My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"Seventeen-year-old Abby Turner’s summer isn’t going the way she’d planned. She has a not-so-secret but definitely unrequited crush on her best friend, Cooper. She hasn’t been able to manage her mother’s growing issues with anxiety. And now she’s been rejected from an art show because her work “has no heart.” So when she gets another opportunity to show her paintings Abby isn’t going to take any chances.
Which is where the list comes in.
Abby gives herself one month to do ten things, ranging from face a fear (#3) to learn a stranger’s story (#5) to fall in love (#8). She knows that if she can complete the list she’ll become the kind of artist she’s always dreamed of being. But as the deadline approaches, Abby realizes that getting through the list isn’t as straightforward as it seems… and that maybe—just maybe—she can’t change her art if she isn’t first willing to change herself."
For me, Kasie West books are a great palate cleanser after reading heavier books. They're like the sorbet of the book world. You can always count on them to have a small amount of drama but overall be fluffy and end happily. If you're looking for something fast, light, and fun to read, this book is a great option. That being said, I did have a few gripes.
Gripe numero uno: It was hard to feel invested in their friend circle when there was ZERO character development for the two that were on vacation the entire book. I know whole point of the book was that Cooper and Abby were going to be alone all summer, but it's a weird decision to establish that this friend group is like the end-all-be-all of friend groups without including two members of the group in the book. Gripe two: Could have done without Iris's presence in the book. It rubbed me the wrong way primarily because she ended up actively pitted against Abby, which is just...such a tired storyline...but it also bugged me because throwing her in the mix kind of made Cooper come off like a d-bag at times, particularly toward the end of the book.
And, drumroll please...my final gripe...
I know I said above that you can always count on these books to end happily, but truth be told I was kind of excited at the prospect of a Kasie West book where in the end the main character learns to be fine being by herself and expands her social circle beyond the one guy she's ever really socialized with (aside from the other guy friend who, again, is absent the entire book and also has a weird arc where he's sending Cooper texts but not Abby), but noooooo. Honestly, with this book, the ending almost made the entire book feel pointless. There were all these realizations from Abby and character growth and revelations about how she could have other friends and rely on people outside of her little group, and then it was like "jk, Cooper does like me! We're together now!" Fine, if that's how you're going to end it...but at the very least if they were going to end up together don't have him totally blow off her art show because that made him completely irredeemable in my eyes.
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Friday, May 4, 2018
Monday, March 26, 2018
Turtles All the Way Down - John Green
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.
In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship."
This book is wonderful in so many ways. A few of those ways:
First, Aza and Daisy's relationship is so interesting...both the way they balanced each other out and the way they handled conflict. It's always refreshing when I read a book like this, with best friends who genuinely love and want the best for each other, even when they clash with each other. They got upset with each other, for valid reasons, but they never lost sight of how much they cared about each other, and they did their best to show that even when they were fighting.
Second, it was touching to see the relationship between Aza and Davis develop. The two of them were so unique and had been through so much, I was worried that their burgeoning relationship would end up being just like every other realistic fiction romance. Now, this is John Green we're dealing with here, so I'm not sure why I was worried, but of course I didn't need to be. The two of them together were just as one-of-a-kind as they are individually, and as bittersweet as it was to watch them struggle to find a balance as they grew closer to each other, I loved every minute of it.
Finally, Aza's struggle with her mental health felt so real that at times it was difficult to read about. As hard as it was, though, we need more books like this. We need books that dig into what it's like to struggle with things like OCD, depression, anxiety...more books that help us realize that, while we may feel like everything is wrong with us and nothing about us is normal, there are people all around us going through that same struggle. The thing that particularly resonated with me was Aza's worry that if you need a pill to make you feel like yourself, then the self you are while taking that pill is not actually you. I know people who have struggled with this very thing, so to read a book with a character going through that hit me hard. Give me more books that help me understand what struggles like this feel like. I want them all.
From the cover:
"Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.
In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship."
This book is wonderful in so many ways. A few of those ways:
First, Aza and Daisy's relationship is so interesting...both the way they balanced each other out and the way they handled conflict. It's always refreshing when I read a book like this, with best friends who genuinely love and want the best for each other, even when they clash with each other. They got upset with each other, for valid reasons, but they never lost sight of how much they cared about each other, and they did their best to show that even when they were fighting.
Second, it was touching to see the relationship between Aza and Davis develop. The two of them were so unique and had been through so much, I was worried that their burgeoning relationship would end up being just like every other realistic fiction romance. Now, this is John Green we're dealing with here, so I'm not sure why I was worried, but of course I didn't need to be. The two of them together were just as one-of-a-kind as they are individually, and as bittersweet as it was to watch them struggle to find a balance as they grew closer to each other, I loved every minute of it.
Finally, Aza's struggle with her mental health felt so real that at times it was difficult to read about. As hard as it was, though, we need more books like this. We need books that dig into what it's like to struggle with things like OCD, depression, anxiety...more books that help us realize that, while we may feel like everything is wrong with us and nothing about us is normal, there are people all around us going through that same struggle. The thing that particularly resonated with me was Aza's worry that if you need a pill to make you feel like yourself, then the self you are while taking that pill is not actually you. I know people who have struggled with this very thing, so to read a book with a character going through that hit me hard. Give me more books that help me understand what struggles like this feel like. I want them all.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Love & Luck - Jenna Evans Welch
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.
So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.
And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.
That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way."
Addie and her brother have basically been at each other's throats since a mysterious incident over the summer. The two of them are supposed to fly to Italy together after their aunt's wedding in Ireland, but Ian has other plans...a road trip across Ireland with his friend Rowan, following in the footsteps of their favorite band. When Addie finds out, she's livid--just the day before, their mom had threatened to make both of them quit sports if they didn't get along on their trip to Italy, and she needs a soccer scholarship to pay for college. Rowan suggests she come along to their first stop so she can see what the trip is all about, and she agrees, hoping she can talk some sense into Ian and get their travel plans back on course. Spoiler alert: Their travel plans do not get back on course. Instead, Addie is swept along on a stumbling block-riddled trip across Ireland, all three of them trying to repair the broken parts of themselves along the way.
This isn't a bad story, but it was a little all over the place. Lots of starts at plot and character developments that never seemed to go anywhere and things that should have been giant plot points but ultimately fell flat. Overall, I enjoyed it. However, it's incredibly frustrating to have an entire story developed around an oft-reference occurrence over the summer and then, when this big secret is finally revealed (and it was a big deal), have it relegated to a minor plot point and casually wrapped up in an epilogue. Also, real talk? If you're going to create this whole narrative around a teenage girl being pressured into sending a naked picture of herself and then have the guy she sent it to pass it around to basically the whole school, you need to deal with that shit responsibly. How did that possibly become a minor detail, wrapped up in a few pages? It's a Big Fucking Deal.
From the cover:
"Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.
So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.
And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.
That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way."
Addie and her brother have basically been at each other's throats since a mysterious incident over the summer. The two of them are supposed to fly to Italy together after their aunt's wedding in Ireland, but Ian has other plans...a road trip across Ireland with his friend Rowan, following in the footsteps of their favorite band. When Addie finds out, she's livid--just the day before, their mom had threatened to make both of them quit sports if they didn't get along on their trip to Italy, and she needs a soccer scholarship to pay for college. Rowan suggests she come along to their first stop so she can see what the trip is all about, and she agrees, hoping she can talk some sense into Ian and get their travel plans back on course. Spoiler alert: Their travel plans do not get back on course. Instead, Addie is swept along on a stumbling block-riddled trip across Ireland, all three of them trying to repair the broken parts of themselves along the way.
This isn't a bad story, but it was a little all over the place. Lots of starts at plot and character developments that never seemed to go anywhere and things that should have been giant plot points but ultimately fell flat. Overall, I enjoyed it. However, it's incredibly frustrating to have an entire story developed around an oft-reference occurrence over the summer and then, when this big secret is finally revealed (and it was a big deal), have it relegated to a minor plot point and casually wrapped up in an epilogue. Also, real talk? If you're going to create this whole narrative around a teenage girl being pressured into sending a naked picture of herself and then have the guy she sent it to pass it around to basically the whole school, you need to deal with that shit responsibly. How did that possibly become a minor detail, wrapped up in a few pages? It's a Big Fucking Deal.
Saturday, March 24, 2018
First & Then - Emma Mills
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them: first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.
Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary novel about falling in love with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself."
Well...I read this in like three hours, so take that for what it's worth. There was a lot more Friday Night Lights to this than Pride and Prejudice, but it was a cute story and a nice, light read. The way things turn out isn't any big secret--it's pretty obvious from the start how everything is going to play out--but that's kind of the appeal for me. I love a heavy, emotional story, but sometimes it's nice to read something like this, with everyday problems faced by every day people. A sweet story about family and young love. Books like these are the sorbet of the literary world...the perfect pallet cleanser after a string of more intense reads. Bonus: This is a perfect recommendation for reluctant readers with a soft spot for YA romance. It pulls you in fast, moves at a good pace, and keeps you hooked until the end.
From the cover:
"Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them: first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.
Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary novel about falling in love with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself."
Well...I read this in like three hours, so take that for what it's worth. There was a lot more Friday Night Lights to this than Pride and Prejudice, but it was a cute story and a nice, light read. The way things turn out isn't any big secret--it's pretty obvious from the start how everything is going to play out--but that's kind of the appeal for me. I love a heavy, emotional story, but sometimes it's nice to read something like this, with everyday problems faced by every day people. A sweet story about family and young love. Books like these are the sorbet of the literary world...the perfect pallet cleanser after a string of more intense reads. Bonus: This is a perfect recommendation for reluctant readers with a soft spot for YA romance. It pulls you in fast, moves at a good pace, and keeps you hooked until the end.
Sunday, March 18, 2018
The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life. "
From the cover:
"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life. "
Everyone should read this book. It might as well be non-fiction...it sure as hell felt like non-fiction. I don't live in Starr's world, and THUG is such an eye-opening glimpse into how differently kids in her situation grow up compared to how I did. I get nervous when there's a cop behind me in traffic because getting a ticket would be inconvenient. Kids like Starr grow up being taught how to behave with police officers to hopefully, fingers crossed, if everything goes well, not end up beaten or dead.
Let that sink in, man.
Kids in Starr's situation are growing up legitimately afraid for their lives. Jesus Christ.
Read this book. Then give it to a friend and get them to read it.
Let that sink in, man.
Kids in Starr's situation are growing up legitimately afraid for their lives. Jesus Christ.
Read this book. Then give it to a friend and get them to read it.
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Moxie - Jennifer Mathieu
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"Moxie girls fight back!
Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with her small-town Texas high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes and hallway harassment. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules.
Viv’s mom was a punk rock Riot Grrrl in the ’90s, so now Viv takes a page from her mother’s past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She’s just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. Pretty soon Viv is forging friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, and she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution."
I mostly loved this, so let's start with the good stuff. It was beautiful to read a book about young women pushing back against negative behavior, and it was particularly awesome to see them courageously do so even with the fear that no one else would be standing next to them when they did. Awesome. It's hard to do that, and women of all ages need to see more examples of badass women taking a stand. Additionally, I greatly appreciated that the tension between Viv and her BFF after Viv started spending more time with the new girl was resolved in such a sweet way (although I do wish it hadn't come at the hands of sexual assault. Grrrrr.). Just as we need more examples of fantastic, courageous, vocal women, the world could do with fewer catty, pointless fights between friends. Kudos to Jennifer Mathieu for writing characters with the maturity to resolve their issues through communication and trust. Finally, it was refreshing to see romance included that supplemented, but did not supersede, the main narrative. Feminists need love too, so I'm not opposed to romantic elements in stories like this, but so often the romance becomes the focal point. Mathieu did a great job of weaving Viv's young love into the story in a balanced way.
Now...a couple of things that really got under my skin. One, there's no superintendent or school district administration to go to? I get that douchebag #1's dad was the principal, so no one at the school could be gone to for assistance, but for fuck's sake go over his head! How did it get to the point where this crazy-ass principal was trying to suspend/expel a third of the school before something happened? Bonkers. Second, Viv's clashes with her boyfriend when he said stupid things. I have a husband, and said husband is not a lady, so on occasion it can be hard for him to fully grasp the difficulties of womanhood. Consequently, he says dumb shit sometimes. When he does, I have two options. Option A: Get mad at him because he just couldn't understand. Option B: HELP HIM BE AN ALLY. Why is what he is saying frustrating? How could he reframe his thinking to be supportive instead? There were soooooooo many chances for Viv to be like, "look, bud, I get that not all guys are bad. It's awesome that you have cool, super into baseball stats, bros to eat lunch with. Would said cool bros be interested in joining the cause?" Open up a dialogue, yo. Help him understand.
Anyhoo...overall, fantastic read. I highly recommend it.
From the cover:
"Moxie girls fight back!
Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with her small-town Texas high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes and hallway harassment. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules.
Viv’s mom was a punk rock Riot Grrrl in the ’90s, so now Viv takes a page from her mother’s past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She’s just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. Pretty soon Viv is forging friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, and she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution."
I mostly loved this, so let's start with the good stuff. It was beautiful to read a book about young women pushing back against negative behavior, and it was particularly awesome to see them courageously do so even with the fear that no one else would be standing next to them when they did. Awesome. It's hard to do that, and women of all ages need to see more examples of badass women taking a stand. Additionally, I greatly appreciated that the tension between Viv and her BFF after Viv started spending more time with the new girl was resolved in such a sweet way (although I do wish it hadn't come at the hands of sexual assault. Grrrrr.). Just as we need more examples of fantastic, courageous, vocal women, the world could do with fewer catty, pointless fights between friends. Kudos to Jennifer Mathieu for writing characters with the maturity to resolve their issues through communication and trust. Finally, it was refreshing to see romance included that supplemented, but did not supersede, the main narrative. Feminists need love too, so I'm not opposed to romantic elements in stories like this, but so often the romance becomes the focal point. Mathieu did a great job of weaving Viv's young love into the story in a balanced way.
Now...a couple of things that really got under my skin. One, there's no superintendent or school district administration to go to? I get that douchebag #1's dad was the principal, so no one at the school could be gone to for assistance, but for fuck's sake go over his head! How did it get to the point where this crazy-ass principal was trying to suspend/expel a third of the school before something happened? Bonkers. Second, Viv's clashes with her boyfriend when he said stupid things. I have a husband, and said husband is not a lady, so on occasion it can be hard for him to fully grasp the difficulties of womanhood. Consequently, he says dumb shit sometimes. When he does, I have two options. Option A: Get mad at him because he just couldn't understand. Option B: HELP HIM BE AN ALLY. Why is what he is saying frustrating? How could he reframe his thinking to be supportive instead? There were soooooooo many chances for Viv to be like, "look, bud, I get that not all guys are bad. It's awesome that you have cool, super into baseball stats, bros to eat lunch with. Would said cool bros be interested in joining the cause?" Open up a dialogue, yo. Help him understand.
Anyhoo...overall, fantastic read. I highly recommend it.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Freshmen - Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"Getting in is just the beginning.
Phoebe can't wait to get to college. On her own, discovering new things, no curfew . . . she'll be free. And she'll be totally different: cooler, prettier, smarter . . . the perfect potential girlfriend. Convenient: the only person from her high school also going to York is her longtime crush, Luke.
Luke didn't set out to redefine himself, but as soon as he arrives on campus, he finds himself dumping his long-term long-distance girlfriend. And the changes don't stop there. In fact, being on a soccer team is the only thing that stays the same.
Just when things start looking up (and Phoebe and Luke start hooking up), drama looms on the horizon. Rumors swirl about the Wall of Shame, a secret text chain run by Luke's soccer team, filled with compromising photos of girls. As the women on campus determine to expose the team and shut down the account, Luke and Phoebe find themselves grappling with confusing feelings and wondering how they'll ever make it through freshman year."
From the cover:
"Getting in is just the beginning.
Phoebe can't wait to get to college. On her own, discovering new things, no curfew . . . she'll be free. And she'll be totally different: cooler, prettier, smarter . . . the perfect potential girlfriend. Convenient: the only person from her high school also going to York is her longtime crush, Luke.
Luke didn't set out to redefine himself, but as soon as he arrives on campus, he finds himself dumping his long-term long-distance girlfriend. And the changes don't stop there. In fact, being on a soccer team is the only thing that stays the same.
Just when things start looking up (and Phoebe and Luke start hooking up), drama looms on the horizon. Rumors swirl about the Wall of Shame, a secret text chain run by Luke's soccer team, filled with compromising photos of girls. As the women on campus determine to expose the team and shut down the account, Luke and Phoebe find themselves grappling with confusing feelings and wondering how they'll ever make it through freshman year."
This book had its highs and lows, but I read it in less than a day so overall, I'd say it's a win. A book about college for young adults? Awesome. We need more post-high school books. And while I didn't drink or party in college because I was a Mormon nerd, so much of this book still managed to hit me in the college feels. It's such a weird time, going from basically having everything structured and controlled for you to.....I make my own choices? What? How? When did this happen? Which, hello, circles back to we need more post-high school books! Finally, I loved the character development and the relationships that developed between everyone. And the humor--I laughed out loud more than once, which I'm sure my husband really enjoyed listening to. My only real complaint is that the story felt choppy at times. It wasn't terrible by any means, but some of the major moments ended up a little jarring because there wasn't much build up or development toward them. Smoothing out the flow of the story would have made it five-star read, for sure.
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Paper Towns - John Green
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew..."
So Quentin Jacobsen loves his next door neighbor from afar for most of his life, even though they stopped hanging out at a fairly young age. Then one night she drags him into an epic andventure before disappearing abruptly the next morning. Following her disappearance, Quentin, his two best friends, and Margo's best friend-turned-Quentin's-weird-friend's-girlfriend all begin trying to solve the mystery of her disappearance. At first Quentin worries that she committed suicide, but the more he finds out, the more he hopes she's still out there somewhere...waiting for him.
Mehhhhhhh I just don't know. I wasn't overly enamored with this book, but it had its good points. At times Quentin was kind of a whiny jackass, but he and his friends also had pretty good senses of humor. The thing I liked the most about the book was the emphasis on how your perception of a person =/= who that person really is. Overall, it wasn't a bad read...just not my favorite.
From the cover:
"Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew..."
So Quentin Jacobsen loves his next door neighbor from afar for most of his life, even though they stopped hanging out at a fairly young age. Then one night she drags him into an epic andventure before disappearing abruptly the next morning. Following her disappearance, Quentin, his two best friends, and Margo's best friend-turned-Quentin's-weird-friend's-girlfriend all begin trying to solve the mystery of her disappearance. At first Quentin worries that she committed suicide, but the more he finds out, the more he hopes she's still out there somewhere...waiting for him.
Mehhhhhhh I just don't know. I wasn't overly enamored with this book, but it had its good points. At times Quentin was kind of a whiny jackass, but he and his friends also had pretty good senses of humor. The thing I liked the most about the book was the emphasis on how your perception of a person =/= who that person really is. Overall, it wasn't a bad read...just not my favorite.
Sunday, February 4, 2018
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life - Benjamin Alire Saenz
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"The first day of senior year:
Everything is about to change. Until this moment, Sal has always been certain of his place with his adoptive gay father and their loving Mexican-American family. But now his own history unexpectedly haunts him, and life-altering events force him and his best friend, Samantha, to confront issues of faith, loss, and grief.
Suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and discovering that he no longer knows who he really is—but if Sal’s not who he thought he was, who is he?"
Benjamin Alire Saenz has a way of putting feelings into words in a way unlike any other author I've read. Even with simple, every day moments, I find myself chugging along, reading, and then bam...so many emotions. How does he do that?! Sal's friendships with Sam and and Fito are so lovely, pure, and supportive, and his relationship with his dad and his grandma are heart-stoppingly beautiful. This book was sad and sweet and happy and a million emotions in between. No one can simultaneously break your heart and make you feel like you're overflowing with happiness the way Saenz can.
Bonus: All the tamale talk during Christmas. Christmas 2017 introduced me to tamales for the first time, and ever since I can't get enough.
From the cover:
"The first day of senior year:
Everything is about to change. Until this moment, Sal has always been certain of his place with his adoptive gay father and their loving Mexican-American family. But now his own history unexpectedly haunts him, and life-altering events force him and his best friend, Samantha, to confront issues of faith, loss, and grief.
Suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and discovering that he no longer knows who he really is—but if Sal’s not who he thought he was, who is he?"
Benjamin Alire Saenz has a way of putting feelings into words in a way unlike any other author I've read. Even with simple, every day moments, I find myself chugging along, reading, and then bam...so many emotions. How does he do that?! Sal's friendships with Sam and and Fito are so lovely, pure, and supportive, and his relationship with his dad and his grandma are heart-stoppingly beautiful. This book was sad and sweet and happy and a million emotions in between. No one can simultaneously break your heart and make you feel like you're overflowing with happiness the way Saenz can.
Bonus: All the tamale talk during Christmas. Christmas 2017 introduced me to tamales for the first time, and ever since I can't get enough.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
By Your Side - Kasie West
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.
Only he doesn’t come. No one does.
Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?"
From the cover:
"When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.
Only he doesn’t come. No one does.
Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?"
Librarian note: What the hell kind of library has no phones and no snacks?! If two teenagers got locked in my library for the weekend (speaking of...how crazy that I read this book the week before MLK weekend?), there would be so much food for them to eat. There are like four giant bags of candy just at my desk alone. That being said...on to what actually matters.
I have now read three Kasie West books, loved two of them, and been driven crazy by the third. I'm trying to decide if it's a coincidence that the two I enjoyed I listened to on audio and the one I didn't I read in book form...I think it's just a coincidence, but if you're an audiobook fan, you should definitely check Kasie's out. Her audiobooks are great. Is that the most times the word audiobook has been use in one paragraph? Perhaps. I'm ok with that.
This book is a great one to recommend to reluctant readers. The characters are likable and easy to relate to, it's an engaging read, and in a shocking twist, Autumn's friends are pretty awesome. From the beginning, the story pulled me in. Two teenagers ending up locked in the library together over a holiday weekend? I have a few teens who have begged me to help them hide at the end of the night so they could spend the night in the library, so I have a feeling that's a plot line that would capture their attention. I was nervous about what would happen after they got out, and the closer I got to the end of the book, the more nervous I got waiting for one of her friends to do something shitty, but they were supportive, kind, and understanding...a rarity in a lot of books, and an example of friendship that a lot of people could benefit from reading about. Finally, huge shout out to a book whose main character struggles with an anxiety disorder. I have struggled with anxiety for a long time, and until very recently I felt like I was overreacting or being a baby when I spiraled or had an anxiety attack. It's amazing to read a book about someone who has shared that struggle and see that not only is it something that should be taken seriously, it's something others deal with too. Hooray for books that open a dialogue about mental health!
I have now read three Kasie West books, loved two of them, and been driven crazy by the third. I'm trying to decide if it's a coincidence that the two I enjoyed I listened to on audio and the one I didn't I read in book form...I think it's just a coincidence, but if you're an audiobook fan, you should definitely check Kasie's out. Her audiobooks are great. Is that the most times the word audiobook has been use in one paragraph? Perhaps. I'm ok with that.
