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Luz, Rebound
Senior Kara Jagger returns to Trinity, a private boarding school in New Mexico, after completing a student exchange year in Australia. She needs the comfort of familiar surroundings, but realizes her friends have changed. Her ex-boyfriend, Ryan, is heavily into a new romance with Christie, a girl who has copied Kara’s look. Christie forbids Ryan to speak to Kara and tries to intimidate Kara into doing the same.
Meanwhile, Kara experiences reverse culture shock. She misses Ben, the boyfriend she left in Australia, and the sense of security that her relationships with both Ben and Ryan previously gave her. So why not try to win Ryan’s attention again, Kara justifies to herself, since jealous Christie accuses her of it anyway?
Still, playing a part in a love triangle means someone’s going to be the odd one out. Kara’s rekindled passion for Ryan leaves her feeling confused and causes Christie to act with increasing desperation. The three are eventually enveloped in scandal that threatens to further isolate Kara from her friends and peers.
As the end of high school approaches, Kara must find a way to emotionally graduate to the person she wants to be, or risk hanging back in the darkness of a painful past
Meanwhile, Kara experiences reverse culture shock. She misses Ben, the boyfriend she left in Australia, and the sense of security that her relationships with both Ben and Ryan previously gave her. So why not try to win Ryan’s attention again, Kara justifies to herself, since jealous Christie accuses her of it anyway?
Still, playing a part in a love triangle means someone’s going to be the odd one out. Kara’s rekindled passion for Ryan leaves her feeling confused and causes Christie to act with increasing desperation. The three are eventually enveloped in scandal that threatens to further isolate Kara from her friends and peers.
As the end of high school approaches, Kara must find a way to emotionally graduate to the person she wants to be, or risk hanging back in the darkness of a painful past
214 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2015
2 people are currently reading
496 people want to read
About the author
Jeania Kimbrough
4 books10 followersJeania Kimbrough is an American entrepreneur and author. Exploring new ideas and places are among her favorite pastimes. Reading is another. She likes to think she was born in the middle of a dried out ocean (commonly referred to as the Desert Southwest) and has been thirsty ever since.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 14, 2014
This is one of few young adult romance books I've read.
Its sweet and cute, a little predictable but over all a nice story.
The characters are quite realistic and it explores human vulnerabilities and teenage emotions.
Its sweet and cute, a little predictable but over all a nice story.
The characters are quite realistic and it explores human vulnerabilities and teenage emotions.
January 2, 2015
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
This book has left me with many, many emotions. The first thing I can honestly say is that this is confusing.
It starts off with Kara coming back to Trinity, a private boarding school in New Mexico. She came back after completing the student exchange program in Australia for a year. Now she's back with a tan, an accent and a wiser mind. Sounds perfect, right? Well...no. Her two best friends have new secrets that are hesitant to share, her ex-boyfriend is a slave to his new girlfriend, and she's experiencing a lot of cultural shock. Now it's up to her to fix everything back to how it was before she left.
I was not very fond of Kara. Maybe it's my hatred towards love triangles or but this book really wasn't cutting it for me. To me, Kara seemed confused. She also seemed egotistical, annoying, and blah. She never really developed a wise mind. I honestly think she regressed and developed her immaturity all over again.
Besides the unadmirable character, the plot isn't something I found interesting. Moreover, the way Kimbrough develops the characters emotions isn't done fairly well. There are a lot of parts in the book where I'm left thinking, "When was this foreshadowed or how was I supposed to know this?" There's a lot of things that I had to question myself about, thinking maybe I just missed something. Mainly about the situation with Kelli, I believed.Situations such as those were poorly developed. So were the emotions Kara had of Ben. Overall there's a lot of situations in the book that should have had a clear-view.
There were also some grammatical errors, but thankfully it did not disrupt what the author was intending to say.
In my opinion, maybe this book just wasn't for me. But I did give it two stars mainly because I loved the character Ryan, even though he was weak willed. I also enjoyed their "night time" together. It was...sweet. Their relationship definitely had me wishing they were in a different situation, a better one, rather than the one they were facing in the story.
In the end, this book wasn't as great as I was hoping for it to be. Nevertheless, just because I don't like it doesn't mean you wont! Go ahead and read it. It might just end up in your Favorite Shelf.
This book has left me with many, many emotions. The first thing I can honestly say is that this is confusing.
It starts off with Kara coming back to Trinity, a private boarding school in New Mexico. She came back after completing the student exchange program in Australia for a year. Now she's back with a tan, an accent and a wiser mind. Sounds perfect, right? Well...no. Her two best friends have new secrets that are hesitant to share, her ex-boyfriend is a slave to his new girlfriend, and she's experiencing a lot of cultural shock. Now it's up to her to fix everything back to how it was before she left.
I was not very fond of Kara. Maybe it's my hatred towards love triangles or but this book really wasn't cutting it for me. To me, Kara seemed confused. She also seemed egotistical, annoying, and blah. She never really developed a wise mind. I honestly think she regressed and developed her immaturity all over again.
Besides the unadmirable character, the plot isn't something I found interesting. Moreover, the way Kimbrough develops the characters emotions isn't done fairly well. There are a lot of parts in the book where I'm left thinking, "When was this foreshadowed or how was I supposed to know this?" There's a lot of things that I had to question myself about, thinking maybe I just missed something. Mainly about the situation with Kelli, I believed.Situations such as those were poorly developed. So were the emotions Kara had of Ben. Overall there's a lot of situations in the book that should have had a clear-view.
There were also some grammatical errors, but thankfully it did not disrupt what the author was intending to say.
In my opinion, maybe this book just wasn't for me. But I did give it two stars mainly because I loved the character Ryan, even though he was weak willed. I also enjoyed their "night time" together. It was...sweet. Their relationship definitely had me wishing they were in a different situation, a better one, rather than the one they were facing in the story.
In the end, this book wasn't as great as I was hoping for it to be. Nevertheless, just because I don't like it doesn't mean you wont! Go ahead and read it. It might just end up in your Favorite Shelf.
April 17, 2015
Luz, Rebound is the story of Kara Jagger's last semester at Trinity boarding school after completing a year on a student exchange. She returns to school to find her ex-boyfriend Ryan in a serious relationship with another girl. Though Kara claims to not want Ryan back, she gets irritated with jealous Christie who treats her like does. Christie tells Ryan not to speak to Kara and goes so far as to physically threaten her. Kara naturally feels hurt and confused over the way Christie has influenced Ryan’s behavior, and to top it off, she feels some distance from her old best friends. Feeling the same loneliness as she first did when she arrived in a new country (aka “reverse culture shock”), Kara faces a challenging readjustment in a place she thought was “home.”
The novel expertly captures the uncertainty, isolation, and overall drama of being a teenager. In fact, all the characters in the story, with their difficulties of trying to balance the stress of an academic milestone and thinking about what comes next in their lives, mixed with relationships and personal tragedies, are relatable and believable. I especially liked that this book did not have the death of a parent, friend, or main character as part of its plot. I see that too much in novels now, and although real life does have some death in it, it is the possibility of death that is far more universal.
Another universal I sometimes get from contemporary fiction is an underlying sense of moral ambiguity that is present in Luz, Rebound. The choices people make aren’t always easy, and neither are the consequences of those choices. Kara knows she shouldn’t love Ryan and Ben at the same time, but maybe she does anyway. She knows she missed out on an important pieces of her life when she went away, but she won’t let herself regret it. Christie is abusive to Kara. Kara takes Ryan back from Christie. They are both the villains of the story in each other’s eyes -- until the end -- where Kara finds herself telling Christie something she hasn’t told anyone else before.
Overall this is a well-written, quick read that brings out different emotions in its readers.
The novel expertly captures the uncertainty, isolation, and overall drama of being a teenager. In fact, all the characters in the story, with their difficulties of trying to balance the stress of an academic milestone and thinking about what comes next in their lives, mixed with relationships and personal tragedies, are relatable and believable. I especially liked that this book did not have the death of a parent, friend, or main character as part of its plot. I see that too much in novels now, and although real life does have some death in it, it is the possibility of death that is far more universal.
Another universal I sometimes get from contemporary fiction is an underlying sense of moral ambiguity that is present in Luz, Rebound. The choices people make aren’t always easy, and neither are the consequences of those choices. Kara knows she shouldn’t love Ryan and Ben at the same time, but maybe she does anyway. She knows she missed out on an important pieces of her life when she went away, but she won’t let herself regret it. Christie is abusive to Kara. Kara takes Ryan back from Christie. They are both the villains of the story in each other’s eyes -- until the end -- where Kara finds herself telling Christie something she hasn’t told anyone else before.
Overall this is a well-written, quick read that brings out different emotions in its readers.
July 23, 2016
This is normally not a genre I spend a lot of time with. However, a friend gave me this book to read and I started it and was quite surprised at the author's story. It hardly ever seems to be the case that an author risks alienating an audience by writing a main character as a real human being with flaws and deficiencies that challenge the reader and convention. Kara is at times a hard person to like, she looks out for herself and doesn't sanitize her thoughts and behavior regarding what she wants. In that I mean she is a real person. Real people, especially in their teens do not continually do good things and think selflessly of others. Kara is a real teen whose motivations and behavior reflect her age and developing personality. At times she is deeply concerned with the well being of her friends and other times she is narcissistic and unpolished in how she speaks of getting what she wants and she goes about that process. I like this unvarnished development of character. The author develops a story about a young woman coming of age through her experiences in travel, her perspectives on friendship and love, and as a maturing young adult making her way into the complexity of adulthood. I particularly enjoyed the love triangle development that has to be one of the cornerstone experiences of all teenagers. Who hasn't been cheated on or fallen for someone who is with another person? This experience is so familiar and yet can and will be seen through the reader's own experience in this universality. I was very satisfied with the risks the author took by making the character honest about how this type of love develops and transpires. Kara will be seen by some as a manipulative girl who doesn't let other females get in the way of her own desires. Others will see something of themselves and their own experiences with this very "grey" subject matter regarding the compulsion of how true love must be followed.
February 17, 2015
*I recieved a free e-mobi copy of this in return for an unbiased review. Thankyou to Smoke Signal Press and Jeania Kimbrough*
In many ways, Luz, Rebound was a cliche ridden novel. For every bad thing that happened, it was countered with an even better good thing. All the hurt was masked by love. But, even though the plot had cliches, it was expertly written and ultimately brilliant.
It had a mix of sadness, bleak expectations and love. When Kara returned from her gap year in Australia to find herself back where she thought she belonged but realised she wasn't truly welcome, well it was definitely upsetting. Being ignored by someone she previously was deeply in love with hurt her. Although in the first place, it was her who hurt Ryan, she had to look out for herself. People should be able to do things for themselves anyway, they shouldn't let other people stop them from doing what they need to do. Kara, although happy, hadn't experienced enough of life yet, she needed the gap year. She might've hurt Ryan, yes, but ultimately she had to look out for herself and that's what she did.
But all was not lost and things began to get better for everyone, well except Christie. Things went from worse, to terrible, to utterly hopeless for her before they finally began to get better. I adored all of the characters in the book, absolutely adored them. They were all very believeable and honest and all had qualities I admired. They were all very true to each other and the whole school environment (Forgetting about Christie and her followers) was very warming indeed.
I was extremely impressed by this book and finished it within a matter of hours, which is some what unusual for me. I hope to read more by Jeania in the future, she has a nack for these sort of novels. Something you expect with twists along the way, written in a expertly crafted way. Bravo.
In many ways, Luz, Rebound was a cliche ridden novel. For every bad thing that happened, it was countered with an even better good thing. All the hurt was masked by love. But, even though the plot had cliches, it was expertly written and ultimately brilliant.
It had a mix of sadness, bleak expectations and love. When Kara returned from her gap year in Australia to find herself back where she thought she belonged but realised she wasn't truly welcome, well it was definitely upsetting. Being ignored by someone she previously was deeply in love with hurt her. Although in the first place, it was her who hurt Ryan, she had to look out for herself. People should be able to do things for themselves anyway, they shouldn't let other people stop them from doing what they need to do. Kara, although happy, hadn't experienced enough of life yet, she needed the gap year. She might've hurt Ryan, yes, but ultimately she had to look out for herself and that's what she did.
But all was not lost and things began to get better for everyone, well except Christie. Things went from worse, to terrible, to utterly hopeless for her before they finally began to get better. I adored all of the characters in the book, absolutely adored them. They were all very believeable and honest and all had qualities I admired. They were all very true to each other and the whole school environment (Forgetting about Christie and her followers) was very warming indeed.
I was extremely impressed by this book and finished it within a matter of hours, which is some what unusual for me. I hope to read more by Jeania in the future, she has a nack for these sort of novels. Something you expect with twists along the way, written in a expertly crafted way. Bravo.
January 12, 2015
I received this book from a goodreads giveaway.
The story is set in the 1980s and starts of with a girl named Kara who returns to boarding school in New Mexico after finishing a student exchange programme in Australia.She notices things have changed such as her ex boyfriend Ryan is in a very committed relationship with a girl named Christie.
I enjoyed the story however even though parts of it were quite predictable however the story had a nice pace which kept me reading.
Whilst reading this book I didn't realise that there was a prequel however I thought this book worked well as a stand alone novel.
I also didn't realise until after that the story was set in the 1980s there was nothing in the story that told me when this story was set.
If I was looking at this book in a shop however I feel like the cover doesn't draw me in that much and doesn't show the real meaning of the story.
Overall I would give it 4 stars as I found it a nice quick young adult book.
I would definitely recommend this book.
February 15, 2015
Goodreads Paperback Win Review Copy Not for Sale
Kara Jagger returns to her boarding school in New Mexico after her year in Australia as an exchange student to finish her senior year of high school.
Returning to her old friends who have changed and trying to rebuild their friendship that gotten lost in her year abroad. She also has to cope with her former boyfriend Ryan and his new girlfriend Christie who is obsessed with her.
Kara misses her Australian boyfriend Ben who she is not sure that she will ever see again. Being banned from not talking to Ryan, she finds ways to get his attention despite Christie who accuses her of wanting him.
Kara and Ryan finds themselves still in love with each other and Christie does not take it well since someone was bound to get hurt in this love triangle. This further dampens her relationships with her friends and school mates.
As the end of the school approaches, will she be able to make the right trust for her and her future no matter who gets hurt? It’s about making the right choices and the way we go about it.
Kara Jagger returns to her boarding school in New Mexico after her year in Australia as an exchange student to finish her senior year of high school.
Returning to her old friends who have changed and trying to rebuild their friendship that gotten lost in her year abroad. She also has to cope with her former boyfriend Ryan and his new girlfriend Christie who is obsessed with her.
Kara misses her Australian boyfriend Ben who she is not sure that she will ever see again. Being banned from not talking to Ryan, she finds ways to get his attention despite Christie who accuses her of wanting him.
Kara and Ryan finds themselves still in love with each other and Christie does not take it well since someone was bound to get hurt in this love triangle. This further dampens her relationships with her friends and school mates.
As the end of the school approaches, will she be able to make the right trust for her and her future no matter who gets hurt? It’s about making the right choices and the way we go about it.
December 29, 2014
I took "Luz Rebound" to bed with the intent to read a few chapters before I fell asleep, but I couldn't put it down and the next thing I knew it was 3am and I had finished it! There's a lot of drama and it's a real page-turner.
February 8, 2015
Not a genre that I normally read but, I enjoyed the story. Some parts of it were predictable. The story is well paced which kept me reading. I received this book through goodreads for an honest review.
April 5, 2015
** I was given this book in exchange for an honest review**
Luz, Rebound follows Kara Jagger who just returned home from a year away as a foreign exchange student in Australia. When she returns to her boarding school in New Mexico to finds things aren’t how she left them. Her best friends aren’t as honest and open as they use to be and her ex Ryan is now in a relationship with an overly possessive and jealous girlfriend. She is also missing Ben, her kinda-sorta ex-boyfriend from Australia.
At first I somewhat enjoyed Kara’s character. She was slowly realizing that her return was going to be difficult but she was an adult and she would take things in stride. After seeing Ryan and his girlfriend Christie, she vowed she was happy for them and she didn’t want to cause trouble. She was going to leave him alone since he seem to know what he was getting himself into with his new relationship. She also wasn’t pushing her friends to pick up where they left off. That soon changed as the story continued.
In my eyes, there really was no character development in regards to Kara. She kept telling herself that she was an adult but continued to act like a spoiled brat throughout the story. The relationship between her and Ryan before was understandable. He didn’t want to talk to her out of respect for his current girlfriend. At first she was a little upset by this because she wanted Ryan in her life as a friend but as time went on, just to spite Christie she kept pushing the contact between her and Ryan.
Speaking of Ryan. At first I did like him, just for the simple fact that he was respecting his girlfriend’s wishes and not talking to his ex. It seemed that he was happy with his current relationship. As I read more and more of the story I found that Ryan didn’t have a back bone and would bend to partner. It almost seemed like he couldn’t really think for himself. The potential to have a strong male character was not in this story at all.
Ryan’s girlfriend Christie was overly protective and jealous. At first she was borderline crazy but we soon see that she crosses that line quickly. No one deserves what happens to her and I did feel sorry for her multiple times in the story. I am satisfied with the turn of events between Kara and Christie at the end of the story.
Kara’s two best friends felt like they were thrown in as fillers. There was no character development or connection for either of them. There is an issue with one of them but it doesn’t really go into detail at first and is left unanswered at the end.
Overall, the plot was all over the place. The pacing for the most part was slow and it honestly didn’t really pick up. The ending left too many open questions for my liking. I will admit that I was a little surprised by the very last portion, I thought it would have went another way. This book was not for me, however looking at other reviews many readers rather enjoyed it.
**I enjoyed this title courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. **
Luz, Rebound follows Kara Jagger who just returned home from a year away as a foreign exchange student in Australia. When she returns to her boarding school in New Mexico to finds things aren’t how she left them. Her best friends aren’t as honest and open as they use to be and her ex Ryan is now in a relationship with an overly possessive and jealous girlfriend. She is also missing Ben, her kinda-sorta ex-boyfriend from Australia.
At first I somewhat enjoyed Kara’s character. She was slowly realizing that her return was going to be difficult but she was an adult and she would take things in stride. After seeing Ryan and his girlfriend Christie, she vowed she was happy for them and she didn’t want to cause trouble. She was going to leave him alone since he seem to know what he was getting himself into with his new relationship. She also wasn’t pushing her friends to pick up where they left off. That soon changed as the story continued.
In my eyes, there really was no character development in regards to Kara. She kept telling herself that she was an adult but continued to act like a spoiled brat throughout the story. The relationship between her and Ryan before was understandable. He didn’t want to talk to her out of respect for his current girlfriend. At first she was a little upset by this because she wanted Ryan in her life as a friend but as time went on, just to spite Christie she kept pushing the contact between her and Ryan.
Speaking of Ryan. At first I did like him, just for the simple fact that he was respecting his girlfriend’s wishes and not talking to his ex. It seemed that he was happy with his current relationship. As I read more and more of the story I found that Ryan didn’t have a back bone and would bend to partner. It almost seemed like he couldn’t really think for himself. The potential to have a strong male character was not in this story at all.
Ryan’s girlfriend Christie was overly protective and jealous. At first she was borderline crazy but we soon see that she crosses that line quickly. No one deserves what happens to her and I did feel sorry for her multiple times in the story. I am satisfied with the turn of events between Kara and Christie at the end of the story.
Kara’s two best friends felt like they were thrown in as fillers. There was no character development or connection for either of them. There is an issue with one of them but it doesn’t really go into detail at first and is left unanswered at the end.
Overall, the plot was all over the place. The pacing for the most part was slow and it honestly didn’t really pick up. The ending left too many open questions for my liking. I will admit that I was a little surprised by the very last portion, I thought it would have went another way. This book was not for me, however looking at other reviews many readers rather enjoyed it.
**I enjoyed this title courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. **
July 24, 2015
The unfamiliar territory of home
Southwest American author Jeania Kimbrough earned two graduate degrees in Communication and Information Studies and TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) and was a teacher before becoming a small business owner and an entrepreneur. She is Vice-President of IIUSA, a training company she founded in 2000. The background of her two novels is grounded in her own experiences studying and working abroad.
Jeania's new book Young Adult book LUZ REBOUND is an extension of her first successful book, VAN DIEMEN AT 17, the story of Kara Jagger who travels to Tasmania, Australia as an idealistic young woman who longs for changes and adventures in a distant land but who comes under the influence of her exchange program counselor Ben and their relationship moves into the realm of romance - and then she must leave to return back to the states: the Australian experience has been a mixture of exhilaration and depression and loneliness and isolation.
LUZ REBOUND opens with Kara's return to New Mexico's Trinity boarding school. As Jeania's synopsis states, `She needs the comfort of familiar surroundings, but realizes her friends have changed. Her ex-boyfriend, Ryan, is heavily into a new romance with Christie, a girl who has copied Kara's look. Christie forbids Ryan to speak to Kara and tries to intimidate Kara into doing the same. Meanwhile, Kara experiences reverse culture shock. She misses Ben, the boyfriend she left in Australia, and the sense of security that her relationships with both Ben and Ryan previously gave her. So why not try to win Ryan's attention again, Kara justifies to herself, since jealous Christie accuses her of it anyway? Still, playing a part in a love triangle means someone's going to be the odd one out. Kara's rekindled passion for Ryan leaves her feeling confused and causes Christie to act with increasing desperation. The three are eventually enveloped in scandal that threatens to further isolate Kara from her friends and peers. As the end of high school approaches, Kara must find a way to emotionally graduate to the person she wants to be, or risk hanging back in the darkness of a painful past.'
Jeania's sensitive writing style brings complete credibility to this story, making the reader wonder is this is indeed a memoir, so real are the characters and incidents and emotions rendered. It is a very fine romance story but so much more. There are the elements of coming of age traumas, the elements of stress that separation from loved ones brings, the conflict of nascent adult feelings as Kara moves into that realm. And all elements of this story are well sculpted and never become cloying - a rarity in young adult fiction. Jeania Kimbrough has the qualifications of a successful writer -if that is the direction she elects to pursue.
Southwest American author Jeania Kimbrough earned two graduate degrees in Communication and Information Studies and TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) and was a teacher before becoming a small business owner and an entrepreneur. She is Vice-President of IIUSA, a training company she founded in 2000. The background of her two novels is grounded in her own experiences studying and working abroad.
Jeania's new book Young Adult book LUZ REBOUND is an extension of her first successful book, VAN DIEMEN AT 17, the story of Kara Jagger who travels to Tasmania, Australia as an idealistic young woman who longs for changes and adventures in a distant land but who comes under the influence of her exchange program counselor Ben and their relationship moves into the realm of romance - and then she must leave to return back to the states: the Australian experience has been a mixture of exhilaration and depression and loneliness and isolation.
LUZ REBOUND opens with Kara's return to New Mexico's Trinity boarding school. As Jeania's synopsis states, `She needs the comfort of familiar surroundings, but realizes her friends have changed. Her ex-boyfriend, Ryan, is heavily into a new romance with Christie, a girl who has copied Kara's look. Christie forbids Ryan to speak to Kara and tries to intimidate Kara into doing the same. Meanwhile, Kara experiences reverse culture shock. She misses Ben, the boyfriend she left in Australia, and the sense of security that her relationships with both Ben and Ryan previously gave her. So why not try to win Ryan's attention again, Kara justifies to herself, since jealous Christie accuses her of it anyway? Still, playing a part in a love triangle means someone's going to be the odd one out. Kara's rekindled passion for Ryan leaves her feeling confused and causes Christie to act with increasing desperation. The three are eventually enveloped in scandal that threatens to further isolate Kara from her friends and peers. As the end of high school approaches, Kara must find a way to emotionally graduate to the person she wants to be, or risk hanging back in the darkness of a painful past.'
Jeania's sensitive writing style brings complete credibility to this story, making the reader wonder is this is indeed a memoir, so real are the characters and incidents and emotions rendered. It is a very fine romance story but so much more. There are the elements of coming of age traumas, the elements of stress that separation from loved ones brings, the conflict of nascent adult feelings as Kara moves into that realm. And all elements of this story are well sculpted and never become cloying - a rarity in young adult fiction. Jeania Kimbrough has the qualifications of a successful writer -if that is the direction she elects to pursue.
June 27, 2015
I download this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating: 3 stars.
Luz, Rebound is about Kara, a senior in high school who is being integrated back into her boarding school after a year in Australia as an exchange student.
Kara is very strong-willed, but also just a little bit insecure. She has a lot of issues with herself and trying to hang onto people. She torn and suffering from reverse culture shock. She didn't expect for so much to change while she was gone, but she learns very quickly that lots of things have and not always for the better.
Ryan is her boyfriend she broke up with not long before she left. He's heartbroken over her leaving and finds a new girlfriend to hang onto in her absence. He's in love with her, but when Kara gets back, he knows that it's nothing like what he feels for her.
Christie is Ryan's new girlfriend and she absolutely despises Kara right from the get-go. She tells Ryan not to talk to Kara and so to make Christie happy, he listens. Christie is extremely insecure and does everything she can to hang onto Ryan. She confronts Kara in the bathroom, tells her to stay away from Ryan, and then throws a brush at her head. Christie, to me, is the epitome of a typical high school girl. Everyone knows one.
**
I had trouble with this book. I started reading and had to take a break because it was going so slow. I'd gotten maybe 6% in before I put the book down.
I picked it back up and read the rest all in one day. I wouldn't exactly say that I was enthralled with it -- more that I didn't want to give up. The story wasn't bad, but not exactly my cup of tea. I definitely think this book is more for girls who are in high school though.
I didn't exactly like the whole love triangle thing because of how it went about. I liked Kara as a character -- for the most part -- but I highly disliked that she encouraged Ryan to cheat on Christie. I think that if she had let sleeping dogs lie, he would have realized all on his own how much he felt for Kara and would have broken up with Christie on his own.
All in all, I didn't think the story was bad -- just more that it belongs to kids in the early young-adult range.
Actual rating: 3 stars.
Luz, Rebound is about Kara, a senior in high school who is being integrated back into her boarding school after a year in Australia as an exchange student.
Kara is very strong-willed, but also just a little bit insecure. She has a lot of issues with herself and trying to hang onto people. She torn and suffering from reverse culture shock. She didn't expect for so much to change while she was gone, but she learns very quickly that lots of things have and not always for the better.
Ryan is her boyfriend she broke up with not long before she left. He's heartbroken over her leaving and finds a new girlfriend to hang onto in her absence. He's in love with her, but when Kara gets back, he knows that it's nothing like what he feels for her.
Christie is Ryan's new girlfriend and she absolutely despises Kara right from the get-go. She tells Ryan not to talk to Kara and so to make Christie happy, he listens. Christie is extremely insecure and does everything she can to hang onto Ryan. She confronts Kara in the bathroom, tells her to stay away from Ryan, and then throws a brush at her head. Christie, to me, is the epitome of a typical high school girl. Everyone knows one.
**
I had trouble with this book. I started reading and had to take a break because it was going so slow. I'd gotten maybe 6% in before I put the book down.
I picked it back up and read the rest all in one day. I wouldn't exactly say that I was enthralled with it -- more that I didn't want to give up. The story wasn't bad, but not exactly my cup of tea. I definitely think this book is more for girls who are in high school though.
I didn't exactly like the whole love triangle thing because of how it went about. I liked Kara as a character -- for the most part -- but I highly disliked that she encouraged Ryan to cheat on Christie. I think that if she had let sleeping dogs lie, he would have realized all on his own how much he felt for Kara and would have broken up with Christie on his own.
All in all, I didn't think the story was bad -- just more that it belongs to kids in the early young-adult range.
August 4, 2015
Luz, Rebound, by Jeania Kimbrough, is not only a well written story, it is one that is relatable and entertaining as well. I am a fan of YA novels, always have been, and this storyline definitely captured my attention. There are so many elements to it; elements that make it different from other similar YA novels. This one had substance to it, and makes you feel as if you are part of Kara Jagger's world.
Luz, Rebound is not only a love triangle type of story, but It's also a story about growing up and finding yourself. Main character Kara Jagger returns home and back to Trinity, which is a boarding school in New Mexico. She previously went on a student exchange program in Australia, where she gained a lot of life experience, but nothing to prepare her for her old life again. Everything in her life seemed to of changed in the year that she was away. Her ex-boyfriend, Ryan, now has a new girlfriend; Christie. Christie doesn't want Kara anywhere near Ryan, and will go all out to prevent any interaction. Kara not only misses her boyfriend she left back in Australia, but now misses Ryan as well. On top of that, her friends have all changed and she is in danger of being isolated from them. She decides to do what it takes to get Ryan back, which leaves the three of them in quite the triangle, and a scandal on top of it.
The story sucked me right in, and didn't let me go until the very last pages. Five stars for this one; definitely can't wait to read some of Kimbrough's other works.
Luz, Rebound is not only a love triangle type of story, but It's also a story about growing up and finding yourself. Main character Kara Jagger returns home and back to Trinity, which is a boarding school in New Mexico. She previously went on a student exchange program in Australia, where she gained a lot of life experience, but nothing to prepare her for her old life again. Everything in her life seemed to of changed in the year that she was away. Her ex-boyfriend, Ryan, now has a new girlfriend; Christie. Christie doesn't want Kara anywhere near Ryan, and will go all out to prevent any interaction. Kara not only misses her boyfriend she left back in Australia, but now misses Ryan as well. On top of that, her friends have all changed and she is in danger of being isolated from them. She decides to do what it takes to get Ryan back, which leaves the three of them in quite the triangle, and a scandal on top of it.
The story sucked me right in, and didn't let me go until the very last pages. Five stars for this one; definitely can't wait to read some of Kimbrough's other works.
December 30, 2014
*I was given a copy by Netgalley
I was looking forward to reading this book. The blurb promised something angsty, dramatic and interesting. Alas the actual book was far from that. The story centres around Kara, a senior in a private school who had just returned from a year in Australia as an exchange student. Her hopes of having things go back to before she left for Australia were dashed when she discovers things have changed after a year of absence. Her best friends have secrets they keep from her and her ex-boyfriend now has a new girlfriend who is possessive and dramatically crazy. Kara's aim is to break the two off, as she thinks somehow Ryan deserves better.
The book tries to make Kara out to be this mature girl when in fact she ends up sounding like a spoilt, selfish brat. It seems as though her main aim of getting Ryan back were mainly for her own benefit and not his. She seems to still have some unresolved issues with her last love Ben, who is in Australia but we never seem to get to see the extent of their so-called love. Apparently this was covered in the first book. But still some insight would have been good. The book lacks emotions and I couldn't connect with any of the characters at all. They seem like cardboard cut outs just going through the motions. In other words, they were too one dimensional. The ending hints at a sequel but I doubt I'll be in a hurry to read that.
I was looking forward to reading this book. The blurb promised something angsty, dramatic and interesting. Alas the actual book was far from that. The story centres around Kara, a senior in a private school who had just returned from a year in Australia as an exchange student. Her hopes of having things go back to before she left for Australia were dashed when she discovers things have changed after a year of absence. Her best friends have secrets they keep from her and her ex-boyfriend now has a new girlfriend who is possessive and dramatically crazy. Kara's aim is to break the two off, as she thinks somehow Ryan deserves better.
The book tries to make Kara out to be this mature girl when in fact she ends up sounding like a spoilt, selfish brat. It seems as though her main aim of getting Ryan back were mainly for her own benefit and not his. She seems to still have some unresolved issues with her last love Ben, who is in Australia but we never seem to get to see the extent of their so-called love. Apparently this was covered in the first book. But still some insight would have been good. The book lacks emotions and I couldn't connect with any of the characters at all. They seem like cardboard cut outs just going through the motions. In other words, they were too one dimensional. The ending hints at a sequel but I doubt I'll be in a hurry to read that.
February 15, 2017
The Cover of Luz Rebound drew me in with its difference. Instead of a photograph it uses a drawing with reds and oranges in the background which is eye catching. This novel is classified as young adult/ new adult and I think it seems closer to being for an older audience.
Kara’s character struggles to figure out her feelings for the Ryan, who she ended a relationship when she left for a student exchange program. I felt like that trip was her way of figuring out who she was as a person but she still had many issues to deal with. Ryan was having a hard time figuring out what he wanted and was being careful with his heart. I felt like the relationship between Ryan and Christie was toxic. There were so many obstacle in the way and it felt fake.
I really like that the novel took place at a boarding school, it gives a feel of how easily gossip can spread. I have to say the drawback of this novel was its beginning, which was slow to start. Once it started to pick up the characters came alive and I got a really good feel for each. I would have wanted more of a resolution between Kara and Ben, the guy that she met during her time away but maybe the author intended to leave it as unresolved.
I received this ARC of Luz Rebound by Jeania Kimbrough from Smoke Signal Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my other reviews at http://avidreads.blogspot.com.
Kara’s character struggles to figure out her feelings for the Ryan, who she ended a relationship when she left for a student exchange program. I felt like that trip was her way of figuring out who she was as a person but she still had many issues to deal with. Ryan was having a hard time figuring out what he wanted and was being careful with his heart. I felt like the relationship between Ryan and Christie was toxic. There were so many obstacle in the way and it felt fake.
I really like that the novel took place at a boarding school, it gives a feel of how easily gossip can spread. I have to say the drawback of this novel was its beginning, which was slow to start. Once it started to pick up the characters came alive and I got a really good feel for each. I would have wanted more of a resolution between Kara and Ben, the guy that she met during her time away but maybe the author intended to leave it as unresolved.
I received this ARC of Luz Rebound by Jeania Kimbrough from Smoke Signal Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my other reviews at http://avidreads.blogspot.com.
August 8, 2015
I haven't read a high school romance book in quite a while, and I do remember precisely why. Perhaps being a decade or so removed from that makes it all seem a bit banal in most books. However, Kimbrough brought a new approach to the genre, albeit not a revolutionary one. The classic love triangle is always a good foundation to build a plot on, provided that you have deeply developed characters so some sort of conflict of loyalty occurs in the readers. You want to build the suspense, make the case for both sides, and try to leave readers guessing how things would end. That is precisely what Kimbrough did in this book, and I even felt my allegiances shift once or twice as the plot unfolded. I think the international issue was also interesting to me, as I personally left a lover behind at a similar age in another country and always wondered how things would have been different if I had followed through on my dreams and stayed abroad.
In other words, although this is not my usual fare, it wasn't a bad piece of writing, and I think the author dedicated enough time to making the characters relatable in a number of ways, so there was more than one dimension to the romance and multiple ways that the story could play out. There weren't a whole lot of twists and turns, but there was a healthy amount of sage advice and mature wisdom coming through the lives and voices of young adults. There is something of value for everyone, even if this isn't your typical style.
In other words, although this is not my usual fare, it wasn't a bad piece of writing, and I think the author dedicated enough time to making the characters relatable in a number of ways, so there was more than one dimension to the romance and multiple ways that the story could play out. There weren't a whole lot of twists and turns, but there was a healthy amount of sage advice and mature wisdom coming through the lives and voices of young adults. There is something of value for everyone, even if this isn't your typical style.
August 24, 2015
“Luz, Rebound” by Jeania Kimbrough is a coming of age novel for young women. When we meet Kara, she’s just returned to a private boarding school after spending a year abroad in Australia. And things couldn’t be different. While she would have liked her old life to remain untouched that isn’t the case and her friends have moved on with their lives. Including her old boyfriend Ryan. Except that she’s also missing her Australian boyfriend, Ben.
What’s a girl to do when she’s pining away for two boys and neither are attainable? Well, go for the closest one, geographically. Except that he’s with someone else and she isn’t so thrilled at letting him go.
Generally, I’m not a fan of stories were characters intentionally set out to disrupt the lives (and relationships) of others, but if you can look past that to what’s going on, we see a young woman struggling with life and realizing that we have very little control over the lives of others let alone our own. There are things in life that we can learn about by watching others, reading, movies, advice, but there’s nothing harder or more valuable (yes, really) in learning about them for ourselves. Yes, folks, experience is the best education of all. Even when it breaks our hearts.
What’s a girl to do when she’s pining away for two boys and neither are attainable? Well, go for the closest one, geographically. Except that he’s with someone else and she isn’t so thrilled at letting him go.
Generally, I’m not a fan of stories were characters intentionally set out to disrupt the lives (and relationships) of others, but if you can look past that to what’s going on, we see a young woman struggling with life and realizing that we have very little control over the lives of others let alone our own. There are things in life that we can learn about by watching others, reading, movies, advice, but there’s nothing harder or more valuable (yes, really) in learning about them for ourselves. Yes, folks, experience is the best education of all. Even when it breaks our hearts.
October 5, 2015
DNF @ 56%
I always feel bad when I leave a book unfinished, but if I'm not enjoying it by the half way point, then I don't usually see the point in completing it.
With this one, I think it was just the structure of the plot that bothered me. The characters were interesting enough, but it got to the point when their actions didn't match up with their morals and personalities.
I can't say it pits girls against girls (and you have to know how much I can't STAND that), and there are times when the (side characters) girls defend each other, and they have a moral code, but the protagonist Kara was horrible. She was entirely self-obsessed, and didn't care about other people's feelings, which would normally be okay as a starting point as long as there's some decent character development! Instead, she runs from guy to guy, and even goes as far as to steal her ex-boyfriend back from another girl. (Who of course was copying her whole look, and he never loved her anyway, she was just a substitute for Kara!)
Whether or not this book gets any better in the later half I will never know. I don't have the patience for characters or storyline's like this.
I always feel bad when I leave a book unfinished, but if I'm not enjoying it by the half way point, then I don't usually see the point in completing it.
With this one, I think it was just the structure of the plot that bothered me. The characters were interesting enough, but it got to the point when their actions didn't match up with their morals and personalities.
I can't say it pits girls against girls (and you have to know how much I can't STAND that), and there are times when the (side characters) girls defend each other, and they have a moral code, but the protagonist Kara was horrible. She was entirely self-obsessed, and didn't care about other people's feelings, which would normally be okay as a starting point as long as there's some decent character development! Instead, she runs from guy to guy, and even goes as far as to steal her ex-boyfriend back from another girl. (Who of course was copying her whole look, and he never loved her anyway, she was just a substitute for Kara!)
Whether or not this book gets any better in the later half I will never know. I don't have the patience for characters or storyline's like this.
August 13, 2015
Teenage love, especially a teenage love triangle, can be complicated. Kara had broken her boyfriend, Ryan’s, heart when she decided to exchange to a school in Australia for a semester. Once in Australia, she met and fell in love with Ben but now since her return, Kara doesn’t like the fact that her former boyfriend has hooked up with Christie, who’s trying to be a carbon copy of her. Such is the premise for Luz, Rebound. Jeania Kimbrough’s writing style is engaging and her characters are equally so. The story immediately sucks the readers in with Kara’s first moments back at her private school in Trinity as she anticipates her reunion with her ex-boyfriend, only to find him distant and restrained. What also makes this book good is the fact that it’s not bogged down by the usual trite teenage diatribes but really focuses on the development of the main protagonists as a whole. I really liked the fact that Ryan loved Kara and that Kara was willing to go after what she wanted. In the end, it all works out for the good but nevertheless, Luz, Rebound is one YA novel that’s worth the read for the happily ever after.
April 12, 2015
Honestly I didn't know what to expect when I picked up this book to read. What I didn't expect is to fall in love with Ryan. Men he is such a classy young man who loves deeply and totally. Kara, I kind of feel sorry for her. It is obvious she is still in love with Ryan, but she kept a stiff upper lip at first. I am so elated when she decided to fight for her man. I am fed up with some goody two shoes heroine who ' oh don't want to rock the boat', and secretly pined away for their love.
Kara pointedly told Ryan that she knew he still loves her, and he should stop being whipped by Chrissie, and get a life, with her.
I love how the two of them fought to be together and stay together. Ryan is just too in love with Kara and he is not afraid to show it. The fact that he needed counselling after Kara left for Australia breaks my heart.
I love they get their HEA. I would have love the story to be fleshed out a little bit towards the end. I love it.
**I was provded an ARC by the publishers through NetGalley for my free and honest review***
Kara pointedly told Ryan that she knew he still loves her, and he should stop being whipped by Chrissie, and get a life, with her.
I love how the two of them fought to be together and stay together. Ryan is just too in love with Kara and he is not afraid to show it. The fact that he needed counselling after Kara left for Australia breaks my heart.
I love they get their HEA. I would have love the story to be fleshed out a little bit towards the end. I love it.
**I was provded an ARC by the publishers through NetGalley for my free and honest review***
March 21, 2015
Given To Me For An Honest Review
Luz Rebound by Jeania Kimbrough is a page turner but you won't even know it until you reach the end. It is a nice coming of age story with a few twists and turns. Kara has come home from a year away in a student exchange program. Her year was spent in Australia and helping her spend her time there was her Australian boyfriend Ben. Her former American boyfriend is now dating Christie and she really doesn't like that. She now feels like an outsider to everyone. This is a story in which friends and former friends learn the complexities of love. We have a triangle with Kara, Christie and Ryan ... but there is Ben on the side. Hmmm, now how does Ben still fit in? Is Kara still living in the past? Does she ever mature? I recommend this book to all of those who have hope that love conquers all. I look for more from Jeania Kimbrough.
Luz Rebound by Jeania Kimbrough is a page turner but you won't even know it until you reach the end. It is a nice coming of age story with a few twists and turns. Kara has come home from a year away in a student exchange program. Her year was spent in Australia and helping her spend her time there was her Australian boyfriend Ben. Her former American boyfriend is now dating Christie and she really doesn't like that. She now feels like an outsider to everyone. This is a story in which friends and former friends learn the complexities of love. We have a triangle with Kara, Christie and Ryan ... but there is Ben on the side. Hmmm, now how does Ben still fit in? Is Kara still living in the past? Does she ever mature? I recommend this book to all of those who have hope that love conquers all. I look for more from Jeania Kimbrough.
February 11, 2015
I received this book through good read first reads which is incredibly awesome!
And I love the cover, it's not only really nice looking but it's really soft.
I liked the book but I felt like the characters could be sort of two dimensional and unrealistic at points in the book.
There were a few typos and words not used correctly (like to and too) which I haven't really ever seen in books but it's not really that big a deal.
Overall I liked the book and have already recommended to quite a few friends.
And I love the cover, it's not only really nice looking but it's really soft.
I liked the book but I felt like the characters could be sort of two dimensional and unrealistic at points in the book.
There were a few typos and words not used correctly (like to and too) which I haven't really ever seen in books but it's not really that big a deal.
Overall I liked the book and have already recommended to quite a few friends.
April 14, 2015
I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sigh. I hate giving bad reviews, but i really did not enjoy this book. I found the characters shallow and annoying. The plot was not interesting to me, and Kara... wow, she was painful to read. Most of her decisions revolved around wanting things only because she could not have them; constantly bragging; whining... I felt like I was watching a soap opera.
Not the book for me.
Sigh. I hate giving bad reviews, but i really did not enjoy this book. I found the characters shallow and annoying. The plot was not interesting to me, and Kara... wow, she was painful to read. Most of her decisions revolved around wanting things only because she could not have them; constantly bragging; whining... I felt like I was watching a soap opera.
Not the book for me.
December 18, 2014
Full review after release date
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