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Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max: Vol. 2

Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Brooke A. Allen

8.7 (3 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Friendship to the max! Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five best pals determined to have an...

Grimm Woods

D. Melhoff

7.0 (2 Ratings) Rate It

Book

A remote summer camp becomes a lurid crime scene when the bodies of two teenagers are found in a...

Horror Paranormal Thriller Mystery Mystery > Crime Suspense

The Inspector and Silence

Hakan Nesser

(0 Ratings) Rate It

Book

In the heart of summer, the country swelters in a fug of heat. In the beautiful forested lake-town...

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated You Have a Match in Books

Jan 28, 2021

Abby only signs up for a DNA test to help her friend (and secret crush) Leo. But when the results come back, it's not Leo who gets a surprise, it's Abby. Apparently, she has an older sister. And not a half sister, but a full-fledged sister. A sister who just happens to be beautiful, polished, Instagram star, Savannah "Savvy" Tully, who is only a year and half older than Abby. Neither Abby or Savvy can figure out how this happened, so they hatch a plan. They'll both attend summer camp at Camp Reynolds, where they can learn more about their parents and each other. But they quickly learn that they are very different: Savvy is a rule follower who is addicted to her Instagram and follower count. Abby is more go-with-the-flow. And, of course, there's Leo, who turns up at the same camp. How on earth will Abby negotiate her newfound sister, her secret crush--oh, and the fact that her parents will soon realize she lied about going to camp?

"Normal isn't having a big, stupid, ridiculous crush on one of my best friends, especially when he most certainly doesn't have one on me."

So, this is a good book, but I have to admit that I was disappointed because it wasn't the same as TWEET CUTE. I absolutely loved that YA romance, and while this is an interesting read, it just didn't have the romantic twang of TWEET CUTE. It's probably not fair to compare the two, but I couldn't help it. MATCH focuses less on romantic chemistry and more on Abby finding her way/coming of age and meeting Savvy, her "new" sister.

I actually liked the sister piece overall. The DNA twist is different (rarely do we get full siblings!) and there's also a nice LGBTQIA relationship thrown in. But, I never felt like Abby and Leo's relationship fully gelled. It just didn't feel as fun and flirty as I wanted. And, much of the book's plot is propelled by misunderstandings. At some point, it got to be too much: if some characters had just spoken up, so much could have been avoided! There's so much going on--the sister aspect, romance, secrets, etc. At times, it feels like the plot is struggling to contain them all.

Still, there's a lot to enjoy about this story. Don't get me wrong at all. The camp setting is a lot of fun, and Abby and Savvy are both great characters. Watching Abby develop is rewarding, and there are plenty of humorous and tender scenes as the sisters get to know each other. Even though MATCH didn't meet my TWEET CUTE expectations, it's an enjoyable read. (I judge romances on whether I'll get a copy for my SIL and this one passes the test.) 3.5 stars.

Kudos

Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Wifey in Books

May 10, 2018

Wifey

Judy Blume | 2004

6.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

OMG Judy Blume!! Seeing as most of what I have read by Ms. Blume is about adolescence, this book was quite shocking.

Sandy Pressman has been married to Norman Pressman for 11 years. They have two children. Norman runs a chain of dry cleaners and Sandy stays home with the kids. They have the "perfect" life.

It's the summer and the kids are away at camp. Sandy is just starting to feel better after being sick for months. She needs something to keep her busy. Norman suggests that she take golf and tennis lessons at The Club, but Sandy has never been very coordinated. As the summer continues, and strange things begin to happen, Sandy realizes this is not the life she dreamed of. She needs more than the same weekly menu and Saturday night sex. And I think she finds it, but it may be more than she bargained for.

If you have never read one of Judy Blume's novels for adults, you will be surprised by some of the language used. Blume allows Sandy's thoughts and desires be heard and Sandy has a dirty mind. I would suggest all fans to read the introduction by Blume. It helped me to get a better understanding of this author that I have loved for so long.