Friday 3 July 2015

Date With a Rockstar by Sarah Gagnon

I received this book for free via Netgalley however this in no way affects the opinions expressed in this review

Date With a Rockstar

by Sarah Gagnon



Released: 23rd June 2015
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Genre: Romance, Dystopian, YA, Girly
Other books by Sarah Gagnon:
Nil
Goodreads Description:
Monet isn t just another lust-struck teenager trying to win the heart of Rock God Jeremy Bane--she needs the prize money from his new reality show to cure her illness. Monet has Fluxem, a contagious disease that's spread through saliva. It's completely curable if you have enough money, which she and her single mother don't. Now that she's on the show, Monet has to work harder to keep her Fluxem hidden. She only has to keep the secret long enough to woo Jeremy Bane so he picks her as the winner. She doesn't even care about the love part; the prize alone will change her life. But the real Jeremy Bane is nothing like she imagined. Monet finds herself fighting against feelings that make her want to give in to her attraction and Jeremy's attempts for a kiss. The further she goes in the competition, the more impossible it becomes to resist him--and when the producers turn the tables and start digging up dirt on the contestants, Monet fears her secret will be revealed before she's ready and ruin everything. The only way to win Jeremy's heart is to tell him the truth, but confessing her disease could cost her the competition, the prize money, and him.




My Review


I write this at ten to four in the morning, precariously cradling a cup of tea on the sofa arm, inbetween my laptop and the crook of my elbow. Yes, Date With a Rockstar is one of those books. You know? The ones that you desperately try to put down just before midnight because you know you need sleep, but it’s to no avail because you just need to read a little more. So, you read a little more, and after that you’re reading a little more again, and the next thing you know you’re sat in front of Sky Arts at ten to four in the morning, writing a review whilst precariously cradling a cup of tea on the sofa arm, inbetween your laptop and the crook of your elbow.

Just to catch you up, Date With a Rockstar is about a girl named Monet who enters a reality TV show contest called…wait for it…Date With a Rockstar. So basically, she has this disease called Fluxem and it’s going to kill her unless she can get her hands on the $20,000 cure. If she can win Date With a Rockstar, which involves her having to woo the hottie popstar of the time, Jeremy, she’ll get $30,000. Also, I’d like to mention that for some reason this story seems to be set in a future where there’s a crap-load of sci-fi style technology, lots of pollution, and America’s selling all their metal back to China. I know what you’re thinking: “Oh for Christ’s sake… Really Sarah Gagnon? Really?” However, I am pleased to inform you that it surprisingly works and somehow manages to add a hell of a lot of charm. You’ll have to read it to get what I mean.

(Afternote: If you’re feeling put off by the idea of crazed fangirls and worshipped male pop icons, don’t be. I hate this idea as much as (and I’d be willing to bet more than) the next person, however it’s definitely worth the read. Sarah Gagnon writes in a way that makes it bearable and a little less frustrating than you’d expect.)

Now, I’m not quite sure what made this book so compelling. The writing was extremely easy (probably what made it so effortless to read so despicably late on) and the characters weren’t anything greatly special. Sure, Monet (our main gal) was likeable, and Jasmine (our beloved antagonist) was wholly hateable, however I’m not quite sure how I found myself rooting for Monet so much. I was whole-heartedly invested in her success with Jeremy (the lad of the book) and suffered some confusing and unnerving hyper squealing, as well as some tense palpitations of the heart on multiple occasions. I often found myself wondering: “What in hell’s name is happening to me.” Just to explain, this crap doesn’t happen to me with easy-read YA like this. What is going on?!

The world was fabulous, and even though the plot really was rather contemporary-style, Sarah managed to combine the world and the plot in a surprisingly fluid way. The sci-fi-esque technology wasn’t overly shouted about and I really felt as if the world was completely normal. Not sure how you managed it, but well done!

Read this if you like an easy and entertaining read that’s a little peculiar and eccentric whilst remaining a girly YA romance that you’re sure to finish in one or two sittings. It’s great if you’re looking for something that’s not necessarily intellectually stimulating but compels you from start to finish and sucks you into the storyline.

I entered Date With a Rockstar with a hell of a lot of trepidation however I finished it in one sitting. (It wouldn’t let me put it down; it’s the book’s fault.)



Links
Goodreads
Amazon UK
Amazon US


Abi Ainley

Romance by the Book by Jo Victor

I received this book for free via Netgalley however this in no way affects the opinions expressed in this review

Romance by the Book

by Jo Victor



Released: 15th June 2015
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Genre: Romance, LGBT, Mystery
Other books by Jo Victor:
Revenge of the Parson’s Daughter Or The Lass that Loved a Pirate
Goodreads Description:
For a smart woman, Alex is pretty clueless. She wants the truth, but she’s looking in the wrong place. She wants love, but she’s not looking at all. If only Cam didn’t keep disrupting her life, Alex might be able to find some answers. After all, it’s not as if Cam is interested in her. Which is probably a good thing, since Cam is even more infuriating than she is charming—and she’s got plenty of charm. On the other hand, Rosamund, Cam’s ex and Alex’s professional rival, is definitely interested in Alex, but can she be trusted? Alex doesn’t even realize the historic house she’s staying in is haunted. Perhaps a little supernatural help will lead Alex to uncover the secret of a love story hidden for over a century, and to solve the greatest mystery of all—the truth hidden in her own heart.




My Review


(Afterword: I was dying of heat exhaustion as I wrote this. It should not be 32 degrees Celsius in England. Nu-uh. So, if my writing’s a little, well, crappy, then I apologise.)

Mega book hang-over here. I’m not even sure where to start with this review and almost certain I’m going to find it hard to write anything of substance. I shall give it a go though…

Romance by the Book did it right. Well, most of it. Her writing’s amazing: I was miffed when it ended. I could have read about Alex’s daily life for months without getting bored. I especially noticed how much I highlighted in this just because it made me laugh or I thought it was witty. There were plenty of superb and entertaining language choices that never failed to make my smile or even chuckle out loud.

The characters in this book – mainly Alex, Cam, Rosamund and Nicola – were diverse and enjoyable, however I did happen to notice how the entire friendship group was lesbian. Sure, you need a few lesbians to create a complex of relationships, however it took away so much potential realism. It wasn’t that big of a deal; it wasn’t like it was made a big fuss of. In fact, I rather liked how the sexuality wasn’t shouted about like it is in most lgbt novels.

I also loved how I was as interested in Alex’s work into discovering the mystery of Artemisia and Lady Melissa as I was in Alex and Cam’s relationship. It’s not often you get a romance novel where some other part of the plot is equally as – if not more – compelling as the romance. I absolutely loved this!

Most of all, I admired the sex scene, even if it was a relatively small part of the book. It was the longest, most honest and most gutsy lgbt sex scene I’ve read in a long while – and I’ve read a lot of sex scenes. Being a bit of a lgbt sex scene aficionado (no judgements here guys xD), I consider myself able to proclaim this one a masterpiece.

Also, West Yorkshire. Just saying. I was so not expecting to open this book and still be at home. Honestly, I was expecting something either American or European. Not a fictional village based near Ilkley. Props!

This book would be great for people who are after an excellent, enjoyable lgbt read, and also maybe to fans of mystery as Jo Victor does a fairly decent job of that as well. The only thing I can say though, is I wouldn’t recommend this novel for anyone who likes a fast-paced, clearly-defined plot. The actual writing of it is what makes this book so good. Although the plot is still great in my opinion, and quite compelling at multiple parts, it’s nothing next to the artistry of the words.



Links
Goodreads
Amazon UK
Amazon US


Abi Ainley