Several years ago, when I was a Wattpad fanatic, I started reading this insanely popular book called The Bad Boy's Girl by Jessgirl93. I don't remember much about that book, but I do remember that I really enjoyed it. So when I found out that this book was published? I knew I had to pick it up. 
The Bad Boy's Girl follows Tessa O'Connell, a high school senior content to live her life hopefully flying under the radar. She lives in constant fear of her peers, who bully her mercilessly... That is, until the one person she would've never expected comes back into her life and turns everything upside-down. 
Cole Stone, the brother of the boy Tessa's hopelessly in-love with. He tormented her through her childhood, but now he's back. And he's different. Cole is kind. And he pushes Tessa to be better, to actually live a real life. 
Tessa is a highly relatable character, she's not aloof. She feels real. She's someone the reader can really connect with and understand. And she's funny (as is the story in general.) 
Cole, Cole is basically everything you want in a boy, or I want in a boy. Dark hair sarcastic attitude and a heart of gold underneath all the blunder. What a perfect boy, he proves over and over again how perfect he is through his acts of chivalry towards Tessa. He's back and he's there to prove that he's the one for Tessa O'Connell. 
All in all, this book was a really fun read. It has the components that would win me over in a contemporary novel. Funny, relatable protagonist, bad boy with a heart of gold and an entertaining plot line. The protagonists aren't the only well shaped characters in the story either. No, there are some side characters included who are very well rounded. 
Thing is, the book had such a strong start. The first two thirds of it were fantastic. It was a fun, lighthearted read. Just a book that would make your day better, you know? Aside from having some grammatical flaws, The Bad Boy's Girl was, sorry I'm repeating myself a lot, but the perfect contemporary read. 
And then the last third of the book... This is the reason I'm so conflicted about the story. The ending of a story is really the major thing that sticks with you after you finish it... And the last third of the Bad Boy's Girl was highly disappointing. Actually, the last third of the book really felt unneeded and actually felt more like it was dragging. It kind of felt like it forgot all the side characters and just concentrated on Cole-Tessa and that got... boring. Just the same little things happening over and over and the tension just felt really arbitrary and forced. No, I'm not just upset about the ending because by then I didn't really care that much, plus I've also read the Wattpad version so I know there's more to the story. Basically, the last third of the book kind of ruined it for me. It was forced and just... Meh. I didn't enjoy it. Which is why the star rating is lower than it should be for all the praise I gave for the beginning. 
Would I recommend this book? ... Not sure. See, as I keep repeating over and over. The beginning 2/3s is GREAT. It's the perfect story, it just drags near the end. I want to really like this book, I do... But I just can't get over the ending, I'm sorry. Also the editing is pretty poor-- there are a lot of grammatical errors. But I understand that because I make grammatical errors all the time (I bet there are about a million in this very review), but I would expect it to be a little more clean in a published book. All together I'd give the Bad Boy's Girl 6/10 stars. I've said all I want to say on the topic. Actually, I've just repeated the same thing over and over again. So I think you all know how I feel about it. Sorry this review sucks, I'm just really conflicted over this book and also have a big back up of reviews and it's been a while since I actually read the book. 

Synopsis: 

“Some people bring out the worst in you, others bring out the best, and then there are those remarkably rare, addictive ones who just bring out the most. Of everything. They make you feel so alive that you’d follow them straight into hell, just to keep getting your fix.”
— Karen Marie Moning, Shadowfever

Tessa O’Connell is a girl as ordinary as they come-or so she thinks. Her aim for senior year is to keep her head down yet somehow manage to convince her childhood love Jay Stone to love her back. What she isn’t prepared for is for Jay’s brother, Cole to return to town and change the life she’s always been seemingly content to live. Tall, gorgeous as all hell and a bad boy with ocean blue eyes and the perfect edge of adorability, he was her greatest tormentor, her number one enemy.But the guy that’s come back is like no one Tessa’s ever come across. He challenges her, he tests her limits, he forces her to bring out the girl she’s long ago buried under a veil of mediocrity and most of all he compels her to consider that perhaps the boy that infuriates her to the point of no return might just her guardian angel.

Warning: The story comes with a bad boy notorious for making you swoon, inducing hysterical laughter and making you question whether you could purchase a clone on ebay

Anyway, thanks for reading. I'm sorry my reviews have sucked lately, please bear with me, I've been very busy and haven't had much of a chance to write. Also... Yeah. Well. I'll try to clean them up! 
Love you all, 
Anj

