Tag: genre: romance

• Mini Reviews III

  Posted at 7:00 am by Laura, on June 29, 2015

  Mini Reviews

  Quick, bite-sized reviews of fast, enjoyable reads!
  A penny for thoughts, a snappy two-cent reflection! 

  Love Likes the Movies by Victoria Van Tiem

  Publisher: Panmacmillan
  Published: February 2014
  Genre: women’s fiction
  ISBN: 9781447269731
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Kenzi Shaw knows the plot of her life down to the last line – the career she’s building as a marketing exec, the gorgeous fiancé she’ll marry in a fairytale wedding, the children they’ll raise in her dream home. But when ex Shane comes back into her life, life starts going off the script. Not only is her head in a spin over Shane, but now her job is on the line. With her perfect sister-in-law showing up every tiny thing Kenzi does wrong, she feels like she’s permanently in the corner. One thing’s certain: she’s not so sure who her leading man is…

  Mini Review: When Shane comes back into Kenzi’s life as a potential client with her firm, he really rocks the boat. He gives her an ultimatum (re-enacting all their favorite rom-coms) that puts her job and future life with Bradley on the line. Kenzi was an overanxious, self-conscious character around everyone except Shane, so whenever he was in the picture I liked her a lot. Her mother’s horrible, her sister-in-law sucks, and her best friend is scum. I wanted nothing but happiness for Kenzi! This read more like a blend of cutesy chick lit and Rainbow Rowell’s Attachments. I thought I’d be roaring with laughter, and while that never really happened, it was good read.

  Magnolia by Kristi Cook

  Publisher: Simon Pulse
  Published: August 2014
  Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance
  ISBN: 9781442485341
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: In Magnolia Branch, Mississippi, the Cafferty and Marsden families are practically royalty. Neighbors since the Civil War, the families have shared vacations, holidays, backyard barbecues, and the overwhelming desire to unite their two clans by marriage. So when the families finally have a baby boy and girl at the same time, the perfect opportunity seems to have arrived. Except Jemma Cafferty and Ryder Marsden have no intention of giving in to their parents’ wishes. They’re only seventeen — oh, and also? They hate each other. But when a violent Mississippi storm ravages through Magnolia Branch, it unearths feelings Jemma and Ryder didn’t know they had. And the line between love and hate just might be thin enough to cross.

  Mini Review: This felt like a mix of Anna and the French Kiss (focus on a love story more than anything else) and Second Chance Summer (underlying serious issues), and just what the doctor ordered. I wouldn’t say Jemma and Ryder hate each other — “hate” is a strong word for what Jemma feels (and boy, she’s quick to temper) and Ryder is frustrated by that temper — but their tension is perfectly reasonable. It would be quite annoying to have parents planning every inch of your life together simply because you’re of the opposite sex of the BFF family. The hurricane that blows through Mississippi felt so real, and I think I enjoyed the story more in that third of the book than anything else. The writing was at its best there. And, no matter how many flaws this book had, the story was still well-told, and I’m glad this was a gradual attraction instead of instantaneous. They’ve been in each other’s lives since birth. I liked that establishment from the get-go. This is a nice, light read, a book you can breeze through on a summer afternoon.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 4 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, mini review

• Book Review: “Rook” by Sharon Cameron

  Posted at 5:45 am by Laura, on June 22, 2015

  Rook by Sharon Cameron

  Publisher: Scholastic Press
  Published: April 2015
  Genre: young adult, science fiction, romance
  ISBN: 9780545675994
  Goodreads: 3.82
  Rating: ★★★.5

  History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?

  Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy’s arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she.

  As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

  The French Revolution meets The Scarlet Pimpernel in this daring, futuristic adventure. Technology is banned, and for a good reason: polar shifts caused technology to malfunction and satellites to fall from the sky, effectively ruining the lives of the Ancients. To adapt to a new way of living, the surviving humans vowed to never use machines again. Race forward a couple centuries, and this new regime works a step further to punish dissenters. The Sunken City, once Paris, is filled with “criminals” locked away in the Tombs. One vigilante, the Red Rook, saves these unjustly imprisoned citizens and leaves behind a rook feather tipped in red. But soon the Red Rook’s nighttime rescues come knocking on Sophia Bellamy’s door, bringing danger, high stakes, split-second decisions, spies, double agents, and one René Hasard.

