What’s Up Wednesday

January 7, 2015January 7, 201529 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. Here’s what’s up with me this week…

What I’m Reading: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner which, so far, is just as fabulous as their co-written debut, These Broken Stars. I haven’t had tons of time to read lately, but each and every one of my spare moments are being spent with Flynn and Jubilee.

What I’m Writing: I’m slowly cleaning up my NaNo project and prepping to write its climax and conclusion, which I *think* I’ve finally figured it out. Additionally, I spent a few days reading and offering feedback on Riley Edgewood‘s super hot, super amazing upcoming contemporary NA. I wish I could give you hints as to all of this story’s awesomeness, but let’s just say, it’s very much a Katy Book, and I loved it.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Trying to get back into a routine now that my husband’s back to work and my daughter’s back to school. Plus…

I participated in the YA Buccaneers‘s #12DaysOfBooks photo challenge and made some new Instagram buddies along the way. Above are two of my favorite photo prompts (with assistance from Daphne): “Bookcase” and “Spine Poetry” (mine reads: if i stay / through the ever night / what’s left of me / cracked up to be / something like normal / forever…). Thanks for hosting, Buccaneers!

My husband, daughter, and I spent a day exploring downtown Pensacola. We walked a ton, hit up a history museum, ate amazing burgers (and drank a spiked Almond Joy milkshake), and watched a professional hockey game.

I’ve been playing with minimalism and candy-colored photos on Instagram, which is all sorts of fun. I first learned about the look on the IG feed of blogger extraordinaire Fat Mum Slim (Chantelle), who talks about #CandyMinimal HERE. She was inspired by photographer Matt Crump, whose IG feed is gorgeous. He gives a fantastic candy-colored editing tutorial HERE.

What Works For Me: Writing has been sporadic over the last few weeks, but my girl’s back to school and my husband’s leave is over and I’m trying to buckle down. That means butt in chair and accounta-buddies, plus the knowledge that if my MS-on-sub doesn’t sell, I’ll be far less depressed if I have something shiny and new to present to my agent (don’t ask how I know this). My WiP, which is tragically ending-less, inspires me too. After all the work and heart I’ve put into it, it deserves a conclusion!

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

December Reading Wrap-Up

December 30, 2014December 29, 201410 Comments

Another diverse month of books. Here’s what I read…
(As always, cover images link to Goodreads pages.)

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover – I’m finding that when it comes to NA, I’m either passionately on-board or totally underwhelmed. In the case of Maybe Someday, it’s the former. I am so impressed with this book! So much about it is just… different. The writing is compulsively readable. The characters are complex and likable. The problems are complicated and seem nearly impossible to solve. Maybe Someday centers around a love triangle, but it’s a love triangle that’s well done (no easy answers, no bad guys, real life), and even if you aren’t a love triangle fan (I am not) I bet you’ll still be completely engaged. My very favorite aspect of this novel is a particular element of diversity, an impairment one of the main characters has, which is handled in an informative and authentic manor, and also serves to heighten every other aspect of the plot, particularly the musical component. Maybe Someday‘s a big recommend, and I can’t wait to read more from Colleen Hoover.

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski – One of my favorites of the year! Though The Lumatere Chronicles and The Graceling Realm are some of my most-loved stories, for me fantasy is a hard sell. I *almost* didn’t read The Winner’s Curse because it’s just really tough for me to get into this genre. I am so glad I gave it a chance! I read this novel in less than forty-eight hours, and I loved every second I spent with MCs Kestrel and Arin. Their world is so richly imagined, and the concepts of ownership and free-will and conflicted culture and warfare are fascinating. Kestrel and Arin are both so intelligent and enlightened, and I loved following along as their relationship went from slow-burn to sizzling. The Winner’s Curse is full of secrets and twists, and of course it concludes with a big ol’ cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read The Winner’s Crime come March!

The Only Thing to Fear by Caroline Tung Richmond – One of the most creative stories I’ve read — a reimagining of the outcome of WWII had Hitler and the Nazis been victorious, combined with a small sect of the population who bear X-Men-like powers thanks to Nazi genetic testing. I love debut author Caroline Tung Richmond’s 3rd person narration, and how she handles The Only Thing to Fear‘s complex plot. There are some heavy themes in this novel, yet it never feels bogged down. And I adore protagonist Zara! She’s sweet but tough, stubborn but sympathetic, and so very courageous. I love, too, the romantic subplot. Bastian is delightful, and the scenes he and Zara share are some of my favorites. Pick this one up if you’re looking for a unique concept, stellar writing, and plenty of adventure.

The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon – So, I have this friend who’s pretty much my book soul mate. She recommends the *best* stories to me. The Law of Moses is one of them — I hadn’t even heard of it before she mentioned it! This one gave me all the feels; I almost cried, and that never happens. The first half of the story is an angsty (in the best way) YA romance, while the second half flashes forward seven years, taking the story into more mature territory. This novel is part romance, part mystery, part magical realism, set in rural Utah. Main characters Georgia (a feisty cowgirl) and Moses (a “cracked” but incredibly talented artist) are endearing in their own nuanced ways, and I wanted nothing more than a happily ever after for them both. And Tag — I love him! Author Amy Harmon’s prose is lovely, and she has a way of invoking real, intense emotion. She gave me chills more than once… Recommend!

The One & Only by Emily Giffin – I have a lot of thoughts on this book, some critical, some favorable. One of my two main issues had to do with MC Shea, who I sometimes had a difficulty rooting for. She can be blatantly dishonest, which is a trait I have a hard time overlooking. But she’s passionate and hardworking and smart and loyal, too, not to mention a major football fan. Those qualities, thankfully, were enough to keep me on her side through the duration of the story. My other issue has to do with how a certain domestic abuse issue was handled. I won’t go into detail for fear of spoilers, but I found this thread heavy-handed and not completely resolved. Despite those matters, The One & Only is unputdownable. The love story, while unconventional and complicated, feels very genuine. I’ve read various reviews that mention serious problems with the romance, but I can totally understand how it evolved and changed over time, and how the circumstances heightened feelings on both sides; I found myself invested. Additionally, I love this story’s setting, its tertiary characters, and its college football backdrop. I look forward to reading more from Emily Giffin.

The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan – My husband found this one on my Wish List and surprised me with it for Christmas. Going in, I thought it was YA — I guess because David Levithan is such a well-known YA editor. The Lover’s Dictionary definitely isn’t YA, but that doesn’t mean it’s not wonderful. It’s a brief and bittersweet tale of love and loss told through super clever dictionary entries. It’s a fast but moving read, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and it felt like the perfect book with which to end my year of reading. I adored it.

What’s the best book you read in December?

What’s Up Wednesday

December 10, 2014December 10, 201447 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski and loved it SO MUCH. Amazing world-building, and a super-swoonworthy slow-burn forbidden romance. I also read Caroline Tung Richmond’s debut, The Only Thing To Fear, a reimagining of the outcome of WW combined with some genetically modified people with X-Men-esue super powers — it was excellent! Now, I’m reading Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson’s National Book Award winning historical verse story. It’s beautiful so far.

What I’m Writing: I’ve been revising my road trip book, The Road So Far, according to notes from my amazing CPs. They have helped me SO MUCH and I am endlessly grateful. I sent the manuscript off to my agent yesterday, so we’ll see what she thinks. *crosses fingers* Now, I’m back to drafting the end my NaNo story, Stars Like Dust. Hoping to finish by the end of the month.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: All the holiday prep…

I baked my husband’s favorite Christmas treat, Mexican Wedding Cookies…

And made a Christmas craft, Cinnamon Star Garland…

And addressed Christmas cards with my little elf. ❤

What Works For Me: Amazing published novels as inspiration. Luckily, 2014 has been full of exceptional reads! Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and I are celebrating with our 4th annual YA Superlatives Blogfest, a fun and interactive way to highlight our favorite books published during the last year. The blogfest begins Monday, December 15th and runs through Thursday, December 18th. We hope you’ll join us!

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

December 3, 2014December 3, 201428 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid, and loved it so, so much! I chatted about it (and all of my November reads) in Monday’s Reading Wrap-Up post. I also read Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover, a fabulous contemporary NA. Loved the musical component, and a particular element of diversity (no spoilers!) I haven’t seen represented much in literature. Also, it *almost* made me cry, which is extremely rare. Yesterday, I started The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski. While fantasy is not my genre of choice, this one’s been too highly praised to pass up. It’s excellent so far!

What I’m Writing: I took a writing break after winning National Novel Writing Month (!!!) last week. I didn’t even open my laptop over the long Thanksgiving weekend, which was a very nice recharge. Though I still need to finish the last 10K or so of my NaNo story (I shared its Love List last week), I’m putting it on the back-burner to work on a CP-recommended revision of my WiP The Road So Far. I’m so happy to be back with this story and these characters!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: All the holiday things! Baking, buying, wrapping, mailing, decorating… It’s been a busy week…

I had a lovely Thanksgiving with my little family, and I made a super yummy Chocolate Pecan Pie, among many other goodies. So many leftovers!

Last year we moved over the holidays so we didn’t get to put up any of our holiday decorations. It’s been wonderful to trim the tree and hang stockings in a house this year. My daughter is beside herself with excitement!

What Works For Me: Perseverance, which for me, is all about shutting down the voices of uncertainty that are constantly chattering in my head. The only way I know how to do that is to continue to push on, writing-writing-writing, even when it feels like there’s no point. The busier I am, the less time I have for second-guessing. *Curious: How do you quiet the doubt monsters?

What’s up with you today?

November Reading Wrap-Up

December 1, 2014December 1, 20145 Comments

So many amazing (and varied) books in November!
Here’s what I read…

(As always, covers link to Goodreads pages.)

When Joss Met Matt by Ellie Cahill – I love this book so much, and I will absolutely read any NA novels Ellie Cahill (Liz Czukas) publishes in the future. When Joss Met Matt is a contemp about a unique and precarious friends-with-benefits situation (sorbet, if you will), set during college and the years just after. The writing 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 without the crazy angst that’s become synonymous with NA), and I can’t remember the last time I rooted for a couple so enthusiastically. It’s out February, 2015, and you should DEFINITELY read it!

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater – (Minor spoiler-ish comments ahead…) Oh, Maggie. You slay me consistently, and I promise to buy and devour any and every book you write. I adored this third installment (of four) of one of my favorite YA series. I am a Gansey girl through-and-through, and I loved the more vulnerable side we saw of him this time around (his fear in the cave — my heart was pounding!). I love, too, the palpable chemistry he and Blue share. I mean, they’ve yet to so much as kiss, but still… *swoon* Just as captivating as Gansey and Blue are Adam and Ronan. Their bond (for lack of a better word at this point) is enrapturing (the hand cream — good Lord!). And then there’s Maggie’s Stiefvater’s prose, which is gorgeous and evocative and oh-so-enviable. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book this beautifully penned. Incase my fan-girling hasn’t made my feelings clear, BL,LB is amazing and so is its series.

Loop by Karen Akins – Aah! This is a fun, twisty book, and an amazingly unique spin on time travel. Karen Akins’s debut is pretty much a study in how to pull off a feisty, genuinely amusing YA voice. Traveling through time in Bree’s head was a treat, and getting to know irresistibly sweet love interest Finn wasn’t so bad either. I adored the way their interactions played out (thanks to time travel, there’s narrator Bree and future Bree and, well, things can get a little nutty in the romance department when you’re not sure what your future self has done with the boy who claims to have a relationship with you). Needless to say, I found myself laughing out loud more than once. My only issue with Loop? Its crazy cliffhanger ending! I don’t want to have to wait for more Bree and Finn!

On Writing by Stephen King – How have I never read this? I loved it, as many told me I would. On Writing is (obviously) about the craft of writing, but it begins with a brief summary of Stephen King’s defining life moments, which were fascinating. Still, it was the sections on writing (see what I did there?) that captivated me most. King’s advice is so candid and forthright, presented with a touch of humor and plenty of anecdotal evidence, including some self-depreciating examples from his own work. The man is so clever and so prolific, and his suggestions are so smartly presented. This one’s a book I’ll reread from time to time when inspiration is waning.

Losing It by Cora Carmack – Though many, many friends have recommended this author to me, I finally picked up this book because of an odd reverse blurb situation. Its author blurbed When Joss Met Matt (see above) and I loved that book so much, I figured it’d be likely that I’d enjoy the blurber’s writing as well. (Does any of that make sense? I hope so…) Anyway, Losing It was full of fun voice-y bits and some almost slap-stick situations that totally made me laugh. It’s a book that deals with college theatre, which is a world I know very little about, so it certainly held my attention. My only quibble has to do with the romance, which just didn’t hit me in the feels the way other NAs have. Still, I’ve heard that Cora Carmack’s All Lined Up is excellent, and I look forward to checking it out.

VIP by Riley Edgewood – How I adore this first act in Riley Edgewood’s three-act debut serial, Rock & Release. I’ve read it twice, once as a beta, and once as a fan. VIP is definitely the steamy (sometimes literally!) sort of book NA is known for, but more than that, it’s a gorgeous story. Riley has this lovely way with words that gets under my skin and stays with me. Even her sexiest scenes are written with elegance and nuance, and they read almost like poetry. MC Cassidy is such a fun heroine to get to know. She’s not perfect, but she has the *best* heart, and she’s funny in this endearingly self-depreciating way — so easy to root for. And then there’s Gage, who is one of the most desirable NA guys out there. He’s hot (obviously — look at that cover), and he’s a musician, and he’s goes after what he wants. But he’s also sweet and attentive and truly caring, which makes him impossible not to love. If you’re looking for a read that’s full of emotion and seduction and beautiful, beautiful words, I highly recommend Riley’s VIP.

Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid – All the stars for this book! I finished it the other night and I’m still thinking about, and still smiling from the sheer joy of its reading experience. Let’s Get Lost is a collection of five short stories that have Leila, a girl who’s on an answers-seeking road trip to Alaska, in common. Though we only get to spend a short time with each of the characters (save Leila), I grew to know them all so well. As soon as I pegged one as a favorite, his/her story would conclude and I’d get to begin a whole new adventure with another charming protagonist. Though I loved each character and felt invested in each story, Sonia’s was my absolute favorite because… romance and humor and winsome boy. ❤ Along with Let’s Get Lost‘s characters, I adored Adi Alsaid’s whimsical 3rd-person writing style, and his descriptions of the varied settings. This whole book feels like a John Hughes movie, and I’m a huge fan.

So, what’s the best book you read in November?

What’s Up Wednesday

November 26, 2014November 26, 201428 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished Losing It by Cora Carmack and thought it was a fun read. Perhaps not my favorite of all the NA I’ve encountered, but some trusted sources tell me her All Lined Up is excellent, so maybe I’ll try that one sometime. Now, I’m reading Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid, a series of lovely, interconnected short stories about delightful people (so far). This one’s a contemp written in 3rd person which, when done well, I love. Luckily, this one is done VERY well. Plus it’s about a road trip, and road trip books are my jam.

