So Over It by Stephanie Morrill (Book Review)

Title: So Over It (Book 3 - The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt)
Author: Stephanie Morrill
Publisher: Revell

My synopsis:  Skylar has made it through her last year in high school.  She had started out with such high hopes in changing herself, but by the end of the year was slipping back into the old Skylar's skin.  Connor had disappointed her by playing the hero to Jodi's damsel in distress, so even though she loved him, she broke up with him.  Eli saw this as his open door and made a play for her whenever the opportunity arose.  He had had feelings for Skylar for awhile, and even though she knew it was wrong, whenever she had a run-in with Connor, she ended up having a drink or too and hooking up with Eli.  She always felt bad about making out with him, and kept trying to tell herself that it was okay.  She was headed to Hawaii to stay with her grandparents for the summer and figured she could start over on her reinvention while she was there. 

Hawaii didn't prove to be the oasis that she thought it would be.  Her Grammy immediately started matchmaking with Justin, the boy next door, and Skylar found herself using him to try and forget Connor.  After just a few days he called her on it and told her he wasn't into summer flings and didn't like being used if she was truly going to go home after 2 months.  Turns out she realized that she couldn't run from her problems and returned home with her family after only 2 weeks. 

The crux of all the problems and changes in her life had started in Book 1 when Eli rescued her from a possible date rape situation.  She had not gotten over it and had also not shared it with anyone except for Eli, Connor and her sister Abby.   As it continues to color her relationship with her other friends, she wonders if she will ever be able to move forward.

Available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

My thoughts: This was book 3 of the series (read my reviews Book 1 - Me, Just Different and Book 2 - Out With the In Crowd).  As Skylar reconnected a little with her mom in this book, it made me look at my own relationship with my teenage daughter, and what she might be needing to hear from me these days.  She is living with her grandmother in Iowa as she just graduated in May.  It brought tears to my eyes and I will be making a phone call to her later tonight.   Besides all that though, this book did a nice job of showing how it isn't always peaches and cream when you become a Christian.  It dealt with repairing relationships with family, friends and even with yourself.  This would be a great series for any girl in high school and maybe even in junior high. 

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from Baker Publishing in exchange for my review.~

So Over It
Publisher/Publication Date: Baker, July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3391-9
262 pages















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Out with the In Crowd by Stephanie Morrill (Book Review)

Title: Out With the In Crowd
Author: Stephanie Morrill
Publisher: Revell (Baker Publishing Group)


My synopsis: Skylar has made the choice to stop partying, drinking, etc and is trying to live like a Christian should - but it is hard as she feels she has lost all her old friends. Her boyfriend, Connor, supports her - but feels neglected as she is trying to balance out her life - and it is full! Her little sister, Abbie, is pregnant, her parents are separated - with her mom toying with the idea of moving back to Hawaii (and she wants Skylar and Abbie to go also) and it is her senior year. Isn't this supposed to be the fun easy year? When Jodi, Skylar's ex-bestfriend, seems to be making a play for Connor, Skylar doesn't know who she can trust.

My thoughts: This is the second book in the series The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt. (see my review of Me, Just Different) It was a very quick read for me. I enjoyed seeing the changes that Skylar was going through based on the decisions she had made in Me, Just Different. (I would recommend reading them in order.) How she struggled with doing the right thing - and doing what was right for her. It was nice to see her grow closer to her sister Abbie, and step up to the plate when she felt her parents weren't doing all that much. This is a good series and I will reaffirm what I said after the first book - Highly Recommended! Watch for book three - So Over It - due out in July!

Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from Baker Publishing in exchange for my unbiased review.~

Out With the In Crowd
Publisher/Publication Date: Revell, Jan 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3390-2
252 pages

Out with the In Crowd by Stephanie Morrell - Book Tour

Out with the In Crowd
by Stephanie Morrell
on tour Feb 21 - 27

From a talented new voice in YA fiction:
HOW DO YOU START OVER AGAIN IN HIGH SCHOOL?

Teens have embraced Skylar Hoyt, the title character in The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series by debut author Stephanie Morrill. Skylar is a character readers can relate to, as she struggles with popularity, fitting in and figuring out what really matters in the midst of it all.

In the second book of the series, Out with the In Crowd, Skylar is struggling with her circle of friends: She’s vowed to change her partying ways, but it's not so easy to change her friends and her old life is constantly staring her in the face. Add to that two parents battling for her loyalty, a younger sister struggling with a crisis pregnancy, and a new boyfriend wishing for more of her time, and Skylar feels like she can't win. After all, how do you choose favorites among the people you love most?

With style and grace, Stephanie Morrill delivers another compelling story that addresses teen issues in Out with the In Crowd. Romantic Times reviewed the first book in The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series, with praise: “This is a good start to a promising new series. Morrill introduces a strong, relatable character to root for.”

Stephanie Morrill is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and the Teen Lit writers' group. Morrill is the author of Me, Just Different and Out with the In Crowd, and she also serves in youth ministry. She lives in Kansas with her husband and young daughter.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet. (Press release from Baker Publishing)


For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.

Me, Just Different Blog Tour and Review

Me, Just Different by Stephanie Morrill

Publisher: Revell/Baker Publishing

First sentence: I wanted to refuse Eli, but I couldn't after the night we'd had.

My synopsis: Skylar was your typical rich party girl - hanging out with the "in" crowd, going to all the cool parties -- until someone slips something in her drink at a summer bash. Eli, a good friend and her best friend's ex, steps in and rescues her from what could have been an even worse situation. Skylar feels indebted to Eli and so slips into being his girlfriend. She also makes a vow to change her life, stop drinking and start going to church again.

Unfortunately Skylar's troubles are just beginning. Her parents have stopped counseling and if her dad is ever home long enough from work he usually just fights with her mom. On top of that, both Skylar and her sister Abbie have broken their mom's rule of not dating. Abbie's secret goes a bit deeper.

Then Connor and his family move to town. The friction between he and Skylar is almost instantaneous. This guy just seems to rub her the wrong way, but everywhere she turns, he seems to be there.

Add to this all the drama that comes with trying to fit in and navigate the halls of high school. How will Skylar deal with her senior year?

Read the first chapter of Me, Just Different.

My opinion: I really enjoyed reading this book! I would go so far as to say that it was one of the best YA Christian fiction books I have read this year. It showed all the confusing feelings that teens (at least teen girls) have regarding relationships with best friends and boyfriends. How important family really is and the security that it does or doesn't provide. During all this it weaves in very subtly the importance of a relationship with Christ, how forgiving He is and how He will always be by your side. Highly recommend!

About the author: Stephanie Morrill is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association and the Teen Lit writers' group. When she isn't writing or traveling, she's likely reading or experimenting with new recipes. Morrill also serves in youth ministry. She lives in suburban Overland Park, Kansas, with her husband and young daughter.

Me, Just Different
Publisher/Publication Date: Revell, July 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3377-3
256 pages

ARC Arrival: Me, Just Different

Me, Just Different by Stephanie Morrill

Publisher: Revell Books

I received this for a blog tour later this month.

About the book: Skylar Hoyt is a girl who seems to have it all – she’s pretty, popular, and has a great-looking boyfriend. Her senior year should be the best one yet. But a horrible experience at a summer party has changed everything. Now she’s vowing to make better choices, including going back to church. But as Skylar tries to gain new perspective on life, the world as she knows it begins to fall apart.

Her parents are constantly fighting. Her younger sister has a big secret that Skylar is forced to keep. The guy she’s dating is annoyingly jealous. And the new guy down the street is just plain annoying. In the midst of the chaos, Skylar starts to wonder who her real friends are and, even more importantly, who she is. (from the back cover)


About the author: Stephanie Morrill is a twenty something living in Kansas with her high school sweetheart turned husband and their daughter. She loves writing for teens because her highs school years greatly impacted her adult life. That, and it’s an excuse to keep playing her music really, really loud. (from the book)

Me, Just Different
Publisher/Publication Date: Revell Books, July 2009
ISBN: 9780800733773
256 pages

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