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Don't Kiss the Messenger

(Edgelake High School #1)

Katie Ray (Goodreads Author),

Katie Kacvinsky (Goodreads Author)

really liked it 4.00 · Rating details · 595 ratings · 123 reviews

For most of her teenage life, CeCe Edmonds has been dealing with the stares and the not-so-polite whispers that follow her around Edgelake High. So she has a large scar on her face—Harry Potter had one on his forehead and people still liked him.

CeCe never cared about her looks—until Emmett Brady, transfer student and football darling, becomes her literature critique partne ...more

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ebook, 285 pages

Published April 10th 2017 by Entangled: Crush

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Mar 15, 2017 Carrie rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

As a child Cece Edmonds was in a serious car crash that left her with a horrible scar upon her face. Now a senior in high school Cece has developed a tough girl persona to deal with those that comment about her scar. The captain of the girls volley ball team she has her circle of friends that she's close to but has trouble letting anyone else into her life.

Emmett Brady just started classes at Cece's school and when the two end up paired together Cece is immediately taken to him but won't allow ...more

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Mar 26, 2017 Annika rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: read-to-review-arc, romance-young-adult

Ugh. I can't recall ever reading a romance less satisfying.
Which is a shame considering the promising premise of a prominently scarred heroine. The thing is, had the author left out the entire romance part and focused on CeCe's character and her struggles, her friendships and family drama instead, it might have been a great book, as those were the passages that really touched me deeply.

The love story, however, has left me wanting for so much more. I wasn't expecting anything profound. I was anti ...more

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Mar 02, 2017 Damaris (GoodChoiceReading) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: must-read, for-review, for-fun, review-for-author, arc, romance

Yess!!! I needed this book! Been reading a lot of fantasy and paranormal that I was starting to feel a little burned out. So happy I got the chance to read this one early. Not only is it written by one of my favorite authors, but it was exactly what I hoped for and more. Love Katie Ray's (Kacvinsky) books!

Full review to come! ...more

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Apr 11, 2017 Nadine Wilmschen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, high-school, football, sports, music

4.5 Stars

I don't read a lot of YA. To be honest, I don't like YA that much. Reading about teenagers who fall in love? Ughs. Not my cup of tea.
Anyway, i enjoyed 'Don't kiss the messenger' a lot.

It's the story of CeCe, a girl who had a serious car accident years ago and is left with a big scar on her face. She's a fighter and has developed a bad ass attitude to deal with her looks. I really liked her. She's this girl who is too smart, too witty, too strong to be real. It's all a strategy to cope w 4.5 Stars

I don't read a lot of YA. To be honest, I don't like YA that much. Reading about teenagers who fall in love? Ughs. Not my cup of tea.
Anyway, i enjoyed 'Don't kiss the messenger' a lot.

It's the story of CeCe, a girl who had a serious car accident years ago and is left with a big scar on her face. She's a fighter and has developed a bad ass attitude to deal with her looks. I really liked her. She's this girl who is too smart, too witty, too strong to be real. It's all a strategy to cope with her insecurities. I loved that she didn't give up.

Enter Emmett Brady, a new student at her high school and the best guy ever walking this earth. He's a successful football player, a musician and he is as handsome as they get. To make things even worse, this guy reads. We're not talking about Sports Illustrated here. He reads books. The good ones.

Cece and Emmett are teamed up in one of their classes and the connection is instant. These two get each other and while reading you know that these two are meant to be. Unfortunately, life has other plans.

Emmett falls vor Bryn, the beautiful new girl. He falls hard and fast and Bryn is into him, too.
The problem: Bryn is shallow and simple. She doesn't have a clue how to talk to Emmett and one evening Cece becomes the ghostwriter for Bryn. What started as a one time thing developes into dozens of emails and texts.
It's a modern version of Cyrano de Bergerac.

I loved loved loved (!) the literature references and all the quotes and song texts. I believed that Emmett and Cece knew what they were talking about. This was not a story written by an author who wants to sound clever. This is a story by an author who is clever :)

Why not 5 stars? I had some minor issues with the story.
Bryn is one-dimensional and too dumb here and there. She's the stereotype of a good looking girl who never had to use her brains. It was so obvious that she was never able to write those texts to Emmett that he should've find out earlier.

If you like YA, you will love this story. If you're not into YA, give this a try anyway. It's an intelligent so well written story. ...more

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Jul 14, 2017 Lala_Loopsie [fire breathing B!tch Queen] rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance

I'm confused as hell, yet i'm still quite enjoying it.

Don't kiss the messenger. Why is it called like that? How does this even relate to the story? I don't know

When I saw the title, I thought it was the love story between a milkman or a postman and a married woman. Let me tell you, it's not between a milkman and a woman, not even between a postman. Strangely enough, I wasn't put off by the idea, and I read the blurb. Yes, I did. So I read it, liked it, and got the book.

Aaaaaaaaaaand, I didn't ...more

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Mar 31, 2017 Natshane rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, netgalley

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of Don't Kiss the Messenger provided by Entangled Teen and the author. Thank you for showing me that scars can be beautiful too.

"Love has two sides. First, it amazes us with its force. Then it humbles us with its sincerity."

Entangled Crush is best known for their cute and straightforward high school romances, some titles make you laugh, while some make you feel young at heart. On the other end of the spectrum, there are books like this whose blurb and ...more

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Apr 08, 2017 Shirley Cuypers rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-beta, ebooks, 2017

Original review

Don't Kiss the Messenger tells the story of CeCe Edmonds. CeCe had a car accident when she was younger and because of that she has a scar on her face. She's been dealing with a lot of stares and whispers about her scar, so now she's tough and doesn't back away when someone's mean to her. It looks like she's fine, but she's not. She desperately wants someone to love her for who she is, but everyone only sees her scar... Until Emmett...

I really liked Don't Kiss the Messenger. I tho ...more

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Apr 17, 2017 ★ Belle The Bibliophile ★ rated it it was ok

Shelves: relatable-heroines, i-am-so-angry, okay-read, shitty-af-or-annoying-hero, 2017-reads, bad-writing

What I got from this tale: it doesn't matter if you have an attractive personality, if you're ugly, that guy will never notice you. Ever. Unless you make it obvious--even then he still won't notice you, not when there's an ethereal beauty in front of him. Looks matter, people!!

So yeah if you're ugly? Tough shit.

I'm mostly, sarcastic.

Not really. ...more

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May 25, 2017 Roxanne rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, ya, netgalley, pleasant-surprise, 2017-favourites, 4000-books

Many thanks to Entangled Teen Crush for the free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

Wow! This little book completely blew me away! Although I've read a few books from this particular imprint before, they in no way gave me any indication that I would fall in love with "Don't Kiss the Messenger". I expected a cute, contemporary YA romance with a few fun times and a couple of swoons, maybe some sweet characters, but a predictable plot and an overall lack of depth. Still, sometimes that i Many thanks to Entangled Teen Crush for the free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

Wow! This little book completely blew me away! Although I've read a few books from this particular imprint before, they in no way gave me any indication that I would fall in love with "Don't Kiss the Messenger". I expected a cute, contemporary YA romance with a few fun times and a couple of swoons, maybe some sweet characters, but a predictable plot and an overall lack of depth. Still, sometimes that is exactly the type of read I'm looking for, and I'm completely okay with that. In this case, however, I was surprised and thrilled to get way more than I bargained for.

First off, I have to talk about CeCe. She is amazing! She's smart, sarcastic, funny, loyal, strong and athletic, as well as competitive, and she's confident in her abilities. She's also extremely sensitive when it comes to her looks, specifically her facial scar, although she tries to cover her scar either literally with her hair or figuratively with her bold and engaging personality. She is under no illusions that any boy will ever want to be with her long term - she's messed around occasionally with boys, but nothing has ever lasted more than a single encounter, and she's never been out on a date. My gosh, I totally empathized with her. There were a couple of times in this book where I felt sucker punched right in the feels, and I damn near bawled my eyes out! Embarrassing, yes, but I love it when a book makes me feel all sorts of emotions.

DKtM is not all tears and sobs, though - there are plenty of laughs and swoons, frustration and angst. I loved it all, including Emmett - he was a real sweetheart - and some of CeCe's volleyball teammates. Bryn, not so much - let's just say she's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and I found her to be oh so annoying. She has a good heart, though, so it's hard to dislike her entirely.

So even though the Cyrano de Bergerac tale is familiar, and some might say this plot is predictable, to me it felt fresh and unique because of the wonderful characters and excellent writing. I'd surely recommend this book to any contemporary YA fans - it's lovely!

My rating: 4.5 stars ...more

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Mar 15, 2017 Taylor Fenner rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, romance, arcs, favorites, contemporary

CeCe Edmonds is used to people not being able to see past the disfiguring scar that runs down the side of her face. She's used to the staring, the pointing, and the taunting. To protect herself she's hidden behind a thick emotional armor and a witty talent for self-deprecation. She spends so much time focusing on her classes and her varsity volleyball team at her prep school, Edgelake, in Madison, Wisconsin that she can almost forget that she never gets asked out on dates and guys usually don't CeCe Edmonds is used to people not being able to see past the disfiguring scar that runs down the side of her face. She's used to the staring, the pointing, and the taunting. To protect herself she's hidden behind a thick emotional armor and a witty talent for self-deprecation. She spends so much time focusing on her classes and her varsity volleyball team at her prep school, Edgelake, in Madison, Wisconsin that she can almost forget that she never gets asked out on dates and guys usually don't want more than a hook-up from her. Almost.

Enter the incredibly hot new quarterback, Emmett, who captures CeCe's attention while playing classical music while CeCe is on her way to class. Emmett first lays eyes on the bold girl with the scar when he arrives late to his Shakespeare English class and he doesn't seem at all bothered by the scar. Could Emmett finally be the guy who could look past CeCe's scar and appreciate the girl underneath?

CeCe doubts it because when Emmett spots Bryn, the Volleyball team's newest member and Edgelake's other new transfer student he instantly is attracted to her model-like looks and CeCe casts herself into the role of matchmaking best friend. But Emmett is looking for more than good looks, he wants someone he can talk to as well, and Bryn enlists CeCe's help to break the ice.

Like a modern-day Cyrano de Bergerac, CeCe swoops in and soon she's exchanging emails and texts with Emmett, pretending to be Bryn. CeCe quickly learns that Emmett is anything but a dumb jock and he could be just the guy she's been waiting for all this time. But Emmett thinks he's falling for Bryn - who sounds witty in her emails but acts completely different in person. Will Emmett figure out who he's really talking to? And if he does, can he look past CeCe's looks and actually love her for herself? Or will CeCe lose the first guy she's been able to be carefree with? The guy she's starting to love?

When I first picked up Don't Kiss the Messenger I was expecting a light, breezy, quick read but it is so much more than that. It's a breathtaking story about learning to love yourself and people looking past exterior beauty to get to know the person inside.

This book had me laughing out loud one moment and nearly crying the next because of how raw and relatable it is. Anyone who's ever thought themselves to have any sort of flaw will be able to see pieces of themselves in CeCe and be rooting for her the whole way through. Emmett was an amazing character, the rare type of guy that you hope actually exist in real life. And Bryn - OMG, I loved Bryn! She was the ditzy friend I always wished I had!

Overall, I loved everything about this book. The writing was absolutely beautiful! Perhaps it caught me at precisely the right moment, the moment I needed a story like this most. This is definitely a feel good book and I'm so glad I got to read it! ...more

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Mar 09, 2017 Tami rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, netgalley

It was a very adorable read. A very cute YA romance. More than just the class made me think of a specific playwright. This parallels a certain Shakespeare play.

This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Mar 08, 2017 Dísir rated it it was ok

Shelves: contemporary-romance, young-adult-new-adult, hair-pulling-frustrating, eyeballs-rolled-into-my-head, oh-for-fucks-sake, why-god-why, chick-lit, netgalley, arc

Too many shades of Cyrano de Begerac’s tragicomedy are at work here as CeCe lets herself get carried away as she helps a flighty teammate win the new Quarterback she likes through lyrics and poems (synchronicity matters in hobbies, after all), as things go predictably pear-shaped and minds get scrambled.

Yet ‘Don’t Kiss the Messenger’ has put me in such a bind. It’s cleverly written really, with bona fide depth to it like those arty teen movies of the ‘90s, with a kind of teenage-philosophising Too many shades of Cyrano de Begerac’s tragicomedy are at work here as CeCe lets herself get carried away as she helps a flighty teammate win the new Quarterback she likes through lyrics and poems (synchronicity matters in hobbies, after all), as things go predictably pear-shaped and minds get scrambled.

Yet ‘Don’t Kiss the Messenger’ has put me in such a bind. It’s cleverly written really, with bona fide depth to it like those arty teen movies of the ‘90s, with a kind of teenage-philosophising that comes when it gets melancholy. The insights into music, songs and life—written into the characters—do lend them a maturity that I don’t always read about, as they burst at the seams with literary references merged with heightened teenage angst. The hr was immensely relatable: made out to be the everyday geek-artistic girl who’s also an athlete, though I wondered if her personality—and the tough, razor-sharp exterior—had been shaped by the scar on her face. Her tendency to get lost in fiction, the prickly way she reacts because of her physical appearance...I could relate to all of it. Emmett himself was one of a kind: the artistic all-rounded guy who excelled in sports and music, with a sensitive side that made him a catch for any girl.

What frustrated me though, was that CeCe let it go that far for it to all blow up in her face, inevitably making this a story where there was always a third party in this awkward not-quite relationship throughout. I couldn’t understand how Emmett never did recognise the discrepancy in intelligence, or in the difference in CeCe’s and Bryn's voices (again, a scene taken straight out from Cyrano) and how that didn’t cause him to question anything more as he still went ahead with their physical relationship when he’d explicitly stated that he wanted to be in love with Bryn before falling into bed with her.

Yet the deception still went on; Emmett still ended up in bed with the other woman and that pretty much ruined it all for me, even though he realises in the end that he and CeCe had a soulmate connection. The epilogue felt almost like Emmett’s insistence at covering his bases—that he and CeCe were inevitable no matter what, but by then, I was less than convinced.

*ARC by netgalley
(always grateful, mind) ...more

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Apr 10, 2017 Rê rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult-contemporary, very-good, made-me-feel, arc-netgalley, 2017, not-what-i-expected, art-lovers

3.5 “Scars, Sports & Illusions” Stars

ARC via NetGalley.

Thank you, Entangled Teen (Crush).

I'm still not sure how to rate this book, to be completely honest. While the main character took me on an emotional ride, giving me all the feels, I had problems with how the romance was portrayed here among other things.

Don't Kiss the Messenger didn't go at all as I expected. I've read my fair share of Entangled Crush books to expect sweet and cute stories with popular tropes (like the "falling in love with ...more

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May 05, 2017 Sharon Mariampillai rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-have, e-books, romance, ya, 2017-reads, contemporary, alternating-povs, boyfriend-material, favourite-heroines, must-read

Actual Rating: 4.5

Thank you Sharon J for recommending this book to me. This was an amazing read. It tugged at my heartstrings a bit. There were a few points where I cried while I read the book. The characters were great. Although, I did get annoyed by the heroine, Cece. She is a girl who write emails to a boy for another girl. I wished that she would have told the truth. Emmett was a sweet guy. I thought that he had a way with words because he had a very poetic way of speaking. Bryn is an arro ...more

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Apr 04, 2017 Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: imo-worthy-love-interest, fiction-young-adult, stars-5, 2017, genre-romance-deliberately, review-on-amazon, reviewed, g-t-contemporary, genre-coming-of-age, series-book-1

Thanks to Chapter-by-Chapter and Entangled Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Emmett and Bryn start attending Edgelake High their senior year they re-enact their own modern Cyrano de Bergerac love story with CeCe smack in the middle. CeCe, while a leader on the volleyball court takes a back seat in love due to the large scar on her face. Emmett, the new football quarterback is blindsided by the gorgeous looks of fellow new student Bryn but falls in love with Thanks to Chapter-by-Chapter and Entangled Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Emmett and Bryn start attending Edgelake High their senior year they re-enact their own modern Cyrano de Bergerac love story with CeCe smack in the middle. CeCe, while a leader on the volleyball court takes a back seat in love due to the large scar on her face. Emmett, the new football quarterback is blindsided by the gorgeous looks of fellow new student Bryn but falls in love with her emails and texts sent by her secret messenger CeCe. Will they sort out this love tangle?

Right off the bat I really enjoyed how all of these teens were athletes. They had other interests too so they weren't two dimensional meatheads but this isn't a book about the stereotypical nerds (not that there's anything wrong with nerds :) that we read about all the time in contemporary books. Their lives did revolve around their games and competitions though and that added another element to the classic high school story. In fact it honestly felt more like a college book at times which isn't a bad thing necessarily but definitely focused on those sorts of concerns (sex, drinking and partying). Watford and the Shakespeare class was a good side element.

The setup was really strong and made me root for all the characters even Bryn. Smart choices were made by the author that sucked you into the story: Shakespeare, playlists, science, just to give you a few clues! Part of what caused me to enjoy the book so much was how individual each character felt. CeCe was a sum total of dealing with the stares caused by her scar. Even her family life was affected by that accident and this was the time she had to deal with it before she went into the larger world. Emmett's ticket to college will be his sport's scholarship but he is the person he is due to the music he shared with his father. Will a football groupie really make a satisfying relationship? Bryn has always relied on her body and appearance to make a connection in her relationships and to do otherwise makes her feel very insecure. This depth really informed the plot so that by the end I wasn't surprised at all by any of the character's actions or conclusions. This is the kind of writing that I love: well thought out, developed storytelling!

I also loved the ideas she presented as the characters took these journeys of self-discovery. Like this from Emmett:

"Some of our best memories were made inside here, driving at night and dissecting music under a broken sky of stars. Some things I refused to let go. Some memories were worth the weight of carrying."

And this perspective on sports by CeCe:

"I loved that sports gave women a reason to be unpretty, in the traditional sense. It made stamina, strength, endurance, and mental toughness attractive. Flushed cheeks were your makeup, muscles your accessory, and sweat your glitter."

Honestly I could quote many passages in this book... I can see where CeCe gets caught up relating so well to Emmett online and how freeing it is that he doesn't know they are her words. She has no pressure from him at all and can be herself. On the other side of it are the feelings she is starting to have when she is with him... This is definitely CeCe's book but there were moments where Emmett could be protective but in a modern way where her femininity remained intact.

