Making Faces by Amy Harmon // Book review

Making Faces by Amy Harmon

Publication: February 21st 2017 by Spencer Hill Press (first publication on October 12th 2013)

Genres: contemporary, romance, amazingness (haha)

Number of pages: 300

Summary: Ambrose Young was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have . . . until he wasn't beautiful anymore.

Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us.

REVIEW

When I first heard about Making Faces, I thought I wasn't interested in it, because the cover with a shirtless guy was so misleading. I was pretty sure it was another new adult novel and I don't really enjoy those. I actually read this because of French reviewers, who kept recommending it to everyone. When I saw the new cover, I finally bought it, without really reading the synopsis.

Let me tell you: Making Faces is so much more than a romance. In the first pages, you think it's going to be the typical romance where the main character, who feels that she's ugly, will end up with that so hot guy. But oh, that's not the case at all and that's what I understood when the characters saw the events related to 9/11 unfold. It was the first time I read a book that dealt with the attacks in 2001 and the Iraq war. These events had heavy consequences on the main characters and I loved how it felt way more realistic because of that. Making Faces isn't just about our characters: it's about life in itself. Amy Harmon plays with cliches and turns them around every time.

The main characters were absolutely fantastic. I related so much to Fern, who was a bookworm, loved to write and wasn't confident. She doesn't feel beautiful and yet... She's a strong young woman, because she learned from an early age to take care of people. Ambrose seemed like her opposite at first, because he was this beautiful young guy who had it all... Until he hadn't. He was strong physically, but fragile emotionally, and also completely kind. But the one who stole the show was Bailey. He was hilarious and optimistic, despite his disease and knowing his life wouldn't be long. These three main characters were so complex and complementary from each other, it was absolutely wonderful to read about them.

Moreover, I loved their dynamics. Obviously, I loved the romance between Fern and Ambrose. Amy Harmon built it slowly and I loved how healthy, sweet, playful and profound it was. These characters were perfect to balance each other and it never felt like there was drama. In most novels, I roll my eyes so hard because of relationships drama, but here? It wasn't the case at all. I loved how Fern showed Ambrose that there were so much more to life than what he first thought. They loved each other for their personality and who they were and you could definitely feel that.

 The other relationship that shines through the whole novel is Bailey and Fern's. They've known each other their whole life and aren't scared to be who they are, even if they look ridiculous in front of the other. It's probably one of the purest friendship I've ever read about. 

 On top of these wonderful characters and relationships, Making Faces also talked of many important topics. I already mentioned it was set right during and after the attacks on the World Trade Center. This novel explores the consequences of these events on people, because their mentalities changed, but also for people who chose to go to war to defend their country. It was also the focus of abusive relationships, religion, tragedy and getting back on your feet when life hits you down. It was an emotional roller coaster (I cried so much) and from an early stage, I knew I was going to rate it five stars and that it would become one of my favourite books. I don't think I can give this book justice in a review, because it was how good it was. 

 Making Faces was such a wonderful and heartbreaking story, I know it will stay with me for the rest of my life. I'm so happy I finally discovered Amy Harmon's writing through this one and I cannot wait to read her other books. I have so much love for this novel that it's hard to put it through words, but I can only recommend you to drop everything to get yourself a copy.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? If you've read any other book by this author, tell me which one I should read next! :)

Mini-Reviews | YA Contemporary Edition

Look, it's the end of the summer and I *finally* read some contemporary novels! I'm so proud of myself, because it's a genre I don't reach for a lot... I've been very late on my reviews (I read the first two books of the post a month ago... Oops), so I choose to do a mini-review post, as it's been awhile, and you'll also have everything in one place. Yay! I've also been in a blogging slump, because I don't have a lot of alone time these days, but I'll try to fix this in September (but uni will start again so I don't know if I'll be able to *sobs*).

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I have a complicated relationship with Jennifer L. Armentrout's books. I loved her Lux series and Don't Look Back but never got into her other paranormal series, because they felt so cliché and I couldn't bear with it. I haven't read her New Adult books either, because it's a genre I hardly ever reach for - except for Colleen Hoover's novels - but I wanted to give this one a go.

In my opinion, this book is important, by the topics it brought and the message behind that. At times it could be a bit hard to read (urm listen to as I had it as an audiobook) because it didn't sugar-coat anything and I loved it. It felt so realistic and wasn't about privileged teens. If you're interested in reading about children abuse, foster kids, gangs… It was a good coming-of-age story about a girl who barely talk and I could totally relate to that (even if I don't have her trauma) and how it's frustrating not to know what to say, but also how people can judge you for it.

However, this book was way too long and it's one the main reasons I couldn't love it until the last part of the book that was fast-paced and a total page-turner. Moreover, the romance was so cringe-worthy. Mallory kept going on, and on, and on, about how hot Rider was and it was so frustrating: I GET IT, UGH. While I could feel the characters connection through it all, the way it was written made my eyes rolled, especially when the author was ending a chapter right before they kissed for the first time and then described it in details. There is a difference between romantic and cheesy…

Overall, this book tackled down some important topics and sometimes, I didn't see it coming. Nevertheless, I felt like there were so much drama at times and once again it could have been avoided (even if I understand that the characters are teens and all of that). The romance was cheesy and made me rolled my eyes more than once…

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan

I went into this book without having really read anything by these authors before - except Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which David Levithan co-authored, but I definitely want to read more of their books now that I finished You Know Me Well. I picked this up because I wanted a quick read and it's definitely what I got, because I read it in a couple of hours.

It was refreshing to read a dual perspectives book where you knew, from the beginning, that the main characters weren't going to end up together. I feel like the authors' writing styles clicked well together, even though Mark and Kate's voices were distinct from each other, and I could relate to them both in different ways. Almost every character (except the parents?) were part of the LGBTQIA+ community and it was just there, for you to assume it, when the contrary happens more often than not for straight characters.

While this book involved romance aspects, it was more of a coming-of-age story about how you can't always get what you want, but also how it's okay to be lost. Moreover, it focused a lot on friendship and how you can bond with someone when you expect it the least and how it can change your life forever. You Know Me Well wasn't set at the beginning of the school year, which happens 85% of the time in contemporary, but during the last few days, where you can feel independence and freedom on the tip of your tongue. Moreover, it showed that college isn't the only way after high school, that sometimes you can need a break and it isn't discussed enough, in my opinion. It involved a lot of art, which was so fascinating and discovering the world behind all of it was interesting.

Overall, I read this coming-of-age story pretty quickly, it was addictive and I had so many feels while reading. If you're looking for a LGBTQIA+ book, I would definitely recommend this one!

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Kasie West is one of my go-to contemporary authors, because her novels are always so cute, even if predictable, but well… We're talking about YA romance novels, I've given up on being surprised! Of course, when P.S. I Like You was released, I wasn't able to wait and read it almost straight away, I devoured it and oh, how I loved it.

The concept of the story was unique, because it was about getting to know someone through notes, so it was about who he was and it didn't focus on the physical aspect. It was so much fun to imagine the characters writing entire letters during class, I would've been found out straight away, but it was so cute. Of course, I had figured out the pen pal's identity straight away, but I was curious to see how the author would make me fall for this character… And oh damn, she did it! I was shipping the characters together so hard and I loved their character development, because we learnt so much about them through the letters and it brought a new light to them.

I loved the family aspect of the story, because I'm from a big family and it's a personal pleasure to read about these dynamics. Kasie West definitely captured what it felt like to be part of such a family, how you don't feel like you exist for yourself sometimes, because you always need to help your parents out, or how your family must seem crazy to strangers and it can mess up some aspects of your social life. All of that felt so realistic and Lily's family will remain one of my favourite fictional ones (I need to make a post on the subject I think!).

Overall, I think this book was amazing for a cute contemporary romance. I was rooting for the characters and fell in love along with Lily, so the author was definitely successful. I would 100% recommend Kasie West's books and you should start with this one, as it's my favourite!

Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour

After reading You Know Me Well, I was excited to read something by Nina LaCour and I had heard so many great things about Everything Leads To You. The hype was so real but it was so well-deserved, in my opinion. I'm excited to read anything she'll write next.

It was my first F/F romance actually (if we don't count You Know Me Well) and I really enjoyed it, I will definitely read more of them in the future. While this book involved a romance, it wasn't the main focus of the book, even though the characters interacted a lot. Indeed, this book was also about a mystery surrounding a movie superstar and its legacy, it was interesting and I was as involved as Emi and Charlotte in this search.

Moreover, this novel was set in Los Angeles and it was basically a behind-the-scenes of Hollywood, which I loved, because it's so interesting to read about it. Emi was an aspiring set designer and it was compelling to read about her having new opportunities and how everything she put in place was important for a movie. I have to say the design is something I don't always focus on (even if sometimes I'm awe-struck by rooms and need my apartment to be like that, haha). In fact, I'm glad that we saw everything about the pre-production and the book ended while they were starting filming, because it means we didn't get the glamorous parts, but what ends the fantasy, as the characters say.

I enjoyed reading about these characters, most of the main ones were so lost in their life and I was rooting for them to find their way, which they definitely did. I was shipping the characters together and I'm glad they got together at the end and not while they were in the middle of their own personal drama. Nina LaCour did great with the representation part, because there were persons of colours and people from different type of sexualities and I felt so pleased with that.

