SIDEKICK review, discussion, + 2 giveaways (#Sidekickblogtour)

Title: Sidekick
Author: Natalie Whipple (@nataliewhipple)
Publisher: Whipple House
Date of Publication: November 10, 2015

Blurb:

Russ is a high school football player who feels like he always comes in second to his best friend, Garret. In sports. In school. With girls. Well, he's tired of it, and he gets the rather foolish idea that if he can win the heart of the new girl in town before Garret he can prove he's not just sloppy seconds.

His plan? Use his anime-obsessed sister's group, who has befriended the new girl, to get closer to her. He'd never tell the team, but he's been going to Anime Night for years and might even enjoy it. That would ruin his reputation, just like his secret love for cooking and James Taylor.

But pretending to be something you aren't catches up to you eventually, and Russ can only get away with living two lives for so long. As more than one person reveals they have something to hide, Russ must figure out what and who he really wants in his life. And more than that, he needs the courage to make it happen.

SIDEKICK is the second indie book I've read by Natalie Whipple, and I really enjoyed it! (Thanks to Dianne of Oops I Read A Book Again for including me in the blog tour!) It's not often that you see the male side of the spectrum in regard to sports and high school insecurities, so this was a nice change to say the least. Especially since the assumption that things were a certain way were only there because no one communicated and everyone was afraid to share how they really felt. Because of a few misconceptions, Russ made some poor decisions and had some serious 'splainin' to do. But in the end, everything worked out great and the tables burger booths were totally turned. :D

A quick breakdown before Melissa and I discuss SIDEKICK:

Favorite quote: Someone alert the media! Russel Pearson finally has a girlfriend. Women everywhere mourn.

Favorite character: DAPHNE

Immediate reaction upon book completion:  I NEED A BURGER!

What I'd like to do:  See Russ in that leather jacket :P Oh and eat at Parker's, of course.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars burgers*!

        *Sidekick is definitely upper YA due to drinking, language, and adult situations.

Suggestion:  Get SIDEKICK today! (Add to Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository | Purchase a signed copy from Natalie, HERE!) 


Discussion:

Yesterday, Melissa of The Reader and the Chef and I got together to discuss our feelings about Russ,  Parker's, bacon, and one girl whose last name will not be named. We had a lot of fun, and since SIDEKICK is about a lot more than two guys, one girl, and a side of bacon, I think the convo is definitely worth the read.  (I'm the black font; Melissa is the red.)

                                       

SIDEKICK

I shall write in RED. Bold red. *taps mic*

testing

haha

Okay, so Russ. What are your thoughts?

Russ. I think I liked him as a character but he was always so contradicting. And he made things harder than they really were.

Right. Like, at first, I was really frustrated with the guy. Hello, senior stud, you’re obviously absolutely clueless to everything. How can that happen? A jock, clueless? So it annoyed me a bit. But then I thought, hmmm, if this was the exact same scenario but a GIRL, would I be reacting this way? That calmed me a little.

Yes! In reality, that’s why I think I tolerated Russ more. It’s normal to come across a girl MC that doesn’t really have a clue about how awesome she is, but with a male mc? Not that common. Sort of reminded me why Stephenie Meyer wrote Life after Death.

Hmmm I have to admit I haven’t gotten to that one yet. *cries* But I get what you mean. And it’s true. It’s less common. Me neither, but I read that on an interview hehe. OH! LOL

I think what got to me (you know, those little character traits that pick at you) most was how he was so adamant about hiding everything about himself. And then, even though I still found it frustrating, I had to remember that there ARE clicks and people ARE judgmental like that. In fact, there was a quote I highlighted about that. Let me find it…

People are waiting for you to screw up, so you have to make sure they never have a chance to realize what a loser you really are. That’s all popularity is--pretending to be cool. No one is actually cool.

Which is somewhat true, though I think many people are cool, I think it boils down to the fact that everyone has their own definition of “cool”.

I loved that quote! There are many cool quotes like this one in here. I highlighted one when he was talking about Chefs, sent that to my sister since she always gets “shunned” for choosing that career.

:/ That’s sad. *sends hugs to your sis*

You know, putting Russ a bit aside, I was actually surprised to have the secondary characters turn into important ones as the story progressed.

Totally agree with you. I loved the secondary characters. (Well, except for one… *shakes head*)

Ohemgee. That character was CRAZY. Like, what the muffins?! Unexpected. I mean, I was expecting some misunderstandings and jealousy and well, normal stuff. But then this character turns out to be just sick.

Here’s what got me: the fact that she had no conscience about what she was doing. That bothered me more than anything. Talk about messing with people’s heads.

The nerve. And she never learns. She never feels guilt and I’m really curious to know what happens to her in the end. The other guy sort of like saunters towards her and that’s it. That part was darker than the rest of the book.

I don’t want to get into details, because spoilers, but this made me laugh (when they go into Parker’s and Russ says): Are you sure you don’t want two? You could always save the other one for later...

O.0

LOL. That was funny! Right there was when I stopped thinking badly of Russ. He didn’t sound like a Sidekick to me at all. Wish I had awesome comebacks like him.

What I enjoyed about Sidekick was how that kind of began to slip away as he began to prioritize. Took the guy long enough, but still. He went from, 

This is like turning the world upside down and declaring anarchy… Garret’s calling me over to the freak table. 

to deciding who stinking cares about that, because I care for someone, and if anybody thinks they can hurt that person, well… BAM.

They aren’t worth his time. so BYE. (we can forget that LOL). Anyway, what frustrated me a bit was how Garret seemed to have this BIG secret at the beginning, and well, it’s not that big. It’s just self-harm because of jealousy and popularity. I was expecting something more from him as a character. He was weak, to me at least.

I agree. And that all did annoy me, don’t get me wrong. But the more I think about it, the more I think that’s a LOT of guys in high school. No matter what sport or extracurricular activity. I see it daily. Trying to fit in. Not sure where you work in the overall scheme of high school groups. So the weakness, in my opinion, was actually a lack of self-esteem. Which almost all teens have. Some show it outwardly (say, overly obnoxious so they appear confident; or always knocking compliments even though they’re the best looking because they truly do think they’re ugly); others take on things they don’t even like just to fit in. Daphne definitely did that. She hid her favorite things at times just like Russ did. (Obviously not *all* kids who are considered popular think they aren’t--but I think most of that crowd is also insecure. Like LANCE. WAIT WHAT WAS HIS NAME AGAIN?)

DALLAS

hahaha WHERE DID I GET LANCE?  

bahahaha

beats me, I was like WHAT LANCE o.o

Speaking of Lance (hahahaha kidding!): Dallas, he wasn’t actually a bad character. He just wanted to be like Garret. The most popular guy’s bestie.The sidekick. Still a jerk though.

YAS! Exactly!

And I knew it! Told you about Daphne. hehehehe

I LOVE DAPHNE, DAPHNE’S MY FAVORITE. *insert Elf emoji here*

She was truly the coolest. Eccentric, smart, and overall COOL. Not like Izzy. I liked her and thought she was a cool sister at first but dude, what a crazy girl! She at times came off as REALLY mean.

I liked how Russ was able to talk to her (and make amends WITH PANCAKES). That was a great sibling thing. That’s one thing Natalie writes well, I think: those heartfelt interactions.

Oh, he was a really great brother (if we forget all those times calling her and her friends freak in public haha). Another funny thing was how everybody was like: “oh, you look sexy/hot when cooking” and he was always like “I look like a pansy”.

As an outsider looking in, yeah, that was annoying. But somewhere, somehow, we all get those ideas in our minds, sometimes. I mean, I know authors even do. “I’m lame. I’m not good enough. I’m so below so and so.” (Now if we could just get people to walk around telling us WE’RE HOT hahaha)

Hehehe we should…. B-) Trent. Wait, it is Trent, right? I liked that boy and his family’s business. Does it really exist in Clovis?

Yes! And not that I know of. I’ve never heard of it. But I enjoyed reading about Riverpark (shout out to the bestest Barnes and Noble, BTW) and other Fresno/Clovis related things. In fact, we went to Clovis yesterday (used bookstore called A Book Barn--check it out, locals!) and after all of that burger talk, I HAD to get one while we were there!

Yum! I’ve never visited Riverpark, only a Hometown Buffet, a theater right besides a mall (watched New Moon with dad and UGH) and that’s it. Can’t remember much of Fresno. But next time I shall visit those places!

It’s food, shopping, and the big Edwards theater. You could go there and hang out all day just fine. :)

Overall, I have to agree with the author (read the acknowledgements!) that Sidekick is indeed a book about friendships and then, misunderstandings. A lot of things that happen may seem a bit too much or too middle grade (?) but think it nailed how sometimes, like you said, even the most popular person in the whole world has lots of insecurities and may even think of himself/herself as a sidekick. Or not know how much they are worth or who the real friends are.

True. Though I wish I could say it’s only a middle grade thing, with having three daughters currently in high school, I see/hear about this sort of thing often. (Not a kid like Russ specifically, but that struggle for people to find their place, to be able to step out and do different things, and be comfortable with it, ect.) For some reason, our human tendency is to fall back on labels and we have a hard time being cool with NOT giving them to people and accepting them if they have a little bit of a few labels instead of one specific one. That’s not only a teen struggle, but a human one.

Is US High School really that tough? I don’t recall as many labels here in Mexico. Sure, we have the popular ones and all, but not that much. I don’t even remember which label I fell upon, or if I had one. o.o UNPOPULAR LOL

But to WHOSE standard of popular? That’s what I mean. In every school (watch every YA movie and you’ll see the same thing… Clueless, Mean Girls, and so on), there’s groups. The ASB (student body) kids, the artsy kids, the smart (or AP or this-or-that club) kids, the jocks… I could go on and on. I’m not saying that those groups don’t have individuals who step out and do things outside of their little bubbles… but there IS a struggle to feel accepted (by certain people) at times when one does belong to a few different groups. I’d say there’s a lot of embracing one another here, as well… but it all boils back to the whole security vs. insecurity thing. At the end of the day, Russ was insecure because of the way he PERCEIVED everything. When he saw things differently, look at how the situations changed.

When he realized HE was the popular one, more like the one everybody wanted to be, he embraced his singularity and realized he didn’t need to fit anywhere else except with the people he wanted to be with. I liked that. And it didn’t mean he was the best person ever, but he realized that’s who he was and accepted it.

EXACTLY! EMBRACE YOUR INNER BACON LOVER!

I mean…

I’M EMBRACING IT. What was the name of the place again? I feel like I’d die if I ever ate one of those burgers. But I’d totally want to try one LOL.

It was Lance’s.

HEHEHEHE

Parker’s.

HAHAA. Will never forget Lance ♥

ENTER TO WIN SIDEKICK (UPDATE: Giveaway has closed)











ENTER TO WIN FISH OUT OF WATER (read my review, HERE):

 




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September's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE (audiobook style): IF I SPEAK TRUE + I CAPTURE THE CASTLE + a FREEBIE!

I'm so excited about this month's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE. I MEAN... how exciting is three audiobooks? 

First up: the recently completed IF I SPEAK TRUE, book one in the Flora series. Angel Clark did a wonderful job narrating her versions of Dahlia and Eva and David and Rowan (and Hawthorne) and Aster and Acacia... and... everyone else (hehe). I'm so happy with how the audiobook turned out, and wanted to share a copy so ya'll could enjoy it (and meet everyone)! 

Check out the deets on IF I SPEAK TRUE (Flora, #1) HERE. Find it on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Then, on a completely unrelated note (or, unrelated until now), it seems I've been talking to quite a few people lately about how lovely Dodie Smith's I CAPTURE THE CASTLE is (if you're read it, you know it's true), especially on Instagram. So I thought, all right, time to share a copy of this audiobook, too. :)

Check out the deets of I CAPTURE THE CASTLE, HERE. Find it on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

ON TOP OF THAT... We're all SUPER BUSY this time of year but also wanting to read ALL THE BOOKS, right, so I figured, why not throw in a freebie? *twirls*

So there you go... THREE audiobooks for one winner: IF I SPEAK TRUE, I CAPTURE THE CASTLE, and a YA audiobook of your choice! Woohoo!

The rules: I have had a heck of a time trying to share audiobooks with listeners not from the US recently, so I'm going to have to stick to the US this time. *sad face* But I promise, next month's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE will be international! 

And now, here's the Rafflecopter! :D (I can't wait to see who wins and what book they choose for the freebie!)

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July's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE: 2 time travel books, + go back to Shakespearean time w/a Romeo & Juliet DVD!

July's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE is not one but two of Nicole Zoltack's time travel standalones!!! As a BONUS, we're also giving away a DVD of the The Most Dangerous Love Story Ever Told (US only)! More about the DVD soon, but first, here's a little about Love Before Honor and The Test of Time:



Love Before Honor: Honor. Truth. Loyalty. Love. All of these matter most to Sir Gerald. To avenge his love's death, he challenges her murderer to a duel. Her twin, however, feels that Alice never loved Gerald and gives him a tea. Alice had also given him teas, which enhanced his love for her, but this tea is different. This tea sends him to into the future, to the Regency era.

Lady Vanessa seeks a Christmas treat when she hears something outside the manor. Upon investigation, she sees a man dressed in armor. Unwilling to turn away a confused man with the approaching holiday, she convinces her parents to house Gerald until the new year.

Scandal has forced her parents to accept William as their daughter's best chance at marriage. Although rich, he does not understand her or her love of books and only sees her for her looks, whereas Gerald listens to her, confides in her and she him. With the approaching holiday, nothing is certain - not whether Gerald can discover a way back to his duel, whether he can move on from Alice, and not whether this Christmas will be a happy one for either Gerald or Vanessa.

add to Goodreads 

The Test of Time: Katia jumps at the chance to go to England with her best friend after Rose ditches her deadbeat boyfriend. While walking through the market, she spies a large mansion and recognizes the guy out front as her high school friend Tony. Just as they start to reconnect, Katia passes through times and lands in the arms of Lord Landon, who looks like Tony but certainly doesn’t act like him.

Soon, Katia learns that this 1815 is different from the one in history books. Trapped in a parallel world, Katia struggles to not fall for Landon but his charm proves too much for her. Just when she is about to confess her love for him, Katia travels through time yet again.

The course of love never did run smooth and if Katia can’t figure out and master the test of time, she’ll never see or friends again, or worse, never be reunited with Landon.

add to Goodreads 

***

As mentioned earlier, not only are we giving away two time travel romance e-books, but we're also giving away a DVD of the ULTIMATE romance: Romeo & Juliet! Woohoo!

This #JLBgivesawayanINDIE lasts for two weeks, and is US only. 

Here's the Rafflecopter! :D

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July's Monthly Breakdown (a sale, cover reveal, review sign-ups, a read-a-thon, + more)

Hey all! Hope you had a lovely fourth! Haven't done a monthly breakdown in a while, but this month is gonna be busy, so we've gotta have one. :) Buckle your seat belts, we've got a lot of ground to cover! Are you ready? Then, away we go...

Monday, July 13th: Reader Interview with Jasmine Pearl.

Friday, July 17th: IF I SPEAK TRUE's ebook goes on sale for 99 cents!

Monday, July 20th: July's TIME TRAVEL #JLBgivesawayanINDIE begins with two of Nicole Zoltack's time travel standalones! (FYI, neither of these are YA, but they are both YA appropriate.) I *had* to throw that Big Ben pic in there for the announcement photo, but don't worry, there will be a better looking one for the actual giveaway (now you see why I hire Hafsah to do the professional stuff hehehe)! INTERNATIONAL ebook giveaway. 

Friday, July 24th: Early Review sign ups will begin (more info coming soon).

Monday, July 27th: THE WORDS WE THOUGHT WERE TRUE (Cozenage, #2)'s cover reveal at IceyBooks! (IAMSOEXCITED)

Tuesday, July 28th: EXCUSE TO READ--a week-long read-a-thon hosted by Cheyanne Young and I--begins. EXCUSE TO READ is your go-to excuse to set stuff aside and catch up on a little reading! :D It'll be a simple read-a-thon: post the books you plan to read (if you like), read books, post updates (if you like), read books, and at the end, we'll have a few fun summary ideas that you can share on your blog, Instagram, whatever! (Simple, see?) If you're interested in participating in/hearing more about the EXCUSE TO READ read-a-thon, fill out this form! :)

AND... OH MY GOOD SWEET MORSELS OF HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE, I THINK... 
I'M ACTUALLY.... DONE! Goodbye, and be blessed, everyone! 

Summer Giveaway Bonanza

Hey, guys! A couple of giveaways are ending soon, so I just wanted to send out a reminder! (Click the link to see all of the giveaways in one place!)

Have a blessed weekend! :)

June's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE = FIVE YA #audiobooks

Yep! You read that right! I wanted to give an all-around variety of YA indie ebooks and ended up deciding to add two traditionally-pubbed books to the mix! Woohoo! So there you have it... FIVE audiobooks altogether: dystopian, magical realism, comedy/coming of age, science fiction... an eclectic mix but I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy them! Contest ends Sunday, June 28th at 11:59 p.m. PST, and is INTERNATIONAL (long as you have an Audible or Amazon account!) Check out the blurbs for the books, below, and then enter the Rafflecopter! :D 

Pity Isn't An Option (Cozenage, #1) by Jessica L. Brooks (narrated by Matthew Dunehoo):

Seventeen year-old Jonas' blood disorder has taken away everything that matters. Sixteen year-old Hattie's father is losing his marbles. When Jonas' perfectly healthy twin brother and Hattie's crazy dad are drafted into the President's army, Hattie's dad disappears. Jonas and Hattie embark on a journey to find him, and find something they'd lost long ago in the process.

Add to Goodreads I Find on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks



An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1) by Sabaa Tahir (narrated by Fiona Hardingham & Steve West):

Laia is a slave.

Elias is a soldier.

Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself. 

Add to Goodreads I Find on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks



Somewhere Only We Know by Cheyanne Young (narrated by Francesca Santoro):

Sadie Bradford’s life is one anxiety attack after another. All she wants is to escape life's realities for the summer and hang out with her best friend Aaron. But her grandmother has other plans: Sadie will get a job. Sadie will do volunteer work. Sadie will make new friends - friends without brain injuries that make them forget everything...friends that aren’t Aaron.

While Sadie struggles to survive her anxiety with all these new changes, she finds an escape when she dreams herself into the beautiful world of Isola Fiona. It’s a place that cures memory loss and anxiety. It’s a place where she and Aaron can fall in love. 

But after dragging Aaron along with her to her dream world, things take a turn. Every time they return home, Sadie’s anxiety is a little better but Aaron’s memory is still gone. And Isola Fiona may not be much of a dream after all. As Sadie realizes that Isola Fiona is as real as her anxiety, she rushes to change the course of fate and make things right, but she may be too late...

Add to Goodreads I Find on Amazon | Barnes & Noble 



The Moon Dwellers (The Dwellers Saga, #1) by David Estes (narrated by Julia Whelon & Will Damron):

In a desperate attempt to escape destruction decades earlier, humankind was forced underground, into the depths of the earth, creating a new society called the Tri-Realms. 

After her parents and sister are abducted by the Enforcers, seventeen-year-old Adele, a member of the middle-class moon dwellers, is unjustly sentenced to life in prison for her parents' crimes of treason.

Against all odds, Adele must escape from the Pen and find her family, while being hunted by a deranged, killing machine named Rivet, who works for the President. She is helped by two other inmates, Tawni and Cole, each of whom have dark secrets that are better left undiscovered. Other than her friends, the only thing she has going for her is a wicked roundhouse kick and two fists that have been well-trained for combat by her father.

At the other end of the social spectrum is Tristan, the son of the President and a sun dweller. His mother is gone. He hates his father. Backed by only his servant and best friend, Roc, he leaves his lavish lifestyle in the Sun Realm, seeking to make something good out of his troubled life.

When a war breaks out within the Tri-Realms, Tristan is thrust into the middle of a conflict that seems to mysteriously follow Adele as she seeks to find her family and uncover her parents true past.

In their world, someone must die.

Add to Goodreads I Find on Amazon 



Stupid Fast (Stupid Fast, #1) by Geoff Herbach (narrated by Fred Berman): 

I, Felton Reinstein, am Stupid Fast. Seriously. The upper classmen used to call me Squirrel Nut, because I was little and jumpy. Then, during sophomore year, I got tall and huge and so fast the gym teachers in their tight shorts fell all over themselves. During summer, three things happened all at once. First, the pee-smelling jocks in my grade got me to work out for football, even though I had no intention of playing. Second, on my paper route the most beautiful girl I have ever seen moved in and played piano at 6 a.m. Third, my mom, who never drinks, had some wine, slept in her car, stopped weeding the garden, then took my TV and put it in her room and decided she wouldn’t get out of bed.

Listen, I have not had much success in my life. But suddenly I’m riding around in a jock’s pick-up truck? Suddenly I’m invited to go on walks with beautiful girls? So, it’s understandable that when my little brother stopped playing piano and began to dress like a pirate I didn’t pay much attention. That I didn’t want to deal with my mom coming apart.

Add to Goodreads I Find on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks


Please note that some of these books are definitely upper YA due to language/underage drinking/sexual references.


And now for the RAFFLECOPTER!!!! 


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May's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE: POWERED & OVERPOWERED paperbacks + Hot Topic gift card

GUYS. There is some super-cool *big* news about Cheyanne's POWERED series coming up very soon... but before it's announced, I get to do a quick giveaway! *throws coffee bean confetti* 

There aren't a whole lot of superhero YA books out there at the moment, especially with a teenaged female superhero MC. I loved the entire premise of POWERED (and especially loved Evan--hehe), and I think you'll like this series as well!

POWERED's blurb:

Maci Might's sixteenth birthday is supposed to be the day she's awarded Hero status. But thanks to a tiny anger problem and a questionable family tree, King City's elders think it's best if she doesn't join the Hero ranks. Determined to change their minds, Maci will break whatever rule it takes to prove she's Hero material. As her hair darkens and her anger grows, everyone turns against her except Evan; a childhood friend turned scientist who may be able to unlock the secrets hidden in her DNA. 

When a villain attacks King City and her dad is held prisoner, Maci discovers a truth she refuses to believe. She may not be a Hero after all—but this time the Heroes of King City need her more than she needs them. And she won't let them down. 

I could share OVERPOWERED's blurb, too, but you know. Spoilers. So let's just say that it's a fun book two, and both are totally worth checking out! :)

Please note that "75" there means celebrating 75 years of
Batman. It does not mean I will be giving away a $75 gift card. ;)

This month's giveaway lasts for two weeks and is US only (sorry international friends!)

Along with a paperback of both POWERED and OVERPOWERED, I'm also giving away some fun swag AND a $5 Hot Topic e-gift card!!!

Woo! Are you ready to help me celebrate some upcoming BIG news? Then enter the Rafflecopter below, and spread the word! 

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