Friday, June 21, 2013

Review: The Wonder Bread Summer by Jessica Anya Blau

The Wonder Bread Summer: A NovelReleased: May 28th 2013
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Purchase: Amazon

*A paperback copy was provided by publisher in exchange of an honest review.

Synopsis via Goodreads:
It's 1983 in Berkeley, California. Twenty-year-old Allie Dodgson is a straitlaced college student working part-time at a dress shop to make ends meet. But when the shop turns out to be a front for a dangerous drug-dealing business, Allie finds herself on the lam, speeding toward Los Angeles in her best friend's Prelude with a Wonder Bread bag full of cocaine riding shotgun and a hit man named Vice Versa on her tail. You can't find a more thrilling summer read!




Once again, I did not read the synopsis instead I went into the book completely unaware of the plot. 

The Wonder Bread Summer, wow, I actually liked the titled and was really looking forward to reading an interesting contemporary story. Sadly, I was neither amused or in love with the book. It was just an okay read, and the only reason I finished it is because I'm trying to stay clear of DNFs. 

The story opened up and I was like, oh nice, it takes place in the 80s and its new adult so this should be good. What I didn't know was that from beginning to end I would develop no connection with the main character or any other characters whatsoever. Honestly, the only person I liked was the grandmother (who happens to be dead) but seems to me she had some decent things to say about life, which Allie never really acted on. As she went on her little journey, there were things that made no sense, and activities that made her seem cheap.

The depiction of drugs and racial stereotyping didn't really bother me as much because the author kept it real. What I didn't like was how Allie kept doing one stupid thing after the other. Like she would go somewhere and seek out someone who just seemed so pointless to the situation. In particular, her mother. I don't want to spoil it but really, how can you bring drugs around an already drug addict and be as naive enough to actually think she would be of some kind of help to you when she already made the ridiculous decision of abandoning her child to become a tambourine girl in some played out rock band. Allie, that's just dumb. And she continued to piss me off throughout the book with idiotic things she would say and do. I wanted to slap her majority of the time. The minor characters weren't as bad as she was, but they didn't seem to shine throughout the pages either. And up to the end of the book I was filled with so much rage, I just wanted to kick some of them. 

As for the writing, it was good. The descriptions were good. Jessica painted a very clear picture, its just that the overall concept didn't impress me. And I feel really bad whenever I give a book under 3 stars but I have to be honest, The Wonder Bread Summer isn't for me. And even though I had no expectations really, I wasn't expecting to feel this disappointed.











18 comments:

  1. Awww, well that's a shame...especially considering that you went in with no expectations having not even read the synopsis!

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    1. Yea, it just didn't make a lot of sense to me. Hope you still give it a try, though.

      Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. This one has such a cool title. It's a bummer that it didn't live up to that for you.

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  3. The cover is amazing but I understand why you didn't like it with all the stereotypes. Thanks for stopping by my blog and for following. Old follower. I also tag you to do my Blogging Things I Suck At Tag. You can find out all the details and more at the post on my blog here. I really hope you can do it.  Laura @ Music Plus Books

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, commenting, and following :)
      I'll check it out!

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    2. Thanks for checking it out and for leaving your comment. I really hope you can do the tag as a post on your blog though. Then you can tag other people and continue to share it with the blogging community.
      Laura @ Music Plus Books

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  4. I'm so sorry that this book didn't work out for you, Shane :( I personally don't think that it's my kind of read either.

    - Ellie at The Selkie Reads Stories

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  5. Awe, that too bad you didn't enjoy it. It sounds liked like it would be pretty good. I'm not sure if it is something I would pick up and read. Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts on it.

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  6. I have a hard time with characters that keep making stupid decisions. I love anything having to do with the 80's, but it seems like this book wouldn't work for me with an irritating character.

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  7. Awww, sorry to hear this one wasn't for you. Thanks for the honest review!

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  8. Oh no I'm sorry that you didn't really enjoy this one as much as you hoped! I try to read the synopsis before requesting a book or reading it so I can see how I might like it, but I can definitely see where you didn't like this one. I hate it when characters act dumb because it's totally uncalled for and ARGH!

    Fantastic review, Shane! :)

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  9. Thanks for being honest! Too bad this one didn't work out for you! If I can't connect with the main character in some way, I don't really like the book either. Great Review--I enjoyed reading your thought on this one, and I will be staying clear of this book!

    Lindy@ A Bookish Escape

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    1. Oh don't turn away because of me, it might work for you :)

      Thanks for stopping by!

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