Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Review: From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas

Title: From What I Remember
Authors: Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas
Pages: 462 pages
Format acquired: Hardcover
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Published on: May 15th 2012
Source: Purchased from Fully Booked
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



KYLIE: Mexico? What a nightmare! I should be putting the finishing touches on my valedictorian speech. Graduation is TODAY! Wait! Is this a wedding band on my finger??

MAX: It started with Kylie's laptop and a truck full of stolen electronics and it ended in Ensenada. It was hot, the way she broke us out like some chick in an action movie. But now we're stranded here, with less than twenty-four hours before graduation.

WILL: Saving Kylie Flores from herself is kind of a full-time occupation. Luckily, I, Will Bixby, was born for the job. And when I found out she was stuck in Mexico with dreamy Max Langston, sure, I agreed to bring their passports across the border but there's no reason to rush back home right away. This party is just getting started.

LILY: This cannot be happening. It's like some cruel joke. Or a bad dream. I close my eyes and when I reopen them, they're still there. Max and Kylie Flores, freak of the century. In bed together. If Kylie thinks I'm giving him up without a fight, she's dead wrong.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)


Review:

When I read the summary, I thought that this would be like a Hangover-esque type of story (like the Movie) I mean, hello? Stranded in a foreign place looking for something? Sounds like a Wolf Pack adventure! Though in the movie, it was a someONE not something. But you get the point. So anyway, curiosity got the best of me and I cracked this baby open. Minutes later, I was cracking up with laughter. This book may be one of the funniest lot I've ever read. Will Birxby is now in my favorite gay male character category. Right up there with Magnus Bane. Though I never really heard of this book until then, I assure you, it will make up for the lost publicity with humorous dialogues and catchy one-liners.

Speaking of characters...

The book starts off with Max And Kylie together in Mexico with a suspicious ring around her finger. The story leading up to that point is quite large but then again, weird things happen. Max sounds like he's a sex god, which I hope he is and if they ever make a movie out of this (which I hope they will) I hope they pick someone delicious and smoldering. Just like what Max should be. Their steady, budding romance doesn't hurt either. I really enjoyed the slow build-up of the chemistry between them. Too many books make that romance appear in just a page and I sometimes find it hard to believe. I'd prefer a slow, languid build up rather than a "hey presto" one. The progression of the story really cracked me up though I thought that their side problems were a wee bit misplaced. I mean, like it was put there just for the sake of it. The story could have done well of without them tiny mishaps. Kylie for me was a little average. Given, that's what the authors may have made her to be, but she's borderline "meh". She does have her good points though. Like how she is a little high-strung and frantic. At first I was like "blegh" but then I grew to like her, like every character in the book. Even Lily. Ah yes, our resident mean girl. She's the person you'd love to hate and has an arsenal of mean retorts and snappy one-liners. But even with all her nastiness, I found myself to be sympathetic and actually liking her a little bit. But the character I loved the most would me Mr. Birxby. Something about a flamboyant gay character makes the book a hundred times more hilarious. I love how he's just there taking care of Kylie... even when she is nowhere near him. And how he constantly dishes out quotes from movies. I'm even happier that I knew most of the quotes. (Yay Me! :D) But really, having Will Birxby added in the storyline really made it lighter and funnier.

Normally, I'd get confused with the whole multiple POV thing, and at first I was a little skeptic about the whole thing but after a few POVs from each of them, you'll find that it isn't hard to read because they are all so distinct in their own way that you'd know right away who would be narrating even without looking at the header.

So all in all, I'd recommend this book to anyone who'd want a good laugh and a happy romance. Good job, Ms. Kramer and Ms. Thomas! :)

Rating:

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