In ‘Promises,’ by Michelle Lynn, main character Maggie struggles to find her footing after a troubled childhood and difficult marriage. Her past continually comes back to haunt her, from her father to her ex-husband, who also happened to be one of her childhood best friends. The only thing that remains steady in her life is her relationship with her other best friend, Elijah. His promise to always be there for her no matter the circumstance has never weighed on her, but she is finding herself questioning if their relationship is as it should be, or if it should maybe be something more.

Despite the predictability of much of the storyline, it does not struggle to keep readers’ attention. The best sections of the novel revolve around Maggie and Elijah’s relationship, as well as Maggie’s journey to come to terms with her past and the father she felt the need to escape from, and to keep her cousin Jason safe from, too.

The secondary characters in the story – namely Michaela, Jason, Chris, and Josh – helped add some levity to the story, but Maggie’s own sense of sarcasm didn’t hurt in that area either. Elijah’s desire to care for her and be there for her is abundantly clear, and his decision to give her time to figure out her life is a kind decision on his part, especially due to the fact that she is struggling to come to terms with her past. However, sometimes the relationships among the characters were not quite as clear as they could have been. They were obviously all friends, but Josh especially didn’t stand out in terms of his connection to the rest of the group. However, for those who have read ‘Choices,’ his relationship will make more sense.

Overall, Michelle Lynn delivers an engaging and romantic getaway in ‘Promises,’ in the same way she did in her first novel in this series, ‘Choices’. The romantic scenes will make your insides ooh and aah, while Maggie’s desire to find strength to move on with her life will at times bring tears. It is a sweet story that tugs at the heartstrings.

You can find ‘Promises’ by Michelle Lynn here.

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*

‘Sundae My Prince Will Come’ by Suzanne Nelson combines main character Malie’s love of ballet with her relationship woes. Her boyfriend, Ethan, whom she has been friends with for years before they chanted their relationship status, seems like her perfect match. They get along well, share friends, enjoy spending time together, and respect each other’s personal interests, even if they don’t have them in common. Everything seems like it’s fine and dandy until Alonzo – Lanz for short – comes to town. His arrival prompts Malie to begin questioning feelings that she has never felt before, and which she doesn’t know what to do with, especially since she’s still with Ethan.

As she acts like she doesn’t want to be around Lanz, he makes every attempt to try to win her over as friends. The fact that she is standoffish only makes him more focused on figuring out why she doesn’t want to bother with him. When Malie doesn’t think she’ll be able to take ballet anymore, Lanz smoothly comes to the rescue, owing to the fact that his mother is the new dance instructor at the studio where Malie dances. They come up with what they feel is an even exchange, even though Lanz is willing to do even more than necessary to hold up his end of the bargain.

Malie’s friends and her mother figure into her predicament as she keeps a variety of secrets from each of them, including her attraction to Lanz and her feelings of upset over becoming disconnected from Ethan. The fact that a mean girl is out to steal her part in the ballet school’s performance of Cinderella puts the level of worry and annoyance over the top for Malie, and she has trouble knowing where and to whom to turn for help.

A sweet and enjoyable story about the power of friendship, family, and knowing how to rely on others rather than just oneself, Malie’s story is one that will resonate with readers of all ages. Life doesn’t always go just the way one hopes, but that doesn’t mean it can’t end up working out in the end.

You can find ‘Sundae My Prince Will Come’ by Suzanne Nelson here.

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*

‘The Only Girl in School’ by Natalie Standiford, illustrated by Nathan Durfee, shines a light on one of the biggest fears any young person – or older person, for that matter – can have. Being the only one can sometimes be seen as a gift, in that the person is unique. Yet, the fact that Claire is the only girl in her school, owing to the fact that she lives in a small town and her best girl friend has moved away, puts a spotlight on what she only sees as inadequacies.

Coupled with the fact that she doesn’t have her best friend to lean on anymore and share the woes of being the only two girls in the class, her other best friend, Henry, has become best friends with the class bully, Webby. She also has to deal with Gilbert, a boy who is nice enough to her, but only because he likes her and wants to kiss her. Her relationships with the other boys in her class, as well as with her brothers and her parents, are all predictably irritating for her. It all goes to show that no one can truly understand the plight of a fifth grade girl besides that fifth grade girl herself. Sometimes even she can’t understand what’s happening to her, and no one ever seems to be around to shed light on it.

As the novel progresses, she makes discoveries about herself and about her town and life in general. The story is sweetly written in the form of letters to her best friend, Bess, who has moved away. Even though we only hear Bess’ responses through Claire’s relating them back to Bess in her own letters, we get a sense that their friendship has survived their separation.

Both the young and young-at-heart will enjoy this story about trying to hold it together in the face of adversity. Readers will find themselves rooting for Claire and hoping that things work out in her favor, even though that doesn’t happen all of the time.

You can find ‘The Only Girl in School’ by Natalie Standiford here.

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*

‘Fracture’ by Melanie Hooyenga was a fantastic sequel to ‘Flicker,’ the first in the book series. Biz’s ability to flicker – to go back in time one day – is still intact, but it is coming at a cost. In this case, that cost is brain surgery. The loss of her hair, coupled with some nasty teenagers who have nothing better to do than make fun of her for looking less than “normal,” sheds light on the more contemporary aspects of the novel. The best parts of the novel were these contemporary parts, and how they meshed with the supernatural tendencies that Biz found herself still partaking in as a means of saving others from less than favorable fates.

However, Biz soon learns that no matter how many times she flickers, life has a way of happening the same way each time, even if it ends up being delayed. She works to change this – to keep her life from fracturing any further than it already has – but not everything works out in her favor.

It was refreshing to see Biz and her boyfriend Cameron still together in this book, but it was also nice to see how their relationship was not quite as strong as it used to be. Since Cameron’s sister Katie was rescued in ‘Flicker,’ his family’s life has been nothing like before, and this includes his new friendship with another rescued girl’s sister. He claims that he and Sarah are spending time together to support each other through their sisters’ and their individual family’s issues, but Biz is skeptical. Her focus on the jealousy she feels over Cameron spending time with Sarah is a normal and acceptable way for her to show emotion. In any other setting, Cameron wouldn’t have much of a foot to stand on. The fact that he’s trying to work through his grief makes Biz’s jealousy stand out all the more, causing Cameron to not at all appreciate Biz’s upset over his time spent with Sarah.

As the novel progressed, it was nice to see Biz realize more of her own worth and how to stand up for herself. Along with her dad, who only has her best interests at heart, since they mirror his own, and her mom, best friend Amelia, Cameron and his family, and even Dr. Martinez, her brain surgeon, she fights for her own life and those of the people she loves, hoping against hope that it won’t all be for naught.

A gripping and relatable contemporary novel with an awesome time travel component mixed in, ‘Fracture’ draws you in and refuses to let go. Next up, ‘Faded’!

You can find ‘Fracture’ by Melanie Hooyenga here.

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*

‘Destiny’ by Cindy Ray Hale focused on the desired romance between Destiny Clark and Isaac Robinson. The fact that the two are basically star-crossed in that they belong to two different religions – Baptist and Mormon – forms the crux of the plot. While Destiny and her brother Michael still go to Bethel, a Baptist high school, they have changed – or, in their opinion, added – to their beliefs by taking on the teachings of Mormonism.

It was made abundantly clear in the story that Baptists and Mormons do not see eye to eye on anything. The bullying factor was extremely evident, and it will make one who doesn’t know much about either of these religions wonder if it is always to that extent. The author grew up Mormon going to a Baptist school as well, so readers can be pretty certain that the ideas are true to life, but it seems overly ridiculous that people who are supposed to be religious and accepting, or at least tolerant, of others’ beliefs, can be so inwardly focused and unable to see anyone else’s perspective, even if just for a brief moment.

