Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray

                                                 🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌓 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

She's a soldier -- Noemi Vidal is willing to risk anything to protect her planet, Genesis, including her own life. To their enemies on Earth, she's a rebel.

He's a machine -- Abandoned in space for years, utterly alone, Abel's advanced programming has begun to evolve. He wants only to protect his creator, and to be free. To the people of Genesis, he's an abomination.

Noemi and Abel are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together as they embark on a daring journey through the stars. Their efforts would end the fighting for good, but they're not without sacrifice. The stakes are even higher than either of them first realized, and the more time they spend together, the more they're forced to question everything they'd been taught was true.

After I finished Claudia's Firebird trilogy and fell in love with her writing, I knew that I had to read whatever book she came out with next. She did not disappoint me with Defy the Stars! Claudia Gray is a genius when it comes to writing sci-fi! 
I loved this book! From the very first pages the book starts off right in the middle of the action. What was meant to be a routine mission to scout for issues that could be solved before the real mission was to take place takes a turn. The enemy begins shooting at the pilots from Genesis. I loved being thrown right into the action because it started off the book with a bang. I know that the length of the book might be a problem for some readers but I found that the pacing and story were so well thought out and interesting that I didn't mind the length. 
I loved both of the main characters so much! They were alike in a lot of ways even though physically they were extremely different. They each found that they were lonely which I think was because those around them couldn't completely understand them. Abel and Noemi each had very strong personalities and were afraid to show their weaknesses to the other. They are each soldiers in their own right but appear to almost be fighting different wars. 
I found it interesting to ponder the question of what makes someone human. Is it the ability to feel and express emotions? Having organs? Agency? There were many other questions that this book posed but humanity seemed to be the main one. 
Claudia Gray wrote a captivating world that I got lost in. I found it so interesting but scary at the same time. I could see the world potentially going in a direction that this book does. I think that is another reason why I liked the book so much. It was realistic and believable.
My only wish is that there would have been more of a conclusion at the end rather than what felt a bit like a cliff hanger. it felt a bit anti-climatic but I suppose the author needed another sequel to be able to wrap the story up the way that she wanted to. I know now that this is going to be a duology so the ending of the book makes more sense to me. I have to admit that even though this book was 500 pages I wanted more so I'm so glad that there will be another book.

The Safest Lies by Megan Miranda

🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:
Kelsey has lived most of her life in a shadow of suspicion, raised to see danger everywhere. Her mother hasn’t set foot outside their front door in seventeen years, since she escaped from her kidnappers with nothing but her attacker’s baby growing inside her—Kelsey.

Kelsey knows she’s supposed to keep a low profile and stay off the grid for their protection, but that plan is shattered when her dramatic car accident and rescue by volunteer firefighter and classmate Ryan Baker sparks media coverage.

A few days later, she arrives home to find her mother missing. Now, to have a chance at a future, Kelsey will have to face her darkest fears. Because someone is coming for her. And the truth about the past may end up being the most dangerous thing of all. 

I think that my biggest problem with this book was that it felt anticlimatic at many points throughout the story. It was not a bad book by any means but at one point the main character appears to be trapped and then magically escapes. I was hoping for more during that portion of the book. I wanted the author to spend more time on that portion of the story instead of it only being a few pages. I thought that she missed an opportunity to deliver an even more tense scene and to share more information about the villains. It is right before this moment when we figure out who one of the bad guys is and then we don't learn anything more about it until the book has almost concluded. 
I'm not sure that I liked the reveal at the end relating to the mother. I would have went in a different direction with it but it wasn't terrible. I would have liked to have it make sense in relation to how the mother acts during the majority of the book. I really liked Kelsey! It was made clear that living the way that she did with her mother changed her but she still had an incredible amount of strength even though she didn't see it. I also liked how determined she was to figure everything out and her loyalty to her mother.
 

Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald

                                                             🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly one sided. The object of her obsession — ahem, affection — is her best friend, Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie’s
feelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep-blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett’s constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to ‘80s indie rock
— all to no avail. But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder — until he calls to say he’s fallen in love. With some other girl! A
heartbroken Sadie realizes that she’s finally had enough. It’s time for total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of new friends (including the hunky chef, Josh), and a customized self help
guide, Sadie embarks on a summer of personal reinvention full of laughter, mortifying meltdowns, and a double shot of love. 

I could not get into this book. It was fun enough for me to read the whole thing but the main character Sadie is so immature. She is supposed to be seventeen in this but I swear she acts more like a 13 year old. She annoyed me! I liked Josh way more than her and he wasn't even in a large portion of the book. I was hoping thus book would be like The Avery Shaw Experiment with the girl trying to get over her love interest inc a unique way which causes hilarity to ensue. Sadly, this was not the case. I think that if I was in middle school I would have liked it a lot more. It was also pretty predictable so I wasn't surprised by anything that happened in the book.

This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston

                                                    🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis:
No one knows what happened that morning at River Point. Five boys went hunting. Four came back. The boys won't say who fired the shot that killed their friend, Grant; the evidence shows it could have been any one of them. Kate Marino's senior year internship at the District Attorney's Office isn't exactly glamorous—more like an excuse to leave school early that looks good on college applications. Then the DA hands her boss, Mr. Stone, the biggest case her small town of Belle Terre has ever seen. The River Point Boys are all anyone can talk about. Despite their damning toxicology reports the morning of the accident, the DA wants the boys' case swept under the rug. He owes his political office to their powerful families. Kate won't let that happen. Digging up secrets without revealing her own is a dangerous line to walk; Kate has personal reasons for seeking justice for Grant. As she investigates with Stone—the aging prosecutor relying on Kate to see and hear what he cannot—she realizes that nothing about the case—or the boys—is what it seems. Grant wasn't who she thought he was, and neither is Stone's prime suspect. As Kate gets dangerously close to the truth, it becomes clear that the early morning accident might not have been an accident at all—and if Kate doesn't uncover the true killer, more than one life could be on the line…including her own.

Brilliant! I loved this book so much!I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning until the end!
In the beginning of the book, the author introduces us to the killer even though we don't know who he is. I say this because we get the killer's point of view in the book but no names are given. Fir example, during the first couple of pages it is from the killer's point of view but he narrating what each person is saying by stating that "one of the boys said" and gives no descriptions of any physical features of any of the boys. It's only later in the book that he mentions the name of one of the boys so we know definitively that that person didn't kill Grant. 
I thought that I knew who the killer was but the author surprised me. I really didn't see it coming. Now that that I look back at the hints and evidence throughout the book, the boy that turned out to be the killer makes sense.
Kate was a fantastic character! She was so determined to get the truth and was not gullible when it came to any of the boys. I loved the scenes between her and Stone when they were going over case details. I thought that the interrogation videos featured throughout the book were a nice touch. They added so much to the story especially Kate's part in them! It made sense to add them in to the story given Stone's physical weaknesses. Every element was explained and the flow of the story was so precise. I felt like I was watching a movie because I could picture every moment from this book so well!

Follow Me Back by A. V. Geiger

                                                         🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis:
Tessa Hart's world feels very small. Confined to her bedroom with agoraphobia, her one escape is the online fandom for pop sensation Eric Thorn. When he tweets to his fans, it's like his speaking directly to her...
Eric Thorn is frightened by his obsessive fans. They take their devotion way too far. It doesn't help that his PR team keeps posting to encourage their fantasies.
When a fellow pop star is murdered at the hands of a fan, Eric knows he has to do something to shatter his online image fast—like take down one of his top Twitter followers. But Eric's plan to troll @TessaHeartsEric unexpectedly evolves into an online relationship deeper than either could have imagined. And when the two arrange to meet IRL, what should have made for the world's best episode of Catfish takes a deadly turn...
Told through tweets, direct messages, and police transcripts, this thriller for the online generation will keep you guessing right up to the shocking end.


This book was pretty good although the end threw me for a loop. I don't understand why the author would end the book that way. It didn't even make any sense to me. It didn't fit with what we knew about each of the characters. If that last chapter would have been cut from the book, I think that it would have been amazing. As far as the thriller aspect of the book, I feel like the author could have pushed the envelope more. It felt as if I was just reading a romance where the characters didn't know who each other were with thriller elements thrown in there to increase the tension in the story.

Underwater by Marisa Reichardt

                                                         🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis:
Morgan didn't mean to do anything wrong that day. Actually, she meant to do something right. But her kind act inadvertently played a role in a deadly tragedy. In order to move on, Morgan must learn to forgive-first someone who did something that might be unforgivable, and then, herself. But Morgan can't move on. She can't even move beyond the front door of the apartment she shares with her mother and little brother. Morgan feels like she's underwater, unable to surface. Unable to see her friends. Unable to go to school. When it seems Morgan can't hold her breath any longer, a new boy moves in next door. Evan reminds her of the salty ocean air and the rush she used to get from swimming. He might be just what she needs to help her reconnect with the world outside. Underwater is a powerful, hopeful debut novel about redemption, recovery, and finding the strength it takes to face your past and move on.

I thought that the progression of the book was good. The main character's journey seemed realistic to me albeit optimistic in the time frame. I liked how the author displayed different characters briefly that were present for the shooting. It provided differences in how each of them coped with the trauma.
I thought that Evan was a good character. He didn't act like everything was okay when Morgan had set backs. He tried to help her in his own way but was not a crutch. He also provided a different perpective on the school shooting.

All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry

                                                               🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:
Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family.

Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas.

But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever.
 
I was really disappointed with this book. I loved the cover so much and thought that it sounded like an amazing story but it did not live up to it. My biggest problem with this book was the writing style. It felt disjointed to me like the pieces of a puzzle that just did not want to fit together. I also didn't like that she was telling the story to Lucas but hardly ever said his name. Instead, she referred to him as you and it made me feel like she was talking to me rather than to him. I also don't feel like the reader is really given much background information in order to understand what is going on in the story. The author just dumps you in at the point where she has been home for a few years and expects you to understand. I also had no idea that this was going to be a historical in nature. I have to admit that I rarely like books in that genre so I am biased for that reason.