What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler

Title: What We Saw

Author: Aaron Hartzler

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: September 22, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / B&N / Indigo

Kate Weston can piece together most of the bash at John Doone’s house: shots with Stacey Stallard, Ben Cody taking her keys and getting her home early—the feeling that maybe he’s becoming more than just the guy she’s known since they were kids.

But when a picture of Stacey passed out over Deacon Mills’s shoulder appears online the next morning, Kate suspects she doesn’t have all the details. When Stacey levels charges against four of Kate’s classmates, the whole town erupts into controversy. Facts hat can’t be ignored begin to surface, and every answer Kate finds leads back to the same question: Where was Ben when a terrible crime was committed?

This story—inspired by real events—from debut novelist Aaron Hartzler takes an unflinching look at silence as a form of complicity. It’s a book about the high stakes of speaking up, and the razor thin line between guilt and innocence that so often gets blurred, one hundred and forty characters at a time.

Some books are hard to read for the best kinds of reason: they deal with difficult subject matter, they tackle issues that make readers, and often society as a whole, uncomfortable but still need to be talked about. One of those books is Aaron Hartzler’s What We Saw.

Kate has trouble remembering exactly what happened at John Doone’s party that Saturday night. She remembers doing shots with Stacey and she remembers Ben making sure she got home safe that night. The rest is all a little fuzzy. But when she sees pictures of Stacey passed out at the party, Kate starts trying to figure out what went down after she left. When Stacey levels sexual assault charges against four of her classmates, Kate knows something definitely happened the night of the party. But despite the mounting evidence against the four boys, everyone seems to think what happened was all Stacey’s fault. Kate doesn’t know how to make sense of it all. And through it all she can’t help but wonder where Ben, the boy who’s been her friend since they were five and who’s finally becoming more, was when all this happened.

I’m surprised I haven’t seen more people talking about Aaron Hartzler’s What We Saw. Because this book more than deserves to be talked about and I can only hope I can do it justice in this review. Here’s the thing about this book: it deals with rape and it won’t be for everyone. But this story was important even if it wasn’t always an easy one to read. In fact, there were moments while reading that I felt physically sick. But that’s because the story was so well written and everything about it felt incredibly real. And the way What We Saw was told made it all the more powerful. This is the story of a girl accusing four basketball players of raping her in a small town where the high school basketball players are kings. And as a result, the majority of the town is in an uproar about this girl harming these poor, talented boys’ futures. Just writing that sentence makes me want to scream, but sadly, that’s the reality we live in. It’s wrong on so many levels that in many cases of sexual assaults people are willing to defend the aggressors and blame the victims. It’s something you see everywhere, and, sadly, it’s something you see even more of when there are athletes involved. What We Saw brings attention to this and for that reason, it’s an important story. And all that is something that bothered Kate, the main character, as well and as a result it makes getting answers about what happened really difficult. That’s what really made this story so powerful for me: the fact that sometimes all it takes it one person fighting for the truth to get other people to see it.

From the start, Kate was an easy character to like. And the more of her story, the more I liked her. But as much as I, as a reader, liked her, she didn’t really have an easy go of it in her small town as the story moved forward. Having this story told from Kate’s point of view offered some interesting insights. For the most part, Kate was just as drunk as Stacey, the girl who got raped, the night of the party. But because she had a certain reputation and people viewed her in a certain way, she had someone who made sure she was safe. And I think that’s what makes this story the much more powerful. Kate wants answers not just because she’s a decent person, but because she feels like what happened to Stacey could have easily happened to her. Because that night, the only difference between them was that Kate had someone looking out for her while Stacey was dressed “provocatively.” And that brings me to Ben. Every step of the way, much like Kate, I hoped that Ben had nothing to do with what happened to Stacey. Every time Kate asked him about it, I felt relieved when he was able to explain things away. Much like Kate, I wanted to believe him. But something always felt a little off no matter I wanted him to be clear of everything. I just wanted to live in denial of him being possibly involved in any way. Because he came across as a genuinely good guys. But appearances can always be deceiving.

What We Saw was an absolutely fantastic job. It was a powerful story and one that will make you think long after you’re finished reading. Aaron Hartzler did a fantastic job writing a gripping story that will make you uncomfortable while also making you want to tell everyone about it.

Infinite In Between by Carolyn Mackler

Title: Infinite In Between

Author: Carolyn Mackler

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: September 1, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Printz Honor author Carolyn Mackler returns with this striking new novel that chronicles the lives of five teenagers through the thrills, heartbreaks, and joys of their four years in high school.

