The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner

Dill has had to wrestle with vipers his whole life—at home, as the only son of a Pentecostal minister who urges him to handle poisonous rattlesnakes, and at school, where he faces down bullies who target him for his father’s extreme faith and very public fall from grace.

He and his fellow outcast friends must try to make it through their senior year of high school without letting the small-town culture destroy their creative spirits and sense of self. Graduation will lead to new beginnings for Lydia, whose edgy fashion blog is her ticket out of their rural Tennessee town. And Travis is content where he is thanks to his obsession with an epic book series and the fangirl turning his reality into real-life fantasy.

Their diverging paths could mean the end of their friendship. But not before Dill confronts his dark legacy to attempt to find a way into the light of a future worth living. 

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1QCUE98

MY THOUGHTS:
5/5 Stars

*Thank you for the ARC Penguin Random House*

It's like a game of Jenga... With each word you pull out a block and slowly feel the build up of something big about to happen. The tower starts leaning and eventually it comes crumbling down. More words rebuild the tower and the story finds a beginning from an end. That sums up The Serpent King. It is felt deep within the soul and opens your heart in ways you never knew possible. 

The story is about three friends. Three different individuals, with three different home lives. One is privileged and popular on the internet.  One is abused by his drunk father and one has a tainted name. Together they work through their insecurities and push each other to reach for the stars. It's not always easy though. To be honest, it's punch in the gut. Some of the scenes will grasp your heart and have you gasping for air. I couldn't believe the ups and downs and how real each vivid scene felt. In some twisted way I felt connected to the characters. I could feel their personalities seep from the pages and I could just picture their stance and attitude with each word exchanged. Friendship is the theme, but trust, love, honesty, grief, hope, and anger all play a part in the story of Lydia, Dil, and Travis. 

I applaud the Author because the subjects (bullying, abuse, tough home life, suicide, death, first love) in this story are done a lot, but he took them and made them his own. Each one is thoroughly exposed and touched on with grit and pose. Nothing is sugar coated and for that I am thankful. To say I enjoyed this story is an understatement. I feel like this should be a mandated high school read. It's a book that opens your eyes to the bad and pushes you to find good.

Black Iris by Leah Raeder

The next dark and sexy romantic suspense novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Unteachable.

It only took one moment of weakness for Laney Keating’s world to fall apart. One stupid gesture for a hopeless crush. Then the rumors began. Slut, they called her. Queer. Psycho. Mentally ill, messed up, so messed up even her own mother decided she wasn't worth sticking around for.

If Laney could erase that whole year, she would. College is her chance to start with a clean slate.

She's not looking for new friends, but they find her: charming, handsome Armin, the only guy patient enough to work through her thorny defenses—and fiery, filterless Blythe, the bad girl and partner in crime who has thorns of her own.

But Laney knows nothing good ever lasts. When a ghost from her past resurfaces—the bully who broke her down completely—she decides it's time to live up to her own legend. And Armin and Blythe are going to help.

Which was the plan all along.

Because the rumors are true. Every single one. And Laney is going to show them just how true.

She's going to show them all.

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1HVL2zL

MY THOUGHTS:
5/5 Stars

*NETGALLEY REVIEW WITH NO SPIOILERS*
Black Iris isn't a book that can be easily be summed up without giving away too much. The story was complex and unlike any other story I've ever read. It was risqué, emotional, intense, dangerous, romantic, and at times, a complete twisted up mystery. It switches back and forth from past to present to show you how everything came into play. Crucial details are revealed and important characters are introduced. The plot is one that will make your mind hurt in the best way possible. It will strip away at everything you believed and make you feel completely different. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book... The pages couldn't turn fast enough. I wasn't sure how everything would come together, but I never expected the outcome we got. When I finally finished I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders. I could finally breathe again. My tense body fell relaxed and mind felt sane again.

Honestly it was like a 1,000 piece puzzle. Each word came together to a form a slightly flawed, slightly messed up... absolutely captivating picture. My heart went out to these fictional characters. Yeah, they were emotionally unstable and yeah, at times I wanted to punch each one, but somehow, someway... They managed to capture my heart and fill my body with sympathy.

It was an intense subject and the Author's writing was flawless. It felt raw and vulnerable. While at times the story became jagged and sharp, it somehow remained smooth and flowing. I did question how Leah went from writing Unteachable to this dark, heavy story and after I read the acknowledgements I understood. My hat goes off to her and anyone else who lived similar scenarios. Sadly, this happens a lot more than we would like to think. It opened my eyes and made me feel things I didn't feel before reading. I am utterly head over heels for this book and quite frankly I now have a girl crush on Leah Raeder.

I definitely recommend this one to every reader out there. It is a MUST READ.  

Burn Baby, Burn Baby by Kevin Craig

Seventeen-year-old Francis Fripp’s confidence is practically non-existent since his abusive father drenched him in accelerant and threw a match at him eight years ago.

Now badly scarred, Francis relies on his best friend Trig to protect him from the constant bullying doled out at the hands of his nemesis, Brandon Hayley—the unrelenting boy who gave him the dreaded nickname of Burn Baby.

The new girl at school, Rachel Higgins, is the first to see past Francis’s pariah-inducing scars.

If Brandon’s bullying doesn’t destroy him, Francis might experience life as a normal teenager for the first time in his life. He just has to avoid Brandon and convince himself he’s worthy of Rachel’s attentions.

Sounds easy enough, but Francis himself has a hard time seeing past his scars. And Brandon is getting violently frustrated, as his attempts to bully Francis are constantly thwarted.

Francis is in turmoil as he simultaneously rushes toward his first kiss and a possible violent end.

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1BVkxvx 

MY THOUGHTS:

5/5 Stars

I am so surprised that this book isn't getting more attention... It is definitely along the lines of The Fault in Our Stars and those other YA books we all love. While being intense and emotional it also brought romance and charm to the table. I loved the friendships and I swooned over the new romance. It was definitely a 5 star read that I recommend to all readers! 

Francis is teen boy with not only physical scarring, but also emotional scarring. He is uncomfortable in his own skin and struggles with living a normal teenage life because he is constantly bullied. Every day he walks into school just waiting to be made fun of or beat up. When a pretty girl stands up for him he can't help but think it's a joke. He wants to keep her at arm's length, but eventually caves and gives in to temptation. Together they embark on a beautiful journey of love. It isn't always easy though and the bullying grows out of control. Can their love survive? READ TO FIND OUT!!!

Burn Baby, Burn Baby was a gut wrenching story about learning to see what's inside and not just judging from appearance. Rachel helps Francis break out of his shell. She shows him that even with the scars he is handsome and worthy of love. He has set backs, but eventually learns to be happy that he is alive.

The Author's writing was great! The story didn't become boring once. It was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm not a huge fan of male pov, but with this book it worked wonders. I connected with Franics and was able to feel every deep emotion he was feeling. 

I really loved the story and I wish more people would give it a read. I promise once you start reading you won't be able to stop.

Reclaiming the Sand by A. Meredith Walters

Bully and victim. Tormenter and tormented. Villain and hero. Ellie McCallum was a bully. No connection to anyone or anything. A sad and lonely existence for a young woman who had come to expect nothing more for herself. Her only happiness coming from making others miserable. Particularly Freaky Flynn. Flynn Hendrick lived a life completely disconnected even as he struggled to become something more than that boy with Asperger's. He was taunted and teased, bearing the brunt of systematic and calculated cruelty, ultimately culminating in a catastrophic turn of events that brought Ellie and Flynn’s worlds crashing down. But then Flynn and Ellie grew up. And moved on. Until years later when their paths unexpectedly cross again and the bully and the freak are face to face once more. When labels come to define you, finding yourself feels impossible. Particularly for two people disconnected from the world who inexplicably find a connection in each other. And out of the wreckage of their tragic beginnings, an unlikely love story unfolds. But a painful past doesn’t always want to let go. And old wounds are never truly healed…and sometimes the further you try to run from yourself the closer you come to who you really are.
Amazon Link- http://amzn.to/1CDwB4B
My Thoughts:
5/5 Stars
A controversial book with so much impact!
WOW! What a read... My mind is still reeling at this one.
The characters were unique and while at times they frustrated the hell out of me, I LOVED them!
Each one brought so much to the table....
 

The story is about a bully falling in love with the guy she has always picked on. Ever since they went to High School together she had a soft spot for him. Around her friends though, she built up a wall and joined in on the bullying. When he comes back into her life she realizes that she has feelings. She wants to pretend she doesn't, but finds him hard to resist.

Flynn is different. He suffers from Asperger's and struggles with socializing. He is brutally honest all the time and says everything that is on his mind. When it comes to Ellie he tries his best to impress her with his charm and good looks. Flynn is guarded and likes to keep people at a distance. Ellie helps him peel back the layers to expose him to a romance like no other. Together they struggle with building a relationship and trying to communicate without hurting one another. They both are different, but together they create a beautiful story!

This is a MUST READ.... There is a lesson behind it and the romance will consume your heart. At times you will want to throw the book, but you will want to come back... don't worry!

It shows that love overcomes all.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Review

Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.
AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1xssVfM


My Thoughts:

4/5 Stars
 

What do you do when something terrible happens, but the words won't leave your mouth to tell the truth?

 

This book is about just that...

 

Melinda was raped and no one knows what truly happened. All they know is she called the cops on the night of the party.

 

When she attends school it's as if she has the plague. Her old friends hate her and people who don't know her glare. She walks through the halls and cringes at the verbal abuse she receives. If only they knew the truth...

 

The story is a classic about just how cruel High School can be. Melinda has to let her guard down in order to Speak again.

 

Slowly she learns to let go by expressing herself through art. When the burden is off her shoulders, things go back to the way they were before... and justice is served.

 

I was captivated by Melinda's story. The things in the book are true actions that one may face in school. Everyone is so quick to judge, even if it's just hear say. To see what Melinda went through showed me how emotionally damaging bullying is. Many times she would hide or cry or even think about ending it all. No one should think such things... I wanted to scream at the people who treated her terribly. My heart ached for her.

 

This is a book that every person should read. It is a beautiful lesson about how tough life can be and how important it is to always speak the truth.

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Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, w