SOME GIRLS ARE by Courtney Summers - REVIEW and GIVEAWAY

Regina hates being the designated driver. The parties aren't fun to begin with, but when she has to be there sober it is practically unbearable. When she is ready to go home, Regina tries to find her best friend so she can get her in the car and drive home. She finds Anna in the den with Donnie, passed out after a night off too much drinking. Unfortunately, Donnie, Anna's boyfriend, is just aware enough to force himself on Regina against her will. She barely gets away. Regina runs to the house of the only one of her friends that didn't attend the party and told her everything that happened. Together, Kara and Regina decide it's best to not say anything. Regina considers Anna important enough to keep quiet about the attempted rape in order to remain her best friend.

The problem is...Kara doesn't keep her mouth shut. She tells Anna what happened just as quick as she can in order to push Regina out of the second-in-command spot of the Fearsome Fivesome and by the time school rolls around on Monday, Regina finds herself frozen out of the group.

Life for Regina becomes a living nightmare. Her friends launch a systematic attack against her. She suffers physical and emotional abuse at the hands of the people that know her the best. Never has she felt so alone.

SOME GIRLS ARE is an important book to read. Bullying is such an important issue in today's society and Courtney Summers paints a very realistic picture for the reader.

Now for the GIVEAWAY!

Do you want to win a copy of SOME GIRLS ARE? If so, fill out the Google Form and you will be eligible to win. Extra entries are available. See the form for details. Be sure to enter by Sunday, January 17th at Midnight (CST)

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, I'LL BE DEAD by Julie Anne Peters - REVIEW

Daelyn has suffered major psychological damage from years of being bullied. The torment and embarrassment she received because of her weight started her downhill slide into despair. Daelyn has lost her desire to live and failed at several attempts to end her life. Her latest failure has left her unable to talk and on 24-hour suicide watch. Her parents barely trust her to go to school.

Daelyn is biding her time. She only has 23 days until her Date of Determination. She discovers the Through the Light website on accident, but finds it to be a welcome change of pace to the other suicide websites and discussion boards she’s visited in the past. Instead of preaching and warning her against her decision, the website provides rational and informational posts and discussions about ending her life.

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, I’LL BE DEAD is a powerful and heart-wrenching story of one girl’s life as she makes the hardest decisions of her life. How will she end her life and what will she do with her last 23 days? Daelyn thinks she has it all figured out until she meets a strange boy while she waits for her parents to pick her up after school. Santana is persistent when it comes to making friends with Daelyn, but with only 23 days to live does she really have time?

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, I’LL BE DEAD is a short book at only 198 pages. It is easily a one-sitting read and well worth the time. The author, Julie Anne Peters includes a lot of factual information at the back of the book. There are 19 Discussion Questions as well as sections about Bullying, Suicide, Warning Signs, and Prevention Hot Line Information. Your heart will break for Daelyn and the ending is thought-provoking.