This Week's New YA Releases!

Welcome to Turning Pages!

This is a meme hosted here at Turning Pages, showcasing all of the new YA books coming out within the next seven days. Interested in any of the books mentioned below? Click on the books title, it'll take you to that book's Book Depository page, where you'll be able to read more about it!

Paperback:

Crown of Midnight, by Sarah J. Maas.

Rose Under Fire, by Elizabeth Wein.

Endless Knight, by Kresley Cole.

Now I'll Tell You Everything, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.

Meet Me at the River, by Nina de Gramont.

Fathomless, by Jackson Pearce.

Project Cain, by Geoffrey Girard.

Hardback:

Heir of Fire, by Sarah J. Maas.

Trial by Fire, by Josephine Angelini.

Zac and Mia, by A.J. Betts.

The Jewel, by Amy Ewing.

Destined for Doon, by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon.

Anatomy of a Misfit, by Andrea Portes.

Book Review: One Man Guy

Title: One Man Guy.
Author: Michael Barakiva.
Series: No.
Pages: 255.
Source: Netgalley, for Review.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Published Date: 5/27/14.
Links:
Book Depository
Goodreads

Summary:

"Alek Khederian should have guessed something was wrong when his parents took him to a restaurant. Everyone knows that Armenians never eat out. Between bouts of interrogating the waitress and criticizing the menu, Alek’s parents announce that he’ll be attending summer school in order to bring up his grades. Alek is sure this experience will be the perfect hellish end to his hellish freshman year of high school. He never could’ve predicted that he’d meet someone like Ethan.

Ethan is everything Alek wishes he were: confident, free-spirited, and irreverent. He can’t believe a guy this cool wants to be his friend. And before long, it seems like Ethan wants to be more than friends. Alek has never thought about having a boyfriend—he’s barely ever had a girlfriend—but maybe it’s time to think again."

My Thoughts:

To be honest, what caught my attention from this book, was the beautiful yellow cover! It's so bright, bold and different...just like the story inside. And again, to be honest, I had no idea what this one was about. I mean there are some obvious clues, such as the title, and the cover, but no way did I think there would be so much culture, family and coming of age aspects in this story.

Alek is only fourteen years old, and like all the kids his age, is learning about himself, and the person he really is. Because Alek's family is very old school traditional Armenian, Alek is pushed to focus on traditions, and school (rather than his favorite sport, tennis) even if it means skipping the family vacation, staying home by himself and going to summer school.

It's not like he's failing, but his mom wants him to remain on the honor track...But most of the kids attending summer school, aren't in the same position that Alek is in, but instead are attending to refrain from failing or being held back a year.

The Drop Outs are a group of those kids; also known as the DOs....and one of them catches Alek's eye. He really isn't sure what the feeling is in his stomach when he's around Ethan, but Alek can't stop thinking about him. So much so, that he even forgets that he had plans with his best friend.

Alek is never to go into the city, unless his parents are there or a different chaperon. But when Ethan pulls him onto the train, Alek can't deny that he is having a good time, and would want to do it again soon.

Within the week that his parents and brother are at school, Alek is becoming closer and closer to Ethan; skipping school and going into the city. And things get a little bit rough and awkward between him and his best friend.

But soon Alek's week of freedom comes to an end, when his parents and brother walk in on Alek getting close to Etahn. Alek's parents' expectations are much too high and impossible to reach, especially in this day in age. And they begin to realize that towards the end of the story.

Final Verdict:

I've never read anything comparable to One Man Guy, and at first wasn't sure what I would think, or if I would even be able to relate to any of the characters. But while I'm a straight, nineteen year old German girl, spending most of her days watching Top Gear with her boyfriend, going to college, and now working at a coffee shop, I couldn't feel any closer to Alek.

I'm not Armenian, but my parents (who are full German) are very traditional. The house always has to be clean when guests come. No shoes in the house, too many germs. Girls should know how to cook and clean, even if they have a job or career. Traditional German food on any special holiday....and those are just to name a few.

And while most of my friends are "these Americans" (...if you've read the book, you know I'm just joking) I don't really see these strict traditional aspects. The only time I ever see them is in my own home, or in my boyfriend's Hispanic household, and to me that's normal. But reading One Man Guy, it gave me this outside look on what it must look like to other people.

ANYWAYS, the worry of not being able to connect to the main character, Alek, was quickly washed away when his culture and family was brought into the story. Loved it!

