Until We Meet Again ARC Review - The Butterfly Effect

Until We Meet Again | Renee Collins
Release Date: November 3rd, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre(s): Young Adult, Science Fiction, Time Travel
Pages: 336
Edition: E-ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating:

They exist in two different centuries, but their love defies time

Cassandra craves drama and adventure, so the last thing she wants is to spend her summer marooned with her mother and stepfather in a snooty Massachusetts shore town. But when a dreamy stranger shows up on their private beach claiming it's his own—and that the year is 1925—she is swept into a mystery a hundred years in the making.

As she searches for answers in the present, Cassandra discovers a truth that puts their growing love—and Lawrence's life—into jeopardy. Desperate to save him, Cassandra must find a way to change history…or risk losing Lawrence forever.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.

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Review

A Love That Defies Time

If only we could manipulate time and cheat death to save the ones we love.

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Time travel is one of my favorite concepts to read about. It's one of those concepts that can be poked and probed, divided and multiplied, but can still equal an unique outcome. The aspect of time seems to be a hot trend within the YA genre this year, and of course I can't complain, especially when stories like this have been birthed from the idea.

Until We Meet Again made me feel alot like a tightrope dancer. For majority of the book, I teetered on an invisible string, the flaws of the story hitting me like a gush of wind threatening to push me over, yet the writing and plot strengthened my balance, allowing me to fight against the wind gracefully. I swiftly moved with the words, elegantly prancing along until a plot twist pulled the string from under my feet, forcing me to dangle mid-air as the story took a terrifying turn. I'm a bundle of mixed emotions, desperately hanging on to such a promising concept, but the ragged mishaps of this tale is causing the string to slowly slip from my grasp.

Cassandra. An older sibling fresh out of a divorce between her parents, finds herself spending the summer with her mother and stepfather at a rented beach house in Massachusetts. It wouldn't be a YA novel if she wasn't miserable, finding the shore town with the Great Gatsby-esque atomsphere, full of rich people who threw lavish parties to be a complete snooze. She was oddly rebellious, breaking into her neighbors backyard at 2am, or pulling immature antics in hopes to punish her parents for her circumstances. In the beginning, I struggled to connect with Cass and her childish behavior, until a walk down to her private beach changed everything.

Lawrence. A beautiful boy with an an old soul. He was a handsome outsider, who had the swag of a poet, and the lingo of my great-great-great grandfather. He proved to be much more than just a misfit, and thanks to a dual-perspective, I was brilliantly able to travel from our current year of twenty-fifteen, to the luscious year of nineteen-twenty five.

Of truth and sea, her eyes become bound, endless in the vast beyond. And morning starlight's milky shine reverberates her soul in mine.

but·ter·fly ef·fect

noun

noun: butterfly effect; plural noun: butterfly effects

(with reference to chaos theory) the phenomenon whereby a minute localized change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere.

Taking a page out of the 2004 film The Butterfly Effect staring Aston Kutcher, Collins crafted more than just a time travel novel for us readers. Both characters reside in the same beach house, Cass in our current year, Lawrence 100 years in the past, both discovering that their private beach isn't just a place to escape reality, but indeed a loop hole in time. The moment they start interacting, the butterfly effect kicks in, allowing our characters to not only bend time, but to change the inevitable . . . Lawrence's fate. However, while this sounds all fine and dandy, the effect wasn't executed as smoothly as it should've been. We were given a bunch of causes that didn't have effects, completely scattering the domino effect I was looking for. This major flaw heavily changed some dynamics, the execution of the ending being one of them, but I wouldn't run the other direction just yet.

If this story was drowning, the writing was surely there to rescue, life jacket and all. It flowed with precision, beautifully meshing two centuries into one, while seamlessly weaving an unorthodox romance into the mix. I was hooked from the very beginning, completely mesmerized by Lawrence's perspective, captivated by his era of the 1920's. I was completely smitten with their relationship, and while the bittersweet ending wasn't entirely satisfying, I still found myself shedding a tear . . . or two. Okay three whatever. Until We Meet Again might not be perfect across the board, but it's definitely worth the read. The concept of time travel and the butterfly effect, writing, and the romance, will surely assist you with jumping over those hiccups, allowing you to still experience the beauty of what the author managed to create.

Just don't blame me if you hate it  

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Sweet Madness ARC Review - Insanity At It's Finest

Sweet Madness
Author(s): Lindsay Currie & Trisha Leaver
Release Date: September 15, 2015
Genre(s): Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Pages: 224
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating:

Seventeen-year-old Bridget Sullivan is alone in Fall River, a city that sees Irish immigrants as nothing more than a drunken drain on society. To make matters worse, she's taken employment with the city’s most peculiar and gossip-laden family—the Bordens. But Bridget can’t afford to be picky—the pay surpasses any other job Bridget could ever secure and she desperately needs the money to buy her little sister, Cara, passage to the states. It doesn’t hurt that the job location is also close to her beau, Liam. As she enters the disturbing inner workings of the Borden household, Bridget clings to these advantages.

However, what seemed like a straightforward situation soon turns into one that is untenable. Of course Bridget has heard the gossip around town about the Bordens, but what she encounters is far more unsettling. The erratic, paranoid behavior of Mr. Borden, the fearful silence of his wife, and worse still…the nightly whisperings Bridget hears that seem to come from the walls themselves.

The unexpected bright spot of the position is that Lizzie Borden is so friendly. At first, Bridget is surprised at how Lizzie seems to look out for her, how she takes a strong interest in Bridget’s life. Over time, a friendship grows between them. But when Mr. Borden’s behavior goes from paranoid to cruel, and the eerie occurrences in the house seem to be building momentum, Bridget makes the tough decision that she must leave the house—even if it means leaving behind Lizzie, her closest friend, alone with the madness. Something she swore she would not do.

But when Bridget makes a horrifying discovery in the home, all that she thought she knew about the Bordens is called into question…including if Lizzie is dangerous. And the choice she must make about Lizzie’s character could mean Bridget’s life or death.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.

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Review

Never Has A Book Title Been So Fitting

and now I'm scared to make friends with anyone by the name Lizzie. Just kidding . . . Okay no I'm not.

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Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
She gave her father forty-one.
You guys have probably heard me mention this a thousand times on my blog, but here's a thousand and one, I am so obsessed with documentaries. I'm not exactly sure when it started, some odd years ago I'm sure, but I do remember as clear as day, the Lizzie Borden story being one of the first I've ever seen. I recall looking up article after article, documentary after documentary, and any movies that covered this twisted tale, hoping to find some new information or to even solve the case myself. When I was presented with the opportunity to review this re-telling, I knew only two things could happen, A. The authors would do the story it's justice, or B. It would end up being absolutely horrible. There could be no in between. So you could probably imagine how pleased I was to witness how the authors created a fresh take on what really went down in the Borden house.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I was having a discussion with some blogger friends about creepy reads in Young Adult fiction. I mentioned how I love the horror genre, including thrillers and such, but have never come across a YA title that raised the hairs on my neck, or makes me look around the room because I feel something near me . . .  until I picked up Sweet Madness. While I wasn't cowering under my covers screaming for my mama, there were scenes in this book that sent shivers down my spine, scenes that raised goosebumps on my arms, as if I suddenly felt a chilly breeze. No one could be trusted, and just when I thought I was brilliantly gluing the pieces together, a plot twist would come, completely rattling my puzzle yet again. Nothing, and I mean nothing was as it seemed.

Before reading Sweet Madness, I was of course familiar with the role our main character Bridget Sullivan played within the house, but it was an entirely different experience being able to read from what her perspective could've been. She was literally the only sane person living under that roof, but a year living with the Bordens can make even the innocent succumb to evilness. As the story progressed, Lizzie proved to be as unreliable and looney as her community made her out to be, but it was her father who I feared as well. Neither one had their wits about them, and the situations, not to mention the tension-filled relationship between the two, would've sent me running for the hills! Both were equally mad, which caused a ping-pong effect when it came to figuring out who killed who and why.

If you're going to survive in this house, you've got to know who you're truly living with.

Other than the novel being a re-telling of the most infamous story ever, what will win readers over is the creep factor Currie and Leaver were able to deliver. You could almost feel the eerie atmosphere of the house while reading, which allowed the story to hover you over the edge and keep you there to the very end. The writing flowed seamlessly, capturing the setting of the 1800's including the lingo, attire, and surroundings, perfectly. The characters are twisted, menacing, even bizarre, but they felt real, and in my head they soon became the real Borden family, not just the fictional depiction.

Even though Halloween is long gone, if you're still in a festive mood, looking for something dark, enthralling, and incredibly suspenseful, I'd highly recommend Sweet Madness . . . if you don't mind questioning your own sanity that is.

Lizzie better keep her behind far away from me, I know that. 

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SST Guest Post - Jenn Bennett's Top 5 YA Contemporary Reads

The Anatomical Shape Of A Heart

Author: Jenn Bennett

Release Date: November 3rd, 2015

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends 

Genre(s): Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 304

Artist Beatrix Adams knows exactly how she's spending the summer before her senior year. Determined to follow in Leonardo da Vinci’s footsteps, she's ready to tackle the one thing that will give her an advantage in a museum-sponsored scholarship contest: drawing actual cadavers. But when she tries to sneak her way into the hospital’s Willed Body program and misses the last metro train home, she meets a boy who turns her summer plans upside down.

Jack is charming, wildly attractive . . . and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight buses and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who Jack really is—and tries to uncover what he’s hiding that leaves him so wounded. But will these secrets come back to haunt him? Or will the skeletons in Beatrix’s own family’s closet tear them apart?

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Guest

Jenn Benn's Top 5 Favorite Contemporaries

and of course I haven't read any of them. Shame on you Tika, shame on you.

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If you guys aren't familiar with who Jenn Bennett is . . . where the hell have you been? Under a rock? In bikini bottom chilling with Spongebob? * Snaps Fingers * wake up people, WAKE UP! Anywho, Jenn is the author of a number of titles, her recent being my most anticipated read right now, The Anatomical Shape Of A Heart, (Night Owls for my international folks.) Sooooo many people have been raving about this book, and when I first seen my girl Kelly from Divabooknerd's review for it last month of so, I knew that I had to have it. Thank goodness she's an amazing friend, because she gifted it to me, and I'll be reading and reviewing it next week! Now for the Sunday Street Team, I have a guest post featuring Jenn, showcasing her top 5 favorite young adult contemporary reads!

Let's dive in shall we?

Favorite Young Adult Contemporaries

I read every day, all kinds of books. Historical romance, low fantasy, mystery, thrillers, time travel—and lots and lots of young adult. If I had to pick my top five YA books… well, I’d do what I just did, right now, and bang my head on my desk, because there are far too many to distill into a short list. And then I’d just randomly choose these five, which are my current fave teen contemporary reads:

5. Lola And The Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins (2011)

To be honest, I’ve read Anna and the French Kiss at least five times. It’s my go-to comfort read. I adore the hero in that book and the Paris setting. HOWEVER, I love the character Lola more than sliced bread. I want Lola to be happy, so whatever Lola wants, I want her to have. And she wants the nice, geeky boy, and that makes me doubly happy. Also, this book is set in San Francisco, like The Anatomical Shape of a Heart—win! Thirdly, I recently met Stephanie Perkins in Dallas at a book convention and she told me my dress was pretty. I almost fainted. (Authors are fangirls, too.)

I've read Anna & The French Kiss and because it was too fluffy for my tastes, (Anna was annoying as well) I wasn't very motivated to continue on to the next two books. Maybe now I'll reconsider . . . maybe.

4. My Life Next Door - Huntley Fitzpatrick (2012)

Funny, engaging, sexy, and real. This is a summer romance between the lonely daughter of a single mom and the neighboring boy, whose family is big and loud and sprawling. I did a lot swooning and laughing during this one.

My Life Next Door has been sitting on my Kindle waiting to be read since December 26, 2014. Yep, I'm shameful.

3. Dangerous Girls - Abigail Hass - (2013)

A compelling thriller about a group of teens who go on holiday in Aruba. When one of the girls is brutally murdered, her best friend is accused of the killing and arrested. Jailed in a foreign country, as her friends and the media turn against her, she has to defend herself. I could not put this down. It was so scary, so twisty. Even until the last sentence, I didn’t know for certain who the murderer was… just WOW.

When it comes to YA thrillers, I'm always skeptical and a little hesitant to pick them up. But this does sound pretty good.

2. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks - E Lockhart (2008)

I grew up in a working-class family, so sometimes I like to read books about wealthy private schools—to see what I missed, I suppose. Privilege aside, the narrator is smart and genuine enough to make me want to follow her as she stages a rebellion against a decades-old male-dominated secret society.

I honestly didn't know E Lockhart had another title besides We Were Liars, which happens to be one of my favorite books.

1. I'll Give You The Sun - Jandy Nelson (2014)

Lush, stream-of-conscious narrative soars through this tale of grief told from the point of views of twins, male and female. Like The Anatomical Shape of a Heart, this book is also about artists (both the twins and their mother). This book warmed me and crushed me, then warmed me all over again. I love it from the top of my head to my toes. It is, simply, beautiful.

This book is always raved about so much in the blogging community, so I just may have to pick this up!

So there you have it guys, Jenn's list of her favorite YA contemps. 
Have you guys read any of these titles? If so, which ones, and what did you think about them?

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Tell The Story To It's End ARC Review -- 1,2 Eren's Coming For You

Tell The Story To It's End | Simon P. Clark
Publisher: St.Martin's Griffin
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Genre(s): Middle Grade, Mystery
Pages: 208
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating:

People are keeping secrets from Oli. His mum has brought him to stay with his aunt and uncle in the countryside, but nobody will tell him why his dad where his father is. Why isn't he with them? Has something happened? Oli has a hundred questions, and only an old, empty house in the middle of an ancient forest for answers. But then he finds a secret of his own: there is a creature that lives in the attic…

Eren is not human.
Eren is hungry for stories.
Eren has been waiting for him.

Sharing his stories with Eren, Oli starts to make sense of what’s happening downstairs with his family. But what if it’s a trap? Soon, Oli must make a choice: learn the truth—or abandon himself to Eren’s world, forever.

Reminiscent of SKELLIG by David Almond and A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness, EREN is richly atmospheric, moving, unsettleing, and told in gorgeous prose. A modern classic in the making.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.

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REVIEW

I'm Not Scared Of Anything ..

besides a monster that can tell a damn good story.

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Did you ever have an imaginary friend as a child? Like your shadow that you named Penelope, a doll or special toy that you confided in? I most certainly did. I didn't have conversations with the dust specks that floated through the air or anything, but I had teddy bears, dolls, and barbies that I chatted with, told my darkest secrets to. For me, it's almost nostalgic reading stories about children who enter this phase as I once had, witnessing them create pals out of random objects like a toaster, or a paranormal phenomena like ghosts. So when the opportunity came to read Tell The Story To It's End I jumped on it, not only because October called for some creepy reads, but for the simple fact that there was no way I could ever pass up a story involving a monster.

I mean, I like monsters, not enough to talk to them, but I do like them . . .

Something fishy is going on, and 12 year old Oli knows it. 

Is it the fact that his mom dragged him from London to the countryside to stay with her brother he's never met?
Or is it because his father didn't tag along, and no one wants to explain why? 

The answer . . both. After arriving to his mother's childhood home to live with her brother and his wife for an undetermined amount of time, Oli knows from the jump something isn't quite right. His mother is on edge, constantly arguing with a mystery person on the phone, and his uncle and aunt look as if they want to say something, but of course cat has their tongue. As the days turns into weeks his father still hasn't shown up, and whenever he brings up the topic of his missing dad, he's shoo'd away, completely shut out from whatever is going on. So what's a kid to do when he's left in the dark, trapped in a bubble no one seems to be bouncing in besides himself? Well you not only befriend two curious kids from your neighborhood, but you become close pals with the monster that is hiding in your attic.

He was smoke turned into a bat - or a bear, tattered and old. His face was pointed - a wolf, a rat? A vulture? - and his eyes shone, brighter than the stars far behind him. He was big, old, moving, creaking, grinning.

Eren was hauntingly beautiful. He was both real and a figment of your imagination, contorting your reality to lure you into his world of cleverly spun stories. He was both good and evil, friendly - a great companion even, yet sinister. At first I was captured by their friendship, but it didn't take long before I began to fear for little Oli, wishing him to leave Eren to cower in his dark realm of the attic. Because monsters are indeed monsters, and this one had Oli right where he wanted him, pulling him closer and closer from reality, deeper into his pits of darkness. The unexpected ending took me by surprise, and as Eren mentioned, " stories never end " holds so much truth.

'There is no end,' he says. He swoops down and his wings darken my sky. 'No end, Oli. Tales go on and on. They come from before you were born, and they echo on after you leave.

Tell The Story To It's End, surprised me like no other. It was dark, creepy, magical, and shockingly sad, showing us fairy tales don't always have happy endings. Clark used this story about stories to captivate us while opening our minds to the art of storytelling, and I don't think I'll ever be the same.

I think it may be time to warn my three year old about imaginary friends.

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Food Whore Blog Tour + ARC Review - A Book never tasted this good

Food Whore | Jessica Tom
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Publisher: Harpercollins
Pages: 352
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Source: TLC Book Tours
Rating:

Food whore (n.) A person who will do anything for food.

Fresh out of college, Tia Monroe has every intention of taking the New York City restaurant scene by storm. But after a coveted internship goes up in smoke, Tia’s suddenly just another food lover in the big city.

Yet everything changes when Michael Saltz, a legendary New York Times restaurant critic, lets Tia in on a career-ending secret: he’s lost his sense of taste. Now he wants Tia to serve as his palate, ghostwriting his reviews. In return he promises her lavish meals, a boundless cache of designer clothing, and the opportunity of a lifetime. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Tia agrees.

Within weeks, Tia’s world transforms into one of glamour and luxury: four-star dinners, sexy celebrity chefs, and an unlimited expense account at Bergdorf Goodman. Tia loves every minute of it…until she sees her words in print and Michael Saltz taking all the credit. As the veneer of extravagance wears thin and her secret identity begins to crumble, Tia is faced with what it means to truly succeed. In a city where “making it” is the ultimate goal, Tia will have to decide: how far is she willing to go for the life she craves?

I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.

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REVIEW

If Only This Book Was Edible

I would gobble up it's delicious writing, delicious characters, delicious EVERYTHING.

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Have you ever wanted to just live inside of a story? To lay on the crisp pages, wrap yourself tightly around the words, and just submerge yourself within the world? Good, we're on the same page. When it comes to this book, I not only wanted to lose myself in the bustling city of NYC, but I wanted to experience life alongside our vibrant main character. I wanted to feel my taste buds tingling as I sampled the cuisine, feel the adrenaline rush of being surrounded by the one thing I love the most. & if sushi and bacon, two of my favorite foods could be used as an indication of how much I loved this book, then well . . . surely you'd all get my point.

Food whore (n.) A person who will do anything for food. 

Oh Jessica, you know me so well.

Taking one peek at my bio would clearly show you that I love me some food. When I'm feeling posh, I like to wrap a faux fur around my neck, swish some wine around in a spiderman glass, and tell people I'm a " food connoisseur. " It works obviously. Or I just simply tell people I'm a wannabe foodie, which is sooo not a lie people. In this title Food Whore, I got the chance to live out my food lover dreams. It was everything I could ever ask for- engaging storyline, quirky characters, mouthwatering descriptions of cuisine, ins and outs of the fine dining scene, the author clearly left nothing to be desired.

Sashaying around NYC taking the food scene by storm, was 22 year old Tia Monroe. As a graduate student enrolled in NYU's masters program in Food Studies, we follow our main character as she sets out to land an internship with her idol, Helen Lansky, a former New York Times best-selling cookbook author. Of course sometimes life can be a big sour pickle, so when her dream suddenly crumbles like a piece of coffee cake, she finds herself starting from the bottom, tangling herself in a messy web of angel hair pasta, meeting some eccentric characters along the way.

Yall like how I did that huh?

Some people write. Others may cook. And some like Ms.Monroe, are compelled to do both: tell a story through food.

After Tia's internship opportunity with Helen bombs, she is given the opportunity of a lifetime from Michael Saltz, the legendary New York Times restaurant critic. She immediately goes from the bottom of the totem-pole, to mingling with celebrity chef's, rocking designer labels, basically living a life she always pictured she would. In return for her life of luxury, she must not only keep the career-ending secret that Michael no longer has a sense of taste, but she must also serve as his ghost-writer, composing all of his reviews. Michael was bad news from the start, reminding me of a piece of rotten salmon, but when life hands you lemons, you grab those suckers and make lemonade . . . right?

The herring was paired with a curried goat cheese curd with blueberry jam. The duck breast arrived sliced like sashimi, with a smear of fresh American Horseradish.

If there was one thing that I enjoyed the most, (besides the characters of course) it would be the authenticity of this novel. With Jessica Tom being a writer/food blogger from NY, everything in the story seemed real. It never felt as if I were reading fiction, more so a memoir about the life of a young food lover, complete with shots of lies and deceit to keep us readers thoroughly entertained. The writing, especially the food descriptions, were so rich they jumped at you, heightening your senses completely. From beginning to end I was lost in the tomato sauce, deep in a trance I never wanted to be awoken from. Food Whore showed up and out, proving to be an exceptionally solid debut title. Complete with realistic characters, mesmerizing writing, and a captivating plot with twists that made me hungry for pretzels, I highly recommend this to all readers and food lovers alike!

Foodstagram

Check out a few of my favorite pics from Jessica's Instagram. The lady knows her shit guys. 

Drools.

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Z Resurrected Blog Tour - Author Interview + Giveaway

Z Resurrected - Anthology
Author(s): Tom Leveen, Dana Fredsti, Joe Mckinney, Eric A. Shelman, Mark Tufo, T.M Williams
Release Date: October 15, 2015
Publisher: Half Light Publishing
Pages: 315
Purchase: Amazon

In this anthology, six horror authors revisit some of their most infamous zombie characters, resurrecting the undead.

Contributing authors to Z Resurrected are some of horror’s best, who have each carved a distinct path in the world of zombies: Dana Fredsti, Tom Leveen, Joe McKinney, Eric A. Shelman, Mark Tufo, and T.M. Williams.

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Blog Tour

Tom Leveen Interview + Giveaway

It's almost Halloween people, time to get our asses in the spirit!

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Visit the other lovely ladies on this tour!

Bex, Stefanie, Ashley, Nicole, Emily,

Can you believe this is my first interview? I've always shied away from doing them, especially for books I haven't read because it's kind of difficult to come up with not only creative, but meaningful questions to ask the author. When one of my good friends, Bex from Aurelia {Lit, Geek, Chic} asked me to hop on the blog tour for Z Resurrected there was no way I could say no. I noticed Tom Leveen, who wrote the book Random I read and loved last year, had written a story within this anthology, so I immediately called dibs on him. He and I have a little in common, so he's the perfect person to share my inter-newbie experience.

How did I do tommy boy? lol. 

In this interview, I ask him questions about his YA zombie-apocalypse novel Sick. Stick around for a giveaway for this title open to all US residents!

To start things off, and so that my readers can get to know you a little more, care to share 5 of your top favorite books?

Tommy Boy: Absolutely. Required reading for me would include:

Speak | Laurie Halse Anderson

Stargirl | Jerry Spinelli

The Long Walk | Richard Bachman/Stephen King

The Great Brain series by John D. Fitzgerald

Maudie and Me and The Dirty Book by Betty Miles

How would you describe yourself as a writer?

Tommy Boy: Prolific. I've usually got at least two novels going at any one time, sometimes up to four, and a backlist that would keep me busy for the foreseeable future even if I never had another idea the rest of my life.

Also, neurotic; needy; envious; and doubtful.

I’ve read your YA book Random which covers some pretty controversial topics. Can we expect the same in your zombie title Sick?

Tommy Boy: Yes, I think so. The plot of SICK is about a zombie-like apocalypse, but like all horror fiction, the themes are about something else. It has elements of LORD OF THE FLIES, for example, and even THE BREAKFAST CLUB (depending on who you ask). Racism features prominently, as well as how we treat "the other" -- anyone who we think is different from us somehow. If you want, you can even read some indictments of our public school system and commentary on the impact of war on our kids.

If you *want* to...

As I'm sure you know, we have a ton of zombie titles in the YA genre. What sets Sick apart from the rest?

Tommy Boy: I avoided reading them at the time of the writing, so I can't say definitively how they are different, but I will hazard the guess that SICK is 1) more about relationships than monsters, and 2) possibly more gory. It depends on your Gore Tolerance Level.

How long after the events in Sick does your story in Z Resurrected take place? What's changed?

Tommy Boy: Actually, my story PANIC in Z Resurrected takes place at the same time as SICK. Brian, the protagonist of SICK, spends much of the story trying to find and save his ex-girlfriend, Laura. In PANIC, she gets separated from her friends during the initial outbreak and records what happens to her on a cell phone after she gets isolated with an infected student in a classroom on the other end of campus.

The majority of your titles are contemporary novels with dark subject matter. What inspired the idea to attack a zombie apocalypse theme this time around?

Tommy Boy: I was a zombie fan ever since I first caught NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) on TV when I was a kid, and rented DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978) long before I should have been allowed to watch a movie like that. Some high school friends and I got into a long debate about how we would have defended ourselves back in our old drama department, and who would have lived or died. It didn't take long after that to put together the idea for SICK, although I chose to tell it from a non-drama-kid's point of view so that readers could acclimate to the setting the way the main characters do.

If any characters from Sick were a representation of yourself, who would it be and why?

Tommy Boy: All of them, in some sense. That's true of every author I think. Me at my worst, me at what I hope would be my best. I'd probably be Jack. See what happens to him.

I noticed that this title is pitched for lovers of The Breakfast Club and The Walking Dead. Did this movie and tv show inspire you in any way while writing this novel? If so, you get major cool points with me. The Breakfast Club is one of my favorite movies!

Tommy Boy: Me, too! Of course. Now, not every appreciated that tag line, and I understand that - those are two iconic shows that you shouldn't go around comparing yourself to all willy-nilly. But BREAKFAST CLUB was definitely one of the movies I had mind while writing the book, because it was supposed to be about a group of very dissimilar students who end up working together out of necessity at first, and out of solidarity later as they get to know each other. That was intentional. As for TWD, that's an unavoidable comparison these days; I do like the show a lot, but there was nothing in it that particularly inspired me. In fact, I did not watch the show until after the book was published. I think it's safer to say I was inspired by DAWN OF THE DEAD . . . probably both the '78 and '04 versions.

What do you enjoy the most about writing?

Tommy Boy: Satisfying my curiosity. Writers are naturally curious, and for me anyway, I write stories to answer questions that pop up in everyday life. Usually it's those "What if" questions, like, what if there were a zombie apocalypse back in my high school days and me and the guys were all in the drama department when it went down? Many novels, like RANDOM, start with asking something like, "Now, why would someone do X?" I write novels or stories to answer questions for myself in hypothetical ways.

You have quite a few titles under your belt, any personal favorites?

Tommy Boy: It varies from day to day, but today, it's been a ZERO kind of day. She's the oldest of my characters in real-time, meaning I first wrote her story back in 1993, so I have an affinity for her and her story. I'm also proud of how my most recent novel, SHACKLED, turned out; I felt I got to put a lot of new knowledge and skills to work in that one. The craft-learning never stops, that's for sure.

Okay, game time! You’re stuck in a cafeteria surrounded by flesh-eating zombies. No weapons, no allies to depend on, just you, yourself, and not I because I’m chilling elsewhere enjoying a piping hot bag of popcorn. What is your epic escape plan?

Tommy Boy: Wow...not many details to work with, so I'll have to make some assumptions. Goal #1 - and this is discussed in SICK - is to get OUT of the building, where there is at least room to maneuver. If the tables are round, flip one of those on edge to create a rolling shield a'la Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in the opening sequence with the gong. If the chairs are those orange and yellow plastic types you see at schools, use one of those to fend off attacks while rolling toward a door or window.

If they are all picnic tables, I think I'm screwed. Aim for the kitchen and hope for a cleaver? Or look for any possible way to climb up to the ceiling and bust into the crawlspace or roof.

Andddd, that's a wrap! For my very first interview, I think I did a pretty decent job lol. So if you're interested in Z Resurrected or Sick by Tom Leveen, make sure you enter the giveaway below!

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Romancing The Dark In The City Of Light ARC Review -- BRB Skin Crawling

Romancing The Dark In The City Of Light
Author: Ann Jacobus
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: St.Martin's Griffin
Genre(s): Young Adult, Contemporary
Pages: 271
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating:

A troubled teen, living in Paris, is torn between two boys, one of whom encourages her to embrace life, while the other—dark, dangerous, and attractive—urges her to embrace her fatal flaws.

Haunting and beautifully written, with a sharp and distinctive voice that could belong only to this character, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unforgettable young adult novel.

Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools, she has to get on track or she risks losing her hefty inheritance. Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve everything. She meets two. Moony, a classmate, is recovering against all odds from a serious car accident, and he encourages Summer to embrace life despite how hard it can be to make it through even one day. But when Summer meets Kurt, a hot, mysterious older man who she just can't shake, he leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city-and way out of her depth.

When Summer's behavior manages to alienate everyone, even Moony, she's forced to decide if a life so difficult is worth living. With an ending that'll surprise even the most seasoned reader, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unputdownable and utterly compelling novel

I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.

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REVIEW

Welcome To The Darkside

Where my skin is crawling, and I may have wanted to puke a few times.

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If you've been following my blog for a while now, or have been stalking my tweets on twitter, then you'd pretty much know that Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma is my favorite contemporary title of all time. It covered an extremely controversial topic, taking something that's not only taboo, but completely against our societal norm, and turning it into an insightful, beautiful story that I surprisingly, couldn't help but to love. It was so WRONG, but yet it clicked, everything just worked. However, here is where I draw the line for Romancing The Dark In The City Of Light.

To be honest, I didn't know what to expect from Romancing In The Dark. By reading the synopsis I knew it wouldn't be one of those fluffy contemps, but I also wasn't expecting it to be this dark, and when I say this story definitely takes it there, I mean that times infinity and beyond. I'm a huge fan of darker contemporary, but listen carefully when I tell you that this book will NOT be for everyone. Chapter one starts off very oddly, which shaped the mood for the rest of the story, and while I found it to be repulsive, disgusting, sickening, just plain ole' fucking messed up, I for the life of me could not put it down . . .

Don't fret I'm currently questioning my sanity.

Summer Barnes is probably the worst character I've ever read about. She's a horrible human being, and is not only toxic to herself, but to everyone around her. In and out of boarding schools since her father died when she was 13, she finds herself reunited in Paris with her mother after being expelled from her previous institution for abusing drugs and alcohol. Now in the city of love repeating her second year as a senior, Summer is sinking fast, and us readers receive front row tickets to witness her downward spiral.

From the beginning, I knew I would have a problem with Summer's character. I just didn't care for her too much as a person, so in result, I struggled to make that important connection. Not even her being a young alcoholic irked me to the core. Instead I was more irritated by our MC being a desperate individual that yearned for attention in incredibly strange ways.

Point blank period, the girl was out of control.

People are so weird about death. It's actually a rich and interesting subject . . .

One of the biggest elements in this story is the train-wreck of a love triangle between Summer and two other characters. First there's Moony, a disabled kid from Summer's school. Moony was like a beautiful sunset peeking over a horizon, an incredibly sweet icecream cone on a hot summer day. He was the perfect guy unconventionally, so full of life despite his incapabilities, and I really loved how he had so much to offer. It was so hard to watch her mistreat and lead him on when he didn't deserve it, and I couldn't help but to feel that Moony belonged in a completely different story altogether. One similar to a Stephanie Perkins novel, all teddy bears and cotton candy, certainly not washed out in this craziness.

Your beautiful when you're nauseated. Such a shade of jade green.

Enter Kurt, the true definition of a fucking creep. From the moment he steps onto the scene, red flags and warning alarms are blasting off, and I'm mentally screaming for Summer to get the eff away from this dude. The weird thing about Kurt is that he had this really weird aura, one that was alluring to people, especially Summer. One minute she's completely repulsed by him, the next they're meeting up playing " this shit will get you killed " games around the city. I was beyond freaked out. This man was both foul and manipulative, using the control he had over others to eventually lead them to their END. However, even though I completely despised this dirt bag, the plot twist surrounding his character was absolutely clever, and added even more " UCK " to the mind-fuck that sums up this story.

Romancing The Dark In The City of Light was a complete eye opener for me. I've never battled depression, and if anyone around me was, I was pretty much oblivious, so seeing how tough it is on one's life is quite humbling. The writing flows nicely, fast paced even, despite the dark content that feels as if it's weighing you down. The plot is chilling to the core, and while the characters aren't typically the " norm ", they're diverse, and oh so real, allowing them to be more captivating than I expected. If you can handle the darkness that is this book without grabbing the holy water and warding off all evil, then maybe you'll be able to ride this one out.

BEWARE.

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The Rig ARC Review -- Prison Break YA Edition

The Rig | Joe Ducie
Released: October 6, 2015
Publisher: HMHkids
Genre(s): Young Adult, Science Fiction
Pages: 320
Edition: Paperback ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating:

Fifteen-year-old Will Drake has made a career of breaking out from high-security prisons. His talents have landed him at the Rig, a special juvenile holding facility in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. No one can escape from the Rig. After hatching some escape plans—and making the first real friends of his life—Drake quickly realizes that all is not as it seems on the Rig. The warden is obsessed with the mysterious Crystal-X, a blue glowing substance that appears to give superpowers to the teens exposed to it. Drake, Tristan, and Irene are banking on a bid for freedom—but can they survive long enough to make it?

I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.

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REVIEW

If Juvenile Prisons Were Actually This Cool

What do you call those moments when you have nothing bad to say about a book? 

Oh yeah perfection.

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So this is how it feels to be pleasantly surprised? When I first picked up The Rig, I honestly had no clue what to expect. I used to watch Prison Break all the time, (I thought Wentworth Miller was kinda cute) and the synopsis just screamed this show. So I dived in expecting to be thoroughly entertained, and boy did Joe Ducie deliver! Not only did he give me a fast paced plot, (something I desperately needed btw), but he was able to cook up some hilariously witty characters, and mix them with a smoking hot concept that kept me intrigued from beginning to end. Tika is one happy camper folks.

What To Expect

Fangirl Breakdown

Everything Under The Sun

Hold on to your wigs ladies and gents because you're in for a special treat! Pacing that's faster than you run when yo mama says breakfast is ready. Awesome characters that I either wanted to laugh, chill with, or kick their asses. A high tech prison that made me wish it was my vacation home, (okay maybe not but you get what I'm saying) and just a bunch of FUN ISH. There wasn't anything I was missing!

Fangirl Breakdown

15 year old Will Drake had such an interesting perspective to read from. He's been in and out of juvenile facilities for years, but definitely not for good behavior or because he served a complete sentence, nope our boy is a true escape artist. Successfully escaping EVERY maximum security facility he's been locked down in, I was curious to see how he'd take down the challenge of The Rig, an old oil platform converted into a rehabilitation center for teens . . . that just so happens to be built in the center of the Arctic Ocean. The situation didn't look too promising for him, but Drake is certainly more clever than he let's on.
What worked so well for me, was the fact that the story was just so . . . thrilling. From the moment Drake and other inmates arrived to the new facility, you can feel his desperation to escape. I enjoyed how level-headed and methodical he was, scoping out his surroundings, using his wit to pull information from others, his brain to sort out routes. I was literally on edge with anticipation, not only wondering if he could actually pull it off, but rooting for him to do so.

For someone that enjoys watching documentaries about prison life, (shut up, don't judge me) I knew for sure the setting of this novel would be a huge hit for me. Of course it operates like most juvenile facilities, but what sets it apart, is that The Rig wasn't exactly what it appeared to be. Upon arriving, each inmate received an electronic device that tracks your every movement. It gives a blueprint of where you are in the facility, tells you when your next tasks starts/ends, (schooling, meals, your job) and shows you how much money you owe the system, or have made from whatever job you've been assigned. Hello Apple Watch in 10 years.

I've been secretly whittling a canoe out of soap, elbow grease, unicorn tears, and a teaspoon of shenanigans. Almost ready to set sail, if only I could get this damn tracker off.

Ducie pulled out all stops to make sure he kept up the momentum of the plot and the reader's attention. From the secondary characters that had their own individual stories, the bullies that made life on the rig a living hell, the electronic lacrosse sport of Rig ball which is by far one of the best fictional sports I've ever read about, all the way to the mystery of Crystal -X and what the warden of The Rig was doing with it, he left no room for us not to be entertained. 

The Rig consisted of so many enjoyable elements that it was absolutely impossible to put down. The writing was quite simple but fluid, pairing well with the fast pacing of the plot. The characters were sharp tongued, clever, and down right comical. The action scenes kept everything alive and climatic, creating drama where it was most needed, and seriously, besides the ending wrapping up too quickly for my tastes, there's nothing about this book that I wouldn't praise. Perfect for readers of all ages and lovers of genres other than sci-fi, The Rig is a debut that's sure to be loved by most.

Oh, and about if Drake escaped or not . . .
You'll just have to pick it up to find out!

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