[Click To Subscribe] [By: Augustine, L.M.] [June, 2013]

by L.M. Augustine

135,789. That’s how many subscribers sixteen-year-old West Ryder has on his web vlog series. But he only has eyes for one of them. As one of the internet’s most prestigious video bloggers, West talks about high school relationships under the name “Sam Green.” As far as he knows, no one from school, not even his best friend, Cat, has seen his videos. But the highlight of the whole thing is Harper Knight, who comments every day at exactly 2:02 in the afternoon. He doesn’t know anything about her aside from the occasional deep philosophical messaging on why pizza tastes so delicious, but as stupid as it sounds, he might be falling for her. So when they finally agree to meet in real life, West’s hope for romance seems more and more in reach. But that all changes as soon as he arrives at their meeting spot and sees Cat walking toward him, wearing the same “I <3 Sam Green” T-shirt Harper promised she'd have on.To his alarm, West realizes he is falling in love with the best friend who has always been a sister to him.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, High School, Friends To Lovers, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Paperback

First published May 8, 2013

Reviews

[L.M. Augustine]

So this is my book and obviously I'm a bit biased, but I really do hope you all fall in love with the characters as much as I have.

Update: The first chapter of CLICK is officially up on my blog! If you're interested, see here.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Thank you L. M. Augustine for sending me this beautiful book. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.

Going into Click to Subscribe, I already had this gut feeling that I was going love this book. Naturally, I was right. After a long anticipated wait, I dug right in, ditching all other books upon receiving the ARC.

L. M. introduces readers into a completely new take on best friend romance to a more realistic and emotionally driven level. Click To Subscribe promises a clean YA romance that will either keep you crying or laughing throughout. Heck, I was laughing and crying at the same time so darn much my mother swore she was going to take me to see a doctor at that rate.

'Vlogging is something I can't not do, and I never feel more at peace than when I'm talking in front of the camera, filming my next vlog. Some nights I stay up thinking about what to vlog about next, while on other nights, I lie awake smiling at the fact that I have, like, real subscribers- the one constant in my life nowadays.'

Dystopian, sci-fi, thriller, this, that, blah, blah. What's the common trait? The characters are so freakin serious. In that genre, yes, I love it. But in contemporary, I say that borders somewhat illegal to do. Who would want monotone, dead seriously people who just whet round killing people, all perfect and URGH. Contemporary is meant to be much more realistic and relatable. Unlike other YA romances, the characters L. M. created were flawless and genuine. Both Cat and West were how I envisioned teen characters to act- compete nerds that I could easily become emotionally attached to.

The way the author illustrated West was extraordinary, two words off the top of my head are sarcastic and messed up. West was not just likeable because he was 'genuine' but because has many things in common to most of us readers. Most of us act like young adults, we are all weird book nerds and some, are bloggers or vloggers. Maybe that was what attracted me in the first place- that I knew that West was going to be so relatable and easy to comprehend in that matter. While the amount L. M. contained did sort of satisfy, I wanted to know more about West's vlogging life. A the end of the book, a part of me felt empty and nagging to know more about his vlog. We barely touch on the subject apart from how that's were the romance erupted and where he attempted some emotional break down confessions. Nonetheless, West was a loveable character that was cute, nerdy, confident and admirable in multiple ways. Just running around in Toys R Us is just one example to show how he can so carefree.

'Neither of them seems to understand just how intimate my relationship with ice cream is.'

Without doubt, the thing that made this book go with sparkling stars was the romance. I LOVED IT SO MUCH! It wasn't as predictable as I had originally believed. Nothing even close to cheesy or cliche or even frustrating. Awkward and darn right hilarious are better words to explain this masterpiece. The way Cat and West developed together was so cute and awkward to read, I constantly felt myself looking away from an awkward scene- too embarrassed to read on. Which I guess definitely says that L. M. can absolutely drag readers into a same yet original world. Just simply divine.

Another small sad issue was that the story was driven more by dialogue. It wasn't as irritating of noticeable than other books but after some time thinking about this, I felt that it leaned towards more of a script than a novel. While actions and emotions WERE THERE, I wanted it to contain more depth and ' more showing than telling'.

I feel like I should talk about the emotions L. M. hit me with. There were only two major expressions on my face, like I said before; happy and sad. Basic yet twisted and gave me a hard time to recover after the ending of this book. I laughed at the childish actions of West and Cat, and cried for the heart breaks in between. If anyone is searching for something to take them on a ride of emotions, Click to Subscribe is suited perfectly for them.

Awkwardly epic, L. M. Augustine wrote one of the best contemporary romances I've ever come across. If could definitely be better than some of the published ones too. I will plan to arrange an uprising for a sequel *eyes Liam* because West and Cat are a great couple. <3 Recommended to lovers of cute teen romances and Katie McGarry's novels.

[Farah &#x1f308; · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Well, sometimes love is right in front of you the whole time, even if you don't realize it. And, like your vlog, all you have to do is click to subscribe."
First of all, thank you L. M. Augustine for being so awesome and sending me an eARC even though I don't have a blog. It really meant a lot.
Let me tell you this, this book is literally made of awesome. I mean, it had Harry Potter, Nemo/Dory, awesome cow-doing-the-disco-while-standing-on-a-bike-and-balancing-a-pizza-on-its-head GIF and so many more mentions. There's only one word for it and that word is awesomeness.
I couldn't stop reading! I felt like my fan-girl heart was going to explode because of the sheer amount of cuteness!
And, oh my llama, it was so funny!
"Well, when mommie and daddie love each other very much, they..."
Two. Words: THE. HAIKUS.
"My haikus bring all
the girls to the yard damn right
they're better than yours"
I abso-freaking-lutely loved this book!


And yes, it is perfectly normal for an elephant to use a trampoline.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Before I read the book:
[30-3-2013]
Three words:
French.
The.
Llama.
Video blogger, Sam Green and PIZZA!
L.M. Augustine, you are a true Nerdfighter. I just know that this book is going to be made of awesome!


*Reading chapter 1:*
"whose profile is complete with an avatar of a cow riding a bicycle while simultaneously eating pizza."
Can this get any MORE awesome? I'm already hooked.

I only read the first chapter and I already know I'll absolutely love this book because:
1. The author is an awesome Nerdfighter.
2. If the first chapter has so much awesomeness... I'm pretty sure that my rating is not going to change after I read the entire book.
Nerdfighters + Writers = Awesomeness

[Chris- Bookaddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the priviledge of receiving a copy of this last month from L.M.I'm so glad he gave me the opportunity to read and review this book.
Everyone knows I am a very BIG HEA Addict. This book has such a great HEA it was truly amazing.

This was a sweet, fun read, with romance and vanilla Ice cream with rainbow sprinkles. You will have some bouts of laughter with this book for sure. This book is clever, witty, and hilarious. I couldn't get enough of how great it was, especially when the characters were talking to each other. their name calling of each other in a good way, the banter back and forth. They truly were two best friends.

I loved the way West and Cat developed together from friends into more then friends. Nothing about this book was predictable. The banter back and forth was great. They truly acted like they wanted in public and did not care what other people thought about them at all. They just got each other and it was so real, every last bit of it.

"We can be friends for now. But West Ryder, if you think this means I won't fight for you with every last breath I have, you're in for a hell of a surprise."


I <3 Sam Green





“I fell in love with you, and that changed everything.”


“But let me tell you, West, no matter what happens, no matter where you go, I will also always be in love with you. And you don’t have to love me back. Hell, you don’t need to ever talk to me again. Will I be hurt? Yes. Will I want you back? Yes. But it will all still be worth it, because you have made it worth it. Because loving you has made it worth it.”


“I love you, West Ryder,” Cat finally says, “because you’re you. Because you’re smart and funny and weird and so goddamn charming”—she smiles distantly—“and you aren’t afraid to be you. I love you because we mesh, because you’re weird and I’m weird and we’re all weird together. When I’m around you I can’t stop smiling and yeah, that’s incredibly cheesy, but it is entirely true. I love you because I feel lonely when I’m not talking to you, not with you. I love you, West, because you are the one for me.”


“I’m scared too, you know,” she breathes, and her lips just linger there, in front of me, “but I’m ready to risk it because I know, deep down, that no matter what, I won’t stop loving you.”

I’m always here for you. No matter what.

I know that I, West Ryder, am in love with my best friend.

Book Blurb:

135,789. That’s how many subscribers sixteen-year-old West Ryder has on his web vlog series. But he only has eyes for one of them.

As one of the internet’s most prestigious video bloggers, West talks about high school relationships under the name “Sam Green.” As far as he knows, no one from school, not even his best friend, Cat, has seen his videos. But the highlight of the whole thing is Harper Knight, who comments every day at exactly 2:02 in the afternoon. He doesn’t know anything about her aside from the occasional deep philosophical messaging on why pizza tastes so delicious, but as stupid as it sounds, he might be falling for her. So when they finally agree to meet in real life, West’s hope for romance seems more and more in reach. But that all changes as soon as he arrives at their meeting spot and sees Cat walking toward him, wearing the same “I <3 Sam Green” T-shirt Harper promised she'd have on.

To his alarm, West realizes he is falling in love with the best friend who has always been a sister to him...


If your looking for a fun, sweet, romantic and dorky read then this is surely for you. And YES it does have an HEA !!!!!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

So. Just so this is all out in the open. I REALLY want to read this book.

Okay?

Okay.

~~~

I had this book for a while before I actually sat down and read it. I mean, I'd started it and read the first 50 pages right away, but then life happened and I had to wait. So when I went back to it, I was honestly nervited to see how the book was going to go. (Nervited. Wanna guess which two words that mixes? You have five seconds, GO! 12345--nervous and excited. BOOM.) But then, I actually went back to the book and I finished it in just a few hours. FINISHED IT ALL IN ONE SITTING, PEOPLE. And I swear, I looked something like this at the end:



I loooooooooooved this book. *flails*

Character Rundown:
Cat: I've really gotten into listing the ladies first here, so even though this story is 100% narrated by West, we're starting with Cat. She was one cool chick. Nice but not a pushover, funny but not obnoxious. I most definitely liked her. (*gasp!* I actually liked a female character!)

West: Ahhhhhhh, West. He and I are so friends. He is so funny and awkward, it's so endearing. This guy and his shenanigans. He was such a great MC! So much laughter while reading this book. And highlighting. Oh, the highlighting. WEST IS JUST PLAIN AWESOME. Boom. That is all we need to know.

Plot. This story didn't exactly shock me or anything, but it was written exceedingly well and kept a smile on my face the whole way through. I had fun going through everything West was going through. I got happy when...progress was made...and I slapped a pillow when things didn't go...perfectly...you know what? The book was fantastic, okay? I'm trying to be cryptic and not spoil, but it is not wooooooorking.

Romance. ;) West and Cat are so unbelievably cute, I can't think of a couple unbelievably cuter than them. They just WORK. Whenever I think of them, I think of Juno (which I just watched the other day...) and how Paulie is the cheese to her macaroni and all that. I may have said that before (because I'm feeling like I have), but I've never meant it as much as I do now. West and Cat are quirky and hilarious and I heart them.

The ending. Thanks, L.M. Augustine. You did well, my wonderful author friend.

Overall, Click to Subscribe was fantastic. It was funny and awkward, and the most amazing thing to kick my summer off with. Goodness, I really love this book! Now I must go nag L.M. to get his next book written, um, NOW, so I can reeeeeeeead iiiiiiiiiiiit. More awesomeness will come from him. I just know it. WOOT!

You can find more from me on my blog: Just a Booklover

[Henz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars


This book is so fluffy but other times I felt it silly. I think this book captures teens today, you know with how the internet has been a vital part of their lives and most of the time they tend to become more social through the internet than in real life, a means of escape that is. West Ryder had become socially active in the internet after his mom died, he had made vlogs and ever since then his subscribers escalated to a hundred thousand and even found a special someone through the comment section, little did he know that love is just right their by his side all this time.

I like this book because it's dorky but I think the dorkiness (is that even a word?!? no?) of it was exaggerated that I had to roll my eyes every time it happens. They talk about how awesome ice cream is (which I totally agree!), Harry Potter, Pizza, Chocolate kingdom. Really it's all about random cute and yummy stuff) it's was endearing but the heavy stuff that surrounds all the fluffiness of the book was not balanced or the combination just didn't sit well with me. I think West took so long to figure things out and I don't agree with all his decision most of the time, the ending just didn't impress me but this book has a lot of potential though.

[JB · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Find this & other reviews at The Demon Librarian**

If you read CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE's blurb, you may be expecting a cute, lighthearted story about young love. It is certainly that, especially in the beginning, but don't be fooled. There is a lot more to CLICK than the blurb suggests, and I mean a lot. Fluff, it is not. This is a fully-developed, emotionally rich story that will tug on every one of your heart strings.

CLICK's leading man, West Ryder, is an absolute doll. He's witty, laugh-out-loud funny, and so damn adorable you will want to pull him out of the pages, just so you can tackle-hug him properly.



But underneath all that charm and adorableness is a young man who is carrying some serious emotional scars. You see, poor West's life was turned upside down by tragedy and he's never fully recovered. He's hurting and more than a little lost....or he would be without his best friend Cat.

Cat is 100% pure awesomesauce. She's fun, caring, brave, intuitive, wise, empathetic....the list just goes on and on. I adored her! And I loooooved the dynamic between her and West. Sometimes they are snarky and playful.........





.....other times they just sit and soak up each other's company.....



.....but no matter what mood they are in, where they go or what they say, they are always, always, there for each other.



Cat and West are sheer perfection, and believe me, I don't say that lightly. There is nothing faked or forced about their interactions. Their chemistry and connection is palpable, and it doesn't falter the entire book. They are just so damn perfect together, and yes, I totally fangirled over them. You will too. Trust me on that (Go on, just try to resist them, I dare ya!)



The relationship between Cat and West undergoes some dramatic shifts in the course of the book, and I must applaud L.M. Augustine for his masterful handling of those changes. Friends to more may sound like an easy leap to make in theory, but in real life, it isn't. There are a lot of powerful fears and feelings involved and L.M. conveyed them all beautifully.

From a technical standpoint, CLICK isn't perfect. There are certain repetitive phrases throughout the narrative, and there were a few times West regurgitated the same thoughts he'd already had earlier in the book. I also thought the situation with West's dad was left too open-ended. I understand (I think) why it wasn't tied up with a neat little bow, but I wanted more of a resolution than what I got. HOWEVER, if you ask me to rate CLICK based on how it made me feel, it's 5 stars across the board. I absolutely LOVED every aspect of West and Cat's story, and because of that, I'm saying to hell with the technicalities, CLICK is going on my 5-star list.

This book is a MUST READ, folks, so get online and grab your copy! And if you should happen to bump into L.M. Augustine on Twitter (@AuthorAugustine), Facebook, or Goodreads, tell him the evil queen sent you ;)

5 Stars ★★★★★
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Beth Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was privileged enough to have been given an ARC to read by my friend and fellow author L.M. Augustine, and feel pretty happy about it!

I'll start out by saying that I love reading YA and NA Romance...I'm a romantic at heart, a true sucker for a romance, and a HEA junkie (for those of you who don't know that's Happily Ever After)... :)

I LOVED this story.

"A world without rainbow sprinkles is a world without happiness."

That just about sums it up. Ice cream and romance, romance and ice cream...there's nothing sweeter.

This story was adorable, funny, sweet, flirty, romantic, sad, and undeniably endearing. I laughed, I cried, I got goosebumps, and I got a serious craving for ice cream.

Let me get my anger and sadness out of the way first.

I was angry at West, but my anger was short-lived. Deep down, he already knew he loved Cat, he just couldn’t pinpoint the feeling and was afraid to recognize it. Rightfully so, given everything he’d already lost… I knew I wouldn't be mad at him forever....

