Landslide by Jenn Cooksey

This book. THIS book. THIS BOOK. I'm still at a loss for words, except to say that if you haven't read anything by Jenn Cooksey, your life is incomplete. I know that many will say that those are some fighting' words, but until you read her previous works (the Grab Your Pole series) and Landslide, you can't argue with me.

Ok - I found some words.

Landslide is nothing like the GYP series, except maybe in that the writing manages to pull you in from the very first word, and doesn't let go of its strangle-hold on you until the very end. At which point you beg the book-gods that your eReader is malfunctioning, and that 100% isn't really 100%.

The only thing I knew about this book was the first line of the blurb - For Erica and Cole, the bond of friendship was forged in childhood.

The story of these two managed to make me feel the whole gamut of emotions, which I was not prepared for. I liked Cole. Then I hated Cole. Then I REALLY hated Cole. I felt sorry for Erica.Then I hated Erica. Then I felt sorry again for Erica. And then I just wanted Erica and Cole to be the Erica and Cole that the author gave us glimpses of. I won't even go into how Jenn yet again managed to write the most perfect dialogue, laced with just the right amount of humour. I won't go into how she pulled the rug out from underneath me YET AGAIN, with absolutely no warning. The things that I was thinking and what was really going on were worlds apart, and yet I couldn't even imagine the direction it would all go (and trust me, I had some pretty wild ideas!).

People always ask what authors I wish more people read, and Landslide does nothing but forever cement why I always include Jenn Cooksey in my answer.

Happenstance 3 by Jamie McGuire

The Happenstance series is one of the most heartfelt, endearing, I-feel-it -in-my-bones, stories I've read. I keep having to remind myself that the same author that gave me a place to belong with Beautiful Disaster is the same amazing creature that has me loving Weston, Erin, and everything about Happenstance 3. I'm so impressed with her versatility because I've only read a few authors that could pull of writing seamlessly in two genres.The journey that Erin went through is validation that good will prevail. You might have to wait a while, but it will get better. There will always be a--holes out there who'll fight tooth and nail to bring you down, and will only succeed if you let them. I'm just thankful that stories like Happenstance and characters like Erin exist for those of us who will occasionally need reminders that we are worthy of happiness, success, and all the good that has come our way. There will be readers who will gush about the love between Weston and Erin. There will admirers of Jamie McGuire who will say that this is the reason that she is a favourite of so many of us all around the world. There will be fans who will go down fighting till the bitter end, defending their point of view that stories like this are the reason they read.

And I don't disagree with any of them.