Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

Noah’s happier than I’ve seen him in months. So I’d be an awful brother to get in the way of that. It’s not like I have some relationship with Melinda. It was just a kiss. Am I going to ruin Noah’s happiness because of a kiss? 

Across four sun-kissed, drama-drenched summers at his family’s beach house, Chase is falling in love, falling in lust, and trying to keep his life from falling apart. But some girls are addictive.... 

Not your typical beach read. -via Goodreads

The Review

I'll start off by saying that Hannah is one of my favorite authors right now. I've only read Gone, Gone, Gone and Invincible Summer but I loved them. They both touched my heart and gave me a lot to think about. I'm excited to get Break soon, and read Zombie Tag!

Back to Invincible Summer. I adored the characters. We only got to see them for the summers but I felt like they showed their true selves when they came "home" to the beach house. It was kind of hard for me to relate to Chase because I'm an only child and he has a really strong bond with his older brother, Noah. So at first it was a little hard to get into the story, but once I did, I was completely absorbed in the family drama of the McGills. Once the strain between his parents was thrown into the mix, I could relate and it made me upset when [highlight for spoiler ->] their parents did get divorced. They were ripping the kids apart when they were so attached to one another. But, it reminded me, things like this can't be controlled. It also scared the s$%# outta me, too considering how my parents are at times.

Ah, then there's Chase's struggle with growing up. I can't express how awesome this was: 

    "Camus-boy, you're always going to be the same you, just older. It's not like there's a moment when you wake up and go, Shit, I'm grown-up, I don't feel like myself anymore."

    I don't tell him, but this is the scariest fucking thing I've ever heard in my life. Being grown-up should feel like a big transition. It can't be something that, despite my best efforts, I've been drifting closer and closer to every summer. It needs to be a shock. I need to know what point to stop holding on. And that moment will suck, and probably every moment after that will suck, but at least I'll know that everything that came before really was valid. I really was young and innocent. I wasn't fooling myself. 

Every person on Earth must have had these thoughts at one point or another, I'm not even exaggerating. I still haven't had the revelation that, yes, I'm going to feel like the same person when I'm all "grown-up". I'm scared, scared as Chase. And I want to remember my innocence, too.

The beach descriptions, they reminded me of all the times my family came down and we stayed in a hotel on the beach. Everything was so perfect, I felt like I was there again. It made me want to jump in the car and pay the ocean a visit. 


This book is not predictable. It adds a whole new level to real. We don't know how people are going to take things. We can't group all boys into one bunch! Each character was unique and authentic. Chase isn't your typical teenager, so what? What is a typical teenage boy? One who blows off his responsibilities, doesn't have any feelings, and can't have a heart to heart with their siblings? I read a few reviews touching on the fact that he doesn't act "normal". What??? He's an individual. All male characters can't be the same. I loved him for not being that typical teenage boy. 


In conclusion, I'd like to say that Invincible Summer is not your typical read. There's so many places this book goes. It's profound. Be prepared with some tissues and this is not a light, fluffy read you're going to blow through, don't be fooled by the cover. 

4/5 stars

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else. - via Goodreads

The Review

Contains slight spoilers

In the beginning, I thought Emma was an okay heroine. Her one liners seemed a little forced at times, like Shultz was trying to say, "HEY, LOOK, MY HEROINE IS WITTY AND JUST PLAIN FUNNY, HAHAHAHAHA! LAUGH!" Her family life was tragic, her father left when she was young, her twin brother died, her mom died a year after her brother, and then she was left with Henry, the loser boyfriend her mom thought would take care of Emma. If there's one thing I know about alcoholics and children, they DO NOT mix. So, I really didn't think that whole situation made any sense, it was just a way to place Emma in a "posh Upper East Side prep school". Plus, with the way Emma described it, she might as well be a freakin' robot. Yes, my twin brother died, yes my mother died a year after, pass the salt? Not once did she cry-- unless it was about Brendan. Oh, boy, do I have to go there? *sigh* I'll get there soon, back to Emma. One of the two real friends that she makes, Cisco, shows up about three times before Emma is completely absorbed with Brendan and never hangs out with him, ever again. The time she does spend with him is usually spent talking about Brendan. And then there's Angelique, her other friend that she sits next to in one class, but still willing to let her borrow extremely valuable ancient books just so she can, yep, you guessed it, find out more about Brendan. Because they've hung out once, and they're soul mates. Then, Emma turns into the poster child for PEOPLE WITH NO COMMON SENSE. If the mean girl in school has it out for you, wants you to go get a box for her in the basement, YOU DON'T DO IT! Bad things happen in basements!!! No matter what 'green eyed hottie' you want to protect. Starting with that imaginary box, your intelligence level went down from there, and there wasn't much left when "your beau" stepped into the picture. 

Everyone, this is Brendan. Now you must all secretly obsess over him all the time. It's a rule, every single girl wants this guy, so do you. So, who is he? He's corny, has black hair, green eyes, has no actual friends, and likes to beat Anthony up. So dreamy. Really, I can't tell you much about his personality because he was always so focused on saving his damsel in distress, Emma. There was no development in his character at all. Zero, zilch, GOOSE EGG! He continues to get cheesier and cheesier throughout the book, but I'm not calling that development, more like he was trying to turn into a piece of gouda. 

