I DID THE THING!! Please read this post before clicking the link!

It's here!!! Please read this post before clicking the link!

My new adult manuscript, AS LONG AS YOU'RE MINE, is now available to read FOR FREE on Swoon Reads. Just download the app, and follow this link to preview the manuscript. All I ask is that you download, read, and give it a rating once you're done please! Every few months Swoon Reads chooses a manuscript from this slushpile to offer a publishing contract through Macmillan. It's based on editor opinion, reader feedback, and which manuscripts gather the most interest. So every vote, comment, and rating will help. Please note that this is a New Adult manuscript, NOT Young Adult. So it's intended for a more mature audience than some of my other works. Please feel free to share the love and spread the word on this one. I need all the help I can get!

Click Here to download the app and start reading!

About the Book

Two years ago, Rennie Cobain's heart was hulk-smashed by Mack, an Emmy-winning, altar boy turned boy band icon. After a world tour as a guitar tech, Rennie gets an offer she should refuse: on Broadway.The show stars the only guy to ever break her heart. 

There's more than dignity at risk once the director discovers Rennie’s family legacy.Out of the orchestra pit and into the spotlight; blue-haired, fame-phobic Rennie is hand-fed to the press. She’s terrified the media will resurrect her past as a homeless, emotionally abused, musical prodigy. Rennie wants to be Rennie-not Kurt’s cousin.Not a survivor.Not a victim.

Mack understands her, but their first chance at love ended in agony. Now she has to kiss him every night in front of a packed house. Trusting Mack may be the only way Rennie can embrace her talent without selling her soul.

FORGETTING YESTERDAY by Ava Wood

Book Blitz! BURN by Kaitlyn Davis

Cover Reveal--GOLD RUSH by Jennifer Comeaux

Cover Reveal: HOW TO BE SOMEONE ELSE by Rachel Del

Cover Reveal: FORGETTING YESTERDAY by Ava Wood!

Review: LOSING HOPE BY COLLEEN HOOVER

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In HOPELESS Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

WHAT I LIKED

That even though this is a companion novel, it holds water as its own story. Where most companion novels rehash the same story from a different POV, Holder's perspective was different enough and the details were new enough that it worked. Really well. I still feel like companion novels are sort of cheating though, so it's a like not a love because I'm biased like that.  

The chemistry, though it was better in female POV. Part if this goes back to voice issue (more on that below.) But it still sizzled and Holder is yummy, even when he's the POV character.  

WHAT I LOVED

Really good handling of family member teen suicide. I think this is a hugely underrepresented theme in both YA and NA (glad to have reviewed two books in the last month that address this topic) because this is the sort of thing that people don't talk about. Your mom has cancer and dies, everyone can relate to that sort of grief. But having a family member who chooses to end her own life is different. It's incredibly difficult to process, even as an outsider, and finding the strength to support someone who is going through that is even harder. So In really, really love the author's handling of this issue. She uses the perfect combination of painful bluntness to make it authentic with sensitivity toward her readers' emotional reactions to this issue. Really well done.

The overall plot--I loved it the first time, loved it enough to read the same story again from another point of view. 

WHAT I WANTED MORE OF

Believably male narrative voice. I still say the "hopeless" tattoo is a little unrealistic and female-minded though. Beyond that, though, there is definitely some feminine word choice stuff happening, particularly during heightened emotional tension. I wanted Holder to be more masculine (note, I don't mean more manly or macho, but the fact is that guys and girls think differently.) I think if you make the decision to take on a male POV, you've got to see it through. There were a few times while reading that I said "yeah a guy wouldn't say it this way" or "guys aren't wired like that" and it pulled me out of the story. These were exceptions, however, and not the rule. Overall I really enjoyed the voice. 

Would have liked more flushing out of subplot arcs. There were some great NA themes that took a serious backseat to the romance plot and to the plot we saw in HOPELESS. I would have liked to have seen more time spent on Holder's goals and future, beyond than the brief epilogue we get at the very end. 

That said, there's a reason why Colleen Hoover is seen as one of the foremothers of NA fiction. She weaves authentic, original NA yarn, and I'm pretty sold on any title I find on the shelves so long as her name is on it. I'm late to the party on this one, so I'm sure many of you have read it. What did you think?

Cover Reveal: PARADOX by Kelly Carrero

Paradox by Kelly Carrero 

(Unearthly Paradox #1) 

Publication date: April 2014

Genres: Romance, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Never in a million years would I ever fall for the son of a drug lord. Or so I thought until I moved two doors down from Jett.
Zara thought her life was over when she had to move just days before graduation. The situation went from bad to horrible, when she discovers just how cruel the kids at her new school can be.

When Zara is set up by some bullies and almost raped, she somehow gets free, but she’s haunted by the eyes of the one she believes rescued her.

Later, bad boy Jett is only too willing to step in and help. In fact, Zara can’t seem to get rid of him or his family, who all seem to have a strange obsession with her.

Will letting down her guard be one of the biggest mistakes of her life, or is Zara destined to become a part of his life, an existence that no human could ever understand?

Review: THE TEMPTATION OF LILA AND ETHAN by Jessica Sorensen

Title: THE TEMPTATION OF LILA AND ETHAN
Pub Date: 5/6/14 from Grand Central Publishing
ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review
Dannie says: not as tempting as some of Sorensen's other works, but still fun!

On the surface, Lila Summers is flawless: good looks, expensive clothes, and a big, beautiful smile. But a dark past and even darker secrets are threatening to bubble over her perfect façade. She'll do anything to keep the emptiness inside hidden-which leads her into situations that always end badly. Whenever she hits bottom, there's only one person who's there to pull her out: Ethan Gregory. 

Ethan set the rules a long time ago: he and Lila are just friends. He doesn't do relationships. Although his tattooed, bad boy exterior is a far cry from Lila's pretty princess image, Ethan can't deny they have a deeper connection than he's used to. If he's not careful, he could be in serious danger of becoming attached-and he's learned the hard way that attachment only leads to heartbreak.

When Lila falls farther than she ever has before, can Ethan continue to help as a friend? Or is he also getting close to falling . . . for her?

WHAT I LIKED

If you've been following this blog for a while you know I'll pretty much pick up anything with Jessica Sorensen's name on it. She has a knack for writing realistically imperfect characters that are easy to champion. The premise of Lila and Ethan promised to be another book I'd reread until I had memorized. It touched on the New Adult themes I loved without being a cookie cutter college let's get drunk and tame a bad boy trope that I've grown really, really sick of. I was hooked by this premise. There were some areas it fell short for me, though, making it a like rather than a love. 

Ethan. I'm not really a sucker for a bad boy and I think this was one area where some of Sorensen's characters start to blend together a little. He's a bit similar to Quinton, who is probably my favorite character by this author, and so I found myself comparing the two, leaving Ethan to be more of a like than a love, since I felt Quinton was more multifaceted and tangible. I did really, really enjoy reading Ethan's chapters though.

WHAT I LOVED

The realistic portrayal of addiction in upper class teens/twenty-somethings. You know how I'm a sucker for a well-told drug story, and Sorensen's books are some of my favorite in this respect. I did think she handled this aspect of the story very well, and I won't say anything more than that to avoid spoilers. But it was realistic and from me that's hard praise to come by. 

Hurray for a book that can be read as a standalone! I've read the previous two books in this series, but I don't think you need to read them to enjoy this book. And although there is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, there's enough tying of loose ends that if you want to stop here, you can, and feel satisfied that the story has reached a conclusion. 

WHAT I WANTED MORE OF

A stronger FMC. I felt like Lila could have grown more in terms of her personal journey. I wanted her to be stronger and to rely on Ethan less. I felt at times like they were toying with codependency in a way that seemed unhealthy, and I wanted her to need less rescuing than she did. 

More chemistry--while Sorensen's characterization and chemistry are nearly always out of the box, I did feel like this book went into the tropey area a little too much with the whitewashed pure girl and the inked up bad boy. While I didn't think Ethan was your typical NA LI, he wasn't unique enough from other male leads in Sorensen's growing collection. So, maybe because I've read nearly everything in her catalog, I felt like these characters and their chemistry was not as original as I'd hoped. 

Short story long, if you enjoy Jessica Sorensen's books, I think you'll be tempted by Lila and Ethan. I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next!

Review: THE SUMMER I FOUND YOU by Jolene Perry

Title: THE SUMMER I FOUND YOU by Jolene Perry
Pub Date: March 1, 2014
ARC received via NetGalley from Albert Whitman Teen in exchange for an honest review.
Dannie says: Good but not as great as I'd hoped.

All they have in common is that they're less than perfect. And all they're looking for is the perfect distraction.

Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life. When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?

WHAT I LIKED 

Aiden--I think he could have been more realistic of a young soldier. The elements are there, but they all sort of came through in superficial ways for me. Of the two MCs, he's definitely the more three-dimensional. For me what it felt like was that the author researched online what it's like to be a combat veteran, what it's like to be an amputee, and included those details without taking her research any further. For me, having worked with people with disabilities for a long time, and knowing a lot of combat veterans both personally and professionally, a lot of small details went overlooked. His characterization didn't feel as organic as I'd hoped, making Aiden a like rather than a love for me.

The interplay between the two MCs individual journeys. I think there was great potential for the conflict between the amputation Aiden can't hide and the diabetes Kate is desperate to deny. But for me, I didn't feel this theme was explored thoroughly enough. The resolution of this issue came too late structurally and felt sort of glossed over as a consequence. I felt like the author missed a huge opportunity to enhance their emotional chemistry by having them struggle to face their disabilities as a couple. But I really, really liked where she was headed with this. It's an awesome theme I'd love to see more of in YA/NA. 

WHAT I LOVED

The concept--love, love, love this idea. First and foremost, hurray for main characters with disabilities in stories that aren't just about having a disability. Juvenile diabetes is a seriously under-explored issue for young people in YA lit and I loved that Jolene explored the denial aspect of late diagnosis so thoroughly. 

WHAT I WANTED MORE OF 

A stronger, more engaging FMC. I didn't feel grabbed by Kate as much as I'd hoped, and I really really hoped! I think she's got the makings of a really interesting character arc, but it fell sort of flat for me. She felt underdeveloped, both in terms of her progression of coming to grips with her disability and her personality in general. She didn't really pop off the page for me and I found myself genuinely disliking her toward the end of the book rather than empathizing with her. She felt very superficial and shallow and consequently, I didn't buy her taking interest in a guy with one arm. I'm not sold on being squeamish with needles but okay with a huge scar-filled gape where an arm should be--and I don't say this to be insensitive. Amputation is painful, life-altering, and can create a lot of day to day difficulties beyond not being able to drive a car with a stick shift. I didn't believe a girl with Kate's characterization would love someone like him so easily. 

A  better title and cover. I was really, really confused by the presentation of this book. For one, the story doesn't even take place during the summer. It takes place in the spring, in the months leading up to Kate's prom and graduation. If the implication is that they're going to get together during the summer after the book is over, then maybe it's a good title for a sequel, but it doesn't fit this plot at all. The cover, too, doesn't really fit the content, and beyond that it looks too similar to Sarah Ocklar's TWENTY BOY SUMMER, which is actually about a summer vacation. So writer-to-writer, I wanted more for the author here. 

More thorough explanation of the themes and conflict. Like I said, there is so much potential running around in this manuscript. Really and truly. But I felt like it started in the wrong place and ended too quickly. I wanted to fall in love with this book because the concept totally grabbed me. When I saw it on NetGalley I said "I MUST READ THIS BOOK NOW!" I was quite grabby-hands about the whole thing. But I left the last page feeling disappointed and a little confused. 

But don't take my word for it. Read and let me know what you think!

Review: CRASH INTO YOU by Katie McGarry

Title: CRASH INTO YOU
Author: Katie McGarry
Pub Date: November 26, 2013
ARC Received from Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review.
Dannie says: Trope-y as hell, but still a fun read. 


The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life—that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers…and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker—a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind. 

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks—no matter how angelic she might look. 

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

WHAT I LIKED

Character chemistry--Katie does sexual chemistry in a league of her own (or one where she has very little company.) It's one of the reasons I pick up her books and give them a chance even when I'm not sure I'm going to be grabbed by the story. And I have yet to start one of hers that I didn't finish. 

The FMC's personal demons and how she worked to overcome them. And I won't say more than that here because of major spoilers, but I liked how the author handled that. I did want her to take it a little further though so it's a like, not a love for me. 

WHAT I LOVED

How much fun I had reading this book. It's not completely original or unpredictable, but well written with engaging characters, fast paced, and steamy sexytimes. Obviously this is how this author has built a name for herself in Contemporary Upper YA/NA and it is well-deserved. 

WHAT I WANTED MORE OF

Thoroughly researched plot points. This was a source of contention for me in the original book in this series and continues to irk me--A guidance counselor is NOT a therapist. The training and licensure process are totally different. Are there people who do both? Sure. (I'm one of them.) But it would be a HUGE liability (one the public school system would not take on) to have mental health practitioners employed to practice therapy in a host environment. Fortunately, this wasn't as prominent in this book so it didn't completely ruin the read for me.

Original characters. The whole bad-boy-rich-girl trope is just kind of meh for me. I think to pull it off, you have to do it better than what's already out there. These two fell a little short for me, too similar to some of Simone Elkeles' characters. That said, they were still engaging enough that I finished the read. 

***SPOILER ALERT FOR TWO PARAGRAPHS BELOW***

I think the author missed an opportunity to write something really unique by having the wreck happen in the last 20 pages of the book. That situation is ripe with conflict and I really wanted to know how they handled her injuries as a couple, and how things came together for her family (and his resolution with aging out of foster care.) While I liked reading this story, that would have been one I hadn't read before. 

I was really disappointed that the brothers weren't linked to the main conflict more. It almost seemed like the story was originally written to go that route but the author (or publisher) ultimately changed her mind. But that would have upped the ante on their conflict and the FMC's relationship with her family a lot. So I was disappointed she didn't go there. I think you do your story a disservice when you don't up the conflict and tension between characters as much as possible. 

Short story long, this book is not going to change the world, but sometimes you need a book that does something better--takes you out of yourself and into something fun for a little while. CRASH INTO YOU does just that. 

Sneak Peek: Swoon Romance Summer of Love (A super exciting Thursday'sChildren post!)

A few weeks ago, I blogged about how finding inspiration through the success of our peers. This week in lieu of my usual Thursdays Children post, I come bearing inspiring gifts! Sneak peeks of three new YA titles by Kelly Hashway, Rachel Schieffelbein, and Stephanie Wardrop. As writers, one of the most inspiring things we can do is keep reading, and spread the word when exciting news is afoot. The fabulous people at Swoon Romance have graciously allowed me to share just a smidge of what's in store for us from this imprint of George McBride's Month9Books. Prepare to Swoon along with me, people!

Add Advantage Heartbreak to your Goodreads TBR list!

Author: Kelly Hashway

Book: Advantage Heartbreak (A Game. Set. Match. Heartbreak series #2)

Release date: 5/28/13

Book blurb: Seventeen-year-old Meg Flannigan thought she’d made up her mind about love. But with two guys still vying for her attention, she wonders if she made the right decision. Ash is everything she’s ever wanted in a boyfriend: loyal, loving, and totally hot. But then there’s Noah: fun, sexy, and the more he sticks around, the more Meg wants him there.

What’s a girl to do?

Make up her mind, before it’s too late. Gorgeous freshman Liz has set her sights on Ash, and Noah is beginning to remind Meg of her last boyfriend—the one who broke her heart. Can she figure things out before she ruins not one, but two relationships? Or is she doomed to serve up heartbreak?

And here's our sneak peek!

I stop at my locker, dropping my books inside and grabbing my uniform and racket. Ash’s arms slip around me, and I spin to face him. Before I can even say hi, his lips are on mine.      

My heart races. My hands abandon my gear and find Ash’s face.

“Just wanted to wish you luck, not that you need it. You’re going to do great.” He leans his forehead on mine.

"I think I figured out her weakness.” Thanks to Noah. “I should be able to use it to my advantage.”

“That’s great. I’ll get there as soon as I can. I told the guys that when we go on our run, we’re circling the courts so I can cheer for you.”

Ash will see Noah there. “You don’t have to do that. I don’t want to get you in trouble. Come by when you’re finished.” Maybe I can convince Noah to leave before Ash sees him.

He lifts my chin. “I’m going to do everything I can to be there for you. What’s the worst Coach can do to me? He’s not going to bench his best player this close to Saturday’s game.”

I force a smile. “Great.”

Ash walks me to the locker room and kisses me goodbye. “I love you, Meg.”

“I love you, too.”

He kisses me again before turning in the direction of the guys’ locker room. I stare after him, but Noah is standing in the gym. I’m sure he heard everything. Heard me say the L-word. Our eyes meet, and all he does is smile. Strange. I turn and head inside the locker room to avoid the awkwardness.

Click on the book cover above to add Advantage Heartbreak to your Goodreads TBR list. You can find out more about Kelly and her books on her Blog  Twitter  Goodreads  Facebook  Amazon     

Add to your Goodreads TBR list here!

Author: Rachel Schieffelbein

Book: Secondary Characters

Release date: 5/28/13

Book blurb: When Mabel's best friend, Amber, drags her along on a double date she finds herself falling for Lance, the obnoxious class clown whom she swore she'd have no interest in. The only problem is, she's not sure if she's really the girl Lance is into, or if, like every other guy she knows, it's really Amber he's after. One thing is clear, if Mabel wants to be the lead in her own love story, she needs to start acting like it.

Check out this sneak peek!

It’s a beautiful fall day, the sun is shining, and I’m stuck sitting here on a float wearing a suit and a football jersey with a plastic crown on my head like a freaking idiot.

I’m supposed to be waving at the crowd, but Mabel is sitting in front of me in a sexy teal dress that totally shows off her smooth, tan skin, and all I can think about is asking her out. I’ll ask her if she’s going to the game tonight, which I know she is, and then I’ll ask her if she wants to hang out afterward.

Should be easy enough.

So why is it so damn hard?

Okay, quit being a wuss and just do it. I lean forward. She smells like lilacs and I can already feel my heart racing. Without thinking, I reach up and grab the back of her folding chair and pull her toward me.

You can find out more about Rachel in here books on her   Blog    Twitter   Facebook. And don't forget to click on the cover above to add Secondary Characters to your Goodreads TBR list!   

Author: Stephanie Wardrop

Book: Charm and Consequence

Release date: May 28^th, 2013

Book blurb:  One superior smirk from Michael Endicott convinces sixteen-year-old Georgia Barrett that the Devil wears Polo. His family may have founded the postcard-perfect New England town they live in, but Georgia’s not impressed. Even if he is smart, good looking, and can return Georgia’s barbs as deftly as he returns serves on his family’s tennis courts. After all, if Michael actually thinks she refuses to participate in lab dissections just to mess with his grade, he’s a little too sure that he’s the center of the universe. Could there be more to Michael Endicott than smirks and sarcasm? If Georgia can cut the snark long enough, she just might find out.

Add on Goodreads!

And now for our sneak peek!

On the list of Good Things about Michael Endicott: dark eyes that are kind of like melty chocolate chips and hair with all of these curls that he just can’t keep down. And when he laughs it sort of erupts up through his throat in a surprised rumble and makes you want to laugh, too. Plus, his report on Chaucer helped our group kick butt on the English presentation last week, so I guess I find him much more tolerable these days. Attractive, even. That’s a pretty solid list, right?

I give him a little wave as he reaches the edge of the grass, and ask, “Where were you in bio today?”

“Dentist appointment,” he explains, then smirks and points to my hemp lunch bag. “So, Georgia, you brought your ethically acceptable lunch out into nature today? What’s on the menu—braised tofu, mashed yeast, turnips sprouts?” On the list of Bad Things about Michael Endicott? The fact that no one finds my veganism more hilarious than he.

You can click on the cover above to add Charm and Consequence to your Goodreads TBR list. And find out more about Stephanie via her Tumblr   Twitter   Goodreads or   Facebook. 

Congrats to Kelly, Rachel, and Stephanie on their book birthdays this week! I don't know about you guys, but I am adding all of these titles to my summer reading list! Who's with me??  

Thursday's children is a blog meme where writers blog about what inspires them. Click here to join the blog hop!

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