Thursday, May 18, 2017

"The Upside of Regret" by T. K. Rapp

REVIEW and GIVEAWAY
The Upside of Regret
(Aimless Perfection Book 1)
by T. K. Rapp


The Upside of Regret by T. K. Rapp is currently on tour with Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours. The tour stops here today for my review, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.


Description
Brighton and Leah have been the best of friends since seventh grade. Where Brighton is the quiet one who is focused on school, Leah is the bold and daring one who craves the adoration of an audience. It’s always worked for them, until now.
Heading into their senior year, Brighton is challenged with an opportunity that can change the course of her future. The only problem? She just might have to step out of her best friend’s shadow.
But when Leah doesn’t support the choices she makes, Brighton is forced to reevaluate what true friendship is.
Brighton is changing and exciting doors are opening. A new world of music, friends, and even love are falling at her feet. But it’s hard to enjoy it when Leah’s life is spiraling out of control.
Now Brighton must try to not only save her friendship, but also her friend, before it’s too late.


Excerpt
I don’t know how long we stood there in silence, but I was grateful that the screaming in my head quieted. He ran a soothing hand down my back and I held onto him tighter than I remembered holding anyone else. When he finally released me from his arms, I was gripping the hem of his shirt so tightly my knuckles were turning white. I felt frozen in place, staring at the pattern of his plaid flannel shirt.
When did Matt start wearing flannel? It’s still too warm for flannel.
I rubbed the fabric between my finger and thumb as I studied it.
I don’t think this is flannel. Why can’t I think about anything else but this flannel?
“Brighton,” he said softly, like he was talking to a wounded animal.
“Hm?” I answered, still touching the material.
He dipped down, forcing me to release my hold of his shirt, and my eyes finally met his.
Please kiss me.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]



Praise for the Book
"This book will leave you wanting more. I wanted to know more about Brighton, Leah and all the others. I felt like it ended without the closure I wanted. I also think it glossed over stuff at the end. But I think I read somewhere that there will be a book two!!! So maybe all my answers will be given! Your heart will break for these girls. You'll want to jump in the book and hug them both tight. And it'll make you hug your babies tight and talk with them. This is another good YA read by TK Rapp! If you enjoyed this book you'll definitely want to check out Finding Laila by TK Rapp!!" ~ Heather C.


My Review


By Lynda Dickson
Brighton and Leah are best friends and opposites in so many ways, but "no matter our differences, we respected each other and went out of our way to be there when we were needed most." But, in their senior year of high school, things start to change, and the girls drift apart.
The author has the knack of writing very natural dialogue. She is also very adept at depicting the complexities of different relationships. I especially love Brighton's relationship with her mother. But, while the writing is good, it does tend to be a bit repetitive. This book is an exploration of friendship, love, and loyalty told from Brighton's point-of-view. I look forward to reading the next installment, which will be from Leah's viewpoint.
Warnings: drug use, mental health issues, domestic violence, sexual references, sexual assault (not graphic).


Some of My Favorite Lines
"Leah wasn’t great with words, and the verbal vomit could land on anyone if she was especially angry."
"Leah was not prepared for a truth bomb and I didn’t know how to detonate one without hurting her."
"He was beginning to have a knack for helping me do the things I needed to do but didn’t want to do."
"It was times like that when I wished I could make Leah understand that sometimes the way she said—or didn’t say—things could ruin a moment."
"It was in that moment that I realized he was probably a better friend to me than Leah, and it broke my heart."
"And that was the moment I realized that I’d officially lost my best friend…and my heart broke."
"The thing is, when someone has been an integral part of your life for so long, it’s really hard to pretend that their absence isn’t felt."
"How do you let go of someone who’s already gone?"
"My heart broke into a million pieces right then, because I realized that my Leah was broken more than I wanted to believe."


About the Author
T. K. Rapp is an author living in Houston, Texas, with her husband and two daughters.
Prior to writing, she spent over ten years as a photographer and photo editor, specializing in wedding album design. She left photography to pursue her dream of writing a story and it was in 2013, she self-published her first novel, Being There. It was a standalone story about long-lost friends finding each other. She has since written both contemporary and young adult novels.
Rapp grew up in Texas, but has lived in California, South Carolina, and Virginia, all of which serve as inspiration for her writing. With several more works in queue, she doesn't anticipate stepping away from the computer anytime soon, especially since she makes friends with all of her characters.


Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card (international), an ebook copy of The Upside of Regret by T. K. Rapp (international) or a signed paperback copy of The Upside of Regret by T. K. Rapp (US Only).

Plus, enter the Goodreads giveaway for a change to win a signed copy of The Upside of Regret by T. K. Rapp (US, CA, GB, AU; ends 16 June).

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