Kiss Me in Paris by Catherine Rider is a book about travel, so it is no surprise that I enjoyed it so much. This book tells the story of a trip to Paris gone awry and features two main characters with differing personalities. I just wish the book was longer so I could read more about Serena and Jean-Luc! Continue reading
Summer Constellations by Alisha Sevigny tells the story of a headstrong girl fighting to save her family’s campsite while also falling for its potential buyer’s son. I always love summery reads, but I don’t think I’ve ever read a book in which the main character owns a campsite. This book is light yet serious, and it contains a strong bond between siblings bound to make you smile. Continue reading
Whisper by Lynette Noni is an incredibly secretive book with a main character who has not spoken since her capture. The writing style is also fitting for the story, making it even more enjoyable. It is a perfect sci-fi novel.
Title: Rebel With a Cupcake 
Jesobel Jones is bold and brash, the daughter of a hand model and a washed-up rock star. Jess sees no need to apologize for her rambling house, her imperfect family, her single status … or her weight. Jess is who she is. She makes her own cupcakes and she eats them, too. No regrets.
That is, until Own Clothes Day rolls around at school. Jess and her friends dedicate the requisite hours of planning to their outfits, their hair and their makeup for the one day they are free from school uniforms. But a wardrobe malfunction leaves Jess with a pair of leggings split open at the worst spot, and a mean girl calling her the one thing that’s never bothered her before: fat.
The encounter shakes Jess’s formerly iron-clad confidence, and she starts to wonder if she’s been just a little too comfortable in her own skin. When the boy of her dreams invites her to a party, she must decide whether to try to fit in for the first time in her life, or remain true to herself — whoever that really is.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Rebel with a Cupcake by Anna Mainwaring is an uplifting story about a girl’s struggle with body image. The message is empowering, and the main character is so snarky. The story kept my attention, but I would have also liked to see more action plot-wise. Continue reading
Title: Someday, Somewhere
"That's the thing about music, I guess. It begins, it consumes you, and then it ends."
Dominique is a high school junior from a gritty neighborhood in Trenton, where she and her mom are barely getting by.
Ben is a musical prodigy from the Upper East Side, a violinist at a top conservatory with obsessive talent and a brilliant future.
When Dom's class is taken to hear a concert at Carnegie Hall, she expects to be bored out of her mind. But then she sees the boy in the front row playing violin like his life depends on it --- and she is transfixed.
Posing as an NYU student, Dom sneaks back to New York City to track down Ben Tristan, a magnetic genius who whisks her into a fantasy world of jazz clubs and opera, infatuation and possibility. Each sees something in the other that promises to complete them.
As Dom's web of lies grows, though, so does Ben's manic need to conquer Beethoven's famous Kreutzer Sonata. Ben's genius, which captivates Dominique, conceals his struggle with mental illness, and the challenges of Dom's life may make it difficult for her to help him.
Alternating perspectives and an unreliable narrator create suspense and momentum, romance and heartbreak. Author Lindsay Champion's deep roots in theater and music are evident on every page --- structured like a sonata with hints of West Side Story, her debut novel hits all the right notes.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
I have always been drawn to books about music, so it’s no wonder that I enjoyed Someday, Somewhere by Lindsay Championso much. This book is absolutely heartbreaking, but beautiful at the same time. The main characters are so realistic and easy to root for, and the dual perspectives add so much emotion to the story. I would definitely recommend this one, especially to those with an interest in music. Continue reading