So Into You

The Jane Austen Academy Series #2

by Cecilia Gray

Sweet and sensible Ellie hasn't met a problem her mom's yoga mantras can't fix. But when Ellie's parents threaten to pull her from the Academy just as her flirtation with the cutest boy in school heats up, will Ellie be able to keep her cool?

The last thing that the girls at the elite Jane Austen Academy need is guys. But over the summer the school has been sold, and like it or not, the guys are coming. And they're about to turn the Academy—and the lives of its students—totally upside down...

Dive into the fabulous, fun lives of six Academy girls as their friendships are tested, torn and ultimately triumph.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Teen, Fiction, Retellings, Classics

216 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2012

About the author

Cecilia Gray writes stories about first love, second chances, and forever friendships. She--much like her characters--resides in quite a few places.

Reviews

[Sheila Majczan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a Young Adult appropriate story (one of a series) as it has all the angst of relationships with the opposite sex, with parents and most of all with the institute responsible for educating young people for the real world.

This story, vaguely based on Sense and Sensibility, has Ellie telling her view of her close friends and the boy she wants to declare himself or even just make a move. Issues about who the school now has been sold to, being unable to afford the tuition any longer, and wanting her friends to also have better experiences with boys in their lives are there. As in S&S Ellie finds that Edward has a history he has been keeping secret and it drops like a ton of bricks into her awareness. Then there are her parents who suddenly have zero in their checking account and plan to more to Guatemala, open a business and adopt a baby. Looming over all is the campaign she and her friends have staged wanting full disclosure about the new owners and wanting to keep the Academy's name, even with boys now enrolled there.

I have had this story on my Kindle for years and finally decided to get it off the long "unread" list of such books. The author includes some discussion questions at the end. They are geared for young people.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second installment of the Jane Austen Academy series focused on Ellie as she experienced first love, heartbreak, finding herself and working with her friends to help save their school. The author tells a sweet, heartwarming story series that is foremost that of friendship, but creatively ties it in to Jane Austen's novels. In this case, the focus is loosely on Sense & Sensibility. The books really should be read in order to keep track of the plot threads going on even if each girl takes a turn as the focus point.

Ellie is not as fiery as her friend Lizzie, as worldly as her roommate Emma, as passionate as Kat, as driven as Fanny or as sweet as Anne. She sees herself as one that just goes with the flow, sets aside her friends obliviousness and any conflict bothers her, but lately this is not who she wants to be particularly when it comes to getting Edward's attention. She thinks he likes her and she likes him a lot, but then realizes that she misread the situation when he ends up having a girlfriend. The school is changing,Edward played her, her friends are moving on with their lives and her parents leap into a wild new opportunity so when they send for Ellie to leave and go to school elsewhere, she is ready to do it.

After Lizzie and Dante's sizzling sparks and conflict, Ellie and Edward can seem so tame in comparison, but personally I liked this vastly different story for a vastly different pair. I like that the story encompasses more than the romance and is about character growth and coming of age too. The ties to S&S are visible, but aren't exactly tic for tac. I didn't mind this and enjoyed the original blended with the classic.

All in all, these are light and fun. The young and young at heart who enjoy the spirit of Jane Austen in modern setting should give this series a go.

[Emily Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing else needs to be said. July 15 will be glorious.

ETA: So, it's July 20th and I've got the book. I can forgive the hiccup because I'M THE SECOND PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE TO HAVE A COPY AND IT'S TECHNICALLY NOT RELEASED YET. (The first person to have a copy being Cecilia, but since she's the author, she doesn't count. BUT HOW COOL IS THIS?) Now excuse my while I go read.

ETA 2: The real review

As seen on Ed and Em's Reviews!

I've read a few Jane Austen retellings, but I have to say, Cecilia Gray's The Jane Austen Academy series is my favorite, by far. Cecilia expertly weaves a story of love, heart-break, strength and determination in every piece she writes. As you read, it is obvious that she gives her whole self to the story. It's so lovely to read!

So Into You is the second book in Cecilia's The Jane Austen Academy series. While book one, Fall For You was a modernized version of Pride & Prejudice, this book was a retelling of Sense & Sensibility. The way that Cecilia incorporates Jane Austen's characters into one series is so intriguing and the fact that the characters are all friends is such a unique and crazy awesome idea! Cecilia is basically a genius.

This book stars Ellie Dvorak, a sweet, fun girl, who loves her friends, her school and although they drive her insane, her parents. In the story, Ellie struggles with the heartache of love and loss. She learns to accept that life doesn't always take you on the path you want to be on, so if she wants something, she can't sit by and let it pass. Her love interest, Edward, is adorkable, sweet and though he doesn't do well in showing it, he really cares for Ellie. Sa-woon. So Into You gives us a fun young-adult story that has you smiling, laughing, sighing, swooning and wanting to hug Ellie so hard.

I have no complaints about this book. None. The plot is realistic. The characters feel like real people. The situations that occur within the novel actually happen. This book was a great modern day young-adult Jane Austen retelling. So Into You is a self-published novel, but you wouldn't be able to tell just by reading it. The writing style and plot are better than some books that I've read that have been published by top companies. It's fun to read, it's modern and keeps your attention until the very end. Plus, So Into You, much like Cecilia's other books, is pretty short, so it's also a fast read! This is definitely a good summer read for when you are laying on the beach or sitting by the pool. No matter what you are doing, really, So Into You is the book for you. (You like that rhyme?)

I was lucky enough to be the second person in the universe to get a copy of So Into You, the first person being Cecilia herself. Cecilia and I have become friends since I started stalking her. (Only on the interwebz, I swear.) She knows that I love to read, is surprised that I have loved EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. of her books and she also knows about my big, fat obsession with One Direction. So she sent me a finished copy of So Into You Thursday night. Obviously , I immediately downloaded it and dug right in. I'm so glad she finds me amusing enough to share with because this book was so awesome. I don't know what else to say. I just love her writing and her characters and the plots and everything. My only wish is that she'd write faster because I can't wait to read the next story!

