Author: Susane Colasanti |Website| Twitter| Facebook|
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Genre: Young Adult/ Social Situations
Series/Standalone: Stand alone
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Young Adult/ Social Situations
Series/Standalone: Stand alone
Format: Hardcover
Cost: $17.99
Pages: 241
How I got it: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
Publication Date: Jan 2011
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:
This is another Susanne book I went into blind, and I actually enjoyed it. The cover sees it as a fun, flirty teen romance, and yet you get so much more. I certainly rolled my eyes a whole lot in this book, but I found myself engaging with the character as she did or thoughts things like "ok girl" There are moments within the book where the character's caucacity shines through when she shares her plans and ideas of how those plans were going to work out. Like girl whatever. Let me explain that as an immigrant chile I wouldn't have been this dumb or rebellious because my parents just wouldn't have stood for it. Free education and you're wasting it because you don't believe int he system??
I loved that the character knew when she was being utterly ridiculous because she would say it, then talk around why she's ignoring that thought. I really enjoyed reading her POV, I cackled at the plans, and the execution of said plans. I sympathized with and understood her in several moments, and in others I needed the laugh. Brooke at first was truly dumb, because who in their right mind does what she does for someone she's not even truly involved with??
I am going to preface this judgment of Brooke by stating I'm a professor's daughter, I grew up on a college campus, so for me education is extremely important. I loved school, not the humans in the school sometimes but school and the experiences and the fun in my AP classes yes, I loved that. For me things always came easy as well, I as a grade ahead of everyone because I was so good and I could have gone further ahead but my mother didn't want me to be socially stunted and I totally agree with her; so I totally get that from the character, but she gotta realize the only person she's punishing is herself. Her actions don't change anything about the system, they don't hurt the teachers or the administrators in anyway,in fact if she had put her mind to it she would have done more if she found a way to demand change for herself and her classmates.
My favorite moments come when her friends and teachers, parents and the even new acquaintances call her out of her mediocre white girl aspirations, like who are you really hurting with your plans, nobody but yourself. Not only that you insult all those women who wish they could be in your position but can't be hen you waste the opportunities you have been given. I had to remember however that Brooke sis till very much a child and like all children she does childish things.
Brooke's POV and love for the city certainly shines through and I loved how as she matured her view of the city changed, once she stopped obsessing over one thing, she began seeing all that was around her, and began living in the reality of the city instead of just the love of the idea of the city. NYC will do that to a person, as a New Yorker I know. I enjoyed the characters e got to see, because this is told through Brooke's POV and she's a bit self absorbed we dont' really learn more about the others unless it helps her plans in some ways.
I loved the book because despite hat the cover is selling this is actually a love story to NY, no really it;s more than the book originally was selling. It's an amazing story. No there are a few threads I wish Brooke had followed up on and shared more about, especially when it comes to her parents, to her friends from NJ and even more about her school. From what we glimpsed of Sadie, Scott and John she seemed to have created a pretty good group of friends, and I especially loved her and Sadie because they really inspired each other.
For me the was not predicable because it seemed like the book was going another way at first, but I loved the journey and I'm glad we got the ending we did. This story had self discovery, self love, learning what real love looks like, finding your path in life lessons, as well as forgiveness and being honest with yourself and those you are in relationships with. There were so many great themas and I enjoyed each of them immensely.
Publication Date: Jan 2011
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:
Another contemporary thought-provoking romance from Susane Colasanti! When Brooke discovers that the love of her life, Scott Abrams, is moving from their New Jersey suburb to New York City for senior year, she decides to follow hime there. Living with her estranged father and adjusting to a whole new school are challenging--and things get even worse when she finds out that Scott already has a girlfriend. But as she learns to navigate the big city, she starts to discover a whole new side of herself, and realizes that sometimes love can find you even when you're not looking for it.
I loved that the character knew when she was being utterly ridiculous because she would say it, then talk around why she's ignoring that thought. I really enjoyed reading her POV, I cackled at the plans, and the execution of said plans. I sympathized with and understood her in several moments, and in others I needed the laugh. Brooke at first was truly dumb, because who in their right mind does what she does for someone she's not even truly involved with??
I am going to preface this judgment of Brooke by stating I'm a professor's daughter, I grew up on a college campus, so for me education is extremely important. I loved school, not the humans in the school sometimes but school and the experiences and the fun in my AP classes yes, I loved that. For me things always came easy as well, I as a grade ahead of everyone because I was so good and I could have gone further ahead but my mother didn't want me to be socially stunted and I totally agree with her; so I totally get that from the character, but she gotta realize the only person she's punishing is herself. Her actions don't change anything about the system, they don't hurt the teachers or the administrators in anyway,in fact if she had put her mind to it she would have done more if she found a way to demand change for herself and her classmates.
My favorite moments come when her friends and teachers, parents and the even new acquaintances call her out of her mediocre white girl aspirations, like who are you really hurting with your plans, nobody but yourself. Not only that you insult all those women who wish they could be in your position but can't be hen you waste the opportunities you have been given. I had to remember however that Brooke sis till very much a child and like all children she does childish things.
Brooke's POV and love for the city certainly shines through and I loved how as she matured her view of the city changed, once she stopped obsessing over one thing, she began seeing all that was around her, and began living in the reality of the city instead of just the love of the idea of the city. NYC will do that to a person, as a New Yorker I know. I enjoyed the characters e got to see, because this is told through Brooke's POV and she's a bit self absorbed we dont' really learn more about the others unless it helps her plans in some ways.
I loved the book because despite hat the cover is selling this is actually a love story to NY, no really it;s more than the book originally was selling. It's an amazing story. No there are a few threads I wish Brooke had followed up on and shared more about, especially when it comes to her parents, to her friends from NJ and even more about her school. From what we glimpsed of Sadie, Scott and John she seemed to have created a pretty good group of friends, and I especially loved her and Sadie because they really inspired each other.
For me the was not predicable because it seemed like the book was going another way at first, but I loved the journey and I'm glad we got the ending we did. This story had self discovery, self love, learning what real love looks like, finding your path in life lessons, as well as forgiveness and being honest with yourself and those you are in relationships with. There were so many great themas and I enjoyed each of them immensely.
★★★★☆
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti
- Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen
No comments:
Post a Comment