Romantic Parvenu

Book Reviews

Book Review: Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

In spite of its title, Twenty Boy Summer is a book that focuses on grief and friendship—and how friendship can change when affected by grief. Unfortunately, I didn’t think Ockler managed to tap into the potential these themes have, and ended up ...
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Book Review: Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Second Chance Summer was not perfect, but it was really, really wonderful for me, if perhaps a bit forgettable. If I rated on feelings alone, this would likely have just squeezed in with a 5 star rating. I don’t rate that way, though. But in the ...
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Book Review: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

I’m sure that, as many have claimed, Memoirs of a Geisha is a very heavy-handed, westernized portrayal of Japanese culture. I’m willing to bet that this isn’t particularly accurate or authentic, either. All that aside, I found the book to be ...
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Book Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

In the end, all I can say is that Eleanor & Park is highly problematic. It is very much a book for fans of John Green, as this book attempts some of the same things Green does, and in much the same way. I do think Rainbow Rowell is a talented ...
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Book Review: Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Hudson Avery is dealing with…things. Things like her parents’ divorce, the collapse of her skating career, the loss of her former best friend, and her now-single mother’s struggle to keep the power on at home. Things like wanting to stay loyal ...
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