Life, Love, & Lemons by Magan Vernon
Publication date: August 20th 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: August 20th 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Received an ebook to participate in the blog
tour and give an honest review.
tour and give an honest review.
Synopsis:
When life hands you lemons, sometimes you have to say screw the lemons and bail.
Seventeen-year-old Bentley Evans had it all. Then her Dad got laid off.
Now she has to move across town to a small apartment and leave her life of luxury for public school and a job at the local burger place. Just when her world seems like it's crumbling she finds solace in the unlikely punk boy next door, Kai Stone. But as their relationship blossoms, a jealous ex-girlfriend and a secret to tell that threatens to bring disaster back into Bentley’s life.
Goodreads: Life, Love, & Lemons
AUTHOR BIO
Magan Vernon is a Young Adult and New Adult writer who lives with her family in the insurance capital of the world. She is in a very serious, fake relationship with Adam Lambert and constantly asks her husband to wear guyliner. He still refuses. She also believes her husband is secretly an alien, disguised as a southern gentleman.
REVIEW
I've been wanting to read Life, Love, & Lemons ever since I first read the description months ago! It sounded like an adorable story, and I'm extremely happy to say that it definitely lived up to that expectation. :D
While at first, I wasn't a huge fan of Bentley...she did start off being a bit spoiled and bratty, I could tell that she was going to change and that she was trying to make the best out of a horrible situation. So, even though she was a brat at first, I did still admire her for trying, and she really grew on me! I loved that Bentley knew life wasn't going to be easy for her anymore, and she worked for everything she had and accepted that. Her mother, on the other hand, didn't handle it that way. I have to say that I didn't like Bee's mom at all, but I loved her dad! The poor guy was going through such a tough time, and I loved seeing him get more confident and I really enjoyed the way that his relationship with Bentley changed! Finally, I loved Bentley and Kai together! They definitely weren't your typical couple, but that didn't stop me from loving them at all! I loved their banter, and I just really enjoyed their relationship. :D
I thought that Bentley's progression throughout the story was really well done and I enjoyed seeing her grow. By the end of Life, Love, & Lemons, I loved that Bee was standing up for herself and that she wasn't just letting everyone influence her, but I did feel like there were a couple of situations that she could've handled better. I especially didn't like when one character physically assaulted her, and she didn't say anything to anyone (I'm hoping no one counts this as a spoiler, and I'm sorry if you consider it one, but I'll try to be vague). I know she was scared of the girl and all that, but that's not okay...ever. I just didn't like that Bentley allowed someone to hurt her like that without any consequences; it sends a really bad message, as did the other situation I didn't like, where Bee's coworkers said suggestive remarks and all she did was go "ugh" and tell them they were gross. The one where Bee got hurt happened after she started standing up for herself, too, so I was kind of confused as to why she didn't do anything in that situation. While both of these situations didn't make me dislike the book, they did bother me. I just really don't like seeing people think it's okay for others to treat them like this or for someone to think it's okay to treat others this way.
While at first, I wasn't a huge fan of Bentley...she did start off being a bit spoiled and bratty, I could tell that she was going to change and that she was trying to make the best out of a horrible situation. So, even though she was a brat at first, I did still admire her for trying, and she really grew on me! I loved that Bentley knew life wasn't going to be easy for her anymore, and she worked for everything she had and accepted that. Her mother, on the other hand, didn't handle it that way. I have to say that I didn't like Bee's mom at all, but I loved her dad! The poor guy was going through such a tough time, and I loved seeing him get more confident and I really enjoyed the way that his relationship with Bentley changed! Finally, I loved Bentley and Kai together! They definitely weren't your typical couple, but that didn't stop me from loving them at all! I loved their banter, and I just really enjoyed their relationship. :D
I thought that Bentley's progression throughout the story was really well done and I enjoyed seeing her grow. By the end of Life, Love, & Lemons, I loved that Bee was standing up for herself and that she wasn't just letting everyone influence her, but I did feel like there were a couple of situations that she could've handled better. I especially didn't like when one character physically assaulted her, and she didn't say anything to anyone (I'm hoping no one counts this as a spoiler, and I'm sorry if you consider it one, but I'll try to be vague). I know she was scared of the girl and all that, but that's not okay...ever. I just didn't like that Bentley allowed someone to hurt her like that without any consequences; it sends a really bad message, as did the other situation I didn't like, where Bee's coworkers said suggestive remarks and all she did was go "ugh" and tell them they were gross. The one where Bee got hurt happened after she started standing up for herself, too, so I was kind of confused as to why she didn't do anything in that situation. While both of these situations didn't make me dislike the book, they did bother me. I just really don't like seeing people think it's okay for others to treat them like this or for someone to think it's okay to treat others this way.
Overall, I thought that Life, Love, & Lemons was an incredibly sweet story, and my little issue about Bee reacting poorly to certain things didn't keep me from really enjoying this story. Throughout this book, Kai was the shining feature. He made up for any little issues I had, and I absolutely loved him. I also loved that despite the situation she's in, Bentley always tried to make the best of her situation. That's something more people should strive to do, and I really admired and respected her for it. I also thought that Bentley's relationship with her father developed in a wonderful way and I loved seeing them finally get to know one another. And finally, I loved that there was a lot of emphasis on looking beyond the surface and not judging people based on appearance. Bentley may have looked perfect before her dad lost her job, but she was so much happier and a much better person by the end of the book...and I think that's an extremely positive message. So, while I may have had a couple of issues, the book's overall message that we should look past appearances more than made up for them!
PLAYLIST
While writing I use Pandora and just
suggest an artist and they usually come up with some great songs and artists to
go along with that. For Life, Love, & Lemons I wanted that bubble gum punk
rock feel, so I typed in Blink 182. This was how I discovered Plus 44 and they
moved this story forward with their songs. And of course there were a few other
songs that had me writing like a crazy woman.
Teenagers-
My Chemical Romance.
I can
just imagine this song playing as Bentley walks into East High for the first
time.
Make
you Smile – Plus 44
If
there was a theme song for this novel. This is it.
Baby
Come on – Plus 44
I
feel like this is Kai’s theme song for Bentley
Pieces
-Sum 41
Ocean
Avenue –Yellowcard
Only
One – Yellowcard
Tell
me I’m a wreck-Every Avenue
I’d
do Anything- Simple Plan
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What do you think?
Does Love, Life, & Lemons sound like a book you want to read?
If you've read it already, what did you think?
And finally, what did you think of Magan Vernon's playlist?
Follow the rest of the Life, Love, & Lemons Blog Tour HERE.
What do you think?
Does Love, Life, & Lemons sound like a book you want to read?
If you've read it already, what did you think?
And finally, what did you think of Magan Vernon's playlist?
Life Love Lemons doesn't sound like a book I would like to read. I would read it to satisfy my curiosity of the book and see if I have change my mind about it.
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