Book Review + Giveaway: Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

Reading Level: Young Adult

Release Date: Available Now

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers

Pages: 336

Source: Received from publicist for honest review

Summary: When you're the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life should be pretty good. But 16-year-old Alice Amorous has been living a lie ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness. After putting on a brave front for months, time is running out. The next book is overdue, and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs a story for her mother-and she needs one fast. That's when she meets Errol, a strange boy who claims to be Cupid, who insists that Alice write about the greatest love story in history: his tragic relationship with Psyche. As Alice begins to hear Errol's voice in her head and see things she can't explain, she must face the truth-that she's either inherited her mother's madness, or Errol is for real.

My Review: Cupid. We all know him as the cherubic, bow and arrow love maker. Suzanne on the other hand, introduced Errol. A dark, and sexified version I wouldn't mind seeing plastered on Valentine's Day. The infamous story of Cupid's existence was tweaked with a more realistic and emotionally moving approach. Instead of keeping the original version, Suzanne exemplified the heartache that sometimes comes along with falling in love. Alice, daughter of the queen of romance, was a spunky teen whose relatibility factor directly connected with me. Her strength to strive as her mother's right hand during her time of absence was incredibly brave. I could never imagine dealing with the worrisome feelings behind her mother's mental illness and the non-stop fear of not being able to afford living expenses. Another trait that Alice contributed was her sense of fluidity through rough patches with grace and patience.

As for the two boys vying for her attention, Errol and Tony were amazingly significant characters. Errol's main goal was to have his true relationship with Psyche brought to light. He unexpectedly met Alice, who turned into the only person who could help him write his story. I was really glad to see the blossoming bond between the two as the novel went on. The second male role, was Tony, the cute skateboarder Alice was crushing on. He was a sweetheart and might I add I loved that he was Asian. I rarely see Asian males in YA, so that was definitely a breath of fresh air. Both of them added a supportive backbone in Alice's time of need. Also, the secondary personalities found within her neighbors were well thought out and equally entertaining. By the conclusion, I was so touched that I actually teared. That never happens! I was so invested, I couldn't help having my heart strings pulled. From beginning to end, the 'a' in Mad Love truly stood for adorable! I love Suzanne's writing and hope to read more works by her.

My Rating:

Thanks to Bloomsbury, one follower will get the chance to win a copy of Mad Love and Suzanne's previous release, Coffeehouse Angel!

::Contest Details::

-One person will win both books stated above.

-This contest is for U.S. residents only (No P.O. Boxes please.)

-Deadline will be on March 3, 2011.

CONTEST IS CLOSED.

Book Trailer:

Author's Info:

Suzanne Selfors is the author of Coffeehouse Angel and Saving Juliet. She held a number of jobs before becoming a writer, including children's photographer, video producer, organic flower grower, and marketing director. She lives in Washington.

For more info on Suzanne, visit her sites:

-Website

-Facebook

-GoodReads