is. He’s fighting who he thinks he is, but can no longer achieve this when he sets his eyes on Tanner.

Everything about this book was truly amazing. Tanner’s family’s support and love for him. Tanner and Autumn’s relationship, Tanner and Sebastian’s love, and everything in between. I couldn’t get enough and can’t recommend it enough! Read AUTOBOYOGRAPHY immediately!

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

The Color Project by Sierra Abrams

Title: The Color Project

Author: Sierra Abrams

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Release: July 18, 2017

Publisher: Gatekeeper Press

Pages: 464

Bernice Aurora Wescott has one thing she doesn’t want anyone to know: her name. That is, until Bee meets Levi, the local golden boy who runs a charity organization called The Color Project.

Levi is not at all shy about attempting to guess Bee’s real name; his persistence is one of the many reasons why Bee falls for him. But while Levi is everything she never knew she needed, giving up her name would feel like a stamp on forever. And that terrifies her.

When unexpected news of an illness in the family drains Bee’s summer of everything bright, she is pushed to the breaking point. Losing herself in The Color Project—a world of weddings, funerals, cancer patients, and hopeful families that the charity funds—is no longer enough. Bee must hold up the weight of her family, but to do that, she needs Levi. She’ll have to give up her name and let him in completely or lose the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

This book blew me away. I don’t say that lightly. It literally blew me away. I am friends with the wonderful author, Sierra Abrams, and while I knew I was in for a wild ride of emotions I didn’t know what else to expect. I have to say…I got more than that. Sierra’s writing is vibrant, real, and often times poetic. I literally can’t say it enough. I am blown away.

This book is so vulnerable and real. It’s so relatable that I can’t help, but see myself in it and I think that’s what makes the world of difference. The characters are real, they’re relatable, their pain and feelings are relatable. You see your family and yourself in these situations. So much so, that that’s what had me sobbing. The relationships between family and friends are closely knit and so wonderful. I absolutely fell in love with Bee’s entire family!

But, let’s talk about Bee for a second. Bee is a beauty. She shows doubt, her pain, her happiness, her guilt, and everything in between so wonderfully. She has fantastic inner dialogue that had me cracking up. Her thought process is just a prize. She’s sarcastic to the point of being funny and her banter with Levi is just so cute.

Speaking of Levi, how incredibly adorable is he?! I want Levi. I mean it, I need Levi right this second. I want him to take me to Peterson’s so we can enjoy some delicious donuts listening to music at midnight looking at the stars. Okay, maybe I don’t because he belongs with Bee, but a girl can dream! Levi is selfless, kind, total dreamboat and all around one of the best guys I’ve read about that is just good. Good inside and out. ❤

Now while I didn’t really think this book wasn’t too big on the conflict I can kind of appreciate that. It was more character driven. It was about Bee’s journey with love and grieving. What Bee goes through I can only imagine the pain and heartbreak. I was sobbing from almost the very beginning because it hurt. But, the way Bee handles the situation made sense and I couldn’t fault her at all. The way her family stick together and they have such a strong foundation of love is inspiring.

Plus, the ending?! I couldn’t stop giggling because I was so gosh dang giddy! SO MANY FEELS!

I really don’t know how Sierra did it but she had me sobbing and smiling at the same exact time. She broke my heart but then gave me a comforting hug. I am in love with Levi and Bee and this book.

I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s everything I love in a contemporary and I have a feeling it will be for you too. Recommend 100x!

The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia

 

Title: The Lovely Reckless
Author: Kami Garcia
Publisher: Imprint
Publication: October 4, 2016
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Format: eARC
Pages: 384

I’ve become an expert at avoiding things that could hurt me—which means I will figure out how to stay away from Marco Leone.

Seventeen-year-old Frankie Devereux would do anything to forget the past. Haunted by the memory of her boyfriend’s death, she lives her life by one dangerous rule: Nothing matters. At least, that’s what Frankie tells herself after a reckless mistake forces her to leave her privileged life in the Heights to move in with her dad—an undercover cop. She transfers to a public high school in the Downs, where fistfights don’t faze anyone and illegal street racing is more popular than football.

Marco Leone is the fastest street racer in the Downs. Tough, sexy, and hypnotic, he makes it impossible for Frankie to ignore him—and how he makes her feel. But the risks Marco takes for his family could have devastating consequences for them both. When Frankie discovers his secret, she has to make a choice. Will she let the pain of the past determine her future? Or will she risk what little she has left to follow her heart?

Thank you to Impulse and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange of a honest review.

This book is such a pleasant surprise. It is very reminiscent of Katie McGarry’s Pushing the Limits series, especially Crash Into You (which is my favorite book) and I love it! The story of two teens who come from different worlds finding a special connection with each other is one of my favorite stories and this was perfectly done.

