Tag: Contemporary Romance (Page 55 of 90)

BOOK REVIEW: Dairy Queen (Dairy Queen #1) by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

October 1, 2015 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Dairy Queen (Dairy Queen #1)
by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D. J. can’t help admitting, maybe he’s right.

When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn’t so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won’t even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league.

When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D. J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say.

That’s one advantage to not talking. After a while people stop talking back.

I swear, I swear to you….I am not a snob. Really!! Swear!! But come on…look at this cover. It’s a cow. In a tiara. With a blue sky in the background and named after a restaurant I love. What’s a girl to think when she sees this? Oh well, guess it’s a moot point…

Because this book was fabulous. (okay, I was guna use that GIF anyway because duh, friends, but it just worked out so well 😉 )
Basically what it came down to was that my life sucked. It sucked even more than it had before Brian showed up, because now I knew it.

This book, while funny and outwardly mocking in and of itself, was also surprisingly deep, full of values that aren’t always put first in a teenager’s life. D.J.’s voice is one that, while a little different at first, is one that I think many young girls could relate to. Hell, I could relate to it.

Think about it-No, I’m not a farmer, and no, I wasn’t totally socially awkward ever, but I had trouble finding my voice. And not everyone runs into this problem, I know that. But, hey, I grew up in the country, and I went to a school where driving your tractor there wouldn’t raise eyebrows. It was Hick City people. The kids were very kind, very well brought up for a public school, so it should come as no shock to you that when my parents ripped me out of that happy (and horrible academically wise) school away from all my friends just as I was getting my braces and figuring out who I was (thanks mom and dad, really), I had trouble finding my place at the elite schools in town. I bet you’re asking why they pulled me out. I’ll tell you why in a few words: Soccer program (as in, ours was nonexistent and I was REALLY GOOD) and academics. I couldn’t go into high school without a better level of academics and not knowing the in town program and it’s people and coaches. ANYWAY.
I hate it when people make fun of me and it turns out they’re right.

So, when I started in town at a tiny private school with a totally different grading scale and girls that were far more advanced than I in 7th grade, I found that I was standing on the outside of the circle with very little to say besides a literal smile and nod of the head for everything they deemed important. Ah, youth. I want to incinerate some of those moments. But that’s my whole point-I knew what I wanted to say, and I rarely agreed with what they were going on and on about. I had my own opinions, but I was both too shy and too backwards (at the time) to express them…so I just looked wild-eyed at them and nodded my head so as to fit in. Yeah. That worked out great. But, again, the point-I am just like D.J. in this instance…and I think many young girls are, as well.
How could a guy who was such a jerk, how could he act so nice?

And that’s why I loved this cute little story so much. Yeah, the writing was great and the boy was great (Brian!!!!) and it was so so funny…but I fell for D.J.. She’s this girl who thinks so little of herself, yet she’s so very strong and smart and determined. She has trouble expressing herself, even though she has so much to say. And I loved that. I loved her voice and her thoughtful sentences and the way she spoke to you as if you were a friend. It was a journey of discovering herself and finding out that not everybody is what you’d imagine them to be. And…most importantly, this chick tries out for football. And then she falls for the rival team’s quarterback. Be still my star-crossed heart.
I couldn’t help wondering if maybe it had something to do with me, like our water fight and all. But then I realized that I was totally stupid and there’s no way it could ever be about me, not in a million years, not if I was the only girl on the entire planet.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: What a weird concept. I know, I thought so too. But when she decides to try out for football, it actually became my favorite part…because, you know, she has to play that rival football team MUAHA! lol. I’m weird today. Anyway! She decides to train Brian all summer after some prompting from a family friend because she trained with her brothers who are now big names in college football. What starts out as reluctant training and working together on the farm becomes a highlight of each of their weeks, and something so much more.

The whole book D.J. is trying to prove her worth to herself, that she’s not just some cow that does what everybody says, and when she finally finds a purpose, playing football for her school’s team, it helps her to feel vindicated and strong and worthy of people’s admiration. I think that’s where my admiration came in for her…what a brave (and hilarious) thing to do.

I saw something I wanted to do and I decided to do it. The feeling of freedom this gave me-I can’t even describe it. It was my decision. I chose it. I am not a cow.

So, you know, despite my earlier trepidation of how this story would be, I got just as many feels from this as any other book: Angst, fear, butterflies, sadness, giddiness, family issues, this book had it all. Near the end my stomach was in such a big bundle of nerves I almost couldn’t sleep. And I guess that’s my other life lesson…you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. Sometimes you find the best stories with the worst covers…it just happens. But I’m sure I’ll continue to make that mistake…but I’ll do my best to shake the habit.

************************

Surprisingly deep with wonderful values…I can’t wait to read more of this series.

And, you know…

Just sayin’

RTC

BOOK REVIEW: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

September 30, 2015 / Chelsea / 1 Comment

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

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

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

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

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

Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story.

I guess the more you start to love someone, the more you ache when they’re gone, and maybe it’s that middle ground that hurts the most, when you can see them and still not feel like you’re near enough. So close and yet so far.

Absolutely too cute for words. Deep, heartfelt, unforgettable.

Sometimes I could slap myself for being so shortsighted. And, just to warn you, I’ll probably even say that on tomorrow’s review….I just have this mental block that prevents me from taking a risk, taking chances that might help me find some of the best stories ever-and this is one I almost missed out on.

It’s pretty clear I poach all my ideas off Anna (well, 90% of them) and generally come out on top. I can tout and say it’s because I’m picky…well, hey, I really am…but a lot of my choices wouldn’t even exist without Anna saying, hey, check this one out. So, you know, this is my way of saying that, while I say I’m creative…I’m really not. And this book?? It was absolute perfection.
Sometimes there just aren’t enough words to fill the crack in your heart.

When I read the blurb for this, ~~I passed it up multiple times~~ I guess I didn’t realize just how…difficult??…a story like this could be. It seemed simple enough-Boy gets taken by his father. Mother is devastated. Emmy and her friends are scarred for life, always waiting for him to return. Boy returns when he’s 17. Emmy and Oliver fall in love. Simple…right? Wrong.
Oliver looked up at me, his face solemn and pained, and I realized with a terrible rush we weren’t playing anymore. “Colleen,” he said, “coming home feels like being kidnapped all over again.”

If you were a kid and everything you knew was flipped around, your world titled on its axis, how would you react? Well, we don’t technically know. He was gone, stolen away from all those he cherished and loved. One can assume that he was confused and missed his mother and friends, only to eventually fall into a rhythm with his dad and delve into to his new life. So…I guess this leaves you wondering-If you were stripped of your life, everything you knew-not just once, but twice-how would you fare?

And then Oliver blinked again and it was like a shutter went off in his own eyes so I could see the picture of the anger, the hurt, the embarrassment. It was a private viewing just for me, gone a second later when he blinked once more and his face smoothed back into its normal, passive shape.

And I think that’s the largest issue in this book-Finding your place, struggling to wrap your head around new people, leaving all you know behind..it’s actually so sad when you think about it. And I think that’s why I was so shocked-and yes, I was very shocked by the depth of this book. Even from page one, which hooked me instantly by the way, it seemed light and funny and sweet. And, even with the darkness that creeped into the story sometimes, there was no lack of heartfelt moments and hilarious banter. And hey! There was some cheese, I’ll admit it. Wonderful, yummy, happy velveeta cheese-But only the best kind of cheese.
“Those look painful,” Oliver commented, trying to avoid Caro digging her heel into his shoulder. “Why does everything you do look like it hurts?”
“Because!” Caro huffed with a final shove. “You guys want us to look natural and there’s nothing natural about looking natural.”
I could see the confusion cross Oliver’s face and stifled my own smile.
“Those shoes don’t look natural,” Oliver pointed out.
“Yes, but they’re three-inch heels, which make me look like I’m an average height of five five. See?” She explained. “Natural.”

Okay!! My favorite part-The relationship. Emmy was devastated by the disappearance of Oliver. She might have even taken it harder than most even realized. They were partners in crime, best friends…in like with one another. You know how kids are 😛 . So when he comes back with more height, a different head of hair, a new look to him, and a dark cloud hanging over his head…she realizes he’s not the little boy that left all those years ago.

