Until Friday Night (The Field Party #1) by Abbi Glines

Until Friday Night (The Field Party #1) by Abbi Glines

Blurb: To everyone who knows him, West Ashby has always been that guy: the cocky, popular, way-too-handsome-for-his-own-good football god who led Lawton High to the state championships. But while West may be Big Man on Campus on the outside, on the inside he’s battling the grief that comes with watching his father slowly die of cancer.

Two years ago, Maggie Carleton’s life fell apart when her father murdered her mother. And after she told the police what happened, she stopped speaking and hasn’t spoken since. Even the move to Lawton, Alabama, couldn’t draw Maggie back out. So she stayed quiet, keeping her sorrow and her fractured heart hidden away.

As West’s pain becomes too much to handle, he knows he needs to talk to someone about his father—so in the dark shadows of a post-game party, he opens up to the one girl who he knows won’t tell anyone else.

West expected that talking about his dad would bring some relief, or at least a flood of emotions he couldn’t control. But he never expected the quiet new girl to reply, to reveal a pain even deeper than his own—or for them to form a connection so strong that he couldn’t ever let her go…

My thoughts: This book was recommended to me by one of my besties/co-blogger who has read multiple books by Abbi Glines. For what I understand Abbi Glines has a way of making sequel to story that don’t have in the same timeline but don’t focus on the same main characters so if you don’t like book 1, you can read book 2 and it’s a completely different story. I was completely drawn to this book when I found out one of the main characters doesn’t speak anymore and now she has to move to a new town, new school and try to fit in. Switching schools in the middle of high school is hard and scary enough now add not speaking…makes life 100x harder. I loved how West and Maggie came together and how their story evolved a lot that part of me wished the sequel continued on with them.

A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck (Arc Review)

My Thoughts:
When I first started this book, I was not sure if I would like it, it really reminded me of friend I have and what he went through a few years ago. This story is one every person has felt at one time in their life. The crush that only sees them as a friend and nothing more. The book felt a little juvenile to me, but definitely a good read that I couldn’t put down. Especially after *spoiler* tabby dies in a car accident. The book was well written with good dialogue that a 12+ year old would enjoy, there are a few mentions of sexual content but nothing that isn’t mentioned in a high school health class. It had an aspect that I could relate to it, even as a twenty-four year old. It felt more like if the characters were in college rather than high school, but regardless an early teenager and up would enjoy the book.

October Releases

I don't know about you but I can't believe it is October. Here are the books the i think are interesting coming out this month:

October 3rd

Blurb:

Like its ambitious companion novel, Replica, this far-reaching novel by powerhouse bestselling author Lauren Oliver digs deep into questions of how to be a human being in a world where humanity cannot be taken for granted.

In the world outside the Haven Institute, Lyra and Caelum are finding it hard to be human—and neither of them knows where they belong or who they can trust. When Caelum leaves without warning to pursue the dream of a place he belongs, Lyra follows him, convinced that together they will hunt down a cure for the illness that’s slowly consuming her mind. But what they uncover is a shocking connection to their past—even as their future seems in danger of collapsing.

After discovering the uncomfortable truth about her connection to the Haven Institute, Gemma struggles to return to her normal life. But when she learns that her controlling and powerful father has new plans for Lyra and Caelum, Gemma and her boyfriend, Pete, leave in the middle of the night to warn them of the danger they face.When an untimely accident derails them, they are mistaken for the escaped replicas and seized by strangers hired to capture them. The Haven Institute wasn’t destroyed after all, and now Gemma is the one behind the walls.

Lyra’s and Gemma’s stories can be read separately—with either story first—or in alternating chapters, but no matter which way you turn the book, the two distinct stories combine into one breathtaking experience for both heroines and readers alike.

Blurb:

The Titanic meets the delicious horror of Ransom Riggs and the sass of Mean Girls in this follow-up to the #1 New York Times bestseller How to Hang a Witch, in which a contemporary teen finds herself a passenger on the famous “ship of dreams”—a story made all the more fascinating because the author’s own relatives survived the doomed voyage.

Samantha Mather knew her family’s connection to the infamous Salem Witch Trials might pose obstacles to an active social life. But having survived one curse, she never thought she’d find herself at the center of a new one. 

