Review: Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Title: Don't Even Think About It
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Publisher: Random House
Pub. Date: March 11, 2014
Genre: YA
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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When the sophomores in homeroom 10B get their annual flu shot, they expect the normal side effects, a headache or maybe a sore arm. None of them expect that they'll suddenly develop ESP that enables all 22 of them to hear the thoughts of their classmates, families, and random people on the street. Or that they'll suddenly be able to communicate with each other telepathically. But that's exactly what happens. Suddenly, they know things they've always wondered and things they never wanted to know. Crushes, embarrassing thoughts, and painful secrets are all exposed. But a classroom full of peers with ESP isn't all fun and games. People will get hurt, lines will be crossed, and those on top might well find themselves on the bottom...

I'll be honest - I thought this one was really cheesy at first. The dialogue felt awkward and the characters seemed kind of immature and then, all of a sudden, everything just clicked. I mean, this is what it'd really be like if your homeroom class suddenly had ESP. It would be both really awesome and really, really terrible. Some kids would totally take advantage of the situation, others would do anything to make it go away. This book totally made me question ever answering the question "If you could have any superpower..." with any answer resembling mind-reading abilities.

One of the really unique characteristics of this book is the narration. Instead of being told from one character's point-of-view, it's from the viewpoint of all 22 characters... well, in theory anyway. We don't actually hear from all 22 characters, there are only a handful that are recognizable, but the narrator is pretty much omniscient since any thoughts one of the 22 students has, the remaining 21 have access to. Pretty intense, right? I thought it'd be difficult to keep all the characters straight, but it really wasn't because Mlynowski diversifies the characters that the reader hears from specifically. Each fulfills an identifiable stereotype - player, queen bee, All-American boyfriend, shy girl, etc - making them easy to keep track of. And you might be thinking "Ick, stereotypes" but that's the beauty of DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. Mlynowski lines all these stereotypes up and then, using an outbreak of ESP, breaks them down and shows the individual within the stereotype.

I also loved that DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT was laugh-out-loud funny without warning. All of a sudden there would just be this really clever one liner that would prompt an almost startled laugh. There was clearly a comedian somewhere in that homeroom.

I was happy to discover that there's a sequel, DON'T THINK TWICE, scheduled for a 2015 release. I can't wait to see what drama the next installment holds!

Review: The Taking by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Taking
Author: Kimberly Derting
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pub. Date: April 29, 2014
Genre: YA
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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It's been five years since Kyra Agnew mysteriously disappeared after a fight with her father. A lot can change in five years - people age, marriages fall apart, new relationships develop - but, when Kyra reappears, there's nothing new about her. Everything, right down to the bruises and dusty softball uniform she was wearing when she disappeared, are exactly the same. For Kyra, it feels like the softball game, kissing her boyfriend, and fighting with her dad happened mere hours before... for the rest of the world, life has moved on. Kyra finds her parents divorced and her boyfriend five years older... and his little brother, Tyler, too. Kyra's life has been taken from her and she's determined to find out how and why. Things have definitely taken a turn for the weird, and her father's conspiracy theories don't sound near as far fetched as they would have five years ago... or, for Kyra, yesterday.

I love, love, love this book! Admittedly, I love everything Derting has written, but still. Derting's first series, which begins with THE BODY FINDER, also has a paranormal slant, so to me, she's returning to her roots with THE TAKING. I love her dystopian series - THE PLEDGE - too, but there's something compelling about her paranormal novels. I think it's the fact that her characters are so normal, except for that one element that sets them apart. In THE BODY FINDER, it's the main character's ability to sense the aura of a dead body. In THE TAKING, it's a mysterious, perhaps otherworldly, disappearance that steals five years from the main character's life and leaves her... changed. When you read one of Derting's novels, you can't help but wonder 'what if.'

It doesn't hurt that Derting writes romantic leads that leave you a bit breathless and a whole lot in love. In THE TAKING, Kyra finds herself - somewhat inappropriately - drawn to Tyler, who was only twelve when she disappeared. Now Tyler is the same age as Kyra and all to determined to prove he's no longer a little kid. The Tyler/Kyra romance was so wrong it was right. Even though Kyra tries to resist Tyler's charm, I'm not sure any girl could resist someone so determined to sweep her off her feet.

If you haven't read a Kimberly Derting book yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? If you have, give yourself a pat on the back, you have impeccable taste.

Review: Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Title: Open Road Summer
Author: Emery Lord
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pub. Date: April 15, 2014
Genre: YA
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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In Emery Lord's debut, OPEN ROAD SUMMER, Reagan begins the summer with the simple plan of spending the entire summer with her best friend, Dee. Reagan and Dee have been best friends for years, sticking with one another through think and thin and life changes big and small. Dee has been there for Reagan through drunken nights, hangovers, high school gossip, bad breakups, and family drama. And, though Dee has a significantly less drama filled high school experience, Reagan has been her rock through her recent break up with her long time boyfriend... and her recent rise to country music stardom. Dee is none other than Lilah Montgomery - the rising star every girl wants to be and every guy wants to date - but she's just Dee to Reagan. Reagan needs to get out of town for awhile and Dee's first nationwide tour provides the perfect opportunity: the open road, her best friend, and miles and miles between Reagan and her problems.

When scandalous pictures of Dee are leaked to the tabloids, threatening Lilah Montgomery's wholesome image and dredging up the emotional baggage of Dee's recent breakup, the record label adds Matt Finch, teen heartthrob and fellow musician, to the tour as the opening act. Matt's sudden addition distracts the media, turning the attention from the scandal to speculations about a potential relationship between Lilah and Matt. Reagan is simultaneously attracted and annoyed by the talented, confident, wounded Matt Finch. Even though she knows she has no business being interested in the guy who is keeping Dee safe from media scandal, she finds that little by little, Matt Finch is breaking down her defenses and making her feel things she'd rather pretend she's immune to.

The simple summer Reagan has planned has suddenly become a lot more complicated.

This book makes my heart happy! How can you not love a book filled with music, tension-filled romance, best friends, and roadtripping? PLUS a snarky, not-so-secretly damaged main character, a best friend dealing with the negative consequences of fame, and a love interest that's swoonworthy (not only because he's gorgeous, but because he's smart, talented, passionate, and a genuinely good guy)? This book is obviously a guaranteed win!

If you love books by Morgan Matson, Deb Caletti, Sarah Dessen, Simone Elkeles, Katie McGarry, or any other must-read contemporary YA author, I guarantee you'll devour OPEN ROAD SUMMER and immediately begin looking for the release date of Emery Lord's next book.

Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub. Date: April 15, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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  In this new contemporary YA novel from Jenny Han - author of the wonderful novel The Summer I Turned Pretty - young, messy, exuberant, painful love and the complicated, unbreakable bond of sisterhood is explored.

When Lara Jean Song's love letters to five boys she once loved - private letters that were never intended to be seen by said boys - are all mailed, she must navigate her way through the fallout. Most worrisome is the letter sent to her older sister's recent ex, a boy she stopped loving the day he started dating her sister... or did she? As Lara Jean revisits and sorts her feelings, she begins a faux-relationship with a classmate which quickly spirals out of control.

Another driving force within the novel is Lara Jean's relationship with her sisters. Lara Jean is the middle sister, but when her older sister moves overseas for college, she becomes the eldest in the house, a position that changes Lara Jean's relationship with both siblings. I found this aspect of the novel very compelling and realistic. As the eldest of four siblings (two sisters, one brother) I identified with Lara Jean, but I could also identify closely with her older sister's motivations and feelings.

I was pleasantly surprised by the glimpses at Lara Jean's Korean heritage as well. These elements were mostly introduced through food and food memories, which I think is a really smart, accessible way to showcase cultural individuality in fiction.There's a misconception that characters of color or characters that are at all outside of the stereotypical white American teenager character-type are too difficult for the general YA reading public to relate to. TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE wholly demolishes that misconception - hurrah!

Review: The Summer I Wasn't Me by Jessica Verdi

Title: The Summer I Wasn't Me
Author: Jessica Verdi
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pub. Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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When Lexi’s mom finds out she’s gay, Lexi worries it will be the final straw, shattering what’s left of her family. Her mother has taken her father’s death hard, leaving Lexi to hold things together. Lexi’s mother’s revelation regarding her daughter’s sexual orientation wakes her from her grief-induced fog, giving her a purpose: to save her daughter. When she suggests Lexi attend a religious summer camp to convert her to heterosexuality, Lexi agrees to attend, hoping that it will salvage their relationship.

At first things at the camp seem tame – ridiculous and ineffective, but tame nonetheless. Lexi and her fellow campers settle into camp, but soon realize that those who don’t conform are punished, the conversion activities becoming violent and dangerous. The pressure is on and Lexi must decide who she wants to be, how she wants to live, and how far she’ll go for those she loves.

I was really surprised by how dark this novel got, but, at the same time, when we’re dealing with converting one’s sexuality, what else can you really expect? As a strong believer in the idea that individuals can love any way they please – same sex or otherwise – THE SUMMER I WASN’T ME was a difficult read. It makes me incredibly sad that anyone would feel that their sexuality is wrong and that they should change it, at any cost. For that reason, I think this sophomore novel from Jessica Verdi is extremely important. Readers should feel shocked and upset about the events in this novel. I’m just hoping that readers feel so much that they take a stand and support GLBT individuals.

My only complaint about this novel is that it seemed to end rather abruptly after some pretty intense events took place. Everything was wrapped up a bit too neatly, undermining the believability slightly. Still, in ways, it was nice to have that safe, happy ending after the heaviness earlier in the novel. I think most readers won’t be bothered by the ending.

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Don't miss my interview with the author here!

Review: What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Title: What I Thought Was True
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Dial/Penguin
Pub. Date: April 15, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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Gwen's summer begins like any other: pulling any and all shifts at her father's restaurant, playing third wheel to her best friends, a couple with no qualms about PDA, and taking care of her little brother. She never expects it to be the summer where everything changes... the summer where everything she's always believed to be true becomes muddled and the future that once seemed both inevitable and comforting suddenly shifts. Gwen takes on a caregiver position with an lively older woman, finding herself in difficult and often uncomfortable situations that test her beliefs about right and wrong and her place in the world. And, no matter how hard she tries to avoid him, Gwen finds her path constantly crossing with that of Cassidy Somers, a boy she finds herself trusting against her better judgement.

Huntley Fitzpatrick earned much deserved praise with her debut, My Life Next Door, a novel that became one of my favorite contemporary YA novels before I'd even finished reading it. So, unsurprisingly, What I Thought Was True has landed squarely on my list of favorites as well. 

I quickly fell in love with the characters and struggles within What I Thought Was True. There are many important themes touched on in this novel, but the lessons about finding who you are and what you believe in, even, and especially, in the face of lies, gossip, and misinterpretation, are what carry this novel and make it a must read for teens and adults alike. 

Aaaand the swoonworthy romance doesn't hurt this book's must-read status one bit!

Review: Ask Me by Kimberly Pauley

 

Title: Ask Me
Author: Kimberly Pauley
Publisher: Soho Teen
Pub. Date: April 8, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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Aria Morse is an Oracle, which sounds a lot cooler than it actually is. Aria must answer every questions she hears, whether it's directed at her or not, and she has no control over her response. Here odd mumblings and awkward responses make her a social pariah, bullied and ostracized. While it's not fun, she almost prefers that no one talks to her because it saves her from having to deal with her "gift." She'd rather just lie low until her powers disappear, like have with every Oracle before her, including her grandmother. When Jade, the only classmate who ever showed Aria kindness, disappears under mysterious circumstances, Aria may be the only person with the ability to uncover the details surrounding her demise. The two prime suspects are Will and Alex, two boys Jade was involved with, who now seem to show up everywhere Aria turns. When she starts to develop feelings for one of the boys and more girls show up murdered, Aria knows she'll have to stop running from her gift and embrace it.

While I really liked the premise of ASK ME - a teenaged Oracle who has to catch a killer is a pretty solid idea - I wasn't a fan of the characters or plot development.

I couldn't connect with Aria and, unfortunately, found all of the characters and their motivations pretty juvenile and stereotypical. I was especially annoyed by Aria grandmother and grandfather, who she lives with. Her grandmother is constantly trying to encourage her to use her gifts, despite the bullying and ill treatment Aria experiences because of her lack of control over them. I really couldn't understand how Aria's grandmother could just ignore the negative consequences of being Oracle, especially when she'd been one herself. Aria's grandfather was slightly better, but he was always forgetting that Aria had no choice but to respond to every question she hears and never fails to ask tons of questions around her. You'd think that the man who raised Aria would eventually develop a habit of avoiding pointless questions at the expense of his beloved granddaughter.

Another issue was the unbelievability of some of the plot developments. I could get on board with Aria being an Oracle, but I couldn't suspend my belief when Aria, who has been ostracized for years, suddenly has two boys after her. I mean, really? All of a sudden she's desirable and her weirdness can be overlooked, though nothing at all has changed? A lot of the plot depends on Will and Alex's interest in Aria, so when their interest seems forced, the entire plot seems forced.

It seems like some readers are enjoying this one, so don't take my word for it! Check out these positive reviews:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/781623069?book_show_action=true&page=1

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/869212961?book_show_action=true&page=1

Review: Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Title: Grasshopper Jungle

Author: Andrew Smith

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile/Penguin

Pub. Date: February 11, 2014

Genre: Young Adult

Rec. Age Level: 14+

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Austin Szerba has enough to deal with without adding an unstoppable army of six-foot-tall praying mantises to the mix: he's conflicted about his sexuality, thinks about sex constantly, and struggles to find his place in his small, religious Midwestern town. A self-appointed historian, Austin chronicles the present and the past... He's devoted to telling the truth, no matter how messy, confusing, or  painful, so, with the likely end of the world approaching, it falls on Austin to find pull the threads of past and present together, recording seemingly random events that, together, lead to the rise of an army of hungry, horny unstoppable six-foot-tall praying mantises and the fall of man.

Grasshopper Jungle is many things: abrasive, real, shocking, entertaining, hopeful, funny, sad. I think though, most of all, it's truthful. Behind the giant praying mantises, scientific experiments, and weird underground cults, there are so many important, very real truths within its pages... Big truths about identity, love, life, sexuality, religion, and science. It's clear, just from the description, that what Andrew Smith has written won't be for every reader, but for some it will be just the book they've been waiting for... the book that changes everything.

As a Polish girl who grew up in a small, religious Midwestern town, Austin is in some ways my male equivalent. Though we have distinct differences, the fact that Austin and I have very similar origins intrigued me and allowed me to identify with this story in a memorable, emotional way. In ways, I wasn’t at all surprised by what happened within Grasshopper Jungle…  I mean, the end of the world being caused by prejudice, backwards thinking, man trying to play God, and judgment passed while clinging to religion doesn’t seem all that far-fetched to me.

While there are many things that I’d like to say about Grasshopper Jungle, it’s a hard book to write about… there are so many elements and so many big ideas that, to really write about it, I feel like I’d have to write pages and pages. So, instead, I’m going to tell you to go read it. Then have a friend read it. And then sit down and talk about it for hours because there’s plenty to talk about here… things that should be talked about. Sure, it looks like a simple story about horny, constantly hungry praying mantises (and teenage boys), but it’s also about life… the world… you and me and them and us. It’s about everything.

Review: Donna of the Dead by Alison Kemper

Title: Donna of the Dead
Author: Alison Kemper
Publisher: Entangled
Pub. Date: March 4, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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Cruises are a routine event when your dad works on cruise ships for a living, but what should be a laid back trip takes a turn for the deadly when a mysterious illness finds its way on board. Donna is in the middle of the ocean with her dad and, much to Donna’s annoyance, his dad’s older girlfriend and her grandson, Donna’s classmate, Deke, when the first reports of a debilitating illness that leaves the infected looking suspiciously like zombies take over the news. Donna pays little attention to the reports, after all, she has her own problems, like why Deke is acting so weird, whether her best friend, who hasn’t been answering her calls, is mad at her, and figuring out if the odd voices she keeps hearing in her head mean she’s crazy. When the fast acting illness takes over the ship, turning everyone on board into zombies except Donna and her family, it’s the voices that keep her one step ahead of the zombies. Donna and Zeke make it off the ship, but are forced to leave her dad and his grandmother on board. The adults assure Donna and Zeke they have a plan to make it off the ship and send them inland to search for shelter and safety in the meantime. When they stumble across a ragtag group of classmates barricaded within their high school, including Donna’s longtime crush, Liam, Donna and Zeke join the group hoping that, together, they can survive long enough for Donna’s dad to come up with a safe, zombie-free hiding place. As the situation escalates, the teens struggle to put aside their differences and rivalries to outlast and outsmart the growing horde of zombies surround the school. Some will break under the pressure, losing their grip on reality, some will be rescued by a pepper spray wielding librarian, and some will experience the magic of a first kiss in the is thrilling and laugh-out-loud funny zombie-filled coming of age story from Alison Kemper.

I have a weakness for apocalyptic zombie stories, so of course I had to read Alison Kemper’s Donna of the Dead. While this story wasn’t particularly unique and surprising, I still enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down. The great thing about this particular premise is that it doesn’t have to be entirely original, the predictability is half of the fun!

My opinion on Donna wavered throughout the book. Sometimes she her selfishness and tendency towards self-preservation was infuriating, but she finally pulled it together in the latter half of the novel. Deke, on the other hand, I loved from the start. I liked that Kemper allowed a guy who, in Donna’s eyes, is a nerdy video game player to become the hero. After all, he’s spent years virtually training for a zombie takedown. Gotta love an underdog!

I did feel like some of the details that played an important role within the novel weren’t fully explained or fleshed out. Some elements just felt rushed and haphazard.  I think those issues could be remedied with a second book about Donna or, if not about Donna, at least set in the same world. Still, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Kemper!

Review: Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher [Throwback Thursday]

Throwback Thursday is a upcycled weekly meme hosted by Sabrina at I Heart YA Fiction. To participate, read an older release or a book that has been on your shelf for awhile. Post your review, then link back to I Heart YA Fiction using the Mr. Linky! (Or repost an old review - there's no reason those books from a couple years ago shouldn't get some love!)

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Title: Ketchup Clouds

Author: Annabel Pitcher

Publisher: Little, Brown BFYR

Pub. Date: 11.12.2013

Genre: Young Adult

Rec. Age Level: 14+

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Zoe has a dark secret... a secret that she's been carrying with her since a tragic day in May. Though no one would ever suspect it, Zoe is a murderer. She killed a boy she was supposed to love and got away with it. But the guilt of her actions keep her awake at night and drive her to seek out an unconventional pen pal, a Mr. Stuart Harris. Mr. Harris might be the only person who can understand how Zoe feels... he may be the only person she can confess to. After all, Mr. Harris also killed someone he was supposed to love, his wife, and he now sits on death row in Texas. So begins Zoe's story, told entirely in letters written from a cold, damp shed to a death row inmate an ocean away. Slowly, the events that led to a deadly May day unfold, culminating in a thrilling, heartwrenching conclusion. An off-beat story fill with wry, dark humor and a bittersweet romance, KETCHUP CLOUDS is a story of love, loss, and, ultimately, redemption.

KETCHUP CLOUDS is one of the best books I've read in years. I've only read two other books that I've loved like this: JELLICOE ROAD and THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE. These are the books - the stories - that I wish I could experience again for the very first time.

Annabel Pitcher's sophomore novel is character driven and, except for the final few pages, is told entirely in letters from Zoe to Mr. Harris, convicted murderer and death row inmate. No responses from Mr. Harris are included in the text; this is very much Zoe's story... Zoe's confession. But it's important that these letters are to someone, not, for example, diary entries, because Zoe needs to be writing to someone who she feels can understand her guilt. At the same time, the epistolary format allows for a relationship to develop between Zoe and her pen pal, a relationship filled with awkward truths, dark humor, and painful memories. And it's fitting, and perhaps necessary, that Zoe never receives a letter back from Mr. Harris, this way, she can tell her story and come to terms with what happened while feeling protected by anonymity. For Zoe, confessing her secrets is cathartic.

Because Zoe starts at the beginning, long before she was a self-proclaimed murderer, much of the book focuses on the events leading up to the murder. Through Zoe's careful telling, the events come together slowly, fitting together like a puzzle. Zoe tells Mr. Harris about her life at home: her parents' marital issues, her sister being bullied, her littlest sister, deaf, struggling to learn to read lips. With all the drama happening at home, no one notices Zoe... or the start of her relationship with two brothers, a relationship that ends with one dead. But, in the midst of all this darkness, there is so much love. The love between Zoe and her family, even when things seem to be spinning out of control at home. The slow, sweet love that builds between Zoe and a boy that she can't forget, even when their love could hurt those closest to them. Zoe never imagined that her actions could end in death and, as I read, I kept hoping that they wouldn't. Hoping that, somehow, there could be a happy ending for Zoe.

I want to take this book and press it in to the hands of every reader I know. I hope that everyone that reads it falls as madly in love with it as I did. 

Review: Year of Mistaken Discoveries by Eileen Cook

Title: Year of Mistaken Discoveries
Author: Eileen Cook
Publisher: Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Pub. Date: February 25, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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Once, Nora and Avery were best friends. Now, Avery can't remember the last time they've talked. As kids, they bonded over both being adopted, but, as they grew up, their paths diverged. Avery joined the ranks of popularity, becoming a cheerleader and focusing on the future, rather than her past. Nora did the opposite; she separated herself from her peers and never lost her drive to unravel her mysterious beginnings and track down her birth mother.

Avery is at a party when her path, once again, intersects with Nora's. After an immensely awkward breakup with her boyfriend, Avery is executing her escape from the party when, much to her surprise, Nora stops her. She tells her that she never gave up looking for her mother and that she thought she'd found her, until she discovered that it was really just a cruel stranger hoping to take advantage of Nora's weakness. Avery is distracted with her own problems and, brushing Nora off, thinks little about the conversation... until the next morning when her parents tell her that Nora has died from an overdose. Shocked by the news and feeling an immense sense of guilt for abandoning Nora - both in her time of need and as they grew up - Avery begins to reflect on her own life.

Teaming up with Nora's friend, Brody, Avery decides that, to honor Nora's memory (and, secretly, to achieve some of her own goals), she'll track down her own birth mother. But a journey that starts out to be more about others - and how other perceive her - soon takes on a more personal, internal meaning.

This is the third novel I've read by Eileen Cook and, while each has a very different premise, all have a very similar and distinct feel I've come to identify with this author. Cook is skilled at creating realistic characters and putting them in thought-provoking situations. In YEAR OF MISTAKEN DISCOVERIES, Avery, the central character, has concerns that make her easy for readers to identify with: a boyfriend that she doesn't love, but stays with out of convenience and comfort, regrets about the choices she's made as she nears adulthood, and concerns over getting into her dream school.

Adding to the realism, Avery is far from perfect. She pitches her search for her mother as a act done in Nora's honor, but, secretly, she has ulterior motives: it'd make a killer essay for her college applications. This may make Avery look pretty horrible, but, in the context of the novel, the reader empathizes with the pressure Avery feels after not being accepted early admission to her dream school. Though we might not like her actions, we understand them.

Though Avery has, in many ways, separated herself from her past and her adoption, her search for her mother reawakens much of the confusion and questions that have sat dormant as she lived her life. While I expected to sympathize with Avery's feelings, I was surprised by how much I empathized. Cook made it easy to imagine myself in a situation like Avery's... Even though Avery loves her (adoptive) parents, her past is still, in many ways, important. She wonders why her mother gave her up for adoption, if she thinks about her, what her biological grandparents were like... Though most readers may not directly identify with Avery's concerns, they will easily connect with the importance of family, both biological and otherwise, that she explores during her search.

YEAR OF MISTAKEN DISCOVERIES is another solid offering from Cook. Definitely recommended.

Q&A Session with Janet Gurtler, author of 16 Things I Thought Were True [Blog Tour]

Author Janet Gurtler visits The Hiding Spot today as part of her #16ThingsIThoughtWereTrue blog tour! Janet is the author of multiple contemporary YA titles and I'm happy to promote her newest book!

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Young Adult Author. Cranky before coffee intake. Books to date include, I'M NOT HER, IF I TELL, WHO I KISSED and HOW I LOST YOU! I'm a board member of WGA and member of SCWBI, CANSCAIP. I eat too many carbs. I love socks. Little kids crack me up but mean adults are on my naughty list.

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Did you have trouble writing any of your characters or specific scenes within the novel? Alternately, were any characters or scenes particularly easy to write? 

This novel actually came pretty easily.  I don’t remember having difficulty with any particular scenes.

Amy was really easy to write because I loved having her say really inappropriate things without any guile.  She was the complete opposite of repressed Morgan and fun to write. I loved the scene where the three of the are in a cow field trying to get Wi-Fi reception and also on the ferry when Amy is whale watching. 

Has the title changed or stayed relatively the same as your novel journeyed towards publication?

This title was actually the brain child of the editorial team over at Sourcebooks. My titles are never picked. I suck at titles. :)  The title was actually finalized before the book was finished!

Many people dream of their ideal jobs while working somewhere less desirable to make ends meet, never realizing what great experience those jobs of necessity are for their future. What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing?

I was a professional sales representative for many years before being published. (I’m kind of old) These positions definitely helped me develop the tough skin you need to become a published writer. I learned how to bounce back from rejection in a sales job.  I was also a disc jockey when I was in college, which helps with speaking engagements I sometimes get to do now.

What book or author has most influenced you as a writer or in general?  

I would have to say that S. E. Hinton really influenced me as a writer, because her books were the ones I LOVED as a teen. I am drawn to realistic fiction about the grittier things in life and her books definitely made me feel things as a reader that I try to get my readers to feel.

 If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why?

Ohh. Good question.  Isosceles triangle because of the way it rolls around on your tongue.

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality?

Well, like you, I also like to escape into books. Growing up and into my twenties I would definitely lose myself for days at a time in books. Another favorite escape for me is going to movies at the movie theater.  I love disappearing in the dark, and being temporarily transported to another world. 

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Learn more about Janet and her books here.