Monday, September 12, 2011

Struck by "Starstruck"


Hi Readers,

Clearly, I didn’t make it back to the blog on Wednesday, but I have really cool news that is going to make up for my absence. The only bad news is that you’re going to have to wait for that news. I know! I know! The torture! But I promise, it will be worth it.

In the meantime, allow me to distract you with my review of Cyn Balog’s “Starstruck.”  I won “Starstruck” from Random House during their #labordayreads Twitter contest. It was the first time that I ever won a book via Twitter and it was VERY exciting.  I entered because Cyn is a TBF 2012 author, but I didn’t know anything about the book, and boy was different from anything I’ve ever read.

Gwendolyn, stuck with the unfortunate nickname “Dough,” has been dating her best friend Wish for a few years. Their relationship is not exactly a typical high school one, though, in that Wish moved away just before their started dating so for the last few years, they’ve communicated only through email, instant messaging, and phone calls. When Wish announces that he’s moving back to New Jersey, Dough is less than excited. While Wish has grown from an awkward kid to a golden-haired surf god, Dough has spent the last few years as the class outcast who drowns her sorrows with donuts from her mother’s bakery.  When Wish returns to New Jersey, Dough can’t imagine why he’s still interested in her, but the mysterious newcomer, Christian, a literary scholar disguised as a dreadlocked slacker, who’s landed a job in Dough’s mom’s bakery, suggests that there may be more to Wish’s transformation then meets the eye.

I really enjoyed the paranormal twist to this book. (I know! I enjoyed a paranormal twist!) It’s practically unheard of, but “Starstruck” struck my fancy. I don’t want to give out too much information about the paranormal side of this novel, so I’ll say only this: it was a fascinating and unique concept that I was completely unfamiliar with before reading “Starstruck,” and I love how Cyn incorporated it into the story.  Although I did get frustrated with Dough because she is SO dissatisfied with her body and SO down on herself, the paranormal aspect made this a book that I enjoyed.

Okay readers, I won “Starstruck” in a contest, so I think it’s only fair that I return the favor. I’m passing on my copy of “Starstruck” to one lucky reader. Fill out this form to enter. The contest will until Sunday, September 18 at 5 p.m. and you may enter once per day between now and then.  Good luck!


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