(Review) Lovestruck Summer by Melissa C. Walker

Title: Lovestruck Summer
Author: Melissa C. Walker
Published: May 2009 (HarperTeen)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Paperback lent to me from Racquel

Summary: Yay, summer in Austin! Good food, good times. Fun for everyone!

Okay, living with my sorority-brainwashed cousin, who willingly goes by "Party Penny," is not exactly what I had in mind.

But the cute musicians I've met totally make up for it . . . like Sebastian. Swoon.

So why can't I stop thinking about Penny's friend All-American Russ and his Texas twang??

Saturday & Sunday, from noon to midnight. Don't wait up!

I read Lovestruck Summer on a recommendation from Racquel - when she sent it to me in the mail with a note that basically said, "READ IT!" So I did. It was my last day of Bout of Books. I wanted something quick and fun, and Lovestruck Summer delivered.

Quinn - or Priscilla if you're her mom or the infuriating belt buckle-wearing Texan next door - was a music snob junkie from North Carolina who (somewhat dubiously) scored an internship for the summer with Amalgom Records in Austin. She had plans for the perfect summer between high school and college. Ideal internship. Hipster boyfriend with whom she could discuss music all day. Lots of (anything but country!) music.

Her plans came to pass...to an extent. The internship was there even if it didn't meet her exact expectations. She met Sebastian the hipster DJ almost right off the bat. There was obviously lots of music, but some of it was country. (Surprise! You're in Texas, honey.)

There were several things that were fabulous about this book. It was all about MUSIC! As a music lover myself, I always enjoy stories that incorporate music. Another thing was that Lovestruck Summer challenged stereotypes and encouraged readers to do the same. Sorority girls are all interchangeable bimbos? All country music is whiny and boring? False.

Melissa Walker knows how to write atypical love interests and teens who act like teens, both things I appreciate. Of course, as we've all been and known teenagers, we know this isn't always a plus on the enjoyment scale, but what it does do is add a nice element of realism to the experience. While Quinn had some hang-ups and preconceptions that were frustrating at times, it only served to make the book more realistic.

Russ was all kinds of adorable. I loved watching Quinn accidentally - and against her will - fall for him, fighting all the while. Throw in a cast of unique characters including a cross-dressing dog, and you've never read anything like it. Lovestruck Summer was quick and entertaining - a good summer read!

First:I live my life in headphones.

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Favorite:“Music is music, Priscilla,” says Russ. “If you love music, you give it all a listen. You see what there is to learn in every song you hear. You take chances on shows. That’s part of it.”

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(Review) Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker

Title: Unbreak My Heart
Author: Melissa C. Walker
Published: May 22, 2012 (Bloomsbury USA Children's)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Hardcover, borrowed from the library

Summary: Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now.

Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?

I went into Unbreak My Heart with fairly high hopes, because several people I trust had loved it. I quite enjoyed it overall; it was a good summer read with a great message. I really wish I could have been floating along on my own boat under the sun while reading it, but alas, I was wrapped up in a blanket in the basement. It was a nice escape read, though.

I did have one serious issue with the book that kept me from the massive amounts of love I would have had for it otherwise, and that was Clem. Her behavior was so annoying! Yes, she had a lot of crap going on, and I felt bad for her situation. But seriously. This chick took whining to a whole new level, and her tantrum throwing abilities could rival a 3-year-old's. I'm sorry, but if I had acted that selfish and bratty when I was 16, my parents would have ensured that there were consequences to that behavior. I appreciate that it added some realism in that she wasn't unrealistically mature about the situation. But I really could not fully empathize with a character who would actually act like that. Thankfully, part of the story was about growing as a person, and Clem did so. She became more likable as the story went on and she learned to deal with things.

If there could be an element to help balance out this negativity, Unbreak My Heart had it...in the form of James. James, of the red hair and freckles and smiles and incredible wonderfulness. I LOVED him. So much. He was so sweet and fun, yet at the same time, he wasn't shallow or lame. He was so earnest and endearing. One of my favorite YA boys I had read in a long time.

I also really liked Clem's family, which was a good thing, since she was stuck on a boat with them. Olive, her little sister, was so darling! She was one of those 10-going-on-40 girls, with her glasses and ways of being old beyond her years. Yet she was still a young girl and a total little sister. I liked Clem's mom with her hilarious relying on the cookbook A Man, a Can, and a Plan (which is a legitimate book, actually, much to my surprise).

Although I didn't love Unbreak My Heart as much as some other people did, I really liked it a lot! The "boat people" and all-around atmosphere was one of my favorite elements, original and seemingly authentic. There was a good point to the story. I am still harboring incredible amounts of love for James. I also really enjoyed how it was told in alternating chapters of past/present. All-in-all, I am definitely glad I read Unbreak My Heart.

Still, crazy people can be fun – especially during a summer when the sane ones aren’t really speaking to you.

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I didn't realize that, sometimes, even if a situation is getting out of control, it happens slowly, in these really small moments. And even if what’s happening is wrong, it can feel like it's right.

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I cannot include enough adjectives to get this feeling down. It involves fireworks, shooting stars, and sparklers on the dock, and it doesn't even feel like an exaggeration.

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Blog Tour: Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker- Guest Post

 Guess what? I am taking part in the Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker book blog tour and I have an AWESOME guest post VLOG from Melissa C. Walker for you!! This is totally epic cool because I am a TOTAL fan girl! Walker's Violet series is one of my favorites and also first read YA books, it definitely got me into the genre!

Melissa C. Walker on teenage love:

Find the author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Pinterest

The book:
Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker 

Expected publication: May 22nd 2012 by Bloomsbury USA 

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart? Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.

Buy the book: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depositary

Have you read any of Melissa C. Walker's books? aren't they great?! Don't hesitate to tell me what you think of her books :D

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