Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham

Reunited
Hilary Weisman Graham
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Released: June 12, 2012
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 336
Source: The Teen Book Scene

1 Concert
2000 Miles
3 Ex-Best Friends

Alice, Summer, and Tiernan are ex-best friends. Back in middle school, the three girls were inseparable. They were also the number one fans of the rock band Level3. But when the band broke up, so did their friendship. Summer ran with the popular crowd, Tiernan was a rebellious wild-child, and Alice spent high school with her nose buried in books.

Now, just as the girls are about to graduate, Level3 announces a one-time-only reunion show. Even though the concert’s 2000 miles away, Alice buys three tickets on impulse. And as it turns out, Summer and Tiernan have their own reasons for wanting to get out of town. Good thing Alice’s graduation gift (a pea-green 1976 VW camper van known as the Pea Pod) is just the vehicle to get them there.

But on the long drive cross-country, the girls hit more than a few bumps in the road. Will their friendship get an encore or is the show really over?

Being a child of the nineties, I am no stranger to boy band fandom. So the thought of three girls traveling across the country in a beat up camper all for their favorite band's reunion show gets me pretty excited. I also get pretty excited about post-high school YA and multiple points of view - another few things that can be found in this novel.

When Alice's parents gift her with a running Pea Pod after graduation, her mind instantly flies to a summer-long road trip with her best friend. Friend going to China nixes any plan for cross-country travel until Alice hears about Level3 playing a one-time show a few thousand miles away. Alice jumps on the opportunity knowing she can't make the trip without her childhood friends Tiernan and Summer by her side. Only problem is they haven't spoken to one another since the beginning of high school.

What ensues is a mostly believable, often hilarious tale of three girls coming together for a common love. I love the way each character gives her own perspective. It gives the story diversity, and the reader has a better understanding of each girl. None of them are perfect - all have made mistakes, and in hearing each voice there is no enemy. I can't help wanting them all to push aside the past and be besties again.

I wasn't completely in love with this novel, but most of it worked for me. There was definitely a certain spark it lacked, keeping it from becoming a favorite; however, as a debut I thought it was a really good example of a feel-good, girls-rule contemporary. I am looking forward to Hilary's future novels. Will one of them feature these three..?

FTC: I received an ARC of this novel as part of the Teen Book Scene blog tour in exchange for an honest review and a promotional post.

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

The Summer My Life Began
Shannon Greenland
Publisher: Speak
Released: May 10, 2012
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 250
Source: Cavalier House Books

Elizabeth Margaret--better known as Em--has always known what her life would contain: an internship at her father's firm, a degree from Harvard, and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is, it's not what she wants. So when she gets the opportunity to get away and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em learns that her family has some pretty significant secrets. And then there's Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can't resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels that for the first time ever, she is really living life on her own terms.

Privileged girl wants to break free from the life her parents have meticulously planned for her. Enter long lost family member who invites her for a visit, her uptight parents uncharacteristically agree, and girl realizes everything is not as it seems. Enter brooding boy, unlikely romance ensues, and girl magically gains confidence.

Cliche much?

I really wish I could post a longer, more thoughtful review of this book. However, my lack of enthusiasm for it has kept me from having much of an opinion. The plot was too predictable, the characters too flat. It was a quick, easy read that left me feeling unsatisfied. I thought there was a great opportunity to address a few serious issues, but the story sort of skirted around them instead. I honestly think I would rather fluff.

The romance factor was lukewarm at best, and the family dynamic was much too unrealistic. I also thought Em's rebellion was a bit of a joke. I didn't expect her to start bar-hopping and racking up on meaningless hook-ups, but I thought her fraternizing with "the help" was a bit G-rated. I felt like the target audience would be offended by the lack of maturity found within these pages.

This was, thankfully, a short, quick read that was interesting enough to finish. Unfortunately it was not enough to be very memorable, and I wouldn't be surprised it other readers felt the same.

FTC: I received an ARC of this novel from Penguin via Cavalier House Books in exchange for an honest review.

In My Bag (42)

In My Bag is my version of the weekly meme, In My Mailbox. IMM was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren, and it explores the contents of my mailbox or shopping bag on a weekly basis.

For review:

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

WHAT?! My indie never gets review copies from Simon & Schuster. Never. I've been told their marketing budget is smaller than those of the other Big Six. I've no idea if that's true, but regardless: boxes-of-ARCs just do not come from S&S. So when one of the store owners texted me a picture of this the other day, I about died.

JENNY HAN, YOU GUYS. YEEESSSSSSSSSSS!

What'd you guys get this week?!

Waiting on Wednesday (38)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It features upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on.

This week's pick is...

What's Left of Me

Kat Zhang

Coming September 18, 2012 - Preorder it below

Indiebound | BN | Book Depository

Doesn't this book sound wonderfully creepy? I love both the cover and the concept. Also, I want this model's eyelashes.

Tokyo Heist by Diana Renn

Tokyo Heist
Diana Renn
Publisher: Viking
Released: June 14, 2012
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 384
Source: Cavalier House Books

Sixteen-year-old Violet loves reading manga and wearing scarves made from kimono fabric, so she’s thrilled that her father’s new painting commission means a summer trip to Japan. But what starts as an exotic vacation quickly turns into a dangerous treasure hunt.

Her father’s newest clients, the Yamada family, are the victims of a high-profile art robbery: van Gogh sketches have been stolen from their home, and, until they can produce the corresponding painting, everyone's lives are in danger -- including Violet's and her father's.

Violet’s search for the missing van Gogh takes her from the Seattle Art Museum, to the yakuza-infested streets of Tokyo, to a secluded inn in Kyoto. As the mystery thickens, Violet’s not sure whom she can trust. But she knows one thing: she has to solve the mystery -- before it’s too late.

I realize this sounds extremely negative, but I wish I hadn't finished this book so I wouldn't have to write a review. That way I could just link to Forever Young Adult's review and say, "what she said," and link to other bloggers who loved it.*

I most definitely did not love this book, but I also didn't hate it. (I think that's why I'm having such trouble conveying my feelings - I'm just indifferent.) Violet was not a character that clicked with me. She was so wrapped up in all things Japan, it felt like she'd rather hide away in her art like Kimono Girl, the main character in the manga she created, rather than deal with her actual life.

I also took huge issue with Violet's family and the way they treated her compared to the way she was viewed by the Yamadas and the police. Violet's dad certainly was not the most stable of parents, but the way he went from being ridiculously absent to ridiculously over-protective practically gave me whiplash. And the fact that Violet never so much as had a phone conversation with her mom as she's traveling across the world being chased by the Japanese mafia seemed improbable. While on the other hand, the Yamadas were quick to share very detailed information about the items stolen, and the FBI were all-ears when the random teenager offered up a theory. I found all this to be extremely glossed over and unrealistic.

I did, several times, think very seriously about putting this one aside and moving on to more promising things. But ultimately I did care about the painting, and I wanted to know what happened to it. I really wish I would have liked this one more because in theory it's one hell of a book. I just didn't mesh with its execution.

Raves: Hobbitsies | IceyBooks | The Reading Date

*I am doing this anyway, as FYA's review sums up a lot of my feelings (especially the comparisons to MG), and I think it's important to note how much others have LOVED this book. I truly believe this is a case of, "It's not you, it's me."

FTC: I received an ARC of this novel from Penguin via Cavalier House Books in exchange for an honest review.

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Timepiece
Myra McEntire
Publisher: Egmont
Released: June 14, 2012
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 336
Source: Sasha
Series: Hourglass #2

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

So one of the greatest things about blogging is community. Commenting and tweeting are great, but meeting people at all the various bookish events is even better. Because when you can't get to the next conference and someone you know can, she sends you goodies. Enter Sasha from Sash & Em: she not only scored one of the few copies of Timepiece at ALA Midwinter, but she also sent it across the country to share with her fellow bloggers. I may not have been lucky enough to make it to Dallas, but I am lucky enough to know her.

In the follow-up to Hourglass, we get to see things from Caleb's point of view. His dad is back from the dead, his mom's in a coma, and all of Hourglass is being held responsible for changes in the time continuum. Consequently, Caleb is a bit . . . distracted. Luckily Emerson's best friend Lilly is there to set him straight, while the entire Hourglass team is scrambling to find Jack and the missing research.

Myra once again blew my mind with the stuff she comes up with. How I would love to live in her brain for a day. The twists and turns that kept me gripping the pages of Hourglass were found again in Timepiece. The pacing is fantastic, the depth of her characters is fantastic, and the way this woman makes me want need the next book is unprecedented. I have been a Myra cheerleader from day one, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next - in the world of the Hourglass or otherwise.

I have to say I did miss Em. I loved being inside Caleb's head, and the plot was just as stellar as in the first book. But I did miss the snarky spitfire that was Emerson, and my only wish was that there was more of her spunk found in the pages. I'm very anxious to see whose point of view we get in book three. Someone new? Maybe multiple perspectives? Either way, Myra McEntire is an author I have come to wholeheartedly trust with a story, so whatever it may be I'm sure will be phenomenal.

Wedding Recap (with some bookish features)

For those of you not so interested in personal posts, I apologize, but I promise there are some bookish things to be found below.

I believe I promised you guys some wedding pictures! I was thrilled to finally get a sneak peek at my photos this past week, and I'm so glad I can finally share them with you. To anyone in the area, I cannot recommend my photographer, Beebe of Studio Tran, enough. From our engagement session to our wedding day, he did a phenomenal job at capturing every important moment.

It was very important to Josh and me for our wedding to reflect who we are. Because books play such an integral role in my life, we chose to incorporate them into our reception decor. Several tables featured a few of my favorite books, from Looking for Alaska to The Book Thief to Hourglass to Jenny Han's Summer series. We also chose a non-traditional guest book in the form of postcards of vintage Penguin covers. Near the end of the reception Josh brought nearly the entire room to tears during his toast where he quoted John Green's The Fault in Our Stars - a book that also traipsed through New Orleans with us during our engagement shoot.

And as a special bonus, my favorite shot from our engagements...