Dream Chaser by Angie Stanton

Cross posted on Incandescent. 

Willow has lead her school's cheerleading team to Nationals and is known as the most death-defying flyer on the squad. She's willing to try anything, but one of her flights almost turns fatal during practice one day. Only a quick save by one of her catchers saved her from breaking her neck. Physically, she's fine, but mentally, she knows she can't ever get back in the air. in fact, cheerleading has lost its draw entirely. Her best friend and team member Jilly is not about to let her walk away, though, and Willow knows she needs an air-tight reason she can't come back to the squad. The school's drama production of Dream Chaser might just be the answer.

Before cheer, Willow was a dancer. An amazing dancer who won competitions at all levels and danced with unmatchable passion, but some scared her away from dancing, just like cheer. This something though was over 6 feet and incredibly hot: her co-star Eli McAvoy. Eli and Willow used to dance together and for years they were best friends until Eli wanted more. Willow ran, but now she needs to face the antagonism between her and her on-time best friend and decide where to go from here.

The main concentration is on the show Dream Chaser which involves the best high school performers in the city, no matter what school they attend. Even though she auditioned for the chorus, the director (who also wrote and choreographed the show) casts her as the lead to replace the girl kicked out after two weeks of rehearsals. She's taking over a position no one except the director wants her to have and her co star is none other than her ex-best friend Eli. Can she ignore the taunts and ostracization and work together with Eli or will Willow let Eli down again?

I grew up dancing. It was the only sport I was ever involved in (and, yes, it is a sport) and I love it. I watch So You Think You Can Dance on TV and still choreograph for the students at my old studio. It's awesome. I was never as good as Willow, but I know how much work it takes and I know what she was facing going into this show. The descriptions of the exhaustion and the pain and the determination were spot-on and I loved the heavy involvement in the arts. The main characters were all interesting and I liked watching how the dynamic between the different groups (show cast, director, principle actors, spurned cheerleaders) kept shifting. One thing that bothered me (and bother I think is too strong of a word) were the mentions of Willow's habit of quitting. It seemed like she was an extremely persistent person and determined to succeed in everything, not a quitter. In fact they really only talk about two things she quit: dance and cheer. She had a valid reason for cheer, but a weak one for dance. Still, I don't see how that classifies her as a quitter. Otherwise, I enjoyed this book from start to finish! It began with a bang (as Willow goes splat on the floor) and kept me very interested all the way through. I especially recommend this to anyone interested in performing arts, but honestly anyone who enjoys contemporary YA books will probably like this one.

Sera's Rating: 10/10

Rock and a Hard Place by Angie Stanton

Cross posted from Incandescent.

Before I start, I have to say that I have absolutely fallen in love with user reviews on Amazon! I am took a writing break last week (with the minor exception of jotting down ideas that pop into my head so I won't forget them) and so I started browsing Amazon. I've shopped on the site before, but I usually I already knew what I wanted. I've never taken full advantage of the user reviews. I have read twenty-two books in the past ten days (no, I'm not joking, though part of me kind of wishes I was... that much reading might be a sign of some kind of illness) and most of them I would rate at least 4 stars. Even the worst of them would get 3. I bought them based on a few factors, but the deciding point was always the user reviews and so far they have not steered me wrong! Okay, I'm done gushing about the opinions of random strangers. Onto the books!

Libby's entire family was in a horrible car accident. Only Libby and her father walked away, but her father walked away broken and reeling from the loss of his wife and second daughter. Lost in depression, he drops Libby off with her mother's sister, a cranky woman known in town for her temper and her eccentricities. Libby longs for her father to return, but it's been a year and she hasn't even had a letter from him. She has no idea where he is or how to track him down, but even if she did how can she start when she has no phone, no computer, no money, and no friends?

Peter Jamison has lead a life a lot of people dream of, especially since the band he and his brothers formed put out a chart-topping rock album. He writes the songs and he loves performing, but what he really wants is someone who sees who he is behind the rock star, someone who doesn't care about the fame and the fortune. One day when his family's tour bus stops in an out of the way park in Alabama, he meets Libby who amazingly has no idea who he is and has never even heard about his band. Instantly captivated by this refreshingly honest girl, Peter convinces his family to return to this spot between shows so he can get to know her better.

