Author: Suzanne Selfors
Publisher: Walker Books
Summary:
When you're the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life should be pretty good. But 16-year-old Alice Amorous has been living a lie ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness. After putting on a brave front for months, time is running out. The next book is overdue, and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs a story for her mother-and she needs one fast.
That's when she meets Errol, a strange boy who claims to be Cupid, who insists that Alice write about the greatest love story in history: his tragic relationship with Psyche. As Alice begins to hear Errol's voice in her head and see things she can't explain, she must face the truth-that she's either inherited her mother's madness, or Errol is for real.
My Thoughts: Mad Love was...everything I wasn't expecting, which is both good and bad.
Mad Love is much more than a fun Valentine's Day story. With the exception of Cupid playing a major role, it's not exactly a very Valentine's Day-y read. In fact, it's not a very light read at all. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing because Mad Love weaves together some very important topics and brings a mythological tale to life as a subplot, all while keeping the book realistic.
One thing I loved about Mad Love is that it tackled the issue of mental illness and another disease without becoming an "issue" book or a depressing read. Both were weaved into the story in a way that did not hog the plot while also bringing attention to the matter. That's something that is not usually done well in YA and I think that Selfors did a fantastic job of it.
I also loved the role that writing played in the novel. Alice, who has never written anything in her life, has to attempt to write the next greatest romance novel. As a writer, it was entertaining to watch someone attempt to write a book based on how they think it's done and all of the attempts she made.
The range of characters in the story was great - I don't think there was a single stereotypical character in there. Some characters provided comic relief, others propelled the angst and some did both.
However, the downside to a novel with so many original characters and subplots is that sometimes, I really wanted more and felt like they weren't all fully developed. Since the over-all novel was so well-written, it didn't take too much away from the story, though.
If you're looking for a unique and captivating novel, check out Mad Love!
CONTEST:The publisher has generously offered not only a hardcover of Mad Love but also a paperback of Suzanne's previous novel, COFFEEHOUSE ANGEL. (Which I loved!)
To Enter:
-Must have a US address
-Must be 13 or older.
-Leave a comment on this post either commenting on my review or letting me know why you want to win.
Ends: February 28th
10 comments:
Don't enter me, I have a copy.
I really liked how the mental illness was handled in Mad Love as well. However, I disagree with the subplots, I liked them and the large cast of characters.
Anyways, great review!!
I think it sounds awesome that this book is kind of heavy and deals with mental illness... I think that it needs to be addressed more often. I would love to read it!
Thanks for the contest!
jlelliott.writes AT gmail DOT com
I like how the story seems light on the surface, but is otherwise deep. Mad Love sounds really interesting, and the incorporation of Cupid sounds awesome! :)
Thanks so much for the review and giveaway!
I didn't realize this was such a deep story. Honestly, I wasn't that interested in it before. I'll definitely have to check it out now.
Mad Love sounds truly like an original tale! I hadn't heard anything about it but now I'm sucked in and wondering just what the heck happens!
Oh, and I love the cover!
Thanks for the giveaway!
thecozyreader @ gmail.com
This novel sounds really interesting. It's a strange combination of mental illness and mythology but from your review it seems like they work well together. And I like that there is originality all around. That's hard to find in many books now. Thanks for the review and giveaway!
Sarah
two_of_hearts_101 at yahoo dot com
I lvoe books that have a deeper meaning and makes you think about the what you are reading.
Please count me in.
cindyc725 at gmail dot com
This book is on my wishlist cannot wait to read it
Laurabcrupi@gmail.com
Thanks :)
I'd love to win this book because the synopsis sounds really unique and I like the fact that the book sounds like it has a lot of depth. (And I really love the cover of it!) Thank you for the giveaway!
sarahdc22 (at) gmail (dot) com
I've heard great things about this book! And it sounds very unique :) I've never read a book with Cupid before...so I'm kinda interested lol. Thanks for the giveaway!
aprilxu2222@gmail.com
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