Review: 52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody

Being America’s favorite heiress is a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.
Lexington Larrabee has never to work a day in her life. After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either.

Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteen birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.

In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him. ~ Goodreads

Review:
52 Reasons to Hate My Father totally took me by surprise. I was looking for a quick summer read and I expected this book to be light hearted, a little romantic, funny and maybe even a little silly. It was all those things but so much more.

Lexington Larrabee is a Paris Hilton type. Jet setting around the world, buying whatever she wants and partying until the crack of dawn with no consequences. Until one night she gets drunk and crashes her Mercedes into a convenience store bringing a lot of bad press down on her father, Richard Larabee, business mogul and head of Larabee Media. Her father is in the middle of a big business deal and can't afford any bad publicity that may put the transaction in jeopardy.

Lexi has been counting on receiving a big fat trust fund check for $25 million dollars from her dad once she turns 18. Instead her father gives her an ultimatum. Start acting responsibly and work a different job every week for the next year. If Lexi doesn't follow through then she forfeits all the money. Add in the career driven (but maybe a little cute) intern Luke Carver to keep her in line and Lexi's social life comes to a screeching halt.

Lexi is a pretty darn unlikable character right from the start. She's spoiled with a HUGE sense of entitlement. It's a testament to Brody's writing that I loved Lexi anyway. Behind all her public antics, in private she's a normal girl who's lonely after the death of her mom and neglected by her father. Lexi has been raised by the help and all of her actions are guided by her father's publicity team. He's never around except when he needs to present the perfect family picture in public.

"My father is going to kill me.

Actually, on second thought, he probably doesn't have time to kill me. But he is going to send someone to do it for him. He's really good at that. Sending people. He's done that for every major even in my life."

The 52 jobs range from housekeeping to a grocery clerk, fast food worker and even a gravedigger. Luke drives her back and forth to each job and she has to send a report to him each week summarizing what she learned from each job.

Lexi pretty much goes kicking and screaming into the workforce. She tries tricking Luke and bribing her bosses but eventually, grudgingly accepts her fate. With a little persuasion from Luke she decides to prove everyone wrong about her and jumps into the 52 weeks with relish. Sure it may be for the wrong reasons at first (she still wants that money!) but she starts to takes pride in doing each job right. 

What I loved is that Lexi doesn't lose her "Lexi-ness" during the process. For example, during her housekeeping job she realizes she doesn't know how to use a vacuum and Google's it. She does start to learn her lesson but in an unexpected and thankfully non "movie of the week", clichéd filled way. There was actually very little focus on each job which surprised me.

My favorite thing about 52 Reasons to Hate My Father is the message it sends to young women no matter what their social stature or circumstance. There is a little touch of romance. Both a boy from Lexi's past as well as Luke have great influence over the changes she makes in her life. However, 52 Reasons to Hate My Father is about Lexi standing up for what's right for her future regardless of any man. Whether the pressure is coming from an ex-boyfriend, potential boyfriend or even her father, she manages to put them in their place a time or two!

Rating: 4 out of 4 This is one of those books that you can take as much or as little away from it as you want. It's fun but there are great messages about love, family and second chances if you let yourself delve a little deeper.

Check out this TV series quality book trailer…




Author’s website | Twitter
Source: ARC provided by Farrar Straus Giroux for my honest review
Buy the book! Amazon

Getting over my reading slump.... (For good - I hope)

I finally got over a year long reading slump. I think. I hope. It's been about 4 months so I think I'm in the clear and can officially declare it.  *crosses fingers* *knocks on wood*

After happily reading 5 books or more a week, for almost two years all of a sudden I was burned out! I've had a few shorter slumps before but this was a REALLY bad one. (Which really sucks for a book blogger. No reading = no reviewing = boring dead blog.)

I became openly hostile to my books. Glaring at them….. Ok book - you have exactly 10 minutes to WOW me. Can't do it?? Then I'm going to torture myself and read you anyway until you redeem yourself in some way.

Prove your worth book!

So what the heck happened to this book loving blogger?

I used to read a wide variety of genres but once I started blogging I got caught in this weird hype bubble. Instead of expanding your book choices blogging can actually narrow them somewhat. The same few books are recommended by the majority of blogs and EVERYONE loves this one book that you know you won't like but EVERYONE does so you have to read it anyway!!

*I have to add this little disclaimer right about now. Book bloggers have expanded my reading horizons exponentially (thank you!) but I think those of you who blog or even follow book review blogs understand (I hope) what I mean by your choices narrowing. Also - this is mostly self inflicted. I kind of know my tastes yet I was lured by the buzz. I should have just passed on the books but I kept thinking - Everyone loves it!!! So I might….& what if it IS brilliant and I don't read it!!! I will be the only one that missed this amazing book!

There is also the repetition when you read well over 100 books a year. If I read one more f*cking love triangle/were-squirrel (sure laugh - but you know there probably is a story about a were-squirrel - or there will be soon) /insta-lovin/dystopian - faction picking/ the next Hunger Games - the next Twilight - the next whatever the heck that is NEVER the next whatever….. book I will scream.

See. Hostile.

But the real #1 reason that I was in a 1 year long reading slump is that reading became a job.

I reviewed everything I read. I cut out normal daily activities & real life fun so that I wouldn't fall behind on my blog postings & reviews.  Every single book I read had pages of notes accompanying it. I no longer read for for the sheer joy of it.

I accepted more books than I will ever be able to read for review because I felt too guilty to say no, especially to new debut authors. Then totally bummed myself out when I had to write negative review after negative review.

So how did I get over this slump? I know a lot of bloggers go through this at one time or another and I'm just going to tell you what worked for me. It might not be the same for you. You might need a different approach. I got a lot of great advice during my slump - read different genres, go re-read a favorite book - didn't work. So here's what did work in my case.

~ I stopped reading. Anytime you are forcing yourself to read is a bad thing. Reading should bring you joy & take you away from life and stress. Reading is an escape - not a chore.

I didn't read even one book for almost two months. It almost felt like going through detox at first. I also didn't read reviews or buy any new books or even step foot in a bookstore.  *gasp* I needed to wipe the slate clean I guess. I needed to crave reading a book again.

Then when I felt ready to dip my toes in to the reading waters I picked up Mind Games by Carolyn Crane off my bookshelf. I was blown away and read the entire Disillusionist trilogy in less than three days. This is not to say that THIS is the series that will end all reading slumps for everyone but what it did for me is remind me of all the things I loved about reading. It gave me that reader high. It made me realize that there are still books out there that will blow me away and shock me and make me love all the things that I think I hate….like love triangles, cliffhangers, were- squirrels….wait no - Mind Games does not have any were- squirrels! But it has Gumby!!! Even better. But I digress…

The series just completely restored my faith in reading and slapped me right out of all my unfair, preconceived notions of how every book was going to suck forever and ever. Or that every book had to be perfect and blow me away (although this series did!). I needed to get a grip and approach reading like I did before blogging.

The point is that there was nothing wrong with me. Or any of the books I disliked. Now that I look back I can see that I was being horribly unfair to a lot of those books. I wasn't in the right frame of mind to read them and I forced myself anyway and that's not good for anyone. I bet I would have even disliked Mind Games if I had forced myself to read it a few months earlier.

~ I stopped reading reviews (for just a little while….) I needed to just find books that appealed to me on my own without the "OMG this is the best book ever" label attached. I need to lower my expectations.
 
~ I instituted the 50 page rule. This is so hard for me!! I don't care if I hate a book, I need to know what happens. However, I was spending so much time on books I wasn't enjoying that I had to learn to let it go if I'm not enjoying a book. I do skim to the end and get my resolution but I don't force myself to read the whole thing or review it anymore.

~ I don't review everything. If I want to read 5 books in a row just for fun I do. No notes. No dissecting what worked and what didn't. Sometimes that's difficult when it's a book I really love. I want to talk about it and tell everyone but I think I need to just love a book every now and again just for what it means to ME. I need to keep it just for myself without over analyzing it. You will inevitably start finding flaws in what you previously thought of as perfection. I'll still tweet the heck about it though or maybe write a few sentences on Goodreads.

~ I don't read if I don't feel like it. Really, it's ok. You can go off and do other things. Don't feel guilty about it.

~ I ignore the hype. I still find new books almost daily because of bloggers but now I'm better at weeding out what I think I would like. I've come to realize I don't always like what everyone else does and I'm ok with that now. I don't need to "get" it or feel guilty for not loving a book or make myself continue a series I don't enjoy just to feel included. (& believe me you will feel SO left when you can't join in those fun Twitter book discussions! lol)

~ I'm kinder to the characters and their imperfections. I was off the charts critical there for a while. I never used to be that way before my slump. I still don't love everything in every book but now I can still enjoy a book even if I don't like a few things about it. It's not a deal breaker for me anymore.

~ The most important reason I'm over my slump? I’ve learned that:

READING IS NOT A JOB.
BLOGGING IS NOT A JOB.

READING IS NOT A JOB.

BLOGGING IS NOT A JOB.

READING IS NOT A JOB.

BLOGGING IS NOT A JOB.

I'm at peace with my books now - we are no longer at war.



How about you?
Have you ever been in a reading slump? What have you down to get out of it?




*All images from stock.xching

A few changes for Book Blogger Confessions!

Tiger from Tiger’s All Consuming Media and I started Book Blogger Confessions back in January because we felt there was a need to discuss issues that were unique to blogger’s in a way that didn’t bash each other but hopefully offered solutions. (past Book Blogger Confessions posts here)

It’s been 7 months and Book Blogger Confessions is going to go through a few changes with your input.

The first change is a sad one for me personally. Tiger will be moving to a faraway land (Korea) soon. I’m going to miss her like crazy even though she assures me we will still be able to email and chat frequently. (& she will still be blogging – but probably about her traveling adventures more than book reviews)

I didn’t want to go it alone with this feature so I’m thrilled that Pam from Midnyte Reader agreed to come on board as my new co-host. Pam is a blogger that I have the utmost respect for and will have a lot to add to this meme going forward.

We’ll all be co-hosting for the month of August, then it will be Pam and I starting in September.

Now that we’ve been around for a while we would love to have your input as to what you like/dislike about Book Blogger Confessions, if there are any topics that you would like to discuss in the future, or any changes you would like see. I’ll be providing a google doc at the end of this post for you to fill out. You can leave your name or fill it out anonymously. It’s your choice but we would love to have your input either way.

Before we get to the survey, here are the topics for August.

Monday August 6th: Making money off your blog: There was a recent controversy about bloggers charging authors for reviews (You can read about it here) which leads to this week's question:
Almost all of us blog as a hobby in our spare time, usually for free but is there anything wrong with making money off your blog?

Should bloggers charge for reviews?
What about advertising on a blog?
When a blogger does allow book related advertising does it turn you off? Make you wonder about the honesty of their reviews?

Do you have a problem with purchase links (Amazon for example) that earn a blogger a small commission if a person purchases a book through that link?

Monday August 20: Have you ever loved a book that you know is not a great literary gem? Maybe it's filled with spelling errors, tired cliches, and is utterly cheestastic but you loved it anyway.
How do you handle that as a blogger who is used to critical thinking and analysis? Do you pretend you never read the book - never to be reviewed or added to your Goodreads shelf :-)?

Do you write a review but maybe apologize and make excuses as to why you enjoyed it or are you bold and proud of any book you enjoyed?

Conversely - have you read a classic, that is considered a literary gem but you just didn't get it? Are you embarrassed to admit that or do you review it anyway?

If you’re new to the meme, we post the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month. You answer our topic prompts and post on your own blog on that day then link up on one the host blog linkys. If you have any questions just let me know! Just grab our button and join in!

Team Kilt Giveaway Hop!

Voting begins at 12:01am Eastern Time on Wednesday July 25th for the YA Sisterhood Crush Tourney – Will Herondale vs. Zachary Moore.

Help advocates Fictitious Delicious lead Zachary Moore to become the crushiest of all YA crushes!

~ If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Zachary Moore yet, head over to author Jeri Smith-Ready’s blog to read the extra Zachary POV SHIFT River Scene – posted from last years YA Crush Tourney.

“Naked.

You stand before me, trembling but unafraid. I stand before you, perfectly still but pure afraid.”
Read more...

