Title: Plus One
Author: Elizabeth Fama (Twitter)
Publisher: FSG BYR
Publish Date: April 8, 2014
Genre: YA, Dystopians
Pages: 373
Source: Publisher

Divided by day and night and on the run from authorities, star-crossed young lovers unearth a sinister conspiracy in this compelling romantic thriller.

Seventeen-year-old Soleil Le Coeur is a Smudge—a night dweller prohibited by law from going out during the day. When she fakes an injury in order to get access to and kidnap her newborn niece—a day dweller, or Ray—she sets in motion a fast-paced adventure that will bring her into conflict with the powerful lawmakers who order her world, and draw her together with the boy she was destined to fall in love with, but who is also a Ray.

Set in a vivid alternate reality and peopled with complex, deeply human characters on both sides of the day-night divide, Plus One is a brilliantly imagined drama of individual liberty and civil rights, and a fast-paced romantic adventure story.

Dystopian novels are often a dime a dozen these days, but I must admit that the concept of Plus One had me going from the very start. Author, Elizabeth Fama, is known for her way with words, spinning stories into this hypnotic, melodic sort of storytelling that leaves you breathless, so I had no reservations at all when I picked up the novel. Offering us an interesting alternate reality, it's the type of novel that asks readers to put their preconceived notions aside and simply dive headfirst into a world that's unfamiliar in it's familiarity. It's a different sort of dystopian novel - one that I believe will either sink or swim for readers.

Plus One  presented a unique challenge for me, perhaps because I've read so many dystopian novels in the past couple of years. In 1918, a flu pandemic threatened to destroy the world's population, so the then President divided the populace into two groups - those who would work the medical fields during the day and the laborers who would work at night. I struggled a bit with this premise, understanding exactly how two perfectly symmetrical shifts would help heal the world from a ravaging disease. Furthermore, what started as an equal society working together (though separated) to keep their people alive, melted into a complete persecution and separation in less than 100 years. I found it, while fascinating, a bit implausible.

I started to reconcile with the idea of the day vs. night premise about halfway through Plus One, and I found myself growing attached to Soleil's character. She was rash, and impulsive and fairly unpredictable, but in a novel that felt quite intangible at times, I felt that she was a ray of light. At times, she felt a bit juvenile, and her actions seemed a bit haphazard, but her persona and the relationship between Soleil and D'arcy rang true and honest. I truly believe the relationships were the highlight of the story for me because, whereas much of the plot felt a bit rushed and haphazard, I felt like I always had a grasp on the characters and their motives, at the very least. 

I think that in the end, my real qualm with Plus One was simply that it felt a little too rushed. With a novel like this, we're being offered a new world in which we're expected to understand and empathize with the changes to society and its inhabitants. However, there was simply so much going on that it felt as though it moved with a little too much speed, when it could easily have worked just a little slower and more deliberate in its actions. The foundation for the world was there, but unfortunately, the meat simply didn't follow through, and while I loved the characters and longed for more of them, I couldn't help but feel a little slighted at the end.

Overall, Plus One  is a complex dystopian that I have extremely mixed feelings on. Ms. Fama remains an incredible writer - one whom I will seek out time and again. Unfortunately, it was also a little unbalanced, and that's where the story lost me a bit. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I recommend it to all fans of YA and NA, especially those who enjoy dystopian novels that focus heavily on characters over plot.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

I've been a bit reflective and contemplative about the past four years as a book blogger lately, and it's brought a few things to mind. The book blogosphere is an incredible unique little niche of the blogosphere as a whole, and it encompasses so many things. In the past four years, I believe that the vast nature of it has spread, as well, making it so that it embraces new genres, new authors and new mediums - all of which contribute to this ever-changing literary climate in which we find ourselves.

Whereas other blog niches seem to revolve around the same things more or less, the book blogosphere is one that seems to continue to morph with the changes and evolution of literature, as well. For example, as e-books and e-publishing have become more prevalent, I see more bloggers focus primarily on those niche markets. With the introduction of the newly-coined "new adult" genre, there are now niche blogs that focus primarily on that genre. It's pretty fascinating to watch.

