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Joyride
A popular guy and a shy girl with a secret become unlikely accomplices for midnight pranking, and are soon in over their heads—with the law and with each other—in this sparkling standalone from NYT-bestselling author Anna Banks.
It’s been years since Carly Vega’s parents were deported. She lives with her brother, studies hard, and works at a convenience store to contribute to getting her parents back from Mexico.
Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He dated popular blondes and had fun with his older sister, Amber. But now Amber’s dead, and Arden blames his father, the town sheriff who wouldn’t acknowledge Amber's mental illness. Arden refuses to fulfill whatever his conservative father expects.
All Carly wants is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to NOT do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they’ve been living according to others. Carly and Arden’s journey toward their true hearts—and one another—is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh.
It’s been years since Carly Vega’s parents were deported. She lives with her brother, studies hard, and works at a convenience store to contribute to getting her parents back from Mexico.
Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He dated popular blondes and had fun with his older sister, Amber. But now Amber’s dead, and Arden blames his father, the town sheriff who wouldn’t acknowledge Amber's mental illness. Arden refuses to fulfill whatever his conservative father expects.
All Carly wants is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to NOT do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they’ve been living according to others. Carly and Arden’s journey toward their true hearts—and one another—is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh.
276 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2015
About the author
Anna Banks
20 books3,673 followersNew York Times Bestselling author of The Syrena Legacy series.
Grew up in a town called Niceville. No, seriously. And yes, everyone from Niceville is generally nice.
Let's see, things about me....My writer's cat is a mini wiener dog named Puckdoo. I can't walk in high heels, but I'm amazing at standing still in them. I'm the only person in Florida without a tan. I stole a car when I was 12 years old and drove across three state lines with it. Yeah. That's about it.
My books:
Of Poseidon
Of Triton
Of Neptune
Joyride
How To Lose A Bachelor
Degrees of Wrong (Pen name Anna Scarlett)
Nemesis (Coming soon!)
Grew up in a town called Niceville. No, seriously. And yes, everyone from Niceville is generally nice.
Let's see, things about me....My writer's cat is a mini wiener dog named Puckdoo. I can't walk in high heels, but I'm amazing at standing still in them. I'm the only person in Florida without a tan. I stole a car when I was 12 years old and drove across three state lines with it. Yeah. That's about it.
My books:
Of Poseidon
Of Triton
Of Neptune
Joyride
How To Lose A Bachelor
Degrees of Wrong (Pen name Anna Scarlett)
Nemesis (Coming soon!)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 601 reviews
May 21, 2015
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Joyride by Anna Banks
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Rating: 2 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
A popular guy and a shy girl with a secret become unlikely accomplices for midnight pranking, and are soon in over their heads—with the law and with each other—in this sparkling standalone from NYT-bestselling author Anna Banks.
It’s been years since Carly Vega’s parents were deported. She lives with her brother, studies hard, and works at a convenience store to contribute to getting her parents back from Mexico.
Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He dated popular blondes and had fun with his older sister, Amber. But now Amber’s dead, and Arden blames his father, the town sheriff who wouldn’t acknowledge Amber's mental illness. Arden refuses to fulfill whatever his conservative father expects.
All Carly wants is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to NOT do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they’ve been living according to others. Carly and Arden’s journey toward their true hearts—and one another—is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh.
What I Liked:
I think I liked this book? I'm honestly not sure. It's one of those books that you think you enjoy the story, but other things bother you and it leaves you confused as to whether or not you actually liked what you read. I liked Banks' debut, Of Poseidon, wasn't crazy about Of Triton, never read Of Neptune. But I LOVED Anna's adult book, Degrees of Wrong. I think Banks is a talented writer, but I'm not sure if her books work for me.
Carly is the daughter of an immigrant family from Mexico. She works during her free time and gives the money to her older brother, who is saving his and her earnings to pay for their parents and twin younger siblings to come to the United States (illegally) across the border. Carly doesn't have time for boys or friends, and doesn't want to be bothered. But Arden Moss, the sheriff's son, is the exact opposite - he wants to do crazy pranks and as little school and work as possible. Carly and Arden meet in a strange situation, and soon, Carly finds herself doing pranks with Arden. But not everything is fun and games when so much is at stake for Carly.
On the surface, this is a very humorous and fluffy read. Carly doesn't like Arden at first - she knows him as the popular, charming, good-looking sheriff's son who always has his pick of girls. Carly has zero time for boys or friends, and what's more, she doesn't want the attention. But a situation happens and Arden wants to see her again, and he wants them to hang out and do obnoxious pranks. Arden helps Carly find a better, higher-paying job, and drives her to and from the job. It's not long before Carly's walls come down, but Carly doesn't dare tell him about her family.
