Review: Want You (Jen Frederick)

Want You
Author: Jen Frederick
Publication Date: July 1, 2018
Publisher: Pear Tree LLC
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Bitsy: I might be only nineteen, but I know what I want. It’s Leka Moore. I don’t care that he took me in when he was barely more than a kid himself. I don’t care that he raised me. I don’t care everyone thinks being with him is wrong. I know we belong together, and the only person I need to convince is him.

Leka: I found her in the corner of a dark alley. If I hadn’t taken her with me, she would’ve died that night—or maybe worse. Before I knew it, she became the light in my dark life, the haven from the madness. I watched her grow up. I tried to teach her right from wrong. Now that she’s an adult, I’m feeling things that no good man should ever feel. But then…I’ve never been a good man. I have a chance at redemption by saving her from the greatest danger of all—me.


To be completely honest, I’m still not sure what I think about Want You. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I knew it was going to be different from the other books I had read by Jen Frederick, but I had no idea it was going to be that different. For me, that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. It wasn’t bad, I just didn’t connect with the characters or their story.

Want You is a book that builds slowly. I was expecting to jump right into the romance of the story. That didn’t happen. It started with Leka and Bitsy’s first meeting as children and slowly built over years. The first half of the book spanned thirteen years. Those years were violent and a little disturbing — mainly for Leka. Honestly, I wanted to hurry up and get to the romance part of things because the darkness was starting to drag me down. I needed some happy. The second half of the book wasn’t the happy I was looking for. There were some moments of it, but the darkness continued.

Despite the darkness, it was an interesting story. I think I might have been more into it if I was into the romance. Leka and Bitsy’s love for each other was understandable, but I had a hard time buying parts of it. I got her lusting after the boy/man who protected her all her life, but I didn’t get how he lived his life prior to being with her. It was all so weird to me. It wasn’t even the age difference. They were only like 7 years apart. I can’t really even explain it without giving stuff away.

I know I’m not saying much about the story line. I don’t want to ruin this book for anyone. I guess I’ll just leave it at this: This wasn’t the sweet and sexy read I’m used to by Frederick. Want You was dark and gritty. If you like dark, gritty, and forbidden then this book is for you. If you don’t, skip it.

Review: Nine (Elizabeth Reyes)

Nine
Series: Boyle Heights, #3
Author: Elizabeth Reyes
Publication Date: July 1, 2018
Publisher: Elizabeth Reyes
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

After years of gravitating to douchebag players with no more to offer than a wildly good time and zero promises, single mom Drew has graduated to dating a real man. He’s the responsible, mature kind—willing and able. To offer her and her daughter a real future.

Then along comes Nine.

More like a ten, is her first thought when introduced to the tatted-up, foul-mouthed, unapologetic player. The guy might’ve been her kryptonite five years ago.

But she has a child to think about now.

With every new encounter she has with Nine, she begins to realize there’s so much more to him than just good looks and his bad boy image. She sees a vulnerability in him she never expected. Worse yet, he’s sending out vibes that whisper of promises he’s never made to any girl before.

Is she willing to trade in Mr. Perfect for someone who’s one impetuous decision away from proving that her first impression may have been heartbreakingly spot on?


After having spent a little bit of time with Nine and Drew in Beast, I was excited to read their book. Nine was everything I was expecting it to be. It was classic Elizabeth Reyes. It had her signature alpha male and strong female with a plot that kept me reading.

Nine was the typical single man who wasn’t looking for commitment…until he met Drew. She was his game changer. He didn’t know how to show her he was willing to change his ways for her, but Nine was going to do everything he could to convince her. I loved what softie he was under his tough exterior.

Drew was a woman whose heart and mind were at war. She thought she knew what she needed and wanted, but Nine threw a wrench in her plans. I loved her relationship with her daughter and her ex. It was so sweet. I also loved how her attraction to Nine questioned her beliefs.

Nine and Drew’s journey to love wasn’t simple. It was filled with real life situations and problems. I really enjoyed how their story unraveled. If you’re a fan of the Boyle Heights series, you’re going to love seeing Nine and Drew give in to their temptations.