  This feels like historical fiction thanks to the French Revolution atmosphere (rich versus poor, unjust law, and the philosophy that religion should be dropped for chance or Fate), but very clearly set in the future (the characters uncover shiny plastic discs (CDs), cross-shaped handles with buttons (Nintendo game controls), and space debris (NASA)). We, today in 2015, are considered the Ancients, the population intensely connected to and dependent on technology to function day to day. I loved reading Cameron’s Author’s Note, all the “what ifs” meeting “history repeats itself.” Seriously, when you’re done reading this book, you’ll begin to wonder, too…

  While I found the world at first difficult to wrap my brain around, I was really into the characters and their individual stories. Especially when I was trying to figure out who was on what side and double-crossing whom, and seeing what was happening to one person in this ten-minute time frame while something else was happening to another (the last 150 pages, for example!). This was probably the most intricately plotted book I’ve read this year, and now I’m very curious to see what The Scarlet Pimpernel is like!

  Sophia is definitely a girl you want on your side. She’s daring and compassionate and wicked intelligent. Her steamy scenes with René were fantastic, too, though it took me much longer to like him the way Sophia did. Must’ve been that skepticism and inability to trust anyone I experienced while reading.

  Read this when you’re mentally prepared for a thriller, for espionage, for a book so detailed you can devote hours to it just following the strings. I was not prepared for what this turned out to be! I think, with another reread, I may bump my rating up to 4 or 5 stars. In the meantime, check out Lindsey @ Bring My Books‘s post (especially if you’ve read Cameron’s other books) and Morgan @ Gone With the Words‘s post (especially if you want to look at her character casting)!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 6 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: romance, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Deal Announcement: Tara Sim, YA Historical Fantasy

  Posted at 9:24 am by Laura, on June 20, 2015

  

   

  Deal Announcements feature my most recent deal as an agent and the story behind it. Writers and readers should experience how an agent knows when they’ve struck gold and sign an author, the beginning of the journey to publication.

  I’m excited to finally announce the publication of Tara Sim‘s Timekeeper trilogy!

  In a deal at Skyhorse Publishing’s children’s imprint, Sky Pony Press, Alison Weiss bought world rights to Tara Sim’s debut LGBTQ steampunk trilogy, the Timekeeper. The three-book deal was brokered by Laura Crockett at TriadaUS Literary Agency. The series, set in an alternate Victorian era in which time in each city is controlled by a clock tower, follows teenage prodigy clock tower mechanic Danny. Hoping to save his father, who is trapped in a town outside of London, Danny is also battling a force seeking to destroy all of the towers and stop time. The first book in the series is slated for fall 2016.

  Tara’s story is much longer than mine, but I’m still compelled to share it. It’s not only the first deal I’ve made in my career as an agent, but I also think writers should see an agent’s side of the story. Writers should want an agent to cheer them on 100% from the very beginning.

  Once upon a time . . .

  One early November day, I received Tara’s query. I quickly deduced what kind of book it was — historical fantasy — without her having to state the genre repeatedly: “Set in an alternate Victorian era” (historical fiction, steampunk vibes) and “[Danny’s] apprentice was not a boy but the clock spirit” (gay romance). But what intrigued me was the concept of time. Clocks control time? Literally? Okay. Sure. Let’s see what she’s got.

  Guys, I was sucked in.

  I begged for her to send me the full manuscript, as my requested sample chapters weren’t enough. It was Thanksgiving Day when I read it, and I didn’t want to stop and catch up with my family. No, I wanted to read about Danny and his predicament, about his forbidden relationship with Colton, about the mysterious and heart-pounding bombings across England, making their way to Enfield / Colton’s tower. It was all I could talk about at the dinner table, this manuscript I was reading by this brilliant writer.

  I talked about it so much that day it left an impression. Come Christmas my family asked about the book again. “Did you sign her? Is she your author now?” Believe me, everyone, I was ecstatic to say yes, Tara was my author. She called me a few days prior to accept my offer of representation, so you can say it was a great Christmas gift.

  And the rest . . . is history.

  Congratulations, Tara! You’re going to be a published author!

  Posted in agenting, deal announcement, Update Post | 5 Comments | Tagged agenting, deal announcement, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, genre: young adult, personal, Tara Sim

• Book Review: “Emmy & Oliver” by Robin Benway (ARC)

  Posted at 6:35 am by Laura, on June 17, 2015

  Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Publishing Date: June 23
  Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance
  ISBN: 9780062330598
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life. She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

  Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart. He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

  Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

  Emmy’s life has always been in relation to Oliver. It began when they were friends, and then it took a terrible turn when he was kidnapped. Emmy understands why her parents have such strict rules, but it means she has to lie to them about surfing and applying to UCSD — and she doesn’t like doing that to them. But when Oliver returns home, she realizes just how much everyone focused on wanting him back but not the after. And Oliver finds a friend in Emmy, a healer to combine his childhood, his disappearance, and his reappearance together, without judgement or stress. But how will he come to terms with understanding the man who raised him was also the man who committed a crime?

  This is unique in topic, and I think that’s why I enjoyed this so much. While there are books on Stockholm Syndrome, that’s not exactly what happened to Oliver. He was 7 when his father picked him up from school for a three-day weekend, and then he never returned. His father, a man he already loved and saw as an authority figure, then raised him and taught him everything he knew. But when Oliver discovers his mother was looking for him all this time, he decides to go back to California and live with her and new family — and that’s when it really hits him that his father is a criminal. To everyone in town, Oliver’s dad is a monster. But to Oliver, his dad is his dad. That’s a tough situation right there — toss in the fact his father said, all the way back when Oliver was 7, that his mother didn’t want him anymore, and you’ve got 10 years of resentment and longing built up.

  While the story is told in Emmy’s point of view, I couldn’t help but look forward to Oliver’s shattering facade moments. The moments when he’d break down a bit more and reveal how he felt and what happened all those years. I wanted to hear what he had to say, to try to put myself in his shoes — and let me tell you, it was an emotional wreck for such a good guy. He does the best he can to be as normal as possible, to look to the future and see the positive in everything. He’s so dimensional and really stuck with me.

  That’s not to say Emmy’s voice wasn’t memorable. She’s the first teen protagonist I’ve seen in a while that’s a good girl but not a doormat. She actually speaks her mind when she gets frustrated with her parents. They’re (understandably) protective, and all it takes is a letter from UCSD for them to see the extent of the damage panicked decisions can do.

  Emmy and her friends Caro and Drew were a riot. I loved them. They were easy-going and fun and supportive, and absolutely adored their humor and back-and-forth attitude. Even in the moments when they had rough patches, it felt genuine and true to life. Nothing is hunky-dory in their world, and they certainly have their own home lives to deal with, but they make the most of it. Oliver always belonged with them — and of all the emotional stories, it was their open arms bringing him back into the fold that made me tear up.

  If you love the friendship stories of Emery Lord, the family stories of Sarah Dessen, the psychological undertone of Lucy Christopher, and coming-of-age of Morgan Matson, you’ve got to read this book.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from HarperTeen for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 8 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “A School for Unusual Girls” by Kathleen Baldwin

  Posted at 6:15 am by Laura, on June 10, 2015

  A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin

  Publisher: Tor Teen
  Published: May 2015
  Genre: young adult, historical fiction, romance
  ISBN: 9780765376008
  Goodreads: 3.69
  Rating: ★★★

  It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don’t fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.

  After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their hearts…

  Georgiana knew her parents were upset and humiliated to have an odd daughter, one who’d burn down the stables or attempt flying off the top of the manor. So when they left her at Stranje House after witnessing several of the finishing school girls in medieval torture devices, she’s stunned and devastated. But things are not as they seem at Stranje House, and her scientific curiosities to create an invisible ink to end Napoleon once and for all are encouraged. With the help of her friends and Lord Sebastian Wyatt, Georgie is propelled in an adventure like no other, a mission that could save several thousand men, and would surely shock her parents beyond belief.

