Archive for the ‘Book Reviews’ Category

Published: Oct 4, 2012
Source: I purchased this book
Series: The Secret Book 1
Find the author: Goodreads || Website || Twitter: @jessFallenStar 
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~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.

Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.

~ My Thoughts ~

I really enjoyed The Secret of Ella and Micha, it had the perfect mix of drama, delicious characters, and of course romance. This is not your typical bad-boy new adult love story because deep down Ella is just as edgy and volatile as Micha, the only difference is that she spent 8 months running away from who she used to be and pretending to be someone she could never be completely comfortable with. All it took was a few days in her old home with her childhood best friend to start breaking down all those walls that she spent so long trying to build up.

I loved the complexity and strength of the characters in this novel. Even the supporting characters had their own back stories, and traits that made me care about them.

The romance between Ella and Micha was just perfect. It rated somewhere between a slow burn and a firestorm if that is possible. You could see it coming and the foundation for their relationship had been set so long ago. When they finally gave into what had been there between them all along it was nothing short of passionate.

I really enjoyed both Jessica Sorensen’s writing style and the characters she created. The tension that Ella experienced between her old life and the new life that she was desperately trying to create for herself was intriguing and there was a humanness to both Ella and Micha that made me fall in love with them very quickly. I am so looking forward to “The Forever of Ella and Micha” which is set to be published in August 2013 and really want to see how their story continues.

This review was posted at part of the Contemporary Month(s) event hosted by Evie – Bookish, Asheley - Into the Hall of Books and Bonnie – Words at Home. Stay tuned for more contemporary fiction goodness in May and June 2013!

Published: August 1, 2010
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Source: I borrowed this book from the library
Find the author: Goodreads || Website 
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~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

"Let me make it in time. Let me meet Shadow. The guy who paints in the dark. Paints birds trapped on brick walls and people lost in ghost forests. Paints guys with grass growing from their hearts and girls with buzzing lawn mowers."

It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.

His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.

Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.

But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.

~ My Thoughts ~

Graffiti Moon is an incredible read from start to finish. It is full of emotion, humour and such incredibly well-crafted characters that I fell in love with Cath Crowley’s writing within seconds. The story is told through alternating points of view and I can honestly say without a doubt I have never seen alternating POVs done so well.

Lucy knows Shadow through his art that is sprawled across the city. She knows and understands him on an emotional level that she hasn’t connected on with anyone else, but the only problem is that she doesn’t know who he is. Lucy knows that she could love a boy like Shadow, she could have conversations with him about art and life and she is desperate to meet him. So on the last night of Year 12 when Ed and his friend Leo say they know shadow she is willing to follow them into the night on a search for a boy she knows only through his paintings.

Before I talk about the book I have to take a second and talk about the audio production of Graffiti Moon because it was spectacular. The story is narrated by 3 different actors reading for Lucy, Ed and Leo. Everything from the pacing, to the choice of actors to the way they read the story added so much richness and life to an already incredible book. The storyline of Graffiti Moon lent itself so well to being told as an audio, especially the way it was told, and I can’t imagine it getting any better even if I read the print copy (which I will no doubt be doing). I’m not sure if the Australian accents had anything to do with my love for listening to this book, but they certainly didn’t hurt. Listening to the actors read just felt like I was hearing Lucy, Ed and Leo speak – not for one second did I feel like I was listening to an audio book and that is a superb bookish experience in my mind!

Crowley’s writing is flawless. The dialogues between the characters are full of humour, and an incredible blend of wit and sarcasm that just works so well. There were just so many layers to each of these characters and Crowley revealed their personalities in so many different ways. Through Lucy’s relationship with her parents, to her thoughts about her first date with Ed, Shadow’s paintings and Poet’s writing, even the way that Lucy and Ed speak about Al and Bert (respectively). I love, love, love that the entire story took place in the span of one evening because in following Lucy and Ed around as they toured Shadow’s artwork, Crowley really gave the reader a chance to get inside their heads, and it was a nice place to be.

