Review: Wanderlost

Wanderlost

By Jen Malone

Published: May 31, 2016

Not all those who wander are lost, but Aubree Sadler most definitely is on this novel’s whirlwind trip through Europe.

Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.

Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan unravels, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.

But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up. 

My review:

Recent high school graduate Aubree is not an adventurous person and as the baby in her family she has been coddled and overprotected by her mom. Her older sister Elizabeth is the driven and responsible one who always seems to have it together. So when Elizabeth gets into some legal trouble (it's sort of Aubree's fault) Aubree agrees reluctantly to go to Europe in Elizabeth's place as a tour guide. The stakes are high for Elizabeth as she is counting on a good recommendation to get an internship with a congressman. Aubree doesn't think she has what it takes and when she loses her cellphone and Elizabeth's binder of tour info on the plane it looks like she is in for a rough time.

Reading Wanderlost is a great way to armchair travel through Europe along with Aubree on her madcap adventures. I enjoyed reading about the different countries visited during the tour but I could have used more detail! Although Aubree is initially pretty helpless and whiny she started to grow on me. Her determination to prove herself to her sister and to succeed as a tour guide was admirable and although she wasn't always successful I liked how hard she tried. Aubree matures during the trip with the help of the seniors on her bus and once Sam joins the tour she starts to lighten up and have more fun, inspired by his way with people. One of my favorite parts was the Sound of Music tour and learning about the various filming  locations.

I think this novel is funny and the romance was sweet in spite of the lies. It always makes me cringe to read about characters behaving dishonestly even in this case when Aubree was motivated to lie on behalf of her sister. It was nice to see the sisters grow closer and come to a greater understanding of each other and to see Aubree's mom realize that her daughter is growing up. 

Wanderlost would be perfect as a light summer read especially if you have a yen to travel so put it on your list! I'd suggest it for readers who liked Sophomore Year is Greek to Me by Meredith Zeitlin, Maureen Johnson's Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes and for fans of Morgan Matson and Emery Lord.


Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss

Waiting on Wednesday (186)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme to discuss upcoming books we can't wait to get our hands on. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week, I'm waiting on:

Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia

Release date: August 2, 2016

I'm your protagonist-Reshma Kapoor-and if you have the free time to read this book, then you're probably nothing like me.

Reshma is a college counselor's dream. She's the top-ranked senior at her ultra-competitive Silicon Valley high school, with a spotless academic record and a long roster of extracurriculars. But there are plenty of perfect students in the country, and if Reshma wants to get into Stanford, and into med school after that, she needs the hook to beat them all.

What's a habitual over-achiever to do? Land herself a literary agent, of course. Which is exactly what Reshma does after agent Linda Montrose spots an article she wrote for Huffington Post. Linda wants to represent Reshma, and, with her new agent's help scoring a book deal, Reshma knows she'll finally have the key to Stanford.

But she's convinced no one would want to read a novel about a study machine like her. To make herself a more relatable protagonist, she must start doing all the regular American girl stuff she normally ignores. For starters, she has to make a friend, then get a boyfriend. And she's already planned the perfect ending: after struggling for three hundred pages with her own perfectionism, Reshma will learn that meaningful relationships can be more important than success-a character arc librarians and critics alike will enjoy.

Of course, even with a mastermind like Reshma in charge, things can't always go as planned. And when the valedictorian spot begins to slip from her grasp, she'll have to decide just how far she'll go for that satisfying ending. (Note: It's pretty far.)

In this wholly unique, wickedly funny debut novel, Rahul Kanakia consciously uses the rules of storytelling-and then breaks them to pieces.

I think this sounds pretty promising and humorous. I also like that it has an Indian American protagonist which we don't often see in YA contemporary fiction.

Sunday Post (53) / It''s Monday, What Are You Reading

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

Well it was a busy week with our summer library programs starting up. Monday night was our kick off event. I wasn't outside for that because I had to work at the reference desk but I didn't mind missing out on the pouring rain! Thankfully it didn't rain the entire time and kids were able to enjoy the bounce house and other outdoor activities. Tuesday night was the first swing dance class and three couples showed up (at least someone did!). Yesterday was our African penguin program. The penguin walked around in our meeting room and then later kids (and adults!) got to pet her. She was really cute and I learned a lot about African penguins. You can check out a video of her taken by our children's librarian: Simon the African Penguin. 

This week should be a little calmer before my murder mystery dinner next week. Unfortunately I had to change the theme from the 80's Prom murder to a garden party murder because we didn't have enough men to play the suspects and the garden party one is all women. I am planning to do the 80s one in the fall on a night when some of my male coworkers can step in and play suspects if needed. I guess summer is just a busy time or my usual suspects wanted a break from it!

Tomorrow is my mom's birthday and then Sunday is Father's Day so I'll be heading home this weekend for a visit. I still need to figure out what I'm getting them for gifts and I have to get a birthday card. I plan to do some shopping this afternoon :)

#FitReaders Weekly Check In

#FitReaders is hosted by Felicia at The Geeky Blogger and Jen at That's What I'm Talking About

Another week without reaching my step goals most days. The extreme heat and some muscle soreness kept me from moving as much as I wanted. Yesterday I came so close to meeting my goal but I ended up developing a sinus headache and didn't quite get there. I hope to do better this week!

Sunday--1,115 steps
Monday--13,599 steps
Tuesday--7,198 steps
Wednesday--3,780 steps
Thursday--10,130 steps
Friday--4,190 steps
Saturday--8,992 steps

Last week on my blog:

The Flip Side by Shawn Johnson (review)

Books read:

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

I loved this book though I know some will definitely hate it. Maas takes the story she told in A Court of Thorns and Roses and turns it upside down so that readers will see everything in a completely different way. I can't wait for the sequel!

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This was a thoughtful story about love and loss and the possibility of having more than one "true love" and what "true love" means (if you thought about The Princess Bride while reading that sentence you get extra points). 

Almost Like Being in Love by Beth K. Vogt

Definitely not as satisfying as the first book in the series but this was okay. I felt bad for the heroine because she had a difficult relationship with a cold and demanding father. He reminded me of a meaner and colder version of Richard Gilmore. My issue was with the romance and how little I felt the connection between the characters.

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

This was a delightful book and I enjoyed reading about Florence and Lina's emotional journey and growth. The romance was sweet and I liked how the author used Lina's mom's journal.

Books listened to:

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (reread)

Currently reading:

738 Days by Stacey Kade

I am almost done with this book. I like it and really want Amanda to have a happy ending because after all she's been through she deserves it. I even like the hero though Chase doesn't always make the best decisions and I want them to find happiness together. My issue with the book is the timeline and Amanda's recovery process. 

Currently listening to:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (reread)

This is my least favorite Harry Potter book in a way--not because of the story which is fantastic but because of the way that Harry suffers at the hands of Umbridge, people not believing him and then that big loss at the end. Poor kid! It is just hard to read (or listen to). I still think Umbridge didn't get what she deserved. She is the second most odious character in the books.

On my TBR pile:

I Will Send Rain by Rae Meadows

I have to read this one soon because my review for Library Journal is due next week. I think it sounds interesting at least. I've only read Out of the Dust by Karen Harper so I don't know much about the Dust Bowl. 

River Road by Carol Goodman

My afternoon book group picked this for our June book. It sounds kind of interesting though I know some of the ladies won't like it because they aren't fans of suspense. 

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

This is what we'll be reading in my evening book group. We loved A Man Called Ove so hopefully this will be just as good. The dog on the cover reminds me a little of my furry nephew Raji (he is a black haired goldendoodle though I don't think this dog is).

The Winemakers by Jan Moran

I decided to add this to my TBR pile after reading an excerpt earlier this week. It was published in April I think so I want to get to it soon.

The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell

I haven't read anything by this author though I have considered her books for our book discussion groups. This one sounded kind of good with the mystery element.

Summer Days and Summer Nights by Stephanie Perkins et al.

I started reading this earlier but I thought the first story was really weird so I put it down. I think I will skip the first story for now and read the rest if I can.

The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash

New books received:

Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin (library book)

Lizzy Bennet's Diary by Marcia Williams (library book)

Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (library book)

Best of My Love by Susan Mallery (library book)

Review: The Flip Side

The Flip Side

By Shawn Johnson

Published: June 7, 2016

From gold medalist and reality TV star Shawn Johnson comes a debut YA novel inspired by her own experiences as an elite teenage gymnast—just in time for the Summer 2016 Olympic games.

Charlie Ryland has a secret.

She may seem like your average high school sophomore—but she’s just really good at pretending.

Because outside of school Charlie spends all her waking hours training to become one of the best gymnasts in the world. And it’s not easy flying under the radar when you’re aiming for Olympic gold…especially when an irresistible guy comes along and threatens to throw your whole world off balance.

Inspired by her own experiences as a fifteen-year-old Olympic gymnast, gold medalist Shawn Johnson writes a delightfully entertaining novel about chasing big dreams and falling in love, all while trying to keep it real.

My review:

Charlie Ryland is an elite gymnast who aspires to make the U.S. Olympics team but at her high school where she is known as "Charlotte", no one knows she is a gymnast. She doesn't want the added pressure or the special treatment that she might receive if her classmates knew the truth. Of course if she makes the Olympic team, her secret will be out but in the meantime she wants to be treated like everyone else and have some anonymity to enjoy high school. It becomes harder to keep her secret as she meets Bobby, a talented wrestler at her school. Bobby understands the pressure of being a top athlete but she can't even talk to him about her own experiences. Charlie also lies to her best friend Zoe because she just can't bring herself to be open even though Zoe is a good friend to her.

I understood why Charlotte/Charlie didn't want her whole school to know about her but I did wish she could have been honest with Zoe. I was glad Charlie had her friendship with fellow gymnast Gwen which is the one relationship where she didn't have to lie. 

The Flip Side delves into the world of elite gymnastics and I found it fascinating to read about what they go through. When I was a little girl I loved The Little Gymnast by Sheila Haigh which introduced me to gymnastics and this book is even more interesting as it details the life of a top athlete. Shawn Johnson does a good job of bringing her life experience into the novel to make it authentic. I did wonder how likely it would be that her classmates wouldn't have suspected the truth about her before but it was still an entertaining book and I like how it focused on achieving dreams.

This book would be appropriate for young teens and maybe even tweens. With the Summer Olympics around the corner, The Flip Side would be a good book to consider adding to summer reading lists for young teens who are into gymnastics.

Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss

Waiting on Wednesday (185)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme to discuss upcoming books we can't wait to get our hands on. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week, I'm waiting on:

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Release date: July 26, 2016

Signed, sealed, delivered...

While spacing out in Chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk, and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters -- sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she's kind of falling for this letter writer. Only who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery, and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can't always be spelled out...

Kasie West brings irresistible wit, warmth, and sparkle to this swoon-worthy story of love showing up when you least expect it.

I haven't read anything by this author yet but I think P.S. I Like You sounds like a cute contemporary teen romance, perfect for light summertime reading.

Sunday Post (52) / It's Monday, What Are You Reading

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

It has been a busy two weeks! I can't believe Memorial Day is already behind us. I had a nice trip home to visit my family and my sister and her husband stopped by while I was there so it was great to see them too. We celebrated my mom's retirement from teaching. The weather has been hot but mostly sunny and I am enjoying it.

On Friday I went to Schnormeier Gardens in Gambier, Ohio for their annual open house. They family opens the gardens to the public once a year. I've been wanting to go for a few years so I was thrilled to be invited by some ladies from my evening book group and to have the day off so I could actually go. The gardens are on 75 acres of land and are inspired by Japanese and Chinese culture. I was disappointed there weren't more flowers but it was very pretty. I loved the bridge and the waterfalls. While in Gambier we had lunch and visited the Kenyon College bookstore where I almost bought an adorable children's/YA book called Lizzy Bennet's Diary by Marcia Williams.  After our tour of the gardens we stopped to get something cold to drink at a lovely coffee shop. I rarely get to do things like that and I had a fantastic day.

Yesterday I worked and we were very busy at the library. This week is the start of our Summer Challenge (formerly known as summer reading program). I bought the stuff for the prizes and now I have to put the gift baskets/boxes together. I'm also busy planning my 80's prom murder mystery dinner for the library. I am really excited about it but I need to figure out decorations and my costume. I am not wearing a prom dress (people can wear anything 80's related). I want something more comfortable and if I could recreate a style I loved as a kid/tween (without sewing) that would be perfect. I will be spending the afternoon searching Pinterest for inspiration :)

#FitReaders Weekly Check In

#FitReaders is hosted by Felicia at The Geeky Blogger and Jen at That's What I'm Talking About

I had a couple of good step days especially Friday while walking at the Schnormeier Gardens (I was told it is a 3 mile walk but it feels like I walked a lot more--still sore!). I've been doing better with my eating habits and even had a few days where I ate gluten and dairy free. It is still a challenge and I had some small slip ups. I worry that I may not be eating enough to lose weight and build muscle.

Sunday--6,344 steps
Monday--3,471 steps
Tuesday--10,231 steps
Wednesday--5,873 steps
Thursday--5,420 steps
Friday--13,819 steps
Saturday--11,170 steps

Last two weeks on my blog:

Top Ten Books I've Changed My Mind About (post)

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson (review)

Top Ten Beach Reads (post)

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson (review)

Books read:

The Mourning Hours by Paula Treick DeBoard

This was my afternoon book group's May selection and I liked it. It was mostly well received by our members too. The story is about a family in a small town in Wisconsin and what happens when the son and golden boy is accused of a crime. 

