COYER Summer Reading List Sign Up

I'm so excited for COYER this summer. The summer COYER allows you to read books in any format although I did take some books from my kindle because I do need to work on those books. This summer the challenge is to create a summer reading list of 30 books and read as many books as possible off the list. I made a list and I'm hoping I will read most of these books. I chose them from the 2013,2014,2015, and 2016 releases I meant to read lists as well as books I own that I want to read soon. 

My Bullet Journal Page to keep track of what I read. 

Book Review: Allie and Bea by Catherine Ryan Hyde (no spoilers)

Book: Allie and Bea
Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde
Publication: May 23, 2017
Source: Netgalley
Read: March 10-April 9, 2017
Summary (from goodreads):

Bea has barely been scraping by since her husband died. After falling for a telephone scam, she loses everything and is forced to abandon her trailer. With only two-thirds of a tank in her old van, she heads toward the Pacific Ocean with her cat—on a mission to reclaim what’s rightfully hers, even if it means making others pay for what she lost.

 When fifteen-year-old Allie’s parents are jailed for tax fraud, she’s sent to a group home. But when her life is threatened by another resident, she knows she has to get out. She escapes only to find she has nowhere to go—until fate throws Allie in Bea’s path.

 Reluctant to trust each other, much less become friends, the two warily make their way up the Pacific Coast. Yet as their hearts open to friendship and love from the strangers they meet on their journey, they find the courage to forge their own unique family—and begin to see an imperfect world with new eyes.

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. *

My Thoughts:

The beginning of Allie and Bea is a mystery. We start off the book by meeting Bea and we have no idea how these two characters stories will connect. There is a lot of background information that the author goes over in the first part of the story. When we are introduced to Allie their stories are still completely separate. Allie's story in the beginning is very intense and heartbreaking. She goes through so many things that a child should never have to go through. Then fate brings Allie and Bea together. 

For me after they met is when the story started to make sense. I understand the title of the book after they meet. Then they started their adventure. Their adventure was really interesting at first, but it did have times that were boring. I really enjoyed getting to know these two characters better and how they connected over the course of the book. 

Hyde put in serious themes to Allie and Bea. These are situations that can happen to real people. Allie's situation weighed on my heart as a teacher because I have students that are in the foster system. Allie came from a good situation, but her parents got themselves in some deep trouble. I can't say I understand Bea's situation, but it is a good example of how people don't always choose to be homeless. Bea was barely making it by and after he money got stolen she had limited options. I think Allie and Bea is a great book. I really enjoyed learning about the characters and I think many other people would enjoy this book. The ending was a great conclusion to the story. I was happy for the characters and their future. 

My TBR List Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman (no spoilers)

Book: Just One Day
Author: Gayle Forman
Publication: August 20, 2013
Source: Own
Read: Apr 29-May 7, 2017
Summary (from goodreads):

Allyson Healey's life is exactly like her suitcase—packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life.

 A book about love, heartbreak, travel, identity, and the “accidents” of fate, Just One Day shows us how sometimes in order to get found, you first have to get lost. . . and how often the people we are seeking are much closer than we know.

My Thoughts:
Just One Day was my April TBR list read. I have had this book on my TBR list since it came out and I purchased it last year. I have wanted to read this book for a long time, but it has been put on the back burner multiple times. I'm happy to have finally read this book.

I think the one word I would use to describe this book is mysterious. Allyson had a roller coaster 24 hours that changed her life forever. Then she had to go home and face the music of normal life. She has graduated high school and heads off to her first year of college. Allyson goes on a journey to find herself.

I have to say the part that I found hard about this book was her obsession with Willem. I couldn't understand how she could feel such a deep connection to him after one day. There were parts of the book that were slower because there wasn't much going on, but overall the book was fast paced. I really enjoyed Allyson's story and her journey through her first year of college. In her year at college she thought about Willem a lot, but this book was more about Allyson overall. Allyson found herself through her quest to find Willem and that is the message I take away from the book. I will be reading Just One Year soon.

This was my April TBR list. 

And the Winner is.....TBR List May 2017

You guys did great just picking a book without the summaries. Kill Me Softly won by one vote. I have had this book on my goodreads TBR for awhile, so I'm excited to read it. 

To Be Read List: May 2017 Voting

I'm breaking the rules this month. I chose three books from my deal me in/ fill in the gaps challenge. I'm skipping the summaries and letting you judge these books by their covers.