CRUSHED by Dawn Rae Miller - Cover Reveal

Today I'm one of the blogs hosting the cover reveal of CRUSHED by my friend Dawn Rae Miller. It's upper YA and here is the pretty:

For seventeen-year-old serial womanizer Fletch Colson, life is a game and if he plays by the rules, he’ll win it all: his dream college, his parents’ money, and a hot (if a little vapid) girl on his arm. Really, it couldn’t be easier. All he has to do is get good grades, live a privileged boarding school life, and try not to mess up too much.

However, when he accepts the seemingly impossible bet to change his ways and be “just friends” with smart, beautiful, tempting Ellie Jacobs – a girl who seems hell bent on confusing him - Fletch’s whole world is turned upside down.

Suddenly, what seemed simple and clear, no longer feels right and Fletch must decide if winning it all is worth losing a piece of himself.

Pub date: December 11th, 2012! Only two weeks to go! 

And I'm having an exclusive sneak peek from CRUSHED for you. The scene is called "The Key Chain" and here it is:

The nurse, satisfied with my progress, releases me the next morning, but only after I swear to drink plenty of fluids and continue to rest.

But rest isn’t an option. I have finals. I have to study, especially after missing most of last week.  In the pile of books Calista brought over earlier, I found review guides from each of my teachers.

Since Harker has a reading week before finals, I have no classes. Just endless hours to sleep, eat, and make sure I know my classes inside and out.

In the middle of reviewing the Calc guide, someone knocks softly on my door – like they’re worried I might be asleep.
            “Come in,” I yell hoarsely.

Ellie peaks around the corner. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

My stomach flutters as she takes up residence on my desk chair. For once, I’m the one on the bed.

“Better.”

She tilts her head, like she doesn’t believe me. “You look pale.”

I close my eyes and re-open them lazily, positive this makes me look sicker. “I’m fine. Just a little weak. Food services is delivering my meals for the next two days, so I don’t have to exert myself.”

She laughs. “Well, aren’t you spoiled?”

This isn’t how I wanted to see Ellie. Not curled up on my bed looking like an invalid. And if my memory’s right, Sarah told me she’d heard about Lilah.

Which means Ellie knows too.

An uncomfortable lump forms in my throat.

I swallow hard. “Guess so.” I push myself upright, an effort that leaves me gasping.

“Are you okay?”

I wave her off and gasp for breath. “I’m fine. What are you up to?”

“Study break.” She swings side-to-side in the chair. “Brady told me you were back. I thought I’d come by.” She sticks her hand in her pocket and pulls out a tiny wrapped package. “Your Christmas present.”

She walks toward the bed. “It’s nothing fancy, but I thought you’d like it.”

Panic nibbles at me. Am I supposed to give her a present? I never buy gifts for my friends. I hold out my hand and she places it down softly without touching me. “I didn’t get you anything.”

She shrugs. “I didn’t expect you to.” Ellie curls and uncurls her fingers. “C’mon. Open it.”

I tear at the red wrapping paper. It’s a plain white box about two-inches long. I have no idea what it is.

“Fletch, the present is in the box, you know.”

“Right.” I tug off the top.

Inside, a giant red ‘s’ – Stanford’s logo – rests on a tuff of cotton. I hold the keychain in my hand, the weight suddenly more than I can bear and my shoulders sag. Even though I’ve never told her, she knows it’s my dream school.

“Do you like it?”

More than you know. “It’s perfect.”

Want to keep reading? You can read four more scenes on the following blogs:
Getting Dirty at the Pool - http://hayleyvornholt.com
The Bet - http://rachaelallenwrites.blogspot.com
Who Am I?  http://kathybradey.blogspot.com/
The Music Room http://waltzwithwords.blogspot.com/