Author Interview: J. Andersen of At What Cost

Hello! Today I'm honored to have J. Andersen for an author interview on B's Book Blog as a part of At What Cost book tour. Besides our interview, you can find more information about At What Cost and a giveaway of 3 eBook copies in this post! 

Interview:

1. When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I guess that depends on what you consider “starting”. I used to write all the time when I was a kid, short stories and such, but I really got serious about writing in 2006. I started At What Cost then. I wrote about 3 chapters and got stuck. So I set it aside and wrote another book before I came back to it. Now, in 2012, it’s been published.

2. How did you choose the genre you write in?

I taught middle school for a number of years. During this time, I read everything the kids were reading. I fell in love with YA. The rest is history.

3. Do you ever experience writer’s block?

A little, mostly when I’ve taken a few days off from writing. It’s hard to get back in to the habit. 

4. Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I use a flexible outline. I draw up those good old triangular plot diagrams that your English teachers used to torture you with. You know the rising action, climax, falling action, resolution ones. I try to plot out my story that way, but in the end I always end up with more than what’s on my outline.

5. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

I don’t know as if there’s one in particular. I certainly respect anything by Laurie Halse Anderson, and I can only hope that one day my books will have the magnitude of influence that hers do.

6. Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

HA! How much time do you have? First, I wrote about three chapters and got stuck. (Those chapters have since been chopped, along with seven others.) So, I wrote another book. (It will never be seen or published.) Then I finished At What Cost and started sending it to agents. I had some favorable inquiries, but nothing materialized. After over a year of that, I was told by one agent to rework it a bit. So, I did the ‘ol, chop chop, cutting ten chapters and reworking the rest of the book. Then I sent it out again, another year later, I finally landed my agent. I went through a LOT of queries and a TON of rejection. Someday I’ll reveal how many agents I queried, but let’s just say for now it’s an embarrassing amount. Then, of course there are the rejections from publishing houses. It’s a good thing I have thick skin.

7. If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?

We can always wonder, can’t we? I think I’d focus my agent search more. Those tons of rejections hurt. JAs for the novel, every time I had to edit it with a different editor, I kept thinking I’d go back and rework this or that, but when I got to that section, I liked what I’d written. I do think I’d rework that first sentence. Doesn’t seem to be as catchy as I’d like it to be.

8. Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

The one I just finished is called The Unviables. It’s not published yet, but my agent is working on finding it a home. It’s a dystopian, which is my favorite genre, but I’ve never had an idea to write one until recently.

Thank you J. Andersen for joining us today! :-)

At What Cost by J. Andersen:

Title: At What Cost
Author: J. Andersen
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: June 13, 2012
Pages: 225
Format: eBook
Links: Goodreads

Summary: During her junior year, sixteen-year-old Maggie Reynolds expected to shop for prom dresses not maternity clothes. Now, instead of studying for the SATs, she’s reading, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Maggie’s ‘Mother Dearest’ lives in fear that Maggie will somehow taint the family name, so Maggie can’t turn to her for help. Meanwhile, her father is oblivious to anything but his 9-9 job. And her boyfriend, Justin? She’s pretty sure he’ll stay by her side.
While Maggie wrestles with her options, Justin offers a solution: abortion. It would solve all her problems quickly, easily, and effectively. And her parents would never know, which means they won’t throw her out and cut her off like they’d always threatened if she got herself knocked up. Now Maggie must decide which choice she can live with: abortion or teenage motherhood. Either way, it’ll be a tough road to travel.

 About the author:

Jessie Andersen lives in a small town in Western New York with her husband and three kids. A former English teacher, she now spends her time writing while the kids are at school and the baby is sleeping. She volunteers at the local library and sings in the church band. You can find information about her books at jandersenbooks.com, and you can follow her personal blog and book blog. You can also follow her on Twitter and on Facebook and Goodreads.

The giveaway:

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B Babbles: HOOKED Book Swag! (Thank you Liz!)