Despite the fact that people may be as narrow-minded about religion as they were portrayed in the story, it was nice to see a few of the characters go beyond those expectations and show kindness toward one another. These few moments of clarity were quite welcome due to the overwhelming sense of hate and upset that was brought about much of the rest of the time throughout the story.

While Isaac spends the beginning chapters of the story with Aspen, his attraction to Destiny grows, but his interest isn’t always abundantly clear. It seems at first that he only wants to get to know her in order to convert her back, but he also seems attracted to her, so it never seems quite certain what his motivation is, or if it’s a combination of the two. However, as the story goes on, this is cleared up.

It is quite understandable how two people of different faiths can get caught up in a lack of empathy for each other, and that is why it was especially interesting how Hale brought the story of Les Miserables into the plot. The way that the choir director cast the characters based on the real-life personalities of those he was casting brought a much needed symbolic level of interest to the reading, and helped the characters better shine as who they really were rather than who everyone thought they should be.

A story that encapsulates many ideas, including love, hate, empathy (or the lack thereof), jealousy, grief, hypocrisy, trust, and so much more, ‘Destiny’ makes it clear that there is still much to be learned about how to best get along with people and understand their perspectives. Even in this day and age, we’re still behind the times in being able to do this well.

You can find ‘Destiny’ by Cindy Ray Hale here.

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*

‘1,000 Facts about the White House’ by Sarah Wassner Flynn is definitely worth reading. From facts about why the rooms are named as they are in the White House to interesting facts about first ladies, pets, and food as related to the presidency, there is something for everyone.

There are plenty of interesting facts that even the most well-versed presidential fanatics can find at least one that they may not have known before. It is also nice how the facts are arranged so that the connections are pretty sequential. Learning the layout of the White House and when certain wings were added adds a lot to the points being made, showing that the home has evolved as time has passed.

No matter whether your favorite president is George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, or anyone who has come before or after, you are sure to find something that will engage your interest and round out your understanding of not only the White House, but also the importance of the highest office one can hold in the United States.

You can find ‘1,000 Facts about the White House’ by Sarah Wassner Flynn here.

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*

‘The Golden Thread: A Song for Pete Seeger’ by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Nikki McClure, took a bit to get into, owing to the prologue of sorts that took up the first few pages of the story. However, once the main story began, that delved into the biography of Pete Seeger and how his life moved from childhood to marriage to his singing career and more, the pace picked up and the rhymes, much like his songs, were imbued with his passion.

Learning about how he fits into history, from being accused of Communist leanings, to his role in the fight for Civil Rights, it is interesting to learn about Pete Seeger’s interest in social causes. The illustrations do a fine job of telling the story of his life, and the timeline at the end of the book helps connect all of the ideas throughout the rest of the story.

A worthwhile and interesting read about one of the more influential songwriters of the 20th century, ‘The Golden Thread: A Song for Pete Seeger’ weaves the beauty of music with the truth of his life story.

You can find ‘The Golden Thread: A Song for Pete Seeger’ by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Nikki McClure, here.

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*

‘Just Being Jackie’ by Margaret Cardillo, illustrated by Julia Denos, is a beautiful and culturally significant biography of former first lady, Jackie Kennedy. The fact that the story starts out by presenting aspects of Jackie’s life before meeting her husband, future President of the United States John F. Kennedy, shows that the book truly wanted to uncover and allow readers to discover more of Jackie’s life and loves. From her love of travel to her passion for good will, fashion, and more, her legacy is more than just that of being the widow of the former president. Her world, despite being shattered by the loss of her husband to his assassination, is one that shines, showcasing the way she maintained her focus on her own truth, rather than allowing herself to let it be dictated for her by others. If only there were more people in the world like Jackie Kennedy, famous and non-famous alike, who were able to stand up for what they believed in, not to be hindered by anyone standing in their way.

In ‘Just Being Jackie,’ Cardillo and Denos, through interesting words and thoroughly colorful and engaging illustrations, insert readers into Jackie Kennedy’s life, making them interested in learning more about her life and the lives of those she touched. Despite it being a picture book, it would likely appeal to older kids and adults as well.

You can find ‘Just Being Jackie’ by Margaret Cardillo, illustrated by Julia Denos, here.

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*

‘The Trail Rules’ by Melanie Hooyenga does a great job of capturing the personality and drama of main character Mike (full name: Mikayla) and how her friends and family factor into her life in easy and not-so-easy ways. The first sequel to ‘The Slope Rules,’ to be followed by another sequel later in 2018 titled ‘The Edge Rules,’ this particular novel follows Mike and her fascination with bike riding on the trails near where she lives.

Even though her love of riding stemmed from her relationship with boyfriend, Evan, she starts feeling different about him and life in general when she realizes that she craves trust and independence from the life she has known. Having given up some friends and her former lifestyle in recent months, for what she considers the better, she finds her way back to Evan. Their relationship seems wonderful and happy on the surface, but Mike is beginning to feel that Evan doesn’t understand what she wants or needs, and it is hard for her to determine how to move forward – or not – as his girlfriend. He has been what she thought she wanted for so long, and reconciling her feelings about him with these new emotions she’s feeling is harder than she could imagine.

Making her decision somewhat easier – and also harder, in a sense – is her interest in another trail rider named Mica and her parents’ crackdown on her time studying. Even though they feel she should be home immediately after school to start her homework and only go out on the weekends, she finds herself drawn to the trail. Being name twins with Mica is only one of the factors that draws her to him and their mutual love of riding, but knowing he’s not her boyfriend makes it hard to consider starting something up with him when and if she ends things with Evan. She wants to be challenged and supported, and the fact that the grass always seems greener on the other side makes Mica all that much more appealing (not that Evan is so bad to begin with).

Mike’s trouble with making up her mind, figuring out how to deal with old friends who seem “off” even though she promised herself and others she’d stay away, and doing her best to take new steps in her life causes a good amount of strife and heartache. But so is life, and Mike learns this throughout the course of the novel while Hooyenga injects a solid amount of swoon-worthy scenes, biking lingo, and senses of understanding for Mike’s troubles. A fun read that is good for not only lovers of contemporary romance, but also sports enthusiasts.

You can find ‘The Trail Rules’ by Melanie Hooyenga here.

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*

‘Positively Izzy’ by Terri Libenson included dual viewpoints by two characters, both of whom were dealing with their own issues and insecurities over the school talent show. Izzy and Brianna are two girls who have very different personalities and sensibilities. While Izzy loves taking part in drama club and preparing for the talent show, she is not nearly as focused on her schoolwork, much to her mother’s and older sister’s chagrin. Brianna, on the other hand, is studious enough for herself and Izzy, claiming at times that she’d rather be home working on homework than getting roped into the talent show by her mother, who just so happens to be the drama club teacher.

Izzy’s and Brianna’s paths hardly cross in the story, which seemed a bit strange and somewhat confusing throughout, but the reasoning behind this becomes more than clear by the novel’s end, and readers can go back and see how all of the ideas come together. The relationship between the two girls is an interesting one, brought about by dynamics that neither of them could have necessarily predicted. Despite their differences, they find ways to forge a common ground as a means of enjoying a stronger bond with each other. Family and friends are also very important to both girls, showing that they are more similar than they might think.

An intriguing and sweet read about the dynamics of relationships and finding new ways to put oneself out there and find new ways of enjoying oneself, ‘Positively Izzy’ is a fun middle-grade novel, and the illustrations will only heighten the reading experience.

You can pre-order ‘Positively Izzy’ (due out on May 1, 2018) by Terri Libenson here.

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*