This story was one I was excited to read because I loved the first three books in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. This book is all about Cole who I loved from reading the other books. These two together, Cole and Isabel are explosive! There is a lot of hot and cold and many powerful things as they try to find the "together" part of their relationship. This novel's plot is very unpredictable because frankly so are the characters. This fourth book is very different from the first three books. Believe it or not, this book can be read as a stand-alone. I liked this novel but Book One, Shiver, will always be my favorite!

Cole and Isabel have a very, very messy past, but Cole wants to change all that, so he goes to LA to find Isabel and make his rock star comeback. But will it be as easy as he hopes it will? Of course not, but where would be the fun in that?

I love, love, love The Wolves of Mercy Falls series and looked forward to seeing where the story between Cole and Isabel went. Cole is loveable and funny and flawed, so I connected with him right away. Unfortunately, Isabel spent most of the book being icy and cold to everyone around her, so I had some trouble with her. Maggie Stiefvater definitely took the time to explain why she was this way, but I still felt disconnected from her, and this took away from my ability to enjoy this story as much as I would have liked. And although I loved the ending, I felt like it was a bit rushed. I wish it had been drawn out more.

All in all, I did enjoy this book, just not as much as I had hoped I would.

3/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Scholastic Press, and Maggie Stiefvater for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I DNF'd around the 45% mark. I could not get pulled into the story. The pacing dragged and the characters fell flat and I didn’t feel invested in finding out what happened to them. It just wasn't the book for me.

I really liked this book, but I don't think anyone did it any favors by having it come out so long after the rest of the series. I didn't remember a lot of what happened in the first three books, and that hurt my feelings on it I believe. I did always love Cole's character, though, and I was glad he finally got to tell his story. As always, Maggie's writing was exquisitely beautiful. I also love how musical this book is. Overall, fantastic. I just wish it had come sooner.

Overall I wanted more from this story. I still love and will always love the wolves of mercy falls series but this one fell flat for me.

YA AUDIOBOOKS PART 2
JUNE 10, 2019 LEAVE A COMMENT
I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

YA audiobooks part 2Imprison the Sky by A.C. Gaughen
Also by this author: Scarlet, Lady Thief, Reign the Earth
Series: The Elementae #2
Also in this series: Reign the Earth
Narrator: Maya Saroya
Length: 12 Hours 49 Minutes
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA on January 22, 2019
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Young Adult, Fantasy & Magic
Pages: 320
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: Library, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
ISBN: 9781681191157
Goodreads
four-stars
"[A] fantasy romance in the vein of books by Sabaa Tahir, Renee Ahdieh." - School Library Journal on Reign the Earth

The sweeping Elementae series continues with a heroine so powerful she can command the sky . . .

Stolen from her family as a child, Aspasia has clawed her way up the ranks of Cyrus's black market empire to captain her own trading vessel--and she risks it all every time she uses her powerful magic to free as many women, children, and Elementae from slavery as she can.

But Cyrus is close to uncovering her secrets--not only that Aspasia is a wind Elementa with the ability to sail her ship through the sky, but that she is also searching for her lost family. And if Aspasia can't find her younger siblings before Cyrus does, she will never be able to break free.

Armed with her loyal crew full of Elementae and a new recruit who controls an intriguing power, Aspasia finds herself in the center of a brewing war that spans every inch of the ocean, and her power alone may not be enough to save her friends, family, and freedom.

WHAT DID I THINK OF IMPRISON THE SKY BY AC GAUGHEN?
Imprison The Sky by AC Gaughen takes readers right to the seas among other places in the world of the Elementae. This is the kind of book that I think could standalone. However, you’ll enjoy your time with it so much more if you read Reign The Earth first. This book mostly features a new cast of characters. We have Asp (short for Aspasia) who is the new lead character instead of continuing with Shalia.

Asp captains a ship. She’s sort of under the employ of a Slaver named Cyrus. Only, Asp subverts her “job” by freeing women, children, and Elementae. Her ship is crewed by those that she has freed (they have a choice in this job, by the way). So, anyways, Asp is on a mission to find her missing siblings. She hopes to find them before Cyrus. Meanwhile, she’s crossed paths with this guy who has an Elementae power that is completely new to her. Oh, and Asp has an Elementae power that helps her to control the sky.

