{Audiobook} Thoughts Upon A Second Reading: What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

So, last month I participated in the "Blog Most Likely To..." promotion and mentioned that I'd be re-reading My Life Next Door by way of the audiobook. I did and it was awesome. But I expected nothing less. =) This month, we're re-reading What I Thought Was True in anticipation of Tim's story in the follow-up to My Life Next Door. The book isn't related to that companion series, but it's still an awesome Huntley Fitzpatrick novel and more than worthy of a re-read. I reviewed the book back in June of 2012 when I first read it, but I had some further thoughts to add to the conversation now that I'm done with my re-read, er, listen…


Title: What I Thought Was True
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Narrator(s): Erin Spencer
Series: stand-alone
Length: 12 hrs 51 mins
Publisher: Dial BFYR
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
Source: purchased HC, borrowed audiobook from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

From the author of My Life Next Door comes a swoony summertime romance full of expectation and regret, humor and hard questions.

Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

A magnetic, push-me-pull-me romance with depth, this is for fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Deb Caletti.

My original review can be found here, but below are some other thoughts I had upon my second reading of this fabulous book:

Gwen's crazy, mixed-up family is crazy awesome. Huntley likes to create these really diverse, chaotic family situations in her books and they just feel so genuine. I come from a small immediate family, but our family reunions kind of look something like the everyday for one of the families in her stories.

I love that Gwen is a real girl. She's 17 but she's by no means your simpering virginal waif. She's sarcastic and witty and cares deeply for her family and friends. Gwen doesn't hide from her mistakes, but she is learning from them through a little trial and error.

Even before we knew the big THING between them, I knew Cass was wrongfully cast as the bad guy from the beginning. He's just too sweet to her, too caring and protective, and he is just SO good with her little brother. Jase ranks very high among my book boyfriends, but Cass isn't trailing too far behind.

Huntley is not afraid to go there. Her characters have sex. They talk about having sex. They have serious and honest and open discussions about safe sex. Quite frankly, I haven't read too many novels, contemporary or otherwise, that I can say handle this subject as well as this author does.

The ending was kind of unexpected. Not for Gwen and Cass, but for other, equally important side characters. The author really likes to shake things up. :)

Erin Spencer was a great choice for narrator, and she even shares a name with one of the characters. She's got that Gwen's sarcasm down pat, and she reads with feeling to boot.

As I said in my initial review: I really think Huntley Fitzpatrick has outdone herself in the realistic characters and relatable plot departments. I can't think of another novel that felt this genuine and true-to-life, while at the same time consisting of diverse characters that are far from stereotypical. The writing is spectacular and witty, but I'd expect nothing less from such a talented author. What I Thought Was True is raw and funny, sad and hopeful, and I think that most fans of her previous novel will really enjoy this second book from Fitzpatrick. Now I'm even more anxious for the follow-up to My Life Next Door, which is Tim's story, due out next month!

GIF it to me straight:

I devour Huntley Fitzpatrick books.

About the Author:

Huntley Fitzpatrick grew up dreamy and distracted in coastal Connecticut. She flourished in a family of bookworms where everyone always had their nose in a book. She kept an exhaustively thorough journal which frightened her boyfriends but has proved very useful in her career as a writer. Her debut contemporary Romance, MY LIFE NEXT DOOR, was published in June of 2012 by Penguin-Dial for Young Readers. Now she laughs with and eavesdrops on her six children who provide her with perspective and material. She is represented by the amazing Christina Hogrebe of the Jane Rotrosen Agency.

Find Huntley:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads

hosted by Penguin Teen

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy reading!