I loved each of the characters in Graffiti Moon in their own ways. Sometimes it was because of their strength, other times because of their vulnerability, or their fierce need to protect someone else but there was at least one strong and shining quality that each character possessed that made it very difficult for me to walk away from this book.

Graffiti Moon easily takes the prize as my favourite read of the year by a long shot. It was incredible and blew all of my expectations out of the water. The characters were strong and vibrant, the storyline emotional, and the prose beautiful. This is a book that you need to read immediately, I promise you won’t regret it!

Published: November 20, 2011
Source: I purchased this e-book
Find the author: Goodreads
Buy: Amazon

~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

Two climbed up. Two fell down.
One woke up.

When things get out of control, Robin wakes up in a hospital bed and Emily doesn't wake up at all. Just getting dressed becomes an ordeal as Robin tries to heal and piece together the details of that terrible night. Racing to remember everything in the hopes of saving Emily, Robin writes a series of notes to herself to discover the truth

~ My Thoughts ~

Notes to Self is a book that I had my eye on for quite some time as I am completely fascinated with brain injuries and the way that memories are affected by traumatic events. After a life threatening fall with her best friend Emily, Robin Saunders is left not only trying to piece together the details of the night she can’t remember, but also piece together the details.

I didn’t love the characters in this novel. Robin felt very immature and aside from a few outward details I didn’t learn much about her. Reno was probably my favorite character and even then I’m not entirely sure why. I suppose he had the good guy thing going for him, and there were a few moments (like the road trip and magnolia tree) where I could see why Robin was falling for him, but I really don’t have a sense of who he was or what made him tick.

The story itself was interesting enough but I expected for more of an emphasis to be placed on the actual brain injury that Robin suffered from. Having finished the book I realize that these sorts of details were simply outside of the scope of the novel and I enjoyed it for what it was – a lighthearted story of friendship and self-discovery.

Published: January 29, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Series: Hooked #1
Source: eARC via Netgalley (Thank you!)
Find the author: Goodreads || Website || Twitter: @LizFichera 
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~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.

GET HOOKED ON A GIRL NAMED FRED.

~ My Thoughts ~

I didn’t expect to enjoy Hooked quite as much as I did, I thought I was in for a simple and sweet high school romance, but I was pleasantly surprised to find so much more than just a boy-meet-girl and falls in love kind of story. Hooked also deals with issues of discrimination, bullying, respect and trust and this added some serious meat to the book. The characters were well developed, and so were their relationships, making this one book that I didn’t want to put down.

Fred was a really interesting character; she was a strong and independent girl who loved to play golf. Not only did she love the sport but she loved the places it could take her. Living on the reservation with her unsupportive and borderline alcoholic mother did nothing to boost her confidence or self-worth and she was told daily that the best she could hope for out of life was a full time waitressing job. Her solace at home was her father, who was her biggest source of strength. Every weekend he took her to the golf course he worked at to practice and when she was offered a spot on her high school’s all boys-varsity golf team he stood behind her decision to join. Unfortunately the boys on the team felt differently not only did they not want a girl on their team but they didn’t want an “Indian” girl on their team.

I loved Fred, I really did. She was strong and confident enough to join an all-boys team knowing that she would most likely not be welcomed with open arms. And when she received the greeting she expected she put her head down and beat them where it counted the most – the golf green.  She was also human; she didn’t have an impenetrable wall built up around her, or a chip on her shoulder. She was hurt by the way her teammates treated her but she didn’t let that hurt define her. That attitude is ultimately made me respect her.  Ryan was one of those characters that I had to grow to love. I could tell from the beginning that he had good in him, but he was too concerned with what his friends thought to actually stand up for his convictions. I kept waiting for him to grow a pair and act on what he knew to be true and right, but it took a lot to force him to see his friends true colors – in all honesty I was surprised by how long he tried to defend them.

