Today I have a fun summer read to tell you about.
Keep reading to learn more, read my thoughts, and see a few of my favorite quotes from the book!
Plus, there's a giveaway!
The Unlikelies
by Carrie FirestonePublisher: Little, Brown and Company
Release Date: June 6th 2017
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Synopsis:
Five teens embark on a summer of vigilante good samaritanism in a novel that's part The Breakfast Club, part The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, and utterly captivating.
Rising high school senior Sadie is bracing herself for a long, lonely, and boring summer. But things take an unexpected turn when she steps in to help rescue a baby in distress and a video of her good deed goes viral.
Suddenly internet-famous, Sadie's summer changes for the better when she's introduced to other "hometown heroes." These five very different teens form an unlikely alliance to secretly right local wrongs, but when they try to help a heroin-using friend, they get in over their heads and discover that there might be truth in the saying "no good deed goes unpunished." Can Sadie and her new friends make it through the summer with their friendships--and anonymity--intact?
This rich and thought-provoking novel takes on timely issues and timeless experiences with a winning combination of romance, humor, and wisdom.
Carrie Firestone has lived in rural, urban, and suburban places, and, while she currently lives in the suburbs, she is decidedly a CITY person. She loves parties, and all kinds of music, and books about random people doing random things in random places. She loves to travel with her husband, and two daughters, Lauren and Emily. When she isn’t writing, you might find her reluctantly sharing her popcorn at the movies, trying to get people (or dogs) to do a conga line, or adding items to her loose ends list.
Title: The Unlikelies
Author: Carrie Firestone
Format: Digital ARC
Source: Blog Tour
Filled with hope, love, and heartache, Carrie Firestone's The Unlikelies is a fun summer read that surprisingly is also very emotional.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first started The Unlikelies. It has such a fun summer-y cover, however, the blurb hinted at some deep, emotional topics. What I discovered was a nice mix of both and a story I won't forget any time soon. The Unlikelies has the humor and levity you'd expect and want in a summer read, but there are also plenty of moments and characters that tug on the heartstrings.
After saving an infant from a terrible situation and getting injured in the process, Sadie, our narrator, finds herself being honored as a "homegrown hero" by the local Rotary club along with other teens who inspire. Soon Sadie and the other "homegrown hero" honorees get together and are inspired to do some anonymous random acts of kindness. However, things don't always go as planned and there are some misunderstandings as well as some heartbreaking events. But as the group grows closer together and connections are formed, they continue to do what they can to uplift others and learn some truly valuable life lessons over the summer.
As the blurb states, the story is a bit like "The Breakfast Club" in the fact that the very diverse group of main characters all come from various backgrounds, yet still find a way to bond together. There is someone for everyone to relate to from the "good girl," to the artist, to the nerd, and so on. But there is also a bit more depth to each character beyond the stereotypes as each one is all full of surprises. With their own distinct personalities and points of view, it's interesting to see them interact with and learn from one another as more about their personal lives is revealed. Despite their differences they all find common ground and close relationships develop as they learn more about one another and work together to improve the lives of others. True, this is a little clichéd and some aspects of the plot might be a bit unbelievable, but yet it all somehow works for this particular book and I really enjoyed reading it.
In addition to the relatable characters with interesting and varied backgrounds, I also appreciated the fun and humor infused into the story despite some of the heavy topics introduced such as cyber-bullying, death, racism, and drug abuse. There was a nice balance that kept the book from being too dark or too lighthearted considering some of the heavy topics the story tackles. This is something that is sometimes difficult to do, yet Carrie Firestone found a way and her efforts are definitely appreciated by this reader.
In various ways throughout the book, the author also managed to highlight how important communication is between teens and their parents. Different events in the book demonstrated just how clueless parents can be about their own kids and their friends and activities as well as how clueless kids can be also be about their parents' history. A little communication can go a long way, which is something some characters learn the hard way.
Overall, I enjoyed Sadie and her group of unlikely friends and found their mission and individual stories to be interesting as well as inspiring. They aren't the only ones who can learn some important life lessons from their experiences and it's all nicely done in a way that doesn't get too preachy, if you know what I mean. I really liked Carrie Firestone's writing style and look forward to reading more of her books.
*I received a free digital ARC of this book as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.*
- 3 Finished Copies of The Unlikelies by Carrie Firestone
- US only
- No P.O. boxes
- Follow the tour for more chances to win
- Runs through June 6
- Please read Rules & Regs in Rafflecopter
