The Truth About Boys by Shana Norris

Today I get to celebrate The Stolen Kiss series by Shana Norris. I'll be reviewing The Truth About Boys which is the most recent in the series.

Before I do, however, here is a little bit about the previous books in the series. Keep in mind that you can read them in any order you want so you don't have to start with the first book that was released (but I do recommend it).

The first book released was The Boyfriend Thief. You can find out all about by visiting it's Goodreads page.
The second book released was The Secrets Between You and Me and be sure to visit it's Goodreads page.

The fun thing about this series is that the characters overlap and each book allows you a glimpse of what is happening with them! It's fun and exactly why I love companion style novels.

There is also a short story called One Week that you can read that is set in this same world.

Be sure to visit it's Goodreads page. The Studio (by Paper Lantern Lit) also has a series page set up where you can learn more about each of these titles. The images above will link to The Studio page for each book as well.

Lastly, if my review temps you (and I hope it does) you can start this series for FREE! Yup, FREE! The Boyfriend Thief AND One Week are both currently free on multiple platforms.

Here are the purchase links for each book (if you want to check them out).

The Boyfriend Thief

Amazon // Barnes and Noble // ibooks // Kobo

The Secrets Between You and Me

Amazon // Barnes and Noble // ibooks // Kobo

One Week

Amazon // Barnes and Noble // ibooks // Kobo

The Truth About Boys

Amazon // Barnes and Noble // ibooks // Kobo

There is also a Rafflecopter giveaway after the review for a copy of The Secrets Between You and Me and The Truth About Boys to round out the series for FIVE lucky winners.

The Truth About Boy by Shana Norris

Release Date - February 9, 2016
Publisher Website - The Studio
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 251 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for honest review from the publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

6 guitar strings. 2 boys. 1 summer to let it all go.

The summer before college, Kate Watts wants to do three things: make music, hang out with her best friend Ashton, and scoop ice cream. With an ailing grandfather, a flaky mom who shows up once every who-knows-when, and a looming tuition bill to pay, Kate doesn’t need any more complications.

But “complications” have a way of finding her.

Like when an infuriating new boy named Rory humiliates her at a party.

Like when her wild cousin Paisley shows up unexpectedly at her doorstep to stay.

Like when she’s offered the chance of a lifetime—but only if she throws away the dream she’s been working for.

Soon, straight-shooting Kate gets swept up in a whirlwind of parties with Paisley, all while falling for hot-and-cold Rory…until she begins to suspect that Rory and Paisley might be keeping a huge secret together. Will Kate have to leave everything behind to untangle the truth—including herself?

The Truth About Boys is a companion novel to The Boyfriend Thief and The Secrets Between You and Me and the third book in Shana Norris’s Stolen Kiss Collection. The Stolen Kiss Collection may be read in any order. 

We've all heard the saying about ships and how they are safe in harbour. We also know the ending of that saying. The harbour may keep the ship safe, but that isn't their purpose. The idea that keeping yourself (or your heart) safe may mean missing out on some pretty great experiences is the heart of this novel. Shana Norris focuses on a young woman who struggles to take risks, and in doing so inspires us to take a few ourselves.

The entire Stolen Kiss series is a fun read. It's light, and well paced. The story isn't needlessly dragged out, and it balances the drama with resolution rather well. It's this fact that made the series such an enjoyable one. The author knows what works for her skills and characters and uses it to her advantage. The writing is straight forward and matches the style of novel perfectly.

Kate is careful, controlled, and safe. She has a plan and nothing will stand in the way of it. She also judges those around her, sometimes unfairly and harshly. I think that everyone will recognize a little of themselves within these pages. We've all made decisions and regretted them. We've all been too scared to grab an opportunity and been haunted by the notion of 'what if'. Even if you cannot relate to Kate, you can at least understand her and her motivations. Her character arc is predictable, but there is something comforting about that predictability and the character herself.

Putting other people's desires before your own is thoughtful, but not to the detriment of your own happiness. Sometimes it is okay to be selfish and say that you want something for yourself. Sometimes you have to make your own decisions and follow your own path because it'll lead to your own happiness. Kate struggles with this. She is, at her core, a people pleaser. Particularly when it comes to those people she cares about. I can relate to this aspect of her character strongly. Telling readers, particularly young girls, that putting yourself first sometimes is not only okay but necessary, is perhaps one of the most important messages that a novel can have. This novel doesn't over do it making this point, but it's meaning is clear. Follow your dreams, let your voice be heard because what you want matters. If readers take anything away from this novel, I hope it's this message.

