9 Days and 9 Nights by Katie Cotugno | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I loved, loved, loved 99 Days. Katie Cotugno just, typically, knows her way into my heart with her books. While 9 Days and 9 Nights was far from bad--and, in truth, quite enjoyable--it just left me with this feeling of being utterly underwhelmed. There were plenty of good moments in the story--the complexities of emotion that Cotugno is so keen on exploring in her stories, the sheer awkwardness of specific moments, the sweet moments in other portions.

We've got a bit of a catch up to explore in Molly's life that readers will be familiar with. Looking back to where she was in the previous book, readers will be faced with a character who has changed in many ways. This is what makes Katie Cotugno's stories so special. Her characters are developed in a way that is visible to readers. For fans who cannot seem to recall the happenings of 99 Days, we are given a bit of a refresher at the start.

Fireworks by Katie Cotugno | Rating:  ★★★★☆ (4.5)

A copy of this novel was provided through Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

I've never read anything by Katie Cotugno but I have always heard good things about her work. After almost constantly hearing nothing but sweet things about her writing, and finally picking out something of hers to try, I can see why she has such steady fans. Fireworks is a breath of fresh air and pleasantly surprised me when it comes to its genre--it could have gone horribly wrong but something about her prose just makes the experience all the more good.

What made me enjoy Fireworks so much was the nostalgia of it all--Cotugno captured an era I remember fondly and did it a solid. I'd say it falls right smack dab in the middle of clichéd and not. Somehow, it all worked and tangled together spotlessly and kept me feeling a kind of warmth to it. I'm not going to lie and tell you guys this is the most moving novel you'll ever read but it is worth a second look. It reminded me of a lot of childhood memories but it also stays connected with its target audience--while it will feel nostalgic to people my age, it will feel just as captivating and relevant to a younger audience, too. A lot has changed from the 1990s to today--that is time itself--but not enough to make teenagers feel disconnected to the general story.