All New #SuchAGingerRead: Puddin'

Howdy, friends! Last year I started a series on the blog titled "Such a Ginger Read" that highlights books I read that are definitely a me kind of book. Now, for those who don't know me, you may be wondering: What exactly IS a Ginger Read? There are lots of ingredients to this type of story, but if its got any of these, then you can definitely call it a Ginger Read: romance, emotional depth, set during the summer (bonus!), and a contemporary storyline.

I've already read my first #SuchAGingerRead of the year and we're only a week in. I know I'll be talking about this book a lot in the months to come, especially since it doesn't publish until May. It's a strong contender for being a total Ginger Read, and bonus points for it being set in my home state: Texas!

Puddin' (Dumplin, #2) by Julie Murphy
To be published: May 8, 2018
About the book: It is a companion novel to Dumplin', which follows supporting characters from the first book in the months after Willowdean's star turn in the Clover City pageant.

Millie Michalchuk has gone to fat camp every year since she was a girl. Not this year. This year she has new plans to chase her secret dream—and to kiss her crush. Callie Reyes is the pretty girl who is next in line for dance team captain and has the popular boyfriend. But when it comes to other girls, she’s more frenemy than friend. When circumstances bring the girls together over the course of a semester, they will surprise everyone (especially themselves) by realizing they might have more in common than they ever imagined. [goodreads]

Anything Julie Murphy writes is a Ginger Read, and this one follows suit just like her previous novels have. Puddin' is the follow-up (or companion) novel to Dumplin'. They are two different stories; however, I would still recommend reading Dumplin' first since there is a lot of character and storyline over lap. Plus, Dumplin' is amazing in its own right and you should read that story anyway!

Puddin' focuses on two very different, yet very special characters we were first introduced to in Dumplin': Millie and Callie. I was drawn to both of these girls for separate reasons. They shine bright in their own right; especially when I found myself hating one, and loving an another. It's a testament to an author's craft when by the end of the novel you've developed a deep connection, and love, for both main characters, despite all their flaws.

Julie Murphy has taken a story, that I feel so many are able to relate to, and gives it her own authenticity. It's a story about self-doubt and insecurities. But also about stepping out, and rising above it all, even when it's the most terrifying thing in the world. There is so much good in this story, one that I wish I'd had as a teen. Picking up a Julie Murphy novel feels like coming home, and it's especially home sweet home for me since this one is set in Texas. When it comes to YA contemporary, this is Such a Ginger Read!

Review: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
Published: June 23, 2015 by Harper Teen
Source: From the publisher

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story. [goodreads]

Picking up a Robin Benway novel you know the experience is going to be a well-rounded satisfaction. There is something to be said about her style of writing that deserves more attention. Her words have the power to make you laugh, then pages later you find yourself in a puddle of tears. It's a very well balanced array of emotions, especially with this story. I appreciated Robin Benway's humor, yet keeping it very authentic to the story at just the right moment.  Emmy & Oliver breaches a very serious topic such as child abduction, and delivers with the utmost respect.  This emotional YA contemporary will tug at your heart, while filling it with pure joy.

Emmy remembers the day Oliver was taken away by his father.  She remembers the reporters who camped out on their street, always looking to capture the latest in this unsolved abduction.  She remembers how Oliver's mom never stopped looking for him.  Emmy remembers the fear she saw in her own parents eyes of one day losing their own child, too.

It's ten years later, and seventeen year old Emmy finds out Oliver is coming home.  He's been found.  So much has happened, yet everything has stood still, for the past decade. The transition that Emmy must witness as Oliver is placed back into his mother's home is difficult to watch, yet so compelling to see unfold at the same time.  As Emmy and Oliver are reunited, a memory of a seven year old Oliver for Emmy and no memory at all of Emmy for Oliver, they begin to rediscover a friendship that soon blossoms into something more.

This novel transitions at just the right pace.  I felt the struggles Emmy must go through as she realizes the tight hold her parents have on her life is not healthy.  Living in fear can also hold us back from moving forward.  I appreciated how Robin Benway took her time expressing this aspect of the story because it aided in building the relationship between Emmy and Oliver as well.

In the end my heart breaks for Oliver, the boy who was robbed of his childhood and expected to readjust to a life he knows nothing about.  But then my heart swells for the selfless love that Emmy gives, showing him the way to a possible future filled with trust and reassurance.  Emmy & Oliver is a touching, poignant novel from a talented, joyful writer.  I cannot recommend this one enough.

Review: The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi

The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi
Published: June 16, 2015 by Harper Teen
Source: From the publisher

A fun, romantic read, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Susane Colasanti!

Before Matt, Ella had a plan. Get over a no-good ex-boyfriend. Graduate from high school without any more distractions. Move away from Orlando, Florida, where she’s lived her entire life.

But Matt—the cute, shy, bespectacled bass player who just moved to town—was never part of that plan.

And neither was attending a party that was crashed by the cops just minutes after they arrived. Or spending an entire night saying “yes” to every crazy, fun thing they could think of.

Then Matt abruptly left town, and he broke not only Ella’s heart but those of their best friends, too. So when he shows up a year later with a plan of his own—to relive the night that brought them together—Ella isn’t sure whether Matt’s worth a second chance. Or if re-creating the past can help them create a different future.

In alternating then and now chapters, debut author Lauren Gibaldi crafts a charming, romantic story of first loves, lifelong friendships, uncovered secrets, and, ultimately, finding out how to be brave. [goodreads]

I love a story that takes place in the course of 24 hours, or even for just a night.  In this contemporary YA from debut author Lauren Gibaldi, the story rotates between past and present spanning one night that happened exactly a year ago.  Immediately I was pulled into this novel because of that concept.  I really liked the idea of these kids reliving a night they said "yes" to just one year ago.  But so much has happened in the course of one year, and not everyone is up to reliving that one night just as it was.  The plot for this story was so much fun to follow, and I think that was the main pull to keep me reading.

Ella and Matt met one night and became more than just strangers.  They served as catalysts, shifting their own stories forward just when they needed it most.  Yes, their attraction was instant, but I felt that was sort of the point.  Act now, think later.  Their spontaneity complemented each other, just when the moment was right.  Though they were the focus of the story, I really enjoyed the supporting characters who were involved as well.

As we're taken back to the first night they met and the crazy twists and turns it took us on, I almost found myself wanting to stay in the past, and not as excited to be thrown back into the present when the chapters would switch.  This may have been because I knew what the outcome would be one year later.  I tend to enjoy a story more when the future still remains a mystery.  It didn't spoil from the fun of reading though.

Matt's story could have been fleshed out a bit more.  I felt a little disconnected to his reasons for doing certain things.  However, I realized after I finished the novel that there will be a novella told from Matt's POV in the coming months and this made that feeling completely wash away.  If you're looking to escape inside a story about a fun-filled night and the aftermath it may have, then I would definitely say YES to picking up this contemporary YA read.

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Proof of Forever + Top Ten Summer Camp Essentials

Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer
Published: June 2, 2015 by HarperCollins
Source: From the publisher

Before: It was the perfect summer of first kisses, skinny-dipping, and bonfires by the lake. Joy, Tali, Luce, and Zoe knew their final summer at Camp Okahatchee would come to an end, but they swore they’d stay friends.

After: Now, two years later, their bond has faded along with those memories.

Then: That is, until the fateful flash of a photo booth camera transports the four of them back in time, to the summer they were fifteen—the summer everything changed.

Now: The girls must recreate the past in order to return to the present. As they live through their second-chance summer, the mystery behind their lost friendship unravels, and a dark secret threatens to tear the girls apart all over again.

Always: Summers end. But this one will change them forever. [goodreads]

Ever wanted to relive your summer camp days as a do-over?  Well, for these four teenage girls they get that chance, plus so much more.  Told in alternating chapters from third person point of view, Joy, Tali, Luce, and Zoe are all coming back to Camp Okahatchee for their summer camp reunion.  While a few are reluctant to attend, others have a completely different agenda for this reunion.  As they are meeting up face to face for the first time in two years, they decide to retake a series of photo booth pictures, just as they did on their last night of summer camp.  When the flash goes off, however, they are thrust back in time to two years ago.  While some are revolted by the idea of reliving their summer at fifteen, others see it as an opportunity to rewrite the past.  But can they do that?

The concept for this novel was a lot of fun to follow.  I loved the idea of it being set at summer camp.  As someone who never got to experience this as a teenager, but always wanted to, I loved seeing the camper life through these four girls perspectives.  They were set on a mission to get through their last week of camp two years ago in the past, hoping to find that photo booth and get back to present day.  But as they attempted to not alter the past, they soon realized their fate was in their hands.

The different storylines flowed smoothly, intertwining at just the right moments, and casting enough emphasis on each girl to give their own spotlight when needed.  While the story is set at summer camp, full of pranks and mischief, there are also deeper themes being discovered, which I felt gave a nice contrast for this particular story.

"Top Ten Summer Camp Essentials" - from author Lexa Hillyer

1. Bug spray!
2. Bathing suit—a cute but practical one that you can actually move around in without creating a scandal and/or causing several of the boys to drown from distraction.
3. Journal
4. Stationary (extra points if you have a pen-pal of a romantic nature. Even if things don’t work out for you two, there’s nothing better than rereading old “love letters”—or love postcards—long after the flame has gone out. But warning: any crush you left back home will seem WAY better to you in your mind while at camp than he or she will when you get back to school in the fall.)
5. Sunscreen—30spf or higher. Extra sunglasses, too—you will somehow lose all of them.
6. A giant towel, to be sure you are fully covered when dashing back to the cabin from the showers!
7. One keepsake from home, a comfort item, just in case. Maybe it’s a book you’ve read before but would love to read again.
8. Nail polish or other item that makes you feel clean and civilized for at least one night after being mostly covered in sand, grass-stains, and mosquito welts.
9. A sweatshirt. It may be boiling hot but there will be at least one rainy day or nighttime bonfire, and you can’t always count on the boys at camp being gallant enough to lend you theirs. (Plus theirs probably smell.)
10. A mini-flashlight for sneaking out at night—I mean, for staying up reading PROOF OF FOREVER of course! (See what I did there?)

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99 Days by Katie Cotugno

99 Days by Katie Cotugno
Published: April 21, 2015 by HarperTeen
Source: From the publisher

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me. [goodreads]

Every so often I'll come across a book that delves into a subject matter that's hard to stomach.  99 Days by Katie Cotugno reached that place deep within me, causing me to stop and reflect, contemplating if I could keep reading, yet not being able to resist the pull from page to page.  Cheating is such a tough subject to read about in books for me.  Automatically my mind wants to scream: wrong! wrong! wrong! And not give the accused a moment to state their case.  Yet this particular novel forced me to listen, really hear what the other side had to say.  And my, what an incredible, thought provoking story did it have to tell.

Molly Barlow is hated by so many in the small town of Star Lake.  She did the unthinkable by cheating on her devoted boyfriend, breaking apart an already crippled family.  From the outside all signs are pointing toward negativity when it comes to Molly's actions.  Even she couldn't handle the truth and skipped town as soon as she could.  But now she's back, to face the music, for just 99 days, until she's able to escape the hell she's brought on herself for good.

The character of Molly was a complicated one that took awhile to present herself.  She is guarded and hurting.  As the reader, I found it intriguing that I wanted to know why she was hurting so much.  Even though I knew her actions were wrong, I still found myself wanting to discover the reasons behind her story.  What led to these events? How can she put it behind her and truly move on?  I knew being involved with Gabe, the catalyst that ultimately separated Molly and Patrick, was a very bad move to make.  Yet I continued to follow her path, seeking answers, only to discover even more questions.

There are moments in this story that left me hurting, right along side Molly.  When literature has the power to provide empathy for a character who's actions should be unforgivable, you realize there's something much deeper here than just a book offering up an entertaining story.  I appreciate the honesty in Katie Cotugno's writing, no matter how unlikable the subject matter may be.  The power that propels this story is one I was not expecting.  There is healing in these words, whispering, almost shouting in parts, to be heard.  For readers who are on the fence when it comes to difficult subject matters such as this one, I highly encourage you to give this one a try.  The beauty in this story will surprise you.  The authenticity in its bravery will coax out a wanting to keep reading, until you reach that final page.