Cute, light and happy, everything you want in a contemporary novel. How do introverts fall in love? Apparently texting. Maybe I should try it out sometime, haha. 
Several years ago when I was super into Wattpad, I started reading this story called the Cell Phone Swap. I really enjoyed it, so when I saw this book, the published version, I just knew I had to get it. And I do not regret that choice in the slightest. 
Extrovert follows Keeley, an introverted girl who's always lived in the shadow of her brother Zach, who's captain of the football team and one of the most popular boys in school. She's never been the star of her family or her school, that was always Zach's place. Then, one day Keeley accidentally swaps phones with someone who happens to be an extremely attractive guy. 
While Textrovert is every cliche put to the max, it's still highly enjoyable. This book doesn't use the cliches in that annoying I've-read-this-one-million-times before way. No, it actually uses the cliches in the way that you can enjoy the classic adorable tropes. Sure, everything was extremely predictable, but aren't all contemporary novels? The fun of contemporary novel isn't the mystery, it's the journey the story takes you on. :Like how much you smile and laugh while reading this book. 
I frequently found myself grinning from ear-to-ear whilst reading this book, as well as squealing from the adorability of it. 
An extra just cute factor of the book is that it's formatted so that the texts sent between Keeley and Talon are depicted as actual texts, which I just absolutely loved. 
Keeley is a relatable protagonist who's easy to sympathize with. I soon found myself falling in love with her, the way she thought and her relationship with not only Talon, but also her brother. Even though Zach is the "star" he still needs his sister, and doesn't want to be separated from her. That pulled on my heart and I just... I love Zach. I love all the characters in this book-- there isn't a single one that I found really annoying, no I liked the way they all fit together. But back to Keeley. She's the perfect protagonist for the story, I loved following her thoughts throughout. She's funny, and over text she comes off as sarcastic and a little confidant, while in real life she's shy and frequently second guesses herself. Tell me that isn't relatable. I can really relate with having a relationship (I'm not talking about boyfriend girlfriend, just a relationship as in a connection between two people) over text/the internet with someone being perfectly okay-- where you can basically tell each other anything, but when we come face to face? It's kind of awkward at first. Neither of us are really sure of what to say to each other, or how to act. So yeah, I really relate to Keeley in this story, and not only because of that. She's just a very likable protagonist. 
Talon is Keeley's love interest. The guy she accidentally swaps phones with. He's the perfect boy. He has his flaws, but that makes him so much more perfect and realistic in my eyes. He's cocky, sure, but he has a heart of gold underneath and really, that's all that matters. I don't really want to give too much away about him. I'll let you fall in love with him on your own. 
I've already mentioned my love of Zach, he's so sweet and my heart frequently twisted for him in this story... I'm actually maybe crossing my fingers for a spin-off/ companion novel following Zach. Yeah, that's how much I love this character. 
All in all I would give Extrovert 8/10 stars. It was everything I could want in a contemporary novel, sweet romance with heartstoppingly cute moments that had me squealing loud enough to scare my cats, funny moments and lines that had me laughing hard enough to scare my cats, and characters that are so easy to grow attached to that my heart could barely handle it. (Yeah, could't relate that to my cats, sorry.) I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy some good, cute, light romances as well as some well-used cliches. 

Synopsis: 
​
Summer is nearly over and Keeley is about to start her senior year when disaster strikes: she picks up the wrong cell phone by mistake. 😞 Just her luck that it belongs to Talon, a totally arrogant jock 🏈 who’s just left for football camp—with herphone. Keeley doesn’t know him, but they’ll need to rely on each other to forward their messages for an entire week.

Talon is so full of himself, but Keeley quickly discovers he’s funny, too—at least his texts are. 😅 And he listens to Keeley—which is more than anyone else does. Texting Talon, she can be more than just the quiet twin sister of a popular boy. Texting Talon, she can be the outgoing person she’s always wanted to be. Soon the two are falling for each other, hard.

But when true identities are revealed and secrets are exposed, will Keeley’s feelings stay the same?

Anyway, thanks for reading <3
Anj

Did you know you're more likely to be struck by lightning than win the lottery? Maddie isn't much of an impulsive character, but on a whim she buys a lottery ticket... And then Maddie's life gets turned upside-down. No, she didn't get struck by lightning, she won the lottery. 
Like many of Kasie West's books, Lucky in Love is stock full of cliches, but that just makes the story all the more adorable and enjoyable. 
Maddie, the main character, is someone who likes to be in control. She has a perfect plan for her future... but her life is thrown into chaos when she, shockingly enough, wins the lottery. I enjoyed Maddie's character. She's practical, for the most part, and I could relate with her determination. Though, yes, she could be naive at times and the way she was spending her money drove me a bit crazy at times, it was all good. I still really liked Maddie's narrative, she's part of what made this book so good. 
Maddie's love interest is Seth, a wannabe filmmaker. He's a darling sweetheart. Very lighthearted, he and Maddie made quite the cute pair. 
Maddie's friends, Elise and Blaire, were good characters as well. They were well rounded, not flat like the side characters in West's last novel, By Your Side. These girls have their own personalities that you can really picture while reading this book. 
Same with Maddie's family, yes, they could be insufferably irritating at times, but they felt like real characters, which was another aspect of why this book was so good. The characters felt real. 
All in all, I would give Lucky in Love 7/10 stars, it was a great romance. Really cute, though I wasn't invested enough in the romance to squeal a lot while reading it, I still found myself smiling while reading certain pages. I recommend this book if you're looking for a feel good, cutesy novel, also if you haven't read any other of West's books, they're fantastic. I especially recommend P.S. I Like You and The Fill-In Boyfriend. They're cliche and that's what makes them such cute reads. 
Synopsis: 
​
Can’t buy me love…

Maddie’s not impulsive. She’s all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment--

She wins!

