Thursday, May 21, 2020

In a Nutshell Reviews: YA Edition


In a Nutshell Reviews are my version of mini-reviews, because sometimes, you just want the highlights.

Say Yes Summer
Lindsey Roth Culli
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Rating:  5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Netflix/Hallmark Channel rom-coms, this is the story of a girl who decides to give in to the universe and just say yes to everything, bringing her friendship, new experiences, and, if she lets her guard down, true love.

The perfect book to kick off summer! For as long as Rachel Brooks can remember, she's had capital-G Goals: straight As, academic scholarship, college of her dreams. And it's all paid off--after years of following the rules and acing every exam, Rachel is graduating at the top of her class and ready to celebrate by . . . doing absolutely nothing. Because Rachel Brooks has spent most of high school saying no. No to dances, no to parties, and most especially, no to boys.

Now, for the first time in her life, there's nothing stopping Rachel from having a little fun--nothing, that is, except herself. So when she stumbles on a beat up old self-help book--A SEASON OF YES!--a crazy idea pops into her head: What if she just said yes to . . . everything?

And so begins a summer of yes. Yes to new experiences and big mistakes, yes to rekindled friendships and unexpected romances, yes to seeing the world in a whole new way. This book is a fresh and fun take on the coming-of-age novel that explores the quintessential themes of growing up: taking risks, making mistakes, and, of course, love. And who knows? Lindsey Roth Culli's hilarious and heartwarming debut may just inspire your own SAY YES SUMMER.
She worked hard for the past four years, earning the title of valedictorian and a spot in the freshman class at Northwestern University, but in order to accomplish her goals, she had to miss out on many things. That was why Rachel decided to stop saying NO, and to make this her SAY YES SUMMER.
  • Pro: This book was the super-fun rom-com I was hoping for. It was great watching Rachel expand her social circle, as well as, reconnecting with a childhood friend. We went to parties, crossed the boarder, and even climbed over 300 steps together. I had a terrific time sharing all these experiences with her, and I, more or less, had a smile on my face the whole time.   
  • Pro: There was also some substance to this book. As Rachel said YES, she was experiencing many notable firsts and teen rites of passage. All this YES led to some mistakes, and she sort of lost herself in all of it for a bit. But, have no fear, she quickly found her way back. This idea of risk taking, but staying true to yourself was prevalent, and I quite liked the way Culli wove it into Rachel's tale. 
  • Pro: I adored Rachel. Her determination, focus, and dedication were admirable, but I also liked seeing her explore new options. I loved being in her head, because Rachel with no filter was fantastic, and I just found her so honest and real. 
  • Con: Alert! Love triangle! I am not a huge fan of these, though, it was, thankfully, short lived, and I was ok with the way it worked out.  
  • Pro: Rachel's family was so fabulous! They had some ups and downs with Rachel during her summer of yes, but they were patient, and always loving. I especially adored her Nonna, who was wise, and often, hilarious. She was a straight shooter, and had no problem setting Rachel straight, but she did it with lots of love and affection. 
  • Pro: I already mentioned the love triangle, and I have to admit, both the suitors were pretty wonderful. On the one hand, there was her crush, who she had pined for throughout high school. On the other hand, there was the boy she grew up with, shared a million memories with, and who she suddenly started seeing in a different light. I will admit, I enjoyed the bit of romance she shared with both of them, and that sort of made me this particular triangle a bit difficult for me. 
Overall: You know what I don't regret? Saying YES to this book, because I had the BEST time reading it! It was fun, sweet, touching, and it left me with a gigantic case of the warm-fuzzies and a HUGE grin on my face.



I'll Be the One
Lyla Lee
Series: I'll Be the One, #1
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Rating:  4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
The world of K-Pop has never met a star like this. Debut author Lyla Lee delivers a deliciously fun, thoughtful rom-com celebrating confidence and body positivity—perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Julie Murphy.

Skye Shin has heard it all. Fat girls shouldn’t dance. Wear bright colors. Shouldn’t call attention to themselves. But Skye dreams of joining the glittering world of K-Pop, and to do that, she’s about to break all the rules that society, the media, and even her own mother, have set for girls like her.

She’ll challenge thousands of other performers in an internationally televised competition looking for the next K-pop star, and she’ll do it better than anyone else.

When Skye nails her audition, she’s immediately swept into a whirlwind of countless practices, shocking performances, and the drama that comes with reality TV. What she doesn’t count on are the highly fat-phobic beauty standards of the Korean pop entertainment industry, her sudden media fame and scrutiny, or the sparks that soon fly with her fellow competitor, Henry Cho.

But Skye has her sights on becoming the world’s first plus-sized K-pop star, and that means winning the competition—without losing herself.
Skye was fierce, and she was here to show the haters, that size doesn't define her.
  • Pro: Skye was a-m-a-z-i-n-g! I ran for president of her fan club after just the first chapter. That's how much I adored her. She was the type of person I would gravitate towards, because of the good vibes and confidence she exuded. But, the more I learned about her and her mother, the more I admired her, and was actually quite shocked by how well adjusted she was. 
  • Pro: Though she was fat shamed by her mother, and considered unattractive by many for being plus-sized, Skye still loved herself. She thought of herself as cute, and on some days, pretty. Which was wonderful, but I also appreciated that Lee included the idea that being fat doesn't necessarily mean unhealthy, and that genetics also play a role in body type.
  • Pro: It was great being on the show. I loved the rehearsals, the performances, and everything that had to do with competition. I found myself completely wrapped up in all the excitement and drama, and I loved getting carried away by it all. 
  • Pro: Henry was one the best surprises for me. I wasn't sure how to receive him at first, or how he would fit into this story, but he ended up being a sweet little cinnamon roll, who won my heart. 
  • Con: I did wish there was more resolution regarding the situation with Skye's mother, and though I was smiling as I read the last page, I found myself wanting a bit more.  
  • Pro: Watching the romance unfold was so satisfying for me. It happened slowly and sweetly, and they were so gooey and cute together. LOVED IT! 
Overall: I think everyone will find it easy to cheer for Skye as she defies the odds, and shows the world, that a plus-sized girl can love herself AND be a K-pop star.


** ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

Have you read any of these books?
Let us know in the comments!

35 comments:

  1. OMG, the cover for I'll be the One is GLORIOUS! I think I want to be secretary of Skye's fan club after this review!! LOL!

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    1. She was such a great character, and I like that they put a model on the cover, who properly represents her, and captures her personality.

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  2. I feel like standing up at my desk and cheering for Skye. I haven't even read the book and I already love her and think she is my new role model. :) I adore her confidence and the spotlight of body positivity.

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    1. Her character was really well written and realistic. She got down, when she was targeted, or when her mother tried to discourage her from dancing because she was "too big", but she held her head high, and generally felt good about herself. Loved her!

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  3. I love how both of these covers just scream SUMMER - they are so pretty, especially I'll Be The One!
    I don't think I could read the first because love triangle (super appreciate the warning!), but I'll Be The One sounds so lovely and charming. I'm definitely interested.

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    1. Though I'll Be the One isn't set during the summer, it has the right mood. Triangles aren't deal breakers for me (though I hate, when they pit family members against each other), and it didn't dominate the story. It also ended the way I wanted, so I was good with it.

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  4. They say this is Roth Culli's debut, but it isn't! Her first book (that I know of) came out in 2016, via a publisher that shut down shop a couple of years ago. I actually read and reviewed it back then. I don't think it's still available, but maybe there are remainder copies somewhere, if you're interested:
    https://offbeat-ya.blogspot.com/2016/08/lindsey-roth-culli-this-above-all-arc-review.html

    Alas, I'm not sure a plus-size girl could actually become a K-Pop star in this day and age, but maybe it's also thanks to books like this that it will happen in a (hopefully) near future! Lovely cover too!

    Glad that these two made you smile all the way through.

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    1. I knew this was not a debut (didn't mark that column), and I also saw your review, when I was looking into her other books. Well, I mean, almost any book featuring a plus sized girl is more wishlist than reality, which is sad, since talent should count for something.

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  5. I was going to steer clear of Say Yes to Summer because of Jen's (original review) regarding the love triangle but then she told me you informed her about a different ending. That's crazy! but makes me interested int he book again lol

    I'll Be the One looks adorable.

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. Me and Jen were talking about it, and we figured out her ending was different. Crazy! I am glad the author changed it though. My ending was much better.

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  6. And here I thought YA was taking a break from love triangle, whomp whomp.

    I really love the cover to I'll Be the One. It really does seem to capture Skye's positivity!

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    1. The triangle is part of the story, but not the main part. It developed pretty late in the story, and they are not dealbreakers for me.

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  7. Oooh I haven't heard of either of these - I feel so out of the loop with YA at the moment and really want to get back into it!

    Steph - www.nourishmeblog.co.uk

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    1. There are a lot of great books out there. I am all about the contemporaries, but I know there are tons of fantastic books in other genres too.

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  8. Glad you enjoyed Say Yes Summer! It sounds adorable and cute despite the love triangle, which I'm not too bothered about (depending on the execution, but considering it's short lived I don't think it'll be an issue for me personally).

    Ahhhhh I love the sound of I'll Be One (especially with the concept of K-pop and how there's a variety of competition shows in the past few years). I'm kind of interested in seeing how Henry will play a part in it though... 🤔

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    1. It was adorable, and I feel like most will be ok with the triangle. It's not the biggest part of the story, you know? I just had so much reading this. It was adorable.

      I liked that we spent a lot of time in the actual competition. It's not happening in the background, it's very much part of the story. Awww, Henry. I have to smile, when I think of him. I hope you get to read it, and love him and Skye as much as I did.

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  9. You liked Say Yes Summer more than I did. I think if I had read your review prior to reading it, I would have known it wouldn't have been for me.
    I also read I'll Be the One and I totally adored that book. It was so much fun!

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    1. I know triangles are dealbreakers for some, which is why I mentioned it. It's not really a con for me, though I am not a huge fan, because they rarely don't go the way I want them to (I can think of one, which the author didn't even really fix in the sequel, but I am trying to let that go)

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  10. Aww, Say Yes Summer sounds like so much fun!!

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    1. It was, and the timing was perfect, because I really needed something fun and feel-good, when I got the approval.

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  11. Rachel's Nona sounds amazing. Kind of like my grandma on my dad's side. I miss her to pieces. I'm already rooting for Rachel's childhood friend to be the winner in the love triangle. Not a fan of those, but sounds like this one wasn't bad.

    I agree, genetics do play a role in our body shape and I think that a good healthy weight for one person may not be the same for another. I think it's better to focus on being healthy with our eating habits and exercise than trying to be model thin, which is usually not healthy at all. I'm happy Ms. Lee was able to get that idea across.

    Both sound like wonderful reads! :)

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    1. I appreciate, when books featuring plus sized characters talk about being healthy and take body type into consideration. We are not one size fits all here. Nonna was the best! I think it's important to have characters like her in books.

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  12. I think I need Say Yes Summer in my life. Thanks for the warning about the love triangle, though.

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. I personally don't have big issues with triangle, but I know a lot of people do. The happiness I felt from all the fun and cute stuff more than canceled my annoyance for love triangles.

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  13. Both of these books sound amazing! I could see myself enjoying both of them. Say Yes to Summer is something that I think my daughter would enjoy. I am going to see if she wants to add it to her tbr list.

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    1. It was so fun, and the idea of not letting fear rule your choices is something I really appreciated.

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  14. These both sound as fun as the delightful covers!

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  15. I had an opportunity to read SAY YES TO SUMMER and declined! I'm kicking myself right now after reading your review. I was taking a break from requests since so many of them had been flops recently. Boo. I'll definitely be checking the library for it. :)

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬

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    1. It was too cute. If you don't mind triangles, it is just fun and sweet and there's family, and well, I just loved it. I think it would be great on audio too.

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  16. Both of these reviews are so glowing! I am so excited to see Say Yes Summer is mostly pros (well, that both of them are). Brilliant. As we already discussed, I don't mind love triangles if they are done well. In fact, knowing that Rachel is flawed and makes mistakes actually makes this even more of a Want To Read for me.

    Great reviews!

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    1. I am going to tell you a secret, I don't really feature books I didn't love on the blog (unless I committed to a tour). If you see a review here, it's a book I really enjoyed. The whole point of YES was that Rachel needed to work on herself, and that was just one case of her going too far with the yes thing.

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  17. The I'll Be The One cover is amazing! I love the colours! K-pop is not and will never be my thing but I love the sound of this book as well! Your list of pros is strong... Especially cinnamon roll love interests! They're my favs.

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    1. That cover really captured Skye's persona well, and everything the cover model is doing is spot on. I have so much love for that sweet little unicorn boy. Those soft boys really are my faves, even if I am old enough to be his mom

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  18. The covers for both of these are so cute. I was sold on the first one as soon as I read "Perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Netflix/Hallmark Channel rom-coms" but your review really seals the deal. That just sounds like the perfect summer read!

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