We're celebrating the release of A BOY LIKE YOU by Ginger Scott!
OUR REVIEW:
Shel: I'll never forget the first time I read A Boy Like You, I think I told Ginger every other chapter how amazing it was, how in love with it I was, and how special it felt. Now, a little over a year later, it's polished and absolutely extraordinary. The first chapter reached down my throat and squeezed my heart and even though the pressure let up throughout my reading, I felt the threat of my heart breaking or blooming, constantly. Anyway...I loved the start of this novel, even if I wasn't exactly sure where it was going at first..but as I read more and more, I saw all of the pieces locking together to give me a clearer picture. Don't get me wrong--I still had questions but by the end (don't get me started on how I need book 2 now!!) I was madly in love with Joss, Wes, Taryn, TK, and Kyle (to name a few).
Court: I'll never forget it either. I texted Shelley as soon as I was done and that text said "I just died." This book feels like it ripped my heart out of my body...or a more apt description might be that Joss took her softball bat and threw my heart in the air and hit a home run with it. That works better. I say that with awe and to tell you how beautiful this book was that it literally touched my soul. I cannot quit thinking about the events, the nostalgia, the friendships are beautiful...and the heartbreak that Joss feels over and over for her family is so moving that this book is going to stick with me forever. I think this and Kennedy Ryan's Grip are now going to share the top trophy for best book I've read this year. This week in reading were just incredible and I'm tearing up a little just writing this.
Court: I'll never forget it either. I texted Shelley as soon as I was done and that text said "I just died." This book feels like it ripped my heart out of my body...or a more apt description might be that Joss took her softball bat and threw my heart in the air and hit a home run with it. That works better. I say that with awe and to tell you how beautiful this book was that it literally touched my soul. I cannot quit thinking about the events, the nostalgia, the friendships are beautiful...and the heartbreak that Joss feels over and over for her family is so moving that this book is going to stick with me forever. I think this and Kennedy Ryan's Grip are now going to share the top trophy for best book I've read this year. This week in reading were just incredible and I'm tearing up a little just writing this.
Shel: As the story of Joss moved from page to page (and as she wedged herself firmly in my heart), it wasn't only her story of survival, heartache, and loss that drew me to her, it was also her innate sense of hope and tenacity, her smart mouth and sense of humor, and her goodness that really struck me. There were a myriad of reasons that could've made Joss closed off forever but she kept struggling through the hard stuff; it wasn't easy and sometimes her friends (thank god for Kyle and Taryn and Wes) needed to unleash some truth on her but rather than reject everything all the time, she let things seep in and she did what she had to do either for her own self preservation or for the love of her friends (and even her dad--man, he pissed me off sometimes!).
Court: Ginger's ability to take a seemingly innocent young adult story, and literally make it relevant for every single age group, every background, and every person that could come across it is a special gift. Joss is a hard heroine to like, but I loved how this book took things to a new level. Usually, our stories frame around a good girl helping a broken boy get over something. And this took that trope and flipped it on it's head, and then took me inside the world of A Boy Like You; neverland almost. The group of friends, as Ginger always seems to do, really defines friendship and showing all of our ugly parts to someone and having them be gentle with it. That is hard to do, and the people in Joss' corner are incredible. I loved Kyle almost as much as I loved Wes. Taryn is an amazing best friend. TK and Levi are great brothers. Just so much squishy feelings for these people.
Court: Ginger's ability to take a seemingly innocent young adult story, and literally make it relevant for every single age group, every background, and every person that could come across it is a special gift. Joss is a hard heroine to like, but I loved how this book took things to a new level. Usually, our stories frame around a good girl helping a broken boy get over something. And this took that trope and flipped it on it's head, and then took me inside the world of A Boy Like You; neverland almost. The group of friends, as Ginger always seems to do, really defines friendship and showing all of our ugly parts to someone and having them be gentle with it. That is hard to do, and the people in Joss' corner are incredible. I loved Kyle almost as much as I loved Wes. Taryn is an amazing best friend. TK and Levi are great brothers. Just so much squishy feelings for these people.
Shel: Other things that I loved about this novel? I loved how it's very much a GINGER SCOTT novel and then some, if you know what I mean? It has all of the things I love about Ginger's YA novels--the way she writes friendships and love and devastation and bitterness and loss; the way her characters' small observations about school/adults/peers all feel so accurate; the way she writes dialogue; the way she always includes diverse characters. But in A Boy Like You there was that extra added thing with Joss and Wes that gave us a different look at what Ginger can do. It was other worldly and yet if I wanted to be in denial, I could sorta (not really) try to use logic to explain things. It was that other worldliness that kept me guessing and has me still wondering what the answers are in the next book.
Court: I sat the last 20% of this book with my hand over my mouth - trying to guess what would happen...trying to fathom how there was certain percentages left and what might happen...that's a terrible idea, because you'll never figure it out in a million years how she'll twist you up and then put you back down. This book is the best part of being on a merry go round, or better yet the free fall of the roller coaster, and I am in love with every single page. Shelley's right. Ginger has a gift with telling beautiful stories, and making them so real your heart hurts...but so hopeful that you'll cherish it forever.
Court: I sat the last 20% of this book with my hand over my mouth - trying to guess what would happen...trying to fathom how there was certain percentages left and what might happen...that's a terrible idea, because you'll never figure it out in a million years how she'll twist you up and then put you back down. This book is the best part of being on a merry go round, or better yet the free fall of the roller coaster, and I am in love with every single page. Shelley's right. Ginger has a gift with telling beautiful stories, and making them so real your heart hurts...but so hopeful that you'll cherish it forever.
Shel: I could fill pages of all the reasons that this novel feels special but I guess what it all boils down to for me is that from the very first time I read this novel I got that goose bumpy feeling that I get when a novel has that 'thing'. Rather than try to define that 'thing', I'm just going to say that I've known about this novel for a while now and I haven't stopped thinking about it. I've read many many books between the first reading of A Boy Like You and my most recent reading of it and I've found my mind wondering about Joss and Wes and trying to figure out what Ginger would do with them. I'm thrilled that we'll know that sooner than later. In the meantime grab this book and enjoy!
Court: I told Ginger that I had lots of gushy things to say today, and for the most part I guess I've said them. I think I'll have to re-read this book before A Girl Like Me comes out, because it is that good. I cannot wait for the next book to come out, and as Ginger's writing is spectacular already - it just keeps getting better. I love it, Ginger, and hope that this book reaches the stars and so many readers because I want it to touch their heart too.
Court: I told Ginger that I had lots of gushy things to say today, and for the most part I guess I've said them. I think I'll have to re-read this book before A Girl Like Me comes out, because it is that good. I cannot wait for the next book to come out, and as Ginger's writing is spectacular already - it just keeps getting better. I love it, Ginger, and hope that this book reaches the stars and so many readers because I want it to touch their heart too.
A BOY LIKE YOU
YA Contemporary Romance
Scheduled to release: March 3, 2017
BLURB:
They say everyone’s a superhero to someone. I’m not sure who I’m supposedto save, but I know who saved me.
We were kids. His name was Christopher. And up until the day he pulled me
from death’s grip, he was nothing more than a boy I felt sorry for. In a
blink of an eye, he became the only person who made me feel safe.
And then he disappeared.
Now I’m seventeen. I’m not a kid anymore. I haven’t been for years. While
death didn’t take me that day, the things that happened left me with
scars—the kind that robbed me of everything I once loved and drove me into
darkness. But more than anything else, that day—and every day since—has
taken away my desire to dream.
I wasn’t going to have hope. I wouldn’t let myself wish. Those things—they
weren’t for girls like me. That’s what I believed…until the new boy.
He’s nothing like the old boy. He’s taller and older. His hair is longer,
and his body is lean—strong and ready for anything. I don’t feel sorry for
him. And sometimes, I hate him. He challenges me. From the moment I first
saw him standing there on the baseball field, he pushed me—his eyes
constantly questioning, doubting…daring. Still, something about him—it
feels…familiar.
He says his name is Wes. But I can’t help but feel like he’s someone else.
Someone from my past. Someone who’s come back to save me.
This time, though, he’s too late. Josselyn Winters, the girl he once knew,
is gone. I am the threat; I am my worst enemy. And he can’t save me from
myself.
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About the Author:
Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, The Girl I Was Before, Wild Reckless, Wicked Restless, In Your Dreams, The Hard Count, and Hold My Breath.
A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.
When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).
Social Media Links:
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Twitter: @TheGingerScott
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/GingerScott
Website: http://www.littlemisswrite.com
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