Contemporary Reviews by Tina

Hello all! In keeping true to my Bookish/Blog Goals of 2017, I am reading a bit more contemporary novels and learning to appreciate the in depth writing and heartfelt issues. 

I felt slightly jaded during my 2016 contemporary reads so I started 2017 with a bang and tackled 4 novels this January, definitely an accomplished feat for this fantasy/dystopian reader!

So let's get started~ shall we?

Wow this book encompasses everything I want in a great book. It's interesting, refreshing, captures the voice of students of bullying. There's plenty of humor and realism. It's been a long while since I've enjoyed a great contemporary novel. Much of what's out there is a mixture of cliched stories and overused plots. I feel I've learned so much from reading this book. Highly recommend!

Not a particular favorite of mine. This story is on suicide. I felt detached from the characters and I didn't know where it was going. I understand the book is loosely based on the author's past experiences, however, I couldn't connect. When the characters are taken out of the equation, the adventure portion of the story is fantastic.

Quite an enjoyable story. It is a very well written complex journey. It is told from the perspective of twins, a 13yo boy's point of view and a 16yo girl's point of view. Their stories mingle and unravel as the reader discovers what went wrong in their lives. There is so much sincerity and rawness. Each character in the book holds an essential part to the main story. It takes years for the story to come together and understanding and forgiveness to follow. Highly recommend.

This is a tragic story on death. I did not enjoy the romantic relationship of the two main leads, however, I find the hero's friends completely refreshing and humorous. The close bond among friends, their funny interactions, and conversations have me laughing in delight. The parents are equally hilarious and entertaining. Various popular quotes and pop references add a clever humor to the story. Enjoyable read.


Have you read some of these books or thinking about reading them? Let me know your thoughts.