[50] Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea
Fiction / Coming Of Age, September pick on Amazon First Reads, read on Kindle

Synopsis: It’s the end of Charlotte’s senior year, and she’s been planning for the perfect prom since she knew what prom was. It would all be executed to her Type-A meticulous plans if her high school nemesis J.T. Renner wasn’t involved. All he’s done her entire high school existence is undermine her. While they’re setting up for prom, Charlotte falls off of a ladder onto J.T. When they wake up, it’s 13 years later, and they’re in bed, and engaged to be married.

Review: The time travel bit is what drew me in to this. And I’ve read great, clever YA before. This book does not fit in that category. It’s fun at times, but Charlotte is so damn annoying, and the writing was… trying a bit too hard? (Says this hobby blogger, ha). It felt forced and annoying to me, unfortunately. I just could not get behind Charlotte or root for her (except when it came to one of the issues with her dad).

Recommend? No

[51] The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
Fiction / Coming Of Age, green light by Knox on The Popcast, audiobook

Trigger Warning: abortion

Synopsis: Rachel is in her last year of uni in Ireland in 2010 when she meets James at the bookstore where she works. She instantly (platonically) falls in love with him and they move in together. Their friendship becomes her identity that year, and changes her life forever.

Review: It’s so hard to tell you what this book is about without giving things away. Also… I don’t really know what this book is about??? I could say it’s coming-of-age about a young woman realizing who she is (wait, isn’t that “coming-of-age” defined? See note above about being a hobby blogger, ha), during the recession and restrictions of Ireland in 2010. Listening to it was lovely – I’m a sucker for Irish accents. And the story was told well and beautifully written. But it moves a bit slow and purposefully leaves out major details – some get resolved, and some don’t.

Recommend? No

[52] Something Wild & Wonderful by by Anita Kelly
Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, recommendation from Stephany, read on Kindle

Synopsis: Alexei is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to take time to himself to develop Alexei 2.0. He recently came out to his family and it did NOT go well, and while he will never change who he loves, he does want to change his personality. Ben is hiking for the adventure, and to do something for himself, and has sworn he will not fall in love on the trail. Then Alexei saves Ben from a snake, and when the two meet up again later on the trail, they can’t bring themselves to separate, and decide to hike together, even though they are both very attracted to each other and both not in the right headspace for a relationship.

Review: Give me an outdoor hiking setting YES YES YES! I loved the details we got about what it takes to hike the PCT. And the author didn’t go too heavy into them either – it was the perfect introductory amount. And I loved Alexei and Ben. Their personalities were very different from one another, but complimentary. Alexei is a quiet observer and Ben is outgoing and friendly. They were just so cute together! The book is set into sections hiked and I definitely had favorite sections, but don’t want to give anything away. I loved the overlying family themes too about setting boundaries with blood family and new found family.

Recommend? Yes