The Me I Meant To Be by Sophie Jordan

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Girl Code: Never date a friend’s ex.

Willa Evans has no intention of breaking the code. So what if she’s always secretly loved her next-door neighbor Zach? As her best friend’s boyfriend, he was always off-limits and it needs to stay that way, even though they just broke up. Even though every time she turns around he’s there, tempting her…
 
No keeping secrets from your bestie.

Flor Hidalgo has a lot on her plate: her breakup with Zach, her dad’s new dating life, and her struggling grades. So why can’t she stop thinking about her hot, know-it-all tutor? At least she’s got Willa, her constant in the chaos.
 
Breaking the code breaks friendships.
 
Two friends find themselves tempted by love that defies the rules in this steamy romance perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Simone Elkeles.

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


I absolutely enjoyed Sophie Jordan's latest YA offering because this one focused on a theme that I can relate to and am witnessing right now through my two teens: the changing nature of friendships.

Willa and Flor have been besties for a long time and have seen each other through ups and downs. While Willa likes to be in the background, Flor is the more popular friend at the forefront. But things are slowly changing. Flor recently broke up with Zach who happens to be Willa's nextdoor neighbor so it kind of puts her in an awkward situation. While Flor is fixated on why Zach broke things off with her and how she can win him back, Willa's just trying to work out how she can remain friends with both of them and also loyal to Flor. And because of her loyalty and their friendship, Willa has made a silent vow to herself to never allow her long held secret crush on Zach to go any further than that. Flor's way of coping is to create the Girl Code, a set of rules that girlfriends should adhere to in order to support each other and lift each other up. Poor Willa feeling treacherous inside, although Flor isn't faring any better because she's developing strange feelings for her math tutor, Grayson who is the exact opposite of Zach and who shouldn't even be occupying space in her head when she's trying to get back together with him.

Each chapter is headed by a Girl Code entry that has a tie-in to that chapter. It's quite cute. With the POV switching between Willa and Flor there's an abundance of emotion, confusion, angst and flirting flying about. I love how well Jordan handles both their stories, giving them equal time. She treats their friendship delicately - which it is at the moment - while also showing how Willa and Flor are gradually diverging on their own paths. The matter of loyalty is constantly brought up, as is the idea of family and what that should mean. Willa and Flor are each experiencing changes within their families and I can say that what's going on with Flor's astounded me. 

There is a third friend in the mix, Jenna whose story isn't delved into. I wish there could've been a way to flesh out her storyline as well but I can also see why Jordan just kept it to the two main girls. Jenna's brief appearances do initiate the topic of self-acceptance, and the painful reality of how how hard it can be to be honest with your family about something you've come to know about yourself. 

I fell in love with this book and its honesty about the inevitable changes that come with simply growing older. Even though boys are in the picture for Willa and Flor, The Me I Meant to Be is truly about the girls' friendship, growth and acceptance. Girl Code is important but it's also just a guide. Any friendship will face its test but it rests on the individuals involved to see that their friendship survives. 

~ Bel

The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen

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Never ask a question unless you’re sure you want the truth.

I’ve been listening to my father sing for my whole life. I carry him in my pocket on my mp3 player. It’s just that we’ve never met face to face.

My mother would never tell me how I came to be, or why my rock star father and I have never met. I thought it was her only secret. I was wrong. 

When she dies, he finally appears. Suddenly I have a first class ticket into my father’s exclusive world. A world I don’t want any part of – not at this cost. 

Only three things keep me going: my a cappella singing group, a swoony blue-eyed boy named Jake, and the burning questions in my soul. There’s a secret shame that comes from being an unwanted child. It drags me down, and puts distance between me and the boy I love. 

My father is the only one alive who knows my history. I need the truth, even if it scares me.

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


Bowen makes her first foray into the YA genre with a semi-heartwrencher. Rachel loses one parent that she's known all her life and the following week gains one that she's always known existed but had never met. The new changes in her life stemming from her mother's death brings so much confusion and anger to an already devastated child. Rachel does her best to tamp down her angst but underneath all that is a young girl who simply wants to feel wanted and safe despite what her history tells her. 

As I read The Accidentals I thought that everything would culminate in some sort of Hallmark Channel-like ending. It didn't. Rachel and Fredrick's relationship is shaky though congenial. Rachel keeps her thoughts to herself and Fredrick knowing that he has arrived too late to pull the dad card on her, tries not to be too intrusive. There's much she has longed to share with her father but she can't bring herself to open up. A one-sided connection to him through his lyrics is far less risky than to actually speak words to him and let him in. She's worried that the fantasy won't live up to the reality. I thought her conflicted emotions and awkward reactions were natural though even if they kept stalling any kind of progress in bonding with her dad. That's the only thing I wish was different but I gradually came to appreciate that this isn't simply a story about Rachel and her father. It's about how she's adapting to all the abrupt changes in her life, learning to trust people, and find that space where she belongs. 

It sounds so crass to say that something good did come out of her loss but it is true, even if it arrived in an undesirable way. I guess that's one of my biggest takeaways from The Accidentals. Rachel has to overcome her long-held skepticism that something she's wanted all along will be snatched away from her. Also how does she let her guard down when she's lost too much already? I think Rachel handled things the best way she could and in the end allowed herself to be open to possibilities. The Accidentals is a different offering from Bowen that delicately showcases this vulnerable stage in life and I was touched by it. I'd secretly love to see a follow up, even if it was just a quick novella, to see where everyone is and how far they've come in becoming a family.

~ Bel

The Accidentals is available now!

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EXCERPT

After the last course—chocolate mousse—the three of us go tripping back across the cold lawn in the dark, Aurora in the lead. I’m the tiniest bit tipsy and wearing heels. So naturally I stumble on a frozen clod of snow and nearly fall. But Jake catches my hand to steady me. “Thanks,” I breathe.Curiously, his warm fingers remain curled around mine until we reached the door of Habernacker.I try not to feel ridiculously excited about it.He lets go when we all reach the third floor. When Aurora opens the door, he follows us inside until we all collapse on the S.L.O., with me in the center.“Oh! I forgot to steal my plate,” I realize.“Me too.” Aurora sighs.Jake reaches into his jacket and pulls out a plate.
“Well done, Mr. Jake!” Aurora laughs. “The party in the annex starts in fifteen minutes.” She heaves herself off the squishy couch. “I have time to redo my makeup.”
I watch her walk over to the stereo, where my phone is already ensconced, and turn on our Christmas playlist. Then she grabs her makeup bag off her desk and leaves the room.When the door clicks shut, neither Jake nor I speak for a moment. The low chords of a Straight No Chaser song play through our little speakers.Suddenly, it’s awkward. We’ve been circling each other for a while now—since the night he was trying to be nice and I wrecked it.“You’re probably sick of a cappella by now,” I say, just to find something to talk about.But Jake turns slowly toward me and says something unexpected. “Rachel, I need to ask you a question.”My stomach does a little flip flop, and I turn to face those blue eyes I love so much. “What?” I whisper.“Well…” He clears his throat. There is a very long pause, during which I hold my breath. “Will you come skiing some time?”I exhale. “I guess so?” Another beat of silence passes. “That was your big question?” I ask, feeling like I’ve missed something.His color deepens. “Well, no. I just…” His brow furrows, as if he’s trying to explain some point of astronomy. I love his look of concentration. I’ve missed it.Jake’s blue eyes lock on mine, and I see how our own orbits might finally collide. This time, I will not send the moment winging back into space. Instead, I lean an almost imperceptible degree in his direction.
And that’s all it takes.Reaching up, Jake cups his hand to the side of my face. I’m still processing the sweet touch of his fingers when he leans in farther, his lips brushing the sensitive corner of my mouth. His eyes are tentative, seeking permission. My heart thuds with expectation.And then—finally—Jake kisses me for real. We come together the way a well-timed drummer kicks into the chorus of a song—swiftly, and without hesitation. We broke apart a moment later, eyeing each other while I try not to smile. “Can I do that again?” he asks, his voice rough. “That was my real question.”“Well, since you asked so nicely…”Jake makes a low noise of approval, then draws me closer. I reach up for the back of his neck, my fingers grazing that golden patch of skin I’ve always wanted to touch. He kisses me again, his arm finding the velvet waist of my dress and encircling me.
My heart flutters, but not from fear. Warm lips tease mine gently apart. And when his tongue tangles with mine, I lose myself.He tastes like champagne. Everything is wild and sweet, until the moment Aurora’s voice rings out. “Ay, caramba!”I feel an unwelcome rush of cool air between us as Jake retreats.
“I did say I was going into the bathroom, right? And not on a trip to Fiji?”Neither of us says a word; we only look sheepishly at Aurora.“Just to be clear, now I’m ducking into the bedroom for my coat, which only takes a second.” She steps into the bedroom, and I hear the rustling of fabric. Then she peers dramatically around the door frame. “Good listening! Now I’m going to the party. Will I see you both there? Don’t answer that. We’ll speak later.”Jake laughs. “Sorry, Aurora.”“I’ve seen worse.” She departs, the door closing behind her.And now I’m self-conscious. Rising, I decide to fiddle with the music playlist. “Do you want to go to the party?”“I’ll go. But I’m not great at parties. It’s all shouting over the music, drinking warm beer out of a plastic cup.”“Then let’s not.” My fingers shake as I adjust the volume. I go back over to the sofa and sit down.“So.” He clears his throat. “Where are you going for break?” As he asks, he takes one of my hands in his, massaging my palm with his thumb.
His light touch is so distracting that I almost forget to answer. “Kansas City,” I manage. “To meet my grandfather for the very first time.”“Um, what?” He squeezes my hand.So I tell Jake the embarrassing highlights of my weird story—that I hadn’t met Frederick until this past summer.
“Wow. I’m sorry,” he says.“Don’t be.”“I guess I’m not that offended now that you wouldn’t introduce me. If the normal waiting period is seventeen years.”My laugh begins with an unladylike snort. Ah, well. “With me it’s just all soap opera, all the time. Believe it or not, a year ago I was really a boring person.”“I don’t see how.” He regards me with darting eyes. “You look beautiful tonight.”“It’s Aurora’s dress,” I whisper.But Jake doesn’t seem to care. He slips his arms around my waist. Scooting closer, he slides his lips from my forehead, down my nose and onto my mouth. And we begin again.

                      

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Cry Baby Blog Tour & Review

We're celebrating the release of CRY BABY by Ginger Scott! One-Click today!

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“Cry Baby is brilliantly written. It's hauntingly beautiful and heartbreaking and will leave you thinking about it for days afterward. Bravo, Ms. Scott. This boy-man stole my heart and I don't want it back.”- L.J. Shen, Bestselling Author

Blurb

Tristan Lopez is loyal to his brothers. He doesn’t really have a choice, born into a gang that has a chokehold on every kid that roams its streets. He gave his life to them willingly, knowing if he did then one day this kingdom, led by boys drunk with power and ruled by fear, would all be his.

He was loyal through it all. Loyal when prison took his dad away. Loyal when his face was touched by the cold metal of the rival gang’s gun. Loyal even though his mom begged him to run the moment she returned home from rehab.

He thought about becoming someone else. It was hard not to crave the life of a regular 17-year-old. It’s the only reason he stayed in school—to pretend. But he always fell back in line.

Loyal.

Riley Rojas didn’t belong in Tristan’s real world. She should have only been part of the fantasy, one of the many faces he got to pretend with amidst rows of metal chairs and desks and whiteboards with assignments. But there she was, moving boxes from the back of an old pick-up into a house Tristan had shot up on a dare with his friends only a few months before.

Tall enough to look him in the eyes and strong enough to fill his shadow, Riley took up space on his streets, her loud mouth fearless in the face of the gang leaders who terrified everyone else. She pushed Tristan around on the hard court, and she balled better than his friends—better than him

sometimes. She challenged him. She needed him. He liked it. And when her pale blue eyes stared into his, he quit wanting to pretend.

He couldn’t ask her to leave because she’d only dig her heels in deeper. He couldn’t ask because he didn’t want her to go. She was blurring his lines. She was testing his loyalty.

He was falling in love.

And it was going to tear him apart.

Review

* * * *

When it comes to writing raw, gritty stories, Ginger Scott does it so well. I barely have to read the blurb to know that I'll read her latest no matter what. With Cry Baby, she moves me out of my comfort zone - my quiet, suburban neighbourhood - and transplants me in one that frankly scares the hell out of me. A world where violence is commonplace and lives are automatically tainted by it. Where a smart, sweet kid like Tristan grows up connected to a gang and does just enough to stay under the radar to survive. School, as much as he tries to be indifferent about it, is his saving grace by giving him a sense of normalcy. But he doesn't know what to do with an adult's kindness or belief that he is smart enough to have a future beyond the life he knows. Then a ballsy, beautiful girl moves in down the street and things start to change. Riley's not fearful of her rough new neighbourhood or of the people who live there. That outspoken makes her stand out and maybe that's not such a good thing for her if she wants to stay safe and out of trouble in this area. She wants to be his friend, play ball and be included but he'll have none of that for her sake. He can't drag her into his world even by casual association. But Riley is tough as nails and won't give up on him so how can he resist the pull of someone who believes in him wholeheartedly?

This is a bleak story for the most part simply because of the world it's set in. But Riley who's like a freak storm coming in with ideas, challenges the status quo whether it's at school or on the basketball courts, and makes things happen. Her storyline gives the plot a forward momentum. When she and Tristan face off it's like there's a split screen in front of you; that if he just takes her hand and steps to the other side he could be a happier person able to dream for himself. Obviously it's not as easy as that but I needed to cling to that hope for him. And if there's one thing I love about Ginger Scott is that she writes about strong females who face their fair share of adversity in some form or another. Riley is her own playmaker, a master of her own life and doesn't succumb to self pity. I felt like I could she her demolishing every wall Tristan put up and it's fun to have these two polar opposite personalities have such friction between them. The suckerpuch comes when you realize how far reaching the destruction at the hands of the gang can be.

Ginger Scott is a an autobuy and autoread for me. Unafraid of tackling issues, Cry Baby is proof that she knows how to write about kids facing impossible odds, who are ultimately fighters and creators of their own destiny.

~ Bel

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review

About the Author

Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, The Girl I Was Before, Wild Reckless, Wicked Restless, In Your Dreams, The Hard Count, Hold My Breath, A Boy Like You and A Girl Like Me.

A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.

When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).

Social Media Links

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The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young

* * * * *

I know how to watch my back. I’m the only one that ever has.

India Maxwell hasn’t just moved across the country—she’s plummeted to the bottom rung of the social ladder. It’s taken years to cover the mess of her home life with a veneer of popularity. Now she’s living in one of Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods with her mom’s fiancé and his daughter, Eloise. Thanks to her soon-to-be stepsister’s clique of friends, including Eloise’s gorgeous, arrogant boyfriend Finn, India feels like the one thing she hoped never to be seen as again: trash.

