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Autofocus: A YA Novel About Adoption, First Love, and Self-Discovery
From the author of The Night We Said Yes comes a fun and heartfelt YA contemporary tale. When Maude decides to search for information about her birth mother, she finds out more than she expected. Perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Susane Colasanti.
Family. It’s always been a loaded word for Maude, whose birth mother died after giving her up for adoption. With her best friend, Treena, in college in the same town where her birth mother grew up, Maude decides to visit and explore her past. But when Maude arrives, she quickly discovers that Treena doesn’t seem to have time for her—or for helping with her search. Enter Bennett, a cute guy who lives in Treena’s dorm. He understands Maude’s need to find her mother. And as Bennett helps Maude, she starts to realize that her mother’s past doesn’t have to define her own future.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2016
9 people are currently reading
2433 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Gibaldi
8 books317 followersPublic librarian and author of THE NIGHT WE SAID YES, MATT'S STORY (a Night We Said Yes novella), AUTOFOCUS, and THIS TINY PERFECT WORLD, all with HarperTeen / HarperCollins. Fan of dinosaurs and cheesy jokes. And you.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 125 reviews
March 22, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a YA contemporary story about a girl who was adopted.
Maude was a determined girl, and she was a good friend to Treena. I understood that she wanted to find out more about her mother, even though she didn’t have the best of leads.
The storyline in this was about Maude trying to find out more about her mother, and spending some time with her best friend Treena. We also got a bit of conflict with Treena’s new boyfriend, and a bit of romance with another boy who went to college with Treena.
The ending to this was okay, and I was pleased that Maude got what she wanted.
6 out of 10
“Maybe I can go up there and find something on her, my birth mother.”
This was a YA contemporary story about a girl who was adopted.
Maude was a determined girl, and she was a good friend to Treena. I understood that she wanted to find out more about her mother, even though she didn’t have the best of leads.
The storyline in this was about Maude trying to find out more about her mother, and spending some time with her best friend Treena. We also got a bit of conflict with Treena’s new boyfriend, and a bit of romance with another boy who went to college with Treena.
The ending to this was okay, and I was pleased that Maude got what she wanted.
6 out of 10
August 1, 2016
“You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.”
----Ansel Adams
Lauren Gibaldi, an American author, pens a sweet yet poignant YA contemporary novel, Autofocus that revolves around a young girl trying to find the story about her birth mother for a special family related photography assignment, and in her quest, she goes back to her best friend for help but success doesn't always comes easily thereby landing her up into the way of more challenges that is often romantic and at times heart breakingly painful.
Synopsis:
Family.
It’s always been a loaded word for Maude. And when she is given a senior photography assignment—to create a portfolio that shows the meaning of family—she doesn’t quite know where to begin. But she knows one thing: without the story of her birth mother, who died when Maude was born, her project will be incomplete.
So Maude decides to visit her best friend, Treena, at college in Tallahassee, Florida, where Maude’s birth mother once lived. But when Maude arrives, she quickly discovers that Treena has changed. With a new boyfriend and a packed social calendar, Treena doesn’t seem to have time for Maude—or helping Maude in her search.
Enter Bennett, a cute guy who lives in Treena’s dorm. He understands Maude’s need to find her mother. And as Bennett helps Maude in her search, she starts to find that her mother’s past doesn’t have to define her own future.
Lauren Gibaldi has crafted a beautiful and timely coming-of-age story that poses the question: Is who we are determined at birth, or can we change as we grow?
Maude, a high school teenager, needs to find out about her deceased birth mother, Claire, for a family-related photography assignment and for that she visits her best friend, Treena in Florida State University where Claire too attended her classes. Unfortunately for Maude, instead of finding out about her mother, she is forced to attend parities and social meaningless gatherings with Treena and her new boyfriend. To rescue Maude, Bennett, a cute nerdy Treena's dorm-mate steps in to help Maude find out about her mother's teenage life. And little did Maude knew that she imagined a rather cleaner and decent version of her mother, while finding out about her life and about the things she did. Meanwhile, a sweet, innocent romance somehow blossoms between Bennett and Maude, and surprisingly Maude too manages to reciprocate her feelings despite of her no emotional attachments demeanor.
Having read the previous book, The Night We Said Yes by the author, I wasn't expecting much from this book, as the last book disappointed me a lot. And surprisingly, this book turned out to be pretty decent, although the story is cliched and stereotypical but the emotions play a huge part to make all the wrongs into right. Most above all, the flawed yet corny protagonist stands out in the story and will make the readers ache for her troubles.
The author's writing is strong and very polished, laced perfectly with enough emotions, that will move the readers deeply. The narrative style of the author is free-flowing and articulate and with an evocative prose, the pacing is slow at times, but moderate most of the times. The story opens a bit slow right in the beginning, then it gradually picks up speed and eventually, the readers will finally find losing themselves into the depth of the story.
The characters in the book are really good and well developed. The main character is flawed, multi layered and kind yet independent, that gives her a modern fierce teenager outlook. Her realistic demeanor while facing through life's pretty grim challenges will make the readers fall for her. The rest of the supporting characters are also well etched out, but not that impressive.
The romance part was okay, not that extraordinary or compassionate enough to make the readers feel for the love. In a nutshell, the story is compelling and real yet it could have been much better if the story was little less cliched.
Verdict: A coming of age hopeful story about a teenager's search for her dead mother's life.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author's publicist for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Ansel Adams
Lauren Gibaldi, an American author, pens a sweet yet poignant YA contemporary novel, Autofocus that revolves around a young girl trying to find the story about her birth mother for a special family related photography assignment, and in her quest, she goes back to her best friend for help but success doesn't always comes easily thereby landing her up into the way of more challenges that is often romantic and at times heart breakingly painful.
Synopsis:
Family.
It’s always been a loaded word for Maude. And when she is given a senior photography assignment—to create a portfolio that shows the meaning of family—she doesn’t quite know where to begin. But she knows one thing: without the story of her birth mother, who died when Maude was born, her project will be incomplete.
So Maude decides to visit her best friend, Treena, at college in Tallahassee, Florida, where Maude’s birth mother once lived. But when Maude arrives, she quickly discovers that Treena has changed. With a new boyfriend and a packed social calendar, Treena doesn’t seem to have time for Maude—or helping Maude in her search.
Enter Bennett, a cute guy who lives in Treena’s dorm. He understands Maude’s need to find her mother. And as Bennett helps Maude in her search, she starts to find that her mother’s past doesn’t have to define her own future.
Lauren Gibaldi has crafted a beautiful and timely coming-of-age story that poses the question: Is who we are determined at birth, or can we change as we grow?
Maude, a high school teenager, needs to find out about her deceased birth mother, Claire, for a family-related photography assignment and for that she visits her best friend, Treena in Florida State University where Claire too attended her classes. Unfortunately for Maude, instead of finding out about her mother, she is forced to attend parities and social meaningless gatherings with Treena and her new boyfriend. To rescue Maude, Bennett, a cute nerdy Treena's dorm-mate steps in to help Maude find out about her mother's teenage life. And little did Maude knew that she imagined a rather cleaner and decent version of her mother, while finding out about her life and about the things she did. Meanwhile, a sweet, innocent romance somehow blossoms between Bennett and Maude, and surprisingly Maude too manages to reciprocate her feelings despite of her no emotional attachments demeanor.
Having read the previous book, The Night We Said Yes by the author, I wasn't expecting much from this book, as the last book disappointed me a lot. And surprisingly, this book turned out to be pretty decent, although the story is cliched and stereotypical but the emotions play a huge part to make all the wrongs into right. Most above all, the flawed yet corny protagonist stands out in the story and will make the readers ache for her troubles.
The author's writing is strong and very polished, laced perfectly with enough emotions, that will move the readers deeply. The narrative style of the author is free-flowing and articulate and with an evocative prose, the pacing is slow at times, but moderate most of the times. The story opens a bit slow right in the beginning, then it gradually picks up speed and eventually, the readers will finally find losing themselves into the depth of the story.
The characters in the book are really good and well developed. The main character is flawed, multi layered and kind yet independent, that gives her a modern fierce teenager outlook. Her realistic demeanor while facing through life's pretty grim challenges will make the readers fall for her. The rest of the supporting characters are also well etched out, but not that impressive.
The romance part was okay, not that extraordinary or compassionate enough to make the readers feel for the love. In a nutshell, the story is compelling and real yet it could have been much better if the story was little less cliched.
Verdict: A coming of age hopeful story about a teenager's search for her dead mother's life.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author's publicist for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
November 26, 2015
Five out of five stars, only because Goodreads won't let me give it one million out of one million stars.
Autofocus is about adoption, friendship, and family. As someone that's adopted, let me tell you. Gibaldi nails it. This is a book I wish I had as a teenager, and will be talking about for quite some time.
Autofocus is about adoption, friendship, and family. As someone that's adopted, let me tell you. Gibaldi nails it. This is a book I wish I had as a teenager, and will be talking about for quite some time.
June 25, 2016
*ARC Kindly provided by Harper Teen thru Edelweiss for review*
I love contemporary reads but most of the time they are either a hit or a miss. These past few weeks, I feel so lucky that all my contemporary reads are a hit and Autofocus is one of them.
I was not able to read yet Lauren Gibaldi’s first novel, The Night We Said Yes, but I am in definitely in love with Autofocus.
Maude was torn as these questions were asked by her photography teacher. As an adopted daughter who have not me her birth mother, Maude is not sure what family really means. Yes, she love and appreciated all her parents has given to her but she still has so many unanswered questions. She wanted to fill out the holes in her life – particularly the one left by her birth mother.
With her photography assignment on hand, Maude has decided that her fall break is to be used into finding out more about her birth mother as well as taking the opportunity to visit her best friend at College.
As the saying goes, Change is really inevitable. Maude arrives at Treena’s dorm and though Treena, her best friend is still her usual bubbly self some things changed. She’s more outgoing and seems to be trying to remake herself. I actually don’t find anything bad about the changes Treena has been through however there are situations on the story that I definitely don’t agree on her actions.
The college issue is I think a part of the story where a lot of people can relate too. I mean, College is a totally different world from High School. But despite the changes with Treena, I liked how their friendship has surpassed the differences that came into their friendship. I really like their bond.
The story started slow but progressed beautifully. The story started with Maude just trying to look for the history of her birth mother but in the middle of it, it was just not about her photography assignment. It became more of the life that she would have if her birth mother is still alive, college and basically everything about her life.
Of course, let’s not forget the romance part of the story. Maude and Bennett were just too cute. I love how they started platonically as friends and developed into more. I just wish we get to know more about Bennett as well.
I liked Maude. She’s the silent type of character but full of thoughts. I like her determination and connecting all the dots so that she can find or just get the glimpse of the life her birth mother has lived back then. I really like Maude’s self- discovery.
Autofocus is an empowering story about finding yourself, acceptance, living and letting go. One of the good contemporary for this year.
*For more reviews, please feel free to visit Reads and Thoughts*
I love contemporary reads but most of the time they are either a hit or a miss. These past few weeks, I feel so lucky that all my contemporary reads are a hit and Autofocus is one of them.
I was not able to read yet Lauren Gibaldi’s first novel, The Night We Said Yes, but I am in definitely in love with Autofocus.
“FAMILY.
What does it mean to you? Who is in your family? How would you define family?”
Maude was torn as these questions were asked by her photography teacher. As an adopted daughter who have not me her birth mother, Maude is not sure what family really means. Yes, she love and appreciated all her parents has given to her but she still has so many unanswered questions. She wanted to fill out the holes in her life – particularly the one left by her birth mother.
With her photography assignment on hand, Maude has decided that her fall break is to be used into finding out more about her birth mother as well as taking the opportunity to visit her best friend at College.
As the saying goes, Change is really inevitable. Maude arrives at Treena’s dorm and though Treena, her best friend is still her usual bubbly self some things changed. She’s more outgoing and seems to be trying to remake herself. I actually don’t find anything bad about the changes Treena has been through however there are situations on the story that I definitely don’t agree on her actions.
The college issue is I think a part of the story where a lot of people can relate too. I mean, College is a totally different world from High School. But despite the changes with Treena, I liked how their friendship has surpassed the differences that came into their friendship. I really like their bond.
The story started slow but progressed beautifully. The story started with Maude just trying to look for the history of her birth mother but in the middle of it, it was just not about her photography assignment. It became more of the life that she would have if her birth mother is still alive, college and basically everything about her life.
Of course, let’s not forget the romance part of the story. Maude and Bennett were just too cute. I love how they started platonically as friends and developed into more. I just wish we get to know more about Bennett as well.
“The nicest and bravest thing she ever did was give me up. She gave me the life she herself didn’t have. And the thought of her life and what wasn’t lived, fills me with tears again.”
I liked Maude. She’s the silent type of character but full of thoughts. I like her determination and connecting all the dots so that she can find or just get the glimpse of the life her birth mother has lived back then. I really like Maude’s self- discovery.
Autofocus is an empowering story about finding yourself, acceptance, living and letting go. One of the good contemporary for this year.
“I’m full of answers and resolutions. And though there are still mysteries left, ones that might forever go unanswered, I’m okay not answering them. For now, at least.”
*For more reviews, please feel free to visit Reads and Thoughts*
September 16, 2016
This review was originally posted on Rebel Mommy Book Blog
Truth time. I put off this book because by the time I was ready to pick it up I had seen a lof of meh to bad reviews and decided I just didn’t have time for it. Fast forward to ARC August and me trying to clean out some old ARCs sitting around. I tried another that got bad reviews and I had put off and that was a DNF @ 16%. Then I decided to try Autofocus and so glad I did because I really enjoyed it.
Autofocus is about Maude (got I love that name!!) who spurred on by a photography project about family decideds to find out more about her birth mother. Since her mother went to Florida State University (one of the only things she really knows) and her best friend goes there as well she decides to spend her fall break with her friend and also researching.
I feel like in those meh to bad reviews a lot of criticism was for Maude as a character. I had no issues with her at all. I actually liked her and found her relatable. I also loved her friendship with Treena. While Maude is still in high school, Treena is a freshman in college. They find out you can change a lot in college whether you mean to or not. I totally was able to understand both girls and their reactions to their time together and how each has changed. I was glad they were able to work through their issues.
Also, there was a sweet romance with Maude and Bennet (again love the name!!). Since Treena is busy Bennet who is a friend if hers helps Maude with some of her research about her mother. They clearly had chemistry from the get go and I liked how they played out.
The family aspect – with her adoptive parents as well as with her search for information on her birth mother – was really interesting and I thought handled well. I don’t feel like I have read a lot of books that feature adoption as a main focus so it was something different for me subject wise.
Overall I thought it was well paced, interesting and hit on some good topics such as family, friendships and sweet relationships.
Truth time. I put off this book because by the time I was ready to pick it up I had seen a lof of meh to bad reviews and decided I just didn’t have time for it. Fast forward to ARC August and me trying to clean out some old ARCs sitting around. I tried another that got bad reviews and I had put off and that was a DNF @ 16%. Then I decided to try Autofocus and so glad I did because I really enjoyed it.
Autofocus is about Maude (got I love that name!!) who spurred on by a photography project about family decideds to find out more about her birth mother. Since her mother went to Florida State University (one of the only things she really knows) and her best friend goes there as well she decides to spend her fall break with her friend and also researching.
I feel like in those meh to bad reviews a lot of criticism was for Maude as a character. I had no issues with her at all. I actually liked her and found her relatable. I also loved her friendship with Treena. While Maude is still in high school, Treena is a freshman in college. They find out you can change a lot in college whether you mean to or not. I totally was able to understand both girls and their reactions to their time together and how each has changed. I was glad they were able to work through their issues.
Also, there was a sweet romance with Maude and Bennet (again love the name!!). Since Treena is busy Bennet who is a friend if hers helps Maude with some of her research about her mother. They clearly had chemistry from the get go and I liked how they played out.
The family aspect – with her adoptive parents as well as with her search for information on her birth mother – was really interesting and I thought handled well. I don’t feel like I have read a lot of books that feature adoption as a main focus so it was something different for me subject wise.
Overall I thought it was well paced, interesting and hit on some good topics such as family, friendships and sweet relationships.
July 1, 2016
This was a pretty light read for the most part. Maude is adopted so family has always meant something a little bit different to her than it might to others. Her mother died when she was born and she doesn’t know who her father is. When she’s given an assignment in her photography class – show the meaning of family – she isn’t quite sure what she is going to do. She doesn’t even know where to begin because she’s tried to find out more about her mom before and it went nowhere.
This time, she wants to try something different though. Her best friend Treena is at college in Tallahassee… the same place where her birth mom lived and so she decides a visit is needed, not only to reconnect and share this experience with her best friend, but to also hopefully meet people who knew her mother.
When she arrives though, her plans to spend time with Treena are derailed. She’s changed in ways that Maude doesn’t understand and all, it seems, for a boy. Which leads to Bennett… a cute guy who lives in Treena’s dorm and decides to help Maude on her journey.
To be honest, this was a good read, but nothing about it really stood out for me. While reading I found myself sympathizing with Maude when her best friend is a jerk or does something stupid… I found myself liking Bennett just as much as she did, but when I turned the last page, that was kind of it. I never had any real strong feelings one way or another about the characters or the story.
Did I like it? Sure… Was there anything memorable here? Not really. I just kind of thought it was okay.
That said, I think that there can still be a lot of things here that others might relate a bit more to. Especially once Treena starts experiencing the college life and how that changes you as you learn to experience things on your own without the safety net of your parents nearby.
With a cute romance and sweet characters, this was an easy read that I think many will enjoy.
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
This time, she wants to try something different though. Her best friend Treena is at college in Tallahassee… the same place where her birth mom lived and so she decides a visit is needed, not only to reconnect and share this experience with her best friend, but to also hopefully meet people who knew her mother.
When she arrives though, her plans to spend time with Treena are derailed. She’s changed in ways that Maude doesn’t understand and all, it seems, for a boy. Which leads to Bennett… a cute guy who lives in Treena’s dorm and decides to help Maude on her journey.
To be honest, this was a good read, but nothing about it really stood out for me. While reading I found myself sympathizing with Maude when her best friend is a jerk or does something stupid… I found myself liking Bennett just as much as she did, but when I turned the last page, that was kind of it. I never had any real strong feelings one way or another about the characters or the story.
Did I like it? Sure… Was there anything memorable here? Not really. I just kind of thought it was okay.
That said, I think that there can still be a lot of things here that others might relate a bit more to. Especially once Treena starts experiencing the college life and how that changes you as you learn to experience things on your own without the safety net of your parents nearby.
With a cute romance and sweet characters, this was an easy read that I think many will enjoy.
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
November 19, 2016
If I can think of one word to describe this book, it would be: LACKING.
But don't take that to mean that I didn't enjoy it because, really, I did. Lauren Gibaldi has a natural talent for storytelling but this novel stuck more to the surface for me, and I think she missed some great opportunities to deeply explore the delicate intricacies of adoption while giving an insightful account of the psychological and emotional effects that adoption might have on not just the adoptee but on the involved families.
And oh boy, let's talk about the thrown in romance. Okay, I don't mind the mixture of romance with the heavily weighted plot, but it somehow felt too contrived/forced here and was more of a disruption than anything. The least the author could have done was intertwined it better.
So yeah, I kind of wanted more from this novel and it failed to deliver on that end. But even with those problems I briefly mentioned, I couldn't put this book down. Sure, I rolled my eyes a few time (especially at the blatant plot convenience) but I had to see how Maude's story finished. And because of that, well, maybe despite its flaws this book wasn't so bad after all.
But don't take that to mean that I didn't enjoy it because, really, I did. Lauren Gibaldi has a natural talent for storytelling but this novel stuck more to the surface for me, and I think she missed some great opportunities to deeply explore the delicate intricacies of adoption while giving an insightful account of the psychological and emotional effects that adoption might have on not just the adoptee but on the involved families.
And oh boy, let's talk about the thrown in romance. Okay, I don't mind the mixture of romance with the heavily weighted plot, but it somehow felt too contrived/forced here and was more of a disruption than anything. The least the author could have done was intertwined it better.
So yeah, I kind of wanted more from this novel and it failed to deliver on that end. But even with those problems I briefly mentioned, I couldn't put this book down. Sure, I rolled my eyes a few time (especially at the blatant plot convenience) but I had to see how Maude's story finished. And because of that, well, maybe despite its flaws this book wasn't so bad after all.
June 7, 2016
Actual rating: 3.75-4
Slow start for me but the lovely writing was what did it. Full review tk.
Slow start for me but the lovely writing was what did it. Full review tk.
March 30, 2016
2.5 stars. Maybe I had a chip on my shoulder the whole time I read this and never gave it a fair shot, but I just really did not like this. The main character annoyed me so much from the very first page, the writing felt nothing like Gibaldi's first book that I loved, the romance was meh, and so much felt forced and cheesy. I have a lot of thoughts on this actually. More later.
---------------
There are a lot of things I didn’t like about this book, but I don’t think I can necessarily say that it’s a bad book. I don’t know if I read this with a chip on my shoulder or something – like I didn’t give it a fair shot. I was annoyed within the first chapter and that feeling was unshakeable throughout the book. I really am putting this one firmly in the middle of the road (technically, since 2.5 is half of 5). I’m tired of being nice and rounding up my ratings because I feel like I should have liked a book. Some highlights of things I enjoyed and didn’t…
--- Things I enjoyed:
Adoption
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where adoption was the main storyline. I used to be fascinated by this process and thought it would be fun to get inside someone’s head in this situation. Overall, a cool concept that did make me want to keep reading. More on that later…
Photography
Her main hobby and potential future college major/career was photography. I’ve always enjoyed it but have never been good at it, so that was pretty fun to read about for me. I liked what it added to the story for sure.
--- Meh things:
Some relatable friend / college feels
This book did make feel nostalgic for college a little bit. The parties and drinking and shenanigans on each floor of the dorm. So classic. I also think the friend feels about Treena were simultaneously realistic and annoying. She was extremely jealous about everything, but there was at least a reason for her to be that way. I could put myself in her shoes (as well as Treena’s) but just wish she spoke up. This is your BEST FRIEND that you love sooo much apparently; you can’t tell her how you feel at that point? For something that feels huge to you? Ugh.
Romance
The romance was fine. It didn’t make me swoon and I wouldn’t add them to my “ship so hard” Goodreads shelf. It’s not that I didn’t like it, but I almost didn’t care about it. Essentially no feels. However, I did appreciate somewhat how it ended up.
--- Things I didn't enjoy:
Writing style and dialogue
After reading Gibaldi’s debut, I was extremely excited for this one to see how they compared. I enjoyed her first book but it didn’t blow me away like I had hoped. This book honestly felt like it was written by a completely different author. The writing was weird. It felt awkward and forced – like it was trying way too hard. Every single chapter or chapter break ended with a cheesy metaphor. She was never just walking on a path, she was walking ~ to her future ~ or something like that. I get the idea of adding some extra meaning here and there, but it didn’t work. This was one of the biggest things that made me grumble with each page.
Maude, the main character
Ugh, Maude. Within the first page or two, she was already comparing herself to Celine: her hair, her photography skills, etc. Again, somewhat realistic. Everyone is jealous and self-conscious right? But Celine gave her no reason to feel inferior like that. They’re friends and have shared interests. I think the first chapter of self-doubt is supposed to show how much Maude grows by the end of the book. She “finds herself” and figures out who she wants to be, instead of comparing herself to others. It just felt really overdone and heavy-handed instead of like natural character development.
Like I mentioned before, some of the friend feels of jealousy were normal and expected. I hate when I dislike characters like this because it makes me feel mean. I was never a perfect teenager but I always had fun / did things my parents wouldn’t like if they found out. Maude was essentially a wet blanket. I know she’s used to Treena-with-strict-Indian-parents and instead she got college-Treena, but I don’t know. She went on and on about the Treena she knew, her BEST FRIEND EVER and NO ONE WILL EVER compare to her SO DON’T EVEN TRY IT, CELINE!!!!! She was incredibly possessive over her right off the bat and I knew I wasn’t going to like where things were headed.
Something stupid that bothered me? They told her about a building shaped like a penis and she didn’t think it was funny. I mean, come on. That’s classic. Loosen up!
Some of the other adoption stuff
It felt cheesy at times – every time she walked A N Y W H E R E on campus, she made comments about how her mom walked through the same area. I really, truly get it. It’s actually a huge deal and I think anyone would have those thoughts constantly. But it seems like the kind of thing that we wouldn’t see repeated every other page – just because this is a novel, not an actual stream of consciousness in someone’s head. Does that make any sense? I also thought it was unrealistic that she expected so much from her mother, especially based on what she already knew. She got pregnant at 18 and gave the baby up for adoption; she could be like ANYTHING! She could be mean, nice, smart, dumb, party-crazy, or a book nerd. I feel like in that situation you might get your hopes up about what the parent is like – of course! – but wouldn’t there be some level of realism? I don’t know. I think I’m being too harsh, but it’s just the impression I got and it frustrated me. I would think “cautious optimism” is the way to go in this situation.
Overall feelings
When you roll your eyes and get annoyed with every page, you know it wasn’t really worth reading. I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’ll bother with Gibaldi’s future books. The first didn’t wow me too much and this one didn’t even come close. Overall, I generally liked the feels about adoption. That stuff kept me going while the college/friend stuff made me want to quit.
---------------
There are a lot of things I didn’t like about this book, but I don’t think I can necessarily say that it’s a bad book. I don’t know if I read this with a chip on my shoulder or something – like I didn’t give it a fair shot. I was annoyed within the first chapter and that feeling was unshakeable throughout the book. I really am putting this one firmly in the middle of the road (technically, since 2.5 is half of 5). I’m tired of being nice and rounding up my ratings because I feel like I should have liked a book. Some highlights of things I enjoyed and didn’t…
--- Things I enjoyed:
Adoption
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where adoption was the main storyline. I used to be fascinated by this process and thought it would be fun to get inside someone’s head in this situation. Overall, a cool concept that did make me want to keep reading. More on that later…
Photography
Her main hobby and potential future college major/career was photography. I’ve always enjoyed it but have never been good at it, so that was pretty fun to read about for me. I liked what it added to the story for sure.
--- Meh things:
Some relatable friend / college feels
This book did make feel nostalgic for college a little bit. The parties and drinking and shenanigans on each floor of the dorm. So classic. I also think the friend feels about Treena were simultaneously realistic and annoying. She was extremely jealous about everything, but there was at least a reason for her to be that way. I could put myself in her shoes (as well as Treena’s) but just wish she spoke up. This is your BEST FRIEND that you love sooo much apparently; you can’t tell her how you feel at that point? For something that feels huge to you? Ugh.
Romance
The romance was fine. It didn’t make me swoon and I wouldn’t add them to my “ship so hard” Goodreads shelf. It’s not that I didn’t like it, but I almost didn’t care about it. Essentially no feels. However, I did appreciate somewhat how it ended up.
--- Things I didn't enjoy:
Writing style and dialogue
After reading Gibaldi’s debut, I was extremely excited for this one to see how they compared. I enjoyed her first book but it didn’t blow me away like I had hoped. This book honestly felt like it was written by a completely different author. The writing was weird. It felt awkward and forced – like it was trying way too hard. Every single chapter or chapter break ended with a cheesy metaphor. She was never just walking on a path, she was walking ~ to her future ~ or something like that. I get the idea of adding some extra meaning here and there, but it didn’t work. This was one of the biggest things that made me grumble with each page.
Maude, the main character
Ugh, Maude. Within the first page or two, she was already comparing herself to Celine: her hair, her photography skills, etc. Again, somewhat realistic. Everyone is jealous and self-conscious right? But Celine gave her no reason to feel inferior like that. They’re friends and have shared interests. I think the first chapter of self-doubt is supposed to show how much Maude grows by the end of the book. She “finds herself” and figures out who she wants to be, instead of comparing herself to others. It just felt really overdone and heavy-handed instead of like natural character development.
Like I mentioned before, some of the friend feels of jealousy were normal and expected. I hate when I dislike characters like this because it makes me feel mean. I was never a perfect teenager but I always had fun / did things my parents wouldn’t like if they found out. Maude was essentially a wet blanket. I know she’s used to Treena-with-strict-Indian-parents and instead she got college-Treena, but I don’t know. She went on and on about the Treena she knew, her BEST FRIEND EVER and NO ONE WILL EVER compare to her SO DON’T EVEN TRY IT, CELINE!!!!! She was incredibly possessive over her right off the bat and I knew I wasn’t going to like where things were headed.
Something stupid that bothered me? They told her about a building shaped like a penis and she didn’t think it was funny. I mean, come on. That’s classic. Loosen up!
Some of the other adoption stuff
It felt cheesy at times – every time she walked A N Y W H E R E on campus, she made comments about how her mom walked through the same area. I really, truly get it. It’s actually a huge deal and I think anyone would have those thoughts constantly. But it seems like the kind of thing that we wouldn’t see repeated every other page – just because this is a novel, not an actual stream of consciousness in someone’s head. Does that make any sense? I also thought it was unrealistic that she expected so much from her mother, especially based on what she already knew. She got pregnant at 18 and gave the baby up for adoption; she could be like ANYTHING! She could be mean, nice, smart, dumb, party-crazy, or a book nerd. I feel like in that situation you might get your hopes up about what the parent is like – of course! – but wouldn’t there be some level of realism? I don’t know. I think I’m being too harsh, but it’s just the impression I got and it frustrated me. I would think “cautious optimism” is the way to go in this situation.
Overall feelings
When you roll your eyes and get annoyed with every page, you know it wasn’t really worth reading. I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’ll bother with Gibaldi’s future books. The first didn’t wow me too much and this one didn’t even come close. Overall, I generally liked the feels about adoption. That stuff kept me going while the college/friend stuff made me want to quit.
July 11, 2016
I have yet to read Gibaldi's debut novel The Night We Said Yes, but without a doubt it's now high on my TBR list [especially after snagging it from a recent ebook sale; thank you book goddesses for good book deals!] since I very much enjoyed Autofocus. Unlike my friend Jess from My Reading Dress, I really enjoy roadtrip books and this one is a slightly roadtrip-esque with a side of a scavenger hunt of sorts. It was very sweet, fun and summery, as expected, while tackling the topic of belonging and self-discovery.
I liked the realizations Maude came to by the end of the novel and the road there was quite emotional for her. It features an adorable ship which is full of cute; I definitely wouldn't mind a small future novella on this! I do think that a lot of people would/could find the friendship aspects tiring and frustrating, because the scenario that unravels between them takes up a bunch of the book and it was frustrating at times, but I enjoyed how Maude and Treena used what happened as a lesson to be learned from and weren't above admitting their mistakes which made their characters multi dimensional in my opinion. The ending may be too open to some, but I found it very suitable for this particular story. Overall, this was a fun summer read and I'm very excited to read more from Gibaldi [while secretly hoping for smallest of cameos from some of the cast from this book to know how they're doing and get canon answers to the open ending parts; one can hope, aye?]. Happy reading, my friends!
Overall rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for an ARC. My thoughts are my own and in no way did this review copy affect my thoughts.
This review was originally published on my blog.
I liked the realizations Maude came to by the end of the novel and the road there was quite emotional for her. It features an adorable ship which is full of cute; I definitely wouldn't mind a small future novella on this! I do think that a lot of people would/could find the friendship aspects tiring and frustrating, because the scenario that unravels between them takes up a bunch of the book and it was frustrating at times, but I enjoyed how Maude and Treena used what happened as a lesson to be learned from and weren't above admitting their mistakes which made their characters multi dimensional in my opinion. The ending may be too open to some, but I found it very suitable for this particular story. Overall, this was a fun summer read and I'm very excited to read more from Gibaldi [while secretly hoping for smallest of cameos from some of the cast from this book to know how they're doing and get canon answers to the open ending parts; one can hope, aye?]. Happy reading, my friends!
Overall rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for an ARC. My thoughts are my own and in no way did this review copy affect my thoughts.
This review was originally published on my blog.
August 15, 2016
YA Contemporary fiction with a splash of romance. The book is about an adopted senior girl's journey as she goes on a trip to learn about her birth mother. She deals with changing friend dynamics, self discovery, and finding out that your idealized versions of things don't always line up with reality.
As I mentioned, there is a splash of romance but I think if you go into the book for romance you might end up disappointed. While the love interest is great, swoony and worthy, there isn't a resolution at the end of the book but a possibility. While it was realistic for the couple it wasn't completely satisfying.
The resolution of her feelings about her family are a little more resolved. She learns to accept the reality of her biological family and also comes full circle in her appreciation for her adopted family. She also sorts out what nature versus nurture means for her. Her friend dynamics are mostly resolved but things get pretty messy before they're fully sorted out. I was worried she'd accept shoddy treatment but she does end up calling her friend on most of her behavior.
Two things I like about this author that are related. One, her protagonists aren't the usual ones that get their own books. They aren't out there quirky or dynamic or stand outs. This will bother some people who like those very flashy types of characters. I like that the author writes about the every day person who I think gets left out of books. The main character is an every day sort of girl. Also, the love interest is of the nerdy, sweet type. That is great in my opinion but if you like the bad boy, cocky types you might look elsewhere. Again, the love interests are right up my alley but for some people they might not be to your tastes.
As I mentioned, there is a splash of romance but I think if you go into the book for romance you might end up disappointed. While the love interest is great, swoony and worthy, there isn't a resolution at the end of the book but a possibility. While it was realistic for the couple it wasn't completely satisfying.
The resolution of her feelings about her family are a little more resolved. She learns to accept the reality of her biological family and also comes full circle in her appreciation for her adopted family. She also sorts out what nature versus nurture means for her. Her friend dynamics are mostly resolved but things get pretty messy before they're fully sorted out. I was worried she'd accept shoddy treatment but she does end up calling her friend on most of her behavior.
Two things I like about this author that are related. One, her protagonists aren't the usual ones that get their own books. They aren't out there quirky or dynamic or stand outs. This will bother some people who like those very flashy types of characters. I like that the author writes about the every day person who I think gets left out of books. The main character is an every day sort of girl. Also, the love interest is of the nerdy, sweet type. That is great in my opinion but if you like the bad boy, cocky types you might look elsewhere. Again, the love interests are right up my alley but for some people they might not be to your tastes.
June 8, 2016
3.5/5 stars
Autofocus is a standalone YA contemporary novel. The narrator is 17 year old Maude.
Maude is in her last year of high school. She is given a very interesting assignment in her photography class about family. Maude is adopted so she is not really sure how to proceed with this project.
What I loved about this book? I loved that photography played such a significant role in this book. Also, I was really fascinated by the adoption aspect of this story. It was very interesting to get into the specifics of what an adopted child feels and thinks.
While doing research for the photography project Maude goes through an incredible journey. We see a lot of her best friend Treena who is away at college. I thought that Treena was an interesting character. However, I really did not like that the college experience was equated so much with drinking. What about studying??
I really enjoyed Bennett (Treena's college friend). And I really disliked Trey (another college friend).
This was an enjoyable and compelling story about a girl growing up. I was definitely intrigued by Maude's journey.
Thanks to edelweiss and HarperTeen for allowing me to read this book.
Autofocus is a standalone YA contemporary novel. The narrator is 17 year old Maude.
Maude is in her last year of high school. She is given a very interesting assignment in her photography class about family. Maude is adopted so she is not really sure how to proceed with this project.
What I loved about this book? I loved that photography played such a significant role in this book. Also, I was really fascinated by the adoption aspect of this story. It was very interesting to get into the specifics of what an adopted child feels and thinks.
While doing research for the photography project Maude goes through an incredible journey. We see a lot of her best friend Treena who is away at college. I thought that Treena was an interesting character. However, I really did not like that the college experience was equated so much with drinking. What about studying??
I really enjoyed Bennett (Treena's college friend). And I really disliked Trey (another college friend).
This was an enjoyable and compelling story about a girl growing up. I was definitely intrigued by Maude's journey.
Thanks to edelweiss and HarperTeen for allowing me to read this book.
March 17, 2016
I don't know where to start with this review. I loved loved this story. It tugged at my heart like no other book has. It dealt with so many issues teens face but one issue in particular that is hardly explored in books is adoption. This struck a chord in my heart because I know a lot of people who have been adopted and when they go to find their birth parents it is not what they envisioned.
Maude is in school and her photography class project is to photograph her family. Only problem is Maude's birth mother is deceased and she is adopted and wants to find out about her birth mother. She is not sure where to start but she thinks by starting at her mother's birth place she can put together a great story.
So she enlists the help of her best friend who is in college in her mother's birthplace Tallahassee. Treena is in college and agrees to help her best friend out but when Maude gets there her friend doesn't have time for her. Hurt and upset Maude decides she will do it herself. Then she meets Bennett her best friends dorm mate who offers to help Maude find out who her real mother was.
This is a story about finding one's self and friendships. This is a must read for all teens who have been adopted or are foster kids.
Maude is in school and her photography class project is to photograph her family. Only problem is Maude's birth mother is deceased and she is adopted and wants to find out about her birth mother. She is not sure where to start but she thinks by starting at her mother's birth place she can put together a great story.
So she enlists the help of her best friend who is in college in her mother's birthplace Tallahassee. Treena is in college and agrees to help her best friend out but when Maude gets there her friend doesn't have time for her. Hurt and upset Maude decides she will do it herself. Then she meets Bennett her best friends dorm mate who offers to help Maude find out who her real mother was.
This is a story about finding one's self and friendships. This is a must read for all teens who have been adopted or are foster kids.
August 25, 2024
Would I have turned out the same, had my life been with her? Would I be me?
This is a perfect example of a mid-2010s YA novel and exactly what I didn't even realize I was craving. I really loved Maude, her warm relationship with her parents, and her passion for photography. I don't think I've ever read a book that involves a high school senior doing a college campus visit (even if this one isn't for the typical reasons). It shot me right back to my own first month at college and walking the grounds.
Plus, one of the first scenes in the dorms, with everyone cheering on ultra-dumb-but-harmless fun of sitting on a skateboard and being pushed down the hall to knock over empty bottles like a human bowling ball? I was so excited that we were finally going to see an example of what college is actually like, instead of the boring movie cliche!
...and then they immediately spent every single night going to parties and drinking. -.- Not to be a middle-aged adult, but since this kept happening on weeknights, I just could not stop wondering, "when do they do their homework?" No, but seriously, when??
I will say that at first I thought the changes in the relationship between Maude & her best friend after a couple of months apart were pretty realistic -- even before her friend starts drinking to excess there's this push/pull between wanting to assume everything is the same between them, which in a lot of ways it is, while also being a little mutually jealous of the new people in each one's life. I wish there had been more focus on that, on Preeta struggling to merge her new and old lives with equal balance, and less on how she just objectively changed into a worse person (who the hell thinks "staying out to party" is more fun than "watching movies and going to carnivals"???), because Maude's "I've learned not to judge anyone and I've accepted that it's both inevitable and normal to change" lessons were the dumbest.
I do also wish the book had explained even once why her best friend was a year ahead of her in school. I was so puzzled as to how that happened, because it's very clear they are so close that they're basically each other's only friend -- the other people Maude knows are more "at school" friends -- and that...doesn't usually happen unless grow up sharing most of your classes together. So were they always a year apart, or did she skip a grade at some point, or just collect enough credits to graduate early? It really bugged me!
Anyway, when I wasn't suffering through the underage drinking nonsense, which at least Maude usually has the good sense to sigh about and only go along with reluctantly, this book was great! I loved the search for information about her birth mother around Tallahassee (including but not limited to impersonating a member of the student body at random high schools to gain access to their yearbooks). I loved getting a mini tour of the Tallahassee area -- I've never been to Florida, and read surprisingly few books set there, so that was fun and different.
I loved every reference to the pictures she took and how she was starting to consider plans for her senior photography project built around the theme of "family." I also loved the many ways she questions her identity, and nature vs. nurture, as her birth mother emerges from a vague idea to a collection of specific details forming a real person -- not all of them pretty -- who was barely older than Maude herself is right now. That's another thing I'm not sure I've read in a book -- an adopted girl who knows from the start that her mother died giving birth to her, so there's no actual person to find now, only memories.
And I LOVED Bennett. What an enthusiastic Golden Retriever of a boy. I especially loved the running joke of how he was a perfectly harmless, Not Trying To Get In Her Pants kind of guy -- despite them sharing a dorm room, though notably not a bed, for more than one night -- after Maude's first words to him were a preemptive warning that she was NOT interested in going back to his room (he hadn't been planning to ask). And he's true to his word!
Overall: a nice reminder that I gotta pencil more YA from the previous decade into my schedule, because the 2020s YA is not hitting like this. Some of it's excellent, some of it's objectively better and certainly written in a more sophisticated way than this, but...I like this style. It really feels like it's meant for teens of all ages, I think*, is the thing, in a way that a lot of newer YA that seems aimed at 17+ does not.
*yes there's a lot of alcohol. But it's pretty much presented in an exclusively problematic way that any smart 14-year-old would not take as an endorsement.
This is a perfect example of a mid-2010s YA novel and exactly what I didn't even realize I was craving. I really loved Maude, her warm relationship with her parents, and her passion for photography. I don't think I've ever read a book that involves a high school senior doing a college campus visit (even if this one isn't for the typical reasons). It shot me right back to my own first month at college and walking the grounds.
Plus, one of the first scenes in the dorms, with everyone cheering on ultra-dumb-but-harmless fun of sitting on a skateboard and being pushed down the hall to knock over empty bottles like a human bowling ball? I was so excited that we were finally going to see an example of what college is actually like, instead of the boring movie cliche!
...and then they immediately spent every single night going to parties and drinking. -.- Not to be a middle-aged adult, but since this kept happening on weeknights, I just could not stop wondering, "when do they do their homework?" No, but seriously, when??
I will say that at first I thought the changes in the relationship between Maude & her best friend after a couple of months apart were pretty realistic -- even before her friend starts drinking to excess there's this push/pull between wanting to assume everything is the same between them, which in a lot of ways it is, while also being a little mutually jealous of the new people in each one's life. I wish there had been more focus on that, on Preeta struggling to merge her new and old lives with equal balance, and less on how she just objectively changed into a worse person (who the hell thinks "staying out to party" is more fun than "watching movies and going to carnivals"???), because Maude's "I've learned not to judge anyone and I've accepted that it's both inevitable and normal to change" lessons were the dumbest.
I do also wish the book had explained even once why her best friend was a year ahead of her in school. I was so puzzled as to how that happened, because it's very clear they are so close that they're basically each other's only friend -- the other people Maude knows are more "at school" friends -- and that...doesn't usually happen unless grow up sharing most of your classes together. So were they always a year apart, or did she skip a grade at some point, or just collect enough credits to graduate early? It really bugged me!
Anyway, when I wasn't suffering through the underage drinking nonsense, which at least Maude usually has the good sense to sigh about and only go along with reluctantly, this book was great! I loved the search for information about her birth mother around Tallahassee (including but not limited to impersonating a member of the student body at random high schools to gain access to their yearbooks). I loved getting a mini tour of the Tallahassee area -- I've never been to Florida, and read surprisingly few books set there, so that was fun and different.
I loved every reference to the pictures she took and how she was starting to consider plans for her senior photography project built around the theme of "family." I also loved the many ways she questions her identity, and nature vs. nurture, as her birth mother emerges from a vague idea to a collection of specific details forming a real person -- not all of them pretty -- who was barely older than Maude herself is right now. That's another thing I'm not sure I've read in a book -- an adopted girl who knows from the start that her mother died giving birth to her, so there's no actual person to find now, only memories.
And I LOVED Bennett. What an enthusiastic Golden Retriever of a boy. I especially loved the running joke of how he was a perfectly harmless, Not Trying To Get In Her Pants kind of guy -- despite them sharing a dorm room, though notably not a bed, for more than one night -- after Maude's first words to him were a preemptive warning that she was NOT interested in going back to his room (he hadn't been planning to ask). And he's true to his word!
Overall: a nice reminder that I gotta pencil more YA from the previous decade into my schedule, because the 2020s YA is not hitting like this. Some of it's excellent, some of it's objectively better and certainly written in a more sophisticated way than this, but...I like this style. It really feels like it's meant for teens of all ages, I think*, is the thing, in a way that a lot of newer YA that seems aimed at 17+ does not.
*yes there's a lot of alcohol. But it's pretty much presented in an exclusively problematic way that any smart 14-year-old would not take as an endorsement.
February 7, 2020
I think Imma give this book 3 stars. I did like it, but there was a lack of...something. Though I’m not really sure what.
Also, not gonna lie, that phrase “I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding” was in here and that costed this book about a half a star lol. Sorry, Shay.
Bennett was by far my favorite character...in fact, maybe he was a little too perfect at times. Also, there are too many letters in that name (sorry to anyone whose name is Bennett out there. This isn’t a dig at you, it’s a dig at your parents for giving you that name.)
I wish we knew whether or not Maude actually wound up going to FSU or not. I know that’s not what the story’s about but it kind of is so LET ME HAVE THIS.
All-in-all, it was a good book. It just wasn’t, like, my new FAVORITE or anything.
Plot: 5/10
Friendships: 6/10
Romance: 6/10
Family Relations: 6/10
Writing: 4/10 (because of that one breath she didn’t know she was holding)
Total: 3/5 stars.
Also, not gonna lie, that phrase “I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding” was in here and that costed this book about a half a star lol. Sorry, Shay.
Bennett was by far my favorite character...in fact, maybe he was a little too perfect at times. Also, there are too many letters in that name (sorry to anyone whose name is Bennett out there. This isn’t a dig at you, it’s a dig at your parents for giving you that name.)
I wish we knew whether or not Maude actually wound up going to FSU or not. I know that’s not what the story’s about but it kind of is so LET ME HAVE THIS.
All-in-all, it was a good book. It just wasn’t, like, my new FAVORITE or anything.
Plot: 5/10
Friendships: 6/10
Romance: 6/10
Family Relations: 6/10
Writing: 4/10 (because of that one breath she didn’t know she was holding)
Total: 3/5 stars.
May 22, 2021
not bad, just not a stand out?? though i’m loving the rep <3
January 4, 2017
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic
Grades: 9-12
Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommendation: Optional Purchase
When her art teacher assigns a project on family, teen photographer Maude visits her best friend Treena at college and goes in search of information about her birth mother who died during childbirth. Maude discovers new information about her mother and finds that her best friend has changed in the few months that she has been away at college. These revelations lead her to question who she really is and how she will change when she goes off to college.
This novel focuses on the transition from high school to college, a pivotal moment in the lives of many teens and a time when dramatic changes can take place in a short amount of time. Treena has taken the opportunity to reinvent herself from a girl who follows all the rules to a girl who will do anything to impress a hot boy. Maude is shocked by the changes in her friend and disgusted by the way she will do anything to impress a guy who is clearly a jerk. She is also hurt by her friend’s lack of interest in helping her in her quest to learn more about her mother. Luckily, Bennett, the cute boy who lives down the hall from Treena, is there to help her out.
The conflicts explored in Autofocus are realistic and relevant. Teens who have had friends go off to college or who have made that transition themselves will find a lot to relate to. Maude’s attempt to find more information about her mother yields realistic results. There are no huge surprises or overly dramatic twists. This is a serviceable novel about the changes and challenges of becoming a young adult. For a more compelling take on this topic, try Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.
Grades: 9-12
Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommendation: Optional Purchase
When her art teacher assigns a project on family, teen photographer Maude visits her best friend Treena at college and goes in search of information about her birth mother who died during childbirth. Maude discovers new information about her mother and finds that her best friend has changed in the few months that she has been away at college. These revelations lead her to question who she really is and how she will change when she goes off to college.
This novel focuses on the transition from high school to college, a pivotal moment in the lives of many teens and a time when dramatic changes can take place in a short amount of time. Treena has taken the opportunity to reinvent herself from a girl who follows all the rules to a girl who will do anything to impress a hot boy. Maude is shocked by the changes in her friend and disgusted by the way she will do anything to impress a guy who is clearly a jerk. She is also hurt by her friend’s lack of interest in helping her in her quest to learn more about her mother. Luckily, Bennett, the cute boy who lives down the hall from Treena, is there to help her out.
The conflicts explored in Autofocus are realistic and relevant. Teens who have had friends go off to college or who have made that transition themselves will find a lot to relate to. Maude’s attempt to find more information about her mother yields realistic results. There are no huge surprises or overly dramatic twists. This is a serviceable novel about the changes and challenges of becoming a young adult. For a more compelling take on this topic, try Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.
June 17, 2016
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
Autofocus is a contemporary that has a lot going on, including emotions. This isn't a negative thing at all - in fact, I found it to be quite the engaging read because there wasn't a dull moment in the entire book.
"The pictures tell the story - my story."
Maude not only loves photography - she is committed to it. She even longs to be a professional photographer after high school. While she is taking a photography course in high school, her teacher gives the class a project to do - taking photos of what family means to them. This task has gotten Maude to thinking - sure, she loves her mom and dad, and even though she was adopted when she was a baby, they are still her parents. But she's curious about her birth mother.
Although her birth mother, Claire, died when Maude was born, she had already set the adoption plans in motion, so she would still be living with the parents she has now, but Maude realizes that she knows almost nothing about the woman who gave birth to her, other than the fact that she went to college in Tallahassee, which is currently where her best friend Treena is enrolled. So during her school's fall break, she convinces her parents to let her go visit with Treena and try and find out what she can about her Claire.
When she arrives at the university, things are different than Maude had expected - Treena is always busy with Trey, a guy that she's head over heels for, often leaving Maude to fend for herself. Maude doesn't like Trey - she thinks that he seems like the cheating type who won't treat Treena with the respect she deserves. She's also getting hit on by college guys that she doesn't want to be bothered with - until she meets Bennett. Bennett seems different - legitimately caring about Maude, her interested, and even about finding information about her mother.
Even though Maude is hurt because Treena seems distant and different (interested in guys, drinking, partying, as opposed to spending one-on-one time with Maude), she knows that she still has to begin the search that might lead to answers about this woman who gave her up. With Bennett's help, she uncovers some parts of her birth mother's past - some good and some not quite what she expected, and she has to learn to piece together that information to discover the person that Claire was.
I really enjoyed Autofocus. The story was interesting, and while there was a romance, it stayed nicely in the background instead of taking center stage. While I love a great story about friendship, unfortunately the friendship between Maude and Treena was kind of strained, which made me sad. It seemed like Treena was more focused on Trey than on the friend that she invited to visit her, often telling her to find other places to sleep (like Bennett's room). That was kind of annoying, and it made me dislike Treena's character a lot throughout most of the book. Trey was...a jerk. I can't really sum it up any more appropriately than that. Bennett was that rare nice guy, and I really liked him. Maude was going through a lot while looking for information about her mother, and while she did have a few moments that made her personality seem a little less than stellar, it made her real. No complaints on character personalities here - the author did a spectacular job in writing them.
I'm glad that the main focus of the book was on Maude finding information about her mother. It was really original and emotional - some of the responses that Maude got when searching for information were nothing like she expected...some of them were quite heartbreaking. It was definitely a heartfelt journey for her, and as the reader, you get to go along for the ride and experience it with her.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Autofocus is a contemporary that has a lot going on, including emotions. This isn't a negative thing at all - in fact, I found it to be quite the engaging read because there wasn't a dull moment in the entire book.
"The pictures tell the story - my story."
Maude not only loves photography - she is committed to it. She even longs to be a professional photographer after high school. While she is taking a photography course in high school, her teacher gives the class a project to do - taking photos of what family means to them. This task has gotten Maude to thinking - sure, she loves her mom and dad, and even though she was adopted when she was a baby, they are still her parents. But she's curious about her birth mother.
Although her birth mother, Claire, died when Maude was born, she had already set the adoption plans in motion, so she would still be living with the parents she has now, but Maude realizes that she knows almost nothing about the woman who gave birth to her, other than the fact that she went to college in Tallahassee, which is currently where her best friend Treena is enrolled. So during her school's fall break, she convinces her parents to let her go visit with Treena and try and find out what she can about her Claire.
When she arrives at the university, things are different than Maude had expected - Treena is always busy with Trey, a guy that she's head over heels for, often leaving Maude to fend for herself. Maude doesn't like Trey - she thinks that he seems like the cheating type who won't treat Treena with the respect she deserves. She's also getting hit on by college guys that she doesn't want to be bothered with - until she meets Bennett. Bennett seems different - legitimately caring about Maude, her interested, and even about finding information about her mother.
Even though Maude is hurt because Treena seems distant and different (interested in guys, drinking, partying, as opposed to spending one-on-one time with Maude), she knows that she still has to begin the search that might lead to answers about this woman who gave her up. With Bennett's help, she uncovers some parts of her birth mother's past - some good and some not quite what she expected, and she has to learn to piece together that information to discover the person that Claire was.
I really enjoyed Autofocus. The story was interesting, and while there was a romance, it stayed nicely in the background instead of taking center stage. While I love a great story about friendship, unfortunately the friendship between Maude and Treena was kind of strained, which made me sad. It seemed like Treena was more focused on Trey than on the friend that she invited to visit her, often telling her to find other places to sleep (like Bennett's room). That was kind of annoying, and it made me dislike Treena's character a lot throughout most of the book. Trey was...a jerk. I can't really sum it up any more appropriately than that. Bennett was that rare nice guy, and I really liked him. Maude was going through a lot while looking for information about her mother, and while she did have a few moments that made her personality seem a little less than stellar, it made her real. No complaints on character personalities here - the author did a spectacular job in writing them.
I'm glad that the main focus of the book was on Maude finding information about her mother. It was really original and emotional - some of the responses that Maude got when searching for information were nothing like she expected...some of them were quite heartbreaking. It was definitely a heartfelt journey for her, and as the reader, you get to go along for the ride and experience it with her.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2017
full review to come soon.
April 18, 2016
*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*
I wanted to love this story; however, I found myself bored and irritated by these characters. Maude is determined and tenacious, but this determination quickly turned to annoyance and pushy. Treena is having some un-diagnosed multiple personality disorder. I can understand going to college and wanting a fresh start but to completely act like an irrational, crazy person is unacceptable. Treena was flaky, self-absorbed, and overall a rude and sh*tty friend. Seriously, if she was as drop dead gorgeous as the book describes her as, she shouldn't be so overly shocked the second a boy pays her a little attention.
There were things I did love about the book, Bennett, for example was sweet, cute, and nerdy and made waiting till 79% for a kiss worth it. You have your first kiss but spend the remainder of the book reminding yourself this isn't last and its ending the second I leave...that is just depressing to me. However, the minor romance doesn't even shine a light on the true journey of the book.
Maude, sorry I associate this name with old people from the 1920s, is on an endless search for her mother. Mind you, all that we learn are people were really slutty back then, and don't pass judgement on these slutty people because they were just having fun. Just way too many hook up characters in books this year, this is a reoccurring theme in YA-Contemporaries this year and it is rather disappointing. Susan is an absolutely aweful, bitter woman and I am so grateful she doesn't exist in real life. Overall the book fell flat to me...
I wanted to love this story; however, I found myself bored and irritated by these characters. Maude is determined and tenacious, but this determination quickly turned to annoyance and pushy. Treena is having some un-diagnosed multiple personality disorder. I can understand going to college and wanting a fresh start but to completely act like an irrational, crazy person is unacceptable. Treena was flaky, self-absorbed, and overall a rude and sh*tty friend. Seriously, if she was as drop dead gorgeous as the book describes her as, she shouldn't be so overly shocked the second a boy pays her a little attention.
There were things I did love about the book, Bennett, for example was sweet, cute, and nerdy and made waiting till 79% for a kiss worth it. You have your first kiss but spend the remainder of the book reminding yourself this isn't last and its ending the second I leave...that is just depressing to me. However, the minor romance doesn't even shine a light on the true journey of the book.
Maude, sorry I associate this name with old people from the 1920s, is on an endless search for her mother. Mind you, all that we learn are people were really slutty back then, and don't pass judgement on these slutty people because they were just having fun. Just way too many hook up characters in books this year, this is a reoccurring theme in YA-Contemporaries this year and it is rather disappointing. Susan is an absolutely aweful, bitter woman and I am so grateful she doesn't exist in real life. Overall the book fell flat to me...
