10. svi 2014.

ARC Review - Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu

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Publication date: May 13th, 2014

My rating: 3 stars

Book summary:

"Some secrets are too good to keep. 
Tabitha might be the only girl in the history of the world who actually gets less popular when she gets hot. But her so-called friends say she’s changed, and they’ve dropped her flat. 
Now Tab has no one to tell about the best and worst thing that has ever happened to her: Joe, who spills his most intimate secrets to her in their nightly online chats. Joe, whose touch is so electric, it makes Tab wonder if she could survive an actual kiss. Joe, who has Tabitha brimming with the restless energy of falling in love. Joe, who is someone else’s boyfriend.
Just when Tab is afraid she’ll burst from keeping the secret of Joe inside, she finds Life by Committee. The rules of LBC are simple: tell a secret, receive an assignment. Complete the assignment to keep your secret safe. 
Tab likes it that the assignments push her to her limits, empowering her to live boldly and go further than she’d ever go on her own.
But in the name of truth and bravery, how far is too far to go?"

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17693452-life-by-committee?ac=1

      So many mixed feelings. I don't remember last time I'd been this torn about rating a book. Or simply deciding did I like it at all. Life by Committee is a second novel written by Corey Ann Haydu and it was one of my anticipated reads after all great things I've heard about OCD Love Story.  What I got in the end? Let's make a list, shall we?

Fangirling moments:
  • All the parts about reading. As a bookworm, I could relate with all Tabitha's thoughts about reading and descriptions of how much she enjoys this activity. I was blown away with the idea of "active reading" - taking a notes, marking your favorite parts, drawing similes and hearts on the margins of your current read and then you forward that book to someone else. Reading books with other people's notes in it. I want to do that!
  • LBC webpage.  "Tell a secret, receive assignment. No pictures. Just your feet or shoes." I found this part of the story the most original for young adult contemporaries. I've started to take pictures and writing down all this crazy thoughts I have. I'm not sure that I am ready to reveal them to the world. 
  • Lesbian best friend. Finally!!! Why does girls always have to have gay best friend and not lesbian best friend?

Why do you have to rain on my parade moments:
  • My ex-best friend hates me because I have boobs and I like to talk/flirt with boys. I had a feeling like this whole part of plot supposed to be a serious approach to the subject of self-respect and the way teenagers come to the terms with their bodies and all social implications. What I got in the end is a story about hormonal girl, not that much serious dealing with the subject - just a lot of drama, drama, drama. Also, I am still not completely sure that I understood why her friends stopped talking with her. 
  • Cheating. Okay, we should not be judgmental, we should not support double standards about male and female sexuality, we should stop slut-shaming - I agree with all that wholeheartedly - but that is really hard to do when you have main character who acts without thinking, who whines about how other girls treat her and at the same time she does everything to prove them right and she judges other girl for the same thing. I understand how cruel place high school can be and that teenagers can be really naive, but that is not excuse for what Tabitha (and Joe) did. And she's not even that sorry. Okay... 
  • Parenting skills. Tabitha's parents are horrible. I am not sure if this was attempt to make them "hip" and "modern" or whatever, but I really do not care if some countries legalized marihuana or that there are a lot of people who thinks that it is not a big deal. Marihuana is a drug like any other that leads to an addiction and first step to more dangerous drugs. I do not think that this part of the story is something I'd ever want my kid to read and think how it is okay. I respect if there are people who do not agree with me, but I do not accept any drug as something normal or harmless (including cigarettes).
  • Mean Girls. At some point  Life by Committee lost "serious" part completely and turned into Mean Girls. It was like watching a slightly different scenes from the movie - especially ending of the novel.  

To finish this up...
  • Life by Committee is a novel that started promising , but ended up as a read with much more issues than positive things. This doesn't mean that there are no readers who will enjoy in this story, but, unfortunately, it was not a good choice for me.

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

Broj komentara: 14:

  1. I doubt I'd enjoy this, Glass. I hate books that are drama, drama, drama with very few exceptions. Cheating is a tricky issue and even if we're not supposed to judge it's still really hard to like characters who cheat unless there's some sort of understandable reason. Hard to pull off in a book. I don't think smoking marijuana is a good idea unless, you have cancer. Sorry to those who disagree. If her parents encouraged or allowed that, I'd think they were pretty irresponsible. Great honest review, Glass. :) This is a pass for me.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  2. Even from the summary, this book sounded like it could either be really good or not wind up living up to its potential. I'm sorry it fell flat for you after the beginning, Glass, but thanks for such a helpful review.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  3. i personally couldn't get over the cheating and her being obsessed with a guy who actually acts like an obvious douche but she's blind! I DNF-ed it after a couple of chapters.. i am disappointed.

    - Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  4. Great review Glass, I'm still really unsure about this book because it seems like reviews are straight down the middle. Too bad it fizzled in the later part of the book. Lovely review though!

    Jeann @ Happy Indulgence

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  5. I hadn't heard of this book, but I like the cover. It sounds interesting, but it's too bad it was disappointing to you.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  6. The drama and cheating have me running. Although I can see why certain aspects appealed to you and left you torn with your verdict.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  7. Read another review of this book and they echoed the same way. It's an emotional roller coaster, that's for sure, but the CHEATING! This is a hard theme to tackle, and it's always done so tastelessly in some way. I'm not sure what to feel about this.

    Faye at The Social Potato Reviews

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  8. Ah yes it's a complex review for this book. I'm not sure it could be for me because I things the things you mention you have annoyed me a lot... Thanks for the review though

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  9. Great review Glass! Lately i'm seeing this one pop up everyone and i can't decide whether or not to read it! I've heard mixed things and lots of reviewers are giving it three stars and i'm just all around confused! Great review though! :)
    Lily @ Lilysbookblog

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  10. Oh gosh, I can see why you are so torn about this one. I don't know, I don't think this would be the read for me.

    Great break down of what you liked and didn't like Glass!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  11. I can handle the behavior, if character growth is a result. I'm wondering if that happened here? If so, then I would consider the story worthwhile. If not, I would be disappointed here too.
    Thank you for the thoughtful review!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  12. Hmmm . . . I think I'm gonna have to pass on this one (as fun as "active reading" sounds). I have a really hard time liking books with cheating, and if dollface doesn't even feel remorse . . . yeah, no. ALSO--not a huge fan of Mean Girls. Big fan of this review, however ;) Well done, Glass!

    Jessica @ Rabid Reads

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  13. I'm still on the fence about reading this one! I do like the reading mentions, and the synopsis sounds interesting, but I am pretty tired of mean girls and cheating. I hope I have better luck with this if I do read it. Lovely honest review, Glass!

    OdgovoriIzbriši

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