Books to Buy – Page 7 – Zakiya N. Jamal

Book Review: Full Package

Posted on January 17, 2017January 16, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

I’ve been told I have quite a gift.

Hey, I don’t just mean in my pants. I’ve got a big brain too, and a huge heart of gold. And I like to use all my gifts to the fullest, the package included. Life is smooth sailing….

Until I find myself stuck between a rock and a sexy roommate, which makes for one very hard…place.

Because scoring an apartment in this city is harder than finding true love. So even if I have to shack up with my buddy’s smoking hot and incredibly amazing little sister, a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.

I can resist Josie. I’m disciplined, I’m focused, and I keep my hands to myself, even in the mere five-hundred square feet we share. Until the one night she insists on sliding under the covers with me. It’ll help her sleep after what happened that day, she says.

Spoiler–neither one of us sleeps.

Did I mention she’s also one of my best friends? That she’s brilliant, beautiful and a total firecracker? Guess that makes her the full package too.

What’s a man stuck in a hard place to do?

Purchase From:

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Review

Lauren Blakely has done it again. I swooned so hard reading this book and it was great seeing so many characters from her other books appear in this novel. Even though Full Package is definitely a standalone it’s kind of in this series that begins with Big Rock, in case you want to start at the beginning.

In this novel, the story follows Chase who needs a place to crash. Enter his best friend, Josie, who’s roommate is moving out. Although Chase believes he’s successfully compartmentalized his feelings so that living with Josie will be piece of cake, that’s of course not the case.

Although this book is very predictable, it’s still very funny and I liked that although this novel is told in Chase’s POV we also get Josie’s POV in the form of her recipes, which was a really cute touch. I also really liked the chemistry between Josie and Chase. They were very cute together and I liked their inside jokes about Swedish Fish and Lyle Lyle (read the book and you’ll understand).

All in all, I thought this was a great read filled with just the right amount of erotica and romance. It’s also a quick read (it only took me a day to read), which is also nice. I’m going to be taking a step backwards in this quasi-series and read The Sexy One soon and I’m very excited to read another book by Blakely.

If you haven’t given Blakely’s writing a chance yet I highly recommend her but only if you’re 18 years or older. This one ain’t for the kids. If you have read this book let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I want Swedish Fish with you all the time.”

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Book Review: The Good Girl

Posted on January 10, 2017January 9, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

“I’ve been following her for the past few days. I know where she buys her groceries, where she has her dry cleaning done, where she works. I don’t know the color of her eyes or what they look like when she’s scared. But I will.”

One night, Mia Dennett enters a bar to meet her on-again, off-again boyfriend. But when he doesn’t show, she unwisely leaves with an enigmatic stranger. At first Colin Thatcher seems like a safe one-night stand. But following Colin home will turn out to be the worst mistake of Mia’s life.

When Colin decides to hide Mia in a secluded cabin in rural Minnesota instead of delivering her to his employers, Mia’s mother, Eve, and detective Gabe Hoffman will stop at nothing to find them. But no one could have predicted the emotional entanglements that eventually cause this family’s world to shatter.

An addictively suspenseful and tautly written thriller, The Good Girl is a propulsive debut that reveals how even in the perfect family, nothing is as it seems.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Review

It’s been a little while since I’ve posted but honestly I haven’t been reading that much lately and I’ve been busy. I finished The Good Girl a while back, though, and I really wanted to post this before I totally forgot what this book was even about. So here we go.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It was definitely different than I expected it to be, though. If you’re looking for a Gone Girl type of thriller this isn’t exactly like that. There was much more romance in this novel than I thought there would be but I actually liked it so that worked well for me.

The novel is told in alternating POVs of Collin, the kidnapper, Gabe, the detective assigned to Mia’s case, and Eve, Mia’s mom. The POVs also shift in time between “Before” and “After.” You kind of know what event occurs that makes the narrative take place in the form of before and after POVs but you don’t really find out it’s significance until the end. I thought this form of storytelling worked well but I was definitely much more interested in Collin’s point of view than the others because it was when we got to see the most of Mia and also I just found Collin to be the most interesting character. I’m a sucker for a complicated villain.

This novel definitely had a few twists and I was a little surprised by them but they were also expected. By that I mean, I didn’t freak out when the twists were revealed because I had a feeling that was how this story would play out. Still, like I said, I did really enjoy it and would still recommend it. I read it in two days because I just couldn’t put it down, which is always a good sign. Definitely give it a chance if you haven’t yet.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I know how betrayal and disillusionment feel, when someone who could give you the world refuses even a tiny piece of it.”

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Book Review: On the Fence

Posted on December 30, 2016December 29, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

She’s a tomboy. He’s the boy next door.

With three older brothers, Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, has always been more comfortable calling the shots on a basketball court than flirting with the opposite sex. So when her police officer dad demands she get a summer job to pay for the latest in a long line of speeding tickets, she’s more than a little surprised to find herself working at a chichi boutique and going out with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game. Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with her neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden, sitting back-to-back against the fence that separates them. Braden may know her better than anyone. But there’s a secret Charlie’s keeping that even he hasn’t figured out—she’s fallen for him. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Purchase From:

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Review

I’ve been in the mood for romance lately and Kasie West is the perfect author to fill that need. Her books are so fun and cute to read and they’re super quick reads as well. Although I didn’t love On the Fence as much as I loved P.S. I Like You, it was still pretty close.

On the Fence was the perfect “friends turned to something more” romance. I was Team Braden from the moment he showed up. He’s cute, sweet, and a little bashful, which I found adorable. It was so obvious that he liked Charlie but of course Charlie couldn’t see it. That being said I related to Charlie a lot. Her mom died when she was only six years old and this caused her to have nightmares about her mother’s death that kept her up at night. This is how her late night conversations with Braden at the fence began. Although at first it was unintentional, their meetings became more intentional and they were so incredibly cute.

Besides Braden and Charlie, I really liked the other characters in this novel. Charlie’s dad was so adorable as he tried to navigate being a single dad with a daughter. It was hilarious and cute how hard he tried. I also really liked her brothers. Gabe is my favorite but Nathan was also really cute. Charlie’s boss Linda was so funny but also wise and I wish she was my boss. And I really liked Amber and all her friends.

The only complaint I had about this novel was at one point Charlie’s new friend Antonia was referred to as having “mocha skin.” This has always been a pet peeve of mine. If her skin is brown just say brown. No one ever refers to a white person’s skin tone as “vanilla”. Literally right before this is said Charlie refers to Amber’s skin as being “tan.” Why is a POC’s skin tone always compared to food? It’s fine to say their skin is brown or dark brown. Honestly, we’d prefer it.

Besides this, I found everything else about this book to be great. I thought the story about Charlie’s mom was very well done and I was actually kind of surprised by it even though I knew there had to be more to her mother’s death than what Charlie believed. I also liked how Charlie began to allow herself to step out of her comfort zone and wear different clothes and even try make-up. More than that, I liked that this wasn’t something she had to do to get the (right) guy but something she ended up doing for herself.

Overall, this was a cute and fun read and Braden is now on my best book boyfriends list. Seriously, he was so perfect.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Sometimes we expect more than people are capable of giving at that moment.”

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Book Review: P.S. I Like You

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

While spacing out in Chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk, and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters — sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery, and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

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Review

I am such a Kasie West fan now. I want to read all her books. They’re so good!

P.S. I Like You was the perfect romance novel and I wish I owned it so I could read it again. The story is told from Lily’s point of view and although I loved her I also liked that she had flaws. She knows how to hold a grudge and sometimes misjudges people but always apologizes when she realizes she’s made a mistake. Besides Lily though, I also really liked her family and her best friend, Isabel.

Although the person who Lily was writing the letters to was pretty obvious to me I was still really happy with the romance of this novel. Lily figures it out about half way through the novel and I like how that wasn’t the end of the story. It was kind of just the beginning actually. Lily was forced to come to terms with the fact that her letter writer wasn’t who she hoped it was but also that there’s more to some people than meets the eye.

I really liked the relationship between Lily and the letter writer and he was absolutely swoon-worthy to me. I also like that just because Lily liked the person in the letter she didn’t just automatically decide she was in love with him when she found out who it was. She had to grapple with her feelings and figure out how she felt about the whole situation. I also liked that there were other small conflicts in the story that didn’t take away from the romance but added to the main plot as well.

Overall, this is definitely a buy and I can’t wait to get it after my book buying ban is lifted. I’m literally counting the days because I plan on rereading it as soon as I get it. Definitely give this book a chance if you haven’t already.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“P.S. I like you. A lot.”

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Book Review: The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily

Posted on December 27, 2016December 24, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Dash and Lily have had a tough year since readers first watched the couple fall in love. Lily’s beloved grandfather suffered a heart attack, and his difficult road to recovery has taken a major toll on her typically sunny disposition.

With only twelve days left until Christmas—Lily’s favorite time of the year—Dash, Lily’s brother Langston, and their closest friends take Manhattan by storm to help Lily recapture the holiday magic of New York City in December.

Told in alternating chapters, The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily reunites two beloved characters and is bound to be a Christmas favorite, season after season.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

Review

I was nervous to pick up The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily because I read some bad reviews. However, it was just as funny and amazing as I thought it would be, and perfect for the holiday season.

The story picks up a year after Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares and it’s been a rough year for Lily. Her beloved grandpa had a heart attack, which led to a nasty fall and health complications. Lily being the kind person she is took it on herself to be her grandpa’s caregiver and that took a toll on her relationship with Dash. Of course, Dash being the best book boyfriend that he knows how to be, tried his best to be supportive but Lily, who handled her feelings in the worst way, kept pushing him away.

It broke my heart to see Lily and Dash going through a rough time and Lily drove me absolutely crazy. I just wanted to shake her and tell her to just tell Dash how she felt. However, I’m only 23 and still have a firm grasp on how it feels to be a teen and feel so much for a person and feel like they don’t feel the same way (even when they obviously do). So I found it in my heart to be sympathetic towards Lily and I had to give her points for when she really did try with Dash.

Besides, Dash and Lily, this novel also contained all my favorite characters from the first book, including Sofia, Boomer, Langston, and Mrs. Basil E. It was so great seeing these characters again and what was going on in their lives. I was even a little glad to see Edgar again. He’s still trouble, by the way.

Overall, I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this novel and Dash made me utterly swoon (I’m currently searching for my own Dash in The Strand). If you’re looking for a funny, romantic holiday read The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily is the perfect book.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Sometimes you make plans. Sometimes plans make themselves.”

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Book Review: Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares

Posted on December 26, 2016December 24, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

16-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on her favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. Dash, in a bad mood during the holidays, happens to be the first guy to pick up the notebook and rise to its challenges.

What follows is a whirlwind romance as Dash and Lily trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations all across New York City. But can their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions, or will their scavenger hunt end in a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Co-written by Rachel Cohn (GINGERBREAD) and David Levithan, co-author of WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON with John Green (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS), DASH & LILY’S BOOK OF DARES is a love story that will have readers scouring bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

Purchase From:

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Review

I first read Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares while I was in high school and I remember loving it the first time I read it but I didn’t remember the details enough to just dive into the sequel. So I decided it was time for a reread and I’m so glad I did because I loved it just as much as I remembered.

Told in alternating POVs between Dash and Lily, this is a cute holiday romance filled with amazing characters and the perfect amount of hilarity. I read the whole book in a day because I couldn’t put it down. It was that good.

The story began with Dash discovering a red notebook in The Strand (my favorite bookstore) that leads him on this adventure that’s presumably started by Lily, but actually it was her brother Langston’s idea. Lily absolutely loves Christmas but this year she feels utterly abandoned. Her parents went to Fiji to celebrate their 20th anniversary, her grandfather went to Florida to propose to his girlfriend, and Langston was totally wrapped up in his new boyfriend. Therefore Langston decided it was time Lily found a love of her own, hence the notebook.

Through the notebook Lily and Dash give each other dares while also sharing some of their best and worst Christmas memories. Along the way they enlist their friends and families to help them as they try to discover if they can really have a relationship off the pages of the notebook or if the person they thought they knew is nothing like how they really are in person.

I’m always surprised by how much I love this novel because although I’ve liked Rachel Cohn’s books I could never get into David Levithan’s writing. Even one of the other novels they wrote together, Naomi & Ely’s No Kiss List, irritated me to no end and I never finished it. Somehow though Dash and Lily really works for me and I could see myself reading this novel every year during the holidays. Definitely give it a read if you haven’t already.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I mean, what if love isn’t a yes-or-no question? It’s not either you’re in love or you’re not. I mean, aren’t there different levels? And maybe these things, like words and expectations and whatever, don’t go on top of the love. Maybe it’s like a map, and they all have their own place, and then when you see it for the sky—whoa.”

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Book Review: The Assassin’s Blade

Posted on December 22, 2016December 22, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan’s most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin’s Guild, she’s sworn to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer for hire, Sam.

In these action-packed prequel novellas to Throne of Glass, Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and avenge tyranny. But by acting on her own terms, will Celaena truly free herself from her master, or will she suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery?

This bind-up features all four of the previously published e-novellas along with a story now available in the US for the first time, The Assassin and the Healer.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Review

*This book is part of my POPSUGAR 2016 Reading Challenge.*

It took me forever, but I finally finished the Throne of Glass series. The Assassin’s Blade was the only book holding me back but after realizing I was behind on my Goodreads challenge I finally got the push I needed to finish it. It took me so long to read this book not because it was bad but because I knew how it would end and I wasn’t looking forward to that ending. In truth, the book was actually very good.

I really enjoyed learning more about Celaena’s past and her relationship with Sam. Now I finally understand why everyone loves him. He was amazing and my heart hurts for him and what he went through. This book also made me realize even more why I do not like Arobynn. He is honestly a trash human being and so incredibly manipulative that it tittered the line of unbelievable.

Reading this novel after I read Empire of Storms definitely cleared up a lot of questions I had about Empire of Storms. In The Assassin’s Blade I learned the history of the Silent Assassins, Ansel, and the Pirate Lord, all of which comes in handy with where the series is currently at.

Overall, The Assassin’s Blade was definitely worth a read and I’m glad I finally read it and can now say I’ve read all of Sarah J. Maas books this year. It’s crazy to think I didn’t even know who she was a year ago. Make sure to check out Maas’ novels if you haven’t yet. They’re all spectacular.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I love you. And from today onward, I want to never be separated from you. Wherever you go, I go. Even if that means going to Hell itself, wherever you are, that’s where I want to be. Forever.”

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Book Review: The Thousandth Floor

Posted on December 6, 2016November 28, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. But people never change: everyone here wants something…and everyone has something to lose.

Leda Cole’s flawless exterior belies a secret addiction—to a drug she never should have tried and a boy she never should have touched.

Eris Dodd-Radson’s beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.

Rylin Myers’s job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world—and a romance—she never imagined…but will her new life cost Rylin her old one?

Watt Bakradi is a tech genius with a secret: he knows everything about everyone. But when he’s hired to spy by an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught up in a complicated web of lies.

And living above everyone else on the thousandth floor is Avery Fuller, the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all—yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

Review

I buddy read this book with my friend Jess and although we both weren’t into it in the beginning the last 100 pages sucked us in and now we both need to read the sequel.

When I first began reading I felt like this novel had way too many POVs and I still felt that way until I got to the end and realized why all those POVs were essential. To me Watt was the most unnecessary POV and I liked him the least out of all the characters we followed. Eris was my favorite, I liked Rylin but hated all her bad decisions, Avery annoyed me because of how she handled her problems, and I went from feeling sympathetic towards Leda to hating her. There was a lot going on in this novel but like I said the way Katharine McGee was able to bring everything together in the end saved this novel for me.

This book definitely gave me Gossip Girl vibes. Jess and I kept comparing these characters to the characters of Gossip Girl and began referring to Watt as Lonely Boy because he’s honestly exactly like the TV show version of Dan. Spoilers if you haven’t seen the show but Dan was Gossip Girl and in The Thousandth Floor Watt’s hacker name is Nadia. There’s a lot of other reasons why they’re similar but I don’t want to go into too much detail and spoil it but they’re very alike. Trust me. However, once again, what differentiated this book for me, besides the fact that it takes place in the future, was the surprising end.

One of my big issues with the novel, however, was trying to wrap my head around this world McGee created. When I first thought about the tower I thought of it like the Empire State Building but as I kept reading I realized it wasn’t like that at all. Apparently the Tower covers most of Manhattan and there’s buildings within the tower as well as streets and parks. So for a while I thought that meant all of New York City was the tower but then Eris and her friend, Mariel, went to a party outside of the Tower so I had to wrap my head around that. It was just a bit confusing for me and I struggled to understand the setting.

As I’ve said the plot is what really made this book awesome for me. It did start slow and I was annoyed with each character at least once in this book because they either did something stupid or I could foresee what they were planning backfiring on them. Despite that, McGee did write some good romances and like I said the last 100 pages really made the book worthwhile for me. I definitely plan on buying this one and reading the next book. I need to know what happens next!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I believe in happiness. I’m just not sure love will actually get you there.”

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Book Review: Empire of Storms

Posted on November 29, 2016November 30, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what — and who — to sacrifice if she’s to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

Review

*Warning: This review will contain some spoilers. If you don’t want to be spoiled please don’t read.*

I borrowed Empire of Storms from the library because I’m on a book buying ban and honestly I’m having a hard time returning it. I don’t want to give it back. I want to keep it forever. I want to reread it immediately. I need it on my shelves. It was so good!

Empire of Storms picks up a little after where Queen of Shadows ended. Aelin is finally headed back to Terrasen to reclaim her throne but things don’t go as planned. Lord Darrow, who’s one of the biggest jerks in this novel, basically tells Aelin she can’t be queen and if she tries to take her throne back they (the Lords of Terrasen) will see it as an act of war. So rude. Although Aelin is pissed, and rightfully so, she doesn’t fight and instead gets to work on putting her many plans in motion.

This novel followed a lot of characters so there were a lot of different plot lines going on. The Valg king, Erawan, attacked Rifthold and Rowan had to go rescue Dorian and then they ended up going to Skull’s Bay to pay the Pirate Lord a visit. Manon, who’s such a softie, was dealing with her terrible grandmother and the other witches and ended up making a choice that led to a big revelation, altering her fate. My favorite lady, Elide, was freed from Morath but had to try to find Aelin/Caelena who she didn’t know was the same person. On her way to Terrasen she was hunted by Lorcan, who was still looking for the Wyrdkeys. They ended up partnering up and thus a new ship was born.

Of course all these different storylines ended up coming together and it led to a huge revelation about Aelin’s fate and a devastating ending. Empire of Storms was filled with a lot of action as Aelin & Co. had to fight not only Erawan’s forces but also Maeve’s, the Queen of the Fae. This novel also contained a lot of romance. Basically everyone hooked up with someone in this novel. Seriously, there was a lot of kisses and sex and declarations of love, which also caused for some hilarity since the Fae can tell when someone had sex or desires someone. Speaking of hilarity, Aelin still had the same level of sass we’ve come to know and love but there were also some new characters that were great additions to the sass in this book. Particularly, Fenrys, who’s one of the Fae in Rowan’s “cadre.” He was fantastic.

Overall, I am in love with this book. I already started rereading it even though I know I have to return it soon. I still love Queen of Shadows because it had a much happier ending but Empire of Storms is a great novel. It’s well written, the characters are great, and the twists were perfect. There were twists that dated all the way back to the second book. That’s crazy!

Definitely read this book if you haven’t already. You’ll love it!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.”

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Book Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend

Posted on November 22, 2016November 12, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

When Gia Montgomery’s boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she decides to do the unthinkable…convince the cute guy waiting to pick up his sister to pretend to be her boyfriend for the night. The task is simple: two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

The problem is that days after prom, she can’t stop thinking about her fill-in boyfriend. But can Gia turn her fake boyfriend into a real one without exposing her lie and possibly destroying her friendships and her newfound relationship?

Smartly observed and wonderfully romantic, Kasie West’s talent shines in this tale of one girl’s unexpected quest to find love…and possibly herself.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

Review

The Fill-In Boyfriend has been sitting on my shelves for at least a year and after seeing Kasie West’s books all over bookstagram I decided to finally give this book a try. Overall I liked it. It was a cute, short, romantic read that only took me a day to finish. The novel is told in the POV of Gia and the novel literally begins with her being dumped outside of her prom and it wasn’t the prettiest break-up.

From the very start of the novel I could tell what kind of person Gia was. She wasn’t so concerned with her break-up and was more worried about what her friends would think when she walked into prom solo. In other words, Gia is all about appearances, which is why she enlists a total stranger to pretend to be her now ex-boyfriend, Bradley. To be fair, the whole reason Gia feels she has to go to these extreme lengths instead of just telling her friends the truth about her break-up with Bradley is because this new girl, Jules, has infiltrated her friend group and has basically been implying that Bradley wasn’t real. Thus to prove Jules wrong Gia shows up to prom with the “fill-in Bradley,” who I’ll now refer to as FIB.

Gia reminded me a lot of Andie from The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson. They’re both very focused on keeping up appearances, they don’t stick with the same boyfriend for too long, and they like to keep their relationships with other people only on the surface level and never anything deeper than that. For this reason, I couldn’t help but compare the two novels and although I will say I like The Unexpected Everything better I still thought The Fill-In Boyfriend was a great novel and the plots were different enough that I think you can enjoy both without feeling like you’re reading the same book.

While The Fill-In Boyfriend heavily deals with the fact that Gia doesn’t real deal with her feelings it also focuses on her friendships and the tangled web of lies she weaves when she first hatches her plan with the FIB. Naturally, although this was only supposed to be a one night thing it quickly spirals out of control and along the way Gia found herself actually opening up to people in a way she hadn’t done before, not even with her family who’s just as closed off as she is.

Although I thought Gia’s whole “fake boyfriend” ploy was juvenile and Gia should’ve just manned up from the beginning and been honest I also hated Jules and kind of wanted to see Gia beat her at her own game. As I continued reading though I realized I kind of hated all of Gia’s friends and felt she was better off without them. However, I did fall in love with FIB and his little sister, Bec. They, along with Gia, made this novel for me and I really liked the chemistry between Gia and FIB.

Like I said, this book was really cute and a quick read. I recommend it if you’re look for something with a happy ending, some teen angst, and a lot of fluff.

Stars:

Favorite Line: