17. tra 2014.

ARC Review - Don't Call Me Baby by Gwendolyn Heasley

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Publication date: April 22nd, 2014

My rating: 3 stars

Book summary:

"All her life, Imogene has been known as the girl on THAT blog.

Imogene's mother has been writing an incredibly embarrassing, and incredibly popular, blog about her since before she was born. Hundreds of thousands of perfect strangers knew when Imogene had her first period. Imogene's crush saw her "before and after" orthodontia photos. But Imogene is fifteen now, and her mother is still blogging about her, in gruesome detail, against her will.

When a mandatory school project compels Imogene to start her own blog, Imogene is reluctant to expose even more of her life online...until she realizes that the project is the opportunity she's been waiting for to tell the truth about her life under the virtual microscope and to define herself for the first time."

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19153084-don-t-call-me-baby

      I am confused. 

I started reading Don't Call Me Baby expecting light and fun read, but can you blame me. Clue number one: look at that cover - sea, sunshine, naked legs. Screams summer romance and beach parties. Clue number two: read the book summary - wouldn't you expect something like diary entries trough which we will find out about secret crushes, first date, kissing on the beach under the moonlight. Or it is just me and what I wanted to read at that moment? After first ten pages I realized that it won't be mindless read I was craving for - and that was not a bad thing. I loved it as soon as I figured out that story is focused more on mother and daughter relationship, blogging and the way internet affects our everyday lives

Two girls, daughters of bloggers, decide to fight back and make their mothers finally hear them using the only media they actually communicate trough - blog. That is where second "I am confused" moment comes. The best part of the story is mother/daughter interaction and I loved how Meg, Imogene's mom, was portrayed. Everything that happened around the middle was expected and pretty much way that things would go in the real life. And then - what? Imogene suddenly changes, she starts doing a lot of things that aren't completely in tune with her statements from the beginning. Also, whole "go offline" talk was... weird. And hypocritical. But it is not just about character development - it's like author herself changed her mind about the point she wanted to make and you have a feeling like you are reading fragments of two different books. 

Don't Call Me Baby is novel with a lot of potential and original premise, but mixed messages and inconsistencies are what made me cool off after my initial positive reaction.


Happy reading,
***Copy of this book was provided by publisher, Harper Teen, via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.***

34 komentara:

  1. I have a feeling this wouldn't work for me, precisely because of the issues you mentioned, Glass. Thanks for such a helpful review, dear!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  2. I read this one recently too and I agree, it was different and not what I was expecting.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. It's not that it is a bad book - it is pretty decent read, I'd probably like it more if ending was just a little bit different.

      Izbriši
  3. I really like the sound of the way the mum/daughter relationship is explored here, but it's funny that the cover and blurb gave you a completely different feeling about the book!

    Mands @ The Bookish Manicurist

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. I stumbled upon few books with misleading covers so far, but I am glad that this book turned out to be more serious.

      Izbriši
  4. you're right I would have exepcted something different as well. I didn't know this one but it's strange she is changing in the middle of the story like that. It would have surely upset me as well I confess. But in a whole the story can be interesting.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. It is interesting, especially if you compare it with other realistic young adult novels.

      Izbriši
  5. I loooooove this cover. I would expect the kind of things you did, for sure. I'm glad you liked the actual idea behind this story. Though.. I've heard that Imogen is pretty much a not likable MC :( I'm sorry her character changed in a negative light for you :(

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. She started out kind of bad-ass what I liked, but I'd like it much more if it ended differently.

      Izbriši
  6. ah this sounds like something i would enjoy, but the cover def suits a more mindless read xx

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. Then you should read it, I have no doubt that there are readers who won't mind half of the things I didn't like.

      Izbriši
  7. Hmmm . . . I think I'll pass on this one. The premise sounds kind of weird to begin with, and then switching ideals/inconsistencies halfway through the story. . . I don't think I'd like it. I'm sorry you weren't crazy about it either.

    Jessica @ Rabid Reads

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. Judging by your reviews on Rabid Reads, I think you wouldn't enjoy this book that much, so that would be a good idea.

      Izbriši
  8. I decided a while ago to not read this. It does sound rather confusing and god. Just change their opinion half way? O.o

    Lovely informative review, Glass! <33

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  9. I'm sorry that this book wasn't entirely what you were expecting Glass, I too would assume that its a fun fluffy Summery sort of read. But the focus on the mother daughter relationship I do find highly appealing, so I would probably end up still giving this book a go one day! Lovely review!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. I loved that aspect of the story too and her mother was great character. (I didn't like a lot of things she had done, but the way she was portrayed is so believable.)

      Izbriši
  10. This book sounds like a very average read. And I too would think like a summer fling/romance over a mother daughter relationship, which would make me very confused. It's like there is two sides to this novel, but you wouldn't think a mother blogging about her daughter's life to be one of them. Great review though, Glass!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  11. Hmmm. It's too bad that Imogene starts changing at the end and doing things that seem out of character for the girl you've spent time with up until that point. Always so disappointing when that happens, particularly when you'd loved the book thus far. Still, I love that this book features mother/daughter relationships, I haven't read too many books with that as a focus!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. Me neither and that is the main reason why I liked it.

      Izbriši
  12. The cover and the description do sound a bit misleading, but it sounds like a decent read anyway. I guess I find I'm a bit curious.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. I hope you will read it and like more than I did.

      Izbriši
  13. I am at about 25% and liking it so far but worried about the middle and the turn around

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  14. Hmmm I like the concept but not a fan of the execution. I also hate when a book is marketed as something and then it is not.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  15. Sorry about the confusion. That does sounds like it could be a turn off for the book. Great review! I hope you have better luck with your next read.

    Janina @ Synchronized Reading

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  16. I think I would have been confused as well. Nice review Glass :)

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  17. This one really does sound pretty confusing, it seems like so many things changed at that middle point of the book which can be a huge turn off. And I agree - it seems like a fun summer read from the cover, ha!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  18. Me too, Aman. You can skip this one, I know that you wouldn't like it.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  19. This book hasn't been receiving the best of reviews and your review just confirmed that I probably wouldn't enjoy it anyways. I was hoping this would be a fun summery and mindless read too, but too bad it's not that. It also sounds like the author didn't really know what she wanted to spread with the book. :(
    Great review, Glass.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  20. I've been reading a lot of mixed reviews for this one, and I'm not sure if I would like it or not. I agree I would expect a lighter read, and this sounds kind of all over the place. I think I wouldn't be too broken up if I just skipped it. Thank you for your honest review!

    OdgovoriIzbriši

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