A Life of Her Own, With a View

Published:  January 27th, 2015

Love, Lucy

By: April Lindner

Poppy

ISBN-13:  9780316400695

While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician.  After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation."  But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse have to be, does it?

Review

       I'll go right out there and say that I don't think this book is for everyone and it definitely could have been better.  The original source material for this retelling is A Room With a View by E.M. Forster.  It is a comedy of social errors and the class divide, somewhat reminiscent of a Jane Austen novel, but not quite.  This is less about following the rules of society and finding love with someone who might be slightly inappropriate, in terms of class.  But in say, Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth at least has some social graces and knows how to act in society.  Also, she's not THAT far beneath Darcy, no matter what his pride says.  She's a gentleman's daughter.  Lucy Honeychurch in the original Room, falls in love with a young man named George who has no social connections, isn't rich and can't offer her anything other than his love.  She has to choose between socially unacceptable happiness and marrying a man named Cecil (for whom she feels nothing), who could give her every comfort she's used to and more - plus she'd still be accepted in society with her family/friends if she married Cecil.

       When you're adapting a story like that for a modern-day audience, set in the modern United States, it's difficult to translate quite what Lucy would have been giving up by marrying outside her social circle, in a downwards direction.  So Lindner tries to resolve this by making Lucy an actress, who is going to the college her father wants, majoring in business and never acting again, all so he'll pay for college.  That alone is somewhat far-fetched, due to the type of family she lives in and the time period.  It's an upper-middle class, caucasian family, with no obvious religious affiliations and no real obvious reason for this strict point of view.  Also, he forbids her to even continue acting as a hobby.  Alrighty then...and she's supposed to take a trip to Europe in exchange for forgetting her dreams?  On the trip, which she takes with Charlene (the daughter of her Mom's friend), she meets Jesse in Italy and he forces her to question how easily she's giving in to her parents about her future.  I did like the little love-hate thing they had going on at first, but once she's into him she ditches Charlene and is downright mean to her, which I wasn't super fond of.  Being a bitch to your traveling companion is just wrong, even if it's supposedly true love at stake.

       Probably the stupidest thing about this for me, was Lucy's romantic life once she gets to college.  While growing a backbone about being in plays/acting, she seems to lose all sense of self in regards to dating.  Thinking that it's over between her and Jesse, Lucy starts dating someone who seems like the absolute perfect guy.  Yet, she doesn't really have feelings for him.  But he's the perfect guy, so she should just stay with him anyway, right?  Then Jesse comes back to town, to be with Lucy, so she sleeps with him and goes on a date with the other guy the next day anyways, a "weekend away" on which he thinks they're going to have sex (I'm pretty sure it was the next day, I could be mistaken, as it's been a little while since I read this one).  It's like she just wants to miserable.  I think this novel should have been adapted in a different country/culture/place with other social expectations.  Or at least there should have been better reasoning behind Lucy's actions and lack of self-worth.  It made for an unlikeable protagonist which is never fortunate, unless it's on purpose.  Sadly, I don't think it was on purpose in this instance.  Overall, I give this one three stars because I could see the original glimmering underneath.  I also know what it's like to give up the direction of your life to the needs/wants of others.  But there was a lot of wasted potential in this one.  Maybe as a fluffy beach read, if you decide to pick it up?

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Mansfield Park, Revisited: All The World's a Stage

Expected Publication:  February 26th, 2013
The Trouble With Flirting
By: Claire LaZebnik
HarperTeen
ISBN-13:  9780061921278

Franny's supposed to be working this summer, not flirting. But you can't blame her when guys like Alex and Harry are around. . . .

Franny Pearson never dreamed she'd be attending the prestigious Mansfield Summer Theater Program. And she's not, exactly. She's working for her aunt, the resident costume designer. But sewing her fingers to the bone does give her an opportunity to spend time with her crush, Alex Braverman. If only he were as taken with the girl hemming his trousers as he is with his new leading lady.

When Harry Cartwright, a notorious flirt, shows more than a friendly interest in Franny, she figures it can't hurt to have a little fun. But as their breezy romance grows more complicated, can Franny keep pretending that Harry is just a carefree fling? And why is Alex suddenly giving her those deep, meaningful looks? In this charming tale of mixed messages and romantic near-misses, one thing is clear: Flirting might be more trouble than Franny ever expected.

Review

 

     Franny Pearson dreamed of being an actor when she was younger, but when she entered high school her parents pushed her to give it up and focus on sports.  But now with a messed up arm, baseball is no longer part of the equation.  Due to bad financial circumstances since her parents' divorce, Franny is forced to get a summer job to start saving for college.  So her Mom sends her to be her seamstress Aunt's apprentice for the summer, working on costumes for the Mansfield College summer theater program.  But sewing isn't the only thing taking up her time and occupying her mind.  Franny is soon torn between Harry Cartwright, a notorious flirt who seems to be all superficial and Alex Braverman, who is always switching between hot and cold (plus he's in a relationship with Harry's friend Isabelle).  Will Franny end up with the boy of her dreams?  And will he be who she expects?  I loved this book quite a lot.  LaZebnik has a talent with Jane Austen re-tellings and this one, as her second, fared even better than the first one in my opinion.  I am a freak of nature among the majority of Austen fans whose favorite novel is usually Pride and Prejudice.  Mine is tied between Mansfield Park and Persuasion.  So when I saw this book on an ARC tour site, I was dying to see how she'd manage to make it at ALL swoonworthy, when the original just barely manages that in any capacity.  I liked that the author developed Franny and lent her a few obvious to the reader character flaws, lacking in the original novel.  Franny is rather shallow at the beginning (not that she realizes this), but she develops a lot by the end.  I also like Isabelle, her sometimes rival, more than in the original book.  She was portrayed more human and sympathetic in this one, at least for me personally.  Julia and Marie were just as horrid in this retelling as in Austen's novel, which was okay with me.  I was impressed with the romantic plot twist near the end.  Did not see it coming AT ALL (though I probably should have).  Overall, really loved this Austen retelling.  I think that even people who are not fans of the original Mansfield Park will enjoy this one.  The theater setting was a very nice idea and it lent something important to the novel overall.  I found it especially funny, as theater was not something that was considered an activity for those in polite society back in the time of the original novel.  They even attempt to stage a play and are scolded by Mr. Price (Edmund's Dad and Fanny's Uncle) when he comes home and finds the girls involved.  My main complaint is that the ARC cut off mid-sentence and seemed to be missing the last few pages.  As a reader, that sucked.   

 

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. It will be available for purchase on February 26th, 2013.*



Sparks Fly, When I'm Kissing You

Expected Publication: August 14th, 2012

Kissing Shakespeare

By: Pamela Mingle

Random House Children's Books

ISBN-13: 9780385741965

Miranda has Shakespeare in her blood: she hopes one day to become a Shakespearean actor like her famous parents. At least, she does until her disastrous performance in her school's staging of The Taming of the Shrew. Humiliated, Miranda skips the opening-night party. All she wants to do is hide. 

Fellow cast member, Stephen Langford, has other plans for Miranda. When he steps out of the backstage shadows and asks if she'd like to meet Shakespeare, Miranda thinks he's a total nutcase. But before she can object, Stephen whisks her back to 16th century England—the world Stephen's really from. He wants Miranda use her acting talents and modern-day charms on the young Will Shakespeare. Without her help, Stephen claims, the world will lost its greatest playwright. 

Miranda isn't convinced she's the girl for the job. Why would Shakespeare care about her? And just who is this infuriating time traveler, Stephen Langford? Reluctantly, she agrees to help, knowing that it's her only chance of getting back to the present and her "real" life. What Miranda doesn't bargain for is finding true love . . . with no acting required.

Review

   Miranda's parents are famous Shakespearean actors and she has always aspired to be an actor someday as well.  But she has always felt like she is inferior and talent-less compared to them.  After what she thinks is a disastrous performance  as Kate in 'Taming of the Shrew', Miranda is hiding backstage.  Then her fellow castmate Stephen Langford finds her and all Hell breaks loose.  It turns out that Stephen is not from this century and he takes Miranda back to the 16th century with him - so she can save Shakespeare. Or so Stephen says.  It turns out that to save him Stephen seems to think that Miranda needs to seduce him.  Apparently Shakespeare is considering joining the Jesuit priesthood, a dangerous occupation during Elizabeth I's reign.  It is a possible death sentence, which would deprive the world of Shakespeare's genius.  Therefore it's Miranda's job to tempt him out of that choice.  Can she manage to save Shakespeare, even if it means sacrificing herself?  Also, Miranda's heart is in danger of being captured, but not by the famous playwright...  This book has two of the things that I love the most - Shakespeare and time travel!  I loved smarmy time traveler, Stephen Langford who confuses Miranda as a girl of loose morals after watching too much 'Gossip Girl.'  Which leads him to think she's perfect for seducing Shakespeare.  It is interesting to see Elizabethan life portrayed including the Jesuit plight, because it's something I've personally never encountered and never expected to in a YA novel!  The description of the book makes it sound lighthearted and at times it is.  But there is a lot of underlying depth, including Stephen's tragic romantic past.  My main complaint would be Miranda's lack of individual thought.  She went along with Stephen's plans for her, even if it was with quite a fight.  Not to mention, she was a majorly spoiled brat.  If your biggest problem in life as a rich teenager is not being a great Shakespearean actor like Mommy and Daddy...well boo freaking hoo!  Also, her blase attitude about losing her virginity was truly annoying.  But by the end of the novel Miranda really showed some major character development and the conclusion to her romance with Stephen left me crying.  It was an enjoyable read, I love any book with time travel that is fairly well done and this one fits the bill.  I recommend to Shakespeare, romance and time travel fans who like a little humor mixed into their books.

VERDICT:  3.75/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is August 14th, 2012.*