After a year in rural Cottonwood Creek, Iowa, city girl Laurel is still adjusting to a place where parties take place in barns, guys ride around in pickup trucks, and a killer senior prank involves getting pigs into the principal’s office. Fortunately, she has her best friend Aspen on her side. The real problem is that neither the country girl nor the city slicker have boyfriends, nor any prospects for getting them. Clearly, they need to raise their profiles – and they have a summer to do it.

What’s interesting about this book’s description is that it sets you up for a completely different story. For me, I thought the story would focus on Laurel and her transition from city life to the country. At first I was confused and then pleasantly surprised when I realized this was Aspen’s story. A & L Do Summer focuses on the summer before Aspen and Laurel’s senior year of high school. Laurel wants to gain more notoriety before senior year, while Aspen just really wants a boy to be interested in her. She goes along with Laurel’s schemes until she finally realizes that instead of trying to fit her life into this perfect, stereotypical mould, she should just accept it for what it is in order to be truly happy.

Aspen and Laurel are the perfect duo. I particularly love Aspen’s sense of humor and her sarcastic wit. She is the perfect example of the semi-rebellious high school junior – someone extremely curious and willing to try new things, despite the consequences. Laurel could have easily fallen into the annoyingly beautiful, yet oddly unpopular stereotype always written into young adult novels – you know, the flawless best friend of the narrator meant to make the narrator more relatable – but she doesn’t. Instead, Laurel is hysterical and makes so many mistakes it’s hard not to feel bad for her most of the time. I like that she has the desire to be popular – honestly, it’s high school, and who doesn’t? – but she realizes the girls she considers “popular” are really just annoying and fake and that her friendship with Aspen is much more meaningful. Their friendship is so wonderfully captured in the pages of A & L Do Summer that I think everyone will find them relatable in some way.

The best thing about A & L Do Summer, though, is how realistic it is. The book is more focused on character development than plot, which I find refreshing. It reminds me of Phyllis Reynold Naylor’s Alice series, in that way. Essentially, these characters aren’t squeaky clean. They sneak out, drink, and even end up getting arrested (although in their small town, it’s more just to make an example of them than because they’re actually in trouble). Just when you think Aspen can’t possibly get into any more trouble, she does. And then she does again. And again. Her parents react just as any parents would and she faces a lot of consequences. But she also learns a lot about herself and about friendship in the process. It was a treat to read about someone making some of the same mistakes I have and I was able to laugh along with Aspen through most of them.

While I mentioned the story isn’t plot-heavy, there definitely is a plot. Aspen and Laurel face off against the villains of the story numerous times – three boys who gave me goose bumps. So creepy. I was probably more afraid of them than Aspen was. And of course there’s the love interest, Clay, who also happens to be Aspen’s brother’s best friend. Clay is a perfect gentleman – and his rugged good looks don’t hurt – but Aspen’s brother is the one who stole my heart. His relationship with Aspen is the perfect mix of verbal sparring, practical joking, and older-brother-heroics; he bails Aspen out of more than one sticky situation, making me wish he was my older brother. And despite their small fights and age difference, he makes it clear how much he cares about Aspen, especially at the end. It’s easy to see why Laurel has such a huge crush on him.

Basically, A & L Do Summer is the perfect summer read. Every girl will find something relatable about Aspen or Laurel and it’s impossible not to laugh at all the trouble they get into. I mean, walking a skunk around in a baby stroller? What’s not funny about that?

Pages: 275
Publication Date: May 2011
Publisher: Egmont USA
Challenge: N/A
Rating :

Teaser Quote: “The sun brings out his freckles and sparks the red highlights in his hair. ‘I wouldn’t say that. The first time I saw you, you were wrangling pigs. Nothing catches a farm boy’s attention like a girl who knows her way around livestock.’”

“Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life, but when a devastatingly handsome boy appears at her school, she feels every urge she’s ever denied burning through her at his slightest glance.

Theia does not understand why she dreamed of Haden Black before they met, but as the Haden of both the day and the night beckons her forward, Theia knows she cannot resist him – even when she discovers what he truly is; and even if the cost of that knowledge is her soul.”

It’s not every day you see a burning man fall out of the sky.

When Theia Alderson witnesses that exact sight she almost convinces herself it was all a dream….or more like a nightmare, because there’s a huge scorch mark on her lawn the next morning from where he landed.

From that moment there’s a shift in the air, announcing something strange and wrong is starting to take place at Serendipity Falls. When Theia dreams that night of a beautiful boy at a party accompanied by skeletons, serenaded by faceless musicians, she couldn’t have been more shocked to find that same boy, Haden, at her school the next day.

But what does he want with Theia? What is it about him that makes Theia want to be with him so badly. She knows it’s dangerous, but she can’t help herself…

Falling Under is a novel that in the end I had a love/hate relationship with.

There was a lot in it that I found very interesting. The world of Under – where Theia would meet Haden in her dreams, was completely fascinating in a dark twisted kind of way and excellently creepy. It made me think of Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton style but even darker.

I also really loved the concept of the demons and the travelling between worlds (which was done so well), and was very relieved that there wasn’t a love triangle in sight (phew).

The writing was easy to read and drew me in to the story, meaning that even when I put it down I was still thinking about it, itching to get back, wanting to know what would happen next.

What disappointed me were the two main characters.

I just wasn’t sold on their “love” for each other – their attraction was based on…I don’t know? Haden was spying/stalking Theia for a while before travelling to her world to find her, and Theia likes Haden based on the rush of emotions she feels when she sees him. This is despite his hot/cold emotions or that he’s kind of ass to her for a lot of the book in an attempt to push her away.

It also felt a bit too Twilight for me. From Haden calling Theia ‘lamb’, to the need to hold back on affection, the (I’m paraphrasing here) ‘you should stay away from me if you were smart’ and ‘I’m a bad guy but I can’t stay away from you’, among other things. Heck, at one point even Theia acknowledges the conversation is heading in a Twilight direction, with even a bit of New Moon seen later on in the book.

Although, let me tell you their kissing scenes were excellent. You’ll probably need to stop and fan yourself for a minute because their sexual tension practically sizzles on the page.

Theia, we’re often told, is level headed and rational thanks to her strict upbringing from her cold father, but all we see is Theia making totally irrational choices when it comes to Haden. Other than dating a guy who came to this world to do her harm (which she doesn’t seem to factor in), she basically knows nothing about him since he’s perpetually being cryptic and mysterious, at least when he’s not busy being jealous or an ass. Yet in a short space of time she’s in love and willing to lay down her soul for him. Why?? Other than give you attention and a fuzzy feeling in your gut, what’s this guy actually done for you lately Theia? She should’ve shown Haden the door and gone for someone like Gabe.

Anyway, enough with the negativity, as the storyline throws in an interesting twist at the end it really gets things going and we’re left with quite a cliffhanger. Even though Mara is the bad guy in the story, she’s a total badass and I was quite interested by how her mind worked and what her next move will be.

Falling Under is a dark and twisted love story and if you’re a hopeless romantic, you’ll probably love it. If you’re a bit pickier with your love affairs, this might not be to your liking. Only one way to find out…

Pages: 324
Publication Date: March 2011
Publisher: Penguin
Challenge: Debut Author
Rating: :

Teaser Quote: “And then, slowly, like a feather caught on a light breeze, he willowed past my window, turning his grotesque head towards me, his mouth open in a silent scream. He was more than on fire. He was fire.”

“Ari Mitchell feels invisible at her Brooklyn high school. Her hair is too flat, her style too preppy, and her personality too quiet. And outside school, Ari feels outshined by her beautiful, confident best friend, Summer. Their friendship is as complex and confusing as Ari’s relationship with her troubled older sister, Evelyn, a former teenage mom whose handsome firefighter husband fills Ari’s head with guilty fantasies.

When an unexpected inheritance enables Ari to transfer to an elite Manhattan prep school, she makes a wealthy new friend, Leigh. Leigh introduces Ari to the glamorous side of New York – and to her gorgeous cousin, Blake. Ari doesn’t think she stands a chance, but amazingly, Blake asks her out. As their romance heats up, they find themselves involved in an intense, consuming relationship.

Ari’s  family worries that she is losing touch with the important things in life, like family, hard work, and planning for the future. Meanwhile, Summer warns her that what she feels for Blake is just an infatuation. No real love. But Ari’s world is awash with new colors, filled with a freshness and an excitement she hasn’t felt in years.”

———–

For this review, we’re doing things a little differently. Never has a debut novel been so sought after by almost every member of the yaReads team and had us all in a flutter, so it seems fitting that we bring you a joint review of Lorraine Zago Rosenthal’s Other Words For Love.

Ivy: Holy Guacamole!  Two days after, I’m still thinking about Other Words for Love.  It was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.  For an urban fantasy lover like me, it’s a breath of fresh air to have read something as real and believable as this book.  It could be your sister, friend, or neighbor’s story.

This is an easy 5 stars.  Outstanding debut Ms. Rosenthal!

Rating: :

Kiona: Other Words for Love is an emotional roller-coaster. Throughout the book, my opinion of Ariadne was ever-changing. In the beginning, I like her. She’s the relatable underdog: a pretty girl often overlooked due to the beauty of her best friend. She’s a hard worker, gets good grades, and is passionate about art. She also pretty much takes care of her out-of-control older sister’s son, which is very altruistic of her considering her sister, Evelyn, treats her like crap. I admire Ari’s inner-strength and ability to look past others’ flaws.

