What’s Up Wednesday

April 30, 2014April 29, 201446 Comments

“What’s Up Wednesday” is a fun weekly meme started by my friends Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk. From Jaime: It’s similar in some respects to the Currently… post, but it’s been whittled down to only four headings to make it quicker and more manageable on a weekly basis. You’re invited to join us if you’re looking for something to blog about, a way to let your blog friends know what’s been going on with you. If you’re participating, make sure to link your What’s Up Wednesday posts to the list on Jaime’s blog each week. That way, others can visit your post and check out what you’ve been up to.And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…

First, congratulations to… Jaime Morrow, who was randomly selected as the winner of a signed copy of Meredith McCardle’s soon-to-be-released debut, The Eighth Guardian! I think you’ll love this one, Jaime. I’ll have your book in the mail ASAP!

What I’m Reading: I’m slowly making my way through Huntley Fitzpatrick’s What I Thought Was True. It’s a lovely story, but I’ve not had a lot of time to sit down and read lately — see “What Else I’ve Been Up To” below. I’m very much looking forward to settling in and getting lost in Gwen’s island world.

What I’m Writing: I’m trying to work out the plot of the WiP I started playing with, the follow-up to one of my other projects. I know what I want to happen, but getting there isn’t as easy as I’d hoped — surprise, surprise. That’s okay, though, because I’m still feeling super inspired by these characters and all of the new conflict I’m planning to throw at them. Yay for SNIs!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Lots of stuff! It’s been a busy week…

I got a lot done around my house. I filled some pots and decorated my front porch (finally), and spent hours helping my girlie sort out her mess of a bedroom. When we moved in, we didn’t give much thought to furniture placement or functionality, so we did some rearranging and reorganizing and the space is so much neater and prettier now.

On Saturday, my girl had a tea party to attend for her friend’s birthday, and then we went to Pensacola for a minor league baseball game. We ate hotdogs and cheered for the Blue Wahoos and had an awesome time.

On Sunday we went to the beach, my very favorite thing to do. I could happily spend every afternoon with my toes in the sugar sand, watching my girl pretend to be a mermaid in the waves. My happy place. 🙂

Yesterday I tried a new recipe, Flourless Chocolate Cookies. Yum. They’re sort of fudge-y and super rich, and also very easy to make. Recommend!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Gossip Girl! I’m nearly done with the second season and I’m loving it. It’s fluffy and soap-opera-esque, but the writing is a lesson in creative conflict, amped up pacing, and pushing the envelope. The characters — even the most evil characters — have backstories and redeeming qualities that make them fascinating. Plus, the fashion… it’s glorious. In other news, I had lots of fun reading YA Highway‘s recent License to Drive post, all about road trips and first cars. The WiP I’ve been toying with has a road trip element, so I’m eating up everything I can find about teens on the road. Got any extraordinary road trip stories to recommend?

What’s up with you today?

Bookanistas Rec :: THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN by Meredith McCardle

April 24, 2014April 29, 201416 Comments

Today’s Bookanista recommendation is
The Eighth Guardian by Meredith McCardle (May 6th, 2014)

From Goodreads – Amanda Obermann. Code name Iris. It’s Testing Day. The day that comes without warning, the day when all juniors and seniors at The Peel Academy undergo a series of intense physical and psychological tests to see if they’re ready to graduate and become government operatives. Amanda and her boyfriend Abe are top students, and they’ve just endured thirty-six hours of testing. But they’re juniors and don’t expect to graduate. That’ll happen next year, when they plan to join the CIA—together. But when the graduates are announced, the results are shocking. Amanda has been chosen—the first junior in decades. And she receives the opportunity of a lifetime: to join a secret government organization called the Annum Guard and travel through time to change the course of history. But in order to become the Eighth Guardian in this exclusive group, Amanda must say good-bye to everything—her name, her family, and even Abe—forever. Who is really behind the Annum Guard? And can she trust them with her life?

I had the privilege of beta reading The Eighth Guardian for Meredith last year and have since reread the paperback (which I’m giving away today — see below!). Guys, this book is so cool. It’s time travel done right, full of twists and betrayal and fascinating historical reference; the stakes are unbelievably high.

Amanda (code name Iris) is exactly the kind of protagonist I love. She’s sassy and smart and doesn’t put up with crap from anyone. She’s so courageous, and she refuses to bow to those in positions of power, no matter the sacrifices she has to make to do what she believes in. I loved traveling through the decades with her. Oh, and Amanda has a really cute boyfriend, too. This romance lover’s a fan. 😉

The Eighth Guardian is a smart, smart book. It’s super fast-paced. The writing is top-notch. It’s a novel that makes you think. It makes you work for answers, and the payoffs are huge. Every chapter is a surprise, and almost no one’s who they originally appear to be. I love how Meredith plays with the past, bending important historical events to work with her plot. And I love how relentlessly she challenges Iris, who quickly learns that there are no easy solutions, especially when it comes to altering history.

I’m so, so happy that The Eighth Guardian is the first book in a series, and I can’t wait to follow Iris on more adventures through the past!

Want to win a signed paperback copy of The Eighth Guardian before its release? Well, lucky you, because I’m giving one away today!

To be automatically entered in the giveaway, leave a comment below telling me which historical event you’d travel to if you had a fabulous Annum Guard time travel watch…

(Giveaway is open internationally and will close Sunday, April 27th. I’ll announce the winner on Monday, April 28th. Good luck!)

Don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to:

What’s Up Wednesday

April 23, 2014April 22, 201426 Comments

What I’m Reading: I reread Meredith McCardle’s The Eighth Guardian, which was even better the second time around. It’s out May 6th, but I’m posting a Bookanista recommendation tomorrow and giving away a SIGNED copy. Make sure you check back to read my (raving) review and enter to win! I also read Open Road Summer, which is most definitely one of my favorite reads of the year thus far. It’s as if Emery Lord took all of the things I love (romance and road trips and country music and friendship and awesomely rendered characters) and mashed them into one beautiful novel. I’ll do a Bookanista rec of this one next month. Too good not to. 🙂 Last night I finished Brandy Colbert’s debut, Pointe, which was mind-bogglingly amazing. It’s tragically complicated and gorgeously written, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

What I’m Writing: I revisited my YA contemporary All Mixed Up. My agent had a fantastic idea for tweaking a certain plot line, so I revised and sent the story off to two beta readers to assess. I’m also writing bits of a potential sequel, which I discussed in more detail in #3 of last week’s Friday Five post. Who knows if it’ll go anywhere, but I’m feeling inspired and that’s pretty much the best.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: I don’t know… Not a whole lot, with the exception of reading and writing and revising, plus hanging with my girl (we Rocked the Drop together last Thursday, which I recapped HERE — so fun!). The last week seems to have flown by. I feel like I’ve been crazy-busy, but I don’t have much to show for it. Hmm…

I did make Chocolate Chip Cookies on Saturday because my daughter wanted to snack on the cookie dough. (She is so my child.) I’ve shared my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe before, but these babies are so tasty and easy, the very perfect cookie texture, and I think it bears repeating. Find it HERE.

We celebrated Easter with a big brunch, a fun basket, an egg hunt, and a hike around a local lake because it was too cool for the beach. Low key, but really nice.

What’s Inspiring Me Now: An important post by 2014 debut author Alexandra Duncan called The Slutshelf Giveaway. Long story short, someone on Goodreads placed her novel on an invented virtual shelf called “Slut.” Let’s just put aside the fact that the protagonist in Alexandra’s novel, Salvage, (which I haven’t read yet but am very much looking forward to) only has sex once (with a person she apparently loves and intends to marry) and get down to the heart of the matter: A “Slut” shelf? Really? I can’t even… So, I’ll just point you, once again, in the direction of Alexandra’s post. She’s putting a positive spin on the absurdity with a fantastic giveaway that you should definitely check out because for every person who enters, she’ll donate one dollar to the Freedom to Read Foundation (up to $1,000). And her agent, Kate Testerman, has agreed to match all donations. Awesome, right? Please do help spread the word!

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

Friday Five

April 18, 2014April 18, 201424 Comments

1. Have you seen the If I Stay movie trailer? Oh my gosh… it is so incredibly perfect. Exactly what I was hoping for. Seriously. #AllTheFeels. If I Stay is one of my most beloved books (it’s the novel that made me want to write contemporary young adult) and I have Very Strong Opinions regarding book-to-movie adaptations, especially when it comes to YA, and especially when it comes to books I love. Please, please, please let the movie live up the the trailer’s amazingness.

2. Yesterday I Rocked the Drop, and it was awesome. My girl and I dropped three books (Jellicoe Road, The Sky is Everywhere, and If I Stay — three of my favorite contemporaries) around our town. Here’s hoping three book-loving teens find them and adore the stories as much as I do.

3. Oh, hey, I wrote some new words. I have an inkling of an idea for a sequel to another of my finished manuscripts, and I started tinkering it with it the other day. I know that sounds ridiculous (why start a sequel to a book that hasn’t sold yet?), but I’ve got these scenes in my head and they’re inspiring me (keeping me up at night, actually) and I figure… Might as well write them and get them out of my system. Problem is, the more I write, the more ideas I have, and the more inspired I feel. A real story’s starting to take shape, which is exciting, but also scary. I can write this story, invest months and months of my life in it, but there’s a chance it’ll never go anywhere; it can’t stand alone without its predecessor. But, words are words and practice is practice, right? I’m pretty sure it’s okay to write what’s inspiring, and to occasionally let go worries of whether or not a story will sell. What do you think? How much time do you spend writing only for the pure joy of it?

4. Along with Open Road Summer (adorable!), I’m reading James Scott Bell’s Write Your Novel From the Middle, which is pretty brilliant so far. It’s all about finding your story’s “heart and heat,” which is most often at its middle. James Scott Bell says some smart things about novel structure, but I’m even more taken by his thoughts on voice. He says, When an author is joyous in the telling, it pulses through the words. When you read a Ray Bradbury, for instance, you sense his joy. He was in love with words and his own imagination, and it showed. This, I think, is what’s at the the core of that unteachable thing we call voice. If you’re looking for a fresh take on novel structuring (plotter or a pantser), this is definitely a book worth checking out.

5. Happy Easter weekend! My girl and I have decided to spend tomorrow at the beach, and Sunday in our jammies watching movies. She told me she hopes the Easter Bunny will bring her an American Girl sports watch, pink Peeps, and a Slinky. Good news… The Easter Bunny Mama has found and purchased all three items. That may seem indulgent (must get the kid exactly what she asks for!), but my daughter is growing up way too fast and if Peeps and a Slinky help keep the magic of childhood alive another day, then I’m happy to provide them. ❤

Have a wonderful weekend!

What’s Up Wednesday

April 16, 2014April 16, 201434 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and I thought it was incredible. A must-read if (like me) you’ve been slow to jump on the bandwagon. Incidentally, Speak has been out for fifteen years now. The fact that it’s remained relevant through a decade-and-a-half of changing YA trends says more about its quality than I ever could. I also read Tess Sharpe’s debut Far From You, which is unflinching and heart-shattering and beautifully written. Loved it. Yesterday I started Emery Lord’s debut, Open Road Summer, which several of my book besties have promised I’ll adore. So far, so good!

What I’m Writing: Nothing. But I did hear back from my agent regarding my most recent manuscript and… She’s on board! She got the characters and the conflict and the conclusion and reading her email was just about the greatest feeling ever. Huge, hUgE, HUGE sigh of relief. Now I can start something new without the weight of anxiety I’ve been shouldering over the last few weeks. In beta reading news (ready to be super envious?) I got to read Meredith McCardle‘s latest manuscript, which is freaking fantastic. I had the privilege of reading her upcoming debut, The Eighth Guardian, last year and it totally blew me away. It comes out in less than a month (yay!) and I can’t wait for you all to read it!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: I’ve tried really hard to get into The Secret Life of the American Teenager because I love Shailene Woodley in The Descendants and The Spectacular Now. But Secret Life… NO. Not for me, guys. Not at all. I found the message much too heavy-handed, and the dialogue is absolutely cringeworthy. Looks like I’m going back to Gossip Girl. Darn. 😉

I’ve achieved another Thirty Before 35 goal! We took our first trip to the beach on Saturday, and it was beautiful. My daughter played with her buddies and I lounged and chatted with a few girl friends. We had a (sandy) picnic lunch, which is one of those things I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. Check!

And, much to my daughter’s embarrassment, I pulled the truck over while passing the above field of flowers the other day so I could take her picture. Just couldn’t resist all that pink against her little hippie sundress. ❤

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Rock the Drop, one of my favorite bookish events of the year, is tomorrow! It’s a celebration of Support Teen Literature Day during which book lovers can drop novels with “Rock the Drop” bookplates in public places for teenagers to find and read and hopefully fall in love with. I’ve rocked the drop for the last two years (2013 and 2012), and I’ll definitely be participating tomorrow. Look for photos on my Instagram feed, and here on my blog coming soon. Visit ReaderGirlz for all the details.

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

Bookanista Rec :: THE SYMPTOMS OF MY INSANITY by Mindy Raf

April 10, 2014April 9, 20145 Comments

Today’s Bookanista recommendation is
The Symptoms of My Insanity by Mindy Raf

From Goodreads – A laugh-out-loud, bittersweet debut full of wit, wisdom, heart, and a hilarious, unforgettable heroine. When you’re a hypochondriac, there are a million different things that could be wrong with you, but for Izzy, focusing on what could be wrong might be keeping her from dealing with what’s really wrong…

I almost raised my hand, but what would I say? “Mr. Bayer, may I please be excused? I’m not totally positive, but I think I might have cancer.” No way. Then everyone at school would know, and they would treat me differently, and I would be known as “Izzy, that poor girl who diagnosed herself with breast cancer during biology.”

But Izzy’s sense of humor can only get her so far when suddenly her best friend appears to have undergone a personality transplant, her mother’s health takes a turn for the worse, and her beautiful maybe-boyfriend is going all hot and cold. Izzy thinks she’s preparing for the worst-case scenario, but when the worst-case scenario actually hits, it’s a different story altogether—and there’s no tidy list of symptoms to help her through the insanity.

I didn’t know much about this book before I bought it. I’d heard that it was very funny and very real, and that seemed like enough. Plus, the cover is super cool, isn’t it? I’m happy to report that the story beneath the cover is cool, too. It’s hard to describe without giving away major plot points, but I can tell you that Izzy is a genuinely hilarious narrator, the issues she’s dealing with are real-life and deftly handled, and there’s a ton of heart beneath all the humor in this novel.

There’s a lot going on in The Symptoms of My Insanity and most of it isn’t good — poor Izzy. While she obviously cares about her friends and family, she’s the kind of teenager who is very much wrapped up in herself. She sees the world through insecurities and anxiety and while that makes for a lot of humorous musings and interactions, it also litters Izzy’s path with a lot of extra challenges. I loved following along as she learned to step away from herself and view situations for what they truly were, and I loved how she slowly began to stand up for herself and take ownership of her actions, good and bad. I loved how Izzy’s familial relationships and friendships deepened, and how the girls at her school banded together after a really stupid boy did a really terrible thing. And I love how the novel concludes, how Izzy uses her art and her portfolio to give that really stupid boy the finger. It’s tremendously awesome.

If you’re still not sold, here’s how The Symptoms of My Insanity opens:

I’m standing inside a large fitting room at Lola’s Lingerie. Oh, and there are three hands on my breasts.

Yup, three large Russion hands. On my breasts. I’m not even kidding.

How can you not want to know what happens next? 🙂

Don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to…

Lenore Appelhans is nuts for NOGGIN by John Corey Whaley

Tracy Banghart swoons for STAR CURSED by Jessica Spotswood

Rebecca Behrens raves about PUSH GIRL by Bookanista Jessica Love

Christine Fonseca is riveted by SEKRET by Lindsay Smith

Jessica Love sings the praises of OPEN ROAD SUMMER by Emery Lord

Kimberly Sabatini loves BRAZEN by Katherine Longshore

What’s Up Wednesday

April 9, 2014April 8, 201444 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished The Symptoms of My Insanity by Mindy Raf and I really enjoyed it. It’s different from the contemporary YA I usually read (it’s not romance-heavy), but the humor is so spot-on, I didn’t even miss the swoon. Also, I found myself relating to main character Izzy’s worries and anxieties more than I’d like to admit. Not her issues with wanting to be sick, but to her almost overwhelming insecurities and strong desire to please everyone around her. Now, I’m reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, one of my Thirty Before 35 goals. I can already see why it and its author are considered YA royalty.

What I’m Writing: Nothing, at the moment, but I am doing lots of beta reading. Over the last two weeks, I’ve read a really lovely contemporary YA manuscript by Kate Scott (I love how she portrays characters with learning/social differences) and a super intense (and gorgeously written) futuristic YA crime thriller for Tracey Neithercott. Lucky, lucky me!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: I watched the movie adaptation of the YA novel How I Live Now (it’s streaming instantly on Netflix, if you’re interested) and I’ve gotta say… I thought it was pretty amazing. I listened to the How I Live Now audiobook a few months ago, and I was torn about it. There were aspects of the story that I found so moving, and aspects that made me rather uncomfortable. Having now watched the film, I think I like the book more. Seeing what Daisy and her cousins went through… It was traumatizing, yet I couldn’t look away. And Saoirse Ronan is spectacular as Daisy.

In other news, I joined my daughter and her first grade class on a field trip to the zoo. It was really fun! I got to supervise my girl and two of her friends while they visited with all of the animals. Considering this is a small-town zoo, there was a lot to see: giraffes, tortoises, gorillas, and hippos, to name a few.

We also went strawberry picking at a local u-pick farm, and then made Strawberry Shortcake and homemade jam with the fresh berries. So yummy!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: A Pub(lishing) Crawl post by Janice Hardy called How to Turn That Shiny New Idea Into a Novel, full of questions for preliminary story planning. I’ll definitely be revisiting this one over the next few weeks. And, a post from Kate Brauning at Pub Hub called Editor’s Eyes: 3 Golden Rules for Revising, which applies to the drafting stage as well. And, What A Difference A Year Makes from my friend Jessica Love, who says: Life is weird, you guys. Things can and will happen that you never, ever expect for yourself. Try not to let the bummer times get you down, and leave yourself open to new opportunities, because you never, ever know what they can turn into. Do check out the rest of her super inspiring post. Finally, my friend Elodie Nowodazkij revealed the cover of her June, 2014 debut One, Two, Three and it’s beautiful. She’s hosting a giveaway, too, so do stop by to congratulate her.

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

Cover Reveal: ONE, TWO, THREE by Elodie Nowodazkij

April 8, 2014April 7, 20142 Comments

Today I’m thrilled to help reveal the cover of my friend Elodie Nowodazkij‘s contemporary YA debut novel One, Two, Three (June 26, 2014).

Here’s some information on Elodie:

Elodie Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned she’d never lose her French accent. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Modern Language & Linguistics, and later earned master’s degrees in German Cultural Studies and European Studies. Unbeknownst to her professors, she sometimes drafted stories in class. Now she lives in Germany with her husband and their cat (who doesn’t seem to realize he’s not human), and uses her commuting time to write the stories swirling in her head. She’s also a serial smiley user. One, Two, Three is her first novel.

*Learn more about Elodie’s upcoming releases by subscribing to her newsletter.*

And here’s the synopsis of One, Two, Three:

When seventeen-year-old Natalya’s dreams of being a ballerina are killed in a car accident along with her father, she must choose: shut down—like her mother—or open up to love.

Last year, Natalya was attending the School of Performing Arts in New York City. Last year, she was well on her way to becoming a professional ballerina. Last year, her father was still alive. But a car crash changed all that—and Natalya can’t stop blaming herself. Now, she goes to a regular high school in New Jersey; lives with her one-time prima ballerina, now alcoholic mother; and has no hope of a dance career. At her new school, however, sexy soccer player Antonio sees a brighter future for Natalya, or at least a more pleasant present, and his patient charms eventually draw her out of her shell. But when upsetting secrets come to light and Tonio’s own problems draw her in, Natalya shuts down again, this time turning to alcohol herself.

