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Recommend this book:
Forever Summer
Nicole Bea
2020 Finalist
151 Pages
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Young Adult - Romance
Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite
Forever Summer by Nicole Bea is a young adult romance with strong characters. Morrigan Westhaver has had a difficult and painful relationship, abused by her ex-boyfriend. The wounds are deep. When she leaves Michigan to go to her father's ranch in Alabama, she is unsure if she can leave the painful past behind her, with the disturbing text messages from her ex, the voicemails that belittle her, and words that hurt. But the ranch turns out to offer more than she'd expected. She instantly takes a liking to Stormy, a rescued horse, and one of the guys working at the ranch, Levy. Levy is very gentle and attractive and Morrigan not only finds his company uplifting and positive, but she is also attracted to him. Can he be the path of healing from a relationship that has left her broken?
Nicole Bea has written a very beautiful novel with characters that are both emotionally and psychologically rich. I loved the way Morrigan is developed; she is so human and so genuinely flawed that she is believable and readers can easily connect to her. I loved how the author explores the effects of an abusive relationship on self-esteem. The protagonist is a character who begins to doubt herself because of the horrible things the ex has told her. The character arc is impeccable, especially the transformation taking place in Morrigan from the moment she meets Levy. The prose is crisp. Dialogues feel natural. The descriptions are clear and vivid. Forever Summer is a novel with a simple plot but with elaborately developed characters.
Forever Summer by Nicole Bea is a young adult romance with strong characters. Morrigan Westhaver has had a difficult and painful relationship, abused by her ex-boyfriend. The wounds are deep. When she leaves Michigan to go to her father's ranch in Alabama, she is unsure if she can leave the painful past behind her, with the disturbing text messages from her ex, the voicemails that belittle her, and words that hurt. But the ranch turns out to offer more than she'd expected. She instantly takes a liking to Stormy, a rescued horse, and one of the guys working at the ranch, Levy. Levy is very gentle and attractive and Morrigan not only finds his company uplifting and positive, but she is also attracted to him. Can he be the path of healing from a relationship that has left her broken?
Nicole Bea has written a very beautiful novel with characters that are both emotionally and psychologically rich. I loved the way Morrigan is developed; she is so human and so genuinely flawed that she is believable and readers can easily connect to her. I loved how the author explores the effects of an abusive relationship on self-esteem. The protagonist is a character who begins to doubt herself because of the horrible things the ex has told her. The character arc is impeccable, especially the transformation taking place in Morrigan from the moment she meets Levy. The prose is crisp. Dialogues feel natural. The descriptions are clear and vivid. Forever Summer is a novel with a simple plot but with elaborately developed characters.
Recommend this book:
Between Worlds
Micky O'Brady
2020 Honorable Mention
355 Pages
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Young Adult - Romance
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Between Worlds is a work of fiction in the science fiction genre, aimed at young adults and written by author Micky O’Brady. The book is an exciting adventure between parallel worlds in which the relatable young protagonist finds herself exploring an alternative world after a panic attack breaks the barrier between worlds. Hunted by people who want to do great harm to her native Earth, the plot follows her race to save humanity from an inter-dimensional threat, all whilst struggling with her feelings towards a member of the enemy race assigned to guard her by the very authorities she’s running from.
One of the most immediate and effective elements of this excellent book is the presentation of Noa, the central protagonist. Taking a condition like panic attacks, which can be so crippling and incapacitating, and using it to show such strength and that anyone can become heroic, no matter what they have to deal with, is a truly inspiring central theme. Noa and Avery are charmingly written with relatable dialogue and a genuine emotional sensitivity to their growing closeness, which weaves through the well-designed plot without ever taking it over too much. The plot itself is very well planned for the chain of events, with many a twist and cliffhanger moment that is sure to keep the young adult target audience on their toes. Overall, Between Worlds by author Micky O’Brady is an accomplished and exciting paranormal work that offers plenty for its readership in terms of style, atmosphere, and character development.
Between Worlds is a work of fiction in the science fiction genre, aimed at young adults and written by author Micky O’Brady. The book is an exciting adventure between parallel worlds in which the relatable young protagonist finds herself exploring an alternative world after a panic attack breaks the barrier between worlds. Hunted by people who want to do great harm to her native Earth, the plot follows her race to save humanity from an inter-dimensional threat, all whilst struggling with her feelings towards a member of the enemy race assigned to guard her by the very authorities she’s running from.
One of the most immediate and effective elements of this excellent book is the presentation of Noa, the central protagonist. Taking a condition like panic attacks, which can be so crippling and incapacitating, and using it to show such strength and that anyone can become heroic, no matter what they have to deal with, is a truly inspiring central theme. Noa and Avery are charmingly written with relatable dialogue and a genuine emotional sensitivity to their growing closeness, which weaves through the well-designed plot without ever taking it over too much. The plot itself is very well planned for the chain of events, with many a twist and cliffhanger moment that is sure to keep the young adult target audience on their toes. Overall, Between Worlds by author Micky O’Brady is an accomplished and exciting paranormal work that offers plenty for its readership in terms of style, atmosphere, and character development.
Recommend this book:
Cherokee Summer
Susan Antony
2020 Bronze Medal
332 Pages
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Young Adult - Romance
Reviewed by Cheryl Schopen for Readers' Favorite
In Cherokee Summer by Susan Antony, Ace and her family are spending the summer in Cherokee, North Carolina. She just tries to take it day by day, taking care of her autistic brother and dealing with her alcoholic mother and absent father. Then, she meets John, a Native American Cherokee Tribe member on the nearby reservation. John has his share of family drama as well. His mother hasn’t exactly been a mother to him and his grandmother, while loving and just wanting the best for her grandson, is also very traditional, stubborn, and set in her ways. When Ace and John meet, there is an instant connection. They almost instantly fall in love, but their families and other circumstances try to keep them apart. Is their love strong enough to keep them together, especially when Ace mysteriously disappears?
Cherokee Summer is a beautiful love story between two teenagers from different worlds that will draw you in and get you hooked from beginning to end. Even though the pacing was a little too quick at times, I thoroughly enjoyed following their relationship. The romance was realistic and sweet, and I just couldn’t get enough. It may have been written for the young adult crowd, but as a woman in my 30s, I could easily relate to Ace and her relationship with John. It is young love, but it has its trials and tribulations just like any other relationship. With its relatable characters, exciting and suspenseful plot, and sweet, nostalgic romance, this book is perfect for teenagers and adults alike. I, for one, was on the brink of tears when it ended. I craved more. I wanted to keep reading about these characters that I grew to love. Susan Antony is definitely an author I will be following from now on.
In Cherokee Summer by Susan Antony, Ace and her family are spending the summer in Cherokee, North Carolina. She just tries to take it day by day, taking care of her autistic brother and dealing with her alcoholic mother and absent father. Then, she meets John, a Native American Cherokee Tribe member on the nearby reservation. John has his share of family drama as well. His mother hasn’t exactly been a mother to him and his grandmother, while loving and just wanting the best for her grandson, is also very traditional, stubborn, and set in her ways. When Ace and John meet, there is an instant connection. They almost instantly fall in love, but their families and other circumstances try to keep them apart. Is their love strong enough to keep them together, especially when Ace mysteriously disappears?
Cherokee Summer is a beautiful love story between two teenagers from different worlds that will draw you in and get you hooked from beginning to end. Even though the pacing was a little too quick at times, I thoroughly enjoyed following their relationship. The romance was realistic and sweet, and I just couldn’t get enough. It may have been written for the young adult crowd, but as a woman in my 30s, I could easily relate to Ace and her relationship with John. It is young love, but it has its trials and tribulations just like any other relationship. With its relatable characters, exciting and suspenseful plot, and sweet, nostalgic romance, this book is perfect for teenagers and adults alike. I, for one, was on the brink of tears when it ended. I craved more. I wanted to keep reading about these characters that I grew to love. Susan Antony is definitely an author I will be following from now on.
