Contemporary YA

Cephalopod Coffeehouse April 2015–KISSING TED CALLAHAN (And Other Guys)–Review

0ed81-coffeehouse
Hi there! Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the tomes they enjoyed most over the previous month. Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.

As part of the Coffeehouse I’m sharing the best book I read this month. In truth, the best book I read was part of a blog tour–CARRY THE OCEAN–and I had agreed to post that review on Monday. It’s about two young adults (they are 18 and 19 y/o boys) with depression and autism, respectively, who find love with each other. Frankly, it’s hands-down fantastic. Please check out that review–the book is a life-changer.

For my Coffehous post, however, I’d like to share my review of an irreverent contemporary teen romance, KISSING TED CALLAHAN (AND OTHER GUYS) released earlier this month from Amy Spalding. I highly recommend it to people who enjoy teen romance and rock band swooniness.

Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys)My Review:
I really enjoyed this teen coming-of-age read.

Riley and Reid, both juniors at the same private high school in So Cal, decide to find willing kissing (or more!) partners upon learning that their fellow band mates Nathan and Lucy are “together.” Riley–who had been BFFs with Lucy–was really hurt that Lucy kept her messing around with Nathan a secret, and she leans on Reid a lot allowing a small distance between her and Lucy to grow canyon-sized.

Still, Riley and Reid are committed to the plan of finding the perfect boy/girlfriend, and they keep track of their romantic plans and forays in a notebook which they continually update. Riley is set on Ted Callahan a slightly awkward boy in their class who she’s secretly crushed on for a long time. Reid is interested in a girl who works in the local SPCA. They each try to make first (and second) contacts with their crushes, sometimes with good results. It’s a very interesting and self-deprecating read. The story is mostly told from Riley’s POV, but Reid’s journal entries are some excellent segues.

Along the path to finding the right guy/girl, there are mishaps. Riley finds her chem partner to be interested in more than their classroom experiments, and a fellow record store rat makes a lot of the right moves. Soon there are three guys who don’t mind kissing Riley, and she’s not sure if this is okay, but she’s rolling with it. Reid’s naked attempt to engage his dream girl (by feigning interest in a pet adoption) leads to troubles of the four-legged variety.

I think Riley was a very interesting character. The story is shamelessly honest–about fake ID’s, sneaking out, and finding the absolute right place for carnal activities. It felt very real and approachable in a way that teens will likely appreciate. Riley’s enthusiasm for life, her band and her boyfriend quest is engaging and fun. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, and she’s wiling to admit to her mistakes in love–especially when the journal is suddenly…missing. I thought the end was a bit sappy, but not too much. I was in the right mood for a feel-good read and this one hit the high notes very well. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

Interested? You can find KISSING TED CALLAHAN (AND OTHER GUYS) on Goodreads, B&N, Amazon, or IndieBound.

Please take a trip to visit my fellow Coffehouse presenters. Their book reviews rock! And, as always, keep reading my friends!

1. The Armchair Squid 2. Life Before the Hereafter
3. V’s Reads 4. StrangePegs — Side Jobs
5. MOCK? MOCK! 6. StrangePegs — Empirical Evidence
7. StrangePegs — Ghost Story 8. StrangePegs — If Chins Could Kill

She is the QUEEN OF BRIGHT AND SHINY THINGS–Review & Giveaway

The Queen - Review and Excerpt Tour bannerHi there! Today I’m reviewing a contemporary YA romance hot off the press! Released yesterday, Ann Aguirre’s THE QUEEN OF BRIGHT AND SHINY THINGS is a well-paced story about how a person’s kindness can change your world, and life, for the better.

Queen of Bright and Shiny Things - coverAbout the book:
Sage Czinski is trying really hard to be perfect. If she manages it, people won’t peer beyond the surface, or ask hard questions about her past. She’s learned to substitute causes for relationships, and it’s working just fine… until Shane Cavendish strolls into her math class. He’s a little antisocial, a lot beautiful, and everything she never knew she always wanted.

Shane Cavendish just wants to be left alone to play guitar and work on his music. He’s got heartbreak and loneliness in his rearview mirror, and this new school represents his last chance. He doesn’t expect to be happy; he only wants to graduate and move on. He never counted on a girl like Sage.

But love doesn’t mend all broken things, and sometimes life has to fall apart before it can be put back together again…

How about a little taste?

I have forty seconds to spare when I burst through the doors of the Curly-Q. Mildred gives me the side-eye, but since I’m not technically late, she just says, “Get your smock on, girl. There’s cleaning to be done.”

Though it’s not strictly legal or sanitary, I’m pretty sure they save the hair for hours. The stylists just sweep it away from the chairs and pile it out of the way. So by the time I arrive, there’s a small Sasquatch on the floor. It takes me an hour to get the shop pristine. Customers come and go, mostly walk-in haircuts. Around six, it slows down, and Grace beckons me to the chair.

“When are you gonna let me give you some highlights?” She asks this often.

This time, however, I say, “Tonight, if you have time.”

Grace gets excited. “Mildred, get the camera. I’ll do it free if you let me take a picture for the Before and After wall.”

I eye the wall, not sure I want to be immortalized up there, along with all the 80s hair and prom refugees, but eventually I shrug. “Why not?”

My hair is a dark blond, mousy and forgettable. I mean, it’s decent hair, neither straight, nor curly. Left to its own devices, it falls in messy waves. That’s why I wear a lot of ponytails and braids. Aunt Gabby has similar problems, only she gets it lightened and highlighted so it looks bright and flirty, and she spends forty-five minutes a day straightening hers, so it’s sleek and smooth by the time she goes to the shop. UPS Joe seems to like the results anyway.

Grace fastens me into the plastic smock, then snaps a Polaroid. I still don’t care that much how I look; I mean, it’s so superficial, but a small part of me would like to be prettier, at least maximize what I’m working with. I tell myself this is more of a social experiment, and I can evaluate how people react to the new me. But that’s not it.

I’m totally doing this to see if Shane notices. Sometimes I hate being a girl.

My Review:

Sage is 16 and an orphan living with her father’s half-sister. She strives to be a model teen, getting involved in activities and keeping good grades. She’s been abused and placed in foster care before and never wants to return. Her tiny Illinois farm town is a tight community, and Sage has fit in by being the sidekick/best friend of Ryan, a gangly boy who is just beginning to pull off the ‘hipster’ look he’s adopted. They’ve been inseparable besties for the past three years, and Sage often wonders why Ryan isn’t interested romantically…still Sage looks on the bright side, always, and performs daily acts of kindness–like leaving post-it note affirmations on the lockers of kids when she sees they are having bad times.

A new guy moves into town, Shane Cavendish, and his worn clothes and general scruffiness are catnip to the bullies, headed by star athlete Dylan. Sage can’t bear to see this kid shoved around, and decides to step in. For his part, Shane wants nothing to do with anyone. He’s stunned that anyone takes any interest in him at all, and Sage’s interest is really intense. She can see that he’s had a rough life, perhaps rivaling her own, and wants to help, to show him that he is not alone.

They develop a tenuous friendship, which puts Ryan into Protector mode, but, beyond that, Sage starts to see the secrets behind her friendships, and Ryan’s got some big-time explaining. Not that Sage is an open book. No, her shiny veneer hides a darkness that shouldn’t see the light of a high school hallway. Unfortunately, she makes an enemy of Dylan who threatens to ruin her for her interference.

Thing is, the more Dylan threatens, the more friends Sage makes, and her acts of kindness do not go unnoticed. Plus, for the first time ever, it seems that a boy she likes actually reciprocates. Shane is in need of connection, and Sage is a force to be reckoned with in that regard. He is drawn into her knot of friendships and they explore dating in a quiet way, much to Ryan’s chagrin.

I did enjoy the slow reveal of Sage’s backstory. I adored her ‘do-goodiness;’ how she searched daily for someone she could cheer up with a kind note. I loved her relationship with her aunt, and how she refused to ride in a car because her dad died in a wreck. She is strong, and principled, and kind. She isn’t nasty or mean, but can be fierce when pushed.

Shane is….*shakes head* such a GREAT love interest. He is kind and compassionate and loving and all the things that Sage deserves. And she works very hard to get him, and to keep him, even when it means revealing more about herself than she ever planned to do.

This is an age-appropriate teen read with humor, heart and a relentless force for good leading the charge against bullies, pollution and neglect.

Interested? You can find THE QUEEN OF BRIGHT AND SHINY THINGS on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, Books-a-Million, Powell’s, and IndieBound.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win on of 5 signed copies of THE QUEEN OF BRIGHT AND SHINY THINGS.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Ann AguirreAbout the author:
Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. Ann likes books, emo music, action movies, and she writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, published with Harlequin, Macmillan, and Penguin, among others.

You can find Ann online on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Goodreads, or sign up for her newsletter.
InkSlinger PR Blogger Banner - New

They Aren’t All LOSING AT LOVE–Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for Jennifer Iacopelli’s new release: LOSING AT LOVE. This is a sequel to the (smash!) hit GAME. SET. MATCH. I haven’t read the first bookin this series, but ’tis okay…

book2-publicity-frontAbout the book:

Grass courts, tennis whites and the fiercest competition in the world. Wimbledon. After two crazy weeks in Paris, the girls of the Outer Banks Tennis Academy are headed to London with just one thing on their minds: winning.

Indiana Gaffney is fresh off a surprise win at the French Open junior tournament. Sponsors are clamoring for her attention, but what she wants more than anything—aside from a wild card to Wimbledon—is to be with Jack Harrison, but international fame and a secret relationship rarely mix well.

When Penny Harrison dreamed of playing at Wimbledon she never imagined agonizing pain shooting through her ankle with every step. With just a month until the tournament and the whole world expecting her to win, she’s determined to play, with or without the support of her coach or the love of her life, Alex Russell.

For the first time ever, no one expects anything from Jasmine Randazzo. After a crushing first-round defeat in the French Open juniors, the tennis world has given up on her, but worse than that, so have her parents, her best friend Teddy and maybe even her coach. With everyone writing her off, can she find it within herself to go after her dreams?

My Review:
This is the second book in a series. It can be read as a standalone.

This is a fast-paced sports romance featuring three MC’s all of whom are rising women’s juniors-level tennis stars. Penny Harrison, Indiana “Indy” Gaffney and Jasmine Randazzo are all linked by years of training at the Outer Banks Tennis Academy. They share coaches and living space, but they don’t always share secrets.

For example, Indy–who is a month shy of 18–is secretly dating Penny’s (adult) older brother Jack. Penny and Indy are both pro, but Jasmine is still deciding her future. She wants to go pro, but her coach and parents want her to go to college. Jas feels as if no one truly believes in her, and often she feels unwanted in comparison to her more highly-regarded friends. Her best friend, Penny’s twin brother Teddy, is someone Jasmine wants to date, but he continually pushes her off. Well, at least until she becomes the object of another man’s interest.

Penny, for her part, is coming off an ankle injury at the French Open, and is determined to play singles at Wimbledon. Doing so, however is a real challenge, and not only because she has to eliminate a friend first-round. She has the constant support of Alex, her boyfriend, who is mopping up in the Men’s singles–back in action after a knee injury. It seems as if Penny and Alex have found the right balance between love and tennis, by the end.

After winning the French Open (junior division) Indy starts out strong, but recognizes her few connections in the tennis world are more fragile than even she expected. Plus, keeping her (inappropriate) relationship with Jack on the down-low is a challenge she is not able to meet. And people she should be able to trust only prove themselves more and more untrustworthy. I was glad to see Indy take the high road, more than once, and really carve out her niche in this high-stakes game, even if the tennis isn’t going so spectacularly by the fortnight’s end.

As for putting this book into the New Adult genre, I’m going to disagree. The MC’s are barely 18, if that old. It’s close to innocent, smexytimes-wise. There are some heavy make-outs but the scene always fades-to-black before the sex hits the page. In fact, only one of these relationships breaches the point of penetration, (again, off the page) and that’s just fine. There is plenty of drama between these girls, their opponents, their men, and their parents to fill the pages. It’s a gritty, realistic look into the politics of tennis and passion of a three elite athletes and their drive to the top. I’d say it’s squarely in the mature YA category and suitable for any reader 14+.

Interested? You can find Losing at Love on Amazon, BN, iTunes, Kobo and Goodreads.

book1-publicity-frontAnd the previous book in this series, Game. Set. Match. is also available on Amazon, BN, iTunes, Kobo and Goodreads.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $50 GC, Signed copies of Game. Set. Match. and Losing at Love or SWAG!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Screen Shot 2014-08-07 at 3.09.39 PM copyAbout the Author:
Jennifer Iacopelli was born in New York and has no plans to leave…ever. Growing up, she read everything she could get her hands on, but her favorite authors were Laura Ingalls Wilder, L.M. Montgomery and Frances Hodgson Burnett all of whom wrote about kick-ass girls before it was cool for girls to be kick-ass. She got a Bachelor’s degree in Adolescence Education and English Literature quickly followed up by a Master’s in Library Science, which lets her frolic all day with her books and computers, leaving plenty of time in the evenings to write and yell at the Yankees, Giants and her favorite tennis players through the TV.

Catch up with Jennifer online on her newsletter, twitter, Facebook, website, Goodreads, Instagram, and Amazon Author Page.

Inkslinger

Don’t Call Him BIGGIE–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a YA book from debut author Derek E Sullivan. BIGGIE isn’t really a romance, though there’s some romance to it. It’s more-or-less an emotional awakening for a boy who shut out his world, and I really enjoyed it.

BiggieAbout the book:
Henry “Biggie” Abbott is the son of one of Finch, Iowa ‘s most famous athletes. His father was a baseball legend and his step-dad is a close second.

At an obese 300+ pounds though, Biggie himself prefers classroom success to sports. As a perfectionist, he doesn’t understand why someone would be happy getting two hits in five trips to the plate. “Forty percent, that’s an F in any class,” he would say.

As Biggie’s junior year begins, the girl of his dreams, Annabelle Rivers, starts to flirt with him. Hundreds of people have told him to follow in his dad’s footsteps and play ball, but Annabelle might be the one to actually convince him to try. What happens when a boy who has spent his life since fourth grade trying to remain invisible is suddenly thrust into the harsh glare of the high school spotlight?

My Review:
Biggie is a book about loving one’s self, even when it’s far easier to hate one’s self.

Henry “Biggie” Abbott is a high school junior in Finch, Iowa–a town of roughly 1000. He is the illegitimate son of baseball phenom Aaron Abbott, conceived while Aaron was still in high school. Aaron left behind his sweetheart and child, legally disavowing any claim to Biggie before he’d even turned 1. Biggie is, well, BIG. He’s over 6 feet tall, and weighs more than 300 pounds.

Here’s why:

How did I get this way? Or a better question: why have I let myself grow to over 300 pounds? Simply put: Now I’m invisible. Funny isn’t it? The more I weigh, the less people ride me about it.

See, growing up as Abbott’s son, even disavowed, wasn’t that great. Everyone expected Biggie to be a great athlete, and he has an excruciating fear of failure. He is a self-proclaimed perfectionist, and a perfect GPA. Especially since he forges notes to keep out of gym class. But, this year, his mother has thwarted those plans. Biggie is going to take gym, even if it kills him. Of course the first day, Biggie does something extraordinary. He throws a perfect game in Whiffleball. Then, he promptly faints. His doctor isn’t pleased, and Biggie’s physical sends his mother into tears–Biggie, too, as he’s possibly suffering Type 2 Diabetes.

The only answer is for Biggie to get fit–and his half-brother, Maddux, is keen to work with Biggie on his pitching, maybe turn his instinctive knuckleball into an unhittable pitch. Maddux and his father, Laser, have been on the baseball circuit forever. Laser was semi-pro and took Maddux on the road with him. But Laser has decided to hang up his cleats and coach the Finch high school team, so he’s home to witness, and assist, Biggie’s transformation from bedroom-bound shut-in to baseball player.

Biggie’s reasons for the transformation: to catch the eye of Annabelle Rivers, a girl in Finch he has cyberstalked for years. To please Maddux. To make himself healthy enough that his mother stops thinking he’s going to die. To throw a perfect game.

It’s an interesting transformation because this is not only physical work, Biggie has to overcome his crippling shyness and grow out of his father’s famous shadow. It’s a small town, and here baseball reigns supreme. Biggie starts slowly, changing his diet and walking daily with Laser, until he can begin running daily and practicing. Laser is patient, and persistent, guiding Biggie in the physical steps–which I loved. That man never let Biggie down, even when Biggie couldn’t get past his own self-hate.

Biggie drops the weight, which puts him out of the danger zone for diabetes, but, when it comes to baseball, Biggie can’t bring himself to play. His team needs him, yet Biggie is so steeped in “perfection” that he’s too afraid to not be perfect on the field. It’s an impossible scenario that this kid could miraculously be the best player ever, on account of him not playing baseball, ever. And Biggie recognizes this, and he loses faith. Plus, he’s aggravated by personal issues with teammates–especially the cheating baseball star dating Annabelle.

Thing is, Biggie has talent. It’s raw and it’s powerful, but it isn’t perfect. And when Biggie begins to love himself, and consider that “perfect” isn’t necessarily the healthiest frame of mind, he actually starts to have an almost-perfect life.

I really enjoyed this. Biggie felt very real to me. He is an honest character, which is funny since he lies to everyone but the reader. He owns his issues, and gains real insight to a building a better life, with friends and even a girlfriend. A real one, not the cyber-girls he juggles online. His relationship with his parents improves, and I think that he ends this journey far happier than how he started. I had a little issue with the timeline–only because it seems that Iowa high schools begin baseball season when every other state is wrapping up theirs. So, that didn’t quite ring true. The interactions with the boys, however, was spot on–even if getting trashed and driving the backroads is not excellent, this is very likely how these rural boys passed their time.

Interested? You can find BIGGIE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and other book retailers.

dereksullivan300x450About the Author:
Derek E. Sullivan is an award-winning reporter and columnist at the Rochester Post-Bulletin in Minnesota. As a reporter, he has written more than 1,000 stories about the lives of teenagers, which he attributes to helping him find his YA voice. He has an MFA from Hamline University and lives in Minnesota with his wife and three sons.

You can find Derek online on his website, Goodreads and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Ten Steps on HOW TO UNBREAKUP–Review and Giveaway

how to unbreakup tour banner

Hi there! Today I’m sharing in the blog tour for Rebekah Purdy’s HOW TO UNBREAKUP. This contemporary YA Romance is a fun, innocent romantic tale of one girl trying to fix a relationship, without all the Hollywood hijinks. Okay, okay there are a few hijinks.

How to UnbreakupAbout the Book:
First rule of breakups: There’s no going back.
For three years, seventeen-year-old Grace Evers has regretted breaking up with Sage Castle.

That day, she lost her boyfriend and best friend. And let’s be honest, it’s impossible to just be friends with the one person who gets you, faults and all, and loved you anyway. It’s impossible not to think about how it felt to be held by him, or the way he looked right before he was about to kiss you with the most perfectly yummy kiss goodnight.

And now that things are over between them, they’ve become strangers to one another. Sage won’t even look at Grace, let alone talk to her!

Breakup life sucks and Grace is utterly miserable, doing whatever she can to ease the pain of losing Sage. She’s spent the better part of high school pretending to be something she’s not and hanging out with people who probably wouldn’t notice if she wasn’t there. Crappy dates, backstabbing friends, and Sage’s cold shoulder have taken their toll.

So when her parents propose going away to their house on Lake Michigan for the summer, Grace is thrilled. No more massively bad dates with horrible kissers or lunch with frienemies. Just three months of swimming,
hiking, and relaxing before senior year starts.

But when Grace learns Sage and his family will be joining them, she readies herself for a totally awkward family vacation of disastrous proportions. How can it be anything but awful if Sage won’t even acknowledge she exists?

This is it, Grace’s last chance to get Sage back and unbreakup.

My Review:
Probably need to check for cavities now; this is a super sweet, innocent YA romance.

Grace and Sage were childhood friends, the best of friends, and each other’s first romance/kiss. They grew up together in wholesome Michigan, with parents who are BFFs and plan joint trips. In eighth grade Sage asked Grace to be his girlfriend, and she agreed, but it got a bit much for her to handle. Her friends complained that she was always with him, and she felt like she didn’t have an identity of her own. Plus, she didn’t really feel ready, anymore, to be in a relationship. And, I felt this was ALL AWESOME. I love when young girls are cool being alone. Grace wanted to maintain their strong friendship, but Sage never talked to her after that, and started skipping their joint family get-togethers.

Three years goes by and neither Grace nor Sage has ever dated anyone. Grace knows she’s still hung up on Sage, but he still holds a grudge. It’s the summer following junior year, and the big surprise vacation is again to link the two families for a summer long rental beach house in the UP (Upper Peninsula). Grace is anxious, seeing Sage again at close quarters, but Sage is hostile. Hell hath no fury like a scorned Sage, it seems.

Sage’s sister, Allie, can clearly see how Grace cares for Sage, however–and Allie knows how depressed Sage was after their break-up, so Allie decides to help Grace win him back. They devise a list of ten tasks that Grace should attempt to unfreeze Sage’s heart, and *hopefully* win him back. Of course this plan is destined to crash and burn…hijinks ensue.

In the meantime, while Grace works up the courage to check off Item 10 on her list (apologize for hurting Sage all those years ago, and confess her deep love), he finds a local girl who is very much interested in him. Lila is a pretty pin-up of a girl who shares none of Sage’s interests, but does captivate his attention. Her elder brother, Logan, is equally attractive, and interested in Grace. Allie insists that this may be helpful (Item 6: Make Sage jealous) but Grace isn’t the mercenary sort. She doesn’t discourage Logan, but she keeps everything friendly, even confiding her true feelings for Sage to a very understanding Logan.

Thing is, as the days and weeks pass, Grace realizes that Sage is happier now, and that he seems to get on well with Lila. Grace completes her task list, leaving it all up to Sage.

Well, this is YA romance, so we get an HEA, but we take the angsty-way around to it.

The story is well-told, with only a few slapstick elements, and a whole lotta good-natured ribbing and family bonding. The tension between Sage and Grace is always high, and this non-courtship is fun to experience. Sage and Grace have a lot of shared history, and rediscovering together it is touching. I like how level-headed Grace is, she doesn’t get catty, or plan sabotage missions against Lila; she simply tries to reconnect with her oldest friend, and hopes that he might see her for the girl who loves him now, not the one who broke his heart before.

Interested? You can find HOW TO UNBREAKUP on Goodreads, and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link link below for your chance to win
a fun Star Wars-themed prize pack or ebooks!
a Rafflecopter giveaway.

Good luck, and keep reading my friends!

Rebekah L. PurdyAbout the Author
Rebekah Purdy grew up in Michigan, where she spent many late nights armed with a good book and a flashlight. When not hiding at her computer and getting lost in her stories, she enjoys reading, singing, soccer, swimming, football, camping, playing video games and hanging out with her kids. She loves the unexplainable like Bigfoot, the Dogman, and the Loch Ness Monster (lots of good story material)! She admits to still having all the books she bought throughout her
childhood and teen years, and she may or may not have an obsession with anything chocolate…
You can find Rebekah online on her website, Facebook, twitter and Goodreads.
44b44-yabounktourbutton

She Learned HOW (not) TO FALL IN LOVE–Review and Giveaway!

How(not)to-fall-in-love_tour copy
Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a YA contemporary romance by Lisa Brown Roberts along with YA Bound Book Tours. HOW (not) TO FALL IN LOVE is a compassionate look at a rich girl whose life has gone bad, real quick.

HOWNOTTOFALL_1600pxAbout the book:
Finding true love on the other side of the tracks was never so much fun in this heartfelt and hilarious contemporary novel.

Seventeen-year-old Darcy Covington doesn’t know the difference between a pawn shop and a thrift shop. Even her dog eats gourmet food, so she’s totally unprepared when her car is repossessed from the parking lot of her elite private school. Turns out her father, a semi-famous motivational speaker, has skipped town, abandoning his family while his business collapses. Even David Letterman comes up with ten reasons why her father won’t ever return home.

Desperate to sell her expensive jewelry for much-needed cash, Darcy discovers that her dad’s brother runs a funky thrift shop on a street full of eccentric characters, including a coffee shop owner named Liz and one supremely hot fix-it guy named Lucas.

Darcy finds some solace hanging out with her uncle and Lucas in the thrift shop and working in Liz’s coffee shop, while the rest of her life falls apart. The time she spends with the uber hot Lucas helps takes her mind off her family’s troubles, even though she’s sure he’s only nice to her because he works for her uncle, especially when she meets the cover girl beauty she thinks he’s dating.

Can Darcy find the courage she needs to adapt to the necessary changes brought about by her family’s drastically reduced lifestyle? And will she open her eyes to the amazing realization that Lucas wants much more than friendship from her?

How about a tiny taste?

“Truth, Darcy,” Lucas said. “How’s everything going? For real.”

I stumbled and he put out a hand to steady me, which didn’t help since the sudden warmth of his touch made me even more klutzy.

“I’m okay,” I said, once I’d figured how to walk again.

“You’re lying,” he said conversationally, like he’d asked me about the weather. He tossed his long dark hair out of his eyes and I swallowed, trying to maintain my composure. “You’re worried about something. More than usual, I mean.”

My lips parted in surprise. “How can you tell?”

He shrugged. “I just can.” I gazed down at Toby, whose tail wagged at warp speed. “It might help to talk about it,” Lucas said, his voice soft.

I glanced at him, startled at the intensity I saw in his eyes. I turned away, pretending to be interested in the jumble of model airplane kits in the window of the run-down hobby store.

His hand brushed mine, lacing our fingers briefly, but before I could catch my breath, he released my hand and took hold of Toby’s leash. He cleared his throat. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

Friends. Right. Of course. I let go of the leash, letting Lucas take over. “Yeah,” I said, my voice a little wobbly. We walked in silence and I wondered if I’d hallucinated the whole almost-held-my-hand thing.

“If you don’t tell me what’s up, I’ll just ask Charlie.”

I took a deep breath. Inhale calm. Exhale obsessive need to analyze potential hand-holding event.

My Review:
Darcy is a girl in a serious bind. Her car is repossessed, her mother is distraught and her father, uber-positive celebrity life coach and motivational speaker Ty Covington, is gone. AWOL. Radio silent. The first few days are terrifying, but that doesn’t even compare to the terror of realization when his postcards begin to arrive: Dad my never return.

The family assets are frozen while Darcy’s father’s company Harvest Industries refunds thousands of tickets for upcoming Harvest shows on his speaking schedule. Without Ty Covington, Harvest Industries is…well, bankrupt. See, HE is the product, his endless hope and uplifting platitudes, and without him to share his good will with the people who attend his event, Darcy’s family is flat-busted financially.

Thing is, Darcy doesn’t care about the money. She sees how her mother drinks herself to sleep every night, and the ugliness of the media who speculate that her father took off with Harvest’s money to an island in the sun. Darcy wants her dad back.

In the meantime, however, Darcy bucks up and gets a job. She reconnects with her Uncle Charlie–her dad’s brother who’d been locked out of her life a long time ago–and learns more about relationships that MEAN SOMETHING. Plus, she meets Lucas, the college engineering student who fixes all the gadgets that arrive in Charlie’s thrift store.

Lucas has a broken family, too, but he’s past the initial grief and is able to give Darcy some perspective. They develop a bit of a tender romance, though this is secondary to Darcy’s life missions: 1. Survive 2. Get her mother sober 3. Find dad.

See, she thinks she’s found a pattern to the random postcards that arrive every few weeks. They originate in areas near Stonehenge replicas and Henge tourists stops all along America. As she plots the course, she begins to suspect where he may be, at a given time.

Darcy wants to find her dad more than anything. But hunting him down could nearly cost her everything.

It’s a heart-felt story with excellent pacing and realistic plot. Darcy moves from mouse to lioness as she claws her way through the morass of bankruptcy, estate sales, eviction and starting over. Throughout Darcy hears echoes of her dad’s many talks–the words she always felt were hollow and barren–and realizes that the hope in them is what she always found lacking. Now, when all Darcy only has hope to her name, she embraces the power of these positive thoughts and changes her life into something that works–even if it’s a far cry from her previously posh life. The life lessons abound, but they aren’t preachy. The book deals with alcoholism in a frank way, and touches upon mental illness near the end. The romance is wholly innocent, which was a source of humor in the book. Especially when Darcy’s mom attempts what she believes is a “belated” sex talk.

Interested? You can find HOW (not) TO FALL IN LOVE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, iBooks.
Grand Prize

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win one of FOUR prize packs that may include a signed hardcover copy of HOW (not) TO FALL IN LOVE, Ninja salt & pepper shakers, a necklace a mini-Stonehenge
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

LBRAbout the Author:
Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn’t recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year. This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life’s painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way.

Her almost forever home is Colorado, though she occasionally pines for the days when she lived within walking distance of the Pacific Ocean. Her house is full of books, boys, several four-legged prima donnas, and lots of laughter.

You can catch up with Lisa online on her website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

ef137-yabounktourbutton

Teen Love in PAPER OR PLASTIC–Review and Giveaway

paper or plastic tour bannerHi all! Today I’m sharing in the blog tour for for Vivi Barnes’ new YA romance, PAPER OR PLASTIC. It’s a sweet tale of love, loyalty and friendship. For other stops on the tour, click here. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway below!

