Review: KISSING TED CALLAHAN by Amy Spalding

KISSING TED CALLAHAN (and Other Guys)

by Amy Spalding

Publication Date: April 7, 2015

Published by Poppy

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

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Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist meets Easy A in this hilariously realistic story of sneaking out, making out, and playing in a band.

After catching their bandmates in a compromising position, sixteen-year-old Los Angelenos Riley and Reid become painfully aware of the romance missing from their own lives. And so a pact is formed: they'll both try to make something happen with their respective crushes and document the experiences in a shared notebook.

While Reid struggles with the moral dilemma of adopting a dog to win over someone's heart, Riley tries to make progress with Ted Callahan, who she's been obsessed with forever-His floppy hair! His undeniable intelligence! But suddenly cute guys are popping up everywhere. How did she never notice them before?! With their love lives going from 0 to 60 in the blink of an eye, Riley and Reid realize the results of their pact may be more than they bargained for. 

My Thoughts

Kissing Ted Callahan was the first book I read in 2015 and it was such a fun book to start off the new year. I wanted a story that would make me smile and laugh and entertain me, and it did just that.  Kissing Ted Callahan is about crushes and kisses and music and best friends. It's about falling in love, falling out of friendships. There are journals and letters. And secrets. So many secrets. 

It's a book without jerky boys (well . . . there might be one). These boys that are worth having crushes on which is a major plus. It was fun to meet them and discover what Riley liked about them. It was fun to experience the dates and interactions through her eyes. 

I loved how Amy explored the shifting dynamics of Riley's friendships in Kissing Ted Callahan. The problems weren't overly complicated but showed how misunderstandings and assumptions can lead to hurt feelings and friendships falling apart. 

I adored this book. I had a smile of my face the entire time I read it. I loved reading the rules and advice that Riley and Reid wrote back and forth to each other. Those two cracked me up. They were both misguided in hilarious ways and reminded me why best friends are all kinds of awesome. 

Readers who want a fun book with kissing and crushes and a story about friendships should check out Kissing Ted Callahan.

Disclaimer:  I received this ARC from TheNovl Newsletter/Poppy in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any way other than the ARC provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review: LOVE, LUCY by April Lindner

LOVE, LUCY

by April Lindner

Publication Date: January 27, 2015

Published by Poppy

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher

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While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food...and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician. After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation." But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse are over, too.

In this coming-of-age romance, April Lindner perfectly captures the highs and lows of a summer love that might just be meant to last beyond the season.

My Thoughts

Love, Lucy was a great book that I read along with my friends. I hadn't heard much about it before receiving it for the YALLFest Blogger Gathering, but my friends had. Their excitement over this title was contagious and after I started reading it, I understood why. 

There is travel, romance, college life, and self-discovery. I liked seeing Italy through Lucy's eyes and falling in "something" with Jesse Palladino. He definitely is crush-worthy.

One of my favorite terms from Love, Lucy was "vacation flirtation" - referring to the quick romance you experience while on vacation. This sounds like something my best friend and I would have termed.

I liked this story so much. There were times that I wanted more development, more answers to questions that I had about secondary characters, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Five Things I Want to Do After Reading Love, Lucy 

1. Travel abroad. This is a given. Grab a backpack and go!
2. Watch Roman Holiday. Lucy mentions it a few times and recreates a scene for a picture. I've never seen it and now I want to. 
3. Read A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. Love, Lucy is an adaptation 
4. Watch a live musical. Or maybe just sing along loudly to a musical soundtrack. 
5. Read more books by April Lindner.

Disclaimer:  I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any way other than the ARC provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.