The Night We Said Yes - Review

The Night We Said Yes

By: Lauren Gibaldi

Expected Publication: June 16th 2015 by Harper Teen

304 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--A fun, romantic read, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Susane Colasanti!

Before Matt, Ella had a plan. Get over a no-good ex-boyfriend. Graduate from high school without any more distractions. Move away from Orlando, Florida, where she’s lived her entire life.

But Matt—the cute, shy, bespectacled bass player who just moved to town—was never part of that plan.

And neither was attending a party that was crashed by the cops just minutes after they arrived. Or spending an entire night saying “yes” to every crazy, fun thing they could think of.

Then Matt abruptly left town, and he broke not only Ella’s heart but those of their best friends, too. So when he shows up a year later with a plan of his own—to relive the night that brought them together—Ella isn’t sure whether Matt’s worth a second chance. Or if re-creating the past can help them create a different future.

In alternating then and now chapters, debut author Lauren Gibaldi crafts a charming, romantic story of first loves, lifelong friendships, uncovered secrets, and, ultimately, finding out how to be brave.

The Night We Said Yes is another one of those books where I feel like the description is slightly off. I’ve never read Sarah Dessen or Susane Colasanti so I can’t speak to the comparison there. But the next paragraph says that “Before Matt, Ella had a plan.” Um…not really. Sure, “Get over a no-good ex-boyfriend” maybe have been a thought in her head, but it didn’t really seem like there was much of a plan there. But “Graduate without any more distractions. Move away from Orlando, Floriday, where’s she’s lived her entire life,” didn’t really appear in the form of a plan until “After Matt.” This big “plan” that the description speaks of just didn’t really exist. Yeah, Ella’s more low-key and laid-back than her best friend, Meg, but Ella and Meg seem to regularly go out to parties and such. Most of those parties don’t get broken up by the cops, but it’s not like Ella was this cookie-cutter, organized, plan follower at this point.

One things the description does have right is that The Night We Said Yes basically takes place in the span of two nights. There’s the “then” night when Ella and Matt meet. Ella, Meg, Meg’s on-again-off-again boyfriend Jake, and Matt spend the night saying “yes” to just about anything that’s suggested. And then there’s the “now” night when Matt shows back up in town and he wants to relive the night that he and Ella met in hopes of reconnecting with her. What the description fails to indicate is that there was a length of time between when Matt comes to town and he and Ella develop a relationship and when he leaves thus breaking her heart. I think the description is a little misleading and might have some readers worried about insta-love. While there is insta-attraction, Ella and Matt definitely start a relationship the first night they meet, there’s also a span of about 6 months that they have to continue to learn about each other and grow their feelings and their relationship before Matt leaves.

I’ve often commented in reviews that books that bounce back and forth chronologically aren’t usually my favorites. In the case of The Night We Said Yes the two events that book bounces back and forth between are so paralleled since Matt is attempting to relive that first night that I didn’t feel like I was getting jerked in and out of two different storylines. The two nights were different enough that I didn’t feel like I was re-reading the same events really, but they were similar enough to feel cohesive and were really about reaching one end goal.

I felt like each of the main characters were really well created. Jake and Meg have a relationship that only they understand. I’m like Ella. I don’t think I could ever be in a relationship like that myself, but yet I found myself rooting for them to work things out. Ella’s trying to get over her heartbreak over Matt leaving. And really it wasn’t so much that he left as that he didn’t make any effort to stay in contact after he left. And he didn’t even have the courage to break up with her before he left. She’s not sure that she can open her heart to him again. Matt is put in the position of a rock and a hard place. I don’t want to give anything about his situation or his reasons away. I don’t know if I fully agree with his choices either way, but I guess I can understand them. In the end, it feels like what matters is that he came back.

Favorite quotes:

-Meg still kind of hates me for my decision, in that best friend sort of way that makes me feel loved.

-Unofficially she may be in charge of protecting me from bullies, but I’m in charge of protecting her from herself.

-I can feel the air between us, both pushing us apart and pulling us in.

The Night We Said Yes was deeper and more enjoyable than I expected it to be. I did actually tear up at one part, but I know for a fact that it was because of the hormones. Sure, it was an emotional scene, but I would have never cried or even teared up over that if I weren’t pregnant. This was a cute, fast, and fun read. The Night We Said Yes gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read The Night We Said Yes? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 153 & Stacking the Shelves - 110

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Seems like I've been on a roller coaster lately. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with hormones. Thursday as I was working from home I witnessed something horrible. We had a bird nest on our patio, and the little babies hatched earlier in the week. They were merely days old. I had the blinds open on the patio doors and saw the mom and dad freaking out outside. So I go to the window and what do I see? A rat snake eating my baby birds! I freaked out. I wasn't sure it was a rat snake at first. It has very similar coloring and markings as a rattlesnake. Rattlesnakes were very common where I grew up so that was my first thought. I would have gone out to help the babies, but I was afraid of what getting bit by a poisonous snake would do to my own little one. But I cried...boy did I cry. I couldn't get my husband on the phone and scared the pants off of one of my friends when I called her in hysterics. I realize that this is all just part of the circle of life. Snakes have to eat too. But that was a traumatic experience for me. I'm sensitive to babies of all kinds right now. And I don't know how much emotion the mom and dad bird feel but they were doing their best (along with about 15 of their friends) to scare that snake away from their babies and after he left they would both fly to the nest to check things out. So I know they know their babies are gone. It broke my heart.

On a happier note, Friday at work they served us Nancy's Italian Ice as a treat. I got watermelon and it was delicious. Oh and my birthday is a week from today. So that's exciting.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks, # 1) by Miranda Kenneally (4 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Anticipated Remaining Releases of 2015
Wednesday: Waiting on Scorched (Frigid, # 2) by Jennifer L Armentrout
Thursday: Review of Paper Towns by John Green (3.5-4 Stars)
Saturday:Discussions Only We Know: Taking Notes

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi
Tuesday: Top Ten Summer 2015 TBR List
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: Review of Stealing Parker (Hundred Oaks, # 2) by Miranda Kenneally

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2015 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Champion (Legend, # 3)

By: Marie Lu

Published: November 5th 2013 by Putnam Juvenile (first published January 1st 2013)

369 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian

Source: Borrowed from library

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*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

Velvet Undercover

By: Teri Brown

Expected Publication: October 20th 2015 by Balzer + Bray

336 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Spy, Thriller, Mystery

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

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*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Samantha Donaldson’s family has always done its duty for the British Crown. In the midst of World War I, seventeen-year-old Sam follows in their footsteps, serving her country from the homefront as a Girl Guide and messenger for the intelligence organization MI5. After her father disappears on a diplomatic mission, she continues their studies of languages, high-level mathematics, and complex puzzles and codes, hoping to make him proud.

When Sam is asked to join the famed women’s spy group La Dame Blanche she’s torn—this could be the adventure she’s dreamed of, but how can she abandon her mother, who has already lost a husband to the war? But when her handlers reveal shocking news, Sam realizes there’s no way she can refuse the exciting and dangerous opportunity.

Her acceptance leads her straight into the heart of enemy territory on a mission to extract the most valuable British spy embedded in Germany, known to the members of LDB only as Velvet. Deep undercover within the court of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Samantha must navigate the labyrinthine palace and its many glamorous—and secretive—residents to complete her assignment. To make matters worse she finds herself forming a forbidden attraction to the enemy-a dangerously handsome German guard. In a place where personal politics are treacherously entangled in wartime policy, can Samantha discover the truth and find Velvet before it’s too late…for them both?

From author Teri Brown comes the thrilling story of one girl’s journey into a deadly world of spycraft and betrayal—with unforgettable consequences.

The Lies About Truth

By: Courtney C Stevens

Expected Publication: November 3rd 2015 by HarperTeen

336 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

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*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Sadie Kingston, is a girl living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.