Recommend this book:
Beyond Believing
The Beyond Series, Book 1
D.D. Marx
2020 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
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Young Adult - Romance
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Beyond Believing is a work of interpersonal drama, romantic fiction and true-life drama penned by author D. D. Marx. In its audiobook format, it is narrated by Heather Masters and Angus King, and it forms the first volume of The Beyond Series. The plot follows Olivia, whose life is turned totally upside down by the tragic and sudden death of her best friend Dan. As Olivia comes to terms with Dan’s passing and relies on their friendship to get her through life, a series of unbelievable and unexpected events begin to take shape, leading Olivia to a brand new life she could never have imagined.
Author D. D. Marx has created a character close to her own heart in Olivia, and that realness shows through and endears us to her on every page. The plot is well constructed to encapsulate some of the more spiritual concepts of the story, and it still grounds us to the emotional difficulties of real life and the decisions we must face every day. In terms of its audiobook production, the narration provided by Heather Masters and Angus King helps to create incredibly memorable characters who seem genuine and likable. Masters, especially, brings Olivia to us with authentic and emotive first-person nuances and little personality ticks that we can connect with. The editing quality of the audio is also superbly crisp and clean, with no discernible interference during playback. Overall, Beyond Believing is an excellent story brought to an even higher level of quality by its audiobook cast, putting author D. D. Marx on the map as an excellent and emotive dramatic writer.
Beyond Believing is a work of interpersonal drama, romantic fiction and true-life drama penned by author D. D. Marx. In its audiobook format, it is narrated by Heather Masters and Angus King, and it forms the first volume of The Beyond Series. The plot follows Olivia, whose life is turned totally upside down by the tragic and sudden death of her best friend Dan. As Olivia comes to terms with Dan’s passing and relies on their friendship to get her through life, a series of unbelievable and unexpected events begin to take shape, leading Olivia to a brand new life she could never have imagined.
Author D. D. Marx has created a character close to her own heart in Olivia, and that realness shows through and endears us to her on every page. The plot is well constructed to encapsulate some of the more spiritual concepts of the story, and it still grounds us to the emotional difficulties of real life and the decisions we must face every day. In terms of its audiobook production, the narration provided by Heather Masters and Angus King helps to create incredibly memorable characters who seem genuine and likable. Masters, especially, brings Olivia to us with authentic and emotive first-person nuances and little personality ticks that we can connect with. The editing quality of the audio is also superbly crisp and clean, with no discernible interference during playback. Overall, Beyond Believing is an excellent story brought to an even higher level of quality by its audiobook cast, putting author D. D. Marx on the map as an excellent and emotive dramatic writer.
Recommend this book:
Paper Cranes
A Fairytale Twist Novel
Jordan Ford
2020 Gold Medal
344 Pages
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Young Adult - Romance
Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
Paper Cranes by Jordan Ford is a Fairytale Twist Novel, a romantic tale of loss and love. Tristan has barely emotionally survived his parents' divorce and makes the decision to stay with his dad, moving across the country. He shuts everyone out until the day he meets a girl in a tower. Helena Thompson is unlike anyone that Tristan has ever met. She’s a little bit weird and she spends her time locked away in an imaginary world, her way of coping with how her paranoid mother makes her live. Tristan can’t help himself; intrigued by Helena, he keeps going back to her but their friendship must be a secret. Inevitably, Helena’s mother finds out and makes life hard for both Tristan and Helena. Can Tristan win through? Has he got what it takes to fight for Helena or will her mother keep them apart?
Paper Cranes (A Fairytale Twist Novel) by Jordan Ford is a wonderful novel based on the popular fairytale of Rapunzel told from Tristan’s point of view. It’s captivating, compelling reading as we follow Tristan trying to mend the hurt in his heart. The characters are deep, multi-faceted, and those different facets shine through in each chapter. You will find yourself holding your breath at many points during the story and you won't be able to stop the tears as you read this magical, heartwarming tale of young love. Jordan Ford has touched on many different issues here, including divorce, mental health issues, bullying and more. The story takes you on a steady journey that will have you reading until the very end. Whether it will be the happy-ever-after of classic fairy tales can only be discovered in one way ... by reading to the very end. You won’t be disappointed and I guarantee this wonderful modern-day fairy tale will have you looking deep into your own heart.
