Novel Review: The Cresswell Plot by Eliza Wass

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: YA Contemporary, Suspense, Family, Cult-like

Publisher: Hyperion

Release Date: 2016

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

 The woods were insane in the dark, terrifying and magical at the same time. But best of all were the stars, which trumpeted their light into the misty dark.

Castella Cresswell and her five siblings—Hannan, Caspar, Mortimer, Delvive, and Jerusalem—know what it’s like to be different. For years, their world has been confined to their ramshackle family home deep in the woods of upstate New York. They abide by the strict rule of God, whose messages come directly from their father.

Slowly, Castley and her siblings start to test the boundaries of the laws that bind them. But, at school, they’re still the freaks they’ve always been to the outside world. Marked by their plain clothing. Unexplained bruising. Utter isolation from their classmates. That is, until Castley is forced to partner with the totally irritating, totally normal George Gray, who offers her a glimpse of a life filled with freedom and choice.

Castley’s world rapidly expands beyond the woods she knows so well and the beliefs she once thought were the only truths. There is a future waiting for her if she can escape her father’s grasp, but Castley refuses to leave her siblings behind. Just as she begins to form a plan, her father makes a chilling announcement: the Cresswells will soon return to their home in heaven. With time running out on all of their lives, Castley must expose the depth of her father’s lies. The forest has buried the truth in darkness for far too long. Castley might be their last hope for salvation.

The Cover:

The cover I have is the one above, which I really like. I think it focuses on the creepy aspect, and I like the dead leaves and the font of the title. I really like it, and it's largely what caught my attention. There's a new cover now, which I think is okay, and perhaps focuses on the brightness of the ending, but I think I prefer the first one.

Review:

Castella lives with her five brothers and sisters, in a house with her father and mother, and they live under God, as their father dictates. They were home-schooled until recently, when they were discovered and forced into public school. At school, they're the freaks, who aren't really allowed to socialize or join anything, and are under strict rules at all times.

Lately, Castella has started wondering about what's beyond, about what it would be like if she were free. And once a person starts thinking that, there's no going back. Especially when their father starts getting more strict and more crazy.

It's obvious there's something wrong with their father, and mother, from the very beginning. And craziness like that bleeds, it spreads, and when you're being forced to accept something as truth, it's hard to distance yourself from it.

This was a very disturbing story, from the very beginning. We discover what their fathers rules are, how they're supposed to live and be with each other only, and the things they do every day and are punished with. It's all very cult-like and disturbing.

I think the way it played out made a lot of sense. Castella was seeing other options, but when you're brainwashed like that, abused like that, it's hard to move beyond it. Her siblings weren't quite seeing what she was, and the secrets they discover, are what forces them to. I think her interactions with the other kids at school made sense, too. They were all freaks, and even though she starts getting along with a boy there, it was actually good he didn't end up being her hero. It would have been unrealistic, but also, she needed to learn that she had to do these things on her own. She was the only one who was going to save herself.

I really enjoyed this book. It was dark and disturbing, and frustrating at times, but it was rather realistic. And the ending was really sweet, I'm happy with how it seemed to have turned out.

Novel Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Spoilers?: Not really.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Wishlist Thursday. Teaser Tuesday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend— two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party — three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

The Cover:

I really like this cover. I think it's adorable, much like West's other contemporary covers. It gives the right fun-loving feel that the book has. And I like that the models have clothes fitting for the couple--Gia is more dressed up, while fill-in Bradley is much more relaxed, with a loose-fitting shirt. I really like it.

Review:

“‘Tomorrow we are all going to be better people.’” (Paperback, pg. 141)

       

I was a little wary going into this, because I’d heard iffy things. Especially about the ending. But I’m glad I went in optimistic, because I loved this book. It might actually be my favorite of hers’ so far, and even I’m surprised to say that.

Gia gets dumped on prom night, in the parking lot, right before her friends were going to meet Bradley for the first time. Afraid they’re going to believe she’d lied about his existence, she convinces the closest guy in the lot to pretend to be Bradley.

Gia is selfish, using people to get what she wants, but she’d never lied until Bradley. And then she has to keep lying to cover it up. I loved the way she grew—it was slow, but it progressed smoothly, and I could see it by the end of the book. And then when everything gets revealed, about her lies, but also with this fight with fill-in Bradley, it’s crushing. I understood her feelings at that point so well, that I almost cried it was so painful.

There’s also everything with her parents and her brother. Her brother is kind of terrible and unapologetic about it; her parents try too hard to put on a good face. It’s shaped her a lot, but I liked where they were going by the end. There's also everything with her friends, to which there's a lot of drama, and the way Jules reacted to everything really got on my nerves. But it's also possible that she had real reasons because of how Gia was before the book stared.

