Description: 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?

Review: Defending Taylor is an ambitious book in the Hundred Oaks series that doesn't quite meets its mark. Kenneally tackles some tough topics in the book such as parental expectations, perfectionism, drug abuse, and dyslexia which is admirable and gives the book some depth. Taylor is a driven heroine who feels like her life has always been mapped out before her. Daughter of a political, she is expected to excel in her classes and extracurricular activities and go to an Ivy League school just like her siblings. Everything comes crashing down when Taylor made a mistake that not only tarnished her reputation but also put a stain on her father. 
  I liked Taylor for the most part because she felt like a real, flawed character. Everyone can relate to her because we all make mistakes. I admired her drive and grit to dust off herself and get back into the game though occasionally she does whip out the victim card a bit too much. Taylor's mistake is a plot device used for the character to analyze what she really wants to do with her life, which is sort of hinted in the book but I would have liked this aspect fleshed out a bit more since teens especially feel like their life is mapped out for them by their parents and they don't get to have a say. I would have liked Taylor be more self aware and driven in this aspect. Taylor's family play a big role in the book but we don't get to spend too much time with them. I wanted to learn more about her siblings and see how they interact with each other.
 The relationship between Taylor and Ezra was cute though it developed too quickly than what I would have liked. Tackling a learning disability like dyslexia was refreshing to read, but it wasn't explored enough for me. I was also happy to see some of the characters in previous books like Jack and Savannah pop up in the book. Overall Defending Taylor was a decent addition to the Hundred Oaks series. 

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: Drug use and underage drinking is mentioned in the book. There is also some strong sexual content and language in the book too. Recommended for Grades 10 and up.

If you like this book try: Faking Perfect by Rebecca Phillips, Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen


Description: All of Maggie’s focus and free time is spent swimming. She’s not only striving to earn scholarships—she’s training to qualify for the Olympics. It helps that her best friend, Levi, is also on the team and cheers her on. But Levi’s already earned an Olympic tryout, so Maggie feels even more pressure to succeed. And it’s not until Maggie’s away on a college visit that she realizes how much of the “typical” high school experience she’s missed by being in the pool.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Maggie decides to squeeze the most out of her senior year. First up? Making out with a guy. And Levi could be the perfect candidate. After all, they already spend a lot of time together. But as Maggie slowly starts to uncover new feelings for Levi, how much is she willing to sacrifice in the water to win at love?

Review: Coming Up for Air is the concluding book in the Hundred Oaks series. I am sad to see this series end as I am always looking forward to reading it every summer. Though Coming Up for Air was an enjoyable, quick read, it still left me unsatisfied. The first half of the book is dedicated to Maggie's insecurity of feeling left out in the romance department and we don't get to see much of swimming. She wants to have an experience before she graduates high school and seeks help by selecting Levi, her best friend, as her coach. Normally I love the friends to lovers trope, but I was not convinced by Maggie and Levi's chemistry and I think this is mostly because we didn't really get a chance to see them interact alone. It frustrates me when authors don't feel like they need to develop/explore a relationship because the characters already know each other for a long time. I wanted to learn more about Maggie and Levi as individuals before they were a couple. I would have loved a more emotional relationship between Maggie and Levi instead of them jumping into a physical relationship way too quickly.
 I actually liked the second half of the book much more where we finally get back to the sport of swimming. Roxie, Maggie's rival, had a big impact on Maggie and  I was curious to see how this story line would play out but Roxie remained your stereotypical mean girl. I also wanted to learn more about Georgiana and her mother and Hunter's romantic troubles. It was important to see Maggie's self confidence came back, but it irritated me that she came to her "ah ha" epiphany after she is in a romantic relationship and not before one. The book also ends abruptly and the question of whether or not Maggie and Levi made it to the Olympics is never answered though it was fun to see what happens to Jordan and Sam in the future. Overall, not the strongest book in the Hundred Oaks series. 

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong sexual content in the book as well as underage drinking and some language. Recommended for Grades 10 and up.

If you like this book try: On the Fence by Kasie West, Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith

Description: Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.
 Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.
 Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, though if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it. But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.

 Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine! This week I'm eagerly awaiting the release of two books: Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally and Rivals in the City by Y.S. Lee.


Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally
Publish date: July 1st, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks



 I have thoroughly enjoyed every book that Miranda Kenneally has released and I always look forward to reading more from her Hundred Oaks series. Here's hoping we see some cameos of characters from the previous books!

Practice Makes Perfect.

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?
 



Last year I participated in the Victorian mystery challenge which was a lot of fun and I discovered the Agency series. I devoured each book and was hoping a final book in this series would come out. If you are looking for a fun, historical mystery with fantastic characters do give the Agency a try. 

Mary Quinn has a lot on her mind. James Easton, her longtime love interest, wants to marry her; but despite her feelings, independent-minded Mary hesitates. Meanwhile, the Agency has asked Mary to take on a dangerous case: convicted fraudster Henry Thorold is dying in prison, and Mary must watch for the return of his estranged wife, an accomplished criminal herself who has a potentially deadly grudge against James. Finally, a Chinese prizefighter has arrived in town, and Mary can’t shake a feeling that he is somehow familiar. With the stakes higher than ever, can Mary balance family secrets, conflicting loyalties, and professional expertise to bring a criminal to justice and find her own happiness?

 A new book in the Hundred Oaks series by Miranda Kenneally is always something that I look forward to reading. I can quickly lose myself in her books and Breathe, Annie, Breathe is no exception. Many thanks to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the chance to read the advanced readers copy of this book.

Description: Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can’t escape the guilt that if she hadn’t broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.
  But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she’s at war with her body, her mind—and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms…and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.

Review:   I thoroughly enjoyed reading Breathe, Annie, Breathe. The writing and the characters have matured in this book, which is always a great sign for a writer. Annie is instantly likable. Many would relate to her lack of athleticism, but admire her strength to pursue a dream of her dead boyfriend. What I love most about Annie, however, is her focus on her future. She never dwells upon the melodrama surrounding high school but rather struggles to wait tables to pay for her classes and her upcoming college career, all while balancing her grueling marathon training along with juggling her wide range of emotions when it comes to Jeremiah, Matt's possibly unstable, sexy, charming adrenaline-­junkie younger brother.
  Jeremiah is the quintessential love interest. He admires Annie's purpose of running the marathon. He is able to put his feelings for Annie on pause when he clearly knows that she needs a friend first and foremost. Though I would have liked to understand his reckless Xtreme sport attitude, I adored Jeremiah and thought he complimented Annie quite well. The romance with Annie and Jeremiah is expertly paced and realistic as they try to adjust their lust with friendship and a slow burn romance. 
 As we follow Annie’s training, with helpful guides to track her progress inserted every few chapters, we can see her grow stronger as a person, watch her grieve for Kyle, and finally open her heart to a hopeful beginning with Jeremiah.  I also appreciated the slow unveiling of how Kyle died. Like any of the Hundred Oaks series, this book can be read as a standalone, however, it is really nice to see characters from the other books make a special appearance. Breathe, Annie, Breathe is another great book about dealing with grief of a loved one and healing.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language and allusion to sex. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Summer series by Jenny Han, The Bridge from Me to You by Lisa Schroeder, The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

  I always look forward to a new release from Miranda Kenneally because her stories are sweet, inspiring, and ring true for teens. Kenneally proves that girls can be strong, complex, and ambitious characters that do not need a love interest to make them complete. Racing Savannah is no exception. If you haven't had a chance yet, be sure to check out Miranda's guest post about Racing Savannah. Many thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me to be on this blog tour. 

Description: They’re from two different worlds.

He lives in the estate house, and she spends most of her time in the stables helping her father train horses. In fact, Savannah has always been much more comfortable around horses than boys. Especially boys like Jack Goodwin—cocky, popular and completely out of her league. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries.

With her dream of becoming a horse jockey, Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules either. She’s not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack.