Paper Cranes by Jordan Ford is a Fairytale Twist Novel, a romantic tale of loss and love. Tristan has barely emotionally survived his parents' divorce and makes the decision to stay with his dad, moving across the country. He shuts everyone out until the day he meets a girl in a tower. Helena Thompson is unlike anyone that Tristan has ever met. She’s a little bit weird and she spends her time locked away in an imaginary world, her way of coping with how her paranoid mother makes her live. Tristan can’t help himself; intrigued by Helena, he keeps going back to her but their friendship must be a secret. Inevitably, Helena’s mother finds out and makes life hard for both Tristan and Helena. Can Tristan win through? Has he got what it takes to fight for Helena or will her mother keep them apart?
Paper Cranes (A Fairytale Twist Novel) by Jordan Ford is a wonderful novel based on the popular fairytale of Rapunzel told from Tristan’s point of view. It’s captivating, compelling reading as we follow Tristan trying to mend the hurt in his heart. The characters are deep, multi-faceted, and those different facets shine through in each chapter. You will find yourself holding your breath at many points during the story and you won't be able to stop the tears as you read this magical, heartwarming tale of young love. Jordan Ford has touched on many different issues here, including divorce, mental health issues, bullying and more. The story takes you on a steady journey that will have you reading until the very end. Whether it will be the happy-ever-after of classic fairy tales can only be discovered in one way ... by reading to the very end. You won’t be disappointed and I guarantee this wonderful modern-day fairy tale will have you looking deep into your own heart.
Recommend this book:
The Byrds and D'Beez
Pettrina Clarke
2019 Silver Medal
164 Pages
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Young Adult - Romance
Reviewed by Kristy Volchko for Readers' Favorite
The Byrds And D'Beez by Pettrina Clarke is a steamy, suspenseful novel about the beauty of young love and the beauty of karma. Melanie Ming Byrds and Taylor D'Beez have known each other for as long as they can remember and are crazy for one another. As their passionate love grows deeper and stronger by the day, the secrets and past transgressions of the adults surrounding them begin to emerge and haunt them mercilessly. As the couple slowly unravels the drama and hidden agendas, they cling to each other for hope and stability as their lives are turned completely upside down. They soon learn that the past doesn't always stay in the past and that sometimes greed, jealousy, and vengeance have a way of hiding in the shadows. Worst of all, sometimes it's the ones you love the most that are sharpening their claws and ready to strike when you least expect.
The Byrds And D'Beez is a clever title for this sexy, dramatic, titillating read. Full of passion and erotic scenes, some of the pages are so hot they seem like they're about to burst into flames! Tzzzz! (I'm fanning myself.) Taylor and Melanie are so adorable and I couldn't help but laugh at the very authentic-sounding dialogue. The story is chock-full of suspense, wit, humor, and the way the author describes in detail the private thoughts and motivations of each character was great. I especially wanted to know what wild, wild Barbs was thinking. Whew! If you're looking for a cool, Saturday night bubble-bath read, you've got it. Well done.
The Byrds And D'Beez by Pettrina Clarke is a steamy, suspenseful novel about the beauty of young love and the beauty of karma. Melanie Ming Byrds and Taylor D'Beez have known each other for as long as they can remember and are crazy for one another. As their passionate love grows deeper and stronger by the day, the secrets and past transgressions of the adults surrounding them begin to emerge and haunt them mercilessly. As the couple slowly unravels the drama and hidden agendas, they cling to each other for hope and stability as their lives are turned completely upside down. They soon learn that the past doesn't always stay in the past and that sometimes greed, jealousy, and vengeance have a way of hiding in the shadows. Worst of all, sometimes it's the ones you love the most that are sharpening their claws and ready to strike when you least expect.
The Byrds And D'Beez is a clever title for this sexy, dramatic, titillating read. Full of passion and erotic scenes, some of the pages are so hot they seem like they're about to burst into flames! Tzzzz! (I'm fanning myself.) Taylor and Melanie are so adorable and I couldn't help but laugh at the very authentic-sounding dialogue. The story is chock-full of suspense, wit, humor, and the way the author describes in detail the private thoughts and motivations of each character was great. I especially wanted to know what wild, wild Barbs was thinking. Whew! If you're looking for a cool, Saturday night bubble-bath read, you've got it. Well done.
