Pretty Little Memoirs - a YA Book Blog
Where The Storyline Continues. . .
| Update |
You may have noticed a lack of posts these last couple days…I got the flu.
I’m feeling a little better at the moment , so I should be returning to spread some bookish love over the weekend with some reviews and my Set For Summer post.
Thank you for all the get well wishes on Twitter. It really does suck to get sick in the Summer when it’s nice outside…
happy reading!
Set For Summer is a new meme here on Pretty Little Memoirs, held on a Saturday or Sunday where I bring the best Summer Reads this year to you in the form of; Something Old, Something New and Something out of the Blue (a book that maybe hasn’t got as much popularity or is a fave of yours from years ago, or recently).
If you want to join in, make a pic (or borrow mine) and join up with the linky with your post!
“After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own.
Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.“
“When Brooke’s crush, Scott, moves from their suburban town to New York City, she decides to follow him there. Living with her formerly estranged dad and adapting to a new school are challenging, and things go from bad to worse when Brooke learns that Scott already has a girlfriend. But as she builds her new life, Brooke begins to discover a side of herself she never knew existed. And as she finds out, in the city that never sleeps, love can appear around any corner…“
If you’ve ever read a Susane Colasanti book, you’ll know that with every new book, you fall further in love with the characters and novels. So Much Closer is something that will fill your Summer with romance and a sweet storyline.
“Heart attacks happen to other people #thingsIthoughtweretrue
When Morgan’s mom gets sick, it’s hard not to panic. Without her mother, she would have no one—until she finds out the dad who walked out on her as a baby isn’t as far away as she thought…
Adam is a stuck-up, uptight jerk #thingsIthoughtweretrue
Now that they have a summer job together, Morgan’s getting to know the real Adam, and he’s actually pretty sweet…in a nerdy-hot kind of way. He even offers to go with her to find her dad. Road trip, anyone?
5000 Twitter followers are all the friends I need #thingsIthoughtweretrue
With Adam in the back seat, a hyper chatterbox named Amy behind the wheel, and plenty of Cheetos to fuel their trip, Morgan feels ready for anything. She’s not expecting a flat tire, a missed ferry, a fake girlfriend…and that these two people she barely knew before the summer started will become the people she can’t imagine living without.“
I picked Janet Gurtler for Out of the Blue because I hadn’t heard of her new book until recently, and she’s such an amazing author. #16thingsithoughtweretrue looks so awesome.
What are you setting up for yourself to read this Summer?
Don’t forget to tell me in the comments, link up your post or message me at @LittleMemoirs on Twitter!
happy reading!
I had just heard about Leigh Talbert Moore’s previous book; The Truth About Faking, on Goodreads, and how amazing it was. I was curious, because this is the companion to the previous novel, that I’d have to do some catching up, but they’re two separate plots, with a whirl of different characters, though set in the same town (though, that’s not stopping me from picking up The Truth About Faking, too!). As soon as I saw this on Netgalley, I don’t think anyone could’ve pressed ‘request’ faster, and I was over the moon when I got accepted to read it. The blurb and the cover (the gorgeous cover) drew me in right away…
Almost right away, we’re delving into Ashley Lockett’s grief and loss. She’s feeling every emotion under the sun, and her world is suddenly caving in and shattering everything the had. Ashley was your typical popular cheerleader, who was also super-close to her father…but not so much her mother, not since recently, anyway. The only thing Ashley really has to hold onto in the beginning is Charlotte; a not-so-popular girl from a worlds-apart different clique in school. Even though they’re supposed to be nothing alike, this bond is very strong throughout the book and helps them both find who they’re supposed to be, and in other times, a support system for Ashley.
But then when it comes to romance, Jordan was everything Ashley wanted. He was driven, supportive and believed that faith would help Ashley through this tough time. But grief-stricken-Ashley doesn’t agree. She has a whole different gaze upon her life and wants something else.
Enter; Colt, who’s wild and bad side is everything Ashley’s newfound look on life wants and needs. The grief that she was feeling seemed to melt away when she was living dangerously and on the edge with him. But with this new edge, Ashley becomes more irrational and forgets about some of her original beliefs, and this book reflects a huge part in the Christian religion that she neglects.
“He’s keeping pace, and for the first time in months, the painful sadness is gone.”
This was a truly magnificent, breathtaking book with highs and lows that represented the truth about losing someone dear and the changes that reflects upon the lives of the people grief affects. It was raw and heartbreaking at times in Ashley’s rollercoaster of feelings, and how two siblings can react to loss in two completely separate ways, as displayed by Ashley and her brother; who remains distant.