Arden isn't the manwhore Carly thinks he is. Sure, he's popular and charming. But he's been different since his sister died. No more football, no more ambitions, no more pranks. Not until what happens with Carly - and then Arden decides he wants Carly to join him in his pranking, But he doesn't expect to fall for Carly.
I liked Arden for sure. Banks constructs this backstory that is so sad and heartbreaking, and yet Arden is very lifelike and real, even with the emptiness he feels after his sister's death. Arden isn't some rich spoiled boy - he's a sister-less, pretty much father- and mother-less boy. I felt bad for Arden! Also I liked him a lot.
I didn't really LOVE the story - it didn't quite hold my interest and attention. Same goes for the issues in the book - I have opinions on immigration and whatnot, but I'll keep them out of this review. For the most part, I really didn't want to read about these issues, one reason being that I knew these would end up cookie-cutter perfect in the end (that's how these books always end). Fiction isn't always realistic, and I know the author wanted a fluffy ending, but meh.
What I Did Not Like:
Meh. That's kind of the overall feeling I have about this book. I could have not read it and have been neither worse off nor better off. It didn't do anything for me. The hero isn't totally swoonworthy, the heroine isn't someone I'm rooting for. Heck, I don't even like Carly.
Carly works and works and works and gives all of her money to her brother to bring her parents to the United States. No offense, but this has always boggled my mind: you're willing to pay someone $20,000+, just hand over that money, for the CHANCE that you'll have someone smuggled over the border? It doesn't seem worth it, especially since most immigrants don't make it over the border. Total waste of money. Of course, we all have opinions of immigration. My point HERE is that a teenage girl in high school should NOT be responsible for bringing her parents and siblings to the United States. Absolutely not.
Carly is so passive! She just goes along with it and works herself to death for the slim CHANCE that her parents and siblings will come to the United States (illegally). Seriously, she's working until 2 am at a convenience store, bikes to the trailer park, and then gets up to go to school in a few hours. Not a way to live. Look, I understand this - I work part time to pay my expensive-as-sin tuition bills. My parents don't contribute to my education (they can't afford to do so), so I understand. But there are lines to be drawn. Carly didn't (and doesn't) draw any. I seriously don't understand why she doesn't stick up for herself, to Julio (her brother) or to her parents! My parents were immigrants too! Not from Mexico and not during these tight times of immigration laws, but trust me, I know all about their struggles of having to work weird jobs and try and get citizenship and all that. There's no excuse for her parents FORCING her to work in the United States so they can come back to the United States after being deported. Ugh!
Okay I said I would keep my opinion of immigration out of it and I still have... sort of. That was more of my opinion on Carly's role in the immigration thing. She's too passive. Too pushover-y. Too cowardly to actually do what she wants to do.
I just didn't like Carly, cover to cover. Not to mention Arden's fascination with her was instant. I don't get it!
Ehhhh. Meeehhh. Honestly I should have skipped this one. The ending is so sappy and sugary and perfect and GAG. I really wanted certain things to happen but NOPE, that wouldn't have been fluffy enough! Sometimes I really do not understand contemporary fiction.
Would I Recommend It:
No. Not really. This book did nothing for me. I didn't root for the protagonist, I wanted there to be a cruel ending, I didn't care for the male protagonist... the romance was okay and the humor was refreshing but this book wasn't necessarily worth the effort to read, to be honest. At least, not during finals week. I thank the publisher for sending me a copy though, I appreciate it.
Rating:
2 stars. 2.5 stars? I feel like I didn't do a great job of explaining why I didn't like this book. I just didn't connect with it, or feel some type of way about it. It was just there.
Joyride by Anna Banks
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Rating: 2 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
A popular guy and a shy girl with a secret become unlikely accomplices for midnight pranking, and are soon in over their heads—with the law and with each other—in this sparkling standalone from NYT-bestselling author Anna Banks.
It’s been years since Carly Vega’s parents were deported. She lives with her brother, studies hard, and works at a convenience store to contribute to getting her parents back from Mexico.
Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He dated popular blondes and had fun with his older sister, Amber. But now Amber’s dead, and Arden blames his father, the town sheriff who wouldn’t acknowledge Amber's mental illness. Arden refuses to fulfill whatever his conservative father expects.
All Carly wants is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to NOT do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they’ve been living according to others. Carly and Arden’s journey toward their true hearts—and one another—is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh.
What I Liked:
I think I liked this book? I'm honestly not sure. It's one of those books that you think you enjoy the story, but other things bother you and it leaves you confused as to whether or not you actually liked what you read. I liked Banks' debut, Of Poseidon, wasn't crazy about Of Triton, never read Of Neptune. But I LOVED Anna's adult book, Degrees of Wrong. I think Banks is a talented writer, but I'm not sure if her books work for me.
