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Love and Star Stuff #2
Tallie and the Total Eclipse
Now that I've landed the guy of my dreams, things have gotten complicated.
Life would be easy if Orion and I lived in a love bubble where we worked on our comic book 24/7. But nothing is that simple.
Especially when my parents full-on helicopter me, my boyfriend won't kiss me...for reasons, and my cousin - a quintessential bad girl - is moving in and totally eclipsing my life.
The only thing I know is that those leather-clad, butt-kicking girls in comics always get what they want.
I'm sick of being the good girl everyone expects me to be.
So I'm trying something new. Wish me luck.
Life would be easy if Orion and I lived in a love bubble where we worked on our comic book 24/7. But nothing is that simple.
Especially when my parents full-on helicopter me, my boyfriend won't kiss me...for reasons, and my cousin - a quintessential bad girl - is moving in and totally eclipsing my life.
The only thing I know is that those leather-clad, butt-kicking girls in comics always get what they want.
I'm sick of being the good girl everyone expects me to be.
So I'm trying something new. Wish me luck.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2015
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 27, 2015
http://www.platypire.com/j-hooligan/t...
I preordered this one as soon as I saw it existed, because I loved the first one so much. I knew it was going to be different, because Tallie and Maggie are definitely not the same type of person.
Being homeschooled myself, I could relate to some of the things Tallie was going through. If not through my own experiences, but things I saw my friend's go through at different times. It was like reading a strange flashback of sorts.
Unlike the first one, this isn't some crazy love triangle of a computer nerd. It is Tallie struggling to deal with the life her parents want for her as well as trying to become her own person, which is something I saw all too often in the homeschool community I was a part of (thankfully my parents weren't this crazy strict).
This was harder for me to read than the last, even though I could relate to so much of both of them. The way Tallie handles things sometimes made me want to smack her upside her head for being dumb. It also frustrated me because I could remember being in Maggie's position, and how things happened for me.
There's a new character introduced in this book, Bela - Tallie's cousin who brings on a whole other level of family drama.
This was a quick read for me, and I really enjoyed it. I recommend this series to those who like angst with a mix of all the drama and some romance.
I've already preordered book 3, because obviously.
I preordered this one as soon as I saw it existed, because I loved the first one so much. I knew it was going to be different, because Tallie and Maggie are definitely not the same type of person.
Being homeschooled myself, I could relate to some of the things Tallie was going through. If not through my own experiences, but things I saw my friend's go through at different times. It was like reading a strange flashback of sorts.
Unlike the first one, this isn't some crazy love triangle of a computer nerd. It is Tallie struggling to deal with the life her parents want for her as well as trying to become her own person, which is something I saw all too often in the homeschool community I was a part of (thankfully my parents weren't this crazy strict).
This was harder for me to read than the last, even though I could relate to so much of both of them. The way Tallie handles things sometimes made me want to smack her upside her head for being dumb. It also frustrated me because I could remember being in Maggie's position, and how things happened for me.
There's a new character introduced in this book, Bela - Tallie's cousin who brings on a whole other level of family drama.
This was a quick read for me, and I really enjoyed it. I recommend this series to those who like angst with a mix of all the drama and some romance.
I've already preordered book 3, because obviously.
December 18, 2015
Read this review along with others on my blog by clicking here.
Tallie and the Total Eclipse is a young adult, contemporary novel aimed at those who enjoy love stories, and cheesy romance.
I am one of those people.
And I loved this book.
Opening in the run up to homecoming, we’re instantly whipped right back into the world of Maggie and Tallie (Maggie being the protagonist in this novel’s predecessor, Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde, Tallie being her best friend). This time, though, it is Tallie who is the protagonist, and her voice this book is being read in.
Personally, I really liked Tallie, and feel as though her narration was much more captivating than Maggie’s in the previous book, keeping me entertained, and wanting to read more. Tallie is a very relateable character in more ways than one, which really helped me resonate with her story. This book deals with senior year struggles, feeling left out, strict parents, and more.
Basically, this book is a Bible of what not to do when you feel you’re struggling with any of the aforementioned themes.
Nevertheless, this book continued to be funny, and – despite many being terribly silly – the majority of Tallie’s decisions made sense, and it’s not until later that you realise the consequences, really teaching the teenage population reading this novel to make good choices.
I know I have learnt from this book!
In my review of Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde, I mentioned that Anya Monroe, the author of this book, has a great, unique method of writing, allowing her story to be simultaneously fast-paced and exciting without becoming too confusing, or seemingly rushed. And, in this novel, she achieved the same. Tallie and the Total Eclipse is an up-beat, up-tempo insight into the world and mind of a teenager, and Anya is so great at actually sounding like a teenager through her writing. Most of the dialogue – and most of the narration, for that matter – was written in a beautifully modern way that truly captured the voice of the teenage generation. Frankly, this book is hilarious, and Monroe is amazing at developing characters that will resonate with the reader, as well as humour that is modern and progressive.
Unlike Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde, this book dove into some deeper topics including drug and alcohol use at young age, as well as feeling trapped in one’s life. This worked really well alongside the humour, because it portrayed important issues in a fun way that enticed you to keep reading.
In terms of characters, all were great to read about. I would, however, say that it was a little unbelievable that so many were against what Tallie was doing. In real life, most people are all for it, and it would have probably been more effective had only Maggie and the adults had a problem with what Tallie was up to, as opposed to everyone being ruffled by it.
Tallie was a great voice to read from. I found myself resonating with the majority of things she said, and I really enjoyed her perspective on life. Her obsession with going outside to live life and enjoy experiences in order to write about them was admirable, in my opinion. Also, it was great to explore her character much more than we had the chance to in the previous book.
Maggie was as great as in the previous book, but – I would say – a little rash now and again. Firstly, I feel as though she didn’t speak up enough when she didn’t agree with something, and assume Tallie knew what she was thinking. Then again, that theme switched to the extreme, wherein Maggie was very opinionated against Tallie, without helping her. Nevertheless, she was still extremely funny, and I really enjoyed her character.
Bela reminded me of a stereotypical cheerleader, despite not even being a cheerleader. She was very bubbly, and supportive of Tallie, much more so than Maggie. She did remind me of a lost puppy, though, on occasion, what with the sudden tears and lack of understanding from her peers.
Orion was great. Just like in the previous book, he was a dreamboat boyfriend, one all of us dream of. He was so understanding and great to Tallie despite her mistakes, and it was great to read of such a stable boyfriend.
Dankia, despite her background and encouragement towards Tallie’s eventual unbecoming, was really nice to read about. She differed drastically to all of Tallie’s other friends, and it was nice to see how Tallie interacted differently with her compared to her main circle of friends.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was enticing, exciting, and thoroughly heart-warming throughout. Thus, I awarded it 4.5/5 stars.
(Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I would like to send a big thank you to Anya Monroe for this book, as well as a big congratulations for such a great novel.)
“It was about time to begin living a life Hemingway would write home about.
Step one: Kiss my boyfriend.”
Tallie and the Total Eclipse is a young adult, contemporary novel aimed at those who enjoy love stories, and cheesy romance.
I am one of those people.
And I loved this book.
Opening in the run up to homecoming, we’re instantly whipped right back into the world of Maggie and Tallie (Maggie being the protagonist in this novel’s predecessor, Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde, Tallie being her best friend). This time, though, it is Tallie who is the protagonist, and her voice this book is being read in.
Personally, I really liked Tallie, and feel as though her narration was much more captivating than Maggie’s in the previous book, keeping me entertained, and wanting to read more. Tallie is a very relateable character in more ways than one, which really helped me resonate with her story. This book deals with senior year struggles, feeling left out, strict parents, and more.
Basically, this book is a Bible of what not to do when you feel you’re struggling with any of the aforementioned themes.
Nevertheless, this book continued to be funny, and – despite many being terribly silly – the majority of Tallie’s decisions made sense, and it’s not until later that you realise the consequences, really teaching the teenage population reading this novel to make good choices.
I know I have learnt from this book!
In my review of Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde, I mentioned that Anya Monroe, the author of this book, has a great, unique method of writing, allowing her story to be simultaneously fast-paced and exciting without becoming too confusing, or seemingly rushed. And, in this novel, she achieved the same. Tallie and the Total Eclipse is an up-beat, up-tempo insight into the world and mind of a teenager, and Anya is so great at actually sounding like a teenager through her writing. Most of the dialogue – and most of the narration, for that matter – was written in a beautifully modern way that truly captured the voice of the teenage generation. Frankly, this book is hilarious, and Monroe is amazing at developing characters that will resonate with the reader, as well as humour that is modern and progressive.
Unlike Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde, this book dove into some deeper topics including drug and alcohol use at young age, as well as feeling trapped in one’s life. This worked really well alongside the humour, because it portrayed important issues in a fun way that enticed you to keep reading.
In terms of characters, all were great to read about. I would, however, say that it was a little unbelievable that so many were against what Tallie was doing. In real life, most people are all for it, and it would have probably been more effective had only Maggie and the adults had a problem with what Tallie was up to, as opposed to everyone being ruffled by it.
Tallie was a great voice to read from. I found myself resonating with the majority of things she said, and I really enjoyed her perspective on life. Her obsession with going outside to live life and enjoy experiences in order to write about them was admirable, in my opinion. Also, it was great to explore her character much more than we had the chance to in the previous book.
Maggie was as great as in the previous book, but – I would say – a little rash now and again. Firstly, I feel as though she didn’t speak up enough when she didn’t agree with something, and assume Tallie knew what she was thinking. Then again, that theme switched to the extreme, wherein Maggie was very opinionated against Tallie, without helping her. Nevertheless, she was still extremely funny, and I really enjoyed her character.
Bela reminded me of a stereotypical cheerleader, despite not even being a cheerleader. She was very bubbly, and supportive of Tallie, much more so than Maggie. She did remind me of a lost puppy, though, on occasion, what with the sudden tears and lack of understanding from her peers.
Orion was great. Just like in the previous book, he was a dreamboat boyfriend, one all of us dream of. He was so understanding and great to Tallie despite her mistakes, and it was great to read of such a stable boyfriend.
Dankia, despite her background and encouragement towards Tallie’s eventual unbecoming, was really nice to read about. She differed drastically to all of Tallie’s other friends, and it was nice to see how Tallie interacted differently with her compared to her main circle of friends.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was enticing, exciting, and thoroughly heart-warming throughout. Thus, I awarded it 4.5/5 stars.
(Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I would like to send a big thank you to Anya Monroe for this book, as well as a big congratulations for such a great novel.)
June 4, 2018
If I'm being honest, then I need to say that this book isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. In fact, I know for a fact that this might rub some readers the wrong way. One of the things that I've come to love and admire about Anya Monroe's Love and Star Stuff series is that she's not afraid to write challenging protagonists. They aren't going to be your favourite people, you aren't going to agree with all their decisions (at least at first), but they're realistic characters. Real people aren't all fabulous and perfect (apart from me, of course!). We're gritty, complex characters and I think that's why Tallie and the Total Eclipse worked so well for me, personally. Tallie wasn't straight-forward. She had a lot to work through, and her story was exactly what I needed to read at the time I picked it up.
Tallie, in this book, is angry. She's sick and tired of being 'that peculiar homeschooled girl'. She's sick of people assuming they know her because she gets straight As and like comic books. She wants to be more than peoples' expectations, especially her incredibly conservative parents. When Bela - her seemingly perfect Californian cousin - comes to stay, and her parents let her take the reins, Tallie decides to take some somewhat drastic actions to get people to see her, the real her...
This story is about identity. It's about how others view us, and how that influences the way we act and think about ourselves. I thought it was thought-provoking and powerful in that sense. Maybe because I could relate to Tallie so very much. I know what it's like to have people assume that they know 'your type', to have expectations of your life and choices because you work hard at school, do 'nerdy' things like read, blog & obsess over Marvel characters (*cough* my beloved Captain America *cough*). And I do think that a lot of other young adult readers will feel this way too. But at the same time, I think a lot of people might get a little angry at Tallie's stupid choices, and I wouldn't blame them (I did too, at times), but they had a purpose - they weren't written simply to drum up extra drama or tension or anything so stupid. This is Tallie's journey, it isn't la-di-da and all sunshine & rainbows (as wonderful as that would be). Tallie makes mistakes, she takes the wrong turn - multiple times. But she needed to. This isn't a story about angsty fallen angels deciding which super hot boy they are going to love forever and ever. This is so much more.
The one thing that bought this down for me though was the ending. Obviously the story wasn't going to end with Tallie becoming a drug-addicted alcoholic or anything, and us readers knew that, so there had to be some sort of compromise between the new & old Tallie. I don't think the ending quite managed to really drive the point of the story home. It was a little anti-climatic, to be honest. I didn't think Tallie got the chance to really explain everything to her parents or even Maggie - why she needed to leave, what she was trying to achieve. She kind of just returned and her parents readjusted a smidge. I needed more. And sadly, by the end of the story I no longer shipped Tallie & Orion. I know, I know. They're perfect for each other. They're adorable. Orion is everything Tallie needs, and he complements her perfectly too... but I don't know. I just didn't like their reunion and it made me doubt their relationship. Maybe when I see them together in the next book it will rekindle my shipping-love for them, but I'm just not sure...
So overall? A good story with realistic characters and a relatable protagonist, but an ending that I wasn't completely satisfied with. I definitely recommend this series if you love cutsey romances with realistic characters, but have a tolerance for romances that can get a little cringe-worthy at times.
Review copy provided by the author for an honest review.
Tallie, in this book, is angry. She's sick and tired of being 'that peculiar homeschooled girl'. She's sick of people assuming they know her because she gets straight As and like comic books. She wants to be more than peoples' expectations, especially her incredibly conservative parents. When Bela - her seemingly perfect Californian cousin - comes to stay, and her parents let her take the reins, Tallie decides to take some somewhat drastic actions to get people to see her, the real her...
This story is about identity. It's about how others view us, and how that influences the way we act and think about ourselves. I thought it was thought-provoking and powerful in that sense. Maybe because I could relate to Tallie so very much. I know what it's like to have people assume that they know 'your type', to have expectations of your life and choices because you work hard at school, do 'nerdy' things like read, blog & obsess over Marvel characters (*cough* my beloved Captain America *cough*). And I do think that a lot of other young adult readers will feel this way too. But at the same time, I think a lot of people might get a little angry at Tallie's stupid choices, and I wouldn't blame them (I did too, at times), but they had a purpose - they weren't written simply to drum up extra drama or tension or anything so stupid. This is Tallie's journey, it isn't la-di-da and all sunshine & rainbows (as wonderful as that would be). Tallie makes mistakes, she takes the wrong turn - multiple times. But she needed to. This isn't a story about angsty fallen angels deciding which super hot boy they are going to love forever and ever. This is so much more.
The one thing that bought this down for me though was the ending. Obviously the story wasn't going to end with Tallie becoming a drug-addicted alcoholic or anything, and us readers knew that, so there had to be some sort of compromise between the new & old Tallie. I don't think the ending quite managed to really drive the point of the story home. It was a little anti-climatic, to be honest. I didn't think Tallie got the chance to really explain everything to her parents or even Maggie - why she needed to leave, what she was trying to achieve. She kind of just returned and her parents readjusted a smidge. I needed more. And sadly, by the end of the story I no longer shipped Tallie & Orion. I know, I know. They're perfect for each other. They're adorable. Orion is everything Tallie needs, and he complements her perfectly too... but I don't know. I just didn't like their reunion and it made me doubt their relationship. Maybe when I see them together in the next book it will rekindle my shipping-love for them, but I'm just not sure...
So overall? A good story with realistic characters and a relatable protagonist, but an ending that I wasn't completely satisfied with. I definitely recommend this series if you love cutsey romances with realistic characters, but have a tolerance for romances that can get a little cringe-worthy at times.
Review copy provided by the author for an honest review.
November 24, 2015
I am reviewing an advance reader copy of this book that I received for free in exchange for a review. Even if I had purchased the book, I would have the same following review for it. Great book! Quite a change of pace from what I have been reading, but I think I needed that. This is more of a human interest story, but told through the eyes of a teenage girl. A lot of things many of us take for granted can be learned from some of the lessons taught in this book if the reader is willing to accept them. The way in which the author writes is quite creative and makes the reader think. For this type of book, it make it much more enjoyable being done this way. I hope that the third one in the series is just as good as this one and the first one were!
December 21, 2015
The series continues with Tallie's story. While Maggie's story was silly and laugh out loud funny at times, Tallie's story is bit more serious, which is only fitting given her personality. We watch tallie make a lot of mistakes while she tries to figure out exactly who she wants to be. What makes this so engrossing is that the author truly understands the voice of an adolescent and, at times, I felt I was transported back to my own adolescent woes and angst as I related to Tallie's struggles. The book is really well done and I look forward to reading Bela's story next!
December 19, 2015
Teenage angst, teenage drama, from a perfectly written teenage voice. The story of Tallie and her struggles in finding herself is entertaining and enlightening. Not as silly at Maggie’s story but had me smiling at times and wanting to reach out and give Tallie a good shake at others. Great fun following this group of teens around as they discover what growing up is all about. I’m looking forward to hearing things from Bela’s perspective!!
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