Reviews: The First Love Edition

Now a Major Motion Picture
Cori McCarthy
Series: n/a
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Fandom and first love collide for Iris on the film set for her grandmother’s famous high-fantasy triology—perfect for readers of Fangirl!

Unlike the rest of the world, Iris doesn't care about the famous high-fantasy Elementia books written by M. E. Thorne. So it's just a little annoying that M. E. Thorne is her grandmother—and that Iris has to deal with the trilogy's crazy fans.

When Iris gets dropped in Ireland for the movie adaptation, she sees her opportunity: if she can shut down production, the Elementia craze won't grow any bigger, and she can finally have a normal life. Not even the rascally-cute actor Eamon O'Brien can get in her way.

But the crew's passion is contagious, and as Iris begins to find herself in the very world she has avoided her whole life, she realizes that this movie might just be amazing…

Iris was raised to resent her grandmother's world famous Elementia books, and her ire for the series deepened after a rabid fan crossed the line. Out of obligation though, Iris agreed to accompany her little brother to the set of the film adaptation. What she thought would be a most miserable trip, turned out to be quite life changing.

From the cover and synopsis, I thought this book would be cute and fun, but it surprisingly had a lot of depth and tugged at my heartstrings.

Things I really liked:

• This book was jam packed with so many wonderful characters. Eamon was witty, amusing, and full of quirks that I couldn't help but love. He was so wonderfully perfect! I also loved every second I got to spend with Julian and Shoshana, and I thought Cate was ah-mazing! 
• The friendships were strong. This was a production, which was facing a lot of adversity, and seeing the cast and crew bond together and help one another was a beautiful thing. The vibe was so contagious, even I wanted to pitch in. 
• Talk about your adorable romances! There were a few in there, but Iris' was my favorite. It was so sweet and awkward and exactly what I wanted for her first love. 
• You all know I loved my trip to Ireland, so the setting was a standout for me. They seemed to be filming in all the places I visited, which I loved, because I got to say, "I was there." 
• It was hard fought, but I enjoyed getting to the root of Iris's family dysfunction, and seeing some progress made towards a resolution. 
• McCarthy did a nice job weaving the Elementia story into the book. It was well integrated, and I liked the parallels that were drawn between that story and Iris' story. 
• This book was really fun. I laughed and smiled a whole lot.
• Iris grew so much during this story! She learned a ton about her grandmother, her father, her  brother, and herself, and it really opened up a whole new way of thinking for her. 
• The ending was so good! I am always happy to get an epilogue, but I swear, you will love this one. 

Overall: A sweet and charming story filled with romance, humor, family drama, friendship, and self-discovery, which left me with a big stupid grin on my face. 

The Summer of Jordi Perez
Amy Spalding
Series: n/a
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Seventeen, fashion-obsessed, and gay, Abby Ives has always been content playing the sidekick in other people's lives. While her friends and sister have plunged headfirst into the world of dating and romances, Abby has stayed focused on her plus-size style blog and her dreams of taking the fashion industry by storm. When she lands a prized internship at her favorite local boutique, she’s thrilled to take her first step into her dream career. She doesn't expect to fall for her fellow intern, Jordi Perez. Abby knows it's a big no-no to fall for a colleague. She also knows that Jordi documents her whole life in photographs, while Abby would prefer to stay behind the scenes.

Then again, nothing is going as expected this summer. She's competing against the girl she's kissing to win a paid job at the boutique. She's somehow managed to befriend Jax, a lacrosse-playing bro type who needs help in a project that involves eating burgers across L.A.'s eastside. Suddenly, she doesn't feel like a sidekick. Is it possible Abby's finally in her own story?

But when Jordi's photography puts Abby in the spotlight, it feels like a betrayal, rather than a starring role. Can Abby find a way to reconcile her positive yet private sense of self with the image that other people have of her?

Is this just Abby’s summer of fashion? Or will it truly be The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)?

Ah, first love! I felt so lucky to be able to accompany Abby on her path to romance, because it was one adorable and fun trip.

Abby was a really interesting and vibrant character. She was quite charming, and had this magnetic persona. However, because of her mother, her lack of a love life, and the general distaste directed towards "bigger" girls, Abby was unable to recognize how wonderful she was, even when everyone was telling her so.

Abby's world was pretty fun to be in too. The whole fashion blogger thing and adventures through clothes was interesting, and I loved going out for burgers with Abby and Jax. Jax was such a bro, but he had a heart of gold. The heart-to-hearts Abby and Jax shared were delightful, and I was actually starting to anticipate and look forward to their eating adventures.

The Summer of Jordi Perez, chronicles Abby's summer of growth and change. She got her dream internship, and found a mentor, who was giving her the support she needed to flourish. She worked through her changing relationship with her best friend, and formed a new and unlikely friendship with Jax. She came to an understanding with her parents, but most importantly, she fell in love.

I love romance, and this one was very sweet. Both Jordi and Abby were new to this whole romance thing, and they shared so many special moments with us. The little touches and brushes and the excitement that accompanied them made me smile. I loved watching their connection grow and change, and it definitely warmed my heart and made me feel good.

Overall: A sweet and charming story of first love, friendship, and learning to see yourself through someone else's eyes, which left me with lots of happy feels.

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

What's one of your favorite first-love romances?

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