Review: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Published: May 5th 2015
Publisher: Vikings Juvenile
Page Count: Hardcover, 359 pages
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult
Find The Author: Blog, Twitter, Facebook
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your GoodReads Shelf

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans. 

Warning!: You’re going to want to eat all the pizzas, french fries, and lollipops. EVER.

There is a good reason Sarah Dessen has a crown in the Queendom in the land of YA authors. She creates awesome characters in real, heart-tugging situations.

Sydney is a girl who is lonely. She is (almost frightening so) over-looked by her parents in lieu of a brother who can’t seem to get his act together and whose actions resulted in a tragedy for someone innocent. For some writers this is a perfect recipe for a girl who gets interrupted, a character who starts to rebel, and to be honest - I wouldn’t have blamed Sydney at all if she started to act out. The thing is...Sydney’s a good kid. She tries her best in school, tries to follow the rules, and has the biggest heart ever.

Enter Chathams and Co. AKA her new best friend, her future boyfriend, and a variety of awesome cast members that make you want to jump into the book and eat a Yum-Yums while hiking in the woods while listening to someone talk an insane amount about the deeper meaning of music. They adopt her into their crazy, tight-knit, loud world. Sydney starts to come to life, starts to have the moments and experiences a girl her age should have, and it kind of completely rocks. Unfortunately, home life isn’t as good. Plus, there’s this family-type of friend of her brother’s that is...CREEPEHHHH! Her parents literally leave alone with him overnight. I wanted to get inside the book and shake things until they realized how shady this guy really was. Thankfully - her friends have a clue. And it’s through them and a angel of a friends-mom that she begins to come to terms with the conflict inside of her and the emotional consequences that her brother’s actions have had on her.

It’s not without it’s drama, it’s not without it’s up and downs, but the ending is good and looks to a brighter, healthier, pizza-filled future for Sydney and the people around her.

Top favorite things about this book :

• Imagery. Pizza restaurant, the sound of bluegrass, the Chatham’s awesome house, the cold freezer-type of feeling of her home, Yum-Yums.
• Mac Chatham. He’s adorable, kind, gentle, protective, and patient. I want him to clone himself and send said clone into our world so I can set him up with our teenage sister (or me, if that clone was a few years older! lol). Also, that guy has like some serious willpower to withstand the amount of junk-food his sister and friends consume. Seriously. The dude needs a medal.
• Layla Chatham. She’s the best friend everyone wants to have come sweeping into their lives. She, from the very, very beginning, is on our girl’s side. Even though there’s some conflict between them - they’re the best friends that are going to be old and gray together. I just feel it.
• David Ibarra. He didn’t get a lot of up and close time but he made an impact. A big one.

My rating? Four out of five. And a official recommendation for any mood, phase, time of life.

Review: Neverland by Shari Arnold

Neverland by Shari Arnold

Published: April 7th 2015
Publisher: CreateSpace
Page Count: Paperback, 358 pages
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Young Adult
Find The Author: Blog, Twitter
Buy This Book: Amazon
Add It To Your GoodReads Shelf

It’s been four months since seventeen-year-old Livy Cloud lost her younger sister, but she isn’t quite ready to move on with her life — not even close. She’d rather spend her time at the Seattle Children’s hospital, reading to the patients and holding onto memories of the sister who was everything to her and more.
But when she meets the mysterious and illusive Meyer she is drawn into a world of adventure, a world where questions abound. 
Is she ready to live life without her sister? Or more importantly, is she brave enough to love again?
In this modern reimagining of Peter Pan, will Livy lose herself to Neverland or will she find what she’s been searching for?

This book is a total love letter to the fantastical and beloved world created by JM Barrie. With that being said…It is also a thoughtful, caring look into the world of grief, innocence, and the challenges of the whole coming of age process.

It was solidly written, possessed a creative premise, and delivered strongly. The main character isn’t one of those characters that you end up kind of hating - she’s a caring young woman going through a huge experience. A girl who just wants to do the right thing. The world and imagery that Arnold creates to express the world of JM Barrie is beautiful and enticing. At one point (mild spoiler alert!) I seriously wanted to dress up in a costume and go take over an abandoned carnival. The ending was satisfying and bittersweet and happy. A great recipe for a YA novel.