June 5, 2016
This was a 2.5 out of 5 stars read for me. I had so many issues with this book, where to begin. Maude is assigned a school project for her photography class to define her family in pictures. Maude is adopted. Her birth mother died when she was born so she feels this assignment should be an exploration into who her mother was. Her mother happened to attend the college where Maude's best friend Treena (who is one year older) is currently attending so what better way to learn about her birth mom than a road trip to see Treena. Maude and Treena's relationship played more out like two middle schoolers going into high school than high school age going into college, just petty misunderstandings and things going unsaid that you would think to call your best friend on. So much of the focus was what college life would be for Maude next year that it seemed her initial goal of finding out information about her mom was lost. It drove me crazy that anytime Maude met someone from her moms past that she didn't ask the right questions. YOU MEET YOUR MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER AND YOU DON'T ASK, BY CHANCE DO YOU KNOW WHO MY BIRTH FATHER IS? *knocks head against wall* I liked Bennett but I just can't with Maude. There's too many times I was internally screaming things at her while reading this book. I can see why people have DNF'd this. Maude should have done the project on her family- her adopted parents who have raised and cared for her since birth.
July 25, 2016
I didn't like the main character, which never bodes well for a book. It made sense that Maude wanted to find out information on her biological mother, but I didn't understand why she wanted to include a complete stranger in a family-focused project for school.
The way she reacted when her teacher announced the project was a bit much in my opinion. She had a loving family at home, and she loved them. It seemed silly when she said she didn't know how to do a project like that because she was adopted.
I read tons of fiction and nonfiction about adopted children, and I am very sensitive to most of their feelings about their biological parents. Many would want to know something about the two people who created them, but it didn't seem crucial for the project, and the teacher asking her how she was going to deal with the assignment wasn't necessary in my opinion.
The story itself wasn't entertaining. It was laugh-out-loud funny to me when Maude saw a picture of her mother in a yearbook and was amazed that the school had the same clubs and activities that hers currently had. Claire was a high school student in the late 1990's, like 1997-1999. You would have thought she went to high school during the civil war the way Maude acted while looking at the yearbook.
The little side-romance was not for me, and I always have a hard time buying into romances that take place over the course of a week or less.
The way she reacted when her teacher announced the project was a bit much in my opinion. She had a loving family at home, and she loved them. It seemed silly when she said she didn't know how to do a project like that because she was adopted.
I read tons of fiction and nonfiction about adopted children, and I am very sensitive to most of their feelings about their biological parents. Many would want to know something about the two people who created them, but it didn't seem crucial for the project, and the teacher asking her how she was going to deal with the assignment wasn't necessary in my opinion.
The story itself wasn't entertaining. It was laugh-out-loud funny to me when Maude saw a picture of her mother in a yearbook and was amazed that the school had the same clubs and activities that hers currently had. Claire was a high school student in the late 1990's, like 1997-1999. You would have thought she went to high school during the civil war the way Maude acted while looking at the yearbook.
The little side-romance was not for me, and I always have a hard time buying into romances that take place over the course of a week or less.
August 2, 2022
I loved this book! First off, the fact that she wanted to be a photographer really hit home with me as my bio father was a professional photographer and I have loved photography my whole life, I never knew him but I was shocked to learn this when I finally did find out who he was! But aside from that, There were so many feelings and thoughts Maude went thru while searching for info on her bio mother. I also had the same thoughts and feelings while searching for info on my bio father. This book was very tastefully handled with respect to her being adopted and how she related to her adoptive parents which was very nice to see.....Personally, I would have liked a bit more story about Maud's journey finding her bio mother and also her bio father instead of all the college parties she went to while visiting her best friend, but this IS a book for younger readers which I am not lol, but all in all, I really enjoyed it even if it brought a few tears to my eyes.
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January 5, 2016I liked this. The love interest was really likable and actually read like a 19 year old boy (in a good way), and it was pretty resonant with me (even though I went to college a million years ago) and the experience I had when someone from "home" visited me there.
The photography metaphor got really heavy handed at the end there, which wasn't really necessary, it the whole theme was pretty obvious.
The photography metaphor got really heavy handed at the end there, which wasn't really necessary, it the whole theme was pretty obvious.
May 9, 2016
This is a small thing to focus on in such a wholeheartedly lovely, moving story, but can I say how amazing it felt to read a YA book where the main character explicitly has a large/bumpy nose? I love my large, bumpy nose now, but teenage Amanda was so insecure about her nose that she was saving her money for a nose job at 18 (thanks for not going through with it, teenage self!). It would have meant the world to me as a teen to get to know a character with a nose like mine.
November 9, 2019
Character development is important to me. The character development in this book is outstanding. Everything about this book was awesome. I hadn’t even heard of it until my aunt gave it to me. But from the moment I read the first sentence, I was hooked. This book is my all-time-favorite!
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December 27, 2015This was really sweet, really lovely. Maude was a wholly sympathetic character and I totally shipped her with her love interest. In my head, their story is not done.
April 26, 2018
The adolescent tone of this novel rarely wavers. (The teenaged characters rely heavily on words like “cool” “okay” and “weird”.) But this is very much the point. The main character is at the age of restlessness and has the wish to spread her wings beyond the place where she has been reared for the last 17 years. Maude’s timidity and uncertainty about her photography skills are laid out convincingly in the early pages; the author lets us know right away what sort of person we’re dealing with here and the novel launches itself from this point.
Maude yearns to find out about her birth mother. So she visits a local college that’s close to where her mother matriculated. Meeting up with her best friend Treena once again, Maude is dismayed to see that Treena has changed, defiantly indulging in crazy (read: stupid) behavior. Unwillingly, Maude succumbs to peer pressure and does almost every silly act that Treena does.
As a certain South Park character once said, “Children, there’s a time and place for everything and it’s called college!” Treena and Maude indulge in typical collegiate hijinks: partying, making out with boys and drinking. The novel takes us so adeptly into this world that we are right there as the girls cast off their shackles of parental supervision and common sense. We wince at the idiocy they’re indulging in even as we smile at memories of our own youthful follies.
Maude’s efforts to learn about her mother are shown through the eyes of various people. The painful revelations help form Maude’s character as well as question everything she thought she knew about her mother Claire Fullman and her own nature.
The writer has a firm grip on her subject and her individuals’s voices. They become realistic: callous Trey, nerdy but witty Bennett, Maude herself. Maude sees herself as being timid but she learns courage. Even though she gets ample help from Bennett and Treena, Maude makes the decisive moves that bring her the information she seeks.
While the danger of drinking with strange college boys at parties is downplayed (I kept expecting something truly horrific to happen to either Treena or Maude), the rest of the story is a knowing look into a growing girl’s tentative first steps into a wider existence.
Maude yearns to find out about her birth mother. So she visits a local college that’s close to where her mother matriculated. Meeting up with her best friend Treena once again, Maude is dismayed to see that Treena has changed, defiantly indulging in crazy (read: stupid) behavior. Unwillingly, Maude succumbs to peer pressure and does almost every silly act that Treena does.
As a certain South Park character once said, “Children, there’s a time and place for everything and it’s called college!” Treena and Maude indulge in typical collegiate hijinks: partying, making out with boys and drinking. The novel takes us so adeptly into this world that we are right there as the girls cast off their shackles of parental supervision and common sense. We wince at the idiocy they’re indulging in even as we smile at memories of our own youthful follies.
Maude’s efforts to learn about her mother are shown through the eyes of various people. The painful revelations help form Maude’s character as well as question everything she thought she knew about her mother Claire Fullman and her own nature.
The writer has a firm grip on her subject and her individuals’s voices. They become realistic: callous Trey, nerdy but witty Bennett, Maude herself. Maude sees herself as being timid but she learns courage. Even though she gets ample help from Bennett and Treena, Maude makes the decisive moves that bring her the information she seeks.
While the danger of drinking with strange college boys at parties is downplayed (I kept expecting something truly horrific to happen to either Treena or Maude), the rest of the story is a knowing look into a growing girl’s tentative first steps into a wider existence.
October 23, 2017
2 stars
I thought I recognized the name of the author, but ignored it. I ordered it from my town's library and realized that this is the same author who wrote the book The Night We Said Yes, which I didn't exactly enjoy. I decided to take a chance on this one.
Warning! There could be spoilers.
Over all, I was disappointed and believe that this is not a must read.
Sorry...
I thought I recognized the name of the author, but ignored it. I ordered it from my town's library and realized that this is the same author who wrote the book The Night We Said Yes, which I didn't exactly enjoy. I decided to take a chance on this one.
Warning! There could be spoilers.
Over all, I was disappointed and believe that this is not a must read.
Sorry...
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