Paper Girl by Cindy R. Wilson | Blog Tour and Review

Paper Girl
By Cindy R. Wilson
400 Pages
Published December 4th, 2018
Young Adult, Contemporary
Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse, Panic Attacks, Drugs, and Alcoholism

This book was provided to me from YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

I haven’t left my house in over a year. My doctor says it’s social anxiety, but I know the only things that are safe are made of paper. My room is paper. My world is paper. Everything outside is fire. All it would take is one spark for me to burst into flames. So I stay inside. Where nothing can touch me.
Then my mom hires a tutor. Jackson. This boy I had a crush on before the world became too terrifying to live in. Jackson’s life is the complete opposite of mine, and I can tell he’s got secrets of his own. But he makes me feel things. Makes me want to try again. Makes me want to be brave. I can almost taste the outside world. But so many things could go wrong, and all it takes is one spark for everything I love to disappear...

 Purchase the book here from various retailers!

How We Learned to Lie by Meredith Miller | Blog Tour & Review

How We Learned to Lie

By Meredith Miller
Published on July 31, 2018
384 Pages
Young Adult, Contemporary







This book was provided to me from Edelweiss and The Fantastic Flying Book Club in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

Violence in the small, suburban town of Highbone, Long Island, is escalating, and best friends Joan and Daisy are finding themselves in the centre of it.
Joan has always been fascinated by the inner workings of living things: dogfish, eels, stingrays. But the more she sees of life outside her microscope, the more she realizes that people aren’t as easy to read as cells on a slide, and no one, not even Daisy, tells the truth.
Daisy’s always wished he had a family more like Joan’s, and that desire has only grown since his dad went to jail. But not even Joan can help Daisy keep his deadbeat older brother from putting everyone close to them in more danger.
When tragedy strikes too close to home, Joan and Daisy need each other more than ever. But no matter how hard they try, their secrets and lies have driven them apart. It’s only a matter of time before their friendship, just like their town, goes up in flames.

Book Links

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Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Book Depository * Kobo * IndieBound * iBooks

The Fault in Our Stars vs. Turtles all the Way Down | Book Battles

Welcome to Book Battles, a feature here at Crazy for YA where I put two books in the battle ring and have them fight it out to see which one is better. See all of my previous bloody, literary battles.

Today's fight is a vicious fight, two masterpieces from the same creator, a cult classic vs. the new book on the scene, The Fault in Our Stars vs. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green.

In case you want to catch up with the record of our contestants today, you can find my original book battle between The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska here.

In addition to both being written by the same author, TFIOS and TATWD are extremely similar. They both deal with tragedy, death, and philosophical teenagers. Both novels have a female main character who has to deal with these unfavorable circumstances aided by a love interest. Parents play a large role in both stories, unlike his other novels.

Today, I am going to investigate which of John Green's stories is superior.

Not all that glitters is gold | Reality Gold by Tiffany Brooks

Reality Gold
By Tiffany Brooks

Published on May 22, 2018
398 Pages
YA, Contemporary

This book was provided to me by YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

High school senior Riley Ozaki is desperate to change her reality after an avalanche of Internet shaming ruined her life. With her reputation and self-esteem at rock bottom thanks to cyberbullying, Riley needs to do something drastic to repair her social standing—which is why she decided to try out for a reality TV show. Suddenly, she’s dropping onto a deserted tropical island with nineteen other teens for a Survivor-style competition that she hopes will be her redemption. With a cast of vivid characters who will stop at nothing to win the show, a cursed island setting, and a priceless treasure waiting to be discovered, Reality Gold pitches readers right into scheming web of lies, love, and betrayal. This novel is a fast-paced journey where allies may not be who they say they are, and legends abound. Riley must embrace all of life’s realities, including loss and deceit, in order to discover who she truly is.

