Contemporary Authors

• The Bet Forever (New York, NY), 2014
• Elect Forever (New York, NY), 2014
• The Wager Forever (New York, NY), 2014
• Elite Forever (Boston, MA), 2014
• The Consequence of Loving Colton Skyscape (New York, NY), 2015
• The Consequence of Revenge Skyscape (New York, NY), 2015
• The Consequence of Seduction Skyscape (New York, NY), 2016
• The Matchmaker's Replacement: Wingmen Inc. Skyscape (New York, NY), 2016

1. The matchmaker's replacement : Wingmen Inc. novel LCCN 2016286951 Type of material Book Personal name Van Dyken, Rachel, author. Main title The matchmaker's replacement : Wingmen Inc. novel / Rachel Van Dyken Published/Produced New York : Skyscape , [2016] Description 306 pages ; 21 cm. ISBN 9781503936270 (paperback) 1503936279 (paperback) CALL NUMBER PS3622.A5854845 M38 2016 Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms 2. The consequence of seduction LCCN 2016591936 Type of material Book Personal name Van Dyken, Rachel, author. Main title The consequence of seduction / Rachel Van Dyken Published/Produced New York : Skyscape, [2016] Description 322 pages ; 21 cm. ISBN 9781503953017 (paperback) 1503953017 (paperback) CALL NUMBER PS3622.A5854845 C66 2016 CABIN BRANCH Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms - STORED OFFSITE 3. The consequence of revenge LCCN 2014960264 Type of material Book Personal name Van Dyken, Rachel, author. Main title The consequence of revenge / Rachel Van Dyken. Published/Produced New York : Skyscape, [2015] Description 309 pages ; 21 cm ISBN 9781477830642 (pbk.) 1477830642 (pbk.) CALL NUMBER PS3622.A5854845 C658 2015 CABIN BRANCH Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms - STORED OFFSITE 4. The consequence of loving Colton LCCN 2014956180 Type of material Book Personal name Van Dyken, Rachel, author. Main title The consequence of loving Colton / Rachel Van Dyken. Published/Produced New York : Skyscape, [2015] Description 294 pages ; 21 cm ISBN 9781477829110 (pbk.) 1477829113 (pbk.) CALL NUMBER PS3622.A5854845 C654 2015 CABIN BRANCH Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms - STORED OFFSITE 5. Elite LCCN 2014002820 Type of material Book Personal name Van Dyken, Rachel, author. Main title Elite / Rachel Van Dyken. Edition First trade paperback edition. Published/Produced New York ; Boston : Forever, 2014. Description vi, 279 pages ; 21 cm ISBN 9781455554171 (trade pbk.) Shelf Location FLS2015 122749 CALL NUMBER PS3622.A5854845 E45 2014 OVERFLOWJ34 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms (FLS2) 6. The wager LCCN 2013049832 Type of material Book Personal name Van Dyken, Rachel, author. Main title The wager / Rachel Van Dyken. Edition First trade paperback edition. Published/Produced New York : Forever, 2014. ©2013 Description x, 368 pages ; 21 cm. ISBN 9781455554195 (trade pbk.) Shelf Location FLS2015 161439 CALL NUMBER PS3622.A5854845 W35 2014 OVERFLOWJ34 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms (FLS2) 7. The bet LCCN 2013038640 Type of material Book Personal name Van Dyken, Rachel, author. Main title The bet / Rachel Van Dyken. Edition First trade paperback edition. Published/Produced New York : Forever, 2014. ©2013 Description 275 pages ; 21 cm ISBN 9781455554140 (pbk.) Shelf Location FLS2015 055715 CALL NUMBER PS3622.A5854845 B48 2014 OVERFLOWJ34 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms (FLS2) 8. Elect LCCN 2014028072 Type of material Book Personal name Van Dyken, Rachel, author. Main title Elect / Rachel Van Dyken. Edition First trade paperback edition. Published/Produced New York : Forever, 2014. Description x, 324 pages ; 21 cm. ISBN 9781455554218 (softcover) Shelf Location FLS2016 039028 CALL NUMBER PS3622.A5854845 E44 2014 OVERFLOWJ34 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms (FLS2)

• The Bachelor Auction (The Bachelors of Arizona) - January 31, 2017 Forever, https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Van-Dyken/e/B0054TW5AA
• Cheater (Curious Liaisons) - February 28, 2017 Skyscape, https://www.amazon.com/Cheater-Curious-Liaisons-Rachel-Dyken/dp/1503942090/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
• Cheater's Regret (Curious Liaisons Book 2) - May 23, 2017 Skyscape, https://www.amazon.com/Cheaters-Regret-Curious-Liaisons-Rachel/dp/1477819975/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

• Rachel Van Dyken - http://rachelvandykenauthor.com/about/

  New Release :: Fraternize is now available!
  Rachel Van Dyken

  MAIN

  WHAT'S NEW

  BOOKS
  ALL BOOKS
  NEW RELEASES
  COMING SOON
  BY SERIES

  MOVIE

  ABOUT
  About Rachel Van Dyken
  Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

  She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!
  Rachel is represented by Erica Spellman Silverman of Trident Media Group.

  Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.

  First Name

  Last Name

  Email Address
  SIGN UP
  CONTACT

  FAQS

  TRAILERS

  PLAYLISTS
  Site by Last Word Designs
  Save

• Forbes - https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremygreenfield/2013/04/17/meet-the-latest-self-publishing-sensation-rachel-van-dyken/#1d99c97c64b7

  LOG IN
  Tech

  APR 17, 2013 @ 08:47 AM 8,719 Free Webcast: Generate Income in Retirement
  Meet the Latest Self-Publishing Sensation, Rachel Van Dyken

  Jeremy Greenfield , CONTRIBUTOR
  I write about e-books and digital publishing
  Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
  Once again, a self-published author has bested the competition from the likes of Penguin, Random House, Amazon, Macmillan and many other major players to climb atop the ebook best-seller list.

  While the name of the author and title of the ebook may have changed from last time, many of the facts are the same.

  -- Hybrid author

  -- Book rejected by publishers because it was hard to categorize and they didn't want to take a chance (read: new adult contemporary)

  -- Decided to take a flier and self-publish

  -- Lower price point than most ebooks ($0.99 in this case)

  -- Meteoric rise in sales followed by....

  -- In contact with agents about the next step

  And, if history is any indication, the next step is a six-figure, multi-book deal with a very large publishing house.

  Related: Self-Published Author of No. 1 Ebook Best-Seller Wait For You Signs Six-Figure Deal With HarperCollins

  The book is The Bet, a romance starring early twenty-somethings who have too much money. There's also a love triangle. The author is Rachel Van Dyken, the Idaho-based writer of some 20 published and self-published titles. She has another six on the way this year. So far, The Bet has sold some 85,000 ebook copies in just the U.S. and UK in the ten days it's been on sale, according to Van Dyken.

  Here is the story of The Bet in her words from a series of emails between the two of us today:

  I wrote it over a year ago and gave it to an agent that works for Astraea Press, the publishing house I work with for all my historicals [historical novels]. She read it and said she shopped it around and in the end said it wasn't a very tight story and that my sales weren't high enough in the contemporary romance genre to take a chance.

  I was a bit let down but decided to self publish it instead. Astraea Press only does sweet romance and because of the content I would have had to edit a lot of the stuff out.

  The rest is kind of history.

  I have had a few agents contact me about representation. I'm talking to them later this week. At this point I'm not really sure what I'm going to do. I'm really happy just self-publishing my New Adult/Contemp novels and have heard so many horror stories about big publishing houses, but honestly it's not fair for me to form an opinion considering I'm like a blind fish in the giant ocean of publishing.

  It's every authors' dream to make the best-seller lists and to have their books sold everywhere, I just don't want to have to sacrifice the freedom I have in order to do that. Does that make sense? Hopefully, I'll have more answers later this week after I chat with everyone.

  Right now I just feel so amazingly blessed to see my book climb the charts and meet so many amazing readers! I could spend all day on Facebook FB +0% talking books with the fans and it would never get old!

  Get used to this kind of story. There are many more of them to come.

  Comment on this story

  Print
  Website Feedback
  News Tip
  Report Corrections
  Reprints & Permissions

  Ads by Revcontent
  From the Web
  Ever Googled Yourself? Do a "Deep Search" Instead!
  TRUTHFINDER
  Diabetes Breakthrough Leaves Doctors Speechless (Try It Tonight)
  LIFE ADVICE DAILY
  CPAP Makers Running Scared After New Snoring Cure Unveiled
  MY SNORING SOLUTION
  Here is What Dental Implants Should Cost
  DENTAL IMPLANT ADS
  We Say This Volvo is Nothing Short of Superb
  ROADSHOW
  7 Time Lottery Winner Says "You're All Playing the Lottery Wrong!"
  LOTTO DAILY
  1 Cup of This (Before Bed) Will "Destroy" Your Nail Fungus
  NUTRAPURE USA
  Millennials Are Using This App to Learn a New Language in 3 Weeks
  THE BABBEL MAGAZINE
  Personalize This Content
  Business #WhoaScience
  What is this?
  SEP 29, 2017 @ 10:28 AM 6,608
  Shooting For The Stars: A Salute To Astronomy Day

  Capital OneVoice
  Helping you do more of what matters
  It’s that time of year when we can all come together to admire the stars. And no, not the red-carpet kind. Instead, check out those luminous spheres of plasma in the sky in honor of Astronomy Day, on September 30. Started in 1973 by Doug Berger, then president of the Astronomical Association of Northern California, Astronomy Day is a day dedicated to stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts alike. A bi-annual grass roots movement intended to encourage interaction between the general public and professional organizations that share one very big common interest: Space.

  Capital One
  With options being almost as limitless as space itself, Berger’s original endeavor of “bringing astronomy to the people” is thriving worldwide.

  The first annual observation of Astronomy Day occurs on a Saturday in the spring, between mid-April and mid-May, on or close to the first quarter moon. In 2007, a fall rendition of the celebration was added because the moon then goes into the same phase between mid-September and mid-October.

  Berger’s original efforts were aimed at simply setting up telescopes in high-traffic, urban locations to allow pedestrians to enjoy the view. Since his first implementations, this celestial gathering has grown astronomically (pun intended) to include multiple countries, numerous sponsorships, fun-filled festival events, astronaut lectures and more.

  From neighborhood star parties to shedding awareness on light pollution, Astronomy Day is a fun and informative way to take a closer look at the unknown and learn more about the skies above. The Astronomical League’s website also offers a wealth of information regarding the event, complete with headquarter contact information and a handbook for how to plan your own Astronomy Day event.

  If your head’s in the clouds, but there isn’t an event nearby, you can still join in on the fun with your mobile device. Smartphones offer a wide variety of star charting, mapping and gazing apps that bring you closer to the great beyond. Terminal Eleven’s Skyview is a great one-stop-shop for all things astronomy, allowing amateurs and enthusiasts to enjoy an augmented reality view of what’s up. You can also track satellites and use the time travel feature to view the sky as it would have looked in the past or how it will look in the future.

  Ever wonder how or why the Big Dipper got its name? Curious as to who Orion is and what’s up with his belt and sword? Add a little backstory to your star chasing with Star Walk 2. Star Walk 2 not only offers an augmented reality view, but you can also learn the history of the constellations you’re viewing and the mythology behind these beauties in the sky.

  Stellarium puts the planetarium in your pocket and features a catalogue of more than 600,000 stars on a zoom-able map that can be used as a viewfinder. Stellarium also allows you to identify satellites and can show you constellations from different cultures that you may not be familiar with.

  Of course, there’s a world of gizmos and gadgets that goes beyond your smartphone to get you a little (or a lot) closer to all things unearthly. Stay handheld with a set of binoculars and use this handy buying guide to help you pick the perfect pair. If you’re ready to go bigger, Popular Mechanics considers both the Astronomers Without Borders OneSky 130 and the Celestron NexStar 130 SLT as great beginner telescopes.

  Developers at Celestron simplified your star finding with gadgets like the Celestron Skyscout. Skyscout is an easy-to-use handheld, GPS-enabled locator. Just select what you’re looking for or point the device in towards a celestial object and let Skyscout do the rest.

  If all that sounds like small space potatoes, and if you’re ready to dish out a considerable deposit, you could always reserve your seat on a flight to space and see the stars up close and personal. SpaceX already plans to take two tourists to the moon and back in 2018 and Virgin Galactic is set to follow in their space tracks towards intergalactic tourism.

  With options being almost as limitless as space itself, Berger’s original endeavor of “bringing astronomy to the people” is thriving worldwide. So, grab your friends and family and look up. There’s much more in the sky than meets the naked eye.

  This article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical or legal advice, or to indicate the availability or suitability of any product or service for your unique circumstances.

  Capital One does not provide, endorse, or guarantee any third-party product, service, information or recommendation listed above. The third parties listed are solely responsible for their products and services, and all trademarks listed are the property of their respective owners.

  Print
  Website Feedback
  News Tip
  Report Corrections
  Reprints & Permissions
  YOUR READING LIST

  Meet the Latest Self-Publishing Sensation, Rachel Van Dyken
  Capital OneVoice:
  Shoot For The Stars: A Salute To Astronomy Day

  PODCAST: The Value Of Being An Unconventional Student
  +10271 views in the last hour

  Google Leak 'Confirms' New Pixels Are Massive
  Active on Facebook

  Apple iOS 11.0.1 Starts Causing Problems
  CenturyLinkVoice:
  Managing The Hybrid Workforce: Are You Ready To Have Coffee With A Bot?
  Active on LinkedIn

  WeWork's $20 Billion Office Party: The Crazy Bet That Could Change How The World Does Business
  +2 comments in the last hour

  Three Sexy Enterprise Infrastructure Innovators
  SAPVoice:
  To Resist Blockchain's Allure, Steer Clear Of The Hype
  +3197 views in the last hour

  New iPhone X Rules Expose Arrogant Apple
  +60087 views in the last 24 hours

  iPhone X Vs iPhone 8 Plus: What's The Difference?
  ExelateData

• Author's Interviews - https://authorsinterviews.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/here-is-my-interview-with-rachel-van-dyken/

  ABOUT
  CONTACT
  MIKE WALSH INTERVIEWED ME ( FIONA MCVIE )
  authorsinterviews ~ My interviews with many authors
  Search:
  Search…
  Go
  authorsinterviews
  Here is my interview with Rachel Van Dyken
  16
  Monday
  Sep 2013
  Posted by fionamcvie1964 in Uncategorized ≈ Leave a comment
  Name Rachel Van Dyken

  Age 26

  Where are you from I’m originally from Washington State 😉

  A little about your self `ie your education Family life ect. I grew up in a small town where it was common to see cows and tractors cross the street in front of school busses. I went to a small private school and then a private college where I received my bachelors in Social Sciences, and my Masters in Business.

  I still reside in the Pacific Northwest. I live with my gorgeous husband 😉 and cute little boxer named Sir Winston Churchill. I write full time and in my spare time read as many books as I can get my hands on!

  Fiona: Tell us your latest news?

  I’ve been busy writing the third book in my latest romance series (Renwick house) entitled The Redemption of Lord Rawlings.

  Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

  I worked as a school counselor for years. In order to keep myself sane from all the drama around me that I had to help kids go through (lots of divorce, drugs, etc), I began writing as an outlet to ease the stress. I loved romance, and ended up writing six novels in about 8 months.

  Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

  When I was offered my first contract! I nearly passed out I was so excited!

  Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

  My first book was written actually as something to make my sister laugh, and then she and I both began reading Historical Romance which led to the writing of my USA Today bestseller “The Ugly Duckling Debutante.”

  Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style?

  I’d like to think so! Haha! I love to write very deep conflicting characters who are also witty and charming. I never want my writing to be so serious that people get stressed out reading it! I want it to be a delightful escape!

  Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

  I came up with the title of my Renwick House novels after talking with some girls about self esteem one day. They were middle school aged, and really upset over being judged by what they looked like. It helped inspire me to come up with The Ugly Duckling Debutante.

  Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

  All of my novels have a message. I want to make sure people see that there is always hope, always redemption, and above all love.

  Fiona: How much of the book is realistic?

  The Ugly Duckling Debutante, isn’t as realistic as my most recent release “The Seduction of Sebastian St. James,” that book deals a lot with the pressures of perfection and self sacrifice.

  Fiona: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

  I think it would be impossible to write without pulling from your own experiences. It’s what makes a good writer. I never purposefully look at my own life or the life of others as inspiration, but sometimes you just can’t help it.

  Fiona: What books have most influenced your life most?

  I would say The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers had a huge impact on my life because it revolved around unconditional love during the rule of Rome.

  Fiona: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

  Julie Lessman, she’s very inspiring! I also look to Julia Quinn and Lisa Kleypas.

  Fiona: What book are you reading now?

  Right now I’m reading three books! Two are for review and the third is entitled “Torrent,” by Lisa T Bergren.

  Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

  Some new authors that I’m just getting to read are Stephanie Taylor and Monique O’Connor James.

  Fiona: What are your current projects?

  Right now I’m working on The Redemption of Lord Rawlings. Its my work in progress that I am hoping to have out soon! It’s a follow up story about the antagonist from “The Seduction of Sebastian St. James.”

  Fiona: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

  My friend Laura! She not only encouraged me but made me believe it was actually possible to be a writer.

  Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

  Absolutely! It’s my everything. I have trouble sleeping at night because I’m so excited to get up and write!

  Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? I would have possibly made it longer just because I think there was easily more story available 😉

  Fiona: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

  I love reading, so it just made sense to me that I would want to try writing.

  Fiona: Can you share a little of your current work with us?

  Of course! The Redemption of Lord Rawlings follows a man who has not only been blacklisted by the ton, but upon his thirtieth birthday will be completely penniless and ruined unless he finds a bride. It sounds like your typical regency romance until you enter in the heroine. Younger sister to the girl he was once betrothed to who is now married to the Duke of Tempest (character in the previous book) she’s been in love with him since she was a girl. The only problem is, his relationship with the Duke is already on shaky ground and he’s trying to redeem himself, which he finds near impossible when the young debutante continues to throw herself in his direction. I don’t want to give the entire story away but it’s by far one of my favorites I’ve written!
  Fiona: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? Finding time to do other things when all I want to do is sit in front of my laptop. I also have difficulty with “proper” english. I’m not gonna lie, I’m so blatantly American that even I wince at the casual way I butcher the english language. I seriously have so many research books on the english language it’s scary. At one point I tried to use the whole “regency” speak for an entire day. I drove my husband and anyone who talked with me absolutely insane! It helped though. Now I find it hard to write Regency and contemporary at the same time b/c I keep getting proper english confused with contemporary slang!
  Fiona: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? My favorite author right now is Lisa T Begren. I usually don’t like young adult romance but her books leave me speechless. They are the type of books that move so fast that you finish them and go, “wait? I’m done?”

  Fiona: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

  Not yet! I’m still trying to convince my husband that in order to write Regency romance I HAVE to visit London. He laughs, but I feel him cracking. One of these days….

  Fiona: Who designed the covers?

  Paragraphic Designs and Elaina Lee, both work for my publisher Astraea Press.

  Fiona: What was the hardest part of writing your book?

  I have a short attention span and tend to want to only write things that interest me, so I hate writing filler details about locations, the color of flowers, clothes, etc. I like to write about the passion, the kissing, the emotions. So that part is hard for me 😉

  Fiona: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

  Yes! That I am a terrible editor! I also learned that the writing process is exactly that…a process. A story transforms and changes with the editing, until finally you have the perfect product at publication.

  Fiona: Do you have any advice for other writers?

  NEVER give up. Dreams are meant to be followed.

  Fiona: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

  Other than how much I love them?? Keep reading keep supporting and thank you from the bottom of my heart!

  Fiona: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done ?

  I would have stayed in the counseling field. I love kids!

  Fiona: Do you have a blog/website? if so what is it? http://deliciousromancebyrachel.blogspot.com

  Advertisements

  Share this:
  TwitterFacebook

  Related
  Here is my interview with JM Chalker
  With 1 comment
  Here is my interview with Regina Frame
  With 1 comment
  Here is my interview with SM Stryker
  Post navigation
  ← Previous post
  Next post →
  LEAVE A REPLY

  Enter your comment here...
  Search:
  Search…
  Go
  RECENT POSTS
  Here is my interview with Scarlett Braden
  Here is my interview with A. D. Adams
  Here is my interview Akshmala Sharma
  Here is my interview with Kiyoshi Terrell Fish
  Here is my interview with Katherine Eddinger Smits
  RECENT COMMENTS
  OIKOS™-Redaktion on Here is my interview Akshmala…
  OIKOS™-Redaktion on Here is my interview with A. D…
  Jeff on Here is my interview with Jane…
  Dinah Slaughter on Here is my interview with Pame…
  pamelaallegretto on Here is my interview with Pame…
  ARCHIVES
  October 2017
  September 2017
  August 2017
  July 2017
  June 2017
  May 2017
  April 2017
  March 2017
  February 2017
  January 2017
  December 2016
  November 2016
  October 2016
  September 2016
  August 2016
  July 2016
  June 2016
  May 2016
  April 2016
  March 2016
  February 2016
  January 2016
  December 2015
  November 2015
  October 2015
  September 2015
  August 2015
  July 2015
  June 2015
  May 2015
  April 2015
  March 2015
  February 2015
  January 2015
  December 2014
  November 2014
  October 2014
  September 2014
  August 2014
  July 2014
  June 2014
  May 2014
  April 2014
  March 2014
  February 2014
  January 2014
  December 2013
  November 2013
  October 2013
  September 2013
  August 2013
  July 2013
  June 2013
  May 2013
  CATEGORIES
  Uncategorized
  META
  Register
  Log in
  Entries RSS
  Comments RSS
  WordPress.com
  Blog at WordPress.com.
  Follow
  :)

• The Women's Eye - http://www.thewomenseye.com/2013/10/23/interview-romance-novelist-rachel-van-dyken-on-writing-for-a-cause/

  Podcasts of The Women's Eye Radio Show are NOW available on iTunes. Check them out and if you like, leave us a review. Click Here

  HOME
  ABOUT
  CONTRIBUTORS
  TWE NEWS
  TWE REVIEWS
  CONTACT
  20 WOMEN CHANGEMAKERS BOOK
  OCTOBER 2, 2017
  THE WOMEN'S EYE
  The World As We See It
  Listen to Our TWE Radio Interviews!

  Stacey Gualandi talks to Doniece Sandoval, founder of Lava Mae, which brings showers and dignity to the homeless. We wanted to find out about Doniece’s new activities since we last chatted with her for our book 20 WOMEN CHANGEMAKERS
  Interviews
  Design
  People
  Stories
  Fun Stuff
  TWE Radio
  TWE Reads
  TWE Photo
  TWE Talk
  You are here: Home / Eye Interview / Interview: Romance Novelist Rachel Van Dyken on Writing for a Cause
  Interview: Romance Novelist Rachel Van Dyken on Writing for a Cause

