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Friday YA: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

I grabbed a copy of Saint Anything off the sale pile at my local bookstore. I had recently read another novel by Sarah Dessen, Once and For All and had really like how much substance and character building she had written into that novel and wanted to try another and see if this was her signature style. Sure enough, Saint Anything matched the depth and her heroine Sydney was complex. Yeah! I know I’m late to discover this author, but I’m excited to find her and will probably quickly get through her backlog of books. 🙂

Saint Anything is about Sydney and her search for a voice and presence in her family. Sydney has always been second to her older brother Peyton. He was charming, good looking, and the apple of her mothers eye. As he grew older, he began to act out until one day he drove drunk, got in an accident and hurt another teenager. Peyton goes to jail and leaves Sydney’s life in pieces. Having to change from private school to public school Sydney has to start all over. In some ways this was a wonderful thing to be among people who didn’t know her past. When she meets Layla Chatham, she gets embraced by her family and finds the support and love from them that was missing at home.

Sydney went through so many emotional ups and downs in this novel. She is angry at her family, feels guilty about the teen that her brother hit, and tries to balance new friends and old friends while still maintaining her own personal identity. Then, of course, she falls in love too, and Mac’s that boy that all mothers should want for their daughters. A prince among teens. LOL.

Sarah Dessen must have gone through every emotion in her teen life to be able to write with such depth and feeling from a teenage girls point of view. Sydney’s self revelations are inspiring for teen girls I’m sure, but also for myself at a (much) more advanced age. I really enjoy how her characters grow into great people and forget I’m reading about 16 year old’s. It does help that the romances are sub plots, at least in the two Dessen books I’ve read so far.

If you haven’t read this novel and are looking for a quick read with depth, look for Saint Anything. It will fill that bucket, for sure. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I’ve read several Sarah Dessen books and always found them perfectly good summer reads. Nothing extraordinary but never a disappointing read, and Saint Anything fell right into that category. There is nothing particularly noteworthy about this book. I enjoyed the characters and their development, something Sarah Dessen absolutely excels at. But in terms of story and romance, it was lacking.” Pagefuls

“I absolutely loved this book! Sydney’s character was very relatable because like her, I also lost touch with some of my friends when I changed schools. The only event that made me uncomfortable while I was reading was Ames’s character because from his first scene I knew he was creepy. It really annoyed me when Sydney’s mother kept encouraging Ames to come around, but by the end of the book I was happy to read about her change of heart.” The Night Owl Book Blog

Saint Anything

Click this link to purchase!* Saint Anything

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Mogul (The Knickerbocker Club #3) by Joanna Shupe

When Lily’s brother goes missing she turns to ex-husband and Media Mogul Calvin Cabot to help her find him. After their marriage was annulled four years ago after a quick elopement they have done a great job of avoiding being in the same vicinity. When Lily kidnaps Calvin to get him to help her out, they find that the chemistry between them is just as fiery, as is Lily’s personality. When Calvin agree’s to help her he tries to keep her safe, but Lily is determined to be in on the action. Her determination to find her brother is matched by Calvin’s desire for Lily to stay out of the action.

The setting for the Knickerbocker Club series is the Industrial age which makes it these books very unique. Even though Lily comes from money it’s nice to see how men in that frame of time built their fortunes. When Lily and Calvin initially meet and marry he is a reporter, but four years later he owns three papers and is on his way to building an empire. Lily also has grown into her place, taking over for her father as the President of their mining company. Something that is not heard of in that time, and probably inaccurate of what women are allowed to do in that time, but it made for a different kind of romance. They are equals with their brains and with their finances. 

The mystery of what happened to Lily’s brother involves a Chinese gang leader and some rather rough characters. You know when you read a piece of fiction and the characters all feel real and not characterizations, you know that the author did their homework. Joanna Shupe did hers and the realistic characters helped me enmesh myself in their story, not stopping to think “yeah, right” as I do in some lighter historical romances.  

This is the third book in the Knickerbocker Club series but you can read these novels as stand alone’s no problem. The other men in the club do show up as supporting characters but you don’t need to know who they are to enjoy this or any of the other stories in the series. If you’re like me and like to start at the beginning, then pick up Magnate, which is book #1. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Mogul (The Knickerbocker Club)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal

Unmarriageable puts the familiar story of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in an unfamiliar (to me) setting of Pakistan. This mixture of a familiar story in an unfamiliar culture was both fascinating and frustrating. I loved that through reading Alys and Jena Binat’s story I was learning a new culture, but also frustrating because that culture, even in modern times, doesn’t treat women well. In some cases, worse than the Bennett ladies in 1797 England. My emotions fluctuated from fascination to outrage as each scene was revealed yet kept me reading at the same time- pushing for the finish line because I couldn’t wait for the novel to be finished with the happy ending I fully expected.

