Seoulmates by Susan Lee

 

Her ex-boyfriend wants her back. Her former best friend is in town. When did Hannah’s life become a K-drama?

Hannah Cho had the next year all planned out—the perfect summer with her boyfriend, Nate, and then a fun senior year with their friends.

But then Nate does what everyone else in Hannah’s life seems to do—he leaves her, claiming they have nothing in common. He and all her friends are newly obsessed with K-pop and K-dramas, and Hannah is not. After years of trying to embrace the American part and shunning the Korean side of her Korean American identity to fit in, Hannah finds that’s exactly what now has her on the outs.

But someone who does know K-dramas—so well that he’s actually starring in one—is Jacob Kim, Hannah’s former best friend, whom she hasn’t seen in years. He’s desperate for a break from the fame, so a family trip back to San Diego might be just what he needs…that is, if he and Hannah can figure out what went wrong when they last parted and navigate the new feelings developing between them.

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I absolutely love watching K-dramas.  That love lead me here, to this book, because a fellow K-drama lover met this author and mentioned her book.  I haven't read a book like this before and I was so curious!  

Curiosity satisfied!  What a cute story.  Hannah and Jacob have a history that is so heartwarming and also complicated.  Jacob's family move to Korea left them both with misunderstandings and hurts that have to be addressed before they can move on after reuniting.  It all felt very natural and normal for two teenagers.  I loved all their adventures and the rebuilding of their friendship that turned to more.  Hannah had a journey to self love and an acceptance of who she is.  Jacob learned to stand up for himself and his family.  They both learned to trust and stand up for each other.  It was all very satisfying as a reader.  This could easily be turned into a cute teenage movie!

My only complaint would be the level and frequency of swearing in this book.  It's a personal preference and one I realize is not shared by everyone.  If this book were a movie it would be rated R for language.

Content:  swearing, kissing, making out, alcohol use by minors at a party.

-I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Places We've Never Been by Kasie West

 

A sweet and swoony contemporary Young Adult novel about a cross-country family road trip that puts one girl and her childhood best friend on an unexpected road to romance!

Norah hasn’t seen her childhood best friend, Skyler, in years. When he first moved away, they'd talk all the time, but lately their relationship has been reduced to liking each other’s Instagram posts. That’s why Norah can’t wait for the joint RV road trip their families have planned for the summer.

But when Skyler finally arrives, he seems...like he’d rather be anywhere else. Hurt and confused, Norah reacts in kind. Suddenly, her oldest friendship is on the rocks.

An unexpected summer spent driving across the country leads both Norah and Skyler down new roads and to new discoveries. Before long, they are, once again, seeing each other in a different light. Can their friendship-turned-rivalry turn into something more?

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I don't read a lot of YA books but author Kasie West is an author whose books I never miss.  She really has a way of making characters and situations feel realistic.  This book is about reconnecting with old friends, building new connections and dealing with life's tough moments.  It's family and it's friends.  It's learning to trust again.  It's adventure!

Norah and Skyler have a bumpy road back to friendship from all misunderstandings.  But, as per usual, once they started communicating and stop fighting, they figured it all out.  All the characters were easy to settle in with and I enjoyed them all.

I loved the two family road trip and the different places they went.  I've been lots of those places too so it was easy to imagine where they were and what they were doing and seeing.  The story felt very age appropriate and it made me smile. This is a book I would have easily passed off to my daughters when they were teenagers.  They would have loved it.

Content:  kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Sunkissed by Kasie West

 

After being betrayed by her best friend, Avery is hoping for a picture-perfect summer. Too bad her parents have dragged her and her sister to a remote family camp for the entire summer. And that’s not even the worst part. Avery also has to deal with no internet, a cute but off-limits staff member, and an always-in-her-face sister.

But what starts as a disaster turns into a whirlwind summer romance as Avery embarks on an unexpected journey to figure out what she truly wants and who she wants to be.

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What a cute young adult book!  My daughters used to love books by Kasie West and sadly, they have outgrown them now but I still pick them up and read them when I can because I think this author does a great job of spinning a relevant story that teenagers can relate to and enjoy.  There are struggles typical to teenagers and sometimes bigger issues but those issues never become overwhelming or depressing.  The story remains upbeat and positive for the most part which I think is so important.

I really liked the summer family camp setting of this book and I liked the whole cast of characters.  They were fun and they made fun happen.  It made me smile.  Avery has a great journey of self discovery which was satisfying and enjoyable.  It was so easy to root for her.  This is easily a book I can recommend for teenage girls.  Sweet romance.

Content:  kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Champion of the Titan Games (Dragonwatch #4) by Brandon Mull

 

Who will win the battle between Dragons and Giants?

As the war with the dragons intensifies, all eyes are turning to Titan Valley for help. A dragon sanctuary unlike any of the others, this one is home to enslaved dragons ruled by the powerful Giant Queen, one of the five monarchs of the magical world. In addition, it houses the arena for the Titan Games, a series of gladiator-style battles presided over by none other than Humbuggle, the demon who stole Seth’s memories!

Seth is seeking for his memories. Kendra is seeking for Seth. And everyone is seeking to stop the dragons from taking over the world—everyone but Ronodin, the dark unicorn, who has his own devious agenda. In the monstrous battle between giants and dragons, who wins? In the race to retrieve a magical talisman that could help win the war, can Kendra trust Seth? Will they find the answers they desperately need in a realm of trolls and titans? Or are more betrayals imminent?

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book * 

There are some full on fans of this series out there and my husband is one of them.  He's loved this series since the very beginning of Fablehaven.  I am not the biggest fantasy fan so this isn't a series I'm naturally drawn to but I've bought them (or agreed to review them) all because, well, husband.  😊  So, now that you know that you know this little tidbit, the following is my husband's review of this book.  

The world of Fablehaven is always so much fun. A new book release in the world of Fablehaven is something I anticipate with eagerness. Brandon Mull does a good job writing the stories to include both Kendra and Seth. That being said, the previous story, Master of the Phantom Isle felt more like it focused on Kendra. For me, Champion of the Titan Games seems more a story for Seth. Seth’s hunt for his memories takes him to exciting places with fun twists.  Can he look at things a certain way?  How should he respond to an unseen presence? 

The arena games are exciting with mysterious participants and secrets to be uncovered. With angry dragons, a looming giant threat, and the Wizenstone at stake, there most assuredly will be a fight. A flying ending with some special challenges provides the icing on the cake! Fans will love this book!   

This book is part of a series that should be read in order.  This book and series is perfect for all ages.  It has a 5-6th grade reading level but younger kids would love hearing this book read aloud.  And, as I stated above adults love this series as well.  😉

Content:  peril, mild violence

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

 

Pathways (Kingdom Chronicles #1) by Camille Peters

Eileen has never been interested in love. Ever since her father's abandonment, she's vowed to never experience such pain again. But the enchanted forest has different ideas. When the continuously shifting pathways lead her to a mysterious stranger, Eileen finds her promise to fiercely guard her heart increasingly difficult to keep.

One night when she becomes lost in a storm, the enchanted forest's pathways lead her to the castle, home to the kingdom's Dark Prince, where Eileen finds herself entangled in what many consider an opportunity but which Eileen believes to be a curse: competing for the Dark Prince’s hand through a series of tests that judge one’s royal worth. Eileen is neither royal nor interested in becoming a princess. But the mysterious stranger she met in the woods has his own reasons for helping her succeed, although the cost of his assistance may be too high: that of Eileen's heart, the one thing she's vowed never to give.

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Wow, I love this pretty cover!  It is a perfect representation of what is inside this book.  😍

I thought this was a sweet story.  I loved the whole idea and feel of the forest being a living entity- guiding, helping, responding.  The forest gave Eileen a home- a place of refuge and security after she lost her father and I could really feel her attachment and love for it. The enchanted forest gave the story a magical and romantic feel.

The characters felt very young with some immaturity showing through.  This is a YA book and I would say probably on the younger end of that spectrum.  I often felt frustrated with the characters and their reasoning but when I put back into perspective that this is a "young" young adult book, it didn't feel so off.  Both main characters show growth and that felt really good as a reader.  There is a good cast of secondary characters which had me hoping that maybe their story would be coming next.  Overall I really enjoyed this debut novel from Camille Peters and I'm looking forward to more!

This is a book that I would easily recommend to a young teenager and feel good about it.

This book is just $.99 on Amazon right now (make sure and check price before purchasing) and it is also on Kindle Unlimited!  

Content:  clean, kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.