A Blind Spot for Boys
Author: Justina Chen
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 12th, 2014
Format: ebook
Pages: 246
Source: NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks
Chapters | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating:★★★★
Shana has always had a blind spot for boys. Can she trust the one who's right in front of her?
Sixteen-year-old Shana Wilde is officially on a Boy Moratorium. After a devastating breakup, she decides it's time to end the plague of Mr. Wrong, Wrong, and More Wrong.
Enter Quattro, the undeniably cute lacrosse player who slams into Shana one morning in Seattle. Sparks don't just fly; they ignite. And so does Shana's interest. Right as she's about to rethink her ban on boys, she receives crushing news: Her dad is going blind. Quattro is quickly forgotten, and Shana and her parents vow to make the most of the time her father has left to see. So they travel to Machu Picchu, and as they begin their trek, they run into none other than Quattro himself. But even as the trip unites them, Quattro pulls away mysteriously... Love and loss, humor and heartbreak collide in this new novel from acclaimed author Justina Chen. (Goodreads)
Sixteen-year-old Shana Wilde is officially on a Boy Moratorium. After a devastating breakup, she decides it's time to end the plague of Mr. Wrong, Wrong, and More Wrong.
Enter Quattro, the undeniably cute lacrosse player who slams into Shana one morning in Seattle. Sparks don't just fly; they ignite. And so does Shana's interest. Right as she's about to rethink her ban on boys, she receives crushing news: Her dad is going blind. Quattro is quickly forgotten, and Shana and her parents vow to make the most of the time her father has left to see. So they travel to Machu Picchu, and as they begin their trek, they run into none other than Quattro himself. But even as the trip unites them, Quattro pulls away mysteriously... Love and loss, humor and heartbreak collide in this new novel from acclaimed author Justina Chen. (Goodreads)
Opening Lines
"If you want to see the world with fresh eyes, haul yourself off to the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market. At least that's what Dad said twelve years ago when he brought me to the brick wall studded with spat-out, stretched-thin, and air-hardened wads of gum. Thousands of pieces. Hundreds of thousands."
The Good
A Blind Spot for Boys first caught my eye about a month ago when Shane @ Itching for Books had it as her WoW pick. I instantly added it on Goodreads and than while browsing through upcoming blog tours IndieSage PR had it listed!! Talk about perfect timing :).
I haven't read anything by Justina Chen so I wasn't really sure how what to expect. This was my first time reading a book set in Machu Piccu. I'm not sure if there are many books out set in Peru but I was so interested in the setting that I actually did some googling to find out what Machu Piccu was really like. A Blind Spot for Boys started off really slow for me, I was a little that I wouldn't be able to get into the story but luckily it picks up a couple of chapters in when we find out about Shana's dad going blind.
Justina Chen did an excellent job at writing a story that would make you stop and think. While many might read this purely for romance there's so much more to this novel than that. It mostly focuses on both Shana and Quattro dealing with personal things and the overall outlook on life that you just really have no idea what the future holds. I'm not sure if it was suppose to be A Blind Spot for Boys just pulled so many different emotions from me!
Overall, A Blind Spot for Boys was beautifully written and a touching read! A perfect summer read that really makes you think about the way we live our lives. I can't wait to read more from Justina Chen in the future!
Justina Chen is an award-winning novelist for young adults whose books include A Blind Spot for Boys, Return to Me, and North of Beautiful (a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus and Barnes & Noble). Her other novels are Girl Overboard (a Junior Library Guild premiere selections) and Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies), which won the Asian Pacific American Award for Literature.
A passionate advocate of teen advocacy, Justina co-founded readergirlz, a cutting-edge literacy and social media project for teens, which won the National Book Foundation’s Prize for Innovations in Reading.
When she isn’t writing for teens, Justina is an executive communications strategista. That’s a fancy way of saying that she helps leaders tell their stories at companies like Disney and AT+T, NASDAQ and Microsoft. What she enjoys best is trekking the world with her two compadres, her teen kids.
Lasting Impression
Giveaway!
Excerpt
He pressed me back against the tree, his hands protecting me from the rough bark, and deepened the kiss. And then just as suddenly, he lifted his lips, both of us breathing hard, as we stared at each other.
“What happened to starting college without any ties?” I asked. I had to know.
“Ancient history.”
“Prehistoric?”
“Mesozoic.”
I smiled pleased. He grinned, even more pleased.
The rushing in my head when he kissed me a second time, then a third had little to do with altitude. Not that I would ever tell him. Boys, bravado, egos, and all that.
“What happened to starting college without any ties?” I asked. I had to know.
“Ancient history.”
“Prehistoric?”
“Mesozoic.”
I smiled pleased. He grinned, even more pleased.
The rushing in my head when he kissed me a second time, then a third had little to do with altitude. Not that I would ever tell him. Boys, bravado, egos, and all that.
About the Author
A passionate advocate of teen advocacy, Justina co-founded readergirlz, a cutting-edge literacy and social media project for teens, which won the National Book Foundation’s Prize for Innovations in Reading.
When she isn’t writing for teens, Justina is an executive communications strategista. That’s a fancy way of saying that she helps leaders tell their stories at companies like Disney and AT+T, NASDAQ and Microsoft. What she enjoys best is trekking the world with her two compadres, her teen kids.
This book sounds like a tear-jerker! That excerpt is so adorable though. I haven't read any books by Justina Chen yet but I'm adding this to my tbr :)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds cute, but definitely like it'll pull the heartstrings. So cool that it goes to Machu Pichu, though! :) Great review!!
ReplyDeleteRachel @ Paper Cuts