Friday, November 17, 2017

In a Nutshell Reviews

In a Nutshell Reviews are my version of mini-reviews, because sometimes, you just want the highlights.

I Never
Laura Hopper
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4  out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Janey King’s priorities used to be clear: track, school, friends, and family. But when seventeen-year-old Janey learns that her seemingly happy parents are getting divorced, her world starts to shift. Back at school, Luke Hallstrom, an adorable senior, pursues Janey, and she realizes that she has two new priorities to consider: love and sex.

Inspired by Judy Blume’s classic Forever, I Never features a perfect, delicious, almost-to-good-to-be-true high school relationship . . . and it doesn’t shy away from the details. Destined to be passed from teen to teen, this is a young adult debut that will get readers talking.
This is a book about the things Janey had never experienced before, and it was quite a wistful walk down memory lane for me. It is blurbed as being the modern day Forever, which I can agree with, as I read that book back when I was 15. It opened my eyes to a lot of new things I was feeling and thinking about, and I found some solace in knowing that I was not the only one.
  • Pro: This book is very sex-positive. There were frank discussions about sex between Janey and her girlfriends, Janey and her mom, Janey and Luke. I really appreciated all the different angles from which Hopper approached the subject. 
  • Pro: Janey was not only experiencing first love, she was encountering a lot of other firsts: the first time seeing her parents as people, seeing them as flawed; she was starting to see that the world is not all black and white, but rather, there is a lot of grey, and this is a really pivotal time in a teen's life. 
  • Pro: Hopper showed how the dynamic changes in one's other relationships, when they begin a romantic relationship. Janey's friendships changed, as did the way she related to her parents. She had to adjust. There were bumps, but she evaluated and made the adjustments necessary to make it all work. 
  • Con: The ending was tough for me. I am an HEA girl, and although the ending was pre-determined from a very early point in the story, and is true to its inspiration, I still found it a little sad.  
  • Pro: This was a story about Janey exploring her autonomy. That time in a teen's life, where they pull away a little from their parents, and begin to keep some things to themselves, while they make some of their own decisions. It was very realistic and relatable. 
  • Pro: I liked Luke and Janey together. I thought he pushed her in a lot of good ways. He was patient and caring, and smooth-boy said all the right things. 
  • Pro: I did think Janey grew some over the course of the story. She had quite a few ideological shifts with respect to her parents and sex. She was not totally over her insecurities, but she knew she wanted to work towards that. She knew she wanted to be able to feel wanted, beautiful, and desirable even if she was not attached to a man telling her that. I felt like she was moving in the right direction. 
  • Pro: This book is really honest and realistic. I worked in a high school for 12 years, so if you think this is not the stuff going on in some teens' lives, you are mistaken. 

Overall: A bittersweet and honest story of firsts, which left me a little teary-eyed and wistful.

*I would like to thank the publisher for the review copy of this book.

Kat and Meg Conquer the World
Anna Priemaza
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating:  4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
For fans of Nicola Yoon’s Everything, Everything, Emery Lord’s When We Collided, and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, Anna Priemaza’s debut novel is a heartwarming and achingly real story of finding a friend, being a fan, and defining your place in a difficult world.

Kat and Meg couldn’t be more different. Kat’s anxiety makes it hard for her to talk to people. Meg hates being alone, but her ADHD keeps pushing people away. But when the two girls are thrown together for a year-long science project, they discover they do have one thing in common: They’re both obsessed with the same online gaming star and his hilarious videos.

It might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship—if they don’t kill each other first.

