Q&A With Taylor Jenkins Reid + Giveaway

Q&A With Taylor Jenkins Reid + Giveaway

Jul 8, 2014

Y'all, I'm over-the-moon excited about what I get share today! Last week, I reviewed After I Do by Tayor Jenkins Reid. It's one of my new all-time favorite books, so you can imagine how much I freaked out when a publicist from Atria asked me if I'd be interested in a Q&A with Taylor. I think we all know that the answer to that question was: HELL YES. Except, you know, with less cussing and more exclamation points.

Before I continue, here's a little background from her website:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is from Acton, Massachusetts. She graduated from Emerson College in Boston in 2005. She worked in entertainment and education before becoming a writer.

Her debut, Forever, Interrupted, was called a "stunning first novel," by Publisher's Weekly. Kirkus Reviews called her second book, After I Do, "a must read."

She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alex, and their dogs, Rabbit and Rex. 

Y'all, I don't think I can even begin to describe my epic levels of love for After I Do and Forever, Interrupted. Both books were so wonderful that Taylor has easily become an auto-buy author for me. I cannot wait to read more from her! Both books had such intriguing premises and well-developed characters, but I think my favorite part is just the way Taylor writes. There's a depth of emotion in these books -- it's what makes it so easy for me to connect the story and become invested in the characters.

After I Do just came out this past Tuesday, so there's no reason you shouldn't run out and buy yourself a copy. And although it's a standalone book, you should probably just go ahead and buy Forever, Interrupted while you're at it. You'll just want to read as much as you can from this talented author. And... I've also got something fabulous to go along with this Q&A: a giveaway! So, here's the summary for the book I can't stop fangirling over -- and which you have the chance to win:

From the author of Forever, Interrupted—hailed by Sarah Jio as "moving, gorgeous, and at times heart-wrenching"—comes a breathtaking new novel about modern marriage, the depth of family ties, and the year that one remarkable heroine spends exploring both.

When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

This is a love story about what happens when the love fades. It’s about staying in love, seizing love, forsaking love, and committing to love with everything you’ve got. And above all, After I Do is the story of a couple caught up in an old game—and searching for a new road to happily ever after. | Add on Goodreads

Hi Taylor! I adored Forever, Interrupted and After I Do so I'm thrilled to have you here today. If we were chatting together over coffee, what are three things I'd know about you by the time we were done?

What a great question! You'd notice that I talk incessantly, order insanely large sized iced teas, and fidget a lot.

I'm totally a research nerd, so I'm curious: I know After I Do primarily focuses on personal relationships, but did you do any research for the book? If so, how was it incorporated?

I did a lot of research about types of marriages and the way that human beings have structured their marriages over time. Not a lot of it made its way directly into the book, but it certainly influenced my opinion of marriage and what it means.

Note: After I'd already asked this question, I found this great article that Taylor wrote: "9 Things You May Not Know About Marriage." It was so cool to see some of what she learned while researching!

Your characters have been my favorite part of both of your books, and I get so invested in them together within just a few pages! Do you learn who your characters are in the process of writing or do you know who they are from the very beginning?

I am very much learning as I go. Characters' quirks tend to pop out at me as I'm writing and form who they are. Lauren's love of international foods developed over time and then I liked it for her character so I went back and made it consistent throughout the novel. It would be fun to know exactly who your characters are before you starting writing them, but I don't have that ability. I have to get to know them through trial and error.

You used a nonlinear narrative in Forever, Interrupted and then again in After I Do, which I absolutely loved. Why did you feel that structure worked best for both books?

I really set out to write After I Do as a linear book but I just can't seem to make myself write entirely linearly! It's so much more fun to jump around. I think it adds to the suspense and bittersweetness of a story.

It seems like most books focus on the "falling in love" part of the story. I really connected to After I Do because it showed the challenges of staying in love. What drew you to write about love from that angle?

