Description: Classic movie fan Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online as Alex. Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush.
 Faced with doubts (what if he’s a creep in real life—or worse?), Bailey doesn’t tell Alex she’s moved to his hometown. Or that she’s landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she’s being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth—a.k.a. her new arch-nemesis. But life is whole lot messier than the movies, especially when Bailey discovers that tricky fine line between hate, love, and whatever it is she’s starting to feel for Porter. And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex…Approximately.

Review: Alex, Approximately is the perfect summer romance read and an updated homage to You've Got Mail with some depth. Bailey Rydell, aka "Mink," is a self-described "habitual evader" and an "artful dodger" who lives far away from her online friend "Alex." Bailey and Alex have never met in real life. When Bailey moves across the country to the California town where Alex lives, she is afraid her online chemistry with Alex won't translate into the real world. Nonetheless, she begins to adapt to her new surroundings, lands a job, makes a friend, and faces an adorable nemesis named Porter.
  I am a huge movie fan and I loved how Bennett included classic films into the story whether it is from Bailey's vintage fashion with nods to Lana Turner and Roman Holiday to quotes from iconic movies that frame each chapter. Bailey's reserved, introverted personality is pitted with Porter's easy going surfer attitude quite well and effectively creates tension to the antagonistic romance trope. Both Bailey and Porter have personal issues and complicated tragic backstories that give their characters depth without dragging the book into teen angst and melodrama. I also appreciated the inclusion of diverse characters such as Porter, who is half Polynesian/Chinese and half white, and important secondary characters like Bailey's friend Grace who is half Nigerian and half British. I would have loved to know more about Porter's ethnic background and his family. 
 I also appreciated that the author didn't confine Bailey and Porter's relationship to just the emails, but that their relationship grows organically. The fact that they met and clicked online is just an added bonus for the reader and also opens to the door to misunderstandings and missed opportunities that drive the plot further. Once I started this book I had a very hard time putting it down because I was enjoying Bailey's and Alex's banter. Bailey is resilient, introverted yet vulnerable and it was so fun watching her come out of her shell. Likewise Porter is so utterly charming but also wary of putting himself out there. This is a book that should top every romance reader's reading list.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, mentions of drug abuse and underage drinking, and a fade to black sex scene. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West


Description: Lara Jean is having the best senior year. And there’s still so much to look forward to: a class trip to New York City, prom with her boyfriend Peter, Beach Week after graduation, and her dad’s wedding to Ms. Rothschild. Then she’ll be off to college with Peter, at a school close enough for her to come home and bake chocolate chip cookies on the weekends. Life couldn’t be more perfect! At least, that’s what Lara Jean thinks…until she gets some unexpected news. Now the girl who dreads change must rethink all her plans—but when your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

Review: I have absolutely adored Jenny Han's To All the Boys I Loved Before series and was so sad to see this series end. Lara Jean Song Covey embarks on her senior year of high school and is faced with lots of unknowns about the future. Lara Jean has never embraced change, but when her dream college plans go awry she needs to be honest with herself about what she truly wants. Throughout this series we have watched Lara Jean slowly evolve from a sheltered girl to that of a confident girl. She is still thoughtful, crafty, and an adorable girl next door. Some readers complain that she still acts like she is a tween, but I disagree and find her wholesomeness refreshing.
  The book's pacing matches quite nicely with what it feels like as a high school senior. The first half moves along with little to no conflict as Lara Jean applies to colleges and waits to hear back. Her widowed father is also moving forward and plans to re-marry which brings a little tension in the Covey household. The second half of the book is where the action kicks off with lots of big life choices to think about such as the discussion of taking her relationship with Peter Kavinsky to the next level and their anxieties of maintaining a relationship as they go to college.
 I will admit that I wasn't crazy about Peter Kavinsky. I was more of a John Ambrose McClaren kind of gal, but I have to say that Peter Kavinsky won me over in this book. He is patient with Lara Jean and respects her decisions. While Peter and Lara Jean's romance is a big part of the book it does not overshadow Lara Jean's growth to a confident young woman who learns to choose for herself, which is refreshing.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, underage drinking, and references to sex. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between by Jennifer E. Smith, The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen, Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen, Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

 I hope all of my U.S. readers had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday and my international readers a great week! I spent the time catching up with family, friends, and of course with my large pile of books that need to be read. I have one more month and I'm feeling optimistic that I will reach my reading goal this year. Wish me luck. :)

Description: My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.
  But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.
  Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Review: Everything Everything was the darling of the ALA Annual Conference this past summer. I was a bit hesitant in picking it up for a while because of all the hype surrounding it. I've followed along with reader's reviews and they have been across the board. My feelings for this book are mixed. I liked Maddie and her yearning to explore her world outside of her shell both literally and physically. I understood her inner conflict of wanting to be selfish and taking her mother's sacrifice into consideration. Olly was also adorable as the boy next door and I liked how we got to know his own personal problems slowly throughout the book. The romance between Maddie and Olly was very sweet. I also loved the concept of the book and how it played with a variety of formats ranging from email, instant messaging, and drawings.
 What took away my enjoyment of the book were the huge moments where I had to suspend my disbelief in particular Maddie's and her mother's actions. There were plenty of moments that made me scratch my head because it just logistically didn't make any sense. One of the examples that annoyed me so much was Maddie applying for her own credit card as a minor and without parental consent, plus her mother not knowing of her credit card plus what items she bought. How else would Maddie pay her bills if she never worked? I also thought the twist was anticlimactic and wanted to know more what happened next, but the book ended too soon. Overall it was a quick read, but I didn't love it. I would be interested in seeing what Yoon writes next.

