In Too Deep by Coert Voorhees

Title: In Too Deep

Author: Coert Voorhees

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Release Date: July 9, 2013

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Annie Fleet, master scuba diver and history buff, knows she can't fight her nerd status as a freshman at her Los Angeles private school. And she doesn't care--except for the fact that her crush, Josh, thinks she's more adorable than desirable. Annie is determined to set him straight on their school trip to Mexico. But her teacher has other plans: he needs Annie to help him find Cortez's long-lost treasure. 

Suddenly, Annie finds herself scuba diving in pitch-black waters, jetting to Hawaii with Josh, and hunting for the priceless Golden Jaguar. But Annie and Josh aren't the only ones lured by the possibility of finding the greatest treasure ever lost at sea. Someone else wants the gold--and needs Annie dead. In deeper danger than she ever imagined, can Annie get the boy and find the Jaguar, or is she in over her head?

Critically-acclaimed author Coert Voorhees delivers breathtaking romance and non-stop action in his newest novel, the spirited and captivating In Too Deep.

I really enjoyed Coert Voorhess' Lucky Fools last summer, so I was really looking forward to reading his newest novel, In Too Deep. I was definitely not disappointed and In Too Deep ended up being exactly what I needed at the time.

Annie loves nothing more than exploring the underwater world, and the idea of long lost treasures only add to her excitement. On a class trip to Mexico Annie gets to do jus that and as and added bonus, her long time crush, Josh, is along for the ride. But the treasure hunting business is a dangerous one. Before long, Annie and Josh have people following them and threatening their lives. But when there's a treasure waiting to be found, Annie won't give up. And who knows, she may also get Josh in the process. That is if she's isn't in completely over her head.

Like I said, Coert Voorhees' In Too Deep was exactly what I needed when I read it. Adventure with just the right dose of romance made for one seriously fun story. I'm not going to lie, there were moments when parts of the story felt a little far-fetched, but in a way those moments are what made the story so fun. Right from the outset, I was taken on a bit of a crazy adventure. ANd form there it just got crazier, going from California to Mexico to California to Hawaii and back again. What I especially loved is that while there was romance in the story, it wasn't the central part of it. Instead, the story was more focused on the treasure hunting and history behind the lost treasure. It was all really interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading.

Annie was an awesome character. I loved that she was more concerned with figuring out the clues that led to the treasure than what to do or wear in order to impress Josh. The focus was on her brain instead of her appearance. It was so refreshing to read a story like that. Not that I didn't appreciate Josh, because I totally did. I loved the fact that he was so enthusiastic about the treasure hunting and helping Annie with it. The other characters in the book who were helping out Annie and Josh with the treasure hunting were all really fund and made the story that much more enjoyable. Each one brought something to the story and they were all so fun, some of them even a little crazy.

Overall, Coert Voorhees' In Too Deep was an awesome and fun read. If you're looking for a fun contemporary packed with action and adventure, then I strongly recommend In Too Deep.

Lucky Fools by Coert Voorhees

Title: Lucky Fools

Author: Coert Voorhees

Publisher: Hyperion

Release Date: July 10, 2012

Source: From Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

What does it cost to fight for your dream?

David Ellison has always been told that he can do anything he sets his mind to, but when he sets his sights on Juilliard rather than nearby Stanford University, his parents quickly point out that "anything" doesn't include throwing away his private school education to study acting.

But David is determined to make his dream a reality. As his Juilliard audition approaches, he jumps wholeheartedly into his latest play…and right into the path of his beautiful costar, Vanessa. Caught between his devotion to long-time girlfriend Ellen and his undeniable attraction to Vanessa, David finds himself ensnared in a love triangle of his own making, with his relationship teetering on the brink of disaster.

To make matters worse, Oak Fields Prep is thrown into chaos by a mysterious prankster known as The Artist, who is determined to sabotage the college aspirations of the school's highest achievers. Anyone who excels is a potential target--and David, the star of every play, could be next.

From the author of the critically acclaimed The Brothers Torres comes an insightful novel about enduring the pressures of high school, surviving the ins and its of love, and fighting for your dreams, no matter what.

I'll be honest and say that what originally caught my attention was the cover of Lucky Fools. Then I read the synopsis and I knew it would be a book I would enjoy. While the book ended up being a little different than I expected, I was still able to really enjoy the story.

David Ellison has always wanted to be a professional actor and has his sights set on Juilliard. And everything seems like it will be working out for David. But with his Juilliard audition only a couple of weeks away, David becomes a little less focused and the senior class of his elite prep school has become the target of The Artist, a mysterious prankster. And by the look of it, David could be the next victim. And if that happens, everything might not go exactly as planned and David's entire future could be in jeopardy.

For whatever reason, I expected Lucky Fools by Coert Voorhees to be a really funny book. Don't ask me why, because I really don't know. While Lucky Fools wasn't as funny as I expected it would be, it didn't stop me from really enjoying the book. The story ended up working on two levels. On the surface, it was the story of a high school senior trying to navigate the college application process. But when you looked a little deeper you realized that this same high school senior was just trying to find his place in the world. And of course this was all done with some humour, which is what made me enjoy the story that much more. Though the best part of the story was that it was told from a boy's perspective.

The story in Lucky Fools was told from David's perspective and that made me love the story. And David himself had a lot to do with it. I loved how he managed to take himself seriously while at the same time not taking himself seriously at all. It made for interesting situations. But mostly I was happy when he finally realized what really made him happy and he went for it, and everything eventually worked out for him. The one character that really bugged me was Ellen. To me, she never really seemed sincere ad there was always something a little off about her. And I'm not going to lie, I was happy to see I wasn't wrong about her because she kind of annoyed me. But aside from Ellen, I really enjoyed the other characters, especially the humour Colter brought. It totally made up for Ellen.

Overall, Lucky Fools by Coert Voorhees was a highly enjoyable read. If you are looking for a YA that is both fun and serious, and is told from a boy's perspective then I recommend you give Lucky Fools a chance.