I've always been drawn to heartbreak. And while I love stories of people falling in love, I think I'm drawn to telling stories that have a bit more catharsis. Everyone has had their heartbroken. It just seems like such meaty place to start a book.

Forever, Interrupted had your main character losing the person she loves suddenly, unwillingly and permanently. After I Do has a different kind of loss in that it's happened over time, by choice but not necessarily permanently. How was writing about loss similar in both books, and how was it different?

Both novels came about because of my own fear of loss. When I first got married, I was worried I would lose my husband. Then, after we had been married for a while, I started worrying that I could somehow mess up my marriage -- that I could inadvertently run it into the ground. So I think that while they are two different types of loss, like you said, they both focus on once being happy and having that happiness disappear. I think you really learn something about a character when you see what they will do to make peace with that.

What do you hope readers take away from After I Do? 

I really hope people read the last page of this book and come away from it having an appreciation for all of the different types of marriages and commitments that are possible between two people. I strongly believe that no two marriages are the same, that we have to make our own rules.

If I gave you money to go to the bookstore today, what is the one book you'd buy for someone else and the one book you'd buy for yourself? 

I would buy The Most of Nora Ephron for every single person on the planet. And for myself, I'd buy Rainbow Rowell's new book, Landline, which comes out soon.

Can you tell me anything about your next book? I want the scoop since I'll obviously be pre-ordering it! 

Yes! My new book is about a woman who hits a crossroads in her life and makes a seemingly small decision that catapults her life into two different directions -- you'll see what happens when she chooses one path versus another. It's about fate, chance, and soulmates.

Be sure to enter the giveaway for After I Do!

Giveaway hosted by So Obsessed With in partnership with Atria Books. Open to U.S. and Canada only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

READ POST

I Do Hereby Confess

I Do Hereby Confess

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/top ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. I'm so obsessed with lists - so it makes perfect sense that I'd love this feature!

Honestly, I couldn't really think of that many things to share that were specific to blogging. So, I decided to just share ten book-related confession because those were easier. I have no doubt that other readers have some of these same quirks!

Top Ten Blogging Bookish Confessions

1. I do not understand the whole "love the smell of books" thing.

I'm sorry, y'all, but I just don't get this one. I see people talk about it all the time, and I have never once thought to stick my face in a book to smell it. And I hate the smell of used bookstores - old books and other people's germs. Thanks, but no thanks. I will occasionally buy used books, but I typically avoid them because I can't deal with the smell.

2. I prefer hardcovers over paperbacks.

Paperbacks take up less room and are easier to hold, but I just love hardcovers so much more! I think they look so much better on my shelves, and I love that I don't have to even think about cracking the spine. I love taking the dust jacket off to see what the book looks like "naked" and keeping it off while I read the book so I don't ruin the jacket. Even if a book is already out in paperback, I'll typically try to buy the hardcover.

3. I never write my review immediately after finishing a book. 

I think this is my only confession that strictly relates to blogging. I am seriously the worst at writing reviews once I finish a book! I always intend to write my thoughts on it before moving on the next book, but that never happens. This is the reason why I usually have a ginormous list of books that I need to write about, and I hate myself for it every single time but I can't change my ways! I'm not good at taking notes on what I read either, so some books never get reviewed because I've let too much time pass and can't remember enough about it to share my thoughts.

4. When I start a book, I put a sticky note in it at chapter five. When I get to chapter five, I move it to chapter ten... and so on.

So, I obviously can't do this with Kindle books, but I do usually do this with hard copies. If the chapters are really long, I won't. And if they're really short, sometimes I'll mark every ten chapters instead of every five. Either way, I have a sticky note marking a place in the book while I'm reading. It's almost like a goal for me - "I want to at least read to this point now that I've picked up my book."

