Tuesday, July 19, 2011

32 Candles

If you loved the movie Sixteen Candles, love a good but funny chick book, or need a fast and fun read? This book is for you.

32 Candles- Ernessa T. Carter

Davie Jones—an ugly duckling growing up in small-town Mississippi—is positive her life couldn’t be any worse. She has the meanest mother in the South, and on top of that, she’s pretty sure she’s ugly. Just when she’s resigned herself to her fate, she sees a movie that will change her life—Sixteen Candles. But in her case, life doesn’t imitate art. Tormented endlessly in school and hopelessly in unrequited love with a handsome football player, Davie finds it bittersweet to dream of Molly Ringwald endings. When a cruel school prank goes too far, Davie leaves the life she knows and reinvents herself in the glittery world of Hollywood—as a beautiful and successful lounge singer. Just as she’s about to ride off into the LA sunset, a million miles from where she started, the past comes back with a vengeance, threatening to crush Davie’s dreams—and break her heart again. With wholly original characters and a cinematic storyline, 32 Candles introduces Ernessa T. Carter, a new voice in fiction with smarts, attitude, and sassiness to spare.



You know what else I loved about this book? Is that the main character Davie was really bullied in school and she just suffered quietly. And after she runs away and starts her new life, it eventually follows her back in some sick twist of fate. But what impacted me was that people don't always appreciate what their behavior as a young person does to a person all through their life. I know I didn't have it easy in high school but I certainly didn't have it as bad as other kids. And at our reunion I tried to not think about it but it was hard. Later on I had comments saying that they were kids and it's been ten years. Yeah.. that's true but it still sucks. It still hurts knowing I was excluded from things for reasons that were beyond my control and you can't just brush it off and say, "Well, I was only 17 then." It doesn't work that way. So I really liked how Ernessa takes a fairly serious subject a lot of people can relate to and make it funny and entertaining to read.

I hope Ernessa keeps writing books as awesome and funny as these- because she's got a talent for them. This book might be on the holiday shopping list for some of my girlfriends. :) But I do think you'll like this book if you're in the need for a light hearted, funny book reminiscent of a John Hughes movie.

I also encourage you to check out Fierce and Nerdy, where Ernessa blogs, or see what other bloggers are saying about this book HERE.

6 comments:

Ruth said...

That sounds really good.

Anonymous said...

HS sucks. And kids know exactly what they're doing. Thankfully it's those people who hit their prime in HS and then when they're older, they're left wondering what happened. lol

Anonymous said...

You are so right - most people don't realize that their actions can affect someone else for LITERALLY a lifetime.

I'm glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks for being on the tour.

____j said...

I loved 16 Candles in high school. I will have to read this...if I remember. ;)

Ernessa T. Carter said...

First, thanks for your wonderful review.

Second, I just loved your reflections on high school. It's a horrible powder keg of hormones, power, and growing pains. But I'm grateful for my high school years, b/c it makes me appreciate adulthood that much more. It's so nice to not have to put up with bullies and to be able to distance yourself from toxic people. I feel lucky now, because life only got better after high school.

Shan said...

This book is fantastic. I read it based on your review. I could not put it down. The twist towards the end (the "between then and now" part) completely floored me.