Zoe, Jake, Mia, Gregor, and Whitney meet at freshman orientation. At the end of that first day, they make a promise to reunite after graduation. So much can happen in those in-between years…

Zoe feels like she will live forever in her famous mother’s shadow. Jake struggles to find the right connections in friendship and in love. Mia keeps trying on new identities, looking for one that actually fits. Gregor thought he wanted to be more than just a band geek. And Whitney seems to have it all, until it’s all falling apart around her.

Echoing aspects of John Hughes’s The Breakfast Club, Carolyn Mackler skillfully brings the stories of these five disparate teens together to create a distinct and cohesive whole—a novel about how we can all affect one another’s lives in the most unexpected and amazing ways.

Considering the amount I read, there isn’t much about contemporary books that I haven’t said before. And that can make writing some of these reviews a little tricky. So I’ll just say this, I loved Carolyn Mackler’s Infinite in Between a whole lot more than I expected to.

Zoe, Jake, Mia, Gregor and Whitney all had their own concerns and apprehensions about starting high school. When they’re put in the same group at their freshman orientation, they decide to write themselves a letter that they’ll open at the end of high school. But a lot can happen in four years. As they go through high school, each of them goes through their own share of happiness and heartbreak, coming in and out of each other’s lives without thinking too much about it. What will they all think when they meet again at the end of their four years of high school?

Fun little story about Emilie for you: to this day, I still remember the first Carolyn Mackler book I read. I was in eighth grade and I would sit in front of my locker during my lunch break and read The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. So it’s fair to say that Carolyn Mackler is one of the YA authors I’ve been reading for the longest time. And I still enjoy reading her books all these years later. As you can guess, I had a pretty good idea going in that I would really enjoy Infinite in Between. What I didn’t expect was to love it as much as I did. Infinite in Between was a story that kind of creeps up on you. At first, it’s a little tricky to follow since it quickly jumps around between five different characters. But at the same time, the story draws you in quickly. And before you know it, you’re curious about finding out more about these five people’s high school experiences and seeing how their lives intersect over the course of those four years. And by the end of the book, I was a lot more emotional than I ever thought I would be. Like I said, this story just creeped up on me in a way that I really didn’t expect.

What Infinite in Between really hit on the head is the way that people come in and out of each other’s lives in high school. How everyone always kind of seems to be on everyone’s periphery no matter how big the school is. And it really showed that no matter how much your life seems perfect from the outside, nothing is ever as it appears. And it also perfectly showed how, at the end of the day, everyone in high school is just trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in. That was more than the case for Jake, Mia, Gregor, Zoe and Whitney. Each one of them was basically trying to figure out who they were and who they wanted to be. And it wasn’t always easy, there were obstacles along the way and I was rooting for all of them throughout the book. Most of all though, I loved seeing the way their paths all crossed at different times during their high school career and how at the end of it all, they were able to come together in ways that I didn’t really expect. Reading from five different perspectives was a different experience, but it was definitely worth it in the end.

I loved reading Carolyn Mackler’s Infinite in Between in ways I didn’t expect. This story was understated in the best way possible and accurately portrayed the high school experience. This might be a quieter story, but it’s absolutely worth the read. 

Better Than Perfect by Melissa Kantor

Title: Better Than Perfect

Author: Melissa Kantor

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: February 17, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Juliet Newman has it all. A picture-perfect family; a handsome, loving boyfriend; and a foolproof life plan: ace her SATs, get accepted into Harvard early decision, and live happily ever after.

But when her dad moves out and her mom loses it, Juliet begins questioning the rules she’s always lived by. And to make everything even more complicated there’s Declan, the gorgeous boy who makes her feel alive and spontaneous—and who’s totally off-limits. Torn between the life she always thought she wanted and one she never knew was possible, Juliet begins to wonder: What if perfect isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Melissa Kantor once again delivers a tale that is equal parts surprising, humorous, heartbreaking, and romantic. Powerful and honest, Juliet’s story brilliantly portrays the highs and lows of life in high school and will resonate with any reader who has experienced either. 

Last year, I read Melissa Kantor’s Maybe One Day and had my heart completely broken. In a completely good way. When I started reading Better Than Perfect, I was prepared to have my heart broken by Melissa Kantor once again. And while that didn’t happen, this was still an emotional story to read.

Juliet thought she had her whole future figured out. On the eve of her senior year of high school, she has the perfect boyfriend and a plan to ace her SATs so she can get into Harvard early and start her happily ever after with her boyfriend. But not everything is going according to plan. When her dad moves out, Juliet has to deal with her mom completely losing it. When everything gets to be too much, Juliet starts questioning everything she’s always believed in. What if there’s more to living than always working towards the next goal? Is that the way to happiness? When Juliet meets Declan, the one person who hasn’t known him her whole life and makes her want to be spontaneous, she starts being torn between her old life and the possibility of a new one, one where perfect is the last thing Juliet has to be.

I was very excited to read Melissa Kantor’s Better Than Perfect if only because of how much I loved Maybe One Day last year. Though I didn’t have quite the same emotional reaction to Better Than Perfect than I did to Maybe One Day, it was still a story that I really enjoyed and drew me in completely. Before I say anything else, though, I will say this: there is a fairly good chance that many people will lose interest in this story because of a certain behaviour on the main character’s part (see the post I wrote earlier this week if you want more on that). But that didn’t stop me reading or make me like the story any less. Aside from that, this is a very relatable story. Or at least it was one I could relate to and one that got me thinking. Is reaching goal after goal the only way to happiness, or is there a way to be happy without always striving to be everyone’s idea of perfect? Better Than Perfect definitely explores this question and got me thinking about it a lot, to the point that I’m still thinking about it over a week after having finished reading the story. The most relatable aspect of the story for me, though, was definitely Juliet.

When you first meet her, Juliet is your typical type A high school student. Or at least that’s how she appears to everyone around her. But from the moment I started reading, I realized that it was more of a front she was putting on than anything else. She wasn’t happy being what everyone wanted her to be. In fact, she was pretty miserable. Much like the story is one many people will be able to relate to, Juliet is someone many people will be able to see themselves in. I know I was. That’s what made this story so interesting to read. The one aspect of the story I didn’t really like though, was Jason, Juliet’s boyfriend. Looking back, I don’t actually think I was supposed to like him all that much to begin with. To be completely honest, he’s a bit of a prick and has slightly controlling tendencies. And at this point in her life, her relationship with him was clearly making Juliet miserable. In all honesty, I was kind of rooting for her to dump him. Declan, though, him I liked. A lot. I kept wanting for more to happen with him, but due to the circumstances, it never really did. The way the story ended, the door was left open for something more to happen with Declan and Juliet. In my mind, they get to have their happily ever after and that’s all that really matters.

Melissa Kantor’s Better Than Perfect is a story many people will be able to relate to, whether it’s that they relate to the overall themes or to the characters in it. This story about finding out perfection isn’t all it’s cracked up to be is one you’ll want to give a try.

On the Fence by Kasie West

Title: On the Fence

Author: Kasie West

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: July 1, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

She’s a tomboy. He’s the boy next door…

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn’t know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she’s got a bigger problem than speeding tickets—she’s falling for Braden. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.

It wasn’t until earlier this year that I finally picked up one of Kasie West’s books. But after I did, I was completely hooked. As you can imagine I was beyond excited about On the Fence. It’s a contemporary, it takes place in summer AND it has romance. It basically had “Emilie” written all over it. And I absolutely loved it.

Charlie Reynolds has always been one of the boys. Growing up with a father who’s a cop, three older brothers and a neighbour who might as well be her fourth brother, she knows how to act when it comes to sports and goofing off. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie has no clue where to even start. When she has to start working at a clothing store to pay off her speeding tickets, Charlie finds herself getting a crash course in how to be a girl. The stress of it all starts getting to her, and before long she finds herself having nightly chats with Braden through the fence that separates their yards. Charlie has known Braden her whole life, he’s practically a brother to her. But talking to him every night, Charlie realizes that she might be starting to see Braden as more than just her friend. Admitting to her feelings could change everything. Will Charlie take a chance and risk losing everything, including Braden?

Guys I love this book something fierce. I’ve been on a pretty good streak with books lately, but On the Fence is close to the top of the list when it comes to recent favourites. The fact that when I sat down to read it, I didn’t get up again until I was finished probably gives you a good idea of how much I loved On the Fence. Kasie West really hit the mark with this story. This story just felt incredibly real. There were so many moments while I was reading that I could honestly say I remembered feeling just the way Charlie did when I was sixteen. Beyond this story just feeling incredibly real, it was the perfect mix and fun and deep. There were parts of the story that went deeper than I thought they might have without it getting too heavy. There were so many times when I just found myself smiling, if not actually laughing. More than anything though, I loved the romance. I loved how it was understated and wasn’t necessarily the focal point of the story. And I ADORED the fact that it was a friendship before it became a romantic relationship. It made me love Charlie and Braden that much more.

I can’t even begin to explain how much I connected to Charlie. While reading On the Fence, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much of 16 year old me I saw in Charlie. Because of that, I became invested in her story so much faster. I could totally understand what she was going through: that moment when you realize you have to grow up, but growing up could mean everything changing. I loved seeing Charlie’s transformation over the course of this story, going from a complete tomboy to a sixteen-year-old girl who could give any boy a run for his money when it came to sports. So I loved Charlie. And just as much as I loved Charlie, I absolutely ADORED Braden. Braden was literally the boy next door. What I loved most about him was that he was Charlie’s friend long before something more started happening. Because of that, he knew Charlie in a way that no one else really did and he wasn’t afraid to be straight up with her. And just as Charlie was falling for him, I was falling for him. I really just couldn’t be helped. And then there were Charlie’s brothers. Sometimes, they kind of stole the show. I will say this: I would totally read a story all about Gage. 

