Review: Miss You Love You Hate You Bye by Abby Sher

Title: Miss You Love You Hate You Bye
Author: Abby Sher
Format: Paperback ARC
Pub. Date: February 18th 2020
Source: The Windy Pages


Book Description:

Zoe and Hank (short for Hannah) have been inseparable since they met in elementary school. The leader of the pack, Zoe is effortlessly popular while Hank hides comfortably in her shadow. But when Zoe's parents unexpectedly divorce, Zoe's perfect facade starts cracking little by little. Sinking under the weight of her broken family, Zoe develops an eating disorder. Now she must rely on Hank for help.

Hank struggles to help Zoe; after all, she is used to agreeing, not leading. How can she help her best friend get better before it's too late?

Written partially in letters from Zoe and mostly in narrative from Hank's perspective, Miss You Love You Hate You Bye is a poignant and eye-opening novel about friendship, mental health, and learning to put yourself first.

Review:

★★

I wanted to like this book. I really did. I think books on young adult mental health are so, so important. But this one fell flat for me and I was left disappointed.

The book is written in almost duel perspective. It's 90% from the main character, Hannah's, point of view. Every so often there's a letter written by Zoe to break things up. While I understand why it's written from both sides, I didn't care for the letters aspect and would have just preferred duel POVs as things were actually happening. Because of the letters, we start right off the bat knowing what Zoe's fate is. We know she's in a hospital/treatment center. We know she's mad at Hannah, and we know that ultimately, she's okay. Because of this, it made me less interested in the story from the get-go, because I had the resolution before I even know the story.

I didn't care for either character. Zoe is manic and struggling and a hot mess. She's dealing with a lot- ADHD, learning problems, her parents' divorce, her eating disorder. But we never really get too much of her side of why she's acting this way. Then there's Hannah, who has a complete do nothing attitude about almost everything in her life. She does whatever Zoe tells her to, always. That's all of her personality, even according to her: she's Hannah's friend. She notices eating habits but doesn't say anything. She is unhappy but doesn't say anything. She is negative about everything. She's rude AF to her mom's boyfriend even though he's nice and kind and her mom is happy (which she resents, even though she admits he's nice) and it has been years. Even her mom eventually calls her on the fact that she's like this, which I appreciated.

Both of their inner voices felt like they were done in "adult" voices (Hannah uses words like "hirsute" in her head, for example) but their out-loud dialogue sounded like middle school- very "OMG like cringe". They're high schoolers. This back and forth of writing style/voice was a bit jarring in places.

I wish the book would have been more about Zoe. She's the one with the disorder and struggling and yet she's not really what the book is about. I appreciate that some aspects of eating disorders and mental health and self-harm were realistically portrayed in all their ugliness. It's not all therapy and sadness, it can be mania and spiraling out.

But I just found myself bored, uninterested, and wanting it to be over. There's so much happening but so little of it gets closure. It feels disconnected and almost random.

I really like that this book is about platonic friendship. There's no romance component (albeit a kiss that felt forced and unnecessary for the plot), it's just a story about friendship and I think there should be more of that.

I also think the cover is super cute, but, obviously that has nothing to do with the plot.

I think there is a need and a space for YA books about hard topics like this. But I also think that there a lot of books already out there that cover them better than this book does. If it relates to one person, or helps someone find courage to talk to someone, than this book will have been worth writing.

But I am not that person, and this book wasn't for me. Be warned, this book contains drug use, eating disorders, self-harm, and other topics that might be tough to read for some people.

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
Pub. Date: October 18th 2007
Source: Half Price Books


Book Description:

He consumed her with that kiss, leaving no question that whatever was happening between them was meant to be—that it had always been meant to be…

You can’t stop the future.
You can’t rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker–his classmate and crush–who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah’s pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.

Review:

★★★★

I know this book is really polarizing for a lot folks, and that a lot of people have strong feelings about it. I'm just not that passionate about it, so this is going to be a really basic review. I have not seen the Netflix adaptation.

I think this book has a good concept. I liked the way that it was formatted, both by using the tapes as a way to hear Hannah's story and by using the tape deck functions (play, pause, rewind) as a way to tie in Clay's narrative and response to her stories.

I will say that this book held my attention. This is probably the fastest that I've read a book in quite a while. It was both intriguing and haunting. I found myself wanting Clay to keep listening and going forward with the tapes, but I also hesitated each time a new person was mentioned, unsure if I actually did want to know what happened to Hannah.

I think I would have appreciated this book when it came out. 2007 would have been freshman/sophomore year of high school for me, when I myself would have been in the throes of my worst depression and high school angst. To me it seemed, melodramatic yes, but also quite realistic. I never questioned the teenage voice that it's written in, and all of the things that happened seemed like they very easily could have been real. That's something that I don't find a lot in a lot of high school books, especially where parties are involved.

I felt connected to the characters, which was sort of weird, considering that Hannah is dead. But the same way that hearing Hannah's voice makes Clay a little jumpy because it's like she's alive again, because her narrative is so strong on the tapes, you feel like you know her. And I felt for Clay, who had to hear so much and continue on with the little chain letter type set up.

I don't think I'll ever read this book again, but I'm not mad that I read it. I don't really recommend it to anyone either- I'd hate for anyone to be influenced by the topics here. If you're suicidal, or have been impacted by suicide, I do not think that this is the book for you.

Review: Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Title: Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison
Author: Piper Kerman
Format: Paperback, 314 pages
Pub. Date: March 8th 2011
Source: Half Price Books


Book Description:

With a career, a boyfriend, and a loving family, Piper Kerman barely resembles the reckless young woman who delivered a suitcase of drug money ten years before. But that past has caught up with her. Convicted and sentenced to fifteen months at the infamous federal correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, the well-heeled Smith College alumna is now inmate #11187–424—one of the millions of people who disappear “down the rabbit hole” of the American penal system. From her first strip search to her final release, Kerman learns to navigate this strange world with its strictly enforced codes of behavior and arbitrary rules. She meets women from all walks of life, who surprise her with small tokens of generosity, hard words of wisdom, and simple acts of acceptance. Heartbreaking, hilarious, and at times enraging, Kerman’s story offers a rare look into the lives of women in prison—why it is we lock so many away and what happens to them when they’re there.

Review:

★★

It's worth saying up front that, yes, I do watch the Netflix series of the same name. However, I understand that the real life and the fictional life are two different things, so I will try my best not to compare the two: they are very different experiences.

This book is alright. It was a very slow read for me. I expected it to be faster paced, knowing that Piper has a history as a traveler and having been shipped around the prison system. But not much really happened.

There are so many different characters in the book, that it's really hard to keep everyone straight. Aside from a few reoccurring characters like Pop (Red) and Nora (Alex), not much depth is given to a lot of these girls. You don't get to know them very well as a whole. I also wasn't a fan of how she describes people. She often finds a way to insult them. Like, yeah she's pretty but she's super dumb, or she's ugly but she's so sweet. It was off-putting.

There was a lot of inner dialogue and not so much talking between characters. I think this is part of why it felt like nothing was happening. Her thoughts were sometimes interesting and almost always understandable. Questions like what is my fiance doing right now? Will I make it out of here? How did I end up here? But I was surprised by the lack of acknowledgement of her crimes. Towards the end she makes one flippant comment about how she committed a crime, but throughout the book there's definitely the implication of "I don't deserve to be here, I'm not like these people". There's no real growth or evolution. Although, she is on a women's prison board now, so some positivity has coming from it (not to mention those Netflix checks- genuinely, good for her on that front!).

That said, I do appreciate that she acknowledges her privilege often. While it does get annoying to hear about how much she has compared to others, I'm glad that she at least realized it. She had a job waiting for her on the outside. She received tons of mail and books and had a great lawyer. I do think that it's odd that no one seemed to care that she went to prison. By her own detail, she is waspy and she went to Smith. Yet her family and friends were just like "oh, okay, see you when you're out". It's great that they were so supportive.... Just seems odd for such an upper class family to not be appalled. Just an interesting observation.

