B is for Being

I’m doing folklore and book review posts to reach and please a larger audience. Previous years have shown select interest in both and to minimise blogging throughout the year, I’m focusing my efforts on April.

Focusing on an A to Z of my TBR (to be read) list, each letter will have books starting with that letter on my list, a book I’ve read and reviewed (with the review!) and one of my books matching the letter with a link about more info about the book.

I chose the books this year quite randomly from my Goodreads Want to Read page. Some are quite creatively added to letters.

If you’d rather check out my folklore post for today, go here.

You can read reviews for from previous years for this letter here and here, and my year-end reviews here, here, here and, most recently, here.

My TBR

About the Book

If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

High school senior Cameron Bright’s reputation can be summed up in one word: bitch. It’s no surprise she’s queen bee at her private L.A. high school—she’s beautiful, talented, and notorious for her cutting and brutal honesty. So when she puts her foot in her mouth in front of her crush, Andrew, she fears she may have lost him for good.

In an attempt to win him over, Cameron resolves to “tame” herself, much like Katherine in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. First, she’ll have to make amends with those she’s wronged, which leads her to Brendan, the guy she labelled with an unfortunate nickname back in the sixth grade. At first, Brendan isn’t all that receptive to Cameron’s ploy. But slowly, he warms up to her when they connect over the computer game he’s developing. Now if only Andrew would notice…

But the closer Cameron gets to Brendan, the more she sees he appreciates her personality—honesty and all—and wonders if she’s compromising who she is for the guy she doesn’t even want.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

A well-written retelling of “The Taming of the Shrew” with great character development and believable storyline.

Though Cameron takes some getting used to, the reasons for her being such a shrew are well-developed and part of her growth throughout the novel. I did have to remind myself in chapter one not to DNF because she’s so nasty, though.

The other characters have some dimension to them and bring more to the story than merely filling space. Especially the lot in the bookshop.

I like how Cameron examines her own reactions and that of others to grow as a person and teach others about how their actions have consequences, too.

Her relationship with her parents are fraught with dangers that she doesn’t even realise at the start of the book, but deftly handles by the end.

I like how her new friends show her how to be a better person and a better friend to her old friends – even if it isn’t always easy.

The stuff I didn’t like: the epilogue with some new characters felt unnecessary; the school only having 200 students felt unbelievable and pulled me from the story; some of the language, though I know is typical American, did offend.

If you enjoyed “Ten Things I Hate About You”, you will like this book.

My Book

Breaking the Habit (Irascible Immortals #2)

Remember that you can request all of my books from your local library!

I hope you enjoyed this. For more books I’ve read and reviewed, check out either my Pinterest board about reviews or my Goodreads profile. Alternatively, you can check out my reviews on BookBub. Have you read any of the books? Loved or hated any of them?

You can now support my time in producing book review posts (buying books, reading, writing reviews and everything else involved) by buying me a coffee. This can be a once-off thing, or you can buy me coffee again in the future at your discretion.

*FYI, my reviews are my honest opinion and if something bothers me, I tell it straight. How else will anything change? My opinions are based on being a voracious reader and book buyer, not an attack on the author.*

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