The Last Harvest
   by: Kim Liggett

Publication Date: Jan. 10, 2017
Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: Horror
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Physical ARC received via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review
Page Count: 304 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N

“I plead the blood.”

Those were the last words seventeen-year-old golden boy quarterback Clay Tate heard rattling from his dad's throat when he discovered him dying on the barn floor of the Neely Cattle Ranch, clutching a crucifix to his chest.

Now, on the first anniversary of the Midland, Oklahoma slaughter, the whole town's looking at Clay like he might be next to go over the edge. Clay wants to forget the past, but the sons and daughters of the Preservation Society—a group of prominent farmers his dad accused of devil worship—won't leave him alone. Including Ali, his longtime crush, who suddenly wants to reignite their romance after a year of silence, and hated rival Tyler Neely, who’s behaving like they’re old friends.

Even as Clay tries to reassure himself, creepy glances turn to sinister stares and strange coincidences build to gruesome rituals—but when he can never prove that any of it happened, Clay worries he might be following his dad down the path to insanity...or that something far more terrifying lies in wait around the corner.

 

Kim's Top Five Creepiest Dolls in Horror

 

Poltergeist

Who could forget this terrifying clown? This is one of my all-time favorite movies. It’s scary, funny, surprising, and such a fun ride.

http://giphy.com/gifs/poltergeist-RJPgWH4AweWPK

 

 

The Conjuring

Oh, Annabelle, you creep me out so hard and I love you.

http://giphy.com/gifs/the-conjuring-gHRLlYjl1arny

 

 

Child’s Play

Chucky has made us laugh, made us cry, and possibly pee our pants a little

http://giphy.com/gifs/absurdnoise-absurdnoise-chucky-childs-play-2-Tn4JQLe2G1plK

 

The Twilight Zone- Living Doll

My name is Talky Tina and I’m going to KILL YOU

http://giphy.com/gifs/tina-talky-k5LZHbJnNLBVC

 

Magic

This film starring a young Anthony Hopkins is a doll cult classic. Fats, the ventriloquist dummy is as creepy as it gets.

http://giphy.com/gifs/anthony-hopkins-B0CXqiviDmT7O

About the Author:

 

At sixteen, Kim Liggett left her rural midwestern town for New York City, where she pursued a career in music and acting. While attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Kim sang backup for some of the biggest rock bands of the 80s. After settling down to have a family, she became an entrepreneur, creating a children's art education program and a travel company specializing in tours for musicians. She's married to jazz musician Ken Peplowski, and has two beautiful teenagers. www.kimliggett.com  @Kim_Liggett

 

My Review:

 

When I first heard Kim talking about this book at Books of Wonder last fall, I knew I had to get my hands on it. She pitched it as Friday Night Lights meets Rosemary's Baby, which is both awesome and creepy at the same time. I definitely saw the similarities to both, and how she tied the two together was pretty neat. I really enjoyed reading through this one and I loved that I didn't want to put it down—except sometimes I did, because I got creeped out and was a bit afraid a creepy doll would be in my face if I woke up in the middle of the night.

 

I really enjoyed Clay's character and my heart definitely felt for him. Having tragically lost his dad the previous year to extraneous conditions, he is the man of the house and has to take care of his two younger sisters and his disconnected mother. All the while, he has to take care of the farm and make sure the harvest is ready before the first frost comes. As if that isn't enough, Clay is getting some pressure from the weird founding fathers society the town has going on and they want him to take his rightful place along with 5 others—one of which is a girl he desperately loves. It's a lot for a guy! His voice felt realistic and I felt I was right there in Midland with him.

 

I think Liggett did a great job of piecing everything together and keeping us guessing. I can easily envision this as a horror movie, in fact, it reminded me a bit of that Demi Moore movie The Seventh Sign. Religious things creep me out the most, so I was definitely a bit freaked out during this one. To say I would scream in a theater is this were a movie, would be an understatement!

Welcome to my stop on the When We Collided blog tour hosted by Bloomsbury!

Today I am excited to share my review as well as Emery's music inspiration for the book!

When We Collided
   by: Emery Lord

Publication Date: Apr. 5, 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Physical ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 352 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N

Seventeen year-old Jonah Daniels has lived in Verona Cove, California, his whole life, and only one thing has ever changed: his father used to be alive, and now he is not. With a mother lost in a deep bout of depression, Jonah and his five siblings struggle to keep up their home and the restaurant their dad left behind. But at the start of summer, a second change rolls in: Vivi Alexander, the new girl in town. 

Vivi is in love with life. Charming and unfiltered, she refuses to be held down by the medicine she’s told should make her feel better. After meeting Jonah, she slides into the Daniels’ household seamlessly, winning over each sibling with her imagination and gameness. But it’s not long before Vivi’s zest for life begins to falter. Soon her adventurousness becomes all-out danger-seeking. 

Through each high and low, Vivi and Jonah’s love is put to the test . . . but what happens when love simply isn’t enough?

 

Where do I even begin? I am still reeling over the fact that I cried through the end of this one. I can count on both hands how many times a book has made me cry. When We Collided was THAT powerful and while I felt the ending was perfect for the book and that things had to happen the way they did, it was definitely bittersweet at the same time. I absolutely fell head over heels in love with Jonah Daniels and his family just like Vivi did.

 

Vivi was one heck of a main character. She was definitely a lot to take in, but I enjoyed her overall. Her vibrant, enthusiastic personality was contagious and I love how she made an impression on everyone she met. The Daniels family is desperately trying to hold themselves together after the loss of their father and my heart ached for every one of them. Vivi bursts into their lives, bringing color to their world of gray. However, like the blurb says, Vivi definitely has her highs and lows and she could act extremely immature and self centered at times. I understood it, but it still hurt my heart because it affects her relationship with Jonah. And that boy needs all the good in his life he can get. I do love that Vivi let Jonah be himself. She doesn't push or force him to talk everything out. There's a simplicity there that just works for them.

 

It's hard to discuss Jonah and Vivi's relationship without giving spoilers and I definitely don't want to do that because this is a book you have to experience for yourself. I will say that it was a crazy, beautiful love that brought healing, adventure and introspection. Jonah and Vivi learn a lot in this book and they grow because of these particular experiences. What I loved most of all was how realistic this book was. Lord does a brilliant job of capturing that youthful, whimsical feel and the emotion that bleeds from these pages is so potent that it literally took my breath away at times.

 

When We Collided is an emotional, beautiful book, but it is also messy and raw and REAL. These characters have to deal with issues such as mental illness and depression, as well as navigate the feelings of their own hearts and the reality in which they find themselves. Life isn't a fairy tale with a fairy tale ending. Life is uncertain. We have no way of predicting where it will take us or where we'll find ourselves years from now. But you only get one. So make it count.

 

"We are the reckless, we are the wild youth, chasing visions of our futures...." - from Youth's Daughter (one of Emery's playlist songs)

 

 

I am such a huge music lover and I know Emery is as well, so naturally I asked her to do a guest post featuring some tunes! Take it away Emery!

 

 

This is great because my music for Vivi and Jonah was SO important while writing! Here’s the most bare bones version of my playlist:

 

Pointless Beauty – Ben Lee

This is my Chapter 1 song. What’s the point of speculation? I want to feel it in my hands is the most Viv line ever.

 

Once There Was a Hushpuppy – Beasts of the Southern Wild soundtrack

This song sounds like the book feels to me. There’s longing in the string section, then this beautiful triumph in the brass line, the steady heartbeat thump of the percussion.

 

Dead Hearts – Stars

I find this track hauntingly beautiful. It has this simple, energetic guitar line punctuated with piano. It felt like a summer night to me. 

 

Moth’s Wings – Passion Pit

My husband knew exactly what I was working on if he could hear this song coming out of my headphones.

 

Blue Skies – Noah and the Whale

Blue skies are coming, but I know that it’s hard is basically the thesis of this book.

 

Youth – Daughter

This song makes me ache, and I listened to it a lot while writing Viv scenes.

 

Staralfur – Sigur Ros

I listened to a lot of joyous Sigur Ros songs while writing—Inni mer syngur vitleysingur, Vid spilum endalaust, Hoppipolla, but this one—from the Life Aquatic soundtrack—sounds like wonder to me.

 

Feels Like the End – Mikky Ekko

I must have listened to this 100 times while writing/editing Chapter 27.

 

Even the Darkness Has Arms – The Barr Brothers

I found this song before it was officially recorded for an album—a YouTube video of a live performance that I played on loop. The title line (Even the darkness has arms / but it ain’t got you. Baby, I have it, and I have you too) feels so much like the experience of both dealing with grief/depression AND loving someone.

 

Until We Get There – Lucius

This is the song that plays in my head in the last chapter. I heard it on New Girl, and I was like: Oh my God—that’s what the end sounds like, that’s IT.

 

Thank you Emery! I obviously have some new music to check out myself!

 

 

 

Emery Lord is the author of Open Road Summer and The Start of Me and You. She lives in a pink row house in Cincinnati, with a husband, two rescue dogs, and a closet full of impractical shoes. Visit her online at www.emerylord.com and on Twitter at @emerylord.

 

Welcome to my stop on the Positively Beautiful blog tour hosted by Bloomsbury!

Today I am excited to share my review, a guest post from Wendy, as well as a giveaway with you all!

See the full tour schedule below to follow along with this fun tour!

Positively Beautiful
   by: Wendy Mills

Publication Date: Mar. 3, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Physical ARC received via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 368 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N

16-year-old Erin is a smart if slightly dorky teenager, her life taken up with her best friend Trina, her major crush on smoky-eyed, unattainable Michael, and fending off Faith, the vision of perfection who’s somehow always had the knife in for Erin. Her dad, a pilot, died when she was very young, but Erin and her mom are just fine on their own.

Then everything changes forever one day after school when Erin’s mom announces she has breast cancer. And there’s even worse news to come. Horrified, Erin discovers that her grandmother’s death from cancer is almost certainly linked, the common denominator a rare gene mutation that makes cancer almost inevitable. And if two generations of women in the family had this mutation, what does that mean for Erin? The chances she’s inherited it are frighteningly high. Would it be better to know now and have major preemptive surgery or spend as much life as she has left in blissful ignorance?

As Erin grapples with her terrible dilemma, her life starts to spiral downwards, alleviated only by the flying lessons she starts taking with grumpy Stew and his little yellow plane, Tweetie Bird. Up in the sky, following in her dad’s footsteps, Erin finds freedom chasing the horizon. Down on the ground it’s a different story, and facing betrayal from Trina, humiliation from Faith, and a world of disappointment with Michael, Erin knows she must discover the truth about herself. Sure enough, she’s positive for the gene that’s slowly killing her mom.

Suddenly, Erin’s life has turned into a nightmare, and the only person she can truly talk to is a girl called Ashley who she meets online. But when, in a moment of madness, Erin flies away with Tweetie Pie to find her new friend, she finds herself on a journey that will take her through not only shock and despair - but ultimately to a new understanding of the true meaning of beauty, meaning, and love.

 

 

I'm so excited for Wendy to give us a tour of the real life island used in the book today! Take it away Wendy!

 

On a beautiful Sunday morning in February, my family piled into our boat and headed to Punta Blanca Island, the real-life island I used as a model for the island in Positively Beautiful.

 

I’ve always loved islands. Right out of college, I moved to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where I walked the wide sweeping beaches, feeling the pound of the Atlantic Ocean on the sand under my feet. Now I live on a small, sleepy island off the coast of Southwest Florida, where there are no stoplights and miles and miles of palm farms. Even better, there are numerous other islands just off our coast to explore, some inhabited but most not. The uninhabited ones are my favorite, which is why I’ve always loved Blanca Island.  

 

A view of Blanca Island as we approached by boat.

 

Winding through a natural pass, surrounded on all sides by the tangle of mangrove roots, and watched by ospreys, we travel into the heart of the island.

 

 

Once on the island, there are a couple of places you can set up a tent. You’re not allowed to camp here anymore, but in the old days… it was fantastic. There is no fresh water, and (of course) no bathrooms, so everything had to be brought in, and brought off when you left. The pay off? Your own private island for a night or two.

 

 

Paths wind throughout the island, and you could spend hours exploring them all. One of my favorites leads here:

 

A small confession. The manatee cove featured in the book is real…but it’s not on Blanca Island. It is nestled only a few minutes away on another island, Cayo Costa. The manatees were shy today, and we didn’t see any, but most of the time there are at least four or five (one cold November day, we counted thirty…and stopped counting). They surface in big bursts of briny breath, their faces just peeking out of the water, and then they disappear, leaving only a expanding circle of water ripples to mark their passing. My favorite encounter here was when a mother brought her baby (we named him Junior) to the back of the boat, and they hung out looking up at us from just under the water for a good half hour.   

 

Islands have always felt safe to me. Well, except for during hurricane season, but that’s another story. As a rule, when I’m on an island, surrounded by water on all sides, it feels as if the real world is very far away. I suppose it’s a no-brainer that when I needed an escape for Erin in Positively Beautiful that my thoughts would turn to Blanca Island. I hope you enjoyed the tour!


 

 

 
 
WENDY MILLS was born in Virginia and spent several years in North Carolina, but now lives with her family on the tropical island of Bokeelia, off the south-west coast of Florida where she spends her time writing and dodging hurricanes. She has published adult mysteries with Poisoned Pen Press, and Positively Beautiful is her first young adult novel.  Visit her online at www.wendymillsbooks.com or on Twitter @WendyMillsBooks.

 

"The days of my life are pearls on a string, some scratched and marred, some lustrous and pure, but all of them mine alone. It's not the ugliest, or the most beautiful of them, that define me, but all of them together that make me who I am."

 

I knew going in this would be an emotional book, what with the content that is involved. I had no idea I would have trouble finishing the book because I couldn't see past the tears in my eyes. It was inevitable and you know it's coming for the duration of the book, but wow did it hit me right there in the end. However, as emotional as this book was, I do feel Mills handled it in a very realistic manner and while the ending left me sad, I wasn't overwhelmed by my sadness to the point where I felt suffocated. Sometimes letting go is the best thing you can do for someone you love if that means they can be free....

 

The book is divided into four parts and each part represents a different part of Erin's journey as she navigates the waters of finding out her mother has cancer as well as the fact that she could potentially be carrying the BRCA mutation, which significantly increases her chances of getting cancer also. It is a rough road for Erin, not just because of the cancer, but because she is young and a teenager, and high school is a beast all its own. I found I enjoyed Parts Two-Four significantly more than Part One. Part One was a bit slower for me and had many things that I found frustrating, including Erin herself. However, once we got to the island in Part Two, I felt more of an emotional attachment to her and what she was going through. The remainder of the book I felt more invested and there wasn't as much of the catty high school drama that accompanied the beginning. It became more about Erin working to find her own self-identity as well as being there for her mom. The romance also began to sparkle in the later parts of the book.

 

I don't want to give anything away, but there is one twist I did not see coming and wasn't sure how I felt about it initially. It ended up really working though and was an integral part of Erin's journey to self-discovery. She has changed so much from the beginning of the book until the end. She really struggled with some self-image issues and bullying in the beginning, but by the end she had self-confidence and I liked the way she held herself amidst her peers. Teens are such fickle creatures. They bully one another one moment, and then something terrible happens and they feel sorry for the person it happened to. It ended up leading to their respect for Erin though.

 

Erin isn't a perfect heroine. She is a teenager who has her flaws, makes mistakes, and agonizes over the unknown. You can't fault her for those things. Her friendship with her best friend wasn't my favorite, but unfortunately that's the way it goes sometimes. People come in and out of your life and they might not stay long, but they leave a footprint all the same.

 

Overall, I ended up enjoying Positively Beautiful despite my issues with the first part. It was a beautiful story of finding yourself and tackled some very difficult topics, but it ultimately showed you that life is worth living- no matter how much of it you may have left.

 

"Courage is not always big and bright and loud; sometimes it's as silent and small as true words, a smile when you'd rather weep, or getting up every day and living with quiet dignity while all around you life rages. You cannot truly love, live, or exist without courage."

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Tour Schedule:

March 2^nd: Jenuine Cupcakes

March 3^rd : YA Bibliophile

March 4^th : Book Revels

March 5^th : The Hardcover Lover

March 6^th : Bookiemoji

March 9^th : Dana Square

March 10^th : Lovin Los Libros

March 11^th : The Book Belles

March 12^th : Adventures in Reading

March 13^th :Who Ru Blog

 

Welcome to my stop on the Embrace blog tour hosted by InkSlingerPR!

Today I am spotlighting Kelley York's Hushed. I have a guest post written by Kelley herself and a giveaway for you all!

Hushed
   by: Kelley York

Publication Date: Nov. 11, 2013
Publisher: Entangled: Embrace
Genre: Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Page Count: 229 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N

He’s loved her. Killed for her. Yet he may not be able to save her.

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids. Since then, he’s never stopped trying to shelter her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when skipping from one toxic relationship to another. Archer is always there, reeled in and tossed out, waiting to be noticed.

Then Evan Bishop breezes into town with a warm smile and calming touch, and Archer can’t deny his attraction to him. Evan is the only person who keeps him around without a single string attached. And the harder Archer falls for Evan, the more he sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and once she finds out Archer’s dark secret, she threatens to expose the truth if she doesn’t get what she wants. And what she wants is for him to end his relationship with Evan...permanently.

 

 

~Guest Post with Kelley York~

 

Kelley's Top Ten Books

 

(In no particular order...)

 

10. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

 

I'm a sucker for zombie books, movies, and games. Bonus point when someone can give their zombie story a special spin. Carrie Ryan manages that in this trilogy—The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Dark and Hollow Places—not only because the characters are different in each book and yet connected at the end, but the entire world is eerie, hopeless, desperate, and frightening. I couldn't tell you which one of the three is my favorite.

 

9. Feed by M.T. Anderson

 

Let me say, this was not the sort of book I would normally read. I'm not into futuristic type stuff, and when the first line of the blurb is "...it started out like an ordinary trip to the moon..." I'm instantly turned off. But because an agent I admire recommended it, I downloaded the sample to give it a try and was hooked. Feed is a dreary, eerily and unsettlingly realistic look at what the future could hold, and the way humanity is often blind to what we do to our world and ourselves.

8. Boy Toy by Barry Lyga

 

Nevermind that Barry Lyga is pretty brilliant with his writing, this book is one of those books I feel everyone needs to read. The subject of male rape/molestation is not spoken about as much as it should be, and for every woman who comes forward about being attacked, just as many boys remain silent because of the general idea that "boys can't be raped by women." Boy Toy is a thought-provoking, at times uncomfortable, and overall a good read.

7. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky

 

I'm ashamed to admit I put off reading this book for way too long. It's actually a rather short, quick read, and it's brilliantly written. Every single character has depth, has their own story, and makes you feel something for them—either good or bad. Chbosky tackles many issues without being preachy about it, from depression, suicide, gay issues, domestic violence, teen pregnancy, and more. Perks should not be banned in schools, but should instead be required reading.

6. Feed by Mira Grant

 

Ha! Two books by the same title on my list. For Mira Grant's post-apocalyptic zombie series, though, the word takes on a very literal meaning. My main beef with these books are how painfully over-written they are; 150 pages could have easily been trimmed out of each book without cutting anything important. Everything else, though? I love. The characters, the semi-political plotlines that are never so overbearing that I feel like I'm watching the evening news...and the zombies. YAY. Grant is also meticulous about her details, and while the science of it may or may not be exact, to someone like me, it sure feels like truth.

5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

What list is complete without a John Green book? It was hard to decide between this one and Will Grayson, Will Grayson, but I'll let this win out. I don't even know if I have to say more than that.

4. Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz

 

I'm not quiet about the fact that I'm a total Hannah fan. She's an interesting person all on her own, and I continue to love the stories she puts out. It was hard to choose just one, but I went with Teeth because of its originality. I mean, fish boys!! All her books tend to be quick reads and yet emotionally heavy and draining at the same time, which is a perfect combination for me. I will say, if this is your first Hannah book, I might direct you to something easier like Gone, Gone, Gone to get a taste for her unique writing style before you tackle the fun, dark strangeness that is Teeth.

3. Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

 

One of the only werewolf books I absolutely loved was the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. I chose the third book in the series because it was just brilliant. I loved how everything wrapped up, and I fell more in love with the characters than I already was. I cringed for awhile there, thinking we'd be served up a nice big love triangle, and was pleasantly surprised when that didn't happen. The main love interests face their battles, yes, but they don't revolve around other guys/girls poking their nose in and trying to steal someone away.

2. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

 

I finished this book, entirely unsure what to make of it. The prose was beautiful and a little much for me at times, but what I loved was the way you were never quite sure if the narrator was telling the truth. If she was exaggerating the events. You're never sure if this is a contemporary story with an unreliable storyteller, or something darker, tinted with paranormal aspects. A beautiful read, either way.

 

1. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

 

Don't let the trailers for the movie fool you: Warm Bodies is not a romantic comedy. Does it have romance? Yeah, a bit. Does it have comedy? Ehh, here and there, thought the humor is macabre most of the time. While I enjoyed the movie for what it was, it didn't hold a candle to the book. Marion's writing is superb; it's succinct and to the point, yet beautiful and poignant all at once. Some of my favorite book quotes are found in these pages, and the story is more about humanity and what makes us truly human than anything else.

 

About Kelley York:

Once upon a time, Kelley York was born in central California. And it's there she still resides with her lovely wife, step-daughter, and an abundance of cats, while fantasizing about moving to England or Ireland. She has a fascination with bells and animals, is a lover of video games, Doctor Who, manga and anime, and likes to pretend she’s a decent photographer. Her life goal is to find a real unicorn. Or at least write about them.

Kelley is a sucker for dark fiction. She loves writing twisted characters, tragic happenings, and bittersweet endings that leave you wondering and crying. Character development takes center stage in her books because the bounds of a person's character and the workings of their mind are limitless.

 Her first book, HUSHED, was released by Entangled Publishing in December 2011. Her second and third books, HOLLOWED and SUICIDE WATCH, were released in 2012, and her next Entangled book, MADE OF STARS, is slated for October 1st, 2013.  Visit Kelley via her:

 Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

About Embrace:

EMBRACE…endless possibilities.  A new adult imprint from Entangled, launching November 11^th! You can follow them and get more information about future titles @EPEmbrace or their facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmbraceImprint

 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the rest of the tour schedule and great new Embrace titles HERE.

 

Broken
   by: CJ Lyons

Publication Date: Nov. 5, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 336 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

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.

 

My Review:

 

When I first saw this pop up on NetGalley, I knew I had to request it. First of all- how gorgeous is that cover? I have SUCH cover love for this book! Second- that blurb? A book about a girl with a rare heart condition who longs to go to school and be a normal kid for once and experience all the things high school has to offer? I was sold. When I saw there was a bit of a mystery thrown in, that sweetened the deal even more! I have to say- I didn't have any idea as to the direction the book would take until the last 1/4 and I was completely stunned by the turn of events.

 

Scarlet has spent her life being sick. She has a heart condition by the name of Long QT Syndrome (which is real!) and after several close calls, she has not been allowed to go to school and live like a normal teenager. She desperately wants to feel normal and experience the things other kids her age do- going to school, taking classes, making friends... However, with an overprotective stepmother who is also a nurse, Scarlet has not been allowed the chance to do those things. Until now.

 

Her parents have agreed to let her go a few days to school to get a feel for it and try it out. However, Scarlet doesn't want to be the center of attention- or known as the freak girl with the heart condition. She wants to slip under the radar, not drawing any attention to herself. It's difficult to do that when she is forced to roll a backpack around that carries her AED. I was absolutely appalled at how Scarlet was treated by her peers that first day of school. She is instantly pushed around, bullied, and made fun of and if I had been in her shoes, I probably would've taken off and hid out in the bathroom for the day. Scarlet is a trooper though. She is determined to survive the day and not let jerk football players or haughty upperclassmen ruin her experience. Scarlet has been sheltered by her stepmom for so long, that she comes across as quite naïve. She is too trusting of others and she is led to believe her peers are curious about her condition, when really they are looking for more things to use against her-to humiliate her.

 

She does make a few good friends along the way- Jordan, Nessa, and Celina are all part of a Peer Mentoring group and they really stick together. Scarlet is filled with joy that there are people who are willing to stand up for her. I liked Jordan's character, but I thought Lyons would take his character in a different direction that she did. Jordan also shares lockers with her and he is one of the first people to show her kindness in her new school. She finds herself attracted to this boy, yet she can't figure him out either. Nessa was not my favorite friend to be honest. Nessa was a bit back and forth with Scarlet. It bothered me that she blamed Scarlet for things her mom was doing when Scarlet had no knowledge of this. Scarlet blindly trusts her mom- she's been the one person there for Scarlet all these years, taking care of her- making sure she is healthy and taking her medicine. What girl wouldn't trust that her mother knows best? Scarlet definitely wasn't used to this kind of drama and the last thing she wanted was to lose friends.

 

I also really liked Tony's character in the novel. Tony is another person who made Scarlet feel like a normal girl. After watching her take a stand against a bully, he admires her resolve and wants to get to know her. He ends up partnering them up in Biology, not because he feels bad for her or that she almost puked on his shoes, but because he genuinely wants to pair up with her. Tony, like Jordan, will also stand up for her, which leaves her confused about her feelings. Nessa tells her both are interested in her, which leaves Scarlet a little flabbergasted. She's never had to deal with emotions and feelings for boys before and at 15 watching her deal with them is awkward but completely realistic and I loved that. Tony not only stands up for her, but he genuinely wants to help her too. As the two work on a genetics project for history, the two learn more about Scarlet's health history than they ever bargained for. Suddenly, things are not so clear and Scarlet must force herself to look at things from every angle, no matter how much it may hurt her.

 

The coolest thing about this book is that it is set in the span of 5 days. The book is also divided that way, which at first I thought would bother me, but it didn't at all. I felt the pacing was just right and I didn't find myself getting bogged down with the plot. I did feel the ending was a tad bit rushed, though. We have the build up and then it just seemed like everything was resolved rather quickly. I do like that Lyons provided us with a view of what happens after that last day so we can see how Scarlet's story progresses from there.

 

Overall, this is a compelling story about a girl with a rare heart condition that longs to experience the world as normal teenagers do and be able to have those social interactions that she is not getting staying isolated at home. Watching her navigate the storm known as high school is both emotionally heartbreaking and filling at the same time.  

 

 

 

 

 

~Guest Post with CJ Lyons~

 

Top Ten Things Scarlet Wishes She Could Do During Her Time At High School

 

I am so excited to have CJ on the blog today so she can share Scarlet's top ten with all of you!

 

CJ: Wow, great question, Jessica! I'm going to give you Scarlet's Top Ten from when she starts the book- since she changes so very much by the end.

 

#10: To make it through security without someone yelling "bomb!" when they see her AED.

 

#9: To find something edible in the school lunch.

 

#8: To spend every free period (including gym!) in the school library surrounded by her best friends: books.

 

#7: To be at a school where the school nurse in charge of making sure you take your meds and that your heart isn't ready to go all spastic ISN'T her stepmom.

 

#6: To come home at night and be able to tell her parents all the great things that happened at school that day.

 

#5: To go to a game and cheer with the crowd.

 

#4: To know what it feels like to be part of a team- one that isn't filled with doctors and nurses and interns who just want to cut you up and see what makes you sick.

 

#3: To stand up for a friend and know that you've done the right thing when no one else had the guts to do it.

 

#2: To kiss a boy without her heart stampeding off a cliff, taking her along with it.

 

And the #1 thing Scarlet wishes for when she starts high school: To be "just" a normal girl with normal hopes and dreams... and most of all, friends.

 

 

About CJ Lyons:

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-one novels, former pediatric ER doctor CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge Thrillers with Heart.

Winner of the International Thriller Writers’ coveted Thriller Award, CJ has been called a "master within the genre" (Pittsburgh Magazine) and her work has been praised as "breathtakingly fast-paced" and "riveting" (Publishers Weekly) with "characters with beating hearts and three dimensions" (Newsday).

 

Learn more about CJ's Thrillers with Heart at www.CJLyons.net