Review: DRIVE by Stephanie Fournet
I have loved everything I’ve read from Stephanie Fournet, and DRIVE did not disa[...]
Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release Date: December 27, 2011
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Source: Publisher
Age Level: Young Adult
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Buy: Amazon | IndieBound
Leah has the life most high school girls would kill for—popularity, glowing grades, a rich, athletic boyfriend. So why does she feel like she can’t breathe? And why can’t she stop thinking about the boy from the country club? The one who isn’t her boyfriend, the one that her mother would never, ever approve of, the one that her perfect older sisters would never, ever look at twice. The one who is always looking back at her. Irresistible attraction, smoldering glances, the bad boy and the good girl—Kiss Crush Collide has everything that a steamy forbidden romance should, and then some.
With graceful and honest writing and an electric love story, this is a book about growing into your own skin. For fans of Perfect Chemistry, Sarah Dessen, and John Green. (Goodreads)
Kiss Crush Collide is a light quick read. I read it in a day. When I first read the synopsis and saw the cover many months ago, this instantly became a must read. I was so excited when I received this book for review, and really looked forward to reading it. I was sold as soon as I saw that it was pitched to fans of Perfect Chemistry and John Green… I have no idea how that comparison was made… because in my opinion Kiss Crush Collide cannot be prepared to them in any shape or form. Honestly, I feel like I was cheated with a bait and switch. I realize that I set my expectations too high, and I should know better, but sadly it did impact my opinion.
Leah has a seemingly perfect life… She’s beautiful, popular, has a family approved boyfriend, and a bright future ahead of her. She has two older sisters and everything always magically falls into place for them, yet being in their shadow stifles her. She views her sisters’ lives as a road map, a way to see into her own future. When she meets Porter, a guy that works at the country club, she feels a spark for the first time. She feels woken up, and she doesn’t want to follow the path her sisters blazed; she wants to make her own choices.
Though I enjoyed the storyline, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to connect with the characters. I didn’t really feel anything for Leah, and I was frustrated by how little Porter was developed. I expected the story to be mostly about Leah and Porter’s relationship, but felt it was more about Leah’s relationships with her sisters and mother. I kept waiting for more. More dialogue, more of an emotional connection, more… depth.
I really wanted to LOVE this book, but I was left feeling disappointed. If you ignore the comparisons Kiss Crush Collide becomes more likeable. I’d recommend this to fans of YA contemporary looking for a quick fun read.
Author Links: Website | Goodreads