Review: Getting Schooled (Emma Chase)

Getting Schooled
Series: Getting Some, #1
Author: Emma Chase

Publication Date: February 26, 2018
Publisher: Emma Chase LLC
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Head of the class…

Garrett Daniels has this whole life thing figured out.

The cocky, charismatic former high school star quarterback is an idolized football coach and “cool” teacher in the hometown where he’s not just a golden boy — he’s platinum. He has good friends, a great house on the lake, and the best damn sidekick a man could ask for: Snoopy, the albino beagle.

Then…Callie Carpenter comes home.

And knocks him right on his tight end zone.

Back to school…

Callie has a pretty sweet life herself…on the other side of the country. But circumstances — that she’d prefer to never speak of again — have brought her back home, helping out her parents and substitute teaching at her old high school.

Now she’s facing bickering, raging hormones, constant gossip, awkward weirdness, and drama galore…and that’s just the teachers.

Just like old times…

When Garrett offers to show his former high school sweetheart the secrets of his winning teacher ways, Callie jumps at the chance – and then has to stop herself from jumping him.

Good friends are all they can ever be.

Or…these teachers just might end up getting schooled — hard — by love.

Includes a special bonus interview with the author!


If you’re looking for an adorable, nothing but fun summer read this is it! Getting School was so stinking cute! I can’t get over how cute it was.

Getting Schooled is a second chance romance. While most books set in schools seem to be forbidden romances about teachers and students, this one is different. It’s solely about the teachers. Garrett is a history teacher and football coach at his old high school. The kids and staff adore and respect him. His life is as perfect as he thinks it’s going to get until his high school sweetheart returns to town. Callie takes a temporary job as a teacher at the school, and reconnects with Garrett as he teachers her how to manage the students.

There were so many things to love about Getting Schooled. First, let’s start with the characters, Garrett is now one of my favorite male romance characters ever. It wasn’t his love for Callie that got me — even though that was sweet. It was the way he cared about his students. It was inspirational. It’s how I hope all my daughter’s teachers feel. Then, there was Callie. She had a lot to discover about herself. I loved how working with Garrett and the students made her realize some very important things.

I can’t leave out the side characters. The students had such an important part in this story. Like I said before, they taught Callie some important things about herself. They also created some fun drama. I loved their interactions with each other and the teachers. The faculty at Garrett and Callie’s school cracked me up. You really don’t realize how teachers are people with lives while you’re a student, and this showed how much they are. I loved how fun they all were!

Another thing I enjoyed about Getting Schooled was the romance. There was drama, but it wasn’t over the top. It was smaller and more realistic. That didn’t make it any less sweet. Garrett and Callie were adorable together. I loved how they built on their previous relationship and talked about things they should have in the past.

Getting Schooled was a pleasure to read. It was a mix of humor and heart. I loved every minute of it. It would make the perfect summer beach read. I can’t wait to find out where the series is going next!

Top Ten Tuesday: Series I’ve Given Up On/Don’t Plan to Finish

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s is Series I’ve Given Up On/Don’t Plan to Finish. 


1. Gansett Island by Marie Force

I gave up on this series because it has gone on and on and on forever. The books stopped feeling like new stories and more like catch ups with old characters.

2. The Sullivans by Bella Andre

I loved the San Francisco and the Seattle Sullivans, but I think I’ve outgrown the Sullivan series since then. I’m just not into the stories as much as I used to be.

3. In Death by J.D. Robb

I read over 20 of these books and then they just kind of lost my attention. There have been so many more since I stopped reading them that I decided I won’t try to catch up.

4. Boy Toy Chronicles by Jay McLean

I love Jay McLean, but after reading the first book in this series I know it’s not for me.

5. Palm South University by Kandi Steiner

The drama was just too much.

6. Carter Reed by Tijan

I love a good Tijan series, but Carter Reed wasn’t for me. Too much angsty gangster stuff for my liking, I guess.

