Author: Daisy Whitney
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Number of Pages: 288
Source of Book: eARC from publisher on NetGalley

Seventeen-year-old Julien is a romantic—he loves spending his free time at the museum poring over the great works of the Impressionists. But one night, a peach falls out of a Cezanne, Degas ballerinas dance across the floor, and Julien is not hallucinating.
          The art is reacting to a curse that trapped a beautiful girl, Clio, in a painting forever. Julien has a chance to free Clio and he can’t help but fall in love with her. But love is a curse in its own right. And soon paintings begin to bleed and disappear. Together Julien and Clio must save the world’s greatest art . . . at the expense of the greatest love they’ve ever known.
          Like a master painter herself, Daisy Whitney brings inordinate talent and ingenuity to this romantic, suspenseful, and sophisticated new novel. A beautifully decorated package makes it a must-own in print.

First Thought: I got to spend a little more time in Europe – the setting reigns in this book!

In STARRY NIGHTS Daisy Whitney has written an ode to artists and their famous artwork, to those who are well-loved and to those who just love to create. It instantly transports the readers to the streets of Paris, the museums housing the masters, and the heart of the pieces they lovingly created. It’s a touch of whimsy, a touch of romance, a touch of friendships, a touch of secret underground societies, a touch of travel guide, a touch of art history, a touch of unrequited love, a touch of kisses, a touch of mystery, a touch of art heists, a touch of a tour of the greatest art museums around the world. The twisty bits as we uncover what is really going on as Garnier races to figure out how to fix these most famous art pieces before they are destroyed adds an element to the plot that kept me turning the pages. Some of my most favorite parts of the story were the after-hours in the museum with the artwork coming to life elements along with how real the setting became for me. I love Paris and Daisy Whitney transported me right back there with this novel. STARRY NIGHTS is a fun read with a sweet romance and a mystery to figure out that will keep readers intrigued and looking up artwork from the Masters. It’s a bit Night at the Museum + Heist Society + some kind of romance story.

Final Thoughts: Daisy Whitney is one of my favorite authors, and STARRY NIGHTS doesn’t disappoint. Although very different from her previous books, it’s a whimsical read that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

Author: Cat Patrick & Suzanne Young
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Number of Pages: 304
Source of Book: eARC from publisher

Caroline is at a
crossroads. Her grandmother is sick, maybe dying. Like the rest of her
family, Caroline’s been at Gram’s bedside since her stroke. With the
pressure building, all Caroline wants to do is escape–both her family
and the reality of Gram’s failing health. So when Caroline’s best friend
offers to take her to a party one fateful Friday night, she must
choose: stay by Gram’s side, or go to the party and live her life.

The consequence of this one decision will split Caroline’s fate into two seperate paths–and she’s about to live them both.

Friendships
are tested and family drama hits an all-new high as Caroline attempts
to rebuild old relationships, and even make a few new ones. If she
stays, her longtime crush, Joel, might finally notice her, but if she
goes, Chris, the charming college boy, might prove to be everything
she’s ever wanted.

Though there are two distinct ways for her fate to unfold, there is only one happy ending…

First Thought: Really liked reading this story with the parallel story lines
based on one pivotal choice the character made. Seeing the different
ways it turned out and the similarities in the end based on what was
fated to happen was intriguing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I will read any book by Cat Patrick (my Author Spotlight feature on her) and this one has the bonus of Suzanne Young also. I’m a fan for sure! I appreciate when a YA romance has a truly nice guy in it, and this one does in Chris (and Caroline’s brother Teddy, too). This is a story of fate, destiny, choices, and paths in life that makes the reader think about all of those things in her own life. It has a sweet romance (appropriate for upper middle school). It’s an accessible text, but the alternating chapters between each choice will require some focus in the beginning to track what’s going on and which storyline is which. One scene could be
questionable, but I absolutely appreciate the realistic emotional
repercussions of that choice. I do wish some of the physical
considerations had been mentioned though. No graphic details – it’s a fade
away to black scene. Of course, depending on your reading of the book, it may not
have actually even happened. Overall, JUST LIKE FATE is a great contemp romance with added depth to it with family issues and friendships and relationship
choices and dealing with grief.

Final Thought: Although part of me wishes
there was a more concrete answer in the end, I kind of like the ability
to decide for myself which version of events actually happened. But the
reality is that no matter which one actually occurred, there are key similar things that happen in both choices, and that’s really
what it’s all about. And those are the elements I’m happiest about for
Caroline and her family. Fate, destiny, choices, paths in life, and how
we can learn from the mistakes we make and grow from them and appreciate
what we do have all play a strong role. Easier road or rougher road is relative when looking
at all of the things that tie in together.


A good read alike for fans of Kasie West‘s PIVOT POINT.

Title: EVERY DAY
Author: David Levithan
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Number of Pages: 336
Source of Book: ARC from NetGalley & publisher at ALA

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s
never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made
peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get
too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.
It’s all fine
until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets
Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A
has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he
wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan, bestselling co-author of Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,
has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a
captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to
comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and
Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined
to change every day.

There’s something poignant and beautiful and humane in all of David Levithan’s writing and EVERY DAY is no exception. It’s a look into the human condition and wants and desires of the soul. It goes beyond the corporeal factors and gets to the heart, while acknowledging that in some circumstances and in some situations, the body is in charge affecting the mind and soul.

I admit I had a weird sense of deja vu while I was reading. I was describing the premise to my librarian and she said it sounds Quantum Leap-ish, and it is in a way. I used to watch that show often, so that may be why.

The suspense of the story kept me turning pages, not wanting to put it down, and staying up too late because I couldn’t stop reading. Each chapter is a different day/person, some longer and some shorter, so there were natural break points, but that also kept me wanting to read to find out what would happen in the next body on the next day. 

What would you do to prove your love for and to someone? To what lengths would you go to see that person? All of these elements and questions are integrated seamlessly into this story along with elements of acceptance and gender and relationships, both romantic and friendly and also family-related. There were sweet moments in all variations of relationships with no judgement and no preaching, just being, which is one of the things I find so strong about Levithan’s writing.

I was left with a feeling of, Huh…that’s it? at the end, but the more I processed and decompressed from it, the more I realized the quietness and rightness and possibilities left by the ending. As A says, “Every person is a possibility.”

How different each person’s life experience must be based on their soul
and body and circumstances. This idea really hit home with
me even more while reading EVERY DAY. What makes a person who they are? There are some universal
questions in this story and they’re addressed in a spectacularly
thoughtful way.