The most interesting part of the book to me was the end section, which tells about her brief time in the Cook County jail system. She was held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, Illinois during her testimony for court. I'm from Cook County, and as she detailed how terrible the conditions were, I couldn't help but to feel like "yeah, that sounds right" based off of our news... And that's a damn shame.

I think what made this an odd read for me is that it reads sort of like a college application essay. A lot of it is personal, first hand experience. Who am I to say her stay was boring? It's her life, and I'm sure it was terrifying and awful. I certainly wouldn't want to be in her position. But there's strangely inserted facts and percentages and things that make it almost seem like it's a research paper. The two different writing styles don't mesh together very well, and makes the book seem rather disorganized, and interrupts the flow of the narrative.

I do appreciate that she includes a list of resources for jails, prisons, and the family/friends of those who are incarcerated in the back of the book. I hope I never need them, but I think it's a great thing to include.

And one brief comparison to the show: you can mostly tell which characters are based on who, even though the names have been changed. I did think it was cool that some quotes from the show were taken verbatim from the text.

Ultimately, I'm not mad at this book. I'm not sorry I read it. But I don't think that I'll have any urge to read it again, and I don't think I'd recommend it to a friend. Perhaps if you're more affluent than I am, or if you've done time (or are facing it presently), maybe you'll have more to gain from this book than I did. It's not a bad book, it just could have been done better.

Review: Afterparty by Ann Redisch Stampler

Title: Afterparty
Author: Ann Redisch Stampler
Format: Paperback ARC
Pub. Date: January 7th 2014
Source: Won


Book Description:

Emma is tired of being good. Always the dutiful daughter to an overprotective father, she is the antithesis of her mother -- whose name her dad won't even say out loud. That's why meeting Siobhan is the best thing that ever happened to her...and the most dangerous. Because Siobhan is fun and alluring and experienced and lives on the edge. In other words, she's everything Emma is not.

And it may be more than Emma can handle.

Because as intoxicating as her secret life may be, when Emma begins to make her own decisions, Siobhan starts to unravel. It's more than just Dylan, the boy who comes between them. Their high-stakes pacts are spinning out of control. Elaborate lies become second nature. Loyalties and boundaries are blurred. And it all comes to a head at the infamous Afterparty, where debauchery rages and an intense, inescapable confrontation ends in a plummet from the rooftop.

This follow-up to Ann Redisch Stampler's Where It Began, reveals how those who know us best can hurt us most.

Review:

★★

Sometimes, every once in a while, there comes a book that feels like a case of "it's not you, it's me". I believe that this is one of those times. I'm glad a lot of other people seem to have enjoyed it, but it wasn't for me. This review will be vague, because there's a lot of potential spoilers.

The writing style wasn't one that I found enjoyable. It was full of long, flowery sentences that seemed extra detailed just for the sake of a word count. I thought maybe I'd warm up to it as the book went on, but alas I did not. The pacing was also rough. Sometimes the book jumped forward a day, sometimes a week. It was jagged and awkward and hard to keep up.

And then there's the characters. 99% of the time when I don't like a book, it's because of the characters, and this isn't the 1% for me. I didn't care for any of them. Not like "oh, I connect and understand these characters but I dislike them" but as in, I don't care at all what happens in your lives. For me it was a hyper-dramatic version of the 2003 film Thirteen. There's a good girl who doesn't want to be so good. Enter the super crazy, abusive, manipulative cool bad girl who is her downfall. There wasn't anything about her that made her unique, or someone that I could understand being friends with in the first place, let alone the friendship that follows. Think of all the things parents think are the end of the world: drugs, sex, and alcohol, and multiply the drama by 100, and that's what Siobhan gets them into. The main character is generic and forgettable, and doesn't really grow that much by the end of the novel . So, it felt largely predictable in parts.

And the end? What a let down. It didn't make up for my other issues with the book, so I was just left frustrated.

I will say that though it has nothing to do with the story, the cover is gorgeous.

As I said, I think this is a case of it's not you, it's me. So, if you like teenage drama type stories like Pretty Little Liars or Gossip Girl or things like that, go for it. Maybe you'll have a better time.

Early Review: Lola Carlyle's 12-Step Romance by Danielle Younge-Ullman!

Title: Lola Carlyle's 12-Step Romance
Author: Danielle Younge-Ullman
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: May 5, 2015
Source: Entangled Teen & Netgalley


Book Description via Goodreads:

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

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

Oh, and Sydney? She’s gone.

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

Review:

★★★★

If we're being completely honest, I didn't think that I was going to like this book. I have had friends go to rehab to deal with drug abuse, and I was really concerned about reading a book where the initial plot is a girl faking her way in to save a boy from himself. But no matter how much I concerned myself, I couldn't resist giving it a read. I'm so glad I did: there is way more to this book than meets the eye.

I would still categorize this novel as a young adult romance. Lola fakes her way into an amazing "spa like" rehab center to get the scoop on a boy she's had a crush on for forever. But she gets tangled up in a complicated string of emotions concerning him as well as the young man who is supposed to be in charge of her case. I loved watching their feelings get explored in their love/hate relationship.

I didn't initially care for Lola too much. She's shallow and moody and concerned with trivial things like designer sunglasses. But the more I got to learn about her, her experiences, and her bizarre family situations, the more I grew to like her and as cheesy as it sounds, the more she liked herself too. She ends up having a road to self-discovery even though she fights it every step of the way. Some things come into perspective for her and it shapes her in ways I didn't anticipate. She easily became my favorite character by the end of the book (though Adam is a very dreamy second place).

I also really enjoyed the unique cast of characters that to me each had a distinct function and personality. From Adam, the counselor of sorts who is driving Lola insane, to her possibly actually insane roommate who may want to injure Lola, to the little-too-charming owner of the facility, and even to Lola's paparazzi and image obsessed mother, there was never really a dull moment for me. Even though some of the side characters irritated me, I'm fairly certain they were written that way on purpose- and it worked.

There were also quite a few moments that made me snicker aloud, which I always appreciate in a book, especially in one that takes place in such a serious place.

This book is a good blend of young adult, contemporary, and romance. It touches on some tough stuff from the other clients (who are actually admitted for real addictions), such as sex, alcohol, and drugs, but the story never becomes graphic. All in all, I think that if you're a fan of all three of those genres that you should give this book a shot. Because of the romance and the warm California settings that are described in the book, I think this will make a great poolside or beachy read for the summer of 2015.

Thanks to Entangled Teen for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Chapter Excerpt, Review, & Giveaway: Twisted by Lola Smirnova!

Title: Twisted

Author: Lola Smirnova

Release Date: January 21st 2014

Genre: New Adult/Suspense/Thriller



Book Summary:

In the corrupt economy of post-Soviet Ukraine opportunities are scarce. Young and eager sisters – Natalia, Lena and Julia – harbor dreams of a better life. Naïve and tempted by the allure of ‘quick’ money, the girls set off on an adventure that changes their lives forever.

Can they stay out of trouble enough to fulfill their ambitions? Can they hold on to their idealism in a world where depravity and danger are constant companions? How far are they willing to go to make a buck?

Twisted is a disturbing behind-the-scenes look at a world that most will never see. It is shocking, raw, and explicit.