“Oh, riiiiight,” I said, knocking myself in the head and grinning like an idiot. “I’m sorry, I totally forgot.”
“That’s okay,” he replied. “Just adds to my rebel image. New guy in school, mysterious past, being held back a grade.” He smiled at me. “Girls like it.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah.” He smiled wider. “That’s why I’m eating lunch with all these people.”
I laughed despite myself and then he laughed, too, a familiar sound that I hadn’t heard in years. His laugh was deeper now, but still Oliver’s, as unique as a double helix. Or a fingerprint.

Emmy starts to reach out to him, this kid who made national news and is now a social outcast because of it. Alone more often than not, he’s feeling angry, dejected, depressed that he is being thrown back into a life everyone remembers but him-all his old friends, the inside jokes, the memories they shared. But as Emmy begins to integrate him into her life, and her two best friends’ lives (they used to be a foursome), he starts to smile, laugh, joke, live…and he’s beginning to ache for the ten years they all lost.
“Quick question,” Oliver said as he scanned the horizon. “What is the shark population like around here?”
I blinked at him. “Are you being serious right now?”
“I don’t know.” He laughed nervously. “No. Yes. Maybe? Sharks?”
I sighed. “There are no sharks here.”
“Do you mean ‘here’ as in the ‘Pacific Ocean’ or…?”

I loved this cast of characters. They were so funny and realistic and you never felt like the conversations were fake or forced for the sake of being ‘hip’. This author made an authentic story with real conversations and real situations. I never once rolled my eyes or thought it was trying too hard. The friendships, the drama, the fights…they were so palpable I wanted to reach out and swirl my hand in their tangible depths. And, even more than that, I wanted to hug my poor little Oliver, who always felt lost and alone.
Tortured, lost, devastated, Oliver has never felt more alone. As he and Emmy become closer, we begin to see his playful side, his happy side-but he never quite knows what to do. His mom searched for him for years, and now she has him…in her new life. He doesn’t know where he fits and feels like he’s disrupting her-and everyone else’s-life. We see the emotional turmoil he goes through trying to find his place…and trying to sort through his lingering emotions of missing his dad, even when he knows he did something horribly wrong.
That’s when I first learned about true frustration, that wrenching ache when the thing that matters most to you barely makes a ripple in other people’s lives.

This story is one that took me completely by surprise. It’s not because I didn’t think it would be good-from page one you could tell it would be fabulous-but I didn’t realize just how many emotions I-or they-would feel. I started this book during a terrible week. And even at the worst of times, I’d pick this up and would immediately get butterflies, smile like a loon, and start laughing in the quiet of night-disturbing hubbs repeatedly. This book is wonderful, one to truly cherish and never forget. WHEN I get the hardback, I’m going to hug it close…and be all creepy and snuggle with it. Whoops. I only hope that others will give this fantastic book a chance. I swear it will make you feel as light as air.

*Note: I have to say something I missed on the review: Oliver was always supportive for Emmy…no matter what. And he never got mad at her. He was so adorable and supportive. Anyway. Forgot that. Whoops again.

BOOK REVIEW + RELEASE DAY + GIVEAWAY – Snapragon Way (Firefly Hollow #8) by T.L. Haddix

September 29, 2015 / Anna

Snapdragon Way (Firefly Hollow #8)
by T.L. Haddix
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When Eli Campbell is discharged after an accident ends his career in the Army, he isn’t sure what kind of homecoming to expect. Shoot, he’s not even sure what kind of homecoming he deserves. He did a lot of stupid things as a teenager, and he made a lot of rash decisions that hurt several people.

Regardless, he’s determined to set things right with his family, particularly his brother Noah. So as dismayed as he is to be facing life with the unforeseen challenges related to his accident, he’s also grateful to have a second chance. A chance to make amends for all the damage he’s done. To prove to his family and to himself that he’s a better person, a good man.

When he meets Haley Buchanan, his physical therapist, he’s turned head-over-heels. With a heart-stopping smile, a kind nature that’s like a balm for his soul, and enough sass and backbone to enchant him, she represents another example of a second chance he’d never thought to have—a second chance at love.

Haley wasn’t expecting anyone like Eli to come along, particularly not as one of her patients. She’s not prepared for the longing and need he stirs up inside her, as her life is nothing approaching simple and uncomplicated at the moment. With the weight of her elderly, invalid grandfather’s care resting on her shoulders alone, she barely has room to breathe, much less fall in love.