Review: Miranda Kenneally has another winner with Racing Savannah. Unlike the other books in the Hundred Oaks series, Racing Savannah has a mature feeling to it that separates it from other high school centered stories which is not to say that it lacks the honest, charming love stories we've come to expect from Kenneally. The focus of Racing Savannah is that of the unknown future-the struggle to deserve it, envision it, and grasp it.
  I instantly liked Savannah and found her very easy to relate to. She is very pragmatic and down to earth. Her passion for horses is genuine and infectious. She also longs for a future where she can gain more experiences and learn more things though she knows deep inside that she may not afford it financially. Savannah's yearning for 'something more' is what will appeal to readers even if they are not interested in racing horses.
  Like all of Kenneally's books thus far, the sport does not define and limit her characters. I learned a lot about horse racing in this book without feeling as it was dumb down for me, but what I really enjoyed is watching how the sport helped Savannah evolve as a stronger person. Savannah has always seen her poverty as a handicap (unfortunately, it's true), but with the help of those around her she begins to understand that she too can have a future and has a right to one. Though it may not be easy, she sets goals for herself and focuses her attention on saving money for college and training Tennessee Star, a willful thoroughbred who will be sold unless he starts winning races. When she stumbles and falls (sometimes literally) she always wants to get back in the game to prove to herself that she can do it. I admired Savannah's tenacity and her "I don't care what you think" attitude which is what makes her alluring to the secondary characters and Jack, her young handsome and flirtatious boss.
  Like Savannah, Jack also has to overcome his own obstacles. I honestly didn't know what to think of Jack. He seemed to be two people at once: a person who followed and mimicked his father in front of his family and business partners and a sweet charming boy who oozed confidence, charisma and passion. I wasn't convinced if he really liked Savannah or it was the thrill of being rebellious at first, but Jack grew on me as I went further along in the book. I began to see the real Jack, a boy torn between wanting to be his own person but not disappointing his father. He too realizes that he needs to come out of his father's shadows and stand up for what felt was right.
  The romance between Savannah and Jack is cute but not a smooth ride to happily ever after. Their differences in status and social structures are addressed well in the story and only add to the romantic tension between them. While Jack wanted a relationship of the dirty secret kind, Savannah wanted and knew she desired more. I was thrilled to see how Savannah stood her ground, demanded respect, honesty and love from Jack. It is through their separation that I began to see how strongly Jack felt toward Savannah and how she inspired him to do his own self-realization.
  While I liked seeing Savannah and Jack happy, I thought their resolution was bit rushed. I would have liked them to talk about things more and have Jack come to his self-realization before the game. Overall, Racing Savannah is a thoroughly enjoyable read that makes you sad to leave its characters after you finish the last page, but also happily anxious to read the next story.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, sexual content, and underage drinking. Recommended for Grades

If you like this book try: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West, The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and a wonderful weekend. I am beyond thrilled to be part of Miranda Kenneally's Racing Savannah Blog Tour. I love Miranda's books and her strong female protagonists. What I love most about Miranda's books is that all of Miranda's characters are real teens overcoming an obstacle-either internal or external with grace and through self discovery. Racing Savannah, Miranda's latest book, is no exception. I asked Miranda about what her characters taught her and what she hoped her readers would get after reading Racing Savannah. Stay tuned for my review of Racing Savannah tomorrow!



Miranda Kenneally is the author of Catching Jordan, Stealing Parker, Things I Can't Forget, and Racing Savannah. Her fifth book, most likely to be titled BREATHE, ANNIE, BREATHE, is coming out in July 2014. She enjoys reading and writing young adult literature, and loves Star Trek, music, sports, Mexican food, Twitter, coffee, and her husband. To find out more about Miranda check out: Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Blog, and Wattpad.

  Have you ever had an epiphany where you realized that not everyone around you shares your same beliefs? That absolutes aren't applicable in real life? Welcome to Kate's conundrum. She finally has a chance to have a real relationship and real friends, but in order to have all that, she must figure out what she believes. This review is based on the advanced readers copy provided by Sourcebooks via Netgalley.