A little past 60% I was quite surprised where the story went, it wasn't bad and the moments were just as stellar post-50% as pre-50% but I was hoping that the pretending would end and the story would develop past the lies before the book ended. CeCe gets in way too deep... and I loved how that happened with the chemistry experiments, skinny dipping and the SPIDER (which I hoped would end things...!) But to be frank this is where the story shows to be about high school and not college.

I did really enjoy how this helped CeCe to break through the walls she'd built between her and her mother... Their conversation was poignant and beautiful even though she wasn't hearing what she wanted to hear. And I wasn't surprised when she makes a left turn with Tucker... it worked to me and I was so relieved it wasn't worse! I enjoyed how music helped Emmett adjust to the idea two woman had been in his life (rarely do we get such a well done dual story!)

Love how Bryan broke it off with the truth... I really loved that she was never made out to be a villain she was just a girl with her own hangups even though she was gorgeous looking. Oh and I loved Tuba's pep talk! What a friend! We all have things we are rejected for or are insecure about... CeCe is such a regular girl, an athlete too but just as needy and insecure as everyone else! All girls need to learn how to self love themselves before others can too and this book gives a great rendition of how we do that...

BOTTOM LINE: Modern athlete version of the Cyrano de Bergerac love story! ...more

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Mar 20, 2017 Ira rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wow, this book drew me in! From the first page on I was hooked and didn't put the book down till the end.
I can't even tell what I felt exactly, because due to the unusual circumstances (and some insecurities and some stupidity and...well, you get the point, right?) my feelings changed every other minute. I was sighing and grinning foolishly, was really really upset the next minute, started ranting and swearing am second later and would have loved to kick somebody or other - well, sometimes.

Tak Wow, this book drew me in! From the first page on I was hooked and didn't put the book down till the end.
I can't even tell what I felt exactly, because due to the unusual circumstances (and some insecurities and some stupidity and...well, you get the point, right?) my feelings changed every other minute. I was sighing and grinning foolishly, was really really upset the next minute, started ranting and swearing am second later and would have loved to kick somebody or other - well, sometimes.

Take CeCe, you just have to love her - and I was so upset when people reacted badly to her scar and I just would have loved to hug her - while kicking somebody's back. And then Bryn - clueless, sweet, egocentric, beautiful - every guy's dream. At least as long as he doesn't want to dig too deep and doesn't try to look for more. Together - they are irresistible, aren't they? Is it possible to fall, hard, for someone's inner beauty instead of the obvious beauty on the outside? Or is it really just beauty that matters?

When Emmett falls for Bryn, he can't believe his luck - perfection on the outside and a perfect character, all in one. Well... There might be something else - or rather someone else. How is it possible to fall for one person, to feel so close to her and somehow it never really adds up? Something is off and he is desperately trying to find out what it is and how to really connect with the wonderful woman Bryn promises to be. At least, ...well, read for yourself, it's definitely worth it!

I loved how strong Cece was and I loved to see her rattled and realizing that sometimes life may have more in store for you than you can imagine.
This is a wonderful book about getting to know somebody, really getting to know somebody, it's about self-acceptance, insecurity, peoples' strengths, their weaknesses and about finding the one with whom you feel just right. The one who loves you and who doesn't care whether you have a scar, are big or tall or -whatever because you are just right, just the way you are.

Sometimes it takes a bit longer and the way to happiness may be a bit longer and a bit less straightforward than you may have wished for but love is worth the fight and worth the wait.
I really loved this book, I liked the "First comes love" and "Awaken" series that the author wrote as Katie Kacvinsky but this book is much more intense and I just couldn't put it down.

So, no matter what, don't shoot, ummm, kiss the messenger, you never know if he (or she) is really the one who sent the message! ...more

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Mar 08, 2017 diana rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, netgalley

This is, like, the most adorable and the most frustrating book I've come across. Ever. Which wasn't at all what I expected to get from this. Honestly, I just couldn't sleep so I figured why not read a few pages just to tire myself out? But before I know it, it's already three in the morning and I was already turning the last page. Don't Kiss the Messenger surprised me in a really welcome and pleasant way.

Let me start off by saying that our MC, CeCe, puts a whole new twist at badass-ery and sass. This is, like, the most adorable and the most frustrating book I've come across. Ever. Which wasn't at all what I expected to get from this. Honestly, I just couldn't sleep so I figured why not read a few pages just to tire myself out? But before I know it, it's already three in the morning and I was already turning the last page. Don't Kiss the Messenger surprised me in a really welcome and pleasant way.

Let me start off by saying that our MC, CeCe, puts a whole new twist at badass-ery and sass. I don't think I've ever come across an independent, bold and daring heroine as CeCe. I liked her from the get-go. And when she started spouting off Shakespeare with the effortless way of saying one's name and shown her love and passion for writing poetry and music, I just couldn't help but LOVE her. Honestly, I would love to be her friend. I'm pretty sure she's the kind who would have your back no matter what. I like her dry humor and her love of science. The author created a very complex character in CeCe and I just LOVE it... Have I mentioned I love it?

And Emmett Brady. Man that guy. Is there by any chance that he’s one of Will Herondale’s descendants? Because I’ve never seen any guy in all of the YA contemporary books I’ve read who’s as gentlemanly and old school and soulful and romantic and intense as Emmett is. He never does anything halfheartedly which is one of the things I love about his character. He’s very passionate and… well who wouldn’t love a passionate guy who’d sweep you off your feet? Not to mention someone very good at writing music and is very poetic. Um, YES PLEASE.

Honestly, I would have given this book a five-star rating if it weren't for the whole drama about who's emailing/texting/chatting who. I really could have punched Emmett in the face for being so naive and clueless. How could he not have figured it out? And CeCe was just as annoyingly maddening when she kept on denying what is so glaringly obvious. But damn it if it didn't made me love and root for them more. Seriously, the romance was slow-burn and every exchanged words/quotes/poetry/song lyrics between Emmett and CeCe just turned my heart to goo.

This book is an absolute must-read. The author's writing is lyrical and very engrossing. You wouldn't want to stop reading. Oh and have I mentioned CeCe’s amazing friends? They wouldn’t coddle and smother you but you bet they’ll be right behind you when you need them. Tuba is an absolute favorite of mine. I wouldn’t be surprised if the author decided to give Tuba her own book. There wasn’t much backstory on the supporting characters so I’m really quite intrigued.
Don’t Kiss the Messenger sets itself apart from other YA contemporaries with the emotional depth it packs that would surprise and ensnare you. It is a heartwarming, emotional and lovely story about family, friendships, love, self-acceptance and just being brave enough to be who you really are despite all your flaws- physical or otherwise.

I received an e-arc to read and review. ...more

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Mar 12, 2017 Sophie rated it it was amazing

Netgalley copy in exchange for an honest review.

Great story + good writing + amazing main characters + dual povs + intelligent cast = AMAZING BOOK.

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Mar 09, 2017 Sabina rated it really liked it

A book with lots of playlists recommends itself to me instantly. Cece and Emmett aren't average sports people, they are both very passionate about music and literature. I loved their eloquent and frequently artistic discussions, the metaphores they used. Cece feels alert all the time since people pay a lot of attention to her scarred face, but she learns that the scare actually made her who she is and she slowly accepts it. It's a romantic love stroy full of uncertainties and love letters. I rea ...more

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Apr 03, 2017 Kat rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

This was a really enjoyable read about a strong female character and a refreshingly multi-faceted male character. I really loved getting to know Ceecee and Emmett, in particular Ceecee who the book tended to show a deeper perspective on. So many times characters with a so called "flaw" whether it's social anxiety or pimples or weight or a medical condition tend to be portrayed as very weakened and ashamed, and I thought it was neat how although CeeCee certainly had some work to do before she col ...more

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Mar 28, 2017 Erica Chilson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: wickedreads, music, 4-star, young-adult, school-is-cool, writer-protagonist, disabilities, athlete

I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

4 Angsty Stars

Young Adult age-range: 14+ due to sexual situations and adult language.

Katie Ray is a new-to-me author, and I was instantly hooked from the first paragraph. Swift pacing, easy to relate to characters, and realistic emotions. Beyond frustrating for an adult to read.

CeCe is a strong character: athletic, a true leader, crazy about music and literature- deep and cerebral-centric. She is also scarred on her cheek from ...more

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Apr 08, 2017 Cassie rated it it was amazing

Don’t Kiss the Messenger is a gender-reversed, high school retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac. It’s a story about disguise, miscommunication, and hidden crushes. Often I find stories about deception frustrating because I am so impatient for the truth to be revealed, but in this book the use of modern technology to disguise flirtation is creatively thought out and well executed. I thought (and loved) that the book gave off vibes that reminisced the classic independent heroine and witty banter that i Don’t Kiss the Messenger is a gender-reversed, high school retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac. It’s a story about disguise, miscommunication, and hidden crushes. Often I find stories about deception frustrating because I am so impatient for the truth to be revealed, but in this book the use of modern technology to disguise flirtation is creatively thought out and well executed. I thought (and loved) that the book gave off vibes that reminisced the classic independent heroine and witty banter that is portrayed in the movie 10 Things I Hate About You.

One of my favorite parts of Don’t Kiss the Messenger was the constant references to Shakespeare. You cannot go into a story focused on disguise and deception without Shakespeare’s works making an appearance. And every time Cece, the main character, quoted a Shakespeare play, I would get so excited. It’s not every day you read a character that appreciates the language of the Bard.

Not only is Cece a Shakespeare fanatic, but she is also likable, sarcastic, confident, and fierce. Although she faces scrutiny every day from strangers who take pity on her or are awe-struck by the scars on her face, Cece keeps her head up high and tries to excel in every way she possibly can. She tries not to let her flaws define her, but it’s hard because she lives in a world that focuses on perfection as a defining factor. Cece has excellent taste in music, she’s fearless, and I love that she knows that sometimes a good cry is the best medicine.

I also liked Emmett, Cece’s crush. Emmett is not set up as the perfect high school jock. He has a past that is heartbreaking, and a future that needs mending. Emmett might be clueless on a few things, but his interest in literature, music, and defending his friends makes him stand out.

Cece and Emmett’s friendship and relationship is an emotional roller coaster. And even though they have their twists and turns, the chemistry between these two characters is electric. Their friendship is based on witticism, sarcasm, and laughs. I love how they feed off each other’s energy and their banter is so cute and hilarious. I rooted for them the entire book, even when the disguised messages were grating my last nerve, hahaha.

Although stories that use disguises as a tricking mechanism sometimes frustrate me, the deceiving charade that takes place in Don’t Kiss the Messenger is heartwarming and swoony. Yes, I might have gotten annoyed at times, mainly because I wanted the truth leaked, but deception was perfectly set up as a steady beat throughout the pages and had me hooked to the very end. I highly recommend this book to fans of Shakespeare, literature nerds, music fiends, and anyone who appreciates a good love story. ...more

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Apr 10, 2017 Tara (Spinatale Reviews) rated it really liked it

Don't Kiss the Messenger was an absolutely adorable, quick read. After reading that it is a retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac, I wanted to immediately go read the original.

Cece is an incredibly smart, vivacious character. Captain of the varsity volleyball team at a school where sports are everything, she should be one of the most popular students at school. However, the large scar on her face from a childhood accident seems to define her to her classmates more than anything else. I loved how tough Don't Kiss the Messenger was an absolutely adorable, quick read. After reading that it is a retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac, I wanted to immediately go read the original.

Cece is an incredibly smart, vivacious character. Captain of the varsity volleyball team at a school where sports are everything, she should be one of the most popular students at school. However, the large scar on her face from a childhood accident seems to define her to her classmates more than anything else. I loved how tough and resilient Cece was in general (with the exception of one scene where she was more of a bully). The glimpses we get of what lay beneath her hardened exterior really rounded her out as a character.

Her developing relationship with Emmett was adorable. I was rooting for them from their very first interaction in English class. Emmett himself was another interesting character, the football player and musician. Both main characters were very well-developed and multidimensional. However, the secondary characters, particularly Bryn, weren't well-developed. I had a difficult time believing that Emmett seriously didn't at least have an idea that Bryn wasn't the girl he was messaging.

I'm fully supportive of the messaging confusion plot in the book but Bryn really didn't have to be such an airhead. Very little time is spent on her athletic abilities or the training and determination it took to get her there. Instead, Cece is portrayed as the well-rounded person who is also an incredible athlete while Bryn is a shallow person who has no other thoughts than rating a guy's hotness. Other than one mention at the beginning, we don't really hear about her performance on the team. The main focus is on how gorgeous she is and how boys are incredibly attracted to her. The author does Bryn a disservice by not developing her more fully.

Overall, this story was a quick and enjoyable read. I would recommend to fans of light YA contemporaries.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ...more

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Mar 14, 2017 Olivia rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley-reviews

"Don't Kiss the Messenger" was a sweet (albeit predictable) book about the misunderstandings and missteps of young love- in the style of Shakespeare. The book takes place at Edgelake, a combinating high school/college where the students live, attend classes, and compete on athletic teams. It's senior year, and CeCe is captain of the volleyball team. She is taking Shakespeare as an elective, and on the first day, she is paired up with the handsome new transfer the football team has been raving ab "Don't Kiss the Messenger" was a sweet (albeit predictable) book about the misunderstandings and missteps of young love- in the style of Shakespeare. The book takes place at Edgelake, a combinating high school/college where the students live, attend classes, and compete on athletic teams. It's senior year, and CeCe is captain of the volleyball team. She is taking Shakespeare as an elective, and on the first day, she is paired up with the handsome new transfer the football team has been raving about- Emmett Brady. Later in the day, both are introduced to the gorgeous new transfer, Bryn, who is joining the volleyball team and can't stop turning heads.

Bryn and Emmett immediately have a physical connection, but Bryn is too shy (and shallow) to understand/reply to Emmett's texts (and later emails). She recruits CeCe to help her and chaos ensues, as CeCe begins to fall in love with Emmett, and Emmett is falling in love with the person he thinks is Bryn. Emmett and CeCe are continuing to socialize, due to class and due to Bryn, but CeCe believes (due to her past experiences) that no one will be able to see past the huge scar on her face- or love her more because of it. The book reminded me quite a bit of Shakespearean comedies, and I have to assume this was the intent (due to the Shakespeare class peppered in the story).

Overall, it was a fun and cute story that tackles the issues of physical insecurities (as we learn, not only CeCe has them) and what makes love- the substance of it. Bryn was a bit of a foil, as she was shallow and beautiful (pretty one-sided) and really only served as a marker for the opposite of CeCe/didn't really seem to be a developed character. It was a cute and predictable (although frustrating) love story, and overall, I really enjoyed it! I also really liked the science references/fun with chemistry, which was a cute touch. The book moves quickly and it was a fast read- a great summer/beachy read!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own. ...more

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Apr 06, 2017 Jordan Marie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: wicked-reads, ya-romance, young-adult

****I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads****

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking Don't Kiss the Messenger (DKTM) and was immediately hooked after just a few pages! CeCe Edmonds, the main character, is a strong female and very relatable. Katie Ray has easily won me over with this one. DKTM is a modern day retelling of Cyrano Bergerac, which I haven't read, but I am certainly intrigued by it now. Although, this is Katie Ray's first book under thi ...more

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Mar 11, 2017 Illa rated it really liked it

Amazing!

I had so much fun reading this. I loved both Emmett and Cece. For me this felt real. You didn't need sex scenes to feel this two feelings. I know that I will rate a book high when no sex scenes or dirty talking is needed to feel the chemistry between the two leads, and Katie Ray did that exactly. I loved the friendship CeCe had with her roommates. I loved that guys even do they weren't romantically interested they weren't rude or mean to Cece. We did get to read about her being bullied ...more

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Mar 14, 2017 Heathery rated it really liked it

Shelves: in-exchange-for-review, young-adult, heavy-romance, school-life

I received a copy of this book in exchange for review.

Emmett: I'm so hot. I'm a star football player, but I'm also a deeply emotional pianist. I speak in lyrics.

CeCe: I have a scar on my face. I'm so hideous. But not my 10/10 body. I'm also very deep/emotional and speak in lyrics.

Bryn: I'm a complete moron. I buy shoes. I have hair the color of soft wheat in the afternoon sunlight.

Tuba: I'm the only remotely normal character in this book.

These are the main characters. Despite my snarkiness about ...more

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Mar 12, 2017 Gill rated it really liked it

This was such an adorable read, I loved almost everything about it. I had every intention of reading a chapter or two before bed but ended up finishing the entire book in one go because I just couldn’t put it down. Rarely does a book really surprise me but this one did, very different than what I was expecting.
Our protagonist CeCe takes the badass, 'I don’t care what you think of me’, sassy attitude to a whole new level and I love it. Emmett is the perfect love interest for her, he is old schoo ...more

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Mar 17, 2017 Emily Carter-Dunn rated it really liked it

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

Don't Kiss the Messenger is all things I usually hate: a 'damaged' girl, popular guy, denial of feelings and cheesy cliche teen romance. Despite this, I LOVED this book.

CeCe is captain of the volleyball team and finds it hard to fit in due to a prominent scar on her cheek from a car accident. She meets Emmett, the new quarterback, in her English class and soon helps set up Emmett with the new volleyball team member, Bryn. Poor Bryn cannot string ...more

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Mar 13, 2017 Kristi Housman Confessions of a YA Reader rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-books, advanced-reader

I received a copy of this book from netgalley for review.

What I loved most about this book was CeCe. Her intelligence and strength covered how vulnerable and sweet she really was. I know she was guarded because of her scar, but I do believe it made her who she was. I loved Emmett, too. Bryn made me crazy. I know I was probably supposed to like her, but she was shallow and clueless. Not my favorite qualities.

I loved the music and the writing in this book. The chapter with the chemistry experiment ...more

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About Katie Ray

Katie Ray

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Hi, my name's Katie and I write teen and new adult fiction novels. My latest book, Don't Kiss the Messenger, is published under my new pen name, Katie Ray. I also have six books published under my legal name, Katie Kacvinsky (First Comes Love, Second Chance, Finally Forever, Awaken, Middle Ground, and Still Point).

My books have been nominated for YALSA awards, and First Comes Love was a finalist f ...more

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Quotes from Don't Kiss the Me...

“I loved that sports gave women a reason to be unpretty, in the traditional sense. It made stamina, strength, endurance, and mental toughness attractive. Flushed cheeks were your makeup, muscles your accessory, and sweat your glitter. I fit in well in this fashion runway show.” — 1 likes

“The heart is the anarchist of the mind. The naughty child that never grows up. The hopeless romantic. The dreamer. The optimist. The risk taker. The sail that always wants to move. The wings that never want to land." CeCe” — 1 likes

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