[victoria_tonks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed part 2 a little less than part 1, mostly because I felt sorry for Ellie almost all the time. She seemed rather left alone, what with her friends being so much occupied with their own problems. Also, Edward was a total wimp - and this is coming from someone who actually likes him as a JA character (which is an unpopular opinion, I know). Also, Ellie's parent hardly deserve more than a might eyeroll. Still, it was a decent read and I enjoyed discovering the author's interesting take on several characters (the headmistress, John Wickham who I guess is Wickham/Willoughby/Frank Churchill rolled into one. I wonder if he is going to play the part of John Thorpe in the next installment, Tran - this guy is interesting, no kidding!). The next part is a NA one, so I expect lots of gothic fun. ;)

[Angieleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my participation in the book blog tour for review purposes.

I have never read anything by Jane Austen, which one day I will finally get around to doing, but that's okay as I absolutely adore the girls of Jane Austen Academy in Ms. Gray's modern retelling.

I have a horrid cold that my teen boys passed along to me. I cried my way through this book from almost beginning to end. Do you know how miserable that made me?! My heart just broke for poor Ellie as she tried to adhere to the rule that the universe will not give what you so ardently seek, while fighting to be able to stay with her friends at the only school she wanted to attend.

What I love most about the Jasta books is that each girl really learns a lesson that helps her to grow. Ellie had always gone with the flow, doing her best to not upset the balance in her life, even though her parents were very often scatterbrained. I did dislike how they kept their big surprise a huge secret knowing that Ellie wouldn't be able to stay long at Jasta, but I guess even then the Universe had it's own plans for her.

I loved getting to know Emma through Ellie's eyes along with Anne and some new boys who weren't mentioned in the first book. I felt really sorry for Lucy until nearly the end when she did what I felt was the right thing for her.

There's a lightheartedness about these books that grabs your heart and doesn't let go as you follow each girl on her journey of personal growth. If there was one huge con to reading them, it'd be that I have to be so patient to wait until the next one comes out! Patience is NOT my forte by any means.

If you haven't read them yet, I suggest you find a copy of Fall For You and then read So Into You. Before you know it, Lizzie and Ellie along with their friends will have you just as impatiently waiting to see what happens next as I am.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little story. I did not read the first in the series which might have given you more information about Ellie and Edward. To me you just jump in and they are friends and she likes him. The first part seemed cute but then they just didn't talk until the end of the book. Some parts I found myself speed reading through. I could read other's in the series. Also some language.

One thing I didn't like is they talk about someone like (Anne from Persuasion) dating this guy for a long time. Or Edward knowing Lucy since they were kids and dating since then. But here they are in a boarding school and are Juniors and such. But still has some cute parts. I do enjoy the headmistresses character.

[Jenna]

While this book is based on Sense and Sensibility, it actually only adapts Elinor's plot - Marianne has disappeared all together. That made me a little sad, as her story is great, but I quite liked what was done with Elinor - or Ellie, here - and her dramas. Her tuition troubles were a good way to modernise the way the Dashwoods fall on hard times, and I really liked Ed. The tension between Ellie and Ed was well developed and a lot of fun.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Woooooooooooof. This was far the weakest book in the series.

1.) Ellie and Edward cannot find a personality to split between them.

2.) Um, hello but can we talk about HOW THIS IS NOT LUCY'S FAULT so the bitch committee can pack up their bags and direct some of that chill at real culprit, Edward. He does not deserve either one of them.

3.) Emma is a horrendous replacement for Marianne and I think it did a disservice to the character.
Though I will say I did really enjoy the meet cute with Tran and Knight, and watching Knight's developing relationship with Emma. Added the kind of dimension I wish had been more present in the other books.

[Georgiana 1792 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una Elinor surfista

Ellie Dvorak, la protagonista di questo secondo episodio della serie The Jane Austen Academy Series, è sì una ragazza equilibrata e con molto buonsenso, ma non è la ragazza che mi sarei aspettata a rappresentare i panni di Elinor Dashwood in un retelling di Sense and Sensibility moderno. È vero che è una ragazza molto semplice e ha il pallino per la matematica, come ci si aspetterebbe da una Elinor, ma è anche un tipo un po' disordinato, che prende la vita seguendo la filosofia yoga a cui l'hanno educata entrambi i genitori sin da piccola. Ecco, per Mrs. Dashwood vedo molto bene che sia tanto assorbita da yoga e discipline orientali da dimenticare di pagare le bollette (cosa che Ellie è costretta a fare al suo posto, da brava Elinor).
Ellie è una californiana pura, indossa le infradito anche in autunno (d'accordo, siamo in California!) ed è sempre pronta a fare gite sulla spiaggia per cavalcare le onde sul suo surf.
Inoltre, come già vi avevo detto nella recensione di Fall For You, si fa trascinare da Emma, la sua compagna di stanza e nuova amica – non del cuore, quella sarebbe Lizzie, anche se adesso è impegnatissima con Dante –, come una novella Harriet Smith, e voi capirete, tra Harriet Smith ed Elinor Dashwood c'è un'incongruenza insormontabile.

Ellie si troverà in condizioni precarie: i genitori, in partenza per il Guatemala per adottare una sorellina per Ellie, pretendono che lei li segua dopo due mesi appena di anno accademico per ricominciare tutto daccapo. Per questo motivo non pagano la retta della scuola da un po' ed Ellie rischia di essere sbattuta fuori. Non solo, se frequenterà un liceo guatemalteco, rischierà di essere penalizzata nei test per accedere all'università!
Per fortuna interviene la preside Berg, chiamata Bergie dalle ragazze, che nel precedente romanzo era una severissima Lady Catherine de Bourgh, ma qui si trasforma in Sir John Middleton. La preside che, come si scoprirà, a suo tempo ha usufruito di borse di studio e ha svolto lavori all'interno dell'Accademia per pagarsi la retta, suggerisce a Ellie cosa fare per rimanere. Conosceremo così Fanny Sato, la giovane atleta della scuola che si mantiene grazie a varie borse di studio, sia per l'atletica che per la matematica (in pratica Fanny Price, che sarà protagonista del quarto romanzo della serie, Suddenly You, il retelling di Mansfield Park).

Elinor farà di tutto per restare all'Accademia per far finalmente sbocciare e proseguire la sua storia d'amore nascente con Edward, ma crederà di essersi illusa sui sentimenti che il ragazzo prova per lei quando, all'improvviso, a scuola si trasferirà Lucy, la ragazza di Edward da sempre, sempre pronta a ribadirne il possesso, proprio come Lucy Steele fa velatamente con Elinor in Sense and Sensibility.