Description: Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…

This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt--with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy…

Review: Miranda Kenneally's latest novel in the Hundred Oaks series, Things I Can't Forget, explores one teen's struggle for self-identity and faith. Kate is spending her summer working as a counselor at a church-run camp. She's still reeling from her decision to help her best friend Emily in a desperate situation that went against her beliefs and ruined their friendship. Kate hopes that in the mountains of Tennessee, she will get a sign that God forgives her. Summer camp brings new experiences and challenges for Kate. She is constantly, unfairly singled out by the camp director for doing something wrong and she doesn't fit in with the other counselors who, according to Kate's opinion, don't act very Christian.
  Kate is a very hard person to approach and like at first. She comes across as very judgmental. She only believes in absolutes, those dictated by her church, the same church that ostracized Parker in Stealing Parker.  Kate's sheltered world view is well-drawn and believable. As a reader you realize that her provincial outlook at life is constructed by only what she has been taught and blindly followed. The crux of the book is Kate's hesitant first steps on her spiritual journey to find out what she believes in and her relationship with her faith. Though religion plays a large part in this book, it is never heavy handed. There is a wide range of people who differ in their beliefs and their relationship with God, no true way is emphasized. The  more Kate begins to understand that faith is personal to each person, the more she comes out of her shell and becomes a real person. You get to witness her developing friendships with other counselors, particularly Parker who helps her sort out her confusion on what to make of her blossoming and incredibly sweet relationship with Matt, the boy who gave Kate her first kiss years ago at camp. Kate's character growth is a testament to Kenneally's skill as a writer. I loved watching Kate grow as a person, a girl who is more self confident in herself and willing to vocalize her needs.
  In addition to Kate, Matt is a very interesting love interest. He is incredibly charming, sweet and clearly crazy about Kate, but he's also a contradiction in Kate's eyes. He attends church but has no problem drinking beer with his frat brothers. The way Matt makes Kate feel contradicts everything she's learned in church where sex is concerned. The best thing in my opinion about Matt and really all of the love interests that Kenneally has created is that they accept their girlfriends for who they are. Matt accepts and acknowledges the boundaries that Kate sets, even though he may not understand and agree. He gives her space and time to sort things out.
  Though there are other important issues only touched upon in the book such as parental abuse and gay relationships, which I would have liked to see explored more, the book never loses its focus. Kenneally has given us an honest and realistic story about a teen's exploration of her own sexuality and faith. I applaud her in taking a big step in writing about sensitive topics in a sensitive and introspective manner. As always, I thoroughly enjoy her work and I can't wait to read her next book.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, underage drinking, and strong sexual content. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Blind Faith by Ellen Wittlinger, Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr, The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante

   I'm absolutely delighted to participate in a blog tour for Miranda Kenneally's latest release, Things I Can't Forget. Many thanks to Sourcebooks for allowing me to part of this blog tour and to read an advanced reader's copy of the book via Netgalley. Be sure to stop by tomorrow for my review of the book! Below is a guest post by Miranda on what inspired her to write Things I Can't Forget. 

  I have been in a book rut for quite some time. I've started and dropped at least five books, all of which failed to grab my attention. When I came across Stealing Parker, I read it from front to back in a matter of a couple of days. Readers who enjoy YA contemporary romance or a well written, realistic romance should definitely pick up the book. Many thanks to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for an advanced reader's copy.

Description (from Goodreads): Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.
  Now Parker wants a new life. So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty? But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?

Review: Stealing Parker is a companion novel to Catching Jordan, a book I thoroughly enjoyed in 2011. There are many similarities between both books. They are both set in a small town of Hundred Oaks, Tennessee and feature characters who love sports. Realistic and witty dialogue coupled with endearing characters, and a tightly packed plot makes these books highly enjoyable and readable.
  Parker is our heroine and narrator. She is the high-school valedictorian and a star softball player. Her life is thrown into chaos when her mother suddenly leaves the family to move in with her girlfriend. Ostracized and bullied by many of her friends and her church members, Parker is constantly trying to prove that she is not like her mother. She quits her favorite sport, loses weight due to the "butch" label rumors. She is even taken to making out with random guys in a heartbreaking effort to prove to her point. I liked how Parker remained on the cusp of adolescence and adulthood, which is highlighted by the countdown of her 18th birthday on each chapter. Though she runs the house like an adult, she is still painfully self-aware of how others see her. For example, once she consciously knows how the hurts the boys she has playfully made-out with she stops this behavior.
  Parker's family drama cages her and prevents her from opening up to anyone, afraid that they may use her vulnerabilities as arsenal against her, which was viciously made clear by her best friend. Alone, abandoned, and hurt, Parker seeks solace from her best friend Drew and yearns for someone to understand her.  She thinks she has found the answer when she meets Brian, a hot 23-year-old assistant coach at her school. Brian seems to be a kindred spirit and is wounded by pains of his own. Though forbidden, things progress between Parker and Brian at a steady pass soon become physical. Brian seems more interested in trying to convince her to have sex than in talking. Mixed in with all this confusion is a budding and sweet romance with a longtime acquaintance, but her best friend Drew finally comes out to her and drunkenly confesses a secret crush on him. All of this drama forces Parker to identify what is most important to her and how to unload the burden of being someone else besides herself. The self-evaluation process realistically plays out. Parker begins the journey and we are left with the strong belief that her growth will continue. She doesn't have all the answers, but we can rest assure that she knows how to make the right decisions.
  Kenneally addresses important and hard hitting issues such as sexuality, religion, self-discovery, and self-love, but it never felt heavy handed to me. Like the themes themselves, the characters aren't one dimensional and leave food for thought once you finished reading the book. I really liked Parker's confessions or letters she wrote to God, revealing her most inner thoughts and emotions. It drew me closer to her as a reader. While I would have liked Parker spend more time with her mother and work out their issues, I do like how there is a starting place to mend their broken bond.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Some language, crude humor, and strong sexual content (i.e. bases 1-3 are covered). Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: The Dairy Queen series by Catherine Murdock, Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

