Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays: When it Happens

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 


    • Phew!  I finally finished Hereafter and wrote a review about how much I loved it!
      Check it right here- Review: Hereafter by Tara Hudson

      Now, onto the book I'll be reading this week.... When it Happens by Susane Colasanti.

      I haven't read anything from her before although I've been interested in buying another one of her books titled Waiting for You.  If all goes well with this one, I'll be sure to add her to the list of authors I'd like to read more from.  Plus, I love romance and 80's movies (Goodreads tells me that When it Happens is reminiscent of Say Anything)!  What's not to love?  

    My teaser comes from page 29

    "Heck no," I add.  "Then I'd have more time to spend with my boyfriend."
    "And what boyfriend would that be?"  Maggie asks me.
    "You know.  Jake."
    "Okay."  Laila says.  "For the last and final time?  Jake Gyllenhaal?  Is not your boyfriend.  He's a movie star.  And sorry to tell you this, but last I heard he was dating someone who's not you."


    Jake Gyllenhaalololol wants you to tease him.
    Leave your links in the comments!  :)
    (I just had to...)

    Review: Hereafter by Tara Hudson

    Title: Hereafter
    Author: Tara Hudson
    Publisher: HarperCollins
    Age Group: Young Adult
    Category: Paranormal Romance
    Pages: 404 (Hardcover)
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Source: Won









    Goodreads Summary:
    Can there truly be love after death?
    Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.
    Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

    My Thoughts:
    I'm in love.  Tara Hudson explains the tragic and terrifying death of a eighteen year old girl named Amelia.  The only thing she knows about is her name, the way she died, and the fact that no one else can see her.  Until Joshua.  The night she finds his body in the river is the night that begins to unfold all of the mysteries behind her own past life, death, and afterlife.

    Joshua is a sweetheart.  He desperately tries to find Amelia after he's released from the hospital and soon comes to realize that they share a unique connection.  Strangely, every time they touch a current of electricity shoots through their bodies.  The beginning of their relationship also happens to trigger a series of flashbacks from Amelia's life.  After all of the years she's wandered High Bridge looking for the truth, Joshua seems to be the one that releases the answers.

    And then there's Eli, the 70's rocker dude that's been stalking her for years, leaving all of her questions unanswered.  What part does he play in her life- er- death?  He seriously gives me the creeps.  Eli shows her the netherworld she'd be trapped in if it weren't for him, letting fear wash over her until she understands what he wants to do with her.  She does exactly the opposite and helps others from repeating the horrible accident that ended her life.

    I wanted to zoom through this book but I forced myself to take my time.  I didn't want it to end and I'm glad it doesn't have to!  Needless to say, I'm quite excited for the next books in the series.  The way Hudson writes about drowning makes your own breath catch in your lungs until you're forced to gasp for air.  Luckily, unlike Amelia, you don't get a mouth full of water.   Did I mention how much I adore this cover?  It's even more gorgeous in person.  Thank you, Tara, for sending me this amazing book!

                                                             Hereafter deserves a 5 out of 5

    Thanks for stopping by!  Have you read this book yet?  What are your thoughts?  Did you like it as much as I did?  Leave a comment, link your reviews, whatever you want!

    Sunday, June 26, 2011

    IMM #7

    In My Mailbox is hosted by the lovely Kristi at The Story Siren.


    This week I was lucky enough to receive 6 books in the mail.  I haven't been around on the blog much and I apologize.  I have no good reason other than the fact that I'm catching up on my episodes of 7th Heaven (don't judge).  I try to watch that and read a little every day but I'm ashamed to say that I haven't even finished Hereafter yet and I started it exactly a week ago.  When I said I wouldn't be rushing through the story I guess I really meant it.  :P



    -The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen
    (won from Kat @ No Page Left Behind)

    -The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt
    (won from Random Buzzers)

    -Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan
    (from Random Buzzers)

    -The Lucky Kind by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
    (won from Jessica @ Confessions of a Bookaholic)

    -This Girl is Different by JJ Johnson
    (won from Evie @ Bookish)

    -Swag
    (won from Jen @ At Random)


    And silly me forgot to add one of the books to the picture...


    -Treasures from the Attic by Mirjam Pressler
    (won from Anne at Upstate Ramblings)

    Thanks to everyone who held the giveaways and to
    Random House who sent me 5 of these books.

    If you want to show me your IMM, feel free to leave
    your link in the comments.  Happy reading!

