Crush Control

Willow has spent most of her life as her mother's sidekick in a popular Las Vegas hypnotism show. So when she and her mom move back to their sleepy southern hometown to start over, she thinks she's in for a life of quiet normalcy. Except that her new life turns out to be anything but, when she kinda sorta hypnotizes Quinton, the hottest guy on the football team, to fall madly, deeply, head over heels in love with her. But what started out as an innocent way to make her best friend, Max, jealous soon gets way out of hand, and Willow begins to wonder if the mind - and more importantly, the heart - is something you can really control.
from amazon.com

Beth says 4 Stars...

This isn't a book I would have picked up normally, probably due to the lack of epic magic. I personally don't particularly care for the cover. It didn't really draw me in and wouldn't grab my attention in a bookstore. The story, however, was just a ton of fun. The plot didn't break much new ground or have all sorts of twists and turns. I had a general idea of the end within the first 15 pages, but that wasn't that much of a bad thing. The book wasn't designed as an edge of your seat thrill ride and instead is cute and slightly fluffy. The twist of hypnosis kept the very conventional plot from becoming super boring. It also allowed for some highly ridiculous situations that cracked me up. I mean, a dog who needs to hear Cher to calm down? That wasn't the only wacky thing that happened, but I don't want to spoil anything! I did think that the comparisons to A Midsummer Night's Dream that ran through the book got rather heavy handed. After the first one I got it and didn't need the reminders.

I found the love square partially entertaining and partially annoying. It was a change from the typical love triangle, but it wasn't highly intense. The characters in the book don't have a huge amount of depth, but that wasn't the point for me. They served a purpose and allowed the plot to move forward. I liked Max more than Quinton, although that could have been because of certain plot points that shan't be revealed. I think that this book would be totally perfect for the beach, because it's super adorable. Grab this one for some poolside laughs!
Book from Publisher

Crush Control Book Tour!

Hey all! Here at in BetweeN the pages we're excited to be a part of the book tour for Crush Control. We have an interview with the lovely Jennifer Jabaley the novel's author. We'll be reviewing the book this weekend (it would be sooner, but I have to move out of my apartment... so things are insane!), but as a preview it's super cute and funny. We hope you enjoy Jennifer's responses as much as we did!

What made you decide to write a book about hypnosis?

I was hit with a bolt of inspiration one night when my infant daughter wouldn't sleep. I thought, 'if only I could rock her, and say, you are getting sleepy!' Then I realized that the idea of hypnosis was really unique and interesting and, as far as I know, not yet explored in YA literature. So I began to think about the mind of a teen girl and what she would do if she had the ability to hypnotize people. The possibilities seemed endless.


Have you ever been hypnotized yourself or hypnotized anyone else?

No and no. But I did witness other people being hypnotized at a Las Vegas show.


What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever done to make someone jealous?

Hmmm. I can't really think of anything I did to make someone jealous. I do remember however, a time when, because I was jealous, I took some extreme measures. A boy I liked (in high school) happened to comment that he liked curly hair which prompted me to get a perm. Ok, so maybe that's not extreme, but trust me, if you saw a picture, you'd realize it was not a good look for me :)


Style wise are you more like Willow, more sedate, or her mother, who loves her flash and sparkle?

I'm definitely more Willow. I'm a conservative, preppy, dresser. Maybe a little more girly or feminine than I imagine Willow to be.


If you could star in any Las Vegas show what would it be?

I'd love to be able to sing - especially well enough to fill an arena in Vegas.


Finally, favorite Cher song?

Well, after writing CRUSH CONTROL, I'll never be able to listen to BELIEVE without smiling, so I guess that's my favorite.

A big thanks to Jennifer for taking her time and being utterly delightful!