The relationship between West and his dad was incredibly sad, and the fact that he lost his mom, who he loved so much and was so close to, even sadder. He really had no one...wait, he had someone...the bright spot in his life...Cat.

Everyone needs that kind of someone. The person that knows you inside and out. The one who can complete your sentences for you. The one who knows all of your quirks and still loves you anyway.

Sigh.

Cat and West. Two pieces of a puzzle. The air for each other to breathe. The vanilla ice cream that isn't complete without the RAINBOW SPRINKLES.

We all know that feeling.

Let’s be honest. We've all been there. That giddy feeling you get when you're in love, the tingles that shoot through your body when that special someone winks at you, when their hand reaches out to yours, when your thigh brushes against theirs and tiny little shocks shoot straight to your toes. The way your heart lights up like there are a million fireflies reaching out to touch it…The way you remember every flutter, every kiss, every goosebump...every moment.

Your first touch. Your first kiss. Your first wink. Your first everything.

That time in your life when you realize you're falling in love with someone, or that you're already in love with them. It's almost indescribable...it's like...

Standing outside in a summer rain with your arms outstretched and your face pointed toward the sky, warm raindrops drenching you with life...

Running through a field filled with wildflowers on a summer's day, with the bright sun warming your back and your hair gently blowing in the breeze...

It’s pure bliss.


I really enjoyed this novel. It's all about sweet love covered with rainbow sprinkles...and what could be better than that? Absolutely nothing.

Kudos to L.M. for a wonderful debut novel. I can’t wait to read more!

I only have two words...READ IT!

[valentina · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5

I wanted to like this. I really did.

With a title like Click to Subscribe, I honestly thought there would be more of an emphasis on the vlogging aspect, but it just seemed too forced and unnecessary. I skimmed every time he got into a camera 'confession'. I think Sam and Cat have an abundance of personality (sometimes to the point where they become nothing but personifications of every teen on tumblr), but this book frustrated me so much and not in a good way. Too much build-up and too hasty a resolution as everything just fixes up. Actually, everything after the first part of the book felt hasty even when he kept beating around the bush of blatant obviousness.

Format-wise, waaay too much caps-lock yelling and some other stuff that I thought made it obvious that this was a self-pub. I don't think I've ever seen kthxbye in a passage before.

Tl;dr needed more utilisation of the vlogging. Had there been scripts of vlogs rather than emails, the title would have been a better fit. Right now it's just another novel about a penpal who isn't who they seem, which the synopsis prepares you for but geez.

Also not enough romance to warrant a reread for fluff. Bummer.

[Tandie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like the Grinch getting ready to steal all the Christmas presents in Whoville. This story just didn't cut it for me. It was sappy. By chapter two, I realized that my first problem was that West's POV was very girly. Not effeminate. He read like a drama queen female character. I felt like the characters were written in a very young, possibly middle school manner. Then there were f-bombs being flung all over, so it couldn't have been a middle grade book. Romance was unrealistic & unsatisfying. Even when one character says, "I love you" and the other one doesn't return those feelings...it didn't feel awkward. There was absolutely no romantic tension. It was just weird. I kept waiting for something to build up. I also felt that West's relationship with his father was poorly done. Cat's parents don't make a single appearance. Apparently, she's practically lived on her own since she was a little kid because they're gone all the time. Yeah, and she's totally normal & responsible. There were quite a few mistakes, but they were minor grammatical errors or typos and didn't really bug me.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Click to Subscribe had such a cute concept judging by the blurb. The first half the book introduced West's vlog pseudonym Sam Green and Harper Knight, a girl who comments on his vlogs at precisely 2.02pm. It's obvious the two get along very well through their amusing chats and they finally decide to meet up (conveniently Harper lives only 20 minutes away - but we already know who she is!)

The blurb pretty much summed up the whole story with respect to Cat and West's relationship. Many parts were cliche and predictable as they continued to have a push and pull relationship. West pushes Cat away because he doesn't want to risk losing the friendship they have but he pulls her back because she is one of the few bright spots in his life. Repeat three more times until they're finally together.

What the blurb doesn't tell us is West blames his father for his mother's death in a drink driving related car accident and since then his father has been an alcoholic wreck. This runs continually throughout the story but was never resolved with West's forgiveness. The vlog was an interesting idea as West's outlet of expression but it didn't turn out to be a majorly central to the storyline. Overall, it was an okay read.

[Purple · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,5 stars

Staggeringly as it may seem, but our teenager hero, West doesn't look like he likes kissing!!! Okay, he needs first for things to get cleared up in his messy mind, but even after that he claims that it's still not the time!!! WOW!!!
It's a very short story and West's family drama and his own depression would have required more work and a lot more pages. I was unhappy with the epilogue. The first sentence takes you 6 months after. When I read the words I thought it would be after 10 years or so. It was ridiculous for West to say what he said...Anyway...Very uncool to leave West relationship with his father hanging (barely) by a thread (after all, he did show signs that he wanted to change - some development in that way wouldn't have passed unnoticed)!!!

[Katy Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm one of those lucky people who got an ARC from L.M. Augustine for this amazing story, and I have to tell you all what a sweet and funny, emotional and surprising book CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE was!

It's Young Adult, sweet and clean, and it grabbed me from the first page and didn't let me go. I laughed, got a little weepy, and had an amazing time with every page. CLICK and I just clicked! If you are looking for something fresh, well-written, funny and heartwarming, I hope you give this superb story a try!

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**

Click To Subscribe is the stuff YA novels are made of. Slightly awkward teens, friendship, angst, and of course first love.

West Ryder is popular...

...but not in the literal sense. He is a vlogger that has over 135k+ subscribers and one of them happens to catch his interest. Her name is Harper and between their philosophical conversations about pizza, West starts falling in love.

But like most teens, falling in the love the first time is not without a hitch or two.

And the hitch is that Harper is not real. In fact, the girl West has been falling in love with, is none other than his best friend Cat.

West is then tied up in dealing with a less than stellar home life, his feelings for Cat, and the inevitable threat that he might lose her for good.

There were SO many things about Click To Subscribe that I loved. One of them being that it was TRUE Young Adult. I have been having a hard time reading YA novels lately and not being completely turned off because

1. It's cheesy as hell or

2. It's New Adult masking as YA.

Nothing feels pervy-er than reading a YA book and reading about two 16 year olds getting it on. I mean let's be realistic, that is NORMAL. But sometimes I want to remember the parts of my youth that weren't necessarily centered around backseat rendezvous and bad decisions ;)

I LOVED seeing the genuine feelings between Cat and West that weren't centered around just attraction. Their banter was hilarious, their situation was understandable, and as mad as I was mad at West for how he handled things I still understood them.

When your best friend tells you that she loves you, you can do one of three things: You can tell her you love her too and then make out passionately. You can run away. Or you can just stare at her for what feels like a century without speaking a word like a senseless idiot and only create more awkwardness for everyone. Guess what reaction was mine?"

He was imperfect and sometimes so silly, but there is more to West then just his charismatic front. In fact, there is a part of him that is in pain that not even love, friendship or 135,789 subscribers can fix for him.


And Cat, well I loved her from the get-go. She is silly, and funny, and relentless. Cat is a woman that knows what she wants, and West Ryder is it.

Cat reminded me A LOT of myself considering her tactics were similar to how I snagged my high school sweetheart ;)

And what I loved about Click To Subscribe the most was that it was filled with so much heart. There were many moments I giggled, many moments that I swooned, and some moments that had me in tears. You see, this book is so much more than a romance. No, it is about love in all its forms; familial, friendship, romantic, unconditional etc.

The only thing I wished would have been given a more in-depth epilogue was concerning West and his dad. I was left a little sad by the state of things towards the end of the book and would have liked to see those ends tied up a little differently. But if we are being realistic than I understand why they weren't. I'm just a closet optimist :)

I could go more in depth on why Click To Subscribe is just plain awesome, but take my word for it and read the book.

4 stars*

[Hazel (Stay Bookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5

Posted on my blog

A story about a guy who vlogs? I just knew I had to read this book, the instant I found out about it! And I’m going to sound like such a girl but I just need to put it out there: Isn’t the guy on the cover cute? I love his wavy blond hair and that dimple on his cheek. (I zoomed in, duh) I could totally picture him as West Ryder while I was reading! The girl on the cover is real pretty too! Her raging red hair is exactly how I envisioned Cat's! Yep, aesthetically beautiful (and accurate to book description) cover models = definite bonus love points. ;)

I enjoyed this book so much my insides actually physically hurt!! Not from angst, but from laughing so freaking damn much. Click To Subscribe is so witty and funny I had the urge to roll on the floor and laugh my ass off literally. (If I weren't reading this in our school library, I probably would have done so. Yep, I was reading this in the library. I gained several curious looks because of my occasional snorts and giggles. They should be thankful I tried to control myself and didn't full on laugh out loud.) This book oozed humor and wisecracks, making it more enticing to read!

How do I even start to describe West Ryder? He is gorgeous, wonderful, entirely attractive, charming. (Of course, these are West's choice of words when describing himself.) Seriously though, West is kinda perfect. There are two ways I usually judge book characters: personality and depth. West's personality is astounding. There's no denying that he is as charming as he says he is. The depth I was looking for was revealed through West’s thoughts and emotions.

Cat Davenport, West's best friend, is the only person he has left in his life. His mother is gone and his dad is only physically present but not really there. Finding out Cat was in love with him, devastated the hell out of West. He was not ready to risk losing Cat by becoming romantically involved with her. Reading about West's pains and doubts made him so much more realistic. The way he was so confused about his feelings for Cat? I understood his frustration so easily. And what he said about how he was at peace when talking to his camera? I think it's the same with me as venting out on my blog. God forbid, even twitter. So yeah, I think the honesty and truthfulness West's voice really got to me.

The only frustration I had was when West kinda being a jerk to Cat. I was like, "Really? You don't wanna lose her so you disregard her feelings?" Still, like I said, I understood that he was confused, so no matter how mad I wanted to get, I couldn't be real mad.

As much as I loved West, I loved Cat even more. This girl is not only awesome as hell, (I mean she is the Highness of All Things Chocolate) she is also tough as nails and absolutely determined. I wanted to hug her and yell, "You go, girl!!!"

I'd blab on and this could be a very, very long review but I'm making you waste your time. What you gotta do is pick up Click To Subscribe already. I assure you that this amazing book will grip you heart as you read this one of a kind best friend romance. This book just screams of wit and exemplifies perfectly the epicality of being a teenager in love. I absolutely recommend it!

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best friend turned lovers kind of stories always make me feel giddy in a way no other kind of story does, and Click to Subscribe definitely belongs to that rank. It’s sweet and short (not really super short) and easy to read, it just has that quality of perfect bittersweetness that will make you continue reading it until you reach the last page. I was definitely swooning and giggling all that time, I swear I looked like an idiot if you just saw me laughing and squealing by myself. haha. Thinking about it embarrasses me,lol.

Anyway, Click to Subscribe reminds me of Jennifer E. Smith’s This is What Happy Looks Like, for the mere fact of the internet thing, but other than that Click to Subscribe is originally its own. I don’t know how pseudo-intelligent and smart sarcasm conversations in between characters just appeals to me but it does. And I like how West and Cat (the main characters in this book) have those kinds of witty conversations. It’s just funny. And hilarious. And it makes me want to have those kinds of conversations with someone equally smart and witty. Life would definitely rock and endless talks like that would make my days worthwhile. It’s the kind of conversations that lift up the spirits even if you’re facing the biggest baddest problem ever and you’re in your lowest of the low. It perfectly reflects the phrase “ray of light in my darkness”, or something like that.

Oh and the characters! I liked West as the narrator. His mind is very much what I expect a teenage boy’s is. he is actually thoughtful and smart. And honest. And he is actually vulnerable. There were times you just would like to bump his head, but I actually understood where he is coming from. And oh wow, Cat! what a girl! She is just so brave! She is sooo gutsy! I admire that girl, if only I can be like her. She basically threw herself in front of a train! Dude. wow.

This novel will make you swoon and laugh and giggle and cry. Well, at least I did. It’s touching and entertaining.

L.M. Augustine captured my heart and his writing is just badass and entertaining I will want to read more of his works. Kind of reminds me of John Green’s books too. :)

[Wendy Darling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story that mostly avoids typical self-pubbed pitfalls.

Things I liked:

-- narrative voice is engaging
-- dialogue is believable
-- premise is cute
-- story incorporates more than just a typical romance in regards to his parents.
-- cute ice cream scenes
-- male POV in these types of books is fun.

