After You (Me Before You #2) by Jojo Moyes

After You (Me Before You #2) by Jojo Moyes

Release Date:  September 29, 2015

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books

Age Group: Adult

Pages: 368

Summary:  “You’re going to feel uncomfortable in your new world for a bit. But I hope you feel a bit exhilarated too. Live boldly. Push yourself. Don’t settle. Just live well. Just live. Love, Will.”

How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future...

For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. But here Jojo Moyes gives us two families, as real as our own, whose joys and sorrows will touch you deeply, and where both changes and surprises await.

My Thoughts: I’m so glad to be back with Lou Clark! I still really like her! I just love her personality and even her clothing style.

It’s been awhile since Lou has moved to a new place and tried to start a new life. She has a new job and her life is quite a bit different. It even gets more interesting when a new teenage girl enters her life. She also goes to grief meetings and ends up meeting a cool paramedic there. Well, she met him beforehand but that’s beyond the point!

I’m so glad to be back with Lou and her family. I still really liked her mom, dad, and even sister. Lou has so much to get through and things are just so difficult for her.

I can’t say too much about this one without getting into spoilers but wanted to say I really liked this one as well. I still liked Me Before You a lot more and that hit my emotions really deep.

Overall: This was a good follow up so we can see what is happening in Lou’s life next. I’m glad she still got her somewhat happy ending, even though it wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for. I’m glad I read this one! I'd say this is probably a 3.5 cupcake rating, but I'll round it up since I gave Me Before You 5 cupcakes and I liked this one a bit less!

Cover:  Like it!! Anything by Jojo Moyes I’ll pick up!!!

What I’d Give It:

The Crown (Selection #5) by Kiera Cass

The Crown (Selection #5) by Kiera Cass

Release Date: May 3, 2016

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Group: Young Adult
Pages:  288

Summary:  When Eadlyn became the first princess of Illéa to hold her own Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined.

My Thoughts: I just adored The Crown!! I just loved this whole series in general and The Crown was just as special. I was so happy to be back with Eadlyn and her family. And her guys. I still loved most of them but I got even more attached to Kile and Erik. I just loved the scenes with them.

I just love the whole background of this series. I love the setting. I love how she judges each guy and really thinks about them. I loved her friends. I loved her parents. I loved her brother. I just really really really adore this series. I want to say so much because I’m so glad on how things turned out but I know I can’t say much or I’ll give away something I shouldn’t. It’s hard to really explain this series. You either really love it or really hate it I think, as I’ve heard both.

I was glad to get to know the guys even better and the choices she had to make. It was a tough call for sure.

Overall:If you haven’t gave this series a chance, please do!! I was smiling the whole time and by the end of the book, it was hard to think of what I was going to read next. What can follow up to these?? I just feel like they are sooo beautiful and thrilling.

Cover: LOVE IT!  I think I like this dress the most out of all of them!! And the pretty background!!!   

What I’d Give It:

The Heir (Selection #4) by Kiera Cass

The Heir (Selection #4) by Kiera Cass

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Publisher: HarperTeen  

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 368  

Summary:  Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.

My Thoughts: Oh man! Why did I wait so long to read this one?? I remember loving loving loving The Selection series but I was a little unsure if I’d like the book about the daughter of the main characters of The Selection! But boy did I love this one!!!  I was so happy to be back into this world.

In The Heir we are introduced to Eadlyn who is next in line to rule the kingdom. But that also means she needs to pick a husband. She has no intention of falling in love with anyone anytime soon. She’s so independent and she doesn’t need a boyfriend or a husband to depend on. She depends on herself for everything. She also has a brother. I really loved her brother too.

So of course The Selection happens. We meet a bunch of different guys but my favorites from the get go were Henri, Kile, Hale and Erik.  My two favorites were always Kile and Erik. But then I’d see sooo much potential in Henri and Hale. It was such a hard and confusing choice. I liked getting to know these four boys, along with the rest. But these four always stuck out for me the most.

In this one, The Selection is just getting started and she’s getting to know the boys. So honestly not much really happens.. I mean a lot does, but at the same time, no long lasting choices are made. And that’s one reason I’m glad I waited to read this.. I think I would have been really frustrated to not be able to start the next book!

Overall:  As I closed the last page, I thought to myself, I need to know who she ends up choosing so of course I went right to the next one! Thank goodness!

I outright loved it!!!

Cover:  Love It!! These covers are so beautiful and I just love the pretty dresses!!

What I'd Give It:

Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally

Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally

Release Date: July 5, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 304

Summary:  Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor’s always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that’s what is expected of a senator’s daughter. But one impulsive decision—one lie to cover for her boyfriend—and Taylor’s kicked out of private school. Everything she’s worked so hard for is gone, and now she’s starting over at Hundred Oaks High.

Soccer has always been Taylor’s escape from the pressures of school and family, but it’s hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she’s going through is her older brother’s best friend, Ezra. Taylor’s had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it’s hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?

My Thoughts: I just adore the Hundred Oaks books! I always anticipate them, and then as soon as I can get my hands on them, I read them quickly!  And Defending Taylor was just as good.. At first I thought Taylor would be the boy’s name but it actually wasn’t! It’s a girl!

We are introduced to Taylor who is from the perfect family. There's her dad who's a Senator, her mom who plays the Senator's Wife pretty well, her sister and brother who both go to college and seem to have the perfect  lives.  They are the perfect family. Until Taylor gets expelled from her school. She has to move back home to Hundred Oaks and attend a public high school. She has no friends there at first and nothing to really count on. Except soccer. I really loved hearing about her play. I loved how into it she was and how she enjoyed it.

There's also two boys in this story. First off there is Ben who was her boyfriend at her school that she got expelled from. Honestly, didn’t really like him much from the get go. He just wasn’t right for her. And you will see why as the story progresses. And then there is Ezra. Oh Ezra, how I love thee. Ezra had my heart from the get go. It also helped that Taylor has a long past with him. Ezra is her older brother’s best friend. Talk about a little bit awkward.  But Ezra and Taylor were just drawn together, and I loved their moments together. I loved how they saw one another and how they got along

And then once everything really comes out; the truth.. Wow…. I really liked the concept of this one. I liked where it all went and how things turned out. I did enjoy reading it and I’m still left a few days later with a cuddly sweet feeling.

Overall:  Another winner from Kenneally. I just adore this series and I always know going into it there may be some drama but it’s all worth it. I loved the family and friends aspect with the romance dribbled in!  I’ll read whatever Kenneally writes!

Cover:  Love it!! Love how we can’t really see their heads but the soccer aspect is cute! And the colors just work.. CUTE!!!!

What I’d Give It:

The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons

The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons

Release Date: February 10, 2015

Publisher: Tor Teen

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 336

Summary:  The Handmaid’s Tale meets Blood Red Road in Glass Arrow, the story of Aya, who lives with a small group of women on the run from the men who hunt them, men who want to auction off breeding rights to the highest bidder.

In a world where females are scarce and are hunted, then bought and sold at market for their breeding rights, 15-year old Aya has learned how to hide. With a ragtag bunch of other women and girls, she has successfully avoided capture and eked out a nomadic but free existence in the mountains. But when Aya’s luck runs out and she’s caught by a group of businessmen on a hunting expedition, fighting to survive takes on a whole new meaning.

My Thoughts:  When I first started Glass Arrow I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. I had a bit of trouble getting into this one at first but once I did, I was drawn in pretty well.

We are introduced to Aya who lives with her family.  She ends up getting taken and primped up to be sold. In this reality women don’t mean much except a means to breeding. They aren’t very well respected by most and they aren’t expected to do much other than have children.  

I hated that! I wanted to see Aya have so much more. And I’m glad she’s so stubborn and doesn’t do what everyone wants her to do.

I also liked Kiran a lot! And I was even more thrilled once we got to know him more and who he really was. Awesome! I loved their chemistry together and how compatible they really were.

I also loved the world-building and the story all together. The world-building was so unique yet easy to follow.

Overall:  I really liked this one a lot! Probably more of a 3.5 to 4 cupcake rating. I really liked the story-line and seeing how things happened.

Cover:  I like it! I’d pick it up and see what it’s about!

What I’d Give It: