*Grabby Hands* Release Tour & Review - Ninja Girl by Cookie O'Gorman

Title: Ninja Girl

Author: Cookie O'Gorman

Category/Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: March 30th 3017

Seventeen-year-old Snow-Soon Lee kicks ass--literally. She teaches at her family-owned martial arts gym, The Academy, and cares more about training to be the next Bruce Lee than hooking up. In fact, Snow's never even been kissed. But when Girls Night rolls around, Snow decides to prove to her friends (and herself) that she's not just some boring tomboy. Impulsively, she kisses a hot stranger and even manages to escape his two security guards.

One stolen kiss…

Ash Stryker's senior year sucks. His politician father pulled him out of Chariot High, separating him from his championship-winning soccer team. Now he's stuck at a prissy private school with no friends, no team and no chance of being scouted. On top of that, thanks to the death threats his dad's received, Ash has a security tail aka professional babysitters. When the mystery girl from the movies shows up at his school, rappelling from the rafters, Ash knows one thing: he won't let her get away again.

One interesting job proposition…

After a seemingly random attack, Ash's mother surprises everyone. She hires Snow to be Ash's personal bodyguard until after the election. But can Snow's kick-ass skills hold up against the rising threats to Ash's family? More importantly, can Ash convince his ninja girl to screw ethics and kiss him again?

Opposites attract in this YA romance where a smooth talker meets his match in the tough girl who (literally) sweeps him off his feet. Moral of the story:

Sometimes even bad boys need a bodyguard.

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Buy Link: Amazon

I stood up suddenly, needing to do…something. I knew what she was saying was total crap. I knew Nara was pure evil, and I didn’t have to prove anything to her. But right then I needed to prove something to myself. I was a girl dammit, and I wasn’t boring. I was a force.

Just like Bruce.

“Snow, what’s up?” Min asked, but instead of answering I headed in the opposite direction. While the others had been taking stock of hoodie guy, I’d been getting a read on his security. They were too far back to stop me. Part of me wanted to test them—to test me—and see if I could do this and still get away. I figured I had about a minute tops, but that’s all I’d need.

One last look over my shoulder told me all three girls were staring at me, mouths gaping, even Nara. Boring, she’d said earlier. I’d give her boring.

Taking a deep breath, I kept walking until I was almost even with hoodie guy’s seat, placed my hand on the chair back and swung my body over—right into his lap. Over his shoulder, I saw his security react. Too late.

He gasped, but I didn’t have time to explain.

“Sorry about this,” I whispered right before sealing my lips to his.

I’d taken him by surprise—that much was clear from the way his body tensed beneath mine. But he wasn’t trying to push me off. I’d intended it to be quick. A single brush with danger, a nod to teen girl impulsiveness, but the way his mouth melted under mine was unexpected. I fisted my hands in his shirt, pulling him closer. My lips, my entire body, went up in flames, but I couldn’t get close enough. It wasn’t until his hands came around my back that I remembered myself.

Pulling away, I came face-to-face with the greenest eyes I’d ever seen.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered again.

“I’m not,” he said.

And then his guards grabbed me.

4.0 “Ninja kisses” Stars

ARC provided by the author

Thank you!!

Last year, I was introduced to this great new indie author and I fell madly in love with her debut, Adorkable. If you haven’t read this book, I don’t know what you’re waiting for.

Since I loved, loved her debut, I was anxiously waiting for Cookie O’Gorman’s next book, and it didn’t disappoint.

Ninja Girl brought me a kickass girl, a funny, swoon-worthy boy, lots of romance and diversity! How could I not enjoy it?

The main character is Snow, a Korean teenager who teaches martial art at her family’s gym and wants to be the next Bruce Lee. Yeah, you read it right. She kicks ass. Literally. *faints* I know, I know. I love it, too. You know what else I love? Seeing her in action right in the beginning. The whole movie theater scene with Snow going all ninja and stealing a kiss from “mysterious” boy had me swooning hard. I think I fell in love with her, then.

The “mysterious” boy isn’t as mysterious if you’ve read Adorkable. Ash is the love interest, and HI, ASH! I mean, I didn’t remember liking Ash all that much, but it was probably because I was too invested in the other characters from her debut, because Ash is great. I really love him. He’s funny, he says what’s in his mind and he isn’t afraid to go after what he wants. In this case, he wants Snow, and girlfriend is going to make him work for it.

I don’t think Ash and Snow’s relationship falls into a specific trope, but it’s a mix of a bunch of those. There’s a little of fake relationship there, a little of friends turning into more… I liked seeing what Cookie did with it. There’s something they have in loads, though. Chemistry! I love how Cookie isn’t afraid to write her YA with a little heat. It’s nothing offensive or too out there, but her characters have the kind of chemistry that makes your chest burn, you know?

I thought this story required a certain level of suspension of disbelief at points, but it wasn’t something that really bothered me. It could’ve been a problem had I not been so invested in the characters and romance, but I doubt Cookie O’Gorman can write a romance book where I’m not invested in seeing the characters get together.

Overall, I really enjoyed the mix of action, a little suspense and a lot of romance, and I’m looking forward to what Mrs. O’Gorman writes next.

Cookie O'Gorman writes YA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her debut novel ADORKABLE is out now!

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