6 Heart Review: Love and Miss Communication by Elyssa Friedland

Love and Miss Communication
Elyssa Friedland

Page Count: 400
Release Date: May 12th 2015
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Wunderkind PR!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

This unforgettable debut novel asks us to look up from our screens and out at the world... and to imagine what life would be like with no searches, no status updates, no texts, no Tweets, no pins, and no posts

Evie Rosen has had enough. She's tired of the partners at her law firm e-mailing her at all hours of the night. The thought of another online date makes her break out in a cold sweat. She's over the clever hashtags and the endless selfies. So when her career hits a surprising roadblock and her heart is crushed by Facebook, Evie decides it's time to put down her smartphone for good. (Beats stowing it in her underwear—she's done that too!).

And that's when she discovers a fresh start for real conversations, fewer distractions, and living in the moment, even if the moments are heartbreakingly difficult. Babies are born; marriages teeter; friendships are tested. Evie may find love and a new direction when she least expects it, but she also learns that just because you unplug your phone doesn't mean you can also unplug from life.

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Review

Somehow quitting the Internet felt right. Like it was taking the bite out of the knockouts she'd been dealt recently. At least this would make her different from everyone else, more unique than another faceless lawyer at a big firm or single girl in Manhattan looking for love. At least she'd have something to talk about on a date, if she ever went on one again. But that was just it. She was relying on the Internet for dates—now she'd go out and meet people in the flesh.

The synopsis of this book is what drew me in initially; disconnecting from the Internet entirely and searching for love as a single thirty-something in New York City? It sounded like the perfect modern-day fairytale. Generally, I did enjoy this book; it's a fresh, airy chick-lit that won't make you think too hard, perfect for a summer road trip or for the beach.

It's clear Friedland is a talented writer in this genre; Love and Miss Communication is an impressive debut. However, a series of minor details struck me as obnoxious, and paired with the pretentious and unlikable main character, Evie, I found myself docking points here and there, and well, eventually everywhere.

Evie, I think, is meant to be an endearing character. A career-driven recent breakup-ee surrounded by happily married friends, she's a protagonist we should sympathize with, root for. Unfortunately, it became very evident very quickly WHY Evie was single. I mean, she's gorgeous, smart, successful (I pulled these adjectives from the text, verbatim)—what's not to love?

Her personality, for starters. I can't imagine wanting to be acquainted with someone as envious and spiteful as her, let alone marry. While she is a funny, often klutzy, self-deprecating sort of gal, she's not nearly as scathing or socially aware enough to get away with her immaturity. Her observations and outlooks on life/dating are bratty, catty, and often borderline offensive... specifically, I feel Friedland crosses the line when she brings unnecessary details about race and class into question. For instance, every time someone is described as "hotter" than Evie or promiscuous, it's an Asian chick. All the manicurists or servers are described as "ethnic," and Evie's ex's new girlfriend is "a Turkish whore." She often expresses insane jealousy over her friends' perfect marriages, and even worse, acts upon these insecurities frequently. Some friend, right? There is one instance where she literally swoons over a guy because of his university credentials, which she calls "pedigree." PEDIGREE. (It becomes obvious that a primary reason she is single is that she won't even look twice at a guy who hasn't graduated from an Ivy League. It's really that simple).

I was able to count 6 more examples or stereotyping/objectification just by skimming through the book. Is there really a need to bring details of minority race/class into such trivial matters like these? I understand it may just be an enormous lapse in judgment but even if just a faux pas, it got on my nerves big-time. I'm not accusing the author of being racist or snobby, but do all the examples make Evie sound like your stereotypical privileged whiney white girl? Absolutely.

If you can get past all that, as well as Evie's unnecessarily competitive and stuck-up personality (and the fact that she doesn't ever grow or evolve into a better person), you'll have better luck appreciating the romance plot which, while unextraordinary, certainly wasn't poorly written, considering this is a light-hearted, feel-good novel. Evie's technology ban isn't as deeply explored as I expected it to be, but it does serve as a prominent theme throughout, so it sets the storyline apart from other contemporary reads.

Happily-ever-after fans will love the ending, regardless of how predictable or unrealistic it may be.

Pros

Laugh-worthy situations Evie gets herself into // Smart, sharp voice // Fluid, easy-to-read style // Hilariously accurate observations on modern dating and social media

Cons

Predictable // Romance portion seems unrealistic, more of the insta-love often found in chick-lit than actual romance // Evie is a self-absorbed and completely unlikable character // Repeated offensive/inferior references to racial and socioeconomic minorities that really ticked me off

Love

"I really think the experience of losing a loved one helps me connect with patients a lot better than I would have otherwise," [Edward] said.

