Bookish Bluebird: young adult

Showing posts with label young adult. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Review: THE PIPER'S SON by Melina Marchetta

Title: The Piper's Son

Author: Melina Marchetta

Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca—but five years have passed, and now it's Thomas Mackee who needs saving.

After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can't forget. Shooting for oblivion, he's hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father. Tom's in no shape to mend what's broken. But what if no one else is either?

An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship. The Piper's Son redefines what it means to go home again.

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"But grieving people are selfish. They won't let you comfort them and they say you don't understand

and they make you feel useless when all your life you've been functional to them"

I'd like to begin with a shout out to You Know Who You Are (x2) for continuously bringing the topic of Thomas Mackee on my Twitter timeline at the most random times. But, hey! I've finally made it to this moment and fully understand why Melina Marchetta is magical and awe-mazing. I've read three of her books now, and I have to say her storytelling/narrative is absolutely lovely. Each book has hit me straight in the feels! I will admit that I shed tears with this one. Strong family and friendship dynamics in a book is a weakness of mine. The Piper's Son had both elements in spades. Everyone pick up her books soon because I've fallen in a hole and would prefer for others to suffer with me but I only wish for the best for these characters. No more pain please, only good things please.

Review: JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta

Title: Jellicoe Road

Author: Melina Marchetta

At age eleven, Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother. At fourteen, she ran away from boarding school, only to be tracked down and brought back by a mysterious stranger. Now seventeen, Taylor's the reluctant leader of her school's underground community, whose annual territory war with the Townies and visiting Cadets has just begun. This year, though, the Cadets are led by Jonah Griggs, and Taylor can't avoid his intense gaze for long. To make matters worse, Hannah, the one adult Taylor trusts, has disappeared. But if Taylor can piece together the clues Hannah left behind, the truth she uncovers might not just settle her past, but also change her future.

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"Some people say their prayers at night. I don't. What I say is always the same.

My name is Taylor Markham. I live on the Jellicoe Road."

I can honestly say I did not expect such an intricate and beautifully written story. I have book pals who've raved about this author and this book. Of course they recommended it to me and in typical reader fashion, I put it on the back burner with my Mt. TBR *smh*. I finally see why this book is often referenced and brought up again and again on my book feeds. There is a reason Jellicoe Road won an award, people!!

Review: THIS LULLABY by Sarah Dessen

Title: This Lullaby

Author: Sarah Dessen

She's got it all figured out.

Or does she? When it comes to relationships, Remy's got a whole set of rules.

Never get too serious. Never let him break your heart. And never, ever date a musician.

But then Remy meets Dexter, and the rules don't seem to apply anymore.

Could it be that she's starting to understand what all those love songs are about?

"I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't."

I enjoyed this one. Not as much as I did my first Sarah Dessen book but it was still good. Light and humorous. I just couldn't connect with the heroine unfortunately. But I absolutely loved Dexter and John Miller because these two are so adorable and quirky and hilarious. Truth Squad, Dexter's band, was the highlight of this book for me. Dexter's dog, Monkey, was also a hoot.

Review: INTO THE STILL BLUE by Veronica Rossi

Title: Into the Still Blue

Author: Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky #3
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: January 28, 2014

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do—and they are just as determined to stay together.

Within the confines of a cave they're using as makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survive—he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her earth-shattering Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

"There is no way forward that isn't through pain."

You know how you go into denial and refuse to acknowledge the fact that there is no other book, that this is actually the end, when you finish a series you loved so dearly? This was me after reading Into the Still Blue. It was an amazing conclusion to a fantastic series. I cried. I swooned. I cheered. There wasn't a single emotion I didn't feel. Characters I had disliked at the beginning eventually became my new faves. Perry, Aria and Roar (aka my golden trio) will forever hold the top rankings in this favorites list though. Eternally grateful to Siiri for pushing this series on me!

