Review: OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu

Summary 
“When Bea meets Beck, she knows instantly that he’s her kind of crazy. Sweet, strong, kinda-messed-up Beck understands her like no one else can. He makes her feel almost normal. He makes her feel like she could fall in love again.

But despite her feelings for Beck, Bea can’t stop thinking about someone else: a guy who is gorgeous and magnetic…and has no idea Bea even exists. But Bea knows a lot about him. She spends a lot of time watching him. She has a journal full of notes. Some might even say she’s obsessed.

Bea tells herself she’s got it all under control. But this isn’t a choice, it’s a compulsion. The truth is, she’s breaking down…and she might end up breaking her own heart.”

Review 
Unfortunately, there are things in this world that we cannot control. Yet for some odd reason, that does not sit well with us imperfect creatures and we begin to find ways to obtain control, or what we perceive to be control. This need or rather this obsession, to control our surroundings is what ultimately leads to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

I would not want to lie and say this book is enjoyable, especially for me. To better clarify, this book kind of hit home for me since I do or did have OCD. I do not obsess the way I used to but it never really goes away so you learn to manage and I think that is exactly what this book about, learning to manage your own kind of OCD. 

I also think OCD Love Story is a story where love is presented in its original and truest form. It is a story about learning to accept a person for exactly who and what they are and loving them just the way they are, wholeheartedly. And mostly, I think it’s about realizing that you can’t be but so “crazy” so long as somebody loves you and accepts you. 

Our two less than normal lovers meet in a black out of a school dance where Bea finds Beck having his first panic attack. She manages to talk him through and finds herself attracted to him, despite knowing what he looks like and ends up kissing him. Things do not go well from there, despite the fact that he kisses her back and Beck makes his escape. 

Bea tends to have these compulsions where she has to say or do whatever is on her mind or thus she will combust. This leads to the fear that she is a danger to others because of her lack of control and she forcibly drives around thirty miles per hour and prefers not to be around sharp objects. And whenever things get too out of her control, she pinches her thigh; as if to keep the compulsions at bay even though this in and of itself is a compulsion. 

Dr. Pat, her therapist, suggests she go to group therapy so that she can see that there are other teenagers with problems such as her. Bea is reluctant but she goes. And it is at group therapy where she sees Beck again.

There she learns that Beck is a compulsive health nut/germaphobe. He must wash his hands repeatedly in secessions of eight and he has to work out a lot. There are also others in the group. Jenny, who is nearly bald from pulling out her hair; Rudy, who picks at his face; and Fawn, who just never seems comfortable, always moving her chair around to find the perfect spot. As far as Bea is concerned, she is the normal one in the group and in fact, she is not OCD at all but as she will soon discover, she and these “freaks” (her words, not mine) have more in common than she would like. And maybe she is the craziest one of them all. 

Yet love does not see the crazy. In fact, it embraces it. Now knowing what he looks like; piercing blue eyes, a body built like Arnold Schwarzenegger and a smile with the cutest dimples, Bea is still, if not more in love with Beck and the feeling seems mutual. But will it be after he learns what her real compulsions are? 

I think there is a lot to be gained from this novel. Personally for me, I learned that I wasn’t as “crazy” as some and also, that what I had or have is manageable. Yet most importantly, OCD Love Story teaches us that true love is accepting someone, quirks, kinks and crazy alike, for who they really are. Also, that as long as somebody loves you, had bad off can you really be? I would recommend this book just for the pure love story that it is. The OCD just adds flavoring. 

Reviewed by Camia Rhodes 

Book Information
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: 7/23/2013
Pages: 341

Review: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Summary
In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I’m sorry I couldn't be more than I was—that I couldn't stick around—and that what’s going to happen today isn't their fault.

Today is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate, Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school’s class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting look at a day in the life of a disturbed teenage boy, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

Review
Leonard Peacock is someone that could be anyone you know. When you hear about a kid who brings a gun to school, why does it take a tragedy to seek the answers for why? Many times the answer is reflected back from that introspective search. 

