Rise to the Sun - Book Review

 

Rise to the Sun

by Leah Johnson 

What is it about:

Three days. Two girls. One life-changing music festival.

Olivia is an expert at falling in love . . . and at being dumped. But after the fallout from her last breakup has left her an outcast at school and at home, she’s determined to turn over a new leaf. A crush-free weekend at Farmland Music and Arts Festival with her best friend is just what she needs to get her mind off the senior year that awaits her.

Toni is one week away from starting college, and it’s the last place she wants to be. Unsure about who she wants to become and still reeling in the wake of the loss of her musician-turned-roadie father, she’s heading back to the music festival that changed his life in hopes that following in his footsteps will help her find her own way forward.

When the two arrive at Farmland, the last thing they expect is to realize that they’ll need to join forces in order to get what they’re searching for out of the weekend. As they work together, the festival becomes so much more complicated than they bargained for, and Olivia and Toni will find that they need each other, and music, more than they ever could have imagined.

Packed with irresistible romance and irrepressible heart, bestselling author Leah Johnson delivers a stunning and cinematic story about grief, love, and the remarkable power of music to heal and connect us all. 

What did I think of it:

I loved You Should See Me in a Crown, so I had to give this book a try as well.

And this is yet another cool read.

The book alternates viewpoints between Olivia and Toni so you get to see into both their heads. I liked Toni a bit more than Olivia, because Olivia seems a little selfish at times, but overall I rooted for both of them.

AS the story takes place over a weekend the bonding and romance is a bit fast, but still Johnson makes it feel believable. I wouldn't have minded if the story had been a bit longer to see how the two of them would be together over a longer period time though. 

All in all a very enjoyable read. I'll keep an eye out for more by Johnson.

Why should you read it:

It's an enjoyable YA read.

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You Should See Me in a Crown - Book Review

You Should See Me in a Crown
by Leah Johnson

What is it about:
Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.

But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz's plans come crashing down . . . until she's reminded of her school's scholarship for prom king and queen. There's nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she's willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.

The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She's smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?

What did I think of it:
This book was even more fun than I had hoped.

I was a bit afraid that there would be an enemies to lovers romance in this book as Liz falls for the competition, but luckily this was not the case. There are some other serious issues being explored, like changing friendships, mean girls, and more, but even with those this book was a fun and fluffy read, that tackled the serious issues in a really good way.

I loved Liz and her family. They were there for each other and supportive. Something that seems to be rare in contemporary YA.

I very much enjoyed reading about the whole prom elections. It's not something that is done here (or at least not wen I was in school) so it always feels so foreign and glamorous. I was hooked from the start and was rooting for Liz to succeed and for her to get together with Mack.

Of course there are some moments I was thinking Liz is making things much too complicated for herself, but it never got to the point of it being annoying or unbelievable.

All in all a wonderful and sweet Contemporary YA read, that I'll definitely put on my keeper shelves.

Why should you read it:
It's super fun and sweet.


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