Review: NO ONE'S HERO by Kelly Walker

No One's Hero
by Kelly Walker
Series: Chadwell Hearts #2
Genre: New Adult Romance
Published May 22nd 2014 by Kelly Walker
Format Acquired: Kindle Edition
Source: Bought from Amazon Kindle
Purchase Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Tired of living for the one who died, Lexi Feron is ready to throw caution to the wind. For eighteen years she’s been careful not to upset her fragile family, all the while knowing she’ll only ever be half of enough. Now, she’s done with careful. College is her chance to escape, to be free. To love. To live. 

Someone wants her to die. 

Kevin Morrison is haunted by the one he didn’t save. The one he wasn’t supposed to love. The mistake he can never take back, but is determined never to make again. A cushy job guarding a college freshman is exactly what he needs to get his confidence back. He’s just got to keep her safe until the drug dealer out for revenge goes on trial, then he can move on and forget all about her. 

She has other plans. 

No matter how much Lexi insists she doesn’t need a bodyguard, especially not one as mercurial as Kevin, she might be exactly what he needs. Because despite his best efforts, the spunky girl with a smart mouth and reckless streak awakens something in his heart that he thought was lost. But what if the real danger to Lexi, is Lexi? 

To save her life, he'll have to surrender his heart. 

MY REVIEW

I loved No One's Hero so much that I hope Kelly didn't grow tired of me fangirling on her over the internet. But seriously, she's one of the most awesome authors ever!
Moving on...

No One's Hero covers the story of Kevin and Lexi. Based on what I still remember (Well, it's been a long time since I read No One's Angel so forgive me LOL) Lexi is one of the witnesses against Angel's ex-boyfriend, Nick. Nick's men are in search for Lexi while he's in jail so Lexi really needs some sort of protection. This is where Arion kinda hired his friend, Kevin to serve as Lexi's bodyguard while she's in college. Lexi didn't want this, but she can't do anything about it so she just hates Kevin just as she hates the whole situation. Yet, she still can't deny the chemistry that instantly builds up between them.

"For whatever stupid reason, there's chemistry between us that I can't deny, and it's making it hard to him. And I definitely want to hate him."

Lexi is tired of her life living behind the shadow of her twin sister who is long dead and gone. She's excited for college so she can finally break free of her parents and enjoy her life. But she got it all wrong. She's not coming to college alone, Kevin will be there to guide and protect her. Well, if I were Lexi, I wouldn't care at all. A bodyguard as hot as hell like Kevin? Why not! WHY. THE HELL. NOT. She wants to be free, yes. But she and Kevin can be friends, right? Or more than that. But Kevin knows his limits and he cannot go beyond them or Arion himself will kill the fuck out of him. Not literally, but he'll still be dead.

"I don't keep my distance from you because you're flawed, I keep my distance from you because I am. . .I see you for how amazing you are, and I know if I let myself, I will fall for you and you'll become my breath, the only thing I need to survive. . ." 

I had fun reading about Lexi and Kevin's cat and dog fights. Lexi may have been stubborn at some times but Kevin never gave up on her. He's determined to protect her whatever happens. Anyway, Lexi and Kevin had a hard time getting along with each other but they eventually figured it out. They got along with each other, had fun, and went all the way to those hot, steamy and romantic situations. Well, at first, Lexi just wanted Kevin to cross one of her checklist: college sex. But Kevin never took advantage of Lexi. Aside from this, I love how the author did it again: combining romance and crime without getting the story confusing for the readers.

"I'm not a saint, Lexi, and I'm trying to make this as easy as possible on you."

"I won't break."

No One's Hero is a great read for those seeking action and romance at the same time. Not a lot of action per se, but the plot twist will definitely keep you going. I totally recommend this book and I am excited for the next installment, No One's Surrender!

MY RATING

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly Walker

Kelly Walker is a YA and NA author of several romantic titles, including the Souls of the Stones series. She has an unhealthy appreciation for chocolate, and a soft spot for rescued animals. Her best lessons on writing came from a lifetime of reading. She loves the fantastical, and the magical, and believes a captivating romance can be the most realistic magic of all. Kelly, her husband and her two children share their Virginia home with three dogs who walk her, and two cats who permit her to occasionally share their couch.