If you have or know a teen, than this book is one that they should absolutely read. I think considering the issues with school bullying and school violence, this would be a great book to open up a dialogue. The story told by Leonard is one that goes too many times silent with the consequences that have become too familiar. As the book chronicles the day Leonard decides to end the life of a classmate and himself, we hear a voice that demands to be heard. The depths of his pain permeates through the readers heart and challenges a place in your consciousness that grasp sympathy, compassion and sorrow for a person whose life at such a young age felt so much pain that could've been spared.

Well written, this character had such an innocent purity to him that grabs your attention as a reader. 
His honesty and pain was something that many people who are feeling similar could relate to. So many times people focus on the act but never really search for the answers to why or what could've been done to prevent it. Here's a kid whose parents were not there for him and showed no sense of love or support, a friend who betrayed him in a way that devastated a part of his life that was so heartbreaking and experiences of life that left him feel worthless, depleted and not good enough. For many people who get bullied or are suffocated by experiences like that leave your life in this state feeling the worst case scenario is their only solution. 

What I loved about this story without give too much away is that for the teachers out there who respond and reach out to a student in need can make the biggest difference in the world. For young people who don't have anyone, all it can take is one person who they admire or trust to show they care. The relationship that unfolds that leads up to a major situation in this book between one of his teachers, Herr Silverman, is one that I hope empowers others to reach out to any student who might resemble a student like that. What I also loved were these letters to the future that added such a nice touch to the story that inspired hope and seeing that no matter how bad life seems right now that the future has the potential to be greater.

For all this book encompasses, I think no matter whether you define this demographic or are an adult that it is worth the read. Leonard Peacock is a character that you will never forget but hope that for many who might be like him find the courage to know there is light even though things seem dark and hopeless. 

Reviewed by Michelle Bowles

Book Information
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 8/13/2013
Pages: 273

Review: Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Summary
“Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances . . . a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.  
 
So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams,  Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life . . . and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.  

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last . . .”

Review
Sometimes in life, we think we know what we want. The grass is much greener on the other side, anywhere is better than her and the list goes on. But home is where the heart is and sometimes you are already home, your heart just needs to catch up. Bittersweet is a book about chasing after our dreams and leaving behind “good enough” and complacency. This book is also about discerning what really are our goals in life to obtain and not outlandish fantasies that are just delusions of grandeur.  

Wishing that what she had seen was a delusion, Hudson finds herself face to face with a cheetah bra that isn’t hers or her mother’s and the proof of her father’s infidelity. Feeling slapped in the face, Hudson decides to strike back and forfeit her chance at a skating sponsorship and a life of winter wonderland fame and fortune. Yet, it she and the rest of her family who get slapped when her father leaves and she realizes he had checked out long before now.  

Forced to pick up the pieces and put herself back together, Hudson finds solace in baking creative cupcake creations. She makes new friends, helps her Mom out in the diner and spends more time with her brother.  She actually is happy until a blast from her past comes delivered in the mail.  

A chance at the $50,000 scholarship from the Lola Capriani Foundation, a foundation set up to help potential winter athletic teens by the family of her former coach Lola Capriani. Hudson now sees a second chance at the life she could have had and possibly her golden ticket of the frozen wasteland of Watonka, New York.  

Upon planning her escape, Hudson crashes, literally, into a cute, hockey jock named Josh Blackthorn and sparks begin to fly. And she gets roped into not only helping him improve his hockey skills but also her entire high school hockey team, the Watonka Wolves. Getting quality training time alone in the rink as well as getting to spend some extra time with the boy she is falling in love with, Hudson doesn’t see this as a bad trade off.  

However, now she is getting more invested with the team and creating more ties to stay in Watonka than to leave. Plus things at work are getting more hectic and she is finding it harder and harder to juggle all the things in her life, thus suddenly realizing how hard her dream is becoming to grasp. Leading Hudson to wonder, is it all worth it?  

Bittersweet is exactly as the title suggests. That sometimes in life, what we think we want ends up really being a fantasy or a delusional we have trained ourselves into being the cure-all answer for our crappy lives; a way to disrupt the complacency or head for greener grasses. But the desire we posses sometimes ends up hurting others in our wake and thus we begin to realize what we wanted may not be what we really wanted. In short, it was a shot at better things but better isn’t where you’re going or what you’re doing, but who you share it with.  

I would recommend this book for teens whom seem to want greener pastures and find home life to be . . . well hell. I was that girl once and I still want better but I learned that better doesn’t have to mean glits and glam; that you can have it all without having to give up your old life for the new one. There is room for it all. That you can reach for the stars but you are still earth bound and that’s okay.  

Reviewed by Camia Rhodes

Book Information
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication date: 12/4/2012
Pages: 400

Review: The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski

Summary
Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett thought she knew exactly where her life was going. But after a wild night at the hottest club in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, she shocks everyone-including herself-when she decides to leave the only life she's ever known and set out on her own. Grabbing her purse and her cell phone, Camryn boards a Greyhound bus ready to find herself. Instead, she finds Andrew Parrish.

Sexy and exciting, Andrew lives life like there is no tomorrow. He persuades Camryn to do things she never thought she would and shows her how to give in to her deepest, most forbidden desires. Soon he becomes the center of her daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But there is more to Andrew than Camryn realizes. Will his secret push them inseparably together-or destroy them forever? 

Review
When I start to read a book, I usually just read the summary and that’s it. I don’t know what compelled me to read the feedback on this book ahead of time but there was such an overwhelming majority that raved about how amazing this book was. Don’t get me wrong, there was opposition but the great buzz set the bar sort of high where my expectations and anticipation couldn't wait to read. What did I think about the book? Well, here are my thoughts…

So, let’s start with the story. The overall story I really enjoyed. I felt the author did a really good job creating characters that were engaging and well written. As a reader, I really appreciated the pace of the book to tell the story. Some might think it had a slow start but I really think that helped you understand the characters better. I will admit, in the beginning I was like where are we going? Once that story took off, it was undeniable that you wouldn't want to put it down because you just get so wrapped up into the story.

What I think really enhanced the book was how the story was told. While telling the story she included alternate pov's which gave the reader a better understanding of what each character was thinking and feeling as the story went along. It added something to the story that drew you in more and enabled a connection that bonded the reader to the story. Even though this book was categorized as new adult, by no means is this story limited to just that audience. It had such a great story that involved love, friendship, and just taking a blind faith to jump into a life of the unknown. That exploration of learning to live through your experiences by taking chances really shines through. You never know where life will take you or what people will come across your path to bring something into your life.

The only thing about the book that I felt a little uncomfortable was the nature of some of the graphic scenes that were written. Some like it hot, but some of scenes were a bit too much for me. It didn't deter me from reading but it made me slightly uncomfortable when I did. So if you might be uncomfortable reading, just flip the page. Even though I know the younger adult audience would probably want to read this and has probably scenes or heard worse, I can’t say that I would recommend for a younger audience of 17 and under. That would be up to your discretion.

So, here is a little bit about the story to get you started:

Camryn is someone that has every right to be defeated by life. Her parents divorced, her brother went to jail for a dui, her boyfriend died in an accident and then one night changed everything between her and her best friend. After that night, she just decided to just leave “her life” behind and just get away. She decided to get on a bus and just go wherever it took her. Once she decided where she was going to go, she met a guy named Andrew Parrish. The great thing about life is that you never know who you will meet or who is brought into your life for a reason. It turns out that he has some things about his life that he is also running away from. When their paths cross, where does it lead? It leads the reader down a story of two people finding their way through life and finding a bond that will make you reach for the kleenex. 

I don’t want to give away too much because I want you to enjoy the experience of their story. Overall, despite the one issue that I had, I would definitely add this to your reading list.

Reviewed by Michelle Bowles

Book Information
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication date: 7/2/2013
Pages: 481

Review: The Wealth of My Mother's Wisdom by Terrence J

Summary
"It's amazing how much my mom did on my behalf. As a seventeen-year-old single mom with relatively little support and all the chips stacked against her, she was able to provide an incredible amount of support for me. Her lessons enriched my spirit, my emotions, and my relationship with God."

When Lisa, a seventeen-year-old from Queens, New York, found out she was pregnant, she knew she only had one choice—to keep the child and give him the best life she could. That baby was Terrence Jenkins, better known to the world as Terrence J. From hosting gigs on BET's 106 and Park and E! News to roles in some of Hollywood's biggest movies, Terrence J is living a life he could have only imagined when he was a young boy. But it was the lessons he learned from his mother that helped make him a man—lessons about sacrifice, courage, loyalty, dreams, and perseverance. Through her words and her actions, Lisa showed Terrence the right path.

