Fun & Games, Evening Edition

Sorry about the lateness of this snip, folks, but hey, it's still Thursday, right?  Exactly.  So, really I'm right on time. ;)

Enjoy (I hope...cuz I know you're getting a wee bit irritated with us...well, really, me. not so much Kelly. *shrugs* I'll take the blame.)

“Enough of this shit,” Truman growled as he snatched up his keys and cell phone from where he’d dropped them on the couch next to Grace. “I’m going to go find their asses and bring them back, and if they’re not lying dead in a ditch somewhere, I swear to god I’ll…” With a small, unconscious shake of the head, he let the rest of his words drift off into the nothing. The vague threat of violence was always somehow more potent than going into explicit detail.


“You’re leaving?” Scrambling to her feet, Grace started to follow him, but he whirled on her.

“I don’t need a damned babysitter to go look for my sister, Grace. I can find her myself.” Seeing her recoil from his hastily snarled words, his shoulders drooped under the oppressive weight of guilt. What had he been thinking, going back for Grace? There was a reason Harper hadn’t wanted her friend there. He’d seen the truth of it in his sister’s eyes even as she’d agreed with him. But why? He gave himself a mental head slap. Now, was not the time to go digging into Harper’s every word in search of some kind of deeper meaning. They needed to cut straight to chase, and that couldn’t be done with so many distractions piling up around him.

“Considering your frame of mind at the moment,” Grace gritted out through clenched teeth. “You need a whole team of them.” She reached out, laid a hand on his arm. Nervous energy rolled off him in huge, crashing waves, lapping at her skin and infecting her with his worry over Harper. “You need to calm yourself down before you do anything, Truman. You can’t help your sister if you’re so tied in knots, you can’t get free. You know that.”

Yeah, he did, but he couldn’t admit that to himself, much less Grace. Taking a step back allowed him to put some much needed space not only between the two of them but between him all the shit he was now facing…which was more than a lot. Christ, how had that happened? Not two weeks ago, the only things he had to juggle was school and girls.

A rueful smile curved his lips. Harper always said he juggled more balls than any sane person, and just like the damned fool that he was, he’d only added to tonight’s load by picking up Grace. But still, he wondered what had happened between the two girls that had Harper keeping her best friend at arm’s length.

“Grace?” He cocked his head, preparing to get the first of many—he hoped—answers tonight. “Why doesn’t—“

“Honey, I’m home,” Lucky’s unmistakable baritone rang through the house, followed by the sound of the front door slamming shut and a parade of shuffling footsteps inching toward the family room. “Miss me, sweetheart?” He grinned wide at Truman when he appeared in the doorway.

“Like a sore on my dick.”

“Ew,” Harper and Grace wrinkled their noses simultaneously. “Can you be anymore disgusting, Tru?” Harper demanded.

“I’m sure I could give it a shot,” he replied with a shrug, cool and easy, but no one missed the tightly clenched fists at his sides, a clear indication that his anger was being held taut on an already frayed leash.

“Let’s save the disgusting for later, shall we?” Lucky muttered dryly. “I’m sure we have better things to do with our time now that we’re all together.”

In near perfect synchronization, all eyes swung to Harper. She shrank back a little under their combined scrutiny. With a deep breath, she lifted her head, squared her shoulders, and prepared for war. “So, I guess that’s my cue to start story time, huh?” A nervous laugh flitted out of her, and she gestured toward the furniture. “Well, settle down, children, and get comfortable. This isn’t a short story.”

Grace and Lucky were the first to collapse onto the couch, all the drama of the night’s activities filling their limbs with lead and etching weary lines into their faces. He shot her a small, secret grin as their knees knocked together which only grew wider when he caught Truman’s glower.

Owen hovered close to Harper, only taking a seat on the floor after she’d perched on the edge of her father’s favorite recliner. Predictably, Truman dropped down onto the couch on Grace’s other side. One of Harper’s brows winged up in question, and he shrugged.

“You don’t need to worry about me, Harps,” he assured her. “I’ll behave myself. No blood will stain Mom’s rug tonight.”

“I guess I should just take what I can get, right?”

“No more deflecting, little sister. Tell us this story. All of it.”

Deep breath in, a nod, and a long, painful exhale. “Okay, well, you all know what I told Grace, right? Well, about ten minutes after that—“

“What?” Truman jerked to the right, pinning Grace with a disbelieving glare. “You said you didn’t know what happened that night.”

“That’s what you two were talking about in the mall parking lot?” Lucky whistled softly. “What a place to have a conversation like that.”

“Lucky, do us all a favor,” Owen snapped. “And, shut the hell up, for once in your miserable life.”

“You didn’t tell them?” Harper’s eyes rounded, conveying just how stunned she was to learn that Grace hadn’t betrayed her confidence. Which made her feel like an even bigger assclown for her reaction to finding that damned letter. Not for the first time, she wished she hadn’t found it. Then, maybe none of this would’ve happened. No. She had to stop thinking like that. There was no changing what happened. She just needed to get past it, and having it all out in the open would help her in doing that…right? She cleared her throat and nodded at Grace. “Go ahead. Tell them.”

“I kind of think this needs to come from you, Harper,” Owen said as his hand closed over both of hers.

“Because she doesn’t believe me, right?” Her eyes sparked hot, daring him to argue with her. “Well, what I told her was the truth, and if you don’t believe that, then there’s no point in telling you the rest.” She bit down on her lower lip, a vicious attempt at quelling the tremble that had begun there. She pulled her hands out from beneath his and stood up, her gaze darting back over to Grace. “I need something to drink…hot chocolate or something. Tell them what I told you, what you don’t believe, and when I come back, maybe just maybe I’ll tell you the rest.”

“Harper, it’s not that I didn’t believe you,” Grace rushed to assure her friend even as she, too, jumped to her feet. “It’s just that—“

“Save it. I probably wouldn’t have believed me, either, but that part doesn’t matter. Not really.” She sighed, long and loud. “That’s not why I’ve been all tied up in knots this past week…well, not entirely why.” With that cryptic comment, she edged around Owen and barreled out of the room.

 
That's it for me this snip.  Check in with Kelly on Tuesday!

Are We Having FUN with These GAMES Yet?

So, here we are with week 19--or is it 20?--of these here FUN AND GAMES WITH K & K and still the question remains: What really happened between Harper and Mr. Haas that night at the party?  Well, I suppose either Kelly or should tell you soon, right?  Or else there might be a mutiny on our hands.

Who knows?  Maybe, you'll get some sort of answer today...

“Turn left up here.”

Owen slanted a questioning look at Harper—huddled into a particularly tight ball in the passenger seat—but said nothing as he made the turn, even though it took them in the opposite direction of her house. A Dead End sign loomed up ahead, the metallic yellow glowing an alien shade under the skim of the car’s headlights. Lifting his foot off the gas and easing it onto the brake, he pulled the vehicle onto the shoulder and turned around, pinning Lucky with a commanding look.

