Hey there!
Monday is here and it's a new week to look forward to! I'm having a heavy on the workload week, but I'm hoping that some book mail will improve the week for me! I'm also awaiting a few things for my new apartment, so I cannot wait for them to arrive!
For this week's Mark This Book Monday I got the review for an eARC that I was approved for via NetGalley, thank you so much for the auto-approval Harper Collins UK!! It counts for my books for review category on the 105 Challenge!
Made For You by Melissa Marr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I had been really intrigued about this book for quite a while, so when I was approved for an eARC for it via NG, I was quite eager to start reading it!
Eva Tilling is your super popular girl in a small Southern town, where popularity and status comes from who your family is and how long they can claim to have been in the town. Thankfully Eva is not your mean queen bee, but instead we get someone that isn't sure of continue fitting in because it's how things are, or to ignore convention and do what she feels right. She has the perfect boyfriend and a group of friends she's known forever and Grace, her non-Jessup-native best friend.
Made For You could feel like your typical and topical contemporary story about privileged teenagers but then we get a few twists, one is the murder mystery that starts with the attempted murder of Eva herself and two is the paranormal element introduced after Eva's accident and her seeing visions if someone touches her.
Those two twist are not the only things that make this feel less topical than usual, I must say that one of the topics I loved seeing twisted & broken were the absent parents that we usually see in YA. Eva's parents are always travelling and busy with their work, so Eva has always been very self reliant, but after her accident/attempted murder, her parents really are shocked into a change of attitude, and I loved how Eva's mum reacted to everything. I love how she decided that she needed to take charge and responsability and that being a mother was something she had been failing at. Not something common seeing an adult admiting fault AND taking steps to fix it, and even less in something as parenting.
We get 3 POVs in this book, Eva, Grace and Judge, the serial killer aka completely-off-his-rocker-guy. Being in the killer's head was utterly creepy and disturbing, but it was incredibly well done. I was always wondering about who Judge would be from Eva's group of friends and although I suspected right, waiting for Eva to connect the dots wasn't as fustrating as it could have been.
I think the bit that worked less well for me were the visions, even if they were clearly key to actually apprehend Judge and to save Grace and Nate. But we really don't get much of an explanation or clue as to why visions are possible, or other clues about paranormal stuff, so it was a bit odd.
As for the romance... I was happy to see Eva and Nate working things out and talking and being upfront with each other and that Eva decided to stop acting the way she is expected to for social convention. And I loved that she was strong and sent her bf packing when she found out about the cheating and that she was adult enough to avoid bitterness and still help him when he desperately needed it.
I really enjoyed the writing and the pacing even if not everything clicked 100% for me, and I was particularly happy to see the way nurses were depiced in this one, so thank you for that Melissa Marr! Definitely I'm gonna check more books written by her. Well deserved 3.5 stars for this one.
View all my reviews
Monday is here and it's a new week to look forward to! I'm having a heavy on the workload week, but I'm hoping that some book mail will improve the week for me! I'm also awaiting a few things for my new apartment, so I cannot wait for them to arrive!
For this week's Mark This Book Monday I got the review for an eARC that I was approved for via NetGalley, thank you so much for the auto-approval Harper Collins UK!! It counts for my books for review category on the 105 Challenge!
Made For You by Melissa MarrMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I had been really intrigued about this book for quite a while, so when I was approved for an eARC for it via NG, I was quite eager to start reading it!
Eva Tilling is your super popular girl in a small Southern town, where popularity and status comes from who your family is and how long they can claim to have been in the town. Thankfully Eva is not your mean queen bee, but instead we get someone that isn't sure of continue fitting in because it's how things are, or to ignore convention and do what she feels right. She has the perfect boyfriend and a group of friends she's known forever and Grace, her non-Jessup-native best friend.
Made For You could feel like your typical and topical contemporary story about privileged teenagers but then we get a few twists, one is the murder mystery that starts with the attempted murder of Eva herself and two is the paranormal element introduced after Eva's accident and her seeing visions if someone touches her.
Those two twist are not the only things that make this feel less topical than usual, I must say that one of the topics I loved seeing twisted & broken were the absent parents that we usually see in YA. Eva's parents are always travelling and busy with their work, so Eva has always been very self reliant, but after her accident/attempted murder, her parents really are shocked into a change of attitude, and I loved how Eva's mum reacted to everything. I love how she decided that she needed to take charge and responsability and that being a mother was something she had been failing at. Not something common seeing an adult admiting fault AND taking steps to fix it, and even less in something as parenting.
We get 3 POVs in this book, Eva, Grace and Judge, the serial killer aka completely-off-his-rocker-guy. Being in the killer's head was utterly creepy and disturbing, but it was incredibly well done. I was always wondering about who Judge would be from Eva's group of friends and although I suspected right, waiting for Eva to connect the dots wasn't as fustrating as it could have been.
I think the bit that worked less well for me were the visions, even if they were clearly key to actually apprehend Judge and to save Grace and Nate. But we really don't get much of an explanation or clue as to why visions are possible, or other clues about paranormal stuff, so it was a bit odd.
As for the romance... I was happy to see Eva and Nate working things out and talking and being upfront with each other and that Eva decided to stop acting the way she is expected to for social convention. And I loved that she was strong and sent her bf packing when she found out about the cheating and that she was adult enough to avoid bitterness and still help him when he desperately needed it.
I really enjoyed the writing and the pacing even if not everything clicked 100% for me, and I was particularly happy to see the way nurses were depiced in this one, so thank you for that Melissa Marr! Definitely I'm gonna check more books written by her. Well deserved 3.5 stars for this one.
View all my reviews
This book was super creepy right? The visions were such a random part of the book, like why can she have them and what are they even there for? I think I would have enjoyed it better without them. Great review Pili!
ReplyDeleteYep, the creepy factor was HUGE! And I was a bit unsettled about why the visions and how did that fit into the world! Thank you Jeann!
DeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed this one for the most part Pili! I absolutely adored this book, though I do agree with you on the visions - I would have liked a bit more explanation there as well. The Judge's chapters I thought were horrifying in the best possible way - so well done just like you said. I hope Melissa writes more in this genre!!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope so too, Jenny! I know she has another YA coming and I hope it's another thriller!
DeleteI haven't seen that cover yet, but I like it! I really enjoy this book, and I can't even properly explain it. Sometimes things just click and everything is just as it should be. That's what happened for me with this read. It worked out great, I loved the characters, the plot, and I really enjoyed the paranormal element.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it worked out for you too.
Some books click and it's hard to say how! But yeah, this one was a great thriller!
DeleteI like this cover! I haven't read this one yet but I think it'd be interesting to see from the POV of a killer! Creepy for sure but sounds neat :D I'm glad the mystery wasn't frustrating~ That makes me want to read it more, thanks Pili!
ReplyDeleteIt was great Eileen, very creepy and very well done! I do hope you'll check it out!
DeleteI like the non-USA cover more than the USA cover! But I doubt I'll be reading this book. Melissa Marr's books and I don't really get along, unfortunately. I'm glad you thought this one was okay, Pili! :D Fabulous review :)
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a great day!
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
Yeah, I like this cover better too!
DeleteThank you Alyssa!
I never deal well with more than two POVs. You really seem to be reading a lot of Contemporary (even if you don't think so, lol) It is good for me that ypu are because I don't set aside much reading time for Contemp, unless they are seriously topical, so you are weeding the garden for me. Thanks!
DeleteHappy to do so for you, La! ;)
DeleteYou know what's really scary? As I was reading your review, the plot you described sounded just a tiny bit familiar. I recognized the title, but I had to go to GR to see if I'd read this book. And, yup, I did, back in November, and I rated it 3 stars. The fact that I can barely remember reading it should give you an indication of how un-memorable it was for me.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, that's one of those moments! It's almost like a sense of deja vu until you realize you have indeed read the book!
DeleteGreat review Pili. <3 Well.. you know I hated this book, lol, so I can't truly agree with anything you say about it :) Sorry :D But you are awesome either way. <3 And I do love reading your thoughts about this book :) Thank you for sharing about it. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you so much sweetie, you're always so nice!
DeleteI love that you mentioned the realistic reaction of the parents in this one, Pili! That always gets bonus points in my book. ;) But I'm still hesitant to try this, since multiple POV books don't always work with me. Fantastic review either way! :D
ReplyDeleteThank you Aimee! If you give it a try, do let me know what you think!
DeleteI have a love/hate relationship with Melissa Marr, and as awful as it is to say this, I'm really glad you took this one for the team (the "team" being me, LOL). I am now certain that this would fall into the "hate" category. I cannot handle being in serial killer's heads. At all. *gives Pili chocolate b/c she deserves it after that*
ReplyDelete*noms happily on chocolate* Happy to help! ;)
DeleteWHAT THE PARENTS DECIDED TO QUIT THEIR NEVER-ENDING ADVENTURES OVERSEAS AND TAKE CHARGE OF THEIR CHILDREN?! REALLY?! Well, damn. That was definitely unexpected in a YA novel. I hope other upcoming novels follow suit because this is the most realistic reaction when a child's life was in danger.
ReplyDeleteFaye at The Social Potato
Right?! Ain't it surprising?? But I was so happy that the parents did change their original attitude and became more involved!
DeleteAw, too bad this book wasn't as good for you as it was for me. But I hope you read more by Melissa, she's a great author!
ReplyDeleteI do plan to read more books by her for sure!!
DeleteI like the fact there are some twists in this to stop it from being the usual contemporary read. I have seen some good reviews for this one but it seems simply like a decent read and not too amazing. I think I might give it a chance if I come past it, but wouldn't go out of my way to read it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it is interesting indeed but not mind-blowingly so!
DeleteI HAVE BEEN DYING TO READ THIS! Too bad didn't work for you, Pili. I love reading from different POVs. This sounds really interesting for me. I would love to read from the serial killer's POV.
ReplyDeleteThe killer POV was done brilliantly Carmel! Give it a try, I liked it but it didn't blow me away.
Delete