You Before Anyone Else by Julie Cross and Mark Perini

Model Finley needs someone to help her shed her "good girl" persona, so she'll try Eddie on for size.

New York City model Finley is fed up with hearing the same feedback at castings: she needs to take some serious action to wipe the "good girl" stamp from her resume if she wants to launch to stardom.

Enter Eddie Wells. He's shallow, predictable…and just as lost as Finley feels. Deep down, Finley is drawn to Eddie's bravado, his intensity. Except Eddie is hiding something. A big something. And when it surfaces, both loving and leaving Finley will become so much harder. 


Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC copy of this book

My review:
Rating: 5 out of 5

I take back everything I ever said in the past about not liking realistic fiction. There's too many I've read this year that I've fallen in love with to say that anymore.

The characterization in this book is fantastic! Character development is fantastic. It's like you're there with the characters as they go through this journey.

Eddie is a rich boy that is trying to escape the grasp of his not loving family. He's made a lot of mistakes in his past but is now trying to live without his families shadow, more like his dad's,  looming over him.

Finley is a goody two-shoes until she meets Eddie, a boy who brings out, not really the worst, but the more daring side of Finley.

There are a lot of obstacles thrown at them through out the book. Things that threaten their relationship but end up making it stronger.

I love the plot to this book. Although I am a sucker for "bad boy" meets "good girl" books this book was different. One: The "bad boy" isn't really a bad boy, he's pretending like he is to get jobs. Two: It delved deeper into the characters personal lives and how one mistake could ruin you entire future. Or improve it. That's the thing I love most about this book. It shows how good things can come out of things that we view as mistakes. Even major screw-ups can end up turning into something magnificent if we let it. I don't think a lot of books show mistakes that way but I love that this one does. One mistake might close one door but it can open up so many more. 

Another thing I love is point of view changes. It gives you insight into more than one persons mind and cause some dramatic irony (when you know something the characters don't) which is my absolute favorite form of irony.

I also can't imagine writing a book with someone else. I tried it. Didn't work out so well. So I  think it shows just how talented these two people are because they wrote a book together and 1) finished it and 2) didn't kill each other. Bravo.

I defiantly recommend it.

Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger

Tessa Hart’s world feels very small. Confined to her bedroom with agoraphobia, her one escape is the online fandom for pop sensation Eric Thorn. When he tweets to his fans, it’s like his speaking directly to her…

Eric Thorn is frightened by his obsessive fans. They take their devotion way too far. It doesn’t help that his PR team keeps posting to encourage their fantasies.

When a fellow pop star is murdered at the hands of a fan, Eric knows he has to do something to shatter his online image fast—like take down one of his top Twitter followers. But Eric’s plan to troll @TessaHeartsEric unexpectedly evolves into an online relationship deeper than either could have imagined. And when the two arrange to meet IRL, what should have made for the world’s best episode of Catfish takes a deadly turn…

 

Rating: 10 out of 5 (Not a miss type. This book goes above and beyond five stars.)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

 

My Review: I love this book so much. Lets start with characters. Tessa and Eric are very well developed especially in their interactions with each other. I love Tessa. I feel like she's an amazing character especially because she going through so much. I feel like there isn't enough books out there that have characters with mental illnesses and I love how Geiger incorporates it into the book, makes it a pretty big deal but doesn't make it the entire plot line.

 

I don't have agoraphobia but I do have anxiety and depression. Not exactly the same thing but I defiantly relate to some of it. Especially peoples reactions to mental disorders. Tessa's Mom and boyfriend don't get it and so they get frustrated really easily with her and I can definitely relate to that with my friends. I love how the author gives a very accurate and realistic telling of mental disorders.

 

I also love Eric. He's sweet and nice. I feel really bad for him though. He had no idea what being in the music industry was going to be like and once he found out it was too late. He feels trapped. Then he meets Tessa who understands him and he finally feels accepted. I love it when it shows the interrogations with him because his only concern is for Tessa. How she's doing and if she's okay.

 

One of the things I love in a book is multiple formats. One of the reasons I LOVE Everything, Everything. This book is told through police interrogations, twitter posts, and twitter DM's along with the normal book format. It's different and different is hard to come by these days. (Oh and there is a direct reference to One Direction and Ariana Grande if that makes you want to read the book more.)

 

The ending has to be the best part of this book. It leaves you floundering, craving more. I literally don't think I can wait for the next book because I'm so shocked at that ending and... perplexed...and confused... and guys I don't think I will be sane until I read what happens next!

 

One more thing... The plot twists!!!! The book completely leads you on. Leads you to believe one thing and in return hands you another unexpected, yet totally enjoyable, answer.

 

Please pick up this book when it comes out *pst June 6th* 

Here's some links to pre-order as well!

 

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N4TJ3N3/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

 

Barns and Noble- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/follow-me-back-av-geiger/1124700633?ean=9781492645238

 

 

 

 

 

Someone I Wanted To Be by Aurelia Wills

When an insecure teen starts impersonating someone else, her life spirals dangerously out of control in a realistic, relatable novel about finding yourself—and discovering your true friends.

Leah Lobermier dreams of becoming a doctor, but it’s hard to stay focused on getting good grades when boys make oinking sounds at her in school and her mother spends every night on the couch with a bottle of wine. Leah’s skinny and popular "friends," Kristy and Corinne, aren’t much better and can hardly be counted on for support When the girls convince a handsome older man to buy them beer, Leah takes his phone number and calls him, pretending to be Kristy—coy and confident—and they develop a relationship, talking and texting day after day. But as the lie she created grows beyond her control, can Leah put a stop to things before she—or Kristy—is seriously hurt?

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC
My review: 3 out of 5

I read this book a little bit ago and forgot to write a review on it. It was a good book. It just wasn't that memorable. I liked it, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't a book I would recommend to my friend off the top of my head.

The whole thing makes me a little mad honestly because the main character Leah has this pretend romance with a guy she called (that she doesn't know) and basically thrives off of her conversations with him. Not the smartest thing to do. For me I grew up being told that wasn't right and the dangers of talking to strangers. But I also have to remember that Leah grew up differently then I did. No father, alcoholic mother and not the best of friends.

What I really like about this book though was that Leah learns what it means to be a real friend. She figures out who is and isn't a real friend to her and she learns a valuable life lesson. I just think realistic fiction isn't completely my thing (accept for a few exception books.)