Joint Post: Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom

Hello everyone! Today I'm pleased to share with you another joint post with one of my favourite bloggers Donna from Book Passion for Life. Ditched was a book that both of us had sitting on our shelves for ages, so we both decided this would be the perfect opportunity to finally give this book a try. So before our joint post, here's a bit about the book.

Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication date: January 10th 2012.
My rating: 3.5 stars

There's a girl. Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. That said, she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her. And there's a boy. Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat, handle first. Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice. Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom. Then there's a ditch. But when Justina is ditched, figuratively and literally, she must piece together--stain-by-stain on her thrift store dress--exactly how she ended up dateless...with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven. To get the whole store, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. Can losing out at her prom ultimately lead to finding true love?

 

Joint Review

What I enjoyed about this book.
 
Jasprit: I enjoyed that Ditched wasn’t your typical read. I assumed that it would be a cute, light and fluffy read, but it actually had a deeper meaning behind the story. A story of a girl who at times could be annoying, but was trying her utmost hardest to lose this reputation that nearly everyone held of her for so long and have a good time with her prom date Ian. I enjoyed watching Justina’s character development and my opinion of her change too. But mostly what I enjoyed was how this story was told. We were given snippets into Justina’s prom night via the stains or marks she was left with from the unfortunate night. There were some nice pretty pictures starting each chapter off and then we’d get a back story into what each stain represented. I enjoyed guessing what each stain could represent and then learning the back story behind each one.  

Donna: I have to agree with Jasprit on this one. Ditched: A Love Story wasn’t your typical read. I had also assumed it would be a cute read and I had kind of already predicted how the story would go, but once I started reading, I totally had it wrong. The main character; Justina, really had to go through the ringer in order to process her feelings and of course, figure out how one of the best nights of her life goes so wrong. The love interest; Ian, comes across as a jerk to start with but as the book progresses you can see that it’s Justina that has everything mixed up. I really enjoyed how the story was told, it was through flash backs of the night while Justina was telling her story to two random women she meets and although it story dragged at times, it was still enjoyable.

What surprised you the most about this book?
 
Jasprit: Certain characters development over the course of the book. I especially enjoy a story more when I initially make quick assumptions about a particular character, but then as the story progresses, the characters end up taking me by surprise and changing my original assumptions I had completely. This happened to me with quite a few characters in Ditched.

Donna: Definitely the humour and the amount of crazy in this book. Robin Mellon gives our main character a fantastic personality – she’s bold and brave, she’s not afraid to say what she thinks (this isn’t including Ian because come on, all girls get nervous around boys, lol) but she’s a teenage girl that just really wants a fantastic night and because of that, it’s makes her do crazy things. Each character we are introduced comes with another crazy idea and I liked reading about it.

Favourite scene
 
Jasprit: When Justina, the two Mike’s, Serenity and Bliss go to try and track the rest of the party down. This entire scene was like a character building process for Justina. She was forced to spend time with girls who she normally wouldn’t have spent time with and had been judgemental about, but from spending time with them, she learned that they were girls with really helpful ideas and opinions.

Donna: When Justina really learns what Ian feels for her, he turns up to aka rescue her and it’s a really sweet moment in front of a lot of witnesses.

Favourite character
 
Jasprit: Ian, he was a character who we hardly got to see much of in this story, but learning about the things he did or said through other characters definitely helped me to hold his character in high regard. Unlike Justina I wasn’t quick to make bad assumptions about his character, I was patient enough to wait out for the truth, which I’m glad that I did, as it certainly paid off in the end.

Donna: I’d love to say Ian because he was a great love interest but he didn’t really get much of a spotlight, so I’ll go with Justina, because I loved her as a person. She makes mistakes like any normal teenager does and I loved that not everything wasn’t perfect in her world.
Favourite quotes
 
Jasprit: “Ian was the guy who would call to check in on me three days before my period started because he knew I’d be acting erratic, even though I explained it was perfectly normal for a girl to curl up in bed with a hot water bottle. One day, he finally realized I didn’t need his emotional support; I just needed licorice and Motrin. But what I loved most about our friendship was the way he said my name... always dripping with adoration. And annoyance. I had always figured that’s what had drawn Ian to me. My adorably low tolerance for PMS mixed with my annoying all-black wardrobe. It was sexy to him.”
 
“That one”, I said, pointing to a punk Tinker Bell with ripped wings and fishnets and combat boots. She was the spitting image of me. She was supposed to be sweet and beautiful, but she was ripped and torn. 
 
“Ian did look good the day he wore that green shirt, it was true. But it wasn’t the shirt that changed everything. It was the licorice and Motrin. He knew when I most needed help. He always gave me what I needed. Peanut butter cookie. Daisy ring. That crease. It never was the green shirt.”
 
Donna: “All I could think about was throwing something at her— something made of glass. Or spikes. Or a viral disease. They really should invent Herpes In A Jar for moments like these”
 
"It's true. I'm not that girl anymore. And there will be a time when I'll be The Girl. It is all about timing--and one day when I'm not planning it, and organizing it and strangling it, love will become possible. There won't be any more leapfrogging. We'll land in the exact spot at the same precise moment. And I will wait."
 
General thoughts and final rating
 
Jasprit: 3.5 stars. Ditched was more than just a book with a fluffy, sweet cover, it was a novel about a girl on a journey to discover herself, but ultimately just have a good time with her prom date. It was sad that Justina’s prom night didn’t end up being as one that she would remember in the years to come, but did result in her being a better person in the end.

Donna: 3 stars. Ditched: A Love Story was a quirky and fun read, one that really takes you on a journey of self-discovery and first love. I really enjoyed it and although Justina’s night wasn’t what her and us as readers wanted it to be for her, I think she got so much more from that night that she will cherish even more.

Review & Joint post: The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone

Hello everyone, today on the blog I have a joint post with the lovely Donna from Book Passion For Life. Donna is an enthusiastic reader like I am, and her passion definitely shows in her gorgeous reviews. We decided to tackle a book together that we had on our shelves for sometime and get our general thoughts on it. Here's a bit about the book we decided to pick up:

The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication date: 1st February 2012
My rating: 3.5 stars

A story about a wounded girl and the boy who won't give up on her.

7th grader Louise should be the captain of her school's gymnastics team - but she isn't. She's fun and cute and should have lots of friends - but she doesn't. And there's a dreamy boy who has a crush on her - but somehow they never connect. Louise has everything going for her - so what is it that's holding her back?

Phoebe Stone tells the winning story of the spring when 7th grader Louise Terrace wakes up, finds the courage to confront the painful family secret she's hiding from - and finally get the boy.

My review

Sometimes to get the best reading experience you just need to go into a book with no expectations what so ever. That way when you fall for the book so hard and fast it leaves you with an unforgettable reading experience. Show me a pretty cover and I go weak at the knees; I want the book straight away without even reading the blurb. That’s what I did with The Boy on Cinnamon Street, I saw the gorgeous cover and decided spur of the moment to buy a copy. So when picking it up I was surprised to find the mc was quite young, my fault really for not reading the blurb, I prefer my mc’s a little older, so I did at first find it hard to get with the mindset of Louise or Thumbelina as she preferred to be called, but I’m glad I stuck it out, as Louise bloomed into this lovely character with such a mature head on her shoulders. Reading the first third I assumed the book would be about a young girl with a school boy crush, and it did seem that the book was going in that direction. Some Random person leaves Louise a note declaring his interest, the note seems to appear at the same time the pizza delivery boy Benni McCartney does, so Louise puts two and two together and assumes it’s him. With encouragement from her best friend Reni she decides to pursue Benni anonymously.

It was cute seeing Louise’s infatuation with Benni develop, she was unsure what these weird feelings she started experienced recently were all about, as the only person she’d liked before was Frosty the Snowman! Despite liking this aspect of the story, I enjoyed the direction the book took about a third way through. Were given all these little clues and hints about Louise’s life; she’s living with her grandparents, but why? Why did she move in with them, she mentioned a mum and dad but where are they? And it was interesting delving into the mystery surrounding Louise’s life. I wanted to know why she’d given up gymnastics, a sport she’d been so passionate about but also really talented at. Stone in my opinion did a fantastic job at exploring this, with her own personal touch, she was able to bring about such a bittersweet and realistic story of Louise tinged with humour and hope.

The Boy on Cinnamon Street was definitely a book which took me by surprise. If you’re in the mood for trying something different; a story with the voice of a younger mc but still manages to leave a heartfelt impression, then you should definitely give this book a try. There’s also a fantastic bunch of secondary characters who will keep you entertained! 

Joint Post

What surprised you the most about this book?

Jasprit: Louise’s voice, she is only thirteen years old which I forgot numerous times when reading this book. By the second half of the book she was speaking like a grown adult. I loved watching her grow mentally, it was like she was finally shedding her skin, opening her eyes and seeing her life for what it really was. At first I did find her voice quite immature (I don’t normally pick up books with younger mc’s) but she really grew on me as the book progressed. Her childish observations became a lot more mature, it was interesting watching her grow up.

Donna: I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting so many emotions to come from a girl of just thirteen years old. Honestly, reading this book kind of took me back to when I was a thirteen year old and it had me questioning what I was like at that time. Some things I could agree with and some I couldn’t, however Louise is a very well developed character. She’s young and immature but she grows so much during the book and as a reader, we see her struggle and deal with so many different situations. I believe she handles them as best as any thirteen year old can.

Favourite Scene

Jasprit: When Louise found a camera in the park, she’s left with these beautiful photos of the clues that were left for her, such as someone drawing a big heart on the cement with a pink chalk and underneath is written “Thinking of You”. These photo’s were so beautiful, and as she continued to flip through the photo’s they definitely left me with an achy feeling in my chest, by the end of it I had a big smile on my face when I realised who they were from.

Donna: I have to agree with Jasprit. I adored the scene with the camera in the park and Louise shouting out her answer to Henderson for anyone listening. It’s touching and really shows you the love between the characters.

What I enjoyed about this book

Jasprit: I loved the little messages that Louise received; the Thumbelina book, the cute notes. I quickly clicked on who they could be from even though it wasn’t clear to Louise, but it was fun anticipating what Louise’s reaction would be, seeing her stumble around in the dark for a bit and not realising the boy who she was meant to be with was in front of her the whole time.

Donna: I loved the mystery surrounding Louise’s secret admirer – even though to the reader it was pretty clear who is was, to Louise it wasn’t though. To see her recognise her feelings for Henderson was a highlight of the story and I loved seeing her discover who was behind all the secret notes.

Favourite character

Jasprit: I didn’t mention Henderson in my review because I thought he deserved his own separate paragraph. Henderson was so quirky and funny. He reminded me a bit of Sherlock Holmes (* coughs* Robert Downey Junior) he was super clever; always figuring things out and was also in the process of writing his own book. He was so cool too, some people may have found him as a strange boy for his age; he was always intense about writing his space murder mystery. He also had a funny sense of humour; coming out with random facts and quotes and the fact that he actually loved his name, he thought it sounded like a cool butler’s name in an old fashioned movie. He totally imagined people saying, “That will be all, Henderson”. But what I loved the most was that he didn’t really care what others thought of him, and I like that in a character, one that is so confident in themselves that they just get on with things. Plus he was super sweet, it was as clear as day how he felt, but I think everything that was going on with Benny he decided to hold back, but one of his scenes in the end is my all time favourite, the effort and his consideration he put into it. I wish the guys I knew when I was that age were more like Henderson.

Donna: I have a few favourite characters – firstly I loved Louise’s grandparents. They were supportive, loving and caring towards Louise. They try to give her everything she needs but then of course, I love Henderson. He’s a geeky love interest that like Jasprit said, he doesn’t care what others think of him. He loves writing stories and he loves getting lost in his own little world but of course, he wants Louise there with him. He’s a very cute character and a little swoon-worthy if I do say so myself.

Favourite quotes

Jasprit: “Everybody has a story, a fairy tale in their heart they adhere to”

“He puts on his dark plaid wool cap that looks like some dog took it and ran with it around the block five times, dropped it in a puddle and then brought it back to grandpa”

“Henderson looks at me, he has a train-expression on his face, the kind of expression people have when they’re holding suitcases and are about to say good-bye and climb aboard”

“So I stand up against the wall, my heart beating inside me like a sorrowful drum all alone in the cave of my being. Will I ever grow up? Will I ever be big and tall? When I go back to the gymnastics team next fall and we do a team photo, will I be the medium height girl smiling in the second row? Will I walk out one day into the world and know is it mine?”

Donna: “I told you growing starts from the inside first, honey, and in that way, you've been growing like wildfire.”

“Thumb, I hope I will not bore you with how totally, totally I adore you. The funny way you have of talking, the cute way you have of walking. Please do not feel that I am stalking you. ”

“Actually everybody has a story, a fairy tale in their heart that they adhere to.”

General thoughts and final rating

Jasprit: The Boy on Cinnamon Street was a book which took me completely by surprise; I was expecting a super cute and funny book but Stone managed to provide a whole lot more. It was a book with a much deeper meaningful story behind it and really left a great impression on me. 

Donna: While reflecting on this story, I tried to put myself into a younger readers mind because in my ‘older mind’ (and while I knew before I read it that it was for a younger audience) I wasn’t actually prepared for how young the story actually was. I did struggle to deal with the immaturity of the characters to start with, and I would have definitely enjoyed this more had it of been for older readers.  However, for a younger reader I can’t knock Phoebe Stone’s work because she has created a perfect read for them.

Thank you Donna, for doing this joint post with me, I had so much fun. Despite The Boy on Cinnamon Street not being our typical read, I like how we agreed on many aspects especially regarding Henderson. You can read Donna's lovely review here.