In a flash, Maddie’s life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she’s talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun…until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now Maddie isn’t sure who she can trust.

Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn’t seem aware of Maddie’s big news. And, for some reason, she doesn’t want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?

If you've ever wondered what might happen if you were trapped in a public library with a mysterious brooding boy who may or may not have a checkered past... Well, this book may answer that question. By Your Side is written by Kasie West, one of my favorite romance authors. Her books are filled to the brim with cliches, but the fun kind, not used in an annoying way. 
By Your Side follows Autumn Collins who, as previously mentioned, gets trapped in the library for a weekend with the school's mysterious bad boy, Dax Miller. On the outside, it would seem that Autumn is your typical popular girl. She has a ton of friends, and the perfect boyfriend-ish figure. On the outside, Dax is your typical delinquent character. He's been to juvie, and keeps to himself. Frequently skipping classes and scaring everyone else enough to stay away from him. 
Of course, everyone is a whole lot deeper than how they appear on the outside. That made these characters more interesting to follow, especially since their problems seemed to compliment each other (what good couple's don't?) 
All in all, By Your Side is a very quick read, and a good romance. I couldn't help but be attached to the other guy-- Jeff, as well. The characters are fairly interesting, but for the most part this book didn't quite do it for me. It didn't have me squealing in excitement or adoration over the heartstopping romance like some of Kasie West's other stories. Still, it was a good read, just not my favorite. I would give By Your Side 6.5/10 stars. It was good, just nowhere near great. I wasn't exactly attached to the characters in any way, or their relationships. But I still did find myself tearing my eyes away from the book in the awkward moments, which means I could feel some of the emotions of the book. 
While the main characters are fairly well rounded, most of the other characters are VERY flat. I guess there wasn't enough time to characterize any of them. Some of the parts of the book just seemed unnecessary, like they're just there to add length. That is, the book still was very quick. I would definitely recommend some of West's other books more than this one (P.S. I Like You, On the Fence, The Fill-In Boyfriend etc.), it still was a good read. 
Synopsis: 
​
When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.

Only he doesn’t come. No one does.

Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?

"Sometimes the people who mean the most to us, like our family, do things that make it difficult to love them, but we do anyway because that's what love is." 
Awe, imagine running into a handsome boy, spending the evening with him and then finding out he's part of one of the most famous bands in the world. And then that he wants to see you again. Having trouble seeing it? Well, Paper Hearts will help you out with the imagery, because that's what this book is all about... or at least that's how this book starts out. 
Paper Hearts is the second book in Ali Novak's Heartbreak chronicles. The first book was called the Heartbreakers, following an aspiring photographer, Stella Samuel, as she accidentally falls in love with the Oliver Perry, the lead singer in the world famous band, The Heartbreakers. If you haven't read that book yet, I highly recommend that you do. It's an adorable, quirky read that will have you squealing from joy all the way through it (that is, if you're like me and you squeal when you're reading basically anything good in a book.) If you're interested, go check out my review on it. 
Paper Hearts follows Felicity, a hardworking girl who just happens to run into Alec Williams, a member of the Heartbreakers-- possibly the most famous band in the world. She and Alec immediately hit it off, which is how he ends up helping her chase down her runaway sister. Yeah, sorry if that was bad, I don't know how to explain this book without spoiling it. 
This book includes a cute romance and an impromptu road trip-- what's not to love? Oh, and don't forget an adorable boy. It's been a while since I read The Heartbreakers, but I do remember seriously enjoying this book, so of course I ordered this book when it came out. While I was reading the Heartbreakers, I had certain expectations from reading the Wattpad version of it. Those expectations left me a little disappointed when some things didn't happen (JJ and Cara, anyone?). I had no expectations for this book because I never read The Queen of Hearts on Wattpad. 
I actually couldn't tell you which book I like more, because I love the characters in the Heartbreakers and I love the romance as well, but I think Ali's writing has improved in Paper Hearts and the plot of Paper Hearts is so well thought out... I can't decide! Also it's been a while since I read the first book (it's sitting right next to me at the moment), so I couldn't provide an honest, unbiased opinion since I just read Paper Hearts. 
Anyway, my point is both books are fantastic and I hope all of you romance lovers will pick them up. There are some cliches but who doesn't love a good cliche? There's a good and bad way to use cliches, and these stories are the good cliches. 
I'd give Paper Hearts 8/10 stars, it was a fantastic novel. One that, like the first book, had me squealing in delight, so much so that my cat got freaked out and ran from my bedroom, but hey, it was worth it. One of the most exciting things for me while reading Paper Hearts was seeing the other Heartbreakers as well as Stella. I was waiting since the beginning to run into the other boys and when we finally did !!! I was seriously excited. Don't get me wrong, I did really like the characters introduced in this book, but seeing old (old being I've already met them) characters just made my heart jump with joy.
My one little eh about this book was how quick everything went. It didn't quite feel like instalove, but the attraction between Alec and Felicity sparked up very quickly. Sure, there can be attraction at first sight, but they seemed to develop a deep connection with each other very quickly. And the looking back, I realize that most of the book happened in a couple days making the romance look a whole lot more rushed and quick. Like to me, that definitely wouldn't be love yet. Still, it was only a little problem. Not one that irked me throughout the entire book, I actually really enjoyed it mostly while reading it. Just sometimes when the drama would go down I would think hold up, how long have you two known each other? 
Alec is very sweet, but then again I already knew that from my previous experience with both versions of the Heartbreakers (the Wattpad and the published version). It was nice being able to spend more time with him in this book. He's the quiet, not brooding but deep one. While the shy type isn't exactly my type when it comes to books (except in real life I've been known to like shy guys so...), I couldn't help but swoon a bit over Alec in this book. He's just such a sweetheart. I always enjoy seeing the Heartbreakers around each other-- they're just so cute and fun together. 
Felicity, I didn't mind her. It's not like I absolutely loved  her character, but I understood where she came from, and why she did the things she did. She didn't annoy me, but I just didn't love her. All in all, I think she's a good match for Alec. She's very hardworking and diligent, which I appreciated .
"Hatred takes up more space in your heart than you realize, and it doesn't leave room for things like love and joy." 

Synopsis: 
"I'm sorry," he said, slowly untying the ribbon that held his mask in place. "It's just-I didn't want you to think of me any differently." 
Somehow I kept my mouth from falling open. I knew his face, but my mind couldn't accept that he was the person looking down at me. 
"My real name is Alec."
Felicity has her entire future planned. Ever since her older sister ran away, she's had the full weight of her mother's expectations on her shoulders. So she works hard to get straight As and save for college. 
Except sometimes the best things in life are unplanned-like when Felicity meets a handsome, masked stranger while she is volunteering at a charity masquerade ball. She never thought he'd flirt with her. And she certainly never thought he'd turn out to be a member of the world-famous Heartbreakers band, Alec. 
Then Felicity uncovers a shocking family secret. Suddenly, she, Alec, and her two best friends are off on a road trip to find Felicity's missing sister. And she's about to discover that unexpected turns have a peculiar way of landing her right where she needs to be...

(Also just side note about the tagline on the front: HOW IS ALEC THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN HELP HER FIND HER SISTER? He has a car, but yeah.) 
Anyway, thanks for reading, 
Anj

Looking for a sweet book that will leave you in a sobbing puddle on the floor from the sheer adorablilty? Always and Forever, Lara Jean is the book for you. The third book in Jenny Han's addictively charming To All the Boys I've Loved Before trilogy, this book is sure to keep you enraptured in its cute, yet relatable story.
Three years ago, I was shopping around in Target and came upon a book with an impossibly adorable cover. I'd never heard of it, but I bought it just for the cover. Later that summer, I actually got around to reading the book. And I absolutely loved it. I found its protagonist, Lara Jean, to be relatable and easily sympathizable, and I found the conflict to be entertaining. I enjoyed the characters and the different relationships, and when I finished? I just started over again.
Then two years ago the second book, P.S. I Still Love You came out, and yep. Han still had the ability to hit very close to home with her writing and just, whack my heart to death. Is this a sad series? NO! Haha, I don't want to leave that impression of that at all, it's actually very cute and light. It just is so cute that it leaves me feeling very... wanting because I WANT BOYS AND A RELATIONSHIP LIKE THIS! Actually, who doesn't?
Anyway, my point in this little story is, if you haven't read the first two books yet, what are you doing? They're so cute and lovely there's no way you won't become as in love with this series as I am. All of them give you that warm, fuzzy, happy feeling because of their cuteness.  Also, don't continue reading this review because I'm about to start spoiling the first TWO books, so if you haven't read them yet, you should.
On to this book. OH MY GOD. This book was just as perfect as the last two. The characters are just so real. Except not, because Peter is too perfect for this world. Honestly, even from the first page and a half I was sucked into remembering how happy this series makes me. But seriously though, I'm not sure if I'd be able to find a more perfect modern day interest than Peter. He's a LAX BRO who's an actually nice guy. He sees when Lara Jean wants to leave parties and takes her home-- even if he doesn't want to leave. And he read a book series for her. HOW CAN--? Sorry. He's just too precious for this Earth.
I try not to go too much into my personal life in reviews, but I have to bring it up in this because I just have to. I relate so much to this series. Minus the part about letters being sent out and having boys fighting over me. Haha. See, Lara Jean's mother is dead, so's mine. And then, actually there's a ton of stuff, but I'll just bring up why the whole lax bro thing hit me so hard. There's this one guy that I have a thing for-- and he's a lax bro. In my school, lax bros think themselves a big thing, and they're kind of jerks. So Peter being a perfect boy and a lax bro? Ah. Swoon.
Anyway, back to the book. The characters are just so real, they all have their flaws and that just makes them all the more lovable. Not just the characters, though, the situations they're put in feels so real and relatable, too. So not only are these books the epitome of adorable and goals, they also feel like they could actually be obtainable, they're not just that romance book you read because it's a far off dream, they feel like they could actually happen (minus the part about the actually likable lax bro (and by likable I mean decent)) 
I was in kind of a book hangover after reading A Court of Wings and Ruin, and there is no better cure to a book hangover than one of the books in this series. You really can't help but fall completely in love with all the characters. It's just... I don't know why other word to describe it other than adorable. Everything is just adorable. And cute. And perfect in an imperfect way. 
Alright, here's what I have to say to you if you've already read the first two books and are debating on whether or not to read the third-- WHY ARE YOU DEBATING AT ALL? PICK THIS BOOK UP IMMEDIATELY, it's so happy and adorable and perfect, I promise you won't regret it. 
Anyway, here's the synopsis: 

