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sheffner07's review against another edition
3.0
The MC was feisty and funny, the love interest a worthy book boyfriend. Loved the setting of Las Vegas and the wedding business there. The second half of the book fell short for me, however, and there seemed to be too many conflicts thrown in at the end. Still, it was a sweet and hilarious read that's perfect for people looking for a quick, sweet read.
anabook25's review against another edition
3.0
I really loved her latest book, but I couldn't really get into this one. I probably had a book hangover because I spent one month reading Mistborn or maybe it was because I'm not really a fan of Las vegas. Either way, it was a cute, quick read. And I'll still read anything Lindsey Leavitt writes.
tfillion's review against another edition
3.0
I think that this book was cute, but it was definitely not one of my favorites. The best part is the love interest- Dax. However, the way that the protagonist treats him makes me wish that he went looking for someone better. There was a running Romeo and Juliet theme going on, but the acceptance of the relationship by both parties for the most part made it seem like this feud was not nearly as dramatic. However, I did like the discussion of love vs marriage and the contrasting ideas of Holly's divorced parents and Dax's widowed mother and how that affected their view of love/ marriage, which is seen in the difference in the wedding chapels. Overall, I'm excited to start Going Vintage and I will keep Leavitt on my list of authors to read.
emjrasmussen's review against another edition
I have read all of Leavitt's published books to date, and not one has disappointed me. Her clever writing has a casual sort of cadence that does not call too much attention to itself, and it always brings to life three-dimensional protagonists with engaging family and friend dynamics. As I expected, The Chapel Wars delivers all of the above, plus a humorously forbidden romance and a glittering Las Vegas backdrop.
One thing, however, causes Leavitt's newest novel to stand out from the rest. Its overarching theme of loyalty makes The Chapel Wars this author's best YA book so far.
The theme of loyalty pops up repeatedly throughout Holly's quest to save her chapel. Her utter dedication to her family business, a traditional-wedding oasis in a sea of garish theme-wedding chapels, clashes with Las Vegas, where everything is constantly changing and modernizing. The protagonist's devotion to an old place and old traditions, especially when contrasted with the transient nature of her hometown, drives her character and shows why saving the chapel means so much to her. Holly's mindset engages readers, forcing them to care about her conflicts as much as she does.
The novel's main theme also impacts the romantic subplot. Holly's relationship with Dax unites two people with different opinions and backgrounds, and the protagonist's love interest compels her to question the opinions she used to stand by stubbornly. Additionally, the fact that the two characters' loyalties lie with separate chapels gives their relationship a Shakespearean quality and develops a creative kind of romantic tension. I loved watching them struggle to remain loyal to their own chapels while still looking out for each other, illustrating the complexities of conflicting allegiances.
By the end of the story, readers will have cheered for Holly in both romance and business, as well as considered their own loyalties and when it is acceptable to defy them for the greater good. The final chapters of The Chapel Wars will give returning readers a huge smiles that will serve to remind them why they remain fans of Lindsey Leavitt. This book cemented my loyalty to its author, and I cannot wait to read her next novel.
This review originally appeared at www.foreverliterary.blogspot.com.
One thing, however, causes Leavitt's newest novel to stand out from the rest. Its overarching theme of loyalty makes The Chapel Wars this author's best YA book so far.
The theme of loyalty pops up repeatedly throughout Holly's quest to save her chapel. Her utter dedication to her family business, a traditional-wedding oasis in a sea of garish theme-wedding chapels, clashes with Las Vegas, where everything is constantly changing and modernizing. The protagonist's devotion to an old place and old traditions, especially when contrasted with the transient nature of her hometown, drives her character and shows why saving the chapel means so much to her. Holly's mindset engages readers, forcing them to care about her conflicts as much as she does.
The novel's main theme also impacts the romantic subplot. Holly's relationship with Dax unites two people with different opinions and backgrounds, and the protagonist's love interest compels her to question the opinions she used to stand by stubbornly. Additionally, the fact that the two characters' loyalties lie with separate chapels gives their relationship a Shakespearean quality and develops a creative kind of romantic tension. I loved watching them struggle to remain loyal to their own chapels while still looking out for each other, illustrating the complexities of conflicting allegiances.
By the end of the story, readers will have cheered for Holly in both romance and business, as well as considered their own loyalties and when it is acceptable to defy them for the greater good. The final chapters of The Chapel Wars will give returning readers a huge smiles that will serve to remind them why they remain fans of Lindsey Leavitt. This book cemented my loyalty to its author, and I cannot wait to read her next novel.
This review originally appeared at www.foreverliterary.blogspot.com.
readingundertheradar's review
4.0
My full review will be posted later on this month at Happy Book Lovers
Vegas, wedding chapels, and a family feud? Count me in. I was excited about this book from (virtual) page 1, and Leavitt definitely delivered a smart, cute, and quirky book about first love and what it truly means to get married.
