Waiting on Wednesday: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Waiting On Wednesday, hosted by Breaking the Spine, lets us book hoarding bloggers highlight a book we're excited for each week.  This week I'm waiting on Dare You To by Katie McGarry.

GoodReads Description: Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....
Why I'm Excited: Pushing the Limits was SO GOOD and had the first chapter of Dare You To at the end. I've been waiting for it since I read those chapters in the e-arc from NetGalley last summer.  It's been a long time coming.

Dare You To comes out June 7 from Harlequin Teen.

Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

Book: Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

Summary (from GoodReads): Reminiscent of the Elizabeth Smart case, Pretty Girl-13 is a disturbing and powerful psychological mystery about a girl who must piece together the story of her kidnapping and captivity.Angie Chapman was thirteen years old when she ventured into the woods alone on a Girl Scouts camping trip. Now she's returned home…only to find that it's three years later and she's sixteen-or at least that's what everyone tells her.
What happened to the past three years of her life?
Angie doesn't know.
But there are people who do — people who could tell Angie every detail of her forgotten time, if only they weren't locked inside her mind. With a tremendous amount of courage, Angie embarks on a journey to discover the fragments of her personality, otherwise known as her "alters." As she unearths more and more about her past, she discovers a terrifying secret and must decide: When you remember things you wish you could forget, do you destroy the parts of yourself that are responsible?
Liz Coley's alarming and fascinating psychological mystery is a disturbing - and ultimately empowering page-turner about accepting our whole selves, and the healing power of courage, hope, and love.

Thoughts: When I picked up this book, I knew I would enjoy it, but I didn't expect it to draw me in as quickly as it did.  I could not stop reading.  Angie's doctor realizes she has dissociative identity disorder (DID) fairly quickly and much of the book is spent trying to find out what happened during Angie's missing three years as well as to treat her DID.  DID usually is a result of childhood trauma and Angie is no exception.  So not only are we unraveling the mystery of her missing three years, but trying to figure out what happened to her as a child as well.

The personalities feel like real people, and it was emotional watching Angie interact with them.  She wanted to know what happened to her, but at the same time there is a reason that she has DID.  She's occasionally flippant about some of the awful things that happened to her while she was abducted, but it felt authentic--those things didn't happen to Angie, they happened to her alts.  She knows that it happened to her, but she never experienced it.  Her experience feels authentic and I came to care as fiercely about her alts as I did for Angie.  It was fascinating to watch them struggle for control and I could Angie's treatment both moving and satisfying.

I also love the personal drama in Angie's life.  She's lost three years and a lot has changed in that time.  Her family is so happy that she is home, but the situation is complicated.  Her father is so filled with guilt over what has happened to her that he can barely look at her and Angie struggles with the fact that her mother is pregnant with a baby that Angie considers a replacement.  Then there is Little Wife trying to help Angie out in the love department and that... was not much of a help.  Little Wife broke my heart, but there is a nice boy who has a knack for healing broken hearts.

There is one story line that I can't go into the details of, because I want to avoid spoilers, but it just didn't sit well with me (storywise--none of this story is supposed to sit well with the reader). It's set up and I guessed what had happened, but it came together in a way that felt very coincidental.  I also didn't feel great about the resolution of it.

Moments I Loved: Any moment with the love interest, who is exactly who Angie (and Little Wife) needed.

WTF Moments: This is a book about a girl who is kidnapped, abused for three years, and survives because of other personalities that manifested to protect her.  Still, the initial cause of Angie's dissociaitive identity disorder and the story of the first personality, Tattletale, is what struck me the most.

Overall: A psychological mystery that made me cry and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Pretty Girl-13 gets a FakeSteph rating of...

Sundays In Bed With The Murmurings... and Stacking the Shelves

Sundays in bed with is hosted by Kate at Midnight Book Girl.  This weekend, I got some quality time with my niece and nephew, but not much reading time. Tonight, I'm going to finish strong for Bout of Books.  You can see my week's progress here.  As soon as I drop the kiddos off to their mom, I'll be home and in bed reading...

I started this when it first came out and took a break.  I read a big chunk of it last night and while I do have a few issues that I'm not sure will be resolved, for the most part the book is creepy and scary.  I didn't think I'd be able to fall asleep last night and I am so excited to finish it tonight.

Also, if I finish it tonight, that will be number 6 in my review queue.  I really need to write reviews.

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

For Review:

Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

Won:
The Archived by Victoria Schwabb (thanks Mauie)

Library:
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon #1 by Naoko Takeuchi
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Bought for Kindle:
The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

I'm actually super excited about all of the books I picked up this week.  I'm going to start Gameboard of the Gods tomorrow and then try to devote the week to review books.

Looks From Books: Dare You To by Katie McGarry (Part One)

Looks from books is a semi-regular feature at The Fake Steph Dot Com where I explore book inspired fashion.  For various reasons, it's been a few weeks, but we're back with Ryan from Dare You To by Katie McGarry.  I'll be reviewing Dare You To soon and will feature Beth in the next Looks From Books post.  Before we get to it, I need to let you know at the top (and bottom) of my posts that I received a free copy of Dare You To from the publisher through Netgalley.  This in no way influenced my opinion of the book or my decision to feature it in my Looks From Books feature.

Ryan's style is a mix of preppy and sporty.  He's preppy, because he lives in a small town with a social circle run by the church and he is expected to dress a certain way.  He's sporty, because he is pretty much obsessed with baseball (even if his parents did create that obsession for him--he truly loves the sport!).  Today, I'm sticking with the sporty theme, because that is the style Ryan is most comfortable with.

Ryan - Dare You To by fakesteph on Polyvore

I thought about putting Ryan in khakis because it would have made a nice contrast with the look for Beth that I'm putting together, but decided against it.  I realized that only the older men in the story wear khakis (when I searched on my kindle).  Although, Ryan probably has a pair somewhere.  Other than that, a very simple look.  Ryan always wears his Reds ball cap and has a Reds t-shirt for every day of the week (probably every day of the month).  The shirt I picked for Ryan says "And this one belongs to the Reds" because Ryan and his father work every day so that Ryan will one day play for his favorite team.

I also put him in athletic sneakers, because I can't imagine him in anything else.  As for his varsity jacket, if you want to recreate Ryan's look, you will have to content yourself with this great jacket.  It's not a real varsity jacket, but it will prevent you from looking like a creeper or a has-been (unless you are a high school varsity player).

**I received a free copy of Dare Yout To from the publisher through Netgalley for review.  This in no way influenced my opinion of the book or my decision to feature it in my Looks From Books series.**

Feel free to comment on the look, the book, or these new FTC guidelines.

David Sedaris: Live For Your Listening Pleasure

Audio Performance: David Sedaris: Live For Your Listening Pleasure

Summary:  If you were lucky enough to have caught a performance on David Sedaris's most recent sold-out, 34-city tour, you already know thatDavid Sedaris Live For Your Listening Pleasure is a must-have album! If you didn't hear it live and in person, then you're in for a treat-hilarious brand-new recordings from performances in Denver, New York, Durham, LA, and Atlanta, in one convenient audiobook collection, on sale November 24 for only $17.98.
From the bold feral rabbits of his French backyard to the eating habits of a carnivorous bird Down Under, Live For Your Listening Pleasure takes listeners on a veritable tour of natural wonders, beginning with a fable, "Cat and Baboon," and moving on to the peculiarly American habitat of the "big-box" store.

Thoughts: I picked this audio performance up from the library to hold me over until I get Sedaris's new book, Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls.  Live For Your Listening Pleasure is exactly the way I like Sedaris: relating his personal stories in front of a live audience.  I've listened to him narrate his own book before, so I'm used to his voice.  He has a special cadence and rhythm that I don't get through reading alone.

His observations on life are funny and dark.  He approaches both himself and the people around him with the honesty most of us dismiss in the name of common courtesy.  I've seen the link on twitter a lot this past week, but if you haven't watched it, take a look at Sedaris on The Daily Show (embedded below).  The video is him at the top of his game and the humor is exactly what you will find in his writing. (You can also watch a video of Sedaris reading from 50 Shades of Gray. O.o)




Moments I Loved: Sedaris relates a story of being annoyed by how well an acquaintance picks up French.  The friend begins speaking to him in French and Sedaris responds in Japanese.

WTF Moments: There are a lot.  That is mostly why I like David Sedaris.

Narrators: I've come to really enjoy listening to Sedaris narrate his own stories.  I was thrown off by his voice the first time I heard it, but now that I'm used to it, I know what to expect from his narration as much as from his stories.  Plus, this CD was recorded in front of a live audience, which made it even more enjoyable.

Overall: A short intro to Sedaris for those who aren't familiar with his work, but also a fun piece for long time fans.

David Sedaris: Live For Your Listening Pleasure gets a FakeSteph rating of...

Waiting On Wednesday: You Look Different In Real Life by Jennifer Castle

Waiting On Wednesday, hosted by Breaking the Spine, lets us book hoarding bloggers highlight a book we're excited for each week. This week I'm waiting on You Look Different In Real Life by Jennifer Castle.

GoodReads Description: A smart, fresh novel about five teens whose ordinary lives are captured on camera for the whole world to see, from a breakout author who "will be well received by Sarah Dessen fans" (ALA Booklist)

The premise was simple: five kids living their real lives, with a new movie about them every five years. But the six-year-olds who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who are hardly friends. And Justine, whose edgy sense of humor made her the surprise star of the first two films, now feels like a disappointment.

Still, they've all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how lonely it is to have fans instead of friends. So when the latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to really see yourself is through someone else's eyes.

With the "detailed writing and smart, realistically cool characters" (SLJ) that earned The Beginning of After critical acclaim and comparisons to Sarah Dessen, You Look Different in Real Life is a sharply observed, wholly engrossing book about the surface-level identities you can see on camera and the truths you can only see in real life.

Why I'm Excited: After college, I moved to LA and I met quite a few child actors (and just actors in general).  I'm really interested to see how the book handles the special issues that go along with fame and growing up in the spotlight.  Plus, I love contemporary.

You Look Different In Real Life comes out June 4, 2013 from Harper Teen.

Top Ten (Tuesday) Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish that combines lists and books.  This weeks topic is... Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects. As always, covers link to GoodReads.

Loss...

    

  

The Holocaust...

Sexuality...

A book about cancer that doesn't want to be a Cancer Book...

Rape...

    

I'm super excited to see all of your lists this week!

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

Book: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

Summary (from GoodReads):  The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.
Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Thoughts: I loved Cinder and even though I had heard great things about the sequel, Scarlet, I was still very nervous to read it.  Luckily, Scarlet exceeded my high expectations.  Not only are we able to revisit Meyer's vivid and unique world in Scarlet, but we learn a whole lot more about it.  I loved reading about what is going on in the different countries on Earth as well as what is going on with the Lunars and Lunar rebels.  I *think* in the next book, we'll actually get to visit the moon and I'm already excited.  The book also had me at the edge of me seat, taunted me with little bits of information the whole way through, and made me giggle and swoon over characters old and new.

What I was most nervous about was the introduction of Scarlet and all of the other new characters.  Each book in the series is or will be loosely based off of a different fairy tale.  I was worried about losing Cinder, aka cyborg Cinderella, in a new fairy tale (Little Red Riding Hood).  But that never happens.  We get plenty of Cinder action, plus a few chapters from Kai's point of view.  But there is also Captain Thorne, an American and a thief.  He is hilarious and exactly the kind of personality that Cinder needs to be around to stay sane.  And Wolf, who is just... he makes my heart happy.  As far as love interests go, that kind of story line is one of my favorites.  Cinder and Scarlet are both awesome and I can't wait to see the damage these two can cause together.

Moments I Loved: Scarlet and Wolf's train kiss.  Man, I loved every scene with Scarlet and Wolf.

WTF Moments: The Lunar attack!  The Lunar's have manipulated their soldiers DNA and they fight like animals while looking like humans.  Incredibly creepy.

Overall: A sequel that is even better than the first book, with more action and more romance!

Scarlet gets a FakeSteph rating of...

Sundays In Bed With... Paper Valentine and Stacking the Shelves

Sundays in bed with is hosted by Kate at Midnight Book Girl.  Yesterday, I took the day off blogging, because I spent Friday taking the Praxis II (the licensing test to become a teacher) and I was tired.  My first summer class starts this week, but I'm hoping to do a ton of reading before I get overwhelmed with homework.  So this week, I'm in bed with way too many books, but there is one that I am definitely planning on finishing this week:

Paper Valentine is the winner's pick for this month's TBR Intervention and I'm starting it today.  I love serial killer stories, so I'm really excited.

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

For Review:

Dare You To by Katie McGarry, which I have already read and LOVED.  Can't wait to review it and I'll be featuring it in my next two Looks From Books posts and a Waiting On Wednesday.

Free for Kindle:

Open Minds (Mindjack #1) by Susan Kaye Quinn

Previously on The Fake Steph Dot Com (in a dramatic voice)
A thankfully slow week, because I need some time to catch up.  And in case you missed it this week I posted reviews of The Trouble With Flirting and What Really Happened In Peru.  I also posted my top ten books when you need something light and fun, waited on The Book of Broken Hearts, and picked a winner for TBR Intervention (but you can participate in June, which might be a special BEA edition).

Bout of Books: Sign Up

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I think that this is actually going to fit perfectly with my schedule and I'd really like to get ahead now, before the semester starts.  So... I'm participating.  My goals are below and I'll be updating this post throughout the readathon.

Goals:

I've started the first few chapters of all these and I want to finish these:

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff (edit: didn't actually start this before the readathon, so whole thing.)

Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

Warp: The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer

Finding Rachel Davenport by Michael Harling

The Murmurings by Carly Ann West

I want to read two graphic novels:
The Walking Dead 6

The Amulet of Samarkand

Audiobooks:  I want to get through the first part of:

A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Marting (Part One)

Six Years by Harlan Coben (Part One)

Rereads:
Paper Towns by John Green

Monday
Books Read: 
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich - finished - 230 pages
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff - started - 15 pages
Mini-challenges: none

Tuesday
Books Read:
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff - continued - 60 pages
This Sorrowful Life (Walking Dead #6) by Robert Kirkland - started and finished - 144 pages
Mini-challenges:  none


Wednesday
Books Read: 
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff - continued - 15 pages
Six Years by Harlan Coben - started - 2 hours
Mini-challenges: none

Thursday
Books Read:
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff - continued - 20 pages
Six Years by Harlan Coben - continued - 2 hours, 12 minutes
Mini-challenges: none

Friday
Books Read:
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff - finished - 194 pages
Finding Rachel Davenport - 3%
Six Years by Harlan Coben - continued (finished, part 1) - 36 minutes
A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin - continued - 1 hour (approximately)
Mini-challenges: none

Saturday
Books Read:
Mini-challenges: 

Sunday
Books Read:
Mini-challenges: