You
Before Anyone Else
by Julie Cross and Mark Perini
Releasing
August 2nd 2016
Sourcebooks Fire
Sourcebooks Fire
Bestselling author Julie Cross teams
up with international model Mark Perini to create You Before Anyone Else, a poignant and authentic contemporary YA
novel and companion to Halfway Perfect
From The Book Junkie Reads . . . You Before Anyone Else. . .
The dual POV leads to having a deeper insight to each of the main characters but also dragged things out longer. It took longer to do, say, describe things that were going on. This gave more of a deep picture into what was going on with each of them and their perspective of things. New love, new connection, new friendship allowed for things to grow to young love for these to young adult becoming new adults.
I had my moments of pure joy and connection with both Finley and Eddie. Then there were the times that I wanted to step back and find out what the heck. Why? These things kept me engaged and reading onward.
**This ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
BlurbThe supportive friend, the reliable daughter, the doting big sister: Finley is used to being the glue that holds everyone together. But while her sweet demeanor makes her the perfect confidant, her wholesome look isn’t landing her the high-paying modeling jobs, which are what Finley needs if she is going to reopen her mother’s dance studio.
Enter Eddie. He’s intense and driven, not to mention
the life of every party, and he completely charms Finley. The last thing she
wants is another commitment to stand in the way of her dreams, but when she’s
with Eddie, their chemistry takes over and she can let go of her
responsibilities and just be. After all, what’s so wrong about putting herself
first once in a while?
Except Eddie is hiding a secret. A big secret. And
when it surfaces, he and Finley are going to have to choose between their love
for each other and everything else…
Goodreads
Link:
Pre-Buy Links:
Pre-Buy Links:
“What are you so
afraid of?” Summer asks.
I take a sip of the
beer Dima brought me a few minutes ago. “Oh, I don’t know, addiction, overdose,
puking on some innocent victim’s shoes, random drug testing by the agency…”
Summer laughs. “Drug
testing on models? Yeah, that’ll be the day.”
Okay, so maybe I just
don’t want to do it. Even if I should be in my so-called experimental phase.
I wouldn’t exactly
label myself a rule follower, but I guess I’m just cautious. I haven’t always
been this way. Not that I’ve done drugs, but before high school, I was all
about ballet. Let’s just say I had a rep for being the sassy troublemaker. My
mom being my ballet teacher may have had something to do with my behavior. My
fingers immediately move to the cross dangling from my neck—I’ve only removed
it a couple times over the last four years. Somehow, it’s always warmer than my
hands.
I debate texting my
dad to ask him if he’s done coke or molly. He’d probably tell me. But I
wouldn’t want to freak him out. Seems like a conversation better reserved for a
weekend visit instead of late on a Friday night when I could be too far gone to
help, for all he knows.
I glance around the room and finally spot someone I know: my friend
Alex and his girlfriend Eve. Alex and I did a big Calvin Klein shoot last year,
and Eve was the photographer’s assistant. Actually, Eve used to be a model too,
another preteen/teen phenom like Elana, who headlined that CK shoot along with
Alex. My part had been fairly small, and still, that was my biggest job ever.
“Have you met Alex?”
Summer shrugs, grabs
two more shots of vodka, and hands me one. “Like I would remember.”
I down the shot
quickly and prepare to talk to Alex and Eve. Maybe they’ve done drugs and can
advise me. But my buzzing phone distracts me. I pull it out of my purse and
glance at the new text.
JASON: Yeah, it’s so weird
to be home again. But I missed it.
My stomach
flip-flops. He replied to my text. Hours later, but still…this could mean—
“Oh lord, you’re
pathetic.” Summer is leaned toward me, reading over my shoulder. “That’s
probably enough for you to live off of for another six months or so, right?”
I glare at her and
shove the phone back into my purse.
“No comeback? Wonder
why…” She pretends to be in deep thought. “He said he missed it. Not
you. Cut the fucking cord already. It’s not healthy.”
If only it were that
easy. When you’re in a relationship with someone for four years, you get so
comfortable with that person. It’s daunting to start all over again.
I make my way across
the room to see Alex and Eve, who are leaning against the back of the couch,
more absorbed in each other than anything else.
“I heard Elana’s back
from France?” Alex asks me, keeping his voice low.
“Yep, her and her
mom. I think her mom is driving her crazy, but that’s to be expected. French
Mama is driving me crazy too.”
They both laugh at
the mention of French Mama, but I can’t take credit for that title. Summer made
it up.
“I can’t believe her
parents let her come back to New York,” Eve says.
Alex smiles at her.
“You’re just upset that they’re here and not in France where we can hit them up
for lodging.”
My gaze travels back
and forth between the two of them. “You guys are going to France? Are you going
for Fashion Week?”
Eve shakes her head.
“Nope. I did the Prada shoot, and I’m done for good. Got tuition for next year
covered.”
