Monday, November 21, 2011

Review: WAITING FOR THE MAGIC and VIRTUOSITY


 Stars: 5/5
 Format: ARC from Simon and Schuster
 Read: November 20, 2011

This was perhaps the cutest book I've read on the subject of "divorce" and fathers leaving. There is not a sad feeling in this book. Yes, sad things happen, but there's always hope.
The book is filled with straight forward innocence. It's the magic of having animals to love and protect you, about having an imperfect family that really is perfect in the end, and about having hope.
I entered a drawing for the ARC because my mom's a teacher who deals with lots of children with broken families. I won it, and was reading it for my mom, to test drive it. I would personally recommend this book to any age, from toddlers to grown ups. Perfect magic.




Stars: 5/5
Format: ARC from Simon and Schuster
Read: November 21, 2011 

I got this book as an ARC from Simon and Schuster along with the ARC that I 
actually wanted. They said they had "extra" so, naturally, give the girl who wanted a children's book ARC a YA ARC. I read the synopsis and promptly rolled my eyes and put it at the bottom of my "to read and review" pile. Really, a drug addict violinist? That could go so many different ways, most of them shady.
However, I eventually broke down and read it because I needed the book space. Well, another book is going to have to go because I actually liked this book a lot. Enough to give it five stars.
This book isn't about Carmen being a druggie. In fact the "drug", which happens to be a beta blocker (and you can't physically get addicted to those easily), appears every now and then. Whoever wrote the blurb obviously didn't know what they were talking about and condemned the book. Let it be noted that I hate most all romance, especially modern ones. Every modern romance I pick up includes sex, shallow people, sex, prissy teen whiners, and more sex. This book has none of those.
Carmen is quirky, independent, and refreshing. She's not a stereotype, which I was shocked about. And Jeremy isn't hanging on every page, blubbering and carrying on about love and such. It isn't even a typical "I hate the guy because he's a jerk and oh now I find that hawt and I'm totally into the bad boy thing". It's actually very... normal. But like, normal refreshing where the characters could actually exist in real life. It's hard to explain, but all "modern" novels walk a fine line between stereotypes and plausible characters and the author did a fantastic job staying on the right side of the line.
Although I enjoyed it, I am not completely in love with this book like some of my other 5 star books. But that doesn't mean it's not good, and I believe it deserves 5 stars because of the refreshing way the author tackled what could have easily been a huge disaster. I'm sure that for romance lovers that are sick of romance this would be the perfect book.
I'm super excited the semester is almost over. It's been awful, worst semester yet in terms of trying to pass and it's my senior year! Anyhow, I've been studying hours per day, every day, weekends and weekdays. I've been reading when I can, but reviewing is a sporadic thing. So yeah, lots of updating with my few reviews over Thanksgiving Break!

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