Recommend this book:
The Edge Rules
The Rules Series #3
Melanie Hooyenga
2019 Bronze Medal
300 Pages
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Young Adult - Romance
Reviewed by Stephen Fisher for Readers' Favorite
The Edge Rules by Melanie Hooyenga is the third book of The Rules Series, and it is truly a gem that begins with Brianna Vines' life being turned upside down. To top it all off, her father drops a bombshell that he is moving out of their home and in with another woman. Her father gave her some incentive that if she completes her 50 hours of community service by Christmas Day, he will take her on a skiing trip to Switzerland with his new family. When she reports for her assignment, she meets a couple of new friends, with one of them being a Mexican American young man named Xavier. He introduces her to snowboarding, a sport that she thought she would never get caught doing. Between the chaos of both her personal and social life, Brianna's morals and personality begin to change, but she still has some past history issues that threaten relationships with her new friends.
Melanie Hooyenga does an absolutely outstanding job of moving this page-turning story along with some very real characters that are well developed. With all of the heartbreaking drama that accompanies broken marriages and new opportunities with second families, the story unfolds with many surprises and all of the mixed emotions of seventeen-year-old Brianna. She undergoes a positive transformation while trying to erase the wrongs that followed in her wake. The Edge Rules is an amazing story that captured my attention and kept me enthralled from beginning to end. It was quite the emotional roller coaster ride with the author's knowledge of both skiing and snowboarding skills combined with romance and heartbreak. Along with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. Brava!
The Edge Rules by Melanie Hooyenga is the third book of The Rules Series, and it is truly a gem that begins with Brianna Vines' life being turned upside down. To top it all off, her father drops a bombshell that he is moving out of their home and in with another woman. Her father gave her some incentive that if she completes her 50 hours of community service by Christmas Day, he will take her on a skiing trip to Switzerland with his new family. When she reports for her assignment, she meets a couple of new friends, with one of them being a Mexican American young man named Xavier. He introduces her to snowboarding, a sport that she thought she would never get caught doing. Between the chaos of both her personal and social life, Brianna's morals and personality begin to change, but she still has some past history issues that threaten relationships with her new friends.
Melanie Hooyenga does an absolutely outstanding job of moving this page-turning story along with some very real characters that are well developed. With all of the heartbreaking drama that accompanies broken marriages and new opportunities with second families, the story unfolds with many surprises and all of the mixed emotions of seventeen-year-old Brianna. She undergoes a positive transformation while trying to erase the wrongs that followed in her wake. The Edge Rules is an amazing story that captured my attention and kept me enthralled from beginning to end. It was quite the emotional roller coaster ride with the author's knowledge of both skiing and snowboarding skills combined with romance and heartbreak. Along with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. Brava!
Recommend this book:
Sam and James
The Missing Teen
AA Freda
2019 Honorable Mention
226 Pages
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Young Adult - Romance
Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite
In Sam and James: The Missing Teen by AA Freda, as the granddaughter of wealthy tycoon Henry Greenwald takes her usual route home from school, little does she know she is being watched. On that fateful January afternoon in 1969, 14-year-old Penelope Campos is about to face her worse nightmare. The terrified schoolgirl is kidnapped and now her captors can execute their gruesome plan. Two months later, Vietnam vet James is travelling with fiancée Sam to start a new life in Colorado. His only plan for the future is to forget the nightmare memories of war, find a job and plan his wedding to Sam. Little does he realize that a chance encounter will bring him into contact with Greenwald and Penelope's disappearance. With a local man confessing to the kidnapping, the case is closed. James’ search for the truth takes him back into a war zone, only this time it is to find a missing child.