The story surrounds Frankie Devereux after she witnessed her boyfriend Noah’s death right before her eyes. Suffering from PTSD, Frankie becomes a little reckless and has to move into a less “privileged” part of town with her father and enter a public school where she meets the sexy, passionate, and bad boy Marco Leone. The second Frankie meets Marco, an intense attraction begins and it’s all you need to realize that you need Marco as your next book boyfriend. I know I did. ❤

Frankie is one of my favorite characters. She suffers from PTSD and flashbacks from the night when Noah died. She is desperately trying to remember who killed Noah and she lets this haunt her for majority of the book. I just felt so much sympathy for her. She is lost. She doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere anymore. She has to move into her Dad’s place where she hasn’t had that great of a  relationship with in quite some time as a result of his job. Her mother is distant and pays more attention to her new husband and making Frankie who she wants Frankie to be rather than get to know her daughter. On top of all this, Frankie is trying to forget everything that is connected to Noah because it hurts her too much. That means trying to distant herself for her oldest friends. While I didn’t agree with Frankie’s decisions, I understood them. I loved Frankie’s development in this novel because it showed just how strong she is. She had to fight a hard battle trying to piece together what happened as well as save herself and learn who she now is. She took some risks and it was always for those she loved. She just wanted to do the right thing for the right reason.

Oh Marco, Marco, Marco. I was gushing so much over this beautiful soul. My heart broke a million times because of his story and the cards life dealt him, but you have to love his heart. His connection with Frankie is beautiful and the way he cares for his sister  will make you love him. I dare you not to fall in love with him. He is so protective of those he cares about and will do everything to protect them and it hurts because he won’t fight for himself. He feels just as lost as Frankie does, if not more. He thinks so poorly of himself that it’s heartbreaking!

“Marco will fight for his sister, for his friends, and I’m willing to bet hed fight to the ends of the earth for you. But he won’t fight for himself. He only sees one door, Frankie. He needs someone to show him the others ones.”

What I really liked about this book besides the intense relationship between Frankie and Marco was the friendships Frankie formed. This book wasn’t only about a love story. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t even really instalove (not really), but Frankie first developed a friendships with a girl from her class, Cruz and her new reconnected friendships with her older friends, Lex and Abel which was more important. She needed to know that she had people supporting her who can help her see the “other doors.”

Overall, this book is fantastic and quickly became one of my favorite contemporaries. It’s sexy, fast-paced, thrilling, and never a dull moment. I never cry while reading contemporaries, but this book made me bawl my eyes out. I felt so connected to these characters and so invested in their journeys. Thank you, Kami Garcia for writing such a beautiful, heartfelt story. It will stay in my heart forever.  

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This lovely book comes out tuesday! Make sure you grab your copy so we can fangirl together! 

Until next time,

When in Rome by Lena Mae Hill (ARC Review)

*Thank you to the publisher/Netgalley for for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.*

Title: When in Rome…Find Yourself
Author: Lena Mae Hill
Publisher: Speak Now
Release: September 6, 2016
Genre: Young Adult  Contemporary Romance
Format: eARC

Rory Hartnett has sworn off love, so boys will not be a distraction on her six-week study abroad trip to Rome. She has her plate full dealing with her anxiety in a foreign country, making new friends to explore the city with, taking classes, and applying for an internship at a travel e-zine. But when she meets the cute artist sharing her eccentric host mother’s lodging, all bets are off.

Fall in love with the first in a brand new series about four girls finding themselves—and maybe love—in the city of fountains. If you loved Anna and the French Kiss or Love & Gelato, you won’t want to miss this sweet New Adult series from new romance author Lena Mae Hill.

I am in a big contemporary mood and was looking for a fluffy book to make me  smile and fill me with the feels; however this just missed the mark. I didn’t get that much fluff and I got a whole lot of anxiety and frustration.

This book is set in the beautiful Rome when socially awkward, Rory decides to study abroad for one of her classes. Rory struggles with anxiety and deciding to go to Rome by herself is a very huge deal. I was proud of her for making this decision to begin with and was looking forward to seeing her character development throughout the novel. With Rory having anxiety and struggling with social interactions I thought I was going to relate to her quite well. At first, I did. I felt what she felt and sympathized for her. She was in a new country around new people, of course she was going to feel overwhelmed. However, her thoughts became very repetitive. Rory would agonize over the same thing and have very similar thoughts over and over. It began to frustrate me and then triggered my own anxiety! I wanted to like Rory, I really did. Her voice was just unappealing and she had very little development. In fact, in the end I didn’t feel very much growth for her beside finally standing up to her overbearing parents.

As for our love interest, Ned, I didn’t swoon, I didn’t care, I didn’t fall in love. In fact, I didn’t even really get to know him! Plus, he smoked weed and that’s just not something I can get behind. Sorry, Dude. Ned and Rory are thrown together by staying with the same house mother while in Rome and though they spend a lot of time together, I didn’t feel a connection between the two of them. When characters told Rory that it’s so obvious that she liked Ned, I thought “How?” Was I missing something?

There were some enjoyable scenes. I really liked Theresa, Rory and Ned’s house mother. She struggles with anxiety and her own demons so severely that she is afraid to leave her own house. I would have liked to see Rory and Ned helping her feel comfortable to walk out and leave the house because her backstory was so sad! Rory really should have spent some more time interacting with her. Also, I liked when Ned took Rory out showing her around the city. I thought that was really cute. Kristina started off as a rocky character, but once she basically told Rory to grow a pair I started to like her. Rory finally felt like she was apart of the group and she had friends. It was nice to see Rory have someone who she felt she could go to for advice that was outside of her family.

The writing was clear, easy to follow and get into, but it was missing something – an extra spark. The plot felt dull and ended too abruptly. Although I had a few problems with this it was enjoyable. I just wish I could have liked it a bit more.

Side note: I wish we saw more of Ned’s art. There was a scene where Rory overhears his classmates talking about him and when they notice her one says “I wonder if she’s seen it?” Seen what? What is he doing? IT WAS NEVER ADDRESSED AGAIN!

If you enjoy this reading material, I would give it a chance. Who knows you may end up loving it. 🙂 Get it Tuesday, September 6!

Get it here:

| Goodreads | Kindle |

Until next time,

Game On by Michelle Smith

*Thank you to Publisher/Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.*

Title: Game On
Author: Michelle Smith
Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark
Release: August 16, 2016
Series: Lewis Creek #2
Genre: Young Adult  Contemporary Romance
Format: eARC
Pages: 328

As king of baseball in the small town of Lewis Creek, Eric Perry can have any girl he wants and win every game he plays. But when a fight lands him in jail, he’s only got one more strike before his baseball career is over for good. His only chance for redemption? The girl next door, Bri Johnson.

Bri hasn’t talked to Eric in months—for starters, she’s been too busy dealing with her jerk of an ex-boyfriend, not to mention the fact that Eric’s been preoccupied trying to drink every keg in the country dry. But when he needs a way to stay on the team, she proposes a plan: if he helps her out with community service, he can stay on the team. At first it’s a nightmare—Eric and Bri stopped being friends years ago, surely that was for a good reason, right? But as volunteering turns to bonding over old memories of first kisses under the stars, they start to have trouble remembering what pushed them apart.

In a town as small as Lewis Creek, nothing stays secret for long and their friendship and romance might mean bad news. But in this final, tumultuous spring before graduation, Eric and Bri are about to realize that nobody’s perfect alone, but they might just be perfect together.

First of all, I love sporty love stories. When I saw this was available for request on Netgalley I knew I just had to read it. After reading this book, I can wholeheartedly say that this is one of my favorite contemporary novels, ever. I loved the story, the connections between the characters, the romance, the male main character was everything I’ve ever wanted in a mc. I am over the moon happy with this book!

Michelle Smith has a gripping writing style. They way she strings her words together makes you feel like you are experiencings all these emotions right alongside her characters. She makes them relatable. I felt like Bri and Eric at least 95% of the time because of their thought processes (especially Eric). Though the plot was a little underwhelming, it was still very enjoyable. The story is simple and sweet. It follows Bri Johnson, the girl next door, who was once best friends with Eric Perry, the new starting pitcher. These two are thrown together under an unexpected circumstances and quickly realize they are given a second chance at friendship, and maybe more. Second chance love story alert! I love second chance romances. I love friends who come together and realize they love each other and are perfect for one of another. Add baseball into the mix and you have one heck of a story.

Eric Perry is the guy of my dreams. He is loyal, charming, kind, a little shy and nervous, a big softie at heart, and  a true family guy. He has insecuries. He doesn’t think he is good enough and is constantly battling himself to prove to himself and the town that he has what it takes to lead his team to victory. When he begins spending more time with Bri, he is a goner. This guy is so deep in love with this girl that it’s almost adorable how he doesn’t realize it. I love the way he looks at her and the way he gets nervous around her. Eric Perry will have you putty in his hands by the end of this book. Guaranteed.

Plus, he is doing everything right ❤

“With any other girl, I would have made that move already, but she’s different. And that sounds stupid and cliche and I refuse to drop the “she’s not like other girls” bullshit, because she’s just like plenty of other girls around here: she’s smart and gorgeous and hilarious and a blast to be around. But she is different. She’s the only one who makes me want to be different. She makes me want to be better. For her.”

Aside from Eric, Bri Johnson is a strong female lead. She finds herself in an verbally abusive relationship with a guy who stole away her light. He is draining her and when she finds her strength to walk away, the entire town blames her. Any girl would crumble and breakdown. I know I would, but not Bri. She continues to work on herself to get her strength back. She worked hard to get where she is and she doesn’t let the town or her ex drag her down. I loved how strong she was even when she was breaking and alone. The only thing I wish we saw was more of her playing soccer.

My only complaint is (and totally my fault) that I really wish I would have read the first book. When old characters were brought back, I didn’t know who they were. An old baseball game kept getting referenced and I didn’t know what happened. Now I am on a mission to read that book too. These characters are so lovely and I can’t wait to read more!

Goodreads | Amazon Kindle | Nook 

until next time