Thursday, May 9, 2013

New Release: Click To Subscribe by L.M. Augustine


Genre: Young Audult
Release Day: May 9, 2013
                           B&N* (will be up soon)

Blurb
135,789. That’s how many subscribers sixteen-year-old West Ryder has on his web vlog series. But he only has eyes for one of them. 

As one of the internet’s most prestigious video bloggers, West talks about high school relationships under the name “Sam Green.” As far as he knows, no one from school, not even his best friend, Cat, has seen his videos. But the highlight of the whole thing is Harper Knight, who comments every day at exactly 2:02 in the afternoon. He doesn’t know anything about her aside from the occasional deep philosophical messaging on why pizza tastes so delicious, but as stupid as it sounds, he might be falling for her. So when they finally agree to meet in real life, West’s hope for romance seems more and more in reach. But that all changes as soon as he arrives at their meeting spot and sees Cat walking toward him, wearing the same “I <3 Sam Green” T-shirt Harper promised she'd have on.

To his alarm, West realizes he is falling in love with the best friend who has always been a sister to him.
***

West Ryder, a self-proclaimed dork, is a seventeen year old whose life has recently taken an unexpected turn due to a tragedy that tore his family apart. One way of coping is his video blog, aka vlog, where he's known as Sam Green. As far as West knows, no one he knows has any idea that he runs the vlog, not even Cat, his best friend since childhood.

Vlogging is something I can't not do, and I never feel more at peace than when I'm talking in front of the camera, filming my next vlog. Some nights I stay up thinking about what to vlog about next, while on other nights, I lie awake smiling at the fact that I have, like, real subscribers- the one constant in my life nowadays.

Over the past six months, West has become close to one specific subscriber, Harper Knight. After months of private chats and cute e-flirting, West and Harper make plans to meet. As he's been harboring serious feelings, West is more than thrilled to finally meet the girl behind the screen name. Little does he know that his life's about to be turned upside down.

***
I'm like a puppy. Lovable, fun, and entirely adorable. -West Ryder

Yes! That's the perfect way to describe West and Click To Subscribe. This was a very fun, cute book that had me smiling, crying, laughing, and wishing I could revisit my high school days. L.M. does an amazing job showcasing the blurred lines between love and friendship. It's also realistic, with some very emotional issues that play into West's hesitation for love. 

Click To Subscribe has a very "Perks of Being a Wallflower" vibe to it, albeit more upbeat, as I felt like West was sharing his story specifically with me. It felt intimate, like I was his best friend (besides Cat, of course) and he just HAD to tell me this story. I loved it!

To be perfectly frank, I'm not a huge YA fan.  I do incorporate YA stories in between my normal romance reads, but it's not often that I really fall in love with one. Click To Subscribe completely blew me away. It was so unexpected. L.M. Augustine writes with such ease and the flow is so natural & seemingly effortless. West is the guy that you wish would be your best friend, and he's also the kinda guy who's so easy to fall in love. That being said, West is freaking STUBBORN!!! I want to shake him from time to time, but his reasons for being that way were sympathetic, so I'll give him a pass. 

I loved Cat just as much as West. She's the girl who knows what she wants & goes after it. She's confident, secure, and a just as dorky as West. I admired her spirit and her willingness to fight for what she wants. 

We can be friends for now. But West Ryder, if you think this means I won't fight for you with every last breath I have, you're in for a hell of a surprise.

The relationship between Cat & West is heartwarming, smile inducing, and it takes you right back to the days when you fell in love for the first time. That's all I'm going to say because you really need to experience it for yourself. You won't be disappointed. 

Well, sometimes love is right in front of you the whole time, even if you don't realize it. And, like your vlog, all you have to do is click to subscribe.

I would definitely recommend this to my friends who like YA, and even to those who don't usually read it. It's a quick, definitely fun, read and I can't wait to read more from L.M. Augustine.

**ARC so generously provided by the fabulous L.M. Augustine in exchange for an honest review. 

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