Mini Review Round Up: Kasie West



Kasie West lives with her family in central California, where the heat tries to kill her with its 115-degree stretches. She graduated from Fresno State University with a BA degree that has nothing to do with writing. Visit her online at www.kasiewest.com.


Doesn’t it sometimes feel like you have read a lot of books but you never took out the time to review them, and now you’ve fallen behind? It happened before. When I started binge reading books on my Nook. Back in 2015, I believe. And it’s happening now as well. I am reading two books per day because well, I have a feeling I am going to enter the busiest phase of my life soon. I am trying to make up for what I might start to miss. Then again, us bookworms have always found a way to read, haven’t we? And I have also realized that I have to choose between sleeping, having a social life and reading/writing. Guess which one I keep choosing to give up? Anyway, I thought I would do mini review round ups for the three Kasie West Young Adult Novels I read.

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Book Blurb: Signed, sealed, delivered . . .

While spacing out in Chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk, and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters -- sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she's kind of falling for this letter writer. Only who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery, and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can't always be spelled out . . .



The Review: 

The first Kasie West Book I read was On the Fence. I had really liked it. When I followed that up with Fill-In Boyfriend, I was a little disappointed. But since I had high hopes from this author, I read P.S. I Like You. One of the reasons for reading this book was I wanted to write a listicle on secret identities in YA Novels.

But this book did not disappoint me at all. In fact, Lily Abbot and Cade Jennings became two of my favourite characters. I loved the depiction of Lily’s home life. It was nice to see a happy, bustling family. And while some of the plot devices West used are absolute clichés and it doesn’t take a genius to guess who is writing to whom, what I loved is that even when Lily discovers who the letter writer is…it is how she deals with the aftermath that really drew me into the book.

Another thing I love about West’s novels is that they offer good resolution before finally closing the curtains on us. However, I really want to know what happened to the other characters in the book. So I really do want her to write a sequel for this book.

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Book Blurb: Money can't buy a good first impression.

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers learned early that the rich are not to be trusted. And after years of studying them from behind the cash register of her mom's porcelain-doll shop, she has seen nothing to prove otherwise. Enter Xander Spence—he's tall, handsome, and oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and the fact that he seems to be one of the first people who actually gets her, she's smart enough to know his interest won't last. Because if there's one thing she's learned from her mother's warnings, it's that the rich have a short attention span. But just when Xander's loyalty and attentiveness are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she'd ever realized. With so many obstacles standing in their way, can she close the distance between them?

The Review: 

I had come across this book quite some time ago. I found the blurb intriguing and I wanted to read the book. But it wasn’t till two nights ago that I finally found the book. Of course I binge read the whole thing! That’s why we own eReaders in the first place, duh!

I did find the plot extremely Gilmore Girl-ish. But I loved the character of Caymen Meyers, joking about life and depending on her sardonic sense of humour to help her sail through life. When she meets Xander Spence, their two little worlds collide and Caymen has to decide which world she wants to live in.

It is a modern day Cinderella story of course sans the stepmother and the stepsisters. But it is definitely a story that you should read after a long tiring day at work, putting your feet up on the desk and sipping on a cup of tea. It is a warm, happy read and it makes you question if all stories end the way this one does.

By Your Side by Kasie West

Book Blurb: When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.
Only he doesn’t come. No one does.
Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn at first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?

The Review:

This is the first story by West I read where the main character has a mental illness. Autumn has an anxiety disorder and being trapped in the library is her worst nightmare and not a dream come true as many people (including myself) would like to think. The only saving grace is that she is trapped with a fellow classmate, Dax Miller, whose reputation precedes him.

However during their time together in the library, Dax learns Autumn’s secret and slowly begins to let his guard down around her as well. Two highly unlikely people come together to help each other out. I particularly loved how Dax handled Autumn’s anxiety, and even after they escape the library, they are each other’s support through thick and thin.

Even though I read the story in one night, I do believe Dax and Autumn’s interactions are some of the best written scenes of the entire book. Even though one would brush off this book due to its rather coquettish title, I would ask readers to look beyond the title and pick this one up. (Yes, I wish it had a different title too.)

Comments