Mini Reviews #22

Today I've got three very different books for you. The first is BUMPED by Megan McCafferty, a dystopian read where teenagers are encouraged to get pregnant in order to give many couples the chance to adopt. The Middle Grade read of WONDER by R. J. Palacio will open every reader's heart for young August, an exceptional boy with facial deformity. And then there is PUSHING THE LIMITS, a steamy YA contemporary 2012 debut novel by Katie McGarry.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Imagine a future in which everyone over eighteen is infertible and teenage girls with baby bumps are the new stars for all the couples who can't get their own children anymore. Harmony and Melody are sixteen-year-old identical twins who were separated at birth. They are reunited the day Harmony, who was brought up in a religious community, shows up on Melody's doorstep and wants to convince her that bumping with a stranger for money is just not acceptable.

Melody and Harmony are twins but have very different opinions about the whole pro teen pregnancy hype going on. One of them is supposed to get pregnant very soon, the other isn't at all for premarital sex. It's not all about sex, there is still room for proper love stories for both teens, that were surprisingly funny and cute to follow. So BUMPED has a good portion of contemporary romance feel to it.

Harmony is highly religious and believes in God and keeping herself pure. I liked Harmony's story a little less because of its overly religious touch, which sometimes was just too much.

In our world people aren't always that enthusiastic about teenagers getting pregnant early, so it was a smart move of Megan McCafferty to base her story on a society that depends on teenagers getting pregnant, making BUMPED a provocative and very controverse read.

3,5/5 ***/* BUMPED - YA contemporary queen Megan McCafferty shows her talent to spin mere ideas into an affecting and thought-provoking dystopian novel. 

A future world with advanced technologies and a society plagued by infertility is kicking off debates about teen pregnancy, sex and all different kinds of aspects about adoption, religion and the right to decide what's best for you, your heart and your body.  

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publishing Date: April 26^th 2011
Length: 323 pages
Keywords: YA, dystopian fiction, romance, teen pregnancy, sex

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Summary 

Bumped Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

I have no idea why I don't read Middle Grade books on a more regular basis. Starting WONDER I expected an emotional story - and emotional it was. It is the story of August Pullman, a boy with an unique facial deformity.

So far he's never attended a regular school, but his first day of school in 5th grade is nearing. It was interesting to witness the process of socialisation and integration of Auggie into the class and seeing how other children reacted to him.

WONDER is told from Auggie’s perspective, an utterly honest and brave little voice. Auggie’s sister Via, his best friends and Via’s friend share their views and reactions on current events and their relationship to Auggie, too. Overall WONDER is written in a very easy and authentic language.

Chapters are rather short and are oriented at Auggie’s events, realisations or experiences. Familiar episodes alternate with Auggie’s experiences in a new school environment, daily life scenarios and the blooming bonds of true friendship, acceptance and respect.

5/5 ***** WONDER - This is a story about many first days of school, moments of bravery and a small boy who shows unbelievable greatness.

Auggie is a truly wonderful boy. What he lacks in conventionally good looks he has in integrity and natural sense for other people's feelings and intentions. He is one of the most adorable MG characters, one who earned my trust in his strength after only a few minutes into his story. 

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date: February 14^th 2012
Length: 315 pages
Keywords: Middle Grade, school, friends, family, facial deformity

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Summary 

Wonder Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Meeting the love of your life in front of a school social worker's office isn't a sweet start? Well, read PUSHING THE LIMITS and reconsider. Echo and Noah both have issues and secrets of their own, but that doesn't keep them from colliding with each other. Logic and reason out of the way, they just want to get the other mad, tease, and get closer, much closer than to any other person ever before.

Their love story is one of the extreme kinds, they are both very torn characters and their romance is just the same.

What kind of threw me off the story, only a small detail that had an amazingly big effect on me liking the story a bit less, were the names Noah and Echo were calling each other. I just can't stand for a girl being called Baby more than once in a story.

The title is well chosen since there's always a constant pushing and pulling marking the relationship of Echo and Noah. They get to tell parts of the story from their perspectives and you see that they are both strong personalities, who are stubborn and not always willing to give in first. Especially chapters from Noah's point of view are marked with strong language, drug abuse, drinking and sex.

4/5 **** PUSHING THE LIMITS – A YA contemporary debut with a scorching love story with depth and an addictively written plot demanding to be devoured in one sitting.

PUSHING THE LIMITS is the first book in the highly acclaimed romantic series by Katie McGarry. Fans of Simone Elkeles should definitely find a new favourite read in Katie's debut novel.

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publishing Date: July 31^st 2012
Length: 392 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, romance, family, loss

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Summary 

Pushing The Limits Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

 

 

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Mini Reviews #21

Any fans here of SPELLBOUND by Cara Lynn Shultz? If you haven't read its sequel you should definitely get to it now. THE VESPERTINE by Saundra Mitchell could be a book for readers who enjoy historical YA. And the third mini review is for Anna Sheehan's A LONG, LONG SLEEP, a Sleeping Beauty re-telling of the cheerless kind.

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Emma and Brendan finally broke the old curse that burdened their love, but a new enemy is coming for them, intending to use their powers for her own evil plans. SPELLCASTER is the second and last book in the SPELLBOUND series.

Emma and Brendan's romance intensifies a bit, but not as much as one could've hoped for in a sequel. They might have lost some of their original magic in consequence of too much secret-keeping and not trusting the other to be strong enough to handle any upcoming difficulties. It was still good to see them again, spending more time together, as Brendan and Emma have a natural charm as a couple that is just meant to be together.
SPELLCASTER has one last trial to test their love for each other, a mean witch. The antagonist wasn't as scary and unpredictable as the enemy Emma and Brendan had to face in SPELLBOUND. Great is that we learn more about Emma's ancient powers to cast spells. She's practicing a lot and we can be front row spectators of her magical achievements.

4/5 **** SPELLCASTER – An encore to Brendan and Emma's cute and hip New York love story, upping the paranormal power use and all that's at risk.

If you loved SPELLBOUND you definitely want to read this sequel about the last trial to test Emma and Brendan's love for each other. In the extra section of SPELLCASTER fans are supplied with playlists of songs on Emma and Brendan's iPods, very good bonus!

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publishing Date: March 27^th 2012
Length: 371 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, romance, evil witch, magic, New York

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Summary 

Spellcaster Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

 

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

In the Baltimore summer of 1889 Amelia van den Broek is plagued by visions. People are asking for her advice and prophecies, but then terrible things start happening. Can Amelia find a way out of it all and trick fate?
THE VESPERTINE is told by young and adventure-seeking Amelia who is new to Baltimore and soaks up every tiny detail about the city and the people she meets, making this a very descriptive read.
Like other 19th century tales Amelia's story is very much about her relationship to her family, which has been problematic thanks to the visions she's been having. Amelia is haunted by them and fears that they turn out to be true. Those visions bring a high mystery and paranormal factor to her story.

Amelia is also supposed to find a well-respected suitor. So when she falls for Nathaniel, someone she shouldn't be seeing at all, it's clear that theirs is no easy love. Nothing in Amelia's story struck me as overly outstanding, but all in all following her new start in Baltimore made for a pleasant read. 

3/5 *** THE VESPERTINE - This historical YA read right out of the Victorian era convinces with its paranormal elements and a heroine like no other.

For those of you who enjoyed THE VESPERTINE, Saundra Mitchell wrote two  historical YA companion novels, following Amelia's cousin Zora and Kate Witherspoon. You don't come across companion novels in this genre too often, so give this series a go and get three novels to fall in love with.

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date: March 7^th 2011
Length: 293 pages
Keywords: YA, romance, historical fiction, visions, Baltimore, 19th century

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Summary 

The Vespertine Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

 

 

 

A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

It was only supposed to be a short nap in her stasis tube, but it will take sixty-two years for Rose to open her eyes again. Her parents are dead, the boy who kissed her awake is a stranger and the world she wakes up to is one that couldn't be more foreign.
The story of Sleeping Beauty has always been among my favourite fairy tales, so I gave A LONG, LONG SLEEP a go. Sadly, it wasn't at all as I'd imagined it. The futuristic world A LONG, LONG SLEEP is set in feels inconsistent and was completely unfulfilling just as its plot. I pitied Rose most of the time, none of her relationships to other characters did catch my attention and her love story (or better non-romance) with the mystery boy who kissed her awake is terribly dull.
Maybe Rose's story could've been stronger if it had been planned for two or three books instead of a standalone.

2/5 ** A LONG, LONG SLEEP - A Sleeping Beauty re-telling lacking the entrancement of its original inspiration.

This almost felt alien since it couldn't be further away from the original tale than the story that Anna Sheehan wrote. I guess she attempted a brave approach, but at no point did A LONG, LONG SLEEP feel like a story I'd want to read again.

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publishing Date: August 11^th 2011
Length: 342 pages
Keywords: YA, romance, fairy tale, re-telling, Sleeping Beauty, futuristic world

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Summary 

A Long, Long Sleep Excerpt 

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2013 Wrap-Up

Crazy year behind, so my wrap-up's gonna be pretty short! But can you blame me; we started building our house last summer, no break ever since. Now all the walls are up, soon we should start painting and putting up wallpapers etc., crazy I tell you!
I also had my second kid, my beautiful baby boy, who keeps me insanely busy. He's a happy baby, but he loves company. In the beginning it was at least possible to read while nursing, but not anymore, since this baby stops eating and starts reading with me. So no books allowed if I want to keep wellfed baby.

But let's wrap this thing up!

Best Books read 2013

Books read 2013

Monaliz's favorite books »

My goal was to read 105 books in 2013, and I totally failed! I only read 47 books, which is 45%. But I can live with that, hopefully this year is better! :)

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Mini Reviews #20

Today I dug out three of my oldest review titles from 2011 and 2012, GIRL WONDER by Alexa Martin, WHERE IT BEGAN by Ann Redisch Stampler and THE SUMMER OF FIRSTS AND LASTS by Terra Elan McVoy.

Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin

It's senior year and since her parents decided to move, Charlotte has to attend a new school and with that make new friends, too. From the beginning Charlotte's story is all about her school life.

She has a learning disability and isn't very good with numbers. GIRL WONDER shows that you can't be good at everything and even if you have flaws and weaknesses you should still be respected and not treated any differently for it.

So GIRL WONDER has all the main issues occupying a teen's mind. School days, family dinner conversations, new friends, and two boys, Neal and Milton, warring for Charlotte's heart. GIRL WONDER is about learning to grow up, to trust the right people and leave those behind who don't trust in you. How does Charlotte decide who is right for her?

My favourite thing about Alexa Martin's debut novel was its setting, the rural landscape, pine trees, snowy mountains that brought on an extra winter charm and fun activities like skiing.

3/5 *** GIRL WONDER – An average YA contemporary read for a younger audience about a girl finding her way in life .

Somehow the cover of GIRL WONDER made me assume I'd picked up a book with paranormal background, only to discover a plain and common YA contemporary story. I couldn't relate to the characters very well, but the story kept me entertained to some extend.

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Publishing Date: May 3^rd 2011
Length: 304 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, new girl, romance, learning disability

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Summary 

Girl Wonder Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

Gabby wakes up in a hospital, suffering from memory loss. She has no idea what led to the car accident that brought her here. Suddenly her boyfriend, popular Billy Nash, is distancing himself from her and it's Gabby's turn to find out what happened that night.
Gabby is a main character with a bunch of problems in tow, a person that is hard to figure out. There is a big difference between the person she truly is and the person other people want her to be, especially her boyfriend Billy and her mother Vivian. Ann Redisch Stampler did a good job building up the inevitable conflict between her characters. Her fine writing supports the incoherent and hesitant thoughts and feelings that are inside our protagonist very well.
There are only a few characters that I did like in WHERE IT BEGAN. The entire time I didn’t know what to think of Billy Nash, Gabby’s boyfriend (not a good sign). I was engaged in their romance, even though I constantly had a nagging feeling that something about it wasn’t quite right.

Gabby’s task to find out what happened the night of her accident is in the main focus of the story and it's definitely one mystery that you want to see solved.

3/5 *** WHERE IT BEGAN – A YA contemporary debut with an initially interesting clue hunt and questions about trust, true love and loyalty.

The strong pull I felt towards Gabby's story at first slowly started to ebb away with every new cryptic chapter that followed. I was eager to find out what happened to Gabby that night, I highly felt for her, and wanted her so badly to regain her memory. But when I started to figure out what happened that night before she did, I just couldn't stand to see her be so blind to every person around her treating her in a way that wasn't acceptable anymore.

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publishing Date: March 6^th 2012
Length: 369 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, romance, memory loss, car accident

Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

Goodreads Summary 

Where It Began Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

The Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Terra Elan McVoy 

The three sisters Calla, Violet and Daisy are attending summer camp together. Calla has a huge crush on her best friend Duncan, Violet is into James, a boy she isn't supposed to fall for and Daisy is finding out what it means to be Joel's girlfriend. 

There's much going on in the lives of the three teenage girls and them being sisters doesn't make it easier. They are often petulant and don't always want to listen to the wise words of an older sister. Violet, Daisy and Calla have known each other their entire lives, and listening to them and seeing the three sisters interact was exhausting sometimes. They have these stupid nicknames for each other and all three girls are named after a flower. Minor details, but enough to tick me off more than once.

Violet, Daisy and Calla all get their own chapters to tell their camp stories. Of course boys play a role, too. But sometimes friendship and family are more important and come before anything else. The three girls discover what matters to them most in different ways.

3/5 *** THE SUMMER OF FIRSTS AND LASTS – Frisky and youthful, this is a light summer read with fun setting and an often irritating  sister trio.

THE SUMMER OF FIRSTS AND LASTS is about everything that could equal summer for three teenage girls. It's as much about sisterhood and family, growing together as growing apart as learning to stand on your own two feet and make your own decisions.

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publishing Date: May 3^rd 2011
Length: 423 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, romance, summer camp, three sisters, friendship

Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

Goodreads Summary 

The Summer of Firsts and Lasts Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

 

 

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Days Gone Bad Blitz

Days Gone Bad
(Vesik #1)
by Eric R. Asher



Published:August 18th 2013
















My name is Damian Valdis Vesik.

I am a necromancer, an ability feared and hated as much as the powers my master and I set ourselves against.
We've vanquished many evils, but now something is releasing an old darkness, forcing us to hunt an enemy beyond anything I’ve faced before.

I was already busy enough with vampires, fairies, witches, Watchers, weddings, and … damn, I need a vacation.



GOODREADS | AMAZON

Wolves and the River of Stone
(Vesik #2)
by Eric R. Asher



Published:October 25th 2013














Philip, Zola's boyfriend from one hundred and fifty years ago, is not nearly as dead as we thought. I really wish he was.

Not only has he kidnapped Zola, but he's raising an army to scour humanity from the earth.
Hopefully the local werewolf pack will help.

What could possibly go wrong?



GOODREADS | AMAZON

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Mini Reviews #19

The first Mini Reviews post in 2014 introduces you to three YA contemporary stories that I read or started in 2013. So much high praise for THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE by Leila Sales and I couldn't resist to pick up a copy. I had high expectations for NOBODY BUT US by Kristin Halbrook and SUCH A RUSH by Jennifer Echols, too, unfortunately they weren't met in the end.

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Elise is friendless, she is lonely and an outsider in every possible social scenario. And when life couldn't look any less dead-end, she discovers the magic of music at a warehouse party. The opportunity to DJ there opens up a chance to experience life in a whole new way. Maybe Elise isn't lost yet...

Elise is only sixteen and she's already part of the DJ and nightclub scene. I didn't think her too young to go out to the warehouse parties she's attending, playing music, meeting new people. Scoring a DJ job was functioning like a therapy and as much as you hurt with Elise for everything that's happened to her so far, you also see that there's a bright future ahead if she just keeps doing what she loves.
Having no friends in school, no one to turn to, never feeling accepted or even being bullied are very relevant for Elise's story. Everyone of us can in some way relate to this young girl and her thoughts about life, friendship and love. She's searching for meaning, unconsciously wanting help and waiting for that one moment that finally points her in the right direction.

Music is of high importance for Elise's story, too. It has soothing and healing qualities, is her best friend in the worst moments of her life. As much as the music and the fascinating new DJ job are drawing you into the story, Elise's love story with the local DJ, Char, does the same. But unless the strong music parts, the romance lost me somewhere on its way. So I suggest you start THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE with the desire to fall in love with Elise's music rather than her love interest.

4/5 **** THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE – Leila Sales' third book is equipped with the perfect tune to touch many readers' hearts with its musical magic.

THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is about Elise's favourite bands and songs and the music that influences her life. I'm not very into the music that she listens to. Reading about the power of the songs she plays, I know I have a lot of music education to make up for, starting with Elise's playlist now.

 

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux 

Publishing Date: September 17^th 2013
Length: 288 pages
Keywords: YA, fiction, music, DJ'ing, friendship, romance

Source: Bought for Kindle

Goodreads Summary 

This Song Will Save Your Life Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook

Zoe and Will are young and in love. They both haven't grown up in the most stable environment and without a big family who showed them kindness and understanding. Their problems make them want to run away so badly. And then they do... 

It's a lot of fuss about nothing. Yes, Will and Zoe didn't have the easiest childhood, far from it, and they are dissatisfied with their current situation. Originally I thought about them running away as an exciting adventure to find themselves and solve their problems. Only along the way offences kept accumulating and things got more out of hand and complicated the longer they ran. But did they do anything to solve their problems and think up a way to make things better? Not at all. They just ran without thinking about the consequences and act without thinking what it could do to others.

A dual point of view is implemented to show how troubled both of them are and that they are a perfect match. Their romance was one of the most immature and unfulfilling I've read about in a while, Will and Zoe are not a couple I could make myself sympathize with.

2/5 ** NOBODY BUT US - This is the story of rash and immature Zoe and Will who were not the thrill-seeking, brave and clever couple I was looking foward to meet.

 Very poor Bonnie and Clyde retelling, without the glamour and brains of their role models. When I first heard about NOBODY BUS US I expected a very intense love story (which it is) but it stressed me out more than it grew on me, ending in a complete disappointment. 

Publisher: Harper Teen

Publishing Date: January 29^th 2013
Length: 272 pages
Keywords: YA, fiction, romance, runaways, troubled teens

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

Nobody But Us Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols

Leah spent her life on the move, from one trailer park to the next. Being stuck with her uncaring mother and a hopeless future, Leah decides to become a pilot and get away from all of it. She starts flying with Mr. Hall, training to fly planes and there she meets his two sons who are going to play a big role in her life, too.  

Grayson and Alec are getting to know Leah better only now. Grayson and Leah's love story could've been romantic, but not with the lies and deceit that Grayson unnecessarily brings into our story. And it annoyed me beyond belief that he wanted his brother Alec to seduce Leah while truly Grayson wanted her for himself. It's an unfair, oppressive and stupid game the teens are playing.

The majority of dialogues is unsatisfactory and very often infuriating in their naivety and impertinence. And the characters didn't feel well-rounded and too imbalanced in all their extreme behaviours. The only thing that kept me reading were Jennifer's well-written love scenes, which I devoured in no time.