Can Natalya learn to trust Antonio before she loses him—and destroys herself?

Sounds sad and intense and romantic, right? Right up my alley!
Ready to see the cover?!

Isn’t it gorgeous? I can feel Natalya’s brokenness just looking at it.

And, because Elodie is amazing, she’s hosting a giveaway in celebration of One, Two, Three‘s cover reveal. Up for grabs: gift cards, an autographed ARC of One, Two, Three, ebook copies of One, Two, Three, and a charitable donation to the classroom book project of the winner’s choice. Enter by clicking the link below!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Elodie Nowodazkij’s Blog
Elodie Nowodazkij’s Twitter
Elodie Nowodazkij Goodreads

Tell me… What do you think of One, Two, Three‘s cover?

What’s Up Wednesday

April 2, 2014April 2, 201452 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu (out in June) and totally dug it, and I read Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson and fell head-over-heels in love. I talked about both books in more detail in my March Reading Wrap-Up. Over the weekend, I read The Infinite Moment of Us. Since reading Shine, I’ve become a fan of Lauren Myracle’s style and prose, and Wren and Charlie’s story really impressed me. This is one steamy book, friends, and I kind of loved it. (Though, the ending — I definitely could’ve used one more scene for the sake of closure!) Now, I’m reading The Symptoms of My Insanity by Mindy Raf and it is aWeSoMe! Seriously funny, and with a voice that’s just fantastically unique. How is this book not getting more hype?

What I’m Writing: Nothing, technically. But I am doing a lot of mental brainstorming for my Shiny New Idea, and I’m pinning all kinds of images and research sites to a (currently) secret Pinterest board. I’ve also been doing lots of beta reading, which has been a pleasure. I learn so much from immersing myself in the fantastic work of my talented friends.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: I’ve been weirdly sick over the last week. I’ll spare you the details, but it hasn’t been much fun. My girl and I have been laying low, watching a lot of The Voice and reading a lot of books. We did venture out of the house to see Noah, which sucked, frankly. There are fallen angels made of of stone, a creepy warlord who’s a descendant of Cain, plus a totally bizarre storyline involving Emma Watson (the movie’s only bright spot) and neonaticide. It’s not the kid-friendly Bible story I recall, so… Don’t take your six-year-old.

My girlie and I have also been doing a lot of doodling. As I mentioned above, I’m musing my next writing project, and drawing has been a sort of palate cleanser. I’m able to let my mind wander without any real commitment. It’s kind of fun!

And then there are my two furry friends. I’ve been spending a lot of time with them, too. Cuteness overload, right?

What’s Inspiring Me Now: The essay Nuts and Bolts: “Thought” Verbs by Chuck Palahniuk will be a year old in August, but I only just stumbled across it. I’ve gotta say, it’s one of the best “how to write” articles I’ve ever read, and it totally changed the way I think about point-of-view and showing vs. telling and the work required to truly paint a picture for readers. I think it’s a must-read for writers at any stage of the game. (I’ve already reread it!)

And… Shiny New Idea inspiration!

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

March Reading Wrap-Up

March 31, 2014March 31, 201413 Comments

March. A long month full of awesome books! Along with the three manuscripts I beta read, here are the books I added to my Read list…
(As always, covers link to Goodreads pages.)

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler – I’ve now read all of Sarah Ockler’s novels and this one’s tied with Twenty Boy Summer as my favorite. I enjoyed JuJu’s voice (so spirited and perfectly teen), I adored Emilio (especially the sweet way he treated JuJu and her father), and I loved the family dynamics (Holy Trinity FTW. Also, Pancake!). And, there were several Friday Night Lights references, which automatically increase a book’s awesome quotient. The Book of Broken Hearts is pretty much an ideal Katy Book. Definitely a recommend for fans of contemporary romantic YA with strong family threads.

Complicit by Stephanie Kuehn (June 24th) – I recently read Stephanie’s debut, Charm & Strange, and I absolutely loved it. I signed up for Netgalley specifically so I could read Complicit early and now that I have, I can promise that I’ll be buying a physical copy when it releases in June. It’s amazing. Twisty and mind-bendy, and even though you sort of know where the story’s headed, the ride is bananas and had me swiping pages at an alarming rate. Jamie is a complex character with a sad and complicated past. His strangeness is oddly enchanting, as is his sister, Cate. This story’s conclusion, much like that of Charm & Strange, is staggering. Can’t wait until you’ve all read it so we can discuss!

Nil by Lynne Matson – This is such a cool book. Part survival story, part romance, part adventure, it’s like Survivor set in a parallel dimension, one where escape is not guaranteed. Lynne Matson is ruthless when it comes to challenging her characters, and she very successfully uses the idea of dwindling time to ratchet the tension up, making Nil almost impossible to put down. Charley and Thad’s relationship deepened quickly, a bit of an insta-love situation that might’ve bothered me in another story, but on Nil, time’s limited and a no regrets mindset is the way of life. While Nil requires some suspension of disbelief, it’s a unique story of survival and sacrifice. My Bookanista rec is HERE.

Panic by Lauren Oliver – Honest confession: The synopsis of this novel didn’t do much for me. The fact that there’s no mention of romance had a lot to do with that. Also, talk of the “game” and the danger and the high-stakes… Just not my thing. But the game of Panic turned out to be quite gripping, and the characters are beautifully drawn. This is one of those books that seems absolutely hopeless as you’re reading —how are these people possibly going to solve all of their problems? — so it was hard to put down, particularly as I hit the climax. And the ending… awesome. Pick it up if you like contemporary that’s gritty and unique, and if you’re a fan of stunning, evocative prose. My Bookanista rec is HERE.

The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines – This one’s not going to win any fine literary awards, but I kind of loved it. It’s a perfect read-in-the-sun, guilty-pleasure romance, and it’s pretty darn sexy (as its cover suggests). Beau is totally hot (gotta love the tortured bad boy), and while Ash occasionally grated my nerves, she also struck me as a very genuine, true-to-life teen. The Vincent Boys is another book that seems like it just has to end in tragedy, but Abbi Glines wraps it all up quite satisfyingly. Now, I need to get my hands on The Vincent Brothers. Wait — not literally… Okay, maybe literally. 😉 Next time you’re in the mood for a book that’s sweet and steamy, pick up The Vincent Boys.

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon – Erin Bowman read and reviewed this one a couple years ago and I’ve wanted to read it ever since. I finally bought myself a copy, and I thought it was a great little read. Super quick, and full of awesome thoughts on creativity and how to get the most out of yours. A lot of Austin Kleon’s advice is stuff you’ve probably heard before, but the reminders are excellent and were particularly timely for me, as I’m in a weird between-projects place. Recommend!

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu (June 3rd) – Such a fantastic debut. I had a feeling I’d like this book going in, but it turned out to be much more than I was expecting. It’s all about Alice, who supposedly slept with two boys in the same night and then killed one of them by texting him while he was driving. Alice’s story is told by several peripheral characters who — save Kurt — are pretty big jerks. Yet, Jennifer Mathieu manages to humanize each of them in really specific ways, making this story of slut-shaming much more complex than it might’ve been otherwise. Fantastic pacing, fantastic small town setting, FANTASTIC voice. Definitely get your hands on this one when it debuts in June.

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson – A new favorite! I loved this book fiercely, and I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to read it. I liked Morgan Matson’s Second Chance Summer a lot, but Amy & Roger… I swooned over every. Single. Page. The slow-burn dynamic between Amy and Roger is executed brilliantly, and the people they meet during their epic road trip are fascinating and fun. There’s just the right amount of conflict, and all kinds of quirky road trip antics. Plus, there are doodles and scrapbook memorabilia and playlists jotted between chapters, which are just so charming. I borrowed the book I read, but upon finishing, I immediately bought a copy of my own, and I can’t wait to reread it. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour is a total experience, and I adored it. Recommend!