Tag Archives: diversity

2016, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] True Letters from a Fictional Life — Kenneth Logan

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Book Title: True Letters from a Fictional Life
Author:      Kenneth Logan
Number of pages:  336

Synopsis:

true letters from a fictional life - kenneth logan book coverIf you asked anyone in his small Vermont town, they’d tell you the facts: James Liddell, star athlete, decent student and sort-of boyfriend to cute, peppy Theresa, is a happy, funny, carefree guy.

But whenever James sits down at his desk to write, he tells a different story. As he fills his drawers with letters to the people in his world–letters he never intends to send–he spills the truth: he’s trying hard, but he just isn’t into Theresa. It’s a boy who lingers in his thoughts.

(re: Goodreads @ True Letters from a Fictional Life by Kenneth Logan)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– Male LGBT version of “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” with letters woven into the story
– Protagonist takes on more of a reactive role instead of truly coming to his own self discovery
– Family dynamics and bromance game is strong
– Romance may be slow burn but felt lackluster
– A solid entry to LGBT YA contemporary reads

Initial Thoughts

Shelly (Read, Sleep, Repeat) told me to read this. So I did.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of True Letters from a Fictional Life from Indigo.

Continue reading [Review] True Letters from a Fictional Life — Kenneth Logan →

2016, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] Shooter — Caroline Pignat

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Book Title:  Shooter (Standalone)
Author:      Caroline Pignat
Number of pages:  342

Synopsis:

Shooter - Caroline Pignat - Book CoverA lockdown catches five grade 12 students by surprise and throws them together in the only unlocked room on that empty third floor wing: the boys’ washroom. They sit in silence, judging each other by what they see, by the stories they’ve heard over the years. Stuck here with them–could anything be worse?

(re: Goodreads @ Shooter by Caroline Pignat)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– If you’re interested in a school shooting book, go forth. It is also Canadian Literature (CanLit) so there’s that.
– Multi-POV narration with different storytelling formats (e.g. prose, images, text messages, homework reports, just to name a few). The shooter does not have a POV.
– A sleuth of derogatory and prejudicial treatment in comments that’s introduced and shot down by another narrator (this is wonderful).
– The scenario as a whole can be difficult to engage as characters from different social circles are thrown together and come to easily mesh with each other under the hour of conflict.
– Unnecessary romance (instalove tier) that isn’t really value added

Initial Thoughts

Much better than the previous school shooting standalone I read earlier this year in This Is Where It Ends.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Shooter from Goodreads re First Reads giveaway program.

Continue reading [Review] Shooter — Caroline Pignat →

2016, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] The Great American Whatever — Tim Federle

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Book Title:  The Great American Whatever (Standalone)
Author:      Tim Federle
Number of pages:  288

Synopsis:

the-great-american-whatever-tim-federle-book-coverQuinn Roberts is a sixteen-year-old smart aleck and Hollywood hopeful whose only worry used to be writing convincing dialogue for the movies he made with his sister Annabeth. Of course, that was all before—before Quinn stopped going to school, before his mom started sleeping on the sofa…and before Annabeth was killed in a car accident.

Enter Geoff, Quinn’s best friend who insists it’s time that Quinn came out—at least from hibernation. One haircut later, Geoff drags Quinn to his first college party, where instead of nursing his pain, he meets a guy—a hot one—and falls hard. What follows is an upside-down week in which Quinn begins imagining his future as a screenplay that might actually have a happily-ever-after ending—if, that is, he can finally step back into the starring role of his own life story.

(re: Goodreads @ The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– A coming of age fit for this generation
– Quinn can come off as whiny, self-centered, and difficult to sympathize for (blame puberty)
– Narrative voice is fluid, effortless, and conversational while cleverly employing screenwriting drafts to juxtapose escapism/realism
– Single mother family dynamics, intersectional supporting cast; bromance with best bud is solid
– Romance with an Iranian-American is not the central storyline

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Initial Thoughts

Read “Federle” -> thought of Federer -> Timmy is secretly a Tennis player too (omg what am I on good friends level to call him Timmy?!)

Full disclosure: I received an ARC of The Great American Whatever. I extend thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me the opportunity to review this title.

Continue reading [Review] The Great American Whatever — Tim Federle →