Dating Down by Stefanie Lyons

Title: Dating Down

Author: Stefanie Lyons

Release Date: April 8th, 2015

Publisher: Flux

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Synopsis (Goodreads): When a good girl falls for a bad boy

She thought she loved him. She thought she could change him. She thought if she just believed in him enough, his cheating and his drugs and his lying would stop, and she'd be his and he'd be hers and they'd love each other forever.

But for Samantha Henderson, X-the boy she will not name-is trouble. He's older, edgier, bohemian . . . and when he starts paying attention to Sam, she can't resist him. Samantha's family and friends try to warn her, but still she stays with him, risking her future and everything that really matters.

As moody and vivid as it is captivating, Dating Down is told in scenes and bursts of poetry that create a story filled with hurt, healing, and hope.

My Review

When I found out that this book was told in verse, I was ecstatic. Having read all of Ellen Hopkins' books, I had very high hopes for this one. While it did deliver some good points, I was still slightly disappointed. 

Verse books, in my opinion, are very character oriented. It's hard to have a very intense plot told completely in poetry. Thus, characters are a very important part of verse stories. I didn't feel a major connection to any of the characters in this book. Sam is our main protagonist, but I felt very distanced from her. I didn't feel any emotions toward her or her situation, which is something I look for in books told in verse. I also didn't get to know any of the other characters very well. The main event in this book is Sam's romance with X, and I felt really indifferent to him as a character. He was just kind of there. 

Plot in verse is always interesting, and I think Stefanie Lyons did a good job of showing Sam's relationship really well. One of my favorite things about books told in verse, is that they are quick reads, and this one was no exception to that. I read this really quickly, even though I felt that this book was pretty predictable. 

I applaud Stefanie for writing in verse, because it is truly an art form. She did a great job, with a new style on each page. I love books in verse, and the writing of this one was very well done. 

Rating: 3.5/5 worms

The Bottom Line: A nicely done verse book that tackles the subject of teenage relationships. 

March Wrap Up & April TBR

A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty

Title: A Corner of White

Author: Jaclyn Moriarty 

Release Date: April 1st, 2013

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Format: Audiobook

Add it: -Goodreads

Synopsis (Goodreads): The first in a rousing, funny, genre-busting trilogy from bestseller Jaclyn Moriarty!

This is a tale of missing persons. Madeleine and her mother have run away from their former life, under mysterious circumstances, and settled in a rainy corner of Cambridge (in our world).

Elliot, on the other hand, is in search of his father, who disappeared on the night his uncle was found dead. The talk in the town of Bonfire (in the Kingdom of Cello) is that Elliot's dad may have killed his brother and run away with the Physics teacher. But Elliot refuses to believe it. And he is determined to find both his dad and the truth.

As Madeleine and Elliot move closer to unraveling their mysteries, they begin to exchange messages across worlds -- through an accidental gap that hasn't appeared in centuries. But even greater mysteries are unfolding on both sides of the gap: dangerous weather phenomena called "color storms;" a strange fascination with Isaac Newton; the myth of the "Butterfly Child," whose appearance could end the droughts of Cello; and some unexpected kisses...

My Review

I knew that I was going to love this book. I just knew. This book is so original, and it's unlike anything that I've read from the Young Adult genre before. 

This book was incredible. I'm just going to say that before I start. It was so original. The world, or should is I say worlds, in this book is incredibly well developed. This book reminds me a lot of a fairytale retelling, except it's not a fairytale and it's not a retelling. The plot of this book isn't crazy, which gave the book a sense of perfect balance. It is essentially the story of two people who are dealing with some problems in their lives, but in two different worlds. I think this book is best to go into without any synopsis, so I'm not going to go into any more details. 

The relationship between Elliot and Madeleine is really what this book is about. Sure, there may be other things that intrigue you, but Elliot and Madeleine have such a true relationship. It's not romantic, which made this book a breath of fresh air. These two characters are forming a friendship across two worlds, and they are able to help each other with their problems. That is incredible. 

Jaclyn Moriarty, your writing is incredible. This book sucked me in instantly, and the writing was beautiful. As I said above, this book reminded me of a fairytale retelling because of the writing; it was fabulous. This book made me feel nostalgic, and I felt like I knew each of the characters on a personal level. Bravo. 

Rating: 5/5 worms

Read it. You won't regret it.