However, it's brought new things to mind, as well, which I've shared with some other bloggers, as well. It seems that as the industry changes, blogs need to change with the times, as well, or they become stagnant. I've found that since my last hiatus, the book blogging world definitely changed, and I felt as though my blog lost a little traction then. I came back to a newly diverse and growing field of amazing book blogs that understood the new trends in the market, whereas I seemed to stay true to my roots. At times, it's great, but I also wonder about the overall longevity of my blog in this climate.

I know that sounds so doom-and-gloom, but it's really more of a reflection than anything else…one that's amazing and excited by all the changes I've been able to see come about in the past four years. For example:

• The rise of Netgalley and subsequent rise of Edelweiss revolutionized the way that publishers could market their books to the book blogosphere who can, in turn, market the books to the public. 
• The general acceptance and newfound prevalence of self-publishing has been refreshing to see and support, especially because it's been a hard-fought battle for many authors to prove their merit to the general public.
• The rise of genres within certain markets (ex: dystopian in YA) has led to a growth-spurt in book bloggers and book lovers looking for a new sort of book to crave. It's exciting to have watched the boom of these little genres really take off.
• The acceptance of book bloggers as grassroots marketers is an ongoing thing, but I've seen more and more authors and publishers really support and appreciate what book bloggers do, making it all the more worthwhile.

There a million other things I could probably list here, but it's fascinating to me that that list could change on any given day, week, month or year, as well. Book blogging has taught me that I need to roll with the changes, and it's something I'll be striving to do in the coming months. So long as I feel I can contribute even a little something to the book blogosphere, I intend to stick around.

You guys are seriously in for a treat today! Paper Lantern Lit, the brainchild of Lauren Oliver, Lexa Hillyer and more is releasing its very own boutique digital imprint, The Studio, making it a whole new power player in the publishing industry. Today, I'm so excited to reveal the cover of one of their very first titles, Beautiful Girl by Lida James. This new adult novel has crossover young adult appeal, and I think it might be the perfect book for reluctant NA readers like myself. Take a peek...

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Beautiful Girl by Lida James
Preorder the book here
Publish Date: October 28th, 2014

Plot Synopsis

Sophomore year at Dutchess College has just begun, and Nicole is still haunted by memories of her first love, Zach. As the changing leaves fall on the stately Hudson Valley campus, she takes solace in running—pushing herself to go harder, faster, to be the best. With the wind blowing through her hair, she can almost convince herself that she is beautiful, that she will find love again.

So when Nico runs, quite literally, into the maddeningly elusive Justin, she’s convinced she’s found the guy to make her forget her ex—despite the warnings of her friends and her straight-edged running partner, Luke.

But when Nico is attacked in the woods after a wild night of partying, everything changes. Suddenly, Nico begins receiving anonymous threats, and she no longer knows where to turn for help—or whether even her close friends can be trusted.

All she wants is to be one of the beautiful girls—the ones who never have to chase perfection. But in order to uncover the truth, she’ll have to face a past she had hoped to leave behind forever. She thought she could outrun the darkness, but darkness has a way of catching up…and only one boy can save her.

Lida’s Thoughts on the Beautiful Girl Cover

I love the cover art for Beautiful Girl. She’s running but you can’t tell if she’s running away from something or if she’s being chased.  She’s not looking back and she has a slightly carefree gait, so you can’t tell if she’s afraid or if she’s unaware, reckless even, running into the woods alone at what appears to be dusk.   I think that really illustrates the themes in the book.  And I love the tag line – Darkness has a way of catching up.

When writing Beautiful Girl, I was inspired by books and television with a certain level of dark, but relatable grit. If you like Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, the TV show Girls, and The Secret History by Donna Tartt (my personal favorite college thriller), then I think you’ll love Beautiful Girl.

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Lida James grew up in Brooklyn, New York and graduated cum laude from Vassar College with a BFA in English (and a lot of film credits, too). After working as a cameraperson on feature films in NYC she relocated to Los Angeles in search of mountains and waves.

Once there, she wrote and sold screenplays (and snowboarded and windsurfed). She continues to enjoy living in Los Angeles with her husband and their two children – all shredders like herself – and two rescue dogs. Beautiful Girl is her first novel.

Find Lida on Social Media: Twitter. Tumblr.

I'm super excited to bring you something a little something different today on the blog! As you know, I've been doing my best to branch out and read a little more (see: this post, and my first NA review coming up next weekend). Today though, I'm happy to share with you a new novel from Amanda Lance, Endangered Hearts, which is on sale now! Find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Goodreads today. But first...let me share with you this scintillating excerpt...and a chance to win!

