Dangerous Boy by Mandy Hubbard

Release Date: August 30, 2012
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Razorbill
Age Group: Young Adult
Shelfability: Acquire
Pages: 262
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Source: Publisher
Interest: Author
Challenge: The Completely Contemp Challenge

I love Mandy Hubbard’s books, so I was excited to have the opportunity to read her newest title, Dangerous Boy! Dangerous Boy was a little on the creepy side, especially compared to Mandy’s other books. I wasn’t expecting it, but I liked it!

Harper is dating the new guy, Logan. And ladies he’s as dreamy as can be. They share a common bond both having lost someone close to them. Harper having lost her mother and Logan having lost both of his parents. Their relationship is wonderful until Harper meets Logan’s brother. Eek. Poor Logan has an evil twin brother and now Harper knows. Unsatisfied with Logan’s answers about his brother, she does some investigating of her own. I won’t spoil what she find out!

Dangerous Boy was creepy and a fast read. I think I ended up reading it in one setting. I totally knew what was going on, well sorta. I wasn’t exactly right. I’m glad I didn’t read the summary on Goodreads until after I read the book, that darn thing is spoilery! I hate when that happens.

I think readers will love Harper, I know I did. And I loved the setting and the fact that Harper was a country girl. A little reminiscent of my own teenage years. I also loved the setting (which you can read more the reasons why in my interview with her!) and the other accurate tidbits she included. Still a fan of Mandy’s writing style, can’t wait for more.

If you are looking for something quick, fun and a little creepy, you should definitely try Dangerous Boy!

The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin

Release Date: August 2, 2012
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Age Group: Young Adult
Shelfability: Acquire
Pages: 224
Format: ARC
Source: Author
Interest:Author
Challenge: The Completely Contemp Challenge

Jane is visiting her brother for the summer. Chasing tornadoes with the Torbros, a group of chasers her brother Ethan belongs too. Despite all the action happening around her, her thoughts are consumed with her mother. Jane left her alcoholic mother alone for the summer. She struggles with doing what is best for her or staying and taking care of her mom.

Sometimes to discover something about yourself you need a change of scenery. That is exactly what happens to Jane. It doesn’t happen right away, but by the end of the story Jane finally has a moment of clarity.

I loved the characters in this novel. Even moody Victor. The character dynamics were spot on. I just love how Lara creates and depicts her characters. The Waiting Sky is my favorite book she’s written yet!

Throughout the story Jane shares experiences with her mother and the dysfunction of their relationship. Jane is very much the adult in their relationship. Jane realizes that she is the one taking care of her mother, but she struggles with leaving her mother to fend for herself. As a reader it’s easy to see that Jane is making excuses for her mother, yet at the same time you can understand and sympathize with her reasoning.

There is an instant in the story where Ethan mentions that although he left Jane and their mother, he just traded one chaos for another. Something about that statement really resonated with me.

I enjoyed the story, the writing and the characters. The three components that make a good novel for me. I can’t wait to see what Lara comes up with next.

Totally not related to the content of this book, but I LOVE this cover!

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

Release Date: July 5, 2012
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Dutton
Age Group: Young Adult
Shelfability: Acquire/Borrow
Pages: 304
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Source: Publisher
Interest: Debut
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge & The Completely Contemp Challenge
Buy the Book: Amazon

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone is a haunting story. I’ve not read a story quite like this one, ever.

Rebecca is ready to leave her small town and never look. She’s been planning leaving for as long as she can remember, she has all the pieces in place she just has the summer to get through. The night of graduation her boyfriend dumps her in a really heartless way, and even though Rebecca knew that it would be over at the end of the summer, she never thought it would end like this.

Only a few miles away Amelia Anne dies on the side of the road.

Rosenfield peppers chapters of Amelia’s life between those of Rebecca’s. We get to see who Amelia Anne was and eventually get to witness her demise. We watch these two girls struggle with finding themselves, yet only one get’s to live with the decisions that she makes.