"I totally get that. I just basically got fired and now I connect with unemployed people more than I used to," Evie said. "It's all about the human experience."

What the fuck was she saying?

Edward nodded in agreement, possibly just to save her from embarrassment.

Verdict

Overall a light, fluffy read that doesn't require too much thought or emotional investment, Love and Miss Communication provides extremely funny and relatable anecdotes about modern society from the perspective of a single city woman in the 21st century. While I had a huge issue with Evie's static, high and mighty character, I generally did enjoy this humor- and heart-filled story about breaking out of your comfort zone and finding love—along with finding yourself. Elyssa Friedland provides insightful observations on technology and the pressures of social media in this debut, but leaves a lot to be desired in terms of plot complexity and character development  

6 hearts: Decent for a first read, but I'm not going back; this book is decidedly average (whatever that means!) (x)

5 Heart Review: Don't Call Me Baby by Gwendolyn Heasley

Don't Call Me Baby
Gwendolyn Heasley

Page Count: 304
Release Date: April 22nd 2014
Publisher: Harper Teen (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Little Bird Publicity!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Perfect for fans of Jennifer E. Smith and Huntley Fitzpatrick, Don't Call Me Baby is a sharply observed and charming story about mothers and daughters, best friends and first crushes, and our online selves and the truth you can only see in real life.

All her life, Imogene has been known as the girl on that blog.

Imogene's mother has been writing an incredibly embarrassing—and incredibly popular—blog about her since before she was born. The thing is, Imogene is fifteen now, and her mother is still blogging about her. In gruesome detail. When a mandatory school project compels Imogene to start her own blog, Imogene is reluctant to expose even more of her life online... until she realizes that the project is the opportunity she's been waiting for to define herself for the first time.

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Review

"You're [speaking at the Mommies/Daughters panel at BlogHer], no ifs, ands, or buts. We've made a commitment, and we're keeping it. The Mommylicious name means something, and I intend for it to stay that way."
It's funny that my mom cares more about what strangers think of her than her own daughter. Good thing she can't read my mind; she'd flip if she knew about The Plan. What will strangers think after I follow through on that?

In an age of expanding technology and the inclination to go public with every single detail of our lives, it's no secret that bloggers and blog followers rule the internet (I mean, hello? Who's writing and reading this right now?). But have we ever stopped to think about how the internet is ruling us?

Don't Call Me Baby raises an issue in social media through the exasperated perspective of the daughter of a prolific mommy blogger. Labeled "Babylicious" since before she was even born, Imogene is fed up with 14 years of her life revolving around her mom's blog. When the opportunity to give her mother a taste of her own medicine arises, she takes it. Her best friend (also a big-time blogger's daughter) becomes her partner-in-crime, and both girls are determined to show their moms what it really feels like to be exposed to the public 24/7.

Imogene is in ninth grade, but not yet in high school, so I would avoid categorizing this book into the Young Adult genre. Its tone and content make it seem very much more Middle Grade, and I guess that's one of the first things that irked me. Imogene seems extremely immature, even though she claims to be all-knowing. She's just a difficult character to like overall: not humorous, not humble, not particularly strong, not clever. Since she narrates the story first-person, it was hard for me not to be annoyed by it. There are other elements that make this book seem more likely appropriate for a younger, simpler audience as well, including the linear, predictable storyline, the static schoolgirl crush that attempts to incorporate a flavor of bland "romance," and the exaggeratedly clichéd characters, e.g. the stubborn, loyal best friend, the kind dad, the adorable crush, the awesome teacher... it was like Gwendolyn Heasley took a "Character Clichés in Children's Fiction" checklist and ticked each one off one by one.

Everything is too cut-and-dried, rather than realistic, so I just couldn't get that into the story. I appreciate the contemporary significance and the scattered bits of internet humor—I have to say, how many novels have you read about blogging?—and Heasley's writing style is clear enough, but Don't Call Me Baby failed to really engage or impress me.

Pros

Easy to read // Tackles an underrated but prevalent issue today through the format of a children's novel // Sweet sentiments on family, friends, and identity // Might be popular among middle grade readers

Cons

Not really YA, more middle grade // Mommylicious is ridiculous and over the top // Unrealistic // Imogene is really childish and annoying // Formulaic secondary characters

Love

It's really, really easy to love something—or someone—once. It's much harder to learn to love something—or someone—the second time, but it's that second time that usually matters most ... Loving twice is harder, but love anytime is always worth it.

Verdict

Both a modern parody of the blogging life and a snapshot of one bitter daughter's attempt to get her mother's fickle attention, Don't Call Me Baby is a light middle grade novel that contains amplified teenage angst and some deeper views about relationships and realizing that the world does not revolve just around ourselves. While I did find Imogene to be egocentric and irritating, and the story to be rather unexciting, this is a swift, mindless read that deals with an aspect of the digital age that I do find important. Mostly, though, I cringed at some hyperclichés and the it-all-works-out-in-the-end! attitude; Gwendolyn Heasley's newest novel is too fluffy, too even, too square. It's not a bad read necessarily, but it just didn't awe me, didn't make me bleed 

5 hearts: Doesn't particularly light any of my fires; I feel indifferent about this book (x)

8 Heart Review: Friend Me by John Faubion and Kindle Fire HDX Giveaway!

Friend Me
John Faubion
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Follow the Tour!

Page Count: 335
Release Date: February 4th 2014
Publisher: Howard Books (Simon and Schuster)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Litfuse!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

"You're afraid of becoming unfaithful, aren't you?"

Scott and Rachel’s marriage is on the brink of disaster. Scott, a businessman with a high-pressure job, just wants Rachel to understand him and accept his flaws. Rachel is a lonely housewife, desperate for attention and friendship. So she decides to create a virtual friend online, unaware that Scott is doing the exact same thing. As Rachel desperately tries to re-create a friendship with a friend who has passed, Scott becomes unfaithful and is torn between the love for his wife and the perfection of his cyber-girlfriend. But neither realizes that there’s a much larger problem looming...

Behind both of their online creations is Melissa, a woman who is brilliant—and totally insane. Masquerading as both friend and lover, Melissa programmed a search parameter into the virtual friend software to find her perfect man, but along the way she forgot to specify his marriage status. And Scott is her ideal match. Now Melissa is determined to have it all—Scott, his family, and Rachel’s life.

As Melissa grows bolder and her online manipulations transition into the real world, Scott and Rachel figure out they are being played. Now it’s a race against time as Scott and Rachel fight to save their marriage, and their lives, before it’s too late.

In today’s digital age, the internet presents all kinds of opportunities to test our personal boundaries, and this exciting and suspenseful story raises important questions about the ethics of virtual relationships. Friend Me will open your eyes to a new—and terrifying—moral dimensions and how they play out in the real world.

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Review

It was like a slap in the face when the full awareness struck her.
[Melissa] tried to kill me so she could replace me.
She wanted to steal her place as Scott's wife.
Rachel shrank within herself as the next explosive realization impacted on the fragile, shivering wall of what was left of her heart.
Replace me as my children's mother.

The deadly situation Rachel and Scott find themselves in is a domestic nightmare: an utterly creepy, technology-fueled nightmare. Both lonely and both exhausted—in different ways entirely—each turns to VirtualFriendMe, a website where one can personalize their own virtual friend—who can speak, chat, email, and even grow like a real human being. While VirtualFriendMe may be sweeping the nation, neither of them are aware of the fact that their conversations with their "friends" are being overridden by the company's developer, Melissa, who's set on loving Scott, the only man who's qualified in every area of her complicated algorithm—and yes, that means eliminating Rachel in the process.

Following Melissa as she slowly but surely develops and hatches her horrific plan is interesting; the dramatic irony is crucial in understanding her as more than an evil genius: as a person. To Rachel and Scott, Melissa is a monster, and while I wouldn't disagree, readers are acquainted with her in such an intimate, exposing way, that you can't help but sympathize with her. This, as you can imagine, is a conflicting emotion, and it's completely intentional on Faubion's part; it raises the questions of what it means to be faithful, what it means to be evil, and what it means to be human.

Faubion's voice is smooth and easy to follow, and the plot is cutting, deep and dark. The chapters are short, but each pack a huge punch; it was so hard for me to put this book down because I was so eager to find out what would happen next... and the what would happen after that, and that and that...

It's worth mentioning Friend Me is a Christian suspense, meaning a lot of the story's main issues—primarily Scott's struggle to resist temptation and remain faithful to Rachel—reference straying away from the path of God, and contain lots of prayer as well. The inherent Christian elements also made it a rather tame dark suspense; there's nothing gory or explicit, as much of the nitty-gritty occurs behind closed doors. I understand Christian fiction isn't for everybody, but take my advice with a grain of salt. Even if these religious traits had bothered me, I'd still have enjoyed the book because of how absorbing and intricate the world of VirtualFriendMe is.