Wanderlost by Jen Malone

Wanderlost was a fun book and I enjoyed reading about Aubree's crazy experiences as a tour guide in Europe. 

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

My evening book group read this for May and I struggled with it. The characters aren't very likable and the writing style took some time to get used to. It is written in first person plural and there are a ton of Shakespeare references. I love Shakespeare and have read several of his plays but I still didn't catch all the references used by this quirky family.

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson

Nerd love :) I loved this contemporary twist on Much Ado About Nothing and while I didn't understand all the geek culture references (I haven't watched Doctor Who or read many comic books) it was still a lot of fun. 

Currently reading:

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

This sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses is a polarizing book. People seem to either love it or hate it and so far I love it. I was not a big fan of a certain character in the first book so that could be why :)

Currently listening to:

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (reread)

I am at the part that is hard to read about (after the third task). I hate that part of Goblet of Fire because it is sad and creepy. Probably why I stopped listening for a few days and listened to 80's music on Pandora during my work commute instead.

On my TBR pile:

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I've read another novel with a similar premise (only in that case the poor woman married another man believing her first husband was dead until he suddenly reappeared). 

The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash

I'm hoping this will be as fun as The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You. I have never been to a Comic Con though I kind of want to go.

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

This is the other armchair travel YA book I have on my TBR pile for this summer. I can't wait to read it. I love that it is set in Italy, a place I'd love to visit in real life.

New books received:

738 Days by Stacey Kade (for review)

Mystic Summer by Hannah McKinnon (for review)

I Will Send Rain by Rae Meadows (for review)

The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash (for review)

Almost Like Being in Love by Beth K. Vogt (for review)

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (purchased)

River Road by Carol Goodman (library book)

Review: The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You

By Lily Anderson

Published: May 17, 2016

Trixie Watson has two very important goals for senior year: to finally save enough to buy the set of Doctor Who figurines at the local comic books store, and to place third in her class and knock Ben West--and his horrendous new mustache that he spent all summer growing--down to number four.   

Trixie will do anything to get her name ranked over Ben's, including give up sleep and comic books--well, maybe not comic books--but definitely sleep. After all, the war of Watson v. West is as vicious as the Doctor v. Daleks and Browncoats v. Alliance combined, and it goes all the way back to the infamous monkey bars incident in the first grade. Over a decade later, it's time to declare a champion once and for all.   

The war is Trixie's for the winning, until her best friend starts dating Ben's best friend and the two are unceremoniously dumped together and told to play nice. Finding common ground is odious and tooth-pullingly-painful, but Trixie and Ben's cautious truce slowly transforms into a fandom-based tentative friendship. When Trixie's best friend gets expelled for cheating and Trixie cries foul play, however, they have to choose who to believe and which side they're on--and they might not pick the same side.

My review:

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You is a retelling of Much Ado About Nothing set in a school for very gifted students. The story is peppered with references to comic books, Doctor Who, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and other "nerd" pop culture. 

Trixie is opinionated and not always easy to like which is something she knows about herself. She has an ingrained hatred of Ben West and they've been verbally sparring since they were kids. Trixie's best friends are Harper and Meg. When Harper starts dating Cornell, Trixie has to put aside her animosity and try to get along with Ben (and his mustache). Things become complicated when Trixie accidentally finds out that Ben may have feelings for her and then Harper is accused of hacking into school accounts and cheating. Trixie wants Ben to take Harper's side and help her find the real culprit but not all of the friends think Harper is innocent.

Trixie is very smart and I liked how nerdy she is but her behavior could be a bit much. Her snarky attitude was annoying at times and I felt like her anger towards Ben wasn't always justified. She had a way of crossing the line especially by bringing up Ben's painful family/friendship issues. Thankfully her friends call her on it and she starts to change and be kinder. I really liked how loyal she was to Harper and how she marched to her own tune. I enjoyed seeing the friendship and romance bloom between Trixie and Ben. It was nice to see Trixie making more friends as well. 

I thought this book was clever though the references didn't all make sense to me as I am not into those particular fandoms. There are some fun secondary characters that correspond to characters from Much Ado About Nothing but the novel doesn't follow the play faithfully (it wouldn't really work if it did) so readers who aren't familiar with it would still be able to appreciate the book. Although I didn't always like Trixie's behavior, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and even laughed out loud at times. I'd suggest this book for fans of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern. I think readers who like snarky and humorous dialogue, offbeat protagonists and Doctor Who would like this too and maybe even be inspired to pick up Much Ado About Nothing (or at least watch the Kenneth Branagh movie).


Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley.