Character Interview + Contest: Blake from Breaking Beautiful

Stopping in today is a boy that I definitely fell for in a book, the kind of guy who is a bad boy by a reputation given to him, more than because of who he is. So with that, I bring you guys Blake from Jennifer Shaw Wolf's (absolutely stunning) debut Breaking Beautiful, along with your chance to win a signed copy of this book!


If Allie had ended up with someone besides Trip, would you have been so hurt over not being the one to date her?

That’s a tough one. We’ve always had a connection, so Allie with anyone else would have been a slam. I was completely shattered that she didn’t try to contact me the whole time I was in Nevada, because the first time I finally got the nerve up to kiss her… totally intense. But I guess I screwed that one up like a lot of things back then. But coming back to find out she was with Trip, the guy who’s made my life hell since preschool? Yeah, that was like a knife to the gut. And then he treated her like she was something he owned, something he bought with his dad’s money and could do whatever he wanted with. If she was with another guy? One who treated her decent? One who made her happy? No. It still would have sucked. Maybe not as bad, but it still would have sucked.

Without spoilers, of course, what part of the book was the most intense for you? 

The cave. I thought it was over for both of us. Hard to save someone who doesn’t want to be saved, especially when you’re in trouble too. I’ll have nightmares about Allie’s face slipping under the water until the day I die.

What's your best memory with Allie?

The night before the Sweetheart Ball, when it was just me and her, before the fire and everything went to hell. That night I was finally sure Allie wasn’t just hanging onto me because she was still messed up over Trip’s accident. That maybe she could feel the same about me that I did about her.

What's it like to kiss Allie?

Think the first hill of a rollercoaster, when the world rushes up on you and the adrenaline kicks in and your heart is pounding and you’re not sure if you’re going to live or die, but you know its totally worth it. Then combine that with something warm and comfortable and just right, like wrapping up in a really soft blanket and knowing you could stay there forever. Like the best smell and taste and feeling you could possibly imagine. Intense, but right and sweet, and just amazing. Wish I could capture something like that in a painting.

Boxers or briefs?

Boxers. Not going to elaborate.

What kind of dinosaur would you describe yourself as?

Dinosaur? Seriously? Okay, well…how about a triceratops? Kind of cool, kind of different with the three horn thing going on. They look tough, but they’re plant eaters so I guess they’re pretty harmless, unless someone threatens their territory, then they’ve got the horns. I’m kind of like that. My outside, what people think I am, doesn’t match the inside but if you threaten something that’s important to me...


Thank you, Blake, for stopping in (and putting up with my questions), and congrats, Jennifer, on the release!

Breaking Beautiful hits shelves April 24, and is definitely a book that you do not want to miss! Emotional and intense, but just the right amount of soft humor and sweet romance, this one is captivating from start to finish.

And in case you can't stand to wait 2 more weeks to get your hands on this book (who could blame you?), I have your chance to win it right now, for one lucky winner, a signed copy.

To enter, just fill out THIS form.

This contest is US only, and runs through April 22.

No entries will be accepted through the comments, but you know you want to leave one anyhow.

TGIF: Best Series Finale

I know I haven't participated in this before, but when Ginger from GReads! posted the question on twitter yesterday, I knew I had to jump on it. TGIF is just a weekly question Ginger gives to see people's answers and celebrate the fact that it is Friday!

So this week's question: Which book, from any series, has been your favorite ending? What about your least favorite ending?

Favorite: Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins. This was a seriously tough one to decide on, but I think this one wins. I felt like it was such a stunning and perfect ending to the series, with so much action and twists still keeping you guessing right up until the last chapter. I didn't find this ending to be a cop out at all, and I was left in such a good place as a reader.

Runner Ups: There are several series endings that aren't on shelves yet, but I've already read them, and many of them are great. I didn't want to pick a not yet published book for the top one, so here's my other picks that were close and darn hard to really choose between:

• A Want so Wicked by Suzanne Young: Aching but amazing, this one is darker than the first book but really ties things up in a great way.
• Endlessly by Kiersten White: This one, like Spell Bound, left me in a good place as a reader, and led up to a stunning climax without taking any cheap shots on the way.
• Where She Went by Gayle Forman: I'm with Ginger a bout this one as a totally worthy runner up. This book sort of broke me, but it was the best kind of break you can feel.
• Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead: Though I was bothered when I first read this about a few plot lines that were left open in anticipation of the Bloodlines spin off, as far as Rose's story goes, I thought this tied it up so perfectly.

Least Favorite: Again, I'm with Ginger on Breaking Dawn. I felt like much of this installment was a cop out, and everything that had been built up in New Moon and especially Eclipse was for nothing.

Book Review: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

SUMMARY: Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness


OPINION: 5 STARS

Emotional, wrenching and hopeful, Breaking Beautiful is a perfectly blended coming of age and murder mystery. With a broken and sympathetic central character, a vivid setting, and a constantly lingering emotional and painful air, this one most definitely pulls the reader in on page one and refuses to relent. Flashbacks are integrated in a way that progresses the real time plot, and the pacing is steady and engaging.

Allie is most definitely a broken character, the result of far more than losing her boyfriend in a tragic accident. Close to her twin brother, and rapt with guilt over not having cerebal palsy to the debilitating degree he does, there is a very gentle note about Allie even as she stays in a survival type mode for most of the book. With an interesting view on the world, a strong desire to push through the pain more often than not, and a phenomenally woven overall character arc, Allie will stick with readers and rally them behind her.

Allie's family is close, despite the run of the mill disagreements they have. Though stressed by her accident and grief, she continues to be close to them, especially Andrew. The relationship between the twins was poignant and beautifully crafted, giving it a bold realism that will stick out to readers. While her father sometimes comes off as overbearing or too hard on his daughter, the strength of his love is still clear, giving him a depth that brings him full circle by the end of the book.

Blake is a very well done character, playing into his bad boy stereotype given to him by his peers more than simply being a bad boy. Intense yet boyish, Blake is that guy who you want to get to know even when everything else is saying to stay. He and Allie go through a fantastic journey together that builds and tests both. Unafraid of emotions, yet unwilling to simply forgive and forget, there is a very real note to Blake that makes Allie shine without letting himself be washed out.

This one has a very steady pacing in the plot, with bursts of intensity and action, yet mixed with plenty of strong character development. The mystery aspect is perfectly built, giving some clues to let readers predict a few things, while still leaving them with a gutting feeling when the reveals actually happen. Not reliant on convenience or cop outs, the time and thought Wolf has put into every element of the book, right down to the simplest, most mundane of details, is clear and showcased by the end of the book. Hitting on some incredibly rough topics, and giving enough detail to let the readers know all she doesn't say, this one goes all out in it's range and intensity.

The writing is engaging, holding a strong voice yet constantly emotional and wrenching. With some great descriptions, smooth transitions, and flashbacks that are perfectly woven in, Wolf's talents shine easily. The setting is well shown without kicking the reader out of the book whenever it's described, and readers will easily find themselves right next to Allie the entire time.

Guaranteed to leave a lasting impression, Breaking Beautiful is unflinching, visceral, and, in the end, courageous. Blending several different elements and plot lines perfectly, Wolf has taken a new approach to both the coming of age and murder mystery. Going in depth without being overly graphic, hitting some harsh realities, and with a brilliantly fitting title, Breaking Beautiful is a stellar and must read debut.

Details: 

Source: ARC received from publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Reading level: Ages 12 and up 

Hardcover: 368 pages 

Publisher: Walker Childrens

Publication Date: April 24, 2012

Character Interview: Kat from Kiss the Morning Star

Dropping in today is a lively character from a great read: Kat from Elissa Janine Hoole's debut Kiss the Morning Star. Trust me, you don't want to miss this book, and Kat is hilarious. So let's meet her!



Describe Anna in three words.

Ha! How can I limit myself to only three? I mean, I would say she’s beautiful and brilliant and sexy as hell, but that would only make her blush, so I’ll go with cautious, independent, and so freaking strong.

What was the best part of the road trip?

I’ll tell you what. Nothing on this entire trip matters except for this—Anna driving, me sitting here drawing with my feet up on the dash, and I look over at her, you know. Out of the corner of my eye, so she doesn’t know I’m looking. And there she is, for the first time in forever, looking like herself again. She lights up, when she’s not thinking about it, when she’s not worrying. The best part of this road trip is getting my best friend back, one mile at a time, watching her come back to life.

So. A bear. What was facing that like?

Dude, that was the most intensely scary moment of my life. What were we even doing out there? Here we are, like a million miles out in the wilderness, and this crazy shaggy beast is all swinging his head back and forth and charging straight at us—his breath was snorting out right at us, and I just froze. I’m standing there, completely vulnerable, and I thought we were dead. We probably would have been, if Anna hadn’t taken charge. She’s like a superhero or something. Bear Girl. I don’t ever want to hear the word backpacking again in my life.

What’s the best kiss you’ve ever had?

Under the bear grass, definitely. The light of the sun shining through those white blossoms and Anna kneeling there with her eyes squeezed shut so lovely and frightened and hungry…I won’t ever forget that.

What kind of dinosaur would you describe yourself as?

I don’t feel like a dinosaur, at least not like any dinosaurs I can remember. They seem so heavy and solemn, or else vicious and cold. I’m warm-blooded, you know? Are there any dinosaurs that like to dance? I’ll be that one, if there are. 


Thank you, Kat, for stopping in and congrats, Elissa on the upcoming release!

Kiss the Morning Star hits shelves May 15, so be sure to keep your eye out for it!

Book Review: Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

SUMMARY: Sometimes the end is just the beginning.

Gabby lived under the radar until her makeover. Way under. But when she started her senior year as a blonder, better-dressed version of herself, she struck gold: Billy Nash believed she was a the flawless girl she was pretending to be. The next eight months with Billy were bliss...Until the night Gabby woke up on the ground next to the remains of his BMW without a single memory of how she got there.

And Billy's nowhere to be found.

All Gabby wants is to make everything perfect again. But getting her life back isn't difficult, it's impossible. Because nothing is the same, and Gabby's beginning to realize she's missed more than a few danger signs along the way.

It's time for Gabby to face the truth, even if it means everything changes.

Especially if it means everything changes.



OPINION: 3 STARS

The Short Version:
Though admittedly frustrating at times, but filled with voice and some vivid characters, Where It Began is an interesting tale of relationships, finding the truth, and getting past something huge. Though Gabby borders a little too much on the pathetic side of things for this reader, and some parts of the story seemed too repeated and focused on, her overall character is one that can be understood and related to. Well written with an interesting narrative style, and blending the before and after of the accident, there is a quiet mystery set inside an otherwise coming of age type story.

The Extended Version:
Gabby is the kind of girl who holds on too tight to what she views as the one good thing in her life, and while her obsession and willingness to do anything to keep Billy as her boyfriend is frustrating and kind of pathetic, the reasons she clings to him is easy to understand in light of the full scope of her life. With an essentially absent father, and a mother who is seemingly impossible to please, the clear change in how Gabby feels about herself when she’s with Billy makes it easy to get why she acts the way she does. Still, her refusal to see what is obvious and determination that Billy really does love her gets hard to keep reading after a certain point. Her overall development, however, has a mostly smooth pacing and there is a noticeable change in her by the end of the book.

Though there are several other characters in the book, the focus stays on Gabby throughout, with the others flitting in and out. From her close friends, the ones who her mom thinks aren’t good enough for her ‘status’ to Billy, who seems to be the answer to everything, there is a big range of characters. Billy is a hard character to like, even from the start, easy to see through as a reader. Lisa and Anita are what good friends should be, trying in their own way to help their friend without forcing things to be how they think it should. The overall cast is well done, with great interactions between them.

The plot of this one is simple, without too many subplots weaving through it. This did add to the repetitive feeling of Gabby’s belief that Billy really has her best interest at heart, and her clinging to the perfect ideal of him that seemed to always be on the pages. Still, despite a few lags, there was a steady pacing overall and the lurking mystery of what really happened the night of the crash will keep readers engaged. While the big twist is predictable, it’s still well built into the story.

The writing style is full of voice, and something that is clearly Gabby. With a great blending of scenes from the past with what is happening now, mixed in with Gabby’s recovery, the legal aspect, and what she wants things to get to, there is an interesting narrative style in this one. Very direct in a lot of ways, and with some nicely done descriptions, the writing definitely helps pull this one through.

Details:

Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Reading level: Ages 14 and up 

Hardcover: 384 pages 

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: March 6, 2012

Bookish Updates!

I've gotten a few emails from various publishers this week about awesome things going on with them, and I definitely want to pass the info on to you guys! So here we go:


The Contests: 

You can win an ARC of Suzanne Young's A Want so Wicked, the sequel to A Need so Beautiful, and trust me, you do NOT want to miss either of these books. So much emotion, intrigue, and hot boys.

Also, do not forget to enter for an ARC of Gretchen McNeil's Ten, which is seriously amazing and mindblowing and twisty and achy and plenty of other great things. Romance and death. Oh yes.

You can also win an ARC of J.A. London's Darkness Before Dawn, which is another book you don't want to miss. Post-apocalyptic vampires, done seriously well with some great twists. Check it out.

There are plenty of other awesome Goodreads giveaways going on as well, but the three above are ones I can definitely recommend, but make sure you check these out too: Through To You (OMG want!), Defiance (OMG also want times a million), The Whispering House, The Other Normals, Invisible Sun (Black Hole Sun #2), The Lost Girl, and The Lost Code.

Epic Reads and Story Crush also have weekly giveaways going on through April. Don't miss it.

Follow Pitch Dark Books on twitter all month long for some special tweetstakes, including a Die for Me paperback, and galley giveaways of Fall From Grace and Dark Eden 2. Not to mention, they just rock.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Teen will be doing a prom-themed giveaway this month, so make sure you keep tabs on their Facebook page!


The Books of Note:

Though I definitely don't read enough of it, I love Middle Grades... and Marissa Burt's Storybound is Harper's Book of the Month! You can browse inside of it here, or just straight up purchase it on Amazon, B&N or IndieBound.

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows is the Epic Reads April Pick, and all month long there will be giveaways, discussions, author chat and more!

With Prom Season just around the corner, there are several great books that deal with Prom which you definitely shouldn't miss! Check out Illuminate by Aimee Agresti, Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber, Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey (a total favorite of mine!), and Ditched by Robin Mellom to get you in the prom season mood!


The Things to Make You Want More: 

You can download the Epic Reads Book Club Sampler starting Monday, with sneak peeks from several awesome upcoming Harper books, including A Want so Wicked, Something Strange and Deadly, Tiger Lily, Fall From Grace, The Lost Code and Thumped.

Harper also has some ebook promotions going on, as well some other chapter samplers!



So that's what's going on in the YA/MG world right now. Check back periodically for more, and good luck on those of you entering the contests!