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Outspoken
Penny Beck is a girl who says yes when she means no. She keeps to herself, follows the rules, and does what she’s told. After a disastrous experience with her boyfriend, she's determined to change from the spineless person she’s always been into the strong woman she wants to become. All she needs is a little practice.
On a cross-country trip to check on her grandpa, she strives to become bolder and more outspoken with the strangers she meets. Penny's plan is to practice saying and doing what she wants without worrying about what anyone else thinks.
Then she meets Archer, an introspective loner to whom she finds herself drawn. She realizes she does care what he thinks, very much. Will Penny be able to stick to her plan, or will she revert back to her people-pleasing ways?
On a cross-country trip to check on her grandpa, she strives to become bolder and more outspoken with the strangers she meets. Penny's plan is to practice saying and doing what she wants without worrying about what anyone else thinks.
Then she meets Archer, an introspective loner to whom she finds herself drawn. She realizes she does care what he thinks, very much. Will Penny be able to stick to her plan, or will she revert back to her people-pleasing ways?
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2015
About the author
Lora Richardson
14 books129 followersHi, I'm Lora. Thanks for taking a peek in here. I live a quiet life in Indiana with my family. I spend my days reading, writing, and hanging out with my people.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 19, 2015
**I was given a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
As children, we're conditioned to think that once we hit adulthood, we're going to know exactly what to do and how to handle ourselves in any given situation. All it takes is to hit that mystical, elusive number: eighteen. At least in the United States, turning eighteen is a rite of passage in and of itself, as we're now considered legal adults with a wide world of possibilities opening up solely due to our age. However, where some of us feel like adulthood and its corresponding responsibilities hits us too quickly, throwing everything off balance and quickly overwhelming everything manageable about life. Is there a wrong way to "adult"? Are we losing sight of ourselves by getting swept up in the undertow?
These musings are similar to the thoughts of Outspoken's protagonist, Penny Beck. After graduating high school and turning eighteen, she suffers a major identity crisis: she doesn't exactly know who she is, as she's been nothing but a glorified Yes Man during the entirety of her short life. Penny takes it upon herself to find her voice through putting a pause on her college plans and moving from her hometown in Montana to sleepy Well's Cove, South Carolina to take care of her grandfather whose mental state is rapidly deteriorating due to Alzheimer's. As she slowly becomes assimilated into the tight-knit coastal town, Penny finds herself losing more of her old, repressed self and settling into her new role of empowered adult. However, her parents and responsibilities are still an ever-present voice sounding in the back of her mind, calling her back to the mountainous area from which she hails. It's up to her to decide where -- and with whom -- she should settle down and call home.
I wish I could say that I had anything negative to say about this book, but I honestly cannot find anything that warrants constructive criticism. Outspoken had me completely enraptured from the first page following a main character that resonated all too well with me and my recent struggles with new adulthood. Penny's struggles were completely realistic: to go to college or not, to speak your mind or preserve a semblance of normalcy, make real friends or make practice friends. I really felt like she could be me in a different universe. Furthermore, I loved how all of the personal relationships between her and the other characters developed naturally, even though a few of the people came into her life as a result of circumstance. More often than not in young and new adult fiction, if there's to be any kind of romantic element, the two involved in the budding romance develop an insta-love with each other, which can be extremely infuriating in stories that tout themselves to be realistic. Instead, Penny ends up attracting people with her natural, unfiltered personality, which ultimately leads to developing her own sense of self-confidence. Furthermore, I loved the way we actually got to know the actual citizens of Wells Cove to see exactly how the town operated; it's not often that I read a book that incorporates people who aren't just the main character's immediate circle of friends. Additionally, Richardson's writing style is breezy, conversational, just like Penny aims to be as she finds her own voice. It felt like, at times, that I was hearing a story told to me by my best friend. It was the type of writing that I could just sink myself into and feel immediately comfortable.
Another thing about Outspoken that really resonated with me was Richardson's treatment of issues that I feel are very important to address among young women my age. Ultimately, Outspoken is about the empowerment of young women in the face of social pressures to keep quiet and conform in order to not upset the status quo, which is what Penny did her entire life. However, once she realized that it just wasn't for her, she pulled her power from within to start breaking out of her shell, which is something a lot of women of this particular age group struggle or even feel able to do. There's a great exchange between Penny and Archer, her new co-worker, when he defends her after another creepy co-worker tells her to smile. Archer feels like he has to defend her in the break room, even though Penny doesn't feel like a helpless creature. She says, "Well, that was lovely. First you snap at me for no reason about peanuts, then you come in here and bulldoze over a situation I had under control." This is one of the first of many instances where she truly lets her empowerment shine through. Additionally, Richardson handles personal histories like bodily autonomy and rape in a classy, elegant manner. Too often do I see writers treat rape survivors as victims rather than complex people, but Irene, one of Penny's customers, opens up about how her past as a victim has ultimately made her a survivor. I cannot recall the last time where an author included that element of someone's backstory into their work without it being exploitative or completely triggering. It was refreshing and wonderful to behold. Y'all should see the excited texts I sent to my friends and partner after I read that portion; I was genuinely very enthused.
Overall, Outspoken is a short, yet completely engaging read about one young woman's journey to self-actualization. By creating actual, tangible characters in realistic situations, Richardson has accomplished something that few newer writers are able to achieve. In a genre saturated by heroes who are set out to save the country/universe/world, it's a delight to see a piece that's able to cut through the thematic bullshit and just get to the point: tell a good, engaging story that resonates with its intended audience. I cannot write enough good things about it and, dare I say, this might just be one of my new favorite books.
As children, we're conditioned to think that once we hit adulthood, we're going to know exactly what to do and how to handle ourselves in any given situation. All it takes is to hit that mystical, elusive number: eighteen. At least in the United States, turning eighteen is a rite of passage in and of itself, as we're now considered legal adults with a wide world of possibilities opening up solely due to our age. However, where some of us feel like adulthood and its corresponding responsibilities hits us too quickly, throwing everything off balance and quickly overwhelming everything manageable about life. Is there a wrong way to "adult"? Are we losing sight of ourselves by getting swept up in the undertow?
These musings are similar to the thoughts of Outspoken's protagonist, Penny Beck. After graduating high school and turning eighteen, she suffers a major identity crisis: she doesn't exactly know who she is, as she's been nothing but a glorified Yes Man during the entirety of her short life. Penny takes it upon herself to find her voice through putting a pause on her college plans and moving from her hometown in Montana to sleepy Well's Cove, South Carolina to take care of her grandfather whose mental state is rapidly deteriorating due to Alzheimer's. As she slowly becomes assimilated into the tight-knit coastal town, Penny finds herself losing more of her old, repressed self and settling into her new role of empowered adult. However, her parents and responsibilities are still an ever-present voice sounding in the back of her mind, calling her back to the mountainous area from which she hails. It's up to her to decide where -- and with whom -- she should settle down and call home.
I wish I could say that I had anything negative to say about this book, but I honestly cannot find anything that warrants constructive criticism. Outspoken had me completely enraptured from the first page following a main character that resonated all too well with me and my recent struggles with new adulthood. Penny's struggles were completely realistic: to go to college or not, to speak your mind or preserve a semblance of normalcy, make real friends or make practice friends. I really felt like she could be me in a different universe. Furthermore, I loved how all of the personal relationships between her and the other characters developed naturally, even though a few of the people came into her life as a result of circumstance. More often than not in young and new adult fiction, if there's to be any kind of romantic element, the two involved in the budding romance develop an insta-love with each other, which can be extremely infuriating in stories that tout themselves to be realistic. Instead, Penny ends up attracting people with her natural, unfiltered personality, which ultimately leads to developing her own sense of self-confidence. Furthermore, I loved the way we actually got to know the actual citizens of Wells Cove to see exactly how the town operated; it's not often that I read a book that incorporates people who aren't just the main character's immediate circle of friends. Additionally, Richardson's writing style is breezy, conversational, just like Penny aims to be as she finds her own voice. It felt like, at times, that I was hearing a story told to me by my best friend. It was the type of writing that I could just sink myself into and feel immediately comfortable.
Another thing about Outspoken that really resonated with me was Richardson's treatment of issues that I feel are very important to address among young women my age. Ultimately, Outspoken is about the empowerment of young women in the face of social pressures to keep quiet and conform in order to not upset the status quo, which is what Penny did her entire life. However, once she realized that it just wasn't for her, she pulled her power from within to start breaking out of her shell, which is something a lot of women of this particular age group struggle or even feel able to do. There's a great exchange between Penny and Archer, her new co-worker, when he defends her after another creepy co-worker tells her to smile. Archer feels like he has to defend her in the break room, even though Penny doesn't feel like a helpless creature. She says, "Well, that was lovely. First you snap at me for no reason about peanuts, then you come in here and bulldoze over a situation I had under control." This is one of the first of many instances where she truly lets her empowerment shine through. Additionally, Richardson handles personal histories like bodily autonomy and rape in a classy, elegant manner. Too often do I see writers treat rape survivors as victims rather than complex people, but Irene, one of Penny's customers, opens up about how her past as a victim has ultimately made her a survivor. I cannot recall the last time where an author included that element of someone's backstory into their work without it being exploitative or completely triggering. It was refreshing and wonderful to behold. Y'all should see the excited texts I sent to my friends and partner after I read that portion; I was genuinely very enthused.
Overall, Outspoken is a short, yet completely engaging read about one young woman's journey to self-actualization. By creating actual, tangible characters in realistic situations, Richardson has accomplished something that few newer writers are able to achieve. In a genre saturated by heroes who are set out to save the country/universe/world, it's a delight to see a piece that's able to cut through the thematic bullshit and just get to the point: tell a good, engaging story that resonates with its intended audience. I cannot write enough good things about it and, dare I say, this might just be one of my new favorite books.
December 5, 2015
I almost fell....
Throughout the entire story, I was on the precipice of a cliff, coming dangerously close to falling in love with this book. Don't get me wrong, just because I didn't fall doesn't mean I didn't enjoy reading Outspoken. In fact, it has been far too long since I've engaged in a good ole contemporary YA-romance. I definitely enjoyed the experience.
At first, the book started off a little slow, I felt like too much was being told to me. I wanted to actually be involved in the story, but once the story finally engages the reader, the momentum definitely picks up.
What was expected to be a story about a character's self discovery ended up being more about the relationship between Penny and Archer. However, I was completely and totally okay with this. I loved the slow development of their relationship. You definitely see something there from the start, but you get to experience it's growth.
There were also some great secondary characters; Penny's grandpa, George Baker (whom I lurved so much), Marissa, Mike...the list goes on. However, it was almost too much. With the addition of so many characters, I felt the author tried to tackle too much in one story. I kept wanting the focus back on Penny and Archer. With so much going on, I felt like some scenes were almost cut short. I was left thinking, "That part's over? What happened?" I can't help but feel that the shortened scenes were necessary in order to address all aspects of the story. I guess I just wished there was more focus.
Even in the end, after the last page, I was left with a bit of disappointment. "It's over?.....It can't be over." It just felt cut short. However, the author should feel proud that she created something special between Archer and Penny that had me craving more, I just wish I would have gotten it.
Definitely a unique YA-experience for those who need a fix.
READ ON!
Throughout the entire story, I was on the precipice of a cliff, coming dangerously close to falling in love with this book. Don't get me wrong, just because I didn't fall doesn't mean I didn't enjoy reading Outspoken. In fact, it has been far too long since I've engaged in a good ole contemporary YA-romance. I definitely enjoyed the experience.
At first, the book started off a little slow, I felt like too much was being told to me. I wanted to actually be involved in the story, but once the story finally engages the reader, the momentum definitely picks up.
What was expected to be a story about a character's self discovery ended up being more about the relationship between Penny and Archer. However, I was completely and totally okay with this. I loved the slow development of their relationship. You definitely see something there from the start, but you get to experience it's growth.
There were also some great secondary characters; Penny's grandpa, George Baker (whom I lurved so much), Marissa, Mike...the list goes on. However, it was almost too much. With the addition of so many characters, I felt the author tried to tackle too much in one story. I kept wanting the focus back on Penny and Archer. With so much going on, I felt like some scenes were almost cut short. I was left thinking, "That part's over? What happened?" I can't help but feel that the shortened scenes were necessary in order to address all aspects of the story. I guess I just wished there was more focus.
Even in the end, after the last page, I was left with a bit of disappointment. "It's over?.....It can't be over." It just felt cut short. However, the author should feel proud that she created something special between Archer and Penny that had me craving more, I just wish I would have gotten it.
Definitely a unique YA-experience for those who need a fix.
READ ON!
October 12, 2015
This book is a very cute contemporary read about one girl’s journey of self-discovery and learning to stand up for herself and stop pleasing everyone else and just please herself. It’s a short, quick, simple read, one you could finish in a day if it’s a lazy Sunday or if you’re avoiding all manner of responsibility like I was.
Penny used to do everything because she was trying to please everyone else. She got a black car as her sister thought it was a cool colour, she was going to study chemisty in college because it’s what her dad wanted, she was going to a specific college becuase that’s where her boyfriend was going. But eventually, a night of bad judgement finally opened Penny’s eyes and she realised she had to stop. She decides to go across the country her summer after senior year to visit her sick grandfather and practice standing up for herself with complete strangers. And after meeting all the wonderful and strange characters in that small beach town, Penny learns more about herself than she ever thought she’d learn.
As a person who used to always agree with everything other people told me and constantly apologise when it wasn’t my fault, I totally related to this book on at least one level. Penny had no self-esteem at the start of this book and the lessons she learns becuse of what happens in this book is something anyone with self-esteem issues can take on board. It is quite a simple and short read, barely 250 pages, but that doesn’t make it any less significant with important lessons to be learned. A great debut book for this author and I look forward to any future books she may bring out!
Penny used to do everything because she was trying to please everyone else. She got a black car as her sister thought it was a cool colour, she was going to study chemisty in college because it’s what her dad wanted, she was going to a specific college becuase that’s where her boyfriend was going. But eventually, a night of bad judgement finally opened Penny’s eyes and she realised she had to stop. She decides to go across the country her summer after senior year to visit her sick grandfather and practice standing up for herself with complete strangers. And after meeting all the wonderful and strange characters in that small beach town, Penny learns more about herself than she ever thought she’d learn.
As a person who used to always agree with everything other people told me and constantly apologise when it wasn’t my fault, I totally related to this book on at least one level. Penny had no self-esteem at the start of this book and the lessons she learns becuse of what happens in this book is something anyone with self-esteem issues can take on board. It is quite a simple and short read, barely 250 pages, but that doesn’t make it any less significant with important lessons to be learned. A great debut book for this author and I look forward to any future books she may bring out!
December 6, 2015
I received a free copy of the ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Outspoken is a rather charming tale of a teenage girl at a crossroads in her life between childhood and adulthood. Penny is someone I think pretty much all of us can relate too at one time or another. She lives her life for other people, allowing their expectations to shape her life. After her inability to say no finally costs her more than she expected, she decides to postpone college, up sticks and move to another state. Come on, who hasn't fantasised about saying "screw this" and starting again somewhere new at one time or another? Hopefully not just me... Anyways, Penny decides that a new start also means a new her, and makes good on her determination to say no more, building a new life surrounded by new friends and reconnecting with her Alzheimer's suffering grandfather. At first glance, this story seemed a little too twee for my tastes but, contrary to what I expected, I loved it!
I adored Penny as a character. Sweet, good-natured and just a little bit firey, she is a wonderful protagonist and surrounded by nicely written supporting characters. I wasn't entirely sure about Archer at first though, somewhat puzzled about what exactly attracted Penny to such a bland, standoffish guy, but their fledgling relationship is one of the hearts of the story. Free of the magical powers and far away kingdoms that make up my usual reads, theirs is one of the cutest and most well written relationships I've read in a long time. It was also really refreshing to read the platonic female-male friendship between Penny and Mike without the usual love triangle trope that's so prevailent in YA being trotted out to add conflict to the plot. I didn't always buy the dialogue between the teenage characters (I did also raise an eyebrow at being expected to believe that the first person Penny meets is a building supervisor who is an 18 year old girl. Convenient, no?). It just seemed a bit to literal at times to advance the plot.
The other heart of the story is Penny's grandfather Cal. Cut off from his family, widowed after the death of his beloved wife Ruby and suffering sporadically from the effects of Alzheimer's, he doesn't want to be a charity case and it takes Penny a while to win him around before his condition deteriorates. Still, his condition was sensitively written, feeling more genuine than just being shoehorned in as the plot required, and it brought out some truly lovely traits in supporting characters.
I was a little disappointed that Penny's journey of growth and self discovery seemed to boil down to getting a new boyfriend. Ok, I'm simplifying a bit, but I think I would have prefered Penny to be a little more independent by the end of the book. Still, it's a charmingly simple coming of age story that will leave you with a smile on your face. That said, it does have a few surprisingly dark moments, including a few mentions of rape that may be triggering for some. Such moments are fleeting though, feeling almost as though they need further exploration or needn't have been included at all.
Outspoken is a nicely written story, perfect for a lazy afternoon read. The pacing is great, leisurely and easy to read without rushing or disengaging. A solid debut from author Lora Richardson, I'll definitely be looking to check out any future stuff from her!
Outspoken is a rather charming tale of a teenage girl at a crossroads in her life between childhood and adulthood. Penny is someone I think pretty much all of us can relate too at one time or another. She lives her life for other people, allowing their expectations to shape her life. After her inability to say no finally costs her more than she expected, she decides to postpone college, up sticks and move to another state. Come on, who hasn't fantasised about saying "screw this" and starting again somewhere new at one time or another? Hopefully not just me... Anyways, Penny decides that a new start also means a new her, and makes good on her determination to say no more, building a new life surrounded by new friends and reconnecting with her Alzheimer's suffering grandfather. At first glance, this story seemed a little too twee for my tastes but, contrary to what I expected, I loved it!
I adored Penny as a character. Sweet, good-natured and just a little bit firey, she is a wonderful protagonist and surrounded by nicely written supporting characters. I wasn't entirely sure about Archer at first though, somewhat puzzled about what exactly attracted Penny to such a bland, standoffish guy, but their fledgling relationship is one of the hearts of the story. Free of the magical powers and far away kingdoms that make up my usual reads, theirs is one of the cutest and most well written relationships I've read in a long time. It was also really refreshing to read the platonic female-male friendship between Penny and Mike without the usual love triangle trope that's so prevailent in YA being trotted out to add conflict to the plot. I didn't always buy the dialogue between the teenage characters (I did also raise an eyebrow at being expected to believe that the first person Penny meets is a building supervisor who is an 18 year old girl. Convenient, no?). It just seemed a bit to literal at times to advance the plot.
The other heart of the story is Penny's grandfather Cal. Cut off from his family, widowed after the death of his beloved wife Ruby and suffering sporadically from the effects of Alzheimer's, he doesn't want to be a charity case and it takes Penny a while to win him around before his condition deteriorates. Still, his condition was sensitively written, feeling more genuine than just being shoehorned in as the plot required, and it brought out some truly lovely traits in supporting characters.
I was a little disappointed that Penny's journey of growth and self discovery seemed to boil down to getting a new boyfriend. Ok, I'm simplifying a bit, but I think I would have prefered Penny to be a little more independent by the end of the book. Still, it's a charmingly simple coming of age story that will leave you with a smile on your face. That said, it does have a few surprisingly dark moments, including a few mentions of rape that may be triggering for some. Such moments are fleeting though, feeling almost as though they need further exploration or needn't have been included at all.
Outspoken is a nicely written story, perfect for a lazy afternoon read. The pacing is great, leisurely and easy to read without rushing or disengaging. A solid debut from author Lora Richardson, I'll definitely be looking to check out any future stuff from her!
November 4, 2015
Oh my goodness, it’s my first review request! *ecstatic happy dancing* I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I was when I received this email. That being said, my opinions regarding this book are completely my own, as my reviews always are.
The Characters: I think Penny is someone we can all relate to one way or another, which is very important in a novel in my opinion. Penny was at a time in her life where she was very uncertain and hesitant when making decisions because the last big one she made was a huge mistake. She’s terrified of breaking the rules and affecting others with her actions, and I think a lot of people share this type of experience.
How would I describe Penny? Um….smiley. Friendly. A bit boring, otherwise. Though her character itself wasn’t that intriguing, her thoughts were very relatable and interesting, which I think is the most important thing.
I wasn’t too fond of Archer either; he just seemed a bland to me. While I didn’t like the characters by themselves, I did love their relationship with each other and how I got to see it blossom.
The Plot: Often I struggle with books that aren’t very fast-paced, but I didn’t get bored at any point during this novel. The pacing was great, maybe even a little fast, in my opinion. Though the romance itself developed fairly slowly, the characters’ feelings for each other were obvious from the start. I was okay with this because that’s often what happens in real life. However, I do believe the best and most interesting romances are those in which the characters gradually get to know and like each other, instead of just liking each other right from the start.
One of the problems I had with this book was the character development, or the lack of it. Judging from the Goodreads blurb, I was expecting the book to be about Penny’s growth and transformation, and not just about the romance. I really didn’t see many improvements or changes of her character throughout the book, so that’s what bothered me the most about this novel.
The Writing Style: I, personally, wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, though I can see why other people would like it. It just seemed a little simplistic to me, and the dialogue felt a bit forced and unnatural. As I read, I had to refrain myself from marking up the text with added punctuation and vocabulary (Commas, commas, COMMAS!).
