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If He Had Been With Me

Finished If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin.  I received a copy from the publisher on Netgalley.

Summary (from Goodreads):

“Throughout their whole childhood, Finn and Autumn were inseparable—they finished each other’s sentences, they knew just what to say when the other person was hurting. But one incident in middle school puts them in separate social worlds come high school, and Autumn has been happily dating James for the last 2 years. But she’s always wondered what if…

The night she’s about to get the answer is also one of terrible tragedy.”

Oh, you guys, this book got me in the feelings.

From the prologue, we know that this will not be a happy story.  I received fair warning from the first few pages and yet I spent the entire book hoping that somehow it would end up differently and that things would work out.

The interesting thing about this book—and it worked in The Philadelphia Story, too—is that for most of the book, Autumn is dating a guy named Jamie.  And he’s a really cool guy, the kind of person that you’d be happy for your daughter to date.  So I spent the bulk of the book rooting for Autumn and Jamie.  And yet, it’s also obvious that Autumn and Finn are meant for each other.  It’s almost as much of a given as gravity.

I love that, incidentally.  I love that I can adore one couple and then something happens and my allegiance completely switches to another couple.

And this is one of the best love stories I’ve ever read and it proves so well that sad things can also be beautiful (which, as it happens, is an argument between Autumn and Jamie in the novel).

Highly recommended, but be aware that you’re going to want tissues.  Tissues, plural.

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Timeless

Finished Timeless by Michelle Madow.  I received a review pitch from the author.  This is the first book in a trilogy; you can get all three books in an omnibus edition here.  There are spoilers for the first two books in this review.

Summary (from Goodreads):

“In Remembrance, Lizzie and Drew changed the course of fate so they could be together.

In Vengeance, Chelsea set fate back on its original, deadly path.

Now, strange things keep happening to Lizzie. Things that are omens of darkness to come. A curse has doomed her to die an early death, just as she did in her past life. To make matters worse, even if she can figure out who cast the curse, it’s irreversible. There’s only one option left for her to save herself. It’s crazier than anything she’s heard yet, and to do it, she’ll need Drew and Chelsea’s help.

Because to make things right, they must go back to when it all began … and Lizzie discovers that the final events in her past life were more sinister than she ever imagined.”

I mainlined this trilogy in two days.  I pretty much dare anyone else not to do the same.

While this book doesn’t have the romance that Remembrance did, it more than made up for it in terms of action.  While the first two books aren’t exactly boring, this one kept me completely enthralled, trying to figure out exactly who was going on and, at the end, who to trust.

I absolutely loved Lizzie, Drew and even  Chelsea, and I kept realizing that I was holding my breath, hoping that everything would manage to work out for everyone.

Michelle Madow’s definitely one of my must-buy authors now and I can’t wait to start her new series (out early next year).

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Things I’m Obsessed With

Welcome to the latest Things I’m Obsessed With!

TV:

Tonight is the season finale of Nashville.  Once I watch that episode (tomorrow), Mad Men will be the only show I’m watching.  (But Breaking Bad comes back in August!)  I’ve really enjoyed all the finales so far—especially The Office’s farewell on Thursday.  I’m sad my shows are (almost) all gone but it’s good for two reasons.  One is that I have more time to read and the other is that it means that we’re getting closer to the return of Breaking Bad.  (We won’t talk about the fact that there are only eight episodes left. EVER)

Movies:

I go on vacation for BEA after my work shift on Sunday (so 4 p.m.) and I am so excited because I will be seeing The Hangover 3 on Monday (I think).  I love the first two movies (even though the second one wasn’t as good as the first) and I have high hopes for this one.  And it’ll be nice to see Ed Helms again.  (Did I mention that I’ll miss The Office since it finally got really good again?)

Books:

I promise this is the next to last time I’ll talk about this, but BEA is NEXT WEEK.  We are at red alert, people!  I am excited to see Kathy again and finally meet Gae and just have an excellent time and get ALL THE BOOKS, but I have to tell you, I’m just as excited for a full week off work.  (My coworker is on maternity leave, so I took a bare bones BEA break in the hopes that it would ensure that I got the time off—which clearly worked.)  There are always surprises every year, so I’m almost as excited to see what my bonus favorite will be as I am to get the stuff I’m already looking forward to.  BEA is the highlight of my year and I am so ready for a highlight. :)

And we’re almost there!

So what are you obsessed with this week?

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I’m Not Her: For Free! (This Week Only)

So this week, you can get a copy of I’m Not Her by Janet Gurtler for free! It’s the iBookstore Book of the Week! You can get it here.

Even better, she has a new book out this month, too. (How I Lost You.) I’ve bought it, but since I am currently reading only review books, there is no telling when I can read it. (You should buy it, too; after you read it, email me and let me know what I’m missing.)

Entertainment Weekly interviewed her for their Shelf Life blog; you can read that here. And on her blog, she’s been interviewing other YA authors about their own best friends. It’s a fantastic feature.

But since we’re here to talk about I’m Not Her (which, again, you can get for free because it’s the iBookstore Book of the Week), here are some fun facts about that book:

  1. In a hospital scene in I’m Not Her one of the nurses is named Tracey and she takes Kristina’s flowers home to her daughter, Carly. Tracey is the name of my sister, Carly is her daughter in real life.

 

  1. Every single one of my books has a character named Carly in it. This is a tribute to my niece, Carly. The characters are not based on her per se, but there has to be a Carly in my books. Like a superstition or good luck charm or something.

 

  1. This book is dedicated to my sister Tracey. I was able to keep it a secret until Final Page Proofs came in.

 

  1. My niece Ciara plays volleyball and her nickname is CEE. She got recruited by a university in the States and is playing there. None of the volleyball players in the book were based on her though. She is a cool like a rock star.

 

  1. I thought Clark Trent was a funny name because of Superman’s secret identity. The Superman cape Clark wears in a scene cracked me up.

 

  1. I named a couple of the teachers in I’m Not Her after dogs I’ve had. Peppsy (Mr. Pepson) and Meeko (Mr. Meekers)

 

  1. In a scene Tess listens to Hedly on her iPod. I LOVE Jacob, the lead singer for the band. He was on the only season of Canadian Idol I watched.

 

  1. I named the golf course that Nick works at and Tess’s Dad plays at after my husband. Largurt (Larry Gurtler)

 

  1. I’m Not Her was originally called The Weight of Bones, but when I first started writing it I titled it Dance Big Sister.

 

  1. Tess’s love of the Discovery Channel and Myth Busters were inspired by my son

 

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Vengeance

Finished Vengeance by Michelle Madow.  I received a review pitch from the author.  This is the first book in a trilogy; you can get all three books in an omnibus edition here.  This review has spoilers for book one in the trilogy.

Summary (from Goodreads):

“When Chelsea Givens discovered that her ex-boyfriend Drew dumped her to be with her former best friend Lizzie, she’d never felt so betrayed in her life. Then her new friend Shannon tells her she can help set things right. Chelsea’s willing to listen, but what Shannon wants her to believe — that she shared a past life with Drew — is impossible. And what she wants her to do to get him back … well, it’s downright crazy.

Could Shannon be telling the truth? And if she is, what lengths will Chelsea go if it means making Lizzie pay?

Find out in Vengeance, the second part of the Transcend Time Saga.

*Vengeance is the short story that bridges the events in Remembrance and the final novel in the Saga.”

So this is more of a novella or short story than an actual novel.  Instead, as the synopsis says, it more sets the stage for book three than continues the story in its own right (if that makes sense).

Chelsea is pissed (and understandably so) that her best friend and boyfriend are now dating.  When she gets the chance to make things end the way they did the first time, she jumps at the chance.  But in Chelsea’s defense, she just sees the end result (she ends up with Drew the way she did the first time) and not the reason it happens (Lizzie dies).  So she’s all, “YES, LET’S DO THAT!”  Because honestly, as furious as Chelsea is, I don’t think she legitimately wants Lizzie dead.

Unfortunately, unless Drew and Lizzie manage to re-change things (AGAIN), that’s what will happen.  Which makes me so desperate for book three, I can’t even tell you.

This is a really fun trilogy (at least so far) and part of what really works for me is the fact that everyone involved is a shade of gray.  Obviously I want Lizzie and Drew together, but they’re not perfect.  They both screwed over Chelsea and Chelsea, in turn, isn’t a generic villain.  She has a legitimate grievance and while she’s going about it in a less than ideal way, I think most of us would understand.  (Although I hope we’d all stop short of having an ex’s new girlfriend killed.

Recommended.

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Remembrance

Finished Remembrance by Michelle Madow.  I received a review pitch from the author.  This is the first book in a trilogy; you can get all three books in an omnibus edition here.

Summary (from Goodreads):

“Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England … but she doesn’t know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie’s high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can’t stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can’t she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn’t going to be easy.”

Oh, this book.  It’s sweet and fun and romantic and just all the things.  This is a 90s era Sandra Bullock movie or 80s era Meg Ryan movie.

(So yes, needless to say, I did like it.)

We learn about things as Lizzie does, but the pacing is perfect.  There’s enough to keep me interested and curious but information is revealed in plenty of time.  It’s not one of those things where you’re drowning in the mythology and you have no idea what’s going on.  It’s a hard line to walk and Michelle Madow does it perfectly.

I can’t wait to read the other two books in this trilogy.  She also has a new book out next year, and I hope to snag that as soon as humanly possible.

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A Corner of White

Finished A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty.  I received a copy from the publisher.

Summary (from Goodreads):

“Madeleine Tully lives in Cambridge, England, the World – a city of spires, Isaac Newton and Auntie’s Tea Shop.

Elliot Baranski lives in Bonfire, the Farms, the Kingdom of Cello – where seasons roam, the Butterfly Child sleeps in a glass jar, and bells warn of attacks from dangerous Colours.

They are worlds apart – until a crack opens up between them; a corner of white – the slim seam of a letter.

A mesmerizing story of two worlds; the cracks between them, the science that binds them and the colours that infuse them.”

I adored this book.  Even though it’s definitely a fantasy novel, Cello seemed absolutely real.  (And while I initially preferred Madeleine’s chapters in our world, I quickly came to prefer reading about Elliot in his world.)

Which isn’t to say that the Madeleine chapters weren’t great.  Every aspect of this book is great. :)

The fact that Madeleine and Elliot are writing to each other initially made me nervous.  I was afraid that this book would basically become The Lake House.  And there is sort of that aspect (the two become friends) but (a) it’s not romantic and (b) it never overshadows the rest of the book.  Which is good, because WOW THIS BOOK.

This is the first in a trilogy, and I have so many questions that I hope the next two books answer.  What is the deal with the Colours? is chief among them.

This is an incredibly fun book but it’s also so well-written.  These characters wormed their way into my heart and I’m glad that there are two more books.  I would’ve been so sad if I had had to say goodbye to them with this book.  (I won’t think about the fact that I’ll have to do it in just two more.)

Recommended.