Theme of the Month: YA! Happy Hour Chat feat. "My Summer of Wes" by Missy Welsh

Beginning this month, we're gonna start mixing it up a little at the blog! Instead of Author of the Month features, we'll be doing theme months. YES! *fist pumps* B/c we all know how matchy-matchy we unicorns like things. ;) What better way than to matchy-match our reading materials?

This month's theme is YA. Yes, that's a chorus of cheers and groans in the clubhouse. You see, not everyone's a fan of YA. Howeeeeeever, they gave this story a fighting chance, and guess what? It came out on top!

The YA book BMBR chose to read this month is My Summer of Wes by Missy Welsh. Keep an eye out for more YA stories throughout this month!

Warning: As with all of our chats, this post will contain spoilers, zaniness, and wackadoodle squeeing.

Sunny: SRAL...you haven't read Sam and Mitch?! omg...Ann..she needs to read that scene in the truck

Sunny: you know the one...

Cuppers: You gotta read that fairy tale!!! That fairy tale is the shiznizzle!

Ann: YES! And the scene in the park. And the scene in the bar!

SRAL: buttsex?

Cuppers: OMG the bar scene… *sighs*

Lorix: The scene in the bar...

Ann: A plethora of buttsex

Lorix: Should we start the chat??

Sunny: okay, let me grab the blurb...

Ann: Blurb it!

Sunny: I didn't know. How could I? All through high school, I was beaten up and teased for being gay. But I wasn't gay. Or didn't think I was. Now Wes, the guy across the street who's taken me under his wing and been the best friend I've ever had, won't stop invading my dreams, hell, my every waking thought. Am I gay? Because I'm thinking I'd like to kiss him. Actually, I'm thinking there's a lot more I'd like to do with his mouth and the rest of that tall, confident, muscular body. Ah, man... I'm so gay! But what if he doesn't feel the same way about me? And, Jesus, what about my parents? And those bastards from school are still around. And I'm supposed to go to college this fall... Shit, I need to sit down. I can't breathe and I'm about to shake apart. Then Wes puts his hand on the back of my neck, gives me one of those encouraging squeezes and his bright smile, and everything's okay again. Yeah, I'm hooked. Oh, boy...

Cuppers: So much buttsex. Oodles of buttsex. And feelz.

Ann: *awkward

SRAL: I like that together

Ann: hahahahahahahahaha

SRAL: LMAO buttsex

B: Lol!

Ann: I love you Cuppity

Lorix: Confession - I read this book in September and half read a gazillion since...but I do remember I liked it!

B: So..... this is the cutest book EVER.

SRAL: I read this book...a year or 3 ago but I loved it. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO​OOOOOM!

Ann: I loved, loved, loved how much Mal finally felt loved and wanted

B: Aw! Me too.

Sunny: I read it 2 years ago, but re-read it today...and loved it all over again  =)

Wanna hear more about why the unicorns loved this book so much? Check it out after the jump!

Thanks for joining our chat about Wes and Mal! Without further ado, we invite you to grab a YA (or non-YA) friendly drink and settle in for a coze.

Sunny: SRAL...you haven't read Sam and Mitch?! omg...Ann..she needs to read that scene in the truck Sunny: you know the one... Cuppers: You gotta read that fairy tale!!! That fairy tale is the shiznizzle! Ann: YES! And the scene in the park. And the scene in the bar! SRAL: buttsex? Cuppers: OMG the bar scene… *sighs* Lorix: The scene in the bar... Ann: A plethora of buttsex Lorix: Should we start the chat?? Sunny: okay, let me grab the blurb... Ann: Blurb it! Sunny: I didn't know. How could I? All through high school, I was beaten up and teased for being gay. But I wasn't gay. Or didn't think I was. Now Wes, the guy across the street who's taken me under his wing and been the best friend I've ever had, won't stop invading my dreams, hell, my every waking thought. Am I gay? Because I'm thinking I'd like to kiss him. Actually, I'm thinking there's a lot more I'd like to do with his mouth and the rest of that tall, confident, muscular body. Ah, man... I'm so gay! But what if he doesn't feel the same way about me? And, Jesus, what about my parents? And those bastards from school are still around. And I'm supposed to go to college this fall... Shit, I need to sit down. I can't breathe and I'm about to shake apart. Then Wes puts his hand on the back of my neck, gives me one of those encouraging squeezes and his bright smile, and everything's okay again. Yeah, I'm hooked. Oh, boy... Cuppers: So much buttsex. Oodles of buttsex. And feelz. Ann: *awkward SRAL: I like that together Ann: hahahahahahahahaha SRAL: LMAO buttsex B: Lol! Ann: I love you Cuppity Lorix: Confession - I read this book in September and have     read a gazillion since...but I do remember I liked it! B: So..... this is the cutest book EVER. SRAL: I read this book...a year or 3 ago but I loved it =) BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO​OOOOOM! Ann: I loved, loved, loved how much Mal finally felt loved and wanted B: Aw! Me too. Sunny: I read it 2 years ago, but re-read it today...and loved it all over again =) Lorix: Yeah, cos his family were horrid if I remember correctly Ann: It's going to be a reread for me Sunny: Mal was such a sweetheart Sunny: his parents were awful... B: And every time Wes told Mal he was cute or adorable <3 SRAL: =) ♥ Ann: They were awful! But, I really liked that the author didn't make him all victim-y and pathetic Sunny: he wasn't at all victim-y... SRAL: The heart is for Wes and Mal. Not the parents. They suck moose knuckles Sunny: I'm not sure I bought into it, though...they seemed too one-dimensional Ann: They were more like a vehicle for the story, not characters Sunny: I think so, too, Ann Sunny: I called them Charlie Brown parents in my new review...there, but not really Ann: Yup and LOL @ moose knuckles Ann: Perfect analogy Sunshine! Lorix: My review said..3.75 This book is just the right side of adorable. It's feel good and any angst is minimal and dealt with immediately. Maybe a suspension of belief is required but for such a yum story I'm pretty sure you won't care. Cuppers: I love that they got it on like randy teenagers. That's what I look for in my YA. No stamina but they reload w/a quickness! =D Lorix: Yes Ann! That's it exactly! Ann: I'm totally down with that too! They were horny little monkeys and I enjoyed their business muchly Sunny: I love that Mal got a little slutty... Sunny: "I probably looked a little slutty with my ass out like that, but I was hoping he’d like it." Lorix: Randy teens are randy SRAL: =D Ann: Wes gave him all the slutty confidence. Twas hot Lorix: and they were all in love and stuff. <3 SRAL: Buttsex! Lorix: All the sex SRAL: I liked the follow up too. Sunny: “Malcolm Small, meet your prostate.” Lorix: Can we talk about the fugly cover??? Ann: Ok - how much did y'all love when Mal got toppy??? Sunny: I LOVED when Mal got toppy! B: He was so innocent too. Wes made him want to be slutty. SRAL: That's true love right there Lorix: I liked the follow up and Mal getting toppy...mmmm mmm Ann: SFY should be a new thing. Slutty For You B: True love, indeed. Lorix: It's a trust thing and I like that between characters B: Ugh the cover. Lorix: SFY ftw! Cuppers: I haven't read the follow up but I will! Ann: SlutLove = Sluve SRAL: Fuck hearts and candy, true love = being a slut for your partner. Cuppers: Sluve is a good band name Ann: The Sluve Riders Lorix: Big G would agree L SRAL: *high fives Big G* Lorix: Oohhh, I'd go and see the Sluve Riders. They'd perform topless, right? Ann: Bottomless! Lorix: Even better!! Ann: Assless Chaps! SRAL: Bottomless?!!! SRAL: Aw yeah!!! Ann: They perform in the lounge at The Swinging Pinkus SRAL: LMAO Cuppers: I wanna be the barback at The Swinging Pinkus Lorix: I think we should definitely go and see them. Well you know, if they were real and all... Cuppers: Barbacks have all the fun Ann: You mean bareback? SRAL: >:D Ann: Taking deliveries through the backdoor! Lorix: Anyway...back to the book! Sunny: I'm back...found a quote from the toppy scene =) Sunny: “I stared at his ass for a moment, watching my cum slide out of him. God, was it normal to feel so possessive of him while watching that? To know it was mine, that I’d done that to him, that he’d taken it eagerly, begged for it? It was a damn heady rush.” SRAL: GAWD DAYUM! Sunny: IKR?! Ann: Oh yeah. Yeah, that was good stuff. SRAL: If that quote doesn't push some button...I swear... Ann: I liked "Come for me, Wes," I said, my voice sounding deeper and harsher. "Come. Now!" And damn if he didn't. Right then, like he obeyed me. It was wicked perfection. Cuppers: NO, barback. The peeps that do all the "grunt" work for the bartender. Cuppers: Oops. That's out of place now, isn't it? :/ Sunny: I also liked a different time when Wes said this... Sunny: "He leaned in, cupping my cheek with his other hand, and said against my lips, 'When I come all over you, you’ll be a dirty little angel.' "B: I liked "But you were the first and will always be the best sprinkle I've ever known" SRAL: How about a bareback barback? B: Made me all sappy Sunny: I loved the sprinkle quotes Ann: I loved the sprinkle talk too! Cuppers: I was just about to say that! Ann: Samesies!! Again! Cuppers: The first & will always be the best sprinkle. *squee* Ann: *sigh Cuppers: I also really liked that Wes was so smitten. Ann: He so was. And so protective. And Mal was adorably clueless about it Cuppers: AND that Mal was the first guy he'd been w/to take an interest in his car stuff. #cuteness Ann: And Mal didn’t even care about cars, just cared about Wes Ann: D'awwwwwwww Sunny: "I wanted to blurt it out to her. To just tell her I was gay and liked her son. But, really, I needed to tell him first." Sunny: I liked when he figured it out ;) Lorix: Okay, I'm feeling the urge to reread this book! Ann: That was cute. I loved his inner dialog B: I kind of hoped he did blurt it all out to the mom Ann: He was so charming without even meaning to be B: It would have been awesomely awkward/funny Sunny: That would have been cute! Ann: His mom would have loved it too Sunny: I just wanted to hug him...when I wasn't laughing at his thoughts Cuppers: I thought Mal calling him "my Wes" was adorbz too. SO MUCH ADORBZ SQUEEZED INTO ONE LITTLE BOOK!!! B: You should reread, Lori! I just did and I loved it just as much. Lorix: I will! I'm starting to remember how cute it is! Sunny: I don't want to talk about the bullying because it made me so mad Ann: I hate to think about what he went through. I'm glad he found his inner badass with Wes Sunny: "I’d wasted so much time, so much of my life, trying to escape being me because those assholes had made me hate myself before I’d even figured out who I really was." Sunny: that broke my heart =( Ann: ^^^^^^^That Sunny! That right there Lorix: You have the best quotes! Sunny: He did find his inner badass! And it was awesome =) Sunny: I was highlighting like crazy, Lori B: With color coding? =) Cuppers: I didn't like the bullying but I liked that Wes bolstered Mal to standing up for himself. That park scene was hilarious! Sunny: I loved the park scene, too, Cupcake Lorix: LOL! Ann: I'm glad he got mad too. He didn’t have a stupid pity party. He got happy. And laid. And loved. The best revenge! Sunny: Yes!!! Sunny: …and of course color coding! Cuppers: You know it was color coded. it's Sunnykins! Ann: LOL B! Lorix: Lol at the colour code, not the bullying! B: I'm so bad at highlighting. Ann: Me too B. Lorix: Me three! Lorix: “I'm glad he got mad too. He didn’t have a stupid pity party. He got happy. And laid. And loved. The best revenge!” <<<< THIS! Sunny: one color for things I like, one color for things I don't, and one color for editing issues Lorix: I tend to highlight bits that annoy me more than bits I love! Ann: I think, I should highlight that. But then I gotta move my finger and stuff and then SQUIRREL! Cuppers: Oh my… someone's highly organized. B: Sunny, can you be my life manager? Sunny: lol...of course! Cuppers: Seriously. Ann: I do that too Lori! If I love it I'm too busy reading B: If something makes me majorly swoon, I'll highlight Ann: Or irritate the holy living crapola out of me. Ann: I'm writing a review for a book with the WORST continuity issues on the planet and there is so much highlighted I have to reread the whole damn book to review them all Lorix: Yes B, if something is amazing I highlight but generally more for niggles! SRAL: Bummer. Sunny: I hate continuity issues...I always think I missed something and I have to go back to check SRAL: Sometimes I get too caught up and I forget to highlight. Or sometimes I highlight just about everything Ann: That's why I started highlighting. I don't want to call an author out on something if it's my stupid memory Lorix: Sometimes I have to stop and google to check if it's an Americanism and if it isn't then I highlight. Like the author who used drug as the past tense for drag. CONTINUOUSLY. Drove me batty! Sunny: So, what else about the book? Ann: I love it super hard and I will read it repeatedly and hug it and pet it all the time. Sunny: It is definitely worth a re-read Lorix: I remember enjoying it a lot and all your quotes have made me want to reread. I do want to tell people not to be put off by the cover. Sorry designer but it's ugly! B: Just as good the second time around SRAL: I think I need to reread Sunny: yes, you do! Cuppers: I would reread. I would like to superimpose a different cover on it, though. Because wretched. Sunny: It really wasn't a good cover =/ Ann: It hurt my sensibilities Lorix: Sometimes a yummy little read is just what I need. Lorix: And, if it hadn't been rec'd to me by J, I would totally never have read it because of the cover... Sunny: I put it on my "hugged my ereader" shelf SRAL: I rec this book to newbie MM readers Lorix: Good call SRAL Sunny: It's got a nice dose of naughty in it Cuppers: Great shelf name is great. =) Ann: I've avoided it because of the cover. Boo! I would have loved them a long time ago! Sunny: thanks, Cupcake! Ann: This is YA I can get behind. Ann: hehehe Sunny: lol...Ann Cuppers: Right? Because buttsex. Ann: This is YA I can top Sunny: or on top of... Sunny: lmao! Ann: HA! SRAL: I wasn't as put off by the cover. I learned my lesson with other covers drawn by the artist - the books are pretty rocking. Except for like 1 but I discovered it was a me and author's styles don't mix Cuppers: And very little teen angst Ann: Thanks sweet grilled cheezus! I hate teen angst! Sunny: I don't like all their drama *shudders* Cuppers: Teen angst wears me down. Ann: I hated teen angst when I was a teen SRAL: Would you look at that? The NYIM party has embraced a YA book! Ann: BOOM! SRAL: This calls for a celebration! Drinks for all Ann: Cheers! Sunny: Cheers! B: Woot! Ann: *clink SRAL: *double clink Ann: *clunk <------ red solo cup Lorix: *raises cup of coffee* Sunny: so...any other favorite quotes? Ann: Hold please for quotes Lorix: I like well written angst and not angst that is there for the sake of being there! Cuppers: The only thing I can think of was the poem. I melted a little over the poem. Lorix: if that makes sense Cuppers: At least Mal's parents didn't suck it like the parent's in The Roommate Situation. FUCK THEM. IN THE EYE. SIDEWAYS. Ann: "God it felt so good to do this while holding on to him! It was desperate and basic and so unbelievably wonderful to feel him wanting me, hear him loving this too. How he made me feel was fantastic, but knowing how I made him feel was even better." Sunny: aww…good one, Ann Cuppers: Awwwww *sniffles* Sunny: that really was an awesome scene B: Aw! I want to hug them and squeeze them forever Lorix: Great quote Ann: Everything else was all Sunshine's quotes =D Sunny: I was a quote hog this time *nods* Lorix: I think y'all should read The Roommate Situation. It's more NA than YA but it's GOOD! Ann: I have that one. I need to read it. I like her words. Lorix: But they were great quotes Sunny. Cuppers: Except those fucking parents!!!!!! Ann: You nailed it Sunshine. Lorix: So I 3.75'd this book. Who knows, after a re-read this may change. Lorix: Except the parents Cuppers I agree! Cuppers: >:( >:( >:( Ann: 4.5 Hearts for me! Sunny: I gave it 4 hearts =) B: 4.5 for me, too Ann: Cuppers is fussy Cuppers: It was 4 for me as well. Lorix: fussy about the parents in TRS SRAL: 4.5 Hearts! =) Lorix: Oooh - I defo need to re-read. Maybe I was a grumpy bum last time I read it! Sunny: Do it, Lori! Cuppers: I'm sure you can read it in ab/15-20 mins. SRAL: “Remember how it felt yesterday? What you saw me do?” I snorted and grinned. “Man, do I ever. I remembered twice last night and again this morning.” <~~~ in my quotes arsenal Ann: HA! That was a good one! Sunny: lol...I loved that, too, L! Cuppers: Baby brought the goods!!! Atta girl! ;) Lorix: I will!! Just working through my blog books, my Sterek and the stories I want to write. O___o Lorix: Lol. Being a quick reader is my only talent. It's the only thing I've ever been good at!! Sunny: Final words? Cuppers: READ IT!!!!! Pay no attention to the cover. Cuppers: Unless you're Baby & like it. =) SRAL: Missy Welsh's YA rocks. SRAL: Even if you're not a YA-er...you'll probably like it Lorix: close your eyes at the cover and then dive into the goodness! Ann: Excellent advice Lori SRAL: Agreed!

Well?? Are you ready to spend a summer--or an evening--with Wes? We hope you had fun with the chat and the new theme month! If you have any themes you'd like to suggest, let us know in comments or ping us on FB or Twitter! =)