Summer Lovin' - Choose the Hottest Kiss!

It's summer!  It's hot!  What better time to talk about hot kisses? (And seriously, who's hotter than John Travolta minus 30+ years?)

A couple posts ago I talked about first kisses, and most of you agreed Evie's was the more realistic of the two.

Today, we're paying no attention to realism.  Today, we're voting for the YA kisses that straight up cloud your monitor with steam.  Yeah, my cheese-o-meter just went off the charts.

Anyhow, I've compiled some of my favorite literary smooches from Nightshade, The Body Finder, Shiver, Catching Fire, and Before I Fall (and yes I'm posting the actual scene, so avert your eyes if you don't want them spoiled for you!)

In no particular order, here comes the hotness!

Violet and Jay, The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
"What was that all ab--"
But before she could even finish her sentence, Jay had taken two long, ground-eating strides and gathered her up into his arms as his mouth covered hers possessively.
The kiss was hungry and passionate and Violet was swept up immediately, wanting more... demanding more.  He eased her down, just enough so that she was standing on her tiptoes, as she pressed herself against him, straining to get closer as her hands wound around his waist and pulled the back of his shirt toward her.  She felt dizzy, in a good way - in the best way - and she let herself go with it, enjoying every moment, every enticing stroke of his tongue against hers.

That kiss turns into a full-on makeout session, but you get the point. Yowza. Next:

Grace and Sam, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
I kissed her.  Just the barest brush of my lips against hers, nothing animal....
Grace smiled at me.  Her words were taunting, but her voice was gentle. "Is that all you've got?" I touched my lips to hers again, and this time it was a very different sort of kiss. It was six years' worth of kissing, her lips coming to life under mine, tasting of orange and desire. Her fingers ran through my sideburns and into my hair before linking around my neck, alive and cool and warm on my skin.  I was wild and tame and pulled into shreds and crushed into being all at once.... And then I opened my eyes and it was just Grace and me - nothing anywhere but Grace and me - she pressing her lips together as though she were keeping my kiss inside her, and me, holding this moment that was as fragile as bird in my hands.

Um, gorgeous.  That is all I can say about the way this woman writes.  I bow to her.

Katniss and Peeta, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
I realize only one person will be damaged beyond repair if Peeta dies.  Me.
"I do," I say.  "I need you." He looks upset, takes a deep breath as if to begin a long argument, and that's no good, no good at all, because he'll start going on about Prim and my mother and everything and I'll just get confused.  So before he can talk, I stop his lips with a kiss.
I feel that thing again.  The thing I felt only once before.  I kissed Peeta about a thousand times during those Games and after. But there was only one kiss that made me feel something stir deep inside. Only one that made me want more....
This time, there is nothing but us to interrupt us. And after a few attempts, Peeta gives up talking. The sensation inside me grows warmer and spreads out from my chest, down through my body, out along my arms and legs, to the tips of my being. Instead of satisfying me, the kisses have the opposite effect, of making my need greater. I thought I was something of an expert on hunger, but this is an entirely new kind.

Oh, snap.  The I-had-no-idea-I-wanted-him kiss.  Loved it, loved, loved it.

Calla and Shay, Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
I could feel every contour of his chest, the press of his thighs against my hips. I lifted my chin and his lips were on mine. The light touch speared my body and exploded deep within me.  I shuddered and took his lower lip between my teeth, biting gently.  He groaned, digging his fingers into my back. His lips parted mine, exploring, lingering.

I know I said this was too skilled for a first kiss, but hot is hot.  And that was freakin' hot.  And last but certainly not least:

Samantha and Kent, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
"Because?" I prompt him, surprised I can still speak.
"Because I'm sorry, but I can't help it, and I really need to kiss you right now."
He puts one hand behind my neck and pulls me toward him.  And then we're kissing.  His lips are soft and leave mine tingling.  I close my eyes, and in the darkness behind them I see beautiful blooming things, flowers spinning like snowflakes and hummingbirds beating the same rhythm as my heart.... His other hand pushes my hair from my face, and I can feel the impression of his fingers everywhere they touch, and I think of stars streaking through the sky and leaving burning trails behind them, and in that moment - however long it lasts, seconds, minutes, days, - while he's saying my name into my mouth and I'm breathing into him, I realize this, right here, is the first and only time I've ever been kissed in my life.

Amazing.  Tell me it's not amazing.  You'd be wrong.  It is.  Everyone deserves at least one kiss that amazing in their lifetime.

So which kiss encompasses all the heat of summer? Feel free to pick your favorite from among mine, or share yours in the comments!

Amazing Book Alert: Desires of the Dead (Body Finder #2) by Kimberly Derting

Holy crap, I could not put this book down.

Kimberly Derting has one hell of a way of creating suspense, all the while interweaving sweetness and romance and even some laugh-out-loud funny moments into the mix.  My favorite line came from Violet's friend Chelsea, in reference to Violet's boyfriend, Jay: "I swear, every time I see him, I'm halfway afraid he's gonna start crying like a girl or ask to borrow a tampon or something." 

It was the perfect read.

Yes, there were still some (though FAR fewer) annoying passive verbs, and gratuitous use of italics.  No, we still don't have a clue what Jay really looks like.  But I forgave all of the above long before the book arrived in the mail - and I know this because when it did, I stopped in the middle of reading another book so I could pick up where The Body Finder left off.  Always a good sign.

Here is the synopsis: 

Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.



As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

This time, I was as drawn into the mystery portion of the story as I was the romance.  Though, not gonna lie, the romance was still my favorite part.  I love the way Jay touches Violet's fingers to his lips while they're talking.  I love the way she can barely remember what day it is when he kisses her.  And - *Spoiler alert* - I loved their first "time" scene.  It was so sweet and realistic, with just the right amount of physical and emotional intensity. 

Although I did find it kind of strange that they went right from making out to sex, and seemed to skip the bases in between.  Then again, it's not a romance novel.  Maybe the other stuff was supposed to be implied.

Either way, these two are one of my favorite literary couples, and I'm totally rooting for them.

Like The Body Finder, the mystery portion of the story isn't terribly inventive when all is said and done, but I definitely started to second guess myself when I thought I had it all figured out.  And I HAD TO KNOW, not only because the suspense was killing me, but because I've really grown quite fond of these characters, third person POV and all.

You've got me, Kimberly Derting.  I am officially a fan.  And for those of you who missed Kim's oh-so-encouraging post on her road to publication, please click here.

So yes, peeps, I wholeheartedly recommend this series!

Amazing Book Alert: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

On the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, though I did have a few beefs.  First, the fact that it's in third person.  It's just a preference of mine to read first person POV, because third leaves me feeling disconnected from the main characters - like you never truly get inside their heads.  But again, that's a matter of preference.

Second, maybe it's because I'm in the critique stages of my own WiP, but I found myself terribly distracted by the number of passive verbs used in this novel.  Each time I came across a sentence like "Violet was turning...", I found myself mentally crossing it out and replacing it with past tense.  Revision-induced neurosis, I suppose. 

Third, and I'm sure this one is purely idiosyncratic, but having seen Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory more times than I can count, the main character's name kept making me think of the line, "Violet, you're turning violet, Violet!"  I know, now I'm just nit-picking.

Nit-picky details aside, the story pulled me right in.  Here's the synopsis:

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.



Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

Moreso than the murder mystery, my favorite part of the story was Violet and Jay's budding romance.  Which leads me to another small complaint - there is absolutely no description of Jay's physical traits.  No mention of hair color, eye color, etc.  We know he's good-looking because girls fall all over themselves when he's around, but is he Alex Pettyfer good-looking, or Rick Malambri good-looking?  Couldn't tell you.  Even with Violet, for the longest time we only know that she has dark, curly hair.

I suppose the physical descriptions aren't really important, though.  There's a ton of heat between these two, and that's really all you need to know.  When they finally acknowledge that something more lingering beneath the surface of their friendship, I almost cheered.  It's sweet and romantic and realistic.  And their second kiss practically sets the pages on fire.  You go, Kimberly Derting!

The mystery portion of the story is neither predictable nor inventive.  It IS suspenseful, but if the story had been solely about Violet and Jay falling in love, I wouldn't have missed the rest, since I'm a such romance junkie.  The scene where they face down the killer is totally riveting though- especially when Violet senses a brand new echo and you're thinking, Oh my God, if that echo belongs to who I think it belongs to I am so going to die...

At least, that's what I was thinking.  Between the tension and the butterflies, I put this one down feeling satisfied, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, Desires of the Dead.  Though quite honestly, I hope there's equal time dedicated to the desires of Jay and Violet, too!

A Little Encouragement

Anyone who needs encouragement of the writerly sort, please check out this post by Kim Derting, author of The Body Finder, in which she shares feedback from her rejectors.

Quite an eye-opener on how subjective opinions really are!

Have a great weekend, and stop by my blog on Sunday- it's the first day of the Spring Carnival and I'm giving away four amazing books!