‘Word Nerd’ by Susin Neilsen hooks readers early on with its intriguing themes of bullying and finding one’s own strength while trying to fit in, even though one may stand out.

Ambrose is the main character – a boy on the cusp of being a teenager, as he likes to say he is 12 3/4 years old. He and his mother rent living space from a Greek couple whose son, Cosmo, becomes an unwitting friend and ally to Ambrose as the novel progresses. The thing is that Cosmo is just out of prison, having served time for breaking and entering as well as drugs. While Ambrose is extremely interested in hanging out with Cosmo and learning about his past, Ambrose’s mother is extremely overprotective, telling him that he is not to have anything to do with Cosmo, no matter the circumstances. His failure to listen to his mother could be construed as him bucking the parenting system in his own form of rebellion. Yet he sees something good and kind in Cosmo that others, outside of Cosmo’s mother, are not apt to see, and that is where their friendship grows from, since Ambrose himself often feels misunderstood.

While Cosmo teaches Ambrose some self-defense, the two also embark on a journey into the world of competitive Scrabble, traveling weekly to the group sessions where they play and practice for an upcoming tournament. Ambrose’s mom stays in the dark about what her son is up to, as she works nights as a college lecturer. When she’s around, however, she keeps Ambrose very close, always afraid that something horrible will happen to him, as it happened to her husband – and Ambrose’s father – years ago when he died from something that burst in his brain.

Ambrose’s mother’s wariness of Cosmo, mingled with Cosmo trying to do the right thing, and a host of troubles that creep into the fray, make Ambrose’s life more interesting than it’s been in a long time. While Cosmo helps him come to an understanding of who he is and how he can stand up to the bullies who almost killed him, Ambrose gains traction and finds that his struggle to survive is not as hard as it once used to be. Getting his mother to see that – and believe it – is the hard part.

A story of strength in the face of adversity, ‘Word Nerd’ will win the hearts of readers who want to see the good guys win out, but not without a lot of conflict along the way to reveal the true strength of their characters.

You can find ‘Word Nerd’ by Susin Neilsen here.

‘We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, A True Story’ by Josh Sundquist is a compelling memoir that reads much like a young adult novel. One could easily read this book and wonder whether the events actually happened or if they are fictional. Yet, they are all true, told from Sundquist’s perspective. His enlightening tales of his own teenage angst and uncertainty ring so true, and his internal battle with the loss of his leg and how it affects the way he lives his life and his relationships adds an even more realistic layer to the storytelling.

The truthful nature of the story engrosses readers from the get-go, as they learn about the girlfriends he has had – or wanted to have – and how he lost them, even though he never actually had one – and only one – for even a full 24 hours. The memoir is written like an investigative journal, as he recaps his interest in each girl, how she came to like him, at the very least as a friend, and how anything he thought was happening between them was nipped in the bud before it could even begin, for a variety of reasons that will engross readers. Even though it is clear the relationships – or lack thereof – are just not going to work out, the way he tells the story and reveals the follow-up to each is riveting. He meets with each of the girls in person or via the computer years later, while in his 20s, to get their take on the way everything occurred. He comes to some realizations and has some surprises on his journey to learn the truth, which are equally surprising and interesting for readers.

Anyone who has liked someone and had it not work out, but has remained positive in the wake of that upset, will find Sundquist’s storytelling touching and even aggravating, especially as hindsight always kicks in and people wish they could have done things differently. Reading about Sundquist’s relationships brings up that same sense of worry that things may not work out, even though they tend to do so when one least expects it.

The ending was worth the read, and most anyone who picks this book up will likely see a little of themselves, whether from one perspective or the other (as Sundquist or one of the girls he likes). As a true story, it hits the nail on the head about how liking someone isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be – but sometimes it just might live up to the expectations.

You can find ‘We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, A True Story’ by Josh Sundquist here.

Stop on over to Susan Faw’s website and read today’s Author Spotlight, featuring myself and ‘Freshman Fourteen.’ The interview is chock full of interesting tidbits about ‘Freshman Fourteen’ and more! Click here to read it!

There aren’t many books anymore that I am eager to buy the hard copy of, but ‘Identity Crisis’ by Melissa Schorr was a must after reading another of her novels, ‘Goy Crazy,’ a couple summers ago and loving it.

‘Identity Crisis’ delves into so many issues, from friends and crushes to in-fighting, bullying, and the ever popular problem of figuring out how to fit in when you sorely stick out. This is due in no small part to the spread of rumors that main character Annalise’s enemies have inflicted on her.

Catfishing is the main topic of interest in this novel, and it is as prevalent and timely as can be. Cyberbullying is more and more of a problem with each new school year and each new crop of students, and Annalise finds herself the victim of it when she unwittingly spends time with Amos, another girl’s boyfriend, during freshman year. When his girlfriend, Eva, gets wind of him spending time with Annalise, she and her friends make the rest of Annalise’s freshman year almost unbearable for her. When sophomore year rolls around, the rumors are still swirling, and there is not much Annalise knows to do to make them stop. Little does she know that Cooper Franklin’s interest in her will spark another emotionally scarring attack, spearheaded by Eva but brought to fruition by Eva’s pal Noelle, who has a crush on Cooper and thinks that catfishing Annalise will somehow help her on her journey to win Cooper’s heart.

When the whole catfishing scheme is turned on its head by Annalise, who little by little discovers the truth, nothing is as it seems anymore. With twists and turns that you wouldn’t even expect, everyone, including the most unlikely of characters, finds themselves searching for their identities, or even losing them, as the novel progresses.

A gripping and sincerely telling tale of strength in the face of adversity and how realizing one’s worth can be found in the unlikeliest places, ‘Identity Crisis’ leaves readers feeling immersed in the lives of characters who are trying to find themselves while at the same time facing the angst-ridden world of being teenagers.

You can find ‘Identity Crisis’ by Melissa Schorr here.

‘Emmy & Oliver’ by Robin Benway is a beautiful, poignant story of friendship, truth, and how love has the power to both benefit and hurt relationships. Main characters Emmy and Oliver, seventeen-year-old neighbors, were separated ten years prior when Oliver’s dad, Keith, kidnapped him and took him to Chicago, where they started their life away from Oliver’s mom and his dad’s ex-wife, Maureen. The reality of a scenario like this actually occurring is truly frightening and beyond comprehension, but the fact of the matter is that it likely happens more often than people might think.

The raw and realistic emotions that Benway was able to inject into her characters’ dialogue and into Emmy’s inner thoughts, since the story was narrated by her, proved incredibly touching. Oliver’s return brings out a variety of responses from people who live nearby as well as those who were once close to Oliver and his family when he was young. Emmy and her friends Caroline (better known as Caro) and Drew try to help Oliver come to terms with being home, but the fact that he loves his dad despite the fact that he kidnapped Oliver all those years ago takes a toll on Oliver’s ability to assimilate himself back into his former life.

Making matters more complicated are Emmy’s parents – especially her mom – who have been more overprotective than Emmy feels should be possible, since Oliver went missing. As a result of this, she feels the need to keep secrets from them about her life, including her desire to attend college out of town and surf as often as she can.

Besides a spot or two where continuity of plot details were not perfectly followed, the story was well-written and engaging. Set in a contemporary high school and suburban neighborhood, ‘Emmy & Oliver’ shines a light on an issue that is scarily relevant in society nowadays, while at the same time showcasing the beauty of reconnecting with your past and learning how to cope with the future that is still to come.

You can find ‘Emmy & Oliver’ by Robin Benway here.

‘The Start of Me and You” by Emery Lord was a breath of fresh air after several lackluster attempts to start reading something new. The anticipation that accompanied the ending of each chapter and the beginning of each respective one was great, and the bonus chapter tacked on to the end that chronicled main character Paige’s summer was a truly welcome addition to the already almost 400 pages that the novel already included.

Paige, still somewhat reeling from the loss of her boyfriend Aaron, who drowned the previous year at the tender age of fifteen, sets out to start her life anew. This premise, while it could have been an extremely depressing beginning to the novel, potentially putting a damper on the rest of the story, hardly detracted from the sweet, optimistic tone that Emery Lord did her best to maintain throughout the book. Despite Paige and Aaron’s brief relationship, their time together meant a lot to her, and finding her way back from this loss is not something that she is finding easy to accomplish. Enter Ryan Chase – a cute, friendly guy who she finds out is no longer dating his long-term girlfriend. Adding his name under the “date” category of her to-do list, she comes to know his cousin and best friend Max pretty well too through the English class that the three share.

Along with best friends Tessa, Morgan, and Kayleigh, Paige finds that it takes a lot of heart and a ton of guidance on not only the part of her friends, but from herself, to navigate the murky, emotionally charged waters of high school, new crushes, and uncertain friendships.

When Paige joins Quiz Bowl with Max, adding a new group to her life, she finds herself jumping headfirst into new territory. The world she has lived in since Aaron died has been hard for her, and she begins to find that the ending you expect may not always be the ending you wind up with – and that can be the best thing for you more often than you might think.

Emery Lord’s wonderfully creative use of pop culture, from ‘I Love Lucy’ and its writer Madelyn Pugh, to considering how Rory Gilmore of ‘Gilmore Girls’ would handle a relationship, to ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ and so much more, was so telling and true for Paige’s character, a girl who wants to spend her summer taking classes devoted to screenwriting. This novel teaches that despite bad things happening, new beginnings are always available – and they may just happen to be right under your nose. A highly recommended addition to anyone’s reading queue!

You can find ‘The Start of Me and You’ by Emery Lord here.

Check out a new interview all about ‘Freshman Fourteen,’ my contemporary young adult novel, plus some fun questions about me by going to the – check out the rest of the site while you’re there as well!

‘In the Heat of the Night’ by John Ball engages interest early on and holds on to it throughout the course of the novel. Chief Bill Gillespie lives in the town of Wells and, despite his work as a police officer who has taken an oath to uphold the law, he still finds himself muddying the waters of how he feels regarding racism. The novel is set in the 1960s when integration had not yet hit parts of the South, and Gillespie finds himself unsure how to deal with a murder that took place in town when a Negro (to use the words in the book) officer happens to arrive in Wells, finding himself swept up in the murder investigation.

Virgil Tibbs was originally brought in on suspicion of being the murderer of the man who was putting together a town music festival. An officer, Sam Wood, found him in the train station, ready to hop a train out of town. Little did the officers of Wells know that Tibbs would soon be their greatest lead in tracking down the murderer and solving little pieces of other potential crimes along the way.

There is blatant racism present in the novel, but the characterization of Gillespie, Wood, and others shows that even those who seem the most prejudiced can often find ways to relate to those they claim to hate. Tibbs, for his part, tries to remain as impartial and unprejudiced as possible, but that is not always the easiest, especially when he is threatened and told to leave town before he meets his own untimely demise.

The book is a nice precursor into the movie and television versions of ‘In the Heat of the Night,’ based on this very novel. The movie follows it more closely, with subtle variations here and there, but the television series takes more opportunities to show how times have changed from the 1960s when this novel was written and during which it was set and the late 1980s when the television series takes place. Despite racism still remaining an ever-present part of society in the TV version, it is far less “in-your-face,” but that is not to say that those of different races are tolerated or accepted.

The way the murder was solved and summed up by Tibbs in the end is truly a testament to the author being able to create an unpredictable piece of writing. It is always nice to not quite know what is coming, even if you think you know what may lie in the pages ahead.

You can find ‘In the Heat of the Night’ by John Ball here.

So happy to say I completed this year’s A to Z Challenge! Check out all my A to Z posts from the month of April. Besides a couple of book reviews mixed in, each letter of the alphabet is mentioned in discussing different aspects of writing and reading. I’d love to hear more about what your ABCs of writing and reading are as well! Share in the comments. You can also grab the first 15 chapters of my young adult novel, ‘Freshman Fourteen,’ by clicking on the link above that reads “Free 15 Chapters.”  All you have to do is subscribe with your e-mail address, and you’ll get the chapters plus updates on my blog from time to time.

‘Hello Darlin’: Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life’ by Larry Hagman was a riveting read. It is truly amazing how there are some people whose lives have so much intrigue and excitement, while others have trouble recalling some of the best memories they have.

This indelibly moving and telling account of Larry Hagman’s life, including his youth, his friendships, his marriage and family life, his struggles, his risks, and his successes is worth every moment spent reading it.

Fans of ‘Dallas’ and ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ will learn more about what occurred behind-the-scenes, and they will be transported into how life goes for a star. It may not always be as peachy as it might seem. Hagman’s life, though, from playing Major Nelson to J.R. Ewing, among a slew of other Broadway, television, and movie roles, captures the essence of how no matter what your connections may be (his mother is Broadway star Mary Martin), you still have to give it your all and work for your stardom. He did just that, and proved that he could make it on his own.

His life with wife Maj (pronounced ‘My’) is chronicled, as well as their relationships with other actors and friends, including Carroll O’Connor (Archie Bunker of ‘All in the Family’ and Chief Bill Gillespie’ of ‘In the Heat of the Night’), Burgess Meredith (the Penguin in the ‘Batman’ series and Mick in the ‘Rocky’ series), among a host of others, including many of the stars of ‘Dallas.’

Lovers of biographies (autobiographical or not) will enjoy being able to delve deeper into Hagman’s lifestyle and work ethic. A fun, engaging read that will make you think just as much as it makes you laugh.

You can find Hello Darlin’ by Larry Hagman here.