"Hold Still" by Nina LaCour

I am a girl ready to explode into nothing.

That night Ingrid told Caitlin, I'll go wherever you go. But by dawn, Ingrid was dead and Caitlin was alone. Suddenly Caitlin has to deal with a completely unfamiliar life - a life without the art, the laughter, the music, and the joy she shared with her best friend. When she finds the journal Ingrid left behind, Caitlin gets a chance to learn about another side of her friend; and the journal becomes her guide as she deals with forging new friendships, finding a first love, and learning to live without the one person who knew her best.


The novel opens as the summer of Caitlin's sophomore year is approaching, and her best friend Ingrid has committed suicide. Caitlin's life "holds still" as she cannot move forward and cannot look back. When she finds a journal that Ingrid left for her, this makes her death even more raw, but also helps Caitlin understand Ingrid's feelings before her suicide, and gives her an insight into her friend that she never had before. As Ingrid writes, you're looking for answers but there are no answers. When Caitlin returns in the fall, she meets Dylan, a new girl at school who slowly becomes her friend, and Maddy, Dylan's girlfriend who also helps Caitlin recover after her tragedy. Caitlin also gets to know Jayson, the boy Ingrid had a crush on, and forms her own crush on Taylor, the popular boy who's not a stereotype. Her photography teacher Ms. Delani starts the year off by ignoring Caitlin completely, but then reaches out to her after accepting that she has not handled her grief over Ingrid, her favourite and most promising student, appropriately. Ms. Delani then surprises Caitlin by saying that she is also one of her favourite students.
I really liked this book. It was well written, sensitive to the delicate subject matter, and it made me feel things. This is always a good sign. I understood Caitlin, the main character, and I rooted for her throughout the whole book as she tried to deal with her grief. What she did with Ingrid's diary was risky, but I think it made sure people still had pieces of Ingrid whilst giving Caitlin closure. She had some unusual coping mechanisms and sometimes she was a bit annoying - especially when she fell out with Dylan for no reason - but she really was torn apart by the loss of her best friend. The supporting characters were well-rounded and three-dimensional, but I wanted more Taylor page-time! He obviously cared a lot for Caitlin and I liked how she gradually opened up to him more over the course of the book. At first I didn't really like Ingrid, but then as more of her story was told and her character developed, I really felt for her and what she was feeling. Nina LaCour really got under her skin and made her presence deeply felt, despite her being an absent character. She wasn't defined by her suicide and I liked that.
Nina LaCour's writing was incredible; it was sparse but got straight to the point. The only time there was much description was when Caitlin was talking about her hobbies; photography and building her treehouse. Her treehouse sounded amazing! Caitlin's love for photography was so clear. She obviously felt a deep connection to Ingrid when taking and developing pictures. What she did for her final photography project was so heartbreaking, but also hopeful at the same time.
Overall, this was a haunting, compelling debut, and I look forward to reading Nina LaCour's most recent novel, The Disenchantments, in the near future.

Rating: A+

"Revived" by Cat Patrick

Description from the book:

The world fades to nothing, and before I have the chance to think another thought... I'm dead.
My name is Daisy West and my whole life is a lie. I have died five times. I've been Revived five times. With each revival comes a new name, a new town... a new life. 

But this time I won't let myself die. This time, I've found a love that I can't let go. This time, I'm going to make my life my own. 



After reading Cat Patrick's debut Forgotten last year, I had high hopes for Revived. Whilst I didn't enjoy it as much as Forgotten, it was still an engaging and thought provoking read. 

The novel starts with fifteen year old Daisy dying for the fifth time. She's part of a top-secret government program that tests a drug called Revive which can bring people back when they have died. Daisy is one of the cases and she has been revived five times. She lives with two government agents, Mason and Cassie, who act as her "parents" to the outside world. After she dies for the fifth time and is consequently revived, the Appleby "family" move to Omaha, Nebraska, and change their surname (as they do every time they are relocated) to West. Daisy starts at a new school and meets new friends, namely siblings Audrey and Matt McKean. Matt and Daisy have a sweet romance, but Audrey is hiding something that changes Daisy's view of Revive, life, and death. 
At first I found it difficult to connect with Daisy; she was so passive and flippant in the beginning, like, "oh, I've just died, but it's okay, there's a drug that'll save me, like always". At some point, probably when she and Audrey became closer, something clicked and I ended up really liking Daisy. Audrey was a lovely character, so cheerful despite her fate, and her story really was heartbreaking. I'd have liked to have known more about her and what her life was like before Daisy came to Omaha, though. Matt was totally swoon-worthy, and surprisingly realistic in such a situation. I really enjoyed reading about his relationship with Daisy as it unfolded, and some of the things they said/thought about each other were so cute! 
I really liked Daisy's relationship with Mason, her pretend father. They obviously cared a lot about each other and was really pleased when they got stronger towards the end, after all that happened with the program. Her friendship with Megan was cool, and I wanted to read their blog!
I also appreciate the talent that Cat Patrick has for writing creepy and sinister characters, namely Cassie and "God". She really made me feel quite uncomfortable in some scenes, and I thought twice about reading this at night! 
The only problem I had with this book, and it is quite a large one, is that it took a while to read, despite it being only 326 pages. I think this was because it dragged a little at times when there wasn't much going on plot-wise, but the stuff written in those pages was necessary to the outcome of the story.
Overall, an interesting and satisfying read from Cat Patrick, who I will definitely be reading more of, despite the moments when it seemed a little slow.


Rating: A-

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Description from Goodreads:

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.


I first spotted this on a book blog, and I liked the sound of it. Eventually, I got it, and it stayed on my TBR shelf for a while, until finally I picked it up and started reading. Let me tell you, I was hooked from page one. The writing was like nothing I'd ever experienced before, and Hazel was an engaging, empathetic character who I wanted to be my friend. Unlike so many YA characters, she was intelligent, which is something that authors say their characters are, but don't give much proof of. But anyway, Hazel was funny (I love John Green's humour!) and she loved reading, something which I identify greatly with ( :D !!). Augustus Waters - excuse me while I swoon - was like the jelly to Hazel's peanut butter. They just clicked, and they got each other immediately. Augustus was so sweet and clever and funny and generally gorgeous that I hope there's an Augustus out there for me ;-) Their whole relationship was beautifully done. The thing about this book is that you think it's going to go one way, and then there's a massive twist halfway though and it goes the other way completely, and my heart just broke for Hazel and Augustus, because really, it was so unfair. They really were star-crossed lovers. This book made me laugh and cry all at once, which is a sign of a really excellent book, don't you think? If you haven't read this one, I suggest you go out and buy it right now - you won't regret it. 
I've since purchased one of John Green's other novels, Paper Towns, so expect a review in the near future. P.S. here is one of my favourite passages, a conversation between Hazel and Augustus, to show you what I mean: 
“May I see you again?" he asked. There was an endearing nervousness in his voice.
I smiled. "Sure."
"Tomorrow?" he asked.
"Patience, grasshopper," I counseled. "You don't want to seem overeager. 
"Right, that's why I said tomorrow," he said. "I want to see you again tonight. But I'm willing to wait all night and much of tomorrow." I rolled my eyes. "I'm serious," he said. 
"You don't even know me," I said. I grabbed the book from the center console. "How about I call you when I finish this?"
"But you don't even have my phone number," he said.
"I strongly suspect you wrote it in this book." 
He broke out into that goofy smile. "And you say we don't know each other.”


Rating: A+

"The Anti-Prom" by Abby McDonald

Description from Goodreads:

Popular girl Bliss Merino is ready to have the perfect prom. But when she catches her boyfriend making out with her best friend in the back of the limo, she has only one thought: revenge...Bad girl Jolene Nelson is the last person anyone expected to see at prom. Yet here she is, dressed in pink ruffles and feeling like a fool for believing that he would actually show up...Meg Rose Zuckerman is ready to stop being a wallflower and start experiencing life firsthand. But when her date stands her up, she finds herself on the outside yet again...

The Anti-Prom was a straight-up fun read that I liked. It's basically the story of three high school girls from three different 'echelons' of popularity, "bad girl" Jolene, a senior, who has family trouble and wants to get away to college, Bliss, a junior, who's popular and spoiled, who wants to get revenge on her cheating boyfriend, and Meg, also a junior, who is recovering from a tragedy and just wants to be brave. The book starts with Bliss finding her ass-hat boyfriend Cameron cheating with one of her slutty friends, and so she plans a night of revenge against the girl, but wants it all to be low-key because she's so obsessed with popularity that she doesn't want to leave the clique that she's worked so hard to be part of. I didn't really like Bliss for most of the book, as she came across as being snobby and spiteful, but there were a few times when she was generally nice, and more than a few times when she deserved a slap. She was downright nasty to Meg at one point. However, her tactics to get revenge were rather amusing, if slightly unbelievable, but hey, that's what fiction's about, right?

Jolene was the rebel who wanted to escape town, and I identified with that part of her. She was pretty dislikable though too, at times. Her romantic storyline was cool, and believable, and I really rooted for her and Dante to work out their problems. Her issues with her father and his new family were also well-written and truthful. 

Meg was the character I most identified with, even though at times I thought she was a doormat. She wanted friends, but she didn't know how to make them, and was pretty whiny about it, but aren't we all? Her romance with Scott was cute and I wanted to know their story after the book finished. 

Not all problems were resolved, but I liked the way the book ended, and how Abby McDonald left her characters. Overall, a likable and funny book from an author I'll be reading more of.

Rating: B+ 

"The Nature of Jade" by Deb Caletti

Description from Goodreads:
"I am not my illness. 'Girl with Anxiety,' 'Trauma of the Week' -- no. I hate stuff like that. Everyone, everyone has their issue. But the one thing my illness did make me realize is how necessary it is to ignore the dangers of living in order to live. And how much trouble you can get into if you can't."
Jade DeLuna is too young to die. She knows this, and yet she can't quite believe it, especially when the terrifying thoughts, loss of breath, and dizzy feelings come. Since being diagnosed with Panic Disorder, she's trying her best to stay calm, and visiting the elephants at the nearby zoo seems to help. That's why Jade keeps the live zoo webcam on in her room, and that's where she first sees the boy in the red jacket. A boy who stops to watch the elephants. A boy carrying a baby.

His name is Sebastian, and he is raising his son alone. Jade is drawn into Sebastian's cozy life with his son and his activist grandmother on their Seattle houseboat, and before she knows it, she's in love. With this boy who has lived through harder times than anyone she knows. This boy with a past.

Jade knows the situation is beyond complicated, but she hasn't felt this safe in a long time. She owes it all to Sebastian, her boy with the great heart. Her boy who is hiding a terrible secret. A secret that will force Jade to decide between what is right, and what feels right.


After seeing this book in America a couple of years ago, I knew I wanted to read it, but I had to wait to get my Kindle in order to do so. Jade was a character I knew I could connect with, not just because she had anxiety, but because she felt like a real teenage girl. In so many books, real girls don't exist. Their lives revolve around parties and boys and gossip, and they don't think about wider issues. Jade was one of those people who thinks about more than her life. She thought about others.

Jade and Sebastian were a great couple together, and Bo was the cutest! I knew I wanted their story to have a happy ending, and so I was a bit surprised by it being rather abrupt. Also, the "terrible secret" that Sebastian was hiding didn't come across as being that terrible, to be honest. In a way, I kind of expected it, even though it sort of came out of nowhere.
The other characters were great and well developed, like Damian, Oliver, Jade's father, and her friends at school. But, I really could not stand Jade's mother! She didn't think about her daughter at all, really, and she seemed quite self-centred and annoying. I think this added to the story though, and made it more realistic.
Overall, a really great story about a girl growing up and figuring out life for herself.


Rating: A

"Breaking Beautiful" by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Description from Goodreads:

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.


After receiving a Kindle for my birthday, I immediately downloaded quite a few books that I knew I couldn't buy in the UK (English publishers suck). Breaking Beautiful was one of them. It immediately caught my eye on the book blogs and Goodreads, and I couldn't wait for it to come out so I could read it. 
Allie was a really great character. She actually felt like a person, and her voice spoke to me. I think I read about twenty chapters in one day, I was that desperate to finish it and find out what happened in the end. The murder mystery really reeled me in, and the ending wasn't what I expected at all. I had all these ideas and clues about what happened and who did it, and then it turned out it didn't happen like that.
Jennifer Shaw Wolf really created some wonderful characters in her debut. Allie and Blake had a fab relationship, and it really moved me to see their feelings change and their personalities grow. Allie's brother Andrew was also fantastic, and my heart ached for him when Allie described what their lives could have been like. Caitlyn, James, Angie, Allie's parents, and Trip's parents were all good secondary characters with different characterisations, but I really hated Trip and everything that he put Allie through. 
In conclusion, an amazing debut from a talented new author which kept me on the edge of my seat, and churned my emotions like a whirlpool! I can't wait for Jennifer Shaw Wolf's next novel, Shards of Glass!


Rating: A+

"The Duff" by Kody Keplinger

Description from the book:
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper knows she's not the hottest girl at school, but when school jock and resident moron Wesley casually refers to her as a Duff - Designated Ugly Fat Friend - the gloves are off! If there's a thin line between love and hate then Bianca has crossed it. She just never thought she was capable of breaking anyone's heart...


I never thought this one would come out in the UK, but eventually it did and I'm very pleased. The Duff was a great book, full of laughs, hot guys and advice. Bianca was refreshing - I'm not used to reading books with main characters like her in them. She was sassy, realistic, witty, and she wasn't afraid of being herself. Yet, this also hid her insecurities about herself, which loads of girls have, and when Wesley really plays on those insecurities, well, "the gloves are off!".
Her best friends, Jessica and Casey, were nice and likable, but I didn't understand why Bianca felt she had to keep so much from them. She knew she wasn't perfect, but the way she kept secrets from them made me think she thought she had to be...? Anyway, at first I thought Wesley was awful too, but my heart thawed like Bianca's did. I'm glad it wasn't instant either, because that would have been totally unrealistic. Their relationship was weird at first, but then it got better, and then she started going out with another guy, but I don't really understand what she liked about him, or why they were together, really. He was like, the total opposite of Bianca, whereas Wesley really got her sense of humour and she could be herself around him. I really liked the ending - it was really sweet!
Overall, The Duff was a fab read with just the right mix of humour, romance, and realism.


Rating: A-