Harry Houdini has nothing on her | The Art of Escaping Review

The Art of Escaping
By Erin Callahan
Publication on June 18, 2018
320 Pages
Young Adult, Contemporary

This book was provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

Seventeen-year-old Mattie is hiding her obsession with Harry Houdini and Dorothy Dietrich from everyone, including her best friend Stella. When Stella takes off to boarding school for the summer, all of Mattie’s anxieties bubble to the surface, leaving her feeling adrift. To distract herself, she seeks out Miyu, the reclusive daughter of a world-renowned escape artist whose life and career were snuffed out by a tragic plane crash.
With Miyu’s help, Mattie secretly transforms herself into a burgeoning escapologist and performance artist. Away from the curious eyes of her peers, she thrives in her new world of lock picking, straitjackets, and aquarium escapes. But when Will, a popular varsity athlete from her high school, discovers her act at an underground venue, she fears that her double life is about to be exposed. But instead of outing her, Will tells Mattie something he’s never told anyone before and the two of them find out that not all secrets can remain secret forever.
Told through the perspectives of the witty main characters, this funny and fresh debut explores the power of stage personas and secret spaces, and speaks to the uncanny ways in which friendships transform us.

Girl Out of Water by Laura Silverman | Sunday Street Team

Girl Out of Water

By Laura Silverman
Published on May 2, 2017
350 pages
Young Adult, Diverse, Contemporary




This book was provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

Anise Sawyer plans to spend every minute of summer with her friends: surfing, chowing down on fish tacos drizzled with wasabi balsamic vinegar, and throwing bonfires that blaze until dawn. But when a serious car wreck leaves her aunt, a single mother of three, with two broken legs, it forces Anise to say goodbye for the first time to Santa Cruz, the waves, her friends, and even a kindling romance, and fly with her dad to Nebraska for the entire summer. Living in Nebraska isn’t easy. Anise spends her days caring for her three younger cousins in the childhood home of her runaway mom, a wild figure who’s been flickering in and out of her life since birth, appearing for weeks at a time and then disappearing again for months, or even years, without a word. 
Complicating matters is Lincoln, a one-armed, charismatic skater who pushes Anise to trade her surfboard for a skateboard. As Anise draws closer to Lincoln and takes on the full burden and joy of her cousins, she loses touch with her friends back home – leading her to one terrifying question: will she turn out just like her mom and spend her life leaving behind the ones she loves.

Is Normal all that Great Anyway? | Fifteen Seconds of Normal by Alex Marestaing

Fifteen Seconds of Normal

By Alex Marestaing
Published on October 11, 2016

294 Pages
Young Adult, Diverse



This book was provided to me from YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

Step 1: Transfer High Schools. Step 2: Hide your Tourette’s. Step 3: Find your fifteen seconds of normal. 
Kaeya Garay has a plan. And it seems to be working. But when a curious interruption named Thatcher Kelly stumbles upon her “safe” place in the school’s abandoned art gallery, her grand plans for normalcy are suddenly derailed. 
Set over the course of three weeks, Fifteen Seconds of Normal is the quirky saga of a literature obsessed teen on the edge of a meltdown and the hope driven heroine who begins to pull him back.

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout | Release Blitz

The Problem with Forever

By Jennifer L. Arementrout

Released on May 17, 2016

480 pages

Published by Harlequin Teen

Young Adult, Contemporary

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes a riveting new story about friendship, survival, and finding your voice.

For some people, silence is a weapon.
For Mallory “Mouse” Dodge, it’s a shield.
Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime.
Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she’s imagined, there’s one she never dreamed of—that she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory must make a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants, and the truths that need to be heard.

Grab your copy of THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER:

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * iBooks * Kobo * Indiebound  

Manic Pixie Dream Girls Give Me Nightmares | Thanks for the Trouble by Tommy Wallach

Thanks for the Trouble

By Tommy Wallach
Published February 23, 2016
368 pages
Simon & Schuster

“I’ve got some questions for you. Was this story written about me?”
I shrugged.
“Yes or no?”
I shrugged again, finally earning a little scowl, which somehow made the girl even more pretty. It brought a bloom to her pale cheeks and made sharp shelves of her cheekbones.
“It’s very rude not to answer simple questions,” she said.
I gestured for my journal, but she still wouldn’t give it to me. So I took out my pen and wrote I can’t on my palm.
Then, in tiny letters below it, I finished the thought: Now don’t you feel like a jerk?
Parker Santé hasn’t spoken a word in five years. While his classmates plan for bright futures, he skips school to hang out in hotels, killing time by watching the guests. But when he meets a silver-haired girl named Zelda Toth, a girl who claims to be quite a bit older than she looks, he’ll discover there just might be a few things left worth living for.

Sunday Street Team + Interview | Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider

The Sunday Street Team is a group of bloggers led by the marvelous Nori @ ReadWriteLove28 who aim to bring well-deserved attention to new and upcoming books and their authors. 

It seems like spring is (slowly) transitioning into summer and I cannot be more excited! I am so tired of cold, rainy days that spring brings. Fortunately, this month's SST is a wonderful summer-themed novel that will chase the last of the spring blues away. I am spotlighting Erin L. Schneider and her debut novel, Summer of Sloane.

Summer of Sloane
By Erin L. Schneider
Published on May 3, 2016
304 pages
Disney-Hyperion

Warm Hawaiian sun. Lazy beach days. Flirty texts with her boyfriend back in Seattle.
These are the things seventeen-year-old Sloane McIntyre pictured when she imagined the summer she’d be spending at her mom’s home in Hawaii with her twin brother, Penn. Instead, after learning an unthinkable secret about her boyfriend, Tyler, and best friend, Mick, all she has is a fractured hand and a completely shattered heart.
Once she arrives in Honolulu, though, Sloane hopes that Hawaii might just be the escape she needs. With beach bonfires, old friends, exotic food, and the wonders of a waterproof cast, there’s no reason Sloane shouldn’t enjoy her summer. And when she meets Finn McAllister, the handsome son of a hotel magnate who doesn’t always play by the rules, she knows he’s the perfect distraction from everything that’s so wrong back home.
But it turns out a measly ocean isn’t nearly enough to stop all the emails, texts, and voicemails from her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, desperate to explain away their betrayal. And as her casual connection with Finn grows deeper, Sloane’s carefree summer might not be as easy to find as she’d hoped. Weighing years of history with Mick and Tyler against their deception, and the delicate possibility of new love, Sloane must decide when to forgive, and when to live for herself.

Adorkable by Cookie O'Gorman | When a nerd falls in love

Adorkable
By Cookie O'Gorman
Released on March 31, 2016
283 pages
Debut, Young Adult, Romance

This book was provided to me from YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

Summary from Goodreads: 
Adorkable (ah-dor-kuh-bul): Descriptive term meaning to be equal parts dorky and adorable. For reference, see Sally Spitz.
Seventeen-year-old Sally Spitz is done with dating. Or at least, she's done with the horrible blind dates/hookups/sneak attacks her matchmaking bestie, Hooker, sets her up on. There's only so much one geek girl and Gryffindor supporter can take.
Her solution: she needs a fake boyfriend. And fast.
Enter Becks, soccer phenom, all-around-hottie, and Sally's best friend practically since birth. When Sally asks Becks to be her F.B.F. (fake boyfriend), Becks is only too happy to be used. He'd do anything for Sal--even if that means giving her PDA lessons in his bedroom, saying she's "more than pretty," and expertly kissing her at parties.
The problem: Sally's been in love with Becks all her life--and he's completely clueless.This book features two best friends, one special edition Yoda snuggie, countless beneath-the-ear kisses and begs the question:
Who wants a real boyfriend when faking it is so much more fun?

High School isn't a Musical | Liars and Losers Like Us by Ami Allen-Vath

Liars and Losers Like Us

By Ami Allen-Vath
Published on March 15,, 2016
240 pages
Sky Pony Press

This book was provided to me from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

Keep calm and make it to prom night—without a legit panic attack.

For seventeen-year-old Bree Hughes, it’s easier said than done when gossip, grief, and the opportunity to fail at love are practically high-fiving her in the hallways of Belmont High.

When Bree’s crush, Sean Mills, gives her his phone number, she can’t even leave a voicemail without sounding like a freak. Then she’s asked to be on Prom Court because Maisey Morgan, the school outcast nominated as a joke, declined. She apologizes to Maisey, but it’s too late. After years of torment and an ugly secret shared with their class’s cruel Pageant Queen, Maisey commits suicide. Bree is left with a lot of regret…and a revealing letter with a final request.

With Sean by her side, Bree navigates through her guilt, her parents’ divorce, and all the Prom Court drama. But when a cheating-love-triangle secret hits the fan after a night of sex, drinks, and video games, she’s left with new information about Sean and the class Pageant Queen. Bree must now speak up or stay silent. If she lets fear be her guide, she’ll lose her first love, and head to prom to avenge the death of the school outcast—as a party of one.

Mini-Reviews | Breaking hearts, demons, and thoughts on how we treat people

,
Since I do not have a Time-Turner, a TARDIS, or a cloning machine, I just do not have time to write a full review for all of the books that I read. So, I have decided to write mini-reviews to discuss the books that I do not have as much to say about. That does not mean that I did not like these books, but sometimes, as creative and amazing as my brain is, I just cannot think of that much to write about a book. 

Today, I am discussing how Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between broke my heart, how The Demon King gave me hope for books with multiple perspectives, and how You are Mine's unique premise was not enough to make me love the story.

Sunday Street Team + Interview | The Possibility of Now by Kim Culbertson

The Sunday Street Team is a group of bloggers led by the marvelous Nori @ ReadWriteLove28 who aim to bring well-deserved attention to new and upcoming books and their authors. 

This month's author is Kim Culbertson, who is the author of the contemporary novel, The Possibility of Now.

The Possibility of Now
By Kim Culbertson
Published January 26, 2016
305 Pages

Mara James has always been a perfectionist with a plan. But despite years of overachieving at her elite school, Mara didn't plan on having a total meltdown during her calculus exam. Like a rip-up-the-test-and-get-escorted-out kind of meltdown. And she definitely didn't plan on never wanting to show her face again.
Mara knows she should go back,only she can't bring herself to do it. Because suddenly she doesn't know why she's been overachieving all these years. So Mara tells her mom she wants to go live with her estranged dad in Tahoe. Maybe in a place like Tahoe, where people go to get away from everyday life, and with a dad like Trick McHale, a ski bum avoiding real life, Mara can figure things out.
Except Tahoe is nothing like she thought it would be. There are awesome new friends and a chance to finally get to know Trick, but there are also still massive amounts of schoolwork. Can Mara find a balance between the future and the now, or will she miss out on both?

About the Author

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Kim Culbertson is the author of Catch a Falling Star; Instructions for a Broken Heart, a Northern California Book Award winner; and Songs for a Teenage Nomad. When she’s not writing young adult novels, she teaches high school creative writing. Kim lives with her husband and their daughter in Northern California. For more about Kim, visit www.kimculbertson.com.

Review | The Truth of Never by O. E. Boroni

The Truth of Never

By O. E. Boroni
Never Trilogy #3
Adult, Romance
Released on October 20, 2015
360 pages






This book was provided to me from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

Can love really conquer all?
Thirteen years ago, Lenora Baker and Nathan Roque ran into each other in their boarding school courtyard. Despite the bitter losses and experiences that they were both nursing in their hearts, they somehow managed to find in each other a passion that healed as powerfully as it burned. But demons aren’t chased away that easily. 
Now, thirteen years later, everything is rekindled with a ferocity that neither of them can ignore. They’ve found their way back to each other but in this conclusion to the trilogy, their hope for the love-filled future that neither of them ever believed that they could have is on the line. 
Life happens; disaster rocks the already shaky ground that they’re standing on, and dreams begin to seem like nightmares.
Will they find the answers to the questions that have plagued them for so long, or will they once again succumb to their fears?

Review | Accidental Butterfly by Marisa Cleveland

Accidental Butterfly

By Marisa Cleveland
Published July 5, 2015
180 Pages
Young Adult, Romance
Review by Tessa



This book was provided to me from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book. 

Alive, Kate Dunlap breezed through high school with meaningless friendships and relative ease. But after an accidental overdose ends Kate’s human existence, she’s granted the opportunity of a lifetime.
Return to Earth. Save Jake Barton. Prove her worth.

Success guarantees Kate an all access backstage pass to heaven. But as she falls in love for the first time, the reformed superficial social butterfly must risk her chance at redemption to guarantee Jake’s life on Earth.

Launch Celebration | The Truth of Never by O.E. Boroni

I am very excited to celebrate the launch of the third, and final, book in the Never Trilogy by O. E. Boroni!

I have been a champion for this series since the beginning of time (or The Beginning of Never, ha ha). I have reviewed the first two books in the series, and you should definitely check those out before proceeding. 

Click the images to see my reviews. 

(Spoiler Alert: They were both amazing!)

Since Boroni has a habit of leaving her readers dangling off of the most dangerous and enticing cliffhangers, I am excited that the final book can finally be in my greedy little hands!

The Truth of Never
The Never Trilogy #3
By O. E. Boroni
Publication Date: October 20, 2015
Pages: 360

Can love really conquer all?

Thirteen years ago, Lenora Baker and Nathan Roque ran into each other in their boarding school courtyard. Despite the bitter losses and experiences that they were both nursing in their hearts, they somehow managed to find in each other a passion that healed as powerfully as it burned. But demons aren’t chased away that easily. 

Now, thirteen years later, everything is rekindled with a ferocity that neither of them can ignore. They’ve found their way back to each other but in this conclusion to the trilogy, their hope for the love-filled future that neither of them ever believed that they could have is on the line. 

Life happens; disaster rocks the already shaky ground that they’re standing on, and dreams begin to seem like nightmares. Will they find the answers to the questions that have plagued them for so long, or will they once again succumb to their fears?

Review | All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

All The Bright Places

Author: Jennifer Niven
Release Date: January 6th, 2015
Pages: 388
Review By: Max

After her sister died in a tragic accident, Violet Markey attempts to return to her normal life. She soon realizes nothing can ever be the same, so Violet spends her time counting down the days until she can leave her small Indiana town and the haunting grief.

Theodore Finch (or Theodore Freak, as his classmates are known to call him) tries on different versions of himself in order to forget about the bullies and his troubled home life, but it's becoming harder and harder to stay awake.

One fateful school day, the two find themselves on the top of a bell tower, contemplating jumping. Even though the two have never spoken before, they manage to talk each other out of any sort of reckless decision, and despite their popularity differences, Violet and Finch slowly become friends. The friendship quickly becomes something more, and Violet and Finch discover who they are and what life can be when you're not focused on death. As they become more focused on life, however, Finch starts to lose the strength he needs to stay awake.

Blog Tour + Review | The Way to Never by O. E. Boroni

Today, I am happy to announce my stop on The Way to Never blog tour. A couple of months ago, I also participated in The Beginning of Never blog tour. If you want to see my review of the first installment of this series, then click here.

The Way to Never
By O. E. Boroni
Published July 25, 2015



*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review, but this ndoes not affect my opinion of the book in ANY way.*

When falling out of love, refuses to become an option… 

Nathan Roque first met Lenora Baker, a beautiful, exasperating, and bitter girl when she was just fifteen years old. He fell so deeply in love with her that he suspected that in his lifetime, nothing else could ever mirror the kind of commitment that she drew out of him. But she is left heartbroken when an unfortunate incident drives them apart. 

Thirteen years later, he sets out to reach out to her when he can no longer resist the consuming thoughts of her that have haunted him for so long. However, the same demons that caused him to let go of her in the first place are still holding him back. But when he is thrust into a situation where he has no choice but to become professionally involved with her, a Pandora’s Box of angst, resentment, and passion is unleashed. 

