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.

Paperweight by Meg Haston

 

Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped. In her life. In her body. And now in an eating-disorder treatment center on the dusty outskirts of the New Mexico desert.

Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at mealtime, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she’s worked so hard to avoid.

Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh’s death—the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she too will end her life.

In this emotionally haunting and beautifully written young adult debut, Meg Haston delves into the devastating impact of trauma and loss, while posing the question: Why are some consumed by their illness while others embark on a path toward recovery?

 

AMAZON LINK: http://amzn.to/1EYRK4b

MY THOUGHTS:

4/5 Stars

 

*Thank You Harper Teen for an Advanced Copy*

 

This book caught me off guard with it's deep rooted emotion and addicting storyline. I'm not usually keen on switching from past to present, but with this one, it worked. It added depth to the story and made me truly empathize with the lead character. Now I will warn you... Stevie is a tough character to like. She is selfish, troubled, and confused. Give it time though... Let the story progress and get ready to be surprised by many twists. In the end my heart was filled with Stevie love.

 

The writing in this book was great. I applaud the Author for tackling such an intense theme with poise and charm. Most of the scenes were intense, but she did throw in some witty parts that put a smile on my face. I particularly loved the swimming scene. It was the turning point for me... At that point, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Overall, Paperweight is a story I recommend to all teen readers. It opens your eyes to a tough subject and shows you that in the darkest of times there is always a sliver of light.

Forgotten Treasures by D. Hart Review

*** Based on actual events ***

“Forgotten Treasures is beautifully layered with twists and revelations you will never see coming! Dani Hart keeps the pages turning in this sweet romance sprinkled with the hope of undying love. I found myself engrossed, demanding to know what happens next. Each revelation is another key to the puzzle. Perfectly complex! Mesmerizing.” Addison Moore, New York Times Bestselling Author

In the aftermath of destruction, hearts were destroyed, strengths were stripped, and vulnerabilities were exposed.

A community was ripped apart after a tragic accident, and the loss hit one family particularly hard as it claimed the lives of three, leaving only one surviving member to pick up the pieces and move forward.

Baylor’s life was wiped clean in the blink of an eye. No family, no home, no name. That is, until she met Brandt. He took a chance, giving her hope and a reason to start over. A reason to rebuild a life full of forgotten memories. A reason to trust. A reason to love.

Finding love in all the right places should be easy, but when truths are revealed, it's anything but. Brandt will help her rediscover the true meaning of unconditional eternal love that will prove painful, life altering, and redeeming.

Together, they will try to face the future and will use each other’s strengths to learn how to live again. Can they rewrite history, or in the end, will the tragedies of their pasts be too much?

AMAZON - http://amzn.to/1ACHz6A

MY THOUGHTS:
4/5 Stars

*I received an advanced copy for an honest review*

This was an intense story about living with amnesia and getting a second chance at love.
It was fast paced and held my attention the whole way through...

The female lead woke up in the hospital with no memory of her name, who she is, or what happened that put her there. Her mind is worn out, her body is physically drained, and her heart feels shattered... When she is forced out, she relies on strangers Grady and Brandt to take care of her. Together they work together to pull the past out, one secret at a time.

The parts that made this story so addictive to me were the gut wrenching moments. As she relived her memories and experienced those vivid dreams, I became consumed in the character's grief and desperation. My heart raced, my stomach clenched, and my palms became sweaty. I felt connected to the characters and it made it hard for me to put the book down.

I loved the mystery that went with this story... The whole time you are reading, your mind is working double time trying to figure out what really happened. Some of it is predictable though... I don't want to give away too much, but my intuition was right. It was intense and unique, but I was hoping for a huge twist near the end... when really we just get confirmation. I would've liked for there to be more of a shock factor. Something that left me thinking... "Wow, I never saw that coming".

However, I definitely recommend this book to all readers. It was a beautiful story about the mourning process, tragedy, forever love, and learning to live again.

Therapy by Kathryn Perez Review

Sometimes you have to get lost in order to be found... I'm needy. I'm broken. Cutting breaks through my numbness, but only opens more wounds. Depression, bullying, self-harm...that's my reality. Sex and guys...my escape. The space between the truth and lies is blurred leaving me torn, lost and confused. And while the monsters that live in my head try to beat me--the two men that I love try to save me. This is my story of friendship, heartache and the grueling journey that is mental-illness.

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

My Thoughts:

5/5 Stars

 

Wow! This story was like a complex multi piece puzzle.

With each word I read, I could see a bit more of the picture. Some pieces were broken, others were beautiful. All together they formed a complete picture.

 

Jessica goes through the toughest of circumstances. She is bullied by her peers to the point of suicide thoughts. She blocks out all emotions and when she has the need to feel, she cuts. Her escape is the sting of a razor blade.

When the popular guy at school starts standing up for her she doesn't know how to react. She wants to befriend him, but knows it will only cause her more trouble.

A late night beat down leads her back in his arms and that is the beginning of their friendship. They start to fall for one another, but know it will never work. They come from two different families and Jace's would never approve of Jessica.

When he goes off to college, years pass before they meet again. Jessica ends up in a life changing situation... Therapy leads to a new romance, heartbreak, and brutal truths.

 

Let's talk about the characters...
Jessica is emotionally damaged. She lets her demons determine her future. Smiles come occasionally, but most of the time she does all she can just to face another day.

Jace is popular, hot... Athletic and boyfriend to the "mean girl". He has demons of his own though, and a secret that he only reveals to Jessica.
Kinsley, Oh sweet, emotionally damaged, perfect, Kingsley. While he has his own secrets he helps Jessica to gain self confidence and feel beautiful in her own skin. He was my favorite!

 

This story was AMAZING, 5++ Stars and one every person should read. The depth behind the story is one that takes each sentence to reveal the true meaning. It is gut wrenching and beautiful at the same time.

 

I highly recommend it!