Title: Mad Love
Author: Suzanne Selfors
Publisher: Walker BFYR
Pub. Date: 1.4.2011
Genre: Contemporary YA
Keywords: Cupid, Love, Family, Secrets, Mental Illness
Pages: 336
Description (from Goodreads):
When you're the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life should be pretty good. But 16-year-old Alice Amorous has been living a lie ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness. After putting on a brave front for months, time is running out. The next book is overdue, and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs a story for her mother—and she needs one fast.
That's when she meets Errol, a strange boy who claims to be Cupid, who insists that Alice write about the greatest love story in history: his tragic relationship with Psyche. As Alice begins to hear Errol's voice in her head and see things she can't explain, she must face the truth—that she's either inherited her mother's madness, or Errol is for real.
I'll start off by saying that I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't.
Part of my dislike for MAD LOVE may be my own fault. I think I was expecting a bit more from this novel, but it's really quite fluffy and juvenile, which may have caught me off guard.
Secondly, I did not like Alice. At all. Her character personality grated on my nerves. I wanted to feel sympathetic towards her situation, but she seemed too self-centered for me to do so. Yes, her life is a bit of a mess and it's unfair for any kid to have to deal with their mother's mental illness, but she doesn't seem at all grateful for those that are there for her, like her neighbors. I would have liked to see a bit more maturity from her character.
The idea behind this novel is interesting and cute, but it just didn't seem to go anywhere. I felt like the same scene kept repeating over and over again with the same results. I simply lost patience.
This novel seems to be reasonably well-liked, so don't let this review stop you from checking it out if the story interests you... I just wanted - and needed - more.
Review copy provided by publisher.
I was wanting to read this book, because it really sounds good, but I think I have to re-think about it now.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I just awarded you the "From Me To You Award"
http://vvb32reads.blogspot.com/2010/03/from-me-to-you-award.html
This is the first review that I've read that wasn't really positive...which is good :) I like honest reviews, I also like to know what it was about a book people didn't like...people are too glossy (myself included)
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