Besides that I also really liked the relationship Alek had with his older brother Nik. Alek was obviously, a little more rebellious, and Nik was trying to live up to all the expectations their parents had. I liked seeing this comparison, both were happy, but also both were under this constant pressure to do what they're parents would want them to.

Overall I really enjoyed One Man Guy, and would truly recommend it to anyone. Especially if you're looking for something refreshing, different and new!

WWW Wednesday

Welcome to Turning Pages!

What am I currently reading?

Absolutely nothing....just kidding!! I'm actually between books right now, which means as soon as this post is written and published I will be diving into Don't Touch, by Rachel M. Wilson! I actually don't know much about this one, but I'm excited to get into it. All I do know, is that this story is about a girl who is afraid to touch other people...and that's about it. But only that is already suckering me into it.

What did I just finish reading?

I just finished One Man Guy, by Michael Barakiva. I really enjoyed this one, there are so many things that I liked and found interesting in this one, but also a few things I thought were a bit weird. Anyways, I'm stoked to write my review which will be up sometime next week!

What do I plan on reading next?

With the end of the month coming up, I'll have to pick new books for my TBR pile, so I'm not exactly sure what I'll be reading just yet. But I do have a few books out from the library and a few books that need reviewing! Those include Kiss of Broken Glass, by Madeleine Kuderick and Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley.

Waiting on Wednesday

Title: Trial by Fire.
Author: Josephine Angelini.
Summary:

"This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.

In Josephine Angelini's Trial by Fire, what makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected."

Release Date: 9/2/14.

Why I'm Waiting:

The real question is, why wouldn't I be waiting for this one to come out? Not only does the cover look totally bad ass, but it's also written by Josephine Angelini. I have yet to read one of her books, but people can't seem to stop talking about them.

Besides that the synopsis sounds amazing as well. An alternate universe? Where the main character is the complete opposite of who she is now? SOUNDS SO SO GOOD! I'm excited to pick this one up and give it a read soon!

Book Review: The Body In The Woods

Title: The Body In The Woods.
Author: April Henry.
Series: Yes, #1.
Pages: 263.
Source: Netgalley, for Review.
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Published Date: 6/17/14.
Links:
Book Depository
Goodreads

Summary:

"In this new series told from multiple perspectives, teen members of a search and rescue team discover a dead body in the woods.

Alexis, Nick, and Ruby have very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom’s mental illness, Nick’s bravado hides his fear of not being good enough, and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn’t understand her. When the three teens join Portland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, they are teamed up to search for a autistic man lost in the woods. What they find instead is a dead body. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear, and courage, the three team up to find the girl’s killer—before he can strike one of their own.

This first book in April Henry’s Point Last Seen YA mystery series is full of riveting suspense, putting readers in the middle of harrowing rescues and crime scene investigations."

My Thoughts:

There are a lot of genres that I haven't explored yet, simply because I like to hide in my contemporary, chick-lit, romance, fantasy and futuristic reads. But with three and a half years of blogging under my belt, and quite a few blogging friends, I can't resist the temptation of spreading my wings and reading something new.

The Body in the Woods is a murder mystery slash crime kind of read (if you can't tell I'm not really good at naming genres). And I knew that it was, but I was also hoping that it wouldn't be anything to intense or scary. I guess in a way I was hoping for a lighter kind of mystery read, and The Body in the Woods was definitely that!

The Body in the Woods is exactly that!

This story follows three teenagers, who are all members of a search and rescue team, who discover a dead body in the woods, while searching for a mentally disabled man. While this isn't what any of three signed up for, each one of them is interested in figuring out who this is and what happened to her.

Ruby loves this kind of stuff, she hasn't missed a single crime and murder case of her favorite show, and she keeps updated with the local and national news. Nick is an average teenage boy, just trying to find his place and fit in. And Alexis has much more serious things to deal with, like her mom's mental illness and what it does to her.

Ruby, Nick and Alexis, each have their own struggle to deal with, but ultimately know what is more important; finding who this girl is, what happened to her, and if her murder is a serial killer.

Final Verdict:

I'll admit that I had a hard time getting into this one at first, when I was reading it on my Ipad, but after finally deciding to give it a second try, by borrowing it from my local library, I was completely lost in the story.

I don't know how these three kids (that are about my age) could see a dead body, and not have nightmares or be scared! Especially Alexis who decides to head out, and spend the night with the homeless, not only to help with the murder case but also to find her mother.

