"All We Every Wanted" by Emily Giffin

Nina Browning is living the good life after marrying into Nashville’s elite. More recently, her husband made a fortune selling his tech business, and their adored son has been accepted to Princeton. 

Yet sometimes the middle-class small-town girl in Nina wonders if she’s strayed from the person she once was.

Tom Volpe is a single dad working multiple jobs while struggling to raise his headstrong daughter, Lyla. His road has been lonely, long, and hard, but he finally starts to relax after Lyla earns a scholarship to Windsor Academy, Nashville’s most prestigious private school.

Amid so much wealth and privilege, Lyla doesn’t always fit in—and her overprotective father doesn’t help—but in most ways, she’s a typical teenaged girl, happy and thriving.

Then, one photograph, snapped in a drunken moment at a party, changes everything. As the image spreads like wildfire, the Windsor community is instantly polarized, buzzing with controversy and assigning blame.

At the heart of the lies and scandal, Tom, Nina, and Lyla are forced together—all questioning their closest relationships, asking themselves who they really are, and searching for the courage to live a life of true meaning.

I seem to be very hit or miss with Emily Giffin's books. Some I absolutely adore and some are just okay. All We Ever Wanted managed to be both, but it certainly wasn't all that I ever wanted. The book focuses on Nina and Tom. Nina is a small town girl who as made it big (via her husband). She and her family have the enormous house, a staff to keep said house and her son attends a very prominent (and expensive) school. Tom, has had it rough, but does his best to provide for his daughter Lyla. Everything changes when Nina's son shares a very NSFW photo of Tom's daughter. While this event is what gets the ball rolling for the plot, the story focuses more on various relationships of the characters- friends and family, good and bad.

First, what I loved. It it so nice to read a book that had romantic elements, but romance isn't the main focus. I don't have a problem with romances, but I often prefer books that deal with other types of relationships and I really dislike when a romance is pushed into the story 'just because'. The various relationships in this book felt very real. I am also glad that this book dealt with a topic that is extremely relevant. It's amazing just how quickly a text or a picture can take off'and how many lives it can alter. I thought that Giffin addressed this well from both the parental and teen perspective. Lyla is put in a situation that no one what's to be in, but I had a lot of respect for how she, her father, and Nina handled the situation. I thought that they were all very mature in how they dealt with the events and I liked that the novel wasn't just filled with hate and judgement.

Now the bad. This book was very compelling and very much a page turner. However, it suffered in some of it's development and it's ending. I don't want to spoil, but I felt that there wasn't enough build-up between Nina and her husband, Kirk. Thanks to other portrayals in books and movies and certain stereotypes, I knew what to expect from Kirk and from their relationship. However, I still wanted to see it play out in Giffin's writing and not just because I expected the plot to go a certain way. As for the ending, I felt that there was a lot of build-up to a conclusion that never happened. Again, I would have rather seen what happened to the characters and not just read about it in the epilogue. Of course, the final results of what would happen to the characters post scandalous text messages isn't really the main focus of the novel, I still wanted it. All in all, this book felt shorter than it was presented.

I'm fairly certain that if you enjoy Emily Giffin's books, you will like this one. I know I have heard from multiple people that this is her best novel yet. While I don't agree (I'm still a fan of Something Borrowed and Something Blue as far as favorites go), I don't regret reading this book. It won't make it into my re-read pile, but it was just good enough that I am glad I read it.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell

So here's the process that led to me reading Rainbow's Rowell's (who, by the way, would win my best named author award if I did such a thing) Eleanor & Park. Rainbow was the writer of the one of the NaNoWriMo updates and she talked about her book, Fangirl. My brain was sparked because it sounded really good and it's a NaNo book, but since my library doesn't have it yet, I decided to read Eleanor & Park instead. Now I was aware of it, I'd seen it on display at the library and knew that it was getting great reviews. It ended up somewhere on the list of books I hope I find time to read before I die. Thankfully it ended up making it's way to the top of said list because it is really good!

Eleanor has just moved back in with her family after originally being kicked out by her stepfather. They live in a too small house with too many people and live in fear of his temper. Park is part Korean, part nerd and 100% awesome. The two meet on the bus when Eleanor has no where else to sit and ends up next to sitting next to Park. Slowly their relationship begins to develop. At first, she reads comics over his shoulder, then they start reading said comics together. Soon Park starts making mix tapes for Eleanor; she loves music but has no means to go out and buy her own (and note that I said mix tape. This book is not set in the present day but instead takes place in the mid 80s). As time goes by, their relationship grows stronger, but so does the need for Eleanor
to keep all of this a secret. You will fall head over heels for these characters and this book has an ending you won't soon forget.

I loved how natural this book felt. It felt like these two could easily walk out of the pages of the book and be actual people. Every event that took place in the book was also very realistic. Never once did I have the though 'there's no way that would happen.' Once I started this book, it was extremely difficult to put it down. Rowell has created a real gem and I am looking forward to reading more of her books.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Triangles" By Ellen Hopkins

*Note, I will be attempting my first NaNoWriMo this month.  I may not be posting much during November.  I will do my best to keep up though!

Ellen Hopkins has written yet another wonderful book!  As usual, I danced around happily when I got a copy and had a very difficult time putting it down.  It was interesting to read a book by Hopkins that was not narrated by teenagers.  As you may know, Triangles is the story of three middle-aged women, each one entering a very trying time in her life.  All are struggling with their current relationship (or lack thereof) as well as the ups and down of motherhood.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I am interested to know what other readers thought.  Did you pick up Triangles because you too are an Ellen Hopkins fan?  Or is this your first by her?  What led you to read it and what did you think?

I have come across most of my favorite authors once they have published multiple titles and don't really get to see how their writing progresses.  It has been fascinating to read each of Hopkins' novels and see how her writing evolves and how her characters just keep becoming stronger and more impactful.  Now I begin the painfully slow process of waiting for the next book by Hopkins (sequel to Triangles in 2012!).

Triangles marks the end of books I am anxiously waiting for this year (there are still books I want to read, but none that I am obsessing over).  Hopefully this means I can start to make a dent in the pile of other books I want to read!

Check out Ellen on LiveJournal, Twitter, and Facebook!

Happy Reading (and Happy Halloween)!
-Melly

"Chain Reaction" by Simone Elkeles

I'm sad that the Perfect Chemistry series has come to a close, but very pleased with how it ended.  I waited a few weeks before reading this book (partially because I wasn't quite ready for the series to end and partially because I couldn't find a copy locally-turns out it was not in the Teen section, but instead in the Fiction section under 'S'...but I digress) so my only complaint is that I put off reading such a great book!

Chain Reaction is the third novel in Simone Elkeles' Perfect Chemistry series and follows the youngest Fuentes brother, Luis.  Told in alternating chapters from the point of view of Luis and his love interest Nikki and just like in the first two books, an unlikely relationship forms between the two teens (but we already knew that was going to happen, right?).  But nothing in life is ever easy and Luis, like his brothers, gets caught up in circumstances beyond his control that threatens his relationship with Nikki and his family.  I don't want to give too much away, but this book is wonderful!  It is clear that Simone Elkeles does her research and does everything to write the best book possible.  I am always glued to my seat and can barely stop reading down until I have finished.  I am so glad that I've come across Elkeles' books and feel that they are a must read for YA lovers!

Perfect Chemistry Book Trailer


Rules of Attraction Book Trailer


Chain Reaction Book Trailer


Happy Reading!
-Melly