Review: Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

Walk the Edge
(Thunder Road #2)
Author: Katie McGarry
Release Date: March 29, 2016
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: NetGalley
Review by: Jenn

One moment of recklessness will change their worlds

Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life.

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules.

And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here.

4 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an egalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. However, my review is not influence by it.*

I was super excited when I managed to get my hands on this book. I've read almost all of Katie's books for the exception of a few novellas, so I know that when I have a new one to read, I'm gonna love every word. And that was exactly the case with Walk the Edge.

Walk the Edge follows the story of Breanna and Razor. They both come two completely different world. Breanna is number five from nine(!) kids, she is a good girl and is super smart. Razor is part of a Reign of Terror motorcycle club, which everyone is afraid of. However, both of them hide who they truly are from their close ones. This is especially true when Breanna gets into some trouble with a classmate and has to enlist Razor's help and in doing so, she helps him with something as well.

I really enjoyed the relationship that Breanna and Razor shared. I think that they are a good influence for each other and they bring out best in themselves. Which is especially important for their character growth. Katie McGarry write books that are set in the real world that teens are currently living in. The cyberbullying and threats Breanna receives rings very realistic and scary. Aside from that, the motorcycle world Razor lives in, it still is a little scary to understand and live in. Like Razor, I had (and still do) a hard time giving them complete blind trust without knowing what they would do. Especially considering the secret that was hidden from Razor. And to be honest, I don't agree or like with some of the stuff they do and what a potential girlfriend or wife has to be okay with.

I really savored this book. I took my time reading it until I couldn't anymore and had to plow ahead and read to find out how it would end. Like with every Katie McGarry book, there is no perfect bow to end the story but I love it just the same. Breanna and Razor managed to deal with their choices and their repercussions but not in their ideal way. However, considering the trouble that they get themselves in, their ending is pretty good.

I can't wait to read Chevy and Violet's story. I've been curious about those two since we've met them in Nowhere But Here and I'm excited to learn about their history. And if you haven't read a Katie McGarry's book, I beg you to start. You can start with any of her books since they are all companions books. But seriously, go pick up or borrow a copy of Walk the Edge and see how good Katie's books are.

Blog Tour: Review: All the Rage by Courtney Summers

All the Rage
Author: Courtney Summers
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: NetGalley
Review by: Jenn

The sheriff's son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything-friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy's only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn't speak up. Nobody believed her the first time - and they certainly won't now - but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women in a culture that refuses to protect them.

4 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher, however, that does not influence this review in any way.*

All the Rage follows the story of Romy and the aftermath of being branded a liar by everyone in town. She is bullied in school and most of the scenes in school just breaks my heart. The way she is treated and the way she deals with it, I'm not sure how I would deal with it. All I know is that being in Romy's head made me feel everything that Courtney Summers wanted her readers to feel: Romy's hurt, her anger, her helplessness, her confusion. But also her drive to just put one feet in front of the other and get through each day alive. Romy's hope is to one day escape her hell, which is her small town, and as a reader, I just wish and hope she does.

The title of this book says it all. I felt All the Rage while reading this book. I felt sick to my stomach reading about Romy's treatment and knowing that other girls have it infinitely worse than what was portrayed. Courtney Summers wanted to give a realistic view into how young women are shunned and silenced and she did it with this book. My only hope is for more people to read it and hopefully gain a new perspective on how not to treat victims of rape and to learn a little bit more compassion.

About the author: 

COURTNEY SUMMERS was born in Belleville, Ontario in 1986 and currently resides in a small town not far from there. At age 14, she dropped out of high school to pursue her education independently and spent those years figuring out what she wanted to do with her life. At 18, she knew she was meant to write.
To date, she has authored five novels. Her first novel, Cracked Up to Be, was published when she was 22 and went on to win the 2009 CYBIL award in YA fiction. Since then, she’s published four more books–2011 YALSA Top 10 Quick Pick and White Pine Honour book, Some Girls Are, 2012 YALSA Quick Pick, Fall for Anything, and 2013 YALSA Top 10 Quick Pick and White Pine Honour book This is Not a Test and All the Rage as well as an e-novella, Please Remain Calm (a sequel to This is Not a Test).
When she is not writing, Courtney loves playing video games, watching horror movies and obsessing over the zombie apocalypse. Her favourite colour is green and she’s a total feminist.

