YA Romance

Big Secrets Between DAISY AND THE FRONT MAN–Review and Giveaway

daisy and the front man bannerHi there! Today I get to share my review for DAISY AND THE FRONT MAN a contemporary teen romance from Rebekah Purdy. This is the third story in the new Backstage Pass series coming out of Entangled Teen Publishing–one about each member of a boy band falling in love. I recently read and liked MIA AND THE BAD BOY, the second book. Though it’s a series, each book is a standalone, swoony tale. I’ve read other books by Ms. Purdy (HOW TO UNBREAK-UP and THE ROMEO CLUB) and enjoyed her breezy style, so I was anxious to get my hands on this one! Don’t forget to scroll down and enter the $50 Amazon gift card giveaway!

Daisy and the Front Man (Backstage Pass #3)About the book:
Hell hath no fury like a fangirl scorned…

When Daisy Morris finds out she’s spending the summer with her dad, bodyguard for Seconds to Juliet—the hottest boy band around—she knows it couldn’t be more perfect. But not because she’s a fan. Oh, no. Because ever since front man Trevin Jacobs completely humiliated her by standing her up for homecoming, Daisy is out for a little revenge. Yup, Trevin Jacobs is goin’ down…

When one of his bandmates bets Trevin he can’t make Daisy—the gorgeous but surprisingly ice-cold daughter of their bodyguard—fall in love with him, it’s a bet he can’t resist. Sure, Daisy won’t give him the time of day for reasons he can’t understand, and her dad’s hell-bent against his little girl spending time with a superstar. But the terms are set, and Trevin is determined to make Daisy fall…hard.

But every front man should know never to trust a girl with a pretty face…

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, sexual situations, and seriously hot boys. It may cause swoony daydreams involving a certain super-cute front man.

My Review:
Daisy is a fangirl scorned. She won a contest for the band Seconds To Juliet and her prize was a date to homecoming with S2J’s front man Trevin Jacobs–thing is, the dude stands her up–in front of half her town. Yep. She’s a pariah.

So, she’s more than toying with the idea of humiliating Trevin when she joins her father on the S2J tour. He’s the chief bodyguard for the band, and Daisy has unlimited access.

Trevin is a bit of a jackass. He’s a narc on his bandmates and charged with keeping everyone in line, even though he’s only 18. Still, meeting Daisy has him re-considering the S2J “no girlfriends” policy, and fellow songwriter, Ryder, challenges Trevin to the ultimate bet: if Trevin can get Daisy to fall for him, then he can get special songwriting privileges for the band. It’s Trevin’s dream-come-true—get a pretty girl to love him and he’s set!

Thing is, Daisy is not at all inclined to swoon for Trevin. She’s too bitter. Trevin can’t understand why his normal schtick isn’t working and actually tries to get to KNOW Daisy–he’s smitten, and feeling rather crappy regarding the bet.

For her part, Daisy sees how kind and considerate Trevin is, and thinks maybe her revenge plan is not the way to go. Plus, reconnecting with her dad after several years’ absence gives her a better perspective on life. She thought all men would leave her abandoned: Trevin, her dad, her dead Gramps. Trevin seems earnest in his pursuit of her friendship (and More!) until Daisy learns about The Bet.

So, this is a clean read with just a few make-out sessions. Daisy and Trevin are both young and foolish, making bad choices they regret and seek forgiveness for. It’s a solid YA romance with relatable, imperfect MC’s who make amends and build a real relationship. There is plenty of caustic banter and some definitely swoony moments. I enjoyed.

Interested? You can find DAISY AND THE FRONT MAN on Goodreads, Amazon, Entangled Teen and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card
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rebecca purdyAbout the Author:
Rebekah was born and raised in Michigan where she spent many late nights armed with a good book and a flashlight. She’s lived in Michigan most of her life other than the few years she spent in the U.S. Army. At which time she got a chance to experience Missouri, Kansas, South Carolina, and California. Rebekah has a business degree from University of Phoenix and currently works full time for the court system. In her free time she writes YA stories, anything from YA Fantasy to YA Contemporary Romance. Rebekah also has a big family (6 kids) she likes to consider her family as the modern day Brady Bunch complete with crazy road trips and game nights. When not hiding at her computer, Rebekah enjoys reading, singing, soccer, swimming, football, camping, playing video games, traveling, and hanging out with her family and gazillion pets.

You can catch up with Rebekah online on her website, Facebook and twitter.   ef137-yabounktourbutton

Life Isn’t Much of a JOYRIDE–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for Anna Banks’ new contemporary romance, JOYRIDE. This is a book that tells more than a Romeo and Juliet story–The main characters are different sides of the law, and the cultural divide, and yet, they find love and support in the least likely place, each other.

JoyrideAbout the Book:
A popular guy and a shy girl with a secret become unlikely accomplices for midnight pranking, and are soon in over their heads—with the law and with each other—in this sparkling standalone from NYT-bestselling author Anna Banks.

It’s been years since Carly Vega’s parents were deported. She lives with her brother, studies hard, and works at a convenience store to contribute to getting her parents back from Mexico.

Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He dated popular blondes and had fun with his older sister, Amber. But now Amber’s dead, and Arden blames his father, the town sheriff who wouldn’t acknowledge Amber’s mental illness. Arden refuses to fulfill whatever his conservative father expects.

All Carly wants is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to NOT do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they’ve been living according to others. Carly and Arden’s journey toward their true hearts—and one another—is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh.

My Review:
This is a solid contemporary read that takes on issues present and potent today: immigration, racism, corrupt police, entrapment, and undocumented persons, all in a hot bed of politically conservative ideology: Florida.

Carly’s parents were deported to Mexico three years ago. She and her brother, Julio, were born in the US, and stayed behind to work hard for the exorbitant fees charged by El Libratador, a known human smuggler, to bring their parents safely back across the border and Texas desert. She works the graveyard shift at a convenience store because it’s quiet enough for her to also study at the same time. She has a favorite customer who comes in nightly, minutes before closing–Cletus Shackleford. One night, as Carly is closing for the night, she sees Cletus being held up by a masked gunman and she jumps into action.

Arden Moss, sheriff’s son and general ne’er-do-well, hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in a year, not since his schizophrenic sister died. He balmes his father for hushing up her disease and denying her the healthcare that could have kept Amber happy and alive, for fear that it would have harmed his political career. Arden is a known prankster–but he only targets people that have more attitude than sense. He tries to scare his great-uncle Cletus off driving while intoxicated, but the feisty cashier is nearly more than he can handle.

It is that moment of kismet which brings this spheres into orbit–though Carly does reject ever overture that Arden makes to connect them. He’s not physically attracted at first–what Arden wants is a co-conspirator in his pranks. This was something he had done with his sister, and he feels the lack.

Over the course of a few weeks, Arden helps Carly find a new, better paying job, and their friendship is tentative, but growing in strength. Carly has missed out and many elements of childhood living with her brother and working for her parents’ transit fees. Just as things seem to be going well, Arden’s racist father learns of their connection. His entire election platform was on deportation of undocumented immigrants, and his eagerness to separate his son from the (supposed) immigrant filth that is Carly is palpable.

Arden is intransigent, but he’s also reckless, and when one of his pranks goes awry it is Carly who is under the sheriff’s boot. Quick thinking saves her from incarceration, but her parents’ transit is in jeopardy. And Carly’s big brother is major league ticked off. The only bargain that can be arranged  is a “voluntary” separation, enforced by the “good” sheriff–but will a man of his power use it for good? Or, for his own good…

This book was quite a good ride, even if virtually none of it was joyful. Through her relationship with Arden, Carly sees herself the most clear as ever–her life is in service to others, namely her parents. She has sacrificed so much to bring them back, and the final analysis proves she has little to show for all that work. Arden is desperate to have his pain acknowledged. His mother is too tripped out on sedatives, not even sensing her grief after her daughter’s death, to really care about Arden’s troubles. And his dad is too busy proving to their community that he’s a martyr for his office. He sweeps Arden’s messes aside, but won’t take responsibility for his own missteps. Plus, he’s a bona fide racist.

Both Arden and Carly have grief to overcome, but the danger in their relationship is accessibility; the Sheriff seems to be fixed on removing Carly from Arden’s equation–even if Arden has been better behaved under her diligent influence.

The resolution became cloak-and-dagger, and seemed a bit rushed, but the story was otherwise tight, with real issues discussed throughout. I totally loved elderly, ornery Uncle Cletus, his whiskey addiction notwithstanding. This is a solid contemporary teen read which is completely clean on the romance-side of it.

Interested? You can find JOYRIDE on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Anna BanksAbout the Author: (In Anna’s words…)
New York Times Bestselling author of The Syrena Legacy series.

Grew up in a town called Niceville. No, seriously. I graduated from Niceville High School. So did J Lo’s second husband. And the guy that plays Aqua Man on Smallville dated my best friend.

Now I indulge my tendency to lie by writing the lies down and selling them to publishers. Well actually my agent sells it, so she’s an accomplice to lies. One of my lies is called OF POSEIDON. The sequel is called OF TRITON. The last and final installment is OF NEPTUNE, and it released May 13, 2014. Be on the lookout for JOYRIDE, my YA Contemporary out June 2, 2015–Bonnie & Clyde meets Latina Pretty in Pink!

And um. I also write adult fiction under pen name Anna Scarlett. One of the adult lies is DEGREES OF WRONG. That is all.

You can catch up with Anna online on her website, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Teaching Both MIA AND THE BAD BOY–Review and Giveaway

Mia and the Bad Boy tour banner
Hi there! Today, I’m sharing my review for a contemporary YA romance featuring a shy, smart girl and the bad boy musician she’s tutoring. MIA AND THE BAD BOY by Lisa Burstein is a fun, flirty romance for teens. Don’t forget to scroll down and enter the giveaway for a $25 Ticketmaster GC.

MiaAndTheBadBoy_FCAbout the Book:
This good girl’s about to meet her match…
Ryder Brooks is living the dream—he’s famous, loved by millions of girls, and miserable. All he really wants is to write his own music, not Seconds to Juliet’s sugary sweet pop. In order to do that, though, the “bad boy” of the band will have to play by the rules. And that includes behaving with his new—and super cute—über-good-girl tutor.

Mia Reyes is in fangirl heaven. Tutoring her favorite member of her favorite band? It’s a dream come true…until it turns into a complete nightmare. Ryder is nothing like she thought. He’s crude, arrogant, and pretty much a total jerk. And the worst part? She’s roped into pretending to be his girlfriend so that no one finds out he’s being tutored. Fake kisses, plenty of PDA, and even sharing his hotel room…

But sometimes even the baddest of bad boys needs a little redemption.

Note: This is the second book in the YA series Backstage Pass. It can be read as a standalone.

My Review:
Mia is a first generation Mexican-American whose parents want her to go to medical school. She has been groomed since birth to study, study, study, and never had a boyfriend. Check that: she’s never been allowed to have a boyfriend. At 16, her only kissing experience has been with her hand. In exchange for her help tutoring The Ryder Brooks for a month so he can pass his GED test, she will receive four years of tuition at UCLA paid in full. Not bad.

What is bad? Ryder.

He’s nasty, and that’s in the mean way, not the sexy way. Though he is sexy, too. If Ryder were a flavor of ice cream, he’d be burnt bacon. He’s abrasive, unkind, and rather stunned that his tutor is both younger and sexier than he’d anticipated. Since she can’t be hidden amongst the crew as a therapist or other talent help, he insists that she pretend to be his girlfriend–in front of the other four members of his band.

This is a difficult position for Mia, particularly because she wanted to like Ryder so much. She adores his music, only to learn that he hates the manufactured sound of it. She admires his performances, only to hear how he detests the boy band life. Ryder is a bit spoiled, actually, in his professional life. Personally though, he’s been abandoned time and again–first by his alcoholic mother and later by the foster system shuttling him from family to family without finding one stable home which wanted to keep him.

