Welcome to my stop on the Kiss Me (The Keatyn Chronicles Blog Tour! The tour is being hosted by AToMR Tours; you can
find the complete tour schedule here. My stop includes reviews of Stalk Me and Kiss Me (The Keatyn Chronicles 1 & 2)
and a tour giveaway.
Series: The Keatyn Chronicles #1
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Publisher: Bandit Publishing
Publication Date: 9/1/12
Format: ebook
Source: Received from author for review.
Gossip girl meets Hollywood in this new series by That Boy author, Jillian Dodd.
Keatyn has everything she ever dreamed of. Her life is following the script she wrote for the perfect high school experience. She’s popular, goes to the best parties, dates the hottest guy, and sits at the most coveted lunch table.
She’s just not sure she wants it anymore.
Because really, things aren’t all that perfect. Her best friend is threatening to tell everyone her perfect relationship is a scam. Her perfect boyfriend gets drunk at every party they go to. It’s exhausting always trying to look and act perfect. And deep down, she isn’t sure if she has any true friends.
To add to the drama, her movie star mom’s long-time fan has turned stalker. An older man is flirting with her and telling her they should make a movie together. And she’s crushing on an adorable surfer. Dating a guy like him would mean committing social suicide.
So she writes a new script. One where all the pieces of her life will come together in perfect harmony. But little does she know, there’s someone who will do anything to make sure that doesn’t happen.
When I started reading Stalk Me, I was told that this book and series is a total guilty pleasure. They were right. Stalk Me was...completely crazy, and a lot of fun. The blurb describes it as Gossip Girl-meets-Hollywood and that is very accurate. I would also add in that the story includes a hefty helping of Mean Girls, too.
Did I like Stalk Me? Yes, I did and I'm a little surprised because the main character, Keatyn is boy-crazed, appearance-obsessed, and more than a little flighty. I could compare her to Cher in Clueless. [ FYI: If you do not know this movie I want you to go away right now.] Keatyn is a girl of privilege, and she leads a life that ninety-nine percent of us could never relate to. I'm talking about a sixteen year-old who parties like a rockstar, drinking, surfing, and kissing her way around the world. She seems to have Hot Boy ADD, going back-and-forth between the two to three guys she claims to love. I'm going to just chalk the insanity up to her age and the Hollywood lifestyle. Like I said, total guilty pleasure.
Stalk Me was fun, with all of the partying, kissing, and social scene shenanigans. I will say that if you don't like characters who make mistakes, sometimes act like jerks, and lead a completely insane lifestyle, then I'm not sure you will enjoy the book. It is exactly like watching a CW show. If you're looking for characters whose lives resemble yours, you won't find it here.
BUT, The story is totally fun, and cute, and charming. Despite the fact Keatyn leads a crazy extravagant lifestyle, she is essentially a girl who wants to be liked for who she is, not for who her family is. She wants to be accepted, liked, and she wants a boy to fall in love with her for all the right reasons. And really, who can't relate to that.
Favorite Quote:
He sighs and runs his hands through his hair. "You've lived a different life than most girls, Keats. You've been so many places, but yet you've been pretty sheltered. You seem to see your life like a movie; which part should I play today? Should I be the sweet girl? The butt-kicking soccer player? The polished, mature, well-traveled girl? The chill surfer girl? We all play different roles. It's part of figuring out who we really are." ~59%
Series: The Keatyn Chronicles #2
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Publisher: Bandit Publishing
Publication Date: 11/28/12
Format: eARC
Source: Received from author for review.
I've always written scripts for my perfect life.
But no way could I have ever scripted this.
My life is so far from perfect, it’s not even funny.
All because of a stalker.
I’m at a boarding school where I have to lie about who I am.
I can’t see my family.
I’m tutoring a Hottie God that tortures me with his smile.
The most popular girl already hates me.
But there’s this boy.
This hot, sweet, sexy boy.
So I’m going to stop trying to script my life and just live it.
Because who knows how long I have left
And so the insanity that is Keatyn's life continues. Sent to a boarding school to protect herself and her family from a crazed stalker, Keatyn just wants to fit in. Lead a normal life. But it's hard to blend in when every single guy in your school wants you. When the most popular girl in your school hates you. But Keatyn is a hard girl to keep down, and she intends to live her life the way she wants.
Kiss Me was a fun sequel to Stalk Me. I really like books set in boarding schools, especially co-ed schools, and this was no exception. The life these kids lead, I just can't even relate to on any level, but it's still fun to read about. When they talked about their mega expensive cars, clothes, homes, or the fact that they are able to obtain alcohol at any time without trouble, I have to remind myself that this is just fiction. These kids lead lives like those on television. Guilty pleasure.
Though I like the story and that it was set at boarding school, I don't feel like a lot happened in this installment of The Keatyn Chronicles. Keatyn is basically laying low, hiding from her stalker. Except for the times she runs off on an adventure, against everyone's wishes. And my gosh, her parents are just ridiculous! But still, even though I don't feel a lot happened plot-wise, there was a nice change in Keatyn's character. When she came to school, Keatyn was a girl who kisses every single guy she knows, declares her love every other day, and is just boy crazy. She made nice strides towards slowing down and just relaxing, letting things develop naturally. So I did like that.
It's hard for me to describe my feelings about Kiss Me. I liked it, I really did. I will say that I would only recommend this for very mature teens. There are a lot of scenes with drinking and smoking pot. And there are a lot of sexual situations. Scenes that I would say are physically responsible, if not emotionally. And I would take the story and series for what it is, a simply fun story.
Favorite Quote:
I just want to go to school, make some friends, and try not to get killed in the process.
Is that so much to ask for? ~29%
The Keatyn Chronicles Series
Click on cover
for GoodReads page
Purchase Stalk Me and Kiss Me at:
About the author:
Jillian
is the author of the That Boy series and The Keatyn Chronicles. She grew up on a
farm in Nebraska, where she developed a love for Midwestern boys and Nebraska
football. She lives in Texas with her family.
Haha, I had a laugh when you said for anyone who doesn't know Clueless to go away - but then I thought you must be right, so many younger kids probably have never seen it - how sad!
ReplyDeleteThese books sound like fun little reads!
Ahhh Clueless that is a fabulous movie! I have heard so much about these books but I have never picked them up. Probably for all the reasons you mentioned. I cant watch the shows on the CW anymore because the drama is just too much. Although in HS I absolutely loved them. Glad you were able to enjoy these books. Fab review!
ReplyDeleteAh, you're making me feel old, Andrea, but you're right...young people these days probably DON'T know Clueless like we do. :) I have to admit, the covers for these books are a real turn-off, but the story itself sounds fun. I like how you compare the books to a CW show. That is probably a pretty perfect analogy. :D
ReplyDeleteThis really sounds like a fun series to read. I love that you said if you don't know about Clueless to go away!! I absolutely love that movie!! Haha!! Anyways, even though normally I get annoyed by rich entitled types in books this actually sounds like a series I would enjoy.
ReplyDeleteReally love this series and can't wait for the next book to come out! Thank you the the great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating in the book tour and for the reviews!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good. I've been debating on if it's for me or not but I think I'll have to at least try book one and see what I think.
ReplyDeleteLove the reviews and especially the quotes!
Great reviews lover. This series is fun to read. Keatyn drove me nuts in the first book, but I liked her a bit more in the second. I'll be continuing on with the series, but I am a fan of silly CW shows, etc. I LOVED your Clueless reference and Hot Boy ADD. I LOL'd. Very accurate.
ReplyDeleteGreat reviews. I absolutely love this series. Normally, I don't like the type of girl who goes from boy to boy, but it just works with this story and with Keatyn. I just love her. You are completely right, this is a fun story and should be taken as such. I cannot wait to see what happens in Date Me.
ReplyDeleteHaha!! Love your Clueless reference. :) This sounds like a fun read. Sometimes jerky girls can be very entertaining to read about. LOL :)
ReplyDeleteI love books that are pure guilty pleasure even if they aren't realistic and just plain fun. I have heard good things about this series and I think I would really enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for Date Me to get more of Keats and her boys!! I really loved Dawson, but Aiden and grew on me too!!
ReplyDeleteYou know why I love visiting your blog, and your reviews? It's because I love when you throw it down--> Clueless ROCKED!! I LOVED that freakin movie-HARD! So when you tell it like it is --GO AWAY--I <3 u even more!!
ReplyDeleteOkay, living where I do and with the experience I have I'm pretty resistant to stories set in Hollywood. BUT YOU HAD TO GO AND DROP A CLUELESS REFERENCE.
ReplyDelete!!! I heart that movie so much! I may have to look into this series after all. Nothing wrong with a guilty pleasure. ;)
Wendy @ The Midnight Garden
You made me giggle at the Clueless reference. The model on the front reminds me of my Barbie doll when i was seven..no lie.
ReplyDeleteI love Guilty Pleasure types! That's how I felt about GG when it was on TV and when I started "The Ivy" series. My life is NO way near the upper east side way of living so I love being able to jump into a book and follow characters who fall into crazy clothes, friends and boys drama. Or pretty much any "rich" problems. Haha. Great review!
ReplyDeleteReally want to get to this one. Looks good.
ReplyDeleteOn my to read list •••• sounds great! メοメο (˘❥˘)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great series! Clueless--LOVE IT. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHaHaHa...great reference to Cher! :D I can totally picture Keatyn now. I actually have these books in my TBR but haven't gotten to them yet. Yours is the first reviews I've read for them and although the books are fun, I don't know if I'll pick them up right away but maybe in the near future. And I LOVE CW, so who knows, maybe I'll like them too! lol ;p Glad you enjoyed these books, Andrea. Fabulous reviews! :D
ReplyDelete~ Maida
Literary Love Affair
I think this series sounds amazing and I cannot wait to dive in! Crossing fingers :)
ReplyDeleteJolene A