Review: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Eleanor & Park

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publication:

Genre: YA Fiction/Romance

Rating: 5/5

Part of me doesn’t even want to review Eleanor and Park. I know nothing that I type will ever express how meaningful and beautiful this book is, but it deserves to be reviewed. Even if no one even reads this.

Eleanor meets Park on her first day of her new school on the bus, where he offers her the seat beside him. Right from the start, the other student’s don’t like her. Eleanor is big. Eleanor has thick bright curly red hair. Eleanor wears men’s shirts and scarves tied around her wrist and weird things in her hair. First, Eleanor and Park don’t talk. At all. Very slowly, a connection forms between them through their love of comics, mutual disrespect for the idiots on their bus, and their love of great music. Their relationship is unlike any other.

“As soon as he said it, she broke into a smile. And when Eleanor smiled, something broke inside him. Something always did.”

Eleanor comes from a broken family. She has an abusive stepfather, a mother who is too afraid to challenge him, and little brothers and sisters who are caught in the crossfire. Eleanor’s life isn’t easy, and from the moment Eleanor was introduced, I just wanted to cry. And I did, throughout most of the book.

Eleanor and Park is an emotional, touching book. Personally, it touched a nerve with me because I felt like I understood her. My family is relatively normal, but I know what it is like to be an outsider. To be made fun of because of being overweight. Eleanor felt like she was not worthy of someone loving her, of someone wanting her.  And I get that; I understand that more than I want to. I felt like this Eleanor and I were just two birds of a feather. Eleanor wanted to be different, and she made sure she was. That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt any less.

Park is not like any other male character I’ve read about. The one word that describes Park? Sweet. Park is the sweetest male character I’ve ever met. Park is an outsider and not at the same time. He is Asian and quiet. Wears black a lot. He’s different from the rest of the students, but he is a part of them, also. He comes from a loving family, making the gap between Eleanor and him even wider. 

“Nothing was dirty. With Park. Nothing could be shameful.
Because Park was the sun, and that was the only way Eleanor could think to explain it.”

Eleanor and Park’s relationship is very special to me. They’re so cautious. Eleanor has a hard time opening up; she doesn’t trust easily. Eleanor is temperamental and sarcastic, which sometimes takes their relationship back a step. In a way though, it’s just them. The way they are with each other.  It makes Eleanor and Park, Eleanor and Park.

The ending. Oh, god. What can I even say about the ending? It was around three o’clock in the morning when I finished this book, and to say that I was a bundle of emotions was an understatement. The ending is realistic…. but the author definitely adds more confusion than needed. I’m not sure confusion is the right word. Lets just say that the author definitely rubs it in your face that she is the only one writing the ending.

Eleanor and Park is a love story, but it’s much more than that. It is about life. It is about a side of life that many people don’t like to acknowledge. The writing in Eleanor and Park makes your heart break. It breaks it and then the author sews it back up, and then she breaks it again into a tiny more million little pieces. It’s raw. It doesn’t hide behind the YA label; it puts everything out in the open and lets you deal with the cruelty of the world.  It doesn’t shelter you from it. This book takes your breath away, and while you’re trying to catch it, it takes it away again.

Review: Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Title: Leaving Paradise

Author: Simone Elkeles

Publication: April 2007 by Flux

Genre: YA Fiction/Romance

Rating: 5/5

This is one of those books that you better have nothing else planned for the entire day because you will not sit it down until it is finished. I devoured Leaving Paradise. I was so caught up in Maggies and Calebs story that I was reading through class, through lunch, through time when I was supposed to be studying for my Biology exam.  Yeah, bad idea. Note: this might be long. 

Anyways, Leaving Paradise is a twist on forbidden love. On a horrible night that changed everybody’s life in small town Paradise, Illinois, Caleb Becker hit Maggie Armstrong with his car after driving drunk from a party. Maggie had to go to the hospital and began extensive physical therapy sessions. She was doomed with a limp that would remain with her forever. Caleb went to a juvenile corrections complex as a convicted felon.

The story starts with Caleb being released out of jail with a sentence of one hundred and fifty community service hours. When Caleb returned back to his home, he realized everything was not the same as it was when he left it. His family, his friends, his whole life had been shattered. He ran into Maggie on a walk, and began a connection with her that left them both breathless, confused, and in desperate need of the truth.

"I'm going to kiss you." 

My stomach does a little flip; I forget about being mad. 

My nerves take over all emotions. "Here?"

"Oh, yeah. Right here, right now. You gonna run away this time?"

"I don't think so, but I'm not sure."

First of all, I loved the characters- 

Mrs. Reynolds. I wish she was my grandmother. Her honesty, her wisdom, her hilarious wit  had me smiling every time the lady spoke. Favorite leading character ever. 