Airplanes and flying are the main theme of SUCH A RUSH. Leah is working at a small airport and is dreaming about becoming a pilot herself one day. The flying gives her space and opens up a whole new world of possibilities, freedom and happiness. It was cool to learn more about the different types of planes and how they are functioning.

3,5/5 ***/* SUCH A RUSH - A pilot girl fighting for her future and sexy scenes on the one hand, upsetting romantic confusions and redundant dialogues on the other.

SUCH A RUSH appeared to be pretty unpolished, with many rough edges I didn't like. Why did the characters have to be so obnoxiously stubborn and inconsiderate of other people's feelings all the time? I'd like to read this story again, the nice version please. 

Publisher: MTV Books

Publishing Date: July 10^th 2012
Length: 325 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, romance, flying, love triangle, brothers

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

Such A Rush Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

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Book Review: Wild Cards (Wild Cards #1) by Simone Elkeles

Title: Wild Cards (Wild Cards #1)
Author: Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publishing Date: October 1st 2013
Length: 342 pages
Keywords: YA, fiction, contemporary, romance, football, patchwork family
Source: Netgalley

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Summary by Goodreads

Derek and Ashtyn are yet another of Simone Elkeles' impulsive pairings who have to go a long way to finally disclose their feelings for each other. They are both quite hot tempered and very stubborn in their own ways. As always it was a pleasure to witness one of Simone Elkeles' turbulent romances evolve.

Derek might be introduced as the bad boy who breaks every girl's heart, but his true side is much more vulnerable and relaxed than anyone outside of his family would ever see. He and Ashtyn both have moving pasts that are constantly coming back to them and majorly affect their present and future together.  

Their living situation, Ashtyn and Derek in the same house, leads to a delicious attraction and constant electricity between the two of them. Them getting together would be so much more complicated for the whole family. There's also a thrilling and sneaky side to it that makes it so much more of a fun game both of them can't resist to play.

You'll also love the scenes circling around their patchwork family life. There's always something going on at their house that should keep you entertained in between very fulfilling make-out sessions and the rivalry with another football team.

Football's a huge part of Ashytn's life as it's her only hope to finally get away from her hometown and her dad. It's her great passion and Derek isn't a stranger to the sport either. I grew to like the sport very much in Miranda Keneally's CATCHING JORDAN and was happy to see football and especially the reality of female players with serious talent getting some more attention in Simone Elkeles newest YA book, too. 

WILD CARDS had very much the same feel to it like Simone's previous three Fuentes books, without the Spanish cultural background, yet not missing the hot tempered relationships. 

Simone Elkeles supplies us with a male and female perspective on the story. It's one of Simone's best writing traits, considering the need of so many readers to be in both of her characters' heads. And I definitely needed to be in Derek's head at some points during the story or I might not have cared about him as much as I did in the end (very much!).

4,5/5 ****/* WILD CARDS – An absorbing and energizing new YA game.

I expected no less than a very unpredictable love story, a couple with fiery tempers. A road trip, an unforgettable first meeting and an alluring story line should be argument enough to convince not only the football fans to pick up WILD CARDS. Very pleased to see there's already a second book in this series in work.

""You want to join me, Sugar Pie?"

I look down at my football jersey. "I'm not dressed for a party, and you didn't answer my question."

"I answered it. You comin' or not?"

He walks out of the room when I don't join him, leaving me alone with his grandmother. "Well, that was...entertaining, to say the least," she says" ― p. 270

WILD CARDS you might also enjoy CATCHING JORDAN by Miranda Kenneally and SHUT OUT by Kody Keplinger with two strong heroines who are caught in different kinds of football rivalries. Or maybe you like HOOKED by Liz Fichera about a girl on the school's golf team being not very welcome. 

  

* Haven't you read Simone's PERFECT CHEMISTRY series, yet? Get started now!

* Click here for an excerpt of WILD CARDS.

* Watch the first episode of WILD CARDS on Youtube.

* For more information about Simone and her books visit www.simoneelkeles.com.


 

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