Sometimes it Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

Source: Publisher

On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Ryan dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side...until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction—and one night, into a passionate kiss. The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Ryan, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think...

Lauren Barnholdt's books are addictive, funny, and realistic. Hannah is such a great friend, she is honest and loyal. She also cared about people a lot. I really liked her. Noah is a sweet and amazing guy. Lacey was a great friend to Hannah and her hypochondriac tendency were humorous and entertaining. I didn't understand what Hannah saw in Ava, she was controlling and just negative. I found the story to be entertaining and addictive. I also enjoyed seeing that Hannah working, because that is a reality for most teens at this time. My mom also worked in the food service industry for a while, so I am used the the stories that Hannah had. The tension of the story helped make me want to keep reading every single word. The story was told very in a very original format, even though this type of story has been told a million times. Barnholdt's writing is amazing and I can't wait to read more from her in the future. I recommend this book to fans of Sarah Dessen and Jennifer Echols.

Giveaway for One Night That Changes Everything

I have another awesome giveaway. Simon & Schuster offered five copies of One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt to giveaway in a contest. Here is a bit about the book.
Eliza, 17, loses her possessions on a regular basis. None of them, however, matters as much as her purple notebook. Her notebook is where she lists the things she would love to do but is most afraid of doing, from asking a random guy to dance at a club to kissing a secret crush. Via text messages, she learns that her notebook is in the hands of her evil ex-boyfriend, Cooper. He and his friends, who are some of the most popular boys in school, threaten to make the contents of Eliza's notebook public unless she spends one night doing some of the things on her list. How Eliza goes about trying to overcome her fears is both hilarious and inspiring; readers will rejoice with her when she sees that she's survived and boosted her bravery. The frankly funny dialogue, related in Eliza's first-person voice, provides more laugh moments while ably delineating character. A satisfying look at what it means to face your fears.
The contest is open to USA addresses only, until July 23rd. Just fill out the form below to enter. There will be five winners.

Interview with Lauren Barnholdt

Lauren Barnholdt is the author of several Young Adult and Middle Grade books, such as Two Way Street, Watch Me, Aces Up, and The Secret Identity of Devon Delany. Her new book, One Night that Changes Everything is out today. I had the honor of interviewing her about her book.
1. Eliza has quite the night in One Night Changes Everything. What inspired you to write about one crazy night that is full of adventure, fun, and some blackmail? Did you ever have a night like that as a teen?
No, definitely nothing as crazy as what happened to Eliza has ever happened to me! But like her, I am kind of scared of things I probably shouldn’t be. That’s where the inspiration came from – tapping into that desire to face things that aren’t really that big of deal.
2. Eliza's book of fears is and what leads to her to this amazing adventure. Do you have any fears that you helped you relate to Eliza and her purple notebook?
Yes, some of the things in Eliza’s notebook are things I’m afraid of – but you’ll have to guess which ones, la la la…
3. You write Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Chapter Books. What helps you write such different genres?
I think for me, it starts with a situation or a character, and then the story and genre comes out of that. For example, I wrote my first middle grade, THE SECRET IDENTITY OF DEVON DELANEY, at a point when I’d only been writing YA. I knew I wanted to write about a girl who makes up a fake boyfriend, and I thought it would be a lot funnier and more realistic if she were thirteen instead of sixteen or seventeen.
4. What books can we expect from you in the future?
I have another YA, ACES UP, coming out on August 10th, and a new tween book, RULES FOR SECRET KEEPING, out in October.
5. What books or authors inspire you to write?
I have a lot of favorite authors – Meg Cabot, Sarah Dessen, Sarah Mlynowski, Marian Keyes. But I get most inspired by those authors who keep at it and never give up. I love when I read first-sale stories in people’s blogs, especially if they give tons of gory details about all the years of rejections.
6. On your blog, you talk about TV shows sometimes. What are your favorites?
Okay, but you can’t judge! I really have horrible taste in TV shows. But right now my faves are Big Brother, Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, The City, and The Next Food Network Star. I also DVR all the reruns of Gilmore Girls to use as writing rewards.
7. Is there anything that you would like to add?
Just thanks for the interview, and I hope people enjoy ONE NIGHT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING! If you want to find out more, you can visit www.laurenbarnholdtsummer.com

One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt

Rating:

Characters: 18/20

Plot: 19/20
Originality: 19/20

Writing: 19/20

Recommendation: 19/20

Overall: 94/100 or A
Source: Publisher

Eliza's notebook is missing and it is not just any notebook. Her ex-boyfriend Cooper is the worst person ever and he has it. He lied about their entire relationship, now Cooper and his friends are blacking mailing her. She has one night to complete the most crazy task on her list or Eliza's notebook will be posted online. The secrets aren't all about her and the secrets will hurt more then just her. Cooper may have what’s left of her dignity, but she’s not the only one with something to hide…

I could really relate to Eliza. She was afraid of stuff that has made me afraid before. She was also sweet, smart, and funny. I also loved Cooper. He was really sweet, even though he seemed like a jerk to begin with. Eliza's friends were annoying at times, but they seemed to have a strong heart and cared for her at times. Cooper's friends were complete jerks and I wanted to punch them in the face. The plot was exciting. I wanted to run into the book and live through it. The book was so realistic. One Night That Changes Everything was really original, because it was not over the top. There were a few twist and turns in the book. Barnholdt is an amazing writer and I can't wait to read more books from her. I recommend this book to fans of Sarah Dessen and Deb Caletti.