This time, Sam is having recurring dreams about the Titanic . . . where she’s been walking the deck with first-class passengers, like her aunt and uncle. Meanwhile, in Sam’s waking life, strange missives from the Titanic have been finding their way to her, along with haunting visions of people who went down with the ship. 

Ultimately, Sam and the Descendants, along with some help from heartthrob Elijah, must unravel who is behind the spell that is drawing her ever further into the dream ship . . . and closer to sharing the same grim fate as its ghostly passengers.

Blurb:

Magnus Chase, a once-homeless teen, is a resident of the Hotel Valhalla and one of Odin's chosen warriors. As the son of Frey, the god of summer, fertility, and health, Magnus isn't naturally inclined to fighting. But he has strong and steadfast friends, including Hearthstone the elf, Blitzen the dwarf, and Samirah the Valkyrie, and together they have achieved brave deeds, such as defeating Fenris Wolf and battling giants for Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. Now Magnus and his crew must sail to the farthest borders of Jotunheim and Niflheim in pursuit of Asgard's greatest threat. Will they succeed in their perilous journey, or is Ragnarok lurking on the horizon?

October 10th

Blurb:

A Norse teen and her family are forced to flee to the American West to escape the effects of an ancestral Viking curse in this jaw-dropping historical paranormal romance from the author of Monument 14.

Are Hanne's powers a gift from the old Norse gods, or a curse?

Hanne's brother Stieg swears their powers are a gift from the old gods, but Hanne Hemstad knows she is truly cursed. It's not Stieg’s fault that their father is dead, their mother has left, and their brother Knut has been accused of a crime he didn’t commit.

No, the fault lies with Hanne and her inability to control her murderous “gift”—she is a Berserker. When someone she loves is threatened, she flies into a killing state. The siblings must leave Norway for the American frontier or risk being brought to justice.

Aided by a young cowboy who agrees to be their guide, Hanne and her siblings use their powers to survive the perilous trail, where blizzards, wild animals, and vicious bounty hunters await.

Will they be able to reach their uncle, the one man Hanne believes may be able to teach her how to control her drive to kill? With Berserker, Emmy Laybourne, the author of Monument 14, presents her vision of an American west studded with Viking glory.

October 17th

Blurb:

New Orleans belongs to me. 
You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t. 
My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met. 
I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt. 
To have her in my debt. 
She doesn’t know she caught my attention. 
She should’ve been more careful. 
I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her. 
It’s time to collect what I’m owed. 
Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.

*Ruthless King is book one of the Mount Trilogy*

October 24th

Blurb:

On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she'd become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.

She didn't.

And then she died.

Now she's stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge--as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly's afterlife has been miserable.

But this year, everything is about to change. . . .

October 31st

Blurb:

It’s a new day in the Empire. Tyrus has ascended to the throne with Nemesis by his side and now they can find a new way forward—one where they don’t have to hide or scheme or kill. One where creatures like Nemesis will be given worth and recognition, where science and information can be shared with everyone and not just the elite.

But having power isn’t the same thing as keeping it, and change isn’t always welcome. The ruling class, the Grandiloquy, has held control over planets and systems for centuries—and they are plotting to stop this teenage Emperor and Nemesis, who is considered nothing more than a creature and certainly not worthy of being Empress.

Nemesis will protect Tyrus at any cost. He is the love of her life, and they are partners in this new beginning. But she cannot protect him by being the killing machine she once was. She will have to prove the humanity that she’s found inside herself to the whole Empire—or she and Tyrus may lose more than just the throne. But if proving her humanity means that she and Tyrus must do inhuman things, is the fight worth the cost of winning it?

Blurb:

As the Sleeping Prince tightens his hold on Lormere and Tregellan, the net closes in on the ragged band of rebels trying desperately to defeat him. Twylla and Errin are separated, isolated, and running out of time. The final battle is coming, and Aurek will stop at nothing to keep the throne forever . . .

Explosive, rich and darkly addictive, this is the stunning conclusion to Mel Salisbury's internationally best-selling trilogy that began with The Sin Eater's Daughter.

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Goodreads Blur:

For eighteen years the Hartes and the Golds have lived next door to each other, sharing everything from Chinese food to chicken pox to carpool duty-- they've grown so close it seems they have always been a part of each other's lives. Parents and children alike have been best friends, so it's no surprise that in high school Chris and Emily's friendship blossoms into something more. They've been soul mates since they were born.

So when midnight calls from the hospital come in, no one is ready for the appalling truth: Emily is dead at seventeen from a gunshot wound to the head. There's a single unspent bullet in the gun that Chris took from his father's cabinet-- a bullet that Chris tells police he intended for himself. But a local detective has doubts about the suicide pact that Chris has described.

My thoughts: If you are in need for a good cry read this book. I heard about Jodi Picoult’s writing through other readers and her style didn’t seem like anything I would be into any my friend kept pushing this book on me so I read it to get her off my back. The entire book is suspenseful, it goes back and forth between the court trial and the events leading up to Emily’s death. The end still has me shook. I cried like I’ve never cried before after reading this book. I would love to read this story again but at the same time I don’t but it is just too emotional but perfect and I think I will forever be torn.

The Girl at the End of the Line by Charles Mathes

Goodreads Blurb:

“Their travels bring adventure and exhilaration as they have the new and wonderful experience of seeing New York and London, and meeting such exotic fauna as professional actors. But it also brings tragedy as “accidents” occur around them.”  

My Thoughts:

I bought this book in a thrift shop when I was visiting Upstate New York. I got it for $2 and honestly it should have been priced higher. Not only was it in good condition, had a life as a former library book, but it was honestly one of my favorite reads from this summer.

This book not only had adventure and mystery-it honestly reminded me of the A Tea Shop Mystery books. It was really a cute story about two sister, living an average life, except that one sister has been mute ever since witnessing the murder of her mother. Shortly after finding a secret about their grandmother, she turns up dead. The sisters world erupts into chaos, leaving them wondering who they really are. The structure of the book, writing style, and use of words were amazing as well. Seriously a good quick read that will keep you entertained through the story.

I’m currently looking up the rest of his books and my Mom is currently reading it.

Coming up for Air (hundred oaks 8) by Miranda Kenneally

Blurb:

Swim. Eat. Shower. School. Snack. Swim. Swim. Swim. Dinner. Homework. Bed. Repeat.

All of Maggie’s focus and free time is spent swimming. She’s not only striving to earn scholarships—she’s training to qualify for the Olympics. It helps that her best friend, Levi, is also on the team and cheers her on. But Levi’s already earned an Olympic tryout, so Maggie feels even more pressure to succeed. And it’s not until Maggie’s away on a college visit that she realizes how much of the “typical” high school experience she’s missed by being in the pool.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Maggie decides to squeeze the most out of her senior year. First up? Making out with a guy. And Levi could be the perfect candidate. After all, they already spend a lot of time together. But as Maggie slowly starts to uncover new feelings for Levi, how much is she willing to sacrifice in the water to win at love?

My Thoughts:

So if you know me one of my obsessions is the Olympics. I am not sure why but it is. When i found out that this but was about swimming i got super excited. this book has official my second favorite in the series. it was funny, real, and romantic. I am officially in love with Levi. He is supper sweet and down to earth. I like that they have been friends forever and they are both in love with swimming. I could not put this book down. the whole time i was hoping that they make it to the Olympic trials. the one thing that i love about this author is that even though it is a series you can still read out of order you still know what is going on. the main reason why i love this book is because of the epologin this book. It is from Sam's point of view. Sam is from the first book. i was so happy when i read it and as a fan so will you.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Goodreads Blurb:

You can’t stop the future.
You can’t rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker–his classmate and crush–who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah’s pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.

My thoughts: I read this book way back when I heard it might be coming to Netflix and Selena Gomez was part of the project. I didn’t read the book because of Selena Gomez but for the story that takes place in the aftermath of a suicide and for the unique way Asher has Hannah explain her actions. I could be wrong but I feel like not many of the people to commit suicide get the opportunity to speak to the person or people who hurt them. Yes people write letters explaining why they choose suicide but who can say their message got directly sent to those who hurt them. Thirteen Reasons Why is a powerful and moving story and I’m glad was able to read it.

Netflix series thoughts coming soon!