Going Vintage

4.5 stars

Original review: http://tressaswishfulendings.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-going-vintage.html

I enjoyed reading this so much! Why? Well, the characters were fun and, I felt, realistic. The whole relationship between Mallory and Jeremy I thought was pretty representative of many high school relationships, but so were the relationships she had with her friends and family. I also liked that Mallory and Ginnie have this great relationship as sisters, one that I can relate too because that's how it was in a lot of ways for me and my siblings growing up. They also have two parents in the home, which seems to be a little scarce in YA these days (although I guess that's how it is in real life for many teens), but I thought it was nice to see. She doesn't have a perfect family, but who does, and I liked how the author let issues pop up and the family try to deal with them.

I loved the writing style! There were these fun lists in basically every chapter that shows that side of Mallory and how finding her grandmother's list could end up being such a big deal to her. She is definitely a list person and she was looking for something to focus on to get her mind off of other things. My favorite list was probably the last one. Great ending to the book! I can't quote it because there is a spoiler. I will just say I loved it! The writing was smooth and there are some great conversations. That really makes or breaks a book for me.

One of the best things was that there is romance in this story (and it is great - LOVE Oliver), but that wasn't the focal point. It was more about this heartbreaking thing, at least to Mallory, that happened and Mallory getting so hurt and fed up that she just wanted to escape to another time. She learns a lot during the process and finds that she can still be someone without Jeremy and without technology.

I also really loved this part about Mallory and her grandma:

"Grandma always said that you can find the answer to any question in a sunrise, and so she calls these meditative sessions Ruminations. During our weekend sleepovers, she used to kick me out of bed and drag me to the back porch of her townhouse near the top of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. At first she'd give me a Rumination, like Who do you want to be, Mallory? Or If you could fly anywhere, where would you go? But as I got older, she made me pick my own thoughts, and in those moments I would ask myself things I never had the courage to consider during regular life." ;)
I was thinking that this would be great to implement with my own kids. We all definitely don't take enough time to just sit and think. What a great moment to have with someone, to think about concerns and who he/she is becoming or wants to become.

I also just have to mention that there is a reference to Jimmy Eat World. This is a band a college boyfriend of mine loved. He actually knew a member of the band and also gave me one of their CD's (yes, this was before ipods or mp3 players). The song is Like She'll Always Be. You can listen to a copy with just the lyrics on YouTube (http://youtu.be/xG6wygrEs7g). This made me wonder where Leavitt is from (Las Vegas) and so I checked out her website (http://lindseyleavitt.com). She has a very fun bio and you can tell she's got a great personality, which carries over to her books. I also think the cover is great! It's very reflective of the book.

So, definitely pick this up if you're in the mood for a fun, quirky, and contemporary read with some romance (not the focus, but great all the same). :)

Content: There is some brief suggestive content and references to making out, but nothing I would consider not clean, especially for high school students and adults.

Disclosure: This review is of a book I was given for free by an author, tour host, or publisher, or through NetGalley or Edelweiss. This in no way influences the opinions shared in my review.

Why I Loved It: As many reviews will do, *I am sure* I shall do this in a list format of all the awesome things about the book as a tribute to the awesomeness of the book.

1. Hysterical. The book was incredibly endearing and laugh out loud kind of funny all throughout the book. Moments that were kinda depressing always had a spot of comic relief. I love funny and cute contemporary books, and this is definitely of that variety.

2. Awesome MC. Mallory could have been someone I went to school with. She would be one of the stranger ones perhaps. However, she had real issues and the whole swearing off technology thing and going strictly vintage 1960's? Come on. Many dramatic girls throughout time have pulled stunts as crazy. I mean I probably would went down a similar path if my boyfriend had cheated on my via the world wide web. Her best friend is her younger sister. Considering that my bff is my little sister, I can totally relate to that relationship. It's not something that is super existant in the world of YA. It was a bit refreshing.

3. Oliver. He seemed to be pretty attractive in the book. Though I am still not sure about it. I mean he did some strange things. But maybe that is part of his charm? I am not sure, but he made the story better as most second halves of the romances do.

4. Family. Mallory's is dysfunctional. And I did have some urges to yell at her mother at times. But Mallory's relationship with her grandmother was a pretty awesome part of the story. Mallory is constantly trying to explore what it meant to be a teenager in the 60's which means pestering her grandmother with questions that she didn't really want to answer. That relationship leads to what really made what would be a "light and fluffy" read much less fluffy and much more substantial.

5. 1960's. My favorite movies were made in those years considering I am an extreme Audrey Hepburn fan. Of course some of my favorites were also the 50's and 70's, but you get the idea. I loved the fashion of that time, but the book also hits on the not so great thing about the time period like gender inequality. It's kind of important that the highs and lows are remembered. And I thought the book covered both nicely.

Who Should Read It: It's an awesome contemporary read. I think it's a must for those contemporary fans. Funny, intelligent, and a bit vintage. Nothing a bit wrong with that.