What’s Up Wednesday

March 25, 2015March 25, 201524 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…

What I’m Reading: Last week I read Isla Bick’s Drowning Instinct, a very intense, very dark contemporary. I love that there are no real heroes or heroines — just a bunch of broken people making messes of each others’ lives. It’s really well done. I’m currently making my way through Victoria Aveyard’s fantasy debut, Red Queen so I can participate in YA Book Club next week.

What I’m Writing: NOTHING. I sent Stars Like Dust to my agent yesterday. Phew! Now, I wait (and stress about whether she likes it). In the meantime, I’m reading a most excellent manuscript by my CP, Alison Miller. This one’s super smart, heartfelt, and truly funny — like, legitimately laugh-out-loud funny. And, it’s so unique, I refuse to tell you any more about it. 🙂

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Last week I skipped out on WUW because we took an impromptu journey across the U.S. to Washington. My husband’s grandmother passed away, and we wanted to be at her funeral. She was a fun and fiesty French lady, and we loved her lots.

While there were some sad moments during our trip, there were some good times, too. We saw family and reveled in the Pacific Northwest’s (rainy) spring.

Now, it’s spring break and I’ve been spending quality time with my girl. Over the weekend we saw Cinderella (say what you will about its lack of fierceness/ingenuity, but I loved it!), on Monday we treated ourselves to fro yo, and yesterday we went strawberry picking. Today, we’re off to the beach!

What Works For Me: I’ve been feeling the writerly blues lately. Not really sure why, but this happens to me from time to time, and usually the best cure is a step back — time away to freshen my perspective. I recently reread a pretty fabulous blog post by writer Robin Lafevers titled Surviving Almost There. If you’re feeling stuck or stagnant or like it’s NEVER going to happen, I highly recommend checking it out.

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

March 11, 2015March 11, 201532 Comments

What I’m Reading: I read Marie Rutkoski’s The Winner’s Curse back in November, kind of begrudgingly, actually — it didn’t sound like my jam at all. But I ended up LOVING it (in the same way I love the Graceling Realm and Lumatere Chronicles novels), and waiting for its sequel, The Winner’s Crime, has been torture. But I finally have this most-anticipated sequel in my hot little hands, and I’m almost done reading. Guys, it is gLoRiOuS. It’s rare that I have physical reactions to books, but this one’s got my face flushed and my heart racing; I’m pretty much obsessed with these characters. Highly recommend! (Also, if you’re curious like I was, Marie Rutkoski says Arin like “Aaron” but advised the audiobook reader to pronounce it “R-rin” because that’s more in keeping with the Herrani language. The more you know!)

What I’m Writing: Now that my latest project, Stars Like Dust, is with some brilliant and trusted readers, I’m taking a bit of a break from my own stuff. I’m using my time to read one of my CP’s middle grade manuscript and, oh my gosh, I am so lucky! This story is fanciful and emotional and beautifully written. It’s magic on a page, and I’m loving it!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: We’ve been having lovely, sunny weather in Florida, so my little family and I have been exploring the panhandle…

This weekend we went to Falling Water’s State Park, home of Florida’s highest waterfall. We’ve been to Yosemite so, honestly, the waterfall wasn’t all that impressive, but the rest of the scenery was beautiful.

We also visited the Seacrest Wolf Preserve, which was very cool. We got to interact with and pet wolves, and we learned tons about wolf conservation. Definitely worth checking out if you’re ever in the area.

What Works For Me: Positive feedback. I appreciate constructive criticism as much as the next writer, but sometimes I just really need to hear, “Hey, I LOVE this thing you wrote.” I let my husband read Stars Like Dust over the weekend, and he seemed genuinely impressed. I’m not sure what he was expecting, or what he thinks I’ve been doing over the last many years if not improving my craft, but yeah. He had complimentary things to say, and that made me feel really good. He even said my story was better than all of the Nicholas Sparks movies I’ve made him watch over the years, so there’s that. ❤

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

March 4, 2015March 4, 201524 Comments

(It’s warm enough for shorts today so this graphic seems sort of odd, but I suppose it’s still winter in some places. Brrr…)

What I’m Reading: Lots of love for two of my favorite NAs, both of which released recently. Find my rave reviews of Riley Edgewood’s Surf & Surrender HERE and Ellie Cahill’s When Joss Met Matt HERE. I’m currently reading Kathryn Holmes’ The Distance Between Lost and Found, which is pretty incredible so far. I love the 3rd person narrative, and the survival aspects of the story are gripping. Can’t wait to see how it plays out!

What I’m Writing: I FINISHED MY 1ST DRAFT OF STARS LIKE DUST. What a relief! I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to see this one through, guys. Not because I don’t love it, but because I love it so much I’m desperate to do it justice. Hopefully I’m getting there. I’m the sort of writer who revises as she drafts, so this manuscript is fairly clean. I’m taking care of some small-ish issues now, and I’m hoping to have it to my CPs in the next couple of days. For more on my writing, you can check out my #WriterRecharge Wrap-Up HERE. Goal for the next week: Start outlining my next project. 🙂

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Aside from writing and revising a TON, I’ve mostly just been hanging out with my girl…

We celebrated the end of her basketball season with a party at our favorite fro-yo spot. Is there a better way to spend an afternoon than with a cute kid and bowl of banana frozen yogurt? She and I also had a girls’ day in Pensacola, full of shopping (Target and Michael’s — yay!), plus lunch at Red Robin.

What Works For Me: I mentioned my planner in last week’s post and to be honest, I’ve gotten to the point where I live and die by the thing. (I worked out this morning because my planner told me to, and my husband was like, “I wish I had a planner that had that kind of control over me.”) As well as tracking my schedule and writing progress, I’ve also been using it to write down daily gratitudes, an idea I got from my friend Elodie — thanks, lady! Each night, I take a few minutes to jot down three things I’m thankful for. Sometimes they’re big (like finishing Stars Like Dust) and sometimes they’re little (last week I was super thankful for NyQuil). Either way, gratitudes help me reflect on and appreciate the positive things happening in my life — never a bad thing.

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

WHEN JOSS MET MATT Virtual Blog Tour

February 28, 2015February 27, 20156 Comments

I’m not sure if I’ve ever participated in a virtual blog tour before, but when I got an email inviting me to be a part of one celebrating the release of Ellie Cahill’s NA romance When Joss Met Matt, I could not pass up the opportunity. Guys, I LOVE this book. I lucked into an advanced copy late last year, and it ended up being one of my favorite novels of 2014. It’s sexy and fun, full of humor and heart, and it’s absolutely unputdownable. Keep reading to learn more about it, and for a chance to win your own copy of When Joss Met Matt!

From Goodreads –> Dating can be fun, but it can leave a nasty taste in your mouth. For Joss, ever since her longtime boyfriend cheated on her, she doesn’t want her last memory of a guy to be that jerk. Enter her college friend, Matt. They come up with a theory: after a bad break-up, a person needs to cleanse the palate with a little sorbet sex. Lovers for a night, but always back to being friends in the morning. The two can handle it because they have a contract: rules they wrote, rules they follow and rules they can sometimes bend. The arrangement works: everyone needs a little sorbet now and again … until it starts to be the only thing you want. And then Joss breaks the one rule they never wrote down: don’t fall in love.

My thoughts –> I adore this book, and I will absolutely read any NA novels Ellie Cahill publishes in the future. When Joss Met Matt is a contemp about a unique and precarious friends-with-benefits hook-up situation (sorbet sex, if you will), set during college and the years just after. The narrative voice is spot-on, the steamy scenes are just the right sort of steamy, and the characters are layered and likable (Joss is delightful and a bit nutty; Matt is so sweet, but a little dense when it comes to romance). When Joss Met Matt is one of those All the Feels books, but with more tenderness than angst. There’ve been few couples who I’ve rooted for as enthusiastically as I rooted for Joss and Matt.

More praise for When Joss Met Matt:

“Hands down, one of my favorite New Adult reads . . . Ellie Cahill is definitely one to watch!” — New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack

“This is one of those books that make you forget everything around you. Prepare to be consumed by this story.” — Sophie Jordan, New York Times bestselling author of Wild

“Fun, sexy, and full of amazing chemistry, When Joss Met Matt is an entertaining escape that will leave you smiling with every turn of the page.” — Cassie Mae, author of The Real Thing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ellie Cahill is a freelance writer and also writes books for young adults under the name Liz Czukas. She lives outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her husband, son, and the world’s loudest cat. Facebook Twitter Blog Instagram

And, lucky you — there’s a giveaway! Click on the link below for a chance to win one of 10 copies of When Joss Met Matt…

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

February Reading Wrap-Up

February 27, 2015February 26, 20154 Comments

Four books in February…
(As always, covers link to Goodreads.)

