The Sarcastic Palmtree: September 2013

I am so excited about this book I want to scream like a 13 year old girl at a
One Direction Concert!

Title: American Girl on Saturn (Saturn #1)

Author: Nikki Godwin

Date of Publication: August 29, 2013

Genre: contemporary YA romance

Book Summary:

The summer after graduation is supposed to be that first real taste of freedom - but not for eighteen-year-old Chloe Branson. Just as that breeze of freedom is making its way into her galaxy, her secret-service-agent dad drops a meteor-sized bomb of bad news on her and her sisters. An attempt has been made on the lives of Canadian boyband, Spaceships Around Saturn, during their USA tour, and the guys have to go into hiding ASAP. The only problem? In the midst of the crisis and media frenzy, their dad volunteered to hide the guys...in their house.

Six-year-old Emery is as ecstatic as any self-proclaimed Saturnite would be, but Chloe and her seventeen-year-old sister Aralie watch their summer plans crash and burn like a falling star. The SAS guys aren't happy with the situation, either. Bad boy Jules picks fights with Aralie about everything from his Twitter followers to his laundry, and heart-throb Benji can't escape Emery's fangirlisms for more than three minutes.

But after the super-cute Milo kisses Chloe during a game of hide-and-seek, she finally understands what Emery means when she talks about SAS being "out of this world." If this is what Saturn feels like, Chloe doesn't want to come back to Earth.

Add American Girl on Saturn to Goodreads HERE!

Purchase links: Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

I cannot quit fangirling about this book! To say I loved it would be a huge understatement. While reading American Girl on Saturn I was telling everyone I ran into that day about it because I was loving every single word! Then the next couple days, still talking, talking, talking, to everyone about how funny and clever I thought it was. It was so fun and entertaining but in addition, I think there are a couple of personal reasons this book was so enjoyable for me.

First, I have admittedly been in love with music, and bands, and members of bands, pretty much my entire life. I still almost cry when I see Bon Jovi hit the stage, but it wasn't Jon I liked best. Richie Sambora. He was my guy. When I would buy my tickets I was always specific "Are they on the 'Richie side' of the stage?" I think we have all been there at one time or another. American Girl on Saturn will take you into feeling how much you love or loved your version of Richie Sambora, and make you feel like this is what it would be like to live with that famous piece of awesomeness for a summer.

Secondly, I live with my own version of Emery, the 5 year old girl in this book that is the biggest "Saturnite" this side of Jupiter! My 8 year Coconut is a HUGE "Belieber" (Justin Bieber fan) and "Directioner" (One Direction fan) as well as her latest, being a "Mahomie" (Austin Mahone fan). Yeah, I know all about the fangirling that goes on for these guys! I also know the other side given to us by Aralie and Chloe. My 12 year old Tucan would rather DIE that be seen listening, dancing to, or wearing anything from a band that Coconut likes with the exception of perhaps a very few songs here and there. Admit to being a fan though.....NEVER! The same basically goes for my almost 16 year old Banana. He's definitely not going there!

The characters in this book were AMAZING. The more I think about them the more I love them! I give full props to Nikki for NAILING every single character! To write all three of the sisters in the story with their differing characteristics, as well as 5 guys who are all different and quirky in so many ways yet still get along like brothers was a pleasure to experience. The humor, and timing of it, was so well done that it made this story such a fun time. I love getting taken away when I read and this story did that for me without reservation.

While reading, everything going on was so real. I kept thinking things like "I wish I could hear what their music sounds like" or "I wish I could really see this band perform". Wanting them to be real was just pulling at me. I love the power a book has to draw this kind of emotion from someone.

Here is an excerpt From American Girl on Saturn:

We move up the staircase a bit more quietly. Then I lead Milo down the hallway to Mom’s old crafting room. Sunlight pours through the sheer white curtains and reflects off of the wooden flooring. Milo notes that the acoustics probably sound great in here with such a high ceiling. Thick layers of dust hug the old tables and piano that Mom quit playing years ago. Inside of the wall is a huge walk-in closet. I reach inside to flip on the light, but the bulb is shot.

“Can you handle the dark?” I ask, spinning on my heel to face Milo.

“Are you not hiding in there with me?” he asks. “You know, I won’t have fireflies to make me feel safe this time. I kind of need you.”

Do you hear that, Saturnites? Milo Grayson kind of needs me. Of course, you don’t hear it, though. This is lockdown. I can’t share my excitement with anyone. Maybe Noah will be willing to listen to details later. I can make him feel ‘in the loop’ about things.

Milo steps into the closet and reaches his hand out for me. There’s not a question in my mind as to whether I want to hide in a dark closet with him – who wouldn’t want to? – but my mature older sister side kicks in.

“Do you know how bad this is?” I ask him. “We’re supposed to be in charge, but we’re hiding out in a dark closet with each other.”

His mouth scrunches to one side as he shrugs.

“Technically, you’re not actually in the dark closet with me yet,” he says.

I grab his hand and let him tug me toward him. He doesn’t close the closet door all the way, allowing just enough light to leak inside so that I can see his silhouette. He leans back against the wall, sinking into the shadows, and pulls me to him.

His breath is warm against my ear as he holds me close to him. “You know,” he whispers. “When we found out about the lockdown, I never expected this to happen.”

His grip tightens around my waist, and I run my hands along his arms.

“That shirt looks so good on you.” I say it now since I know I’ll never be able to admit it outside of our dark hiding spot.

“You can’t even see my shirt right now,” he whispers directly into my ear.

“I don’t have to,” I say, somewhere just above a whisper. “I thought that the first night you got here, when you were sitting on the armrest.”

His hand moves up to my face and pushes my hair back over my shoulder. Then his fingers trail along my cheek and down my jaw line.

“You wanna know a secret?” he asks.

American Girl on Saturn moves along very well. There was never a dull moment or lull in the story and definatly never a time I willingly wanted to put it down. I was so glad when my errands were done for the day so I could just sit and read and enjoy it without interruption! I have to admit as well, that toward the end I was a little emotional. The story, the characters, the good times, I really didn't want it all to end. Books like this are like a cool glass of water in the middle of the dessert and I just want more, more, more!

I was driving down the street the other day listening to 1D and it made me think of the SAS guys and I just giggled. I cannot get this book out of my head and I defiantly would love to read more with these characters. I asked Nikki about this and she said she is working on a book for Spaceships Around Saturn member Noah right now! "Cross Me Off Your List" (Saturn #2) is set to be released in January 2014!

**Flamingo throws confetti**

You can add "Cross Me Off Your List" on Goodreads HERE!

I am sure it will come as no surprise that I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It is a wonderful Young Adult book as well as one I myself will be reading again soon.

And now, the official, unofficial rating by

Flamingo

At The Sarcastic Palmtree

I give American Girl on Saturn my highest honor

10 Palm Trees

And because I loved it so much I'm also adding:

Strawberry Milk, A color pack of Sharpies, and a pack of Oreos!!

(you will have to read the book to find out why these are such cool additions!)

Here's a little bit about the FANTASTIC Nikki Godwin

Nikki Godwin is a Young Adult/New Adult author from the southern USA. She is a city girl who can't live without Mountain Dew, black eyeliner, Hawthorne Heights, and candles from Bath & Body Works. When not writing, she's not-so-secretly internet-stalking her favorite bands. She may or may not completely love One Direction.

You can find out more about Nikki Here:

Blog Twitter: @NikGodwin Facebook

Here is the awesome giveaway that Nikki is hosting!