Monday, March 30, 2015

Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys) by Amy Spalding

Title: Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys)
Author: Amy Spalding
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Poppy
Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Source: ARC via The NOVL Newsletter (Thanks NOVL!)
Read: February 2015
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist meets Easy A in this hilariously realistic story of sneaking out, making out, and playing in a band.
After catching their bandmates in a compromising position, sixteen-year-old Los Angelenos Riley and Reid become painfully aware of the romance missing from their own lives. And so a pact is formed: they'll both try to make something happen with their respective crushes and document the experiences in a shared notebook.
While Reid struggles with the moral dilemma of adopting a dog to win over someone's heart, Riley tries to make progress with Ted Callahan, who she's been obsessed with forever-His floppy hair! His undeniable intelligence! But suddenly cute guys are popping up everywhere. How did she never notice them before?! With their love lives going from 0 to 60 in the blink of an eye, Riley and Reid realize the results of their pact may be more than they bargained for. 

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million

***I received an ARC of this book from the NOVL Newsletter in exchange for an honest review***



Honestly, I was really excited about reading this book when I saw the blurb by Stephanie Perkins (I really love her books). But unfortunately I didn't love this book as much as I wish I would have.

Overall, I thought the book was okay. There were parts that I enjoyed and parts that just frustrated me. The writing is enjoyable. I was able to read this book fairly quickly and it did hold my attention. I was curious about how everything was going to play out and which guy she was going to end up with. 

One day Riley and Reid discover that their bandmates/friends are hooking up. Which makes them both realize how neither of them really have any romantic experience or relationships. Riley and Reid then make a back that this was going to be the year that they pursue their crushes, in hopes that they will each find a boyfriend/girlfriend. Along the way they keep a notebook, cataloging their progress and relationship advice. Which they both pass back and forth, taking turns writing about their experiences. 

There are several things I did like from this story.

The Friendships. I really liked the friendships for the most part. They were realistic. Friends don't always get along and can fight. So I liked that it wasn't always all about the good times. The friendships are well written and developed and I could easily picture these friendships in my head as I read. I especially love the friendship between Riley and Reid. They have that AWESOME BFF relationship between a girl and a boy without any romantic tension between them. Yay for boy/girl best friends! 

I also really liked the musical aspect of the story. I love music, so it was really fun for the characters to be in their own band. And for Riley to be so interested in the music scene. It was fun and entertaining! 

Ted Callahan. I did really like his character. . He is cute and sweet. And I really enjoyed reading the parts where he was in the story.

I liked the characters, but I didn't really love the characters.
I didn't really find myself liking Riley as much as I had wanted to. I just didn't really connect with her character much. Like I said before, I really enjoyed that she loves music. I do feel that she has quite a bit of confidence and determination. But I also think she wasn't very nice sometimes. And sometimes I found the things she said to be a little annoying.
I enjoyed the parts with Reid, though he doesn't have as big of a part in the story as Riley does. We mostly read about his experiences and thoughts about girls in the journal that they pass back and forth. 


My Recommendation:

Overall, I didn't really mind reading this book, but I didn't fall in love with the story. Nor did I really fall in love with the characters. There were parts that I liked, and even some characters that I enjoyed. But this isn't a book that I want to reread. 

My Rating:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog and leave a comment! I read every single one and they make my day! <3