Stuff that I could live without, that may not bother others:

-- lots and lots of email exchanges with distracting formatting; most of it was texting-type flirting without meaningful interaction, so I started skimming those pretty quickly

-- I like West, but occasionally he's written in a way that may border on maybe-too-sensitive. (Like he says he's in love pretty easily, doesn't even think about looking at a girl in a bikini, is described as "breathing" non-dramatic lines, etc.)

Things I think could be better:

-- a great deal of the story is dialogue, but more description to give us a sense of time and place would make the story more well-rounded.
-- pacing felt a little off to me; the story is about a few major things, and somehow they're all given nearly equal weight, which feels a little off-kilter for a short book. Some of the flashbacks also interrupted the flow of the story.
-- it takes West a looong time to figure out the answer to his mystery girl puzzle, which a lot of readers know before even starting the book. His waffling after he discovers what Cat's been up to also wasn't entirely convincing.
-- the romance at the end could have been more interesting.

Overall, a cute book, however, and I like the author's writing enough that I'd try him again. A quick and fun read, especially at 99 cents!

[Mee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Warning: This book has an interesting summary to it, buthonestly contains immature content. Ages 15+ would most likely get bored And disappointed.

Caution: This is a rant kind of review. So sorry for any offense; just speaking my honest opinion.

I wanted to rate it like 0.5 but my only other option was a one.

So, honestly speaking, I could not bring myself to finish this book. It was very dragging and half of it was full of "Oh let's troll each other since we're best friends and let the readers know how silly we are around each other!!" We get it. Cat and West love teasing each other and calling each other ninja cows and Chocolate queens and whatever. But come on, we get the idea, but nooo it's like the main focus of the story was about their quirky conversations and it was like there was no development or anything captivating about the story. I barely even remebered that there was a whole conflict about the harper thing because there was just so much trolling going on that it was getting off track. So yes. 0.5 stars for this book.

I really had high expectations for this one, based on the summary. But the writing style sucked. Sorry. Not sorry.

[Jodie Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book was great.

I'm such an emotional reader. When I love a book, I get attached to its characters. I feel like they are my friends. I wish I could have had friends like West and Cat in high school, self-proclaimed nerds and not ashamed of it.

I found myself grinning like an idiot for the better part of this book. Although, I would have loved to slap West a time or two. But he is a teenage boy, and we all know those creatures have a mind of their own. Crazy boys.

I also found myself 100% emotionally attached to everything going on in this book. I cried (more than once). I can't really explain why I loved this book. It gave me all the feels. But when words speak to you, you have to listen.

I highlighted WAY too many things in this book that I loved. I know that one day, I will start to miss West and Cat and I will revisit their story. Young love at its best. Young, nerdy, and absolutely wonderful.

(Hello, my name is Jodie and as you can see I'm officially obsessed with Click To Subscribe.)

[Book Addict Mumma · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best YA reads!!!
It took me back.. Wayyyyyyy back to my High school days!
This book is amazingly cute,sweet, romantic and also a little bit sad.
I love reading books about first loves, it make me all warm inside... This book made me smile so much through it.
It's flow is perfect and the characters are really well written , I loved Cat and West I loved their connection and their cheeky relationship.
My reviews are non spoiler so I'm not going to go into what happens :)
Just make sure you read it!!

I love this quote it cracked me up
"I'm like a puppy. Lovable, fun, and entirely adorable". -West Ryder

I can't wait to read more from this author!
4.5/5

[Tessa Teevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

West Ryder, a self-proclaimed dork, is a seventeen year old whose life has recently taken an unexpected turn due to a tragedy that tore his fa mily apart. One way of coping is his video blog, aka vlog, where he's known as Sam Green. As far as West knows, no one he knows has any idea that he runs the vlog, not even Cat, his best friend since childhood.

Vlogging is something I can't not do, and I never feel more at peace than when I'm talking in front of the camera, filming my next vlog. Some nights I stay up thinking about what to vlog about next, while on other nights, I lie awake smiling at the fact that I have, like, real subscribers- the one constant in my life nowadays.

Over the past six months, West has become close to one specific subscriber, Harper Knight. After months of private chats and cute e-flirting, West and Harper make plans to meet. As he's been harboring serious feelings, West is more than thrilled to finally meet the girl behind the screen name. Little does he know that his life's about to be turned upside down.

***
I'm like a puppy. Lovable, fun, and entirely adorable. -West Ryder

Yes! That's the perfect way to describe West and Click To Subscribe. This was a very fun, cute book that had me smiling, crying, laughing, and wishing I could revisit my high school days. L.M. does an amazing job showcasing the blurred lines between love and friendship. It's also realistic, with some very emotional issues that play into West's hesitation for love.

Click To Subscribe has a very "Perks of Being a Wallflower" vibe to it, albeit more upbeat, as I felt like West was sharing his story specifically with me. It felt intimate, like I was his best friend (besides Cat, of course) and he just HAD to tell me this story. I loved it!

To be perfectly frank, I'm not a huge YA fan. I do incorporate YA stories in between my normal romance reads, but it's not often that I really fall in love with one. Click To Subscribe completely blew me away. It was so unexpected. L.M. Augustine writes with such ease and the flow is so natural & seemingly effortless. West is the guy that you wish would be your best friend, and he's also the kinda guy who's so easy to fall in love. That being said, West is freaking STUBBORN!!! I want to shake him from time to time, but his reasons for being that way were sympathetic, so I'll give him a pass.

I loved Cat just as much as West. She's the girl who knows what she wants & goes after it. She's confident, secure, and a just as dorky as West. I admired her spirit and her willingness to fight for what she wants.

We can be friends for now. But West Ryder, if you think this means I won't fight for you with every last breath I have, you're in for a hell of a surprise.

The relationship between Cat & West is heartwarming, smile inducing, and it takes you right back to the days when you fell in love for the first time. That's all I'm going to say because you really need to experience it for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Well, sometimes love is right in front of you the whole time, even if you don't realize it. And, like your vlog, all you have to do is click to subscribe.

I would definitely recommend this to my friends who like YA, and even to those who don't usually read it. It's a quick, definitely fun, read and I can't wait to read more from L.M. Augustine.

**ARC so generously provided by the fabulous L.M. Augustine in exchange for an honest review.

[Sab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviews, author and blogger spotlights, giveaways and MORE over at Sab The Book Eater

