SOULSPARK Cover Reveal! Eliza Tilton's Newest Novel - Young Adult Contemporary Romance With a Promise to Rip Open Your Heart!

Today, I get to share another gorgeous cover with you! ELIZA TILTON is the author of the YA Fantasy series The Daath Chronicles, published by Curiosity Quills Press.

SOULSPARK is a young adult Contemporary Romance sure to rip open your heart and stitch it back together.

Here's the blurb:

Dealing with the loss of her mother, seventeen-year-old Jessica Stone tries to find an escape from the pain by secretly medicating herself with Xanax, but the anxiety increases, crushing her and her grades.

Then she meets Caleb Jonas, the pastor’s son at her mother’s church. Between his cute dimples and love of fast cars, Jessica is completely smitten, and the feeling is mutual. But dating a Christian boy isn’t easy. He doesn’t party, and he never goes past first base. Jessica struggles with his faith, since it makes her question her own, but for the first time since her mother’s death, she can breathe. Life is finally shifting into a state of happiness.

But that happiness shatters when Jessica catches Caleb kissing her ex-best friend—and step-brother’s girlfriend—Rachel, the girl who used to be like her sister, and the same girl who betrayed her once before.

While her stepbrother hints at a deeper connection between the two, Caleb insists it was a one-time mistake and begs forgiveness. With contradicting stories coming at her, Jessica isn’t sure who to believe, but sometimes the truth is better left undiscovered and she’s about to find out why.

Without further ado, the beautiful cover for SOULSPARK!

ADD SOULSPARK TO YOUR GOODREADS SHELF!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eliza Tilton graduated from Dowling College with a BS in Visual Communications. When she’s not arguing with excel at her day job, or playing Dragon Age 2, again, she’s writing. Her stories hold a bit of the fantastical and there’s always a romance. She resides on Long Island with her husband, two kids and one very snuggly pit bull. Her YA Fantasy series, The Daath Chronicles, is published by Curiosity Quills Press.

Connect with the Author Across Social Media:

Twitter / Tumblr / Website / Pinterest / Facebook / Goodreads / Instagram

SOULSPARK! LOOK FOR IT SPRING 2015!

Cheryl Rainfield - PARALLEL VISIONS - A Review of a Teen Psychic Novel 1

TITLE: Parallel Visions

AUTHOR: Cheryl Rainfield

RELEASE DATE: November 20, 2012

FORMAT/PAGE COUNT: Kindle/146 pages

PUBLISHER: Rain & Sun Press

PURCHASED: Amazon

SYNOPSIS:

Visions can kill you. Would you risk your life to save someone else's?

Kate sees psychic visions of the future and the past—but only when she's having an asthma attack. When she "sees" her sister being beaten, she needs more visions to try to save her, along with a suicidal classmate—but triggering her asthma could kill her. Parallel Visions is the story of one brave, caring girl whose unusual gifts put her own life in danger. (From GOODREADS)

REVIEW:

Parallel Visions was one of those books I just wanted to devour in one sitting. It grabbed this reader from the first sentence! 'My chest hurts like my ribs are scraping my flesh with every breath, and I can already hear the wheeze.' Kate, the narrator of the story, has chronic asthma. Growing up with a brother who suffered asthma, that opening sentence practically made me hold my breath so I could listen for Kate's. What Rainfield did with the already present drama surrounding bad asthma attacks is pump up the severity of the action by adding foretelling visions to the character's attack experience. And she did it well!

A short read, Parallel Visions more than makes up for its size with its action packed goodness. The way Rainfield began the story with the immediate action of an asthma attack was a brilliant way to get the reader to become invested in the narrator. And the narrator's fears for what she 'sees' happening to the characters around her causes the reader to become invested with them as well. Kate sees a bleak future during her opening asthma attack...a future where death and mayhem occur. With her visions, Kate introduces us to a teen who is struggling with the destruction of her life at the hands of merciless and violent bullies. The visions also show us Kate's own sister, whose life is spiraling out of control at the hands of an abusive husband. The tone of the novel is set with the visions Kate experiences in this opening asthma attack. And the pace is put into full throttle as we move forward in a race against the possibly inevitable future Kate's visions have given her. But wait...this attack also introduces the reader to a possible hero (and love interest) in Kate's classmate, Gil. Gil is not only her classmate, but the brother of the teen Kate sees suffering at the hands of bullies. This draws Kate and Gil together, as they team up to figure out a way to save the day.