Overall, this sweet and beautiful read with emotions that play with heartstrings, was an incredible book that will remain a true favourite of mine this year.
A massive five star novel!
Leigh Talbert Moore is the author of the popular young adult romantic comedy THE TRUTH ABOUT FAKING, its companion THE TRUTH ABOUT LETTING GO, and the mature YA/new adult romantic suspense novel ROUGE, a QUARTER FINALIST in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Her new DRAGONFLY series launches in June 2013, with new instalments releasing quickly through early 2014.
happy reading!
4 books…
Over 4 Summery Saturdays…
In 4 of the best book-Summers of all!
Right here on Pretty Little Memoirs!
I knew for quite a while that I wanted to do a ‘challenge’ of some sort, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what I wanted the subject to be…there were tons to choose from with all the authors and genres out there, but then…it’s Summer….so, I brought the Sun right here to review four of the highly praised books from Goodreads.com and around Blogger, all related to some sort of “Summer” and made a Book-Vacay (sort of like a mini vacation for yourself, but with tons of books…) and I can’t wait to start it this Saturday, until the 17th of August! That’s four whole Saturdays dedicated to the best of Summer reading.
So, here are the fabulous books I chose;
FUN FRIENDSHIPS: “Ten Things We Shouldn’t Have Done” by Sarah Mlynowski
ROAD TRIP ADVENTURE: “Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour” by Morgan Matson
TRAVEL & NEW BEGINNINGS: “Anna and The French Kiss” by Stephanie Perkins (yes, I finally caved and bought it!)
LOVED UP: “This is What Happy Looks Like” by Jennifer E. Smith
Summer is just starting…
happy reading & I hope you can join me for the book-vacay!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish, where bloggers come up with their TTT Lists on different questions.
1. Unrealistic
I really prefer to be able to relate to a book and if it’s unrealistic, I just can’t imagine it happening, (unless it’s fantasy, of course) so therefore, I can’t connect to it and don’t end up enjoying the novel.
2. The main character is unlikeable
Usually, you find this out in the first chapter, because they’ll start to get underneath your skin. This rarely happens for me, though.
3. By authors I didn’t like the previous book of
It would most probably be a fluke that I didn’t like their previous book, so I would still give it a shot, only if it was as enthralling, though.
4. If the main character is childish
I really hate it when a teenager is REALLY childish, because it can come across really unrealistic and not “real” for me.
5. A book that is SUPER long
Unless it’s, like, a Harry Potter-Great-And-Powerful-Book, then I may fall asleep. If there’s hype and anticipation, I may pick it up!
6. Major drama
Unless it’s a High School book, or there’s family drama, life drama, SERIOUS drama, then I can’t take books seriously that have unrealistic and not-drama, drama. It’s confusing even typing that…haha.
7. Historical
I just don’t like them, and I don’t know why! If it’s a flashback in a novel to the 1800’s, 1900’s, then it’s okay, but if it were a full, historical book, I just don’t know if I would find it addictive enough to read…if there any suggestions, though?…
8. About Characters younger than me
I’m 17, so unless it’s not a main character, I’m fine with it. But if there’s a lead character who’s a lot younger like below fifteen…I just don’t know if I could connect. But it all depends! I believe in giving every book a chance, so maybe!
9. Tons of POV’s
They give me headaches! Two is probably my max…three at a push.
10. Slow paced
I like books that are in a steady movement, or fast paced, so when I feel like a novel isn’t moving forward enough, I feel awkward reading for some reason.
*I give all books a chance, so this topic was difficult because there isn’t really a topic I will avoid completely.*
I hope you loved my TTT list, and please do post your links below and tell me what you think of my list and I’ll stop by your posts, too! I also follow back on bloglovin!
happy reading,
Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they’ll both be targets.
Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.
“How do you win when you’re up against yourself?”
Amanda Sun was born in Deep River, a small town where she could escape into the surrounding forest to read. Ink is her first novel and The Paper Gods series is inspired by her time living in Osaka and travelling throughout Japan.
Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.
Not even close.
For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.
And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.
It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn…
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| I made this image on Picmonkey.com if you’re wondering! xo |
1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
I chose this because, well…the book is iconic. I’ve attempted to read it before but I’m always shuddered that I’m not going to love it as much as everyone else; which is ridiculous, because…it’s an awesome book and I’m praying to fit it into my TBR this Summer.
2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephenie Perkins
This book is loved by so many that it just makes me wonder if I’ll be the odd one out if I don’t love it. Romantic YA novels have always been on my radar but I’ve always headed into the more paranormal side of things, but nevertheless, it’s been added to cart.
3. Keeping The Moon by Sarah Dessen
I just bought this after much deliberation. I heard some people didn’t like The Moon and More as much as Sarah’s other books, but that this one was amazing, so this one “was” intimidating, but now it’s not so much.
4. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
This book is huge! That’s pretty much why I put it on this list, because it took me almost a whole week to get through it. But, it was a great finish to the series.
5. The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
I’ve had this book forever but after reading The Fault in Our Stars, I am so afraid to read a book that’s going to make me cry!
6. Imposter by Susanne Winnacker
This book reminds me so much of Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James, so it’s just one of those books that I’m afraid I will find too similar.
7. The Lying Game by Sarah Shepard
The thought in my mind with this one is; “I love Pretty Little Liars, and Sara is a God at writing, but what if I don’t like The Lying Game?”
8. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Maggie is an amazing author and I’m just so intimidated by her old series, which I read a while ago, because it was one of the first Wolf series’ I read, so I’m afraid this one will be better because it looks amazing!
9. Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff
I see this every time I go to the bookstore and I never pick it up! I’m not even sure why…I need convincing!
10. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
I make it 6 chapters in, get distracted, read that it’s amazing, get enthralled in another book, and I never find time for this little gem of a book. I must, though!
*I love all these books, regardless, so I’m not “hating on” them, because I adore them!*
Beach Reads! I have literally been waiting for so many weeks to get to do this TTT List, because I get to share my awesome summer-y themed picture that I made especially for the occasion! I love Summer, (not as much as Spring; something about it I just love), so this list was just perfect to think of all the books I’ll be taking with me for my Island getaway…(okay, no island getaway, but still..) onwards with the list!
2. Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher
6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
8. The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate
Jenny Han is the reigning Princess of Summer books. If you don’t own any of her books, you are surely missing out! Her books are YA, light reads, and the covers are just to die for. The Summer books are a trilogy, so make sure you read The Summer I Turned Pretty before you read this one!
10. The Choice by Nicholas Sparks 
As much as I’d like to think I have a lot of ‘travel’ books on my shelf, but…I had trouble with this list! I tried to get as many YA books as possible on to my list, but some really amazing Adult Fiction got thrown in there too! Onwards with the list!….
1. ‘Level 2’ by Lenore Appelhans
Travelling/going to the world between Earth and Heaven counts as travel, right? Felicia does this in ‘Level 2’, the book I just couldn’t resist when I placed one of my everlasting book orders.
2. ‘Tempest’ by Julie Cross
Time travel really is the best travel of all. I have tons of time travel books but I just put a few of my favourite on this list. Tempest is just one of those books you devour in a day or two just because it’s better than real life, ha.
3. ‘Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour’ by Morgan Matson
Of course this is on my list! It’s one of the sweetest, most powerful YA Road Trip Books of all. A sweet romance and a trip around America. What more could you ask for in a book?
4. ‘Twilight’ by Stephenie Meyer
I was 50/50 on putting this on my list. One; there’s not really “travel”, only for a second of the first chapter when Bella moves from Phoenix to Forks, but I’m counting that. Hehe.
5. ‘Fall of Night’ by Rachel Caine
Claire, lead character of the Morganville Series, leaves the town in the latest addition and penultimate in the series, for an opportunity at MIT. If you read the book, you’ll understand how it was kind of bittersweet at that moment.
6. ‘The Time Traveller’s Wife’ by Audrey Niffenger
I stole this book from my sister because I just loved it so much. There is the depth and sadness of the characters, and although the jumps in reality could be confusing, Audrey made it romantic and touching. I want to review it so bad!
7. ‘Kitty Goes to Washington’ by Carrie Vaughn
If you’ve ever read the series by Ms. Vaughn, you know they are phenomenal and I could real them for hours. I bought the first three in the series on a whim and ended up really loving them. A supernatural spin and travel. Yay.
8. ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ by Elizabeth Gilbert
Another Adult book? Come on, Becca, where’s your YA list going? Okay, seriously…this book wasn’t “YA-Amazing” but it was travel related and super interesting. I really did love it, though. Ms Gilbert really painted a picture with her words.
9. ‘Where She Went’ by Gayle Forman
In the sequel to “If I Stay”, it’s implied that Mia “goes somewhere”, given the title. Yes, it involves travel and some emotional, incredible moments…but I’m not giving too much away…because I’ll be reviewing it real soon (just after my review of ‘If I Stay’ of course).
10. ‘I Heart Vegas’ by Lindsay Kelk
I feel like in all Lindsay Kelk books, there is travel?! I mean, there’s ‘I heart; Vegas, Hollywood, Paris, London…’ so, I could have based my whole list around them! Super incredible series by an amazing author!
So, that’s my TTT list this week! I was really happy with all the comments I had last week on my post and I’m glad everyone loved my picks! As always, I adore comments and reply ASAP/will comment on your TTT post, too! 🙂 Please take a look at my page ‘my original meme’ and join in every Sunday for ‘Pretty Pick’ of the Week!
It’s almost Summer and you’re looking for that *one* perfect read. So, here’s some of my favourites for getting lost in those story worlds…and getting some sun!
1. Starting off the Summer with something light and fun, The Twitter Diaries by Imogen Lloyd Webber will have you laughing at the awful truth of our addictions to the social networking site. Following the characters Tuesday and Stella; you’ll wonder why you hadn’t snatched this up sooner, because after all…140 characters can change everything!
2. If friendship is something you’re after this Summer, ditch Facebook and pick up Danielle Steel’s Friends Forever instead. A loveable journey of five friends, surviving love and other challenges, it’s a must for any of her fans. Gabby, Billy, Izzie, Andy and Sean are each bursting with their own fiery personality, and are quite inseparable through their childhoods/adult life, known to everyone as “the big five”. But despite life’s ups and downs, together they face the challenges knowing that they are all bound by a bond and a friendship that will last a lifetime. It’s an old-y, but a good-y!
3 & 4. Want something with a little extra bite this Summer? Why not read about the Young, Fabulous and Fanged in Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz…it’s all about ruling Manhattan in fangs this year, after all. Possibly one of the most 50/50 Vampire books of all, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer is something we all need to re-visit! Think back to the days when you hadn’t seen the adaption of the screenplay and back to when your eyes first read the romance of book Edward and book Bella…
5. ROAD TRIP! Nothing is more exciting than going on a road trip with friends or family and having an amazing time. So, if you’re stuck indoors this Summer and want that “Road Trip” feel, then look no further than Morgan Matson’s Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour. It’s sincere, hopeful and adorably cute. Amy Curry’s year has sucked and it didn’t get better after her mother decided to move. Throw in emotions, romance & the ultimate Road Trip book, and your Summer is sorted.
6. The hit-TV Show is back this Summer, so get your book fix with Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard. The book is a tad different to the show, but has twists and horrors that will take the crown of YA fiction. Everyone has something to hide–especially high school juniors; Spencer, Aria, Emily and Hanna. But their ex-best friend Alison? She’s dead. And whoever killed her…knows all their secrets. Some pretty big stuff goes down in this series so don’t miss it!
7. I reviewed it earlier this year and gave it my best 5 stars. Now, it’s almost everyone’s favourite read this year! The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion is just the perfect romance to get sucked into, only with quirky character; Don, and fiery character; Rosie, to read about. Think quirks like New Girl and an intriguing story as gripping as a tabloid, The Rosie Project cannot be missed.
8. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han is seriously the best Summer book. Of course, Summer is in the title, but don’t think it’s just a pretty cover…it’s much, much more. Every year, Isabel spends a perfect Summer at her family friends’ house. There’s a swimming pool at night, the private beach–and the two boys she just might be in love with. Conrad; unavailable and aloof. She’s been in love with him forever. Jeremiah; friendly and relaxed–the only one who has ever really paid her attention. But this year, something is different. They both notice her. It’s going to be a Summer she won’t–and you won’t forget.
9. Staying on the sweet side…Sweethearts by Sara Zarr is creative, enthralling and realistic at it’s best. Jennifer and Cameron were both social outcasts, and underneath it all, each other’s only friend. So when Cameron disappeared without any warning, Jennifer thought she’d lost the one person who ever understood her. Now, she’s in high school. She’s different. She’s now Jenna; popular, happy and dating–everything “Jennifer” wasn’t. But she can’t shake Cameron’s memory. So when he re-appears, they are both confronted with memories of their pasts and new paths their lives have taken. The novel will shake every realistic moment from our own lives and echo them with a feeling that Sara Zarr knows exactly how to make her characters have those lifelike moments and lines. Addictive, or what?
Plus, have you seen the cover? It’s reason alone to buy this just for the adorable heart-sharped cookie! It will definitely go down as one of my favourite books; inside and out.
10. A gorgeous friend. A shared crush. Big problem. All the main aspects of Flawless by Lara Chapman are explained like that. The story is about Sarah, who’s life is complicated–but the hard parts aren’t going to get easier. Her mother begs her to get a nose job, and she’s just agreed to help her best friend, Kirsten, catch the eye of the new guy, but he’s actually-kinda-definitely perfect for her! Matchmaking at it’s most misguided, hilarious lines and possibly a perfect romance…hide the remote to the TV this Summer because this is your new high school romcom.
