As book one in the six-book series, it will also read well as a standalone. I like how the world is explained throughout the book - rather than dumping me with all worldbuilding in the beginning, or especially all at once. By the end of the book, new things are still being learned about Tess (the protagonist's sidekick). But is Day really the protagonist, or is it June? Although the story is admittedly more focused on Day, June's impact on Day's life is by far the more entertaining part of the book. Every chapter alternates perspectives, like a good Red Pyramid or The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel -- appropriate, political (if you will), and disappointing when really invested in what's about to happen next.

The Republic is one of two factions the U.S. splits into after collapse -- home to elite military families like the one June comes from, but also home to beggars, drunks, homeless, and the poor like Day. June is at some point convinced that Day murdered her brother (a spoiler from page 1) and vows to hunt him down both for revenge and to prove herself to the Republic. But as she gets close with Day, she uncovers truths about the Republic causing her to question her involvement.

Happy Ending

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon follows eighteen-year-old Madeline “Maddy” Whittier, who has a rare illness that keeps her inside her home, unable to leave. Her life changes when Olly, a boy who moves in next door, enters her world. They form a friendship through emails and messages that later develops into romance. This leads Maddy to take more risks of leaving the bubble she’s been trapped in her whole life. After discovering a shocking secret, she is forced to make difficult choices about freedom, trust, and love.

In my opinion, this book was engaging and emotional. It was a unique idea, and the author did a good job at writing the story. Although the book was quite long and slow-paced at certain points, I was never bored. I finished this book in one sitting.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary romance, coming-of-age stories, or books about love and self-discovery.

A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass is a story told in alternating first-person point-of-view chapters.

Princess Annika Vedette of Kadier is expected to marry her cousin for political reasons, even though it isn’t what she wants and her father has gone cold since her mother’s disappearance. Though she lives a life of luxury, she doesn’t have much freedom.

Far away, Lennox lives as a mercenary from Dahrain. His people were exiled many generations ago and he believes the throne taken from them rightfully belongs to the Dahrainians.

Their worlds collide when Lennox kidnaps Annika for a mission. As they are frequently thrown into dangerous situations together, they learn more about each other and the truth about things such as Annika’s mother's disappearance and the history of Kadier and Dahrain.

Despite the odds and the war looming, Annika and Lennox fall in love in a story where love and loyalty clash with duty and expectations. Both struggle with what they’ve been taught and what they feel, forcing them to make hard choices for their worlds and hearts.

In my opinion, the book was entertaining to read. In the beginning, the slow pacing and lack of proper world-building made it confusing. But later into the book, more things were cleared up and I was able to understand the world better. Overall, it was an enemies-to-lovers fantasy book with plenty of twists and political intrigue.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes enemies-to-lovers romance, stories with strong and complex characters, or royal or kingdom dramas.

This book was extremely interesting to read and it’s impressive that Sarah Maas was able to write this as her first book. In this story, 18 year old assassin Celaena Sardothien was freed from the labor camp she’d been working at for a year by Crown Prince Dorian to participate in a competition with other criminals to see who will become the king’s secret assassin. However, there are dark things happening underneath and Celaena has to protect herself from the dangerous and magical things around her. The magic system of Wyrdmarks is very interesting and the character interactions are complex. It is a book that is hard to put down.

Have you ever judged someone without really knowing them?

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen follows Juli Baker and Bryce Loski, who have been neighbors since the start of second grade, when Bryce moved into the neighborhood. Juli was certain that she was in love with him and that they were meant to be, but Bryce outwardly disliked her and was annoyed she couldn’t take the hint. Told in alternating first person point of view chapters, events from both perspectives as the two grew up are revealed.

After something happens in the present-day eighth grade that causes Juli to deeply hate Bryce, the two of them “flip” perspectives of each other. Now, Juli doesn’t want anything to do with him, but Bryce is in love with her.

Flipped covers themes of perspectives, change, and growing up. Juli is a passionate, confident character who is unafraid to advocate for what she believes in, whether protecting a sycamore tree or standing up for her family. Bryce, however, starts off as shallow and caring too much about what others think, but by the end learns that his first impressions of people, especially Juli, were wrong. As the story unfolds, both characters are forced to reflect on who they are, and what truly matters.

I found the book entertaining, and it wasn’t very long in comparison to other novels I have read covering similar themes. Although it is a little slower paced at points, it makes up for it by speeding up later on. The different perspectives on the same events would have been redundant, but the author wrote it well. It was interesting to see how Juli and Bryce saw the same thing in nearly opposite ways.

If you enjoy books about growing up, perspectives, and a sweet, thoughtful look at first love, then Flipped is a book you should definitely consider reading.

Brielle Petitfour, a Haitian zonbi, is tired of watching her mother struggle with debilitating chronic pain while the rich elites around her continue to exploit people to make themselves richer. So, when the wealthy patriarch of the Banks corporation dies and her mother loses her job, it is Brielle's last straw. Using her internship at the Banks Incorporation, her extensive cooking skills, and zonbi powers, she gains access to these rich elites and exacts her revenge. Within each delicious dish she serves them, she adds human flesh, slowly gaining control of them...

I was really excited to read this book, because the idea Haitian zonbis in a modern lens is something that really interests me, along with learning more about Haitian-American culture. Additionally, after reading the synopsis of this book, I wanted to know more about how Brielle would add human flesh into her dishes - and wanted to understand her motivations for doing so. However, I was sorely disappointed after reading "The Summer I Ate The Rich." Not only is Brielle's character - along with all others in the story - flat and unrealistic, but the plot and motivations were just confusing. Instead of leaning into the interesting and original idea of Brielle serving rich people human flesh, or even eating the rich herself, the authors skirted around this detail, avoiding and barely mentioning this major plot point. Instead, they leaned into a YA love story instead, which was confusing and frustrating. Overall, the execution of this book was just terrible, the social commentary unfortunately fell flat, and I think the authors tried to incorporate too many clashing ideas into one story. Despite its intriguing title and synopsis, I would not recommend this book to anyone.

This wonderful sequel to "Powerless" follows three different point of views, Paedyn Gray, Kai Azer, and Kitt Azer. First, the book shows Paedyn as she escapes from Illya after murdering the king and being discovered as an ordinary. Second, it shows Kai while he tracks Paedyn down while also questioning how he could ever feel anything for an *ordinary.* Last it shows Kitt as he tries to figure out how to deal with Paedyn after she killed his father. Paedyn and Kai struggle to get through the differences they now have and deal with the feelings of affection they still have for each other. "Reckless" brings feelings of regret, anger, and confusion as all three of these characters handle their complicated thoughts and emotions.

With a festival quickly approaching, Princess SITA is excited to enjoy the party and meet up with the handsome palace guard, Femi. But when she stumbles into a sinister plot, she must decide where her loyalties lie. After having dreams of the end of the world, NEFF is taken to train to be a priestess. Alongside Prince Kenna, she is determined to learn more about what her visions mean while adjusting to her new life in the temple. RAE and her father are struggling to survive as the pharaoh's taxes grow even more demanding. Her only release is the street fights she slips away to, but when the situation in her village takes a turn for the worse, she decides to fight back. KARIM is a tomb robber, but when he stumbles across his biggest find yet, something goes wrong. Now, he must set out alone across the desert, running from the evil he unleashed. With the pharaoh growing sicker by the minute, it's up to these four strangers to fulfill the prophecy of the lamb and save the kingdom from destruction.

I was really excited to read "His Face Is The Sun", because I really like YA fantasy books that are centered around Ancient Egyptian culture/mythology. However, I was pretty disappointed with the execution of the story itself. "His Face Is The Sun" is told in alternating perspectives, spit up between four different characters. Even though this was essential to tell all of their stories and bring the characters together, I found this storytelling technique pretty boring in a lot of parts, and I would dread getting to the perspectives of certain characters. Additionally, the voice of this book seemed a little off to me. At times, it was extremely dated to match the setting of the book, and at others, it was extremely modern, which was confusing. Also, this book is the first one of the series, and honestly was not that interesting because it was just setting the stage for the other books. Overall, the execution of this book really fell short for me, and I would not recommend it.

This book is an amazing addition to the Naturals series. After their last interaction with a serial killer the naturals were back on cold cases. They had just completed a cold case for the kidnapping of a small child successfully. Though an unexpected turn comes when a new agent comes to the program. She immediately makes it clear that rules were made to be followed, which is hard for some of the kids there. Then she and Agent Briggs get called to a case that strikes too close to home for Dean. Once again the Naturals find themselves working behind the scenes of another active case. As friendships become tighter the reader experiences the thrilling rollercoaster as if they were there. It is an amazing book with twists you never would expect.

The Naturals is a thrilling book that is centered around a girl named Cassandra Hobbes or Cassie who can tell you almost everything about you and your life with just looking at you. She wishes that she will be able to leave her work as a waiter and do something to help. Then a mysterious boy shows up at the diner and leaves a card for the FBI. She figures out that her ability to profile people has landed her a spot in a program that helps catch serial killers that have been dormant. She wishes that she could help on active cases, but when she actually gets dragged into one it hits a little too close to home. As the Naturals work together they try to catch a serial killer while still acting like regular teenagers, flirting, playing games, and getting caught in a love triangle. This book creates a thrilling rollercoaster of emotions and surprises. It is one of the best books I have ever read and it is definitely one of my favorites.

Stella is sick. No, not with the typical cold or flu, as Stella would rather have, but with a rare disease: Cystic Fibrosis. Her lungs have been faulty all her life and she hopes to obtain a lung transplant soon. In order to fulfill this goal, Stella attempts to maintain constant control of her life, risking nothing that would prevent her from getting the transplant. That is until she meets Will, who's only thing in common with Stella is his Cystic Fibrosis. With no care about control (or his medication) Will is fascinated with Stella and her orderly life. However, their illness prevents them from coming closer than six feet apart, and any close contact could jeopardize everything. Stella wants nothing to do with Will, how could she risk everything she's ever wanted? Yet as the two become closer, being six feet apart seems unbearable.
This was a good teen romance that captured what it's like to be controlled by something completely out of control or reach.

Eric Ly's life is falling apart. His best friend is dead, his sister is moving away for college, and Eric can't seem to deal with his loneliness and grief. So, in order to cope, he creates fake scenarios in his head to hold on to what he had, until one of them seemingly comes to life. During a summer trip to Japan, Eric had met - and shortly lost contact with- a boy named Haru. And now, in a random cafe in Chicago, Haru has miraculously found his way back to him. But the problem is no one can see Haru except for Eric.

Nonetheless, Eric now has a new person to connect with during these hard times - even if Haru may not be real at all. But his twisted imagination and lingering grief lead him to question the circumstances around him and lose control of his life. And slowly, Eric realizes he must come to terms with reality, even if it means he must lose Haru and the fake scenarios he's created.

When I first picked up this book, I had pretty high expectations for it. The book's concept intrigued me, and I also did enjoy reading You've Reached Sam, the author's debut work. That being said, this book somewhat disappointed me. The plot saw so many changes in direction to the point where it felt rather aimless, and Eric's self-destructive decisions did irritate me at times (which may have been the intention given Eric's mental state, I won't discredit that). Haru's character, despite his proclaimed importance in the book's blurb, was honestly not very important to the story, and I genuinely feel like the book could have sufficed without him. The story was like a collection of Eric's memories and experiences; this introspectiveness doesn't inherently make a book "bad," but these books also aren't for everyone. The climax of the book did have some emotional substance, and it was pleasant to see Eric find his way and grow from his grief, but overall, I found this book to be a bit directionless. However, I do know that the novel was also very hard for the author to write, having to match his newfound success for You've Reached Sam (which also touches on grief and loss), so I do wonder what he might have done had he not been creatively restricted.

"The Wedding People" is a book about a divorced woman named Phoebe who goes to a fancy hotel in Rhode Island. Little does she know, there's a big wedding happening while she's there. She meets the bride, who confides in her whenever something happens. The two become friends quickly, as they bring out different sides in each other. One night, Phoebe goes to relax in the hotel hot tub, and she meets a man there. The two talk, and Phoebe realizes that this stranger brings something out in her that she hasn’t experienced before.

“The Wedding People” is definitely one of my favorite books that I have read. The characters feel so human with all their flaws, feelings, and experiences. Every single character is likable in their own way. Multiple characters have character development that benefits the storyline. Their realizations and discoveries are so poetic that I felt the emotions behind the writing. The author phrases things so well, it feels like you are experiencing what is happening. The book is able to cover heavy topics without being smothering or ridiculous. The plot twists were unpredictable and surprising, but they were realistic and believable. Overall, this book is truly a work of art that I really enjoyed.

The Cruel Prince is just straight up amazing. I LOVED Jude and her development as a character and how it was done. Cardan is a 10/10 no notes. This book is the original enemies to lovers and I am here for it! The only thing about this book is it can tend to have a lot of politics which might confuse readers but otherwise this is a masterfully written book that transports readers to the land of Faerie. Would recommend this to most if not all fantasy readers as it is a staple of the genre.

If you are looking for the perfect enemies to lovers/romantasy look no further! Fourth Wing is a masterpiece by Yarros who combines master world building skills with an exciting and engaging plot. I really liked Violet's determination, perseverance, and acceptance of her circumstances. Her character was well rounded and a 5-star narrator. Xaden and Violet's chemistry was off the charts, and it really added that final piece to the plot. I would definitely read again and again and again. This is the perfect book for romance and fantasy lovers.

A Court of Thorns and Roses was really disappointing mostly because of the main character Feyre. She was whiny, obnoxious and all around a dislikable person. I struggled to finish to read this book and didn't finish the second one. This plot has the potential to be great with a few tweaks and character changes but instead it fell flat. This book is all hype and no substance and the only redeeming part of the book was Rhys. I would not recommend this book to anyone with little patience for terrible books.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi follows Juliette, a teen girl labeled as insane and dangerous by the government. She has always felt alone due to her power, or curse, of destruction. She cannot touch another person without feeling immense pain. However, when one of the government officials takes interest in her powers, she is released from the asylum as he holds her hostage as a hopeful weapon. With the help of an old friend, Juliette learns that she might not be as horrible as she thought, and might be deserving of the love she has never had.

I really enjoyed this book! All of the characters, especially Juliette, have strong personalities and character traits. I especially thought seeing how Juliette's obsession with numbers worked as a way for her to cope from past trauma was interesting. However, I thought the book's pace felt slow at times and rushed at times. For instance, Juliette's romance with another character felt like it was moving really fast, and sometimes I couldn't tell how much time had passed from the last significant event. Overall it was a very enjoyable read and I would recommend!

“What If It’s Us?” is a LGBTQIA+ romance book involving two teens in New York. The two main characters, Ben and Arthur, meet in a post office. Ben, 17 years old and a New York resident, is there to mail his ex-boyfriend’s stuff back to him. Arthur, 16 years old and staying for the summer because of an internship, held the door open for Ben and became interested in him. The two hit it off, but they end up getting separated by a flash mob proposal. The two keep thinking of each other and how they want to meet again, but they have a hard time finding each other. Arthur finally figures out a way to get Ben’s email, and the two reconnect. Their whole summer together is filled with ups and downs, laughter, and drama.

“What If It’s Us?” is a sweet, well-written book. The characters are very likable and diverse. Arthur and Ben have a realistic relationship, with the two having their ups and downs since they come from different backgrounds. Arthur, coming from a well-off white family, and Ben, coming from a lower-class Puerto Rican family. The two also have some very sweet romantic moments that touched my heart. The plot has a nice climax, and the ending makes sense for the characters and the story. Overall, I would recommend this book to people who are fans of LGBTQIA+ romance.

"The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight " is a sweet romance book that follows two strangers on their plane ride to Great Britain. The female main character, Hadley, is forced to attend her father's new marriage as a bridesmaid. Due to a few unlucky occurrences, she misses her original flight, forcing her to catch the new one and just barely make it on time for the wedding. While waiting for the new flight, she meets a boy named Oliver. The two bond and quickly find out that they sit next to each other on the plane. They spend the whole flight talking and becoming close. Sadly, the two get split up in airport security when they land. Hadley later figures out why Oliver is visiting England, and she rushes to see him once more.

This book captured my heart the second we met both of the main characters. The author does a great job shifting the plot between the romance and the personal lives, giving the main characters great backgrounds. The romance between the two characters is so sweet and did gave me butterflies a few times. The plot is written well, with everything happening during 24 hours without weird timing issues. Everything is described so well, and the plot twists are definitely unexpected. Overall, this book is amazing, and I would recommend it to readers who enjoy love at first sight!

"Somewhere Only We Know" is a heartfelt romance book following a K-pop star and a photographer who doesn't realize his talent. Lucky, a rising K-pop star, is currently on tour in Asia. In the middle of the night, she runs into Jack, a photographer for a shady tabloid. A mixture of being sleep deprived, hungry, and taking medication ends up with Lucky staying the night at this stranger's house. When she discovers this, she realizes it couldn't hurt to take a break from the grueling life of a K-pop star. Jack finds this the perfect opportunity to get great pictures of Lucky, earning him a promotion. However, as the two hang out more, they start to grow fond of each other, and Jack starts to question his morals.

This book is one that I reread consistently. It's well written, and the romance between the characters blooms so sweetly. The characters are very human and some are morally grey. The journey of self-discovery for Lucky is well built, and her realization is gratifying and brings me pure joy. My favorite side character is Jack's roommate, he's hilarious in the few scenes he's in. Every time I read this book, I forget about the ending and it surprises me every time. This book is really good, and I would definitely recommend it.

"I Love You So Mochi" is a book about a Japanese American girl named Kimi who visits Japan on a journey of self-discovery. Her mother is a famous painter who wants her to follow in her footsteps. However, Kimi doesn't feel like painting suits her as a career. After an argument with her mom about her career, she gets a letter from her estranged grandpa, inviting her to visit Japan for spring break. Kimi takes up her grandpa's offer, later meeting a cute boy who offers to be her tour guide for Japan. For just a week, Kimi has the chance to discover herself, connect with family, and fall in love.

This book was really touching. The author does a great job characterizing the characters and making them feel human. The moments when Kimi emails her mom and describes her original designs are also awesome. I really enjoyed reading about the main character and learning about her style of clothing. The romance between the two main characters is so adorable, and I was definitely feeling sad when I came to the last day of Kimi's trip. All in all, this is a wonderful, sweet read that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a delightful book.

"Guardian Demon" is a romance book set in a world where angels and demons exist. The story follows our two main characters, an angel and a demon. Sunshine, the female angel main character, is assigned a mission to retrieve a book from a demon. The other main character is a male demon named Raum. Sunshine decides to form a contract, forcing Raum to help her on her mission. The two start the mission disliking each other, but as the mission progresses, they begin to grow closer.

I started reading this book without knowing that it was part of a series. Despite this, the book introduced new things, while also explaining stuff from the previous books. The author develops the characters, and they maintain consistent personalities throughout the book. The romance between the two main characters is well fleshed out and gave me butterflies on occasion. Overall, this book is very good and I would definitely recommend it to fans of fantasy and romance books!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a FANTASTIC read. It traces the life story of movie star, Evelyn Hugo, as told by underground reporter Monique Grant. The plot development throughout this novel is spectacular, and is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. It is not quite a romance, not quite a mystery, but somewhere in between. The reader is led to ponder the value of love, marriage, and storytelling as they discover the hidden connection between Evelyn and Monique.

Isabel "Belly" Conklin has always loved summer, because every summer, she gets to spend time at her favorite place in the world - Cousins. There, she is able to escape from all her worries at her mother's friend, Susannah's, luxurious beach house. But this summer is different. Belly finds herself conflicted as she experiences feelings for Susannah's two sons, Jeremiah and Conrad. Exploring this conflict leads Belly to take a deeper look at herself as she transitions into adulthood, filling her summer with countless adventures and drama.

I read "The Summer I Turned Pretty" by Jenny Han after reading "To All the Boys I Have Loved Before," which is by the same author, and I didn't enjoy this series as much as the "To All the Boys" series. Han's books are always good choices for someone looking for a light read filled with drama and romance (and both series have TV adaptations that are fun to watch!). However, the idea that Belly has to "choose" between two brothers took a lot away from the plot for me (as it seems that she has no consideration for either of them and only thinks of herself and her rapidly changing emotions), as it made Belly a very unlovable character. To me, she was portrayed as selfish and naive, focusing only on herself as she chooses between Jeremiah and Conrad, paying no attention to the impact of her actions on the brothers. Because of this, the reader cannot become attached to Belly as the main character, as well as the book itself and the heartbreaking and intriguing story that Han presents.

Hari Shin is desperate for money - so when her friend, Youngseo Jin, offers to pay her to attend a blind date, Hari accepts without thinking. She is confident that she can send the potential suitor packing (and have a little fun in the process!)...until her CEO, Taemu Kang shows up at the date. And for some reason, despite her best efforts, Taemu is determined to marry Hari! "A Business Proposal, Vol. 1" is a hilarious manhwa (Korean manga) that follows the adventures that Hari goes on as she tries her best to conceal her true identity - and navigates her feelings for Taemu.

Before reading "A Business Proposal, Vol. 1," I had actually watched the K-drama adaptation of the story first, and both versions are fun and addictive! There are ten volumes of this manhwa, allowing the reader to enjoy the amusing plot and lovable character across multiple books. "A Business Proposal" is a good choice for both people who are familiar with Korean culture, and for those who are not. The incorporation of cultural context is explained in the back of the book and adds a lot of character to the story. This is a relaxing and entertaining read and I definitely recommend both the manhwa and the K-drama to anyone who likes office rom-coms!

Lucinda Price is charged for a crime she can barely even explain. After a fun night with a boy during summer camp, she kissed him - and he spontaneously combusted. Haunted constantly by her visions of lurking shadows, she is forced to spend the next year or so at Sword & Cross, an infamous prison-like boarding school, per court orders, and ends up bumping into someone strangely familiar: Daniel Grigori. Enigmatic and alluring, Luce can't help but instantly fall head-over-heels despite never having met him. But Daniel soon makes it clear that he doesn't want to be associated with Luce, frustrating her. Determined to unravel more about Daniel and his past, Luce ends up uncovering dangerous secrets surrounding the students at the school and realizes her attraction to Daniel isn't as simple as it seems.

I will be brief and completely honest: this book was bad. I randomly stumbled upon it online, decided to read it, and now I must say it was a waste of time. This book barely has any plot, yet the author manages to drag it to a length of 400-something pages, and almost all of it is Luce pining over Daniel whilst also being unkindly rejected by him several times. The way Daniel treated Luce for the first half of the story was infuriating, and at parts, I honestly started questioning why she was still in love with him. Luce's personality is incredibly bland and unlikeable, not to mention how much she just lacks a backbone. In fact, pretty much all the characters in this novel don't have any complexity and come off as caricatures of common archetypes. The grand twist towards the end was predictable and hinted at extensively throughout the novel, giving it no impact at all. And on a lesser note, there are also several jokes and remarks in the writing that weren't made in good taste and could potentially rub some people off the wrong way. Overall, this novel was unfortunately boring, and I could hardly finish the whole thing. I would never recommend it to anyone.

Julie Clarke seems to have everything in her life perfectly planned out before her: an aspiring writer, she hopes to get accepted into her first-choice college and someday move out of her quiet home of Ellensburg with her music-loving boyfriend, Sam. But in an unexpected turn of events, Sam dies in a car crash during senior year, flipping Julie's life upside down and destroying all her plans for the future. In an attempt to forget him, Julie throws away all she had relating to Sam and even avoids going to his funeral. Her pain nonetheless still lingers, and in a moment of desperation, she calls his number just to hear his voicemail again...except Sam picks up, even though he's still dead. The two of them have somehow become reconnected through their phones, giving them a second chance at goodbye. But as Julie continues to call him, refusing to let go of Sam's presence, she slowly notices how much she's hurt her own friends and Sam's family through her isolation and buried grief.

Although I didn't find this book as gut-wrenching as some other people, You've Reached Sam is still an emotional story that touches on the grief of losing a loved one. I personally saw the concept of the main couple's reconnection through their phones as a good metaphor for Julie's refusal to move on from her tragedy and how it affects those around her. I did find it hard to connect with the characters in the novel however, especially the side characters, as they felt very one-dimensional. Julie's love story with Sam didn't feel as deep as Julie herself thought it to be (I didn't really care for their romance, although this book is romance centered), and Sam's character fell flat. I couldn't describe much about him other than his kindness and his love of music, and even during his phone calls with Julie and the flashbacks, he only felt like a passing, shadowy figure rather than a real character and love interest who I'm supposed to feel something for. I did find Julie's character development interesting; her character was admittedly annoying and selfish at times, as some other readers have pointed out, but I think her rocky personality is a good example of how hard loss is to handle at such a young age and how everyone has different reactions and ways to deal with grief. I enjoyed seeing her navigate through her trauma and learning to balance living in the present while holding on to little pieces of her past. The pacing of the book had some issues; the second half dragged on a bit too long and was very repetitive in its utilization of Julie's flashbacks. But the ending was a very touching and poignant close to the book as well as Julie's character arc.

This novel may not have had the biggest impact on me, but I was still moved by some parts of the plot. It's not the most well-written depiction of grief in literature, but the story does have some beauty in it, and I can appreciate its message.

Bad Blood is the fourth and final book in the Naturals series. The story follows Cassie Hobbes and her journey as a part of the FBI’s Naturals Program; an elite team of teenagers with unique abilities to help the FBI profile and solve cold cases. From the day Cassie joined the Naturals program she was always set out to solve her own mother's cold case. In Bad Blood Cassie and the team are even closer to solving the mystery of her mother’s cold case than they even know. Cassie and the team end up investigating in the town of Gaither, Oklahoma. The town is small, and brings back a flood of memories for Cassie, as she lived there with her mother as a child. Not only do these memories bring back crucial information for Cassie’s mom’s case but also ultimately help the FBI find the cult-like group who has been killing people for generations.
The book was a wonderful way to finish off this series. The book was full of plot-twists, mystery, great imagery, and intriguing details. The entire series never disappointed and especially this final book. The book had many surprising moments and adapted on mysteries and details in the other books. Something I really enjoyed is how Barnes had plot-twists relating to things in the other three books. I thought that played a nice role in ending the series but also kept me interested and surprised. The themes of friendship and the team dynamic that also play a role in this book make all the difference. Even in moments of great turmoil, when two of the characters had a disagreement, whatever it was, in the end the characters all come together and care for one another which is something I loved about the book. Another great part of this book is it touches more on their complex backstories of some of the characters like Micheal and Lia and introduces mysterious new characters like Mason Kyle or Holland Darby. Sometimes the details in the plot-twists can get confusing, but overall, an easy and fun book to read. If you are a person who loves thrilling mysteries, plot-twists, and a team dynamic the Naturals series is for you!

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld is a dystopian novel set in a future where people are strictly divided by age and appearance. Littlies are young children who live with their parents until they turn twelve, when they are labeled Uglies and move into dormitories in Uglyville. When they turn sixteen, they are pressured into undergoing an operation that changes their appearance to become Pretties, who can move to the paradise of New Pretty Town. The story follows Tally, a fifteen-year-old girl a few months from her sixteenth birthday, who is looking forward to becoming a Pretty and joining her best friend Peris in New Pretty Town. Like most Uglies, Tally sees the operation as a turning point in her life, as Uglies are treated in a way that makes them feel inferior to the Pretties and pushes them to undergo the surgery. One day, Tally befriends another girl her age named Shay, who doesn't want to become a pretty and tries to convince Tally to join her before running away. Things only go down from here, as Tally is offered an impossible decision by the authorities and begins to learn the truth about the operation and the seemingly idyllic nature of the society she grew up in.
This book was a great read, and I really enjoyed the concept. The characters were written well and were realistic in a way that showed off their individual motivations and traits. Shay and Tally's views on society and being pretty are clearly different, and that affects their actions throughout the story. The ending is powerful, written so similarly yet different from the beginning of the story, which helps to emphasize Tally's character development and shows how much the events of the story changed things. Something I especially liked about the story was its unexpected plot twists. Some parts surprised me, proving my predictions wrong and making the story even more engaging. The novel is packed with symbolism and themes of conformity, individuality, and beauty while being easy to read and understand. It does great as the first book for the series, sparking interest in the world and characters and making readers want to know what happens next. I recommend this book for fans of science fiction and dystopian novels with some adventure and good plot twists.

Whitney Curry is determined to spend her semester in Paris with a bang. She plans to travel to all the best tourist spots! The Eiffel Tower, The Seine, etc. Her itinerary is filled to the brim with places she HAS to visit. Whitney's idol, Josephine Baker inspires her own theatre performance. She must work on her play. NO DISTRACTIONS. But her trip takes unexpected turn when she meets Thierry Magnon. Thierry Magnon is many things. He is grumpy, strikingly handsome, a soccer player, and Whitney's French tutor who is set on showing Whitney the real Paris. Is this French boy worth the distraction?

Readers will fall in love with Ravynn K. Stringfield's creative nonfiction "Love Requires Chocolate." I picked this book because of my interest in romance. I enjoyed Whitney Curry's bubbly personality and her chemistry with Thierry Magnon from the start. The book was very predictable but a good cheesy happily ever after. I related to Whitney's to-do lists because it also helps me organize my thoughts. This is a memorable book that I've read this year.