From the first paragraph, the author successfully set a sinister scene and hooked me into the story. The plot moved forward at an exciting pace and I read the entire book in one sitting. Freda introduced the amazing characters gradually, so I did not get lost in the story. Every character had an individual personality, from charming and witty James, to sassy and confident Sam, and their dialogue matched their personalities perfectly. All of the characters had personality flaws which made them entirely three-dimensional and believable. There were many scenes that were difficult to read because of the subject matter. However, the scenes were needed for the story to be authentic; this again must be attributed to the author's writing ability.
The conflicts and obstacles throughout kept my interest. There were many sub-plots which were as strong as the main story line. This story was not simply about the search for a missing schoolgirl, but building strong relationships, and facing moral dilemmas. The ending was gripping and, hopefully, there could be more investigations by James and Sam. If you love action, mystery and a novel that makes you think, then I highly recommend this one.
In Sam and James: The Missing Teen by AA Freda, as the granddaughter of wealthy tycoon Henry Greenwald takes her usual route home from school, little does she know she is being watched. On that fateful January afternoon in 1969, 14-year-old Penelope Campos is about to face her worse nightmare. The terrified schoolgirl is kidnapped and now her captors can execute their gruesome plan. Two months later, Vietnam vet James is travelling with fiancée Sam to start a new life in Colorado. His only plan for the future is to forget the nightmare memories of war, find a job and plan his wedding to Sam. Little does he realize that a chance encounter will bring him into contact with Greenwald and Penelope's disappearance. With a local man confessing to the kidnapping, the case is closed. James’ search for the truth takes him back into a war zone, only this time it is to find a missing child.
From the first paragraph, the author successfully set a sinister scene and hooked me into the story. The plot moved forward at an exciting pace and I read the entire book in one sitting. Freda introduced the amazing characters gradually, so I did not get lost in the story. Every character had an individual personality, from charming and witty James, to sassy and confident Sam, and their dialogue matched their personalities perfectly. All of the characters had personality flaws which made them entirely three-dimensional and believable. There were many scenes that were difficult to read because of the subject matter. However, the scenes were needed for the story to be authentic; this again must be attributed to the author's writing ability.
The conflicts and obstacles throughout kept my interest. There were many sub-plots which were as strong as the main story line. This story was not simply about the search for a missing schoolgirl, but building strong relationships, and facing moral dilemmas. The ending was gripping and, hopefully, there could be more investigations by James and Sam. If you love action, mystery and a novel that makes you think, then I highly recommend this one.
Recommend this book:
Boy Band
Volume 1
Jacqueline E. Smith
2019 Finalist
204 Pages
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Young Adult - Romance
Reviewed by Lisa McCombs for Readers' Favorite
It’s weird being in love with your best friend. Mel doesn’t want to be, but she is and always has been in love with Sam. Best friends since childhood and all through high school, Mel and Sam share dreams and often finish one another’s thoughts. If not for public opinion, the two would be the best couple ever. Upon graduation, school friends Sam, Mel, Joni, Josh, Cory, Berkley, and Jesse take their musical passion to the road and find themselves living the dream as members of a band, The Kind of September. Once in the limelight of musical gossip, any hope of a non-platonic relationship is impossible. It isn’t worth the temptation of ending a perfect relationship in lieu of romance. As The Kind of September gains popularity, touring the country in such close quarters really tests the boundaries of propriety, forcing Mel to come face-to-face with the unpleasant reality that Sam might not always be there for her.
Boy Band: Volume 1 by Jacqueline E. Smith is a fun, fast-paced young adult romance that warmed the heart of this reviewer. A fresh perspective of celebrity acclaim, Boy Band sheds a welcome light on the lives of young performers. With an underlying theme of not believing all that is written about Hollywood glamour, Jacqueline E. Smith offers a refreshing view of fame while highlighting the many hardships of living the celebrity life style. I believe that teen/YA readers will enjoy the quirky language and easy format in which Boy Band is written. A must-read for young adult readers.
It’s weird being in love with your best friend. Mel doesn’t want to be, but she is and always has been in love with Sam. Best friends since childhood and all through high school, Mel and Sam share dreams and often finish one another’s thoughts. If not for public opinion, the two would be the best couple ever. Upon graduation, school friends Sam, Mel, Joni, Josh, Cory, Berkley, and Jesse take their musical passion to the road and find themselves living the dream as members of a band, The Kind of September. Once in the limelight of musical gossip, any hope of a non-platonic relationship is impossible. It isn’t worth the temptation of ending a perfect relationship in lieu of romance. As The Kind of September gains popularity, touring the country in such close quarters really tests the boundaries of propriety, forcing Mel to come face-to-face with the unpleasant reality that Sam might not always be there for her.
Boy Band: Volume 1 by Jacqueline E. Smith is a fun, fast-paced young adult romance that warmed the heart of this reviewer. A fresh perspective of celebrity acclaim, Boy Band sheds a welcome light on the lives of young performers. With an underlying theme of not believing all that is written about Hollywood glamour, Jacqueline E. Smith offers a refreshing view of fame while highlighting the many hardships of living the celebrity life style. I believe that teen/YA readers will enjoy the quirky language and easy format in which Boy Band is written. A must-read for young adult readers.
Recommend this book:
Joined
Book One
Mara Gan
2019 Gold Medal
478 Pages
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Young Adult - Romance
Reviewed by Deborah Adams for Readers' Favorite
Andromeda is the Heir to a Galaxy and this is a big year for her. She’s getting engaged, about to take over the throne, and under threat of assassination on a daily basis. Enter the Protector, who was chosen by an Oracle to see to her safety. He’s a big, dangerous mercenary who just happens to set her heart pounding double-time. Joined: Book One by Mara Gan follows these two characters in a tug of war of emotions that had me on the edge of my seat the entire story.
The world building was really well done, with just enough description to picture the futuristic and other-worldly settings but not so much that it lost sight of character and plot development. Speaking of characters, Gan did a great job of getting me invested and wanting to peel back their layers. While altruistic almost to an extreme, Meda showed enough moments of humanoid flaws to make her believable. Her protector, Perseus, was set up to be a figurative darkness to her light, but still with a golden heart. He was almost too invincible to be real at times. He somehow managed to settle a lot of fights, kill a lot of people, and still never get a scratch. Both main characters experienced growth and overcame flaws.
Great twists to the story included Meda having a really unique form of mind-reading and empath abilities, plus several other species/characters were introduced with special skills and it was fun learning about what made them different. Mara Gan set a fun pace with action and twists frequent enough to keep the reader engaged. Side characters were numerous, so many of them just didn’t get much development time, but I feel confident we will get to see more of them in the subsequent books. This story will reel you in fast! In conclusion, if you like fun characters and action-packed plots with a sizable dose of romantic tension and forbidden love tropes, you will find an entertaining read in Joined. You will want Book Two ASAP!
Andromeda is the Heir to a Galaxy and this is a big year for her. She’s getting engaged, about to take over the throne, and under threat of assassination on a daily basis. Enter the Protector, who was chosen by an Oracle to see to her safety. He’s a big, dangerous mercenary who just happens to set her heart pounding double-time. Joined: Book One by Mara Gan follows these two characters in a tug of war of emotions that had me on the edge of my seat the entire story.
The world building was really well done, with just enough description to picture the futuristic and other-worldly settings but not so much that it lost sight of character and plot development. Speaking of characters, Gan did a great job of getting me invested and wanting to peel back their layers. While altruistic almost to an extreme, Meda showed enough moments of humanoid flaws to make her believable. Her protector, Perseus, was set up to be a figurative darkness to her light, but still with a golden heart. He was almost too invincible to be real at times. He somehow managed to settle a lot of fights, kill a lot of people, and still never get a scratch. Both main characters experienced growth and overcame flaws.
Great twists to the story included Meda having a really unique form of mind-reading and empath abilities, plus several other species/characters were introduced with special skills and it was fun learning about what made them different. Mara Gan set a fun pace with action and twists frequent enough to keep the reader engaged. Side characters were numerous, so many of them just didn’t get much development time, but I feel confident we will get to see more of them in the subsequent books. This story will reel you in fast! In conclusion, if you like fun characters and action-packed plots with a sizable dose of romantic tension and forbidden love tropes, you will find an entertaining read in Joined. You will want Book Two ASAP!
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