Book Review: Stray (Spark #2) by Rachael Craw

Goodreads Description: 

It’s hard to remember hating anything as much as I hate Affinity; a bone-deep loathing for the faceless unknown and the concrete walls of my own DNA.

Evie is a Shield: designed to kill in order to protect, and the Affinity Project have finally come for her. But Evie isn’t ready for the sinister organisation to take control of her life, her body, her mind. She isn’t ready to follow their rules about who may live and who must die – not when it condemns the innocent. She has one option: risk losing everything and everyone – including Jamie – and run.

Title: Stray (Spark #1)
Author: Rachael Craw
Genre:YA, Contemporary, Science Fiction, Romance
Format: Paperback

Pages: 425 pages
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
Source: Purchased from Dymocks Bookshop

One of my most anticipated books of 2015 and this lived up to it! 2016 you better come quick!

WARINING: Spoilers for Book 1 Spark (review here) as I'm gonna reference some events that happened in the previous book. If you have yet to read Spark, you're missing out on a hella lotta epicness (AND SWOON WORTHY SHIRTLESS JAMIE #justsaying) 

The Plot/ Writing

Stray follows Evie months after the event of Spark as she juggles life of trying to be a normal teen while balancing the fact and consequences of her being a genetic engineered super human. We get to know more of the Affinity Project, the organization that was set up and created the modified DNA where they train the Shields, protect the Sparks and kill the Strays. 

I love Spark and Stray exceeded my expectations! If it was not for the fact I had a lot of uni work and exams I will have locked myself in my room and binge read Stray so that I can enjoy the intense and fast pace plot in one go. I needed to look at the Glossary (which i highly recommend reading if the theory building confuses you) to refresh myself in between reads. I recommend reading this with as little interruption as possible to fully appreciate the plot and what's going on.

 I swear this book is not good for my lungs and heart...

The plot was FREAKING INTENSE, DARK, TWISTED AND HECK FLIPPING DISTURBING! While there were some stuff that I kinda foreshadow from hints still I love how its not sugar coated as we see how dark and dangerous the situation has gotten for Evie and her friends not to mention every time I think they are safe THEY ARE NOT. Along with some very sad moments *wave fist* there are some hilarious and awkward moments along with sweet heartwarming moments. Also a badass book needs a great action sequence that pumps me with adrenaline and keep me at the edge! I always enjoy reading the combat sequence which are easy to visualize.

The best thing about the writing are the interaction and banter between the characters. Its fun following the characters using those Affinity jargen like its a language of its own. I also love the world building of the Affinity project and just reading what they are capable of doing to to Evie and the gang is scary. Also those who have a hard time getting into sci fi or want to get into the genre but are intimidated with it, I highly recommend reading the Spark series to ease yourself as its more of a contemporary with a sci fi twist.

The Characters/ Relationship

The cast of characters in this book got better as we see the characters and relationships grow along with  being introduced to some newer ones
.

Yes I fancast Ellen Page as Evie but wish that she was a bit taller

I love Evie even more in this book even though at times I wanted to hit her on the head for being stubborn and frustrating when she did not listening to other people instruction, though she meant well on her action even though the things never comes out as planned. Still I love watching her grow as she is more fiercer and bolder with and without her powers. She's selfless, loyal and protective to the ones that she loves while still managing to be positive yet sarcastic with the situations faced. She has learned to handle her 'powers' but still has a lot to learn (like avoid alcohol, doorknobs and her nerves at all causes) not to mention I love how she owes up to the consequences of her actions even though its a great pain to watch her being guilty for what has happened. Evie's one of the strongest and most badass heroine I've read in YA and I love watching her evolve through the story.

I mentioned in the last book I adore Kitty and I'm so glad to see her playing a bigger role in this book. Its really cool how she address that she is not some damsel in distress and that she is just as badass and capable on handling the situation in her own way like Evie minus the super human powers.

I do love you... when you are not being a frustrating pain in the neck...

As for her twin brother Jamie aka *Mr Swoon* I kinda want to hit him on the head in this book but with a bucket of ice as the dude needs to cool down on the situations. He is beyond borderline an over protective and controlling of a boyfriend and big brother and yes I get that he has good intentions, something must have happen that gives him trust issues on the girls. We didn't see him as much as I expected in this book so I'm hoping in the next book we will get more answers on Jamie and his past.

I have mix feelings about Jamie and Evie relationship. I kinda predicted that they won't go too far in their relationship but I was not expecting for them to break things up *cries!!!*. Still I'm glad that his book focuses more on Evie and her relationship with her twin brother and The Affinity Project instead of the romance. But don't worry as there are some really sweet romance in this book but not as a lot as in Spark.

Speaking of twin bother, we get to know a bit more about Aiden and his situation in this book. I had so much fun watching his relationship with Evie and Kitty and when reading some parts between him and his sis, I can't help but smile at how alike he and Evie are! Yup they are definitely siblings... very stubborn siblings.

Now for my favorite new character The Proxy... this one insanely eff up character! I was initially cheeped out with her situation ( heck I've seen a lot of eff up disturbing stuff in books and video games but this is one of the top most eff up things I've ever read) but what she went through in her life, I don't blame her. She's a character that I had trust issues with yet at times I feel bad for what she went through.

Spoilers on The Proxy and Aiden in Stray:

basically The Proxy the off spring of two Synergists like Evie and Jamie but unlike them she was handed off to the Affinity project since birth and long story short is their property and 'test subject'. I don't blame her for the level of mess up that went through her head as he never had a normal childhood or life but her drowning Felicity and killing herself is one of the most disturbing thing I read in the book. But she does have her reason for some of this madness like her killing Aiden(crying in the corner!!! still not over this!!) and showing Evie that he will suffer and be even worse than a lab rat if he were to survive which is sad as Evie and Aiden finally found each other. Heck I too was rooting for Aiden to survive as I wanted him to be Evie's partner in crime and have a brother sister relationship like Jamie and Kitty. Guess we can't get everything (cry even more). Kinda sad that two of my favorite characters died in this book.

We are introduced to the Affinity Project. This is kinda a common trope in YA where the MC faced with a situation of a very eff up organization. Stray manages to refresh this trope by showing all angles of the dark side of the organization and making you root for Evie and the gang to find a way to get out of their situation and bring down the organization. You can't trust the tyrants of the Affinity Project especially with what they did to Evie, The Proxy and the gang. Heck I love to hate the organization! I'm looking forward to seeing more of the politics side of the Affinity Project and can't wait to see what's in store for them in the last book.

Lastly is Mariam and Ethan who we learn about their relationship in this book. I don't blame them for what they done to protect Evie and Jamie lives as the truth can sometimes be more painful than a gain.

Overall

Here's a fun fact... I was hugging this book to pieces (okay I kept it in one piece) when I was done with this epic adventure and how it ended.

Like the last book, had fun reading the epicness in Stray. The ending was well rounded with a slight cliff hanger that keeps you coming back for more. We get to know more about Evie and her family secrets as well as the mess up organization they are associated with. The book ended on a bittersweet note with lots of hope for what's to come in the final installment of the series. I freaking love how this series has progress and can't wait to see how it concludes in the last book Shield.

Also I highly recommend reading the prequel novella Black Room which is available free on iTunes as it will help you understand some of the situation that Evie has to go through in this book as well as we get to know Ethan's character.

Oh what's this?? A top shelve seal of approval?? 

You betcha! This series has a special place on my top shelve for its refreshing take in the Aussie YA and Sci fi genre. Highly recommend Stray if you want an epic action and plot driven story with great character and relationship building as well as a strong sibling relationship with a hint of romance.

Also a quick RowGames recommendation:  

If any of you guys follow my review for Spark or my goodreads/twitter commentary you'll know the one thing I associate the plot of the Spark series is with the plot of the game Beyond Two Souls which is one of my all time favorite game for its storytelling, great and strong female hero (that we are seeing more and more in gaming), amazing acting and its beautiful graphics but is also one of my least game mechanics. Anyways I highly recommend if you like the Spark series and want more sci-fi/paranormal action, check out a lets play of beyond two souls. And yes this was one of the MAIN REASON why I fancast Ellen Page as I pictured her as Evie back in Spark.

Code word: Aiden, mess up organization, KTM 

Book Review: In Real Life by Lawrence Tabak

Goodreads Description :

Fifteen-year-old math prodigy Seth Gordon knows exactly what he wants to do with his life—play video games. Every spare minute is devoted to honing his skills at Starfare, the world's most popular computer game. His goal: South Korea, where the top pros are rich and famous. But the best players train all day, while Seth has school and a job and divorced parents who agree on only one thing: "Get off that damn computer." Plus there's a new distraction named Hannah, an aspiring photographer who actually seems to understand his obsession.

While Seth mopes about his tournament results and mixed signals from Hannah, Team Anaconda, one of the leading Korean pro squads, sees something special. Before he knows it, it's goodbye Kansas, goodbye Hannah, and hello to the strange new world of Korea. But the reality is more complicated than the fantasy, as he faces cultural shock, disgruntled teammates, and giant pots of sour-smelling kimchi.

What happens next surprises Seth. Slowly, he comes to make new friends, and discovers what might be a breakthrough, mathematical solution to the challenges of Starcraft. Delving deeper into the formulas takes him in an unexpected direction, one that might just give him a new focus—and reunite him with Hannah.

Title: In Real Life
Author: Lawrence Tabak
Genre: Contemporary, YA, Romance
Format: Paperback/E-book
Pages: 288 pages
Publisher:Tuttle Publishing
Source: Dymocks & Netgalley

 

When I first saw this on NetGalley i knew I had to try and request this and after reading a couple of chapters I went out to get the physical book (since it was already out) as its THAT GOOD! Its like this book has everything I love! Gaming, realistic and relatable teen along with a hint of romance and a hella lotta teen awkwardness.

15 year old Seth is a math genius and an avid gamer, is one of the best Starfare (i believe its a parody to StarCraft) gamer in the US. Like many teenagers he has a lot of commitments like school, a part time job, hobbies, chores, and maybe even a girlfriend? For Seth gaming is not just a hobby but a passion. He always dream of getting signed by the top teams in South Korea and train with the pro. However things aren’t as what it seems when he learns the true reality being a pro gamer with sponsors and endorsement, competitive team mates, the large pay checks and even the fame. Through the book follow him as he juggles all his commitments and parents’expectation while trying to get drafted by Team Anaconda as a professional eSport player in Korea.

I was hooked on this book from page one and its one of the few books that I went out and got a physical copy after getting a review from NetGalley as it was a book I had to own on my shelve. I enjoy the cast of characters, the pacing of the story and even the reality of both the eSport and Asian entertainment industry.

I like how the story was paced out and how things weren't a bed of roses but a rose bush of thrones. The writing was realistic, fun and light hearted while hitting some serious issues like the rise to fame and even one of the most realistic teenage lives I’ve ever read in a book.

I rarely find a YA even in the contemporary genre where it shows a teen with a lot of commitment as from my life as a teen and a student we have a heck loads of commitment from doing well in school to extra curriculum, chores and maybe even a part time job. In fact Seth’s literally a guy version of me as a teen as like Seth  had to juggle a long list commitment in high school leaving me with little time for leisure including gaming (which my parents till this day cringe and grit their teeth with disapproval).

Speaking of gaming while I'm not an avid fan of the genre of games Seth plays (not to mention I'll probably suck at it) I really enjoy how the book touch on eSport which is a really big thing Korea taking out football size arenas for tournament. I do wish we get more of how the game plays but then it might just get confusing and let's face it, this is a book not a Starfare 101 manual.

While this is a coming of age story about Seth realizing his true passion might not be gaming or that dreams aren't what it seems, I do enjoy the the hint of romance and dare I say it gives the story some fluff that will make me smile and awe at the cuteness. Seth's friendship and budding romance with Hannah was sweet and well pace out and I love watching as he slowly but surely falls for her.

Also I enjoy how the author portrayed the Korean/Asian culture in a way where he didn't over stereotype it as well as did his research.

I also love the sibling relationship between Seth and his brother Garret and the only flaw of the story I can think of was the parents where the book did the ‘typical YA thing’ which was to write off the parents saying that one’s in a secluded location where you can’t contact with a mobile phone or that the other is away on a business trip so is rarely at home... well at least there is a decent reason why they are out of the story . Even so there are some good adult figures in the game like Song who mentors Seth, helps build his other interest that is math and is like his adopted father figure while in Korea. In fact the Math element here was really cool, reminding me a bit of An Abundance of Katherine without the crazy amount of footnotes.

Lastly this book tackles a topic I wish more books tackle that was Seth being thrown into the 'suddenly forced to grown up world' and be an adult. While yes this is a topic that is more of you need to experience it instead of read it but seeing from Seth POV of him forced to mature and be independent is both refreshing and something touch close to home for me making me wish I read this years ago before I left home to come to Australia.

Seth character and narration was what made the book for me. I love his snark yet smart alec comments and all the crazy yet random fantasy he dreams of that is NOT in a SICK sexual way but like in a cute and maybe impossible even for reality way like what he'll do when he get his first paycheck or how he'll surprise Hannah. Long story short, this boy has one crazy head and to compare it its like reading a little brother's diary that you lost temptation to. Also he is highly intelligent and quick thinking not to mention down to earth kid who don't let fame get to his head. Seriously the best thing about Seth is his character development where he handles situation like being troll/ bullied by competitors, rude team mates and all his commitments maturely. Mostly what I like was that when he realize that things aren't as great as it seems, he's at least honest with himself and moves on.

Overall this is definitely a book I'll recommend if you are a gamer,  if you are not a gamer, if  you are interested in/ like the idea of gaming or if you want a realistic and refreshing male POV narration. A great coming of age story with a hint of romance and a heck lotta gaming. Also if you're looking for a book to recommend/gift to a guy friend/ brother to check.

This is one of the best and more underrated books I've read and I'm looking forward to reading more of Lawrence Tabak writing.

Recommend: Fans of John Green's An abundance of Katherine, Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl and James Dashner's Eye of Mind series (review here) and Laurinda by Alice Pung (Review here).

Ohhhhh... What's this?? top shelve approved??? WTF IS THIS???

Well I decided to make a 'stamp' of approval for books that i enjoyed and will highly recommend. Long story short if I love the book that I highly recommend it will have the 'stamp of approval' deserving to be placed on the top shelve.

Since we're talking about gaming I have a new section called RowGames where I review and discuss some games I recently been playing. I mainly play PC games, currently playing Life is Strange and recently gotten Gone Home so will probably be reviewing that soon. Also I just downloaded a bunch of gaming apps on my iPad so i might also review a few mobile games if I enjoy it.

Book Review: We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach

Goodreads Description:

Before the asteroid we let ourselves be defined by labels:
The athlete, the outcast, the slacker, the overachiever. 

But then we all looked up and everything changed. 

They said it would be here in two months. That gave us two months to leave our labels behind. Two months to become something bigger than what we'd been, something that would last even after the end. 

Two months to really live

Title: We All Looked Up
Author: Tommy Wallach
Genre: Contemporary
Format: Paperback. Arc

Pages: 370 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Source: ARC was received in exchanged for an honest review from the publisher.

I was intrigue with this book when I first got it but it took me a couple of tries to actually finish it.

The Plot

What do you do if an asteroid is heading towards Earth and you only have 7 weeks to live? Do you go on with life like everything is normal? Sit there and wait for the asteroid to hit? or what about abandoning your label and live your life to the fullest?

With the end of the world happening, we follow the lives of four high school senior who were defined by their labels abandoning the stereotype as they live their last days of their lives.

 Characters/Narrative

Multiple POV are usually a hit or a miss for me. I was not a fan of the multiple POV at the start but it's something I grew to enjoy when reading this. Also with FOUR different characters we get four very different opinions on what's going on and were easily distinguish with their different personality. 

At first the cast of characters looked like your stereotype one dimensional high school students but as the end of the world begins they abandon their labels and developed for the better as they become . This book is filled with character and relationship development I enjoyed especially when the characters and their story intertwine with each other. 

Anita's my favorite character followed by Eliza then Andy and Peter. I mostly like Anita on how she handles the situation thrown at them positively and maturely as well as her growing as a character. Eliza is another favorite especially on how her story progress as she followed her passion of photography and put it to use to rebuild her reputation with taking photos of humanities reaction to the end of the world.

Writing

The writing was my favorite part of the book. Its a story of 'what if'' and makes me question and maybe even doubt about life and the things we do. I really enjoy how provoking and philosophical the book become especially in the event of something similar to an asteroid were to happen how will people react.

I love the concept of the story! Its the breakfast club meets the end of the world reminding me a bit of Melissa Kell's 'The Incredible Adventure of Cinnamon Girl'. Also the story was more of a coming of age as each of the characters get push out of their comfort zone to take a leap into living the life they always wanted.

Books with a music element thrown in are usually a love/hate but for this book I love the music element which makes sense since the author is also a musician.While I have yet to check out the companion soundtrack to the book I do like how they talk about music especially how it bonded Anita and Andy's relationship.

Romance take the back seat in this book till the later part of book and while it was kinda force and sudden, it suited the situation they were going trough with the apocalypse,so better get together now than maybe never. Also this book dealt with the sex situations honestly and positively especially with Andy who's obsess with getting laid before the end of the world and Eliza who owes up to her actions.

There are also some side plot of complicated family and friendship, being in the wrong crowd, breakups and in Eliza's case bullying and slut shaming.

While the pacing of the book was a bit draggy and as I mentioned had a hard time getting myself connection with the book, after about three 'chapters' I finally am enjoying what I'm reading. Along with the multiple point of view there is a 'countdown' to when the asteroid is estimated to hit instead of the traditional chapters which I thought was a fun addition to the book.

The tone of the story is dark and hopeless it still have its lighter and maybe even an optimistic side to the situation as people loosen up and celebrate their lives while our four main characters figure out what they really want in their lives.

Overall

I really like how smart and provoking this book is and was intrigued till the end. I also like how it concluded where it gave an ambiguous ending leaving us for the readers to imagine what happen next which suits the the story. 

Check this book out if you like a provoking and bittersweet story with an edgy dark twist as well as a cast of realistic character with very diverse personalities.

Book Review: Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout

Goodreads Description: 

A teen escapes to a boarding school abroad and falls for a Korean pop star in this fun and fresh romantic novel in the vein of Anna and the French Kiss.

Grace Wilde is running—from the multi-million dollar mansion her record producer father bought, the famous older brother who’s topped the country music charts five years in a row, and the mother who blames her for her brother’s breakdown. Grace escapes to the farthest place from home she can think of, a boarding school in Korea, hoping for a fresh start.

She wants nothing to do with music, but when her roommate Sophie’s twin brother Jason turns out to be the newest Korean pop music superstar, Grace is thrust back into the world of fame. She can't stand Jason, whose celebrity status is only outmatched by his oversized ego, but they form a tenuous alliance for the sake of her friendship with Sophie. As the months go by and Grace adjusts to her new life in Korea, even she can't deny the sparks flying between her and the KPOP idol.

Soon, Grace realizes that her feelings for Jason threaten her promise to herself that she'll leave behind the music industry that destroyed her family. But can Grace ignore her attraction to Jason and her undeniable pull of the music she was born to write? Sweet, fun, and romantic, this young adult novel explores what it means to experience first love and discover who you really are in the process. 

Title: Hello, I Love You

Author: Katie M. Stout
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA,
Format: ebook, ARC

Pages: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin 
Source: ARC was received in exchanged for an honest review from NetGalley

Oh gosh my head is up in the air of how do I rate this book...

Grace goes to an international boarding school in Korea for her final year of high school after tragedy struck her family. She's the daughter of one of the biggest country music mogul and producer as well as the sister of one of the biggest country singers around. There in Korea she befriends with her roommate Sophie and be enemies with her twin brother Jason who is one of the newest K-Pop star in the industry.  While adapting to her new life in Korea and avoiding the problems back home, Grace finds herself falling for Jason even though she sworn off being associated with anyone in the music industry.

When I first heard about this book it reminds me of Anna and the French Kiss meets Korea Drama and I don't know if any of you guys watch those drama but they are the most cringe worthty, dramatic, cheesiest and cliches things my eyeballs have ever experience and but they are also additively and laugh out loud hilarious thing ever! That was my experience with this book! I cringe at the cheesy dialogs and rolled my eyes at the cliche things the characters thinks/ does but still at the end of the day was addicted to the story and enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. It was a hard to get into book especially since the MC was already pissing me off in within the first 10% of the book with racist chopstick remarks (and FYI in case any of you guys don't know I'm Chinese Malaysian). But after pushing myself trough I found myself forgetting why I mad and carrying on what happens next.

I liked the pacing of the book even though I was not a fan of how the relationships were build. Though it was predictable, I did like predicting the mystery surrounding Grace's brother

Grace was not my favorite MC but is not the worst. She's going trough a hard time with her family especially her mum at home, hence her moving to Korea. I don't dislike her as a character and do empathise her especially when you learn why she's 'running away' from home for but I hated how she handled some of the situations.

I adored Sophie! I really like her as a character and her relationships with both Grace and the brother Jason.

Jason was a love hate character for me as his cold and moody attitude put me off while I did like his passion for music.

Now some (or should i say a long list) of things I was not a fan of the book. Firstly like Grace I went to a boarding school for my last year of high school overseas and lived in a dorm filled with international students mostly from South East Asia. I was cringing at Grace's remark about how the dorm only have chopsticks. I'm pretty sure they'll have provided forks and knife no matter what. Another thing that made me cringe and almost flung my reading device was her going all 'love at first sight hottest Korean guy' remark as the insta love siren in my head beep. keep in mind this is just the first 10% of the book. There are more cringe cliches and inaccurate facts about Korea in the book that made me roll my eyes, but instead I'm not gonna turn this into a negative review (as I did enjoy some things) but focus on the positive.

I enjoyed reading the sibling relationships in the book especially Sophie and Jason's. It was real and fun to watch their sibling bantering.

My favorite thing about this book is THE ROMANCE! *Play Katy Perry Hot and Cold* No joke the one thing I feel the author nailed is the love hate relationship (which is my cream de la cream of all love hate relatiohship)! Grace and Jason's relationship also reminds me a bit of the relationship between Tessa and Hardie in the After series where one moment they are cold towards each other and the next they are the sweetest thing ever! Also I enjoyed that they bonded over music and their common ground of parent/family problem.

Overall this is not the best thing I've read but its definitely not the worst. I keep thinking this as a polished wattpad story or a K-pop fanfiction.

This is probably the most disappointing book I've been anticipating of 2015. It had potential to be a new favorite book though sadly it had A LOT of flaws and in accurate facts not to mentioned PISSING ME (and probably the WHOLE of ASIA) within the first 10% of the book.
 

If you have read Anna and The French Kiss... Skip this, If you have NOT read Anna and the French Kiss also SKIP this as that's better in story, characters and overall.  If you are curious, bout the book read a sample or check it out of the library before checking it out.

Book Review: Kissing in America by Margo Rabb

Goodreads Description: 

In the two years since her father died, sixteen-year-old Eva has found comfort in reading romance novels—118 of them, to be exact—to dull the pain of her loss that’s still so present. Her romantic fantasies become a reality when she meets Will, who seems to truly understand Eva’s grief. Unfortunately, after Eva falls head-over-heels for him, he picks up and moves to California without any warning. Not wanting to lose the only person who has been able to pull her out of sadness—and, perhaps, her shot at real love—Eva and her best friend, Annie, concoct a plan to travel to the west coast to see Will again. As they road trip across America, Eva and Annie confront the complex truth about love.

In this honest and emotional journey that National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr calls “gorgeous, funny, and joyous,” readers will experience the highs of infatuation and the lows of heartache as Eva contends with love in all of its forms.

Title: Kissing in America
Author: Margo Rabb
Genre: Contemporary, YA, Coming of age
Format: e-book, ARC

Pages: 400 pages
Publisher: Harper Collins
Source: ARC was received in exchanged for an honest review from NetGalley

I'll admit from the start that this was a cover pick cause COME ON when a big billboard with the word 'KISSING' is on the cover it screams romance and I'm in!

HOWEVER this book was not really a romance book but a coming of age story about love (and not just romantic love).

Eva's dad died in a plane crash two years prior to the book and since then she has finds comfort in reading romance novels which also means rebelling on her feminist mother. Eva then falls for a boy she tutors in school name Will who understands what she's trough so when Will unexpectedly moves across the country to California, Eva convince best friend Annie auditions for a quiz show called 'Smartest girl in America' which gives her the chance to see will again. Because Eva's scared of flying (due to obvious reasons), they decided to take a road trip where they encounter Eva's crazy Aunt Janet, Annie's cousin Grace, some actual swoon worthy cowboys and Eva's mum's best friend Lulu. There are a couple of side stories like Eva and her mum's relationship and Eva and her love for writing which she has abandon ever since her dad passes away as it was a connection she had with her dad.

I like Eva's narration but was not that a fan of her as a character. While I enjoy her inner monologues and funny remarks, I got annoyed with her character, one stupid decision after another. While I did empathise with her on some level like her mum being OVERLY over protective, was not a fan of her going across the country just to see the guy she likes. Even so those decisions, she does learn from her mistakes and this a great example that a main character does not have to be likable to be enjoyable.

One thing that stood out for me was the amazing and diverse cast of side characters. While I did like Annie and Aunt Janet, Lulu was my favorite of the bunch. Each character has a great sidestory and of them all I find Lulu's the more intriguing and meaningful.

While I did like the story I found the pacing slow and it took a while for me to click with the story. I also wish we got to see more of Eva and her mum's relationship as I feel like something is missing. Even so I really like the writing especially near the end where I went highlighting happy in my Kindle as there were a lot of really beautiful and meaningful. I also love the road trip element as THIS is how a road trip should be written, full of spontaneous moments.

Now the 'hint' of romance, though it ended bittersweet (and kinda makes me want to punch Will as he was a flipping jackass), it was realistic and ended a lot than I expected.

When I was in high school, we had a genre of poems to study called 'Relationship' and everyone thought Relationship = romance. We eventually found out that it does not necessary means romance and kinda got turn off cause of a long winded poem *cough* william butler yeats's 'a prayer for my daughter' and switch that genre to 'Conflict'.  Looking back, it made me now realise that every relationship is a love story in its own way.

This book is a love story but a love story between Eve and her mum as well as the ones she love.

Overall, while there were some stuff in the book I was not a fan off I still really did enjoy it! A great and meaningful coming off story about grieve and moving on, love between a daughter and her mother (or in this case mother figures) and of cause a great road trip adventure!

6.5/10

Check this book out of the library or read a sample of the book before you go out and purchase it.