Book Reviews – Page 21 – Zakiya N. Jamal

Book Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After

Posted on November 5, 2015November 4, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Snyopsis from Amazon.com:

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.
Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.

I related to Isla so much. I absolutely loved her character and sympathized with her insecurities. Isla had a crush on Josh for years so of course, when they finally get together she struggles to believe his feelings for her are real. This leads to problems in their relationships but there were also other, outside issues.

Just as in Anna and the French Kiss, Josh continued to not care about school and eventually it catches up to him in the worse possible way, putting added strain on his relationship with Isla. Along with this, Isla has to learn to balance her friendship with her best friend, Kurt, with her relationship with Josh.

I absolutely loved this book. Isla and Josh were great characters and I totally fell for their relationship. Additionally, I found it interesting that Stephanie Perkins included an autistic character in this novel. I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel with an autistic character that was front and center for most of the novel, so that was really great.

And as promised Anna, Etienne, Lola, and Cricket did in fact make an appearance, although it was much less than the big roles Anna and Etienne played in Lola and the Boy Next Door. Even so, the little scene we got with all of them together was so perfect that it was enough for me. And I have since read that scene multiple times. So good.

Overall, this book was definitely my favorite out of all three and I highly recommend this whole trilogy.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“There’s no story,” I say. “I saw you one day, and I just knew.”

Other Reviews

Dear Author

All About Romance

Pretty Books

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Posted on November 3, 2015November 3, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

I absolutely loved this book. Not only did I love Lola and Cricket but I loved seeing Anna and Etienne again. I definitely liked this novel even better than Anna and the French Kiss because seeing Anna and Etienne already together and happy kind of just made Lola and Cricket’s romance feel inevitable.

Moreover, I found both Lola and Cricket to be interesting characters. I loved how eccentric Lola was with her crazy outfits and costumes. More than that though I liked that she was daring. She never stuck to the status quo and although her adventurous attitude got her into trouble at times it was also a big part of who she was. I really liked her character a lot and I think all the mistakes she made were fair ones for any teen.

Additionally, the Bell twins have an interesting relationship. I’ve always found twins, in general, to be cool and I kind of wish I had one. Calliope and Cricket are very close but Cricket often gets pushed back into the shadows because his sister is an elite figure skater. I loved watching Cricket come out of his shell and put himself out there when it came to Lola. He was so cute and adorkable that I couldn’t help but cheer for him.

I also loved Lola’s family dynamic. Her birth parent’s were teen parents so her birth mother gave her up to her older brother, Nathan who had been wanting to have kids with his partner, Andy, for a while. First, it’s rare that I read a novel where the main character’s parents are queer. I think there’s a lot of novels where the main character themselves are queer but the last time I remember reading a novel with queer parents was Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List. Therefore that aspect of the novel itself, interested me.

Overall, this was a cute, short romance novel that I totally want on my shelf so I can reread it whenever I please. Definitely a must read!

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I know you aren’t perfect. But it’s a person’s imperfections that make them perfect for someone else.”

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Book Review: Wicked Games

Posted on October 29, 2015October 28, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon.com:

Tainted love. Sexy secrets. A chilling revenge plot. It’s all here in Wicked Gamesby Sean Olin, the first in a psychologically-charged, suspenseful series set in a picturesque coastal Florida town called Dream Point, where dangerous mind games are played with abandon.

Lilah has spent the last four years by her boyfriend Carter’s side, and everyone thinks their relationship is rock solid. But behind closed doors, things are beginning to crumble. Just as Lilah’s intensifying mood-swings are making Carter think about distancing himself from her, another girl enters the picture. Jules is beautiful, funny, smart, and artistic. Carter can’t help but fall under her spell. But one stolen night of passion has consequences they could never imagine.

Fans of books packed with drama and doomed romance, like The Lying Game and Perfect Chemistry, will immediately be hooked by Wicked Games.

*This book is part of my POPSUGAR 2015 Reading Challenge*

I really only read this book because it was on my reading challenge. That’s also the only reason why I finished it. Although the book is filled with drama and there’s definitely a suspense aspect to it, this book just didn’t do it for me.

It felt like this book was trying to hard. Lilah has so many issues and I’m not sure how I feel about the author demonizing her mental illness. Of course, this a trope that has been used multiple times but still. It just didn’t sit right with me. Also, the author kind of skips over the fact that Carter is in the wrong. He cheated on his girlfriend! Yes, Lilah has issues but newsflash, cheating on her isn’t going to help.

And then he lies about it and blames Lilah for his cheating. Nonsense. Oh and don’t worry, these aren’t really spoilers. This is the main premise of the story. Carter cheats on Lilah, Lilah loses her mind, plot thickens.

I started and finished this book in one day mainly because I skimmed over most of it, honestly. I just couldn’t deal with all the nonsense. The only character I kind of liked was Jules because although she did do something wrong she didn’t seem as much as a jerk as Carter.

I think the ending of this book is supposed to be a shocking twist but I wasn’t feeling it. It just seemed strange to me and out of place. All this being said, this is definitely a borrow, although honestly, I just wouldn’t read it.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow.

Stars:

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The Library Canary

Welcome Blog

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Posted on October 27, 2015October 27, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon.com:

Anna can’t wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a good job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she’s not too thrilled when her father unexpectedly ships her off to boarding school in Paris – until she meets Etienne St. Clair, the perfect boy. The only problem? He’s taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her crush back home. Will a year of romantic near-misses end in the French kiss Anna awaits?

If you’re looking for a cute, quick romance, this is the book for you. Anna is the quirky, OCD character you’ll love and Etienne is the hot, European guy you’ll be crushing over for days. Combine these two and you have a ridiculously cute love story that at times may be predictable but is wonderful all the same.

I came across this book and few times in the past but I only finally read it because Etienne. I went into this novel expecting a hot, crushable guy and I was not disappointed. Etienne is damn near perfect. He’s attractive with an English accent but fluent in French and technically American. Basically, he’s cultured but not in a pretentious way. He’s kind and funny, plus he’s a history buff, which is just nerdy enough to make him adorkable.

On the flip side, Anna is the sweet character who doesn’t really take chances. She has big dreams and likes to do simple things like going to the movies and taking casual walks around Paris. She struggles to find her footing in this boarding school her father sent her to, which makes her a little nervous and shy. In summary, she’s a sweet, lovable girl that you can’t help but hope for the best for.

These two both make multiple mistakes throughout but never anything so outrageous that you won’t like them anymore. My main issue with the book is the whole premise of Anna’s father randomly deciding to send Anna to boarding school in Paris for her senior year. It literally makes no sense and makes even less sense that Anna’s mom goes along with it.

The author gives zero reason why Anna should be sent to Paris other than Anna’s father is a jerk that doesn’t care about Anna’s feelings and Anna’s mother is complacent. Anna is an all around girl who didn’t get in trouble. She was just living her life when her dad decided to change her whole life. Obviously, this was necessary for this story to even happen but I think if this is going to be the whole foundation for the book it should be better laid out than it was.

Even so, I loved this book. I read through it quickly and really liked it. Definitely recommend if you just want a nice love story.

Borrow or Buy: Buy. I could honestly see myself wanting to reread some parts of this book. Plus, the paperback version is less than $9 on Amazon.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“For the two of us, home isn’t a place. It is a person. And we are finally home.”

Other Reviews

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Book Review: Fangirl

Posted on October 22, 2015October 22, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon:

In Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life–and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.
Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Rarely do I purchase a book that I haven’t already read or haven’t read something by the author before. However, this was the collector’s edition of Fangirl, the cover is gorgeous, and it was 20 percent off at Target. Plus, I had just finished the book I was reading and didn’t have anything to read on the train.

So I bought it and I have never been more happy about a spur of the moment purchase. This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I came into this book with no kind of expectations. I heard about it before and heard that it was good but it wasn’t like The Hunger Games level of fame or anything. My expectations were of the “This book will probably be a cute, fun read” variety.

But it was so much more than that. This book dealt with mental health, romance, dealing with change, and it’s set in college. Do you know how hard it is to find a good book set in college these days? It’s either high school or adulthood. No in between. But Fangirl is the perfect in between.

The main character, Cath, is so relatable. Her love (obsession?) with Simon Snow (the book’s version of Harry Potter, basically) is understandable, especially for any book lover. Her relationship with her sister, Wren, and her father is amazing to watch. She’s protective of them in a way that is ultimately harmful for herself. Cath is also very anxious and shy but she’s so sweet and passionate and I love her. Definitely one of my favorite protagonists ever.

The characters overall in this novel were fantastic. Cath’s roommate, Reagan, has the mean/bad girl vibe that is perfect but not cliche. Levi, the boy always hanging around Reagan and Cath’s room, is adorkable in the best way. He’s sweet and caring and is always smiling in a way that confuses Cath who keeps her smiling to a bare minimum. Then you have Nick, who’s a questionable character, and Cath’s teacher, Professor Piper, who’s chill.