But India’s not alone in struggling to control the secrets of her past. Eloise and Finn, the school’s golden couple, aren’t all they seem to be. In fact, everyone’s life is infinitely more complex than it first appears. And as India grows closer to Finn and befriends Eloise, threatening the facades that hold them together, what’s left are truths that are brutal, beautiful, and big enough to change them forever… 


The Impossible Vastness of Us is a story about secrets, and how guarding those secrets provides a sense of security and stability. But then someone new comes into the mix and all of a sudden that well-maintained order is no longer there. India has managed to carve out a place for herself at school in California where she is liked, happy and participating in activities. Her single mother - with whom she has a troubled, angsty history - upends everything that India has worked for by moving them across country to Massachusetts because she is engaged to be married. India is spiteful and angry, and it's completely understandable since it all happened so suddenly. Her apprehension is justified when she meets her new soon-to-be sister who is not as welcoming to her. Eloise doesn't seem like she'll be helping her navigate her new school or inviting her into her social circle so she'll have to work her way from the bottom to the top as she's done before. It becomes more complicated when you throw in Eloise's friends and boyfriend, Finn who behave oddly towards India. Finn especially who is more cold than hot with her. She tries to ignore all that to focus instead on making inroads at school, finding ways to participate and generally staying out of the way of her mother's wedding plans. Much to her own chagrin, India can't help but observe and be intrigued by the dynamic between Eloise and her friends, including Finn, feeling there's more to their story. 

I don't read YA as often these days but it was Samantha Young who was a pull for me. Having read her adult series, I wanted something a little different but from a familiar author. The magic in The Impossible Vastness of Us is that the story unfolds in unexpected ways and as it did, I became so attached to the characters. I liked how Young gave enough space and time for them to develop. She never rushed through their moments and it felt like I got to know India, Eloise and Finn a little better each time. They also surprised me by breaking any initial assumptions I had about their personalities proving that no matter what is displayed on the outside, that everyone is going through something on the inside. While there is romance (a bit of a twist there, by the way), it's more about true friendships and those god awful, terrifyingly vulnerable moments when you share the real you with someone because it will change everything. That fear of losing what's most important to them is more amplified in these teenagers' world.

Samantha Young wrote a beautiful, heart-aching story about love, loss, trust and growing up. This is one of the best YA novels I've come across in a while and I should mention that I listened to the audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley who did a superb job which is a big reason why I loved the story so much. Read it or listen to it - you will love it, too!

~ Bel

Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham

* * * * 

Some bodies won’t stay buried. Some stories need to be told.

When seventeen-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton on her family’s property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century-old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past, the present, and herself.

One hundred years earlier, a single violent encounter propels seventeen-year-old Will Tillman into a racial firestorm. In a country rife with violence against blacks and a hometown segregated by Jim Crow, Will must make hard choices on a painful journey towards self discovery and face his inner demons in order to do what’s right the night Tulsa burns.


As I get older I find that I don't read YA books as often as I used to so were it not for a venture into a local bookstore where I wound up chatting with one of the booksellers, I wouldn't have been made aware of what has turned out to be one of my favourite books of 2017.

Dreamland Burning is a suspenseful part murder mystery, part history lesson told through dual timelines. How Jennifer Latham connected all the dots still astounds me. Not only was she able to create a mystery that I couldn't get enough of, she also drew parallels between the highly combustible atmosphere of a city on the brink of self-destruction and today's current social climate. The story is split between POVs - that of Will in 1921 and Rowan today. Rowan, who decides to take on the mystery of the skeletal remains found on her property, couldn't have known how uncovering the truth from the past would impact her own life in the present. 

Will's POV was a tough read and honestly, I was unsure about him initially. I thought he was a knucklehead but the fact of the matter is that he was simply naive and inexperienced. He did have the most dramatic character development where his inherited beliefs gradually evolved. His growth from that of a self-absorbed teen to that of someone with a conscience and desire to do that decent thing is perhaps my favourite part of the book. And it all happened because of an unlikely friendship.

Rowan goes through her own growth as well. Being the daughter of a black woman and a white father, she's observant of how people respond to her and her mother. As she's attempting to uncover who the skeleton was, she becomes embroiled in her own controversy. Drawing back the layers of the mysterious skeleton's history makes her reevaluate her sense of social justice.

While Will and Rowan are indeed fictional, Latham does reference the real event that incited the Race Riot that took place in Tulsa from May 31 to June 1, 1921. I looked it up and found disturbing images that made my stomach churn. Not many people know of this horrible event but I am thankful to Latham for bringing it to light in such a bold, engrossing and thoughtful story. 

~ Bel

If There's No Tomorrow by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She’s ready to pack in as much friend time as possible, to finish college applications and to maybe let her childhood best friend Sebastian know how she really feels about him. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be epic—one of opportunities and chances. 

Until one choice, one moment, destroys everything. 

Now Lena isn’t looking forward to tomorrow. Not when friend time may never be the same. Not when college applications feel all but impossible. Not when Sebastian might never forgive her for what happened. 

For what she let happen. 

With the guilt growing each day, Lena knows that her only hope is to move on. But how can she move on when her and her friends’ entire existences have been redefined? How can she move on when tomorrow isn’t even guaranteed? 

Source:  Advance copy in exchange for an honest review.  

This is a terrible review to write because it's impossible to discuss this book without spoilers and I don't want to spoil this experience for you.  It's something you have to discover on your own, in your own time, and with lots of freaking kleenex handy.

Lena reminds me of Katy from Armentrout's Lux Series - bookish, nerdy, homebody, which is good.  I liked Katy.  Sebastian is a great YA book boyfriend and if I were younger, I would totally claim him as my book boyfriend.  Alas, I am not younger, so I will leave him to my neices.  

Me, while reading Tomorrow.  I will definitely be giving this book to my neices.  There are so many great messages in Tomorrow - friendship, honesty, love, forgiveness, redemption...  It's a cautionary tale, but so much more. And sooo many kleenex!

Me, after reading Tomorrow...

Ok, I will stop tormenting you.  Tomorrow is a thought provoking story written in the enthralling manner as most Armentrout stories.  You won't be able to put it down, but you will want to.  The foreshadowing will fill you with apprehension and terror.  You will suffer and cry and then feel a glimmer of hope and you will finish the book with so many feels and be a mess.  

I'm not much for heartwrenching books, but every once in a while, when it's done well, this kind of book is exactly what I didn't know I needed.  I'm sorry, but you have to read this one.  You have to.

~ Shel 

Trust by Kylie Scott - New Cover!

Hey Folks! We know that TRUST, the YA novel by Kylie Scott was just released recently but we're excited to share a brand new cover! 

Not that we didn't love the previous cover but Kylie Scott felt that she wanted one to better reflect the story that she was telling. We have to agree and that we love this new cover just as much :)

Being young is all about the experiences: the first time you skip school, the first time you fall in love…the first time someone holds a gun to your head.

After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen year old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers. 

While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.

An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first—losing her virginity—their friendship gets complicated.

Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose—each other.  

TRUST is a mature YA novel and is available now at these retailers:

Amazon US     I     Amazon Aus     I     Amazon UK    

  

iBooks US     I     iBooks Aus     I     Kobo     I     Nook 

Check out the official book trailer and Bel's review.

The Inevitable Collision of Birdie and Bash by Candace Granger

* * 1/2

Birdie never meant to be at the party. Bash should have been long gone. But when they meet, a collision course is set off they may never recover from.

Sebastian Alvaréz is just trying to hold the pieces together: to not flunk out, to keep his sort-of-best friend Wild Kyle from doing something really bad, and to see his beloved Ma through chemo. But when he meets Birdie Paxton, a near-Valedictorian who doesn’t realize she’s smoking hot in her science pun T-shirt, at a party, an undeniable attraction sparks. And suddenly he’s not worried about anything. But before they are able to exchange numbers, they are pulled apart. A horrifying tragedy soon links Birdie and Bash together—but neither knows it. When they finally reconnect, and are starting to fall—hard—the events of the tragedy unfold, changing both their lives in ways they can never undo. Told in alternating perspectives, The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash by Candace Ganger is a beautiful, complex, and ultimately hopeful teen novel that will move you to the very last page.

Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review



The Inevitable Collision of Birdie and Bash is about two people whose lives intersect at different times, each time with a different impact and outcome. 

Bash is the child of a single immigrant mother whose health is ailing. It's no wonder that he's hardly doing well at school and hanging with the wrong person, namely his friend Wild Kyle, who happens to be the son of his mom's former employer. He meets Birdie at a party and the two engage in some comical banter. Unfortunately, their encounter doesn't have the chance to go anywhere because Bash is pulled away to take care of his friend. So they're stuck wondering about each other. Birdie has more on her mind than just the mysterious boy from the party. She's unsure about her future and doesn't know how to break it to her mother. She also has the added pain of not getting along with her out of control younger sister. At the very moment that Birdie decides she has to speak to her mother about a secret she's been holding, her family's world collapses. Birdie is left with the guilt of causing the accident and Bash is left with the heavy weight of the truth about what happened.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it: this was a tumultuous read. At any moment you're either gutted for Bash because life has been so cruel to him or ticked off at him because he's being an ass or boneheaded about something. Birdie's a mess because she's been unhappy for a while and sometimes she becomes almost detached from her life when she becomes so analytical. Then there's that odd moment of lightheartedness between them that makes you wish you could wrap them up in a bubble and keep them there. The somber truth about what connects them outside that bubble is inescapable. Granger takes our emotions all over the place as we watch Bash and Birdie pick up all the broken pieces of their lives and make attempts at moving on or in Bash's case, redemption. I was close to tears several times. If it weren't for that glimpse of hope down the road I don't know that I could have kept my composure.

I'm in between on this book. The events that transpired got me emotionally but otherwise I have mixed feelings about these two characters. I didn't feel a strong connection to either of them but rather I felt I was looking in from the outside the entire time. I will add that I'm glad that I read it as it's a reminder that everyone's life is more complicated than what we assume we know, and that Birdie and Bash are as complicated as can be.

~ Bel

Trust by Kylie Scott - Review and Excerpt Blitz

   

:: :: ABOUT TRUST :: ::

Being young is all about the experiences: the first time you skip school, the first time you fall in love…the first time someone holds a gun to your head.

After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen year old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers.

While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.

An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first—losing her virginity—their friendship gets complicated.

Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose—each other.

 

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      TRUST by Kylie Scott (Official Book Trailer) from FILM 14 on Vimeo.    

:: :: EXCERPT :: ::

“You were going to give it up to Duncan Dickerson?” he sneered. “Are you serious?”

I halted, staring at him. This was not good. “How do you know about that?”

“Anders overheard you and Hang talking.”

“Bastard.”

“Well?” he demanded, acting all authoritarian. Idiot.

“To be fair, I didn’t know his last name was Dickerson,” I said. “That’s unfortunate. Though, I wasn’t actually planning on marrying him, so . . .”

“Not funny.”

I shrugged.

“You barely know the guy.”

“Um, yeah. None of your concern. We’re not talking about this.” How mortifying! My face burned bright. People should just gather around and cook s’mores. “I appreciate that we’re friends. You mean a lot to me. But this is going to have to fall under definitely none of your damn business, so go away please.”

“We’re talking about it.” He advanced a step.

“No we are not.” And I retreated.

“You were going to let a complete stranger touch you.” Advance.

Retreat. “People do it all the time. You do it all the time.”

“But you don’t,” he said, taking the final step, backing me up against the side of his car and getting all in my face. “Edie, this is your first time we’re talking about. Isn’t it?”

“Yes, and it’s going to be messy and painful and probably horribly embarrassing and I just want it over and done with.” I tried to meet his eyes but failed, settling for a spot on his right shoulder. “You’re not a girl; you wouldn’t understand. Also, last time I checked, you’re not the gatekeeper of my hymen, John Cole. So back the fuck off.”

He said nothing.

Deep, calming breaths. “Look, someday I’ll meet someone I really like and we’ll have a deep and meaningful relationship and go at it like bunnies. But I don’t want to be the dumb virgin in that scenario.”

He slowly shook his head.

“Also, I do not want to die a virgin.”

“What? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Hey, you and I both know death can occur at any time.”

“This is crazy.”

“I’m seeing a therapist!” I told his shoulder. “I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m a little bit messed up these days. It’s hard for me to trust people. That’s not going to change anytime soon.”

He screwed up his face at me. “Wha—”

“I’m just trying to be practical.”

“Well, you’re being ridiculous. None of this makes sense.”

“It does to me.”

Again, he said nothing.

In fact, he said nothing for so long that I finally looked him in the eye. The anger had left him, replaced by an emotion I didn’t recognize. Worst of all, he still smelled like summer. A little sweat and the open night air, everything I loved. Liked. I meant liked.

“What?” I said, finally.

He let loose a breath. “I’ll do it.”

        

:: :: ABOUT KYLIE SCOTT :: :: 

Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/  

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:: :: BEL's REVIEW :: ::

* * * * *

Oh my gosh, this book! Kylie Scott's foray into the YA genre is so exciting and something I didn't know I wanted. I'm an ardent fan of hers and in Trust, she doesn't shy away from some serious themes, tackling them with her usual humour and straight-forwardness.

Edie's life abruptly changes one night when she's held hostage at a gas station. All the girl wanted was some junk food and now some crazy, drugged out psycho with a gun in his hand has her on the floor scared for her life. There are other hostages there, too and one of them apparently knows said druggie. He tries to keep him calm and reason with him. Caught up in the fright and confusion, she doesn't understand what's playing out in front of her until she finally snaps out of it to realize that this stranger is trying to save her. They eventually do get out of it though not unscathed. People died, she almost lost her life and suddenly things that mattered before, don't. This horrifying incident hit a reset button in Edie's mind. She no longer cares to quietly stand by while some bully wants to get at her for her weight or to even receive disparaging comments about her surviving her ordeal. She's speaking her mind now and if she has to, throw in a little muscle. Edie convinces her mother that a new start at a new school is better for her than remaining where she's at now.

Flying under the radar at her new school is impossible once the other students pick up on who she is. It's made even weirder when it turns out that her saviour from that night, John Cole who goes to that same school and who's usually on the fringes, will only talk to her. John has a reputation as a troubled kid and a dealer but after what he went through that night, he's made up his mind to get out of that game and focus on school. Edie is drawn to him because not only does she owe him his life, he's the only one who understands what she's feeling. Their unlikely pairing is a source of comfort for both of them but it's not without its difficulties. John doesn't want to taint her reputation just by association and Edie doesn't want to admit that she experiences anxiety attacks from that night.

I don't know what I was expecting from Scott but it wasn't this. She tapped into a young girl's insecurities about her weight and her standing in the school hierarchy without allowing her character to be completely self-loathing. She subtly explores Edie's anxiety and even though she has moments almost paralysing fear, she also gives Edie the guts to get out and live her life. Edie's reaction to her ordeal feels legitimate. She pushes boundaries - understandable since one, she's a teenager and two, she's a bit of a mess. John is surprisingly calming, earnest and gentle. Everyone else is so willing to write him off. Not Edie though which had me appreciating how Scott made him more than what everyone sees on the surface. Though I enjoyed the simmering attraction between them I was mesmerized by their friendship more than anything. It was exactly what both of them needed that they couldn't find anywhere else: to be seen past their appearances, to be heard beyond all the gossip.

Reading Trust is kind of like driving with your foot on the brake pedal: you want to get to your destination but you're having too much fun enjoying the view. If I could have found a way to prolong the experience I would have. When I did finish it, I had a ridiculous smile plastered to my face and a hell of a book hangover from all the feels to accompany it. I fell hard for this story, even harder for the characters. From the swoon-worthy cover to the sweet, intense private moments, there was nothing in it that I wanted to change. 

~ Bel