Anything Could Happen by Will Walton

Anything Could Happen by Will Walton
"When you’re in love with the wrong person for the right reasons, anything could happen.

Tretch lives in a very small town where everybody's in everybody else's business. Which makes it hard for him to be in love with his straight best friend. For his part, Matt is completely oblivious to the way Tretch feels – and Tretch can’t tell whether that makes it better or worse.

The problem with living a lie is that the lie can slowly become your life. For Tretch, the problem isn’t just with Matt. His family has no idea who he really is and what he’s really thinking. The girl at the local bookstore has no clue how off-base her crush on him is. And the guy at school who’s a thorn in Tretch’s side doesn’t realize how close to the truth he’s hitting.

Tretch has spent a lot of time dancing alone in his room, but now he’s got to step outside his comfort zone and into the wider world. Because like love, a true self can rarely be contained."- summary from Amazon

I absolutely ADORED this debut. It was such a quick, engrossing read that I had problems putting it down (a problem when reading it during breaks at work) and flew through it so fast. Walton took a coming-out story and made it different, focusing instead on all the different kinds of love we find in our lives as well as the love we need to have for ourselves and who we are so that we can be our truest selves.

Tretch is a fantastic main character and I am positive many readers will find a bit of themselves in him. The book may focus on a gay teen boy but the feelings, emotions and experiences he goes through throughout the course of the book are ones that are felt by all. Every person has a part of themselves that they hide from everyone else, trying their best to put out what they think everyone wants to see. It may not be as big as homosexuality but it still creates a similar sense of isolation from those around you.

I really enjoyed the parallel too between Tretch's situation and that of Matt's two dads- it provides an interesting contrast and also shows what Tretch is missing. That ability to be open about who you are and being able to share that with someone is magical. It was adorable seeing Matt's dads together whenever they were in a scene. Along with that, it was really cool to see a friendship like Matt and Tretch's- a real, close friendship even though Matt doesn't know Tretch is gay. (SLIGHT SPOILER AHEAD) The way they interact and hang out together was a bit of an inspiration; I kind of want to read a sequel to see how things are between them now that everything is out in the open.

Overall, I highly recommend this debut and cannot wait to see what Walton comes out with next. Everything about this book- the writing, characterization, humor, insight- was simply superb.

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

YOLO Juliet by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright + Interview

YOLO Juliet by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright
Srsly Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone
"Imagine: What if those star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

Two families at war.
A boy and a girl in love.
A secret marriage gone oh-so-wrong.

<3 and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;) tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, checking in at certain locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens. A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read."- summary from Amazon These were such quick, fun reads and both authors were very clever in rewriting Shakespeare for the modern age and incorporating current slang, emojis, and various smartphone apps/lingo (checking in to places, using the Notepad for soliloquies, etc.) to convey each play. The books are still broken up into 5 acts (and then scenes within each act), just like the real plays so it's easy to follow along. I'm really excited to read the next books in the series and I hope they do well and go through the whole Shakespeare canon. And I also hope that this leads a lot of today's teens to see Shakespeare in a new light and bring them closer to his works. and here's an interview with Brett!:

1) How cool is it to have your name next to William Shakespeare's on a book? Was it hard to re-write the play into the more 21st-century friendly format?

I keep joking, "Take that, high school teachers and college professors!" when I see my name in a byline with William Shakespeare. In all seriousness, I love Shakespeare and it's a ridiculous honor to see my name next to his. I like to think he'd find the humor in this adaptation, and that he'd be excited to see language evolving as writers continue to find new and innovative ways to communicate -- yes, even through emojis! The hardest part of rewriting the play was creatively figuring out how to convey certain actions and emotions that didn't make sense in a text message. Otherwise, it was a blast to imagine these beloved characters with smartphones.


2) You're writing a second book in the OMG Shakespeare series based on A Midsummer's Night Dream (which is my favorite Shakespeare play, so yay to that!). How is that coming along? And do you have any original books that you're writing?

