Review + Giveaway: Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend by Louise Rozett

Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend
Louise Rozett

Series: Confessions #2
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: June 25th 2013
by Harlequin Teen

Rose Zarelli has big plans for sophomore year—everything is going to be different. This year, she’s going to be the talented singer with the killer voice, the fabulous girl with the fashionista best friend, the brainiac who refuses to let Jamie Forta jerk her around...

...but if she’s not careful, she’s also going to be the sister who misses the signals, the daughter who can only think about her own pain, the “good girl” who finds herself in mid-scandal again (because no good deed goes unpunished) and possibly worst of all...the almost-girlfriend.

When all else fails, stop looking for love and go find yourself

-A copy was provided by Harlequin Teen for review-

*Spoiler free for the series*

After enjoying Confessions of an Angry Girl more than I expected to, I'm happy to report that this is a strong sequel with impressive character growth. I may even have enjoyed it more than the first.

What surprised me in the first book was the amount of depth there was to the story. You think it will be this whiny drama-filled book, but while there is definite drama, everything feels so realistic and raw. The protagonist, Rose, does come off as someone very confused at first, especially in the first book. She's mean to herself and lacks self confidence, in this sequel, however, her character comes out of her shell and she finds where she truly belongs; where she wants to belong. I loved this dramatic change in her. She's realizing that being like everyone else is not what will make her happy. She figures out who she's really meant to be and takes the leap, transforming into a confident, passionate girl who had me cheering her on. Her supporting characters don't let down either. We have the same old charismatic friends who bring it up a notch. With everyone a year older, we have louder, more distinguished personalities of people who are... can I be cheesy and say "spreading their wings"? >.< My favorite side character is Angelo; he just amuses me. Though Tracy is pretty fabulous, too!

As for the romance... GAH! It's just as frustrating as the first if not moreso. It's realistic in its high school-ish mess, I'll give you that, but it has me wishing Rose would let Jamie go. He has obvious issues and plenty of secrets, I don't trust him nor his intentions. It feels like he's stringing Rose along just because he can - exactly as Conrad told her. They do have swoony chemistry, but he either has to give in or leave her alone. I think Rose is finally thinking the same way by the end, at least, so hopefully in the next book she'll kick him to the curb if he doesn't figure himself out stat! I'm actually hoping she ends up with Angelo to be honest. That guy is just so caring and... uncomplicated. I think that's exactly what she needs.

The first book touched a lot on Rose's grief from the death of her father, this sequel follows this largely through emotionally charged therapy sessions with Rose and her mother who are both struggling with anger and heartache. Her brother is more present as well; we learn what changed him so much since starting college while he reconnects with his family. Family oriented books always touch my heart. I found the complicated relationships to be full of realistic conflict and heartfelt emotions. Furthermore, we also explore some serious topics in this book: anti-gay bullying, drugs, physical abuse. Each one is handled skillfully without being cheesy after school special-ish or stereotypical. It's honest, even a little gritty. It all adds up to being a surprisingly profound novel.

Confessions is a perfectly balanced series with just enough drama, just enough humor, and just enough emotion to get us invested without being overwhelmed. I'd recommend it for when you're looking for a quick, vibrant read speckled with life's turmoils.

4 Hot Espressos

Find my review of Confessions of an Angry Girl 14, here!

This post is a part of:

(Click on banner for full tour schedule)

Review: Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett

Confessions of an Angry Girl
Louise Rozett

Series: Confessions #1
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: August 28th 2012
by Harlequin Teen

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make…

1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)

-A copy was provided by Harlequin Teen for review-

If it wasn't for my friends' recommendations I don't think I would have read this book. The synopsis makes it sound like it involves an annoying, bratty main character who whines and complains about stupid high school stuff. Lucky for them, my friends didn't fail me and I found myself really enjoying it. The protagonist, Rose, is a little younger than I usually like my MCs - at only 14 and starting high school - but in a way it brought me back to how jarring it can be to go from one grade to the next where, suddenly, the rules are different, boyfriends and sex seem to be constant hot topics, and popularity seems to be what counts.

Rose is someone I think a lot of people could relate to. For many, starting high school was not an easy - or a welcome - change. Rose is the awkward, confused girl who's feeling like a clueless kid when all her friends seem to be miles ahead of her. On top of everything, she is also dealing with the recent death of her father. Her character could be fairly judgmental at times, even a little prudish, and while she's simply overwhelmed and confused, having been jarred by the sudden changes in her life, I can't say I particularly liked her from the start. Still, I found myself sympathizing with her for how she was made to feel so alone. I also admired her for sticking to what she believed in, and doing the right thing knowing the dire consequences it would bring. It's not everyone who can stay so true to themselves in high school with all the pressures it entails. Most of the book is Rose trying to find where she fits in this big world she was thrown in. Her not fitting in anymore has made her angry, and you could clearly feel her confusion throughout.

I'm not sure how I feel about the romance in the book. Jamie confused me as much as he did her. He has a girlfriend, or so it seems, yet he keeps running to Rose. Then when Rose gets in trouble with this girlfriend he does nothing to defend her. It irritated me in a way that I didn't find him worthy of Rose at all. It's hard to discern what about him had Rose so charmed. I was actually rooting for her friend Robert who is incredibly sweet and obviously in love with her, but for some reason she doesn't feel the same. The novel doesn't dwell on the romance completely, though; the plot keeps its focus on Rose figuring herself out.

Topics in this book range from bullying, to death, to friendship, and family. Her father's passing gives this story quite a bit of emotional depth - more than I was expecting in this type of book. I could easily feel Rose's grief overshadowing her. How her family is dealing with the pain is realistic as well as disheartening, having yet to heal from this sudden gaping hole in their lives. This, along with everything else that is happening at school, forced Rose to grow up. And she does. At the end of the book I found she was a much more determined and confident girl, showing some great character growth. One result of this growth made me especially satisfied at the end, and I can't wait to see its delightful unraveling in the sequel. *evil laugh*

Filled with sarcasm and loud opinions, Confession of an Angry Girl is perfect for when you're looking for your next high-school drama with a lot of heart.

4 Hot Espressos