Review: Crash Into Me by Albert Borris

Book: Crash Into Me

Author: Albert Borris
Edition:Paperback
Pages: 257
Pub. Date: July 21, 2009
Rating: A-



Goodreads
"Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: they all want to die. When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, the four teens make a deadly pact: they will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides...and at their final destination, they will all end their lives. As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living--or if there's no turning back."

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My Review

I was intrigued by the storyline, it’s one that means a lot to me. Not too many people are willing to touch the topic of suicide, but when they do, it’s an experience.
You read from the POV of Owen. Teen boy who isn’t happy with his lot in life. Attempts at suicide: 6. At first, he is only talking to one other suicidal teen. She then introduces him to 2 more. Together they talk about how they feel and what they want. They become the Suicide Dogs.
After so long of just talking over the internet, they decide to finally meet and take a road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides. They make a pact to all off themselves at the end of the trip - Death Valley.
Over the course of this trip, they all learn more about themselves. About why they really want to leave everything behind. The truth always comes out at some point.
Again, I love this storyline. Everything lays out perfectly. Nothing was unraveled too early or too late. It flowed just right.
And the character development is really good. From the beginning to end, there is so much change. You are constantly learning something new. But…the connection between the reader and the MC (Owen) was lacking quite a bit. It was almost as if a wall was blocking the two. I would have preferred this book either third person POV or just written better.
Now, the writing. It was funny and heartbreaking. Albert Borris has great talent. This brings us back to the connection.. It just wasn’t enough! I felt there was a lot more to Owen than was written.
The other characters spoke in their own voice. All of them together, you are guaranteed to either laugh or tear up.
I want to talk about my favorite. Audrey. I loved her. She has this “I-Don’t-Care” attitude. But the truth is so much greater with her. It would be great to get to read a little through her eyes. She starts out wound up like a tight ball. No one can get to her, except for one person. Owen, who becomes her boyfriend for the trip.
 
This is a great story I feel everyone should give a chance. If you do pick this book up, please go into it with an open mind.  Even if you don’t normally go for this genre, just try it. You can catch a glimpse at how other people feel. Learn a little bit. Expand your horizons.
People deal with these emotions everyday. Don’t be narrow minded.

*** This novel deals with death, suicide, and sexuality. Mature themes. Mature audience.
 

MAX-imum Exposure Tour: Interview with Pietr

Welcome to the MAX-imum Exposure Tour for the 13 to Life Series!

Each site throughout the tour will have swag and an individualized interview with either Pietr, Max or both! Shannon has also included an audio download for each interview so you can hear the Rusakova boys! 

And here's today's interview!

Courtney:
Hi Pietr.

Pietr:
Strahsvoytcha.

Courtney:
If you could be a normal human boy instead of the magical being you are, would you take the chance?

Pietr:
I do not think of myself as magical; we are very much the result of scientific tampering. And da, most days I think that if I had the opportunity to be normal I would probably take it. You have no idea how good you have it as a normal human being.

Courtney:
Was it love at first sight for you when you saw Jess?

Pietr:
Nyet. I do not believe in love at first sight. Lust at first sight or attraction at first sightóboth are possible. But love... True love deserves much more than one quick look can offer.

Courtney:
What in your past would you change if you could?

Pietr:
If I could change anything in my past I would change the night my parents disappeared. If I had been older or better prepared perhaps they would still be here.

Courtney:
Thank you for talking to us, Pietr.

Pietr:
Puhzhasta--you are welcome.

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Shannon Delany is the winner of the first-ever cell phone novel contest in the western world and the author of the 13 to Life series through St. Martin's Press. 13 to Life is already available and Secrets and Shadows hits stores 2/15/11 with Bargains and Betrayals landing on shelves 8/16/11 (already available for pre-order!)and two more as of yet unnamed novels coming out in 2012.

For more about Shannon, visit her author website: www.ShannonDelany.com or her series website: www.13toLifeseries.com  You can also find Shannon on Facebook and on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/Shannon_Delany

Want a fun freebie you can print out and use with a web-cam to make a bookmark much more than a bookmark? Go here and check out the Augmented Reality bookmark: http://ht.ly/3KgG7

Author Interview: Kimberly Derting

Welcome to Courtney Reads! Today, we have an awesome interview with author Kimberly Derting!