Ruby, Alexis and Nick, on one hand, were all interesting characters, but on the other I felt like a lot of the focus was on Ruby and Alexis. If I would change one thing about The Body in the Woods, I would have liked to see a little more of Nick.

In the end, I was constantly back and forth between who the murder could be. There are a few people that the group suspects, and someone is even accused, but still it was really hard to know who it ACTUALLY was!

Overall, I enjoyed The Body in the Woods. Its a light read, but still kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. If you're looking for a good transition book between summer reading, and fall reading, this book is for you.

It's Monday, What Am I Reading?

Title: One Man Guy.
Author: Michael Barakiva.
Summary:

"A heartfelt, laugh-out-loud-funny story of romance, family, and self-discovery.

Alek Khederian should have guessed something was wrong when his parents took him to a restaurant. Everyone knows that Armenians never eat out. Between bouts of interrogating the waitress and criticizing the menu, Alek’s parents announce that he’ll be attending summer school in order to bring up his grades. Alek is sure this experience will be the perfect hellish end to his hellish freshman year of high school. He never could’ve predicted that he’d meet someone like Ethan.

Ethan is everything Alek wishes he were: confident, free-spirited, and irreverent. He can’t believe a guy this cool wants to be his friend. And before long, it seems like Ethan wants to be more than friends. Alek has never thought about having a boyfriend—he’s barely ever had a girlfriend—but maybe it’s time to think again."

My Thoughts So Far:

Absolutely loving this one! One Man Guy is full of love, differences, culture and family. Its so different than anything I've read, and I'm really enjoying it so far. One Man Guy is Alek's discovery story, is only fourteen years old, but he is already learning who he is and what he wants for himself, despite what his very old-fashioned and cultured parents want for him.

I'm excited to finish One Man Guy today, and write my review later this week! If you haven't picked this one up yet, you're behind!

Slacking? Blogging? Where Am I?

As you guys know, I like filling you in on what's going on with me and my life in general. Why? Because you're all loyal followers and you deserve an explanation! DUH!?

I don't want to leave you guys hangin'!

So as some of you may know, I decided to take Calculus 3 during Summer Quarter. Because my college only provides Calculus 3, twice a year, I had to make the big girl decision, and either take it this summer or wait an ENTIRE year to take it next spring.

Struggle through two months of Calculus during my "summer break", or wait a whole year, and then struggle through three months of Calculus, forgetting EVERYTHING and most likely failing? ....Hmmm, that is the question...

Of course I took it this summer! And two months are over, thank goodness!

Not only was I preparing for my final exam, but I also....drum roll please?

...got my very first JOB!

A JOB! ME? YES!

I've already had my four days of training, and my two first days on my own. I'm working as a barista serving coffee and earning minimum wage. It's not anything too crazy, but so far it's been fun! 

With school ending, and working beginning, I have been a bit busy, and trying my best to stay organized and on top of things. But my days have been pretty busy. 

But now that school is over and my summer break FINALLY starting, I should be back on track in no time! 

I also just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who are reading and commenting on my posts, even when I might not be able to post every day! It means so much to me! 

I'm already excited for next week, so I can finally get back to my regular blogging schedule and make Youtube videos.

Waiting on Wednesday!

Title: How to Fall.
Author: Jane Casey.
Summary:

"Sixteen-year-old Jess Tennant has never met any of her relatives, until her mom suddenly drags her out of London to spend the summer in the tiny English town where her family’s from. Her mom’s decision is surprising, but even more surprising is the town’s reaction to Jess. Everywhere she goes, people look at her like they’ve seen a ghost. In a way, they have—she looks just like her cousin Freya, who died shortly before Jess came to town.

Jess immediately feels a strange connection to Freya, whom she never got to meet alive. But the more Jess learns about the secrets Freya was keeping while she was alive, the more suspicious Freya’s death starts to look. One thing is for sure: this will be anything but the safe, boring summer in the country Jess was expecting."

Release Date: 8/26/14.

Why I'm Waiting:

With summer ending, and fall just around the corner, I'm already on the hunt for some darker, mysterious kind of reads. Reads that I cant stay up all night reading, tucked safely into bed, with a cup of pumpkin spice latte and a pumpkin candle burning.

I know it's only mid August, but I'm already SO SO excited!

