YA Book #Review: Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

Book Title: Keep Holding On
Author:  Susane Colasanti |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Viking/Penguin Publishing
Genre: Young Adult
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Format: Hardcover

Cost: $17.99

Pages: 202

How I got it: BEA 2013 (Book Expo America) 

Purchase:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Shelfablilty: Must Have
Season: All Year
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Synopsis:

A romantic and empowering book about bullying Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk the pain of a broken heart. But when the antagonism of her classmates takes a dramatic turn, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself--and for the love that keeps her holding on.

When I got this I thought this was just going to be another teen book, then I got into it and I was just so thrown. Holy hell, Noelle is so messed up, she's in so much need of help.  Her life was so beyond messed up. I'm not being articulate right now, because as I'm writing this I'm tearing up remembering different sections of the book.  Susanne wrote an emotional book about the effects of bullying, just amazing.

As I was reading this is what I was thinking about:

• OMG Really?? Why is her self-esteem, so shyt?? 
• What the hell happened to her friend??
• Why don't the teachers care?? 
•  Why didn't she run??

I was totally freaking out when I was reading this book.  This is seriously bad sign that when this happened that she didn't run. I'm glad it clicked for her then that she was in serious trouble. I'm glad adults began to care and to look into her situation. because had it gone unchecked it would have been really bad.  I just couldn't understand how it got so bad for Noelle, before they started picking on her she was just another kid with them, why was her self-esteem so bad that she wasn't willing to fight back??  Where are the teachers and why aren't they more involved??? How is it that Carly was able to run rampant on campus and no one said anything especially when she did it in front of them???

This book hit close to home because in school (private school with my mom as one of the teachers for other students) I was bullied and it seemed like for many months that certain teachers encouraged the kids who didn't do well in my mother's class to take their frustrations out on me, I wasn't physically harmed but being secluded from all the games when there are only 12 girls in the class and 9 boys means you're all alone.

Eventually, one of the girls stood up to the bullies and became my friend and then others followed along after but reading this makes me wonder what would have happened if I didn't have just one friend.  That's all that Ali Walsh was asking for, one friend who was going through the same thing she was, someone she could talk to, and Noelle couldn't even do that.

It's an amazing book and I highly recommend it. Not just for young adults either.  This is a book I think all those in education should read, something they would be able to recommend to kids in the same situation and it might even help them recognize some of the signs of kids in trouble.

I liked that this book discussed the effects of loss of income on kids, going from middle class to poor doesn't just affect the adults.  Can I just also say her mother is a worthless woman??!!! Yes I get that her life didn't go as planned, but ummm you made these choices, we are here because of your choices, you don't get to be mad about them now.

 ★★★★★

I highly recommend this novel. I cried, my heart ached, I wanted to yell, and I just felt so many emotions.  Be prepared but you should read it.  

Happy Reading

Snippet #Review: Office Toy

Book Title: Office Toy Book 1
Author: Cleo Peitsche |Website| Twitter| 

Publisher: Pouch Productions
Genre: Erotica
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: ebook

Cost: $FREE ON KINDLE/NOOK

Pages: 27

How I got it: NetGalley

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
Publication Date: 10/2012
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Synopsis:

Office Toy is an erotic MfMM (3 guys, 1 lucky gal) BDSM story of 8,400 words. Elle’s job interview starts with Cunningham throwing away her cheap clothes and sending his assistant to buy new outfits. He’s got her naked, so of course he’ll lay her out on the conference table and claim her mouth. Soon Elle is trussed up, all of her holes stretched full while three hot men have their wicked way. She loves her first tastes of liberated, naughty sex. But she’d better not start falling for her boss—no matter how safe he makes her feel—because while office sex is encouraged, romance is strictly forbidden.

What the F**k did I just read?? It's only 27 pages, how did, you know what?? This is a great porno style book. What I mean is.. thin reason for being there then all of a sudden the characters are having wild raunchy group sex.

If you just read the sex scenes it wasn't that bad, just as long as you didn't think about how she got there or worry about who some of the participants are supposed to be.  If that's what you're looking for, look no further, you have found it.

I so didn't see this coming because I don't like to read reviews before I read a book so not to be influenced. This was a total cover pick, I didn't want to read the premise and be disappointed, yeah that didn't work, I must admit that the cover is gorgeous; a kneeling submissive, yeah totally caught me,

Erotica Rating is 3 Steamy Stars, I would only read it for the erotic scenes, the 'plot' isn't worth it. If this was to be a contemporary romance?? I would hope to the gods above she was going to the police. No madam, not my style at all.  This is apparently a serial book, where they put out several pages at a time, nope I have no desire to continue with this series.

 ★☆☆☆☆

Have you read this?? What did you think??

ARC Book Review:Thunder Point Book #3: The Hero

Book Title: The Hero Thunder Point Series Book #3
Author:  Robyn Carr |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: September 2013
Genre: Romance
Format: Mass Market Paperback

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 384

How I got it: Book Expo America (BEA)
Series/ Standalone: Series Book 3

Purchase:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Synopsis:

In a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister takes her daughter and flees a place where they should have been safe and secure. She has no idea what is around the next bend, but she is pretty certain it can't be worse than what they've left behind. Her plan is to escape to somewhere she can be invisible. Instead, an unexpected offer of assistance leads her to Thunder Point, a tiny Oregon town with a willingness to help someone in need. As the widowed father of a vulnerable young boy, Spencer Lawson knows something about needing friendship. But he's not looking for anything else. Instead, he's thrown his energy into his new role as Thunder Point's high school football coach. Tough and demanding to his team, off the field he's gentle and kind...just the kind of man who could heal Devon's wounded heart. Devon thought she wanted to hide from the world. But in Thunder Point, you find bravery where you least expect it...and sometimes, you find a hero

So this is book three in the series, I do have the first books and yet foolishly I started at the end instead of the beginning, This story just sounded so compelling that I had to read it. and I certainly wasn't disappointed.  With well written, strong, compelling characters, I was immediately drawn into the story.  I want to move to this town, I would love to meet all the people that live there, yes, small towns are a nit of a pain when it comes to everyone knows your business but when you need help they are willing to be there more than anyone else (in the right towns anyway).

I always wanted to know something about what would compel someone to join a commune and in reading Devon's story I truly began to understand.  I believe she is extremely brave for wanting to get away for knowing herself well enough and demanding more for her daughter than what Jacob could give her. Despite her desperate need to belong to and make herself a family because of her early life, she knew what was there wasn't what she needed. She then made a new life for herself. And I just love it!!

There are moments within the book I wasn't happy with Devon because I think she could have done more, but then ou look and realize that it isn't her character to do these things, and yet in the end, she was ultimately her own hero.  I loved Rawley and was totally looking forward to hearing more of his story, and seeing how much he was growing with Devon and Mercy in his life.

Spencer or "Pencer" as Mercy called him.  I liked him as a character, he was both strong and vulnerable at the same time, he was desperate to no longer be hurt after so much tragedy had visited him in such a short time. I totally felt for him as a character, he really grew as a man and as a 'hero' for Devon.  That moment that all characters must face when thrown into a deep relationship came well and really made both of them look deep and accept their own boundaries. I really loved Decon in that moment because she truly showed how much living in Thunder Point made a difference in her life.

I would love to come back and see the rest of the story and see how Mercy grows, how Thunder Point saves others and catch up with the other characters we got a glimpse of in this book. Excuse me while I go read books 1 & 2.
 ★★★★☆
Happy Reading
Aisha

September To Be Read Pile

These are the books I'm hoping to knock out for the month of September, what are y'all trying to read this month??  My goal is 30 books read this month:

1. Keep Holding On
2. Croak
3.  Scorch
4. The Sweet Dead Life
5.  Speak
6. Between Friends
7. the choice
8. Throne of Glass
9. Crown of Midnight
10. the Wanderer
11. The Newcomer
12. Unwind
13. Unwholly
14. Beyond Eden

This isn't by any means a complete list. These are just the ones I want to clean off my pile, because they have been hanging around a little too long for my comfort. LOL  Anything in particular you're trying to get read this month??

Make sure to share in the comments below so I can swing on by and check them out.  Good Luck this month and I'll see you in the monthly wrap up.