Final Thought: Though I did have some problems with this book, I definitely enjoyed it as a whole, and I would rate it 3 stars. If you’re looking for a fast-paced YA romance, Outspoken is the way to go!
Let’s talk! What were your thoughts on Outspoken? Let me know below! :)
The Characters: I think Penny is someone we can all relate to one way or another, which is very important in a novel in my opinion. Penny was at a time in her life where she was very uncertain and hesitant when making decisions because the last big one she made was a huge mistake. She’s terrified of breaking the rules and affecting others with her actions, and I think a lot of people share this type of experience.
How would I describe Penny? Um….smiley. Friendly. A bit boring, otherwise. Though her character itself wasn’t that intriguing, her thoughts were very relatable and interesting, which I think is the most important thing.
I wasn’t too fond of Archer either; he just seemed a bland to me. While I didn’t like the characters by themselves, I did love their relationship with each other and how I got to see it blossom.
The Plot: Often I struggle with books that aren’t very fast-paced, but I didn’t get bored at any point during this novel. The pacing was great, maybe even a little fast, in my opinion. Though the romance itself developed fairly slowly, the characters’ feelings for each other were obvious from the start. I was okay with this because that’s often what happens in real life. However, I do believe the best and most interesting romances are those in which the characters gradually get to know and like each other, instead of just liking each other right from the start.
One of the problems I had with this book was the character development, or the lack of it. Judging from the Goodreads blurb, I was expecting the book to be about Penny’s growth and transformation, and not just about the romance. I really didn’t see many improvements or changes of her character throughout the book, so that’s what bothered me the most about this novel.
The Writing Style: I, personally, wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, though I can see why other people would like it. It just seemed a little simplistic to me, and the dialogue felt a bit forced and unnatural. As I read, I had to refrain myself from marking up the text with added punctuation and vocabulary (Commas, commas, COMMAS!).
Final Thought: Though I did have some problems with this book, I definitely enjoyed it as a whole, and I would rate it 3 stars. If you’re looking for a fast-paced YA romance, Outspoken is the way to go!
Let’s talk! What were your thoughts on Outspoken? Let me know below! :)
December 25, 2015
This review also appears on my blog, Reading with Jenna.
I received an electronic copy of Outspoken from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love reading YA contemporary books and just the synopsis of this book told me that Outspoken would be right up my alley. I love a good coming-of-age book where there’s a lot of great character growth.
Penny has always done what other people tell her to do. She lets others make big decisions for her and she’s never spoken her own mind. She applies for college because her boyfriend told her to. She decides to major in chemistry because her father told her to. And she bought a black car because that’s the colour her younger sister wanted. But an incident with her boyfriend makes her realise that it’s time for her to voice her own opinions and say the things she wants to say. When given the opportunity to move across the country to check on her grandfather who has Alzheimer’s, she decides that a fresh start is just what she needs.
There’s not a lot that’s wrong with this book. It’s probably one of the best self-published books I’ve read, and it’s also a debut novel as well! So I guess I’ll start this review off with the one criticism that I have. I don’t feel as though there was enough character development in this book for me. Judging from the synopsis, the book is ostensibly about Penny’s growth and her transformation from being kind of spineless to being an assertive young woman, but I missed seeing an improvement in her character. The book starts off with Penny driving into her new town and becoming a new person and speaking her mind. Because we never got to really see who she was in the past, I couldn’t compare the person she was then to the new person she is now. I don’t feel as though she grew very much throughout the book either. There was just no before and after, for me. There is a point in the book where Penny goes home to visit and her sister mentions that she seems like a different person. I personally didn’t really see any changes in her, and that’s my main criticism of the book.
I think that the character development was probably overshadowed a little bit by all of the other things that were going on in the book. The book incorporates a lot of issues like post-natal depression, Alzheimer’s disease, blindness and grief. I actually really enjoyed that these things were mentioned and explored but I think it took away the emphasis of the character growth that we were supposed to be seeing. Having said that, I don’t think this book would have been as interesting if it hadn’t explored those issues and shone a light on the struggles of the people who suffer from those conditions.
I really loved the pace of this book. It’s quite slow in pace, and really allows you to immerse yourself into the book and the situation. The flow of the book was really good and it never felt like it was too slow. The pace of the book was consistent and very comfortable to read. As with a lot of self-published works, there were some unnecessary details scattered here and there and it could have been edited down a little bit. But I thought the writing was easy to read and not overly purple prose or overly simple.
What I enjoyed the most about Outspoken were the characters. I could really relate to a lot of the things that Penny was feeling. I connected with all of her feelings about not being in control of her own life, because I’ve also had my own period of being forced to take a million extracurriculars as a young teen. I liked all of the moments where she was able to speak her own mind (though there were times when I was a little bit horrified by how rude she was). I also really liked her love interest, Archer. He’s the introverted and broody type that I naturally find myself drawn to. But he was also more complex than a lot of other YA male love interests. It was really refreshing to see his flaws and his darker side, and he still made me swoon. There were a lot of interesting side characters too and they all warmed my heart.
I liked Penny and Archer separately but I liked them even more together. In fact, my favourite scenes in the book were when they were together. They brought out the best in each other and were able to open up and speak honestly to each other, even though they sometimes hid from others around them. I thought they had a really special relationship and really supported each other. I also feel like their relationship developed very naturally – it didn’t feel insta-lovey and there was no dancing around each other. The whole relationship just felt very honest.
I really recommend this book! I love reading and promoting self-published authors (they need love too!) and this is a really impressive self-published contemporary YA novel. If you enjoy reading contemporaries, especially those with great romances and some road trip elements, I think you’ll really like Outspoken.
I received an electronic copy of Outspoken from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love reading YA contemporary books and just the synopsis of this book told me that Outspoken would be right up my alley. I love a good coming-of-age book where there’s a lot of great character growth.
Penny has always done what other people tell her to do. She lets others make big decisions for her and she’s never spoken her own mind. She applies for college because her boyfriend told her to. She decides to major in chemistry because her father told her to. And she bought a black car because that’s the colour her younger sister wanted. But an incident with her boyfriend makes her realise that it’s time for her to voice her own opinions and say the things she wants to say. When given the opportunity to move across the country to check on her grandfather who has Alzheimer’s, she decides that a fresh start is just what she needs.
There’s not a lot that’s wrong with this book. It’s probably one of the best self-published books I’ve read, and it’s also a debut novel as well! So I guess I’ll start this review off with the one criticism that I have. I don’t feel as though there was enough character development in this book for me. Judging from the synopsis, the book is ostensibly about Penny’s growth and her transformation from being kind of spineless to being an assertive young woman, but I missed seeing an improvement in her character. The book starts off with Penny driving into her new town and becoming a new person and speaking her mind. Because we never got to really see who she was in the past, I couldn’t compare the person she was then to the new person she is now. I don’t feel as though she grew very much throughout the book either. There was just no before and after, for me. There is a point in the book where Penny goes home to visit and her sister mentions that she seems like a different person. I personally didn’t really see any changes in her, and that’s my main criticism of the book.
I think that the character development was probably overshadowed a little bit by all of the other things that were going on in the book. The book incorporates a lot of issues like post-natal depression, Alzheimer’s disease, blindness and grief. I actually really enjoyed that these things were mentioned and explored but I think it took away the emphasis of the character growth that we were supposed to be seeing. Having said that, I don’t think this book would have been as interesting if it hadn’t explored those issues and shone a light on the struggles of the people who suffer from those conditions.
I really loved the pace of this book. It’s quite slow in pace, and really allows you to immerse yourself into the book and the situation. The flow of the book was really good and it never felt like it was too slow. The pace of the book was consistent and very comfortable to read. As with a lot of self-published works, there were some unnecessary details scattered here and there and it could have been edited down a little bit. But I thought the writing was easy to read and not overly purple prose or overly simple.
What I enjoyed the most about Outspoken were the characters. I could really relate to a lot of the things that Penny was feeling. I connected with all of her feelings about not being in control of her own life, because I’ve also had my own period of being forced to take a million extracurriculars as a young teen. I liked all of the moments where she was able to speak her own mind (though there were times when I was a little bit horrified by how rude she was). I also really liked her love interest, Archer. He’s the introverted and broody type that I naturally find myself drawn to. But he was also more complex than a lot of other YA male love interests. It was really refreshing to see his flaws and his darker side, and he still made me swoon. There were a lot of interesting side characters too and they all warmed my heart.
I liked Penny and Archer separately but I liked them even more together. In fact, my favourite scenes in the book were when they were together. They brought out the best in each other and were able to open up and speak honestly to each other, even though they sometimes hid from others around them. I thought they had a really special relationship and really supported each other. I also feel like their relationship developed very naturally – it didn’t feel insta-lovey and there was no dancing around each other. The whole relationship just felt very honest.
I really recommend this book! I love reading and promoting self-published authors (they need love too!) and this is a really impressive self-published contemporary YA novel. If you enjoy reading contemporaries, especially those with great romances and some road trip elements, I think you’ll really like Outspoken.
October 17, 2015
Review also posted at My Midnight Musing
I received a copy of the eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Penny Beck is the kind of girl who puts everyone’s needs before her own, this means that more often enough she says yes when she means no. Having graduated from high school, Penny decides that she no longer wants to be the girl that bends to everyone else’s will and embarks on a journey that takes her away from everything she’s know so she can finally find her own voice.
Penny reminded me a lot of myself. Growing up I was always the person that said yes when I meant no. I let people walk all over me and I never seemed to be brave enough to voice my own thoughts and opinions. I could definitely identify to Penny’s struggle and the way that she didn’t really know herself and what she wanted. By making this journey across the country to visit her grandfather, Penny has the freedom to be the person she hopes to be and on this journey she meets an array of strange and wonderful characters that help her discover a side to her that she longed to find and a place that makes her feel like she belongs.
Out of all the new relationships Penny establishes, my favourite was the connection between her and Archer. At first glance, Archer seems very emotionally detached from the people in his life. However, the more he and Penny spend time together, the more we realise that he’s battling his own demons as the weight of his families past actions continue to weigh heavily on his mind.
However, there are moments in this book that made me feel very disconnected to the plot. I think this is because some of the moments in this book were almost staccato like and we were just going through the motions of Penny’s day to day life. As a result of this, I found that I couldn’t connect as much to Penny’s friends, Gwen and Marissa, who proved to be quite interesting characters but I felt that we had only scratched the surface with their struggles and doubts.
Overall this is quick, enjoyable read that explores the theme of identity and self-doubt. It’s a solid debut and I look forward to reading more of Lora’s work.
I received a copy of the eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Penny Beck is the kind of girl who puts everyone’s needs before her own, this means that more often enough she says yes when she means no. Having graduated from high school, Penny decides that she no longer wants to be the girl that bends to everyone else’s will and embarks on a journey that takes her away from everything she’s know so she can finally find her own voice.
Penny reminded me a lot of myself. Growing up I was always the person that said yes when I meant no. I let people walk all over me and I never seemed to be brave enough to voice my own thoughts and opinions. I could definitely identify to Penny’s struggle and the way that she didn’t really know herself and what she wanted. By making this journey across the country to visit her grandfather, Penny has the freedom to be the person she hopes to be and on this journey she meets an array of strange and wonderful characters that help her discover a side to her that she longed to find and a place that makes her feel like she belongs.
Out of all the new relationships Penny establishes, my favourite was the connection between her and Archer. At first glance, Archer seems very emotionally detached from the people in his life. However, the more he and Penny spend time together, the more we realise that he’s battling his own demons as the weight of his families past actions continue to weigh heavily on his mind.
However, there are moments in this book that made me feel very disconnected to the plot. I think this is because some of the moments in this book were almost staccato like and we were just going through the motions of Penny’s day to day life. As a result of this, I found that I couldn’t connect as much to Penny’s friends, Gwen and Marissa, who proved to be quite interesting characters but I felt that we had only scratched the surface with their struggles and doubts.
Overall this is quick, enjoyable read that explores the theme of identity and self-doubt. It’s a solid debut and I look forward to reading more of Lora’s work.
April 20, 2016
Holy Moses y’all. I just finished reading this book, and all I could say was, “This is me. Penny is ME!” Like, absolutely, to the core, this character is ME. Penny’s people-pleasing personality was mine growing up. And once you start down that path, it is so hard to stop. Life is easier when everyone else is making your choices for you…except when it’s not. So, Penny makes one huge decision, which is not what everyone else wants from her, and begins her mission to ‘practice’ being herself for the summer, far away from home.
Archer…what can I say except that I hope someday I can find someone who really sees me the way that he sees Penny. The two of them truly bring out the best in each other, and the truth in each other, in the long run, and it’s fun to watch the two of them discover it along the way. Archer hasn’t exactly had a charmed life, but that doesn’t mean that he has to perpetuate his past into his future.
Another subject that shows up in this book, which is also highly important to me personally, is Alzheimer’s. Penny’s grandfather is in the beginning stages of it. Lora Richardson handled this subject with beauty, grace, honesty, and raw emotion. Everything is here, the good, the sad, and the angry, both from Penny’s side and her grandfather’s. Almost every time I cried while reading this book was a powerful moment to do with Penny’s grandfather. (And there was a lot of crying while reading this one.)
This seriously is a must-read for everybody, but especially for those of us who are people pleasers and/or those who have family or friends with Alzheimer’s.
Your Not-So-Anonymous Book Junkie
Archer…what can I say except that I hope someday I can find someone who really sees me the way that he sees Penny. The two of them truly bring out the best in each other, and the truth in each other, in the long run, and it’s fun to watch the two of them discover it along the way. Archer hasn’t exactly had a charmed life, but that doesn’t mean that he has to perpetuate his past into his future.
Another subject that shows up in this book, which is also highly important to me personally, is Alzheimer’s. Penny’s grandfather is in the beginning stages of it. Lora Richardson handled this subject with beauty, grace, honesty, and raw emotion. Everything is here, the good, the sad, and the angry, both from Penny’s side and her grandfather’s. Almost every time I cried while reading this book was a powerful moment to do with Penny’s grandfather. (And there was a lot of crying while reading this one.)
This seriously is a must-read for everybody, but especially for those of us who are people pleasers and/or those who have family or friends with Alzheimer’s.
Your Not-So-Anonymous Book Junkie
April 6, 2016
I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not usually inclined towards coming-of-age novels but this book had me hooked right from the beginning! It had real characters and totally not stereotypical. The story was not too tragic for her to change but she wants to.
I loved Penny as she and I are very similar: we’re both 18, trying to grow up but when we finally do, it’s usually looked down upon (at least for me) and the struggles. She has seven younger siblings and she still thinks she’s not strong enough! She and I both need confidence boosts sometimes and I loved the way Archer helped her through it all.
I had a wonderful experience of reading this book. I could relate to Penny and she’s going strong. I like her. I like how she handles her Grandfather and the baby. I like how she is determined to speak her mind, even if it hurts them because she knows she’s not going to stay long. I loved the way the new city grew around her and became her home.
I’m not usually inclined towards coming-of-age novels but this book had me hooked right from the beginning! It had real characters and totally not stereotypical. The story was not too tragic for her to change but she wants to.
I loved Penny as she and I are very similar: we’re both 18, trying to grow up but when we finally do, it’s usually looked down upon (at least for me) and the struggles. She has seven younger siblings and she still thinks she’s not strong enough! She and I both need confidence boosts sometimes and I loved the way Archer helped her through it all.
I had a wonderful experience of reading this book. I could relate to Penny and she’s going strong. I like her. I like how she handles her Grandfather and the baby. I like how she is determined to speak her mind, even if it hurts them because she knows she’s not going to stay long. I loved the way the new city grew around her and became her home.
November 23, 2015
YA Contemporary is one of my all-time favorite genres. When I was contacted by Lora Richardson to read Outspoken in exchange for a review, I knew that I wanted to see what a new writer in the genre could do with it. Although my rating is 3 stars (though it’s really more like 3.5), I enjoyed a lot about it and wish I could give it a higher rating.
Penny Beck says yes a lot, no matter how much she wants to say no. Meaning, she kind of just does what everyone else wants her to do and doesn’t speak up. To get away from saying yes all the time, Penny decides to take a cross country trip to visit her grandfather. I absolutely loved that idea. I liked that instead of just sending Penny somewhere completely alone, Richardson sent her somewhere where she could deal with her own personal struggles and also be near someone who she could trust. She’s also there to be there for him, but she doesn’t move into his house and she is completely self-sufficient, getting an apartment and a job. That has to be a big feat for someone used to letting other people run her life. Personally, I think that Penny deserves a round of applause for taking charge so quickly.
Something that surprised me about the book was the amount of characters! I expected it to be mostly Penny, her grandfather, and Archer. Oh, was I wrong. There’s Gwen, Marissa, Irene, Steph, Vera. There are more characters than even that, but it was a great surprise. I typically don’t find books in this genre that focus on more than just the main character and their love interest. I definitely wasn’t expecting a large cast of characters, but the friendships ended up being my favorite part of the book. My favorites were Gwen, Steph, and Vera. Learning more about them would have been awesome.
And that brings me to the romance in the book. I really liked Archer, and I liked his and Penny’s relationship and how it developed, but their feelings for one another came quick for me. It didn’t take away from the book, though. Even if it felt a little rushed at times, I think that the set up of the book was great. There were so many scenes of Penny without him and with other people, so I like that the book doesn’t revolve around the romance. Penny had her time to deal with her personal feelings, for Archer and about other things, and become friends with others.
There are several issues in this book that I felt were handled extremely well. Penny’s grandfather, Cal, is dealing with dementia and, although I only know a bit about it from family members when I was younger, I do think that I learned a bit about the episodes and it was handled with a lot of respect toward the sufferer. I’m glad that this was a big part of the book. Another serious topic discussed in the book is rape. It is mentioned a few times outright and discussed at length with the victim. But I was relieved to read no blame thrown toward them and that they were given the time to express their own feelings about it. A few other topics explored throughout the book are postpartum depression, drugs, and blindness. There was a lot going on in the book when you take all of that into account, but I think that it added a lot to it. That is part of life and I appreciate when a book doesn’t gloss over issues and, as it is a young adult novel, it’s important to write about serious issues.
Overall, Lora Richardson is a talented author. She writes characters really well and I love that there were so many of them in this book. For the first half or so of the book, I was highlighting lines in my Kindle almost every other page. The second half of the book began to lose my interest, though I did want to know what was going to happen with Penny, Cal, and Archer. My main problems with the book was that, because there were so many characters, it felt that not everyone had the same or almost the same amount of development. Steph and Gregory were one of my favorite subplots and I wanted more of them. Even so, I’m so glad that Lora Richardson contacted me about reading this book, and I would love to read whatever she publishes next. I would highly recommend this novel to someone who is between the ages of 14-20. I’m quite a bit older than that, so maybe that’s part of the reason it didn’t blow me away, but I do think that it could help some teens and young adults to see a character taking their life into their own hands.
This review is also up on my blog, Bookish Rachel.
Penny Beck says yes a lot, no matter how much she wants to say no. Meaning, she kind of just does what everyone else wants her to do and doesn’t speak up. To get away from saying yes all the time, Penny decides to take a cross country trip to visit her grandfather. I absolutely loved that idea. I liked that instead of just sending Penny somewhere completely alone, Richardson sent her somewhere where she could deal with her own personal struggles and also be near someone who she could trust. She’s also there to be there for him, but she doesn’t move into his house and she is completely self-sufficient, getting an apartment and a job. That has to be a big feat for someone used to letting other people run her life. Personally, I think that Penny deserves a round of applause for taking charge so quickly.
Something that surprised me about the book was the amount of characters! I expected it to be mostly Penny, her grandfather, and Archer. Oh, was I wrong. There’s Gwen, Marissa, Irene, Steph, Vera. There are more characters than even that, but it was a great surprise. I typically don’t find books in this genre that focus on more than just the main character and their love interest. I definitely wasn’t expecting a large cast of characters, but the friendships ended up being my favorite part of the book. My favorites were Gwen, Steph, and Vera. Learning more about them would have been awesome.
And that brings me to the romance in the book. I really liked Archer, and I liked his and Penny’s relationship and how it developed, but their feelings for one another came quick for me. It didn’t take away from the book, though. Even if it felt a little rushed at times, I think that the set up of the book was great. There were so many scenes of Penny without him and with other people, so I like that the book doesn’t revolve around the romance. Penny had her time to deal with her personal feelings, for Archer and about other things, and become friends with others.
There are several issues in this book that I felt were handled extremely well. Penny’s grandfather, Cal, is dealing with dementia and, although I only know a bit about it from family members when I was younger, I do think that I learned a bit about the episodes and it was handled with a lot of respect toward the sufferer. I’m glad that this was a big part of the book. Another serious topic discussed in the book is rape. It is mentioned a few times outright and discussed at length with the victim. But I was relieved to read no blame thrown toward them and that they were given the time to express their own feelings about it. A few other topics explored throughout the book are postpartum depression, drugs, and blindness. There was a lot going on in the book when you take all of that into account, but I think that it added a lot to it. That is part of life and I appreciate when a book doesn’t gloss over issues and, as it is a young adult novel, it’s important to write about serious issues.
Overall, Lora Richardson is a talented author. She writes characters really well and I love that there were so many of them in this book. For the first half or so of the book, I was highlighting lines in my Kindle almost every other page. The second half of the book began to lose my interest, though I did want to know what was going to happen with Penny, Cal, and Archer. My main problems with the book was that, because there were so many characters, it felt that not everyone had the same or almost the same amount of development. Steph and Gregory were one of my favorite subplots and I wanted more of them. Even so, I’m so glad that Lora Richardson contacted me about reading this book, and I would love to read whatever she publishes next. I would highly recommend this novel to someone who is between the ages of 14-20. I’m quite a bit older than that, so maybe that’s part of the reason it didn’t blow me away, but I do think that it could help some teens and young adults to see a character taking their life into their own hands.
This review is also up on my blog, Bookish Rachel.
November 14, 2015
I received an eCopy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Outspoken follows Penny Beck, a recent high school graduate who is looking to find her backbone and herself. She is sick of always saying yes to others when what she really means is no. Penny vows to change and become more outspoken (title drop…hehe), and the only way she sees that happening is if she packs up and leaves home–surrounding herself with people that don’t know her, people that can become “practice friends” for the Penny 2.0.
I was glad to have been asked to review this book because the synopsis definitely created the image of a character that I could connect with. Much like Penny, I had to learn to reprogram myself. I had to tell myself that it’s not my job to please everyone. It’s okay to say no–but to be honest, I probably have the opposite issue now and need to learn to say yes more often (gahhh but I’m a homebody and don’t want to go out this weekend…).
Anyways, I was surprised because even though I could identify with Penny’s mission, I ultimately had trouble connecting to her–at least in the beginning. The trigger event for Penny involves her boyfriend (now ex-boyfriend). I just couldn’t fully understand Penny’s strong feelings toward the event because at one point, her thoughts made it seem like they were together for years, but in reality, they only went of five dates (if I read that correctly.) Why the hang up over a guy you only went out with five times? It just seems to me that Penny and Will’s backstory needed to be a little stronger–there needed to be a little more of it–so that the big event could have a greater and more understandable impact on me.
But once Penny got to her new town and started interacting with her new friends, I grew to like her more. Maybe it had to do with the fact that new friends brought about dialogue, and I’m very much a dialogue driven reader. Or maybe I just enjoyed watching her become a more mature person. Immature high schoolers are THE WORST. Do you like Mike or Archer, Penny? No waffling! The brotherly connection to Mike wasn’t as explicit as I would have liked it to be. But, I’m glad she got it together in the end. I also really liked the budding relationship between Penny and Archer, and because I love romance novels I was just like “Give me more of them! They’re cute!!”
So, I was disappointed that two scenes with Penny and Archer stood out to me as being cut short. I was thinking: BUT WHAT HAPPENED??? What happened after Archer joined the party for the first time? I need to know this because Mike and Gwen seemed to have such an aversion to him. That first interaction between the whole group seems important! And when he showed up to the Puzzler when Gwen was singing? WHAT HAPPENED THEN? Again, I just wanted more of Archer and Penny–more of them and less of other things.
I say less of other things because there seemed to be TOO much going on for just one book. Too many serious issues that were glossed over or talked about too simply–Marissa and Mike’s Mom, Irene, Penny’s Grandpa, Archer’s parents–it was just a lot. But I did like George Baker! I thought his role with Penny’s grandpa was really sweet.
Ultimately, the first half is slow-going, but the second half kept me interested enough to make it to the end, which really, the revelations at the end help to make better sense of the first half of the book. I have to commend first-time author Lora Richardson for a solid debut! Writing a novel is no small task. Congrats, and I’ll definitely keep an eye out for future publications!
Review originally posted: https://otoolebridget.wordpress.com/2....
Outspoken follows Penny Beck, a recent high school graduate who is looking to find her backbone and herself. She is sick of always saying yes to others when what she really means is no. Penny vows to change and become more outspoken (title drop…hehe), and the only way she sees that happening is if she packs up and leaves home–surrounding herself with people that don’t know her, people that can become “practice friends” for the Penny 2.0.
I was glad to have been asked to review this book because the synopsis definitely created the image of a character that I could connect with. Much like Penny, I had to learn to reprogram myself. I had to tell myself that it’s not my job to please everyone. It’s okay to say no–but to be honest, I probably have the opposite issue now and need to learn to say yes more often (gahhh but I’m a homebody and don’t want to go out this weekend…).
Anyways, I was surprised because even though I could identify with Penny’s mission, I ultimately had trouble connecting to her–at least in the beginning. The trigger event for Penny involves her boyfriend (now ex-boyfriend). I just couldn’t fully understand Penny’s strong feelings toward the event because at one point, her thoughts made it seem like they were together for years, but in reality, they only went of five dates (if I read that correctly.) Why the hang up over a guy you only went out with five times? It just seems to me that Penny and Will’s backstory needed to be a little stronger–there needed to be a little more of it–so that the big event could have a greater and more understandable impact on me.
But once Penny got to her new town and started interacting with her new friends, I grew to like her more. Maybe it had to do with the fact that new friends brought about dialogue, and I’m very much a dialogue driven reader. Or maybe I just enjoyed watching her become a more mature person. Immature high schoolers are THE WORST. Do you like Mike or Archer, Penny? No waffling! The brotherly connection to Mike wasn’t as explicit as I would have liked it to be. But, I’m glad she got it together in the end. I also really liked the budding relationship between Penny and Archer, and because I love romance novels I was just like “Give me more of them! They’re cute!!”
So, I was disappointed that two scenes with Penny and Archer stood out to me as being cut short. I was thinking: BUT WHAT HAPPENED??? What happened after Archer joined the party for the first time? I need to know this because Mike and Gwen seemed to have such an aversion to him. That first interaction between the whole group seems important! And when he showed up to the Puzzler when Gwen was singing? WHAT HAPPENED THEN? Again, I just wanted more of Archer and Penny–more of them and less of other things.
I say less of other things because there seemed to be TOO much going on for just one book. Too many serious issues that were glossed over or talked about too simply–Marissa and Mike’s Mom, Irene, Penny’s Grandpa, Archer’s parents–it was just a lot. But I did like George Baker! I thought his role with Penny’s grandpa was really sweet.
Ultimately, the first half is slow-going, but the second half kept me interested enough to make it to the end, which really, the revelations at the end help to make better sense of the first half of the book. I have to commend first-time author Lora Richardson for a solid debut! Writing a novel is no small task. Congrats, and I’ll definitely keep an eye out for future publications!
Review originally posted: https://otoolebridget.wordpress.com/2....
December 10, 2015
http://functioninginsanity.blogspot.c...
Rating: 5 Stars
Outspoken is a story of Penny, the girl who like many say yes when she really means no. She keeps to herself, follows rules, and is a good girl. After an eye opening experience she is determined to change her ways. She wants to build a back bone and be the strong woman she dreams of and the best way to do that is to practice. So moving cross-country to check on her grandpa she decides to try out her whole bolder and more outspoken attitude when she meets the strangers of the town. Practice saying and doing what she wants without worrying what anyone else thinks. That’s the plan. Practice on practice people who don’t count because who cares what they think. Until she does care. Can she stick to her guns?
I am much more outspoken now but even in middle school and high school I always spoke my mind even when I was beyond shy. I might not jump right in but I never let anyone push me around. Still I did like pleasing people, still do in some ways I do bake for my work people all the time after all, but there is a limit to it. I have known people through life that remind me of Penny, who let others take advantage of them and their disinterest in any type of conflict. Some do it by accident truly not knowing and others count on it to get what they want. I was invested in Penny from the start and had hope for her after having the courage to move cross-country. That’s a huge thing to leave your comfort zone.
The story was a quick read and I enjoyed Penny and her little adventures. It has a small town vibe also which was charming. All the new characters, practice people, where fun and entertaining. I could see the interactions and conversations playing out naturally before me. Each one offered the story something different and helped Penny along on her journey. Penny doesn’t instantly become a different person, she is still her but she is able to think things through. I like that and she is still open to things even if her first thought is no she isn’t rigid in that.
I really enjoyed how Richardson handled the issues in the story. Facing sick family and what it means for their life. Making a bad decision that you regret, something you can’t take back, and living with it afterwards. Finding your own place separate from that of what you came from. Family issues in several different aspects and how it effects you in different ways. Confusion after school of knowing what you want to do with your life. All of this was handled beautifully. I just adored this story and would recommend it to everyone.
*A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5 Stars
Outspoken is a story of Penny, the girl who like many say yes when she really means no. She keeps to herself, follows rules, and is a good girl. After an eye opening experience she is determined to change her ways. She wants to build a back bone and be the strong woman she dreams of and the best way to do that is to practice. So moving cross-country to check on her grandpa she decides to try out her whole bolder and more outspoken attitude when she meets the strangers of the town. Practice saying and doing what she wants without worrying what anyone else thinks. That’s the plan. Practice on practice people who don’t count because who cares what they think. Until she does care. Can she stick to her guns?
I am much more outspoken now but even in middle school and high school I always spoke my mind even when I was beyond shy. I might not jump right in but I never let anyone push me around. Still I did like pleasing people, still do in some ways I do bake for my work people all the time after all, but there is a limit to it. I have known people through life that remind me of Penny, who let others take advantage of them and their disinterest in any type of conflict. Some do it by accident truly not knowing and others count on it to get what they want. I was invested in Penny from the start and had hope for her after having the courage to move cross-country. That’s a huge thing to leave your comfort zone.
The story was a quick read and I enjoyed Penny and her little adventures. It has a small town vibe also which was charming. All the new characters, practice people, where fun and entertaining. I could see the interactions and conversations playing out naturally before me. Each one offered the story something different and helped Penny along on her journey. Penny doesn’t instantly become a different person, she is still her but she is able to think things through. I like that and she is still open to things even if her first thought is no she isn’t rigid in that.
I really enjoyed how Richardson handled the issues in the story. Facing sick family and what it means for their life. Making a bad decision that you regret, something you can’t take back, and living with it afterwards. Finding your own place separate from that of what you came from. Family issues in several different aspects and how it effects you in different ways. Confusion after school of knowing what you want to do with your life. All of this was handled beautifully. I just adored this story and would recommend it to everyone.
*A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2016
I thought this book definitely had a lot of things going for it. The pacing was great and I felt like Penny was a pretty relatable character–she just seemed so normal. I liked that she was trying to reinvent herself a bit because I think that’s something that a lot of girls try to do whether it be when they leave for college or some other time. The idea that you’ll finally be able to be who you want to be once you get away from the people who have known you forever is one that I think a lot of people can relate to. In the end, Penny really just wants to find herself–to figure out exactly who she is without her family’s expectations. There is something liberating about being surrounded by people who don’t have any history with you.
The secondary characters were an interesting cast. I liked meeting and learning about the different people that Penny delivers groceries to as well as the new friends that she makes. Overall, the characters come together and really add to the small town feel of the book. I love reading about coastal beach towns, so I was in love with the entire atmosphere.
I also really liked how Penny’s relationship with her grandfather was portrayed. It seems like a tough situation to deal with someone who has Alzheimer’s but doesn’t realize how bad it is yet. There were a couple of scenes especially where my heart just broke for Penny’s poor grandfather. That has to be such a hard thing.
As far as critiques go, I think there was a little too much telling and not enough showing from the author. There were times when the book felt very matter-of-fact and like there wasn’t much for the reader to interpret. Everything was just kind of laid out there. I also felt like the author was trying to do a lot at once. What I mean by that is that she addressed several different issues including, but not limited to: an ailing grandparent, a deceased parent, new motherhood, and rape. I just felt like there were too many balls to juggle and because of that, we didn’t get into some of the issues as much as I would have liked to. I also felt like the author tried to do a little too much with the ending as well. It seemed like almost every character’s story ended with a little bow wrapped around it and I didn’t think that was necessary. Not every character needs to have a resolved ending.
Overall, I thought the book was pretty good. The atmosphere was spot on and I felt like I could relate to the main character. I really did want her to succeed and I think this would be a good book for other people to read when they feel like their life is at a crossroads.
Overall Rating: 3
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Sexual Content: Moderate
Smoking/Drinking: Heavy
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The secondary characters were an interesting cast. I liked meeting and learning about the different people that Penny delivers groceries to as well as the new friends that she makes. Overall, the characters come together and really add to the small town feel of the book. I love reading about coastal beach towns, so I was in love with the entire atmosphere.
I also really liked how Penny’s relationship with her grandfather was portrayed. It seems like a tough situation to deal with someone who has Alzheimer’s but doesn’t realize how bad it is yet. There were a couple of scenes especially where my heart just broke for Penny’s poor grandfather. That has to be such a hard thing.
As far as critiques go, I think there was a little too much telling and not enough showing from the author. There were times when the book felt very matter-of-fact and like there wasn’t much for the reader to interpret. Everything was just kind of laid out there. I also felt like the author was trying to do a lot at once. What I mean by that is that she addressed several different issues including, but not limited to: an ailing grandparent, a deceased parent, new motherhood, and rape. I just felt like there were too many balls to juggle and because of that, we didn’t get into some of the issues as much as I would have liked to. I also felt like the author tried to do a little too much with the ending as well. It seemed like almost every character’s story ended with a little bow wrapped around it and I didn’t think that was necessary. Not every character needs to have a resolved ending.
Overall, I thought the book was pretty good. The atmosphere was spot on and I felt like I could relate to the main character. I really did want her to succeed and I think this would be a good book for other people to read when they feel like their life is at a crossroads.
Overall Rating: 3
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Sexual Content: Moderate
Smoking/Drinking: Heavy
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 6, 2015
I have to start of by saying that I am so glad that I received a copy of this book from the author because I’m not sure I would have found it myself and it was spectacular. If after reading the brief synopsis you’re like me and are thinking that this is another typical finding yourself type of YA story then like me, you’d be wrong. It’s so much more! Maybe it’s because I can see a bit of my 18 year old self in Penny but I just loved her. I think so many people can relate to what she’s feeling. The time after you finish high school that you’re expected to be an adult but your not even sure what that means yet is something I think everyone can relate to. I also feel like I should mention that Outspoken isn’t just a lighthearted story about a young girl finding herself and love. It does touch on several serious topics including: Alzheimers, postpartum depression, the visually impaired, and even rape. I know that seems like a lot of heavy topics but it’s handled well and not overwhelming at all.
Penny is looking forward to being on her own for the first time without her seven brothers and sisters but she quickly makes friends with Gwen and Marissa. I love how her friendship with them grows and all of their personalities make for fun reading. Penny quickly gets a job at the grocery store when she has her first encounter with the mysterious Archer. Yes, there’s a love interest. Their relationship grows naturally and in my opinion was not insta love at all. I loved their dialogue together and how comfortable and sometimes even sassy Penny is with him. I’m a sucker for a good love interest and Archer fit that role perfectly!
Whenever I’m thinking of giving a book 5 stars I often wonder if I’m just giving those out too often but in this case I knew I wasn’t. One of the things that really pushed this book over the edge for me were all the characters. Having a job as a delivery person at the grocery store gives Penny, and the reader, a chance to get to know so many wonderful characters and their stories. I loved that book isn’t just about a young girl finding love. It’s a young girl discovering who she is, building new friendships, and rediscovering her relationship with her grandfather. If even a tiny thing about this book has peeked your interest then I would say…definitely pick this one up!
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Penny is looking forward to being on her own for the first time without her seven brothers and sisters but she quickly makes friends with Gwen and Marissa. I love how her friendship with them grows and all of their personalities make for fun reading. Penny quickly gets a job at the grocery store when she has her first encounter with the mysterious Archer. Yes, there’s a love interest. Their relationship grows naturally and in my opinion was not insta love at all. I loved their dialogue together and how comfortable and sometimes even sassy Penny is with him. I’m a sucker for a good love interest and Archer fit that role perfectly!
Whenever I’m thinking of giving a book 5 stars I often wonder if I’m just giving those out too often but in this case I knew I wasn’t. One of the things that really pushed this book over the edge for me were all the characters. Having a job as a delivery person at the grocery store gives Penny, and the reader, a chance to get to know so many wonderful characters and their stories. I loved that book isn’t just about a young girl finding love. It’s a young girl discovering who she is, building new friendships, and rediscovering her relationship with her grandfather. If even a tiny thing about this book has peeked your interest then I would say…definitely pick this one up!
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
December 20, 2015
This review was originally posted on [www.125pages.com]
Outspoken is a cute fast NA read. Is it life changing and super powerful? No, but I don't need every book I read to be. Sometimes I just want to read a nice story and this was one of those. World building was well done, pacing was solid and the characters were developed well. The sidekicks were particularly well done and provided some nice comic and emotional support. The love interest was the required dreamy and deep. The family was pushy yet caring and I enjoyed that they weren't the typical YA neglectful family. They were overly caring and clingy and that was a nice change. Outspoken was chock full of YA/NA clichés. Friends are made instantly even though main character does not want friends and wants to be broody loner. Love interest is right there and super perfect. Job and living situation instantly work out. However that being said, none of that brought the story down. Clichés are not instantly bad, they are consistently used because they work, and in this book they work. The addition of Penny's grandfathers decent into Alzheimer's was especially poignant and well written and not something usually found in YA/NA. I also did really like the main character Penny and her motivation. She was on a mission to reinvent herself and be true to her feelings and I liked that. Outspoken is Lora Richardson's debut novel and I feel it was overall a success. I can see great things coming from Richardson in the future with some polish and growth.
Favorite lines - Thoughts swirled around her head, and the only one she could grab onto was that whispering after kisses is practically mandatory. As if using your full voice would scare the new feelings away.
Biggest cliché - "I feel so alone in the world, but yet everyone loves me instantly."
Have you read Outspoken, or added it to your TBR?
Outspoken is a cute fast NA read. Is it life changing and super powerful? No, but I don't need every book I read to be. Sometimes I just want to read a nice story and this was one of those. World building was well done, pacing was solid and the characters were developed well. The sidekicks were particularly well done and provided some nice comic and emotional support. The love interest was the required dreamy and deep. The family was pushy yet caring and I enjoyed that they weren't the typical YA neglectful family. They were overly caring and clingy and that was a nice change. Outspoken was chock full of YA/NA clichés. Friends are made instantly even though main character does not want friends and wants to be broody loner. Love interest is right there and super perfect. Job and living situation instantly work out. However that being said, none of that brought the story down. Clichés are not instantly bad, they are consistently used because they work, and in this book they work. The addition of Penny's grandfathers decent into Alzheimer's was especially poignant and well written and not something usually found in YA/NA. I also did really like the main character Penny and her motivation. She was on a mission to reinvent herself and be true to her feelings and I liked that. Outspoken is Lora Richardson's debut novel and I feel it was overall a success. I can see great things coming from Richardson in the future with some polish and growth.Favorite lines - Thoughts swirled around her head, and the only one she could grab onto was that whispering after kisses is practically mandatory. As if using your full voice would scare the new feelings away.
Biggest cliché - "I feel so alone in the world, but yet everyone loves me instantly."
Have you read Outspoken, or added it to your TBR?
November 27, 2015
This is another one of those books lately where it was okay, but I just didn't get into it very much. I'm starting to wonder if it's entirely me or the books. I don't know. What I can tell you is that at times, it was just really hard for me to get into Outspoken. There were points in the book where I got caught up in how cute Penny and Archer were together, but a couple of pages later I was struggling to stay as into the book.
I liked the concept of Penny wanting to use the summer to actually speak her mind, but it didn't feel like that actually was a large part of the book. It was brought up occasionally, but it never felt to me like Penny was really trying to do that. Of course, we don't get to see her before she makes that decision, but most of what she does didn't feel like an exercise in saying what she wanted. To me, it only felt like that a couple of times throughout the book, and I wish that had been more focused on.
While I did think Penny and Archer were cute together, I almost feel like their relationship took up the book too much, and there was too little focus on Penny's growth as a person. In the end, it felt like it was essentially a romance book and nothing more. There's nothing wrong with that, but I felt like there were beginnings there for a good story about Penny finding herself. And, in the end, it didn't feel like that aspect of the story got that satisfying of a conclusion.
The other big thing that took me out of the story over and over again was the dialogue. So much of the dialogue felt unnatural to me. It was a struggle to believe that people would actually say things like that out loud because the way it was worded didn't flow naturally or like how you would expect words to flow in conversation. That took me out of the story almost every other page it feels like and became very distracting.
In the end though, it was a cute story with a cute romance. People who enjoy cute romances might enjoy this book, and I really liked the romance aspect of this book.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
http://hmweasley-blog.blogspot.com/20...
I liked the concept of Penny wanting to use the summer to actually speak her mind, but it didn't feel like that actually was a large part of the book. It was brought up occasionally, but it never felt to me like Penny was really trying to do that. Of course, we don't get to see her before she makes that decision, but most of what she does didn't feel like an exercise in saying what she wanted. To me, it only felt like that a couple of times throughout the book, and I wish that had been more focused on.
While I did think Penny and Archer were cute together, I almost feel like their relationship took up the book too much, and there was too little focus on Penny's growth as a person. In the end, it felt like it was essentially a romance book and nothing more. There's nothing wrong with that, but I felt like there were beginnings there for a good story about Penny finding herself. And, in the end, it didn't feel like that aspect of the story got that satisfying of a conclusion.
The other big thing that took me out of the story over and over again was the dialogue. So much of the dialogue felt unnatural to me. It was a struggle to believe that people would actually say things like that out loud because the way it was worded didn't flow naturally or like how you would expect words to flow in conversation. That took me out of the story almost every other page it feels like and became very distracting.
In the end though, it was a cute story with a cute romance. People who enjoy cute romances might enjoy this book, and I really liked the romance aspect of this book.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
http://hmweasley-blog.blogspot.com/20...
June 4, 2016
Read the full review at Literary Legionnaire
Outspoken was nice and quick read. It took a few chapters for me to get into the story, but I overall enjoyed it.
My favorite part of the novel was definitely the characters. They all had such unique backstories and personalities, and it was really interesting to learn about their quirks. On the other hand, however, their interactions with each other were a bit forced and the flow seemed a bit off. Speaking of which, the chapters sometimes cut off in the middle of a conversation. I understand why a specific line was chosen, as it packed a punch, but at the same time I was waiting for an argument or some sort of conclusion to the conversation and it never came.
I liked the idea of the story, as I could connect to the main character, Penny, in many ways. However, the story seemed a bit rushed and although I could see the changes in Penny, I would have liked to see a bigger character arc and a more gradual change. For a majority of the story, I thought she was pretty outgoing and successful, with only the occasional struggle in her "No Quest".
The romance was okay, but I thought it was a bit abrupt. I think Penny and Archer were good together, but it did seem a bit instalove-y to me. Perhaps I just did not have a good sense of time in the novel though, as months went past when I thought only days had. Maybe that was my own problem for not keeping track, but it was a bit difficult to tell the shift in time throughout.
There were a few things that threw me off guard, like the mention of rape and drugs a few times throughout the story. This did unnerve me, so I'd definitely be wary if those types of things bother you. It is not a huge part of the story, and it is not too graphic, but just be cautious.
All in all, Outspoken was a decent read. It did not blow me away, but I still ended up liking it enough. I would still recommend giving it a try if you like the sound of the story, it just was not quite the book for me.
My Rating: ✪✪
Outspoken was nice and quick read. It took a few chapters for me to get into the story, but I overall enjoyed it.
My favorite part of the novel was definitely the characters. They all had such unique backstories and personalities, and it was really interesting to learn about their quirks. On the other hand, however, their interactions with each other were a bit forced and the flow seemed a bit off. Speaking of which, the chapters sometimes cut off in the middle of a conversation. I understand why a specific line was chosen, as it packed a punch, but at the same time I was waiting for an argument or some sort of conclusion to the conversation and it never came.
I liked the idea of the story, as I could connect to the main character, Penny, in many ways. However, the story seemed a bit rushed and although I could see the changes in Penny, I would have liked to see a bigger character arc and a more gradual change. For a majority of the story, I thought she was pretty outgoing and successful, with only the occasional struggle in her "No Quest".
The romance was okay, but I thought it was a bit abrupt. I think Penny and Archer were good together, but it did seem a bit instalove-y to me. Perhaps I just did not have a good sense of time in the novel though, as months went past when I thought only days had. Maybe that was my own problem for not keeping track, but it was a bit difficult to tell the shift in time throughout.
There were a few things that threw me off guard, like the mention of rape and drugs a few times throughout the story. This did unnerve me, so I'd definitely be wary if those types of things bother you. It is not a huge part of the story, and it is not too graphic, but just be cautious.
All in all, Outspoken was a decent read. It did not blow me away, but I still ended up liking it enough. I would still recommend giving it a try if you like the sound of the story, it just was not quite the book for me.
My Rating: ✪✪
June 30, 2017
Review originally posted on arcticbooks.wordpress.com
Thank you to the author for sending me an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
OUTSPOKEN was a cute, fun read that focuses on a girl’s development of self-esteem and self-confidence.
Penny is someone who, at the start of the novel, has only a slimmer of the ability to stand up for herself. She is ultimately a people-pleaser, but her decision to be more assertive and confident allows her to change for the better. She moves to a new town before she was going to go to college (not to mention, she only wanted to go to said college because her now ex-boyfriend wanted her to) to take care of her grandfather and meet new people.
What I loved about this novel was the way that the author expressed Penny’s undoubtable character development, subtlety but surely. She changes from someone who would say yes to please everyone to someone who could make decisions for herself and only herself.
Penny is not the only one with character development; Asher, Penny’s main love interest, surely changed a lot as well. I’m not going to lie, for the first half of the book, I totally believed that Asher was a creep and that Penny should say far from him. By the end of the book, Penny and Asher had a incredibly coo-worthy relationship.
Note: However, if you are considering reading this book, please be aware that there are major trigger warnings for rape; one is towards the middle and another is at near the end.
The only thing in this book that I had a problem with is that there is a detailed story of a rape but a faded-out story of a consensual sex scene. I wholly believe that it’s more important to put emphasis on consent rather than a situation of non-consent, so that bothered me.
Despite that, overall, Richardson does a great job of telling this story of a young woman’s journey to self-discovery as a debut and self-published author.
Thank you to the author for sending me an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
OUTSPOKEN was a cute, fun read that focuses on a girl’s development of self-esteem and self-confidence.
Penny is someone who, at the start of the novel, has only a slimmer of the ability to stand up for herself. She is ultimately a people-pleaser, but her decision to be more assertive and confident allows her to change for the better. She moves to a new town before she was going to go to college (not to mention, she only wanted to go to said college because her now ex-boyfriend wanted her to) to take care of her grandfather and meet new people.
What I loved about this novel was the way that the author expressed Penny’s undoubtable character development, subtlety but surely. She changes from someone who would say yes to please everyone to someone who could make decisions for herself and only herself.
Penny is not the only one with character development; Asher, Penny’s main love interest, surely changed a lot as well. I’m not going to lie, for the first half of the book, I totally believed that Asher was a creep and that Penny should say far from him. By the end of the book, Penny and Asher had a incredibly coo-worthy relationship.
Note: However, if you are considering reading this book, please be aware that there are major trigger warnings for rape; one is towards the middle and another is at near the end.
The only thing in this book that I had a problem with is that there is a detailed story of a rape but a faded-out story of a consensual sex scene. I wholly believe that it’s more important to put emphasis on consent rather than a situation of non-consent, so that bothered me.
Despite that, overall, Richardson does a great job of telling this story of a young woman’s journey to self-discovery as a debut and self-published author.
January 21, 2016
Disclaimer: I receive a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
For those of you who are considering to read this novel there are major trigger warnings for rape. It is mentioned twice in the book, once at 41% and once near the end, probably around 86%.
I really liked this one. I had a couple issues with some of the dialogue and the tone, but the majority it was a good novel. If you are looking for a book that shows good character growth and has a main character who is learning to really be themselves, this is the one for you.
I will say that at some points it felt a bit like info-dumping of backstories of the characters. We learned a lot about the side characters all at once rather than gradually getting to know them. I found this to be a bit jarring since it seemed as though we were only learning this information to make those characters seem like real people rather than in a natural way or for a real reason.
Penny seemed to have very stiff voice as well. While all the dialogue seemed to be stilted, I found it the worst with Penny and Archer, especially with their conversations to one another. Something that was meant to be funny or sarcastic didn't come across that way unless the author wrote in that it was supposed to be funny or sarcastic. It was hard to get through some of their conversations.
I still recommend giving this one a try, but as I said there are trigger warnings for rape.
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
For those of you who are considering to read this novel there are major trigger warnings for rape. It is mentioned twice in the book, once at 41% and once near the end, probably around 86%.
I really liked this one. I had a couple issues with some of the dialogue and the tone, but the majority it was a good novel. If you are looking for a book that shows good character growth and has a main character who is learning to really be themselves, this is the one for you.
I will say that at some points it felt a bit like info-dumping of backstories of the characters. We learned a lot about the side characters all at once rather than gradually getting to know them. I found this to be a bit jarring since it seemed as though we were only learning this information to make those characters seem like real people rather than in a natural way or for a real reason.
Penny seemed to have very stiff voice as well. While all the dialogue seemed to be stilted, I found it the worst with Penny and Archer, especially with their conversations to one another. Something that was meant to be funny or sarcastic didn't come across that way unless the author wrote in that it was supposed to be funny or sarcastic. It was hard to get through some of their conversations.
I still recommend giving this one a try, but as I said there are trigger warnings for rape.
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
August 10, 2016
Like any normal teenage girl, I'm spending my Friday evening sitting in my cutsie little chair with a glass of tea that just a tad too sweet (whoops), reviewing a book for you...and apparently flirting with my computer screen....Yup, typical fifteen-year-old girl behavior...Isn't that what everyone my age is doing now a days? No? Well, they're missing out on all the fun.....At least my new BBF ( Book Boyfriend) is here....Archer. Talk about gorgeousness. I'm such a lucky girl, I know.
When my mom asks me why my room is half cleaned, and I'm going to end up taking a shower at nine (fifty*), I'm blaming Outspoken. Like the very mature young woman that I am, I abandoned all of my responsibilities and my growing "you-have-to-read-these-because-you-told-the-author-you-would-and-you're-a-trustworthy-responsible-person-that-keeps-your-promises" list and reading Outspoken instead. But what's life without a little a adventure, yeah? Penny would agree with me *winks dramatically at computer screen* Right, Penny? Am I right?? I so am.
Yeppp, before I go on, with my very exaggerated spelling and casually repeated letters, this WAS an author requested book...Sorry Randall (he's another author that requested a review, and I began reading HIS book, but I felt like I needed a little cute romance in my life....). Lora Richardson ( I never know how to address them? First name? Ms/Mr? Buddy? Pal? First+Last? Someone needs to get me a manual for this stuff because I don't even know anymore) very, very kindly provided us with a copy of her book....which is the case most times...for an honest review....but anywayyyy, onward and forward with all of the reviewing!
I still get that little...
You can find the rest of this review (along with many more) here.
When my mom asks me why my room is half cleaned, and I'm going to end up taking a shower at nine (fifty*), I'm blaming Outspoken. Like the very mature young woman that I am, I abandoned all of my responsibilities and my growing "you-have-to-read-these-because-you-told-the-author-you-would-and-you're-a-trustworthy-responsible-person-that-keeps-your-promises" list and reading Outspoken instead. But what's life without a little a adventure, yeah? Penny would agree with me *winks dramatically at computer screen* Right, Penny? Am I right?? I so am.
Yeppp, before I go on, with my very exaggerated spelling and casually repeated letters, this WAS an author requested book...Sorry Randall (he's another author that requested a review, and I began reading HIS book, but I felt like I needed a little cute romance in my life....). Lora Richardson ( I never know how to address them? First name? Ms/Mr? Buddy? Pal? First+Last? Someone needs to get me a manual for this stuff because I don't even know anymore) very, very kindly provided us with a copy of her book....which is the case most times...for an honest review....but anywayyyy, onward and forward with all of the reviewing!
I still get that little...
You can find the rest of this review (along with many more) here.
January 28, 2016
I'm really glad that I had the chance to read this book! Based on the description alone, I could tell that this was a story right up my alley. There is no love triangle and there is a beautiful balance of family dynamics and female and platonic female-male friendships. This book was definitely really great based on the writing and how I personally was able to connect with the characters.
