Seeking Mansfield

This is a colored box
Sixteen-year-old Finley Price has perfected two things: how to direct a world-class production, and how to fly way, way under the radar. The only person who ever seems to notice Finley is her best friend and godparents' son, Oliver Bertram. Since Finley moved in with her godparents after the death of her father, she and Oliver have grown close. If Finley could just take Oliver's constant encouragement to heart and step out of the shadows, she'd finally chase her dream of joining the prestigious Mansfield Theater. But when teen movie stars Emma and Harlan Crawford move across the street from the Bertram's, they shake up Finley and Oliver's stable friendship. As Emma and Oliver grow closer, Finley realizes that Harlan's attention is shifting to her. She discovers she might have feelings for him too. Or, is she only interested in Harlan because Oliver is taken? Finley doesn't want to be won, and she doesn't want to see Oliver with anyone else. To claim Oliver's heart--and keep her own--she'll have to find the courage to do what she fears most: step into the spotlight.

The female of the species

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times this book was recommended to me. I've heard just the most amazing things about this book and this author and I just knew I had to read it. Not only that but I was approved for Becky Albertalli's new book on Netgalley so I really wanted to read this book before that one!

Author: Becky Albertalli ⬥ Series: Standalone ⬥ Published on: 7th April 2015 ⬥Genres: Young adult, contemporary ⬥ Format: E-book ⬥ Source: Purchased

Amazon | Goodreads

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Synopsis

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

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My Rating

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Okay, I cannot even with this book. It's been recommended to me so much and it's been all over the internet recently. I have to say there's a good reason for that. The main character Simon is just incredible and I love him. I really liked how he felt like a real teenager, he didn't have unrealistic thoughts like so many characters in YA books do and I really loved his inner monologue. 

The love interest 'Blue' was also absolutely adorable. Reading the emails between Blue and Simon literally made my heart want to burst with excitement because I shipped these two SO much! I really felt like I saw their relationship grow as the book went on and it was beautiful. I think the thing I enjoyed most about their relationship was that neither knew what the other one looked like. It was so precious because they just loved each other for their personalities and I feel like that is so rare in books, in life even! 

So throughout most of the book you don't know who Blue is, there's a number of people who you're like 'maybe'... but you do find out later. I have to say I did guess who it was which was kind of disappointing because I really wanted to be surprised, but I'm not to bothered by it. I don't feel like it took away from the plot at all and I still really enjoyed the book. 

The only other issue I had with this book was that I didn't feel overly impacted. I think it might have something to do with the hype around it. I don't know, I was expecting revolutionary and I just didn't get quite that. Don't get me wrong I still gave this book 4.5/5 stars because I loved it and it's definitely on of my top reads of the year so far but I was expecting slightly more.
 But overall A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.