Lara Jean’s letter-writing days aren’t over in this surprise follow-up to the New York Times bestselling To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

10/10 stars. This book is a piece of art, honestly. I don't think there will ever be a time that this series will ever not make me completely, blissfully happy while reading them (while also depressing me a little just because I'm single and bitter.) 
​Anyway, I hope you all read this one! 

SPOILERS BELOW 
Um. Well, here, I'll be honest with you, I actually read this book almost a month ago and don't have that much of a recollection of things that I actually wanted to discuss other than how perfect Peter is. He's perfect, anyone want to fight me on that? No one? Good. He's a lax bro who will leave parties early when it looks like his girlfriend is ready to go and HE READ A BOOK SERIES FOR HER. Do boys get any more perfect? Oh, and also he's in it for the long haul, not just for sex. Yeah, no. Boys do not get more perfect than that. 
​The college situation was one that did actually feel like a real one. There are no guarantees on anything when it comes to colleges. 
Um. Oh, I really liked seeing John, even if it was for a split second because he's just also perfect, but in a different way from Peter. Funnily enough, I completely forgot about Josh until I went back and reread the first two books because he's hardly even mentioned in this book. Which is kind of sad, because it's a reminder that some people who are always in your life can cease to be in it at all. 
The one little thing that I noticed but didn't necessarily have an issue with, just that I noticed was that all the books basically have the same thing with Peter and Lara in terms of relationship and breaking up. They break up (or something like that) near the end, and then at the very end they kind of get back together (they don't exactly get back together at the end of the first book, but it's alluded to.) 
​

Anyway, thanks for reading this review. I'm sorry that it's choppy, I wrote the first half a month ago and didn't bother to reread it before writing more, so I'm sure I repeated myself a lot. Sorry. 
​-Anj

I've read all of Kasie West's books. Now I have come to expect a large level of cuteness and perfect romances from her stories. This book did not disappoint. 
If you're like me, and you like slightly cliche, heartwarming romances that you just can't help but grin at while reading, then this is the book for you. The biggest problem that I've seen with people's reviews of the story is that it's too predictable. I didn't have an issue with that. With almost all romance books you know how the story will end-- the couple will overcome whatever issue there is and end up together and it'll be happily ever after. It's cliche, it's predictable, but who cares? I don't read romance books to be on the edge of my seat in suspense. I read them to feel good and happy. This book definitely made me squeal in delight at times at just the sheer adorability of it. Since you usually know how a romance book will end, I always say that you read the book for the journey of the romance, not the end/destination. At least, that's why I read the romance books. The events that lead up to the romance. 
Anyway, P.S. I Like You follows this character named Lily. She's not exactly a hipster, but she's definitely not main stream. She likes uncommon bands and is aspiring to become a musician. That is, if she'll ever overcome her fears and be able to actually share some of her songs. This was where I connect with Lily the most-- she doesn't want to share her songs with other people because they're so precious and so close to her heart. She's afraid someone will dislike them, and disliking something that she basically put her soul into would really hurt. While I don't know much about music, and know even less about song writing, I feel the same way about my books. For those of you who didn't know, I really love writing, and I've finished several drafts (and rewrites) of one of my stories, but I don't let anyone read them because they're too close to me. They almost feel private. They're mine, they're something I put my love and care into... It's just... It's hard to explain about why I'm afraid/don't want to share it. It's not just because I don't want people to dislike it, but it's also so... me. I don't know. My point is that I understood where Lily was coming from. 
Back to the point. One day, while Lily is basically dying of boredom in Chemistry class, she scribbles some of the lyrics of one of her favorite songs. 
The next day someone has written the next line. 
This moves on into exchanging letters between the mystery writer. Lily connects with whoever it is on a deeper level, and soon enough, she realizes that she may be falling for her pen pal. That is, until she finds out who he is. 
There's a little mini synopsis. It's a basic summery of what the real synopsis is (which I'll put down below.) 
I have to admit, I knew who her "mystery" writer was from basically the start of the book. Like I said, it's predictable and cliche, but that doesn't make the story any less cute. In case you don't catch on to who her mystery writer is from the beginning, I'll keep it a secret, but I'll just tell you, he's my type. ;) (For those of you who read my blog often, you'll know what I'm talking about.) 
I don't really have much else to say about this book. It's cute, and if you like that kind of romance novel, I highly recommend this one. If that doesn't convince you, I'll just say that Miranda Kenneally reviewed-- aka the author of the Hundred Oaks series. One of my favorite contemporary romance series. This is an adorable story of two characters who never thought they'd fall in love... that is until they got to know each other. I'm giving P.S. I Like You 9/10 stars. It's a fantastic story and I LOVED IT. I can't wait to go back and reread it. This will definitely be one of my go to books for recommending to my friends who basically only read romances as well as a cure for book mourning. It's just so cute, you can't help but feel a little better while reading it. 
The connections and relationship in this book was also enjoyable. I liked seeing how closely bonded Lily's whole family was, as well as the relationship with Lily and her best friend, Isabel. You could tell the two genuinely cared for each other. And then there's that cute romance that this book is all about. That's a relationship to fall in love with as well. 
​
Anyway, here's the synopsis: 

