Finding Home by Lauren K. McKellar
Moody, atmospheric, and just a little bit punk, Finding Home takes contemporary YA to a new level of grit...
When Amy’s mum dies, the last thing she expects is to be kicked off her dad’s music tour all the way to her Aunt Lou in a depressing hole of a seaside town. But it’s okay — Amy learned how to cope with the best, and soon finds a hard-drinking, party-loving crowd to help ease the pain.
The only solace is her music class, but even there she can’t seem to keep it together, sabotaging her grade and her one chance at a meaningful relationship. It takes a hard truth from her only friend before Amy realises that she has to come to terms with her past, before she destroys her future.
I'm so glad that I got approved for this on Netgalley because it is an AUSTRALIAN author and is set in Melbourne!
Amy's life has been turned upside down, her mum dies, her dad is touring, she is drinking, moves to her Aunt Lou's and has to make new friends without anyone knowing who her father is. Amy finds her calmness in music, when she sings or plays the keyboard she can relax and let the music take control.
At Cherrybrook High Amy meets Luke and Nick, both musos like Amy and who want her on there performance piece for their final music assessment. Luke, to Amy seems like the perfect guy, someone who she might just love but Amy never looked past the surface of him or any character really which bugged me because why would you go for someone who has a girlfriend and would cheat on her? I wasn't a fan on how she could overlook this situation, even if she didn't like his girlfriend.
Nick is sweet, smart and a good muso, I like how his character was developed and how he portrayed his feelings even if they weren't always in the best way. Her best friend that she makes with Lily isn't the best role model for Amy with everything that she has been going through, especially all the drinking. Amy isn't on the right track when she starts at Cherrybrook High she is still acting out and her drinking which is getting slowly out of control doesn't decrease with Lily as her friend.
Each character has there own flaw, which are really teenage flaws which everyone can relate to. The quick read is a great Australian novel with parts that you can easily relate to and want the characters to become who they can be, despite everything that has happened to them. It was great to see how Amy reacted to everything that she has gone through because it does happen everyday to teenagers and is something that everyone should be aware of.
Rating: 4/5
Keely xx
Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend by Louise Rozett
Rose Zarelli has big plans for sophomore year—everything is going to be different. This year, she’s going to be the talented singer with the killer voice, the fabulous girl with the fashionista best friend, the brainiac who refuses to let Jamie Forta jerk her around...
...but if she’s not careful, she’s also going to be the sister who misses the signals, the daughter who can only think about her own pain, the “good girl” who finds herself in mid-scandal again (because no good deed goes unpunished) and possibly worst of all...the almost-girlfriend.
When all else fails, stop looking for love and go find yourself.
It's sophomore year and it is Rose 2.0 out, well at least that is what she wants. Jamie was radio silent over summer after his night in jail and Rose doesn't know what to think. After trouble at the swim team initiation, Rose is once again public enemy number one, with Regina's brother this time the cause of it.
This time around Rose is struggling with her voice and who she is, it is what is the most relate able concept in the confessions series, finding out who you are. She doesn't know what is going on with Jamie, fighting with her mum at group therapy, dealing with the fact that her brother is doing drugs, her best friend is keeping a secret and dealing with what she did at the swim team party.
Rose changed in this one, she isn't angry anymore about what happened to her dad, even though she knows that he was staying for a year instead of six months like he promised. Her mother is pushing for her to take down the site, the one thing that makes her feel close to her dad. Her brother has been absent since the summer which he was partying it up with his girlfriend. Jamie didn't say a word all summer, now finally seeing him again has brought up feelings that she hasn't felt before and is confused as to what is going, something that every teenage girl can relate to.
Tracey and Rose go through a kind of major dilemma in which Rose over reacts to but then again I couldn't blame her. Jamie, Jamie, Jamie he is protective this time around and isn't seen as much as I would like. The way he acts around Rose, Regina and Conrad is the same as a bear looks after a bear cub (okay bad analogy but you get the point) he doesn't want anyone else getting hurt and well that is his fatal flaw (when you read it you will get it and if you have read anything by Shakespeare) he doesn't care about his himself. Angelo is back and well he would have to be one of the biggest influences in helping Rose find out who she is without even knowing it. The ending will leave you hanging onto for more, so I cannot wait for confession #3 to be out!
The aspects of an angry girl are continued through an almost-girlfriend, with the bullying, harassment and this time around the issue of homophobia. These themes that are addressed in an almost-girlfriend are happening everyday in high schools around the world and every teen can relate to these themes, this and the writing is what makes the book a fantastic read for every teen to read and understand why what is happening to them or what they are doing is wrong.
Thanks to Harlequin Teen for the review copy from netgalley!
Rating: 5/5
Keely xx
Dare You To by Katie McGarry
Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."
"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....
"I dare you..."
If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....
Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.
But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...
This is Beth and Ryan's story, we've heard Echo's and Noah's, now it is time to hear about Beth & what she is going through.
“Screw what Mom and Dad think. Screw the rest of the town. Screw perfection. This girl is mine.”
Who would ever think that a single dare could change someone's life? Ryan's friends dare him to get Skater's Girl (aka Beth) number & name, what he didn't realise is what the dare turned out to be, attraction. Beth knows she feels the same, however, with everything going on in her life can she just be?
“Fine," I say. "Dare accepted."
Game on, Skater Girl. Game on.”
After loving Pushing the Limits and falling in love with McGarry's writing, I knew that I couldn't wait for Dare you To. Her writing captures you and doesn't let you go... I should know seeing as I starting reading and didn't finish until 1am. There is no denying that Ryan and Beth are from different groups, socioeconomic groups and neighborhoods, Ryan is your town's golden boy & jock with secrets of his own, Beth the new girl with dark & hidden secrets.
“I like you. I. Like. You. I'll admit you're annoying. Sometimes you agitate me to the brink of insanity, but you can throw it back at me like no one else. When you laugh, I want to laugh. When you smile, I want to smile. Hell, I want to be the one to make you smile.”
Beth's life with her aunt and uncle is for the better, being away from her alcoholic and drug addict mum and her abusive boyfriend is for the best. Isaiah makes a few appearances in this one, while Beth wants to runaway like she always does, Isaiah knows that it is better for her to just stay. Isaiah knows that he has to let her go, no matter how much he loves her, he wants what is best for her. The scenes between these two are heart breaking and will emotionally get to you. Ryan's perfect life isn't as perfect as it seems, he maybe the town's golden boy on the outside, on the inside he is hiding secrets just like Beth is.
“You're falling for me like I'm falling for you. That's why you're pushing me so hard.”
The rollarcoaster ride this book takes you on is one that you will never forget, the way that these two find out each others secrets and begin to understand this relationship that is forming between the two. McGarry's writing just takes you away in this one, Dare you To is an emotional & brilliant ride that you just have to read in one go!
Thanks to Harlequin (UK) Limited for the review copy on netgalley!
Rating: 5/5
Keely xx
