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Paintbrush
Mitchell Morrison and Josie Sedgwick have spent their whole lives at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village, a commune full of colorful characters tucked in the mountains of North Carolina, and they aren't particularly close--at least, not anymore. Josie wishes she could spend all of her time at Paintbrush planting tomatoes, hiking the trails, or throwing giant communal birthday parties, while Mitchell can’t wait to escape the bizarre spiritual sharing and noisy community dinners. Luckily for both of them, high school graduation is just around the corner.
But when Mitchell’s mother makes a scandalous announcement that rocks the close-knit Paintbrush community, and Josie’s younger sister starts to make some dangerously bad decisions, the two find themselves leaning on each other for support – and looking at each other in a whole new light. Their childhood friendship blossoms in to something more as they deal with their insane families, but as graduation approaches, so does life in the real world, forcing Josie and Mitchell to figure out what, exactly, their relationship is – and if it can survive their very different plans for the future.
But when Mitchell’s mother makes a scandalous announcement that rocks the close-knit Paintbrush community, and Josie’s younger sister starts to make some dangerously bad decisions, the two find themselves leaning on each other for support – and looking at each other in a whole new light. Their childhood friendship blossoms in to something more as they deal with their insane families, but as graduation approaches, so does life in the real world, forcing Josie and Mitchell to figure out what, exactly, their relationship is – and if it can survive their very different plans for the future.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 11, 2017
7 people are currently reading
1992 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Bucchin
1 book87 followersHannah Bucchin has spent her life falling in love with beautiful places, both real and fictional. She grew up in charming Bethlehem, PA, went to college in sunny Chapel Hill, NC, spent a summer studying wildlife in Tanzania, volunteered on organic farms across New Zealand, and hiked all over Acadia National Park in Maine. When not writing, reading, or adventuring, she likes to daydream about the dog she’ll adopt someday, listen to music from the sixties, and exchange ridiculous texts with her parents and siblings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
May 17, 2022
I am unable to discern whether this book was, like, genuinely pretty good or whether the reading experience was so legitimately fabulous that it made a not-great book seem acceptable.
Because here is the thing about getting to open several presents at specific points in the book that are thing that are mentioned in the book at that point: It is awesome.
Presents are awesome. Books are awesome. Especially awesome? A READING EXPERIENCE ON THAT LEVEL OF IMMERSION, MY DEAR BOY.
I got this in a young adult Once Upon a Book Club Box. A Once Upon a Book Club Box is a monthly subscription box that gives you: 1) a book (duh) and 2) several presents (like 4 or 5 I don’t know). These presents are adorably wrapped and ribbon’d and they say, like, Page 129 on them. And then when you’re reading the book, there’s an adorably calligraphy’d Post-It note which is attached after a specific sentence that’s the level of detail we’re talking here telling you to open the gift. AND THEN THE GIFT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST MENTIONED IN THE F*CKING BOOK!!!!!
I am so goddamn excited I can hardly stand it. Which is bananas because I finished this book, and the reading experience that went along with it, long ago.
I am going to just say what the presents were because I do not think you can buy this box anymore and also it was from several months ago and also I am REALLY EXCITED.
The presents were:
- A big fancy hippie-y scarf at the mention of a hippie-y woman who wears a lot of scarves.
- A F*CKING LUNCH BAG WITH TREES ON IT and a bread recipe when a character was at lunch eating a homemade-bread sandwich.
- A lil flashlight when two characters went on a nighttime flashlit adventure.
- Fairy lights after a description of a grad party with a bunch of fairy lights!!!!!
How fun is that, you guys????
I am now realizing that I have made it one (1) entire page into this review without even once attempting to actually, you know, review the literal book itself. I suck.
Paintbrush is about two teens, one who is cool and hot and popular and one who is a hippie nerd, who live in this crazy commune-type place. It’s so wild there you guys! I, and this book, cannot stress the total abnormality of this place enough.
One of them super wants to leave and the other is hella into the idea of staying. (I will give you three guesses on which is which. Oh, wait, you don’t need three guesses? Because it’s so obvious? And even if it weren’t there are only two possible scenarios so the third guess is not only unhelpful, but impossible? Got it.)
Anyway, in a radical turn of events Josie (hippie nerd, always has her hair in a braid, we are constantly reminded of the existence of said braid) and Mitchell (cool hot jock - I am probably going to call him “hot” approximately 400 more times so you get a real feel for what the book is like) fall in looooooove. Who woulda thunk. (Everyone. Everyone woulda thunk.)
There is also a lot of family drama, which is sometimes way too overwrought (whose mom announces she’s leaving her husband/your dad in front of everyone in the community while being lightly fondled by your new stepdad??) and sometimes way too simplified (who just forgives that mom after like a month???).
The family drama can get exhausting. The romance is pretty predictable and sometimes pretty boring also, because predictable is boring which is something I almost definitely do not have to explain.
But there are friends in this book! Josie and Mitchell each have exactly one friend. And the friends still exist after the stars are rocked by Josie and Mitchell’s budding relationship! Pretty rad.
Well, mildly rad. But definitely slightly more rad than the typical let's-set-up-one-friend-character-and-abandon-them-once-the-romance-gets-goin'.
Bottom line: This was a pretty-okay contemporary made super-great by Once Upon a Book Club. I don’t, like, not recommend the book, but I totally recommend Once Upon a Book Club. (OUaBC is pretty cool. I wonder if they use that.)
Because here is the thing about getting to open several presents at specific points in the book that are thing that are mentioned in the book at that point: It is awesome.
Presents are awesome. Books are awesome. Especially awesome? A READING EXPERIENCE ON THAT LEVEL OF IMMERSION, MY DEAR BOY.
I got this in a young adult Once Upon a Book Club Box. A Once Upon a Book Club Box is a monthly subscription box that gives you: 1) a book (duh) and 2) several presents (like 4 or 5 I don’t know). These presents are adorably wrapped and ribbon’d and they say, like, Page 129 on them. And then when you’re reading the book, there’s an adorably calligraphy’d Post-It note which is attached after a specific sentence that’s the level of detail we’re talking here telling you to open the gift. AND THEN THE GIFT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST MENTIONED IN THE F*CKING BOOK!!!!!
I am so goddamn excited I can hardly stand it. Which is bananas because I finished this book, and the reading experience that went along with it, long ago.
I am going to just say what the presents were because I do not think you can buy this box anymore and also it was from several months ago and also I am REALLY EXCITED.
The presents were:
- A big fancy hippie-y scarf at the mention of a hippie-y woman who wears a lot of scarves.
- A F*CKING LUNCH BAG WITH TREES ON IT and a bread recipe when a character was at lunch eating a homemade-bread sandwich.
- A lil flashlight when two characters went on a nighttime flashlit adventure.
- Fairy lights after a description of a grad party with a bunch of fairy lights!!!!!
How fun is that, you guys????
I am now realizing that I have made it one (1) entire page into this review without even once attempting to actually, you know, review the literal book itself. I suck.
Paintbrush is about two teens, one who is cool and hot and popular and one who is a hippie nerd, who live in this crazy commune-type place. It’s so wild there you guys! I, and this book, cannot stress the total abnormality of this place enough.
One of them super wants to leave and the other is hella into the idea of staying. (I will give you three guesses on which is which. Oh, wait, you don’t need three guesses? Because it’s so obvious? And even if it weren’t there are only two possible scenarios so the third guess is not only unhelpful, but impossible? Got it.)
Anyway, in a radical turn of events Josie (hippie nerd, always has her hair in a braid, we are constantly reminded of the existence of said braid) and Mitchell (cool hot jock - I am probably going to call him “hot” approximately 400 more times so you get a real feel for what the book is like) fall in looooooove. Who woulda thunk. (Everyone. Everyone woulda thunk.)
There is also a lot of family drama, which is sometimes way too overwrought (whose mom announces she’s leaving her husband/your dad in front of everyone in the community while being lightly fondled by your new stepdad??) and sometimes way too simplified (who just forgives that mom after like a month???).
The family drama can get exhausting. The romance is pretty predictable and sometimes pretty boring also, because predictable is boring which is something I almost definitely do not have to explain.
But there are friends in this book! Josie and Mitchell each have exactly one friend. And the friends still exist after the stars are rocked by Josie and Mitchell’s budding relationship! Pretty rad.
Well, mildly rad. But definitely slightly more rad than the typical let's-set-up-one-friend-character-and-abandon-them-once-the-romance-gets-goin'.
Bottom line: This was a pretty-okay contemporary made super-great by Once Upon a Book Club. I don’t, like, not recommend the book, but I totally recommend Once Upon a Book Club. (OUaBC is pretty cool. I wonder if they use that.)
May 30, 2017
An ARC has been kindly provided by Blaze Publishing, via NetGalley.com, in exchange for an honest review.
4 charming stars
Charming: : ˈtʃɑːmɪŋ :adjective: charming: very pleasant or attractive. Synonyms: delightful, pleasing, pleasant, …
Well, this story is the epitome of charming. There is just this “little something” that kept me interested and immersed in this sweet story of coming of age.
Paintbrush is Hannah Bucchin’s first published work and I must confess I swooned over the pretty cover. I’m a cover junkie and this was the first trigger.
The second reason why I requested this book was the blurb. It mentioned “a commune full of colorful characters tucked in the mountains of North Carolina”. I love stories talking about tight knit communities and colorful characters. I can read books without big plot as long as the characters are so well portrayed and interesting that they are the stories. I also love “feel good” books from time to time. They give me hope and energy for days! Just to compensate for all the gloomy news we are drowned in every day.
I can now honestly say Paintbrush fit the bill to the T.
Paintbrush is not an action packed/fast paced/intricate plot/high angst read.
No.
Paintbrush is a charming story built around the budding romance between two childhood friends Josie and Mitchell. They know each other since they were toddlers and live in the same community filled with quaint, earthy characters.
