Book Review: Undeniable by Liz Bankes.

Product details:
Publisher: Piccadilly Press.
Paperback, 192 pages.
Release date: August 1st 2013.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Ages: 15+
Source: Received from Publisher for review.

Frank, funny and fabulous the new romantic novel from Liz Bankes. Gabi is so excited she's spending the summer working as a runner on her favourite TV show. It's a dream come true! Plus it's perfect for for distracting her from The Break-Up especially with all those gorgeous actors around. And then there's Spencer Black: student, extra, expert flirt. Everything with him is fun, intoxicating and uncertain. Things between them are hotting up when he lands a minor role on the show. So is it make or break for them? Is Spencer undeniably the one for Gabi?

Gabi can’t wait to embark on a summer full of adventure and distraction in London, working as a runner on her favourite TV show, The Halls – think the O.C. set on a university campus but with even more drama and even hotter guys. Newly single after a very-long term relationship, Gabi is more than ready for a not-so-serious summer romance, and it might just be that Spencer Black, a sexy extra on The Halls is the one to sweep her off her feet.

But is Gabi open to love, or does her heart belong to someone else – and is Spencer really all that he seems? Gabi’s life is about to take a turn for the dramatic; it’s like she stepped right into one of her favourite storylines from The Halls. But will Gabi’s story have a happy ever after, or is her summer of fun about to turn into a case of broken hearts all round?

Irresistible, the debut novel from Liz Bankes was a fun read with drama, friendship, deceit and one very hot bad boy in the shape of Jamie Elliot-Fox (who I totally crushed on). If anything though, Undeniable is a step up from Irresistible. I really enjoyed reading about Gabi’s adventures in London, her flirtation with sexy Spencer and the mystery of what led to her break-up with first love Max. On the surface Gabi is a (loud) fun-time party girl, and truth be told, when the story began I thought she might annoy me quite a bit. She didn’t though – I grew to love Gabi. Sure, she wears her heart on her sleeve and she can be a little dramatic and in your face at times, but she has a heart of gold. Gabi is all about family and friends. She puts others first and we soon learn that while she puts on a brave front, Gabi has a whole lot more going on in her life than first meets the eye.

Undeniable, just like Irresistiblebefore it, is categorized as a ‘steamy’ New Adult novel, but just like its predecessor I think this one fits firmly into the Young Adult category.   After all, the protagonist here is seventeen, and while there are some steamy scenes, there is nothing in here that I haven’t read in YA before; certainly most of the NA books I’ve read, especially those coming from the US, are steamier than this. So, if you’re a teenager who’s thinking about reading this book, or a parent of a teenager who is concerned about the content, then rest assured, the 15+ age recommendation on the back of the book is pretty much spot on.

Now, onto the steamy stuff: the romance. Oh, I should mention that Mia and the aforementioned Jamie from Irresistible make a couple of appearances here. As you’ll know if you’ve read Irresistible Mia and Gabi are best friends for life and even though she’s on holiday in France, Mia is very much a part of Gabi’s summer. I loved catching up with Mia and Jamie; especially after all the drama of Irresistible.  Spencer, it has to be said, is a nicer guy than Jamie. I mean, when we first met Jamie, he was a total ass. And when we left Jamie he was still kind of an ass, but I digress. Spencer is an aspiring actor who sets his sights on Gabi from her first day in London, and little by little, though she is still nursing her heartache, Gabi embarks on a summer romance with Spencer. It’s not all plain sailing, though. Spencer is ambitious, and soon earns himself a promotion on The Halls – he’s the sexy bad boy with a dark secret, don’t you know. Gabi is happy for Spencer’s success, but with success comes press intrusion, and that’s when things start getting really complicated for Gabi.

Undeniable is a fabulously fun coming-of-age read with some great characters (I loved Gabi’s granny!) and a hot summer romance – those are always the best kind! I’m already looking forward to reading the next book in this series which features Mia and Gabi’s friend Rosie and Jamie’s ex Cleo (you might remember her from Irresistible). Now that should be an interesting read!

 

Undeniable Blog Tour: Liz Bankes Talks Top Book Couples!

Undeniable by Liz Bankes || Release date: August 1st 2013.

Frank, funny and fabulous the new romantic novel from Liz Bankes.

Gabi is so excited she's spending the summer working as a runner on her favourite TV show. It's a dream come true! Plus it's perfect for for distracting her from The Break-Up especially with all those gorgeous actors around. And then there's Spencer Black: student, extra, expert flirt. Everything with him is fun, intoxicating and uncertain. Things between them are hotting up when he lands a minor role on the show. So is it make or break for them? Is Spencer undeniably the one for Gabi?

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 Guest Post: Liz Bankes picks her top five book couples. 

Pretty much the main reason I write romantic comedy is because that’s what I love reading. I love spending the whole of a book getting increasingly desperate for a couple to get together, to the point I get confused and forget they’re not real. (I’m the same with TV couples – I almost broke a chair watching The Office Christmas special, I continually reassure myself that Tim and Daisy from Spaced ended up married and please don’t talk to me about Emily and Naomi in Skins.)

 When I am writing my characters I think about these couple and what made me love them so much. If I can incorporate even just tiny hints of these things into my couples then I will be very happy. The only thing that would make me happier would be if these couples all came to life and decided to be my friends.

1. Georgia Nicolson and Dave the Laugh

From his first appearance as a red herring, through the clown-nosed love declaration and the wet bottom incident, Dave was ALWAYS the one for Georgia. No amount of sex gods and lurve gods would persuade me otherwise. He’s always there for her as a mate and the only one of the boys who could match her in the humour department. They are proof that, whatever else happens, being in love should be a laugh.

2. Lizzie and Darcy

Grumpy frowny man meets woman who dearly loves a laugh. Sound likes an absolute disaster. I bet he will be the last person she would ever marry. 

But WAIT! Maybe under all that chat about finding each other annoying, they actually fancy each other?? Yep, you are right. Despite first impressions, this is in fact the beginning of the best love story ever. (Did you know First Impressions was the original title of Pride and Prejudice?) 

I love this idea of wearing down someone’s grumpiness – or the gradual realisation that you are actually quite enjoying the sparring matches with the person you claim to dislike. Plus he has a big house and walks around in a wet shirt sometimes.

3. Noah and Allie from the Notebook

It is possible that I haven’t read the book and am basing this all on Ryan Gosling’s face the film. But the fact remains that HE BUILT HER A HOUSE. I won’t say much for fear of spoilers, only that this couple made me cry FOR TWO HOURS.

4. Kim and Sugar from Sugar Rush

Again this one is based a bit on the TV series, but I have read the book as well. Through both you see just why Kim falls for her best friend Sugar and, despite Sugar’s wild, destructive and unreliable ways, you are willing them to get together. What this couple shows is the attraction of someone who just doesn’t care and it also makes you think about what it would be like to fall for your best friend – someone who is at once so close to you, but at the same time out of reach.

5. Viola and Orsino from Twelfth Night

You may have noticed that I like a bit of unrequited love. Viola is shipwrecked and dresses up as a boy so that she can work in Orsino’s court. She becomes his confidant and he sends her to woo local widow Olivia on his behalf. I love the way that these two fall in love through chats and getting to know each other, in complete contrast to the over the top way he talks about Olivia. And the bit where they talk about love and she talks about this guy that her ‘sister’ secretly loves, who happens to look just like Orsino is just brilliant. It makes me want to jump up and shout ‘It’s YOU, Orsino, you twit!’ But that doesn’t go down well in the theatre, apparently. 

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Follow Liz on Twitter: @LizBankesAuthor

Read All About It: News, Deals and Cover Reveals from Lauren Oliver, Michelle Krys, Gemma Burgess, Holly Black & More!

Here's a round up of the latest book news, deals and some cover reveals that I've discovered over the past few weeks!  It's also basically a digest of all the exciting news stories that come my way and which I've mostly already posted on my twitter and Facebook feeds, so if you want up-to-the-minute book news and you don't want to have to wait around for me to type this up, you can follow me on those sites!

 Like DaisyChainBookReviews on Facebook  ||   Follow  @daisychainbooks on Twitter and then you'll never miss a thing!

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Panic by Lauren Oliver || Release date: March 2014

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

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Book Deals, Book Deals, Book Deals....

Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten

Liesa Abrams at Simon Pulse has acquired Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten (Wherever Nina Lies) in a two-book, six-figure auction. In this YA suspense novel, pitched as Gone Girl meets Thirteen Reasons Why, June has barely had time to mourn the death of her best friend, Delia, before Delia's ex-boyfriend convinces her Delia was murdered, and June is swept into a tangle of lies, deceit, and conspiracy. Publication is scheduled for spring 2015; Jenny Bent of the Bent Agency brokered the deal. 

Those Girls by Lauren Saft 
Farrin Jacobs at Little, Brown's Poppy imprint has acquired Those Girls, a debut novel by Lauren Saft, plus an untitled novel. Those Girls tells the story of three friends at an all-girls prep school and their junior year filled with secret crushes, best-friend rivalry, lying, cheating, sex, and betrayal. Publication is planned for spring 2015. Kirby Kim at WME did the deal for North American rights. 

The Cost of All Things by Maggie Lehrman 

Donna Bray at HarperCollins's Balzer + Bray imprint has acquired The Cost of All Things, the debut novel of Abrams senior editor Maggie Lehrman, in a two-bookdeal. In the story, when her boyfriend dies, grief-stricken Ari buys a spell to erase all memory of him – which has disastrous consequences for her dance career. And she's not the only one looking for shortcuts. A publication date has not yet been set; Tina Wexler at ICM sold world English rights at auction. 

The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker

Pam Gruber at Little, Brown has bought world English rights to a debut novel by Virginia Boecker called The Witch Hunter, set in an alternative 16th-century London. In the story, pitched as Shadow and Bone meets The Tudors, the only girl in the king's elite group of witch hunters is framed for being a witch herself, finding freedom at the hands of the world's most wanted wizard. Publication is set for spring 2015; Kathleen Ortiz at New Leaf Literary & Media held the auction for the three-book deal.

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More Book Covers of Awesome in YA....

Hexed by Michelle Krys || Release date: June 2014

If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

**********

Fates by Lanie Bross || Release date: February 2014

What if your destiny was to kill the one you love?

One moment. One foolish desire. One mistake. And Corinthe lost everything.

She fell from her tranquil life in Pyralis Terra and found herself exiled to the human world. Her punishment? To make sure people’s fates unfold according to plan. Now, years later, Corinthe has one last assignment: kill Lucas Kaller. His death will be her ticket home.

But for the first time, Corinthe feels a tingle of doubt. It begins as a lump in her throat, then grows toward her heart, and suddenly she feels like she’s falling all over again—this time for a boy she knows she can never have. Because it is written: one of them must live, and one of them must die.

In a universe where every moment, every second, every fate has already been decided, where does love fit in?

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 When The World Was Flat... by Ingrid Jonach || Release date: Sept. 2013

Looking back, I wonder if I had an inkling that my life was about to go from ordinary to extraordinary.

When sixteen-year-old Lillie Hart meets the gorgeous and mysterious Tom Windsor-Smith for the first time, it’s like fireworks — for her, anyway. Tom looks as if he would be more interested in watching paint dry; as if he is bored by her and by her small Nebraskan town in general.

But as Lillie begins to break down the walls of his seemingly impenetrable exterior, she starts to suspect that he holds the answers to her reoccurring nightmares and to the impossible memories which keep bubbling to the surface of her mind — memories of the two of them, together and in love.

When she at last learns the truth about their connection, Lillie discovers that Tom has been hiding an earth-shattering secret; a secret that is bigger — and much more terrifying and beautiful — than the both of them. She also discovers that once you finally understand that the world is round, there is no way to make it flat again.

An epic and deeply original sci-fi romance, taking inspiration from Albert Einstein’s theories and the world-bending wonder of true love itself.

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Vivian Versus the Apocalypse by Katie Coyle || Release date: Sept. 2013

A chilling vision of a contemporary USA where the sinister Church of America is destroying lives. Our cynical protagonist, seventeen-­year-­old Vivian Apple, is awaiting the fated 'Rapture' -­ or rather the lack of it. Her evangelical parents have been in the Church's thrall for too long, and she's looking forward to getting them back. Except that when Vivian arrives home the day after the supposed 'Rapture', her parents are gone. All that is left are two holes in the ceiling...

Viv is determined to carry on as normal, but when she starts to suspect that her parents might still be alive, she realises she must uncover the truth. Joined by Peter, a boy claiming to know the real whereabouts of the Church, and Edie, a heavily pregnant Believer who has been 'left behind', they embark on a road trip across America. Encountering freak weather, roving 'Believer' gangs and a strange teenage group calling themselves the 'New Orphans', Viv soon begins to realise that the Rapture was just the beginning.

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A Little NA Cover Love... 

Love and Chaos (Brooklyn Girls #2) by Gemma Burgess

*Synopsis not Available* 

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Undeniable by Liz Bankes || Release date: August 2013

 Frank, funny and fabulous the new romantic novel from Liz Bankes Gabi is so excited she's spending the summer working as a runner on her favourite TV show. It's a dream come true! Plus it's perfect for for distracting her from The Break-Up especially with all those gorgeous actors around. And then there's Spencer Black: student, extra, expert flirt. Everything with him is fun, intoxicating and uncertain. Things between them are hotting up when he lands a minor role on the show. So is it make or break for them? Is Spencer undeniably the one for Gabi?

**********

And an Awesome Book Trailer...

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Isn't that an AWESOME book trailer?! And what about the covers in this edition of the round-up? Amazing! I can't wait to read Panic by Lauren Oliver and I'm in cover love with Hexed by Michelle Krys.  The second book in the Brooklyn Girls series also looks great. There are some great book deals to check out this time round too!

 

Please note that book covers may not be final and may be subject to change.  Additional sources:  PW Children's Bookshelf, Goodreads, Amazon UK. 

Book Review: Irresistible by Liz Bankes.

Product details:
Publisher: Piccadilly Press.
eBook, 224 pages.
Release date: December 6th 2012.
Rating: 3½ out of 5.
Ages: 12+
 Source: Received from publisher for review.

When Mia gets a summer job in a country club, it's a chance to see into a whole world of privilege and passion she's never imagined.

Thankfully there's Dan to keep her feet on the ground. He's laid-back, funny and could be the perfect person to go travelling with when the summer's over.

But behind everything that happens in the summer, there's Jamie. Wealthy and sexy, he's got everything he could ever want, and enjoys nothing more than messing with people's lives for his own entertainment. 

Mia knows that any relationship with Jamie is a bad idea,  but as she's drawn into his dangerous and madly exciting world, she finds the one thing she can't stop is herself.

Sixteen year old Mia is at a crossroads in her life.  All she wants to do is travel, but instead she’s stuck at school where she’s faced day after day with unpleasant memories of her dodgy ex.  Mia wants more. She wants excitement. She should be careful what she wishes for.  By the end of the summer Mia will have had enough excitement to last her a lifetime. If only she had a crystal ball that could see into the future, Mia might realize that normal isn’t so bad.  But then, who wants normal when you can have a guy called Jamie Elliot-Fox?

Mia’s summer job at a castle-cum-posh country club introduces her to a whole new world.  It also introduces her to the afore-mentioned Jamie, the hottest bad boy in town and object of desire amongst females for miles around.  Jamie is used to getting what he wants, and what he wants now is Mia. Does Mia play it safe with genuinely nice guy Dan, or does she give into temptation and start playing dangerous games with Jamie?

If you’ve ever been there, you already know how this ends – because nice guys finish last, and bad boys who live in castles,  like to party all night and have drop dead gorgeous looks to boot - they win every time. But what Mia doesn’t seem to realize is that bad boys, well, they’re so-called for a reason.

Naturally, Jamie can turn on the charm, but he’s no prince charming. For one, he has a girlfriend, the beautiful and formidable, Cleo, the kind of girl who Mia should really know better than to cross. But cross Cleo she does, because like a moth to a deadly flame, Mia just can’t keep away from Jamie.   But is Jamie to be trusted? Or is he just playing games with her heart? And then there’s Dan – nice, dependable Dan who takes Mia on picnics, hangs out with her friends and makes an effort to get along with her family. Things Jamie would never do.  Mia doesn’t want to hurt Dan. The problem is she just can’s stop thinking about Jamie.

What’s a girl to do?

Irresistible is a fun, sexy debut from author Liz Bankes with a great relatable cast of characters and some genuinely laugh out loud moments.  The ending of Irresistible is ambiguous and leaves much to the readers’ imagination, but I, for one, would love to find out what happens next.  Is there a sequel in the works? I’m not sure, but I’d definitely be interested in checking out more of Mia’s mishaps and adventures.

Note:  Irresistible was originally pitched to me as a ‘New Adult’ read, but despite some pretty steamy moments, I would class this one as YA (Mia is sixteen) and as suitable for readers aged 14+, although it is listed on the publishers’ website as a 12+ read.

 

Blog Tour: Read an extract of Irresistible by Liz Bankes.

 Maybe you've heard of Irresistible by Liz Bankes? It's the book everybody, and I mean everybody is talking about!

Read on for an extract from this a sizzling tale of bed-hopping, bruised egos, broken hearts and a bad boy who no girl can resist. Meet Jamie Elliott Fox...if you dare...!

Irresistible by Liz Bankes

Publisher: Piccadilly Press

Release date: Ebook available NOW || Paperback available April 2013

When Mia gets a job in a posh health/country club during her gap year, she is strikes up a friendship with the laconic and funny Dan. Dan is also working in the club and keeps Mia amused. However, she soon finds herself drawn to the wealthy bad boy, Jamie. Jamie is the beautiful and privileged Cleo’s boyfriend. Mia knows that her relationship with Jamie is wrong, but there’s something so dangerously exciting about Jamie that she just can’t stop.

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Irresistible by Liz Bankes

Chapter Three

‘O. M. F. G.,’ says Gabi with a dramatic handwave between each letter. She grips my arm across the table, nearly knocking my coffee over in the process.

‘What?’

‘Jamie. Elliot. Fox.’

‘Can you speak in normal sentences?’

‘He’s, like, famous, Mia.’

‘He seems like a knob. What’s he famous for?’

‘Er, for being rich and fit? You must have heard about him! God, it’s like you live under a bridge.’

Within a second she’s whipped out her phone and is scrolling rapidly. She hands it to me triumphantly. ‘Ta da!’

A few people who are quietly murmuring over their coffees look round at our table, which is something that often happens when we’re out together. It’s like Gabi has a volume dial on her voicebox that is always turned a few 15 notches above everyone else’s.

‘That was some quick stalking, even for you,’ I tell her.

‘But you want to see him, don’t you?’

‘No. Maybe. Okay, yes, I want to see him.’

I’d like to be all unbothered and cool, but I’m a bit intrigued by him. Obviously he’s good-looking, with his stubble and dark eyes. And his muscly chest that I haven’t actually seen properly, but I imagine being muscly. Not that I’ve been imagining him walking round in just his shorts, all wet from the swimming pool.

But he blatantly knows he’s fit or he wouldn’t go around kissing people in windows. Or staring. Why would he stare at me? What does he think I’m going to do – run outside and say, ‘Now you’ve glared at me through a window, I must have you’?

Gabi sees I’ve gone into a daydream and so does her usual trick of digging her nail into my hand. ‘Oi! Okay, so his Facebook is, like, really private, but me and Han met him and his friends that night we went to York’s.’

She says the night we went to York’s. She means the night we didn’t get into York’s and so stood freezing our arses off in a nearby bus shelter, passing round a Smirnoff Ice. It seems that these days it’s all about trying to get into clubs and places, when we always used to just go to people’s houses when their parents were away. I miss getting all excited about house parties and making playlists for them and putting all our money together to give to whichever tall person was going to go and try to buy drinks at the supermarket. I have no chance of getting into any clubs – I’m only just over five foot, so bouncers spot me immediately. Gabi has the most enormous boobs ever to have grown on a person, though, so she just strolls in.

Maybe if I get this job then I’ll be able to socialise in the 16 Radleigh Castle bar, like a sophisticated . . . er, woman, and drink port with Jamie Elliot-Fox. And kiss Jamie Elliot-Fox against windows. But without getting sacked.

While she’s talking about that night, I look at the first picture. There’s him in a suit, but with the shirt collar open. He’s leaning back on a sofa, casually holding a glass of wine, while the people around him, including two girls practically on his lap, clutch vodka bottles and generally look totally wasted. He’s fixing the camera with that same critical, amused look he had at the window.

‘You buggered off with those goths,’ she continues. Gabi thinks that anyone who doesn’t like pop music is a goth. Actually Han’s sister and her friends had turned up and were on their way to see a band, so I went with them.

‘They’re not—’ I try to interrupt.

‘Whatev. So you went with the goths and then I texted you saying we’d met all those Woodbridge guys outside the club and went to their house party – remember?’

‘Yeah, they were all called Tarquin or Octavian or something.’

‘So Jamie was there and that was the night I became Facebook friends with that guy Willem.’

‘William?’

‘No, Willem.’

‘That’s not a proper name.’

Gabi takes a sip of her hot chocolate dramatically. Well, to anyone else it would be dramatic, but it’s how she does everything.

‘Anyway, Max got really jealous and they were like actually going to fight, but Fat Steve calmed everything down.’

‘Really?’ I arch my eyebrows at her. ‘Max has never been in a fight, Gabs. We’ve never even seen a fight.’

‘Whatevs. You weren’t there. There was fighting in their eyes, Mia.’

‘Just not in reality.’

‘Exactly!’

‘So you’ve met him, then?’ I scroll through some more photos. He’s not in all of them, but every so often he’ll appear. On the beach in his shorts again, and wearing shades. In another suit, sitting by a bonfire. In most of the photos he’s got a drink in his hand, but he looks in control, in stark contrast to lots of the people around him.

‘Well, he didn’t talk much. He stood there drinking and watching everyone. Oh yeah, and he was with this girl, apparently. The poshest girl I’ve ever seen. Like a horse with loads of hair. But all these other girls kept crowding round him and he was whispering to them and making them laugh, like really flirty. If Max did that, I’d go schitz. He said something to this one girl and she took her top off and swung it round her head. Next thing, she’s looking around for him, but he’d walked off!’

‘Wow, he sounds just lovely.’

‘His friends said he lives in this pool house outside Radleigh Castle. How awesome is that? He has parties all thetime. When you work there we should totes go — Babe!’

We are interrupted by Max arriving.

‘Hey, princess,’ he says, pointing both fingers at Gabi. He shuffles over in his ridiculously baggy jeans, stopping briefly when the oversized cap he wears perched on the back of his head falls off. I’d like to point out that he is both white and middle class. Considering the amount Gabi bitches about other people’s dress sense, I think that she must go temporarily blind whenever Max is around. He slides into our booth. ‘Aight, baby?’

Okay, make that temporarily blind and deaf.

Max nods at me. ‘Mia.’

‘Hi, Max.’

Then Gabi and he start kissing, which, as is usual for them, carries on for about five minutes. I keep my eyes on her phone. A girl with dark curly hair keeps appearing in the photos, who must be the one Gabi was talking about, because she does have a lot of hair and is near to Jamie in most of the pictures. Her name is Cleo Farah. She is stunning, with big brown eyes, sharp cheekbones and coffee-coloured skin.

Max and Gabi are still firmly attached to each other’s mouths, so I look at the next photo. Jamie is dressed up again, but it looks like it’s for a family thing rather than a party. Maybe a wedding. He’s wearing a waistcoat and has his arm around a girl who looks about twelve. She must be his sister. He’s smiling, but not in the frowny way he is in the other photos – it looks more real. I suddenly realise how stalkerish this is and put Gabi’s phone down. At that second, my own phone starts vibrating in the bag on my lap. I’d turned the sound off after the ringtone nearly gave me a heart attack at Radleigh Castle. It’s calling from a private number.

The receptionist at Radleigh called me from a private number to arrange the interview. Maybe they’re ringing to say I got the job. Or that I didn’t. Or that I was seen watching Jamie in the swimming pool. There aren’t laws against watching men in shorts . . . are there?

I realise I’ve just been staring at the phone and haven’t actually answered.

‘Mia, it’s Julia Elliot-Fox. We’d like to offer you a waitress

position.’

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Extract posted with permission from Piccadilly Press.

Follow @LizBankesAuthor on Twitter.

 

Next Tour Stop: Read, Write and Read Some More.

It's All About 'NA' : The Rise and Rise of 'New Adult' Fiction.

So. New Adult Fiction. You've heard of it, right?  If not, where have you been?  New Adult Fiction has set the Self-Publishing world ablaze over the last year or so, and now that traditional publishers are starting to take notice, it looks like NA is here to stay. 

It's important to note that New Adult fiction (a.k.a Mature YA, a.k.a Crossover fiction) isn't a new phenomenon, but it is a catchy 'buzz' term, making it a marketers dream. Also, the numbers don't lie.  People are reading New Adult fiction and they are reading it in droves.  

What is New Adult Fiction?

New Adult fiction often, but not always, takes place in a college setting and deals with characters who are in their late teens (18+) or early twenties.

 NA  focus on the learning curve that occurs in your late teens and early twenties after you've moved out of home and are free of parental rules and regulations.  New Adult fiction is all about characters who are finding their feet in a new world, making up their own rules, breaking those rules, and learning from their mistakes.

These books fiction are generally heavy on romance and typically steamier than YA - sex scenes do not fade to black -  but not as steamy as Adult romance where you get to read all the gory details!

I've read a couple of New Adult books over the last few months, and while I've enjoyed the majority of them, I have noticed that many of them focus on a similar theme: good girl meets bad boy - drama ensues - girl finds out that boy is not such a bad guy after all - he's changed, she's changed and they've both found out a whole lot about life in the process.

That said, I love bad boys, so this isn't a huge complaint, just an observation!


Want some NA reading recommendations?

So, we all know Beautiful Disaster by Jennifer McGuire, Slammed by Colleen Hoover, The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines,  and Easy by Tammara Webber, (a.k.a The NA big hitters!) but here are some other NA titles for you to consider:

Eighteen year old Harper has grown up under her career Marine of a father's thumb. Ready to live life her own way and experience things she's only ever heard of from the jarheads in her father's unit; she's on her way to college at San Diego State University.

Thanks to her new roommate, Harper is introduced to a world of parties, gorgeous guys, family and emotions. Some she wasn't expecting yet, and others she never knew she was missing.

She finds herself being torn in two as she quickly falls in love with her boyfriend Brandon, and her roommate's brother Chase. Covered in tattoos, known for fighting in the Underground and ridiculously muscled...they're exactly what she was always warned to stay away from, but just what she needs. Despite their dangerous looks and histories, both adore and would do anything for Harper, including stepping back if it means she's happy.

Her first year away is turning out to be near perfect, but one weekend of giving in to heated passion will change everything.

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Taking Chances by Molly McAdams is a wild roller-coaster of a ride and a huge favourite of mine.  Originally Self-Published, Molly has now signed to Harper Collins.  Her next book From Ashes is set for release in December. Can't wait! 

Read my review of: Taking Chances. 

Virginity.

Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

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A quick, fun, and sexy read, Cora Carmack's Losing It has also been snapped up by Harper Collins.  You can read my review on Thursday!

 

Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.

Ella used to be a rule-breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home.

Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.

Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.  

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Grand Central Publishing has just acquired the rights to the Ella and Micha trilogy by Jessica Sorensen.  I'll be reading this one soon.    Can't wait to get started on it!

Nineteen-year-old Cheyenne tries to portray the perfect life to mask the memories of her past. Walking in on her boyfriend with another woman her freshman year in college threatens that picture of perfection.

Twenty-one-year-old Colt never wanted college and never expected to amount to anything, but when his mom's dying wish is for him to get his degree, he has no choice but to pretend it's what he wants too.

Cheyenne needs a fake boyfriend to get back at her ex and Colt needs cash to take care of his mom, so they strike a deal that helps them both. But what if Cheyenne’s past isn’t what she thought? Soon they’re trading one charade for another—losing themselves in each other to forget about their pain. The more they play their game, the more it becomes the only thing they have that feels real.

Both Cheyenne and Colt know life is never easy, but neither of them expect the tragedy that threatens to end their charade and rip them apart forever. 

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Nyrae Dawn's Charade has a great premise and a ton of potential, but unfortunately, even with these positives, it didn't turn out to be a great read for me.  You'll see why when I review it on Thursday.  Maybe I'm getting a little tired of all this NA already!   I'm sure t his one will be loved by many, though - it's got great ratings on Goodreads and is storming up the Self-Pubbed Best-Seller's charts!

 And There's More!

If that not enough to whet your NA appetite, here are some more New Adult resources where you can find many more NA books to read!

 New Adult Fiction on Goodreads

My New Adult Shelf on Goodreads 

NA Alley - A blog dedicated to all things New Adult 

New Adult Monday's at Bewitched Bookworms  

Galley Cat - Self Published Bestsellers - Keep up to date with what's hot in Self-Publishing & NA.

If you are a blogger who has a feature dedicated to New Adult link it in comments, and I'll add it to this post!

What's next for NA?

All of the books I've mentioned above were originally Self-Published, but the majority have now been snapped up by major publishers, hungry to capitalize on the success of these Self-Published best sellers.  Self-Publishing might be responsible for bringing the New Adult college years to the masses, but that looks set to change. 

Next year sees the release of Beginner's Luck, the first in the Union Street (a.k.a. Brooklyn Girls as per Goodreads) series from Gemma Burgess.  Beginner's Luck follows five girls sharing a house in Brooklyn after graduation.  Sounds like a lot of fun and is sure to appeal to fans of Lena Dunham's Girls. Releasing from St. Martin's Griffin in July 2013.

Fantastically funny, fresh and utterly relatable,Beginner’s Luck by Gemma Burgess is the first novel in her brand new series UNION STREET about five twenty-something friends – Pia, Angie, Julia, Coco and Madeleine – sharing a brownstone in hip downtown Brooklyn, and discovering the ups, downs, ins and outs of adult life.

The first book is Pia’s story. She’s sophisticated, spoilt, and stylish… and unemployed, unemployable, and broke. So what is a recent grad with an art history degree and an unfortunate history of Facebook topless photos to do? Start a food truck business, of course! Pia takes on the surprisingly cutthroat Brooklyn world of hybrid lettuce growers and starts SkinnyWheels - all while dealing with hipster bees, one-night-stands, heartbreak, parental fury, wild parties, revenge, jail, loan sharks, playboys, karaoke, true love, and one adorable pink food truck. And that’s without counting her roommates’ problems, too…

Gemma Burgess has captured the confusion, hilarity and excitement of the post-graduate years against a backdrop of the pressures and chaos of New York City life, with heartfelt empathy, fast humor and sharp honesty.Union Street is your next favourite book series.

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If contemporary romance is not your thing, then you might be thinking New Adult is not for you - and er, you're probably not reading this post! So far NA's primary focus has been on romance, but Shannon Stoker's The Registry indicates that NA might just be about to spread its wings:

Shannon Stoker's "new adult" debut THE REGISTRY, set in a United States in which girls are breeders and the prettiest girls go to the highest bidders -- telling the story of the one young woman who refuses to play by those rules, to Amanda Bergeron for William Morrow, in a six-figure deal, in a three-book deal, for publication in 2013, with books two and three to follow in 2014, by Paula Munier in her first deal as an agent, at Talcott Notch Literary Services.

What About New Adult Fiction set in the UK? A little UKNA? 

Er, that doesn't have quite the same ring to it as UKYA, but yes, UK publishers have picked up on the popularity of the 'New Adult' genre with Simon & Schuster (Beautiful Disaster by Jennifer McGuire, The Sea Breeze series by Abbi Glines) Penguin (Easy by Tammara Webber) and Hot Key Books (The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines) all getting in on the act, but that's not UKNA you say! I know! I'm getting to that!

Piccadilly Press has acquired Irresistible by Liz Bankes, pitched as a passionate 'steamy' - Irresistible is described as a 'Fifty Shades...' for the younger reader. 

I've read the first chapter of Irresistible and I'm hooked already! You can check it out: here. 

Irresistible by Liz Bankes will release in eBook in December 2012 and Paperback in April 2013. 

Some games go too far.

When Mia gets a job in a posh health/country club during her gap year, she is strikes up a friendship with the laconic and funny Dan. Dan is also working in the club and keeps Mia amused. However, she soon finds herself drawn to the wealthy bad boy, Jamie. Jamie is the beautiful and privileged Cleo’s boyfriend. Mia knows that her relationship with Jamie is wrong, but there’s something so dangerously exciting about Jamie that she just can’t stop.

Irresistible heralds a new genre of passionate romance that is setting adolescent hearts racing. ‘Steamies’: it’s not about what they do, but how it makes her feel!

You might also like to check out the Girl Heart Boy series by Ali Cronin.  This has been published in the UK as YA, but it really fits the New Adult Genre. 

 That's my New Adult round-up guys! If you have any 'New Adult' titles you'd like to recommend or any thoughts to share on the article, then tell me all in comments!

Note: You might wonder why I omitted  On Dublin Street  by Samantha Young from my list.  It is an amazing read, after all! Yes it is, but it's not New Adult! I've seen On Dublin Street mentioned in New Adult discussions quite a lot, but ODS is most definitely Adult Fiction, and not NA, as the author herself has pointed out: here.

Sources:  Publishers Weekly, The Bookseller, Press Releases, Goodreads, Galley Cat. Note: Covers may not be final and may be subject to change.