blogtours – Page 23 – Sincerely Karen Jo

CHEMISTRY LESSONS

Hello bookish friends and welcome to my Blog Tour Stop for Chemistry Lesson by Meredith Goldstein hosted by Rock Star Book Tours. Today, I have my review to share with you and a giveaway at the end.

Chemistry-Lessons_Goldstein
aboutthebook2
Pub. Date: June 19, 2018
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 256

Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD

From advice columnist Meredith Goldstein, a dazzling, romantic, and emotionally resonant YA debut about a teen science whiz in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who tries to crack the chemical equation for lasting love and instead wreaks havoc on herself and the boys in her life.

For seventeen-year-old Maya, the equation for happiness is simple: a dream internship at MIT + two new science nerd friends + a perfect boyfriend = one amazing summer. Then Whit dumps her out of the blue. Maya is miserable until she discovers that her scientist mother, before she died, was conducting research on manipulating pheromones to enhance human attraction. If Maya can finish her mother’s work, maybe she can get Whit back. But when her experiment creates chaos in her love life, she realizes that maybe love and loss can’t be understood using the scientific method. Can she learn to trust the unmeasurables of love and attraction instead?

reviewrating

4hearts

Cute and Charming YA Contemporary

reviewthoughts

Chemistry Lesson by Meredith Goldstein is a lighthearted and charmingly fun novel with a unique scientific twist on love and attraction. It’s quite endearing, adorably amusing, and sweet. I had a good time reading this book and would definitely recommend it.

The premise of this book was really intriguing and fun and I really did like this book, but I didn’t completely fall in love with the story like I expected. Plot wise, some parts were slow and there just wasn’t enough excitement for me in the beginning. Having said that, it does get better and there were fun scenes that I loved and the storyline itself was well-written and easy to follow that I was able to finish this in less than 24 hours. The pacing was also pretty good and while some moments were a bit predictable, I enjoyed all the deliciously fun surprises along the way. The romance wasn’t super swoony or anything, but a few cute moments certainly made me smile. Maya’s relationship with her father was also heartwarmingly sweet and I really enjoyed all their scenes together. The ending was great and I loved how it just brought the whole story together and left me feeling happy.

Maya was a great lead and I really liked her a lot. She was smart, passionate and incredibly determined. However, I wasn’t really in favor of her trying to get her ex-boyfriend back and being a little bit inconsiderate about other people’s feelings while she conducted the experiment. I didn’t always agree with her choices and found her frustrating at times, but she’s also someone teenage me can easily relate to… and honestly, I’ve probably been her at one point or another.

I thought the supporting characters were realistic enough that any reader can most likely relate to one of them. They were annoying at times, but they acted their age and had a sense of genuine realness that made them really likable. However, no one really stood out to me except maybe Bryan. I thought his friendship with Maya was absolutely endearing. Not to mention he’s sweet, funny, and just an awesome best friend. Kyle wasn’t so bad either and he was quite adorable and charming at times, but I just didn’t swoon over him like crazy. Maybe I’m still hung over my other book boyfriends that Kyle just didn’t personally meet my standards right now. Totally not the book’s fault, so I’m sure others will find him cute and swoon-worthy.

Overall, this book was a very light, fun and cute read. It wasn’t spectacularly mind-blowing or anything, but it had a nice mixture of light drama, heartbreak, great friendships, self-discovery, and first loves. It’s charming in its own way and definitely a perfect summer YA contemporary read! Oh and I really enjoyed the “whiff walks.”

I picked up a physical advance reader copy of this book from HMH during Yallwest this year and I also voluntarily signed up to review this book and be part of a Blog Tour hosted by Rock Star Book Tours. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

authorbio2
Meredith Goldstein is an advice columnist and entertainment reporter for The Boston Globe. Her first novel “The Singles,” was released by Penguin/Plume on April 24, 2012.

In March of 2016, Grand Central Publishing acquired a memoir based on her column, Love Letters. It is scheduled to be released by Spring of 2018.

Meredith was born in New Jersey, raised in Maryland, went to Syracuse University, and now lives in Roxbury, Massachusetts with a carnival-size cotton candy machine that she bought for herself on her 30th birthday.

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Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

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3 winners will receive a finished copy of CHEMISTRY LESSONS, US Only.

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6/18/2018- The Heart of a Book Blogger– Review

6/19/2018- Sincerely Karen Jo– Review

6/20/2018- Novel Novice– Guest Post

6/21/2018- Here’s to Happy Endings– Review

6/22/2018- Riddle’s Reviews– Review

6/25/2018- Book Briefs– Review

6/26/2018- BookHounds YA– Interview

6/27/2018- Dani Reviews Things– Review

6/28/2018- Smada’s Book Smack– Review

6/29/2018- A Dream Within A Dream– Excerpt

Hope you enjoyed reading this post and don’t forget to join the giveaway! Have a lovely day everyone!

sincerelykarenjoendsign

aboutthebook2

Looking for Dei
David A. Willson
Publication date: March 23rd 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Fifteen-year-old Nara Dall has never liked secrets. Yet it seems that her life has been filled with them, from the ugly scar on her back to the strange powers she possesses. Her mysterious father refuses to say anything about her origins, and soon, she and her best friend must attend the announcement ceremony, in which youths are tested for a magical gift.

A gifted youth has not been announced in the poor village of Dimmitt for decades. When Nara uncovers the reason, she uses her own powers to make things right. The decision sets her on a path of danger, discovery, and a search for the divine. In the process, she learns the truth about herself and uncovers the biggest secret of all: the power of broken people.

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Anne.

Weeks had passed since last hearing His voice.

They are coming.

She stood in the doorway a moment, rigid, gazing out at nothing. In her inner eye, she saw travelers in need of her guidance and protection. After a time, she recovered from the vision and closed the door. She shuffled back to the table and took a seat.

“So you finally sent them, did ya?” She spoke to an empty room.

You are ready.

“I am old! My strength is gone!”

Her shoulders slumped as she stared into the bowl of food. A hard time was coming.

“You should have sent them long ago.”

In my own time. Do as you’re told.

“Or what? You’ll let me die?” She stirred the food with her fork but didn’t take a bite. “I’ve been asking for years to rest, but you’ve left me to rot here.”

He didn’t respond. So be it. Such a long wait, but perhaps she could finish things now. It was a good thing He gave her to do, or so He had always said. She had prepared long ago with the expectation that the task would have been completed by now. She had never expected to wait so long, and resentment had long since replaced her enthusiasm. She often wondered if she had been forgotten, or if the delay had been intended as punishment for her past sins.

So, they are finally coming. She had yearned to hear those words ages ago. All the years, all her adventures, all her mistakes.

“You better help me with this. I mean it.”

Hunger pangs sprang up within. Not only would she need her own strength for what came next but all the strength He could send her as well. She hoped He would be true in this. She did not have what this task required, but of course, that had always been His way. They were coming to her in the twilight of her days, requiring her to depend all that much more on Him. It made for a scenario where He got all the credit, robbing her of any glory for the accomplishment.

She ate the bowl of stew, then served herself another. As she chewed her food, she carved an ornate design into the wood of the table with one of the tines of her fork. Light. Yes, that was it. She carved another. Earth. Harder, but still one of the easy ones. She carved a third. It was wrong, and she bit her lip in frustration. She tried again, much more slowly, deliberating with each stroke, and eventually revealed a design in the wood far more complex than the previous two. “That’s protection, isn’t it oh majestic procrastinator?” She looked up, but He didn’t respond to her irreverence.

She would remember. Then she would teach. But there would be pain.
authorbio2

David A. Willson has worked as a restauranteur, peace officer, and now, author. Taught by his mother to read at a young age, he spent his childhood exploring magic, spaceships, and other dimensions. In his writing, he strives to bring those worlds to his readers.

Much of his material is inspired by the “Great Land” of Alaska, which he has called home for over 30 years. He lives there with his wife, five children, and 2 dogs. He is passionate about technology, faith, and fiction—not necessarily in that order.

Looking for Dei is Willson’s debut novel, set in a land where many more adventures will take place. Stay up to date with his ongoing efforts through the Looking for Dei Facebook page or visiting the website at davidawillson.com.

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