Review: Eleanor & Park

March 10, 20133 Comments

Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor & Park

Eleanor is a chubby new girl with out-of-control red hair and weird clothes. Park is a quiet half-Korean boy who clings to his position at the edge of the cool group. In the normal course of things, they would have no reason to speak to each other. But the first day that Eleanor gets on the bus, she is immediately taunted and ostracized by the other students — and Park surprises himself by letting her sit next to him. Tentatively, Eleanor and Park begin to build a friendship, which gradually deepens into an intense love. But the odds are stacked against them: Park’s parents don’t warm to the prickly Eleanor, and Eleanor’s family life is such a disaster that Park can’t even come to her house. Plus, they’re both smart people and know that high school relationships rarely last forever. Will their relationship be able to survive these obstacles, or will love ultimately tear them apart?

After loving Rowell’s debut novel, Attachments, I naturally had to check out this book too…and happily, it is equally awesome! Both Eleanor and Park are wonderful, likable characters, and it was lovely to see each of them through the other’s eyes. I completely believed in their passionate love for each other, which is unusual for me with teen romance. I tend to scoff at happily-ever-after endings in YA, because very few high school relationships actually work out over the long term. But this book swept me away with its giddy intensity, and I found myself happily rooting for Eleanor and Park to make it. I also really enjoyed the pop culture references that are sprinkled throughout the book; it’s set in the 1980s, so there are many mentions of New Wave and cassette tapes and feathered bangs. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of romance or chick lit, even those who don’t normally read YA.

Review: Juliet

February 20, 2013February 23, 20131 Comment

Anne Fortier, Juliet

Julie Jacobs and her twin sister, Janice, have lived with their Aunt Rose ever since their parents died tragically when they were babies. When Aunt Rose dies, her will stipulates that Janice will inherit her entire fortune, including the house. Julie is shocked and angered by this slight, until she discovers that Aunt Rose has left her some old documents that belonged to her mother — documents that hint at a treasure hidden somewhere in Siena, Italy. Julie immediately goes to Siena in hopes of discovering this hypothetical treasure, but she soon finds that her inheritance — and indeed her whole identity — is bound up in the story of Romeo and Juliet. Far from being the fictional creation of William Shakespeare, their story is based on true events that occurred in Siena in the 1300s. As Julie digs deeper into the medieval legend of Romeo and Juliet, she eventually discovers some priceless artifacts connected to the lovers and finds her own destiny in the process.

Though Romeo and Juliet is by no means my favorite Shakespeare play (that would be Much Ado About Nothing, in case you were wondering!), I was excited to read this book for its combination of literary detection and romance. Unfortunately, I ended up not liking it very much! My main problem is that the heroine, Julie, is too whiny. She constantly complains about Janice’s poor treatment of her growing up, and she’s always bemoaning her “unattractive” appearance, even though she immediately catches the eye of a handsome Italian. I also hated her narrative style, which is completely stilted and unrealistic. The dialogue is almost uniformly terrible. As for the actual story, parts of it were interesting, especially in the historical chapters. But as events unfolded, I grew more and more irritated at the supernatural elements of the plot, which I was not expecting at all. Basically there’s this Ancient Curse ™ that hangs over Julie and her paramour, who are sort of reincarnations of the original Romeo and Juliet, and they need to break it in order to live happily ever after. The farther I got through the book, the more I went from “not great, but still readable” to “I can’t wait for this mess to end!” Overall, not recommended.

Review: Psych Major Syndrome

February 10, 20131 Comment

Alicia Thompson, Psych Major Syndrome

Leigh has just started her freshman year at a small liberal-arts college in California that is renowned for both its unconventional academic structure (no grades!) and its intellectual rigor. A smart and driven psychology major, Leigh enjoys her classes but is dismayed by how competitive her fellow students are — and how eagerly they discuss senior thesis topics and grad school options. In addition to being intimidated by her classmates, Leigh is also worried about her love life. She and her high school boyfriend Andrew have been together for over a year, but their relationship seems to be fizzling. Then there’s Andrew’s roommate Nathan, who is openly hostile to Leigh for no apparent reason. In order to survive her college experience, Leigh must take her hard-won insights into psychology and apply them to her own life.

I decided to read this book primarily because of Janice’s review, but also because I really enjoy books set in college. I don’t understand why more books are not set in universities, as most people grow and change a lot during those four (or more) years. So I liked the college-y aspects of this book, such as Leigh’s close relationship with her roommate Ami. I also enjoyed the little tidbits about psychology that are sprinkled throughout the book, such as the definitions of psych-related terms at the beginning of each chapter. Otherwise, though, the book is quite predictable; the romance was cute but not particularly original or exciting. Overall it’s a fun, quick read that requires very little brain power, but it did keep me turning the pages.

Review: The Dating Detox

January 28, 20131 Comment

Gemma Burgess, The Dating Detox

Sass (real name Sarah) is a 20-something copywriter in a London advertising agency who has just been dumped for the sixth time in a row. What’s wrong with her? Why can’t she make a relationship last? And why is she always the one getting dumped, even when she doesn’t like the guy all that much either? After several drinks and talks with her best friends, Bloomie and Kate, Sass decides she’s had enough of heartbreak and rejection: she’s going on a dating sabbatical. For three months, she won’t flirt, date, or sleep with any men. Almost immediately, Sass begins to notice improvements in her life. She’s more confident at work, she’s more productive in her free time, and she’s not distracted by men all the time. But when she meets Jake, a handsome and charming man who shares her offbeat sense of humor, she must decide whether to risk everything she’s achieved through her dating sabbatical and take a chance on a new relationship.

What a fun book! Yes, it’s chick lit and thus inherently predictable, but Sass’ original voice makes it a lot more interesting than the usual fare in this genre. Sass narrates the book in present tense, which is usually something I hate, but in this case it really emphasizes Sass’ upbeat, live-in-the-moment character. However, this is a book in which you really have to like the heroine, so if detailed descriptions of outfits (yes, she loves clothes) and the bar scene in London put you off, then you may not enjoy the book as much as I did. I also really liked the fact that the other characters in this book are fleshed-out individuals with their own problems and concerns. Bloomie and Kate, for example, both grow and change throughout the course of the novel as they navigate problems at work and in their relationships. Many chick-lit books can feel like a one-woman show, but that was definitely not the case here! Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys British chick lit, and I look forward to reading more by Burgess.

Review: Hunting and Gathering

January 26, 2013February 3, 20136 Comments

Anna Gavalda, Hunting and Gathering (trans. Alison Anderson)

The original French title of this novel is Ensemble, C’est Tout, which is a much more fitting name for a book about a group of lost souls who eventually find happiness with each other. Camille is literally a starving artist, wasting away to skin and bones while working a completely unfulfilling job as an office cleaner in Paris. One day she falls ill and is rescued by Philibert, a sweet-natured but socially awkward aristocrat who is living in his family’s decaying ancestral home. Philibert also has a roommate named Franck, a talented chef whose filthy language is only matched by his even filthier lifestyle. Initially, the three of them living in one house seems like a recipe for disaster; but as they learn more about one another, they slowly build an unconventional family.

I think this is a perfect cold-weather book; it just begs to be read while snuggled up in a blanket and sipping something warm. At its core, it’s a fairly simple and predictable love story, with the hero and heroine hating each other at first, then slowly changing their minds. But Gavalda’s dreamy, transparent prose helps it to rise above a stereotypical chick-lit or romance novel. There’s something very thoughtful and smart about the book as a whole; I especially loved the descriptions of Camille’s art. The only thing that bugged me about the book is that sometimes the dialogue was hard to follow — there aren’t a lot of tags to indicate who’s saying what. There’s also a lot of jumping around between different characters’ perspectives, which can be distracting. Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to fans of love stories or French literature.

Review: Meant to Be

January 5, 2013January 5, 20132 Comments

Lauren Morrill, Meant to Be

Julia Lichtenstein is an excellent student, a voracious reader, and a conscientious follower of rules. She’s incredibly excited about her class trip to London, eager to soak up all the history and culture that it has to offer. Her only problem is the presence of class clown Jason Lippincott on the trip. He’s loud, obnoxious, and completely immature — and because his name comes right after Julia’s in the alphabet, she’s stuck being his partner for their school assignments on the trip. However, as Julia spends more time with Jason, she slowly begins to discover that there’s more to him than meets the eye. At times it even seems like there’s a spark between them, but can Julia really fall for someone who’s the complete opposite of the “meant to be” guy she’s always imagined?

This is a very cute YA romance that hooked me almost immediately. Since Julia is the first-person narrator, we get inside her head right away, and I really enjoyed her determined, slightly neurotic voice. As for Jason, he’s just adorable; I definitely have a soft spot for goofy guys! Even though he and Julia are really different, I can definitely see how they work as a couple. Also, their clashing personalities provide a very believable conflict in the book; even after the happily-ever-after, you just know that they’ll continue to fight with and frustrate each other sometimes. Overall, while this book isn’t particularly deep or substantial, I found it a very fun and charming read.

Review: Catch of the Day

December 20, 2012Leave a comment

Kristan Higgins, Catch of the Day

Maggie Beaumont is incredibly unlucky in love. Her first serious boyfriend dumped her for another girl without even telling her about it, and for the past year or so she’s been carrying a torch for the local priest. Although Maggie has a job she loves (owning and operating the only diner in her tiny town of Gideon’s Cove, Maine) and many friends amongst the townspeople, she can’t help feeling incredibly lonely at times. In desperation, she agrees to go on several blind dates, but each one is more catastrophic than the last. Just when she’s about to give up hope, however, a surprising kiss from an unexpected source makes Maggie think that maybe she’s finally met her match.

Once again, Kristan Higgins delivers a fun and fast contemporary romance. I found Maggie instantly likeable despite her flaws — and she actually does have real flaws, not the “flaws” that chick-lit heroines often have that are actually adorable quirks in disguise. Her obsession with her priestly friend, Father Tim, is a case in point: she knows he’s off-limits, but she spends an inordinate amount of time obsessing about him anyway. On the other hand, I didn’t get to know and love the taciturn hero, Malone, in the same way. Maggie is utterly bewildered by his behavior for much of the novel, and I can’t really blame her. If Higgins had developed his backstory a bit more and given us some insight into his point of view, I would have enjoyed the romance more than I did. But even though I thought the hero was underdeveloped, I still enjoyed this book! I definitely look forward to reading more of Higgins’ work in 2013.

Review: Prom and Prejudice

November 19, 2012Leave a comment

Elizabeth Eulberg, Prom and Prejudice

At the prestigious Longbourn Academy for girls, money and status matter more than anything else, so scholarship students are constantly taunted and made to feel like outsiders. Lizzie Bennet is one of only two scholarship students in her class, and while she knows she’s lucky to be getting such a good education, she can’t help feeling miserable due to her low social status. Her only friends are the other scholarship girl, Charlotte Lucas, and her roommate, Jane. Jane has a thing for Charles Bingley, a popular student from nearby Pemberley Academy who’s been studying abroad for the past semester. When he returns, he acts really interested in Jane — but his snobby sister Caroline and moody friend Darcy don’t seem to approve of the relationship. Lizzie is happy about Jane’s romance but takes an immediate dislike to Darcy. However, as she gets to know him and his group better, she realizes that she may be letting her prejudice against rich people blind her to the truth.

As should be obvious, this is a modern-day version of Pride and Prejudice set in a young adult context. Though I’m an ardent fan of Jane Austen, I’ve found that the various Austen-inspired sequels and spinoffs are usually nowhere near as wonderful as the original novels. There are exceptions, of course, but unfortunately this book isn’t one of them. The plot sticks to the original P&P fairly closely but doesn’t add anything new or interesting to the story. None of the characters have any depth — even the protagonists — which made it hard for me to care about them. Even more importantly, I found the world of the novel unbelievable. While I accept that there are high school bullies and snobs and cliques, it seems wildly unlikely that everyone at Longbourn would be actively mean to Lizzie (stealing her stuff, throwing milkshakes on her, etc.) just because she has a scholarship. I understand that the author was trying to re-create the social hierarchy that existed in Austen’s day, but the end result just wasn’t credible. I have read YA Austen spinoffs that work very well — Polly Shulman’s Enthusiasm is a wonderful example! — but this book didn’t do anything for me.

Review: Gone Girl

October 25, 20123 Comments

Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl

Nick and Amy Dunne are attractive thirty-somethings living in a large house in Missouri, right by the Mississippi River. From the outside, they seem to have a charmed life, but in fact they’ve been having increasingly severe marital problems. Then, on their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy goes missing. Suspicion naturally falls on Nick, since in these situations it’s usually the husband who is guilty. Did Nick kill Amy, and if not, what happened to her? As the narrative slowly unfolds, the truth becomes ever more complex and more elusive.

This is the kind of book that’s really hard to discuss without major spoilers, but I’ll do my best not to give anything away! For starters, this is not my usual genre; I hardly ever read thrillers, but this one is so popular that I decided to see what all the fuss was about. Overall I think I enjoyed the book, or at any rate I found it compelling. I got sucked into the story and had to keep turning the pages to find out what would happen next. Neither Nick nor Amy is entirely likable, and they both get more unpleasant as the book goes on. But it was fun to chase all the plot twists and try to stay one step ahead of the narrators. (Nick and Amy take turns narrating, him from the time of the disappearance and her from diary entries written beforehand.) I didn’t like the ending, though obviously I can’t be more specific. Still, this is a good read for what it is, and I’d recommend it for planes or beaches (but definitely not on your honeymoon!).

You Book Me All Night Long

Tag: contemporary