  I'm not a football fan. I'll generally watch snippets of a game here and there with my brothers who live and breathe the game. It always confuses them why I love the TV show Friday Night Lights which centers around a high school football team since I don't care for the sport. The reason why I loved the show is because of its great characters, storyline, acting, and directing. These are all the same qualities I found while reading Miranda Kennally's debut novel Catching Jordan. 

Description (from Goodreads): What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

Review: Catching Jordan is a great blend of sports, family drama, and romance though the book's description seems to market the latter. It is the story of being true to yourself regardless of how others see you. It is the story of pursuing your dreams. It is these universal themes regardless of your love/hate relationship to sports, you can connect and relate to the book and its characters.
  Jordan Woods is a self proclaimed tomboy, a female quarterback who has lead her high school football team on a victory streak and another chance at the state championship. She knows exactly what she wants, playing football in college, and does everything that she can to make her dream possible. Some may say she has tunnel vision, but I don't view her that way. I believe she's driven, ambitious, competitive, and strong. She is truly a rare gem we find in contemporary YA whose focus is something beyond "who will be my boyfriend this year?" I loved Jordan right away. Though her passion for football may be foreign to me and a lot of readers, her insecurities are tangible and familiar. She longs to get her approval from her NFL playing dad who seems to do everything he can to avoid Jordan's games and ignore her skills while complimenting her teammates. Jordan is also at a loss on how to deal with her new found crush, Ty Green, a new student from Texas and also a great quarterback who might possibly steal her position on the team.
  While romance does play a large role in the book and for the most part done quite well, it does not overshadow all of Jordan's great achievements and has her questioning the prioritizes in her life. I found the romance as a great device in enhancing the overall discussion of gender roles and expectations including Jordan's own preconceived notions. We expect her to be consumed with Ty and abandon her dreams, but she thankfully does not. She is constantly throw into the chaos of friendship, loyalty, what does it mean to love someone, and finally acceptance.
  For me, the highlight of Catching Jordan are the various relationships in the book and the chemistry that all the characters share with one another. JJ, Carter, Ty, and Henry are adorable and infuriating in their own way. You want to hug, slug, and sometimes slap them upside the heads for being stupid just as you would with brothers and friends. Their love is genuine and constant. Jordan's family also plays a vital role in supporting and looking out for her. I especially loved watching her relationship with her father grow.
  Some readers may be worried that heavy football terminology would be used, but I didn't really have a problem understanding the game. I think Kenneally provides enough details in her description for the reader to understand what was going on.   I did have a few issues with how the characters causally thought about sex and having a teen boy sleeping over in a girls room without parental concerns. I also did find the plot twist in the book to be a bit abrupt, but despite these flaws I really enjoyed Catching Jordan would highly recommend it to readers of realistic fiction who enjoy a strong female protagonists.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Some strong language, allusions to sex, and underage drinking. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: The Dairy Queen series by Catherine Murdock