What I’m Writing: Still NaNo-ing, and I’m getting SO CLOSE! Hoping to finish today (before Thanksgiving) so pardon me if WUW comments go unresponded to for now. I will get to them ASAP. Goal: Win NaNoWriMo!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Other than tons of writing, I’ve been doing Thanksgiving prep. We’re having a quiet meal at home (with Seahawks football!), but the many foods Thanksgiving are my husband’s favorite, so there’s a lot of cooking in my immediate future. He deals with the disgusting turkey carcass, and I do everything else. Fair trade! 🙂

This little lovely has had all week off from school, so we’ve been hanging out plenty. Lots of coloring and puzzles and books and shopping.

I received the most EXCELLENT package from my #SipSwap buddy, Sarah Marsh, who is so generous and kind, and obviously has amazing taste in Harry Potter commodities. Plus, Chocolate Strawberry Tea, friends. So yummy!

What Works For Me: I spent all month making my way through Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, and I found it incredibly inspiring — especially in the midst of the all the NaNo craziness. He’s so real and frank about his process and the industry and his past, plus he’s drily funny, which I dig. I highly recommend On Writing if you’ve yet to read it. What’s your favorite craft/writing/creativity-focused book?

What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

November 19, 2014November 19, 201435 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished Loop by Karen Akins and enjoyed it so much. I literally laughed out loud several times (a rarity), plus this one had awesome pacing and a super cute boy. Win! Now I’m reading Losing It by Cora Carmack which is funny and sexy and full of sassy voice. I can see why it’s so popular!

What I’m Writing: Oh, hey, remember when I signed up for National Novel Writing Month? No? Well, that’s probably because I joined the fun spur-of-the-moment on November 8th. (That’s right.) I mostly signed up because I was stressed about a lot other stuff, and I figured NaNo would be an awesome way to heap some different stress on my plate, therefore taking my mind off the original stress. See how that works? Anyway. I caught up last week, which was an amazing feeling, and now I’m on track to win and (since I started NaNo-ing with Stars Like Dust, a project I was already about 15K into) finish my first draft around the same time. So, yeah, I’ve been writing A LOT, and it’s so satisfying because even though my story is all kinds of messy at the moment, I love it.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Uh, freezing my butt off, for starters. Have I mentioned how much I hate being cold? I preheat my bed every night with a super-powered electric blanket, for example, and I complain (a lot) when the temperature dips below fifty-five, which it has often lately. Brrr…

My daughter, on the other hand, is loving the cold because she gets to wear her new “puffer” jacket out and about. Silver lining, I guess. And my silver lining? Chestnut Praline Lattes from Starbucks. Yum!

And can we talk about how cute Daphne’s been lately?

What Works For Me: I’ve talked about music before, but not this specific aspect of how I apply it to writing: Often, when I’m trying to draft but feel distracted and/or uninspired, I put on headphones and blast my WiP theme song(s) on repeat. The familiar lyrics and melodies help me find my writing flow (it’s pretty much a Pavlovian response now), and turning it up loud almost makes it white noise, which drowns out all of the nonsense swirling in my head (and house). For my NaNo WiP, my go-to songs are Shakira’s “Empire” and Taylor Swift’s “Out of the Woods.” Do you listen to music when you write?

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

November 12, 2014November 12, 201431 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater, and it was predictably awesome. I have such a book crush on Gansey, and I love that we saw a more vulnerable side of him in this installment. I adore these characters and this world (man… it is so deep), and I cannot wait to read the fourth and final book! Now, I’m reading Loop by Karen Akins, which is a super fun time-travel novel. It’s making my morning elliptical workouts fly by.

What I’m Writing: I’ve cleared 31K on my WiP, which is sort of exciting and sort of scary. I have a basic idea of how the story is going to end, but I still haven’t done much plotting or mapping of how I’m going to get there. Yikes. But… I *think* things are moving along okay. I’ve got a protagonist who I adore. I’ve got a cute, swoony boy. I’ve got a lovely setting. I’ve got tension. And, I’ve got kissing (finally!). What more does a story need? 😉

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Over the weekend we went horseback riding and it was so much fun! I love horses (not horse books, though — go figure) and we got to explore some gorgeous trails. Cannot wait to do it again!

My horse’s name was Thriller, my girl rode Dusty, and my husband rode a badass black war horse named HoHo.

Last week I made Stromboli, which was much easier than it looks, and very tasty. We ate the whole thing in one sitting — yum!

I’ve been making all kinds of WiP notes in the gorgeous journal my CP, Alison, sent me. The title of the manuscript I’m working on (Stars Like Dust) is borrowed from a Rumi poem, and he’s significant to the story for lots of other reasons. So, new journal = most thoughtful gift EVER. ❤

What Works For Me: Inspiration in its many forms. The Rumi journal I mentioned above. The lyrics of Taylor Swift’s Out of the Woods, which play into my WiP pretty damn perfectly (I’ve been listening to it on repeat while I draft), and this excerpt from Stephen King’s On Writing…

Who doesn’t want to be emotionally flattened by an amazing book? That’s why I read, and it’s my goal when I write. Curious: What’s the last story to sweep you away? (For me, Blue Lily, Lily Blue and When Joss Met Matt — recommend!)

So… What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

November 5, 2014November 5, 201432 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finally finished 11/22/63 by Stephen King and ended up liking it a lot. My full review is HERE, as a part of my October Reading Wrap-Up. Next, I read Ellie Cahill’s When Joss Met Matt and loved it so much. It’s a contemporary NA about a unique and precarious friends-with-benefits situation (sorbet, if you will) and it is fantastic. The writing is spot-on, the characters are layered and likable, and the steamy scenes were just the right sort of steamy. When Joss Met Matt is one of those All the Feels books, and I can’t remember the last time I rooted for a couple so enthusiastically. It’s out February, 2015! Now, I’m reading Blue Lily, Lily Blue and damn it if it isn’t gorgeous. Can I be Maggie Stiefvater when I grow up? And I can have a Gansey of my own, too?

What I’m Writing: I’m still drafting my contemporary YA WiP, Stars Like Dust, and I’m still loving it. *sigh of relief* It’s super challenging, but from challenge comes reward (or something) and I’m doing my best. I’m up to about 18K, and I’ve set a 1K per day (with the exception of Saturdays — family day) goal. I’m part of a Google spreadsheet with some other awesome writers, and the thought of entering a number less than 1K in my little cells makes me feel like a loser, so I’m properly motivated. Whatever it takes, right?

What Else I’ve Been Up To: The last week has been busy! We did all the fun Halloween things like pumpkin carving and candy buying and dressing up…

My girlie and I were witches. She specifically asked to be “the pretty blonde witch from Hocus Pocus” (Sarah Jessica Parker) and I think we nailed it. 😉

She also wrapped up her cheer season. The football team she cheers for ended up winning the championship game last night — pretty exciting!

The other day I baked Pumpkin Bread with Streusel and it was very yummy, more like a dessert than a bread. My daughter said, “This is healthy because it has pumpkin in it, right?” Yep. Pumpkin, plus three cups of sugar.

What Works For Me: Cheering on my friends as they do amazing things! Have you see the cover of Riley Edgewood’s VIP, the first of three acts in her steamy NA, Rock & Release? It’s gorgeous, and the story’s even better. If you like books featuring strong-but-searching protagonists and sexy musicians and beautiful writing, you should most definitely check Riley’s Rock & Release. Seriously. I love this story!

You can preorder VIP for your eReader (only $.99!) by clicking HERE.

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

October Reading Wrap-Up

October 31, 2014October 30, 201410 Comments

Happy Halloween!

I’ve got an unintentional red-orange theme running through the covers I’m posting this month. They look pretty together, right? Lots of good stories, too!
(As always, covers link to Goodreads pages.)

17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma – Going in, I thought this book was merely a ghost story, but it turned out to be so much more. Nova Ren Suma’s writing is gorgeous and evocative. She handles this subject matter with nuance and sensitivity (where it could have easily careened into overwrought territory) and I was completely engrossed. I love how the mystery of the missing girls unfolds, and I love how layered and complicated MC Lauren is (a liar? mentally unhinged? truly seeing these ghostly girls?). I love, too, that I was surprised by every turn of the page. Recommended if you’re into eerie but literary novels.

17 First Kisses by Rachael Allen – Another lovely surprise! I opened this book thinking I’d get a fluffy story about boy-chasing, but what I got was a complex contemporary about family, friendship, stereotypes, and (yes!) kisses. MC Claire’s voice is one of the most authentic I’ve read in a long time. She’s real and relatable and transparent (in a good way), and I totally would’ve wanted to be friends with her in high school. Speaking of friends — Claire’s are a complicated bunch. Initially, they seem like caricatures of the teenage stereotypes we’re all familiar with, but they’re not. Watching their connections with Claire change and evolve was fascinating, as were Claire’s relationships with her family members — her mom, especially. I highly recommend this one if you’re a (picky) fan of contemporary YA, like me.

The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan – Do not judge this book by its cover, y’all. The story is a bazillion times better. It’s a college-set (football!) NA, and it is hot, hot, hot. Honestly, it’s hard for me to objectively “review” this book because I was so onboard with MCs Anna and Drew, any flaws that may have fallen into the narrative flew right over my head. I will admit that I was skeptical through the first few chapters because there’s some pretty intense insta-lust going on, but as Anna and Drew spent more and more time together, their affection became palpable. They grew to adore each other, which made me adore both of them. There’s all kinds of drama going on in this story, but it wraps up realistically and satisfyingly. Can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Beautiful by Amy Reed – Ugh. This story was hard to get through — not because it isn’t excellent (it is), but because the MC, Cassie, is only 13 and she finds herself in some truly horrifying situations. Her life is just so, so sad, and my heart broke for her over and over. Beautiful is one of those books where you hope for more, more, more for the protagonist, but end up watching her crash into hurdle after hurdle. It’s agonizing, but unputdownable. Amy Reed’s prose is stark, frank, and arresting, and despite the gloominess of this novel, it concludes with a hint of promise. I look forward to reading more from this author.

11/22/63 by Stephen King – I read this book so I could cross another goal off my Thirty Before 35 list (read and review a Stephen King novel), and I ended up enjoying it even more than I’d anticipated. It’s the story of a modern man who’s introduced to a portal that leads to 1958 Maine. He uses it with the hope of changing the past, particularly the Kennedy assassination — he wants to stop it, rewriting history in the process.

This novel was a sloooow start, but I was expecting that because Jake (AKA George) has to wait several years beyond 1958 for the Kennedys to arrive in Dallas. He uses the time to research the assassination, hatch a plan to stop Oswald, and navigate life in an era without cell phones, the Internet, and GPS.

There’s a lot going on in this story, as Jake/George makes a life for himself in “The Land of Ago.” There are dozens of characters (Deke and Mike and Bobbi Jill and Miz Ellie — love them all!) and tons of tiny plot threads that (of course) make big splashes later.

Though 11/22/63 isn’t a horror story, it includes a nod to King’s It, as well as some graphic and brutal imagery. Conversely, there’s a romance involving a lovely woman named Sadie. Her relationship with Jake/George felt so sweet and genuine, despite the many necessary lies he was obligated to tell her. While I definitely liked the romance, there were a few references to sex that made me raise an eyebrow — hearing about “love making” from Stephen King is a lot like what I imagine hearing about it from my grandfather would be like.

All in all, 11/22/63 was fantastic. It scared me and it made me laugh and it made me think, a lot, about time and the butterfly effect and the consequences of our actions. I absolutely recommend it.

What’s the best book you read in October?