Two Great Books!

I want to start off with a random comment. I absolutely LOVE the feeling of knowing that dinner is done and cooking away in a crock pot. It is the best! Add the yummy smell on top of that...perfect day!

Now on to the two books I just read. They couldn't be more different and I loved them both.

BELLES by Jen Calonita

I'm going to be honest here, if I'd read a blurb of this book I may not have picked it up. NOT because there is anything wrong with it, it's just not usually my kind of story. The new girl/mean girl high school drama is not usually my thing. Ughh...maybe it's because these kind of books are not written for ME, a 33 year old woman. (Ya, think?) That being said, the title and the cover drew me in instantly. I snapped it off the shelf. And you know what? I adored the story, and the characters.

Isabelle was very easy to like. I loved the opening with her and Brayden. LOVED it. I related to her, and really liked how she cared for her grandmother. Mirabelle was equally well written. I didn't always like her behavior, but I liked her, and I understood her.Of course, there was a mean girl we love to hate. I have a feeling at some point we may not hate her anymore. Who knows. This appears to be a trilogy, and I can't wait to get book two soon!!

Second book was ENCLAVE by Ann Aguirre

WOW, is all I can say. I LOVED this book. The writing was amazing. The world building was so good, I could picture it perfectly. The characterization...spot on. I adored fearless Deuce and completely fell in love with brooding Fade. This is what I think you would call Post-apocalyptic.

I'll be honest, it's a hard sell for me with a story where the romantic relationship doesn't take center stage. It's there, but she paces it well. I love it when she pulls a couple more people into the mix (wink). The setting and plot are so interesting that I was hooked the whole way through. I can't wait to get more of it!

Check these two out...oh and refer all young people to them! I've already told my friends with teens/tweens about both of them!