This ended up being my second favourite from this series of companion novels (The Secrets Between You and Me is still my favourite). Shana Norris has written a fun, enjoyable series that is a perfect read for a day at the beach. You'll fly through The Truth About Boys quickly, and immediately want to go read the others (if you haven't already).

a Rafflecopter giveaway ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Most days, Shana Norris still feels like she’s stuck at sixteen, which is probably why she enjoys writing about teens. She's played the flute since she was eleven years old, but is definitely not planning to start her own DJ business anytime soon. Shana lives in a small town in eastern North Carolina with her husband and small zoo of pets, which currently includes two dogs, seven cats, and a small flock of chickens.

Shana Norris has entertained millions of readers as the author of Troy High, the popular Swans Landing series, and the Stolen Kiss Collection, which includes The Boyfriend Thief, The Secrets Between You and Me, and The Truth About Boys. You can find her at shananorris.com.

The Secrets Between You and Me by Shana Norris

The Secrets Between You and Me by Shana Norris
Release Date - February 10, 2015
Publisher Website - The Studio, A Paper Lantern Lit imprint
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 247 pages
My Rating - 4/5
Companion Novel To - The Boyfriend Thief 
**received in exchange for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

4 wheels on a rusty truck * 2 gray eyes * 1 secret that could ruin everything...

All Hannah wanted was a summer break from being “perfect Hannah Cohen” and a chance to forget about the devastating family secret that could ruin her seemingly perfect life. So when she takes off for her eccentric aunt’s house in the mountains of North Carolina and everyone makes one big (wrong) assumption about her past, Hannah figures that it’s easier to live a lie than have to face the truth.

She never expected to make any real friends, like the hilarious and spontaneous Kate and Ashton, who drag her to late night bonfires and ice cream marathons. And she especially never counted on meeting Jude Westmore, the brooding bad boy next door with gray eyes and permanent oil smudges on his fingers, or that he would ever take an interest in her.

Between moonlit movie nights in the bed of Jude’s truck and nearly romantic Ferris Wheel rides, Hannah’s old life seems father away then ever, but can she keep her secret, or is the truth worth the risk of losing everything, including Jude?

The Secrets Between You and Me is a companion novel to The Boyfriend Thief and the second book in Shana Norris’s Stolen Kiss series 

A girl running from the truth. A summer to find her way. A romance that was unexpected. Shana Norris' takes a character that I didn't think had a story to tell, and delights in this feel good, sweet summer-y read.

This book, and it's writing, bring to mind lazy summer days. Ones filled with ice cream, sand, and campfires. You'll immediately want to be curled up with someone watching fireworks as heat from the day slowly cools. It's a tranquil setting that serves the story, and it's characters well. It's the place Hannah needs and that is captured through the writing.

The pressure to be perfect, and need to be who everyone else thinks you should be, haunts Hannah. She's weighed down, exhausted, by the stress and constant struggle. Her life is not perfect, and the more she tries to fake it, the more cracks begin to show. Her life is a set of rigidly controlled rules, and Hannah is frozen, unable to break free. I think everyone, at some point, has felt this way. As you grow into the person you are, you may feel you're letting people down. Choices you make may not be the choices others hoped you would make, and you may be led down a different path than expected. Hannah's growing pains is something that everyone struggles with overcoming and that makes it instantly recognizable.

The bonds that Hannah makes with Jude, Kate and Ashton are refreshing. She feels like they know her for herself and that she doesn't have to pretend all the time. These relationships give her the strength and courage to start making choices for herself, rather than having them made for her. It's her growth that surprised me. It may not be a new story, but it's one that never stops being relevant and Shana puts on her twist on it, to make sure the impact is felt. It's really her character's journey that does this, as you do grow to care about them.

My favourite types of romances are ones where the people involve help to better the other. I am not talking about the notion of 'fixing' someone. I am talking about providing emotional support and being there for someone though a change. Being someone they can depend on during unstable times. Hannah and Jude are this for each other. Each of them have issues to work through, and together they push support and listen to each other. Combine this with some fun banter and swoon worthy scenes and I was easily swept up in their romance.

A novel that I enjoyed even more than the first one in this companion series. Hannah's character growth made her easy to root for. A sweet romance that makes for an enjoyable, light read and will leave you smiling.

Be sure to enter the giveaway below for your chance to win one of three iBook copies of The Secrets Between You and Me. These copies are meant to be read on Mac, iPhones, or iPads.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

This week a few books made their way into my book closet!

First up is a book I borrowed from a fellow blogger!

The Start Of Me And You by Emery Lord (Goodreads)

Thanks, Katie for letting me borrow this! I loved her first book and cannot wait to read the second. Hoping to get to it ASAP!

I also received to e-ARCs for review!  

Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole (Goodreads)
The Secrets Between You And Me by Shana Norris (Goodreads)

A huge thank you to both publishers for these! I am part of the blog tour for Shana Norris' book and I am excited to share the fun interview we did when the time comes!

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!

The Boyfriend Thief by Shana Norris - Blog Tour

The Boyfriend Thief by Shana Norris 

Release Date - March 25, 2014

Publisher Website - The Studio (Paper Lantern Lit)
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 350 pages
Purchase Link - Amazon and iBooks
My Rating - 3/5
**received in exchange for an honest review from the publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Avery James doesn’t believe in romance—she’s studied enough biology to know that love is nothing more than hormones and chemicals. Besides, she has more practical goals in mind, namely saving up for a summer humanitarian program in Costa Rica. But when her Diggity Dog House supervisor denies her a raise and Avery finds herself $500 dollars short for the trip of a lifetime, Avery has no choice but to accept an unexpected offer. The deal? She must steal her arch nemesis Hannah’s boyfriend before prom, giving Avery eleven days to seduce Zac Greeley.

Avery is sure the job will be easy. But a few midnight comedy shows and spontaneous dance parties (not to mention one particularly intimate carwash) later, Avery finds herself questioning everything she’s ever thought about love. Could Zac’s signature cherry-lime Slurpees be causing brain freeze, or is Avery actually starting to fall for him?

Will Avery be able to steal Zac away from Hannah before he steals Avery’s heart?

A beyond cute premise. A potentially drama filled deal. Mix both of these with some unexpected romantic feelings and you have got a perfect recipe for a classic romantic comedy. The Boyfriend Thief was a nice balance of humour, romance, and drama. It's a fun summer read, even with a few little issues.

Avery's personality is something that consumes the page. It's also abrasive. She's hurt, and this is her self defense. These are the walls she has around herself. It's not that I didn't like Avery because I don't have to like her to enjoy the story, but I do have to understand her motivations. That was my struggle. It was understanding the why behind it all that eluded me. I could have loved her immediately if I understood the why of her actions. There is an explanation, but, I felt rather removed from it as a reader. I would have liked to see a little about Avery's past, and how what happened impacted her in the early stages. The growth she has was rather quick as well, and having it spread out throughout the book might have helped a little with her transformation from a reader's stand point.

Zac is adorable. He's sweet, and unassuming. He's the perfect love interest to contrast Avery's personality. He's not without his own issues and they both have things they need to work on, but he's exactly what Avery needs. The romance was not just about them coming together, but what they brought out in each other. It's my favourite kind of romance. If love shows you something about yourself, and challenges you to be better, that is when it can be truly amazing. Shana brought that out in the slow build up for Zac and Avery. They became friends first, and that made the romance even sweeter.

Perhaps the best part of Avery's story is her family. The romance is the focal point, but her family plays a huge role in her story as well. Their brokenness, and the way they are each trying to cope is uplifted by the obvious love they have for each other. The tension of having their father dating someone new, and Avery's compulsion for things to be perfect, mixed well together. It felt natural, and realistic. I think this is one of the more relatable aspects of the entire story.

The end part of the story really elevated this book for me. While it ended exactly how you'd expect, the growth of the main character, and the focus on more than just the romance in her story made it worth it.

After a bit of a struggle, I ended up enjoying this book. The author made some deliberate choices that end up paying off in the end. Avery, and the book, slowly grows on you until you end up wondering why they hid their awesomeness from you in the first place.

Here is a little about Shana Norris

Most days, Shana Norris still feels like she’s stuck at sixteen, which is probably why she enjoys writing about teens. Thankfully, she’s never had to work as a giant hot dog, but she did work at a locksmith shop making keys for six months. She currently lives in a small town in eastern North Carolina with her husband and small zoo of pets, which currently includes two dogs, five cats, and a flock of chickens.

Also, The Studio (a Paper Lantern Lit imprint) is offering an ebook copy to one lucky winner. Just fill out Rafflecopter below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

Quiet mailbox this week, and after last week that is a very good thing. Just one e-ARC to show you this week.

The Boyfriend Thief by Shana Norris (goodreads)

If you missed the news, Paper Lantern Lit (a company Lauren Oliver started) now has their own publishing imprint. They are only doing ebooks for right now and this is their very first title. You can find out more about them over at the Paper Lantern Lit website (and see what other titles will be released in the near future). I'll be taking part in a blog tour for this one so expect to see that post soonish.

Happy weekend, and happy reading!