  I knew going into this book that I would enjoy the spies-and-espionage aspect of the story. Toss in a finishing school that’s not as it seems and I was sure this would be a favorite. While it’s not on my favorites list, it’s definitely a book I’m glad I read. It was like an action-packed version of Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty, only without the magic. Science drives the mission, and ultimately alters the Napoleonic history.

  What knocked my rating down from an automatic 5 to 3 stars was the pacing, more specifically the pacing of the romance and the reveal of the mysterious Stranje House. Georgie and Sebastian are thrust together to create this invisible ink, and within six days they’re practically pawing each other and drowning in kisses. I’m not saying that can’t happen, but at this point they’d only been in the other’s presence maybe three times, and each interaction is filled with directionless bickering-written-as-banter (one of my least favorite romance tropes). Secondly, I knew going into the book that Stranje House was not a finishing school but training grounds for young female spies. While it wasn’t as straightforward as Lee’s A Spy in the House, I almost wished it would be. About halfway through the book a character finally spills the beans to Georgie (who is, apparently, incredibly intelligent, so why did they have to spell it out to her? All the clues were there) and explains what the torture devices were for and what their classes are meant to instill.

  While I do appear to be groaning about the faults, I can honestly say that I did enjoy this read. It was a blend of Bray and Lee’s books, and I was absolutely fascinated by the chemistry sessions in creating the ink. As a non-science person, scenes like those are always intriguing (my concoctions always exploded in class). It was quick, fun, filled with swoony moments (if that’s your style!), and I’m interested to see what the next book brings. They really do alter Napoleonic history, so it’ll be neat to see what Baldwin does next.

  Thank you, NetGalley, for providing this book from Tor Teen for (a belated) review! 

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, review

• Book Review: “The Royal We” by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

  Posted at 6:00 am by Laura, on June 1, 2015

  The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

  Publisher: Grand Central
  Published: April 2015
  Genre: fiction
  ISBN: 9781455557103
  Goodreads: 3.91
  Rating: ★★★★★

  American Rebecca Porter was never one for fairy tales. Her twin sister, Lacey, has always been the romantic who fantasized about glamour and royalty, fame and fortune. Yet it’s Bex who seeks adventure at Oxford and finds herself living down the hall from Prince Nicholas, Great Britain’s future king. And when Bex can’t resist falling for Nick, the person behind the prince, it propels her into a world she did not expect to inhabit, under a spotlight she is not prepared to face.

  Dating Nick immerses Bex in ritzy society, dazzling ski trips, and dinners at Kensington Palace with him and his charming, troublesome brother, Freddie. But the relationship also comes with unimaginable baggage: hysterical tabloids, Nick’s sparkling and far more suitable ex-girlfriends, and a royal family whose private life is much thornier and more tragic than anyone on the outside knows. The pressures are almost too much to bear, as Bex struggles to reconcile the man she loves with the monarch he’s fated to become.

  Which is how she gets into trouble.

  Now, on the eve of the wedding of the century, Bex is faced with whether everything she’s sacrificed for love-her career, her home, her family, maybe even herself-will have been for nothing.

  Rebecca would’ve thought twice about making a syphilis joke in front of Prince Nicholas if she had known Prince Nicholas was the one opening the door to her Pembroke home at Oxford University. But she didn’t meet Nicholas — she met Nick. Nick, an insomniac who pigs out on Twinkies; who runs before dawn just to find a quiet, outdoorsy place to work on crossword puzzles; the young man obsessed with Devour, a strange American TV show that blends humans, witches, vampires, and leopards in a small town. One night on the town, Nick solidifies his place in Bex’s heart, and the two can’t look back. But loving Nick also means loving Prince Nicholas and all that entails: media, family secrets, tight social circles, and keeping up appearances. On the night before their wedding, Bex wonders if giving up who she was almost a decade ago is really all worth it.