Now they are forced to make the decision on how to proceed. But will it justify the one that they made in the past, or will it mock it? 

Mini-Reviews | Summer disappointment, my first DNF review, and Dessen nostalgia

It's Not Summer Without You

Author: Jenny Han
Series: Summer #2
Release Date: January 1, 2010
Pages: 288



One of the main reasons that I loved The Summer I Turned Pretty was the nostalgia and feelings it ignited. Those emotions were still present in this part of the series, but I really had a harder time connecting with Belly and her experiences. I can only take so much summer drama and boy troubles before I feel like bashing my head in a wall. It's Not Summer Without You walked that line very closely. 

A lot of the same issues from the first book, like the wishy-washy love triangle, continued into this book. The continuation is not the problem, the execution was. The same points were reiterated repeatedly and the same angst was apparent on every page.

I still adored the flashbacks. This time, they were more recent and built up the plot and tension beautifully. I love books that can keep me in suspense and wondering all throughout the book, and It's Not Summer Without You succeeded in that factor. 

I did enjoy the dual perspectives. We actually got two sides of the story this time. This double insight, along with the detailed flashbacks, helped me truly understand, relate to, and ultimately love the characters in this book.

I really wished for more from this second book, but I ended up with more angst and drama than sweet summertime feelings and nostalgia.

The Witch Hunter

Author: Virginia Boecker

Series: The Witch Hunter #1

Release Date: June 2, 2015

Pages: 368

I love the cover, the synopsis, and the thought of a struggle between witches and witch hunters, but I only got through 40 pages before I decided to DNF this book.

It is a sad and rare day when I completely give up on a book, especially so early in the game.

I was enjoying the story for the first 15 pages. The world-building looked promising, the characters were alright but needed some work, and the foundations of the plot were being laid. I would have been happy to continue that story.

Then, the main character got insanely wasted. At the age of like 16. In the first 20 pages of a book. That rubbed me the wrong way and gave a terrible shadow to the main character. 

But, then I encountered a characterization technique that I am not a fan of--using extreme, and most likely unnecessary, emotional and physical trauma to as characterization. 

I am not going to consider this a spoiler, because it happened in the first 40 pages of the book, but it is quickly revealed that the main character has been forced to spend nights with the king. Then, she was accused of being a witch as a way to avoid delving further into that unsavory topic. It was just cast away like it did not matter. If you are going to use a technique like that, own up to it and directly address the awfulness. Not avoiding it with random plot twists.

I did not get past page 50 of this book. The issues in the book were brought up too abruptly and then dismissed too nonchalantly for me to continue the story. 

Saint Anything

Author: Sarah Dessen
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Pages: 417



I have had my ups and downs with Sarah Dessen. I loved all of her early books, like The Truth about Forever and Along for the Ride. But recently, I have not been in love with her books. I disliked The Moon and More, so I was hesitant to read Saint Anything. I am glad to report that this one is reminiscent of her earlier work and I really enjoyed it. 

The characters were complex and completely bared to the reader. In contemporaries, I believe that the characters drive the book. Without good characters, no one will care about the plot. Fortunately, Dessen nailed her characters with this one.

One twist with this book was that the romance was not really the main act of this book. The relationships and their ensuing issues did not really come into play into the second half of the book. The true focuses of this book was family, friends, and forgiveness. All of Dessen's books have these elements, but none as strong as Saint Anything. 

The family issues were also intense with this plot. I love how Dessen shed light onto the problems without casting them off or exaggerating. I felt every one of the blows that this family suffered, almost as if they were my own.

Nevertheless, the romance was still spot-on, like with all of Dessen's novels. It was slow-burning, born out of friendship, and deeply rooted in trust, loyalty, and understanding. I love deep relationships like this, especially because they are so hard to build up in the span of a mere 400 pages.

Saint Anything is by far the darkest, most complex, and most character-centered books that I have read by Sarah Dessen. It reminded me of her earlier works, which also happen to be my favorites of her work. Now I have another favorite to add to that list.