Saturday, May 18, 2013

Hiatus (if you couldn't tell already)

Just a quick note that I won't be posting until school gets out, if you haven't already figured that out! Too much going on with finishing up the year and starting a new grad class (YA lit!). I'll be back to reviews and Top Tens in mid-June! In the meantime, you can still find me on twitter, sporadically talking about books :)

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Publish date: 2013
Source: Classroom library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 325 pages
""Bono met his wife in high school," Park says.
"So did Jerry Lee Lewis," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be," she says, "we’re sixteen."
"What about Romeo and Juliet?"
"Shallow, confused, then dead."
''I love you," Park says.
"Wherefore art thou," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be."

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.
" (Goodreads)

So basically everyone loves this book. EVERYONE. As soon as people started declaring their love, I started feeling pressured and was worried that I wouldn't like it just because it was so well-loved by everyone in the YA blogging community. I ended up really liking it, although I know I didn't absolutely love it as much as others.

It took me a little while to get into Eleanor & Park, but by halfway through I was cruising through and could hardly put it down. The last half absolutely slayed me and I felt like I couldn't put it down until I found out what happened at the end. I felt really satisfied with the ending and don't even want a sequel! It's nice to read a stand-alone book every once in a while.

I have to say, I wasn't a huge fan of the 80's setting since I am not the most up on bands from then, but it didn't necessarily distract from my enjoyment of the book. I liked the story itself and the characters and felt appropriately bad for Eleanor given her circumstances. I would definitely recommend this to romance fans and am curious about what my students will think!