How to Fall sounds the perfect way to kick off my fall reading! Jess doesn't know anything about her family, until her mom takes her to the small town where she's from, just a few days after her cousin dies. People give her strange looks, and the death of her (similar looking) cousin starts to look much more suspicious!

Excited to get my hands on this one!

Book Review: Nantucket Red.

Title: Nantucket Red.
Author: Leila Howland.
Series: Yes, #2.
Pages: 288.
Source: Netgalley, for Review.
Publisher: Disney Hyperion.
Published Date: 5/13/14.
Links:
Book Depository
Goodreads

Summary:

"Cricket Thompson's lifetime of overachieving has paid off: she's headed to Brown University in the fall, with a spot on the lacrosse team and a scholarship that covers almost everything. Who knew living in the dorm cost money? An Ivy League education seems to mean living at home for the next four years.

When Cricket is offered the chance to earn enough cash to afford a real college experience, she heads back to Nantucket for the summer. But the faraway island challenges Cricket in ways she hadn't anticipated. It's hard to focus on earning money for next year, when she finds her world opening up in entirely new ways-to art, to travel, and, most unexpectedly, to a future completely different from the one she has been working toward her whole life. A friendship blossoms with Ben, the gorgeous surfer and bartender who encourages Cricket to be free, even as she smarts at the pain of seeing Zack, her first love, falling for her worst enemy.

But one night, when Cricket finally lets herself break all her own rules, she realizes she may have ruined her carefully constructed future with one impulsive decision. Cricket must dig deep to fight for her future, discovering that success isn't just about reaching goals, but also about listening to what she's been trying to ignore-her own heart."

My Thoughts:

Nantucket Red is the second installment to Nantucket Blue, and OH MAN was I excited for this one! These two books are honestly the best reading choice when going to the beach, or even just sitting outside to tan; they're amazing!

It was last summer when Cricket spend her break working at a hotel, cleaning rooms and earning money. Last summer she went with the intend to help her best friend grieve the death of her mother, and to get a little bit of time alone with the boy she's been crushing on for years. But nothing turned out the way Cricket imagined it to, but instead the boy blew her off, and her best friend pushed her away. Cricket spend the most of the summer working, or with Zack...her best friend's little brother.

Nantucket Red takes place a few months after that, when Cricket graduates high school, and has been accepted to Brown University with a few grand in scholarship money; enough to pay for schooling, but not enough to dorm there.

She isn't disappointed about not getting the whole "college experience", but when her step grandparents offer to double whatever money she makes this upcoming summer, Cricket doesn't hesitate And she knows exactly where she needs to go....Nantucket.

Not has a hotel maid this time, but as a waitress.

While earning money is her main focus, Cricket can't keep her thoughts off of the bartender working with her, Zack and his new girlfriend, and her strained relationship with her best friend. Cricket knows that it's going to be another crazy summer...

Final Verdict:

Nantucket Blue was an amazing read, so I had these enormous expectations for Nantucket Red. While I can say things didn't go or play out as I expected them to, all my expectations where met and SO MUCH more!

First off, Cricket is AWESOME! I love how she can focus on something, and can wash everything out in the background. She doesn't let anything get in the way or distract her from reaching her goal, and I think that's absolutely amazing! She doesn't give up on something, simply because some boy caught her attention, like many girls in the YA genre do.

For Zack and Ben, I would have to say that I think either one would have been good for Cricket, each in their own distinct ways. Towards the end of the story, when things get a bit messy, I kept switching back and forth between Zack and Ben, and wasn't sure which one, if either of them, Cricket would end up with.

The characters were amazing, the story was filled with love, family, friendship, and a bit of heartache. I absolutely enjoyed following Cricket's summer stories!

If you're looking for the perfect books to end your summer reading with Nantucket Blue and Nantucket Red are the books you should pick! The read is light and quick, and the endings are always happy!

It's Monday, What Am I Reading?

Title: The Kiss of Deception.
Author: Mary E. Pearson.
Summary:

"A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love."

My Thoughts So Far:

When I first picked this book up, I didn't think much about it. Why? Because I read The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson and simply did not enjoy it. I know a lot of people did (so it might just be me), but I didn't, so I didn't continue on with the series.

But after giving the synopsis another read and the cover another glance, I figured I didn't have anything to lose, and gave it a try.

