Review: Instructions For a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson

Young Adult
Paperback, 304 pgs.
Published May 1st, 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire
Purchased

Three days before her drama club's trip to Italy, Jessa Gardner discovers her boyfriend in the costume barn with another girl. Jessa is left with a care package from her best friend titled "Top Twenty Reasons He's a Slimy Jerk Bastard," instructing her to do one un-Jessa-like thing each day of the trip. At turns hilarious and heartwrenching, Instructions for a Broken Heart paints a magical Italy in which Jessa learns she must figure out life-and romance-for herself.

This was just a so-so book for me.  It was cute and had a great setting but there wasn't really any wow factor in it.  Fortunately it was a fast read and it kept my interest fairly well.  

First of all, I had thought this book would have more romance, but it didn't.  It really was what the title says "Instructions for a Broken Heart".   And while at the end there's romance I never really felt anything between the two people that were suppose to be developing feelings for each other on this trip.  There wasn't really any hints that anything at all was felt between them.  I realize that we're seeing Jessa's side of things and she's pretty hung up on her ex, but I wish there was something at least that made me feel a real vibe between them.  


Jessa was okay, but only okay.  She was a bit whiny and had a hard time moving on.  I understand her situation and I tried to put myself back in my own teenage broken heart but I still felt like she needed more personality or something.  But she wasn't bad and I didn't dislike her, I just wanted more from her.  


To be honest the characters that stood out the most to me were minor ones.  Like the kids from the other school and the teachers with them {they all toured Italy together} and the tour guide, Francesca.  Tyler, Jessa's friend, was pretty cool.  He was a great friend and really was helpful in trying to get her to move on and not do stupid things.


The setting was great!  I've always wanted to visit Italy and I think the author did a good job in describing things but I kind of feel like Jessa's moping maybe ruined it just a bit.  I think more romance thrown in would have set the scenes better for me, but that's not really what this book was about.  


Overall it was an okay book.  There wasn't really any wow factors but I still enjoyed it anyway.  Don't go into it expecting a romance, this is more about mending a broken heart, and maybe you'll enjoy it more then I did.


3/5 stars

Review: Dreamland by Alyson Noel

Dreamland (Riley Bloom #3)
Middle Grade
Paperback, 210 pgs.
published Sept. 13th, 2011 by Square Fish
Received from publisher for review

Riley’s finding that the afterlife can be a lonely place when all you do is focus on work. So she goes to the place where dreams happen, hoping to find a way to contact her sister, Ever. She meets the director, who tells her about the two ways to send dreams. As a Dream Jumper, a person can jump into a dreamer’s dream, share a message, and participate. As a Dreamweaver, an entire dream can be created in a studio and sent to the dreamer. But Dreamweaving was outlawed decades ago, and the studio was boarded up. Thinking it’s her only way to reach out to her sister, Riley goes in search of the old studio. There she finds a ghost boy, who’s been creating and sending nightmares to people for years. In order to stop him and reach out to Ever, Riley is going to have to confront and overcome her own fears.

I've really been enjoying this series.  It's funny cause I don't feel a strong urge to read them when they come but when I do pick them up I love them!  And this one I think I may have liked more because Riley is changing and growing up.  I think it'll be more obvious in the next one but she's coming to the realization in this one and I thought it played out well.  And the story felt new to me (there's no same ol' same ol' in this series!) which is great!  I liked seeing that Riley is real and doesn't always get things her way. 

Riley is very headstrong and not very afraid.  She is able to overcome her fears very well because of her strong determination.  I like that about her even though at times I want to slap her.  I think because Riley realizes this though that I can deal with it and not want to throw the book.  Riley is just Riley and I can't help but love her!

This was another fast read (less then 2 hours) and I devoured it in one setting.  I'm really liking how the series is progressing and am anxious to see where things go in the next one!  

4/5 stars 


Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

In My Mailbox (86) - First IMM in Nearly a Month!

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and is where we share the books we got through the week.  

I've been on vacation for almost a month and just got back home this week.  That means I have loads of books to share! 

Bought:

Before I went on vacation I went to Sci-Fi Authorfest and I bought

Courts of the Fey (Anthology)

and it's signed by three of the authors, Lilith Saintcrow, J.A. Pitts and Mary Robinette Kowal

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal *signed*

Heart of Steel (A Novel of the Iron Seas #2) by Meljean Brook *signed*

Got some swag like magnets, character cards, etc as well.  

Not from Sci-Fi Fest but also bought is Legend by Marie Lu

 

Review:

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin (March 2012)

 

Cinder by  Marissa Meyer (AMAZING!) (Jan. 2012)

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges (Jan. 2012)

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour (Feb. 2012)

Acquainted With the Night by Piper Maitland

The Cross (Vampire Federation #2) by Sean McCabe

Left Hand Magic (A Novel of Golgotham #2) by Nancy A. Collins

Thanks goes to Putnam, Amazon Vine, LibraryThing, and Penguin (ACE, ROC, BERKLEY, NAL)

Borrowed:

Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar (Totally AMAZING!)

Borrowed from Ashley at Bookaholics Anonymous

HUGE Thank You!

Won:

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

Won this from Jessica at A Great Read

Thank You Jessica!  I'm so excited for this one!

Gifted:

For my Christmas Gift from Lori at Pure Imagination I got

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare!  (Collectors First Edition)

Thank You Lori!  You know I'm super excited for this one!

So what was in your mailbox?

I don't get on the computer over the weekend but on Monday & Tuesday I'll try to visit as many of you as I can!