Mia is a temporary distraction, but she is a good tutor. Ryder finds himself not only engaging with the GED material, he’s slowly becoming obsessed with his fake girlfriend. And Mia is warming to the Ryder whose cool customer demeanor is beginning to slip.

This is a fun and flirty romance that has little conflict. The biggest obstacle to Ryder and Mia getting together is her desire to be ‘the good girl’ her parents adore. Ryder, despite being 17 y/o, is far more worldly and experienced–and he knows Mia is innocent. He doesn’t want to ruin her, but he does want her.

Expect a double-cross mishap that splits them up, and the epic grand gesture to reunite. I liked both Mia and Ryder. It took me longer to like Ryder, however. There were some issues for me, as an adult, that seemed glossed over–like how autonomous Mia was. Not many 16 y/o’s can decide their own fate, and her parents, who are described as smothering, certainly let her have a long free rein which wasn’t consistent. Still, for a teen book, it’s pretty breezy. Not a lot of drama.

Interested? You can find MIA AND THE BAD BOY on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, and iBooks. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

****GIVEAWAY****

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lisa bursteinAbout the Author:
Lisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University and is glad to finally have it be worth more than the paper it was printed on. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her very patient husband, a neurotic dog and two cats.

She wrote her first story when she was in second grade. It was a Thanksgiving tale from the point of view of the turkey from freezer to oven to plate. It was scandalous.

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

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Drama and Love at CENTER ICE–Review and Giveaway

center ice tour banner
Hi there! Today, I’m joining the blog tour for CENTER ICE, a contemporary YA romance featuring a hockey phenom and the girl who could not care less… 😉
I love sports romance, and Cate Cameron has nailed this one! Check out other stops on the tour here, and don’t forget to enter the Amazon Gift Card giveaway below.

Center IceAbout the book:
The hometown hockey hero won’t know what hit him…

Karen Webber is in small-town hell. After her mother’s death, she moved to Corrigan Falls to live with strangers—her dad and his perfect, shiny new family—and there doesn’t seem to be room for a city girl with a chip on her shoulder. The only person who makes her feel like a real human being is Tyler MacDonald.

But Karen isn’t interested in starting something with a player. And that’s all she keeps hearing about Tyler.

Corrigan Falls is a hockey town, and Tyler’s the star player. But the viselike pressure from his father and his agent are sending him dangerously close to the edge. All people see is hockey—except Karen. Now they’ve managed to find something in each other that they both desperately need. And for the first time, Tyler is playing for keeps…

My Review:
Karen’s a 16 y/o girl from Toronto who has just moved into her father’s plush home in Corrigan Falls, a small town filled with gossips. Is it her fault she was conceived by a man cheating on his then-pregnant wife? Nope. Was it her fault her mother died in a car wreck, forcing her to move in with her dad–whom she had never met–his wife and their three kids? Nope. But, not being to blame doesn’t make living with them any easier.

Tyler’s weeks away from his 18th birthday and high on the prospect ladder for the NHL draft. He plays for the Corrigan Falls Raiders, a team well-known for producing excellent players, and has lived with host families for the past three years, sacrificing his own family time to give everything to hockey. He’s on the cusp of realizing all his (father’s) dreams and this all seems beyond his reach. No matter how good he does, his helicopter father–and his agent–are ringside waiting to tell him how he needs to step up, work harder, do this, do that. Meeting Karen while on his morning runs is a breath of ultra-fresh air. Here’s a girl who just is. She wants nothing from him–not even his attention. It’s catnip for Tyler, who has, for the past three years, been aggressively pursued by “puck bunnies” girls (and women) who want to bag a rising star for a bit of horizontal distraction. Tyler loves just being a “normal” guy with Karen, but that mystique wears off quick–especially so when Karen finds out one of the horde of Tyler’s sexual partners is her own half-sister, and mean girl extraordinaire, Miranda.

While Tyler and Karen take fledgling steps toward coupledom, the complicated plot gets murkier. Her parents are finally acknowledging the serious problems in their marriage. There had long been rumors of infidelity, but Karen is a physical testament to them. Clashes between Karen and Miranda aren’t just verbal cattiness–blows get thrown! Tyler’s parents are pressuring him to take out loans to support them–and his agent is working every angle to box Tyler into a contract that is not in his best interest.

I liked the plot dynamics, and Karen’s stepmother, Natalie, is a really great character. Her life is no picnic, raising four kids with a skirt chasing husband has to be really trying, yet she makes good decision for her kids, and her family. I wanted to kick Karen’s father right in the neck, on several occasions, but he is extremely human, and is kind and attentive to his children, and even to Natalie–despite his infidelities. Karen is likable, if a bit impulsive. She owns up to her frailties, and makes more good choices than bad. Tyler is a great guy, one I think readers will enjoy. This is a redemptive story for him, and he succeeds at being honest and decent.

The growing pains in both families felt very real, and approachable. This is an upper teen read, perhaps, due to frank discussions about sex, and the MC’s do have a physical relationship. The descriptions are all very soft and off-the-page, however. I did like this one, for its realism and its honesty. A solid YA romance.

Interested? You can find CENTER ICE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, and iBooks. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift card
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Cate Cameron grew up in the city but moved to the country in her mid-twenties and isn’t looking back. Most of her writing deals with people living and loving in small towns or right out in the sticks – when there aren’t entertainment options on every corner, other people get a lot more interesting!

She likes to write stories about real people struggling with real issues. YA, NA, or contemporary romance, her books are connected by their emphasis on subtle humor and characters who are trying to do the right thing, even when it would be a lot easier to do something wrong.

You can find Cate online on her website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

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LOLA CARLYLE’S 12-STEP ROMANCE–Review & Giveaway

lola tour banner
Hi there! Today I’m part of the review tour for a new contemporary YA romance that packs a serious emotional punch. LOLA CARLYLE’S 12-STEP ROMANCE From Danielle Younge-Ullman is about a girl who takes a hard look at her life, and turns it around before it gets out of control. Make sure to check out the giveaway below.

Lola Carlyle's 12-Step RomanceAbout the book:
Lola Carlyle is lonely, out of sorts, and in for a boring summer. So when her best friend, Sydney, calls to rave about her stay at a posh Malibu rehab and reveals that the love of Lola’s life, Wade Miller, is being admitted, she knows what she has to do. Never mind that her worst addiction is decaf cappuccino; Lola is going to rehab.

Lola arrives at Sunrise Rehab intent solely on finding Wade, saving him from himself, and—naturally—making him fall in love with her…only to discover she’s actually expected to be an addict. And get treatment. And talk about her issues with her parents, and with herself. Plus she has insane roommates, and an irritatingly attractive mentor, Adam, who’s determined to thwart her at every turn.

Oh, and Sydney? She’s gone.

Turns out, once her pride, her defenses, and her best friend are stripped away, Lola realizes she’s actually got a lot to overcome…if she can open her heart long enough to let it happen.

My Review:
Lola Carlyle is celebu-spawn, the selfish 17 y/o offspring of two serious Hollywood players. Her mother is an actress on a long-standing soap opera, and her dad is a well-known diretor. The parental units split several years ago, and Lola lives with her mom and mother’s girlfriend, while dad ia gallivanting off with whomever warms his bed–leaving Lola isolated and alone.

Her friend, Sydney, cons Lola into faking her way into rehab–where Sydney is, with the carrot that Lola’s long-time crush, child actor Wade Miller is also in residence. Lola’s torn–she has no addictions, yet, she has nothing really going on in her life. The lure of reconnecting with (and possibly helping) Wade, who she worked with on one of her dad’s movies years ago, is strong, and it’s not long before Lola is Sunrise-bound. While there, she learns that Sydney checked out two days before Lola arrived! Trying to salvage something positive, she seeks out Wade, who doesn’t recognize her, but is certainly intrigued by the girl hitting on him.

Throughout the first week, however, Lola is remorseful about her shenanigans. She sees how very seriously some of the residents at Sunrise suffer from addiction. She can’t even go into therapy, knowing that any decent therapist will see through her charade. The tragic stories she hears are horrifying, and only reinforce her idea that faking an addiction to hang out with Sydney and help “save” Wade was the worst idea ever.

Plus, her mentor, Adam, is a constant thorn in her paw. He’s everywhere, and her attempt to escape him only brings them in closer proximity. Close enough that Lola finally feels as if someone is actually SEEING her. Her parents have treated her with casual neglect nearly her whole life, and even Lola doesn’t think her sob story is worth anything compared with the addicts who surround her. She tries to “confess” that she isn’t an addict, and this only gets her labeled as a denier. So, she steps up and works with her counselors, not against them, believing it’s her only way out.

I enjoyed Lola’s journey from self-obsessed snarky girl to self-reliant, grounded girl. The time span of the book isn’t long–only a few weeks, but she has had years of emotional drama that she never felt comfortable discussing, always fearing a negative report being leaked to the press. Getting intense therapy does help Lola cope with her family drama in a healthy way. Though, honestly, her fame-hungry mother would be unlikely to bat an eyelash over the spin cycle of their taudry famliy laundry; she did arrange to have paparrazi present at Lola’s intake appointment, after all.

Adam was not an unexpected love interest. I felt like that part of the romance was well-handled. He is attracted to the exasperating Lola, but holds himself (mostly) in check, to salvage his professional role, and facilitate Lola’s “recovery.” It is Adam’s compassion which helps Lola turn the corner, and gain the insight she needs to be whole again. The book ends without the cheesy parent/child water works reunion, and that was for the best. Lola is a better person after all this, but I think even she would still say she’s “whak.”

The story, for all the seriousness of the subject matter, is rather lightherated, with Lola almost manic in her single-mindedness. Her superficiality burns off in the harsh light of self-reflection in a way that is endearing. The first half of the book I was shaking my head at her idiocy, and the second half I was cheering her on, so I guess I changed a bit, too.

The book contains some frank discussion regarding drug and alcohol addiction, including an OD, and has passing references to sex, though not from the main character’s experience. I think teens will enjoy.

Interested? You can find LOLA CARLYLE’S 12-STEP ROMANCE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo Books.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a cool LOLA prize pack!
Giveaway
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Good luck, and keep reading my friends!

danielle youngeAbout the Author
Danielle Younge-Ullman is a novelist, playwright and freelance writer. She studied English and Theater at  McGill University, then returned to her hometown of Toronto to work as professional actor for ten  years. Danielle’s short story, Reconciliation, was published in MODERN MORSELS—a McGraw-Hill  Anthology for young adults—in 2012, her one-act play, 7 Acts of Intercourse, debuted at Toronto’s SummerWorks Festival in 2005, and her adult novel, FALLING UNDER, was published by Penguin in 2008.  Danielle lives in Toronto with her husband and two daughters.

You can find Danielle on her website, Tumblr, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Caught in the UNDERTOW–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for a dystopian YA novel that is eerily applicable to today’s mad, mad world. UNDERTOW, released today by Michael Buckley is a bit haunting in content, only because it brings the nastiest elements of our present society into sharp focus.

imageAbout the book:
Sixteen-year-old Lyric Walker’s life is forever changed when she witnesses the arrival of 30,000 Alpha, a five-nation race of ocean-dwelling warriors, on her beach in Coney Island. The world’s initial wonder and awe over the Alpha quickly turns ugly and paranoid and violent, and Lyric’s small town transforms into a military zone with humans on one side and Alpha on the other. When Lyric is recruited to help the crown prince, a boy named Fathom, assimilate, she begins to fall for him. But their love is a dangerous one, and there are forces on both sides working to keep them apart. Only, what if the Alpha are not actually the enemy? What if they are in fact humanity’s only hope of survival? Because the real enemy is coming. And it’s more terrifying than anything the world has ever seen.

Action, suspense, and romance whirlpool dangerously in this cinematic saga, a blend of District 9 and The Outsiders.

My Review:
Lyric learned the biggest secret of her life three years ago: her mother isn’t human. She is one of several ocean-dwelling races (a daughter of Sirena) who sent 20 operatives into the human world to learn about life on the surface. Her mother, Summer, met her (human) father and they married, had Lyric, and enjoyed a rather normal daily life as low-income people living in Coney Island. Lyric’s father is an upstanding police officer, and had been able to mask his wife’s lack of documentation over the years. Lyric had no reason to suspect anything was unusual about her heritage until the night the Alpha arrived.

The Alpha are Summer’s kin, and there’s 30,000 of them quarantined in a shanty town on the beach at Coney Island. Lyric’s entire neighborhood, now dubbed “The Zone”, has been placed on lock-down to keep the Alpha from branching out. This means Summer cannot leave Coney Island either as she has no birth certificate or social security card. The book opens with the forced integration of Lyric’s high school.

Lyric knows she needs to keep her head down at school and in public. All of Summer’s associates, the other 19 operatives and their families, have been “disappeared” to secret government labs for testing, and calling their house into scrutiny could lead to Lyric and her parents being captured. Summer spends her days and nights searching the video feeds of the refugees to find her parents so they can reunite, if possible.

The forced integration is intense and harkens back to the 60s and 70s inclusion of Blacks into “white” schools. Expect riots. Lyric and her BFF Bex are hard-pressed to make their way into school without being caught in the mobs. Plus, lots of kids in this impoverished school are more than happy to lash out at the Alpha, but Summer has told Lyric how deadly they can be. The bullying is extreme and fights are sure to have lethal consequences. Trying to stop one such altercation, Lyric finds herself square in the new principal’s spotlight, only Principal Doyle isn’t just the new guy in charge. It seems he’s got serious insider info regarding Lyric’s family. They strike a deal that Lyric acts as a tutor to the Alpha prime’s son, Prince Fathom, and Doyle won’t ‘out’ Summer’s Alpha status.

Thing is, humans seen as sympathetic to, or in the company of, Alpha have been killed by local anti-Alpha vigilantes. The chance of discovery gets ever higher as Prince Fathom and Lyric spend more time together–causing Doyle to sweeten his offer: he has bona fide paperwork for Summer that will enable her family to leave The Zone.

There is a love spark here, between Lyric and Prince Fathom, but it’s on the down low for the first half of the book. I think the bigger part of the story is the politicization of this refugee community. The governer of NY (a blatant parody of Michelle Bachmann which I appreciated) is a hardline conservative positioned against integration, and is on the school steps attempting to bodily block Alpha entry–the National Guard is out in full force, and present in the school and classrooms. Vigilantes are everywhere, attempting to incite riot.

There are so many parallels to today’s society in this novel one could discuss the themes in the context of racism, classism, undocumented status, homophobia, vigilante justice, and xenophobia, among others. The plot itself is not terribly original–Lyric must overcome her own issues and fight the spreading violence that is overtaking The Zone to save herself and her family. The characterization is unique, however, and the love interest thing is not the major focus. Sure, Lyric develops an affection for Fathom, and it’s reciprocated, but there are a million and one other things happening here, and that’s absolutely cool.

I really dug the action, and the world-building within this tiny slice of Americana. I’ve been to Coney Island, and could easily imagine the devastation of the community around it, all filtered through Lyric’s eyes. The Alpha are an amazing collection of beings, each of which has a specific role within their society. Learning that they are not the biggest problem facing humanity is rather a refreshing twist. Lyric’s migraines are a part of who she is, and the benefit of them was only revealed late. She’s able to channel some of that physiological malady into powering an Alpha weapon, but killing others may be beyond Lyric’s pacifist ideals. Well, until her existence is treatened… The short time-frame for mastery was thin on believability, but I was able to overcome it. I loved the gritty descriptions, and the secondary characters are fantastic–from Bex’s miserable abusive step-father to Lyric’s nosy racist neighbor.

The book ends with a temporary end to hostilites, though the resolution is not complete. Lyric has a lot more work to do to fix her family and her world. This is series I know my kids will love, and I’m anxious for the sequel.

Interested? You can find UNDERTOW on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

About the Author:
New York Times bestselling author Michael Buckley was born in Akron, Ohio. He tried his hand as a stand-up comic and lead singer for a punk rock back before attending Ohio University. After graduating with honors he moved to New York City to be an intern on the Late Show with David Letterman which led to stints developing programming for Discovery Networks, MTV, MTV Animation and Klasky Csupo (producers of Nickelodeon’s Rugrats). Today he lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife, Alison, and their son Finn.

You can find Michael on his website, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Happy Book Birthday to LIFE UNAWARE!

Woo hoo! I’m excited to wish a happy book birthday to Cole Gibsen’s LIFE UNAWARE. I sure love realistic YA, and this book looks like one I’d gobble for breakfast.

About the book:

Regan Flay has been talking about you. 
Regan Flay is on the cusp of achieving her control-freak mother’s “plan” for high school success―cheerleading, student council, the Honor Society—until her life gets turned horribly, horribly upside down. Every bitchy text. Every bitchy email. Every lie, manipulation, and insult she’s ever said have been printed out and taped to all the lockers in school.
Now Regan has gone from popular princess to total pariah.
The only person who even speaks to her is her former best friend’s hot but socially miscreant brother, Nolan Letner. Nolan thinks he knows what Regan’s going through, but what nobody knows is that Regan isn’t really Little Miss Perfect. In fact, she’s barely holding it together under her mom’s pressure. But the consequences of Regan’s fall from grace are only just beginning. Once the chain reaction starts, no one will remain untouched…
Especially Regan Flay.

 

Interested? You can find LIFE UNAWARE on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository, B-A-M, IndieBound and Powells.

About the Author
Cole Gibsen first realized she different when, in high school, she was still reading comic books while the other girls were reading fashion magazines.
It was her love of superheroes that first inspired her to pick up a pen. Her favorite things to write about are ordinary girls who find themselves in extraordinary situations.
Author Links:

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GIVEAWAY:

Check out the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Book Blitz Organized by:

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

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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.
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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.
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Cover Reveal for ENTWINED!

Hi there! Today I get to help reveal the cover for a new release from a friend and fellow author, Cherie Colyer. ENTWINED is Cherie’s fourth YA novel, and the third in her Embrace series.

Without further ado….

EntwinedAbout the book:

Only a few months after embracing her magical powers, defeating a dark witch, and banishing a faerie prince back to his realm, sixteen-year-old Madison Riley is back in book three of the Embrace series—and doing the bidding of a demon. She has no choice but to do so if she wants him to honor the deal they made to save the life of someone she loves. Twenty years of service to a creature of hell is a big price, but one she’s willing to pay. And it sure beats the alternative: selling her soul.

But life gets complicated when you’re the beck-and-call witch of a crossroad demon. Caden, the demon she serves, wants to become master of Death Himself, and with Madison at his side he has the means to do it.

It’s up to Madison and her coven to foil his plans, but Caden’s intentions aren’t entirely evil—and the kisses he seals his deals with aren’t too bad either. As Caden’s motives test Madison’s trust, his shameful flirting tries her boyfriend Isaac’s patience. But being caught between two supernatural hotties is perhaps the least of her concerns when the coven’s interference in Caden’s plot might just cost Madison her life and unleash hell on earth.

ENTWINED is the third book in the series and due for an April 14th release from OmniFic Publishing. Check out my reviews for EMBRACE and HOLD TIGHT, the previous books in the series, so you’re all caught up!

Interested? You can order ENTWINED in advance of its release on Amazon. I am so excited to read this one! Look for my review in a couple weeks!

Cherie ColyerAbout the Author:

Cherie Colyer writes young adult and middle grade novels. She loves finding new stories that keep her up late reading. While her favorite genre is fantasy, if the book is beautifully written with characters that come alive she’s all over it. She’s published three young adult paranormal thriller/romances CHALLENGING DESTINY and the Embrace Series: EMBRACE (bk1) and HOLD TIGHT (bk2) with ENTWINED the fourth book out in the past three years.

Find her online here:
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Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!