HOW TO LOVE Winner…

November 11, 2013November 11, 20132 Comments

First of all, Happy Veterans Day, and a heartfelt THANK YOU to all who serve, and have served in the past, especially my amazing husband.

Second, thanks to all who commented on last week’s How to Love Bookanista recommendation. It was so fun to hear about what you’re reading and loving!

Biggest congrats to…

Jennifer Pickrell

You’ve won a copy of Katie Cotugno’s How to Love! I’ll be in touch today so we can sort out the address details. Hope you adore this story as much as I do!

Have a great week. 🙂

Bookanista Rec :: HOW TO LOVE

November 7, 2013November 8, 201323 Comments

Today’s Bookanista recommendation is
How to Love by Katie Cotugno

From Goodreads – Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists, until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind. After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

This book… I wish I could put into words how much I adore it, and how deeply it moved me. If ever there was a perfect Katy Book, How to Love is it. It’s a story full of all the things I love about contemporary YA: an awesomely relatable main character, a troubled but inherently good love interest, emotional richness so intense there were times I had to step away, and tons of sweet/steamy/loving/passionate moments that never, ever got old.

There were so many elements of this story that I felt a personal connection to, and most of them led back to main character Reena… Her longing for adventure and her enthusiasm for writing. Her maturity and introvertedness. The fondness she feels for the members of her family, imperfect as they are. Her desire to be a good person, and to make good choices, not to mention the guilt and disappointment she feels at failing. Her unconditional and lasting love for Sawyer, and her absolute devotion to her daughter. Reena is my idea of a “strong female character” personified, and she’s my newest favorite YA protagonists.

Other things I love about How to Love… Its Florida setting. Its strong sense of family. Its references to Catholicism. Its fantastically genuine voice and witty dialogue. Its nonlinear before-and-after format. And, of course, its love interest, Sawyer LeGrande. Oh, Sawyer… He’s got issues. He can be a jerk. He does stupid things. And yet, I love him as Reena does. Somehow, even through all of his nonsense and idiocy, it’s easy to see the goodness in Sawyer’s heart. It’s easy to root for him to get his shit together, for his sake and for Reena’s.

I adore How to Love in the very same way I adore Lola and the Boy Next Door, The Sky is Everywhere, Where the Stars Still Shine, Fangirl, and Saving June. I want so badly for it to get the exposure it deserves, and I’m so confident that you’ll love it too, I will buy a copy for one lucky person who comments on today’s post (US only, please). So, tell me about the last truly fantastic book you read, and I’ll randomly select a winner and post his/her name Monday. Sound good?

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

Shari Arnold is enthralled with THE BITTER KINGDOM by Rae Carson

Christine Fonseca is nostalgic with ROOMIES by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Jessica Love is wild for WINGER by Andrew Smith

Tell me: What’s the last really amazing novel read?

October Reading Wrap-Up

November 1, 2013October 31, 20134 Comments

October = Longest Month Ever
(As always, covers link to Goodreads pages.)

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke – My favorite element of this 2013 debut is its atmospheric setting. The town of Echo and The Citizen, the house protagonist Violet and her brother live in, are seriously creepy. I enjoyed this unique and twisty mystery, and the story’s romantic subplot kept me guessing. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a great novel to pick up if you’re having trouble leaving Halloween behind.

Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting – Another creepy book! I’ve loved The Body Finder novels since I read the first a few years ago, and this latest installment is no exception. Kimberly Derting writes fantastically sinister murder mysteries and love interest Jay is adorable. With the exception of The Body Finder, the first book in this series, Dead Silence is my favorite. I love how empowered and headstrong main character Violet has grown to be, and I’m becoming more and more intrigued with Rafe and his backstory. Definite recommend!

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan – This novel requires major suspension of disbelief (spellseekers and cursecasters!), but for the first half, I was totally invested in Stephen and Elizabeth’s plight. The second half of the story, however, took a hard left into urban fantasy territory, which just isn’t my genre of choice. That said, I suspect that if you like books about magic, evil, and curses set in a big city, you’ll like Invisibility. Who else has read it? Thoughts?

Just One Year by Gayle Forman – There are so many things to love about Just One Year. Willem is everything I adore in a male character: damaged, sensitive, passionate, searching, adventurous — perfectly imperfect. And the story’s varying cultures as described in Gayle Forman’s beautiful, evocative prose become supporting characters that gave me an epic case of wanderlust. A 2013 favorite. My full Bookanista recommendation is HERE.

Shine by Lauren Myracle – I found this novel to be gripping, beautifully written, and incredibly unique. Main character Cat felt so real and relatable, and the many supporting characters were well-developed and layered. Despite solving the story’s big mystery fairly early on, I still loved this book. It was the first I’ve read by Lauren Myracle, and I can’t wait to get my hands on more of her work.

Fault Line by Christa Desir – This isn’t the sort of book that sweeps you off your feet with romance and exoticism, nor is it the sort of book you’ll fall traditionally head-over-heels in love with — in fact, a good deal of this story is downright painful. But it is an affecting read and, I think, an incredibly important novel. It’s going to start conversations about rape, victim blaming, and the “right” way to cope, and it’s remarkably relevant. My full DAC review is HERE.

Just as Long as We’re Together by Judy Blume – My very favorite childhood book. Fun fact: I read my paperback so many times I split its spine — literally, right in half. Recently, I spotted a copy in a used bookstore and had to have it. I spent a few days joyfully rereading (and adding tons of giddy status updates to my Goodreads profile HERE). Grown up Katy found this story to be just as moving and fantastic as Preteen Katy did. Five stars for Judy Blume!

Allegiant by Veronica Roth – This book crushed me with feels. I’ve been so invested in Tris and Four and their supporting cast for the last few years, and the end of their story truly did a number on me. That conclusion… It hurt my heart. I had a few minor issues with parts Allegiant (I’ll save them for YA Book Club) but overall, I thought it was a courageous and fitting conclusion to a fantastic trilogy.

How to Love by Katie Cotugno – I can already say with certainty that this debut novel will be among my top-five favorite books of 2013. Guys… It is perfection. If you’re into books about romance and heartache and family, books with stellar voice and steamy kisses and emotion so thick it drips off the page, you will adore How to Love. I’m going to rave about it in greater detail in a Bookanista rec next week, but for now I’ll just say: Buy this book. You won’t regret it!

So… What’s the best book you read in October?

What’s Up Wednesday

October 23, 2013October 23, 201334 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…

What I’m Reading: I finished Fault Line by Christa Desir and posted my Debut Author Challenge write-up HERE. I also read Lauren Myracle’s Shine, which was gripping, beautifully written, and incredibly unique. I loved it. My girlie and I read Dav Pilkey’s The Adventures of Captain Underpants together. She thought it was extraordinary. I thought it was super silly and very clever. Now, I’m rereading one of my favorite childhood books, Just as Long as We’re Together by Judy Blume. Pretty sure the people at my gym are judging me as I read it on the Stair Master, but I don’t care because it’s just as fab as I remember.

What I’m Writing: I love Scrivener. Like, so much. On Sunday, I took a good hard look at my WiP’s format and current outline, and realized that several scenes needed shifting. What would have taken me hours to copy and paste using Word took all of ten minutes to adjust using Scrivener. The cork board is most definitely my new best friend. As well as revising my outline, I wrote somewhere around 4K words over the last week. I have approximately ten scenes left to write before this first draft is done. Mostly, they’re the story’s climax and conclusion, and their pacing should be fast. Hopefully they’ll come easily and I’ll be writing THE END by Halloween. (Holy hell… That would be amazing!)

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Uh, signing up for #SipSwap, that’s what! Last year I had a blast participating in the mug exchange dreamed up by Jessica Love and Kelsey Macke, and I can’t wait to do it again this year.

You should definitely join in on the fun. Sign up HERE.

Over the weekend, we took our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. I have a soft spot for the patch we used to visit in Washington, but our California patch, Hollister’s Swank Farms, is truly awesome. We had tons of fun navigating the corn maze, sling-shotting gourds, and picking pumpkins with our friends. Bonus… We ate yummy Mexican food after. 🙂

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Fantastic writing advice from Richard Price… “The bigger the issue, the smaller you write. Remember that. You don’t write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid’s burnt socks lying on the road. You pick the smallest manageable part of the big thing, and you work off the resonance.” Amazing, right? Also, this quote from Chuck Palahniuk…

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

Debut Author Challenge :: FAULT LINE

October 21, 2013October 21, 20138 Comments

(A note… I set out to read and review at least twelve debut novels in 2013, and including the review below, I have officially accomplished that goal. As of today, I’ve read fourteen debut novels, but a couple slipped by without official reviews. Hopefully I’ll be able to catch up before the end of the year!)

Today’s 2013 Debut Author Challenge review is
Fault Line by Christa Desir

From Goodreads – Ben could date anyone he wants, but he only has eyes for the new girl — sarcastic free-spirit, Ani. Luckily for Ben, Ani wants him too. She’s everything Ben could ever imagine. Everything he could ever want. But that all changes after the party. The one Ben misses. The one Ani goes to alone. Now Ani isn’t the girl she used to be, and Ben can’t sort out the truth from the lies. What really happened, and who is to blame? Ben wants to help her, but she refuses to be helped. The more she pushes Ben away, the more he wonders if there’s anything he can do to save the girl he loves.

(Disclaimer: Christa Desir is a dear friend, but her personal awesomeness has in no way impacted my review of her novel.)

A little background… While I’ve read a few of Christa’s (currently) unpublished manuscripts, Fault Line was written and sold before she and I became friendly and began trading work. Because I know and very much appreciate Christa’s stark, no-holds-barred writing style, and am often drawn to dark contemporary YA, I have been (impatiently) awaiting Fault Line‘s release for ages. Seriously… I teared up a bit when the beautiful hardcover was finally delivered to my house last week. I started reading immediately, and could hardly put it down.

Fault Line is not the kind of book that sweeps you off your feet with romance and exoticism, nor is it the sort of book you’ll fall traditionally head-over-heels in love with. It’s not a book that’s going to leave you with that warm, content feeling that’s common in contemporary YA. Fault Line not a pleasant read — in fact, a good deal of this story is downright painful — but it is an affecting book and, I think, an incredibly important novel.

Fault Line is the sort of book that’s going to make readers wonder what they’d do if they found themselves in Ben’s (or Ani’s) situation. It’s going to put them in its characters’ shoes and force them to ponder all of the what ifs? and if onlys Ben and Ani had to face. Fault Line is going to keep readers up at night. It’s going to make them worry about its characters, feel for its characters, and wish for better outcomes for its characters. This novel is going to start conversations about rape, victim blaming, and the “right” way to cope. It is remarkably relevant.

I’ve read a few reviews of Fault Line that took issue with its ending. Yes, it is abrupt, and yes, it is open-ended. But to me, it felt right. There are no easy outcomes when it comes to sexual assault, and to have given Ben and Ani a shiny, ribbon-tied coda would have been disingenuous. I’m so proud of Christa for ending her novel in a real (though difficult) place, a place that allows readers to imagine their own conclusion for these captivating characters.

Congratulations on a story well told, Christa. ♡

Learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.

What’s the last debut novel you read?

What’s Up Wednesday

October 16, 2013October 15, 201343 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan. While I enjoyed the first half, the second was a little much for my taste. The story took a hard left into urban fantasy territory, which just isn’t my genre of choice. That said, I suspect that if you like stories about magic and evil and curses set in a big city, you’ll enjoy it. Next, I flew through Gayle Forman’s Just One Year, which was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Can I just say… I LOVED THIS STORY SO MUCH. It’s beautiful and moving, the perfect companion for Just One Day. I’ll rave about it more in a future Bookanista post, but for now… *happy sigh* Now, I’m reading Fault Line, written by my brave and brilliant and generous friend Christa Desir. It’s a tough story, but a very important story. I encourage you to check it out if you haven’t already.

What I’m Writing: I made some decent progress on my WiP over the last week, even though my daughter was on a break from school. I made time for writing in the early mornings, at the park, and after bedtime, and managed to rack up nearly six thousand words. I’m currently sitting pretty at about 74,600 words. I’m working on my last big scene, and then I have somewhere between eight and twelve smaller scenes to write. So… someday I will finish.

Surprisingly, the park is a pretty decent workspace.

A tiny excerpt from The Chapter That Nearly Killed Me :: Part of him wanted that now—the racy, no-holds-barred rush of being with Dylan—but the night’s mood was too melancholy for hollow hook-ups. More than anything, Tyler simply wanted her near. He wanted to drape an arm over her shoulders, hold her close, breathe her vanilla-and-nicotine scent, and hear her whispered assurances that life would, somehow, get its shit together.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Oh, yanno. Other than writing and reading and working out and doing endless loads of laundry… Not much.

When my husband and I were in college, we spent Saturday nights drinking cheap beer and watching Cougar football games at Martin Stadium. Now, we watch them on the couch with the two bundles of excitement pictured above. I’ve gotta say… I’d rather be on the couch. ♥

In other news, I baked my very first, totally-from-scratch Apple Pie, and I even used locally grown apples. It turned out so yummy, and it was actually a lot easier than I’d anticipated. I used this recipe for the crust (I employed the food processor method), and this recipe for the apple filling. Recommend!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Everyone knows I love to read (and write!) a good kiss, so of course I loved Jodi Meadow’s post About Kissing Scenes over at Pub(lishing) Crawl, all about why kissing scenes must amp up a story’s tension. Also, a cool post entitled 209 Ways to Describe Touch, which I came across on Pinterest. It’s an awesome source for descriptive sensory words. And finally…

Because I *really* need to remember this as I wind down my first draft.

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

September Reading Wrap-Up

September 30, 2013September 29, 20132 Comments

(As always, covers link to Goodreads pages!)

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini – This book was less like reading a novel, and more like reading a series of short stories about several loosely related (and interestingly flawed) people. It’s a beautifully written story about family and friendship, identity and loyalty, and there’s a lot of fascinating history sprinkled in. While And the Mountains Echoed was excellent, I didn’t love it *quite* as much as A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Canary by Rachel Alpine – I liked this debut. It’s an issue book with a lot of issues: death of a parent, athlete elitism, academic integrity, sexual assault, and anxiety over a military family member’s well-being. My favorite part of Canary was main character Kate’s blog posts — mostly done in verse — sprinkled throughout the narrative. Her online words were thoughtful and profound and often very clever. I also thought her relationship with her big brother was incredibly well done. A good read for fans of contemporary YA. Debut Author Challenge review HERE.

The Truth About You & Me by Amanda Grace – I’ve read and enjoyed a few of Mandy Hubbard’s books now, and this Amanda Grace novel is by far my favorite. It’s a story of forbidden romance, one with a spin I haven’t seen before, and I think it’s executed brilliantly. If you like romantic contemporary YA that’s not all black and white, I definitely recommend The Truth About You & Me. My full Bookanista review is HERE.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – It’s hard for me to put my affection for this novel into words. Rainbow Rowell is a master of dialogue. She’s brilliant at crafting quirky, charming, blemished-in-the-best way characters. She’s a genius when it comes to taking commonplace situations and spinning them into something vibrant and unique and utterly compelling. And she writes the tingly feelings of first love like no other author I’ve read. Fangirl is a 2013 favorite for sure — recommend! My full Bookanista review is HERE.

My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi – I enjoyed this debut. It read as an entertaining sort of PSA, and featured a protagonist who experienced some profound personal growth. I especially enjoyed Lucy’s dads, who were always present and supportive and wonderful. Jessica Verdi’s writing is strong, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp – (I’m not normally a fan of movie-version covers, but I think this one’s kind of pretty. Also, it’s the edition I own.) I adored this novel. It’s a raw, real story about a teen alcoholic who has deluded himself into believing he’s the life of every party, and that he’s helping (rather than corrupting) the shy girl who’s falling for him. Now that I’ve finished, I want to see the movie EVEN MORE. Check out my friend Erin Bowman‘s fantastic review of the novel and film.

September Girls by Bennett Madison – I get why this is a polarizing story. It’s graphic and it’s evocative and it’s obviously not for everyone, but I happen to have loved it. It’s a fantastical, surreal sort of book, gorgeously written, and with a setting that felt both dreamlike and absolutely real. Main character Sam’s voice was spot-on, thoughtful, and with just enough angsty snark. September Girls is definitely an upper-YA story (my husband read a bit and said there’s no way he’d want our daughter to read it when she’s a teen, so… there’s that), but I think it’s an important book that addresses some profound social issues. Recommend!

What’s the best book you read in September?

What’s Up Wednesday

September 25, 2013September 24, 201347 Comments

What I’m Reading: This week I finished Jessica Verdi’s debut My Life After Now and enjoyed it. It read as a very entertaining PSA, and featured a protagonist who experienced some profound personal growth. I also read Tim Tharp’s The Spectacular Now, which I adored. It’s a raw, real story about a teen alcoholic who has deluded himself into believing he’s the life of every party, and that he’s helping (rather than corrupting) the shy girl who’s falling for him. Now that I’ve finished, I want to see the movie EVEN MORE. Check out my friend Erin Bowman‘s fantastic review of the novel and film. Now, I’ve started Bennett Madison’s September Girls, which has received some rather controversial reviews, but sounds mesmerizing. I’m excited to see what it’s all about!

What I’m Writing: I didn’t do much in terms of word count this week, but I did thoughtfully reassess the last several to-be-written scenes in my outline. I brainstormed some ways to raise the stakes, as well as streamlined things a bit. Now that I know exactly where I’m headed, I’m really excited to draft through the end of my manuscript. Of course, once the draft is finished, it’s going to need TONS of work (I’ve discovered a lot about these characters through the drafting process and have a long To-Do list in terms of revisions), but more often than not, I think this story has potential. Yay!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Over the last few days, my husband, daughter, and I have played tourists in the area surrounding our town — a little “stay-cation” if you will. Now that our time in California is winding down, we’re trying to pack in all the fun things we’ve yet to do. Since Sunday, we’ve visited…

California’s Great America, a sweeping and surprisingly clean amusement park in Santa Clara, with lots of kickass roller coasters, and Snoopy!

The Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz, a “gravitational anomaly” amongst the redwoods which was, in a word, weird.

Also, we toured Alcatraz and checked out the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco — both very cool. It’s been an incredible few days, but I’m exhausted! This old lady is ready for a few days of relaxation at home.

In other news… I baked my first pumpkin-y dessert of fall, Pumpkin Pecan Bars, which tasted warm and homey and sweet and amazing. My husband is a big pumpkin fan and he devoured these treats, as did my daughter and I. Yum!

Also, my parents visited over the weekend. My girlie is the only granddaughter on my side of the family, so I’m sure you can imagine the abundance of spoiling that occurs when Nana and Poppy are in town. We had a great time!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: A fantastic post from my friend Jaime Morrow (What’s Up Wednesday co-creator) about taking a break from writing to appreciate everything else about life (without guilt!). This one hits close to home because I always feel like I should be putting writing before everything else. Jaime made me feel better, and much more normal! Also, this cheeky post from Bethany Myers: Top Nine Signs You’re Living in a YA Novel. Totally made me laugh. 🙂 And, as always, gorgeous California scenery…

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

Debut Author Challenge :: CANARY

September 16, 2013September 16, 20139 Comments

Today’s 2013 Debut Author Challenge review is Canary by Rachele Alpine…

From Goodreads: Staying quiet will destroy her, but speaking up will destroy everyone. Kate Franklin’s life changes for the better when her dad lands a job at Beacon Prep, an elite private school with one of the best basketball teams in the state. She begins to date a player on the team and quickly gets caught up in a world of idolatry and entitlement, learning that there are perks to being an athlete. But those perks also come with a price. Another player takes his power too far and Kate is assaulted at a party. Although she knows she should speak out, her dad’s vehemently against it and so, like a canary sent into a mine to test toxicity levels and protect miners, Kate alone breathes the poisonous secrets to protect her dad and the team. The world that Kate was once welcomed into is now her worst enemy, and she must decide whether to stay silent or expose the corruption, destroying her father’s career and bringing down a town’s heroes. Canary is told in a mix of prose and verse, and has earned tons of fantastic author endorsements and complimentary reviews.

Such a beautiful cover, right? I like the story beneath it too. Canary is an issue book that deals with a lot of issues: death of a parent (Kate’s mom), athlete elitism (something I don’t see addressed often in YA), academic integrity at an upper-class private school, sexual assault, and anxiety over a military family member’s well-being (a topic that strikes particularly close to home for me).

Kate’s a great narrator. She’s a “normal girl” (for lack of a better term), and I had no trouble relating to her as a high schooler who’s trying to find her niche at a new school and in a new life. My favorite part of Canary are the blog posts — penned by Kate, and mostly in verse — sprinkled throughout the narrative. Kate’s online words are confessions, thoughtful and profound, and sometimes cheeky and clever. Check out a bit of this obviously sardonic “post,” about proper care and handling of a Beacon basketball player boyfriend…

“Maintain a happy attitude, even if you feel sad. Smile and laugh often. Let him know life is perfect for you when he’s around. Agree to what he wants to do, be where he wants to be, watch what he wants to watch, and become interested in the things that interest him. Remember constantly how lucky you are to have acquired a Beacon basketball player boyfriend.”

Another aspect of Canary I appreciate is Kate’s connection with her big brother, Brett. The push-and-pull of their authentic sibling relationship is incredibly well done, and I love the protective role he plays in Kate’s life, especially when it comes to her boyfriend Jack (who I’m still a little torn about). Brett is mature, and he’s often the voice of reason Kate herself sometimes lacks. He’s my favorite of all Canary‘s characters.

I recommend Canary for fans of serious, issue-based contemporary YA, books like Daisy Whitney’s Mockingbirds, and Chelsea Pitcher’s The S-Word.

Learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.

Also, hop on over to YA Confidential to check out today’s From the Vault post. We want to know what you’d like to see more of in YA.

What’s the last debut novel you read?

Bookanista Rec :: OCD Love Story

August 8, 2013August 7, 20133 Comments

I’m thrilled to recommend one of my favorite 2013 debuts:
OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge and The Bookanistas )

From Goodreads: When Bea meets Beck, she knows instantly that he’s her kind of crazy. Sweet, strong, kinda-messed-up Beck understands her like no one else can. He makes her feel almost normal. He makes her feel like she could fall in love again. But despite her feelings for Beck, Bea can’t stop thinking about someone else: a guy who is gorgeous and magnetic… and has no idea Bea even exists. But Bea knows a lot about him. She spends a lot of time watching him. She has a journal full of notes. Some might even say she’s obsessed. Bea tells herself she’s got it all under control. But this isn’t a choice, it’s a compulsion. The truth is, she’s breaking down…and she might end up breaking her own heart.

OCD Love Story is one of those rare “issue books” that doesn’t make you feel like you’re reading an issue book. It’s got so much personality and style, so many unique and interesting characters, it reads like an incredibly thoughtful and entertaining contemporary YA story — which is exactly what it is.

One of OCD Love Story‘s greatest strengths is its voice. The story feels authentically teen without ever trying too hard. Bea’s narration is spunky and seamless, so frank it made me squeamish at times (she admits she’s got no filter when it comes to saying what’s on her mind–it’s one of the things she works on in therapy). Mental illness is an uncomfortable, complex, messy topic, and Bea does some truly scary things, but she speaks about her disorder (and her life) with such disarming honesty, she’s an easy character to empathize with. While I didn’t necessarily like all of Bea’s choices, I always liked her, and I was rooting for her to come to terms with her OCD every step of the way.

Bea’s love interest, Beck, is as absorbing as Bea herself. At first, his OCD seems less severe than Bea’s, but as the story progresses, Beck’s obsessions and compulsions became clear and alarming. His reason for behaving the way he does is sincerely heartbreaking, and mostly I just wanted to give him a big hug. That said, I often found myself wondering if he was really a good match for Bea, or if they were set on a path of mutual destruction. The way Corey Ann Haydu handles their developing romance is clever and compelling, and I was incredibly impressed with how the story wrapped up.

Don’t let OCD Love Story‘s cheery yellow-and-pink cover mislead you; it is a heavy book about teens dealing with a sometimes debilitating mental illness, and there are some truly cringeworthy moments within its pages. But there are also moments of humor and friendship and a sweet, sweet romance, making OCD Love Story one of my favorite debuts of 2013.

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

Lenore Appelhans adores IN THE AFTER by Demitria Lunetta

Jessica Love raves about GOLDEN by Jessi Kirby

Tracey Neithercott is wowed by A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES by Rachel Harris