I know what you're thinking (or at least one of you is thinking. Hi Charlie!): the story's pretty much summed up in the blurb, right?

I want to say wrong but basically, that's what happens. Before you get all judgy and forget about giving this book a shot, I'm telling you GIVE THIS BOOK A SHOT. Why? Because of all the feels. Yes, as simple as that. The feels.

The best thing about this book is that it's written in a guy's point of view. I always enjoy books written from a guy's perspective because all the mushy stuff becomes sweeter. When West was starting to realize that he indeed felt something for Cat, it was so heartwarming reading his thoughts and seeing how his feelings developed further. Even though I hated West whenever he'd tell Cat something like, "Promise me you won't try anything?" (tugh. Douchebag) in the end I still loved him as much.

West also had to deal with his grief over his mother's death. I appreciate how much detail and thought was put into solidifying parts wherein West would express his sadness. His feelings weren't simply on the surface, it went deep and at some point I felt even more drawn to West because his character became something more than the nerdy/goofy perky guy that he was with Cat/Harper.

I had a few issues with West though, and I can sum it up in three questions:
1. You have 135,789 subscribers. Did you honestly believe you could keep your vlog a secret?
2. Cat and Harper sound so much alike. You honestly didn't notice? Never wondered....?
3. You keep a diary? *raises eyebrow*

Then we have Cat. The first thing I liked about her was the fact the she knew what she wanted (West) and she went after it (persistently). Girl power! And pffft you're bestfriends, it's almost always bound to happen. I also liked how fun and quirky she was. She was just right for West because she somehow balanced his life and it showed.

I definitely loved how their love story developed. Yes, it became frustrating whenever West would feel really into her one minute but draw back so quickly the next. West was only using his head to make a decision about him and Cat. I happen to appreciate parts wherein West would be thinking about his situation with Cat and whether or not he should go with it. I really think they were well written because I was able to understand fully how West was feeling. He had good reasons for being reluctant. But in the end.... well you get how it goes.

I just wish there was more vlog action, specifically the less dramatic, less emotional kind. The book screams "Vlog!" from the title, to the cover, to the blurb. It would've been great to get an idea of who Sam Green was and why he's 135,789-subscribers popular.

Click to Subscribe was a fast, fun and heartwarming read that will have you grinning and gushing and feeling from beginning to end.

ARC provided by the author
This review is based solely on my opinion.

[Blushing Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Rating: 5 out of 5
Heat Rating: Sweet and Innocent (This is YA, get your mind out of the gutter)


"We can be friends for now. But, West Ryder, if you think this means I won't fight for you with every last breath I have, you're in for a hell of a surprise."

I typically don't read Young Adult books (being in my mid-30's I tend to gravitate towards characters that are older), but I am SO glad L.M. Augustine convinced me to give his book a chance. I tried it and I LOVED IT!! The story of West and Cat spoke to my inner teenager who was in love with her best guy friend and never said anything. I don't re-read books but CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE is a book I can't wait to go back and read again and see what else I can experience from this wonderful story of two slightly dorky teenagers, who discover sometimes friendship turns out to be much, much more.

This book was well written, funny, dorky (in a good way), sweet, and so heart-aching wonderful that you will laugh, cry and cringe a bit along with these two characters. What more could you ask for in a book?

"When we kiss--and I'm not saying we will--I want it to be real. Honest. I want us both to be ready, and I want it to be the best damn kiss this world has ever seen."

L.M. Augustine created characters that speak to the reader (or at least, they spoke to me) and resonates inside us, reminding you what it was like to be that slightly geeky teenager that was afraid to rock your world by taking a chance and turning a friend into something more. My two favorite things a story can have is excellent dialoge and a story I can't put down but afraid that if I don't the book will end before I am ready for the story to be over (I want more of West and Cat). CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE has both these things. The witty, comical story mixed with just the right amount of dorkyness in the characters had me devouring the whole book in one sitting. Once I was finished I was so sad that it was over, I wasn't ready to be done with the characters and instantly went back and re-read some of my favorite scenes.

"A much larger part of me wants to keep talking to Cat, because sitting here, alone in the darkness and hearing her voice, I feel like I'm walking on air. I need Cat like I need to breathe, and that is that."

Once you read CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE you will understand the next part of this review that was inspired by a scene that was written in Haiku form.

"You're weird and I'm weird and we're all weird together."

I give you my review of CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE in Haiku:

In love with best friend
What happens if he says no
Can't keep this inside

Ice cream with sprinkles
Talking to her late at night
Can I take that chance?

Embrace the dorky
Muppet-flailing like a boss
I will fight for you

They started as friends
Fought for him with every breath
What a great surprise

Go 1-click this book
L.M. Augustine superb
Wes and Cat great story

[C.M. Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Click to Subscribe" is a totally fun, cute, young love kind of book. It is meant for the true young adult, who I believe will love it and worship it even more than an adult reading YA (unless you're just a sucker for true love like I am, and then any epic love story pretty much rocks!). This is not a bad thing. This just means that Augustine did an excellent job writing to the book's target demographic.

Augustine did a wonderful job filling the book with youthful, fun, current language, and even created a few unique words, like the classic "muppet-flails" which I think needs to be petitioned into the dictionary, or certainly written up for the Urban Dictionary!

CTS is an adorable, seemingly impossible love story between shy, damaged West and Harper, an online love interest. Kinks in the plan include his best friend Cat, who I think really stole the show in this book, and his alcoholic father. Though there is *some* tension with these plot lines, there really isn't much of a tension arc in the book, other than - WHEN? HOW? WILL THEY? finally GIVE IN ALREADY? =) Augustine does an amazing job capturing REAL teenage feelings and angst and with tension building. So many times I wanted to shout: KISS ALREADY!

What we have here is a love story through and through. And if you like love stories, you'll like this one too! It was so refreshing to read a book without a ton of drama and over the top, wild stunts to lure readers in. CTS was simple, fresh, and rewarding! Worth the "click to read!"

PS - Be warned. CTS is kinda like an icecream read; you'll want to reserve about two hours to fly through it in one sitting. It's not a terribly long read, but an easy one that is best savored in one cool, delicious serving!

[Heuristicate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book. And once I started to dislike it I was distracted a myriad of factors that in others books or in other writers hands probably wouldn't have bothered me so much. It is like when you don't like someone and all you see are their imperfections and idiosyncrasies while your best friend might have similar qualities but you are blind to them or find them endearing. That is sort of the place that I am coming from writing about this book.

First things first: West did not think or behave believably like a guy. In fact I started wondering a couple of chapters in if West really was a girl and this was a lesbian love story. Hey, with first person narration that could happen! Actually, that would have been a more interesting and thought provoking twist. What if West is a girl who has a crush on a mystery girl only to discover that the mystery girl is a guy? Alas, that was not to be.

All talk and no action. The same conflict and conversations again, and Again, and AGAIN! I get it you are "conflicted" pick a direction and run and stop TALKING about it. For a book that is so dialogue heavy I was also not impressed with that. It was as if the author started a collection of witty banter from the internet to use. Nothing felt fresh or original.

I was able to pick up on the twist the first time the characters name was mentioned. it isn't that I am that amazing at inference it is just that obvious. I was also looking for a better sense of place. I felt that they were never at school and even the vlog that West was so attached to was barely mentioned.

This book wasn't horrible but I feel that there are better books out there on every theme that it touched on. All in all: Meh.

[Aseel · Rating 5 out of 5]

**an eARC was provided by author in exchange of an honest review**

Click to Subscribe has to be one of the easiest books to get into and love. With the easy way it flowed and the amazing writing style of the author, I could not stop reading.

West is a nice guy who vlogs in his free time and to escape from his life. No body but his mom knew about it, or about Harper, the girl who comments on 2:02 everyday and who West is falling for. When she asks to meet him in person, he never expected his crush to turn out to be his best friend Cat.

This book is hilarious. I was always grinning at something Cat and West did and their conversations were amusing. I loved how effortless their relationship was and how they always got each other. They were very cute and sweet together and I 'aww'ed a few times. Though I loved them both, I wanted to throw something at Cat for being a jerk to West when he was confused about the sudden turn of events, and then I wanted to shake West for being so stubborn all the time and trying to deny the obvious.

While it's a light read, there were times where my heart was beating fast and I was gripping my iPad hard and trying not to cry for Cat and West. West had gone through a lot and his home life wasn't perfect and he was scared of losing his best friend, the person who was always there for him. And Cat just wanted to be with the person she loved most and who was being very stubborn.

This book is the perfect summer book, light and easy flowing with hilarious characters and a very sweet romance. It's perfect book to read when you're on the beach relaxing, so buy it people. You'll love it!

[M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though I thought Click to Subscribe was a pretty adorable story, it had a few negative sides that prevented me from giving it more than 3 stars.

What I liked about it:

- I loved that the story is told from a boy's POV
- Cat was a great heroine and I loved the fact that she went ahead and told her best friend she was in love with him from the get go. Most love stories involving best friends consists of the main characters keeping their feelings a secret until the end

What I didn't like about it:

- It seems that West and Cat lived in a bubble. They have almost zero interaction with any other character. Besides West's dad, there were no other characters which was a shame.
- The book needed more background description. We don't even know where they live.
- West and Cat sounded and acted like they were 12 not 16. I understand that the author wanted to write a clean story without sex innuendos, but they were over the top immature for their alleged age.
- There was so much build up for their first kiss and when it happened, that scene fell flat. The writing didn't reflect the epicness of the moment.
- There was really no explanation to why West's dad turned into a douche. I was expecting for him to reveal that West was not really his biological son, but nothing of the sorts happened. Missed opportunity there.

My overall conclusion is that Click to Subscribe should have worked better as a short story or novella because there is not much going on besides the main characters' relationship.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great sweet YA romance and unlike anything I've ever read in this genre - in a good way! The story is filled with lightness and silly humor but also explores much deeper issues of loss, growth, and friendship. There is true teenager angst here, yet West and Cat are able to escape from the serious moments and bond together as ice cream-loving, Harry Potter-robe-donning best friends. Maybe West could have figured out a little sooner that Harper and Cat were literally one of a kind (i.e., one and the same), but to me, his cluelessness just added to his character as well as to Cat's; West was sensitive and yearning (and by no means perfect), Cat was steadfast and strong (and by no means perfect). I thought L.M. Augustine did an excellent job shaping his characters, with the tension leading up to the romance, and exploring the darker/deeper feelings with West with the loss of his mom.
There were times that I wanted to hit West, and hug him, and tell West and Cat that everything will be okay. I cheered when West made certain decisions and was horrified at one other (no spoiler). All of that was because L.M. made his characters real. And because he made me care. 5 stars.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find myself underwhelmed with this one. The writing isn't good. Most of the dialogue is also not good - it's repetitive and feels forced rather than natural or authentic. The editing is not so great, either - the text contains an abundance of missing words and duplicate words and such, and there are quite a few sentences that I absolutely cannot make sense of because of it. The plot could use a good deal of tightening up in some areas and further exploration in others. The internal dialogue of the main character is superfluous, as he has a tendency to talk through the thought process behind his emotions over and over again, rather than showing me or making me feel it. There's also a cyclical repetitiveness to the plot and to West's actions that is wholly unnecessary. As I was reading, I couldn't help feeling as though I were reading an early draft rather than a finished book. The premise is cute, but Click to Subscribe lacks polish and I'm left feeling pretty meh because of it.

[Rebekah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a great reminder of why I stopped reading those $1.99 kindle ya contemporaries. As my mother would say, "You get what you pay for." If you want quality, break out the cash.

The writing style in this book is awkward. The overuse of words like "awesomeness" and "fabulousness" seriously got on my nerves. I felt like I was reading a middle schooler's fan fiction.

The characters are flat skeletons. There is nothing complex about them. There is nothing to build a connection. They do the same things and say the same things over and over again. Their nerdy/weird/goofy personas are completely forced and cheesy at times.

To be honest, I thought West was a jerk. His best friend tells him she loves him, and he treats her like crap. His dad has a drinking problem and can't pull himself together, so West talks trash to him. And then, when West's dad has his redemption moment, West declares that he'll never forgive him and walks away.

If you're looking for a cute contemporary, look elsewhere.