What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?

While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she's flustered -- and kind of feels like she's falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer -- but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart?

From beloved author Kasie West (The Distance Between Us) comes an utterly charming story about mixed messages, missed connections, and the magic of good old-fashioned secret admirer notes.

Thanks for reading, 
Anj

For anyone who love romance and contemporaries as much as me, I highly recommend this series. Before you get scared about it being a romance series and think that it will have over complicated drama-- do not worry about that! They're technically companion novels, each centering on a different protagonist who lives in the same area, but you should probably read them in order since they're written in chronological order. Though I wasn't the biggest fan of the third book, Things I'll Never Forget, the rest of the series is absolutely brilliant and almost heart stoppingly cute and adorable. The first book, Catching Jordan, and the second book, Stealing Parker, would have to be my favorite two. Not to say the rest aren't great, I love the writing in all of them, I just liked the characters best in those two novels. 
Anyway, Defending Taylor follows protagonist Taylor (shocker) as she is forced to move to a new school where she has no friends all because of a white lie she told to protect someone close to her. Not only is she humiliated, the one thing she could always turn to for comfort, soccer, is even a bit ruined for her. After all, the Hundred Oaks' team used to be her rivals. Now they were supposed to be her teammates. 
There were not many things I could connect with Taylor about, one of the things I could understand is how she pushes herself to have perfect grades and a good transcript. I, too, am constantly worrying about my grades and how everything will look for a future college to see. (Ask my friends, they are definitely getting annoyed with it by now.) Also, Taylor and I share a love for animals. 
The love interest in this book is Ezra, her brother's best friend. I found Ezra to be sweet. He seemed like a really great guy who genuinely cared for those around him. One of my favorite things about Miranda's books are her character's back stories and flaws. Ezra is one of those characters that I enjoyed finding out more about. 
I also appreciated seeing the dynamic between Taylor and her family. It's been a while since I read Racing Savannah, so I completely forgot that it was Taylor's sister that Jack had been dating until it was mentioned later in the book. 
Sorry for another short review, I just don't really have much to say about this book without spoiling anything. The fun about romance books isn't usually the end-- you usually know how that'll end-- it's the journey there. I can tell you, this book is definitely a fun, cute read. I really appreciated the Game of Thrones references thrown in as well. 
Honestly, my biggest problem with the story was something very minor-- I DID NOT GET TO SEE JORDAN AND ______ AND PARKER AND _________. They're my faves and I was very sad not to see them. Sorry, I had to leave blanks at the partners in case y'all hadn't read those books yet. If you haven't, I highly encourage you to. They're so cute, and make my heart jump in happiness every time I reread them, which is often. 
The relationships between the characters was great, too. I especially loved Taylor's relationship with her two best friends, it felt real and I appreciated that. 
I just want to mention one last thing-- the gifts Ezra gets for Taylor are great. Especially the last one he gets her. :) 
Anyway, I'm giving Defending Taylor 7.8/10 stars. It was a cute read, just what I was expecting out of it. I was not disappointed. 
Synopsis: 
​
There are no mistakes in love.

Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor's always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that's what is expected of a senator's daughter. But one impulsive decision-one lie to cover for her boyfriend-and Taylor's kicked out of private school. Everything she's worked so hard for is gone, and now she's starting over at Hundred Oaks High.

