Love & Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean review

Title:  Love & Other Great Expectations 

Author:  Becky Dean

Ch: 30

Pg:  371

Genre:  YA Contemporary Rom Comish

Rating: 4.5 stars

Publisher: Delacorte Press

 

I'm not going to lie I picked this one up for the cover and title. I didn't bother to read the blurb.  But it was the first line "Dreams are like knees-- you don't realize how fragile they are until something rips them to shreds."  that had me hooked. I had to keep reading I had to know what happened. Because like Britt I also played soccer and it was a knee injury that sidelined me. And just like Britt I had to rethink my whole future and career choices. But my knee injury wouldn't keep me from college I had no desire to play college soccer no my knee injury and the diagnosis it led to me having to give up my dream of joining the Marines.  So even though I'm not the typical audience for YA Britt was an easy character to relate.  I enjoyed reading her adventures through the United Kingdom and through classic works of literature. With British Luke along for the ride.  

This one lean more on the side of YA Contemporary more so than a YA Rom Com though it does have its rom com moments.  This was a great debut from Becky Dean, and I can't wait to see what else she writes. 

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

 

 

Better than the movies by Lynn Painter review

 Title:  Better than the Movies

Author:  Lynn Painter

Ch: 18 plus epilogue

Pg:  368

Genre:  YA Contemporary

Rating: 4.5 stars

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young readers

 

I'm not going to lie I love cheesy 80s and 90s Rom Coms and some of the ones from the 2000s, and I blame my mom for my love of them.  And Better than the Movies is a book that I wish teenage me had.   Liz reminded me so much of my teenage self.   I tend to not like rom coms or books with the guy or girl next or with make overs in them. However Better than the Movies didn't fall into to the stereotype even though it used those tropes. Even though Wes was the boy next door it wasn't friends to more which is a trope that I've never liked mainly because when I've seen it played out in real life in high school or college it never ends good and you lose a friendship. But I can't say it was enemies to more either. It's wasn't really either one which is why I liked it. And the makeover wasn't so much a makeover as just a way for a character to find their confidence that  had always been there just hidden. 

 

Like I said where was this book when I was a teen and why couldn't I get a book to movie adaption of this when I was a teen.  I know why because it was YA Rom Com that went against stereotypical tropes or turned them on their head and made the story unique  and its own. YA needs more books like this. 

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le review

 Title:  A Pho Love Story

Author:  Loan Le

Chapters:50

Pages: 406

Genre: YA contemporary, own voices

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

 

I listened to A Pho Love Story by Loan Le on audio and I have to say that listening to it added to my experience.  Hearing the Vietnamese words spoken out loud if not my native speakers at least by narrators that spoke the language.  I also loved that there were two narrators one for Bao's point of view and one for Linh's point of view. To say that this is a YA Romeo and Juliet like story because their parents own competing restaurants would be a disservice to the book.

 Because A Pho Love Story   is so much more, it's a coming of age story as well as a family saga in YA form. Not only do Bao and Linh have to discover were they fit in in their own families while having their own dreams for the future but their families past will also play a part.  If you read this do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook you won't be disappointed.