The writing was incredibly intense and passionate. It was easy to become lost in the words. And I mean that in a good way. Although there were a few times I was a little confused about timing and events. It seemed that Rebecca would be talking about something that happened in the future and then be back in the present or even in the past without much warning.

The small town depiction was realistically accurate. It’s nice to know it’s just not the small towns that I’ve lived in, it’s all small towns. Where everyone thinks they know what’s going on with everyone else and gossip rules all. It reminds me of that Miranda Lambert song, “Famous in a Small Town,”

This is a contemporary novel that’s more on the gritty side. Gritty, yet incredibly beautiful.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Release Date: June 14, 2012
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Dial Books For Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Shelfability: Covet/Acquire
Pages: 395
Format: eBook/Hardcover
Source: NetGalley/Bought
Interest: Debut
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge & The Completely Contemp Challenge
Buy the Book: Amazon

Samantha Reed looks like she has the perfect life. A nice house, a successful attentive mother, a fabulous best friend and perfect grades. But she feels like she’s missing out on something when she watches the Garrett family next door. They’re a huge family, they are messy and boisterous, everything that Samantha’s family is not.

She’s always wished she could be part of their lives and she gets the chance when Jace Garrett climbs up her trellis and joins her on her roof… and her whole life turns upside down.

I adored Samantha’s character. I was afraid that given Samantha’s “perfect” persona, she would be one of those characters who took what they had for granted or constantly complained about it. Samantha wasn’t like that at all. She realized that she had a good life and that her mother cared for her. She just realized that what was “perfect” for her mother wasn’t necessarily perfect for everyone.  Thus her infatuation with watching the Garrett family! And then Jace! Whew! He is the perfect boy. No really, he is the type of guy that you want to marry! He loves his family, will do anything for them and he’s so sweet! No jerk faces in this book. Well, Clay is a jerk face, but let’s not talk about him.

My favorite character was George. He just leapt off the page. He reminds me of every little kid that I know, rolled into one. All of the Garrett family is fabulous, but I’m sure George will be your favorite too!

There were real conflicts in this novel, and I loved how Fitzpatrick portrayed and had her characters deal with them. Poor Samantha though! Felt so bad for her!

This is a fabulous contemporary debut and a wonderful summer read! Add it to your reading piles!

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Release Date: May 10, 2012
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books (Penguin Group for Young Readers
Age Group: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Shelfability: Acquire/Borrow
Pages: 224
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Source: Publisher
Interest: Debut Author
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge, The Completely Contemp. Challenge
Buy the Book: Amazon

When we meet Carley she is being released from the hospital and finding herself in the care of a foster family. As a reader, we don’t initially know how Carley got to be where she is, but through flashbacks in the story we are made aware of the horrors that Carley has had to endure.

Carley has never known what a loving household is like. She hates herself for not hating this foster family. We watch her struggle as she comes to terms with herself and with the actions of her mother.

One for the Murphys was an incredibly touching novel. There were several times that I felt tears brewing in my eyes. (Although there were plenty times when I was laughing too!) I wouldn’t describe One for the Murphys as a sad story. It’s not a sad story, it’s a hopeful story. It’s about family and love. It explores different types of love and although they are different, one isn’t less powerful than the other.

To me, Carley seemed much older than her twelve year old/thirteen year old self. Although it worked, because Carley has seen and experienced things that no twelve year old should have to.

I really enjoyed all the characters. The three Murphy boys, Mr. and Mrs. Murphy…. Carley’s friend Tori, even Carley’s teacher Mr. Rueben. They were all incredibly written. I battled the most with Carley’s mother. I couldn’t decide if I felt sorry for her or not. I think perhaps she needed someone in her life like Mrs. Murphy and it’s a shame she didn’t have that.

We don’t get that fairy tale happy ending, but we get a realistic one. And we are left with the hope that Carley is a better person for her experiences and that she will continue to thrive because of her time with the Murphys.

You should add One for the Murphys to your reading pile! It’s a quick read and it will definitely touch your heart!