Author Links: Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Website / Instagram

DNF Review: The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: Gallery Book through NetGalley
Reviewer: Jenn
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound

My rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Summary:
Lizzie's reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend's boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn't letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie's diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn't deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie's tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High - and she might not be able to pull herself back out.

Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh realities of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie's quest for the truth behind Lizzie's suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for - even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.

**This is a Did Not Finish review. I did not read the whole book, only up to 23% . So this is just my thoughts up to where I read.**

Unfortunately, this is a DNF review. I tried and tried to get into this book but I just couldn't. The premise of the story really intrigued me especially after reading Speechless by Hannah Harrington last year. It reminded me a little bit of it and so I was excited when Gallery Books approved me on NetGalley.

First off, the galley was filled with errors which made the reading experience a little bit more difficult. I could live with that if only the female protagonist wasn't such, excuse me for the word, a bitch. Angie was Lizzie best friend and she was one of the people that ostracized Lizzie. Now, with Lizzie dead, she finds out that someone is posting Lizze’s diary around school. Angie decides that she needs to find out who it is and goes on a hunt.

She acts all self-righteous when confronting people, as if she were any better than them. After a while I became so angry at Angie that I decided I just couldn't continue reading anymore. Unfortunately, I don’t see myself picking up a finished copy and finishing this book.

Review: Speechless by Hannah Harrington

(source)

Speechless by Hannah Harrington
Release date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Harlequin Teen through NetGalley
Link: Goodreads / Amazon

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:  Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret. 
Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast - and nearly got someone killed.
Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence - to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.
But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way - people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.

***I'll be doing this review a little bit different. I will be doing it as a list but in no particular order.***

1. Chelsea Knot is a brat. When we first meet her, I was immediately put off by her inability of keeping secrets and her way of thinking. What she valued about being best friends with Kristen and how popular Kristen made her, really irked me. I figured she would move on and grow up as the story progressed but by the end, she didn't change that much. She was still the same shallow, snotty girl, but learned how to think before speaking. Honestly, I liked her better when she wasn't speaking than when she started talking again. She did, slowly, matured during her months of silence. Chelsea stood up to Kristen several times; when Chelsea decided to tell the police what had really happened and when Kristen picked on Chelsea's new friend, Asha.

2. The author, Hannah Harrington, did such a wonderful job in portraying high school bullying. It was so well done and realistic that at times it was a little disturbing to read.

3. One of my favorite things about Speechless were the secondary characters, Sam and Asha. Sam was just so sweet and dorky and adorable. He was the guy who went online to research fashion designers so he could use it as a reference during a conversation with Chelsea. *sigh* I love it. Asha is one of the sweetest, kindest soul I have read in a while. She became friends with Chelsea even when her own friends were hesitant about it. I love people like Asha. I wish I could be more like Asha.

4. And my favorite thing about Speechless is the message of it. "Hate is easy but love takes courage." Chelsea is slow in learning to forgive herself for her past mistakes but I loved when she realized this:

"But even though I know my flaws are many (many many many), and there are always ways I could be better, and I should never stop working for that - I also need to give myself a break. I can cut myself some slack sometimes. Because I am a work in progress. Because nobody is perfect. At least I acknowledge the mistakes I've made, and am making. At least I'm trying. 
And just because I have room for improvement, doesn't mean I'm worthless, or that I have nothing to offer to, like, the world."

Even though Chelsea didn't become a favorite main character, I found this to be an enjoyable read. It read very realistic and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I am looking forward to reading more of Ms. Harrington's works.