As with the Bennett family, the Binat family has fallen on hard times and due to their lack of money their social standing in Pakistan society has fallen. The two elder daughters, Alys and Jena, have an honorable position as teachers in an all girls school, but at the same time are dishonored for having to work and bring in an income for their family. Alys our main protagonist is a modern woman. Outspoken, educated and honest she has visions of living her life without being forced to marry. Her mother, however, just wants to see all of her daughters settled, both for their own good but also to help raise their families social standing. Mrs. Binat was a termagant raised in an era where the quality of your marriage defined your life, she harangued, nagged, and spoke down to her daughters so much that it was hard to see the love behind her words and actions.

Unmarriageble mirrored Pride and Prejudice so much that it took away some of the pleasure of reading the novel. The only good distraction was the setting of Pakistan. An area of the world that I am completely unfamiliar with except in news stories or rare visits to a local restaurant or international grocery store. I really enjoyed reading about the clothing, food, and culture of courtship and marriage, even if I disagreed with the ages of the bride and groom in some instances. Knowing arranged marriages still take place in some cultures is one thing, but this novel made that so much more real.

As far as the actual story, I could obviously identify with the more modern Alys and rooted for her love story with Darsee. I would have liked a little more creative license taken with the storyline but Pride and Prejudice is popular for a reason. Alys does finally see Darsee for the grumpy ‘prince’ that he is and falls in love regardless of her misinterpretations of everything he does throughout the novel. The shenanigans of the rest of the Binat girls added more color, but also gave a great sense of the struggles women in Pakistani culture have balancing the modern with tradition.

The setting, food, and colorful scenery balanced out my frustrations with those original plot similarities leaving me with only a slight sense of dissatisfaction. Did I love the novel? Not really. I enjoyed reading about a different culture and I was left with empathy for the struggles women are going through but in the end it was that lack of adding a newness to an already re-told (a million times) plot that left me in that gray area of it wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad either. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

I was given a free ARC of this novel through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“Personally, I wasn’t a massive fan of the writing, unfortunately. It isn’t bad by any means, it just didn’t speak to me. But hey, everyone has different tastes, and I can see a lot of people loving it. My one complaint, however, is that this book just felt overly long. I know Pride and Prejudice is a long book, but I think because this is contemporary, it just seemed like it dragged a bit.” Adventures of a Bibliophile

“Unmarriageable is a smart, evocative retelling of a classic that reads just like a modern classic. Everything about the story is perfection, intriguing, and completely enthralling. It was enjoyable and engaging from start to finish and receives my highest recommendation. ” Jennifer The Tarheel Reader

Click this link to purchase!* Unmarriageable: A Novel

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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Friday YA: Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan

For those of you who love swashbuckling action, you’ll LOVE Ignite the Stars! Ia Cocha is the scourge of the stars. Fighting against the Olympus Commonwealth, Ia is part terrorist, part Robin Hood. When the story starts she is trapped on a Tawny ship and is being taken captive. When it is found out that she is just a 17 year old girl and not an adult man, it’s determined that it would be better to bury her in an Academy of students in an unknown location than to put her on trial and kill her. That would look bad, I guess? When she gets to the Academy she is a prisoner of sorts, but able to roam free. She is kept from flying but her mind is always looking for an escape.

Brinn, Ia’s roommate, has a secret. One that she is desperate to keep, but Ia figures her out pretty quickly and blackmails her into doing something for her. Through the sharing of this secret Ia and Brinn develop a friendship of sorts. Brinn, who is kind of prickly because she doesn’t let herself get close to anyone, can let Ia close because she knows her secret. It is this friendship that drives the book. We learn that no one is who we think they are. Ia the terrorist actually has empathy and fights for the underdogs and Brinn the loner comes face to face with her heritage and embraces it. When it finally happens, these two are a powerful team.

There are a whole other cast of characters in this novel. Heroic figures and villainous ones fill the classrooms. Flight Master Knives, just out of school himself, is Ia’s jailer and love interest. Not as gruesome as that sounds, I swear! He has his own issues with the Olympus Commonwealth, most notably his father who is an Admiral and a not so nice character. This love connection between he and Ia is PG rated, but it does allow both of their characters to show another side. 

