Wednesday, 29 July 2009

Review - Lovestruck Summer / Melissa Walker

Summary -
Austin music fest
Yay, summer in Austin!
Good food, good times. Fun for everyone!
Okay, living with my sorority-brainwashed cousin, who willingly goes by "Party Penny," is not exactly what I had in mind.
All your favorite bands
But the cute musicians I've met totally make up for it . . . like Sebastian. Swoon.
All ages welcome
So why can't I stop thinking about Penny's friend All-American Russ and his Texas twang??
Saturday & Sunday, from noon to midnight
Don't wait up!


Review - I needed to read a book like this so bad that I couldn't even put it into words. With an industry over saturated with paranormal inter-species falling in love left, right and centre, it was a welcome change to focus on two relatively normal people. It was refreshing, fun and light and it focused on the roadblocks we create for ourselves (rather than the supernatural ones that come out of the blue).

Melissa Walker is a talented writer, she's able to write challenging characters that are heavy on the relatability and light on the annoying characteristics. Quinn is another blue haired lovely for this year in YA (the other being Bertie from Lisa Mantchev's Eyes Like Stars), she possesses considerable sarcasm, snark and general spark. She's fabulous and entirely misguided. Russ is the guy that she can't seem to shake, a guy that challenges her prejudices. He calls a spade a spade and calls Quinn on her bs. The biting interchanges between these two is a blast to read, Walker's managed to sprinkle them with humour while also allowing Quinn's preconceptions to dissipate.

Don't judge a book by it's cover, or perhaps, a cowboy by his checkered shirt is a better idiom to apply to Lovestruck Summer. It's a fun read that I whipped through at an astonishing speed. It's laced with humour and it has a strong beating heart for romance and the bridging power of music.

A contemporary title heavy on music, snappy URST-ridden interplay and a multitude of eccentric and lovable characters. Well worth the read!

Published: May 1st, 2009
Format: Paperback, 336 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Origin: USA
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http://www.melissacwalker.com/

8 comments:

Alea said...

So glad you liked it! Isn't it THE BEST!

Steph Su said...

I definitely agree with you! I was pleasantly surprised with Lovestruck Summer as well. Definitely a keeper for my bookshelf, to reread when I, er, get sick of all the paranormal creatures too. xD

a flight of minds said...

I think I'm going to have to read this now. It seems like a great contemporary read, and yes, unlike the usual paranormal romances. Thanks for the review! Great as always. :)

- Alex

Diana Dang said...

I really want to read this one!

Unknown said...

I loved it, too, and you had the same reaction I did -that I really needed to read something like it at the time! I was thinking about it this afternoon and then you do your review...I think it's time for a re-read.

prophecygirl said...

Really want to read this now - thanks Adele!

Ebony McKenna. said...

OOOoh, looks great. Can't wait.

Melissa Walker said...

Yay, I'm so glad you liked it, Adele! And thanks everyone for the sweet comments.