My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi

Goodreads Blurb

Lucy just had the worst week ever. Seriously, mega bad. And suddenly, it's all too much—she wants out. Out of her house, out of her head, out of her life. She wants to be a whole new Lucy. So she does something the old Lucy would never dream of.
And now her life will never be the same. Now, how will she be able to have a boyfriend? What will she tell her friends? How will she face her family?
Now her life is completely different...every moment is a gift. Because now she might not have many moments left.

I'm a contemporary girl and if there's a book that'll make me cry or laugh, I'm going to read it. So when I heard about My Life After Now...well I was intrigued! The synopsis was a bit vague so I was curious--and when Ashley recommended it, I decided to grab a copy. I just didn't know how much I'd fall in love with the story!

The most prominent thing about My Life After Now is that it focuses on HIV, something that hasn't really been done before. Sure, we learn about HIV in health, but it never really stuck. Reading about a character, who we're attached to, go through it? That's a different matter and it was brilliant how Verdi wrote about it, giving us not only a heartbreaking story, but also giving us a warning and a lesson.
You can tell how well researched this is and her portrayal of how quickly everything can change was heartbreaking. Suddenly Lucy isn't just worrying about her absent-no-longer mom, or her tool of a boyfriend--now she's wondering how long she'll live, how she can possibly lead a normal life, and how people will ever love her again knowing her secret.

Lucy was such a strong and real character who didn't try to let anyone hurt her, though she did have her moments. She's been hurt again and again, but she rarely lets it get to her. And when she gets HIV, she's determined to keep it a secret from her parents, her friends, and everyone around her. While it wasn't the best decision, you have to admire her for trying to live out a normal life, despite everything that's happened.
All the characters, minor or major, were so well written and they all seemed to build Lucy up, even if they'd wanted to tear her down. It's beautiful how well Jessica Verdi was able to reflect the situation in My Life After Now and I can't deny that I shed a few tears throughout the book.

Romance takes a backseat in this story and instead we focus more on the relationships--before and after HIV. The relationships, like pretty much everything else in the book, are beautifully written, and I couldn't help but love most of the people around her.
Unlike most books, the parents play a big role in this book. Her mom ran away after giving birth to Lucy, leaving her with her dad and, later on, Papa, her other dad. And then right when things are already going downhill, her mom shows up, adding more stress than needed. Her dads were wonderful parents who supported, cared, and loved Lucy to no end and I loved their heartfelt dynamic.
Her relationships with her school friends become strained, though they don't know about HIV yet, and I hurt for Lucy. Then there was Evan, the love interest in this story--I absolutely loved him. He was sweet and cute, and loved Lucy. And, of course for other reasons. But you'll just have to read it for yourself!

Real, beautiful, and hopeful, My Life After Now gives us a story filled with dreams, tears, and a despair that makes you think about how quickly your life can turn around and how you'd respond to such terrifying news. It's a story of how one mistake can break you, but how it could build you up too. My Life After Now is a must read emotional rollercoaster that gives you a story you'll never forget.

Pages: 287

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Rating: 7/5 stars

Broken by CJ Lyons

Pages: 336

Genre: Contemporary/Thriller

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: Nov 5, 2013

The only thing fifteen-year-old Scarlet Killian has ever wanted is a chance at a normal life. Diagnosed with a rare and untreatable heart condition, she has never taken the school bus. Or giggled with friends during lunch. Or spied on a crush out of the corner of her eye. So when her parents offer her three days to prove she can survive high school, Scarlet knows her time is now... or never. Scarlet can feel her heart beating out of control with every slammed locker and every sideways glance in the hallway. But this high school is far from normal. And finding out the truth might just kill Scarlet before her heart does.

Short review since it's a DNF (Did Not Finish)

Oh God, when I first heard about this I was so unbelievably excited! I love these kind of stories that always seem to be a tearjerker and a thriller all in one, the ones that have that bit of mystery that just enthralls you. And I was so very curious about her disease.
Yet, this fell flat for me. I'm not sure whether it was because I was in a book slump or what, but this book just disappointed me.

I got about 50% in before I gave up and marked it DNF. Maybe I should've gone a little farther, but I wasn't the biggest fan of what I'd read so far. While the premise and the storyline was decent and probably thrilling, the way it was executed just didn't live up to its potential. Instead of having us gather clue by clue to piece the puzzle together, we were given giant pieces of obvious information that ruined the plot twist at the end. It came out as predictable and note very well written like I was so desperately hoping.

Another thing was the cliche of it. There were so many things that started to get on my nerves. On the first day of school, she happens to meet two sweet guys, make two friends, become a target of the most popular people in school, and gets this private information that no one seems to want to remember. Beginner's luck? Not to mention there was a love triangle--can you even call it that? I felt like our character was so desperate for some high school action she was instantly attracted to the guys who treated her normally. Which I guess I can understand, but not something I really wanted to see in this book since I categorize it as insta-love.

I really couldn't get into this book. The characters were a bit inconsistent for me and I was a bit annoyed by the giant hints sprinkled everywhere like cacti in a cacti farm (don't know why I picked cacti.) That's not to say that Broken didn't have its good points either though!

The premise really was amazing and just because it wasn't for me doesn't necessarily mean it isn't for you! While the plot twist was rather predictable, it does have a unique spin on it that makes you question yourself once in a while too, so maybe you will love it!

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Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally

Goodreads Blurb
They’re from two different worlds.
He lives in the estate house, and she spends most of her time in the stables helping her father train horses. In fact, Savannah has always been much more comfortable around horses than boys. Especially boys like Jack Goodwin—cocky, popular and completely out of her league. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries.
With her dream of becoming a horse jockey, Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules either. She’s not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack…

Racing Savannah is one of those books that I'm just...not quite sure how I feel about it. I haven't read Catching Jordan or Things I Can't Forget (but I plan to!), but I have read Stealing Parker. And it wasn't my style. So when I started Racing Savannah, I was a bit wary. And, apparently for a good reason.

Honestly, I almost DNF'd (did not finish) it because I just couldn't stand Savannah. Or maybe this just wasn't my type of book. I wasn't the biggest fan of Savannah, honestly. She assumed the most ridiculous things sometimes and she had such a giant prejudice against rich people, although we never really see what fueled it. She was a mostly flat, rather annoying character, and I couldn't really relate to her all that much. Except, perhaps, her passion for what she loved to do. And that was pretty much the only reason I tolerated her throughout the book.

Jack was a pretty cute love interest, but I just wasn't swooning over him as much as I wished. I hated how he kept backing away from Savannah for fear of his father, but what I found interesting was that Mr. Goodwin was actually really nice and seemed to really care about his staff, including Savannah. I just couldn't really see him all that angry if Jack wanted to date Savannah.

The romance did seem pretty rushed though--almost insta-love. Despite Savannah's prejudice, she was almost instantly enamored with Jack and he pretty much crushed on her almost as quickly. Surprising since he was supposed to be leading on a different girl and never had a serious girlfriend. They didn't really understand each other that much, I think.
But it was cute, the stolen moments, the secrecy, the teasing. If Kenneally hadn't rushed it so much, I'm sure I would've loved the romance wholeheartedly!

Since I've only read one other Kenneally book, I'm pretty sure there were a lot of inside jokes I didn't really get. (Hey, I read the teasers of the other books!) We do get to see some old characters and, even though I haven't read the books, it was hilarious to watch them! (And the siblings of two old characters pop up! And oh, one of our couples get married. And another are engaged. Fun, right?)

All in all, I was pretty disappointed, but it wasn't totally bad. Fans of Miranda Kenneally are sure to love it! (And I'll go get started on the other books, yeah?)

Pages: 304

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Series: Hundred Oaks #4

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: Dec 3, 2013

Rating: 3 stars

Scorched by Mari Mancusi

Goodreads Blurb
Trinity 
Don't leave me here... It starts with a whisper. At first Trinity thinks she's going crazy. It wouldn't be a big surprise--her grandpa firmly believes there's a genuine dragon egg in their dusty little West Texas town. But this voice is real, and it's begging for her protection. Even if no one else can hear it...
Connor 
He's come from a future scorched by dragonfire. His mission: Find the girl. Destroy the egg. Save the world.
Caleb 
He's everything his twin brother Connor hates: cocky, undisciplined, and obsessed with saving dragons. 
Trinity has no idea which brother to believe. All she has to go by is the voice in her head--a dragon that won't be tamed.

Scorched was a bit disappointing for me. It was sort of Eragon meets Terminator and almost anything with dragons had to be good, right? Right?
Not necessarily.
The idea was absolutely intriguing and I loved the dragon parts and the worldbuilding, but the rest of this story just wasn't executed as well as I'd hoped.

The storyline, while absolutely genius at first, got a bit cliche and predictable in the second half. It was still very action packed (there's no doubting that!) but there were no unpredictable twists, nothing that made me wait with bated breath, wondering what would happen next. Honestly, it was like a rollercoaster you've already ridden one too many times. You knew where it would go, where the bumps would be, and what would happen.

The romance and love triangle in here were...not really romantic. Connor's feelings seemed insta-lovey since he was sent to kill her, basically, but instead he kissed her within maybe the first two hours they knew each other. Caleb's feelings were more like hero worship--infatuation, rather than actual love. And Trinity's feelings just popped out of nowhere, really.

Not to say I didn't love the boys--I did! (Gotta love twins.) They each had their own story, stemming from the same event, and they both so fiercely believed in what they were doing, that what they did was saving the world. They were both protective of Trinity (for some weird reason) but I loved their loyalty to her and how they put her above their "duties". They were each swoony in their own ways, but I always lean towards the bad boy, so hello Team Caleb!

I couldn't, unlike our dragon, connect with Trinity (see what I did there?). I found her annoying a lot of times and she was just so indecisive and ungrateful sometimes.
I loved Emmy, our dragon though. Actually, I loved pretty much all of the dragon scenes. They're magnificent creatures brilliantly described in Scorched. I wished we focused less on her relationship with the boys and more with the dragons.

While Scorched was a fun read, it had so much wasted potential. It was a wild ride with the dragons and the epic worldbuilding, but the characters and the romance brought it down. I still may read the sequel, but it's a small chance. I really wanted to love this book, but it just didn't work for me.

Pages: 352

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Scorched #1

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: Sep 3, 2013

Rating: 3 stars

Blog Tour: Six Months Later by Natalie Richards

Goodreads Blurb

Chloe didn't think about it much when she nodded off in study hall on that sleepy summer day. But when she wakes up, snow is on the ground and she can't remember the last six months of her life. Before, she'd been a mediocre student. Now, she's on track for valedictorian and being recruited by Ivy League schools. Before, she never had a chance with super jock Blake. Now he's her boyfriend. Before, she and Maggie were inseparable. Now her best friend won't speak to her.
What happened to her? 
And why can't she remember?

The only thing you should know about this book is that I was in a thriller high/mood for a week after reading it. It was just that good.

It's no surprise that I'm in love with amnesia books, and Six Months Later was no exception. It leaves us exactly like our main character--lost, confused, and, if it's written well, right next to the heroine collecting the clues. That's the thing I loved most about Six Months Later. It was so brilliantly written that we had all these clues and pieces, but you just never knew how to piece them together until you could slowly, ever so slowly, figure it out with Chloe. It seemed like everyone had something to hide, and when you have no idea what happened to yourself, it's hard to figure out what's happened to others.

The plot was definitely filled with twists I definitely didn't expect. I could never have guessed anything that happened and all I can say is that the ride was intense. My heart was beating frantically (legit, in my notes, I wrote "Heart. Beating. WHAT." and I was just so desperate to figure out what had happened to Chloe and the rather sinister plot and mastermind behind it all. Six Months Later is a bit on the creepy side, and completely on the thrilling side.

We have a cast of some pretty awesome characters, especially Chloe. What I loved about her is that she came to logical conclusions, conclusions I probably would've made in her situation. There was no overlooking the obvious thing or somehow snatching onto some ridiculous idea. She's a character you just connect with and can't help but love with her sass and feel for with her clear cut desperation in the beginning.
The rest of the characters were unique in their own way with their own little quirks and I loved reading and meeting new characters. And God knows it was fun (if a bit frustrating) trying to figure out whether he or she was in on what happened to Chloe.

And yes. Yes there is romance. Yes there was a bad boy. YES I DID LOVE IT. It was such a sweet, hesitant romance and I just fell for Adam more than once. It wasn't rushed in any way and the way they treated each other was so...tentative. It was adorable and cute and it's just something you have to love!

Six Months Later is a brilliant read and a heart racing thriller. It exceeded all my expectations and, basically, blew my mind. Unexpected and beautifully written, Richards gives you hints one by one, but never the full story until the end.
It's one I have to recommend to you. And your friend. And your sibling. And your mom. Does your pet read?

Pages: 336

Genre: Thriller/Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: Oct 1, 2013

Rating: 7/5 stars

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Fiction Freak: How did you come up with the plot?

Natalie Richards: Oh man, it's so cliché these days, but it's totally true.  I dozed off at work one day a few years ago (I know--Way to stay classy, Nat!) and I dreamed that I was looking out my office window on a warm summer afternoon.  In the dream, I blinked.  When I opened my eyes it was dark and snowing outside the window.  It was so creepy that it woke me up and I couldn't stop thinking about it.  What if you fell asleep and woke up months and months later?  What if you weren't asleep at all?  So, that's where it all started.

FF: If you were stuck in Chloe's shoes, you would've...

NT: Depends on which part of the book you're asking about.  Because for the Adam scenes...ahem.  Well.  Let's go with the beginning scenes, shall we?  :-)

You know, I want to be a cool zombie-apocalypse-prepared kind of chick and say I'd determine my bearings, assess my phone records, get all Jason Bourne about it, right?  But I totally wouldn't.  I would lose my ever-living mind.  No joke.  Pacing, hyperventilating, possible banshee-worthy wailing.  It would be epic. Panic would not be a big enough word for the kind of humiliating depths I'd sink to if I woke up with dirt under my fingernails and several months of my life gone.

FF: What prompted you to write a thriller? (That knocked my socks off by the way!)

NT: AW!  You're so lovely -- thank you!  I can't tell you how much your comments and kindness have made me grin.

I've always been a fan of a good thriller.  I wanted to see if I could write one that somehow tangled a romance into the creepy and scary stuff. So, the idea of it was always there, and when I started playing with the concept of falling asleep and losing time, the characters started sliding into place.  Chloe, Adam, and Maggie sealed the deal for me.  I was hopelessly lost in this book after they came along.  No way could I have stopped writing it. 

 

FF: What six months would you love to forget?

NT: Wow.  Amazing question.  I thought a lot about this, I admit it.  Initially, I was tempted to mention some of the tougher things I've been through in my life, but the more I thought about it, I realized I wouldn't want to lose those memories.  I think the hard things in life have a lot to do with who we are.  I tend to think we need those memories, even though they hurt. 

That said, I did spend six months of my life waiting tables on third shift at an all-night pancake house.  I wore a maroon polyester skirt and a really tragic hair bonnet.  I'll give you a moment to consider the kind of customers that might be in search of eggs and bacon at three o'clock in the morning.  Yes, it was every bit as bad as it sounds.  So, if I have to chuck some memories, let's take those. 

FF: If there was anyone you suspected was brainwashed, it would be...

NT: Ah, geez.  Now you're really going to get me in trouble!  LOL! 

I did know a girl when I was fifteen who went a little crazy.  She was a year or two older than me, but a good friend.  Pretty, smart, liked to goof around.  She took a three-week trip across the country.  When she returned she informed me--no joke--that she was planning to move there to marry a boy she'd met.  This wasn't something she was thinking about or dreaming, she was seriously researching ways to pack her stuff and head west.  It was...certifiable the weirdest thing I've ever experienced.  She thought she'd fallen in love.  I was pretty sure she'd fallen alright--and she clearly hit her head very hard when she landed.  Fortunately, she came to her senses, but for a couple of weeks that girl was a Stepford Wife.  Way creepy.

FF: In your life, who would be the evil mastermind behind everything?

NT: Well, in reality, I'm definitely the evil genius.  Minus the genius.  And mostly only a little evil, because I have a huge guilt complex that makes me apologize profusely and feel wretched for any actual evil deeds. 

But I'm boring, so can I pick who I'd want as an evil mastermind?  I'm kind of thinking Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory.  Okay, maybe he's not exactly evil, but he could go there.  He's also a super-genius, with extensive comic book and science fiction knowledge, so I'm thinking he would be a great schemer.   Also, he's really fastidious, so he might clean my house.  Bonus!

Nikki, thank you so much for hosting!  You have been amazing -- welcoming me into the blogging community and embracing Six Months Later with so much enthusiasm.  Thanks so much for your support and for having me.  It's been beyond lovely to be here!

But of course! J AND IT’S LOVELY TO HAVE ALL YOUR AWESOMENESS.

Author Bio

Natalie D. Richards won her first writing competition in the second grade with her short story about Barbara Frances Bizzlefishes (who wouldn't dare do the dishes.)  She later misplaced her writing dreams in a maze of cubicles and general office drudgery. Natalie never forgot about Barbara or those dishes, and eventually she found her way back to storytelling, following the genre of her heart, teen fiction.  When she's not writing or shopping her manuscripts, you can probably find her wading through the towers of dog-eared paperbacks that have taken over her bedroom. Natalie lives in Ohio with her amazing husband and their three children, who inspire her every day to stick with her dreams. 

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DNF Review: TMI by Patty Blount

Goodreads Blurb

Best friends don’t lie.
Best friends don’t ditch you for a guy.
Best friends don’t post your deepest, darkest secrets online.
Bailey’s falling head-over-high-heels for Ryder West, a mysterious gamer she met online. A guy she’s never met in person. Her best friend, Meg, doesn’t trust smooth-talking Ryder. He’s just a picture-less profile.
When Bailey starts blowing Meg off to spend more virtual quality time with her new crush, Meg decides it’s time to prove Ryder’s a phony.
But one stupid little secret posted online turns into a friendship-destroying feud to answer the question:
Who is Ryder West?

So another DNF review. I'm not sure why, but I was on a slump when I read this, so maybe that's why...?
This'll be short since I really only had one problem with it. One and a half problems actually?

So the characters were ab-so-lute-ly annoying. Like, I-would-love-to-strangle annoying. I wasn't even sure why they were best friends--they really clashed a lot of times, and I was surprised that this was their first actual fight.
Meg had a one track mind, and I found it unrealistic that someone would be so angry that their dad DIED for what? Over ten years ago? Not to mention that I understand that it would be hard for her to get over it, but I couldn't believe how cruel and judgmental she could be. What kind of best friend...?
Bailey was just so dependent on Meg and it annoyed me to no ends. It's like she couldn't do anything without Meg! In the book, it says that Bailey loved Meg's confidence--what confidence though? Meg was only following a slightly outlined plan, not even foolproof.
The characters were absolutely horrible and unerealistic in my opinion. I sort of loathed them.

The romance was also sort of ridiculous. I didn't even see why...what's his name even liked Meg.
And then, Bailey knew Ryder for LESS than a day and was already setting up plans to meet him? I'm all for internet friends *waves at bloggy friends* but that was over, like, months! It was ridiculous. Bailey sometimes did act like a dumb blond.

So yeah. Not the book for me!

Pages: 336
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Stand alone
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Rating: DNF