“People watching is a prime activity at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village for Sustainable Living”
A few weeks before graduation Mitchell’s mom will make a scandalous announcement that will turn Micthell’s world upside down.
So far Josie and Micthell were just friends but Mitchell’s ordeal will change perceptions.
The authenticity of the story was what I loved most. It broaches topics we all encounter at one point in our lives:
- the path we have to choose for our future;
- the choice to blend in or remain true to who we are;
-forgiving people who hurt us with the hope to heal and not become bitter;
- accepting diversity and respecting other in their choices;
-how to raise your children either letting them make mistakes or controlling their every moves,…
I could go on and on.
Mitchell has always wanted to blend with his school’s crowd. To be “normal” and not some freak living in a “hippie” community. At school he is the Golden Boy, captain of the swimming team, joking with everyone, easy going. He can’t wait to finish high school and leave for college. Leave the community life behind. Even if he loves his people he wants to be “normal” whatever normal is.
“It’s not that I’m embarrassed I like to read books. Or that I’m embarrassed to be seen with Josie. It’s just that I’ve spent my entire life working so hard to be normal. I’m captain of the swim team, I plan pep rallies and dances, and I take as many advanced classes as my schedule will allow.”
Josie was totally different from Mitchell.
She loves her community, loves the lifestyle and does not hide where she comes from. She does not wear make-up has her hair in a braid and outdoor work clothes are her favorite right alongside flowing gowns.
“High school is where people can find their place, when they can find out how to fit into the puzzle. But I don’t have a place, and I don’t have a thing. All I know is that when I’m inside the school walls, the only place I really want to be is outside in the sunshine, gardening with my hands in the dirt, breathing in the fresh air. “
She loves her family, her neighbors, her mountains and does not know what to wish for her future. Would it be so bad to stay at Indian Paintbrush Community? This indecisiveness was a stress in itself when Josie witnessed all her friends preparing to depart for a new beginning.
And when Mitchell’s mom does something shattering his world to pieces he is so angry with her.
Here comes the path to forgiveness. Do we know why others make some choices? As long as we did not walk in their shoes we can’t judge. It is also easier to hold a grudge than forgiving but is it the better choice?
I relished in the characters gallery all very well portrayed and adding layers and colors to the story. Between our two main characters you have Josie’s sisters with Libby being the typical rebel teenager. You have the nature freaks practicing naked yoga every morning for all to see. Grumpy old men smoking weed or polishing their rifle or the couple with seven kids etc. They all help to make the story so vibrant and interesting.
Last but not least the budding romance was very sweet. Mitchell and Josie were touching, both somewhat clumsy in their first love. You’ll have no-dates-dates under starry skies, at the lake, eating junk food in the middle of nowhere. Beating hearts and heads filled with “what if”.
Oh and Mitschell's speech at graduation day made me really, really want to listen again to "Long Live" by Taylor Swift Long Live
This is one of those perfect stories to charm you when on holiday at the beach or in the mountains.
I hope you'll give it a chance.
4 charming stars
Charming: : ˈtʃɑːmɪŋ :adjective: charming: very pleasant or attractive. Synonyms: delightful, pleasing, pleasant, …
Well, this story is the epitome of charming. There is just this “little something” that kept me interested and immersed in this sweet story of coming of age.
Paintbrush is Hannah Bucchin’s first published work and I must confess I swooned over the pretty cover. I’m a cover junkie and this was the first trigger.
The second reason why I requested this book was the blurb. It mentioned “a commune full of colorful characters tucked in the mountains of North Carolina”. I love stories talking about tight knit communities and colorful characters. I can read books without big plot as long as the characters are so well portrayed and interesting that they are the stories. I also love “feel good” books from time to time. They give me hope and energy for days! Just to compensate for all the gloomy news we are drowned in every day.
I can now honestly say Paintbrush fit the bill to the T.
Paintbrush is not an action packed/fast paced/intricate plot/high angst read.
No.
Paintbrush is a charming story built around the budding romance between two childhood friends Josie and Mitchell. They know each other since they were toddlers and live in the same community filled with quaint, earthy characters.
“People watching is a prime activity at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village for Sustainable Living”
A few weeks before graduation Mitchell’s mom will make a scandalous announcement that will turn Micthell’s world upside down.
So far Josie and Micthell were just friends but Mitchell’s ordeal will change perceptions.
The authenticity of the story was what I loved most. It broaches topics we all encounter at one point in our lives:
- the path we have to choose for our future;
- the choice to blend in or remain true to who we are;
-forgiving people who hurt us with the hope to heal and not become bitter;
- accepting diversity and respecting other in their choices;
-how to raise your children either letting them make mistakes or controlling their every moves,…
I could go on and on.
Mitchell has always wanted to blend with his school’s crowd. To be “normal” and not some freak living in a “hippie” community. At school he is the Golden Boy, captain of the swimming team, joking with everyone, easy going. He can’t wait to finish high school and leave for college. Leave the community life behind. Even if he loves his people he wants to be “normal” whatever normal is.
“It’s not that I’m embarrassed I like to read books. Or that I’m embarrassed to be seen with Josie. It’s just that I’ve spent my entire life working so hard to be normal. I’m captain of the swim team, I plan pep rallies and dances, and I take as many advanced classes as my schedule will allow.”
Josie was totally different from Mitchell.
She loves her community, loves the lifestyle and does not hide where she comes from. She does not wear make-up has her hair in a braid and outdoor work clothes are her favorite right alongside flowing gowns.
“High school is where people can find their place, when they can find out how to fit into the puzzle. But I don’t have a place, and I don’t have a thing. All I know is that when I’m inside the school walls, the only place I really want to be is outside in the sunshine, gardening with my hands in the dirt, breathing in the fresh air. “
She loves her family, her neighbors, her mountains and does not know what to wish for her future. Would it be so bad to stay at Indian Paintbrush Community? This indecisiveness was a stress in itself when Josie witnessed all her friends preparing to depart for a new beginning.
And when Mitchell’s mom does something shattering his world to pieces he is so angry with her.
Here comes the path to forgiveness. Do we know why others make some choices? As long as we did not walk in their shoes we can’t judge. It is also easier to hold a grudge than forgiving but is it the better choice?
I relished in the characters gallery all very well portrayed and adding layers and colors to the story. Between our two main characters you have Josie’s sisters with Libby being the typical rebel teenager. You have the nature freaks practicing naked yoga every morning for all to see. Grumpy old men smoking weed or polishing their rifle or the couple with seven kids etc. They all help to make the story so vibrant and interesting.
Last but not least the budding romance was very sweet. Mitchell and Josie were touching, both somewhat clumsy in their first love. You’ll have no-dates-dates under starry skies, at the lake, eating junk food in the middle of nowhere. Beating hearts and heads filled with “what if”.
Oh and Mitschell's speech at graduation day made me really, really want to listen again to "Long Live" by Taylor Swift Long Live
This is one of those perfect stories to charm you when on holiday at the beach or in the mountains.
I hope you'll give it a chance.
November 14, 2017
5 stars
I CANNOT BELIEVE this is a debut
Like....no. This author has to have more stuff published....
(^^^ an actual gif of me pouring tea while reading this book ^^^)
This was way too put together and awesome for a debut novel....
But alas. It is a debut. And I am blown away.
This book made me laugh and tear up and I stayed up all hours of the night to finish and I just have so many feels! What a fantastic story. It reminded me a lot of Running Barefoot, in that it had a such a sweet first love/coming of age story line. I loved everything about this book, and the fact that it takes place in my home state doesn't hurt anything =)
I MUST HAVE THE SEQUEL NOW (is there even a sequel? I HOPE SO)
----------
Buddy read with Katherine the Great ♥
I CANNOT BELIEVE this is a debut
Like....no. This author has to have more stuff published....
(^^^ an actual gif of me pouring tea while reading this book ^^^)
This was way too put together and awesome for a debut novel....
But alas. It is a debut. And I am blown away.
This book made me laugh and tear up and I stayed up all hours of the night to finish and I just have so many feels! What a fantastic story. It reminded me a lot of Running Barefoot, in that it had a such a sweet first love/coming of age story line. I loved everything about this book, and the fact that it takes place in my home state doesn't hurt anything =)
I MUST HAVE THE SEQUEL NOW (is there even a sequel? I HOPE SO)
----------
Buddy read with Katherine the Great ♥
June 15, 2017
[I received a free advance review copy in exchange for an honest review]
I'm sobbing.
I'M DOWNRIGHT SOBBING THIS WAS SO GOOD.
Not the cute kind of sobbing with a couple of tears running down my face. Nope, none of that.
It's the ugly kind. The one where you get under-eye bags for days afterwards.
I didn't realize how much I've missed YA contemporaries until now. Because I honestly gave up on them after Jandy Nelson's books, I'll Give You The Sun and The Sky Is Everywhere, because every book I read afterwards just didn't come close to their perfection. But then this one was like a mashup of these two, only it was way more exotic and beautiful. I loved it. I absolutely adored every Paintbrush commune member. Every single member was their own person, and I know it sounds lame but I literally mean it. The characters felt so friggin real. And I wanted to be a part of it. A part of Paintbrush. I want to go around mowing the grass on weekends. Plant some tomatoes, take a dip in the lake... IT'S A DREAM COME TRUE. Now that is a place I'd love to grow old in.
The issues presented were so simple but they seriously hit me so hard. Like, oh my God, I did NOT expect to actually sympathize with Josie's mom, but I seriously figured her out after they had that talk. It was all so weird, I actually hated on her, exactly the way Josie did at first. But the way she actually had an explanation for every single decision she made and still makes for the sake of her daughters... It's weird, yes. But it totally made sense.
The chemistry between the Paintbrush members was overwhelming. No awkwardness. Josie and Mitchell grew up around those people. Everyone grew up around everyone. The ties, the friendships, the heartbreak... it was all so beautiful.
That day Eric and Wendy went out to do an 'emergency diaper run' *wink wink* and left Lucy with NED, of all people. And then everyone was passing Lucy around as if she were the plague itself and then it was Bernie's turn and he was all like:
And then there's Leah. I LOVE HER SO MUCH, DAMMIT.
And I can't believe I just realized this but I seriously ship her with Cord. I think they'd fit perfectly together. Their weird sense of humor, and there's that other thing... OKAY, so it's probably just the weird sense of humor, but whatever. I ship them. Strongly.
Then there's Josie and Mitchell, and I'm a sucker for best friends that realize afterwards how hot the other person is and then suddenly there are feelings and sweaty palms and stuttering and BUTTERFLIES. It was all too much. All too cute.
I'm sobbing.
I'M DOWNRIGHT SOBBING THIS WAS SO GOOD.
Not the cute kind of sobbing with a couple of tears running down my face. Nope, none of that.
It's the ugly kind. The one where you get under-eye bags for days afterwards.
I didn't realize how much I've missed YA contemporaries until now. Because I honestly gave up on them after Jandy Nelson's books, I'll Give You The Sun and The Sky Is Everywhere, because every book I read afterwards just didn't come close to their perfection. But then this one was like a mashup of these two, only it was way more exotic and beautiful. I loved it. I absolutely adored every Paintbrush commune member. Every single member was their own person, and I know it sounds lame but I literally mean it. The characters felt so friggin real. And I wanted to be a part of it. A part of Paintbrush. I want to go around mowing the grass on weekends. Plant some tomatoes, take a dip in the lake... IT'S A DREAM COME TRUE. Now that is a place I'd love to grow old in.
The issues presented were so simple but they seriously hit me so hard. Like, oh my God, I did NOT expect to actually sympathize with Josie's mom, but I seriously figured her out after they had that talk. It was all so weird, I actually hated on her, exactly the way Josie did at first. But the way she actually had an explanation for every single decision she made and still makes for the sake of her daughters... It's weird, yes. But it totally made sense.
The chemistry between the Paintbrush members was overwhelming. No awkwardness. Josie and Mitchell grew up around those people. Everyone grew up around everyone. The ties, the friendships, the heartbreak... it was all so beautiful.
That day Eric and Wendy went out to do an 'emergency diaper run' *wink wink* and left Lucy with NED, of all people. And then everyone was passing Lucy around as if she were the plague itself and then it was Bernie's turn and he was all like:
Bernie takes a step back. "No can do," he says. "I don't do babies."
"What in the world are you talking about?" demands Ned.
Bernie shrugs. "They creep me out," he calls back, his voice loud over the screams. "They're like little tiny people."
[Mitchell]: "You know, Bernie. I never thought of it that way," I say slowly. "But now that you mention it, babies are kind of like people."
"See?" He point to me. "He gets it."
And then there's Leah. I LOVE HER SO MUCH, DAMMIT.
She opens her mouth to respond, but then something behind me makes her eyes widen. "Code red, code red," she mutters. "The eagle has landed. The package has been delivered. The chicken has crossed the road."
[Josie] I whip around and come face to face with Mitchell. He wears a politely confused expression.
"Chicken?' he asks.
"We were just talking about you!" Leah exclaims, beaming.
And I can't believe I just realized this but I seriously ship her with Cord. I think they'd fit perfectly together. Their weird sense of humor, and there's that other thing... OKAY, so it's probably just the weird sense of humor, but whatever. I ship them. Strongly.
Then there's Josie and Mitchell, and I'm a sucker for best friends that realize afterwards how hot the other person is and then suddenly there are feelings and sweaty palms and stuttering and BUTTERFLIES. It was all too much. All too cute.
March 22, 2017
"Sometimes, I just need other people to help me carry my thoughts around."
"She made a choice, and it was a shitty choice, and now she has to face the consequences."
Thanks to Blaze Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange of a honest review!
This was amazing.
This book is a sweet contemporary (with kinda coming-of-age tendencies) and I really love good written and structured contemporaries.
I instantly connected with Josie, I loved Mitchell and sadly I have to say that I'm used to the situation that he got into. My mom did something just as terrible, so I know how hard it is to deal with that.
Everything was just so relateable, Josie's problems and Mitchell's! But what I loved the most, was that their problem-solving needed time.
Because, let me tell you that: it needs time. Much of it.
When you are hurt by somebody you need distance. You need to run away. You don't want to talk about it. You have to work your way around them cause now your picture of them has changed. And don't let anybody put any kind of pressure on you. It is your life, and it's your heart that got broken. There is no time when you need to be over it. Maybe you'll never get over it.
So thanks to this book for it's realness. I really appreciate it.
"She made a choice, and it was a shitty choice, and now she has to face the consequences."
Thanks to Blaze Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange of a honest review!
This was amazing.
This book is a sweet contemporary (with kinda coming-of-age tendencies) and I really love good written and structured contemporaries.
I instantly connected with Josie, I loved Mitchell and sadly I have to say that I'm used to the situation that he got into. My mom did something just as terrible, so I know how hard it is to deal with that.
Everything was just so relateable, Josie's problems and Mitchell's! But what I loved the most, was that their problem-solving needed time.
Because, let me tell you that: it needs time. Much of it.
When you are hurt by somebody you need distance. You need to run away. You don't want to talk about it. You have to work your way around them cause now your picture of them has changed. And don't let anybody put any kind of pressure on you. It is your life, and it's your heart that got broken. There is no time when you need to be over it. Maybe you'll never get over it.
So thanks to this book for it's realness. I really appreciate it.
February 3, 2021
"THIS BOOKS IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD! GOOD IS ACTUALLY AN UNDERSTATEMENT. AMAZING. EFFING AMAZING. I CAN'T EVEN."
^ that was while I was reading the book. Read for the finished-the-book kind of review.
THIS BOOK WAS SO AMAZING I DID NOT EVEN TAKE NOTES. IT WAS NOT NECESSARY. I wish I could give it 62826288272 STARS IN HERE 'CAUSE IT DESERVES IT. I RECOMMEND IT 100%. The characters are just🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 The drama was🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 The whole thing was just amazing! I can't even!!! 555555555/5⭐️s
^ that was while I was reading the book. Read for the finished-the-book kind of review.
THIS BOOK WAS SO AMAZING I DID NOT EVEN TAKE NOTES. IT WAS NOT NECESSARY. I wish I could give it 62826288272 STARS IN HERE 'CAUSE IT DESERVES IT. I RECOMMEND IT 100%. The characters are just🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 The drama was🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 The whole thing was just amazing! I can't even!!! 555555555/5⭐️s
July 8, 2017
* Received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much! This doesn’t affect the review in any way. My opinions are, as always, my own.*
This was so adorable. I have been trying to read more contemporary books and romantic books, especially now that it's summer. And I have been enjoying them so much! They are always so cute, emotional and quick to read and this one was no exception!
Paintbrush is the story of Josie and Mitchell. They have known each other since they were children, and although living at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village would make it impossible not to know each other, they started drifting apart and finding new friends. Their interactions became only the car rides to school together and the occasional hi and bye. But one day, when everything seems terrible, something good comes of it, and they start passing more time together and getting really close.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book, even the secondary ones. They were all so interesting and well put together! Josie is a bit of a nerd and an outcast, while Mitchell is adored by all the girls, and known to everybody. But in the end, they are not as different as they think. They were such nice characters!
I thought their relationship was really sweet, how they knew so much and yet so less about each other, how much an appearance can be only that. It was really well paced and fun to read about and I absolutely loved it!
As for the secondary characters, there's way too many that I love... I thought their friends were really great and the people at Paintbrush too. They were all so warm-hearted and so unique! Also, there's some development with them and even some that you are not kin on, you start loving by the end.
The writing was good, but slightly repetitive - mainly in the beginning. It was too much and it was annoying me. But it actually changed and got less after around 30% of the book, which I was really grateful for.
This book made me laugh and cry. It was really emotional and honest and I loved it for that. I was reading it inside my classroom (during break time) and I had to stop because I didn't want to start crying there and I could already feel my eyes watering!
I would for sure recommend it, especially if you are looking for a cute book with some amazing characters and a lot of honesty and emotion!
This was so adorable. I have been trying to read more contemporary books and romantic books, especially now that it's summer. And I have been enjoying them so much! They are always so cute, emotional and quick to read and this one was no exception!
Paintbrush is the story of Josie and Mitchell. They have known each other since they were children, and although living at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village would make it impossible not to know each other, they started drifting apart and finding new friends. Their interactions became only the car rides to school together and the occasional hi and bye. But one day, when everything seems terrible, something good comes of it, and they start passing more time together and getting really close.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book, even the secondary ones. They were all so interesting and well put together! Josie is a bit of a nerd and an outcast, while Mitchell is adored by all the girls, and known to everybody. But in the end, they are not as different as they think. They were such nice characters!
I thought their relationship was really sweet, how they knew so much and yet so less about each other, how much an appearance can be only that. It was really well paced and fun to read about and I absolutely loved it!
As for the secondary characters, there's way too many that I love... I thought their friends were really great and the people at Paintbrush too. They were all so warm-hearted and so unique! Also, there's some development with them and even some that you are not kin on, you start loving by the end.
The writing was good, but slightly repetitive - mainly in the beginning. It was too much and it was annoying me. But it actually changed and got less after around 30% of the book, which I was really grateful for.
This book made me laugh and cry. It was really emotional and honest and I loved it for that. I was reading it inside my classroom (during break time) and I had to stop because I didn't want to start crying there and I could already feel my eyes watering!
I would for sure recommend it, especially if you are looking for a cute book with some amazing characters and a lot of honesty and emotion!
Want to read
July 12, 2017Okay but excuse me, THIS COVER. *swoon*
October 3, 2017
I absolutely loved this cute adorable read! I just didn't want to put it down, and flew through it! The little gifts helped through too, as I received this book in a Once Upon A Book crate, so when I reached a certain page I would open up the gifts corresponding to that page, as labelled in the box.
I just got so invested in Josie and Mitchell's relationship, and also the background stories of the other characters. I don't want this to be the end of their story :( I mean, yeah I'm really pleased how it turned out, with And the sound of all of those nature walks and streams and waterfalls sounds so amazing <3 And one of their little I have nothing really bad to say about this book. I love Josie so much as a main character, and the same with Mitchell!
Josie
Mitchell
I just loved this book.
I just got so invested in Josie and Mitchell's relationship, and also the background stories of the other characters. I don't want this to be the end of their story :( I mean, yeah I'm really pleased how it turned out, with And the sound of all of those nature walks and streams and waterfalls sounds so amazing <3 And one of their little I have nothing really bad to say about this book. I love Josie so much as a main character, and the same with Mitchell!
Josie
Mitchell
I just loved this book.
October 15, 2017
Lately, many YA contemporaries seem to try too hard to be funny, but Paintbrush flows with a natural humor that had me laughing out loud (at parts--this isn't necessarily a humor novel). Paintbrush exudes an aura of clarity and kindness. It's heartwarming, well-written, and I really enjoyed reading it. The characters are genuine and multidimensional, and in the vein of Sarah Dessen, we get to experience a great ensemble cast of characters, the stars being high school seniors Mitchell and Josie, who are seemingly so different but alike in the best ways. The story takes place in a commune in North Carolina, which makes for a fresh and interesting setting.
October 6, 2017
I loved the main characters Josie and Mitchell so much. Josie is such a funky and lovable character. Her style of fashion made her stand out as a main character and really protrayed her background. I also loved how she is not scared to speak the truth no matter who she is with or who its about. Mitchell is also a lovable and connectable character. I felt very connected to him as a character and just wanted to give him a hug throughout the whole book with the situatuion he was in and how he was struggling with his feelings.
I loved being able to follow their relationship and how it grew. Within the book their was so many characters and we were able to learn most of their own background stories which made me feel more involved with the book. I felt like i was an actual character in their community. The scenes within the book where they were at the lakes were just beautiful and made me feel like i was there in the summer time instead of fall.
I gave this book 5 owls/stars as it just made me happy the whole time reading it and i connected to it so much.
I loved being able to follow their relationship and how it grew. Within the book their was so many characters and we were able to learn most of their own background stories which made me feel more involved with the book. I felt like i was an actual character in their community. The scenes within the book where they were at the lakes were just beautiful and made me feel like i was there in the summer time instead of fall.
I gave this book 5 owls/stars as it just made me happy the whole time reading it and i connected to it so much.
July 17, 2017
A cute, quick, charming read! I actually loved the idea of the Paintbrush community, where everyone lives in cabins on top of a mountain. I wouldn't be so crazy about other aspects of living there, but I loved the setting.
The protagonists, Josie and Mitchell are your typical teenage friends-turned-lovers... but that isn't a bad thing! I loved their story as it developed and I was rooting for them every step of the way. Their love story was very comfortable and to be honest, that's the kind of relationship that I've always longed for.
The protagonists, Josie and Mitchell are your typical teenage friends-turned-lovers... but that isn't a bad thing! I loved their story as it developed and I was rooting for them every step of the way. Their love story was very comfortable and to be honest, that's the kind of relationship that I've always longed for.
March 10, 2023
this was an adorable, atmospheric, agreeable debut! I would read more by her!
January 16, 2018
Welcome to the Indian Paintbrush Community Village for Sustainable Living: a beautiful commune filled with colorful characters. Among them, two teens on the cusp of adulthood. One, Josie, is nature loving, loves the Paintbrush community, dresses in long skirts and wears a braid. The other, Mitchell, could be the polar opposite: he just wants to fit into his high school, he's on the swim team, popular, and doesn't want anything to do with these 'hippies'.
Life on the commune is peaceful, until one day when Mitchell's mother does something earth shattering and changes his world forever.
The book deals with the questions that every teen struggles with as they reach adulthood: what is your place in the world? How do you choose your path for your future? Is it better to blend in, or stay true to who you are? How do you forgive the unforgivable - and so on. And it's handled oh-so beautifully.
While the plot focuses on the growing and evolving relationships between Mitchell and Josie - who have more in common than they expect - it's also using their two points of views to examine these questions. It's a story of first love, and coming of age. Setting it on a commune frames this exploration in just a warm and loving embrace that you constantly feel hugged while reading the book. The supporting characters are just that: so supportive. In the best possible way.
If you're looking for a YA contemporary that will leave you with a smile and a warm feeling in your heart. then you're going to love Paintbrush. It's a sweet and beautiful book that deserves a place on your bookshelf.
Life on the commune is peaceful, until one day when Mitchell's mother does something earth shattering and changes his world forever.
The book deals with the questions that every teen struggles with as they reach adulthood: what is your place in the world? How do you choose your path for your future? Is it better to blend in, or stay true to who you are? How do you forgive the unforgivable - and so on. And it's handled oh-so beautifully.
While the plot focuses on the growing and evolving relationships between Mitchell and Josie - who have more in common than they expect - it's also using their two points of views to examine these questions. It's a story of first love, and coming of age. Setting it on a commune frames this exploration in just a warm and loving embrace that you constantly feel hugged while reading the book. The supporting characters are just that: so supportive. In the best possible way.
If you're looking for a YA contemporary that will leave you with a smile and a warm feeling in your heart. then you're going to love Paintbrush. It's a sweet and beautiful book that deserves a place on your bookshelf.
May 31, 2017
*I received an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Paintbrush is a YA contemporary story that follows to teens, Mitchell and Josie, who live at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village. In their senior year of high school, both Mitchell and Josie are thinking about their future. Mitchell wants to get as far away from Paintbrush as possible. while Josie would rather stay. When Mitchell begins to get feelings for Josie, what will happen to his plans for his future?
While I overall was not a big fan of this story, I did enjoy Josie. I liked how she found it okay that she didn't know what she wanted to do in the future yet. I think we need more characters like this since a lot of people don't know what they want straight out of high school and it's becoming more common to wait until you know for sure before making college plans. Not that having college plans is bad, it's just that not everyone has them and I like seeing more realistic characters.
Like I said in the previous paragraph, I wasn't a big fan of this book, therefore there was a lot more things I disliked than liked. Most of those things are spoilers so I won't get into to them, but one I can talk about is Mitchell. I found him to be kind of selfish and whiny. I didn't like his friend either. So basically I didn't like his POV at all.
Just because this book wasn't for me does not make it a bad book. I think fans of When it Happens by Susane Colasanti or Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins will enjoy this book.
Paintbrush is a YA contemporary story that follows to teens, Mitchell and Josie, who live at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village. In their senior year of high school, both Mitchell and Josie are thinking about their future. Mitchell wants to get as far away from Paintbrush as possible. while Josie would rather stay. When Mitchell begins to get feelings for Josie, what will happen to his plans for his future?
While I overall was not a big fan of this story, I did enjoy Josie. I liked how she found it okay that she didn't know what she wanted to do in the future yet. I think we need more characters like this since a lot of people don't know what they want straight out of high school and it's becoming more common to wait until you know for sure before making college plans. Not that having college plans is bad, it's just that not everyone has them and I like seeing more realistic characters.
Like I said in the previous paragraph, I wasn't a big fan of this book, therefore there was a lot more things I disliked than liked. Most of those things are spoilers so I won't get into to them, but one I can talk about is Mitchell. I found him to be kind of selfish and whiny. I didn't like his friend either. So basically I didn't like his POV at all.
Just because this book wasn't for me does not make it a bad book. I think fans of When it Happens by Susane Colasanti or Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins will enjoy this book.
October 2, 2017
Josie and Mitchell are living at the Indian Paintbrush Community for Sustainable Living, a commune in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. Josie and Mitchell used to be best friends and they do still spend time together at Paintbrush, but at school they never interact. Josie loves everything about Paintbrush. She likes being outside, she loves working in the communal gardens and she enjoys spending time with everyone in the community. Mitchell can't wait to leave Paintbrush behind, he wants to go to a good university and is always working on his grades.
When Mitchell's world falls apart he needs someone to lean on and surprisingly that person is Josie. He begins to see her in a completely different light. However, Mitchell wants to get away from Paintbrush straight after graduation and Josie isn't planning on going anywhere, will they ever have a chance to find out if they can be more than just friends?
Paintbrush is an original romantic story. Josie is a wonderful person. She's kindhearted and caring and she's perfectly at ease with herself, which is something I greatly admired about her character. Mitchell is going through a lot and his emotions are all over the place. He thought he had everything figured out, but life at home messes things up for him completely. I could feel his pain and hoped he'd eventually find peace with his new situation. Mitchell and Josie are both dealing with family problems, which makes them become even closer. I liked that even though their connection started because of limited availability it develops into something much more. They have a gorgeous precious bond that I loved reading about.
Paintbrush is a unique setting and Hannah Bucchin makes it come to life incredibly well. I loved the community spirit. Everyone is looking out for each other and people are generally friendly. When there are problems they solve them in a peaceful way. I could easily imagine that being part of a large community would be overwhelming for Mitchell, but could also see the other side, the safety that can be found in being cared for by many others, which is part of what Josie finds so appealing about it. Hannah Bucchin uses their feelings and opinions to paint a complete picture of the setting that plays such a vital part in her story and she does this incredibly well. I really loved Paintbrush and highly recommend this special book.
When Mitchell's world falls apart he needs someone to lean on and surprisingly that person is Josie. He begins to see her in a completely different light. However, Mitchell wants to get away from Paintbrush straight after graduation and Josie isn't planning on going anywhere, will they ever have a chance to find out if they can be more than just friends?
Paintbrush is an original romantic story. Josie is a wonderful person. She's kindhearted and caring and she's perfectly at ease with herself, which is something I greatly admired about her character. Mitchell is going through a lot and his emotions are all over the place. He thought he had everything figured out, but life at home messes things up for him completely. I could feel his pain and hoped he'd eventually find peace with his new situation. Mitchell and Josie are both dealing with family problems, which makes them become even closer. I liked that even though their connection started because of limited availability it develops into something much more. They have a gorgeous precious bond that I loved reading about.
Paintbrush is a unique setting and Hannah Bucchin makes it come to life incredibly well. I loved the community spirit. Everyone is looking out for each other and people are generally friendly. When there are problems they solve them in a peaceful way. I could easily imagine that being part of a large community would be overwhelming for Mitchell, but could also see the other side, the safety that can be found in being cared for by many others, which is part of what Josie finds so appealing about it. Hannah Bucchin uses their feelings and opinions to paint a complete picture of the setting that plays such a vital part in her story and she does this incredibly well. I really loved Paintbrush and highly recommend this special book.
October 31, 2017
4.5 stars. What an awesome debut novel! I requested this on Netgalley because of the beautiful cover and I'm soooo glad I did. This book was so endearing! I loved the quirky set up of the sustainable living close knit community of Indian Paintbrush that Mitchell and Josie grew up in. It was really well balanced with that unique setting but then they also lived near a larger town and went to a normal high school. I felt like that kept it from being too "out there." I just really loved everything about this book. I loved that the characters grew up together but weren't super close until close to graduation. It felt like we were reconnecting right along with them. I was completely charmed by Mitchell and Josie and smiled my way through this whole book. It was very well paced and well written. I couldn't put it down!
February 12, 2019
Paintbrush was such an adorable read. I’ll admit, I had only added it to my tbr solely because I wanted to feel nostalgia for my North Carolina mountains, and, though I didn’t get as much of that as I would have liked, I really enjoyed the story. It was sweet and emotional and full of entertaining characters.
It was such an easy read. It was definitely predictable, but most contemporaries and YA romances are. It was a thought provoking, feel good story at its heart though, and it moved me.
It was beautiful. It was sentimental. It was funny! It was a fun coming of age story, and I couldn’t put it down! It was a quick, easy, refreshing read that I’m glad I picked up!
It was such an easy read. It was definitely predictable, but most contemporaries and YA romances are. It was a thought provoking, feel good story at its heart though, and it moved me.
It was beautiful. It was sentimental. It was funny! It was a fun coming of age story, and I couldn’t put it down! It was a quick, easy, refreshing read that I’m glad I picked up!
February 7, 2018
This was an amazing book. It was a typical contemporary book but everything about it made my just want to read and read and read until the very end. I couldn’t put this book down it was so good. I loved Josie and Mitchell. But I think my favorite character and who I identified with the most was Leah, the best friend. I loved the Paintbrush community. It reminded me of a hippy type community full of love and joy. Myra was like the community mother. The book was a really great read. I’m so very happy with the ending too!
July 14, 2017
I ABSOLUTELY, 100% loved this one - enough so that I kept reading it until I could barely keep my eyes open last night and finished it as soon as I got my cup of coffee this morning. From the first page I was captured by the world of Paintbrush and by Mitchell and Josie's story. Mitchell and Josie were great main characters - likable and relatable. Their friends to lovers romance was adorable and it developed at a perfect speed. Hannah did a fantastic job of developing the world of Paintbrush - I felt like I was right there with the characters. And that ending? SWOON. I'm so excited for Hannah's next book!
Review coming soon...
Review coming soon...
July 25, 2017
Often, YA books fall into cliched patterns, leaving me rolling my eyes and tossing the book in my "abandoned" pile. But Paintbrush, with its unique characters and even more unique setting, had me hooked right up to the last page. Though it is a YA romance, and does have some of those traditional tropes, it does not get caught up in overused plot lines. Josie and Mitchell are fresh and real characters and the setting of the hippie commune they call home is very unique and adds a colorful element to the story. A must-read for any contemporary YA fan.
August 17, 2017
"I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review"
Vote: 🌟🌟🌟🌟,5/5 shiny bright stars.
Paintbrush by Hannah Bucchin is what I call a genuine YA romance. It's set in a kind of hippie community and it's about two eighteen-year-old friends -but not really friends- who eventually fall in love with each other.
They both have lived in the Paintbrush community since they were children and grown up together. Until they started High School. They were still friends but something changed. Mitchell is tired of the Paintbrush kind of living and as he got back to the real world he tried to act as a normal guy and not as the guy from the weirdo community. On the other side, Josie is ok with her life style, indeed she loves doing gardening and doesn't really care if she can't watch TV during the day or if she has to see an old topless woman doing yoga everyday. Nope, OK, maybe she doesn't really want to see that. Mitchell and Josie go to school together, but as soon as they enter in the building it seems they don't know each other. Until something happens in Mitchell's life and the only person who can really understand and listen to him is Josie. They started spending time together and they find out that it's not bad at all.
At first, I said that this YA romance is very genuine and that's because Mitchell and Josie's love story isn't the kind "oh I've just met you and I'm already in love with you". They know the worst parts of each other, they aren't strangers, and this is even better because their love has straightened through the years. It's beautiful to read how they finally understand what they truly feel for each other and read every changes in one's behaviour while the other is around.
So the love story is completely worth it, same as the world building. I must say that I'm not the trekking type of girl, actually I hate the mountain. But this book and each description of the habitat where Mitchell and Josie lived made me want to climb a mountain and swim in a cold lake. Just not so me. But seriously, this book is absolutely gold, and precious and I think that in some ways it's very different from the other YA novels. To be true, I got tired of YA, but I read this one in one sitting.
It's funny, it's lovely, it talks about important things that may happen in our life and you absolutely need to read it.
Ps: Mitchell and Josie are both bookworms, so go read this book right now!!!!
Vote: 🌟🌟🌟🌟,5/5 shiny bright stars.
Paintbrush by Hannah Bucchin is what I call a genuine YA romance. It's set in a kind of hippie community and it's about two eighteen-year-old friends -but not really friends- who eventually fall in love with each other.
They both have lived in the Paintbrush community since they were children and grown up together. Until they started High School. They were still friends but something changed. Mitchell is tired of the Paintbrush kind of living and as he got back to the real world he tried to act as a normal guy and not as the guy from the weirdo community. On the other side, Josie is ok with her life style, indeed she loves doing gardening and doesn't really care if she can't watch TV during the day or if she has to see an old topless woman doing yoga everyday. Nope, OK, maybe she doesn't really want to see that. Mitchell and Josie go to school together, but as soon as they enter in the building it seems they don't know each other. Until something happens in Mitchell's life and the only person who can really understand and listen to him is Josie. They started spending time together and they find out that it's not bad at all.
"All the best people are messy."
At first, I said that this YA romance is very genuine and that's because Mitchell and Josie's love story isn't the kind "oh I've just met you and I'm already in love with you". They know the worst parts of each other, they aren't strangers, and this is even better because their love has straightened through the years. It's beautiful to read how they finally understand what they truly feel for each other and read every changes in one's behaviour while the other is around.
So the love story is completely worth it, same as the world building. I must say that I'm not the trekking type of girl, actually I hate the mountain. But this book and each description of the habitat where Mitchell and Josie lived made me want to climb a mountain and swim in a cold lake. Just not so me. But seriously, this book is absolutely gold, and precious and I think that in some ways it's very different from the other YA novels. To be true, I got tired of YA, but I read this one in one sitting.
It's funny, it's lovely, it talks about important things that may happen in our life and you absolutely need to read it.
Ps: Mitchell and Josie are both bookworms, so go read this book right now!!!!
April 24, 2017
THIS BOOK!
I usually prefer to read other genres besides contemporary because so many of them are similar. This one, however, blew me away. I really loved how the problems that the two main characters faced were so relatable to so many people. I went through the same thing that Mitchell faces, and while I reacted a completely different way, I understood him and related to him. I also had the same outlook as Josie for her life in high school and afterward. I cannot explain how much I loved these characters. Hannah Bucchin's writing is phenomenal. I loved how her book is two POVs, but it flowed seamlessly. Also, her scenery and imagery is SO beautiful. I need to find a place like Paintbrush and visit immediately. The whole time reading it, I could not stop thinking about going somewhere in the mountains and hiking.
Also, one conversation in this story really stood out to me. Josie and her mother were talking about parenting and I have to say, I REALLY loved Josie's mother and her opinions. I looked at my life and my husband's and how differently we were raised and I see her point so much, and it is something I will carry with me for a long time especially because I have kids.
As if it isn't obvious, I really loved this book and I highly recommend it to everyone. It is available for preorder, and please go get it!
I usually prefer to read other genres besides contemporary because so many of them are similar. This one, however, blew me away. I really loved how the problems that the two main characters faced were so relatable to so many people. I went through the same thing that Mitchell faces, and while I reacted a completely different way, I understood him and related to him. I also had the same outlook as Josie for her life in high school and afterward. I cannot explain how much I loved these characters. Hannah Bucchin's writing is phenomenal. I loved how her book is two POVs, but it flowed seamlessly. Also, her scenery and imagery is SO beautiful. I need to find a place like Paintbrush and visit immediately. The whole time reading it, I could not stop thinking about going somewhere in the mountains and hiking.
Also, one conversation in this story really stood out to me. Josie and her mother were talking about parenting and I have to say, I REALLY loved Josie's mother and her opinions. I looked at my life and my husband's and how differently we were raised and I see her point so much, and it is something I will carry with me for a long time especially because I have kids.
As if it isn't obvious, I really loved this book and I highly recommend it to everyone. It is available for preorder, and please go get it!
July 6, 2017
Real rating: 2,5 / 5
This review was orginally posted on my blog.
**Thank you to Blaze publishing, who provided me with an e-ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
This review was orginally posted on my blog.
**Thank you to Blaze publishing, who provided me with an e-ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
I had high expectations for this book, mainly because it features one of my favourite romance tropes (friends to lovers). Aside from the romance aspect, it also promised a “commune full of colorful characters tucked in the mountains of North Carolina”. I was excited to read it, but, unfortunately, Paintbrush didn’t deliver. While I enjoyed some aspects, they didn’t make up for one-dimensional characters and a lack of originality.
For me, the characters were the biggest issue. When writing a book with a dual POV, it’s important to develop your characters and give them a unique voice so readers immediately know which character is speaking. This wasn’t the case in Paintbrush. Josie and Mitchell, the POV characters, sound almost exactly alike. I also found that they have almost identical reactions to the events, which makes it even harder to distinguish them from one another.
Nor were they particularly interesting. Josie is the weird, quirky female character who enjoys planting tomatoes, spending time outdoors, and helping out the community. Mitchell is the golden boy every (mean) girl swoons over but who’s not interested in anyone because they’re all the same and he’s looking for someone “different”. And, surprise, surprise: Josie is the one who’s “different”.
Many people would probably say this isn’t a big deal, but, for me, it’s not okay to imply that one type of girl (or person) is “better” than the other. For example, not enjoying parties and preferring to read doesn’t make you a better person than someone who does enjoy going to a party. Unfortunately, that’s what's implied in Paintbrush. There was a lot of judging coming from the main characters in general and I would be lying if I said it didn’t bother me. Especially lines like these:
“Mitchell leans over and plucks an apple out of K-girl’s hand, dangling the apple high above her head. Of course she’s eating an apple - just an apple - for lunch. She squeals and jumps for the apple, hands outstretched, bumping into Mitchell and laughing.”
Josie (and, as such, the author) is basically implying that this girl is nothing more than a dumb, skinny girl who doesn’t eat and desperately dangles herself in front of the golden boy at school.
In general, Bucchin takes the easy way out and completely skimps out on character development. As a result, Paintbrush features mostly one-dimensional and stereotypical characters: hippies, a surfer dude from California, mean girls, a sister who rebels and turns into a goth, best friends who’re overly excited all the time and serve as comic relief …
The author doesn’t give them extra layers. Basically, what you see is what you get. Interestingly enough, she seems to be aware of the stereotypes. This is what happens when someone calls Josie “quirky”.
[Mitchell]“Quirky is such a cop-out. Like, ‘everyone else thought this girl was just a big weirdo, but then I came along and found her.’ Like you’re the first guy to ever notice her. She’s a person, not a rare species or a dinosaur bone or something. It’s not like you made some kind of discovery.”
All I’m going to say is that I wish Bucchin had kept these lines in mind while she created her other characters.
Plot-wise, Paintbrush does what you expect it to do. There are no big surprises or plot twists you don’t see coming and it’s all fairly predictable, but I didn’t mind so much. Many contemporary YA romances follow the same course, which is fine if you’re looking for an easy, quick read.
While I had a lot of issues with this book, it also has some good elements. I particularly enjoyed the setting. Bucchin does a great job at describing the scenery in such a way that you wish you could visit these places and experience it yourself. The Paintbrush community was also a highlight for me. I hadn’t read anything like it before (in my country, communities don’t exist) and I’m not sure if such a community is “common” in the US, but it was nice to read about a different way of living.
Despite its faults, I did enjoy the romance between Josie and Mitchell. Bucching got the pacing right. She didn’t drag out their romance by throwing hundreds of obstacles in their way, but she also didn’t rush it. Overall, I thought the way Mitchell and Josie transitioned from friends to lovers was fairly realistic.
“We’re a mess, aren’t we?” He grins at me.
I can’t help it—I lean into him, pressing my shoulder into his, wanting to feel his warmth and his soft sweatshirt, wanting to be a part of that smile.
I shrug. “All the best people are messy.”
Paintbrush had a lot of potential to be an original and captivating YA romance. The setting and romance are there, but, ultimately, the characters let the story down. If Bucchin had taken the time to truly develop her characters, stay away from placing judgment, and added more (racial) diversity to her story, this book could’ve been a favourite instead of a disappointment.
June 24, 2017
When I read the blurb of this book, it didn't really seem that interesting or captivating, but I went into it anyway knowing that I could surprise me, and it really did. Paintbrush is Hannah Bucchin's debut novel and she broke into the world of YA with a bang. This is a truly remarkable debut that will stay in my heart forever.
Mitchell Morrison and Josie Sedgwick have spent their whole lives at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village, a commune full of colourful characters tucked in the mountains of North Carolina, and they aren't particularly close--at least, not anymore. Josie wishes she could spend all of her time at Paintbrush planting tomatoes, hiking the trails, or throwing giant communal birthday parties, while Mitchell can’t wait to escape the bizarre spiritual sharing and noisy community dinners. Luckily for both of them, high school graduation is just around the corner.
But when Mitchell’s mother makes a scandalous announcement that rocks the close-knit Paintbrush community, and Josie’s younger sister starts to make some dangerously bad decisions, the two find themselves leaning on each other for support – and looking at each other in a whole new light. Their childhood friendship blossoms into something more as they deal with their insane families, but as graduation approaches, so does life in the real world, forcing Josie and Mitchell to figure out what, exactly, their relationship is – and if it can survive their very different plans for the future.
Now, this book isn't going to stay in my heart because it's emotional, or because it's special, it's brilliant because the storyline just seemed honest. A girl who doesn't want to leave home because she loves everyone there. Normally in YA, I read about characters who can't wait to get out of their house and leave their parents to go on to 'bigger and better things', but it was refreshing because Josie recognised how good she had it at home. She knew that there was no real rush to go off to college. She wanted to stay with her mom, her sisters and the rest of her community and just be with her family. However, alongside the girl who doesn't want to leave, is the boy who can't wait to get out of there and dreams of the world outside of the Paintbrush community.
I loved the idea of the community that Bucchin came up with. It was just so free from everything and even though I couldn't imagine living there myself, it did seem like such a perfect, picturesque place that I would love to visit! I also loved how this book wasn't insta-love. Sure, the characters had known each other their whole lives but this story is about the two individuals realising that they could be something more and them going through the motions of 'do I?', 'don't I?'. And this didn't really start til about 40% of the way through the book. The beginning of the novel was building up the environment of the community and just conveying the friendship between Josie and Mitchell, but it also built upon the friendship between individuals within Paintbrush and also highlighted family dynamics.
I'm allowed a small vent, right? Like, a little one? Because it really wouldn't be one of my reviews without one, would it? Ok, so Mitchell's mother annoys the hell out of me. She can't just do what she did and expect everything to be ok, Libby is a self-centred arrogant 14-year-old who gets on my last nerve. I know she's a teenager and everything and she's growing up but she just takes everything for granted and her attitude was just awful! There was also zero diversity within this book. Sure, you had old people, young people, blah blah blah, but there was no DIVERSITY and that's one of the things that really let this book down. However, the Paintbrush community does have a different kind of diversity, you have an old-weed-smoking-grumpy man,
However, the Paintbrush community does have a different kind of diversity, you have an old-weed-smoking-grumpy man, a old man who sits on the porch and polishes his rifle every morning, a couple with seven children, the woman who does naked yoga every morning on her front lawn, the single mother raising three kids and Myra - who is the 'leader' of the community. There's obviously more people but I can't remember all of them. The different age groups coming together to become an 'extended family', the celebrations they have, the way that they sort out issues within their community; that's a different kind of diversity, and each family household brings a different vibrancy to the story.
Overall, this is a really enjoyable book that had me completely hooked. When I wasn't able to read because of work and other commitments, I was hankering to get back to the book so that I could read it some more. I can't wait for it to come out so that I can get my hands on a finished copy!
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Mitchell Morrison and Josie Sedgwick have spent their whole lives at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village, a commune full of colourful characters tucked in the mountains of North Carolina, and they aren't particularly close--at least, not anymore. Josie wishes she could spend all of her time at Paintbrush planting tomatoes, hiking the trails, or throwing giant communal birthday parties, while Mitchell can’t wait to escape the bizarre spiritual sharing and noisy community dinners. Luckily for both of them, high school graduation is just around the corner.
But when Mitchell’s mother makes a scandalous announcement that rocks the close-knit Paintbrush community, and Josie’s younger sister starts to make some dangerously bad decisions, the two find themselves leaning on each other for support – and looking at each other in a whole new light. Their childhood friendship blossoms into something more as they deal with their insane families, but as graduation approaches, so does life in the real world, forcing Josie and Mitchell to figure out what, exactly, their relationship is – and if it can survive their very different plans for the future.
Now, this book isn't going to stay in my heart because it's emotional, or because it's special, it's brilliant because the storyline just seemed honest. A girl who doesn't want to leave home because she loves everyone there. Normally in YA, I read about characters who can't wait to get out of their house and leave their parents to go on to 'bigger and better things', but it was refreshing because Josie recognised how good she had it at home. She knew that there was no real rush to go off to college. She wanted to stay with her mom, her sisters and the rest of her community and just be with her family. However, alongside the girl who doesn't want to leave, is the boy who can't wait to get out of there and dreams of the world outside of the Paintbrush community.
I loved the idea of the community that Bucchin came up with. It was just so free from everything and even though I couldn't imagine living there myself, it did seem like such a perfect, picturesque place that I would love to visit! I also loved how this book wasn't insta-love. Sure, the characters had known each other their whole lives but this story is about the two individuals realising that they could be something more and them going through the motions of 'do I?', 'don't I?'. And this didn't really start til about 40% of the way through the book. The beginning of the novel was building up the environment of the community and just conveying the friendship between Josie and Mitchell, but it also built upon the friendship between individuals within Paintbrush and also highlighted family dynamics.
"I'm ready to be done. I'm ready for a change. I'm ready to move on."
- Hannah Bucchin, Paintbrush
I'm allowed a small vent, right? Like, a little one? Because it really wouldn't be one of my reviews without one, would it? Ok, so Mitchell's mother annoys the hell out of me. She can't just do what she did and expect everything to be ok, Libby is a self-centred arrogant 14-year-old who gets on my last nerve. I know she's a teenager and everything and she's growing up but she just takes everything for granted and her attitude was just awful! There was also zero diversity within this book. Sure, you had old people, young people, blah blah blah, but there was no DIVERSITY and that's one of the things that really let this book down. However, the Paintbrush community does have a different kind of diversity, you have an old-weed-smoking-grumpy man,
However, the Paintbrush community does have a different kind of diversity, you have an old-weed-smoking-grumpy man, a old man who sits on the porch and polishes his rifle every morning, a couple with seven children, the woman who does naked yoga every morning on her front lawn, the single mother raising three kids and Myra - who is the 'leader' of the community. There's obviously more people but I can't remember all of them. The different age groups coming together to become an 'extended family', the celebrations they have, the way that they sort out issues within their community; that's a different kind of diversity, and each family household brings a different vibrancy to the story.
Overall, this is a really enjoyable book that had me completely hooked. When I wasn't able to read because of work and other commitments, I was hankering to get back to the book so that I could read it some more. I can't wait for it to come out so that I can get my hands on a finished copy!
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Released 11th July
July 14, 2017
https://teenmemoir.com/2017/07/14/pai...
I started reading Paintbrush on 06/07/17 and finished it on 12/07/17. This book is just beyond any description – I loved it so so much! Paintbrush is a beautiful coming-of-age contemporary novel told in the perspectives of Josie and Mitchell – two teenagers who live in a community village which resides on one of the mountains of North Carolina. I absolutely loved the setting of the novel and I appreciated how nature is one of the main aspects of the plot (and doesn’t just provide a nice backdrop). The whole concept of the community village was unique and different from anything that I’d read before. I also really liked the depth and the diversity that this novel portrayed. The character building was amazing and the budding romance was so cute! This novel gave me so much more than what I’d expected and I’m so glad to have read it!
Coming to the writing, the descriptions were absolutely gorgeous! The writing style succeeded in creating a beautiful, rich and visual atmosphere which complemented the setting of the novel. Apart from the descriptions, the writing was also very raw and managed to depict the characters’ emotions very precisely. Also, it’s really important to change the writing style accordingly when authors write in a dual perspective. While reading I immediately knew whose point of view I was reading from and could distinguish between them.
The plot of the novel was very interesting. I’d definitely say it’s a feel good YA contemporary which could potentially help anyone get out of a reading slump. However, the plot is also serious and deep. I enjoyed diving into these characters as they tried to navigate their lives by altering their perspectives whilst trying to stay true to themselves. This novel teaches us to come out of our comfort zones and explore what’s out there. It also includes themes like parenting which is pretty rare in YA. The book also surrounds the act of forgiveness which I learned a lot from. The only problem I had with the plot (and the book) was that it became a little slow paced in the middle and I had to power my way through most parts.
Josie, our female protagonist, is a very determined character in the sense that she knows exactly what she wants. She usually doesn’t care about what people think about her and doesn’t bother to fit in. Her home is of utmost importance to her and she doesn’t want anything else from her life but to continue to live where she is. She is content and not willing to step out of her comfort zone – she would rather grow tomatoes at Paintbrush than go to college. She holds her family together and tries to be strong even though she is pretty scared most of the time. Mitchell, on the other hand, is a completely different person. He has led a pretty easy life and hasn’t faced anything life-changing or traumatic. Hence, he is easy going and doesn’t have to deal with anything other than school. He seems very confident, but in reality, he cares a lot about what people think of him and is willing to conform. He is also very ambitious and desperately wants to leave his home for bigger things in life. However, throughout the course of the novel, both of their lives begin to change drastically. Mitchell and Josie begin to reconsider their previous decisions and learn to deal with their new problems. During this difficult journey, they end up leaning on each other for support and ultimately fall in love – which becomes another challenge. I loved how the “coming-of-age” aspect of this novel was portrayed. The way the delicacy of character development was handled is something that should be appreciated.
Overall, I think Paintbrush was a very refreshing, tranquil and charming read and I rate it 4 stars! I was pleasantly surprised by this book and I highly recommend it!
*I’d like to thank NetGalley and Blaze Publishing for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review*
I started reading Paintbrush on 06/07/17 and finished it on 12/07/17. This book is just beyond any description – I loved it so so much! Paintbrush is a beautiful coming-of-age contemporary novel told in the perspectives of Josie and Mitchell – two teenagers who live in a community village which resides on one of the mountains of North Carolina. I absolutely loved the setting of the novel and I appreciated how nature is one of the main aspects of the plot (and doesn’t just provide a nice backdrop). The whole concept of the community village was unique and different from anything that I’d read before. I also really liked the depth and the diversity that this novel portrayed. The character building was amazing and the budding romance was so cute! This novel gave me so much more than what I’d expected and I’m so glad to have read it!
Coming to the writing, the descriptions were absolutely gorgeous! The writing style succeeded in creating a beautiful, rich and visual atmosphere which complemented the setting of the novel. Apart from the descriptions, the writing was also very raw and managed to depict the characters’ emotions very precisely. Also, it’s really important to change the writing style accordingly when authors write in a dual perspective. While reading I immediately knew whose point of view I was reading from and could distinguish between them.
The plot of the novel was very interesting. I’d definitely say it’s a feel good YA contemporary which could potentially help anyone get out of a reading slump. However, the plot is also serious and deep. I enjoyed diving into these characters as they tried to navigate their lives by altering their perspectives whilst trying to stay true to themselves. This novel teaches us to come out of our comfort zones and explore what’s out there. It also includes themes like parenting which is pretty rare in YA. The book also surrounds the act of forgiveness which I learned a lot from. The only problem I had with the plot (and the book) was that it became a little slow paced in the middle and I had to power my way through most parts.
Josie, our female protagonist, is a very determined character in the sense that she knows exactly what she wants. She usually doesn’t care about what people think about her and doesn’t bother to fit in. Her home is of utmost importance to her and she doesn’t want anything else from her life but to continue to live where she is. She is content and not willing to step out of her comfort zone – she would rather grow tomatoes at Paintbrush than go to college. She holds her family together and tries to be strong even though she is pretty scared most of the time. Mitchell, on the other hand, is a completely different person. He has led a pretty easy life and hasn’t faced anything life-changing or traumatic. Hence, he is easy going and doesn’t have to deal with anything other than school. He seems very confident, but in reality, he cares a lot about what people think of him and is willing to conform. He is also very ambitious and desperately wants to leave his home for bigger things in life. However, throughout the course of the novel, both of their lives begin to change drastically. Mitchell and Josie begin to reconsider their previous decisions and learn to deal with their new problems. During this difficult journey, they end up leaning on each other for support and ultimately fall in love – which becomes another challenge. I loved how the “coming-of-age” aspect of this novel was portrayed. The way the delicacy of character development was handled is something that should be appreciated.
Overall, I think Paintbrush was a very refreshing, tranquil and charming read and I rate it 4 stars! I was pleasantly surprised by this book and I highly recommend it!
*I’d like to thank NetGalley and Blaze Publishing for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review*
August 17, 2017
This was a cute love story between childhood friends taking place in rural North Carolina. Which has some very picturesque scenes, I might add. Mitchell and Josie grow up living on this community reservation, which I think is one of the best parts of the book. It's like living at camp your whole life! Not that I'd actually want to live there, I think it'd get old, but it is a super fun place for a setting. And the whole community is just hilarious and wacky and eccentric. It's a mix of old hippies and young families, and they all become one big family, looking after and supporting each other.
The romance in this book was not unexpected. It followed a pretty cliche path: Josie and Mitchell are *just friends*, but then they start to see each other as more, and have to grapple with those extra feelings. But the romance was still cute and I was rooting for them all along. It was also golden boy meets artsy outdoorsy hippie, but their rapport was so funny and playful, and they also got each other on a deeper level. Plus, living in the same place eliminates some problems (while adding more, I guess). The one thing I will say about their relationship is it was a ton of cheese. Like, a fondue of cheese. They said and thought things that no teenager nowadays would ever think or say, but I was in the mood for an cheesy romance so I let it go. Also, the sweetest thing about their romance is that THEY TRADE THEIR FAVORITE BOOKS BACK AND FORTH. They actually started doing that before they were in love but like is that not a dream for book lovers like us?????? Because, hello, books??????
Like any good romance book, there are side plots that threaten to break the couple up, and this book's focused on the families. Both Josie and Mitchell had to deal with family problems, and while I didn't agree with how either of them handled their problems, by the end they realized their wrongdoings and tried to mature and fix them. The moms in this book annoyed me to no end because they were a mix of super understanding and supportive to careless with them, and I just wanted to shake some sense in them and say "Be there for your kids 100% of the time! Don't care about them and be super understanding just to ignore when they come in at 2 am smelling like alcohol!". But there were also redemption arcs within the families, which I always love.
I would say the character development in this book is more...developed because of the dual POVs. You get to know both Josie and Mitchell's side of the story and get inside both their heads, making for more rounded characters. It eliminates the whole "only being a love interest" character.
Lastly, I really enjoyed the friendships here. Mitchell and his best friend have such a nice bromance. They talk out their feelings, stay with each other when needed, and have a no questions asked type of deal. It was refreshing for once to see a friendship between boys not full of crude talking and horseplay and competitions to see who is the most macho. Also, Leah and Josie had a good friendship as well. So the friendship part of the book was spot on.
I would say this book fulfills the cheese quota you need in your life but doesn't add a ton more. It was enjoyable, and I couldn't put it down, but it didn't make me think, you know? Which is okay! But I reserve four and five stars for books that make me think and really hit me close to home. This was just fun.
Also I absolutely just love this cover.
The romance in this book was not unexpected. It followed a pretty cliche path: Josie and Mitchell are *just friends*, but then they start to see each other as more, and have to grapple with those extra feelings. But the romance was still cute and I was rooting for them all along. It was also golden boy meets artsy outdoorsy hippie, but their rapport was so funny and playful, and they also got each other on a deeper level. Plus, living in the same place eliminates some problems (while adding more, I guess). The one thing I will say about their relationship is it was a ton of cheese. Like, a fondue of cheese. They said and thought things that no teenager nowadays would ever think or say, but I was in the mood for an cheesy romance so I let it go. Also, the sweetest thing about their romance is that THEY TRADE THEIR FAVORITE BOOKS BACK AND FORTH. They actually started doing that before they were in love but like is that not a dream for book lovers like us?????? Because, hello, books??????
Like any good romance book, there are side plots that threaten to break the couple up, and this book's focused on the families. Both Josie and Mitchell had to deal with family problems, and while I didn't agree with how either of them handled their problems, by the end they realized their wrongdoings and tried to mature and fix them. The moms in this book annoyed me to no end because they were a mix of super understanding and supportive to careless with them, and I just wanted to shake some sense in them and say "Be there for your kids 100% of the time! Don't care about them and be super understanding just to ignore when they come in at 2 am smelling like alcohol!". But there were also redemption arcs within the families, which I always love.
I would say the character development in this book is more...developed because of the dual POVs. You get to know both Josie and Mitchell's side of the story and get inside both their heads, making for more rounded characters. It eliminates the whole "only being a love interest" character.
Lastly, I really enjoyed the friendships here. Mitchell and his best friend have such a nice bromance. They talk out their feelings, stay with each other when needed, and have a no questions asked type of deal. It was refreshing for once to see a friendship between boys not full of crude talking and horseplay and competitions to see who is the most macho. Also, Leah and Josie had a good friendship as well. So the friendship part of the book was spot on.
I would say this book fulfills the cheese quota you need in your life but doesn't add a ton more. It was enjoyable, and I couldn't put it down, but it didn't make me think, you know? Which is okay! But I reserve four and five stars for books that make me think and really hit me close to home. This was just fun.
Also I absolutely just love this cover.
July 11, 2017
https://functioninginsanity.blogspot....
I received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
Rating: 4 Stars
We follow Josie and Mitchell seniors a few weeks from graduating. They have spent their whole lives together and used to be the best of friends which is easy to see being the only kids at the time at Indian Paintbrush Community Village-AKA Paintbrush. Josie loves Paintbrush and is content to spend her time there while Mitchell is ready to get as far away as possible. The live separate lives in school but as Mitchell’s mother makes a huge announcement it rocks everything he knows while Josie’s younger sister is acting out in dangerous ways. Both of them need support and find it in one another, having shared so much. They see one another in a new light and something more than old friendship starts up, just as they are about to go down separate paths for the future.
I read through this in one day. It was such a quick and sweet read. I was so caught up in the story and the idea of this community. I like how they both saw different sides of Paintbrush. I’m not even an outdoorsy type of person, okay honestly I avoid it like the plague, but this made me wish I was. It made me want to go out and just enjoy nature. I loved the whole concept of the place as a whole and how it played its own character in the story. The concept and idea of the place was explained simply as it was and that was that. A place that takes in all sorts and creates a diverse and colorful community that works together. I could see the positives that Josie loved and the negatives that Mitchell was ready to escape.
Paintbrush is all about the characters and relationships. Between Josie and Mitchell. Between families. Between friends. Between the community. I like that while Mitchell and Josie had been best friends for most of their life and were still friendly as they grew apart they found their own grove and new friends. Mostly because I loved Leah and Cord. Leah though, she had some of the best moments for sure. She is a great friend and so many of the things I love about her are things I see in my own friend! Cord and Mitchell, they are so different but they just have this type of acceptance that is so nice.
This story takes place in such a short time frame when compared to many other books but it manages to pack so much feeling into that time. It tackles so many issues that I think anyone can relate to and this makes the story that much more real. I am so pleased by this debut book!
I received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
Rating: 4 Stars
We follow Josie and Mitchell seniors a few weeks from graduating. They have spent their whole lives together and used to be the best of friends which is easy to see being the only kids at the time at Indian Paintbrush Community Village-AKA Paintbrush. Josie loves Paintbrush and is content to spend her time there while Mitchell is ready to get as far away as possible. The live separate lives in school but as Mitchell’s mother makes a huge announcement it rocks everything he knows while Josie’s younger sister is acting out in dangerous ways. Both of them need support and find it in one another, having shared so much. They see one another in a new light and something more than old friendship starts up, just as they are about to go down separate paths for the future.
I read through this in one day. It was such a quick and sweet read. I was so caught up in the story and the idea of this community. I like how they both saw different sides of Paintbrush. I’m not even an outdoorsy type of person, okay honestly I avoid it like the plague, but this made me wish I was. It made me want to go out and just enjoy nature. I loved the whole concept of the place as a whole and how it played its own character in the story. The concept and idea of the place was explained simply as it was and that was that. A place that takes in all sorts and creates a diverse and colorful community that works together. I could see the positives that Josie loved and the negatives that Mitchell was ready to escape.
Paintbrush is all about the characters and relationships. Between Josie and Mitchell. Between families. Between friends. Between the community. I like that while Mitchell and Josie had been best friends for most of their life and were still friendly as they grew apart they found their own grove and new friends. Mostly because I loved Leah and Cord. Leah though, she had some of the best moments for sure. She is a great friend and so many of the things I love about her are things I see in my own friend! Cord and Mitchell, they are so different but they just have this type of acceptance that is so nice.
This story takes place in such a short time frame when compared to many other books but it manages to pack so much feeling into that time. It tackles so many issues that I think anyone can relate to and this makes the story that much more real. I am so pleased by this debut book!
October 16, 2017
I received this copy from the publisher (Blaze Publishing) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Paintbrush by Hannah Bucchin is a book that surprised me in just how much it draws you in. I’m not one for contemporary, so I was very unmotivated to read this book (having requested due to the gorgeous cover). I was very pleasantly surprised by the great writing style that Hannah uses, and she way she drew me into the odd world of the Indian Paintbrush Community Village.
**Spoilers**
The plot twist of Mitchell’s mum leaving his dad was a shock — I personally believe she would be pregnant, not in love with another man! I felt for poor Mitchell so much, and Hannah really wrote his feelings in a way that causes the upmost empathy for this poor teen (or maybe I’m just super empathetic?).
Watching Josie and Mitchell get together was, however, very sudden to me. Obviously the feelings had been there for a while, given their long friendship, but I felt like it was a very much “Now kiss” type get together, rather than that slow questioning phase most best friends turned lovers have.
This book was very predicable in it’s plot line — We knew something was going to happen to Libby to cause her to be sorry for her attitude of recent times and we knew Josie would leave Paintbrush — there wouldn’t be an ending if Mitchell just said ‘fuck it‘ and stayed, would there?
Overall, I really enjoyed just reading a book that had an easy flow to it, a good writing style and an easy to understand plot line. I gave it it’s four stars because it truly was a well imagined and thought out book, only holding off a fifth star due to the slight shallowness of the characters and plot. I do recommend this book to anyone who wants just a quick fun read about some quirky teens who have a pretty carefree sense of humour!
Paintbrush by Hannah Bucchin is a book that surprised me in just how much it draws you in. I’m not one for contemporary, so I was very unmotivated to read this book (having requested due to the gorgeous cover). I was very pleasantly surprised by the great writing style that Hannah uses, and she way she drew me into the odd world of the Indian Paintbrush Community Village.
**Spoilers**
The plot twist of Mitchell’s mum leaving his dad was a shock — I personally believe she would be pregnant, not in love with another man! I felt for poor Mitchell so much, and Hannah really wrote his feelings in a way that causes the upmost empathy for this poor teen (or maybe I’m just super empathetic?).
Watching Josie and Mitchell get together was, however, very sudden to me. Obviously the feelings had been there for a while, given their long friendship, but I felt like it was a very much “Now kiss” type get together, rather than that slow questioning phase most best friends turned lovers have.
This book was very predicable in it’s plot line — We knew something was going to happen to Libby to cause her to be sorry for her attitude of recent times and we knew Josie would leave Paintbrush — there wouldn’t be an ending if Mitchell just said ‘fuck it‘ and stayed, would there?
Overall, I really enjoyed just reading a book that had an easy flow to it, a good writing style and an easy to understand plot line. I gave it it’s four stars because it truly was a well imagined and thought out book, only holding off a fifth star due to the slight shallowness of the characters and plot. I do recommend this book to anyone who wants just a quick fun read about some quirky teens who have a pretty carefree sense of humour!
July 10, 2017
So I admit that I was drawn to the beautiful colors on the cover of this one. And its quite fitting because the plot centers around two teens who were raised "in a commune full of hippies and mountain folk." That being said, just like hippies and mountain folk, the book is very laid back and pretty slow moving so don't expect much action or quick pacing or even very much angst. Things just happen, and the characters deal with them. Mitchell (athletic, funny, good-looking, ready for college away from the commune) and Josie (sunshine-loving, overall-wearing, community lifestyle proud) grew up together and slowly develop a relationship after Mitchell's mom admits to having an affair.
For me, this book never took off as much as I hoped. I always appreciate books with diversity and books that have new and different settings, which this certainly did (I mean, an old woman who does naked yoga every morning? Show me another book that has that!). But I found it to stretch far wider than it did deep. I like depth as well. For being so different, Josie and Mitchell actually sounded pretty similar to me in their reactions. And then for liking each other, they were so judgemental of each other. What gives?? Oh well. By the time their romance was in bloom, it was cute and sweet and well written. Which was a huge plus. Not only was the romance writing great, but the writing of the scenery and the community was wonderful as well. I really enjoyed that.
** Thank you to Blaze Publishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review **
For me, this book never took off as much as I hoped. I always appreciate books with diversity and books that have new and different settings, which this certainly did (I mean, an old woman who does naked yoga every morning? Show me another book that has that!). But I found it to stretch far wider than it did deep. I like depth as well. For being so different, Josie and Mitchell actually sounded pretty similar to me in their reactions. And then for liking each other, they were so judgemental of each other. What gives?? Oh well. By the time their romance was in bloom, it was cute and sweet and well written. Which was a huge plus. Not only was the romance writing great, but the writing of the scenery and the community was wonderful as well. I really enjoyed that.
** Thank you to Blaze Publishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review **
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