Now with only fifty or so pages left, I'm dying to see what happens to Lia, and what life altering decisions she has to make, after running away from the arranged marriage her royal parents had set up, with the prince of the neighboring kingdom. Lia was able to run away successfully, even with her dad's soldiers, and bounty hunters chasing after her. But would Lia be willing to give all that up if it meant saving the people she loved? That she cared SO much for?

Such a good read! The Kiss of Deception will the book I recommend to all my friends and family when they ask me what they should read next! I loved it and I'm happy I decided to give it a read!

Wild Cards or Better Than Perfect?

Yes that is the question!

Simone Elkeles is the author of The Perfect Chemistry trilogy as well as a few other books. If you know me at all, you know that I LOVED Perfect Chemistry, Rules of Attraction and Chain Reaction! The characters were realistic, and the romance was on point. 

When I realized that Simone Elkeles was coming out with another series, the first one named Wild Cards, I couldn't help myself and HAD to buy it! I was SO SAD when I finished Chain Reaction, and was more than ready for more of Simone Elkeles' writing. I wanted more of her romance and characters; so my expectations for Wild Cards were out of the roof.

(With so much going on these last few months, I still haven't found the time to get lost into this one..its really sad and upsetting...)

But if you haven't already heard, Wild Cards was repackaged and renamed as Better Than Perfect. 

"After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain—people you care about leave without a backward glance. So when her older sister comes home after abandoning her ten years earlier, with her hot new stepson in tow, Ashtyn wants nothing to do with either of them. Then she comes up with a plan that would finally give her the chance to leave, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and get the future she wants?"

What do you think? How do you feel about it?

I like both. But I am a little sad that I already purchased Wild Cards, and that it won't be the "actual" book.

While I like that Wild Cards matches the cover of Simone Elkeles' Perfect Chemistry, I also like the black and white cover of Better Than Perfect, with the bold yellow font. 

Each has its positives, but in the end does it really matter? What do you think? Will the cover and the title of this book change what you think about the story inside? 

I mean, I understand why they might have done this, to separate this series from her other but was it necessary? I would love to hear your opinions!!

This Week's New YA Releases!

Welcome to Turning Pages!

There aren't too many books coming out this upcoming week, but still some good ones!

Paperback:

Poison Princess, by Kresley Cole.

Antigoddess, by Kendare Blake.

Catherine, by April Lindner.

Hardback:

Starlight's Edge, by Susan Waggoner.

Book Review: Messenger of Fear

Title: The Messenger.
Author: Michael Grant.
Series: Yes, #1.
Pages: 272.
Source: Me My Shelf and I, for Review.
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books.
Published Date: 10/23/14.
Links:
Book Depository
Goodreads

Summary:

"I remembered my name – Mara. But, standing in that ghostly place, faced with the solemn young man in the black coat with silver skulls for buttons, I could recall nothing else about myself.

And then the games began.

The Messenger sees the darkness in young hearts, and the damage it inflicts upon the world. If they go unpunished, he offers the wicked a game. Win, and they can go free. Lose, and they will live out their greatest fear.

But what does any of this have to do with Mara? She is about to find out . . ."

My Thoughts:

Mara doesn’t know who she is, where she is, or why she’s laying on the ground surrounded by all this thick fog. She can’t remember a single thing, not even her own name at first.

She’s approached by a handsome, but scary looking guy, who tries to explain things to Mara, which just don’t make any sense. No matter how many times Mara asks him, who she is and why she’s here, he either comes back with a vague response, or that when the time comes she will just remember.

Mara and Messenger transport from one location to the next, from the future to the past, and back again. Still unsure of what’s really going on, Mara witnesses a girl shoot herself in the head, a couple kill a dog to get it out of its misery, and a high school football player burn alive.

Mara can’t do anything but watch the girl commit suicide after being bullied at school for so long, and leaving nothing but a note to her mom. But when it comes to the couple and to the football player, Mara is expected to play along with Messenger and do what he does.

First inform them what they did to bring this upon themselves. Then offer them a game. If they win this “game” they can go free. If they lose this game they will have to deal with the consequence. If they choose not to play, they will have to deal with the consequences anyways.

Mara still doesn’t have a clue as to why she’s here and doing this, but she slowly starts to remember more and more about herself throughout the story.

Looking at these people, Mara knows she would never do anything like what they did, but in the end, maybe she isn’t much better…

Messenger of Fear was the first book of Michael Grant’s that I’ve read so far. After reading the Messenger of Fear I headed straight to the library to pick up his ENTIRE Gone series! I absolutely love his writing style, and his crazy stories! There was no way I was going to be able to wait for the second installment (considering Messenger of Fear isn’t coming out for another month or two). I needed more of his writing ASAP.

What I liked the most about Messenger of Fear (and already like about Gone) is the confusion. What do I mean by that? I liked that at the beginning of the book I had no idea what was going on, and I was just as in the dark as Mara was. Throughout the whole book I found myself guessing and hinting at what might be going on, but still in the end, Michael Grant blew me away.

Of course there were a lot of aspects in the story that weren’t explained by the end of the book, but I didn’t mind that too much knowing it was only the first book in a series.

Overall, the characters (Mara and Messenger) were awesome, the ending was unexpected, and I fell in love with Grant’s writing. If you’re looking for something different, dark and strange, this is the book for you. If you’re looking for something similar to Gone, but a bit more mature, this is also the book for you!

Book Review: Kill the Music

Title: Kill the Music.
Author: Nansi Kunze.
Series: No.
Pages: 288.
Source: For Review.
Publisher: Random House Australia.
Published Date: 7/1/13.
Links:
Book Depository
Goodreads

Summary:

"If everyone loves the world's hottest band, who's trying to destroy them? Most people would love to be Lorna Powell, travelling the globe with her brother and his mega-famous band. Then again, most people don't realise just how annoying four handsome rock stars can be. A new home and a new school seem like the start of a normal life - until Lorna overhears a chilling plot to silence the band forever. Soon Lorna is drawn into a frantic attempt to identify the killer before they strike. But it'’s not easy to track suspects around the world when she’s got homework to do and secrets to protect. And when gorgeous lead singer Marius starts to act strangely, Lorna wonders if she’s had the wrong idea all along . . ."

My Thoughts:

Before I get started, I just want to say that this review is something I've been avoiding for the last two weeks or so. It wasn't like I was too busy, or wasn't in the mood, but I genuinely didn't want to sit down and write this review.

Why? Well I thought this book was okay. I didn't hate it, but for me, there just weren't any sparks. I don't know if it was the story itself, or if it was just me being too busy and not being involved enough in the story.

Not everyone likes, every book, I understand that. But I'm a book blogger, I have to tell you guys what I honestly think, right?

Okay here it goes (short and sweet)...

Kill the Music is about a girl named Lorna, who is the little sister to one of the members of the NEWEST and HOTTEST boy bands out there. While girls only dream about being so close to the boys, Lorna can't get away or have any time herself.

She's tired of following them to all their recordings, shoots and other business meetings. Lorna doesn't want to live a completely normal life, but she does want to attend a normal school with other normal teenagers. 

Things are a bit bumpy and rough on her first few days of school, but it's nothing Lorna can't handle. But that's not what she's struggling with, it's the fact that someone plans to murder her brother and the rest of the band. She isn't sure who it is, but she heard the conversation the person had on the phone, while hiding.

She isn't sure what to do, and who to trust anymore, so Lorna decides to head to the police, where her REAL adventure takes off. Lorna is following people, tracking them down, and on her way to becoming a spy..all to save her brothers.

So that's basically what the story is about. It sounds okay, especially if you aren't looking for anything too dark or serious. But I just couldn't connect with this story, for a few reasons...

1. The school. Okay, I understand that you want to do something "normal", and going back to school seems like a good way to go. But it just seemed off to me. She made a friend extremely quickly, and was acting too shy and intimidated for someone who is used to this kind attention.

2. Lorna gossips! When a few kids at school ask her if the rumors about Marius are true or not, she tells them that she doesn't know and if she did she wouldn't be able to say anything! But then Lorna turns around to her new "friend" and tells her everything that "happened". She had no idea if this true or not, and told those kids from earlier that she can't say anything, but then turns around and talks about it anyways.

3. No suspense. Like I said earlier, I think this was more on me, than the book itself. I was VERY busy around the time I was reading and I don't think I was able to get fully invested in it.

Even though there are these three things that bothered me, I actually liked the whole concept. I liked that Lorna was the little sister of a band member, and not some crazed fan. I liked seeing the family aspect that this band had, and how they all take care of each other. I even liked the whole "murdering" idea!

But in the end this book just didn't work out for me, which is very disappointing.

Have you read Kill the Music? What did you think about it?