Switch by Tish Cohen

Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Released: May 9th, 2011
Genre: YA contemp
Review copy from publisher for blog tour

Good girl, honour-roll lifer, Berkeley-bound, mildly neurotic, high strung twelfth grader Andrea Birch just wants a bit of privacy. Oh, and perhaps a bit more of a social life. Or just a life in general. But when your mom and dad are foster parents who can’t turn away a child, trying to carve out a little space for yourself while tending to the needs of everyone from twin toddlers to angst-ridden adolescents is nearly impossible. And then Joules Adams, daughter of internationally famous rock star Nigel Adams, jumps into Andrea’s car, setting off an improbable car chase and ending in detention.

For Andrea, it’s the last straw. Why is it that Joules, breaker of all rules, living a life of luxury, gets off so easy? Why does she have everything, including a cool famous dad, and Andrea has nothing, not even her parents’ full attention?

In a modern, hip take on the classic Freaky Friday story, Tish Cohen delivers a fresh look at wishing your life was someone else’s.

From HarperCollins Canada website. 

So I’ve read a couple of Tish’s adult books and loved them, so it wasn’t a HUGE leap to think that’d I’d love her YA offerings, too. And I did. While Switch did have a message to it (the grass is always greener on the other side kinda deal) it was also a light, fun and intelligent read, something I’ve come to expect from Tish.

Who doesn’t, ever once in a while, wish that they had someone else’s life? You know, a celebrity, favorite author, popular girl or guy that you know. Someone who just seems to have a better, easier, cooler life than yours.  When I was in junior school it was Debbie Gibson. (and did I ever just age myself). In high school I thought that the popular girls had it soooo easy. I had that weird combination of hate and admiration for them. Just like Andrea had for Joules. And that’s why I think that pretty much anyone who reads Switch will be able to identify with Andrea.  That whole “I hate you but I wanna be you” thing that I think most teens (and let’s face it, most adults) deal with from time to time.

The only thing that didn’t ring 100% true to me was that Andrea does SO MUCH complaining about her life and all the responsibility she has that I thought when she switched with Joules she’d go hog wild crazy, even if just for a bit. But she doesn’t. She worries about her foster brothers and sisters and even worries about Joules. While she does learn an important lesson (her life doesn’t suck near as much as she thought) it would have been fun to see her cut loose for a while.

The book wraps up kinda neat and tidy, but it totally fit with the rest of the story so it didn’t seem forced or like an after school special or anything. There was also a nice, little twist at the end that made me go “Awwwww”, but not in a bad way.

Switch made me smile. A lot. And you know what? That’s NEVER a bad thing. 🙂

Guest blog post: Tish Cohen on reading

If you read my review of Tish Cohen’s latest book, The Truth about Delilah Blue, then you know that I definitely consider it a good read. I was tickled pink to get  the chance to ask Trish to talk a bit about her own bookish ways, including what makes a good read for her.

What makes a good read for me is, first and foremost, characters I want to spend time with—especially the protagonist. That doesn’t mean the lead character must be in any way like me, or like anyone I might choose as a friend. It just means I want to be fascinated enough by his or her life that I want to move in and watch things unfold. Does the plot need to be quick? Not if I am hooked by the character. Once I am hooked, I am happy to watch that person make oatmeal.

Sometimes while I am writing, I will feel too distracted to read but that never ends up being a good thing. What happens is I start to feel uninspired and ho-hum about my work. The fix? Pick up a book that blows me away, read the greatest passages out loud and use that awe to kick start my own writing. It always, always works. My favorites include Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, The Hours by Michael Cunningham, Olive Kittredge by Elizabeth Strout.

In terms of matching author or genre to mood, I don’t think that’s how I choose books. More often, I pick up a book because the premise or the author interests me. And, yes, I have been known to buy a book for its cover. Best one was Emma and Me by Elizabeth Flock. I loved the little girl’s face on the jacket and, happily, wound up loving the book.

Thank you so much, Tish, for stopping by and chatting about books.

Browse inside The Truth about Delilah Blue.

Okay, peeps, don’t forget to checkout the rest of Tish’s blog tour dates!

Review: The Truth about Delilah Blue by Tish Cohen

HarperCollins Canada, 2010

Delilah Blue Lovett has always been a bit of an outsider, ever since her father moved her from Toronto to L.A. when she was eight, claiming Delilah’s mother no longer wanted to be part of their family. Twenty now and broke, but determined to be an artist like her errant mom, Delilah attends art class for free — by modeling nude at the front of the room, a decision that lifts the veil from her once insular world.

While Delilah struggles to find her talent, her father, her only real companion, is beginning to exhibit telltale signs of early-onset Alzheimer’s. And her mother, who Delilah always assumed had selfishly abandoned them, is about to reappear with a young daughter in tow . . . and a secret that will change everything. Delilah no longer knows which parent to trust — the only one she can really rely on is the most broken person of all: herself.

From HarperCollins Canada Website.

I don’t often watch book trailers. The odd time I’ll check one out, but on a whole I tend to shy away from them. It’s not that they’re horrible or anything,  I just don’t watch them. But for some reason when the trailer for The Truth about Delilah Blue came out I figured I’d give it a look.  I loved it. And based solely on the trailer I decided to read the book.

I had never read anything by Cohen before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had heard her novels described as chick lit, but really, The Truth about Delilah Blue was so much more than that. It’s about love, and family and all the craziness that comes with it.

And when I say craziness, I mean craziness. And that’s what I loved about this book; all the characters were believably flawed and just a teeny bit crazy. This not only made for an enjoyable story, but it added a depth that made Delilah’s tale more believable.  There is nothing worse than a book where everyone is perfect. Or, where every character is painted in black or white, good or bad.

The characters in this novel were a great combination of good and bad; basically they were human. They did what they did because they honestly believed they were doing good, whether this was the case or not. Because of this “grayness” so to speak, I found myself constantly wondering what I would do in each character’s place. It’s not often that a book really makes me think this way and it really helped me to connect with the story.

There were some really, really funny parts and parts where I was cringing with embarrassment for Delilah. She was just such a great character that once the book was finished, I was sad that I wouldn’t get to see her journey continue.

Cohen’s writing style is both accessible and expansive at the same time. Her prose flows and is beautifully descriptive, but never once did I feel that I was getting lost in the floweriness of it, if that makes any sense.

If you are look for a great, smart chick lit book, this is definitely one to pick up. And if you are looking for a book with complex characters, a killer plot and writing that will appeal to your senses, this is the book for you.

Check back tomorrow where Tish Cohen herself lets us in on what she thinks makes a good read.

Browse inside The Truth about Delilah Blue.

Thanks to HarperCollins Canada for sending this little piece of delightful craziness my way.

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

This fun weekly book meme was created by  J.Kaye’s Book Blog, but  Sheila from One Person’s Journey Through a World of  Books has taken over hosting duties. It’s a great way to not only keep track of what you are reading and have read, but to let others know of any great books coming up.

I haven’t posted one of these in a while and I’ve really missed it.

Read last week:
The Truth about Delilah Blue by Tish Cohen – My first Cohen book. I simply adored it. Beautifully written with wonderful characters. I will definitely be going back and reading her other books.

The Breakwater House by Pascale Quiviger – This was a different read for me. Stories within stories within stories. Sometimes confusing, but the language is so stunning it’s well worth it.

Currently reading:
The Ghosts of Ashbury High by Jaclyn Moriarty – The format of this YA gothic novel has made it a bit hard to get into, but I am starting to enjoy the story.

To Read:
Paul is Undead by Alan Goldsher – This looks like a freaking hilarious read.
Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill – I think this YA book is going to be dramatic and delicious.

What are YOU reading this week?