Come già detto nella recensione del primo romanzo della serie, i personaggi dei romanzi di Jane Austen sono intercambiabili: in questa versione di Ragione e sentimento non manca certo Marianne Dashwood – impossibile! – ma, anziché inserire una settima protagonista, essa viene sostituita da Emma, che, del resto, è la compagna di stanza di Ellie, quindi le è molto vicina; mentre Willoughby è "interpretato" dall'immancabile Josh Wickham che, dopo aver ricoperto solo marginalmente il ruolo del suo omonimo, sarà nel terzo romanzo un perfetto John Thorpe, forse meno buzzurro. Qui è un John Willoughby da manuale. Del resto fa l'attore: è normale che la Gray affidi a lui tutti i ruoli di villain, con il suo impresario a fare da Mrs. Smith, la zia ricca di Willoughby, nel suggerirgli quali ragazze frequentare e con chi farsi fotografare sui red carpet. Non è escluso che il caro Josh comparirà anche negli altri romanzi, anzi qui già sembra far presagire che in Only With You, il retelling di Emma, sarà Frank Churchill...

E sempre in questo romanzo conosceremo Gregory Knight, un ragazzo più grande che si diverte a flirtare con Emma, malgrado lei, per ora, sia del tutto assorbita dall'infatuazione per Wickham/Willoughby.

Lizzie continua la sua lotta affinché i nuovi proprietari della Jane Austen Academy non cambino il nome della scuola, sebbene, ora che ha saputo di chi si tratta, sembra farlo con meno convinzione. È un segnale che la Gray creda che anche la Elizabeth Bennet di Orgoglio e pregiudizio, una volta sistemata a Pemberley, possa diventare meno combattiva e, soprattutto, meno determinata? Non mi sembra un buon segno e, ribadisco, la Lizzie Egmont di Fall For You non mi piace affatto, non mi sembra una vera Lizzy. Speriamo si riscatti nei prossimi romanzi, anche se già so che nel terzo, When I'm With You, il retelling dell'Abbazia di Northanger (che ho già letto), la protagonista giocherà in trasferta (va a Bath, no?) e vedremo ben poco le altre ragazze dell'Accademia.

Comunque si tratta di una serie scorrevole e divertente in cui tuffarsi quando si vuole una lettura che richiami Jane Austen senza grandi pretese; una serie che le ragazzine apprezzeranno sia nel caso abbiano letto Jane Austen che in caso contrario.

Potete leggere la recensione completa QUI:
http://ildiariodellelizzies.blogspot....

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Tabitha (Bows & Bullets Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews

Ellie has always been the calm, go with the flow girl. Daughter to yoga fanatics, she's sensible and caring. But when fate decides to take her away from the academy just as things are starting to get interesting with her crush, she is determined to fight back. Scholarships and work study, whatever it takes to buy her just one more semester. But is there enough to keep her classes paid for or will she wind up in Guatemala with her family?

We get the same group of characters from Fall For You, with a few new additions and obviously a bit more focus on Ellie. She's so sweet and caring and I just felt so bad for her in this whole situation. I also felt a bit annoyed at Lizzie. I expected her to fight tooth and nail to find a way to keep Ellie in school, but she just accepts it. I found that a bit uncharacteristic after the fire she showed in Fall For You. I'm still not Emma's biggest fan. She really fights for Ellie, but she seems to be on the shallower side of things and oh so dramatic. I tend to avoid drama. As for the new additions, I loved Knight. He seems like such a sweetie and I hope he can win Emma over easily enough.

It was nice to see Ellie put up some effort to stay where she wanted. I really rallied behind her efforts and hoped she'd find a way to make it work. She really deserves the chance to excel in this school that she loves so much. I found it a little selfish of her parents to try to take it away from her. In fact, I found her parents to be a little selfish in general. Who forgets to pay their bills and then lets their child take the heat? That's just irresponsible and a bit infuriating. I came from a household where I was in charge of the majority of the bills for my teen years. I understand that it teaches money management and allows teens to learn and I'm all for that. But if that is what you want, hand over the checkbook. Don't just attempt to pay for it and then let bill collectors hassle your kid because you are forgetful.

This novel is a bit more pulled together than the previous one. We already know the cast, so we don't waste any time introducing characters. I love getting to see the group band together. In book one, there is a lot of tension because of the new roommate situation. Here, they aren't completely over it, but they are on the way to becoming a fearsome foursome. After all, part of the draw of this series is seeing how Austen's character interact and there is a great joy in that. None of these characters are perfect, or maybe they are. They are perfectly flawed and I love all of them. Reading this makes me want to go and pickup Sense & Sensibility and dig in. I know, I can't believe I haven't read it either considering how much I love Pride & Prejudice, but I just haven't gotten around to it. I fail, I know.

This is a fun, fast read that will make you smile and giggle along with the group's antics. It will also have you feeling Ellie's heartbreak. I enjoyed it quite a bit and I can't wait to read the next one!

****Thank you to Gray Life LLC and Cecilia Gray for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review****

[Amy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

i got this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review...

I gave this book 3.5 stars because i wish their was more romance and drama like the first book. I knew this book would follow Ellie so i was excited to she her part of the story because she was my favorite in the first book. No worries! i will still need the next 2 or 3 books!


This book stars Ellie Dvorak, a sweet, fun girl, who loves her friends, her school and although they drive her insane, her parents. In the story, Ellie struggles with the heartache of love and loss. She learns to accept that life doesn't always take you on the path you want to be on, so if she wants something, she can't sit by and let it pass. Her love interest, Edward, is adorkable, sweet and though he doesn't do well in showing it, he really cares for Ellie. Sa-woon. So Into You gives us a fun young-adult story that has you smiling, laughing, sighing, swooning and wanting to hug Ellie so hard.
There was less mean girl stuff going on, and that made me super happy. everyone is finally getting alone, for the most part, and they seem like a great group of friends. I would have liked to see a little bit more of Tran in this book though. I am such a sucker for a little drama and jealousy in my tv shows and books, but there were only tiny glimpses of it. I thought they could have been played out a little bit more, but that is really only a little detail and it is the only critical thing I could come up with for this book- other than the inherent lack of Dante since it wasn't his story

the main plot which is that Ellie's parents aren't paying her tuition. They are setting up a yoga studio in Guatemala and adopting a baby and they want Ellie to come with them. Not want really, expect her to come with them. Jasta, the name the girls fondly call The Jane Austen Academy, is home to Ellie and she can't imagine leaving it. It's where she can be the surfer girl and the math geek and where four seemingly distinctly different girls, Anne, Lizzie, Emma and Ellie can be friends. Home is and has always been Jasta.

Complicating matters is the rather confusing flirtation she has with Edward. He's funny and sweet and thoughtful and Ellie falls for him hard. He gives every indication that he feels the same way about her but he never makes his move. In an embarrassing moment she makes it abundantly clear that she likes him, but he freezes up and leaves. Ellie is embarrassed and stuffs all her feelings inside. She listens to Emma go on an on about Josh, the teen actor she's fallen for who doesn't seem very much interested in her except as a little fun and she listens to Lizzie go on and on about Dante's parents who hate her. But she never reveals how hard it hits her when the hardest blow comes on parents night. How hard it is to work in the kitchens morning, noon and night and still keep up her studies so she can afford books and board. No one notices her pain

this book to me seems to be more realistic and has everyday problems that normal private school go thru.

[Monique Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a free copy of this book via Netgalley for an honest review.

3/5 stars!
What I loved: I loved all the friendships! Girl power! I think some novels focus too much on the romance and forfeit showing the reader how powerful friendships can be.

I really enjoyed Fall For You by Cecilia Gray, and I decided to keep up with the Jane Austen Academy Series, but I don't think this book was as great as it's predecessor.

In So Into You, Ellie finds out early on that she has to leave her beloved Jane Austen Academy because her parents spontaneously decided to move their family out to another country. Ellie and her friends try to come up with ways to get Ellie to keep attending the Academy, but it's up to Ellie to decide if she really wants to stay or go off with her parents.

Though I loved So Into You, I had two major issues with this book.

1. As the series progresses, the characters seem to be having major personality make-overs.

Let me explain:

-In Fall For You, Lizzie was a headstrong journalist with spunk. In So Into You, she loses some of that spunk that made me love her, and seems unsure of everything she wants to accomplish.

- In the first book, I thought Emma was funny and charismatic, but in order to resemble Marianne Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility, her character became extremely annoying. Plus I remember Emma saying that she thought Edward was nothing but heartbreak at the end of the first book. So why was she so intent on getting Ellie and Edward together in this book? I understand she wanted her friend to stay, but if I knew a guy meant nothing but heartbreak, I would most certainly not fix him up with any of my friends.

-Dante.....What happened to being Mr. Darcy?

2. I don't think Ellie was a good representative of Elinor Dashwood. Yes, Ellie was intelligent and had a good head on her shoulders, but something just didn't add up for me. I think it was all the mention of yoga.

While we're on the subject of Ellie, I also didn't like the way Edward treated her AND Lucy in this book. If you've read Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

No, Edward. I don't forgive you. What you did was wrong. You're lucky you're so charming, and Ellie is so forgiving. If it were me, I would've never talked to you again.

Beyond that, I thought the story wrapped up pretty nicely. I would've liked to see more Lizzie and Ellie interaction and less of Emma, but I knew Emma had to be there to fulfill her Marianne Dashwood role. Maybe some more meaningful Lizzie and Dante interaction? I'm sure they do other things besides kissing.... A little more of Anne would've also been greatly appreciated. I can't wait to read her story!!! :D

Overall, So Into You didn't quite capture me as Fall For You (most sequels don't), but I would be lying if I said it wasn't fun to read. It was definitely cute! :) I'm excited to read the next installment of the series.

I expect great things just from reading the next book's description! :D

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Jane Austen always felt out of her element. Her stories are about characters bound by the situations they are in - until they're finally set free. You... me... haven't you always felt you didn't fit in anyplace else? Until you came here? Aren't you finally free?"

Ellie's in trouble. Big trouble. Her parents want to leave for Guatemala and they want to take her with them, but Ellie doesn't want to leave the Acedemy. She doesn't want to leave her friends and she especially doesn't want to leave funny, cute Edward. Because Ellie is sure that he cares for her just as much as she cares for him, right? RIGHT?

With "So Into You" Cecilia Gray was at a disatvantage from the start. The reason for that is the fact that I just don't like "Sense and Sensibility" very much. It's the mother of all love-triangles and God knows I hate those with a passion. "So Into You" is the second book in the "Jane Austen Acedemy" series and a modern retelling of my least favorite Austen novel. But I loved "Fall For You", book one of the series, so I just had to read "SIY" as soon as I got my fingers on it.
And Cecilia Gray did the unthinkable, she did what Jane Austen was unable to do - she made me enjoy the plot of "Sense and Sensibility".
I'm not quite sure how she did it, but a big part of it was definitely her loving way of presenting her characters. None of them are perfect, some are arrogant, oblivious, or completely unable to make a decision (hello there, Edward), some are even downright obnoxious. But there's something charming about every single one of them. Gray's characters are so full of life, hope and dreams, it's a pleasure to read about them, even if they do something stupid or something I don't agree with.

Ellie and Edward were the perfect example for that. I wanted to shake them throughout 50% of the book, but at the same time it was so much fun to watch them stumble along. They had to overcome some serious obstacles, but you just knew how much they cared for each other and I was sure that things would turn out to be okay (you will do so as well, even if you don't know how "Sense and Sensibility" ends).

I just wish the ending would have been longer. The entire book is full of high-drama and there were only so few pages where everything was finally right. I felt like Ellie and Edward deserved a bit more happy times together, but I was satisfied with the way the drama was resolved, so I'm not too upset about the abrupt ending.
And of course there were minor things I had some trouble with, but that mostly had to do with the love triangle (but for once it didn't annoy me too much) and the undecisiveness of one male who should not be named.

If you enjoyed "Fall For You" or "Sense and Sensibility" you will do the same with this installment of the series. "So Into You" is a cute and quick read and not just for fans of Jane Austen.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellie lives her life following the mantras her mom has taught her, like ‘accept the path the universe has set for you,’ and ‘don’t desire something too much or the universe might take it from you.’ But when her parents want to take her out of the Jane Austen Academy to take her to live in Guatemala with their new adopted baby, Ellie can’t help but resist. She wants to stay with her friends, she wants to stay and see if something might happen with shy and fun Edward. But staying comes with a cost, and perhaps her reasons for staying no longer matter. Will Ellie challenge the universe to find happiness once again?

Cecilia Gray’s new takes on Jane Austen’s works are the perfect combination of the classic romance tales and YA fun!

So Into You is the second book in the Jane Austen Academy Series, and like the first one it’s a short novelette that hits the mark as a perfect summer reads. Based on Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, this sequel focuses on a different set of characters while still keeping up with Lizzie and Dante’s relationship and problems. Here we get to know more about Ellie, whose sweet demeanor has caught the eye of Edward. But though he seems interested, Ellie doesn’t know for sure because he always pulls away at the last second. Ellie knows it’s wrong to wish for more—her mom’s mantra says so—but she can’t help to want Edward to take that last step and kiss her already. Little does she know that there is a very valid reason for him not to be kissing her. Sweet Edward is trying to be a gentleman, but like any boy he screws it up. And then he fixes it in the most romantic way possible. <3

Aside from Ellie’s story we also get a bit of Lizzie and Dante, Emma’s drama queen moments, Josh’s cocky movie star attitude, and we’re introduced to Fanny, who’ll be a main character in another novelette. I don’t remember much of Sense and Sensibility, and I can’t say how well the stories compare, but I do know Gray captured the essence and the feeling of the story. Ellie’s fear of wishing for more, thinking she shouldn’t or that she is undeserving, and her ultimate change into someone who’s not afraid to speak up was simply extraordinary. Though this second installment is also very short, I didn’t feel like there needed to be more of it to feel complete (like I wished with the first one).

I devoured So Into You in just a few hours, and if the third installment had been available I would have devoured that one too. I am just enchanted with the girls and the Jane Austen Academy, and can’t wait to read each of their stories. Next up it’s When I’m With You, which is based on Northanger Abbey!

[Tabby - Shattered Hearts Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

See this review & others @Insightful Minds

Since I read the first book in this series, Fall For You, I knew I just had to read So Into You. I've been looking forward to Ellie's story! I've been intrigued with her since the first book, where we caught little glances into who she is, where she came from & parts of her past that were revealed.
 
How fun would it be to live you life based on a set of Yoga Mantras? Seriously! This is what Ellie does & so far, it has worked for her. However, this year, she meets Edward. The one thing she cannot understand is why every.single.time she things they are getting somewhere, he pulls away. (UGH! Just like a guy!) So she finds herself wishing (against the mantra, of course! BAD ELLIE!) that something, ANYTHING, would happen to just give her something more with him.
 
Edward is such a freaking sweetheart. If only more guys could be like him! Attracted to Ellie? Yes. Wants nothing more than to kiss her? Yes. It just so happens that he can't. Yup, you read that right - he cannot kiss her. Why? Well. To him, he has a very justifiable and valid reason. So what does he do? What any boy/man does when they try to make things right. He Screws Up. The good news is, he made up for it so fantastically, that the screw up really didn't matter anymore! (Go Edward!)
 
Gray really knows how to write her supporting characters. I LOVED the fact that Lizzie and Dante were in this book too! I felt that we needed to get to know them just a little bit more! Josh and Emma were back - with their matching attitudes of "drama & I want to punch you in the face". FUN! We were treated to a new character in this book by the name of Fanny. Looking forward to reading a little more about her! I really enjoyed this book just a little more than the first one. Not that this is a bad thing! Ellie's story just happened to intrigue me just a little more! :)

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Fall for You. But I am going to let you in on a little secret- I didn't used to be the biggest fan about series that each book focused on a different character. I loved Lizzie and Dante from book 1 and I wanted to see more of them. I knew book 2 was going to be about Ellie, so I thought I would give it a shot because she seems so sweet. So Into You completely changed my opinion of series that do this! I loved So Into You! Ellie is cute, super sweet and a people pleaser to the core. She reminded me of myself in high school- pretty much the same as my high school self actually.

So Into You is totally Ellie's story, which means that there was not as much focus on romance as there was in the first book. This is more about Ellie coming into herself as her own person. The whole gang is there along with a few new characters, and the book is so readable. I love Cecilia Gray's writing. Lizzie and Dante do make a few appearances and I felt like Lizzie was an overall better friend in this book. There was less mean girl stuff going on, and that made me super happy. everyone is finally getting alone, for the most part, and they seem like a great group of friends. I would have liked to see a little bit more of Tran in this book though. I am such a sucker for a little drama and jealousy in my tv shows and books, but there were only tiny glimpses of it. I thought they could have been played out a little bit more, but that is really only a little detail and it is the only critical thing I could come up with for this book- other than the inherent lack of Dante since it wasn't his story. (haha I am never going to get enough Dante)

If you like Jane Austen books, you HAVE to check out the Jane Austen Academy books. They are cute, fun and really fantastic reads. I love that the plot line of the school and the changes that are going on with the management of it was an overarching storyline between both of the books. I hope that continues. I can't wait to see what is up with the third book. I am now super excited to get to know all of the characters a little better. I thought for sure it was going to be Emma's story next, (maybe with a certain senior boy. Wink. Wink) but it is going to be a relatively new character. I can't wait to see what I think of her. I am loving this series.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit to having never read anything by Jane Austen, but I am loving Cecilia Gray's modern retelling through the Jane Austen Academy series. So Into You is based on Sense and Sensibility and entwines itself with book one and brings back the characters that we fell in love with in Fall For You along with some new faces for us to get to know..

So Into You is Ellie's story. She was one of my favourites from book one so I was really looking forward to learning more about her. She is sweet and kind, loving and loyal. And she doesn't really like to rock the boat. Thanks to her parents she has an outlook on life that if's it's meant to happen it will. And so she goes with the flow. But sometimes the things you really want are definitely worth going after!!

These books contain such sweet romance. They are a bit angsty and at times frustrating but nothing that makes you want to throw the book across the room. Ellie falls pretty hard for Edward and he seems to feel the same way about her. Edward is sweet and caring and him and Ellie are the absolute perfect match for each other, but just when you think that things are going to progress between them, Edward always seems to pull back. Eventually the reason for that becomes clear. And even through all that transpires Ellie remains sweet and upbeat even though she is feeling anything but that on the inside.

I absolutely loved Emma, Ellie's roommate who seemed to have an ability to pull Ellie out of her comfort zone and get her to go on a few adventures. Two other characters that I loved were Tran and Knight. We don't see a whole lot of them, but I really hope that changes in future books. They both had a bit of the bad boy about them and I can't help but love that!!

Cecilia Gray writes such wonderful and endearing characters. They are not perfect and they have their flaws and they can be immature and make crazy choices and decisions. But they are teenagers and they all have lessons to learn. But we also see them mature and grow as individuals.

I am loving Cecilia Gray's writing and cannot wait for the next instalment in this incredibly sweet and entertaining series!!

Review first posted at YA Book Addict... http://youngadultbookaddict.blogspot....

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

My full review in all of its glory can be found on my blog!
Totally cute as ever. It's like a mini cupcake. Short sweet and totally fulfilled that craving for a quickie romance.

I had the pleasure of reading Cecilia’s first book and enjoyed it very much, but found I didn’t connect as much with Lizzy and her story line. However, in this book I saw a true growth and development in character development and writing. I actually found myself liking this book more than the first. I found Ellie a character I could relate to more with her issues. Lizzy was great but I was never one to like the pushy reporter type. Ellie was totally amazing through.

The writing was much improved and the overall complexity and completeness of this was better. Even though it was a short read, it was complete and fully developed and I liked that. I just loved it. I would like to see it longer. The ending felt a bit rushed and there could have been more. There was a lot of development and building in the front half of the novel but the end was rushed. Also, the whole book takes place over about 4 months; it could have easily been dragged out a tad bit more. I also would love more than a 10 second kiss at the end. Dial up the romance a bit more me!!

Again Emma totally stole the book for me. I would love to get a hold of her story. There is really something about her character that is scene stealing and I would love to get into her head and know what is going on with her because you know there is more than what is on the surface.

I will continue to read this series because it’s cute & short. And with the vast improvement in wiring quality, story telling and character developments from the first book to the next the rest if the series is only going to get better.

Again I haven't read any of Jane Austen's work to compare with how much of it is a re-telling but they are still very enjoyable with out having read those before.

If you are in need of a quick contemp this is it. Under 200 pages it’s easily a book to finish in a few hours.

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

[Stacy Sabala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review- So into You by Cecilia Gray

Ellie Dvorak is a student at the Jane Austen Academy in Merrywood, California. This is the first year she has had to have a roommate and that boys were allowed to attend the school. She was supposed to room with her best friend Lizzie, but that didn’t happen. She ended up with Emma, which isn’t that bad. Emma is becoming a great friend. Unfortunately it feels as though Lizzie and Ellie are growing apart. Lizzie has Dante now.
Things turn even worse at the Twilight Picnic when Headmistress Bergie turns her attention to Ellie. Her parents haven’t paid her tuition and if they didn’t by the end of the next week Ellie had to leave the school. Ellie isn’t worried; her parents always forget to pay something. She is in for a shock. Her parents have a different plan. They are adopting a baby and moving to Guatemala. They expect her to come too. She has to come up with a plan to stay. Paying for tuition and everything she needs is going to take work, but it’s worth it. Plus she wants to stay to be with Edward. He is the cutest boy at the academy.
On Parents’ weekend, Ellie get the shock of her life that even tops her parents’ bomb. Everything she thought about Edward was shattered and now she doesn’t know what to think. However Ellie has other things to worry about. Her kitchen duty is difficult and she needs to find another way for more money. She wants to stay for the rest of the year.
Emma hatches a plan for the Costume Ball. Things never go the way they are planned, not when the universe is involved.
This book was fashioned after Sense and Sensibility, another of my favorite Jane Austen stories. I loved the character of Ellie. She has to deal with Yoga loving, flighty parents. She is a surfer, California girl. She fights her fate of leaving, but then decides if she was meant to stay, she will stay. She gives the choice to the universe. I really liked this book. The author kept you guessing as to what would happen next. Feelings were hidden until the last minute and secrets were kept. I liked the ending and how things worked out. I would give it a 4 out of 5.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ellie has always been her parents rock. When they're travelling the world in search of spiritual enlightenment, Ellie is the one to make sure the bills get paid and that everything runs smoothly. But there are things Ellie can't control. Her parents decide to move to another contient and open up a yoga studio and they want Ellie to come with them. With the Jane Austen Academy being the home Ellie always wanted, she's not sure she can leave just yet. Especially not when her flirtation with the gorgeous Edward is starting to get interesting.

Ellie is one of those characters I couldn't help but like. She's a little out of her depth but she's smart and sensible and doesn't fall apart like other girls would. When faced with possible eviction from her beloved school, she finds a way around the limitations. That said, she's still fairly timid and has many personal challenges that try to overwhelm her. I loved Emma in this book. She's a mix of Emma (from Emma) and Marianne (from Sense & Sensibility) and Gray has done a great job combining the characters whilst still giving the readers someone new. The scenes with Lizzie and Dante were great to read- and I loved that just because they had their happy ending doesn't mean that everything's perfect.

I enjoyed the romance in So Into You a lot more in this book than the first of the series. Ellie and Edward have had time to get to know each other and things didn't feel quite as sudden and Lizzie and Dante's relationship. I liked them for each other and was more than satisfied by the ending.

The concept for this series - having Jane Austen's heroines all modernized and familiar with each other - is still one that I like. It's developed a bit more here with us getting to know some more of the girls (like Fanny from Mansfield Park) within the confines of the Academy. I'm really impressed with how Gray is interweaving the stories and characters together. This book is quick and fun with characters true to Ms. Austen's but still somewhat original. I will definitely be reading the third book in this series - When I'm With You - which is Kat's story, a retelling of Northanger Abbey.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Into You is the second in the Jane Austen Academy Series by Cecilia Gray. Based on the Jane Austen classic “Sense & Sensibility”, it follows the story of Ellie Dvorak. Ellie is a free spirit, surfer girl from Santa Cruz, and a math genius. Jasta is the only place that Ellie feels she can truly be herself – completely herself. She has a wonderful group of girlfriends and a good group of guys that they hang out with too. Sweet, fun-loving Edward has caught her eye, but she’s very uncertain about that relationship.

Unexpectedly, Ellie receives life-altering news from home that threatens her enrollment at Jasta. Ellie’s parents have always taught her to follow the path the universe has set for her, that fighting her path will only lead to sorrow. But, how can she turn her back on everything she knows, loves and is just because the path is difficult?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading “So Into You”. Ellie is such a complex character – you wouldn’t expect the easy-going surfer girl from Santa Cruz to have so much depth and to bring so much emotion to the story. It was fulfilling to watch her learn and grow through the experiences that she faced as she tried to figure out her path. Edward is such a sweet, lovable guy – but he’s flawed just like most teenage guys are. He tries so hard to do the right thing, but it doesn’t always work out.

There were some new characters introduced in this book that I really enjoyed getting to meet. Knight and Tran have my heart – love good guys like that! Fanny added depth and contrast to Ellie and her struggles. And Bergie is turning out to be more complex than I originally thought!

I’m seeing a pattern of wrapping things up quickly at the end. I do recall that Austen does this too. I’m always left wanting more at the end. The epilogue serves the purpose of transitioning into the next book with new main characters rather than bringing a solid sense of closure to Ellie & Edward’s story.

Overall, it’s a fun and enjoyable read that leaves you wanting more.

Source: Received a copy for my honest review

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I am officially hooked on this series! I absolutely love it. It is sweet and innocent and yet it has its own level of passionate intensity. These young males and females certainly put a new twist on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.

What I loved:

- Ellie was such a complex character. Even with that said, she was familiar and endearing. She had a quiet strength that blossomed throughout the story. I appreciated the fact that I could see her growth. The Ellie I met at the beginning of the book was definitely not the Ellie who showed herself at the end of the book. The proof of change was there. Lovely!

- Edward... Gray nailed this guy. What a positively wonderful job this author did with this character. Though he was quite different from Austen's character, he was like him enough to make the story seem authentic. I really liked how the contrast worked to the advantage of the similarities. I liked this guy and how he owned up to his errors. And surely he deserves some points for what he did at the end of this story. C'mon!

- Ellie's friends were totally amazing. They were an odd mix to be sure, but it worked. I loved how they rallied to support each other. Wow! To see females do that over and over again without going to blows or other such foolishness gets a high five and a thumbs up from me.

- Knight and Tran. That is all. :-)

- The beach excursion was brilliant. The tension was felt. Wondering if Edward and Ellie would resolve things before she had to leave...I was on pins and needles. And Lucy, she was right there! The kitchen scene was bittersweet. Truly! (I confess, I kind of teared up.) I was rooting for the Es, though I probably shouldn't have been.

- The sampling that we get on the headmistress/guidance counselor's background. I loved it. It was a fresh angle. I wanted to know her story. I still do.

- The final scene of this book was epic.

Bravo!

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Recommend: Yes
Bookshelf Worthy: Yes
Content: Clean
Romantic Tension: Yes
Worthy of Reread: Absolutely!

[Farah Hanani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review on blog: Tumbling In Books

So Into You picked up from where Fall for You left off. They only changed the POV. Lizzie had her chance as narrator and now it's Ellie's turn in So Into You ;)

And OMG, did I tell you the ending left me CRAVING for book 3?! And no. I'm not giving you any spoilers here. All I can tell is that, yes, it's not a cliffhanger but... but... GAH!

Ellie's parents didn't pay for Jasta and she only had one week to pack her stuff and fly off to Guatemala and join her parents and her new adopted baby. But she wanted to stay. More than anything else now that Edward seems to like her.

I like that Cecilia Gray did a spin-off with each book in the series(even though I was DYING for more Dante!:P). You get to see each side of every character more in the book :)

Ellie is one girl who lay low. She doesn't like attention. But she's BRILLIANT. Like, in a geeky sorta way. She's a math geek(bonus point for that 'cause I'm a math geek too!:D). And she's determined. Her parents won't pay for her school, she took a test to get the Achievement Award and work in the kitchen to pay off her fees, just to stay a little longer in Jasta.

Edward is a really really REALLY nice guy. He's so ADORABLE! But the way he gave away mixed reactions towards Ellie got me kind of annoyed and... wondering. Why was he acting hot and cold? I mean, he's a REALLY nice guy. Then, Cecilia Gray dropped the bomb and I'm like, o_O

Emma definitely added some spice to the story. She's really sweet and really sassy. She even got some sense of style. But her criminal outings are the ones who definitely got me chuckling by myself.

So Into You is such an endearing read! I devoured it in one sitting and it kept me entertained all the way through the book. So Into You is such a quick, sweet, light and fun read! Readers will DEFINITELY devour this! :D

[Alessandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

E-galley received for review through Netgalley.

So Into You is the second book set at Jane Austen Academy, and a retelling of Sense and Sensibility. The main character is Ellie Dvorak, with her roommate Emma filling Marianne's role. Ellie finds her happily ever after, but Emma doesn't - I expect she will get her own story told in the Emma retelling.

Ellie is a laid-back student at Jane Austen Academy. At the beginning of the school year, she's having fun and flirting with one of the new male students, cheerful Edward. However, her yoga-teaching parents drop a bomb on her: they want her to leave the school and move with them with Guatemala, where they are opening a new yoga studio. Ellie doesn't want to leave, and the headmistress encourages her to compete for the science achievements award, as well as finding a job in the cafeteria. Will she manage to find the maìoney she needs to pay for her own tuition?

In the meantime, Ellie's roommate Emma is having her own romance with actor Josh Wickham, and Lizzie is planning her own schemes to get the anonymous school owners to reveal themselves.

This is another fun, sweet, short retelling. Ellie is a very level-headed heroine, ready to think logically and find her own solutions to her problems. After all, she's been managing her family's finances for years. When her parents announce to her that they want her to move to a foreign country, she's disoriented and disappnted. Not only will she have to leave her friends, but she will also have to abandon her hopes of finding love with Edward.

The plot of So into You follows Sense and Sensibility closely, as far as Elinor is concerned. Emma/Marianne has her heart broken by Wickham/Willoughby, and no resolution to her story, even though there's already someone interested in her (he's named Knight, wink wink). Sense and Sensibility is one of my favourite Austen novels and I think this retelling did a fair job of adapting the content to modern times.

[Jess Swann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un peu de légèreté avec cette nouvelle aventure des filles de la Jane Austen Academy avec cette fois une intrigue centrée sur Ellie (et par extension, sa copine de chambre Emma qui assume à la fois le rôle de Marianne (grâce à Josh Wickham ) et celui d'Emma (on introduit sa rencontre avec Knight

Les parents d'Ellie partent au loin... et elle se retrouve sans argent pour payer l'académie : comme elle ne veut pas partir au Guatemala avec ses parents, elle travaille pour payer ses études. Tout ça pour les beaux yeux d'Edward.

Sauf qu'Edward a déjà Lucy dans sa vie, qu'Emma fait n'importe quoi et que Lizzie (vue dans l'épisode précédent) passe son temps avec le beau Dante. Notre Ellie se retrouve bien seule face à tout cela et j'aime beaucoup la manière dont l'auteure croise les personnages et réinvente les intrigues austeniennes en faisant des différentes héroïnes de Jane des amies. On peut reconnaitre chaque personnage et grâce à la manière dont l'auteure les dépeint, certains sont "interchangeables" : Emma est à la fois Marianne et Emma, Josh à la fois Wickham et Willoughby... Le tout se lit avec plaisir et le sourire aux lèvres, c'est léger et divertissant. La fin nous introduit les personnages de Fanny & Kat, les deux héroïnes manquantes

Ce que j'aime : la réinvention des personnages et la fidélité aux intrigues (même si l'auteure mixe les personnages, il y a un réel effort pour conserver les différentes intrigues de chaque roman : ici c'est Raison et Sentiments avec un début d'Emma.). Le fait que toutes les histoires soient liées et qu'on "saute" de romans en romans

Ce que j'aime moins : ça reste du young adult donc il faut aimer l'ambiance girly/pensionnat. Certains personnages disparaissent du tableau : on ne voit presque pas Anne

En bref : Léger, divertissant et inventif. Un véritable effort de l'auteure pour conserver "l'esprit" original de chaque intrigue et le transposer dans une version young adult. A lire

Ma note

8/10

[Stephanie Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

'So Into You' is the second book in the young adult contemporary Jane Austen Academy series. The book follows Ellie Dvorak in her junior year at Jane Austen Academy, a private boarding school that feels like her home. Although things are being turned upside down this year - the school has been bought by anonymous owners, the student body is going co-ed for the first time in its history, and Ellie doesn't get to room with her best friend. Changes are coming to the Academy whether Ellie and her friends like it or not. Just when it seems things couldn't get worse, Ellie discovers that her parents are trying to make her leave school and move to a different country! Will Ellie be able to find a way to stay at her beloved Academy?

I am not usually a big reader of contemporary young adult fiction, but this series caught my attention. It's very well written and has a lot of heart. The characters - especially the four friends in the middle of the storyline - are very realistic and easy to identify with. I felt like I was a part of their circle from the first chapter of the book and even found myself rooting for them along the way. The problems that the characters face are things that every person deals with at some point, and the themes dealt with in the book are universal too - like family, friendship, love, standing up for what you believe is right, and self confidence. The setting of a private boarding school isn't anything new, but the fun atmosphere that the author creates in the book really brings it to life and gives it a fresh update. The book is relatively short, but it's an easy and fun read - which made it quick to finish. I really enjoyed this novel despite my usual avoidance of the genre, and I look forward to reading more of the series.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Into You in the second installment in The Jane Austen Academy Series and is just as delightful as Fall for You, the first book in the series. This is Ellie's story, and is a modern day based retelling of Sense and Sensibility. As we learned in book one, the Jane Austen Academy has been sold, is now coed, and they are threatening to change the name. When an issue arises regarding Ellie's parents, her tuition, and threatened move to another country, Ellie realizes she doesn't want to leave her friends at the academy, which have become more like her family, especially when things seem to be headed in the direction she would like with Edward, the boy she has a major crush on. Ellie's roommate and good friend Emma is determined to keep her there, and even the head mistress is trying to work with her, but despite her friends' concern, it may not be enough, especially when someone new shows up on the scene and she finds out Edward has not been completely truthful about things.

I really enjoyed So Into You. It was cute, funny, and just as entertaining as the first book in the series, if not more so. We get to know Ellie a lot better in this book, as well as Emma. I really liked Emma. She's a lot of fun. We get to see some of the characters that we met in book one, including Lizzie, Ellie's best friend, who is dating the schools most popular hot guy Dante. We are also introduced to some new characters. This is a really fun and quick read that has both romance and humor. The girls at the Jane Austen Academy are enchanting, and their new male counterparts are pretty hot and entertaining themselves. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing what these girls and guys get into next.

[Preet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brought back to JAA, yay! I'd totally be fine with living there. I think I may have enjoyed this story more than book one. I've always been curious about Ellie since the first book, so I loved getting a chance to know more. Edward was kind of back and forth for me. I think they had really cute chemistry, but I also wanted to shake my fist at him a lot.

What I noticed that I love most about these books is that all of Gray's characters are flawed in one way or another. I think it definitely helps them be more relatable to the reader this way. I mean, who needs perfect people? We all make mistakes and what matters most is that we learn from them, right? I think the characters do exactly that, and I love going on that journey with them even if I want to hug them one minute and shake them the next.

I also enjoyed getting a chance to see the characters from the first book again too. I did kind of wish I had a little more of them in this book, but I liked Ellie also having the spotlight. I think the idea of having all famous JA characters/plots in one place going on at the same time is a totally snazzy idea for this series really. It also gives a chance for readers who aren't familiar with all JA novel plots to get a chance to experience them in a different setting.

Just like the last book, Cecilia Gray stays true to fleshed out characters you feel like you could know. I was still just as engaged and wanting to know more about this Academy. Even though I had an idea of what would happen as a JA fan, it was still an enjoyable read. I'm now totally committed until book number 6!

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis as part of the ‘So Into You’ blog tour. Thanks to AToMR tours and Cecilia Gray.)
Ellie is Lizzie’s best friend at JASTA, and she has feelings for Edward, but boyfriend troubles are the least of her problems. After the headmistress informs her in front of the entire school that her tuition hasn’t been paid, Ellie finds out from her parents that they’re adopting a baby and opening a new yoga studio… in Guatemala!
Ellie hates the fact that she has to leave JASTA, but what can she do? She can’t force her parnets to pay her tuition can she? But when the headmistress offers her a possible solution, Ellie knows that she has to go for it, even if it means trying to beat everyone else in mathematics exams to win the fall achievement award which covers tuition until thanksgiving.
Can Ellie really do enough to stay at JASTA though? And will Lizzie’s plan to stop the proposed name change really work?

This was a fun, light read. Again, I’ve still not read anything by Jane Austin so I can’t say how close the story is to that of ‘Sense and Sensibility’, but I did enjoy it!
Ellie had some hard choices to make, but I loved how loyal her friends were, and how she thought of others before herself.
I thought that Ellie’s parents and Edward were both unfair to Ellie, but Ellie was strong enough to go on regardless.
I also liked how the storyline from book 1 – ‘Fall for you’ continued on into this book.
Overall; a fun, light, teen read 
7 out of 10.