Yet, I struggled a little bit to write this review. I couldn’t quite pinpoint what was going on. Like, it has all the ingredients and I definitely, absolutely recommend it for a future read. However... I didn’t feel an emotional connection the way I normally do with characters like Livy Cloud. I feel the same way about my little sister as she did hers. And I would be crushed beyond belief if I ever even came close to losing my sister the way she did hers. It just...I think that there was so much discussion and actions and not enough time spent on emotions.

She was grieving and lost but the plotline was so focused on Meyer and the outside forces working around her that she never became a real, grieving person for me. She was going through some massive things and her parents..her friends...the little girl she was trying to save...it all should have hit a more deeper emotional punch with the reader than it actually did. It was a good read, a good story, and a good tribute to JM Barrie. It just...wasn’t all that it could have been. Of course, I’m like one of those people that NEEDS to be able to connect with the main character. I wonder if it had been written from Meyer’s view point if there would be a connection problem.

Either way, I give it….four out of five stars. Why? Because as I said before - written solidly, creative premise, solid plotline, and a completely magical twist on a beloved and known fairy tale.

Go read it - Did you like it??? Did you relate to Livy Cloud??? Am I crazy or did you have the same difficulties? Please come back and discuss - I’ll keep an eye out for your comments! :)

Waiting on Wednesday: A School for Unusual Girls & Daughter of Deep Silence

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS (STRANJE HOUSE #1) BY KATHLEEN BALDWIN
Release Date: May 19th 2015

It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don't fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.
After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their hearts...

The description reminded me a little of an episode of one of my favourite shows on television right now, The Musketeers (BBC). The idea of women going behind the scenes and doing great things -- one of the episodes actually played with that idea. Anyway, it sounds like an exciting and interesting book and I can't wait to read it!

DAUGHTER OF DEEP SILENCE BY CARRIE RYAN
Release Date: June 2nd 2015

In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she’ll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process. Sharp and incisive, Daughter of Deep Silence by bestselling author Carrie Ryan is a deliciously smart revenge thriller that examines perceptions of identity, love, and the lengths to which one girl is willing to go when she thinks she has nothing to lose. 

Liza put me in the direction of this book. I'm not going to lie - I don't think I've ever heard of this author. She's definitely caught my eye. 'Daughter of Deep Silence' intrigues me from the title alone. Then there's the whole lover of her enemy and friend to a dead girl thing. Very enticing!

Review: I Was Here by Gayle Forman

I Was Here by Gayle Forman

Published: January 27th 2015
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Page Count: Hardcover, 288 pages
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult
Find The Author: Website, Twitter
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your GoodReads Shelf

Cody and Meg were inseparable.
Two peas in a pod.
Until . . . they weren’t anymore.
 
When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.
 
I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.

I have to admit, for this being my first official review for the blog, I think I cheated a little bit. As in - I’ve loved and adored Gayle Foreman’s writing in the past. I wasn’t feeling too adventurous for my first post and this novel was high priority on my ‘I HAVE TO READ THAT BOOK!!!!!!!!!!’ list. With that being said…

I was not disappointed and neither will you.  

Written in her usual first-person narrative we’re immediately introduced to the best friend of a girl who took meticulous care in killing herself. You learn about their friendship, why and how deep the friendship had impacted Cody’s life, and what brought them apart in the last part of Meg’s life. You’re not treated to the full reality and truth of the suicide until the very end. And yet, throughout the book, there are subtle clues and hints that productively and satisfyingly tie together in the end.

Second to the quality of writing and the subtleness of the world Foreman paints through Cody’s view point I enjoyed the mystery element the most. The encrypted computer file. There are things definitely missing about Meg’s suicide and Cody does not know the full story. She takes it upon herself to find that missing element and when she does - she takes it upon herself to avenge her friend’s death. But is there anything to avenge? The missing element - what was in that encrypted file - was tragic and disturbing. I won’t give it away, it’s for you to discover on your own, but it definitely left some serious questions about Meg’s suicide and who was to blame.

