Book Review: More than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood

Title: More than Just a Pretty Face

Author: Syed M. Masood

Genre: YA, Romance, Contemporary

About the book: Danyal Jilani doesn't lack confidence. He may not be the smartest guy in the room, but he's funny, gorgeous, and going to make a great chef one day. His father doesn't approve of his career choice, but that hardly matters. What does matter is the opinion of Danyal's longtime crush, the perfect-in-all-ways Kaval, and her family, who consider him a less than ideal arranged marriage prospect.

When Danyal gets selected for Renaissance Man--a school-wide academic championship--it's the perfect opportunity to show everyone he's smarter than they think. He recruits the brilliant, totally-uninterested-in-him Bisma to help with the competition, but the more time Danyal spends with her...the more he learns from her...the more he cooks for her...the more he realizes that happiness may be staring him right in his pretty face. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this rom-com and loved that it was told from the male pov for a change. It was a nice change to read from the perspective of a genuinely kind and caring young man, even if everyone around him thought he was not academically bright.  He stuck to his love of cooking even when others could not see the value in it - and it was this love that helped him to discover that there was more to him than just cooking.  I look forward to reading more from this author!

Book Review: You Have a Match by Emma Lord

 

Title: You Have a Match

Author: Emma Lord

Genre: YA, Contemporary

About the book: When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.

When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents — especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.

The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this young adult book.  It wasn't the syrupy everything is fine sibling story or love story.  The girls, Abby and Savannah, had problems, they ran into obstacles, they had separate lives, but discovered they also had things in common (besides parents).  Trying to wade through their respective issues with their love lives and figure out why Savannah was given up for adoption to friends, who are no longer friends, made for an entertaining twist to a contemporary YA book.  Learning to trust and believe in yourself also played a part.  I would recommend this book to young adults dealing with trying to figure out who they are and how they fit in this world. 

Book Review: Make Up Break Up by Lily Menon

Title: Make Up Break Up

Author: Lily Menon

Genre: Romance, Contemporary

About the Book: Love, romance, second chances, fairy-tale endings…these are the things Annika Dev believes in. Her app, Make Up, has been called the “Google Translate for failing relationships.”

High efficiency break-ups, flashy start-ups, penthouses, fast cars…these are the things Hudson Craft believes in. His app, Break Up, is known as the “Uber for break-ups.” It’s wildly successful—and anathema to Annika’s life philosophy.

Which wouldn’t be a problem if they’d gone their separate ways after that summer fling in Las Vegas, never to see each other again. Unfortunately for Annika, Hudson’s moving not just into her office building, but into the office right next to hers. And he’ll be competing at the prestigious EPIC investment pitch contest: A contest Annika needs to win if she wants to keep Make Up afloat. As if it’s not bad enough seeing his irritatingly perfect face on magazine covers when her own business is failing. As if knowing he stole her idea and twisted it into something vile—and monumentally more successful—didn’t already make her stomach churn.

As the two rival app developers clash again and again—and again—Annika finds herself drawn into Hudson Craft’s fast-paced, high velocity, utterly shallow world. Only, from up close, he doesn’t seem all that shallow. Could it be that everything she thought about Hudson is completely wrong? Could the creator of Break Up teach her what true love’s really about? (from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: This book was really just okay for me.  I don't know whether Annika was just naive when it came to Hudson's motives or if she was just really self-centered, or maybe it was a deep down insecurity about herself, but for me it got old kind of fast.  They never really say why after their fling in Las Vegas that they went their separate ways, so I never really understood why Annika hadn't kept in touch with Hudson.  It was fun to read as it is February and I feel I should read romances in February, but there were not really a lot of surprises in the story. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review: Again Again by E. Lockhart

 

Title: Again Again

Author: E. Lockhart

Genre: YA, Contemporary

About the book: If you could live your life again, what would you do differently?

After a near-fatal family catastrophe and an unexpected romantic upheaval, Adelaide Buchwald finds herself catapulted into a summer of wild possibility, during which she will fall in and out of love a thousand times--while finally confronting the secrets she keeps, her ideas about love, and the weird grandiosity of the human mind.

A raw, funny story that will surprise you over and over, Again Again gives us an indelible heroine grappling with the terrible and wonderful problem of loving other people. 

My thoughts: I requested this book from Net Galley as I really enjoyed We Were Liars, but this book was nothing like that.  It was sort of a multiple universe story as Adelaide's story was told in different scenarios depending on what/how she or someone else reacted in different situations.  It was hard to read in the beginning, but once you grasped the format it became much easier.  It sort of reminded me of myself as a teenager, when I would replay a scene in my head by how I wished it had gone. . .   

The important part of the story was Adelaide's relationship with her brother, and this almost gets lost in this format.  I wish that there had been more attention paid to that storyline and not so much on Adelaide's love life - or lack of one.  Overall, it wasn't bad and introduced me to a new format of storytelling.