Love Fortunes and Other Disasters by Kimberely Karalius

The characters in Love Fortunes and Other Disasters are incredibly likeable and such fun to have around you. I felt like they were good friends of mine that I couldn't stop rooting for and had my fingers crossed things would work out for them. With a great writing style, this debut novel is definitely something to look forward to in May,  and I can't wait to meet the author on her Swoon book tour hitting my store. Light and sweet, this magical adventure is equal parts realistic and whimsy that sucks you right in and makes you believe you're simply missing the magic in your daily life.

In the town of Grimbaud, Love and charms are very real and can change the course of your life forever. Fallon has been dreaming of attending high school in Grimbaud all her life, so she can receive Zita's Love Charm and find the love of her life, just like family members before her. Zita's fortunes are world renowned for their 100% accuracy and Fallon can not wait, things don't quite go as Fallon planned. Upon finding out she will never have love in her life, Fallon is determined to change her fate. Fortunately for her, she isn't the only student to receive a less than appealing fortune, as they band together Fallon find she has to work with disgusting heart breaker Sebastian. Can they defeat the odds and put fate back in people's hands?

Lured in by this appealing plot, I loved every moment of this story and Sebastian is definitely a boy to behold. Fallon is an awesome female character with wit, snark and brains she's just too loveable. I partially wish they were cast a bit older, I understand why they are just 14-15 but they are very mature and clever - a bit more so than 14 year old's I encounter each week. That aside, this story was tons of fun and took me just a few hours to blow right through with plenty of laughs.

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D.U.F.F. by Kody Keplinger

When D.U.F.F. first came out, I had been really excited to see it anmd regret saying it took until now to actually read it. I remember so many books being out when I was a younger teen on serious issues girls were truly facing in day to day life, but they'd seemed to have disappeared from the main stream. I finally bought this book about 3 hours ago and blewe right through. Immediately I felt for our main character, I instantley recalled how it'd felt when I'd realized I was the ugly friend and how shocking it was when one of my beautiful friends got angry at me for being pretty with little effort. I also remebered the shame I felt when I ran into the arms of a boy because I thought that would validate me and my worth. I'm so excited to see so much empowering literature becoming popular for teens in a time when they need it most, when we hit our 20's we forget how hard high school was and laugh at kids struggling, not remember the support we silently sought.


D.U.F.F picks up immediately in a great first person from Bianca's point of view. Sitting miserably alone at a bar turned teen hangout, while her gorgeous friends dance it up. Being her usual bitter, cynical self, enter Wesley, the gorgeous school playboy. Only adding to her irritation, he stays and talks and informs her how hot her friends are and him talking to her makes him look good. Now we get her new vocab word introduction, D.U.F.F. - Designated Ugly Fat Friend. B knew she wasn't the pretty one in her group but that harsh realization gets under her skin, coupled with issuers at home, her stress boils over and she finds herself liplocked with Wesley at the "bar" - thankfully the only drink on tap is soda. Wesley responds eagerly, until Bianca dumps her soda on him and bolts. The next week at school is agonizing as all she can think about are Wesley's hands and lips. As their secret relationship quickly escalates, she has finally found a sure fire to completely escape all her problems. Barely speaking to her friends or accepting the way her home life is drastically changing B can't keep up with her new drug and does some more running away. Right into the arms of the boy she has had a crush on for a few years - polite, sweet, reliable and cautious Toby is everything Wesley isn't. But is that what she really wants? When a realization rocks her world, everyone has been or felt like the DUFF, there's no escaping it' but it doesn't define who you are. While Bianaca finds herself and what she wants she realizes this isn't a crappy romance movie, this is real life and the only one who can save you is in fact yourself.

This is such a powerful book, applicable to literally anyone who is or was a teen girl at any point. It reminds us of how lost we were and how important our friends are and how life changing self love can be. After reading this book, I curled into myself and hugged sad teenage Ashley and commended her strength and courage because high school isn't easy Teaching everyone to love themselves for who they are and not letting labels destroy or define you. Slut, whore, bitch, tease, ditz, D.U.F.F. - thy're all just words people use to make themselves feel better (taken straight from the book) Kody has given all girls a voice. No matter how popular, smart, pretty or whatever, a girl is, we are all fighting the same battle so be kind. You never know what someone says to their own reflection. Read this book and embrace yourself, whether you're in high school now or in your 20's or even older. Do yourself the favor of self love.

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Unhinged by A.G. Howard

The second book in the Wonderland installation, this book does not disappoint. The love triangle we saw blossom in book one has taken full force and taken over center stage for book two. A total sucker for a love triangle, I was sucked right in an I am without a doubt, totally team Morpheus. Mostly for me though, Alyssa is a great character but tries to hard to shy away from what she knows is her life, endangering the Wonderland creatures with her fear I think she should marry Jeb and I'll marry Morpheus for her.

A year after Alyssa first visited Wonderland, she's a senior in high school and Jeb is off in London becoming a famous artist. Despite having saved Wonderland, her dreams and art are still being plagued by visions of a crumbling Wonderland, with Morpheus visiting her dreams almost every night it's as if she never left. Alyssa thought after she abandoned the throne, naming Grenadine in her stead, she would be able to continue her human life with Jeb, the future she truly wants. However, Wonderland and it's inhabitants won't wait. Since she refuses to return,Queen Red and others bring the battle to the human world, forcing Alyssa to reclaim her rightful place and defend two worlds at once. With Morpheus making things more and more complicated in Alyssa's day to day life, no longer hiding just in her dreams, she has no choice but to acknowledge feelings she has attempted to push aside. She must accept her heart can not belong to just her human or her moth, they represent the two halves of her whole and she has no idea how to balance both versions of herself. With a battle gone completely wrong, Jeb, Morpheus and Alyssa's mother vanish into Anyelswhere leaving Alyssa alone and locked away in the same asylum that once held her mother. Alyssa realizes she must step up and be the hero and she finds out more about herself, her loves and her parents than she could've ever imagined.

I can not wait to read the final novel in this series, knowing it is going to pull together in the most amazing way. I also can't wait to see the resolution for the love triangle and might actually rage if Morpheus is thrust to the side (I'll be awaiting him with open arms though). I'm excited to return to Wonderland and see it restored to it's proper place and am genuinely unsure who will take over the crown with so many contenders ready to duke it out.Do yourself a favor and pick this up if you are a fan of the classic, romance or adventure this is a series complimentary to so many collections.

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To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Upon first glance I did not think this book would be for me. I personally am not a fan of the "I love my sister's boyfriend" trope, but this book delivered a true heartfelt story showing the bonds of family that we tend to forget about in teen romance. Most of the time family fades to the background while your heroine gets the guy, but in TATBILB family and sisterly bonds takes the wheel. While being myself an only child, my best friend is one of three girls and I could see the reality of the relationships the entire time. I see people knocking this title because of the trope this is built on but I tell you now, it is so much more than that and so very worthy of attention. I was floored by how much this book sucked me in and kept me rooting for different players, one minute you may adore a character and the next be raging at them, all except for Kitty of course.

Lara Jean is the middle of the three Song sisters. Fiercely dedicated to family the Song girls are in constant company, having almost no other serious friendships outside of them. Except for Josh, the next door neighbor that has become a very integral part of all three of their lives. Lara has always harbored strong feelings for Josh, spending years pining for him, until one day her eldest sister announces that they're dating. Respecting both of their feelings Lara writes down all her feelings in a love letter she stores with four others in an old hat box in her closet. One day she comes to find her letters have been sent out to the five boys she's secretly written them to. Enter Peter Kavinsky, Lara's former crush from seventh grade, he confronts her about the letter and in a bizarre twist of fate they begin "fake dating". Lara can't afford Josh thinking she still has feelings for him (even though she does) and Peter wants to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. Faced with more feelings than she expected things take an unexpected turn for Lara and leaves her a lot of things to work out.

At which point you are cruelly shoved off a perilously high cliffhanger and fall to your doom awaiting the next book. I have seen a fair number of reviews complaining about Lara Jean being so naive but I implore you to take into account her sheltered existence. Lara Jean loses her mother at a young age and is left with her eldest sister manning the ship, a father that works almost all the time and a younger sister the two girls focus all their attention on. This is a character that knits and scrapbooks in her spare time, we all knew a girl like this in high school, so it was not difficult for me to accept her at face value. This is a strong novel with a lot of power behind it and its characters and definitely something you need to obtain ASAP.

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Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

I can say, while trying not to be super creepy, I am totally in love with Rainbow Rowell and the characters she writes. This is the third book where I have fallen madly in love with the male lead and rooted for him the entire time, even when his actions were borderline stalker-y. With all the YA I've been reading (for enjoyment and work) I forgot how enjoyable it was to read an adult story. Rainbow is one of the few authors I've seen go back and forth from teen to adult genre without messing up and mixing prose, her talent is so extreme, I fangirl way too hard.

Lincoln O'Neill has moved back to his mother's house and has taken a overnight job where he has to read people's emails. The entire staff at The Courier press was informed their emails would start being monitored so as to deter personal use of their work computers. While most staff stop personal emails or require one or two warnings, Jennifer Scribner-Snyder an Beth Fremont just can't seem to take it seriously. They continue to send each other hilarious and very personal emails daily and Lincoln finds himself absorbed in their lives. Unable to tear his eyes away from their words, he guiltily looks forward to catching their correspondence each night and in time finds himself falling for Beth. A woman he's never met or even seen before, what could he say, "Hi, I'm the guy who reads your email, and also, I love you..." When things start getting to real and close to home Lincoln knows he needs to make a change or his life will never go where he wants it.

Filled with delicious wit and humor, this book had me smiling pretty much the entire time. Despite his actions, you can't help but fall in love with Lincoln yourself and really root for his success. Beth and Jennifer so perfectly capture adult women in their glory it had me thinking of myself and my best friend through most conversations. Sure to please, Attachments is a must read for good laughs and heartfelt moments. I have never before wanted someone to read my emails, but if it was Lincoln, I don't think I'd mind.

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The Boy Next Door by Katie Van Ark

WARNING: In my opinion as a Children's/Teen Lead bookseller I find this book inappropriate for teens under the age of 17 due to sexual content. Reader be warned.

The Boy Next Door isn't my typical kind of read but it'll be an easy favorite for fans of The Boy Who Sneaks in my Bedroom Window by Kristy Moseley or Wanted by Kelly Elliot. This book is a very back and forth, friends-to-more trope that has some heart squeezing cute moments and a palpable chemistry between your two leads. With some steamy scenes it was nice to get a teen book that didn't shame the girl for her sexual interests, but one chapter in particular makes me wary to gear this to a younger teen reader.

Maddy and Gabe have been best friends and skating parents since they were children. This year is their big chance to make it to the world championship, but their new routines shakes things up on and off the ice. Their old routine based off The Incredibles is replaced by Romeo and Juliet, making them think a bit more on a subject they'd been trying to avoid. Maddy has always been in love with Gabe, although Gabe feels the same he has kept his feelings under wraps for a long time. Gabe doesn't have such good luck with dating, within two weeks after they get to home base, the relationship ends. He's afraid he'll do that to Maddy, the one girl he can not afford to lose. Maddy is tired of waiting for Gabe to make a move and won't let his fear of "falling" stop her from getting what she wants. With the new romantic routine and Maddy taking off her kiddie gloves, it doesn't take long for Gabe's feelings to bust through the surface. With twists and turns to make your head spin and your heart stop, they have a long road ahead of them if they plan to take their close relationship to moments off the ice.

Definitely a fun and light read The Boy Next Door delivers a romantic adventure with ups and downs steep enough to make your stomach drop. My one complaint about this book is, because I am not into figure skating I was really lost on a lot of terminology. There were a few paragraphs where I couldn't envision more than the ice rink due to technical jargon. Besides that this book is a feel good story with two characters that love each other deeply and will do whatever it takes to make the other one happy.

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Velvet by Temple West

Temple West is a brand new author who has busted onto the scene starting right off with a series. A vampire romance series none the less, brave lass in my book. Since I worked with Sandy Hall for an event at my store, I have been keeping my eyes on Swoon Reads knowing some good things were going to be coming from them. I was very right. Velvet is a book that despite it's climax an suspense at times reads light and refreshing, which I do enjoy for a YA romance.

Seventeen-year old Caitlin has just been ushered off to a tiny nowhere town after the death of her mother to live with an estranged aunt and uncle. Upon one of her first days at the new ranch, she goes for a walk in the woods on the property and find herself caught up in a very peculiar storm and then being rescued by possibly the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. Since Caitlin lost her mother she hasn't been the most chipper friendly person on the planet, she lashes out at her aunt, uncle and cousin and the people that try to interact with her at school. Despite her gruff responses she becomes close friends with a girl Trish and learns the very gorgeous boy that rescued her also goes to her school, enter Adrian. Every teen girls dream, tall, sexy, chiseled, well dressed oh and did I mention, vampire? Through some outrageous turns of event Caitlin comes to find some things that go bump in the night are much more true than she could have imagined, and one of them is after her. Now assigned to be Adrian's "fake girlfriend" so he can be her body guard at all times she comes to realize maybe her heart isn't as dead as she thought. Can Caitlin stick to the game and not get her feelings all caught up on a boy that will stop again and can never love her? Or is this a battle she is going to lose?

Coming out in May straight to paperback this book is definitely worth picking up for a good evenings read, cup of coffee highly recommended. Due to be a series (yay!) you will find yourself getting quite attached to some character by surprise and finding yourself really looking forward to seeing them again. Since I have read the ARC I have a very miserable year ahead of me waiting for the next installment. If you live in the East Brunswick,  New Jersey area I will be doing an event with this lovely authors and some others in May to celebrate the awesome publishing house Swoon and the incredibly stories that have come to grace us. Keep an eye out for the review of The Boy Next Door, my next Swoon ARC, that I actually started about 15 minutes ago.

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