“Beat it, kid. Time for the grown-ups to talk.”

“You’d make your own brother walk home? In the middle of the night? With no coat?” Lucky pretended shock and hurt, but really he was digging his heels in for a fight. No way was he leaving this car without some answers first.

Owen shrugged out of his coat to toss it and his cell phone into the backseat at his twin. “Call one of your friends to come pick you up if you want to, but do it away from here.”

The brothers traded glares, eyes like lasers drilling extra deep holes into each other’s skulls. If Lucky was in a joking mood, he’d make some comment designed to have them both cracking grins. Instead, he heaved out a frustrated growl, crossed his arms over his chest, and leaned back, making a big show of getting comfortable, his expression daring Owen to forcibly remove him from the vehicle.

“Lucas Riley Lan—“ Owen’s snarl lashed out, flaying the skin off Lucky’s bones. Any other time, he would have launched himself as fast and as far away from his brother as his legs could take him, but not tonight.

“Dude,” he snorted out, all false-bravado. “You are so not middle-naming me. Mom.” Another loud guffaw punched through the air between them to slam into Owen’s face, already red with irritation. “I’m staying. Right. Here.”

“Goddammit, Lucky—“

“Hey!” Harper’s hand shot out, landing on Owen’s bicep and fingers curling in to squeeze. He tensed instantly, his gaze swinging around to meet hers, and in that moment, it was just the two of them.

There was no Lucky, sitting in the backseat. No Truman or Grace, waiting at home for answers to questions they all had voiced at one time or another. There wasn’t even room for everything that might or might not have happened with the music teacher. It was just the two of them, sharing the same space, breathing the same air…listening to the sounds of secrets climbing up to the surface about to be laid bare for all to judge.

One finger at a time, she loosened her grip on his arm and then swallowed visibly. “It’s okay, Owen. He can stay.”

“But—“

“It’s fine.” Shoulders lifting into a half-shrug, her lips twisted to form a small smile. “I mean, he’s kind of in the middle of it all now, considering he’s wanted for assault.” She tossed a glance back at Lucky. “Right?”

He grinned, bright and blinding. “You got that right, sweetheart.” He made a face at Owen, who was yet again glaring daggers at him. “Don’t mind him,” he whispered, conspiratorially. “He’s just jealous. You should remember that. You know. For future reference and all.”

“I’ll do that,” she chuckled.

They dropped off into silence after that, everyone waiting for someone else to begin this conversation, but no one gathering up the necessary courage to do so. After a minute or two, Owen’s cell lit up in Lucky’s hand. A quick glance down at the display pulled a groan out of him. At O’s frown, he tossed the phone toward the front of the car.

“Sir Lancelot,” he explained. “Probably wondering why we’re not where we said we’d be…which begs the question: Why are we here instead of there?”

Harper snatched up the phone before Owen could get to it and turned it off. “I don’t want to talk to Truman. Not about this.”

“Clearly,” he agreed, evenly.

“Or Grace.”

“I know.”

They shared a silent look, one that had Lucky feeling decidedly left out in the cold. “Why not Grace?” He wanted to know. “I thought you two were best friends…you know…joined at the hip and shit.”

“I thought so, too,” she said, her voice cracked and bleeding out all the sorrow she’d been feeling since the day of the party when she’d been getting ready over at Grace’s house and found the infamous letter, the one that Grace had been keeping from her for who knew how long.

“What does that mean?”

Owen shot his brother a look that clearly asked, Could you be any more of an insensitive jackass? but Lucky ignored him. Sometimes, getting answers required being a little on the callous side, something that O knew absolutely nothing about.

She swallowed, shook her head, and reached out to string her fingers through Owen’s. “It just means that we’ve been growing apart for a long time. I didn’t realize it until recently, but we are. Really, if you think about it, it’s not surprising. I mean, we have almost nothing in common. She’s all about science and math and sports and the great outdoors, and I’m…well…I’m none of those things. I’m just me.” She turned to face Lucky fully and smiled a little too brightly. “Did you know that she’s going to Oxford in the fall? Some kind of archeology or anthropology program where they get to play in the dirt all day and find ancient pottery and stuff. It’s right up Grace’s alley, and guess who she told the minute she found out about it. Go ahead. Guess.”

The bitterness dripping off her every word told both boys who it wasn’t. Neither of them responded, unsure as to what words could be thrown out there to make Harper feel better about any of this.

“That’s right. It wasn’t me. Because, apparently, I’m not her best friend. But you don’t care about that, do you? You just want to know what went down with Mr. Haas—“

“Harper—“ Owen began quietly, reaching his free hand out to fold over their clasped palms.

“But, when I tell you the truth—that nothing happened—you don’t believe me.”

“See, O? I told you!” Lucky crowed.

“That doesn’t mean anything, you idiot. Be quiet.”

“What?” Harper looked to Owen first for an answer, but when she found nothing but sullen silence in the seat next to her, she turned to Lucky. “What am I missing here, fellas?”

“You didn’t know?” Lucky tried to keep the smug smile from his face but failed miserably. He couldn’t help it. Very rarely did he ever find something out that the whole world didn’t know about first. It was a heady feeling, being the one in the know. “I told Owen and your brother already, but they didn’t believe me. Now, though, they kind of have to.”

“Believe you about what?”

“Nothing,” Owen cut in. “Lucky’s just being Lucky. Don’t pay him any attention. It just feeds his ego.”

Harper rolled her eyes at his surly tone, before trapping Lucky with an expectant look. “So, are you going to tell me or am I going to have to guess? Truman would make me guess.”

“Well, I’d like to think I have a little more class than him.”

“Think all you want,” Owen grumbled. “You’re still wrong and a dumbass.”

“I love you, too, bro.”

“Lucky,” Harper snapped, all her patience apparently at an end. “Tell me.”

“Well, Harps, I found out some interesting news this morning. Your music teacher, Haas…” he trailed off in an effort at building tension which only earned him a glare from both Harper and Owen. “Well, he’s gay.”

A moment of stunned silence passed which was quickly shattered by Harper’s laughter, high-pitched and semi-hysterical. The two boys just stared at her, Lucky confused and Owen concerned.

“Harper, what is it?”

“Nothing,” she said as she scrubbed at her eyes. “It’s just that I used to think the same thing…especially after what happened with Mrs. Haas over the summer.”

A frown wrinkling his brow, Lucky asked, “What happened over the summer?”

“Used to?” Owen demanded at the same time. He cut a glare at his twin. “I don’t give a good god damn about what happened over the summer, not when—“ he dropped off, color draining from his face as he took in not only Harper’s continued shrieks of hysterical laughter, but the look of horror on her face as she realized what she’d just said…what she’d just admitted to. Deep breath and Owen, concentrating on using a much gentler tone, started again. “Harper, what happened to change your mind about that? And, don’t tell me nothing. I won’t accept anything less than the truth this time.”

She stared at him for a weighted second, measuring the determination behind his words. “No, I suppose you won’t.” And then, she began a story that was much different—though no less truthful—from the one she’d told Grace in the mall parking lot…

 
...but then again, maybe you'll just have to wait a touch longer. *evil laughter*  So, what's the verdict, minions? When will the uprising commence?  But, before you gather your lynch mob just yet, maybe you should wait for Kelly's post on Tuesday...it's a good one ;)   I know so, because I've already read it.  Aren't you all jealous?

March's Book Hungry is a CHARMER

This month, Book Hungry's very own Kelly Breakey had the choice of selection.  Are you ready for her pick, folks? 

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

Here it is...

NATURAL BORN CHARMER by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Summary (as stolen from Amazon):
After her ex-boyfriend Monty insists that she is the only person he ever loved, Blue Bailey packs up everything she has (which isn't much) and moves from Seattle to Colorado to be with him. But once Blue arrives, she discovers Monty has found love again with a younger, blonder new girlfriend. With few job options and practically no money, Blue thought she might be stuck in Colorado for a long time, until Dean Robillard drives through on his way to Tennessee. The last person Blue wants to ask for a favor is a way-too-gorgeous-for-his-own-good stranger who annoys her to no end. And who turns out to be the quarterback for the Chicago Stars. But Dean is Blue's only ticket out, even if it means she is stuck with him all the way to Tennessee. RITA Award-winner Phillips creates yet another classic romance in her loosely connected Chicago Stars series with this splendidly satisfying tale of love, family, and redemption. Generously seasoned with plenty of tart humor and snappy dialogue, and graced with a delightfully amusing pair of protagonists trying desperately not to fall in love, Natural Born Charmer is simply irresistible.

My Take (as stolen from me):
An effortless read, I had NATURAL BORN CHARMER done in two sittings (could've been one but I started it fairly late at night).  While there were some things I disliked about the writing (excessive 'branding' as I call it...which is when the author relies heavily on pointing out specific brand names in lieu of actually describing things.  There were moments while reading this where I wondered if SEP got some kind of commission from Gucci or Pierre Cardin or any of the other hordes of designer names being shot at me like high-fashion missiles) and at times, the plot (some one dimensional side characters, a few occurrences of info dumping, and a side plot that I would've liked to hear more about or even meet the character), this book has a several things going for it.

1. the DIALOGUE...especially between Blue and Dean was quick-witted and very entertaining.  The droll sense of humor that both characters displayed from the first page hooked me right off.  Example:  "Those are gay boots"  and "Pee Circles?" to only name a couple.  I dare you not to smirk at that.  No, no.  I triple-dog-dare you.
2. Okay, I'm just going to say it.  Dean is hot.  I mean, super, mega gorgeous.  Simply put, he's the stuff of fantasies...well, all except for the Speed Racer incident, but I digress.
3. And Blue...well, Blue isn't the prettiest daisy in the garden, but she's no ugly duckling either.  And being kind of average in the looks department just makes her more likable (in my opinion, anyhow).
4. Interesting side-characters.  Besides Blue and Dean, there's April (Dean's mother), Jack (aging rocker and Dean's absentee father), Riley (Jack's daughter and Dean's half-sister), and of course, there's one very mean old lady who pretends to like no one, but is really a big softy (aren't they all?)
5. the DIALOGUE.  Yeah, I said this already, but is needs to be repeated (not just because I needed to have five things in my list...although that, too).  Blue and Dean's verbal sparring kept me riveted throughout.  And, when things began to lag in places, I simply skimmed on ahead to the next set of dialogue, because I knew that it would be fresh, witty, and laughter-inducing.

How about you, minions?  Have you read NATURAL BORN CHARMER?  What did you think?  I'd love to hear about it in the comments, and when you're done here, hop on over to my fellow Bookinista's blogs (see upper-right sidebar) to get their takes on this month's pick.  Until next month, folks, when Abby Mumford has chosen THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson.

Fun & Games, Wednesday Edition...

After Kelly's post yesterday, I'm sure you're all wondering exactly what is going on with Harper and Grace.  I'd be lying if I told I knew...cuz I don't.  Oh, well.  What are you going to do?

Enjoy...

“Tell her I said hi, too,” he responded automatically as all the different ways he could broach the subject of what may or may not have happened with Mr. Haas stumbled through his head. “How’s she doing?”


Truman rolled his hand in the air, frowning impatiently.

“Look, Harper,” he continued. “I need to—“

“Am I on speaker phone?”

“Uh…yeah.” The irritation in Harper’s voice was hard to miss, and he frantically groped for some explanation as to why he’d call her on speaker when he knew she hated that above all else. “Lucky was calling home when he got sick again, and well…it got ugly.”

Her laugh—shrill and borderline hysterical—shot through the air, a well-aimed bullet to his gut, and in that moment, he just knew. This was not a conversation to be had over the phone, with his brother and hers both listening in. He had to see her face, watch her expressions as she finally confided in him the true events of what happened that night.

“Listen, Harper. I want to finish that conversation we started earlier, but not on the phone,” he rushed to reassure her. “Can we…uh…meet somewhere? Lucky needs to get some coffee in him before I take him home, and Tru said he’d drop us off at this diner he knows—“

She whipped around, searching the darkness with wide, rounded eyes. Even from the distance, the panic stamped across her features was clear. “No, not there. How about we just meet up later—“

“Too late, Harpy,” Truman cut in, his patience clearly at an end. “We’re almost there. I can see you standing out front.”

The car lurched forward, and the bottom dropped out of Owen’s stomach the minute Harper saw the car. She hadn’t responded to Truman. In fact, no one had. And, it was a minute before Owen realized she’d ended the call. “Thanks a lot, Tru,” he muttered under his breath. “Way to be subtle. Don’t you have any feelings at all? Look at her! She’s an inch away from rabbiting.”

“She can’t outrun me,” he threw over his shoulder as he catapulted himself out of the car. In three long strides, he was at her side, or he would have been if she’d stayed in place. But, the moment Harper’s frightened eyes landed on her brother, she turned on her heel and marched back into the diner. He caught hold of her arm just as she opened the door. Spinning her around like a top, he yanked her up against him, folding his arms down around her.

“Get off me!” Balled up fists pummeling at his shoulders and a boot to his shin ripped howls of pain from him, but his hold on her didn’t loosen. “Truman. Let. Go. Now.”

“No.”

An ear-splitting screech cut through the night, and she redoubled her efforts. A few more jabs, a bite to his left bicep, and finally a knee to the one place guaranteed to bring down any man, and Harper was free. She stumbled back several steps, her chest heaving with each labored breath as she glared daggers at her brother.

“What the Hell, Truman?” Owen thundered. “Not cool, man. So, not cool.” He rushed to Harper’s side, hovering close all the while his glower dared Truman to try taking just one step toward his sister.

Unbelievably, Tru pushed up to his feet, dusted himself off, and grinned at Harper. “You know I’ll hug you again.”

She stared at him for an endless minute, her lips twitching—whether in anger, fear, or hysterics, Owen had no clue. Then, she laughed, a real Harper laugh. Stepping around Owen, she closed the distance between them, her hand outstretched, a tiny smile riding her lips. “Aren’t we a little too old for that game?”

He shook his head, circled his fingers around her wrist, and reeled her in, this time in a soft, brotherly embrace.

“What is going on here?” Lucky asked, confused.

“Hug war,” Grace answered, her voice only loud enough for the twins to hear as she stepped in between them, a wistful expression on her face. “When we were kids and Harper was ever upset about something, Tru would start a hug war…kind of like a playful game of tag, only with hugs to call ‘it’. They always ended the same way: both of them rolling with laughter and Harper having confessed to whatever was bothering her.”

“So…this is normal for them? O looked like he was about ready to pummel old Tru.” Lucky’s snort earned him a glare from both his brother and Grace.

Truman pulled back from Harper, his hands curling around her shoulders to put her at arm’s length. “I need to know what happened, Harps. You gotta tell me. It’s killing me, not knowing.”

“I told you—“

“Nothing happened. You keep saying that, but somehow, I just don’t believe it.” He shook his head, pulled her in again. “Let’s just go home and talk this out. We’ll both feel better when it’s all out in the open. I promise.”

Nodding, she pulled away, swiping at the tears streaming down her face. “Let me just go tell—“ She turned, stopped short. “—Grace.”

“No need to repeat yourself. I’m right here.”

Truman cringed as he took in Grace’s wounded doe eyes. “Gracie…” he trailed off, took a step forward, halted, and then shot a quick sideways glance at his sister. “We need to talk, Grace. I want to explain everything to you. I do, but Harper and I need to—“

“Go.” Swallowing the fast-forming lump in her throat, she nudged Owen forward. “All three of you. You need to sort this stuff out. I’ll take Lucky home.”

Not the most ideal situation, at least in Truman’s mind, but he couldn’t be bothered to let jealousy rear its head just now. His sister came before anyone else. Sadly, that included Grace. He nodded, looped his arm around Harper’s shoulders, and led her back to the car. He didn’t have to look over his shoulder to know that Owen was following close behind, but he did anyway.

Lucky and Grace watched silently as the threesome piled into Tru’s car and drove away. After a long moment, she heaved out a loud sigh. “Let me go get my purse, and I’ll take you home.”

He reached out, the pad of this thumb grazing her cold cheek. “Actually, I was thinking that we could stay a little while…have some pie.”

 
Hmm...so what do we all think?  Are you wondering what's up with Hass and Lucky's accusation of gayness?  Me, too!  Tune in next Tuesday to see where Kelly takes us :)

Shiny and Stylish...Yep, that's ME!!!

I've been so busy reading and reviewing books on this little old blog lately that I neglected to officially accept a couple of awards that have been passed my way.  So, this is me making the announcement, folks. *steps up to podium, taps mic*

"I'd like to thank the Academy of Blog Arts and Sciences for this esteemed honor.  Even since I was a fresh blog newbie, I've dreamed of the day when--"

Ahem.  Sorry about that, but I just couldn't help myself.  Okay. So, I've been awarded two different awards by three people!  First...LOOKIT!!!  I'm stylish ;)  This fun little award was handed to me by not one, but two people.  Bri at Words and the World.  and  Alyson at Crazy Writer Girl.

Next...ooh...aah.  No, your eyes are not deceiving you.  That is a dog...in a gold frame.  Hence the Gold Framed Dog Blog Award presented to me by my FUN AND GAMES WITH K & K partner in crime, Kelly at Blog Like You Mean It.

So, in the spirit of blog awards everywhere, I should probably pass these awards on, huh?  So, here we go...WEE!!!

1. Nomes over at Inkcrush for posting sparkling reviews of some uber-terrific YA Aussie books.  I really think I need to visit the land down under, just for their bookstores alone.
2. Annie McElfresh at Reading, Writing, and Waiting for answering all my ARC related questions and being patient as I asked stupid question after stupid question...plus she's a fellow Supernatural fangirl.  Aw, Dean...*sigh, swoon*
3. Abby Mumford over at My Mumblings for being all kinds of beta-riffic for my last project.  She doesn't know it yet, but I will be begging her to beta my next one...well, if I ever write it, that is :)
4. Patty Blount at To Tell a Compelling Story for being such a great fan of F&G...so I suppose I can forgive her for being #teamTru
5. Jennifer Hoffine at YA Audiobook Addict for introducing me to the sheer awesome-sauciness that is the audio-book.  I am definitely addicted to them :)

ARC Review: HEREAFTER

The Book: HEREAFTER
The Author: Tara Hudson
The Publisher: HarperTeen (an Imprint of HarperCollins)
Release Date: June 7, 2011

Summary:
Amelia's spirit is stranded, floundering in the dark waters of the sinister river that took her life.  For years, she's wandered among the living, lost and alone.  She knows nothing of herself, her life, or her death save her first name and how she died, drowned in the dark waters beneath High Bridge.  Her existence is one of restless numbness crammed between bouts of unconsciousness in which she relives her terrifying death over and over again before waking in a graveyard that she knows instinctively is her own.  This all changes when she awakens not in the graveyard but in the dark waters below High Bridge. 

And, she is not alone. 

Joshua's is dying, drowning in the river when Amelia awakens, and she is the only one who can save him.  In those spare moments below the river's surface, something strange...and wonderful happens.  Not only does Amelia save his life, but Joshua sees her, touches her--the first ever since she's been a ghost.

Like magnets, Joshua and Amelia are drawn to each other.  The ghost and the live boy who loves her.  And, with every touch they share, sparks fly, awakening in Amelia, not just feeling but flashes of memory from her life.  But, other, more sinister forces are at work.  The closer Amelia and Joshua get, the more Amelia remembers about her life...and her death, a death that was not an accident but also wasn't a suicide.  The truth of which can be more dangerous than either of them imagined.

My Take:
HEREAFTER is a bittersweet love story laced with a supernatural mystery.  Hudson's prose is unique and tantalizing, drawing the reader into Amelia's aimless wandering so fluidly that you just can't let go.  The imagery of the netherworld surrounding High Bridge, the wraiths and their inky black forms, Eli's oh-so-smooth (but uber creepy) offers, and Grandma Ruth's determination to exorcise Amelia all come together to create more than just a mere love story.  Although, to be honest, the love story between Amelia and Joshua is at once heartbreaking and enthralling, if I do say so myself.

I know that comes as a surprise all my minions who know me well enough to know that I'm not a huge fan of paranormal, but this book just grabbed me.  Think ROMEO & JULIET meets LOVE STORY...only with a ghost.  Yep, it's that good.  And, if you tell me you haven't read the book LOVE STORY, I might have to disown you all...at least tell me you saw the movie!!

Anywho...Two very enthusiastic thumbs for Tara Hudson's HEREAFTER. Put it on your TBR List. You will be so glad you did :)

ARC Review: THE MAGNOLIA LEAGUE

The Book: THE MAGNOLIA LEAGUE
The Author: Katie Crouch
The Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (an Imprint of Hatchette Book Group)
Release Date: May 3, 2011

Summary:
Louisa Lee, hippie herbalist and organic foods (not to mention pot) farmer, has died, leaving her sixteen year old daughter Alexandria all alone...but not for long.  Shortly after her mother's death, Alex is whisked away from the earthy, flower child existence she's enjoyed her whole life and thrown into the rich world of Southern decadence by her grandmother, Miss Dorothy Lee, founder and president of the Magnolia League.

At first, Alex is appalled at the wasteful nature of her new friends, not to mention their gluttonous attitudes toward everything: food, material goods, boys.  The MGs (or Maggots as some of the non-MGers refer to the group of rich, privileged girls) want for nothing.  The world is theirs for the taking...well, as long as they don't ever leave Savannah.

There are dark forces at work within the Magnolia League, whose roots date much farther back than the original charter of the group in 1957.  Alex soon discovers just what is going on with this group of women who never seem to age (her own grandmother looks closer to 35 than the 70-odd years she should be), never lack for funds even though the rest of the world is falling on hard times, and of course, always have boys drooling after them.

But, by the time Alex uncovers the true depth of the Magnolia League's powers, she's already thoroughly mired in it herself...and not quite sure she wants to give all that luxury up.

My Take:
To be honest, I've kind of shied away from any kind of paranormal/supernatural reading lately.  So, I was a little shy of picking this one up, but I'm very glad I did.  For many reasons.

The imagery is stellar.  It's obvious Crouch is familiar with low county living, and that knowledge of the region engages the reader right from the beginning.  While I don't, nor have I ever lived in Savannah, GA, I have visited numerous times and am thoroughly in love with the region.  Crouch painted an entirely realistic picture of today's Savannah while coloring with tremendous flavor and charm.

The witchy element really pulled me in.  And, when I say witchy, I mean Hoodoo.  I have to say, everything she outlined when it came to spells and conjures rang true...not that I know anything about that stuff, but it felt real while reading, and that's the whole point of good story-telling.  So, two thumbs up there.

However, there were a couple things that I wasn't all that thrilled with.  First being the romance with Thaddeus seemed a little flat, somewhat surface.  From her side, all she could talk about was how hot he was...and how snobby.  Yeah, there were some asides about how he liked to read the same things she did and how he was quiet and shy, but that only served to sell the reader on his feelings being deeper than looks.  And, really, let's face it.  Alex is no prize to begin with, physique-wise.  Also, Alex herself seems a little holier-than-thou at the beginning.  She's constantly spouting off about how her new friends are wasteful, money-grubbers. Right to their faces!  I mean, if it were me, I'd probably be thinking those kinds of things, but I'm not sure I'd be so mean to people I hardly know (who by the way are trying to be your friends) right off the get go.  But, hey.  That's just me.

As for the ending, I felt it was perfect for this book.  I'm not going to spoil anything for you fun folks, but I've read a few reviews on this one already that complain about a huge cliffhanger.  For me, this book didn't end just drop off.  Yes, there were some strings left dangling, but most of the action was resolved all the while fanning the flames for more to come.  To me, a cliffhanger is when the writer stops right in the middle of the action and you're left screaming at the book and calling the writer all sorts of colorful names.  (ahem...DELIRIUM anyone?) 

MAGNOLIA LEAGUE definitely left me wanting more though, so I will be sure to check out WHITE GLOVE WAR when it comes out next year.  Oh, the wait.  Damn you, Katie Crouch *shakes fist and glares*

ARC Review: GIRL WONDER

The Book: GIRL WONDER
The Author: Alexa Martin
The Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: May 3, 2011

Summary:
The first day of Senior year finds Charlotte Locke at a new school with no friends, a math SAT score so low that she has to go to (gasp!) public school--regular classes, not the gifted and talented program she is used to--and quickly approaching application deadlines for colleges she has no hope of getting into anyway. 

Enter Amanda Munger, resident Girl Wonder.  With an electrifying mop of hot pink hair, the kind of book smarts that makes the AP classes look like child's play, a track record of getting kicked out of every private school she's attended, and enough self-confidence for twenty girls, Amanda blazes in, saving Charlotte from a boring, friendless existence.

With Amanda as her new BFF, Charlotte ascends to the upper echelon of high school life, hanging with the popular kids and generally enjoying life...especially when it the hottest guy in school, Neal Fitzpatrick, starts to show an interest in her.  The only problem?  The closer Neal and Charlotte get, the more he wants to keep their relationship a secret, and it doesn't help that Amanda has suddenly become uber-competitive. 

Add to that: family problems (her mom and dad aren't getting along too well), a little brother whose genius-level IQ is a constant reminder to Charlotte just how lacking she is, and a mushroom-obsessed neighbor boy...and well, Charlotte has a whole mess of crap to handle all at once.

My Take:
GIRL WONDER is kind of like an onion.  There are a lot of layers here, and to get the full affect, you should probably peel them back a layer at a time. 

First, there's the family dynamic at play.  A mother who is a well-respected college professor, a writer father who is on the verge of critical and commercial success, and a genius for a younger brother all conspire to undermine Charlotte's confidence in herself.  Owning a learning disability (think dyslexia only with numbers), Charlotte is consistently failing to measure up to her father's impossibly high standards.  Her brother, while he doesn't mean to make her feel bad about herself, does from time to time with his over-achieving ways, and her mother...well, her mother is kind of stuck in her own marital woes at the moment.

Then, there's the friend aspect.  Mimi, the first person to befriend Charlotte, is brushed aside immediately.  Charlotte, it seems, is a little too concerned with surface qualities, a flaw she no doubt learned from having to work overtime to garner her father's approval.  But, being so shallow as to brush off certain people right at the get go (not just Mimi but Milton--the semi-cute, mushroom-hunting neighbor boy--as well), kind of made me not care for her at first.  But, really, if she wasn't like this at the beginning, there wouldn't really be a story here...right?

And, it's this lack of depth that brings about most, if not all, her problems.  Neal is hot and smart and semi-charming, but he's definitely a player and is using Char.  This is obvious to the reader, not so much to Charlotte.  Amanda is noteworthy in that I vacillated between liking her and hating her.  I wanted her to be the friend that Charlotte thought she was, but I knew, KNEW that she wasn't.  Did that stop me from hoping that maybe she'd change her ways and start being more friend-like to Char?  No.  Even up to Charlotte's discovery of what was really going on, I still held out hope, even though I knew what was going to happen. 

Like I said, this was obvious to the reader...not so much the main character.  But, isn't that always the case?

Overall, GIRL WONDER was an easy read.  Martin writes in such a way that you can't help but be drawn in.  That said, the beginning was a little on the slow side, somewhat dry in spots.  Still, I'd be interested in seeing what she comes up with next.

It Isn't FUN & GAMES Without Pie

Here's my slice for this fine Thursday, folks.  Enjoy!

“I thought we were having pie.” Wrapping her cold fingers around the steaming mug of hot chocolate, Harper eyed the mountain of ice cream sitting in front of Grace.


“You were the one who said pie,” Grace pointed out while shoveling a heaping spoonful of chocolate ice cream into her mouth.

Harper shivered and clutched the mug closer to her. “I’m going to get frostbite on my tongue just from watching you eat that.”

“Oh, don’t worry. If that happens, I’m sure Owen would offer to kiss your boo-boo and make it all better.”

Scarlet splashed across Harper’s cheeks, and she coughed loudly, spraying the hot chocolate she’d just sipped all over the placemat in front of her. Shooting a dark look at her friend, she snatched a handful of napkins from the dispenser on the table and began mopping up her mess. Just as she’d gotten most of it wiped up, the waitress dropped a plate of hot apple pie in front of her.

“Be careful, honey,” the older woman—Doris, according to her nametag—warned her. “That pie just came out of the oven.”

Harper nodded and thanked the waitress, but she’d already turned on her heel and scurried off toward another table. “So,” she began as she stabbed an apple slice and lifted it up to her mouth to blow on it. “Do you want to talk about? I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to…you know…since he is my brother and all.”

Sighing loudly, Grace let her spoon drop, the flatware clanging noisily into the half-full bowl. “It was just…you know. Truman being Truman.” When Harper didn’t cut in with any ‘I told you so’s, Grace elaborated. “He left his cell at my house last night, and he missed a bunch of calls. From his girlfriend.”

“Oh, Grace.” Setting her mug aside, she reached across the table and placed both her hands over Grace’s. “I’m so sorry, Grace. I didn’t know he had a girlfriend. You gotta believe that. If I’d known, you know I would’ve—“

“I know,” Grace cut in with a sniffle. A sniffle? She shook her head, giving herself a mental head slap. Truman Simonson did not deserve her tears. That was for damned sure. She swallowed loudly, cleared her throat, and then pasted a brilliant smile across her face. “I don’t even know why I expected better of him. I mean, he’s always been a player. It was stupid to think he’d have changed since I last saw him.” She lifted her shoulders in what she hoped was a careless shrug. “Whatever. It’s over and done with anyway. I wouldn’t take him back now if he begged me.”

“Good for you.”

Grace leaned back, sliding her hands out from beneath Harper’s and grabbed her own cup, only hers was filled to the brim with black coffee. “Now, it’s your turn.”

“My turn?”

She rolled her eyes. “Come on, Harper. I’m not stupid, and you’re not blind. Owen has it so bad for you, it’s a wonder that boy can even function. You can’t tell me you didn’t know that. I won’t believe it.”

Looking anywhere but at Grace, she sipped her hot chocolate, silently praying that Grace would just drop it.

“You like him, too.”

“Grace—“

“Harper,” she scooted forward in her seat, cocked her head to one side, and threw a challenging look at her friend. “You told me that nothing—“ her face screwed up into a disbelieving grimace over that word. “—happened the night of the party. All a big misunderstanding, you said.”

“It’s the truth.” The words were small, wavering, and barely audible, but the determination lighting up Harper’s eyes dared Grace to argue with her.

“Then, prove it. Don’t keep pushing him away. He wants you, Harper, and you want him. Let it happen. You keep sabotaging this relationship, and it’ll disappear.”

“Words of wisdom from Guru Grace.”

“You know you love me.”

Harper couldn’t help but grin at that. She opened her mouth to snap out some retort about Grace not being her type when her phone started ringing. A quick glance at the display and she slid out of the booth. “Sorry, Grace,” she apologized as her friend waved her off. “I have to take this.”

“Tell Owen I said hey.”

Harper nodded absently and hurried toward the front door as she put the phone to her ear. “H-H-Hello?”

“I thought we had an agreement, Harper.”

Ice cold air blasted her face when she pushed the door open. A surprised gasp tumbled out as she pulled the lapels of her coat in closer to her neck. “I-I haven’t told anyone.”

“I have two black eyes, a broken nose, and several broken ribs that tell me otherwise,” he said dryly. “I could’ve had your boyfriend put in jail, you know.”

“I didn’t tell him anything.” Her eyes stung with all the tears she’d been fighting to keep hidden for the last week. All the emotions she’d kept telling herself didn’t exist were right there, simmering just below the surface, ready to erupt and destroy her carefully constructed world at any moment. “There’s nothing to tell,” she pushed out the words, wet sludge clogging up her throat, making it difficult to breathe. “Nothing happened.”

“I hope for your sake that’s true. I’d hate to see someone as talented as you lose out on Julliard because of an unfortunate computer glitch. Especially since you’re on the short-list for that scholarship. A small error in the paperwork, and it could be gone, just like that. All that hard work…gone to waste—“

“Nothing happened,” she repeated firmly. “I promise. Nothing happened.”

He was quiet for so long, she began to wonder if he’d hung up on her. As she opened her mouth to ask if he was indeed still on the line, he spoke. “It was all just a big misunderstanding anyway.” His voice softened, became almost apologetic. “I didn’t mean for things to happen like that, Harper. I thought…well, I just thought—“

“Don’t,” she interrupted as one lone tear escaped, cutting a hot salty trail down her cheek. “Nothing happened.”

“Nothing happened,” he repeated. Then, without another word, he ended the call.

She stood there for a full minute after he hung up, just staring up at the stars, wishing for maybe the millionth time that she’d never taken the bastard up on his offer to use the master bathroom. Hell, she wished she’d never even gone to the party. Grace had wanted her to sleep-over that night, watch Sandra Bullock movies, and eat lasagna in honor of her cousin Abby’s trip to Italy—which was due to be over at New Year’s.

But she had gone, and everything had changed.

She shook herself, swiped a palm over her damp cheeks, and sucked in a lungful of frigid air. No. Nothing happened. She’d do well to remember that. Her whole future depended on those two words. Nothing happened.

Dragging in one more cleansing breath, she pushed away from the wall and stepped toward the diner’s entrance. Just as her fingers curled around the door handle, her phone rang again.

“Hey,” she greeted Owen in as cheery a voice as she could muster. “Grace says hi.”

ARC Review: BUMPED

The Book: BUMPED
The Author: Megan McCafferty
The Publisher: Balzer & Bray (an Imprint of Harper Collins)
Release Date: 04/26/2011

Summary:
In the year 2035, no one over the age of twenty is fertile.  As the world population shrinks and shrivels, more and more teenage girls are "bumping" for profit.  It's a fad began by Melody Mayflower when she famously signed a six-figured deal with a barren couple to deliver them with their very own, made to order baby.  That was when Melody was fourteen.  Since then, going Pro in the bump market is all the fad and all of Melody's friends have bumped at least once, but because the couple who signed Melody still have not made up their minds as to who Melody's sperm will be, she remains un-bumped.

Harmony is from Goodside, a church community that spreads the Word, hoping to convert as many Othersiders as possible.  When Harmony turns sixteen (the legal age of adulthood), she is finally able to unseal her adoption records...and she discovers a twin sister she never knew she had.  Now, Harmony is on a mission to find her sister and turn her from the immorality of Otherside, hopefully in time to keep Melody from bumping for profit.

My Take:
I will be honest.  It took me more than a few pages to get into this book.  First, I was a little confused as to all the technology (Only near the end did I actually begin to understand how the MiNet thing worked).  Also there was the dual POV.  Not that that was hard to follow.  It was surprisingly easy, actually. 

My problem lay in the fact that in the beginning, I couldn't find it within myself to care overmuch about either Harmony or Melody.  The two sisters are polar opposites: Melody is all about material gain and she's very selfish while Harmony is a bit too pious and preachy.  In my mind, it was as if McCafferty wanted me to be put off a little by both of them.  I mean, who wants to care about someone who only thinks 'me, me, me' or someone who is appalled at every little thing around her and sees only sinners?

Exactly my point.

But, about halfway through it, I really got involved in the story.  I began to see the cracks in Melody's facade.  It wasn't her fault she was raised as she was, constantly thinking about the money she'd make bumping.  And in Harmony, the reader sees her own doubts about her beliefs.  Once the separate girls begin to slide toward introspection about their own lives and futures, I was hooked. 

And Zen?  Well, I liked him right from the get-go and just wanted him to kiss Melody already...even if he's just worm, due to 'lack of verticality'.  Not so much Jondoe, but he definitely has promise as Harmony's love interest.

All in all, BUMPED was a decent read.  Word of caution, this story does end on a cliffhanger, which had me shouting out, "No!" on the last page.  Now, I must wait for Ms. McCafferty to come out with the sequel because even though it might have taken a little minute for the story to hook me, hook me it did.

Friday Five: Cheap Bastard

That's right, people.  I, Karla/Karlie/LastWord0524, am admitting it here and now on this very blog.  I am a cheap bastard.  **waits while the blogosphere collectively picks their jaws up off the floor**

It's true.  Really.

And, since this just so happens to be a Friday Five posting, I give you:

Five Examples In Which Karla/Karlie/LastWord0524 Is A Cheap Bastard

1. I use coupons...FOR EVERYTHING.  Not just groceries, friends.  Nope.  I troll the newspapers, magazines, internet, and really any place I can think of that will house a coupon or five for any little thing imaginable.  Need my oil changed? I got a coupon for that! Want to go out to eat? Well, sure, but we can only go here or there cuz I have a coupon.  Movies? Oh, snap! I got coupons for both admission and concession.  Yep, friends.  I'm that girl. 
2. I wash and reuse plastic ware.  Not just forks and spoons, either.  Those little trays that Lean Cuisines come in? They're the perfect size for single serving portions, and I've got oodles of them.
3. Unconscious mooching.  Okay, in this instance, I don't actually mean to be, but it has recently come to my attention that my mother has paid for our shared Sam's Club membership for the last three consecutive years.  I'm not sure how that happened, but somehow, every time the membership comes up for renewal, she just happens to be the one there, doing her shopping.  So, she's always paying for it.  Between you and me, minions, I think she pays for the membership just so she can have something to yip at me about.  So really, who am I to spoil her fun?  Right?  See? I'm doing her a favor by mooching the membership off her...you believe that don't you?  Yeah, me neither, but it was worth a shot.
4. I have membership (i.e. discount) cards to all the major bookstores as well as a library card that gets more exercise than me and my dogs combined.  Okay.  So, this one's a throwaway.  I mean, yeah, I do use my library card more than the average bear, but I also happen to buy a helluva lot of books.  But, as I always say, "I ALWAYS have money for books.  ALWAYS.  So what if some weeks all I eat is Ramen noodles?  Books trump damned near everything...and that includes food (for me anyways...my puppies need to eat, you know)."
5. I live by the mantra: Why pay someone else to do something that you can do for yourself?  Case in point:  Currently, a friend of mine is installing a fence at my house.  My dogs will be in heaven once it's complete.  Anywho, after all my preliminary research into the different avenues I could go, I found it would be cheaper and faster for me to make this a DIY project.  In the last week, I've gotten the survey work done, obtained the permit, and coordinated with the utility companies to mark all buried lines.  The final task on my list before my friend begins work was to purchase the materials.  After much comparison shopping, I placed the order.  Lo and behold, they wanted to charge me $150 for delivery.  And, what did I tell them, you ask?  To hell with that! I'll get a truck and take it all home myself.  So, I borrowed one of the company trucks and moseyed on over to the lumber store to pick up the order.  As I watched THREE big burly guys load my truck up, I began to doubt the intelligence of my plan (I was unloading the materials myself, BTW).  Also, you should know that it took them 42 minutes to finish loading.  Now worried that I bit off more than I could chew, I drove on home.  Guess how long it took me to unload said materials, folks.  Go ahead.  Guess.  27 minutes!!!  Now, you tell me.  How is that possible?!?!

Life Lesson Learned:  Being cheap is not always a bad thing...and apparently, you should never send THREE men to do a job that one (very determined) woman can do all by her lonesome in damned near half the time.  Think about that.

These GAMES Sure are FUN

I'm not going to bore you with a long intro this week people.  So, enjoy the snip :)

Harper swiveled around, eyes narrowing, as she looked at Grace again. No, everything was not alright. Damn Truman. “Owen,” she said, not taking her eyes off her best friend.


“Yeah?” He sprang forward, hands out like he was an inch away from pulling her into his arms, but at the last moment, he snatched his limbs back, his cheeks flashing an embarrassed red.

“I know I’ve asked a lot of you, but can I get one more favor?”

“Of course.” Like you even have to ask, he almost added on but was able to bite his tongue before the words fell from his lips.

The keys that she’d been gripping tightly leaped from her hand. Her toss, although not at all aimed, landed the ring perfectly in his palm. “Can you take the car back to your place? I’ll come by later to pick it up.”

“Uh…sure, but what about Truman?”

“What about him?” At last, she finally looked toward him, her eyes flashing angry green lasers, making him cringe slightly. “He’s got two feet. He can find his own way home.”

“We don’t mind picking him up for you,” Lucky put in helpfully.

She started to argue, to tell Lucky that Truman didn’t deserve any help after hurting Grace, but another glance back toward her friend deflated her raging tirade. “Do whatever you want, Lucky. Just try not to puke in the car. If you do, I’ll be the one cleaning it up.” Impulsively, she leaned forward, hooking her arms around Owen’s neck. “Thanks for this…well, for everything,” she whispered in his ear. “I’ll call you later.”

Before the shock of this unexpected display of affection wore off and he could once again move his limbs to return her embrace, she backed away, hurrying over to where Grace was slumped behind the wheel of her bug. Owen watched her for another moment before turning to Lucky. “I hope you know where Truman is because I don’t, and I really don’t feel like driving all over the place looking for him. I’ve already been through town three times tonight, tracking your drunk ass down.”

Lucky had the grace not to grin at that remark. Instead, he lifted a hand and pointed back toward the bonfire. Owen nodded, and both boys started off in search of Harper’s brother.

Harper glanced back over her shoulder just as she stepped up to Frenchy to see Owen and Lucky retreating toward the bonfire. Owen is just too nice, she thought. I would’ve left Truman’s lying, cheating ass here. Shaking her head, she rapped on the car’s window, startling Grace. When her friend started to roll down the window, she yanked open the door.

“Shove over,” she told Grace, her words firm but not unkind. “I’d like to live long enough to see Christmas, and you drive like a blind maniac with a death wish.”

Grace made a face but climbed over the console and arranged herself in the passenger seat. “I told you I was fine—“

“Problem is I don’t believe you,” she cut in as she fiddled with the seat, getting it into position to accommodate her shorter frame. “What happened, Grace? What did my butt-head brother do?”

Grace said nothing as Harper slid the car into gear and turned out of the parking lot. Instead, she kept staring straight ahead, watching as the streetlights paraded by, everything outside the car bathed in orange, coloring the world fake. The silence opened up and stretched out between them, and Grace’s eyes began to burn as a fresh assault from the tear brigade ambushed her. She swallowed hard, fighting with everything she had to keep those insurgents from taking over. It was a close call, but she won that battle…just barely.

“Nothing,” she finally replied in a small, weak voice. “I mean, nothing you hadn’t already warned me about.”

“Oh, Grace.” Harper reached out to lay a reassuring hand on her friend’s arm, but Grace jerked away from her touch.

“Go ahead. You can say it. You told me this would happen. Hell, you told me not to even waste my time on him, so I should’ve seen this coming, right? Well, I’m just a dumb blonde anyway. It’s not like—“

Harper swerved into the next parking lot she could find, slammed the car into park, and turned to face her friend. “Stop that,” she commanded, catching hold of Grace’s shoulders and shaking hard. “You stop that right now. Don’t you dare tell me it’s your fault that my brother treated you badly. You’re so much better than that, Grace. You’re so much better than him.”

“But—“

“But, nothing. Truman is my brother, and I love him dearly, but he doesn’t know how to treat a woman—“

“He’s good to you.” The glare Harper shot at her halted any further arguments Grace might have lobbed her way. Seriously, Harper could be scarier than all the Saw movies combined when she put her mind to it.

“I’m his sister. He has to be nice to me, but that’s beside the point. He hurt you, Grace, and I’m sorry for that, but it’s not your fault. He’s a man-whore who doesn’t know what a good thing he just lost, and that’s his problem. Not yours.” Her fingers dug into Grace’s shoulders again, emphasizing those last two words.

Grace started to open her mouth, but Harper continued on, clearly not done with her lecture.

“And if I ever hear you putting yourself down again, I’m going to put my boot so far up your ass it’ll take you a month to get it out. Do you hear me?”

“Yeah, I hear you.” Grace’s response was a blinding grin. That mean, ranting speech meant only one thing: the old Harper was back…even if only for a short time. “ And ow, Harper.” She shrugged out of her friend’s grasp, rubbing at her shoulder. “You’re like the Incredible Hulk sometimes, you know that?”

Harper just grinned. Then, she nodded toward the building she’d parked in front of. “What do you say, Gracie? Up for some hot chocolate and pie before we go home?”

Yep. The old Harper was indeed back. Now, Grace just had to figure out how to keep her that way.

ARC Review: POPULAZZI

The Book: POPULAZZI
The Author: Elise Allen
The Publisher: Harcourt Books (an Imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Release Date: August 1, 2011

Summary:
Cara Leonard has lived her entire school life at the bottom of the social pyramid.  Ever since The Incident that happened the first day of kindergarten, her only friend has been her partner in crime, Claudia.  But, when her family moves to a new town about an hour away, Cara has the chance to re-invent herself, and Claudia is all too happy to help with that.

Soon, a plan is devised that will catapult Cara from the misfit realm of Happy Hopeless all the way up to Populazzi and ultimately the title of Supreme Populazzi (the most popular girl in school).  The plan is simple.  Cara will date her way to the top, starting with the next rung up from the Happy Hopeless: the Cubby Crews. 

Everything seems to be going just fine, in fact perfect...that is until, she begins climbing, and the higher up on the ladder she gets, the more precarious her position becomes.  Just when Cara is about to reach the top of the social pyramid and her ultimate goal, the house of cards she'd constructed comes crashing down.

My Take:
Elise Allen is someone you have got to watch out for.  POPULAZZI is her first solo effort, but with her talent for weaving a compelling story, I expect to see many more great things from her. 

So, let me tell why I loved POPULAZZI.

Archer is so totally swoon-worthy, I kind of wish he was real...and I was sixteen again.  From the very first moment he and Cara meet, it was love at first read for me.  Part of the Theater Geek tribe, which equates to the rung of Cubby Crews (but decidedly on the upper scale), he just commands attention.  He's passionate about drama and music.  He has a killer sense of humor(not to mention smile), and he's a genuinely nice guy. 

As the BFF who helps Cara climb that social ladder, Claudia is equally parts lovable, but also a little annoying.  I'm not sure if Allen meant to write her that way, but those tiny little imperfections just made her that much more endearing.  I vacillated between wanting to hug her and shake her, saying, "Come on, Claude!  Stop pushing the binder on Cara! she likes Archer!" 

Even the "mean girl" Trista who is the current Supreme Populazzi was relatable.  Yes, I said that.  Even though I didn't like her, she had layers, and the reader saw what motivated her to be the way she was, and I almost felt bad for her at one point.  You'll know what I mean when you read this(see how I said when there and not if? hint, hint)

And, really that's just a little taste.  POPULAZZI is made of so many kinds of win, it would take me a few thousand more words to prove it.  In short, this is an intense, honest look at one girl's search for her own identity while speeding along the treacherous curves that make up high school life.  Pick it up.  You'll be so glad you did!

This Is Me Saying...

Absolutely nothing.  It's Tuesday, so we all know what that means.

No, that does not mean teaser.  Karla/Karlie/LastWord0524 has been a lazy writer as of late.  For some reason, I keep rewriting the first chapter of my current effort SHUT UP over and over and over again...that and going back to the outline for CHASING BREADCRUMBS, which is still taunting me with its shininess.

Alas, nothing to tease you fun folks with...yet ;)

Nope.  Instead, I am going to be your conductor today, and direct you over to Ms Kelly's blog for the next installment of FUN AND GAMES WITH K & K. Click here.  Do it.  DO ITTTTTT!!!  And then, come back here Thursday for my little snip. 

That's it for me for today, minions.  Karla/Karlie/LastWord0524 over and out!