Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

First, Rainbow is an awesome name!

Eleanor & Park is a good novel. I almost gave up on it in the beginning because it was a tad slow getting to the goods. Eleanor is a red headed 16 year old who wears men clothes and lives with her Mom, brothers and sisters, and her step-dad. Park is a 16 year old boy who reads comic books, likes rock music, and has had his seat on the bus to himself all year. Until Eleanor arrives. At first, you think it's a typical 'bully the new girl because she's overweight' type novel but then it gets good instead of awkward or boring. Eleanor is a sarcastic, mean teen who is smart and brave and has more confidence than she realizes. Park is a semi-popular kid who doesn't know what he wants until he meets Eleanor.
Their romance is like a Romeo and Juliet tale. Which isn't all that a stretch since Rowell mentions this story a few times in the book. You get it. They are definitely star-crossed lovers. Eleanor's family is...different. Her step-dad is an ass, alcoholic and abusive to her mom. Her siblings are too young to understand. Her Dad is a moron and blind. The only good people in her life are Park and his parents. They care. They see her. They accept her, eventually.
Basically, Eleanor arrives on the school bus and has no choice but to sit with Park on the bus. He's resentful and ignores her. Until he realizes that she's reading his comic books over his shoulder. Then he starts to let her read with him on the bus and then he lets her borrow them and his walkman. It's really quite sweet. The school bus romance is crazy and funny but sweet. Park falls in love instantly and you get the sense that Eleanor is but she can't 'risk' it. She's afraid of her step dad and has no one to talk to. Her step dad is a piece of work. In the end you find out that he's been watching her...yes, like that. She ends up in a good place, with her Aunt and Uncle who save her and her family. But she doesn't end up with Park. She doesn't go back for him and he doesn't visit her. It's until a year later, after all the drama of getting her out of the state, that she finally FINALLY says those three little words.

It's a good book. It's definitely a teen book but young adults may like it as well.

3.5 out of 5 stars. Slow going, typical

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

As a new mom and someone who is very sensitive, I try not to read about children being abused in any way, shape or form. This book was a free download on my Kindle and of course, I can't pass up free. I didn't really think I would actually read this book because I just wasn't feeling the title. But I've been running out of stuff to read on my Kindle and so I thought, 'Hey, why not.'
This book really scares you into wanting to protect these characters. A douche bag Dad (Kayden's) and a shitty guy who's best friends with your brother (Callie) makes you want to punch someone/something or throw up. It's hard not to hate the Dad and best friend just like it's hard not to want to hug Callie and Kayden. I'm a big fan of cop shows (Law & Order, CSI, NCIS, etc) but this book, this book, really tugs and pulls at your heart strings. It's almost like looking at a car accident- you want to look away but you just can't.
Callie is a small girl who is leaving for college early to get away from her life back home. Her mom is oblivious to things and her brother is a jerk. She's been through a lot of crap in her life- the major focus of this story is her being raped at 12 by her brother's best friend on her birthday. ON HER BIRTHDAY! I mean really?! If these characters were real, that friends would be dead. She starts school and meets Seth who becomes her best friend. It's not hard at all to tell that he's her gay best friend. He's hilarious, protective and has problems of his own. He was beat and left for dead by his high school football team. Callie and Seth help each overcome and live again.
When Kayden starts college on a football scholarship at the same college in the Fall, they run into each other, literally. Kayden's baggage is that he's been beaten from the time he was about 7 yrs old by his Dad and his mother doesn't care because all she wants is her wine. Sad life. He doesn't care about anything and feels dead inside. It's only when he starts to care about Callie that he learns what love is supposed to be like. Their relationship moves really fast. Callie is trusting Kayden like she's never trusted anyone before and she knows it feels right.
When they go home for Thanksgiving that's when everything goes from awesome to horrible. It's during their visit home that Callie reveals to Kayden who raped her. Kayden then beats the ever loving shit out the guy and is arrested. Kayden's dad hits him again and they fight. Kayden's dad ends up stabbing him and then the reader finds out that Kayden is a cutter. He cuts himself to escape the pain. After not hearing from him for a while, Callie borrows her parents car to go over there. She finds him in a pool of blood...and that's how it ends!
Talk about pissing me off. I hate when books leave you hanging. But, Ill be buying the next one so I know what happens to Kayden and what happens with their relationship.

4 out 5 stars! (not 5 because the ending pissed me off)