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Labels: all the feels, all the swoons, audiobooks, contemporary, favorites, giveaways, huntley fitzpatrick, penguin, re-listens, re-reads, reviews, summer, what i thought was true

July TBR & The Great Summer Re-Readathon of 2015

I am unrealistically, egregiously ambitious when it comes to my July TBR, especially considering two of the books are very large and will be quite time-consuming. But I want to must read them all. For those of you who don't have the vision of an eagle or superhero and since I was trying to be all artsy (read: generally pleasing to the eye) in the picture, here's what's on my reading list for this month:

YA Review Copies
The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George
Of Dreams and Rust by Sarah Fine
A Million Miles Away by Lara Avery
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick
The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle
The Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman
Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Children's Books for Review
Good Night, Firefly by Gabriel Alborozo
Little Birds Bad Word by Jacob Grant
Wild Feelings by David Milgrim

And that's just the review copies I plan to read. But I should mention that I may opt out of any that I decide reviews are too poor for. I tend to lose interest when I see so many of my friends not enjoying a book. *shrugs* What are ya gonna do?

That might actually be favorable for my other reading goal this summer, which is to read more for pleasure. (Not that reading ARCs isn't enjoyable, but reading for review often involves stress, at least for me, so I'm trying to tamp that down a bit.) In keeping with that theme, I plan to re-read or at least re-listen (or re-read by way of audio) to some old favorites. Give those old books a chance to shine once again, if you will.

I know that there are probably a few re-reading challenges around, but that's not what this is. I don't do challenges. Not anymore, anyway. I mean, I do the Goodreads "see how many books you can make it through in a year" challenge, but I'd read and read and read without that, so I don't really count it. And that's not what this is anyway. This is solely for fun. =)

The first series I plan to re-read is The Rephaim by Paula Weston as I wait desperately for the final book to appear on my doorstep. I did this last year before Shimmer released, but I just love this series so much, and it never hurts to have a refresher.

The Elementals series by Brigid Kemmerer was just released on audio over the last couple of months, and since I only read the first three books, I'd really like to start over and finish out the series with a bang. The bang being that we finally got Michael's book, and being the oldest Merrick brother, his story is sure to be the hottest. *rawr* Especially from what I remember of him in his prequel story and from his brothers' books. ;0)

Which brings me to my next re-listen: The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. I probably re-listen to these audiobooks at least twice a year. (Which could probably also be said for The Scorpio Races. I have a real affection for Maggie's work.) I didn't think I'd like Will Patton as narrator when I first listened all those years ago, but he's really grown on me, especially his voices for Ronan and Persephone. What seemed weird at first became the way I heard them in my head, as well, reading the later books. These audiobooks are perfection, and while I wait and pray that The Raven King's release isn't pushed back again, they'll be the best of company.

My sister is currently reading Crown of Midnight, at my insistent prompting, of course, and as she ask questions and wants to discuss, I find myself really, really wanting to experience the series with her. She doesn't read nearly as much as I do, so I should be able to keep pace with her on audio if I wait a bit. I'm hoping we'll both be ready for Queen of Shadows in September. I mean, I know I will be, but I want her to be there right along with me. She's not sure if she wants to read The Assassin's Blade, isn't sure if she really needs to read about Celaena's life before the events of Throne of Glass, but I'm hoping she changes her mind. I mean, SAM. And the suffering and the longing and just all of it. When I start my re-listen of the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, I will definitely be starting with the prequel novel first. And, of course, after this I'm going to force her to read ACOTAR. It's only right. :D

I'm sure there will be some other reads and re-reads thrown in for good measure. I always like to deviate from a schedule, even if I'm the one who set it. Something about bucking the system, I guess? =) I mean, I already know I'll be re-reading What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick this month as part of the promotion for The Boy Most Likely To. And my hold on the Crimson Bound audio at the library should be coming in soon, as should the hold for His Golden Materials. I caught The Golden Compass on TV one day and though it wasn't the best adaptation, it made me really want to experience the series again. Even that tear-soaked final book. And after reading Illuminae, I just had to grab Jay Kristoff's other series, so now I'm listening to The Lotus Wars on audiobook. It's narrated by Jennifer Ikeda and it's pretty fantastic.

So, yeah, a pretty busy reading month ahead of me, lol. I'm getting a little short of breath just reading back through this. But I listen to audio pretty quickly, so I'm not worried on that front. And Katie and I will knock those children's books out in one go.

I'm kind of sad because April and I usually compile a list of summer books to challenge ourselves to read each month the kids are out of school, but she's on a break from the blog right now. It's probably for the best considering all of the books I already need to read, but I miss her all the same. :(

Anyway, what are your reading plans this month? Doing any re-reading? ;-)

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Labels: 2015, favorites, re-listens, re-reads, summer, TBR pile

{Audiobook} Thoughts Upon A Second Reading: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

So, last week I participated in the "Blog Most Likely To..." promotion and mentioned that I'd be re-reading My Life Next Door by way of the audiobook. I did and it was awesome. But I expected nothing less. =) I reviewed the book back in June of 2012 when I first read it, but I had some further thoughts to add to the conversation now that I'm done with my re-read, er, listen...

Title: My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Narrator(s): Amy Rubinate
Series: My Life Next Door, book #1 (companion series)
Length: 10 hrs 39 mins
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: March 25, 2013
Source: purchased audiobook
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

"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, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

My original review can be found here, but below are some other thoughts I had upon my second reading of this fabulous book:

I really, really don't like Sam's mother. I didn't like her the first time I read this book, even in the beginning, but I liked her even less this time around. She didn't give her daughters a chance to be who they were and focused too much on her career and constituency. And I straight-up hated that smooth-talking boyfriend of hers. Slimy slimeballs are slimy.

I adore George to the nth degree. And if it weren't for Jase, he might just be my favorite Garrett. His sweet, childish fear of near-impossible things coming to pass -- black holes and air bubbles in IVs and eating Babe -- was so endearing. And the way he basically proposed to Sam, first on his own behalf and then on Jase's…*sigh*. He might just be the cutest secondary character ever.

Jase is one of the most swoon-worthy boys I've ever encountered in a YA novel. He's responsible. He's a family man. He's respectful of Sam and her boundaries. He's good with his hands, plays football, and has a knack for fixing things. And he's a car guy, rebuilding a classic Mustang on his own dime. YUM!

Sam and Jase are such responsible, drama-free characters and their relationship is one of my absolute favorites. Even after all the books I've read over the past three years. Theirs is not just a summer fling…it's the real deal, and it brings all the swoons and more than its share of feels. Jase works hard and looks to the future, especially where it concerns Sam. And they have frank discussions about things that matter. And when things got really tough, Jase gave Sam a chance to explain, and they worked through it instead of letting it ruin their relationship like so many characters before them.

I am more excited than ever to read Tim's story! I remember seeing such potential in his character when I read this book all those years ago, and it was even more pronounced this time around. He was practically begging for his own book, and I'm so glad the author decided to let his story see the light of day. From my original review: "Tim has substance abuse issues, a poor work ethic, and he’s driving his family crazy. But if you can endure his outlandish behavior and really see beneath the surface, he’s a really nice guy who just needs someone to take him under their wing and help him make some better decisions." And I stand by that 100%, knowing that Jase and his family have already paved the way for a better version of Tim to shine.

Amy Rubinate is a pretty talented audiobook narrator. I've listened to her narrate really sad novels and really uplifting novels, and though her voice doesn't really change, she owns the story with her performance. I loved listening to this book on audio as much as I loved reading it the first time.

GIF it to me straight:

About the Author:

Huntley Fitzpatrick grew up dreamy and distracted in coastal Connecticut. She flourished in a family of bookworms where everyone always had their nose in a book. She kept an exhaustively thorough journal which frightened her boyfriends but has proved very useful in her career as a writer. Her debut contemporary Romance, MY LIFE NEXT DOOR, was published in June of 2012 by Penguin-Dial for Young Readers. Now she laughs with and eavesdrops on her six children who provide her with perspective and material. She is represented by the amazing Christina Hogrebe of the Jane Rotrosen Agency.

Find Huntley:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads

hosted by Penguin Teen

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy reading!

Read More

Labels: all the feels, all the swoons, audiobooks, contemporary, favorites, huntley fitzpatrick, my life next door, penguin, re-listens, re-reads, reviews, summer

Re-loving Books

Re-reading or listening to old (and new) favorites is about the best way I know to recover from a week from hell. Like the week I've been having. Remember the torture scene from The Princess Bride, where Prince Humperdink and Count Rugen strap Westley to a table and drain his life away? "Do you hear that, Fezzik? That is the sound of ultimate suffering." That's what this week has felt like to me. Well, the last month or so, if I'm being honest. Work is making life unbearable right now. I'll have been with this company for 11 years next month, and I am so over it. I also only just realized that my dad's 60th birthday is next week, so my sisters and I are scrambling to put something together for him. I didn't forget that it was his birthday, only that it was a BIG one, but I still feel like the worst daughter. Luckily, he and my mom were born in the same year, so I now have ten months to plan her celebration. OH, and the book I was listening to yesterday pissed me off because I hate reading a book under the assumption that it's a stand-alone or a duology, only to discover at the end that the story isn't finished but the ending may never see the light of day because the publisher wants to gauge the sales of the book you were just listening to before committing to another book from the author.

But I digress.

Wine and chocolate help, but what really gets me through trying times like this is reverting to a favorite story, one guaranteed to make me forget my troubles. My number one go-to re-listen is The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. It makes me feel all the things but it doesn't leave me in tears, which is the last thing I need after a miserable week like this. (If you're looking for a list of other books that are just as great the second or third time around, April and I have you covered.)

I am a big proponent of re-reading. Even though Katie has a pretty extensive library of her own, she still loves to re-read some of the first books we ever read together. Sure, now she reads them to me, but that just makes them that much better because now she knows the stories well enough to use the little inflections and voices that I used the first time I read them to her. I love that she enjoys revisiting a story as much as I do, if not more.

I just wish I had more time to re-read books myself. I re-listen plenty, but it's not always the same. Though sometimes, it's even better. It depends on the narrator(s) and my ability to speed up the narration. Either way, I love experiencing a story all over again, noticing intricate details and nuances that I never picked up on before. Learning my favorite quotes by heart because I've read or heard them so many times. Getting a keener insight into the characters minds. Finally really being able to visualize the characters…I'm the worst at dream casting a novel because I don't pay as much attention to descriptions of physical appearance as I do a character's actions. But all of it becomes so much clearer with every revisit to the story.

I read so many books in any given year -- and more with each passing year -- that it's hard for me to recall details from the previous books in a series. I really, really dislike that lost feeling I get going into a series finale if I haven't refreshed my memory with the events of the prior installments. But I don't have any extra time to spare re-reading those other books just so I can finally get to the last one. And so I've taken to listening to the previous books just to brush up on the story and familiarize myself once again with the world. It helps immensely. And it makes having that final book on hand so much sweeter. I love being able to read/listen to a series back-to-back. I've already employed this method five times this year, which probably accounts for the reason why I've read almost a book a day, according to my Goodreads challenge. ☺

And I plan to do oodles and oodles more re-reading and re-listening this year. As I said, I had a terrible week --  and it's not over yet! -- so I started re-listening to The Scorpio Races on my way home from work. It helped to fall back into that world, with Sean and Puck and the deadly capall uisce. The book's not going to save the day or anything, but it definitely helps take my mind off everything else. And that's why I love a good re-listen when I'm down and out. Forgetting, even for a few hours, is sometimes the best kind of medicine.

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Labels: discussion, favorites, re-listens, re-reads

Top Ten Tuesday: Books We Could Read/Listen To Over and Over Again

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the awesome ladies at The Broke and the Bookish. Apparently, they are overly fond of list-making and love to share their bookish lists with the rest of us book nerds.  =) We're game.

This week's topic is the Top Ten Books I Want To Reread.

April's Picks:

I'm like Jen, I don't have much time for re reading. I only ever re read one book, and that was The Host. I would however like to listen to some books that I've read and loved.

It's been a while since I've read The Host, and I just love that story so much. My daughter has been making me watch the Twilight movies with her, so I've been craving a re read. Thinking I might just get the audio from my library. Vampire Academy, I've been wanting to listen to them ever since I started the spin off Bloodlines series. Hunger Games and Harry Potter, they are a given. I plan on starting one of these selections soon while I'm at the office, since I already know the story, I wont have to pay 100 percent attention to what's going on.

And I figured I'd do five of my favorite Audio books. I'm new to the Audio book world, but these are my favorites so far. The Scorpio Races and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown take the two top spots. I could listen to them over and over and over. :)


Jen's Picks:

Here's the thing...I don't have time to re-read, like, ever. BUT, I do have a tendency to re-listen to my favorite books on audio, especially when they come with superb narrators. Sometimes I re-listen in order to prepare for the next installment, as a refresher. Sometimes, I've read the book, but I want to try it on audio, just to see if the experience is any different. Other times, it's just because I miss being in that world so much. And once in awhile, I just have such a difficult time choosing my next listen that it's easier to fall back on an old favorite. Below are some that I've listened to again and again, for any number of reasons. Or, that I'll be listening to very soon after having loved the book upon first reading it and needing to return to that world immediately. ;0)

I've re-listened to The Scorpio Races probably ten times already. It's one of my very favorite books, no matter which way I choose to experience it. Fangirl is another that I've listened to many times. I loved it the first time I read it, and I wanted to immediately read it again, so I opted for the audio and fell in love with Cath and Levi all over again. I've read and loved each of the books in The Raven Cycle and then promptly purchased the audiobooks so I could hear Will Patton narrate them for me. I wasn't sure about him as narrator when I picked up The Raven Boys that first time, but he really grew on me and even now, I still hear his voice as I'm reading. The Lunar Chronicles has one fabulous narrator, too. I started listening to this series after friends were raving about Cinder and I can't NOT listen now. And I always go back to the beginning and start over when the next book releases. (Which is pretty much the case with any of the series you see here. :P) I was sad to discover that the Penryn and the End of Days series is only going to be three books now, but that doesn't mean I won't listen to the audiobooks for Angelfall and World After a million times before we get that final book.

I love retellings as much as the next girl, and the Splintered series is one of my favorites, even though I was reluctant to start it. I read Cruel Beauty earlier this year, and then it was offered for free from Audiobook SYNC as part of their summer promotion, and I've now listened to it at least twice. And I've loved the story all three times. Same for The Winner's Curse -- except the audio wasn't free! -- and I'll likely be relistening very soon so that I can tackle The Winner's Crime. Most people I know would vote TWC as their favorite fantasy read this year, but I'm leaning more toward The Kiss of Deception because WHOA, I did not see that coming! It's just been released on audio with a full cast from what I understand, so it'll likely be one of my next listens. In trying to refresh my memory for the release of Heir of Fire, I discovered that I really love the narrator they chose for the Throne of Glass series. And I finally got to read listen to the book of novellas and I am so, so in love and why, Sam, why?!?

Honorable mentions because I actually re-listen A LOT:

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

the Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin

The 5th Wave series by Rick Yancey

the Guards of the Shadowlands series by Sarah Fine

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

You're probably starting to notice that I re-listen to a lot of fantasy and sci-fi...and Maggie Stiefvater novels. =) Pretty much, all of these books have fantastic narrators and I just can't help myself. It's part of the reason I never truly hit a reading slump...because I can always fall back on one of these awesome listens.


Which books could you read over and over again? :D Be sure to share a link to your TTT post so we can visit!

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Labels: favorite authors, favorite narrators, favorites, re-listens, re-reads, top ten tuesday