  OCTOBER 23, 2013 12:29 PM POSTED BY PAMELA BURKE LEAVE A COMMENT
  Rachel Van Dyken, romance novelist
  Novelist Rachel Van Dyken/Photo: Greg Hoskins
  By Diane Mannino (@Diane Mannino23)/Author of Running from Romeo and the sequel, Waiting for Romeo/October 23, 2013
  @RachVD
  Can you imagine being 28-years-old and having written over twenty-four books in just three years including several bestsellers? A dream come true for many, but it’s a reality for Rachel Van Dyken. She’s reached the number one spot on the New York Times list with her popular romance novel, The Bet, but it’s her recent release, Ruin, that has people talking.
  “…every month we’re donating to ‘Make a Wish’ or another organization for people who need help to pay their medical bills. I really want to use ‘Ruin’ as one of those platforms to help people.”… Rachel Van Dyken
  With Ruin, Rachel has not only captured the hearts of readers, she’s also helping to support causes that are close to her own heart.
  As a self-published author, I was curious to find out more about the prolific Rachel, her self-publishing exploits, her writing process and her passion for helping others through various means. I had the pleasure of chatting with her and discovered she’s just as lovely as one of her female protagonists from her many books….
  EYE: When did you first realize you had a passion for writing?
  Rachel Van Dyken's book The Wager
  This sequel to The Bet recently debuted on the New York Times bestseller list.
  RACHEL: I started writing about three years ago when I was a school counselor. I saw around five hundred to eight hundred kids on a yearly basis. I worked for the state and during that time it got pretty stressful and emotionally draining.
  When you’re dealing with kids that are that young and with serious issues, it was really hard not to take that home with you, and so I started writing as a way to release all that stress.
  That’s when writing turned into a passion for me. I would meet with kids and then I’d have about twenty minutes in between appointments. During those minutes I would grab my Starbucks, close and lock my door, and I would sit at my computer and just write.
  My way to release ended up turning into an addiction to writing, and I felt like I had to write all the time.
  EYE: Since you just started writing three years ago, being a bestselling author wasn’t something you dreamed of when you were little?
  RACHEL: I always loved doing creative writing, but really my biggest thing was making up stories when I was little, and I would daydream like crazy.
  “I was that kid who got in trouble in class because I was staring out the window and daydreaming about someone rescuing me.”
  I always had that passion for daydreaming and it never really occurred to me that it could transform into a passion for writing. But when I started writing, I realized it was how I lived my childhood…always living in this dream world that didn’t exist, but it existed in my mind.
  The great thing about writing is that you can bring that nonexistent world into someone else’s reality by writing about it.
  Rachel Van Dyken signing books
  EYE: Today, so many authors are self-publishing. You have a publisher for some of your books, but you’ve also self-published. Could you describe some of the challenges you faced?
  RACHEL: Self-publishing is like one of those things where someone drops you in the middle of the ocean and says, ‘Okay, swim…find land.’ It’s really hard because you have so many factors that you don’t realize until you’ve released a book through a traditional publisher.
  When you self-publish you’re in charge of everything. You can’t just write the book and be done. You need to find a good editor and you need to find a great cover artist. You need a cover that will help it sell.
  Rachel Van Dyken's book, The BetEYE: How important is branding and knowing how to get the word out about your book?
  RACHEL: You really have to learn how to brand yourself and put yourself out there so people see your name and become interested in you and your book. You also want to get your book into bloggers’ hands and people who will review it.
  EYE: Did you ever have any self-doubts when you published your first book?
  RACHEL: No matter how good I think the book is or even when I have readers tell me that it’s going to do great, I still spend days, weeks, just stressed that it isn’t going to do well or it won’t be received well.
  It’s such an emotional thing and I think even ten years from now I’ll still get stressed out over my releases. When you put your book out there, people don’t realize how much a book is a part of that author. The emotions you put into the characters you develop are very real so when someone doesn’t receive that well it feels like a personal attack, but really it’s not. Readers don’t look at it that way.
  They look at a book as entertainment and either they like it or they don’t. At the end of the day, you have to come to terms with being happy with your book, and if you’ve affected one person, you should be proud of what you’ve accomplished.
  Rachel Van Dyken, husband and dogs in Idaho
  Rachel lives with husband Nathan and pups, Winston Churchill and Maximus, in Idaho.
  EYE: Could you tell us about your average day and your writing process?
  RACHEL: My goal every day is to write all day. It’s my full-time job so I treat it like one. I get up in the morning and sometimes I work out. I start writing at eight and then I take a short lunch break.
  I continue writing until four or five. But this also includes checking all my emails and I try to personally respond to every email.
  Then I check twitter and everything else. Once I finish all of that I start writing. Since I have so many deadlines, I often work on eight manuscripts at a time.
  EYE: Your recent book, Ruin, is a huge success. Congratulations! The story is a very personal one for you. Could you explain why you wanted to tell this particular story?
  RACHEL: There was a lot of stuff going on with my family because my uncle found out he was terminally ill with cancer, and I really wanted to write a book about that struggle and the grief that a family goes through when dealing with it.
  I wanted to make it both humorous because it’s such a heavy subject, but also sad at the same time. I think that’s how it is in life because you go through the sadness of cancer, but at the end of the day you’re still laughing with your family and life still moves on.
  Ruin by Rachel Van DykenEYE: Did you have any other message that you wanted to get across in your story?
  RACHEL: I wanted to bring more cancer awareness, but I also wanted to focus on the life behind all of that. Ruin is really just about at the end of your life you really learn how to live your life. When you have no time left you start thinking about all those little things you wish you had done and all those things you’ve taken for granted.
  You realize that just waking up in the morning is a blessing and that using your legs to take a walk is…it’s about just the simple things in life.
  We live in such a selfish world. I’m guilty of it. We’re all guilty of it. Poor me, poor me, but there’s always someone else who is worse off, and we need to just appreciate what we have because one day it’ll be over.
  I really wanted to shine light on that and hope people would realize if you focus on the positive, good things in your life, you’d be a happier person.
  EYE: I love the way you look at this struggle with hope and positivity, but it’s obviously a difficult time for you and your family.
  RACHEL: When it hits close to home it really affects you. My uncle was diagnosed with colon cancer around four years ago. The doctors thought they got it all, but they didn’t. It spread to his liver and after chemo and after exhausting every resource, we’ve come to terms with it. It’s hard when you watch someone you love go through that.
  Rachel Van Dyken, romance novelist, with her family
  Rachel with her Uncle Jobob and Aunt Sandy
  I don’t do well sitting on the sidelines. I decided I would help with their medical bills. It doesn’t matter how great your insurance is, cancer is ridiculously expensive. The hospital bills, hospice…it’s a lot of money. I know my uncle was more worried about leaving his wife in this world.
  (Sadly, Rachel’s uncle lost his battle to cancer recently. Our thoughts and prayers are with Rachel and her family.)
  EYE: Did the sales of your book make enough of a profit to help them?
  RACHEL: I never knew how much they needed, and I just hoped the book would sell well, but in the end, after the first two weeks, we ended up making enough to basically pay everything off. It was incredible.
  On top of that because Ruin has been so successful every month we’re donating to “Make a Wish” or another organization for people who need help to pay their medical bills. I really want to use Ruin as one of those platforms to help people.
  EYE: As an author, you have the ability to reach so many people. Are you planning on doing other books in the future to help others?
  RACHEL: I’m in the planning process with my publisher, and we’re creating a marketing plan for future books where we’ll come up with non-profit organizations and other causes that we can donate to because it’s something we’re both passionate about.
  I feel like it’s something the readers respond to and it makes the books come to life even more. People read to escape but they also are more willing to spend the money if they feel like they’re supporting a good cause.
  “I had one girl message me that her dad or her grandpa had just died that week of cancer when she picked up the book.”
  EYE: I’ve been touched by the response to my book with readers sharing their similar stories…one in particular made me cry. Have you received many responses from readers who share their similar stories of a loved one with cancer?
  RACHEL: I feel the same way. I’ve received emails or messages on Facebook…I had one girl message me that her dad or her grandpa had just died that week of cancer when she picked up the book.
  It’s hard because I hear from people and I want to be encouraging, but at the same time it just breaks your heart when you hear some of those stories of what people are going through. When someone has actually lived it and gone through it and fought that battle…it gives that person hope.
  I’m not the only one. It’s okay to mourn and it’s okay to feel sad and it’s okay to move on. I think that’s part of the grieving and part of the healing process.
  Rachel Van Dyken, bestselling author of romance novelsEYE: In your next book will you be dealing with another topic that you’d like to bring more awareness to?
  RACHEL: I’m writing the story of Gabe, a secondary character from Ruin. His story will focus on bad choices, but also having to leave people that you love behind. It’ll be sad like Ruin but there will have lots of humor.
  My cousin is mentally handicapped and so I’m actually using some of her life in this story. She’s the daughter of my uncle who has cancer. She’s hilarious and in her forties, so sweet and precious. I really want to shed light on people who have this totally different way of living.
  EYE: I have to say I loved Ruin and the character of Gabe intrigued me. I’ll definitely be one of the first to buy your next book, Elect, the second book in your Eagle Elite series, out December 10. Please keep us posted on your future books and worthy causes! Thanks, Rachel.
  ###
  Diane Mannino, romance novelistAbout the author, Diane Mannino:
  I graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a degree in English Literature. I’m a former writer for Museum and Arts Washington as well as for several television shows, including Inside Edition, American Journal and E! News Daily. I live in Los Angeles with my husband and two beautiful daughters. My first novel is Running from Romeo, and my next book, Waiting for Romeo, will be available on Amazon, November, 8.
  Share The Eye:emailRSSTwitterFacebookStumbleUponDiggPrint
  If you enjoyed this article, why not Subscribe to THE WOMEN'S EYE and get our Updates in your Inbox (they're FREE):

  Enter Your Email
  Sign Me Up!
  FILED UNDER: EYE INTERVIEW TAGGED WITH: AUTHOR, BOOKS, DIANE MANNINO, ELECT, MAKE A WISH, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST, NOVELIST, RACHEL VAN DYKEN, ROMANCE NOVELS, RUIN, RUNNING FROM ROMEO, THE BET, THE EAGLE ELITE, THE WAGER, WAITING FOR ROMEO
  Leave a Comment

  Name *

  Email *

  Website
  Post Comment

  Search this website …
  Search
  Get our Latest Updates from THE WOMEN'S EYE

  Enter Your Email
  Sign Me Up!
  LET’S CONNECT!

  Twitter | Facebook | RSS | Pinterest
  Follow TWE on TwitterFollow us on FacebookSubscribe by RSSFollow TWE on Pinterest
  LISTEN TO OUR PODCASTS
  ON ITUNES

  Click Here!
  New 20 WOMEN CHANGEMAKERS Book Video

  PRESS KITLEARN MORE

  HOME
  ABOUT
  INTERVIEWS
  DESIGN
  PEOPLE
  STORIES
  TWE RADIO
  TWE NEWS
  CONTACT
  ADVERTISE
  Get The Women's Eye by Email

  Enter Your Email
  Sign Me Up!
  Click Me! Follow The Women's Eye on TwitterFOLLOW TWE ON TWITTER
  @thewomenseye
  Subscribe by RSSGET THE WOMEN'S EYE BY RSS
  ABOUT THE WOMEN'S EYE
  Interviews, stories, TWE Radio, and more, by and about women who want to make the planet a better place. Welcome to the world as we see it!

  SUGGEST A STORY
  Have an inspiring woman whom you'd like to see interviewed or a story idea for The Women's Eye?
  Email Us
  Click to Learn More about our Great Guests on The Women's Eye Radio Show

  RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
  COPYRIGHT © 2010–2017 BY THE WOMEN'S EYE, L.L.C. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. · GENESIS FRAMEWORK BY STUDIOPRESS · LOG IN
  Sumo
  Focus Retriever

10/2/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1506988842896 1/5
Print Marked Items
Fraternize
Publishers Weekly.
264.28 (July 10, 2017): p72.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text: 
Fraternize
Rachel Van Dyken. Skyscape, $9.99 e-book
(341p) ISBN 978-1-4778-0920-4
In this amusing contemporary sports series kickoff, a plus-size NFL cheerleader juggles her feelings for two equally
attractive players. At 22, Emerson Rodner has finally achieved her goal: making the squad for her favorite team, curves
and all. But when she runs into player Miller Quinton, who broke her heart when he abandoned her five years before,
the two must find a way to rebuild their once-unbreakable relationship. However, she's also attracted to his teammate
Grant Sanchez, whose direct flirtation and unrelenting charisma catch her off-guard. Van Dyken (Cheater's Regret)
crafts a strong romance in which the natural chemistry among the three protagonists manifests in soul-searching chats,
late-night makeout sessions, and illicit fast food runs. While the emotional complications prevalent throughout the
story are fairly cliched--all born of unnecessary misunderstandings, miscommunications, and wild assumptions, plus
Emerson's angsting about her weight and appearance--the actual progress toward a happily-ever-after for two of the
three members of this love triangle is delightful. Agent: Erica Spellman Silverman, Trident Media Group. (Sept.)
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Fraternize." Publishers Weekly, 10 July 2017, p. 72+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA499720086&it=r&asid=ff2461b0c4e18226d2fc9363b5bd4758.
Accessed 2 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A499720086

---

10/2/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1506988842896 2/5
The Playboy Bachelor: Bachelors of Arizona,
Book 2
Publishers Weekly.
264.19 (May 8, 2017): p44.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text: 
The Playboy Bachelor: Bachelors of Arizona, Book 2
Rachel Van Dyken. Forever, $7.99 mass market
(352p) ISBN 978-1-4555-9873-1
It's hard to make a hero out of a shallow guy who let his best friend down when she needed him the most, but Van
Dyken manages it in her satisfying second Bachelors of Arizona contemporary (after The Bachelor Auction). Margot
McCleery is still scarred by the accident that killed her parents. Even years later, she can't understand why her best
friend, Bentley Wellington, never showed up to support her during that difficult time. Margot, who now has a thriving
career as a romance author, has become a recluse. Her grandmother "buys" Bentley at the bachelor auction, hoping he'll
pull Margot out of her shell. Bentley isn't exactly thrilled by the prospect, knowing Margot will never forgive him for
abandoning her. The two angrily dance around each other until the emotional walls come down and they admit their
true feelings. Readers will cheer for Margot, who has lost so much, and even Bentley, who has more depth than is
initially apparent. Van Dyken succeeds with this well-characterized, rightly plotted tale. Agent: Erica SpellmanSilverman,
Trident Media Group. (Aug.)
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Playboy Bachelor: Bachelors of Arizona, Book 2." Publishers Weekly, 8 May 2017, p. 44. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA491949093&it=r&asid=399b5c7696bb23a530c3e55fe2b6796e.
Accessed 2 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491949093

---

10/2/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1506988842896 3/5
Van Dyken, Rachel: FRATERNIZE
Kirkus Reviews.
(Aug. 15, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text: 
Van Dyken, Rachel FRATERNIZE Skyscape (Children's Fiction) $9.99 9, 12 ISBN: 978-1-4778-0920-4
A professional cheerleader finds herself caught between two football players.At 22, Emerson Rodner is determined to
continue her career even though at 190 pounds, she isn't the typical cheerleader. Getting her chance with the Bellevue
Bucks' cheerleading squad--and despite the strict policy against fraternization--Emerson immediately attracts the
attention of cocky player Grant Sanchez. Emerson is intrigued by Grant, but she's also distracted by the arrival of a
newly arrived player, Miller Quinton: her high school best friend and lover before misunderstandings and a separation
ended their relationship. When Grant makes a mistake, will Emerson give Miller a chance? While the love triangle is
compelling, the plotting is misleading: a dual-narrative structure sets up expectations that are then overturned in a twist
that necessitates the awkward addition of a third voice. Additionally, while Emerson is white and Miller is mixed-race
(black/white), Grant's ethnicity is left undefined beyond his last name. The characters' post-college ages and the
narrative's lack of inherent teen appeal combine with the explicit sex to move this from a young-adult to a new-adult
classification. Although it's admirable how Emerson succeeds with her big, curvy figure, teen girls who could use this
message will probably have to look for this title outside of a library's or bookstore's teen section. (Romance. 16-adult)
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Van Dyken, Rachel: FRATERNIZE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2017. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA500364865&it=r&asid=7368f727313e4ead5b71a84900386aed.
Accessed 2 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A500364865

---

10/2/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1506988842896 4/5
The Bachelor Auction
Publishers Weekly.
263.52 (Dec. 19, 2016): p104.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text: 
The Bachelor Auction
Rachel Van Dyken. Forever, $7.99 mass market (352p) ISBN 978-1-4555-9871-7
The first in Van Dyken's Bachelors of Arizona series charms readers with a . decidedly modern retelling of the
Cinderella story. After Jane's father's death, she inherited her family's cleaning business and the care of her two spoiled
sisters--which includes bailing them out of debt, cooking for them, and more. Wealthy orphan Brock Wellington has
always put the needs of others before his own, so when his scheming grandfather blindsides him with the idea of
auctioning himself off for marriage to the highest bidder, Brock feels he can't say no. After Jane breaks a heel at a
Wellington event, Brock solicitously plays the prince. But when Brock's grandfather hires Jane to clean his late parents'
ranch without telling him, Brock turns into a surly knave. Brock's extreme pain at being in his childhood home is
evident; there are memories in every corner and rituals he can't unlearn. Van Dyken (The Dare) also deftly portrays
Jane's insecurities and her confusion about Brock's transformation from charmer to jerk. A lively cast of supporting
characters--particularly Brock's brothers, Bentley and Brant--provide numerous opportunities to chuckle and cheer in
this lighthearted, eminently readable treat. Agent: Erica Silverman, Trident Media Group. (Feb.)
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Bachelor Auction." Publishers Weekly, 19 Dec. 2016, p. 104. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA475324304&it=r&asid=626915e0e5134ed1beaba199f2c7ebb0.
Accessed 2 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A475324304

