Sophie Reads YA

Stacking the Shelves: February 22nd 2020

10:00

2018 Contemporary Romance Challenge

Review: Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider

10:00

Summer of Sloane
Series: None
Author: Erin L. Schneider
Published May 3rd 2016 by Disney-Hyperion

Goodreads Synopsis
Warm Hawaiian sun. Lazy beach days. Flirty texts with her boyfriend back in Seattle.

These are the things seventeen-year-old Sloane McIntyre pictured when she imagined the summer she’d be spending at her mom’s home in Hawaii with her twin brother, Penn. Instead, after learning an unthinkable secret about her boyfriend, Tyler, and best friend, Mick, all she has is a fractured hand and a completely shattered heart.

Once she arrives in Honolulu, though, Sloane hopes that Hawaii might just be the escape she needs. With beach bonfires, old friends, exotic food, and the wonders of a waterproof cast, there’s no reason Sloane shouldn’t enjoy her summer. And when she meets Finn McAllister, the handsome son of a hotel magnate who doesn’t always play by the rules, she knows he’s the perfect distraction from everything that’s so wrong back home.

But it turns out a measly ocean isn’t nearly enough to stop all the emails, texts, and voicemails from her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, desperate to explain away their betrayal. And as her casual connection with Finn grows deeper, Sloane’s carefree summer might not be as easy to find as she’d hoped. Weighing years of history with Mick and Tyler against their deception, and the delicate possibility of new love, Sloane must decide when to forgive, and when to live for herself.
Goodreads

Review
I read this book on a whim, as I had been scrolling from my library's e-book catalogue, and the cover took my fancy. I had heard of the author on twitter and goodreads, but didn't really know what the book was about, but thought to give it a go. Sloane is in Hawaii for the summer with her brother, Penn, at their mam's house. Normally, she would love spending the summer in the sun, but this year she is tending to her broken heart, after discovering her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend. Now, she doesn't know how to forget about it, what with both of them plaguing her with messages and calls. She then meets Finn, who helps her to feel as if she can move on from her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, but he's hiding things himself. Can Sloane recover her summer, and enjoy herself, or will her demons come back to haunt her.

This book was a quick read, and definitely helped to overcome the dreary English winter. Perfect for a summer contemporary, my main issue with this book was how much drama was in it. So much could have been dealt with a lot earlier if people actually spoke to each other, and listen, but that doesn't happen. The romance between Sloane and Finn started off fun, but soon got tiresome. Sloane was a good character - I especially loved how she dealt with the initial reveal of the cheating, but at times she got on my nerves. All in all, I enjoyed the book, but didn't love it. It's not a book I would re-read, and though I'm glad I did, it's not a book to shout about.

Dates Read:
January 15-16, 2018

Rating
3 Stars

Alexa Donne

Waiting On Wednesday: The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne

10:00

2020 Contemporary Romance Challenge

ARC Review: The Upside of Falling by Alex Light

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The Upside of Falling
Series: None
Author: Alex Light
Published February 18th 2020 by HarperTeen

Goodreads Synopsis
It’s been years since seventeen-year-old Becca Hart believed in true love. But when her former best friend teases her for not having a boyfriend, Becca impulsively pretends she’s been secretly seeing someone.

Brett Wells has it all. Being captain of the football team and one of the most popular guys in school, he should have no problem finding someone to date, but he’s always been more focused on his future than who to bring to prom. When he overhears Becca’s lie, Brett decides to step in and be her mystery guy. It’s the perfect solution: he gets people off his back for not dating and she can keep up the ruse.

Acting like the perfect couple isn’t easy though, especially when you barely know the other person. But with Becca still picking up the pieces from when her world was blown apart years ago and Brett just barely holding his together now, they begin to realize they have more in common than they ever could have imagined. When the line between real and pretend begins to blur, they are forced to answer the question: is this fake romance the realest thing in either of their lives?
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

As soon as I heard about this book, I knew it was one for me, and I immediately pre-ordered it, and when I was sent a review copy from Harper360, I dove straight in. The fake relationship trope has always been a favourite of mine, and will probably be in the future too.

In The Upside of Falling, our MC, Becca, adores reading romance books, but is jaded against actual relationships or love, after seeing her parents disastrous relationship. She's 17, and has never been in a relationship, and when an old friend, turned quasi enemy, makes a dig at her, Becca decides to make up the fact that she's been in a relationship for sometime, but has been keeping it quiet. She doesn't know why she says it, nor who she could say is her 'boyfriend', but when Brett overhears her statement, he jumps in to play the role of boyfriend, and soon the two of them are in the deep end acting like a couple. Brett is football captain, and well known and popular around the school; the opposite of Becca. On paper, they really shouldn't work, but somehow they seem to find a way to grow close, first as friends, and later, as more.

I really enjoyed this book, and it was such a quick and nice read. Becca and Brett both had their issues, and weren't perfect, which made them more likeable and relatable. The only real issue I had with this book, which left it as a 4 star read, was the way that nothing really seemed to happen. It was fast paced, but didn't really take much time for everything to progress, and the plot was cute and fluffy, but that's about it. I would've liked a bit more depth, and bit more delving into Brett and Becca's lives and the lives of those around him. All in all, a really good debut, and I am looking forward to seeing what Alex brings out next.

Dates Read:

January 20-22, 2020

Rating
4 Stars

February

Stacking the Shelves: February 15th 2020

10:00

#RockMyTBR 2017 Challenge

Review: Defy (Defy #1) by Sara B. Larson

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Defy
Series: Defy #1
Author: Sara B. Larson
Published January 7th 2014 by Scholastic

Goodreads Synopsis
A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?
Goodreads

Review
I adore the trope of girls having to disguise themselves as male in order to survive in a difficult world - in this case to avoid being captured by the evil king's army and forced into slavery for simply being female, or worse, one of the king's 'breeding houses'. Our main character, Alexa has had to be hiding as Alex in the prince's guard. She is tasked with protecting Prince Damian, but can't stop herself, the prince, and a fellow guard, Rylan, being kidnapped by a sorcerer. As the three of them work to free themselves, and try to get home and deal with the wicked system and the magic that is coming into the land.

Alexa was a fantastic character, with a backstory that fully explained why she was such a bad ass. She sometimes struggled with the fact that she was the only girl in the palace, but she had a reason for pretending, and the way that women were treated in this society was despicable. Both Rylan and Damian had good character arcs, Prince Damian especially, but the whole love triangle aspect is the main reason this book is only a 4 star, and not five. I am glad I have a copy of book 2, because I can't wait to dive in and find out more from Alexa's story.

Dates Read:
December 7-11, 2017

Rating
4 Stars