The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things by Ann Aguirre ISBN: 978-1250047502
Published by Feiwel & Friends on 2015-04-07
Genres: Emotions & Feelings, Love & Romance, Social Issues, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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Sage Czinski is trying really hard to be perfect. If she manages it, people won’t peer beyond the surface, or ask hard questions about her past. She’s learned to substitute causes for relationships, and it’s working just fine… until Shane Cavendish strolls into her math class. He’s a little antisocial, a lot beautiful, and everything she never knew she always wanted.
Shane Cavendish just wants to be left alone to play guitar and work on his music. He’s got heartbreak and loneliness in his rearview mirror, and this new school represents his last chance. He doesn’t expect to be happy; he only wants to graduate and move on. He never counted on a girl like Sage.
But love doesn’t mend all broken things, and sometimes life has to fall apart before it can be put back together again…
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MY THOUGHTS
Sage moved to Farmdale three years ago and changed everything about herself. She now tries to make at least one person smile each day by putting a post it with a postiive message on a locker in sparkly pen when she knows someone needs it most. She hasn’t had an easy life and moving in with her aunt has given her a new chance at life that she doesn’t want to mess up. Nicknamed “princess” because of her attitude, she has stayed away from friendships, except with Ryan, who she thinks is just friendly with her as a cover for another relationship that wouldn’t be viewed kindly by the jock bullies at school.
When a new boy, Shane, shows up and becomes the bullies’ punching bag, she tries to deflect them and when Ryan confesses that his other relationship was with an older woman, her world falls apart. Now divorced from her protective relationship with Ryan, she moves forward and sits with her Green World recycling group. She also drags Shane along with her to sit with freshman, sophmores and a senior. Of course, Shane has some secrets of his own and Sage thinks she understands exactly what is going on with him, but it is much worse than she imaged.
Sigh, these two are just perfect for each other, both with bad starts in life and are given a second chance at life and want to succeed. Shane has a love of music and in a small town, he becomes someone when he is seen playing at the local coffe house. He comes into his own through his talent and the bully gets his. I am not going to write about that situation because it would be too spoilery. This is a nicely done story that discusses some hard issues but not as gritty as Katie McGarry or Jennifer Echols. Parents: this is a pretty clean read with just a bit of language, some violence, and some allusions to sexual situations (a few kisses too!).
SOUNDS GOOD
I really like the sound of it, and the cover looks gorgeous!
I’m gonna add it to my to-read pile, thank you for sharing!
Sara @ Sara In Bookland
Great review! I have seen this on a few lists for 2015, I think I’d like to read about Sage and Shane too.
The cover is really sweet.
The books sounds like an inocent amd light read.
Good review
Ruty@Reading…Dreaming