Promo Blitz: Dirty Boys of Summer

One of my all-time favorite OTPs, Coballoway, will be in this box set of NA/YA romance novels!

Kiss the Sky by Krista & Becca Ritchie is a great summer (or anytime) read.

It's filled with witty banter, sexy times and heart-warming friendships. Highly recommend!

You'll be getting 15 other romance books as well for only 99 cents! That's such a steal *grabby hands*

WHO DOESN'T LOVE THOSE DIRTY SUMMER BOYS?

99 cent Mega NA/YA Romance Bundle Sale. Limited Time Only!

| +Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes&Noble |

Note: Sunglasses required

Review: CINDER by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder

Author: Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

"She was a cyborg, and she would never go to the ball."

I have an undying love for fairy tales and this was my first retellings book. Needless to say, I la-la-LOVED all the Cinderella parallels. It blew my expectations right out the water to be honest. I didn't expect such a complex story or an equally complex yet wonderful group of characters. Cinder quickly became one of my top fave heroines of all time! She's sarcastic, intelligent and brave. She's a take-action kind of character that I always love to read about. She's just so bad-ass and awesome :D

Review: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Title: Just Listen

Author: Sarah Dessen

Publication Date: February 28, 2008

To find the truth, you've got to be willing to hear it.

When she's modeling, Annabel is the picture of perfection.

But her real life is far from perfect.

Fortunately, she's got Owen. He's intense, music-obsessed, and dedicated to always telling the truth.

And most of all, he's determined to make Annabel happy...

"But being nice wasn't as easy as it seemed, especially when the rest of the world could be so mean."

I LOVED THIS BOOK. Just, wow. Powerful, touching, down right emotional. There are two elements that I absolutely love in any book: an emphasis on family and character development. This book had those in spades. The story was beautifully written and, in my opinion, the flow was spot on.

The title, Just Listen, fits this story to a tee and is told in the pov of Annabel Greene, the youngest of three sisters. She lives in a modern styled home known as The Glass House, exposing them to their neighbors and passersby. From the outside, the Greene family seems perfect. Annabel was known for being in TV commercials and was dubbed as the girl who had it all. That was far from the truth. Her friendship with her best friends, Clarke and Sophie, had ended badly which left her isolated. Her sisters had moved out together and didn't call home much which left Annabel alone. She didn't have anyone to confide in so she bottled up her thoughts. When she was with her family, it was apparent how her parents would shield her from family problems and push her opinions aside because of her age. All Annabel ever did was do what she was told and listen.

I liked Annabel. I liked her loyalty to her family. I understood her decisions. She was being bullied at school but she didn't want to burden her family by telling them so. She wanted to stop modeling but she didn't want to hurt her mother's feelings. She was hiding a secret from everyone because she was scared. Just Listen was realistic. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the relationship between Kirsten and Whitney, Annabel's sisters. They had a fall-out ever since Whitney was forced to move back home. They hardly spoke to one another. Their character growth as individuals was poignant and I cried my eyes out when they made up. Not one to inject herself into situations, Annabel quietly observed her sisters from the side. The narrative was so descriptive and thought provoking, throughout the entire book really, and it made my heart ache (in a good way).

"Music is the great uniter. An incredible force.

Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common."

Annabel's growth wasn't as awe-inspiring as her sisters but I still really enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell after meeting Owen. He was the broody, lonely guy at school who was always listening to music. Their friendship developed slowly but sweetly. Owen had a rule to always be honest and Annabel couldn't even fathom being so. His obsession with music was endearing. I loved that he tried to get her to be more open-minded about the different genres of music. I LOVED HIM. He was such a warmhearted guy and an incredibly wonderful brother. His interactions with his younger sister, Mallory, had me smiling wide. I loved that Annabel could be the "older sister" when it came to Mallory and you can see another side to her that's doesn't come out in her own home. The secondary characters made this book just as much as the main characters. And it's those kinds of stories that I find more believable and sucks you right in.

