Chat With Me Thursday (14): Author Interview with Danielle Young

For my Chat With me Thursday this week, I have an interview with Danielle Young, author of five YA books, including her latest release, Failure, which released on April 30, 2020.

You can check out Danielle online here through her website, Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub, and Goodreads

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1.Can you tell me a little about yourself?

If you ask me there isn’t much to know, but I will give it a shot. I am a mother to five incredible boys. They have been my motivation and light through everything and they are the reason that I currently have the job I do. By day, I am a high school culinary arts teacher, sharing my love and passion for the foodservice industry with youth. By night, I can be found writing or binging my favorite shows *coughs* The Last Kingdom, Merlin, Bones *coughs* or loving on one of my four cats and two dogs.

2. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I always sort of wrote as a kid. My friend and I used to lock ourselves away in closets and write stories through the night. But as I got older the desire to write was replaced with my need to be a mother. Then it was replaced with all the things that go with what society says being an adult is. I ventured into book blogging as a way to share my love of reading with others. It was that process and the connection with the Indie author community that helped stoke the writer in me back to life. I had an idea and some amazing Indie authors that I know and love encouraged me along the way. 

3. How long did it take you to write Failure?

It took me about four years to completely write Failure. I started it while finishing the finale book in my trilogy, because I just couldn’t wait to start writing it.

4. Out of all your novels, which was the most difficult to write and why?

I currently have five published books and Failure was by far the hardest to write because it is a deeply personal story to me. Every book I write has a piece of my soul, in all honesty I think every book contains a piece of the writer. But with Failure this is my what could have been story, what could have been my life if I had not accepted the loss of my mother so well in high school. What could have happened if I didn’t have a support system. So, everything about this story is me in a way. Some of the things that Chris experiences in the book are my own personal experiences. Of course, told from a guy’s POV. :) Let’s just say I cried a lot writing this one.

5. What's your favourite part of writing?

My favorite part of writing is connecting with readers and hearing their thoughts on what I wrote. If my story finds even one reader, then I consider it a success.

6. Do you have any routines that help you write?

For me it is all about music. If I don’t have the right music I struggle with the story. I have to find music that speaks to my characters, once I do that, I can write.

7. What was the publishing process like? Was it different than you expected?

When I first published I would say I thought it was both easy and hard. The overall process I found easy, it was the individual steps that I often struggled with. Of course, I have gotten a lot better at it, but I still have a lot more to learn. But I think that’s how you become successful in anything, you try it, make mistakes, then work to do better next time.

8. How do you get rid of writer's block?

I have yet to figure out the answer to that one actually. That is part of the reason it takes me so long to write a book from start to finish. All I can say is that it is okay to step away from your writing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you if you don’t write every day. You have to do what works for you. And for some that means writing when the mood hits. It doesn’t matter if it takes you a month, year, or three years to write a book. All that matters is that you are doing it.

9. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

My advice for aspiring authors is to write. Don’t let fear stop you. If you have a story, then tell it, you are the only one who can tell it that way.

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That wraps up this week's Chat With Me Thursday! Special thanks to Danielle for allowing me to feature her! 

The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. by Colleen Nelson

Title: The Life and Deaths of Frankie D.

Author: Colleen Nelson

Expected Publication Date: April 13, 2021

Publisher: Dundurn

Pages: 266

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this title in exchange for honest review.

Introduction

Nothing about Frankie's life has ever been normal. As a child, she was found in an alley with no memory of who she was, who her family was, or why she would be left alone.

Years later, she still has no idea about what happened in her past, and she'd like to keep it that way. But then, she starts having dreams about a hundred year old circus. It shouldn't have anything to do with her, but somehow it all feels strangely familiar as she sees the circus through the eyes of a sideshow act. Could the dreams of this circus be the thing that unveils the mystery shrouding Frankie's past? Will she even be able to face the past she's buried so deeply?

Content

This book feels like it would be better aimed at a middle grade audience than a young adult one, but because of a few mature scenes, it has to be labelled young adult rather than middle grade. This book mentions three different instances of assault on different characters, so it would be a bit too heavy for middle grade readers.

Unfortunately, the rest of the story feels like a middle grade novel, so it feels a little immature for those wanting to read a young adult novel, save for the instances of assault.

Pacing

The pace was very fast, which was great in some ways and a little difficult in others. The fast pace made the heavier events like the assaults feel rushed, and they weren't quite felt at a depth that I think they deserved. The fast pace also made it hard to truly connect to any of the characters. However, the fast pace of the book meant that there was always something going on. There were no parts of the book that felt unnecessary or like they were there just to take up space, which I liked.

Characters

I thought our protagonist, Frankie, was okay. Parts of her character felt a little immature, like how she referred to pretty much all girls as an "April" Things like this definitely contributed to the story feeling more like a middle grade novel. However, I adored seeing how fiercely she cared about Kris and Jessica.

Kris was my absolute favourite because it was obvious how much she cared for Frankie, and I loved that she had a role in the book, so many books introduce parents because they feel like they have to, but don't really give them any character, so it was really nice to see a guardian have some personality.

Conclusion

Overall, I thought this book was okay. The fast pacing makes it a very easy read, so if that's what you're looking for, this book might be for you.

First Line Friday (8): Smoke and Mirrors: The Trueheart by Helene Opocensky

First Line Friday is a bookish tag hosted over at Abstract Books that is used to showcase your favourite first lines of books.

There really is something to be said about a good first line, and I'm going to be using this tag from now on to showcase my current read's first lines.

This week's First Line Friday is coming from Smoke and Mirrors: The Trueheart by Helene Opocensky. It was released on October 10, 2020, and I'm currently reading an ARC from Netgalley.

"They had him cornered. There were three of them, two guys and a pretty, dark-haired girl. Corbin figured they were about his age--sixteen, maybe a little older. He looked at the girl again--well, maybe a little younger. It didn't really matter. What mattered was that they had him cornered, and he had to do something about it."

I like this as a first line because it jumps right into the the kind of character Corbin is, quick thinking and resourceful. 

Chat With Me Thursday (13): Author Interview with Natalie Walton

For my thirteenth Chat With Me Thursday, I am overjoyed to be featuring Natalie Walton, author of Revenge of the Sluts. Set to be released February 2, 2021, I read an ARC in October, and I must say, it was an absolutely outstanding debut that I am so glad I had the privilege to read. (Review here)

Just before I get to the interview content, I want to extend my thanks over to Wattpad Book's Andrea, and of course, to Natalie, it was a pleasure working with both of you and I can't thank you enough for your time.

Now, onto the interview.

1. Do you find writing emotionally heavy themes difficult? If so, do you have any strategies for writing them?

It’s kind of a mix. On one hand, the planning and researching process for Revenge of the Sluts was emotionally draining; it was a lot of reading news articles, statistics, policy, most of which was pretty heavy. But on the other, I found it really cathartic to write a book like ROTS and to have an outlet. I think it’s difficult, but it’s necessary, which makes it worth it.

I think the most important thing is to take breaks. At the time I was writing Revenge of the Sluts I was also taking social science classes that often talked about sexual violence, I was volunteering on a sexual offense support hotline, I was reading non-fiction about sexual violence. It was a lot. I’d find that I wouldn’t think what I was consuming was affecting me, but then I’d have these periods of strong negative emotions or increased stress for seemingly no reason. But that helped me see when I was pushing myself too far and needed breaks, and I think that’s the most important thing anyone can do for themselves. Your body knows. Even if you think it’s fine and you can handle it, take the time to process, take the time to do other things like watch movies or work on a different project.


2. What came to you first when writing ROTS, the plot or the characters?


The title was actually the first thing, which is kind of funny. I remember watching the movie Easy A as a young teen and for the first time feeling validated in a lot of my frustration and discomfort with the things I’d see and hear. I watched the movie at a friend’s house and literally on the walk home, I was like “I could totally write a book about this.” I knew immediately it needed to be Revenge of the Sluts, a la Revenge of the Nerds (a movie I hadn’t seen then and funnily enough still haven’t seen). This was back in, like, 2011 and after writing maybe three chapters, I quickly realized I was in way over my head and put the project to the side for seven years. Sloane was the only character who carried over from the 2011 draft into 2018; the rest of the current cast didn’t exist in 2011 because that draft wasn’t a mystery and there was no journalism piece.

But for the draft we have today, the plot was first. I had key things that I really wanted to see in the book and explore—journalism, revenge porn, slut shaming, mystery—and kind of forced them all together. The characters formed alongside that as the plot outline developed. I knew I’d need a newsroom, a Slut Squad, things like that, and adapted the cast to fit those needs.

3.What was your favourite part of writing ROTS?

I really loved writing any of the Slut Squad scenes. Any part where Eden is talking to the girls, or where the girls are talking amongst each other were my easiest scenes in some ways just because I could visualize the Slut Squad so vividly. I also loved writing anything about Sloane. I knew from the beginning she was going to be a huge piece of the story and Eden’s development, but she really became such a scene stealer in the best way.

4. What was the most challenging?

I struggled a lot with tone. I really think that’s part of why I ended up never getting far in the 2011 version, which was originally a socially driven, borderline romantic comedy. I went back and forth on if I wanted it to be funny—something like Mean Girls—or if I wanted it to be dark and snappy, like Heathers, or really serious and heart wrenching. But when I started writing the 2018 draft, the one we see today, I realized it verged more into a journalistic style, like a very observational, not exactly emotionally removed but kind of stilted tone, which works for Eden and her more serious, driven personality. I really like the tone it took on, and it feels very appropriate, but it meant shifting my expectations somewhat and being comfortable with writing a more muted narrating style.


5. Was the publishing process different than you expected?

I think there are a lot of things I expected; I knew I’d have to write and edit a lot and that I’d play a role in picking the cover and things like that—the obvious pieces we see as readers—but there’s a lot that’s surprised me. The one thing that stands out the most is just how many people are actually involved in publishing. I knew that a lot of people had to come together to get a book out—books are big business with a lot of moving parts, so that makes sense to me—but I didn’t know how many people that actually was until ROTS. It feels like I’m constantly being introduced to new people or seeing new names in terms of editing, marketing, publicity, who are helping get the book from point A to B to C. It’s all very exciting.

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That's all for this Chat With Me Thursday! Natalie's Revenge of the Sluts is expected to hit shelves February 2, 2021. Until then, don't forget to add it to your Goodreads TBR!

Waiting on Wednesday (6): The Dead and The Dark by Courtney Gould

 

Expected publication date: August 3rd, 2021
Publisher: Wednesday Books

Goodreads Synopsis

The Dark has been waiting for far too long, and it won't stay hidden any longer.

Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, some turning up dead, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers seem to point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of TV's ParaSpectors, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there's more secrets buried here than they originally let on.

Ashley Barton’s boyfriend was the first teen to go missing, and she’s felt his presence ever since. But now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, his ghost is following her and the only person Ashley can trust is the mysterious Logan. When Ashley and Logan team up to figure out who—or what—is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals truths about the town, their families, and themselves that neither of them are ready for. As the danger intensifies, they realize that their growing feelings for each other could be a light in the darkness.

Courtney Gould’s thrilling debut The Dead and the Dark is about the things that lurk in dark corners, the parts of you that can’t remain hidden, and about finding home in places—and people—you didn’t expect.

Why I Can't Wait

Everything about this synopsis is just calling out to me, begging me to read the story. I love books that deal with mysterious disappearances, throw in some ghosts too and I'm absolutely hooked, so this seems like it will be the perfect book for my tastes.

The Story Stars Tell by C.L. Walters Book Blitz + Giveaway!

The Stories Stars Tell
C.L. Walters
Publication date: October 13th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Ever felt like the sum total of your choices have fixed your story in the stars?

For Emma Matthews, she feels like all of her choices are rooted in the fear of letting down her parents… God…of never being good enough.

For Tanner James, he’s wearing an identity he has created with his friends and their pact—Bro Code—fixed in sex, alcohol and bad choices.

Both are longing for a new story they look to one another to help them write.

Follow Emma and Tanner as they rewrite stories they thought had already been written into something new. To discover sometimes painful truths about love and identity.

About the ways that love can help us lose ourselves… or find ourselves.

How love can break us… or heal us.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

tanner

[…]I stood. “I’m going,” I told Griff, who had a girl sitting on his lap I didn’t know.

He smiled over her shoulder at me and presented his knuckles. The girl whispered something in his ear, and Griff laughed. She was attractive. Dark haired.

My mind drifted to Emma Matthews (which was strange since we weren’t friends). I’d seen her the day before with her friend, Liam, hanging a poster for some club or function in the hall after school, heads together about something. Under usual circumstances, I wouldn’t have noticed, but in this case, I had because I’d noticed Emma and how cute she was. I had noticed her for a while, but she was out of my league.

Emma wouldn’t be partying like this. She definitely wouldn’t be sitting in Griff’s lap, and if she were, it would piss me off, but I didn’t consider why. She was probably at home, doing something productive, like homework, or a group study session. Perhaps she was doing something fun and wholesome, like a movie with her friends. I wondered if she went to the movies. Though I wasn’t exactly sure why I wondered, because I wasn’t a big movie goer (too boring to sit in one spot for too long).

Why was I even thinking of Emma at all?

It wasn’t like we talked. Sometimes, I thought she might be looking at me in the cafeteria at school or in the hallway as we passed one another. Her pretty eyes always slid away, but they made me curious. What color were they? Was she just glancing at me, or was she looking? I used to think about her. A lot. That started in the eighth grade when she yelled at Cole Butler in science during a lab. She’d been so fiery and funny. The memory still made me smile. We hadn’t had many classes together — one or two, maybe — because she actually tried at school.

I shook my head to get my errant thoughts about Emma out of my mind. Leaving Griff and Wannabe Emma behind, I walked through the living room.

Deb stopped me with a hand on my chest. “Hey, Tanner. Want to dance?” An invitation.

The message was clear: I could have stayed there with her and gotten laid, but it made me tired. Instead I said, “I’m looking for Penelope,” and even as I said it, I was hoping she’d already left.

Deb shrugged, because that was as much as I meant to her. “Upstairs,” she told me and returned to grinding to the music with her group of friends.

I moved through the crush of people toward the stairs, even though I wasn’t sure why I was going through these motions. A different choice seemed an impossibility, though I couldn’t articulate why that was so. Josh and Danny were sitting in a group smoking weed, and they offered me a head nod as I passed. I gave them an eyebrow raise in return and started up the stairs.

Near the top, I almost tripped on someone sitting on the steps. “Whoa.” It was a girl folded over on herself, and because I’m not a complete douchebag, despite what I know has been said about me, I leaned down and asked her, “You okay?”

The girl tipped her head up to look at me, and suddenly, I was looking into the face of…

“Emma Matthews?”

She smiled, and it lit up her eyes — dark blue with swirls of gray — like stars in a dark sky. “Tanner James.”

“Are you drunk?” I asked. I was too, but not enough to help me forget that Emma was the object of my secret fantasies, along with the fact I’d just been thinking about her. I shook my head to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. There wasn’t anything in our experiences that should have contributed to our paths crossing, and yet, there she was, as if I’d conjured her. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m feeling really good.” She smiled again, and I remembered feeling that smile in my stomach like a lead weight had melted into molten liquid.

“Why are you sitting here on the stairs?”

“Waiting.”

“For what?”

“You.” She giggled.

That made no sense. First, why would Emma Matthews be at this party? Second, why would she be drunk? And third, why would she say she was waiting for me? I wondered if someone was playing a joke on me and even looked around, but it was just the two of us in the hallway. I slid down the wall and sat next to her. “You’re definitely drunk if you’re waiting for me.”

“Did I say that?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh. That’s a secret.” She pressed a finger to my lips, and that touch dove all the way from the top of my neck to the base of my spine like I’d been zapped with electricity. “I’m supposed to find Liam.” Then she moved her finger from my lips to hers, her dark blue eyes — flecks of green and aqua too — never leaving my mouth. “Shh.”

My heart pounded in my chest, excited by the form her lips took against her finger. “Damn, Emma. I didn’t know you drank.”

“Me either.”

I attempted an inconspicuous adjustment of my pants, because I started feeling that tingle in my crotch and needed to calm that shit down. I chuckled, amused, because I hadn’t caught wood from just a look and a touch since I was, like, fourteen. I decided the honorable thing to do was help her find her friend, which led to the decision to dump looking for Penelope. I hadn’t really wanted to be with Penelope outside of sex anyway, and that left me feeling dirty. “Shall we go look for Liam?”

Her eyes roved over every inch of my face. She reached up and touched my lips with her fingertips again; it was tender. “You have a nice mouth, Tanner James.”

My stomach tightened. I tried to remember that reaction. It was a hungry craving, the anticipation of the satiation of a voracious appetite, but it was also so distant. I hadn’t been aware I’d been missing it until it resurfaced inside of me.

“You want to hear a secret?” she asked and leaned closer to me, though I had the impression she thought she was whispering. “I’ve wanted to try and kiss it.”

Her admission made me smile, and my heart thumped a little more. I realized that while I’d been fantasizing about her, perhaps she’d thought about me too. Knowing that made me feel buoyant. “You have? Well, I could remedy that for you, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t remember it. I would want you to.” It was a truth. I wanted Emma to remember me.

“I would,” she said, wide-eyed, and nodded. “I promise.”

I stood up, needing the distance, because I was afraid I might kiss her. As I did, she held my arm, and I almost toppled onto her. I self-corrected and took her hand to help her up. Once upright, she stumbled against me, and I caught her waist with my hands while her other arm wrapped around my neck. My heart was now knocking against the wall of my ribs. She was so close, so pretty, so pressed against me. I looked at her mouth, heart-shaped pink. She licked her lips, and my belly buzzed. I wanted to kiss her so badly, but I chickened out, which was part of why I didn’t; it also felt wrong on some level. I could take advantage, but I didn’t want to. On the other hand, I wanted to extend my time with her, so when I said, “Come on. Let’s go look for Liam.” I took her deeper into the house instead of down the stairs, which was probably the more likely place to look. I wasn’t being altruistic.

She put her hand in mine.

I noticed how soft her skin was, and I wondered about the rest of her.

“I don’t want to find Liam,” she insisted as we walked down the hall. “I want to wait for Tanner.”

“I’m right here.” I looked over my shoulder at her.

Her eyes brightened again, the outside corners scrunching with joy. “Oh! It is you.”

“How much did you have to drink, Em?” I asked.

She held up four fingers. “Two.”

“We should get you some water. Let’s find a place for you to sit.”

I started testing doors in the hallway. Honestly, on one level, I knew what I was doing. I wanted to be alone with her, even if I didn’t want to cheapen the moment. I think I justified it to myself. I needed to find her a place to sober up. Deep down, though, it was a lingering understanding of a latent wish buried in the darkness of my fantasies attached to what she’d said: Waiting. For you. You have a nice mouth. I’ve wanted to try and kiss it.

Emma Matthews was waiting for me.

The knowledge made my heart swell even if I couldn’t believe it. Even if I didn’t — couldn’t — trust it. I wanted to keep the idea close, to remember it, to hold it tight. I knew the moment this was over, it would slip away.

“Em?” I asked as I tested another door.

She made a moaning noise to indicate she’d heard me.

“Why were you waiting for me?”

“I like Tanner. I want to be brave.”

My brain wasn’t quick enough, because it was slugging through the marsh of alcohol. I understood what she was saying, but I didn’t quite comprehend it. “You like me?”

She nodded emphatically. “I saw him.”

“What did you see?” I asked her as I tested another door.

“He helped Connor. At lunch. I saw him. I see him. Everyday. He helps Connor.”

Lunch time. Connor Festner, a kid I help with his tray. Griff gives me shit for it, but Connor is pretty badass and probably beats Griff’s butt playing Duty online. Connor’s given me tons of gaming pointers.

She had been watching me at lunch. I’d known it. My expanded heart compressed, constricted in my chest with a pressure that somehow made me feel like I might be floating off into space without oxygen.

I tested another door. This one opened. The bedroom was empty, and I took a deep breath. Relief. “Here.” I helped her sit on the bed. “Let me have your cup, and I’ll fill it with water.”

She handed me her red cup, and I took it into the bathroom. I rinsed it out and put in water. Before I walked back into the room, I glanced at myself in the mirror. I stared into my own eyes and whispered to my reflection: “It’s Emma. Don’t be a dick.”

When I returned to the room, she was curled up on the bed, eyes closed. “Here, Em.”

She turned her head, looked at me and smiled as if it was the first time she’d seen me that night. “Tanner!” She reached for me, and I had the impression she wanted me to stretch out next to her.

Don’t be a dick, I reminded myself and helped her to sit back up. “Drink some water.”

She took a sip. “Liam says I’m dumb.”

“That isn’t nice of him.” Her statement annoyed me. I sat down next to her, suddenly absolved we weren’t looking for him.

She shook her head. “No. Not like that.” She stopped and took another sip. “Because I wanted to come to find you.”

“Why?”

“I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“Of everything.” She took another sip and then leaned her head against my shoulder.

I could smell her — a nice scent that was clean and slightly sweet, like vanilla or cotton candy. I resisted the impulse to press my nose into her neck to find out for sure, or to run my tongue across her skin to taste it. Instead, we sat like that for a long time — her head on my shoulder, my hands in my lap and my brain chastising me for smelling her like a freak.

The doorknob wiggled several times as people tested the door; I was smart enough to lock it. Habit. I tried to tell myself it was because I was trying to protect Emma from my reputation, but it was also the temptation to maybe just get to kiss her once. I didn’t make a move though, and that was unfamiliar — and kind of exciting — territory for me.

“Tell me what you’re afraid of,” I said eventually, ending the silence, and also because I wanted to know if she’d fallen asleep. I needed to keep my mind occupied with other things besides thoughts about kissing her. I was beginning to feel more coherent and sober.

“I told you. Everything.” Her hands flailed out, and when they settled, one landed on my thigh. My skin tingled under her touch, and heat spread like radiant light from a lightbulb to illuminate all the dark parts of me.

I swallowed and closed my eyes to focus on her words. The words. “Well, name me one thing.”

“Failure.”

“Everyone’s afraid of that.” I looked down at her hand. Casually rested. On my thigh. Emma’s hand. Her fingernails were painted a bright green and matched her hoop earrings.

“Disappointing my parents,” she said. “Disappointing God.”

I looked at her then, the candor of her statement running through me almost as hot as her touch. It wasn’t practiced. It wasn’t her act of being flirty or a ploy to seduce me. It was just an honest statement. Maybe I couldn’t relate to either of those, even if I wanted to. My parents were so blind to me outside of the tug-of-war they played, using me against one another. And God? Never experienced that in my life, unless having an orgasm counted as prayer. “And?”

She moved her head from my shoulder and turned to look at me. “Never kissing Tanner James.”

My stomach did another of those nose dives into my body, toward my groin. The heat of her hand still warmed my leg. I noticed her eyes, fringed in thick lashes, rove over my face. They came to rest on my mouth. Under different circumstances, I probably wouldn’t have cared and would have provided what she wanted. I wanted it — bad — but I’d found some weird sense of honor I hadn’t been aware I had. “I can’t, Em. You’re drunk.” These were those different circumstances. Emma represented a different kind of life I didn’t think I deserved.

“You don’t like me.” She moved back, slumped a little, her shoulders rounding, and folded her hands in her lap. “It’s okay.”

I missed the weight of her hand on my leg. “It isn’t that.” I leaned forward to try and meet her gaze. “I do like you.”

She sat up quickly, her eyes big and bright. “I got it! I will kiss you. Then you don’t have to kiss me. I’ll do the kissing.”

This made me laugh, because I thought it was one of the cutest things I’d ever heard. And she was so excited by the prospect, as if she’d discovered something new. I couldn’t remember having more fun on a Saturday night.

“Unless, you think I’m — ugly.” Her eyebrows arched over her wide eyes, but now she couldn’t look at me.

I shook my head. “Nope, Emma. I don’t think that. At all.”

Her eyes met mine again, and she said with a slight frown, “The easiness is wearing off. We better do this fast, before I come back.”

I scrunched up my face. “What?”

“If I come back–” she tapped her head– “I’ll be too scared. My head will get in the way. My bravery will melt off.”

“Liquid courage.” I tapped her cup.

She nodded. “I made a plan. I was waiting for you.”

“Really?”

“I, maybe, drank a little too much. Miscalculated.”

I smiled. “And you were waiting for me. Why?”

“To kiss you.” She laid her hand on my arm.

I took a deep breath, as if her touch returned a missing piece of my soul, and I needed to breathe it in. Her admission had me unbalanced, however. My usual practiced lyrics receded from the surprise. I’ve had girls try and lure me with their sexuality, but this? This was totally new. “Why again, Em?”

“Because I saw you. You helped Connor. That’s nice, Tanner. And I think it’s sexy. And I don’t want Keven Bennett to be my only kiss.”

I glanced at her mouth, thought about her kissing Keven Bennett, and was annoyed by it. Then I looked at my hands in my lap. She saw me not because of how I looked. It was because I helped Connor that made me sexy to her. It wasn’t partying or being drunk. It wasn’t a rumor that I knew how to have sex. It wasn’t being smart at school. It was because I’d done something unselfish. “Keven Bennett, huh?”

She wrinkled her nose. “He has a lizard tongue.”

I chuckle. “That’s not good.”

She adjusted her body. “So, is it okay if I kiss you?”

“Who would you be kissing? Just for clarification.” I was testing the truth, not believing it.

“Tanner James. You.” She faced me, drawing her knees up between us, where they pressed against the outside of my thigh. “I see you. I’m not that drunk anymore.”

Her words were enough for me to nod, to give myself permission to cross the line, and indulge my curiosity. “Yes. Okay.”

“You have to turn.” She directed me with her hands on my arms, turning me toward her but with her knees between us.

I watched her working out the problem, completely satisfied in the moment, enjoying her and her cute pout. Her dark, curly hair fell around her heart-shaped face as she looked down at our legs.

“This won’t do.”

“It does seem rather awkward.”

She stood. “Stand up.” She remained steady, the alcohol wearing off, and held her hands out to me.

I took them and stood. When I looked down at her, my heartbeat quickened. The movement of her eyes caressed my face, and for the first time, I understood what it felt like to be seen — really seen. For me, Tanner. Not because of some rumor about what I could do, or because there was enough alcohol in my system to lower my inhibitions.

“Tanner?” She reached up and put her hands on my face.

“Yes, Em?”

“Can you bend down? Just a little bit?” She drew me closer.

I leaned forward, cataloguing all of her attributes. My heart went bat-shit crazy inside my chest. I noticed the width of her blue eyes, the fullness of her dark eyebrows, the way her bottom lip was a tiny bit fuller than the top, the way her pert nose was slightly upturned and kissed with tiny freckles that reached out across her cheeks.

I couldn’t believe she didn’t have a boyfriend. Did I want to be a boyfriend? Why was I thinking about that? I wasn’t boyfriend material.

Her gaze flicked to my lips — her tongue darted out to wet her own — then her eyes slipped up to my eyes before sliding shut as she pressed her lips to mine.

It was a gentle kiss, soft. Her mouth was warm and pliable against mine. My heart tripped into a more intense speed. Then her lips parted, and she used her tongue to coax me to be an active participant. As much as I tried to not be a dick, that was the last straw of my self-control. I answered the tease of her tongue with my own. Suddenly, where the kiss started as one-sided and tentative, it exploded, because my whole body was an exposed nerve ending. Every sensation — her hands in my hair, her mouth, her tongue, the whisper of her clothing when she moved, the soft noise she emitted because I became involved —was enough to light me on fire.

I’d dreamed of Emma.

I lifted her.

She wrapped her legs around my waist and hugged me closer with her arms around my neck.

Our tongues moved together, and it all felt like a first time. It was. With her. Exciting. Novel.

She moaned into my mouth.

I stumbled forward until her back was pressed against the wall and then my hands wandered, molded, massaged. I forgot myself. Just let go […]

Author Bio:

As a kid, CL Walters, world revolved around two things: stories and make believe. She's built a real life around those two things: a teacher of stories and a writer of make believe.

With four books now published, she's looking forward to her fifth release October 13, 2020, a YA Contemporary Romance called The Stories Stars Tell.

Sign up for her newsletter for news, goodies, and fun (www.clwalters.net)

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Pinterest

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Down World by Rebecca Phelps

Title: Down World

Author: Rebecca Phelps

Publication Date: March 30, 2021

Publisher: Wattpad Books

Pages: 368

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access to this title in exchange for honest review

Introduction (Goodreads Synopsis)

Stranger Things meets the Netflix series Dark in this paranormal thriller where three mysterious doors in a highschool basement hold the key to unlocking the mystery of what really happened the night Marina's brother died.

As the site of a former military base, there have always been rumors that East Township High School was the site of experiments with space and time. For years, students have whispered in the hallways of a doorway created within the school, one that can access multiple timelines and realities, a place known as the Down World.

As the new kid in school and still reeling from the unexplained death of her brother Robbie, Marina O'Connell is only interested in one thing: leaving the past behind. But a chance encounter with handsome Brady Picelli changes everything. He will lead Marina to a startling discovery. The Down World is real and the past, present, and future are falling out of balance.

Brady is determined to help Marina discover what really happened to her brother. However, what is taken from one world, must be repaid by another. And Marina is about to discover that even a realm of infinite possibilities has rules that must be obeyed.

Plot

In the synopsis, Down World is compared to Stranger Things and I can definitely see why, there are some similar vibes between the two. I was impressed to find that the storyline/plot was easy to follow and nothing seemed to "get lost" which I feel is a problem for me in a lot of books that deal with different dimensions/worlds. I always find that in building different realities, some aspects of the realities are left under-developed, this was not the case here. Each different setting was developed fully, and I was very impressed.

Characters

I liked all the characters well enough, although none of them felt particularly unique. To me, they all seemed to have pretty much the same personality.

Pacing

This book took a very long time for me to get into, and at times, I felt a little bit bored reading it because not much was going on. However, once I reached about 60%, it picked up a little more and retained my interest until the end.

Conclusion

Overall, I thought this book was okay. The idea of Down World and the general world-building was fantastic and executed in a way that was easy to follow. And although the characters felt a little bland to me and it was a little bit slow at points, it's still well worth the read.

Stacking the Shelves (6)

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. It's all about sharing books you've added to your shelves be it physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in a  physical store, or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks.

I'm back with my sixth Stacking the Shelves. This week, I've added, what I consider to be, a lot of new books to my shelf.

So I added five books to my shelf this week, which kind of feels like adding a million, but I'll work through them slowly. I'm still reading The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. by Colleen Nelson, but I'm more than halfway through, so I should be done soon. Once I finish that, the next book on my list to read is Smoke and Shadows: The Trueheart.

First Line Friday (7): The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. by Colleen Nelson

First Line Friday is a bookish tag hosted over at Abstract Books that is used to showcase your favourite first lines of books.

There really is something to be said about a good first line, and I'm going to be using this tag from now on to showcase my current read's first lines.

Today's First Line Friday is coming from The Life and Deaths of Frankie D by Colleen Nelson. I just started this book two days ago, and I'm almost finished with it, so I'll be posting the review for it soon!

The first line is as follows:

"The dreams started the night of the break-in. Two weeks ago, my foster mom, Kris, and I had come home from a movie to find the front door open. Every room had been sifted through. My drawers had been dumped and the bed tossed. Kris's too. Nothing was missing, but Kris was rattled. Break-ins were unusual in our quiet neighborhood."

The Poppy and the Rose by Ashlee Cowles

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Poppy and the Rose

Author:  Ashlee Cowles

Publication Date: October 6, 2020

Publisher: Owl Hollow

Pages: 266 (epub.)

Introduction (Goodreads synopsis)

1912: Ava Knight, a teen heiress, boards the Titanic to escape the shadow of her unstable mother and to fulfill her dream of becoming a photographer in New York. During the journey she meets three people who will change her life: a handsome sailor, a soldier in the secret Black Hand society that will trigger World War I, and a woman with clairvoyant abilities. When disaster strikes the ship, family betrayals come to light.

2010: When Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program, something feels off. Not only is she greeted by a young, Rolls Royce-driving chauffeur, but he invites her to tea with Lady Mae Knight of Meadowbrook Manor, an old house with a cursed history going back to the days of Henry VIII. Lady Knight seems to know a strange amount about Taylor and her family problems, but before Taylor can learn more, the elderly woman dies, leaving as the only clue an old diary. With the help of the diary, a brooding chauffeur, and some historical sleuthing, Taylor must uncover the link between Ava’s past and her own….

Quick Thoughts

I feel like I took a chance on this book because I don't often read books that tell a story across time, but I am so glad that I took that chance. This book was fantastic. The storytelling was wonderful and I liked all of the characters. 

My only small bit of criticism is that the story takes a while to get going, but the slow pace issue is saved by the writing style. The writing was so smooth and full of beautiful lines that I almost didn't mind that the story took awhile for me to get into. 

The settings of both England and the Titanic were described so nicely, and the emotions of the characters felt so authentic that I truly felt like I was inside the story.

The twists at the end were very good, and I was satisfied with the ending as a whole.

Overall, The Poppy and the Rose was a beautifully written and emotional story, that's worth the read despite the slow start. I think I would recommend this book to teens who are maybe slightly older, as the story does cover the sinking of the Titanic. Because of that, I would recommend that those who may be uncomfortable reading about mass death stay away from this book.

Waiting On Wednesday (5): Tell Me My Name by Amy Reed

Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. *It appears that Breaking the Spine hasn't been active since 2016, but I still want to credit them as the creators.

For my 5th Waiting on Wednesday, I want to spotlight Tell Me My Name by Amy Reed. 

Goodreads Synopsis

We Were Liars meets Speak in this haunting, mesmerizing psychological thriller--a gender-flipped YA Great Gatsby--that will linger long after the final line

On wealthy Commodore Island, Fern is watching and waiting--for summer, for college, for her childhood best friend to decide he loves her. Then Ivy Avila lands on the island like a falling star. When Ivy shines on her, Fern feels seen. When they're together, Fern has purpose. She glimpses the secrets Ivy hides behind her fame, her fortune, the lavish parties she throws at her great glass house, and understands that Ivy hurts in ways Fern can't fathom. And soon, it's clear Ivy wants someone Fern can help her get. But as the two pull closer, Fern's cozy life on Commodore unravels: drought descends, fires burn, and a reckless night spins out of control. Everything Fern thought she understood--about her home, herself, the boy she loved, about Ivy Avila--twists and bends into something new. And Fern won't emerge the same person she was.

An enthralling, mind-altering psychological thriller, Tell Me My Name is about the cost of being a girl in a world that takes so much, and the enormity of what is regained when we take it.

Why I Can't Wait

I've read a few of Amy Reed's books, and since I've read those, I've wanted to read more from her, and Tell Me My Name has definitely caught my eye.

Teaser Tuesday (16): The Life and Deaths of Frankie D by Colleen Nelson

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Anyone can participate in Teaser Tuesdays. Just do the following:
• Grab your read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

""He looked familiar. Do you know what school he used to go to?"

Mr. Kurtis shook his head. "I didn't even know I was getting a new student."

"But his disappearance left me with questions. How had he known my real name? And why did we both dream of the same person?"

Page 31.

Chat With Me Thursday (12): Author Interview with Shilah Ferr

Hello! I’m Shilah Ferr, author of the Coming of Age Romance, April’s Heart, published in January 2020.

aprilsheartbook@gmail.com
https://aprilsheartbook.com
https://www.facebook.com/AprillovesMitch
https://www.facebook.com/shilah.ferr.9/
https://twitter.com/FerrShilah

Q. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? How long after that did you start writing a book?

I always wondered if I had a book in me. I think a lot of people do. For a long time I wondered if I did write a book, what would it be about, surely my own life is not remarkable enough. But, eventually in the winter of 2018-2019 I finally had the idea to roll all of the significant relationships from back in the day into one love interest. I was good to go! It was such a revelation. The plot came together immediately. April’s Heart is definitely fiction, but follows the basic outline of my life, dysfunctional family and all. I started writing right away after getting funny looks upon announcing that I was going to write a book and sat down at the kitchen table.

Q. What do you typically develop first, your characters or your plot?

For April’s Heart, my debut novel, the main character is modeled after myself, so I am not sure I spent a lot of time “developing” the character. The plot is what I developed, having the inspiration of a lifelong love interest despite the main characters’ young age. The difficulties they went through I went through as well, including being taunted by a boyfriend’s friends about someone who cheated. And it is true that my dad left my mom the night I got caught in bed with my boyfriend. Oh boy!

Q. Do you have any books or authors that were inspiring to you?

I do! I have been an avid reader of romance and erotic romance, and as I got older (I’m 56) I felt like not only did I want to write in that genre, but I COULD write in that genre. I’ve been inspired by E.L. James, Audrey Niffenegger and Stephanie Meyer.

Q. Are any of your characters inspired by people you know?

Clearly yes, but besides Mitchell Hudgins, April’s love interest, there are other characters inspired by people in my life however fictionalized, including family members, such as cousin Penny Schweiter. After my father left my mother when I was a teenager, my father and I sought refuge at my uncle’s house and lived there for a time. It was difficult and fun at the same time.

Q. What is your favourite aspect of your book?

Music is such an integral part of the story due to the eighties setting. The April’s Heart ebook edition contains almost forty 30 second Spotify music links embedded on every song referenced in the story. It’s so fun to click on the link, jam out for a few seconds, then return to reading. I love it!

Q. What was the publishing process like? Was it different than you expected?

If you consider the editing process part of the publishing process, many now know that my husband and I edited it ourselves. We’ve been both cheered and chastised. I learned a lot. I read it out loud to my husband twice during the summer of 2019. It was SO MUCH FUN! April’s Heart has been updated once again and is just about perfect now. I invite everyone to enjoy!

I published through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). It was easy for the most part, but their call back method when you need help was brilliant. I hate wasting time and don’t have a lot of tolerance for it. I was extremely satisfied every time I used it, which wasn’t much, mostly toward the end, trying to get it ready to go live.

Q. What is the most difficult part of writing for you?

I would love to write another Coming of Age Romance. I have several things working against me. I poured my heart, soul and life story into April’s Heart, and although I have TONS more memories and vignettes from life to draw upon, I’m having difficulty creating a cohesive, captivating plot. I will be patient right now, I know motivation and inspiration hits me when it wants too. Additionally, I am a school teacher. Now that school has started again since the shut down, I seriously have no spare time, writing this interview on an unexpected day off for the election. (I’ll be working on my report cards later!)

Q. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

I do! The content of April’s Heart is quite risqué at times, and potentially offensive to some readers. During the writing process I was often daunted by thoughts of offending people, or feeling afraid of what some might think. The advice an author friend of mine gave really helped me when he simply explained as a passing thought that there is no book that everyone will like, no book is everyone’s cup of tea. As obvious as that is, it really effected me, allowing me to put my fears behind, to just be brave and put it in there. “Just put it in there” became a little mantra of mine as I continued to write. So my advice is to be brave, knowing full well that there will be readers who do not like your book.

_

As always, I had so much fun doing this interview and would like to take a second to thank Shilah for allowing me to interview her!

Waiting on Wednesday (4): Up all Night: 13 Stories Between Sunrise and Sunset

 Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. *It appears that Breaking the Spine hasn't been active since 2016, but I still want to credit them as the creators.

This week for my Waiting on Wednesday I want to spotlight Up All Night: 13 Stories Between Sunset and Sunrise, an anthology.

Goodreads Synopsis

When everyone else goes to bed, the ones who stay up feel like they’re the only people in the world. As the hours tick by deeper into the night, the familiar drops away and the unfamiliar beckons. Adults are asleep, and a hush falls over the hum of daily life. Anything is possible.

It’s a time for romance and adventure. For prom night and ghost hunts. It’s a time for breaking up, for falling in love—for finding yourself.

Stay up all night with these thirteen short stories from bestselling and award-winning YA authors like Karen McManus, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nina LaCour, and Brandy Colbert, as they take readers deep into these rarely seen, magical hours.

Full contributor list: Brandy Colbert, Kathleen Glasgow, Maurene Goo, Tiffany D. Jackson, Amanda Joy, Nina LaCour, Karen M. McManus, Anna Meriano, Marieke Nijkamp, Laura Silverman, Kayla Whaley, Julian Winters, Francesca Zappia

Why I Can't Wait

I've don't usually read anthologies, I couldn't even name the last one I read, it's been that long. But lately, I've been wanting to broaden my horizon to include some anthologies, and Up All Night seems like a great place to start!

Teaser Tuesday (15): Down World by Rebecca Phelps

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Anyone can participate in Teaser Tuesdays. Just do the following:
• Grab your read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your 
teasers!

"Brady looked at me a long moment. As my eyes adjusted to the faint light, I could just make out the intensity of his gaze.

"Do you really want to know?""

"The way my father told it, the fate of humanity rested on the shoulders of our forefathers. And they had been very successful.

But nothing lasts forever."

Down World by Rebecca Phelps, page 49.

Top Ten Tuesday (9): Non-Bookish Hobbies

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week on Top Ten Tuesday, we're listing our top ten non-bookish hobbies. I've realized recently that I don't share a lot of basic personal things on this blog, so I'm taking this opportunity to list some of my hobbies in hopes of letting my new followers get to know me a little better.

1. Drawing

I'm too shy to actually show anything that I've drawn, but I do absolutely love to draw. I usually draw with black ink, but I have been known to use a little colour, occasionally.

2. Film

I love the study of/technical aspects of film. Within the next few years, I'm hoping to enroll in school for some sort of film program

3. Netflix

To go along with my love of film, I do binge a lot of Netflix, perhaps an embarrassing amount. I just finished up the entirety of Modern Family, and I'm currently binging New Girl and Degrassi: The Next Generation.

4. Podcasts

I am obsessed with podcasts. I listen to them every day while I take a walk. It's pretty much the only thing that motivates me to get some exercise. I am obsessed with Unwell: A Midwestern Gothic Mystery. I'm anxiously waiting for the third season in February 2021, and to fill my time while I wait, I've been listening to Exteter, The Magnus Archives and as always Welcome to Nightvale.

5. Walking

Kind of a lame hobby, and I mentioned it above, but I love to go for walks, I walk for hours everyday, just because I think it's relaxing.

6. Photography

I've been doing this hobby less frequently lately, but I enjoy photography from time to time.

7. Sailing

I'm counting sailing as one of my hobbies even though I haven't done it in a few years.

8. Cooking

I love to cook, and trying new recipes is among my favourite things to do. 

9. Puzzles

Another possibly lame hobby, but I've recently rediscovered my love of jigsaw puzzles. I just find them so relaxing and a great way to wind down when I'm stressed.

And that's it for my post! I know I could only think of nine hobbies, but I hope this lets my new followers get to know me a little better!

Wrap-Up Tag

 This tag was created by Phoenix at Books With Wings, and I'm so happy that she thought of me to tag, because not only do I love tags generally, but this one looks like so much fun. To participate in this tag, all you have to do is:

• Link back to Phoenix,
• Answer the questions
• Tag at least five people
• Enjoy!

So, here I go, answering these questions:

The spookiest book I read this month

I don't think I read many spooky books this month, which was kind of disappointing because it was spooky szn, but I think the spookiest book would have been We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu, with all it's spooky forests and unexplained deaths.

The most autumn-y book I read this month

I think I'd say The Poppy and the Rose by Ashlee Cowles. It's set mostly in England, and there was a lot of raining, which will always remind me of autumn.

The character you would be most likely to dress up as for Halloween

I know I just talked about this book in the first question but I think I would dress up as "the forest' character from We Were Restless Things.

And that's a wrap on the Wrap-up Tag! I know the rules are to tag five people, but I can only think of two right now due to the time sensitivity, so I would like to tag Laura @ Blue Eyed Books and CM @ YA Lit Reviews for Teens and Lit Reviews for Teens and Libraries

Hello November!

With my favourite day behind us, we've now stepped into November, which I'm hoping will be nearly as productive as October was. So far I only have a few posts planned. I know that I'll finally be posting my review of The Poppy and the Rose by Ashlee Cowles sometime this month, and it's likely that I'll be finishing up my current read Down World by Rebecca Phelps, so a review for that should also be posted this month as well.

I have a couple additional ARCs to read after I finish up Down World, and I'm hoping to get through all of them this month.

I'm also hoping to keep going with author interviews, I have a few more in the works and I can't wait to post them. (If you are an author and are interested in being interviewed, please feel free to email me!)

Finally, I'll be posting a book blitz for The Story Stars Tell by C.L. Walters, which will include a giveaway, so stay tuned for that!

I hope everybody had a great October and that November treats you all well!