But then she meets Blake and he essentially eclipses the sun of Ari’s world. To me, Blake is a decent enough guy, but I was annoyed by his constant use of the word, “ nice” Anytime she considers doing something he doesn’t like, he makes her feel guilty by saying, “That wouldn’t be nice”. And while Ari is blinded by love, it’s easy to see how much control Blake’s father has over Blake’s life, which just shows how weak Blake is. I understand that that’s the point Rosenthal is trying to convey – that Blake isn’t actually the picture-perfect guy Ari thinks he is. Love interests don’t have to be likable for a story to be likable. But I was disappointed in Ari – who is such a smart girl – for not being able to recognize the signs of Blake’s imperfection and weakness. So halfway through the book, I began liking her less and less.

The middle is also when the story stops being relatable. I lost all respect for Ari when she dropped her friends and focused her entire world around Blake. I know first loves can be all-consuming, but Ari doesn’t have a particularly thriving social life. Yet she still drops Summer, a friend since childhood, and Leigh, a girl who could really use a friend, and she never really repairs these friendships. When Blake dumps her, Ari stops caring about school, her appearance, her nephews, SATs, and even considers suicide. While I’ll admit this happens to some girls, I definitely don’t feel like that it’s the norm. I had to put this book down several times so I could collect my emotions. While I admire that the author can illicit such emotions, I think she did so at the cost of alienating the reader from the protagonist. The ending makes me feel slightly better, but it’s not enough to redeem Ariadne in my eyes.

That being said, I think the writing is superb and Rosenthal clearly knows New York City very well. The descriptions of the city sound genuine and really ground Other Words for Love in the specific time period Rosenthal chose (1980s). I really enjoyed the detailed glimpse in the city and Rosenthal’s exploration of a dysfunctional family is very intriguing. I definitely enjoyed the psychological aspects of this novel, but while I think this is an interesting take on first love, I don’t think it’s a story many girls will be able to relate to.

Rating: :

Christina:  There are so many different ways to promote books these days. The one way that I completely trust is when everyone (with nothing to gain for doing so) is buzzing about a book as enthusiastically as they were for Other Words For Love. So I’m with Ivy on this one – I completely loved it.

The characters in this book were incredible. Each character was unique, so well fleshed out and had these realistic personalities with both virtues and flaws. Some characters you’ll completely hate and others you’ll grow to understand. Some of them were even quite cruel at times like Evelyn and Summer, who would say certain things that would make me go – GAAAAAASPPPPPPPPPPP! OHHHHH, she did not just say that!  I wanted to dive into the pages, step beside Ari and serve them a swift kick to head for how they acted. This just goes to show how invested you become in these characters and Ari’s story.

What really hit me was just how authentic I felt the emotions expressed in the book were. Everything Ari felt, from her elation at being with Blake, to her eventual heartbreak just felt so so real. Her feelings in the end might seem dramatic but if you’ve ever been heartbroken that’s exactly what it’s like – the colors fade to gray, food seems pointless and you’re stuck in a rut you don’t bother to get out of. I loved how the way Ari felt meant that she perceived the statue of Saint Anne differently – it was very clever and so true.

The part that particular struck me the most me while Ari’s world was falling apart, she felt like all the hard work she’d done up to that point, not just in school but in life, had counted for nothing because of a slip up right at the finish line. For me that was the part where I raised my hand and said “Oh I have been there” Which I think a lot of girls will feel the same about quite a few sections of the book.

If there was a flaw in this book I can only say it was the blurb – it gives too much away. I’ve omitted the last paragraph of the blurb in this review because it basically gives half the story away and I was able to have a good guess about what would happen in the rest. BUT! Despite that, the story’s execution was superb and even though I’d already been told what would happen it didn’t make it any less interesting or heartbreaking or amazing, which proves just how great this book is.

Ari’s life in New York in the 1980s was completely fascinating to read about, in particular to note what has changed and what is still the same. Even after finishing it I couldn’t stop thinking about this story for days after. I was so proud of Ari and what she managed to accomplish in the end, her experiences made her so much stronger. Sign me up for every thing Lorraine Zago Rosenthal writes next. Highly, highly, highly, recommend it.

Rating: :

Two out of the three of us loved it, the other, not quite feeling it. Which side of the fence are you on?

Pages: 354
Publication Date: January 2011
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Challenge: Historical Fiction/Debut Author
Average Rating: :

Teaser Quote: “I was looking out the window, checking for neighbors and hoping to give them something to see, when I felt Blake’s hand on my chin. I looked at him, at his straight nose and his perfectly carved lips, and felt his finger move back and forth on my skin. Don’t ask me, I thought. Just do it.”