Review: 99 Days by Katie Cotugno

Title: 99 Days
Author: Katie Cotugno
Series: n/a
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: April 21, 2015
Source: received from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

I'm just going to get to the point straightaway: there probably won't be many in-betweeners on this one. 99 Days is a book that you're likely to either love or loathe, depending on your stance on cheating and love triangles and how open-minded you are to either concept. I don't particularly enjoy reading about these things, but I'm not opposed to reading for great writing, despite what happens in the story. And I really, really liked How to Love, so I knew I had to give this book a chance.

I'm really glad I didn't let ideas that make me uncomfortable keep me from picking up this story. 99 Days was genuine, gritty, and realistic. It was complicated. It was messy. But there's so much more to the story than just cheating. It also explores society's tendency to automatically assume the girl is at fault when something like this happens, to start with the insults and end with harassment while the guy sees no punishment for his actions. This book also features a unique mother-daughter relationship that was painful to read about and probably much worse to endure in real life.

Every single character in this book is just so flawed. I don't think you're necessarily supposed to like them, but I actually found that I did, even if I didn't always (read: ever) agree with their choices and actions. But I get it. At eighteen, you don't always make the best decisions. I know I didn't. I always feel the need to divulge too much when a story likes this comes along, but I'm going to refrain from that now. Instead, I just think it crucial to point out that many of us have made mistakes of this proportion, even if they weren't necessary of this caliber. Also, everyone deserves a second chance.

The relationships in this book are just as complicated as the characters in them. From the flawed mother-daughter relationship I mentioned earlier to the brother triangle the main character finds herself in, these characters have issues. I appreciated that self-deprecating Molly was able to acknowledge in the end that it wasn't just her own actions that resulted in her current circumstances but a culmination of hers and those that loved her. She started this book out so miserable and alone, and even though the ending was rather bittersweet -- but entirely of her own making -- I still smiled at the fact that Molly was getting her second chance.

99 Days was a hard book to read but also a very difficult story to put down. There's just something so addicting in reading about someone else's misery, especially when it's so relatable. It's hard to look away from something like that, and this story is no different. It's not even 2015 yet, and this book has already made my favorites list for the year.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Katie Cotugno went to Catholic school for thirteen years which makes her, as an adult, both extremely superstitious and prone to crushes on boys wearing blazers. She routinely finds herself talking about the romantic endeavors of characters on TV shows as if they actually exist in the world.

Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Iowa Review, The Broadkill Review, The Apalachee Review, and Argestes, as well as on Nerve.com. Her first novel, HOW TO LOVE, is out now from Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins. 99 DAYS will follow next spring.

The great loves of Katie's life include child's pose, her little sister, and mozzarella and honey sandwiches. She lives in Boston with her husband, Tom.

Find Katie:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Tumblr

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Labels: 99 days, contemporary, favorites, harper-collins, katie cotugno, post hs ya, reviews, tough subject

Waiting on Wednesday: 99 Days & The Heart of Betrayal

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selections are...








's Pick:

Title: 99 Days
Author: Katie Cotugno
Series: n/a
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: April 21st, 2015

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

I read How to Love by Katie Cotugno earlier this year and I liked it. This one seems really fun so I'm looking forward to it. I want to know what this chick did to get all this animosity thrown at her. lol. And I actually just got this one off Edelweiss, so maybe I'll start it sooner rather than later. :)

Oh and a shout out for Jen's pick below, I have been so wrapped up in regular life, I didn't even see this cover until now, while scheduling my half. I cannot freaking wait for The Heart of Betrayal either.





's Pick:





Title: The Heart of Betrayal
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Series: The Remnant Chronicles, book #2
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: July 7, 2015

Intrigue abounds in this hotly anticipated sequel to The Kiss of Deception!

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.

The Kiss of Deception was one of my top reads this year -- maybe even THE top read -- and I've been anxiously anticipating the sequel after that major plot twist and crazy ending in the first book. And then, of course, the cover was just released yesterday, so I had to feature the title as my WoW pick today. I'll be listening to the full cast audiobook very soon because I just can't wait to return to that world and see how the experience has changed since I now know what to expect...I've been wanting to do that since I first put the book down!