The plotting behind this book is legitimate. I think it moves quickly. I found myself genuinely caring about the characters too – especially Asp and Kairos. However, I would say I did not retain 100% of what I had listened to.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
For some reason, this audiobook did not entirely gel with me. It just was not as good as Reign The Earth on audiobook merits. The narration felt slow and I did tune in and out. Even sped up to 2x, I still kind of felt like it was slow. The audiobook is narrated by Maya Saroya who was new to me as a narrator. Maybe it was that I was not used to her voice. I think at this point I am going to try to read Imprison The Sky via physical or ebook in the future just to try and retain more information.



I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Get Even by Gretchen McNeil
Series: Don't Get Mad #1
Narrator: Tavia Gilbert
Length: 9 Hours 55 Minutes
Published by Harper Collins on September 16, 2014
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Social Themes, Death & Dying, Friendship
Pages: 400
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: Library, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
ISBN: 9780062260864
Goodreads
three-stars
The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars in Gretchen McNeil’s witty and suspenseful novel about four disparate girls who join forces to take revenge on high school bullies and create dangerous enemies for themselves in the process.

Bree, Olivia, Kitty, and Margot have nothing in common—at least that’s what they’d like the students and administrators of their elite private school to think. The girls have different goals, different friends, and different lives, but they share one very big secret: They’re all members of Don’t Get Mad, a secret society that anonymously takes revenge on the school’s bullies, mean girls, and tyrannical teachers.

When their latest target ends up dead with a blood-soaked “DGM” card in his hands, the girls realize that they’re not as anonymous as they thought—and that someone now wants revenge on them. Soon the clues are piling up, the police are closing in . . . and everyone has something to lose.

WHAT DID I THINK OF GET EVEN BY GRETCHEN MCNEIL?
Get Even by Gretchen McNeil really solidifies just how much I enjoy McNeil’s books. I mean are they my absolute favorite ever, no. However, I know that I can read her books and get a thrill out of them. I will always associate her books as YA thrillers (or horror for a few). So, this audiobook was 100% what I had expected and hoped for.

Get Even is a story of revenge. It’s about this group of four girls who go to a private school and right wrongs. The girls are not at all in the same social circle and you would not expect them to be friends. That works perfectly for their revenge group called Don’t Get Mad, as it is like a cell where no one is going to associate them with each other. And so, they do small things to get revenge on bullies and school administrators. It is all well and fine until one of their targets ends up dead with a DGM card. This means someone has figured what DGM is and well is using their name for evil. Someone is going to get caught and the stakes are high.

So, it’s been a year and a half since I listened to this book, Get Even. Here’s what I can say — I very much enjoy revenge stories. I also like YA thrillers as it turns out. So, for me, this book worked very well. I think that people who enjoy revenge books will enjoy this one, plus there’s a pretty good sequel to check out, which I ended up listening to immediately next and also enjoying.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of Get Even is narrated by Tavia Gilbert. It’s nine hours and fifty five minutes long. I listened to this initially via Hoopla, and can’t guarantee it is still on there (especially if your library went for the plan with no Harper audios like mine did). Gilbert does an admirable job bringing McNeil’s story to life. I remember not feeling bored and having a wandering mind while reading. I’d definitely recommend if you want a thrilling listen.



I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

YA audiobooks part 2The Summer of Jordi Perez (And the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding
Also by this author: The Reece Malcolm List, , Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys), Ink is Thicker Than Water
Narrator: Cassandra Morris
Length: 6 Hours 30 Minutes
Published by Simon and Schuster on April 3, 2018
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, LGBT, Social Themes, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Fashion & Beauty, Humorous
Pages: 284
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: Library, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
ISBN: 9781510727670
Goodreads
four-stars
Seventeen, fashion-obsessed, and gay, Abby Ives has always been content playing the sidekick in other people’s lives. While her friends and sister have plunged headfirst into the world of dating and romances, Abby’s been happy to focus on her plus-size style blog and her dreams of taking the fashion industry by storm. When she lands a great internship at her favorite boutique, she’s thrilled to take the first step toward her dream career. Then she falls for her fellow intern, Jordi Perez. Hard. And now she’s competing against the girl she’s kissing to win the coveted paid job at the end of the internship.

But really, nothing this summer is going as planned. She also unwittingly becomes friends with Jax, a lacrosseplaying bro-type who wants her help finding the best burger in Los Angeles, and she’s struggling to prove to her mother—the city’s celebrity health nut—that she’s perfectly content with who she is.

Just as Abby starts to feel like she’s no longer the sidekick in her own life, Jordi’s photography surprisingly puts her in the spotlight. Instead of feeling like she’s landed a starring role, Abby feels betrayed. Can Abby find a way to reconcile her positive yet private sense of self with the image others have of her?

WHAT DID I THINK OF THE SUMMER OF JORDI PEREZ (AND THE BEST BURGER IN LOS ANGELES)?
Basically any book written by Amy Spalding is A-Okay in my estimation. The Summer Of Jordi Perez (And The Best Burger In Los Angeles) is the second Amy Spalding book I’ve read this year. It’s different from her other books in that the main character is a lesbian (which is great). Abby is a character who is easy to care about and root for. She’s really into fashion and runs her own blog for plus size fashion. This summer she is working an internship that she hopes to turn into a job. However, she’s competing with another girl for that job, Jordi Perez.

Yet, Jordi is really cool with a little bit of a reputation. Anyways, Abby ends up crushing on Jordi. Meanwhile, she has this friend that she’s going around rating burgers with to find the best burger in LA. What results is a fun story of summer and first love. The chemistry between Abby and Jordi is excellent. The pace is quite quick too. On the whole, this is the kind of book that’s great for your beach bag.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of The Summer Of Jordi Perez (And The Best Burger In Los Angeles) is narrated by Cassandra Morris. It is six hours and thirty minutes long. Talk about a FAST listen. Of course, I listened via Hoopla and if your library has the paired down version of Hoopla, this one is still on there. It’s worth a Hoopla borrow. I think Morris’s narration skews a little young, but on the whole it does work for this book. I’d recommend if you want to try an audiobook but do not want to commit for a long time.



The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg
Published by Scholastic Inc. on February 26, 2019
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, LGBT
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9781338215526
Goodreads
* "Konigsberg demonstrates once again why he is one of the major voices in LGBTQ literature." -- Booklist, starred review

Max: Chill. Sports. Video games. Gay and not a big deal, not to him, not to his mom, not to his buddies. And a secret: An encounter with an older kid that makes it hard to breathe, one that he doesn't want to think about, ever.

Jordan: The opposite of chill. Poetry. His "wives" and the Chandler Mall. Never been kissed and searching for Mr. Right, who probably won't like him anyway. And a secret: A spiraling out of control mother, and the knowledge that he's the only one who can keep the family from falling apart.

Throw in a rickety, 1980s-era food truck called Coq Au Vinny. Add in prickly pears, cloud eggs, and a murky idea of what's considered locally sourced and organic. Place it all in Mesa, Arizona, in June, where the temp regularly hits 114. And top it off with a touch of undeniable chemistry between utter opposites.

Over the course of one summer, two boys will have to face their biggest fears and decide what they're willing to risk -- to get the thing they want the most.

WHAT DID I THINK OF THE MUSIC OF WHAT HAPPENS BY BILL KONIGSBERG?
I genuinely think that The Music Of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg is CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED. This book was incredible. It is wild to me that I have not seen more people talking about it. Readers who liked Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe would probably enjoy this book. But beyond the comparison, I think the dual narrators were an excellent choice. This book is all about vulnerability and love and difficult situations.

The Music Of What Happens is about Max and Jordan. Max is essentially a dudebro who happens to be gay, which totally isn’t a big deal for him. He lives with his mother while his father lives elsewhere because his parents are divorced. Max is on the baseball team and has a pretty core group of guy friends. Jordan also lives with his mother as his father died. Jordan’s best friends are two girls that he was in a play or musical with, that he refers to as his wives. Anyways, Jordan’s dad had bought a food truck, and so because his mom is so far behind on the mortgage, they decide to take the food truck on the road again. Max ends up applying to work at and is hired on the food truck. From there, Max and Jordan really get to know each other and develop a friendship possibly into something more.

I know I am being vague. However, this book really is just genuinely excellent. I am very much a character driven reader (as long as the plot also back it up — I can’t do slow or boring). Personally, The Music Of What Happens was satisfying on that front. It details these traumas that Jordan and Max have been through along with addressing toxic masculinity among other things. And well, there’s some hope and learning and growth. Just believe you me, when I say you should pick this quiet book up, I mean it with all my heart.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
I keep going on about this book and excellence. I will continue that by saying the audiobook is one I highly recommend. Hoopla has The Music Of What Happens via audio, and there’s a possibility you can get it on Overdrive or via Audible. The audiobook has two narrators – Anthony Ray Perez and Joel Froomkin. Perez narrates the chapters from Max’s point of view and Froomkin narrates the chapters from Jordan’s point of view. Both really inhabit their characters and I think are a key piece to why I loved this book so much. FYI, the audiobook is 9 hours and 17 minutes long, I listened to it sped up and completely do not hesitate to recommend this via audio.



I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

There's Something about Sweetie by Sandhya Menon
Also by this author: From Twinkle, with Love
Narrator: Vikas Adam, Soneela Nankani
Length: 11 Hours 36 Minutes
Published by Simon and Schuster on May 14, 2019
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy, People & Places, United States, Asian American, Family
Pages: 384
Format: Audiobook, ARC
Source: Library, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
ISBN: 9781534416802
Goodreads
five-stars
“Adorable, joyous.” —BuzzFeed

“I’m head-over-heels for this charming, funny, romantic, life-affirming book.” —Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Leah on the Offbeat

The irresistible companion novel to the New York Times bestseller When Dimple Met Rishi, which follows Rishi’s brother, Ashish, and a confident, self-proclaimed fat athlete named Sweetie as they both discover what love means to them.

Ashish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After being dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up.

The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl—under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he’ll be taking his date on “fun” excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work?

Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death.

Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.

Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there’s an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?

WHAT DID I THINK OF THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE BY SANDHYA MENON?
At this point in my life I am basically obsessed with the books by Sandhya Menon. There’s Something About Sweetie is the third book I’ve read by Menon and oh my goodness. THEY KEEP GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. It almost isn’t fair, because other contemporary YA books will be compared and these books are a hard act to follow. Can I just say that I love that teens of color are getting fun contemporary books that hopefully can act as mirrors for them? I know YA still has such a long way to go, but compared to the early 2000s when all there was out there was Born Confused, what a time to be alive and a reader.

So, if you haven’t read When Dimple Met Rishi, you will be at a tiny bit of a disadvantage going into this book. You see, There’s Something About Sweetie stars Rishi’s brother Ashish as the love interest and there’s a brief appearance of both Rishi and Dimple. FYI I love seeing what cherished characters are up to in future books. This book is about Sweetie who is a track star who happens to be fat. Sweetie is okay with it, but her mother is not. Anyways, she ends up meeting Ashish’s mom who then is like oh Sweetie is so nice, let me set her up with Ashish. Only Sweetie’s mom is all, NO. But somehow there ends up being this dating contract and it’s super adorable.

I love these books. I love that the drama is low stakes. What Menon does so well is characterization. By the end I was so thrilled and happy for Sweetie and Ashish. Also, they have really excellent friend groups too which helped with my enjoyment of this book. Readers in need of a happy book should ABSOLUTELY pick up There’s Something About Sweetie.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
This is the first book of Menon’s that I listened to via audio and I have no regrets. Turns out her stories are excellent no matter what for them they take. The audiobook of There’s Something About Sweetie is 11 Hours 36 Minutes long. It has dual narration with Soneela Nankani and Vikas Adam. Nankani is an amazing narrator and I will be genuinely thrilled no matter what audiobook I listen to with her at the narration helm. Adam is alright. On the whole, a decent audiobook and one I’d say to get your hands on.



Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman
Also by this author: Shadow Scale
Published by Random House Children's Books on February 27, 2018
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Historical, Medieval
Pages: 544
ISBN: 9781101931301
Goodreads
Award-winning Rachel Hartman's newest YA is a tour de force and an exquisite fantasy for the #metoo movement.



"Tess of the Road is astonishing and perfect. It's the most compassionate book I've read since George Eliot's Middlemarch." --NPR

In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons can be whomever they choose. Tess is none of these things. Tess is. . . different. She speaks out of turn, has wild ideas, and can't seem to keep out of trouble. Then Tess goes too far. What she's done is so disgraceful, she can't even allow herself to think of it. Unfortunately, the past cannot be ignored. So Tess's family decide the only path for her is a nunnery.

But on the day she is to join the nuns, Tess chooses a different path for herself. She cuts her hair, pulls on her boots, and sets out on a journey. She's not running away, she's running towards something. What that something is, she doesn't know. Tess just knows that the open road is a map to somewhere else--a life where she might belong.

Returning to the spellbinding world of the Southlands she created in the award-winning, New York Times bestselling novel Seraphina, Rachel Hartman explores self-reliance and redemption in this wholly original fantasy.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR * BOSTON GLOBE * The Chicago Public Library * KIRKUS REVIEWS

Four starred reviews!

"The world building is gorgeous, the creatures are vivid and Hartman is a masterful storyteller. Pick up this novel, and savor every page." --Paste Magazine

WHAT DID I THINK OF TESS OF THE ROAD BY RACHEL HARTMAN?
I am so glad that I did not immediately read Tess Of The Road by Rachel Hartman when I was approved for it. You see, that was right around the time that my son was under one years old and there’s no way I would have been able to make it through this book. Also, Hartman’s books are so special that I want to be sure that I am reading them at exactly the right time. I loved Seraphina and Shadow Scale, so it makes sense that I would want to love Tess Of The Road. Friends, I absolutely loved this book.

Tess Of The Road is all about Seraphina’s sister, Tess. Tess is one of those girls who is prickly around the edges and she genuinely believes she’s bad and not good enough. However, we see that she’s been through some real trauma. So, this is a book about hitting the road and healing. It’s a book that says your trauma is a part of you, but it does not define you.

I’ll be completely frank with you all and say there was a part where I had to re-read what happened and was like about to cry but then realized I am in the office and this is not the greatest environment for that. Straight up, I will say that there’s infant death in this book and as a part of a young child, that was so hard to read and had me feeling some things. However, if you can handle that, this book, while slow is excellent and has a true character development payoff.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of Tess Of The Road is narrated by Katharine McEwan. It is 16 hours and 15 minutes long. I’ll be honest, that is a LONG audiobook, at least for me these days. Yet, McEwan does a wonderful job moving the story along and with pronouncing the dragon words. I don’t entirely hesitate to recommend this one via audio – except that if you don’t have the attention span. In that case, pick up the physical book. This is one superb story and just, really great if you’re here for character development, which I, as a reader, am on board for.



YA audiobooks part 2Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
Also by this author: Linger, The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, The Raven King (The Raven Cycle, Book 4)
Published by Scholastic UK on July 3, 2014
Genres: Young Adult, General
Pages: 368
ISBN: 9781407145747
Goodreads
SINNER is the book that every Maggie Stiefvater and paranormal romance fan has been waiting for! SINNER is a companion book to the #1 bestselling SHIVER, LINGER and FOREVER trilogy. You thought it ended with FOREVER, but there's another story to tell - the one of Cole and Isabel... and this time they're in LA. There will be wolves, and there will be yearning. But most importantly there will be love. And no one does love like Maggie.

WHAT DID I THINK OF SINNER BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER?
So, Sinner is basically a spin off from the Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater. It’s the story of Cole St. Clair who basically is this rock star. It also is the story of Isabel Culpepper. Instead of being set in Mercy Falls, it is set in LA. Cole’s about to be on TV. Isabel is living there with her family. The two had previously ended not on a great note, and so Cole is there to get Isabel back. Meanwhile, he’s also dealing with the whole shape shifting into a wolf thing and the fall out of Isabel’s brother dying.

You might be wondering if you have to have read the three Mercy Falls books (Shiver, Linger, Forever) to understand and enjoy this book. My answer is no, probably not. I say that because I have not read Forever yet. However, I found myself really able to follow along. Ultimately, I rooted for both Isabel and Cole. I found Cole’s story to be quite sad. However, there’s a true redemption arc. And true to Stiefvater form, it is beautifully written. I’d certainly recommend especially if you’re the sort who feels you must read everything Stiefvater has ever written (guilty as charged).

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
I listened to Sinner via the Hoopla app at my library. The cool thing is that the audiobook has two narrators – Emma Galvin and Dan Bittner. I LOVED Galvin’s narration as always. As for Bittner, normally I can take or leave, however, his narration in Sinner was fantastic. I’d definitely say give this one a listen. The audiobook is 9 hours and 24 minutes but goes by quickly and is so easy to follow and not get confused on. Plus listening gave me a real appreciation for Stiefvater’s writing style.

Maggie Stiefvater can write anything and make it lyrical, beautiful, and haunting. This is no exception.

I had a hard time finishing this book. I gave up a while ago and haven't come back to it until now. I aologize for not giving a proper review, but this title didn't entice me to read a substantial part of the book so I feel as though a review would be premature, especially since this was so long ago.

Best of luck,

TKB