'89 Walls by Katie Pierson | Rating: ★★★☆☆

As a disclaimer, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley. My review remains completely unaffected by receiving this novel. All opinions are real and of my own.

'89 Walls is a throwback to, well, the 1980s. And it's a good one, at that. There are so many novels out there that take place in decades that have past, but don't feel like it. This is not one of them -- there's a great mix of pop culture and political references in here that don't seem cheesy or out of place.

It is filled with romance, teen angst, and frank discussions/debates on politics, making it the perfect addition to a young adults to-read list. It doesn't treat its audience like they are children -- and perhaps it will help open their eyes on certain topics. Everything is told in an honest way and I loved that.

Although I didn't always connect with it, at times I bordered on 'meh' when it came down to it, it was still enjoyable. Cute, even. Both of our main characters, Seth and Quinn, are so real they practically bounce out of the pages and smack you in the face. The amount in which the two grow by stories end -- together and individually -- is something to applaud. Katie Pierson brings to life these two characters in a way that's realistic, entertaining and irritating (let's face it: most characters can be irritating and that's not a bad thing!) -- she does not slack on developing both.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi | Rating: ★★★★☆

“All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.”

For months I’d been debating whether or not I wanted to really read this novel. Tahereh Mafi is basically perfection in author form. And the buzz I’d heard when it came to this book was massive. Goodreads, however, made me wonder whether or not the hype was all that. Mostly, opinions on this book have been mixed — they either love it or hate it.

I’m going to be upfront with you all when I say I loved it.

Aside from the beautiful cover and freaking awesome author (how cool is she?!), the novel itself is pretty damn good. And I mean that.

Our story stars in a dystopian world where our leading lady Juliette is living in a damaged world that only vaguely resembles what it once was and is left in a life of seclusion that mirrors a terrible fate as a prisoner of a world that considers you to be a monster. See, the lovely Juliette has a certain gift that many view as being a monster — her touch is lethal. Her family has abandoned her in incredibly heartbreaking ways.

Then, she feels betrayed by a newly made connection that leads her into another place of the unknown. A very dark place that she has no intention of giving up her potential freedom for.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K Rowling | Rating:★★★☆☆

“It was strange how your brain could know what your heart refused to accept.”

The Casual Vacancy’s tagline is “A Big Novel About A Small Town" and really, there is no better description for J.K Rowling’s debut in adult fiction.

Because it is just that. And, hey, no complaints here!

Admittedly, it took me a couple months to finish reading it because while it does intrigue you to know the happenings of a diverse medley of characters, it doesn’t always keep your attention for long periods of time. At least not for me. And again, taste is subjective — so this could just be me.

Our story opens with the death of Barry Fairbrother and follows a selection of characters of all ages in the months following his death as they try to find somebody to fill his seat. Each character offers their own look into this small town in various ways that are sometimes hard to fully follow.

You do get the hang of it eventually.