Review: By Your Side by Kasie West

Title: By Your Side

Author: Kasie West

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: January 31st, 2017

Source: ARC received from Indigo Books and Music, Inc. in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 3/5

In this irresistible story, Kasie West explores the timeless question of what to do when you fall for the person you least expect. Witty and romantic, this paperback original from a fan favorite is perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Morgan Matson.
When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.
Only he doesn’t come. No one does.
Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?

When Kasie West puts out a new contemporary book, I’m always excited. Her stories always captivate me and her characters just leap off the page. Once I start one of her books, I have trouble stopping, and find myself constantly laughing out loud. Although I had a few issues with By Your Side, it still contained the Kasie West staples I know and love.

Overall though, I feel mixed about this book. On one hand, By Your Side was fun, heartfelt, and enjoyable. I felt instantly interested and didn’t want to put the book down. The characters were sweet, the romance engaging, and the writing as light and readable as ever. On the other hand, I wanted more: more character development, more family dynamics, and more discussion of anxiety and the different intersections of it. There was so much potential here that I felt was wasted by focusing on Jeff’s recovery and Autumn’s indecisiveness. This focus created repetitiveness, and a lack of character development and growth.

The issue I had most with this book was the anxiety rep. I never felt Autumn’s anxiety. I don’t think it was ever fully developed. I truly believe that with more research and on page discussion of anxiety and how anxiety disorders manifest themselves, this book could have been a great conversation starter. I am someone who suffers from debilitating anxiety, and although everyone with an anxiety disorder experiences it differently, I never fully bought Autumn’s. It always felt abstract. I will say, I did appreciate the positive portrayal of both medication and therapy. It’s incredibly important to break the stigma on mental health. I even appreciated that anxiety was a subplot in the story. I’m sure there are other people who suffer from anxiety disorders that will like the portrayal in By Your Side but I, unfortunately, just found it to be lacking.

Even though I had some issues with it, this book was great. Kasie West is my go-to author when it comes to light, heartwarming romance books and By Your Side was no exception. I thought the romance between Autumn and Dax was genuine, and developed well. Their time learning about each other in the library was enjoyable to read. I wish we got a little more development on Dax’s family life, but I still felt the impact his upbringing had on the story and his character as a whole. I was sympathetic towards Autumn, want just wanted what was best for her throughout the book. I honestly devoured this book and, considering I’ve been in a huge reading slump, that’s saying something.

By Your Side was a fun, sweet read with great characters and immense readability. Although I wished for more in some aspects, I know reader’s picking up By Your Side looking for another great Kasie West book will not be disappointed!

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads | Author's Website | Publisher's Website

Review: Cody and the Fountain of Happiness by Tricia Springstubb

Title: Cody and the Fountain of Happiness

Series: Cody (#1)

Author: Tricia Springstubb

Illustrator: Eliza Wheeler

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Release Date: April 14th, 2015

Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 3/5

Middle-grade readers drawn to Judy Moody or Clementine will find a funny and charismatic companion in Cody.

For whimsical Cody, many things are beautiful, especially ants who say hello by rubbing feelers. But nothing is as beautiful as the first day of summer vacation, and Cody doesn’t want to waste one minute of it. Meanwhile, teenage brother Wyatt is moping over a girl, Mom is stressed about her new job as Head of Shoes, Dad is off hauling chairs in his long-distance truck, and even camp has been closed for the summer. What to do? Just when all seems lost, Cody bumps into a neighborhood boy named Spencer who is looking for a runaway cat. With a new friend and a soon-to-be-found cat, Cody is on her way to the fountain of happiness. (Summary from Goodreads)

I adore middle grade. Have I mentioned that recently? Because I do. Middle grade books are fun and sweet and magical and real. They excel in delight and adventure, and Cody and the Fountain of Happiness had that in spades. I hadn't heard of this one until it appeared in a package from the lovely peeps at Penguin Random House. I thought the cover was delightful and, when I had a spare afternoon, I decided to pick it up. The insides were just a delightful as the cover, and Cody was a star.

