Sweet Shadows (Medusa Girls #2) by Tera Lynn Childs

Sweet Shadows (Medusa Girls #2) by Tera Lynn Childs

Release Date: September 4, 2012   

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Pages: 336

Age Group: Young Adult

Summary: Triplets narrate, teen descendants of Medusa. Warring factions among the gods of Olympus are coming; creatures of the Abyss are pushing into San Francisco; boys in their lives hide dangerous secrets.

Tough Gretchen has fought monsters the longest, trains newfound sisters. Perfectionist Greer keeps her social calendar, faints from visions. Compromising Grace worries about missing brother Thane.

My Thoughts: I’m slowly making my way through this series! And some of my older TBR pile. It took me forever to really even get to it apparently!

We are back with the three triplets!!!! Gretchen, Grace, and Greer! I still think that Grace is my favorite girl but I’m really taking a liking to the other girls!  I also love Nick and Thane as well! And I knew there would be more to each of them than we originally knew! I can’t wait to find out even more!

The girls have their plate full taking on evil and trying to figure out how to get things under control!

This series is so fun and it has so much personality! I don’t want to say much because of spoilers but I just adore it! It’s enticing and thrilling and a good book to bury your head in!  I get so wrapped up in it I lose track of time though!

Overall: Liked this one as much as the first! I think that things are going to crazy and I can’t wait to read more! I’m excited to read the third in the series! I love the girls and their boys! I just adore these triplets! If you like paranormal, I recommend this series!

Cover:  Like it! This would make me want to know what it’s about for sure!

What I’d Give It:

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Release Date: September 6, 2011

Publisher:  Katherine Tegen Books

Pages: 352

Age Group: Young Adult

Summary: Grace moves to San Francisco but fears monsters and girl who looks just like her who shows up to fight them. Orphan Gretchen is tired of battling monsters. Her mentor vanishes. Wealthy Greer has busy social life, no room for joining triplets on her doorstep. Three teen descendants of Medusa must unite and fight monsters only they can see -- or are some good?

My Thoughts:  I really liked this one! Its the beginning of a series and I can’t wait to read the rest in the series! We are introduced to Grace who just moved to San Francisco. It’s a change of scenery for her in more ways than one. She starts to see mysterious and weird things! We also meet two other girls Gretchen and Greer.

I think out of all three girls, I did like Grace the most. Maybe it’s because I was introduced to her first or maybe it’s because of how easy she adapts to things. I liked her brother as well. He was a cutie but I think there might be more to him than we know just yet.

I also liked the love interest. I hope to see more of him. I don’t want to say too much about this one because it’s a great start and it just flows so nicely. A lot happened but then when you think about it, not really much at all. I’ll be excited to see where the next book takes us.

Overall:  I liked this one a lot. I usually like Childs' books so I was happy to finally get to read this one! Took me a while to get to it, but glad I did. Excited to read more of this series soon!

Cover:  Love it! She looks totally badass from the back! And Love her braid!

What I’d Give It:

Dreamology by Lucy Keating

Dreamology by Lucy Keating

Release Date:  April 12, 2016

Publisher:  HarperTeen

Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336

Summary:  For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together they have traveled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist.

But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. It turns out, though, that Real Max is nothing like Dream Max, and getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped.

When their dreams start to bleed dangerously into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough?

Whimsical, romantic and utterly original, Lucy Keating’s debut novel will win readers’ hearts.

My Thoughts:  Let me start off by saying I’m a big dreamer. I always remember my dreams so vividly and I always believe they mean something. A deeper memory.

We are introduced to a girl named Alice who has always dreamed of a boy named Max. Alice has never met Max in real life. He’s just the boy of her dreams. Alice lives with her father and they move to a new city and that’s where things get complicated. On the first day of school, she actually sees Max. Real Life Max. He isn’t a dream at all. He’s real, right in front of her. This sets off so many emotions in Alice.  Confusion, happiness and she’s just not so sure what to feel.

But of course the real Max is quite different from the dream Max. For one thing he has a girlfriend.  But that doesn’t really stop Alice from wanting to know if he knows who she is too.

Things start from there, and I can’t say much else without telling you more about the dreams and how they got to be.

I liked this one, I did. But I never really felt wholeheartedly into the story or the characters. I didn’t outright love Max or Alice. At times, the whole story just felt too easy. Like how everything came together. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I just wanted a bit more conflict or I start to lose interest.

I thought this was an interesting take on dreams and what they can mean.

Overall: I did like learning how Max and Alice were put together. I liked learning more about their dreams. I can see a lot of people really really loving this one but it just wasn’t really one of my favorite contemps so far so this year. I haven’t read many yet!  I’d say this one was more of a 3.5 cupcake rating for me!

Cover: Like it! Love her long eyelashes and how she looks asleep!

What I’d Give It:

What You Always Wanted by Kristin Rae

What You Always Wanted by Kristin Rae

Release Date: March 29, 2016

Publisher:  Bloomsbury USA

Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 320

Summary: If Only . . . he was the boy she's been dreaming of. The If Only line continues in this fun high school theater-themed romance!

Drama girl Maddie Brooks has always had high standards for guys. But she has yet to find one who can live up to the romantic, classic Hollywood heartthrobs, especially the dreamy song-and-dance man Gene Kelly. When Maddie begins to carpool with Jesse Morales, her new neighbor and star pitcher of the baseball team, she's struck by his wit, good looks, and love for his family--but a guy so into sports is definitely not her style. Then Maddie discovers that Jesse was raised as a dancer and still practices in the community theater dance studio to keep in shape. Perhaps her perfect dream guy exists after all! But when it becomes clear that baseball--not dance--is Jessie's passion, can Maddie find a way to let her dream guy go and appreciate the charms of the amazing guy in front of her?

My Thoughts: I wasn’t sure what to think as I started this one. I read Rae’s other novel and I really enjoyed that one. I did like it a little bit more than this one. I still enjoyed this one but the other one just felt more romantic to me I guess.

We are introduced to Maddie who always has had high standards for guys. She wants the perfect boyfriend who does the perfect romantic things. She loves old movies and Gene Kelly. Maddie meets a boy next store named Jesse.  Jesse was popular and deep down he’s a real sweetheart but he doesn’t always come off as a good guy.

Maddie loves to dance and she loves to participate in school functions. Jesse, not so much anymore. He’s just into baseball.

I really liked this one but I just wasn’t as drawn to it as others this year. I liked Jesse and Maddie together but sometimes I just wanted to kick Jesse for acting all tough when I wanted him to be sweet. I also liked Maddie but at times she did expect a lot.

Overall: I’m happy how things went down in this one. I’m happy how things ended up. I liked the ending the most! I'd say this was probably more of a 3.5 cupcake rating for me!

Cover:  Love it! I would pick this up in a bookstore for sure!

What I’d Give It:

In Real Life by Jessica Love

In Real Life by Jessica Love

Release Date: March 1, 2016

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 240

Summary:  Hannah Cho and Nick Cooper have been best friends since 8th grade. They talk for hours on the phone, regularly shower each other with presents, and know everything there is to know about one another.

There's just one problem: Hannah and Nick have never actually met.

Hannah has spent her entire life doing what she's supposed to, but when her senior year spring break plans get ruined by a rule-breaker, she decides to break a rule or two herself. She impulsively decides to road trip to Vegas, her older sister and BFF in tow, to surprise Nick and finally declare her more-than-friend feelings for him.

Hannah's romantic gesture backfires when she gets to Vegas and meets Nick's girlfriend, whom he failed to mention. And it turns out his relationship status isn't the only thing he's been lying to her about. Hannah knows the real Nick can't be that different from the online Nick she knows and loves, but now she only has one night in Sin City to figure out what her feelings for Nick really are, all while discovering how life can change when you break the rules every now and then.

My Thoughts:  Okay!!! Seriously!! When I saw this novel for the first time I knew I had to read it!! How many of us have gotten to know a friend online? Really? And become good friends?? And with a boy?? I knew I had to read this one. And I was super excited. And I LOVED it.

We are introduced to Hannah who has gotten to know Nick quite well over the last few years. They talk on the phone, via text messages, and through video messaging. He’s one her best friends. The one who knows her like nobody else. Yes, of course they have just remained friends. They’ve both lived their lives, had other boyfriend/girlfriends, but have always had one another to lean on.

This was PERFECT. A PERFECT read for me!

Until one day when Hannah decides she’s going to do something outside of her comfort zone. drive down to one of his concerts and surprise him!

And boy is he surprised. And so is she. She learns he has quite a few secrets she didn’t know about. I don’t want to go on and on and give spoilers. I just don’t think that's fair to you! I want you to experience this one head on with everything. When you start, you better devote your whole night to it. You won’t stop reading it. You’ll have to know what happens.

I loved the plot. I loved the characters. I loved Hannah’s sister and her bestie. I loved Nick and his group of friends. I loved the setting. I loved the roller coaster. I just loved it.

In Real Life has turned into one of my favorite books of the year!!! I want to gush and gush but I’ll stop there. This one you MUST read!!!!

Overall: Romantic and exciting. Nick. Oh Nick!!! I just adored him. He was shy and awkward but awesome. He was sweet. He was lovable. And, Hannah. I loved Hannah’s personality!!! It’s going to be a hard followup to this one!  If you read any contemps this year, please read this one!!!!!

AMAZING!!!! AMAZING!!! AMAZING!!!!!

Cover: Love It. It’s not very out “there” but it just appealed to me. And once I read that summary, I knew I had to have it in my hands! 

What I'd Give It: