Author Taylor Fenner: Tough Subjects

Showing posts with label Tough Subjects. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

{Book Review + Blog Tour} Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia

From the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, comes BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS—a red-hot romance that will break your heart and put it back together again! Don’t miss this stunning new title from Kami Garcia!

BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS is now available at all fine retailers. Order your copy today!

Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia

Blurb:

Before, Peyton was a star soccer player with the perfect boyfriend, Reed. Now, she has a torn knee ligament, a scholarship on the line, and a shattered sense of self. No one believes Reed pushed her, causing her injury, and Peyton just wants to leave the trauma behind. Living with her uncle and twin cousins in their small, football-obsessed town seems like a great escape plan.

There, Peyton meets Owen—high school classmate and local MMA fighter. Though Owen is charming and gentle, Peyton is determined to repress her growing attraction. But when her old and new life collide, Peyton must reclaim the truth of her past in order to save her future.

Order BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS here!

http://kamigarcia.com/books/broken-beautiful-hearts/

My Review:

I can sum Broken Beautiful Hearts up quickly: the main character, Peyton is a rising star, amazing soccer player headed to her dream college. Then she finds out her fighter boyfriend is abusing steroids, confronts him, he goes into a rage and pushes her down a flight of steps outside a party. Peyton tells everyone, including her boyfriend's sister who is also her best friend, what happens but nobody (other than her mother) believes her. Then the threats start and Peyton has to leave town. In her new town she meets a new boy, Owen and tries to fight her attraction to him but she really likes him. Then her psycho ex shows up with the attitude "If I can't have you no one can", things escalate, and finally at the end Peyton allows herself to be with Owen. I mean, some other stuff happens but that's basically the gist.

I requested to be on the blog tour for this book because I've read and loved other books by Kami Garcia and the way it was promoted sounded like if you liked The Lovely Reckless, Garcia's last book, you'd love this one. While I loved The Lovely Reckless and devoured it in one night, this book reminded me of the plot of about 10 Lifetime movies I've seen. I've read other books where the main character is an athlete, which is not exactly something I can relate to, but I've enjoyed those books and thought I'd like this book but it seemed almost too focused on the boring mechanics of soccer in the beginning. I also get that the author was trying to convey a true image of teen dating violence but if I were Peyton I would have handled things differently from the start. I wouldn't have given a damn that Reed was supporting his family, his butt would have been in jail and there would have been a restraining order.

The players in this book:

The Heroine / Survivor:

Peyton is supposed to be shown as a girl putting her life back together but I honestly didn't like her very much. In the beginning she was whiny and kind of self-absorbed then after the incident it was like she was still trying to protect Reed, even indirectly. I never really grew to like her after that.

The Perpetrator:

Reed is your basic controlling, abusive boyfriend. Steroids or not, he's not a good guy no matter what anyone says. The whole fact that Peyton didn't want to rush in and tell Reed her good news that morning in case waking him up caused an argument? That's what we call a red flag. He's not a sexy bad boy we love, he's a psycho to run far away from.

The Traitor:

Don't get me started on Tess. I know Reed was her brother but come on, you've seen his mood swings! You know something is up!

The Love Interest:

Honestly, Owen was the only thing that saved this story for me. I loved him as a character.

Overall, I didn't like the first half of this book and I almost DNF'd it a few times because I didn't like the main character, but the second half of the book got better. It was a quick read and the book's intent has an important message but it wasn't a unique story for me. I feel like I've seen the same story in different variations in television movies and other books.

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟

3 of 5 Stars

Excerpt

This is not how I envisioned celebrating my big news. I reach for my phone to check the time, wondering if it’s too early to head home. But it isn’t in my pocket. Nothing but lip balm, house keys, and Reed’s car keys. God forbid he carry anything except his phone. I pat down my coat. “I lost my phone.”

“It’s probably in the car, like the last three times you lost it. I need to run to the bathroom and then I’ll help you find it,” Tess says.

The line for the bathroom is six people deep. I can’t wait that long. “All my voice mails are on it.”

Tess knows that by all I really mean one—the last message from my dad. It’s the reason I’ve had the same phone for a year and a half, even though it barely holds a charge.

“I bet it’s in the car,” she says. “Don’t worry.”

“I’m just going to run out and check.” I leave through the back door.

Outside, a stone retaining wall snakes down the hill beside the house. The wall separates a paved footpath from the long driveway. My arm scrapes against the rock as I rush toward the steps at the end of the walk- way that lead down to the street.

Reed parked his car across from the steps, and I can’t get it unlocked fast enough. I search for my phone in the front seat and between the crevices of the center console.

Nothing.

Think. Retrace your steps.

When we got in Reed’s car I tossed my jacket in the back seat. My phone could’ve fallen out of the pocket. I lean between the front seats and grope around.

Come on. Please be here.

What if it’s not?

My chest tightens. I can’t lose Dad’s message.

Reed’s car is full of junk—hand wraps, sparring pads, sweaty T-shirts, and empty energy drinks. His smelly gym bag is open on the floor. I dig through it until my fingers hit something rectangular and smooth.

A box.

I take it out of the bag, expecting a cheap plastic box like one Reed uses as a first aid kit. But this box is glossy black cardboard, like a gift box.

Reed doesn’t do surprises, and he thinks presents are a waste of money. The only gift he has given me in the seven months we’ve been together was for my birthday. And Tess and Mrs. Michaels don’t have birthdays anytime soon.

My stomach bottoms out.

All the time he’s been spending at the gym . . . What if Reed hasn’t been there every night?

Things have been off between us for a while and I’m not a fan of his recent mood swings, but I’d never cheat on him. That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t.

The box doesn’t have a store name or logo printed on it, and it’s a weird size—too big for a bracelet and too deep for a necklace. A watch, maybe?

I open the lid.

***

HEAR IT FIRST

Order a digital or print edition of

BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS

by #1 New York Times bestselling

author Kami Garcia

and be the first to hear

an exclusive announcement from Kami about her next book--a secret project her publisher is keeping under wraps!

Fans of Beautiful Creatures, Dangerous Creatures, and The Legion series won't want to miss this exciting news!

This is a limited time offer! So hurry! Registration ends on February 28, 2018! You must register your preorder to receive the exclusive announcement from Kami!

https://a.pgtb.me/J61sNg

“Something wonderful happened to me as I read this—I fell in love. Genuine, shattering, deep, heart-pounding love. Thank you, Kami Garcia, for Peyton and Owen. We need their story."

—Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe

Kami Garcia’s BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

January 29th

Becky on Books – Review & Excerpt

Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

JOJO THE BOOKAHOLIC – Review & Excerpt

Read. Eat. Love. – Review & Excerpt

The Book Maven – Review

January 30th

Angie and Jessica's Dreamy Reads – Review & Excerpt

Bibliobibuli YA – Excerpt

Kelly's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf – Review & Excerpt

Moonlighting Scrivener – Review

Resch Reads and Reviews – Review

January 31st

Booknerd1107 – Review & Excerpt

Loves Great Reads Blog – Review & Excerpt

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

YA/NA Book Divas – Excerpt

February 1st

A Page to Turn – Review

Dazzled by Books – Review & Excerpt

Ellie Is Uhm ... A Bookworm – Review & Excerpt

Mundie Moms – Review & Excerpt

Monday, January 22, 2018

Book Review: Ryan's Bed by Tijan

Ryan's Bed by Tijan

Blurb:

I crawled into Ryan Jensen’s bed that first night by accident.

I barely knew him. I thought it was his sister’s bed—her room. It took seconds to realize my error, and I should've left...

I didn’t.

I didn’t jump out.

I didn’t get embarrassed.

I relaxed.

And that night, in that moment, it was the only thing I craved.

I asked to stay. He let me, and I slept.

The truth? I never wanted to leave his bed. If I could've stayed forever, I would have.

He became my sanctuary.

Because—four hours earlier—my twin sister killed herself.

Buy Links

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Amazon (print only until release day)

My Review:

When Mackenzie gets up to get a drink and goes back to the room she thinks she was sleeping in - the room of the daughter of one of her father's coworkers - she accidentally crawls into the bed of the girl's brother. But while before she was having trouble sleeping, she instantly falls asleep feeling comfort for the first time after walking in and finding her twin sister Willow dead in a puddle of her own blood only a few hours earlier.

While the rest of her life is falling apart she finds comfort with Ryan Jensen, he becomes her

life preserver in a world that no longer makes sense. At times Mackenzie feels like she's healing while other times she feels like she's drowning from the pain of her sister's death.

Her one constant becomes Ryan. But is what's developing with Ryan happening too fast? Is what she's feeling real? Or is she just using him because he's the only person who makes her feel normal?

Ryan's Bed is going to be a book that stays with me for a long time. It's one of those books, like one of my favorites - Crash Into Me by Albert Boris, that changes you and makes you see things in a different way.

While Mackenzie and Ryan do develop a relationship over the course of the book, this book is more about grief and survivor's guilt, about putting your life back together after the unthinkable happens. Mackenzie goes through the stages of grief as she tries to cope with what Willow did, the loss of her twin, her parents' distance, and her brother going away to a school for the gifted all at once. She tries numbing the pain with alcohol and even sex, fighting with girls at school, all just to make Willow's voice in her head go away. Ryan is an amazing character, the kind of guy you wish existed in real life who would take a girl he doesn't even know under his wing and offers her comfort in her time of need.

I haven't read anything by Tijan before but I loved this book and I liked her writing style. One thing I would have changed though was her word choice with "pile of blood." Blood is liquid therefore I don't believe it can be piled up so to speak. I think puddle of blood or pool of blood would have been a better word choice.

Overall, this book is sad but beautifully written and I already want to reread it even though I've just finished reading it!

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

5 of 5 Stars!

Enter the Ultimate Ryan's Bed Giveaway!

https://tinyurl.com/ryansbedgiveaway

Connect with Tijan

Facebook | Twitter | Site

Friday, May 12, 2017

The 13 Reasons Why Phenomenon

The "13 Reasons Why" Phenomenon: Learning Tool To End Bullying or Glamourizing Teen Suicide?

You've seen it on Facebook News, Skimmed articles on Buzzfeed and Yahoo, Heard news reports and even heard Dr. Phil bash it: the Netflix Original Series, 13 Reasons Why based on Jay Asher's novel of the same name.

But is 13 Reasons a haunting series about the consequences of bullying or a glamorization of teen suicide? Viewers are divided.

Do you want my honest opinion? Do you really?

You do? Cool! - I watched the show starting the night that it premiered on Netflix and continued by watching 2-3 episodes a night until I got to the end. And it hooked me. I had to keep watching to see what the next tape would reveal. Personally, as I also read the book after I watched the series, I liked the show better than the book. It had way more meat to it. The book was like an empty shell.

But did the show make me want to commit suicide? I mean, I may not be a teenager anymore but 24 isn't that old. The answer? Hell no! To me, although yes, Hannah does commit suicide, the show wasn't really about suicide at all. It was about bullying.

Maybe I saw it that way because I was bullied in my early teen years, but for that reason, the show spoke to me. Let me be straight with you, I have never been suicidal in my life. Never. Not one single thought of ending it all. I fit onto the other end of the spectrum, I fear death in a find-me-Edward-Cullen-to-bite-me-and-make-me-immortal type of way. I'm not kidding. I'm literally terrified of death - to the point that if I even think the word death for too long I start hyperventilating and having a panic attack. But enough about me.

Here are a few reasons I think the "13 Reasons Why glamourizes teen suicide" notion is a bunch of b.s.:

1: The book first came out ten years ago. If it made it so glamorous to commit suicide as a teen, why has it been on and off the best-seller list for the past 10 years and nobody took issue with it before?

2: Anyone with half a brain could see that Hannah had issues long before any of the events listed on the tapes. The book and the show both hint at issues at her previous school and her family obviously was having issues too, so in a way most of the "reasons" she listed were nothing but excuses to blame someone else for her decision.

3. Tagging on point 2, none of the "reasons" Hannah gives (save for maybe tape 12 and even that isn't enough of a reason) are enough of a reason for me (remember me? fear of death girl?) for someone to kill themselves. Um, a guy said he felt you up to the guys at school? Another guy said you had the best ass in the class? You made out with a girl and some guy took a picture? A guy published a poem you wrote that he thought was great in his newspaper? Seriously? Even in my teen years, I would have laughed most of that crap off (or been flattered in the case of the poem).

4. If Hannah's parents (or the critical parents taking issue with the show) had paid a little more attention to their child and found out what was going on at school - maybe taking the teachers/school/parents of classmates to task when the crap was going on then their child wouldn't have thought the only solution was to commit suicide. I mean I'm not a parent, but come on. In this day and age parents aren't like how my grandmother raised me. They're not like the parents of my classmates when I was in elementary school. They're so preoccupied with their own crap - their search for a new man/woman in their life, drama at work, having time with their friends being priority #1, etc. that they really have no idea what is going on in their kid's life. And most of the time they don't care. And seriously, before you jump on me for that comment, I'm speaking from experience here. I've seen a lot of parents like that so I'm not making it up.

5. This isn't the only book with a teen suicide subject matter. In that case, you should probably go after Gayle Foreman's I Was Here and Albert Boris's Crash Into Me as well.

***

I'm not trying to trivialize or downplay depression or suicide in any way. I'm really not. Someone very close to my heart struggles with both of those issues and my heart breaks for that person constantly. Loving someone that is depressed or suicidal is hard. You feel helpless like you're powerless to do anything except try to be there for them in any way you can.

If you or someone you know battles depression or suicidal thoughts please, please consider seeking professional help or telling someone close to that person (a parent, teacher, loved one, etc) what's going on. They may be mad at you now, but it is the right thing to do. Through it all, remember that people do love you and would be devastated if you were no longer there and if it's someone you know is suffering make sure they know that every chance you get.

You never know what may make a world of difference in a person's life.