Songs for a Teenage Nomad

Being a music lover, Songs for a Teenage Nomad caught my eye and I am ever so glad it did!  This book will make you laugh out loud in some places and pull out the tissues in others.  I just love a book that makes me feel!  Sarah Dessen fans are sure to love this beautifully written story by Kim Culbertson.  

"Inside my dreams sits a song, way back in the shadows. It calls to me, and I wait to know it in the daylight, wanting to pull it like taffy from the haunts of my mind. Somehow, my memories begin with this song. I can’t seem to put an image to it; it’s a memory blurred and swirling, with no shape…"

After moving from town to town, fifteen year old Calle finally feels at home in Andreas Bay, California.  She documents her life with a music journal in which she writes down song names and the memories she associates with them.  What a unique idea for a book!  (And, you get to read an entry at the beginning of each chapter!)  Follow Calle through her freshman year of high school as she wonders about her absent father, makes friends, and maybe in falls in love.

Let’s break it down…

Calle

At fifteen, Calle has been through a lot.  She doesn’t know her father, she’s been enrolled in various different schools without ever really fitting in, and has to tolerate her mother’s changing habits and personalities.  

Sam

A member of the preppy, popular crowd, Sam is a jock who isn’t quite what he seems.  You’ll quickly learn that in some situations, appearances aren’t everything.  Will Calle be able to find a place in his life?

Cass

An outcast, Cass is a mysterious, lonely character that will constantly have you questioning who she is.  

Alyson

Calle’s mother Alyson is incapable of having a healthy relationship with a man.  She’s been married four times and lived with numerous other men.  Each time a relationship fails, she flips a coin onto a map, packs their belongings, and moves her daughter wherever the coin falls.  

RATINGS

Writing Style:  9/10

Characters:      9/10

Storyline          9/10

OVERALL     9/10

While this is classified as a young adult novel, it will be loved by all ages.  Give Songs for a Teenage Nomad a chance and I promise you won’t be disappointed!

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Sizzle

Let me just start by saying, if you’re looking for a book with memorable characters that makes you think and feel and beg for more… this is not the book for you.  If you’re more interested in a nice, light mystery and romance that keeps you fairly entertained and maybe even makes you blush occasionally… you have a winner!  Julie Garwood’s Sizzle is full of quirky characters that are sure to make you laugh a time or two.  Add this to the raw attraction shared between Lyra and Sam and the almost-but-not-completely predictable mystery and you have an enjoyable summer read!

Let’s break it down…

Lyra Prescott

A film student in Los Angeles, Lyra is quickly coming up on graduation.  While traveling back and forth between her near-campus apartment and her grandmother’s house, she inadvertently throws herself in the middle of one menacing scenario.  Even while being forced to stick with a body guard, she can’t seem to catch a break.  Throughout the story, Lyra must also juggle working on her final film project, as well as two she’s doing on the side, and dealing with her preposterously selfish parents.  

Sam Kincaid

Although his place in this novel is completely predictable, you can’t help but like this FBI agent with his Scottish brogue and dashing good looks. 

Gigi

If there IS anything you remember from this book, it will be Lyra’s holy water stealing grandmother.  Gigi is funny, feisty, and an entertaining addition to Sizzle!

RATINGS

Writing Style:  6/10

Characters:      4/10 (for predictability)

Storyline          5/10

OVERALL              5/10

I wouldn’t rush this one to the top of your book queue; but, if you want a poolside read that doesn’t require too much thought, this is the book for you!

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Safe Haven

This book is nothing if not predictable, but Nicholas Sparks gives his characters enough personality to make it worth your time.  Although I can say it was unlike any Sparks book I’ve picked up so far, it is still a wonderful showcase of his writing abilities.  Set mainly in present day Southport, North Carolina, Safe Haven is your classic romance novel with a dark twist.  

Let’s break it down…

KATIE

Katie is a beautiful young woman trying to start over and run from her disturbing past.  Now a small town waitress, she spends all her time waiting tables or working on her tiny home.  Although she is lonely, she refuses to develop relationships with anyone.  When Katie starts falling for a local store owner, can it work out despite someone from her past trying to interfere?

ALEX

The owner of a small grocery store, Alex is a widower and the father of two young children.  When he falls for mysterious Katie, he must work overtime to get her to trust him. 

JO

After moving in next door, Jo finds a way into Katie’s life and considers the two friends.  She’s a little flighty and a LOT nosy, but her friendship finds a special place in Katie’s heart. 

