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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
This review was originally published on Cozy Up With A Good Read
So I admit I am a total geek, and I always have been so when I read about this book I thought it sounded awesome (even though I'm not a comic book geek...) I really loved everything that went down in this book. I found myself really connecting with Blaze, when I was in high school I was the geek on the sidelines who had no idea how to talk to guys and more than once I made a fool of myself with guys (so I ended up sticking with my books more often than not). I loved being able to really know how Blaze feels, it's not often that I really see a character like her in books, and I found myself wanting her to come out on top!
The humour in this book is something that kept my attention, it's not a humour I see often. Blaze has this snarky attitude to her that really keeps things light hearted. I really loved the interactions between Blaze and her brother and his friends, it was adorable and you could see that even though Blaze had this amusing snark she really cared for these characters. Family is such a huge part in this novel, we find out that Blaze's father left when she was young and she has become a second mother to her little brother while her own mother works long hours.
I loved the relationship between Blaze and her brother, it was adorable and they always had such great interactions. I loved how you see him grow up during the span of this book (even though it's only a couple months). Even though he is a younger brother, Josh is there to help take care of his sister, and I just loved the stuff that he does for her. It was great to see each of them doing things to protect the other one without either of them knowing what is happening.
I did find that it took some time for the big thing to happen and then it was just like everything spiralled out of control from there. But the book felt so realistic and Crompton really brought out emotions I've had from seeing people go through these things. I really hated reading as Blaze was humiliated from something that was not her fault at all, and even having friends rally around you doesn't always help.
This book was beautiful and really meaningful, and I think it's one that everyone really should read. I am disappointed that by reading the ARC, I missed out on some beautiful artwork that goes along with it, but the story itself was so captivating. I loved the way Crompton added in comics to the story and how Blaze felt that she was in her own superhero story. This is definitely a story that will stick with you.
So I admit I am a total geek, and I always have been so when I read about this book I thought it sounded awesome (even though I'm not a comic book geek...) I really loved everything that went down in this book. I found myself really connecting with Blaze, when I was in high school I was the geek on the sidelines who had no idea how to talk to guys and more than once I made a fool of myself with guys (so I ended up sticking with my books more often than not). I loved being able to really know how Blaze feels, it's not often that I really see a character like her in books, and I found myself wanting her to come out on top!
The humour in this book is something that kept my attention, it's not a humour I see often. Blaze has this snarky attitude to her that really keeps things light hearted. I really loved the interactions between Blaze and her brother and his friends, it was adorable and you could see that even though Blaze had this amusing snark she really cared for these characters. Family is such a huge part in this novel, we find out that Blaze's father left when she was young and she has become a second mother to her little brother while her own mother works long hours.
I loved the relationship between Blaze and her brother, it was adorable and they always had such great interactions. I loved how you see him grow up during the span of this book (even though it's only a couple months). Even though he is a younger brother, Josh is there to help take care of his sister, and I just loved the stuff that he does for her. It was great to see each of them doing things to protect the other one without either of them knowing what is happening.
I did find that it took some time for the big thing to happen and then it was just like everything spiralled out of control from there. But the book felt so realistic and Crompton really brought out emotions I've had from seeing people go through these things. I really hated reading as Blaze was humiliated from something that was not her fault at all, and even having friends rally around you doesn't always help.
This book was beautiful and really meaningful, and I think it's one that everyone really should read. I am disappointed that by reading the ARC, I missed out on some beautiful artwork that goes along with it, but the story itself was so captivating. I loved the way Crompton added in comics to the story and how Blaze felt that she was in her own superhero story. This is definitely a story that will stick with you.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
*Many thanks to SourceBooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!
Comics themselves tend to give me a headache if I try to read them. Fortunately, they tend to be made into pretty awesome cartoons and action figures, and my childhood was full of these, along with pretty much every other form of geekdom under the sun. And no, in some ways I've never truly "grown out" of my geek "phase".
So the idea of a comic artist getting revenge on a jerk by turning him into a villain in her comic project was very appealing, while his retaliation toward her promised the potential for a meaningful look at one of the most utterly offensive stigmas that any young woman can be branded with: being labeled a slut.
Blaze lived up to it's potential. It made me smile, laugh, cry and scream. But why am I still writing my intro? Let's get to the heart of this, shall we?
My Thoughts
Comics themselves tend to give me a headache if I try to read them. Fortunately, they tend to be made into pretty awesome cartoons and action figures, and my childhood was full of these, along with pretty much every other form of geekdom under the sun. And no, in some ways I've never truly "grown out" of my geek "phase".
