What do you think?
Rate this book
Romancing the Dark in the City of Light
A troubled teen, living in Paris, is torn between two boys, one of whom encourages her to embrace life, while the other—dark, dangerous, and attractive—urges her to embrace her fatal flaws.
Haunting and beautifully written, with a sharp and distinctive voice that could belong only to this character, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unforgettable young adult novel.
Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools, she has to get on track or she risks losing her hefty inheritance. Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve everything. She meets two. Moony, a classmate, is recovering against all odds from a serious car accident, and he encourages Summer to embrace life despite how hard it can be to make it through even one day. But when Summer meets Kurt, a hot, mysterious older man who she just can't shake, he leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city-and way out of her depth.
When Summer's behavior manages to alienate everyone, even Moony, she's forced to decide if a life so difficult is worth living. With an ending that'll surprise even the most seasoned reader, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unputdownable and utterly compelling novel.
Haunting and beautifully written, with a sharp and distinctive voice that could belong only to this character, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unforgettable young adult novel.
Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools, she has to get on track or she risks losing her hefty inheritance. Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve everything. She meets two. Moony, a classmate, is recovering against all odds from a serious car accident, and he encourages Summer to embrace life despite how hard it can be to make it through even one day. But when Summer meets Kurt, a hot, mysterious older man who she just can't shake, he leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city-and way out of her depth.
When Summer's behavior manages to alienate everyone, even Moony, she's forced to decide if a life so difficult is worth living. With an ending that'll surprise even the most seasoned reader, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unputdownable and utterly compelling novel.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2015
23 people are currently reading
3707 people want to read
About the author
Ann Jacobus
2 books161 followersAnn Jacobus writes young adult novels, as well as fiction for younger readers, articles, essays, and the occasional poem. She has an MFA in writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. A former suicide crisis-line counselor, she's a mental health advocate and likes to shout out books for younger readers that deal well with the subject of mental illness. When not reading or writing, she binge-watches TV series, swims, and sails. She divides her time between California and Massachusetts.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
January 23, 2016
Dark, Twisted, Weird and fully Captivating. This book is sugar, spice and everything nice!
Depression hugs Summer Barnes like black coats coal. She is trapped in a giant cobweb of blah. Life for her is a deep and dark crater with all the light buried below. Despair flutters its delicate wings and sprinkles grief on her. There is one way though. A needle in a haystack solution- true love, holding hands in Paris.
The novel is the dolorous state of Summer looking for answers, for a way out. Bordering closely on the edge of escape and bouncing between two guys who are like apples and oranges. Kurt is the provocative man who accepts her as she is- wretched, lost and drunk. Munir Al Shukr is the adorable lad, a chaos of shooting stars, full of positivity, wanting the best for Summer.
Ann Jacobus brings out the the real Paris in her work. Before starting the book, I assumed that the Paris in this novel is going to be much like the one in Anna and the French Kiss or as in the The Conspiracy of Us- all rainbows and sunshine. In this one, however, there is less emphasis on the tourist attractions. Rather it is a stroll through the less charming underbelly of Paris with all the lucid scents and sights.
The characters are very very real. This is the first novel which convinced me of the dark nest that the lead character's mind is. In fact, her blue mind is a gust of fresh excellence.
The most enchanting factor of all is the marvelous writing, it is pure gold with twinkling rubies shimmering all over it. It gripped me the moment I put my hands on the book. Also Ann seems to own a goody-bag of beautiful metaphors gifted to her by the very Goddess of Writing. Here's a sneak peak:
Second chances are glowing stars, but some memories are black holes. Somehow, she's gotten sucked too near to the edge of this one. That point where light no light escapes.
Romancing the Dark in the City of Light boasts a powerful message too. Avoiding the true nature of emotions will only freeze them for a few beats, ultimately they'll melt into an uncontrollable mess of a flood and break all the safely raised embankments. Acknowledging them in advance is the best that can be done. Also, how life is a zig-zag journey toward gratitude; there is always something to thank for despite all the ugliness of life.
I'd recommend this book to everyone, it is an exclusive beauty. As for now, Au Revoir!
Depression hugs Summer Barnes like black coats coal. She is trapped in a giant cobweb of blah. Life for her is a deep and dark crater with all the light buried below. Despair flutters its delicate wings and sprinkles grief on her. There is one way though. A needle in a haystack solution- true love, holding hands in Paris.
The novel is the dolorous state of Summer looking for answers, for a way out. Bordering closely on the edge of escape and bouncing between two guys who are like apples and oranges. Kurt is the provocative man who accepts her as she is- wretched, lost and drunk. Munir Al Shukr is the adorable lad, a chaos of shooting stars, full of positivity, wanting the best for Summer.
Ann Jacobus brings out the the real Paris in her work. Before starting the book, I assumed that the Paris in this novel is going to be much like the one in Anna and the French Kiss or as in the The Conspiracy of Us- all rainbows and sunshine. In this one, however, there is less emphasis on the tourist attractions. Rather it is a stroll through the less charming underbelly of Paris with all the lucid scents and sights.
The characters are very very real. This is the first novel which convinced me of the dark nest that the lead character's mind is. In fact, her blue mind is a gust of fresh excellence.
The most enchanting factor of all is the marvelous writing, it is pure gold with twinkling rubies shimmering all over it. It gripped me the moment I put my hands on the book. Also Ann seems to own a goody-bag of beautiful metaphors gifted to her by the very Goddess of Writing. Here's a sneak peak:
Second chances are glowing stars, but some memories are black holes. Somehow, she's gotten sucked too near to the edge of this one. That point where light no light escapes.
Romancing the Dark in the City of Light boasts a powerful message too. Avoiding the true nature of emotions will only freeze them for a few beats, ultimately they'll melt into an uncontrollable mess of a flood and break all the safely raised embankments. Acknowledging them in advance is the best that can be done. Also, how life is a zig-zag journey toward gratitude; there is always something to thank for despite all the ugliness of life.
I'd recommend this book to everyone, it is an exclusive beauty. As for now, Au Revoir!
January 25, 2016
Did you lose what won't return?
Did you love but never learn?
The fire's out but still it burns
And no one cares, there's no one there
Did you find it hard to breathe?
Did you cry so much that you could barely see?
In the darkness all alone
And no one cares, there's no one there
Okay enough with the singing.
That day you were feeling sad did you call your friend, your mum or your sister and tell her how depressed you were feeling? Did you? The question here isn't who you called when you were feeling low but if you were feeling downright depressed or just sad. Too often we think we are depressed but we're not. There is flipping a lot of difference between feeling sad and being depressed. But this is a book review and not an essay about the difference between sadness and depression, therefore I'll get to the point. (Why do I talk so much?) Summer, our lead character here, is depressed. New in Paris, She has to graduate and yadda yadda before she turns 22 or else she'll lose her hefty inheritance and she thinks the only way to get through this helluva conundrum smoothly is if she finds love. She finds two (not love, lovers) Munir Al-Shukr, Moony, who makes the hopeful fairy in her flutter and break dance and Kurt, the creepy attractive dude who takes her places. (yep won't elaborate “places”) Sounds boring, eh? The same old romance in Paris shiz but believe me this book is not.just.that.
This books sucks you into itself. The synopsis says “Haunting and beautifully written” and this just so true. Ann Jocabus's writing is unique in a good-but-dark kinda way.
“It's already dusk, and car lights and neon signs burn bright in the gray dimness.”
See? Beautiful. And haunting. Unique. Good-but-dark.
The characters are true to the core. I've read about depressed characters before and majority of them have given me the same impression. That of of ungratefulness. Summer is a very convincing lead character though. Summer is not ungrateful, Summer is depressed. “with a sharp and distinctive voice that could belong only to this character” check! Moony is a disabled teen, who is brave and positive and knightlike despite of the boulders on his shoulders. Book boyfriend material but not the usual kind. Kurt? Dark and spooky and he-who-must-not-be-discussed. No really I want to discuss him but that would just spoil the book for you so if you've read it feel free to discuss. (yeah infact please discuss)
All in all this book deserves to be on your to-be-read list.
P.S: For more feels listen to Demons by Imagine Dragons and Flare by The Script (the lyrics you read above were of this song) while reading this book.
Did you love but never learn?
The fire's out but still it burns
And no one cares, there's no one there
Did you find it hard to breathe?
Did you cry so much that you could barely see?
In the darkness all alone
And no one cares, there's no one there
Okay enough with the singing.
That day you were feeling sad did you call your friend, your mum or your sister and tell her how depressed you were feeling? Did you? The question here isn't who you called when you were feeling low but if you were feeling downright depressed or just sad. Too often we think we are depressed but we're not. There is flipping a lot of difference between feeling sad and being depressed. But this is a book review and not an essay about the difference between sadness and depression, therefore I'll get to the point. (Why do I talk so much?) Summer, our lead character here, is depressed. New in Paris, She has to graduate and yadda yadda before she turns 22 or else she'll lose her hefty inheritance and she thinks the only way to get through this helluva conundrum smoothly is if she finds love. She finds two (not love, lovers) Munir Al-Shukr, Moony, who makes the hopeful fairy in her flutter and break dance and Kurt, the creepy attractive dude who takes her places. (yep won't elaborate “places”) Sounds boring, eh? The same old romance in Paris shiz but believe me this book is not.just.that.
This books sucks you into itself. The synopsis says “Haunting and beautifully written” and this just so true. Ann Jocabus's writing is unique in a good-but-dark kinda way.
“It's already dusk, and car lights and neon signs burn bright in the gray dimness.”
See? Beautiful. And haunting. Unique. Good-but-dark.
The characters are true to the core. I've read about depressed characters before and majority of them have given me the same impression. That of of ungratefulness. Summer is a very convincing lead character though. Summer is not ungrateful, Summer is depressed. “with a sharp and distinctive voice that could belong only to this character” check! Moony is a disabled teen, who is brave and positive and knightlike despite of the boulders on his shoulders. Book boyfriend material but not the usual kind. Kurt? Dark and spooky and he-who-must-not-be-discussed. No really I want to discuss him but that would just spoil the book for you so if you've read it feel free to discuss. (yeah infact please discuss)
All in all this book deserves to be on your to-be-read list.
P.S: For more feels listen to Demons by Imagine Dragons and Flare by The Script (the lyrics you read above were of this song) while reading this book.
February 8, 2016
“But in the end one needs more courage to live than to kill himself.”
----Albert Camus
Ann Jacobus, an American author, pens her debut YA psychological thriller, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light that unfolds a heart-wrenching and thoroughly riveting tale about a young teenage girl, with a problem of drinking and escaping her issues, who is trying to find love on her stay in Paris, while dealing with her mental tantrums.
Synopsis:
Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools, she has to get on the right track or she risks losing her hefty inheritance. Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve everything. She meets two. Moony, a classmate, is recovering against all odds from a serious car accident, and he encourages Summer to embrace life despite how hard it can be to make it through even one day. But when Summer meets Kurt, a hot, mysterious older man who she just can't shake, he leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city-and way out of her depth.
When Summer's behavior manage to alienate everyone, even Moony, she's forced to decide if a life so difficult is worth living.
Summer has just shifted to Paris to live with her mother and to complete her high school so that she can enjoy her deceased grandfather's inheritance. But Summer has lots of issues, previously she has been throw out of four boarding schools on disciplinary grounds. Summer misses her father a lot whom she loved dearly, and just like her father, Summer too suffers from depression and with a drinking problem. But Summer is determined this time to complete her senior year and to get admitted in some college. But to keep herself focused, she needs love. And she even successfully finds two matches to fulfill her heart's desire-one is her schoolmate, Moony, a Christian-Muslim guy with full of positive vibes and walks with a disability suffered in an accident long-time age, another is a strange, mysterious and hot guy, Kurt, who lives in the darkness of the city and is really good at pointing out the flaws of fellow human beings. And as much as Summer wants to fall for Moony, that much she desires for the bad guy, Kurt, whom she can't say no to all his demands, even if that pushes her on the edge of death.
Firstly, being a debut author, Ann pulled this story really intriguingly and skillfully. Firstly, her writing style is brilliant and it felt like the author has poured out all her emotions while writing this story, not only that the emotions sync perfectly with the mood of the main character. The narrative style of the author is articulate and quite dark which only has a bewitching power in it's hold. The story opens perfectly and flows smoothly with a medium face towards the unpredictable climax.
The characters are terrific and are thoroughly well developed. The main character, Summer, is a troubled teen, who is still coping with her father's loss from her life, on top of that, she has a habit of drinking, as well as she is highly depressed with her life, school, inheritance and mostly about finding love. Summer likes to toy with the idea of death too much. This darkness within her makes her someone who has too much attitude. The flaws within her made me sympathize with her as well as made me fall for her imperfect demeanor. Moony, on the other hand, is the only funny, adorable and positive character in the book, who is way too sweet and caring towards Summer, in fact he protects her too and tries to save her from her depression. Kurt, is the guy whom you would hate to love him. Not only Summer is attracted towards his darkness, in fact I too got pulled towards his brooding and evil demeanor. The supporting cast is also quite skillfully developed and makes their presence worthwhile in the story.
The climax is way too perfect and yeah a seasoned reader like me could not predict that terrifying ending. The thrill and the darkness in the book is too strong, as suicide is the theme of the story line, so I would recommend the mature readers to read it. The story is way too alluring and kept me hooked on it till the very last page.
The setting of Paris is also perfect and vividly projected and highlighted in the story line. From the cafes to the streets to the subway to the dark alleys of the Paris, everything have been captured and painted by the author strikingly. Yes, of course, while reading, I felt like standing under the Eiffel Tower and breathing in the Parisian air.
Verdict: Definitely a must-read YA thriller.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Ann Jacobus, for giving me an opportunity to read and review her book.
----Albert Camus
Ann Jacobus, an American author, pens her debut YA psychological thriller, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light that unfolds a heart-wrenching and thoroughly riveting tale about a young teenage girl, with a problem of drinking and escaping her issues, who is trying to find love on her stay in Paris, while dealing with her mental tantrums.
Synopsis:
Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools, she has to get on the right track or she risks losing her hefty inheritance. Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve everything. She meets two. Moony, a classmate, is recovering against all odds from a serious car accident, and he encourages Summer to embrace life despite how hard it can be to make it through even one day. But when Summer meets Kurt, a hot, mysterious older man who she just can't shake, he leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city-and way out of her depth.
When Summer's behavior manage to alienate everyone, even Moony, she's forced to decide if a life so difficult is worth living.
Summer has just shifted to Paris to live with her mother and to complete her high school so that she can enjoy her deceased grandfather's inheritance. But Summer has lots of issues, previously she has been throw out of four boarding schools on disciplinary grounds. Summer misses her father a lot whom she loved dearly, and just like her father, Summer too suffers from depression and with a drinking problem. But Summer is determined this time to complete her senior year and to get admitted in some college. But to keep herself focused, she needs love. And she even successfully finds two matches to fulfill her heart's desire-one is her schoolmate, Moony, a Christian-Muslim guy with full of positive vibes and walks with a disability suffered in an accident long-time age, another is a strange, mysterious and hot guy, Kurt, who lives in the darkness of the city and is really good at pointing out the flaws of fellow human beings. And as much as Summer wants to fall for Moony, that much she desires for the bad guy, Kurt, whom she can't say no to all his demands, even if that pushes her on the edge of death.
Firstly, being a debut author, Ann pulled this story really intriguingly and skillfully. Firstly, her writing style is brilliant and it felt like the author has poured out all her emotions while writing this story, not only that the emotions sync perfectly with the mood of the main character. The narrative style of the author is articulate and quite dark which only has a bewitching power in it's hold. The story opens perfectly and flows smoothly with a medium face towards the unpredictable climax.
The characters are terrific and are thoroughly well developed. The main character, Summer, is a troubled teen, who is still coping with her father's loss from her life, on top of that, she has a habit of drinking, as well as she is highly depressed with her life, school, inheritance and mostly about finding love. Summer likes to toy with the idea of death too much. This darkness within her makes her someone who has too much attitude. The flaws within her made me sympathize with her as well as made me fall for her imperfect demeanor. Moony, on the other hand, is the only funny, adorable and positive character in the book, who is way too sweet and caring towards Summer, in fact he protects her too and tries to save her from her depression. Kurt, is the guy whom you would hate to love him. Not only Summer is attracted towards his darkness, in fact I too got pulled towards his brooding and evil demeanor. The supporting cast is also quite skillfully developed and makes their presence worthwhile in the story.
The climax is way too perfect and yeah a seasoned reader like me could not predict that terrifying ending. The thrill and the darkness in the book is too strong, as suicide is the theme of the story line, so I would recommend the mature readers to read it. The story is way too alluring and kept me hooked on it till the very last page.
The setting of Paris is also perfect and vividly projected and highlighted in the story line. From the cafes to the streets to the subway to the dark alleys of the Paris, everything have been captured and painted by the author strikingly. Yes, of course, while reading, I felt like standing under the Eiffel Tower and breathing in the Parisian air.
Verdict: Definitely a must-read YA thriller.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Ann Jacobus, for giving me an opportunity to read and review her book.
November 3, 2016
This is my first book of Ann Jacobus,and surprisingly,I'm an instant fan! Because not only did she take me on a tour to PARIS in this novel,but she has exquisitely tackled heavy issues and topics here such as ALCOHOLISM and DEPRESSION in a REALISTIC way.
This is a story of an 18 year old girl named SUMMER BARNES,who just moved to Paris to live with her mother in hope to complete her senior year of high school after being kicked out of four boarding schools.She is also bothered by the fact that she has to graduate college by the age of 22 so she can claim her substantial inheritance.
Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy would solve her problems.But then,she meets two boys: 1. MOONY, a classmate who also has his own struggles,recovering from a serious car accident, but whom encourages her to embrace life. 2.KURT, a mysterious,dangerous,HOT guy who she just can't resist, but whom urges her to embrace her fatal flaws. Which guy would she choose? THAT'S FOR YOU TO FIND OUT!^^
I would definitely recommend this to everyone because this book is indeed an intriguing read! I just wish there's more to a romantic ending,it kind of ended abruptly but over all,this was a compelling read with surprising twists! I appreciated the characters well,especially SUMMER, who may be frustrating at times but whom I completely relate to.
Thanks to my dear friend,ALAFIYA who inspired me to read this (you should check her awesome review on this) and who is now celebrating her birthday. HAPPY,HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Wishing you a lot of fun today,and happiness through out this year! I love you,girl! :-*
August 30, 2015
Yikes....THIS BOOK SNEAKS UP ON YOU!!!!
It's a terrific Young Adult novel. POWERFUL!!!
Mademoiselle Barnes, 'Summer Barnes', a 16 year old American, goes to Paris to repeat
her Senior Year in High School, and live with her mom. Four boarding schools kicked her out back home. Summer had been living with her Aunt Liz.
Summer's dad died when she was 12 years old. "His death was complicated", her mother tells her.
Back home in the states - Summer was given the nickname, 'RazorBack' ...people said she was fat. By the time she arrives in Paris -- her thin body is still new to her. She equates
never having the experience of holding hands with a boy, with her past body size.
She dreams of having a boyfriend in Paris.
So, far, the book sounds like a teenage 'girlie' book to me. I'm thinking.."this novel is going to
be limited to teen girls that either are boy crazy - and or are overly concerned about their weight".
NOPE: As I said... THIS BOOK SNEAKS UP ON YOU
For starters, as with most young people visiting Paris, they love taking the train ( I did too)
So, why does Summer suddenly develop 'Trainophobia'?
Well, she not only meets one boy, but she meets Two.
Kurt is 22 years old. He is also relatively new in town. An American, like Summer. She thinks she is gorgeous with his white teeth, and tan skin. He is exciting, and predictable, and takes command.
When they first meet he offers to her champagne.
"Champagne!" she exclaims. "What a great idea." "She's giddy already. Long live the
French who let you drink wine and beer at sixteen".
Other than Summer's hot attraction toward Kurt, she doesn't know much about him.
Mooney is a school classmate. His dad lives in Kuwait City. Mooney lives with his mother -here in Paris.
Mooney's parents divorced shortly after his 12th birthday...after a serious accident which caused Mooney to have over 20 operations. He walks with a limp..and his physical disability is noticeable. He's bright- kind- and he and Summer develop a friendship.
Summer likes both Kurt and Mooney - for different reasons...
I know...this novel STILL sounds like a female- Romance novel...right? WRONG....
To say much more...would be one big spoiler.
I am left with a thought about something from this story which I can't share without giving any more away.. I believe that when 'we' ... as people are struggling with our own inner demons
to a point where it seriously occupies our thoughts much of the time... or when life
does not feel stable...it is during these times it seems we are a magnet to untrusting
people and 'rotten bad luck'. ( for lack of better words).
When life is working.. when we are thriving --( no major issues nagging at us)... life flows.. we tend to attract more positive types of people and experiences around us.
This story leaves the reader with a powerful punch!
My 'one' correction .. I personally don't think the title of this novel does it justice.
For one thing....it's too long of a title. It's hard for people to remember it. And, it would be nice
if the title was 'reader-title-friendly', because it's worth reading.... And worth remembering.
Teen parents could get value from this book.
Thank You St. Martin's Press, Netgalley, and Ann Jacobus. ( wonderful written book)
It's a terrific Young Adult novel. POWERFUL!!!
Mademoiselle Barnes, 'Summer Barnes', a 16 year old American, goes to Paris to repeat
her Senior Year in High School, and live with her mom. Four boarding schools kicked her out back home. Summer had been living with her Aunt Liz.
Summer's dad died when she was 12 years old. "His death was complicated", her mother tells her.
Back home in the states - Summer was given the nickname, 'RazorBack' ...people said she was fat. By the time she arrives in Paris -- her thin body is still new to her. She equates
never having the experience of holding hands with a boy, with her past body size.
She dreams of having a boyfriend in Paris.
So, far, the book sounds like a teenage 'girlie' book to me. I'm thinking.."this novel is going to
be limited to teen girls that either are boy crazy - and or are overly concerned about their weight".
NOPE: As I said... THIS BOOK SNEAKS UP ON YOU
For starters, as with most young people visiting Paris, they love taking the train ( I did too)
So, why does Summer suddenly develop 'Trainophobia'?
Well, she not only meets one boy, but she meets Two.
Kurt is 22 years old. He is also relatively new in town. An American, like Summer. She thinks she is gorgeous with his white teeth, and tan skin. He is exciting, and predictable, and takes command.
When they first meet he offers to her champagne.
"Champagne!" she exclaims. "What a great idea." "She's giddy already. Long live the
French who let you drink wine and beer at sixteen".
Other than Summer's hot attraction toward Kurt, she doesn't know much about him.
Mooney is a school classmate. His dad lives in Kuwait City. Mooney lives with his mother -here in Paris.
Mooney's parents divorced shortly after his 12th birthday...after a serious accident which caused Mooney to have over 20 operations. He walks with a limp..and his physical disability is noticeable. He's bright- kind- and he and Summer develop a friendship.
Summer likes both Kurt and Mooney - for different reasons...
I know...this novel STILL sounds like a female- Romance novel...right? WRONG....
To say much more...would be one big spoiler.
I am left with a thought about something from this story which I can't share without giving any more away.. I believe that when 'we' ... as people are struggling with our own inner demons
to a point where it seriously occupies our thoughts much of the time... or when life
does not feel stable...it is during these times it seems we are a magnet to untrusting
people and 'rotten bad luck'. ( for lack of better words).
When life is working.. when we are thriving --( no major issues nagging at us)... life flows.. we tend to attract more positive types of people and experiences around us.
This story leaves the reader with a powerful punch!
My 'one' correction .. I personally don't think the title of this novel does it justice.
For one thing....it's too long of a title. It's hard for people to remember it. And, it would be nice
if the title was 'reader-title-friendly', because it's worth reading.... And worth remembering.
Teen parents could get value from this book.
Thank You St. Martin's Press, Netgalley, and Ann Jacobus. ( wonderful written book)
February 2, 2016
Loved this book! Not an easy read, the main protagonist (who is a bit of an antagonist to be honest) is pretty self destructive. However I found her voice to be refreshingly realistic and raw. The plot twist in this isn't exactly shocking (I guessed it around 30%), but I really enjoyed how it was done.
Mooney and Summer are beautiful together and the constant push and pull was great. Their relationship really reminded me of the song 2 Heads by Coleman Hell. Listening to that song after reading the last page was very satisfying.
I think that the way the novel approached the issue of teens and depression was very insightful and moving. As someone who has struggled with depression I found Summer to be achingly sympathetic yet frustrating at the same time.
The complex emotions that I had towards the main character the entire time while reading this prove to me that this author is very talented. Amazing debut!
Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict:Buy
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2016
I’m going to do two things I don’t usually do. First, I’m deviating from my usual review style. It's simply not possible to discuss this book in a Pros/Cons format without spoiling everything. Second, I’m not going to rate this. I’ve mulled it over for days, and every time I start to settle on a number rating, I think of this book again and it doesn’t fit.
This cover is deceiving and the title (while very fitting) can also be a little misleading as well. If you are looking for a light contemporary with a love triangle, this is not that book. Let me direct you to Anna and the French Kiss, or the myriad of other books I’m sure fit that description.
This book left me profoundly unsettled. And usually I assign the highest marks to books that make me feel this way. But this book has several messages and themes with suicide, depression and alcoholism. Ann Jacobus wrote this all with a startling clear 3rd person POV, and these characters’ emotions and personalities are visceral and tangible—it was excellently done. I may be conflicted about this book, but not the writing itself.
However, the ending of this book left me very conflicted to the overall message—enough that I’m still not entirely certain what it was trying to say. Unfortunately, there’s no real way for me to discuss any of this without absolutely spoiling the main twist. (Which, ironically, isn’t really treated as a twist, a much as something that’s slowly revealed over the course of the book)
This book was heavy handed with symbolism and personification, but I felt some of that personification was not explained well. It was left rather open for interpretation, which I don’t usually feel is a bad thing. Like I said, I’m just still not certain what it was trying to say
Maybe if I can figure it out, or find my own interpretation of it (one I’m more confident in than the theories I have now) I’ll come back and rate this.
This cover is deceiving and the title (while very fitting) can also be a little misleading as well. If you are looking for a light contemporary with a love triangle, this is not that book. Let me direct you to Anna and the French Kiss, or the myriad of other books I’m sure fit that description.
This book left me profoundly unsettled. And usually I assign the highest marks to books that make me feel this way. But this book has several messages and themes with suicide, depression and alcoholism. Ann Jacobus wrote this all with a startling clear 3rd person POV, and these characters’ emotions and personalities are visceral and tangible—it was excellently done. I may be conflicted about this book, but not the writing itself.
However, the ending of this book left me very conflicted to the overall message—enough that I’m still not entirely certain what it was trying to say. Unfortunately, there’s no real way for me to discuss any of this without absolutely spoiling the main twist. (Which, ironically, isn’t really treated as a twist, a much as something that’s slowly revealed over the course of the book)
This book was heavy handed with symbolism and personification, but I felt some of that personification was not explained well. It was left rather open for interpretation, which I don’t usually feel is a bad thing. Like I said, I’m just still not certain what it was trying to say
Maybe if I can figure it out, or find my own interpretation of it (one I’m more confident in than the theories I have now) I’ll come back and rate this.
September 4, 2015
Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is a very unique read. Set in Paris, it follows a depressed alcoholic teen who carries a huge weight. It felt very impersonal for me that the author used the third person point of view when depression relies so much on what the person, in this case Summer, is thinking or feeling at the moment. This is why it took me a while to get into this book; but once I got into it I can only say that's it's a really, really amazing book.
The way I see the book is that both Kurt and Moony represent the inner struggle that a depressed person goes through when having suicidal thoughts. On one hand, there's Kurt, affirming all of Summer's negative feelings and egging her on to push through with suicide. As a depressed person, the feeling of sadness and darkness overweigh the feeling of happiness, thus Kurt always seems to be everywhere. On the other hand, Moony is that part of our brain which thinks of other people and convinces Summer not to push through. That she is strong and she can still improve. Being the few bits of happiness, Summer only seldom saw Moony. The imagery of this is having an angel and a devil on each side of Summer's shoulders.
Once I started viewing the book with this perspective, I started to appreciate the book more. I feel like that this is not probably the author's intention, but that's how I chose to view it. It made me appreciate the book more, and it definitely made me understand depression more despite the many YA novels that I've already read which were also about depression.
This definitely is one of my favorite depression books, and it's definitely a more unique take on it, at least for me.
The way I see the book is that both Kurt and Moony represent the inner struggle that a depressed person goes through when having suicidal thoughts. On one hand, there's Kurt, affirming all of Summer's negative feelings and egging her on to push through with suicide. As a depressed person, the feeling of sadness and darkness overweigh the feeling of happiness, thus Kurt always seems to be everywhere. On the other hand, Moony is that part of our brain which thinks of other people and convinces Summer not to push through. That she is strong and she can still improve. Being the few bits of happiness, Summer only seldom saw Moony. The imagery of this is having an angel and a devil on each side of Summer's shoulders.
Once I started viewing the book with this perspective, I started to appreciate the book more. I feel like that this is not probably the author's intention, but that's how I chose to view it. It made me appreciate the book more, and it definitely made me understand depression more despite the many YA novels that I've already read which were also about depression.
This definitely is one of my favorite depression books, and it's definitely a more unique take on it, at least for me.
July 19, 2017
4 Stars, Completed October 4, 2015
Surprisingly, this was an appropriate book to start off the month of October. Unlike what the cover suggests, this book isn't quite a light, contemporary romance. With the heavy rain and serious flooding on the east coast of the United States right now, which is where I live (I actually still cannot believe we're experiencing a hurricane), and starting this book late one night, I got serious chills while reading.
In Romancing the Dark in the City of Light, Summer Barnes moves to Paris and is repeating her high school senior year. She's been kicked out and expelled from several schools for alcohol and substance abuse. Summer must graduate this semester to earn her inheritance from her wealthy grandfather's will. However, she's having trouble feeling anchored to this world, so academics and this opportunity isn't a big priority of hers. Instead, Summer is preoccupied with the belief that finding a special someone to hold hands with in the City of Light will help her find meaning to life. She meets two polar opposite guys: Moony, a once handsome and healthy boy now disabled because of a serious car accident that cares for her, and Kurt, a hot, mysterious, older man that lurks the underbellies of grimy France that makes all the nerves in Summer's body hypersensitive. Then Summer hits an all time low after coming to terms with how her father died and all signs seem to point her to just giving up.
Honestly, I tend to skip these type of books because growing up I had a dark period during my parents separation. I wouldn't really call it depression but a time of insecurity and loneliness, which are emotions I feel like many people have experienced before. It was also a strange period of time for me that I don't want to ever relive so I wasn't exactly thrilled knowing this was a book about a suicidal character that shared my name. Thankfully, Summer and I are nothing alike now. Summer Barnes is a perpetual nail biter, sardonic narrator, and fearless heroine, but among many things she is very lost. Throughout the entire book, Summer battles with alcoholism, severe depression, and thoughts of suicide. Having had friends that have struggled with depression before and had fleeting thoughts of just letting it all go myself (this was a really long time ago), I found her often jumbled and frantic thoughts comprehensible and very realistic.
I also really appreciated that Jacobus looked past Paris's grandeur and included the grimy bits as well. She doesn't sugarcoat the usually enchanting, tourist magnet city. With Summer's encounters with street bums and loitering prostitutes, this was realism-in terms of setting and cultural portrayal-at it's best. Also, all the moments with Kurt was what really made this book so dark and haunting. I literally felt chills during the sewage and catacombs scenes.
It was also fascinating that Moony and Kurt are perfect character foils, each highlighted the other's opposite characteristics. Both also reminded me of Freud's idea of an one's willpower between ego (you; in this case Summer), id (the imaginary, impulsive devil), and superego (the imaginary, logical angel). And I feel like this is something many individuals that battle with thoughts of suicide struggle with, whether life is worth living (the angel on the right, Moony) or if it's just easier to let it all go (the devil on the left, Kurt).
Also, I'm not going to elaborate on this to avoid spoilers, but let me just say personification of death in literature has always creeped me out terribly. And readers will surely notice there's some of that in this.
I also want to add that though this wasn't a predictable read for most readers, I was able to catch on with the gist of the remaining storyline after being halfway in, but I didn't really mind because the plot still remained to be very gripping.
However, there was one thing that made me quite upset: some moments, Summer was incredibly dense and oblivious. If a stranger offers her a ride, drink, and to come over to his place... it's an evident red flag! Even her instinct and intuition tells her Kurt's boyfrenemy material but she's so intoxicated by him as she is to her flask of vodka. But she really doesn't need any more unhealthy addictions to add to her plate. Summer made a lot of poor decisions throughout the book, and I often found myself shaking my head in defeat for this hopeless character.
But actually hopeless she was not. There is some reprieve for readers by the end when all comes retrospectively full circle. Redemption is strong.
There is also a bunch of symbolism behind a lot of the scenes in each chapter. There's actually a discussion guide in the back of the novel for book groups/clubs and students, and I found reviewing that section after reading the book really opened my eyes to certain moments I missed or interpreted differently before. Also, there are some helpful advice and suicide hotline numbers in the last couple of pages.
Anyway, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light was a compelling, haunting read that tackles serious issues that many people battle with and leaves a powerful message and food for thought for readers by the end. Poignant and totally compelling; I really, really recommend this book.
---
Summer's Playlist:
Hey Summer | Sweet Talk | Poppin’ Champagne | The End of All Seasons
---
Special thanks to Thomas Dunne Books and St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me the opportunity to read and review Romancing the Dark in the City of Light. In no way did this affect my reading experience or honest review.
---
More reviews at Xingsings
Surprisingly, this was an appropriate book to start off the month of October. Unlike what the cover suggests, this book isn't quite a light, contemporary romance. With the heavy rain and serious flooding on the east coast of the United States right now, which is where I live (I actually still cannot believe we're experiencing a hurricane), and starting this book late one night, I got serious chills while reading.
In Romancing the Dark in the City of Light, Summer Barnes moves to Paris and is repeating her high school senior year. She's been kicked out and expelled from several schools for alcohol and substance abuse. Summer must graduate this semester to earn her inheritance from her wealthy grandfather's will. However, she's having trouble feeling anchored to this world, so academics and this opportunity isn't a big priority of hers. Instead, Summer is preoccupied with the belief that finding a special someone to hold hands with in the City of Light will help her find meaning to life. She meets two polar opposite guys: Moony, a once handsome and healthy boy now disabled because of a serious car accident that cares for her, and Kurt, a hot, mysterious, older man that lurks the underbellies of grimy France that makes all the nerves in Summer's body hypersensitive. Then Summer hits an all time low after coming to terms with how her father died and all signs seem to point her to just giving up.
Honestly, I tend to skip these type of books because growing up I had a dark period during my parents separation. I wouldn't really call it depression but a time of insecurity and loneliness, which are emotions I feel like many people have experienced before. It was also a strange period of time for me that I don't want to ever relive so I wasn't exactly thrilled knowing this was a book about a suicidal character that shared my name. Thankfully, Summer and I are nothing alike now. Summer Barnes is a perpetual nail biter, sardonic narrator, and fearless heroine, but among many things she is very lost. Throughout the entire book, Summer battles with alcoholism, severe depression, and thoughts of suicide. Having had friends that have struggled with depression before and had fleeting thoughts of just letting it all go myself (this was a really long time ago), I found her often jumbled and frantic thoughts comprehensible and very realistic.
I also really appreciated that Jacobus looked past Paris's grandeur and included the grimy bits as well. She doesn't sugarcoat the usually enchanting, tourist magnet city. With Summer's encounters with street bums and loitering prostitutes, this was realism-in terms of setting and cultural portrayal-at it's best. Also, all the moments with Kurt was what really made this book so dark and haunting. I literally felt chills during the sewage and catacombs scenes.
It was also fascinating that Moony and Kurt are perfect character foils, each highlighted the other's opposite characteristics. Both also reminded me of Freud's idea of an one's willpower between ego (you; in this case Summer), id (the imaginary, impulsive devil), and superego (the imaginary, logical angel). And I feel like this is something many individuals that battle with thoughts of suicide struggle with, whether life is worth living (the angel on the right, Moony) or if it's just easier to let it all go (the devil on the left, Kurt).
Also, I'm not going to elaborate on this to avoid spoilers, but let me just say personification of death in literature has always creeped me out terribly. And readers will surely notice there's some of that in this.
I also want to add that though this wasn't a predictable read for most readers, I was able to catch on with the gist of the remaining storyline after being halfway in, but I didn't really mind because the plot still remained to be very gripping.
However, there was one thing that made me quite upset: some moments, Summer was incredibly dense and oblivious. If a stranger offers her a ride, drink, and to come over to his place... it's an evident red flag! Even her instinct and intuition tells her Kurt's boyfrenemy material but she's so intoxicated by him as she is to her flask of vodka. But she really doesn't need any more unhealthy addictions to add to her plate. Summer made a lot of poor decisions throughout the book, and I often found myself shaking my head in defeat for this hopeless character.
But actually hopeless she was not. There is some reprieve for readers by the end when all comes retrospectively full circle. Redemption is strong.
There is also a bunch of symbolism behind a lot of the scenes in each chapter. There's actually a discussion guide in the back of the novel for book groups/clubs and students, and I found reviewing that section after reading the book really opened my eyes to certain moments I missed or interpreted differently before. Also, there are some helpful advice and suicide hotline numbers in the last couple of pages.
Anyway, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light was a compelling, haunting read that tackles serious issues that many people battle with and leaves a powerful message and food for thought for readers by the end. Poignant and totally compelling; I really, really recommend this book.
---
Summer's Playlist:
Hey Summer | Sweet Talk | Poppin’ Champagne | The End of All Seasons
---
Special thanks to Thomas Dunne Books and St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me the opportunity to read and review Romancing the Dark in the City of Light. In no way did this affect my reading experience or honest review.
---
More reviews at Xingsings
October 31, 2018
Romancing the Dark in the City of Light was a sneaky novel. Picking up the book and thinking "oh, this looks like a sweet and light read." But it turned out as a POWERFUL one. Dealing with depression, pressure, anxiety, all of it. And the message that the novel screams out is heartfelt in such a profound literary level.
Recovery is possible.
Recovery is possible.
May 18, 2015
WOW...I LOVED THIS! The last 1/4 of the book...GAAAAHHHHHH. Not posting any spoilers here, but trust me when I say gaaaaahhhhh.
Could
not
put
it
down.
Could
not
put
it
down.
October 7, 2015
I was expecting ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT to be a fun contemporary novel set in Paris with a love triangle (which I was actually really into because the synopsis totally sold me on it) but what I got was so different-and a whole lot more meaningful.
Our protagonist, Summer, is so incredibly real. Not everyone will like her, and that’s kind of the point. She reminds me a little of the protagonist in PAPERWEIGHT, so if that character rubbed you the wrong way you might have the same issues with Summer. Still, her thoughts and behavior are what make her such a authentic and genuine character. There are Summers out there everywhere and I think this book shows us the reality of her struggle and teaches us to have a little more compassion, even if it is hard to do so at times.
The writing almost feels like a personal narrative, it has a lot of personality and allows us to really get inside Summer’s head even though it is in third person limited. Her dark thoughts are relatable but I do have to say they can be little overwhelming and could potentially be triggering. I don’t agree with all of her viewpoints and thoughts but she’s in a troubled place. Even still, I didn’t have any issue connecting with her or caring about her.
So, about the romance. I would have to argue that this one doesn’t have a true love triangle. It’s hard to discuss without mentioning spoilers as there is a truly surprising twist surrounding one of the guys. All I can tell you is to keep reading and you’ll understand in the end. As for the other love interest-where can I buy one of him? I need one.
Towards the very end I was wondering how on earth everything was going to be resolved, and then I turned the page and things were wrapped up in a few paragraphs without a whole lot of explanation. It just seemed a little abrupt.
Overall, ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT covers topics and real issues that we need to be more open and supportive about. Despite having a few issues with it, I appreciated the takeaway message and would still recommend this novel.
Our protagonist, Summer, is so incredibly real. Not everyone will like her, and that’s kind of the point. She reminds me a little of the protagonist in PAPERWEIGHT, so if that character rubbed you the wrong way you might have the same issues with Summer. Still, her thoughts and behavior are what make her such a authentic and genuine character. There are Summers out there everywhere and I think this book shows us the reality of her struggle and teaches us to have a little more compassion, even if it is hard to do so at times.
The writing almost feels like a personal narrative, it has a lot of personality and allows us to really get inside Summer’s head even though it is in third person limited. Her dark thoughts are relatable but I do have to say they can be little overwhelming and could potentially be triggering. I don’t agree with all of her viewpoints and thoughts but she’s in a troubled place. Even still, I didn’t have any issue connecting with her or caring about her.
So, about the romance. I would have to argue that this one doesn’t have a true love triangle. It’s hard to discuss without mentioning spoilers as there is a truly surprising twist surrounding one of the guys. All I can tell you is to keep reading and you’ll understand in the end. As for the other love interest-where can I buy one of him? I need one.
Towards the very end I was wondering how on earth everything was going to be resolved, and then I turned the page and things were wrapped up in a few paragraphs without a whole lot of explanation. It just seemed a little abrupt.
Overall, ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT covers topics and real issues that we need to be more open and supportive about. Despite having a few issues with it, I appreciated the takeaway message and would still recommend this novel.
May 16, 2017
This book was a lot darker than I thought it would be.
The beginning was a little slow and I had trouble connecting to the main character at first but as the book went on, it got better.
I honestly don't really know how to write this review. This book was very emotional and heavy and I found myself relating to the character at a time or another.
This book was intense, real and heartbreaking. It made me feel like there's hope and that every day is a new day. This book will stay with me for a long time.
The beginning was a little slow and I had trouble connecting to the main character at first but as the book went on, it got better.
I honestly don't really know how to write this review. This book was very emotional and heavy and I found myself relating to the character at a time or another.
This book was intense, real and heartbreaking. It made me feel like there's hope and that every day is a new day. This book will stay with me for a long time.
August 4, 2015
Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an engrossing, tough read. It's beautifully written, with unique, sympathetic characters, and an important theme. I couldn't put it down. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.
May 27, 2020
i liked the idea of this story, about suicide prevention and addiction but the story was cliche and pointless. seriously, reading this only made me feel depressed myself. another thing that i dont understand is, why it must be in PARIS? at least i love the setting though and i learnt lots of new french term.
the main female character was so self-destructive, stubborn, very rude and dumb (she said she needed to find love asap or she'll kill herself, but how could she find someone if she was always RUDE?!). she was just being a bitch about everything, thinking she knew it all and didn't need help when she finally lost it (without any clear reason why) and wanted to end her life. she was just a big fat definition of RIDICULOUS.
also, the ending was so anticlimactic and forced, suddenly she has this tons will to live and everything was happily ever after (?!)
the main female character was so self-destructive, stubborn, very rude and dumb (she said she needed to find love asap or she'll kill herself, but how could she find someone if she was always RUDE?!). she was just being a bitch about everything, thinking she knew it all and didn't need help when she finally lost it (without any clear reason why) and wanted to end her life. she was just a big fat definition of RIDICULOUS.
also, the ending was so anticlimactic and forced, suddenly she has this tons will to live and everything was happily ever after (?!)
May 1, 2016
I wrote this book, so kind of have to give it five stars.
Warning: If you are looking for a light and fun romance –RTDITCOL is definitely NOT that, despite being set in Paris. It IS very much about a young woman's deteriorating mental health and her slide into depression, alcoholism, and suicide. These subjects are not light, but are important and, I think, compelling. If you agree, this story may be for you. Romance does play a part but probably not like you’d expect.
Warning: If you are looking for a light and fun romance –RTDITCOL is definitely NOT that, despite being set in Paris. It IS very much about a young woman's deteriorating mental health and her slide into depression, alcoholism, and suicide. These subjects are not light, but are important and, I think, compelling. If you agree, this story may be for you. Romance does play a part but probably not like you’d expect.
Want to read
June 23, 2016Ooh this sounds right up my street.
July 3, 2023
i feel like this was marketed as a romance, but the story is meant to be focused on mental health? either way, the writing style was not good and it was painful to finish.
October 2, 2015
Check out this and other reviews on my blog, Here's to Happy Endings.
I originally rated this 4.5 stars, but I'm going to round it up, because this book was really, really good.
Lately, it seems that a lot of the books that I have been reading are these light, cheerful stories where the main character doesn’t have any real problems other than which boy she should date. Yes, sometimes those books are enjoyable (usually they are), but many of them are lack a lot of depth, and it seems as if they are afraid to touch on a lot of serious topics that real teenagers deal with.
Our main character, Summer, has been moved around from school to school throughout the last few years, mainly because she has been expelled from them due to her poor choices regarding drugs and alcohol. When she is forced to move to Paris with her mother, she starts a new school for a semester so that she can finally get all the credits she needs to graduate. Summer’s mother keeps pushing the issue, because if Summer graduates high school and then from college by the time she is twenty-two, a large inheritance from her late grandfather goes to her. If she doesn’t have a college degree by then, however, the money goes to other family members, who plan on using it for charity.
While of course this should be enough of a motivation for Summer to do well in school, she is suffering from depression and feelings of worthlessness, and she also has an alcohol addiction which causes her to make choices that aren’t always very favorable.
When she meets a fellow classmate, Moony, who she tries hard to befriend, things begin to turn around for her. She cares a lot for Moony and their friendship, and she feels that she might be able to get on track if she spends time with Moony and makes some new friends. Since Moony does not approve of her drinking or previous drug use, she tries hard to quit the habits and look on the bright side of things, although it doesn’t last as long as she would have liked it to.
When she meets Kurt, things change. He’s a little bit older, and he embraces all the things about Summer that Moony doesn’t. He encourages her to drink, and Summer gets into trouble when she’s around him. He loves the dark side of things, and he brings Summer down with him.
This book tackles some serious issues that a lot of teenagers deal with, yet for some reason, isn’t really talked about or written about as much as it should be. Romancing the Dark in the City of Light deals with issues that seem almost taboo to discuss, such as alcohol addiction, depression, and suicide. While these are not cheerful topics at all, they are things that a lot of people (adults, teenagers, and sadly, even children sometimes) do deal with on a daily basis. While this book deals with dark subject matter, it has an uplifting message underneath it all that might just make people who are dealing with these types of situations not feel so alone. I was once a teenager who suffered from severe depression, and having this book back then might have made me feel like it was okay, and that there wasn’t anything wrong with me, and that sometimes it’s okay to need help if you feel overwhelmed and sad. I hope that others who read this book feel the same way after they finish it, and the suicide prevention information in the back of the book is a wonderful section of resources that can prove useful if you’re feeling like your depression is just too much.
I honestly recommend this book to just about everyone…and even though it deals with some pretty dark and heavy subject matter (and tends to be sad in a few places), I found it to be a very important book, and it’s earned a special place in my heart and on my bookshelf.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I originally rated this 4.5 stars, but I'm going to round it up, because this book was really, really good.
Lately, it seems that a lot of the books that I have been reading are these light, cheerful stories where the main character doesn’t have any real problems other than which boy she should date. Yes, sometimes those books are enjoyable (usually they are), but many of them are lack a lot of depth, and it seems as if they are afraid to touch on a lot of serious topics that real teenagers deal with.
Our main character, Summer, has been moved around from school to school throughout the last few years, mainly because she has been expelled from them due to her poor choices regarding drugs and alcohol. When she is forced to move to Paris with her mother, she starts a new school for a semester so that she can finally get all the credits she needs to graduate. Summer’s mother keeps pushing the issue, because if Summer graduates high school and then from college by the time she is twenty-two, a large inheritance from her late grandfather goes to her. If she doesn’t have a college degree by then, however, the money goes to other family members, who plan on using it for charity.
While of course this should be enough of a motivation for Summer to do well in school, she is suffering from depression and feelings of worthlessness, and she also has an alcohol addiction which causes her to make choices that aren’t always very favorable.
When she meets a fellow classmate, Moony, who she tries hard to befriend, things begin to turn around for her. She cares a lot for Moony and their friendship, and she feels that she might be able to get on track if she spends time with Moony and makes some new friends. Since Moony does not approve of her drinking or previous drug use, she tries hard to quit the habits and look on the bright side of things, although it doesn’t last as long as she would have liked it to.
When she meets Kurt, things change. He’s a little bit older, and he embraces all the things about Summer that Moony doesn’t. He encourages her to drink, and Summer gets into trouble when she’s around him. He loves the dark side of things, and he brings Summer down with him.
This book tackles some serious issues that a lot of teenagers deal with, yet for some reason, isn’t really talked about or written about as much as it should be. Romancing the Dark in the City of Light deals with issues that seem almost taboo to discuss, such as alcohol addiction, depression, and suicide. While these are not cheerful topics at all, they are things that a lot of people (adults, teenagers, and sadly, even children sometimes) do deal with on a daily basis. While this book deals with dark subject matter, it has an uplifting message underneath it all that might just make people who are dealing with these types of situations not feel so alone. I was once a teenager who suffered from severe depression, and having this book back then might have made me feel like it was okay, and that there wasn’t anything wrong with me, and that sometimes it’s okay to need help if you feel overwhelmed and sad. I hope that others who read this book feel the same way after they finish it, and the suicide prevention information in the back of the book is a wonderful section of resources that can prove useful if you’re feeling like your depression is just too much.
