Leaving On A Jet Plane...

It's that time of year again - Book Expo America! I'm so thrilled to be attending for the second time and can't wait to experience the excitement and enthusiasm that only comes when surrounded by like-minded bookish people! It'll be a bit sparse around the blog this week, but be sure to check out my posts for Sweet Summertime Reads on Friday and Saturday. See ya'll on the flip side :)

Sweet Summertime Reads: Bookstore Time!

We hope you've been enjoying our summer-themed posts over the past week! Be sure to keep checking out the Sweet Summertime Reads feature here on Fiction Folio, GReads!, and Rather Be Reading.

Today we are all posting the summer displays that are set up at our local bookstores. I'm sure I can speak for most of us when I say that I spend way too much time in bookstores. Even if I have no intention of buying anything, I just like hanging out, sipping a latte, and checking out all of the books (and then inevitably end up buying books anyways).

My local indie bookstore didn't actually have a summer display set up, so I ventured to a nearby suburb to check out the Barnes & Noble. And they had an epic display set up in their YA section.

Is that not one heck of a selection of books?! Here is a closer look:

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

That Summer by Sarah Dessen

Sixteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton

Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly

Forever Summer by Alyson Noel

Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby (check out my giveaway for this and In Honor!)

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

The Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Tera Elan McVoy

I know what books I'll be diving into this summer :) I've read a few featured on the display but not enough in my opinion - I need to read them all! Have you read all of the books above? What was your fave?

Waiting on Wednesday: Sweet Summertime Reads & Giveaway

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases you are eagerly anticipating. 

There are so many amazing books coming out this summer, and I wanted to share with you some of my most anticipated releases. Some could be considered "summer" books, while others just simply come out in the next few months. Let me know what some of your anticipated releases are in the comments!

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols - July 10, 2012

The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt - July 10, 2012

Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown - July 10, 2012

The Debutantes by Cora Harrison - August 2, 2012

Fingerprints of You by Kristen-Paige Madonia - August 7, 2012

Speechless by Hannah Harrington - August 28, 2012

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian - September 18, 2012

***

And now it's giveaway time! Some of my favorite summer reads are written by Jessi Kirby because she can make you feel like you are right there on the beach or right there in the car with the characters in her books. Because I love her books so much, I'm giving away a chance to win both Moonglass and In Honor! Just fill out the form below and note that this is open to anyone The Book Depository ships to!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sweet Summertime Reads: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Title: My Life Next Door

Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 14, 2012
Pages: 395
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

From Goodreads:

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them... until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

***

Let's go back to that last sentence of the summary, shall we? Because it sums up My Life Next Door to a T in one short, sweet sentence. The word that stands out the most to me is dreamy - because this book is definitely that and more.

Confession time. We have all taken a peek at our neighbors before. Not in a creepy, bad way, but in a curious way. The unknown or the lack of something in our own lives makes us intrigued about what's going on in other's lives, and this is exactly the case with Samantha. She has a very small, prim and proper family that is lucky enough to have money. The Garrett's, on the other hand, are loud, not uber polished or put together, and there are TONS of them. Who wouldn't be interested in watching them from afar?

I absolutely fell in love with the Garrett family from the minute they were introduced (my favorite family member is George - if you read the story you'll totally see why). I can't help but compare them to the family in Cheaper by the Dozen because they are very much alike. They are both very large families, maybe not the richest in the world, but the love they have for each other is insurmountable. I was thrilled when Samantha and Jase started chatting and Jase could expose Samantha to a life so very different from her own.

And speaking of Samantha and Jase - HOLY HOTTNESS. The chemistry between the two just smacks you upside the head in a sexy, oh-my-God-I-want-more way sort of way and leaves you a little breathless. Then when you throw in the plot twist (don't worry, no spoilers) it just makes you that much more invested in their relationship and the story as a whole.

While the sexy times were an obvious love of mine, the other strong theme that I loved about My Life Next Door was the perceptions we make of people purely on looks. You look at someone who is clean cut and put together and you think one thing, and then you think the total opposite of the guy with ripped jeans and a motorcycle. It just goes to show how looks can be deceiving and how judgy (and way off) we can be.

Source

While My Life Next Door is the perfect summer read and should be read IMMEDIATELY, I think everyone should read this book no matter what the season. Huntley Fitzpatrick is a genius and I am so excited to read her future novels.

Sweet Summertime Reads: My Favorite Places to Read

Image created by Ginger

I am thrilled to be a part of the Sweet Summertime Reads feature hosted by myself, Ginger from GReads!, and Magan and Estelle from Rather Be Reading! Over the next few weeks we will be sharing with you all things related to summer and reading, including reviews of summer books, interviews with some of our favorite authors, giveaways, and much more. Head over to Ginger's blog to check out the kick-off post and be sure to enter the first giveaway - two Jennifer Echols' books!

The first post we decided to all participate in was highlighting our favorite places to read. We all have those certain spots or places where we are most comfortable cracking open a book, and I'm going to share with you my favorite outdoor spaces that I visit every summer.

This is actually the yard that's in front of my office building in downtown Chicago. That black building to the left is the Sears/Willis Tower. You can find me outside during my lunch every single day in the summer, whether it's laying out on the grass or sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs the building sets out each day. I love when it's warm enough to sit out there because it definitely makes the work day a little more bearable!

Now we're heading away from the city and closer to home. This is the view of Montrose Harbor on Lake Michigan, which is about a mile from my house. There is nothing better than mixing a cocktail (and hiding it in a water bottle) and sitting in the grass down here with a good book. It's also is a great location to people watch :)

This is not the greatest shot, but this is my favorite beach in Chicago. I used to live across the street from here, and I would spend every single weekend hanging out, people watching, and of course, reading! The beach is pretty busy but I always sat a little away from the shoreline so I got the best view. Lake Michigan in the summer is one of my most favorite things and I will never get enough of it!

Source

This is sadly not me - but oh how I wish it was! To me, this is the best way to spend a summer day. One of my goals in life is to own a little place in the Caribbean that I can jet off to whenever the mood strikes me and have a hammock exactly like this on my private beach :) A girl can dream, right? And bonus - she's reading a John Green book!

***

What are some of your favorite places to read? Do you prefer to be outside or snuggled in a chair inside? I'd love to hear about all of them! And don't forget to check out GReads! and Rather Be Reading to see some of their favorite places to read!

Book review: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Title: I Hunt Killers

Author: Barry Lyga
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 3, 2012
Pages: 359
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

From Goodreads:

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper (Jazz) Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could--from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret--could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

***

First, let me crawl out from under my bed, because that's where I've been chilling in FEAR ever since reading I Hunt Killers. This was by far the best YA psychological thriller that I have ever read - actually, perhaps the only YA psychological thriller I have ever read?

Barry Lyga's ability to tell a story with such detail and depth but never push too far over the line is SPOT ON. That man had me shaking from fear, excitement, anticipation, and sheer anxiety so much that I felt like I had put in a workout while reading. (Too bad it didn't count for an actual workout...) Hands down, I will read anything and everything Barry Lyga writes in the future and KNOW that I will be in for one hell of a ride.

One of my absolute favorite things about this book was the way the author portrayed Jazz's dad, the psycho serial killer. The freaky mind games this man plays with his son and his victims are both frighteningly disturbing and oddly fascinating. You can see the mind tricks he's playing but you still get sucked into them, just like Jazz and his victims. What's even more scary is that there are actual people like this out there. *shudders*

If you decide to read I Hunt Killers (and I strongly suggest that you do), be prepared to be totally and utterly sucked into the story. And make sure you don't read this book alone at night unless you are okay with sleeping with the lights on for the rest of your life.

Waiting on Wednesday: Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases you are eagerly anticipating.

Title: Out of Reach
Author: Carrie Acros
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: October 16, 2012  

From Goodreads:
Sixteen year old Rachel has always idolized her older brother Micah, but she knows he also secretly struggles with addiction. So when Micah doesn’t come home one night, Rachel panics.

Then Rachel gets an anonymous note telling her that Micah is a few hours away—and on the brink of destruction. Accompanied by Micah’s best friend Tyler, Rachel sets out to find her brother. With no concrete leads, Rachel and Tyler spend hours wandering the streets. But before Rachel can move on, she must confront her own dark secrets, her growing attraction to Tyler…and the possibility that Micah may never come home.

***

Out of Reach sounds like a gut-wrenching, emotional read that will hit all the notes of a good tearjerker. I love that Rachel has to go through both a personal and literal journey while finding her brother and I'm anxious to see how Tyler plays a part in her self-discovery.