Holly is left in charge of her grandfather's chapel, and basically, she has no clue what to do. I mean, she has some semblance, but because PLOT, she's got to figure a lot of things out for herself. Fortunately, she's a numbers girl. Which I thought was super cool. Since I'm an English and art person, it was really interesting to read about a character who functioned largely off of equations and formulas. She even calculates percentages of the likelihood that people who are married in Vegas will stay together. You know, just for fun.
On top of handling a close family member's death, she's also coping with her parents' divorce, an angsty middle-school brother, a distant college sister, and a long-standing family fight with a neighboring chapel, all while trying to actually run the chapel and earn enough money to keep it open. Oh, and school was a thing, too. I was so impressed with Holly's involvement in everything, and Leavitt's story didn't make the whole thing unrealistic. Holly struggled with keeping everything straight and on track, as she should, but she was still a teenager, and she still became emotional and reckless at times. I love that she was flawed, but trying so hard not to be.
Vegas, wedding chapels, and a family feud? Count me in. I was excited about this book from (virtual) page 1, and Leavitt definitely delivered a smart, cute, and quirky book about first love and what it truly means to get married.
Holly is left in charge of her grandfather's chapel, and basically, she has no clue what to do. I mean, she has some semblance, but because PLOT, she's got to figure a lot of things out for herself. Fortunately, she's a numbers girl. Which I thought was super cool. Since I'm an English and art person, it was really interesting to read about a character who functioned largely off of equations and formulas. She even calculates percentages of the likelihood that people who are married in Vegas will stay together. You know, just for fun.
On top of handling a close family member's death, she's also coping with her parents' divorce, an angsty middle-school brother, a distant college sister, and a long-standing family fight with a neighboring chapel, all while trying to actually run the chapel and earn enough money to keep it open. Oh, and school was a thing, too. I was so impressed with Holly's involvement in everything, and Leavitt's story didn't make the whole thing unrealistic. Holly struggled with keeping everything straight and on track, as she should, but she was still a teenager, and she still became emotional and reckless at times. I love that she was flawed, but trying so hard not to be.
iselenamethod22's review against another edition
3.0
I really debated on what rating to give this book... because while it was disappointing to me, it also really got better the longer I read.
SO I just settled on 3 stars. Full review to come on blog. :)
SO I just settled on 3 stars. Full review to come on blog. :)
justineduhart's review against another edition
3.0
3,5 or 3,75.
It felt real. Like "real life" real. But I couldn't really get myself to care about the chapel wars. It's just not in the French culture I think. It was funny to some extent but quite dragging as well. It's so weird because this book really means something to me but it also doesn't. I just can't explain it.
It felt real. Like "real life" real. But I couldn't really get myself to care about the chapel wars. It's just not in the French culture I think. It was funny to some extent but quite dragging as well. It's so weird because this book really means something to me but it also doesn't. I just can't explain it.
liralen's review against another edition
4.0
Leavitt's books are invariably cute, sweet, not too serious. The Princess for Hire series are my favourites to date, but this and Going Vintage are in many ways better books -- more complex character development; more complexity to the plot.
That is not to say that the premise is particularly believable -- a high school student inheriting a Las Vegas chapel? And tasked with bringing it out from the brink of financial ruin, stat? Not likely. But if anyone's up for the task, Holly is. She has her quirks, but she's basically a well-rounded teenager with interesting friends (and, bonus: friends who actually act like teenage guys) and a lot of experience working in a chapel.
I rail, with some regularity, against YA romance -- it's predictable; it's unrealistic. And probably I should have the same complaints here. But I knew exactly what I was getting into when I picked up the book (note: I won a firstreads copy, but prior to that I'd been checking the library catalogue every few days to see if they'd ordered a copy yet. Now that I have my hands on a copy, they've finally gotten around to putting some on order); I knew it would be cute and a little silly and there would be romance and I'd probably be okay with it, because the characters would be worth more than their romance(s) and the storytelling would be good and it would probably manage to surprise me somewhere along the line.
And all that held true. Marshmallow fluff, perhaps, but marshmallow fluff that manages to be good for you.
I received a free copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway.
That is not to say that the premise is particularly believable -- a high school student inheriting a Las Vegas chapel? And tasked with bringing it out from the brink of financial ruin, stat? Not likely. But if anyone's up for the task, Holly is. She has her quirks, but she's basically a well-rounded teenager with interesting friends (and, bonus: friends who actually act like teenage guys) and a lot of experience working in a chapel.
I rail, with some regularity, against YA romance -- it's predictable; it's unrealistic. And probably I should have the same complaints here. But I knew exactly what I was getting into when I picked up the book (note: I won a firstreads copy, but prior to that I'd been checking the library catalogue every few days to see if they'd ordered a copy yet. Now that I have my hands on a copy, they've finally gotten around to putting some on order); I knew it would be cute and a little silly and there would be romance and I'd probably be okay with it, because the characters would be worth more than their romance(s) and the storytelling would be good and it would probably manage to surprise me somewhere along the line.
And all that held true. Marshmallow fluff, perhaps, but marshmallow fluff that manages to be good for you.
I received a free copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway.
pagesplotsandpints's review against another edition
4.0
Initial Impressions 3/24/14:Yay! Super cute. I had a lot of fun reading this one and definitely a different direction than Going Vintage (and now I need to read Sean Griswold's Head) but either way, lots of fun. I think I didn't love it as much but I loved the Vegas atmosphere and the respective chapel wars. Loved how it ended and I loved that things weren't picture perfect all the time.
Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: I really loved GOING VINTAGE, the first Lindsey Leavitt book I had read (although not the first one she’s written), so I was really excited when I saw promo for her newest book, THE CHAPEL WARS. The concept is way cute with two Las Vegas chapels duking it out to earn more business and heck, even STAY in business, especially in the case of Holly and her family’s chapel once her grandfather passes away.
THE CHAPEL WARS didn’t disappoint me in it cuteness. Holly was a great main character, balancing the line between kid and adult — she’s heavily invested in the family business of running the Rose of Sharon chapel and attending school and doing regular teenager-y things. When her grandfather passes away, she gets a big surprise about the chapel and ends up with even more weight on her shoulders, feeling personally responsible to save it from going out of business.
THE CHAPEL WARS was a lot of fun to read, but given that I had such a strong connection in GOING VINTAGE, it fell juuuust a bit shy of a new favorite for me. I really appreciated the strong family dynamics in GOING VINTAGE and unfortunately, Holly doesn’t have that same luxury, especially with the one person in her family with whom she really connected — her grandfather — just recently passing. I know, I know, not fair to compare an author’s previous book because it’s an entirely different work, but the fact is that fans come to know that book well and there is a certain expectation established whether anyone intends it to be there or not!
The romance in this book was just plain fun. I loved the back and forth between Holly and Dax and how they came from different backgrounds and yet so much of their current situations overlap. They’re both able to help each other through hard times while at the same time dealing with some pretty serious situations with their own family… And the fact that their families hate each other. It was a lot of fun to see these two kids try to work together and at the same time, stressful (but fun to read) because you just knew something was bound to explode if they kept on seeing each other! How very Romeo and Juliet! I really enjoyed the forbidden romance, though, and these two just fit together so well.
I loved the Vegas setting in the book! I went to Vegas for the first time — oh my gosh, it was four years ago already! — and I had a blast envisioning where these two chapels were in reference to the strip as well as a few references to the hotels and a smashing Ocean’s 11/fountain at the Bellagio reference (LOVE). It was a very visually dynamic book and I had so much fun putting myself back in that setting!
THE CHAPEL WARS didn’t skyrocket to an instant favorite but it was so much fun to read. Easy, breezy, and super cute with a romance to swoon for a family to root for. I definitely recommend this one!
Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: I really loved GOING VINTAGE, the first Lindsey Leavitt book I had read (although not the first one she’s written), so I was really excited when I saw promo for her newest book, THE CHAPEL WARS. The concept is way cute with two Las Vegas chapels duking it out to earn more business and heck, even STAY in business, especially in the case of Holly and her family’s chapel once her grandfather passes away.
THE CHAPEL WARS didn’t disappoint me in it cuteness. Holly was a great main character, balancing the line between kid and adult — she’s heavily invested in the family business of running the Rose of Sharon chapel and attending school and doing regular teenager-y things. When her grandfather passes away, she gets a big surprise about the chapel and ends up with even more weight on her shoulders, feeling personally responsible to save it from going out of business.
THE CHAPEL WARS was a lot of fun to read, but given that I had such a strong connection in GOING VINTAGE, it fell juuuust a bit shy of a new favorite for me. I really appreciated the strong family dynamics in GOING VINTAGE and unfortunately, Holly doesn’t have that same luxury, especially with the one person in her family with whom she really connected — her grandfather — just recently passing. I know, I know, not fair to compare an author’s previous book because it’s an entirely different work, but the fact is that fans come to know that book well and there is a certain expectation established whether anyone intends it to be there or not!
The romance in this book was just plain fun. I loved the back and forth between Holly and Dax and how they came from different backgrounds and yet so much of their current situations overlap. They’re both able to help each other through hard times while at the same time dealing with some pretty serious situations with their own family… And the fact that their families hate each other. It was a lot of fun to see these two kids try to work together and at the same time, stressful (but fun to read) because you just knew something was bound to explode if they kept on seeing each other! How very Romeo and Juliet! I really enjoyed the forbidden romance, though, and these two just fit together so well.
I loved the Vegas setting in the book! I went to Vegas for the first time — oh my gosh, it was four years ago already! — and I had a blast envisioning where these two chapels were in reference to the strip as well as a few references to the hotels and a smashing Ocean’s 11/fountain at the Bellagio reference (LOVE). It was a very visually dynamic book and I had so much fun putting myself back in that setting!
THE CHAPEL WARS didn’t skyrocket to an instant favorite but it was so much fun to read. Easy, breezy, and super cute with a romance to swoon for a family to root for. I definitely recommend this one!