For Ever By: C.J. Valles *Guest Post - Review - Giveaway*

Book Description

(From Amazon)

For Ever starts now

Sixteen-year-old Wren Sullivan doesn’t want to know what other people are thinking about her—because most of the time it sucks. Too bad since that’s what happens every time she looks into someone’s eyes.

When she moves to Portland, Oregon, after her parents’ divorce, Wren’s just hoping to get through the rest of her junior year unscathed. Instead, before the end of her second day in school, she wakes up in the hospital after her very own freaky demonic-possession incident. Wren can’t remember much. But soon she finds out that her “episode” happened right after she locked eyes with the one classmate who happens to have gone missing.

Wren starts digging through people’s heads for the truth about him, and finds … nothing. Godlike hotness? Yep. But nobody knows who Ever Casey really is. Even weirder, they don’t seem to care that he just disappeared. So, when he randomly shows up again in her first period class, she’s determined to get some answers. He may be perfect on the outside, but with one look into his eyes, Wren discovers his mind is also perfect … perfectly empty.

Or is there something he doesn’t want her to see there that will put her and anyone near her in danger?

When For Ever ends, Never begins.
Never, the second book in The Ever Series, is coming soon.

Guest Post 

(Pretty Cool, thanks C.J.!) 

For Ever, The Casting Call

Which actors do I see as the characters in For Ever? When I first read the question, my heart started racing. Eeek! I have no freaking idea, because they have been inside my head for so long!

The really funny part is that I’m on IMDB all the time looking at actors’ bios and stuff, and I still don’t know. I do think one challenge that authors face when “dream casting” (especially for YA) is that the actors who seemed perfect at some point are way too old now! I’m putting in a couple of different options in some cases, because I can’t decide. My MC is the biggest challenge. And some of my choices might seem really off the wall. I know I’ve groaned a little bit at other people’s dream casting for other books! What do you think? If you’ve read the book, are there better choices?

Wren Sullivan: For Ever’s MC, she is 16-going-on-17, shy and less than thrilled with being able to read people’s minds. She’s pale, has long, dark hair, expressive green eyes, and is a wallflower until she gets to know people. Then, she’s sharp and not afraid to express her emotions, which are plain to see on her face. Wren is my wild card, so I’m just throwing a bunch of craziness out there: Chloë Grace Moretz, Lily Collins, Saoirse Ronan, Emily Browning. … Tell me what you think after you’ve read the book!

Ever Casey: He’s Wren’s main mystery when she gets to Springview High School. He looks 18, maybe older. He’s very tall and drop-dead gorgeous, but not in a really conventional, boyish way. His otherworldly green eyes have a distant quality to them. Likewise, he keeps everyone—including Wren—at bay. My choice here is going to seem really bizarre, but there’s something both charismatic and distancing about Aaron Johnson (from Kick-Ass). You’d have to lighten his hair for this, which I’m not sure would look right. From the look he has in his IMDB page, I would almost say Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson & The Olympians), but at 5’8”, I think he’s too short. ;-)

Iago: He’s introduced way late in the story and sort of seems like a generic throwaway villain. (Big surprise coming with this character in the sequel!) He’s arrogant and pompous, but in a debonair way. He’s good looking, with copper hair and black-as-night eyes. He’s also shady and manipulative—and Ever’s mortal enemy. I saw the preview to House at the End of the Street awhile back, and as I was writing this Max Thieriot popped into my head. He’s good looking, but does a really great creepy/conflicted character. What do you think? Him with copper hair? Would it work?

Caroline Sullivan (Wren’s mom): She’s kind of Wren’s foil, with golden hair, smiling blue eyes and a golden California complexion. She’s a great mom, but she’s coming off of a divorce and is a little wounded and flighty. Jennifer Aniston, only maybe older, fits the description well, but I don’t know if she can pull off mom-ish. (She’s too sexy!)

Chasen: He’s another late but important addition to the story, and is part of the beautiful trio that includes Ever and Audra (below). He’s sort of superman-ish with dark, short-cropped dark brown hair and copper eyes. He looks—and acts—like he would just as soon kill you as say hello to you. I’m basing this on an IMDB picture of Adam Gregory, though I’m not entirely sure he can pull off the ruthless, menacing quality I imagined in Chasen.

Audra: She is the warrior princess to Chasen’s warrior. Blonde with bright blue eyes, Audra is supremely beautiful and absolutely deadly. There are so many ways to go here, but I see Teresa Palmer as having the bad-ass quality I’m looking for. Based on the previews of I Am Number Four (never saw it!), she could pull off the cold, calculating aspect of Audra.

*** I’m going a little long here, so the following are tacked on with space and time allowing. ***

Extras (Friends, Enemies, and Frenemies)

Ashley: She’s the first person Wren meets at her new school. She has a good heart, but is a little unsure of herself. She’s also the glue that holds together the social sphere Wren joins. I saw pics of Jennifer Stone and Georgie Henley on IMDB that fit the idea in my head. Whether or not either could portray and nervous but exuberant quality of Ashley, I can’t say since I haven’t seen either of them act (Sorry! Not even Chronicles of Narnia!)

Marcus: He’s Ashley’s love interest. He’s the easygoing counterpart to her rattled and neurotic. He’s good looking, but not a jerk about it. He’s effortlessly athletic and best friends with Josh. When I saw a picture of Titus Makin Jr., I thought he’d be able to pull off good-looking and easygoing.

Josh: He’s kind of a goofball. He falls for Wren, mostly because she’s new, while overlooking the girl who has been pining after him—Taylor. Chase Ellison or Jason Dolley look about right. In some ways, I see Josh as the female version of Ashley. They’re both funny and likable but intensely insecure. (I had one actor down originally before I found out he’s like 36! Some people look crazy young!)

Taylor: She’s the quiet one of the group. She’s sweet, but doesn’t get much talk time, thanks to Ashley and especially Lindsay, who takes up most of the attention. Casting this one I’d need some help with. I’d say Danielle Campbell (Prom), but I don’t know if she projects the same innocence and vulnerability I see in Taylor.

Lindsay: With dyed pinkish hair, she’s the kind of crazy, in-your-face girlfriend who drives everyone a little nuts sometimes, because she’s always being dramatic, loud, and over-the-top. She teases a lot, which can come off as insensitive sometimes. I’m going with Aly Michalka or Ashley Benson, both with pink dye-jobs.

Emily Michaels: She’s the resident mean girl Wren encounters her first day of school. Emily’s character doesn’t get much screen time, but she kind of sets Wren up for feeling like she’s swimming with sharks. Emily is the reason why Wren’s so relieved when she gets inducted into Ashley’s little group! I’m going to say Emily Osment (with strawberry-blonde hair), especially if she’s puts on a horrible scowl!

Jeff Summers: Jeff Summers, Emily’s boyfriend, is captain of the football team/pitcher on the baseball team. Good looking in a generic, he-knows-he’s-hot way. He’s basically a jerk who hides his insecurities beneath a façade of sarcastic comments. He thinks he should get all the attention and is intimidated by Ever, who doesn’t seem to notice that the entire female population of the school is drooling over him. I saw pix of Glenn McCuen and Alexander Ludwig and thought—hey, these guys can totally give off that I-know-I’m-hot vibe!

Matt: The guy from Wren’s Art class. From a small town in Oregon, he feels like he has to hide who he is, just like Wren does. I see him as someone like Austin Macdonald. 

Review

This was a pretty good book! The characters were nicely written! I liked reading from Wren's POV. It really helped me to understand her situation, from moving from one state to another, from moving to one school to another, and that's not an easy transition. I can relate to one of those scenarios; to have that feeling of starting a new school, and at first it could be hmm awkward or nerve wrecking, but Wren, whom is sorta shy at first, comes out of her shell, when she meets the right type of friends. Now...Ever, yes, that's the male interest, and I must say, I believe the name suits him. He was described pretty well and I can feel his standoffish demeanor, but when his emerald eyes first meet Wren's, well actually Wren doesn't quite remember because she wakes up a day or two later at the hospital. Interesting much? Apparently she had a scary but weird incident, that has to do with Ever, and after that, Wren has got her mind on some cute guy whom she can't see what he thinks of her. For her, that is a first, and oh I forget to mention that huh? Yeah, Wren can hear what other people think around her; she has to look into their eyes, but almost all the time, she does not have any interest in hearing what people have to say. All in all, I think this was a nice written story, with interesting events that keep you turning the pages, and when you're done, you are going to want to read the next book in this series, so look out for that one, when it comes out soon! :)

My Rating: 3/5

Author Bio

C. J. grew up in Southern California before moving to Northern California for college, where she majored in English and psychology. A professional writer for more than a decade, she finished her first novel in 2008 for fun and practice.

For Ever isn’t that novel.

When she isn’t writing fiction, C. J. works as a freelance public relations writer. She lives in Portland, Ore., with her husband, the saint who spent an entire weekend reading For Ever. 

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