I gave Just Listen 5 stars for the story. It's very much a story of family and self-discovery in my opinion. The romance was subtle and sweet. I loved that it highlighted the importance of trust and communication, that you shouldn't be so quick to judge someone based on their appearance or demeanor. I highly recommend this book to all YA contemporary lovers. It was my first Sarah Dessen book and I must say, she hit this one out of the park. I cannot wait to read more of her work!

"Don't think or judge. Just listen."

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Rolly

Owen's best friend. Rolly was great comic relief and adorable.

I loved that you got to see his own romance bloom, I was cheering for him the entire time.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Review: THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT by Veronica Rossi

Title: Through The Ever Night
Author: Veronica Rossi

Publication Date: January 8, 2013

Under The Never Sky #2

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect.

The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, can their love survive through the ever night?

"We lose and lose, but we're still here."

Okay *takes deep breath*. Where do I even begin? This series is everything I could wish for in a novel. There's adventure, action, betrayal, heartbreak, danger, romance, friendship and loads more. Loads more. I can't even describe it properly but I'll do my best.

Through The Ever Night is the second installment to the Under The Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi and it picks up right where book one ended. THIS SCENE. It was all kinds of wonderful, let me tell you. I absolutely loved Perry's reaction to seeing Aria after being apart for so long. My heart warmed completely and I smiled like a loon:

"When she saw him, her eyes widened in surprise, but her stride didn't slow and neither did his.

He shed his things, dropping them where they fell, and sprinted."

Do you feel the love? Because omg the feels from this scene alone, sigh <3. In TTEN, it's apparent how both Perry and Aria are hesitant to be open about their feelings. Especially since many of the tribe members aren't so welcoming to having a 'Dweller' in their midst, even if Aria is an Aud. Aether storms are worsening and occurring more often than not. Aria had struck a deal with Consul Hess to ensure the safety of Talon, Perry's nephew. And as Aria continued her communication with Consul Hess about finding the Still Blue, she quickly learned that the Pods are also at risk from the Aether. Just when I was celebrating over the fact that Aria and Perry are finally together, circumstance calls for them to be separated again but I loved seeing their character grow as the story progressed. Aria just continually got even more and more kick-a. And even though it sort of saddened me to see Perry 'stuck' in place as the new Tides' Blood Lord, I enjoyed seeing him mature as one. The Tides depended on him and it wouldn't have been in his character to abandon them. It's one of the reasons that make him such a strong and lovable hero. In the parts of the book that they were together though, constant swoons.

"Be ready, because when I see you, I'll never let you go again."

In my opinion, TTEN had a huge emphasis on trust. Trust between the Tides and Perry. Trust between Aria and Roar and even trust between her and Soren, a character I did not think I would ever come to like. I really loved seeing how close Roar and Aria had become though, how their friendship grew. But oh how my heart hurt during the few chapters close to the end. I was definitely worried that one of my favorite characters wouldn't be the same *wipes tear*. Overall, this is a story of strength and persistence, and one filled with a multitude of memorable characters. There wasn't a thing that I disliked (besides Sable, but that's a given...oh wait and that red-headed Scire!!). Ms. Rossi certainly knows how to keep you wanting more. And with how this book ended, the series is sure to conclude with a bang.

"Love is a rebellious bird that nobody can tame."

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Under The Never Sky

--> My Review <--

Roar And Liv

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(#0.5: Prequel novella in Roar's POV)

Through The Ever Night

Brooke

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(#2.5: Novella in Brooke's POV)

Into The Still Blue

Monday, February 2, 2015

Review: FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publication Date: September 10, 2013

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to. Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

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"The whole point of fan fiction is that you get to play inside somebody else's universe."

Fangirl was my first Rainbow Rowell read and boy did I enjoy it! Wonderful and endearing. This is the kind of book that many book lovers can relate to, especially to the heroine Cath. Helpful and caring. She immersed herself in all things Simon Snow, a popular book series, and was dedicated to writing Simon Snow fanfiction. Cath was a great, genuine character.

One thing I loved about Fangirl was how all the chapters started with a passage from either the Simon Snow books or from Cath's fanfiction stories. The passages often reflected the tone of the next chapter. It was almost like a sneak peak into what was expected! Another part of the book I enjoyed was seeing the personality contrast between Cath and her twin sister, Wren. They used to be fanfiction writing partners and each other's best friend. Wren however, wanting to live it up as a freshman, tried her hardest to separate herself from Simon Snow and Cath. I didn't like Wren. I could see why she'd wanted to be more of an individual but she could have done it gradually! My heart hurt so much whenever Cath thought or worried about her sister when Wren probably didn't give a rat's bottom at the time. Gah. But I was happy to see Cath slowly come out of her shell as the story progressed. In a way though, I guess it was thanks to Wren.

"Underneath this veneer of slighly crazy and socially inept, I'm a complete disaster."

Unlike Wren, Cath continued writing fanfic. She was determined to complete her story, "Carry On", before the final book in the Simon Snow series released. She had a passion for writing and even enrolled in a Fiction Writing class, which she thoroughly enjoyed and excelled in. When she received a zero on one of her assignments, Cath couldn't understand why. I felt so bad for her during that scene! I definitely understood Cath's argument, seeing as it was technically her work even if the characters weren't. To hear the professor tell Cath that it was plagiarism though...ouch. But I loved that the moment really pushed her out of her comfort zone (Simon Snow) and in helped improve her fiction writing skills.

In my opinion, the highlight of Fangirl was most definitely Levi *cue swoons*. He was incredibly friendly and easy-going. I couldn't help but smile whenever he was in the picture. He was always asking Cath to read parts of her fanfic to him and I thought that was so sweet of him. Levi is the kind of guy that says hello to everyone, whether he knows them or not. I loved seeing Cath coming out of her shell around him. And how he would walk her home from the library. Besides one part that made me want to punch him in the gut, he was all kinds of wonderful! I'll certainly be picking up another of Ms. Rowell's books soon <3

"Happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy...
It's the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for."

Extras: Character Casting

Friday, September 19, 2014

Review: UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi

Title: Under the Never Sky

Author: Veronica Rossi

Worlds kept them apart.

Destiny brought them together.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its places, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild—a savage—but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

"If there was no fear, how could there be comfort? Or courage?"

I LOVED IT. I was incredibly hyped about starting this book because I was told that the romance was a glorious slow burn and that the secondary relationships were incredibly heart-warming (I'm a sucker for bromance and friendship). Under The Never Sky met those expectations and left me wanting more! More Perry. More Roar. More Perry and Roar. Oh, yeah and more Aria. I loved that she got pretty kick-ass in around the last third the book. Yay for character development! :D

"I never really wanted to sing. Now I have the urge to do it. Songs are stories.
Maybe I've got my own stories to tell now."

The story was unique, amazing and complex. You had Aria who lived inside the Pods and then Peregrine who lived outside them. I loved being able to read both their perspectives and get a feel for both worlds. There's quite a lot of terminology and I found myself writing them down or asking questions to make sense of it all. But I did like how new information about the setting was given at a pace that didn't overwhelm me. One feature of Aria's world that I really liked was the 'Smarteye', a virtual reality device worn over one eye. Everyone living inside the Pods were dependent on these devices, they never took it off. With the device, the world was brighter and more colorful. Within the Realms the device can take you to, there was no need for fear and no sense of pain. When Aria finds herself on the outside without her Smarteye, she has to learn how to survive.

""A world of nevers under a never sky." She fit in well then, he thought. A girl who never shut up."

Ahh I loved how Perry and Aria's relationship developed. Every moment I felt they were growing emotionally closer, I couldn't help but grin. I love enemies-to-friends-to-lover scenarios cause I find they often have the most amusing dialogue between the main characters. And their bantering...oh, their bantering was excellent. I liked Aria from the start. I liked her even more at the end. She was strong-minded when she had a plan and she wasn't one to stand to the side and let other's do all the work. She'd want to help, even if it meant the possibility of killing. She wasn't afraid to do things on her own and her determination to find a way out made me admire her even more.

I have a deep love for Perry. Right off the bat, I felt for him, I felt his worries and his love for his nephew, Talon. His conflicting feelings about his brother, Vale. He was incredibly caring. He always had the tribe's best interest in mind. All the little things he did for Aria, like making her shoes and teaching her how to pick berries (Perry's pov during this scene was priceless), everything, made my heart all warm and fuzzy. He was a natural leader with killer instincts. And when he has his sights set on you, he can be incredibly smooth. Their kiss... I can't even...so many feels when it finally happened!!! Then there's Roar, Perry's best friend, who made me smile until my cheeks hurt. He was such a fantastic secondary character and great comic relief.

"Everyone feels lost and low. It's how a person acts that makes them different."

I cannot wait to continue with Perry and Aria's story, but before that I must know that Roar has a happy ending! For anyone who hasn't read Under The Never Sky yet, DO IT. There's friendships, love, alliances, betrayals, supernatural powers, deaths, twists, scenes that melt your heart, scenes that make you grin and chuckle, and more!

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Roar

I love Roar! He's charming and witty.

Reasons why I think he's awesome:

1. He's desperately in love with Liv

2. He's compassionate (e.g helping Cinder)

3. He's the perfect wing-man

Tosca Aria
It was almost like the words of the aria were foreshadowing the future of their relationship.
They were telling each other their feelings without actually saying them.
The feels were strong with this one.
"They reached for each other then like some force had pulled their hands together."

Extras: Aria+Perry edit

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Review: THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Author: Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killer her friends and left her strangely unharmed.
There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

"Sometimes, the mind has a way of protecting us from things until we're ready to deal with them."

Woah. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was my first YA, paranormal read after a long line of adult contemporary romances. It. Was. Awesome! The build-up was wonderful and though I felt the excitement leveled off a bit part-way through, it picks right back up and leaves you hanging. Literally too. There's a cliff hanger!! I haven't read a book with a cliff hanger in what feels like forever. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

"Thinking something does not make it true. Wanting something does not make it real."

Mara wakes up in a hospital bed with no recollection of how she got there. But she quickly learns that she was the only survivor among her friends of a horrible accident. Mara (with her family) moves to Rhode Island and enrolls into a private high school hoping to start anew and move on from the tragedy. Unfortunately, she's suffering from PTSD and hallucinations. As the story progresses, she begins to question her sanity (as did I) as the line between reality and fantasy begins to blur.

I really liked how the flashbacks were spread throughout the book. The pacing was good and it felt more realistic that she didn't remember everything all at once. The story was intriguing and kept me on edge, questioning what happened and what would happen. There were many memorable secondary characters. Mara's family was a big one. I loved how overbearing and protective her mother was. Or how her older brother Daniel would look out for her at school or even at home. Then there's Noah Shaw. Oh, Noah.

"Today. Tonight. Tomorrow. Forever. I was made for you, Mara."

Cue swoon. I was suspicious about him at first, especially with his interest in Mara but he stole my heart pretty quickly. Noah's "the guy" when it comes to whose pants the female population of Croyden want in. Luckily, he's not an a-hole about it and he's actually quite the gentleman. Saving Mara from the humiliation of her art book being shown (+10 brownie points) and always opening doors for her (+5 brownie points).

And that ending!! I'll be honest, I didn't see that coming at all and I'm not entirely sure I believe it was even real. I look forward to reading what the sequel, The Evolution of Mara Dyer, will have in store. There's a HEA in the horizon... right?

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Jamie Roth

I really hope we see more of him!