Soccer has always been Taylor's escape from the pressures of school and family, but it's hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she's going through is her older brother's best friend, Ezra. Taylor's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it's hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?

Wonderful book filled to the brim with heart stopping emotions and characters to really fall in love with. 
I’ll admit, the reason I picked up this book was because I immediately fell in love with the Me Before You trailer. The movie comes out in June and it stars Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) and Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games Franchise). Emilia plays Louisa Clark, which is a little ironic considering they have the same last name, while Sam will be portraying William Traynor. He really seems to enjoy playing characters named William. Anyway, the trailer looked so cute and adorable that as soon as I heard there was a book, I immediately went online to buy it. 
I brought Me Before You to the pool/beach with me to read while on spring break. And it’s been a really good time for books, because I’ve absolutely loved all three books I’ve read this break (Lady Midnight, First and Then, Me Before You) hopefully I’ll love Never Always Sometimes just as much. 
I certainly did not regret bringing this book with me. It, as mentioned before, is a wonderful book. The characters are quite easy to sympathize with, and I found myself growing attached to the relationships rather quickly. Jojo Moyes has a very excellent writing style, it’s quite elegant and I really flew through this book. I do intend to read more of Jojo Moyes’ books in the future. Starting with the sequel to Me Before You. I highly recommend not reading the title of the second book until you finish the first. The name itself contains some spoilers. I kind of expected of what was to come after reading the title of the second book. 
Louisa Clarke is an average girl. She has a solid life. Works in a cafe. Lives with her parents. And she has a boyfriend- their relationship is going on six years. Her life is turned upside-down when she’s fired from her cafe job and must find a new one. The new job she finds is taking care of a quadriplegic man. A rather difficult man at that. 
Will Traynor used to be a very outgoing man. He was the partner of a successful business, and went on exotic adventures all the time. These adventures included mountain climbing and cliff diving. That all ended when he got in a motorcycle accident and lost the use of all of his limbs for the rest of his life. 
I fell in love with both characters almost immediately. I love Louisa’s quirky fashion and attitude towards life, and I really enjoyed getting to know all the different sides of Will. 
The plot and pace of this book was fantastic. Not too fast and not too slow. I was invested in the characters and story line after only a short period of time. If you’re not a patient reader, this is a good book. If you are a patient reader, this is still a fantastic book. I highly recommend to anyone and everyone. 
For the majority of the book, we see the story from Louisa’s point of view. However, there are a couple chapters that come from other points of views, including Camilla Traynor and Katrina Clarke. Looking back, I really wish I could’ve seen what Will thought of all of this. 
Though the characters in this story are already adults, this is really a story about growing up and stepping from one’s safe bubble to try new and daring things. It’s a sweet, well written story, one that many are sure to fall in love with. 
Jojo Moyes’ writing was especially good with conveying emotions, as well as making the reader really feel and sympathize for the characters. Part of a good book is feeling a good connection to the protagonist, this book made me feel like I had an excellent connection with Lou. 
I’m giving Me BeforeYou 8/10 stars. It was an immensely enjoyable book, and I really cannot wait to read more from Jojo Moyes, as well as see the movie. I went back and watched the trailer as soon as I finished the book. It looks pretty accurate to the story, even directly quoting some of the lines from the book. It’s a rare occurrence to find a good book to movie adaptation, and I have confidence in this one. 
Anyway, here’s the synopsis: 
Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

SPOILERS BELOW FOR ME BEFORE YOU
Okay, so I already knew how this story would turn out. I knew Will was going to die. I mean, the title of the second book kind of gives it all away- After You. But the whole book I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, Will would change his mind and Lou and him could be happy together. 
Another thing I was expecting was a letter from Will to Lou by  the end of the book, after he died. But I was not mentally prepared to read the letter. I had glassy eyes while I was curled up in the bathtub, reading the letter part. Jojo Moyes is quite good at extracting emotions out of me, I’ve found. 


