Review: Friday Night Alibi by Cassie Mae

Publication date: July 29th, 2013

Publisher: Flirt

Stars: 2.5/5

Links: Amazon|Goodreads|B&N

Source: NetGalley

Rising star Cassie Mae introduces New Adult readers to a practical soon-to-be college freshman who seems to have everything—until a special guy shows her what she’s been missing.

In the wealthy town of Sundale, Kelli Pinkins has hatched the perfect plan to capitalize on her sweet reputation. For a generous fee, she will be every trust-fund baby’s dream: a Friday-night alibi, the “girlfriend” or “BFF” that parents dream about. With college approaching in the fall, Kelli’s services are in demand more than ever, which means that her social life is nonexistent. But Kelli is A-okay with that. She’s raking in cash for school. Besides, relationships are tricky, and sometimes very messy. She’d rather be at home on Xbox LIVE, anyway. Then the unexpected happens: She meets college stud Chase Maroney.

Chase isn’t like the preppy, privileged guys Kelli usually meets in Sundale. For starters, he’s twentysomething, always wears black., and he shoots back one-liners as fast as she can dish them out. But Kelli’s attempts to drive Chase away falter when she realizes that he treats her like he really knows her, like he cares about knowing her. When Kelli finally gives in to the delicious kiss she’s been fighting for so long, she faces a tough decision: make Chase a real-life boyfriend and risk her heart . . . or keep her clients and lose her first true love.

REVIEW


Friday Night Alibi ended up being a standard New Adult affair with the two main characters with lonely and painful pasts respectively, kisses, quarrels and a predictable reconciliation. The protagonist, Kelli Pinkins, uses her squeaky clean rich girl reputation to act as people's Friday Night Alibis -all for good pay, of course- when they are out partying or with a girl their parents don't approve of instead. This is until twentysomething Chase walks into her life with his terrible pick-up lines and threatens to put her job and heart at stake. 

Do you believe in judging a book by its cover?

Do you believe in judging a book by its blurb?

Then, chances are you'll get exactly what you're looking for if you decide to read Friday Night Alibi. Me? I expected a little more Veronica Mars-style snark and a little less fluff, given that the main character has a rather clever side business going on! That, I did not fully get but to be fair, I shouldn't have expected.

Some things I did end up enjoying in spite of the predictable ups and downs of the plot:

• It's light and funny despite the angstiness that slowly creeps in
• The main character, Kelli, lends a good deal of sass to the book!
• Kelli and Chase do not have the worst chemistry
• It was just the sort of silly but harmless read that was right for the summer
• While the slang-laden writing felt a bit too much in the beginning, I warmed up to it pretty quickly. Towards the end, I think I enjoyed it

What put me off was that while Friday Night Alibi was a sunny read and impossible not to like... other than Kelli's job as your Friday-night Alibi, this book felt like every other New Adult book. Girl in college or heading to college- check. Tortured boy or seemingly normal boy with a sad past- check. Dependence on each other to work through their problems- check. 

Chase did have his moments, though. Chase and Kelli's first meeting made me laugh out loud! I had to give it to Chase for using the worst pick up line ever and infuriating the poor girl! While the characters were likable, their characterisation did not make up for the plot basically consisting of every love-hate situation you can think of. I also could not buy into Kelli's poor-little-rich-girl troubles.

All in all, I ended up liking Friday Night Alibi in spite of myself. I just wish it had stepped outside what seems to be the tried and tested formula of every New Adult book in the block.

Rating: ★★1/2

On my Reading Nook(s)! (Feature and Follow Friday #13)

Feature and Follow is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read!

Q: Activity: Reading Nook Tour!

My reading spot, I've come to realise, is... EVERYWHERE.

Reading itself puts me into this state of equilibrium amid the madness that is life and reading ANYWHERE instantaneously transports me into another world.

At the dinner table *cue disapproving looks from everybody else*
But what the heck! Must. Finish. Chapter.

In the bus!

Near my desktop, when I'm listening to music and stuff.

When I'm pacing around restlessly... before college or when I'm waiting for a friend.

Reading in bed. Doesn't get more comfy than that ;)

What's your reading nook like? 

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While I'm on GFC, Linky and can be followed by email, I'd prefer it if you could follow me on Facebook (Facebook Page) since my Page is brand new ;) Or you can also:

Novel Publicity Blog Tour; Review: Maybe I Will by Laurie Gray

Publication date: March 15th, 2013

Publisher: Luminis Books

Stars: 5/5

Links: Amazon|Goodreads

Source: Novel Publicity blog tour (thank you, NP!)

It's not about sex.

It's about how one secret act of violence changes everything--how best friends can desert you when you need them most, how nobody understands. It's about the drinking and stealing and lying and wondering who you can trust. It's about parents and teachers, police officers and counselors--all the people who are supposed to help you, but who may not even believe you.

It's about how suddenly all of your hopes and dreams can vanish, and you can find yourself all alone, with nothing and no one. Your only choice is to end it all or to start over... and all you can think is Maybe I Will.

Author Laurie Gray presents a compelling picture of the realities of sexual assault in Maybe I Will, drawing on her years of experience as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, dealing with crimes against children. The twist in the story is that we never know for sure if the victim is a boy or a girl, and we realize that it doesn't matter, because it's not about sex.

REVIEW

I found myself thinking about this six-word paragraph I read in Anthem: "I am. I think. I will." The words were so powerful, but they kept turning into questions in my mind. I am. Who am I? I think. What do I think? I will. I will what? Maybe I will, but maybe I won't. Maybe I will, but maybe I don't. Maybe I don't will anything. Maybe it all happens regardless of my will.

In case you didn't get the drift from the above quote alone, Maybe I Will is powerful. It's intense and devastating, in part, because of the tragedy that befalls the protagonist and for the most part, because of the way it is written itself.

We do not know much about Sandy in the beginning. We do not know his(/her) gender, for instance. Sandy's parents intended to name the main character Sandy, short for Sandford or Sandra. What was it finally short for? We do not know. At the same time, we know that Sandy is a powerhouse of amazing on stage. That Sandy is a sophomore who takes high school seriously... seriously enough to think hard over his/her assignments anyway. We also know that Sandy really hits it off with a co-actor in the Peter Pan play; Shanika Washington. That Sandy loves the Bard, quotes Shakespeare in a way that is infectious and watches Hamlet for fun. That Sandy seems to have loving and caring parents and good enough friends. That Sandy is incredibly, inspiringly and realistically resilient. So. Do we know Sandy after all?

Despite not knowing Sandy's sex or sexual orientation... constructs that seem to be enough to characterise most Young Adult protagonists these days... don't we know Sandy? Irrespective of the exclusion of Sandy's gender from the story which would've probably influenced our thoughts of Sandy as either "sensitive" or "angsty" depending on whether Sandy was male or female... or as gay or straight... we know Sandy. In fact, we know more of Sandy, now that the labels have been tucked away from our line of vision.

Then, at the central point of the story comes the act of violence that you anticipate and yet barely see coming... the consequences on Sandy's esteem, health and social life shock you. Sandy is sexually assaulted... there is no other word for it... or is there? Because just like the other carefully label-excluded aspects of the story, the incident, despite being crude and aggressive and violating, is clearly not about sex. 

The assault makes Sandy feel violated and vulnerable and friendless... reduced to a shell. Redefining Sandy; as he/she questions things that were once taken for granted.

At different points of the story, two labels are attributed to Sandy by others: rich and kid which made me go... heh. It was surprising how starkly these labels stood out from the rest of the novel. It was gratifying how these labels never stuck to Sandy.