The paranormal aspect in this book was... just, non-imaginative. It didn't really play much of a role in the story, I mean it did and it didn't. This is a romance before it can be called a paranormal. 


Provided by netGalley, courtesy of HarlequinTEEN.

1/5 stars

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not 
once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers 
seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on 
Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 
12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger 
Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.- via Goodreads

The Review
Tears, lots of 'em. 

Well, Suzanne Collins has just written one of the best series of books I've ever read. Not to mention my favorite. I hope I can write my review tomorrow because I need to voice my thoughts on this, everything's jumbled and, well, I'm trying to sort myself out right now. Dripping nose, puffy red eyes... I must be a wreck. I want to start now but anything I write might be a bunch of incoherent rambling due to my exhaustion. REVIEW TOMMOROW *crosses fingers tightly* 

That was my initial reaction to Mockingjay, written sometime between three and four in the morning. After that, I  laid my head on my pillow, and just thought about all of the characters that I love so much. Katniss, her strength and compassion. Peeta, his way with words and kindness. Gale, his passion and straightforwardness. Finnick, his humor and AWESOMENESS. I could go on and on.... and on. Before I knew it, I was sobbing, again. I've never shed so many tears for a book, hell, for a book series! And there were seven Harry Potter books. I just felt it. I kept on laughing to myself that I was crazy for caring SO much about fictional characters, but then again, why would anyone read if you didn't love who the people were woven in the story. I came to the conclusion I am NOT crazy for caring, I would be crazy if I didn't care. So, there. This book is like riding the Knight Bus (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban reference, go here to see the Knight Bus scene). You're going full speed, until a little old lady crosses the street and SCREEEEEECH. You stop dead, your face slams into the glass painfully, the seconds tick by, and then your off again, dodging traffic. One more thing before the spoilers begin, I've never been Team Peeta or Team Gale. I like both, equally. I didn't care who Katniss ended up with because she had good reason to choose either. I didn't even care if she chose to stay alone. I just wanted her to be happy, she deserved it more than anyone. I loved Mockingjay.

5/5 stars

***THE SPOILER FREE PART OF MY REVIEW ENDS***

"Katniss, there is no District 12." Catching Fire ended with this, from Gale. And, since I'm late on The Hunger Games train, I already had Mockingjay sitting right next to me. If I didn't and had to wait a year to find out what happened to my favorite district, I might have lost it. But I didn't. The shiny cover stared at me, looking innocent. A mockingjay in flight, how much more uplifting could it get? It tricked me into thinking I was safe. I knew it from the first sentence I read, this was not going to be a happy read.


Katniss, walking through the ashes of District 12 brought me to tears. Most of the people in town died, including Peeta's entire family. Sure, the mom was a complete witch, but the dad was kind. We never got introductions to either of his brothers, I still felt heartbroken for Peeta.


When Katniss finally agrees to become the Mockingjay, the symbol for the entire revolution, I'm relieved. This meant that she was, at least, attempting to get herslef back together, but you have to give the girl a break! She's just been through two Hunger Games, her town was completely destroyed, and Peeta is getting tortured by the Capitol. Me? I think I'd just become a morphling addict and peace out to the world. Katniss's first mission as the Mockingjay is to visit a District 8 hospital. It gave me goosebumps to read about all of the hope that she gave those people sitting there, wounded. When the hospital's destroyed, I balk. I wasn't expecting it, and it just added fuel to the fire with the hatred for the Capitol. When Katniss and Gale go all bad ass with their bows and shoot down some planes, I cheer them on! Revenge!


All of Katniss's time spent with Gale really made him grow on me. And Finnick, he was just a great character. When he got Annie back, I loved it. I knew the real him would come back, better then ever. And then... that brings me to his death. Honestly, I think it was done for shock value. There was no reason for him to die. Blow off one of his legs! Make his face disfigured! They way he died just made me cringe. Then Katniss has his life flash before her eyes, and it was just beautiful writing.


As one yanks back his head to take a death bite, something bizarre happens. It's as if I'm Finnick, watching images of my life flash by. The mast of a boat, a silver parachute, Mags laughing, a pink sky, Beetee's trident, Annie in her wedding dress, waves breaking over rocks. Then it's over.


 I had to stop, and have a cry session before I could go on. I just kept waiting for someone to die. Peeta, Gale, Pollux, Cressida, and Katniss. All are in danger. 


Then, the final battle, where Prim dies. Her death didn't affect me. I felt like she was just there. We didn't really see much of her in all three books. We always had Katniss talking about how much she loved her sister and how she needed to protect her. I really figured that it would happen, actually. It would figure, you replace her in The Hunger Games so she doesn't die, then kill her in the final installment. It broke Katniss, though. And guess what?! Gale and Peeta made it through!

When it's time for Katniss to kill Snow, I know she won't. Not because she feels a last pang of mercy, but because she's going to kill Coin. I'm glad she did. She was as snakey as Snow. The ending with Katnisss and Peeta living happily ever after didn't really make any sense to me... But you can't say Katniss didn't deserve it. I'm just saying the people haven't changed one bit and they, in reality, probably would've made her some kind of puppet, set an example out of her. Put her in some kind of solitary confinement. Who knows what kind of stuff these people would come up with? 


One last thing, I was kind of dissapointed that Katniss didn't mention either of her kids' names, I hope her and Gale stayed in touch, and her mom... ugh.