And woven throughout the painful experience of losing a loved one from suicide is Cody’s personal journey. Her life is and was never the easiest. A difficult relationship with her mother, stuck in a small-town cleaning houses, and feeling that she was second-best in comparison to her shining best friend. Its through her journey to resolve her friend’s death, to find peace, that she accesses what she needs to find peace and strength for herself.

The material Foreman’s handles is sensitive and daunting. She’s not afraid to touch on the hard, scary parts but she does it with respect and knowledge. If you don’t normally read after-words or author notes - do it just this once. Her note in the end sheds light on the topic and what brought her to write. Also. She regularly references Buffy. As in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She gets extra kudos to integrating an awesome pop-culture reference.

All in all I rate this four out of five stars with extra sparkles to entice you to put it on your TBR list with the highest priority!

Happy reading,

Review: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Published: January 10th 2012
Publisher: Dutton Books
Page Count: Hardcover, 316
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Find the Author: Twitter, Website
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten. - Good Reads



I read this while I was on a blog break last year and wanted to post a review on it, mostly to share the love. This book was absolutely heart breaking. Thinking about it still gets me teary. Mostly because I actually lost a friend to cancer a few months before I read it and she actually was the only real life friend that I had that really loved to read, and she read a lot of YA. It hurts my heart that she'll never get a chance to read it, or any other book for that matter. And the character of Hazel reminded me a lot of my friend as well. Sarcastic and intelligent. The love story in this book is very beautiful and it's just...

Honestly, I don't want to ruin this book for anyone, but the ending surprised me, and I absolutely and completely recommend The Fault In Our Stars. Read it at least once. It's worth it!

And they just started filming for a film adaption! So we can all look forward to shedding tears with complete strangers in a crowded cinema! 

“Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.” 

Review: How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer

How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer

Published: April 23rd 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Page Count: Paperback, 320
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Find the Author: Twitter, Website
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

From Sarah Strohmeyer, author of Smart Girls Get What They Want, comes this romantic comedy about one girl's summer job from hell. Think The Devil Wears Prada set in Disney World.
When cousins Zoe and Jess land summer internships at the Fairyland Kingdom theme park, they are sure they've hit the jackpot. With perks like hot Abercrombie-like Prince Charmings and a chance to win the coveted $25,000 Dream & Do grant, what more could a girl want?
Once Zoe arrives, however, she's assigned to serve "The Queen"-Fairyland's boss from hell. From spoon-feeding her evil lapdog caviar, to fetching midnight sleeping tonics, Zoe fears she might not have what it takes to survive the summer, much less win the money.
Soon backstabbing interns, a runaway Cinderella, and cutthroat competition make Zoe's job more like a nightmare than a fairy tale. What will happen when Zoe is forced to choose between serving The Queen and saving the prince of her dreams? - Good Reads

I have one word for this book: fun. I'm almost bummed I didn't save it for after I finish reading The Book Thief, because I know I'm going to need a pick-me-up! I couldn't resist though.

How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True is the perfect fluff read. It had a really unique story that refreshingly centered a lot around the main character and her beautiful appreciation of her best friend and cousin Jess. She's a very selfless character and I found her admirable! The romance was secondary in this book, but very sweet as well. I think what I loved most about this book though was how when I arrived at the "dark moment" I seriously could not see a happy ending anywhere in the horizon, even though I knew it had to be there. Of course the ending was happy, but totally not in the way I expected! There was a big surprise! 

I'd definitely recommend this to those that love the light and fluffy contemporary reads! This fits the bill!

Review: Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Published: January 3rd 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Page Count: Hardcover, 378
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Find the Author: Website, Twitter, Blog
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances... a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.
So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life... and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.
It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last... - Good Reads

Useless fact: Back in my younger years I was a hardcore fan of figure skating. Irina Slutskaya, Alexei Yagudin, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were a few of my faves. I still have almost any competition that ever came on television recorded on VHS and in a box packed away somewhere at my Moms. I totally should have been a figure skater. Unfortunately that didn't work out, so now I just read about them. 