Even though Eve had
supposedly quit modeling a few years ago, she pulled a one-last-job stunt last
spring to cover her tuition at Columbia. She’s a photography student with a lot
of experience under her belt.
“We’re doing the
cheap travel, backpacking in Europe but without actual backpacks thing,” Alex
explains.
Across the room,
another beer pong player is being requested. This could possibly be the most
adventurous thing I’m willing to do here. I turn to Alex and Eve again. “Well,
good luck in Europe. I’m gonna go play beer pong.”
“Hey.” I grab Dima’s
shirt sleeve. “You need another player?”
He looks me over,
deliberating. “Sure. Be the new guy’s partner.”
“The new guy?” I
glance around. What does that even mean? New to the party, like he just walked
in? I’ve been here fifteen minutes.
“He’s new to the
agency,” Dima says. “First casting, and he books some big job.”
“So we hate him then,
right?” I joke. I turn around to head toward the game table and run right into
a guy about my age with wild, dark curly hair and designer jeans.
“This guy,” Dima says
to me and then turns to the new guy. “Got you a partner. Finley. She lives in
the agency apartment downstairs.”
They exchange a look
that says I’ve been mentioned before. I’m not liking that too much, but
usually, I don’t come to these parties. Instead, I bang on the door at two in
the morning to tell them to
stop thumping around like elephants.
Maybe I got a bad rep.
While we wait for
Dima to find a partner, I snatch two beers from a nearby cooler and offer one
up to New Guy. “So, Dima said you’re new, but he didn’t say where you’re from.”
“Uh…the Midwest.”
“The Midwest.” Okay.
Someone doesn’t want to get personal. “Like Wisconsin or like Chicago?”
“Chicago…well, not in
Chicago, but around it, you know?” he says.
“Right.” I pop open
my can and take a drink. “What’s your name? I’m sorry, I don’t think Dima said…”
“Eddie.” He lifts his
gaze again. “Eddie Wells. And you’re Finley Belton, the girl who lives
downstairs.”
Summer breezes past
me but stops when she spots me holding the beer pong ball. “Beer pong? Oh, you
wild animal…grrrr.” She holds up her tiger paws and growls at me.
I give her the finger
and then turn back to Eddie. “I’m one of the girls who live downstairs.”
“One is too bitchy,
one is too underage, and one is nice,” he recites, most likely quoting Dima.
This is exactly what
I’m trying to escape tonight. “Dima called me the baby bear?” I’m secretly
hoping he catches my reference to Goldilocks.
“No,” Eddie says. “He
called you Finley Belton, but I added the nice part, because you brought me a
beer. And it is just right, not to mention you’re talking to me instead of
staring and whispering to other people about me.”
Points for his fairy
tale knowledge, and I’m sure the whispering is the result of whatever big job
he’s landed. Too many models at this party.
Eve tries to be
Dima’s partner, but he refuses and tells Alex to play with him. Eve opens her
mouth to protest, but Dima holds up a hand. “Don’t even. I know your type.
You’ll engineer some fancy trick shots. No Ivy League players showing me up. I
got a rep to protect.”
“Fine,” Eve snaps.
“I’ll just stand here and look pretty. And I’m definitely rooting for Fin and…”
She gestures toward the new guy.
“Eddie,” I fill in
for her. “Eddie from Chicago.”
“Eddie from Chicago,”
Eve repeats. “Good luck.”
Summer returns and
stands beside Eve, both leaning against the back of the love seat.
“Fin makes a great
partner,” Summer says to Eddie. “She knits. Lots of finger dexterity.”
I shoot her a glare
and will my face not to heat up. So not cool.
Buy Links:
Author Info
Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press).
She’s also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!
Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA.
She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.
Outside of her reading and writing credibility’s, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.
Author Links:
Author Info
Mark Perini is a New York City based author debuting
his first YA novel, Halfway Perfect. Additionally, Mark is a featured author in
the NA anthology, Fifty First Times.
Mark began his career as
an international fashion model when he was 18 years old, while simultaneously
obtaining a business degree from Seton Hall University. He has a passion for
traveling the world, and he’s made a blood pact with friends to see all seven
ancient wonders of the world before he’s thirty. Four down three to go.
Author Links:
Julie
Cross and Mark Perini, along with Tasty Book Tours, are celebrating those who have taken the steps
to Break the Mold on society’s expectations, like Finley, the heroine from YOU
BEFORE ANYONE ELSE! We are looking for
anyone who would like to share their story and be entered to win a 2017 Erin
Condren Life Planner!
Head
over to fb.me/TastyBookTours and leave a comment with your story. Feel free to share picture of your journey
and use #breakingthemold at the end of your comment!
Entries
must be in by 11:59pm, Aug 15th, 2016. No purchase necessary to enter. If under 12 years old, you must have approval
by a guardian to enter.
PRESENTED BY
No comments:
Post a Comment