Review: Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander

SYNOPSIS:

Charlie Hanson has a clear vision of his future. A senior at Brighton School of Mathematics and Science, he knows he’ll graduate, go to MIT, and inevitably discover solutions to the universe’s greatest unanswered questions. He’s that smart. But Charlie’s future blurs the moment he reaches out to touch the tattoo on a beautiful girl’s neck.

The future has never seemed very kind to Charlotte Finch, so she’s counting on the present. She’s not impressed by the strange boy at the donut shop—until she learns he’s a student at Brighton where her sister has just taken a job as the English teacher. With her encouragement, Charlie orchestrates the most effective prank campaign in Brighton history. But, in doing so, he puts his own future in jeopardy.

By the time he learns she's ill—and that the pranks were a way to distract Ms. Finch from Charlotte’s illness—Charlotte’s gravitational pull is too great to overcome. Soon he must choose between the familiar formulas he’s always relied on or the girl he’s falling for (at far more than 32 feet per second squared).

MY THOUGHTS:

5 out of 5 stars

23ish years ago, I sat in my 10th grade English class and listened to a friend read a story she had written for some assignment that I don't remember.  

Two thoughts ran through my mind that day.  First, that her story was really really good.  And second, that crap, I was going to go have to rewrite mine because my story really really wasn't.

Today, I'm reviewing her first book on my blog.  A concept that excites me now just as much as it terrified me at first -- because what if things didn't end well?  I mean, what if it wasn't good?  What if I didn't like it?  That might make things a bit awkward.  Keep in mind too, that there is a LOT of math in this book and I consider math to be the academic equivalent of Voldemort.  WHO WRITES A BOOK ABOUT MATH???

Still, there was no way I was going to pass up a chance to read her words and from the first page, it was quite obvious that I had made the right decision.   

I absolutely fell in love with this story.  


Charlie Hanson is my book soul mate.  Quirky and nerdy and obsessed with plans and rules...holy crow, I adore him.  I want him to be my best friend.  And Charlotte...she is who I want to be when I grow up.  Brave and ballsy and knowing exactly who she is.   Opposites on paper, together they make total sense and make my heart want to dance with happiness.  And laughter.  Y'all these characters are witty and snarky and so very funny.

Until.  And you know there is always an "until."

Yup, there I was floating along on a bliss cloud and BAM.  Things started to happen and though you probably know what they are, you also know I don't do spoilers -- you'll just have to be content with "things happen".  I emailed Shannon in tears and said "YOU DIDN'T WARN ME!"  Because I totally did cry.  

 A lot.

 
All that being said, you should know by now that I crave books that evoke intense feelings, so I didn't consider this to be a bad thing.  Not at all.  In fact, as a reader who reads for the emotional journey,  I quite often consider those books to be the best books.  

Here's the thing, though.  Yes, there were tears.  Lots of tears, actually.  But while sadness was definitely the obvious "in your face" emotion, it wasn't what stayed with me after I finished the book.  It was the light, the hope, that Charlotte brought to Charlie's life that still resonates with me today.  

Months after my first reading, weeks after the second...there are three words that stick with me.  Three words that I have highlighted on page 304 that Charlie says to Charlotte that go on the very top of my "if I ever get a tattoo" list.  I've wrapped them up so very tight and keep them close to me and think of them every day.  

Three words. 

So, yeah.   

I've been sitting here for a while now trying to figure out how to finish writing my review.  Do I pretend that I have some sort of well though out critical analysis of writing style and character development when that is not at all what I do? Ever.  Do I gush about how so very proud I am of my friend and how thankful I am that this book has brought us back together?  Do I talk about how I've been in a YA slump lately and how this book reminded me how much I love the genre?  Do I link you all to the picture she just put in a blog post of us from when we were 13?

Or do I just admit that nothing I can say about Love and Other Unknown Variables will sum up my thoughts in the way that I want to express them.  Just take my advice and let Charlie tell his story. 



**I have to confess that I had my original review ending with the words "absolute zero"...and I was all kinds of proud of myself.  Until I googled it just for confirmation and realized that it was a chemistry term and not a math term.  You can lead an English major to water, but you can't make her like math.  I'll leave the numbers to Charlie.     



 



 

Book Blast: Fan Art by Sarah Tregay

Fan Art

by Sarah Tregay

Release Date: 06/17/ 14

Harper Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

When the picture tells the story...

