What Lies Around The Bend...

"Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart." Review: Stephanie Perkins does not disappoint. Isla was a lovable character from the beginning, and what really surprised me was that she appeared in Anna and the French Kiss ! That girl from the previous story ended up a key player and I was happy to see her story. Don't worry though, you don't need to read it to understand this one. It was heartbreaking and original and I felt Isla's turmoil, confusion, guilt, and frustration with every page. What also intrigued me was Josh's ex. she ...

"Jazz... Booze... Boys... It's a dangerous combination. Every girl wants what she can't have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle - and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she's engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago's most powerful families, Gloria's party days are over before they've even begun... or are they? Clara Knowles, Gloria's goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch - but Clara isn't as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she'll do anything to keep hidden... Lorraine Dyer, Gloria's social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria's shadow. When Lorraine's envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone's going to be very sorry..." Review: I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this ...

"Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a poor town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do. Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is ever higher. She'd never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought. Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game; he's sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he's not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for. For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them - and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need...

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN THIS FAR IN THE SELECTION SERIES, STOP NOW. DO NOT READ. THIS IS BOOK 3. FOR THE REVIEW ON BOOK 1, CHECK OUT THE SELECTION AND FOR BOOK 2, CHECK OUT THE ELITE . "The time has come for the winner to be crowned. When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown - or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose - and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants." Review: A fantastic ending. Just like its cover, this book ended spectacularly; like fireworks. There was action and sadness, revolution and romance, all wrapped around a simple Five, who wore her story gracefully. Though I'm sad the story's over. I am unbelievably satisfied with the results. Celeste even surprised me! I am goin...

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN THIS FAR IN THE SELECTION SERIES, STOP NOW. DO NOT READ. THIS IS BOOK 2. FOR THE REVIEW ON BOOK 1, CHECK OUT THE SELECTION . "The Selection began with 35 girls. Now, with the group narrowed down to the Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's love is fiercer than ever. The closer America gets to the crown, the more she struggles to figure out where her heart truly lies. Each moment she spends with Maxon is like a fairy tale, filled with breathless, glittering romance. But whenever she sees her first love, Aspen, standing guard, she's swept up in longing for the life they'd planned to share. America is desperate for more time. But while she's torn between her two futures, the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want - and America's chance to choose is about to slip away." Review: I'm at the edge of my seat! This girl has some big cojones. She is gaining the public with her outlandish...

"For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her, and leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she begins to realize that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined." Review: I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Immediately I loved America. She was spunky and cute and had a mind of her own in a world where that's not proper. And even more so, I loved Maxon from the moment he let her out into the gardens that first night. I felt for America when her confusion and frustration seemed so impossible to untangle. I cannot wait ...

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN THIS FAR IN THE BURN FOR BURN SERIES, STOP NOW. DO NOT READ. THIS IS BOOK 3. FOR THE REVIEW OF BOOK 1, CHECK OUT BURN FOR BURN AND FOR BOOK 2, CHECK OUT FIRE WITH FIRE ! "Lillia, Kat, and Mary. They only meant to right some wrongs. It was about getting even . Burn for Burn. But the fire they lit kept raging... Reeve ended up hurt, and Rennie ended up dead. Everything will turn to ash if they don't stop what they started. Do they even want to? Secrets drew Lillia, Kat, and Mary together. The truth might tear them apart." Review: Wow. That was extremely anticlimactic. I have been praising this series with its neck-wringing plot twists and I anxiously awaited this book. When I finished it, disappointed is an understatement. I was looking for the big bang to end this series with, but it was just a little fizzle, like a defective firecracker. I really don't have words for how disappointed I was. Want more J...