Rainfield is an excellent storyteller, and conscientious of the struggles facing today's teen community. Her books always deal with these hot-button topics in such an amazing way...a way that is neither preachy nor condescending. She makes her stories and characters approachable and real. She takes these issues and weaves wonderful stories around them. Readers can see her passion for justice and equality in every word...and they get a wonderful fast-paced ride of excitement thrown into the deal. Parallel Visions is no exception. This story deals with bullies, homophobia, abuse, rape, individuality and the struggles of being different. But beyond the task of tackling these tough issues, Rainfield delivers an exciting read. One you will remember for a long time. This is a story with bite. Just don't be surprised if you feel yourself gasping for breath along the way. Rainfield writes asthma like one who has experienced it in one way or another. Being someone who grew up around it, I constantly found myself panicked in the face of Kate's attacks. The writing is true and urgent.

MY REVIEW OF CHERYL RAINFIELD'S HUNTED

MY REVIEW OF CHERYL RAINFIELD'S SCARS


SIZE: 5

Favourite YA of the Year? Maybe! UNDER THE MOON by Deborah Kerbel - REVIEW

TITLE: Under the Moon

AUTHOR: Deborah Kerbel

RELEASE DATE: January 2012

FORMAT/PAGE COUNT: Kindle/200

PUBLISHER: Cormorant Books


PURCHASED: Amazon

FROM KERBEL'S WEBSITE - A LIST OF HER BOOKS AND WHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM.

SYNOPSIS:

A girl who's lost her sleep...
A boy who's lost his dreams...
And twenty-six nights that change their lives.
Fifteen-year-old Lily MacArthur has trouble sleeping. In fact, she doesn't sleep at all--at least, not since the death of her aunt. As the days turn into weeks, Lily becomes convinced that death-by-exhaustion is around the corner and searches the moonlit nights for a way to save herself from the long, dark hours of solitude.

Can her new friend, Ben, help her find her sleep? Or do secrets from Ben's past mean that he also needs saving? (From GOODREADS)



EXPECTATIONS: High expectations. I was pleasantly surprised by Kerbel's Mackenzie Lost and Found. After reading it, I knew I had to read the rest of her stuff...both published and not-yet-published.

MARKET/GENRE: Young Adult/Contemporary (This is definitely a cross-over...would appeal to adults)


REVIEW:

15-year-old Lily MacArthur is not sleeping. Ever since her eccentric romance novel writing Aunt Su passed away, she's been wide-eyed and counting the days left of her existence. Lily knows humans can only live so long without sleep (she's Googled it). While the clock of doom counts down her dwindling seconds, Lily makes the most of her time left on Earth.

Lily is such an adorable character. She's saucy and introverted and looking for wonder. Her Aunt Su is a pivotal character in her life--the polar opposite of Lily's rigid domineering mother. Su wore muumuus, smoked (and grew her own) pot in her segregated cabin in the woods. She was worldly and she had a shelf full of best-selling romance novels under her belt to prove it. Clearly, Aunt Su is who Lily strives to be. She wants to be nothing like her control-freak mother, whom she not so endearingly refers to as General MacArthur.

Lily’s sleepless nights lead her to wandering the streets of her small town. And this leads her directly to the all-night fry place's drive-thu window and the new boy in town. She is immediately drawn to the morose Ben Matthews, who has a mystery she’s willing to get to the bottom of. Kerbel did a great job with the emotional landscape of this Ben character. He brushes the line of inappropriateness so often, it leaves the reader waiting to like him, but ultimately cautious. With whatever it is he’s going through clearly weighing deeply on his soul, Ben tends towards meanness when speaking to Lily. Kerbel set this up PERFECTLY because the reader is—by the time Ben shows up—completely invested in Lily. We are protective of her, as much as we are excited for her.