KEVIN

Katie’s demented ex-husband and a detective in Boston, Kevin is a control freak you’ll love to hate.  The chapters written from his perspective are particularly creepy and are likely to stick with you well after you put this book down.  

RATINGS

Writing Style:     8/10

Characters:         8/10

Storyline              8/10

OVERALL:       8/10

Fans of Nicholas Sparks won’t want to miss this suspenseful, contemporary romance! 

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These Things Hidden

Oh. My. Goodness.  Heather Gudenkauf draws you in and has you begging for answers before you finish the first page of this gripping novel.  These Things Hidden explores the difficulties surrounding 21 year old Allison and her release from prison.  By court order, Allison moves into a halfway house in Iowa.   Once her hometown, Linden Falls is a small place where your past is always sure to haunt you… especially when it involves heinous crime.  This is a book that makes you want to kiss your babies, hug your parents, and never trust another human being.  (Don’t worry.  That feeling passes. ;) 

Let’s break it down…

*Note:  Like The Weight of Silence (also by Gudenkauf), each chapter is titled for and written from the perspective of one of the four main characters.  I couldn't read books in this format all the time, but it is a pleasant change every now and then.  

Allison

Once the perfect daughter, student, and athlete, Allison has just been released after serving five years of a ten year prison sentence.  Her past catches up with her in unexpected ways as she learns to live in the real world again.  Only 21 years old, this character’s youthfulness will draw you in; however, along with the residents of Linden Falls, you’ll find yourself disliking her for her past.  

Brynn

As Allison’s younger sibling, Brynn was always forced to live in the shadow of her sister’s greatness.  That is, until the day she was forced to live in the shadow of her sister’s horrific crime.  Gudenkauf’s writing will make you feel torn right alongside Brynn as she struggles with the choices she must make now that Allison is free.    

Claire

Wife, mother, and bookstore owner, Claire is a character whose feelings you’ll share throughout this book.  You’ll feel the love for her store, the love for her son, and the sadness she carries from her past.  

Charm

Although you may question some of her actions, Charm will have your respect during the course of this story.  She is a full time nursing student with a flaky mother and a dying ex-stepfather who was kind enough to take her in years earlier.  When Charm’s selfish mother discovers a secret, will the lives of others be ruined?

RATINGS

Writing Style:   8/10

Characters:     8.5/10

 Storyline:        9/10

OVERALL:  8.5/10

Whether you love suspense novels or usually pass them by, you must read These Things Hidden.  Suspense fans are sure to love it; and those who aren’t fans just may be after this extraordinary read!

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The Girl Who Chased the Moon

The Girl Who Chased the Moon is set in present day Mullaby, North Carolina, a small town where tradition, social standing, and the art of barbeque are greatly valued.  If you’re on a diet, this may not be the book for you!  Your mouth will water at the tantalizing culinary imagery throughout these chapters!  This stand-alone novel by Sarah Addison Allen, is beautifully written and gently sprinkled with enough magic to keep you on your toes.  Allen sticks to her classic fairytale-like quality of writing while exploring relationships between a parent and child, amongst friends, strangers, and that of a husband and wife.  While her characters may not leave a lasting impression, they will keep you entertained during this fanciful read.

Let’s break it down…

Emily Benedict

At the age of 17 and shortly after her mother’s tragic death, she moves in with a grandfather she never knew she had.  Her mother’s childhood is a mystery she’s determined to solve; but when she discovers her mother wasn’t always the person she knew her to be, she must find a way to handle being forced to live down the past her mother ran away from.  

Vance Shelby

It’s easy to fall in love with this gentle giant as he learns how to be a grandfather to Emily and remembers what it was like to be a father and husband.  A creature of habit, will Vance be able to break his routine and be there for Emily?

Julia Winterson

BBQ restaurant owner, friend to Emily, baker of cakes, and keeper of many secrets… Julia is a character you’ll enjoy getting to know.  After leaving Mullaby as a teenager, you get to ‘watch’ as she falls back in love with the small town (and one of its residents!) without even realizing it.

Win Coffey

The Coffey family are small town royalty.  Win, the son of the mayor, is sick of doing exactly what he’s told.  Can he see Emily, against his father’s wishes, without bringing the past back around?  A mysterious and handsome rebel, Win is the perfect addition to this cast of characters.

RATINGS

Writing Style:    8/10

Characters:       8/10

Storyline:         7/10

OVERALL:      7.5/10

Definitely worth your time if you’re looking for a light, entertaining romance with a mysterious twist!

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