Review of Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Title: Save the Date
Author: Morgan Matson
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 5, 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

 

Synopsis:

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.

There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.

Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.

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You guys, am I broken? I didn’t love a Morgan Matson book and I feel like I let myself down. I went into Save the Date with so much hope and high expectations. I loved the premise of a wedding bringing a huge family together, but OHMYGOD there was so much drama and mishaps . . . AND GAH, I had such a hard time processing a 432-paged story with so many characters, very little romance, so many feelings, and just SO MUCH drama. And with so many characters not fully developed, I could not connect with any of them. But even though Save the Date didn’t work for me, there were a few “RAVES” I would love to highlight. Although this wasn’t the summer rom-com I was hoping for, I’m sure other contemporary readers will enjoy the wedding shenanigans that pursue.

-There’s a cute dog named Waffles.
-The Grant family is very unique (and large), and I loved that a comic strip, created by the main character’s mom, is showcased throughout some chapters.
-The wedding planner’s nephew is a breath of fresh air whenever he shows up in the book.
-There are hidden Easter eggs and references to Taylor Swift, Stranger Things, and some characters from Matson’s previous books make a cameo appearance.
-J.J., one of Charlie’s three brothers, is hilarious, and I think he needs his own book.

Note:   I was not provided a copy of this book by the author or the publisher in exchange for a review. I bought this book (and two other copies, lol) with my own funds, and I reviewed the book at my own discretion.  All statements and opinions in this review are mine. 

Top 5 Tuesday: Summertime Reads

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Bionic Book Worm. 

Today’s topic: Top 5 Summertime Reads

Click on my photographs to be linked to my review or the book’s Goodreads page.

What are some of your favorite summertime reads?

Waiting on Wednesday: Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that highlights pre-publication/upcoming releases that readers cannot wait to get their hands on. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Save the Date
Author: Morgan Matson
Publication date: June 5, 2018
Publisher:  Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Synopsis

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.

There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.

Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future. 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Top Ten Tuesday: Reading Slump Cure

HOSTED by The Broke and the Bookish

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This week’s topic is…

Top Ten Books that Get Me Out of Reading Slumps

(Click on the book cover to be linked to its Goodreads page or my review)

The Kate Daniels series is my favorite urban fantasy series, and book 4, Magic Bleeds, is my favorite book out of the series so far. I love Kate Daniels–she is so badass and fierce. And the sassy, snarky, and sarcastic dialogue between her and Curran always makes my day. 

I found Happiness for Beginners by accident last year, and I loved it. I love it so much that I have turned to it two times for a reading slump cure.  I love how Helen pushes herself throughout the book, and I especially enjoyed the dynamics between Helen and Jake.

I’ve lost count of how many times I have read Since You’ve Been Gone. As an introvert and an people-observer, Emily reminds me of me when I was her age. I never had a Frank, but I’m so glad she found him in the book.

This is my classy, swoony book that I turned to ALL the time, because it’s a cheesy, quick, and light-hearted read. 

I can never get enough of Kestrel and Arin, so whenever a reading slump hits, I want to be in their world and in their heads, because they are perfect for each other.

This is one of those books I wish I had when I was in high school/early college. It’s a quick and genuinely cute book to fall in love with over and over.

I feel like Dumplin’ is one of those books that changed my perspective of the “typical” girl found in young adult books. Willowdean is a memorable character that I wish I could meet in person. I wish they would make this book into a movie!

The Mercy Thompson series is another urban fantasy series that I LOVE SO MUCH. I could reread this series over and over, and still want more. 

The Start of Me and You is my favorite Emery Lord book (so far). It touches base on losing someone, starting new friendships, first loves, anxiety, and fandoms. It is a cute and quick read that always cures my reading slumps.

Brighton Walsh is one of my favorite New Adult writers, and Tessa Ever After was the first book I read by her. It’s realistic and sexy and funny as hell. Definitely a great book that has gotten me out of a few reading slumps.

What are some books that you turn to when
you are experiencing a reading slump?

ARC Review: The Unexepected Everything by Morgan Matson

Title: The Unexpected Everything
By:   Morgan Matson
Release Date: May 3, 2016
Pages: 528 (Hardcover)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads Summary

Andie had it all planned out.

When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.

Important internship? Check.

Amazing friends? Check.

Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks)

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.

Because here’s the thing – if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected.

And where’s the fun in that?

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My Rants and Raves of The Unexpected Everything

First off, if you love Morgan Matson’s past books, you will definitely add The Unexpected Everything to your favorites list. Matson once again creates a contemporary world rattled with familial problems, tested friendships, swoony and smart boys, and summer plans gone awry. The main character, Andie, is not the most likable character, but her development throughout the novel shows great maturity. A lot of characters consume this book, making the story a bit confusing and overpowering with drama, but overall each character brings their own spin and flair to the story, and they all help shape Andie’s unforgettable summer.

Andie is the daughter of a widowed congressman; she is organized, ambitious, and always has a plan. She has her summer internship set up and she’s single, so no one can get in the way of her goals. However, after her dad is caught in the middle of an investigated scandal, Andie’s plans get put on the back burner and she has to learn to “go with the flow.” Even though Andie is very high-strung, I love that she takes initiative to make the most of her summer instead of wallowing in self-pity.

Throughout the novel, Andie does not have the best communication skills when it comes to talking to her father and her friends, and this always seems to lead to more problems. When communication problems go astray in the book, frustration is ensued.  The lack of communication is a huge conflict that is stretched throughout the novel, and it is not just Andie dealing with it. Even one of her friends, who is obsessed with emojis, starts to feel the pressure of how communication is a key factor in making friendships and relationships work. Luckily, Andie meets Clark who is shy, but also has an innate gift of bringing people together through storytelling. 

In regards to my absolute favorite “rave” of The Unexpected Everything, I can definitely admit that Clark is by far my favorite character in the book. First off, his “geeky” shirts are “punny” and fantastic. And not to give too much away about him, but I love that he is going through a George R.R. Martin writing phase. Clark is smart, awkward, funny, and so adorable (those dimples!!!). He is definitely the perfect person to balance Andie’s strict, planned out life.

Additionally, my fellow Matson book-lovers, characters from Since You’ve Been Gone make small cameos in The Unexpected Everything…it’s brief but some of our favorite characters are there and it’s blissful and wonderful (EEEEeee!!!)! 

Overall, The Unexpected Everything is 528 pages of frustration AND adoration. It definitely has its great moments: Clark, Bertie’s shenanigans, and a big group scavenger hunt, to name a few.  This book is unquestionably the perfect read to start off your summer with. So prepare yourself for some teenage angst, leaked secrets, fluffy dogs, and a story about an unanticipated summer filled with humorous surprises.

My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

PURCHASE THIS BOOK FROM YOUR LOCAL BOOKSELLER/RETAILER 

Amazon   •     Barnes and Noble    •     Book Depository 

NOTE:         Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me an e-galley/e-ARC of this book for an honest review. All statements and opinions are mine.