“Twisted tells the story of a young Ukrainian girl named Julia, whose family is struck with poverty after the fall of the Soviet Union. Her two older sisters leave home and become sex workers, glossing over the more distasteful aspects of their occupation, planting the seeds of both curiosity and greed in young Julia. She eventually finds the lure of easy money too beguiling and begins her journey into the darker aspects of drug abuse, drunken stupors, and the horrid and loveless life of a sex-for-sale prostitute... Twisted is an amazing book that is well written and provocative. This book is a worthwhile read.” - Michael Alexander’s BDSM Review

“The characters are real, dialog intoxicating, and the plot well crafted.” – Reviewed by Gary Stout at Readers’ Favorite

Lola Smirnova is currently working on her second novel Crave – a sequel to Twisted. To learn more, click here

Excerpt:

Chapter 2

My name is Julia. I am from Ukraine. I work as an entertainer in one of the many cabarets in Luxembourg City. In other words … I am a prostitute.

Luxembourg City is the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the pint-sized, landlocked country in the heart of Western Europe. By Shanghai, London or New York’s standards, it wouldn’t be strange to have sixty champagne bars in one city, but it does sound quirky when you consider that Luxembourg City is twice as small as Orlando Disney World.

This sleepy and conservative locale, the world’s eighth-largest banking and financial centre, motherland of prioress Yolanda and the 100-watt radio transmitter, is stuffed with sex-orientated ‘establishments’, like the one where I work. What’s more, they are jam-packed with able-to-eat-a-horse-for-the-dough girls from different countries – mostly, of course, Eastern Europeans, who would do anything to make an extra buck.

Champagne bar, whorehouse, brothel, house of assignation, bordello, den of vice; call them what you like, it does not change the core of these places. Although they are often called cabarets, and occasionally there is even strip-dancing involved, you shouldn’t associate them with merrymaking or extravaganza. ‘Trade’, ‘sex’, ‘transactions’, ‘carnal’, ‘barter’ or ‘perversion’ would be the better words to portray this type of nightery.

This is a place where one man can spend thousands of euro in an hour or sip only Coke all night long; where the currency is not money but champagne; where often nobody is really interested in the champagne’s quality or taste, but rather finds its value in the size and quantity of the bottles; where the sanctity of the sparkling drink of the gods and the missionary position are lost in the blue confusion of fake orgasms and sex noises.

It works as simply as a jukebox – to get music, you have to stick in a coin. If you want a girl to lavish attention on you, pay for her champagne.

The cheapest option is a €25 glass of bubbly, which gives you 15 minutes of an affectionate and solicitous bond with a girl at the bar. Pay twice that price and your ‘date’ drinks piccolo, the 250 ml bottle. In this case, the time you spend with her is doubled, but the storyline stays the same. Next: the demi-bouteille, a 375 ml bottle that costs about €180 for half an hour. This ‘denomination’ grants a little bit of comfort, because both of you can move to a dim semi-private lounge, as well as the confidence that physical manipulation will be involved. And last, but not least, is the ‘full house’ for the standard bottle, the price for which varies. It kicks off at €250 for questionable swill, which is reasonable damage considering that in addition to a drink, you get screwed for an hour in the séparé – a private room, most commonly upstairs. You could be asked to pay up to €650 for Cristal or Dom Perignon, where, of course, you cough up not only for sex but also for the champagne’s snobbish name, fine finish in the mouth, and the supplementary fondness and devotion. Sad to say, these pricey bottles – and the one-and-a-half litre magnums that go for €1,000 or more – are a rare occurrence in these clubs.

The uniqueness of such places is that while you, the customer, are having leisure time with your ‘pick’, her mind is constantly dividing the amount that you’ve already spent by five (this is how much commission the house pays her), adding her €60 daily salary and planning how to badger you to buy another bottle, all that while smiling or laughing hard enough to make sure that all of these calculations in her head are not reflected on her pretty face.

Most of the clubs open at one in the afternoon and cease their trading at about four in the morning. Of course, the run has to be split – there are day and night shifts. Even though, practically, there is no big difference between the two spells, the contrast in the clientele is huge.

The day shift – fuck, I hate it! – is all about the married and the perverts, but more often the married perverts. As a rule, they drop by to use their lunch break for a dull, uncomplicated quickie, or for depraved ‘activities’ they have never had the guts to share with their wives and girlfriends. They don’t drink much and have limited time. That is why the club is usually boring and full of freaks, but in the end, who cares if you can get the bottle?

On the other hand, the night transforms the club and fills it with a party flavour – the music is louder, the customers are drunker and the laughter gets more sincere. Even the girls’ sweat looks like a piece of cake. The problem is that the boys often get carried away by the alcohol and the thundering crowd, so their brains switch out of sex mode. If there is no sex, there is probably going to be no bottle either.

But enough, I don’t want to bore you. Let’s set in motion my adventure that, by the way, began without me.

Buy it here: ebook | Paperback

About the Author:

Lola Smirnova is an author from Ukraine, who for many years worked in the sex industry. She recently released her debut novel Twisted. Twisted is a work of fiction, but it is inspired by the author’s real life experiences making a living in the sex trade.
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Review:

★★★★

Wow. This book is one hell of a read, from start to finish.

Based on true events, Twisted is a book about three sisters navigating life in the sex trade. Going into this book, I wasn't too sure what to expect. Whatever I had been expecting, however, didn't prepare me for my reading. This book is intense. It's dark and gritty and crass- definitely not for the faint of heart. The realism is a striking, and often a hard to swallow one.

It's no surprise to my regular blog readers that I often read erotica and sex positive literature. However, that is NOT what this book is about. Sex is in no way romanticized or made to be glamorous. It is a harsh, manipulative, and necessary part of life that fuels a dark life. Add in the seedy nightlife underground, drugs, and alcohol, and this gets all the more real. That's exactly why this book has such a disturbing undertone: this is something that has and is really happening.

Twisted is gripping in an almost perverse way, and the writing itself is really detailed and well done. The thriller/suspense aspect has a sort of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo vibe to it, which I liked since that's one of my favorite books. I was also impressed since (it is my knowledge- correct me if I'm wrong) English is not Smirnova's first language. You wouldn't be able to tell by reading this. I also appreciated that non-English words were in Italics, helping the reader know its meaning by context.

Unrelated to the story itself, I really like the cover of this book. I think it's a good hint of what's inside, and I think it's pretty and quite striking.

This book is an eye opener, and is not one to be taken lightly. That said, it is definitely one worth reading. Be warned that this book is NOT for those under age 18: there is sex, violence, drugs/alcohol, and profanity aplenty. Also be warned that if you're like me, you won't be able to read this in one go- it got so intense that I had to take a breather or two. This is the first book by Lola Smirnova and with writings like this, I'm sure it won't be her last.

Thank you to Book Publicity Services for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Rough Rider by Victoria Vane!

Title: Rough Rider

Series: Hot Cowboy Nights #2

Author: Victoria Vane

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Contemporary Western Romance

Release Date: February 3, 2015

ISBN: 9781492601159

About the Book:

Two wary hearts …

Janice Combes has two loves, bucking bulls and Dirk Knowlton. But Dirk only has eyes for a dazzling rodeo queen. How can Janice ever compete while mired ankle-deep in manure? Exchanging playful banter with Dirk is all Janice can expect—until the stormy night he knocks on her door dripping wet and needing a place to crash.



Different Dreams…

Dirk Knowlton is living the cowboy dream. Life should be good—roping, branding, backing broncs, riding bulls, but there's a void he can't seem to fill. After getting hung up by a bull, he wonders if this is really the life he wants. Restless and rebellious, he bolts…but there’s a certain cowgirl he can’t forget.



When a battle-scarred Dirk returns to his Montana ranch he's determined to hang on at any cost. Janice has come back home to lick her own wounds. When old dreams turn to dust, can two wary hearts take another chance on love?

Get It Here:

Amazon | iBooks | B&N | BAM | Indigo | IndieBound | Kobo

Trailer:

Praise:

“A “red-hot cowboy tale...their sexual chemistry crackles. Well-paced, scorching scenes and witty banter move the story along while setting the stage for Wade’s war-hero brother to find his own true love in the next installment.” – Publishers Weekly

“SLOW HAND by Victoria Vane is delightful, funny, page turning steamy sexy… I'm beginning to think Victoria could write a phone book and make it sexy.” – Unwrapping Romance

“PULL THE FIRE ALARM & STOCK UP ON FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FOR THIS STEAMY ROMANCE!” – Avon Romance

Review:

★★★★

What can I say? I love me a good cowboy romance.