---

10/2/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1506988842896 5/5
Cheater
Publishers Weekly.
263.51 (Dec. 12, 2016): p131.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text: 
Cheater
Rachel Van Dyken. Skyscape, $9.99 trade
paper (339p) ISBN 978-1-5039-4209-7
Van Dyken's contemporary romance will win fans and accolades with an adorable heroine, a roguish hero, and plenty
of snappy banter. Avery Black, fresh out of college and living on her own, has been downsized out of her job. If she's
going to keep the lights on in her modest downtown Seattle apartment, she desperately needs a regular paycheck. A
paid internship may not be ideal, but the money means she won't have to move back in with her parents. It seems an
easy-enough assignment until she meets her boss and finds out what a small world it is. Lucas Thorn, the v-p of
marketing and research for whom she'll be working, is also a cad, a cheater, and the man who left her sister at the altar,
breaking the hearts of the entire Black family. Naturally, they hit it off. Told in the alternating voices of Avery and
Lucas, Van Dyken's diverting cat and mouse matchup is pure starry-eyed escapist fun. (Feb.)
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Cheater." Publishers Weekly, 12 Dec. 2016, p. 131. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA475225078&it=r&asid=4f085813c70c313545b2e23c82ad5537.
Accessed 2 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A475225078

"Fraternize." Publishers Weekly, 10 July 2017, p. 72+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA499720086&it=r. Accessed 2 Oct. 2017. "The Playboy Bachelor: Bachelors of Arizona, Book 2." Publishers Weekly, 8 May 2017, p. 44. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA491949093&it=r. Accessed 2 Oct. 2017. "Van Dyken, Rachel: FRATERNIZE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2017. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA500364865&it=r. Accessed 2 Oct. 2017. "The Bachelor Auction." Publishers Weekly, 19 Dec. 2016, p. 104. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA475324304&it=r. Accessed 2 Oct. 2017. "Cheater." Publishers Weekly, 12 Dec. 2016, p. 131. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA475225078&it=r. Accessed 2 Oct. 2017.

• Dear Author
  http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/f-reviews/review-elite-by-rachel-van-dyken/
  Word count: 12503

  HOME COMMENTING POLICY SUBMIT FOR REVIEW

  SEARCH
  SEARCH

  ADVANCED SEARCH
  TWITTER

  FACEBOOK

  EMAIL

  FEED
  Dear Author
  Romance, Historical, Contemporary, Paranormal, Young Adult, Book reviews, industry news, and commentary from a reader's point of view
  BLOG

  NEW RELEASES

  DEALS

  REVIEWS
  List Of Authors Reviewed
  Reading Lists
  A Review Category
  A Reviews
  A- Reviews
  B Reviews Category
  B+ Reviews
  B Reviews
  B- Reviews
  C Reviews Category
  C+ Reviews
  C Reviews
  C- Reviews
  D Reviews
  F Reviews
  Film Reviews
  Guest Submitted Review
  Haiku

  EBOOKS
  10 Tips For Your New Ebook Reader
  Android Reading Apps
  Using Calibre To Create A Print Book Library
  Dear Jane
  Ebooks Posts

  ESSAYS
  Essays
  First Sale
  Interviews
  Letters Of Opinion

  NEED A REC!
  Top 100 Romances
  Bestseller List
  Book Club
  If You Like
  Recommended Reads

  CONTACT US
  Contact Us
  News Form
  For Readers
  For Authors
  For Publicists
  September 10, 2013
  REVIEW: Elite by Rachel Van Dyken
  JennieF REVIEWSNew Adult / Young-Adult81 Comments

  Dear Ms. Van Dyken:

  I’m not really sure how to say this, so I’m just going to come out with it: the following isn’t going to be pretty. Before this year, according to my reading log, I hadn’t given an F to a book since 2006, when I gave FOUR Fs (a bad reading year, to be sure) – three to romances that I really don’t remember any more, and one to Augusten Burrough’s repulsive “memoir” Running with Scissors, which I sadly remember all too well. I did give an F to a book I read earlier this year, a YA that Amazon was offering for free that I later realized was self-published, and which I found so amateurish and histrionic that I felt like reviewing it would be akin to kicking a puppy. A very, very bad puppy.

  Which brings me to Elite. This book appears to be professionally published; the author has an extensive backlist. Yet this is one of the most absurd, unrealistic pieces of writing I’ve ever read. I feel horribly snobbish saying, “How in the world did this get published?”, but…how in the world did this get published?

  From the first lines of the prologue, I sensed I was in trouble:

  Whoever told me life was easy – lied. It’s hard. It sucks. The crazy thing is – nobody has the guts to admit the truth.

  Elite by Rachel Van DykenSo, okay: someone (she doesn’t remember who!) told the narrator that life was easy. Is that a thing people say? “Life – it’s a cakewalk, right?” That is not a thing that people say. Also, anyone who thinks that nobody has the “guts” to own up to the Secret Truth that life is, dun dun dun…hard – hasn’t spent nearly enough time with a mopey adolescent. Or co-workers on a dreary Monday morning. Or me at Whole Foods on Labor Day afternoon (sorry, just had PTSD flashbacks).

  Anyway, our story:

  Trace Rooks is an 18-year-old farm girl from the earnest plains of Wyoming (seriously, girl LOVES her cows) who has won a scholarship to Eagle Elite (although the way it’s described it sounds more like a lottery, maybe?) which is the most…well, elite and exclusive college in the United States. Her grandfather, who raised her along with her recently deceased grandmother, drives her to a school that closely resembles a fortress, and after a tense encounter with some campus toughs who come off menacing in a vague but silly way, he drops her off and she is on her own, just a small-town farm girl who has (unbeknownst to her) been thrown to the wolves.

  There is so much wrong with the description of Eagle Elite that I don’t know where to start. Perhaps the first thing is that it’s maybe, maybe vaguely believable in a “suspending a LOT of disbelief” way, as an elite prep school. As a university, nothing about its description bears any resemblance to reality. Particularly as a university that produces the best and brightest – future presidents and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.

  First of all, again the school is described like a smallish fenced-off fortress, not a sprawling campus home to thousands of students, with the attendant nearby businesses that would service such a population. Even the smallest elite colleges in the U.S. have well over a thousand students.

  Then there is the lottery/scholarship Trace wins – as a college student she should/would have applied to any number of schools and applied as well for available scholarships and financial aid. She wouldn’t be a single “charity case” who the school takes on sight unseen because her name got picked out of a hat.

  Also, Trace is referred to as “new girl” and everyone seems to know that she’s new and an outsider/charity case. So, this is a college that has one new student in its freshman class. Okay, then. Also, a bell rings between classes.

  Even the name “Eagle Elite” does not exactly scream “prestigious institute of higher learning.” In every way the school reads like a fantasy prep school; I don’t know why the author didn’t just make the characters younger to fit that scenario (though I have some ideas; more on that in a moment).

  Trace is bewildered by her new surroundings and by the hostility of her classmates, particularly Nixon. Nixon is a member of the “Elect” who rule the school, and there are numerous rules relating to dealing with the Elect. Don’t speak to one of them unless spoken to, don’t make eye contact; it’s like being a production assistant for Barbra Streisand. Or perhaps attending a highly fictionalized prep school (if you thought I was going to give up on hammering that point home, think again).

  So, Trace is in trouble with the bizarre and capriciously cruel Elect pretty much immediately, for breathing the same air as they do or something. Usually in the types of books where plucky young female newcomers are snubbed and abused by the snooty elite, the abusers are female. Making them male makes it feel even ickier and more sinister, and makes me wonder at the fact that most of the Elect (including Nixon, who is, of course…sigh…our hero) are actually supposed to be good guys. Or at least anti-heroes? I don’t know. The whole thing is already so bizarre to me – the world that’s created does not resemble the real world and the people don’t act like real people – that I find it hard to know what I’m supposed to think about the characters.

  It gets worse. Trace at least finds an ally in Monroe, her roommate, who is Nixon’s sister (I look forward to being introduced to their siblings Van Buren and Eisenhower). She’s pretty much the only other character in the book who is remotely likable. Or maybe I should say the ONLY character, since I didn’t actually like Trace that much. But anyway, Monroe takes Trace under her wing and runs interference for her with her awful brother. Despite this, Trace is mercilessly abused by the other students. One of the Elect slips her a mickey at a party and puts her in bed with a football player in the guys’ dorm (of which there is only one, I guess? Sort of like a prep-okay, I’m not even going to say it this time). She wakes fully clothed and clearly nothing happened, but that doesn’t stop all of the other students from branding Trace a whore. At one point they form a gauntlet and pelt her with eggs while chanting “slut” and “whore.”

  All of this happens, by the way, because Nixon, who has offered Trace some ephemeral “protection”, spitefully withdraws the offer after she stubbornly says she doesn’t need it. He wants her to come crawling to him and admit she needs him.

  Anyway, after the egg-throwing incident, there is more weirdness and absurdity when Nixon takes Trace shopping. See, her stuff got ruined in the egg attack, including her phone, bag, and uniform. Yes, they wear a uniform at this…university. The shopping trip involves the entire Elect and a security detail that would rival the Pope’s. The many guns of their entourage, as well as Nixon’s over-the-top reaction to the necklace (an heirloom from her grandmother) that Trace is wearing, strike Trace as odd, but her curiosity is rather muted given the bizarreness of the goings-in. Of course, she’s clearly used to bizarre goings-on at this point, but one would think that they these odd occurrences would give her pause. Or that she might be more than mildly curious about the deference that Nixon receives virtually everywhere he goes when they are out and about.

  It turns out that…

  Spoiler (spoiler): Show

  What I found odd and interesting (I guess?) is that given the information in the spoiler above, what we have is a YA in which the protagonists are ostensibly college students, but are in a setting that much more closely resembles high school (their maturity level was consistent with high-school age kids, as well). Yet Nixon, at least, is apparently professionally in the position of man decades older. It’s just strange. Besides being further evidence of the book’s very loose connection to reality, it felt like an attempt to kind of have it both ways – to have YA characters and situations but give the characters (especially the hero, a term I use loosely here) the gravity and, for lack of a better word, glamour of adult lives.

  In this, I feel that Elite is doing something that a lot of the YAs and NAs that I’ve read lately do – they take young characters but give them adult concerns – whether it be addicted parents, dead parents, responsibilities for younger siblings, serious illnesses, dealing with sexual assault, etc. All those themes can be interesting, but sometimes I just wish I could read an NA that takes a relatively young couple, gives them relatively normal concerns, and yet somehow still manages to create a story with enough weight to make their youthful concerns interesting. I consider myself the Queen of Angst, so it feels strange to say this, but there you have it.

  Nixon is a parody of a BMOC/alpha-male hybrid – super-cocky and obnoxiously full of himself, though he has a weird aversion to being touched, an aversion that hints at a Dark Past. Trace is supposed to be spunky but is mostly just really annoying, and also kind of stupid. As a couple they are insipid and dull. Nixon refers to them as “Romeo and Juliet” at one point but the only trait they share with that couple is immature stupidity. Nixon: I will have to be mean to you so no one knows I care but I really do care; it’s for your own good. (Is mean to her.) Trace: Why is he being so mean to me!? Does he hate me!? Um, do you remember what he said two pages ago? I mean, it was dumb but it wasn’t like he wasn’t speaking English and using short, declarative sentences.

  I’ve been meaning to comment on the ubiquity of the word “smirk” in the YAs and NAs I’ve been reading. Since Elite is a particular offender, now is as good a time as any to bitch about it. The words “smirk” or “smirked” appeared 37 times in the course of the book. Why do NA authors like this word so much? I feel like Inigo Montoya, with the “that-word-doesn’t-mean-what-you-think-it-means.” I mean, I see “smirk” as being a negative word, maybe occasionally used in the context of friendly teasing, but mostly, as Merriam-Webster states, indicating a “smug or affected smile”. YA and NA authors of the world, please cut back on the smirking.

  In summary, this book was ridiculous. Not fun-ridiculous (at least not for me) but weird-ridiculous. The situations and scenarios bore no relationship to real life situations and scenarios as I understand them or have experienced them, and the people frequently did not act and react like I would expect normal human people to. My grade for Elite is an F.

  Respectfully,

  Jennie

  AmazonBNSonyKoboAREBook DepositoryGoogle

  Share this:
  TwitterPrintFacebook9EmailMore
  Like this:
  Loading...
  Related
  Jane's 2010 Best of the Year List
  My list, in no particular order: Katrakis' Last Mistress by Caitlin Crews Review by Jane I loved the angst in this book, the somewhat imperfect hea and the dialogue. The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook - Review by Janine and Shuzluva. I've always felt that Meljean Brook was a great…
  December 31, 2010
  In "Recommended Reads"
  Reading m/m: a guide for the perplexed
  The debate at AAR and elsewhere over m/m books and authors got us to thinking about whether the differences between m/m and m/f romances are as great as some readers on both sides seemed to believe. Four of us here at DA regularly read and review m/m in addition to…
  July 1, 2014
  In "Letters of Opinion"
  Interview with an Editor and Giveaway
  Interview with an Editor and Giveaway
  January 8, 2013
  In "Contests/Giveaways"

  Jennie
  has been an avid if often frustrated romance reader for the past 15 years. In that time she's read a lot of good romances, a few great ones, and, unfortunately, a whole lot of dreck. Many of her favorite authors (Ivory, Kinsale, Gaffney, Williamson, Ibbotson) have moved onto other genres or produce new books only rarely, so she's had to expand her horizons a bit. Newer authors she enjoys include Julie Ann Long, Megan Hart and J.R. Ward, and she eagerly anticipates each new Sookie Stackhouse novel. Strong prose and characterization go a long way with her, though if they are combined with an unusual plot or setting, all the better. When she's not reading romance she can usually be found reading historical non-fiction.
  → Jennie
  Previous article: Let’s Talk About Free Speech and the Internet (again)
  Next Post: REVIEW: The Derby Girl by Tamara Morgan
  Comments

  Melissa K
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 8:13 AM
  I’ve noticed the smirk thing too but I’m SO over the “dancing & twinkling” eyes. I’ve never seen someone’s eyes dance.

  Ros
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 8:37 AM
  On Amazon, the publisher is listed as CreateSpace, so I’d say this is a self-published book. And, um, wow.

  LG
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 8:58 AM
  Up until the spoiler, this sounded a bit like Boys Over Flowers fanfic.

  Loosheesh
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 9:08 AM
  @Ros: It was first self-published (the version I bought back in April was), but the ebook is now showing Hachette as the publisher.

  I gave this two stars when I read it, but now your review reminds me of so many things that make me want to downgrade to 1 star …

  Danielle Gorman
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 9:09 AM
  Wow, I’m so glad I steered clear of this one. It sounds like a hot mess. I actually read one of her other books and I felt the same way with that one as you do with this one. It was so over the top and felt like a YA yet the characters were in their early 20’s. It was just bad.

  Loosheesh
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 9:13 AM
  @Danielle Gorman: Was it The Bet? I liked it but it was chock-full of implausibilities as well.

  Lynn S.
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 9:24 AM
  I was having a crappy Tuesday morning until I read the hilarious spoiler.

  My predictions for siblings would be Jackson and Tyler.

  On the smirking issue, did the author also describe someone as buff AND rangy? The misuse of rangy turns me all cranky Spaniard and it’s taken in vain by a whole lot of authors who should know better.

  CK
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 9:29 AM
  TY. I needed a good laugh this morning. The spoiler….bwahahahahahahahaha.

  Isobel Carr
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 9:31 AM
  @LG: I was going to say it sounded like a fan fiction of Rory Gilmore’s worst nightmare until we got to the mafia stuff. And, is this a WASP mafia? Confusion upon confusion.

  DB Cooper
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 9:54 AM
  Wow. So I agree, I’ve long had the feeling that many ya/na stories are about giving status-less and agency-less youths a sense of status, importance, and power to do cool things in the big bad world out there (to be fair, a lot of stories are about the empowerment to overcome, not just ya/an stuff).

  I suppose in a very crude and unfair simplification, its about making the non adult feel like an adult…without having to be an adult. In this case however, I feel like its the story itself that needs maturing. It, itself is a bundle of hopes and dreams rooted in little else but its own hopes and dreams (and far far from the practical concerns of consequences).

  Its the kind of world I wanted to create as a wee one. Just go through Jennie’s list of faults and start each item with “wouldn’t it be cool if…”, “yeah, and…” “Oh, and THEN they find out…” “But its okay because he/she really is…”

  KarenF
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 9:58 AM
  The author’s name sounded familiar, so I checked her backlist on bn.com and realized she was responsible for one of the worst books I read last year (“The Ugly Duckling Debutante”), a “regency” romance that was full of historical inaccuracies. Apparently she has difficulties with contemporary fiction too.

  Kati
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 10:00 AM
  This: “Don’t speak to one of them unless spoken to, don’t make eye contact; it’s like being a production assistant for Barbra Streisand.” made me actually snort out loud.

  Thanks for taking one for the team, there, Jennie.

  Q
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 10:32 AM
  Yes, the review of the plot reminded me immediately of Boys Over Flowers as well, or rather the Taiwanese version (Meteor Garden) which is the one I watched, including the feel that although it was set in college, everything felt like high school.

  I think BoF must have been an “inspiration”.

  Michelle
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 10:32 AM
  @LG: I was thinking the exact same thing. But Boys Over Flowers at least holds a special place in my heart for it’s utter ridiculousness.

  Ros
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 10:34 AM
  @Loosheesh: So this is the kind of self-published book being picked up by the big six? Wow.

  Shelly
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 10:38 AM
  I don’t know what’s more depressing/amusing, the plot or the fact that this will most definitely be a bestseller, if it isn’t already. And I snorted with laughter at the spoiler. I’d read the book alone just for that hilariously “out of left field” twist. It’s the new adult version of Sharknado.

  Willaful
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 10:47 AM
  Brilliant review, Jennie. Smirks have also infected adult contemporary romance and I’m so done with them.

  Darlynne
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 10:51 AM
  Pirating Disney films? Stealing cable? Not reporting the income from lottery scratch-off tickets? So many levels of awesome here, Jennie. Sorry you had to read it, but a win for us. Thanks.

  Readsalot81
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 11:10 AM
  This entire book just sounds absolutely ludicrous. I’ll echo my thanks for taking one for the team. I’ve read a couple of her historicals – I’m willing to forgive inaccuracies if it’s entertaining, but I found the books I read to be as dull as dirt.

  Spinster
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 11:11 AM
  Ergh, yeah, read one of her Regency novellas last year. It was a freebie but I really want that hour of my life back. Just ludicrous, it read like it was written by a 15-year-old who got WAY too excited after reading her first Regency.

  Tanya S
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 11:22 AM
  Definitely sounds like Boys Over Flowers fan fiction. I’m watching the Korean version which is set in a high school. It’s hilarious with its ANGST and general over-the-topness.

  Kristen Allen-Vogel
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 11:25 AM
  Seriously, I think this book would have hit my wall and not been opened again the second the hero was named “Nixon.” That right there screams not having put any thought into this.

  JenM
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 11:38 AM
  Thank you for calling out the use of the word “smirk”. I’ve been baffled lately at the contexts in which I’ve seen it used, especially in NA books. Authors, a smirk is not a complimentary expression and if your hero is wearing it, you are telling me that he is an A-hole who enjoys acting and feeling superior to others.

  Gennita Low
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 12:31 PM
  Definitely made me think of Boys Over Flowers (or the Korean version or Japanese maybe?). It needs the music.

  cead
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 1:23 PM
  My brother and I have a facial expression that our mother always described as a “smirk”; it’s a sort of one-sided grin (always the same side; I can’t reproduce it on the other) we seem to have inherited from our paternal grandfather. It’s not a negative facial expression, and it’s not restricted to negative contexts. Possibly this or something like it is the sense of “smirk” that authors are trying to use?

  Carolyne
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 2:20 PM
  @cead: Possibly (I also have that “can only half-smile on one side” thing…maybe people are generally left-faced or right-faced?). But… I have in the past noticed a tendency in fanfic or other closed writing communities for a certain description to come into style and echo through all the writing in that particular group; a shorthand of sorts. For instance, character A’s walk will be described as “jaunty” enough times that whenever “jaunty” is used, you immediately see character A’s particular way of moving. Jauntily. With a smirk.

  Lada
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 2:56 PM
  Thanks for a Tuesday pick-up, Jennie! I’m in the fortunate position to not read F’s any more because they just end up as DNF’s. No longer have the time or patience so thanks for taking one for the team. This review is all kinds of awesome sauce!

  @Ros: I wonder this, too. Why would a major publisher pick something like this up? There is some pretty obvious sock puppetry or possibly some Fiverr action going on with the Amazon reviews.

  Lynn M
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 2:58 PM
  Thank you for saving me from yet another horrible NA title. This one sounds insanely ridiculous on pretty much every level. It also reminds me of “Taking Chances” (a D- read for me) what with the savvy roommate being the sister of the “hero” and all of that. How many brother/sister pairs actually go to the same prep scho…I mean, “university”? In NA-landia, it seems like they all do.

  Cate
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 3:29 PM
  JK Rowling gets away with smirk,she uses the word appropriately,and effectively.
  As for Ms Dykstra, ……The Ugly Duckling Debutante,is without doubt one of the eye bleedingly awful bits of tat I’ve ever read !!
  I really would’ve liked to burn it…..but that would’ve killed my kindle; so I had to settle for the slightly less satisfactory deletion from unit

  Janet P.
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 3:42 PM
  Oh well see – I’m reading along and I think to myself: I bet that girl is going to be a lost Princess from a secret and dwindling breed of Vampire/Demon/Fill In the Blank of New Paranormal Bad Creature Hunters and that a-hole Dude is going to be the Crown Prince from the Whatever she is destined to kill race and they will have to work together to ….. well do something while they overcome their angst.

  But Mafia. Sure. I guess that could work too.

  Jennie
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 3:51 PM
  @LG: I wasn’t familiar with Boys Over Flowers, so I looked it up. I can see why readers of the series would see a resemblance. Hmm.

  Jennie
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 4:05 PM
  @Lynn S.: I’m not sure about rangy but I’m pretty sure the Elect were all described as buff. Also, Nixon once dated Taylor Swift. She wrote a song about him.

  Jennie
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 4:08 PM
  @Isobel Carr: Nixon’s last name is Italian (something like Abbonato? I don’t have my Kindle with me at the moment). It’s not revealed early in the book, presumably so as not to have the reader jump to the obvious conclusion that he’s a 20-year-old Mafia boss.

  Also, both the Elect and sometimes Trace’s grandparents speak some language that she refers to as “stupid” (I think) at one point, but can’t identify. It turns out to be Sicilian. I thought it was weird that she wouldn’t just think it was Italian, as I believe they are fairly similar. Whatever.

  Carolyne
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 4:27 PM
  Nixon once dated Taylor Swift. She wrote a song about him.

  No.

  Really?

  Maybe this sort of writing resonates with readers of a certain age? Like… 12 or 13? I’m honestly not being (entirely) facetious, I’m just wondering who the target audience could possibly be.

  Jennie
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 4:41 PM
  @Spinster: It’s hard to imagine how inaccurate a historical would be, given that the author’s depiction of contemporary life is so unrealistic.

  Jennie
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 4:43 PM
  @cead: I think it’s possible that some people just smile like that. I mean, Elvis kind of smirked, right? But when all your characters smirk, and they do it a LOT, it’s noticeable. And weird.

  Jennie
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 4:46 PM
  @Lynn M: Well, to be fair, we find out later that Nixon has already graduated from the school. And just hangs around to…actually, I’m not sure why he hangs around. Also, his family owns the school.

  Jennie
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 4:55 PM
  @Carolyne: I wonder myself. I was under the impression that the YA resurgence/emergence of NA was more due to older readers picking up these books, rather than teenagers or adolescents. Maybe I’m projecting because for some reason *I* keep reading these. I think it’s because I’ve read a few that were really resonant and worked for me (Erin McCarthy’s “True” comes to mind), and I keep hoping to recreate that experience.

  Though maybe Elite is intended for a younger audience. It’s quite tame re sex. I think there’s some bad language, but other than that it’s relatively G rated.

  Ducky
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 5:09 PM
  Shakes head. This review – thanks for reading this so others are spared of buying this – sums up my reaction to the whole NA genre: Crappy writing about super-annoying and unbelievable characters.

  cecilia
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 5:22 PM
  @Melissa K: Maybe you just haven’t met anyone with googly eyes.

  Also, this book sounds like it has as realistic a vision of a university as I had of Kindergarten when I was 5 and excited to start because I thought it would be like The Paper Chase.

  Evangeline
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 5:42 PM
  @Carolyne: My theory is that these books are shooting up the charts because the consumers aren’t normally avid readers (nor are they romance readers). FSoG opened up a lot of people’s eyes to the ooey-gooey sensations they didn’t realize could be provided by fiction, and now the Kindle allows them to snap up anything that promises to hit that spot. Didn’t the same thing happen when blockbuster sales for The Flame and the Flower made readers perk up and realize they wanted more OTT, lush, sprawling and lusty historical romances? Or when category romances written by American authors made HQN/M&B’s fortune in the early 80s, and nearly every romance imprint started their own lines? Quality began to suffer in both instances as publishers threw out anything that fit those markets, and sales declined as readers stuck only with the authors who maintained quality levels. Self-publishing has just kicked this kind of publishing/readership cycle into overdrive, and either NA will collapse beneath increasing derivativity (a la chick-lit), or it will mature as the readership matures (a la the romance genre).

  Carolyne
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 6:03 PM
  FSoG opened up a lot of people’s eyes to the ooey-gooey sensations they didn’t realize could be provided by fiction

  I don’t know why it took so long for that to crystallise for me. Until you stated it that way.

  It’s not just that readers have discovered how sexy a book can be (my assumption), but–in theory–some people had no idea that reading can evoke any feelings of magnitude at all. That books can do that magic. Lifelong readers may take it for granted. But I do remember a first time crying as a kid over a character dying in a book and my mother (who is a reader, just one used to characters dropping all over the place in mystery novels) was unsympathetic to my pain. But, darnit, that loss felt real and it hurt. Umpty years later, I know going in that a good book will hit as if it were an IRL experience. But if I were coming to it for the first time… That really hadn’t clicked for me.

  Danielle Gorman
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 6:28 PM
  @Loosheesh: Yes. I got so frustrated and annoyed with it that I stopped reading around the 80% mark. Also, I couldn’t even figure out who the hero was until about half way. So bad.

  Jackie Barbosa
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 7:33 PM
  @Jennie: Also, his family owns the school.

  It all makes sense now! His Mafia family’s “not too illegal” business is educating the next generation of corporate raiders.

  Rachel Van Dyken
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 8:04 PM
  Thank you so much for at least trying the book out and reviewing it, I really do appreciate it ;)

  hapax
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 9:26 PM
  Well, this review did have one positive result. I was kinda “meh” about hunting down BOYS OVER FLOWERS, but now I’m dying to see it.

  jessP
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 11:10 PM
  @Jennie:

  Really? The Nixon’s Mafia family owns the college? Why wouldn’t they have called it Capisce College?

  Ellie
  SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 @ 11:58 PM
  Great review! I fully agree with you – this book was such a mess. It was the first for me by this author and wouldn’t try another, at least for a while :)

  Kaetrin
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 12:19 AM
  I know exactly what you mean about the smirking. Actually, I’ve noticed it misused in some Kristen Ashley books too.

  The book sounds awful but the review was loads of fun – thank you Jennie! :)

  Alison Robinson
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 3:26 AM
  I get your point about University – I actually assumed that it was set in High School (or at least sixth form college for the English amongst us).

  Rereading my review on Goodreads I couomplained about how much Trace cried and also didn’t really understand why the other kids were mean to her – she’s new, so what?

  @Janet P I originally thought this was paranormal so I think your assumption is very valid.
  It was a bit Gossip Girl/90210 set in the middle of nowhere – the Mafia families are now more like rival tribes (apparently). I rated it as 3 out of 5 – mainly because, sadly, I have read A LOT worse. But as I said, I overlooked the fact that this was supposed to be at University and assume dit was High School.

  Heather
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 8:29 AM
  I just stumbled upon this blog and wasn’t expecting some of the things I read…wow. Anyways I was wondering since everyone is complaining about all the implausibilities of this book, what kinds of books do you read? Do you read sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, FICTION?! If you read ANY of those categories then heres a news flash they all have implausibilities and sometimes just completely implausible. I just don’t understand why people feel the need to bash an author or their work because you didn’t enjoy it. The point of reviews is to give CONSTRUCTIVE feedback to the author and to let others know how you felt about the book but not to belittle the author or their work. If you didn’t like the book that is all well and good, tell people why give it the lowest rating you want but why continue to bash someone. Personally when I don’t like something will write a review for it and tell my friends and others about it but I don’t bash. Just a personal opinion.

  Mary
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 8:42 AM
  @Heather:
  I don’t see where Jennie “belittled” the author or her work. I thought that this was a very honest review of why the book didn’t work for her.
  Additionally, while I love fantasy and science fiction and accept things that aren’t realistic in those genres, if something is supposed to be a straight contemporary, I would expect it to have a resemblance to reality. I went to college in the US, I know people who went to really small private colleges, and none of them are the way that the college in this book is described. For that reason, I would not be able to take the book seriously, and as such I am grateful Jennie reviewed it so I don’t pick it up. I felt like Jennie adequately described why the book didn’t work for her, and was not rude to the author at all.

  Heather
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 9:04 AM
  It wasn’t Jennie that I was referring to as to bashing or belittling it was more the other people commenting. I do still stand by that reviews are meant to be helpful and not rude. I also went to a small private college in the US, no more than 250 of us, and most of them knew each other so I was the “new” girl essentially. So the fact that she stood out as the “new girl” at school didn’t phase me. I wasn’t meaning to be rude and I do realize that I probably came across that way and I apologize for that. I was just trying to understand why everyone felt the need to bash on the author. The review was for Elite not her other books so I didn’t understand why they were brought up in the first place. Thanks for the response Mary :)

  Carolyne
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 10:21 AM
  Hi, @Heather! You’ll find that the criticism at this site is very frank and honest, and because readers get a broad range of opinions both in the posts and the comments, each reader can decide for herself whether or not to invest her money and time in a particular author. Reviews are meant to be helpful to the consumer, and the tone of each reviewer/review site will determine the audience who benefits from it. As you demonstrate, although some of us say, “that doesn’t sound real to me and I read tons of spec fic, etc. etc.,” another reader says, “I can relate to this story, so this is the book for me!” Frequently we’ll hear opinions such as “this book didn’t work at all, but maybe you should try this other book by the same author.” It’s always relevant to bring up the author’s other work, for that reason if not many others. I think you might come to like this site if you approach the discussions as a place where we can just plain say, “this book sounds like the worst ever,” and then someone else can just plain say, “is not, here’s why.”

  As the consumers, we come to this venue not to support the author, but to discuss where our time/money is going without having to put on an “if you can’t say something nice” filter. Given that, I greatly appreciate Rachel Van Dyken’s friendly response to the F review (all things considered, better than a DNF). That makes me more likely to keep an eye out for her next work–though I’d look at a review of it here rather than reviews by her fans, who have already been won over to like her writing. I’d like to see if she can win over us cynics :)

  Loosheesh
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 10:25 AM
  I think implausibilities should be called out in whatever genre they are found. Even fantasy and sci-fi, where things aren’t ‘realistic’, must conform to the rules of the world the author has built.

  Carolyne
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 10:40 AM
  @Loosheesh: I really should be working, BUT… talking about this is so much more interesting… BUT I’ll step away from the browser after this comment.

  I once read a manuscript for an author with a long track record, who argued that she didn’t have to stamp out implausibilities or inconsistencies because she was writing Romance. In Romance, people can act unrealistically if that’s what it takes to get the story where it needs it to be. The lack of realism had nothing to do with the presence of shapeshifters and fae. She sincerely believed it was more important to move the character pieces where she wanted, than to give them plausible reasons for their acts. My argument that, because it was a PNR, she needed even more realism in the mundane parts to ground it, got no traction. I think her past readers may have been comfortable with her approach, just to get the emotional fix from her stories; but it’s so much more satisfying to to build a consistent and convincing world, and then you don’t lose those readers who won’t buy into the wacky, “nobody acts like that” stuff (am referring here only to that nameless manuscript).

  yttar
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 11:23 AM
  @Heather:
  The point of reviews is to give CONSTRUCTIVE feedback to the author and to let others know how you felt about the book but not to belittle the author or their work.

  Being that Dear Author strives to write reviews for readers, I doubt the purpose of the reviews here are for constructive feedback for the author. If the author wanted constructive feedback, they should’ve gotten beta readers before publishing.

  One of the reasons I like reading the reviews at Dear Author is because I know they aren’t concerned about the author’s feelings. Whether they liked the book or not, they try to give as fair a review as they can to help readers determine if the book is for them or not. And, as a reader, I think that’s way more valuable than providing the author with feedback for their published book.

  cleo
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 11:50 AM
  @yttar – ha! I copied the same text and was going to make the same point. Well said.

  Bren
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 12:18 PM
  @Heather: “The point of reviews is to give CONSTRUCTIVE feedback to the author …”

  That’s not the point of a review AT ALL. Reviews are not for authors. Reviews are for readers. Period. The author has already very graciously spoken for herself on this thread. You do NOT need to speak for her and will actually do more harm than good in doing so.

  Nemo
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 12:22 PM
  This sounds a bit like a lot of the animes out there about high school/college. Ouran High School Host Club, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Vampire Knight… There are more I can’t remember. There’s even TVtropes entries about it: Absurdly Powerful Student Council and Elaborate University High. It’s like the author just switched up to college. There’s an entry called “College is High School Part 2” that fits here as well.

  It wasn’t mean enough to link you all to TVtropes, don’t worry.

  Heather
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 12:46 PM
  Again it wasn’t so much the review that bothered me. If you don’t let the author know how you felt (which Jennie did) or what they could’ve done to make it more enjoyable for you (which she didn’t) then how are they going to get better and give you a better experience? I just didn’t see the need for others to bash other works by the author. It just seemed like people were jumping on the band wagon because this book got ths review and someone mentioned another book by her so they just decided to say “oh well this one sucked too” or other comments that really had no relevency to the topic. I agree that its helpful to let others know how you feel about a book, I also agree that you don’t need to sugar coat how you felt about a book to save someones feelings. However I don’t see the point behind being rude. There is brutal honesty and there is honesty, I see no point in being brutal. I know that I LOVE the honesty that yall are giving me but if you were brutal that part would be hard to take. But you also need to go into a review knowing that what the reviewer hates you may end up liking, if you just go by strictly what they say then you could be misssing out on some awesome books. At the same time I am an extremely avid reader (at least 3 books a week)and I enjoy all styles and genres of books including the YA and NA. I go into each book as if its the first book I’ve ever read. I don’t go in comparing it to other books that I have read from the same genre or that I have read in general. I read and enjoyed Elite and I am anxiously awaiting Elect which is the second book. Like I said I don’t compare books and go into the world the author has created. This book, to me, made since in the fact that its fiction its not supposed to be compared to real life. I go jumped straight into the world she created and enjoyed it! The implausibilities in this book and others are what make them enjoyable. I don’t want to read books that only the plausible happen because that would get boring. Everyone would write pretty much the same thing and that would be dull. Implausibilities are what make books and fiction FANTASTIC! I want to thank you all for giving your honest opinions to me and letting me know a little more about this site. I will be checking out other reviews later today to get a better feel for the site.

  cleo
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 12:53 PM
  @Heather: I can see that if you’re not used to this kind of review site, the comments here might seem like author bashing. Since I’m used to snarkier review sites (like Smart Bitches Trashy Books), the comments in this thread seem pretty tame and restrained to me – they certainly don’t seem mean spirited.

  Jane (the founder of this site) recently gave a nice overview of the history of romance review sites and DA’s approach – http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/the-resurrection-of-the-fan-culture-is-there-room-for-both-of-us/

  In it she writes:

  I would never be so presumptuous to assume that my review can provide helpful criticism for an author’s writing. For one, maybe what works for me doesn’t work for 100,000 other readers. Second, the book is already done. How can my views on it provide help to an author? I’m not beta reading. I’m reading at the end of the publication process. My opinion should mean squat to the author.

  Willaful
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 12:59 PM
  @Heather: I understand that a “pile-on” feels uncomfortable, but I disagree that more comments about the author or her books aren’t relevant. Like the review space, the comment space is for readers.

  hapax
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 1:25 PM
  @Heather: You make an extremely passionate case for how you read and what works for you as a reader. Obviously this book worked for you, and your disagreement with the main review is one of the things that make these comment threads valuable.

  Not everyone reads the same way, or gets the same things out of books. (For example, I almost always read the ending of the book after I’m about a quarter way through. Obviously that gives me a different reading experience than the majority who read front-to-back, and I always acknowledge that when it’s relevant.)

  Most of the reviewers here at DA are upfront at what kind of expectations they have of books and what they like and dislike. Most of the reviewers and readers here enjoy comparing books with others by the author and across the genre; that’s another of the things that make these reviews and comments threads valuable.

  And yes, these threads might go off on tangents; recommending similar books by other authors, or other kinds of media, or even ethical or social issues that the books inspire. There’s great value in that, too; as I posted upthread, this discussion has inspired me to pick up a K-drama I was previously hesitant about viewing!

  So keep reading, and commenting, and sharing your different views; that’s what makes DA a blog worth following. Just don’t be alarmed that we all love books differently. That’w what makes it fun!

  Jennie
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 1:30 PM
  @cecilia: Hah – I remember watching The Paper Chase around the same age! I don’t remember if it informed my views of college, though.

  @Evangeline: I tend to agree; I have an acquaintance who has suddenly become an avid reader of a lot of these FSOG knockoffs, and I suspect, though I haven’t asked her, that her newfound enthusiasm for reading began with FSOG. What irritates me (and I fully admit that I have no right/reason to be irritated and that her reading tastes are none of my business) is that every book she reads now is just THE BEST EVER and she laughed, she cried, she’s in love with the hero, etc. etc. Far be it for me to discourage a new avid reader, but the lack of discernment is strange to me. I read a lot of crappy romances when I first started reading romance, but at least I KNEW they were crappy; I just didn’t know how to find what was good.

  Intellectually, I get that different people have different tastes, but viscerally, it’s sort of like how I feel about people who like fish, “Ew, how can you eat that?!”

  Isobel Carr
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 1:40 PM
  This book, to me, made since in the fact that its fiction its not supposed to be compared to real life.

  I’m not even sure how to respond to this, except that I think it NEEDS to be responded to. Fiction is not a free for all excuse to not make sense. In fact, quite the opposite. Whereas in real life, coincidence happens, in fiction, you have to motivate the action. Things can’t happen for no reason. The choices the characters make have to make sense to who they are as written and to the world the author creates. The internal logic of the book has to be cohesive and consistent. If all of these things aren’t true, then you have a book that makes no sense.

  For example, I can make up a world in which there are vampires (which is clearly different from the “real” world), but I have to have rules for them (are they fae race, is it a virus, is it a form of demon possession, etc.), and I have to STICK to those rules. And every change I make from the “real” world has to make sense in my new world. The laws of physics still apply. Or if they don’t, I have to know WHAT the exceptions are and WHY they are. And I can’t go changing the rules two books down the road because I’ve written myself into a corner.

  The beauty of fiction is not the “implausible”, it’s making the implausible believable. And this is true no matter if your implausibility is a duke marrying a shop girl, a vampire falling in love with a werewolf, or a mafia don owning a small, elite university.

  Jennie
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 1:56 PM
  @Heather: Others have touched on the issue of whether reviews are meant to be constructive criticism, and I agree, so I won’t belabor that point, except to say that my reviews are intended to inform and entertain readers, period.

  I actually had been giving some thought to the issue of realism in novels and what my expectations are as I was writing this review. Partly because I don’t understand why the lack of realism doesn’t bother some readers (and clearly it doesn’t; this book has plenty of positive Amazon reviews). Depending on the type of fiction, I have different requirements in terms of how realistic I expect a book to be. Those expectations might be adjusted during the course of the book, based on any number of factors. I was going to say that I probably expect the most realism out of contemporary literary fiction, but then I realized that that’s not exactly the case – a book like “A Confederacy of Dunces” probably qualifies as fairly contemporary lit fic, but it’s not all that realistic, because it has a strong absurdist tinge. A lot of romance has a sort of heightened reality to it; emotions are stronger and people’s characters and actions tend to be less ambiguous than IRL. I expect that sort of unreality. I don’t expect 20-year-old Mafia bosses. If you’re setting a book in a contemporary American university, then I expect it to read like a contemporary American university. Some artistic license is forgiven (and the more I’m drawn into the world the author creates, the less likely I am to even notice small details that might be fairly termed unrealistic), but when people and settings are completely divorced from reality, and there doesn’t appear to be any good reason for it, that is something that affects my enjoyment and appreciation of the story.

  Re bashing: speaking only for myself, as a reviewer, it’s easy to write a straightforward review for a B, B-, C+ or even a C book. For books that fall at the A or F end of the spectrum, it’s more difficult for me to write a review in such a way that doesn’t reveal my enthusiasm or lack thereof for the book. I’m not an automaton. And as I said, part of my job is to entertain the people reading the reviews. I don’t go out of my way to be mean or take potshots or bash, but an F review is going to contain some level of snarkiness. It’s not directed at the author, but the book (though I do understand why some people have trouble separating the two).

  Loosheesh
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 2:10 PM
  “If you don’t let the author know […] what they could’ve done to make it more enjoyable for you (which [Jennie] didn’t) then how are they going to get better and give you a better experience?”

  Setting aside the fact that reviews are meant for readers and not the author, I think the points raised are clear enough that the author has something to take into consideration (if she cares to) for future writing projects. Why is it the reviewer’s job to ‘tell’ the author how to improve her work? Take my hard-earned money, buy the bread, take my time and tell the baker the bread was salty and undercooked, and now you want me to also tell him how to bake the bread so it’s no longer salty and undercooked. Isn’t that a bit much?

  Carolyne
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 2:44 PM
  This book, to me, made since in the fact that its fiction its not supposed to be compared to real life. I go jumped straight into the world she created and enjoyed it! The implausibilities in this book and others are what make them enjoyable. I don’t want to read books that only the plausible happen because that would get boring. Everyone would write pretty much the same thing and that would be dull. Implausibilities are what make books and fiction FANTASTIC!

  I pretty much disagree with the various points Heather states here, in terms of my own tastes and what I think are the best goals of contemporary, non-absurdist/surrealistic fiction (there’s a “but” coming way down the paragraph). There’s a whole lot about real life that I don’t experience day to day that is downright thrilling and wild and amazing to me (and vice versa, I’m sure–if a book had a scene with a couple at the top of the Empire State Building during an earthquake that’d be 100% true-to-life but I bet some people would find it exciting and scary… as long as the couple behave realistically for people at the top of a giant skyscraper during an earthquake in NYC–people behaving realistically =/= people being boring). Or maybe the book is about someone who runs a chocolate shop–I’ve never done that, but there are real people who do, and chocolate all day every day, yum, what a fantasy! Right now I’m in the middle of reading a book about someone who believes he has multiple personalities living in a house in his head, and although it’s plausible, it sure isn’t boring/dull/the same thing everyone else has written. (Set This House In Order by Matt Ruff, which looks to be turning into a romance; I’ll let you know.) But Heather has got me thinking, and I can see how some readers might respond to the way-out, nobody-acts-like-that type of story as a sort of subset of light fantasy–the literal “fantastic”:

  WHAT IF…
  There could be a 20-ish Mafia boss?
  Who lords it over a secret Mafia-kids school?
  Where he falls in love (because reasons) with a girl for a Romeo/Juliet conflict?

  It’s not my sort of fantasy, and not what I want in a contemporary, and I may feel a particular book does it poorly or with inconsistent characters, but I think I “get” the argument.

  CG
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 2:44 PM
  “The point of reviews is to give CONSTRUCTIVE feedback to the author …”

  NO. JUST NO. I’ve seen this sentiment floating around the internet a lot lately, like suspiciously a lot, and the cynical side of me thinks this is a concerted effort by some publishers and authors to subvert the reviewing process and turn it to their own promotional ends.

  From Wikipedia –

  “A book review (or book report) is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit. It is often carried out in periodicals, as school work, or online. Its length may vary from a single paragraph to a substantial essay. Such a review often contains evaluations of the book on the basis of personal taste. Reviewers, in literary periodicals, often use the occasion of a book review for a display of learning or to promulgate their own ideas on the topic of a fiction or non-fiction work. At the other end of the spectrum, some book reviews resemble simple plot summaries.”

  The point of a review is to express an opinion about a product. Period. End of story (har).

  I absolutely think it’s okay to brutally bash a book (but not the author) just as it’s okay to enthusiastically squee about a book, because sometimes the feels are just that immense and they need an outlet. Both happen here at Dear Author, sometimes over the same book by readers who had wildly differing reactions to the text. I was actually waiting for someone who loved this particular book to pop in and share their experience and why it worked for them, because for every person who hated a book, there’s usually someone who loved it and both experiences are valid.

  Jennie
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 3:00 PM
  @Mary: Even in sci-fi/fantasy I expect that characters will act and react in ways that I understand and that make sense to me, or at least that the world is created in such a way that I understand why they might act differently than I’d expect. For instance, if people in a fantasy novel were as capriciously cruel as most of the background characters in Elite, then I’d need some explanation/backstory/world-building that would create a context for that. I’d also need to understand why a character like Monroe is relatively nice in contrast to almost everyone else.

  I actually have trouble sometimes with older, classic novels when the characters act and react in ways that totally don’t make sense to me. This is true sometimes of the Russian novels I’ve read, but is also true of, say, Cathy in Wuthering Heights. Why was she so mean? Why did she toy with Heathcliff if she loved him? She didn’t make sense to me as a character. Does that make Wuthering Heights a bad book? No (maybe). But I definitely would’ve thought it was a better book and would have enjoyed it more if Cathy was recognizable to me as a human being with understandable behavior and motivations.

  Heather
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 4:49 PM
  Ok so I apparently ruffled some feathers by disagreeing and saying that you should give some feedback. My point is that if you find something wrong with the book be it something as big as its implausible and you can’t stand it or if its something a frivilous as the characters name TELL ME! I, as a reader, want to know what could’ve made the book more enjoyable for you. That way if I read it and have the same sentiments we can talk in more detail about it. Jennie I never said anything was wrong with your review it was a great to hear your opinion on this book. All I said was and I quote “If you don’t let the author know how you felt (which Jennie did) or what they could’ve done to make it more enjoyable for you (which she didn’t) then how are they going to get better and give you a better experience?” Why not tell us in your review what could’ve made the book better for you as the reader. You never really told me what you were expecting and what would’ve made it more enjoyable for you.

  @Loosheesh If I were to buy bread straight from the bakery and it was over salty or undercooked I would tell them when I went back in. That way they would know to pay more attention to what is going into their dough. If I’m spending money on something then I am going to state my opinon to someone. Also, I never said “tell her how to write the book” I was saying tell everyone how it would’ve been better for you. I understand that reviews are for readers not solely for the author. But authors do look at reviews, as evidenced by the fact that Rachel Van Dyken responded and told Jennie thanks for the review and for reading her book even if she didn’t enjoy it. Not all authors care what people have to say they just take the money and write something else. But there are authors out there that care what fans, reviewers and even people who don’t like their books have to say. It makes them better authors and helps them produce material you might enjoy later. Just my opinion.

  @Carolyne what I was getting at by saying they would be boring or dull is because if you took the millions of implausible books and all made them plausible situations there really wouldn’t be any new situations to make everything would’ve been covered at some point all you can do when writing at that point is change things a little . There wouldn’t be all these new worlds to discover when reading the implausible. You would discover and learn about new things and be put into new environments with plausible books but the well would dry up and there wouldn’t be anything new to write about. Thats what I was getting at when I said dull/boring.

  Carolyne
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 5:42 PM
  Hi again, Heather.

  You know that phrase about how there are only [insert your number here] plots anyway? Shakespeare already wrote it all. Plus he was copying from some Greeks who also wrote all the plots. Nothing new under the sun in fiction or fantasy. Well, take that as you will. In any case, I think you’re underestimating the ability of authors to tell stories. To have imaginations. I used to read almost nothing but high fantasy and hard SF until right into university years, thinking anything else would be dull because, hey, it’s just real life and I already know everything about real life. A whole new world opened to me when I stepped beyond that. I think Catch-22 was my gateway drug–absurd and yet so real. From there I began to discover all those millions of plausible situations you’ve set aside.

  Your choice to set them aside, but I’m the annoying lady at the banquet table saying “you don’t know what you’re missing” around a mouthful of delicious treats. Nom.

  One thing I get from reading is insight into what makes humans (or other sentient beings) tick. So my minimum requirement is character consistency. Next is a world that plays consistently by its own rules. I’d give the oddest world a chance if it does that. My reading isn’t limited to a dominant Western form of “realism.”

  But to think the “real world” can ever run out of stories? Maybe the other commenters will have suggestions in the Contemporary Romance category that share some elements with Ms. Van Dyken’s stories. My choices in contemporary, non-sff–looking at what happens to be in Kindle at the moment–tend to roam out of Romance. The Secret History, And Then We Came to the End, On The Road, various mysteries, Set This House In Order. Most of the rest is historical romance–and the author had better get the time period right, or what’s the point in travelling with her?

  In any case, thanks for joining in the discussion. I always enjoy disagreeing because it helps me put my own thoughts together. Sometimes I even change my mind. Not this time :)

  Heather
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 5:57 PM
  Hi Carolyne!

  I’m not saying by any means that I don’t enjoy books that are plausible. I do enjoy them tremedously. I was just saying that if there weren’t the implausible out there then it would get dull/boring because there are only so many ways the same story can be retold. I enjoy the twists implausible stories give to the same plot lines i’ve heard before or the twist they give on one I’ve never heard before. I just enjoy reading! It makes me happy and takes me away from my day to day life. I get to go to new places and experience new things. That’s what I love about books, any books! Thank you for discussing your thoughts with me and being so polite :) I love disagreeing with people too in the sense that I look at things from a new perspective and can see where they are coming from. Some times I agree and some times I don’t but I always learn something new regardless. Happy reading! :)

  Mary
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 8:11 PM
  @Jennie:
  Yeah, fantasy and sci-fi need to make sense within their respective worlds. My phrasing was poor; I meant that if Elite was a fantasy novel I would have understood people acting strangely/more cruelly-or if it was a sci-fi I could decide that in the future people do go to tiny colleges that are more like high schools. People should still act like people, but I give more leeway in non-straight contemporary because of worldbuilding. It needs to be good world building, of course, but if it’s not supposed to be a reflection of reality I can handle more implausibilities. For example, in Karen Marie Moning’s Fever books (which I really love), her “hero” (anti-hero? romantic interest of the heroine? I don’t know if Barrons is really a romantic hero?) is often a horrible person. And if she was trying to tell a straight contemporary with him as a character, I wouldn’t buy it. But because he’s supposed to be a super old not quite human character, I buy it.
  This is all probably still really clumsy-this is a difficult issue to talk about. Maybe a better example is Janet Evanovich. I like the early Stephanie Plum novels-not realistic situations, but the characters seem true if a little absurd. They had reasons for their actions. But the later ones the characters almost became stereotypes of themselves acting without reason, and that’s when I gave up on the books.
  I guess-this book would intrigue me more if it had an unrealistic setting but realistic characters? Although I might still be angered, just because the US college system is one that I am very familiar with. I don’t know.
  Anyways this was probably just an unnecessary tangent but I wanted to try and explain myself better. I’m not sure if I did.

  Kaetrin
  SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 @ 11:28 PM
  @Heather I’m curious as to the way you read a book like you’ve never read anything else before.

  I go into each book as if its the first book I’ve ever read. I don’t go in comparing it to other books that I have read from the same genre or that I have read in general.

  I can’t do that myself and I do have expectations for books going in. At base, if I’m reading a romance, I expect a HEA/HFN and if I don’t get it the book is a wallbanger and has not met the requirements of the genre. In a crime thriller I expect the crime to be solved. In a George RR Martin book I expect most of the characters will die (har). I do compare books by the same author and in the same genre – I think as a reviewer, it’s helpful to readers to say “If you liked x then I think you will like y” or “I liked this book better than book z by the same author” because then readers have a context for the review. And, ultimately, a grade only means something when it is compared to something else. How could I judge whether a romance was successful as a romance without knowing and having expectations of the genre beforehand?

  Perhaps I’ve misunderstood your point here? It may be of course that you are just a different kind of reader than I am (which is fine). The kind of reading you do must be very exciting (like, bungee-jumping exciting) but frankly, it fills me with terror.

  Isobel Carr
  SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 @ 10:05 AM
  @Heather:

  Why not tell us in your review what could’ve made the book better for you as the reader. You never really told me what you were expecting and what would’ve made it more enjoyable for you.

  I’m unclear on why anyone should conform to someone else’s requirements for their reviews.

  The review as written makes a pretty good case for what would have made the book more enjoyable for the reviewer (aka the opposite of what was there: plausibility, logic, believable world building, comprehendible character motivations, etc.). The author stopped by, so if she truly wanted to learn from this review, she was given plenty of information to work with (and clearly there was plenty there to allow for reader discussion).

  Jane
  SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 @ 10:33 AM
  My interpretation of Heather’s issues were not in regards to the review, but in the comments. Comments just aren’t reviews. They are often off the cuff remarks or responses to the review itself. I don’t think we can have the same expectation for comments as we do for reviews. At least we don’t have that requirement here at Dear Author.

  Kim T
  SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 @ 2:45 PM
  Even the most implausible situation can be thought plausible due to the author’s care in writing and creating a story. As a reader, I’ll believe anything as long as it is logical and I understand the world. That includes contemporary despite “knowing” the world. Romance is full of contemporary implausible situations that are made believable by the author. In Elite (which I haven’t read and don’t plan to ’cause the characters sound horrible eitehr way), for Jennie, the implausible made no sense–it wasn’t grounded in enough reality for her to accept a 20 year old-ish Mafia boss in college. Could that scenario work? Sure. I could buy that if it made sense. It doesn’t seem like it makes sense. An author’s job is to make the plausible and implausible make sense. Now, the mileage on that varies for each reader – something authors struggle with all the time. That’s why we have as many books and authors as we have readers.

  V
  SEPTEMBER 14, 2013 @ 9:18 AM
  ELITE sounds A LOT like the Japanese manga-series-turned-television show in multiple Asian countries(Japan/Taiwan/South Korea) called Hana Yori Dango [Boys Over Flowers]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boys_Over_Flowers

  – The girl getting a scholarship in a very expensive school
  – The F4 or the Elite in the group
  – The arrogant hero

  Even the egg-pelting was there. Hmm.

  Trackbacks

  Rachel Van Dyken On Doing Historical Research For Books And Critical Reviews | LitJuice says:
  October 26, 2013 at 7:22 pm

  […] should every writer know about writer’s […]

  RECENT COMMENTS

  cleo on REVIEW: Ilegal Contact (The Barrons, #1) by Santino HassellI think you liked this a little more than I did, although I ...
  Kareni on REVIEW: Ilegal Contact (The Barrons, #1) by Santino Hassell@Sirius: I shall.
  Janine on DAILY DEALS: Mary Stewart and flawed characters@MaryK: Thanks! I'll keep Nine Coaches Waiting in mind.
  Janine on DAILY DEALS: Mary Stewart and flawed charactersI just went back and read through all the comments on our Ma...
  MaryK on DAILY DEALS: Mary Stewart and flawed characters@Janine: A recommendation for a first Mary Stewart book? Tha...
  TWEETS

  HELP DA OUT

  If you want to help DA out and you shop at one of these sites, you can use this link.

  to give a percentage of your purchases back to DA (usually around 7%):

  If you do use these, great. If not, that is fine too.

  Check out the almost daily posting of deals.
  COPYRIGHT

  © Dear Author Media Network, LLC. This basically means you shouldn't copy our content without permission. We are very liberal with our permission. Just ask us!
  FTC DISCLAIMER

  We do not purchase all the books we review here. Some we receive from the authors, some we receive from the publisher, and some we receive through a third party service like Net Galley. Some books we purchase ourselves. Login
  HOME

  COMMENTING POLICY

  SUBMIT FOR REVIEW

• Aesta's Book Blog
  http://aestasbookblog.com/ruin-by-rachel-van-dyken/
  Word count: 2151

  ABOUT
  About Me
  How I rate books…
  Why I Don’t Run Ads…
  Subscribe to this blog

  REVIEWS
  All Reviews A-Z
  10 STARS (only one series)
  6 STARS (above & beyond)
  5 STARS (loved)
  4.5 STARS (really liked)
  4 STARS (liked)
  Why only 4 stars and above?

  LISTS
  215 Lists by Category
  Kristen Ashley Series
  Paranormal Romance

  RECOMMENDATIONS
  Best Books of 2017 (so far)
  Best Books of 2016
  Best Books of 2015
  Best Books of 2014
  Best Books of 2013
  Best Books of 2012
  215 Book Lists by Category
  Kristen Ashley Series Reading Orders
  My Bookshelf Tour 2014
  General Recommendations

  SHORTCUTS
  Book Sales
  Upcoming Releases
  Latest New Releases
  All Reviews A-Z
  Aestas BookDB (Database)
  Best Books of the Year

  STORE

  REQUESTS
  Romance book reviews. Reviews of books that make my heart race, have a beautiful love story, and a happy ending.
  Aestas Book Database
  HOME
  ALL REVIEWS
  TOP FAVORITES
  LATEST NEW RELEASES
  LATEST SALES
  UPCOMING RELEASES
  BOOKWORM STORE
  REVIEW REQUESTS
  GIVEAWAYS
  SUBSCRIBE
  ABOUT
  LATEST REVIEWS

  Latest Reviews
  NEW RELEASES

  New ReleasesNew Releases
  CURRENT SALES

  $0.99 Sales$0.99 Sales
  UPCOMING BOOKS

  Upcoming BooksUpcoming Books
  TOP FAVORITES

  Top FavoritesTop Favorites
  GIVEAWAYS

  Giveaways
  4768 BOOKS
  223 LISTS
  ENTER THE AESTAS BOOK DATABASE
  962 AUTHORS
  953 SERIES
  Book Review – Ruin by Rachel Van Dyken
  BOOK REVIEW – RUIN BY RACHEL VAN DYKEN
  August 17, 2013 by Aestas · 12 Comments

  “I can tell you have a good heart… because the minute I met you, I wanted to fight for it.”
  Buy RUIN (Kindle)
  Buy RUIN (Paperback)
  4.5 stars
  Ruin made me laugh, cry and swoon. If you want a book that will both leave you uplifted and make you smile while still having a lot of emotional depth, then pick this one up and fall in love with Wes Michels. But bring tissues! It’s a tearjerker!
  This is the story of a sweet, innocent, small-town girl, lost in hurt and reeling from a tragic loss, and a cocky but charming boy, who understood her pain and could reach through to her because he too had deep painful secrets that made him value every moment of life.
  This book is really hard to describe without spoilers so I’m going to stay very vague about it and say only this: you find something out about the hero very early on and yes, your suspicions are going to be right. Just hold on to the fact that there’s a HEA and you’ll get through it just fine. It’s totally worth the journey.
  Despite the fact that the emotional undercurrents of this story are quite heartbreaking, the majority of the book made me laugh and smile and just feel good. I’ll give you an example that’s close to the beginning of the book. This is their first meeting:
  “I turned around… and ran smack dab into a tree.
  Or at least it felt like a tree.
  But trees weren’t warm.
  And they didn’t have one, two, three, four, six, Good Lord, eight? Eight packs? Furthermore, had I actually been feeling said person’s eight pack? And, dear God, I was counting. I had touched each muscle. And great, my hand was still firmly placed against the guy’s stomach.
  I jerked my hand back and closed my eyes.
  “Were you just counting my abs?”
  Wes was the kind of hero who it was impossible not to fall in love with. What a total sweetheart! He had a wisdom that came out of surviving painful heartbreak, and a protective caring side that just made me swoon for pages on end. I’m smiling here just thinking about him. The things he said melted my heart over and over again.
  “I can tell you have a good heart… because the minute I met you, I wanted to fight for it.”
  She was silent.
  “That’s how you can tell when someone has a good heart… when you want to be the one to make it beat.”
  Kiersten was a little more ‘innocent’ than I’d usually like but at the same time, she didn’t let anyone walk all over her and certainly wasn’t stupid and so given her history, I could understand where she was coming from. She was hiding a lot of pain though behind her smiles and Wes was just the right kind of guy to help her through it.
  “Open.” He nipped at the corner of my mouth. “I won’t hurt you.”
  “I don’t bite.”
  “But you do lick.”
  “Always.”
  The writing was awesome! Their banter back and forth was just gold! Fast, snappy, fun, flirty. But it was their deeper connection that really made me care. He chased away her nightmares, made her smile again and taught her to live.
  “My new job description is making you laugh and chasing away the bad dreams.”
  “Just because you need help to cope doesn’t make you any less strong. The truly weak people in this life are the ones who can’t admit they need help. They’re the ones who can’t admit that they can no longer go at it alone. Those are the people who are weak. By asking for help, by taking help, you’ve just admitted your weakness and in that, you find your strength. The weak of the world are those who think they’ve got it all figured out and flaunt it to others.”
  Now because of the ‘situation’, Wes refused to let her fall in love with him at first. But at the same time, couldn’t stay away.
  “I was keeping something epic from her, which sort of made me the villain in this tale. But damn, I wanted to be the hero.”
  The side characters in this book were equally wonderful. I loooooved Gabe! He was kind of a protective big brother character to Kiersten and the way he mother henned her was endearing and totally hilarious! I really hope he gets his own book! I’d love to see him in the hero role!
  The ending kind of snuck up on me. It wasn’t a ‘surprise’ per say because we knew what was going on from very early on in the book but I guess I was so caught up with them falling in love that it just hit me in the face a little and I read the last 20% of the book quite choked up. And, this might sound weird though but I didn’t cry until a certain reveal very close to the end but when I read it, just BAM. Tears. Full body shivers. It was such a beautiful little twist. I loved it.
  The book leaves you with a wonderful message to appreciate every moment of life. It’s an uplifting ending. One that gives you hope.
  “I want all of [your heart], even the broken pieces, the shredded ones that no longer fit. I want all of them – all of you. I need it all.”
  This really is a very swoony book. Almost no angst, and no stupidity or eye-roll inducing moments. There were times when I found it a little too ‘perfect’ but at the same time, with all the gritty and ‘real’ books I’ve been reading lately, this was exactly what I wanted. I think the point of it was to be uplifting. Miracles do happen. And sometimes, you do get a second chance.
  I loved Ruin and would definitely recommend it.
  This is a standalone romance with a HEA (and epilogue).
  4.5 stars.
  Buy RUIN (Kindle)
  Buy RUIN (Paperback)
  Casting
  Wes & Kiersten

  ruin promo1
  Filed Under: Reviews, Uncategorized Tagged With: 4.5 starsSHARE POST:Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestShare on Google+Email to someone
  COMMENTS
  Dominika says

  August 18, 2013 at 5:31 am

  Something you definitely should read: “Every which way” and “Breaking the wrong” by Calia Read. I’m sure you will love it!!!

  Reply
  Aestas says

  August 18, 2013 at 1:46 pm

  Thanks for the recs, Dominika 🙂

  Reply
  Toni @ My Book Addiction says

  August 18, 2013 at 2:34 pm

  My finger has been hovering over the one-click button on this one all weekend. Awesome review 🙂

  Toni @ My Book Addiction

  Reply
  Aestas says

  August 18, 2013 at 4:43 pm

  Thank you! I hope you enjoy it too 🙂

  Reply
  Christina G says

  August 18, 2013 at 3:23 pm

  Excellent review! Thanks for including the bit about the uncle. I had been thinking I’d one-click it later when I got my TBR list a little more under control. That changed my mind and I bought it now. God bless and comfort the Van Dyken family!

  Reply
  Aestas says

  August 18, 2013 at 4:45 pm

  Thanks, Christina 🙂

  And you’re welcome <3 Reply Paloma C says August 22, 2013 at 3:17 pm hmmm I’ve heard mixed things about this one Reply shannon says August 26, 2013 at 5:42 pm I really likes this one and needed after the last couple of books I read…it doesn’t have a lot of angst or cheating or blaming which I sometimes like but need to be in the mood for….BUT I really loved it and couldn’t put it down…Wes is my new Book Boyfriend- he has such great words of wisdom and Kiersten wasn’t a whiny annoying girl- she had a heart of gold and was a smarkass to boot (which I always love)! thanks Rachel for a great read- I just wish there was more…maybe another one focused on not only Wes and Kiersten and how they are doing but but maybe a HEA for Gabe- he was perfect and thank you for not making it a love triangle- those get my blood boiling (even though I sometimes don’t mind them….) If you liked Edge of Never this one is similar but with a story all their own… Reply SMK says September 4, 2013 at 3:25 pm I read this book on your recommendation and absolutely loved it! I think it was one of the best books I’ve read this year. Thanks! I also just read that Rachel Van Dyken will be writing a book for Gabe called Toxic and one for Lisa called Shame…no release dates as of yet! Reply Kara Jimenez says September 9, 2013 at 1:01 pm I just finished this book and thought it was a sweet read. Maybe a little too sweet- I thought it could be sexed up a bit 🙂 I also found it a little hard to believe at times. But that said, it was a very enjoyable read and I cried all over my iPhone while reading it. Reply Marla Magill Hammond says September 16, 2013 at 5:58 pm This book was fantastic!! LOVED IT!!! Reply Odette says April 6, 2016 at 7:45 am I just read this book and loved Wes and Kiersten story. I loved their playful banter. It’s honest and funny. I loved their “no hesitation” conversations. I loved the entire book until it ended. What happened to the prologue? It didn’t come-up. Now I’m racking my brain to see if I missed something. And I’ve also read reviews but nothing came-up. What it just me? Or it lacked explaning that? I need help desperately. I loved the book. I don’t deny it. But I just didn’t get that one part and it’s annoying the heck out of me. Aestas! Help needed here. Reply LEAVE A COMMENT Comment Name * Email * Website POST COMMENT SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG Copyright © 2017 · Aestas Book Blog THIS BLOG OFFERS… Books that make my heart race, have a beautiful love story and a happy ending ♡ SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL Keep up to date with all the latest book reviews, releases, giveaways and news! Enter your email… SUBSCRIBE LATEST TOP FAVORITES BEST OF THE YEAR RECENT REVIEWS BOOKWORM STORE ROMANCE BOOK LISTS BOOK EVENT RECAPS MY #1 FAVORITES OFFICIAL FIFTY MEMBER LOGIN Register Log in Entries RSS Comments RSS WordPress.org GRAB MY BUTTON Aestas Book Blog

  

Word Count