Once the professional complications are out of the way, though, she finds herself drawn more and more to Eli, coming to rely on his stability and warmth in a way that she’d never expected.

“Snapdragon Way” is the eighth book in the Firefly Hollow series, Women’s Fiction Romances set in Appalachia. Fair warning - it isn’t a book that deals just with Eli and Haley’s budding romance and all the tangled complications that entails. It also focuses on the rebuilding of a devastated relationship between Eli and Noah, and how the brothers have to find common ground with each other before either of them can get on with other parts of their lives. It’s about second chances and homecomings, forgiveness and hope.

Why should you read the Firefly Hollow series?

In the beginning of this year, I was lucky enough to stumble upon Firefly Hollow, the first book of what quickly became one of my favorite romance series. Oh, I know what you think : Another paranormal series? Yikes. No thank you. You couldn’t be more wrong. Far from saying that these books are flawless, they remain incredibly refreshing and heart-warming : trust me, as soon as you’ll meet the Campbells, you’ll never be able to forget them.

If the way they care deeply about each other is adorable, their teasing never fails to bring huge smiles to my lips. Truth being told, they are completely unable to mind their own business. Does that make them infuriating? Of course it does. But, more important, that makes them utterly likeable, real, and fun to follow.

I love them. I want to move in with them. I think I want to be a deer. Or a wolf. Or see the dead. Whatever, I’ll take what I’ll get, because they aren’t only nice and supportive when one of them needs it. They’re an incredible family. Period.

As for any family, even though they all have something interesting to offer, I have my favorites (Ben, Amelia and Logan, I’m pretty sure that I worship you). Sorry, should I say that I love them in the exact same way? It would be a lie, guys. I genuinely think that we’re never completely objective when reviewing books, and the way some of them relate to me on a stronger level could be completely different for you. However, they all find a place in my heart, and I can only hope that it will be the same for you.

And can I say? I’m pretty curious to know who will make your heart beat faster^^. Logan is mine, though. Just saying.

But let’s come back to the Appalachias, okay?

My review

snapdragon2

What a sneaky bunch, these Campbells. If I had to choose one thing that impress me the most about these books, it would have to be that they slowly sink into your heart until you fall in love without even realizing it. Indeed I was ready to give it 3 stars, maybe 3.5, because as much as I genuinely liked the first half, there were aspects that bothered me (I’ll come back to that in my review). Yet here I am, a strong 4 stars in hands and my love for this family confirmed. Sneaky sweethearts indeed.

snap3

Eli is full of guilt because of his actions toward his family back when he was a teenager and in his early years as an adult. You see, he was in couple with a woman who acted like a total sociopath…. And this, my friends, is what prevented me from fully enjoying the story at first. Let me explain : I know I can’t say that it never happens, because it does. Sometimes our love – or what we think is love – for someone drives us to act in a way we wouldn’t have otherwise. In no way does that excuse whatever mean things we do, but unfortunately it does happen. Humans, especially teenagers, tend to crave for fitting in, and it needs a strong personality, family and friendship to resist the sirens of acceptation, whether by a group, or a love partner. I do know that. Sadly, I can’t deny that the way this – now dead – woman was portrayed irked me during the first half of the book, and even if I got past it in the end (I’ll explain why after), I’m really sensitive about how women’s behaviors are described and I struggled to accept it.

How could I accept it, then? Because when I tried to switch roles and imagine how I would have reacted if the devilish character was a man, I realized that I was fucking hypocrite, because it wouldn’t have bothered me one bit. Moreover, Snapdragon Way does picture other women in a completely different way, so I was able to accept that Erika’s character wasn’t, in any case, meant to lead to a generalization that all women are bitches.

Haley appears to be our typical quiet girl, who doesn’t want to be involved in conflicts and such. However, she is aware of her strengths and doesn’t belittle herself : yes she’s pretty ; no she won’t use her charms on Eli (yet). Big deal. To be frank, I found her refreshing. Moreover, I appreciated the fact that she wouldn’t go all judgmental on other women’s dating habits, and even though her friendship with Jenna made me narrow my eyes a few times, I’m looking forward to seeing her relationship with Sophie evolve, because mark my words : Sophie is my girl. I can see it.

Sadly, as far as Campbells heroines are concerned, Haley is probably one of my least favorite. This being said, did she annoy me? No. Did I want to strangle her? No. Did I respect her opinions? Yes. If I’m being honest, even though I can’t relate to her, I know that she will move many readers. Yes, I am aware that as far as life is concerned, there’s no right choice, but the ones that will make you happy, and if anything, I respect that.

As usual in this series, family ties own the show – and what family! I can’t begin to express how much I love the Campbells. Generation after generation, their struggles and loyalty speak to me and make me care for them like few characters can. Noah, Eli’s brother, particularly interested me, and I can’t wait to read his book – because a book there will be, right? RIGHT? As Noah rightly said, family isn’t about keeping score. If there’s something in what I believe, it’s that. Noah and Eli’s relationship was heartwarming and beautiful. What can I say? Brothers always undo me.

snap4

The romance contains no instalove but a slow burn… Aren’t those the BEST? Their shyness toward each other is adorable, not to mention that there’s this *cough* annoying *cough* concept as doctor/patient no fraternization policies… Yet it doesn’t prevent them from flirting, but shhh I did not say it *wink*

Not to mention that as usual the inability of the Campbells to mind their own business led to the best embarrassed scenes that made my day 😀 (Bad, bad Anna :P)

But limiting this book to a romance would be a mistake : indeed Eli’s journey is one of forgiveness and acceptation. How to move on with your life when you don’t even know who you are anymore and what you want? How to overtake the past and create a new life without forgetting the mistakes that have been done? In the end, I appreciated that Eli was willing to redeem himself and to own his past actions.

Finally, I CAN’T WAIT TO READ NOAH AND SOPHIE’S STORY.

“She glanced at him and nodded. “I’m fine. I slept wrong last night, kinked up my hip. It’s nothing.”
The frown turned to a scowl. “How’d you manage that?”
“Well, the wild orgy didn’t help,” she said, lifting her chin. Her arms, which had been by her sides, crossed loosely over her chest as she narrowed her eyes. “I think it was the threesome with the acrobats that really put the kink in. It was worth it, though.”

Oh boy. She. Is. My. Girl.

As for Noah…

**“I’m thirty-one years old, pratically a virgin and a hermit to boot, I talk to ghosts, and I have a cat. Fig [said cat], I think I need a life.”**

It’s bound to be fucking awesome right?

*The book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review (thank you!). It did not, in any case, influence my opinion.*

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BOOK REVIEW – Forever with You (Wait for You #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

September 28, 2015 / Jen / 0 Comments

Forever with You (Wait for You #5)
by J. Lynn, Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Some things you just believe in, even if you've never experienced them. For Stephanie, that list includes love. It's out there. Somewhere. Eventually. Meanwhile she's got her job at the mixed martial arts training center and hot flings with gorgeous, temporary guys like Nick. Then a secret brings them closer, opening Steph's eyes to a future she never knew she wanted—until tragedy rips it away.

Nick's self-assured surface shields a past no one needs to know about. His mind-blowing connection with Steph changes all that. As fast as he's knocking down the walls that have kept him commitment-free, she's building them up again, determined to keep the hurt—and Nick—out. But he can't walk away. Not when she's the only one who's ever made him wish for forever . . .

Review:

Forever With You was a story that was passionate, sultry, captivating and insanely seductive. It was perfection in my eyes. The charm and banter that filled the pages pushed this story to a new level of sexy that I desperately search for each time I open a book. But you want to know the best part? When I reached that final page, I was left feeling giddy and smiley despite the fact that I cried, a lot. I’m still on a book high and Forever With You has officially become my favorite book in the Wait For You series!

Stephanie is the girl who had a physical relationship with the male characters from the first two books, Cam in Wait for You and Jase in Be with Me. She had attended college with that group of friends, but she wasn’t close to any of them. Since graduating from college, she got a new job and an apartment on all on her own. From the first moment that Stephanie met Nick, sparks fly. Their chemistry was raw, sexual and insanely hot! It had me anticipating when they were going to hook up and the emotional roller coaster ride that was ensured afterwards!

More than once I’d been accused of being standoffish and bitchy.
The truth was, it wasn’t that I was mean or unfriendly. I just generally sucked at small talk with people I didn’t know, and most important, I had a severe case of resting bitch face.

I. Loved. Stephanie! She was confident (at times), wasn’t afraid to defend herself, and underneath it all she was genuine and sweet. But in all honesty, I didn’t know what to think of her going into this book. She seemed nice enough, but I kept picturing that scene where poor Teresa walks into Jase’s room and Stephanie is standing there without her shirt on. Teresa and Jase weren’t together and Stephanie didn’t do anything wrong, but I felt horrible for Teresa. So starting this book, Stephanie was truly an unknown since I never once had a good grasp on her. But by page 2, I knew that she was astounding! Her swearing skills were impressive and I loved the way she interacted with Nick! Smiles were ensured and I found myself easily feeling every single emotion that she felt. And that made for an amazing experience!

“…..the fact that you think I came here looking for just you insinuates that I’m desperate. The fact that you think you can get with me after speaking to me the way you did tells me you don’t think very highly of me. And after one night with me you think you can dictate to me where I can go and what I cannot do? You must think I’m stupid.”
His brows flew up. “Steph-”
“Don’t.” I lifted a hand, stopping him. My middle finger might have been extended as I stepped around him and snatched my purse. “This conversation ends with a – how about you go fuck yourself.”

Nick was charismatic, charming, dark, sultry, sexy, and had a tortured past. Sigh. He could also go from being thoughtful and caring to the biggest ass on the face of the planet. Nick was everything that I always want to lust after in a book boyfriend. He was the type of man whose actions and words could be the polar opposite. One moment he was doing something that made you want to sigh out loud and grab him by the shirt and kiss him and then in the next moment his words could be like a slap across the face. He was a fun puzzle to figure out and I enjoyed every single moment trying to learn who Nick was. And I know that Nick is a character that is going to stick with me for a very long time because he had that profound of an impact on me. There was so much depth to him. And when we got to see every single part of him, the good and the bad, it was impossible not to love the whole package. He truly was a beautiful person, jackass and all!

His hand lingered in the space between us and then he cupped my cheek. The move startled me as he dragged his thumb under my lip. “It’s really a shame.”
I frowned. “What is?”
“Us,” he said, his voice low as his thumb made another sweep, and my breath caught. “That you and I are the way we are. It’s a damn shame.”

So YES I loved this book! It was truly stunning! I just wanted to run around my house jumping and laughing because this book was so much of everything I always want. Give me a heroine who I will love, give me a tortured man who will steal my breath away, give me fiery chemistry, give me a story that is all-consuming and I will fall in love with every single page. And that I did!

***ARC was kindly provided by the author, at the San Fran Golden Gate Event, in exchange for an honest review***

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #) *Each book can be read as a standalone, but best enjoyed in order.*
Wait for You #1 Reviews: Chelsea	Trust in Me #1.5 Cam's POV-Wait for You Reviews: Jen	Be with Me #2 Reviews: Jen
Stay with Me #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Fall with Me #4 Reviews: Jen	Dream of You #4.5 Reviews: Jen
Forever with You #5 Reviews: Jen	Fire in You #6 Reviews: Jen

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BOOK REVIEW: Faking Normal (Faking Normal #1) by Courtney C. Stevens

September 17, 2015 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Faking Normal (Faking Normal #1)
by Courtney C. Stevens
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
An edgy, realistic, and utterly captivating novel from an exciting new voice in teen fiction.

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.

When Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in "the Kool-Aid Kid," who has secrets of his own. As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally face the truth.

A searing, poignant book, Faking Normal is the extraordinary debut novel from an exciting new author-Courtney C. Stevens.

Now there are tears in my eyes. “I’ll make you a promise, Bodee. Long as you’re with my family, you won’t run out of Kool-Aid.”

He blinks up at me. “And I promise you, I’ll stop whoever’s hurting you.

This book was perfection. I didn’t know what I wanted, but somehow this book always went exactly in that right direction-it went where I didn’t even realize I wanted to go, and that, to me, is amazing. Just wow. Perfectly perfect– It’s not often I find myself grinning like a deranged loon in the dark back drop of our bedroom after the lights go out.

I mean, lots of books make me happy, everyone knows that, but it’s rare to feel such strong, giddy feels that you can’t contain a smile too big for your face. Those moments are unheard of, fleeting, almost non-existent. And I guess it’s even more surprising because of the content of this novel. It wasn’t light or fluffy or full of rainbows (well, I lie, Bodee’s hair was a myriad of colors throughout the book), yet it made me feel happy all throughout. And I think that’s the making of a true author-turning something horrible into something hopeful.

Me: a girl who was raped. Him: a boy whose dad killed his mom.
Us: a girl and boy who survive.

Last Friday I was on the search for a book that would help me get through the moments where I haven’t had time to read my lengthier novels lately. I already had decided I was taking a break from the series I was on, seeing as I was ruining the epicness of it, and wanted something that was more like what I had been obsessed about throughout the summer. I don’t know how to say this without sounding ridiculous, but, I’ve been in the mood for books that aren’t….quite….right. Like, for instance, my absolute favorites this year have been all over the board like I Hunt Killers to realistic drama such as Some Girls Are all the way to realistic fiction centered around mental health (I know, it sounds so bad spelled out like that) like this book here, or My Heart and Other Black Holes. Things like that. And don’t even get me started on my dystopian and fantasy favs this year-we’ll be here all day. Anyway, I knew I needed a good book…I just didn’t know what.

If only I could make the outside hurt more than the inside.

I was scrolling through the feed and saw someone reading this-it was a book I had passed up a year ago, or who knows how long, and all of a sudden I was curious. My tastes have changed quite a bit, even from September 2014-September 2015. It’s so funny to me how you just know what you love and then all of a sudden you are reading completely different things and rolling your eyes at what you used to love. I am so fickle. But, as it is, I am obsessed with this new and interesting genre (for me it’s new) and don’t see myself giving it up too easily. It almost always touches me deeply in ways I never imagined possible, and there is always so much heart. These books have depth that is so hard to find these days..and I can’t get enough of them.

A wad of crime scene tape, meant for the trash. Left behind.
My mind wraps the same yellow tape around the pool in our backyard.
What if I had called the police? What if everyone knew a crime had been committed? Everything would be different. Everything is different-even without the yellow tape.

I didn’t know if I’d love this or not…but I had a good feeling, you know? It popped up on my feed and it just felt right. This is the story of a girl who has a secret. A girl who, despite her front, is broken. She goes through day to day life, smiling and nodding and acting as if nothing in the world is wrong….when, in reality, everything is. Something happened to her over the summer, something that irrevocably changed her life forever, aging her beyond her years. She longs to be normal, to not want to continually cause herself harm to repress the horrible recounts of that fateful night…but, really, she just wants to move on and
forget.

Once I’m behind two closed doors, I curl into a ball and suck in the familiar smell of the closet carpet. When I can’t make myself smaller, I cry and pound my fist on the floor. There’s an art to crying without a sound, and I’m a master.

If you don’t like books where the main character causes harm to themselves or where rape is a factor in the story, this won’t be for you. I’ve never had to deal with these issues, nor have I ever met anyone who does, but I felt the pain, the deep hurt, our MC felt on every single page-That fear of other men and the self loathing that came with the doubt of her resolve-or lack thereof-in the matter. She blames herself for not saying no and for letting it happen….but what she doesn’t realize is it’s not her fault, it was never her fault, and it never will be her fault. And I guess I’ll never know if the author handled it correctly, but, to me, it all seemed right.

Something is hiding in my childhood. Something off.

Keeping this monumental secret is taking a huge toll on her. She doesn’t smile without it being forced, her neck is in shreds (secretly), and she walks through the halls with no sense of purpose, just going through the motions. I didn’t know what role her friends would really play in this-they seemed almost like the type to cause problems, in the beginning-but as the story progressed, you could see how much they cared for her, how they would do anything to keep her happy, and how they noticed….but didn’t know how deeply her hurt went. They have their flaws, but what person doesn’t?

The rape has devastated places in me that even Bodee’s magic can’t fix. If he were to put his heart in my hand, he might never find it again. And I’m not cruel enough to let him break while he tries to heal the impossible.

And I think it goes without saying that I loved a boy in this story, hmm? His name is Bodee, and he was perfect-literally. He was perfect. I have not one complaint with this caring boy-He was beautiful, inside and out. But, he has his own personal tragedy-his mother was murdered by his father, and it weighs on him every single day. At the start of the book, we open with Bodee’s mother’s funeral. Lexi’s parents, being good friends of his mother, offer to let him stay at their house since he really doesn’t have anywhere else to go, making Bodee and Lexi closer than they ever could have imagined.

”She’ll take Collie back, so….be careful.”
“Thanks, Lex, but my sights aren’t on Heather.”
“You have sights?”
“Every guy with a heartbeat has sights,” he says.
“Who’s in yours?” My heartbeat betrays my calm voice, and this close, I know Bodee can feel it spike.
“Well, now”-he flashes me the coy grin that I love and rarely see-“you have your secrets, and I have mine.”

I think what I liked most about their relationship, though, was how they both did their best to try and help the other heal. And, even more than that, Bodee was an outcast at school-‘Kool-Aid Kid’, as they call him, and had no friends-it was utterly heart-breaking and soul -wrenching seeing him explore his new found friendship with Lexi-and Heather and Liz, by default. Even more than that, though, I loved seeing his protectiveness of Lexi-his best (and sometimes only) friend. It was absolutely adorable. I wanted to reach in the book and steal him for myself, hug him until all his pain went away….but now I’m getting creepy, and that just won’t do. So…moving on.
”Alexi…I know…I don’t know you well enough to ask, but….could you, I mean, would you maybe…help me with something on the way to your house?”
The starts and stops, the painstaking precision of words, and the sheer length of time it takes him to ask make it clear that this boy never asks anyone for help.
Bring out the dull knitting needles, stabbing my heart, again.

They aren’t perfect-far from it-but they are trying to move forward with their lives-Or, in Lexi’s case, to forget-and are doing it together. Two souls who lost themselves along the way…guiding each other back to the light. I know a lot of people hate the ‘love cures all’ trope, but I don’t know that that was the case here. I think it was more of a guidance and healing type venture, and it was utterly heart-warming to see how they grew, each giving the other strength where they couldn’t gather it themselves. I fell in love with them together as well as when they were apart…their story is one I can say I won’t forget quickly, like I do with a lot of books. I really and truly fell in love with them-permanently.

If a heart can smile, mine does.
“Bodee, thanks,” I say, though I know he doesn’t need it. “I’m sorry you lost her.”
“At least I found you,” he says.

I think it goes without saying, though, that there was plenty I had a problem with. Well, one thing, really: Kayla, her sister. What a bitch. I’m sorry, but no sister should ever come at their sibling like that. It was disgusting, vile, and completely uncalled for. I must admit, though, I liked what the sour taste added to the story-I’m not sure why. Maybe I liked the diversity. Maybe I liked that things were that much more complicated, or maybe it’s because I got to see Bodee, the knight in shining armor….either way, I loved it.

Bodee Lennox is never really anything. I’ll bet most kids in our class didn’t know his name before the murder. And yet his face is not expressionless the way I once thought. That slight twitch of lips, a little half grin, says more than Heather does in a week. But the full-teeth smile, the one I saw today at his house, is like a work of Tolstoy.

And then finally, the Captain Lyrics angle. I loved this. Not necessarily the lyrics, per se, but the idea of who was behind it. Yeah yeah, there’s really only two or three people it could be, but don’t you love a little side of mystery to go along with your story? I mean, a predictable mystery, but, mystery nonetheless-knowing you know who it is but still wanting to play along anyway…it was too cute. Gah I already want to re-read this!

Faking normal is a skill I learned seventy-seven days ago, but tonight it’s going to require everything I have.

So, anyway, that’s all. There was a ton I wanted to say even though I really didn’t know how to say it. I think my long intros have a lot to do with me stalling and trying to find the right ways to express how much I really and truly loved something. I’m not perfect, my review isn’t perfect, but I loved this book and I wanted to do it up right for Bodee and Lexi. I hope you all can find something you like about this review that will make you want to give this one a try. And if not…oh well, I tried.

…5 hours of tortuous wait until I could finally read
…4 interruptions once I started
…3 (million) giggles and sighs
…2 hours of lost sleep I’ll never get back so I could finish this at any cost
…1 brilliant story…and a very happy Chelsea.

I never understood life could be so dramatically sectioned, but it can. And is. There is only after. And before.