I’m sure the following scene will sound familiar to other mothers who are writers:
His hand reached for her and she felt his touch awaken something deep within her soul…
“MOM! Luke is being mean to me!”
“Hold on, boys, give me one second!”
Her eyes drank in every inch of him and she knew this night would change her life irrevocably…
“MOM! Luke is chasing me with a fork!”
“Ok, ok, I’m coming.”
Let me start off by saying I LOVE my boys. Being a mom is the most rewarding and awesome thing I’ve ever done in my life. But it can also suck out all of your energy. After a long day of taking care of two little ones under the age of five, I’m not exactly feeling the creative juices flowing (it’s more like I’m cleaning up the spilled juices). However, I think it’s very important to keep up with your writing and carve out time for it each day. Here are a few tips I can offer up:
1) Invest in some Benadryl. No, I’m totally kidding. But if you’re lucky enough to have children that nap, take advantage of it. Even if the house looks like a bomb exploded, you can always straighten up later after you’re done writing.
2) Work around their schedules. Kids are busier than most CEOs these days and it’s always good to have a notebook or your laptop on hand to do some writing during after-school practice sessions. Writing after they go to sleep is something that also works very well for me.
3) Enlist help. Since I also write freelance articles, I treat any writing I do as a job. When the hubby gets home from work, it’s often daddy time. I slink off to my office while the boys get some bonding time in. Whoever you can get to help while you write, take advantage of it.
4) Create small and achievable writing goals. Writing 5,000 words per day is not likely to happen when you have little ones at home. Instead, write in small spurts whenever you have the chance. It may be a pain to walk away, but novel creation doesn’t have to stop when you walk away from the computer. I always work out scenes in my head or find inspiration when I’m taking walks with the boys.
Keep writing mommies!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
Review-Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer Armentrout
Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don't kill him first, that is.
Publication Date: November 29, 2011
I have a complex relationship with science fiction themed novels. Whenever I hear aliens I either think of cheesy Star Trek episodes with ray guns and bad special effects or the hilarity of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. After I read The Host and absolutely LOVED it, I decided to give more sci-fi novels a chance. Someone recommended Across the Universe which I thought was okay, but I wasn't blown away. I was BLOWN away by Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout. I loved it so much that I'm seriously contemplating starting a Daemon Black fan club (if there isn't already one lol).
What I Liked: Daemon, duh! Seriously though, Armentrout created the perfect male hero (anti-hero?) with Daemon. He's arrogant, gorgeous and also happens to be an alien. I usually don't like jerky guys in books, but his guard is up with good reason. I loved his protectiveness about his sister (and later Katy) and this definitely helps endear him to readers. Plus, the chemistry between him and Katy was amazing!
Katy was a great protagonist for the story. She's tough and doesn't put up with his crap just because he is good-looking and has "issues" (I'm looking at you Anastasia Steele).
The plot was exciting and the pacing excellent. The Arum was a good choice as villains and the ending was the perfect set-up for the next book. The Kindle version I purchased also included bonus chapters from Daemon's POV which was also very enjoyable.
What I Didn't Like: That the book ended =)
Rating: Five out of five stars
Interview on My Neurotic Book Affair and Giveaway
Shari from My Neurotic Book Affair was awesome enough to let me pop by her blog as part of my tour through Bewitching Book Tours. She gave First Visions an AMAZING review and asked me some questions about writing and the book. Stop by her blog to leave a comment or tweet the stop to enter a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card and autographed book. Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here.
1) In three words can you describe First Visions?
Haha, you're gonna ask the tough ones, aren't you? Hmm, I guess I would choose: YA psychic romance.
2) If you had to choose a theme song for First Visions what would that song be?
I have two: Where Have You Been? by Rihanna and Trouble Is a Friend by Lenka
3) Which of your First Visions characters is your favorite? Why?
I would have to say Kate. I love writing her and I usually have her say things I would love to say, but never have the nerve. I also like that she's not perfect, but still someone you can root for. I'm a fan of non-traditional female leads in stories and I think Kate fits that description.
4) I've always thought it would be super cool to be physic (which is why I was drawn to First Visions). If you could chose to have one supernatural or super power which one would you want to have?
The first thing that popped into my head was being able to read minds. But the more I think about it, I probably rather not know what people are thinking most of the time!
5) What are a few of your favorite supernatural books and tv shows?
I have a ton, so I'll try to narrow it down. For TV, I love the shows True Blood, The Vampire Diaries and Supernatural. For books, a few favorites include the Existence series by Abbi Glines, Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer, Lothaire by Kresley Cole and Ethereal by Addison Moore.
6) Are you an organized writer with everything being just so, or are you more of fly by the seat of your pants kind of writer?
I am desperately trying to be more organized, but I am more of a fly by the seat of your pants writer. I'm attempting to work off of an outline for my next novels and schedule times to write, but instead I find myself pulling all nighters or walking away from one story because I feel inspired about another tale.
7) When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
A part of me always wanted to be a writer, but I never considered it a very realistic goal. Then, I went through a long period of time when I wanted to be a nurse which is funny since I can't stand the sight of blood.
8) How many books are you planning for the Second Sight Series as of now?
I'm almost certain there will be total of four. I have the majority of them worked out in my head and partially outlined. I wanted an end in sight before I began because I find it annoying sometimes reading a series that goes on and on well past its prime.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Review-Rape Girl by Alina Klein
Goodreads 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.
Publication Date: June 5, 2012
Due to the subject matter, this book was definitely a tough read. However, since it was only 126 pages and had plenty of tension I finished it in one sitting. This book explores the emotions of a young teenage girl as she deals with the aftermath of a rape. The novel had plenty of discussion points that would make it an ideal addition to a classroom or book club list. A few things I felt could have added more to the story, but overall a highly recommended read.
What I Liked: This was actually the first YA novel I've read that dealt with rape. I really felt that since the novel was told from Valerie's POV, readers were able to connect with her. She's not perfect, she drinks, flirts, gets into fights, and I felt that helped bring home the point that no matter how she acted, she didn't deserve to be raped. Her emotions were described in rich detail, especially where she blamed herself for the attack and had to learn to take back her life. The conflicts with her peers were unnerving and made the horror of her attack continue on well after the actual act. The ending was very different than I was expecting and the non-resolution gave it an even more realistic feel.
What I Didn't Like: The bluntness of the title made me think the actual rape would be described in a similar manner. However, very few details are given and I think a more unfettered look could have helped drive home the themes in the novel. Also, the story takes place in Utah and the conservative ideals of the Mormon community are touched upon in relation to Valerie's rape. I think this theme could have been explored even more. The actions of the principal seemed slightly unrealistic (I kept thinking of the lawsuit Valerie's family could have against the school), but it did make him another terrible villain for the story.
Star Rating: Four out of five stars
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Latest Book Tour Updates and New Excerpt from First Visions
Earlier this week, It's All About Me and Arianne Cruz were kind enough to let me appear on their blogs as part of my tour hosted by Bewitching Book Tours. Today I was interviewed on Tana Rae Reads and she gave First Visions a fabulous review. Stop by their blogs to leave a comment or tweet the stops to enter my latest giveaway for an Amazon.com gift card and autographed book (Details are here and this is the link to the Rafflecopter giveaway). Here's an excerpt from First Visions that's been featured on this blog tour:
Jared and Kate meet at a diner to discuss Cori's abduction:
I get you? What the hell was that supposed to mean? His comments were making her feel unsure and suddenly exposed. Quickly, she decided to change the subject. “Your aunt doesn’t have any abilities?”
“No, she just always felt there was more to the world than we could see. Most of her major life decisions are based on answers she receives during tarot card readings. Some of her ideas are pretty out there. But I learned from a young age how to take things with a grain of salt,” he explained.
“Is she local?”
“Not anymore. Kind of lives off the grid now. She met this guy from Maine and moved up there about five years ago. He makes these amazing homemade brooms and Aunt Lizzie helps him run his business.” He gave a fond smile as he thought about his aunt. “You should meet her one day, you’d love her.”
“She sounds cool. Although introductions might be a little awkward. How would you present me? As your psychic sidekick?”
Before he could reply, the waitress returned for their order. He ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and potato salad. Against her better judgment, she went for the cheese fries with a side of gravy.
Jared gave her an undisguised look of distaste once the waitress had left. “How can you eat that crap? Sounds disgusting.” As he let his gaze run over her body, she felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Why are you so thin? You should be a hundred pounds overweight if you eat that kind of stuff.”
Kate snorted. Jeez, she really needed to stop snorting in his presence, talk about one of the least attractive qualities. “I’m hardly thin, I saw your girlfriend. I look like Cartman from South Park next to her.”
“Ugh, girls with their weight issues,” he said and waved her off. “Want to show me that sketch now?”
She pulled the picture out of her purse and he examined it thoroughly. After a moment of thoughtful consideration, he remarked, “You did a good job, I have a few ideas of what type of car it may be. Looks like an older model Ford or Toyota sedan. You said about ten years old and dark green?”
She nodded and he continued, “I’ll work on getting printouts of models from around that time period. See if we can get an exact match.”
“I wish I could’ve seen the license plate, but it wasn’t visible from the angle he brought Cori out in. The garage was well-lit, but the rest of the house was dark. The layout of the house looked like a Cape Cod style, but honestly he dragged her through so quickly I couldn’t say for sure.” She sighed and then took a sip of her diet soda. She figured ordering the diet soda helped to cancel out the massive amounts of calories in the cheese fries.
“Do you have any idea of a timeframe? How long she was in the car for?”
“She was unconscious for part of the ride. She didn’t have a good sense of time, but I would say he was driving for no more than twenty minutes while she was awake. It was very dark in the house which makes me guess it could have been a lot later after he left the Prestons. Not sure if he went anywhere first before heading to his house. Maybe someone near Cori’s house will remember seeing that type of car. I can’t imagine too many of the Prestons’ neighbors drive a hoopdie like that.”
He leaned back and chewed on his thumb. “With the damage to the front, it would definitely stand out. Of course, I wish we knew more, but this has been extremely helpful, Kate. Thank you.”
Closely, she watched his movements as he patted her hand. It only lasted a second, but Kate felt the touch long after he pulled away. Suffering a loss for words, Kate was grateful for the interruption when his phone rang.
After answering, he put his hand over the receiver and addressed her. “I’m going to step outside and take this. It’s a call from another one of the detectives working on the case.” After her nod, he disappeared out of the diner. While she waited, she fidgeted and tried not to think about how right his hand felt on hers.
A couple of minutes later, he returned with an apologetic look on his face. “Sorry about that. He wanted to let me know that they’re organizing a search party for tonight. The plan is to comb a few wooded areas in town to look for Cori. We have other detectives going door to door with Cori’s picture to see if anyone has any information,” he explained solemnly. It was hard to not get drawn in by his intensity as he spoke about Cori.
As the food arrived at the table, she became convinced greasy food would help get rid of these butterflies she was feeling. She saturated the fries with the gravy. After shoving a forkful in her mouth, she closed her eyes and sighed. “These are heavenly.”
Jared gave her a dubious look while taking a bite of his sandwich. “I can see your arteries clogging right before my eyes.”
She held out her fork to him. “Go ahead and try them. You know you want to.”
He looked on the verge of denial, but eventually caved. “Fine, but I have a feeling I’ll be regretting it.”
She grinned as he took a large bite. He showed no reaction, but she giggled as he reached over and took another large forkful. “I can’t tell if I like it. I better taste some more in order to make a sound judgment.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she said. She grabbed a side dish plate and piled some on it. “Here, stop denying yourself. One serving of disco fries will not kill you.” Her grin could not seem to fade as she pushed the plate to his side of the table.
“So, that’s what these are called? Now that you have me addicted to them, I can blame you when I get too fat to chase anyone down,” he commented between bites. He cut his sandwich in half and held out a piece to her. “Wanna share?”
She took the sandwich from him and felt a jolt as their hands brushed. She was in big trouble and she knew it. More of this and she was going to ask him to procreate on the table right then and there. He returned her smile and seemed to also revel in the intimacy of the moment. She wished she could’ve thrown his phone against the wall when it rang again a second later. Kate felt embarrassed that she was weirding him out when she noticed how uncomfortable he suddenly looked.
Jared and Kate meet at a diner to discuss Cori's abduction:
I get you? What the hell was that supposed to mean? His comments were making her feel unsure and suddenly exposed. Quickly, she decided to change the subject. “Your aunt doesn’t have any abilities?”
“No, she just always felt there was more to the world than we could see. Most of her major life decisions are based on answers she receives during tarot card readings. Some of her ideas are pretty out there. But I learned from a young age how to take things with a grain of salt,” he explained.
“Is she local?”
“Not anymore. Kind of lives off the grid now. She met this guy from Maine and moved up there about five years ago. He makes these amazing homemade brooms and Aunt Lizzie helps him run his business.” He gave a fond smile as he thought about his aunt. “You should meet her one day, you’d love her.”
“She sounds cool. Although introductions might be a little awkward. How would you present me? As your psychic sidekick?”
Before he could reply, the waitress returned for their order. He ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and potato salad. Against her better judgment, she went for the cheese fries with a side of gravy.
Jared gave her an undisguised look of distaste once the waitress had left. “How can you eat that crap? Sounds disgusting.” As he let his gaze run over her body, she felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Why are you so thin? You should be a hundred pounds overweight if you eat that kind of stuff.”
Kate snorted. Jeez, she really needed to stop snorting in his presence, talk about one of the least attractive qualities. “I’m hardly thin, I saw your girlfriend. I look like Cartman from South Park next to her.”
“Ugh, girls with their weight issues,” he said and waved her off. “Want to show me that sketch now?”
She pulled the picture out of her purse and he examined it thoroughly. After a moment of thoughtful consideration, he remarked, “You did a good job, I have a few ideas of what type of car it may be. Looks like an older model Ford or Toyota sedan. You said about ten years old and dark green?”
She nodded and he continued, “I’ll work on getting printouts of models from around that time period. See if we can get an exact match.”
“I wish I could’ve seen the license plate, but it wasn’t visible from the angle he brought Cori out in. The garage was well-lit, but the rest of the house was dark. The layout of the house looked like a Cape Cod style, but honestly he dragged her through so quickly I couldn’t say for sure.” She sighed and then took a sip of her diet soda. She figured ordering the diet soda helped to cancel out the massive amounts of calories in the cheese fries.
“Do you have any idea of a timeframe? How long she was in the car for?”
“She was unconscious for part of the ride. She didn’t have a good sense of time, but I would say he was driving for no more than twenty minutes while she was awake. It was very dark in the house which makes me guess it could have been a lot later after he left the Prestons. Not sure if he went anywhere first before heading to his house. Maybe someone near Cori’s house will remember seeing that type of car. I can’t imagine too many of the Prestons’ neighbors drive a hoopdie like that.”
He leaned back and chewed on his thumb. “With the damage to the front, it would definitely stand out. Of course, I wish we knew more, but this has been extremely helpful, Kate. Thank you.”
Closely, she watched his movements as he patted her hand. It only lasted a second, but Kate felt the touch long after he pulled away. Suffering a loss for words, Kate was grateful for the interruption when his phone rang.
After answering, he put his hand over the receiver and addressed her. “I’m going to step outside and take this. It’s a call from another one of the detectives working on the case.” After her nod, he disappeared out of the diner. While she waited, she fidgeted and tried not to think about how right his hand felt on hers.
A couple of minutes later, he returned with an apologetic look on his face. “Sorry about that. He wanted to let me know that they’re organizing a search party for tonight. The plan is to comb a few wooded areas in town to look for Cori. We have other detectives going door to door with Cori’s picture to see if anyone has any information,” he explained solemnly. It was hard to not get drawn in by his intensity as he spoke about Cori.
As the food arrived at the table, she became convinced greasy food would help get rid of these butterflies she was feeling. She saturated the fries with the gravy. After shoving a forkful in her mouth, she closed her eyes and sighed. “These are heavenly.”
Jared gave her a dubious look while taking a bite of his sandwich. “I can see your arteries clogging right before my eyes.”
She held out her fork to him. “Go ahead and try them. You know you want to.”
He looked on the verge of denial, but eventually caved. “Fine, but I have a feeling I’ll be regretting it.”
She grinned as he took a large bite. He showed no reaction, but she giggled as he reached over and took another large forkful. “I can’t tell if I like it. I better taste some more in order to make a sound judgment.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she said. She grabbed a side dish plate and piled some on it. “Here, stop denying yourself. One serving of disco fries will not kill you.” Her grin could not seem to fade as she pushed the plate to his side of the table.
“So, that’s what these are called? Now that you have me addicted to them, I can blame you when I get too fat to chase anyone down,” he commented between bites. He cut his sandwich in half and held out a piece to her. “Wanna share?”
She took the sandwich from him and felt a jolt as their hands brushed. She was in big trouble and she knew it. More of this and she was going to ask him to procreate on the table right then and there. He returned her smile and seemed to also revel in the intimacy of the moment. She wished she could’ve thrown his phone against the wall when it rang again a second later. Kate felt embarrassed that she was weirding him out when she noticed how uncomfortable he suddenly looked.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Top 10 Characters Who Remind Me of Myself or Someone I Know in Real Life
I've been neglecting my participation in the Broke and the Bookish weekly meme, but I'm back in it this week! For this week's Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is to pick ten characters who remind you of yourself or someone you know. This is a tough one, but I'll try my darndest. I haven't named names since I don't want any family or friends pissed at me!
Becky from Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella-I love Becky from the Shopaholic series! I pretty much find everything she says hysterically funny. The friend I'm thinking of spends a zillion dollars on toys, clothes, etc. and justifies it because it's for her kids.
Jeb from The Host by Stephenie Meyer-You know how in the book they said the crazy and the paranoid people would be the one to survive an alien invasion? Well, this describes a certain family member of mine to a T. She believes a planet called Nibiru is coming towards Earth and has prepared by putting together survival supplies and cashing in her 401K plan. I bet she can't wait to say I told you so if the world does end.
Charlie Swan from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer-I've always been a fan of Bella's father and I've known a single dad who sometimes struggles to connect with his teenage daughter.
Meredith from Everyone Else's Girl by Megan Crane-In this book, the main character tries to escape her family, but finds herself suckered back in and ends up taking care of her injured father without any help from her siblings. The person I'm thinking of is the people pleaser who ends up feeling like a martyr as her family takes advantage of her time and time again.
Ben Page from Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer-The main character is the daughter of a famous novelist with an inflated sense of self-worth. He also revels in tearing others down who he deems inferior to him. I know a not so nice guy who has these same qualities.
Lizzie from Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot-I love Lizzie and think she's hysterically funny. I also know several friends (and probably myself included) who have a tendency to put their foots in their mouths and blurt out whatever they're thinking.
Joe Morelli from One for the Money by Janet Evanovich-A Trenton cop with a down to earth personality. Definitely reminds me of a certain guy.
Mrs. X from The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicole Kraus-I wish I didn't come across as many Mrs. Xs as I do, but raising a preschooler close by the city, it's almost impossible not to.
Cannie Shapiro from Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner-I think Cannie is an enjoyable character and I think many girls see themselves in her and the struggle to learn to love yourself in spite of your weight.
Andrea Sachs from The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger-I've think many people (myself included) have had to deal with a boss from hell.
Becky from Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella-I love Becky from the Shopaholic series! I pretty much find everything she says hysterically funny. The friend I'm thinking of spends a zillion dollars on toys, clothes, etc. and justifies it because it's for her kids.
Jeb from The Host by Stephenie Meyer-You know how in the book they said the crazy and the paranoid people would be the one to survive an alien invasion? Well, this describes a certain family member of mine to a T. She believes a planet called Nibiru is coming towards Earth and has prepared by putting together survival supplies and cashing in her 401K plan. I bet she can't wait to say I told you so if the world does end.
Charlie Swan from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer-I've always been a fan of Bella's father and I've known a single dad who sometimes struggles to connect with his teenage daughter.
Meredith from Everyone Else's Girl by Megan Crane-In this book, the main character tries to escape her family, but finds herself suckered back in and ends up taking care of her injured father without any help from her siblings. The person I'm thinking of is the people pleaser who ends up feeling like a martyr as her family takes advantage of her time and time again.
Ben Page from Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer-The main character is the daughter of a famous novelist with an inflated sense of self-worth. He also revels in tearing others down who he deems inferior to him. I know a not so nice guy who has these same qualities.
Lizzie from Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot-I love Lizzie and think she's hysterically funny. I also know several friends (and probably myself included) who have a tendency to put their foots in their mouths and blurt out whatever they're thinking.
Joe Morelli from One for the Money by Janet Evanovich-A Trenton cop with a down to earth personality. Definitely reminds me of a certain guy.
Mrs. X from The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicole Kraus-I wish I didn't come across as many Mrs. Xs as I do, but raising a preschooler close by the city, it's almost impossible not to.
Cannie Shapiro from Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner-I think Cannie is an enjoyable character and I think many girls see themselves in her and the struggle to learn to love yourself in spite of your weight.
Andrea Sachs from The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger-I've think many people (myself included) have had to deal with a boss from hell.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Review-Drain You by M. Beth Bloom
Thank you to HarperTeen and Edelweiss for an advanced copy for my review (no cash was exchanged blah blah blah).
Goodreads Summary:
Every night I'd lie there in bed and look out at the hills behind our house, listening. I knew there'd be consequences.
Actions meant reactions. Sunrises meant sunsets. My fear was too permanent, lasting longer than eyeliner, something I wore every day and didn't wash off.
Quinlan Lacey's life is a red carpet of weird fashions, hip bands, random parties, and chilling by the pool with her on-and-off BFF Libby. There's also her boring job (minimum wage), a crushed-out coworker (way too interested), her summer plans (nada), and her parents (totally clueless). Then one night she meets gorgeous James, and Quinn's whole world turns crazy, Technicolor, 3-D, fireworks, whatever.
But with good comes bad and unfortunately, Quinn's new romance brings with it some majorly evil baggage. Now, to make things right, she has to do a lot of things wrong (breaking and entering, kidnapping, lying, you name it).
There's normal, and then there's paranormal, and neither are Quinlan's cup of Diet Coke. Staying sane, cool, in love, and alive isn't so easy breezy.
Publication Date: July 24, 2012
I feel like I've been through an emotional wringer after reading this book. I've gone from despising it to getting into it to feeling sort of blase about the whole thing. I think this comes from the book having many highs (the main character's wicked sense of humor) and many lows (James and Quinn's relationship). If you do pick up this book, don't expect your run of the mill YA paranormal romance.
What I Liked: I love non-traditional main characters and Quinn certainly fits that bill. She's snarky, lazy and has intense relationships with her friends. I enjoy humor in novels and many of her inner musings were definitely laugh out loud funny. The 80s and 90s throwback pop culture references were also fun and gave the novel a unique spin. The writing style was conversational which made it a quick and breezy beach read. The characters use cool catch phrases too which makes the novel extremely quotable.
What I Didn't Like: I was very confused over the time frame of the novel. I was certain it took place in the 90s (Quinn wants to marry Leonardo DiCaprio, she listens to a Discman, her friend plays Super Nintendo, etc.), but then she mentions "I was going to rock these super-fitted black matatdor pants with little red pom-pom balls going up the sides that Stella scored from some nineties Madonna video shoot she had styled." Also, the whole romance thing between her and James was god-awful. She describes him as a "greasy pretty boy" and falls in love with him (spoiler alert although you can guess this in the first couple of chapters) despite him being a vampire that kills innocent girls. At least when Whit was introduced, I could root for him as a potential love interest. Quinn comes off as majorly unlikable at times which may bug readers who are expecting a different sort of heroine.
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars (I'm stuck right down the middle on this one)
Goodreads Summary:
Every night I'd lie there in bed and look out at the hills behind our house, listening. I knew there'd be consequences.
Actions meant reactions. Sunrises meant sunsets. My fear was too permanent, lasting longer than eyeliner, something I wore every day and didn't wash off.
Quinlan Lacey's life is a red carpet of weird fashions, hip bands, random parties, and chilling by the pool with her on-and-off BFF Libby. There's also her boring job (minimum wage), a crushed-out coworker (way too interested), her summer plans (nada), and her parents (totally clueless). Then one night she meets gorgeous James, and Quinn's whole world turns crazy, Technicolor, 3-D, fireworks, whatever.
But with good comes bad and unfortunately, Quinn's new romance brings with it some majorly evil baggage. Now, to make things right, she has to do a lot of things wrong (breaking and entering, kidnapping, lying, you name it).
There's normal, and then there's paranormal, and neither are Quinlan's cup of Diet Coke. Staying sane, cool, in love, and alive isn't so easy breezy.
Publication Date: July 24, 2012
I feel like I've been through an emotional wringer after reading this book. I've gone from despising it to getting into it to feeling sort of blase about the whole thing. I think this comes from the book having many highs (the main character's wicked sense of humor) and many lows (James and Quinn's relationship). If you do pick up this book, don't expect your run of the mill YA paranormal romance.
What I Liked: I love non-traditional main characters and Quinn certainly fits that bill. She's snarky, lazy and has intense relationships with her friends. I enjoy humor in novels and many of her inner musings were definitely laugh out loud funny. The 80s and 90s throwback pop culture references were also fun and gave the novel a unique spin. The writing style was conversational which made it a quick and breezy beach read. The characters use cool catch phrases too which makes the novel extremely quotable.
What I Didn't Like: I was very confused over the time frame of the novel. I was certain it took place in the 90s (Quinn wants to marry Leonardo DiCaprio, she listens to a Discman, her friend plays Super Nintendo, etc.), but then she mentions "I was going to rock these super-fitted black matatdor pants with little red pom-pom balls going up the sides that Stella scored from some nineties Madonna video shoot she had styled." Also, the whole romance thing between her and James was god-awful. She describes him as a "greasy pretty boy" and falls in love with him (spoiler alert although you can guess this in the first couple of chapters) despite him being a vampire that kills innocent girls. At least when Whit was introduced, I could root for him as a potential love interest. Quinn comes off as majorly unlikable at times which may bug readers who are expecting a different sort of heroine.
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars (I'm stuck right down the middle on this one)
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