THIS REVIEW CONTAINTS SPOILERS!
Addition: Review paperback

Genre: Young adult, fantasy

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn’t until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might’ve been telling the truth.

With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed – and it’s one she’s not sure if she wants to be a part of.

This is the first book in The Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking and the series has a been a great hit in America. I received this as a review book from Think Jam. The novel was released on 5th January 2012 in the UK and is available on Amazon as a paperback and in a Kindle version.

The story follows Wendy; a girl with a very traumatic past. At the age of 6 her mother tries to kill her, claiming that she is not her daughter and that she is evil and a monster. Her mother is taken away to a psychiatric hospital and Wendy is raised by her brother Matt and her aunt Maggie. Wendy has never really fitted in, has always caused trouble and never settled at school. She has recently changed schools and her world is turned upside down when the weird boy who keeps staring at her – Finn Holmes – appears outside her bedroom window at 3am. What is particularly strange about this is that her bedroom is not on the ground floor. Earlier that evening they had been at the school dance and whilst dancing together Finn had said some horrid things. Upset by him, she uses the mind control powers that she has to persuade another classmate to drive her home. Finn realises what Wendy has done so turns up in the night to confront her and take her home – to the land of Trylle. It seems her mother had been right, Wendy is not of this world. It turns out she is a troll – not the kind you imagine hiding under bridges, but a beautiful, powerful woman, who is remarkably like a human. She does not want to leave Matt and Maggie and does not believe Finn until a few nights later she is attacked by trolls from a different tribe, who want to kidnap her. Rescued by Finn, she agrees to leave and to set up life as a troll. What she finds when she gets there completely surprises her – life is not what she imagined. She is the Princess, switched at birth to a wealthy family so that she will get a good education and a trust fund. All seems to be going well, until at her debutant ball her home is attacked, and they are after her…

I really enjoyed this book, in fact I read all of it this morning, in one sitting! It is not a long book – only 280ish pages long. The story is easy to follow, and very enjoyable. My favourite character was probably Matt. I loved how much he loved Wendy. He named her when she was born as their parents didn’t want her, and he has spent his life protecting her. I found Wendy an interesting character – and depending with who she was with, depended on what I thought about her! I found myself feeling sorry for her when she was with the Queen – her real mother – but when she was with Finn or Rhys – the human she was swapped with, I wasn’t so keen on her as she seemed to lead them both on. Finn had to grow on me too, as he was so hot and cold. I found that very frustrating!

Switched reminds me of both The Iron Fey Series and the Twilight Series. It reminded me of Twilight because of the house Wendy was taken too. Although the house in Switched is a lot bigger it was very modern – not what you would expect in this sort of novel – like in Twilight. I was reminded of the Iron Fey series for a number of reasons: – the lead character growing up in the human world; – the tracker being at school, like Puck; – and the lead character falling for the wrong guy, like Meghan falling for Puck.

This book is full of adventure, tense moments – the sort of “what is going to happen next” moments, a romance and a great plot. This is a young adult book, but such an enjoyable read anyway. I wasn’t keen on the swearing, especially as this is a young adult novel, but fortunately there wasn’t too much of that. This is a great book – it kept me gripped, and I’m still reflecting on it later on in the day. I will definiately be looking out for the next book in the series! This is well worth reading – especially if you like series like The Iron Fey Series.

Addition: Review e-book from Netgalley

Genre: Young adult, fantasy

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.
With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.
To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.
And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Review:

This is number four in the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa – and although perhaps not as good as the others, still a great read. I have been waiting what seems like an age for this book, and squealed when I received an email telling me it was available from Netgalley. This time the book is written from Ash’s point of view, not Meghan’s and we follow his story – barely getting a glance at what was happening in the Iron Realm. At the end of book three Meghan banishes Ash for his own safety – as fey he can’t survive in the Iron Realm. Yet he made her a promise: to be her knight. He loves her and is determined to keep this promise and the only way to do that is to become human. There is only one way to do this – go to the End of the World and complete the tasks. With the aid of Puck, Grim, the Big Bad Wolf and a seer, Ash sets off; but will he succeed? And if he does, will Meghan still love him?

I really enjoyed this book – although I missed Meghan. She does feature in the story, but not heavily. We walk with Ash and only glimpse Meghan and her world occasionally. I found this book to be more graphic and gory than the others – there seems to be more bloodshed in this adventure. Yet the book was exciting and fast paced. There doesn’t seem to be a dull moment in this story – once one foe is defeated, another seems to come along quite quickly. There is a lot of energy in this book which kept me hooked.

All the way through this series I have been Team Ash – and that didn’t change in this book either. It was nice to get a better look at Ash, although at times that was a touch heartbreaking. One trial he has to go through is examining his conscience and relieving everything he had ever done – all the hurt he had caused people. There were a few incidents described and it was sad that Ash is not the perfect prince I imagined him to be. This was an honest portrayal though and we saw his struggle with the anger and hate that come from being part of the Unseelie Court.

I loved Puck as well. Although I was always rooting from Ash, I loved that Puck stuck around and was there to help Ash because he loved Meghan so much. He is funny and kept me entertained throughout the book. There were other characters I liked too – Grim is fabulous. He is sarcastic, clever and I love how when trouble arises he vanishes! The Big Bad Wolf was entertaining too – I enjoyed the attitude between him and Grim.

There is a big surprise halfway through the book that I wasn’t expecting. It added to the book and Ash’s torment and made for some great reading! I won’t add in a spoiler but suffice to say – it was good and added another dimension to the story.

There were a couple of things I didn’t like about the book – I missed Meghan – she is a key character and we didn’t see a lot of her – and Kagawa’s writing seemed different – simple and sometimes not completely engaging. However, the good completely overthrows the bad, and this is a great read and a great instalment to this series.

Addition: Review book, paperback

Genre: Young adult, chick lit

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis:

This is the diary of Remy Louise Bennet, age 17-1/2. Remy Louise Bennet has one goal in life – to be a WAG. And as every true wannabe WAG knows, there are rules. One: pretend you don’t know he’s a footballer. Two: Don’t get drunk (or he won’t trust you while he’s off on pre-season tour). Three: Never dispute a thing his mum says (they worship their mums). When Remy starts dating Netherfield Park Rangers’ Robbie Wilkins (not Premiership, but good for starters), it seems like all her dreams have come true. Or have they? Remy soon realizes that being a WAG isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, that Robbie’s balls aren’t quite so golden…and that maybe there are smarter dreams to pursue. Michelle has already participated in workshops with The Reading Agency up and down the country, promoting literacy among teenage girls and encouraging them to aspire beyond the WAG myth. Michelle is an ex-EastEnders star, chart-topping pop diva and popular TV celebrity.

I was sent this book by publisher’s Walker Books UK. It is written by Michelle Gayle – ex-Eastender and WAG. Walker Books say:

“The ex-WAG, actress and singer has now turned her hand to storytelling as part of her mission to empower young girls and remind them that there is more to life than bagging a boyfriend. Shocked to hear that 2/3 of teen girls’ career plans involved marrying a footballer, Michelle set out to write a book that provided a realistic view of being a WAG without judging or patronising the girls she was writing for. The result is an honest, stylish and sassy reminder that marrying a footballer doesn’t always mean a happily-ever-after ending and that it’s far smarter to pursue your own career than to rely on Prince Charming.”

This story follows Remy – a 17 year old who, with the help of her older sister Malibu wants to marry a footballer. Malibu has rules and guidelines for this and on the first night they go out Remy meets Robbie. He seems interested in her and she is happy to be pursued. We see her at work – a beauty salon – and at home. We watch how Malibu dates a footballer; and someone she has as a back up, Boring Roger. The story follows several months of Remy’s life, as things fall apart at home, get serious with Robbie and the decisions she makes in life.

This book is written in diary form. I didn’t find this a problem as most entries were fairly long. The language is simple and easy to follow. I didn’t feel challenged by this book but that was OK. It was a gentle and quick read.

I found this book quite addictive. Although the storyline is not amazing – to be honest it is simple and fairly predictable – I was hooked. I read this book in about half a day. I didn’t mind the characters, although both Remy and Malibu were fairly shallow. They made for good reading however. I was intrigued, I wanted to know what was going to happen to them. I was a little disappointed with how Malibu’s storyline ended – it was unfinished but she settled for the seemingly shallow life of a WAG. Remy did end up with a nice man, but he too was a footballer. It felt like the message Gayle was sending was that once you are in that life, you can’t escape.

I know Gayle was a WAG and that she wanted to write this book to let girls know how life really is for WAGs, but to be honest it felt quite stereotypical: spending lots of money and cheating, controlling, angry footballers. It didn’t feel like there was a lot of insight into this world – and for some, the idea of living in a huge house with endless money will appeal to them. I’m not sure that Gayle has achieved her aim of warning girls of what this life is like.

I have rated this book 3 out of 5 because to be honest, it isn’t that good but it I was hooked. I was intrigued and my attention was held throughout the book. I developed an empathy for Remy and what is going on with her family and the life she got sucked into. This was a quick read and I think will appeal to teenage girls.

REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

Addition: Review e-book from NetGalley

Genre: Young adult chick-lit

Rating: 3 out of 5

Synopsis:

Self-proclaimed nobody CG Silverman sees her move to an upscale new school as her chance to be somebody different. Her devil-may-care attitude attracts the in-clique, and before CG realizes it, a routine game of truth or dare launches her to iconic status.

While this rebel image helps secure CG’s newfound popularity, it also propels her through a maze of unprecedented chaos, with each new lie and every dare opening doors that, in most cases, were better off left shut.

CG is on a collision course with disaster. Will she be able to keep up the façade? Or will the whole world find out she’s a fraud?

I read this book a little while ago, and to be honest, not a lot of it has stuck with me. This is a book that I easily read in a day and have not thought about since.

CG moves schools and by accident – a comment muttered in response to a teacher lands her in the “in-crowd”. All of a sudden, she has a façade to keep up. This leads to lies and lies – and then more lies. She becomes out of control – lying about how she used to be an alcoholic – even though she is 15! – and how far she has gone in relationships. She starts an online relationship with an English teacher and things just spiral out of control. Of course, once the web of lies is spun so deep the only way out is the truth – and inevitably this is what happens. CG’s parents find out what she has been doing and saying and the world is put to rights again.

Like I said at the beginning, this book hasn’t really stayed with me since reading. It is a simple story, that took me an afternoon to read. I didn’t really like the characters – I can’t stand lying and I never like the “popular” characters. They are so fake and cruel. Why did I keep reading? I guess because I wanted to see what would happen. It was not surprise that the truth came out and CG was humiliated – part of me thinks she deserved it – that is one lesson learnt. I didn’t like CG really. She started the story with an I-don’t-care attitude and transformed into something hideous.

Does this reflect school? Not the crowd I hung around in! I don’t know – I went to school in the UK and was not in the “cool crowd” so I don’t know if people acted like this. From what you see in American TV shows/films e.g. Glee and Mean Girls, one gets the impression that high school is all about being popular. If that is really the case than CG’s attempts to fit in are realistic. I couldn’t believe the lies she told – especially about being an alcoholic. How could anyone believe that?! From that aspect, this book isn’t particularly life-like.

I’ve given this book 3 out of 5 because it was a story that gripped me to the end – I just wanted to see how Rech would finish the story. Sadly, not the greatest book but if you want a light, teenage read this is for you.

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Addition: Review e-book from NetGalley

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

This is the first book in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series by Jackie Kessler. The first horseman she has chosen is Famine. Lisa is tasked with this job when after months of struggling with bulimia she overdoses on medication her Mum has. Whilst unconscious she is visited by Death, who offers her two choices: die, or live as Famine. In a confused state she chooses the latter. When she wakes up she sees the scales and her horse but thinks she is just having a breakdown. When she finally realises what is going on she is in for a shock. She travels to places were people are gorging on food, and places where children are starving. She has to learn to control her rage, find a way to help those with nothing and face up to, and fight War – a dominating and intimidating lady. Will she ever stop being Famine? What will happen to her and her health if she does?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked Lisa a lot. I felt so sorry that she was having eating-related issues. This is a big problem in Western society, and I think Kessler deals with the issue well – she addresses the way it can manifest, the thoughts the person has, what it can lead to and the effect it has on others. It was thoughtful and provoking. Of course, her solution to the problem, making Lisa famine, isn’t realistic but I thought it was great that Lisa overcomes her problems and is willing to accept help and counselling.

I thought the story was very good. It is full of different, eccentric characters – such as Death, who sat on his horse singing. He just made me laugh! There were some characters who we needed to get to know before we liked – such as Lisa’s Mum, some characters who were a bad influence, such as her bulimic friend and others who were just lovely, like her Dad. This range of characters added depth and interest to the book.

This is a fantasy young adult book, but one I enjoyed very much. It was well written and researched. It took me a couple of days to read through. I laughed, enjoyed the storyline, and could have cried in some places. Really worth reading.

Addition: Review e-book from NetGalley

Genre: Young adult, chick-lit

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

This girl is different… That’s what Evie has always told herself—and it’s true. Home-schooled by her counter culture mom, she’s decided to see what high school is like for the first time—for her senior year. And what a year it is.

As it turns out, it’s not just Evie who’s Different. Lots of people are. Many of her assumptions about others are turned on their heads as she makes friends with kids her own age for the first time, discovers what’s good and what’s bad about high school, and learns lessons about power and its abuse—both by the administration and by Evie herself.

Review:

This is the first novel by JJ Johnson I have read, and I really enjoyed it. It is classed as young adult, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was pacey, exciting and gripping. I read this book as fast as I read Therapy, and although they are completely different, they both had my heart racing, had me wondering what was going to happen.

This is the story of Evie, a girl who is about to enter her final year at high school – although this will also be her first year at high school, as she was home-schooled, both by herself using the internet and her mother, a wonderful, slightly eccentric character who likes to move around. We first meet Evie out by the river, drawing a snake she caught after she has fallen and sprained her ankle. Cue Raja and Jacinda, cousins who are walking past and help Evie. Their friendship blossoms and becomes a key storyline throughout the book. Along with Evie, and the havoc she causes at school. She doesn’t know what to expect but the regimental and sometimes unfair school system causes her to act radically, and as a result, secrets come out and the school is turned to chaos. Her relationships are jeopardised, as is her opportunity to go to her chosen university. Will she be able to set things right, whilst changing what was wrong?

As I said, I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun novel about high-school. I can’t say how realistic it is, one girl coming in and shaking a whole school – certainly wouldn’t have happened at my secondary school, but it was a fascinating read. Evie stands up to teachers who bully students, teachers who have relationships with students outside of school – platonic or not, and she takes on the school about their mobile phone policy, the food and the fact the students are not allowed outside. Her, Rajas and Jacinda set up a blog, and chaos ensues. It might not be realistic, but it was a great read. I was hooked from the beginning, fascinated, and wondered if schools in America are really as bad as this novel makes them out to be?

Johnson seems to be addressing the lack of democracy in schools. Should students be allowed to have a say about every matter concerning school? Should they even have to go? It was interesting, and some things I agreed with – like the fact they should be allowed outside and the canteen should serve healthy food, but other stuff I found myself disagreeing with. I found myself entering into the debate, even as I read, which is a sign of a good book to me.

I liked all the characters. Evie was different, not afraid to stand out. Maybe without Rajas and Jacinda she wouldn’t have made any friends, but I liked her individuality. Rajas and Jacinda were very well written. I liked how they interacted with each other – and their mood swings seemed very realistic. Martha – Evie’s mum was a strange character. I didn’t like that Evie didn’t call her “Mum” but I loved that Martha was there for Evie all the way through. The headmaster is the other character who stuck out for me. He reminded me of Headmaster Chartleston from Gilmore Girls! He seemed to give Evie a lot of freedom and often support – which I found hard to believe given the state the school was slipping into.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and exhilarating. The ending wasn’t a total surprise, but then this isn’t a thriller, it is a young-adult novel full of school, friendship and love. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it, even if, like me, you aren’t a young adult any more!

Addition: Review e-book from netGalley

Genre: Young adult, chick-lit

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis:

Ali Parker, a high school senior, plans to major in journalism at a prestigious college. Her Mr. Perfect boyfriend, Matt Ryan, is a talented artist. Their future possibilities seem endless. Then the inconceivable happens–Ali becomes pregnant. This compelling, inspiring, and enlightening story engages the heart as it shows the struggles of life and the endurance of hope.

This is the first Karen Hart novel I have read and I really enjoyed it. The story follows Ali, a girl with great potential, who has unprotected sex once and ends up pregnant. The plot follows her struggles – to tell her parents and Matt, to face school, the decision to have an abortion or to give up the baby for adoption.

This is a young adult book, but it addressed a serious, adult subject. I think Hart dealt with this issue very well. She explored how people would react to the news, the various phases of pregnancy – including the sickness and the weight gain and the options open to Ali. Hart explored adoption and abortion – weighing up the pros and cons. I felt this was really good. As a Christian I don’t believe in sex before marriage, but as many people do it and teenagers get pregnant, I felt it was important for Hart to deal with everything involved. Hart was clear and fair, looking at everything – even those anti-abortion.

I liked the characters in this story. Ali was lovely to read about. Although I have never been through what she faced, Hart wrote her character in such a way that I felt I could empathise with her. She was very likeable and I just wanted the best for her. I liked how her parents were written – it looked at the stress they would feel due to this, and I liked the hidden secret – although to be honest that wasn’t much of a shock. Ali’s best friend Monica is a sweetie. She is there all the way through, so supportive, and that was lovely. I loved her Aunt too. Even though she really wanted a child, she was supportive to Ali too.

I wasn’t surprised by the outcome but I really enjoyed this book. In a way it reminded me of Judy Blume’s Forever – another teen book that looks at sex. This book was well written and well thought out. I enjoyed reading it and think the issue of teen pregnancy was well addressed in this book.

It is also a love story – looking at first love and young adult romances. Again, this reminded me of Blume’s Forever, the the feeling that this is going to never end. I felt this was also dealt with really well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am happy to recommend this to anyone – young adult or not.

Original Title: Keeping the Moon

Addition: Library Book

Genre: Young adult, romance

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

Never in one place long enough to make friends or put down roots, Colie doesn’t expect her trip to the North Carolina coast to change a thing. Always the outcast, she’s resigned to a holiday with only her eccentric aunt Mira for company. But when she finds a job waitressing at the Last Chance cafe, she also finds acceptance, new friends, and the beginnings of romance…

I am yet to read a Sarah Dessen book that I dislike – and again, I loved this one. The books are written for teenage girls and often look at the idea of growing up and everything that entails, including self-esteem, friendship and falling in love.

This book is no different. Colie has never fitted in at school. For a long time she was overweight, but even when she lost the weight she was still hated. Her mother has become a famous fitness instructor and has to travel over the summer, leaving Colie to stay with her eccentric sister. Her Aunt Mira is artistic and weird, and is often stared at or laughed at. She doesn’t seem to notice or care, but it angers Colie. With the help of the friends she makes at Last Chance, the cafe where she gets work, and Norman, Mira’s lodger, Colie has to work through her self-esteem issues, accept people for how they are, and learn to deal with how others see people.

For me, this book is primarily about self-esteem. Mira comes across as crazy and people judge her for that, and Colie was hated and picked on because she was once fat. Mira doesn’t seem to care what others think, but Colie does, and this book works through the pain of accepting how people see you, and liking yourself anyway. I think this is great, as lots of teens do suffer with issues such as self-esteem, and it is really good that this is addressed in a book that is easy to read, sensible and realistic, and really enjoyable.

There were other themes in the book, like friendship and love, and I enjoyed reading how Colie come out of her shell and made some real friends. I liked Colie – she had it rough; being concerned about how people saw her and her weight etc, but she was a good kid at heart, and watching her open up was lovely. My favourite character was Aunt Mira however. She made me chuckle, with her eccentric, arty ways, and the little notes on things to remind her what was broken! She was a solid character, secure in who she was, and encouraging to read.

This is a really good book. I love Sarah Dessen and recommend her to everyone. Even though this is teen-lit, I really enjoyed it. Top marks from me!

Addition: Audiobook

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

In James Patterson’s blockbuster series, fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it’s like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the “flock”–Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel–are just like ordinary kids–only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time…like when Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the “School” where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of wack jobs. Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare–this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf “Erasers” in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb–now her betrayed and greatest enemy–that her purpose is save the world–but can she?

This is the first James Patterson book I have read, and I really enjoyed it. I listened to it – and did not want to turn it off or for it to finish. The story follows Max, a girl who has the ability to fly. They have to lie-low as they are being chased by the Erasers – a group of people who want to see the end of the flying children. However, Max and her gang get caught hiding in a tree, and Angel, the youngest is taken. Now Max has to keep calm and rescue her. But what she uncovers on the way is shocking.

This book is full of imagination, adventure and excitement. I found the chases and the flying the best bit. I liked how Patterson used the time in the sky for the characters to sort their minds out – and sometimes the views were great to read about. Along with the ability to fly, they can also run exceptionally fast. One scene that stays with me is where Max takes on a couple of men who are attacking a girl. Because she can move much quicker than anyone else, she leads the men away from the girl – saving her. Max gets wounded but the girl and her mother are more than happy to look after her because of what she did, and a friendship is formed.

Max is like that through a lot of the book – caring, reckless and a great friend. I think that is why I liked her so much. She looks after Angel, who is only six, and when she is taken she does everything she can to rescue her. She is sensible and clever, and works so well in her gang. She lets everyone use their abilities the best they can and she was a delight to read.

This is a young adult book, although I really enjoyed it. This is the first in the series, and I hope to read them all. The story is exciting and fast-paced and I thoroughly recommend it.

This review does contain spoilers!!!

Addition: Review e-book

Genre: Female, young adult

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

As the “oracle of dating,” Kayla is supposed to have all the answers about love and relationships. She’s supposed to have the perfect relationship. But now that Jared is “taking a step back,” Kayla feels like a total fraud.
So the expert on dating starts taking her own rebound advice—and some from her friends—and stops moping around. Yeah, there are other possibilities out there—including the beyond-cute French foreign exchange student she’s showing around town. But when controversy erupts about the Oracle’s advice, Kayla is sent reeling once again. Will anything work out for her this year? Yet when her friends start seriously needing the Oracle, Kayla begins to focus on what really matters: Viv, Sharese, Amy and Ryan, her trueblue buds. And suddenly, everything starts making sense again…

This is the sequel to The Oracle of Dating, and I was excited when I saw this book because I really enjoyed the first one. I received this book from netGallery.

This is a book about a girl called Kayla, who is sixteen and writes a blog all about relationships. She has currently been dating the guy of her dreams, Jared. However, he doesn’t get the art scholarship he is desperate for and believes that it is because his focus has been on Kayla and not art. Therefore, he dumps her. The Oracle is now heartbroken, which on the bright side gives her something new to write about. As does the fling she has with the gorgeous French student who comes to stay at her home on an exchange visit. Things are good again until she realises that the fling was just that – two weeks of fun, and when her blog is attacked. Her attentions turn, her life gets hard, and she finally relies on her friends. Her life gets better, her blog gets more hits, and her love life could be turning itself around once more when Jared starts finding reasons to see her again.

This book was fairly predictable. The ending did not come as a shock but I was glad that Jared came to his senses and pursued Kayla again – and that she followed her heart and they got back together. I felt sorry for Kayla when out of the blue Jared ended the relationship; and to be honest I wasn’t happy with his reason. I really felt for her and her pain. I can’t help but like Kayla, although sometimes I found the storyline a little unbelievable. It was a bit too convenient that just after she was dumped her mother organised for a hot French student to come and stay. You could tell that he was only interested in a two week romance but I still found myself feeling sorry for Kayla when again she got dumped.

I thought it was interesting that van Diepen chose to write that Kayla’s blog faced some harsh criticism. I guess that would be the case if you were to advertise, and I think the way Kayla dealt with the situation was well written. I do find it hard to believe that a teenage girl who had only one boyfriend would be quite so knowledgeable about love and heartbreak – and also that she would be giving out advice to her older sister and her friend – both of whom were in the their twenties. However, none of these criticisms spoilt the book.

I liked the characters. Like I said, I found Kayla enchanting and really felt for her when she got her heartbroken. I loved how her friends acted and rallied around her. They seemed realistic and well written. The storyline is easy to follow and it did not take long to read this book. I was entertained and I enjoyed this book a lot. This would be a good comfort read for any female, whether in their teens or not. Although I was not surprised with the outcome, I liked it and I really enjoyed this book. I was hooked, however predictable. This is very readable and I recommend it.