Amplified, by Tara Kelly

Amplified by Tara Kelly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When 17 yo MC Jasmine tells her domineering doctor dad that she'd like to defer her entry to Stanford for a year to pursue her dream of a musical career, he doesn't take it so well. In fact, when she doesn't back down, he gives her 15 minutes to "get her stuff and get out," all the while insisting that "he's not the bad guy here." Jaz heads to Santa Cruz, just over the hills from the snooty suburb where she's never really fit in. While desperately (and wildly unsuccessfully) searching Craigslist for a place to stay, she sees an audition notice for a guitarist in C-Side, an industrial rock band that seems perfect for her intense and atmospheric guitar playing. So perfect that it even includes a room in a cool oceanside house, and a chance to actually make friends with Veta, the band's awesome girl singer. Only a few obstacles stand in Jasmine's way - like, she's never actually played in public, except for the infamous "Cornflake Girl," incident which still haunts her stage fright nightmares; her house mates are three guys with strong personalities, who seem reluctant to accept her as a player and a person; and perhaps most importantly, one of them is that total dick from the auto shop where her car broke down on her way into town (not a good day all around, long story). Yep, that guy who, just when she was at her lowest (so far, uh oh) had to mock and humiliate her seemingly just because he could. And doggone it, he would have to be the hot one, too.

One of the things I liked about this book was the realistic way that many of Jasmine's problems are somewhat self-inflicted. Understandably, she's not very forthcoming with her thoughts and feelings, and that causes no end of problems for her. I say "understandably," because her dad is a relentless and harsh judger/belittler, and although it's not clear whether he blames her for her mother abandoning them when Jaz was five, or just sees too much of her mother in her, the ghost of her mom, and Jasmine's attempts to exorcise it by doing everything her dad's ever wanted has brought her to the point of feeling ... well, not very much. So, since opening up is her big bugaboo, it's so great that she goes to work for a psychic whose whole focus is on opening and reading people's thoughts and feelings. Just what the doctor (well, not her dad, haha) ordered, right? Well, no, not that simple, since the lonely, determined to be self-reliant Jasmine resolutely resists the effort. So a great part of the story is Jasmine learning to trust and open up. It's sweet and touching and feels tentative, painful and real.

Another part of the story that is really awesome is the music (ok, prob not a big surprise, given the title and all). The author really brings C-Side to life - the lyrics are poetic, ambiguous, intense and dreamy. She describes the music so well, it really is like you are listening, in the sense that it gives you that emotional rush that good music does. And Jasmine believes in the power of music so much - it's transcendent for her, it's where she finds and expresses those feelings she works so hard to deny the rest of the time, and that only makes it all the more powerful, for her and the reader. So it's especially painful when her struggles extend even to the one area where she's so invested and where so much is riding on her tough, but still vulnerable, cute little shoulders.

This is a story about a lonely girl finding friendship, a green girl growing up, the healing magic of music, the sweet scariness of new romance (though it's not a romance), and about hanging tough even after you've been hung out to dry. Really, you should read this book, it's pretty wonderful!

For music geeks, there's lots of fun and juicy details of gear, guitars and amps. Clearly written with affection by someone who knows what she's talking about. Jasmine's rig? Awesomesauce!

While this is Jasmine's story, almost every character comes to life. They are all multi-faceted, real feeling and complex. It's hard to see even the "bad guys," without seeing that maybe there's more to them, and that they are people too (except her dad, what an a-hole, I don't blame her mom one bit!)

So, all in all, a great, fun read, with real emotions, fun and intense, seriously, you should read it!



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Faking Faith by Josie Bloss

Faking Faith by Josie Bloss

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


After a series of bad decisions, culminating in the widespread dissemination of some foolishly shared ("you'll never show these to anyone,right?") topless photos, MC Dylan finds herself home alone, suspended, grounded by her workaholic parents, shunned by her friends and generally very, very lonely and unhappy. What's a girl to do? Why, spend hours on the internet, of course, where she becomes intrigued by and sucked into the world of homeschooled fundamentalist Christian girls (from families that kind of remind me of the Duggers). She really connects with with one of them, a girl from southern Illinois named Abigail (I think that name means "Handmaid," appropriate for her, as it develops). Dylan (whose name comes from a guy who was the ultimate symbol of the hedonistic 60's) invents her own such persona, "Faith" (I like the ambiguity of the title, btw, referring to both her name and her beliefs). As Faith, Dylan creates her own blog, and insinuates herself into the little online community and ultimately ends up visiting Abigail and her family (she's a clever one, if a bit sneaky). Faith's visit stirs up a lot of things at the farm, including Abi's brother Asher, who's already somewhat on probation for having been seen kissing a non-Christian girl. Is Faith's presence and impact a good thing for any of them?



One of the things I really liked about this book was the starkly contrasting nature of Dylan/Faith's two worlds. Her parents are mystified by her interest in and questions about things like baking, and why they never go to church. And of course Abi's family views the world Dylan comes from (if they think of it at all), as equally incomprehensible, and essentially a snare for the unwary, to be avoided above all. The relationshion between Abigail, the first person Dylan's connected with in so long who hasn't judged and rejected her, is sweet and convincing, and all the more dramatic for being founded on a whole lot of lying. Maybe because it is so utterly foreign to her experience, Dylan doesn't judge Abigail's world harshly, but instead sees it as something to be experienced, comparing it to being on an alien planet at one point. One of the things I liked best was how Dylan was able to see the appealing things about both worlds, and I appreciated that the author didn't engage in a lot of stereotyping or mockery of "those benighted kooks," but was able to see what they had that the more materialistic and driven lawyer family lacked (and vice versa, of course).



This is one of those "OMG, girlfriend don't do that books," a lot of the time, and it's fun (and stressful) to see how such bad judgment and poor impulse control land Dylan in so much, and so many different kinds of, hot water. But Dylan does grow, heal and learn as the summer goes on, and the Faith experience ends up being one that brings her a new appreciation of her own world and family, while also, perhaps, having a similar effect on Abigail and Asher. When Dylan applies what Faith learned to the situation she left behind, she's able to reconcile her experience of both worlds in a healing and hopeful way that make the conclusion emotional and satisfying. And isn't that what a good YA book is supposed to do?



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If I Tell, by Janet Gurtler

If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


MC Jasmine ("Jaz") had her fair share of issues to contend with, even before she saw her Mom's boyfriend making out with Jaz's skank-a-rific "best friend" Lacey at that party. Issues, you ask? Well, she's never really gotten over being abandoned by her Dad, who split as soon as he found out that her Mom was pregnant at seventeen. She's the only bi-racial kid in a town that is pretty backward and mean about that sort of thing. Her grandfather Joe, the one guy she could count on, died recently, and her new best friend Ashley (who is gay, btw) is pretty much too busy to hang out, what with her busy swim team schedule and all. And that new guy, Jackson? The one who transferred in from juvie? He seems nice, and he's not only utterly sa-woon-esque, he seems interested in her! But Jaz has to wonder whether he's still dealing drugs, or if there's some other reason he's so mysterioso and cryptic on those phone calls he keeps getting at the most inopportune times. So, yup, lots going on, even before the fateful kissy face event. And Jaz, perhaps in light of all of the above, is not really the greatest at handling it. Already pretty good at stonewalling her own emotions and keeping other people at arm's length, her inability to decide how to handle the secret isolates her, and makes her even more difficult to get along with. What's a girl to do? I mean, let's face it, that's a pretty tough situation no matter how much aplomb, savoir faire and maturity you can muster, and Jaz is a teenager.



Which is exactly one of the things I really like about this book. Jaz is not all wise beyond her years, emotionally capable and socially ept. She's all kinds of awkward, not terribly able to understand, let alone articulate and express her feelings. Fortunately, she has a wonderful author friend who can do that for her, so we lucky readers do get inside that mixed up, angsty head of hers, as she works things out, realizes what is and what is not her responsibiity or fault, and finds out who her friends are, and how to forgive them and herself, when they (and she) use poor judgment and bad impulse control. Which is not to say that everything is wrapped up in a pretty package at the end. Even those early crocuses peeping out of the frozen feelings tundra remain realistically vulnerable and tentative as the narrative closes. But is there anything more hopeful than those first few shoots of green in March?



Some other things I loved about this book. Girls and guitars. Just the phrase makes me happy - and the author does a great job of conveying a real guitar player's enthusiasm and gear geekiness in the discussion of brands (full disclosure alert - I own a couple of Alvarez guitars, so she had me right there!), and appropriate awestruckness at a custom Martin. The song Jaz wrote was cool, too, and added depth and a feeling for how deep her hurt and creativity ran, and how intertwined they were. This is totally Jasmine's story, but the rest of the cast is fully realized too, with believable, relatable and unique voices and vibes. This is everything a good YA book should be - character driven, and with a great conflict pushing the narrative on - should she tell, if so, who should she tell and how? There's romance, but it's not a romance. It's chock full of the aforementioned issues (spoiler alert - nobody gets cancer, otherwise, it's all in there!), and the kind of emotional epiphanies and coming to terms with the foibles and frailties of the world and one's self that sporadically, spasmodically mark the milestones of the painful process of becoming an adult.





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Where You Are by Tammara Webber

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


School Pride has wrapped up, nothing left for the cast to do but some promotional events and interviews, and of course, the premiere. So Emma Pierce, soon to be star, has been back home, trying her hardest to live that "normal" life that seems so appealing and yet elusive. At the urging of her bff Emily, she's even dating a regular boy, albet somewhat unenthusiastically, and trying to put the emotional uproar of the past few months behind her. And then she meets Graham Douglas again ...



This sequel to Between the Lines picks up where that one ended, the morning after Emma and Graham's chance encounter at the coffee shop. As they come to recognize and acknowledge the depth and intensity of their feelings for each other, they have to deal with the obstacles of a long distance relationship, their own somewhat reticent natures and history, and, more dramatically, the attention and nefarious intentions of Brooke and Reid, who aren't finished with them yet. Brooke's plan to nab Graham for herself, with the assistance of Reid, who she enlists in her scheme with the promise that he can pick up the pieces of Emma when she prevails, is the main story line, and it is one that will keep you reading, biting your nails, and cursing that bitchy, brittle and broken Brooke, well beyond the time you promised you'd turn out the lights, stop reading and try to get some sleep before work in the am. Good luck with that, my friend, it won't be easy!



This one is told in four shifting POV's - Emma, Graham, Brooke and Reid. This is a relief, after the opacity of Graham's thought processes in BTL. It retains the closeness we feel to Emma and Graham, and continues to hold out the tantalizing possiblity that there's more to Reid than he lets on. Brooke's point of view, while revealing the world of hurt she's coming from, doesn't (for me at least) make her a whole lot more sympathetic or relatable. Maybe the subtitle of this should be "Hoping for Brooke's Comeuppance," because I spent a good part of the book wishing for that! But, back to POV's. While the first book felt to me like it was Emma's story, this one feels like it's Graham's turn. We come to understand the basis for his hands-off, non-possessive attitude (whether we like it or not, or feel like yelling "Use your powers, Superman!," as he hurtles ever closer to the ground). And learning his history and spending more time with Cara and his family is really enjoyable, too.



The story of this one is fun, despite the almost overwhelming tension created by the machinations of the two antagonists, but again for me, there's an elusive something beyond the plot, characters and setting that makes these books special. Tammara's writing is seductive and immersive - you're reading along in the regular way, and suddenly realize that you've been drawn into her world so deeply that hours have passed, you're hungry, and that bathroom break you've been postponing is long overdue, and still you don't want to stop! It's a kind of dreamy but vivid style that I wish I were astute enough to analyze, but prefer to just enjoy.



There are three teaser chapters for the next book, Good For You, included, and they promise a different direction, focusing on Reid this time, as he meets someone different than the actresses and society girls he usually hangs with. The promise of sparks between them makes me look forward to this one, as much as I anticipated Where You Are.



So, just to be perfectly clear, I loved this book, the characters, the story, the writing and look forward to enjoy Tammara's exploration of this lovingly and richly imagined foursome. Could there be someone who can heal Brooke's hurts? Or is she so bereft of the capacity for real love that she'll have to just make her own way in the world, without the tender touch of Tammara's obvious affection for her little cast? Time will tell, but I, for one, would love to read about it!







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CLOCKWISE by Elle Strauss

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Casey is just a regular teenage girl except for a couple of minor issues: her unmanageably curly hair, her equally untameable mega-crush on school football hero Nate, and oh yeah, that pesky problem of uncontolled time travelling at the most inconvenient possible times.



This is a cute, fun and fresh feeling read, and while I could agree with Nate that Casey is far more fascinating in the past, where her spunky self-reliance, quick wits and gumption come to the fore, she's pretty much a charmer whatever time zone she's in. She does have a lot to be mopey about back here in the real world, what with Nate breaking her heart, her parent's divorce and her little brother's unfortunate reaction to it, and her friend Lindsay's feeling left out of Casey's temporal traumas. The historical elements have an authentically gritty feel to them, and the way the plot moves between the two periods is clever and skillfully handled.



The opening chapter has a bit of a middle grade feel to it, but it quickly becomes more and more sophisticated and complex, narratively and emotionally, as the story builds. Casey's story really drew me in, and the twists of the plot and Casey and Nate's relationship were fun to experinece and worry about. This is a sweetly satisfying story, with loveable characters, a clever plot and lots of witty, wry and winsome writing! There's a couple cute twists, and it's fun to see some seemingly disparate plot elements coalesce and resolve.



The author asked me to read this, and give an honest review, and I'm so glad she did, as this was a good read I prob wouldn't have found on my own. She also has a really cool blog at

http://www.ellestraussbooks.blogspot.com which I heartily commend to your attention. She's a generous spirited supporter of good YA, and I'm delighted to have made her (virtual) acquaintance!



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Beatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A lot of people really liked this book, there are 65 reviews, and 242 ratings on Goodreads at this point, and you should read one of those raves if you think you might want to try it. As for me, I had more mixed feelings. It is well written, there were some phrases that were so clever and wry that I laughed in that funny literary appreciation-y way that you get sometimes. I guess my problems were with the two MC's. They seemed kind of mean to me. Not in a bullying way, more in a lacking empathy and casually thoughtless of others' feelings way. That whole story with the tapestry and how it turns out - not nice, Destiny. And Beatle. You have the Playboy logo as your fb profile pic? Srsly? I honestly thought Beatle's girlfriend Cilla was the only likeable character, but heads up - don't get too attached to her, my friend. I know you're supposed to look beyond the appeal of the characters to the literary merit and all (I did concede up front that this has that!), but that's not how I like to read or review, I need to feel a connection. I really hate to sound so negative, because there are lots of fun elements to this book, besides just the witty style - the superstitions, the twins motif, Beatle's backstory with the stroke and all, the vibe of the city of Melbourne. I just looked at the blurb again, and it says this is about "everybody doing the wrong thing." Yup, that's it. Somehow Beatle and Destiny (and many other readers) found that quirky, kooky and endearing (or did they? I didn't get what attracted those two to each other in the first place), but it left me wondering why exactly I wanted to invest my emotions in them. So, one of those books for me, kind of left me wondering what's wrong with me, everybody loved it, what did I miss (Confession? I felt that way about The Hangover, too).



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The Ghost Downstairs by Molly Ringle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


MC Lina takes a job as the live-in nurse at a small retirement home after an unfortunate incident at the big hospital where she's on staff. I could have told Lina that reading Stephen King when your job involves staying up all night is a major mistake! (My wife finally made me turn the lights out at bedtime a week after I finished "It.") Her new digs are a funny old place though. It's an elegant mansion, a former sorority house, rumored to be haunted by one of the former sisters. Lina is sceptical, and far more concerned with her feelings for Ren, the "houseboy." It's not just that he's the sole occupant anywhere near her age, he's also kind, something she needs in her life just now, and quel coincidence for a romance novel, he's also kind of hot. His aloof manner and mysterious comings and goings give her pause though. Is the attraction all one sided?


This is a really good read. It is a bit hard to review, though, because there is a big ole twist, and although it's not that hard to spot, nonetheless it's much more fun to encounter it yourself, without a nasty spoilerboots ruining all the fun. So, I'll just talk a bit about the characters and the atmosphere, which honestly to me were the richer part of the reading experience in any event.


Lina ia so charming and sweet, you are rooting for her to find something good in her life from page one. I think Molly Ringle has a major knack for creating super relatable female characters. From a guy perspective they are that elusive combination of smart, sweet, funny (without knowing it), strong but vulnerable, and of course, cute, that makes them irrestible. Lina is a lonely girl though, and we find out why as the story progresses. Her story is poignant and tender, and it's great to see her find friends among her patients (? they're not sick, just elderly, but I'm not sure what else to call them, the residents?). She seems to find the family she needs among them, and seeing her come out of her shell is a touching part of the story.


Ren is enigmatic and elusive, but not in a way that makes you think he's a jerk. On the contrary, it's clear he too has suffered, and that he and Lina are just what each other needs.


The city of Seattle is another major element of this book, and Molly conveys a beautiful sense of the city, which is very important to Lina. Here's a passage from the beginning of the book I thought was beautifully and sensitively written:


"A fresh September dawn bathed the eastern sky. Lina stumbled along the sidewalk, blinking at buildings and citizens and seagulls. Salmon-colored sunlight gleamed on the cars; roasting coffee filled the salty air with its scent; a beeping bread truck backed up into an alley."


For some reason that just put me totally into the scene, it felt poetic but also real. Which, is actually a pretty good way to describe Molly Ringle's style in general. Obvs this book has a lot of fantastical elements, but she does a good job of maintaining credibility and pulling you in so that it's all believable. Another thing I like about this book is that even the "bad guy" sees a little redemption at the end, and has motivations and a humanity that contribute to the aforementioned credibility.


After you've read a few books by an author, it's tempting to try to sort of "rank" them by quality or as "favorites." It's hard with Molly though, because each book I've read is so different. One thing they share though is a fun lyrical style, engaging, endearing characters and a heartwarming empathy for them. They all have their flaws and issues - some of them are pretty serious. And it's not just that it makes them more "real," it makes their stories deeper, more meaningful than if they were somehow less scared, scarred and worried. Haha, the more I talk about this book, the more I like it! Check it out, I bet anything you will too!