Taking Time to Reread: MELT and SIGNS OF LIFE by Selene Castrovilla

 Melt by Selene Castrovilla 

Published by Last Syllable Books

November 6, 2014

MELT is a brutal love story, set against the backdrop of The Wizard of Oz. Sixteen year old “good girl” Dorothy just blew into the small town of Highland Park – where the social headquarters is Munchkinland (Dunkin’ Donuts.) There, she meets Joey – a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Can these two lovers survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his alcoholism? And then there’s his family's secret – about to be unleashed.

Told in dual first person, Joey's words are scattered on the page - reflecting his broken state. Dorothy is the voice of reason - until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Can their love endure, or will it melt away?

MELT is based on true events. It is both a chilling tale of abuse, and a timeless romance. It will hit you like a punch in the face, and also seep through the cracks in your soul.

 (from Goodreads)

 Signs of Life by Selene Castrovilla 

Published by Last Syllable Books

June 21, 2016

The tables are turned with a vengeance in this tour de force love story. Nearly a year has gone by and now it’s Dorothy who is fragmented and lost, while Joey keeps the promise he had made her to better himself —even though she’s gone. Joey talks about what is happening in the present while Dorothy describes what happened before— in the moments and hours after the Glock dropped. This time the stakes are even higher, as Joey forces himself to move forward while Dorothy is frozen in place. But when he learns of a devastating decision, Joey races to find her before it is too late. Truth, consequence, repercussion and modern medicine collide as pieces converge in this psychological, thrilling story which begs the question: Can love really conquer all?

 (from Goodreads)

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There are a couple of reasons I decided to reread MELT and SIGNS OF LIFE. Selene Castrovilla announced the final book of the series, UNPUNISHED, will be published this fall. I wanted to have the story fresh in my mind for when it is released. She hasn't teased her readers with the cove just yet, but I'm anxious to see what it will look like. MELT and SOL both had beautiful covers that lend well to the stories, so I'm sure the cover of UNPUNISHED will be just as gorgeous.

The other reason I wanted to reread MELT and SOL is I'm going to meet Selene this weekend at the Roanoke Author Invasion book event. I am so excited!! We've corresponded over the past few years. I've reviewed her books on my blog. I've hosted Selene for guests posts and gave away I don't know how many copies of her books to readers just because I wanted them to read them, and now I'll FINALLY get to meet her. 

From my reviews:

MELT

"MELT is a moving book that I couldn't stop reading until the very end. And when I did finish those last pages, all I could think was - Wow, that happened. And it was powerful."

SIGNS OF LIFE

 "SIGNS OF LIFE is a book that has to be absorbed."

Some Favorite Quotes:

"I couldn't help him. I could hold him, hold space for him -- but I couldn't save him. He had to find his own way through." - Dorothy, MELT

"Everything we say to people we love should make them feel good. Because it might be the last thing we get to say to them." - Joey, SIGNS OF LIFE

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Do you reread books? Or do your ever growing TBR piles keep you from picking up some of your favorite books? I'd love to know your thoughts. Leave me a comment and we can chat it up.

Summer Reread: BLUE by Lisa Glass

I recently reread one of my favorite summer books, BLUE by Lisa Glass. I read this book three years ago and I loved it just as much this time around as I did the first. When I'm not reading books to review this summer, I hope to fit in more of my favorites like this one!

Blue

by Lisa Glass

Publication Date: June 5, 2014

Published by Quercus Books

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher

Add to Goodreads

Purchase 

from Goodreads

Surfing is sixteen-year-old Iris's world, and when the ultra-talented Zeke walks into her life, it soon becomes her passion.

Over one amazing summer, as she is drawn into his sphere, she experiences love, new friendships, but also loss, with an intensity she never dreamed of.

But is Zeke all he seems? What hides beneath his glamorous and mysterious past? When Iris decides to try for her own surfing success, just as her ex-boyfriend comes back into her life, she will test her talent, and her feelings for Zeke, to the limit..

My Thoughts

 

(originally posted June 10, 2014)

If you are looking for that one book to kick off your summer reading, Blue by Lisa Glass is the book you should pick up. With Iris and Zeke meeting in a yoga class, in an awkward, but compromising position, there is instant attraction between these two. It drew me in, that's for sure. Both Iris and Zeke are sporty and exude a level of confidence that made them want to know each other more. And as the reader, I wanted to know too.

While there is an immediate attraction and Iris and Zeke are drawn to each other, there is no insta-love here. Readers who are leery about insta-love stories can rest easy as you get to see the characters get to know each other and experience the friendship that begins to turn into more. But both Zeke and Iris are guarded and we begin to understand that their love story might not be so simple after all. 

There were instances in Blue that took the story in a more serious direction than I ever expected. It tackles some serious issues (which I can't mention because they can be plot spoilers), and does so in a way that keeps the story from becoming overwhelmed by them. 

There are many things that I loved about this book:

• the friendship between Iris and her best friend, Kelly - this added a lot of humor to the book
• the relationship between Zeke and his brother (and the rest of his family) - this explained a lot about Zeke
• reading about Iris and how she grew into this more confident person after having her heart broken by her high-school boyfriend, Daniel
• all of the emphasis on surfing - the rules, the lingo, the surf culture, the surfing lifestyle and the freedom that the characters experienced

And I especially loved reading the descriptions of being out in the ocean and the waves - it was hypnotic. It made me yearn to be in the water.  It didn't make me what to go out and try to surf any time soon, but I could easily envision the surfers, in the water, experiencing the thrill of it all.

I fell hard for this book and Iris and Zeke and their story. I would call Blue a true summer read (although you could read it any time of the year). There are other characters in Blue who were interesting enough that their story lines could lead to their own books. I certainly hope that that happens in the future.

Disclaimer:  I received this ARC from Quercus Books  in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any way other than the ARC provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Taking Time to Reread: SLAMMED by Colleen Hoover

 

SLAMMED by Colleen Hoover

Publicaion Date: January 5, 2012

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 317

Synopsis

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

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I first read SLAMMED in May of 2013. It is the second book that I read by Colleen Hoover. I wanted to read POINT OF RETREAT and started it a few times, but there were parts of SLAMMED that I forgot that I needed to remember so I planned to reread it, but didn't get a around to it for a couple of years. It wasn't until I was hit with a wicked case of insomnia that I finally picked it up again. In just a few nights, I was falling in love with Will and Lake all over again.

But I can't believe:

I forgot about basagna.

I forgot about "Butterfly You". 

I forgot about the secondary characters - Eddie and Gavin. I love them! They desperately need their own book. I want to know their story before Lake met them. 

Favorite Moment that brought on the tears:

"Lake, he didn't move on. He didn't choose this new job over you . . . he chose us over you. He wanted you to have more time with me."

^^^^This is why I love Colleen's books so much. The heartstring tug. It's real.

And how can I ever thank Colleen for including the lyrics from The Avett Brothers songs in this book? I'd never heard of them before reading SLAMMED and I had to seek out the band. I instantly became a fan and my husband is too. We saw them in concert in 2014 and 2015 and we will see them again next month. 

Rereading SLAMMED didn't cure my insomnia, but it was a great way to spend those middle of the night hours AND it set me up to read POINT OF RETREAT which I've already read and NOW the stars have meaning! If you've read the book, you know what I'm talking about. 

Do you reread books? Or do your ever growing TBR piles keep you from picking up some of your favorite books? I'd love to know your thoughts, so leave a comment.

Books For A Cause Readathon Recap

I signed up for the Books for a Cause Readathon hosted by Heather at Turning Pages and of course as soon as I did, life got busy it always happens. Luckily, this was more of read when you can, set your own pace readathon - a readathon to make a commitment and then fulfill it. 

I pledged to read 10 books and donate $1.00 per book to Stand Up to Cancer. A few friends and family members agreed to sponsor me and support my efforts.

Over the past few weeks, I read a variety of books.

Book 1

I love Lisa's books so much - a great way to start off the readathon.

Book 2

 

Another incredible book!

Books 3-5

 I went to my friends for Family Dinner Night and her son asked me to read some books to him. He would've made me read to him all night if I didn't have to go home.

Books 6-8

The Geography of Girlhood and Stop Pretending were rereads for me. Make Way for Ducklings was mentioned in Stop Pretending, so it made sense to me to read it for the readathon too.

Book 9

I got this for cute book for my niece who will be arriving ANY DAY NOW!! I am so excited!

Book 10

 I love Jessica Park's Flat-Out books and this one is a new favorite too! 

Now this readathon is over, but the fundraising for Books for A Cause is not. Turning Pages is hosting an on-line auction for some must-have reads. There are books of all genres, some signed and a few gift baskets too. Please take the time to check out the auction and make a bid should you wish to do so. 

Go to On-Line Auction

2012 Reads: Complete List, Goals, & Challenges

Last January I joined some challenges and set some personal reading goals. Throughout the year, I tracked my reading progress and listed below are my reading goals and accomplishments for 2012. Even though I didn't accomplish all that I set out to do, I have to say that I didn't do half bad.  

On January 1, 2013, I will have a whole new set of goals. I'm not officially joining any challenges, but I am setting several personal challenges. If you are interested, you can check back to see what they are on my January 2, 2013 post. 

Read 85 books for the Goodreads Challenge: Read 105 (all titles listed below)

Read at least 10 e-books: read 25!!

Read 20 books from my bookshelves that I purchased prior to 2012 (doesn't include e-books): this is embarrassing, but I only read 13 books "from my shelves"

Read at least 10 library books: only read 3

Finally read Pride and Prejudice: I started Pride and Prejudice. I am about 1/3 of the way through and with each slow-turning page, I realize, with just a few hours left, it's not going to happen this year. So I'm pretty sure FINISH Pride and Prejudice will be on my 2013 goals list.



Challenges:
(Links to Challenge Hosts)

Debut Author Challenge Goal: 12; Read: 7

Sophomore Author Challenge  Goal: 10; Read: 10

Completely Contemporary Challenge Goal: 10; Read: 10+

 YA Verse Books Challenge Goal: 5; Read: 5+ 


Complete 2012 Book List
(links to Amazon)

The date listed is when I finished the book.

*Library Book

**Borrowed from a friend

***reread

+e-book

January
2: Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
5: Delirium by Lauren Oliver+
8:Major Crush by Jennifer Echols +
10: Girl Meets Boy by Kelly Milner Halls
11: The Wolf by Steven Herrick*
14: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
15: Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
22: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand+
24:The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
29:Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay


February
2:The Knife and the Butterfly by Ashley Hope Perez
4: 2 Days (Gravel Road) by L.B. Tillit
12: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs**
18: Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe
25: Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
28: Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

March
3:  Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
6: Gil Marsh by A.C.E. Bauer
7: Scary School by Derek the Ghost
15: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand**
17: Heartbeat by Sharon Creech
23: Perfect by Ellen Hopkins
28: Life Is But a Dream by Brian James
31: I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure



April
2: The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
6:Purity by Jackson Pearce
9: The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols +
16:  One Week In December by Holly Chamberlin +
18:  First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky
21: Never Enough by Denise Jaden
22: Purple Daze by Sherry Shahan

27: How to Be Bad by Lauren Myracle, E. Lockhart, and Sarah Mlynowski +
29: Rules for Hearts by Sara Ryan



May
1: Zero by Tom Leveen
5: The Selection by Kiera Cass
9: The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher
15: The Forgetting Curve by Angie Smibert
19: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson +
19: Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

20: Fade by Lisa McMann
20: Gone by Lisa McMann
22: Hourglass by Myra McEntire
27: Last Stop This Town by David H. Steinberg
28: My First Love By Callie West

June
10: Hereafter by Tara Hudson ***
10: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare audiobook
12: Crazy by Amy Reed +
16: Such a Rush By Jennifer Echols
22: Arise by Tara Hudson +
24: One Moment by Kristina McBride



July
4: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
6: But I Love Him by Amanda Grace +
7: Vegan Virgin Valentine by Carolyn Mackler

12: Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
14: I Got This by Jennifer Hudson *
15: Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman
19: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
23: Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams
25: On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
28: Double Clutch by Liz Reinhardt +

August
3: Junk Miles by Liz Reinhardt +
5: Slow Twitch by LIz Reinhardt +
13: Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories ed, by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones
17: All About Daisy by O'Dell Hutchison
22: Triangles by Ellen Hopkins
27:  The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

30: Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

September
1: Stoner & Spaz by Ron Koertge
1: Dead to You by Lisa McMann
2: From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas
3: Lush by Natasha Friend
11: Timepiece by Myra McEntire
14: Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone (DNF, 126 pages)
17: Stolen by Lucy Christopher *
19: Saving June by Hannah Harrington +
23: Easy by Tammara Webber+
24: Second Chance by Katie Kacvinsky+
25: Hana by Lauren Oliver +

October
6:  ttyl by Lauren Myracle
7: The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent
8: The DUFF: (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger + ***
9: Never Enough Stories by Denise Jaden
12: Hick by Andrea Portes +
13:  How I Changed My Life by Todd Strasser
13: Burnout by Adrienne Maria Vrettos
13: The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan ***
14: The Lucky Kind by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
23: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

November
7: If I Know It's Coming by Nick Hupton
13: Ten by Gretchen McNeil
25:  Wild Girls by Mary Stewart Atwell

December
2: The Believing Game by Eireann Corrigan +
4:  Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire +
8:  Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett
8:  Kissing Tennessee by Kathi Appelt
8: Forget Me Not by Carolee Dean
9: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill
9: Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick ***
9: Love, Ghosts, & Facial Hair by Steven Herrick ***
13: Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian ***
16: Blubber by Judy Blume
22: Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains) by Laurie Boyle Crompton
28: Annabel by Lauren Oliver +
29: Radiant by Cynthia Hand +
29: Chasing Sunset by Sami Lee +
30: Wrong Bed, Right Guy by Katee Robert +