Anyway, thanks for reading,
-Anj

First and Then is a story to fall in love with. The characters in the story felt so real and relatable that I instantaneously felt a connection with them. Even though I’ve never been in the situations that any of these characters were in, their reactions and feels were so realistic. 
I flew through this book. Literally. I started and finished it on the plane down to Florida for the beginning of my spring break. And of course, I had to reread it as soon as I finished. And then I reread some more this morning. I just can’t get enough of Emma Mills’ writing style and characters. 
““We have a secret.” 
“What is it?” To my surprise, the question escaped my own lips. 
“If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a secret.”” 
First and Then is Emma Mills’ debut novel, and I think she nailed it. Emma Mills is a popular YouTuber, personally I don’t watch her channel, but some people I do follow do and they recommend this book. I was not lying earlier, I really did fall in love with the characters and plot of this story. It’s now one of my favorite contemporary romances. 
”And his pain was my pain, and it hurt, bit it also felt good in a strange way, knowing that we could share in it together.”
Devon Tennyson is the protagonist of this story. She goes from being an only child to having to deal with her cousin, Foster, living with her. At first, she feels resentment towards the small fourteen-year-old misfit, but as time goes on, she must learn to accept him. The amount of character development this short book contains is astonishing, I was quite impressed. As I said before, many, if not all, of the characters in this story are quite relatable. Devon was very was to feel a connection to. 
“My thumbs suddenly became very interesting. All opposable and whatnot.” 
She has been pining after her best friend, Cas, for as long as she can remember, but he doesn’t seem to feel the same way back. That’s a relatable situation. I think everyone has that someone that they liked for so long, and had no idea whether or not that person liked them back. 
Devon’s reactions and thoughts were so realistic and compelling. A good protagonist is one of the key components to a great book. Devon was a good protagonist. 
“I could never really understand. But I could strive for empathy. I could at least do that.” 
Foster is Devon’s little cousin, moving all the way across the country to live with them. That’s a difficult situation, he’s away from everything he knows, and he has to move in with a family that he saw once very four years or so. Add the fact that Devon isn’t exactly welcoming to him, and my reaction to something like that would be to retreat inside and be the most anti-social teenager that town had ever seen. Obviously, Foster and I have different reactions to things. Instead of retreating or acting resentful, Foster is friendly and cheerful, if not a little overly friendly. See, Foster is not exactly the type that understands boundaries very well, as seen in only the first few pages. At first, I found him slightly annoying, but as the book continued on, just like Devon, I began to love the little guy. (Funny that I’m calling him little, ‘cause I’m the same age as him.) 
Cas is Devon’s best friend. She’s been in love with him for a long time. He doesn’t seem to reciprocate the feelings, but Devon still hopes that one day he might- “You Belong With Me” Style. He’s a friendly and charismatic guy. I’d probably love a guy like Cas, if I knew one.
““On an emotional scale of one to ten- one being catatonic and ten being full-on daytime soap opera- Ezra usually hovered somewhere around three.”” 
And then there’s Ezra Miller. He’s the football star, but he’s not the cliche kind (you know, the cliche, cocky, player kind that I’ve been known to possibly fall in love with.). No, Ezra is the quite, brooding type. It doesn’t help that half his team hates him, instead of loves him. Ezra is a quite the complicated guy to figure out. He’s awkward (I really appreciated that) and isn’t very good at expressing feelings. All the same, I found him cute and like all the characters in this book, fell in love with him.   
My favorite side character would have to be Jordan Hunter, Ezra’s best friend. Everyone loves Jordan. He’s the kind of guy you smile around even if you feel like bursting into tears. I really loved his relationship with Devon, and it was evident that he was a really good friend to Ezra. If there’s ever a spin off on this book, I want it to be about Jordan Hunter. (Or maybe Foster and Marabelle) 
““I, uh, wanted to see if you had the notes for German today.” 
“I take Spanish.” 
“Ah,” Jordan bobbed his head and then said,”Well, that’s all. See you later.”” In context, this is one of the most hilarious quotes in the book. 
In fact, a lot of this book had me laughing, and the parts that didn’t had me on the edge of my seat or biting my lip in anticipation or happiness. I’m giving this book an 8/10 stars. It was so cute and enjoyable, yet very relatable. This is the perfect definition of cute contemporary (99 Days, take some notes). The ending was satisfying, but if Emma Mills wanted to write a sequel, you would hear no argument from me. 
Here’s the synopsis:
Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them: first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.


Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary novel about falling in love with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself. 


It’s said to be a mix between Pride and Prejudice and Friday Night Lights. Hm. Maybe I should start Friday Night Lights, after all, there’s something so attractive about football players. 
I really would once more say how much I loved the amount of character development and realism in this story. It’s one of the many factors that made this book a great one. 
Anyway, in conclusion, I absolutely fell in love with the characters and story of this lovely book. I highly recommend this to all you contemporary romance lovers- it’s an extremely well written and thought out story. I look forward to reading more from Emma Mills. 


(Oh, by the way, any boy who reads a book for me, might be the boy I get married to)


SPOILERs 
“Dev, you have to know by now… you were the secret.” *SCREAMS* That was one of the most beautiful and satisfying lines of the book. One of the things I really loved about this book was how the romance built up on itself slowly, so it was something that the reader could grow used to and love. Ezra Miller- he read a book for Devon, this shows that he really knows how to woo a girl. 
To any boys reading this, the way to my heart is through literature. Not joking. 
GUYS. Guys. We have to discuss my all time favorite scene. Of course, it was Devon saving Ezra in the pool. I have to had read that sequence over fifteen times by now and I only finished the book yesterday afternoon! 
These characters are so beautiful and real. I just want to get across how much I loved this book. Thank you to Emma Mills for writing such a fantastic novel. I’m sure this will be one of my go to pick me up novels. :) 


Thanks for reading, I think we all know what’s going to be posting next (hint: A Lady Midnight Review)
-Anj