2.5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Someone recommended this book to me a few months ago but I was a little wary of reading it, since I wasn't a fan of graphic novels back then--though I have discovered a like of manga since--and then I saw it on Netgalley and decided to just go for it.

Unfortunately, I felt like I was chucked straight into the middle of the story. I didn't have a clue who was who or how they fit into the story at the start, which made it hard for me to get into. I persevered over several days and I got used to the amount of friends in Alba's little group but the whole end of the world thing threw me a little. I didn't quite get that part of the story.

But then we get the hint of a little romance for our main character and I cheered up a bit. I was only going to give it 2 stars up until the 90% mark and then Grady melted my heart a little so I pushed my rating a little higher.

Not really my kinda thing. I prefer my girl's to be receptive to the idea of romance and not as into comics as Alba was--especially when she was naming some I'd never heard of.

I may read other books by the author at some point.

I'm struggling to get into this. I don't know if it's the comic book references, seeming to just be thrown halfway into the story or the plotline...

When I am reading a book and put on hold occasionally to read another book, I realize that it is doomed for me.

I should have known beforehand... I can't empathize with a MC nickamed Alba. Why in the world would anyone like to be called like this?

The plot is MEH. It is not as the title suggests (no adventures here). Cinnamon Girl is just a symbol.

There were too many "remember when...?". And Danny has been their best friend, like, ages ago (when she was just 6) but all the time it was "I remember he used to blah blah blah" or "he used to tell me/do XXX/ make XXX". Gosh, she was just 6 but she remembered EVERYTHING and still considered him one of her bff? They did not see each other for more than 10 years.

I liked Grady's confession at the end, I can't deny it. It was really sweet and compatible with the author who wrote [b:Life in Outer Space|16119664|Life in Outer Space|Melissa Keil|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1440552547s/16119664.jpg|21939037] (one of my favorite YA books). Besides that, nothing much.

Leído para el 2015 Reading Challenge #29: Un libro ambientado en un lugar que siempre hayas querido visitar.

El fin del mundo ocurrirá el 31 de diciembre a la medianoche y el único lugar que se salvará de la destrucción será el pequeño pueblo de Eden Valley en Melbourne-Australia. O al menos así lo ha predicho el "profeta" El Original Ned. Por lo que pronto Eden Valley se convierte en el refugio de miles de personas de todo el mundo.

Allí en el medio de todo eso, se encuentran Alba, Grady, Eddie, Tia, Caroline, Peter... y Daniel. Recién graduados de la secundaria y que, en el medio del caos, deben hacer planes para un futuro que ahora no están seguros que exista.

Una de las cosas que más me gustó es el hecho de que Alba sea un personaje fuerte e independiente. ¡Al fin una protagonista que no es la típica chica insegura que tiene que esperar que un chico le diga lo que vale!

“You have a killer smile. You know that, right?” he says.

Well, actually Daniel, I do. My smile is one of my best features. But probably no a polite thing to admit.

“Thanks” I say.

Y, ¿saben que más? Alba tampoco es el típico prototipo de Barbie. ¡Tiene curvas! ¡Y las acepta!



Además la historia tiene un buen toque de humor y la relación de Alba y Grady es una ternura total. También me encantan las referencias a la cultura pop [en este caso mayormente de cómics] que ya caracterizan a Melissa Keil.

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl es una comedia romántica fresca, divertida y sin demasiado drama. Y aunque puede ser un poco infantil por momentos, transmite un buen mensaje y te deja sonriendo. Esta es definitivamente una de esas lecturas feel good.

Ideal si te gustó [b:Life in Outer Space|16119664|Life in Outer Space|Melissa Keil|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355447297s/16119664.jpg|21939037].

You can find this, and other reviews, on my blog.

This book. I’m not even sure where to start.

Life in Outer Space isn’t just a young adult novel about the Geeky Guy that falls in love with the Cool Girl. It’s about friendship and navigating high school and growing up and relationships and it’s all packaged in a very funny, very brilliant book.

I found the whole thing really relatable, even though I’m not a teenage boy. A lot of the things Sam is dealing with - being the “uncool” kid, working out how boy-girl relationships work (as friends and more), parents being weird around each other - is just so believable from beginning to end. We’ve all been there, we’ve all wondered if we’re ever going to be one of the popular people, or if our parents are slowly losing the plot.

On top of all that, Sam isn’t just a geek, he’s a believable geek. The whole book is peppered with movie/book/gaming quotes and references, and none of it feels forced or thrown in to earn points.

We don’t get to see much of Sam’s friends outside of his perceptions of them, but we do still get a great picture of who they are and how they’re reacting to everything going on.

There was nothing that I don’t love about this book, apart from the fact that it can’t go on forever. As with Cinnamon Girl, it’s a perfect snapshot of common situations faced by everyone, whether they’re currently in high school or reminiscing about their own awkward teenage years.