Senior year is almost over, and Jamie Peterson has a big problem. Not college—that’s all set. Not prom—he’ll find a date somehow. No, it’s the worst problem of all: he’s fallen for his best friend.

As much as Jamie tries to keep it under wraps, everyone seems to know where his affections lie, and the giggling girls in art class are determined to help Jamie get together with Mason. But Jamie isn’t sure if that’s what he wants—because as much as Jamie would like to come clean to Mason, what if the truth ruins everything? What if there are no more road trips, taco dinners, or movie nights? Does he dare risk a childhood friendship for romance?

This book is about what happens when a picture reveals what we can’t say, when art is truer than life, and how falling in love is easy, except when it’s not. Fan Art explores the joys and pains of friendship, of pressing boundaries, and how facing our worst fears can sometimes lead us to what we want most.

An Excerpt from Fan Art, by Sarah Tregay:
Chapter Six
-
In art, Ms. Maude has the lights off and the projector on, and we’re flying through art history at breakneck speed. We started the semester with the cave paintings in Lascaux and, with three weeks of classes to go, we are up to Marcel Duchamp and his urinal. Ms. Maude is certain we’ll get up to present-day art by the end of the term, but the class has a bet going—most of the girls say she will and the guys say she won’t.
I write $1 in my notebook and slide it across the table to Eden.
In my pocket, she writes back.
I’m about to write No way when Ms. Maude leaps ahead half a decade and sums up Dadaism in one sentence. No fair. She segues to the Bauhaus, and I know I should be listening. Those Bauhaus dudes are the founding fathers of graphic design.

But I’m not listening. You going to prom? I write. Again I slide my notebook to Eden.

She looks at me, an are-you-crazy? expression on her face.
I gesture at the note.
She writes something. Slides the notebook back. No.
Why not? I scribble.
She doesn’t wait for me to pass the notebook; she just reaches over and writes. No date.
Be mine.
She looks at me again then writes: I thought you were gay.
I freeze. How the hell does she know?
Eden takes the paper back before I write anything. And you want to go to prom with me?
Yes.
Not possible, she scribbles.
Why not?
Ms. Maude glances our way, and Eden pretends she’s taking notes on the lecture. When she slides my notebook back, it reads: You’re out of my league. Not to mention the wrong gender.
The wrong gender? I try not to look surprised and I ignore that part. What league?
The popular one.
I’m not popular. I’m in band.
Eden sighs as if I’m clueless, and she pushes my notebook back at me without an answer.
Please, I write. I didn’t know dating involved so much persuasion.
Why?
Because you’re cool. I offer her the notebook.
She reads my note and shakes her head.
I try again. Because I want to get to know you better.
She fake gags on her finger.
Because I’ll have a good time if you’re there.
Eden smiles.
And I have a prom date.

Available from:
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Book Depository

Raised without television, Sarah Tregay started writing her own middle grade novels after she had read all of the ones in the library. She later discovered YA books, but never did make it to the adult section. When she's not jotting down poems at stoplights, she can be found hanging out with her "little sister" from Big Brothers Big Sisters. Sarah lives in Eagle, Idaho with her husband, two Boston Terriers, and an appaloosa named Mr. Pots. Her next book, Fan Art, will be released in June.

Author Links:

   

***GIVEAWAY***

2 signed ARC’s of Fan Art (US/CAN only)

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Book Blitz Organized by:

Book Blast and Giveaway: The Other Me by Suzanne van Rooyen

Title: The Other Me
Author: Suzanne van Rooyen
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Release Date: 19 Dec, 2013
Length: 216 pages
Genre: YA, LGBT, contemporary

SYNOPSIS:

Fifteen-year-old Treasa Prescott thinks she's an alien. She doesn't fit in with the preppy South African private school crowd and feels claustrophobic in her own skin. Treasa is worried she might spend life as a social pariah when she meets Gabriel du Preez. Gabriel plays the piano better than Beethoven, has a black belt in karate, and would look good wearing a garbage bag. Treasa thinks he's perfect. It might even be love, as long as Gabriel doesn't find out she's a freak.
As Treasa spends time with Gabriel, she realizes she might not love him as much as she wants to be him, and that the reason she feels uncomfortable in her skin might have less to do with extra-terrestrial origins and more to do with being born in the wrong body.
But Gabriel is not the perfect boy Treasa imagines. He harbors dark secrets and self-destructive tendencies. Still, Treasa might be able to accept Gabriel's baggage if he can accept who she longs to be.

BOOK LINKS:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18809290-the-other-me
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00HEYFWYY
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-other-me-suzanne-van-rooyen/1117762744?ean=2940148925507
Dreamspinner: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4427

PRAISE FOR THE OTHER ME:

"The Other Me is a story that will stay with me for a long time. This is what YA should be and Van Rooyen has that uncanny ability to wedge you inside the heads of her characters where you will feel all their pain, love, joy and sorrow. I cannot recommend this book enough if you’re looking for a story that will challenge your preconceptions.” – Nerine, You Gotta Read Reviews

"This book is a great new contemporary read, so different from everything else that's out there, and it is brilliant! Suzanne van Rooyen does a brilliant job of crafting a story that is not only entertaining and engaging, but interesting and unique too.”– Myra, Pieces of Whimsy

"I loved Suzanne Van Rooyen's writing style. It made reading her words so easy. Her characters came across as incredibly real. Add all of that into the uniqueness of the stories subject and The Other Me turned out to be a book that I absolutely loved. So much in fact that I would love to read more of these characters.” – Tracey, YA Book Addict"

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Suzanne is a tattooed story-teller and peanut-butter addict from South Africa. She currently lives in Finland and finds the cold, dark forests nothing if not inspiring. Although she has a Master’s degree in music, Suzanne prefers conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. When not writing you can find her teaching dance and music to middle-schoolers or playing in the snow with her shiba inu. She is rep'd by Jordy Albert of the Booker Albert Agency.

Website – http://suzannevanrooyen.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Suzanne_Writer
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzanne-van-Rooyen/304965232847874
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/SuzanneAuthor/

GIVEAWAY:

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Cover Reveal: Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander

Love and Other Unknown Variables
by Shannon Lee Alexander
Release Date:  10/07/14
Entangled Teen

SUMMARY:

Charlie Hanson has a clear vision of his future. A senior at Brighton School of Mathematics and Science, he knows he'll graduate, go to MIT, and inevitably discover the solutions to the universe's greatest unanswerable problems. He's that smart.

The future has never seemed very kind to Charlotte Finch, so she's counting on the present. She would rather sketch with charcoal pencils, sing in her pitch-perfect voice, or read her favorite book than fill out a college application.

Charlie's future blurs the moment he meets Charlotte. She's not impressed by the strange boy until she learns he's a student at Brighton where her sister has just taken a job. At Charlotte's request, Charlie orchestrates the biggest prank campaign in Brighton history. But by the time Charlie learns Charlotte is ill and that the pranks were a way to distract her sister from Charlotte's illness, Charlotte's gravitational pull on him is too great to overcome. Soon he must choose between the familiar formulas he's always relied on or the girl he's falling for (at far more than 32 feet per second). 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shannon Lee Alexander is a wife, mother (of two kids and one yellow terrier named Harriet Potter).  She is passionate about coffee, books, and cancer research.  Math makes her break out in a sweat.  Love and Other Unknown Variables is her debut novel.  She currently lives in Indianapolis with her family.  You can follow her at www.wanderthewords.blogspot.com or on Twitter @shanlalexander.

EXTRA FLAILS

Here is the moment when I get a little sappy.  Shannon is one of my oldest friends - we have known each other since we were 11 years old, so I can't even begin to describe how happy I am for her and how honored I am to be a part of her journey.  I've seen what this amazing woman can do and trust me, you are going to want to read this book!  Congratulations, Shannon - you deserve all the exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cover Reveal organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

Review: Reclaimed by Sarah Guillory

Synopsis:

Jenna Oliver doesn’t have time to get involved with one boy, let alone two.

All Jenna wants is to escape her evaporating small town and her alcoholic mother. She's determined she'll go to college and find a life that is wholly hers—one that isn't tainted by her family's past. But when the McAlister twins move to town and Jenna gets involved with both of them, she learns the life she planned may not be the one she gets.

Ian McAlister doesn't want to start over; he wants to remember.

Ian can’t recall a single thing from the last three months—and he seems to be losing more memories every day. His family knows the truth, but no one will tell him what really happened before he lost his memory. When he meets Jenna, Ian believes that he can be normal again because she makes not remembering something he can handle.

The secret Ian can’t remember is the one Luke McAlister can’t forget.

Luke has always lived in the shadow of his twin brother until Jenna stumbles into his life. She sees past who he’s supposed to be, and her kiss brings back the spark that life stole. Even though Luke feels like his brother deserves her more, Luke can’t resist Jenna—which is the trigger that makes Ian's memory return.

Jenna, Ian, & Luke are about to learn there are only so many secrets you can keep before the truth comes to reclaim you.

MY THOUGHTS: 

4 out of 5 stars

Several weeks ago, I was lucky enough to win this book through a contest hosted by Liza Wiemer on her blog, WhoRuBlog.  Based on her own reviews, I found myself drawn to the premise of Reclaimed and out of all the books she offered, this book was the one that I said I wanted.

I chose right.

Now, while I didn't grow up with the same family dynamic as Jenna, I could appreciate her absolute desire to escape the small town where she grew up.  I made that promise to myself early on and as I read her thoughts and her plans for her life, I felt like I was able to completely relate to where she was coming from.  

Even with the obstacles thrown her way, Jenna is on the right path...all she has to do is survive the summer and her senior year in High School.  That's it.  Easy peasy, right?

You'd think so.

When the McAlister family comes to town, lets just say that Jenna's straightforward path gets a little bit murky. 

First, there is Ian.  Sweet, swoony, smart Ian.  He plays football, makes good grades, and even with the fact that he can't remember some of his past, there is something about him that draws Jenna in.  Falling for Ian is something that looks like it is going to happen.

Until Jenna finds out about Luke.

Like so many of us, Jenna finds herself intrigued by the bad boy.  After spending so much of her life being good, it is hard for her to resist the allure, the mystery, the unf...even as she constantly reminds herself that she needs to stay away.

And she tries, she really does.  

Until she can't. 


I read lots of books, so it isn't often that I am completely blindsided by a twist or a turn in the plot.  Yeah...I was completely not expecting what happened to happen.  I mean, I was sitting in my car reading in the carpool line when THE MOMENT was revealed and I felt a little like this:

 and then like this:

   and then this:

 

   Now, I don't need to remind you of my no-spoiler policy, so don't even ask.  But I completely mean it when I say that I was blindsided.  And I LOVED IT!

Please, I need somebody to go get this book and read it and then come find me so we can talk about it.  Because for real, I need to talk about it with somebody that has read it.

The way the author describes the town, the emotions, the relationships in Reclaimed...GAH, she can tell a story.  And she did it all without giving anything away.  Did I mention that I was blindsided?  I'm gonna need Sarah Guillory to go write more things so I can read them all.  

Go get this book today and read it and then come tell me what you think.  I'll be waiting. 

Review: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

SYNOPSIS:

Life. Death. And...Love?

Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.

But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.

Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.

Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?

MY THOUGHTS:

4 out of 5 stars

I totally underestimated this book going in, though I can't tell you why.  A friend from another blog sent me her ARC on a whim and there you have reason #5743245 why book friends are the best friends -they introduce you to words and characters you weren't even looking for but are so happy you found.

So, back to the book and how the best way to describe it is HOLY FEELS.  I absolutely loved the way that this story took a controversial (and coincidentally timely) story and made it so much more than what is simply right or wrong, black or white, me or you.  It focused on the grief and the love and the tears and the memories and the fears and how they build on each other to form opinions and ideals.

It reminds us that the idea that what we want more than anything isn't always possible.  

"Under the idea that we can all make our fates, that we have choices, is the reminder that sometimes we don't.  That sometimes life is bigger than ourplans.  Bigger than us."

In this complex and sometimes cruel world though are amazing relationships that offer so much when needed, and Emma finds this in the one person she never imagined would be her respite from her pain.  Being broken doesn't mean you have to be alone.

"I feel special.  I feel like there is the world, and then there is Caleb and me.  Just us, a broken little party of two bit it isn't so bad, being broken.  Not with someone who understands.  Not with him."

I can't say enough about Emma as a main character.  She was so so so very strong and yet with every argument with her stepfather, every conversation with her mother, every memory she clung to showed that she was so so so very torn.  And angry.  And vulnerable.  I didn't read her as a petulant, whiny, immature YA character.  She was true and I was moved by her story.

If you are looking for a deeply emotional read that will fill you with feels, I can't recommend Heartbeat enough.  I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Scott.

Blog Tour: Scintillate by Tracy Clark - Review and Giveaway

Title: SCINTILLATE
Author: Tracy Clark
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 304
Pub. Date: February 4, 2014
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

SYNOPSIS:

A mighty flame follows a tiny spark

Cora Sandoval’s mother disappeared when she was five and they were living in Ireland. Since then, her dad has been more than overprotective, and Cora is beginning to chafe under his confines. But even more troubling is the colorful light she suddenly sees around people. Everyone, that is, except herself — instead, she glows a brilliant, sparkling silver.

As she realizes the danger associated with these strange auras, Cora is inexplicably drawn to Finn, a
gorgeous Irish exchange student who makes her feel safe. Their attraction is instant, magnetic, and
primal—but her father disapproves, and Finn’s mother orders him home to Ireland upon hearing he’s
fallen in love. After a fight with her father, Cora flees to Ireland, both to follow Finn and to look for her missing mother.

There she meets another silver-haloed person and discovers the meaning of her newfound powers and
their role in a conspiracy spanning centuries—one that could change mankind forever…and end her life.
 

MY THOUGHTS:

 4.5 out of 5 stars

This book went above and beyond what I was expecting when I first started reading.  I've read several good books this year, but there have only been a few that fall into the "I don't even want to stop reading to eat" category.  Scintillate by Tracy Clark was one of them.

I've been thinking about my review for a few days now because I like to at least seem like I know what I'm talking about when I put my thoughts out there...but I still come back to where my thoughts went immediately after reading the last sentence, which is that I really really enjoyed reading this story.

And after all, that is why I read.

I found Cora to be a believable 17 year old...I remember how it feels to be like I was living life on a leash, convinced that my parents were on a mission to squash all my dreams like a bug.  I also remember what it was like to lose all rational thought when talking to a cute boy -- the ones I could gather up enough courage to talk to, anyway.

And there weren't any cute boys with Irish accents and tattoos when I was in high school.  Trust me, I would have remembered. 

What I can't imagine though, is what life would be life if my mom had not been in my life, or what it would be life to be able to see auras and to have all these questions and not get any answers. 


Why is she seeing auras?  Is there a man really following her and what does he want?  Why are people dying?  What does her father know?  

 That is what Cora deals with.  She KNOWS there is more to her life than what she is being told and is unbelievably frustrated when roadblocks are constantly put in her path.  Still, she is determined to find out the answers, no matter what she has to do to get them.

I have to admit, when I first read in the synopsis that she takes off for Ireland on her own, I seemed a bit far fetched but once I started reading, I didn't even think twice about it.  I got so caught up in the story that I was able to take off my common-sense hat and see where the adventure was going. 

I am so glad I did.

Once Cora gets to Ireland, Ms. Clark's story really takes off.  Adventure, history, romance, deception, fate, hope...all the feels are there.  I found myself thinking I wanted one thing to happen and then maybe I didn't...but then maybe I did, but only if other things happened.  And even then, when the book reached the end, I found myself pleasantly surprised with the way there was enough open ending to make me want the next book as soon as possible, but I didn't keep trying to find the pages that just had to be missing from my Kindle because I can't believe it ended there. 

All in all, I am really glad that I had the chance to be a part of the book tour for Scintillate and I look forward to seeing where the adventure takes us.

There are some amazing blogs on this book tour.  Click here to see the schedule and to check out their reviews.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Tracy Clark is a young-adult writer because she believes teens deserve to know how much they matter and that regardless of what they’re going through, they aren’t alone. In other words, she writes books for her teen self.

She grew up a “Valley Girl” in Southern California but now lives in her home state of Nevada, in a small town at the base of the Sierra Foothills. Her two children teach her the art of distraction and are a continuous source of great dialogue. She’s an unapologetic dog person who is currently owned by a cat.

Tracy was the recipient of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Work in Progress Grant. A two-time participant in the prestigious Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program where she was lucky enough to be mentored by bestselling author, Ellen Hopkins, who taught her so much about the art of writing and cured her of her ellipsis addiction.

Her debut novel was inspired by her enchantment with metaphysics as a teen, seeing it as the real magic in life. Tracy is a part-time college student, a private pilot, and an irredeemable dreamer.

 Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads


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Book Blitz: A Date of Godlike Proportions by Tellulah Darling

A Date of Godlike Proportions by Tellulah Darling
(The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #2.5)
Publication date: December 20th 2013
Genres: Comedy, Mythology, Young Adult

Synopsis:

There’s bound to be pressure when it takes 2500 years to get to a second date. Which is exactly why Theo Rockman, a.k.a. Prometheus, would rather not go. With his best friend gravely injured and the fate of humanity still on the line, Theo has all sorts of creative excuses to avoid dating swoon-worthy god and love of his life, Hephaestus.

YA romantic comedy gets an epic mythological twist in the free (at select retailers) short story A Date of Godlike Proportions (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy Book 2.5). Being human hasn’t killed Theo, but this date just might.

 Excerpt:

Great. The cavalry had arrived. I flicked my gaze over to my other best friend Hannah, staring at
me incredulously from her position in the doorway, where she had joined Festos.

Festos patted Hannah on the shoulder affectionately before edging past her to leave.
I reluctantly tore my eyes from his retreating figure to meet her bemused gaze.  Allies. That’s what I needed. “There’s too much at stake right now—like your future for example—for us to be going out on a—”

She flapped a hand at me. “Get dressed.”

I looked down at what I was wearing. Which was basically what I always wore. A long-sleeved
black T-shirt and baggy black pants. “I’m dressed.”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “Pierce,” she called out.

Her boyfriend trotted into the room at her call. “Yeah, love?”

Hannah pointed to a spot in front of me. “Stand there and look pretty, so this idiot gets the picture.”

Pierce nodded. He got into position and, with a toss of his blond tousled head, adopted the most
pouty model boy expression imaginable. He winked at me, obviously amused.

Hannah blinked at him. “Whoa. That’s pretty … pretty.”

“Down, Saul,” I said. “Besides, he’s the God of Love. I’m sure there’s some kind of inherent pretty
built into his DNA. With me?” I cast a skeptical look down at myself. “Festos knows what he’s getting.”

Pierce pulled up a desk chair and turned it around to straddle it.

Hannah kicked my legs away so she could sit down on the bed next to Sophie. She picked her
friend’s hand up to clasp between her own. Her lip quivered as she stared at her friend but she
quickly replaced any concern with a determined glare my way.

She crossed her legs and leaned forward toward me. “Have you seen that boy’s room? It’s like a
hurricane went off in there. He’s going nuts trying to find the perfect outfit for this special event and
you can’t even get changed?” She tucked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear.

I swung my head in Sophie’s direction. “Did you not notice your bestie lying there unconscious?”
Her hand tightened on Sophie’s. “Don’t be an idiot. Or drag Soph into this. We’re here. Nothing
else is going to happen to her. She needs to heal. And don’t pull any of that ‘fate of the universe’ crap
either. It’s one night. So, next excuse. I’ll shoot that down too.”

I closed my eyes. There was silence for a blessed moment.

“You feel guilty, don’t you?” She spoke softly.

I shrugged, my eyes still closed.

I felt her make the sign of the cross over me. “I absolve you of guilt, Prometheus.”

I gave a faint smile. “I’m not Catholic.”

“Well, I have no idea how to absolve a Greek God.”

“Titan,” I murmured. “And I’m not even that anymore.” 

Purchase Links:

Amazon:                 iTunes:                 It's free at Kobo:

About the Author:

Tellulah Darling
noun
1. YA Novelist
2. Alter ego of former screenwriter and instructor
3. Sassy minx

Geeks out over: cool tech.
Squees for: great storytelling.
Delights in: fabulous conversation.
Writes about: where love meets comedy. Awkwardness ensues.

Website: http://welcome.tellulahdarling.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6429243.Tellulah_Darling

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tellulahdarling

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TellulahDarling

My first sucky kiss or the reason why I write YA romantic comedy

I don’t actually remember my first kiss. And believe me, it’s not because there was such a variety of them in my teen years that it just got lost in the shuffle. Which, sigh, is probably another reason I write YA romantic comedy.

At least my characters fare better than I did.

While I may not remember my actual first kiss, the first one I do remember is forever burned in my brain. I was fifteen years old and a cute boy (cute being relative to my age and the decade) had asked me to go to the fireworks with him.

Sounds romantic, doesn’t it? Yeah, throw that idea out.

Imagine you and ten thousand of your closest friends packed onto a beach to listen to a deafening soundtrack of rock ballads while watching the light show overhead.

Now make at least half of those people drunk.

But silly, innocent girl that I was, I though this was going to be highly romantic – a night of cuddling with perhaps one perfect kiss as the final firework burst overhead and in that moment of silent awe, I would feel, nay hear our two hearts beat as one.

I remember that we got there about three hours early to secure a spot. The boy had not brought any kind of blanket, so this was three hours of sitting in sand, while families and yahoos settled in around us. But that was okay. It gave us a chance to talk, probably about such scintillating topics as which of our friends was screwing around on whom and what TV shows were we watching.

I remember having overlooked the fact that he didn’t read because he was cute. (Never again.) It did allow a pleasant sexual tension to build between us and by the time the sun had set and the show started, I was all ready for the hand holding to begin.

Now, skip the hand holding. Because in a blink, as the crowd around us roared and the first flare lit up the sky, I felt myself pushed back onto the sand and these giant lips come towards me. Tongue may have been hanging out. And while I can’t remember that part exactly thanks to some very excellent trauma repression, I do have a very clear memory of thinking, “this is going to be gross.”

Which then warred with the thought, “but I am about to be kissed.”

The kissing won out. Because I was 15 and stupid. But it was a curiously detached experience, with me trying to figure out if his lips were growing and what the polite amount of time was that I could allow this before I shoved him off me and grabbed a desperately wanted tissue to wipe off my face.

Forty minutes. That was the length of the fireworks show (of which I saw nothing) and the amount of time he kissed me with those massive, fleshy, wet lips. I take responsibility for not shutting down the action sooner, but my mother had raised me to be polite and I wasn’t sure what the polite way to express “EW THIS IS SO DISGUSTING!” was.

So I kind of tuned out and focused on all the places that sand was creeping in. And not in a pleasant “yay friction” kind of way. At long long last, the show ended. At which point he did sweetly take my hand and we began the trek to the bus stop. I tried one last time to salvage my romantic ideals with a cuddle on the bus, but that seemed to give him the idea that I wanted to kiss some more. Which I so didn’t. So I moved seats. And that was the first kiss I can remember having.

Which leads me good people, to why I write YA romantic comedy. Because while I can appreciate the humour of awkward teen passion, I’m determined to write girls who will push that boy off them for not being romantic. Or ruining the kissing experience. Girls who will say, “Nope. This isn’t working for me.” Who will make their boys smarten up and figure out how to treat a girl, even if they
have to teach the guy themselves.

And I figure if I write enough great kisses, I’ll end up believing that one of them was mine.

Review: Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens

Right around Christmas, I tweeted and posted on the blog Facebook about a contest centering around the book Faking Normal, by Courtney S. Stevens.  When she reached out to bloggers to help her out, I jumped at the chance to get the word out because this book needs to be read.  I read it several weeks ago and was waiting until a bit closer to the publication date to post my review...until I realized that waiting wasn't doing anybody any favors and my thoughts needed to come out. 

SYNOPSIS:

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.

When Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in "the Kool-Aid Kid," who has secrets of his own. As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally face the truth.

A searing, poignant book, Faking Normal is the extraordinary debut novel from an exciting new author-Courtney C. Stevens.

My Thoughts:

4.5 out of 5 stars.

To put it bluntly, this book punched me in the gut and it punched me hard.

I went in knowing that I was going to read an emotional book, I was counting on it actually.  What I didn't expect was a book that resonated through out every cell in my body.  

Alexi and Bodee...I don't even know what to say about them.  As a reader with a few scars of her own, I related more than I care to admit.  As a mother, I can't even begin to describe my need to comfort these characters and how I teared up over the way they kept their struggles so secretive.  Every ounce of me hated that they felt so alone and I wanted to crawl into the pages and tell Alexi to speak up and that she didn't have to keep quiet.  But it is so easy to question keeping secrets when we are on the outside looking in, isn't it?

Being a victim is never easy, but being a victim when you are still learning how to live ventures into the realm of cruel and unusual.  Life at 16 and 17 and 18 years old is hard enough on its own, but adding secrets to the mix makes living unfair and both of these kids would have done anything in their power to just live a normal life.  

It kind of makes me cringe when I think about the things I complained about when I was their age.  

Gotta love perspective...   

So it should come as no surprise that I cried for Alexi.  Not just because of her secrets however, but also in spite of them.    

Yes, her secret is gut-wrenching, but I also cried for her strength.  Because of the way that even with the scratches and the closet and the counting and all the anxiety that riddles her body as she tries to keep her family and friends in the dark, she was strong.  Stronger than any girl at any age should ever have to be.  All in her quest to be normal.

And for several months, she manages to pull it off.  Until one day when her life intersects with someone who can see past her facade.  

A boy with kool-aid hair who tries to live life while the entire town whispers about him behind his back.  He knows exactly what Alexi is doing, even if he doesn't know why.  While his scars weren't a secret, that doesn't mean that he wouldn't give anything to also be normal.

And he takes it upon himself to let Alexi know that she isn't alone. 

Like magnets, Alexi and Bodee are drawn together.  Because of what they feel inside, because of what they think the other needs, because when they're together, they distract each other from the pain and they don't feel so completely alone.  They don't judge, they don't criticize, they don't analyze...they support.  Beautifully and flawlessly.     

As the story progresses, the relationship between Bodee and Alexi begins to grow from one of pity to one of friendship to one of a gentle and super sweet romance.  I mean...every girl should have a Bodee in her life.  Every boy should take lessons because his heart is one of the purest I've ever read.   PUFFY HEART EYES!

And as Alexi learns to let Bodee in, she also realizes that keeping her secrets and faking her normal is starting to eat her alive.  He can't fight the fight for her, but he can support her through every single step.  All she has to do, is let him.     

It is really really difficult to write this review without giving away any of the details.  I have to think carefully about how to convey my connection to this book in a way that will do it justice and not tell their story.  I'm not sure anything I can type will be enough though because seriously, this story needs to be told.   

Ms. Stevens write a story about tough subjects and tough choices and she does it well.  There was just enough information given to let the reader know the whos and the whys and the hows but kept the events from being the focus of the story.  This story isn't about particular events, but the details in the life after and how, when allowed to fester, can begin to define how a person begins to exist.   

And how channeling your brave can be the best decision you'll ever make.  

Faking Normal will be available on February 25, 2014.  Put it on your to-read list now!
Ms. Stevens, I look forward to reading much much more from you.     

Thank you to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this amazing book. 

The Offering by Kimberly Derting - Review and Giveaway

   

SYNOPSIS:

True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy. Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks. When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom. But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.

REVIEW:

My rating:  4 of 5 stars

I was so excited to get a chance to read The Offering!  I have a tendency to start a book series and then forget to go back finish them -- sometimes it is the time between books, sometimes life gets in the way, sometimes I don't want to say goodbye to the characters.  It happens.  But without a doubt, I knew that this was a trilogy that I wanted to see through to the end. 

I was not disappointed.

The Pledge intrigued me.  The Essence held its own and left me in a place that had me needing to know more.  This book, though...the third book...The Offering...HOLY COW!  From the first page, I was blindsided by the emotion.

For real...I almost had to put it down and walk away because THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN!

Now, you know I don't do spoilers, so this is where I go vague.  Something happens and things get really real really fast for Charlie.

And this is where my love for the supporting characters comes in.  Max and Eden and Brooklynn and Claude and Xander and Nico and Elena and even Sabara.  They never feel like "just" supporting characters to me.  While this trilogy is Charlie's story to tell, her conflict to resolve, these other characters are woven into the story in a way that makes me want to know just as much about their thoughts and emotions (or lack thereof) as of the Queen's.  In fact, I do have to be a bit honest in saying that my connection to these characters may even lessen my allegiance to Charlie.  I started this trilogy expecting Charlie's story and finished feeling like it was THEIR story.

And the more I think about it, I don't think that is a bad thing.

Ms. Derting writes relationships.  Charlie and Max.  Charlie and Aron and Brooklyn.  Charlie, Eden, Brooklynn.  Max and Xander.  Charlie and Sabara.  Nico and Sabara.  Each one is an integral part to this trilogy and there are others that I left off.  I think they are what really drew me in to her words and world -- yes, this is a dystopian story about a queen learning her way, but the conflicts aren't limited to the obvious.  There is so so so much more.

Gah, I love depth. 

And I love growth.

And I love when I finish a book/series and it just feels right.  That is what happens with The Offering.  It was right.  And I'm happy. 


      

   

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kimberly Derting is the author of the BODY FINDER series, THE PLEDGE trilogy, and THE TAKING (coming April 2014 from HarperTeen). She lives in the Seattle area, with her husband and three children, who often find the outrageous things they say either in the pages of her books or posted on Twitter or Facebook for the entire world to see.  

 GIVEAWAY:

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