    Tuesday, June 21, 2011

    Teaser Tuesdays: Hereafter

    Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

    • Grab your current read
    • Open to a random page
    • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
    • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

    • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

    I've recently started reading Hereafter by Tara Hudson and I absolutely love it.  I love it so much that I'm not reading it all at once.  I don't want the story to end so quickly.  As much as I don't want to put this book down, I force myself to just to keep it alive a little longer.

    The first teaser comes from page 1
    1) It felt as if my sternum was a door to which someone had roughly shoved a key and twisted.  The door- my lungs- wanted to open, wanted to stop fighting against the twist of the key.

    and teaser two comes from page 68

    2) The moment his skin brushed mine, a current shot through my entire body, from my scalp to the tips of my fingers.  The current made the ache in the chest, and the tingles that races along my spine each time he looked at me, seem like low-burning cinders.  


    The entire book is just written so beautifully.  I love love love love it!
    Thanks for stopping by!  Don't forget to leave your link if you care to tease me!

    Sunday, June 19, 2011

    IMM #6

    In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely Kristi @ The Story Siren.



    I've been taking surveys in exchange for Amazon gift cards.  Since I'm a little addicted to checking the Bargain Books section, I've found some good deals.  Cheaper price = more books!  Not that I'm paying for them with my own money, anyways.

    Books I Bought (kind of)

    -Heist Society by Ally Carter
    -Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
    -The Maze Runner by James Dashner
    -Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
    -Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
    -Deadly Little Lies by Laurie Faria Stolarz
    -Deadly Little Games by Laurie Faria Stolarz

    Until I get Deadly Little Secret, I'll have to put off the other two in the series, but I can't wait to dig into the rest.  I just love how Wintergirls sparkles in the light!  Sooo pretty.



    Books I've Won!
    -If We Kiss by Rachel Vail
    (from Myranda at My{Reads}da)

    -Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
    (From Karen at The Slowest Bookworm)

    -Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda
    (From Joy Preble at Joy's Novel Idea)

    Oh, look, and Devil's Kiss happens to be my first signed book!


    And onto the swag I've received...


    A big thanks to June, Myranda, Joy and Denise for including these!

    And a big thanks to those of you who keep visiting my blog!  If it weren't for you...well, I'd be talking to myself, so thank you!  (Even though I still talk to myself all the time...)

    Friday, June 17, 2011

    Review: The Secret Year

    Title: The Secret Year
    Author: Jennifer R. Hubbard
    Publisher: Viking Juvenile
    Age Group: Young Adult
    Category: Realistic Fiction/ Romance
    Pages: 194 (Paperback)
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Source: Won









    Goodreads Summary: 

    Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.



    Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?


    My Thoughts:
    I consider myself to be very lucky.  I won this book and without realizing it, I had this treasure sitting on my shelf for a little longer than a week (thankfully it wasn't any longer than that)!  I figured that it would be a quick read, and although it's just shy of 200 pages, the story doesn't feel rushed at all.  Hubbard used the perfect pace, letting us get a feel for each of the characters and the lives they live...or the lives they lived.


    I love the fact that the narrator is a boy.  While I am a girl and I can probably relate more to a female character, I love looking at life from a male's perspective.  After all, one of my favorite books is The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  I don't know how Hubbard does it.  It's like she's lived it- seen life, love, and loss through the eyes of a teenage boy.


    Colt and Julia are obviously worlds apart, but at the river alone, they can be two completely different people than the ones that everyone else is used to seeing.  There's an instant connection between the two and from then on, they met at the river each chance they got.  It was their only way to keep their romance a secret, as she was one of the rich kids and he was considered "trash".  When an accident involving Julia occurs, Colt can't bring himself to believe it.  Even after the funeral, weeks without seeing her at school or the river, it starts to sink in.  She's gone.  Her journal falls into his hands and one page after another, he soon begins to realize that he won't be able to let her go as easily as he thought.


    Reading The Secret Year made me realize that anyone, even those you consider your closest friends, could be hiding an incredible secret.  We never really seem to know the people we trust.


    I can definitely see where the references to Romeo and Juliet and The Outsiders fit in.  Colt's story was touching and it tugs at your heartstrings.  I had to catch my breath a few times because I could feel the emotion underneath the words Colt and Julia used to described their passion.


    Overall, this story was beautiful.  That's as simple as I can put it.  In my mind, it's about true love, passion, shame, honesty, and finally recovering after our hearts have been broken.  I hope to read more books like this in the future.