Pros

Titillating suspense // Lots of danger and action // Fast-paced // Christian elements well incorporated into the entire length of the novel // Exciting, original sci-fi; Faubion creates an entertaining and intriguing virtual reality // Melissa is given an elaborate backstory

Cons

Characters don't get very personal; they seemed very unmemorable to me, even though a lot of the book is character-driven // Seems overdramatized

Verdict

Original and imaginative, while simultaneously current, edgy, and fast-paced, Friend Me creates a science fiction world that serves both as social commentary on the risks of being careless on the internet, and the sheer ease at which one can fall into temptation. The intense psychological manipulation and means one deluded woman will go to, just to get her way, will stun and captivate readers. John Faubion skillfully analyzes the difference and fine line between faithfulness and faith; his debut novel sentimentally speaks of the dangers of deviating from the word of God, and of depending too much on technology—which may be fun, but cannot and will not ever replace real life 

8 hearts: An engaging read that will be worth your while; highly recommended (x)

Giveaway!

Check out the details of this fabulous Kindle Fire HDX giveaway below. This is a tour-wide giveaway so Books à la Mode has no liability over winners, prizes, or shipping/handling. Good luck!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: King of Paine by Larry Kahn

King of Paine
Larry Kahn

Release Date: April 26th, 2011

Publisher: North Atlanta

Page Count: 353

Source: Complimentary copy provided by author, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

A desperate patient. A rumored cure. How far would you go to find the fountain of youth?

Frank Paine is not your prototypical FBI agent. He's an ex-Hollywood stud with a kinky past, an irreverent wise-ass who craves forgiveness from the woman he loves. When a ruthless stalker uses Frank's indiscretions to ensnare him in an erotic cat-and-mouse death match, his investigation points toward a missing biochemist. His hunt for her secret haven takes one tragic turn after another, until he finds himself facing an impossible dilemma. Someone will die as a result of his decisions, and it may be his soulmate. Or him.

What Stephanie Thinks: Can I first just say that the blurb of this book, as well as the cover, really, doesn't do it justice? The blurb makes it sound like a fantasy novel, and the cover, something incredibly sex-targeted. While sex is one of the main themes of this story, it's not what you're thinking; it's not just another piece of erotica. The "fantasy" aspect isn't so over-the-top, either. In fact, it's very scientific, very legal, in a way that I never expected just from the cover. Even with the sensitive issues of BDSM and euthanasia, I think King of Paine makes for brilliant, overall completely satisfying suspense science fiction—one that enters the mainstream, and one that ought to be way better-recognized.

Frank Paine is basically the ideal romantic suspense hero. I know this book doesn't come off as a love story—that's another thing to add to the list of what one wouldn't expect from this novel—but beyond the FBI cracking down clues and delusional serial killers carrying out heinous sex crimes, King of Paine is a love story. Paine has the good looks and the charm and the mentality. What he doesn't have, is atonement for his past, nor riddance of the ghosts that haunt him of the woman he screwed up with majorly many years before, but still loves, even to this day. But when she, Jolynn Decker—former small-time actress now-turned bar dancer, thanks to his fuck-ups—suddenly shows up again after all this time, the fact that her entrance is ill-timed to the case he's working on, can't possibly be a coincidence. The top-secret case involves humiliation, sex humiliation, via the dangerous world of online BDSM chat rooms and other methods of kink. And both Frank and Jolynn turn scarlet as they remember their own kinky past. However, Frank realizes he can't allow his past with Jolynn to impede his dilemmas now. Because if he keeps extracting his old ghosts, he won't ever be able to progress in the present.

I know some of you are wincing right now. BDSM and sexual internet perversion in a mainstream novel? Yessir. Trust me, even though the topics are a little racy, the story is more than just twisted fiction. I seriously think King of Paine is the most canny and intelligent suspense piece I've ever read. Kahn's literary style is, I cannot stress enough, very impressive, and his organization and consistency of thought (which are the essential elements of a good whodunnit) amaze me. His diction is grandiose, never boring and always intriguing, but he does all this without sounding unprofessional or perverted, in the way that many authors of similar genres do.

What I think I'm keenest on, is how this book covers so many branches of interest. Not just the sex, but also the federal suspense, the science of youth, the medical world, the secrets. Accolades to Kahn for his ability to somehow weave all of these together.

As for characters, the two I like best, surprise surprise, are Frank and Jolynn. Frank, while he is the typical sexyass hunk (you know how fond of them I am), is also just in my opinion, the perfect man. Not perfect as in flawless, because he has many imperfections as we humans tend to, but perfect as in respectable and admirable even with his mistakes and shortcomings. He doesn't let his status—both social and physical—get to his head, which I love about him. He stays grounded by the woman he loves fiercely, even though he knows she'll hurt him most, and that kind of courage pulls at my heart. Jolynn's character on the other hand, isn't as deeply probed, but I think she would be the kind of person I'd get along with well in real life. Witty and beautiful in that ethereal, unattainable way, she's another character I fell in love with and rooted for during the entire book. The secondary characters (Frank's coworkers, the prime suspects, the old friends) are likable also, and I think characterization is another one of Kahn's many strengths.

I really don't think my review does this book justice either. It's just THAT good. Sorry if my thoughts are a bit messy, but if my review isn't clear enough, you must go check this one out. At times, some of the scientific facts and law-related data become dull, but overcoming them heightens the adrenaline of its plot, trust me. This book will become your newest obsession as well as your biggest nightmare. Yes, I fucking dreamed about it. It is a medical suspense and a legal thriller and contemporary literary sex propaganda all rolled into one. It is fucking fantastic, not only for its stunning depth and complexity, but for its all-encompassing message that love, even when all hope is lost, shall prevail, but only if you really try, and only if you are willing to sacrifice all you have now and all you worked for in the past, to make it work out.

Stephanie Loves: "Running a hand through his clipped hair, Frank knew in his heart Jolynn was not playing him, at least not in the way Jero imagined. The problem was that his heart had betrayed him before."

Radical Rating: 9 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Save as Draft by Cavanaugh Lee

Save as Draft
Cavanaugh Lee

Page Count: 336
Release Date: 1 February, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher, via Romancing the Book, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you both!!)

A love triangle evolving over e-mails, texts, and Facebook messages that makes you wonder if the things we leave unsaid—or rather unsent—could change the story of our lives.
===========================================
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011
From: Izabell
To: Reader
Subject: Save as Draft
===========================================
Are we Facebook friends yet? I'm the wactress (waitress/actress) turned lawyer who lives her life online. Anyway, I've got this problem. There's this guy Peter. He's my best friend and co-worker, and we just started dating, which is potentially a huge mistake. But that's not all. There's this other guy, Marty from eHarm, and he ran with the bulls in Spain. I can't get him off my mind. What a mess. I'd love your advice if you can take a second out of your crazy, high-tech life. Shoot me an e-mail, text me, or BBM. And friend me if you haven't already! You can find me on Facebook under Save as Draft.

Izabell

What Stephanie Thought: Save as Draft is a charming novel that's bound to leave you hanging and frustrated at end, the very first epistolary fiction piece I've read since Paula Danziger's Snail Mail No More. 

Written entirely in emails, text messages, and Twitter updates, this book is sweepingly honest, as well as full of emotion. There lies a secret thrill in being able to peek inside someone's private life, especially in an era that is so dependent on internet communication.

Cavanaugh Lee does not stop there. The essence of Save as Draft delves even deeper than the privacy of a password-protected email account, because the reader gets the inside scoop on what the characters don't. Emails that have been "saved as draft" or in less-techy terms, written but unsent, are revealed, opening up a whole nother road in knowing what the characters are actually thinking. 

Izzy and Peter, the engaged couple seemingly have everything paved out ahead of them. But miscommunication and too many saved drafts take a toll on the passionate relationship. You'll love reading how their relationship builds, climaxes, and abruptly falls, making you both cringe (because of how closely this hits to home—this might as well be YOUR love life in YOUR email account) and smile (from the wit and the glad-it-wasn't-me! incidents) all within the same page.

I love how the plot  is conveyed through Facebook notifications (Izabell Chin has added you as a friend on Facebook) and eHarmony profiles to develop characters. It's a fun, flirty way to get to know the protagonists and the main conflicts.

The ending made me so mad, but I couldn't have made it any more perfect. I won't give any spoilers, but I will say that it was sort of a tragic ending. Meaning, things do not end happily-ever-after as predicted. The ending is happy yes, just not the way I had thought it would be. Save as Draft is a heartbreakingly realistic novel that demonstrates human error in the ways we never speak what we think... and never think what we speak either.

Stephanie Loves: "I joined eHarmony ... destroy this e-mail at once. I can't believe I'm even telling you. If you ever tell a soul, I will have you murdered by an Italian man with greasy hair whose name is Angelo.

You should totally do eHarm too. Some of these dudes are hot. I'm sure the girls are hot as well. I mean, I'm on there. ;-)"

Radical Rating: 8 hearts: An engaging read; highly recommended. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