Cody is quirky. She's clever and friendly and determined. She loves summer and cats and her family. She's a little girl with a big heart. She may not always do the right thing, but she always has good intentions. And I really liked that about her. Her friend Spencer, the little boy next's door, was her perfect balance. He may not have been as adventurous, but he really believed in Cody. Add in a sweet old grandmother, an awkward older brother, a questioning babysitter, a loving mother, and an escape artist cat and you have quite the cast of characters. Each of them added something new and really helped Cody become that awesome little girl she is.

I think Cody is definitely targeted towards a younger audience (think more Ivy & Bean than Diary of a Wimpy Kid). That's not a bad thing but, on a personal level, I found it a bit harder to get into because of that. Now, I know I'm not the target audience so that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. I think this book will be a lot of fun of for that age group. It's adventurous without ever leaving the confines of one neighbourhood street. It's charming with it's quirky cast of characters. It's sweet with it's message of becoming a family. It has a heck of a lot going for it and I think there's going to be a lot of little readers out there that love Cody. I just wanted a little something more. I wanted to connect to it more. On an outside level, I can look at all the positives. But I never fully connected to the story. Again, it's probably because an age thing. I don't normally read books targeted for younger middle grade so it was a bit harder to adjust to.

One of the big things I loved about this book was it's diversity! It's so nice to see such a diverse cast of characters in a middle grade book. I think it's so important kids read about diversity, so I was really happy that was a big element to the story. Another thing I adored was the illustrations. They were cute and quirky and perfectly matched the vibe of the story. There was one near the end of the book that took up almost both pages and I simply loved. 

Overall, I couldn't connect to Cody and the Fountain of Happiness enough to love it, but I definitely liked it. It's definitely one I would recommend to little girls and boys looking for book with heart and fun. It's a book that will remind you to notice all the little things that add to your fountain of happiness.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)   

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads | Penguin Random House's Website 

Review: Through to You by Lauren Barnholdt

Title: Through to You

Author: Lauren Barnholdt

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: July 8th, 2014

Source: ARC Received From Publisher For an Honest Review

My Rating: 3/5

Opposites attract—and then complicate—in this romantic, relatable novel from the author of Two-Way Street and Sometimes It Happens.

It starts with a scribbled note in class: I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay, smolderingly sexy.

Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.

Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click. But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about feelings.

Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating, terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…

This is a tough one, guys. It's tough because half of me really enjoyed reading this book. It was fun, and captivating, and romantic, exactly what I expect from a Lauren Barnholdt book. The problem is, the other half of me wasn't impressed or happy with some aspects of the relationship. And it's leaving me very, very conflicted.

It was smooth sailing at the start, though. I loved the quirky way Harper and Penn connected, and you could tell there was chemistry from the start. I was excited to watch this romance bloom and get to know these interesting characters. I loved their first encounter, and really wanted to see how these two very different people would work it all out. My heart-melted in some scenes, and I had quite the smile on my face at the start! Sadly, the middle of their story got a bit jumbled for me, and I started doubting their relationship.  

My problem with Harper and Penn was simple: there wasn't a balance between the couple. Harper kept trying to establish a connection and Penn kept walking away. When I was reading Penn's perspective, I felt sympathy. I could see his pain oozing from every word he thought. He used anger to hide from his tragic circumstances, and it was pretty heart-breaking at points. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into his head, and slowly unraveling what was truly going on. Although I don't think it was entirely fleshed out (particularly his relationship with his father), it was intriguing reading about Penn's life. And here's where another problem comes in. Because it wasn't just Penn's perspective in the novel, but also Harper's. 

At first, Harper kind of got on my nerves. Her voice was a bit too much, and she was kind of repetitive. She grew on me though, and by the end I was a solid supporter of Team Harper. But, by about the middle of the book, I was getting upset about how Penn was treating her. Here's the crutch. If the book was told solely from Harper's perspective, I would not have wanted her and Penn to be together. She kept trying to connect to him and he kept shutting her down. It wasn't balanced. But, because I was also reading Penn's perspective, I understood why he was doing it. Which made me so conflicted. I could see both sides and they left me with different perspectives. I loved that Harper called Penn out on his actions. She didn't just let him get away with it, but pushed him for answers. It didn't always fix the problem and didn't always work, but I was happy she didn't just go with his crazy mood swings. By the end of the novel, I thought they found some semblance of balance, but it was a tough road and one I didn't fully support at times.

I have to say though, on a completely different note, I absolutely adored Anna. Yeah, she was a bit over-the-top, but she was a caring friend, and a brave girl and I really liked her interactions with Harper. I was also a fan of Jackson. Not at first, but I could slowly see where he was coming from, and loved how supportive he was. 

Through to You, despite some of misgivings, had me captivated. I couldn't stop reading! I just really wanted to see Penn and Harper get a happy ending. I was pretty emotionally invested in their well being, and couldn't help but smile when their romance blossomed. I really did enjoy their story, I just wish their relationship wasn't such a run-and-chase one. 

Although there were parts I couldn't quite get behind, I did enjoy reading Through to You. It was light and romantic and interesting and heart-melting. It was a great book for a warm sunny afternoon.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight) 

Review: Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Title: Stealing Parker (Hundred Oaks #2)

Author: Miranda Kenneally

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: October 1st, 2012

Source: Borrowed ARC

My Rating: 3/5

Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.

Now Parker wants a new life.

So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?

But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?

I really, really wanted to like this book but I could tell almost right away that it was going to fall short. It's companion novel Catching Jordan, was smart and heart-warming, but Stealing Parker lacked the spark of its predecessor. The story itself lacked warmth and humor, and did not live up to the potential the concept presented.

Reading a book about female athletes makes me so so happy. I adore sports, and played them a lot when I was younger. Although baseball is probably my least favorite sport, I was really looking forward to reading about the team dynamics and sports enthusiasm. And while that was an awesome part of the book, it was few and far between. Instead, the focus was on Parker's home life and her relationship with her older coach. I think I would have enjoyed that part of the story had it been done right, but instead I found the majority of it unrealistic and predictable.   

I think the real thing this book was missing was the heart of Catching Jordan. I found Jordan to be such a passionate character, and I loved her desire to push the boundaries set before her. She was not content to just sit back and hope for the best, but wanted to earn respect and pride. Unlike Jordan, Parker was a very flat character. She mostly let things happen to her and never really did anything. Her situation was different than Jordan's but there was so much opportunity for growth and, in the end, I wasn't entirely sold on the new Parker. She said a lot but I find that actions, be them purposeful or unconscious, speak much more about a character than their words. Parker was going through a crisis, no doubt, and I can't fault her for not responding to it well, but she didn't do anything to change her situation either. By the end of the book, I was proud of where she ended up but I don't feel as if it was genuine. She seemed as if she was put there rather than working her way there.

The whole plot itself I found pretty formulaic. I wasn't looking for twists and turns, but I felt like the whole book was just going through the motions. There was no power behind it. This book could have had some fantastic messages about self-discovery, about being your own person, but it lacked the passion to really drive home the point.

On the positive note, Miranda Kenneally really knows how to write great love interests. I mean, I was swooning all over the place because of Will. He was so sweet, earnest, and fun. The kind of guy I would just love to hang out with. His scene with Parker were enjoyable, and they seemed to bring out the best in each other.

I think, overall, I just expected more from Stealing Parker. More heart, better characters, and a story that would have made me smile. I'm a bit disappointed with this one, but I do look forward to the next companion novels. The heart is there, I think it was just missing in this installment.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads | Miranda Kenneally's Website

Review: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepard

Title: The Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter #1)

Author: Megan Shepard

Publisher: Balzar + Bray

Release Date: January 29th, 2013

Source: Won (Thanks Kathy!)

My Rating: 3/5

In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

 
I had been hearing lots about this book at the beginning of the year, and knew I would have to check it out for myself soon enough. When some book club members suggested it for our first pick I thought it was a great opportunity to check this book out. Sadly, though, it did not live up to my expectations. 

One of the problems I had with this story was a simple matter of believability. In every novel, especially in one with subject matter so far-fetched, you have to suspend disbelief somewhat. They should make sense, for sure, but if somethings are a little iffy you can let them go in favor of enjoying the overall story. In the case of The Madman's Daughter though, I could not look past some of the impossible features. The writing left me feeling very distanced from the story which caused me to question a lot of it. I could not picture these creatures whatsoever, and found there descriptions utterly confusing. There were parts of the story where I sat back and thought "How in the world would that work?" which had me pretty put off. I felt like things were told but not explained, and the overall plot suffered from that.

As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I felt completely disconnected from the story. I really think I could have enjoyed this story more had I been invested in the story. Instead, I felt I was watching the events from afar and had no real commitment to the outcome. The only time I felt a moment of emotion was with Balthazar. He was a character that surprised you. That made you love him in such a subtle but powerful way. I felt a huge commitment to his well being, where as the other characters I could take or leave. I liked that Juliet was a girl far ahead of her time. She was strong-willed and intelligent which are qualities I admire. I liked that she didn't take no for an answer, and didn't always make the right decision. She was probably my favorite part of the book.

The love triangle, on the other hand, I had no real attachment to. Juliet was fretting over who she should choose and I truly didn't care who it was that was chosen. I found Montgomery to be relatively flat as a character, and Edward to be just okay. I also found that the relationships almost seemed rushed. Juliet went from being completely undecided to picking one in a matter of pages. It didn't seem entirely genuine to me. 

Something I cannot handle in books, or in anything really, is animal cruelty. I can't fault the book for having it considering that was a main plot point, but it was still too much for me. I skimmed portions, hid my eyes at others, and had to even put the book down once. It was too much and affected my ability to like the book. It did give a creepy and foreboding atmosphere to the book that I could feel until the very last page. It was not my cup of tea, but it was a true component to the story.

I really did love the themes and questions Megan Shepard wove throughout the book. The "monsters" who acted with such humanity contrasted starkly with the cruel humans in the novel. It made you question the definition of humanity, and had me completely intrigued. I also loved the setting, which gave a mysterious and almost savage edge to the story. Shepard created a dark and twisted story, set in a dark and twisted land.

Although the book had some fantastic moments and very interesting themes, the novel as a whole fell flat for me. A combination of unclear writing, and uncomfortable subject matter, The Madman's Daughter just wasn't the book for me.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads | Megan Shepard's Website

Review: Crossed by Ally Condie

Title: Crossed

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile 

Release Date: November 1st, 2011

Source: Borrowed from library

My Rating: 3/5  

Rules Are Different Outside The Society

Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky--taken by the Society to his sure death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.
Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's point of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever. (Summary from Goodreads)

I don't really know how I feel about this book. Disappointed, I guess. Matched wasn't my favorite book, but I thought the storyline had a lot of potential. The ideas of choice and freedom over happiness and safety was one I thought fascinating, and a great concept. One of the scenes in the novel has haunted me to this very day. The book itself I didn't find overly interesting, the characters much to flat for me. But, I finished with the feeling that the second book could be very well done. Unfortunately, I didn't agree with this once I read Crossed.

Now, that's not to say I didn't enjoy parts of this book because I most definitely did. I found myself wrapped up in the story, flipping the pages quickly in hopes of getting to the climax. I really liked the new characters that were brought it, and Xander finally grew on me. But, I found myself unable to connect with Cassia and Ky once again, and felt my investment in their relationship waning by the end. I felt like the plot of this book really didn't have much substance. There was a lot of walking around in a canyon and talking, but not much else. I was waiting for a big surprise, or action even and found myself disappointed when there really wasn't much of one. There was a secret in the book that I loved, and was so glad was put in the story. In all though, I just didn't find this book very interesting, and the problems I had with the first novel (aka the characters) I still had in Crossed. Looking back on it, I think my biggest issue with Crossed was that it was all about character development. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE character development. I will read entire books just with interesting characters. My problem was that I wasn't invested in the characters to begin with, so diving deep into their thoughts was not something I found interesting. If you have read and really enjoyed Matched, this book will probably be great to you. I just didn't feel so impressed with it.


I will be reading Reached though, without a doubt. As I said, I love the concept of these books. I even wrote a paper on it in high school. Crossed seems to be a set-up book, that is, the book that lays the foundation for the finale. I just hope this finale finally lives up to the potential these books have.


As a end note: I do really like the covers of these books. Really simple, but gorgeous. And something I did love about Crossed (and Matched for that matter) was the poetry. I loved hearing new ones, reading old favorites, and watching the words being woven into the plot line. Very well done, in my opinion. 


Reached is out November 2012! And if you're interested in reading Crossed, here's the book trailer!

- Ciara who is lost at midnight


Find this book: Amazon | Goodreads