As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she's unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him — even if Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. But when the truth about the accident and subsequent events comes to light, Sadie has to decide if she can embrace the future or if she'll always be trapped in the past.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Discussions Only We Know: Taking Notes

Discussions Only We Know

Taking Notes

Have you ever read a book and then a week later you can’t remember anything about it? This can be a real problem when it comes to reviewing books. If you can’t remember the details of the book when it comes time to write you review, then how do you actually review it? Personally, I try to review each book within 24-48 hours after finishing each one. This helps the details stay fresh in my mind, and it also keeps me from getting backed up on reviews and having to review 10 books in one sitting.

When I read physical books all the time, the idea of highlighting and making notes in the book was enough to make me want to vomit. I’ve never had the nicest handwriting and drawing a straight line is impossible. So underlining, highlighting, and making notes in a physical book is always a big fat no-no for me. In the past, I would often take notes in a notebook, but that can sometimes be laborious and stops the flow of reading. Plus carrying an extra notebook around with me isn’t ideal. However, when ebooks rolled around, I loved the added bonus of being able to highlight passages and make notes without “messing up” the book itself. I’m sure all ereaders have some function that will do this, but I’m only familiar with the way kindle does this.

Now I make notes all the time. And doing so has really helped me in writing my reviews. I no longer go to write my review of a book and think “what was that book even about?” Or at least if I do think something similar, I just refer back to my notes. Well truthfully, I refer to my notes whether I remember the details of the book or not. Sometimes the only “notes” I have are a few highlighted passages. But sometimes I actually do type notes and save them. Highlighting alone allows me to go back to specific parts of the book that I wanted to remember and usually spur my exact thoughts from the original reading without the added need for my thoughts to be written down. But sometimes I want to make a prediction or note something specific that might not be obvious from the text highlighted.

I’d gotten so used to being able to take notes and highlight in my kindle that when I started using the elibrary (Overdrive Media Console/Camilla.Net) I found myself annoyed that I couldn’t do either. Granted this makes a little sense because you’re not saving the books you check out from the elibrary onto your device. Instead you only have those books temporarily. So in order to adapt, I started taking screen shots with my phone of anything I would have highlighted. With my phone, I can make notes on the “back” of each photo, but this isn’t exactly ideal either. Usually, I just take the screen shot and hope that re-reading the passage when it comes time to write my review will be enough to spark my initial thoughts and remind me about what I wanted to say to begin with.

Naturally taking screen shots of books I borrowed from elibrary made me realize that I could utilize this tool for physical books as well. I can’t take a screen shot, but I can take a picture of the page I’m reading for reference later. That helps me in two ways for physical books. Once I finish a physical book, I want it to return to the proper place on my bookshelf immediate (or return it to the owner that I borrowed it from). So on top of keeping track of the pages I want to reference in my reviews, it also prevents me from needing the actual physical book with me when I write my review. I simply refer to the pictures on my phone for my notes.

Using these tools in the ways mentioned above has really covered all of my note-taking needs and helped me remember what I want to say and the things I want to address about each book when writing my review.

What about you guys? Do you take notes for book reviews or do you rely on your memory alone? Are you okay with writing/highlighting/underlining in physical books? Or is that taboo for you? Do you utilize the highlighting and notes function on your ereader? Or not so much? Have you used your phone’s camera or screenshot abilities in the same way? What other techniques do you use for taking notes while reading? I’m really curious if you guys have some better ideas than I’ve been using. What do you think? Let me know!

Paper Towns - Review

Paper Towns

By: John Green

Published: September 22nd 2009 by Speak (first published October 1st 2008)

305 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Borrowed from library

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Goodreads description--Who is the real Margo?

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew...

Sometimes when I read a book I know exactly what I want to say about it. And then there are other times when I finish a book and I have a hard time deciding what to say. Paper Towns is one of those books that I don’t know what or how much to say.

Quentin and Margo grew up living next door to each other. They played together when they were younger, but as happens, they grew apart as they got older. They have different friends and travel in different circles at school. But Quentin’s always watched Margo from afar. And he’s had a crush on her since they were little. So what the description doesn’t say, but I don’t think is a spoiler is that after Margo drags Quentin out for a night of pranks and revenge, she disappears. This isn’t the first time she’s run away so her parents don’t seem all that concerned. But Quentin follows the clues that Margo left for him determined to find her and show her that he gets her even if she’s different from the way he always imagined her to be.

