[Review: Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour]

"Everything Leads To You"
Author: Nina LaCour
Series: None
Pages: 307
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Date Published: May 15th, 2014
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Format Read: Hardcover from the library

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Summary:

A love letter to the craft and romance of film and fate in front of—and behind—the camera from the award-winning author of Hold Still.

A wunderkind young set designer, Emi has already started to find her way in the competitive Hollywood film world.

Emi is a film buff and a true romantic, but her real-life relationships are a mess. She has desperately gone back to the same girl too many times to mention. But then a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend leads Emi to Ava. Ava is unlike anyone Emi has ever met. She has a tumultuous, not-so-glamorous past, and lives an unconventional life. She’s enigmatic…. She’s beautiful. And she is about to expand Emi’s understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Everything Leads To You,

You were finally a LaCour book that I liked. Not only were you different, but you also dived into an interesting part of Hollywood that people don't usually pay any attention to. On top of that your words were really pretty. Overall I liked you.

-The White Unicron

I've only read one other LaCour book (The Disenchantments) and I have to say that I wasn't that impressed. I felt like there was no way that her main character was actually a male, and I said in that review that I wished that he would have been a lesbian, because I felt like he would have seemed more honest. Well, as soon as I heard that Everything Leads To You featured a lesbian protagonist, I knew that I had to read it, just to see if my hunch was correct. I have to say that I really liked this book. Emi's voice was honest, and she held all the sincerity as a character that I was missing with my first LaCour experience. 

The thing that is so refreshing about this novel is that it doesn't feel like a statement piece. Sure there is a love story between two girls, but it isn't the main focus of the story. There is a huge mystery, Hollywood antics, the filming of an Indie movie, and finding yourself, playing in the background. LaCour fits so much into this book, that you find yourself pulled right in, and the diversity of the characters adds to the story. 

  

I loved all the Hollywood history in the book. Emi and her best friend find a note in a dead western stars' vinyl record that they bought at an estate sale, and the story gets going right away as they try to get the letter to its rightful owner. This leads them to Ava. 

There is an ongoing mystery as Ava tries to figure out things about her life. And there is also an Indie film being made that Emi has signed on to be the set designer for. So, no matter where you look, you're surrounded by the backstage parts of the movie business. I loved the details that made it into the book. Emi's job is one that you never hear talked about like this, and I have to say that it was one of my favorite bits of the story.

If you're looking for a love story that has something new to offer, and if you love Hollywood glamour, than may I suggest this delightful little story. I think you'll love it!

Rating:

4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Review: The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour]

"The Disenchantments"
Author: Nina LaCour
Pages: 307
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Date Published: February 16th, 2012
Publisher: Dutton Children's Books
Format Read: Borrowed copy from the library

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Summary:

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall.

But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?

Morris Award–finalist Nina LaCour draws together the beauty and influences of music and art to brilliantly capture a group of friends on the brink of the rest of their lives.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

Guys I wanted to love this book, I really did.  Road trip with a band followed by an adventure to Europe.  That's my dream life, but what isn't my dream life is this book.  I'll admit that I would have given the last 90 pages a 3 unicorn rating, but it was what came before that that made this book not work for me.  I think had the book started with the last 100 pages and continued, I would have been much more pleased with the story.  It had all the fixings to be perfect: music, art and friendship all shoved into an old school, VW van with some musical equipment, but it just plain fell flat for me.

First I had no idea that Colby was a dude and as I was reading I was wondering if he really was.  I didn't find him authentic at all.  I know a lot of guys and none of them would ever act the way that Colby did.  I swore he was a girl the whole book.  And so it made my reading experience awkward.  I think that Colby should have been a lesbian who was in love with her best friend, because that's what it seemed like, even though apparently Colby was in fact a fellow.  I just couldn't wrap my head around what the author wanted us to believe with his character.  I get internal dialogue sometimes leaning toward the feminine, but his actions and spoken words needed to be masculine and they weren't.  Not until the last 90 pages that is.  Then Colby sounded like a dude out of nowhere.  A dude I wanted to like, but couldn't.

I found Bev to be one of those people who I didn't like much either.  She's supposed to be this amazing creature that Colby is in love with and his best friend, but she's been lying to him for 4 whole years.  Yeah that doesn't work for me either.  And their relationship made me cringe instead of cheer them on.

I did however really enjoy Meg and Alexis!  Those sisters rocked and are what touring with a band is all about!  I was glad that they were around to shed some light on all the darkness that Colby and Bev's mess was making.  They were sweet, edgy and rock n roll.  Plus, Alexis' love of Heart was a great addition to the trip.  Oh and Jasper!  I kinda loved him and the fact that he went out of his way to help everyone find that mystery tattoo!  

The music and the band were actually done really well.  I liked that they really didn't play that well.  I think we all know bands who play more for fun than for recognition and LaCour has a good grasp on what the dynamics of this kind of band are like.  Also all of the music mentioned is good stuff!  This girl has great music taste which she features wisely in this book.  I also liked the odd mystery surrounding the tattoo that Colby goes in search for and the touring aspects of the trip.  That stuff actually held my attention.

I think in the end my dislike of the book stems from not understanding the leads and wishing that it was about all of the secondary characters instead.  But if you like coming of age road trip tales then this just might actually be the book for you, even if it, sadly wasn't the book for me.  

Rating:

2 Unicorns = Something just didn't work for me!