When it comes to books, two things automatically get me jazzed – debut novels and local authors. I just love the idea of someone tangible, someone who lives in the same state as me, setting their dream into motion, pushing their first baby out of the nest, because they tend to give that first one everything they’ve got. This next book was written by a friend of a friend, but I think if we didn’t live on opposite sides of the state she would just be a friend, because sometimes, through social media, it feels like we’re the same person. I was super excited that she allowed me to dive into an advanced reader copy to write this review.
Book 13:
My Lullaby of You
by Alia Rose
Genre:
Young Adult, Contemporary, Beach Read
Published:
June 2018
Synopsis According to Mandi:
Without spoilers, My Lullaby of You is about two young adults whose paths cross one summer in a small North Carolina beach town. Amy, having just graduated high school, can’t wait to get out of town and get to Chicago where she’ll attend her dream college. Seth, one year away from finishing college, makes his way to that same town to tie up the lose ends of a relationship with his father and finally sort out his past. The two meet, interests are piqued, friendship quickly turns to love, but love turns to complications. Can Amy and Seth put the complications behind them and allow love to conquer while chasing the dreams of their future?
Favorite Quote:
“This is your shot. If it doesn’t work out, you’ll always have your degree, your talent in jazz, and another chance at getting in an ensemble.”
―Alia Rose, My Lullaby of You
Awards (based upon my brief research):
None yet.
Pages:
287
My Overall Rating:
3.5 – I have to start by admitting beach reads are not generally my thing, but this one definitely had more to it than I expected. Love stories are cute and fun and a good shakeup from my usual book of choice, but I was genuinely surprised by the plot twists in this book, which continuously made me want to read more and more. That being said, I read this quickly as it is written for young adults.
I felt like the author perfectly captured the thoughts and feelings of young adults in the situations they were faced with. I resonated with Amy – in the summer after her high school graduation, it was as if she was “over” her high school life, ready to move on and mature past her years. I was impressed the author could portray that type of personality so well.
The one critique that bothered me was that I found myself rooting for the characters in the overarching theme of the story, but there were certain parts that felt unbelievable (i.e. Seth’s career path). While I do think young adult novels/beach reads should be dreamy, my realistic self had to role my eyes a bit when Seth talked of his plans and put his plans into motion.
All-in-all, it’s a light, easy escape of a read with an engaging story. If that’s what you’re searching for, then I have to recommend this debut novel, and if you’re from Michigan, it’s a local author too!