I honestly recommend this book to just about everyone…and even though it deals with some pretty dark and heavy subject matter (and tends to be sad in a few places), I found it to be a very important book, and it’s earned a special place in my heart and on my bookshelf.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2015
More reviews can also be found on my blog, The Araliya Bookshelf!
Okay, can all please take a moment to behold the gorgeousness of that cover? My only wish is that I have the physical ARC, because that book is a sight to behold. The only reason I even clicked on the link to its Netgalley page was because of the cover. Well, that, and the picture of the Eiffel Tower. I love books that are set in other countries. And the perfectly romantic title helped, too, although it's a mouthful to say.
What I Loved
The characters. They were all so real. Throughout the story, you can see all their strengths and weaknesses and the things that make them so freaking human.This was really important, considering the themes that run through the book, and all the traits of the characters were brought out beautifully.
Summer was sometimes a bit tricky to relate to, but again, her character felt authentic.
Mooney was so awesome and understanding and sweet and kind and ugh, too adorable.
Kurt.
All the characters are immensely flawed, in ways that are mental, emotional and physical, and theri authenticity made me really hurt for them.
The major character development. The Summer we meet in the first chapter is TOTALLY different from the Summer we find in the end of the book. She goes through a lot, and she changes for the better. Mooney developed less as a character, but we still got to know him better, and really, this is mostly Summer's story, so I was okay with that.
The writing. Amazing. Truly amazing. The style flowed very smoothly, and seeing Paris through Summer's eyes was magical. Okay, so she doesn't think much of the city, but there was something in the way everything was described that added a dream-like feel to it all. There were times I reread entire paragraphs because the writing was so lovely and I wanted to savour it. The descriptions, the dialogue and everything else was a pleasure to read.
The themes running through the novel. There are some pretty serious issues in this novel, like alcoholism and suicide, but I loved how the author didn't push it in our faces and say "THIS IS GOOD, KIDS, AND THAT IS BAD". There is no "lesson". Through Summer, we understand what these issues are about, and we can empathise.
What Could've Been Better
The beginning was a bit slow. I find this problem a lot in contemporaries, so maybe it's just me, but I was kind of waiting for something to happen. BUT, like I said, the writing was pretty awesome, and we meet Mooney, who is ALSO very awesome, so that was okay.
Okay, can all please take a moment to behold the gorgeousness of that cover? My only wish is that I have the physical ARC, because that book is a sight to behold. The only reason I even clicked on the link to its Netgalley page was because of the cover. Well, that, and the picture of the Eiffel Tower. I love books that are set in other countries. And the perfectly romantic title helped, too, although it's a mouthful to say.
What I Loved
The characters. They were all so real. Throughout the story, you can see all their strengths and weaknesses and the things that make them so freaking human.This was really important, considering the themes that run through the book, and all the traits of the characters were brought out beautifully.
Summer was sometimes a bit tricky to relate to, but again, her character felt authentic.
Mooney was so awesome and understanding and sweet and kind and ugh, too adorable.
Kurt.
All the characters are immensely flawed, in ways that are mental, emotional and physical, and theri authenticity made me really hurt for them.
The major character development. The Summer we meet in the first chapter is TOTALLY different from the Summer we find in the end of the book. She goes through a lot, and she changes for the better. Mooney developed less as a character, but we still got to know him better, and really, this is mostly Summer's story, so I was okay with that.
The writing. Amazing. Truly amazing. The style flowed very smoothly, and seeing Paris through Summer's eyes was magical. Okay, so she doesn't think much of the city, but there was something in the way everything was described that added a dream-like feel to it all. There were times I reread entire paragraphs because the writing was so lovely and I wanted to savour it. The descriptions, the dialogue and everything else was a pleasure to read.
The themes running through the novel. There are some pretty serious issues in this novel, like alcoholism and suicide, but I loved how the author didn't push it in our faces and say "THIS IS GOOD, KIDS, AND THAT IS BAD". There is no "lesson". Through Summer, we understand what these issues are about, and we can empathise.
What Could've Been Better
The beginning was a bit slow. I find this problem a lot in contemporaries, so maybe it's just me, but I was kind of waiting for something to happen. BUT, like I said, the writing was pretty awesome, and we meet Mooney, who is ALSO very awesome, so that was okay.
February 24, 2016
Original de: El Extraño Gato del Cuento
En este último par de años se ha puesto muy de moda poner títulos bastante largos. Tanto en inglés como en español, tienden a ser ligeramente cursis, aunque últimamente el factor azucarado se lo está ganando el español. Mientras que en inglés, juegan un poco más con las sensaciones, y en el caso de este libro, tu mente.
Cuando empecé el libro, no pensé que se me haría tan duro terminarlo. Romancing the Dark in the City of Lights es un libro que juega con la mente y las emociones de quien lo lee.
Desde el primer capítulo el libro nos trae experiencias fuertes, y nos da un gran vistazo de la personalidad de Summer, puedes deducir desde el primer contacto que su depresión y tendencias suicidas están a un empujón de dejar de ser solo pensamientos. Una trama bastante oscura, que en lo personal aprecio mucho, ya que los que vivimos con lo mismo que Summer, podemos sentirnos identificados y morbosamente entendidos.
La capacidad que Jacobus tiene para darme esta sensación de vacío al leer, en una retorcida manera, para mí ha sido... No encuentro la palabra adecuada, solo sé que saber que este tipo de sensación lo siente alguien más, me ha hecho sentir no tan sola.
Romancing the Dark in the City of Lights es un enorme simbolismo sencillo de depresión y ganas suicidas, es una historia que con los mismos detalles sutiles con que te adentra en la oscuridad de la historia, te da esperanza.
Si bien se vende como un triángulo amoroso muy dramático, no lo es, Summer no se pasa realmente el libro suspirando su indecisión. Aunque si, el libro tiene un ritmo pausado y quizá le falta ese elemento de adicción de lectura voraz.
Tanto Mooney como Kurt, los dos interese amorosos son bastante interesantes de leer, pero son dos personajes que me gustaría conozcas por ti mism@
Romancing the Dark in the City of Lights, algo así como "Romantizar la Oscuridad en la Ciudad de las Luces", es la historia de una chica intentando encontrar a como dé lugar la normalidad entre todo este caos que su mente le da.
Twitter || Blog || Pinterest || Tumblr || Instagram || Facebook
En este último par de años se ha puesto muy de moda poner títulos bastante largos. Tanto en inglés como en español, tienden a ser ligeramente cursis, aunque últimamente el factor azucarado se lo está ganando el español. Mientras que en inglés, juegan un poco más con las sensaciones, y en el caso de este libro, tu mente.
Cuando empecé el libro, no pensé que se me haría tan duro terminarlo. Romancing the Dark in the City of Lights es un libro que juega con la mente y las emociones de quien lo lee.
Desde el primer capítulo el libro nos trae experiencias fuertes, y nos da un gran vistazo de la personalidad de Summer, puedes deducir desde el primer contacto que su depresión y tendencias suicidas están a un empujón de dejar de ser solo pensamientos. Una trama bastante oscura, que en lo personal aprecio mucho, ya que los que vivimos con lo mismo que Summer, podemos sentirnos identificados y morbosamente entendidos.
You finally fully understand it's hopeless, don't you? All the fresh starts in the world won't make a difference
La capacidad que Jacobus tiene para darme esta sensación de vacío al leer, en una retorcida manera, para mí ha sido... No encuentro la palabra adecuada, solo sé que saber que este tipo de sensación lo siente alguien más, me ha hecho sentir no tan sola.
Romancing the Dark in the City of Lights es un enorme simbolismo sencillo de depresión y ganas suicidas, es una historia que con los mismos detalles sutiles con que te adentra en la oscuridad de la historia, te da esperanza.
Si bien se vende como un triángulo amoroso muy dramático, no lo es, Summer no se pasa realmente el libro suspirando su indecisión. Aunque si, el libro tiene un ritmo pausado y quizá le falta ese elemento de adicción de lectura voraz.
Tanto Mooney como Kurt, los dos interese amorosos son bastante interesantes de leer, pero son dos personajes que me gustaría conozcas por ti mism@
Romancing the Dark in the City of Lights, algo así como "Romantizar la Oscuridad en la Ciudad de las Luces", es la historia de una chica intentando encontrar a como dé lugar la normalidad entre todo este caos que su mente le da.
Twitter || Blog || Pinterest || Tumblr || Instagram || Facebook
March 12, 2016
Well, I have to say that the title is really catchy, but the plot, not so much. As the story progresses, I'm quite losing interest with the book. It started great, but everything felt dragging--the romance, the characters and their adventure. I get the story line of this book, and I know what it wants to convey to the audience, but the characters are really boring.
It could have been better if the characters were a less boring because the mood in this book is not happy at all which is not a book that can help people. Although, the romance is what I really like and how the unexpected feud between two guys lead Summer to a difficult decision because Moony is a great guy, and Kurt is a cute guy (for her).
Ann Jacobus' writing is great. Honestly, it's easy to read despite the fact that this was a fast read. Also, there are a lot of dialogues which comprise of French which I didn't understand, and it would have been better if she has translated it too because it will really help the readers. I don't know about the final bound if it were translated, but I just read an advanced copy.
This revolves around a story of a girl who just moved in to Paris to go to a school again, having kicked out several times for excessive drinking and smoking. Meeting these two guys has changed her life for better or for worse.
I think this can pass on the New Adult genre if it just has those gritty scenes because the story itself is amazing for it and maybe, the author has a knack for that genre rather than Young Adult. Overall, I would recommend this book story-wise; my only problem is the lack of execution that led me to not liking this book.
It could have been better if the characters were a less boring because the mood in this book is not happy at all which is not a book that can help people. Although, the romance is what I really like and how the unexpected feud between two guys lead Summer to a difficult decision because Moony is a great guy, and Kurt is a cute guy (for her).
“Kindness is like hope. It feeds hope. Which just keeps us around to suffer more.”
Ann Jacobus' writing is great. Honestly, it's easy to read despite the fact that this was a fast read. Also, there are a lot of dialogues which comprise of French which I didn't understand, and it would have been better if she has translated it too because it will really help the readers. I don't know about the final bound if it were translated, but I just read an advanced copy.
This revolves around a story of a girl who just moved in to Paris to go to a school again, having kicked out several times for excessive drinking and smoking. Meeting these two guys has changed her life for better or for worse.
“She could deserve him one day. By all that is good, she will deserve him. Then she'll kiss him.”
I think this can pass on the New Adult genre if it just has those gritty scenes because the story itself is amazing for it and maybe, the author has a knack for that genre rather than Young Adult. Overall, I would recommend this book story-wise; my only problem is the lack of execution that led me to not liking this book.
August 20, 2015
She is along for the ride, though. Like when someone drives dangerously fast. What do they have to do before you say something? Or before you scream at them to stop and let you out. For now, momentum carries her and she's cool with going along.
3.5 stars
This book was different than I expected—though I'm going to say it was a lot better than a typical PNR, which for some reason I thought this would be. Instead, this book is about a depressed alcoholic teenage girl who lives in Paris, can't seem to meet the terms of her grandfather's will that will allow her to inherit tons of money, and manages to muck up every friendship she ever had.
Normally I wouldn't like reading about a girl like that, with tons of privileges and the inability to appreciate them. True, around the middle of the book it became tedious being in Summer's head, when all she did was the exact wrong thing. But the writing was very good. It carried the story along well and things eventually got interesting again. And rather sad.
The descriptions of Paris really brought the city to life on the pages. I've read a YA book or two set in Paris but this one was definitely the most authentic. There was something about different areas of the city on nearly every page, but the descriptions never felt forced into the story. For me this was easily the best thing about this book. I don't think it would have been as successful in any other setting.
May 12, 2015
This book blew me away. I was looking forward to it because, hello, Paris! But it went above and beyond what I was hoping for. It's tense, atmospheric, and has a really intriguing concept paired with excellent writing. Highly recommended!
February 2, 2016
Different kind of story. I really loved it because it's nothing that I expected. Nice work
October 13, 2016
Actual rating: 4.5 Stars.
Wow, this book was completely different to what I was expecting. On the surface, it seems to be a fluffy, contemporary romance – and the title and cover certainly lulled me into that belief. But, this false impression does a complete disservice and injustice to just how powerful and amazing Romancing the Dark in the City of Light actually is. It packs one heck of a powerful message that took me completely by surprise, and it’s simply fabulous.
This is the story of an eighteen year old girl, Summer, who, to those looking in, has the world at her feet. She comes from a successful family, and is set to inherit a small fortune from her recently deceased Grandfather if she can complete High School and a four year college course by the time she turns twenty-two. But the Summer we meet is at a very low point in her young life. She’s battling depression and is dependent on alcohol to numb the loneliness and desperation that’s become her one constant companion. She’s desperate to find a reason, something to cling onto, and she’s convinced that the answer to her problems is to find love.
Summer is a very frustrating character, and she isn’t the most likeable protagonist I’ve ever read about – nor is she meant to be. The self-destructing cycle she’s on can’t be broken easily, and to be that low with virtually no self-esteem and self-worth… it isn’t a happy place for anyone to be in. This is one of the rawest and most sincere depictions of depression I’ve ever read about, and I’ll lavish all the praise and admiration I possibly can on this book for it. No holds were barred, and it created a fabulous blend of so many topics and issues millions of people battle with every day. It’s heart-breaking, moving, and completely captivating. Initially, I was a little confused as to why the book was written in the third person. I did find it difficult to click with Summer early on, but by the mid-way point I was completely captured. Honestly, if this was written in the first, it would have been utterly devastating and almost too difficult and painful to read.
Two guys come into Summer’s life, one constructive and one very destructive. Summer meets Munir Al Shukr (Moony) at school, and he becomes the one good person in Summer’s life. He’s overcome some huge obstacles in his own life that I won’t go into detail on, but she is drawn to his hope, determination and motivation – basically, what she wishes she had, but hasn’t a clue how to find them. Kurt is almost like addiction in human form, and he pushes the creep button VERY hard, and it only gets stronger as the book progresses. I could see why Summer was drawn to him – he had all the right words to comfort her when very few people were there for her, even if it only provided a hollow comfort. You might instantly think love-triangle, and while there are three people involved, the choice is more life or death, not who Summer should end up with.
I really need to comment on how fabulously well Paris is described. In the past, some of the books I’ve read that are set in Paris bombarded me with Parisian reinforcements on every other page, and it became far, far too much. This book, on the other hand, handled it perfectly. We were in Paris. No bells, no whistles, we were there. The setting just… was. It was effortless. And I LOVED it. Any landmarks that were mentioned served a purpose and needed to be included to move the story forward, rather than providing a cheap reinforcement. Completely perfect!
I’m not going to go into detail about the ending, or more specifically, the final third of the book. I think it is vital have as little prior knowledge as possible to get the full impact – and what an impact it is. Wow. This is one book I’m extremely glad I got the chance to read, and it will stay with me for a very long time to come. The title might be a mouthful and first impressions can be deceiving, but this is one book I really urge you to not dismiss at face value. It’s not for the faint of heart, but the message it sends is powerful and harrowing, yet uplifting, and definitely one that needs to be shared with as many people as possible.
This review, and others, can be found on my blog - Journey Through Fiction
October 4, 2016
This book has been on my TBR for a while and the premise intrigued me a lot. It sounded like a love triangle to me, but now I've read it... It's not a love triangle. At all. So much happens in this book. It's crazy.
Because the premise is vague, I'm going to be a little less vague. The main character in this book is a girl called Summer. She has to move from North-America to France to live with her mom. She has been going from boarding school to boarding school, but kept getting kicked out because of behavioural issues. So now she lives with her mom and has to go to a new school. At school she meets Moony who is handicapped and had a lot of operations to get him back to 'normal'. Obviously it's not that easy. There is also another guy called Kurt. Summer meets Kurt at a cemetery and can't get him out of her mind. Kurt is the dark guy and Moony is the 'light', even though he has his own problems. The ending didn't feel right to me. Nothing in this book felt right for me, actually. It all felt... odd. I just couldn't for the life of me ship Moony and Summer or Kurt and Summer together. It felt like Summer was using Moony, because there wasn't anyone else who'd put up with her. That's not a way to treat people.
This plot turned out completely different as to what I initially expected. I honestly expected a contemporary novel where a girl has to choose between two guys. That is not what this is. Summer suffers from depression and drinks alcohol to relieve her pain. This book is following Summer, so you will encounter a constant stream of dark thoughts she has. It's really a book about Summer who suffers from depression.
In fact, I'd call it a character-driven story. There isn't a big plot to move the story forward. It works toward a climax, but it's all about the characters. Specifically about Summer. There aren't many side characters in this book. There is Summer's mom, Moony and Kurt. I can't even think of any other major side characters in this. The main thing for me is that I didn't like Summer. It's not even Summer's fault. It's the way she was written. I hated how she kept promising she wouldn't drink anymore and two minutes later she would drink a bottle of vodka. This happened a bunch of times. I get that this is supposed to be realistic, but it's all about her thought process. 'I can stop drinking tomorrow.' No. You promised you'd do it right now. That doesn't mean you can order a brandy and start tomorrow. I felt so sorry for Moony. He kept giving her chances and everytime she threw them away and back at him. He fought for her and did quite some things for her, like drive her to AA meetings on his scooter. What did Summer do? She kept on drinking. Having said that, Moony did something towards the end of the book that felt so sudden to me I could not comprehend. It was unrealistic and utterly stupid. Let's talk about Kurt. Kurt was a creep. He was supposed to be. But he truthfully crept me out. I imagined him as a kind of [spoiler] death angel [/spoiler]. The things he said to Summer sometimes were unforgivable. A true asshole. And I did not get why Summer felt the appeal to him and why she kept giving in to him. Maybe it's some sort of pull he had, but it felt unrealistic to me. She didn't even try to resist.
The writing was okay. I didn't feel anything particular for the writing. There wasn't any quote that stood out to me or anything.
Overall, I rated this book two out of five stars. Another average, maybe even disappointing, read for me. I'm having an average reading month up until now. The highest rating I gave was 3 stars. Yes. This was not one of the three star books. Beautiful cover, meh content.
January 12, 2018
Ma chère, despair is universal.
I liked this book. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it made me enjoy the story even more.
There were some confusing parts, like the ones envolting "Kurt" but as the story developed I understood what was happening. I wish there were more scenes between Summer and Moony towards the ending, though. The last few pages of this book were really... bittersweet, it gave me an anxious feeling, but I prefer to think of it as a good thing; It's been a long time since a book made me feel so many things at once and I'm glad I finally read it.
I liked this book. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it made me enjoy the story even more.
There were some confusing parts, like the ones envolting "Kurt" but as the story developed I understood what was happening. I wish there were more scenes between Summer and Moony towards the ending, though. The last few pages of this book were really... bittersweet, it gave me an anxious feeling, but I prefer to think of it as a good thing; It's been a long time since a book made me feel so many things at once and I'm glad I finally read it.
July 17, 2016
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book was a complete surprise. After the first chapter or two, I swear I thought this was going to be a one star book. Summer moves to Paris after being kicked out of four different boarding schools. This one is her last chance. She is a senior and for some crazy reason, she has to graduate from high school AND college by the time she is twenty-two or she forfeits her very large inheritance. Yeah, that codicil to her grandfather's will was a weird subplot that honestly never went anywhere and I didn't even understand it. I guess I can understand the graduating from college part, but why the age restriction? That was never explained. And for some reason, if Summer lost her inheritance, it didn't even go to her mother. It would go to some charity. Weird. Summer is as focused on school and graduating in THREE months as she is on getting a boyfriend. This was one of the reasons I kind of hated this book at first. How on earth is she supposed to focus on school if she is trying to get a boyfriend? And why wasn't she focused on making friends? I get that she was lonely. I could feel how sad she was. But she was ONLY focused on landing a guy. I do think that friendship is what this book was missing. Summer's mom was not really there (emotionally or physically) and she kept making stupid decisions. She needed a supportive girlfriend, in my opinion.
Now for the guys: Moony and Kurt. I really liked Moony. He was very sweet and kind and understanding with Summer. I loved that he was there for her through everything. I rolled my eyes at them confessing their love after knowing each other for such a short period of time, but I got over it (kind of). And Kurt . . . well, I HATED that guy. He was rude and controlling and I had no clue what his deal was. Even now, I am still kind of confused about who he was supposed to be. I won't give anything away, but there was a bit of a paranormal element to it. Kurt was also one of those very stupid decisions Summer made. He kept abandoning her and he never, ever told her anything about himself. Red flag, much. She didn't know his last name or where he lived or his age. Yet, he knew everything about her. The fact that she didn't know all this information started to make sense towards the end of the book. But basically Moony was this light and positive influence in her life, while Kurt was a dark and twisted one.
Now the part that I really liked in this book: Summer's mental health issues. This is the main reason why I kept reading the book and why I increased the rating after a bit (well, that and the mystery of Kurt). Part of the reason why this book snuck up on me a bit was because the author took a but (maybe too long) to let the reader know just how low Summer was feeling. It was kind of subtle at first. Summer has a flask that she takes everywhere. At first, I didn't think much of it because sometimes teenagers do experiment with alcohol. But this went beyond experimentation. She needed vodka to get through the day and to focus (excuses, excuses). Gradually, she stopped focusing on homework and tests because she was hungover all the time. She skipped classes and bailed on commitments. In short, she was a mess. Moony tried to make her go to an AA meeting, but she didn't think she had a problem. And it became evident that Summer was very, very depressed. At first, I thought she had to be depressed because of something specific and I was mad at her. I didn't think she had anything to be depressed about. But I know that isn't how depression works. I get it because I have been there. The author did such a great job of showing Summer's downward spiral and her suicidal thoughts. The progression was so gradual that you could almost not realize it was happening if you knew Summer in real life. And man, there was so much character development in this book. The Summer at the end of the book was so different from the Summer at the beginning. Bottom line is that even though there were a few pacing issues and I didn't really get Kurt, I ended up enjoying this book.
This book was a complete surprise. After the first chapter or two, I swear I thought this was going to be a one star book. Summer moves to Paris after being kicked out of four different boarding schools. This one is her last chance. She is a senior and for some crazy reason, she has to graduate from high school AND college by the time she is twenty-two or she forfeits her very large inheritance. Yeah, that codicil to her grandfather's will was a weird subplot that honestly never went anywhere and I didn't even understand it. I guess I can understand the graduating from college part, but why the age restriction? That was never explained. And for some reason, if Summer lost her inheritance, it didn't even go to her mother. It would go to some charity. Weird. Summer is as focused on school and graduating in THREE months as she is on getting a boyfriend. This was one of the reasons I kind of hated this book at first. How on earth is she supposed to focus on school if she is trying to get a boyfriend? And why wasn't she focused on making friends? I get that she was lonely. I could feel how sad she was. But she was ONLY focused on landing a guy. I do think that friendship is what this book was missing. Summer's mom was not really there (emotionally or physically) and she kept making stupid decisions. She needed a supportive girlfriend, in my opinion.
Now for the guys: Moony and Kurt. I really liked Moony. He was very sweet and kind and understanding with Summer. I loved that he was there for her through everything. I rolled my eyes at them confessing their love after knowing each other for such a short period of time, but I got over it (kind of). And Kurt . . . well, I HATED that guy. He was rude and controlling and I had no clue what his deal was. Even now, I am still kind of confused about who he was supposed to be. I won't give anything away, but there was a bit of a paranormal element to it. Kurt was also one of those very stupid decisions Summer made. He kept abandoning her and he never, ever told her anything about himself. Red flag, much. She didn't know his last name or where he lived or his age. Yet, he knew everything about her. The fact that she didn't know all this information started to make sense towards the end of the book. But basically Moony was this light and positive influence in her life, while Kurt was a dark and twisted one.
Now the part that I really liked in this book: Summer's mental health issues. This is the main reason why I kept reading the book and why I increased the rating after a bit (well, that and the mystery of Kurt). Part of the reason why this book snuck up on me a bit was because the author took a but (maybe too long) to let the reader know just how low Summer was feeling. It was kind of subtle at first. Summer has a flask that she takes everywhere. At first, I didn't think much of it because sometimes teenagers do experiment with alcohol. But this went beyond experimentation. She needed vodka to get through the day and to focus (excuses, excuses). Gradually, she stopped focusing on homework and tests because she was hungover all the time. She skipped classes and bailed on commitments. In short, she was a mess. Moony tried to make her go to an AA meeting, but she didn't think she had a problem. And it became evident that Summer was very, very depressed. At first, I thought she had to be depressed because of something specific and I was mad at her. I didn't think she had anything to be depressed about. But I know that isn't how depression works. I get it because I have been there. The author did such a great job of showing Summer's downward spiral and her suicidal thoughts. The progression was so gradual that you could almost not realize it was happening if you knew Summer in real life. And man, there was so much character development in this book. The Summer at the end of the book was so different from the Summer at the beginning. Bottom line is that even though there were a few pacing issues and I didn't really get Kurt, I ended up enjoying this book.
October 3, 2015
3.5 stars!
This gorgeous, vibrant-colored cover is what first caught my attention. Then I saw the Paris setting and knew this was a book that was worth the read. It ended up being quiet a bit darker than I had expected, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It was a stark, raw look into mental illness and severe substance abuse.
After being expelled from several schools for bad behavior, including drug possession, Summer moves to Paris to stay with her mother and repeat her senior year. After her grandfather's death, it is revealed in his will that in order for her to collect the inheritance left for her, she needs to complete four years of college by the time she's 22. Currently 18, she realizes she MUST graduate this year and get started on college right away to make this happen. Living with her mother in Paris is a new, completely difference experience for Summer. Her mother travels often and is basically never around, leaving her to fend for herself. Upon her arrival at her new school, she meets Moody... an adorable dorky senior who makes his presence known in her life. Summer also has her eye on Kurt, a handsome stranger that keeps showing up wherever she goes. With a flask in her hand and a plan on her mind, Summer sets off to make this time in Paris matter.
These characters were, if nothing else, extremely intense. Summer, who was dealing with quite a lot emotionally, was learning to cope with the stress through the use of pretty bad behavior. I felt like all this poor girl needed was for someone to believe in her, tell her that she deserved more. Moody, who was in recovery following a horrific car crash, seemed to have that optimistic outlook that Summer so desperately needed... though he was dealing with his own demons as well. Then there was Kurt. Well, what can I say about him? Attractive with the stealthiness of a ninja, appeared to be everywhere. And I mean everywhere. A tad creepy? I'd say so. Together, this group of characters made for one unique story!
I have a lot of difficulty reading about excessive alcohol and drug use, so for me, personally, this was an extremely difficult book to read at times. I think the actions taken by the characters were portrayed beautifully. This author didn't skim over the tough topics or cut any corners. These issues, including substance abuse, mental illness, and even a few parenting issues, were portrayed extremely accurately, while maintaining the level of respect that's necessary when addressing these types of issues.
Overall, a raw and unexpectedly emotional story. Though difficult to read at times, as I mentioned, it was a harsh truth shoved in the face of the reader. While reading this story, it's impossible to deny its affect, both emotionally and mentally. I think this is a story that many will enjoy, especially those that tend to look for darker, deeper story lines. A strong story that will surely make you think.
A little encouragement and positive thoughts can really go a long way.
(Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
"All the time, distance and effort in the world can never undo what she did, Summer thinks. Second chances are glowing stars, but some memories are black holes."
This gorgeous, vibrant-colored cover is what first caught my attention. Then I saw the Paris setting and knew this was a book that was worth the read. It ended up being quiet a bit darker than I had expected, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It was a stark, raw look into mental illness and severe substance abuse.
After being expelled from several schools for bad behavior, including drug possession, Summer moves to Paris to stay with her mother and repeat her senior year. After her grandfather's death, it is revealed in his will that in order for her to collect the inheritance left for her, she needs to complete four years of college by the time she's 22. Currently 18, she realizes she MUST graduate this year and get started on college right away to make this happen. Living with her mother in Paris is a new, completely difference experience for Summer. Her mother travels often and is basically never around, leaving her to fend for herself. Upon her arrival at her new school, she meets Moody... an adorable dorky senior who makes his presence known in her life. Summer also has her eye on Kurt, a handsome stranger that keeps showing up wherever she goes. With a flask in her hand and a plan on her mind, Summer sets off to make this time in Paris matter.
These characters were, if nothing else, extremely intense. Summer, who was dealing with quite a lot emotionally, was learning to cope with the stress through the use of pretty bad behavior. I felt like all this poor girl needed was for someone to believe in her, tell her that she deserved more. Moody, who was in recovery following a horrific car crash, seemed to have that optimistic outlook that Summer so desperately needed... though he was dealing with his own demons as well. Then there was Kurt. Well, what can I say about him? Attractive with the stealthiness of a ninja, appeared to be everywhere. And I mean everywhere. A tad creepy? I'd say so. Together, this group of characters made for one unique story!
I have a lot of difficulty reading about excessive alcohol and drug use, so for me, personally, this was an extremely difficult book to read at times. I think the actions taken by the characters were portrayed beautifully. This author didn't skim over the tough topics or cut any corners. These issues, including substance abuse, mental illness, and even a few parenting issues, were portrayed extremely accurately, while maintaining the level of respect that's necessary when addressing these types of issues.
Overall, a raw and unexpectedly emotional story. Though difficult to read at times, as I mentioned, it was a harsh truth shoved in the face of the reader. While reading this story, it's impossible to deny its affect, both emotionally and mentally. I think this is a story that many will enjoy, especially those that tend to look for darker, deeper story lines. A strong story that will surely make you think.
A little encouragement and positive thoughts can really go a long way.(Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews