Review: The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegal (ARC)

The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegal
Harlequin Teen, 319 pages
US Release Date: April 29, 2014
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!

Some sixteen-year-olds babysit for extra cash.

Some work at the mall.

Becca Williamson breaks up couples.

Becca knows from experience the damage that love can do. After all, it was so-called love that turned Huxley from her childhood best friend into a social-world dictator, and love that left Becca's older sister devastated at the altar. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, Becca strikes back—for just one hundred dollars via PayPal, she will trick and manipulate any couple's relationship into smithereens. And with relationship zombies overrunning her school and treating single girls as if they're second-class citizens, business is unfortunately booming. Even Becca's best friend, Val, has resorted to outright lies to snag a boyfriend.

One night, Becca receives a mysterious offer to break up the most popular couple in school: Huxley and raw football team's star player, Steve. To succeed, she'll have to plan her most elaborate scheme to date—starting rumors, sabotaging cell phones, breaking into cars...not to mention sneaking back into Huxley's good graces. All while fending off the inappropriate feelings she may or may not be having for Val's new boyfriend.

No one said being the Break-Up Artist would be easy.
-----------Goodreads Summary

Notable Quote

Why do my classmates believe that saying those three words automatically protects a couple? They’re not relationship insurance.

I’m having a hard time writing this review because I’m so “meh” towards the book. There were parts I liked, some I really liked…and there were parts I didn’t like, and definitely parts I really DIDN’T like. Everything kind of cancels out, so I’m left with just a neutral feeling towards it.

I like the concept of The Break Up Artist. I feel like it’s been done a few times, but there are certain elements that still make it feel unique. I like that it’s one person as the Artist, that she’s working alone (mostly), that she hides it from everyone. I like that Becca has a reason to believe something, I like that she has to work through some things.

I did not like how extreme some of the situations were. I definitely called Becca’s sister and her and a few others “bitter old hags” in my head more than once. I may have even said it out loud at one point.  I felt like I had to suspend my reality, kind of forget a lot of the things I’ve learned about humans and humanity and think people really were as dense as they were coming across in the book.

I liked Val and the friendship she had with Becca. I thought the idea behind this book, that those in relationships treat singletons differently was a pretty good one, if not a bit exaggerated. I’ve been single all my life (only recently have I been realizing that perhaps some of it has been by choice) and I have my fair few memories when people treated me differently for it. People who thought I was sad or pathetic for not having someone, people who thought I must be lonely or excluded me because I wasn’t paired off. Some of that is real, and I appreciated it in this book. Especially when it came to Val and her boyfriend and how that friendship slowly changed.

Becca’s school is definitely the exaggeration. I appreciated the attempt to justify it with the boy-to-girl ratio, but I won’t buy it. I found Steve and Huxley’s relationship cute and sweet, but also a tad unrealistic. Most of the ones in here are slightly so.

I most certainly did not like Diane, nor did I like Val’s boyfriend. I liked that Diana gave a reason to Becca to do a lot of the shenanigans she partook (is that a word?) in, but Diane was just…ugh. I want her to grow up and get a grip. Yes, of course, have a mourning period, but don’t take it out on friends and just…UGH. Horrible. And I’m not talking about Val’s boyfriend—not just because it would spoil some things. He’s a cliché, he was easy to read as what he would turn into, and I was not impressed.

Ultimately, what saved this story for me were the friendships. I liked the nerd boys at Becca’s table, I liked Val and Becca when there wasn’t a guy standing around them, I liked Becca’s relationship and friendship with her sister. I even liked Huxley (probably best of all the characters). When she wasn’t spouting some crap about needing a boyfriend, she actually made a lot of sense and felt the most rounded of everyone.

The Break Up Artist was definitely hit-or-miss with me, and so much so that I just can’t seem to make up my mind what it is. For every part I hated, there was a part I liked.  If it sounds like something that intrigues you, give it a whirl.

3 stars

Review: Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Telley (ARC)

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Telley
Harlequin Teen, 384 pages
US Release Date: September 30, 2014
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!

In 1959 Virginia, the lives of two girls on opposite sides of the battle for civil rights will be changed forever.

Sarah Dunbar is one of the first black students to attend the previously all-white Jefferson High School. An honors student at her old school, she is put into remedial classes, spit on and tormented daily.

Linda Hairston is the daughter of one of the town's most vocal opponents of school integration. She has been taught all her life that the races should be kept separate but equal.

Forced to work together on a school project, Sarah and Linda must confront harsh truths about race, power and how they really feel about one another.

Boldly realistic and emotionally compelling, Lies We Tell Ourselves is a brave and stunning novel about finding truth amid the lies, and finding your voice even when others are determined to silence it.
--------------------------Goodreads Summary

Notable Quotes

I don't know how to tell her I just don't have the energy to keep up with my old friends anymore. That my life isn't big enough to deal with all the awful things and still fit in everything that used to be important to me, too.

&

I don't know what I'm supposed to believe anymore. I want to follow the teachings of the Lord, but I don't know how. It's so complicated. Why would God give me these feelings if they're wrong?

This is probably one of the tougher books I’ve ever had to review, simply because it’s such an important one. I don’t want to really “critique” anything, because the subject matter is so intense and so relevant I don’t want to risk deterring anyone from reading it.

I’m not going to lie, some of this was hard to read. This history is such a hard truth to face, and I’ll admit some of it was hard for me to swallow. But the book does it well, with enough detail to make an impact but not over-the-top for shock value. I’m very glad nothing was horrifically extreme, and am incredibly impressed at the way Telley was able to pull off showing what was real but still reminding the reader there was definitely worse. And not in a guilt-inducing way, but as an element to the story.

One of my concerns was that this story was tackling both racism and sexual orientation—those are two HUGE issues, and can go very wrong, very fast. But I was pleasantly surprised at how seamlessly they blended together and really worked together to make the story. It’s handled well, with equal amount of importance and time given to both. I definitely feel like this was a bold statement that draws on parallels, but…that’s a different conversation.

One of the most interesting parts of this novel was seeing how the parents influenced their kids and the resulting actions and words. It’s definitely a battle of generations, and it was another pleasant surprise to have it portrayed so well. It really added a deeper element of family and nature versus nurture, and was probably one of my favourite parts.

As a story itself, I was fairly impressed with how it all came together. The characters are unique but relatable, and I loved the friendships and family relationships. I don’t think there’s much deviation from a plotline that we could guess, but at the same time, I don’t really think a book like this should. The fight scene towards the end that seemed to be a turning point was perhaps the only thing that really startled me, but it was a good thing in the end.

Lies We Tell Ourselves is such an important book, one to make a reader think and feel and incite action. It’s fairly obvious that I’m a fan of this book, in every way. It’s the perfect way to bring this history and these messages to the YA crowd.

4 stars

Review: Anything To Have You by Paige Harbison (ARC)

Anything To Have You by Paige Harbison
Harlequin Teen, 304 Pages
Expected US Release Date: January 28, 2014
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!
Challenges: Contemporary Challenge, Stand Alone Challenge

Nothing should come between best friends, not even boys. ESPECIALLY not boys.

Natalie and Brooke have had each other's backs forever. Natalie is the quiet one, college bound and happy to stay home and watch old movies. Brooke is the movie—the life of every party, the girl everyone wants to be.

Then it happens—one crazy night that Natalie can't remember and Brooke's boyfriend, Aiden, can't forget. Suddenly there's a question mark in Natalie and Brooke's friendship that tests everything they thought they knew about each other and has both girls discovering what true friendship really means.
---------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

Love is the one thing that no matter how much you want it, if it's not there, there is nothing you can do to get it. No measure of hard work, begging, crying, wanting or needing; nothing in the world can make love happen out of nothing.

I was debating if I should sign up for this touring ARC when I first saw it posted because Harlequin Teen can be a bit hit or miss for me. I expect a lot of things from Harlequin in terms of love stories and romance, you know? And this sounded good, but I also felt like I probably knew the story without even reading it. But I went for it, because why not? It sounded daring and passionate, two things I hardly turn down.

And honestly? I’m pretty disappointed. The entire novel was predictable, down to the “twist” and other turns they threw at the reader. Perhaps the only thing that really took me by surprise was that this book turned into a dual narrative (didn’t expect to get Brooke’s point of view!), but that actually was a bad thing for me. I don’t think it added anything to the storyline, I didn’t think it was executed well…it was basically two books shoved into one that happened to criss-cross. Sure, the storyline overlapped since it was written to, but I didn’t think knowing the other side enhanced the story more.

And I admit that while a lot of the boys were pretty hot on the page (at least I can still count on Harlequin for that!), there were so many flaws in each one that I couldn’t believe it. Aiden was nice and sweet (aside from possibly sleeping with his girlfriend’s best friend…but y’know.), but he was just a little too perfect. His reactions, all the things he did to protect others and be considering of them…it was too much. Too perfect, too ideal, especially in comparison to the other males in the book. I could not STAND Eric – he was supposed to be Mr. Hot Stuff at school, the untouchable but all-wanting, the perfect dude, but I actually thought he was a preeeetty big douchebag! Some of the things he said or did were pretty clear asshole things to me, and I couldn’t understand why every girl at the school seemed to love him.

Other things that bothered me: 1) every character was described as hot or popular or pretty or model-like. This is not a TV show, not every single damn character is going to be flawless and hot. It diminished any of the relatability I could get to any of the situations. And 2) the title does NOT fit with the novel to me. I don’t think someone did anything to have someone, I did not think it was as daring as it could be or really pushed any boundaries. The title makes it sound a lot more…risqué, you know? And it wasn’t at all.

Perhaps the only thing that did push the envelope was Brooke and her spiral towards the end. I normally am not into those Badass Girl characters, but she was the only one I could vaguely see the progression with and understand how she went there. Her attraction with Reed, the reactions to Aidan and Natalie, everything made sense to have her go in the direction she did.

I did like Natalie and Brooke’s friendship, too. That worked nicely together, I believed in it and their connection and all the emotions they experienced together and because of the other. That was probably one of the only redeeming parts to this entire novel.

Obviously, Anything To Have You wasn’t quite the book for me. It had so much potential and could have been, but I thought very little of it worked. While I endorse the friendship between the girls, I can’t endorse much else.

2 Stars

Review + Giveaway: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott (ARC)

Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott
Harlequin Teen, 304 Pages
Expected US Release Date: February 2014
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World ARC Tours - thank you!
Challenges: Contemporary Challenge, Stand-alone Challenge

Life. Death. And...Love?

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

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

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

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

Notable Quote

And still he pulled the pieces of who he is together. He is who he is because of who he is and nothing more and that makes him so special.

I’m not sure a book has ever broken my heart this badly before. And not in the sense of romance/boys are terrible breaking my heart – I mean in every sense, in every way. I wanted to cry so badly for Emma and I wanted to hug Caleb until he fused back together and I seriously just want to wrap this book in an eternal lovefest.

Here’s the brilliance of this book: everything here makes total sense. Which will really only sell it if you start reading, but what I mean is that this book is filled with fighting people who have different opinions on important, life threatening and heart changing decisions – and somehow, magically, every single person is right and simultaneously wrong. Even though you feel like one of them is overreacting, or being unfair to the other – you can’t argue it. It’s all just so true, and that’s what makes this situation so unbearable and hurtful and such a paradox.

The best part to Heartbeat was definitely the characters. There’s such a great strength to each one. Not just stubbornness or a spine to each (though that is also true), but a real roundness to their personality and who they are. There’s a great core to each person, and it really made me feel like each character was real and alive.

Of course, let’s talk the boy: Oh my God I want to love Caleb so hard for the rest of his life. I want to take him under my arm. I want to mend his heart and make him finally believe that he is not a bad person, that he is someone who deserves love. I’m not sure I’ve ever met a character that just made my heart continually shatter to pieces smaller and smaller each time, and is still somehow so loveable and likeable. He is the perfect example of a character who has done bad shit and seen bad shit, but is still not actually bad.

The other shining character for me was Olivia, Emma’s best friend. She was such a great personification of a best friend. And her entire situation is so amazing, because she is undeniably the best friend a person could ever ask for; and yet, sometimes a best friend just isn’t enough, you know? It’s a truth that’s hard to accept, no matter if you’re that best friend or the lucky one who has the best friend – and I love that it’s in a book.

There’s a saying in the American lexicon that says you can be “stuck between a rock and a hard place,” and I think Heartbeat is the perfect example of this. Nothing in this book is easy for any of the characters, and you can appreciate that as a reader and as a human being. The only easy part for me was loving the characters and writing and this entire book.

5 Stars

And thanks to the generosity of Cindy (The Princess Bookie), I've got an ARC to giveaway!

US/Canada only, ends August 14!

Enter through the rafflecopter below, and all my usual giveaway policy rules apply.

Good luck!

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[Blog Tour] Belonging by Karen Ann Hopkins - Interview + Giveaway!

Today I have the extreme honor of having Karen Ann Hopkins back on my blog to discuss the second book in her contemporary romance series as the kickoff to her Blog Tour! I interviewed her shortly after Temptation released (read it here!), and I am so, SO excited to have her back for the release of Belonging, book 2! 

About Belonging, Book 2 in the series.

I left everything I knew behind. 

But it was worth it. He was worth it. 

No one thought an ordinary girl like me would last two minutes living with the Amish, not even me. There are a lot more rules and a lot less freedom, and I miss my family and the life I once had. Worst of all, Noah and I aren't even allowed to see each other. Not until I've proven myself. 

If I can find a way to make it work, we'll be NOAH & ROSE

together forever. 

But not everybody believes this is where I belong.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

What were the challenges you faced writing a sequel/continuing story? 

Overall, writing Belonging was easier than Temptation for me. The characters and setting were already well developed and I was able to jump right into the Meadowview world. The only part that gave me some difficulty was the ending. It was as if Rose and Noah were going in a certain direction, regardless of my feelings on it.

Do you feel your writing changed between books?
Yes, it definitely became grittier. Everyone thinks that the Amish world is cozy and ideal, but as with all societies, there is a darker side, which I explored in Belonging more than I did in Temptation.

What did you learn from Book 1 that influenced how you wrote/approached Book 2? 
Because Temptation was my first published work, I learned much from my editors while going through the process. I was able to take that knowledge and streamline Belonging from the beginning. I had a better feel for what the publisher wanted from the novel straight off.

Book 2 is much more about Rose living amongst the Amish and their lifestyle – how were you able to research?
I’ve been completely immersed in the Amish community I live in for the past five years. Amish teens ride at my riding stable and babysit my children. Local teens come to my home on a regular basis to hang-out with my kids or do chores around the farm. I drive Amish families to town and have spent vacations with them. I’ve attended five Amish weddings and numerous benefit dinners, auctions, school activities and get-togethers. I’m writing the Temptation series strictly from my own experiential knowledge.

If Rose could choose a song as her favourite for Book 2, what would it be? 
Pink~Try 

If Noah could choose a song as his favourite for Book 2, what would it be?
Mumford and Sons~ I Will Wait.

I really love Rose’s brothers and the part they play in her life. Are they based off anyone you know?
Being a horse-back riding instructor, 4H coach and mother of five, I’ve observed interactions between siblings for many years. I drew from those observations to create the family dynamics within the story.

I know it’s a futile question, but I have to ask: any details you can give us on Book 3 yet? I’m dying to know how it will end!
I just recently finished book three, which will be titled, FOREVER. (Ashley's note: !!!!!!)  I can tell you that there will be some dramatic surprises and more tears shed before the end…but Rose and Noah will definitely have closure.

Flash answer section!
Music or quiet? Although I love music any other time, I prefer writing in silence.
Series or Stand-alones? I enjoy writing and reading a series. It gives more time for development of the story and characters. Plus, when you love a book, you don’t want it to end!
Pen or pencil? Pen.
Washing dishes or doing laundry? I hate both. Can cleaning a horse’s stall be added to the list?
Lunch or dinner? Lunch.
Early bird or night owl? Night owl.

And as I always end my interviews now…
Last 3 items purchased? A new skillet, a pair of work boots and 50 bales of hay.
Last 3 websites visited? Chicken hatcheries in northern Kentucky, greater Cincinnati weather and movie show-times for the local cinema.
Last 3 books read? I’m still working on George R. R. Martin’s A Dance With Dragons, field notes about the Lions of Tsavo, and Emily McKay’s, The Farm. 

How awesome is Karen? She's one of my favourite people to have here. 

And now you can win a signed copy of Belonging!
US/CAN only, ends 5/13
Thanks to the generosity of Karen and Harlequin :)
Please read my giveaway policy here before entering.
Good luck!

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About Temptation, Book 1 of the series.

Your heart misleads you.

That's what my friends and family say.

But I love Noah.

And he loves me.

We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms.

It should be

ROSE & NOAH 

forever, easy.

But it won't be.

Because he's Amish.

And I'm not.

Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

About the Author

A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel.
Blog | Facebook | Goodreads

There's some great stuff coming up on the tour, so make sure to follow it!

Monday, April 22th - Ashley Loves Books
Tuesday, April 23th -  A Little Shelf of Heaven
Wednesday, April 24th - One Day YA
Thursday, April 25th - Fic Talk
Friday, April 26th - Bittersweet Enchantment 

Monday, April 29th - Reader Girls
Tuesday, April 30th - Bumbles and Fairy Tales
Wednesday, May 1st - The YA Bookworm
Thursday, May 2nd - The Book Heist 
Friday, May 3rd -  Page Turners

Monday, May 6th -  Books Complete Me 
Tuesday, May 7th -  Bookish Escape
Wednesday, May 8th - Book Sp(l)ot Reviews
Thursday, May 9th - Irish Banana
Friday, May 10th - The Cozy Reader

Review: Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Temptation (Temptation #1) by Karen Ann Hopkins
Harlequin Teen, 380 Pages
US Release Date: June 26, 2012
Source: Gifted from author - thank you Karen!!

Your heart misleads you.
That's what my friends and family say.

But I love Noah.
And he loves me.

We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms.

It should be
ROSE & NOAH
forever, easy.

But it won't be.

Because he's Amish.
And I'm not.
--------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

The thought of leaving my family, friends and community was not something that I wanted to do. But the difference between leaving all of them was that I would survive it. I couldn't live without Rose in my life.

Did you read my interview with the author? It's fascinating!

What I learned from reading Temptation:
The Amish would hate me.

Holy cow, you guys. I thought I knew about the Amish culture - and perhaps more than the average. Because I've watched documentaries, I've read a bit, I saw that Bones episode about the musical prodigy who was Amish. I love cultures that are vastly different from mine despite the nearness in environment - which the Amish definitely fall under. But after reading Temptation? Man. I knew nothing.

In terms of the story, it's fairly simple: they can't be together, but they try with everything they can. I will say that if you can't stand insta-love, this may not be the best novel for you. Any way you slice it, the first 10 pages, Rose isn't in love; and on page 11, she is. Now, I'm not a fan of insta-love, but I'll hack it when I have to - and this one is manageable.

Reading Temptation is fascinating since I felt like an entire new world was opening up to me. I had no idea the variations between Amish communities and how different locations will have different rules. And I really enjoyed reading about their daily life; most documentaries or things I've seen/read focus on what they can't do, on how they're different from American society, on Rumspringa and breaking rules. Temptation opened up their entire routine and daily life, allowing readers to see that hey - they're actually not too different. They're strict, sure, but they do things for fun, have chores, care about the family and community.

However, I did have a slight issue with this story. It doesn't happen often, but I had a hard time with the actual writing. Like most readers and bloggers I know, I'm a writer and an editor (I am a journalist, after all), and sometimes, it's hard to put that aside as you read. It's gotten better the more often I read, but the want is still there. And Temptation definitely tested me. Almost every other line tripped me up and made me want to rewrite it, and that was tough to get through. Reading something and thinking how you would have written it is highly distracting, and I have to admit that it put me off sometimes. I don't mean to say the author is a bad writer (god I hope that's not how this sounds!), but sometimes, there were sections that I felt I would have written differently. Would my version be better? Probably not. But that's how it was for me.

Overlooking that hiccup though, I'm taken by the story of Noah and Rose. I cheered them on, I wanted them to get together, and I held my breath every time they snuck off to meet with each other. They were sweet, and even though sometimes I wanted to punch both of them for being so stubborn and unbending in their beliefs and upbringing, they're both very likable characters. I also liked that both of them were getting flack about being together - it would have felt very typical and stereotyped if it was just Noah and the Amish culture banning it. Rose's father not approving, and her brother being completely against it? That was a great additional element to the story.

I'm quite curious to see what will happen in Belonging, the second book. DON'T read the summary if you don't want to be spoiled about what happens in book one, but how Temptation ended...definitely looking forward to more of Noah and Rose's story.

3 Stars / 5

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (eARC)

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Harlequin Teen, 409 Pages
US Release Date: July 24, 2012
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher, via NetGalley (thank you!)

SO WRONG FOR EACH OTHER...AND YET SO RIGHT.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.
-----------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

Shit, what if she did trust me? What would I do with it?

I went into this novel with a lot of expectations - I heard nothing but great things about it from other bloggers, read absolutely raving reviews, and when I was at ALA this was a book everyone was speaking of. High expectations, lots of potential to be let down.

But I wasn't. Oh, I absolutely was NOT.

I don't know if I'm as stark raving mad about it as a few other reviewers, but I can tell you that everything you've heard is absolutely true. This story is gripping and gut wrenching and just rips your heart to shreds at the same time as filling it to the brim. There's emotion dripping off each page, angst and real heart in every word. This is a story worthy of the heartsickness it will cause.

First and foremost, we have to discuss Noah. Oh, Noah. If ever the prototype bad boy to fall for, it's him. And while I totally get all the swoonage for him, he just didn't do it for me - but that's entirely a personal thing. I think my bad boy will always be the Will from Infernal Devices; he's snarky and rebellious for half-pompous and half-noble reasons. Noah's a bad boy because he actually does bad shit. And even if most of it comes from a good place or with good intentions, it's still bad. Regardless, I found myself falling in love with him, too. He's so hard and vulnerable at the same time, so filled with love and anger that he's this passionate guy with aggression as the only way to express it. Something I loved with him is that I never doubted his capacity to love Echo. In some bad boy characters, they're just so hard-hearted and cruel that I think the love story is forced - but not with Noah. His fists fly, but his heart is huge, too, and there's no way to resist that.

Echo was a little harder for me to love, but I can't quite pinpoint why. I think I just wanted to shake her and tell her to man the hell up. She was a little too weak for my tastes. And while I can get why, her progression just wasn't fast enough for me to love. Still, her character is great, and everything she's endured makes how tentative she is easily understood. I'm probably being quite cavalier saying she should be stronger, actually, because the crap she's gone through with her mom, and not being able to remember it...well, I'd probably be crumbling in a corner. And that she's just lost her brother in Iraq on top of that all? I couldn't survive that.

There were a lot of elements of this story that surprised me. All I'd ever heard was the smokin' hot boy and their smoldering romance - and yeah, that's definitely what I focus on. But there are smaller details that I truly loved, too. Like why Echo is named that, and her brother being named Aires. Or the friendships - or lack thereof, when it comes to that heinous bitch Grace. I hated her. But the friends that did stick by Echo in the aftermath, and Noah's friends...those are friendships worth fighting for. Or Aires, who was an element I was completely taken aback by - we know my military hangups, and it made it that much harder to read because there was one specific scene that just...killed me. I literally dropped my iPad and started sobbing because it is a thought that haunts me.

But what I did love was how real the hurt was throughout this book. It's tough to see some of these things written, even though I've never experienced anything like what Echo or Noah have gone or go through. It's a lot of those inner fears and thoughts we can't admit to having, because we're afraid that will make them true. While it made it difficult to get through, it also made it impossible to put down.

My favourite character? Mrs. Collins, the counselor. Hands down. She was batshit crazy (driving, especially - loved all those moments in the car with Noah!), but she was a good woman, and I loved her belief in Noah and Echo. In a book where all the adult characters probably deserve a good room in hell, she was a breathe of fresh air with a side of funny, too.

One question. Why did the horrible babysitter-turned-stepmom have to be named Ashley?! I mean, really.

4.5 Stars / 5

Review: Speechless by Hannah Harrington (ARC)

Speechless by Hannah Harrington
HarlequinTeen, 263 Pages
US Release Date: August 28, 2012
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher at ALA Annual 2012 (thanks HarlequinTeen!)

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret.

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.
------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

It's too easy to confuse friendship with something more. Especially when you're looking for it.

**WARNING: I SPEAK VERY OPENLY ABOUT THE SECRET CHELSEA SPILLS.

IN OTHER WORDS: SPOILER ALERT. 

While I don't think it's a big deal and it doesn't necessarily give away anything else to the book if you know what it is she blabs, I'm aware that some people won't want to know going in. If you are one of those people, DO NOT READ ANY FARTHER. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!**

One of my favourite things about Speechless is the emphasis it puts on words and just how powerful they are. Yes, on voice and speaking, but at the core, it's about words, and what they mean to you and about you, and just what can result from them.

Speechless focuses on Chelsea Knot and the vow of silence she takes after seeing the consequences when she opens her big mouth. We open at a new years party where she blurts out a big secret in all her drunken glory. I have no idea what I thought the secret would be when I was reading all the synopses about this book, but the moment I realized what it was that Chelsea was going to blab about that would almost get someone killed...my heart just broke in half. Gay rights are something I take incredibly, incredibly seriously. Few things will get me political or riled up, but the fight for equality is the highest on my list. Just because I will fall in love with a man does not mean I should have more rights than anyone else who falls in love, and I will battle anyone who says differently. Fiercely.

So when I understood what was going to happen when Chelsea spills the beans about seeing two guys hooking up at the party to her asshole best friend and her lunkhead boyfriend, I knew this would be a book worth reading.

Truthfully, a bit of it seemed extreme, and I got really annoyed by Chelsea sometimes. She's selfish through most of the book, and I couldn't stand her outlook. She questioned if she was right to turn in the guys who nearly killed someone! That makes me so angry. Only in retrospect can I understand why she questioned herself, and perhaps if I was still a high schooler I would have some second thoughts. But she did the right thing, and that she helped catch those awful boys? That is worth anything, and I just wanted her to see that and get over her crappy social life. I did appreciate Hannah Harrington's writing of Chelsea's indecision and questions though - it lends a whole other depth to the character and really helps the reader understand who she is. (And yes, I understand that without her doubt, there would hardly be any plot to the book. But still.)

A saw a lot of reviews talking about the vow of silence and how it seemed a bit "unreal." I can tell you that this is really a thing, and I think she wrote it perfectly. People do it, and people stick to it. One of my brother's best friend's took a vow of silence for Lent this year - not for any reason like Chelsea, but just to do it. And let me tell you: he carried around paper, white boards, and a tablet so he could write/type out orders to get food or communicate with us. It was bizarre and difficult and frustrating a lot of the times, but he stuck to it for quite awhile (he went a bit over the 40 days) - and while I don't know what he took away from it, I got quite a bit from being an outsider. The importance of communication, the meaning of words and being able to speak out and up for yourself, and choosing your battles.

Reading Speechless was kind of fun for me because I saw a lot of what we went through on the page, and I felt like I got a bit more from it. The varying responses and reactions to it, easy acceptance or outright name-calling, her own struggles with if she should talk or when to start talking again...all nailed perfectly. There's power in silence and observation, and I love that Chelsea got picked on for it. I know it's weird to like that a character was being bullied, but it really did portray such a realistic view. I hated her school though, and what horrible people most of them were. How could they be mad at her for turning in those assholes?! This is a hate crime, and they needed to face that.

But I did love the friends that came from unexpected people. I loved Asha, mostly because she reminds me of a lot of my own friends. Kind of an oddball, but totally owns it? Yes. The world (real and YA) need more of those girls. She was perfect and quietly strong, and I secretly hope she gets her own spin off book. The diner was such a fun haven, and I wish I had something like that. And I adored Andy, because his and Chelsea's eventual friendship makes so much sense.

In Saving June, Hannah Harrington's other novel (read my review here!), the characters drove the story for me. In Speechless, it's the relationships. Not just romantic, but all of them. Chelsea's twisted and poisonous friendship with Kristen (That horrible bitch. I'm not sure I've ever run across a character I hated more) that's both infuriating and completely understandable; the owners of the diner with all their employees, because I dream of having my bosses be like that; Andy and Noah, who just filled my heart with so much love and hope; Noah's outlook on the world, because even after what he goes through he can say the line "hate is...it's too easy...love. love takes courage" and make me choke from weeping in the middle of a Coffee Bean (true story).

Two relationships got me the most though. The first being Chelsea's and her parents - I love how different her mom and dad are from each other, but the support they offer their daughter in the weird, tough time is amazing. It's a strong relationship at the core, even if her mom is frustrated with her or her dad is giving her a stern voice, and it's refreshing to see that in a YA book. And of course the second relationship I loved is Chelsea and Sam, hesitant maybe-friend turned into love interest. I'm not even joking when I tell you guys there is literally one line in the book that made me go "Yes. This is when I fell in love with Sam." - there's a post it*! Sam is just...everything we want in a romantic male lead. He is quirky and nerdy and friendly and a little bit unsure of Chelsea but still offers her a lifeline, and I just want him forever. He is strong and questioning and vulnerable in all the right places, and I completely and totally believe in him.

How Chelsea breaks her silence was also perfect to me - I started wondering how it would happen about halfway through. When my friend was doing his Vow of Silence, it became this big question: how would he break it? Shouldn't it be meaningful? Doesn't it have to be some big revelation and grand epiphany about life? When you intentionally silence yourself, the pressure to speak becomes BIG. With Speechless, I worried that it would be contrived or forced, that it would wreck all the personality we find in Chelsea. But how it's done, why it's done...it's perfect. Understated but meaningful, and, like Sam, I believe in it. Though Chelsea was never my favourite person in the book, how she broke her silence definitely made me like her lots more.

Speechless is a great book, with lots of little messages buried in one big, important one. There's humor and laughter and true friendship mixed in with the sadness and negativity, and even though sometimes the future is bleak in Chelsea Knot's world, it ultimately ends with hope and love. And that's really what I think this novel is: words and love.

*PS. Told you there was a post-it!

4.5 Stars

Speechless is also partnered with the LOVE IS LOUDER project, a movement with a fantastic message. I encourage you to check it.

Interview + GIVEAWAY: TEMPTATION by Karen Ann Hopkins

When I first heard about the book Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins, I knew it would be one I'd have to read. I'm fascinated by other cultures, especially ones that are completely unlike my own yet so close - something I think the Amish fall under pretty well! And then when you find out it's a romance, and pubbed by HarlequinTeen (if anyone knows a good romance, it's them)...I mean, that just has to be good. Today I'm thrilled to have had the opportunity to interview Karen and discuss what the Amish culture is like and her experience writing Temptation. Check out the awesome photos she sent, too!

******

First, can you explain how you came to know the Amish culture?
In 2008 I moved from Tennessee to a farm situated in the middle of an Amish community in northern Kentucky. Immediately upon my arrival, the local Amish teens began coming to the farm to ride in the arena and participate with equine related activities. I got to know many of the Amish young people through the horse business, but I also drove Amish families as a part-time job. Amish girls babysit my younger children and my own teens have struck up close friendships with the neighborhood kids.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about the Amish culture?
That their lives are cozy and quaint compared to their non-Amish neighbors. The Amish have many of the same problems that everyone else has. Marital difficulties, financial stress, issues with disobedient children and disagreements with other families in the community are common among the Amish. But adding to those common problems is a lot of hard work to do basic chores, such as laundry, dish cleaning and mowing the yard. The Amish also face the daily dilemma of having to pay a person to drive them to town or deal with the aggravation of catching and harnessing a horse to do the same task. There is a real possibility of accident and serious injury every time they take to the roadway with their buggies.

What stereotype about the Amish culture is true?
They are very religious.

Was the inspiration for your novel from a real life story you knew or witnessed?
I was inspired to write TEMPTATION from observing the interactions between the Amish and non-Amish teens at my farm. Although, Rose and Noah’s story is fictional, I’ve witnessed several Amish youth leave their community to be with outsiders. In all cases, they were shunned by their families.

What surprised you most about the Amish culture?
I’m constantly surprised at how technology-savvy some of the Amish teens are. They carefully sneak behind their parents and the elder’s backs to use cell phones, video games and computers. Whenever one of the local Amish teens pops up on my FB page requesting friendship, I chuckle, but unfortunately, it’s not a laughing matter at all. These kids will eventually get caught and face punishment for using the same items that every non-Amish teen takes for granted.

Was anyone hesitant when they heard you were writing a novel involving the Amish culture?
My entire community was uncomfortable with the idea, especially since the subject is about their biggest fear—a forbidden romance between one of their own and an outsider. Overall, they have looked the other way and treated me and my children well nonetheless. I was especially pleased when one of the Amish girls who left the community a year earlier to be with her non-Amish boyfriend contacted me to say she loved the book. She told me that she cried while turning the pages, admitting that her own situation was similar to Noah’s. She married her sweetheart a month ago, and her family didn’t attend the wedding. I believe Rose and Noah’s story needed to be told as their situation happens in real life and is an unknown struggle to most people.

What other books or music inspired you while writing Temptation? (If any.)
I primarily read fantasy and paranormal myself, but I find the Amish lifestyle has its own surreal quality that makes it extra interesting and fun to write about. I was careful not to read any other Amish stories throughout the process of creating TEMPTATION. I wanted my book to be completely drawn from my experiential knowledge of the community that surrounds me.
The Amish aren’t allowed to listen to music, but one Amish boy in particular would sing the lyrics to Second Chance by Shinedown when he came to hang out with my sons. He related his own life to the song, and whenever I hear it, I think about Amish teens.

While writing, were you ever worried about a reaction to how you portrayed the Amish culture?
Yes, as stated above, I knew the Amish would be concerned to have their secretive world put into the pages of a book. I was careful to set Meadowview in Ohio and not Kentucky where I live and I tried not to use the names of my closest neighbors. Several former Amish have praised the book as accurate and fitting, making me feel confident that I portrayed the Amish fairly and honestly.

Have you experienced any backlash because of your novel/content?
Nope. I’m lucky to have wonderful neighbors. I know some of the Amish teens and their mothers have purchased copies of TEMPTATION in secret, but most won’t read the book. Overall, my relationships in the community haven’t changed much.

I know this is the first in a series - are the following two books continuations of Rose and Noah's story, or more companion novels to them?
They are continuations of Rose and Noah’s story. BELONGING, the second book in the series, will be available in May, 2013. (Ashley's note: It's on Goodreads already! Add it!)

What advice would you give writers who may be considering tackling a culture completely unlike their own?
They must live it to write about it. I actually went to my neighbor’s house to help with laundry for a day so that I’d get the real idea of what it’s like to hand wash with an old-fashioned ringer. I took an Amish family on vacation with my family to the Smoky Mountains and my younger children are babysat by the Amish on a regular basis. I’ve attended five Amish weddings and numerous church events. For the first two years that I lived in Kentucky, I spent more time with the Amish than anyone else. Through all these experiences I developed the knowledge to write accurately about not just the obvious differences between the cultures, but also all the little nuances that most people don’t know about.

Did anything surprise you about the Amish culture?

Tell me!

**My review of Temptation will be up near the end of the month!

Karen has also generously donated a copy to give away!

Open WORLDWIDE! (how awesome is that?!)

Enter through the rafflecopter below, and all my usual giveaway policy rules apply.

Ends 9/3, good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel.

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Indie Bound

(bio & photo taken from Goodreads)

Review: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
HarlequinTeen, 322 Pages
US Release Date: November 22, 2011
Challenges: Completely Contemp Challenge, Local Library Challenge

When her older sister commits suicide and her divorcing parents decide to divide the ashes, Harper Scott takes her sister's urn to the one place June always wanted to go: California. On the road with her best friend, plus an intriguing guy with a mysterious connection to June, Harper discovers truths about her sister, herself and life.
------------------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

I hate this. I hate feeling too much and not enough at the same time.

So, definite new literary crush: Jacob Tolan.  Yes please.  There's a paragraph where Harper talks about the reasons she's confused and what she likes about him, and all I did was nod vigorously along and was like, "YES!  That's what I want!" (page 268, if anyone's got their copy.)

I'd been hearing about Saving June for awhile, and I kept seeing it at the store and picking it up and putting it back down...I completely regret not discovering this earlier. It is the perfect mix of token YA gold: road trip and music and yummy boy and best friend and loss and emotion and EVERYTHING. I teared up and hurt so hard for Harper, and I just wanted to laugh and scream with Laney, and I wanted to stare into Jake's eyes and figure him out.  Not even joking, as soon as I finished my library copy I ran out to my closest bookstore and purchased a shiny new copy to add to my shelves.

I love how widespread the music is handled in this. A lot of books I've read make me feel like an idiot if I don't listen to certain classic rock, or if I don't know of a certain song immediately when a character plays it, or simply just makes me feel bad for not being some indie kid.  But not Saving June - the tastes are eclectic, and the integration of Jake being a musical trivia book was perfect to explain some things and prompt me along as though I was in the van with them.

Also, can we please talk about the kissy scene? Because HOT DAMN AND A HALF, that was hot.  I kept marveling at how tastefully it was done but still remained incredibly breathtaking and sexy.  Well done, Hannah Harrington: well done.

I know my review is making it seem like it's just a romance book, but trust me when I say it's so much more than that: it's learning how to live with pain, how to continue on when someone you love has given up, how to make difficult choices and sometimes how you have to give in and not be ok. Even though I have never, ever experienced something like this (thank goodness), I related so much to Harper it was like I was reading my own thoughts. Harper is gritty and real and confronts those feelings we're so scared to admit we have.  The anger and guilt and everything from in-between and afar.

The characters are really what drove this story for me. Harper is fabulous, a badass doesn't-take-shit-from-anyone girl running lost and trying to find answers; Jake is this quietly funny and steadfastly, rudely honest guy who does the best with what he can (and he listens to jazz! and plays guitar! and dances! oh my heart...); and Laney is the best friend you could ask for, always there to offer a shoulder to cry on, a joke to cheer you up, or the simple presence you need when you're being torn apart. Their interactions are funny and sincere and heartbreaking and I really, really wish I was in that van on that road trip seeing Fridgehenge and that diner and Huntington with them.

(By the way, does Fridgehenge really exist? Because it needs to if it doesn't, and I need to see it if it does.)

If you haven't read this, I absolutely implore you to do so as fast as you can. Don't make my mistake of putting it off, because this book will be your new best friend.

5 Stars / 5

*it's a 5-Star, so it's added to my Birthday giveaway!