N to tha A
M: I’ve actually read some good NA books lately I think you’d like
J: Oh yeah? No dark seekrits?
M: Heh, no. All were on sale, too
The first one is The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen – 99 cents
J: oh yeah!
I read her novella
I like her
M: Fell Down was good
very solid. I enjoyed
J: it’s hockey, right?
M: kind of
J: her novella was sports, too. Blonde Date.
M: both MCs play/played hockey
J: yeah. injury for the girl
looked a little close to home for me
M: The hockey was more background (and – sigh – not super realistic, but eh)
J: I’ll definitely read it. Not sure why I didn’t just snap it up after I read the novella because I really liked how she handled the alpha/beta hero in Blonde Date
I’ll start it tonight
M: I remember you telling me you liked Blonde Date
J: yeah. thought the hero was really cute in that one
M: I liked Adam in Fell Down, too
although he does have a girlfriend through a lot of the book – a mostly absent one, but still
but the author made it work
and the hockey stuff…
he broke his leg and can’t play until it heals, but it’s like he just gets a free pass vacation from hockey
An upperclassman on the team, who has been playing for the past couple years? Trust me. He would not get a free pass vacation from hockey
He’d still have to train (as much as he could), have curfew, still have all the rules and schedule of the team
They’d find something for him to do. He’d WANT something to do
but instead, they put in in the “accessible” dorm and it’s like he’s a regular student
no mention of a scholarship or how it affects one, even though his family has no money and the school is super-exclusive
but, one of those things probably no one else would notice and it was only a minor irritation
the rest was totally worth the read
J: I read a cute one, too
The Bowler University series one. Make it Count by Megan Erickson
Dealt with issues. A little like my Side Effects and the to-be-finished-someday sequel, Soundtrack
Yeah, it was cute. The girl has always gotten by on her looks, but she really hates that people assume she’s stupid
She goes to tutoring and finds out her boyfriend’s BFF is the tutor
of course, she doesn’t think she’s good enough because he’s crazy smart
and I just really loved Alec
there wasn’t cheating–not from the main characters, anyway, except for the emotional kind
I guess that’s just as bad in some ways
but it was done in a way that you rooted for them instead of being upset by it
you=all readers (or at least me)
M: oh, that does sounds cute
J: it is pretty cute
I’ll get the second one, for sure
M: how does the author handle the boyfriend? I can totally deal that kind of thing if it’s handled well
J: the BF was obviously distracted and upset by something way outside their relationship
by the time Alec comes in, she’s feeling very neglected and alone
and when her BF is around, she just feels used
there’s a good reason Max (the BF) and Alec are friends, even if they aren’t much alike
and there’s a good reason the BF is getting distant
by the time things explode between the main characters, she’s broken up with Max
realizes she deserves better, even if it is Max’s best friend
M: sounds nicely done
J: it really was
there were a few will-she/won’t-she times where I wanted to punch her, but then, it’s understandable that she’s dealing with a learning disability, finally feeling like she’s worth something after all this time
and also the breakup and the emotional beating she takes when she gives in to her ex’s BFF
but Alec
he’s a doll
M: ooh, that sounds interesting
J: total alpha/beta
more beta. just alpha when he needs to be
M: that’s always interesting, too
esp when it’s done well
J: plus the next one tells Max’s story
and I’m excited to see how she redeems him
the general consensus is that she redeems him very well
M: I really like those kind of stories
Hard to find good redemption tales, but there’s just something about them I really like
turning a character around
J: I think it just recently released
so I’ll probably get it after reading the one you just rec’d
M: The Year We Fell Down was kinda similar – the hero already has a girlfriend
that trope sometimes makes me frustrated–either it’s more on the cheating side or the BF/GF is a total douche, which I think is often a lazy or easy out
and the GF in this is pretty much a rich bitch cliche, but there’s an interesting reason he’s with her in the first place
which was good, because usually it’s not presented well
Makes me sit there and wonder if the MC is so smart and cool and wonderful, why is he/she with a douche?
If there’s a good reason, I roll right along. Otherwise, it’s teeth-gritting time
J: yeah. like, it’s easy to hate the BF in this one, until the whole story is revealed
and then you hate him even more for just a few minutes
and for good reason
but then you also forgive
for good reason
M: now you’ve got me really interested. I shall read
J: It’s only $1.99
M: it will go on my list when I’m in the mood for a good NA. I can only read those by rec anymore, as you know
some make me so ragey, but the good ones are worth it
J: this is not the typical NA
well, it is in some ways
but not in those dark seekrits, party-all-the-time, where-are-the-parents kind of way
I don’t understand why so many authors think the moment a character turns 18 the parents can just disappear
or even high school story authors
M: Well, kind of like the other NA I’m reading now–the prequel (Elemental) and first book in the Elemental series by Brigid Kemmerer
The first one – Storm – is free right now. I’m only about 2/3 of the way through, but so far it’s pretty good
solid characters, editing very good, sucked me right in, decent suspense and mystery
it’s free – you should get it
J: just got it
M: The parents are conveniently absent, though
J: sure, some parents are absent, but those aren’t the only kids who have great stories
and dude. if there’s ever a chance for humor or mortification in a high school/NA story, it’s when parents are involved.
use them.
M: haha – that’s a really good point
It’s like wanting to make the HS kids act like adults but in a teenage setting almost
so – buh-bye parents
and the kids can run amok like 20-somethings instead of HS students
J: right. never happens
Also, the parents aren’t absent in Make It Count
I think perhaps the authors who leave the parents out must not have had a great relationship with their mom or dad
My parents were just as fun as some of my friends
and they found me hilarious most of the time, in all my seriousness
M: I don’t think it’s that so much. More the convenience of not having the parents around so there can be amok-running for the main characters
I still managed to have some fun amoking in HS, and trust me, my parents were around
But it is harder for an author to figure out a way around a boy sneaking in to stay the night or go to crazy parties if parents are in the picture. Not impossible, but takes some work
I guess it’s easier just to kill parents off or have them work overnight shifts
Not to say it never happens in real life, but I doubt as much as it tends to be portrayed in books
J: oh, I had some amok-running, too. It’s actually a part of being a teen, to get around the parents. and I think it should be a part of any story
M: not sure why it isn’t
J: even if the parents are absent a lot, they should still have some kind of influence
M: and like you said, it’s a great point for adding conflict and tension
Actually, running amok sounds pretty good right now. Hmm. brb