Eleanor and Park

 

 

 

This is the 2nd time I have I joined in a monthly meme hosted by Michelle at  Because Reading is Better than Real Life, in which we put up 3 books on the first Saturday of the month, and they you readers, vote on which one I should read, I read and then I write a blog post on the last Saturday of the month.

 

It's so much fun!

I always have a hard time choosing what book to read next... this was the winner:

Eleanor and Park

 

 

 

I had been interested in Eleanor and Park for some time, but I didn't own it and I didn't think it was a 'have to' read for me, but  a few months ago, I  started seeing in mentioned (again) in blog posts and mentioned in book podcasts. There were using it as a reference, but it drew my attention again and when I put it up as one of the 3 for  you guys to choose for me,  it won hands down!

 

And it was AWESOME!  I'm so glad I finally got to read it.

Thanks!

 

It's a story that most of us can relate to (not the physical abuse, etc) but of the 'not fitting in' to a crowd in high school.  Being afraid of  what you wear, who you are, what you like, etc.  and then finding that one friend (or love) who makes everything all right.

 

I really loved this book so much!

 

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I just had one little issue---but it wasn't about the book itself. 

 Park is half Korean,  my nephews are half Guamanian.   At one point in the story Park says that "no one sees Asian guys as good looking.  They see Asian girls as hot, but guys? No."

That made me feel horrible!  I don't want that statement to be true.  For ANY Asian boy.  I don't want them to feel so out of place.  It actually broke my heart.

Thank you Rainbow Rowell. 

I was being sarcastic but man, she  is such a good author that she can break your heart!!

 

Good book.   Thanks for choosing this one for me.

 

 

From Goodreads:

Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try