So the idea of a comic artist getting revenge on a jerk by turning him into a villain in her comic project was very appealing, while his retaliation toward her promised the potential for a meaningful look at one of the most utterly offensive stigmas that any young woman can be branded with: being labeled a slut.
Blaze lived up to it's potential. It made me smile, laugh, cry and scream. But why am I still writing my intro? Let's get to the heart of this, shall we?
My Thoughts
I like the fact that we get to see what is promised in the blurb from its mostly innocent start to it's start of healing finish. The way that the novel was structured allowed me, as a reader, to experience a certain level of dramatic irony, the sort of "knowing" one might get when reading a tragic play. I got to see Blaze and Mark's 'rise and fall', all the while knowing Mark is an absolutely craptacuar guy and that things are gonna go to hell.
Yet at the same time, I will admit that there were moments where I was smiling at these two, and in part even cheering Blaze on, all the whole knowing the consequences that were to cme. This, to me, is a mark (no pun intended) of great writing. If I hadn't felt this way, the build up to the main "punch" of the novel would have been irritating and pointless. And without that build up, the darker parts of this story would have lost a certain level of poignancy. Because I had time to grow to care about Blaze, the things that happened to her--regardless of what those were---mattered, the longer I read.
The other thing that I want to commend Laurie Boyle Crompton on is the way that the situation that this book escalates into is resolved. Slut shaming is something that does not just magically go away, and to have something happen that would just make all of the issues that Blaze ends up facing disappear would have robbed this novel of its credibility. By focusing on the healing going on within Blaze as a character, and the realization that those closest to her will stand with her even amid this nightmare, the story was able to stay real while still providing the reader with hope that Blaze will make it through this disaster alive (both literally and internally--living, not merely surviving) if not unscathed.
I totally loved Blaze and thought she was a fantastic protagonist. This book is told in first person, and as someone very familiar with marvel comics, her 'voice' was refreshing and it was very fun to see the world through her eyes. It amused me when something major would be happening and she'd be imagining what it would look like as a comic panel. Blaze is also a loyal friend, a good sister to her little brother, Josh, and learned to stand on her own two feet by novel's end. If she were real, we could definitely hang out at Comic Con.
The "soccer cretins", and most importantly Blaze's brother Josh, had a piece of my heart that just kept growing bigger as the novel progressed. Blaze and Josh's relationship reminded me a lot of how I was with my baby brother Shawn and his friends, although they were gamer geeks like me and our thing was hosting monthly gaming events called "gamer gatherings". I loved the mild bickeing and absolute rock solid loyalty these two shared. It was probably the most touching thing in the entire novel.
I wanted to whack Blaze's mom with a rolling pin and shout "bad!" or at least "get a clue!". She just plain sucked for about 90% of the novel. The grandmother was also annoying, but I'll let her have a get out of jail free card since she is elderly and that can happen very easily with generational gaps, etc.
As for the guys, they served their purposes. I thought both Mark and Quentin were both well done, but not in the normal sense of the word. Since we already know Mark is going to be a jerk, there is not really a lot of room for him to grow or change. As for Quentin, i admired his loyalty to Blaze during her ordeal but he seemed just the slightest bit tacked on for the sake of "Yay, YA romance!". Too bad, as I actually found what we saw of him likable. I wish there'd been a bit more substance there.
If you're looking for the greatest love story ever told, this isn't it.
What Blaze does very well, though, is exploring with honesty, compassion and courage just how wrong things can go during the teen years when a girl gets her heart set on a total jerk.
I don't think I've ever actually read a book for this blog showing, as I said earlier, the 'rise and fall' of a relationship. We experience this with Blaze, and personally I felt with (and for) her. I saw glimpses of myself in some of her behavior: the long term crush that is (likely) going nowhere, the elation if you think that guy likes you, the devastation when the reality that he doesn't sinks in and the desperation to make him yours in the aftermath of this.
Of course the real question becomes "Is he worth it?" and the answer is generally no. If likeing someone makes you feel like you're on a really bad roller coaster, with more downs then ups, its usually best to get off asap.
As for Quentin, I liked what we saw of his personality, but he was ultimately a "bonus" the author included to add a bit more bubble / happiness / sweetness to the overall story. I wish there'd been a way to dig a little deeper here because the character, and the relationship between him and Blaze, interested me but didn't develop enough for me to feel it was 'real' and not just a check box or plot device.
Purchase or Pass?
While the actual romance / HEA aspect of Blaze could have been better, the novel did an excellent job at putting forth the story in the blurb that I had actually come to read. At times touching and at times tearful, I can say this much: I was never bored reading this book because of Blaze's terrific narrative voice, the soccer cretins' antics and the very honest look at some very dark and real topics in contrast to this.
Blaze is definitely worth your time if you are looking for a book that will make you both feel and think. I'd strongly recommend that you check it out!
3,5 stars
This was one of the nerdiest books I have ever read, and it was really fun. I could feel how happy Blaze was when Mark started noticing her, and as the story advanced and I could see that he was just trying to get laid, I just wanted to scream at her to see the real “Mark the Shark”.
The only thing that I can say that I didn’t like about this book was the fact that, even when she didn’t want to lose her virginity to Mark, she didn’t say “stop” when she could have said it.
The bullying that she suffered was portrayed very realistically, and you could feel how bad it was making her feel.
I would like to see what happened next, and how developed her relationship with Quentin.
This was one of the nerdiest books I have ever read, and it was really fun. I could feel how happy Blaze was when Mark started noticing her, and as the story advanced and I could see that he was just trying to get laid, I just wanted to scream at her to see the real “Mark the Shark”.
The only thing that I can say that I didn’t like about this book was the fact that, even when she didn’t want to lose her virginity to Mark, she didn’t say “stop” when she could have said it.
The bullying that she suffered was portrayed very realistically, and you could feel how bad it was making her feel.
I would like to see what happened next, and how developed her relationship with Quentin.
cuando lo empecé a leer fue tipo... que mierda es esto? por momentos me tuvo re enganchada y en otros no entendia bien el mensaje. No es un libro malo en si. pero tampoco es mi primera opción en la lista de recomendados
3.5 stars really. The plot was somewhat predictable but the way it was told was unique and interesting.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Racism, Pregnancy
I'll be frank. I couldn't finish this book. I tried so hard to like it, but, Blaze just gave of this really icky I-am-a-perfect-innocent-bookworm-and-everyone-else-is-a-nasty-slag vibe that I just really couldn't get behind.
I wish my name was Blaze. That'd be awesome.
So it's just basically about Blaze obsessing about this guy, called Mark and an accidental sext that went wrong, because it always does. Blaze is such a geeky and akward "comic book enthusiast" (hehe, euphimism) that's easily likable despite the fact that she's blinded by her crush on Mark to see what a douchebag he really is. I spent half of the book rolling my eyes and irritated by how crappy Mark treats Blaze, and she's so oblivious about it. She even got to the point where she went psycho stalker just to get his attention. Which made me so glad when she met Quentin. Oh Quentin, you sexy, nerdy god! Pardon me while I wipe away drool from my mouth...
Since Blaze is a comic lover, there are tons of comic book references that sometimes leave me scratching my head but it doesn't hinder my enjoyment on reading. So I'm fairly sure you comic book enthusiasts will like this one, too. The writing was comical (heh, pun), it reminded me a bit of Scott Pilgrim. There are also illustrations that are so good, I'm jealous. I could barely draw stick drawings. So if you're in need of a dose of girl power right now, Blaze is definitely the book for you.
So it's just basically about Blaze obsessing about this guy, called Mark and an accidental sext that went wrong, because it always does. Blaze is such a geeky and akward "comic book enthusiast" (hehe, euphimism) that's easily likable despite the fact that she's blinded by her crush on Mark to see what a douchebag he really is. I spent half of the book rolling my eyes and irritated by how crappy Mark treats Blaze, and she's so oblivious about it. She even got to the point where she went psycho stalker just to get his attention. Which made me so glad when she met Quentin. Oh Quentin, you sexy, nerdy god! Pardon me while I wipe away drool from my mouth...
Since Blaze is a comic lover, there are tons of comic book references that sometimes leave me scratching my head but it doesn't hinder my enjoyment on reading. So I'm fairly sure you comic book enthusiasts will like this one, too. The writing was comical (heh, pun), it reminded me a bit of Scott Pilgrim. There are also illustrations that are so good, I'm jealous. I could barely draw stick drawings. So if you're in need of a dose of girl power right now, Blaze is definitely the book for you.
I picked up Blaze (Or Love in the Time of Supervillains) because I loved the title and concept. While I felt that there were some definite rough parts of Crompton's debut, I can't say it wasn't unique.
My favorite aspect of the novel is the close relationship between Blaze and little brother (and only sibling). The two are extremely close and, though he's younger, Blaze's brother is very protective of her. Their relationship felt realistic and reminded me of my own relationship with my little brother.
Blaze's insistence that her crush, Mark, is actually a good guy and that he is genuinely interested in her felt realistic most of the time, but sometime it pushed into less unbelievable territory. Still, I have to consider the fact that, after an individual has convinced themselves of certain things, it can be hard to change perception or admit being mistaken. So I think this played into Blaze's letting things go so far with Mark (or Sleazeball as I like to call him).
Throughout the novel, Blaze alternates between embracing her role as "soccer mom," driving her little brother and his friends to soccer and whatnot, and being very bitter towards her adopted role and her single mother who works long hours at the hospital. Blaze romanticizes her absent father, who left the family years before to pursue an acting career in New York City, and often paints him as the hero to her mother's villainy. I know that this may be a typical adolescent point-of-view and reaction to the situation at hand, but, after Blaze realized her father wasn't all she had made him into, I would have really liked to see her apologize to her mother! Or have some type of moment with her.
I also found the "guy" humor in the novel to be a bit jarring. I don't consider myself a prude or anything, and I know that teenage boys are smelly and whatnot, but discussion of those smells and all that has never been very amusing to me and for some reason, still doesn't seem like something people should talk about aloud. It doesn't offend me or anything, I just avoid it, but it's unavoidable in Blaze. Maybe I'm just weird and nobody else would be thrown off by this, but it was kind of distracting for me.
In comparison, I loved the comic book elements and talk Blaze often slips in and out of or makes reference to. The illustrations within the text are all amazing and were a positive addition to the text. They definitely allowed me to connect more closely with Blaze, who I was feeling some distance to because of the previously mentioned "guy" humor.
Lastly, at the end of the book, Blaze's brother and his friends decide to slash Mark's tires. WHAT!? Again, maybe it's just me, but this did not seem like acceptable retaliation or like something Blaze should congratulate them on doing... Maybe this is something kids do these days? As someone who had to replace a tire this week (not even all four tires) and who wanted to cry as I paid the bill, I couldn't help but feel this was over the top and unnecessarily cruel because, in the end, Sleazeball's parents are going to pay that bill. Plus, helloooo, destroying property is not cool.
Overall, Blaze (Or Love in the Time of Supervillains) was pretty good, but there were some negative aspects that definitely detracted from my enjoyment. I do, however, think my issues were entirely personal in nature and the next person to pick up the novel may not be fazed at all! Unless you really connected with something in my review that you think you'd find distracting, I recommend giving this debut a try!
My favorite aspect of the novel is the close relationship between Blaze and little brother (and only sibling). The two are extremely close and, though he's younger, Blaze's brother is very protective of her. Their relationship felt realistic and reminded me of my own relationship with my little brother.
Blaze's insistence that her crush, Mark, is actually a good guy and that he is genuinely interested in her felt realistic most of the time, but sometime it pushed into less unbelievable territory. Still, I have to consider the fact that, after an individual has convinced themselves of certain things, it can be hard to change perception or admit being mistaken. So I think this played into Blaze's letting things go so far with Mark (or Sleazeball as I like to call him).
Throughout the novel, Blaze alternates between embracing her role as "soccer mom," driving her little brother and his friends to soccer and whatnot, and being very bitter towards her adopted role and her single mother who works long hours at the hospital. Blaze romanticizes her absent father, who left the family years before to pursue an acting career in New York City, and often paints him as the hero to her mother's villainy. I know that this may be a typical adolescent point-of-view and reaction to the situation at hand, but, after Blaze realized her father wasn't all she had made him into, I would have really liked to see her apologize to her mother! Or have some type of moment with her.
I also found the "guy" humor in the novel to be a bit jarring. I don't consider myself a prude or anything, and I know that teenage boys are smelly and whatnot, but discussion of those smells and all that has never been very amusing to me and for some reason, still doesn't seem like something people should talk about aloud. It doesn't offend me or anything, I just avoid it, but it's unavoidable in Blaze. Maybe I'm just weird and nobody else would be thrown off by this, but it was kind of distracting for me.
In comparison, I loved the comic book elements and talk Blaze often slips in and out of or makes reference to. The illustrations within the text are all amazing and were a positive addition to the text. They definitely allowed me to connect more closely with Blaze, who I was feeling some distance to because of the previously mentioned "guy" humor.
Lastly, at the end of the book, Blaze's brother and his friends decide to slash Mark's tires. WHAT!? Again, maybe it's just me, but this did not seem like acceptable retaliation or like something Blaze should congratulate them on doing... Maybe this is something kids do these days? As someone who had to replace a tire this week (not even all four tires) and who wanted to cry as I paid the bill, I couldn't help but feel this was over the top and unnecessarily cruel because, in the end, Sleazeball's parents are going to pay that bill. Plus, helloooo, destroying property is not cool.
Overall, Blaze (Or Love in the Time of Supervillains) was pretty good, but there were some negative aspects that definitely detracted from my enjoyment. I do, however, think my issues were entirely personal in nature and the next person to pick up the novel may not be fazed at all! Unless you really connected with something in my review that you think you'd find distracting, I recommend giving this debut a try!