Every Last Word: The Epitome of Coming of Age in YA

MY REVIEW

EVERY LAST WORD is the epitome of coming of age in a young adult novel. This book was beautifully written and depicted, sixteen-year-old Samantha, who hangs with a popular group of girls, has a great social life, and from the outside looking in, probably seems as though she has everything. But she has a secret. She is OCD. She has this whole obsessive personality that her "friends" know nothing about. In fact, other than her summer swim friends, no one, not even her supposed besties know much about the real Sam at all.

I flew through the pages of this book. It was complex and deeply satisfying. Unlike a lot of YA, it really gave Sam genuine character growth. She really transforms herself throughout the book, going from this "follower" of her friends ,being fake, and actually quite unhappy, to embracing herself. She's able to break through her shell and be herself with the help of something referred to as Poet's Corner. She's introduced to this underground world by a new friend, Caroline. It's this cool, secret room, in the basement of the theater department, under the stairs, and it's a place where kids, much like herself, different and in need of an outlet, go to write and recite poetry. Through writing her feelings and words, and with the help of Caroline, she's able to let go of her superficial friends, find herself, and embrace who she is, all the while forming true bonds with these other classmates. Oh, and did I mention AJ? *Swoon* He's this boy that she actually once tortured with her friend in grade school because he had a stutter. But he's back at their school, is sort of the current ring leader of Poet's Corner and when she sort of forces herself into Poet's Corner and their world, writing him a poem in the form of an apology, he decides to not only forgive her, but they start to fall for each other. *Cue cheesy boy-band love music here*

I pretty much loved every moment of this book and there is a HUGE, I mean huge twist toward the end that I honestly didn't see coming. I was like, whaaaaa??? Shut the front door! But...that twist does have to do with the one part of the book that annoyed me a bitl. Soooo, I have to vent about that here, because otherwise the book was perfect. I usually avoid spoilers, but not this time, so here we go... If you haven't read the book and don't want the twist spoiled, do NOT read further...

SPOILER ALERT
So, Sam discovers her new friend, Caroline, who pretty  much saved her from her miserable life and introduced her to Poet's Corner, is not real. She's actually dead. She had killed herself years before. But, no, she's not seeing ghosts. Her subconscious pulled an old memory of Caroline's tragedy and sort of created this fake persona to help her cope with her anxiety and give her the courage and strength she needed to make changes in her life. It's like her brain was so overloaded with stress and anxiety, she manifested Caroline. That's fine. I have no issue with that. What I found weird was when she mentions to AJ about Caroline and discovers she's fake, AJ is all freaked out and leaves her floundering in the hall at school alone because he doesn't know what to do or say. That's fine, too. A perfectly normal reaction to realizing your girlfriend has been either seeing a ghost or has an invisible friend. hehe. But almost a week (and a bunch of therapy sessions) go by as Sam tries to grasp the idea that her brain created Caroline and come to terms with this, when she finally decides she's going to talk to AJ. He means to much to her and she wants him in her life. So, when she does, she finally explains to him all about her OCD and how she's in therapy for it, etc. etc. Basically tells him everything she should have all along and he is very accepting, but that's it. What?!?!?!?! That's it? He acted all freaked out and then they don't even discuss his feelings on it at all? I wasn't looking for much, but maybe at least just him acknowledging how freaked out he was at first and then later how worried about her he was, but the book just kind of glazed over it and he didn't address his reaction at all. I thought that was weird, but other than that, the book was phenomenal. So much so, that I was able to overlook this minor infraction. :)

PURCHASE

On Amazon

BLURB

If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off. 

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

Meh....Review of Young Adult Novel, THE SECRET OF LETTING GO

MY REVIEW

When I began reading THE SECRET OF LETTING GO, I had pretty high hopes. The blurb sounded great. Haunted by tragedy, Daniel, the MC, meets Clover, a girl with her own demons, who's trying to start a new life. He ends up rescuing her and their lives are suddenly thrust together...

For me, the book was just...eh. The opening scene started out okay, but the beginning of the book dragged for me, which is weird considering a lot happens in the beginning. Danielle and Clover meet and he's immediately drawn to her mysterious and unorthodox demeanor. A scene later, Clover nearly drowns, but he dives in the ocean and saves her. He discovers upon taking her home that she's living out of her car. Later that night, when a huge storm hits the coast, he goes to rescue her, once again. So, a lot goes on in the first few scenes. Yet, despite these events, I felt like the first quarter of the book just took way to long to get started. I know, I'm contradicting myself, right? Well, not really. I can only attribute my lack of connection of the characters to my ambiguous feelings toward the book. There was just something missing for me. Maybe had the author given us more of a personal connection with the characters from the start, revealing a little more about them and their secrets, instead of trying to keep it mysterious, I would have felt more for them. In addition to my lack of feeling for the characters, the actual writing was just... meh.

