Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I've raved about Becky's other two books, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and The Upside of Unrequited, on this blog before, so I knew I would fall just as in love with her newest release, Leah on the Offbeat. This story is technically a sequel to Simon vs., only focusing primarily on Leah instead.

In this story, bisexual Leah is struggling with her love life. Her head is telling her one thing, while her heart is telling her another, and the outcome could be magical or a complete disaster. As Leah and her friends prepare for prom, graduation, and then college, they all have to make some tough decisions, and the reality that they are all going their separate ways hits them hard.

Leah is actually my favorite person on the planet. Her wit and sarcasm coupled with her hidden insecurities is literally me in fiction form. I really related with how she hid her insecurities with cynicism as it is much easier to act like you don't care than to reveal that you really do. There was one instance of racism in this book, and I appreciated how Leah called it out and handled the situation rather than letting it go. I loved getting to know her and some of the other Creekwood characters more. And the ending of this book was just perfect!

This time I chose to physically read the book, even though I opted for the audio versions for Becky's other books. Not sure why, although I think it might have had something to do with how inviting this cover was, I just wanted to own it! Now I obviously have to pick up physical copies of the other two to have the complete set.

I'm really anxious to know if there will be more books in this series, maybe following Abby, Nick, or Bram. I sure hope there are, because this is a cast of characters I never want to let go of! Also, this better get a movie.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Looking at this book, you have no idea what to expect. Is it a coming of age story? Maybe a touching book about motherhood? You'd never guess that it's a story about a twisted and terrifying mother-daughter relationship that will give you chills. Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage is so unlike anything I've ever read, and I am so glad that I experienced this story.

This book follows mom Suzette, dad Alex, and little Hanna. Told from both Suzette and Hanna's points of view, the story opens with Hanna not ever speaking, and her parents being concerned that something is physically wrong with her. She barks like a vicious dog, sets trash cans on fire, and gets kicked out of school after school, so there has to be an explanation. When all the tests come back with no sign of physical causes, everyone begins to suspect that maybe Hanna just doesn't want to talk. But why?

Then, all of a sudden Hanna does start talking. But only to her mother, and not as herself, but rather as a historical witch. Hanna starts speaking terrifying things to her mother, horrifying Suzette. And it only gets worse from there.

Hanna is actually a terrifying character. Her chapters were where you were really able to understand not only how twisted she is, but also how intelligent (which in my opinion makes it even scarier.) I felt so bad for Suzette because all she wanted was a happy and healthy daughter, and understandably the whole situation was breaking her down. Even through struggling with her own illness, she kept trying to do what she thought would help Hanna. Honestly, I couldn't stand Alex though. His blindness to the situation and unwillingness to believe anything negative about his daughter really rubbed me the wrong way.

This was an incredibly disturbing story that made my skin crawl. It was new and inventive and exhilarating until the very last page.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press for both an ARC and a finished copy of this chilling and creepy read! Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage is out now, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Campfire by Shawn Sarles

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Give me a good scary story and I am all in! This book delivered just that. Campfire by Shawn Sarles follows main character Maddie as she goes on a camping trip with her extended family. Immediately, Maddie is attracted to their hot guide Caleb, and conspires with her best friend Chelsea (who has also accompanied them on the trip) to make a move. 

The first few days of the trip go fairly well, with everyone gathering to tell scary stories around the campfire at night. But then a bear scare puts people on edge and everything goes downhill from there. Suddenly the scary stories they have been telling begin to come true, and the fun family trip becomes a fight for survival.

I really enjoyed this book! The scary stories told were actually very creepy, and even though this is YA, I was actually freaked out a little even as a 28-year-old! And horror is my jam, so that's saying something. There were a lot of unexpected twists in this as well that I didn't see coming, and since I can usually predict things pretty well, that was definitely impressive.

I thought the main characters were fine. I didn't love them but I didn't hate them, and nothing really jumped out at me to sway me one way or another. But this was a much more plot-driven than character-driven story, so this was fine with me. I really appreciated how this book didn't paint the picture of the perfect family, but rather showed the tumultuous intricacies that make up real life. This really is the perfect story to sit on your deck with on a summer evening, or even take with you on a camping trip...if you dare.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

A huge thanks to JIMMY Patterson Books for sending me an advanced copy of this spooky summer read! Campfire by Shawn Sarles is out TODAY, July 17th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

London Recap

Hello lovely readers! I'm back! I had the most amazing 10 days in England and am excited to recap my trip for you all! 

We went primarily for the wedding of one of my husband's college friends, but stayed around to explore since neither of us had ever been to England before! The wedding took place in Newmarket, but for the rest of the week we mostly hung out in London.

We got to see and do so much on this trip, I'm still in awe of how much we were able to fit in! Major highlights included the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour, Buckingham Palace, The Tower of London, Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Bath! We stayed in Pimlico, which was an absolutely adorable part of the city, and we were able to walk to a majority of the things we wanted to check out. It was unusually hot by England standards, but still much cooler than it was back home in Virginia.

Of course, I had to check out some local bookstores while we were there. I loved getting to experience Waterstones, and obviously picked up a few titles. I love that books come out sooner in paperback over there, so I picked up two new releases in paperback: Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli and Neverworld Wake (the UK cover for this is outstanding btw!) by Marisha Pessl. I also got a cute little copy of The Wind in the Willows. The table we sat at for breakfast every morning had the text in a poster and I realized I'd never read it!

Regular review posts will resume this week, but I wanted to leave some of my favorite pictures for you all to give you a glimpse into where I've been and what I've been doing in my absence!

Parliament

Stonehenge

Hogwarts Model at WB Harry Potter Studio Tour

Roman Baths

Windsor Castle

Vacation!

Hey loyal readers! Just wanted to pop in and say that there will be no new posts for the next week and a half, as I'M GOING ON VACATION! I'm leaving tomorrow for a 10 day trip to England! My hubby and I are going to a wedding, then spending the rest of the week touring and exploring. My dad is from England so I'm really excited to see where he grew up. Plus we're going to the WB Harry Potter Studio Tour!

I'll be back on the 7th, so head back here in the days following for some new reviews! I'm hoping to get a lot of reading done while on my flights so I'll be sure to share my thoughts with you when I get home. Maybe I'll even do a trip recap for you all if that's something you would be interested in.

Until then, enjoy your reads, and we'll chat when I get back! <3

Your Destination Is on the Left by Lauren Spieller

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

When you think summer, don't you typically think of road trips? I know I do! Your Destination Is on the Left by Lauren Spieller follows Dessa Rhodes, a teenage girl who travels the country with her family in an RV. Her family is part of a caravan of three families who do everything together, even voting on the future of its members. But Dessa wants more from life, specifically to be an artist. 

After getting rejected from all the art schools she applies to, she is unsure what direction her life will take. Just when she thinks all hope is lost, she gets an internship with an artist in Santa Fe, and it's during this time that Dessa learns more than she ever thought possible, not only about art, but also about herself and what she really wants out of life.

I thought this was a super cute summer read! Dessa was easy to identify with, and I loved seeing her get stronger and more self-aware as the story progressed. I really enjoyed the side characters in this book, especially Taryn and Fiona! I thought they were great motivators for Dessa and helped her articulate her true thoughts and wants versus just going along with everyone else's plans. Cyrus was a cute love interest, but I really appreciated that this was not the primary focus of the story, and that Dessa was strong enough to put her own dreams before romance.

One thing I really disliked in this book though was Dessa's family, especially her mom. I thought the whole aspect of voting as a caravan (like really, someone ELSE'S family can determine whether or not you get to go do your internship??) was insane and almost cult-like. I also thought that her mom was incredibly selfish in the way she did things, like asking Dessa to immediately take time off her internship and not caring that it put Dessa's future in jeopardy.

Overall this is a perfect fast and fun summer read to take on a trip or lounge with by the pool! It has a powerful message of going for your dreams, no matter what the people around you say, and staying strong in your convictions.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this great summer read! Your Destination Is on the Left by Lauren Spieller is out TOMORROW, June 26th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Find You In The Dark by Nathan Ripley

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I read so many thrillers that for the most part, they don't freak me out anymore. This one did. This freaked me out so badly that when my husband went away for the weekend, I made him take this book with him so I couldn't read it while home alone. Find You In The Dark by Nathan Ripley is about a man fascinated with murders, and what happens when he gets in too deep.

Martin Reese is obsessed with murders. So obsessed, in fact, that his hobby is digging up the bodies of missing murder victims. Think of a Murderino on steriods. Using police files from a friend on the inside, he prides himself on being able to find the missing bodies that the cops could not, and after finding them he calls them in anonymously, simultaneously taunting the police and giving the families of the victims some closure. But one day Martin finds a recently deceased body in one of the graves he digs up, and he realizes that someone is onto him.

This book really gets you deep into the mind of a serial killer. It's almost a psychological profile of a killer in itself, mixed in with a mystery. All throughout the story I kept asking myself, "Could someone really be this twisted?" and the answer was always yes. Personally I've always been interested in the minds of serial killers and fascinated by murders, but I know many people are (otherwise the My Favorite Murder podcast wouldn't be so successful!). But this really does take it into uncharted territory.

The story is told from multiple points of view, but doesn't ever get confusing. Each of the characters is strongly developed and you really learn what makes them tick. The picture painted here is so clear that you can easily see yourself in the Reese residence, in Ellen's store, and in Keith's apartment. The overall ominous and creepy tone of the book was right up my alley and I was left with a very unsettling feeling. 

This book has been compared to Dexter (which I loved) and I definitely agree! It was a very slow burn book, though, which I'm never a huge fan of. There was also a little sexism in my opinion, and there were a few loose ends I would have liked to have seen tied up better.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Atria Mystery Bus for an advanced copy of this read! Find You In The Dark by Nathan Ripley was released this week, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering

"You have to be careful of girls that are too pretty, though. 

They hold a power that they never had to earn."

-Carola Lovering, Tell Me Lies

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

With every great reading streak, you're bound to encounter a dud sooner rather than later, and this book was unfortunately that dud for me. Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering had so much promise, but just fell flat. This story follows two main characters, Lucy and Stephen. Lucy is perpetually stuck in Stephen's charismatic trap, even though he treats her terribly. Each of them have their own individual issues going on outside of each other, which makes the toxic relationship even worse, but the only real growth that happened in the book happened so late in the game that everything up to that point was like watching paint dry.

Normally I really enjoy character-driven stories, even if there isn't much plot, but this was such a drag! The story just chronicled their college years in dual narrative format, and all the story really focused on was each time Stephen ensnared Lucy only to begin treating her like crap fairly soon after.

I've been Lucy myself-the girl fully absorbed in a guy and completely ignoring how badly he treats her, listening to lie after lie, and believing that he will change. Observing this from the outside though, all I wanted to do was scream at Lucy to get a grip and leave the loser, even though personally I know it's not that easy.

The book also kept referencing one specific incident in the past that Lucy and Stephen both have ties to, but neither knows it. I honestly didn't see the point of this addition whatsoever. This could have been done so much better to turn this story into a somewhat-mystery. I liked all the side characters a lot, and I think stories about them would have been much more interesting than this. I especially loved Pippa, and was absolutely fascinated by CJ.

The only other redeeming quality I could find in this book was the abundance of Fleetwood Mac references. Lucy sure did have good taste in music. That and the fact that I really like the book cover.

Overall Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

Thanks to Atria Books for an advanced e-copy of this book! Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering is out now, so if this sounds up your alley be sure to pick up a copy!