Any moment with Jamie present was enjoyable.
He was a great friend and was good comic relief in an otherwise intense story.

A Better Person

"You're the only one who knows, Mara. The only person who knows me. I don't want to lose you."

I won't lie. Even though Noah made my heart melt in this scene,

I was secretly chanting "Do it." The dark side was just too tempting.

Extras: Character Casting

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Review: THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay

Title: The Sea of Tranquility

Author: Katja Millay

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone earning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett's story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is to be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won't go away until she's insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she's been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

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“I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.”

WOW. This book was B-E-A-UTIFUL. The Sea of Tranquility tells us the story of Nastya Kashnikov who, after a tragic event, leaves her family to move in with her aunt Margot. She wears a mask in the form of heavy make-up and revealing clothes to keep her past a secret. She eventually meets Josh Bennett who she notices IS avoided and left alone by the other students. I was intrigued from the very beginning by how mysterious both Nastya and Josh seemed to be.

“At the age when most kids are trying to figure out who they are, I was busy trying to figure out why I was. I didn’t belong in this world anymore.”

I really liked Nastya. She had a sense of humor considering how her life got turned upside-down. What I found interesting about Nastya was that she had a hobbie of collecting names and finding their meanings. Nastya, rebirth and resurrection.

I loved Josh. He had a quite demeanor and was constantly woodworking or thinking about it. The only social interaction he really had was with Drew, his wonderful best friend, and Drew's family. I loved that he watches soap operas for his mother, drinks tea and takes the time to make a table or a bookcase just to give as gifts. I'm glad this book was told in dual POVs because it was through his narrating that I came to understand and fall for him. Josh, salvation.

I'll be honest. The very first time Nastya showed up at his house and just sat down to see what he was doing, I was confused at what she was doing. That's certainly how Josh felt. But when they started falling into a routine of doing woodwork in his garage, it felt normal. Two lonely souls finding comfort in each other's company. He was the only one Nastya would talk to.

“You are so pretty that one of these days I’m going to lose a finger in my garage because I can’t concentrate with you so close to me.”

There were a good number of wonderful secondary characters in this book (like Clay, what a sweetheart). But I like to think it was because of Drew that they became friends to start with and that Josh could admit his feelings for her. The build-up of Nastya and Josh's relationship was perfect, and the pacing was steady. Every moment in his garage made my heart get all warm and fuzzy.

When she reverted back to her old (but not old-old) self, I wanted to cry! I thought she was making such progress. But what was worse was what she was so close to doing at the party Drew took her to. It only got worse when they went to Josh's after it! MY HEART DURING THAT SCENE. OMG. I was really close to throwing my book. I was relieved that they didn't kiss and make up right away after that emotional tornado though. The separation made it more real.

And those last two words of the book... It was like the clouds parted and everything started making sense. It was fate, destiny, whatever you want to call it. They were just meant to be.

“Every day you save me.”

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Drew Leighton

How can you not love this guy? He's such a wonderful friend, to both Josh and Nastya.

Three reasons why I adore him:

1. He has a big heart

2. He always tries to ease any tension in a room

3. He's a mama's boy

The Chair
"He hasn't given me a place to sit. He's given me a place to belong."
When she checked underneath and saw the engraving (45%),
I squealed and clapped my hands with a huge grin on my face.
IMO, this was the turning point in their relationship.

Extras: Character Casting

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Review: THE PIPER'S SON by Melina Marchetta

Monday, September 30, 2019

Review: JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta

Monday, January 4, 2016

Review: THIS LULLABY by Sarah Dessen

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Review: INTO THE STILL BLUE by Veronica Rossi

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Promo Blitz: Dirty Boys of Summer

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Review: CINDER by Marissa Meyer

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Review: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Friday, February 6, 2015

Review: THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT by Veronica Rossi

Monday, February 2, 2015

Review: FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell

Friday, September 19, 2014

Review: UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Review: THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Review: THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay