Review- My Best Friend, Maybe by Caela Carter

My Best Friend, Maybe on Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Colette has been bored and lonely ever since her best friend, Sadie, dumped her the summer before they stared high school. She tries to be perfect for everyone left in her life: her parents, her younger brothers, her church youth group, even her boyfriend, Mark. But Colette is restless. And she misses Sadie.

When Sadie tells Colette that she needs her old friend to join her on a family vacation to the Greek Islands, one that leaves in only a few days, Colette is shocked to hear their old magic word: need. And she finds herself agreeing.

Colette tries to relax and enjoy her Grecian surroundings but it’s not easy to go on vacation with the person who hurt you most in the world. When the reason for the trip finally surfaces, Colette finds out this is not only a fun vacation. Sadie has kept an enormous secret from Colette for years...forever. It’s a summer full of surprises, but that might be what Colette needs.

Release date: June 3rd 2014

Published by: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Page numbers: 352

REVIEW:

I have been thinking a lot, and I cannot think of any word to describe this book other than beautiful. It was so beautiful. Beautiful characters. Beautiful story. Beautiful writing. Beautiful everything. My Best Friend, Maybe is nothing but beautiful. So very beautiful. 

I normally don't read book summaries, and I didn't read the one for this book either. But it showing up every time I went on the Goodreads page of a LGBT book told me everything I needed to know and that was to add the book to my TBR, get it and finally read it. I'm not even going to attempt summarizing the book because, 1) the story is beautifully complicated and 2) I'd rather you read the book. Seriously, I have never read a book about a lesbian that's as beautiful as this one, and I do read my share of the category. 

My Best Friend, Maybe was perfectly balanced in terms of all the contrasts it had. While there were times when the book seemed predictable- and I was right about most of my suspicions- the book did take some really unpredictable turns that made it both creepy, mysterious and pretty at the same time because of the way in which it was done. Speaking of mysterious, there was this eerie feeling throughout and it added just the right amount of tension and curiosity. 

While this story did appear to be very dramatic at times, I feel the drama was not very overdone because every time something seemed very hard for me to believe or too much, I just put myself in the shoes of the respective characters and that's when it started getting realistic and justifiable. But still, it was full of drama- both good and bad. 

I really, really, really like this beautiful, beautiful, beautiful book so much and I don't know what else to say other than the fact that I would highly recommend it. 

Buy the book: AMAZON

Review- Dirty London by Kelley York

Goodreads Summary:

All London Noble wanted out of her senior year of high school was anonymity. The complete opposite of Jasmine, her emotionally unstable baby sister, London has worked hard to stay out of the spotlight.

Then she discovers that Wade, one of the most popular guys in school, is gay like her and their new-found closeness based around their shared secret has half the student body convinced they're hooking up...and a lot of girls aren't happy about it. Now she's been dubbed "Dirty London." Rumors are flying about her inability to keep her clothes on, and London is pretty sure she's developing a crush on the one girl who sees through it all. 

If she could admit why stealing boyfriends is the last thing on her mind—not to mention find out what's going on with Jasmine and her rapidly disappearing psych medications—her life would be a much brighter place. But if her and Wade's truth gets out, and if she doesn't find a way to help her sister, London faces losing a lot more than her obscurity.

REVIEW:

As I write this review, I barely remember the story of Kelley York's Dirty London. I started reading the book with lots of enthusiasm and excitement, but when I got to the second half, my pace somehow slowed down and from then on, I just have a faint idea of what I read. The most important point, however, is that it was not the book, but me. I was way too occupied to give the book my hundred percent. Nevertheless, what I read and remember was simply too good. 

Unlike other Kelley York books that I have read and loved for the sole reason that someone dies in each book, Dirty London is the exact opposite. The author says herself that no death in the book is really "weird" for her. And it was the same for me. I waited, and waited, and waited. But no death came. What did happen in Dirty London, contrary to other Kelley York books, is life. Life happened at the end of it, and life tried to happen throughout it. 

Like I have said before, my memory of what I read is not too the sharpest. But from the strain that I am putting on it, I do remember that London, the protagonist, her sister Jasmine, her mother, her friend Wade and her new found friend and lover Amber really stood out as characters. Even secondary characters were well developed and superbly portrayed. To top it all off, the story revolved around a school play and incidents of abuse hidden underneath all the drama. I found the book to be depressing, yes, but in a very rebellious and strong way. Also, for a F/F romance, the first that I read by Kelley York, the chemistries were auite sizzling. 

Dirty London was a fantastic and fabulous read that I really enjoyed. I only wish I had given it less time to finish and more time to think over. But keeping all that aside, as with any Kelley York book- although not with the same intensity as others- this one rocked too. 

RATING: