Off The Charts, Mind-Bending, Incredible Book! "Cowboy Villain Damsel Duel" by Ginger Scott

Ginger Scott steps away from her "usual" with Cowboy Villain Damsel Duel. And I am so glad that she did. Apparently, Ginger had this one sitting in her head for a while and it took some encouragement for her to put it out there for her readers. She really put herself out on cliff with this one. And she was 100% successful in pulling it off.

This book is one of the most amazing books I've ever read. I really don't read books like this. But if Ginger Scott writes it, I'm reading it! And I've never, ever been sorry that I made that promise to myself after reading Waiting On The Sidelines, so many years ago.

After mulling over what to say for over a week, all I can come up with is that it's amazing, it's twisty, it's curvy, and you have no idea where Ms. Scott is going to take you as you turn the pages. I loved having to THINK while reading this book. YOU will think hard while reading this book. You won't be able to avoid it. You'll ask yourself, "where is she going to take me now?" over and over. That's okay. Go freely where Ms. Scott wants you to go and you will NOT be sorry you did.

The book will be slow and steady at the beginning. It WILL pick up pace and it will throw you down the rabbit hole. Or does it? This a hands down, mind-blowing story, that will leave you with your jaw on the floor at the end. I am STILL trying to figure out certain things. This book is so popular and so mind-bending, it required the creation of a closed discussion group, for just THIS book, for those of us who have read it, to talk about the book. We really needed it.

My best advice to Ginger Scott's readers is to just get the book and read it. Let it take you down the rabbit hole. If Ginger Scott is new to you, I see no reason why you can't start here. I say read the other reviews. They'll all say the same thing. We really want to tell you that this happened, or that happened, but we really can't because of spoilers.

My questions are still: 
"What did I just read?"
"WTH?"
"Whaaaaat?"
"Who.....?"
"HUH?"

At 70% in, I literally shook my phone and said "damnnnnnn youuuuuu Gingerrrrrrrr!" out loud.

In 2013, Ginger launched her first novel, Waiting On The Sidelines. I surprisingly loved it. YA was not my genre. I never expected to enjoy it. When Wild Reckless came out in 2015, it immediately shot up to the TOP of the list as my favorite Ginger Scott book. Cowboy Villain Damsel Duel just completely knocked Wild Reckless off the top of my list and bumped it down to second place.

Go get the book, start reading, and let yourself go. You will love this ride!!!!!

Female Drummer Kicks It In "Drummer Girl" by Ginger Scott

Arizona Wakefield is a girl who plays snare drum in her school's marching band. She's not confident about a lot of things, but she knows how to work it on her snare drum and she kicks butt on set with refined precision and expertise. She's got an issue she can't talk about. Even her parents are in chosen denial about it.

Jesse Barringer has a once famous, "one hit wonder" deadbeat dad, who is still trying to find ways to use Jesse's singing talent for his own gain. His father has no shame in trying to exploit his talented son who only wants to sing in his band, and like many other teenagers, wants to make it in music. Jesse's also bipolar. He's emotional, he's got a temper, he's coming unglued under all of the stress from his father, and he's barely holding onto his sanity.

Ginger Scott has always included issues like gang violence, the ups and downs of high school, Autism, suicide, the barriers of social status, physical disabilities (seen and unseen), the aftermath of surviving a school shooting, alcoholism, being a teenaged father, and so much more.

Some people know someone who has Autism. Some people know someone who is physically disabled. Some people know someone who is an alcoholic. EVERYBODY knows someone who has a mental illness or mental health issue, diagnosed or undiagnosed, even if that someone is themselves.

In Drummer Girl...THIS BOOK IS AMAZING...the issue tackled here is mental illness, the stigmas attached to them (which Ginger Scott strips away), and how to talk about it openly. And like every other book Ginger has written, she geniusly weaves an extremely real issue into a fictional, contemporary romance, that is thrilling, filled with emotion, and enjoyable.

If you expect a clean, sugary, and sappy love story, you won't get that here. But you will get a love story that shows how relationships take work. Hard work. Any relationship worth having, is worth the work you put into it. Jesse and Arizona's relationship is no different.

To read Jesse and Arizona's journey will give you all "the feels." 

You will get mad when Jesse gets angry. You will feel the angst that Arizona feels when she takes on the pain that Jesse feels. You will probably SCREAM at Arizona's parents to open their eyes and deal with it. I did. 

I want a book that can rip my heart out, tinker with it, and then put it back, all fixed up, without leaving me hanging. "Drummer Girl" gave me all of that and then, more.

You might be overwhelmed by two teenagers, who are not just trying to foster a relationship. But they're also fighting their own demons, trying to help each other cope, and trying to overcome all of the other hurdles that a teenager goes through. And this is on top of the intense, typically hormone-driven life of a teenager. Ginger Scott guides these two through those hurdles with impeccable grace and care. She uses real talk, her characters' love for music, just enough grit, and the power that love can have, to get you there. Trust her to carry you all the way to the end. You'll be glad you did.

One of these characters speaks openly about their mental health challenges. The other really doesn't talk about it, primarily because they don't really know exactly why they're taking medication. Ginger Scott doesn't just give you a romance. Trust me, there is plenty of that along with some mature sexual situations. She will also give you a spot on, honest look at how ALL the characters handle all of these issues. 

Overall, this is majestically written. It's definitely a thought provoker. And it's got everything you want in any contemporary romance. Story depth, character depth, conflict, emotional tugs, and a more than satisfying ending.

Five "KICK ASS" Stars!!!

BOOK REVIEW: The Hard Count - by Ginger Scott

Synopsis of the book:

Nico Medina’s world is eleven miles away from mine. During the day, it’s a place where doors are open—where homes are lived in, and neighbors love. But when the sun sets, it becomes a place where young boys are afraid, where eyes watch from idling cars that hide in the shadows and wicked smoke flows from pipes.

West End is the kind of place that people survive. It buries them—one at a time, one way or another. And when Nico was a little boy, his mom always told him to run.

I’m Reagan Prescott—coach’s daughter, sister to the prodigal son, daughter in the perfect family.
Life on top.
Lies.
My world is the ugly one. Private school politics and one of the best high school football programs in the country can break even the toughest souls. Our darkness plays out in whispers and rumors, and money and status trump all. I would know—I’ve watched it kill my family slowly, strangling us for years.

In our twisted world, a boy from West End is the only shining light.
Quarterback.
Hero.
Heart.
Good.
I hated him before I needed him.
I fell for him fast.
I loved him when it was almost too late.

When two ugly worlds collide, even the strongest fall. But my world…it hasn’t met the boy from West End.

----------------------------------------------------------

Review:

Dear Ginger,

If you're going to continue to write FIVE STAR books that do things to me like make me cry, make me root OUT LOUD for your characters, and make me suffer a FIVE STAR book hangover, begging for more, then I'm going to have to THANK YOU for every heart-tugging word you put on every page!

Thank you, Ginger, for giving Nico and Reagan to the world. For allowing them to know who they are and for making them willing to overcome their own fears, to go against the grain, and to fight for themselves and for each other.

Thank you, Ms. Scott, for tackling the issues of racism and classism with fearless abandon, a tender hand, and at the same time, without being preachy. The careful grace and excellence you've availed in this book is unmatched.

Thank you, fearless Head Ninja, for making it close to impossible to pick ONE favorite of your books. After finishing The Hard Count I have decided that ALL of your books are my favorite, each for a different and specific reason.

Thank you, Ginger, for giving readers this priceless piece of art and for pouring your heart into it with reckless abandon. It's absolutely obvious that you poured your whole soul into this.

Congratulations Ginger! You've penned the quintessential YA novel.

With love,

Your "always here to read, blubbering like a baby, nose-blowing, ARC reading" chick from Philly,

T~

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About the Author:

Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, The Girl I Was Before, Wild Reckless, Wicked Restless and In Your Dreams.

A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.

When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).

Social Media Links:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GingerScottAuthor

Twitter: @TheGingerScott

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/thegingerscott/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GingerScottAuthor

Google: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GingerScottAuthor/posts

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/GingerScott

Website: http://www.littlemisswrite.com

Cover Reveal ... The Hard Count by Ginger Scott (AWESOME Video Included)

**A new stand-alone mature YA football romance from Ginger Scott releases July 15, 2016**

Nico Medina’s world is eleven miles away from mine. During the day, it’s a place where doors are open—where homes are lived in, and neighbors love. But when the sun sets, it becomes a place where young boys are afraid, where eyes watch from idling cars that hide in the shadows and wicked smoke flows from pipes.

West End is the kind of place that people survive. It buries them—one at a time, one way or another. And when Nico was a little boy, his mom always told him to run.

I’m Reagan Prescott—coach’s daughter, sister to the prodigal son, daughter in the perfect family.
Life on top.
Lies.
My world is the ugly one. Private school politics and one of the best high school football programs in the country can break even the toughest souls. Our darkness plays out in whispers and rumors, and money and status trump all. I would know—I’ve watched it kill my family slowly, strangling us for years.

In our twisted world, a boy from West End is the only shining light.
Quarterback.
Hero.
Heart.
Good.

I hated him before I needed him.
I fell for him fast.
I loved him when it was almost too late.

When two ugly worlds collide, even the strongest fall. But my world…it hasn’t met the boy from West End.

Pre-order links:

B&N: http://bit.ly/1U3XJgE
iBooks: http://apple.co/21hVw5H
Kobo: http://bit.ly/25T2zbx

Book Review: "Wild Reckless" by Ginger Scott

"More than any book I've written, this one demanded of me. I didn't get to tell it what to do, the characters grabbed me and made me tell their stories." ~Ginger Scott~

This book demanded to be READ. Oh God. I was in tears during the Prologue! Honestly, there's so much to say about Wild Reckless, I have no idea where to even start. But I guess I will start with this: when you get to the end of this review, you're going to read that I gave this book FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS and that you should just go get it and start reading it. It's simply a book that no one should miss. It would be a CRIME to NOT read it.

Kensington (Kensi) Worth is accustomed to her posh high school in Chicago, she's a fiercely talented piano prodigy destined to study at any of the finest music universities in the world and, she hates the idea of having to leave her school and move to a small town in the middle of nowhere for her senior year.

Owen Harper is Kensi's badass next door neighbor. His destiny appears to have been decided for him when he was just a boy. Owen lives on the dark side and he has absolutely no problem letting anyone see it. Except, are Owen's wild and reckless "bad boy" ways for real? Asking the question would make one presume the answer is "no." Don't presume anything.

In no time at all, Owen's badass attitude and nastiness hits Kensi right where it hurts the most. It's downright devastating. Once Kensi catches her breath from that heart-stopping blow, she realizes that she's never taken shit from anyone before and starts to call Owen out. Then the good in Owen begins to show. Day by day by day. 

Kensi and Owen are addictive. These two took me through a range of emotions I've never experienced by reading ONE book. I cried, I was horrified at times, terrified, sometimes I was pissed and I laughed too. I don't like ferris wheels because of I'm afraid of heights but this whole book sent me sky high. I don't like rollercoasters either having been on at least one and this book rollercoastered me all over the place. I couldn't stop reading but I had to stop and catch my own breath with this one.

When Ginger Scott said that these characters grabbed her, I believe her 1000%. These two wild and reckless but extremely mature young adults grabbed me. By the heart and the guts. If you aren't rooting for these two by the end of Chapter One, you might be doing it wrong. This is the one ride you get on and when the ride ends, you just keep going back for more.

I've had the pleasure of reading and reviewing ALL of Ginger Scott's novels and I have to admit that this one quickly became my favorite one. Ms. Scott always tackles real issues and writes real characters and here she handles every single one of these issues with total grace. She makes sure both of these characters keep their dignity through some massively difficult situations. That's simply not a skill that every author has. Ms. Scott has it in spades.

Go to the link of your choice below and order the book NOW. It drops as of Tuesday, March 17th. You want start reading this as soon as possible. It's five stars out of five (see my star ratings below). There are many things that come along where one thinks to themselves, "gotta have it, can't live without it." This book is definitely one of those things. After reading Ms. Scott's first book, Waiting On The Sidelines, I said, "if she writes it, I'll read it." And although I'm ready for the next book that I know is coming soon, this one will stay with me for a long, long time and I will be re-reading it again and again in the future.

This book was provided by the author and Wordsmith Publicity for an honest review.

Star Scale:


5 Stars: Excellent! Skip all of the other reviews. Run and buy this one. Right NOW!

4 Stars: Very Good! Read a few more reviews just to see that I'm right. Then run and buy it.


3 Stars: Good! If you waited to get it on sale or was able to get it through your local library, you won't exactly die without it.


2 Stars: Fair. Read more reviews. Maybe I missed something that most others did not. If there are more good reviews than bad, give it a go.


1 Star: Poor. Don't bother. It's simply not worth your time.

Order Links:

Amazon

iBooks

Barnes and Noble

About The Author:

Ginger Scott is a writer and journalist from Peoria, Arizona. She is the author of six young and new adult romances, with her seventh title, Wild Reckless, set to release in on March 17, 2015.

Scott has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.

When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Scott is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).

"The Truth About Alice" (Psst…She's the School Slut)

THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE is absolutely friggin' CRAZY. CRAZY GOOD! I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley for an honest review but I really want to buy everybody I know a copy of this book. It should be required reading in every high school across America and the world.

Alice Franklin is the school slut. She was a popular girl at one time and now? Well now she's the school slut. Alice slept with two guys. Brandon Fitzsimmons, THE most popular boy at Healy High and the school's star quarterback. She also slept with Tommy Cray. Tommy Cray graduated from Healy and was now a college freshman home for the summer.

And Alice Franklin slept with both of them at Elaine O'Dea's party. Elaine is the most popular girl in high school and she's still holding a grudge because Alice made out with Brandon Fitzsimmons all the way back in eighth grade.

A short time after that party, Alice sexted Brandon Fitzsimmons and he died in a car crash. His best friend Josh, who was in the car, lived. Josh feels exceptionally guilty because he's still alive.

Kelsie is….was Alice Franklin's best friend. But since Alice lied to Kelsie a gazillion years ago because Kelsie was a virgin at the time, she believes being around Alice will trash her popularity. When Kelsie lived in Flint, Michigan, she wasn't popular at all. Moving to small-town Healy, Texas gave Kelsie a "do over." So she became friends with the popular Alice Franklin and climbed the social ladder.

And there's Kurt Morelli. He's the school nerd. A total loner. Not popular. A geek.

Jennifer Mathieu has created a brilliant piece of art. It belongs on the shelves of every school library everywhere. She has mastered how to tell a story from FOUR different points of view. It's easy to write such a story and confuse the hell out of everybody. It's masterful to write such a story and make four points of view work.

This book not only reveals how Alice Franklin became the school slut with no friends but it also reveals each person's knowledge about what really happened. How these characters are so shallow, they know they're shallow, and they justify it to themselves. All too easily.

I was sucked into this book from page one. I know a book is going to be THAT good when it gets me on page one. And then I only put it down once because I had to sleep at some point. One could make an argument that Jennifer Mathieu didn't really end it "right." I think she ended it how it was supposed to end: realistically. And I think you get to write your own "what happens next" when you get to the end. It's not a cliffhanger and it's not unresolved. You'll have to see for yourself.

You will see yourself or perhaps your younger self in one, some or all of these characters. I saw just a little bit of Kelsie in my younger self and a lot of Kurt minus the loner, unpopular part in myself as a whole. Do we ever hear from Alice? Does she ever weigh in on all of this? Yes. And Jennifer Mathieu knows EXACTLY where to bring her voice into the story.

If EVERY kid entering high school would read this book and do the exact opposite of what these kids did, high school would be a much better experience for so many.

I give it five stars because this book just knocked me out! I just plain old loved it.

Book Review of "The Break-Up Artist" by Philip Siegel

Becca Williamson watched her sister get ditched at the altar. Becca also sees the couples at her school needlessly cast out the single girls to the point where they're treated like pariahs until they couple up. Even her best friend, Val will do or say anything to snag a boyfriend.

As a result, for just $100 via PayPal, Becca aka "The Break-Up Artist," will break up any couple. With a few creative tricks, Becca can shred a couple's relationship to pieces.

One night, she receives a mysterious offer to break up the homecoming king and queen, the one zombie couple to rule them all: Steve and Huxley. If Becca can split them up, then school will be safe again for singletons. To succeed, she'll have to plan her most elaborate scheme to date and wiggle her way back into her former BFF Huxley’s life – not to mention start a few rumors, sabotage some cell phones, break into a car, and fend off the inappropriate feelings she’s having about Val’s new boyfriend. All while avoiding a past victim out to expose her true identity.

By far, one of the best young adult contemporary romance books I've read to date. What struck me right from the get go was the author is a MAN. I would never expect such a wildly good understanding of teenage females from a male author. For that, I give stars, stars, more stars, and kudos to Phillip Siegel!

One of the things I like about any book I read is when I can't put it down and I really want to take off from work to just finish it. This was definitely one of those books. This is also my first ARC via NetGalley that was approved from Harlequin so I was excited for the opportunity to read a Harlequin TEEN book. I was not disappointed.

Mr. Siegel does an amazing job in creating Becca's character. She's as complicated as any teenage girl would be. There were times I had to remind myself that Becca was indeed a teenager in high school. The author also did a great job in reminding the reader of that fact as well. The struggles Becca has to go through to be Becca and The Break-Up Artist in secret are so good, I wondered if the author actually met someone who did this for real. I'm sure they exist out there in real life.

What the author does with Huxley is pretty amazing and you won't see it coming right away but I think all readers will enjoy it. I loved the choices the author made in ending the book too. As I thought of the possible alternative endings that the author could have chosen, none of them seemed to fit in my mind so kudos for the ending as well.

I didn't exactly understand why Becca and Val were BFF's. Val's character is slightly annoying and I was surprised Becca would have a best friend who is so…..whiny. But, there are people out there who don't understand why I'm BFF's with certain people as well. Val has flaws and she's willing to lie about anything to snag a boyfriend. You will wonder if she falls into "couple zombie" mode if she snags that boyfriend.

Overall, this is a humorous and light-hearted look at one of the real issues teenagers have to deal with in high school. It's definitely realistic and if you like YA books with some "girl power," you'll love this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review but it comes out April 29th. So preorder it now so you can start reading it the day it releases. You won't be disappointed!

Book Review of "Lake Thirteen" by Greg Herren

Scotty is a teenager who has just come out to his parents. Prior to going on an annual vacation with two other families that Scotty and his parents do every year, Scotty also comes out to his lifelong friends over email. Scotty is really nervous about how those friends are going to react during this vacation because no one replied to his email. Shortly after arriving, Scotty finds out that his friends still think he's the same Scotty.

Staying at a resort in a small historical town in upstate New York, during the off-season, Scotty and his friends, one of whom is into ghost hunting and the paranormal, decide to wander down to an old nearby cemetery. What they discover is that the town has some dark secrets that have been hidden for almost one hundred years. What seemed like a boring week in the mountains gradually turns into a wild and crazy ghost story.

As this is really the first "paranormal" style novel I've ever read, I have to say that Greg Herren knows his stuff. He's obviously done research about what those who seek to learn about the paranormal do. I liked how Scotty's friends reacted to him. They see him as the same old Scotty who is still their friend so the level of awkwardness is graciously reduced in that area. However, the fact that Scotty is gay is all tied up in this story. As Scotty and his friends reluctantly set out to find out what happened to one of the decedents in the graveyard, weird things begin to happen to Scotty. And then they begin to happen to his friends too. Like getting cold when a ghost is nearby. Scotty's dreams turn out to be clues from the ghosts themselves. It also becomes obvious that one ghost is trying to find final rest and another is trying to keep Scotty and his friends from finding out what really happened.

The story aligns with Scotty's relationship with Marc, his boyfriend back home, and Scotty begins to worry that something is wrong back home and that Marc is in danger.

This book was a page turner. I could not put it down. Greg Herren takes the paranormal and makes it believable. There are weird visions, eerie sounds of a ghost crying out the name of another ghost.

If you like a good mystery and books about the paranormal, you will enjoy this book. I wondered all the way through how this was going to all come together and end up. I was pleased with it overall. What I would have liked to read was Scotty returning home to Marc to see their interaction after everything that happens in this book. Maybe in the form of a Epilogue. But, I don't think it takes away from the book as a whole which is why I kept it at the 5 stars that I gave it when I finished the book.

Definitely a good book for teens and adults alike.

This book was provided by Net Galley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Review of "Going Long" (Waiting on the Sidelines 2) by Ginger Scott

***SPOILER ALERT***

I have been a bookworm for as long as I can remember. I can't rightly say exactly when I read my first book but I do know I went to Kindergarten knowing how to read so it was probably that long ago. Of the possibly 1000's of books I have read in my entire lifetime, THIS book, Going Long, has one huge distinction that sets it apart from all of the others: Going Long had me bawling my eyes out like a baby. And it was definitely a happy cry.

Going Long picks up where Waiting on the Sidelines ends. Nolan and Reed are both in college. After four years of falling for Reed, being in love with Reed and continuing in a relationship with Reed after high school, Nolan has certainly come a long way. Because Ginger Scott opted to write from both Nolan and Reed's point of view in this sequel, we find that Reed has come a long way as well.

While Nolan and Reed have made big strides in their relationship, the problems that develop from not communicating with each other find Nolan and Reed trying to get over an enormous life changing bump in their relationship. The pressure is on Reed to take the next step in his football career by entering the draft. Nolan's deliberate procrastination to discuss the issue adds to Reed's pressure. He knows he wants to be with Nolan forever and Nolan's insecurities keep her from maintaining the open lines in their relationship. The pressure on Nolan to discuss the issue becomes even more terrifying when she finds out that she's pregnant. The resulting early miscarriage of that pregnancy leaves Nolan feeling isolated and full of guilt. These two major life experiences collide for Nolan and her relationship with Reed begins to erupt and fall apart.

Can Nolan and Reed get it together and put the misinterpretations aside long enough to set things right? Are they mature enough to bypass the minutiae and find a resolution to their potential relationship destroying challenges?

I would LOVE to tell you how this book ends but, because I want you to experience this book for yourself, that's one spoiler you won't get here.

Ginger Scott floored me again. She did it with her debut novel Waiting on the Sidelines and she's done it again with Going Long. I was sent on an emotional rollercoaster again. There were times I wished I could grab Nolan and Reed and shake them while screaming, "TALK TO EACH OTHER!" But this is really a story about love and how love grows through commitment and trust. It made me think back to my own long term relationship in college. I rooted for Nolan and Reed, I couldn't put the book down and I knew I would read both of Ginger Scott's masterpieces again. I don't know how much of Nolan and Reed's story is similar to Ginger Scott's experiences and how much is creatively compiled from Ms. Scott's creative imagination but she nailed her second book just like she did her first.

Every high school kid and every college student should have to read these books. They have so much to offer to the reader.

If I could only assign limited words to how I feel about Going Long, I'd have to go with "entranced" and "emotionally captivated." We cry tears of joy when we connect to something that elicits an emotional response. Going Long connected for me like Robbie Gould's 49-yard game-winning field goal that sent the Bears into the NFC Championship Game in 2006 (had to get a Chicago Bears football reference in here).

As I said when I reviewed Waiting on the Sidelines, I'd have purchased this book the second it came out. I was honored when I was offered an ARC of the book from Ginger Scott herself in exchange for an honest review. I could go on forever and ever about every single detail of this book and the effect it had on me but that would be taking away from the other readers who MUST experience it for themselves.

Where does my review go from here? Other than my own blog, Goodreads, etc., I'm sending an email to TheArts@NYT.com and recommending this book be considered for review. And then I plan to nag as many people as possible to read it and do the same.

I'm giving it five stars on Goodreads because that's the highest amount I can give. But I would seriously give this books all of the stars in the sky. Ms. Scott, I don't care what your next book is about, I'm reading it!

Review of "Poor Little Dead Girls" by Lizzie Friend

***SPOILER ALERT***

Sadie Marlowe is an ace lacrosse player who is recruited to play at one of the country's finest boarding school's: Keating Hall. She's the "scholarship" from Oregon. Her schoolmates are from wealthy families who come from big business, politics and her two roommates are actual British royalty. The "brother" school to Keating Hall is DeGraffenreid Academy. Sadie's newest friend, Jessica, who she met a summer lacrosse camp, describes the brother school's guys as "terrible-they're like mini corrupt politicians in training."

Just as she's getting settled in, Sadie is "kidnapped," complete with black covering thrown over her head and being drugged. She wakes to find herself tied to a chair in the center of a mysterious group of robed strangers who chant in Latin and a male who threatens Sadie to never speak of the experience of she dies. There she finds out she's being initiated into a secret society. Think Skull and Bones meets Freemasons meets The Illumninati.

Supposedly, their goal is to perform good works for the less fortunate and it appears they do sponsor some different organizations that do just that. However, what Sadie finds out is that their real goal is to create a completely new generation of wealthy, connected people who all have the "right genes" who can oversee the government, the country, the economy and even the world.

Sadie learns that her mother attended Keating Hall and that she was indeed part of a wealthy family. Also a huge question is what really happened to Anna, the student who mysteriously disappeared and was found dead the year before Sadie got there.

This story is about Sadie, her acceptance into a secret society of teenagers with wealthy parents who are also members of the society and how she deals with the strange experience of being accepted by her wealthier classmates who wouldn't look at her twice but for the society membership.

POOR LITTLE DEAD GIRLS is full of mystery and intrigue. Sadie even finds their secret laboratory where she finds her own eggs harvested and frozen for creating embryos. I have to admit, that seemed to be more creepy than learning about the mysterious death of Anna.

Sadie meets Jeremy early in the story and they become a couple. He also happens to be the other newest member of the secret society.

What this all finally boils down to is that the secret society members are responsible for the death of Sadie's mother and Anna's death who turns out to be related to Sadie and her mother. With the help of her friends, Sadie finds a way to make sure the secret society is brought to the public eye.

Overall, I give this book 5 stars because it's not the typical YA type of story I would read it kept me completely on my toes. I couldn't put it down. Sadie goes from shy and reserved to determined to find out the answers to all of the secrets. Lizzie Friend goes out on a different limb here to paint a darker story without the use of science fiction or sparkly vampires or medieval fantasy. There are places in the story where you might expect something to be more climactic but the story has an intense flow that takes you up to a really high peak and then lets you hang there for a while. Lizzie Friend doesn't give you the regular peaking escalation followed by the resolution. She takes up to the peak and lets you sit and squirm for a while. I kind of liked that difference.

I enjoyed Sadie's friend Jessica. She's not a member of the secret society but she stuck by Sadie throughout the whole book and was understanding when she finds out not only what Sadie has gotten herself into, she's a kick ass friend knowing the danger involved just by knowing the society exists. She along with Jeremy come up with a plan to get these these people exposed.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The ARC I received was a PDF to read instead of an ePub book. It was a little bit more difficult to read because of the format. However, I can't take away stars for that. ARC's are sometimes given out in PDF form and you make adjustments. However, when this book publishes, you won't have any of these issues. So, I recommend you place it on your "to-read" list. The expected publish date is December 18th.

Book Review of "Red" by Allison Cherry

Felicity St. John has everything a girl in high school could hope to have. She's popular, she has two fabulous best friends, she's got a hot boyfriend and she's got artistic talent. What she also has is a huge secret: Felicity's hair comes straight out of a bottle.

As a resident of Scarletville, redheads are the "it" kids and are not in the minority. In fact, the blondes and brunettes are the outcasts and redheads hold all of the power. Scarletville is so "red," it even has it's own Miss Scarlet Pageant. Felicity is practically a shoe in to win the pageant this year. It's the 75th anniversary of the pageant and her mother was Miss Scarlet 25 years earlier for the 50th anniversary of the pageant.

And then Felicity suddenly gets the anonymous note, "I know your secret."

While the premise may seem like the author is trying to draw a parallel to some other group, I think the author, described a "natural redhead," simply wanted to write a story where the "ginger" isn't the outcast.

I enjoyed reading this book and it was a page turner that I couldn't put down. It's not a typical mystery but there is mystery and intrigue that makes the reader need to know what happens next.
I liked Felicity a lot and how she dealt with all of the usual teenage issues in addition to dealing with being blackmailed and dealing with feeling like a "fake."

When Felicity finally gets around to disclosing the blackmail to her mother, she's absolutely shocked when her mother tells her she has to go along with the blackmail that results in lying to and hurting her two best friends.

I loved Ivy, one of Felicity's best friends. She's got gumption. Not only does she think the whole pageant thing is stupid and only enters because her friends entered her, she's defiant. Like refusing to wear high heels that hurt her feet and opting for flats, which are apparently a "no-no" for proper pageant competing.

Allison Cherry gives us a glimpse into teenage peer pressure and the pressures parents put on their teens in order to live vicariously through them. For instance, Felicity's mother, Ginger, a former Miss Scarlet herself, is probably worse at putting on the pressure than any of Felicity's friends. From what I could calculate, Ginger is probably closer to my own age and if she were my friend doing this to her daughter, I might smack her silly.

Hayley, Felicity's other best friend, is indeed, BFF material. However, I found her to be whiny, spoiled and a brat. I didn't like her but I did like how she was written as an opposite to Ivy.
And while I can't disclose how this ends up, I was mostly happy with the ending. I would have liked an epilogue that jumped ahead to some time in Felicity's first year of college where she'll find the world doesn't revolve around redheads. 

I received an ARC of this book in trade for an honest review from NetGalley. The most honest thing I can say about the book as a whole is that it's worth getting once it's published. It's a good story with a lot of learning moments for teenagers. Expected publish date: October 8th.

Book Review of "Deceived" by Julie Anne Lindsey

Elle's father is a single dad, working in corporate insurance, and is constantly traveling for work.  Elle gets moved to another boarding school for her senior year.  She expects her night terrors might stop with the change and is disgusted when the night terrors continue.  If that were not enough, Elle thinks she's going crazy. She believes she's being followed. She finds a black ribbon, a signature hair decoration of her deceased mother, in her locker.  Not only has she seen someone in the shadows who appears to smoke, she finds cigarette butts piling up on her doormat. Elle meets Bryan at a flea market prior to the start of school and then finds out he's a new student at her school.  And even though they enjoyed each other's company at the flea market, he acts like he doesn't know her at school.  So is Elle crazy?  Why is Bryan such a mystery and why does Elle's father keep relocating himself and her?

Julie Anne Lindsay has put together a true mystery.  At the beginning, I thought this whole story would lead to an ending where Elle is in some hospital somewhere restrained to a bed and hallucinating.  When the story began to get its momentum and pick up speed, there was no putting the book down.  Once you're on this ride, you must know who Bryan really is, you must know why Elle's father keeps moving and you absolutely, positively need to know if Elle is being stalked or if she's just paranoid.

I give it 5+ stars.  Deceived is chilling, suspenseful and a real nail biter.  Not everyone is a suspect but there are well placed red herrings and there are just enough.  Some mysteries go on forever chapter by chapter where everybody is a suspect and there's a red herring at every turn.  Julie Ann Lindsay was careful and deliberate with her choices in Deceived.

I like that there IS a love story intertwined with the mystery.  But it's balanced out well without the love story overpowering the mystery or vice versa.  The  mystery is fast paced and intriguing.  The love story goes the opposite and is told slowly while the foundation is built.  The blend is highly favorable for me since I love mystery books and I enjoy a good love story.  To read both and have them moving at the right pacing is a HUGE plus for the story but also for the reader.

Another character in the book, Elle's roommate Pixie, is also in this book and I would call her a major character.  However, at a certain point, I wondered why she was in the book.  Her character is concluded before the book ends.  I figured it was probably necessary for Elle to have a roommate to play opposite Elle's quieter demeanor and to relay to the reader that there was at least one other person in the book who saw the cigarette butts. She seems to be the buffer that makes you think that Elle might not be crazy.  Pixie is also the one character that is completely on Elle's side without any questions asked.

Overall, a chilling, thrilling and suspenseful read.  A must read!

(I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for a fair, honest review)

Book Review of "Waiting On The Sidelines" by Ginger Scott

Nolan Lennox is, when this book begins, a Tomboy. She's athletic and doesn't mind wearing her brother's second hand clothing. She resides in a mobile home and while she's not ashamed of her family or even her home, she's not broadcasting that she lives in a trailer. Then Reed Johnson arrives at her school. From the first awkward interaction, Nolan realizes she likes the new boy. He's also legendary on arrival before he has a chance to show his skills as a football player because his father and brother were football stars during their time at Coolidge High School.

Reed gets himself hooked up with another girl in school, Tatum, who is openly snobbish and cruel. Especially to Nolan. Nolan struggles to take the high ground from one cruel act to another. I couldn't help but root for Nolan because she's not a pushover, she's got class. Her closest friends are there to support her as well. It didn't take long to figure out that Nolan and Reed were meant for each other. They do become friends and Nolan even begins to date Reed's friend and teammate. But the butterflies Nolan feels just by being in Reed's presence don't come when she's with someone else.

Nolan and Reed eventually begin to spend time together. They travel on the same bus to athletic events and work together as lifeguards over the summer. When Reed decides to take Nolan on a special "date," she arrives at Nolan's house to find Reed and his ex in a shocking pose.

Nolan and Reed spend quite a bit of time not together and Nolan avoids him in every way she can including changing her work schedule so she doesn't have to lifeguard at the same time as Reed. Through Reed's cruel, drunken rant at the Friday night desert party, Nolan finds out news that crushes her, breaks her heart.

Through all of this, every single misunderstanding that can happen, does happen. The fact that Nolan refuses to speak to Reed and Reed begins to drink and lose control leads to more lack of communication.

Eventually, the truth about the news from Reed's drunken rant comes out. Nolan and Reed still have a long way to go. A driving accident threatens Reed's champion throwing arm and his potential for college recruitment. Reed grows distant and nosedives.

These two go through every emotion imaginable before they're finally able to settle up with each other. These two love each other madly. And Ginger Scott set it up magnificently. She established the friendship as the foundation early on.

This story ends and there is a second book coming out that will hopefully take us through Reed and Nolan's college years, but this book can absolutely stand alone. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review but if I found out about this book through some other source, I'd have scooped it up. And while I'm more than willing to receive the second book through NetGalley in trade for an honest review, I'd happily pay for it. This book should be required reading for YA readers, especially those in high school. 

Parents with teenagers could learn a thing or two from Nolan and Reed as well. Ginger Scott keeps it real and honest. She's not giving you a typical YA novel, she's giving you real life, real situations, real teenage experience and real love. She lines this book up absolutely perfect in letting every reader know just how much work real love requires. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars here. I give it 10 stars and it's going on my "Must Read Again" shelf! A++

Revised 02/14/2014

Review of "Love Hurts" by Beverly Scudamore

** spoiler alert ** Mel is in love with Dustin but she lost her chance at a relationship with him last year, now he is with someone else and she is heartbroken.

The book starts with Mel being late to school and hurrying, she witnesses a fight and pushes Dustin to break the fight. He does, and everything begins. She has to go to the Principal's office and there she meets Colter. She gets punishment and he helps her with it. The story of Colter and Mel begins here.

This book was quite good. It felt real. The author did her research on bad relationships and what the red flags are that a relationship can potentially become controlling and possibly dangerous.

Mel was a likeable character. She was nice, friendly, but had her fair share of problems, which threw her in the arms of Colter. And I can imagine a new boy, a bad boy at that has its merits and might seem fun, especially if you are trying to forget a boy.

Colter, well when we first see him in the book, I liked him, he was interesting and from the description, quite good looking. I can imagine girls falling for him. But while the story progresses, you start to notice things that are off. His parents, his house, and a whole lot of other red flags. I really liked that it wasn't immediate scariness, but that it slowly spirals from good to bad.

Colter, while nice in the beginning became really scary at the end. Psychotic and totally different than when we first meet him.

Luckily, Mel is a smart girl and notices things are wrong and talks about it a little bit. I was kind of worried she would end up like most of the girls in a situation like this. You know, dead or forever stuck to this creep.

I would have liked a different ending where Mel doesn't run off on a plane. Yes, there are victims of domestic violence who do need to flee for their lives and go into hiding. I don't think Mel needed to do that and I think she decides to go so that her mother doesn't need to give up a job she loves so Mel can stay where she is. Although, it's a mature and thoughtful decision for her to make.

I give 4.5 stars.

***Received via NetGalley for a fair and honest review.*