I Was Here by Gayle Forman – I finished this novel a month ago, and my feelings regarding it are still sort of muddled. There was so much I enjoyed: Cody’s strength and courage, the road trip element, the portrayal of familial relationships (Cody and her mom, Cody and Meg’s family), the eccentricities of Meg’s housemates, and the romance. But then, the romance threw me a little, too. Cody and Ben have awesome chemistry (of course — this is a Gayle Forman novel), but I found myself wanting a little more from the “good girl makes bad boy see the error of his ways” trope. That said, I loved the final pages, so maybe the trope eventually worked for me after all? Another I Was Here component worth mentioning: the suicide support chat rooms. *shudder* I had no idea such places existed online, and as Cody dove deeper into their seediness, I was left feeling increasingly uncomfortable. I suspect that was the point, and it was well executed. Overall, I Was Here is a strong, moving novel and Gayle Forman’s characters and prose are as affecting as ever.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley – This is so not a Katy Book. While I can see its literary merit, I am not a fan of this dystopian-set social-commentary/bizzaro novel. I know that’s an unpopular opinion (it is a classic, after all), but I found Brave New World‘s writing dull and its plot whacky (and kind of gross, actually). My husband read it just before I did and he liked it. He’s been trying to convince me of all the reasons I should be applauding it, but… nope.

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson – This one came highly recommended via the Class of 2014: YA Superlatives Blogfest, and I’m so glad I decided to buy it. It’s a very cool fantasy (by the author of The Adoration of Jenna Fox), one that’s rich and unique. There’s a love triangle — often a turn-off for me — but this one is fresh because there’s a mystery element to it: one boy is a prince and one boy is an assassin sent to kill the royal MC, Lia. The magic comes from the fact that as a reader, you’re not sure which boy is which. (For the record, I guessed correctly, and I was very happy with the outcome.) The Kiss of Deception‘s world-building is thorough and luxurious, and its characters are layered and absorbing. I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios – Full disclosure: Had this novel not come highly recommended, I would not have read it. One of its main characters is a Marine who’s just returned from Afghanistan minus a leg, plus a whole lot of post-war issues. I haven’t enjoyed most of the military-esque YA I’ve read (with the exception of Trish Doller’s Something Like Normal, which is incredible) because it’s hard for me to turn off the critical part of my brain that constantly wants to catalogue the ways authors get military life wrong. I went into I’ll Meet You There ready to roll my eyes, but… I ended up loving it. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I love it. This novel is real and raw and unflinching, and its voice… extraordinary. Highlights: Skylar (my favorite MC of late), Josh (his chapters literally made my heart hurt, plus he’s hot), the portrayals of poverty and Marine loyalty, the romance (oh my, the romance), and most of all ~ slight spoiler ~ the seriousness with which Skylar and Josh come to take their relationship. Their absolute commitment to one another — baggage and all — is refreshing and beautiful and (for me) very relatable. I’ve a feeling this novel will be one of my 2015 stand-outs. Recommend!

What’s the best book you read in February?

What’s Up Wednesday

February 25, 2015February 25, 201539 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios last week and absolutely loved it. More about why in Friday’s February Reading Wrap-Up post, but for now I’ll just say that it’s totally a Katy Book. Now, I’m reading The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins and I’m digging it. It was a bit of a slow start because it took me awhile to figure out what the hell was going on, but now I’m completely hooked.

What I’m Writing: I ~think~ I’m going to finish my first draft of Stars Like Dust (the contemporary YA romance I started for National Novel Writing Month) today. Send some positive writing vibes my way, would you please? More on my writing (plus an excerpt) in Monday’s #WriterRecharge post.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: It’s been awhile since I’ve done a What’s Up Wednesday post, so I’ll backtrack a bit…

My girlie and I had mama/daughter pedicures on Valentine’s Day, courtesy of my incredibly thoughtful husband. He made the appointment in secret, took us out to lunch, then dropped us off at the salon. Best part? He remembered to bring flip-flop so our pretty toes wouldn’t get smudged on the way home. ❤

I celebrated my 34th birthday with my husband and my daughter. They got me an antique French blanket chest (above) because I’ve been wanting a new coffee table for ages. I adore it! Speaking of birthdays, I posted a Thirty Before 35 Progress Report last week. One year to accomplish the rest of my goals!

The other night, my daughter played her last basketball game of the season. She knew nothing about the sport when she started back in November, and I’m so proud of the progress she’s made. She’s even starting to throw a few elbows. 😉

What Works For Me: So, I got a new planner. (It’s Erin Condren, and I love it. Thanks for recommending them, Sara and Donna! If you’re interested, check them out HERE!) I’ve been writing everything down in it — chores, to-dos, meal plans, workout goals, errands, water intake — and my OCD absolutely refuses to allow me to skip out on my plans once they’re on paper. Like, yesterday I woke up feeling tired and kind of sick, but I’d already written down that I was going to hit the elliptical, and there was no way I was going to cross that item off without achieving it first. So, I hauled myself out of bed and did the damn elliptical. I’ve also been using my planner to track writing progress. I give myself a literal gold star for every hour of dedicated revising I manage, and every 500 new words I write. I know that sounds kind of juvenile and silly (I thought so too, at first), but seeing my progress has helped so much. Totally recommend this motivational method if you’ve yet to try it.

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

Writer Recharge Update Three

February 23, 2015February 23, 201517 Comments

It’s February, which means it’s time for Writer Recharge!

Once again hosted by Alison Miller, Liz Parker, Elodie Nowodazkij Sara Biren, and myself, Writer Recharge is your chance for a four-week jump start in the middle of a cold, dreary winter. Set goals for yourself, check in once a week, and connect with other recharging writers. Find all the details HERE.

#WriterRecharge Update Three

WRITE/REVISE – By the end of February I want to be done drafting my WiP, Stars Like Dust, and I’d like to have started addressing the revision to-do list I’ve made for it. –> So. Much. Better! Thank you all for your words of kindness and commiseration and encouragement in last week’s comments — they helped so much! I wrote and/or revised every day last week but one (I took a break on my birthday) and, though progress is slow, I am moving forward. I’m ~almost~ done drafting Stars Like Dust, and I couldn’t be more relieved and more excited. Guys, I love this story. I shared an excerpt last week, so here’s another: Desperate to fix whatever broke him, I coil my arms around his waist, holding him tightly, lashing all our parts together until we’re seamless. Until we’re one. Until we’re us. I’m in tears and then he is too, and we’re such a mess, such a perfectly beautiful mess, I don’t care if time screeches to a halt and we’re frozen in this colorless hallway for eternity. At least I’ll be frozen with him. #WriterRecharge is quickly coming to a close, and I’m hoping to be able to tell you I’ve reached The End in Friday’s wrap-up post.

READ/REREAD – I’d like to read at least four books this month, at least one non-contemporary, and at least one a non-YA. –> I finished The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson — yay! Such a cool book. I also read I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios, which was a heartbreaker, but the amazing kind (also, it was my fourth book for February, so I met this goal!). Now I’m reading The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. I’m not far along yet, but I’m already hooked.

STRETCH – One of my Thirty Before 35 goals is to write something that’s not contemporary YA, so I hope to start brainstorming what that something might be. I have some vague ideas, but writing anything outside the realm of Real Life is a big stretch for me, which means this project is going to require a lot of musing. –> Still brainstorming… Sound familiar? Actually, something real and exciting is taking shape. I plan to start researching and plotting once I finish my draft of Stars Like Dust.

SELF – I’d like to pick up yoga again. I’ve been slacking over the last several months, and I hope to practice at least twice a week. –> Success! I practiced yoga four times last week. Hoping to make this a real habit — thanks, #WriterRecharge!

CONNECT – Ooh, this one’s easy! I’m headed to West Virginia for a weekend-long writing retreat this Thursday. I’ve never done one, and some of my favorite writing buddies are coming!

FUN – My daughter and I are going to start a quilt this month. Even if we only make it to the store to choose fabrics… it’s happening. –> Success! We picked out fabrics — Hello Kitty was our jumping off point because my girl has decided that this quilt is going to be for our cat. Because Daphne doesn’t have enough places to lounge. 🙂 I can’t wait to start cutting and sewing!
Participating in Writer Recharge? Don’t forget to head over to Sara’s blog to link your update post!

SURF & SURRENDER is out now!

February 23, 2015February 23, 20152 Comments

I’m so excited for my friend Riley Edgewood — her second NA romance, Surf & Surrender, is out today and it is FaNtAsTiC!

From Goodreads – Quinn Westwood is completely over Sawyer Carson. He broke her heart years ago and disappeared from her life without a word. So yeah. She’s over him. Never even thinks of him. In fact, she’s spending her college summer break surfing and lifeguarding in the Outer Banks, while nursing a bruised heart from a different relationship gone wrong. She doesn’t have room in her mind or heart for Sawyer—until she runs into him at a beach bonfire and the sparks that fly between them are way hotter than the flames heating the sand. Sawyer never got over Quinn. The only thing stronger than what he feels for her is the secret keeping them apart, but sharing it would destroy more than just his life—it’d ruin hers, as well. Still, he can’t seem to keep away from her, can’t seem to keep his hands off of her soft, tempting skin. Especially since she has even less self-control when it comes to reigniting the physical side of what made them perfect together. But secrets have a way of slipping out, and when Sawyer’s is revealed it threatens to shatter everyone involved. He’ll have to face walking away a second time, and Quinn will have to decide if fighting for him is worth it when the fallout could affect more than just her heart, but also those of the people she loves most.

I adore Riley’s first novel, Rock & Release, but Surf & Surrender… It grabbed me and refused to let go. I love this story. It’s a mash-up of all my bookish favorites: first love, lost love, reclaimed love, hot boys, spirited girls, messy families, the beach, flowers, genuinely sexy sexy-times (that’s a technical term), beautiful writing, and a little bit of mystery. Riley’s characters are some of my very favorites: Quinn is all sorts of amusing and unaffected and awesome, and surfer boy Sawyer… swoon. I can’t wait to see a copy of this book on my shelf!

Sound like something you might like? Add Surf & Surrender to Goodreads HERE. Buy Surf & Surrender HERE. And find Riley HERE.

What’s Up Wednesday

February 11, 2015February 11, 201532 Comments

What I’m Reading: Since the month started, I’ve read Gayle Forman’s I Was Here (she’s a favorite author of mine and I loved this book, though I had mixed feelings about a few elements) and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (I guess I can see its merit, but this dystopian classic was NOT for me). Now, I’m reading The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson, and it’s incredible so far. Thanks to everyone who recommended it during the 2014 YA Superlatives Blogfest!

What I’m Writing: I’ve made progress with Stars Like Dust (new words — yay!), and I’ve been working here and there on a mindless short story. More on my writing in Monday’s #WriterRecharge Update. Goal for this week: draft some more. At least 3K, hopefully.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: I’ve had a busy few weeks! I traveled all weekend and had tons of appointments and shopping to knock out. Plus…

My girlie earned her way onto the Honor Roll (hence the giant celebratory cookie) and turned 7 1/2. Exciting week!
Also, I posted on Instagram about my Favorite Fictional Females. From top to bottom: Hermione, Mariam and Laila, Reena, Lennie, and Bitterblue.

What Works For Me: Community… One of my Thirty Before 35 goals was to attend a writers’ retreat, and I finally did! I spent an amazing weekend in West Virginia with some lovely literary friends. We did tons of drafting, editing, brainstorming, chatting, laughing, and eating. Not only did the retreat give me the kickstart I needed to finish my first draft of Stars Like Dust, but it was excellent for my mental health. It’s amazing to spend time with smart, creative, like-minded people. Can’t wait to do it again! ❤

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

January Reading Wrap-Up

January 30, 2015January 29, 20154 Comments

January –> The month of extraordinary YA!
Every book I read over the last several weeks was incredible, and I strongly recommend any and all of these young adult novels.
(As always, covers link to Goodreads pages.)

This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner – What an impressive follow-up! These Broken Stars is amazing, and I worried that This Shattered World wouldn’t live up to its awesomeness. No need to be concerned — it absolutely does! Flynn and Jubilee (strange name, but it totally fits her) are fantastic protagonists — very different, but equals when it comes to strength and smarts. I love their convoluted push-and-pull dynamic, plus there are some beautifully written steamy moments between them that help to offset their sparring and the overall swampy, violent tone of the story. I also love how intricately plot elements from the first novel in this series are woven into World. Hints of conspiracy and ruthless twists make this book unputdownable. (Plus, there are a few Tarver/Lilac cameos that made me oh-so-happy!)

The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson – This novel is quiet and meandering and virtually plotless, and it’s incredible. It’s a cold, melancholy, atmospheric book, and Jodi Lynn Anderson’s third-person prose is beautiful. Teenager Katy related so completely to MC Maggie (careful, thoughtful, timid), and I so wanted her to get her happily ever after — or at least avoid having her heart crushed. The Vanishing Season centers around a trio of friends with a tangled dynamic. It’s set against a wintery backdrop and incorporates a string of small-town murders, plus a lonesome ghost. This novel isn’t a murder mystery, though, and it isn’t a ghost story, either. It’s a character study, and an examination of a thorny, boundary-crossing friendship. It left me heavy-hearted, but glad for the experience.

Blackout by Meredith McCardle – I love Blackout even more than its predecessor, The Eight Guardian. It’s packed with tension and twists and holy crap! moments, and it’s nearly impossible to step away from. Amanda (codename: Iris) continues to travel through time, unraveling mysteries and fighting corruption like the badass she is, but in Blackout we get to see a more vulnerable side of her personality. A big part of her slowly-revealed softer side stems from her boyfriend Abe (codename: Blue). He plays a bigger role in this second installment, and he is adorable — a perfect balance to Amanda’s toughness. This is a thrilling story: fast-paced, high-stakes, and full of awesome descriptions of past events. Its characters are riveting, especially because you’re never quite sure who you (and Amanda) should trust. And the conclusion… Let’s just say you’ll be anxiously awaiting Annum Guard #3.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven – This book made my heart hurt, and it made my heart sing. It’s been likened to The Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park, comparisons that normally make me roll my eyes because… come on. But honestly, in this case the correlations make sense, and I ended up loving All the Bright Places even more than its comparables. Finch and Violet are complex, fully-realized, and engaging. Both struggle with depression and guilt, and both are varying degrees of broken, which makes them relatable and sympathetic. Their romance is absolutely swoonworthy, but dreadfully messy. All the Bright Places‘s supporting characters are also compelling; I especially enjoy how present and authentic Violet’s parents are. This story is told through dual perspectives, and the narrators’ voices are distinct and honest. The tone of the story is intoxicatingly fresh, yet genuinely YA. In my opinion, it’s the perfect sort of contemporary: layered and rich and real, with a message that at no point feels like A Message. Highly recommend!

Love & Other Theories by Alexis Bass – This book reminds me a little bit of 17 First Kisses, a little bit of Before I Fall, and a little bit of the movie Mean Girls. And… I love it. I’ve read a few not-so-favorable reviews of this novel, reviews that knock MC Aubrey and her friends for being mean and shallow and (gasp) slutty. Just… ugh. (Have I mentioned that the “unlikeable teen girl” is one of my most loathed literary gripes?) Admittedly, Aubrey and her BFFs are not perfect. They make some choices that are dangerous and selfish and worrisome and immature, but who hasn’t? These girls have reasons for behaving as they do, and it’s their unapologetic realness (the good, the bad, and the ugly) that makes me a big fan of this debut. Along with characters who leap of the page, Love & Other Theories brims with earnest romance and unavoidable loss and enviably authentic voice, plus an examination of that pivotal time in high school when you start to become the person you’re meant to be — when you feel powerless and confused and you’re grappling with identity and life’s just hard. Alexis Bass captures it perfectly. (Also, Trip. I adore Trip!)

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy – Oh, hey, another “unlikable” teen protagonist… Y’all, MC Alice has cancer. She’s in constant pain and her hair’s falling out and she’s suffering through chemo that doesn’t seem to be working. Plus, she’s involved in some ugly drama at school, and things with her parents appear to be falling apart. Of course she’s angry and selfish and, sometimes, really mean. Of course she’s bitter! But, I find her incredibly relatable, too. Under Alice’s hard exterior, there’s fear and sweetness (the rescued pup!) and a sense of vulnerability that made my heart ache. And then there’s Harvey, Alice’s longtime friend, who’s a freaking doll. I’m so glad he was a co-narrator because he helped soften some of Alice’s prickliness, as well shed light onto her more lovable traits. While I enjoyed every page of this novel, my absolute favorite part is its conclusion, which feels realistic, yet very hopeful. Such a strong debut.

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers – I’ve now read all of Courtney Summers’s published books, and I am officially declaring Fall For Anything my favorite among her extraordinary body of work. This book… It shredded me. It surprised me in ways I didn’t know I wanted to be surprised — like, I thought I knew what to expect out of the plot and I would have been perfectly satisfied (happy, even) if it had played out the way I’d anticipated, but then the story took this phenomenal turn, leaving me staggered and gratified and very, very impressed. Eddie is a remarkable character. Her narration is almost stream-of-conscious, and brutally frank. The way her relationships with BFF Milo and mysterious new boy Culler play out is fascinating, but equally compelling are her interactions with her mother and her mother’s irksome friend, Beth. The way Eddie reacts to her father’s suicide is stark and utterly heartbreaking, but it never makes her feel distant or unsympathetic. Fall For Anything is definitely one to read if you’re a fan of sharp, affecting contemporaries.