Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

There's something about a book that has a lot of hype that makes me want to take a step back from it until things cool down and I can read it without a billion voices telling me how amazing and life-changing it is. It's for exactly that reason that it took me awhile to pick up Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, but I'm definitely glad I eventually did.

If you somehow managed to stumble upon this review and you haven't already read Eleanor & Park you can consider me shocked, but here is what it is about: two teenagers that seem to have nothing in common, but find each other anyway and have to deal with all the messy ramifications of first love between two people that don't seem to belong together except that they do. It takes place during the 80s, was a bit unexpected and also maybe a bit unnecessary except that it means no cell phones and internet so communication was a lot harder.

That said, what made Eleanor & Park one of my favourite 2013 releases I read last year was the writing and the characters. It was impossible not to fall in love with Eleanor and Park as they fall in love with each other, and to want things to work out, especially for Eleanor who has a horrible family situation going on at home. Park experiences a lot of pressure from his dad and feels like he doesn't really fit in with his family and isn't masculine enough, and I really appreciated that voice and perspective, as it felt different from a lot of the love interests in young adult fiction, but still authentic.

What makes Eleanor & Park special is how real the characters and their relationship feels, this sort of star-crossed love has been done before and will be done again, but Rowell captures raw emotion in a way that makes it feel new. After finishing this book, I am definitely hungry to read more by her soon.

Release Date: February 26th 2013 Pages: 325 
Source: Personal  Publisher: St Martins Press  Buy It: Book Depository

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

At the end of last year I read Tease by Amanda Maciel, which I reviewed recently, and I was pretty disappointed by it. I was really interested in the idea however, which is a book told from the perspective of a bully. The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu tackles a similar issue, but this time I am a huge fan of the results.

The Truth About Alice is told from four perspective, but none of them (until a brief chapter at the end) are Alice. This is the story of Alice Franklin, who may or may not have had sex with two guys in one night, and then one of those guys, the much-loved, popular Brandon, dies in a car crash which is rumoured to have been Alice's fault. It doesn't matter anymore if the rumours are true, because everyone believes them. The book alternates between the popular Elaine, former outcast and Alice's best friend, Kelsie, Brandon's best friend, Josh and the loner, Kurt. Each of these people plays their own role in what happens to Alice, and just like when people are bullied, Alice's own voice is silenced.

The Truth About Alice is a very quick read, both in page number and in pacing. It alternates between four perspectives but I was never confused about who was who. Each character has their own bit of defining back story although it can be a bit predictable as there isn't a ton of depth on top of that. However, the setting itself is also a bit of a character, as it takes place in a small town where everyone knows what is going on with other people, which I thought added an interesting element to the story. Mathieu's writing is clear and easy to read although not especially gorgeous, it did a good job crafting a novel I basically devoured in one sitting.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed reading The Truth About Alice and I thought it tackled a lot of important issues well and I would definitely pick up future books by Mathieu.

Release Date: June 3rd, 2014 Pages: 208  Format: Egalley
Source: Netgalley  Publisher: Roaring Brook Press   Buy It: Book Depository

Tippy and the Night Parade by Lilli Carre

After my first experience with Hearts I knew what to expect with Toon Books, which are easy-to-read comics designed for new readers, in these cases, Level 1 which is kindergarten to grade 1. Although the level a book is unites it in terms of how easy it is to read, the amount of detail and images as well as characters, each book is totally unique in terms of images and story. Tippy and the Night Parade by Lilli Carre is about Tippy, a girl whose mom gets upset every morning when she finds her room a disaster. But Tippy doesn't know how it happened, all she remembers is falling asleep!

I much preferred Tippy to the previous Toon Book I tried. The illustrations for this are so cute and so is the story, which is easy to follow and full of adventure and animals. The blue of the illustrations that take place at night add to the mood, and there is so many little details to see on each page. It's a funny story and there is lots of excitement. My favourite part? Searching for all the animals Tippy found on her walk the next morning in her room! Such a cute book, I highly recommend Tippy and the Night Parade.

Release Date: February 11th 2014 Pages: 32  Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher  Publisher: Toon Books  Buy It: Book Depository

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

I'm a huge Jenny Han fan and I've read nearly all of her books (there's a middle grade still out there I need to grab) so of course I had to pick up her latest release, To All the Boys I've Loved Before. This is a contemporary YA novel about Lara Jean, a girl who never confronts her crushes but instead writes each boy a letter about how she feels, hides it away, and moves on. Then one day all her letters are stolen and mailed off, including one to her sister's ex-boyfriend Josh. Not wanting Josh to know she still has feelings, Lara Jean instead fakes a relationship with another letter recipient, Peter.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before is a really cute, well-written novel. The romantic storyline is sweet, but what really makes the book stand out is the relationships between Lara Jean and her sisters. Han really captures the dynamic between the three girls, and even though the oldest one moves away at the beginning of the book, there are still plenty of heartwarming moments and memories explored. Also Lara Jean's younger sister Kitty is just so cute!

Han's writing is authentic and eloquent, she always gets just the right amount of details and although this was a fun, light read, the family elements help make the story just a bit deeper. I wasn't super happy with the ending of the book, but it turns out there is a sequel coming out next year, which helps. I did like seeing Lara Jean grow and change throughout the novel. Overall, I was charmed by To All The Boys I've Loved Before and if you're looking for a sweet book with some great romantic and sisterly moments, it's definitely worth checking out.

Release Date: April 15th, 2014 Pages: 288  Format: ARC
Source: Publisher  Publisher: Simon and Schuster   Buy It: Book Depository

It's Time to Say Good Night by Harriet Ziefeat illustrated by Barroux

It's Time to Say Good Night written by Harriet Ziefert and illustrated by Barroux is a cute children's book where a little boy says good morning to everything--the cow, the piggies in the pen, the garbage and the cans--only to find out by the time he's done, it's time to say good night to everything again.

The illustrations are cute and vintage looking and match the story well. The text is also well-placed, and moves along with whatever the boy is saying good morning/ good night to, as well as having the emphasis be on the good morning or good night part by having it in larger text of a different colour. However while the story is a fun, cute, list of things, it is a bit weird that the boy goes from saying good morning straight to saying good night. However the bright illustrations and adventures of the main character in It's Time to Say Good Night would still make it a fun read for a young child, especially as a bedtime story.

Release Date: October 22nd 2013 Pages: 36  Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher  Publisher: Blue Apple Books  Buy It: Book Depository