I absolutely LOVED writing A MIDSUMMER NIGHT #NOFILTER even though the play-within-a-play structure made it ten times harder to execute than YOLO JULIET. There were so many characters, settings, and mixed-up scenarios to juggle, but from that mayhem springs the humor at the heart of the play. I work full-time as a children's books editor, so although I'm not currently writing anything wholly original, I feel extremely lucky to be surrounded by words and books all the time.


3) What is your favorite Jelly Belly jelly bean flavor(s)? Or, if you don't like those, your favorite snack to have while writing or as a reward for writing?

Blueberry and Buttered Popcorn . . . together! I also find Peach and Lemon Lime irresistible. Actually, just give me the whole bag, sans Licorice. As a special reward, I'll treat myself to a little Ben & Jerry's "Half Baked." And by "a little," I mean a whole pint.


4) You have a day job as an editor. How did you get into publishing, and what is your favorite part of the job? Does being an editor help your writing at all?

My main focus in undergrad was creative writing, but my college also offered publishing courses, so I enrolled in classes like copyediting, desktop publishing, book overview (where I worked on a children's book the entire semester), and before long I was interning in New York after graduation. Some very generous people took a chance on me and I've been working in publishing ever since. The best thing about being an editor is reading something new and connecting with it on a level you didn't even realize existed. Editors read so much that after a while, it can all blend together. Nothing beats being able to help develop and nurture an exciting new voice you can't wait to share with the world. It certainly doesn't hurt having an editorial background when it comes to writing, but it doesn't give me a magical advantage. I understand how important an editor is to the process from taking a good book to a great book, and I wouldn't have been able to do this without that invaluable support.


5) What book(s) are you currently reading, or are about to start? Any upcoming books you're excited about?

It's been months but I'm still thinking about Jandy Nelson's I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN with its beautiful, poetic language. I'm currently between reading I. W. Gregorio's NONE OF THE ABOVE and Becky Albertalli's SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA. One day I'll find time to get to the rest of my list, which includes Adam Silvera's MORE HAPPY THAN NOT, Tommy Wallach's WE ALL LOOKED UP, and Katie Cotugno's 99 DAYS.


FTC: Received hardcovers from publisher. Links above are Amazon Associate links; any profits go toward funding contests.

Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot

Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot
"For Princess Mia, the past five years since college graduation have been a whirlwind of activity, what with living in New York City, running her new teen community center, being madly in love, and attending royal engagements. And speaking of engagements. Mia’s gorgeous longtime boyfriend Michael managed to clear both their schedules just long enough for an exotic (and very private) Caribbean island interlude where he popped the question! Of course Mia didn’t need to consult her diary to know that her answer was a royal oui.

But now Mia has a scandal of majestic proportions to contend with: Her grandmother’s leaked “fake” wedding plans to the press that could cause even normally calm Michael to become a runaway groom. Worse, a scheming politico is trying to force Mia’s father from the throne, all because of a royal secret that could leave Genovia without a monarch. Can Mia prove to everyone—especially herself—that she’s not only ready to wed, but ready to rule as well?"- summary from Amazon

I cannot believe it's been 5 years since the last Princess Diaries book, and I did not know how badly I wanted one until it arrived in the mail. I read this a couple months ago, shortly after receiving it (and then read the middle-grade companion book right after), and I loved every single page of it. Mia is still the same neurotic, obsessive person she always is, but she's definitely an adult now, dealing with bigger issues and Cabot made sure to show that she has matured very well in the 7 years that have passed (in the book's timeline). It's a nice change of pace from the teenage Mia, and I could not get enough of her and her friends and family. It's so nice to be enveloped in this world again and catch up with everyone and see how they're all doing. And of course, Cabot's humor is still in full force, eliciting many a giggle from me as I read page after page.

Overall, this is a wonderful continuation of the Princess Diaries series and I hope that Cabot gives us a book every couple years to keep us in Mia's life and see how she's doing.

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

King by Ellen Oh

King by Ellen Oh
"All eyes are on her. Kira, once an outcast in her home village of Hansong, is now the only one with the power to save her kingdom. Kira braves a sea of tigers and battles armies of demons as she learns to trust herself, the romantic feelings for Jaewon that are growing within her, and the destiny that must be hers."- summary from Amazon

The final book in Oh's Dragon King Chronicles is the perfect ending to this fantastically written series. Kira's journey in this book tests her strength and determination several times over, and she beats the odds every time. Oh portrays Kira so realistically as she goes through these fantastical obstacles and quests, and of course it's always nice to see some diversity in our fantasy heroines. The Asian-inspired culture of the fantasy world really adds an extra layer of depth to the whole trilogy.

I still really enjoyed her relationship with Jaewon. There's some great tension there that she's not allowing herself to feel because of all that's going on around her, but it's easy to tell she feels most comfortable around him and very close to him. The endgame of it is inevitable, but the how makes it so worthwhile.

Overall, such a wonderful series and I'm so eager to see what Oh has in store for us next. I cannot say enough good things about it; please go check it out if you're a fantasy fan.

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Blog Tour- What Remains by Helene Dunbar

What Remains by Helene Dunbar
In less than a second...

... two of the things Cal Ryan cares most about--a promising baseball career and Lizzie, one of his best friends--are gone forever.

In the hours that follow...

...Cal's damaged heart is replaced. But his life will never be the same.

Everyone expects him to pick up the pieces and move on.

But Lizzie is gone, and all that remains for Cal is an overwhelming sense that her death was his fault. And a voice in his head that just...won't...stop.

Cal thought he and his friends could overcome any obstacle. But grief might be the one exception.
And that might take a lifetime to accept...
Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Website

Dunbar has another winner with this quiet but powerful book about friendship, guilt, romance, and heart transplants. It's such a compelling, poignant read that I strongly urge you all to go out and read it!

Helene Dunbar is the author of THESE GENTLE WOUNDS (Flux, 2014) and WHAT REMAINS (Flux, 2015). Over the years, she's worked as a drama critic, journalist, and marketing manager, and has written on topics as diverse as Irish music, court cases, theater, and Native American Indian tribes. She lives in Nashville with her husband and daughter, and exists on a steady diet of readers' tears.

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Wild by Sophie Jordan

Wild by Sophie Jordan
"Months after her boyfriend dumped her, Georgia can still hear the insults he hurled at her. Boring. Predictable. Tame. Tired of feeling bad, she’s ready to change her image, and go a little wild. What better way to prove her ex wrong than a hot night of sexual adventure at the secret campus kink club?

In the shadowy den of the kink club, she unexpectedly runs into Logan Mulvaney, her friend’s little brother. A player extraordinaire too hot for his own good, he may be younger, but the guy is light years ahead when it comes to sexual experience. Now he’s telling her to go home—“good girls” don’t belong here!

Georgia is tired of having others define her. She’s going to teach Logan a lesson he won’t forget—one white hot, mind-wrecking kiss . . . that leads to another . . . and another . . . and. . . . Realizing she’s way in over her head, Georgia runs.

Only Logan won’t let her go. Everywhere she goes he’s there, making her want every inch of him. Making her forget who she is. Who he is. And just how wrong they are for each other."- summary from Amazon

I absolutely loved reading Jordan's new adult book; I've received copies of the whole trilogy but this was the first one I'd read, and I'm really intrigued to read the other two. Both characters from the previous two books and their romantic leads appear in this book as well, so it's nice to learn a bit about their future before reading how they got there.

FTC: Received finished paperback from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Famous in Love by Rebecca Serle

Famous in Love by Rebecca Serle
"When Paige Townsen gets plucked from high school obscurity to star in the movie adaptation of a blockbuster book series, her life changes practically overnight. Within a month, Paige has traded the quiet streets of her hometown for a bustling film set on the shores of Maui, and she is spending quality time with her costar Rainer Devon, one of People's Sexiest Men Alive. But when troubled star Jordan Wilder lands the role of the other point in the movie's famous love triangle, Paige's crazy new life begins to resemble her character's.

In this exciting tale of romance and drama, both on-and offscreen, Paige must adjust to a crazy new life without the daily support of her friends and family, while figuring out who she is--and who she wants--as the whole world watches."- summary from Amazon

I absolutely adore books about the celebrity lifestyle, and this is pretty much the best book about it that I've come across. It was such a fun, engrossing read about Paige's rise to super-stardom as she is selected to be the heroine in an adaptation of a bestselling Young Adult trilogy, and how she deals with the love triangle of her two sexy male co-stars. Soon, life is imitating art (at least in that respect of the book, not any other aspect- they don't get stuck on an island after a crash).

FTC: Received e-galley from Netgalley. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess by Meg Cabot

From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess by Meg Cabot
"Olivia Grace Clarisse Mignonette Harrison is a completely average twelve-year-old: average height, average weight, average brown hair of average length, average brown skin and average hazel eyes. The only things about her that aren't average are her name (too long and princess themed), her ability to draw animals (useful for her future career as a wildlife illustrator), and the fact that she is a half-orphan who has never met her father and is forced to live with her aunt and uncle (who treat her almost like their own kids, so she doesn't want to complain).

Then one completely average day, everything goes wrong: the most popular girl in school, Annabelle Jenkins, threatens to beat her up, the principal gives her a demerit, and she's knocked down at the bus stop . . .

Until a limo containing Princess Mia Thermopolis of Genovia pulls up to invite her to New York to finally meet her father, who promptly invites her to come live with him, Mia, Grandmère and her two fabulous poodles . . . .

Maybe Olivia Grace Clarisse Mignonette Harrison isn't so average after all!"- summary from Amazon

I absolutely loved this new middle-grade book from Meg Cabot, which is her second middle-grade series and first spin-off/companion book. It fits in perfectly with the Princess Diaries style and humor, and it's so great to see a new perspective on Mia and her family. It also provides a new heroine to root for, and an interesting parallel and deeper insight into what happens in Royal Wedding (the 11th Princess Diaries book and first adult book for the series, not counting Mia's novel Ransom My Heart).

Olivia Grace is a fun character, though because of her living situation, her confidence and self-esteem are a bit lacking. Her guardians treat her poorly and are pretty horrible people. Her school life isn't much better, though she does have a good friend on her side, which is nice to see. The book is a breezy, fun read and I pretty much zoomed through it because I could not put it down (and then immediately had the desire to re-read the parts of Royal Wedding that dealt with that timeline). What makes it even more fun is the illustrations from Cabot, which are the first she's ever done for a book; they add a great layer to the book and are used as an endearing character trait for Olivia.

Overall, a fantastic debut to a new middle-grade series, and I'm excited to see where things go from here. Plus, it'll be nice to have this as a way of checking in occasionally on Mia, Michael, Grandmere and everyone else. The book will be released May 19!

Don't forget I'm running a contest on this post for a hardcover of this book and a tiara!!

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Blog Tour- From the Notebooks of a Middle-School Princess by Meg Cabot

I'm so excited to be a part of the blog tour for Meg Cabot's newest middle-grade book, From the Notebooks of a Middle-School Princess, which is a spin-off of her beloved, awesome Princess Diaries series (and a bit of a companion piece to Royal Wedding, Book 11 in the series). Today, I'll be talking about what I would do and how I would feel if I suddenly found out I'm a prince but first, let's see what this new book is all about!

From the Notebooks of a Middle-School Princess by Meg Cabot
"Olivia Grace Clarisse Mignonette Harrison is a completely average twelve-year-old: average height, average weight, average brown hair of average length, average brown skin and average hazel eyes. The only things about her that aren't average are her name (too long and princess themed), her ability to draw animals (useful for her future career as a wildlife illustrator), and the fact that she is a half-orphan who has never met her father and is forced to live with her aunt and uncle (who treat her almost like their own kids, so she doesn't want to complain).

Then one completely average day, everything goes wrong: the most popular girl in school, Annabelle Jenkins, threatens to beat her up, the principal gives her a demerit, and she's knocked down at the bus stop . . .

Until a limo containing Princess Mia Thermopolis of Genovia pulls up to invite her to New York to finally meet her father, who promptly invites her to come live with him, Mia, Grandmère and her two fabulous poodles . . . .

Maybe Olivia Grace Clarisse Mignonette Harrison isn't so average after all!"- summary from Amazon


I feel like one of the perks of suddenly finding yourself as a prince (or princess) is being able to rub it in the faces of those who spurned you and made you feel less than, at least just a little bit. After that, this prince would be gracious and move on to bigger and better things. There are those people who stand by you through thick and thin, and you'll find someone who will love you for you (though finding that will certainly be difficult once you're a famous prince).

Anyway, as for other (more appropriate and classy) things I would do as a prince, I would want to try and help out with various charities to make life better for lower-income people, the homeless, and those affected by natural disasters. I'd also want to spend time and money promoting literacy everywhere and doing my best to ensure that libraries (both public and school) are properly funded and have current titles of all kinds of books (but especially YA though).

On the more selfish side of things, it'd also be nice to have a makeover and new wardrobe, like both Mia and Olivia Grace have in their respective books. I would certainly need it!! Until then, I'll just be a prince-in-training (Don't I look lovely?).

Macmillan is also providing me with a hardcover of From the Notebooks of a Middle-School Princess and a tiara (which I'm wearing in the photo above) to give away on this tour stop! Just leave a comment telling me what you would do if you suddenly found out you were a prince (or princess), and make sure there's a way for me to contact you. The contest will run until next Wednesday, May 13 at 9pm EST.

Follow along with the rest of the tour, and come back for my review of the book on Friday!

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
"If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom--that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she's ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be.

What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise--a quirky motel off California's dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper."- summary from Amazon

Demetrios' third novel (her second contemporary) is another winner and a bit of a 180 from her previous contemporary, which was a little more light-hearted than this was. This book deals with PTSD and the after-effects of war on young people, and she does a wonderful job handling this delicate, complicated subject. Skylar also has to deal with her mom and the downward spiral she's in, which is simply heartbreaking to read (I can't remember the guy's name that her mom hooks up with, but he pissed me off to no end and it's sad to see Skylar's mom with someone like that who's just dragging her down even further).

It's not all a downer though, as it's sweet to see Skylar and Josh navigate friendship and, soon after, romance and the hurdles and obstacles that come with it- the normal ones as well as Josh's war memories and the PTSD he struggles with. Demetrios adds another layer to the story by having occasional chapters in Josh's perspective, which seem to be written as almost stream-of-consciousness to reflect where his mind is at.

Overall, a fantastically written, poignant, and powerful novel. Demetrios is proving herself to be a formidable voice in the YA genre.

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know by Brent Hartinger

The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know by Brent Hartinger
"Russel Middlebrook is twenty-three years old, gay, and living in trendy Seattle, but life isn't keeping up with the hype. Most of his friends have a direction in life—either ruthlessly pursuing their careers or passionately embracing their own aimlessness. But Russel is stuck in place. All he knows is that crappy jobs, horrible dates, and pointless hook-ups just aren't cutting it anymore.
What's the secret? What does everyone else know that he doesn't?

Enter Kevin, Russel's perfect high school boyfriend. Could rekindling an old flame be the thing Russel needs to get his life back on track? Or maybe the answer lies in a new friend, an eccentric screenwriter named Vernie Rose, who seems plenty wise. Or what the hell? Maybe Russel will find some answers by joining his best friend Gunnar's crazy search for the legendary Bigfoot!

One way or another, Russel is determined to learn the all-important secret to life, even if it's a thing he doesn't even know he doesn't know."- summary from Amazon

I am so happy that there are more Russel Middlebrook books being written. I love reading about my favorite characters growing up (see also Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot, coming in June!) and taking on new adventures. Russel is dealing with what every person just out of college is going through- having a crappy job, dealing with loser dates (or dates who seem really good at first, but turn out bad), and trying to use sex as an answer to your problems.

I love that Hartinger always includes some crazy outlandish side plot to move the action along and provide a parallel to what's going in Russel's life (as well as his friends). This book has the search for Bigfoot, which is masking a bigger issue in Gunnar's life. It always adds a fun layer to the more realistic problems that Russel and his two friends deal with, like polyamory, which is dealt with very delicately. Occasionally, the narrative can get a bit preachy on a few subjects, but Hartinger is still such a good writer (and the lectures/rants are still in Russel's voice) that I can usually overlook that sort of thing.

Overall, a fantastic fifth installment to this wonderful series and I'm eager to see where the story goes next, especially with that ending (but no spoilers!)!

FTC: Received e-galley from Netgalley. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.