And then there’s fill-in Bradley (I won’t spoil his name, since there’s build-up, and it’s completely fitting). He is one of my favorite boys at this point. He’s funny and super sweet, caught between her and his friends at one point, but trying so hard to be a good guy. I loved the humor from the very beginning—the way he and Gia joke around is hilarious and adorable. And the swoons between them is intense, I love their chemistry, and I’m very happy with the way they made up at the end. It was kind of perfect.

There were a few strings left unended, particularly with Gia and Claire, but that’s okay. I would also be very happy with a spin-off featuring Bec, because she was a fantastic character, and I really liked seeing her and Gia get to know each other.

This might be my favorite West book yet, and I can’t wait to read the next one, whatever it may be.

Novel Review: Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: 2012

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Teaser Tuesday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the Flying Start author of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, a powerful novel about hope in the face of heartbreak.

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.

The Cover:

While I personally don't love this cover, and I think maybe it's the color and the font of the title, I do think it works. I think the image portrays the summer feel, kind of showing the balance between summer fun but also the underlying sadness. I think it's fitting.

Quotes:

•  "'Your childhood friends are the ones that you should hang on to. They know you in a way that nobody else does.’” (Paperback, pg. 72)
• "But one thing that I was learning about what happened when you stuck around—it usually seemed that other people were willing to stick by you as well.” (Pg. 467)

Review:

While I did not love this one as much as Since You’ve Been Gone, I did still really enjoy it. And it did also make me cry a little.

Taylor is spending the summer with her family at their summer home, where they haven’t visited in five years. Only the last time they were there, Taylor ruined things between her best friend and her potential boyfriend. And now they’re back because her father is sick.

I really liked the friendship and romance in this book. I liked the friendship between Taylor and Lucy, and how they slowly started to make it right between them. The same with Taylor and Henry, who were super cute together. I also liked Taylor’s family, and how they weren’t all that close at the beginning, but by the end they were there for each other.

Taylor did annoy me a little, with her tendency to run away. The angst of it has left me a little annoyed, but it wasn’t that bad. And I liked where she was at the end.

It was the scenes, and the feelings, between her and her father that made me cry. I can’t relate completely to that, but just the thought of it is horrible, especially with all the build-up. And then when it finally happened… Ugh, it was horribly sad and incredibly well written.

This was another excellent book, and I did really enjoy it. I look forward to her next one.

Novel Review: The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June by Robin Benway

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Publisher: RazorBill (Penguin)

Release Date: 2010

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Teaser Tuesday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

I hugged my sisters and they fit against my sides like two jigsaw pieces that would never fit anywhere else. I couldn't imagine ever letting them go again, like releasing them would be to surrender the best parts of myself.

Three sisters share a magical, unshakeable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents' divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood--powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?
April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds--everyone's but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they'll always have each other.
Because there's one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

The Cover:

I rather like this cover, overall. It looks nice, it's eye-catching. It definitely represents the contents of the book in a good way, although the appearance of some of the girls I don't quite think is standing for the correct one. I like how the girls are set up, though, along with the title, and the font of the title.
The paperback's cover is even better, though. I think it's really cute, and it does represent the book and the feel of the book really well.

Quotes:

• "'No, I mean… no, it’s not okay. But it’s okay to not be okay.’” (Hardback, pg. 237)

• "'Some people leave, yea,’ June continued. ‘And it sucks. But some people don’t leave, and they never will. And sometimes people are there, but you just can’t see them. But they’re still there.’” (Pg. 256)

Review:

This was a cute book, pretty easy to read, if a little more immature or exaggerated than I expected.

Mostly, I think this book would have been more suited to me when I was in early high school or middle school. The voices of the characters are just a little more exaggerated than I like now. Also, there was the logistics of how May was able to sneak around, like into cars by hurrying before the door closed or in the window before it drove away, and that just didn’t work for me. Logically, that just doesn’t sound realistic, and I couldn’t distend my belief that far. There was also a very tiny bit of a reason for their powers; I was content with it, because it made sense, but I also think that it could have been expanded on.

Still, I did enjoy it, for the most part. I liked how the sisters grew closer by the end, and how they matured. June grew up past her childish wishes of high school and popularity, at least somewhat. May needed to get out of her funk, her invisibility problem (not power-wise). April needed to relax a little, not be so controlling, but that’s kind of a part of who she is.

I liked April the most, that’s for sure. I particularly liked how she used her visions to not be so afraid of taking a step forward. If she sees something happening, she knows how it’s going to turn out, so she wasn’t afraid anymore, and I really liked that. I related to her a bit. She’s also the one with the most romance, and I definitely liked that; the romance was a little quirky, and adorable.

This was a cute story; I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t particularly amazing. I might pick up Benway’s newer books, though, when I get the chance. Especially since I enjoyed this one, and remember liking her first one.