12/1/13

NetGalley Book Review: Being Sloane Jacobs - Lauren Morrill

Author:  Lauren Morrill
Genre: Young Adult; Romance, Coming of Age
Publication Date:  January 7, 2014

**This book was an Advanced Reader Copy from Netgalley.com; other than the joy of reading - I was granted no compensation to review this book.**

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):  Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.


Review:  I have found that I like Lauren Morrill’s writing style quite a bit, as I read Meant to Be earlier this year, and was granted access to read an ARC version of Being Sloane Jacobs from Netgalley. Her story telling is very simple and sweet, creating likable characters and stories that touch your heart without squeezing it to little bits before attempting to put it back together again.  

Being Sloane Jacobs was a quick fun read.  It is the whole “parent swap” concept meets the ice!  The characters, (both Sloane Jacobs), have a lot of depth and they were teachable, which I enjoy. I hate characters are written so stubborn or set in their ways that they are  unable, or unwilling to change at all, and then at the end of the book it's like (BLING) a light goes on, and all is well in the world with everything resolved. I loved how Lauren Morrill painted parallels between the characters; each version of Sloane has their own demons and reasons for making the swap, but they each learn life lessons, deal with bullies, make new friends and, in the end, find themselves.  Like I said, it was a fun, sweet, simple book. 

While the plot line may not be overly original, and the ins and outs of the book were easy to predict, I enjoy quick reads that make you love the characters and makes your heart happy.  There are plenty of books out there with all the suspense any one person can handle, now and then we just need to sit back, relax, and make new friends. I would recommend this book to those who love to read books by Sarah Dessen, and completely recommend it for teenagers of all ages.



Lauren Morrill
**Bio info from Goodreads.com


url:  https://www.goodreads.com/laurenmorrill
born:  December 02, 1982
twitter username:  laurenemorrill
 
 Lauren Elizabeth Morrill is many things, including, but not limited to, a writer, an educator, a badass roller derby skater, a former band nerd, an aggressive driver, and a die-hard Mac person. She also watches a lot of TV, eats a lot of junk food, and drinks a lot of Coke. It's a wonder her brain and teeth haven't rotted out of her head.

Her first novel, Meant to Be, sold in a two-book deal to Wendy Loggia at Delacorte for Paper Lantern Lit.

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