Welcome to another #BuddyReads. What's a Buddy Read? Me and a fellow book nerd select a stand alone title that we'll either read, listen to, or a combination of both, then we chat about it on the podcast! This is a candid and spoiler-filled convo covering women's issues and topics, so you've been warned!

Classy Green, friend, fellow book lover, audiobook listener, and Shelf Addiction reviewer joined me on the podcast to discuss The Poet X written by Elizabeth Acevedo. I listened to the audiobook, and Classy did a read/listen combo with the book and audiobook.

​If you've already read The Poet X, leave a comment and let us know what you thought about it.

Publisher: HarperTeen/HarperAudio 
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Format: Hardcover/MP3 Download
Pages: Hardcover: 368 | Audio Length: 3 hrs 30 mins
Narrator: Elizabeth Acevedo
Source: Audible
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction/Poetry
Rating: 4 bookmarks - Tamara | 5 bookmarks - Classy

​Synopsis: A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself.

So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.​

Publisher: Delacorte Press | Listening Library
Release Date: May 16, 2017
Format: Audio MP3
Pages: Hardcover: 256 pages | Audio Length: 6 hours 32 mins
Narrator: Tara Sands ​
Source: Audiobook Publisher
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction​
​Rating: 3 bookmarks

​Synopsis: Alexandria Prep is about to be exposed.

Senior spring was supposed to mean sleeping through class and partying with friends. But for Anna Soler, it’s going to be a lonely road. She’s just been dumped by her perfect basketball star boyfriend—with no explanation. Anna’s closest friends, the real ones she abandoned while dating him, are ignoring her. The endearing boy she’s always had a complicated friendship with is almost too sympathetic.

But suddenly Anna isn’t the only one whose life has been upended. Someone is determined to knock the kings and queens of the school off their thrones: one by one, their phones get hacked and their personal messages and photos are leaked. At first it’s funny—people love watching the dirty private lives of those they envy become all too public. 

Then the hacks escalate. Dark secrets are exposed, and lives are shattered. Chaos erupts at school. As Anna tries to save those she cares about most and to protect her own secrets, she begins to understand the reality of our always-connected lives: 

Sometimes we share too much.

*This audiobook was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.​

​While this book is young adult, I believe it would cater to a variety of audiences. I enjoyed this book, and like a lot of my fellow social-media addicts, I enjoyed hearing all the drama that unfolded. However, this book teaches a very big lesson: once something (a picture, video, or text) is posted on the Internet, it can’t be taken back. I grew up when technology was first becoming really popular, to date me back a few years, my high school cell phone flipped and social media sites were only accessed with a college e-mail address. Anti-social not only gave me a clear description of how social media has taken over our youth, but it also made me glad I graduated when I did. 

Today I have another good read! Read on to find out why this thought provoking and emotionally stirring book is on my book club recommendation list!

Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: September 22, 2015 
Format: ebook (Kindle)
Pages: 336
Source: Amazon 
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Review Date: June 20, 2016
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: Kate Weston can piece together most of the bash at John Doone’s house: shots with Stacey Stallard, Ben Cody taking her keys and getting her home early—the feeling that maybe he’s becoming more than just the guy she’s known since they were kids.

But when a picture of Stacey passed out over Deacon Mills’s shoulder appears online the next morning, Kate suspects she doesn’t have all the details. When Stacey levels charges against four of Kate’s classmates, the whole town erupts into controversy. Facts that can’t be ignored begin to surface, and every answer Kate finds leads back to the same question: Where was Ben when a terrible crime was committed?

This story—inspired by real events—from debut novelist Aaron Hartzler takes an unflinching look at silence as a form of complicity. It’s a book about the high stakes of speaking up, and the razor thin line between guilt and innocence that so often gets blurred, one hundred and forty characters at a time.

Hey friends,

Today I have a combo for you, a book and movie adaptation review rolled into one! I listened to If I Stay on audio in December and I had a chance to check out the movie as well! Be sure to watch the coordinating video on my Book Tube channel!

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile 
Release Date: April 9, 2009
Format: Audio MP3
Pages: Hardcover: 201 pages/ Audio Length: Approx 5 hours
Narrator: Kirsten Potter
Source: Library Borrow
Genre: YA Contemporary
Review Date: February 4, 2015
Rating: 3 bookmarks


Synopsis: Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

If I Stay is the first of a book duology by Gayle Foreman.  Overall I enjoyed the book. I liked that the main character Mia was so smart and talented, I liked how she was able to pull strength from memories of her family and friends and move past the horrific accident that changed her life.  The story was complete with its mere 201 pages, and that’s always good.  When the book is so short sometimes I wonder if the story is fully fleshed out, but it is in this case Foreman did a good job telling a story without dragging it out. Not many authors can do that successfully.  While there were aspects that I enjoyed in the story, I did find it a little slow at times.  

I listened to this on audio, and again, I overall liked it. The narrator did a good job, unfortunately the narrator didn't help the pacing of the story.  At this point, I’m unsure if I will continue on with Where She Went, which is the second book in the duology. If I do, I'll probably read it instead of listening on audio.  Maybe that will make a difference.
  
While this book wasn't my favorite, it was okay and I liked it enough. If you enjoy young adult contemporary novels, this may be a good option for you to check out. 

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Format: ebook
Pages: 320 (Hardcover)
Source: Amazon Kindle
Genre: YA, NA, Short Stories, Anthologies
Review Date: Recorded November, 2014
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.


Disclaimer: I received this book/ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are genuinely my own.

I recommend this title if you're looking for some fun and light reading this holiday season. They are mostly feel good stories and who doesn't love a feel good story at Christmas time?  If you've read the anthology, please share your thoughts. What were your favorite stories? Which were your least liked ones?  Want to know more? Check out my coordinating video review.

Happy Reading,
~Tamara
On a mobile device? Watch the coordinating video here!

Hey friends!
I have a mini review for you today!  A mini review is my short and sweet analysis of a book.  You'll know in 350-ish words or less if this is a book I recommend.

Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Format: ebook
Pages: 311 (kindle)
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre: YA Fiction
Review Date: September 15, 2014
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen's relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and -- finally -- a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved that the book seemed so realistic.  The book started a few days before the beginning of the school year. Lucy's junior year and Owen's senior year.  Obviously since they are kids and they go with thier parents.  At this point in time, they have no say over where they live and that's a real struggle for teen loves. Distance makes the heart grow fonder and I think it did for them.  The heat level was really for teens.  A little kissing and that was it.  Again, I liked that this wasn't about teenagers acting like adults, like most YA is now days.

I'd like to think they are each others first love. Will they stay together? Who knows, they are really young. Yet, enough it's really cute and heartwarming for a teenage love story.

Happy Reading,
~Tamara

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 
Release Date: First published August 13, 2013 | Audio unabridged edition released by Hatchette Audio on August 13, 2013
Format: Audiobook
Pages: 276 (Hardcover) / Audio Length: Approx 6 hoursNarrator: Noah Galvin
Source: Audiobook SYNC
Genre: Young Adult
Review Date: Recorded August, 2014
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: Leonard Peacock is turning 18. 
And he wants to say goodbye.

Not to his former best friend, whose torments have driven him to consider committing something tragic and horrific.


Nor to his mum who's moved out and left him to fend form himself. But to his four friends.
A Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed neighbour
A teenage violin virtuoso
A pastor's daughter 
A teacher

Most of the time, Leonard believes he's weird and sad but these friends have made him think that maybe he's not. 

He wants to thank them, and bid them farewell.

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 
Release Date: December 23, 2013
Format: ebook
Pages: 288 (Hardcover)
Source: NetGalley
Genre: YA Fiction
Review Date: February 5, 2014
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: It's time to meet your new roomie. When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.

Disclaimer: I was given an e-galley courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book took me by surprise. Of course I liked the synopsis or I wouldn't have read it, but I didn't expect to like it so much.  The fact that this book centered around the summer between the last year of high school and the first year of college is unique and creative. It seems like we always hear about freshman year once it's begun, but what happens before the day you move into your new home?  

Elizabeth and Lauren could not be more different, yet at the root of things they are essentially the same.  We got to know each girl and their own personal issues and what it was like for them leading up to being away from home for the first time.  It all begins when Elizebeth (EB for short) reaches out to Lauren via email after learning from the housing department that they will be roommates in the fall at UC Berkley.   Lauren lives in nearby San Francisco with her parents and their large family of five siblings and EB lives in New Jersey with her mother, she has no siblings and divorced parents. 

Throughout the book their delicate relationship teeters back and forth as they email back and forth over the summer.  You can't really tell if they will be lifelong friends, frenemies or enemies or even roommates at all.  It's amazing to see how two strangers are able to connect because of a mutual fear, for lack of a better word, of the unknown going in to their first year away from home. Throw in family, high school friends, changing relationships, boys, dating and the whole stress of going away to school quadruples for these girls.