Author Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

{CLEAN TEEN PUBLISHING WEEK} Excerpt + Giveaway: DOUBLE STAR by Cindy Saunders

Double Star by Cindy Saunders

(YA- Paranormal Fantasy- Available Now)

She fell into his world, unaware of the key she carried and the doors it opened; a world where darkness waited to be set free ... The wait is over

 Do You Believe?

Get it today on Amazon!

When Cepheus, a dark god, forces seventeen-year-old Ally Ashworth off an isolated overlook, she has no idea she's falling into his world, or that the necklace she’s wearing is actually a key - one with the power to ignite the next world war. But she’s carried beyond his reach and into the one place where he’s powerless ... the forest of Gilgamesh.

Ally’s never been Miss Popularity, but her outsider status takes on new meaning when she’s rescued by Liam Cheveyo and his peculiar friends. After seeing them shape-shift into their freaky humanimal counterparts, Ally smacks hard into a few truths: magic really does exist and, although getting here took no effort, finding her way back might be impossible. Feelings between her and Liam begin to grow along with the realization that, in this world, she’s stronger, better ... until she’s caught in a trap set by the creepy spider-boy Cepheus sends to retrieve her.  But Ally’s not going down without a fight, not after learning the horrible truth about the passageways.

The survival of both worlds depends on it.

Excerpt from Double Star:

“What I am going to tell you needs to stay here, for now. Once I explain, you will understand why. The world in which we live,” Thea said and looked at him and Meg, “is not the only one that exists. There is another, similar but not the same, that travels in parallel to our own. An unseen but strong force holds them together. Many centuries ago, our world was linked to the heavens but, over time, those passageways were sealed and others created in their place—doorways to another world through which travel is uncommon but not unheard of.”

She turned her eyes to Ally. “That world belongs to you.” 

Ally stared, mouth agape, at Thea, and then dropped her head against the back of the couch. “A parallel dimension,” she said softly. 

Thea nodded. “Those secret corridors allow the spirit gods to travel between the two worlds. But, an indiscretion has led to their use by other beings, causing the fabric that holds them together to become compromised. It has developed tears within the seams where the energy wavers. I do not understand why you made the journey, Ally, but it is not the first time a human has traveled between them.”

Thea gave an uncharacteristic sigh. “I am telling you this so you can understand what I am about to say. There are some who believe the ability to cross between our two worlds, despite the consequences, will give them great power. However, their greed will only serve to destroy us all.”

Liam got to his feet. “How long have you known, Thea?” He could understand the subject not coming up in day-to-day conversation, but why had he never heard so much as a rumor?

Thea shook her head. “Liam, are you so vain as to assume yours is the only world that breathes life?” 

He began to pace. “I have never given it a thought—” His feet stopped. “If what you say is true, what makes you think Ally is from this other world?” 

“I sensed it the moment I saw her. That was the reason for my trip to Podegar’s.” Thea pulled a washcloth from her apron pocket. “This is stained with the blood I wiped from Ally’s forehead.” She unfolded the rust-colored rag. In its center was an area where the blood was not visible. “Podegar poured tama juice on this. When the blood disappeared, it confirmed my suspicion. It is slightly different from our own.” 

“That would explain it,” Ally said.

Liam looked at Ally. “How can you simply accept this?” 

“You haven’t been listening,” she answered. “I told you I wasn’t from around here. You thought I was crazy. Trust me—I questioned my own sanity when I saw what happened today. People don’t change into animals where I’m from. Not literally anyway.” 

“Ah, you know about the Shanyo.” Ally nodded at Thea’s statement.

“If what you say is true, Thea,” Liam said, “could the location where Corm and I found her be one of those passageways?” 

Ally’s body tensed. “Yeah, why can’t I just go back the way I came?” 

Thea’s expression washed over with sympathy. “The portals allow movement in a single direction. The one you traveled through leads into the forest, not out of it. In order to return home, you must find the correct one. It is true that certain spirits can travel at will between the worlds. The gods before us could do it quite easily. Yet, even then, the journey changed their powers, either diminishing them or making them more powerful. Certain objects are able to travel to and from as well. Some change. Some simply do not make it through at all.” 

“So how do I find the right passageway home?” Ally asked. 

Thea shook her head. “You traveled through unintentionally. Great care must be taken if you journey through again. I learned a great deal during my time away. The opening of certain doors can result in dire consequence. Almost seventy years ago, in your sense of time, a spirit traveled from this world and allowed Chaos to enter yours. It had also happened twenty-seven years before, with a similar result. Prior to your arrival, the last time someone from your world traveled here was three years ago.” Thea looked at him and Meg. “The time of the sickness that took your mother.”

Liam asked, incredulous, “Who would do such a thing?” 

Thea looked at him but did not speak. Ally began to count on her fingers.

“What are you doing?” he asked her.

“The math. Seventy years ago was 1941. Twenty-seven years before that was 1914. Huh. I know those dates. We talked about them in Hist—” Her mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding me? World War I and World War II? Are you saying something from over here caused those wars?”

“I cannot say if the passageway was traveled before or after the trouble began. I do know that evil takes root when people have given up hope. I suspect the timing of such things is not chance but seen as an opportunity. I am sad to say, within the past year, the door into your world has opened again. Forces here tried to prevent that, to no avail. Tell me, is your world experiencing anything unusual… anything of consequence at the current time?” 

Ally nodded. “Yeah. Wars and terrorism are spreading—there are tsunamis, earthquakes, and natural disasters. And oh, the world economy is about to collapse… to name a few ‘unusual’ things. Everything’s falling apart.”

“If your world falls, ours does as well,” Thea said.

About Cindy Saunders:

CINDY SAUNDERS was born in Lowell, MA. She moved to RI almost twenty-five years ago and now considers the Ocean State her home. She graduated from Bryant College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. When she’s not reading, writing, spending time with her two teenage children (how did that happen?) or working, Cindy tracks down one of her favorite local bands and enjoys a glass of wine. She completed her first novel, Double Star, a YA fantasy, in October 2012 and is currently working on the second book in the series.

Double Star is her first novel.

Website: http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/cindy-saunders

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doublestarbook

Published by:

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{CLEAN TEEN PUBLISHING WEEK} Excerpt + Giveaway: THE POWER TO SEE by Jennifer Anne Davis

The Power to See

by Jennifer Anne Davis

At first glance, twenty-two-year-old Brianna’s life seems perfect. But she harbors a deadly secret—her father is the leader of a ruthless drug cartel. Brianna struggles to find her place in a world her father meticulously controls, and believes she is nothing but a pawn in her father’s deadly games. 

After graduating from college with an enormous debt, Dominic finds himself lured by money and power into a job that appears too good to be true. He doesn’t realize he works for a drug cartel until he’s in too deep. Trying to keep his family safe, he takes a deal offered by Brianna’s father and agrees to marry Brianna while continuing to work for the cartel. 

Brianna and Dominic must rely on one another as their lives become further entwined in the lethal drug world. When Dominic discovers a deadly secret, he begins to question everything and turns to Brianna for support. However, Brianna’s heart belongs to another man—an undercover DEA agent. 

The DEA closes in on the drug cartel, forcing Brianna and Dominic to choose sides, igniting a battle between family loyalty, love, and survival. Brianna soon realizes that she may be the only person capable of bringing down her father’s empire—if she can find a way to outsmart the master manipulator, without losing herself, and her heart, in the process.

  

Content Rating: Mature Content (Rated YAm with 5's in all categories.) 

READ AN EXCERPT:

There was a soft knock on her door. Matt popped his head in, making her flush. As much as she fought against it, Brianna had to admit, Matt was hot. She hadn’t seen him since their dinner the other night. There was something different about him from other men she’d known. She liked that Matt was intelligent and highly sought after in the law field. Even though he was confident, he wasn’t cocky, and there was something gentle about him. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she liked that he seemed interested in getting to know her. It was a refreshing change. Of course, it was also nice that Matt was untouched by her father.

“Do you have any plans for the weekend?” he asked, giving her a half smile.

“Nothing too exciting. I have a lot to do before we meet with the judge on Monday.”

“Well, you can’t work all weekend, so I have a proposition for you.” Matt walked in and sat on the edge of Brianna’s desk, pulling two tickets from his shirt pocket. “I’m taking you to a baseball game Saturday night.”

Did he just ask her out? Was Matt interested in her? This wasn’t good. Why couldn’t Matt be married or unattractive? Why did she have to meet him now? “I don’t know,” she managed to say.

“You owe me a dinner,” Matt reminded her, the dimple in his cheek showing.

“I can’t.” She really wanted to, but her father would never approve.

Matt raised his eyebrows. “I’m not asking you out on a date, so don’t get all defensive. I’m simply asking you to a baseball game, and it’s work related if that makes you feel any better.” He leaned in close, smiling like they shared a secret.