Rating: 3.5 stars


Words of Caution: There is some language, allusion to domestic violence, mention of alcoholism, and a small fade to black sex scene. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, Summer series by Jenny Han, Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett



Description: Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter. She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever. When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

Review: I absolutely adored To All the Boys I Loved Before, which I read earlier this year, and was a little annoyed that I had to wait for a sequel to find see how the story ends. P.S. I Still Love You focuses on the consequences of the actions that took place in the first book. Peter and Lara Jean's relationship hits quite a few bumps in the road in this book, which freaks Lara Jean out. While there are swoon worthy moments in this book, there is plenty of drama. I was a bit annoyed with Lara Jean acting immature, which is such a shame considering how much she grew as a character in the first book. I also liked the addition of John Ambrose McClaren, a boy from Lara Jean's past who was so adorable and I even liked him as much as I like Peter. The book could have easily veered into the love triangle category, but thankfully it doesn't. While not as enjoyable as the first book, I would still recommended it to fans of YA romance. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, crude humor, a scene of underage drinking, and frank talk of sex. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins, The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith



Description: Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Review: From the cover and description of the book, Emmy and Oliver gives off a strong romance vibe, but the romance is a small, subtle part of the story. The book is  much more complex and deals with some strong issues such as parental kidnapping and overprotective parents as well as the evolving relationships between friends. I really appreciated how the author doesn't make Oliver's transition back to his old life easy. He is rightly hurt, angry, and confused about recreating his new identity and new memories before the incident. He is conflicted on how he should feel towards his father who decided to kidnap him and change his life. I also really liked that Emmy was her own strong character who didn't smother Oliver. Like Oliver, she has her own parental issues with her overprotective parents who want to protect her with good intentions, but aren't they doing the same thing as Oliver's dad in a less dramatic fashion? I would definitely recommend this one to readers who like realistic fiction that will engage with this emotionally satisfying, if occasionally heartbreaking, book about a beautiful friendship that's lost and then found.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and a scene of underage drinking at a party. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Sweethearts by Sara Zarr, How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Sandiford, What's Broken Between Us by Alexis Bass, The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher, I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

 To All the Boys I've Loved Before highlights all the reasons why I'm a big fan of Jenny Han's books: wonderful characters, an interesting plot, and the right balance between romance and an coming of age novel. Once I started reading this book, I found it very hard to put it down.


Description: What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Review: Lara Jean Song has always loved from a distance and writes never-to-be-mailed letters to every boy she's ever liked. In those letters she writes the reasons why she fell for her crushes and it is her way of purging them out of her system in order for her to move on. Lara Jean's easy system and carefree life goes out of control when her letters are accidentally sent out. On her list is Josh, the boy next door, her best friend, and most recently her older sister, Margot's ex-boyfriend. Lara Jean's relationship with Josh is complicated. She loved him before he got together with her sister, but stopped her feelings when Josh and Margot got together. Now Margot has left for college, Lara Jean wonders if she has a chance with Josh, but immediately feels guilty for even thinking this could even happen. She makes a decision to not come in between her sister and Josh and concocts a plan to date someone in order to desperately convince Josh that she's over her crush. Peter, the popular jock at school, also received one of Lara Jean's love letters, and-hoping to make his ex-girlfriend jealous-agrees to be her "pretend" beau. 
  I loved Lara Jean right from the moment she appeared on the page. I could very easily relate to her. She lives in her own world, having more fun creating activities in her mind than actually doing them, an unabashed homebody who adores her family. Unlike typical teen romances, this is as much the story of a family as it is about falling in love. Family traditions are skillfully woven into the first-person narrative, including some from the mother's Korean heritage, which felt natural and welcoming and not at all forced. Since her mother died, Margot has taken up the role as a parent to Lara Jean and their kid sister, the ever adorable and feisty Kitty, but that role is soon passed on when Margot goes off to college and gives the parental torch to Lara Jean. Though the three sisters are very close, they also have conflicts to resolve, and Lara Jean's perspective as a middle child suddenly left in charge is compelling. We slowly watch Lara Jean come out of her shell and gain self confidence as well as independence as the story progresses. 
  The romance is very cute in the book too as Lara Jean tries to sort out her feelings. With Josh there is a natural comfort level where she can easily talk to him without feeling stupid, but I didn't really feel any spark between them but more along the lines of a brother-sister relationship. Peter, however, is much more complicated. Easily dismissed as a cute, self absorbed jock, Peter kept surprising Lara Jean and myself with his hidden layers of sensitivity and vulnerability. Peter also helps Lara Jean to take risks and be herself. 
  The only downfall for this book is that it ends abruptly, but thankfully there is another book on the way that will continue Lara Jean's confusion and adventures. So while there are indications of a love triangle, I really don't think there is a strong case for it for this book, but we shall see what happens in the next book as we see how Lara Jean's other crushes handle her letters. I really can't wait to be back in the Song house and catch up with these characters! 

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of caution: There is some language, teen party scene with underage drinking, sex is mentioned but not discussed in detail. Recommended to Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, On the Fence by Kasie West, Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen