YA Romance

Heartbreak and Healing: THE REVOLUTION OF IVY

Hi there! Today, I’m sharing my review for Amy Engel’s second novel in the Book of Ivy series, THE REVOLUTION OF IVY. This is a YA dystopian adventure/romance. Much higher on the adventure, and lower on the romance. I loved THE BOOK OF IVY, and was eagerly expecting the sequel. I wasn’t disappointed!

Check out my review, and get in on the prize pack giveaway below.

5a544-rev2bof2bivy2bfront2bcover_for2bentangled_500About the Book:
**Spoilers if you haven’t read book one**
Ivy Westfall is beyond the fence and she is alone. Abandoned by her family and separated from Bishop Lattimer, Ivy must find a way to survive on her own in a land filled with countless dangers, both human and natural. She has traded a more civilized type of cruelty–forced marriages and murder plots–for the bare-knuckled brutality required to survive outside Westfall’s borders.

But there is hope beyond the fence, as well. And when Bishop reappears in Ivy’s life, she must decide if returning to Westfall to take a final stand for what she believes is right is worth losing everything she’s fought for.

My Review:
This is a sequel and the books should be read in sequence. For readers who do not like cliffhangers, the series ends here. (Well, there could always be another adventure, but there are no unresolved plot questions.)

If you have NOT read BOOK OF IVY, some spoilers below.

When last we left off:
1. The world is in ruins due to war 50 years ago and collectives have endured these lean times.
2. Westfall is a town divided. One side is wealthy the other, not. At age 16 children from one side of the town are married to spouses from the other side, to prevent rebellion and foster amity.
3. Ivy Westfall’s family founded Westfall, but the Lattimer family stole the power and maintains the government. Ivy has grown up in the bad side of Westfall, and has been diligently trained to hate the Lattimers. Her elder sister, Callie, was supposed to be married to Bishop Lattimer, son of President Lattimer, two years ago, but he refused. Bishop wanted Ivy.
4. Ivy’s father and sister want Ivy to murder Bishop.
5. Ivy falls for Bishop.
6. Ivy refuses to kill Bishop.
7. Stuff happens and Ivy is put outside of the barrier fence that protects Westfall’s territory and water supply. This is, essentially, a death sentence.

In Ivy’s case, she has little to no chance of surviving, but she manages to fend off two specific dangers, acquires a canteen and walks until she collapses. She is rescued by Caleb and Ash (Ashley) who tend her wounds and bring her into their settlement. They do not trust her, but she’s identified as Ivy Westfall, and there are enough refugees of Westfall around to ensure Ivy a welcome. She is afraid they will learn that she married, and (gasp!) loved Bishop Lattimer, as these people are outside the fence due to Bishop’s father’s “justice”. BTW some of them were put out for just cause, but many others were set out because they refused to accept their arranged marriages; they think Ivy was set out for this very reason and are sympathetic.

During the weeks, Ivy, Ash and Caleb become friends. Caleb knows that Ivy is not telling the truth, but he cannot prove it. In the meantime, Ivy proves herself to be a quick learner and a hard worker. She gains other friendships, and feels a part of a community as she never did in Westfall–either side. Naturally, this all falls apart when Bishop arrives in the camp.

There is animosity, but a steady growth of respect as Bishop sets out to prove he is “not his father’s son” (figuratively, peeps). Ivy can’t bear to be parted from Bishop again, but she also can’t get close to him, fearing that she’ll lose him all over again in this even harsher world than Westfall. I applaud Bishop’s patience, because I wanted to hit Ivy in the face for all her tentativeness. Live in the NOW, Ivy! LOL.

Anywho, Caleb and Ash find that Bishop is awesome, and Bishop gets Ivy to do what she never has done: tell the truth, of herself and her feelings. It builds a strong bond that is tested when Ivy learns that Westfall’s in disarray and her family is at extreme risk.

Ivy feels the need to make as much right as she can, and is disgruntled with Bishop, Ash, and Caleb who decide to assist. This seemed like a truly madcap enterprise, and I cannot say that I would have done what Ivy did, but I believe that Ivy did what she needed to do. (Even if I think it was utter foolishness!) That girl does love with her whole heart, even if she is hesitant to reveal it…

The end is a naturally gruesome affair, though it was a better situation than I did predict. I was satisfied in the reading. I still like Ivy, and adore Bishop and hope that this future world nevah-evah comes to pass.

Funny thing, Ivy and Bishop’s marriage was annulled when she was put outside the fence. It struck me that Bishop never discarded the ring, nor did he ever plan to let Ivy go. His steadfast love was fairy tale in origin, and it made me (and Ivy) swoony. He never tries to dissuade her from her plans, and always seeks her counsel in decisions. He’s an excellent partner, a rock really, who only wants to love Ivy as she is, whoever she is. That was heart-warming. They do consummate their love, but it’s all off the page.

As with all dystopian stories, I’d love a little more world-building, and some deeper survivor hardship on the page, but that’s not the biggest issue for me.

Interested? You can find THE REVOLUTION OF IVY on Goodreads, Amazon, Kobo Books, and Barnes & Noble.

The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1)
About the book:
After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.

This year, it is my turn.

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power.

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

I really enjoyed this dystopian YA romance. Both Ivy and Bishop are excellent characters and I totally rooted for their HEA. (Didn’t happen, but I respected the heck out of Ivy. Check out my review for more details.

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│iTunes│Google Books

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a signed copy of THE REVOLUTION OF IVY, and a necklace! A second winner will win a signed copy of the book.
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About the Author
Amy Engel was born in Kansas and after a childhood spent bouncing between countries (Iran, Taiwan) and states (Kansas; California; Missouri; Washington, D.C.), she settled in Kansas City, Missouri, where she lives with her husband and two kids. Before devoting herself full-time to motherhood and writing, she was a criminal defense attorney, which is not quite as exciting as it looks on TV. When she has a free moment, she can usually be found reading, running, or shoe shopping.

Find Amy online on her website, Goodreads, and twitter.

Teen Love TEARING US APART–Excerpt & Giveaway

BannerTearingHi there! I’m spreading the word about TEARING US APART, a contemporary YA M/M romance from Amanda Clay. This looks to be a good read for questioning teens, especially as it deals with high school pressure, bullying and coming out.

tearingusapart1400About the book:

Julian Pham is surviving high school. Openly gay, flamboyantly goth, and Vietnamese-American, he’s just about as different as his Oklahoma City high school can tolerate. He has good friends and a supportive family, which helps, but lately his family is changing and his friends have troubles of their own. Julian is afraid he’s being left behind.

Then he meets Duncan. The star of the school basketball team, Duncan has never crossed Julian’s social path. A fateful encounter one cold night brings the two young men together, igniting a romance that neither of them expected, and that both can scarcely believe.

But Julian and Duncan are in different places. Julian is happily out, unconcerned with others’ opinions. And Duncan, while he knows who he is, isn’t ready to face the challenges of living out loud. Even as the two grow closer together, Julian begins to question whether he can live with Duncan’s desire for secrecy. And even if he can, does that mean he should?

When the crisis of their romance leads to a shocking betrayal, Julian must decide if he will fix this love or tear it apart.

A tasty tidbit:

“So,” I say casually, “Have you been down here before?”

“I’ve never been in there!” He’s practically shouting. “I’ve never been any place like that.”

This outburst earns a little frown from me. “So, by ‘that’ I assume you mean a gay club. But I have to ask, just how can the interior of a homosexual establishment be sleazier than hanging out in the alley behind one?”

He doesn’t answer right away, is silent with his jaw clenched long enough for me to brace for a kick in the ribs. But when he speaks, his voice is a defeated whisper.

“I’ve driven down the street a few times. Once I parked but I couldn’t get out of my car.”

I nod, give him a little smile, trying to keep it all light and bubbly despite the shock, amusement, desire, and more shock all swirling around in my head. “Well, you made it out tonight, Duncan Fisher, so that’s a celebration right there. Shall we go into the Wreck together? Maybe dance a step or two?”

Interested?  You can find TEARING US APART on Goodreads, Torquere Books, and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a copy of ECHO for Amanda Clay!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Meet the author:

A reader since the age of two, Amanda Clay realized early on that the best way to get all the stories she wanted was to write some herself. Setting off on this path she took some detours through teacherhood and librarianship before finally settling down with a fabulous kid and a leafy place in which to do serious work. She still reads everything she can get her hands on, and encourages you to do the same.

You can find Amanda online on twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr.

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Enlightenment at MY BUDDHIST CHRISTMAS–Review and Giveaway

My Buddhist Christmas tour banner
Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a contemporary YA novel from Jeremy Phillips. MY BUDDHIST CHRISTMAS relates the ups and downs of life for a young Buddhist American whose biggest aspiration (at first) is for his band to not suck in the school talent show. By the end he’s freezing his toes off eluding cops and trying not to let his father see how big a disappointment he really (believes he) is. Poor Chris!

Check out my review and enter the giveaway for a $10 Amazon gift card.

MyBuddhistChristmas_ecoverAbout the book:
It’s not surprising that sixteen year old Chris Jones has no idea where he fits in…

After all, he’s a Buddhist kid in America—during the Christmas season. Add in the fact he plays guitar in a punk rock band called The Dharma Bhumz, and his life is one giant paradox. Caught between the principles of his religion and the influence of his hard-partying bandmates, Chris is in a constant struggle for balance.

An upcoming talent show is his chance to shine—or fail spectacularly…

It’s already hard enough preparing for the show, since his friends are more interested in getting high than practicing. And now Chris has to worry about impressing pretty Mary Simpson. To make matters even worse, Mary’s parents are fundamentalist Christians, a few steps above his family on the social ladder, and they firmly believe Chris isn’t good enough for their precious daughter.

Conflicted about his friends, lying to his family, and still mourning a devastating loss, Chris wonders if being an American Buddhist guitar wizard wanna-be is worth it.

Or does any of it even matter anymore?

My Review:
Chris is a 16 y/o boy struggling with the loss of his mother, now almost two years later. His father is a loving and caring parent, shouldering the burden of working and parenting three teen/tween kids. Chris is the eldest with Tom a few years behind and Annabelle a few years behind him. They are a middle-class white family with a lifelong faith in Shin Buddhism, and have a regular temple in Spokane, Washington.

The story opens in the height of the Christmas season, and Chris explains that his family celebrates a secular Christmas–a tree and all–which, let’s be honest is a good portion of Americans do. (I have a bi-faith family, and this aspect resonated with me completely.) Chris has no feeling regarding Christmas, per se. He likes the overall joyousness, but it’s not really his faith so he doesn’t get worked up over it, as some others in the book do. He’s a closet smoker, and does drink a bit in the book–both rebellious acts of Chris trying to take control of his world. His band is a punk-rock styled affair, with two losers from his school who are dabbling rather heavily into drugs. They regularly get high and up the drug use into LSD trips, with Chris as an unwitting babysitter, especially when he expected for them to practice. The talent show is looming and they can’t even finish a song.

To make things worse, Chris meets Mary, who loves the idea of Chris being in a band, and also enjoys his musical display on one of their dates. The frustration of being a laughingstock makes Chris more and more angry with his band mates and their addictions. It seems, at first, that the talent show will be a turning point, and it is of sorts, but not for the story. Chris is less humiliated than he expected, and not because the band was good. It was all in his perspective-shift, one of triumph in the worst of circumstances. Mary isn’t impressed, but it doesn’t change how things sit between them.

I was really struck by Chris’ interaction with Mary’s bigoted parents. These affluent people had zero empathy and even less aplomb. I got really mad on Chris’ behalf for his treatment as “other” at a time when all should be welcome. It leads to the biggest climax of the book, and more problems for Chris. His decision-making is typical teen, so expect his impulsive, ‘going along for the ride’ mentality to lead him into bad situations. The light at the end of his muddle is getting back to his roots, and living the life that would make himself proud. We think. It sorta ends with Chris making several good decisions, and the reader trusting that trend will continue.

I liked Chris. He read as a truly approachable teen boy. His motivations were fully understandable. He’s not out to conquer the world, and he’s not terribly aggressive. He has simple goals which revolve around making music and talking to his girlfriend. At times I thought the Buddhist “lessons” were too lengthy in their explanation, and that slowed the pace for me. I also found there was dialogue that struck me as odd, or cliched, for a (supposed) teen boy which pulled me out of the story. The writing is clean, though expect plenty of drug/alcohol moments, including driving while under the influence.

Interested? You can find MY BUDDHIST CHRISTMAS on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Jeremy PhillipsAbout the Author:
Jeremy Phillips has been interested in Buddhist philosophy for more than twenty years and attend services at a Shin Buddhist temple in Spokane. When he isn’t writing or keeping busy being a father and husband, he works as a respirator therapist at several different hospitals.

He lives in Spokane with his wife, childrens, dogs and bonsai trees. You can find Jeremy online on Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Finding One’s Self–FIERY

Fiery-Banner
Hi there! I’m getting the word out about a newly-released contemporary YA romance with a transgender main character. FIERY from Alyssa Astra is sure to push the boundaries. It sounds so interesting!

fiery1400About the book:
Aiden Adams, a transgender teen, begins writing in a journal when he moves to a new town named Ashmore and begins “passing.” He is counting on everyone to believe that he is the every bit the male he appears to be. Writing in his journal helps him unclog his brain as he writes about the daily struggles he faces as a transgender teenager, his painful past that he is trying to forget, the new friends he is making, and the beautiful girl named Abby whom he has fallen in love with. Aiden has already come out to his open-minded mother, but will Abby be just as understanding?

When Aiden loses his journal, he worries that the secret he is trying so desperately to keep will come out. And if it does, how will everyone react? Will Abby be able to cope with everyone knowing that he is transgender? Will his new friends accept Aiden for who he really is—a boy—or will everything fall apart?

A tasty morsel…

The beautiful eyes belong to the beautiful girl from the library. The one I notice every day for one reason or another. The one I sketched on a page in my journal. I’m such a creep.
“Hi,” she says loudly.
I take out my earbuds and turn off my radio that’s still in my pocket. “Hi,” I say back.
She’s on one knee to be eye-level with me, but she spins and sits down beside me, really close. Wait a minute…
SHE’S GOT ON THE COOLEST BOOTS!
They’re shiny black leather and they go up to her knees. The bottom of them is a three-inch platform, all clunky and sexy—I mean cool. She has black skinny jeans tucked into them.
“I just wanted to make sure you were alive,” the girl says. “Why are you all the way over here, by yourself?”
“I don’t know anyone,” I admit.
She holds out her right hand. “I’m Abby Abernathy.”
I grasp her hand. Handshakes are always awkward. Her hand is really warm or mine is really cold.
“I’m Aiden Adams.”
“Nice to meet you—now you know someone.” She smiles.
“I guess I do.”

Interested? You can find FIERY on Amazon, Amazon UK, All Romance eBooks, and Torquere Press.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win an e-copy of FIERY.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the author:
Alyssa Astra lives in a mildly haunted house in North Carolina. She started writing stories by hand in high school. Now she types them. When she is not writing she spends her free time attempting art and listening to music.

You can find Alyssa online on Facebook, twitter, Instagram, Deviant Art and Tumblr.
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Hiding OUR LITTLE SECRET–Review & Giveaway

OLS BT bannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for OUR LITTLE SECRET, a contemporary YA romance from Ashelyn Drake. This one is quite the quandary: the best friend, or the boyfriend…

Make sure to pop down and enter the Amazon gift card and book swag giveaway!

OLSAbout the book:
Becca Daniels needs a passing math grade…but what she wants is to spend more time with Toby Michaels. The only problem is Toby is her best friend’s twin, and Tori has a very firm “no dating the brother” policy.

But Becca’s grade has hit rock bottom and she needs a tutor. It just so happens that Toby is a math genius and more than happy to help—lucky her! Working so closely with the handsome, popular Toby, Becca can’t hide her attraction, and it soon becomes obvious he feels the same way.

Becca doesn’t want to lose her best friend, but she isn’t willing to give up Toby either.

At first, sneaking around is fun, stealing kisses right under Tori’s nose. But things take an ugly turn when Toby’s ex-girlfriend Meredith catches them together. Meredith demands Toby take her back and restore her reputation, or she’ll tell Tori their secret. Do they dare tell Tori the truth? Or would that just make things worse?

Surrounded by secrets and knee-deep in deception, something has to give. How far is Meredith willing to go to keep Toby and Becca apart?

And how much is Becca willing to risk to keep…Our Little Secret?

My Review:
Becca is a junior in high school, as is her BFF Tori and Tori’s twin brother, Toby. Becca has known the twins for more then ten years, and has been best friends with Tori nearly that long. She’s grown up with Toby and can’t help appreciating all the ways he has grown up, too. Toby’s a fit boy, captain of the basketball team and an all-around popular kid. He’s always been nice to Becca and Becca has a secret crush–one that she can never reveal to Tori, because Tori will dissolve their friendship. It’s happened before with other girls. Plus, Toby’s popular and Becca’s not–he’d never go for her…

Then, Becca’s risking failure in trig, and Tori insists that Toby help Becca out. It’s heady, being alone with him, even if it is to study trig. But that not all that’s happening behind Toby’s closed bedroom door. Nope. He’s admitting to having feelings, and they decide to “try out” dating in order to see if it’s worth upsetting Tori over. They keep it behind closed doors, but Tori’s suspicious of Toby’s excellent mood, and Toby’s ex-girlfriend Meredith is ALWAYS turning up to cajole Toby back. Well, until Meredith learns that Toby and Becca are together. She’s had a mean streak over Becca for years, and seizes the opportunity to hurt Becca while also getting Toby back.

This is a high-stakes high school romance that is pretty clean. I really liked both Becca and Toby, who want to find a real connection without the interference of sisters and exes and best friends, but it’s just not meant to be! Tori and Meredith are not nice girls, in this book. Meredith is the worst kind of conniver, and is set up to be the truly bad guy, but Becca makes plenty of dumb decisions, like going along with Meredith’s mean spirited plans. At first.

Toby’s caught in the crossfire. He’d happily reveal all, and see if he and Becca can withstand the pressure, but he caves to Becca’s needs–Tori isn’t just her best friend, she’s her only real friend. Losing Tori is not an option, at least, until the decision is taken from her.

I really did like the high school cattiness, to an extent, because it was so high school drama. That felt painfully real, but it carried on a bit long for me, and the resolution was super dramatic, with an auditorium reveal that is straight out of a sit-com. Meredith’s ultimatums were a tad too mean-spirited and hinted at illegal. That said, there were plenty of real emotions of the page. Becca never wants to hurt anyone, and FINALLY that included herself. I loved when she got over her self-sacrificing for Tori and began living her own life; it made the final pages much better, for me. I liked that Toby was a good, human, kid. He’s not perfect, doesn’t pretend to be, but he acts maturely throughout. He’s a good boyfriend to Becca, and a good brother to Tori–who is a spoiled rotten queen of a girl who only wants more social power. I really didn’t care much for her until the very end, and then only a little.

Interested? You can find OUR LITTLE SECRET on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a swag pack and $10 Amazon gift card.
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Goodl luck and keep reading my friends!

KHauthorphotoAbout the Author:
Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult contemporary romance author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family. She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never a bad time for some dark chocolate. She also writes speculative fiction under the name Kelly Hashway. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

Catch up with Ashelyn online on her website, blog, Facebook, twitter, Amazon Author Page, and Goodreads.
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Loving a HARD DAY’S NIGHT–Excerpt and Giveaway

HDN-banner
Hi there! Today I’m sharing some love for Mia Kerick’s new release, HARD DAY’S NIGHT. I’ve reviewed a few of Mia’s books, THE RED SHEET, RANDOM ACTS, and LOVE SPELL, and I just adore her heartfelt, and compelling M/M fiction.

Make sure to drop down and enter the giveaway for a $15 Amazon gift card.

HDN CoverAbout the book:
High school senior Kalin (Lennon) Macready knows several facts for certain: John Lennon is his hero. Beaumont Finley Danforth II (Fin) is his best friend. And—this is the complicated one—he feels more for Fin than mere friendship.

For weeks, Lennon pesters Fin, who like Lennon admits to questioning his sexual orientation, for a commitment to spend twenty-four hours together exploring “the gay side of life.” Fin reluctantly agrees. Each boy will seek to answer the daunting question, Am I gay? Lennon pre-plans the day, filling the hours with what he assumes “gay life” is all about: shopping for fashionable clothing, indulging in lavish dessert crepes, boogying to Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off”, and yes, listening to show tunes.

However, Lennon quickly realizes that in creating his plan he has succumbed to the most common and distorted of gay stereotypes. Can he be gay and not fit them? And more importantly, is it possible that spending one very hard day and night together will help Fin accept that he’s gay, too? If so, maybe Lennon has a shot at winning the heart of the boy of his dreams.

“A Hard Day’s Night” is an amusing young adult contemporary romance about two boys who seek to discover if they must fulfill stereotypes to be together.
In the end, maybe all you need is love.

How about a little taste?

“Fin and I have managed to get locked into what I will refer to as a repetitive pattern of affable behavior, and, in my opinion, it’s working out splendidly. We are the dearest of friends.”

Scratch that. Starting over.

And since I know it’s well past time for some brutally honest self-talk, I sit up in my bed, and by the warm glow of my Yellow Submarine nightlight, study my frayed picture of John Lennon. To complete the visual, it’s the photo from Mom’s retro record set, The White Album, that I pinned to the wall beside my bed and have worshipped regularly since I was in the seventh grade. Behind those round wire glasses, the man’s piercing eyes don’t lie—John was a brutally honest sort, often to his detriment. After all, back in 1966 didn’t he assert that The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ? Now, that is certainly calling it exactly as he sees it.

Not that I necessarily agree with the sentiment, I respect that kind of direct-ness in a person.

I owe him this much.

Out of respect for John, I revise and reissue my previous assertion.

“The Finster and I are stuck in a rut of pleasant compatibility… an unusually deep rut, at that.”

This attempt at telling-it-like-it-is is definitely an improvement, but it’s still not right on the money, and I’m nothing, if not specific.

I prop up my pillow and lean hard against the creaky antique headboard (call it like you see it, Lennon—the headboard is just plain old), with the certain knowledge that I’ve completely outgrown this flimsy, twin size bed of my childhood.

So maybe it’s more like this….

“Fin and I each have one leg semi-submerged in a muddy ditch, and we’re in it well past our knees. This is the kind of murky and dark, seemingly bottomless, pit that will suck the rubber boot right off your foot with a single, hollow, slurping sound, and then belch with satisfaction.” For the third time I speak aloud in an effort to make my declaration official. “It appears that the two of us are gonna be stuck here in this mucky BFF-swampland for the long haul— bootless and slowly sinking into the sludge—unless, of course, I act decisively and with haste. And with great vigor—because, to accomplish the task I have in mind, I’m most likely going to have to shift into full-hyper-dunk-mode, possibly coupled with the drama-queen-approach. Neither of which poses a problem for me, other than that they require an excessive expenditure of energy.”

That was most definitely a mouthful, but an accurate mouthful.

And all I need is one day. Just one gay day.

Thankfully, ever proud of the open-mindedness he hides so well from his ultra-conservative family, Fin has granted me my greatest wish. On Saturday, March 21st, Beaumont Finley Danforth II (IMHO this BFD is a Big Fucking Deal) is mine for the day to do with as I please. I sincerely hope that a single day is sufficient to help Fin figure out what I already know.

Um, Lennon…maybe now is not the right time to start suffering with a debilitating bout of self-doubt.

Confidence is of key importance in this endeavor.

No, I do not have any worries, and yes, I do have twenty-four feminine-side-ex- ploring, team-switching, relationship-igniting hours to make my homeboy see the rainbow-hued light. Starting bright and early tomorrow morning.

On that note, I’ll get started with my beauty sleep. I sure hope I’m gonna need it.

I wiggle down so I’m flat on my back with my feet sticking six inches over the end of the bed, pull the covers up to my chin, and listen to my mental arrangement of “Imagine” until I fall asleep.

My Review:

This is a tender, loving story about two best friends figuring out their sexuality together. Kalin, a Beatles aficionado who’s been called “Lennon” since middle school, has a serious crush on his best friend Fin. Fin is the only son of a wealthy family, and is expected to go to Stanford, become a lawyer, and enter the family firm–even though he’s really only interested in film making.

Fin is a champion skier, and usually spends all his weekends on the slopes, but he’s due to stay home this weekend and Lennon has convinced him to spend 24 hours in the “gay experience.” This includes “gay” makeovers, including guyliner, Zumba dancing, and frilly cappuccinos. What he didn’t plan, but is grateful to find, is Fin’s especially serious take on the whole day’s events.

These two guys are so tender, and so earnest. They know they are way closer than two hetero guys should be, and they are afraid what that means. Well, Fin is. He has a lot of expectations to live up to, and he is a born “pleaser,” working hard to please everyone. I think he went along with Lennon’s plan simply to please him, at first, and finding that some of the gauche stereotypes they indulged in were more appealing then he could have imagined.

For a short read, this novella is very powerful, and would surely appeal to questioning teens. Expect some dark moments, too, when Fin and Lennon have barely acknowledged their sexuality and run afoul of some serious hate. I feared they wouldn’t come out of it well, but they shined on, and it was very touching. I totally loved the integration of Beatles wisdom, thoughts and lyrics into the prose. It was true that love was all they needed.

Interested? You can find HARD DAY’S NIGHT on Goodreads, Amazon, AllRomance and Gumroad.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty-two years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships, and she believes that physical intimacy has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press, Harmony Ink Press, and CreateSpace for providing her with alternate places to stash her stories.

Mia is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights, especially marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Where to find Mia online: Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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Hidden Truths in QUINN INVISIBLE–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for QUINN INVISIBLE, a YA mystery/romance that really packs a gut punch. I really enjoyed IN YOUR DREAMS and AS YOU WAKE, books in Amy Martin’s In Your Dreams series, so I was eager to read QUINN, and I was not disappointed.

Quinn InvisibleAbout the book:
When her cop father is killed in the line of duty, Quinn Callahan returns from New York to her hometown of Shady Springs, Missouri, to live with her aunt. Unfortunately, Shady Springs holds nothing but pain for Quinn, whose mother allegedly murdered Quinn’s popular best friend Emma before killing herself, leaving Quinn a bullied outcast at her upscale prep school.

After almost four years away, Quinn finds not much has changed at Harrandale Preparatory Academy, although her bullies have grown older, taller, and crueler. And Emma’s twin brother Evan is still indifferent to her, which is more painful than any punishment her classmates can inflict.

Determined to clear her mother’s name, Quinn begins re-investigating Emma’s death with the help of some new friends and–eventually–Evan. But will Quinn and Evan be able to live with what they learn about their families in the process?

My Review:
Quinn is an orphan–but it’s worse than that. Four years ago her mother was implicated in a murder-suicide that also ended the life of Quinn’s BFF, Emma. Quinn and Emma’s twin, Evan, had been developing a romance–which is completely derailed by Emma’s death–and Evan’s mother committed suicide a month later, leaving both Quinn and Evan mother-less.

Quinn’s father, a police detective, was fired for copying the case files surrounding his wife’s death, hoping to solve the mystery in a way that exonerated the woman he loved, but he’s caught and fired–so he moves to NYC with Quinn, and the book opens with Quinn’s father being killed in action in NYC.

Quinn is forced to return to the affluent St. Louis suburb she fled four years prior as a pariah. Her paternal aunt has custody and is determined to follow Quinn’s father’s wishes by sending Quinn to the prep school she had attended with Emma and Evan–only now Evan is aloof (understandably) and all the in-kids are busy making life super difficult for Quinn.

Quinn manages to get befriended by Seti and Hal, an odd couple who keep their relationship on the down-low from Seti’s parents who are happily planning her medical career and arranged marriage. They reach out and help in ways that are realistic and awesome. Their biggest assistance is with sorting through the copied case files that Quinn discovered amongst her father’s effects. It becomes Quinn’s mission to clear her mother’s name–if not for her own sanity, to restore the balance between herself and Evan.

There is a romance here. Evan is conflicted about his affection for the girl he’d begun to love before his world axis was tilted, twice. It is cautious, and age-appropriate, with little more than kissing on the page. Still, that is a real problem for Quinn, whose investigation seems to implicate people VERY close to Evan perpetrating a double murder.

So, clear her mom? Or break Evan’s heart yet again–by revealing what she learns. Quinn makes a good choice, even though it messes up her life even more. Considering all that she learns in this investigation, it turns out Quinn’s life was pretty messed up before, though she had no idea about that.

I really enjoyed this read. The pacing is great, the relationships are real, and Quinn is a main character who is steady and true to her purpose. The end was not far from what I expected, but the twist makes the sequel a necessity. Not a cliffhanger, but there is certainly enough work for Quinn to undertake in her mission to fill another book.

Interested? You can find QUINN INVISIBLE on Goodreads, Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, and Kobo.

Amy MartinAbout the Author:
Amy Martin wrote and illustrated her first book at the age of ten and gave it to her fourth grade teacher, who hopefully lost it in her house somewhere and didn’t share it with anyone else.

The first novel she published as a grown-up, In Your Dreams, was a 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Semi-finalist in Young Adult Fiction. In Your Dreams was the first of a four book series (In Your Dreams, As You Wake, Before You Sleep, and Beyond Your Dreams). Her latest novel, Quinn Invisible, will debut in August 2015.

Amy currently lives in Lexington, KY with her husband and a ferocious attack tabby named Cleo. When not writing or reading, she can usually be found watching sports, drinking coffee, or indulging her crippling Twitter habit (and, sometimes, doing all three at once).

You can find Amy online on her website, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Cephalopod Coffehouse July 2015–LOVE SPELL–A 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.

Hi all! Today I’m sharing my review for LOVE SPELL by Mia Kerick. This is a contemporary YA M/M romance which is wholly clean and really compelling. Chance is a gender-fluid teen–that means he’s as likely to dress male or female. He’s confident that he’s gay, and 58% (or so) sure that he’s not transgender, but he really doesn’t want to think about it. Or talk about it. He just wants to find the right guy, and he’s pretty sure (probably 95%) that this right guy is Jasper.

Love SpellMy Review:
Chance Cesar is an out gay teen, a senior in his rural New Hampshire high school and the new Miss Harvest Moon. That’s right, he was voted to be the pageant queen, as a cruel joke, but he werks it, strutting down the aisle in an orange tux and black pumps. That’s how we meet Chance, and henceforth his fabulousness cannot be denied.

Chance has always known he’s attracted to boys/men, but he’s still not clear on his gender identity. He struggles with his daily wardrobe–dress or pants–and he wants a boyfriend. A nice boyfriend. He kinda has his heart set on a boy from the vocational school, Jasper Donahue. “Jazz,” as Chance dubs him, is a burly boy with lots of responsibilities. He works to help support his mother and sister, and when he isn’t working, he’s babysitting his sister so his mom can work. Still, Chance is smitten, and he’s not even sure if Jazz swings his direction. Jazz seems to invite Chance’s attention, but there is no clear movement into Boyfriendland. All the discussions and intimate moments could be construed as simple friendliness.

So, Chance comes up with The Plan–well it’s more like The List for The Plan–of ten things to do to capture the heart of a boy. He spends weeks getting to know Jazz, hooking him in–if he can–and having hilarious misadventures. At the heart of this is a serious connection that Chance needs to make with himself, coming to terms with his gender and how that might affect a potential partner. Chance is a reliable narrator, and his narration is funny. He’s a diva, and his brilliance is often overwhelming to his objective: getting Jazz to love him. Thing is, he is super insecure, and that softens his manic edges. It’s a lot Notting Hill, with a boy standing in front of a boy, asking him to love him. This is a completely innocent book, sexually. The romance appears to be completely one-sided but it develops into a very tender friendship as Chance learns to love, and to give love, for no other reason than to help Jazz find happiness. Also, I enjoyed how Chance saw Jazz’s life, and how his privilege of money didn’t make for near as happy a home as Jazz’s criminally broke but bursting with love family.

I think the Love Spell part of it was rather short, and not the main focus, at all. It was great to walk through Chance’s gender-fluid shoes and get a better sense of the insecurity and frustration of not really KNOWING if he was a he-girl or a she-boy or somewhere in the middle, and I’m certain it will resonate with questioning teens. This is the second LGBTQ YA novel I’ve read from Ms. Kerick and the characters are always intense and sincere with real life plights that are honestly told. It took me a little time to settle into Chance’s voice because he’s got a flamboyant speech pattern, which is part of his quirky charm.

Interested? You can find LOVE SPELL on Goodreads, Amazon, Cool Dudes Publishing, and Barnes & Noble.

Thanks for popping in! Don’t forget to check out my fellow Coffeehouse reviewers, too!

Discovering Love in ANYA AND THE SHY GUY

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Hi there! Today I’m sharing in the release day festivities for ANYA AND THE SHY GUY, the fourth book in the Backstage Pass series from Entangled Crush. I’ve already enjoyed MIA AND THE BAD BOY and DAISY AND THE FRONT MAN, so I jumped at the chance to catch this one! Anya and “Will” have a difficult road to love, but they persevere!

Anya and the Shy GuyAbout the book:
It’s always the quiet ones…
Anya Anderson doesn’t just need a big break, she needs any break. Living on the streets doesn’t leave a girl many options, so when she scores a gig reporting on the Seconds to Juliet tour, she jumps at the chance to earn enough money to sleep somewhere safe. And the paycheck will get bigger—and keep her off the streets for good—if she can dig up dirt on Will Fray, the irritatingly hot “shy guy” of the band.

Problem is, Will Fray isn’t who everyone thinks he is. In fact, he’s not Will at all. Matt, Will’s identical twin, is actually the guy onstage, reluctantly covering for his brother while he’s in rehab. To make matters worse, Matt’s being shadowed by a cute reporter with troubled eyes determined to get the scoop. On him. And he’s having trouble finding the willpower to keep his distance…

But if the secret gets out, it won’t just be his head on a platter—it’ll be the whole band’s.

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains steamy make out scenes, graphic language, and a love story so hot your copy may spontaneously burst into flames. You’ve been warned.

My Review:

This is the 4th book in the Backstage Pass series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Anya is a homeless teen who has managed to bluff her way into a gig as a reporter covering a two week stint on the Seconds To Juliet tour. Her assignment is to interview Will, the “shy” one and make daily updates to her online ‘zine. Anya knows that if she uncovers a big, dark secret about the band, she can sell it and get the money to move off the Tulsa streets. She has had a few articles published, but has posed as a married woman to attain her freelance job, even though she is only 17.

Will Frey is in rehab after a pain pill addiction. In order to not be found in breach of his contract, his twin brother Matt has stepped into his shoes–only one member of the band knows Matt’s true identity, and Matt’s freaking out that Anya will discover his secret. In order to distract her, he attempts to seduce her–and ends up falling for her completely.

This is a fun one! Anya and Matt are both good people trapped in uncomfortable positions. Anya is so used to being on her own, she’s shell-shocked at the attention of the band, and the sheer number of people that are part of the tour. She makes friends with the make-up woman, and Natasha is her first confidante in probably 5 years; surely since before her schizo mother abandoned her 3 years ago. Matt is, by turns, aggressive and reticent. He’s on constant guard against letting his secret loose, but he doesn’t have all the knowledge he needs to be a complete changeling. Like, Will didn’t give him accurate lyrics. And, Will neglected to mention Natasha was his girlfriend on the down-low.

It’s a really clean read, with only the barest suggestion of anything beyond kissing ending in discomfort and giggles. Matt discovers that Anya has learned his secret, and he does the very worst thing possible, but he’s redeemed in the end–in church no less. I loved how the deception was resolved and really wanted to give Will a big smooch for fixing things, along with Matt. Plus, Anya gets a family of friends who are far better than any she could have been born to.

One snag for me: I’m very familiar with Briticisms, and I wonder why Suze Winegardner didn’t write Miles’ story–as he’s the Brit in the group and her expertise in the application of the Queen’s English would have been better used there. There were several times if I wondered how a boy from Florida would use colloquialisms common to a bloke from the North End…

Otherwise, it’s a light, fun read with some tender romantic elements and two HEA’s for readers to enjoy.

Interested? You can find ANYA AND THE SHY GUY on Goodreads, Amazon (US, UK, CA) Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, and Googleplay.

