Black Sheep Reviews - Volume 1

You ever read a book, and have an opinion that seems different from the majority of readers? That is exactly why I created Black Sheep Reviews.

Freefall Summer
Tracy Barrett
Series: n/a
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Charlesbridge Teen
Rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Fans of Sarah Dessen and Gayle Forman's emotionally-charged novels will laugh and cry with Clancy Edwards as she learns about taking chances and letting go during one unforgettable summer at her family's skydiving drop zone.

Sixteen-year-old Clancy Edwards has always been "the good girl." Ever since her beautiful, daring mother died in a skydiving accident, Clancy's father has watched her like a hawk. Between her dad's rules and her boyfriend's protectiveness, she's longing for an escape.

Then Clancy meets Denny, a college freshman and new skydiving student at the drop zone where she works. Clancy lets him think she's the same age. But the lies snowball over the summer and suddenly Clancy isn't the person she wants to be. If only making choices were as simple as taking a leap out of a plane. Before Clancy can make things right, one last act of rebellion threatens her chance to do so--maybe forever. 1

Clancy had been tiptoeing through life. She "colored between the lines", because she knew how deeply affected her father was by her mother's death. She could not do anything that would put her life or future in jeopardy. However, in her 16th summer, Clancy was through being treated like she would break. She was through letting other people make decisions for her. She was through having no voice in her own life, and she was ready to start living on her own terms. This was her coming-of-age, and I found Clancy's story to be quite enjoyable.

Who knew I would be saying something like this, but I really enjoyed learning about skydiving. A good chunk of this book takes place at the drop zone. I got to mingle with novice and seasoned skydivers, and I must say, I thought it was so interesting. I also got peeks at entries into Clancy's book, The Whuffo’s Guide to Skydiving. These entries were both informative and entertaining.

I also really appreciated the setting. I am doing a 50 states type reading challenge, and what I am noticing, is that the bulk of the books I have read take place in New York, California, or another coastal state. I was so delighted, that Barrett took me to Missouri. I feel like the middle states never get any love, and I enjoyed seeing some of them getting a little attention.

This father-daughter relationship needed a total makeover. Clancy's dad wasn't just overprotective, he also underestimated his daughter. Although Clancy went about it in the wrong way, she was able to show her father that there was a lot more to her than what he thought. Clancy was also able to open a line of communication between her and her father, that had not seem possible prior to this summer.

There were some wonderful and colorful characters at the drop zone too, many of whom were part of Clancy's defacto family. I loved meeting them all, and liked the support they gave to Clancy.

The book was a fairly quick paced read, with some action, romance and family drama, but my heart was won with the ending. There is nothing I love more than a jump-ahead ending, and Barrett's was so lovely. It gave me a ton of closure and put a huge smile on my face.

What I did know was that from now on I'd be in charge of my own life - the good parts and the bad parts - and if things didn't work out the way I planned, I'd pull my own serve and land on my own two feet. 

Overall: I really enjoyed this story of a girl trying to find her voice and come into her own.

No Filter
Orlagh Collins
Series: n/a
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

This poignant, sweepingly romantic contemporary YA debut is perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Jenny Han.

Anyone who follows Emerald on social media only sees a perfect life—a loving, wealthy family, a tight-knit group of friends, and a devoted internet following. But the truth hides behind the scenes of her perfectly framed, filtered photos . . . Emerald’s family is far from happy, and when she finds her mom unconscious on the bathroom floor, she can no longer keep it a secret.

Sent to stay with her grandmother in an isolated, wi-fi-free beach town while her mother recovers, Emerald fears the long, lonely summer. Then she meets Liam, an aspiring songwriter with his own troubles. But with secrets and lies all that they’re used to, can they really fall for each other—brave and true—with no filter?

The fresh, romantic debut novel is perfect for fans of Everything, Everything and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

Social media has trained us to "filter" our lives. Picking the parts we want people to see, and carefully projecting the desired image. Emerald had become an expert at filtering her life, but when her mother almost died, Em learned that she was not the only one in her family, who was hiding things.

I so loved this book! I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I smiled a whole heck of a lot. There was a bunch of "weighty" stuff explored, but the two things that stood out for me in the story were the family dynamics and the romance.

Em was struggling with her home life. Her father actually did her a favor by sending her to stay with her grandmother, because Em finally had someone taking care of her. It was quite lovely seeing the bond between Em and her grandmother renewed, and Gran was a pretty special lady, who had been paying for the sins of her son for some time. I was really happy she and Em were able to find some comfort in each other.

Liam had a pretty decent home life. He had an incredible mother, a nosy, but loving sister, a baby sister, who he adored, and a dad, who eventually grew to understand his son a little better. Sometimes it was really intense in Liam's house, but this family had been through a lot. They lost a lot, but they always had each other.

Now for the BEST part - the romance. This was a first love romance, which is one of my favorites. There is just something about seeing people feel those things for the first time, and sharing all those experiences that are so new with each other. I swear, I was smiling like a fool.

I was so grateful that this story was told in alternating points of view, because it was fantastic being in Liam's head. He was just such a sweet cupcake of a boy, and I was instantly in love with him. I also enjoyed seeing Em drop the filter and be legit with Liam. Being with him gave her things that she was looking for and things that she needed - love, support, and the freedom to just be. She was able to bare her soul without judgement, and Em needed someone like Liam in her life more than she thought she did.

There were a bunch of other things I really liked too:

• I love Ireland, and was happy to spend time in this Dublin seaside town. 
• I was fascinated by the slang. I learned a lot of new words. 
• I was pretty thrilled with choices Collins made for Em's family. I needed that more than I thought I did. 
• A grand gesture!!! Anyone who knows me, knows I get all soft and mushy from a grand gesture.
• The ending left me so happy and satisfied. 

Overall: A lovely story of first love, which left me drying my happy tears.

** ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

What are some of your "black sheep" books?

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