Penny and Archer were great characters on their own, but they were even better together. I loved how slowly but surely the build up between them was. Archer's story was extremely sad, but his honesty and how he opened up to Penny was fascinating and also swoony to read. I'm always a fan of the loner love interest and Archer didn't disappoint. My favorite thing about him was that he never beat around the bush when it came to how he felt about Penny. I always find it refreshing when the main male character isn't hot and cold with the MC. I won't be forgetting about Archer and his romantic and honest ways anytime soon.
There are very few things that I would change about this book. It was a quick read, and just what I needed. Yes, it has drama, but it's a realistic amount. Some YA books are hard for me to connect with because the plot doesn't seem like it would really happen to any teens that I know, but this one was just the opposite. I was beyond thrilled when Lora Richardson approached me about reviewing her book because the description automatically spoke to me. I hope that you guys also give this a try because it's the kind of story that we need to see more of in Young Adult novels. Read full review on Go Read A Book
Penny and Archer were great characters on their own, but they were even better together. I loved how slowly but surely the build up between them was. Archer's story was extremely sad, but his honesty and how he opened up to Penny was fascinating and also swoony to read. I'm always a fan of the loner love interest and Archer didn't disappoint. My favorite thing about him was that he never beat around the bush when it came to how he felt about Penny. I always find it refreshing when the main male character isn't hot and cold with the MC. I won't be forgetting about Archer and his romantic and honest ways anytime soon.
There are very few things that I would change about this book. It was a quick read, and just what I needed. Yes, it has drama, but it's a realistic amount. Some YA books are hard for me to connect with because the plot doesn't seem like it would really happen to any teens that I know, but this one was just the opposite. I was beyond thrilled when Lora Richardson approached me about reviewing her book because the description automatically spoke to me. I hope that you guys also give this a try because it's the kind of story that we need to see more of in Young Adult novels. Read full review on Go Read A Book
November 30, 2015
I RECIEVED THIS BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY VIEWS OR OPINIONS IN ANY WAYS.
Outspoken by Lora Richardson is a great book. I really enjoyed reading it.
Penny Beck just graduated from high school. She changed her mind about going to college at the last minute, and is now spending her summer with her grandpa. He has dementia and needs someone to watch him. Penny gets to his town and decides to be more sure of herself, and not just do what others want her to do. She meets a few new friends, and learns a lot about herself. Along the way, a surprising romance blossoms. Read the book to find out more.
The plot of this book was really good. It wasn't super fast paced, but it flowed just right. There was also the perfect amount of excitement. Every once in a while, I had to reread a little part of the book. That could have just been the fact that I was reading too fast, but I don't know. There was more than one little problem in this book, and all the elements fit together perfectly.
The characters in this book were unique and interesting. Penny was a typical teenage girl, and was a pretty good role model while not being goody-goody. Archer was a slacker boy with an unusual background, and he was also a loner of sorts. Penny's other friends were full of excitement and always trying to get her to be more social.
The setting in this book was interesting. It took place in a small beach town. I thought that was very interesting, and it made the whole book more interesting.
I really enjoyed this book. It was unuasually good. I give it 5 stars.
Outspoken by Lora Richardson is a great book. I really enjoyed reading it.
Penny Beck just graduated from high school. She changed her mind about going to college at the last minute, and is now spending her summer with her grandpa. He has dementia and needs someone to watch him. Penny gets to his town and decides to be more sure of herself, and not just do what others want her to do. She meets a few new friends, and learns a lot about herself. Along the way, a surprising romance blossoms. Read the book to find out more.
The plot of this book was really good. It wasn't super fast paced, but it flowed just right. There was also the perfect amount of excitement. Every once in a while, I had to reread a little part of the book. That could have just been the fact that I was reading too fast, but I don't know. There was more than one little problem in this book, and all the elements fit together perfectly.
The characters in this book were unique and interesting. Penny was a typical teenage girl, and was a pretty good role model while not being goody-goody. Archer was a slacker boy with an unusual background, and he was also a loner of sorts. Penny's other friends were full of excitement and always trying to get her to be more social.
The setting in this book was interesting. It took place in a small beach town. I thought that was very interesting, and it made the whole book more interesting.
I really enjoyed this book. It was unuasually good. I give it 5 stars.
January 31, 2016
I had to sit on this book for a while before posting a review. Usually I have strong feelings, or at least a gut feeling, about a book halfway through. This one I read all the way through and stared at it, postponing the review again and again.
So let's start with the basics and get more defined from there. I didn't in any way dislike this book. At the same time I wasn't jumping with excitement to turn the pages. My hands turned with the pace of the book which was even, not rushed but not really sleepy.
Second, the story itself. I really liked following the journey of Penny from a girl who wants to improve and be her own woman to is better and strong. The story itself is wonderful and has a great moral.
And the characters. I liked Penny's friends and her grandpa. Penny was alright, but maybe could have had a wider emotional range. I didn't buy into Penny's parents for a second. They may as well have been cardboard.
So is this some literary masterpiece that will be analyzed and forced into students for centuries to come? No. But it is the type of book that I would love to see in every library and reaching millions of kids for decades to come. I love the message and I love the cozy feeling after reading it and I would definitely buy this book for a friend.
End rating: 4 out of 5
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
So let's start with the basics and get more defined from there. I didn't in any way dislike this book. At the same time I wasn't jumping with excitement to turn the pages. My hands turned with the pace of the book which was even, not rushed but not really sleepy.
Second, the story itself. I really liked following the journey of Penny from a girl who wants to improve and be her own woman to is better and strong. The story itself is wonderful and has a great moral.
And the characters. I liked Penny's friends and her grandpa. Penny was alright, but maybe could have had a wider emotional range. I didn't buy into Penny's parents for a second. They may as well have been cardboard.
So is this some literary masterpiece that will be analyzed and forced into students for centuries to come? No. But it is the type of book that I would love to see in every library and reaching millions of kids for decades to come. I love the message and I love the cozy feeling after reading it and I would definitely buy this book for a friend.
End rating: 4 out of 5
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2016
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This book is about a girl (Penny) who leaves her home and family to live alone, well close to her grandfather so she can check up on him and see if he needs help, since he is sick, but mostly she “escaped” her life and responsibilities, her parents expect her to go to college on the fall, and the truth is she didn´t want that for herself.
This novel shows the life of a teenager/new adult and all the problems that people go through, it shows hot it is not all happy stuff, it actually shows effort, work, problems, etc. I really liked this book and I truly believe I learned from it, it was really fun to read and I wanted to know everything, but at the same time is a breath of fresh air from all those romance books that at the end don´t offer anything to the readers.
If you are considering reading this READ IT! You won´t be disappointed!
October 18, 2015
This was a typical coming of age story. A young girl graduates and decides to leave home to figure out what she wants to do with her life, She is planning to reinvent herself.
Honestly, Penny was a very relatable character. Any young woman can relate to her feelings. I know I did. This book was really sad to me though. She leaves home to not only find herself, but to also care for her grandfather who is slowly losing his mind to Alzheimers. Penny's story is sad in itself and then her grandfathers story is also sad and very true for so many people.
I have to say my favorite part of this book was Archer and Penny. I was rooting for them the entire book. They are like to pieces to one heart apart but together they seem to make each other whole.
Overall, this book was a good read....Stormi
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Honestly, Penny was a very relatable character. Any young woman can relate to her feelings. I know I did. This book was really sad to me though. She leaves home to not only find herself, but to also care for her grandfather who is slowly losing his mind to Alzheimers. Penny's story is sad in itself and then her grandfathers story is also sad and very true for so many people.
I have to say my favorite part of this book was Archer and Penny. I was rooting for them the entire book. They are like to pieces to one heart apart but together they seem to make each other whole.
Overall, this book was a good read....Stormi
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February 25, 2016
Outspoken is the first book I've won from a Goodreads contest! So, I was super excited about that. Penny sounded like someone I could relate to, and she definitely was.
I loved this book. I loved that it was set in a small beach town in South Carolina. I loved the love story. I wish I had the guts to be Penny. Her relationship with Archer is goals, and I loved how basically every character in the book we were introduced to, we got to know. She clicked with most of the people and they all became a part of her story.
I found myself wishing, though, especially in the beginning, for more dialogue. The book was beautifully written, but I felt some places could be expanded upon. I really didn't want the book to end!
Overall, this is an absolutely great read. I'd love to read more from Lora Richardson.
I loved this book. I loved that it was set in a small beach town in South Carolina. I loved the love story. I wish I had the guts to be Penny. Her relationship with Archer is goals, and I loved how basically every character in the book we were introduced to, we got to know. She clicked with most of the people and they all became a part of her story.
I found myself wishing, though, especially in the beginning, for more dialogue. The book was beautifully written, but I felt some places could be expanded upon. I really didn't want the book to end!
Overall, this is an absolutely great read. I'd love to read more from Lora Richardson.
January 15, 2020
Outspoken is a fun and quick read that easily captures and keeps your attention. Following along with Penny on her journey of self-discovery reminded me so much of when I was growing up and learning to be comfortable in my own skin. I felt so incredibly nostalgic while reading. The main and supporting characters are amazing and each one is easy to relate to in some way or another. Each character also brings a different personality and background to the story and easily gives the book more depth. Penny, the main character, has a big heart and is learning how to stand up for herself and learn to say what she truly feels.
I want to recommend this book to every girl in high school or getting ready to graduate. In all honestly, I want to recommend Outspoken to everyone!
*I was given an e-book copy of Outspoken by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
I want to recommend this book to every girl in high school or getting ready to graduate. In all honestly, I want to recommend Outspoken to everyone!
*I was given an e-book copy of Outspoken by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
September 27, 2015
This is a fresh take on a "coming-of-age" book. Penny (like so many young women) has always done what was expected of her. She decides that she must begin to make decisions based on what SHE wants after she graduates from high school. A cross-country trip to see her grandfather brings her unexpected friendships and her ability to stick with her own choices is tested. Her relationship with her grandfather shifts from one of a child/grandfather to a deeper adult relationship.
This is a fantastic first novel, and a great read for mothers and daughters. It could open some good discussions. I purchased the book for our public library, and it's been off of the shelves from the moment I added it to the collection.
This is a fantastic first novel, and a great read for mothers and daughters. It could open some good discussions. I purchased the book for our public library, and it's been off of the shelves from the moment I added it to the collection.
November 9, 2015
A wonderful read. I appreciated the female protagonist and plot development that encouraged Penny to continue to grow strong due to her decisions and without being saved by a boy. The relationship between Penny and her grandfather was also beautiful. It was nice to see a young character connecting with elders in such a positive way. Recommend for middle/high schoolers and adults.
August 21, 2015
I loved this book! This is a story of a young woman finding her voice.....finding who she really is instead of who she has been told she is. I found myself thinking about Penny long after I finished reading. The character development is strong. I'm looking forward to more books by the author.
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