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bethanyangharads 's review for:
Shine Until Tomorrow
by Carla Malden
people = 6, pace = 7, originality = 9, world building = 9, enjoyment = 7, relationships = 5, style = 7 (3.5 stars)
Thank you to Rare Bird Lit and Carla Malden for providing me with this eARC tin exchange for an honest review (not paid). Please note that this is an unbiased and honest review with my true thoughts.
This book is made for people whose souls yearn for the sixties music scene. Mari Caldwell is our protagonist, a teenage girl bent on getting all A+ grades until a freak accident sends her back in time to 1967. Here she falls in with a soon to be big band and falls out of her old mindset, of always focusing on the future. I managed to cotton on to a lot of the references but wouldn't be surprised if a true sixties lover was able to pick up on more, this is a book really written for you.
I really enjoyed being thrown into the 60s with love protests, an atmosphere of freedom, and just a generally uplifting vibe. I found myself being carried through this brief week of an era like I was floating on clouds (using all those cliche 60 images I find myself thinking of haha). As you will have noticed from my rating breakdown though, the pace wasn't all there for me though. The first 50 pages felt jumpy as the main character and the introduction felt laid out like a list i.e. this is her, this is what she does, this is her mum, this is what SHE does. So I must admit it was a tad hard to get through, but then around pg 60 hit and I read the rest in one sitting! So really a small blip in comparison to the whole book but I had to take it into consideration.
I also enjoyed following Mari as she realised that her way of thinking pre-time-warp wasn't sustainable. Life isn't all about the grades and I really like that this is a message Malden promotes to the Young Adult audience. As a teacher myself I see many students base their worth off of an educational system rather than their own self evaluation. The other characters were a bit lacking as they seemed to only have one defining trait (e.g. told the same joke, was jealous, drummed). The relationships were also quick burn between the characters. I can understand why, considering Mari only goes back in time for a few days, but I would've liked more of a reason for her to fall in love rather than physical attraction.
Overall, a solid book! Once I got into it I thoroughly enjoyed myself and feel like I have experienced a snippet of the 60's for myself. Definitely recommend if you are into music and/or the 60's or just generally would like a relatable MC who comes to some realisations about what really matters. I can see myself picking up some of Malden's other books in the future!!
triggers: divorce
Thank you to Rare Bird Lit and Carla Malden for providing me with this eARC tin exchange for an honest review (not paid). Please note that this is an unbiased and honest review with my true thoughts.
This book is made for people whose souls yearn for the sixties music scene. Mari Caldwell is our protagonist, a teenage girl bent on getting all A+ grades until a freak accident sends her back in time to 1967. Here she falls in with a soon to be big band and falls out of her old mindset, of always focusing on the future. I managed to cotton on to a lot of the references but wouldn't be surprised if a true sixties lover was able to pick up on more, this is a book really written for you.
I really enjoyed being thrown into the 60s with love protests, an atmosphere of freedom, and just a generally uplifting vibe. I found myself being carried through this brief week of an era like I was floating on clouds (using all those cliche 60 images I find myself thinking of haha). As you will have noticed from my rating breakdown though, the pace wasn't all there for me though. The first 50 pages felt jumpy as the main character and the introduction felt laid out like a list i.e. this is her, this is what she does, this is her mum, this is what SHE does. So I must admit it was a tad hard to get through, but then around pg 60 hit and I read the rest in one sitting! So really a small blip in comparison to the whole book but I had to take it into consideration.
I also enjoyed following Mari as she realised that her way of thinking pre-time-warp wasn't sustainable. Life isn't all about the grades and I really like that this is a message Malden promotes to the Young Adult audience. As a teacher myself I see many students base their worth off of an educational system rather than their own self evaluation. The other characters were a bit lacking as they seemed to only have one defining trait (e.g. told the same joke, was jealous, drummed). The relationships were also quick burn between the characters. I can understand why, considering Mari only goes back in time for a few days, but I would've liked more of a reason for her to fall in love rather than physical attraction.
Overall, a solid book! Once I got into it I thoroughly enjoyed myself and feel like I have experienced a snippet of the 60's for myself. Definitely recommend if you are into music and/or the 60's or just generally would like a relatable MC who comes to some realisations about what really matters. I can see myself picking up some of Malden's other books in the future!!
triggers: divorce