Libby is thrilled to have a friend, someone she can talk to, but Peter's family isn't so happy about this country girl who keeps distracting him from his responsibilities in the band. His older brother makes a choice and Peter loses contact with Libby just when she needs him most. Abandoned and alone, Libby is struggling for her very survival while Peter desperately searches for the girl who has stolen his heart.

I LOVED this book. All of the characters, not just Libby and Peter, were well developed and interesting and the dynamics of this dual narrative drew me in instantly. Peter's family is believable and their interactions well written. Certain sections of Libby's story almost made me cry. I liked Libby's quiet strength and her determination to persevere despite all the obstacles life has thrown in her path and Peter's devotion would have outweighed a lot of faults... but he didn't have any. Peter is actually the paragon of rock stars, exactly the way you hope all your idols are in real life, but his family has a lot to do with that, I think. His parents are both painted as loving and supportive, even if they (like everyone) make mistakes along the way.

Without being overly serious and weighed down by the issues present in this book, Rock and a Hard Place manages to remain uplifting. It's a testament to the power of love, hope, determination, and trust and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes contemporary YA.

Sera's Rating: 10/10

Giveaway Reminder: Evermore & Hush Hush

Remember to enter our giveaway for a copy of Evermore by Alyson Noel & Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick! All you have to do is leave a comment on the original post.

Click here to enter!

So far there's only one entry - I think that's pretty good odds!

~Ailsa

Review: Hold Me If You Can by Stephanie Rowe

(Remember to enter the giveaway! Click here.)

Title: Hold Me If You Can

Author: Stephanie Rowe

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Release date: 1/1/12

Source: Net Galley

Notes: part of a series; DNF

Description: The third in a paranormal romance series packed with danger, sensuality and clever twists features Nigel Aquarian, a warrior with an artistic bent, and Natalie Fleming, a chocolatier who has a new lease on life. But her freedom comes with a dangerous gift she doesn't want.

Nigel and his fellow warriors have only just escaped imprisonment when an even worse threat emerges. Natalie is the only woman who can help Nigel–but she's also the one most likely to bring him down.

My thoughts: I’m sorry, but this really isn’t a positive review at all.

I really, really tried to give this book a chance. I made myself keep going, telling myself to see how it went as I got further. About 2/3 of the way in, though, I decided there are enough books out there I am desperate to read, so I called it a day with this.

First of all, it’s part of a series, which I didn’t realise from the description, or from being in Natalie's point of view for the first chapter. I think if I had read the earlier books, I would have understood the ‘bad guys’ more, and the threat of some of the creatures that attack our hero.

I did like the idea initially - Natalie runs a chocolate shop, where she can put a little bit of magic into the chocolate, and use it as a potion to help people. Cool idea. But we don’t see it working much, and I was too distracted by thinking “What on earth just happened here?” And I thought that a lot reading this. For a prime example, the hero is hanging out with his buddies early in the story, and they are attacked by fuzzy poodles, if memory serves. At least every few pages, something like that would happen where I had to sit up and think “Hang on, what?”

And the building of the ‘relationship’ between the two characters just felt so awkward that I couldn’t feel comfortable about them getting together. They keep almost killing each other, then they have to make Natalie feel pleasure so she can do something... it just didn't feel right that they should be getting together.

This book just really didn’t work for me in several ways. Did Not Finish, so no star rating.

Sophie & Carter by Chelsea Fine

Cross-posted from Incandescent.

Sophie and Carter have lived next door to each other for years, ever since Sophie moved into town in elementary school. They're seniors now and best friends, even if they hide their relationship from the rest of the school. It makes things easier this way, for both of them. Easier to pretend they're normal. Easier to pretend their lives outside of school are normal. But they're not.

Sophie's mom is a prostitute and, in recent years, a drug addict. She disappears for months at a time and leaves Sophie in charge of her three younger siblings. Sophie has to be mother, father, taskmaster, rule maker, bill payer, tutor, and sole support when she should be enjoying high school and preparing for the rest of her life. Carter is physically scarred, but the worst damage is on the inside, the secrets no one but Sophie knows. His father was a brutal monster who abused him and his mother for years. Eventually the mental and physical abuse broke his mother and now her only solace is insanity and alcohol. His father is gone and Carter is the only one left to take care of his poor mother.

This story is as heartbreaking as it is uplifting. It touches on subjects too dark to contemplate and shows how hope, love, trust, and beauty can survive even in hellish circumstances. Chelsea Fine's writing is poetic, but always real and her characters are believable and true. I only had one complaint: it was too short! Sophie and Carter are such beautiful characters and beautiful people that I wanted to see every minute of their days and hear more about their lives--both past and present. Still, it was fabulous to watch them both realize what they've known quietly for years: they are absolutely devoted to and hopelessly in love with each other. If more people persevered through adversity like Sophie and Carter do, the world would be a much better place.

Honestly, I can't recommend this book highly enough. It will captivate you from the minute you start reading (I found it on amazon, read the first chapter, immediately downloaded the Kindle edition, and read it in one sitting) and keep you thinking about it well after you put it down. Despite the strong subject matter, the language and situations don't make it unsuitable for younger readers. However, I would still suggest parental guidance as some of the topics mentioned will probably raise questions you may or may not want to answer. 

Sera's Rating:10/10

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

This review is also posted on Incandescent.

Jordan Woods is not your average girl and she wouldn't be even if she wasn't the captain and quarterback of one of the best high-school football teams in the state. She's six-feet tall and just happens to be the daughter of NFL Quarterback Donovan Woods. Jordan has always been one of the guys, but even though this is how she wants it, it does have certain drawbacks. Like the fact that she's a senior and hasn't been kissed yet. The arrival of Ty Green changes everything.

Suddenly Ty is challenging not only her position on the team, but her sanity, her friendships, and her self-control. She's never wanted anyone this bad and never knew a crush could cause so many problems. To top it all off, her football-star father won't take the time to attend her games or even support her love of his sport, her best friend Sam Henry is upset and won't tell her why, and Alabama State (her dream school) is offering her a scholarship that will probably mean she won't play a game her entire college career. Will Jordan be able to regain control of her life or will the changes that started with Ty ruin everything?

Despite not liking sports, I love sports movies. When I heard about this book, I thought it sounded like a perfect balance. The characters were likable and entertaining and the dialogue was realistic; several times the exchanges between the characters made me laugh. I especially liked Jordan's relationship with her father and how that progressed through the course of the book. It was believable and touching. I also fell in love with Sam Henry, Jordan's best friend. He made me wish I knew someone like him. Ty was hot and an emotional disaster area for very understandable reasons, but I never really liked him much. Maybe it was because I always felt as though he was hiding something and we didn't get to know him as well. The one thing that disturbed me a little was the flippant attitude toward cheating. I can see how this is probably a realistic perspective from inside the guy's locker room (in theory, not in actuality--Jordan uses the girls locker room), but it seemed like Jordan's friends on the team were never with the same girl. And all the girls seemed to be cheerleaders. Either that cheerleading team was huge, or those cheerleaders were very busy...

The book really focuses on three things: Jordan and football, Jordan and her dad, and Jordan and Sam Henry. It's possible one of the reasons I didn't like Ty much is because it was pretty obvious from the beginning that he was only there as a catalyst to set all the other events in motion. All of the main characters have decent development through the book and that's really what kept me reading. I loved their devotion to the team and to each other and Jordan's willingness to fight for what she wanted, even if she forgot what that was somewhere in the middle of the book. She's a strong female character in a male dominated story and sport, but I think she held her own well. I did, however, appreciate that she eventually found girl friends who made her have some connection with the other side of herself.

Light, enjoyable, and fun, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an entertaining, romantic read. Although understanding what a flea-flicker is probably won't hurt. :)

Sera's Rating: 8/10 stars

British Books Challenge

I'm not really one for doing organised reading challenges - it just becomes one more thing to try and keep up with. But, I do like supporting the 'home grown' talent in this country, and I thought last year's 'British Books Challenge' sounded pretty cool. This year it's being hosted by Kirsty at The Overflowing Library. The idea is to read at least 12 books by British authors over the year. One book a month sounds pretty reasonable, right?

If you're interested in the challenge, you can sign up here: British Books Challenge sign-up

As I read and review books for the challenge, I will add the links to this post.

Books I'm hoping to read for the challenge:

Hollow Pike, by James Dawson - this one sounds really good, a dark YA, released early this year

The Iron Witch, by Karen Mahoney - I have started this, but for some reason I didn't finish. Another great YA fantasy novel.

The Shifting Price of Prey, by Suzanne McLeod - Love this series, can't wait till this comes out in June!

~Ailsa