Why did he have to keep looking at her like that? “Work related how?” she asked. Perhaps there was a way to get her father’s approval.

“The firm has a box. So, technically it’s a work function.”

“Is anyone else going?”

“No,” he whispered.

Brianna wanted to be alone with Matt, but she wasn’t sure she could control herself around him. Salazar’s plan was very direct and specific, and Matt was definitely not a part of the plan. She couldn’t afford to lose focus now. But the way Matt sat on the desk, his smile, those eyes—she was drawn to him. She closed her eyes, smelling his musky scent. Not once in Brianna’s life had Salazar ever asked her what she wanted. Everything was planned and she was expected to go along with it. Against her better judgment, she agreed to go to the game.

“I’ll pick you up at six.” Matt smiled. He slid from her desk and strolled to the door.

“No, I’ll meet you there.”

After glancing back at her, Matt responded, “Suit yourself,” and left.

Brianna was grinning so big, her cheeks hurt. A baseball game sounded like fun. She just needed to make sure her father knew it was a work function so he wouldn’t jump to the wrong conclusion. A little voice in the back of her mind screamed at the stupidity of getting involved with Matt, but Brianna chose to ignore the voice of reason.

BOOKS BY JENNIFER ANNE DAVIS:

THE KEY IS FREE!

About Jennifer Anne Davis

Jennifer graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she finally married her best friend and high school sweetheart. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids’ creativity.

Visit Jennifer online at www.JenniferAnneDavis.com.

More from Crimson Tree Publishing:

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CLEAN TEEN PUBLISHING WEEK: Introductory Post + Giveaway

HELLO, EVERYONE! WELCOME TO THE WEEK LONG CELEBRATION FOR CLEAN TEEN PUBLISHING, HOSTED BY YOURS TRULY, THE TEA-RRIFIC READER!

First, let me tell you how I learned about Clean Teen Publishing. I was browsing through NetGalley (after many months of stopping myself to do so, because of my low ratio) and saw this title that caught my interest: Queen of Someday by Sherry Ficklin. It has a gorgeous cover!

Queen of Someday
by Sherry Ficklin
Series: Stolen Empire #1
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Expected Publication October 7th 2014 by Clean Teen Publishing

ONE GIRL WILL BRING AN EMPIRE TO ITS KNEES...

Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophie will have to survive her social-climbing mother’s quest to put her on the throne of Russia—at any cost.

Imperial Court holds dangers like nothing Sophie has ever faced before. In the heart of St. Petersburg, surviving means navigating the political, romantic, and religious demands of the bitter Empress Elizabeth and her handsome, but sadistic nephew, Peter. Determined to save her impoverished family—and herself—Sophie vows to do whatever is necessary to thrive in her new surroundings. But an attempt on her life and an unexpected attraction threatens to derail her plans.

Alone in a new and dangerous world, learning who to trust and who to charm may mean the difference between becoming queen and being sent home in shame to marry her lecherous uncle. With traitors and murderers lurking around every corner, her very life hangs in the balance. Betrothed to one man but falling in love with another, Sophie will need to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to become the empress she is destined to be.

In a battle for the soul of a nation, will love or destiny reign supreme?

In this blog event, I'm going to post excerpts of some of their titles. As much as I'd love to include reviews, I can't at the moment. I'm really, really loaded up with requests and I want to pick some books off my shelf. Still, I'll be sharing reviews of their titles in the future. Anyway, let's appreciate these books and somewhat give them a try!

CTP COMMITMENT TO THEIR READERS

At Clean Teen Publishing, we believe that our readers deserve to know ahead of time what they are reading. We do not believe in censorship; we believe in the right to know. Every reader, no matter what their age is, has certain boundaries they don't want to cross. Currently there is no consistent rating system in place for books like there are for movies, music and video games. We believe by offering a wider range of disclosure about the content of our books, we will give readers of all ages and parents, a stronger sense of comfort according to what lies between the pages. 

With that said, we will not deem whether a book is appropriate or inappropriate for any particular age range. Our disclosure is simply for you to know what is in the book and we leave it up to you to decide what you are comfortable with reading.

CTP COMMITMENT TO THEIR AUTHORS

At Clean Teen Publishing, we believe our authors, who create new and amazing literary worlds, deserve to receive a large share of the profits that their art creates. We also believe that our authors deserve the support of quality editing, breathtaking covers and the power of a strong marketing presence behind them. As authors ourselves, we know that your writing comes from your heart and, in a sense, is a part of you. We will carefully protect that part of you and work hard to keep your creative vision alive.

"While our name is: Clean Teen Publishing, we cannot guarantee that the books we publish are always clean to your standards. While everyone’s moral values are different, we try to bring to light the content of our books to allow each reader the opportunity to make their own personal decisions."

GIVEAWAY

Here's a giveaway for you guys, you can choose any two titles from their list!

Click here to see their list of books

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"Waiting On" Wednesday #6: QUEEN OF SOMEDAY by Sherry Ficklin

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I was browsing through NetGalley (after many months of stopping myself to do so, because of my low ratio) and saw this title that caught my interest: Queen of Someday by Sherry Ficklin. It has a gorgeous cover!

Queen of Someday

by Sherry Ficklin

Series: Stolen Empire #1

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Expected Publication October 7th 2014 by Clean Teen Publishing

ONE GIRL WILL BRING AN EMPIRE TO ITS KNEES...

Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophie will have to survive her social-climbing mother’s quest to put her on the throne of Russia—at any cost.

Imperial Court holds dangers like nothing Sophie has ever faced before. In the heart of St. Petersburg, surviving means navigating the political, romantic, and religious demands of the bitter Empress Elizabeth and her handsome, but sadistic nephew, Peter. Determined to save her impoverished family—and herself—Sophie vows to do whatever is necessary to thrive in her new surroundings. But an attempt on her life and an unexpected attraction threatens to derail her plans.

Alone in a new and dangerous world, learning who to trust and who to charm may mean the difference between becoming queen and being sent home in shame to marry her lecherous uncle. With traitors and murderers lurking around every corner, her very life hangs in the balance. Betrothed to one man but falling in love with another, Sophie will need to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to become the empress she is destined to be.

In a battle for the soul of a nation, will love or destiny reign supreme?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sherry Ficklin

Sherry D. Ficklin is a full time writer from Colorado where she lives with her husband, four kids, two dogs, and a fluctuating number of chickens and house guests. A former military brat, she loves to travel and meet new people. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.

Author Links:

Website / Twitter / Gooodreads

New Feature: Bookmarked!

Hooray for my blog's new feature, Bookmarked! I recently got interested in tweaking my blog and designing graphics on Photoshop. I also tried making bookmarks inspired by my favorite books' covers and of course, my favorite quotes. So I decided to showcase my works through my blog. They may not be as beautiful as you can imagine but I'm proud of them! Practice makes perfect, right? ;) This is also inspired by my blogger friend Kazhy of My Library in the Making's feature, Mark that Book! Go see her works! :)

For my introductory post of this new feature, here's my blog's personalized swag.

Bookmarks

Calling Cards

I recently got the calling cards printed with the help of Ego Friendly Designs. They're pretty cute!

So, what can you say about them? I'd like to hear from you! You can suggest what books you want me to feature on "Bookmarked!" + your favorite quote/s! :)

Review: WHEN I BREAK by Kendall Ryan

When I Break
by Kendall Ryan
Series: When I Break #1
Genre: New Adult Romance
Published February 24th 2014 by Kendall Ryan Books
Format Acquired: Kindle Edition
Source: Purchased from Amazon
Purchase Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

(This book is intended for a mature reading audience and contains adult language and themes.) 

Knox Bauer's life has unraveled to the point of no return. Fighting to fill the emptiness inside himself, he seeks solace in unfamiliar beds with unfamiliar women. As guardian to his three younger brothers, he can't seem to do a thing right. But this can't go on...they look up to him in every way and all he’s done lately is prove how messed up he really is. Needing a change, he attends a local Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting, where he finds himself tempted by the alluring instructor, McKenna. 

Twenty-one year old McKenna is trying to make amends. After losing her parents in a horrific accident, she knows if she can just be good enough, maybe she can forgive herself for what happened. With her newly acquired degree in counseling, she begins leading a sex addicts group where she meets the troubled Knox and her life takes on complications she never bargained for. She doesn't have time for a bad boy who only wants to take her to bed, even if her body disagrees. The fixer in her wants to help, but trusting Knox's true motivations might take more courage than she has. 

**Please note this is not a standalone, as the story continues in book 2. 

Note: Contains a stubborn alpha male with addiction issues and loads of sexual tension between two damaged characters. Read at your own risk.

MY REVIEW

I'm very picky when it comes to reading New Adult novels. I'm a bit judgmental on the covers and the titles. I read the synopsis very carefully before I finally decide whether to read it or not. And well, this book passed my "standards" when it comes to reading NA titles. LOL.

When I Break is about Knox and McKenna, two persons living in two complete different worlds. Knox, having the playboy and badboy image, is a sweet older brother to his siblings. Yeah, contrary to his other side. He works for their living ever since his mother died and their father ran away. However, he uses sex to temporarily get away from his problems.

Then he decided to join Sex Addicts Anonymous, a group for sex addicts who wants to change their course of life. This is where Knox met McKenna, the leader of the group. She likes to spend her time volunteering and she's a virgin. Yes. That kinda surprised me out too, the counselor of a sex addicts group is a twenty one year old virgin. I mean, how can she give pieces of advice to these people when she doesn't even have experience at all? How can she relate to them if she doesn't know what it feels like?

The day they met, an instant sparkle lit up between them. There's something about each other that made them want to know more about their lives. So when McKenna had the chance to know more about Knox' life, she didn't waste the chance. It's not so long before she fell in love with him, which is, of course, against her work or what she do as a sex addicts counselor. On the other hand, Knox wants to stay away from McKenna as possible, because he doesn't want to ruin such an innocent girl like her. He knows he's fucked up.

"I hated hearing him admitting defeat, for not fighting for this -- for me. When he was ready to change and grow, he would. I'd wanted to be part of his growth process, but it seemed I hadn't been. I wasn't the girl to change him."

Overall, this is still a good read. It's not that long and boring that I finished this in one day. It's just very ironic that the counselor of a sex addicts group is a virgin. It also lack sexy scenes. Hehe. And that mother friggin' cliffhanger at the ending!!! I just really hope that my assumptions were wrong. Please, Kendall? Please!!!

MY RATING

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kendall Ryan

Romance author. Shamelessly addicted to bad boys, kissing and steamy romance novels brimming with dark, angsty tension.

Author Links:

Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

{Blog Tour} Excerpt + Giveaway : FAN ART by Sarah Tregay

Fan Art
by Sarah Tregay
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Published June 17th 2014 by Katherine Tegen Books

When the picture tells the story…

Senior year is almost over, and Jamie Peterson has a big problem. Not college—that’s all set. Not prom—he’ll find a date somehow. No, it’s the worst problem of all: he’s fallen for his best friend.

As much as Jamie tries to keep it under wraps, everyone seems to know where his affections lie, and the giggling girls in art class are determined to help Jamie get together with Mason. But Jamie isn’t sure if that’s what he wants—because as much as Jamie would like to come clean to Mason, what if the truth ruins everything? What if there are no more road trips, taco dinners, or movie nights? Does he dare risk a childhood friendship for romance?

This book is about what happens when a picture reveals what we can’t say, when art is truer than life, and how falling in love is easy, except when it’s not. Fan Art explores the joys and pains of friendship, of pressing boundaries, and how facing our worst fears can sometimes lead us to what we want most.

EXCERPT

And from the tone of his voice, I am certain Eden's maybe-secret is safe. Mason's like that -- if he says he's going to do something, it's as good as done. He keeps secrets as well as holds grudges. I think about my own secret. And how I haven't been guarding it as much as I have in the past. Eden and the art-geek girls know, and probably the Gumshoe staff too. And last night, well, my guard was way down.

I look at Mason and watch him eat. I wonder if he knows I'm gay, and if he's just waiting for me to tell him.

We have never talked about gay things: not celebrities, not gay marriage, not the fact that 10 percent of people we know are probably bent. Each silent year that goes by makes it harder and harder to bring it up. So now, four years in the closet later,the topic has become a huge rainbow elephant in the room. And I'm afraid of getting trampled.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Tregay

Raised without television, I started writing my own middle grade novels after I had read all of the ones in the library. I later discovered YA books, but never did make it to the adult section. When I'm not jotting down poems at stoplights, I can be found hanging out with my "little sister" from Big Brothers Big Sisters or stressing over performance classes at a model horse show.

I have both a Bachelors and Masters of Fine Art in graphic design, and my obsession with typography and layout naturally translates into formatting poetry on the page.

I live in Eagle, Idaho with my husband, two Boston Terriers, and an appaloosa named Mr. Pots. 

Author Links:

Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Twitter

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