So, we have an interesting storyline that pulls us along at a great pace. Lily’s aunt dies—Lily stops sleeping and knows that eventually this could kill her—Lily meets the new town hottie before anybody else gets a chance to—Lily’s mother is a control-freak with a daughter who seems on the cusp of rampant disorder. These are all intriguing storylines. Throw in the fact Aunt Su willed everything she owned to Lily, the fact that new social movement—a movement Lily is none to impressed with—attempts to bring Lily into its fold and the dark tale of loss spiraling out behind Ben that is about to put him in very real and immediate peril and you have a fantastic novel in Under the Moon!

Kerbel establishes a wonderful character in Lily…one the reader is compelled to love. And then she takes her (and the reader) on a wonderfully quirky adventure. I won’t say this novel is perfect—there are no perfect novels—but I will tell you I loved it. I couldn’t put it down. There are a couple coincidences in the story that are a bit timely…but they are EASILY forgivable. Lily is a character you will remember for a long time after reading her story. Which is what I think you should do right now—you’ll have to find out for yourself if things work out for her. After breaking the world record for staying awake longer than the last person who died of sleeplessness, there’s not a lot of options for Lily. Kerbel does a phenomenal job of making Lily’s future look bright while simultaneously keeping her perilously awake and in danger of dying. Enjoy the read!

 

EXPECTATION: We don't pick our favourite books...we just look for a good story and hope--with every book we pick up--that we have found one. To date, Under the Moon is my pick for favourite YA of 2012. Satisfied! 100% Awaiting the next Kerbel!


SIZE: 5 (1/2)

What a Boy Needs - Review

Title: What a Boy Needs

Author: Nyrae Dawn

Release Date: June, 2012

Format: ebook

Publisher: Self-Published - Amazon Digital Services

Purchased: Amazon

Synopsis:  

A companion novel to WHAT A BOY WANTS.

Jaden Sinclair knows he'll never amount to anything...so why would he deserve a girl like Priscilla Mendoza?

Since last summer, things have been screwed up between Jaden and Pris. He knows it's his fault, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to go a few rounds with her new boyfriend. He also knows he’s the loser his dad calls him, but it doesn’t stop him from wanting her.

After getting a huge bomb dropped on him, Jaden lashes out and lands himself in jail. Everything in his chaotic life is turned upside down and to make it worse, his mom kicks him out in order to side with his dad. Yeah, he’s totally a prize for a girl like Pris.

Sebastian, Aspen, and Pris are all going places in their lives...and he knows he can't keep tagging along for the ride.

The group has one last chance for The Epic Adventure they've been looking for: a road trip to New York, where Jaden's friends will be going to college. Unfortunately, the more time Jaden hangs around Pris, the harder it is to keep the carefully constructed walls between them so she doesn't find out what a train wreck he really is.

When the trip ends, Jaden has to decide if he's ready to say goodbye to his friends, and the girl he loves. He knows what he needs, but will he be man enough to go for it?

Contains mature themes. Some sexual situations and language. (From GOODREADS)

Expectation: I had a high expectation for this novel. I had recently read the companion novel, What a Boy Wants. I loved it and expected no less from this novel.

Market/Genre: Young Adult/Romance, Contemporary

Review:

Favourite Quotes:

‘…everyone is moving on—going toward something, and I keep slipping farther behind.’ ~ Jaden Sinclair (Nyrae Dawn, What a Boy Needs)

‘I was never really happy here. I never felt like it was mine, but it almost feels as though I’m trying to get into a foreign country without my passport. I made it over the border, but I’m prepared to get kicked out at any moment.’ ~ Jaden Sinclair (Nyrae Dawn, What a Boy Needs)

I wasn’t quite sure that What a Boy Needs could top What a Boy Wants…or even come close to the likeability factor of Nyrae Dawn’s first book in this ‘series’. I went in to What a Boy Needs hoping for more of the same. Did Dawn deliver?