Kasie West’s On the Fence was just as amazing and awesome as I hoped it would be. This was just the perfect summer contemporary story and I loved being able to connect to it as much as I did. Have I said it was perfect, yet? Because it was. 

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern

Title: Say What You Will

Author: Cammie McGovern

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: June 3, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emotionally poignant novel. Cammie McGovern’s insightful young adult debut is a heartfelt and heartbreaking story about how we can all feel lost until we find someone who loves us because of our faults, not in spite of them.

Born with cerebral palsy, Amy can’t walk without a walker, talk without a voice box, or even fully control her facial expressions. Plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder, Matthew is consumed with repeated thoughts, neurotic rituals, and crippling fear. Both in desperate need of someone to help them reach out to the world, Amy and Matthew are more alike than either ever realized.

When Amy decides to hire student aides to help her in her senior year at Coral Hills High School, these two teens are thrust into each other’s lives. As they begin to spend time with each other, what started as a blossoming friendship eventually grows into something neither expected.

By this point, you’re probably tired of hearing it, but I love contemporary YA fiction. There’s just something about the genre that appeals to me in a way that no other genre really does. Cammie McGovern’s Say What You Will, though had a different appeal. Not only was it a contemporary story, but it was one that featured characters that are completely different from what’s out there. And, no surprise, I absolutely loved it. 

Amy has always been the girl who can’t walk without assistance and who needs a computer to be able to talk. It’s never bothered Amy that she’s different from everyone else at her school. She doesn’t care what they think, she’s happy and that’s all that really matters. But when Matthew points out to her that maybe things aren’t exactly the way she sees them, Amy realizes that he may be right. About to start her senior year of high school, she decides to hire student aides to help her get around school. Soon, Amy finds herself spending more time with Matthew and she quickly discovers that he may not be all that different from her. Over the course of that year, both Matthew and Amy will discover that needing help may not be the worse thing that has ever happened to them.

Here’s the thing about Cammie McGovern’s Say What You Will: you won’t find another story like it right now in YA. Or at least there isn’t one that I know of. For that reason alone, I really wanted to read this book. And, you know, the cover was really pretty so there’s that too. But in all seriousness, Say What You Will was just a beautiful story. Right from the start I was hooked, wanting to find out more about these two teenagers who are trying to find their place in a world that sees them as different and isn’t all that ready to accept them.  Because really, that’s what this story was about: accepting differences and finding your place in the world. And if nothing else, Cammie McGovern succeeded in showing readers that just because someone looks different on the outside, it doesn’t mean they aren’t just like you in all other aspects of their person. Or at least, I hope readers were convinced, because I know I was. Say What You Will is just an all-around powerful and moving story and I just couldn’t get enough of it.

Amy and Matthew will forever hold a place in my heart. They’re also two characters I won’t be forgetting about any time soon. What I loved about them was that they didn’t define themselves based solely on the fact that they had cerebral palsy (Amy) and obsessive compulsive disorder (Matthew). To themselves, and to each other, they were a lot more than that. Because of that, both of them took me by surprise. I loved Amy’s enthusiasm in the face of everything she had to go through. I loved seeing Matthew become more and more comfortable with Amy and start to overcome some of his compulsions. And I just loved the relationship between the two of them, especially that it wasn’t perfect. It just made it all feel that much more real. And I’m not going to lie, Amy and Matthew totally made me cry, both happy and sad tears. I just couldn’t help it. 

There’s really no other way to put it: Cammie McGovern’s Say What You Will is simply a book everyone should read. This is a book that will make you go through the whole range of human emotion and leave you completely raw. But it’s so, completely and totally worth it.

The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes

Title: The Art of Lainey

Author: Paula Stokes

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: May 20, 2014

Source: ARC borrowed from fellow blogger

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins, Sarah Dessen, and Susane Colasanti, The Art of Lainey tells the story of how, with the help of The Art of War, Lainey plots the perfect plan to get her boyfriend back. But is getting him back really what she wants?

Soccer star Lainey Mitchell is gearing up to spend an epic summer with her amazing boyfriend, Jason, when he suddenly breaks up with her--no reasons, nor warnings, and in public no less! Lainey is more than crushed, but with help from her friend Bianca, she resolves to do whatever it takes to get Jason back.

And that's when Lainey and Bianca stumble across a copy of The Art of War. With just one glance, the girls are sure they can use the book to lure Jason back into Lainey's arms. So Lainey channels her inner warlord, recruiting spies to gather intel and persuading her coworker Micah to pose as her new boyfriend to make Jason jealous.

After a few "dates," it looks like her plan is going to work! But now her relationship with Micah is starting to feel like more than just a game. Can fighting for what she wants help Lainey figure out what she really needs?

You guys all know how much I love reading fun and adorable contemporaries. This time of year especially, I pretty much crave them. They just go so well with summer. Paula Stokes’ The Art of Lainey was just what I was craving and it quickly became a favourite. 

Lainey Mitchell had her summer all planned: she would work at her family’s café, play in a soccer summer rec league and spend all her spare time with her amazing boyfriend, Jason. But that plan quickly falls apart when, out of the blue, Jason breaks up with her for no reason and in front of everyone in the café. Lainey isn’t about to let a break up stop her though. With the help of her best friend, Bianca, she starts plotting how to get Jason back. Inspired by The Art of War, Lainey decides that was she needs is a fake boyfriend to make Jason jealous. Enter Micah, Lainey’s co-worker and Jason’s complete opposite. Who better to be a fake boyfriend? After just a few days, things seem to be working great. But the more time Lainey spends with Micah, the more she starts to think that maybe she’s been going after the wrong guy all along. 

I can’t even begin to explain how much I loved and enjoyed Paula Stokes’ The Art of Lainey. When I picked it up, I was just in the mood for a fun and adorable contemporary story, and on the surface that’s just what I got with The Art of Lainey. When I started reading, it didn’t take long for me to get completely sucked in. I loved the way The Art of War was woven into the story, realizing just how much it can be applied to everything beyond just war. And of course, in the context of this story, it led to some pretty amusing moments. Let’s just say that Lainey had a tendency to take things quite literally, making things that much more amusing. But what I loved about The Art of Lainey more than anything was the romance. This wasn’t your typical love at first sight story. The romance here, was definitely more of a slow burn between Lainey and Micah. If anything, they didn’t even really like each other when this whole fake dating thing started. But right away, I could tell that things would change and that Micah was who Lainey really belonged with, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Here’s the thing about Lainey. For almost half of the book I didn’t really like Lainey, to the point where I started wondering whether this would affect my enjoyment of the book. She just bothered me. She was so focused on trying to get Jason back that she didn’t see what was right in front of her, and don’t even get me started on her behaviour. She was just being that girl who couldn’t seem to figure out who she was outside of her boyfriend, and it bugged me. But there was character growth. Once Lainey started spending more time with Micah, she started changing for the better. She was still the same person, but she became much more likeable and actually started to understand who she was. And then there was Micah. Micah was so not who I expected him to be. He was SO MUCH BETTER. I loved the way he pushed Lainey and challenged her, trying to get her out of her comfort zone. But he wasn’t a jerk. Those glimpses I saw of him with his younger sister completely melted my heart. There was just so much more to him than met the eye. And I can’t wait to to read his story in Infinite Repeat. 

In case you hadn’t guessed it by now, I absolutely loved Paula Stokes’ The Art of Lainey. It was a fun and totally adorable story that kept me turning the pages with a big smile on my face. If you’re looking for the perfect contemporary read for summer, The Art of Lainey is just that book.

Blog Tour: The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes - Character Interview + Giveaway

Today I have the pleasure of taking part in the Canadian blog tour for Paula Stokes' upcoming The Art of Lainey. I've already had the chance to read this book and I absolutely loved it. If you're looking for a fantastic read for summer, this is it. And if you want a glimpse at what awaits you in the book, keep reading to learn more about Micah, my favourite person in this story.

What prompted you to start working at Denali? Did it have anything to do with your culinary aspirations?

Actually my culinary aspirations came from working at Denali. I got my job there when I was fifteen. It’s a long story, but basically I lied to my mom and told her I had gotten offered a job in order to avoid our yearly trip to the cemetery. (I hate that place.) So then I had to find a job ASAP so she didn’t bust me for lying. I went wandering around Hazelton, saw a Help Wanted sign in the window of Denali, and filled out an app. I’m pretty sure the manager only hired me because she liked the rock band T-shirt I was wearing, but hey, whatever works. It turned out that I’m naturally good at cooking an baking. I especially like baking because it’s a real challenge to get the ratios and flavors just right. 

What has it been like growing up without your dad? It seems to have made you and your sister really close.

Sorry, I don’t like talking about my dad. But yeah, Trinity is the shit. After Dad died, she basically kept our family running while Mom and I took turns self-destructing. My mom did my trinity tattoo in her honor. She had to keep stopping in the middle because she kept crying.

Be honest, what was your initial reaction when Lainey asked you to be her fake boyfriend?

I thought it was a ridiculous idea, but sometimes ideas work, you know? Plus my sadistic side liked the thought of dragging Girl Jock Lainey Mitchell to a bunch of places where she’d be uncomfortable so I could watch her flounder. I guess that’s kind of mean, huh? Whatever—she did the same thing to me.

Knowing what you know now, would you do things differently?

As far as all the “dates” and stuff, I wouldn’t change a thing because they were a fun way for Lainey and me to get to know each other. If I could do things over, I hope I would be less of a wuss, though. And less of a douchebag to both Lainey and my ex. I did them both wrong at one point, but that was mostly because I was a wuss. 

From what I know about you, you’re not really what you seem. Do people often misjudge you because of how you look? Have you ever taken advantage of that?

Yup—they do. Take advantage of it? You mean I can use this to my benefit? Please elaborate.

What do you think the future holds for you? Is Lainey going to be featured prominently in that future?

I’m kind of hoping the future holds my own book, but right now I’m settling for a lengthy novella ;-) As far as Lainey goes, who knows, right? I mean, this is high school and shit can get pretty volatile. I think the end of the book makes my feelings pretty clear, but it’s not just up to me.

Thank you Micah for answering my questions, I can't wait for more people to get to know you. 

About the book:

Soccer star Lainey Mitchell is greasing up to spend an epic summer with her amazing boyfriend, Jason, when he suddenly breaks up with her—no reasons, nor warning, and in public no less! Lainey is more than crushed, but with help form her friend Bianca, she resolves to do whatever it takes to get Jason back.

And that’s when the girls stumble across a copy of The Art of War. With just one glance, they’re sure they can sue the book to lure Jason back in Lainey’s arms. So Lainey channels her inner warlord, recruiting spies to gather intel and persuading her coworker Micah to pose as her new boyfriend to make Jason jealous. After a few “dates,” it looks like her plan is going to work! But now her relationship with Micah is starting to feel like more than just a game.

What’s a girl to do when what she wants is totally different from what she needs? How do you figure out the person you’re meant to be with, if you’re still figuring out the person you’re meant to be?

About the author:

Paula Sokes is half writer, half RN, and totally thrilled to be part of the world of YA literature. She few up in St. Louis, Missouri where she graduated from Washington University and the Goldfarb School of Nursing. When she’s not writing, she’s kayaking, hiking, reading, or seeking out new adventures in faraway lands. Paula loves interacting with readers! Find her online on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Giveaway!

Does The Art of Lainey sound like something you would be interested in reading? Then be sure to enter the giveaway below for your chance to win one of two copies of the book. To enter, all you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open internationally.

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The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Title: The Distance Between Us

Author: Kasie West

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: July 2, 2013

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo 

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she's pretty sure they're only good for one thing--spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother's shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he's oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he's one of the first people who actually gets her, she's smart enough to know his interest won't last. Because if there's one thing she's learned from her mother's warnings, it's that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can't find out--she wouldn't approve. She'd much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn't been raised by money. But just when Xander's attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she'd ever realized. And that Xander's not the only one she should've been worried about.

We all know I love my contemporary romances and I would spend all my time reading them if that were a possibility. But there are only so many hours in a day and sometimes I put off reading some for unknown reasons, only to later realize just what I was missing. That’s exactly what happened with Kasie West’s The Distance Between Us and, no surprise, I loved it.

Caymen has always stayed away from the rich people in town. She knows all about them, and from her position behind the counter at her mother’s doll shop, she studies them. Caymen never thought she would ever spend time with one, much less become friends with a rich person. But when Xander Spence walk into her mother’s store, Caymen knows he can’t be anything but rich. Knowing he’s rich, though, doesn’t stop Caymen from wanting to get to know Spence or spend time with him. Before long, and against her better judgement, Caymen starts to fall for Xander. She knows her mother would disapprove of the relationship, but what Caymen doesn’t know is that money might be a bigger part of her relationship with Xander than she thought. Can Caymen put her feelings about the rich aside, if it means being with the boy she loves?

So contemporaries. Have I mentioned lately how much I love them? Because I do. If I’m being honest, I more than love them, I pretty much adore the genre as a whole. So when you stop and think about it, how could I possibility not love Kasie West’s The Distance Between Us. This story was just so perfect. When I read the synopsis, and when I first started reading, I honestly thought this was just going to be some light and fun contemporary story. And in a way, it totally was. But the more I read, the more I realized there was also more to it. That’s not to say though that the story wasn’t fun, because it totally was. For the better part of the time I spent reading The Distance Between Us, I had a big goofy smile on my face, and at times I was actually trying to suppress giggles (maybe I shouldn’t read in public). So if you hadn’t guessed it by now, I really loved this story, I was sucked it and couldn’t stop reading regardless of the fact I had to get up early for work the next morning. My favourite part of the book, though? The banter between Caymen and Xander.

Caymen and Xander were pretty great. Right away, I connected with Caymen. There as just something about her that made it so I could relate to her, so that I loved her from the get go. I loved her voice, the way she reacted to the world around her, and I’m not going to lie, I shared a lot of her opinions about different people. And like I’ve already said, I loved the banter between her and Xander. Honestly, the book could have just been them going back and forth with each other and I would still have been captivated. The banter was just that good. It also helped that Xander was pretty awesome. And Xander wasn’t perfect but I loved him just the same. The fact that he wasn’t perfect is what made him so awesome. I loved getting to know him more, and sort of peeling back the layers to get to who he really was, as opposed to who his family wanted and expected him to be. And just in case it wasn’t clear yet, Xander and Caymen together were just a lot of fun, and at the end of the day they brought out the best in each other.

Kasie West’s The Distance Between Us was just what I had hoped it would be. It was light and fun contemporary romance, but don’t let yourself be fooled, it’s also a lot more than that. If you haven’t already given this book a try, you are really missing out.

Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor

Title: Maybe One Day

Author: Melissa Kantor

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: February 18, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Critically acclaimed author Melissa Kantor masterfully captures the joy of friendship, the agony of loss, and the unique experience of being a teenager in this poignant new novel about a girl grappling with her best friend's life-threatening illness.

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plants for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.

Even when she isn't sure what to say.

Even when Olivia misses months of school.

Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.

The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine. 

In this incandescent page-turner, which follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars, Melissa Kantor artfully explores the idea that the worst thing to happen to you might not be something that is actually happening to you. Raw, irreverent, and honest, Zoe's unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the late page is turned.

Before I even started reading Melissa Kantor's Maybe One Day, I had been warned that it was a story that would pull at my heart strings. And it did. By the time I reached the end, I was a complete mess. But it was completely worth it.

Olivia and Zoe have been friends for as long as they can remember. They've always known what their future would look like. But that future started changing when Olivia and Zoe were cut from NYBC the summer before their sophomore year of high school. Now juniors, Olivia and Zoe have re-imagined their future, but that future never included Olivia being diagnosed with leukaemia. Zoe does everything she can to stay positive and put on a brave face for Olivia. But the sicker Olivia gets, the more trouble Zoe has staying positive. Without Olivia around, Zoe doesn't know who to turn to for support. When she starts falling for Olivia's crush, Calvin, Zoe thinks she's found a way to deal with it all, even if she feels guilty about it all. And even though the odds are against her, Zoe knows Olivia will make it through this. She just has to.

When I got Melissa Kantor's Maybe One Day in the mail, it came with a note saying I should keep ice cream or cake close by as I read. I really should have followed that advice. By the time I reached the end of the story, I was a complete mess of tears. This was a truly moving story, looking at how something like leukaemia doesn't just affect the person with the diagnosis, but also their friends and family. Because first and foremost, this was a story not about romance or dance, but about Zoe and Olivia's friendship. And as sad as they story could be, I loved that it was focused on the girls' friendship. So often in YA, friendships fall by the way side once romance comes in. Maybe One Day showed just how strong friendship can be, how important it can be, to the point where friends become family. In a way, reading about the friendship made me miss my own best friend. And of course, that ending brought me to tears, but also made me smile through those tears, because that's just who Olivia and Zoe are.

I loved Olivia and Zoe, and I loved their friendship. They were so different, yet similar in so many ways. But they were perfect for each other. As cliché as it might be to say, Olivia and Zoe balanced each other out perfectly. Seeing them together made me smile, despite everything else that was going on in their lives. And like I already mentioned, seeing Zoe and Olivia together made me miss my own best friend and the fact that university made it so we're so far away from each other. Beyond the friendship, there was also romance, but in an understated way. I liked that Calvin didn't push Zoe to do anything she didn't want to do. He was just there for Zoe, in as much as she allowed him to be. My only wish is that I could have seen a little more of that story, no matter how much I loved the story's focus on friendship.

Melissa Kantor's Maybe One Day was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. This story about two best friends is one that will make you want to pick up the phone and call your own best friend. You don't want to miss out on this one.

Waiting on Wednesday (79)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to reading.

THIS WEEK'S PICK:

SAY WHAT YOU WILL BY CAMMIE MCGOVERN

John Green's The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emotionally poignant novel. Cammie McGovern's insightful young adult debut is a heartfelt and heartbreaking story about how we can all feel lost until we find someone who loves us because of our faults, not in spite of them.

Born with cerebral palsy, Amy can't walk without a walker, talk without a voice box, or even fully control her facial expressions. Plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder, Matthew is consumed with repeated thoughts, neurotic rituals, and crippling fear. Both in desperate need of someone to help them reach out to the world, Amy and Matthew are more alike than either ever realized.

When Amy decides to hire student aides to help her in her senior year at Coral Hills High School, these two teens are thrust into each other's lives. As they begin to spend time with each other, what started as a blossoming friendship eventually grows into something neither expected.

I have been wanting to read Say What You Will ever since I first heard about it. The premise sounds so interesting and unlike anything I've read before. At the same time, the synopsis doesn't really give much away so it's hard to tell exactly what is going to be happening in this book. Regardless, I can't wait to read it. And it's contemporary and we all know how I feel about contemporary. 

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern will be published June 3, 2014 by HarperTeen.

Starcrossed Week - The Characters

At this point, you've heard me rave over just about everything having to do with Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed trilogy. The story is absolutely amazing and a large part of that amazingness comes from the characters. Because even the really unlikeable characters have some sort of redeeming qualities and the more minor ones feel fully fleshed out. And some of those characters, they are completely underrated.

Hector was one of those characters I wasn't too sure what to make of when I met him in the first book. But the more I learned about him, the more I realized he was just one big teddy bear. Once the Furies let up with the whole Helen hating the Delos and vice versa, Hector became this other person. Every time he appeared in the story, it just put a smile on my face. The way he was with his family just made him that much more endearing. And that was only amplified whenever he was interacting with Helen. As hard as he could be with her, she also brought out this other side of his personality. So Hector is someone I came to love. Anytime something bad happened to him, it just hurt my heart.  And after everything that had happened to him, I just wanted him to have a happy ending. 

Matt was one of those characters that is there but spends a lot of time in the background. He's been one of Helen's best friend for as long as anyone can remember and even through all of the Scion stuff, he sticks by her side, somewhere along the way falling in love with Ariadne. But all of a sudden in Goddess, so much happens to Matt. Right from the start, so many hints were dropped and knowing what I know about the Trojan War, I could see where things were heading. And it was not heading somewhere I liked. But it was inevitable, it was where the story needed to go. Not that it was something I actually accepted. Through it all, my heart was breaking as I saw what was happening and what it was doing to all the other characters. And even after everything, I still loved Matt because there was nothing he could do about the situation he was in.

I feel like all I'm doing is talking about the boys in this trilogy, but there were so many amazing ones. Orion found himself stuck in a love triangle with Helen and Lucas. There wasn't really much eh could do about it. And in spite of everything he knew that he wouldn't come out on the winning side. But for once, a member of a love triangle stood up for himself. Orion realized that he deserved better than what Helen would ever be able to give him. And for that alone, I have so much respect for Orion. But my heart is also breaking for him. Not just because of his "position" in the love triangle, but because of everything I know about his life and how difficult his childhood must have been. I just wanted him to have someone who would be there for him, who would take care of him and who would love him even more than he deserved to be love. Because Orion seriously needed some good in his life.

I've said that even the most unlikeable characters somehow have redeeming qualities and with Daphne, it was hard to find them. For the better part of three books, I wanted nothing more than to punch Daphne and for her to just leave everyone alone because she was causing a lot more harm than good. But despite all that, I could understand where she was coming from. It wasn't a justification for what she did by any stretch of the imagination, but I could understand why did the things she did and why she wanted what she wanted. But then she had this moment of clarity in Goddess. I don't know what finally made her see everything for what they were, but she did. And in that moment, I was able to start to forgive Daphne for some of what she had done. It didn't wipe the slate completely clean, but I could begin to forgive her, all things considered.

I could go on endlessly about each and every one of the characters in this trilogy. Each of them has something that makes them completely unique and memorable. I could talk about how badass Helen is, about how much more there is to Lucas than what I originally thought, to how absolutely selfless Ariadne and Jason are, how surprising Claire can be, and the list just keep going on. If for the characters alone, you should give Josephine Angelini's books a try. And if characters aren't your thing, you can check out all my other posts about the trilogy from this past week.

Starcrosssed Week - Giveaways!

To celebrate Starcrossed Week, I have the pleasure of hosting 3 fantastic giveaways. So keep reading to find out more!

Giveaway One - Canada Only

Thanks to the wonderful folks at HarperCollins Canada, I am giving paperback copies both Starcrossed & Dreamless, the first and second books in Josephine Angelini's trilogy. Since the publisher will be sending out the books, the giveaway is open to people with CANADIAN mailing addresses only. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Two - US & Canada Only

If you haven't yet started the books and are looking for a full set, check out this giveaway! I am giving away a full, hardcover set of the trilogy. Since I will be sending out the books myself and 3 hardcovers can be kinda heavy, this giveaway is open to people with US & CANADIAN mailing addresses only. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Three - International

Thanks to the awesome Renée from Rad Graphic, I am giving away a "Team Fate" tote bag and "Hamilton" t-shirt. I have some stuff from Renée myself, and let me just say it is awesome. So even if you don't win, be sure to check her out on Facebook. And since this is light and easy to ship, this giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck to everyone!