YA Contemporary Mini Review Compilation

Hey there! Hi! It’s been a minute. I can’t believe summer’s over! This past August, I’ve been preparing and reorganizing my schedule to make way for my new job as a school librarian! I can finally use this GIF.

I just started and oh boy is there a lot of work to be done. But I’m excited to get things going and to decorate the library as well as I can imagine 😀

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Now that I’ve given my excuse as to why I haven’t blogged at all for a while, it’s time to get things goin here once again!

For the summer I read quite a few YA Romance/Contemporary books, and I’ve decided that since they were mostly fun summer reads, I would do a massive compilation of mini reviews rather than long individual posts for them! The only contemporary I will give a full review to is Eliza and Her Monsters because I have a bit more to say about it.

So here’s a list of my 2018 contemporary reads 😉 Enjoy.

ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER | Stephanie Perkins

I was a fan of Anna and the French Kiss (despite some of its problematic messages) but most certainly not a fan of this one. I have yet to read Lola and the Boy Next Door but I can already tell that it’s much more fun and cute than this book. Both Isla and Josh were not very likable characters, their romance was instant and shallow, and the drama felt far too contrived. The best part about this book were the cameos of Anna, St. Clair, Lola, and Cricket at the very end.

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LOVE, LIFE, AND THE LIST | Kasie West

Summer is the perfect time for a romantic piece of fluff that takes place by the beach and has a simple love story between charming characters. And this book fit the bill exactly. It’s not groundbreaking or extremely memorable, but the romance is cute, the drama is as expected but with a little bit of a realistic twist, and the vibes are all good.

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I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE | Maurene Goo

I really wanted to like this one. Partly for the diverse characters, and partly for the acknowledgment of how powerful and entertaining K-dramas are. Also, I thought the prologue was one of the best I’ve read in that it was a perfect mix of sweet, sad, happy, and hopeful. A perfect introduction to Desi Lee’s character. Unfortunately, I felt the book went downhill from there. Desi turned out to not be all the likable or multi-dimensional after she started scheming to make Luke fall in love with her. Her character arc plateaued partway through and she didn’t learn a damn thing by the end. The concept of using k-dramas as an instructional guide is cute, but not when it results in a manipulative, shallow protagonist with so much potential to be better.

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STARRY EYES | Jenn Bennett

I accidentally picked this one up thinking it was a contemporary about a damaged female friendship that is then mended by an impromptu camping trip. Obviously, I didn’t read the synopsis closely enough. No, this is about a boy and girl who’s friendship exploded into a Capulet/Montague feud between them and their families after a mysterious incident. Their relationship is then challenged during a camping trip. But the story’s not that simple. There is sooooo much more to this story than expected. It was a pleasant surprise to learn that this book explores several different situations and takes a closer look at human behavior and individual choices. I loved this book more than I thought I would. I loved the humor, the romance, the drama, the setting, and the realistic problems that arise within families and in friend groups. Definitely a winner!

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TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE | Jenny Han

Obviously I decided to read this book once I learned it was going to be a film on Netflix. So I picked it up and wow! I loved it to pieces. Peter Kravinsky stole my heart with his charm and Lara Jean was far too easy to sympathize with and understand when it came to her formerly unsent love letters and her fear in pursuing her romantic feelings. The book captured young romance, notes of unrequited love, complex family dynamics, ethnic representation, and so much more in a compelling and hilarious yet sincere fashion. Can’t wait to read the next one! Also, the movie was FABULOUS!!!

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Goodbye Summer!!

August flew by and now that summer is over, it’s now officially time to get in the fall spirit. Time to break out the spices, scary movies, and pumpkins!!!!!

 

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