For those who have been living under a rock, Desires of the Dead (sequel to The Body Finder) hits bookstores in just a few days!

The Body Finder is one of my favorite novels and I could not wait for DotD. I will always speak high praises for this series and Kimberly Derting!

Okay. Onward to the good stuff!

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1)  Has anything you've written happened in real life?
Nothing like finding dead bodies or anything!  But in Desires of the Dead, I did include a funny side-story for two of the secondary characters which was loosely based on something that happened to my daughter’s boyfriend. He knows nothing about this so it’ll be fun when he reads it.  Either that, or he’ll never speak to me again.  I guess I’ll know on February 15th!


2)  What does your family think of your writing?
They’re super supportive. My husband helps out with housework and my kids (almost) never complain about eating fast food…again!

3)  If you could have dinner with any 3 book characters from any story, who would they be? Why?
Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, Isabella Lightwood from The Mortal Instruments series, and Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, because they’re all kick-ass, tough girls.


4)  What or who is your biggest muse?
Hmm…my husband would probably like me to say him (HA!), but I’m gonna have to go with Evanescence since they’re music sets the perfect haunting backdrop for The Body Finder books. 

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Oh, how I love Kimberly Derting! Check out my review for Desires of the Dead, which releases in 3 days! And if you have not read The Body Finder, what in the world are you waiting for?! Go out and read it today!

Thank you to Teen Book Scene for letting me participate on the book tour. 

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Desires of the Dead trailer:

Review: The Ghost and The Goth by Stacey Kade

Book: The Ghost and The Goth

Author: Stacey Kade
Edition:First Edition Hardcover
Pages: 281
Pub. Date: June 29, 2010
Rating: A-



Goodreads
"Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star… and newly dead.

I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?"

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My Review

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I began The Ghost and The Goth. The synopsis tells us we are going to read in two point of views. POV 1: Alona Dare; once popular, now dead. POV 2: Will Killian; gifted outcast. Neither cares for the other, but, due to circumstances, they must find common ground.
The big question I know we all want to know before diving into this book is, will there be a romance? The synopsis' we read does give a little minuscule nudge, but other than that, you don't know for sure. All you need to know is there is a lot of... Hate? I don't know the right word. Maybe misunderstanding fits better.

Truthfully, I was terrified to read this. Scared that it wouldn't amount to anything and I would waste a few hours of my life.
That wasn't the case. No, this isn't an epic tale, but I loved it so much more because of that.
TGATG was a light, simple read. Don't let that fool you, though. There is still a good plot line. One that will carry on for a sequel, Queen Of The Dead. 
I really enjoyed reading from both perspectives. You got to see what it was like for the dead and the dead-talker.

Alona is a witch with a capital B! She made me mad a few times. I just wanted to shake her and yell, "Open your eyes! The world doesn't revolve around you!" But then I would remember she was dead... and a book character... I also sympathized with Alona at moments. She is stuck on Earth, not knowing when or if that white light will come for her. So she gets to see everything that was really going on around her. I'd hate to learn the things that she did.
She grows a lot from page one to page 281. A slight transformation begins and she sees life wasn't as perfect for her as she thought. And she realizes this with the help of Will.
My heart went out to Will. He has it rough. I don't know how I would cope with being able to see/talk/touch dead people and then no one believes me. Everyone thinks he is some psycho, but really he is just a misunderstood, extremely gifted, teen. Luckily, though, he does have a best friend. And she is there for him. Picks him up whenever all the craziness brings him down.
Together, Alona and Will learn about each other and themselves.
Back to my earlier question. Romance or no? I'll just say, if there is one, I am totally 100% okay with it!

Stacey Kade is an extremely talented writer.  She knows exactly how to describe in just enough detail. The plot flowed perfectly with a few "Aha!" moments. Be sure to keep your eyes open. You don't want to miss a moment.


The Ghost and The Goth is a fun, adorable, ghost and goth filled book. Looking for something to take you mind away for a few hours? Pick up TGATG.


Did you think I would stop without talking about the cover? Oh, heck no, techno!
As I have mentioned many of times before, I am in love with the cover! The colors. Alona and Will. It's perfect! I would love to have a poster, it's that awesome. (I'd stick it right beside my Sea and City of Glass posters!) And Queen of The Dead is just as awesome!