Book Review: Jesse's Girl

Jesse's Girl (Hundred Oaks) by Miranda Kenneally
Release Date ~ July 7, 2015
Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN13: 9781492622239
ARC received from Raincoast Books for review

Goodreads Synopsis:
Practice Makes Perfect.

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?

Miranda Kenneally's Hundred Oaks books have a similar structure to them, yet it's remarkable how each of them continue to stand on their own as enjoyable books with interesting characters.

Whereas most of her previous books have featured characters who are more athletically inclined, Jesse's Girl stands out for its two main characters (Jesse and Maya) who are serious musicians. Perfect for readers who love Miranda Kenneally's other books or music.

1. Watching Jesse and Maya's relationship develop:
   
   I love a relationship that has room to grow and change over the course of a book, and Jesse and Maya are a perfect example of how to do this exceptionally well. They take their own sweet time to grow closer, and you can see how well they get to know each other. This isn't a case of insta-love, nor is it overriden with angst. Most importantly, I was impressed by how much Maya and Jesse respected one another. This was not a shallow relationship, and it's refreshing to see one like it.
   
2. Appearances from other Hundred Oaks characters:
   
   For readers who have already read some of the previous Hundred Oaks books, it's a special treat to get to see how some of our beloved characters have grown since we last read about them and to see what they're up to now! It also helps to ground the story since I recognize the place and the people,
   
3. A great appreciation of music:
   
   Music is a big part of both Jesse and Maya's lives, and while their tastes in music share some similarities, they are also very different. And it's really interesting to see how far they take it. While Jesse bears more of a burden when it comes to his musical career, it's interesting to see that contrasted with Maya's drive and ambition to see her dreams succeed. And from this, they're able to learn from each other. 

I also loved Maya's family and how supportive they were of her. You could really see just how tight-knit they were, and how much that benefited Maya. And I'm always a fan of great families. 

A very minor issue for me was that Jesse's Girl seemed to have less conflict than some of the previous Hundred Oaks books, so I'm not sure there was as much development as I would have liked to have seen. I was impressed, however, by how well Jesse and Maya dealt with the conflict that they did encounter. 

Blog Tour: Breathe, Annie, Breathe

Breathe, Annie, Breathe (Hundred Oaks #5) by Miranda Kenneally
Release Date ~ July 15, 2014
Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN13: 9781402284793
e-ARC received from Raincoast Books for blog tour

Goodreads Synopsis:
Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can’t escape the guilt that if she hadn’t broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.

But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she’s at war with her body, her mind—and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms…and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.

I was excited to have an opportunity to join this blog tour for Breathe, Annie, Breathe since I've read many of Miranda Kenneally's other books in the Hundred Oaks series and enjoyed them. But Annie was one that stood out to me since it was about a girl learning to run - a hobby I've dabbled in for the past year.

This latest book from Miranda is one of my favourites because it is a sentimental story both in how it shows Annie as she deals with her grief and as she moves forward in her life.

1. Annie is a complex, engaging main character:
   
   Annie is engaging because of how real she seemed to me - flaws and all. She's brave for opting to run a marathon in memory of her deceased boyfriend, but her journey isn't a smooth one. Annie has to devote herself to her training, and proves herself to be one of the most hard-working and dedicated characters I have ever read.
2. Spirited romance:
   
   I cannot explain in one little review how much I adore Jeremiah! He's a very different type of person from Annie, and from many of the other Hundred Oaks love interests. But he is easily my new favourite! He's a tad reckless, but he's fairly well-balanced with his thoughtful personality and (somewhat reluctant) maturity. He's clearly caught in this young adult phase of his life where he's really starting to grow up and take on more responsibility, yet he still has this more youthful facet with cheesy jokes and impulsive decisions. The two of them, together, have crackling chemistry that lifts right off the pages.
3. Annie's grueling marathon training:
   
   I love that Miranda included all the dirty details on marathon training - it definitely isn't pretty at times. As an occasional runner myself, I found myself either readily relating to some of Annie's experiences or reading in fascination of what I could expect should I ever decide to run a marathon (which is unlikely right now). The story is rich for this reason alone, with the added benefit of characters with their own stories to share. 

The only part that I felt could have used a bit more (or perhaps stronger) development was Jeremiah's revelation about his past choices and current situation. It seemed that there were hints of more going on than we were first told, but it was left open-ended. This could have more to do with my interpretation of the dialogue and writing, rather than any writing error.

Breathe, Annie, Breathe is a beautiful story of one girl desperately trying to come to terms with the death of someone who was very close to her. Annie has to come to terms with her own guilt and future, and I loved that this took place with her marathon training as a tool.

Miranda kindly took the time to answer some questions for this blog tour (provided through Raincoast Books) and I'm sharing some of my favourites with you today!

1. Q: Your main character, Annie, is training to run for a marathon.  You also provided a great deal of detail about how hard it is on your body to train for a marathon.  Did you do any background research for this?
   
   A: Yes! In the past I ran a marathon and a half-marathon, so I used experiences from training for those races to write BREATHE, ANNIE, BREATHE. I also consulted "Runner's World" magazine and interviewed trainers at my gym. I also spoke to a few former pro-athletes.
2. Q: When you work out, what music is on your playlist?
   
   A: Most of the time I forget to charge my iPod before I go to the gym, but when I remember it, I listen to lots of upbeat pop music like David Guetta, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Ke$ha, and Calvin Harris.
3. Q: Running the marathon for Kyle was Annie’s way of coping with her stress and grief.  What advice would you give others in similar situations of grief or stress?
   
   A: I would say give yourself time to heal. Recognize that everyone's healing process is different. Don't beat yourself up if you don't feel better in a certain amount of time; everyone heals in different ways. If you need to, talk to good friends, your guidance counselor, or a therapist. 
4. Q: You tend to write strong characters who are also athletic. Were you considered a jock in high school?
   
   A: Not at all! If anything, I was a chorus geek. I played soccer, but I wasn't very good at it. I also managed the boys soccer team, but that was really just an excuse to hang around hot guys after school.

And now, last but not least, I'm also going to recommend some of my favourite things to listen to while I'm running.

First of all, I love listening to audiobooks! They're great because the narration is such that it allows me to run at my own pace - this is particularly important for my longer runs when I have to be careful not to set a pace that's too fast for me to maintain over the entire distance.

As for music, some of my favourite songs for running include:

• Titanium (feat. Sia) by David Guetta
• Eye On It by tobyMac
• Don't Stop Me Now by Queen
• Bad Reputation by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts 
• One In a Million by Down With Webster

If you haven't already, stop by Maji Bookshelf for Juhina's post on the Breathe, Annie, Breathe blog tour!

Tomorrow you can visit Mostly YA Lit for Tiff's thoughts.

Review: Things I Can't Forget

Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally
Release Date ~ March 1, 2013
Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN13: 9781402271908
ARC received from Raincoast Books

Goodreads Synopsis:

Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…

This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt--with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy…


Things I Can't Forget is easily my favourite of Miranda Kenneally's three books now released. Miranda tackles some very difficult topics here, which could easily make some readers uncomfortable. But she does so thoughtfully, and the story truly reflects an honest portrayal of Kate's struggle.

And while this book may not be the right book for every reader, it's a story that needs to be told. Kate's struggle with faith and what she believes is something that can resonate with everyone, in one way or another, if given the chance.

1. Faith, doubt, & religion:
   
   Honestly? I was a bit hesitant about Things I Can't Forget knowing that religion had a large part to play. It's hard to tell how that's going to play out in a book. I consider myself to be religious (specifically Christian), and I was nervous that a book like this would only turn out to be disrespectful. But it isn't. Miranda writes about a turning point in Kate's life, where everything she took for granted seems to be falling apart. She has to acknowledge that maybe she's wrong about some things. That maybe there is no cookie cutter to fit into to be "right". And this felt so personal to me, because I remember when I was younger and this hit me as well when I knew I would have to make some changes for myself. Maybe there are readers who haven't gone through this period of change, but I believe there are enough of us that did to make this book utterly relevant.
   
2. A protagonist you won't love right away:
   
   Kate will likely rub you the wrong way at first. I know she irked me at first too, and I'm saying this as someone who was a lot like her when I was (much) younger. I think it's important to have main characters we don't necessarily like (or possibly even relate to though), because it encourages readers to think outside of our own comfort zone. And it's crucial here to witness Kate's growth. It's almost like putting a face to a name, for those of us who may not have known people quite like Kate in our lives. It makes her story personal and real. Personally, I think it's important for readers to read about characters that aren't always like them, because it's one way for us to push personal boundaries.
   
3. A love interest with depth:
   
   Matt is probably my favourite of the Hundred Oaks boys (probably helps that he reminds me of someone I know in real life). But I loved that Miranda gave him a back story, and that there was a real reason for why he was attracted to Kate. I liked that he had his own issues to work through, but that for the most part he had himself fairly well pulled together. And he had his own life! It didn't revolve around Kate, but he wanted to include her in it. It even felt a bit more mature than I'm used to in YA, but that's great to have some more diversity in romance (in one way or another). 

There were a few loose ends that seemed hastily tied up, and I wish we had explored them a bit more in the book. There are a number of other characters who do some awful things, but unlike Kate we never get a real sense of why. Or even closure. 

I guess part of the reason I loved Things I Can't Forget so much is that it felt like a story for me and my friends. As much as I love reading about YA, and I can usually find something in a character to emphasize with, sometimes their lives and settings aren't familiar to me. And Kate's life is one that could almost be a chapter taken from my life (I'm a sucker for puns and cliches). So I appreciate how different Kate's background story felt, and it's why I loved this book so much. 

Home Run Blog Tour

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally
Release Date ~ October 1, 2012
Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN13:  9781402271878
ARC received from Raincoast Books for review

Goodreads Synopsis:
After her family's scandal rocks their conservative small town, 17-year-old Parker Shelton goes overboard trying to prove that she won't turn out like her mother: a lesbian. The all-star third-baseman quits the softball team, drops 20 pounds and starts making out with guys--a lot. But hitting on the hot new assistant baseball coach might be taking it a step too far...especially when he starts flirting back.

As part of the Home Run Blog Tour highlighting Miranda Kenneally's sophomore book, Stealing Parker, I am thrilled to be able to share with you some of my thoughts on the book, a special guest post from Miranda, AND a giveaway for one of you lucky readers to win a copy of this new release!

Catching Jordan was one of those books that completely took the YA book world by STORM- and even I had to admit that I was pleasantly impressed by Miranda's debut release. Needless to say, there's been a fair amount of anticipation surrounding Stealing Parker as a result.

And while I wasn't completely sold on Stealing Parker's story, it struck me as an excellent companion to Catching Jordan and proves that Miranda has a very strong voice to contribute to the YA world with her stories.

1. Realistic, flawed characters:
   
   My favourite part about Miranda's stories is that she doesn't shy away from asking hard questions and tackling tough issues and making her characters deal with them head on. She doesn't tiptoe around anything, and I think Stealing Parker is a devastatingly good example of this as Parker finds herself in a situation just begging to blow up in her face. She's often struggling with where she needs to draw the line, and I appreciated how her actions did have some ugly consequences - because Parker was living in the real world.
2. Complicated questions:
   
   Remember how I mentioned that Miranda doesn't shy away from the tough issues? It's easy to see why Parker feels like she's dealing with a life crisis when you consider her fairly young age, lack of guidance from those around her, and the numerous changes she's had to adapt to in her life. Parker has to question everything she's known and relied on in her life, from her faith to her parents and even her closest friends. There's just something so raw about Parker's life, and I imagine a number of readers will be able to relate to at least some of these issues in one way or another.

While I felt like the build-up and anticipation in the story was wildly successful, it was the conclusion that left me feeling a tad uneasy. For the most part, Parker comes out relatively unscathed - and it felt just a little too much like all the issues had been neatly wrapped up and tied with a pretty little bow. It isn't that everything turns out perfect (because it doesn't), but I think that my strong sense of justice was still holding out for something more and I didn't feel like the plot delivered to my satisfaction.

And I personally wished we had delved a little bit deeper into Parker's character. I loved all the layers to her, and all of her messy mistakes and flaws but I don't think it was completely driven home for the reader. I can easily see how some may get tired of her at first, because she is so good at hiding the real Parker behind a mask that I'm not sure she truly shines through by the end.

Overall, I don't think Stealing Parker is quite as effective as Catching Jordan - it felt like there was a little too much heaviness for so few pages and like a bit more balance to the story could have worked better. But for fans who appreciate strong contemporary reads  that aren't entirely simple, Miranda's books are an excellent place to begin.

The Art of Making Mistakes by Miranda Kenneally

Why messing up is one of the most important things you can do

I love reading reviews of my books. I always listen to what people have to say in hopes I can make my writing better. However, there’s one thing I’ll never change about my books, no matter what: I’ve seen some readers get upset when my characters make mistakes.

My characters make big mistakes and small mistakes. Some decisions have serious repercussions on the life of not only my main character, but sometimes on the lives of others.

When I was a teenager, I did some very dumb things. Like, one time my parents told me I couldn’t go to the Aerosmith concert, but I took their car and went anyway. My parents got really upset. Sure, I loved the concert, but afterwards I had to live with the guilt of hurting my parents and doing something I knew was wrong. They grounded me for a month!

Another time, I told a friend a serious lie because I thought it would impress her. She was always doing things that were “cool” and I wanted to feel cool too. I wanted her to think I was worthy of our friendship. Instead of thinking I was cool, she told a bunch of people what I said and spread the gossip about me all over school. What made it especially bad was that some people knew it wasn’t true. I was so embarrassed and ashamed. And I was sad that my “friend” wasn’t a true friend. But I learned from the mistake. I learned not to lie anymore, and I learned that true friends will love me for who I am, not what I’ve done.

When I’m writing a book, I’m not scared to have my characters screw up. If we don’t screw up, we can’t learn, and then we can’t become better people.

LUCKY YOU!
Sourcebooks has VERY generously offered up ONE finished copy of Stealing Parker to one reader!

Just fill out the Rafflecopter form & good luck! :)

US/Canada only.

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Kindred Reads {11}

A couple months ago I had a blog survey, and one of the main pieces of feedback I received were that readers were very interested in bringing Kindred Reads back!
Kindred Reads is my weekly feature highlighting YA book recommendations based on their similarities to each other. Each week a theme or idea is chosen, and a few books will be highlighted for dealing with that theme.
This week's theme: teens & sex in contemporary YA; books that pose a thoughtful story with this as a focus, and include some humour

Purity by Jackson Pearce
A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order.
Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.
Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity. (Goodreads)

My 4 star review for Purity.

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate. (Goodreads)

My 4 star review for Catching Jordan.

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part,Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention
Then Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. But what Lissa never sees coming is her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling... (Goodreads)

My 5 star review for Shut Out.

I enjoyed reading all three of these books, but they especially stood out to me with the way they realistically brought up the topic of teenagers having sex (or choosing to abstain). It's something that still isn't talked about that oftne, and I think it's great that they all talked about ways to be responsible and mature about making a decision regarding an indivudal's sex life. All three authors are specially skilled at providing humorous aspects to their books, which only makes them more enjoyable to read! If you've read & liked only one or two of these, make sure to check out the ones you haven't read because I think you'd be sure to enjoy them. There's something refreshingly honest & raw about these books that make them new favourites.

Review: Catching Jordan

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Release Date ~ December 1, 2011
Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN13: 9781402262272
Received from: finished copy from Raincoast Books for review

Goodreads Synopsis:
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

Every so often there's a book that just seems to catch on and spread like wildfire. Catching Jordan isn't a book that caught my eye at first, until I started reading all the raving reviews from other readers and bloggers. And after all of that, I just HAD to know what the deal was with this book.

Catching Jordan is an exemplary YA contemporary book; it offers up the best of what most readers are looking for, mingling humour with heartgripping moments and the complications that come with growing up.

1. Fantastic narrative:
   One of the first things that really grabbed me with Catching Jordan is how well Miranda is able to write from the point of view and voice of a teenaged girl. But not just any typical girl, but Jordan Woods. Her expressions and perspective are so easily conveyed through the words, that you have no problem buying into the story or Jordan as a character. And I'm especially impressed because Jordan isn't stereotypical in any way. She's both able to blend in with guys, yet stand out on her own as a girl at the same time. That's a thin line to walk, but it's handled expertly here.
2. Realistic dialogue:
   Similar to what I talked about above, but it goes even further with the dialogue. The dialogue and conversations flowed so naturally, that it was like listening in on a conversation or watching a movie because it felt so alive and real. I loved the bantering between Henry and Jordan, and how she conversed with her other teammates.
3. Sports book for people who don't necessarily like sports:Thankfully, you don't have to be much of an athlete to enjoy Catching Jordan, a book which revolves around a female football player. There's a lot going on outside of this, and even though I'm nothing like Jordan when it comes to specific details I could easily relate to her and her struggles. Football is Jordan's passion, but there's so much more to her than that. Don't be turned off by the sports theme, if you're someone who isn't a fan of sports! Give it a chance, and you'll see what I mean.

That being said, I still feel as if I was looking for something more from it overall. I really wanted to be blown away by it, and while I was impressed it seems that it didn't resonate with me as much as it has with other readers. I think some of the storylines could've been fleshed out a bit more, and while Jordan's back-and-forth within herself was understandable I also found it dragged on a bit too long for my taste. I didn't love it as much as I wanted to, but I think I can partially blame that on a lot of the hype surrounding it.

The story itself felt completely candid to me, and I could see why there was this instant love for readers with this one. And I really love a good romance in a book, and this was one of my favourites because Jordan's confusion and problems with it made perfect sense. It wasn't forced in any way, and it was easy to see how she ended up in that position.

Pssst... The Book Depository will have copies available in March 2012 of it, and pre-ordering is under $7!