    The Secret Year definitely deserves 5 out of 5 from me.  


    Thursday, June 16, 2011

    QUICK BIRTHDAY IMM!


    Today was my 19th birthday!  I feel so old!  hahaha. 
    Here are the (few) books I got.



    These weren't on my list of books I absolutely need right now, but they were $2, so I couldn't just deny them....yes, I'm eating the first one...

    I also got...


















    And I recently received a RAK (my first, actually) from Eden @ Pass the Chiclets, who happens to be SUCH a sweetheart.  I consider this a birthday present as well.  


    An ARC of Abandon by Meg Cabot.  How awesome is that?
    Thank you again and again from the bottom of my heart.

    My day turned out pretty nice and I hope that the rest of you had a lovely day as well.  As always, thanks for stopping by!  :)


    Wednesday, June 15, 2011

    My Ridiculous TBR Pile

    I was going to post this tomorrow but just in case I come up with some last-minute birthday plans (yes, I'll be turning 19!), I'd feel better if I get it over with now.  I've been looking at different ways to post my to-be-read list and taking pictures of the books I have at the moment seemed to be the easiest way of going about it.  Sit back, relax, and maybe you'll end up adding some of these to your wishlist!

    The first picture includes...
    -Abandon by Meg Cabot                                                              -Beautiful by Amy Reed
    -The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver      -Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz
    -Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow                                          -Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols
    -Hold Still by Nina LaCour                                                      -The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard
    -Before I Die by Jenny Downham                                        -Willow by Julia Hoban
    -Glimmerglass by Jenna Black                                           -Splendor by Anna Godbersen 
    -Possessions by Nancy Holder                                             -Envy by Anna Godbersen
    -Hereafter by Tara Hudson                                                    -Rumors by Anna Godbersen
    -Deadly Little Games by Laurie Faria Stolarz         -The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
    -Deadly Little Lies by Laurie Faria Stolarz

    Unfortunately, I can't get started on Deadly Little Lies or Deadly Little Games because I don't have Deadly Little Secrets yet.  For some reason I thought I was buying books 1 and 2 in the series, not 2 and 3. 



    The second picture includes...
    -Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel                                                      -Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
    -Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins                                                              -The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
    -The Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Terra Elan McVoy   -The Maze Runner by James Dashner
    -The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong                                           -The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
    -The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong                                          -Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
    -The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong                                        -Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby
    -Across the Universe by Beth Revis                                                -Heist Society by Ally Carter
    -Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly                                                    -Exposure by Therese Fowler

    I also can't read Ink Exchange before reading Wicked Lovely, which I have yet to get my hands on a copy....BTW, does anyone else find it amusing that (Dash)ner wrote The Maze (Run)ner?
    *giggle*



    And onto the third...
    -Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen                                                         -The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
    -Ironside by Holly Black                                                                                       -Untamed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
    -Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith    -Chosen by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
    -The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger                          -Betrayed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
    -A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly                                               -Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
    -Geek Love by Katharine Dunn                                                                       -Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
    -White Oleander by Janet Fitch                                                                     -Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda
    -The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan                                      -Passion by Lauren Kate
    -Paper Towns by John Green                                                                            -Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson


    The Time Traveler's Wife is not mine, although I plan on getting my own copy one day soon...And again, I can't read Passion because I haven't read the first two in the series.  :(


    The fourth picture includes...
    -1984 by George Orwell                                                           -Necklace of Kisses by Francesca Lia Block
    -ttyl by Lauren Myracle                                                         -Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
    -The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart                                -Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
    -Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen                              -This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
    -The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks                                 -The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
    -The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls                            -Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
    -The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty         -If I Stay by Gayle Forman
    -Rebel Angels by Libba Bray                                               -Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
    -Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz                                   -It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
    -Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty


    Finally, the fifth!  Almost done!!!
    -The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
    -The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
    -The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien
    -The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
    -The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
    -Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
    -A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
    -Delirium by Lauren Oliver

    AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...

    Books 6, 7, and 8 in the Pretty Little Liars series!

    -Killer by Sara Shepard
    -Heartless by Sara Shepard
    -Wanted by Sara Shepard
    If you've been keeping track, that makes more than 80 books waiting for me to read them.  The funny thing is that this pile will just keep growing, so I don't know if it'll get any smaller.  I'm still waiting for more books to come in the mail.

    Now that you've seen my list, which books do you think I need to get to ASAP?

    Wandering-through-my-old-writing-Wednesday

    Okay, this isn't an actual meme, but last night I went through some of the short, half-finished / barely-started stories I've kept around (I never finish them).
    I pulled out some of the lines I liked and felt as though I should share them here.
    After all, this is my book blog and you folks like to read and write as well.  ^_^
    I'll just get to it!  That's what you're here for, right?  Oh, no?  You just like me?
    Awww. <3

    1) "The sky was swollen after a night of crying and Katja knew that feeling all too well.  Sitting at the edge of her bed, she let the cold tremble up her body, washing over her skin."

    2) "Her cherry red hair curled over her collarbones, reaching around her small frame like growing vines.  Soon, she was completely naked, examining herself as if it were a morning ritual."

    3) "Moths, like the ones being attracted to the lights perched outside of the old venue attacked the insides of her stomach, rapidly flapping at her organs, making her feel as if she were about to burst."

    4) "She felt like a broken branch in the dead of winter, unable to handle all the weight of the snow and ice piling on top of her.  Unable to support it, she cracks and falls to the ground lifelessly.  James touched the small of her back delicately and Eli leaned in to whisper, 'you had sex, didn’t you?'"

    5) "The family cat made her way to Emily, the tuft of fur between her fragile shoulder blades swaying with each step.   As a greeting, her paws wrapped around the girl’s ankle after she plopped  down next to her, licking Emily’s sweet skin with her sandpaper tongue.  In return, Emily reached down to pet the old cat’s stomach while she purred in gratitude."

    6) "Sarah’s mom, Eileen looked almost identical to Sarah’s favorite author.  She was slender with crescent moon shaped hips and long auburn hair she kept in a messy bun at the nape of her neck.  Her cheekbones were high and well defined like a Native American’s."

    7) "As a child, Cherry believed that anything was possible.  It was part of the naiveté you’re born with.  While she grew older, she wished to stay a blissful young girl.  The world wouldn’t allow it."

    8) "Micah was of a different species, she kept telling herself.  Unlike any other person she’s met before.  When they first met a year or so ago, she was almost positive he was gay.  He wouldn’t have noticed her if it weren't for the flowers."

    9) "She caught her breath and curled her arms around his thin waist, feeling his abs hard against her body, the scent of his cologne wrapping around her like her favorite blanket."

    10) "Small wisps of her long, dark brown hair blew with the wind, dancing around her head.  Once she considered shaving it all off before she realized how out of the ordinary she’d look.  She liked to blend in as much as she could, even if it seemed impossible at times.  Kaitlyn was always somewhat of a shy girl.  She liked her art, her music, and her cat.  That was that."

    11) "The summer breeze was barely enough to end the disgusting humid weather.  Hannah stripped more than half of her clothes off and lay against the cool tiles on her kitchen floor, breathing heavily.  Her long blond hair was tied up with a red ribbon and beads of sweat rolled down her neck.  Her body was on fire.  She squinted; the sunlight beaming in through the window burned her flesh, creating an invisible wound the size of a dime."

    Alright, those are all the ones I have today.
    Perhaps if I find more that I enjoy, I'll post them in the future.
    Thanks for reading and I hope you come back!  :)

    Tuesday, June 14, 2011

    Review: Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

    Title: Pretty Dead
    Author: Francesca Lia Block
    Publisher: HarperCollins
    Age Group: Young Adult
    Category: Paranormal Romance
    Pages: 224 (Paperback)
    Rating: 4 out of 5
    Source: Bought







    Goodreads Summary:
    People pity me, but mostly they feel envy. I have all the luxury and freedom a girl my age could want.

    Something is happening to Charlotte Emerson. Like the fires that are ravaging the hills of Los Angeles, it consumes her from the inside out. But whether it is her eternal loneliness, the memory of her brother, the return of her first love, or the brooding, magnetic Jared—she cannot say. What if it's something more . . .
    Something to do with the sudden tear in her perfect nails. The heat she feels when she's with Jared. The blood rushing once again to her cheeks and throughout her veins.

    For Charlotte is a vampire, witness to almost a century's worth of death and destruction. But not since she was a human girl has mortality touched her.

    My Thoughts:
    As all of you should know (I'm sure you don't, but I'll probably say it over and over in the future as well) Francesca Lia Block is my favorite author.  She has been since I picked up by first book written by her (Violet & Claire) back in middle school.  I haven't seen much of her work mentioned around the book blogging community, but when I do, it always puts a smile on my face.

    Her writing has always been magical and this doesn't change one bit in Pretty Dead.  The story starts off by telling the reader about this girl, Charlotte, who isn't really a girl after all.  Not a living one, at least.  She speaks about the people that surround her and how she can sense their jealousy.  They've always thought she was perfect on the outside and they admired all of the treasures she had, when the truth was that she would trade it all just to be mortal again.

    When she loses the closest friend she's had in about a century, a part of her seems a little off.  Over time, she notices that she broke a nail, she's perspiring, and she has a menstrual cycle for the first time since she was changed.  Charlotte grows closer to a boy named Jared, who is actually the first person to realize who- or what- she is.

    The story keeps your interest and pulls you along for the ride through a look at Charlotte's life, before, during, and after her years as a vampire.  You begin to realize how easy it was for her to fall for this charming devil named William Stone Eliot, especially after she felt that she had nothing more to live for.

    Definitely recommended if you're interested in vampire romance or the beautiful and graceful writing styles of FLB.  

    Follower Appreciation Giveaway from Evie @ Bookish!


    Here's a chance to win some of those books you've been aching for!  Evie at evie-bookish.blogspot.com is holding an incredible giveaway for her followers starting TODAY and ending on July 15th.  There will be five winners!  Giveaway is international, so as long as the Book Depository ships to you, you have a chance of winning.

    Go ahead and click the button above to be taken to the post, locate the form, and fill in everything that is needed so you can get some free books!  What are you waiting for???

    Review: Stay by Deb Caletti

    Title: Stay
    Author: Deb Caletti
    Publisher: SimonPulse
    Age Group: Young Adult
    Category: Contemporary 
    Pages: 320 (e-book)
    Rating: 4 out of 5
    Source: PulseIt









    Goodreads Summary:
    Clara's relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it's almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he's willing to do to make her stay.
    Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won't let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough....

    My Thoughts:
    This is the type of book everyone should read so they're aware that, unlike vampire romance novels (don't get me wrong, I love them as much as the next person), these things really do happen.  Clara fell in love with a boy only to realize that he was like poison.  He was slowly suffocating her and she was blinded by the dangers that lie up ahead.  I know what it's like to feel wanted by someone so bad that you don't realize that it could be harmful.  Isn't that what love is, anyways?  It's just one big risk, right?

    The story went back and forth from the past to the present, which I really enjoyed.  Almost as much as when the story switches point of views (such as the ones written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, for example).  It opened up your eyes to the kind of situation Clara was getting herself into and it's easy to call her naive when you're sitting at the sidelines, but if you were put in her shoes, I think most people would do what she did.  After months with this boy, there were warning signs, such as his jealousy and accusations.  Finally, she was starting to feel trapped and controlled and she wanted out.

    During the summer, quite some time after she thought she'd gotten rid of Christian, her father took her to a beach house to stay for those months in hopes of forgetting the past.  No  one could know, not even her friends, which is why she told them that she would be in Europe.  While staying in this town, Clara and her father met two brothers on a sail boat, the lighthouse keeper, and an old professor who become large parts of their lives.  During their stay, Clara learns more than how to give tours and love again when her father's darkest secret leaks out.

    The story proves that you can't always run away.  Sometimes you need to confront your worst fears before everything can fit right into place.

    Deb Caletti did an amazing job portraying the characters.  Christian gave me the heebie-jeebies.  I felt that Clara was incredibly strong throughout the entire story.  She walked away from someone she loved because she could see danger.  That's hard for anyone to do.  Still, she was scared- afraid of moving forward and terrified of looking back.  That's only normal when someone is put through the things she'd been put through.  Especially as a teenager.  Clara's dad made me laugh quite a bit but you could just tell that he was protective and he'd do anything to make sure that his daughter was out of harm's way.  Ohhh, and then there was Finn....but I'll let you read the book to find out who he is.  ;)

    Overall, I enjoyed this book very much.  It wasn't as intense as I thought it would be, though.  I'm not sure if I'm disappointed by that or relieved.  After this, though, I plan on reading other books by this author in the future.  While I didn't fall in love with the story, I really, really liked it.  I couldn't imagine any title being more perfect than "Stay" is.
    Stay totally deserves 4 out of 5 stars.