Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

This is the first novel in the Hopeless series by Colleen Hoover.

Sky has finally gotten her adoptive mother to let her go to public school for the first time in her senior year. She wanted to get used to the public system rather than being home schooled since she is going to college the year after.

Right before she starts school, she meets Dean Holder - the only guy she's ever felt anything and she just saw him. Most guys that she makes out with leave her feeling numb, which she likes because she doesn't have to feel for awhile.

But Holder made her feel so many emotions and he hadn't even touched her - just looked at her and Sky was done for.

When Sky went to school, she already had a reputation as the slut or whore, since she has made out with different guys, even though she's still a virgin. Rumors and lies spread fast in high school, Sky figures out.

Holder fascinates Sky and even though she's hear rumors about him and his past, Sky wants to get to know Holder. But he has many different sides and Sky is not able to understand most of them.

He also gets very jealous around Sky, even though they aren't dating and she's not dating anyone else. But when comments are being made about Sky, Holder will most definitely fight back, unless Sky can talk him out of it.

The chemistry between the two has not gone unnoticed, and with Sky's no filter problem, she blurts out that she wants more with Holder. But he pans it out and let's it linger between the two, keeping their "firsts" spread apart and last longer.

However, things slowly start to go horribly wrong. Sky is having flashes and memories about her life before the adoption. Things she finds out she made herself regret. Things about her best friends when she was 3 and information about her real parents that Sky is now just realizing she wished she never remembered.

Because everything Sky has thought about herself is horribly wrong. She doesn't even know her real self anymore after the secrets get unburied. Now Sky has to deal with what happened, and how Holder is involved in all of her past dark secrets that he knew about before Sky did.

To find out what happened to Sky, and what will happen between Sky and Holder, read Hopeless by Colleen Hoover!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Just a forewarning, this is a NEW ADULT novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Adult (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

I read Hoovers other novel, Slammed, and enjoyed it, but didn't love it. But this novel? I read it in one sitting and wanted more!

I literally laughed out loud (especially when Sky didn't know what "lol" meant), made me gasp, hold my breath, and I cried. Oh, boy, did I cry at the end. I definitely went on an emotional roller coaster ride through this novel and loved every minute of it!

This novel was so intense - even before the big secret was revealed. Holder is an intense guy and Sky actually feels things when he's around, so that alone is intense.

And speaking of the big secret? I most definitely guessed correctly on everything that was revealed long before it happened. But when I guessed it, I didn't want it to be real. It was so horrible and that is why I cried at the end. Because even though I guessed correctly, I really didn't want my guess to be right.

Hoover did an amazing job. Even if all readers guess what happens at the end, it is still emotional and heart breaking - especially when we read about Sky and Holder's reaction and emotions to the revealing.

Even though I heard tons of great reviews from this novel, it took me awhile to spend money on it for the eBook on Amazon, but I finally did and boy am I sure glad I experienced this novel. I will definitely not be forgetting this story any time soon, and I'm curious to see what Hoover is going to write about for the sequel of this novel. I will, however, be waiting to find out the minute any information about the sequel comes out, because I need to read more about Sky and Holder.

I would most definitely recommend this novel to my friends and any older readers, as the content is very graphic in some areas. Go read it. Now. You won't regret it!

My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron

Starting sophomore year for college in Maine, Taylor is excited to be rooming with Darah and Renee. But she has to room with a new person because one of their friends decided to room off campus.

So it was a huge surprise when she answered the door to Hunter, with tattoos, buzzed hair cut, and a guitar case. Who just so happened to be Taylor's new roommate. And by roommate, it actually means that he and Taylor will be sharing the same bedroom.

Taylor is not having it. She calls the housing residents only to find that they are closed on opening day (really?) and cannot find anyone that will fix this situation. Sure, her college is co-ed rooming  That doesn't mean that Taylor wants to be one of those housing units.

After drawing a name out of a jar to determine whether Taylor, Darah, or Renee will room with him, it just so happens he draws Taylor's name. She's stuck with him.

And then he propositions her enough to make her punch him in the face and kick him where it hurts. It's going to be a wonderful semester living with this bad boy attitude, guitar playing, and shockingly good cook.

But Hunter makes a bet with Taylor: prove to him that she sincerely hates him, or loves him, and he will move out that day. Sounds easy, right? Except that Taylor can't really hate him. Sure, she hates what she reminds her of, a dark time 8 years ago that she never wants to remember. But as for hating Hunter alone? She really doesn't.

Then Taylor finds out that she has a class with him: human sexuality, oh joy. She also gets a job at the library, only to find out that Hunter will be working there as well!

Looks like Taylor better get used to Hunter being around constantly, and always making ensuendo's to her that make Taylor blush every time she thinks about them.

Taylor has a good reason not to trust the male gender. Something horrendous happened to her 8 years ago and she has never been able to get over it. But somehow, Taylor gets the feeling that Hunter may be the one person to block all of her walls that she's built.

But the unthinkable happens - the man that terrifies her the most in the world may be coming back into her life. And Taylor cannot handle that.

Will Taylor be able to have a true friendship/relationship with Hunter? Can both Hunter and Taylor get past their tortured histories enough to let the other one in, or will they forever be doomed to stay in the dark memories of their past? Read My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
So, just a forewarning, this is a NEW AGE novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Age (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

Ahh!!!! I. Loved. This. Novel!! Loved, loved, loved it!

Okay, on to the review portion. So, I was hooked from the first chapter. And after Taylor punched Hunter, I fell in love with this novel. And I still had 200 + chapters to go!

Taylor is a girl who can take care of herself. After what happened to her when she was younger, she made sure she would be ready for anyone that threatens her at any given time. And Hunter made her feel feelings that she didn't want to feel, which made her feel uneasy and she wanted to express what she thought of that.

Hunter loved it.

Now, I know a few reasons why I fell in love with this novel. One, Taylor was known as the "Ice Queen" in high school because she stayed away from boys, completely ignored them, read a lot of books, and was very anti-social. I was like that in high school, only my name was a bit nastier.

Second, she starts working in a library. I worked in a library and still do today.

Third, she was very determined to stay away from Hunter. It was actually quite successful that I was on my seat waiting for the two of them to finally kiss!

The dark pasts for both Hunter and Taylor were very horrible. I can completely see two people today in real life acting the way Hunter and Taylor did because of what happened to them. And if you want to know what it is, you're going to have to read the book ;)

I loved this book. Maybe not as much as Beautiful Disaster, but it is a very close second.

I would definitely recommend this to any older young adult reader, since it is a New Age novel. But I will most certainly be telling everyone I know to read it right away, because I want everyone to experience this wonderful novel!

Also, I think I read somewhere that there is going to be a sequel?!? If so, I will most definitely be getting it! I wonder what Cameron will write about with the sequel. I don't care who/what it is about, I will have it in my collection.

So, what are you waiting for?!? Go get this book!! :)

Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams

It's been 9 months since London's older brother, Zach, died. They were only a year apart and were best friends, being homeschooled and traveling around the world with their dad's work.

Going to school was awful. London felt like everyone was blaming her for her brother's death. And Zach's closest friend, Taylor, was also her previous boyfriend, and is trying to talk to London again.

Things at home are worse than school, though. London's dad is burying himself into work. And her mom. She has blocked out the world and everyone in it, especially London.

She acts like she lost both of her children, instead of just Zach. But London knows that her mother loved Zach the most, so it probably felt like she lost the best thing of her life.

That doesn't make London want to go home at all. She's always ignored there and it feels like an empty house without Zach.

When a new family moves to town, London finds that she has a new friend. Lili and Jesse, brother and sister, were also previously homeschooled and Lili wants to be London's friend.

As for Jesse, London has this attraction to him that makes her feel alive. Whereas when she's with Taylor, she feels comforted by Zach's memory and the past they all had together.

Will London's family ever become whole again? Is London's attraction to both Jesse and Taylor wrong? Who will she finally pick in the end between the two? Read Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This was not exactly what I pictured when reading the cover blurb. First, it's almost Christian Fiction because the father was a missionary and traveled to third world countries, taking his family with him.

Also, this deals with numerous topics. Some I didn't even mention in my overview above.

But even with the various topics, I found myself reading to the end because I wanted to know what really happened to Zach.

The situation with London's family was heartbreaking. Not only did she lose her best friend and brother, but she also lost her parents. Her dad is delving more into his work to hide from the death that happened and her mom...

Her mom makes me angry. Yes, she lost her son, but she has a daughter she needs to remember too. Instead she just ignores her, pretending that she has no more children even though London is crying out for her love after this terrible event happened to their family.

London behaved like I thought a girl broken would act like. She's running on fumes, not knowing what is up and down anymore after losing her main link of life. She's kissing two boys and not knowing what to do with either of them. And she has good days, but they are followed with bad days.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. It wasn't my absolute favorite but it brought up a lot of points and problems that occur in families all over the world and it caught my attention to read until the last page.

For anyone who wants to read about a religious family caught in a situation, a sister trying to get past her brother's death, or a girl trying to find life again, this would be the book for you.

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Things in Zoey's life were going pretty good. She was the captain of the swim team, she was known at school, and she had a great chance to get a scholarship for college next year.

But then her father got his 24 year old mistress pregnant (only 7 years older than Zoey), causing her parents to divorce and her mother to start taking sleeping pills. 3 months after the shocking news, Zoey's mother tries to commit suicide.

Zoey found her in time, but she was sent to an institute and Zoey was forced to live with her father.

But that's not the only thing that was wrong. Zoey starting dating Brandon, the player of the school. They've been friends for years, Zoey heard all of his "conquest" stories and gave Brandon tips and helpful advice about the girls he slept with.

After a car accident, Zoey is woken up stuck in her crashed car not by her boyfriend Brandon, but by Doug, a guy who has hated her since 9th grade. Only, he doesn't act like he hates her. In fact, he acts like they are a couple now.

Zoey can't remember anything that happened from the football game til the car crash when she wakes up. What happened? Why wasn't Brandon, her boyfriend, with her? Why does Doug not hate her anymore, but actually acts as though he likes her? Read Forget You by Jennifer Echols to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This book captivated me! I read it in one sitting so it was an easy read and an addictive story. I really liked Zoey. She tried to be so perfect at the beginning of the story, making sure everything was perfect at home with her mom, keeping the house clean, being the perfect daughter.

When she was with her dad, I got so angry at him because he was so mean to Zoey, when all she wanted was to make him happy. Then with her mother trying to commit suicide, I just wanted to be there for Zoey as a friend she could lean on.

The tension between Zoey and Doug is off the charts. At first Zoey thinks that Doug hates her. He went to juvie in 8th grade and when he came back, he had a distinct icy, nasty look every time Zoey was in the same room with him. But as the story goes on, the tension turns from hatred to maybe them liking each other?

There is a lot of subject matter that is covered in this book, but Jennifer Echols did a wonderful job with each topic.

I would definitely recommend this novel to any teen girl who's been confused by a boy. And also any teen girl who has to keep secrets from their friends. I really enjoyed this book and I think other readers will like it as well!

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters

Daelyn Rice has tried to commit suicide twice, but in her words, she "failed" both times. This book follows Daelyn as she gets ready to attempt her third try.

In order to prepare herself, she finds a website called "Through the Light" where others sign in to talk about their experience with bullying, suicide attempts, sexual harassment, and ranting discussion boards with other people about to commit suicide.

The last attempt Daelyn tried to commit suicide, she ruined her vocal cords, which left her mute until they healed themselves. Everyone at school started calling her a freak. Before that, Daelyn was called the "fat girl" and other similar names because she was overweight.

Daelyn was tired of her life. Nothing seemed worth living for anymore, so, according to the website "Through the Light" her next attempt would be in 23 days.

As Daelyn was waiting for her parents to pick her up after school, a boy with bleach white hair sat next to her on the bench and started to talk to her. He didn't mind that Daelyn ignored him, he just kept talking.

Daelyn doesn't want to talk to Santana - she wants to be detached from everyone: classmates, teachers, parents, Santana. However, Santana starts to get under her cracks and she wonders if committing suicide is the right thing to do.

This wasn't my favorite book, but it was very informative on how a teenager feels when thinking about ending their life and the reasons why they would want to do it. Daelyn has had a hard life and sees no happiness in her future.

If you want a short read that goes into the heart and mind of a troubled, sad, hopeless teen, this would be a good book to pick. If you want a cheerful, uplifting book, I would not recommend this book.

So... does Daelyn succeed in her third suicide? Does she try to commit suicide again? Read this short story to find out for yourself! ;-)