A special thank you to author, Carrie Ann Ryan, for today’s guest post, Co-Writing and the Branded Packs Series. To find out more about Carrie Ann and her book book with Alexandra Ivy, Abandoned and Unseen, buy links, and details on their giveaway, please see below.
Co-Writing and the Branded Packs Series
When Alexandra Ivy asked me if I wanted to write a series with her, I calmly nodded and smiled, saying “Sure, that sounds like a great plan.”
On the inside, however, I was screaming and shaking and going OMG OMG OMG it’s Alexandra Ivy.
It only took three hours for me to actually do the dance and scream.
In front of her.
That’s how amazing Alexandra Ivy is.
I am truly honored to write this series with her AND I got to make a great friend out of the project. What more do I need?
So what is the Branded Packs series?
It’s an ongoing paranormal series where the world shut down when a virus hit the humans. The shifters might have saved them, but were caged for fear of what the shifters are. Now, twenty-five years later, the shifters are able to fight back and Alexandra Ivy and I are making sure you get to see how.
We plotted the first two books in an afternoon sitting in my hotel room and laughing. We named the characters and the worlds and even had cute nicknames for the dark series. Because even in the darkness, we need light.
Book 1: Stolen (test subject) & Forgiven (you done me wrong)
Book 2:Abandoned (momma bear and the lazy cat) & Unseen (Ninja Mom Wolf and the Unseen Polar bear)
I hope you enjoy the series. We loved writing it! And there is MORE to come in 2016!
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Abandoned and Unseen by Carrie Ann Ryan & Alexandra Ivy
About the Book Title: Abandoned and Unseen Series: Branded Pack #2 Authors: Alexandra Ivy and Carrie Ann Ryan Release Date: September 15, 2015 Genre: Paranormal Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay
Synopsis Abandoned When bear shifter, Anya Tucker fell in love with the wrong man, the only thing she left with was a broken heart—and her two bear cubs. Now she’s mended her wounds and learned that in order to raise her babies she can only trust herself. When her sons meet the lazy cat next door and fall heads over tails for him, she’ll do whatever she takes to protect them—even from a past she’d thought she’d left behind.
Cole McDermott is a jaguar on a mission. Long naps, a willing woman, and a full stomach is usually all he needs when it comes to relaxing after a long day of protecting his Pack. Then he meets Anya and the burn of temptation is silky and tantalizing indeed. When a horror from Anya’s past threatens everything she loves, Cole will put everything aside and fight for her family—as well as his own.
Unseen Nicole Bradley had no reason to live after the humans murdered her son. Not until she learns to hunt down those responsible for his death. Shifting into her wolf form at night, she slips out of the compound, determined to do as much damage as possible. The last thing she expected was to discover secrets that could destroy the SAU.
Polar shifter, Tucker Stone, lives off the grid. It’s the only way the Unseen can avoid being rounded up by the humans and tossed into a compound. Besides, he’s a loner by nature. But he can’t walk away when he sees the pretty female wolf in danger. Risking exposure, he takes her to his hidden den and tries to heal her wounds.
Can a reclusive polar bear and a wolf with a death wish find happiness together?
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Author Carrie Ann Ryan
About the Author New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Carrie Ann Ryan, never thought she’d be a writer. Not really. No, she loved math and science and even went on to graduate school in chemistry. Yes, she read as a kid and devoured teen fiction and Harry Potter, but it wasn’t until someone handed her a romance book in her late teens that she realized that there was something out there just for her. When another author suggested she use the voices in her head for good and not evil, The Redwood Pack and all her other stories were born.
Carrie Ann is a bestselling author of over twenty novels and novellas and has so much more on her mind (and on her spreadsheets *grins*) that she isn’t planning on giving up her dream anytime soon.
Synopsis Trina Clemons needed the money. Why else would she—the most organized, prepared student in school—spend the summer as a nanny and partner with the biggest slacker ever? Now she’s ready to tackle nannyhood with her big binder of research and schedules. Just don’t ask her about the secret job of “fixing” the bad habits of a certain high school player…
Slade Edmunds prefers easy hook-ups, and Trina is definitely not his type. She’s all structure and rules, while Slade wants to just have fun. Fortunately, Trina has no idea about the bet Slade made with his best friend that he can totally get her to unwind by the end of summer…
Then the weirdest thing happens. There’s chemistry. A lot of it.
But nothing gets between a boy and a girl like a big, fat secret…
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My Review There is so much to love about this book! Anyone who follows my reviews knows I like my teen romances on the angsty side, and this book has plenty of it. The kind of angst that made me laugh and tear up a bit.
Trina is a spitfire of girl, who needs order and predictability more than she needs a partner. Slade is a total player who refuses to let any girl get close enough to break his heart again. Trina is uptight, serious. Slade is easy-going, rolls with the punches. These two were created to ignite sparks. And that they do.
I adored Trina and Slade so much, and pulled for them throughout the book — both as individuals and as a couple. They’re both were really well developed and immensely likeable, even with their flaws. What I love most about them, though is how they bring out the best in each other. This is the way couples should be — both real and imaginary.
Plot
The plot is fun and moves quickly, the banter is playful and witty, and there are some really great moments involving the kids they nanny that provide some of the best of the lighter moments. There are some dark parts, too, as we learn about Trina’s past, discover why she is the way she is. But mostly, this is the story of Slade and Trina, two opposites that attract, and how their differences both connect them and drive a fair amount of conflict.
Characters
In addition to adoring Slade and Trina, Gilly and Max, their five-year-old charges, are a breath of fresh air. Trina’s mom and Slade’s parents come across as typical parents without being two-dimensional. But it’s Desi and Alex, Trina’s and Slade’s respective best friends, that really round out the story. Both are well-developed and authentic. I’d love to see future stories from either of their points of view. Or better yet, both.
Ending One of the better endings to a young adult romance I’ve read this year. Can’t wait to get my hands on the next Lisa Brown Roberts novel!
Top Five Things I Loved about Playing the Player: 1. Trina’s binder. Her organizational tool of choice leads to some of the funniest moments in the book.
2. Alex and Tim. Seriously, such an adorable couple. I could read a whole book about them.
3. Desi. She’s one of the best friends a teen girl could hope to have — fierce, loyal, sweet, and funny.
4. Gilly. OMG! She’s like a redheaded nightmare and the sweetest thing ever, all rolled into one. There’s a scene with her at an indoor climbing wall that made me laugh out loud.
5. Trina and Slade. Their romance was really well done, believable, and likely to stick with me for awhile. Not easy to do in a sea of teen romances.
Bottom Line Playing the Player is a fun, fast, read with likeable characters, lots of humor, angst, and incredibly sweet moments.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Playing the Player Author: Lisa Brown Roberts Publisher: Entangled Crush Release Date: September 14, 2015 Pages: 400 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author Lisa Brown Roberts
About the Author Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn’t recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year.
This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life’s painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way.
Her almost forever home is Colorado, though she occasionally pines for the days when she lived within walking distance of the Pacific Ocean. Her house is full of books, boys, several fourlegged prima donnas, and lots of laughter.
For a limited time, you can pick up both books in The Union Series for just $0.99 each. Get caught up before book 3, The Uprising, releases late this year. See below for information on the books and buy links.
The Union (The Union Series #1) by T.H.Hernandez
About Book 1
Title: The Union Series: The Union Series #1 Author: T.H. Hernandez Release Date: November 18, 2014 Genre: Young Adult Adventure Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks |Kobo | Inktera | !ndigo
Synopsis After global warming and a second civil war devastated the former United States, two different societies rose from the ashes – the Union, a towering high-tech utopia, hugging the perimeter of the continent, and the devastated, untamed midsection known as the Ruins.
Seventeen-year-old Evan Taylor has an easy, privileged life in the Union. What she doesn’t have is any idea what to do with the rest of her life. She only knows she wants to do something meaningful, to make a difference in the lives of others.
When she’s kidnapped and taken into the Ruins as a pawn in a dispute involving her boyfriend, Bryce, her ideal world is turned upside down.
What she learns while in the Ruins shakes her faith in everything she’s ever known, from Bryce, to her family, and even the Union itself.
Now Evan must choose whether to stay with Cyrus, the sexy, resourceful survivor who believes she’s in the Ruins for a reason, or return to the only life she’s ever known.
But when she stumbles upon a dangerous plot that threatens both worlds, her decision could tear her apart.
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The Ruins (The Union Series #2) by T.H. Hernandez
About Book 2
Title: The Ruins Series: The Union Series #2 Author: T.H. Hernandez Release Date: June 16, 2015 Genre: Young Adult Adventure Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks |Kobo | Inktera | !ndigo
Synopsis Heartbroken, grief-stricken, and wracked with guilt, seventeen-year-old Evan Taylor returned to the Union, leaving behind the boy she loved.
Now, she and her friends must find a way to do the impossible – warn the citizens of the Union about an impending rebel attack without alerting the government and risking retaliation against her friends in the Ruins.
When every move Evan makes is thwarted, it soon becomes clear she’s being watched.
Faced with a daily fight to stay one step ahead of her pursuers, she returns to the Ruins.
But life in the Ruins has its own dangers, and soon she’s fighting a different battle – to stay alive long enough to discover the truth.
THE RUINS is the second book in THE UNION series, a young adult romantic adventure set in the near future.
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Author T.H. Hernandez
About the Author When not visiting the imaginary worlds inside her head, T.H. Hernandez lives in San Diego, California, with one husband, three children, two cats, and one dog. In addition to her day job as a writer and editor, she writes young adult fiction and reads and blogs about books.
She particularly loves the young adult genre with the intensity of teen emotions and the way they’re still figuring out life.
When not writing, you can find her with her nose in a book, playing Plants Vs. Zombies on her iPad, or binge-watching Doctor Who with her kids. She’s obsessed with pumpkin spice lattes, Comic-Con, microbrewed beers, Bad Lip Reading videos, and the San Diego Chargers.
Today’s theme for 1 Line Wednesday, sponsored by RWA’s Kiss of Death Chapter is Questions. And the question is, which one? So many to choose from. Here are a few lines from Evan’s POV.
Chapter 6 – Evan’s POV: He stares at me, spoon midair, milk dripping onto the table.
“Are you going to say something?”
“Have you lost your fucking mind?”
You can see previous week’s themes and lines here.
Synopsis Elena Rosales has busted her ass to get into a good college. She’s the only one in her family ever to attend, and expectations are high. No pressure. But Elena’s got this one in the bag, because she’s as dependable as the molecules she studies, as reliable as the chemical reactions that comfort her in their predictability. Until they don’t.
Elena has always wondered why her mother abandoned her on her first birthday. It’s not until she turns eighteen and her chemistry experiments go berserk that she learns the truth: Her mother wasn’t human, and the Fae are willing to harm those Elena loves if she doesn’t use her power over the elements to cure them of a deadly disease.
Derek, Elena’s brooding neighbor, isn’t the friendliest guy, but he has access to an off-hours lab and is willing to help Elena create the antivirus. He has his own secrets to keep, and this business Elena is mixed up in could blow his cover. But when Elena and Derek get together, more than chemicals spark fire-and they soon discover just how complicated attraction can get when they find themselves on the other side of the portal, fighting for survival. Lives collide, and allegiance and love are tested, in Fates Divided.
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My Review I loved the Blue series by Jules Barnard, so I was excited to dig into her latest urban fantasy series, Halvan Rising. I’m happy to say it met my expectations! It has all the new adult romance I’ve come to expect from Barnard as well as a healthy dose of danger, adventure, and a brilliantly-created fantasy world situated within a modern-day college campus.
As Elena learns to navigate her new normal, Derek keeps an eye on her, both out of a sense of responsibility as well as attraction, and these two are a combustible combination! Elena and Derek each learn about their own pasts, families, and their newly acquired Fae powers, all while trying to stop a deadly virus poised to wipe out the entire Fae population. But not everyone wants them to succeed, and soon they’re fighting for their own lives as well as the Faes’.
Plot
The plot revolves around finding a cure for the virus, but there is plenty of subplotting, including who’s behind the virus, Elena’s missing roommate, Resse, a reluctant attraction between Reese and Elena’s Fae bodyguard, Keen, and of course the romance between Derek and Elena. About the only thing I felt lacking was the romance between Derek and Elena. I thought it developed too quickly and took a backseat to the main plot. But that is really my only complaint.
Characters
Told from alternating points of view, Derek and Elena are both well-rounded with decent character arcs. The secondary characters, including Keen and Reese are as fascinating as they are likeable.
World Building
The realm within modern life world-building is really well done. The descriptions are rich and they transported me to another place with vivid detail. The rules surrounding the status and discrimination of Fae versus the half-blooded Halven was believable and drove some of the best conflict in the book. I can’t wait to see how that resolves over the series.
The Ending
The main story was wrapped up well, but left open enough for the series to continue. I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next.
Top Five Things I Love About Fates Divided
1. The world building. Rich, vivid details brought the story to life in an exciting way.
2. Reese. Elena’s roommate is a hilarious spitfire, and I loved watching her get under Keen’s skin.
3. Keen. The big Fae bodyguard with a superiority complex is a riot. I really hope we get some scenes from his point of view in the future.
4. Magic. Because, come on, who doesn’t love magic?
5. Derek and Elena. They’re good together!
Bottom Line
I don’t read much fantasy, but if Jules Barnard is writing it, I’ll take more, please!
Disclaimer I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book
Title: Fates Divided Series: Halvan Rising #1 Author: Jules Barnard Release Date: August 31, 2015 Pages: 430 Genre: New Adult Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay
Author Jules Barnard
About the Author
Before turning to storytelling, Jules earned a master’s degree in public health and spent many an hour running statistical analysis–until she realized her favorite part of the job was writing reports.
She decided to cut out the math and add in some hot guys, and so began her career as a novelist.
Jules is a Northern California native living on the coast with her husband and two children. She has no impulse control around cupcakes and credits herself with the ability to read while running on the treadmill or burning dinner.
Welcome to the blog tour for Doing it for Love, the first book in the contemporary romantic comedy series, All About Love, by Cassie Mae. See below for my review, information on the books, buy links, and details on her giveaway.
Doing It for Love (All About Love #1) by Cassie Mae
Synopsis Cassie Mae’s charming, sexy new novel, perfect for fans of Emma Chase, puts a steamy twist on modern love as one bride-to-be tries to put the spark back in the bedroom—by any means necessary.
Elizabeth Fanning’s life looks pretty perfect, judging by the diamond ring on her finger. Her fiancé, Landon, is sweet, handsome, and hilarious. The trouble is, before they’ve even tied the knot, their sex life has gone from mind-blowing to “meh”—and Liz isn’t ready to be part of an old married couple. After a cathartic call to her best friend, Liz comes up with a brilliant idea. She and Landon may never be able to re-create the magic of their first time, but how amazing would their wedding night be if everything below the neck was off-limits until then?
Liz thinks it’ll bring them closer together. Landon’s convinced she’ll cave first. So they raise the stakes: Whoever lasts longer gets to pick their honeymoon destination. With her heart set on the Bahamas and Landon fighting for snowbound Utah, Liz simply has to win. But pretty soon, her body is screaming for attention, and Landon’s never seemed so far away. Has Liz’s experiment backfired? Losing their little competition would be frustrating—but the one thing she can’t afford to lose is him.
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My Review I adore Cassie Mae’s writing. She creates such fun, relatable characters with wit and wisdom, and Doing it for Love is no exception. I immediately loved Liz and Landon and could relate to their bet. Every bride wants her wedding night to be special, especially if she’s been living with her husband-to-be. Watching them try to break the other, nearly succumbing to temptation, was hilarious, and the moments with Landon’s family were laugh-out-loud funny. There were so many great scenes — from Liz’s compensating for lack of sex by overindulging on chocolate and not fitting into “the” wedding dress, to Landon’s best friend raiding their refrigerator for things to be used as special effects in Landon’s zombie comedy film.
Plot On the surface it’s about who is going to cave first, Liz or Landon, with the prize being either a tropical honeymoon or one spent in frigid Utah for the Sundance Film Festival. But in reality, it was more of a character-driven story, and that’s fine because the characters are outstanding. What was missing for me, though, was a deeper level of conflict. The love between Liz and Landon is unique and I can understand the author didn’t want to totally rock that boat, but when I read the the blurb, I expected more…fireworks or something. At no point did I ever believe that Liz was going to lose Landon.
Characters
Every character in this story shines. Liz and Landon are so well-developed, they felt real, like the kind of people I’d totally want to hang out with. Liz’s best friend, Theresa, is equally interesting, and I’m hoping we get her story next! Landon’s parents and sister are fun and completely well-rounded, and believably flawed. The rest of the cast feels as if they truly exist outside the story and aren’t just there to serve a purpose, and that is the mark of brilliant characters.
Top Five Things I Love About Doing it for Love
1. Liz and Landon. Their relationship comes across as so authentic and real, I never doubted these two belonged together.
2. The bet. I love that they tried to see who could go longer without sex, like Seinfeld’s “The Contest” taken to its extreme! So many great moments came out of this.
3. Zombie comedy. The movie is only a minor subplot, but I learned enough about it to know I’d go see it in a heartbeat if it was real.
4. Landon’s parents. They are the in-laws you love to hate.
5. The ending. It’s everything I’d hoped it’d be and more.
Bottom Line Doing it For Love is a wonderfully funny, engaging contemporary romance with infinitely likeable characters.
Disclaimer
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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Title: Doing it For Love Series: All About Love #1 Author: Cassie Mae Publisher: Random House/Loveswept Pages: 287 Category: Contemporary Romantic Comedy/Chick Lit Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author Cassie Mae
About the Author Cassie Mae (who dawns the name Becca Ann on occasion) is the author of a few hundred… okay, maybe not that many… books. Some of which became popular for their quirky titles, characters, and stories. She likes writing about nerds, geeks, the awkward, the fluffy, the short, the shy, the loud, the fun.
Since publishing her bestselling debut, Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend, she has published and sold books to Random House, Swoon Romance, and Spencer Hill Press. She has a favorite of all her book babies, but no, she won’t tell you what it is. (Mainly because it changes depending on the day.)
Along with writing, Cassie likes to binge watch Teen Wolf and The Big Bang Theory. She can quote Harry Potter lines quick as a whip. And she likes kissing her hubby, but only if his facial hair is trimmed. She also likes cheesecake to a very obsessive degree.
Today’s theme for 1 Line Wednesday, sponsored by RWA’s Kiss of Death Chapter is Short Lines. Basically, conveying your message in as few words as possible. Anyone who’s read The Union series knows brevity is not my strong suit, but here is my attempt.
Chapter 10 – Cyrus POV: I reach the end of the alley and peer around the corner. Straight into the barrel of a gun. Shit.
You can see previous week’s themes and lines here.
Synopsis Eighteen months has passed since the Institute was liberated.
For Allira Daniels, she’s still trying to live with the consequences of her actions. The Defective are free, but are their lives truly any better? Attacks on Defectives are on the rise, and Allira has to wonder if she’s directly responsible.
Keeping busy to escape her guilt, Allira is trying to move on, but how can she when her past is always haunting her?
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My Review I had bittersweet feelings about starting this book, knowing it was the last in the series. It exceeded my expectations and is easily my favorite. Allira is having a tough time coming to terms with the loss of Chad, and she reluctantly agrees to pose as presidential candidate, Paxton James’s girlfriend. While she cares for Paxton, she’s not in love with him, but acting as his date for political functions helps her focus on something other than her grief and guilt for a short period of time.
When she meets Jayce, a cute boy who stirs something she hasn’t felt since Chad died, her sham relationship is just one obstacle to living her own life. And that’s only the beginning. When someone begins to stalk her, she has more than a handful of suspects, and more questions than answers.
Plot This third installment is action-packed, between Paxton’s campaign, the maybe, sorta, could be romance with Jayce, mysterious packages that raise her suspicions, and a strained relationship with her family. Kayla Howarth throws in more than a few unexpected twists that are expertly foreshadowed and left me screaming, “no way!” at my Kindle. I can’t say much more without spoiling anything, so I’ll just say it was one nail-biting rollercoaster ride.
World Building
The primary world is created in the first two books, and further elaborated upon here. With the end of the the Institute’s imprisoning of defectives, the new world Allira inhabits is different than the other books, but it’s familiar enough I never felt untethered from the series.
Characters
The new characters introduced are as well developed as I’ve come to expect from Howarth. And Allira’s character arc is deep and emotional, but utterly satisfying. I love how Drew has evolved as well. Ebb, is still Ebb, but she didn’t really have as far to come as the others.
The Ending
The series wraps up with a satisfying conclusion along with another fun surprise.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Defective
1. The twists and turns. Dang, all I can say is that it’s been awhile since I’ve had my jaw slam into my chest like that. It takes a lot to throw me, but yeah, never saw THAT coming.
2. Drew. Still love him. Yeah, I like Jayce, but Drew earned a place in my heart.
3. Nuka. Paxton’s daughter is an adorable bundle of defective fun.
4. The ending. I felt like everything was wrapped up in a satisfying series conclusion, something that seems to be harder to find these days.
5. Jayce. The boy is sweet, patient, and everything Allira needs.
Bottom Line Defective is full of unexpected twists, fascinating characters, and nail-biting action.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Defective Series: The Institute #3 Author: Kayla Howarth Release Date: September 1, 2015 Pages: 385 Genre: Young Adult/New Adult Dystopian Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon
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Author Kayla Howarth
About the Author Kayla was born and raised on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. She still resides there with her husband and son, working part time for a medical pathology lab while working on her writing.
Her love of reading and movies inspired her to start something she never dreamed possible: Writing her first novel.
When she’s not working, looking after her son, or writing, you’ll most likely find her hosting her own dance party in the kitchen while she does the dishes. (Where her husband will argue that more dancing is achieved than clean plates.)
Synopsis When Carolina and Trevor meet on their first day of school, something draws them to each other. They gradually share first kisses, first touches, first sexual experiences.
When they’re together, nothing else matters. But one of them will make a choice, and the other a mistake, that will break what they thought was unbreakable. Both will wish that they could fall in love again for the first time . . . but first love, by definition, can’t happen twice.
Told in Carolina and Trevor’s alternating voices, this is an up-close-and-personal story of two teenagers falling in love for the first time, and discovering it might not last forever.
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My Review I’m having a hard time deciding how I feel about Forever for a Year. The writing is fluid and the story is compelling, but I had a hard time liking Carolina. If she’d said “gosh” one more time, I was sure I’d slam my head into a brick wall. But author B.T. Gottfred captures the emotions of first love so authentically, it’s hard not to like the book. That rush of feelings, of falling so hard that the other person is all you can think about, is so perfectly portrayed.
Carolina tries to reinvent herself for high school, leaving behind her nickname of Carrie and hopefully her nerdy middle school self. A talented soccer player and brilliant student, she’s got a pretty healthy ego. Trevor is a year older, having skipped school his entire freshman year as a result of traumatic family event. Trevor is new to the school and doesn’t know Carolina as anyone other than the pretty girl he’s crushing on.
Throughout the book, I found Trevor to be a deep, complex, and utterly fascinating character. Carolina came across as controlling and odd, and other than her looks, I could never figure out what Trevor saw in her. But then it hit me, he only saw the person she allowed the world to see. He never saw her inner drama and over-reactions to every little thing. And really, isn’t that how the world works? People see us for who we present ourselves to be.
Plot
The plot follows Trevor and Carolina for a year as they meet, fall in love, and experiment with kissing, touching, and sex. The two believe they are soul mates and everything is so intense with them, I get why they do the things they do. They’re young at 14 and 15, so their actions and reactions come across as completely believable.
Characters
As annoying as Carolina is, I can’t deny she’s three-dimensional. I may not completely understand all of her neuroses, but she’s like no other character I’ve ever read. Being inside her head was a crazy over-stimulating ride at times. It’s a busy place in there. Trevor is angry and dark and his head is an intense place to be at times as well, but his brain didn’t travel quite as off-the-rails as Carolina’s.
The Ending I think it’s the ending, along with disliking Carolina, that’s making it hard for me to really love this book. I started off rating this book at three stars, but the further I get into this review, the more I realize the story and characters made me feel a lot of different things. Not all of them are good, but it’s not an author’s job to make me feel good, just to make me feel. And he definitely does that. Angry, frustrated, amused, hopeful, sad, annoyed, but the ending left me feeling…unsettled. Happy or sad, I need a book to have a satisfying conclusion and I felt that was missing. But now as I edit this review, I wonder if that isn’t teenage love. Somewhat unsatisfying and unsettling.
Top Five Things I enjoyed about Forever for a Year: 1. The writing. This is by far one of the most believable stories I’ve read in a while about teen love.
2. Carolina’s dad. This guy was so hard to pin down. I’d hate him, like him, loathe him, then understand him a little, but I don’t know that I liked him. Still, he was truly interesting, which is all I want from a fictional character.
3. Lily. Trevor’s seven-year-old sister who talks like an adult provided some of the lightest moments in the book.
4. Trevor. He is such a complex, fascinating character and never once did I question his authenticity.
5. First love. Just because it’s so raw and painfully beautiful.
Bottom Line Forever for a Year is an authentic portrayal of first love and all the emotions and drama that entails.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Forever For a Year Author: B.T. Gottfred Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Release Date: July 7, 2015 Pages: 472 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Alibris | Powells
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Author B. T. Gottfred
About the Author B.T. Gottfred is an actor, director, playwright, and author. Forever for a Year is his first book.
Today’s theme for 1 Line Wednesday, sponsored by RWA’s Kiss of Death Chapter is Senses. So much to choose from here, it was hard to pick a favorite, so once again, I’m choosing one from Evan’s and one from Cyrus’s point of view.
Line 1 – Chapter 2 – Cyrus POV: The cry of a seagull cuts above the ocean roar as the briny air slams into me like a wall of odor.
Line 2 – Chapter 15 – Evan POV
My lungs expand, filling themselves with clean, fresh air, while my eyes drink in the raw beauty of the Ruins.
You can see previous week’s themes and lines here.