7. The Bourbon Street Boys by Elle Casey

I liked most of these books, but I just think I’m over the series.

8. Fifty Shades as Told by Christian by E.L. James

Um, yeah. I don’t need to re-read Fifty Shades from his POV. Grey didn’t really have anything new to offer but a cold personality.

9. Bachelors of Arizona by Rachel Van Dyken

I love RVD, but this series is not for me. I really didn’t enjoy the first two books, so I’m skipping the last.

10. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

I read the first two books. I don’t think I’ll read the rest.

Review: One Small Thing (Erin Watt)

One Small Thing
Author: Erin Watt
Publication Date: June 26, 2018
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Beth’s life hasn’t been the same since her sister died. Her parents try to lock her down, believing they can keep her safe by monitoring her every move. When Beth sneaks out to a party one night and meets the new guy in town, Chase, she’s thrilled to make a secret friend. It seems a small thing, just for her.

Only Beth doesn’t know how big her secret really is…

Fresh out of juvie and determined to start his life over, Chase has demons to face and much to atone for, including his part in the night Beth’s sister died. Beth, who has more reason than anyone to despise him, is willing to give him a second chance. A forbidden romance is the last thing either of them planned for senior year, but the more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings get.

Now Beth has a choice to make—follow the rules, or risk tearing everything apart…again.


There are so many collaborations in the book world these days. One of my very favorites is Erin Watt: Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick. Their writing together is seamless and outstanding. In One Small Thing they weave romance, emotion, and surprise in the entertaining way they have become known for.

For those who have previously read Erin Watt’s books, I’m sure you’re wondering whether One Small Thing closer to The Royals series or When It’s Real. I would say it’s closer to When It’s Real, but that it does have some elements of The Royals mixed in. It’s a darker, more emotional story. I really liked the journey it took me on.

One Small Thing is the story of a girl just trying to live her life after her older sister’s death. Since the moment her sister died, Beth’s parents have been controlling her every move. Beth’s started doing things against her parents’ wishes in order to reclaim her freedom. When she sneaks out to a party, Beth meets Chase. He’s a bad boy right out of juvie. Beth should stay away from him, but she can’t get past their night at the party together. Their romance would be forbidden, but Chase is the only one who truly sees Beth.

Beth was a great female YA character. The way she approached her problems wasn’t always healthy, but she was willing to stand up for what she believed in. I loved Chase and his willingness to accept fault. He didn’t blame others. He accepted responsibility and tried to move on. Beth’s relationship with Chase wasn’t easy, but it was right. I loved how they helped each other heal and find direction in their lives.

There were a ton of other great characters in this book, too. Most of them weren’t ones I fell in love with, but I appreciated their part in One Small Thing. They helped the plot go in the direction it needed to.

Overall, I truly enjoyed reading One Small Thing. It made me feel so many different emotions. I loved how it dealt with forgiveness, grief, understanding and love. It was a unique love story that I feel will resonate strongly with readers.

Review: Leah on the Offbeat (Becky Albertalli)

Leah on the Offbeat
Series: Creekwood, #2
Author: Becky Albertalli
Narrator: Shannon Purser
Publication Date: April 24, 2018
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, LGBTQ+

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

In this sequel to the acclaimed Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—now a major motion picture, Love, Simon—we follow Simon’s BFF Leah as she grapples with changing friendships, first love, and senior year angst.

When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic.

She’s an anomaly in her friend group: the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.

So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high.

It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.


I might be the only one who feels this way, but I thought Leah on the Offbeat was even better than Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. I loved Simon, but it took me almost until the end to appreciate it as much as I did.

I was in love with Leah from the beginning. She wasn’t perfect. Leah had some major flaws, but they made her easy to relate to. Her world was changing. Even when she was fighting those changes or making dumb decisions, I could understand why she made the choices she did. Leah was afraid to put herself out there and get hurt or hurt her friends. I loved the reality of those situations. I’ve felt that way so many times in my life.

