Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Review: Escape Theory by Margaux Froley

Title: Escape Theory
Author: Margaux Froley
Published: March 12th 2013
Source: Purchased
Genre: YA Mystery
Buy: Amazon ~*~ Barnes & Noble
Add to your Goodreads shelf
Caution: May contain spoilers

Sixteen-year-old Devon Mackintosh has always felt like an outsider at Keaton, the prestigious California boarding school perched above the Pacific. As long as she’s not fitting in, Devon figures she might as well pad her application to Stanford’s psych program. So junior year, she decides to become a peer counselor, a de facto therapist for students in crisis. At first, it seems like it will be an easy fly-on-the-wall gig, but her expectations are turned upside down when Jason Hutchins (a.k.a. “Hutch”), one of the Keaton’s most popular students, commits suicide.

Devon dives into her new role providing support for Hutch’s friends, but she’s haunted by her own attachment to him. The two shared an extraordinary night during their first week freshman year; it was the only time at Keaton when she felt like someone else really understood her.  As the secrets and confessions pile up in her sessions, Devon comes to a startling conclusion: Hutch couldn't have taken his own life. Bound by her oath of confidentialityand tortured by her unrequited love—Devon embarks on a solitary mission to get to the bottom of Hutch's death, and the stakes are higher than she ever could have imagined.

My Thoughts:

I originally got this book via NetGalley but was unable to finish it. However, the first chapters alone had me HOOKED so once I was able to buy it, I was excited to get back to it. There was something incredibly intense about Devon and Hutch, I had to know what really happened to him.

The story starts with the moment they shared together in Freshman year. This moment, involving Nutter Butters and pancakes, is so beyond incredible. In between what is going on at present, we hear bits and pieces of that day. This is what attached me to Devin and Hutch. Especially Hutch. Why? Because the things he said to her that day resonated with me big time. Like these:

“Because I figure there's two kinds of people in the world. The ones who do everything that's laid out for them, the supposed-tos, and then there's the people that look above it and do what they want to do. I prefer the latter, but maybe that's just me. A not-supposed to.”
“I just like the idea of looking back at my life and feeling like I made different choices than everyone else, you know? Most people are inherently boring if you really dig deep. They don't want much, they don't veer from their chosen path, and they're generally scared of change. I don't know, at least that's how my grandfather tells it. I don't want to be like fifty and realize that I was one of those people who didn't bother to think outside the box.”

And that's not all. There was something infinitely amazing about their connection that day. It was like this perfect moment in time. Inescapable in its perfection. I get chills thinking about it.

Back to the present... As she conducts the therapy sessions with her peers, she begins to put pieces together. Based on what she learned of him that one day, and what she's gathering now, she just knows that Hutch couldn't possibly kill himself. She knows it's up to her to find out the truth because everyone else seems convinced that it was suicide. Throughout this ordeal in the aftermath of his death, she deals with a lot--having to console Hutch's friends and attempting to come to terms with it herself. And in the end, she does find out the truth.

Escape Theory was a stunning novel. It delves deep into the way people are and what they become when they are placed in certain situations. The romance between Devon and Hutch... simply beautiful. Margaux Froley kept me entranced by their story, from their moment to their last moment. It tore me up and sewed me back together again. Very impressive and a must read.

My Rating:

Monday, July 29, 2013

Gilmore Girls Mondays (4)


Welcome to Gilmore Girls Mondays!

I missed a week because I forgot to watch a couple more episodes. So... watched episodes 7 and 8 this time around. Rory's first kiss... and the snowstorm..... great stuff. :)

My favorite quotes this week:

Lorelai: One of us has got to do laundry tonight.
Rory: Why?
Lorelai: Because I haven't had any clean underwear for three days.
Rory: So right now under your skirt you're wearing..?
Lorelai: Not underwear.
Rory: MOM!
Lorelai: Kind of nice actually, breezy.
Rory: My role model ladies and gentlemen.
Rory: So how many times are you gonna listen to that?
Lorelai: Till it stops being sexy.


So, my lovely followers, do you like watching Gilmore Girls? Join in and watch with us!


Jessica

Friday, July 26, 2013

Sign up for the If Only We cover reveal!


Marie Landry has completed the cover for If Only We, and let me tell you, it is amazing. I am so impressed. I adore it so much, you have no idea.

I would love to have your help in revealing this amazing cover!

Please fill out this form and I will get in touch with you. The reveal will happen on Monday, August 5th. I will email everyone participating on August 2nd with all the details, including the cover and links.

Thank you so much! :D

Jessica

Thoughts Weekly Update (30)


Welcome to the Weekly Update here on Thoughts! This is where I will share what books I finished, what I am currently reading, the current word count on my WIP, links from the posts from the last week, and maybe a little something on what's going on in my life.

Finished


Losing It by Cora Carmack (-Goodreads-)
Requiem by Lauren Oliver (-Goodreads-)

Currently Reading


Hysteria by Megan Miranda (-Goodreads-)
Above by Leah Bobet (-Goodreads-)
Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald (-Goodreads-)

Up Next


Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Black (-Goodreads-)
Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson (-Goodreads-)

Word Count 

If Only We ~ 57,556
Check out my writer blog for the latest.

On The Blog This Week



    The Latest With Me

    As you may have seen, If Only We, the YA contemporary I am in the middle of revising, is up on Goodreads! It's super exciting to see it there. I also have some more news, and I'll just tell you guys NOW instead of later:

    I HAVE A COVER.

    I have a cover for If Only We. I am going to have a cover reveal on August 5th and I'll be asking for the help of my lovely followers. The post for the sign ups for the cover reveal will be up tonight when I get home from work, so check back later.

    Hope you have a great weekend!!!

    Jessica

    Wednesday, July 24, 2013

    Oh, How Pinteresting! (2)


    Oh, How Pinteresting is hosted by The Vintage Apple. This is where we show off the pins we love and show how addicted we are to Pinterest.


    http://pinterest.com/pin/38351034299807094/
    ~I try to do this often. I mean, no, I don't do this. I really am busy when I carry things around. *looks around and whistles*~


    http://pinterest.com/pin/38351034299706314/
    ~We build these walls brick by brick. Allowing ourselves to be okay with this. We need to break through them.~


    http://pinterest.com/pin/38351034299663093/
    ~FORTS ARE AWESOME.~


    http://pinterest.com/pin/38351034299663088/
    ~I cannot tell you how many times I have done this.~



    http://pinterest.com/pin/38351034299663112/
    ~This really, Really, REALLY makes you think. Plus, I love the picture itself. Beautiful.~


    http://pinterest.com/pin/38351034299662898/
    ~That's the cat at my mom's, Max. EVERY. TIME.~



    http://pinterest.com/pin/38351034299842359/
    ~This is sooo me. And, well, I do have thoughts at one in the morning. *wink wink nudge nudge*~


    http://pinterest.com/pin/38351034299733170/
    ~That is my face.~



    So, what awesomeness have you pinned?

    Jessica

    Tuesday, July 23, 2013

    Review: Serial Hottie by Kelly Oram

    Title: Serial Hottie
    Author: Kelly Oram
    Published: July 10th 2012
    Source: Purchased
    Genre: YA Mystery
    Buy: Amazon ~*~ Barnes & Noble
    Add to your Goodreads shelf
    Caution: May contain spoilers

    Hockey-obsessed tomboy Eleanor Westley has never been the object of a guy's affection before. So when the hottest boy she's ever seen moves in across the street and starts treating her like she's the center of his universe, naturally she's going to be a little skeptical. But everything starts to make sense when girls who look just like Ellie start dying all around the city. Obviously the new guy is the killer, and of course he only likes her because he wants to slice her into tiny pieces. Right? The more Ellie gets to know Seth the more she's convinced he's a psychopathic killer. Problem is, he's the sweetest psychopathic killer she's ever met. Not to mention he's brutally hot. No matter how hard she tries, she can't help but fall for him. Will Ellie find true love, or will her summer of firsts turn out to be a summer of lasts?

    My Thoughts:

    When I first started reading this, I couldn't help but find it super amusing. In the first chapter, it felt reminiscent of Rear Window and I found that super intriguing. Not to mention the totally hot guy living across the street. I kept reading because of the intrigue and mystery, the gorgeous Seth, AND due to the fact that, although it's a serious situation, it is also funny how everything gets pieced together.

    When it comes to the way Seth was with Ellie, I do have to admit, it was kind of a little... strangely obsessive for no apparent reason. And yet, despite that, I still found myself engrossed in the interactions between the two of them. One minute, you're like, "You two need to just kiss already!" and the next minute you're like, "Oh my god, get away from the guy!" Though, dude, it is so hard to figure out in your head how to feel about the guy. He seems nice, then creepy, then wonderful, so you're just at a loss as to whether you can trust him or not.

    And the whole serial killer in town thing. Oh boy, does that take you for a spin. You're constantly bombarded with moments where it seems apparent that Seth is most likely the killer, and then you get hit with something else that completely contradicts it. And vice versa! Ellie kept going back and forth on how to feel based on the information she collects. As I was nearing the end and everything was being pieced together, I had this moment where I thought, "I know what's happening!" and then... I found out I was so wrong.

    Serial Hottie is completely absorbing and hilarious at the same time. The mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat. I was beyond wrapped up in the potential romance that it became hard for my brain to be reasonable about the dangers. The sexual tension, oh yeah, definitely worth it. Kelly Oram definitely kept my attention with everything going on. I sooo need to pick up another book by her soon!

    My Rating:

    Monday, July 22, 2013

    Reminder for the For The Love Of Books Giveaway Hop Sign Ups!


    This is a reminder to everyone who is interested in signing up for my giveaway hop that there are less than two weeks remaining to sign up. We already have a few participants but I would LOVE to have more! So, please consider signing up. It will be fun for you AND it's a great way to gain exposure to your blog or, for indie authors, your book! :)


    Jessica

    Saturday, July 20, 2013

    If Only We is up on Goodreads!


    That's right, my lovely friends! My news is that I have finally put my upcoming novel If Only We up on Goodreads for you to add to your shelves. Here is the official synopsis:

    They say all it takes is one wrong move and you lose the game. One false step and you’re trapped. One slip-up in your choice of words and you ruin a friendship forever. That is what they say. They say I lost.

    I do not believe them.


    At the end of the summer after graduation, Adrienne wonders what happened to cause her life to be in ruins. She isn’t getting along with her mom, her stepsister isn’t talking to her, and, to top it off, the boy she’s been in love with doesn’t want anything to do with her. She believes the turning point was a choice she made at graduation. When she wakes up the next day, she has been transported back three months to that moment, the one where everything started to fall apart.

    Adrienne realizes she has been given a second chance--and this time she doesn’t want to mess anything up. Reliving the entire summer, though, turns out to be a lot harder than she thought. As the same days and weeks go by, she starts to see how simple decisions can make a huge impact on the world around her. Despite knowing some of what lies ahead, there are some things she didn’t anticipate. She thought she knew what mistake led her to where she ended up the first time. She was wrong.

    And by the time summer is over, she discovers what was really at stake.


    I would have just told you about it yesterday but I was waiting for Goodreads to let me edit my author profile first. I kinda sorta wanted that to be all set up before I spread the news. Now that it is up, it is definitely feeling more real to me. I am writing a book. A book that will be published this fall. Soon, I will officially be an author.

    WOW.

    Everything is slowly falling into place.

    Jessica

    Friday, July 19, 2013

    Thoughts Weekly Update (29)


    Welcome to the Weekly Update here on Thoughts! This is where I will share what books I finished, what I am currently reading, the current word count on my WIP, links from the posts from the last week, and maybe a little something on what's going on in my life.

    Finished


    Addicted To You by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie (-Goodreads-)

    Currently Reading


    Requiem by Lauren Oliver (-Goodreads-)
    Hysteria by Megan Miranda (-Goodreads-)
    Losing It by Cora Carmack (-Goodreads-)
    Above by Leah Bobet (-Goodreads-)

    Up Next


    Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Black (-Goodreads-)
    Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson (-Goodreads-)
    Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald (-Goodreads-)

    Word Count 

    If Only We ~ 57,556
    Check out my writer blog for the latest.

    On The Blog This Week



    The Latest With Me

    There will be some announcements shortly (hopefully tomorrow) about my current writing project, If Only We. I'm working out some EXCITING things and I CANNOT WAIT to tell you guys all about it! I like to keep things suspenseful, I know. But, trust me, totally worth the suspense. Anyone who already knows: SHHH!!! Don't tell anyone! Okay, I don't if you do. :P

    So anyways... it sure has been hot outside, hasn't it? I mean, for some of us in the northern hemisphere anyways. I can count myself lucky that my apartment is half underground because I haven't had to use my air conditioning once. But, there's no air in my car, so that's been rough. I just roll the windows down all the way and have learned to not care about my hair! ;) What have you guys been doing to stay cool?

    Hope you have a great weekend!!!

    Jessica

    Wednesday, July 17, 2013

    Waiting On Wednesday (13): Premeditated by Josin L. McQuein


    Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we get to let everyone know about what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine.


    This week I'm waiting on...


    A week ago, Dinah’s cousin Claire cut her wrists.

    Five days ago, Dinah found Claire’s diary and discovered why.

    Three days ago, Dinah stopped crying and came up with a plan.

    Two days ago, she ditched her piercings and bleached the black dye from her hair.

    Yesterday, knee socks and uniform plaid became a predator’s camouflage.

    Today, she’ll find the boy who broke Claire.

    By tomorrow, he’ll wish he were dead.

    This book. Oh my goodness. It is sooo my kind of story. I remember when I first heard about it. There was still more than a year until it was going to be released and I was like WHAT?! It comes out October 8th.


    What are YOU waiting on?

    Jessica

    Tuesday, July 16, 2013

    Top Ten Tuesday: Authors Who Deserve More Recognition


    Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. Head over there and join in on the fun!


    Topic for this week:
    Top Ten Authors Who Deserve More Recognition

    Okay, I was going to write specifically why each author is so awesome, but I didn't have enough time to do that! So instead, I am going to just tell you guys, there's a good reason these authors are on this list. They all have the uncanny ability to draw you into the story, into the mind of the main character, cause you to feel like you ARE in the story. They each have an amazing talent to evoke emotions and have such elegant writing. I could go on forever, but I'm just going to leave it at that.



    Books by this author:


    What My Mother Doesn't Know (-Goodreads-)
    What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know (-Goodreads-)
    Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy (-Goodreads-)
    One Of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies (-Goodreads-)
    To Be Perfectly Honest: A Novel Based on an Untrue Story (-Goodreads-)


    Books by this author:


    Fault Line (-Goodreads-)
    Multiple Choice (-Goodreads-)


    Books by this author:


    Like Mandarin (-Goodreads-)
    Wanderlove (-Goodreads-)


    Books by this author:


    Survival (-Goodreads-)
    Resurrection (-Goodreads-)
    Determinant (-Goodreads-)
    Dark Waltz (-Goodreads-)
    Edge Of Disaster (-Goodreads-)


    Books by this author:


    Heart On A Chain (-Goodreads-)
    Geek Girl (-Goodreads-)
    Rapunzel Untangled (-Goodreads-)


    Books by this author:


     Blue Sky Days (-Goodreads-)
    The Game Changer (-Goodreads-)
    Waiting For The Storm (-Goodreads-)


    Books by this author:


    The Forever Project (-Goodreads-)
    Notes To Self (-Goodreads-)


    Books by this author:


    Precious Things (-Goodreads-)
    Defy The Stars (-Goodreads-)


    Books by this author:


    The True Meaning Of Cleavage (-Goodreads-)
    The Girl In The Park (-Goodreads-)


    Books by this author:


    Confessions Of An Angry Girl (-Goodreads-)
    Confessions Of An Almost-Girlfriend (-Goodreads-)


    So, how about you? Are there any authors that you think deserve more attention? I would love to hear your suggestions!

    Jessica