In spades! Not only did she give her readers more of the same 4 wonderful characters she introduced us to in What a Boy Wants, but she gave us a depth in these characters that was SO much richer than revealed to us in the first book. The first book was great…it was a fun read with a wonderful lead character. We all really dug Sebastian…went along for the ride he set out for us. So, when I say that Jaden really blew me away, I don’t really want to take away from Sebastian’s story in any way.

Jaden Sinclair is a complicated character. Where Sebastian gave us a bit of a thrill ride with his loveable hi-jinx, Jaden gives us an emotional ride. Jaden is broken. Part of his problem is trying to represent himself as present and intact. The reader realizes right away that trouble boils under Jaden’s carefully chosen façade. His parents are against him—one is bitter of his existence while the other is resentful of it. He sees his three closest friends—Sebastian, Aspen and Pris—on the verge of escaping their town, while he is simultaneously coming to the conclusion that the plan the four set out to achieve couldn’t possibly include him when the time comes to actually put it into action. Add the fact that he is falling in love with Pris, and you have a collision course of emotions that is bound to erupt and end badly.

In order to save himself, Jaden must trust those closest to him with the real Jaden Sinclair—the boy his best friends don’t even know about. The complicated boy who doesn’t feel loved in any way. The reader wants to push him to come clean. We have been with these four friends for a while now. We know Sebastian, Aspen and Pris will do right by him. It’s a bit frustrating for the reader that he just won’t take that plunge. But also understandable. He’s a hurting unit. Vulnerable and broken.

We can palpably feel Jaden’s pain when, at one point in his own frustration, he says to himself, ‘Say it, Jay. Open your mouth and talk to her!’

It was so easy to slip back into reading these characters. Dawn has stayed true to all of them, while at the same time giving her readers a deeper, more meaningful glimpse into each of them. Jaden makes for a superb narrator—just as fabulous as Sebastian, but in a much different way. The second quote above captures Jaden so perfectly: “I’m prepared to get kicked out at any moment”. This is Jaden in a nutshell…the true undisguised Jaden. Buckle yourself in for an emotional rollercoaster that still has the elements of fun that you loved in What a Boy Wants. When the foursome deal with the issues burdening Jaden, they grow up a little. They learn to appreciate each other more. And they take the readers along with them.

This is a must read. If you haven’t read What a Boy Wants yet, you have a real treat ahead of you when you read both novels side by side. See what everybody is talking about. Discover What a Boy Wants and What a Boy Needs. You’ll understand why the name Nyrae Dawn is generating such a buzz.

You'll keep reading What a Boy Wants to find out if Sebastian gets the girl. With What a Boy Needs, there is so much more at stake. Sure, you'll read it to find out if Jaden gets his girl...but you'll also read it to find out if he gets his life. Enjoy them both!

Expectation: This book rocked. I was nervous about it…knowing how much I liked the first book, I set a high expectation on this one. We all know what can happen with Part 2s. I was NOT disappointed! Another win for Nyrae Dawn.

Size: 5 (1/2)

MY REVIEW FOR WHAT A BOY WANTS

What a Boy Wants on Amazon

An Interview with the Amazing Nyrae Dawn! What a Boy Wants/What a Boy Needs

Nyrae Dawn – What a Boy Wants/What a Boy Needs

Today I want to talk about Nyrae Dawn. Nyrae is the author of a pretty awesome YA book I came across through the reading/writing network on Twitter. If you were in any way involved with this huge Twitter niche in April, you would have heard something about Nyrae and her debut novel, WHAT A BOY WANTS.

I have since discovered that there is a pretty steadily growing fan club for her characters. It’s like something I have never really seen before. Even Nyrae herself is happy to take a backseat to What a Boy Wants smooth talker, Sebastian Hawkins…as evidenced by the section of her blog titled SEBASTIAN SPEAKS. Nyrae acts as medium to Sebastian, giving his fans more Sebastian all the time. Quite a clever marketing tool, but also…just a great example of how truly popular her fictional character has become to his/her loyal fans.

After the groundswell of book love that came Nyrae’s way in April, she has promised her fans a follow-up companion novel from the point of view of Sebastian’s best pal, Jaden Sinclair. Well, that book is about to hit the e-waves!

WHAT A BOY NEEDS will be released JUNE 12^th. I will be purchasing it on release day. I can’t wait to delve back into the incredible world of Bastian, Jaden, Aspen & Pris. Nyrae has made a great franchise with these four highly likeable contemporary characters. I, for one, hope she finds a way to make this journey a 4-book series…with one book from each of the girls’ perspectives as well.

Since Nyrae has, to date, virtually escaped talking about herself, I wanted to take the attention away from Sebastian and Jaden for a few minutes and ask her a few questions.

KC: One of the most famous (infamous) lines in Jack Nicholson’s long career is one he made as Melvin Udall in 1997’s As Good As It Gets. When the receptionist asks him, “How do you write women so well?” he replies, “I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability.” – I had to use that quote. The receptionist’s question was the first thing I wanted to say to Nyrae Dawn when I read What a Boy Wants. Well, what I wanted to ask was, “How do you write teenage boys so well?” So, I will ask it now. Before I do, I just want to say…Sebastian Hawkins was SO incredibly well written, it was spooky realizing it was actually a woman writing his words. Nyrae NAILED the teen boy brain! So, Nyrae, how do you write teen boys so well?

NR: Okay, I have to say that is the best. Compliment. Ever! I really appreciate it. This question is really hard to answer though. I always worry I’m  making it sound as though I’m stereotyping all boys into a certain category and I want to say first, that I’m not. Just like all girls are different, boys are as well. I DO believe most boys process things differently though. They’re more visual… Where a girl may focus on how things feel emotionally, a boy may focus on how it looks or feels physically (I really, REALLY don’t want that to come off sounding wrong). It doesn’t mean they feel things less… just differently, IMO.

I think part of the reason I enjoy writing teen boy POV so much is because I had A LOT of male friends in high school. I went to a small school where everyone knew everyone and my house was sort of the “hang out spot”. I was the girl who was in the “friend” category so I had a lot of guy friends and they felt comfortable to be themselves around me. I heard a lot… saw a lot. They talked trash to each other all the time—but they were the first to come to each other’s defense if someone outside their friends did it. They teased me mercilessly and left me behind for girls they liked, but they were also the ones who put wildflowers by my bed when I had a bad day or warned “outsider” boys to treat me right if I dated someone. The funny thing is… it’s just how they were. I don’t even think they realized it when they did sweet things like that. Anyway, sorry, long answer. I just think of them a lot when I write boys.

KC: No, no. Don’t apologize! Great answer. I loved it…and so will your readers, I’m sure. When I discover a new writer, I become quite curious about the things that brought them to the point in their journey in which they happen to be at that moment. So, this question has a few parts to it. I like to know what an author’s favourite things are. Nyrae, do you mind filling out the following favourites list?

KC: Favourite Author(s) Now & Favourite Children’s Author(s) Growing Up:

NR: I’m a huge Sarah Ockler fan. She puts words together so beautifully. I love Jenny Han’s summer series. For boy POV, I love Mindi Scott, Swati Avasthi, CK Kelly Martin and Where She Went by Gayle Foreman. Growing up I loved the Narnia series. It was always my favourite.

KC: Favourite Movie(s):

NR: I’m a romance addict. LOL. I love Titanic, The Notebook,  Love and Basketball.

KC: Favourite Quote from a novel:

“I was attempting to write the story of my life. It wasn't so much about plot. It was much more about character.” ― David Levithan, Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

KC: Favourite Writing Place? Is there a particular place you run to when you want to write?

NR: I love writing at Barnes and Noble or Starbucks.

KC: What 3 books would you take to a deserted island?

NR: Lover Awakened by JR Ward (adult series), Twilight (yeah, I said it, lol), and for when I need to laugh, Anna and the French Kiss.

KC: Thanks so much! I love to hear what my favourite writers like. I’m sure your readers will be happy to get this glimpse into your personal favs!

KC: Pantser or Plotter? Do you like to outline your novels, or do you just write off the cuff? OR, do you do a bit of both?

NR: A little of both. I always start off as a pantser. I just write… get a feel for the story and characters and then about 25-50% through, I plot.

KC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer? When did you actually begin to write?

NR: I’ve always loved to write. I won my first writing contest in elementary school. I tried stories here and there as I got older, but I didn’t write actively. I was working full time etc. It’s when I moved to California and became a stay at home mom for the first time that I really gave myself a chance to explore writing.

KC: Can you tell us a bit about the journey that WHAT A BOY WANTS took, from concept to finished book available to the public?

NR: I thought a matchmaker book would be fun. The idea just popped in my head, but I originally planned to write it from the girl’s POV. I can’t even explain it, but somehow Sebastian just happened. He was suddenly just THERE and I have never had a character’s voice so clear in my head. It was the first male POV book I wrote. I queried tons of agents with it. Heard a lot of “it’s a fun concept, but I don’t think it will sell”. I finally got an agent who was willing to take a chance. She put it on submission and all the other agents were absolutely right—it didn’t sell. I held onto it for months and months after that. I ended up parting ways with my agent, wrote a lot more books, but I couldn’t forget about Sebastian so I decided to go for it. I KNOW he has a strong personality and isn’t for everyone, but I hoped there would be people out there who loved him the way I do. I self-published and as they say, the rest is history!

KC: What’s your next writing project?

NR: I have another boy POV book I’m editing that I will probably publish sometime this summer. I have a WIP going from the girl’s POV tentatively called SEARCHING FOR BEAUTIFUL. I’m about halfway done with that one. I’m also working on a rewrite with a writer friend. Alternating chapters. I write the boy and she writes the female MC.

KC: Thank you for visiting with us! I’m really thrilled to have this opportunity to share you with potential readers. What a Boy Wants was a great surprise for me…an incredible, fun story – well told! I can’t wait to read WHAT A BOY NEEDS!

NR: Thank you for having me! I had a blast!

KC: Good luck on your upcoming release, Nyrae…and good luck on the future of your writing journey!

NR: Thanks, Kevin. I appreciate it!

You can read my review of What a Boy Wants here: MY REVIEW I will be posting a review of the companion book, What a Boy Needs, just as soon as I have an opportunity to read it!

What a Boy Wants - Review

Title: What a Boy Wants

Author: Nyrae Dawn

Release Date: April 6, 2012

Format/Page Count: KINDLE/141 pages

Publisher: Self Published--Amazon Digital Services

Purchased: Amazon

Synopsis:

Courtesy of watching his mom’s relationships, Sebastian Hawkins knows what girls need to do to get a guy. He has what he considers a PHD in hooking up. When he needs extra cash for a car, Sebastian starts up an online venture as The Hook-up Doctor, to anonymously help girls land the guy of their dreams. Of course, his services don’t offer a happily-ever-after guarantee. He’s seen firsthand getting together never means staying together.

And then he falls in love…

With the last girl he would expect…

Totally not in his game plan.

Suddenly, Sebastian finds himself muddled in the game he’s always prided himself on. He can’t even pick up girls at parties anymore! Why would anyone want to be in love when it turns you into a stuttering, screwed-up, mess with really lame stalker tendencies? Stalking? Totally not his gig.

But the Hook-up Doctor won’t let himself go down easily. He’s always known how to give a girl what she wants and now it’s time to figure out what a boy wants… and he definitely plans on getting it. (From GOODREADS)

Expectation: This was yet another book I heard of through Twitter. It sounded good. I thought I would give it a try...not too much expectation, to tell the truth. I just liked the idea that it was in a guy's first person POV.

REVIEW:

You would think an arrogant narrator would turn a reader off. But über cocky Sebastian is quickly accepted for who he is. He's the cool guy everybody likes. The smooth operator. He's so suave, in fact, he runs a blog to hire out his hook-up services to girls looking to understand and 'connect' with Mr. Right. What does Sebastian care if they only succeed in a plain old simple hook-up, instead of the lasting relationship they might actually be looking for? Sebastian himself is not one for love. He's happy to hook-up with the ladies and steer well clear of relationships and love. After seeing what love does time and again to his single mother, he's happy to continue having a good time without strings.

Nyrae Dawn does an incredible job getting into the head of a teenage boy. She captures the voice perfectly. Although Sebastian's Hook-Up Doctor status kind of makes him a bit of a slime-ball (lets face it...it sounds a little bit skeezy to be selling hook-up skills over the internet!), Dawn is masterful in her ability to make the reader still care about her dastardly narrator. He's a teenage boy, after all. They can be excused for such things, right. Especially if the writer allows the reader to see all the good inside. And under his Hook-Up Doctor facade, Sebastian's just a good kid.

Sebastian starts to see his BFF, Aspen, as something more than a friend. Did she always have the curves he's only now noticing? Has she always been so pretty? The hook-up doctor's 'no emotions-no love' rule seems to crumble as he begins to see Aspen in a new light. But there are all kinds of roadblocks in this quick paced young adult romance. You'll enjoy unravelling the story to find out what happens. It was such a pleasant surprise to watch the characters stumble and grow. The two remaining main characters, Jaden and Pris only add to the enjoyment. Though the friends make up a seemingly unbreakable foursome, Jaden and Pris just can't see eye to eye. Their friction makes for some interesting situations. Friction aside, though, these friends look after one another...to the point of having a PPP (Pre-Party Plan) to keep each other out of trouble.

This is a quick and endearing read. Sebastian is one of the more memorable characters I've read about in recent months. I heard a rumour Ms. Dawn will be bringing her characters back to life in a follow-up of What a Boy Wants (I believe the title is What a Boy Needs and that it takes us closer into the life of Sebastian's best guy friend, Jaden). I, for one, will definitely be picking it up. These characters are vibrant and real. I look forward to spending more time with them!

One important detail I feel I need to address. I would have given this book a 5 1/2 but for this one detail. I know this title is self-published. It's a great great read and I recommend it highly and happily. BUT...there are a few little mistakes within its pages that could have been avoided. There are issues here and there regarding tense. It's written in past tense, but every once in a while there's a slip. There are also a few missing words, or extra words here and there. None of the editing issues take away from the story.
That detail aside...go pick up this book. Nyrae Dawn is a name I'm sure we'll hear a lot about in the future. What a Boy Wants will NOT disappoint! (If I were an agent and this book came across my desk...I'd be ALL over it!)

SIZE: 5

EXPECTATION: Having not much expectation for this title, I can safely say it blew me away. Loved Sebastian's voice. Made it easy to plow through this great story!

Catching Jordan - Review

Title: Catching Jordan

Author: Miranda Kenneally

Release Date: December 1, 2011

Format/Page Count: Kindle Edition

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Purchased: Amazon



Synopsis: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate. (From GOODREADS)

Expectation: I have this expectation section here for honest preconceptions I have prior to reading. So...I will be honest here. I had mixed expectation. TWITTER gave me HUGE expectations, once again. I heard so many amazing things about this book in my twitter feed. BUT I hate football. It's one of the only things we try not to allow on our TV. With a 16 year-old son, I'm not doing very good with that rule. So I thought, 'how will I ever like this book? It's FOOTBALL.' So, my expectation was low regarding the possibility of reading something about my least favourite sport (next to Curling, which...come on, let's face it...is not a sport).

Market/Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary/Romance

Review: 



"I once read that football was invented so people wouldn't notice summer ending."

So begins Catching Jordan. That is a great first line. It pulls you in. You don't have to be a fan of football to feel the absolute weight of that sentence. It's poignant. I loved it. I decided to put aside my prejudices against football once I read that opening sentence.

Jordan Woods is a great football player. As Captain and quarterback of the high school football team, Jordan has to be the best. But does being the best football player in Hundred Oaks High School--maybe even all of Tennessee--get you a free ride to the University of Alabama? Does the fact that your father is the great Donovan Woods, NFL superstar, help? I think it might, if you're a guy. But Jordan Woods is a girl. In a perfect world--in my world--that should not matter in the least. And in Catching Jordan, the reader begins to believe that maybe--just maybe--it won't matter. All is looking good for Jordan. The scouts are noticing her.


Jordan's attempt to make it to Alabama, though, is just one of the threads in this book. BUT it's an important one. As a YA story, I think it's great that the sexist world of sports is examined from this angle. Here, we have an exceptional athlete who deserves to follow the dream and make it to the pros...the top of her chosen sport's arena. The NFL. And, she deserves to get there via the university of her choice--ALABAMA. I won't go into the outcome of this thread, because I don't want to ruin it for the reader. I'll just say that through this thread alone, this was an exceptional read. Kenneally expertly handled this sensitive topic.


Catching Jordan is also about romance. The triangle is made of Jordan, her best friend for life Sam Henry and the new quarterback, Ty Green. Sam Henry was my favourite character. He's a great friend, a truly likeable person and a deeply emotional (without being sappy) person. I liked the relationship between him and Jordan. I always knew there was something going on, but I was never sure what it was. Kenneally wrote this friendship so well...the way Jordan would be concerned for Henry because she knew he was acting differently...the way they shared a bed when Henry slept over...the way her family 'adopted' Henry so completely...the plastic jewellery that Henry wore around his neck and the story behind it. There were just all these lovely things about the two of them.

And Ty. Well, I was a bit concerned about Ty. I liked it when Ty and Jordan became an item. I just could not tell if Ty was being controlling because of the recent trauma in his life, or because he was just a controlling person. It was a razor's edge, but in the end it was another well written twist in the story. See, Ty was likeable. He couldn't be likeable and despised at once. And who's going to like a totally controlling neanderthal? Especially when the one he is suddenly controlling is one of the strongest female leads of recent fictional history. I think Kenneally convinces the reader that Ty's recent upsets have made him overly-protective, not a neanderthal.

Jordan is adorable. A solidly written tomboy. We need more strong female characters in fiction, especially YA fiction. Girls need to know that it's okay to be just as strong OR stronger as boys. This is why I was a little annoyed with Donovan Woods at first. He was a solid wall of denial. His son was a star football player and he supported him and watched tapes with him. He was a great father supporting his son's dream. But he wouldn't go to Jordan's games, wouldn't talk to her about football, nothing. It was like he couldn't even SEE her. It was painful to read, at times. But well written and believable. The reader saw all the obstacles in Jordan's way, including her father. (Thank God for her mother--another well written character.)


When Alabama starts to show interest in Jordan, thankfully her father wakes up to her passion and determination. This thread of the story became truly rewarding. You will like the way Donovan steps up to the plate, so to speak (sorry for the baseball metaphor!).


So, with CATCHING JORDAN you have a strong female character trying to get into a male dominated world. You have a strong female character trying to balance respect for her position as team captain with the 'girlishness' of romance and love. You have a strong female character whose best friend for life is a male. AND you have a strong female character who is just discovering a love of writing while writing about all of these issues in a journal. All of these things in the hands of an amazing writer make for a page-turner you may even read in one sitting. I was driven to read this book, because even though it seemed like it might be predictable it absolutely was not. I found my emotions going up and down as the various threads unravelled. I LIKE that in a story--getting angry with characters, or upset with their choices, etc. I like getting that invested. I promise it will happen to you too. From the opening line (which was just all kinds of awesome) to the end, Catching Jordan is just a pure delight to read. You'll have to read it yourself, though, to find out if the ending is satisfying. It's hard to write about a book you love without giving everything away, so I'll leave it at this.


READ Catching Jordan. You may not fall in love with football if you didn't like it in the first place, but you'll fall in love with the characters in this football story!

SIZE:5

Expectation more than exceeded. You don't have to like football to LOVE this story.