What struck me most about Leah and this book were the relationships in it. Everything that happened with Leah and her friends reminded me of some of my own school friendships. There’s always drama and ups and downs with friendships in high school. This book did an excellent job portraying friendships and how they evolve. It was my favorite part of the book. Well, besides Leah’s relationship with her mom. I loved that. Leah wasn’t the nicest to her mom, but when are we ever the nicest to the people who love us unconditionally when growing up? It was a good reminder to me that our parents are people, too. I still forget that even as an adult sometimes.

Overall, I adored listening to this book. Becky Albertalli’s writing was as amazing as always. Her characters were complex but easy to love. Shannon Purser brought life to Leah in an unforgettable way with her voice. Leah and the Offbeat is one of my favorite YA audiobooks I’ve read so far this year.

Review: Cry Baby (Ginger Scott)

Cry Baby
Author: Ginger Scott

Publication Date: June 22, 2018
Genre: New Adult, Young Adult, Contemporary Romance 
Note: This review is for an ARC I received from WordSmith Publicity and is my unbiased review.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Tristan Lopez is loyal to his brothers. He doesn’t really have a choice, born into a gang that has a chokehold on every kid that roams its streets. He gave his life to them willingly, knowing if he did then one day this kingdom, led by boys drunk with power and ruled by fear, would all be his.

He was loyal through it all. Loyal when prison took his dad away. Loyal when his face was touched by the cold metal of the rival gang’s gun. Loyal even though his mom begged him to run the moment she returned home from rehab.

He thought about becoming someone else. It was hard not to crave the life of a regular 17-year-old. It’s the only reason he stayed in school—to pretend. But he always fell back in line.

Loyal.

Riley Rojas didn’t belong in Tristan’s real world. She should have only been part of the fantasy, one of the many faces he got to pretend with amidst rows of metal chairs and desks and whiteboards with assignments. But there she was, moving boxes from the back of an old pick-up into a house Tristan had shot up on a dare with his friends only a few months before.

Tall enough to look him in the eyes and strong enough to fill his shadow, Riley took up space on his streets, her loud mouth fearless in the face of the gang leaders who terrified everyone else. She pushed Tristan around on the hard court, and she balled better than his friends—better than him sometimes. She challenged him. She needed him. He liked it. And when her pale blue eyes stared into his, he quit wanting to pretend.

He couldn’t ask her to leave because she’d only dig her heels in deeper. He couldn’t ask because he didn’t want her to go. She was blurring his lines. She was testing his loyalty.

He was falling in love.

And it was going to tear him apart.


If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now, you know how I feel about Ginger Scott’s writing. It’s flawless, captivating and filled with heart. She writes books that touch my soul and make me think. Her characters are complex, and the situations they dealt with are relevant to today’s world. I’m always excited to hear she’s writing a new book because I wonder where she could possibly take me next.

When I read the blurb for Cry Baby, I knew my next Ginger Scott experience was going to be a tough one. I had a feeling Cry Baby was not going to be an easy read, and I was right. Cry Baby was not a happy book. It was this dark, gritty story about two high school students living in an area control by gang activity. Tristan has known his destiny is to be a gang member since childhood. He thinks he’s made peace with his future until he meets new girl, Riley. Falling for her isn’t an option. Riley isn’t meant to live in his world, and Tristan can’t be a part of hers. Pushing Riley away isn’t easy when she pushes right back. Tristan knew he shouldn’t fall in love with Riley, but somehow he couldn’t stop himself, and loving her could ruin him.

Cry Baby had me on edge the entire time I was reading it. The gang setting was a hostile environment, and not one moment felt safe for Tristan and Riley. I was constantly worried for them and everyone around them. The things they all went through…it broke my heart. Falling in love was so dangerous for them. I can’t even imagine having to go through what they did.

Tristan and Riley both surprised me. I didn’t expect to love Tristan as much as I did. He did things that made me cringe. I know he did them to survive, but it was still hard to accept. It was what inside his head and heart that made me adore him. Riley had this inner strength that I couldn’t get over. It was impressive when she wasn’t making decisions that scared the heck out of me. I loved Tristan and Riley as individuals and as a couple. I loved how their relationship evolved from not necessarily liking each other to a special bond. Their relationship wasn’t smooth or simple, but it was shockingly sweet.

