H, A to Z Challenge: HAUNT ME.

Haunt Me by Liz Kessler
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

This is the eighth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!

Teenage Erin's family moves after a difficult time. Erin surprisingly feels solace in her new room--where she soon realizes she isn't alone. It's occupied by the spirit of Joe, the teenage boy who lived in the room before her. At the local school, Joe's brother Olly is struggling with being left behind. Until he meets a girl--different from anyone he's ever dated before. Now, Erin finds herself torn between two brothers. One living, one caught between two worlds. How can she choose?

It's probably my fault for choosing a book with such a plot, but this one is pretty silly. To say it's cheesy and schmaltzy is putting it mildly. I kept thinking about if you could read a book like this without having to abandon all realism... I'm not sure. But, Erin accepts the fact that there is a ghost in her room without any issue at all. Which, um, okay? Even better, she falls in insta-love with this ghost.

There's very little character development here. We get light background on Erin and what seems like even less on Joe (in fact, it seems like his personality switches halfway through). So we're supposed to believe they are two flawed teens, and Olly is a happy go-lucky guy, without much evidence at all. There's insta-love everywhere you look. A preposterous plot. And no one is willing to use Google, apparently.

Still, it's a teen read, so I can see how they might enjoy some of this craziness. It's a fast read, and I won't lie, I was caught up in the story at times. And the ending really was pretty perfect. Still, as much as I hate to do it, as I've read some of Kessler's other books and loved them, I think this was a 2.5-star read for me.

You can read more about the #atozchallenge here.

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Every day that I don't hide myself away: STARWORLD.

Starworld by Audrey Coulthurst

My rating: 3.5+ of 5 stars


Despite running in very different circles in school, Sam Jones and Zoe Miller have more in common than they think: they both want to escape the difficulty that is their home lives. Sam is a quiet loner, content to spend Sundays with her best friend, Will. She loves the stars, but isn't sure she'll ever be able to study them, thanks to her mom, whose life is ruled by obsessive compulsive disorder. Ever since her Dad moved overseas, the burden of caring for her Mom falls squarely on Sam. Meanwhile, at school, Zoe seems carefree and popular. But her charisma hides her secrets: she struggles with the fact that she's adopted. She also has a mom in remission from cancer and a disabled younger brother who is the main focus of her parents. When the girls have a chance meeting at school, they exchange phone numbers, and suddenly find themselves bonding over text messages and a land they've created together: Starworld. Starworld gives Zoe and Sam the escape from reality they both so desperately need. But can it survive all the outside influences and stress each are facing?


"If I have a superpower, it's invisibility. Like the perpetually overcast skies of Portland in winter, I'm part of the background -- a robot with a disappearance drive, the dullness against which everyone else shines."
~Sam

This was an interesting and somewhat different YA novel. I enjoyed the story of two brave girls battling tough circumstances. Boy, poor Zoe and Sam certainly had the weight of the world on their shoulders. I really liked both of our main characters. The book tells the story from each of their perspectives, making it easy to know each girl. I found myself a bit more aligned to Sam--probably because she was queer and shy (like drawn to like, right?). As other reviews have mentioned, some of the book is in texting format, as Sam and Zoe fall into Starworld. Being far removed from teenagehood myself (sigh), I will admit that I did sometimes sort of "fast read" or skim those sections. I appreciated them--because Starworld meant so much to these girls and their friendship--but the text-speak wasn't always the easiest to read and digest.

I had picked this up thinking it was a love story, but it's not a true romance, though there's love in other forms. There's some great representation in this book: a queer character in Sam, plus discussion of adoption, mental illness (OCD and anxiety), disabilities, and more. All were very well treated too, I felt.

The book felt a little slow at times. It felt a little repetitive in its insistence on Zoe feeling different due to being adopted. Still, I was very drawn to Sam and Zoe's story. There was a strength in each of them, and I was intrigued to see what was going to happen. Sam's arc as she struggled with her romantic feelings was especially strong and wonderfully done.

Even though much of the book is serious, it's also very funny at times, with some excellent quotes and zingers. (I really did love Sam and her sense of humor; she was right up my alley.)

"I hate using phones for their original intended purpose. It's like Alexander Graham Bell wondered, Hey, what could maximize the awkwardeness of human-to-human communication? And then answered himself by giving us the ability to speak to one another through stupid disembodied little boxes."

I mean, right? One of the best quotes ever.

So, overall, this book is really a love story of friendship and triumph. It's very easy to root for the characters and get caught up in their lives. I was often just aghast at how much these poor girls had to go through. If you're not necessarily used to text-speak, it may give you a pause, but Starworld is a big part of the book (obviously!) and it's woven well into the story. This was a different and intriguing read, and I'm glad I picked it up. 3.5+ stars (rounded up to 4 here).

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Librarything in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).



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And this kid sister thing was old by that time: RELATIVE STRANGERS.

Relative Strangers by Paula Garner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jules is a senior in high school; for as long as she can remember, it's always just been her and her mom, a recovering alcoholic. But when Jules goes to look for a baby picture to include in her senior yearbook, she makes a startling discovery: she spent the majority of her first two years in foster care. Angry at her mom for never telling her, Jules seeks out her foster family. She discovers the picture perfect family she always dreamed of, including her older foster brother, who always dreamed of finding her again. Jules is thrilled, but quickly realizes she also has a crush on him. She's always dreamed of having a family, but will she ruin it all with her unfortunate crush?

I requested this book on a whim from Librarything, and I'm so glad I did. I haven't read Paula Garner's previous book, but I will now. This was just a really enjoyable, touching story that drew me in from the start. I fell for Jules immediately and never stopped. I am typically a pretty stoic reader--it takes a lot to move me--but I actually teared up a couple of times with this one.

The main focus of the novel is Jules, and she proves to be a strong, likeable character and a good storyteller. As I said, I felt engaged with her from the beginning. I had to remind myself a few times that she was still in high school, but that was about it. She's actually pretty mature for her age, really, and does some growing up and maturing as the story progresses.

The supporting characters are varied, and while they aren't as strong as Jules, they certainly help fill out the book. (I'm looking at you, Eli.) There were definitely a few instances where I felt like things were repeated a few times too many: yes, Jules' two best friends knew each other longer than they knew Jules, etc., but they were only minor distractions from the strength of the story. The book hinges on Jules and she doesn't disappoint. Her discovery of her foster family is, honestly, fascinating, as is her newfound friendship with her former foster brother, Luke. At times I was a bit skeptical that a once six-year-old would have such fond memories of his baby foster sister, to the point he wanted to develop the relationship as an adult, but I went with it. Jules' struggle with her sense of identity and belonging is well-done, and I really enjoyed the arc of the novel.

Overall, this was a lovely surprise. It's hard not to fall for Jules, and once you do, this is just such an engaging novel. Her struggle to find herself is both heartbreaking and inspiring. 4 stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Librarything in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).

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I know that love don't end: IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.

It Looks Like This by Rafi Mittlefehldt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Mike and his family move from Wisconsin to Virginia for his father's new job. Mike isn't thrilled, as he's in high school, but the family is used to doing what Mike's overbearing father desires. Quiet Mike, who loves art more than sports, doesn't fit in well with his religious family, or with a lot of the boys at his school. Quickly, he finds himself being bullied by several kids at school and pressured by his father to join a school sports team. But Mike finds comfort when he meets Sean, another kid at school, and the two become fast friends. However, other people at school have an eye on the pair's friendship, too.

This book is heartbreaking in many ways, but hard to describe without completely ruining the entire plot. It's a lovely gem of a LGBT book. It's difficult to read: the dialogue is all jammed together (no quotation marks, for example) and in my ARC, there wasn't even a space between the start of a new section of thought. Once you get used to that, it's easier to read, and you get into the flow of Mike's thoughts. Tension builds slowly, as you learn more about Mike, his life, and his inner thoughts and desires.

I wish this book could be standard reading for gay youth--and their parents. It's poignant and truthful, albeit it hurt my heart in many places. I don't typically seem to read a lot of YA novels with male narrators, but this is the second I've picked up recently, and it blew the other one out of the water. I quickly grew fond of Mike, whom I wanted to take in, and I loved his spunky younger sister, Toby. Mike's never-ending need for detail grows old at times (just get on with story already), but this is still a worthy read, and certainly a great tale for LGBT youth. It definitely affected me deeply.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 9/13/2016.



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Everything is awesome when we're living our dream: Blog Tour for Liz Kessler's READ ME LIKE A BOOK

I was really excited when Candlewick Press asked me to be a part of this blog tour. Sadly, even in 2016, I feel like lesbian characters in literature are few and far between. Realistic lesbian characters and stories are even harder to find in the YA realm. Author Liz Kessler, who has published the best-selling Emily Windsnap series, the Philippa Fisher series, and various middle-grade novels, wrote an early version of "Read Me Like a Book" as her first novel. She went on to dust it off after the success of some of her other novels, update it, and here we are. And we should all be glad, because it's a great book. My review below:

Ashleigh Walker's life is crumbling around her. Her parents are fighting constantly, she's not doing well in school, and her boyfriend, Dylan, doesn't exactly make her heart sing. Suddenly, the one bright spot in Ash's life becomes her new English teacher, Miss Murray. Young and hip, Miss Murray engages Ash in a way she's never felt before. She's even joined the debate club, for pete's sake, and started working hard on her English submissions. But there's more to it than that. Miss Murray makes Ash feel something else. If she really admits it, Miss Murray makes Ash feel what Dylan (and other boys) should. Is something wrong with Ash? And more importantly, Ash starts to think... does Miss Murray feel the same way?

This is a lovely gem of a book. It's the perfect blend of heartbreaking and funny. Kessler, who, as I mentioned, has previously written a series of books for young teens, expertly captures the older teen voice in this novel (which was actually her first book, finally published and updated for the more modern, digital era). She creates a picture as she writes, allowing you to vividly imagine her multi-faceted and complicated characters. Ash is no one-dimensional teen: she's intricate and her own person. As she deals with the agony of her parents' own issues, plus her own inner angst about her love life, your heart goes out to the girl.

Kessler easily paints the angst one feels when in love with a teacher, especially if LGBT - coupled with the delusion that comes with youth, no matter your sexual orientation. Ash's feelings are so real, so strong, and she seems so alone. It's an excellent portrayal of what young teens go through as they wrestle with their sexuality (believe me, I know; it took me back to some tough times in high school).

If anything, some of the resolution is a little too easy, a bit quick and forced at times, but it really doesn't diminish from the force of the book. Watching Ash grow up before our eyes is rather magical. There are some excellent comedic portions from the novel to balance out the heaviness, coupled with a great supporting cast of characters, including Ash's best friend, Cat, and some other youth she meets via school, family, and friends. The novel is perfect for teens struggling with their own sexuality, or needing to see someone "like them" in print, and those looking to support a LGBT best friend, but should also be given to parents of those teens -- as Ash's parents play a role in the story as well.

Overall, I found myself completely wrapped in Ash's coming of age (and coming out) tale. Books with a true to life, multi-dimensional lesbian heroine are still sadly hard to come by, it seems, but Kessler's novel certainly tries to change that.

For more about this lovely book, please check out the rest of the blog tour. It's also a great chance to check out some fun and different blogs:

Official Blog Tour Stops:

6/14 YA Book Central

6/15 My Mercurial Musings

6/16 Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

6/17 Mayor of Bookopolis

6/18 I Read Banned Books

6/19 Forever Literary

6/20 Word Spelunking

6/21 My Books Views

6/22 Kelly Vision

6/23 Swoony Boys Podcast

6/24 Reviews Comin At YA

6/25 Comfort Books

6/26 Satisfaction for Insatiable Reader

6/27 Just a Cat and a Book by her Side

6/28 The Reading Date

6/29 Forever YA

6/30 Musing Librarian reviews

7/1 Randomly Reading

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book; it's available everywhere!