Overall, I wasn't blown away by this book, because it was easy to follow but it wasn't breath-taking. Nevertheless, it was a nice romance with characters I was rooting for and it brought to light some aspects of Hollywood we don't always see in books. If you're looking for a LGBTQIA+ book, I would definitely recommend it!

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? What was the last contemporary novel you read and loved?

Accepting yourself is the hardest | How It Feels to Fly

How It Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes

Published: June 14th 2016 by HarperTeen

Genre: young adult, contemporary, coming of age

Goodreads summary: The movement is all that matters. 

For as long as Samantha can remember, she’s wanted to be a professional ballerina. She’s lived for perfect pirouettes, sky-high extensions, and soaring leaps across the stage. Then her body betrayed her.

The change was gradual. Stealthy.

Failed diets. Disapproving looks. Whispers behind her back. The result: crippling anxiety about her appearance, which threatens to crush her dancing dreams entirely. On her dance teacher’s recommendation, Sam is sent to a summer treatment camp for teen artists and athletes who are struggling with mental and emotional obstacles. If she can make progress, she’ll be allowed to attend a crucial ballet intensive. But when asked to open up about her deepest insecurities, secret behaviors, and paralyzing fears to complete strangers, Sam can’t cope. 

What I really need is a whole new body.

Sam forms an unlikely bond with Andrew, a former college football player who’s one of her camp counselors. As they grow closer, Andrew helps Sam see herself as he does—beautiful. But just as she starts to believe that there’s more between them than friendship, disappointing news from home sends her into a tailspin. With her future uncertain and her body against her, will Sam give in to the anxiety that imprisons her?

REVIEW

If you didn't know this about me yet: I love ballet. I practiced for ten years (I had to stop to study *sigh*), but I still love to watch. Weirdly enough, I don't read many books about that. So when I heard about How It Feels To Fly, I was determined to read it for the one and only reason that the main character was practicing ballet. It looks like my contemporary mood is here, everyone! *happy dance*

First off, let me tell you that ballet's representation was accurate. When I was reading the description, I could imagine Sam dancing, which might have been easier because I knew the terms, but WHATEVER. While I was never a professional, I also think the book showed how this world actually worked, but also the struggles any dancer had to get through. Yes, your appearance is important in ballet, I won't deny that. For example, in the Opéra de Paris, you have restrictions for weight, but also height (which is pretty stupid as you can't fight it… But aesthetics, you know?), so I could definitely see people giving Sam the hard look as she had gained some weight.

People can be so stupid when they judge

I related so much to Sam as a main character. She had issues with her appearance, especially her weight, and even though it was never my case for the latter, I think that any teenager out there goes through this phase when you're doubting yourself (and even adults), hating how they look and all of that. Because of that, I could understand Sam's struggles and the mantra she had, in the end, made me so happy. We all need to believe in and accept ourselves. This book totally succeeded to pass through this message. Along those lines, Sam was also really insecure and had doubts about who she wanted to be. Because of that, How It Feels to Fly also managed to be a great coming-of-age story, grasping the feeling of doubt and fear for the future.

As this book was set in a camp, the characters had all the fun activities that go along those lines, but they always had a purpose, for they took a part in each camper's therapy. I was expecting so many more characters to be honest, but there was only six campers, two former campers helping around and a doctor. I appreciated the characters so much more because of that, since it allowed me to know all of them, I understood their issues and loved them all. It was also really interesting to see the dynamics between them evolve, as they were so distant in the beginning, because they were artists/athletes, and those are such individual paths, but then grew so close and helped each other out. Katie was by far my favourite of the campers, because she was like the little sister, so much cuteness there.

The little downside of the book was the romance. I admit that I could understand Sam's feelings, because she had a crush on Andrew, an older but not that much figure that helped her when she needed it the most. Sometimes these feelings get so confusing and it happened to me so many times, so I totally related to the romance and got why she was thinking about him so much. But it still took a big step on the story when I would have wanted to see more of the other stuffs. Nevertheless, I was satisfied with how the author concluded on the subject.

Reading about mental health was so interesting in How It Feels to Fly, because it was about how we need to face our fears to evolve. Of course, it's not easy. Of course, it takes all the time in the world. Of course, there is no complete cure and our issues can't leave us forever. This book still managed to depict so many different mental health issues and I felt like it was so important. I especially appreciated that the book was written in the first person, because we got to read Sam's inner voice, which was harsh, but rang true. My inner voice is also insufferable and I'm trying to shut it up every day. It's nice to see I'm not the only one.

Overall, I wasn't blown away by this book or anything, but I still think that it was a great contemporary novel about mental health that had a lighter tone to it, because of the summer camp setting. I definitely related to the main character, because of her struggles and her passion, and found that the author did a great job. I will definitely read Kathryn Holmes' next works.

Have you read this book yet? What did you think of it? Do you read books about ballet? If so, do you have some recs for me?