Hey guys! Misty and I wanted to let you know that although our #WednesdayYA chat about , some things have come up and we've decided to move the chat. It will now be held on Wednesday April 30th at 7:30 p.m. CST.
Thanks for understanding, and we look forward to chatting soon!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Review of Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.
(Summary from GoodReads)
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I originally overlooked Open Road Summer because it didn’t look like anything special to me, but I wound up requesting it on NetGalley because everyone was raving about it and I love a good summer read. I loved reading about Dee and Reagan’s friendship, and enjoyed the fact that Lord had turned Dee into a Taylor Swift kind of character. At times I connected a little too much with Reagan, and a few celebrity aspects of the story bored me, so I didn’t quite love this one the way some bloggers did.
The strongest part of Open Road Summer is the setting. I could envision precisely where Reagan lived and what every place she visited. Lord’s prose didn’t knock me over with glee, but it had some standout passages that were worth writing down.
Reagan’s personal life up until her decision to tour with Lilah has been difficult. Her parents haven’t been the most reliable people, and she’s made some difficult choices personally and romantically. She’s guarded and very protective of the people she loves, and could be super judgmental of other girls. A few times I found myself cringing if Reagan said something particularly judgey or mean because it felt like Lord took the qualities I see in myself that I least like and put them in her character. Other readers may find seeing themselves in Reagan this less off-putting and uncomfortable then I did.
Lilah and Reagan had a great friendship, and it was interesting to see how Lilah’s celebrity affected their relationship. Lord focused on some celebrity drama and I didn’t care for that aspect of the story. It felt like Lord copied a real life situation, but didn’t weave it adeptly into the story enough to make it feel genuine or interesting.
Everyone and their pet pig is freaking out over Matt Finch. Objectively, I saw his appeal—he’s an attractive, sweet, sharp-witted guitar player who is determined to stand by Reagan even when she gets a little too stubborn. However, I am fussy about love interests, and for me he didn't bring anything especially new or noteworthy to the table. Don't get me wrong--the romance was still enjoyable--but for me it was more about Reagan and how she grew by the end of the story.
My problems with Open Road Summer are small, and ultimately personal and subjective, but they were enough to stop me from totally loving this book. Lord is definitely a skilled writer, and I’ll be keeping an eye out to see if her future books are a better fit for me. I know some people are less fussy than I am, so I’d be quick to pass this on to anyone who loves a good summer romance with a healthy dose of music and friendship.
Disclosure: I received an electronic galley of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Other reviews:
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Book Haul (65) and What Are You Reading?
For review:
by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
by Katie Finn
by Bethany Neil
by Jennifer Matthieu
by A.J. Swain
by Mary E. Pearson
by Eric Walters
by Bob Pfulfgelder and Steve Hockensmith
by Ransom Riggs and Cassandra Jean
Bought:
by Laurie Halse Anderson
by Ransom Riggs
by Victoria Schwab
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Susann Cockal
by Tahereh Mafi
by Tahereh Mafi
Read:
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
by Allan Woodrow
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
Me Since You by Laura Weiss
Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
Bright Before Sunrise by Tiffany Schmidt
by Suzanne Young
Panic by Lauren Oliver
by Caroline Carlson
Pointe by Brandy Colbert
by Cynthia Kadohata
by Jandy Nelson
by Lauren Tarshis
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
by Amanda Ripley
by Emery Lord
by A.S. King
Currently reading:
by Elana K. Arnold
by Kristin Cashore
by George R.R. Martin
by Erin Bowman
What I plan to read:
by Ransom Riggs and Cassandra Jean
by Merrie Haskell
by Gail Carriger
by Stephanie Kuehn
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Review of Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.
Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?
From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?
(Summary from GoodReads)
The premises behind Elizabeth Eulberg’s books always sound fun to me, and Better Off Friends was no exception. At one point I heard it pitched as , which is always a solid bet because that’s one of my favorite movies. Macallan and Levi’s story was definitely adorable, but it felt too long to me.
Better Off Friends is told from alternating perspectives. Levi is a big fan of sports, and Macallan enjoys cooking, so be aware that if you pick up this book, it will make you hungry. Even when Levi and Macallan first met they reminded me of an old married couple.
That said, I found the ending of Eulberg’s story predictable. Levi and Maccallan go through a lot of rough patches and back and forth before their story ended, and it didn’t all feel necessary. I read an ARC of this book and was thinking a few scenes could have been edited out.
I also wasn’t sold on the prose here. At times it felt like there was more telling instead of showing. I wish Eulberg had more faith in my ability to infer what was happening.
Eulberg’s latest was cute, but not entirely satisfactory for me. Conceptually it was great, but parts of the execution needed polishing. Levi and Macallan meet in middle school, so I feel like this will be a great read for teens in seventh through tenth grade. It just wasn’t a great fit for me.