  England is the motherland, and I am their loyal [American] subject! So when The Royal We came out (perfect timing for HRH Princess Charlotte’s birth), it was an automatic buy and immediate read. This is a fictionalized — although recognizable in many respects — Will-and-Kate story. All the best characters are there, from the gorgeous sister Lacey constantly making the papers to the younger, more charming brother Prince Freddie. Prince Richard, Nick and Freddie’s father, is a distinguished figure though not loved by many, and Queen Eleanor is quite regal and humorous to boot. But what really makes The Royal We stand out are the secondary characters. I haven’t seen secondary characters this fleshed out in adult fiction in quite some time. I fell in love with Cilla and Gaz, with Bea’s posh-ness and Marj’s strict code, and even with Clive to some extent. Nick and Bex rely on their close Oxford circle, and the way they bring Bex into the fold from the very beginning is endearing and wonderful and made me miss college.

  Bex’s family is remarkable. While I was invested in the Nick-and-Bex story, I found her interactions with her family deeply compelling. She’s away from them for most of the novel, but they influence her decisions every day. Bex is close with her father, and he has a way of bringing her mind down from the clouds. Lacey, her twin sister, is competitive in every aspect of their lives without it feeling like a competition, and yet her selfish personality made her downfall somewhat inevitable. Despite all of this, she and Bex are incredibly close, and they go through their ups and downs as any adult sisters would.

  The same could be said with Nick and Freddie. The Heir and the Spare. Freddie is fun and playful, trying to make it into the papers the further Nick’s immersed in the family politics and responsibilities — something to distract the public from what’s going on underneath. He was obnoxious and fun, and soon he cracked and gave a glimpse of his character on the inside. I couldn’t help but feel deeply for him! The whole family, really. From the Queen Mum cracking jokes and whacking people with her cane, to drunken aunts and snobby cousins, to the cold father and mysterious mother. This family is full of secrets, and it was thrilling to discover each one as Bex moved deeper into the circle.

  Nick and Bex grew as characters as time moved on. Like life, I didn’t notice how much they had grown up independently and together till I re-read the first couple chapters again. It was amazing how Cocks and Morgan could immerse the reader into this story and show the progression of Nick and Bex’s relationship from college students to adults, secret to public, private to daily media, and broke to royal. Though the story may seem familiar, The Royal We can definitely stand on its own. It’s a dream come true smashing headline into the reality of modern celebrity, and it was a phenomenal ride!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 7 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: fiction, genre: romance, review

• Book Review: “Letters to the Lost” by Iona Grey (ARC)

  Posted at 7:00 am by Laura, on May 21, 2015

  Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey

  Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
  Publishing Date: May 26
  Genre: adult fiction, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781250066770
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★.5

  Late on a frozen February evening, a young woman is running through the streets of London. Having fled from her abusive boyfriend and with nowhere to go, Jess stumbles onto a forgotten lane where a small, clearly unlived in old house offers her best chance of shelter for the night. The next morning, a mysterious letter arrives and when she can’t help but open it, she finds herself drawn inexorably into the story of two lovers from another time.

  In London 1942, Stella meets Dan, a US airman, quite by accident, but there is no denying the impossible, unstoppable love that draws them together. Dan is a B-17 pilot flying his bomber into Europe from a British airbase; his odds of survival at one in five. The odds are stacked against the pair; the one thing they hold onto is the letters they write to each other. Fate is unkind and they are separated by decades and continents. In the present, Jess becomes determined to find out what happened to them. Her hope—inspired by a love so powerful it spans a lifetime—will lead her to find a startling redemption in her own life.

  A young woman on the run from an abusive boyfriend and a terrible situation breaks into a small English home and comes across a shoebox full of WWII letters. The letters are written by the same man who recently sent a desperate plea to a Mrs. Thorne to get back in touch with him — a letter dropped through the slot that Jess opens out of curiosity. The letters transport Jess back in time, to London 1942, to US airman Dan and sheltered vicar’s wife Stella. They stumble across one another in a bombed-out church, searching for Stella’s bracelet. As time progresses, their friendship-through-letters turns into something much more, and Stella struggles to find a way out of her destructive sham of a marriage.

  At first this book had a lot going for it — nearing five stars for this WWII fanatic — and for a while I was convinced that, as a Kate Morton fan, I would adore this. Dual timelines are hard, historical fiction is hard, and getting the reader to fall in love with the parallel stories is even harder. And that’s where my love for it dwindled away: I didn’t care one bit about Jess. Her story — on the run from a bad situation and seeking solace in a quiet place before getting back on her feet — was compelling at the beginning, but then she latched on too quickly to the next man to come into her life (Will, and he’s another (boring) story) and became dependent on a male once more. I didn’t believe it, I didn’t enjoy it, and I felt her story could have been so much stronger if it went in a different direction.

  But Dan? Dan and Stella totally made up for it. Stella was a poor orphan who, once she was of age, became the housekeeper at Charles Thorne’s vicarage. She didn’t know what love was, so when Charles proposed — and this meant having her own home and building a family, things she didn’t have growing up — Stella’s overjoyed. She quickly learns there’s something off about their marriage, and begins to wonder if it’s her fault. (Oh no, honey, it’s definitely not you!) Enter Dan: charming in a quiet and chivalrous way, not at all cheeky or boisterous like the other Americans roaming London. He helps her find jewelry she’d lost, and they decide to have lunch together. Lunch turns into an exchange of letters, which turns into “when are you on leave next?” and “let’s go on a weekend trip together” and “how can we get you out of this marriage and start over?”

  I know that sounds predictable for a WWII romance, especially when the characters not only have a war to deal with but also an entire body of water if the war ever ends and they’re both still alive. But it’s really not that predictable. I had no idea if their plans would work, I didn’t know why Dan was reaching out to her in modern day (did things not work out, and why?). They’re full of love and fire and logic that everything seems possible and yet hopeless. The modern time portion of the narrative gives us a trail of clues to follow, and that was enjoyable up to a point (cue Jess and Will rants).

  Lindsey @ Bring My Books and I had a long conversation about this. We love Dan just like we love Jamie and Red, and we really felt something for Stella. Their story was beautiful and heartbreaking and we wanted more. We also wanted to shove Jess in a broom closet till she examined her life and looked at her choices, and we wanted to kill off Will (not even going to bother more comments on him) so that no reader would ever need to read his passages. If you want to know the definition of “weak,” I’d point you to this storyline.

  That being said, I’m definitely going to watch out for Iona Grey’s next books. Stella and Dan won me over, and if Grey’s publications follow that line I’m on board!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Thomas Dunne Books for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 2 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fiction, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, goodreads, review

• Authors in the Flesh: Jennifer Niven, Trisha Leaver, Sharon Biggs Waller, & more!

  Posted at 6:15 am by Laura, on May 6, 2015

  In the last week of April, I met five spectacular authors. Jennifer Niven (All the Bright Places), Sharon Biggs Waller (A Mad, Wicked Folly), Trisha Leaver (The Secrets We Keep), Shannon Lee Alexander (Love and Other Unknown Variables), and Lisa Aldin (One of the Guys) came to the bookstore for signings.

  

  I told Niven I was so excited to meet her that I wanted to apologize if I fangirl-screamed. When she walked through the store doors, we grabbed arms, squealed, and hugged. Her book chat with readers went really well, and the signing was packed. She signed books, chatted with each person for several minutes, took selfies with everyone, had readers sign her copy of her book, and even offered advice or networked with readers deeply moved by the book or bloggers looking to make more contacts. Bless her heart, she was still signing books and talking to readers after the store had closed. If Niven is going to your area, you must meet her. She’s a beautiful person, inside and out!

  

  Shannon, Sharon, Trisha, and Lisa — sorry for the blur!

  Later that week, the store had a Teen Author Panel, with all but one author from Indiana. I was most excited to meet Waller, as she and I have been chatting about books, BBC TV, history, and all things Anglophile since A Mad, Wicked Folly came out. I tapped her on the shoulder, and mid-conversation she turned around and gave me a hug. “You’re real!” Leaver was incredibly helpful to me, as well, dispensing advice and suggestions regarding editors she knows at various imprints. Alexander and Aldin are regular customers at the bookstore, so it was really neat to see them acting as authors, mini-celebrities, and watching them enjoy the discussion. My favorite question of the night was, “If you could be any character from any book, who would you be and why?” (asked by Mary Claire @ Real Rad Reads) and Alexander and Waller had their immediate responses: “Cath, cause Levi” (Alexander), and “Claire, cause Jamie” (Waller). Haha!

  

  Have you read any of these books or met any of these authors? Share your story!

  Posted in Authors in the Flesh, books | 0 Comments | Tagged authors, books, genre: contemporary, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, genre: young adult, personal, signings

• Book Review: “Saint Anything” by Sarah Dessen (ARC)

  Posted at 6:05 am by Laura, on May 4, 2015

  Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

  Publisher: Viking
  Publishing Date: May 5
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780451474704
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★.5

  Peyton, Sydney’s charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion’s share of their parents’ attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton’s increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

  Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

  Sydney always looked up to her older brother — his charisma, his big personality, the way he seemed to walk into a room and everyone would notice — until he got into trouble one too many times, harmed a life, and landed himself in prison. But even there, his existence still overshadows hers. The Chathams, a remarkable, full-of-life family with their own pizza business, see Sydney for exactly who she is and take her under their wing. But one tiny slip-up on one night lands Sydney back at home under her mother’s tight reigns, and it takes all her strength to stand up and demand to be seen.

  This book reminded me so much of my favorite Dessen book, The Truth About Forever. There’s the controlling mother who loves her children but doesn’t notice them (and boy, Sydney’s mother really drove me up a wall), the daughter who stumbles upon a warm and chaotic family with a small business and a big heart, the boy with a knack for fixing broken things and creating something from nothing, and the big near-blow out between mother and daughter. With that in mind, though, this book is not as lighthearted as The Truth About Forever. It’s far more complicated. Part of it, I think, has to do with the fall semester setting (everything always seems so much more tough when school’s involved) and the big character that doesn’t make a physical appearance — Peyton, Sydney’s brother, and his unique story.

  I’m not sure I’ve ever read a YA book where one of the characters was currently in prison, let alone a family member of the main character. I equally resented and loved Peyton, especially when he began to open up to Sydney and her idolization of him crashed down to a more realistic level. A part of me also understood where their mother’s obsession to compartmentalize, control, and plan everything came from — she reminded me of the mother in Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper, only much more book-throwing-inducing — and she drew the tiniest bit of sympathy from me for that. But her lack of attention for Sydney bothered me most. I’m not a mother, so I’m in no position to say she can’t treat her good child as if she’s the bad one, and she shouldn’t punish her remaining child for the wrongs the one in prison did. People can’t help the way they react to things, and apparently this mother just holds a tight leash and refuses to listen. There were times I wish Sydney would speak up instead of beating around the bush, but that would’ve only made her conversations with her parents worse. I’m aware of that. But still. Those moments when Sydney, mother, and father were in the room together were some of the most intense, frustrating scenes. Bravo for creating such a mixture of tension and emotion, Dessen!

  Dessen also has a knack of paying close attention to secondary characters. Sydney, Layla, and Mac are at the center of the story, but their families and families’ friends have rounded development, as well. I loved the Chathams and their impromptu gatherings for dinner, bluegrass, and woods wanderings, their tiny home and obsession with a TV show the equivalent to Real Housewives. I enjoyed seeing the stark difference with Sydney and her old private school friends, the bumps in the road eventually bringing them back together again. You become close to all of them, and you want to know their stories, too.

  So much pizza, so many fries, so many YumYums (haha, DumDums!), so much music, so many car rides, so many late nights and texts and wanderings. Though this is not a summer Dessen, this is a classic Dessen, and I’ve no doubt her readers will thoroughly enjoy this. It felt like Just Listen meets The Truth About Forever, and I’m excited to see what she has up her sleeve next.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Viking for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 2 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Secrets of Attraction” by Robin Constantine (ARC)

  Posted at 5:45 am by Laura, on April 23, 2015

  The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine

  Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  Publishing Date: April 28
  Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance
  ISBN: 9780062279514
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  Madison Parker is on fast-forward. Working toward a scholarship for a summer art program, she already has her future figured out. But when a visit from a family friend turns her life upside down, everything she thought she knew becomes blurred. All she wants is to stand still for a moment.

  Jesse McMann is stuck on repeat. Reeling from a breakup that shattered his heart and his band, Jesse divides his time between working as a barista and trying to find the inspiration to write music again. All he wants to do is move forward.

  The night Maddie strolls into Jesse’s coffee shop after yoga class, the last thing on his mind is hooking up, but her smile and witty comebacks are hard to ignore. The spark between them is undeniable, but once-a-week flirting is hardly the stuff of epic romance.

  Kismet arrives in the unlikely form of Grayson Barrett. When Jesse discovers that Gray’s girlfriend is also Maddie’s best friend, he invites Gray to join his band as their new drummer, hoping this connection will give him more time around Maddie. Slowly but surely, Jesse and Maddie forge a friendship, but do they have what it takes to make their relationship truly sync?

  Maddie plans to spend her spring semester pulling together a good portfolio for summer architecture programs, amping up her photography spreads for the school yearbook, and practicing yoga with her mother. But when her mom springs some surprising news on her, Maddie can’t help but feel a little shaken. Jesse, meanwhile, is attempting to crawl out from a pit of despair and get back in the game with his band, and desperately needs a drummer if Yellow #5 is going to play a gig. Brought together by music and a conveniently-located cafe near the yoga studio, Maddie and Jesse stumble through a new kind of romance, one of opening up and putting the other first.

  Set in the same world as The Promise of Amazing, I can’t help but feel like I enjoyed this story more! It almost makes me want to re-rate TPoA as 3.5 and this 4 stars, for a comparison. While I felt the conflict (Maddie’s mother’s news) didn’t seem too outrageously conflicting (though I can see why it might be something of a rocky surprise…just not as rocky as this was made out to be), I really liked how authentic Maddie’s struggle to open up to Jesse and Jesse’s struggle to put another person first came across.

  Maddie is easy to love. She’s flirtatious and gregarious, has such a beautiful friendship with Jazz and Wren, thinks inappropriate(ly hilarious!) things about her yoga instructor, works hard on her portfolio, and seems to do fairly well in school. She’s good fun with a little extra rebellion on the side. But her biggest issue is opening up her vulnerable side to others. She and her mother are a team, a la Gilmore Girls, and she and her friends are a tight-knit bunch. Why open up to more people? The book starts of in a fun, casual, physical relationship with another guy from school, very light and swoony with no substance. She knows it, she likes it, and she thinks they’re on the same page. But when Jesse crashes in, she’s frightened of another path she could take, one that entails trust and communication and honesty. Witnessing her reactions to each baby step was a joy — such great character growth.

  Jesse grew on me. At first I found him to be a bit whiny about his breakup — but then I remember what it was like when I was a teen. When you thought you would be together forever, you genuinely believed it. And when it comes crashing down, it is truly the end of the world. Thankfully he’s not in that pit too long, and other aspects of his life begin to take over: his passion for music, his ability to take notice of the people in his life and care for them, his passion in everything he throws himself in. He’s the kind of guy who makes an effort and gives his all. Think stereotype musician without the broodiness, the drama and passion and commitment. A light, happy Adam from If I Stay, if you will.

  If you love architecture, music, beating-around-the-bush relationships, something light and fun and makes you want to dance, you ought to read this book. I’m looking forward to seeing what Constantine has in store for Jazz now!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Balzer + Bray for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• 

• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to travel, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm always down for chips-and-queso nights. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

• Search the Blog

  Search for:

• Currently Reading

  

• Book Review Rating Key

  ★★★ — It’s good
  ★★★★ — It’s great
  ★★★★★ — OMG LOVE!!!

• Recent Posts

  • MSWL for 2026
  • Favorite Reads of 2025
  • Deal Announcement: Nina Moreno, YA Romance
  • Deal Announcement: Sharon Choe, YA Fantasy
  • Deal Announcement: Hanna R. Neier, MG Historical/Contemporary