Maggie. Wonderful, tormented, brave Maggie. She is one of my favorite female characters that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She was so realistic. After being hit by Caleb, her leg was so damaged she had to quit playing tennis. Playing tennis, to Maggie, was the most important thing in her life. She measured her worth in the fact that she wowed everyone in the audience when she took the court. With the loss of tennis, her world was completely changed. She lost her friends, and she lost her scholarship to Spain, her one chance to get away from everyone and everything in Paradise. Worst of all, she was blamed for sending Caleb to jail.  She had the weight of the world on her shoulders, and Maggie reacted like every teenage girl would. Sure, she might have seemed childish in some points, and she might have whined and complained, but she’s human. She’s a teenager. And if I were to be in her place, I would have done exactly the same thing.

Caleb. Caleb was broken, shattered, and completely devastated by what happened and what he had to endure through his time in jail. He is a character that at first, you don’t feel much sympathy for. He hit Maggie; he insulted her again and again, and just keeps lying to her. Caleb started to change. You realize he was a teenage boy who made a few mistakes. He had this tough, arrogant façade up, but it started faltering. At first, Maggie was the only victim, but during the novel, the tides change and Caleb ended up being as much as one as Maggie. Worse, there’s something he’s not telling anybody; a secret that he swore he’d take to the grave, a secret that is eating him alive from where it is buried so deeply inside him. Of course, there were some parts where I wanted to kill him. Namely parts concerning a certain someone, cough cough Kendra.

Maggie and Caleb’s relationship started out slowly, like it should.  The buildup of their relationship was wonderful and real. Caleb was careful with Maggie; he didn't rush her or try to change her into something she’s not. They’re both two teenagers who have had to go through circumstances that many people never have to face. When there was no one else to turn to, they reached for each other. 

"I don't dare touch her, 'cause that would mean

that this is something more than it is. And I

know this... this feeling of friendship is a fleeting, 

temporary thing. What scares me to fucking death is that 

some part of my brain has decided this 

insignificant act of Maggie sitting next to me is 

the first step in fixing all that's gone wrong in my life.

Which makes it all the more significant."

Leaving Paradise was an emotional ride, and I loved every second of it. The writing was flawless and raw; emotions and feelings were intense and shown perfectly through the thoughts and words of a teenager. There were dealings with teenage drinking, jealousy, broken families, and self-esteem issues. Maggie had to deal with her self-image and the fact that whether she liked it or not, she was different, and there was nothing she could do about it. I really related to Maggie. She was alone in her battles and just wanted a loving hand. She was considered an outcast by her peers. She didn’t trust easily, and really she just wanted to run away and leave it all behind her. It never works out that easily, and she had to face it all with a brave face. In the end, she realized being herself was enough, and if someone didn't like it, she didn't need them in her life anyways. She faltered sometimes, but she always stood back up. 

// I loved this book so much I had to run out and get the sequel as soon as I could. And to be honest, I'm lazy. I'm in college so I had to wait for the bus to go out and get my car in the parking lot and then drive to the bookstore and then drive back to the bus stop and then wait to take the bus to my dorm. Like that is how much I loved this book. Return to Paradise will be up soon! 

Review: Vixen by Jillian Larkin

Title: Vixen

Author: Jillian Larkin

Genre: YA/Fiction/Romance

Publication: December 2010, Delacorte Books

Rating: 3.5/5

What can I say about this book? It had such promise. (Just look at the cover - gorgeous.) Set in the 1920’s with Flappers, speakeasies, and gangsters all wrapped up in one little package with betrayal, scandal, and a little bit of love on top. What could be better? That said, it was an alright read, but I was definitely expecting more.

The main character, Gloria, is a seventeen year old girl who has been arranged a marriage to the dull but wealthy Sebastian Grey. Gloria experiences life as a flapper once before she is completely sold over to the lifestyle. She craves getting out of her loveless marriage arrangement and living on the edge as a 1920’s flapper. Gloria and her friend Marcus sneak into the speakeasy the Green Mill one night, and Gloria meets the enticing black Jazz player Jerome. Here begins an infatuation and love (if you can call it that) that lasts throughout the novel.  Gloria starts to rebel against everything her parents have set up for her, testing every limit that was put in place.

Enters Gloria’s trouble causing cousin, Clara. Clara has seen it all; whereas Gloria is just starting to see the other side of society as a flapper, Clara has experienced it all in the big city. Because of the situation Clara previously got herself into, she was sent to stay with Gloria to help set up her wedding. Clara has to put up a good girl façade for her aunt or else she will be sent to boarding school.  By this, Flapper Clara becomes Country Clara. Through this transformation, she ends up falling for Gloria’s friend, Marcus.

Next we have Lorraine. Lorraine is Gloria’s best friend in the beginning of the novel, but we start to see a darker side to her by the end. She is tired of living in her friends shadow. Always being prettier, more interesting, just better. She wants her moment in the sun, and she is going to get it no matter the cost.

To be granted, Vixen is a fast, fairly interesting read. I particularly didn’t like any of the characters too much, which is a big part for me. Personally, if I don’t like the characters, it’s hard for me to like the book. A redeeming quality was definitely the interracial relationship between Jerome and Gloria. The fact that she would question the status quo and give up her polished lifestyle for a man she just met is both risky and admirable. Gloria annoyed me much of the novel, but I have to say that her daring moves impressed me. I loved that she wanted to be with Jerome so bad that she laid everything on the line for their relationship- the consequences be damned. The only thing that mattered, in the end, was having him. 

I wasn’t too fond of Clara; I thought she needed to make up her mind about who she was and who she wanted to be. Pick one and stick to it. Lorraine, personally, interested me. She was an alcoholic, a nut case, completely sadistic, but I liked her more than either one of the other girls. She might have been shady and cynical, but she definitely had loads of character. I loved Marcus; he was the best part of the novel in my opinion.

Vixen seemed like it was trying to be the Gossip Girl of the 20’s- with some expensive dresses, hairstyles, and silly phrases thrown in. It had a lot of action and drama; there were moments when I just couldn't believe what was going on. In the end, Vixen is a fast read that held my attention throughout the novel even though I was expecting more. I was slightly disappointed at the end of the novel, but I suggest you give Vixen a try for yourself and see what you think.  

Review: Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Safe Haven 
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Genre: Fiction/Romance
Publication: September, 2010 Grand Central Publishing 
Rating: 5/5 

As everyone knows, Nicholas Sparks is the master of romance. Honestly though, when I think back on his novels, they blend into one sometimes because of their similarities. Safe Haven, however, stands out immensely.  This novel is more than just a love story; it is a story about a young woman’s journey with pain, loss, love, and finally understanding what it means to find safety in another person.

It is definitely the best book from Nicholas Sparks to date.

Katie, a broken victim of domestic abuse, escapes to the beautiful town of Southport, North Carolina (and I can say it's beautiful with actually knowing this because I live fifteen minutes away :p). In Southport, Katie meets a young storeowner and widowed father of two, named Alex. Their relationship starts off slowly- guarded, cautious.  Since running away from her abusive husband, Katie is weary of everyone and everything. It takes time for her to warm up to people, especially Alex. Alex suspects that there is more to Katie than she lets on. Alex knows that Katie is more than just a pretty face; he knows she is a women with a past. A troubled past.

I particularly loved the start of their relationship. So many novels start off with the two main characters just jumping right in and almost instantaneously falling in love. Their romance takes it time. Katie needs time to heal, time to think, time to gather her bearings. Before Southport, she was on the run. Never settling. In Southport, Katie’s whole life changes but finally for the better.  

Katie eventually, of course, drops her guard with Alex, and they fall in love.  Alex is such a kind, warm-hearted character who really cares for Katie. The love he has for his kids is wonderful. I love how Katie interacts with Alex’s kids – not trying to take the place of their mother but still nurturing and loving. You know the kids will eventually come to think of her that way anyways.

Katie’s husband eventually does find out where she escaped. This part of the novel got me on edge. Nicholas Sparks normally does add a little action into his books, but this is by far the most gut-wrenching nervousness I’ve experienced by him. Kevin, Katie’s husband, is a complete psycho. You just want to kill him from the beginning. Sparks shows Kevin’s point of view, and it definitely adds to the suspense because you know he is unstable and unpredictable. He loves Katie, he hates Katie. He loves Katie, he wants her dead. When he showed up in Southport ruining the safe haven Katie found, I just wanted to jump in the book and murder him myself.

"The past was always around her and might return at any time. It prowled the world searching for her, and she knew it was growing angrier at every passing day."

In Safe Haven, there is love, suspense, and an outstanding ending that will leaving you so bewildered, you’ll be flipping back through the pages to read it over again. I definitely recommend Safe Haven. A must read!

Sidenote: The movie is wonderful but different. And as I said, I live 15 minutes away from Southport, and I normally go to the 4^th of July parade that they filmed in the movie, but I couldn’t go this year and I didn’t know about the filming. SO ANGRY. I COULD HAVE MET JOSH DUHAMEL AND JULIANNE HOUGH AND I DIDN’T AND IM SO ANGRY. AGH.