Disclosure: I received a digital galley of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Other reviews:
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
#WednesdayYA April Selection
In case you guys didn't know, my birthday was yesterday! Woohoo! Here's a gratuitous picture of me celebrating my birthday as a small child:
Naturally, this means that I got to pick our #WednesdayYA pick. I picked something I'm pretty sure Misty will love because it's by one of her favorite authors. I own all of the books this author has written, but I'm extra excited about this one because I've heard so many good things.
I have really high hopes for this one, and Casey who comes to our chats, has already read this one and loved it. Our Twitter chat will be back on schedule this month on the second to last Wednesday of the month, which on this month will be on the 23rd. Meanwhile, feel free to share Instagram pics, thoughts on Twitter, reviews, or anything else you'd like. Misty and I look forward to discussing this with you!
Naturally, this means that I got to pick our #WednesdayYA pick. I picked something I'm pretty sure Misty will love because it's by one of her favorite authors. I own all of the books this author has written, but I'm extra excited about this one because I've heard so many good things.
Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.
So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?
Edgy and gripping, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is an unforgettable novel: smart, funny, dramatic, and always surprising.
(Summary from GoodReads)
I have really high hopes for this one, and Casey who comes to our chats, has already read this one and loved it. Our Twitter chat will be back on schedule this month on the second to last Wednesday of the month, which on this month will be on the 23rd. Meanwhile, feel free to share Instagram pics, thoughts on Twitter, reviews, or anything else you'd like. Misty and I look forward to discussing this with you!
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Review and Giveaway of Pointe by Brandy Colbert
Because today is my birthday, I've decided to review an upcoming release I loved, and give a copy away to one lucky blog reader.
Theo is not a conventionally likable character, and a lot of people may consider not finishing this book because of that. Some of the choices she makes about who spends her time with are a little painful to read about, but the thought process Theo went through in order to make her decisions always felt genuine to me. If you pick up this book, it needs to be read to the very end, because it's largely about Theo's emotional and sexual development. The reader watches Theo learn to make her own decisions and the best part is that even though Colbert gives us a concrete ending to the story, it’s clear that Theo’s story isn’t over.
Theo is better now.
She's eating again, dating guys who are almost appropriate, and well on her way to becoming an elite ballet dancer. But when her oldest friend, Donovan, returns home after spending four long years with his kidnapper, Theo starts reliving memories about his abduction—and his abductor.
Donovan isn't talking about what happened, and even though Theo knows she didn't do anything wrong, telling the truth would put everything she's been living for at risk. But keeping quiet might be worse.
(Summary from GoodReads)
Pointe is one of the best books I've read in 2014 so far and is a book that made me incredibly proud to be an avid read of young adult fiction. It's the type of book that you'll read in a sitting or two and take so much away from. Colbert tackles a lot of tough subject matter in her debut, yet it never feels like too much.
Theo is not a conventionally likable character, and a lot of people may consider not finishing this book because of that. Some of the choices she makes about who spends her time with are a little painful to read about, but the thought process Theo went through in order to make her decisions always felt genuine to me. If you pick up this book, it needs to be read to the very end, because it's largely about Theo's emotional and sexual development. The reader watches Theo learn to make her own decisions and the best part is that even though Colbert gives us a concrete ending to the story, it’s clear that Theo’s story isn’t over.
Colbert nails her prose and her atmosphere throughout this entire story. I was really impressed by how ballet was woven into the story as a whole. It was the perfect reminder that Theo had a life outside of the bad things that happened to her, but also that those bad things could permeate so deeply. Throughout the story, we see how Theo interacts with Ruthie, who’s a weird mixture of competition and friend, and their relationship was handled perfectly. It was just the right balance of mean girls, awkwardness, and compassion. Other details are nicely woven in that make this more genuine—Theo and her friends smoke pot, and that’s just that. It’s something real teenagers do, and it was nice to see Colbert address every day aspects of teenage life in a way that felt non-judgmental.
Pointe had me weepy eyed and thinking "Damn" just about the entire time I was reading. It is an important book, yet not didactic. It's a story that I hope lots of people read and discuss over and over again. Colbert has given us an exceptional debut that will inspire passionate feelings and discussion while leaving us all yearning for more from her.
Disclosure: I borrowed an ARC of this book from a friend and plan to buy a hardcover soon.
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I like spreading the love, so I've decided to give one hardcover of Pointe away to one of you. Here are the rules:
*One winner will receive a hardcover of Pointe by Brandy Colbert. The winner will receive his or her copy of the book by April 17th.
*Open to U.S. readers only.
*Entries will close next Tuesday April 8th at 11:59 p.m.
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