5. I own multiple copies of many of my favorite books.

My husband does not understand this one at all. I'm most guilty of it with classics because publishers are always coming out with new covers and designs for some of my old favorites. And how am I supposed to say no? I collect Pride and Prejudice on purpose, but I think I have at least four copies of all of Austen's other books. I own multiples of some of L.M. Montgomery's books, too. Those aren't the only examples, but they're two where I'm the worst!

6. If I love a book that I've read on my Kindle, I'll buy a hard copy for my shelves.

This probably goes hand-in-hand with the confession above. If I read something on my Kindle and love it, I almost always end up buying a copy for my bookcase. I've also done the reverse - bought a Kindle copy of a book I own if the Kindle copy goes on sale. I know, it's a problem. I typically only buy things on my Kindle from authors I haven't tried before or books that I'm not totally sure about. If I love an author already, I'll automatically buy the hard copy.

7. I frequently clean out my shelves and pass books on to others.

I buy a lot of books. I'm not a clothes/shoes/bags person at all. I like to dress nice, but I've always been someone who would buy entertainment (books/movies, etc.) or beauty products (nail polish/makeup, etc.) instead. Because I bring so many books into my house, I try to be really good at also passing them on. I hang on to anything I loved and/or know I will want to re-read, but nothing else is safe from me when I get in a certain mood. I usually go through my shelves every six months or so and look for things to give to other readers, donate, or trade in at my local used bookstore.

8. I wish I hadn't gotten rid of quite so many books when I was younger. I have very few of my old favorites!

Unfortunately, sometimes I go a little overboard with my clean outs. When I was younger, I kept most of my books on shelves in my closet and was constantly getting rid of stuff. I had a limited amount of space, and I didn't know that one day I'd wish I had kept those "little kid" books that I thought I'd outgrown. I did hang on to some of my favorites (like my original Anne of Green Gables books), but there were so many others that I didn't keep. That was a major mistake on my part!

9. I sometimes buy multiple books in a series before I've even started the first book.

Yes, this is true. It's not the norm for me, but it has been known to happen. I usually just buy the first book, but sometimes I get ahead of myself and want to be prepared to binge read them. There's only been once or twice where I really wish I'd waited to read the first book because I didn't like it enough to want to finish the series, so this hasn't backfired too much. But still, I need to learn some self control!

10. I almost never let people borrow my books.

If I let someone borrow a book, it's because I've decided I don't care if I get it back. If I love a book, there's no way I'm letting someone borrow a copy. I wish I wasn't this way! Since I only really keep my favorite books, I don't like letting people borrow them. I've had one too many books that were never returned or were returned damaged. Now, I am good at cleaning out my shelves so I do frequently share the book love with my friends... but my favorites stay with me. I've had friends say to me, "Oh, you love to read! I need to come look at your shelves and find something to read." Yeah, no. Not happening.

READ POST

Cultivating Curiosity

Cultivating Curiosity

Jul 7, 2014

I've always thought that I loved words. Growing up, I filled countless journals with them. There was the thrill of bringing a new journal home - just waiting to be filled with the ramblings of my brain and the desires of my heart. Words helped me make sense of the world. If I could put it on paper, then I was one step closer to understanding it or making peace with it or finding joy in it.

I fell out of the habit of journaling in college, and I've only recently found my way back to it. I've felt the words stacking up inside me - pushing on my heart and begging for release. Falling into this crazy world of blogging was the first step towards letting those words fly out of me. I'd always loved to read and to write, but blogging has given me a project to invest my time in. And it's also helped me realize something important:

I don't love words. I love STORIES.

I thought that I loved words, but really I loved what they created. It's the finished product, the end result, that gets me excited. The pieces are important, but the way they fit together matters more. Words weren't what helped me make sense of things - it was the act of telling the story that did. And I may feel like words are pushing their way out of me, but truth is that I want to tell my story - even if I'm the only one who sees it.

