The Best Reader [Search results for drama] 

1. Can you share with us something people would be surprised to find out about you?

Through Twitter and blogs, I'm such a chatterbox online that most people would be surprised to know that I'm pretty shy in real life. It takes me a while to warm up to a crowd and most social activities leave me a bit overwhelmed — I'd much rather hang out with a close friend one-on-one. Maybe it would be different if everyone in real life was as fun and awesome as book bloggers, but I think you guys are a rare breed.: -)

2. You share a lot of"high school memories" on your blog. Can you tell us your most embarrassing high school moment?

Um, that would be the time I decided to tell my crush how much I loved him. In writing. In a four-page letter. I think I may have casually thrown in the word"soulmate." His"I'm really flattered" response was mortifying enough, but when his whole football team got hold of the letter… let's just say I had to feign the flu so I could miss a week of school until the drama died down. Fortunately we didn't have texting or the Internet back then, otherwise I think my faux pas would've gone viral!

3. Twenty Boy Summer involves a secret first love and a horrible tragedy that follows. Where did you get the inspiration for this book?

I was inspired to write Twenty Boy Summer by the teens I met through my work with the National Donor Family Council, and organization that supports families whose loved ones have died and donated organs or tissues. I wanted to share a little bit of their stories, their fears, their hopes, and their courage. But as I was writing about the tragedy, I was also thinking about how life goes on, even when we don't want it to. So even though Anna and Frankie are reeling from Matt's death, they're also still dealing with everyday life stuff like clothes and makeup, boys, best friend drama. It's all part of life, and that's what I wanted to write about.

4. What advice would you give teens who are currently struggling with high school and first love?

This sums it up right here: you're not alone. And it gets better. Just like with bullying or any other struggle in high school, things do get better. Whether you're suffering from a broken heart, dealing with harassment, stressed about grades or family stuff, or just trying to figure out where you belong in this world, you *have* to struggle with that stuff — it's part of being alive and coming into your own. When you give up, that's it, it's over. But if you fight, struggle, question things, wrestle with the issues, if you can get through it, you'll come away stronger, wiser, and ready for things to get better. I don't mean to go all"After School Special," but I truly believe that. And besides, crappy high school experiences make for awesome YA books later in life!: -)

5. Fixing Delilah deals with complicated issues between a mother and daughter. What do you hope teen girls take from reading this book?

There is something important I hope both teen girls *and* their mothers take away from Fixing Delilah, and it's this: there is an entire world inside each of us — our secrets, our hopes and fears, our dreams and wishes, our mistakes and shame, our life experiences. We can never know everything about another person, but we can assume that we have this in common: we're all capable of screwing up, and we're all capable of immense love. I hope that moms and daughters remember that and come away from Delilah's story with a new appreciation for one another, even when things aren't perfect.

6. Your books focus on new discoveries and secrets revealed over the summer. Why do you think summer is such a time of change and new beginnings?

Because most teens have summers off in between school years, it's naturally a time to reflect on the previous year and think about how things might be different in the coming year. On summer break, we're away from a lot of the people and pressures we're faced with every day at school, and having that distance often gives us a new perspective on how things are and how we want them to be. Returning to school each fall is like a forced fresh start — new classes, new classmates, new challenges — and we face it with the knowledge and experience we gained over the summer. We've all seen some of our classmates come back from a summer break completely transformed, often as if they're entirely new people. Summer just does that, I think.

7. Can you share with us any projects you are currently working on?

I'm currently working on a new young adult contemporary, but I'm not ready to share too much about it yet! I will tell you that unlike my first two novels, this one is set in the winter, and it features such things as cupcakes, ice skating, a pet hamster, and very adorable hockey boys.: -) I'll be chatting more about it soon, so you can visit my web site for updates in the next few weeks!

Thanks again for hosting me today, Jessica! I hope readers enjoy Fixing Delilah!

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (December 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 320 pages Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.

She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her"boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.

Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?

Find Sarah Ockler Sarah Ockler / Twitter / Blog / Goodreads

Pre-Order Fixing Delilah Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository / IndieBound

Thanks to the amazing Sarah Ockler for the interview and The Teen {Book} Scene for the tour opportunity!
USE GOOGLE to follow the other blogs on the tour and stop back by Tuesday, December 14th for my review of Fixing Delilah.

Today I have the lovely Barbara Dee here to tell us about her new book Trauma Queen.

She's also offering up an amazing giveaway that includes a signed copy of the book, a pink t-shirt, and nail polish!

1. What gave you the inspiration to write your first book?

Actually, my town. Kids around here lead pretty high-pressured, structured lives, and one day I started wondering what would happen if everything changed. I wrote JUST ANOTHER DAY IN MY INSANELY REAL LIFE before the economy went bad—but since 2008, I’ve heard from readers who’ve experienced what it means to suddenly lose a home and a parent’s income. You have to figure out how to keep things normal, even when everything around you is insane.

2. What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned as your writing career has progressed?

I guess the major thing I’ve learned is that every writer needs to write the book she’s meant to write. That might sound obvious, but it’s not. Writing can be such an ego-bruising process that I think it’s common for authors to look over their shoulders at what other people are publishing and think, Oh, THAT’S what I should be doing! But if the story doesn’t come from your own heart, and if you’re writing in a voice that isn’t your own, then it’s not going to be your book, and you probably shouldn’t be writing it.
3. Can you tell us a little about Trauma Queen?

TRAUMA QUEEN is about a thirteen-year- old girl with the world’s most embarrassing mother. Marigold’s mom is a performance artist, which means she stages wild, attention-getting events like wrapping herself in Saran Wrap to make fun of plastic surgery. Marigold copes with these crazy performances—until one day her mom does one that’s so mortifying, it causes Marigold to lose her best friend, and forces the family to have to move. Now Marigold is starting over (again!), trying desperately to keep a low profile amid all the drama of seventh grade—until her mom announces she’s teaching theater improv at Marigold’s school.

4. Did you have an embarrassing mom growing up?

Hmm, that’s a tricky question! Let me just say that I think EVERY twelve or thirteen-year-old girl feels embarrassed by her mom sometimes! And I know for a fact that my own daughter has been embarrassed on several occasions—by ME!
5. Mother's Day just passed, what did Marigold get for her mother?

Becca wouldn’t be an easy person to buy for, because she’s so intensely creative—I think it would be intimidating to find something to meet her standards! Marigold would probably decide to make something for her mom instead. Maybe she used the leftover fabric from her Thing to make Becca a yoga mat? Or possibly she sewed a pouch for Becca’s yoga marbles? I think they’d both really appreciate a handmade gift that says, I know who you are and what you care about.

Trauma Queen by Barbara Dee
Publisher: Aladdin (April 19th, 2011)
Reading Level: Middle Grade
Paperback: 272 pages
Every tween girl knows what it's like to have a mom who can be a little embarrasing at times. But for Marigold, it goes way beyond embarrassing. Marigold's single mom is a performance artist, meaning she stages dramatic, wacky performances to express her personal beliefs. Things like wrapping herself in saran wrap for a piece on plastic surgery, or inviting people over in the middle of the night to videotape her sleeping. In fact, Marigold's mom's performances caused such a ruckus in their last town that the two of them, along with Marigold's little sister, have just had to move. Now Marigold's starting a new school, missing her best friend like crazy, and trying to fit in all over again in the shadow of a mom who's famous for all the wrong reasons. As if that's not bad enough, Marigold's mom takes on a new job--teaching drama at Marigold's school! Now all the kids know instantly just how weird her mom is, and Marigold's worried she'll never be able to have a friendship that can survive her mother.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive a SIGNED copy of Trauma Queen.
• a Trauma Queen t-shirt (size medium- bright pink!)
• 3 bottles of"emotion nail polish"
• Green with Envy
• Bashful Blue
• Bright Red Blush

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends June 14th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

Find Barbara Dee
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook
Purchase Trauma Queen
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Today is the release day for The Near Witch and I have the wonderful Victoria Schwab here today to talk about the book.