This book is a great one to recommend to reluctant readers. The characters are likable and easy to relate to, it's an engaging read, and in a shocking twist, Autumn's friends are pretty awesome. From the beginning, the story pulled me in. Two teenagers ending up locked in the library together over a holiday weekend? I have a few teens who have begged me to help them hide at the end of the night so they could spend the night in the library, so I have a feeling that's a plot line that would capture their attention. I was nervous about what would happen after they got out, and the closer I got to the end of the book, the more nervous I got waiting for one of her friends to do something shitty, but they were supportive, kind, and understanding...a rarity in a lot of books, and an example of friendship that a lot of people could benefit from reading about. Finally, huge shout out to a book whose main character struggles with an anxiety disorder. I have struggled with anxiety for a long time, and until very recently I felt like I was overreacting or being a baby when I spiraled or had an anxiety attack. It's amazing to read a book about someone who has shared that struggle and see that not only is it something that should be taken seriously, it's something others deal with too. Hooray for books that open a dialogue about mental health!
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Lucky in Love - Kasie West
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
From the cover:
"Can’t buy me love…
Maddie’s not impulsive. She’s all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment—
She wins!
In a flash, Maddie’s life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she’s talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun…until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now Maddie isn’t sure who she can trust.
Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn’t seem aware of Maddie’s big news. And, for some reason, she doesn’t want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?"
Ok...I'm about to thrown down some serious venting, so before I do I'm going to say this: My issues with this book aside, I don't think it's necessarily a bad read. It's quick, it's fluffy and cute, and ultimately I enjoyed it for what it was--a total dessert book. This would be a great "dip your toe" title for teens who aren't big fans of reading. If that's the kind of read you're looking for, maybe skip the rest of this and grab a copy. If you aren't sold and want to know why I rated it three stars instead of five, keep reading...but you've been warned.
Alright. So Maddie's dad got laid off a few years ago, and if she wants to go to college she has to get a scholarship to pay for it (unheard of, apparently.). As a result, she is hyper-focused on school, scheduling regular study sessions with her friends and basically spending every second making sure she's as prepared as she can be. She gets amazing grades, volunteers, and works part-time at the zoo. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it if it means she can get into and pay for University of Southern California and study to be a vet. Or something like that. Because she loves animals, we're told (never shown. Only told. That was a big issue I had with this book).
Then, on Maddie's 18th birthday, her friends mysteriously bail on her with no notice, even though they've been established to be fairly reliable, so she makes a bummed-out visit to the gas station for candy (because she's super poor, so obviously she buys all her candy at the gas station, where it's more expensive than basically anywhere else...but that's neither here nor there. Just an irritating detail to someone who was also a very poor teenager and would never have been able to afford to regularly buy tiny bags of gas station candy). On a whim, she buys a lottery ticket, and....gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasp! SHE WINS! 50 million dollars.
Suddenly everyone wants to be her friend, needs money from her, is treating her differently. Maddie is incredibly book smart but apparently has zero experience interacting with other human beings or in any way standing up for herself, because holy hell, this book becomes ridiculously foolish decision after ridiculously foolish decision. Bypassing the fact that someone as seemingly meticulous and logical as Maddie doesn't strike me as the type to make these spur-of-the-moment decisions on spending ludicrous amounts of money, even if she is suddenly super rich, where the hell were her parents?! The book introduces pretty early on that her parents are going through a pretty rough patch, but what kind of parent is like "wow, cool, you just turned 18 and are a multi-millionaire. Good luck with that." They do tell her when she wins that she should get a financial adviser, but then nothing else is said of it. Instead, they sit by while she rents a yacht, buys an almost $100,000 sports car, gets swindled out of half a million dollars by some super extended family member, etc etc etc. Who does that?
With all the craziness in her life, at least Maddie has Seth, her super cool and definitely Asian coworker at the zoo. He's funny, confident, friendly...and also, please don't forget that he's Asian. Because he is, remember? You can tell by his last name and the fact that people regularly say obnoxious and racist things to him. It would have been cool to learn about Seth's heritage through subtle descriptions or details about the character, but this book isn't big on showing. I'll try to let that go. Maddie's relationship with Seth was sweet, but like in a candy corn way. There's not really any subtlety or flavor to it, but if you need a sugar fix it'll get you there. He was a good friend, it was nice that he was always there for her, I just wish he...and most of the characters, for that matter...hadn't been so one-dimensional.
There were so many opportunities for greatness in this book, but everything ended up over-simplified and a little flat. Not Kasie West's best book. Like I said, it's an ok read, and it has its uses. However, if the whole "financially struggling newly 18-year-old wins the lottery" storyline was what pulled you in, might I point you to Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith? Similar plot, but I enjoyed the execution more.
From the cover:
"Can’t buy me love…
Maddie’s not impulsive. She’s all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment—
She wins!
In a flash, Maddie’s life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she’s talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun…until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now Maddie isn’t sure who she can trust.
Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn’t seem aware of Maddie’s big news. And, for some reason, she doesn’t want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?"
Ok...I'm about to thrown down some serious venting, so before I do I'm going to say this: My issues with this book aside, I don't think it's necessarily a bad read. It's quick, it's fluffy and cute, and ultimately I enjoyed it for what it was--a total dessert book. This would be a great "dip your toe" title for teens who aren't big fans of reading. If that's the kind of read you're looking for, maybe skip the rest of this and grab a copy. If you aren't sold and want to know why I rated it three stars instead of five, keep reading...but you've been warned.
Alright. So Maddie's dad got laid off a few years ago, and if she wants to go to college she has to get a scholarship to pay for it (unheard of, apparently.). As a result, she is hyper-focused on school, scheduling regular study sessions with her friends and basically spending every second making sure she's as prepared as she can be. She gets amazing grades, volunteers, and works part-time at the zoo. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it if it means she can get into and pay for University of Southern California and study to be a vet. Or something like that. Because she loves animals, we're told (never shown. Only told. That was a big issue I had with this book).
Then, on Maddie's 18th birthday, her friends mysteriously bail on her with no notice, even though they've been established to be fairly reliable, so she makes a bummed-out visit to the gas station for candy (because she's super poor, so obviously she buys all her candy at the gas station, where it's more expensive than basically anywhere else...but that's neither here nor there. Just an irritating detail to someone who was also a very poor teenager and would never have been able to afford to regularly buy tiny bags of gas station candy). On a whim, she buys a lottery ticket, and....gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasp! SHE WINS! 50 million dollars.
Suddenly everyone wants to be her friend, needs money from her, is treating her differently. Maddie is incredibly book smart but apparently has zero experience interacting with other human beings or in any way standing up for herself, because holy hell, this book becomes ridiculously foolish decision after ridiculously foolish decision. Bypassing the fact that someone as seemingly meticulous and logical as Maddie doesn't strike me as the type to make these spur-of-the-moment decisions on spending ludicrous amounts of money, even if she is suddenly super rich, where the hell were her parents?! The book introduces pretty early on that her parents are going through a pretty rough patch, but what kind of parent is like "wow, cool, you just turned 18 and are a multi-millionaire. Good luck with that." They do tell her when she wins that she should get a financial adviser, but then nothing else is said of it. Instead, they sit by while she rents a yacht, buys an almost $100,000 sports car, gets swindled out of half a million dollars by some super extended family member, etc etc etc. Who does that?
With all the craziness in her life, at least Maddie has Seth, her super cool and definitely Asian coworker at the zoo. He's funny, confident, friendly...and also, please don't forget that he's Asian. Because he is, remember? You can tell by his last name and the fact that people regularly say obnoxious and racist things to him. It would have been cool to learn about Seth's heritage through subtle descriptions or details about the character, but this book isn't big on showing. I'll try to let that go. Maddie's relationship with Seth was sweet, but like in a candy corn way. There's not really any subtlety or flavor to it, but if you need a sugar fix it'll get you there. He was a good friend, it was nice that he was always there for her, I just wish he...and most of the characters, for that matter...hadn't been so one-dimensional.
There were so many opportunities for greatness in this book, but everything ended up over-simplified and a little flat. Not Kasie West's best book. Like I said, it's an ok read, and it has its uses. However, if the whole "financially struggling newly 18-year-old wins the lottery" storyline was what pulled you in, might I point you to Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith? Similar plot, but I enjoyed the execution more.
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