Tuesday, April 9, 2013

It's Complicated: A Book Review

Hello everyone! Today you get another review! Today I'm reviewing It's Complicated by the sweet author Laura L. Smith.

Book description:

Follow four college roommates, Claire, Palmer, Hannah and Kat as they maneuver crushes, confusion, and the crisis when pushy boys go too far. Complicated as it is, these four friends will pull through, guided by the strength of their friendship and the power of God’s love.

  There's a reason Facebook has the status, It's Complicated.

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 I enjoyed this book. Laura has a very engrossing style of writing that kept me reading, wondering what was going to happen to the characters. Since the story is split up between four girls, sometimes it would jerk you out of a tense moment in one character's life, and put you in another girl's. I would want to see what was going to happen to the first girl, but pretty soon I'd be taken in with the second girl's world.

 Mrs. Smith writes very real, truthful, hard-hitting books. She puts these girls in real life situations, with real life emotions. Though I may not approve of some of the girl's dating decisions, or other decisions they make in the book, she's woven a story that is very true to most teenagers these days.

 I appreciated the faith element in the story, and how God was telling the girl's to lean on Him. Sometimes we have to be strong enough to let things go, and let God have His way.

 This book is under Young Adult as far as I'm aware, though I will warn younger readers: There is some very mature issues addressed, things that some girls have had to go through. If I had to pick an age group for this book, I would actually say fifteen and up. Maybe it's just because I never read anything with such mature issues when I was fourteen and younger, or something else. I just feel that this is a story for older teens who aren't uncomfortable getting into the nitty gritty part of life that many girls have to navigate.

 In the end, I thought It's Complicated was a well written book. It's a good story, with characters girls can relate to. I also loved the references in the novel, like Les Miserables. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.
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I received this book from the author as a member of the Playlist Street Team. Playlist is a new line of ebook novels for young adults. There are many talented author's involved, and I encourage you to check it out!




About the author:
Laura L. Smith is the author of the new Status Updates series. Her first book in this series is It's Complicated. She loves God, her husband, her four children, writing and speaking. She writes real stories for real young women. Her previous books include Skinny, Hot, and Angry. She is a featured columnist at Choose Now Ministries  http://nicoleodell.com/laura-l-smith-on-true-beauty/ and speaks at schools, churches and campuses around the country. Smith lives in the college town of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. www.laurasmithauthor.com






 

3 comments:

Laura Anderson Kurk said...

Beautiful review for a beautiful, honest book! Your thoughtful suggestion about reading ages is spot on! I think Laura Smith would agree that the book is perfect for girls 15 and up. Sometimes younger girls are dealing with these issues, too, and they'll benefit from the grace Smith extends through her words. Thanks for all your help, Bethany!

Bethany Baldwin said...

Thank you Laura, for you're comments! And that is very true for younger girls. Especially those who do/did not have the protection I have had.

Laura L. Smith said...

Bethany, thank you for this lovely review. And thank you for the warning that this book is for older girls. I wanted to tackle some serious issues, but you're right, they would be best for the 15 and up crowd. I tell everyone who asks, the same thing.