What really made this book for me was the main cowboy himself, Dirk. He's everything I want in a cowboy- broody, dark, and fiercely protective. I couldn't get enough of him, and I wanted him to be happy, which shows Vane's strength at writing characters since I am very much aware of the fact that he is in fact fictional. I liked Janice well enough, but my attention and focus was on Dirk. This book offers both perspectives, and while both are necessary to convey a deeper picture of what was happening, I felt more connected to Dirk's than to Janice's.

That said, I cheered them on together as a couple and hoped that they would work out all their demons and baggage and be together. And together, they were. Look no further for well written, hot romance scenes than Rough Rider, because there are plenty to satiate your appetite. More than just sex though, there's a bigger and more intricate plot that I followed up until the end, including twists that I didn't (but probably should have) see coming that made me make inhuman noises of feelings in my dorm room.

I really like, just as with Slow Hand how smart these novels come across. I don't know anything about cowboys or ranching or rodeos, being from Chicago myself. But Vane's writing feels like it's "letting you in on a secret" so to speak, with the terminology and slang and inside look at how the industry works. I was never left confused about meanings or operations, that's for sure.

There were a few places where I was thrown off by the pacing and had to reread a bit, because I didn't realize that the timeline had jumped years ahead. It wasn't enough to throw me off completely, but did slow me down at parts. I would also recommend reading book one first. You can read this as a stand alone, but I read Slow Hand just a few months ago and even I was trying to figure out some names and connections.

All in all, I think this is an enjoyable cowboy romance. If Wade was too straight laced for you, than you ought to try Dirk on for size. An ex-marine rodeo star with skeletons in his closet makes for a helluva whirlwind of emotions and relationships. I'd like to see more of him in the future.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

About the Author:

Victoria Vane is a multiple award-winning romance novelist and history junkie whose collective works of fiction range from wildly comedic romps to emotionally compelling erotic romance. Victoria also writes historical fiction as Emery Lee and is the founder of Goodreads Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers and the Romantic Historical Lovers book review blog.

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Non-Fiction Review: Uganda Be Kidding Me by Chelsea Handler

Title: Uganda Be Kidding Me
Author: Chelsea Handler
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: March 24 2014
Source: Grand Central Publishing & Netgalley

Description via Goodreads:

Wherever Chelsea Handler travels, one thing is certain: she always ends up in the land of the ridiculous. Now, in this uproarious collection, she sneaks her sharp wit through airport security and delivers her most absurd and hilarious stories ever.

On safari in Africa, it's anyone's guess as to what's more dangerous: the wildlife or Chelsea. But whether she's fumbling the seduction of a guide by not knowing where tigers live (Asia, duh) or wearing a bathrobe into the bush because her clothes stopped fitting seven margaritas ago, she's always game for the next misadventure.

The situation gets down and dirty as she defiles a kayak in the Bahamas, and outright sweaty as she escapes from a German hospital on crutches. When things get truly scary, like finding herself stuck next to a passenger with bad breath, she knows she can rely on her family to make matters even worse. Thank goodness she has the devoted Chunk by her side-except for the time she loses him in Telluride.

Complete with answers to the most frequently asked traveler's questions, hot travel trips, and travel etiquette, none of which should be believed, UGANDA BE KIDDING ME has Chelsea taking on the world, one laugh-out-loud incident at a time.

★★★★

I'm a huge fan of Chelsea Handler. I watched her show and her sitcom and have read and enjoyed her books in the past. I adore her raunchy and blunt storytelling, and I'm happy to say that Uganda Be Kidding Me is chock full of the humor I've come to love so much from her work.

Uganda Be Kidding Me follows Chelsea and her group of friends on an African safari, and hilarity naturally ensues. I laughed aloud more than once to myself. I am mildly impressed with how relatable this group of girls is, especially Chelsea, when you consider the fact that I am not in fact a celebrity or rich enough to fly my dog on a private jet across the country. They just seem like the kinda group I'd want to have a drink (or six) with and listen to their stories. In edition to being funny, it's also extremely quotable. There are a lot of one liners in here that made me snicker and want to remember them for later use.

Humor aside, the book actually contains some useful traveling information. There are tips scattered throughout the book, some humorous, some not, that help to outline the less experienced traveler. Plus, in her narrative of her African adventures one gets more tips, and a healthy dose of facts and tidbits about the animals and hotels/camps in which the group of friends stayed. Another plus to this book is that there are pictures included of the trip, giving the reader a little more insight and a few more laughs.

My only real disconnect to this book was the last fourth or so. Prior to this chunk of the book, the theme had been traveling. It was mostly set in Africa, but there are a few other places involved as well. But towards the end it goes back to LA and stays there. While the stories even from her own back yard are also hilarious, it felt a bit disjointed from the rest of the book. Still perfectly enjoyable, but just a little mismatched.

I recommend this book if you're a fan of Chelsea Handler's comedy, comedic nonfiction, or joke-packed travel memoirs that are chockoblock with raunchy stories fueled by drugs, sex, alcohol, and pooping in kayaks. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

#31DaysofReading Book Review: Bleed Like Me by Christa Desir!

Title: Bleed Like Me
Author: Christa Desir
Format: ebook
Pub. Date: October 7th 2014
Source: SimonPulse via PulseIt #31daysofreading

Description via Goodreads:

From the author of Fault Line comes an edgy and heartbreaking novel about two self-destructive teens in a Sid and Nancy-like romance full of passion, chaos, and dyed hair.

Seventeen-year-old Amelia Gannon (just "Gannon" to her friends) is invisible to almost everyone in her life. To her parents, to her teachers-even her best friend, who is more interested in bumming cigarettes than bonding. Some days the only way Gannon knows she is real is by carving bloody lines into the flesh of her stomach.

Then she meets Michael Brooks, and for the first time, she feels like she is being seen to the core of her being. Obnoxious, controlling, damaged, and addictive, he inserts himself into her life until all her scars are exposed. Each moment together is a passionate, painful relief.

But as the relationship deepens, Gannon starts to feel as if she's standing at the foot of a dam about to burst. She's given up everything and everyone in her life for him, but somehow nothing is enough for Brooks-until he poses the ultimate test.

Bleed Like Me is a piercing, intimate portrayal of the danger of a love so obsessive it becomes its own biggest threat.

★★★

This is another book that I'm honestly not quite sure how I feel about, let alone how to rate it. I waited a few days before writing this review to let the book sink in, but I'm still torn. This wasn't a bad book, not by a long shot. But I also had a lot of issues with it. I've decided to level it out at a neutral rating of three stars.

The lead character, Gannon, was somehow simultaneously easy and impossible to relate with. On the one hand, she is one of the "punk/goth" girls, and I was one in high school too. I got the whole hanging out at the skate park, smoking, and chilling at Punkin' Donuts. That's all stuff I've done. I really liked too that this story is set in Chicago. This is where I'm from, and it's always nice to read a familiar setting. This will get a little dark for a moment, but I also related to this character because she is a cutter. While I do not have this issue anymore, it is something that I have done in the past. I will say that out of all the books with cutting characters that I've read, Desir has most accurately described the addiction, the satisfaction, the relief, and honestly, the clean up. You'd be surprised how many books don't mention that cutting involves, you know, blood. It may set a darker tone, but at least it's more descriptive and more accurate. On the other hand, I really didn't like how judgmental she was. She judges her family, her "best friend", said friend's romantic interest, the boy who will eventually become her boyfriend. It all seemed a bit overly unpleasant and harsh. Especially coming from someone from an alternative background- normally the most understanding of them all. I also didn't like how she kept saying how she didn't know anything about him and wouldn't sleep with him because of that and didn't want to be too attached... But then does drugs because of him and waits a month for him because he told her to.

I also found it a bit strange that she constantly complains that her parents ignore her and that she's invisible, lost in the chaos of her brothers. But when she gets serious with Brooks, they just tell her to make smart choices. Her dad comes in to give her a "talk", and gives her a box of condoms. She calls this an awkward nightmare.... But he's finally being caring and giving an effort to be in her life. This point is neither positive or negative to the reading experience, I just found it odd.

Which brings me to Brooks, the love interest. He's another character I both loved and hated. I'm not sure how Desir managed to get me to feel so strongly in opposing directions for her characters. On one hand he's pierced and tattooed with dyed bright hair and that's delicious. He's impulsive and broody and weirdly charming. But his past is dark and quickly that changes, and he becomes paranoid and controlling and not very nice. Their romance starts off quirky and oddly sweet. My favorite part is a bit morbid but, he doesn't want her to cut anymore, but she needs the pain, so he digs his fingers along her healing skin, tearing open old wounds. This is dark and toxic and surely unhealthy... But sweet, in a broken kind of way. They're explosive and dangerous together... But you can't help but want to watch the show.

Another issue I had was Gannon's family. She feels bitter towards most of them, understandably so. They were a happy family of three, until they adopted three boys from Guatemala. Her dad largely hides from his responsibilty because they're terrors. The mom babies them and doesn't want to be the disciplinarian ever because they had enough of a hard life in their home country. She lets them get away with murder- literally. They murder a kitten with absolutely zero consequences. She doesn't deserve to keep them honestly. I don't care if it was my kid, I'd call someone. A psychologist, a doctor, a member of the police force. But no, they have dinner like nothing happened because the mom is just happy they're eating. A week later, they actually go to the movies because they behaved for a week since the kitten incident. Nope. Nope. She says at some point that she can't just give them back. You can, actually, and at this rate they deserve to go a better home. They also leave all three kids with Gannon overnight. They can't handle them as adults- what the hell makes you think a kid can?

That said, I give Desir points for diversity. There were a bunch of different types of people represented here and that's a nice change of pace.

And then there's the ending... It's emotional but disappointing. I wasn't left wondering what happened... I was left wondering why I stuck around to finish it.

I know I've said a lot of negative things about this book.... But still I can't help but focus on the way Desir gets in depth about the gritty realism, the descriptions of cutting and the pressures in their lives. It's well detailed and well written and it's easy to get swept into the intense storm that is their relationship. It's a book that'll stay with me in ways I can't quite comprehend.

I recommend it to mature young adult fans who enjoy a darker side of contemporary romance. Be warned this book contains sex, vulgar language, drugs, alcohol, and self harm. Thanks to Simon Teen/Pulse It for the chance to read it.

#31DaysofReading Book Review: #scandal by Sarah Ockler

Title: #scandal
Author: Sarah Ockler
Format: ebook
Pub. Date: June 17th 2014
Source: SimonPulse via PulseIt #31daysofreading

Description via Goodreads:

Lucy’s learned some important lessons from tabloid darling Jayla Heart’s all-too-public blunders: Avoid the spotlight, don’t feed the Internet trolls, and keep your secrets secret. The policy has served Lucy well all through high school, so when her best friend Ellie gets sick before prom and begs her to step in as Cole’s date, she accepts with a smile, silencing about ten different reservations. Like the one where she’d rather stay home shredding online zombies. And the one where she hates playing dress-up. And especially the one where she’s been secretly in love with Cole since the dawn of time.

When Cole surprises her at the after party with a kiss under the stars, it’s everything Lucy has ever dreamed of… and the biggest BFF deal-breaker ever. Despite Cole’s lingering sweetness, Lucy knows they’ll have to ’fess up to Ellie. But before they get the chance, Lucy’s own Facebook profile mysteriously explodes with compromising pics of her and Cole, along with tons of other students’ party indiscretions. Tagged. Liked. And furiously viral.

By Monday morning, Lucy’s been branded a slut, a backstabber, and a narc, mired in a tabloid-worthy scandal just weeks before graduation.

Lucy’s been battling undead masses online long enough to know there’s only one way to survive a disaster of this magnitude: Stand up and fight. Game plan? Uncover and expose the Facebook hacker, win back her best friend’s trust, and graduate with a clean slate.

There’s just one snag—Cole. Turns out Lucy’s not the only one who’s been harboring unrequited love...

★★★★


There's a lot of books out there lately that have to deal with the idea of cyberbullying. Understandably so, as it's growing easier, more common, and harder to regulate or discipline. I've read quite a few of them with overall little favor, but I have to admit, this is one of the books of the ones that I have read that I feel best narrates and addresses the problem.

What made the biggest difference to me, in regards to this young adult piece of fiction feeling more authentic, is that these awful pictures of the characters in this book are posted to Facebook. Facebook and Instagram are cited by name. This sounds like it's not a big deal, but it helps so much. I personally find it harder to connect to a book when they try and make up a "hot social networking site". It just sounds silly to me. But Facebook is a site that most of us are so dependent on that using it specifically hits just a bit harder to home.

Another way that this book is set apart from other books on similar topics is the main character: she actually learns something. She grows and she fights back and she changes over the course of the story, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. But she doesn't take this scandal just lying down and she doesn't just shut down about it. She talks about it (at least a little) and she tries to find out the truth to clear her name and to apologize, in a way, to the people who were victimized just as much as she was. I liked this about Lucy tremendously.

There were a lot of plot threads to follow here and a lot going on, but to me that just kept it engaging and made it harder to look away from. I never felt that it got muddled or confused at all. Emotions ran high, and widely varied ones too. I felt anger towards some characters, annoyance at others, sympathy, and support, and hope and vengeance. I felt attached to these characters, like their scandal was somehow at my old high school. I was cheering for Cole and Lucy even at times when I probably shouldn't have been. That's just the mark of good writing and good world building. I also felt that the slang/dialog was really believable. Teenagers totally could have written these conversations.

That being said, this is another book that features well-off students and even ties into a celebrity. I felt a slight disconnect on that level. My high school was on the poorer side, and while the fantasy prom theme of this book sounds absolutely amazing, it's a little bit harder to relate to characters who get shopping sprees from their rich sister or who get the latest technology from out of the country. I feel like in a school where there's horse stables and this elaborate of parties, there'd be a lot more lawyers involved in this scandal. The celebrity plot tied in relatively well to the overall theme of being in the spotlight and being judged constantly, but it felt like a little much.

While I liked this book in the present setting in which I read it (2014), I'm not sure how this book will hold up in the future. When cites are created, hyped, and destroyed so easily and when laws and rules are popping up so frequently. This is neither a positive nor a negative point towards the book, just a personal reflection.

This is a book I'd recommend to fans of realistic YA. Be warned that this book contains some pretty heavy themes, such as sex, drugs, alcohol, and cyberbullying. If you enjoyed Send by Patty Blount, I think you'll enjoy this one too. Thanks to Simon Teen / Pulseit.com for the chance to read this during #31daysofreading.

Review: Melt by Selene Castrovilla

Title: Melt
Author: Selene Castrovilla
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: November 6th 2014
Source: Netgalley & Last Syllable Books

Description via Goodreads:

Based on true events, MELT is both a chilling tale of abuse, and a timeless romance. MELT will hit you like a punch in the face, and also seep through the cracks in your soul.

MELT is a brutal love story set against the metaphorical backdrop of The Wizard of Oz (not a retelling). When sixteen year old Dorothy moves to the small town of Highland Park, she meets, and falls for Joey – a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Can these two lovers survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his alcoholism?

Told in dual first person, Joey’s words are scattered on the page – reflecting his broken state. Dorothy is the voice of reason – until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Can their love endure, or will it melt away?

★★★ ★

This book left me really torn on how to rate it. There were some things I absolutely loved and other things I hated just as much. I guess it evens out to about a three/three and a half star rating.

Let me first start off by saying this isn't a book I'll soon forget. It's gritty and real and addresses some pretty tough stuff. It has a haunting tone throughout that lingers even after you're done with it.

I loved Joey's perspective. That is, I found it the most unique and captivating. It's written in broken thoughts, in verse so his chapters are read like shaky poems. I really liked this reflection of how the abuse has left him broken and struggling. I liked seeing why he did what he did, and as horrific as his home life is, it was fascinating to read about in a morbid curiosity type of way. I liked watching his emotions and struggles with himself as he grows more attached to Dorothy even though he wants to keep her away. For me, Joey is what made this book worth reading.

Dorothy, on the other hand, I didn't care for. She is a rich girl who moves from the city to a small town and falls into instant connection with the attractive boy literally from the other side of the tracks. Her chapters are largely written in prose, which reads fine but a bit boring. I didn't really get why she victimizes pot so much. I'm not a smoker, and granted Joey does a lot of bad things, fighting, drinking, and drugs among them. But it was always brought back to pot which really just doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me. Personal irritation, I suppose. I also found it was weird that though both of her parents are acclaimed psychiatrists and have met Joey, they trash talk him and refuse to let her speak about him and what's really happening at home. It's kind of abuse 101, isn't it? Not being snarky at all, just genuinely concerned. If you know he's skittish and a trouble maker and you see his scars... Wouldn't you just assume.....?

There were allusions/parallels to the Wizard of Oz though not as many as I was expecting, but it still made for an interesting addition or slant to the idea of the story.

At the end of it all, I wasn't sure how I felt. I know that it's not how I was intended to feel (at least I hope not) but I kind of got the vibe that "hey if a boy drinks and pushes you and acts like his abusive alcoholic father, go hunt him down and he'll be changed because he really loves you." I get why Joey did what he did, but she doesn't at first. And I get why he's so attached to her from the beginning, abuse is a bitch that way. Once someone pays you the time of day, you get that connection. Speaking from experience. But the ending... I don't know. It didn't sit right with me. Especially since the story ended before the story ended. I won't call it a cliffhanger, because to my knowledge there isn't another book, but I was left going what?

This book deals with some heavy stuff: sex, drugs, drinking, abuse, violence. I recommend reading it despite my issues with it. It really is a weird book, but I mean that in a good way. It stands out and leaves an impression, at least it did for me. I finished it about a week before writing this review and I'm still not sure how I feel, and I'm still thinking about it.

Thanks to Netgalley & Last Syllable Books for my copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Review: Some Boys by Patty Blount

Title: Some Boys
Author: Patty Blount
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: August 5th 2014
Source: Netgalley & Sourcebooks Fire


★★★

Three stars.

---

When Grace accuses the most popular and loved boy in the school of rape, the school turns its back on her. Bullied, harassed, and alone, her life becomes one of torment and ridicule. She gets in trouble and is forced to clean lockers over a school break, since another student is already being punished with the same task. That person is none other than Ian, the best friend of her rapist and the boy she's had a crush on since before the attack. They grow closer, but will Ian ever believe her, and will Grace ever learn to trust again?

Let me start this review by saying this rating was a hard one for me. I really, really liked some of the components of this novel, but there was far more that frustrated or annoyed me. All in all, I think the two balanced out in the end, giving it a neutral three out of five. I'll start with the good first, keeping spoilers to a minimum.

I really liked Grace as a character. Instead of letting the schoolmates win and keeping her head down or moving away, she continues to go to school, continues to hold her head up, and sticks with her story: that Zac attacked her against her will. When her friends abandon her and start calling her a slut, she tries not to let it show that it bothers her. She never stops searching for the proof and closure that she needs, and she remains the black, leather, stud wearing bad ass that she is. I really, really like that.

I also liked Ian. He was a complete jerk at times- that's true. But I think it's a believable level of mean. He's torn between believing the school "slut" and liar that he's finding himself attracted to, as well as the word of his best friend and teammate. He flip flops a bit, but I think it's a fair amount of inner turmoil, even though I of course hated him in the moments when he chose Zac over Grace. I liked their romance together, and see no issue with the concept of her feeling this way towards him. Rape doesn't mean you're not allowed to ever like a boy again.

The writing itself was fairly well done, with the chapters in duel POV, alternating between Ian and Grace. The one thing that did bug me about this is that sometimes the same conversation was held twice, without really offering more information. It grew a bit redundant.

Now, as for the not so good parts. The ending. Everything was way too sugar coated and cheery. Everyone just acts like nothing happened, and she forgives some of the closest people to her who have treated her like garbage for so long. I didn't like that. Not only did it feel rushed, but big person or not I feel Grace isn't the kind to do that. I was unpleasantly surprised.

I also don't understand the lack of concern towards Grace's rape. Why was Zac not arrested for posting lewd, underage material on the internet? Why did Facebook not delete the pornographic video? Why is the video not evidence enough? Why was Zac not punished at all? Where was his mother? In an fairly affluent town in which kids have Mustangs, in-ground pools, and Europe trips- why was no one sued for all of this suffering and bullying? It all just felt like there was a serious glaring hole as to why he was able to get away with the taunting, and the act itself. Plus, not one person supports her. Her mother thinks she should apologize, her dad thinks she asked for it by dressing "for attention", none of the teachers care. It baffles me.

As much as I liked Grace, I really hated some decisions and thoughts that she had. Her big protest, for one, felt out of place and awkward. I felt like it was added in to make the book longer or something. I see what Blount was going for, but it just didn't work for me. Grace, throughout the novel, is very anti-"slut" in that she hates that word. She is also very much against the idea that women are always to blame for why men go rogue. And yet, she calls her stepmom a slut for sleeping with her dad and being a homewrecker, blaming her for the reason why her family is no longer happy and whole. Where is the blame against her father? It takes two to have an affair, and yet Grace both calls her a slut AND blames her.

I think that books involving rape awareness, (cyber)bullying, bullying, and harm are growing increasingly important. And I do think that this book is worth reading more or less. There's a message that needs spreading and awareness to be raised, and I rather liked the romance aspect. However, I had a lot of questions that weren't answered, and it frustrated me greatly throughout the course of the novel. Be warned that this book contains rape, alcohol, bullying, slut-shaming, swearing, and suicide.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Rich Kids of Instagram: A Novel

Title: Rich Kids of Instagram: A Novel
Author: The Creator of Rich Kids of Instagram, Maya Sloan
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: July 8th 2014
Source: Netgalley & Gallery Books

★★

One and a half stars.

---

When I read the blurb for this book, I thought it sounded really intriguing. I'm out of my teen years now, and I can assure you that they weren't spent in outlandish luxury. I thought this could be a cool (even if fictionalized) look into a world that I wasn't a part in, kind of like the Gossip Girl books. It sounded scandalous and cutthroat, and I looked forward to reading it.

Unfortunately, I was let down once again by a blurb that was more captivating than the actual book. To say this wasn't my cup of tea is an understatement. The first issue was the excessive switching of points of view. I don't mind doing this when it's done well, but because all of the POVs are the same kind of person (the snooty well off teen), it was really difficult to keep them all. That being said, the voice of these characters was really irritating to me. I'm down for bad language, but it was thrown in to places where it didn't really add anything. On top of that, the dialogue between characters sounded so forced and plastic most of the time. I found it hard to get into the allure of senseless sex, scandal, and drugs because it was presented so annoyingly.

Also filed under the "ugh" category is the amount of times a character was referred to as being rich. I kind of figured as much. I mean, it's the name of the book. The book about the inner circle and lives of rich teens. It's a safe assumption that the people they know (which are name dropped constantly by the way) are rich too. I get it.

It did gain some stars in its rating, though, because it did keep me reading, and I have to admit I did like the pictures that were included. I also really like the cover design. I know that's not how you should judge a book, but it does overall sum up the general plot of the stories within its pages.

As someone who was previously unfamiliar with this website that apparently has been mentioned all over the place, this book was not for me. I'm not entirely sure what age group this book is aimed for, but even though it is about teens be warned that there is a lot of profanity, sex, and drugs. Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Review: No Alligators in Sight

Title: No Alligators in Sight
Author: Kirsten B. Feldman
Format: eboook
Pub. Date: November 25th 2013
Source: Kirsten B. Feldman

★★★★

Four stars.

---

No Alligators in Sight follows Lettie, a thirteen year old girl who is forced to grow up earlier than she should have to take care of her younger brother. She's taken care of both Bert and her father, a bitter alcoholic. When Lettie is caught doing something against the rules, her father sends her and her brother down to Orlando, Florida for six weeks to live with the mother that left their family.

This book is a great one for the "coming of age" audience. Lettie has a lot of anger and darkness to her, and who can blame her? Forced to be a family caretaker, an absent mother, an alcoholic father. Life has stacked some rough cards for her to be dealt. But she's never overly brooding, an issue I find in a lot of other teen fiction. She felt real, and relatable, and it was easy to cheer her on when she needed it, and silently swear to yourself when she made bad decisions, like watching a friend.

In fact, this whole book is written with a great, shadowy tone. It has a gritty sense of realism. The setting is well developed and well described to match the characters. And yet, as heavy as the issues in this novel are, there is a fair bit of sarcasm and humor, which is a huge plus for me. It was nice to have a book that's a great balance of light and dark, and I think that's part of what makes this book go down so easily.

This has little to do with reviewing the content of the novel, but I will just quickly say that I really like the title of this book, along with the cover.

The only issue I really had with No Alligators in Sight was that it lagged a bit in the middle. I understand that certain points were important for development and movement of the plot, but the middle of the book started to lose me a bit. I do promise you though, that the ending makes up for it; it ends strong.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy teen reads and coming of age stories. This book does have some deep themes, like alcoholism.

Thank you to the author for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Truth About Alice

Title: The Truth About Alice
Author: Jennifer Mathieu
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: June 3rd 2014
Source: Netgalley & Roaring Brook Press

★★

Two stars.

---

Alice Franklin is a slut, and everyone knows it. The whole town has heard about how she slept with two guys at the same party. The rumors only get worse when quarterback and king of the school Brandon dies in a car accident, and Alice's dirty text messages are to blame. Everyone knows a snippet of truth, but each character has a reason to keep Alice as the school's laughing stock.

This is one of those times where I feel like I didn't read the same book as everyone else did. This book does address some very serious issues, but I personally don't feel this book did them justice in how they were dealt with.

First, I'm not really sure who this book's target audience is. It's set in high school, but the cattiness and maturity of some of the characters seems more like junior high school, even though "adult" topics like abortion are discussed and the language leans towards mature.

I also didn't feel the different POVs worked here. I understand why the author broke it up that way, but for me, three out of the five POVs blended together. The popular boy, the popular girl, and the newly popular girl all sound the same. Kurt (the nerd) was the only one who seemed to be written differently. He was also my favorite character. And Alice only has one chapter, so there's not much to go on one way or the other there. I found the language a bit odd too. No one in my high school said "freaky deaky" or so many "like so totally"s. Not to mention the text speak.

Kelsie was my least favorite, and is horrible & knows it. My biggest issues with her were not even her cutthroat approaches to becoming popular. Her reasoning for why she's mad at Alice is SO trivial, and Kelsie's revenge is soooo not equal. I'm glad that Alice calls her on it, but it still irritated me. I also found her big, dramatic secret rather anticlimactic, and thought it was cleaned up a bit too easily.

I also found issues with the rumors themselves. Rumors are often, of course, ridiculous. But let's say Alice really was texting Brandon and is a big slut- why would she still be blamed for his accident? He was the one drinking. He was driving. He texted while drunkenly driving. How does that equate to Alice's fault? Even if she was the biggest whore in Texas (and who cares?) it still wouldn't cause his crash unless she was actively trying to mount him. Elaine, the popular, addresses this silently, but it's never addressed out loud. I also didn't like that the janitor gave up cleaning the graffiti. What the hell? I'm also a bit surprised that in a small town like this one, no rumor came and knocked this one from attention within a school year.

I'm not really sure what the point of this book was, other than rumors are usually untrue (which is in the word's definition) and that people are assholes. I went to high school. I am aware of that fact without having read this book. Oh, and be careful who you trust.

This book got two stars from me because while I didn't care for most of the characters, or their various dramas, I did enjoy the Alice/Kurt plot line, and it helped me to get through the rest. I also DID want to finish the book because of these ranting feelings, which I suppose means it's not all bad. It wasn't badly written, I just didn't seem to "get" it. It's also a fairly quick read, so there's no harm in reading it to form an opinion for yourself; I'm not mad that I bothered to take the time to read it. Thanks to Netgalley and Roaring Brook Press for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Saugatuck Summer

Title: Saugatuck Summer (Saugatuck #1)
Author: Amelia C. Gormley
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: May 19th 2014
Source: Netgalley & Riptide Publishing

★★★★★

Five Stars.

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Topher Carlisle is a twenty-one year old mess. He has a really bad family history of a broken home, is on the verge of losing his college scholarship, and is trying to come into his own as he stays in his best friend's summer house in Saugatuck, Michigan for the summer. Unexpected kinks get thrown into his plan when he has an affair with his best friend's straight and married father, and meets a sexy artist named Jace. Topher has to figure out who he really is and who he wants to be in the whirl of one fabulous roller-coaster ride of a summer.

To be honest, my blurb doesn't really do this book justice. The thing is filled with drama and feelings from cover to cover, and I mean that in the best and most positive way. There were times that I laughed out loud, there were times when I got really angry, and times when my heart broke for Topher. Being a 22 year old queer kid in college from a broken home, I felt that I connected to him on an emotional/mental level and it made me cling to his story from start to finish. I really admire the depth that Gormley gave to her characters without making them seem too cliche.

I'll admit to you all, I picked up this book because I used to go to Saugatuck in the summers of my youth. For me, the setting helped a lot with my enjoyment of this novel. We spent a lot of our summers up near Traverse City, Michigan, stopping at several towns along the way, and while we were there, so when Gormley mentions these towns, I've heard of them and can happily picture them in my mind. Plus, Topher's partner Jace is from Chicago like me, so the references to things like Boystown again helped me to relate to the story.

And then, of course, I have to talk about the sex. This book is the hot, steamy kind of read that is best enjoyed on the beach or by the poolside in the bright summer sun while sipping on something cold and fruity, ideally with a plastic sword of fruit wedged into it. The adult scenes were well-written and detailed without being overtly crass, which in my opinion is a hard line to toe regardless of genre of erotic romance. Another important note is that this book is not about sex. That is, there is plot and rising action and all those things, that just happens to have some intense and smoldering sex scenes peppered throughout.

This book is a fairly rare five out of five stars from me. In a nutshell, the gorgeous Michigan beach setting, the amount of drama, the hot sex scenes, and the likable, relatable characters all meld together to create one really addictive summer read. This is a book that I will need a physical copy of at some point. BUT be warned; this book contains homosexual sex, graphic language, and potential triggers for abuse. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Riptide Publishing for my chance to read this one.

Review: Mentality by Ceet the Author

Title: Mentality
Author: Ceet The Author
Format: Kindle Edition, 190 pages
Pub. Date: December 8th 2011
Source: Ceet the Author

★★★

3.5 stars.

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I have to go on the record saying that this book is definitely not in my normal genre. However, I was intrigued enough by the premise of this book to read it, when the author asked me for my honest review. Unfortunately, Goodreads doesn't have a half-star option, because I think this book deserves a 3.5.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well the women of this book were written. Normally, men who write women (to me) are hit or miss, either completely accurate or way off base. Mentality is definitely the former. The characters seemed gritty and real, and though I didn't connect with them as much as I'd have liked, I appreciate what the author conveyed through them.

This book is also really fast paced. It's easy to read in one sitting, and it keeps you hooked throughout the text. For me, it seemed a bit too rushed in parts, but overall it works at a good pace, and is clear to understand.

That being said, I found the fight scenes extremely well done. I'm really picky when it comes to fight scenes, because I easily lose track of who is doing what, and who's winning, and things of that nature, but I didn't have a problem keeping up with this part of the story.

I had a love/hate relationship with the writing style itself. On the one hand, I appreciate the urban, well, Mentality of the prose within this text. It ads a layer of realism and heart to both the characters and the story. But at the same time, my inner grammarian couldn't help but to notice each flaw in the language. I think this book could easily get a four out of five with the help of an editor to tweak some parts.

Over all, I think that anyone with an interest in a very "real" story that addresses racial issues, drug issues, and love and lust, this might be a book for you- just be ready to read in slang. Reader beware that this contains sex, drugs, and violence.

Thank you to Ceet the Author for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Streaks of Blue by Jack Chaucer

Title: Streaks of Blue: How the Angels of Newtown Inspired One Girl to Save Her School
Author: Jack Chaucer
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: September 27th 2013
Source: Netgalley

★★★★

Four stars.

While camping out with her best friend Candace, Nikki has the strangest dream. A dream that seems to be a warning that social outcast of their high school, Adam, has plans to shoot up the school. Though her friend tells her that it's probably just nothing, Nikki can't shake the bad feelings that it stirs inside her, and she comes up with a simple plan- to become Adam's friend when he might not have any others. But is her friendship too little, too late?

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I have to first get off my chest the horrible timing with which I finished this novel. Today, October 21st, 2013, there was a shooting at a Nevada middle school that left two dead, and two injured (as of now). The shooter is believed to be 13 or 14. I am greatly disturbed even more so by this book because it is an issue that clearly is still in need of great discussion.

Nikki is a girl that everyone should be a little bit more like. It's true that I didn't always agree with her choices- befriending two boys who are emotionally unstable enough to plan on a mass murder is obviously extremely dangerous- but she had the cahones to stand up to her school, and her friends who questioned why she'd want to be friends with such a "trailer trash train wreck." I could not help but to think of the wise words of Albus Dumbledore: “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” Though her best friend was loyal and in the right for being worried, Nikki stood up for what she thought was right, and that's a really hard thing to do in life, high school especially.

School shootings are a widely controversial topic, but Jack Chaucer is gentle and understanding when referencing other shootings- namely Sandy Hook. I was afraid that this book would have been insincere and abuse a hot news story in order to have a plot, but that was definitely not the case. This whole book is gritty and frighteningly real, and driven with emotion.

I did have a few small issues with the book that resulted in its four star review in lieu of five. The conversations between characters had a tendency to feel forced, which led to a small disconnect for me. The end was also patched up rather quickly, but to be honest, I'd rather have it wrapped up a little fast than drag on for too long. And, though this personal opinion isn't reflected in the rating, I'd have really liked to hear more of Adam's story.

It's a sad but true fact that most of us (thankfully) will never know exactly what's going on inside a shooter's head. It's for that reason that things like this need to be taught and discussed: You don't know the life of anyone else. Just because someone is different is no reason to taunt, bully, or pick on them. A little friendship and kindness can go a long way. Embrace differences, and be kind. It's preachy and cliche but god damn it if it isn't true.

Be warned that this book addresses a sensitive topic, contains colorful language, and references drugs and alcohol. The author is donating half of all profits from this book to the Newtown Memorial Fund.

Thank you to Netgalley for my chance to read this.

Review: Eating My Feelings

Title: Eating My Feelings: Tales of Overeating, Underperforming, and Coping with My Crazy Family
Author: Mark Rosenberg
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
Pub. Date: August 6th 2013
Source: Goodreads First Reads

★★★★

Four stars.

If Mark Rosenberg knows about one thing, it's messed up families and hilarious situations. Using humor, he talks about his lifelong struggle with weight, drugs, relationships and so much more with the flair and sassy attitude that only a gay man residing in New York City can deliver. Eating My Feelings is a collection of nonfiction essays spanning over his life, from childhood to recent years, and each one is as laugh-out-loud funny as the first.

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I didn't really know what to expect out of this book when I got it. The title (and the rainbow sprinkles) initially drew me in, since I eat my feelings and have a pretty broken family. When I found out he was gay? Even better. As a member of the LGBT community, I'm always looking to read more books from that view point. Though I wasn't sure about the essays format, I am so glad that I gave this book a shot.

Straight up, if you're a prude or have a problem with profanity or LGBT themes, put this book down. It's not for you. However, if you find drunken debauchery and swearing like a trucker to be part of your regular routine, welcome to the club and grab a copy. As well as being unapologetically crass and giggle-snort worthy, Mark writes with a certain type of blunt honesty that I have to adore, and that made the stories that much more real to the reader.

Stories that unless you come from such a family, seem surreal. Whether talking about his evil stepmother swindling him into a fat camp, his love of a one-eyed dog, or even preparatory blizzard binges on fast food, there's a sense of "you couldn't make that s- up."

Granted, I relate to this book in a number of ways: the pudgy childhood, the homosexuality, the yelling loud obscenities at various relatives in public. But in my opinion, this book goes beyond those connections, and can be appreciated by any girl (or fabulous man) who loves to have a good time and appreciates Chelsea Handler-esque comedy.

Thank you to Goodreads First Reads for my copy.

Review: Tumble & Fall

Title: Tumble & Fall
Author: Alexandra Coutts
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: September 17th 2013
Source: Netgalley & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group

★★★★

Four stars.

The end of earth as we know it is coming. An asteroid named Persephone is headed towards the Earth, and there's only a week of time left. An impending doom such as this reveals a lot about a person, and raises so many questions. What do I believe in? What will I do with my last remaining time? Who will stand by me as the world comes crashing down?

Tumble & Fall follows three such stories, which are loosely entwined; Zan, whose dead boyfriend leaves a mystery behind for her, Caden, whose family is keeping secrets that he hadn't even imagined, and then there's Sienna, who struggles to come to terms with herself, and the changes she's missed in her time spent away from home.

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There's something in the prose of this book that's so haunting that it sticks to your thoughts even after you've closed it.

The first thing, admittedly, that drew me to this novel is the cover. It's stunning, and I think is a subtle way to connect the design to the plot of the story. I also like that this book is on a fairly topical subject. Of course, there's no asteroid headed for Earth in a week. But NASA funding is being cut, and that's what leads to the ultimate trouble in this book.

I like the way that this book is organized. It's divided into days, helping the reader remember just how much time is left on the clock. This book also follows three different points of views. I often have a problem switching between characters, but that wasn't the case for me in T&F. Because the characters' personalities were so different, and because the chapters were labelled with their names, I had no problem weaving their stories.

This book does have its cheesy moments, and has kind of a rushed happy-ever-after vibe. Normally this would bother me too, but it's a book about a limited time. Of course things are going to feel a bit rushed- there's only a week left. The writing itself was beautiful and fluid, and conjured up great images of the Massachusetts setting.

My favorite plot line was that of Zan, and my least favorite was Caden. Caden's story came off a bit strange and almost uncomfortable at times. Zan's story made me cheer for her, and I hoped for her sake that she'd find the closure that she was searching for. I think the end scene was a great way to pull the stories together, and to leave an ending open to the reader's interpretation.

I recommend this book to those who don't mind a bit of teen/young adult summer romance or happy endings. If you don't like insta-love or open ended books, then this might not be for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for my copy.