I loved the little twists in this book that didn’t feel forced but instead felt perfectly right. I liked watching Cath come out of her shell and speak up for herself and what she wanted. Most of all, Cath’s dedication to her writing and her fanfiction about Simon Snow was great. I totally understood her need to write and why it was so important to her and I loved watching her succeed.

Fangirl brought me on an emotional roller coaster that made me miss my stop on the train once, almost made me miss my stop twice, and made me stay up four hours later than I was supposed one night, just so I could keep reading. This is definitely a book you’ll want on your shelf and I’m so glad it’s now on mine.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I choose you over everyone.”

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Book Review: The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet

Posted on October 20, 2015October 18, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Snyopsis from Amazon.com:

Based on the Emmy Award-winning “genius” (The Guardian) web series, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, this is a new novel starring Lizzie’s spunky sister Lydia as she navigates the joys and pitfalls of becoming an adult in the digital age.

Before her older sister, Lizzie, started her wildly popular vlog, Lydia was just a normal twenty-year-old plotting the many ways she could get away with skipping her community college classes and finding the perfect fake ID. She may not have had much direction, but she loved her family and had plenty of fun. Then Lizzie’s vlog turned the Bennet sisters into Internet sensations, and Lydia basked in the attention as people watched, debated, tweeted, tumblr’d, and blogged about her life. But not all attention is good…

After her ex-boyfriend, George Wickham took advantage of Lydia’s newfound web-fame, betrayed her trust, and destroyed her online reputation, she’s no longer a naïve, carefree girl. Now, Lydia must work to win back her family’s trust and respect and find her place in a far more judgmental world.

Told in Lydia’s distinctive, eccentric, and endearing voice, The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet picks up right where The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet left off and “offers a fresh take onPride and Prejudice without ruining it” (The Washington Post, onThe Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet). Featuring fresh twists, wonderful new characters, and scores of hilarious texts, doodles, and tweets, The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet takes you behind the webcam and into the lives of your favorite sisters in a way that’s sure to satisfy existing fans and delight new ones.

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t like Lydia in the The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Or in Pride & Prejudice for that matter. I never watched her videos and I was hesitant about this book. That being said, I actually really enjoyed this novel.

At first the novel started slow but then it picked up. I actually liked getting to know more about Lydia and her situation with George and what happens after. Since I didn’t watch her videos I didn’t really get to know Mary either so it was cool getting to know her here as well. Especially because instead of being one of the sisters, in this adaptation she’s their cousin.

The story follows Lydia through taking summer classes to graduate from her community college, going to therapy, living with Mary, and preparing to leave home and move to San Francisco with Mary at the end of the summer.

To do so, Lydia has to complete her college application, which is easier said than done. She struggles to find the balance between remaining true to herself but not going back to her old, self-destructive ways.

I really liked seeing Lydia grow up and figure out what she wanted for herself, instead of focusing on what everyone else expected of her. I’ll admit, I teared up at the end when Lydia finally got what she wanted but more importantly, what she needed. Great read!

Borrow or Buy: Borrow. I liked this book more than I thought I would but I don’t think I’d reread it. It’s a nice quick read but not a story I’d read again.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Here’s the thing about good guys. They don’t tell you they’re good guys.”

Other Reviews

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Book Review: Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless

Posted on October 16, 2015October 16, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

*This book is part of my POPSUGAR 2015 Reading Challenge*

Synopsis from Amazon:

Top Five Things That Are Ruining Chloe’s Day

5) Working the 6:30 a.m. shift at GoodFoods Market

4) Crashing a cart into a customer’s car right in front of her snarky coworker Sammi

3) Trying to rock the “drowned rat” look after being caught in a snowstorm

2) Making zero progress with her crush, Tyson (see #3)

1) Being accused—along with her fellow teenage employees— of stealing upwards of $10,000

Chloe would rather be anywhere than locked in work jail (aka the break room) with five of her coworkers . . . even if one of them is Tyson. But if they can band together to clear their names, what looks like a total disaster might just make Chloe’s list of Top Ten Best Moments.

It’s been way too long since I’ve read a book for my POPSUGAR reading challenge so I’m glad I finally got around to picking up this book. I picked this book based on it’s cover, apparently. Honestly, I no longer remember what I liked about it but I liked the book itself so it’s fine.

This was a typical, short YA novel that had a Breakfast Club vibe. Chloe, along with five of her other coworkers that are all around her age, are forced to stay late after work because someone accused them of stealing money that was supposed to be donated to those in need.

Through this unfortunate situation these six kids get to know each other, learning about their pasts, families, and school life. They realize they’re not as different from each other as they once thought and that maybe instead of just being coworkers, they could be friends too.

Overall, this book was cute. It had a good amount of diversity amongst the characters, which I really liked. And there was little bit of romance, a lot of friendship bondings, and a plot twist that you’ll see coming but is still interesting. Will I read this again? No, probably not. Did I enjoy it? Sure did.

If you’re looking for a quick, fun read this is the perfect book for you.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow. It’s a cute, fun read but not one you’ll want to reread.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

I keep hearing that being a geek is cool now, but I’m not sure the rest of the world has gotten the memo.

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Book Review: The Bane Chronicles

Posted on October 14, 2015October 15, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon.com:

Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices can get to know warlock Magnus Bane like never before in this collection of New York Times bestselling tales, in print for the first time with an exclusive new story and illustrated material.

This collection of eleven short stories illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality, flamboyant style, and sharp wit populate the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices.

Originally released one-by-one as e-only short stories by Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Rees Brennan, this compilation presents all ten together in print for the first time and includes a never-before-seen eleventh tale, as well as new illustrated material.

I love Magnus Bane. I love his sass and that he’s so kind and genuinely loving even though he sometimes tries to pretend he’s not. Therefore when I found out there was a book centered completely around Magnus I knew I had to read it.

Although the first story about what happened in Peru was terrible and left me worried about the rest of the stories, this book was actually really good. I think starting with the Peru story was the greatest mistake made in the creating of this collection of stories because it totally set the book on the wrong foot.

I obviously love Cassandra Clare’s writing and I know I’ve liked Maureen Johnson in the past but combining three authors’ writing into one book is never easy and I was scared of the outcome. Like I said the first story didn’t make me anymore confident in it but the next story was much better and as the stories went on, each one got better and better.

Of course my favorites were the stories with Alec but I liked the others too. It totally spoiled the Infernal Devices trilogy for me but honestly that’s fine. I’m still going to read them but word to the wise if you don’t want to be spoiled definitely read those first before reading this.

The stories of Alec and Magnus were so cute though. There’s a story about Alec’s birthday and their first date and they’re both adorable. It’s interesting seeing them in the early stages of their relationship because we didn’t really get to see that in the Mortal Instruments series. Alec is such a dork but in the cutest way and it’s fun watching Magnus fall in love with Alec.

Overall, I think I could’ve gone without reading this whole book and just read the stories with Alec but I’m not mad I read the whole thing. It was definitely interesting and made me excited to read the Infernal Devices. I’m glad I didn’t actually purchase it though. I’d only reread the Alec stories and I’m sure I could find those online if I really wanted to. Still, it’s worth a read.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Trust. It is like placing a blade in someone’s hand and setting the very point to your heart.”

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Book Review: The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss

Posted on October 6, 2015March 22, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in ARC Reviews, Books to Buy

Snyopsis from Amazon.com:

The odds of Dahlia successfully navigating adulthood are 3,720 to 1. But never tell her the odds.

Meet Dahlia Moss, the reigning queen of unfortunate decision-making in the St. Louis area. Unemployed broke, and on her last bowl of ramen, she’s not living her best life. But that’s all about to change.

Before Dahlia can make her life any messier on her own she’s offered a job. A job that she’s woefully under-qualified for. A job that will lead her to a murder, an MMORPG, and possibly a fella (or two?).

Turns out unfortunate decisions abound, and she’s just the girl to deal with them.

*I received a free digital advanced reader’s copy of this book from Redhook via NetGalley. This did not influence my review of this book in anyway. This is an honest review of the novel as I saw it. This novel will be on sale Oct. 20, 2015.*

First, in all honesty it takes a lot for me to step out of my reading comfort zone and read a book by an author I’ve never heard of before. Say what you will about me but I’m the type of person that once I find an author I like I stick with them (if you need proof just look at all the Cassandra Clare books I just read).

This being said, when I heard about The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss from a NetGalley email I had my reservations. Even so, the description of the book sounded amazing and I decided to take a chance on it. Thankfully the publishers decided to take a chance on me and let me read this book and it was AMAZING!

The perfect combination of nerdy and mystery I absolutely fell in love with this book. Max Wirestone gets the voice of Dahlia down perfectly. She’s funny and witty and also a little judgmental. She’s a nerd that’s very in tune with geek culture but sometimes tries to pretend she’s not that geeky.

I found myself trying to see how many references I’d get (for example, I totally got all the Pokemon references) and also looking up a lot of terms I didn’t understand. The only thing this book truly lacked was a glossary. Besides that, this novel gave me great jokes, good mystery, a little bit of romance, and action. What I found really amazing, however, was the detail.

I’m the type of reader that skims the details. I hate long paragraphs that describe someone’s house to me or what someone looks like. With this book it was the total opposite. I lived for Dahlia’s descriptions of her crazy roommate, Charice, and the live theaters that often happened in their apartment. I loved how Dahlia would compare people to different things in her mind and the little tidbits of information that she’d warn you beforehand wasn’t necessary to the story but then proceed to tell you anyway.

The book reads as Dahlia’s recounting this story to someone. I read it as if Dahlia actually wrote this book of her crazy adventure that happened in her life, which is why she was allowed to skip some details and literally star out words she didn’t feel the reader needed to know. Wirestone’s form of writing the story as if Dahlia was the true author worked perfectly in this case. Honestly, if there’s a sequel, and I really hope there is, I’d love to read it. Wirestone has got me hooked and begging for more.

Borrow or Buy: Definitely buy. I could see myself reading this again when I wanted something light and that would make me laugh. Fantastic!

Stars:

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Book Review: Gilded

Posted on October 1, 2015September 30, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon.com:

Sixteen-year-old Jae Hwa Lee is a Korean-American girl with a black belt, a deadly proclivity with steel-tipped arrows, and a chip on her shoulder the size of Korea itself. When her widowed dad uproots her to Seoul from her home in L.A., Jae thinks her biggest challenges will be fitting into a new school and dealing with her dismissive Korean grandfather. Then she discovers that a Korean demi-god, Haemosu, has been stealing the soul of the oldest daughter of each generation in her family for centuries. And she’s next.

But that’s not Jae’s only problem.

There’s also Marc. Irresistible and charming, Marc threatens to break the barriers around Jae’s heart. As the two grow closer, Jae must decide if she can trust him. But Marc has a secret of his own—one that could help Jae overturn the curse on her family for good. It turns out that Jae’s been wrong about a lot of things: her grandfather is her greatest ally, even the tough girl can fall in love, and Korea might just be the home she’s always been looking for.

*I received a free digital copy of this book from Skyscape via NetGalley. This did not influence my review of this book in anyway. This is an honest review of the novel as I saw it. This novel is now on sell at Amazon.com.*

According to Amazon, this book has been on my wish list since February 22, 2014. Therefore you can only imagine my excitement when I received a free copy of it. You can then fully understand my disappointment when I didn’t love it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate this book. It had a great plot filled with mystery and a romance that I really enjoyed. But the spark wasn’t there. I was excited to keep reading. I was never on the edge of my seat to find out what would happen next. The protagonist, Jae Hwa, didn’t draw me in. I wanted to feel bad for her and everything she was struggling with but I just didn’t. I couldn’t get invested in her character.

My biggest issue with Jae Hwa was how often she discovered she was wrong about something. “I was wrong. Again,” was one of her most popular lines. At first it was fine because of course she wouldn’t fully understand how to fight against an ancient demi-god that’s been kidnapping the ladies in her family for centuries. Who would? But after a while it just got annoying. At some point you’d think she’d get the hang of things. Or, at least not be so surprised when she was, once again, wrong.

Moreover, her father infuriated me. I could understand why he wouldn’t believe that a demi-god was after his daughter. What I couldn’t understand was him not being around a lot but towards the end of the novel suddenly being really stressed about losing his daughter, especially since he lost his wife to cancer. He was so adamant about how he’d be devastated if something happened to Jae Hwa but dismissed her concerns about living in Korea over and over again. I understand plot wise why he couldn’t very well say, “Yes, Jae Hwa. Let’s leave Korea.” But if that’s the case don’t make it seem like his greatest desire in life is to keep her safe or at least don’t wait until the end of the book to make those feelings evident.

My favorite characters of the whole novel were, Marc, the love interest, and Michelle, the best friend who in my opinion did not get enough scenes in this novel. I really liked Marc. The romance between him and Jae Hwa is mostly what made me push through this novel. And I loved Michelle. She was honest and a little sassy; my favorite combination.

Overall, this book had it’s downfalls but I think the idea behind it was good and maybe it just wasn’t for me. Either way, I’d say if you’re going to read it, borrow it.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow.

Stars: