Review: Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler!

♥ Summary: 
According to Anna’s best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there’s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie–she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer. (from Goodreads)

♥ Favorite Line(s):

"Sometimes you gotta just take things for what they are and appreciate them, not try to label it or explain it. Explanations take the mystery out of it, you know?"

♥ My thoughts:

I should have known. I should have known that this book would leave me disappointed. From the sea glass heart cover to the boy-centric description to the protag who was a little too young for my liking all of the clues pointed to a story I wouldn't fall for. In my defense I thought the timing of my reading this was perfect! I was on a super dark story streak and wanted something light-hearted and fun. I needed to go to the beach, if only in my mind. I was prepared for a doughnut read and instead grabbed hold of a handful of icing. I had such high hopes for this as a cleanser, but alas it just didn't do it for me.

Twenty Boy Summer is a story about loss and love but somehow had no discernible substance. I was unaffected by Anna's Sad Girl act and Frankie just made me want to throttle her. And their relationships with the boys they meet in Zanzibar Bay? I barely remember the boys' names let alone care at all what happened to them. Each character seemed two-dimensional and severely underwhelmed me. I couldn't connect with them and therefore didn't connect at all with the story.

The only element of this book that I loved was the setting. As that girl who would love to move to the beach for a summer to work in a shady seaside diner and sunbathe all day, the images of Zanzibar Bay and the beach house were right up my alley. I loved getting to go on the cross country journey with Anna and can relate to going away from home for the first time. When I first traveled out of my tri-state area I had many of the same reactions as Anna.

I really, really tried to get into this story. I hate disliking a book and try very hard to find something enjoyable in every read. I just don't think I was in the right time in my life or frame of mind to find this likeable. I also felt very cringey over the way virginity and sex were presented in the book. I don't really want to get into this topic, but because of this and my level of enjoyment I chose to not finish the last thirty or so pages of the book.

♥ Summing it up:

Just couldn't get into it. Didn't finish.

Link up: Goodreads//Shelfari//Amazon//Barnes and Noble//Sarah's website

Happy Thursday!

"Down By The Water"-The Drums,

Review: Stolen Nights (Vampire Queen #2) by Rebecca Maizel!

♥ Summary: A new year is beginning at Wickham Boarding School. A new chance at life, at reversing the evil in my past. But nothing is ever as simple it seems... (from Goodreads)

♥ Favorite Line(s):

forgot to write them down, sorry!!

♥ My thoughts:

This. Series.

I can't believe I held off reading the second installment for this long! I absolutely loved Infinite Days and Stolen Nights not only reminded me why I loved the characters and story so much, but made me love them even more.

Stolen Nights is exactly the book I needed to read to jumpstart my return to reviewing. The action and intensity layered throughout was like a jolt of energy to my lethargic summer brain. Every twist and turn of the plot kept me interested and flipping pages and I can safely say my sleeping patterns were greatly hindered by the amount of stolen nights this story took. *ba dum tss*

Besides keeping me firmly on the edge of my seat, figuratively and sometimes even literally, the story hung in a delicate balance between "soft, epic romance" and "Blade." While I was invested in the love triangle (quadrangle??) I also deeply cared about the other badass vampire from hell business that continued on from Infinite Days. Rebecca Maizel's weaving of history and mythology into the series is done so tactfully that I barely registered that I was reading about vampire rules and regulations rather than some bare all confession from Rhode. The world Maizel creates is so real and tangible I just want to grab a beach towel and some vampire hunting gear and make my way over to join Lena, Justin, Rhode, Vicken, and Tony (poor, poor Tony!!).

Aside from all of the technical goodness of Stolen Nights (the pacing is flawless, good lord), it had me emotionally hooked as well. I mean, I was already so here for Lena's HBIC status and the ever glorious Justin Enos, but throw in some existential crises and life-changing choices and I am down. I was so into the storyline that I couldn't see just exactly how invested I was until it ended.

And BOY DID IT END.

The ending of Stolen Nights had the same level of shock value as a red giant imploding in my face would...I mean that's what I imagine anyway. After finishing I kinda just sat staring at the book like this:
 

 

Overall the book was fun, fast-paced, appropriately dramatic, and majorly cool! I've been trying to dig up some info on a third installment with no luck, but here's hoping!

♥ Summing it up:

I really enjoy this series and definitely recommend checking it out!

Link up: Goodreads//Shelfari//Amazon//Barnes and Noble//Rebecca's website

Happy Wednesday!

P.S. Sorry this update came so long after my "return"! I was busy catching up on my to-read pile so I would have lots of great stuff to review all lined up :) Hope the weather is as beautiful where you are as it is here!

"Awkward"-San Cisco,

I'm baaaaaaack!

Here I am, back and begging for your forgiveness: Well guys, it's been quite a while hasn't it?? Over two years since I've posted a word on this blog. I can't believe I let my hiatus last this long. Honestly it's become so long that I thought about not coming back at all, but I've missed this blog too much to just let it die. I hope you'll all welcome me back with, if not open arms, at least no pitchforks ;)

An update on me for those interested: I'm now 19-years-old and just finished my freshman year of college in New York City. Quite a change from where I was when I left this blog out to dry. I'm majoring in travel, fashion, and music journalism, which is one of the main reasons I'm aching to get this blog up and running again. More practice writing can't hurt right? Anyway, I'm finally feeling like I've got everything together enough that I can really put some time in on this blog! Also, my hair is currently a gradient of pink, purple, and blue which if anything makes my daily life, which I tend to share a bit of on here, a bit more interesting.

I hope all of you who have continued to follow this blog even though it was Very Inactive choose to stay and continue on in this quest for awesome reads with me! I've spent a bit of today reading through some of my favorite blogs and catching up on what I've missed and it's safe to say I've been seriously behind on everything YA and I've missed your posts! I can't wait to get back into the swing of things and back to regularly posting. Hope everyone has had a great Memorial Day weekend! :)

"The Sea" - Swim Deep,