Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy 

Publisher: Harper Teen      

Publication date: March 18th 2014
My rating: 5 stars

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you? 
When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.
Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most? 

Alice, Alice, Alice... You stubborn, cold girl! I admire you. I really do. And I admire Julie Murphy for taking the biggest leap with Alice being Alice. You see, Alice is horrible to everyone and she has cancer. She uses her parents and her best friend, Harvey whenever she can, because she can. No one's going to say no to a dying girl, right? 

Then something happens-her cancer's gone and now it's time to go back to school and start living. She left a trail of enemies in school and Harvey has expectations about their relationship that blossomed while Alice was sick. 

Harvey reminded me of Kent from Before I Fall which for so many reasons but the main is the bitchy MC. Harvey stands by Alice even when she abandons him for a year or two. He starts taking care of her when she's sick and helps her pool pranks on other students. He loved her ever since they were kids. But Alice pushes him again, after she enters remission. He still wants to be around her. He's a good guy. A bit of a pushover but it's why I like him. He cares about Alice and he would do anything for her. He does grow a backbone towards the end. Just so Alice could see they should be equal partners. 

I mentioned this in one of my previous reviews-if I connect with the main character, not a lot of things can go wrong after that. I just follow the character and their problems which makes me understand them and even feel protective like in cases when people start talking smack about them. Yes! I am ready to fight and defend them. Why do we need to read about the same old, boring, nice characters when there's someone like Alice around? Why not read about a bitchy character? Sure, we probably wouldn't want to hang out with Alice in real life but this is a book we're talking about. Take a risk, people! 

So many people didn't like this book and gave mediocre ratings. It just makes me so mad they didn't see what I did while I was reading Side Effects May Vary. This book is for those who are willing to take risks and plunge into the unknown with a 'horrible' heroine. Are you willing to gamble? 

If I Stay Movie Trailer

So, last night the trailer for If I Stay came out. I gotta say, I didn't expect much to begin with mainly because I didn't love the first book as much as Where She Went which blew my mind. I read it so long time ago and it was one of the first contemporary books I've read. It's one of the reasons YA contemporary is my favorite genre.

I liked the trailer a lot. Like I said, I didn't expect much. I've been following the progress of this movie on the official Facebook page and checking the various paparazzi snaps of the cast on set. Chloe doesn't look like the Mia I pictured. Well, I did see the girl on the cover as Mia, not someone as baby-faced as Chloe. She always looks the same and it's like she never changes from role to role.

Can't say I have any objections about Jamie as Adam. I love Adam. He's one of my favorite book boys.

The parents and Teddy are great as well. sniff, sniff I wasn't prepared for the moment the crash happened. I don't even know how I'm going to see it once the movie gets out.

All in all, the trailer looks wonderful and emotional. Hope the movie will be even better so that I can see Where She Went in theaters as well because I've been dreaming about that moment forever. I need those angsty scenes with Adam.

Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley

Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley 

Publisher: Harper Teen      

Publication date: September 9th 2014
My rating: 5 stars

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.
So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What’s she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him.As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.At any cost.
Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

Wow! What a wonderful book! 

In February I was checking out new catalogs from Harper Teen and saw the cover for Rites of Passage. Since it seemed like a 'boy' book I decided to check out the blurb as well. It's not a 'boy' book! It's about something I've never read. I had to get it! I prayed to God, Jesus, Buddha, Zeus and Loki the lovely peeps from Harper Teen would grant me the wish to read it before everybody else. haha Well, my wish was granted and I couldn't be more happier because the book rocked! 

Sam joins the first class of girls to attend the Denmark Military Academy or DMA. Her brother dared her to do it before he killed himself so Sam felt she had to do it. Her father's in military, her two brothers as well so it was obvious she would follow in their footsteps. After her brother killed himself everything changed; her mother started popping pills, father wasn't around and her brother who's with her in the DMA wasn't talking to her. Aside from the family drama, Sam had to deal with hazing from the members of the school's secret society who want her and 3 other girls gone. She's not sure who to trust and who her real friends are. 

Throughout the whole book I was on the edge of my seat. It was as if I was Sam and I was being hazed every day for 9 months. I felt her pain and anger. I wanted to reach out and help her out somehow or at least punch the bastards who were abusing her daily. Some of the scenes were hard to watch. It just made me wonder how many people go through the same thing in real life. You'd think being a soldier is something to be proud of but just like in every other job there are good and bad people. The world is not black and white. 

I don't want to talk too much about the plot since the blurb already covered that part but you should know this book is worth the time. I think I'm going to persuade my friends to read it once it gets out because they can't miss this outstanding debut and you shouldn't either! 

The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel

The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel

Publisher: Harlequin Teen      

Publication date: April 29th 2014
My rating: 4 star

Some sixteen-year-olds babysit for extra cash. Some work at the Gap. Becca Williamson breaks up couples. 


After watching her sister get left at the altar, Becca knows the true damage that comes when people utter the dreaded L-word. For just $100 via paypal, she can trick and manipulate any couple into smithereens. With relationship zombies overrunning her school, and treating single girls like second class citizens, business is unfortunately booming. Even her best friend Val has resorted to outright lies to snag a boyfriend.
One night, she receives a mysterious offer to break up the homecoming king and queen, the one zombie couple to rule them all: Steve and Huxley. They are a JFK and Jackie O in training, masters of sweeping faux-mantic gestures, but if Becca can split them up, then school will be safe again for singletons. To succeed, she'll have to plan her most elaborate scheme to date and wiggle her way back into her former BFF Huxley’s life – not to mention start a few rumors, sabotage some cell phones, break into a car, and fend off the inappropriate feelings she’s having about Val’s new boyfriend. All while avoiding a past victim out to expose her true identity.
No one said being the Break-Up Artist was easy.

Well hello there, Ms. Break-Up Artist! I want to have your carrier or at least see what it feels like to be wicked. 

When I first heard about this  book I was immediately interested. Who doesn't want to read about someone breaking up couples for money? For me it just screams Let's be bad together and Pick me! Pick me! And the hipster-ish cover looks great. 

The best thing about this books was the MC. I don't usually relate to characters and when I do I can't help but to fall in love with the story. Becca's the break-up artist. I've never destroyed someone else's relationship, just my own (haha) but I do think Becca and I have something really important in common. We both don't believe in love. It's strange to even say that. Becca's sister has been dumped on her wedding day and her parents don't show affection to each other easily so Becca doesn't believe people are meant to be together forever. Another thing that's great about Becca is that she's not afraid to do something bad. She's not bad and she's not good either. She's just a normal, regular person. We can read about 'perfect' characters but things aren't so easy in the real world. 

I also enjoyed the break-up process. Becca's newest target were the power couple in her school, Steve and Huxley. Huxley was a bitch but at the same time she wasn't altogether bad, just like Becca. Gosh! I liked every character in this book: the sleezebag boyfriend trying to fool around with other girls, the best friend who's desperate to find a boyfriend, a girl who changes herself completely when she's in a relationship and even Becca's mopey sister. 

I really want this book to get the attention it deserves. It's fresh and fun! So easy to read and the characters seem like real teenagers, not the whinny messes we've been fed for the last couple of years. And another thing, I had no idea the author's male. Oops. I didn't even see his name right up to the point when I started writing this review. I applaud him for writing teenage girls correctly. It was almost like he was a teenager himself. 

If you're looking for a book with different characters you came to the right place. Don't miss this exciting debut! If you're still not impressed, remember, Huntley Fitzpatrick, Hannah Harrington and Lauren Morrill liked it as well.