BOOK REVIEW: Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West

Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit that I have a serious affinity for super cute YA novels. And, in the young adult world, West is king! I absolutely loved The Fill-in Boyfriend, but LISTEN TO YOUR HEART might be my new favorite.

It's just the adorable kind of read that makes ya feel good! Yes, it's somewhat predictable. Some might even say it's too cheesy at times. Well, I don't care. I really and truly loved it! (Not in spite of those things, but because of them.)

Side note: Queen's "Under Pressure" was playing on a loop in my brain as the background score music for the last few chapters. Which can only mean ONE thing: it would make a fabulous coming-of-age movie!

PSS. I don't know why my brain finds the need to create a soundtrack for books, but I kind of love it.

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BOOK REVIEW: When Elephants Fly by Nancy Richardson Fischer

A heartwarming coming-of-age tale about mental illness, tolerance, and the beautiful bonds that can form between animal and human. WHEN ELEPHANTS FLY, at its heart, is about the importance of fighting for what you believe in, living in the moment, and never giving up hope. 

Lily Decker has spent most of her life fearing the day she becomes her schizophrenic mother. The same mother who attempted to kill her when she was 11-years-old. 

Because schizophrenia is largely genetic and deeply ingrained in her family's lineage, Lily lives life by a specific code of conduct. It's what she refers to as her "12-Year Plan". The plan consists of living life by logic rather than emotion and adhering to a clean living lifestyle, to avoid the well-known triggers of schizophrenia -- stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, physical, emotional or sexual abuse, alcohol and drug use. To implement her plan, Lily runs three miles every day, meditates, and avoids parties and high-stress situations. The only problem with Lily's plan -- it's BORING.

Lily is nothing if not apathetic about life. That is, until an internship at her local newspaper brings her to the zoo, where she bears witness to an elephant trying to kill its three-week-old calf, Swifty. (Ya know, like Lily's mother once tried to do to her.) She can't bear to turn her back on the news story, or the baby calf, but Lily knows she'll need to abandon her "12-Year Plan" if she wants to help. So, when she learns that Swifty is dying from grief, Lily makes a life-altering decision that could not only break her sanity, but also, her heart.

Life may not always be a fairy tale, but there are many forms of happily-ever-after. This story was inspiring, heartfelt, and adorable.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!

RATING: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

*A big thanks to both Netgalley and the publisher for granting me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. The thoughts expressed in this review are my own personal opinions and have been written in my own words.

Publish Date: September 4, 2018
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

BOOK REVIEW: I Flipping Love You by Helena Hunting

I FLIPPING LOVE YOU by Helena Hunting is a cute story about flipping houses in the Hamptons, moving on from past hurts, and being brave enough to take a chance on love. 

Initially, Rian (pronounced Ryan) and Pierce seem like an unlikely couple on the surface, but sparks fly when an case of mistaken identity leads to a chance encounter at a grocery store.

Despite the obvious chemistry, Rian hesitates to get involved with men who aren't safe bets and Pierce is anything but safe. However, Rian quickly discovers that her reluctance is no match against Pierce's good looks and charming personality, and the two find themselves swept up in a whirlwind romance. 

I FLIPPING LOVE YOU is a feel good love story that is guaranteed to make you laugh and the perfect beach read. It's also the third novel in the SHACKING UP series but may easily be read as a standalone. In fact, I didn't initially realize this book belonged to a series. This fact ended up being an unexpected, but a welcome bonus for me, as I loved both SHACKING UP and HOOKING UP!

RATING: ❤️❤️❤️❤️

*A big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. The thoughts expressed in this review are my own personal opinions and have been written in my own words.