Paper or PlasticAbout the book:
Welcome to SmartMart, where crime pays minimum wage…

Busted. Alexis Dubois just got caught shoplifting a cheap tube of lipstick at the local SmartMart. She doesn’t know what’s worse—disappointing her overbearing beauty-pageant-obsessed mother for the zillionth time…or her punishment. Because Lex is forced to spend her summer working at the store, where the only thing stranger than the staff is the customers.

Now Lex is stuck in the bizarro world of big-box retail. Coupon cutters, jerk customers, and learning exactly what a “Code B” really is (ew). And for added awkwardness, her new supervisor is the totally cute—and completely below her social sphere—Noah Grayson. Trying to balance her out-of-control mother, her starting spot on the school softball team, and her secret crush on the school geek makes for one crazy summer. But ultimately, could the worst store in the world be the best thing that ever happened to her?

My Review:
Lex, as she likes to be called, is a 16 y/o girl growing up near Tampa, Florida. She’s pretty, and popular and the star pitcher on her softball team. She has some close friends, among them Sydney, Courtney and Bryce. Bryce is a star baseball player and he’s helped Lex with her pitching for years. They even volunteer together at a baseball camp for needy youth. Despite having plenty of cash, Lex is caught shoplifting.

She knows it’s dumb, but can’t help rebelling a little. Her mother is preoccupied with her 7 y/o sister Aurora who easily conforms to Mama’s ideal beauty pageant child, unlike Lex. And, Lex’s grandma is rapidly declining with Alzheimer’s disease…so things are bit out of control. Taking the lipstick seemed a harmless prank, until her mother got involved. Now, instead of whiling away her summer, Lex is working at the SmartMart (think WalMart) on the condition that she does a good job, the police will not be notified. It’s, well, mortifying.

Mean girls come in to taunt the Princess of SmartMart, and Lex is missing softball practice due to schedule conflicts, prompting pushback from her coach. And worst/best of all? One of Lex’s managers is a senior at her high school–Noah–who is a categorical NOBODY after turning Bryce in for a vandalism episode two years prior.

Thing is, Noah is nice. And, cute. And, Lex is determined to show up her mother, by being responsible–for a change. In the meantime, Lex learns the truth behind appearances. Maybe Bryce is petty for holding a grudge so long. Maybe the goofy greeter lady at SmartMart is the most positive, loving girl Lex’s ever met. And maybe Noah’s the sweetest, most forgiving person in the whole wide world–someone she shouldn’t cast aside on a misplaced loyalty.

I really liked this one. Lex is a human girl, with human feelings of inadequacy and fear. Her Grandma is slipping away, and she and her mother don’t connect well. She’s losing her dominance in softball, and feeling very disloyal to a good friend. But she sees the best in people, and she works hard, and refuses to give up. The romance between Noah and Lex blooms slowly, with Lex alternately dependent upon (and frustrated with) Friend Zone status. The closer she and Noah get, the more guilty she feels on Bryce’s behalf, but in the end Lex makes the choice that is right for her, not anyone else.

This is a sweet book, with an interesting and well-paced plot. There are elements of domestic violence which may be a trigger for some. The innocent romance is age-appropriate to teen readers and the life-lessons Lex learns are suitable for everybody on the face of the Earth.

Interested? You can find PAPER OR PLASTIC on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Kobo.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
one of 2 Prize Packs (US only) containing a $15 Target gift card, PAPER OR PLASTIC journal and tote bag
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Vivi BarnesAbout the Author:
Vivi Barnes is the author of Olivia Twisted and the upcoming release, Paper or Plastic. She was raised on a farm in East Texas where her theater-loving mom and cowboy dad gave her a unique perspective on life. Now living in the magic and sunshine of Orlando, Florida, she divides her time writing, working, goofing off with her husband and three kids, and avoiding dirty dishes.

You can catch up with Vivi online on her website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.
ef137-yabounktourbutton

Just A Matter of WHEN–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a newly released YA book that captivated me from the first page. Victoria Laurie’s WHEN centers on Maddie, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary gift–she can see the death dates of every person she meets.

WhenAbout the Book:

Maddie Fynn is a shy high school junior, cursed with an eerie intuitive ability: she sees a series of unique digits hovering above the foreheads of each person she encounters. Her earliest memories are marked by these numbers, but it takes her father’s premature death for Maddie and her family to realize that these mysterious digits are actually death dates, and just like birthdays, everyone has one.

Forced by her alcoholic mother to use her ability to make extra money, Maddie identifies the quickly approaching death date of one client’s young son, but because her ability only allows her to see the when and not the how, she’s unable to offer any more insight. When the boy goes missing on that exact date, law enforcement turns to Maddie.

Soon, Maddie is entangled in a homicide investigation, and more young people disappear and are later found murdered. A suspect for the investigation, a target for the murderer, and attracting the attentions of a mysterious young admirer who may be connected to it all, Maddie’s whole existence is about to be turned upside down. Can she right things before it’s too late?

My Review:

Maddie has a had a traumatic life. Seeing the death dates of every person she meets, or on any close-up picture she sees, is personally horrifying, but she’s also forced to rely on this macabre talent in order to support herself and her alcoholic mother. She’s only 16 and didn’t realize the significance of those funny numbers on people’s foreheads until her father’s number was up. That was ten years ago and she and her mother are now limping along in a bedroom community about 90 minutes from Manhattan.

When she informs a client that her son will die in the coming week, the client freaks out. Maddie attempts to call a second time, urged by her best friend “Stubby” Shroeder, to impress the seriousness of the situation–and is rebuffed, with hostility. That is, until the young boy goes missing. Only, Maddie knows he’s not just missing–he’s dead. The Feds are in on the case, and Maddie finds herself at the center of their investigation. Her Uncle Donny, a slick lawyer, does his best to cast suspicion away, cautioning Maddie against doing any further readings–but she inadvertently sees a local girl with a looming death date–and Stubby insists they try to help.

Their interference only lands both of them in huge trouble, and the Feds are mounting a case file that could put both Maddie and Stubby in jail for a good long time. Meanwhile, Maddie fights the system, trying to prove that her “gift” is what gives her insight, as small as it is. She’s got the added trouble of bullying at school, and her mother going on increasingly more dangerous benders. I honestly got chills reading about Maddie peeling her mom off one floor, or another, and putting her back to bed safely–when her mom managed to make it home.

Maddie’s world has become an even more frightening place as strange trucks chase her down dark streets and yet another child is kidnapped. The FBI is, at first, hostile, but Maddie fights to win their support against Uncle Donny’s wishes–he’s sure they’re going to set her up. Proving her gift is legit is nearly as hard as proving the Tooth Fairy exists, however.

Still, Maddie never gives up trying to demonstrate her (and Stubby’s) innocence. Not when her mom takes a turn for the worst. Not when Stubby’s the lead suspect. And not when it seems the FBI wants to name her as an accomplice to a serial murderer. It’s a taut, emotional drama that moves with grace. Several suspects exist, all of whom are equally likely, keeping the reader guessing until the closing scenes.

The adults are very real people, not simple characterizations. Maddie’s mom is pathetic and sympathetic. Uncle Donny is a champ, and keeps the Feds from steamrolling two awesome kids. Stubby is the kind of best friend I would dream my kids find–selfless, kind and cheerful to a fault.  Even the FBI agents who threaten Maddie at every turn aren’t as ruthless as they first seem. I expected the ending, but that’s like chocolate sprinkles on the thriller sundae. When, not if, WHEN is turned into a movie, I’m gonna get an extra large popcorn and enjoy it again.

Interested? You can find WHEN on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And, no doubt, other vendors. Probably going to see this one everywhere. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

Victoria LaurieAbout the Author:

Victoria Laurie is the New York Times bestselling author of 26 books and counting. Victoria divides her time between her two adult mystery series, (The Psychic Eye Mysteries, and The Ghost Hunter Mysteries), and a Y/A thriller, When.

As a professional psychic, Victoria’s protagonists – psychic Abigail Cooper, and spiritual medium M. J. Holliday – tackle the tricky world of the paranormal while fighting bad guys and demons with plenty of plucky humor and determination. And using that keen understanding of the paranormal, Victoria also created the character of Maddie Fynn, a teenager with the unique intuitive ability to predict the exact date of someone’s death.

To showcase her writing range, Victoria has also penned a children’s epic adventure series, The Oracles of Delphi Keep.  Victoria loves to connect with her fans, and you can find her on Goodreads, her website, twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

She Learned THERE WILL BE LIES–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing newly-released THERE WILL BE LIES, a YA adventure from Nick Lake. I usually read YA romance, but this? This was different. Not romance. More adventure-meets-mysticism-meets-well…so many things I can’t quite fit it all without giving away giant sections of the plot. So….

There Will Be LiesAbout the book:
In four hours, Shelby Jane Cooper will be struck by a car.

Shortly after, she and her mother will leave the hospital and set out on a winding journey toward the Grand Canyon.

All Shelby knows is that they’re running from dangers only her mother understands. And the further they travel, the more Shelby questions everything about her past—and her current reality. Forced to take advantage of the kindness of unsuspecting travelers, Shelby grapples with what’s real, what isn’t, and who she can trust . . . if anybody.

My Review:
This is a book that will stay with me. Shelby lives a very sheltered life. She’s almost 18 and has never gone to school. She is homeschooled by her mother, Shaylene, and spends 6 of 7 days a week in their apartment in Scottsdale, AZ. Every Friday they leave the apartment together, so Shelby can hit balls at the local batting cage, then they have ice cream for dinner and Shelby goes to the library, unescorted, for a few hours while her mother works. This library time is the only time Shelby is ever left alone outside their apartment.

She has never has a friend, and has no siblings. Her father is dead, and he was horrible, or so she has been told. Then, one Friday, while waiting to get picked up outside the library, Shelby is struck by a car. In her pain she meets, well, a coyote, who advises her that she will learn two lies and one truth about her life.

For a moment I wondered if Shelby had hit the peyote, but she hadn’t. She did have a broken ankle, however, and in the aftermath of her care finds herself and her mother on the road. Escaping, her mother tells her, from her (dead) father. Because if he finds them, they’re as good as dead. Yep. Guess Shelby’s dad isn’t so dead after all.

Or, is he? How can Shelby trust her mom–as she watches her befriend unsuspecting men with the objective of stealing their vehicles. And, the coyote continues to return.

When Shelby sleeps she falls into the Dreaming, a place of myth and mystery where she is the Maiden and must rescue the crying Child from a malevolent force in order to restore the rain and keep the Dreaming alive. In this mythical place Shelby is aided by the trickster Coyote, as well as the stalwart Elk and strong Eagle. It is here she is told she has 8 days to save the Child or the Dreaming–and Shelby’s whole universe–will be destroyed.

This is a strongly metaphysical book, with real and mythical touch points. In her waking life, Shelby learns that there are very big portions of her life that are lies, and the truth that is revealed is just as devastating. There are car chases, and police actions and people who try to help but end up only causing more harm.

I adored the elements of First Nations mysticism and mythology that were interwoven. This book sang with cultural tenets, and a realistic depiction of a displaced teen. Shelby, herself, is at a major disadvantage as her own advocate–not because she is young (she’s almost an adult) but because people assume she is disabled. She has some difficulties, but that doesn’t diminish her capability. Throughout Shelby is self-possessed and as independent as she is ever allowed to be.

I am not ashamed to admit there were twists I didn’t see coming. I did, however, predict the bulk of the ending–as the foreshadowing was excellent. The ticking time bomb of Shelby’s world is a motivator, but she can’t often access the tools, or skills, she needs to complete her quest in the Dreaming, and must return to reality to marshal resources. In the end, the heartache that is Shelby’s life is greatly resolved, on her terms for a change. No more isolation. Actual friendships and autonomy, and a family she never expected.

Interested? You can find THERE WILL BE LIES on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retail outlets, no doubt. I received an advanced review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author: (In his words…)
My name is Nick and I write and edit books for young adults. My first YA novel IN DARKNESS, was published by Bloomsbury in 2012 and won the Michael L Printz Award for Excellence in YA Literature. I also wrote a book called HOSTAGE THREE about a girl kidnapped by Somali pirates.

THERE WILL BE LIES is about a girl who learns that everything she knows is a lie. To say it’s a book with a twist in the story would be a massive understatement. There is also a talking coyote in it.

I live with my wife, daughter and son in a 16th century house in England with almost 19th century amenities. Sometimes the heating even works.

I like: reading, art, music, food containing sugar, cities at night, the countryside in the daytime, vintage furniture, modern standards of heating (see above), traveling.

I dislike: being sick, failing, being underdressed in the cold, being overdressed in the heat, the unnecessary suffering of children, being punched in the face.

Catch up with Nick on his website, Goodreads, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

There Was Love AFTER US–Review and Giveaway

afterus-blogtour copy
Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for AFTER US, a gritty YA romance newly-released by Amber Hart. I really enjoyed this one.

afterusAbout the book:
“Beautiful, lyrical writing and a dangerously suspenseful plot. . .an unforgettable novel that readers will love.” –Lucy Connors, author of The Lonesome Young

Sometimes secrets kill. Maybe slowly, maybe painfully. Maybe all at once.

Melissa smiles. She flirts. She jokes. But she never shows her scars. Eight months after tragedy ripped her from her closest friend, Melissa is broken. Inside her grows a tumor, fed by grief, rage, and the painful memory of a single forbidden kiss.

Javier has scars of his own: a bullet wound, and the memory of a cousin shot in the heart. Life in the States was supposed to be a new beginning, but a boy obsessed by vengeance has no time for the American dream. To honor his familia, Javier joins the gang who set up his cousin’s murder. The entrance price is blood. Death is the only escape.

These two broken souls could make each other whole again–or be shattered forever.
Our time will come. And we’ll be ready.

My Review:
This review contains SOME mild spoilers. This is the second book in a series, and I have not read the first. I was never at a loss in this story, however. And it’s a read I truly enjoyed.

Melissa is eighteen and a waitress at a beach resort in Florida. She wants to go to college, but her dream is on hold because Melissa’s life is essentially on hold. Five months ago she was diagnosed with cancer and though she has recovered from the surgery physically, the emotional scars remain. Four weeks remain before Melissa will have her post-op tests to determine if she needs chemotherapy. Melissa is adrift, and unable to discuss her fears with her close-knit family consisting of her mother and three older sisters. Melissa’s father abandoned their family when she was ten, and she knows she’s better off without his abuse, but she still feels slighted, rejected, even.

Life is funny like that. Life gives you things you never asked for and takes away things you’ve always dreamed of. I wonder where life gets the nerve.

These are feelings she’d discuss with her BFF Faith, but Faith had a mental breakdown after her boyfriend, Diego, was murdered by gangs and she has moved to Venezuela to build schools in rural villages. Despite many calls and messages, Faith rarely calls back. And, when she does, Melissa is too trapped in grief, anger and guilt she can’t confide.

One person to whom Melissa begins to open up is Javier. Javier is a Cuban-American from a family of refugees. He met Melissa through his cousin, Diego, and seeing her on the beach ignites his revenge. If she can get him in touch with Faith, then maybe he can find out more about the gang members who killed Diego.

I think about how he fits perfectly with me. How we’re made from this mold that’s so different but that we both, shapes of our own, fit into this space rightly.

Javier is attracted to Melissa, as well, and makes both desires clear when they find some privacy. One thing he neglects to reveal: his mama is highly against any of her children dating/marrying white people. Her prejudice is a palpable force in Javier’s large family, and Javier has witness his mother putting his elder brothers’ white girlfriends out of their home.

Love, I think is love to blame.
And I understand, for the first time, that life does offer more than violence and hunger and trying to survive. Sometimes, if you want it bad enough, life will even give you a chance to become something better.

While Javier is dealing with the impossible position of falling for a gringa (white girl) he is also getting “jumped in” to the gang that orchestrated Diego’s murder. It’s a delicate balance and he fails at avoiding discovery. Melissa had just begun to trust him, but she won’t be with a gangbanger. If nothing else, having cancer has taught her that life is exquisitely valuable, and shouldn’t be wasted in violence or revenge.

Her growing affection is shattered, and he has a lot of hard work to regain her trust. Their clashes over this lead Melissa to seek out Faith, and find the truth behind Javier’s pointless quest.

At first, I was unhappy with Javier and the whole bad-boy theme that seemed to permeate the book. Melissa has a lot on her plate, and even more to live for. I didn’t want her to get caught up with a gangbanging avenger, but (like Melissa), eventually, I could see Javier’s quest was more than idleness. Diego and he were raised together and close as brothers. Javier’s grief was extreme. In the end, when presented with the opportunity for the ultimate revenge, Javier’s actions were surprisingly tempered. I like to think he made the decisions he did because he had a new respect for life due to finding love with Melissa.

I mean, if a young man is going to stand up for his girlfriend against his mother’s most strenuous objections, then he can surely withstand the bloodlust for a guilty man’s life. Perhaps.

The end is quite good, right amount of twists, not too much on the sap. I was immediately in mind of Simone Elkeles’ PERFECT CHEMISTRY series while reading this book. It’s a good blend of growing affection, well-timed plot twists and honesty. The characters are solid, serious people facing real-life issues of life and death. While there is a clear romance, the language and activities are age-appropriate for teen readers, with no explicit sexual content.

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.

Interested? You can find AFTER US on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and Kobo.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for you chance to win
one of three prize packs, including a Coach purse!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Best of luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Amber Hart grew up in Orlando, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. She now resides on the Florida coastline with family. When unable to find a book, she can be found writing, daydreaming, or with her toes in the sand. She’s the author of BEFORE YOU, AFTER US, UNTIL YOU FIND ME, and sequel to UNTIL YOU FIND ME (untitled as of yet). Represented by Beth Miller of Writers House.

You can reach out to Amber online on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Inkslinger