Want to help Team Kilt?? Here’s how!

Grab a button! Let's make our blogs and our Twitter stream, Facebook pages and Tumblr accounts a sea of Team Kilt! Check out the official Team Kilt Pinterest board for a wide selection of buttons ranging from sexy to funny.

Photo credit: Jeri Smith-Ready

Host an incentive giveaway. There will be a linky at the end of this post. If you are hosting a giveaway as an incentive for Zachary and Team Kilt on your blog, link it!

Get creative! Giveaway anything that has to do with the SHADE series!

You can make it incentive based (win this prize if Zach gets 1000 votes or if Zachary wins the whole thing) or just for fun. Your choice, but keep it linked to voting for Zachary & the Crush Tourney please. **This is not the place to link up random contests.**

Make a donation. The official Team Kilt charity for this round is Greyhound Welfare in honor of the passing of Jeri's dog Meadow. You can read Jeri’s post here to understand why Team Kilt chose this charity and to make a donation.

*I will be making a $50 donation for this round and another $50 donation if Zachary makes it to 5,000 votes by the end of his match.

YA Crush Tournament #Team Kilt incentives giveaways hosted on this blog!
Begins Wednesday 7/25 12:01am ET

For each voting goal that Zachary reaches I will pick a new winner. Go vote for Zachary HERE then enter the using Rafflecopter form!

*All giveaways are international
*One entry qualifies you for all the incentive giveaways on For What It's Worth. (The hop giveaways need to be entered on each participating blog)
*This giveaway ends Thrusady at 12:01am ET

New voting goals will be announced throughout the tourney so keep checking back!

1. If Zach reaches 300 votes in 1 hour I’m giving away your choice of either a Team Kilt or Keeley Brothers tote bag from the Café Press and Jeri's adding a signed paperback from the SHADE trilogy (winner’s choice) *We made it to 283! I'm still picking a winner because you guys are amazing!
Winner is Mandi B!

2. When Zach reaches 500 votes author Laura Bowers has generously donated a signed copy of Just Flirt. *Winner is Lynne K!

3. When Zach reaches 1000 votes author Christine Johnson has generously donated signed copies of Claire de Lune & Nocturne PLUS signed swag! * Winner is Christine E!

4. When Zach reaches 1500 votes author Christine Johnson will include your name in the acknowledgments in one of her upcoming novels. (Title and release date to be determined)
*Winner is Alicia Marie E!

NEW!! Jeri is giving a away a SIGNED BRAVE poster when Zach hits 40%! VOTE HERE and then enter the rafflecopter form below! *Winner is Andrea

5. When Zach reaches 2000 votes author Stacey Kade has generously donated signed copies of her Ghost & the Goth Trilogy. *Winner is Aydrea



6. When Zach reaches 2700 votes I am donating the SHADE trilogy with book plates signed by Jeri Smith-Ready Winner is Lesley's Reviews



7. Jeri will be giving away annotated copies of the entire SHADE series for every 1000 votes!
* First 1000 vote annotated Shade series winner - Gaby N!
*2000 vote winner is Jenny V
*3000 votes winner is Rebecca D

8. If Zach reaches 3000 votes Jeri's agent, Ginger Clark, will giveaway a critique of a query letter.
*Winner is Jen D

9. If Zach reaches 5,000 votes Jeri will offer a full manuscript critique.

Be sure to follow Fictitious Delcious | Jeri Smith-Ready | Kilt & Keeley | & me – Teamsheltie all day on twitter! We have lots of fun and surprises headed your way! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosting a SHADE theme giveaway? Link it below!

Must Read Monday: This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Must Read Monday is a meme hosted by Jen from What's on the Bookshelf to showcase a book or series (old or new) that we recommend.

This weeks book is This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers.

This is Not a Test
by Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Released: June 19th, 2012

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.

To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.

But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside.

When everything is gone, what do you hold on to? ~ Goodreads | Amazon

Why I recommend it:

I started hearing a groundswell of buzz for This is Not a Test. I thought it had an interesting cover but didn't really have a clue what it was about.

Then a few people I knew started reviewing it and mentioned that it was about zombies! I'm in!!

But…..they all prefaced their reviews by saying that they don't really like books about zombies but loved This is Not a Test. That kind of scared me off because I DO love zombies and all the gore that implies. I ended up giving it a try anyway with much trepidation. All unfounded.

Everyone is right. This is a great book even if you are not a fan of the typical zombie genre. This is Not a Test is about survival but more importantly deciding if you even want to survive. Even though the requisite zombie gore is indeed there and creepy as hell - the story is more psychological. The pressure the survivors put on themselves and each other was more intense than anything happening outside.

Courtney Summers does an amazing job at weaving the group of survivors stories together in a wholly fresh and original way. One decision… one unintended action… has consequences for the whole group in a domino effect that was chilling.

You will constantly be questioning if you would make the same choices if you were in their situation. Who lives? Who should be sacrificed?  Is life worth living anymore?

"The man outside, he was expendable. He didn't mean anything to me. Was I expendable?"
"This is what it sounds like when the world ends."

"The thing that no one tells you about surviving, about the mere act of holding out, is how many hours are nothing because nothing happens."

I was blown away by This is Not a Test. It's definitely on my top reads list for 2012 and I will be checking out Courtney Summers contemporary YA novels soon.

Here are a couple of more detailed reviews if you're still not convinced.
Rather Be Reading
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics

Sunday Ramblings….

My friend Tiger sent me a link to this funny video: Amazon Yesterday Shipping by TheBilderbergers



Thanks Tiger! Let's hope things don't ever come to this!

I’ve been kind of busy lately so I haven’t been writing many reviews but I’ve been reading A LOT! So here are few quick reviews.

What I read this week:



Blazing Midsummer Nights by Leslie Kelly – (Summary on Goodreads) Super quick, steamy read. The hunky firefighter next door catches workaholic Mimi Burdette with her pants down. Literally. Mimi has to decide between following her life plan and marry the man her father chose for her but who doesn’t light her fire or give in to Xander McKinley and maybe make her own way in the world.

There are a few oddly placed dream/sexual fantasy sequences after Mimi drinks special herbal tea that didn’t work for me even though they help Mimi work out her choices. It made the book take a detour into the paranormal realm when I was enjoying it just find in the real world. Still a good read though that I would recommend. Perfect for beach reading.

LOVED Mimi and Xander together and how Mimi learned to take control of her own future.
Source: BEA 2012 Harlequin



Unraveling the Past by Beth Andrews – (Summary on Goodreads) – Unraveling the past is part mystery, part romance and a whole lot of family drama.The writing is excellent and the characters are quite interesting and complex but after staying up until 1am to finish this book I was left completely baffled by the ending.

Other than the romance (which was very sweet but short changed and rushed to conclusion) not one thing was resolved.

I guess that's ok but I didn't realize just how open ended it would be or even that this was a series when I started.

There are several plot threads going on at the same time besides the romance for the main couple, Layne and Ross, who have a nice build to something romantic after beginning as adversaries. As I said the writing is good, the mystery that ties the characters together is well done but too much is going on without any real resolution.

I'm going to have to decide if I want to continue. Part of me was really frustrated but another part of me wants to know what happens.
Source: BEA 2012 Harlequin



One Small Thing by Piper Vaughn – (Summary on Goodreads) This is such a sweet M/M romance about a reclusive, nerdy guy named Erik who finds himself employed as a “manny” to his out & proud neighbor Rue who just happens to be overwhelmed with a newborn infant.

Okay – so you really need to let go of a few things to enjoy this one. Like the fact that you would leave your infant with a total stranger that doesn’t know anything about babies. Or that a man in his mid 20’s doesn’t have any sexual experience or interest in either sex yet doesn’t really have any self doubt when he starts falling for a man.

But I say toss that all aside because this is such an incredibly sweet story about family and taking chances. I bought into the whole story because I fell in love with all the characters. Usually babies annoy me in books but Alice is adorable.
Source: Purchased

On to the blog wrap-up!


Winners!
Winner of the Royal Street by Suzzane Johnson giveaway: Erin F
Winner of The Possibilities of Amy by Jaye Frances giveaway: Raelene


Posts this week:
~ Book Blogger Confessions – the hot button topic this week was: What do we owe publishers and authors?
~ AAD Author Spotlight with Suzanne Johnson: New Orleans in August…Are you NUTS?
~ Team Kilt!! Get ready for the YA Crush Tourney Round 2! Find out how to join the Team Kilt Giveaway Hop!
~ Bloggers!! Sign up for THE ULTIMATE REVIEWERS CHALLENGE!!  Link your reviews during the month of August for a chance to win one of 6 Prize Packs!

Saturday Spotlight: Allen Wyler - Dead End Deal

Welcome to Saturday Spotlight. A feature hosted by Tina’s Book Reviews as a way of shining the light on Indie/Debut/Self Published authors. Each week I’ll have a guest post written by a featured author.

Today I’m featuring Allen Wyler, author of the medical thriller Dead End Deal.


Dead End Deal is a fast paced, heart-pounding, and sophisticated thriller. Penned by master neurosurgeon, Allen Wyler—who often draws from experience, actual events and hot button issues when writing—Dead End Deal is unmatched as a technical procedural. Its medical and scientific details can impress even the most seasoned medical practitioners. And yet, the technical expertise is seamlessly woven into a riveting plot, with enough action and surprises to engross even the most well-read thriller enthusiast.
A smart, unique, page-turner, Dead End Deal delivers. ~ Goodreads

Please welcome Allen to the blog today as he gives us a little insight and a “behind the scenes” peek at the writing of Dead End Deal.

THE CHALLENGES OF WRITING A MEDICAL THRILLER

People who read medical thrillers are usually interested in medical details, just as readers of legal thrillers find law interesting. What is difficult is adding sufficient medical detail to satisfy a reader without making descriptions or facts boring. This is one reason I try to move my stories along at a fast clip. Thrillers are intended to thrill, not lecture. Fast pace, good plot, interesting characters are the elements that should be in a medical thriller.

THE RESEARCH BEHIND DEAD END DEAL

This is a blitz-pace thriller about a Seattle neurosurgeon who, while in Korea, is framed for a murder. Now hunted by police he must evade a professional hit man while trying to find a way back to the United States. I figure it’s Three Days of The Condor meets Michael Crichton.

I got the idea for the story when I was a guest lecturer at a medical school in Seoul, South Korea. I was staying at the Walker Hill Sheraton hotel across the Han river from the hospital. So all the scenes (hotel, downtown Seoul, and the Korean hospital) were from notes and snapshots I took while there. (I always travel with a small point and shoot camera in my pocket). The brief description of the surgical procedure comes from my own experience.

My neurosurgeon protagonist, Jon Ritter, escapes via a route I personally took when figuring out how he might return to the United States without a passport. Again, the scenes were written with the help of snapshots. So, the short answer to the question is that all the research for the story came from personal experience. By the way, I find digital photography a great help when writing. I view a relevant snapshot on the screen as I write. This help me accurately describe what I’m seeing.

MY PATH FROM NEUROSURGEON TO AUTHOR

Writing always interested me. Even in grade school I read like a fiend. So it seemed like a good idea to major in English instead of the traditional chemistry or zoology when I was taking my premed courses. This caused me considerable grief because it was difficult to get in all my required credits. But I figured once I got into medical school I’d never have another shot at the literature courses. And that’s exactly what happened —medical school and post graduate training consumed all my time. Then one Saturday, after starting practice, I came home from making rounds at the hospital and decided to start writing. Just like that. I began a novel that ended up to be really awful. Then I wrote another one, which was better but still not ready for prime time. At that point I started trolling for an agent and finally secured one, but could not sell my work. Years later, I got the call I’d been waiting for. It was quite a thrill. I guess, in the end, my biggest challenge was finding enough time to devote to writing. For me the writing process is difficult and requires a ton of work. I now enjoy the luxury of having sufficient time to work on my craft. It’s a dream come true.

Allen Wyler Website
Buy the Dead End Deal:  Purchase Links

TEAM KILT: Get ready for the YA Crush Tourney: Round two!!

Starting at 12:01am Eastern Time on Wednesday July 25th voting begins for the YA Sisterhood Crush Tourney – Will Herondale vs. Zachary Moore.

This is going to be our biggest challenge yet but WE CAN TOTALLY DO THIS. How do I know?? Because….


Amy & Jen who are advocating the Fictitious Delicious Zachary Moore have all kinds of things planned for this round. Check out their Round 2 tourney post and giveaway right here!

You’ll find out about Jen’s voting theory of the power of 10, how YOU can join Team Kilt, make a wish on the very special SHINE Wishing Tree, stalk Pinterest & grab yourself some sexy, funny, creative avi’s so we have a stream of #TeamKilt on Wednesday and enter that previously mentioned giveaway.

TEAM KILT GIVEAWAY BLOG HOP! If you have a blog and want to host a SHADE series themed giveaway to help keep people voting for Zachary (It can be anything from books to swag, Scottish themed movies etc…..get creative!) then have a post ready to go for Tuesday July 24th. I’ll be posting a linky for the hop here on this blog Tuesday afternoon. All giveaways should run for the duration of the Zach’s match.

If you are giving away any books from the SHADE series during this hop Jeri has offered to send signed bookplates to your winners – US or International.

If you don’t have a blog or would rather add your giveaway to the Incentive Pool (where different prizes are given at certain vote increments) send me an email (fwiw.kea AT GMAIL DOT COM)

Don't want to/can't host a giveaway? No problem. Just vote for Zachary at the YA Sisterhood starting at 12:01am Eastern Time on Wednesday July 25th then go enter all the fun giveaways! And MOST importantly - spread the word to keep those votes coming!!

Help us get out the vote anyway you can on Wednesday! We will need EVERY. SINGLE. MEMBER. of Team Kilt for this one!!!

Team Kilt Charity for Round 2! Team Kilt always chooses a charity to donate to during the tourney.



For round two our official charity will be Greyhound Welfare Inc. in memory of Meadow. You can read Jeri’s post “A Very Sad Note” to understand why Team Kilt chose this charity. Meadow was our unofficial Team Kilt mascot and and a very special dog.

For the latest Team Kilt news follow:
Jeri Smith-Ready – Blog | Twitter
Fictitious Delicious – Blog  | Twitter
Logan Keeley – Twitter
Zachary Moore – Twitter
Martin Connelly – Twitter
SHADEBoys - Tumblr
TeamKilt - Pinterest

Ultimate Reviewer’s Challenge Sign ups!

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LINK YOUR REVIEWS HERE

Hey bloggers! Lena from Addicted 2 Novels, Tiger from Tiger’s All Consuming Media and I are back for another Ultimate Reviewer’s Challenge!!

How it works: For the month of August you can link your reviews on each of our blogs (our Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge posts will be up with a linky on August 1st) For every review you link you will be entered to win one of two prize packs. Each blog will have two different prize packs. At the end of the event, we'll each pick two winners for a total of 6 Ultimate Reviewer’s Challenge winners.

Addicted 2 Novels & All-Consuming Media - US only
For What It's Worth - US and International

But first we ask you to sign up for the challenge using the linky at the bottom of this post.

Prize Packs for For What It’s Worth:

Prize Pack #1:



Prodigy by Marie Lu
Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone – signed
Skinny by Donna Cooner
Pushing the Limits by Katy McGarry – signed
Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Prize Pack #2



Because It Is my Blood by Gabrielle Zevin
The Innocents by Lili Peloquin
The Farm by Emily McKay
Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz – singed

We hold this challenge to celebrate bloggers and get your review's & blog noticed so sign up and help spread the word!

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AAD Authors Spotlight & Giveaway: Suzanne Johnson

Authors After Dark is just a few short weeks away and today author Suzanne Johnson is stopping by with a hi-freakin-larious guest post and guide to surviving NOLA in August.

Suzanne is also giving away a copy of her latest book Royal Street. Be sure to check out the giveaway at the end of her post.

Welcome to For What It's Worth Suzanne!

New Orleans in August….Are you NUTS?

The countdown is on…only a few short weeks before Authors After Dark descends on New Orleans for the 2012 meltdown. Literally.

As a debut author, this will be my first AAD, and I’m totally psyched about it. Lots of other authors. Lots of readers. And my favorite city in the world, where I’ve been lucky enough to spend most of the past twenty years as a resident.

But I have to admit, once I got over my initial excitement about AAD, my second thought was: August in New Orleans? Are they insane?

New Orleans is a place one flees in August, you see. On (thankfully) rare occasions, you might be fleeing a hurricane, as I’ve done several times, including Hurricane Katrina in August 2005—an experience that inspired my urban fantasy novel Royal Street and the Sentinels of New Orleans series.
But don’t freak out over hurricanes. Most of the time, one flees New Orleans in August because, well, let’s just say hell hath no heat to rival the Big Easy in the dog days of summer. Even dogs don’t want to spend their days there.

So as a New Orleanian by choice if not by birth, who has lived through my share of New Orleans’ brand of August, I’ll offer five tips to help you know what to expect—and how to enjoy yourself.

1) You’re going to sweat. Just accept it. Okay, if you’re a delicate flower, you can say you “glow” or “glisten.” Whatever you want to call it, dampness will cover your body. All of it. If you’re outside, it will be hot dampness. If you’re inside, it will be cold dampness. (Yes, it is possible to sweat even with the air conditioning cranked down to Polar. Humidity, baby.) Your pores will be the size of craters. Don’t worry about makeup. It will melt within moments and you will resemble a raccoon-eyed humanoid with pancake batter on your face. But don’t worry—everyone else will look just like you.

2) All that sweating will dehydrate you, so drink lots of water. If you’re going to enjoy New Orleans’ bounty of cocktails (you MUST go to the Napoleon House at the corner of Chartres and St. Louis and order a Pimm’s Cup), staying hydrated is even more important. You do not want to faint of dehydration and be found on Bourbon Street with raccoon eyes, your face covered in what looks like pancake batter, and the remnants of a Sex on the Beach drooling down your chin. Trust me on this.

3) Go to the Café du Monde early in the morning. Yes, it’s worth crawling out of bed at 7 a.m. to get there before the heat visibly shimmers off the sidewalks. And the Quarter’s kind of cool and laid-back and wonderful in the morning when things are still quiet and moving slowly. Tip: when you order beignets and get powdered sugar all over yourself—and you will—save your water glass and dip your napkin in it to clean yourself up. Big sign that you’re a tourist? You’re walking around with pancake-batter makeup on your face and powdered sugar all over your boobs.

4) Go to Canal Street and ride the streetcar all the way to the end of the line and back. It’ll cost about $1.50 and is worth every penny. You’ll see the the CBD (Central Business District) and bits of a lot of New Orleans’ distinctive neighborhoods like the Irish Channel, Uptown, the university area around Tulane, Audubon Park, Riverbend and Carrollton. The architecture is gorgeous, and the clang of the streetcar bell and sound of it rumbling along its tracks is unique to NOLA. Tip: The streetcars are not air-conditioned and the drivers get grumpy if you don’t have exact change, so this is another good morning activity—except not at rush hour, since you’ll fight for a seat with locals trying to get to work. (And don’t call the streetcars “trolleys” unless you want “tourist” to be stamped on your pancake batter-covered face.)

5) Have fun! If there’s one thing New Orleans knows how to do, it’s how to lay back, relax, and enjoy yourself. The locals might talk funny, but they’re super-friendly and are insanely proud of their beautiful city. They love to share their culture with visitors—even ones wearing raccoon eyes and pancake batter. And if you see me around the hotel during AAD, looking pale and makeup-less, stop and say bonjour! I might buy you a Pimm’s Cup.


About Suzanne: Suzanne Johnson is the author of a new urban fantasy series beginning with ROYAL STREET and RIVER ROAD, both coming in 2012 from Tor Books, and ELYSIAN FIELDS, coming in 2013, also from Tor. A longtime New Orleans resident now living in Auburn, Alabama, Suzanne is a veteran journalist with more than fifty national awards in writing and editing nonfiction. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama, and a native of Winfield, Alabama.

During her daytime job, Suzanne is associate editor of Auburn Magazine, the quarterly magazine of the Auburn University Alumni Association. She has also worked at Tulane University in New Orleans, the University of San Diego, Rice University in Houston, and at the University of Illinois. Awards include: the Robert S. Sibley Award for the best university magazine in the U.S. and Canada, for the Rice University Sallyport; feature writing awards in 2009 and 2010 from Writer's Digest magazine; and more than 50 awards in writing and editing from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.

Suzanne is an active member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and is a member of the Georgia, Southern Magic, and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal chapters of RWA.
Find her online: Website |  Blog | Twitter | Facebook 


When Hurricane Katrina destroys the barriers between modern New Orleans and the Beyond, an apprentice wizard braves the chaos of her struggling city to find her missing mentor, fend off the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, and control her annoying new partner--not to mention find a serial killer before he finds her. ~ Goodreads | Amazon

GIVEAWAY!

Fill out the Google doc below to win a copy of Royal Street by Suzanne Johnson in the format of your choice. International entries welcome.


THIS GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED. THE WINNER IS ERIN F

Book Blogger Confessions

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about topics that are unique to us. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.

Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers!

If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Tiger's All Consuming Media or For What It's Worth.

Question: What do we owe publishers and authors? If we accept ARC’s do we “owe” anything to them or just an honest review to our followers? As book bloggers are we obligated to do more than just review books? Post covers – participate in book tours – host guest posts - promote authors?

Relationships with publishers are a tricky thing. One I have mostly stayed away from. I don’t see an issue with requesting books for review or forming relationships with publishers as long as you stay professional and remain honest with your followers. It's when you start blogging in a way that you're more worried about offending the publisher than being honest with your followers that I think leads to problems.

In just over two years of blogging I have only requested a handful of books. (10 tops) from publishers and on Netgalley I've requested @20. Even after finally being brave enough to make a few (3) publisher contacts, I’m very hesitant to request too many books.

For me it seems fairly simple. You owe a honest and timely review. That’s it. Most publishers give you a time frame of when they want your review posted, usually within a month of the books release date.
I do think the publisher has the right to give deadlines and require links to the review or the right to turn down future requests if the blogger repeatedly misses those obligations. We shouldn’t be requesting more books than we are able to read and review during their required time frame. It’s a privilege to be offered free books (often 6 months in advance of the public) for review. Being overwhelmed with 30 books to read doesn’t seem like a good excuse to me. You kind of know you can’t read & review that many on time so only request what you can handle.

I have to admit that this happened to me early on in my blogging days. I accepted too many author requests and couldn’t get to them all and I felt horrible. Lesson learned.

Publishers are usually very flexible and even understand if you don’t wish to review a book after you've read it or if something came up and you really didn’t have time to meet the review deadline. Just make sure you keep the line of communication open with your contact if you have one.

The follower/stat requirements for which bloggers get on their mailing lists seem quite arbitrary & frustrating at times but that’s their prerogative. We aren’t owed a damn thing just because we have a blog. ARC’s cost money and publishers expect to get something in return. There’s nothing wrong with that. It's up to them who the books go to.

The question of whether we owe more than reviews was brought up during the Book Blogger Con 2012 in NYC (coinciding the same week as BEA). I did not attend the Blogger Con but from the blog posts I read from those who attended, it seems that publishers think we should be doing much more than just writing reviews. (correct me if I'm wrong BBC attendees)

I do have a problem with that. Not the idea of participating in cover reveals or blog tours or anything like that but the idea that we SHOULD be doing it to be taken seriously as a blogger.

This is a hobby for almost all of us. I promote books because I love reading, authors because I love their work. I do not do it out of any sense of obligation or as quid pro quo. One problem I see with becoming a conduit for publishers is that your followers quickly get turned off knowing you haven’t actually read the books your pushing. It’s just promotion and they can sense that. One of the reasons for the explosion in popularity of book review blogs IMO is that our passion and joy of books shines through unlike the traditional press. We connect and discuss books in a way that they can't. Once you only become a publicity machine on behalf of publishers you lose that credibility.

Please don’t get me wrong – if you want to host guest posts or hop on a book tour because you enjoy doing it – go for it!!!! I do all of those things. I mean don’t do it just to get on the publishers good side so you might be able to score yourself an ARC. Oh…… those ARC’s make some bloggers behave in very strange, mysterious ways…..lol

I don’t think we should be obligated to do any of those things to prove our worth to the industry though. This may come off rude or arrogant and I apologize if it does but we’ve become a huge enthusiastic fan base that basically provides free publicity for books and authors. We shouldn't have to prove anything. We don't *work* for publishers - we blog for ourselves.

I think it's tough for the publishing industry to deal with such a diverse group of people with an unknown outcome when they hand that book over. I think we'll hit some rough patches figuring out what we want from vs what we owe each other but I'm hopeful that it will work out in the end. I was very pleased with the interactions that I had with every publisher at BEA this year. Past years hadn't been so pleasant. I think we need to start listening to each other and have more realistic expectations from both sides.

So that’s my long rambling way of saying I have no problem with the publisher/blogger relationship. As long as you are respectful of their requirements and don’t view it as something they *owe* us. Also blog honestly – not for the next book score.

What do you think? Even if you’ve never received a book for review do you still think it’s a bloggers *job* to promote books for publishers?

Sunday Ramblings….

Wrap-up:
~ Must Read Monday: The Nadia Stafford series by Kelley Armstrong
~ Review: Ward Against Death by Melanie Card
~ Waiting on Wednesday: The Kingmakers by Clay & Susan Griffith
~ Mini Reviews: Easy by Tammara Webber, What A Boy Needs by Nyrae Dawn, Spill Over by Jolene Perry
~ Saturday Spotlight & Giveaway: Jaye Frances - The Possibilities of Amy


Bloggers!! Get your posts ready for tomorrows Book Blogger Confessions – topic: What do bloggers owe publishers

Giveaway – Pick your book – July releases!

What I read:
~ 52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody – I loved this book!
~ This is Not A Test by Courtney Summers – blew me away!
~ Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter – LOVED the beginning but then it turned into the typical back and forth between hot, brooding boy and snarky comeback girl. There’s a really fresh take on zombies though & I think most people are going to love this one. It just wasn’t for me.

New arrivals!



Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake. ~ Goodreads
Thank you! Thank you! thank you!!! to Lena Beana for getting this book for me AND signed. Big sloppy huggle Squishes!!!!

I visited the Paperback Dolls this week for Paperback Proust. If you want to know how I want to die, my greatest influence and other deep thoughts – check it out here

Saturday Spotlight & Giveaway: Jaye Frances–The Possibilities of Amy

Welcome to Saturday Spotlight. A feature hosted by Tina’s Book Reviews as a way of shining the light on Indie/Debut/Self Published authors. Each week I’ll have a guest post written by a featured author.

Today I am featuring The Possibilities of Amy author Jaye Frances.


Amy is the ultimate trophy girl—gorgeous face, killer body, and a vivacious personality. But there’s something else about her, something that makes her even more special. Amy is new. A transfer student from out of state, she’s starting her senior year without knowing a soul. And that means she’s up for grabs, available.

Infatuated from the moment he sees her, David is determined to meet Amy, and if the fates are willing, to spend the rest of his life with her. But his shyness prevents him from approaching her—until his friends devise a contest to determine who will be the first to prove their manhood by seducing her. ~ Goodreads | Amazon


Please welcome Jaye to the blog today with a sweet true story about unrequited love and inspiration.

Thank you, Karen, for hosting me today on For What It’s Worth. Since I’m often asked about the motivation and ideas for my stories, I wanted to share the unexpected source for my coming-of-age YA romance The Possibilities of Amy.  
My twentieth high school reunion was just two weeks away. I should have been excited. But I wasn’t. With the deadline for my column looming at the end of the week, and the final round of editing for my next book staring me in the face, driving 400 miles back to my home town to reminisce with nearly-forgotten best friends and study hall partners was not high on my list of priorities. But I also knew there was a part of me—a volleyball whacking, Coke and fries eating, rock and roll 17-year-old —that would be disappointed if I didn’t go. Hoping to sway my responsible reluctance with a dose of nostalgia, I pulled out my senior yearbook and read some of the scribbled ramblings from the peers of my youth.

There they were. The platitudes and clichés that have personalized every high school yearbook since the marriage of felt-tip pen to glossy paper. “Best of luck in the future.” “See you in college, hope you’ll let me copy your homework.” “Enjoyed our chats in math class.”

But there was one entry from a boy whose name I couldn’t place. “Wish we had spent more time together,” he wrote. A bit more heart-felt than most, but not enough to jog my memory. 

I put the book away and went back to work, not thinking any more about the admiring comment, until two weeks later, when I came face-to-face with its author at the reunion hospitality desk. He pointed to his nametag and introduced himself. Jeff was still somewhat shy, but incredibly handsome, and as we became reacquainted, I learned that he had been married for eight years, had two children, and loved to sail. He interrupted our conversation, and returned a few minutes later to introduce his wife. She shook my hand, then left to get the three of us some drinks from the bar. Then he told me—about the crush he had on me all through high school, and about the torchy, bittersweet memories he carried through college, and finally, how he had always regretted not taking the risk to ask me out.

I told him how flattered I was. And appreciative. True to tradition, we exchanged our yearbooks and updated our original comments. Finally, he thanked me for remembering him, and then mentioned something about the babysitter expecting them home by midnight. And with that, the night became another memory.

On the drive home, I stopped for something to eat, and on a whim, took my high school annual with me inside the restaurant to look at the signatures and comments I’d gathered at the reunion, especially now that we were looking back at our lives with twenty years of perspective.

I skipped all the others and went directly to Jeff’s picture, wondering what he might have added to his original note. “If I had only known what was waiting for me, I would have taken the chance,” he wrote. And then he signed it, “Silwy.”  It never made any sense until two months later, when my niece asked me if she could look through the old annual. The unusual signature brought her running—with the translation: Still in love with you.

The Possibilities of Amy offers a touching and poignant journey back to high school, through the eyes and heart of the teenage male psyche. Who knew what these guys were really going through?


Author Bio:  Jaye Frances is a columnist for the NUSA Sun Magazine and has authored three books. Her fourth, The Beach, is scheduled for release August 1, 2012.  Born in the Midwest, Jaye readily admits that her life’s destination has been the result of an open mind and a curiosity about all things irreverent. When she’s not consumed by her writing, Jaye enjoys cooking, traveling to all places tropical and “beachy” and taking pictures—lots of pictures—many of which find their way to her website. Jaye lives on the central gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, four cameras, and several hundred pairs of shoes. For more information, visit Jaye’s website at www.jayefrances.com , or Jaye’s Blog at http://blog.jayefrances.com, Facebook http://www.facebook.com/jayefrancesauthor

GIVEAWAY!

Jaye is offering one Kindle version of The Possibilities of Amy to one lucky winner!
~ Fill out the google doc below to win a Kinlde version of The Possibilities of Amy (Open to international entries)
~ Giveaway ends on Saturday July 21st at 11:59pm ET – winner announced Sunday July 22nd

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER IS RAELENE

Mini Reviews: A different kind of “beach read”

I know summer is supposed to consist of “beach reads” Those books that are fun and sexy lighter reads but I’m going to recommend three books that dig a little deeper.

Easy by Tammara Webber, What A Boy Needs by Nyrae Dawn & Spill Over by Jolene Perry touch on the topics of rape, abuse and loss that will have you on the edge of your seat but still have that heart melting romance we’re all looking for in our summer reads.



Easy by Tammara Webber

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex’s frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she’s still the same intelligent girl she’s always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There’s just one problem—their only interactions are through email.

Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees—hoping for more.

Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they’ve hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

Author Recommendation: Mature Young Adults (language, drinking, sexual situations) ~ Goodreads | Amazon
Source: Copy provided by author for my honest review

My quick take: I think Tammara Webber is one of the best YA contemporary writers out there right now. Easy is not as light or fun as her Between the Lines series (which is excellent btw) but it still has that honest YA voice that I believe is her trademark. Here Webber takes on the issues of sexual assault, bone deep grief, self defense and empowerment.

I could relate to Jacqueline struggles as she heads off to college and strikes out on her own for the first time after a break up with her long time boyfriend. A traumatizing event puts her in the path of the enigmatic Lucas. I really loved the focus on female empowerment but it was Lucas’s story that had me gripped to the pages. I almost wish that this was his book. His story is so compelling and it ties in nicely with Jacqueline’s. At times you don’t know what to feel about his character or actions right along with Jacqueline but believe me he’s worth the effort.

Oh and if you think this may be too dark for a summer read – have no fear Tammara Webber can bring on the sexy:

"I pressed against him and he groaned into my mouth and wrenched his mouth from mine, breathing raggedly. "I have to go now, or I'm not going."

“He dropped the pad onto the floor and the pencil followed, his stare never unlocking from mine. As he leaned over me, I felt a heightened awareness of every part of my body that touched a part of his – the edge of his hip pressed to mine, his chest sliding against mine, his fingers tracing from wrists to forearms and then framing my face. He held me in place, lips near my ear. When he kissed the sensitive spot my breath shuddered. “You're so beautiful,” he whispered, moving his mouth to mine.”



What A Boy Needs by Nyrae Dawn

A companion novel to WHAT A BOY WANTS.
Jaden Sinclair knows he'll never amount to anything...so why would he deserve a girl like Priscilla Mendoza?

Since last summer, things have been screwed up between Jaden and Pris. He knows it's his fault, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to go a few rounds with her new boyfriend. He also knows he’s the loser his dad calls him, but it doesn’t stop him from wanting her.

After getting a huge bomb dropped on him, Jaden lashes out and lands himself in jail. Everything in his chaotic life is turned upside down and to make it worse, his mom kicks him out in order to side with his dad. Yeah, he’s totally a prize for a girl like Pris.

Sebastian, Aspen, and Pris are all going places in their lives...and he knows he can't keep tagging along for the ride.

The group has one last chance for The Epic Adventure they've been looking for: a road trip to New York, where Jaden's friends will be going to college. Unfortunately, the more time Jaden hangs around Pris, the harder it is to keep the carefully constructed walls between them so she doesn't find out what a train wreck he really is.

When the trip ends, Jaden has to decide if he's ready to say goodbye to his friends, and the girl he loves. He knows what he needs, but will he be man enough to go for it?

Contains mature themes. Some sexual situations and language. ~ Goodreads | Amazon
Source: Copy provided by author for my honest review

My quick take: After meeting Jaden in What A Boy Wants, I wasn’t expecting to read just how broken and damaged this poor boy is. The thing I loved most is that Nyrae Dawn carried over the deep friendships from the first book but really let Jaden shine here. Believe me that’s difficult to do when your following Sebastian Hawkins but she succeeded. Honest, gut wrenching, romantic and funny all wrapped into one What A Boy Needs is the perfect summer read. (Make sure you read What A Boy Wants first – it’s excellent!)


Spill Over by Jolene Perry

"I'm not in New York.
I'm friends with a girl.
I'm living on a boat... with my dad...
At this point, I figure anything's possible."

When an assignment overseas gives Antony's Mom the opportunity of a lifetime, she sees it as a chance for Antony to get to know his dad - a guy strange enough to live on a boat. Near dreary Seattle. Antony’s sure that the next few months will feel like a lifetime. He and his dad can’t even fill up a five minute conversation on his birthday call.

Then he meets Amber, the girl from five boats down, and his prospects perk up. But when it becomes very clear, very fast, that all she’s after is friendship, Antony wonders if he’ll survive the next three months.

He is absolutely. Completely. Totally. Displaced.

And then tragedy hits.

Spill Over is a novel about love, loss, and figuring out what’s actually important. ~ Goodreads | Amazon
Source: Purchased

My quick take: I sat up until 1am finishing this book. There’s nothing better than reading about a bad boy struggling to turn good.

Antony comes off quite spoiled at first but his life takes so many unexpected turns so quickly that he’s forced to face the harsh realities of the life he has been living and deciding where he wants to go from this point on after a tragic loss.

What was nice about Spill Over is that he’s not trying to make the change just for the girl but also for himself. Antony struggles, he screws up & he gets called out by Amber. Good stuff.

(One minor nitpick with Spill Over - there were several typos in my Kindle version but it didn't ruin my reading experience)

I should re-title this post: Mini reviews “the broken boys of summer” because all of the above books have deeply damaged boys. Despite the heaviness of the topics all are super sexy summer, beach worthy and will leave you with a smile on your face.

Do you have a favorite summer read?