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Suze WinegardnerAbout the Author
Suze Winegardner is an ex-pat Brit who quells her homesickness with Cadbury Flakes and Fray Bentos pies. She thinks her life is chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny. And if you get that reference, well, she already considers you kin.

She is represented by Laura Bradford, of the Laura Bradford Literary Agency,and writes for Entangled Publishing‘s Crush imprint. She’s lived in London, Paris and New York, and has settled, for the time being, in North Carolina.

When not writing, Suze loves to travel with her military husband, and take long walks with their Lab. Catch up with Suze online on her Website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Is it True Love? Or, FOREVER FOR A YEAR–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for a just-out YA contemporary romance from BT Gottfred. This is a realistic YA romance that features two kids “faking it until they make it” and finding their first love in the process. It’s bittersweet, with some wild turns.

Forever for a YearAbout the book:
When Carolina and Trevor meet on their first day of school, something draws them to each other. They gradually share first kisses, first touches, first sexual experiences. When they’re together, nothing else matters. But one of them will make a choice, and the other a mistake, that will break what they thought was unbreakable. Both will wish that they could fall in love again for the first time . . . but first love, by definition, can’t happen twice.

Told in Carolina and Trevor’s alternating voices, this is an up-close-and-personal story of two teenagers falling in love for the first time, and discovering it might not last forever.

My Review:
3.5 Stars.

Carolina and Trevor are starting freshman year of high school in Riverbend, IL, a fictional town nestled into the North/Northwest side of Chicago. This is the kind of town with wealth disparity–haves and have nots.

Trevor’s family has recently moved from LA to join his mother’s family–his Gram and uncle still reside in his mother’s hometown. He lives with his mom, dad and 7-y/o sister who is precocious and means the world to Trevor. just over a year ago his mother had a botched suicide attempt. Trevor had a hard time dealing with it, and he stayed home from school for a year; he’s more than melancholy. He’s clinically depressed, but it seems that everyone’s focus is on his mom. Kid gives Holden Caulfield his money for all the “this world’s pointless and fake” internal dialogue.

Carolina is a geek. Has been for evah. Her best friend, Peggy, wants desperately to be popular, and Peggie has an in because her older sister is really popular. So Peggy’s sister has agreed to get the popular kids to like both of them–but Carolina’s a mental spaz. Her internal dialogue is equivalent to The Flash mainlining pixie stix. She is meant to be smart, but I mostly saw low-self-esteem. She admits that whatever someone tells her, she will do. I didn’t like her much, but, as the story got on and she stopped listening to Peggy and her insane sister, I admired her backbone.

Trevor and Carolina meet in the first class of the first day of school. Trevor shows up late, and leaves his bag in his dad’s car so he has no supplies. Carolina lends him some–without speaking a word. They have a few classes in common, and it seems as if they make a tentative connection, but it becomes this THING before it can ever be a thing, mostly because they hardly speak to each other. Others step in, and Trevor thinks Carolina must be a “fake” and disses her, but he still thinks she’s beautiful.

Fast forward.

They work out their communication issues, by communicating!, and begin dating. I’m not going to belabor this: they are physical and it’s on the page and their sex is not always protected. There are a lot of emotional issues going on, too. Carolina’s father has had an affair and her parents want to reconcile, but Carolina’s been so hurt, and protective of her mom that she’s obstructive to the process. Trevor’s mom is clearly not faithful, as well, and the emotional impact of both of these relationships influence the development of Trevor and Carolina’s romance. They consider themselves soul mates–pretty early on. This felt both overblown and just right–mostly because I had trouble believing doom and gloom Trevor could be so positive about Carolina. Carolina falling head over heels? Yep.

Both Carolina and Trevor are gaga within a month. I remember those times. It’s heady and overwhelming. Strange that the two parents who become their confidantes are the ones who are known betrayers; I think this was meant to convey the idea that just because a person is a lousy spouse doesn’t mean they are bad parents–and that chestnut was dropped at about 97% in, so my impression was spot on.

I felt like I knew what was going to happen–partly because of the name, but also because this book was billed as a new “Forever” (but with frankly less mature characters than burgeoning adults Katherine and Michael) so I knew this was going to be bittersweet. It was, without question. Expect big family drama, big dumb mistakes, and some betrayal.

Near the end I got frustrated because it seemed that Trevor needed to make a change and couldn’t be honest. That was his whole thing: honesty. He and Carolina had overcome some pretty crap stuff, but he demanded complete honesty and couldn’t even give it.

The final pages were even more frustrating. I can’t even fathom the situation between Trevor and Carolina at that point. Their story might not be over, but I was kinda over it.

In truth, it was a decent read. Not great, not bad. I wanted more. Some plot points were awkward: missing “friend,” jealous manipulative girls, gossip, schoolyard brawl, missed periods, stodgy parent v. permissive parent, barely any communication between the kids and the faithful parents, suffering grades…it felt a bit heavy on the moralizing.

Oh well. It’s freshman year. Everything is dire, even the love. If you don’t want to read about two 14-15 y/o’s falling madly deeply, then getting it on, and having issues, and having more issues this is not the book for you.

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

bt gottfredAbout the author:

BT Gottfred is an author and director. FOREVER FOR A YEAR is his first published novel. You can connect with him online on his website, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!