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awitiak 's review for:
Finding My Elf
by David Valdes
The premise behind the book was cute. A survivor type elf competition in Santaland at the new mall, with $5k going to the winner. Cam is home from college after losing his acting scholarship and gets the job as an elf to avoid his Dad because he doesn't want to have to tell him and maybe will make some money while he is at it.
I really struggled with this book. Most of it was the relationships were not believable. Cam is super close with his Dad and missed him while he was away at college, but doesn't want to spend time with him, then gets hurt when his Dad starts leaving for work early. Jazz is his absolute best friend but he barely tells her anything, doesn't seem interested in meeting her girlfriend, and barely sees her during his trip home because he is more interested in reconnecting with a mediocre ex so he doesn't have to be alone. Finally, he's kind of a jerk to everyone and still has someone crushing on him?
Maybe this book would appeal to the intended teen audience, but as a parent Cam just made me angry. His Dad is working two jobs to put him through college and he's at the mall buying $50 t-shirts and spending $15 each day on cookies while thinking to himself that he shouldn't be spending so much. He was so self absorbed throughout the entire book that it was annoying.
I really struggled with this book. Most of it was the relationships were not believable. Cam is super close with his Dad and missed him while he was away at college, but doesn't want to spend time with him, then gets hurt when his Dad starts leaving for work early. Jazz is his absolute best friend but he barely tells her anything, doesn't seem interested in meeting her girlfriend, and barely sees her during his trip home because he is more interested in reconnecting with a mediocre ex so he doesn't have to be alone. Finally, he's kind of a jerk to everyone and still has someone crushing on him?
Maybe this book would appeal to the intended teen audience, but as a parent Cam just made me angry. His Dad is working two jobs to put him through college and he's at the mall buying $50 t-shirts and spending $15 each day on cookies while thinking to himself that he shouldn't be spending so much. He was so self absorbed throughout the entire book that it was annoying.