Overall, the book wasn't terrible. It had some good points and I thought the plot was interesting enough. I could see other readers possibly enjoying it. For me though, someone who thrives on character development and connection with the characters, it was just an okay read.

3 of 5 stars.

.PURCHASE

ON AMAZON

BLURB

One summer can change everything...

Haunted with guilt after his girlfriend’s death, Daniel Hudson has no interest in committing to anyone. At the end of the summer, he’ll be leaving Florida for a new start in college. If only he could avoid the mysterious new girl in town, who seems every bit as naive and eccentric as she looks. Trouble is, she’s hard to ignore, with her beautiful piercing eyes, pitiful-looking dog, and unsettling tendency of finding trouble.

Clover Scott lived her whole life off the grid and arrives on the Gulf coast in search of her grandparents. She never expected to nearly drown, or get caught in a hurricane, or fall in love with the boy who rescues her. Now, she has a chance to rewrite her life’s story, to finally fit in somewhere, but Daniel wants answers about her past. When the police start asking questions about the disappearance of her parents, she must make a choice: go to jail or confess her secrets—even if they might destroy her chance at a happily-ever-after.

10 Upcoming Young Adult Releases Bound to Rock 2016

If only there were one place where we could view book trailers for upcoming releases, like movie previews on television, us book-nerds would have something to look forward to!

But, alas, there is no such place I'm aware of. Since you can't just turn on your television and see a bunch of previews for some upcoming YA books that look super awesome, I'm going to share my list of 10 young adult novels I think will rock your socks off this year! I already have a couple of them, but plan on reading all on this list and am waiting for their release with anticipation!

If any interest you, most are on pre-order. You can click on the image and it'll take you to Amazon where you can read more about it or add it to your wishlist. LOVE Amazon wishlists, btw. Or simply give yourself a reminder in your calendar on release day.

Are you excited?

I am!

Ready... Let's go!

1. WITH MALICE by Eileen Cook
Releases June 7th!

Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital room, leg in a cast, stitches in her face and a big blank canvas where the last 6 weeks should be. She comes to discover she was involved in a fatal accident while on a school trip in Italy three days previous but was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality care. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident...wasn't an accident. Wondering not just what happened but what she did, Jill tries to piece together the events of the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life. 

2. JULIA VANISHES by Catherine Egan

Releases June 7th!

The stunning first book in an exciting new fantasy trilogy! Murder, thievery, witchcraft and betrayal--who could resist?

Julia has the unusual ability to be . . . unseen. Not invisible, exactly. Just beyond most people's senses. It's a dangerous trait in a city that has banned all forms of magic and drowns witches in public Cleansings. But it's a useful trait for a thief and a spy. And Julia has learned--crime pays.

     Her latest job is paying very well indeed. Julia is posing as a housemaid in the grand house of Mrs. Och, where an odd assortment of characters live and work: A disgraced professor who sends her to fetch parcels containing bullets, spiders and poison. An aristocratic houseguest who is locked in the basement each night. And a mysterious young woman who is clearly in hiding--though from what or whom? Worse, Julia suspects that there's a connection between these people and the killer leaving a trail of bodies across the frozen city.

     The more she learns, the more she wants to be done with this unnatural job. To go back to the safety of her friends and fellow thieves. But Julia is entangled in a struggle between forces more powerful than she'd ever imagined. Escape will come at a terrible price.

     One that will she will be paying over this book and the two to follow.

3. MY LADY JANE by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows
Releases June 7th!

The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England.

Like that could go wrong

4. GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT by Monica Hesse
Releases April 5th!

An unforgettable story of bravery, grief, and love in impossible times

"A tapestry of guilt and acceptance, growing responsibility, and reluctant heroism, Hanneke's coming-of-age under heartbreaking circumstances is a jarring reminder of how war consumes and transforms the passions of ordinary life. Every devastating moment of this beautiful novel is both poignant and powerful, and every word feels true." -Elizabeth Wein, New York Times bestselling author of Code Name Verity

Amsterdam, 1943. Hanneke spends her days procuring and delivering sought-after black market goods to paying customers, her nights hiding the true nature of her work from her concerned parents, and every waking moment mourning her boyfriend, who was killed on the Dutch front lines when the Germans invaded. She likes to think of her illegal work as a small act of rebellion.