From an early age Terrence's mother pushed him to succeed and led by example. Most important, she put her son first—even if it meant leaving behind the only life she had ever known in New York City in search of a safer environment for her son, having the drive to go back to school to learn a new skill, or having the courage to start her own business and build it from the ground up. Her drive eventually became Terrence's drive.

Inspirational, funny, current, and down-to-earth, The Wealth of My Mother's Wisdom offers advice for a new generation. With stories, lessons, and advice from one of the top young names in Hollywood, along with input from some of his famous friends like Kevin Hart, Ludacris, T.I., Trey Songz, and Laz Alonso, Terrence J offers a positive, powerful message: with a strong family bond, the possibilities are endless.

Review
There is no greater love in this world than the love of a parent. Whether you have one or both, that unselfish sacrificial guidance of tough love, empowerment and unconditional support is something that is priceless and irreplaceable. There are so many people who don't get this gift but for those who do, its greatest acknowledgement is through life's success. In this inspiring homage of validation, The Wealth of My Mother's Wisdom, not only is a story about that special bond between a mother and son but represents every great parent who embodies the true definition of role model. 

I didn't know much about Terrence J before I read this book but his story is one that I think can inspire and touch so many people. What I can appreciate is how refreshing it is to read a story about someone who defied the stereotype. We hear about so many people who have grown up in similar upbringings but always seem to hear about the bad but never the ones who succeed because they had a parent who fought for their hope, character and future. 

From the very first page, you feel invited by a welcomed voice. The book chronicled his life through the lessons he learned from his mother that was followed by his mother's perspective on them. It also included stories told from some of his celebrity friends about their own experiences with their mothers. What I thought was a great way to pay it forward was throughout the story, we follow a girl named "Tiffany".  She represented not only the young women they he mentored at the Boys & Girls Club but she could be any young girl today. Through the wisdom he learned from applying to his own life, he empowered her by helping her lay the foundation to make her life better. 

All a parent can do is hope that the lessons they teach in their child's life is one that will foster their ability to soar when the time comes. I encourage every young person to read this because here is someone whose environment could've determined his fate but through diligence, hard work and all that he has learned, he is reaping the benefits of what was sowed. For every parent that has put their child first, you should read this to know that one day their success will be yours. Grab this book because not only will it inspire you but it will empower your heart to be better and what ever dreams you have to reach higher.

Reviewed by Michelle Bowles

Book Information
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: 10/1/2013
Pages: 240

Review: Cautionary Tales for the New Millennium by Eric Nielsson, Jay Munro (Illustrator)

Summary
A droll, slightly jaundiced look at contemporary morés, this mini collection of very short illustrated stories reaches below the funny bone to expose insights and truths about who we are and what we are becoming.

Even in the best of times, life has always been complicated and confusing. But the new social and technological dynamics that have taken over our world since the turn of the century have flummoxed us beyond belief (and maybe redemption). Navigating through this bewildering minefield called life while keeping your sense of humor intact is what Eric Nielsson's Cautionary Tales for the New Millennium is about. In just a few words, he manages to capture the droll, ironic realities of the modern everyday while making us think (and smile).

Jay Munro's illustrations offer delightful counterpoint to Eric Nielsson's tales of woe and wonder, and the combination is a memorable collection that is reminiscent of The New Yorker's old short humor pieces.

Review
Even though these stories may be short in length, they are all packed with a whimsical punch. As our everyday lives progress socially and technologically, these collective short stories humor the reader and make them think simultaneously of what would happen in certain situations in the future. Each story was complimented with beautiful illustrations capturing a nostalgic appeal redolent of the "old New Yorker pieces". Just the right pace with it's witty story lines, Cautionary Tales for the New Millennium, will leave the reader shaking their head and chuckling because as funny as it seems these might be what could happen in the future. 

Reviewed by Michelle Bowles

Book Information
Publisher: Pixel Hall Press
Publication date: 10/1/2013