The relationship between Fred and Ryan was a believable one that started out very slowly and found its roots in a budding friendship and trust. It wouldn’t have been realistic for them to just jump straight into a relationship and fall head over heels in love given their vastly different backgrounds, so I appreciated all of the hurdles that they had to cross to get there.

 A lot of the story line in Hooked was spent dealing with issues of discrimination and bullying, come to think of it the golf really felt as though it was secondary to the story. Fichera did a wonderful job writing about such difficult topics and she was able to authentically capture the emotions and behaviors of both Fred and her tormentors, whether they were the main bully or those who were passively along for the ride.

Hooked was a refreshing YA love story – it was a fun read full of romantic tension but at its core were extremely serious issues that made it an emotionally stirring novel as well. I think that Liz Fichera has found her niche and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for this author in the future!

I received an eARC of this novel via. Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Published: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins
Source: I borrowed this book from the library
Find the author: Goodreads || Website || Twitter: @v_rossibooks
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~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

~ My Thoughts ~

Under the Never Sky was a completely unique reading experience and I’m so glad that I finally found the time to pick up this novel. I won’t lie it did take me a little while to get used to the world that Rossi created. From the smarteyes, to the Realms, to the Aether it was just so different from what I have been reading lately. That being said once I found my bearings I completely fell in love with strange new world that Rossi so brilliantly created, and I became completely swept up in Aria, Perry and Roar’s stories.

It didn’t take me very long to fall in love with Perry. I had a few doubts at first but even before he started to let down his guard I knew that there was something special about this character. His hidden gentleness and quiet observances were what really won me over. Aria was also a character who impressed me early on. Her ability to take what was thrown at her and work with it, rather than whine about it was one of my favourite character traits.  Roar and Marron were also really enjoyable characters who added a lot of the story. Roar had a sense of humour that I really appreciated and Marron was a welcome and surprising addition of humanity and caring that seemed to be missing from some of the more questionable “Outsider” tribes and especially from the “Dwellers”.                                 

Under the Never Sky is a book that left me wanting more, in such a wonderful way. I am actually glad that I waited so long to read it because now I don’t have to put up with the agonizingly long wait to read Roar and Liv (book 0.5) and Through The Ever Night (book 2). There are a lot of things that I hope to see happen later in the series and I can’t wait to see if I’m right.

Published: May 3, 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: I purchased this book
Find the author: Goodreads || Website

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~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue–Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is–she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are–and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her

~ My Thoughts ~

So Divergent. What’s left to say that hasn’t already been said before. I could tell you what’s going on in the book, talk about how incredible the writing was or how Roth has a truly unparalleled talent for world building, I could write a little bit about these larger than life characters or the incredible bits of romantic tension that found their way in to the novel. I could do all of that, but chances are you have already read Divergent and I would be preaching to the choir!

Divergent actually left me speechless because I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. There was so much hype about this book I was kind of skeptical – I mean how can a book live up to such impossibly high praise and expectations? Not only did Roth’s writing meet my expectations but it blew them out of the water. Rarely can an author create such an incredible world – I could actually see the state of Chicago as Triss was finding her legs among her new faction. Divergent is such a unique spin on the dystopian world I found myself falling in love with it at every page turn.

Yes the writing and world building were incredible but more impressive still were the characters. They were strong, they were complex and they were flawed. I loved those moments when I could see the characters true colors the most. They way they reacted in the training room, the ways they spoke to each other in the bunk rooms, or cafeteria and some of my favorite interactions happened during the game of capture the flag.

After finishing Divergent I’m kind of kicking myself for waiting so long. I can’t believe that I could have enjoyed Divergent and Insurgent several times by now. There is just so much to love about this book it is efinitely worth a re-read.

Published: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Series: The Violet Eden Chapters Book #2
Source: Finished copy from Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review.
Find the author: Goodreads || Website
Buy: Amazon || B&N || The Book Depository

~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

Violet Eden is Grigori – part angel, part human. Her destiny is to protect humans from the vengence of exiled angels.
Knowing who to trust is key but, when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something. Even Lincoln. The only thing Violet does know: Phoenix's hold over her is more dangerous than ever.
The race to find the one thing that could tilt the balance of power brings them all to the sacred mountains of Jordan, where Violet's power will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal exposed.