What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: 99 days, favorite authors, favorites, harper-collins, high fantasy, historical fiction, katie cotugno, macmillan, mary e. pearson, the remnant chronicles, waiting on wednesday (wow)

Review: How to Love by Katie Cotugno

Title: How to Love
Author: Katie Cotugno
Series: n/a
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: October 1st, 2013
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he's never seemed to notice that Reena even exists until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated-and pregnant-Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there's a new love in Reena's life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena's gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she's finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn't want anything to do with him, though she'd be lying if she said Sawyer's being back wasn't stirring something in her. After everything that's happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

I’ve wanted to read How to Love for a while now, so I talked Jess into doing a buddy read with me. I’m attracted to books that involve babies or pregnancy. I knew right off the bat that this wasn’t your average teen pregnancy book, based on reviews I had read.

I have to say I’m a little tossed on this one. Having finished it, I immediately slapped a 4 star on it, and now thinking back, it might be more of a 3 or 3 ½. For the sake of rounding up, I’m going to keep my original rating. How to Love was definitely hard to put down. In that sense, it more than deserves it’s 4. Reena and Sawyer’s relationship though… Well I never liked it. Not in the beginning and I’m not even sure I did in the end.

Sawyer is a freaking dick. Simple as that, I don’t think there was even one quality I liked about him. When he’s young he’s a jerk and 3 years later he acts like the past is in the past. Um, not really, there was a child born. .

How to Love is told from past and present. The chapters alternate and I really liked that. It flowed pretty seamlessly, bouncing from one to the other. I was never confused, and I felt like each chapter emphasized the previous when written out that way.

Reena, I didn’t  like her all that much. I mean I did, but she’s just one of those girls I can’t feel sorry for. She did something stupid, with someone she clearly shouldn't have been doing “things” with. I don’t care if she did have a crush on him forever, real life interactions have real life consequences. So she doesn’t get to go travel the world… shoulda had him wrap that shit up!

3 years later, Sawyer is back and all of a sudden this life she’s put together for herself is a mess again. But it didn’t have to be! Ya know? I would have handled things differently, but then again.. I’m older. I wouldn’t be so quick to let him back in my life and stir things up. Baby Daddy or not.

In the end, more things come up that shed a slightly different light on Sawyer, but by then I had pretty much written him off.

The reason I did like this story though, is because it does come off as pretty realistic. I have many friends who have been in similar situations, so though I didn’t always agree with Reena’s actions, I understood them. This stuff happens in real life all the time.

The ending, well I thought it was a little cheesy to be honest, and probably the most unrealistic part of the story. Aside from that, it was a pretty good read and I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

About the author:

Katie Cotugno went to Catholic school for thirteen years which makes her, as an adult, both extremely superstitious and prone to crushes on boys wearing blazers. She routinely finds herself talking about the romantic endeavors of characters on TV shows as if they actually exist in the world.

Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Broadkill Review, The Apalachee Review, and Argestes, as well as on Nerve.com. Her first novel, HOW TO LOVE, is due out from Balzer + Bray on October 1st, 2013.

The great loves of Katie's life include child's pose, her little sister, and mozzarella and honey sandwiches. She lives in Boston (and in sin) with her boyfriend, Tom.

Find Katie:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: baby daddy jerks, condoms are awesome, harper-collins, how to love, katie cotugno, reviews, teen pregnancy

Review: How to Love by Katie Cotugno

Title: How to Love
Author: Katie Cotugno
Series: n/a
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists…until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

In this breathtaking debut, Katie Cotugno weaves together the story of one couple falling in love—twice.

Love is complicated.  And I don't think I've ever read a young adult novel that conveyed that so poignantly as How to Love. This book isn't the sweet contemporary romance that I was expecting.  I suspect that the realistic and genuine feeling of this novel has a lot to do with the author's age and own experiences, and it's all the better for it.

This novel is told using the "before and after" method, flashing back to when Reena and Sawyer first became involved and bringing the story round to where they are in life now.  I listened to another set of novels recently that employed this technique as well, and in each case, the story became mesmerizing to me as details were sparingly revealed in the now and then.  I love the fact that using this technique means that it's nearly the end of the book before everything unfolds and the reader truly knows what happened.  I'm actually overjoyed when I don't have everything figured out halfway through the novel.  That's not to say that there was all that much to discover between Reena and Sawyer, but I think it was entirely necessary to include their past in order to really understand the people they are now.  This is a very character-driven story, but it never impresses an opinion of the characters on you...you're free to decide on your own.  I still don't know if I really liked them or not, but I loved the story.

Despite being in love with her best friend's boyfriend, Reena had her life figured out.  She was going to graduate early and start college while the rest of her classmates were just beginning their senior year of high school.  She was going to be a travel writer, exploring the world and seeing everything life had to offer.  But then Sawyer showed an interest in her. Reena didn't plan for him to come between her and her dreams...she fully intended on still following through with her plans to leave Florida and start her life.  But that was before she found out she was pregnant...before Sawyer left town and didn't return for nearly three years.

So, Reena adjusted her plans.  She adapted and although she loves her baby girl and has a great boyfriend and is managing while still living at home, she's restless.  I felt like Reena's character was one of the most honest and genuine protagonists I've encountered in YA.  Her love, her frustration and her confusion all made me reminiscent of that time in my life:  when you're on the cusp of ending your time at home and being someone else's responsibility to taking charge of your own life and making your own decisions.  Reena doesn't always have the best judgment, but neither did I at that age.

Obviously, when Sawyer hits town again, his presence throws her emotions into a whirlwind.  He's always had that affect on her.  I wanted to hate this guy so much, and I did for awhile.  Even after he came back into the picture, it seemed that he was his former cocky self and that his only intention was to cause trouble.  But then I saw him with Hannah, saw how much he was trying this time around.  And I felt my heart melt a little. But then I saw how Reena was letting her feelings sway her again, how she was ending a good, sure thing for this tumultuous thing she has with Sawyer, and I wanted to shake her.  But the heart wants what the heart wants.

Love is a fickle beast.  It makes you do crazy things.  Things that you otherwise know better than to do.  If you let it, it can destroy you.  I'm ecstatic that the author portrayed it as such, not just the easy breezy romantic bliss that it can be.  How to Love isn't just the story of two people falling in love twice.  It's a gritty tale of two people trying to overcome obstacles in order to reclaim what they once had and to follow through on the "what might have been".  It's about first love and all the mistakes that come with it.  It's about forgiveness.  And it was just what I wanted to read.

About the author:

Katie Cotugno went to Catholic school for thirteen years which makes her, as an adult, both extremely superstitious and prone to crushes on boys wearing blazers. She routinely finds herself talking about the romantic endeavors of characters on TV shows as if they actually exist in the world.

Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Broadkill Review, The Apalachee Review, and Argestes, as well as on Nerve.com. Her first novel, HOW TO LOVE, is due out from Balzer + Bray on October 1st, 2013.

The great loves of Katie's life include child's pose, her little sister, and mozzarella and honey sandwiches. She lives in Boston (and in sin) with her boyfriend, Tom.

Find Katie:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Tumblr

Read More

Labels: all the feels, book trailers, contemporary, harper-collins, how to love, katie cotugno, new adult, post hs ya, reviews

Waiting on Wednesday: Unhinged by A.G. Howard & How To Love by Katie Cotugno

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection's are...

Title: Unhinged
Author: A.G. Howard
Series: Splintered, book #2
Publisher: Amulet
Publication Date: January 2014

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

I was slow to discover the awesome that was Splintered earlier this year, partly because I judged the book by its cover.  It's not that I hated it...it just didn't sit right with me as the cover for an Alice retelling.  But I gave the audio a try after seeing many, many great reviews for the book, and I fell in love with the characters, the story, and eventually, even the cover.  I know now that the covers for these books are very indicative of the magic and beauty contained in the pages, and I find that I kind of love them now.  And I'm so glad there wasn't a cover redesign for them!

Title: How To Love
Author: Katie Cotugno
Series: n/a
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: October 1, 2013

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists…until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

In this breathtaking debut, Katie Cotugno weaves together the story of one couple falling in love—twice.

I love that simple cover.  And I kind of adore complicated love stories with a heaping dose of reality.  And I want to know where Sawyer ran off to and why he's decided to come back into Reena's life.







What are you waiting on this week?  Feel free to share it in the comments or leave a link so we can stop by!

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Labels: a.g. howard, amulet, contemporary, fantasy, harper-collins, how to love, katie cotugno, retellings, splintered, waiting on wednesday (wow)