REVIEW: Out On Good Behavior by Dahlia Adler

REVIEW:

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES, the Radleigh University Series, is 100% A+. Each of the protagonists take us on a different journey of self- discovery and love all the while offering smart dialogue, a diverse cast of characters (in background, race and ethnicity, and sexual orientation), witty back and forth between the friends, and honestly the best significant others I've come across in a long while. I can't think of one reason not to like this series and I love how Out On Good Behavior gives us a final look at the three best friends in this series. 

In Out On Good Behavior we get to meet the friend I've been interested in meeting for a while; I've been curious about Frankie from the very beginning and then in Right of First Refusal my curiosity amped up a million notches as the shared looks between Samara and Frankie became more and more obvious. Reading about Frankie's obvious lust for Sam and her struggle with how to handle it was funny and easy to relate to and incredibly sweet (when I wasn't shouting at her via my Kindle to just freaking TALK to Sam, for fuck's sake). 

There's so much to love about Out On Good Behavior (and the entire series) and while one day I hope that it won't be unusual that we have really well written novels that include characters of color and gender fluidity and who represent all kinds of sexual orientation/preference but until then I feel compelled to point out novels like this one, and say thank you to the writers like Dahlia Adler who give us a really great read that has all of those things and more. 

Frankie Bellisario knows she can get anyone she sets her sights on, but just because she can doesn't mean she should—not when the person she's eyeing is Samara Kazarian, the daughter of a southern Republican mayor. No matter how badly Frankie wants to test her powers of persuasion, even she recognizes some lines aren't meant to be crossed.

But when Frankie learns she's been on Samara's mind too, the idea of hooking up with her grows too strong to resist. Only Sam's not looking for a hookup; she wants—needs—the real thing, and she's afraid she'll never find it as long as Frankie's in her head.

Forced to choose between her first relationship and losing the girl who's been clawing her way under her skin, Frankie opts to try monogamy...under her own condition: 30 days of keeping things on the down low and remaining abstinent. If she fails as hard at girlfriending as she's afraid she might, she doesn't want to throw Samara's life into upheaval for nothing. But when neither the month nor Frankie's heart go according to plan, she may be the one stuck fighting for the happily ever after she never knew she wanted. 

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Dahlia Adler is an Associate Editor of Mathematics by day, a blogger for B&N Teens by night, and writes Contemporary YA and NA at every spare moment in between. She's the author of the Daylight Falls duology, Just Visiting, and the Radleigh University series, as well as over five billion tweets as @MissDahlELama. She lives in New York City with her husband and their overstuffed bookshelves.

Review: Behind the Scenes by Dahlia Adler

High school senior Ally Duncan's best friend may be the Vanessa Park - star of TV's hottest new teen drama - but Ally's not interested in following in her BFF's Hollywood footsteps. In fact, the only thing Ally’s ever really wanted is to go to Columbia and study abroad in Paris. But when her father's mounting medical bills threaten to stop her dream in its tracks, Ally nabs a position as Van's on-set assistant to get the cash she needs.

Spending the extra time with Van turns out to be fun, and getting to know her sexy co-star Liam is an added bonus. But when the actors’ publicist arranges for Van and Liam to “date” for the tabloids just after he and Ally share their first kiss, Ally will have to decide exactly what role she's capable of playing in their world of make believe. If she can't play by Hollywood's rules, she may lose her best friend, her dream future, and her first shot at love.

 I know it's strange that I don't read a ton of YA books considering my work audience is 100% YA, but I guess in the past I've felt like my entire existence from August to May is consumed with the issues I suspected pervaded YA lit and it's nice to escape it in the form of seemingly more adult-ish literature. And honestly? Sometimes I feel like my brain is leaking out of my ears without some literary fiction thrown in the mix (though reading for my AP classes kill that end of the spectrum for me too). I've learned, with the help of Dahlia Adler and her absolutely amazing reading recommendations, that not all YA has to be what it was when I was a younger girl reading Sweet Valley High and Go Ask Alice (I loved both by the way..judge me, I DON'T EVEN CARE). There are some really fantastically written, thought provoking, literary and commercial, fun and serious, simple and complex YA books being published these days. Over the course of the next days, weeks, months, and years, I hope to begin to delve more into this world and share some of my favorites. Today, I'm starting with Dahlia's Behind the Scenes. 

First of all, I cannot believe that this was Dahlia's debut novel. It doesn't have any of the stumbles or missteps that I've seen in other writers' first books. The editing, writing, pacing, and overall development were well done. The dialogue was written with the perfect touch of exposition and detail(which is something I'm really picky about and I tend to notice) and came off sounding realistic and natural. Additionally, the plot and character details were never bogged down with too much explaining or distracting details.

Now that I'm finished being all English teacher-y (sort of), another reason I am excited about this book is that I have zero hesitation recommending it to my students. I think many of them would find the idea of being privy to the secrets and lives of young stars entertaining. I know they'd enjoy the rapport between Ally and Van/Laim/Josh/Nate and see it as something they could relate to. Also seeing Ally struggle with figuring out how and where she fits in with the "normal" school people and the celebrities while juggling senior year responsibilities, a sick parent, working, and normal teenage angst are completely relatable (minus the celebrity thing) for many of my students. And, of course, many students can relate to the whole relationship clusterfuck thing. You know--that thing where you think certain things and don't communicate them and things get bad because people aren't mind readers and things go to shit sometimes...that thing? Yeah. I see it a bazillion times in a school year and Dahlia nailed it--I really feel that she very accurately portrayed how not only teenagers, but many adults, would react in Ally, Van, and Liam's shoes (as frustrating as it sometimes was to see it and not be ablt to do anything about it).

 I'm also super excited that Van's story is next and that I have it already loaded on my Kindle!

If you're looking for a novel that is well written and researched, includes diverse main and supporting characters, is both funny and heartfelt, and ends with you feeling 100% satisfied, I am strongly suggesting that you pick up Behind the Scenes. 

Dahlia Adler is an Associate Editor of Mathematics by day, a blogger for B&N Teens by night, and writes Contemporary YA and NA at every spare moment in between. She's the author of the Daylight Falls duology, the upcoming Just Visiting, and Last Will and Testament, as well as over five billion tweets as @MissDahlELama. She lives in New York City with her husband and their overstuffed bookshelves.

Find Dahlia: Website | Facebook | Twitter | 

REVIEW: Right of First Refusal by Dahlia Adler

BUY IT: Amazon

OUR REVIEW:

Y'all. I inhaled this book: here I am at the end of the quarter and tons of grading and finishing up of things and planning for the final quarter and I COULD NOT STOP READING THIS BOOK. I willingly sacrificed sleep and graded late at night so that I could find out how Cait and Mase were going to resolve all of their problems. 

It's been months since I've read a novel that had a female athlete as a protagonist and I loved Cait's focus, dedication and determination when it came to lacrosse; these same qualities were echoed in her insistence on blocking Mase out of her mind (which was less...not at all..successful) and her desire to do the right thing for herself and her family when it came down to making some tough decisions. Cait was by no stretch of the imagination perfect but even her flaws were easy to forgive. 

Mase was also an interesting character. He seemed, for a long time, to be a man of few words and I was desperate to know his side of their story--why did he disappear out of her life? Why was he being so dickish at the beginning? WHAT WAS HE THINKING? I needed those answers like I need air. Thankfully, I got answers. And by the end, I was swooning just as hard as Cait was; I loved them together even when they were fussing and struggling against each other, they just seemed right. And, on a personal and unrelated note, as someone who dated men of various racial backgrounds, I always appreciate that Adler continues to have characters who befriend and love each other regardless of what the color of their skin is. It's nice to see characters experience things in their friendships and dating lives who accurately reflect things I've experienced too. 

In addition to my total absorption in all things Cait and Mase, I adored seeing more of Frankie (and cannot wait to see what she's up to) and Lizzie. Cait and Frankie and Lizzie have the best friendship arc--love to see them make fun of each other and support each other and fuss with each other. I love that each of these women are so different in their interests and preferences. 

Right of First Refusal has a nice blend of smart writing, witty dialogue, and great pacing. Combine that with the perfect amount of angst and sexiness and characters who are really well developed and not just straight white folks, who are genuinely cool people I'd like for my own friends, and now you know why her books always hit the right spots for me. Want to know more? Read below:

On the lacrosse field, Cait Johannssen gets what she wants. Off the field is another story. Because what she wants is the school's hot new basketball student-coach, Lawrence Mason, who also happens to be the guy who broke her heart in sports camp two years earlier.

But it's Cait's new roommate who's got him.

Cait and Mase agree it's best to keep their past a secret, but she doesn't expect him to completely ignore their history...or how much it'll hurt when he does. So when a friend on the basketball team asks her to pose as his girlfriend for a night, Cait can't turn down the opportunity for distraction. (Okay, and a little spite.) But what starts as an evening of fun turns into a fake relationship with more lies than the usually drama-free Cait can handle, and it's only keeping her from the one truth that's nagged at her for years: Why did Mase cut her out of his life to begin with?

And is it really too late to get him back?

Find Dahlia on her website.

COVER REVEAL: Right of First Refusal by Dahlia Adler

We are absolutely THRILLED to share Dahlia Adler's cover for Right of First Refusal on the blog today. It's gorgeous!!!

photo credit: Maggie Hall

Blurb:
On the lacrosse field, Cait Johanssen gets what she wants. Off the field is another story. Because what she wants is the school's hot new basketball student-coach, Lawrence Mason, who also happens to be the guy who broke her heart in sports camp two years earlier.

But it's Cait's new roommate who's got him.

Cait and Mase agree it's best to keep their past a secret, but she doesn't expect him to completely ignore their history...or how much it'll hurt when he does. So when a friend on the basketball team asks her to pose as his girlfriend for a night, Cait can't turn down the opportunity for distraction. (Okay, and a little spite.) But what starts as an evening of fun turns into a fake relationship with more lies than the usually drama-free Cait can handle, and it's only keeping her from the one truth that's nagged at her for years: Why did Mase cut her out of his life to begin with?

And is it really too late to get him back?

Preorder links:

Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

Add it on Goodreads

photo credit: Maggie Hall

Bio:
Dahlia Adler is an Associate Editor of Mathematics by day, a blogger for B&N Teen Blog by night, and writes Contemporary YA and NA at every spare moment in between. She's the author of the Daylight Falls duology, Just Visiting, and the Radleigh University series, as well as over five billion tweets as @MissDahlELama. She lives in New York City with her husband and their overstuffed bookshelves.

REVIEW: Just Visiting by Dahlia Adler

Reagan Forrester wants out—out of her trailer park, out of reach of her freeloading mother, and out of the shadow of the relationship that made her the pariah of Charytan, Kansas. 

Victoria Reyes wants in—in to a fashion design program, in to the arms of a cute guy who doesn't go to Charytan High, and in to a city where she won't stand out for being Mexican. 

One thing the polar-opposite best friends do agree on is that wherever they go, they’re staying together. But when they set off on a series of college visits at the start of their senior year, they quickly see that the future doesn’t look quite like they expected. After two years of near-solitude following the betrayal of the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart, Reagan falls hard and fast for a Battlestar Galactica-loving, brilliant smile-sporting pre-med prospective... only to learn she's set herself up for heartbreak all over again. Meanwhile, Victoria runs full-speed toward all the things she thinks she wants… only to realize everything she’s looking for might be in the very place they've sworn to leave. 

As both Reagan and Victoria struggle to learn who they are and what they want in the present, they discover just how much they don't know about each other's pasts. And when each learns what the other’s been hiding, they'll have to decide whether their friendship has a future.

Out of all of Dahlia Adler's books, I think this is my current favorite.  There are many things to love about this book and as I sit here I find that my brain is tripping over itself to get all of the things I love about this book out and onto this screen. So without further adieu, here are a few of the reasons I love Just Visiting:

1. So many will relate to it: I think teens will identify the angst of making these tough college decisions (while in still in high school) and juggling jobs and school work and friends.  And, I think many adults will not only remember those exciting and tough decisions but can admit that we also still struggle with making some of the hard life adulthood decisions. #adultingcanbehard

2. The friendship of Reagan and Victoria was wonderful and messy and felt so real. There were many uncomfortable moments between these two--things that weren't said and questions that weren't asked and when those things would bubble to the surface, it created conversations and silences that were sometimes tense, sometimes uncomfortable, and sometimes laugh inducing and I loved it. I loved how loyal they were and how much they wanted the best for the other and I loved that Adler didn't try to make them these perfect humans; she made them real.

3. The struggle was (is) real. I think of my students and know that many of them have the same struggles as Reagan--they're desperate to get out of their current living situations and make something better for themselves. They are working their asses off at school and at jobs and I know that sometimes it feels like they can't catch a break. I bet some of them are scared to death about what happens after high school and are even more terrified at what happens if they don't take a chance to find out. Meanwhile, I know so many will read Victoria's story and totally relate to that uncertainty she felt--how paralyzing it sometimes feel when you need to make a decision and it feels too big, too overwhelming, and too important to mess up.

4. I *think* I've mentioned this in another review for Dahlia Adler's other books, but it's worth repeating. I love that she continues to write characters who are diverse and reflective of the world we live in. I don't live in a vanilla world where I'm surrounded by WASPS and I'm so glad that I have books like Adler's, books that include people with a variety of income backgrounds, racial backgrounds, and abilities. I also love that she spreads the love to nerd girls and not so nerdy girls equally and I think that's important too. 

5. The ending was a nice surprise. I won't spoil it but I really want to. I want to talk about it and ask others what they think but I can't sooooooooo I hope that when others read it, I can pester them about what they thought.

I know that once I have a copy to put in my classroom, this novel will be read and loved by many. I can't wait to get to class on Monday and share my mad love for this book.

Happy reading~~

Find Dahlia Adler here