Maybe I Will blew.me.away.It figuratively shattered me into tiny pieces as I felt like I was witness to a shock, slow breakdown and at the same time, incredible efforts to regain sense of self in the wake of a nightmare. It made me question our natural tendency to gender type due to the total absence of gender typing in the book. It made me reevaluate my feelings towards sexual assault... making me realise that it wasn't about how far the perpetrator got or how physically bruised the person was at all because it's not about sex. It never was.

In case you're wondering, I started off picturing Sandy as a girl (it must have something to do with the abundance of female protagonists in Young Adult fiction) and then, when I realised the sex was never mentioned, tried imagining Sandy as a boy... and gradually, after switching back and forth a few times, I ended up reading Sandy as... Sandy. That made for a very liberating and different experience! Maybe I Will has been compared to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and while it is definitely recommended for those who read and loved Speak, I think this novel stands on its own in terms of the barriers it breaks and the way it picks apart the assault; zeroing in on the core of what it really was.

Rating: ★★★★★

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Welcome to Novel Publicity's latest publishing house blog tour. Join us as two new titles from Luminis Books--we're calling them the Luminis Duo--tour the blogosphere in a way that just can't be ignored. And, hey, we've got prizes! 

About the author: 

Laurie Gray has worked as a high school teacher, a deputy prosecuting attorney, and the founder of Socratic Parenting LLC (www.SocraticParenting.com). In addition to writing, speaking and consulting, Laurie currently works as a bilingual child forensic interviewer at her local Child Advocacy Center and as an adjunct professor of criminal sciences at Indiana Tech. She has served on the faculty of the National Symposium for Child Abuse in Huntsville, Alabama, annually since 2009. Her debut novel Summer Sanctuary (Luminis Books/2010) received a Moon Beam Gold Medal for excellence in young adult fiction and was named a 2011 Indiana Best Book Finalist. Her third young adult novel Just Myrto (Luminis Books/2014) will carry readers back to ancient Greece to meet Socrates, Laurie’s favorite teacher of all times. Connect with Laurie on her website, Facebook, or GoodReads.

 About the prizes:

Who doesn't love prizes? You could win either of two $25 Amazon gift cards, an autographed copy of Maybe I Will by Laurie Gray Aloha, Mozart by Waimea Williams, or an autographed copy of its tour mate, Aloha, Mozart by Waimea Williams. Here's what you need to do...

1. Enter the Rafflecopter contest
2. Leave a comment on my blog.

That's it! One random commenter during this tour will win a $25 gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win--the full list of participating bloggers can be found here. The other $25 gift card and the 3 autographed books will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Luminis Duo tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck!

Luminis Books was launched in January, 2010 by husband and wife team Tracy Richardson and Chris Katsaropoulos with a mission to publish thought-provoking literary fiction for children and adults. We publish what we love: Meaningful Books That Entertain. Our award-winning books engage and inform readers and explore a wide range of topics from love and relationships, teen sexual assault and homelessness to string theory, consciousness, and the Universal Energy Field. Luminis Books is a proudly independent publisher located in Carmel, IN. Learn more at www.luminisbooks.com.  

Learn more about Maybe I Will's tour mate HERE.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Wonder-ful Giveaway: Wonder by RJ Palacio

Last year, this time, I was a mess. I felt pressure from all directions: college, friends, life and did not know what to do about it. Then, that day happened. You know... that day when it all blows up in your face?

The good thing about that day was that it could not get any worse from then on.

The bad thing was that it did not have to.

Luckily, I had a brand new copy of Wonder that day. I couldn't read it then... but the next day, when I skipped college because I really.really.needed.a.break... I read Wonder.

And it was like this balm that made everything temporarily okay. It was hilarious, poignant, emotional and impactful. This book made that day okay. Or at least, it made me feel like everything was going to be okay.

Today, I (belatedly) celebrated the Day of Compassion as a part of my Social Psychology course on Coursera.org. As a part of it, it seemed inevitable that I use it as an opportunity to giveaway an e-copy of Wonder because... not only does the book have personal relevance to me... not only do I wish you read it now if you haven't read it already, but the characters in Wonder exemplify genuine warmth in a way that makes you feel cared for; like the world is a decent place and you're in good hands.

Hopefully, it will brighten up your day as well or change your life or perspective in some way!

Publication date: February 14th, 2012
Publisher: Knopf

Stars: 5/5

Links: Amazon|Goodreads|The Book Depository

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

I'm going to leave you with a few quotes from Wonder  that I feel captures a bit of the book:

“Now that I look back, I don't know why I was so stressed about it all this time. Funny how sometimes you worry a lot about something and it turns out to be nothing.”   

 “...your deeds are like your monuments. Built with memories instead of stone.” 

“My mom smiled at me. Her smile kind of hugged me.”  

“MR. BROWNE'S SEPTEMBER PRECEPT:

WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN BEING
RIGHT OR BEING KIND, CHOOSE KIND.”

To enter the e-giveaway, sign into the rafflecopter below. There aren't any requirements to follow my blog or tweet or anything; though I'd appreciate it if you spread word about the giveaway, all the same!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you have a great week! ❤

Review: Elite (Eagle Elite #1) by Rachel Van Dyken

Publication date: July 9th, 2013

Publisher: Forever

Stars: 2/5

Links: Amazon|Goodreads|B&N

Source: NetGalley

For Tracey Rooks, life with her grandparents on a Wyoming farm has always been simple. But after her grandmother's death, Tracey is all her grandfather has. So when Eagle Elite University announces its annual scholarship lottery, Tracey jumps at the opportunity to secure their future and enters. She isn't expecting much-but then she wins. And life as she knows it will never be same . . .

The students at Eagle Elite are unlike any she's ever met . . . and they refuse to make things easy for her. There's Nixon, gorgeous, irresistible, and leader of a group that everyone fears: The Elect. Their rules are simple. 1. Do not touch The Elect. 2. Do not look at The Elect. 3. Do not speak to The Elect. No matter how hard she tries to stay away, The Elect are always around her and it isn't long until she finds out the reason why they keep their friends close and their enemies even closer. She just didn't realize she was the enemy -- until it was too late.

REVIEW

Skimming through the blurb of Elite, I was... quite taken with the plot. It seemed mysterious and sexy. Very what I wanted my next New Adult read to be like: with some of the tried-and-tested New Adult formula, Gossip Girl-style drama mixed a dash of mystery and action. But once I started reading the book, I was... just... so...

I couldn't connect with the premise. And that's never a good thing.

Rachel Van Dyken sets Elite in Eagle Elite College; the destination of the rich and privileged. It is like a kingdom on its own and a gateway to opportunity. This mini-kingdom is however highly regulated as everything, from the cliques, lunch hall passes to elevator rides, are controlled by The Elect; consisting of Nixon and his posse.

Tracey Rooks is a country girl who, after spending half her life in a farm, is swept into the exclusive world of Eagle Elite College. Of course, since she's on scholarship, she is automatically treated like vermin by the populace there and dubbed Farm Girl. When she refuses to be treated like dirt and rebels against the "system", she catches the eye of Nixon. What follows is a capitalisation of how Everything is Not As It Seems, senseless attacks and slut shaming, regular students who behave like uneducated flakes, a surface-level love triangle, some mafioso-style action and Revelations (with a capital R) connected to Tracey's repressed childhood and lineage.

Agh.

I found nearly half of it highly improbable and the other half repulsive.

Why would things like the number of elevator rides a person is allowed per day or lunch room allocation be left to a group of students, however high up and powerful they are? What's with nearly. every. person. in the book having zero redeeming qualities?

Barring Chase and Nixon's sister, Monroe, every other character -however significant or insignificant their role in the scheme of things- was stereotypical and judgmental. They weren't beyond egg-ing the New Girl or depriving her of her lunch just because she was "poor", "farm girl" and -allegedly- a "slut". The drama had a pained and sickly edge to it, very unlike the deliciousness of scandals in Gossip Girl. The students of Elite were more a part of a mob than individuals, echoing each other at every turn in a way that made me want to tear my hair apart. What do they even teach them at this place?

Seventy five percent of the book is filled with such WTF moments that go WAY over your head. It is ridiculous. It is over the top. It is riddled with implausible extremities. Even the love story, which had its moments, was ninety percent garbage. I wonder if Nixon would've ever acted on his attraction for Tracey, or if it would've been more than a lust-filled affair, if he hadn't figured out who she really was. It's a pity as the writing is not half bad, Tracey's back story is laced with genuine charm and tragedy and there are some parts that have you swooning. Also, it's fair to say that the plot never dragged or felt dreary at any point.

Too bad most of it was downright ludicrous! Elite #1 almost ruined the whole lives-of-the-rich-and-privileged theme for me. I would definitely not want to attend Eagle Elite College... even for a day... nor am I curious about what's in store for these characters in the later books.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

ARC Review: This Girl by Colleen Hoover (Slammed #3)

Publication date: August 13th, 2013

Publisher: Atria Books

Stars: 3.5/5

Links: Amazon|Goodreads|The Book Depository

Source: NetGalley

There are two sides to every love story. Now hear Will’s.

Colleen Hoover’s New York Times bestselling Slammed series has brought countless readers to their knees with a whirlwind of love, passion, and heartache.

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from his point of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series.

REVIEW

The third part to the Slammed series is Slammed all over again, only in Will's perspective! It's told in flashbacks and is narrated by Will to Layken during their honeymoon. I do not enjoy same-story-from-another-character's-perspective kind of novels... Usually, I find it to be a waste as I rarely feel like I come away with much.

While I did want to read This Girl, I believed it wasn't a MUST HAVE... I'd much rather read about a ten-years-later plotline featuring Kel, Kierstan and Caulder! As far as I could see it, Will and Lake's story was done. While I stand by my initial opinion, I did enjoy reading This Girl.

The main reason? The nostalgia factor! Slammed, for me, was a terrific novel. It remains my favourite of the series. Apart from introducing me to slam poetry, it was heartache and heartbreak rolled into one. This Girl was a great way to revisit the beginnings of Lake and Will's relationship. They had some really cute moments and a ton of "Oh crap this is not happening!" moments. Will's perspective did shed light on some of his decisions early on. There was also a lot that happened during Slammed from Will's side that Lake (and we) didn't have a clue about! Will and Lake's mother were better acquainted than we thought, for one. I also loved the Will-Caulder-Kel moments we weren't privy to in Slammed!

Revisiting my favourite slams by Lake and Will, especially Schooled and the Lake poem were an added bonus! Learning a little more about what happened in the months between Slammed and Point of Retreat that was merely mentioned in the second part was also great. However, I did not enjoy the parts of the story set in the present, during the honeymoon, as most of their conversations didn't flow naturally. They felt very orchestrated... just to trigger relevant flashbacks in chronological order.

If you love what you've read of the Slammed series, I'm guessing no one can stop you from picking This Girl up! While the parts set in the present, which, except for the very end, made me roll my eyes... most of the flashbacks were fun. Some of the parts that I found cutest in Slammed reduced me to mush all over again (The first date! Carving pumpkins!). Some details made my mouth go slack and by the time we cut to Lake surprising Will with 'Schooled'- I was swooning all over again! This time, WITH Will. There is a lot that happened in Slammed that Lake knew nothing about. I think that ultimately made This Girl more than just a different way of reading Slammed all over again.

Rating: ★★★1/2

Novel Publicity Whirlwind Tour stop; Review: Along the Watchtower by David Litwack

Publication date: June 3rd, 2013

Publisher: Double Dragon Publishing

Stars: 3.5/5

Links: Amazon|Goodreads|The Book Depository

Source: Review copy (as a part of the blog tour)

A Tragic Warrior Lost in Two Worlds…

The war in Iraq ended for Lieutenant Freddie Williams when an IED explosion left his mind and body shattered. Once he was a skilled gamer and expert in virtual warfare. Now he’s a broken warrior, emerging from a medically induced coma to discover he’s inhabiting two separate realities. The first is his waking world of pain, family trials, and remorse—and slow rehabilitation through the tender care of Becky, his physical therapist. The second is a dark fantasy realm of quests, demons, and magic that Freddie enters when he sleeps.

In his dreams he is Frederick, Prince of Stormwind, who must make sense of his horrific visions in order to save his embattled kingdom from the monstrous Horde. His only solace awaits him in the royal gardens, where the gentle words of the beautiful gardener, Rebecca, calm the storms in his soul. While in the conscious world, the severely wounded vet faces a strangely similar and equally perilous mission—a journey along a dark road haunted by demons of guilt and memory—and letting patient, loving Becky into his damaged and shuttered heart may be his only way back from Hell.

REVIEW

An IED explosion leaves a shattered Lieutenant and skilled gamer with two alternate realities: one filled with pain, attempts at half-hearted recuperation, reality hitting him in flashbacks and present tense… and the other -manifested in his dreams- a surge of quests, trials and tangible obstacles leading to the him being crowned King.

What unites these two realities?

o The fact that they are happening to the same person: the Lieutenant, who took his job seriously, took the losses suffered from war hard and used to play World of Warcraft with his army buddies.

o The compassionate woman reaching out to them: Becky/Rebecca who gives the protagonist/hero hope/latent hope.

o Fragments of memories/clues; an aftermath of the war that help them make sense of all he has lost and question all that is left.

Along the Watchtower was unlike anything I have ever read… it was surreal, sometimes baffling and most times brilliant. The realistic/fantastical narratives ran parallel to each other with brilliant points of overlap and chronicled the effects of war, the parables of loss and the comforting and magical nature of social support. It illustrated the horrors of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and curious ways employed by the mind and heart to heal.

I’m not going to lie… it took me a while to gain sure footing as I journeyed through the book… I felt like we were thrust into two completely different floors of the Lieutenant’s mind at the same time and it took me a while to comprehend it all. But once I did, I was fascinated by the parallels in characterization, the contrasting feel of the well-written narratives and the Lieutenant/Dauphin’s slow progress through the trials before him.

When the Lieutenant’s reality tore me apart, there was always the magic and cheeriness of his dream-(albeit dark) quest that rearranged his abstract worries and painful memories. Over the course of the book, you will learn to fear and embrace the assassin, make sense of the layers of memory and despair that plague the Lieutenant as he reconstructs the events before his injury and feel the warmth that comes from reading a good book that arrives that a satisfactory ending… in this case, endings as both the recuperation from the war effort and bridging of familial loss, unconscious advancing of trials and braving through the medieval quest are done justice to.

Rating: ★★★1/2

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As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, both Along the Watchtower and There Comes a Prophet by David Litwack are on sale this week. What’s more, by purchasing either or both of these fantastic books at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include a Kindle Fire, $650 in Amazon gift cards, and 5 autographed copies of each book. All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win! To win the prizes:

1. Pick up Along the Watchtower at its discounted price of $2.99 on Amazon
2. Get There Comes a Prophet at its discounted price of 99 cents
3. Enter the Rafflecopter contest below
4. Visit the featured social media events
5. Leave a comment on my blog for a chance at a $100 prize.

Along the Watchtower tells of a tragic warrior lost in two worlds; a woman who may be his only way back from Hell. Get it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes. There Comes a Prophet A thousand years ago the Darkness came—a time of violence and social collapse. Nathaniel has grown up in their world of limits, longing for something more. For what are we without dreams? Get it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes.

David Litwack, the once and future writer, explores the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.  Visit David on his website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.