On a routine delivery, a client asks Hanneke for help. Expecting to hear that Mrs. Janssen wants meat or kerosene, Hanneke is shocked by the older woman's frantic plea to find a person--a Jewish teenager Mrs. Janssen had been hiding, who has vanished without a trace from a secret room. Hanneke initially wants nothing to do with such dangerous work, but is ultimately drawn into a web of mysteries and stunning revelations that lead her into the heart of the resistance, open her eyes to the horrors of the Nazi war machine, and compel her to take desperate action.

Beautifully written, intricately plotted, and meticulously researched, Girl in the Blue Coat is an extraordinary, gripping novel from a bright new voice in historical fiction.

5. THE PROGENY by Tosca Lee
Releases May 24th!

New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee brings a modern twist to an ancient mystery surrounding the most notorious female serial killer of all time. A fast-paced thriller for fans of Lee’s Books of Mortals series with Ted Dekker, Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, and BBC America’s hit series Orphan Black.

Emily Jacobs is the descendant of a serial killer. Now, she’s become the hunted.

She’s on a quest that will take her to the secret underground of Europe and the inner circles of three ancient orders—one determined to kill her, one devoted to keeping her alive, and one she must ultimately save.

Filled with adrenaline, romance, and reversals, The Progeny is the present-day saga of a 400-year-old war between the uncanny descendants of “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time, and a secret society dedicated to erasing every one of her descendants. A story about the search for self amidst centuries-old intrigues and Europe’s underground scene…and one woman’s mission to survive.

6. YOU KNOW ME WELL by Nina LaCour & David Levithan
Releases June 7th!

Who knows you well? Your best friend? Your boyfriend or girlfriend? A stranger you meet on a crazy night? No one, really?

Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.

That is until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.

When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other -- and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.

Told in alternating points of view by Nina LaCour, the award-winning author of Hold Still and The Disenchantments, and David Levithan, the best-selling author of Every Day and co-author of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (with Rachel Cohn) and Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with John Green), You Know Me Well is a deeply honest story about navigating the joys and heartaches of first love, one truth at a time.

7. THE OUTLIERS by Kimberly McCreight
Releases May 3rd!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia comes a fast-paced teen series where one girl learns that in a world of intrigue, betrayal, and deeply buried secrets, it is vital to trust your instincts.

It all starts with a text: Please, Wylie, I need your help. Wylie hasn’t heard from Cassie in over a week, not since their last fight. But that doesn’t matter. Cassie’s in trouble, so Wylie decides to do what she has done so many times before: save her best friend from herself.

This time it’s different, though. Instead of telling Wylie where she is, Cassie sends cryptic clues. And instead of having Wylie come by herself, Jasper shows up saying Cassie sent him to help. Trusting the guy who sent Cassie off the rails doesn’t feel right, but Wylie has no choice but to ignore her gut instinct and go with him.

But figuring out where Cassie is goes from difficult to dangerous, fast. As Wylie and Jasper head farther and farther north into the dense woods of Maine, Wylie struggles to control her growing sense that something is really wrong. What isn’t Cassie telling them? And could finding her be only the beginning?

In this breakneck tale, New York Times bestselling author Kimberly McCreight brilliantly chronicles a fateful journey that begins with a single decision—and ends up changing everything.

8. UNRIVALED by Alyson Noel
Releases May 10th!

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël comes the first book in the Beautiful Idols series. With mystery, suspense, and an insiders-only look at Los Angeles that echoes Gossip Girl’s racy and real New York, fans of Pretty Little Liars and readers who crave pulse-pounding romance will love Unrivaled.

Everyone wants to be someone. Layla Harrison wants to be a reporter. Aster Amirpour wants to be an actress. Tommy Phillips wants to be a guitar hero.

But Madison Brooks took destiny and made it her own a long time ago.

She’s Hollywood’s hottest starlet, and the things she did to become the name on everyone’s lips are merely a stain on the pavement, ground beneath her Louboutin heel.

That is, until Layla, Aster, and Tommy find themselves with a VIP invite to the world of Los Angeles’s nightlife and lured into a competition where Madison Brooks is the target. Just as their hopes begin to gleam like stars through the California smog, Madison Brooks goes missing. . . . And all of their hopes are blacked out in the haze of their lies.

9. THE GLITTERING COURT by Richelle Mead

Releases April 5th!

A dazzling, romantic fantasy series set in a mix of Elizabethan and frontier worlds from Richelle Mead, #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy.

Big and sweeping, spanning the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court. 

Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies who appear destined for powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court. 

When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together, they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first, as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and later, when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor. 

But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands. . . .

10. EVERY EXQUISITE THING by Matthew Quick

Releases May 10th!

Nanette O'Hare is an unassuming teen who has played the role of dutiful daughter, hardworking student, and star athlete for as long as she can remember. But when a beloved teacher gives her his worn copy of The Bugglegum Reaper--a mysterious, out-of-print cult classic--the rebel within Nanette awakens. 

As she befriends the reclusive author, falls in love with a young but troubled poet, and attempts to insert her true self into the world with wild abandon, Nanette learns the hard way that rebellion sometimes comes at a high price.

A celebration of the self and the formidable power of story, Every Exquisite Thing is Matthew Quick at his finest. 

The PROVING Book Blast and Giveaway

  The Proving by Ken Brosky

It's been 100 years since the Specters invaded Earth. Like ghosts they haunt the planet, devouring any human being foolish enough to venture outside of the last remaining protected cities. For some humans, venturing out isn't a choice--it's an opportunity to prove yourself to your clan. But when a coterie of New Adults undertaking a mission deep in Specter territory discover a terrible secret, they quickly find that everything they've learned may be wrong ... and Earth is in grave danger.

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Excerpt

Skye took a deep breath, held it, then forced it out quickly between her pursed lips. The loud whistle seemed ear-splitting, jolting her nerves — too late to change her mind now, she twisted her body, her boots digging into the gravel as she fell back and faced the farming contraptions. She lifted her rifle, seeing the Specter’s strange glow change, move, and then without warning its crocodile face emerged from the body of the large machine. Its mouth opened. Cleo fell back, screaming. A claw phased through, reaching out for Skye. She fired her rifle. The blue proton bullet tore through the creature’s arm, sending yellow sparks fluttering like butterflies into the air. The Specter’s mouth opened wide, revealing sharp, finger-length teeth, so close that Skye could see their serrated edges.

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  BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/15/16 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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The Skulls Meets One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

MY REVIEW

The best way to describe this books is my title for this review. This book is The Skulls Meets One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. If you have seen both of those movies, I think it accurately describes what you'll get with this book. SANCTUARY BAY is a young adult psychological thriller/mystery that left me turning the pages, anticipating each new revelation, and loving every second of it.

When I started the book, I wasn't sure how I would like it, but I LOVED it. The book brings the main character Sarah--an orphan who's never had much--to the prestigious school of Sanctuary Bay on a scholarship. The school is mostly full of children of wealthy socialites and other uber successful people, so naturally, Sarah feels a little jaded and like a misfit. But this is her opportunity to have a better life, so she takes it. The school is like living on a collage campus, except they have the extravagance of technology that most schools don't. The buildings are posh and everything seems like a dream, except once the kids attend there, they stay there through all of high school, and neither them or the staff are allowed to leave. Ever. Oh, and it's built on an island, isolated from society, sits over an old POW camp from WWII, and is on the same premises as an abandoned psych ward. *Cue creepy Psycho-slasher music.*

As you read further into the book, you discover that there is a secret society on campus, which Sarah, incidentally gets invited to join. But soon, there's a murder, and she finds that the little family she's developed through this society at Sanctuary Bay isn't all that it seems. It turns out the school has some majorly dark secrets. I don't want to say more because it will spoil the book, but it was sooooo good! If you're not afraid of a book with a bit of a dark side and like psychological thrillers, you'll love it. If you've seen the movie The Skulls and loved it, this book is a safe bet. One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest is a hint at what is really going on at Sanctuary Bay, but I'll leave it at that.

Buy this book. It was so different than anything I've read in a long time. I loved every second of it and I'm truly hoping there is a sequel!!!

*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review, which I have given.

PURCHASE

ON AMAZON

BLURB

When Sarah Merson receives the opportunity of a lifetime to attend the most elite prep school in the country-Sanctuary Bay Academy-it seems almost too good to be true. But, after years of bouncing from foster home to foster home, escaping to its tranquil setting, nestled deep in Swans Island, couldn't sound more appealing. Swiftly thrown into a world of privilege and secrets, Sarah quickly realizes finding herself noticed by class charmer, Nate, as well as her roommate's dangerously attentive boyfriend, Ethan, are the least of her worries. When her roommate suddenly goes missing, she finds herself in a race against time, not only to find her, but to save herself and discover the dark truth behind Sanctuary Bay's glossy reputation.

In this genre-bending YA thriller, Sanctuary Bay by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz, Sarah's new school may seem like an idyllic temple of learning, but as she unearths years of terrifying history and manipulation, she discovers this "school" is something much more sinister.

48 Popular Hashtags For Readers on Social Media

If you're a reader and want a little more Twitter love on those much neglected tweets, here are some top hashtags every book-lover should know! These are all regularly used and popular. Please read on, I'm betting there are some you don't know! Psst - Don't forget to use these on other social media sites!

#read

#reading

#amreading

#booknerd

#booknerdproblems

#bookstagram

#mustread

#books

#ebook

#bookswelove

#bookfortrade

#bookclub

#readinglist

#bookaddict

#shelfie

#ShelfieWednesday

#fangirl

#CurrentlyReading

#ilovebooks

#bookaholic

#booklove

#bibliophile

#bookish

#bookishness

#bookporn

#fiction

#fictionaldeathsiwillnevergetover

#fantasy

#romance

#scifi

#paranormal

#paranormalromance

#suspense

#mystery

#thriller

#YoungAdult

#YAlit

#Literary

#horror

#Kindle

#Nook

#Amazon

#erotica

#AmazonKindle

#KindleUnlimited

#FridayReads

#indiebooksbeseen

#bestsellers

Were there any new to you?

10 Awesome Gifts For Book Nerds, Er, I Mean Book-Lovers

Stuck on what to get someone? Here are 10 super cool gifts for your nerdy, ahem, book-loving friends and family!

1. "Old Books" Scented Soy Candle, $18

Not sure what this would actually smell like, but this is SOOO cool!
Found at Etsy.com

2. "This is my reading shirt" T-shirt, $19

Hey, it's a step up from my PJ's.
Found at Etsy.com

3. Booklover Duvet Cover, $99

Awesomeness.
Found at Society6

4. Paper Rose Book Wreath, $25

This is so beautiful. I can't believe it's only $25! I need one, STAT!
Found at Etsy

5. Humurous Literary Book Match Sets, $22

LOVE these. Hilarious and, oh, so cute.
Found at Etsy

6. Floating "Book" Shelves, $16.99

Found at Amazon

7. Bookcase Phone Case, $20

Found at CafePress

8. First Lines of Literature Mug, $16

What's better than snuggling up with coffee and a good book.
It would be fun trying to figure out the lines from the books.

Found at Amazon

9. Book Worm Tank, $25

How cute is this? So we can be nerdy and cute?!
Found at Ruffles with Love

10. BookNerd Bling, $16

Yes!
Found at Etsy

A Bookish Challenge for 2016

So, I stumbled across this cool book challenge for 2016 by POPSUGAR. This is one challenge I'm actually going to participate in, and so I thought it would be fun to share my progress with you on here, especially considering I review the books I read (or most of them, anyway) on this blog.

I have a lot of books on my TBR list already, so I'm going to start off reading those and where they apply, will check books off my list as I go. Then, once I get through my current list, I will stat seeking out books for the particular purpose of the challenge and I will share my progress here!

Are you gonna join me? Don't leave me hanging. Share your #popsugarreadingchallenge with me on Twitter and Instagram also!

PS- You can go to POPSUGAR (link below the pic) and they have a downloadable checklist.

Here we go....

Source: POPSUGAR

10 Great Young Adult Romances Without Sex! (Books For Your Teen)

Whether you're a parent or you just like clean books (and romance), it can be really difficult to find books without sex. Particularly, if you're a parent who doesn't have scads of time to weed through books (because you basically have to read them in their entirety!) to tell if they have any naughty business in them. So, today, I'm taking the guessing out of book-buying and reading by introducing you to 10 fabulous young adult books with romance that are sex-free! All of these I have read, and all of them I LOVED.

Note: I'm vouching for these in particular, not follow-up books, sequels, or others by the same author. I am also not saying that there is no mention at all of sex in them, just characters and writing that are sex-free.

1.  P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU by  Jenny Han

2. CINDER & ELLA by Kelly Oram

3. 17 FIRST KISSES by Rachael Allen

4. THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD by Leah Rae Miller

5. THESE SHALLOW GRAVES by Jennifer Donnelly

6. THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY by Jenny Han

(Yes, her again! LOVE her!)

7. YOU WERE HERE by Cori McCarthy

8. FLAT OUT LOVE by Jessica Park

9.  ALMOST by Anne Elliot

(This cover irks me! It's SUCH a GREAT book and the cover is sooo ugly!)

10. MY LIFE NEXT DOOR by Huntley Fitzpatrick