Important facts: Bittersweet is about a girl named Hudson who is a figure skater with a bright future, but when family problems arise, she walks out on it leaving not only her figure skating aspirations behind, but also her best friend. Hudson takes her sorrows out with cupcake making in the family diner. Each chapter has a lovely little cupcake description that will really make you want to experiment in the kitchen or hunt down a cupcake place and eat at least five different kinds. I found myself pausing at the beginning of each chapter and trying to imagine how I could re-create these cupcakes. Mmmm... 

Anyway! Enough about cupcakes! 

So, this book is a very typical Young Adult contemporary. A girl who has fears, a girl who has a dream, young love, etc. I loved the setting and Sarah Ockler is a talent at descriptions and the dialogue was very good. The characters were also snappy, which I like! I think one of my favourite parts about this book was that the main character Hudson is flawed. I don't need a heroine to be the epitome of perfection or to make all of the best moral choices and Hudson makes many choices that are definitely not best-worthy, but the important part is that she learns from them. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

LOVE LETTERS TO THE DEAD BY AVA DELLAIRA
Release Date: April 1st 2014

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because she thought he’d understand since he died young just like her sister, May, did. Soon Laurel is writing letters to lots of dead people—Janis Joplin, Amy Winhouse, Ameilia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more—although she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about what it’s like going to a new school, meeting new friends, falling in love for the first time, how her family splinters apart after May dies. She even writes about the abuse she suffered—while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May, and to see her as the person she was: lovely and amazing and deeply flawed. - Good Reads

I love pretty covers and of course that was my original draw to this book, plus the title! And reading the description, it sounds like it's very much up my alley! I can't wait to read it. 

Review: School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins

School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins

Published: May 14th 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Page Count: Hardcover, 297
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Find the Author: Twitter, Blog, Tumblr
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.
Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.
Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? 
Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as theNew York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance! - Good Reads

Based on my previous experience with Rachel, I knew I had to grab this book. I loved her Hex Hall trilogy. And this book even managed to exceed my expectations! The first few pages of a book are almost always tough for me to get through. Usually once I make it past, no one can pry the book away from my face, which is what happened with School Spirits.

Rachel Hawkins is a fabulous writer. Buckets full of green envy splurges out of me when I read her books, because she has such a knack for writing humour and banter! 

I absolutely loved Izzy. I found it very easy to relate to her despite us being wildly different. You know, since I haven't had the opportunity to kill any monsters and the lack of red hair. I loved Izzy's development throughout the book and I found the relationship between Izzy and her Mother to be a very nice touch to the overall storyline as well. 

The romance of the book was nice and light. As usual, I'm always shipping the "wrong couple". But seriously, Izzy + Torin = THEY NEED TO GET TOGETHER RIGHT NOW! MAKE IT HAPPEN! I'm serious. 

I would recommend School Spirits to those that enjoy a lighter paranormal read laced with plenty of humour and romance. Please read it and tell me I'm not the only one daydreaming about Izzy and Torin ending up together! 

UPDATE: I was under the impression that there would be more than one book. After further investigation I have discovered that this will be the only book. 

Review: A Want So Wicked (A Need So Beautiful #2) by Suzanne Young

A Want So Wicked (A Need So Beautiful #2) by Suzanne Young

Published: June 26th 2012
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Page Count: Hardcover, 282
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Find the Author: Blog, Twitter, Facebook
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Elise is a normal seventeen-year-old girl until the day she wakes up in a desert park, with no idea who she is. 

After that episode, her life takes a bizarre turn. She’s experiencing unexpected flashes of insight into people’s lives—people she’s never met before. Strangers frighten her with warnings about the approaching Shadows. And although Elise has never had a boyfriend, she suddenly finds herself torn between two handsome but very different young men: Abe, the charming bad boy whose effect on her both seduces and frightens her, and the mysterious Harlin, who’s new to town but with whom Elise feels an urgent, elemental connection—almost as if they are soul mates.Now Elise begins to question everything about her life. Why do these guys both want her so desperately? What are the Shadows? Why does the name Charlotte inspire a terrifying familiarity? And who is Elise, really? - Good Reads


Second books are often a big slump, but not this one! I liked reading A Need So Beautiful, but I felt it was too rushed for me to truly love the characters like I could have and I was disappointed it felt so short. I might not have been so harsh in my review had I known it would continue into this book. I barely skimmed the blurb before diving in, and I assumed it was about a different Forgotten, and that Charlotte and Harlin's story was over. It is so not over! and I now officially have Harlin fever! This book also featured a lot of character growth and a more in-depth look at the characters from the last book and their back stories, though it still felt much too short, just like the first book in this series. Seriously, Suzanne - WRITE MORE! YOU'RE KILLING ME! 

I have to say that, despite the shortness of the book, I still couldn't put it down. It was glued to my face until I finished! I'd definitely recommend this to those that are drawn to paranormals that contain angels - while the A Need So Beautiful series isn't about an angel in the classical sense, it is very similar, but without an almighty deity, religious structure or wings.


                                               

                                                          5 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Review: A Need So Beautiful (A Need So Beautiful #1) by Suzanne Young

A Need So Beautiful (A Need So Beautiful #1) by Suzanne Young

Published: June 21st 2011
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Page Count: Hardcover, 267
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Find the Author: Blog, Twitter, Facebook
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...
Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.
But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.
Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences. - Good Reads

I've been enchanted by this cover since this came out and it's always sounded like it's right up my alley, and I've had in my possession more than a few times, but it always ended up going back to the library without being read for various reasons.  

A Need So Beautiful is about a girl named Charlotte who has "The Need", which are random compulsions to talk or help someone. It's definitely in the angel realm of books, which I really love! 

Charlotte's character was likable enough as were the supporting characters: her best friend, foster family and her boyfriend Harlin. I liked that she had an existing boyfriend. When I read books, I often expect a romance to unfold within the book - it bodes well for feeling invested in the romance, but in this one it did work well for the story. This is a story about Charlotte and the struggles she needs to overcome, not just Charlotte and Harlin and their love, even though he is a great addition to the book.  

I think that the biggest issue I had with this book is the length. A Need So Beautiful could have been much more fleshed out. It felt very short and rushed. Had it been longer, I think I could have rated it much higher. Despite feeling rushed though, it did bring me to tears towards the end and was touching.

I am definitely interested in reading the next book, A Want So Wicked. I'll be picking that up next. 

                                                 3 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

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Review: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Published: April 2nd 2013
Publisher: Poppy/Little Brown
Page Count: Hardcover, 416
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter
Buy This Book: Amazon , Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds. 
Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

This book totally slipped past my book-dar until earlier this week, when I stumbled across it on HelloGiggles. I cannot tell a lie, I nearly had a miniature heart attack, because I seriously adored Jennifer E Smith's book The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, which I read last summer.

As you can see in the summary above, this book has the makings of a modern day fairy tale. An ordinary girl, a celebrity boy that meet accidentally through the internet. The internet factor made You've Got Mail pop up in my mind, which is in my top 10 favourite romantic movies of all time. I also had a little internet romance myself that turned into a 10 year and two children relationship, so naturally I was drawn to that story line! 

Jennifer E Smith has writing a believable unbelievable story down pat. This Is What Happy Looks Like And The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight both have very "unbelievable" story lines, but she has the talent to twist them in a way that is realistic and believable. I loved the fact that Ellie not only feared the media and publicity for the simple fact that she's an average girl and it's invasive, but because she has deeper reasons that added a nice twist to the obstacle of the romance in this book. 

Overall, this was a sweet book. I can't say that I loved it quite as much as The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight, but I still like this quite a bit and would recommend it to those that enjoy Young Adult Contemporaries. 

                                           4 out of 5 Hello Kitties!