Happy Release Day to Jessica Sorensen and her new YA book, The Year I Became Isabella Anders! Make sure to enter the giveaway for a signed paperback of this book! #NewSeries #TopFave
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Isabella Anders has always been the girl that never fit in. Most days she feels invisible, especially when she’s around her older sister, Hannah, who catches the eye of everyone, including Kai and Kyler, the boys who live next door.
Isabella has had a crush on Kyler for years, but knows he’ll never see her as anything more than Hannah’s little sister, unless she finds a way to standout.
When Isabella gets an offer from her grandmother to travel overseas for the summer, she seizes the opportunity, hoping she’ll discover more about herself. And she does, but not in the way that she expected.
Three months later, Isabella returns home an entirely new person. The change is enough to catch both Kyler and Kai’s attention. But Isabella is still struggling with what she discovered over the summer and until she deals with the truth, she’ll never truly be herself.
Cover Created by Sarah Hansen Okay Creations
Photography by Lauren at Perrywinkle Photography
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Cold rain instantly soaks through my clothes as I skip down the driveway, moving awkwardly, because I can’t bend one knee. I don’t care though. Rain is awesome. And it smells so great. Seriously, if I could, I’d skip around in the rain all the time.
My hair is drenched by the time I reach the sidewalk, and the flip-flops splash water from the puddles all over the backs of my legs. It reminds me of this one time Kai and I walked home in the rain and we intentionally splashed in all the puddles.
“Isa! What are you doing?!” Someone shouts with a hint of laughter in their voice.
My head whips to the side as I stumble to a stop.
Kai is standing out on the side deck, beneath the shelter of the roof, and I think he might be laughing at me, but the veil of rain crashing from the cloudy sky makes it difficult to see.
“Going to the paint store!” I shout then wave at him and start to skip off again.
“Are you crazy?” he calls out. “You can’t walk to town in the middle of a rainstorm.”
I sigh and slow down again. “I’m not walking! I’m skipping!” My eyelashes flutter against the rain.
“Can’t you wait until it at least stops raining?” he asks, shaking his head as I jump into a puddle.
“No way! It’s either the rain or being in the house with Hannah. And I choose the rain. Besides, rain is awesome!”
I can hear him laughing all the way from over here.
“Would you get your ass over here?” He waves at me to come to him. “I’ll drive you if you really want to go. But it’s too damn cold for you to be playing around in the rain, no matter how cute you look.”
Cute? Did he just call me cute?
Enjoy a sneak peek into two trailer teasers created by Becca at Bibliophile Productions
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Robin’s Review
When I learned that Jessica Sorensen had a young adult novel about to release, I jumped at the chance to participate as a reviewer on her release day! Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She has a wealth of writing experience, as evidenced by the more than 50 titles she has published. Sorensen is a talented author, and it shows in The Year I Became Isabella Anders. This story is really good. It’s one of those novels that ends too quickly and leaves you yearning for more.
Our protagonist is seventeen-year-old Isabella Anders. Isa has always been the odd one out in her family. Her interests lie in manga, comic books, zombies, blogging and a boy who lives next door – Kyler Meyers. She’s a tomboy who wears hoodies and baggy clothes – that is until she spends the summer in Europe with her Grandma Stephy. Isa opens herself up to a world of self-discovery and excitement, and when she returns home, her dramatic changes catch the attention of not one, but both of the boys who live next door.
One of the most interesting aspects of The Year I Became Isabella Anders is that this story is multifaceted. Sorensen includes several subplots which combine for one very interesting story. Don’t be misled by the synopsis. It’s accurate, but there is whole lot more going on with Isabella than mentioned in the synopsis. Isa has a complicated, confusing and somewhat mysterious life. There are many things to ponder about our protagonist, and I have many questions that I am dying to have answered! If you love mystery and intrigue, this story has it in spades!
And can I talk about those boys who live next door? Kai and Kyler Meyers are absolutely swoon worthy! Jessica Sorensen always creates interesting and complex characters, and these boys are no exception! Except for the final chapter, this novel is told from Isabella’s perspective. First person point of view tends to create mystery because, as readers, we never know exactly what the other characters are thinking. We never truly know the motivations behind their actions. Kai Meyers has me especially intrigued. Although it’s not too angsty and intense, I should probably mention there is a love triangle in The Year I Became Isabella Anders.
Isabella Anders is a complex protagonist, and even with a second novel on the way, she is already showing character development. Although this story has a minor cliffhanger, it’s not at all unbearable like some cliffhangers can be. I really can’t think of anything negative to say about this novel. Jessica Sorensen will soon be publishing a second novel about Isabella Anders – The Year of Falling in Love – and I can’t wait to delve into more story about these characters. The Year I Became Isabella Anders is a 5-star novel, and I’ll be adding to my list of 2015 favorites!
Michel’s Review
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Jessica Sorensen’s books. Every time she releases a new book or starts a new series I instantly add it to my “Must Read Now” list. I devour the books and am left wanting more. Jessica Sorensen has a gift of creating characters that come to life and jump off the pages. Her characters are always complex individuals with multiple layers to their personalities. She adds adversity and emotional angst that makes them vulnerable. She allows them to take their personal journey with humility and strength. Throughout their journeys the characters grow as individuals and become the people they were meant to be. She does not hide the ugly realities of their lives and portrays those realities so that the reader is completely sympathetic to their plights. I always find myself deeply connected with her characters and their stories.
The Year I Became Isabella Anders is fantastic. It’s a story of a young woman discovering her self worth and embracing her inner beauty. It’s a story of a girl becoming a strong young woman brave enough to face the realities of her life. A story of a young woman embracing change with a natural grace. She is also learning to open up and allow others into her small world to make it brighter.
Isabella Anders has always been the odd duck. She doesn’t fit into the mold her family has tried to put her into. She has lived in her perfect older sister’s shadow all of her life. She has failed to inherit the perfection her mother seems to possess at all times. She is an outcast among her peers in school. One summer changes everything for Isabella.
A trip abroad with her grandmother and cousin is the best thing to happen in her life. For once she is treated as valuable individual. She is appreciated for her unique individuality. Along the way she learns to look at herself in a new way. Her cousin helps her perfect her outer beauty. Her grandmother teaches her to cherish her inner beauty. As the summer progresses, Isabella transforms into a confident beautiful young woman. But she also learns that her place in her family is much more complicated than not fitting into their mold. There are secrets that even her own grandmother is not privy to. Secrets only her parents can answer. Secrets that explain why Isabella Anders is the way she is. Secrets that could either free her or destroy her.
When Isabella returns home a newly improved Isabella, the Meyers Brothers take notice. Her life long crush, Kyler Meyers, finally sees Isabella as a beautiful girl. Kai Meyers has always seen who Isabella Anders is, now he must show her that he has always had his eyes wide open. But all is not as it seems in the Meyers household. They too have their secrets.
As Isabella’s friendships with Meyers boys grow, the mysteries of her own past are not the only ones she wants to solve. She too has her eyes wide open now. She’s ready to handle every secret shoved under the rug. She’s ready to handle the Meyers Brothers. She’s ready for anything life has to throw at her. Her biggest choice is which Meyers boy will hold her hand and capture her heart.
I loved this book. It is a story of a young woman finding herself while uncovering secrets that have been hidden to long.
The Year I Became Isabella Anders ended on a cliffhanger that leaves the reader dying for more. Look for The Year of Falling In Love – book 2 soon! Meanwhile…enjoy this book!
Jessica Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.
Jessica Sorensen’s THE YEAR I BECAME ISABELLA ANDERS Release Day Giveaway
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