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An Excerpt from Endangered Hearts:

Their reactions were simultaneous, and when the other realized that they were present a wide range of embarrassment came over the both of them.

“You” he breathed. Perhaps he would have yelled, shouted even, yet he was out of breath and the flush that had taken over her lovely face had also put him considerably out of ease.

“I-I—”

The condition flamed within him again, and, out of instinct; he reached for the book that held his medication but knew it would be unwise to consume the narcotics in front of her, and so, stopped himself.

Kasper shut his eyes and heaved into the air. Without his medication it would be difficult to calm down, especially since she had not discontinued her staring at him. He could feel her gaze even through his eyelids with his back turned. Did the little peach feel so much when he watched her from far away? Did she feel so anxious? His stomach recoiled at the thought of causing her discomfort, a feeling he realized, more painful than the current state that plagued him.

“What are you doing up here?”

“Y-you—”

He tossed the instrument at the floor, though it must have been much harder than he intended, as it made Emilia flinch where she stood. Seconds later, her blue eyes were still wide with that horror he despised the most, that horror, that, somehow he had let himself hope, he would never see directed at him.

“You should not be up here! You were told—”

“B-but you’re bleeding” She informed him softly.

Without thinking, Kasper’s hand reached to the sting on his face. While there were few functioning nerve endings beneath the malformed tissue, he could feel that much pain. Sure enough, when he pulled away, there was some blood, and even more had dropped to his shoe, trickled to the ground below.

Emilia stepped towards him slowly, not unlike Kasper would a startled horse. And although he was only distracted briefly by his injury, it was not enough for Emilia’s move to go unnoticed.

“W-what are you doing?”

Kasper could not hide the panic in his voice, and he was much too stunned to back away—his fight or flight response failing completely. Regardless, Emilia had him boxed in, and with the grand piano taking up the quarter half of the wall and antique instruments lining the other half for decoration, there were few places for him to retreat. Though frankly, he was not sure if he wanted to.

“You’re bleeding” she said again, this time reaching out for him. Once again, he inhaled sharply, fearing and hoping she would try to touch him, horrified she would try to remove the mask he had lived behind and thrived in for so long. He recoiled just as her fingertips shadowed his cheek, but he felt no relief, seeing the hurt on her face as she backed away.

“Are you all right?” He heard her ask.

“A mere scrape.” Kasper swallowed hard, feeling a new sweat rise on his brow, though he was more cold than hot. His idiotic body could not even perform the most basic of functions properly, betraying him at this most desperate time!

“Let me see.” This time she waited until he offered the side of his neck to her, both of them knowing full well that his injury was more than ‘a mere scrape’. Though his injury was Emilia’s only concern, Kasper’s had reached the realization that he was completely incapable of denying her any request she saw fit to make.

Slowly, Emilia removed the handkerchief tied beneath her ponytail. Little did she know the action her enticed him considerably, enchanting him with the vanilla scent of her shampoo.

As he began to demand, ask, plead… “Don’t—” she did not listen and he could not pull away, allowing her to dab gently at the spots of red emerging from the deep set cut at his neck. Emilia was not distressed by the slight of blood, but rather by how powerful the strings of the violin had been to cut through the fine material of his shirt and damage his russet shaded skin. Though she did not fail to notice how thin his mask was and how easily it had been damaged.

“You’re lucky” she smiled. “You could have lost your eye.”

“Lucky” Kasper scoffed, though more to distract himself than her. “That is not a word I usually associate myself with.”

“Really?” Emilia smiled even wider, her expression completely eradicating the hurt that along his face and neck. He wondered again then, if she was not some sort of sorceress, fixing to steal his soul away—whatever remained of it anyway.

“How would you describe yourself?”

The ranging color of her blue eyes was too much for him. Kasper violently pulled the handkerchief from her; enjoying far too much the feel of her fingers against his.

“Myself? Well, let’s see? ‘Stricken’, ‘Unfortunate’, ‘jinxed’ to have the most disobedient employees that anyone has ever had!”

Emilia laughed. Seeing him struggle to insult her was unquestionably entertaining, no matter how awkward Kasper Zafar was one minute, he could be wonderfully articulate the very next.

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Endangered Hearts by Amanda Lance

Emilia Ward is being watched.

And it isn’t just by her mother’s creep of a boyfriend or one of her many employers. Instead, she is certain it something else—someone else. However, in a life with college classes and alcoholic mother to look after, Emilia doesn’t have time to explore her suspicions. She would much rather think about her new job at Iram Manor, and more importantly—its mysterious and alluring owner.

After a lifetime of isolation and trapped in a disfigured body Kasper Zafar thought he knew pain. Confining himself to his work as an architect and the love of his music, he never expects the beautiful Emilia Ward to enter his life. Young and naive, his new housekeeper does not flinch at the sight of him, and is even so bold as to call him her friend.

Determined to teach her in all worldly things, the opposites grow closer and the role of student and teacher and interchange. Yet Emilia’s life outside the manor is not a happy one, and when Kasper’s attempt to watch over her fails, both will discover than love may be the most painful thing of all.

Find Amanda: Website. Twitter. Goodreads. Facebook. 

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And now, here's your chance to win! Simply fill out the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win a signed paperback copy of Endangered Hearts. Good luck!

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I find it so comforting on this blog to live within my own little niche of young adult book reviews. I don't think there's anything wrong with that either. I think it's great for a blog to define their genre, their niche and what they like to review. However, I've decided that it's time to mix things up a little bit. Starting this weekend, I'll be featuring one review each weekend for a new adult book - a genre that I previously swore up and down that I just couldn't bring myself to read and review.

I stand by some of my original assessments from the aforementioned post. I do think that a lot of New Adult novels have yet to truly come into their own and give us more than just an overabundance of sex but little character growth. That said, however, I know that's not the case for a lot of the genre, so I'm interested to see what it has to offer.

Never you fear, kiddos...this is still a young adult book blog. I will still only accept young adult books for review (per my review policy). It simply means that for the next month, at least, I'll be reading and reviewing my own copies of select NA novels. I feel like this will give me the liberty to be open and honest about my ventures into the NA genre, which I kind of like, too.

So, what books am I going to explore in the coming month? Per recommendations, these are the NA books I'll be starting with...and I sure hope they're as good as you've all said!

Easy by Tammara Webber, Holier Than Thou by Laura Buzo, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase

I'm actually quite interested to see what I discover about the genre. I could learn to love it. Hell, it could totally reaffirm my original assessment of the genre and nothing could change. Either way though, I'm excited to venture into something new. In a month, I could love the genre, or I could simply be ambivalent. Either way, here's to trying new things!

I took a pretty hefty hiatus last year from the blog, and when I returned, I was quite surprised to find this quiet, steady little genre that I'd only previously heard inklings of had exploded into the next big thing. For some reason though, despite the fact that I really wanted to lose myself in the new adult (NA) genre, as well, I felt a significant disconnect, and I haven't been able to bring myself to read past a few failed attempts at reading the NA genre.

I'd never be so bold as to say that there is anything wrong with the genre because it's clearly exploding. Authors like Cora Carmack, Jamie McGuire and Colleen Hoover are now household names because they've bridged that gap between YA and adult books, and I think that's awesome. I'll be the first person to say that something was seriously lacking there because we saw YA ending at 17, and then we kind of watched it taper off, losing a lot of potential stories in the process. 

In 2009, St. Martin's Press sought out something new that read similarly to young adult fiction, but could be marketed to a more adult crowd, hence a changing in the perception of adult novels and developing a diverse "new adult" market. Guys, I'm all for NA books! Truly, I am. I think it's fantastic when publishers and authors can recognize that something is missing on the market and offer something to entice new readers who might have otherwise felt overlooked. 

Here's my thing though...from my perspective, I found a lot of the NA books I tried to simply be hyper-sexualized purely for the sake of giving readers more than we might find in YA. Yes, I realize that my viewpoint is narrow, and I'm missing out on a lot of great stories, which is why I'm actually posting this. I think the new adult fiction has an incredible and fairly untapped potential. Some authors have truly captured the essence of this coming-of-age genre in which characters discover life in the real world, sexual experiences and true growth. Others, however, (and perhaps just the few ones I've read) took the genre at face-value, giving us alpha-males with meek women, an over-abundance of sex and little growth.

What I'm hoping to discover in starting to delve into the genre is a wide range of stories that offer all of the above and more. I'd love to read a book with a female (or male) protagonist that's discovering the trials and tribulations of life as a new adult. I want to watch these characters really delve into their true characters, learning about who they are as individuals, who they are in relationships and what they have to offer all those around them. I want to see tasteful, exciting discoveries in which these characters really come into their own as adults - and I want to hopefully not see all these things too heavily blanketed in a plethora of just sex.

So, lovely readers, lay it on me. What new adult titles have you read that really surprised you with their depth and insight? Trust me, I really do want to set aside my self-imposed aversion to the genre!

Title: The Forgotten Ones
Author: Laura Howard (Twitter)
Publisher: Self-Published
Publish Date: April 28, 2013
Genre: NA, Paranormal
Pages: 197
Source: Author

Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.

As most of you know, I've avoided the new adult genre like the plague, simply for the innate fear that it will become host to a bevy of novels that are trite, cliche and altogether meaningless. I am, however, a sucker for a gorgeous cover and a unique premise, so I was instantly sold on the premise of The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard. The author presents readers with a rich and imaginative world, all the while grounding us in reality with characters readers will relate to and situations that feel all too real at times.

It must be said though, that I was expecting much more new adult content from The Forgotten Ones. With Alison being 21 and Ethan being 23, it's completely acceptable to class the novel as such based on that alone. However, I found that the budding romance had a much more YA feel to it, as it was sweet and, if I'm entirely honest, innocent. The beauty of NA is that readers can expect more sexual tension without blurring the lines of age-appropriate material. It felt as though The Forgotten Ones teetered somewhere along the middle of these genres though, blurring the lines.

Ms. Howard gives readers a completely exciting paranormal premise in which we follow Allison to Tir Na Nog, uncovering the truth behind the myths of the fairies, and the truth behind Allison's own nature, as well. The story is rich and intriguing, and we're offered careful subtle glimpses into an amazing magical realm complete with spells, paranormal creatures and a backstory that is, for all intents and purposes, to die for. 

The main problem that I had with The Forgotten Ones was simply that it was so short. Had we been offered another hundred pages or so, we might be able to fully envelop ourselves in the world. As it is though, The Forgotten Ones teases us with tempting details, but it never fully absorbs us into its magical escapism. I also felt that, at times, the novel warred between a contemporary romance and a paranormal tale. Both elements were prominent and strong, but I think the emphasis on romance might have taken away from the actual paranormal offering in the end. 

Overall though, I'm intrigued by the premise of The Forgotten Ones. The pronunciation of a multitude of names was tricky to grapple with at times, but it didn't really detract from my enjoyment. It's a solid series opener, and I'll definitely be looking to see if the series improves as it progresses. I give it a 3.5 out of 5, and I recommend it to all fans of both NA and YA, especially those who enjoy romance and paranormal.

I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Title: Anatomy of a Single Girl
Author: Daria Snadowsky (Twitter)
Publisher: Delacorte BYR
Publish Date: January 8, 2013
Genre: YA/NA, Contemporary
Pages: 277
Source: Author

After everything that happened — my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered. But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.

After a brief, hot, fantastic and fleeting relationship with her very first boyfriend, Dominique is now single (and ready to mingle). But it's so much easier said than done. Now that she's had a taste of first love, that rush and all the fun and excitement that comes with it, Dom is hooked and she wants more. To complicate things, Dom is now a pre-med student, and her life is busy, but Dom finds the perfect solution with Guy, a studious guy who, like herself, is looking for all the fun but none of the hassle. But a no-strings-attached relationship isn't as cut and dried as she might hope. Complications abound and, well, being single is often just as tricky as being in a relationship.

In the interest of full disclosure, I feel it's necessary to state that I did not actually read the first book in this series, as the author informed me that the books can read well as stand-alone novels. Anatomy of a Single Girl is a witty, humourous and engaging take on the rebound from a failed first love. Author, Daria Snadowsky, has crafted a novel that is sure to ring true, giving many a reader a chuckle reminiscing about their youth, their naivety and that overwhelming desire to find "the one." Often times heartfelt and sweet, other times serious and true, Anatomy of a Single Girl has a little bit of something for everyone.

I have to admit that I'm not entirely certain where I stand on Anatomy of a Single Girl though. There were a good many times in the novel that I found myself making note of Ms. Snadowsky's exemplary ability to paint a realistic and somewhat educational take on intimate relationships. Then, however, I would have pause, remembering that this is an actual novel - not a textbook. In the same breath though, I love that the book is written clearly and decisively with fully-fleshed out characters with whom you can empathize and relate. It seems to me that there were two stark contrasts in this novel. One the one hand, we're given a sweet and engaging tale of a girl navigating a series of firsts in her relationship and finding a guy (no pun intended) who is willing to share in these experiences and teach her along the way. On the other hand though, there was a part of me that couldn't help but think that this novel was erring on the side of a safe-sex handbook. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the laugh-out-loud moments in which Dom interacted with her parents, the shedding of the black-and-white images of relationships today and the super sexy Guy that we get to see as Dom's rebound. I guess I'd simply gone into the novel expecting more of a syrupy sweet story of a girl looking to overcome being single again and find a guy who is willing to be more than just a friend with benefits. Colour me a prude, but I  feel as though the sexual situations were just too frank in this novel, and it almost marred the fact that this is actually a sweet, realistic and believable coming-of-age tale. In truth, with a host of great characters, an accessible writing style and a great premise, this book should have been a slam-dunk for me, but I was left a bit...well, wanting.

Overall, Anatomy of a Single Girl wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting either. Though it's marketing to a fairly YA audience, I don't think it's necessarily appropriate as such. I would say this is much more of an upper YA and NA tale. I give it a 3 out of 5 for the engaging writing, and I recommend it to the aforementioned age markets and those who enjoy contemporary stories.

I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Title: Wild Cards
Author: Simone Elkeles (Twitter)
Publisher: Walker BYR
Publish Date: October 1, 2013
Genre: YA/NA, Contemporary
Pages: 288
Source: Publisher

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Derek pulled a stupid prank, and he's paying the price. Forced to move back home with his step-mother, he has to readjust to a whole new lifestyle and an entirely different crowd of people. Among them is his step-mother's extremely attractive and unavailable sister, Ashtyn. He knows he's not going to stick around if he has any say in the matter, so why not test the waters? Ashtyn, however, can take care of herself. With a clear goal and focus towards becoming a star player in a men's sport, she's thrown a curveball that make just make her vulnerable...and need Derek's help. But is there something more there than either of them are willing (or want) to admit?

If there is one author I know I can turn to for contemporary fiction, it's Simone Elkeles, so when I discovered that her next novel, Wild Cards, was on the table, you'd better believe I was all over it. With great skill and heartfelt emotion, the novel sweeps us up into the story of two utterly believable and completely relatable characters for whom we're powerless but to feel for. Often times, dramatic and peppered with dashes of wit, humour and fun, Wild Cards offers us a journey that's as believable as it is sweet - if only because we can see a little bit of ourselves in Derek and Ashtyn.

I'm no stranger to Ms. Elkeles' work. While some of her fiction works better for me than others, I don't think I can say that I've ever been disappointed, and Wild Cards is no exception to that rule. Derek and Ashtyn were clear, defined characters - both of whom I related to at times, and I felt for throughout. While Derek's tough-guy demeanor was clearly a facade, we could see the same mirrored in Ashtyn, and I appreciated the connection between the two characters that even they probably didn't know they had. It lent a sort of vulnerability to each of them, or a chink in the armour, if you will. I also liked that despite the fact that Derek was decidedly hot and attractive, there was more to him than a blanket stereotype. When we reach into his past and see his emotions for his birth mother who died of cancer, we see a real, true, tender person. Ashtyn was a bit of a kicker for me. She was sassy, judgmental, strong-willed and, frankly, obnoxious at first. But there was also a softer side to her that was just hid by her steely determination. I do think that the plot of Wild Cards took a pretty significant background role to the characters' developing relationship, and I did expect to have a bit more football - think, Friday Night Lights. Yes, there was an undercurrent of football that gently nudged the story along, but Derek and Ashtyn's interactions are what really fueled the entire plot. I think that the novel could have really bumped it up a notch by raising the game stakes, as well as fleshing out the ending a bit further because, in the scheme of things, it was quite abrupt. 

Overall, Wild Cards is another notch in Ms. Elkeles' winning YA belt. Despite a few hiccups or flaws, in my humble opinion, it's a sweet, fun, dramatic and engaging read. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I recommend it to all fans of YA and NA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.