Have A Question? Maybe Get An Answer!

Why hello, lovely Read-Alongers!

So, I have something really cool to announce. Courtney Summers has agreed to do a Q&A for the Read-Along! *CUE THE FANGIRLING* I'm really excited (and, let's be honest, totally nervous) to have this opportunity. I seriously freak-out about these kind of things (and spend hours typing and editing and changing the phrasing of questions to make them *just right*) but, at the same time, I feel so grateful for this chance!

But hey, this Read-Along isn't just about me! It's about you guys! So, I'm offering an open door. What questions do YOU guys want to have answered? I can't promise I'll include them (I don't want to overwhelm her!) but I'll pick a few to ask and maybe combine some if they're similar. Also, if you have specific question about one of the books we've already read, be sure to ask it (though, tag it if it's a spoiler!) If you don't have a specific question, maybe tell me what kind of topics/themes you like to hear authors talk about! Leave your questions in the comments below!

I'll be sending in the questions in the next week or so, so get your questions in quick! Be sure to stay tuned into the blog for the Q&A in the coming weeks!

Also: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Some Girls Are (The End): Discussion Post

Hi, guys!

We did it! We're officially halfway through the Read-Along! How awesome is that? Today is the final discussion post for month two's book: SOME GIRLS ARE. It's been one emotional ride but we made it through (possibly with a few more bruises on the heart).

**WARNING: Spoilers for SOME GIRLS ARE***

Okay, so I apologize for leaving you guys off with a cliffhanger last time (I promise, it was accidental!) but wow, what a last chapter right? We ended off with Regina sending out the mass email with all of those nasty secrets in it. The next day, everyone is talking and Regina is, let's be honest, pretty smug about it. She has a conversation with Liz that I think is really stunning. Regina says "...But they got what they deserved." and Liz replies "And what did you deserve?" It brings up, once again, this idea about 'getting what's coming to you'. Does Regina deserve what Anna and Kara do to her? They sure think she does. And Regina thinks Anna and Kara deserve to have all their secrets exposed like that. It's this really murky gray area, isn't it? What people 'deserve' to have happen to them. Who says any of us have the right to decide that? It's not okay what Anna and Kara have done to Regina but, is it okay what Regina does to them in return? Is revenge okay when you didn't cause the cycle? What do you guys think?

Because then we come to Michael's reaction. He isn't happy for a number of reasons, one of them being he knows this isn't going to end it. He knows the cycle is just going to continue on. When she asks him directly about the matter of deserving, he responses with "I think some girls are just...fucked up." Another one of those murky answers. But, appropriate. Because I don't think I could answer that either. A part of me wants to be like "Yeah! Take them down! Get them back!" but the other keeps thinking "How is this making it any better? Is any of this really okay?" It's the visceral anger I feel towards the girls warring with the sadness of the whole situation. How about you guys?

Then, we get to a scene that made me put the book down. Michael's journal. You see, I read SOME GIRLS ARE for the first time back in my last year of high school (three years ago now...yikes) and I completely forgot about this scene. So, I was re-devestated reading it again. Summers really writes this scene well because I felt this complete sense of panic. I felt like I was running alongside Regina reading note after terrible note. When we finally get to the storage room, Anna is there with her terrible (yet admittedly brilliant) plan. It's absolutely devastating reading from Regina's perspective to this scene because she's so broken and hopeless. She had that little bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, it was all over only to have it ripped away from her. And to see just the beginnings of the hell Anna and Kara plan to put her through is horrendous. It gets worse when Michael finds out though. I think one of the worst things about being a reader sometimes is wanting to shout at a book, shout the truth everyone is hiding, and knowing you can't do anything. That feeling of being helpless as you watch these terrible things happen, hoping someone will do something because you can't. SOME GIRLS ARE is definitely one of those books were that helplessness gnaws at you. I wanted to tell Michael, to stop his and Regina's hearts from breaking, full-well knowing I couldn't and it probably wouldn't help anyways. Do you guys ever feel helpless when reading, especially during this book?

And then it gets worse with the scene after gym. I mean really, Summers, couldn't you give us a break?! (No, you couldn't. And no, I wouldn't have wanted you to).

Then there's a brief interaction with Donnie. Brief but stunning because it hits you once again what happened that night and just what kind of pain it has caused Regina. Then we get to the party and the interaction with Josh and the interruption by Kara. As soon as she walked in that door I think we all knew Regina was done for. That Kara would tell and Anna wouldn't let this slide. So, when they pull over in the middle of nowhere, we all knew it wasn't going to end well. The violence becomes physical. Anna throws a punch like it's a joke but Kara, Kara is the one with so much vile hatred in her and she throws punches to break. She kind of seems to snap and loose all sense of control in this scene, and Regina bears the brunt of this horrific onslaught. None of the bullying up until then was really physical. A few attempts but nothing substantial. A lot of people do not understand just how powerful mental bullying can be. That it's not really bullying because no one gets "beat up". Anna and Kara don't have to lay a finger on Regina to utterly ruin her. To break her down so completely. They do that with words. There wasn't a single punch thrown until the very end of the book and yet we've seen just how destructive words can be. With Regina. With Liz. With Kara. With Michael. They all had words thrown out like razors at them that just kept cutting and cutting. What did you guys think? Are words more powerful in your eyes than any punch can ever be? Or do they both destroy in different ways.

The scene ends with one of the most stunning lines of the book, in my opinion. Regina keeps trying to say how Anna is being played but Anna replies with such anger saying "Kara's not that smart". This lines makes me kind of question everything. Because it makes it seem like Anna knew this whole time that Kara was lying about Donnie's attempted rape, but destroyed Regina anyways. As I was reading it again while writing this post though, I'm even questioning that. The way Anna says it so angrily, so desperately, makes me think she wants to believe in the lie. That maybe she knew but refuses to believe she could be played like that. I honestly don't know anymore. Either way, it just proves how selfish and disgusting a person Anna is. Because even if she believe in the lie Kara told, she believed it because it benefited her.  

Do you guys think she knew all along or that she just didn't want to believe she could have been lied to like that?

And then we get to the end. And it's Liz that ends everything. She finally threatens to do what should've happened so long ago: break her silence. To say something. I love that it's Liz that does this. Like, after all this time, she finally gets to say enough. Regina doesn't run around jumping for joy, she doesn't go out and celebrate. Instead, she sits. Empty. Like all the fight has been drained out of her. Like everything has been drained out of her. And then, her little pocket of hope, Michael, comes out and puts his arm around her. No grand romantic gesture. No kiss. Just support. When you finally read that last line, it's like all the adrenaline you've felt throughout the whole book just rushes out of you. Personally, I felt empty too. I felt wrecked. Then, suddenly, was overwhelmed with emotions. I couldn't help but crying. This book rips you up, punches you in the gut, and leaves you broken on the ground. 

Anna and Kara don't get in trouble for what they've done. They aren't "brought to justice". Summers doesn't give us a neat little bow of an ending. We get the jagged broken pieces handed to us, and the knowledge that this is how it is. That things aren't always perfect. But, that there's always that little bit of hope to look forward to. I thought it was the ending the story needed, and the only one it should have had. 

We're done! What did you guys think of the book overall? Did you like the ending? Tell me in the comments!

Get ready for more heart-shredding moments cause FALL FOR ANYTHING is next and that one is gut-wrenching.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight) 

Courtney Summers Read-Along: AUDIOBOOK GIVEAWAY

Hi, guys!

Have a mentioned how amazing and generous some people are? Cause really, I've had some amazing people help out with this Read-Along and donate some awesome prizes. Today, I have another giveaway for you! THREE people will win one audiobook copy (via Audible) of either Cracked Up to Be, Some Girls Are, or This Is Not a Test!

Giveaway Rules: 

- Must be 13 years or older

- INTERNATIONAL (So long as you can receive audiobooks from Audible)

- You do NOT have to be a participant in the Read-along to enter (but, if you are, there's bonus entries for you!)

- Not responsible for lost or damaged prize (I don't know how digital audiobooks would get lost or damaged but hey, just covering the bases!)

- I reserve the right to disqualify as I see fit (aka don't fake entries pretty please!)

- Fill in the Rafflecopter form to be entered!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  
I want to say a massive thank you to Damon for donating the audiobooks for this giveaway! This giveaway ends on November 7th so be sure to enter before then!

GOOD LUCK!

 - Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

QUICK GIVEAWAY: Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

Hi, peeps!

Today I have an awesome giveaway for you guys! We are really close to finishing up month two of the Courtney Summers Read-Along. Crazy, right? Next month, we're going to be reading FALL FOR ANYTHING and thanks to the wonderful team at St. Martin's Press, I have two copies to giveaway today! ONE is open to participants AND non-participants! ONE is open to Read-Along participants ONLY. It's only open until the end of the weekend, so be sure to enter quickly!

FALL FOR ANYTHING is one of those books that completely rocked me to the core. I'll get into more detail during the month but it is, honestly, one of the most beautiful and stunning books I've ever read. I've never had such a physical reaction to a book but I honestly couldn't move, could barely breathe after I finished it. This is not a book to be missed!

From the author of Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are comes a gripping story about one girl’s search for clues into the mysterious death of her father.

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

Giveaway Rules (FIRST Rafflecopter Giveaway):

- Must be 13 years or older

- US/CANADA ONLY (sorry, international peeps!)

- You do NOT have to be a participant in the Read-along

- Not responsible for lost or damaged prizes (sorry!)

- I reserve the right to disqualify as I see fit (aka don't fake entries pretty please!)

- Fill in the Rafflecopter form to be entered!

Giveaway Rules (SECOND Rafflecopter Giveaway):

- You MUST BE A READ-ALONG PARTICIPANT to enter

- Must be 13 years or older

- US/CANADA ONLY (sorry, international peeps!)

- Not responsible for lost or damaged prizes (sorry!)

- I reserve the right to disqualify as I see fit (aka don't fake entries pretty please!)

- Fill in the Rafflecopter form to be entered!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Phew! That was a lot of info! If you guys have any questions let me know (best way to contact me is through twitter (@lostatmidnight))! Good luck! I'll email the winners on Sunday!

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Some Girls Are (Pages 125 - 181): Discussion Post

Hey, guys!

I have on the blog today, the third discussion post for SOME GIRLS ARE! Can you believe it guys? We're almost half-way through the Read-Along! Craziness. I want to say a huge THANK YOU to you guys for participating. It's been such fun and I love seeing you guys enjoying the books so much! There's going to be (hopefully) lots of cooling things happening in the next little bit, including giveaways, so be sure to watch the blog!

If you haven't signed-up for the Read-Along and want to know what it's all about, check out this post! (If you want to start participating now, that's awesome! Just leave a comment on this post to let me know) And if you're participating and have a SOME GIRLS ARE post to link-up, make sure to add it here!

***WARNING: Spoilers for page 1 - 181 of SOME GIRLS ARE***

This week starts off with Regina and her mother going into an interview with the school. They want to discuss Regina's absences. Both Regina's mom and her school really frustrate me in this scene. Her mother, after Regina's minor meltdown in the car, should try and figure out what's really going on with her daughter. Instead, she creates a story in her mind (Josh breaking up with Regina) and clings to it. She doesn't want to see anything that could be hard to deal with. Same with the school. I mean, someone spray-painted "whore" on Regina's locker (among other things) and their only concern is that Regina is skipping school? It's ridiculous. But, kind of realistic. They don't want to see a problem, because then it becomes their problem. It happens all the time. What did you guys think? Should Hallowell High be doing more to stop the bullying?

Regina also does something pretty brazen in that opening scene. She slaps Anna. I was both cheering and internally screaming at that scene. Because I knew, just like Regina did, that the slap wouldn't go unpunished. (But that Anna sure has heck deserved it)  

This set of pages has one of the worst scenes (in my opinion) that happens in SOME GIRLS ARE. The closet scene. Regina ends up trapped in a closet with Donnie, put their by people who knew (or heard rumors) about what he had done to her. It is one of those scenes that shocks me to the core every time I read it. But, you know what? The closet scene is only about three pages long. Three pages. What astounds me about that is how much damage Summers' does in just those little pages. Because it sure as heck does not feel like three pages when you're reading it. It feels like twenty. It feels like you're being dragged along this endless, horrible journey. It's not just this short intense scene, but one that creates such horror it feels like it last hours. I know I thought about it a lot after reading it. Because it was like I could feel Regina's terror. Like her terror had become my terror. Courtney Summers' is a brilliant writer because she has this amazing ability to draw you right into the story. She doesn't do it by detailing everything, or by overdoing it with the emotion. Rather, she writes these powerful scenes where every sentence hits you in the heart, to the point where you can't always separate yourself from the book. The closet scene is one of those, and one that seriously ruins me every time I read it. How did you guys react to it? Were you as angry as I was that Josh, Kara, et al. put Regina in that situation?

Regina, now having escaped the closet (freed by none other than Liz Cooper), goes home and gets drunk and ends up passing out in Michael's backyard. Liz is also there, and she an Regina have a bit of an uncomfortable conversation. Drunk apologies don't really go a long way, and Liz doesn't let her Regina off the hook. But she doesn't seem to hate her either. They're at this weird kind of stalemate. There's nothing Regina can do that will erase the pain she's done to Liz. But, Liz isn't a horrible person (as she says "I'm not Anna") so she doesn't like watching Regina suffer either. This scene is short but it leaves you with the impression that, maybe, things could get better. Not to a friendship level. Probably never there. But maybe, that one day they could forgive. Did you guys have the same impression? Interpret the scene differently?

Michael really shines in this section, in my opinion, and I really enjoyed getting to see how their relationship evolves. Michael steals Donnie's car just so Regina can get a little bit of revenge on that jerk (I have many other words to describe him but I'm trying to keep this relatively swear-free). Then we get what, let's be honest, we've all been waiting for: the romantic Regina-Michael kiss. *cue the swooning here* It was perfect because it wasn't perfect. Because it shows us that people have the capacity to forgive. It shows us how powerful it is to forgive. It's that bright spot the story needed. What did you guys think? Did it give you the feels?

We leave off this part on a bit of a cliffhanger (if you stopped at page 181, of course)! Kara and Anna have upped the bullying, and Regina has had enough. She sends the email with all their secrets to everyone in school. Do you guys think it'll make a difference? Do you think Regina did the right thing? 

Next week, we're at the end! Tell me what you think of the book so far!

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)