That's Amore

Expected Publication: May 6th, 2014

Wish You Were Italian (If Only...#2)

By: Kristin Rae

Bloomsbury

ISBN-13:  9781619632851

Pippa is in Italy for the summer, and despite her parents' wishes, she has no intention of just studying the local art!  She has a list of things of her own to do: from swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, to getting a makeover - and falling for an Italian boy!  As Pippa explores the dramatic ruins of Rome and Pompeii, she is swept into her own drama with two guys: an irresistible local she knows is nothing but trouble and cute American archaeology student.....Will she find her true love?

Review

     Bloomsbury has a new imprint, with teen romances, and I saw the blurb for this one and felt more than a passing interest.  I decided to give it a shot, even though the summary hints at the much dreaded young adult "love triangle," which I am entirely sick of and overall burned out on!  This book is about a girl named Pippa, whose parents want to groom her to take on the family's art gallery when she's old enough.  Pippa has no interest in art though, and really wants to take on photography (which she loves) as a career.  When her parents ship her off to Italy for the summer to be imprisoned in a boring art program, Pippa decides to take matters into her own hands.  She fakes an email from her Mom cancelling her place at the school, and uses the large amount of money her Dad sent with her to get a hotel room in Rome.  After spending the day with another American tourist (a cute boy close to her age) named Darren, she is sure she's made the right choice.  Pippa makes a new Italian friend, Chiara, and ends up going to spend the summer with her family near Cinque Terre.  While she's there, Pippa is having the time of her life.  But who should she choose to pursue romantically: Chiara's hot cousing, Bruno, or the American boy she keeps crossing paths with, Darren?

     If you're in the mood for a book that reads like a basic teen movie plot, you'll enjoy this one!  I loved the descriptions of Italy.  I could picture everything Pippa was seeing/doing in my head and since I'm a very visual person I really enjoyed that a lot.  Also, the friendship with Chiara was adorable!  Usually when a girl goes overseas, I've noticed that a lot of authors like to write in a stereotypical mean girl, who serves as competition and only causes problems for the heroine.  Instead, Kristen Rae gives us the cute and funny international friendship of Chiara and Pippa.  It was nice to see a strong girl friendship for a change!  Probably my least favorite thing about this book was the fact that it housed a love triangle.  It was just unnecessary and I am so over it in my books.  Give me one interesting, well-written love interest, rather than two that taking away from the viability of each other in the plot.  Also, the ending was really abrupt.  As pointed out by other readers, the thing with the Grandmother was not needed and served as a cruel wake-up call, in a book that is mostly sugary and of cotton candy consistency.  It didn't fit in or flow well with the rest of the plot.  Not enough resolution and not enough character development for my liking.  Although Pippa's lack of strong relationships withing her family (save for her Grandma) did make her a tad bit more sympathetic.  Overall, I enjoyed this one but it won't be a re-read and I would really say its more of a beach read than anything else.

VERDICT:  3/5 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.  This book's expected publication date is May 6th, 2014.*

Far Beyond the Blue...

Expected Publication:  May 7th, 2013
Nantucket Blue
By: Leila Howland
Disney Hyperion
ISBN-13:  9781423160519

For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.

Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t.

When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.

But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.

A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.

Review

 

     Cricket Thompson is looking forward to going on vacation with her best friend Jules Clayton this summer to Nantucket, meeting boys, going to parties and just having a good time.  Not to mention, she loves Jules' whole family.  So when tragedy strikes Jules' family and she shuts Cricket out of her life, Cricket has to find her own way to Nantucket for the summer.  Working harder than she ever has in her life, Cricket is also surprised by a romance she wasn't expecting with a guy that she knows it would be best to steer clear of.  Can Cricket have the summer of a lifetime, win Jules' friendship back and hang on to what may be true love?  I never really am sure what to expect from a book published by Disney Hyperion press.  This book was a very good surprise in a generally mixed basket of eggs.  As a main character Cricket is very naïve, as pointed out by other readers.  Her tendency to act like an obsessed stalker over her crush, Jay Logan, reminds me more of an 8 year old One Direction fan, rather than an 18 year old (soon to be) high school senior!  It got on my nerves, but thankfully that was FAR from being the focus of the book past the beginning part, which mainly just serves to establish how shallow her romantic feelings were - before she meets the boy that changes it all that is.  I am not going to name names as I make it a rule to avoid spoilers and give reviews vague on plot (usually, sometimes I break my rule a little bit :) but I will say it was someone I didn't peg as the love interest.  But it totally worked and was a very sweet, first love type of romance that had me smiling throughout the book. 

     Cricket and Jules' friendship was deep and ran true, which is why I was proud of Cricket every time she told herself to forgive Jules - because she understood that Jules was dealing with the death of someone extremely important by pushing her away and placing her anger on Cricket, where it had no business being.  The friendships Cricket builds while working as a maid at the inn with Gavin and Liz were wonderful.  All of the personality and sometimes surprising depth to them (mostly Liz) was wonderful.  Also, a guest at the inn by the name of George, who is writing a memoir on local politician Boaty Carmichael, hires Cricket on as his assistant and I love how she balances him out, but respects his quirks.  George treats her like an equal and an adult, which is something Cricket had been missing in her life.  The relationship between Jules and her Mom is great, with just the right balance of friend and parent being achieved.  Cricket's Mom is a strong woman and it's a fun side plot when Cricket uses her Mom's old copy of Emily Dickinson's collected works and finds her diary from her teenage years written in the margins (to hide it from her extremely nosy Aunt)! :)  Her Mom was boy crazy and kind of an insane, but in a fun way.  Cricket tries her best to uncover the identity of her Mom's summer romance, but the truth surprises her once again.  The beach setting gives something important to this book, but it doesn't monopolize it.  Even with some beautiful description and some beach scenes that move along the plot with important action, the characters are still the main focus.  Just the way I like it!  Overall this book had some extremely strong characters, an intriguing and realistic plot and a beautiful first romance that had me smiling and feeling like crying.  Leila Howland's debut is a treat to read and I'm looking forward to reading more from her in the future! 

 

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. This books expected publication date is May 7th, 2013.*

 

 

****Hey guys, just as a sidenote, Princess Bookie was kind enough to let me keep the ARC for this one as I was last on tour.  I will be hosting a give away with a prize pack including the book and a couple other things too that I think fit the spirit of the story.  It's been awhile since my last giveaway and I feel bad about that!  I have yet to decide for sure, but I think there will be a secondary prize as well.  So within the next couple days there will be a post, so keep your eyes peeled if you're interested! :)