I could tell you: I'm twenty-five. It may help you place me in a certain category - letting you guess generally where I'm at in life, what my childhood was like, etc. - but it doesn't tell my story. I could tell you that I'm married. But you won't know when I met my husband, how we fell in love, or why I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. The word won't tell you the story - that's something you learn as you get to know me.

A word may help you define a thing, 

but it doesn't actually mean you know the thing.

Words are the bricks that build the house but, as a house isn't defined by its bricks, a story can transcend the words used to tell it. And what you call a house - colonial, farmhouse, ranch - doesn't tell you who lived and loved in it. It's a word but not a story. So, words like "young adult" and "classic" don't have that much weight with me. It's one single brushstroke over a canvas made up of thousands of colors and textures.

This has all been rumbling around in my brain because of everything I've read recently in reaction to posts criticizing YA. Here's the thing: the click-bait YA post was dumb. But the reactions of "ugh, adult fiction is so boring" or "oh, classics are so dense" don't add anything to the conversation, and neither does "YA is just so much better." Substitute YA in those first two sentences, or the other two words for YA in the third example, and it sounds like the same story, different word. Here's what I think you should do instead:

Find the stories that interest you...

... but challenge yourself to try new stories sometimes, too.

I'm sure you've heard the saying: "People never change." I agree to an extent, but I also think that's a load of crap. I'm not exactly the same person at twenty-five that I was a fifteen. Generally, I'm still the same person, but my experiences have shaped me. Does the Grand Canyon change? I mean, it's still a giant hole in the ground... but the shape of it can still be altered over time. I think it's the same with people.

The stories you love today won't necessarily be the stories you love tomorrow. The stories you hated yesterday may be the ones that speak your heart today. You know how you find that out?

Try new things with an open mind.

Deliberately sample from all of the options available to you.

Sure, don't waste your time reading things that you hate, but don't assume that you'll always hate the same thing or that one bad experience means something isn't right for you at all or ever.

I want to find stories that move me, that inspire me, that change me. And I don't care how they're told or who tells them or why they're told a certain way. Why should that matter?

Over time, I've cultivated a curiosity for stories.

On many occasions, someone has commented and told me that they love that I read such a wide variety of things. I always find it interesting when people say that (and I truly love that they do) because it's not really a conscious effort on my part. I may gravitate towards certain stories more than others, but I try to live and read from a place where I'm eager to experience something new. I genuinely enjoy the process of discovery!

That doesn't mean I'll read anything and everything - I have certain personal "boundaries." I believe stories can have a profound impact on our hearts and our minds, and there are stories I consciously choose not to put in my mind for various reasons. But the principle is still the same: the reason I read such a variety of books is because I don't care how they're labeled. I want to get a sense for the story inside, and that's how I decide what to pick up next.

A book is two stories merging: yours and the one inside the pages.

The joy of reading is in finding the stories that speak to you. It probably goes without saying, but those will be different for every single person. Stories can invite two people in, ask you both to sit down and leave each person feeling completely differently about the same living room. What makes a story so fantastic is that the influence goes both ways: you bring something to the story and the story brings something to you. No two people will have the exact same experience.

A book becomes mine in a way when I read it, and someone else's experience with it doesn't lessen or amplify my feelings for it. And personally, I like to see how one thing can mean so many different things to other people! It's the reason I'll search out reviews where someone felt the complete opposite of me about a book. We aren't the same people, so in some ways it's like we didn't read the same book. So instead of arguing about words or trying to defend the things we love, I'd rather spend more time doing this:

Look for the stories that speak to you, gather those around you 

and celebrate the fact that you've found something you love.

READ POST

The Boy Next Door

The Boy Next Door

Jul 4, 2014

On the Fence by Kasie West

Release Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins | Harper Teen
Pages: 320 pages
Source & Format: Edelweiss | e-ARC
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

She's a tomboy. He's the boy next door...

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she's got a bigger problem than speeding tickets - she's falling for Braden. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.

Thoughts on On the Fence

Pivot Point was the first book I read by Kasie West, but The Distance Between Us was my absolute favorite. I read and enjoyed Split Second, but I was really looking forward to On the Fence. Since West's standalone contemporary had worked so well for me last time, I was hoping there would be a repeat with this one!

On the Fence focuses on Charlie Reynolds, the only girl in a house full of boys. She fits right in with her brothers - sports are her passion and she doesn't know the first thing about makeup or even care about shopping. But when she gets a speeding ticket, she has to take a job at a local boutique in order to earn the money to pay it off. She's stressed and starts confiding in her neighbor and brothers' best friend, Braden, when they both find themselves outside one night when they can't sleep. Their "Fence Chats" become a habit, and Charlie starts wondering if there might be more to their friendship than she originally thought.

While this was a really cute read, I didn't love it the way that I did The Distance Between Us. Charlie felt a bit too much like a cliché to me for the most part. I know she's surrounded by boys and she's most comfortable when she's considered "one of the guys," but I think I got a little too annoyed with her while I was reading. The whole "what, makeup?!" and "oh no, feminine clothes!" was such a big part of the storyline, and it made Charlie seem more like a stock character (tomboy totally clueless about anything girly) than a real one to me. If she'd been fleshed out a bit more, I don't think I would have had the same issues with her.

I struggled because I couldn't relate to her at all, and I kept wondering how someone could be so clueless. I think that ended up being my biggest issue with the book - I just wasn't invested in her story. I've read plenty of things where I don't relate to the character but still fall in love with the book, but that just wasn't the case here. The brothers, too, are interesting at first but never really developed. They play that "warn every guy away from their sister" role, but they aren't explored much beyond that. I so wanted more from these characters!

The storyline itself was mostly cute - I do enjoy the whole friendship that turns into more storyline. However, there were some moments where I just wanted the characters to stop and have a real conversation with each other! There was some angst in here that could have been avoided if they'd communicated a little better. But that's often true to life, so I wasn't too hung up on that aspect.

When the book focused on the love story and Charlie's growth, I enjoyed it more. However, there was an additional storyline involving Charlie and her deceased mother that I found frustrating. It seemed so out of place to me! And, if it had to be included, I think it needed to be explored more instead of just one more thing to add drama to the story.

I liked a few parts of this book and disliked others, so it was ultimately just an okay read for me. Honestly, I didn't really have strong feelings about it either way. It was mostly fun and kind of cute, but I wasn't connecting to Charlie or invested in the romance. This is a book where I'd tell someone to do a little more research to see if it would be right for them. I know a lot of people have really enjoyed this one, but it wasn't quite what I hoped for from West.

So Quotable

"Sometimes we expect more than people are capable of giving at the moment."

*I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins in exchange for review consideration. I was not compensated in any way for my review.

READ POST

You Just Need to Find Your People

You Just Need to Find Your People

Jul 3, 2014

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

Release Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books
Pages: 384 pages
Source & Format: NetGalley; e-ARC
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

American audiences have fallen in love with Jojo Moyes. Ever since she debuted stateside, she has captivated readers and reviewers alike, and hit the New York Times bestseller list with the word-of-mouth sensation, Me Before You. Now, with One Plus One, she’s written another contemporary opposites-attract love story that reads like a modern-day Two for the Road.

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight-in-shining-armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages... maybe ever.

One Plus One is Jojo Moyes at her astounding best. You’ll laugh, you’ll weep, and when you flip the last page, you’ll want to start all over again.

Thoughts on One Plus One

I don't even know where to start with One Plus One, but I guess this is as good a place as any: Jojo Moyes has done it again! I usually roll my eyes when a book's summary ends with a line like this one, but it's actually true for this book: "One Plus One is Jojo Moyes at her astounding best. You’ll laugh, you’ll weep, and when you flip the last page, you’ll want to start all over again."

Seriously, doesn't that sound like promotional copy language? AND YET EVERY WORD IS THE TRUTH.

I fell in love with Moyes after reading Me Before You and The Girl You Left Behind last year, and then I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Letter from Your Lover earlier this year. If I hadn't been convinced before, I certainly was after that third book: Jojo Moyes is one of my very, very favorite authors OF ALL TIME. I keep thinking that she's write something that disappoints me, and then she just goes and exceeds all my expectations.

Jess's life hasn't turned out the way she imagined. She got pregnant really young, dropped out of school and got married. Her husband's child from a previous relationship moved in with them, and then her husband left because he was suffering from depression. The kids, Nicky and Tanzie, stay with Jess, and she cares for them in the best way she knows how. She's working two jobs to try and make ends meet, her husband isn't contributing anything, Nicky is being bullied and Tanzie is a math genius with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to go to a prestigious school and compete for a generous financial reward.

There's no way she can get Tanzie to the Math Olympiad on her own. At one of her lowest moments, unexpected help arrives. Ed is a tech millionaire with big problems of his own, and he's not sure why he feels so compelled to help Jess and her kids. She may clean his house, but he has no real obligation or vested interest in her life. And so begins an unforgettable road trip...

There are quite a few characters in One Plus One, as well as multiple narrators, so it took me a few chapters before I was really able to enjoy the story. It wasn't confusing or anything - it just took me a minute to grasp everyone's relationship to one another and get into the flow of the story. But once I did? WOAH.

Jess is only 27 years old, but she seems so much older at times. Her life forced her to grow up quickly, but she's managed to retain the most positive and optimistic outlook on life. I seriously just wanted to hug her and high five her at the same time! Nicky is a social outcast, and my heart just ached for him. I wanted him to find, as Ed later tells him, "his tribe." Everyone needs someone to belong to and to feel included and understood. Tanzie is sweet, hilarious and so smart. I didn't even understand what she was talking about a few times, and I'm pretty sure none of the other characters did either. And Ed is this sort of self-centered nerd who has made a mistake that could cost him everything. Offering to drive this band of misfits is totally out-of-character for him, but it's a choice that might just propel him in a new direction.

Honestly, these characters absolutely made this book. I was an emotional basketcase the entire time I was reading, and that only happened because I was so invested in these characters. The multiple narrators worked perfectly, and I had no trouble telling them apart. And I loved the way their different voices and perspectives added so much to the story! It can be tricky to juggle multiple POV, but I should have known that Moyes would do it flawlessly.

The writing is also just so lovely. There were moments where I teared up and others where I was legitimately laughing out loud. One scene in particular had me grabbing my phone to tweet Ellice about how much I was enjoying it. But that was just one moment among so many that I could have talked about! I loved these flawed characters, the awkward but hilarious situations that they got themselves into, the emotional depth in their vulnerability... Basically, this book was perfection.

Moyes was already on my auto-buy list before One Plus One, but she's quickly pushed past many of my old favorites. I highly, highly recommend this book! I can't even compare it to Me Before You because they're so different, but I have no doubt that fans of it will find even more to love in this book. I rarely give out my "So Obsessed With" rating, and this will be the second book in one week to receive that rating! Just trust me when I tell you that you want, need and MUST read One Plus One. You can come back and thank me later.

PS - I can't wait to re-read it. I need all these feelings in my life again!

So Quotable

“Because she knew that something happened to you when your mother didn't hold you close, or tell you all the time that you were the best thing ever, or even notice when you were home: a little part of you sealed over. You didn't need her. You didn't need anyone. And without even knowing you were doing it, you waited. You waited for anyone who got close to you to see something they didn't like in you, something they hadn't seen initially, and to grow cold and disappear, too, like so much sea mist. Because there had to be something wrong, didn't there, if even your own mother didn't really love you?”

*I received this book from Penguin in exchange for review consideration. I was not compensated in any way for my review.

READ POST