Oh, and I need to just say how much I loved the basketball in this book! I can always count on Ginger Scott to portray a sport in a very real, fun way. I love basketball, and she wove it into the story in the perfect way.

What Ginger Scott did in this book was impressive. This was a tough topic, and she made me empathize with the characters in ways I never imagined. I’ve been thinking about this book for days after reading it. I’m not sure a book has affected me this way since I read The Hard Count.

Review: The Upside of Falling (Meghan Quinn)

The Upside of Falling
Series: Blue Line Duet, #1
Author: Meghan Quinn

Publication Date: June 19, 2018
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Tucked away at the base of the Rocky Mountains lived a little boy with one singular dream: leave this broken and battered home and become someone.

Be somebody’s hero.

That boy was me—Colby Brooks. Except I’m not that same little boy anymore.

My dreams might still be the same, but my reality isn’t.

I’m smarter. Stronger. A man.

And I learned a long damn time ago, the only way to achieve my dreams was to avoid distractions—at any cost.

Focus. Resolve. Determination.

But all it took was one single night. One night and my entire life…changed.

One night had me colliding head first with the biggest distraction of my life; Rory Oaks.

Smart. Charming. Beautiful.

Rory changed everything.

Quickly, my one-track mind started to bend.

Each kiss faded decade-long dreams.

And with one single incident, I fly off course.


I’m angry. I shouldn’t be angry, but I am. I knew this was a duet going in. I knew there would most likely be a cliffhanger. I wasn’t prepared for it. Not one bit. The ending wasn’t what I expected, and I can’t seem to get over it. The more I think about it, the angrier I get. I am not happy being left not knowing with this duet. I need to know what happens next! I need The Downside of Love NOW! I should probably have started this review at the beginning and not the end, so excuse me if it feels a little out of whack. It’s entirely because that’s how I feel. That’s how The Upside of Love has left me.

From the moment I began reading The Upside of Love, I fell in love with everything about it. I haven’t read a book by Meghan Quinn quite like this one. I loved how it was Meghan Quinn’s amazing writing, but different from what I’m used to from her. It wasn’t her normal romantic comedy. The Upside of Love felt like a typical new adult romance. It had broken characters whose troubled pasts threatened to keep them apart. I haven’t read a new adult romance like this in a while now, and I loved it.

The characters in this book were so special. Rory was this bright, happy person. She had her problems, but she was all positivity. Colby was the opposite. He wasn’t exactly dark, but negativity played a huge part in his life. Rory and Colby didn’t seem like they would fit together, but they did. I adored Rory and Colby. Their getting to know each other so dang cute. She brought something to his life that he was missing. Everything about their romance was so sweet and easy to relate to. I couldn’t get enough of them together. Then, I got to the end, and you can go back to reading above if you want to remember how I felt about that cliffhanger.

The Upside of Love was a tender, sweet, sexy, amazing new adult romance. I loved almost every minute of it. (Nope, still not over that ending!) I cannot wait to get my hands on The Downside of Love to finish Rory and Colby’s story.

Series Review: Sea Breeze (Abbi Glines)

Recently, I did a binge listen to the Sea Breeze series audiobooks. Rather than try to review them separately, I’m going to review them all here.

Breathe (#1): ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
This is exactly the type of book I want to read in the summer. It was a cute rock star romance in a fun, beachy setting. I adored both Sadie and Jax. They were perfect together. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, and I liked that. Breathe was a very sweet story.

Because of Low (#2): ★ ★ ★ ★
After meeting Marcus in Breathe, I wanted to see him get is happy ever after. He deserved a nice girl after missing out on Sadie. Low was definitely that girl! I could see exactly how their story was going to play out, but I didn’t mind that. Because of Low was so much fun to read.

While It Lasts (#3): ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This book was even better than the first two books. I was surprised because Cage wasn’t my favorite person in Because of Low. His womanizing ways disgusted me despite the fact that he was a great friend to Low. What made this book so amazing was Eva. Her story was so heartbreaking, and I loved how Cage helped heal her heart.

Just For Now (#4): ★ ★ ★
I have mixed feelings about this one. I liked Preston and Amanda together, but Preston’s choices bugged me. I didn’t like his job and how he put Amanda at risk with it. It was just wrong. I couldn’t get past that.

Sometimes It Lasts (#5): ★ ★ ★ ★
I wasn’t prepared for this book. I was in this state of angst from the prologue. I loved Cage and Eva in While It Lasts and I wasn’t ready for them to be torn apart. I hated that, but I loved how everything worked out. Cage and Eva were so perfectly sweet together. I do have to admit that I had to switch from the audiobook to the e-book because I couldn’t handle listening to it. I had to read it so that I could get through it faster.

Misbehaving (#6): ★ ★ ★ ★
Jess surprised me in this book. She was the “bad girl”, but she went from bad to good very quickly. She didn’t seem much like the girl I met in the earlier books. That didn’t really bother me, and I enjoyed her story. I liked Jason, too. His story of trying to step out of the shadow of his brother was understandable. I also liked Jess and Jason together. What I didn’t like was Jess’ involvement with other people. I wish that would have been left out. Otherwise, I enjoyed listening to this book. I was happy this was finally a book about a girl who wasn’t so innocent like the rest of the series’ heroines.

Bad For You (#7): ★ ★ ★
I liked listening to this book. I loved Blythe. She was so sweet and sheltered. Her past intrigued me. I loved her with Krit. I loved Krit when he was with her. What I wasn’t so fond of was his hooking up with other chicks before they got together. It wasn’t very enjoyable reading about his exploits knowing Krit and Blythe would end up together.

Hold on Tight (#8): ★ ★ ★ ½
I loved Sienna and her story. I wasn’t so sure about Dewayne because I didn’t like him in all of the other books. He redeemed himself, but he was an idiot when it came to Sienna for most of the book. I am happy they ended up together. They were really too cute.

Until the End (#9): ★ ★ ★ ½
Throughout the Sea Breeze series, Trisha and Rock are there to support their friends. I heard stories of how their love originated through their friends’ stories, but those didn’t compare to getting their stories from them. I loved Trisha and Rock’s romance. It went back and forth between the past and present. The whole thing was so sweet. Their love story was a 5 star read — until the book abruptly switched half way through from being about them to mini epilogue novels about the characters from all of the other novels. Don’t get me wrong, it was fun to catch up with all of them. (Although, it seemed everyone was engaged, pregnant, or having a wedding. Their stories were way too similar to each other right down to the men appreciating a certain asset of their woman.)  I just would have rather had more of Trisha and Rock. I thought maybe it would end with them to completely wrap everything up, but it didn’t. It ended with Bliss and Nate Finlay. I know that’s to prepare for the Sea Breeze / Rosemary Beach spinoffs, but it felt out of place. This book is definitely worth reading if you’re a fan of the series, though.

Thoughts on the Sea Breeze series:

Abbi Glines’ Sea Breeze series was one of those guilty pleasures to listen to. The books weren’t earth shattering or life changing, but they were fun and put me in a summery mood. My biggest complaint about the series was the pattern of sweet, innocent young women and guys who have been around the block several times falling in love. I kind of like it, but it also got a little redundant.  Each character had different life experiences, but their sexual ones mimicked each other a little too much. All in all, I enjoyed the experience of listening to Shayna Thibodeaux, Kirby Heyborne, and Sebastian York narrate. If you’re looking for some mindless summer reading, this is a fun series.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Read By the Pool/At the Beach

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s is Books to Read By the Pool/At the Beach. When I think of fun summer reads, I think YA contemporaries. This week my list has some of my favorite summery YA contemporary novels.


1. Once and for All by Sarah Dessen

2. Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

3. On the Fence by Kasie West

4. The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

5. Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally

6. When It’s Real by Erin Watt

7. Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

8. Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

9. The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

10. This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills