ARC Review: The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

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Author: Robin Constantine

Pages: 371 pages

Release Date: December 31st, 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Recieved From: HarperCollins Canada

Status: Standalone

 

Synopsis (from the back cover):

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet good girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

 

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a term paper pimp. Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

 

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

 

 

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Review

 

First and foremost, thank you HarperCollins Canada for the ARC! I really appreciate it! This book was a total whirlwind! I had such a fun time reading it!

 

I love Wren and her friends, Maddie and Jazz, and her family dynamic. She has a good relationship with all of them, and she is everything a teenager is: she is quiet, she is average, she watches corny movies, she has drama, she has school stress, she has older siblings that treat her like a baby, and of course, is underestimated throughout the book. What I love the most about her was just that relatable/familiarity with her character- I'm sixteen, and although I haven't had as much experience with life like she has in the book, she is still me (I so totally related to her when she was talking about kilt problems). She is as awkward like every teenager, and she brings the down-to-earth feel to the book.

 

While I love Wren, I love Grayson too. But there were times when I was just irked by him. Grayson is a bad boy trying to convert his ways, and although there is a three month gap between him getting kicked out of St. Gabe's and transfering to a public school, he doesn't start changing till he meets Wren. He brings out most of the teen angst in the story. One thing I totally loved about him was his determination as a character: to become a better son, a better person, and a better guy for Wren. He has this alter-ego as well that was very annoying for me to read about, but I was very happy when he was able to put him away for good. But don't worry, his alter-ego spices up the novel ;)

 

The plot on the other hand was very interesting to read. For me, it was a contemporary, but then halfway I felt like it switched genres and went into an adventure/crime novel when Grayson's past starts to catch up with him. Luke, one of Grayson's friends, felt too evil for me, and I felt like his role in the story and his character in the end were not consistent and developed properly. The whole "Operation Amsterdam" thing felt too dark and heavy for a book about falling in love (and such a cute cover), but it did fill in the holes for me with some of Grayson's character development. I felt like the love story (on Grayson's part) was totally rushed- like who goes froma playboy to a devoted boyfriend in a span of a month? That and the whole "Operation Amsterdam" thing just didn't feel realistic and genuine like what Wren brought to the story. But then again, Wren is a genuine character.

 

Although I felt like at times things were too rushed/uneeded, it ALL worked together. I'm not kidding. I had some problems with the plot and characters, but it seriously worked! I finished the whole book within a day, guys. THAT'S how awesome and totally unique it is- you seriously won't see stuff like Operation Amsterdam, alter-egos, falling in love, (good) tv/movie references, actual high school experiences, and swearing together in a book and working beautiully.

 

I loved so many things about this book: it's down-to-earth feel, it's relatable characters, it's unique story line, and it's ability to keep you focused throughout the story. It's a contemporary book about self discovery and love with a definite edge!

 

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Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

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I seriously recommend this book! It'll be released on December 31st, 2013! Preorder it now here on Amazon.ca!

The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr: Review

Author: Sara Zarr

Pages: 309

Release Date: May 7th, 2013

Publisher: Little Brown

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain.

That was all before she turned fourteen.

Now, at sixteen, it's over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. That leaves her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of piano -- on her own terms. But when you're used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr takes readers inside the exclusive world of privileged San Francisco families, top junior music competitions, and intense mentorships. The Lucy Variations is a story of one girl's struggle to reclaim her love of music and herself. It's about finding joy again, even when things don't go according to plan. Because life isn't a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.

This was a good book about a child prodigy who (unintentionally) gives up her life after the death of her grandmother which strains her family's relationship, and leaves her wondering who she really is. Lucy knows that the piano was once her safe haven, but realizes that at some point, the magic disappeared. With the help of Will, she reconnects with that passion for playing, but is his help really any different from her grandfather's strict ways?

It was sweet and held all the things that a YA contemporary has: relationships, friendships, and self-discovery, and to me it stands out. I think it probably has to do with the fact that Lucy is a piano player and her grandfather is so passionate about music, because I play the piano (although no where near her level or skill) and my dad is very passionate about music as well. If I had the same easy-going, obedient kid thing going for me when I was younger, my dad would've probably pushed me like Lucy's grandfather pushed her- but my dad's too nice for that  (thankfully :D).

I found it interesting that Lucy hung out with a very older crowd for the majority of ther book. Like I get that she grew up half her life socializing adults, but I found it weird that her and Will were texting- oh yeah, and despite what the synopsis says/will lead you to think, Will is 30! (or somewhere around that age).

I liked Lucy as a narrator, but I just didn't find the other supporting characters interesting, with the exception of her French father calling her "Poulette" and Martin. Normally, this would bother me more, but this story IS called the Lucy Variations, and does a good job telling Lucy's story to self discovery. I especially love the Love Playlist at the end of the novel. Whoever thought that Usher would make it alongside of great composers/musicians of classical music?

3 out of 4 stars! :D

Waiting on Wednesday: The Promise of Amazing (#10)

Author: Robin Constantine

Release Date: December 31st, 2013

Pages: 384

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how. 

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

I am soooooo excited for Christmas because my mom promised to get me a Chapters gift card this year to buy books! I broke my laptop and I know I should be getting a new one, and I also need to get my license as well, but I really, really, really want books and when I get that gift card on Christmas morning, I am SOOOOOO buy this book alongside the other 294810472919 books I said was going to read!

The Promise of Amazing looks like a cute, YA contemporary novel about finish yourself and that one amazing person to help you get through that difficult part of your life. I've already read a couple reviews for it, and I'm ready for this book! 

Other than the grabbing synopsis, there's something very attractive and appealing to the cover. It's cute with the couple and all, but the overall scenic background and don't just grabs my attention. I really want to grab this book of the shelf right now. How many more days till Christmas again?

Happy Wednesday guys!

Saturday Spotlight: Jennifer Mathieu

Hey guys! It's Saturday, and for this week's Saturday Spotlight, I'm featuring YA contemporary author, Jennifer Mathieu!

About Jennifer:

Jennifer Mathieu is a writer and English teacher from Texas. She writes young adult contemporary novels. The Truth About Alice is her debut novel, which comes out June 3rd, 2014.

Jennifer was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to do an interview with me! So here it is! Enjoy guys!

1) Welcome to The Lovely Grace! I'm so glad that you took the time from your busy schedule for this! So The Truth About Alice is your first YA book- what made you want to write a YA contemporary as opposed to other popular genres like fantasy/paranormal or dystopian?

Thank you so much for having me! To answer your question, while I am amazed at those who can write fantasy/paranormal and dystopian and do all that complicated world-building, I have always been solidly grounded in the YA contemporary genre. It's what I read, for the most part, and what I love to write. I just love real life stories, I suppose, and character driven novels. I read a lot of nonfiction, too. I'm one of those people who believes everyone has a life worth writing about, so I think I just love exploring the real world as we live in it.

2) I know that you're a teacher AT an international school (she's not a teacher at an international spy school, sorry guys), so what was the writing process for you?

I would be the worst spy, by the way, because I'm terrible at spilling secrets on accident! For me, I write at night after I get home and my little one is asleep. I have a structure to it, and I'm fortunate to have a husband who is very supportive of my writing time. I have found that teaching makes me more productive because my students inspire me and my limited time makes me very efficient. I set word limits for myself each day and try to meet them - even if it's junk on the page at least it's somewhere to start.

3) What inspired you to write a story like The Truth About Alice? From the synopsis, it seems to be a very heavy book (emotional wise- if that's how I can describe it). Were there some subjects that you were a little unsure about because of the audience? Or just how true it is to some problems that teenagers may be dealing with? Or were you fine writing a book that talks about bullying, gossiping, and sexual harassment?

I really respect teenagers as people and as readers. I think they can handle intense topics and I also trust that if they feel a book is just not right for them, they will put it down. I didn't set out to write an "issue" book per se, but I wanted to write about how we all feel like outsiders at one time or another. All the characters in The Truth About Alice have demons they're fighting - even the popular kids - and they all feel unsure about themselves from time to time. I think all teenagers feel like that - all people do. As for what inspired me to write this specific story - when I was a teenager in the early 90s I read an article in Seventeen magazine about a girl who sued her school because of some horrible, sexually graphic graffiti in a bathroom stall. That story stayed with me because I couldn't imagine how horrible that girl must have felt - just so isolated and hurt. It was the seed for the story all these years later. I also always wanted to write a book that was told from multiple points of view, so I tried that, too.

4) Why did you decide to write about a girl that has a bad reputation (due to unfortunate circumstances) in different perspectives and not her own? Was this something you thought of since the beginning or just happened during the writing process?

What a great question. From the beginning I always wanted to tell it from other people's perspectives because that's what gossip is - everyone just talking about someone and that one person's voice sometimes not getting heard or getting lost in the shuffle. This is especially true about girls who develop so-called "bad reputations." Alice does have a chapter at the very end, but yes, the book mostly focuses on other voices that alternate from chapter to chapter.

5) Personally for me, I have trouble with my own characters that I have to punish them sometimes (my protagonist right now has a waffle ban for being uncooperative- actresses are such divas!). Did you run into trouble while developing your characters?

Your diva actress had that coming! LOL! One of the joys of writing this book was that because I was switching perspectives from one character to the next, just as I was starting to struggle with one voice it was time to take a break and pick up with another one. It always felt very fresh and fun to write as a writer. However, my characters do go through quite a bit. I especially felt for Kelsie's character - maybe even more so than Alice. Sometimes I thought, how can I do this to this poor girl? My characters really do become real for me. I still think about them.

6) What do you think makes this book stand out from other YA contemporary novels?

I love so much YA contemporary that I hope people love my book as much as they love some of the terrific titles out there right now! As for what might make it stand out - I think the character of Kurt is interesting because he's sort of a nerd but he's still really into Alice as a girl. He's still a teenage boy in that way. So often the "nerd" is this one-dimensional, asexual creature who has his nose in a book, but Kurt is a genius and also still hot for a pretty girl in this really honest, human, teenage boy way. He was so much fun to write - maybe my favorite character to write in the whole book.

7) This is one question that I always have to ask all my guests: what are you reading right now?

I just finished a wonderful, wonderful book called How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford that came out in 2009, and I just started a new release called Winger by Andrew Smith.

8) Would you want to be the character in the book that you're reading at the moment?

Another great question. The book opens with Winger getting his head stuffed into a toilet by some jocks, so right now I say no! ;-) The book has received some great reviews and I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy it.

9) Do you think your characters will survive the plot of said book?

I hope so because Winger seems very likable to me so far. :-) Although I've been warned there's a sad plot twist in this novel, so I'm getting my tissues ready.

10) I wanted to ask you some random questions about yourself, but your bio on your website tells a lot of awesome things about you! You speak Spanish, wrote a story about an ape dancing in a library (100% in my book btw), and were a former journalist. I don't know what to ask anymore. Have you ever considered taking horse riding lessons? Or try something crazy like... doing cheese rolling?

I am open for anything! I took belly dancing classes once but never horse riding lessons. ;-) But I'm a big believer in continuing education. What can I say - I'm a teacher!

11) What is one thing that you have learned as a student, a teacher and a writer that will be useful to students who have to balance four types of lives? (Family, Writing, Social and School).

I'm very type A and am a big believer in staying organized and making lists and maximizing my time - that is not a very romantic answer, but it's true. I've been that way my whole life and it helps me get a lot of things done. I try to dedicate time for all the important things in my life and sense when one aspect isn't getting "fed" and try to correct that. But not everyone operates that way, so that advice might not work for everyone. Some people need to focus deeply on one thing at a time. So perhaps know yourself is one piece of advice. Something else I think that would apply to everyone is ground yourself in what you love and things will fall into place. Surround yourself with friends you love and write what you want to write, not what you think you should write. And it's okay to feel overwhelmed sometimes. I think it means you have a curious mind and an energetic spirit.

And 12) Will we need any tissues while reading this book? And if so, how many? I just want to be prepared!

Without giving too much away, I do believe my book ends on a hopeful note but yes, there may be some tears Sometimes a lot of them. (I'm sorry!) But while there are a lot of heavy moments, I think there are some sweet and even funny moments, too. Elaine's character made me laugh several times as I was writing her chapters. She's a trip.

Wanna know more about Jennifer? Check out the links bellow!

 

Website: http://www.jennifermathieu.com/index.html

 

Twitter: @jenmathieu

 

Tumblr: Jennifer Mathieu XOXO

 

Facebook: Jennifer Mathieu

 

Have an amazing Saturday guys!

 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Truth About Alice (#8)

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Everyone has a lot to say about Alice Franklin, and it’s stopped mattering whether it’s true. The rumors started at a party when Alice supposedly had sex with two guys in one night. When school starts everyone almost forgets about Alice until one of those guys, super-popular Brandon, dies in a car wreck that was allegedly all Alice’s fault. Now the only friend she has is a boy who may be the only other person who knows the truth, but is too afraid to admit it. Told from the perspectives of popular girl Elaine, football star Josh, former outcast Kelsie, and shy genius Kurt, we see how everyone has a motive to bring – and keep – Alice down



The Truth About Alice comes out next year but I JUST HAD TO (I really had to) have it on my blog! I mean, look how pretty the cover is...and how creepy and exciting the synopsis is as well!

First things first: YOU THINK THEY KILLED HER OR SOMETHING! The title and the synopsis screams "I killed Alice" but no, she doesn't die (although the end is quite ominous). It's a really interesting story about a girl who is the centre of attention- but not in a good way. She's the centre of the gossip because she apparently had sex with two guys in a party.

When I read that part of the synopsis, I thought of that girl from the East Coast that killed herself because she was bullied for having 'sex' with two guys. I really hope that Alice doesn't die in this story.

One thing that fascinates me is that this book isn't told from Alice's perspective, but from the people around her. I really can't wait to read this book!

Happy Wednesday guys!

Waiting On Wednesday: Wish You Were Italian (#7)

Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

When seventeen-year-old Pippa Preston ditches her summer art program abroad, she sets out on her own in hopes of falling in love with an Italian, but the road to amore gets detoured when she's torn between a sexy local and a hunky American archaeology student. As she explores the famous cities of Rome and Pompeii, Pippa must sort out her feelings before her parents figure out where she really is, ending her short-lived dream of independence.

This book doesn't have a cover because this book actually comes out next year on May 6th, 2014 (according to Goodreads).

I decided to feature this book on this week's Waiting on Wednesday because this is a book I'm dying to read!

I follow Kristin on twitter, and when I read her bio and heard her novel would be Wish You Were Italian I immediately put it on my to-read list on Goodreads!

The title of my book is like the story of my life. I've read Stravaganza and David by Mary Hoffman, the Secrets of the Eternal Rose by Fiona Paul, and I've read Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould (I should seriously put that review up...), AND I watched the Lizzy Mcguire Movie when I was younger as well! OH, and my friend got me hooked on this Italian group called Il Volo. All of them have one similar trait: it's set in Italy (or in Stravaganza's case, an alternative Italy) and all feature swoon worthy Italian men.

Ever since I've read those books, watched that movie and listened to that band I have always dreamed of travelling to Italy for an abroad program and find myself an Italian guy. Then I've always imagined sneaking out and going on all sorts of crazy adventures. However, I always have to return back to reality and whenever I see a guy, I always think: I wish you were Italian and like the guys in my books.

Guess I don't have to dream anymore! I'll get a chance to read it soon (more like 7 months from now). But I have one question: how did Pippa ever escape from her program anyway? Don't they watch you like a hawk? And judging from the title, does she chose the American guy?!

Have a happy Wednesday guys!

Saturday Spotlight: Paula Stokes

It's Saturday Spotlight! And, if you follow me on twitter, you would probably know that I'm VERY excited about my Saturday Spotlight guest! If you don't, please follow me (@missyallydums97).

So without any further delay, let me introduced to you the awesome, the amazing, and one of my favourite people in the world, Paula Stokes! 

Paula Stokes is a YA author at HarperTeen and RN, and also a total outdoors-y person! She's travelled the world, works constantly, but she took the time out of her busy schedule to talk to me about being Paula, having an alter-ego, and of course, her new book, the Art of Lainey! 
 

See? Isn't the cover so pretty? It's pretty hard for me to imagine that this girl is going to go all Zhou Dynasty on a guy!
 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Soccer star Lainey Mitchell is used to getting what she wants, and when her boyfriend Jason breaks up with her for no reason, what she wants is to win him back before the start of their senior year. Lainey and her friend Bianca check the interwebz for tips and tricks, but the online dating advice is all pretty lame.

Then the girls stumble across a copy of The Art of War. Didn't someone once say that love is a battlefield? Jason isn't going to stand a chance once Lainey and Bee go all Zhou Dynasty on him...

Old school strategy and subterfuge meet modern-day dramarama in the story of a girl who sets out to win at all costs and ends up discovering what's really worth fighting for

1) Will you tell everyone a little about yourself? Fun facts, pet peeves? Maybe a favourite cat or two?

Let's see. I'm an author and a registered nurse, though I had to quit nursing when I was trying to manage deadlines and grad school. I really miss working with leukemia/lymphoma patients because they always helped me keep my priorities in check. I'm a big traveler and  can say "thank you" in twelve languages. I have a thing for Cadbury creme eggs and firefighters, not necessarily in that order. (Who are we kidding? Totally in that order). And I have two favourite cats--Taz and Mufasa.

2) You are already a published author of two (soon to be three) amazing YA historical books under a different name. What made you want to branch out and do a contemporary novel?

There wasn't really any branching out. I wrote LAINEY concurrently with VENOM. VENOM just sold on proposal so it came out a lot earlier. I like a lot of different genres. This can be problematic when it comes to author-branding, but one thing I've learned so far is that writing can be a lot of work for little pay. In order for that to be worth it, it helps to write books that you love. That's my #1 piece of advice to writers--write what you love. The research is more fun, the writing is more fun, and when you have fun at your job, it shows in the quality of the end product.

3) Was it hard transitioning from historical to contemporary? Which genre was the most challenging to write?
 

Again, no transition. My very first drawer novel is contemporary so I've always had a feel for that genre. Historical was ten thousand times harder for me to write. I bet I spent two to three times as long researching and checking word derivations than I did actually writing (and still made mistakes). And I had to write like 1000 pages without using the word 'dude'. Or even 'guy!' :-) I don't know how I did it. I suspect amazing editing played a part.

4) What inspired you to write the Art of Lainey? And did you ever go all Zhou Dynasty on a guy before?

The story was inspired by this guy I was seeing that I was 100% crazy about who just kind of vanished out of my life at a time when everything else was going good. Heh, he's thanked in all of the Venom acknowledgments and I talked to him not too long ago and was like "I guess I gotta thank you in this one too since you bailing on me in spectacular fashion is what inspired it." He was like "I'm sorry, P. I'm an ass." He's not, though. Some people just aren't meant for relationships. I can definitely say I have used sneaky and manipulative tactics to win back a guy before. That story did not end well.

 
5) Are Lainey Mitchell, Jayson and Bianca based on anyone in your life? 

A lot of Lainey is based on me--things I've said, things I've wanted to say but never got a chance to. Hilariously, the first round of editors who read the manuscript all hated her and thought she should go die in a fire, so I guess maybe I'm not a very nice person ;-) No worries, though. Lainey has softened up a bunch in revisions. I find her totally complex and endearing. Jason (he lost his Y in revision) is based a little bit on guys I've known. Bianca is based a little bit on a friend of mine, but mostly a fabrication.

6) What do you think readers will like about this novel? And how do you think fans of your alter-ego books will react to this story?

Dude. I have so much love for this book. This story is a romantic comedy so no, it doesn't have a body count or several shocking twists. What it does have is hope and love (but not insta-love!) and amazing human interactions. A lot of the characters are flawed, but they still have these positive relationships with siblings or parents or friends. Add to that some quirky settings, funny dates, and plenty of swoons and that's pretty much LAINEY. I feel like people who like VENOM for the romance will love this book and people who want more of a mystery will love my next book, LIARS, INC. What can I say? I'm a girl who likes to cover all the bases.

7) Will you write any more books under 'Fiona Paul' and revisit the historical world? If not, what can we expect from you as Paula Stokes?

Paper Lantern Lit owns the Fiona Paul name so I have no idea if there will be more books written under that name. I personally have no desire to write more historical books. It was a fun challenge, but my heart gravitates more toward contemporary or futuristic settings. So far everything I've written as Paula has been a bit different from everything else, but you can expect some standalones, male and female MCs, first-person present narration, snappy dialogue, and stories that end on a hopeful note. Maybe not straight happily-ever-afters, but those books where the girl doesn't get the boy and the dog gets run over and the house burns down and the whole world is crushed by a meteor at the end? Yeah, I don't want to write (or read) those books :-)

Another fun thing: I am started a manuscript critiquing service with my friends Tara Kelly, Jessica Spotswood, and Elizabeth Richards. Our website goes live on October 1st and we'll have some giveaways for those of you looking for feedback on your query letters and manuscripts.

So that's it for me & Paula! If you wanna know more about her and the Art of Lainey, checkout the links bellow! And did YOU know that her second book, LIARS, INC is coming out February 2015? HOW cool is that? I'm amazed that she can write so fast O_O I can barely write my English essay.

Paula Stokes, YA Author at HarperTeen

THE ART OF LAINEY (June 2014)

LIARS, INC. (Feb. 2015) 

www.paulastokesbooks.com               

Twitter: @pstokesbooks
Goodreads: Paula Stokes
 

P.S You can win a $25 Gift Card to Powells.com and, oh yeah, the COOL (totally awesome, once in a life time chance, take it while you can moment...sorry, I ramble on when I'm excited) chance to win A ROLE in the ART OF LAINEY at Ensconced in YA's blog! Enter NOW! YOU HAVE 3 DAYS! Contest here :)

The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook: Review

The Almost Truth

Author: Eileen Cook

Pages: 256 pages

Release Date: December 4th, 2012

Status: Stand Alone

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

From the author of Unraveling Isobeland The Education of Hailey Kendrick, a smart, romantic novel about a teenage con artist who might be in over her head. 

Sadie can’t wait to get away from her backwards small town, her delusional mom, her jailbird dad, and the tiny trailer where she was raised…even though leaving those things behind also means leaving Brendan. Sadie wants a better life, and she has been working steadily toward it, one con at a time.

But when Sadie’s mother wipes out Sadie’s savings, her escape plan is suddenly gone. She needs to come up with a lot of cash—and fast—or she’ll be stuck in this town forever.

With Brendan’s help, she devises a plan—the ultimate con—to get the money. But the more lies Sadie spins, the more she starts falling for her own hoax…and perhaps for the wrong boy. Sadie wanted to change her life, but she wasn't prepared to have it flipped upside down by her own deception. With her future at stake and her heart on the line, suddenly it seems like she has a lot more than just money to lose....

This is my first contemporary book in a very long time, and it was a good book. It was pretty small compared to the other books I've been reading, but it was a good read.

The book starts off with Sadie, our narrator, conning money at a convince store with people watching her. We learn that her dad is a criminal, that her mom works at a hotel, and that she is conning people out of their money to get out of her small town.

She is heading to Berkeley in the fall, ready to start her new life. But when she gets home, she has a bank statement saying that the four thousand that she saved up from working at the hotel part-time and conning people has disappeared. Her mom admits to have taken her money to help her dad in jail, but Sadie is furious.

Sadie plans her biggest con of all: to convince the wealthy McKenna family that she is their long lost daughter. It won't be too hard: she has her best friend Brendan, she's the same age as the missing heiress, and she's got all the skill to do it.

The book is only a little over 200 pages, and I was able to figure out early on what was going to happen with the whole con. What I didn't expect was her dad's confession. That really made me feel sorry for Sadie.

It was a good book, and I felt like I was reading a Heist Society/Sarah Dessen novel cross-over. Girl with a criminal dad? Check. A boy at her side? Check. A  seemingly impossible goal? Check. A big con that may or may not work? Check, check, and double check.

What I didn't like was Brendan. He was there for Sadie, and I knew he liked her, I just didn't like him going off with other girls though; it just bothered me. I just felt like we could've gotten to know him better. But Sadie's character is really great, and I love her personality, and her ability to con. I think that's what made the story for me: Sadie, not the romance, but Sadie. She was a good narrator and I liked her a lot.

Like I said, it was a short book, but it is a good, light read. I love Eileen's dry, cynical humour in the book, and probably will pick up another one of her books.

The Almost Truth was a good book, so 3 out of 5 stars. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Hurt (#2)

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Why? is the burning question on everyone’s lips. Why would a guy like Mathéo Walsh want to die? At seventeen, he is Britain’s most promising diving champion. He is a heartthrob, a straight A student and lives in one of the wealthiest areas of London. He has great mates and is the envy of everyone around him. And most importantly of all, he is deeply in love with his girlfriend, Lola. He has always been a stable, well-adjusted guy...

Until one weekend. A weekend he cannot seem to remember. All he knows is that he has come back a changed person. One who no longer knows how to have fun, no longer wants to spend time with his friends, no longer enjoys diving. Something terrible happened that weekend – something violent and bloody and twisted. He no longer knows who he is. He no longer trusts himself around people: he only wants to hurt, wound and destroy. Slowly, he begins to piece back the buried, fragmented memories, and finds himself staring at the reflection of a monster.

Tormented, Mathéo suddenly finds himself faced with the most devastating choice of his life. Keep his secret, and put those closest to him in terrible danger. Or confess, and lose Lola forever...

Tabitha Suzuma's new YA contemporary will be out September 5th, 2013 and is at the top of my wishlist. I don't know why it is though; I know very well that this story will make me cry like a baby (Forbidden had me and my mom in mourning period for days), as well as keep me on my toes. Unlike Forbidden, I sense that there will be a bit more of the mystery vibe in this novel since Mathéo loses his memory about 'that weekend'. I'm really curious to see what really happened to be honest, and how that will tie in with his girlfriend Lola. The most logical explanation is that his distance will ruin their relationship, but I'm always up for a plot twist. Maybe whatever happened that weekend may have had ties with someone close to Lola, I don't know. With contemporary novels, I try to steer away with the norm and always come up with the weirdest scenarios (it may be due to the fact that most of the books that I read are dystopian or paranormal series). I'm super excited, yet terrified, to read Suzuma's new novel because I know very well that it will leave me in an emotional wreck like the last time!

You can read the first four chapters here at her website: http://www.tabithasuzuma.com/#/h-u-r-t/4565532969