Entice is the second compelling book in The Violet Eden Chapters.

~ My Thoughts ~

After finishing Embrace I didn’t know how Jessica Shirvington could possibly follow up such an incredible book, but she was able to accomplish just that! Entice is full of action, suspense, deception and a healthy dose of romance.

There were a lot of characters to keep up with throughout the novel. At first I thought they would distract me from the main storyline but they all had their places and were incorporated really well into the original plot. I don’t always love when so many new characters are introduced in a sequel, I usually find that I just want to pick up with the main characters and continue their story but the addition of Zoe, Spence, Salvatore, Nyla and Rudyard actually added a lot to the story and I really enjoyed them.

When I finished Embrace I had fallen quite hard for Phoenix and was a quite disappointed that he wasn’t more present in this novel. While he played such a major role in Embrace, he was little more than a theme in Entice apart from a few short appearances. At least his absence gave the reader a chance to grow to love Lincoln even more, and maybe allow for a few people to jump ship to from team Phoenix. Lincoln is your typical good-guy book boyfriend. He is strong, loyal, fiercely devoted and is not afraid to show his feelings for Violet. There were a few secrets going on throughout Entice that gave Violet pause but all in all Lincoln was the perfect guy. That being said by the end of the novel I had my fill of the back-and-forth relationship going on between him and Violet. I get that there were serious repercussions to their relationship, but I was tired of hearing about it all of the time and just wanted them to make a choice one way or another.

Entice was full of action from the beginning and it felt like there was always something big around the corner. This definitely kept the pace moving quickly and kept my attention. There were a few quiet moments between Violet and Lincoln but on the whole Shirvington kept them running from one danger to the next. I’m interested to see if in the next novel they are given some time to just fall, or be, in love.

If you are into YA that has an incredibly strong, ass-kicking heroine, non-stop action and a love interest who is sure to make your heart swoon than I definitely suggest picking up the Violet Eden Chapters series (start with Embrace). This is an angel-series with an edge and is sure to keep your heart pounding from cover to cover.

I received a finished copy of Entice from Raincoast Books (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Published: October 16, 2012
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Series: Taking Chances Book #1
Source: I purchased this book
Find the author: Goodreads || Website || Twitter: @ MollySMcAdams 
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~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

Eighteen year old Harper has grown up under her career Marine of a father's thumb. Ready to live life her own way and experience things she's only ever heard of from the jarheads in her father's unit; she's on her way to college at San Diego State University.

She finds herself being torn in two as she quickly falls in love with her boyfriend Brandon, and her roommate's brother Chase. Covered in tattoos, known for fighting in the Underground and ridiculously muscled…they're exactly what she was always warned to stay away from, but just what she needs. Despite their dangerous looks and histories, both adore and would do anything for Harper, including stepping back if it means she's happy.

~ My Thoughts ~

When Harper goes away to college she is desperate to leave her controlling, emotionally unavailable marine father and figure out who she is outside of his influence. The only hitch is that she will have to leave her best friend and the jarheads who raised her on the military base she grew up on. Arriving at SDSU she is shocked to find a fashion obsessed roommate who is all too eager to take Harper under her wing and introduce her to a world of parties, families who actually love each other and friends who would do anything for one another. It is not long before a completely inexperienced Harper falls for not one but two guys and makes a mess of epic proportions while trying to figure out who she is meant to be with.

At first I found it really difficult to get into this story. Perhaps it is because I just finished reading Beautiful Disaster but the similarities between the two novels in the first few chapters of the book were nothing but distracting. The underground fight rings, best friends who dated best friends and lived in their house more than in their dorm rooms, the tatted-up, bad boy brother of the roommate. I was really happy when the story started to shift and I could read it without constantly comparing it to Beautiful Disaster and before long I could hardly find a connection between the two.

This book has the most insane love triangle that I have ever read about. Seriously. It was kind of crazy. At times it worked but at other times I just couldn’t contain the eye rolls as I read.

McAdams has a penchant for dropping the bottom out of a story let me tell you! There were a few huge plot twists that I saw coming from a mile away and then one that left me completely devastated. I kind of hate that I write spoiler free reviews because I really want to talk about it – but it would ruin the story for you so I won’t. Feel free to call me up for a chat after you read that part though and we can have a little rant together.

I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to these characters. So instead of telling you what I thought, here are a few of the things I would say to them given the opportunity:

Harper. Oh Harper. I wanted to love you, but I think I truly hated you instead. You were stupid, selfish, immature, naive, and left a complete path of destruction in your wake. I can appreciate that if you weren’t such a stupid ass the story wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting (read: dramatic) but still. Ugh. Girl. Seriously, come on.

Chase. Chase I was perfectly posed to hate you with every fiber of my being. You played the dangerous lady-killer all too well, and your flirty yet aloof personality was really working for you. You were borderline abusive and verging on scary when you drank. So why did I forget about all of that half way through the novel and start to actually care about you? Damn you for having a soul hidden in there somewhere and showing some vulnerability. You got me, I fell for it. Shame on me.

Brandon you are just flawless aren’t you? You are the kind of guy who is easy to fall for: smoking hot, a little dangerous, completely devoted and not afraid to show it. So why does Harper have to put you through all of this, and why are you so stupidly willing to take it?

I often finish a book and wish that it could have gone on a few chapters longer. I’m not ready to leave the characters and just want to know more. Well, Taking Chances gave me that and I found myself wishing that it didn’t. I guess some things are just better left to the imagination and perhaps part of the fun in falling in love with a character and a book is when they leave you broken and wanting more. When everything is spelled out for you and all of the loose ends are tied up I think a little of the magic is lost.

Despite how ridiculous I found the story and the characters at times I still found myself inexplicably drawn to this book. Taking Chances is a steamy, drama-ridden “New Adult” contemporary romance. At the end of the day I’m conflicted and I’m having an intense love hate relationship with this book because even though a part of me knows that I shouldn’t love these crazy drama ridden characters and their incredibly talent for complicating their lives, I kind of did fall for them and this book.

Published: August 1, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: eARC via Netgalley
Find the author: Goodreads Website
Buy: Amazon B&N The Book Depository

~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

It’s been five years since I clicked Send.
Four years since I got out of juvie.
Three months since I changed my name.
Two minutes since I met Julie.
A second to change my life.

All Dan wants for his senior year is to be invisible. This is his last chance at a semi-normal life. Nobody here knows who he is. Or what he’s done. But on his first day at school, instead of turning away like everyone else, Dan breaks up a fight. Because Dan knows what it’s like to be terrorized by a bully—he used to be one.

Now the whole school thinks he’s some kind of hero—except Julie. She looks at him like she knows he has a secret. Like she knows his name isn’t really Daniel…

~ My Thoughts ~

Send is a novel that packs a powerful story about bullying, friendship and forgiveness that is more relevant today than ever before. Dan has a secret, he used to be a bully and his actions caused a tragedy. He also paid for his crime, and continues to pay daily with guilt and remorse. He is also haunted by a shadow of his former self who constantly reminds him of what he did, and this is a secret that no one – not even his parents – knows about. Dan’s only wish is to get through senior year without being noticed and keep his family safe, but that all falls apart of the first day at his new school when he steps between a boy and his tormentor. Dan is compelled to help his new friend Brandon avoid his bully and in the process risks exposing the truth about who he really is.

