4.5. stars!

 

What I wanted to initially do with this review is just make it a series of fake Tweets.  However, since I don’t think I can limit my thoughts for the entire review to 150 characters or less.  I’ll only be making the headers for this review faux Tweets.  And be using a lot of K-Drama gifs because it’s been awhile and I could so imagine this book being a K-Drama (it just has that vibe for it cute, over the top, and you could imagine all the swoon-ish moments it would obviously  have).

 

 

 

@Adorkable you really know how to bring the fluff.

 

 

 

 

I rarely ever say that to anyone though.  But book you bought the feels in a way that’s not the typical feels of YA.  I felt that the relationship between Michael and Jeane was surprisingly real.  And cute.

 

 

Usually when realism is added to a novel it sort of takes out the fluff.  However, I think the realism of the romance added to it here.  I liked that things weren’t perfect with these characters-both emotionally and physically.  Honestly, their sex scene was one of the more realistic ones I’ve seen written in YA.

 

 

And (gasp) both of them aren’t virgins.

 

 

And the fact that one of them experimented is not a huge deal it’s just acknowledged.

 

 

Can we have more of this in this genre?

 

 

Honestly, the relationship between these two characters is sort of the relationship I wanted when I read the synopsis to  such as Isla and the Happily Ever After. It really gives a realistic depiction of a relationship.  And it’s not all bunny rabbits and roses.  And this relationship is definitely not instant love.

 

 

@Adorkable Michael is adorable.  And I love the fact that he’s not a WASP #diversity.

 

 

 

 

Michael is mouthwater worthy.  And he’s not a WASP.

 

 

Bonus points.

 

 

What I really like is that he’s a diverse character and for the most part (with a few exceptions-cough, almond eye description, cough) Manning doesn’t rely on cultural  stereotypes when describing him.

 

 

Thank the lord.

 

 

One thing I did like about this character is that he’s resound-idly grounded, but he does evolve as the story progresses. I liked how Manning made him look past his own prejudices and accept Jeane for who she really is.

 

 

Plus, he has an adorable family which he actually hangs out with (they watch the Muppet Christmas Carroll together willingly)  and that in itself equals more bonus points.

 

So yes, Michael you have gotten a place on my list of delicious YA male leads.

 

 

@Adorkable what the hell is wrong with Jeane #badlifechoices?

 

 

 

 

Oh, Jean.  There were times I wanted to hug you, but a lot of the time I wanted to slap you.

 

 

You closet makes less sense than Lola Nolan and you have a tendency to be a little (okay, a lot) self righteous.

 

 

And really, you think you’re going to be able to succeed without a high school diploma.

 

Successful blog or not, you’re no Grumpy Cat, Jeane.

 

 

Also, I had a really difficult time believing over five hundred thousand people would follow you.  Well, maybe to tell you off.  I know I wanted to do.  Maybe.  Once.  No twice.  No ten million times to reading this book.

 

 

But here’s the thing, even though I found you to have less social skills than Sheldon Cooper, I felt bad for you.  You were neglected. Had a shitty home life.  Were abused.   Lived in squalor.  But still girl…

 

 

Some of your choices?

 

 

You are in desperate need of more intervention from those adopted dads of yours.

 

 

@Adorkable sometimes you bring me reals and sometimes I’m like whaaat?

 

 

 

 

As realistic as the relationship between the two characters might’ve felt, and the depictions of the characters.  What I had a hard time believing was Jeane’s blogging success.

 

 

Maybe if more foundation was built about how she started built up her blog, I could’ve bought it more.  But as it was, I had to suspend belief.

 

 

Just like I had to suspend the whole impromptu New York trip.  While fun and romantic, once again unrealistic.

 

 

Additional little details in the novel had me just shaking my head.  But what I find so strange about them is that apart from these details the story does feel oddly realistic.  So, it just gives the story almost a weird vibe.

 

 

@Adorkable why can’t I quit you even though you know how to bring the ridiculous.

 

 

 

 

Overall Rating: This book and I got along pretty well.  While I might’ve had some conflict with Jeanne’s rather strong personality, she grew on me.  And Michael is just adorbs.  Overall rating, a very solid B borderline B+

 

"The more time I spent with her, the more immune I became to the hot mess that she looked. Not even a hot mess, which implied some kind of hotness, just a mess."

That phrase totally works for both, Jeane and this book.

Jeane is adorkable. What is that? Well....It's being weird + being really strong minded/revolutionary + being feminist + internet addict + puppies (WTF? I love puppies so OK!).
She dress in the most oddly ways to accent her uniqueness and it's completly uncapable of keeping her mouth shut about "stuff that really matters".
And Jeane gets oddly involved with a boy who is everything but adorkable: beautiful and liked by everyone, Michael Lee.

So...If you get to liking Jeane, despite her bitchyness cockyness, you can probably enjoy a fun story. I know I really enjoyed it (don't be fooled by the rating) and it was not about the plot, not about the characters development, not about the dialogs and definitely not about the odd romance. You'll have a dual pov to understand this romance better, but yet this story seems to me a lot more of a coming of age or a self discovery one.

The highlight of this book is the empowerment of dorkiness. It's always interesting to see how authors manage themselves to reflect the reality of how internet is changing us. Awkwardness has skyrocketed its populatity online, and I want to think that that makes it more acceptable offline. And that's cool! I expended most of my teen years trying to fit in and be normal, but teenagers this days are embracing their dorkyness/awkwardness/being-differentness.
This book can give you ,young adult, a wonderful message about how it's OK to be different (which isn't that obvious to everyone) and that in today world you're never alone.

“Dorkdom isn't something you can choose. It's something you are. But instead of dividing the world up into dorkside and darkside, I've realised that we all have a little bit of dork inside us.”

I know I would definitely join this dorkhood!

Nothing like waiting until last day of the month to borrow that month's amazon prime kindle lending library book. 

I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.

 

Ellie Cohen is a nice girl. She tries to find something nice in everyone, from awkward clients to strangers. She has a string of boyfriends who she has 'fixed', so much so that they have moved on without her so it's safe to say her love life is not the best.

Her famous father is absent from her life and his identity is not public knowledge, which she has no intention of changing. However she's soon uncovered by the paparazzi and her life begins to unfold.

 

This is a light romance story focusing on Ellie and her absent father's solicitor David. The misunderstandings surrounding Ellie's personal life and how she deals with the aftermath of exposure all ensure that the path of true love doesn't run smooth.

 

Ellie's story is interspersed with the story of Ari and Billy, her parents, and add another layer to the story. This is an easy to read story with some likeable characters, for example Tess and Lola, Ellie's flat mates. I didn't particularly warm to David at first and I loathed Billy but I believe this is what the author intended so they were well developed in that respect!

 

I found myself settling down with the book eager to find out what would happen and if and how Ellie would get her revenge, and the man she loved.

 

A nice, light romantic read.