Quentin was solely absorbed with his task of finding Margo. He recruits his two best friends and even one of Margo’s friends to join in the hunt and help him figure out the clues, but no one is as obsessed about this mission as Quentin is. I imagine it would be difficult to look the other way when the clues Margo left are so perfectly geared to Quentin, so I understand why he took on this quest. Quentin was a typical teenage boy without being annoying. He didn’t solely focus his thoughts on sex like most teenage boys. And I appreciated that he wasn’t really much of a partier. I liked him. I connected to him.

Margo…well…I struggled with connecting to her completely. She’s absent for the majority of the book, but in the beginning during the night of revenge and pranks, I couldn’t fully connect with her, and in the end I found that I didn’t really like her very much at all. Quentin realizes how little of the real Margo anyone has seen and while I think there’s a more philosophical depth to this idea (that no one can ever fully be known by another), Margo chose not to reveal herself to those around her. If she found herself alone or annoyed with those around her then this was a bed of her own making. Ultimately, she was a bit of a brat.

The side characters were pretty flushed out. Ben was supposed to be the humorous one, but I guess I didn’t connect to his sense of humor as much as I would have liked. He used the word “honeybunny” entirely too much. Although thankfully, once he received any real female attention I don’t think the word appeared again. Radar is the more nerdy of the group. He’s all internet focused, and he really felt the most solid of the group of boys. I do wish we had gotten to see more of Angela as I think she might have added to the story. And then Lacey wasn’t as anyone expected her to be which I loved. Whereas Margo didn’t end up being as enjoyable of a characters as I would have liked, Lacey on the other hand was a nice surprise.

The story itself was a bit slow for me. Whereas The Fault in Our Stars had me hooked and laughing out loud by page 19, I was more than 40% into Paper Towns before I felt invested. And even after that point, the story seemed to progress a little on the slow side for me. John Green’s writing was still good—smooth, flowing, and well thought out. But I think overall I wasn’t blown away. I wouldn’t really call Paper Towns a coming of age story, but it had a similar vibe. I guess this is one of those “it’s all about the journey” stories.

Favorite quotes:

-“MAMA! DAD! ROBBERY ROBBERY!” I wanted to say, The only thing we stole was your eyebrow…

-“I didn’t need you, you idiot. I picked you. And then you picked me back. … And that’s like a promise. At least for tonight. In sickness and in health. In good times and in bad. For richer, for poorer. Till dawn do us part.”

-“I think Chuck Parson had a textbook strapped to his stomach.” “Those are called abs,” I told him. “Oh, yeah. I’ve heard of those.”

-“As far as I can tell, there are two basic rules: 1. Don’t bite anything without permission, and 2. The human tongue is like wasabi: it’s very powerful, and should be used sparingly.”

-“Nothing ever happens like you imagine it will,” she says.

-“…you have to be careful which metaphor you choose, because it matters.”

Paper Towns was good, but I wasn’t blown away in that way I was with The Fault in Our Stars. I didn’t connect to Margo or the story as much as I would have liked. I feel like the philosophy behind this one might have overshadowed the story a bit. Yet, the writing was still good. So how do I rate Paper Towns if I liked the writing but not really the story itself. I don’t know. 3.5-4 Stars….somewhere in there. Have you read Paper Towns? What did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on Scorched

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Scorched (Frigid, # 2)

By: J Lynn

Expected Publication: June 16th 2015 by Spencer Hill Press

320 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

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*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Sometimes life leaves a mark.

Most days, Andrea doesn't know whether she wants to kiss Tanner or punch him in the gut. He is seriously hot, with legit bedroom eyes and that firefighter body of his, but he's a major player, and he never cuts her any slack.

But when her life spirals out of control, he's there for her. The only problem is, no one else can save her... only she can save herself.

I wasn't blown away by Frigid, but this one sounds better to me already. Hopefully it'll be a winner. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!