Best Books from Spring Break read-a-thon

After eleven days of exploring, beach combing, and soaking up the Carolina sun as we downed sweet tea and hush puppies, we're finally back at home. It's pouring rain and everyone in my house is asleep. We may be back on the west coast, but our bodies haven't decided what time zone to follow.

Being away from home is the perfect time to squeeze in lots of reading, especially when you're stuck with a sluggish internet connection. I have no idea how I ever survived dial-up for as long as I did because on Friday when I tried to watch a three minute video, it turned into a 45-minute torture session. I'm not ashamed to say I gave up and went back to my books.

I finished six of the eight I brought along and three were absolute standouts.

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
You knew I was going to love this one, right? I had high expectations for this book (which can be dangerous!), but Maggie didn't disappoint. I seriously think someone should be teaching a course on brilliant character arcs, use of language and multiple pov's using her books as the texts. She seriously has it mastered. I don't want to give away too much here, but if you enjoyed Shiver, you are going to want to get your hands on this book as soon as it comes out in July.

Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
I love when an author surprises me and Lindsey absolutely did with this book. I expected a frothy sweet tween novel, a lighthearted beach read. But I was amazed by the depth she managed to give this character. This isn't just a teen romp with romance at its core. Princess for Hire speaks more to girl power, and learning to stand up for yourself and making a difference in people's lives. With an ode to her hometown of Las Vegas, an Amazon tribal dance and unexpected twists on princess lore, Lindsey has created a very impressive debut!

The Heart is Not a Size by Beth Kephart
I've enjoyed other books by Beth, but this one moved me like no other. Maybe the fact that I went on a similar journey in high school made the story that much more real for me. But even more than that, I felt like I knew these people. The friendship between Riley and Georgia, with all its flaws and blinders, felt so true to life. The way Beth let the story unfold, the secrets they kept from each other and even from themselves, their journey of discovery was beautifully written, totally heartfelt and definitely a must read. If you've never picked up a book by Beth, let this be your first.