I love a fast moving plot and Ignite the Stars was quick, emotional, and fun. It’s hard to believe this was Maura Milan’s debut novel. It seemed like every character had their own hidden battle they were fighting. I’ll admit that Brinn was probably my favorite character, but Ia was a close second. They were both underdogs, and I do like to root for the underdog. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I’ve been looking for a book to appease by craving for more sci-fi adventure after I finished Obsidio, and let me tell you that Ignite the Stars did the trick! You’re dropped right into the action, and it doesn’t stop until the very end. I fell absolutely in love with our cast of characters and adored how each had their own unique story that eventually intertwined.” A Myriad of Books

“For all its shortcomings, Ignite the Stars was a decent, easy read. Knives and Brinn are strong deuteragonists, and Maura Milan has a good deal of fun with the supporting cast. As socially conscious YA, the story integrates a timely if heavy-handed political message on the refugee crisis. As a space opera…eh.” Serendipitous Reads

Click this link to purchase!* Ignite the Stars

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Demon’s Mercy (Dark Protector’s #9) by Rebecca Zanetti

The Fae have decided to come out of hiding and save the world from being destroyed when the Seven form and dimensions collide. Mercy O’Malley is supposed to take out Logan Kyllwood, the last man set to join the Seven, but when she gets near him her blood sizzles and her heartbeat quickens. When she decides to kidnap him instead Logan goes along with it trying to figure out this new danger. Needless to say, neither one of them fights against the pull they have for each other even though they are fated to be on opposite sides of this war.

Logan was born a warrior and even though he is the youngest Kyllwood brother he has taken on a significant task of saving their world by joining the mysterious Seven. As with all of the other alpha heroes in this series, Logan is dark and broody but he has an element of fun that is brought out when he meets Mercy. Part of that is that she is Fae, a species he didn’t know was real. He jokingly calls her a fairy through the whole book, a title she begrudgingly accepts. It’s that humor that humanizes the story and makes she and Logan interesting.

I like that a new species has been introduced to this Dark Protector world. The discovery of what is “fae” makes this story interesting and I hope the author delves into that lineage more in future novels. Logan and Mercy were a fun pairing and I enjoyed their story and look forward to getting a glimpse into their future in the next Dark Protector story. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I was given an ARC of this novel through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase!*Demon’s Mercy (Dark Protectors Book 9)

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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Friday YA: Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

Caroline Oresteia’s life changes drastically when she and her father arrive on their boat to a town where all the boats have been burned in the harbor. Caro’s father is taken prisoner and Caro is blackmailed into signing papers to ferry a crate by herself to a faraway town. She is not to open this crate, but of course she does. What she finds changes her path away from the river she’s always known into a world filled with politics and danger.

Caro was an easy character to understand and like. Her family has always let the river God guide them but Caro has never heard his voice. Desperate to “find” herself she leaps into accepting this challenge, only in part because they are holding her father hostage. She is really relishing the chance to prove herself and this trip while scary also pushes her outside of her comfort zone allowing her to grow.

Caro’s love interest started off an enemy but soon became a reliable friend and then more. I liked how that relationship developed and that Caro wasn’t the only character to show growth through the story. Song of the Current was also an action adventure tale along the lines of a Robin Hood or a swashbuckling tale. As Caro’s confidence builds her character becomes more pirate like and even heroic. It was a lot of fun to read and the story flew by very quickly.

I love YA action novels and Song of the Current hit the right note for me. It did start off a little slow but that was to be expected as the characters and world building needed explanation. As soon as she pushed off down the river and opened that crate the story took off and the adventure began. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“Song of the Current is an interesting book. There were two things that I had predicted, and they came true, BUT! I’m not even upset about that. The Song of the Current is that good.” Adele is Reading

“This is one of the few reads this year that has been a solid, true five stars, and I’m so eager to get my hands on Whisper of the Tide. It’s got a pretty cover, for starters, and I’m READY to see what Caro and Markos have gotten themselves into next. I’m invested and delighted and well and truly in love with this book in a way I’m not sure I have been with any particular series for a long time. If you haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend that you hop to it, because it was well worth the time!” The Words Gremlin

Song of the Current

Click this link to purchase!* Song of the Current

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Hot Winter Nights (Heartbreaker Bay #6) by Jill Shalvis

Molly Malone works for Hunter Investigations but not in the capacity she’d like. We learned a little of Molly’s back story in her brother Joe’s story About that Kiss. Molly’s brother is uber protective because of an episode in their childhood where Molly got hurt and having Molly take on a more active role at work goes against those protector instincts. Lucas Knight, another investigator in the company, has always had a soft spot for Molly. When one of her neighbors asks for her help with a situation at work Lucas is “assigned” to keep watch and make sure Molly stays out of trouble.

The Heartbreaker Bay series is about a group of friends that all work in this small community of buildings. I love how we meet future couples in previous novels so that when their story arrives, you already know something about them and you don’t need half the novel as set up. Hot Winter Nights jumps right in. We know Lucas as an attractive guy who doesn’t like more than one night stands, and Molly as the younger sister of Joe who has a bum leg from a past run in with a gang. A few sentences in and the back story comes immediately to mind and I can easily immerse myself into their story.

I’ll admit the mystery was a little hokey with a Christmas theme with some geriatric elves and a mob like Santa. Even though the mystery was a little silly it did allow for some great scenes between Molly and Lucas that added heat to the themed story. The best thing about Jill Shalvis’ books are the fact that the characters are easy to like and have a lot of heart. I also love that it’s a group of friends who stay connected through love for each other, literally and figuratively. I wish I had a group of friends like this myself and anyone who reads these novels thinks the same thing. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“Heartbreaker Bay is a really fun series, and I especially love the Christmas stories, which encompasses about half the books in this series. This one also has a bit of suspense thrown in, which really helps to keep the pages turning.” Stacey Alesi’s Bookbitch.com

“Hot Winter Nights is a fun and entertaining read with just the right amount of steam, romance, action and suspense. It’s a great book to spend your day getting swept up in and will definitely put you in the holiday spirit.” Once Upon A Book Blog

Hot Winter Nights

Click this link to purchase!* Hot Winter Nights: A Heartbreaker Bay Novel

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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Friday YA: The Devil You Know by Trish Doller

The Devil You Know is a three year old novel that I’d never heard of before, but when I read the synopsis I was intrigued. Small town girl Arcadia has had to grow up fast when her mom dies and she ends up taking care of her father and little brother. She meets two cousins at a campfire party and she and a friend decide to take off with them on a camping trip into southern Florida. Of course, things start to go wrong and Cadie ends up fighting for her life.

This one was a thrill ride! At 257 pages it definitely wasn’t a long book, but I think I read it in two or three hours? I sat down to start it and didn’t get up until I finished. I liked Cadie, even though I couldn’t identify with her at all. Yes, she was a burned out 16 year old having to take care of her family at a young age. Yes, she just wanted to have fun for once. But, who leaves for a camping trip with a couple of strangers? When her friend doesn’t end up going, she still goes! Not something I would’ve done at that age, so I kept reading. LOL.

This is a thriller and it was definitely creepy, which makes this review a little hard to write. I don’t want to give away anything. I will say that there were a few surprises, and I liked how Cadie got herself out of this mess. Other than that, I’m just going to say that if you are looking for a quick read that may be a few years old, I think this one was fun! It’s not Pride and Prejudice or anything, but it was an escape from reality and I enjoyed it! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I had this on my shelf for ages & I regret not picking it up sooner! I liked this book a lot. It was definitely one of my favorite types of books, which is why I bought it in the first place, but I didn’t expect that much from it. Instead, it blew me away with how suspenseful and creepy it was. Even though I had already guessed the ending, I still loved it. I loved every second of this book & will pick up anything else this author writes, without hesitation.” Book Addicts Ahoy

YA Thriller

Click this link to purchase!*The Devil You Know

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Ache for You (Slow Burn #3) by J.T. Geissinger

Kimber DiSanto is having a really rough week. She is publicly humiliated when her fiancee dumps her at the alter and then she finds out her father is in the hospital in Italy and doesn’t have a lot of time left to live. Waiting in an airline lounge she spots a man who is superhumanly beautiful and she hates him on sight. She doesn’t particularly like men right now and it appears this one thinks he’s god’s gift. A feeling that’s confirmed when he hits on her very blatantly. When she arrives at her gate to find that her flight is oversold and she’s been bumped, that same man gives her his first class seat in exchange for a sketch pad he saw her drawing in while she was sitting in the lounge. Desperate, she gives it to him. Little does she know that he is Matteo Moretti a famous fashion designer, her step brother, and soon to be the bane of her existence. For a little while anyway….

This is a very sexy slow burn novel. Kimber and Matteo’s chemistry is off the charts but because they are adversaries it’s set on a slow simmer through most of the book. I’ll admit that I love slow burn stories and love the engagement of the characters leading up to the big moment usually more than that big sex scene. Although in this book, that also was pretty great. Ache For You uses the enemies to lovers trope to tease the readers into submission. Kimber needs to work out her hatred for her ex and men in general before she’ll give Matteo a chance and their shenanigans are delicious.

The reader is given a chance to view things through Matteo’s eyes as the POV shifts back and forth, which works for this story. We know that he actually is trying to win her love having immediately fallen for her in that airport lounge, so it’s really easy to route for him. Plus he is so sexy we are eager to finally see the two of them resolve their issues and be in love.

I have enjoyed J. T. Geissinger’s novels but I think this Slow Burn series is my favorite so far. If you haven’t had a chance to read them they are loosely based on fairy tales. In this case so loosely I had to have a friend remind me which one it was based on. Cinderella in this case, her ugly stepsisters are actually dogs so yes, it’s a very loose translation. LOL. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

” I love this series of books loosely based on fairy tales. Each book is a well-written stand-alone. I enjoyed this one a lot and stayed up late on a week night to finish it. It was well worth it. ” Heron There and Everywhere

” I really enjoyed this book, it had everything you could want, an infuriating H, a difficult h, lots of witty banter, laugh out loud moments, romance with scenes that melt your kindle and twists and turns that you don’t see coming. I enjoyed the light Cinderella reference, another fabulous read from this author.  4.5 Stars! ” Sweet and Spicy Reads

Click this link to purchase!* Ache for You (Slow Burn Book 3)

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: The Similars by Rebecca Hanover

Emma is going back to Darkwood Academy for her junior year without her best friend Oliver who committed suicide over the summer. It’s hard to get excited about the current gossip about six clones or “Similars” being enrolled at Darkwood, but when one of them is the clone of Oliver it’s hard to ignore. As she gets to know Levi and the other Similars she realizes that even though they have the same DNA they have individual personalities and aren’t exact copies of the original. As pro and con Cloning groups spring up on campus and around the nation Emma is enmeshed in an investigation into how her friend Oliver’s death was tied to the man who developed and raised the six Similars.

The Similars had such a great premise! Can you imagine showing up for school and finding your face on a cloned classmate? It’s not like high school isn’t difficult enough, right? Then there are the political and moral ambiguities of whether cloning should be accepted or not? These are all details that helped create this finely crafted novel that played out as more of a political intrigue then a YA fantasy novel. What struck me the most is that the hate and bigotry in this novel is not necessarily determined by color or societal hierarchy, in this case bigotry comes in the form of originals and copies. A subject that is topical in today’s world as much as in a fantasy novel. Although not quite yet to human copies. At least I don’t think so?

Emma was a wonderful heroine. She never sat back and just watched, she was always asking just one more question. That one last question always seemed to be slightly over the line but would give her the answers she’d need to make a decision to move forward in her thinking or to fall back on her upbringing. I really admired her fortitude. She never gave up on her friends, and never stopped looking into the Why’s and Who’s.

The Similars, even with all of their mysterious backgrounds and “special powers” seemed more real and fleshed out than their human counterparts. This definitely made it easier to like them but truly the humans were portrayed as pretty awful. You’d be inhuman to like the hateful attributes that were portrayed as “human”.

It took me a little while to warm up to Levi’s character. Emma was so distraught over Oliver’s death that you really felt her anguish over seeing his face on another guy. When she gets to know Levi and realizes they are really nothing alike he still keeps his distance until, well, he doesn’t. It’s really hard to talk about these characters without giving away a lot of the plot. I’ll just say that there is a reason that he keeps himself aloof, but Emma’s investigation makes him get involved and he goes all in emotionally at that point too.

The Similars was a very fast paced novel. Rebecca Hanover filled the story with enough moral, political, and personal subplots that my mind didn’t stop to chew before swallowing this novel whole. When you get ready to read it have your snacks and a coke at your side because you will NOT want to put it down! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I don’t know why it happens that I always end up reviewing books I don’t like. Maybe I need to read different books? Or not read books that I am not extremely excited about in the first place? I don’t know. But either way, this book was very disappointing, awkward, and did not live up to my hopes for it. Alas.” A Word and a Whisper

“Overall, this is an intriguing book that held my attention from the first page, and I fully intend on continuing with the series.  If you’re a fan of layers upon layers of secrets, sci-fi, thrillers, and mystery, add The Similars to your TBR.” Books and Such

Click this link to purchase!* The Similars

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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