I am super excited to talk to her because I will be meeting her on August 7th in Knoxville as part of the Ash to Nash tour!

1. You have explored quite a few college majors and careers. Can you tell us a little about what you learned from your experiences?
--I learned that physics wasn't for me, drama had too much drama, art history was too quiet to be a morning class, every religion has its own gorgeous stories, the majority of creative writing students are not very creative when it comes to writing (and goodness help you if you want to be a PUBLISHED one *cough*sellout*cough*), film doesn't give you credit for enjoying the films too much to take notes, and art students have perfected a method of staying up all night using only a bag of skittles.

2. How did you first get into writing?
--By writing really, really bad poetry. And then by writing slightly better poetry. By the time I decided to try writing a book, I had NO idea what I was doing, but I knew I could assemble words in lovely ways. Next I had to learn structure. That took a little while and a good deal of rejection. Thankfully.

3. What has been the most surprising thing to happen to you since The Near Witch started grabbing everyone's attention?
--I have two favorites. One is authors I adore/admire knowing that I even exist, let alone several of them having read (and enjoyed!!) NW. That's just beyond surreal and surprising. The second was hearing from a friend that their non-reader friend suggested my book to her, after the non-reader's mother, a high-school teacher, had mentioned it to her, after having overheard students in her hall talking about books they wanted to read that summer. That was pretty dang cool.

4. If you could tell people one thing about The Near Witch, what would it be?
--It's a fairy tale. And it's written that way. It's meant to be airy, and sparse, a bit blurred at the edges, a window into a world, rather than a door. Go in knowing that.

5. You will be going on tour with Beth Revis and Myra McEntire soon. What crazy things do you all have planned?
--OH THE ANTICS. There are planned ones, and ones that we couldn't plan if we tried. But rest assured, there will be lots of laughing.We are three loud and largely inappropriate people.

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Hyperion Books (August 2nd, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 288 pages
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
And there are no strangers in the town of Near.These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Find Victoria Schwab
Victoria Schwab | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter

Purchase The Near Witch
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Every now and then I hear of this "elitist" blogger. There are, from what I discover, two types of the supposed "elitist" blogger. The "elitist" blogger is either A) a new blogger who assumes that he or she "deserves" ARCs and tons of followers right away or B) a more popular blogger with a significant follower base who receives books from publishers and is therefore (obviously) stuck up and cliquey.

I hear of these "elitist" bloggers from time to time in different posts (generally having to do with whatever drama is currently circling the YA book blogosphere). Now (again, generally) these posts and discussions are pretty heated. These discussions generate loads of discussion and can lead to hurt feelings and nasty words. It seems every couple months there is another incident that is drama driven and results in more posts about the ever elusive "elitist blogger."

This elitist blogger can be (and many times is) eluded to in various Q&A posts when they ask the famous questions like "how do I get more followers" and "I've only been blogging for a month — how do I get publishers to send me books." We've all read these posts and heard of this "elitist" blogger.

Or the elitist successful blogger is verbally attacked in jealous posts.

Now, I have been blogging for a year and the truth of it is: I have heard of this "elitist" blogger many times throughout the past 12 months but I have yet to meet this blogger (either A or B). I've read the Q&As where the new "elitist" blogger is chastised for expecting everything to be given to them (books and a strong follower base) and posts about how unfair it is that the successful elitist blogger has everything.

My question to you is have you ever met either the new or the successful elitist blogger? Or is the idea of the "elitist" blogger a made-up concept? A concept driven to either attack successful bloggers by making them out to be cliquey, possessive, and exclusive or the new blogger to be arrogant and all about the "gimme."

Thoughts?

Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe
Omnific Publishing (January 10th, 2012)
Paperback: 159 pages
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Author/Publisher
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.
Review: I must say that I honestly didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book. I knew I loved Trisha's writing from what I read in her short story Unveiled, but this was my first time reading a steampunk novel. But as soon as I started reading, all my worries flew away. Destiny's Fire grabbed me on page 1. Literally, and if you've read the book, you know why! Immediately in the story we meet Dez and the triplets — Jace, Lana, and Nick. We learn about their world in 2040 where the Narcolym are coming to start mingling with the Shythe. No one really likes this idea, especially Jace. Dez and the triplets train for a battle they feel will be inevitable.

As I mentioned, steampunk is new to me and I thought I would be completely confused by the terms. I should have factored in Trisha's fabulousness. She made it exciting! She completely described this foreign world to me in a way that helped me truly visualize it. It all made sense!

Dez was incredible. She was such a strong character and she really cared about her friends. This is all tested when Reese, a Narcolym, pushes his way into the picture. Jace and Reese do not get along, at all! Due to all of this conflict, Jace finally stars showing his feelings for Dez and she tries to see what is stronger, her feelings for her best friend or her best friend's new enemy. Drama! Reese is more than he seems though, and he shows Dez a part of her past that she didn't know existed.

Jace or Reese, Jace or Reese. It's like picking cake or ice cream. Trisha created the type of love triangle I adore. I could see the pull for each guy and they both did have a downside. No one was perfect and between Jace's temper and Reese's secrets, I could see the conflict Dez had between them.

The plot and action Trisha created in this story was also an unexpected turn. There was a great back-story, a lot of manipulation, and a powerful Council that both races had to deal with. I felt like I was thrown headfirst into this intense battle and I loved every minute of it! Dealing with all the craziness really helped Dez grow as a person. It was as if she was 3 years older by the end of the book.

I was very satisfied with how everything wrapped up but I gotta have book 2 soon!! Who can resist reading more of a wonderful story with a sizzling romantic love triangle? Not me!

Destiny's Fire gave me a taste of something new and I'm hooked! I can't wait to read more from Trisha Wolfe and see where she takes these characters next.

Recommended: Paranormal/steampunk readers or anyone who wants a taste of steampunk. Also, anyone who just loves a lot of drama, action, and hotness.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
Publisher: HarperCollins (January 17th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 416 pages
Source: ARC from publisher
Series: Unearthly, book #2
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.
Review: For the first time, I feel the need to start my review with a letter.

My letter to Christian:

Dear Christian,
How can you do this to me? I have always liked you but my heart belonged to Tucker. Then there you go, flapping your beautiful wings in front of my face and POOF, you fly away with my heart. It's not fair to play with my emotions like this Christian! Maybe it's your eyes, or your protective nature that makes you so irresistible. Either way, you have me flustered and questioning my feelings for Tucker. Tucker, who's rugged hotness and farm-boy ways made me swoon. Don't give me that look! You know exactly what you're doing. You haven't made this easy for me.

Sincerely,
Jessica

What can I really say about Hallowed that will do it justice (besides my heartfelt letter to Christian). Hallowed picks up where Unearthly leaves off and if you are worried that it won't live up to Unearthly's awesomeness, don't be! In Hallowed, Clara is struggling to figure out her purpose after the fire. There are still big mysteries surrounding what really happened and what it could mean to Clara.

Hallowed brings even more obstacles for Clara when she is faced with something devastating. I felt this was a turning point for her. She seemed to grow and mature in a way I didn't expect. During this time she wants to depend on Tucker but sometimes it's hard for him to understand her world. For this reason, it seemed inevitable that she will be linked to Christian. I must say that the tension this brings was strong for all characters involved. I admit, I enjoyed the.friction. between Tucker and Christian. It brought a lot of"typical teenage drama" to the story, which was a nice touch and helped ease some of the paranormal drama. If that makes sense: )

Christian grew on me during Hallowed. He has complicated my feelings! I have been 100% Team Tucker since the first time he annoyed Clara but now, I just don't know. If you are a fan of love triangles (raises hand!) then you will love this book!

Another thing I liked about Hallowed is that we get a chance to meet the community Clara is now part of. She learns a lot about her past and what could be ahead of her. I think this was another thing that really made her change and mature. She is getting a better grasp of what she may have to deal with later on.

While Unearthly may have introduced us to a world of White Wings and Black Wings, Hallowed explores more of the connection between the characters and the conflicts that come from a battle that may be impossible to win. Cynthia Hand has created a magical world with intriguing characters you can't help but love.

Recommended: For freakin' EVERYONE!

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Banished to Boarding School

Experience the Heartbreak and Humor When the Academy Award® and Golden Globe® Winner Comes to Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD March 13
During the film, we find out that Alex, the oldest King daughter, has been sent away to boarding school for acting out — but she sure isn't the first difficult child that has been banished to boarding school on film! This Top 10 list will illustrate some other films where boarding school plays a role in the plot, including Flirting, Rushmore and Dead Poet's Society.
Based on the best-selling novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings and set in Hawaii, THE DESCENDANTS is a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic journey for Matt King (George Clooney) an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki. The event leads to a rapprochement with his young daughters while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family’s land handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries. if…

if… is a 1968 drama about a British boarding school that is known for its severe punishments and the mistreatment of younger students by the older students (the Whips). The film focuses on three “outcast” students who are punished particularly severely at the hands of the Whips, and their eventual plan to retaliate on their oppressors. The films ends in a bloody battle between the outcasts and the rest of the school. The film won the Palme d'Or at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival.
. Au Revoir Les Enfants
Au Revoir Les Enfants is a 1987 French film that is based on actual events experienced by writer/director Loius Malle. The film takes place at a French boarding school in 1943. The school’s headmaster has introduced three Jewish students who must hide their true identities in order to evade the Gestapo. The film follows the friendship of one of the Jewish students, Jean Bonnet and another student, Julien Quentin. Eventually, the three Jewish students and the headmaster are captured and taken to concentration camps.
Dead Poet’s Society

Dead Poet’s Society is a 1989 film set in a conservative prep school in Vermont in 1959. John Keating (Robin Williams) is the radical new English teacher at the uptight Welton Academy Prep School. Through his unorthodox teaching methods, like standing on desks and tearing pages out of books, Keating is able to help his students discover and explore their true passions in life, like writing and acting, instead of succumbing to the lives their parents have prescribed for them.
Flirting
Flirting is a 1991 Australian film set in two different boarding schools in 1965. The film stars Noah Taylor, Thandie Newton and Nicole Kidman as students attending boarding schools across the lake from each one another. Danny (Taylor) meets and falls in love with Thandiwe (Newton), a Ugandan-Kenyan-British girl. The couple is faced with racism and political turmoil, and must meet secretly in order to develop their relationship. Eventually, the couple is forced to separate, with letter writing as their only remaining connection.
School Ties

School Ties is a 1992 film starring Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon and Chris O’Donnell. Set in the 1950s, this film is the story of David Greene (Fraser), a Jewish student from Pittsburgh who is given a football scholarship to attend a prestigious prep school in New England. After it is revealed that he is Jewish, David is ostracized from his former friends and anti-Semitism begins to plague the school.
Scent of a Woman
Scent of a Woman is a 1992 drama starring Al Pacino and Chris O’Donnell. The film is about a preparatory student (Charlie Simms) who takes a job as an assistant to a cantankerous, blind retired Army officer (Frank Slade). Frank takes Charlie on an extravagant trip to New York City with the intention of committing suicide once the trip has concluded. Charlie convinces Frank not to kill himself, and Frank helps Charlie win a disciplinary hearing at his school. Al Pacino won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.
Rushmore

1998’s Rushmore is the story of Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), a precocious 15 year-old student at the prestigious Rushmore Academy. Max befriends Herman Blume (Bill Murray), a wealthy industrialist who has two children in school with Max. After Max’s unauthorized and failed attempt to construct an aquarium at the school, he is expelled and forced to attend public school. Following his expulsion, Max and Blume begin battling each other for the affections of first grade teacher Rosemary Cross.
The Emperor’s Club
2002’s The Emperor’s Club stars Kevin Kline, Emile Hirsch, Jesse Eisenberg and Paul Dano. The film focuses on the fictional men’s prep school, St. Benedict’s Academy, in Andover, MA in the mid 1970s. The film tells the story of a passionate Classic professor who encounters a difficult and corrupt student. The film picks up 25 years after the group’s graduation, and shows that the boys continue to learn lessons from their old teacher even into adulthood.
Les Choristes
Les Choristes is a 2004 French film that is set in a boarding school for troubled boys in 1949. The film focuses on a new teacher at the school who starts a choir, and helps the boys become happier, better behaved, and find hidden talents. The new teacher also helps expose the atrocities of the cruel headmaster, while nurturing Morhange, a young boy with an amazing voice and a true talent for music.
The Harry Potter Series

As much as we Muggles don’t want to admit it, Hogwarts is, at its core, a boarding school. The film adaptations of the wildly successful series of novels focuses on the titular boy wizard who travels to school to develop his wizarding skills. In the process, Harry and his friends embark on exciting adventures and face many obstacles and dangers, including some not-so-abnormal teen moments, such as asking a girl to a dance, and navigating a new (or in their case ever-changing) building on your first day of classes.
Fox Entertainment has offered up a Blu-ray/DVD copy of THE DESCENDANTS for one lucky winner!

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive a Blu-ray/DVD copy of THE DESCENDANTS.

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends March 26th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

Thanks to Think Jam and Fox Entertainment for providing this giveaway.

Today is another day of the Indie/New Adult feature where I provide you with mini-reviews from the many (mostly New Adult) books I've read lately. I had a ton of books get a 4 star rating from me and this is the 3rd day I'm featuring those. Check my previous posts for the other 4 star books and my 5 star favorites that posted on Monday.

Waiting for You by Shey Stahl
Add to Goodreads

This book started out for me as a raving, sparkling 5 stars. I absolutely loved Bailey and the fact that she wanted to escape her"perfect" life. She chooses to do this by jumping in the car with Dylan, the local bad boy, and heading off to who-knows-where. I am a sucker for road trip books and this one had so many amazing parts. Dylan started out as the perfect bad-boy character and I actually liked Bailey a lot because she showed how independent and rule-breaking she could be. Then, about 2/3rds through the book it took some strange turns. I won't say what happened but I will say that Dylan did something to Bailey that raised some reg flags for me. I couldn't brush off that uneasy feeling and the book never quiet grabbed me again after that. Either way, this may not be an issue many people find in this story. Maybe it just hit a sore spot for me, but I'd still recommend people give this one a try.

The Future of Our Past by Kahlen Aymes Add to Goodreads
I'm a sucker for books that involve teenagers who have been friends forever and question their relationship. I think many girls want to have that male best friend that we adore, and then we find out that maybe that's who we are meant to be with. In this book, Julia and Ryan are at that moment and neither know what to do. Once together, they deal with typical relationship issues, like distance, and it was good to see how they worked through those problems. By the end, the drama was a bit more boring and I hated that it ended on a huge cliffhanger. I still plan to read the next book in the series soon to see what happens.

Falling Into You by Jasinda Wilder
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I know so many people who just looooved this book. I enjoyed it a lot but it didn't blow me away like I expected. I will say though, the first part of this story had me in tears. It was the saddest thing ever! As with many titles I've read, the beginning was fabulous. I got the emotional connection with the characters after the accident and Nell and Colton were believable and obviously had a lot of chemistry. Towards the end I just wasn't into the story as much. I started skipping a few parts and didn't get the drama going on. But again, that beginning was insanely good and I do plan to read more from this author.

Fire Always Burns by Krista Lakes Add to Goodreads
This is a book you may not have heard of before but it's definitely worth the read. In this story we meet Holly, a young girl who lost her scholarship after too many late nights. This is something we rarely see in NA books (a person who fails at college and ends up back home in their small town), but it happens every day! She has best friends still in the town and one of them is Luke, a guy who is dealing with his parent's divorce and his little brother having to move. Then we have Andrew, a guy forced to take care of his mother after his father passed away. They all felt so stuck. I totally got these situations. They were similar scenarios but so relateable. Some parts I didn't fully understand (like how Andrew's mother was a nurse, but she was bats*it crazy sometimes), but I still enjoyed the overall story in this book.

Take This Regret by A.L. Jackson Add to Goodreads
I adored this story. Christian abandons his girlfriend, Elizabeth, after finding out she's pregnant. Now he tries to come back and connect with her and his child. I was frustrated at Christian at times because he let his families control go so far, but I felt that once he came back he really did want to try to make things work. I felt bad for Elizabeth who had been forced to raise her child with just the help of some family and friends, always regretting that her daughter wouldn't have a dad. The side characters we meet in this book are incredible. I think everyone would want to have a group like them.

Before You Go by Clare James Add to Goodreads
In this story we meet Tabby. She's had a public sex scandal that forced her to leave her college and go somewhere else. Now she wants to get back the control she felt she lost. She meets Noah and he pushes through the walls she's built up. They work on a newspaper together and slowly get closer. Noah was a sweetie. It was a bit harder for me to love Tabby because I didn't get some of her actions but I still enjoyed their relationship. This book does have some heavy issues and I liked how it showed how one single moment can really destroy a life. Tabby was faced with what happened every day and sadly, this is an issue that many teens face with social media and viral pictures/videos going out.

Wide Awake by Shelly Crane Add to Goodreads
I was a bit hesitant to pick up this one because I'm not really into the amnesia, lost memories, type of story but I'm glad I gave this one a chance. Emma wakes up from a coma as a completely different person. She doesn't know who she was before but through her friends and family she soon realizes that, well, she was a biotch! The new Emma is trying to adjust with the help of her physical therapist Mason. Their connection was great. Some things I didn't understand, like why Emma would want to join the cheer team so soon after waking up and not being able to walk? That would be the last thing on my mind. But besides the inconsistencies, the overall romance and building up of Emma was great to read about.

Promise Me Darkness by Paige Weaver Add to Goodreads
Woah, this book has the award for most surprising of the year. I was expecting what the blurb says which is that Maddie sees her childhood best friend Ryder one night and she realizes that she likes him as more than a friend now. We've seen this type of scenario often but this one adds a little more to that. It's a story that involves the before, during, and after apocalyptic setting and wow, it kept me on the edge of my seat! There is a ton that goes on in this story so the romance was just a bonus. I liked the way the world was portrayed after the attack. Sometimes I questioned Maddie's thoughts though and wondered if I'd really be that focused on a guy when the world was falling apart. Regardless, after the cliffhanger (GRR!!) I know I'll be reading the next book!

After Math by Denise Grover Swank Add to Goodreads
Scarlet is a quiet college girl who deals with a lot of social anxiety. Then she has to tutor the school soccer star, Tucker Price, and he manages to really push her boundaries. I enjoyed these characters and how Scarlet was able to see who the real Tucker was. Once they begin getting closer their affections go from zero to sixty pretty fast. It may have been a bit too fast and sometimes Scarlet got on my nerves with her constant over-thinking. But Denise is a fabulous author who really knows how to bring different aspects of a story together. Everything flowed nicely and I hope to continue with his series. The next book will focus on Scarlet's roommate.

Born by Tara Brown Add to Goodreads
I think this was even a free book when I got it but I've really been into the whole"post-apocalyptic" angle lately. When we meet Emma she has been on her own for over 10 years. Most people are dead (or, sort-of-dead) from an illness and the rest are just trying to survive. This book paints a scary picture of the world but it seems realistic for how I feel it would be 10 years after something like that took place. Emma meets some new people (Jake, Anna, and Will) plus several others along the way. She finally sees how the world has really been since she's been holed up for so long. This book has some editing issues but it didn't take too much away from it. It doesn't shy away from the gruesome parts of war, which was a nice thing. I have read the second book too and that review will be posted tomorrow.

ALL OF THESE BOOKS RECEIVED THE RATING

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt
Publisher: Simon Pulse (July 12th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Sebastian dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side… until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction--and one night, into a passionate kiss.

The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Sebastian, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think…
Review: This book is exactly what I was looking for! Sometimes I"crave" different types of books and this past week it was summer books! This was the story that put me on that path. Sometimes It Happens was a fast read that was packed with sensational characters and full of witty dialogue.

Hannah does not have a great start to her summer. She finds her boyfriend Sabastian cheating on her and finds out that her best friend Ava is leaving for the summer. She just knows that she will be spending most of her time sitting in her room eating junk food during her vacation. Then, her best friend Ava's boyfriend Noah saves the day. He gets Hannah a job at the diner where he works and tries every way possible to help Hannah get out of her slump.

First, I have to talk about these characters. I loved how real and multi-dimensional they felt. No, they were not perfect but that is part of being a teenager and making mistakes. Hannah was hilarious and in many ways, acted exactly how teens do when they suffer a break-up. Noah was the"good guy" who just wanted Hannah to see that she deserved better than a crappy, cheating boyfriend. But along the way he gets more than he expected.

Then we have the quirky Lacey, a new character we meet when Hannah starts her job at the diner. I loved her! She was exactly what was needed for this story. She was a loyal new friend for Hannah, and had a sometimes crazy, unique personality that helped bring the story together. Ava, on the other hand, was not my favorite character at all. She was snotty, bossy, and not a great friend for Hannah. But, I loved how Hannah was able to find new friends and open herself up to new possibilities once Ava was out of town. I think that is something many teens can relate to.

Sometimes It Happens is told in a very interesting way. The chapters go back and forth between the last day of junior year, to the first day of senior year. At first I was worried I would hate this format, but it worked perfectly! We could see how drastically things had changed in a short amount of time, and as we saw the drama of Hannah's first day of senior year, we could go back to see what created all the worry and tension.

Along with Hannah's new-found freedom and summer job, her and Noah get closer. This was not a"love at first sight" tale, which made it much more interesting to follow. I could easily see these 2 characters falling in love and simply enjoying eachother's company. Their relationship really made sense, even if it happened at the wrong time.

Sometimes It Happens made me a fan of Lauren Barnholdt's. After I read this book I immediately looked to see if I had another title written by her (which I did, and that review is coming soon). If you are a fan of summer-themed, hilarious reads that help bring back memories of high school (or current drama from high school), pick up this book!

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Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (August 16th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 336 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Perfect Chemistry #3
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.

Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?

Review: What can I really say about this series when I'm sure you have all heard how epically awesome it is? If you haven't picked up Perfect Chemistry, do it! This series is one of my all-time favorites and I'm amazed at how Simone Elkeles tells a story. Chain Reaction is packed with passion, danger, and characters you will quickly grow to love.

Chain Reaction introduces us to the youngest of the Fuentes boys, Luis. Aww, Luis is just such a heartwarming character. One of the best things about this series is that we never have to say goodbye to the previous characters. Their stories carry onto the next books flawlessly even though the focus is on a different character. So if you are a fan of Alex and Carlos, don't worry, they are in here as well.

Luis was always the good Fuentes boy. He's smart, determined, and hopeful when it comes to his future. To Luis, nothing is more important than his family and we can easily see the love he has for his mother and brothers. The chapters alternate from Luis's point of view to Nikki's. This is something I really enjoyed throughout the series because sometimes books add too many POV's and it all gets confusing. Simone keeps readers' attention right where it should be.

Nikki has been hurt badly in the past by a boy from the wrong side of town. She has closed herself off from boys in an attempt to keep from getting hurt again. If there is one thing she knows, it's to never date a gang member. But Luis comes in with his unique personality and changes her way of thinking about guys in general. Maybe things are more complicated than they seem when it comes to the gangs. On one hand Luis seems like a typical teenage boy, and on the other he comes off as much more mature and level-headed. For Nikki, it is the first time someone gets through the walls she has built around herself and it scares her.

Of course, like Simone's previous books in this series, the gang is never far away and it seemed that even though Luis wants nothing to do with them, they are after him. The way Simone is able to represent the life of a gang member never fails to amaze me. You can feel the danger and the fear of the characters. The conflict and drama seems so real that it's impossible to not have your heart racing as you read.

As Luis and Nikki try to build their relationship, it seems that danger is always lurking nearby and Luis can't let Nikki get hurt. He is all too familiar with what the gang can do when they don't get their way.

Chain Reaction couldn't have presented a better conclusion for this heartpounding, fiercely romantic series. Simone Elkeles delivers a forbidden romance story in a way I have never witnessed before. Full of intriguing characters, action-packed drama, and alluring romance, the Perfect Chemistry series should not be passed up! You will have no choice but to fall in love with the Fuentes boys.

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Book Trailer

I have a small confession: I am a sucker for the guy who doesn't get the girl.
Recently there have been a few characters who I feel should have gotten the girl. Either they're too boring or are "what their parents or society are telling the girls that they should marry," but for some reason lately it seems that the guys I would choose just aren't getting the girl.
Now, when I was a teen full of angst, I would have wanted Tom LeFroy, Peter, Gabriel, James or, heck, even Will Turner! But today, a few weeks from getting married, I'm reevaluating what I look for in the perfect husband-to-be.
First, let's start with a favorite movie of mine: "Becoming Jane." In this film Tom LeFroy attempts to court Jane Austen. He has little money, is a fighter, very handsome, and definitely not what the Austens or even the LeFroy's had in mind for a match*. On the other hand, a very wealthy Mr. Wisley adores Jane and asks for her hand in marriage. She says no. Now I'm not endorsing not marrying for love, I'm just saying that Mr. Wisley was a smart match. He adored her and was very sweet and romantic and even stood up for her after she turned him down! Sometimes I feel like society tells us that when a boy treats us right it must not be love or that we must fall in love with the boy that we cannot have... the rebel. Think, how many of us have fallen in and out of love with the rebel of our youth — I know I have.
*Remember this is fictional.

In another great movie, Red Riding Hood, Valerie falls in love with the poor, but extremely handsome, and slightly tempered Peter. Right around the corner, Henry, the son of the smith or something like that, asks for her hand in marriage. Henry is just as handsome, slightly more wealthy, and adores her. Again, I'm not saying "go for the guy with money," I'm just pointing out that perhaps, sometimes, our mothers are right.

In Lauren DeStefano's "Wither " you have two similar archetypal characters: Linden versus Gabriel. I've made no reservations about declaring myself Team Linden. I think he's a very caring guy albeit naive and sheltered. Most importantly, I believe he really cares about Rhine. Gabriel, on the other hand, I feel no real connection too. Yes, he "saved" Rhine from a life with "misogynistic" Linden, but that's what society tells us we should want right — the guy who rides in on a white horse? I don't know, maybe I'm spinning circles. While Linden's father was psychotic, I don't think Linden should be held responsible for his father's evilness.

Then there's James versus Henry in Aimee Carter's "The Goddess Test. " Oh, Henry! I adored him! He was absolutely fantastic — one of my recent male character favorites. But society, in this case, still told Kate not to like him because of the whole Hades complex and the "prisoner" bit.

And finally, there's poor, handsome, likable William Turner versus Commodore Norrington. This reference for me is not so much of a "versus" just a quick "did you think of this... " I like Will Turner. I think he genuinely cares for Elizabeth (obviously) and I'm happy for them. But, I think Norrington was made out to be a false "villain" for no other reason than because he had money and status. I think that he, too, genuinely cared for Elizabeth and was attempting to gain her affection the socially acceptable way. But, again, society condemns him for "following the rules of society" (irony) and tells women to fall for the poor guy.

Which begs the question: is it wrong to want a guy who adores me, has some kind of social status, is not poor, and follows the dating rules set by society? If it is not wrong, than why does society continue to impress upon me via literature, movies, etc that I should want to marry the guy who treats me like crap, is full of drama, who my parents hate, and has no money? What's wrong with normalcy in a relationship?

Granted, we read/watch movies to get away from normalcy — I'm just trying to make a point. In real life, what are you looking for? The Mr. Darcy or the Mr. Bingley? For years I've said I want to marry my own Mr. Darcy. But, and no one hate me, the fact of the matter is that I would never want to date/marry Mr. Darcy. His inability to communicate, I feel, would set our marriage up for failure. Sorry, if I'm crushing anyone's vision of perfection here. But why is the "good guy" the wrong guy for the relationship? Do the "good guys" really come in last? Is that society's fault or our own?

When I was sixteen I wanted the rebellious Tom LeFroy and would have and probably did turn up my nose at anyone my parents actually liked. But now, as an adult, that's what I want in a relationship. I want to marry a man my parents like, a man with a job and education, a man with no drama attached, a man who adores me and I don't have to work for it.

Thank God I found him.

"The characters were all fantastically real to me... I found myself rooting for them and thinking of them well after the book was closed and finished. The plot was extremely fast paced, suspenseful, and down-right addicting." — Miss Remmers
From Amazon.com...
"Not all dreams are sweet.
For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody — notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime. She can't tell anybody about what she does — they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.
Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant... "

Book Trailer I picked this book up simply because it looked good. Then I read the premise and that sounded interesting too. So I put it with the five other "these look good" books at the used bookstore; when I got home I put them on my shelf. Less than 24 hours later I felt drawn to this book, there were loads of other books I needed to get to first but I found myself looking on the shelf for this book in particular after finishing Delirium.
Upon first opening "Wake," I realized that the writing is extremely choppy — and that I liked it that way. The sentences are short and to the point; it's a type of writing style I would normally discourage with my freshmen, but with "Wake" I found that it drew me in and added both mystery and suspense. The choppy writing made the story seem to move faster and with a sense of urgency. Lisa's writing style otherwise was unique and different. The different font for the dreams and the reality were helpful; the dream writing was done so in a way that I felt like I was actually seeing it.
I pitied Janie for her ability, I can't imagine getting pulled into people's dreams without warning. It'd be one thing if she were sleeping too, but that she can be driving, studying, talking, and all of a sudden pass out — not cool. But speaking of cool... Cabel is hot. I've been lucky enough to read two books in a row with fantastically drool worthy male protagonists ("Wake" and "Delirium"). Even when Cabel was being sketchy, I couldn't help but hope he had a plan. On the bus with the McDonalds when he came to her rescue — I almost died of romance! The Snickers bar and the skateboard! This boy has moves and if I weren't engaged to the most romantic man I know (nonfiction wise), I'd let him put his moves on me!
Cabel's "alternate" life was a little hard to buy — but it didn't deter me from reading. Lisa's characters were all fantastically real to me, even with their flaws (especially Janie's a bit unbelievable best friend). I found myself rooting for them and thinking of them well after the book was closed and finished.
The plot, like I said, was extremely fast paced, suspenseful, and down-right addicting. I can't wait to pick up "Fade" and "Gone" from the library today!
Originality: 10/10 Ending: 10/10 Characters: 8/10 Plot: 10/10 My reaction/enjoyment: 9/10 Theme: 10/10 Imagery: 10/10 Setting: 5/5 Voice: 5/5 Style: 5/5 Tone: 5/5 Cover: 10/10 Overall: 97/100 A
To the FTC, with love: Loved and Bought
To find out more about this series and author, visit the following links: -Visit Lisa around the web here: Website | Blog
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Random bit of information: Last night I had to extremely awful nightmares that I'm sure Janie is happy she didn't have to witness. Not the kind of nightmare where I'm naked — but the kind where both my parents have died and I didn't get to say good bye. I just remember wallowing in my dream pity. I'm pretty sure my face was contorted to my "crying face" while I was sleeping because now my cheeks hurt. I also dreamt that I was in a play with my three best friends (all drama majors) and I screwed around the whole time and then didn't know my lines when it came to the opening night and I let them all down.
/End Rant

The Story of Us by Deb Caletti
Publisher: Simon Pulse (April 24th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 390 pages
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Cricket’s on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend—but she’s picked a bad week to sort out her love life. For one thing, her mother’s romance is taking center stage: After jilting two previous fiancés, her mom is finally marrying Dan Jax, whom Cricket loves. But as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities at a guesthouse whose hippie owners have a sweet, sexy son—Ash—complications arise:Cricket’s future stepsisters make it clear they’re not happy about the marriage. An old friend decides this is the week to declare his love for Cricket. Grandpa chooses to reveal a big secret at a family gathering. Dan’s ex-wife shows up. And even the dogs—Cricket’s old, ill Jupiter and Dan’s young, lively Cruiser—seem to be declaring war.
While Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, she’s also alarmed by her own desires. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her…

Review:

The Story of Us is a serious book, but there are so many hilarious moments. Cricket's family has gathered with her mom's future-husband Dan's family for their wedding and it's a little like that movie Christmas Vacation. There are so many disasters happening around every corner. Cricket's worried about her mom taking off again before the wedding but she's also dealing with her own issues which include the cute guy Ash, her evil future step-sisters, and a house full of crazy, stressed out family members.

Cricket was a good character because she does truly love her family and worry about them — even her older brother. And while she is young, she still comes off as mature and wise. She wants what's best for her mom and that has become a big priority in her life. She has started to question her relationship with Janssen. They have been together forever but she just can't get over a few doubts. Although we don't really get to know Janssen first-hand, he is still very much included in the book. Cricket emails with him often and shares their history. This gives us a great chance to get to know him through her experiences and he was a fascinating character!

Ash is there, and he's hot, and he pays attention to Cricket. He has a bit of that dark, mysterious vibe going on and that really draws Cricket to him. She just has trouble finding out if that's real affection or her just latching on to something for comfort.

The plot was really what created such a well-rounded story in this book. Each character brought so much drama and fun. I think that everyone will find at least a few characters who remind them of a person in their own family. Some parts of the story lagged a bit for me, especially with a great deal of focus on the family dog. Not that I dislike dogs, I don't, but her emails with Janssen were mostly about the dog and I just wanted to know more about their relationship instead.

This book is a real coming-of-age story, involving a girl just trying to deal with the changes in her life. As with many young adults, change is scary and it can be difficult to let go of the security of a home, boyfriend, or friend. It's a time where a person takes a big leap of faith and that's exactly what Cricket had to learn to do. Deb Caletti truly knows how to target the mind of a teenager and dive into their dreams and fears.

Recommended: People looking for something cute and funny, but with a deeper meaning.

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Crush Control by Janenifer Jabaley
Publisher: Razorbill (June 9th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 318 pages
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Willow has spent most of her life as her mother's sidekick in a popular Las Vegas hypnotism show. So when she and her mom move back to their sleepy southern hometown to start over, she thinks she's in for a life of quiet normalcy. Except that her new life turns out to be anything but, when she kinda sorta hypnotizes Quinton, the hottest guy on the football team, to fall madly, deeply, head over heels in love with her. But what started out as an innocent way to make her best friend, Max, jealous soon gets way out of hand, and Willow begins to wonder if the mind — and more importantly, the heart — is something you can really control. Review: Crush Control is a really cute story with a fun twist! Willow and her mother have been in Vegas for years doing a hypnotism show. Now they are back in their small town and Willow is doing her best to adjust. It is made a little easier when her best friend Max is by her side. They have been best friends since childhood and it's nice to see a friendly face.

But things aren't exactly turning out great when she finds out Max is dating someone else. Willow doesn't know what to do to get his undivided attention so she comes up with an idea to hypnotize hotty Quinton into falling in love with her. B ut hypnotism is nothing to mess with and Willow gets a little more attention than she bargained for.

Crush Control has a ton of hilarious moments as poor Quinton turns into the world's most perfect boyfriend. But maybe he's a little too perfect. Every girl likes a little romance but it was so funny to see Quinton pull out all the stops in order to make Willow happy. And even better to see all the insane ways Willow tried to break the spell.

Willow was a fun character and I enjoyed her quirky personality. Max was terrific and it was interesting to see his conflicting emotions when it came to Willow and his girlfriend. A lot of those interactions reminded me of typical high-school drama.

Crush Control is a really adorable, light read that will have people cracking up. It's funny to see how mind control may not be the right answer when it comes to finding true love.

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Teaser 3 from The Impact of You: She slides the sheet of paper toward me and points. “We have to write entries on our own body image, what attracts us in the opposite sex, and an entry on sexual preferences and orgasms.” Her eyes dart up to mine and she drags her teeth across her bottom lip. Fuuuck, that’s sexy. Avery stuffs the paper back into her bag, muttering to herself,“A section on orgasms- that’ll be a short chapter… ” Holy shit. “What?” I can’t help but react. Has no one touched this beautiful girl? Sign me up. Right fucking now. Her head snaps up. “I’m just going to shut up now.” “That’s probably wise.” Otherwise I can’t be held responsible for bringing her to orgasm myself. Under the table. Immediately. Avery collapses, burying her face in her hands. I can’t resist reaching over to rub her back between her shoulder blades. “Hey, it’s okay. If you need tutoring in the bedroom too, babe, just ask.” Avery lets out a groan, and I can’t be sure, but I think a string of curse words too. Once her tirade is out of her system, she takes a deep breath and sits up straight. Her expression is still pinched, like she can’t believe she told me that. I push her coffee toward her again, trying to downplay it, and Avery accepts the cup, taking a sip. “Hey, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, but no wonder you’re so cranky. I would be too without regular orgasms,” I say. Avery spits her coffee across the table, choking and sputtering. I scoot my chair closer and pat her back, nursing her back to health until she can clear her stubborn airway. She grips the table and sucks in a ragged breath, her eyes watering with the effort. “I’m sorry, Whistle.” I continue rubbing her back. “I shouldn’t have said that. I meant every word, but I’m sorry you got choked up.” “I didn’t get choked up. I choked. Big difference. And don’t call me Whistle.” Avery stands, grabbing for her backpack. “We’re done here.” My hand on her wrist stops her. Maybe I went too far. But I think she secretly likes me pushing her. I lift the bag and place the straps carefully on her shoulders. “Remember, Saturday. You already agreed.” “I’ll be there.”

The Impact of You by Kendall Ryan
Published: June 7th, 2013
Reading Level: New Adult
324 Pages
Summary:
Needing an escape from her past, Avery chooses a college where no one knows her. Keeping a low profile was the plan, falling for the intense frat boy, Jase wasn’t. Yet she can’t deny how alive she feels when he’s near. Even as common sense implores her to stay away, her body begs her to get closer.

Jase, numb from his own family drama, has grown bored with weekends fueled by nameless girls and countless bottles when he meets Avery. Helping her cope with her past is better than dealing with the bullshit his own life’s served up. Determined to drive away the painful secret she’s guarding, he appoints himself her life coach, and challenges her to new experiences. Getting close to her and being the one to make her smile are simply perks of the job.

But when Avery’s past boldly saunters in, refusing to be forgotten, can Jase live with the truth about the girl he’s fallen for?

Recommended for 17+ due to mature themes and sexual content.

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This week I've been giving you some mini-reviews from Indie/New Adult books that have been released over the past year or so. I'd read a ton of them so it's easier to review a few at once. Monday had the books that got a 5 star review from me and yesterday featured the 4 star books. Today is another batch of 4 star books. Hopefully you will find a few you'd like to add to your list.

Fallen Crest High by Tijan
Add to Goodreads

As far as new adult authors go, Tijan is not one that pops up often. I happened to find this book while browsing one day and was so glad that I did. This is really one of those books where the characters stay with you. You may not love every aspect of the story, but you can't help but keep reading till it's finished. Mason and Logan (the bothers) were great in their own ways and Sam has the misfortune of living with them after her mom decided to marry their dad. This book is pretty complicated with all the plots, sub-plots, and characters but I definitely want to see what happens in the new book.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover Add to Goodreads
This one is easy to spoil because there is a lot going on. Tons of tragedy! When Sky meets Dean she has no idea of their past. Sky has been through more than many people could imagine. It was sad to see how broken she was but I was glad that Dean could be there for her. At times the drama seemed a bit too much but it was still a well written story with a lot of great moments between the characters. Dean was my favorite. You can't help but love him and hope that these characters can somehow find happiness through all the heartbreak. Not sure when/if I'll read the next one but so many people loved this one.

Play With Me by Piper Shelly Add to Goodreads
You know how sometimes you just want a light, sweet book to read? This one is perfect for those times! This was one of the cutest romances ever. Liza is a cutie! Poor girl has been in love with her best friend Tony forever and he comes back from soccer camp in love with another *sigh*. So, she has a plan to become sporty herself in hopes he will notice her. What she doesn't plan for is the soccer captain, Ryan, to start paying attention to her. They have so many of those cute moments that have you saying"awww." The ONLY complaint I had about this story was that it was just too short! I wanted more! Of course, there is now a version in Ryan's POV but still… I wish this one would have been a bit longer. But, I totally recommend it.

If You Stay by Courtney Cole Add to Goodreads
Some books say they have bad boys but this one is really bad. Pax is a jerk, 100%! He has money to burn but is rude, disrespectful, and has a whole slew of drug issues. Not the easiest character to like but I liked that there was no doubting his personality. Everyone knew immediately what type of guy he was. Mila is a sweetheart who can't help but try to help Pax. Even though she is told to forget about ever changing him, she can't help but have hope that he will get better. It took a while for their sparks to really heat up but I liked seeing Pax change. Much is the story is from his POV and it was easy to see how Mila got under his skin. Courtney Cole is a great author and I look forward to reading more from her.

Someone to Love by Addison Moore Add to Goodreads
This is a light story and a nice college-age romance but there was something lacking. Maybe it was depth for the character? Not sure. But, in this book, Kendall wants to be a player and she goes to the king of all players, Cruise, for help. She says she's determined to learn how to play guys. The overall story was fun to read but I'm not sure I fully bought the whole"wanting to be a player" thing. I think that with more work this book could have hit it out of the park but for something light and fluffy, it's a pretty good read. I've seen other people with some mixed feelings about this title.

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker Add to Goodreads
This is a very intense story. Kacey has had a really hard life and all she wants to do is find safety and take care of her little sister. They move into a rundown apartment and she starts working to try to take care of the bills. Then Trent moves next door. Kacey tries to brush off her feelings for him but they are drawn to each other. I really enjoyed this book and all the side characters/plots too. It's depressing at times but I couldn't stop reading. The overall idea is a bit predictable but I still found myself rooting for the characters and wanting to find out what will happen next. I will probably check out the next book in the series because it focuses on Kacey's sister.

After Tuesday by Renee Ericson Add to Goodreads
This book is about Ruby, a young girl dealing with an alcoholic father. I liked this book for a lot of reasons. One big reason is that her dad, although sick, wasn't a complete jerk. He seemed like he wanted to be a good dad and that's something rarely seen in YA books. Then Ruby gets to know Brent, a guy from school, and she's forced to balance her real life with that of a normal teenager. She tries to hide her issues at home but that isn't easy. Soon both collide and she has to rely on someone else. Sometimes I just wished she would have been honest with Brent early on instead of hiding things. But I did like the way the author portrayed the relationship and the issues Ruby had with her dad. He wasn't just thrown to the side like some novels do.

Breathe Into Me by Amanda Stone Add to Goodreads
This was another complex story and in the end I was scratching my head a bit. Kelsey had some really craptastic luck. She had a horrible tragedy 6 years before she heads to college and all she wants is to escape it. She has her best friend Jessi, who I loved, and soon she meets bad-boy Kane. But Kane isn't really bad. He was actually much nicer than I expected. Sometimes I wanted to shake Kelsey for being so darn trusting of guys-who-shall-remain-nameless, especially after what she had been through. Plus, I wasn't happy with the fact she judged Kane so quickly when something happened with him. I don't want to spoil anything but I do think this is definitely worth the read. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Picture Perfect by Alessandra Thomas Add to Goodreads
It's pretty hard to find a good story that doesn't involve a girl who is a perfect size 4. Cat used to be a model but now she can't fit into anything in her closet. She had an accident and, after sitting for nearly a year, she's going back to school as a size 12. One thing I really liked about this story is that all of Cat's friends didn't shun her because of her size. It's not like it's the worst thing in the world so it sucks when books act like the character can't have friends if she's beyond a size 10. Cat did have friends and, really, she is the biggest issue blocking her own happiness. When Nate steps in Cat finally starts to see herself as more than a size. He helps her break down her walls and be happy again. Sometimes I just wanted her to get over things but I tried to understand where she was coming from. This book was really enjoyable and had a very unique plot (and twist).

Unbroken by Melody Grace Add to Goodreads
This book has one of my all-time favorite lines ever…
"Mom always told me there are two kinds of love in this world: the steady breeze, and the hurricane. Emerson Ray was my hurricane… "
Love it! This book is great for a summer read. Juliet is forced to go back to her summer beach home for a while and she runs into her old flame Emerson. I enjoyed this story but nothing really stood out to me as memorable. There is some cheating, which I hate, but it didn't ruin the book for me. The characters definitely have chemistry and there are several hot moments to enjoy.
ALL OF THESE BOOKS WERE RATED

Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Publisher: ATOM (April 27th, 2010)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 323 pages
Series: House of Night #7
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
When friends stop trusting each other, Darkness is there to fan the flames…

Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampyre High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left…

Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance.

Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned.
Review: I'll do my best to stay away from major spoilers for this series. I know that several people have stopped reading the House of Night series recently but I still really enjoy the books. I actually think that the most recent books (Burned and Awakened) were very well written and suspenseful. I was worried that this book would be filled with only Zoey's depressed emotions but it wasn't, at all!

Burned does give us several perspectives for this book. It ranges from Zoey, to Stevie Rae, Stark, Rephaim, and others. At times, this was a little too much. I thought that a few things could have been left out (not particularly with these characters but with lesser ones) and the book may have had a little better flow. I admit that Stevie Rae is not one of my favorite characters and I think that is what initially kept me away from the recent books. I knew she was going to have a much larger part as they continued. I think her accent and word choices are a little extreme and draw away from the point of what she is saying. Other than that, I've actually enjoyed her character a lot more in Burned.

Rephaim is a newer character in Burned and we really get a chance to get to know him. I wasn't fond of him, at all, in Tempted but he's grown on me. I'm excited to see what happens with him next. Stark has always been one of my favorites and he has really grown a lot over time. I need more Stark! Zoey continues to amaze me with her strength and spirit. She is a very strong character.

I enjoyed the plot in this book. It still had just as many twists and turns as the previous books. There was never a dull moment. I do think that the drama with Kalona and Neferet needs to end soon. It goes on and on and after a while it will be way too much! I think that the story could have much more going on even long after the Neferet story line is complete.

Overall, I was really impressed with Burned. I still enjoy this series a lot and the characters that I fell in love with long ago. P.C. and Kristin Cast keep coming up with unique ideas and crazy fight scenes that draw me in from page one.

Find P.C. and Kristin Cast
Website | House of Night | P.C.'s Blog | Facebook

Purchase Burned
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TOP 6(66) CHILDHOOD TERRORS
by
Elizabeth Richards

Here are the top 6 things that kept me up at night as a kid…

6: THE KANDY MAN – ‘HAPPINESS PATROL, DOCTOR WHO’

I don’t think any television show scares the heebie-jeebies out of kids more than Doctor Who. From Cybermen to the Weeping Angels, the writers certainly know how to create the perfect bogeyman to keep kids up at night. But it was the Kandy Man from the episode ‘Happiness Patrol’ that scared me the most as a kid. In this episode The Doctor and his companion Ace visit a colony on Terra Alpha, where all the citizens are forced to be happy all the bleeding time. If they’re caught being a ‘Killjoy’ by the secret police (known as the Happiness Patrol), they’re arrested and fed to the Kandy Man – a sweet-based robot who looks oddly like the Bassett’s Liquorice Allsorts man. As a little girl who loved her sweeties, the idea of a candy that bit back did not sit well with me. I still keep a wary distance from liquorice allsorts… you know, just in case.
5: ‘REMEMBER ME’ BY CHRISTOPHER PIKE

In my early tweens, I was a massive fan of horror authors like Christopher Pike, RL Stine, and James Herbert. One of my all-time best reads was Remember Me – a story about a girl named Shari Cooper, who is murdered and has to solve the mystery of her own death. It had ghosts, murder, cheating boyfriends, and a shocking revelation. But it was the Shadow that gave me chills, and makes this number 5 in my list.

4: GHOSTWATCH

On October 31,1992, the BBC ran a mockumentary called Ghostwatch, starring popular children’s TV presenter Sarah Greene. It was shot as if it were a live news broadcast, covering a ‘live, on-air investigation’ of a house in Northold, which was reputably haunted by a poltergeist called Pipes. Now at the time, I had NO idea this was a drama. I thought it was real, and sat down to watch it with my buddies, thinking we were about to witness a real-life ghost hunt. What larks! Erm… no. It turned out to be 90 minutes of the most TERRIFYING TELEVISION I HAVE EVER SEEN. If you can get your hands on a recording of it, I highly recommend you view it. Then show it to your kids and tell them it’s real, and sit back and watch the hilarity unfold.

3: ‘LITTLE MY’ FROM THE MOOMINS

Back in the 1980s, there was a very popular television show in the UK called the Moomins, which featured these unbelievably cute trolls which—for some random reason—looked like white hippopotamuses, with wide eyes, round snouts and pudgy tummies. I loved them. They were adorable. What I didn’t love was their side kick Little My. She was supposed to be brave and fearless. All I knew is she wanted to eat my soul.

2: SPIDERS

I absolutely and utterly refuse to believe that something with four eyes, eight legs, drains all the blood out of its victims, and can kill me with one bite is ‘more scared of me, than I am of it.’

1: PENNYWISE THE CLOWN

Black City by Elizabeth Richards
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons (November 13th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 384 pages
Series: Black City, #1
A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive some SIGNED bookmarks!

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends November 6th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

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Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.

Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia
Publisher: Omnific Publishing (November 22nd, 2011)
Adult: 17+
Paperback: 384 pages
Source: Author/Publisher
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others.. he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day.

Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.

When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she's surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.

Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right?
Review: First, I'll say that this is, for sure, an adult novel! It is very raw, emotional, and heartbreaking in so many ways. I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but wow, I was blown away. Honestly, I think it could have easily been 3 different books. It was very complex with a ton of amazing characters and plot-lines going on at once.

I assumed from the summary that this book was mostly about Blake and Livia — I was wrong. It was so much more than that. Blake and Livia are only 1/10th of what's in this story. Poughkeepsie does start with the focus on Blake and Livia. Livia is so kind-hearted and she tries to care for Blake (who is homeless) in any way that he will let her. Their connection was simple but deep.

Through their relationship, we are introduced to several other main characters and that is when the story goes in a bunch of different directions. My favorite character was Beckett. Beckett is Blake's brother (through adoption) and he is incredibly protective. He is not the most moral person in the world but he does what he feels necessary in order to protect the people around him. He is dangerous, intimidating, and hot!

Although we meet a ton of characters in this story, I was easily able to keep up. Each character and POV held my attention. They were not"throw away" people that you forget about after the book is finished. I still remember each one and loved what they brought to the story.

My only tiny complaint with this book was just that I think it may have been better as a series. I wanted MORE. Maybe each brother should have had their own book? Mostly just so it could have been more drawn out and developed. Poughkeepsie is non-stop action and drama but maybe having a few books could have let each relationship shine a little more on their own.

Poughkeepsie is emotional and realistic. Each character has had their own struggles and they turned into their own version of a family. I highly enjoyed reading this story and I can't wait to read more from Debra Anastasia!

Recommended: ADULTS looking for a fabulous contemporary novel with a lot of grit and honesty.

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Over at Reading with Tequila, book bloggers have compiled a list of book blogger recommendations. When I say a list — I mean a LIST! It's 266 books long! The list was compiled by 34 book bloggers and the ranking order "was painstakingly compiled factoring in how high the book was ranked on each bloggers personal list as well as how many bloggers mentioned the book." From this list there will subsequently be a Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge for 2012.

Of the 266 favorites listed — I have read 34 (a measly 14%). For the most part I agree with the standings of the list, although my personal top five would be different. But most of my favorite books are listed — the only one left out that I notice right now is "The Goddess Test" by Aimee Carter.

I think it's important to realize that as book bloggers we look at books different than the "average" reader because we read more than the "average" reader. Our comparisons between books are more vast. We also are in the "know" of good writing versus bad and all of the drama that exists in the publishing/reading/blogging world. I am, of course, alluding to "Twilight."

On this list "Twilight" is listed as # 266. Despite the "bad writing," I would have personally listed "Twilight" much higher on the list simply because I really did enjoy it as a guilty-pleasure read.

What about you? How do you fare according to the list compiled? I see tons of books on my TBR that apparently need to be moved up.:)

Thanks to those book bloggers who have compiled The List:

Em @ A Beautiful Madness
Marce @ Tea Time with Marce
Melissa @ Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
Sarah @ Sarah Reads Too Much
Jessica @ Book Bound
Alita @ alita.reads.
Riv Re @ Riv Reads
Fiona @ The Book Coop
Ivy Pittman @ Visible Woman Online
The Keeper @ Tales from the Crypt
Creative Mind @ Creative Mind
Jennifer @ Reading with Tequila
Belle @ Belle's Bookshelf
Shannon @ Books Devoured
Suey @ It's All About Books
Jennifer @ Jenaissance
Ash @ Typing Tiara
Amanda @ The Vintage Bookworm
Nulaane @ Katzenjammer
Hilde @ The Turn of the Page
Amy @ Bookzilla
Heather @ Proud Book Nerd
Jennifer @ Fictitious Musings
Penelope Lolohea @ The Reading Fever
Nancy O'Berry @ Romancing the Blog
Samantha @ Paper Cuts
Sana Deen @ Book Sisterhood
Jenn Baker @ PonyTails Book Reviews
Kristie J @ Kristie J
Michelle @ Realizing my Dreams & More
The Book Vixen @ The Book Vixen
Scribacchina @ Parole/Words
Rae Reads @ The Novel Nymph
Janina @ Synchronized Reading