I've thought about writing posts that aren't necessarily book reviews or promo posts but are still book-related. Like my shelf makeover ceremonies that take place every two weeks or so. If I had started right away when the idea came to me, I would've published 20 posts. But I've been too lazy to snap photos, and the mess during the tidying and re-arranging is always too much fun to excuse myself from.

Anyway, now I have a perfect opportunity to start book babbling. Today I came home and found that a mail was delivered to me! And I found that it's from Liz Fichera! I was so excited! Because this would mean...

HOOKED BOOK SWAG!

Woo! These are so cute! And so very bright! Look at the hot pink! Even my mom loves them. Hahaha. 

Now, the photo above doesn't let you see the wristband in its full glory. I hope this one is better. 

Yay! Hot pink ftw! My Kindle cover is the same color. ;) Thank you so much, Liz! Your card is lovely, and so is everything else in the mail. It took 8 days to reach me. :) I cannot wait to read HOOKED!

Title: Hooked
Author: Liz Fichera
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: January 31, 2013 

Publisher: Harlequin Teen 

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository

Blurb: Get hooked on a girl named Fred... 
HE said: Fred Oday is a girl? Why is a girl taking my best friends spot on the boy's varsity golf team?
SHE said: Can I seriously do this? Can I join the boys' team? Everyone will hate me - especially Ryan Berenger.
HE said: Coach expects me to partner with Fred on the green? That is crazy bad. Fred's got to go - especially now that I can't get her out of my head. So not happening.
SHE said: Ryan can be nice, when he's not being a jerk. Like the time he carried my golf bag. But the girl from the rez and the spoiled rich boy from the suburbs? So not happening.
But there's no denying that things are happening as the girl with the killer swing takes on the boy with the killer smile...

AND NOW FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT:

In addition to not having been regularly updating the blog since the beginning of September, I'm going to take a hiatus until the end of the month. Two words: FINAL EXAMS. 

See you soon! 

Cover Reveal: Fireblood by Trisha Wolfe

Title: Fireblood 
Author: Trisha Wolfe 
Series: Fireblood, #1
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Release Date: 2013
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Links: Goodreads | Secret Cover Reveal Page

Summary: To save a kingdom, Zara must choose between a prince who could be the answer and a rising rebellion that threatens to take control. When Zara Dane is chosen to marry Prince Sebastian Hart, son of the man who ordered her father’s capture, Zara knows she must fight to save everything she loves from ruin. Being betrothed to the prince means a life trapped behind the towering stone walls of the Camelot-forged realm. Under the watchful eye of the prince's first knight, Sir Devlan Capra, changing her future becomes difficult. When an unlikely rebel reveals the truth about the deadly secrets that fuel King Hart’s twisted world, Zara’s path to rescue her father becomes clouded by deception. The Rebels clear her path by forcing Zara’s hand with an ultimatum: sway Prince Sebastian to join the Rebels, convincing him of his father’s evil nature, or they will take him out. But Zara is uncertain about a future under the Rebels’ command and where the prince’s heart truly lies. She must decide who to trust, what to believe, and what she’s truly fighting for before the king destroys all of Karm, including her heart.

About the AuthorI’m the author of the YA Steampunk/Paranormal Romance DESTINY'S FIRE (Omnific Publishing) and the upcoming YA Sci-Fi Utopian FIREBLOOD from Spencer Hill Press, November 2013. My published short stories have appeared in YA literary journals, Fantasy magazines, and anthologies. I’ve written four books in the past two years, and I’m currently working on a new YA Sci-Fi project.
I’m the creator of YA Bound, a promotional blog for the Young Adult genre. Also a proud member of YALITCHAT.ORG, SCWW, and The Apocalypsies.
And I’m also a business owner, partnered with my partner, my husband. When I’m not busy doing all of the above, I’m a wife and the mother of a gorgeous teen boy who's the sounding board for my male characters.
Check out my website TrishaWolfe.com for more on my books and short stories. Follow me on Twitter @TrishWolfe

Review: Reflection by Jessica Roberts

Hi guys! Today B's Book Blog is honored to host a tour stop for the Reflection book tour! In this post you'll find my review, the author's bio and also a giveaway! Enjoy! :)

Title: Reflection
Author: Jessica Roberts
Genre: New Adult, Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: February 17, 2012
Format: eBook
Pages: 289
Source: YA Bound
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Read from August 30 to September 2, 2012
My rating:

Summary: Bright, spunky Heather Robbins has escaped her small hometown and is anxiously beginning her freshman year of college. Rising above her rocky childhood, she’s found a place where good things are finally starting to happen: her own private apartment, refreshing college classes, and an intense attachment to a mysterious and rugged classmate, Nick Richards. But when her dreamy college life turns out to be nothing more than a wonderful dream while resting in a coma, questions threaten. Now, Heather must press forward to unlock the real past, and find the answers buried deep in her mind. What she unlocks instead is a roller coaster ride through flashbacks, embellished memories, and a whirlwind romance. And when it’s all over and she comes face to face with the truth, will she lose everything she’s fallen in love with?

"On occasion patients have dreams while in their coma. And you seem to be one of those special situations. These dreams can mix fantasy with reality, and memories of people and places sometimes jumble within these dreams."

In my opinon, Reflection is, in one word, different. It was a totally different reading experience for me. A good different too, I might add. I haven't had that many chances to read books involving coma--in fact I remember having read only one, If I Stay. So reading Reflection was kind of like trying something new. 

I was unsure about it at first. I'm not a fan of confusing shifting perspectives, and this book has a lot of those. Most of the time I didn't know if I was reading it as it happens the first time, or reading it as Heather recounts her memories to the doctor. I didn't know this until like past halfway through the book, when I decided that it must still be the recounting. But confusing as it was for me, I coudn't stop. 

It didn't take me long to finish this book, mostly because it was so addictive. I wanted to know more, needed to find out what's happened before and what will happen after. It was all very interesting and exciting to hear Heather talk about what she remembers about her first 6 months at college. Shitty friends, good friends, her crush, etc. There were some elements that seemed supernatural, but they turn out to be her coma messing with her memories. 

In a PRS [Persistent Reflective State] coma the brain responds very differently than when it's in a typical coma. The first distinction has to do with memory.Unlike a common coma where the brain is stagnant, in PRS the brain works overtime, distinguished by overzealous brain activity [...] As it does so and the memories are called back to the surface, the mind begins to then live out those experiences, as if for the first time. To the mind, these prolonged dreams, 'reflections' as we call them, are current and real, as if living a life through the mind, but with experiences that have already occured in a person's life. As the mind sorts through memories and lives them out, sometimes it mixes people, places, and even adds imaginative experiences as it would in a typical dream, filling in parts that it cannot remember.

Not knowing what is real and what isn't kills Heather, and it killed me too. I was eager to see Heather out of the hospital and find out whether the romance with Nick was real. But there are shocks along the way. For Heather, the memories of those 6 months seem like just yesterday; but for everyone else, it has been 2 years and 7 months. Everyone has moved on without her. Everything has changed. 

Reflection leaves me wanting more. Its ending is a good one, preparing us for the next book. I can't wait to read Reaction and see Heather fight to win back what she has lost. This is a very good read! 

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About the Author

JESSICA ROBERTS grew up in the San Francisco, California Bay Area where she spent most of her time playing sports alongside her six siblings. She was crowned Miss Teen California her senior year of high school, and went on to Brigham Young University where she graduated in Human Development. Her love of family, church, writing, athletics, and singing and dancing keeps her life busy and fulfilled. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and three children.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook


The giveaway is for (1) $25 Amazon gift card plus an e-copy of Reflections plus (9) additional Reflection e-books.  Open Internationally.

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This review is also posted on Goodreads.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

Review: The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Scheinmel

Title: The Stone Girl
Author: Alyssa B. Scheinmel
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Format: eBook
Pages: 224
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository
Read from August 18 to 21, 2012
My rating:

Summary: Sethie Weiss is hungry, a mean, angry kind of hunger that feels like a piece of glass in her belly. She’s managed to get down to 111 pounds and knows that with a little more hard work—a few more meals skipped, a few more snacks vomited away—she can force the number on the scale even lower. She will work on her body the same way she worked to get her perfect grades, to finish her college applications early, to get her first kiss from Shaw, the boy she loves, the boy who isn’t quite her boyfriend. Sethie will not allow herself one slip, not one bad day, not one break in concentration. Her body is there for her to work on when everything and everyone else—her best friend, her schoolwork, and Shaw—are gone.

She feels like a creature out of a fairy tale: a girl who discovers that her bones are really made out of stone, that her skin is really as thin as glass, that her hair is brittle as straw, that her tears have dried up so that she cries only salt. Maybe that's why it doesn't hurt when she presses hard enough to begin bleeding: it doesn't hurt, because she's not real anymore.

This is one of those novels I think I might like but end up not liking. I've never read any books that involve eating disorders of any kind before, so I thought this could be a new experience. But it is an understatement to say that I am disappointed.

I didn't like this book. Because of the 3rd person point of view, I couldn't get into the story to begin with.  I found it hard to read and it didn't help that it really kind of bored me. But there are other things that endlessly disturb me, like the narrator's thoughts.

The narrator, Sethie Weiss, starts out an anorexic and then becomes a bulimic as the story goes on. Being extremely thin is her idea of beautiful. What really makes me uncomfortable is the fact that she glorifies her eating disorder like she really believes it. Realistic? I don't know. But definitely uncomfortable. She says she loves lying down on the floor and feeling her hipbones pressed against the hard floor, because it's telling her that there's no fat there. This girl is seriously obsessed. There are a lot of scenes where I had to turn my eyes away and scrunch up my face because I was really terrified. Especially the scene where she wants to "cut the fat right out" and "scrape out the fat" with her nails.  So what does she do? She scratches her right knee, the place where she makes her scab flick off, and then she leans closer and sucks. Yes, DIY liposuction! Only she doesn't suck out the fat. What comes out is blood, which according to her, is "disappointing." If you want to her if she swallows the blood, no, she doesn't, because "for all she knows, blood might have calories."

This book makes me want to cry big time.

It might be because I couldn't relate to the main character, not having had an eating disorder and all. However I, like most girls, have felt ugly because of my fat. Sure, I used to hate myself and be depressed because of it, but I got over it. The thing is, I don't ever remember having ideas as ridiculous as Sethie's. I don't sleep with a knife under my pillow or mattress. And I sure don't play with it, let alone using it to trace my skin and thinking about cutting it to let out the fat. Which is precisely what Sethie does, among other things like throwing up and starving herself. Like I said, it disturbs me a lot.

Except for disgust, I hardly felt anything reading this book. I didn't find Sethie sympathetic, and I definitely didn't like her. There's no character development whatsoever. It's kind of ironic that, being a realistic young adult novel, there are a few unrealistic aspects. Sethie is supposedly very smart, but she also uses drugs, and lets herself be used for sex. And in the end, she miraculously wakes up. No, it doesn't work for me. If someone has been so stubborn about her behaviors, she doesn't just get up and change herself like that.

After everything I've said, as you might have guessed, I have to give it just one star. The subject matters may sound interesting, but trust me, that's really all there is to it. Unless you want to spend your time reading the wrong book and experience disturbing issues, there are other books for you. I'm definitely not going to recommend this book for anyone.


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This review is also posted on Goodreads.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

Review: Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett

Title: Confessions of an Angry Girl
Author: Louise Rozett
Series: Confessions #1
Genre: Teen, Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Pages: 272
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository
Read from August 14 to 17, 2012
My Rating:

Summary: Freshman Rose Zarelli has rage issues. First of all, her father lost his job, took work as a contractor in Iraq...and never came home. Second, she likes the wrong guy and his super-intense, scary cheerleader girlfriend is now her nemesis. Third, her fashionista best friend, Tracy, is suddenly infinitely cooler than she is—and talking about losing her virginity. (What?!) Rose is ahead when it comes to studying for the PSAT, but she’s so far behind socially that she might as well be moving backward. She needs Tracy’s help choosing the right clothes, she likes all the wrong extracurricular activities, and she can’t even make a decision about which photo of her father to put on the memorial website she’s making (and hiding from her adolescent-shrink mother). With her brother away at college and her mother always locked in her office with her messed-up teen patients, Rose struggles to get through each day without inflicting bodily harm on anyone.

This is a story about a girl with a stellar vocabulary who is four years away from college and a year and a half away from a driver's license. About a girl trapped in a hostile universe where the virginity clock is ticking down--relentlessly--with zero consideration for her extenuating traumatic, lifealtering circumstances.

Let me start off by saying that this book is not for me. From the start, I knew that I wasn't going to like it much. Throughout the book, the story failed again and again to interest me. It's just incredibly boring This is one of those books that I won't want to pick up again once I lay it down. 

Which is, to be honest, quite unexpected. I know Rose has lost her father in the war in Iraq. And I tend to love books whose main character's father is dead, which I can totally relate to. But most of the time I was annoyed by Rose. Her character isn't all that believable to me. She is supposed to be angry as described in the blurb. But no, she feels pretty normal to me. Just any other normal teenager who's pessimistic and sarcastic and annoying. Rage issues? Please, what an overstatement. It's just a way to make Rose sound more interesting, I guess, but it's so deceiving. She does have angry outbursts but only no more than 3 times, and they are nowhere near rage issues. She claims to be very smart, but I really couldn't see how. 

The other characters in the book are also just as, if not more, annoying. There are your typical mean girl  named Regina (but is nowhere near epic as Mean Girls' Regina George), the best friend who can only talk about "doing it" without protection with her boyfriend, and the crush--oh, the unattainable crush who's with someone else but plays with Rose's heart anyway and then quits by saying he's not for her. Hmm. I'm not sure which one of them I want to punch first. 

Frankly, I feel like this book is maybe for the teen age group. It really didn't do it for me. There are a lot of things that I really don't like in the book that feel immature and childish. Girl drama, crush drama, best friend drama. None of that really interests me. And in the end, I could say that the plot really goes nowhere. No character development, that's for sure. I couldn't feel the climax, if there is one. The story just goes on and on, and then abruptly stops. Seriously. I emphasize, abruptly. And then? Oh, there'll be book two! Haha, well, too bad I'm not impressed enough to want to stick around when it comes out. This is a very forgettable read for me. 

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This review is also posted on Goodreads.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

Review Copies Cleaup (RCCleaup) Update (2)

This challenge is hosted by Books, Biscuits, and Tea and Nyx Book Reviews. Head over here if you want to join. Sign-up is open until August 15! 

So, after last week's post I have made a little progress. During the week I wrote two reviews for the ARCs I'd finished, and then I finished three more ARCs, and wrote two reviews for them. The other one is on its way. :D 

I consider this a pretty good progress, considering how much of a slow reader I am. 

ARCs finished so far in August: 

1. Glitch by Heather Anastasiu 

2. The Wednesdays by Julie Bourbeau 

3. Let's Hear it for Almigal by Wendy Kupfer 

4. Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle 

5. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire 

6. Rape Girl by Alina Klein
7. Speechless by Hannah Harrington
8. Over You by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
9. Confession of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett 

I plan to finish these books in August: 

1. The Stone Girl by Alissa B. Scheinmal (CURRENTLY READING)

2. Reflection by Jessica Roberts (not ARC but for book tour)

3. At What Cost by J. Anderson (not ARC but for book tour) 

And if I finish the three books above early, I won't start with September ARC's yet. I'll take a month off reviewing. Since September is my finals month, I need to finish these: 

1. Er hieß Jan by Irina Korschunow (for German class)

2. The Land of Decoration by Grace McCleen (for Eng Reading class)
3. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (for Eng Lit class, will be a reread)
4. Life & Times of Michael K by J.M. Coetzee (for Intro Lit report)

Busy time is approaching ever so quickly now. I need to get things done as soon as possible so I'll have time to study for finals. I'm also currently being bombarded with tests and assignments. Boo. Speaking of which, tomorrow I'll have a Lit test on The German Refugee by Bernard Malamud. I've read it two times already. I need one more close-reading to be sure. Wish me luck! :) 

Review: Over You by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Title: Over You 
Author: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Genre: Young Adult, Chick Lit
Release Date: August 21, 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 304

Format: eBook 

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository

Read from August 13 - 25, 2012 

My Rating: 

Summary: After the grand explosion of her relationship, seventeen-year-old Max Scott developed what every girl in the history of the world has been waiting for: a way to get over being dumped. Now Max is the go-to guru for heartbroken high-school girls all over NYC. But when her ex unexpectedly shows up in her neighborhood, Max’s carefully controlled world starts to unravel. With her clients’ hearts hanging in the balance, Max will have to do the seemingly impossible: get over him once and for all. 

How is it that civilization evolved the ability to shuttle someone to the moon, but other than capturing its excruciating details in every medium, it hadn't come up with anything to guide women through heartbreak? 

This is a story about a 17-year-old girl, Max Scott, who runs a company of her own called Ex, Inc. With the help of Max's two friends, the company helps girls all over New York get over their exes. So far Max is the guru of heartbreak, until she sees Hugo Tillman, the guy who dumped her years ago, in the neighborhood. And then this proves to her that she isn't really as over him as she thinks she is.

I liked the idea of this book. I thought it was very promising and that it would be a fun read. And in a way, it is. I expected it to be a YA novel, but it turns out to be chick lit with YA characters. Now, my experience with chick lit novels in the past has told me that I don't tend to like them that much --there are only a few chick lit books that I have given the maximum of 4 stars to. And while I liked Over You enough, there are some things in the book that kept me from fully enjoying it.

In the very beginning, I had a problem getting into it. To begin with, I'm not really a big fan of third-person omniscient narration in chick lit, and this is exactly how the book is narrated. What's more, the run-on sentences (some are 7 lines long!) with lots of punctuation marks make me constantly lose track of what's being said. This wasn't fun. The progress was slow and I was annoyed more than anything. But after a quarter of the book, it became less difficult for me. I'm not sure if this was because I'd already got used to it or the writing really was better. Still, I wasn't impressed with the writing, to say the least.

There are many ways the book could have been better. Especially in the character department. While they're fun to read about, they don't have much depth. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. Max is a good character, but I'm not sure if I liked her. She's portrayed as strong, confident, and someone who knows exactly what she's doing and doesn't let anyone mess with her. But years ago, she's been broken too. Max's breakup with Hugo, as revealed later in the book, is very miserable and involves goose shit. I liked how she thinks she's fine until Hugo comes back into her life again and she loses her cool. That's as realistic as  a relationship can get. But I don't like the way the book makes Hugo a jerk. I mean, Max is seriously not over him and she loves him so much still, and when they have another shot, the writers decide to make him the biggest asshole ever so that she realizes he's not for her and so she can easily make a decision to go back to her present love interest and easily get over Hugo. What I'm trying to say is, after all the crying and pining, if he's really that much of a jerk, how come she doesn't realize it until now? But that's not the point. The point is that I find it a very bad plot device -- one that weakens the conflict in the story and makes everything too easy. Hugo is an important character because he makes all that Max think she is come crashing down. Hugo could've had much more depth to his character and be used to make Max doubt herself even more before she finally gets over him, which would make the story much more powerful.

Bottom line: Over You has a very promising idea and is a light and fun read, but it could have been much better.


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This review is also posted on Goodreads.
I received a digital copy from Edelweiss and the publisher for review.

Review: Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Title: Speechless
Author: Hannah Harrington
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: August 28, 2012 by HarlequinTEEN
Pages: 288
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository

Read on August 12, 2012

My Rating:  (4.5)

Summary: Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret. Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed. Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse. But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.

Hate is easy, but love takes courage.

Hannah Harrington did it again! I hereby worship her and declare my undying love for her, as she's now one of my favorite writers. Actually, she already became one when I read Saving June. I swear, whatever she writes, I'll read. I'm that loyal, and she's that good. And I'm sure her next works will still continue to blow my mind over and over and over and over again. I have no doubt about that at all.

I must admit that I was a little bit surprised to find that Speechless isn't what I thought it would be about. This is because I'd totally got the wrong idea by watching the book trailer released by Harlequin last month. I don't know if this is just me or the misunderstanding is universal (unlikely, though). From the video, I understood that Chelsea Knot (main character) walks in on Noah (whom I thought was her boyfriend) in bed with someone, and then she decides not to speak ever again. Well, that doesn't make much sense, does it? I mean, if that's what it is, then why wouldn't her saying sorry be enough? What does she have to apologize for anyway? She just catches them in bed! Hahaha. I was so clueless. And now, I'm so glad to find that the real story isn't like that!

So what is this book really about? Okay, first, meet Chelsea Knot. She's one of your typical popular girl sidekicks, equipped with sidekick attitude and personality and all. She's proud to be queen bee Kristen's best friend, and she has been for two years. Until one day she isn't anymore. That day at Kristen's party, she walks into a bedroom and finds Noah, one of her schoolmates, in bed with a guy. As a girl who can't keep a secret, she rushes downstairs and tell Kristen and her jock friends. Noah and his guy friend leave the party. It couldn't ended like that. But this is where things go wrong: her jock friends decide to chase after them to teach them a lesson, which is jock language for beating the shit out of them. And duh, that's what happens.  They beat him up so terribly that he lies in coma in the hospital bed. Chelsea knows this too, and so she calls the cops, who later put her jock friends in jail. And then Chelsea is hated by everyone including her "friends."

She's called a lot of names such as "rat," "stupid whore," and "bitch," to which she replies "Bitch? Really? Whoever is behind this is in dire need of a thesaurus. The level of creativity is tragic more than anything." You gotta love her. But that's beside the point. The point is her so-called friends turn their backs on her, and this put her on the receiving end of all the things she's done while being Kristen's sidekick. It's terrible and ridiculous, now she realizes that. And she's sorry. Not for the social status it costs her, but for what she's done to land people in coma and in jail. Realizing running her mouth does more harm than good, she decides to "do the world a favor" by taking a vow of silence.

Speechless totally blew me away. It tackles tough issues like bullying and LGBT rights and still can manage to be funny and very entertaining without being too heavy. I love  how Chelsea, determined to be silent, makes an evident progress in sympathizing with other people and listening to them, which I don't think she would've learned, had none of this happened to her. It's like she opens up her mind more and becomes a better person. Her character development is impressive. Chelsea goes from the girl who follows Kristen around, not really having an opinion of her own, who lives to gossip, to a selfless version of herself who cares about others and stands firmly for something she believes in. Although many reviewers say that they find Chelsea difficult to like at first, it was the opposite with me. I liked her from the beginning, but not because I liked what she was doing. I liked her voice as it resonated in my head, giving me things to think. I liked how her character is very well portrayed and well-developed that it's hard not to think she's real and to feel like you already know her.

Other characters are great as well. I think this is one of the many outstanding talents of Hannah Harrington. She can create well-crafted characters that feel so real and so alive and so wonderful. I love Chelsea's two new awesome friends, Sam and Asha. They come into her life and make it all better. Asha is bubbly and sounds like a fun person to be around. And Sam, oh-my-god Sam, is so cute! I'm not even going to gush about him, because it would be really over-the-top. Noah and Andy, they're lovely. I love Noah for this:

"Hate is...it's too easy," he says. His face is calm, calmer than it has any right to be, his eyes not wavering from mine, like he's so completely sure of what he's saying. "Love. Love takes courage." 

I'm sure this must've put tears in my eyes, even though I don't remember it. It's like, wow. Forgiveness. It's awesome. It's totally worth having your eyes brimmed with tears. As I earlier stated, Chelsea's voice totally impresses me. No, actually, Hannah Harrington's writing renders me speechless. (Haha!) This is one of the things I love Hannah Harrington for. Whenever her characters talk to us, I know it's my cue to grab my highlighters. Gosh, I can't begin to explain this. I'm a big fan of words and when words line up as beautifully as Hannah Harrington's do, I'm hypnotized. I'm seriously lost and I drown in them. It's her thing, I supposed. Whenever her characters tell us what they're thinking or how they're feeling, it's almost always something memorable that never fails to strike a chord with me. This also happened a lot of times with Saving June, her debut novel.

If I were to compare Saving June with Speechless, I'd say I loved Saving June more. Because it's true. I'd also say they are quite different from each other. In my opinion, Saving June is tinted with teenage angst and sadness of someone who's lost a loved one, which hits very close to home for me and therefore scores more points. While Speechless doesn't have that kind of sad vibe I love so much, it's still a great journey of a girl trying to find her own voice, a story about mistakes, forgiveness, bullying, and the right to love. I can't say which one is better but I can assure you that both books are brilliant.

With beautiful prose (as always), wonderful characters, cute romance and just enough humor, Speechless is guaranteed to take you on an awesome journey that will leave you... well, speechless! (Ha!)

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This review is also posted on Goodreads.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

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Words of wisdom from Hannah Harrington in the Q&A section:
"Words matter--how we use them and how we don't. Sometimes it is really difficult and even scary to speak up for what you believe is right, but it is important to do. At the end of the day you answer to yourself, no one else, so you'll be happy that you did."

My Saving June review

Book Trailer

Review: Rape Girl by Alina Klein

Title: Rape Girl
Author: Alina Klein
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: August 15, 2012 by namelos
Format: eBook
Pages: 126
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepostory
Read on August 11, 2012
My Rating: 

Summary: Valerie always wanted to be the smart girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl. But not the rape girl. That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the truth about what happened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s telling it. Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family. After, she has a court case, a support group, and a house full of strangers. The real truth is, nothing will ever be the same. Rape Girl is the compelling story of a survivor who does the right thing and suffers for it. It is also the story of a young woman’s struggle to find the strength to fight back.

"Hey, look. It's that girl. That rape girl, right?" 

After Adam's raped Valerie and her mother's told the police, Valerie is labeled the "rape girl" and a liar. Her friends turn their backs on her because they either really don't believe her, or they just want to still be on Adam's side, the popular people side. Valerie is torn. She's the victim, but people treat her as if she's the guilty one. She's separated from class and can't show her face in public, while the rapist still lives his life normally as if nothing's happened. What's more, Valerie is blamed for making up a story that will keep Adam from his becoming a missionary. This is ridiculous.

While I was drawn to the heavy subject matter of this book at first, I regret to say I didn't like it. I didn't feel connected to Valerie at all. This is probably because the author didn't allow us readers to get to know her that well within the limited 126 pages. Yes, this novel is very short, and that's the problem for me. There's hardly any tension to feel at all. And although this is a young adult contemporary, I feel like Valerie's voice isn't strong enough. It sounds like a teen voice, as in a 13-year-old teen complaining about life or something like that. I could hardly feel anything from her words. If anything, I think she's only telling a story without showing us how she feels. It's hard to like a character when she doesn't really allow us to feel her emotions, in my opinion.

I won't argue that it sucks. Being raped and still getting treated like the wrong one. And having to go through all those tests, rape kits, interrogations, and everyone's whispers and stares are no fun. Your life changes even if you're the victim. I know, it sucks, it's terrible, it's infuriating, and it definitely isn't fair. But I have to say that the book doesn't portray it that well and is well-developed enough for me to like it. This isn't the best story about a rape victim either. In the end, it still remains unclear whether or not Valerie can put it behind her and move on. But honestly, I don't care about her enough to want to find out.


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This review is also posted on Goodreads.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.