“Kat and Meg Conquer the World will hit home for anyone who has ever been waist-deep in fandom, doubt, or new relationships; Kat’s and Meg’s unique voices are outstanding, and their friendship brings this story to vibrant life."—Francesca Zappia, author of Made You Up and Eliza and Her Monsters
This book begins with Kat sharing her observations on high school, which were dead on and made me laugh. I was immediately hooked and wanted to read more. Let it be known, the beginning was not a fluke, as the more I got to know Kat and Meg, the more I loved this book.
  • Pro: A science project brought them together, MMORPG made them friends. 
  • Pro: Speaking of MMORPG, the fandom in question, Legends of the Stone, played a huge role in this book, and I really enjoyed getting to know this fandom. 
  • Pro: I really loved Meg. She was dealing with a lot of abandonment issues, which she felt were directly related to her ADHD, but she was so much more than her ADHD. She was smart, funny, vibrant, daring, and so outgoing. She was sort of the opposite of Kat, and that is why they made such a great pair. 
  • Pro: Kat's battle with her panic disorder was so realistic. We saw the good, the bad, and the ugly side of it, but we also saw Kat face it, head on, and I think I fist pumped with each of her personal accomplishments. 
  • Pro: Meg and Kat's friendship may have started out a little shaky, as Meg just sort of inserted herself into Kat's life, but it grew to be really special. They would do little things, which showed that they understood each other's needs, and Kat does something really major for Meg, which almost made me cry. OK, maybe I shed a few tears. It was very endearing. 
  • Pro: LoTSCON! So many major things happened at the con, and I have to say, I loved it! 
  • Pro: I always go gaga for solid YA families, and both Kat and Meg were obviously loved. Their parents were supportive, but also set boundaries, and I found them to be both wonderful and realistic. The siblings were pretty great too, and don't forget - the way to my heart is through a grandparent.
  • Pro: Science! That is the other way to my heart. Their science fair project plays a huge role in this book, and it was fun to see them work through the process. 
  • Pro: Kat's romance was as sweet as her. I wore a sappy grin on my face during all her romantic interactions. 
  • Pro: Both Meg and Kat experience tremendous growth over the course of this book, and I couldn't help but jump for joy, because I was rooting for them the whole time. 
  • Pro: I was so happy with the ending. 


Overall: This was such a wonderful and fun story of friendship, family, and fandoms.

*I would like to thank the publisher for the review copy of this book.

The First to Know
Abigail Johnson
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Dana Fields's father never knew his parents. When Dana secretly does a DNA test for her dad, hoping to find him some distant relatives for his birthday, her entire world implodes. Instead of a few third cousins, Dana discovers a half brother her age whose very existence means her parents' happy marriage is a lie.

Dana's desire to know her half brother, Brandon, and the extent of her dad's deception, clashes with her wish not to destroy her family. When she sees the opportunity to get to know Brandon through his cousin, the intense yet kind Chase, she takes it. But the more she finds out about Brandon, her father's past and the irresistible guy who'll never forgive her if he discovers the truth, the more she sees the inevitable fallout from her own lies. With her family crumbling around her, Dana must own up to her actions and find a way to heal the breach—for everyone—before they're torn apart for good.
This was one of my Can't-Wait Wednesday picks, so I had pretty high hopes for this book. I am happy to report it did not disappoint me. What would you do if you were the first to know something that could destroy your family? This is the question Dana struggled with in this book, and I couldn't stop flipping the pages as I watched Dana build her house of cards.
  • Pro: Many different types of families are explored. Single mom, single dad, foster kid, large family, extended families, adopted families. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and it's nice to see them represented. 
  • Pro: Dana! This young woman was put in a tough position, and she had to hold so much inside as she tried to make the right decision. I couldn't imagine having that sort of information, and knowing it could destroy my life as I know it. She didn't always make good decisions in this book, and her decisions often had major repercussions, but they all came with good intentions, and she learned a lot of herself, her family, and she was better for it. 
  • Pro: This books is packed with great characters. I found them all to be well developed and they made significant contributions to the story. I also cared about them. 
  • Pro: Speaking of caring, I found myself quite emotionally invested in this family. The joy, the loss, the pain, the betrayal -- it was all there. 
  • Pro: There were a lot of side plots, and when I stood back and took in the big picture, I was able to see how they were all part of the big picture. 
  • Con: The ending, though good, left me glad about some things, a little sad about others, and with a bunch of questions about yet more things.  
  • Pro: The drama was delicious! I kept sneaking little pieces of this book, because I had to know what happened next. It was quite addictive. 
  • Pro: There is a lot of love and grace shown and there were a few times I thought my heart would burst. 
  • Pro: I loved Dana's romance. Her romantic interest won me over with the first overture he made towards Dana, which was far from your typical romantic gesture. 
  • Pro: This book blended stories of families, friendships, relationships, and romance, and it did it well.  

Overall: A heartfelt story of family secrets, filled with great characters and lots of feels. 













Have you read any of these books?
Let us know in the comments!

20 comments:

  1. I liked I Never. It was a cute story and Janey was easy to relate to. Kat and Meg is one I need to check out! Great reviews!

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    1. I think there are a lot of teens out there, who could appreciate I Never in the same way that Forever spoke to my generation. Taking the big step away from childhood and towards adulthood. I really appreciated the honest and frank treatment of sex in the book. Kat and Meg was really good. There are a ton of great things in there about friends, family, being a friend, and being yourself.

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  2. All are new to me. I Never caught my eye. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I enjoyed all three. I Never really addressed that big decisions that many teens make, when they choose to become sexually active. It addressed the physical and emotional side, and I think this book could be very meaningful to many young women.

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  3. I haven't heard of any of these books, but they all sound fantastic so I'm definitely going to give them a try because they sound fantastic. :) Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous reviews! <3

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    1. Glad I brought some light to these books, because I really enjoyed them. All had something important to say. If you are looking for a great story of friendship - Kat and Meg. If you are looking for a story about all those important firsts - I Never. If you are looking for an interesting look at families with a little drama - The First to Know.

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  4. I love fandom books, LOVE -- especially when the author takes the time to it -- and the fans right, which definitely sounds like the author has in Kat and Meg.

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    1. The fandom in the book was fabulous, and we didn't just have the game, we had the online community, actual game play, a YouTuber connected to the fandom, and a whole Con to explore. Loved it!

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  5. I Never sounds great. I love that the author took a sort of taboo topic and had very open and honest conversations about it. Great reviews!

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    1. I Never was very thoughtful and honest and could be an important read for some young women out there. I know some people felt it was too graphic for YA, but I read the book it was inspired by, and it's true to that. It showed that grownup side to having sex, which I think is important for young people to see and feel comfortable with if they are going to make that choice.

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  6. KAt and Meg Conquer the World sounds great, I love a good YA family depiction too, and the MMO element sounds fun.

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    1. Kat and Meg was fun and the friendship was so wonderful. I am seeing more and more "present" families in YA, and especially in books where their presence is important. The game and fandom was quite fleshed out and I was really enjoying those parts. No complaints. Solid read.

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  7. Wow! All of these are new to me, which is a surprise. I'd like to think I'm more knowledgeable in YA publications than most but clearly not. :D I'm glad The First to Know did not disappoint, especially since you had been excited to read it! Great reviews, Sam. =)

    I hope you enjoy all of your new books!

    Have a wonderful weekend!

    Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!

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    1. I am a contemporary-ho, so I am all over that genre, and I like to read the less hyped books. All the lovely books need some love, and I have found so many gems that way (some of which later became hyped books). The First to Know was so good. I was happy when I saw it on Hoopla, because I really wanted to read it.

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  8. I've not heard of The First to Know, but WOW, the premise seems fantastic! I love that angle- because what WOULD you do!? Anything thought provoking makes me happy. I have heard great things about Kat and Meg, so I do want to read that one. I also own I Never, but I have been really on the fence about it. I am glad to see you like it so much though! I am glad that it's ALL life stuff and not *just* sex, though I am also glad for the positivity, too! Great reviews, Sam!

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    1. The First to Know was so good. I listened to the audio and just could not take the earphones off. It as complicated and delicious as I expected it would be, but it was also really heartfelt and a little painful at times. There were some really beautiful surprises too. Kat and Meg was pretty awesome. I Never is a book that has a place in a teenage girl's library. It's such an honest look at love in general, but spotlighting first love and all the things that come along with that.

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  9. All three of these sound fantastic. I'm especially interested in reading The First to Know. I'm a sucker for books filled with family secrets.

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    1. The First to Know was excellent. There were so many little things that paid off big, and surprises too. Loved it!

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  10. I'm loving your gifs!! <3 I haven't watched Gossip Girl in SO long, but it makes me want to watch it. But to be honest, I don't have the heart to watch the mess that is the last season! XD I actually haven't heard of any of these books before, but it looks like you really enjoyed all of them! I'll be checking out their goodreads pages. :)

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    1. I love looking for gifs and finding the perfect ones. I love finding the next hidden gem and these books really all have something to offer.

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