Even though the subject matter was quite intense at times I found Send to be rather slow moving until I was about ¾ of the way through. I found that the pace really picked up towards the end, and once I got to the final chapters I couldn’t put this book down, but I was disappointed with how long it took for the story to really hook me. My lack of interest largely has to do with the fact that I found it extremely difficult to connect with the characters. Dan was haunted by his 13 year old self Kenny. Dan struggled with Kenny at just about every turn and while I get where Blount was going with these inner dialogues I found it to be a little distracting. Yes I did get to know Dan a little better through these interactions but I also felt as though the tension between Dan and Kenny kept me as a reader at arm’s length.

Brandon and Julie had the potential to be really interesting characters, they both had completely heartbreaking stories but they were so closed off that again I felt as though so much was being held back. It took so long to reveal Julie’s story that I felt fairly ambivalent towards her. Had she not been so hot-and-cold with Dan and secretive her character would have stirred so much more emotion in me.

The ending, while full of big reveals and dramatic tension did not come as much of a surprise. I had predicted, or at least had suspicions, about most aspects of the ending fairly early on in the novel. My lack of surprise certainly did not hinder my enjoyment of the ending, and I absolutely could not bear to put down Send during the last ¼ of the book. Despite the fact that I found the characters to fall flat, I believe that Send is an important addition to YA because the subject matter is so relevant and I think that there is definitely an audience that this story will resonate with and most likely be beneficial to.

I received an eARC of send via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Published: May 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Teen Fire
Source: I borrowed this book from the library
Find the author: Goodreads || Website || Twitter: @janetgurtler
Buy: Amazon || B&N || The Book Depository

~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

“For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel envy…”

Tess is the exact opposite of her beautiful, athletic sister. And that’s okay. Kristina is the sporty one, Tess is the smart one, and they each have their place. Until Kristina is diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly Tess is the center of the popular crowd, everyone eager for updates. There are senior boys flirting with her. Yet the smiles of her picture-perfect family are cracking and her sister could be dying. Now Tess has to fill a new role: the strong one. Because if she doesn’t hold it together, who will?

~ My Thoughts ~

After finishing Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler I knew that I had stumbled upon an author with an incredible ability to craft a beautiful and emotional novel, so it is no surprise that I waited only days before picking up another of her books. I’m Not Her definitely did not disappoint and when I opened the pages I was greeted by an equally intense and gripping story about a family coping with their teenage daughter’s cancer diagnosis. What surprised me about this novel was the fact that Gurtler did not only focus on Kristina and her reaction to her cancer, actually her reaction was secondary in focus, but rather how her family and friends reacted or were impacted by her diagnosis. And this is what has turned Janet Gurtler into a must read author for me, her ability to write a story that is so much bigger than just one character. Reading her work feels a lot like reading about someone’s actual life, as opposed to a work of fiction and I think that is the trademark of a brilliant author.

The characters were flawless, or rather full of flaws that made them perfectly relatable and so easy to become invested in. I love that Gurtler is not afraid to create characters who aren’t perfect, and who own their shortcomings. Kristina was not the model cancer patient full of optimism and using her diagnosis as a way to change her attitude or outlook on life for the better. Tess isn’t the perfect sister and while she does truly care for her sister and is probably the most supportive family member that Kristina has, she still struggles with the things she has had to give up in order to be that rock for the family. And Kristina’s parents were certainly far from being perfect. Actually I spent a lot of time being quite angry at these two for being such ignorant, selfish and emotionally detached people. I’m Not Her also contains a large group of friends who all offer various levels of caring and support and I believe their actions and reactions are extremely similar to the way teenagers would act in real life. 

There were a few times in the story that it felt as though there was drama added just for the sake of adding drama. A few of these elements were just thrown in with little explanation and without being fully explored. This distracted me from the emotional intensity of the larger story and I could have done without them.

With the exception of a few underexplored ideas and events, I thoroughly enjoyed I’m Not Her. It was emotional devastating in a beautiful way, and Janet Gurtler has a way with words that will make it impossible for you to put her books down. This is a novel that will say with you long after you finish reading it, in the way only a great story filled with exquisite characters can.