I knew my book recommendations are a bit late already, but vacation and outings is not over yet! Grab these two books and you will surely enjoy your summer escapade!
Bounce: A Boomerang Novel (March)
I actually won this book from a blog contest and I got giddy when I received it. Bounce is the final story from the Boomerang Series written by two very talented and amazing writers under one pseudonym.
Bounce is about Skyler Canby, a cellist who is trying to support herself and her mother. She auditioned for a supporting part, but never in her wildest dream that she would be chosen as the lead character and even planted a ‘real kiss’ with her audition partner!
Grey Blackwood is reckless musician who spent his days working with his brother’s new project while he performs with his band at night. Blackwood Entertainment will have its first film and he was asked to be the ‘audition lead actor’. He got bored with the auditions not until this lady with a pink hair read her lines and he just kissed her!
What I like about the story:
The audition and the music… I actually enjoyed the audition parts of Skyler and this story also features about finding yourself with great songs.
The chemistry of the young Grey and a little bit mature Skyler. Don’t mind the age, but these two from the very beginning that they met, sparks flew in the air. Skyler was a bit drawn back when she started to have feelings with Grey. She tried to stop herself, but when she became hopeless and tired being a celebrity; she found a solace in the arms of Grey who have been caring and supportive of her.
Quotes to remember!
‘It’s about making a mistake so big, it changes what you see and breathe and even move through. It’s about being lost and not knowing how to stop being lost.’
Grey to Skyler
“I guess I see the lost part as a good thing. Being lost means you’re searching. It means your trying to get somewhere, understand something.”
‘I can’t pretend not to know what it all means. That I wanted him more than anyone else. That he wanted to be here more than anything else. It doesn’t matter if he’s younger than me or musician or still figuring things out. Grey is here. I just want him. Plain and simple.’
‘Because with him it doesn’t matter if I’m in a hospital gown. If I’m not perfect. With him, it all falls away.’
Mia to Sky
“I’m glad, Sky. He’s crazy about you. And I like how he always asks about you. How he wants to care for you. I think you need that since you care for everyone.”
‘Maybe I don’t have to be the yes-girl, after all. Maybe I can be the sometimes girl.The not-now girl.’ –I agree!
Verdict:
If you want a light and fun book to read while you are enjoying the beach for a few days, grab this novel. I swear, Grey and Skyler will keep you company! Congrats to Noelle August aka Veronica Rossi and Lorin Oberweger, awesome collaboration!
The Year We Became Invisible (April)
I saw this book last year and when I read the summary on the back, I became curious. The story teller is someone who is writing for her future partner!
Meet Camille Li, a teenager who is about to graduate from high school. Her life is all plan out: she will enroll in the UC Berkeley, where her father graduated, she will major in Chemistry and she will be a doctor like her dad.
Yet, when Camille’s senior year came, everything changed. She began to start questioning what she truly wants for her life.
What I like about the story:
The story and the pacing… I was instantly become interested as soon as I started reading the first page. Camille is writing to her future partner about her everyday life! How exciting is that right?!
Opposite Attracts: The Slacker ‘Ian’ and the Well-Organized ‘Camille’. I didn’t expect that there would be a romance in the story because the first part was about Camille surviving her last year in high school and preparing her college life. And then came along, Ian, who was into Gabby, but he is still caring for Camille and even remembers everything that she says.
Meet the Invincible. The first thing that came across my mind when I read this word was, am I going to read superhero thingy? Camille became close to Ian’s friends and she saw them as people who can do anything, who looks and enjoy an adventure.
Quotes to remember!
Dad to Camille
“You keep coming to the class and keep practicing because you are not a quitter. You’re a winner.”
‘Sometimes, I think colleges are not looking for those with the most intelligence, but for those who can handle the stress more.’
Ian to Cam
“It’s your life, not your dad’s. God, you even have your whole life planned out to become exactly like your dad.”
“Being right doesn’t make it okay for you to judge people, Cam.”
‘I knew it was right to forgive people who hurt you. But I didn’t think forgiveness meant allowing the people you forget to trample over you again. That wasn’t forgiveness.” –I totally agree!
Cam to the Invicibles
“I felt that fear during our adventures, but I learned that it’s okay to be scared. Fear is okay if you don’t let it take over. When I did things despite that fear, that’s when all these limits didn’t matter. For the first time, I actually believe that I can do anything. I’m different when I’m with you guys. I’m… I’m Invicible.”
Cam’s text to Ian
‘The thing about dreams though is that you eventually wake up. You wake up, and you realize that all those wonderful things you thought you had were all in your head. What hurts the most, Ian, is that unlike other dreams, I don’t forget. Every time I wake up, the disappointment gets stronger and stronger. I don’t think I can hold on to this dream when I know deep in my heart that it’s never going to come true.’ –Heartbreaking!
‘Before I could say anything, Ian grabbed my waist, and he kissed me. He kissed me, and I let him. Right there I knew—I wasn’t a second choice.’
Mom to Cam
“Your Dad told me, ‘Don’t let the disillusion of your dreams ever stop you from dreaming.’”
‘When you have a plan, it says if you follow this one direction, everything’s going to be okay. The problem is life doesn’t have one direction. Sometimes, you never know where to go or even how far you’re going. Maybe instead of planning my life, it would be better to add life to my plan.’ –I love this!
‘But one thing I learned from this roller coaster of a year is that I don’t need you to experience what love is. I also don’t need to wait for you to live my life. My life doesn’t start when I meet you, my life has already started, and it’s a constant surprise.’
Verdict:
Is this really the last page? I was not expecting that I enjoyed the 176 pages of this Young Adult novel by a Filipino author. The Year We Became Invincible is so far my favorite YA book this 2016! It reminded me of my teenage days and you will definitely learn a lot in this great masterpiece. Congratulations to Miss Mae Coyiuto!