Carly is the daughter of an immigrant family from Mexico. She works during her free time and gives the money to her older brother, who is saving his and her earnings to pay for their parents and twin younger siblings to come to the United States (illegally) across the border. Carly doesn't have time for boys or friends, and doesn't want to be bothered. But Arden Moss, the sheriff's son, is the exact opposite - he wants to do crazy pranks and as little school and work as possible. Carly and Arden meet in a strange situation, and soon, Carly finds herself doing pranks with Arden. But not everything is fun and games when so much is at stake for Carly.
On the surface, this is a very humorous and fluffy read. Carly doesn't like Arden at first - she knows him as the popular, charming, good-looking sheriff's son who always has his pick of girls. Carly has zero time for boys or friends, and what's more, she doesn't want the attention. But a situation happens and Arden wants to see her again, and he wants them to hang out and do obnoxious pranks. Arden helps Carly find a better, higher-paying job, and drives her to and from the job. It's not long before Carly's walls come down, but Carly doesn't dare tell him about her family.
Arden isn't the manwhore Carly thinks he is. Sure, he's popular and charming. But he's been different since his sister died. No more football, no more ambitions, no more pranks. Not until what happens with Carly - and then Arden decides he wants Carly to join him in his pranking, But he doesn't expect to fall for Carly.
I liked Arden for sure. Banks constructs this backstory that is so sad and heartbreaking, and yet Arden is very lifelike and real, even with the emptiness he feels after his sister's death. Arden isn't some rich spoiled boy - he's a sister-less, pretty much father- and mother-less boy. I felt bad for Arden! Also I liked him a lot.
I didn't really LOVE the story - it didn't quite hold my interest and attention. Same goes for the issues in the book - I have opinions on immigration and whatnot, but I'll keep them out of this review. For the most part, I really didn't want to read about these issues, one reason being that I knew these would end up cookie-cutter perfect in the end (that's how these books always end). Fiction isn't always realistic, and I know the author wanted a fluffy ending, but meh.
What I Did Not Like:
Meh. That's kind of the overall feeling I have about this book. I could have not read it and have been neither worse off nor better off. It didn't do anything for me. The hero isn't totally swoonworthy, the heroine isn't someone I'm rooting for. Heck, I don't even like Carly.
Carly works and works and works and gives all of her money to her brother to bring her parents to the United States. No offense, but this has always boggled my mind: you're willing to pay someone $20,000+, just hand over that money, for the CHANCE that you'll have someone smuggled over the border? It doesn't seem worth it, especially since most immigrants don't make it over the border. Total waste of money. Of course, we all have opinions of immigration. My point HERE is that a teenage girl in high school should NOT be responsible for bringing her parents and siblings to the United States. Absolutely not.
Carly is so passive! She just goes along with it and works herself to death for the slim CHANCE that her parents and siblings will come to the United States (illegally). Seriously, she's working until 2 am at a convenience store, bikes to the trailer park, and then gets up to go to school in a few hours. Not a way to live. Look, I understand this - I work part time to pay my expensive-as-sin tuition bills. My parents don't contribute to my education (they can't afford to do so), so I understand. But there are lines to be drawn. Carly didn't (and doesn't) draw any. I seriously don't understand why she doesn't stick up for herself, to Julio (her brother) or to her parents! My parents were immigrants too! Not from Mexico and not during these tight times of immigration laws, but trust me, I know all about their struggles of having to work weird jobs and try and get citizenship and all that. There's no excuse for her parents FORCING her to work in the United States so they can come back to the United States after being deported. Ugh!
Okay I said I would keep my opinion of immigration out of it and I still have... sort of. That was more of my opinion on Carly's role in the immigration thing. She's too passive. Too pushover-y. Too cowardly to actually do what she wants to do.
I just didn't like Carly, cover to cover. Not to mention Arden's fascination with her was instant. I don't get it!
Ehhhh. Meeehhh. Honestly I should have skipped this one. The ending is so sappy and sugary and perfect and GAG. I really wanted certain things to happen but NOPE, that wouldn't have been fluffy enough! Sometimes I really do not understand contemporary fiction.
Would I Recommend It:
No. Not really. This book did nothing for me. I didn't root for the protagonist, I wanted there to be a cruel ending, I didn't care for the male protagonist... the romance was okay and the humor was refreshing but this book wasn't necessarily worth the effort to read, to be honest. At least, not during finals week. I thank the publisher for sending me a copy though, I appreciate it.
Rating:
2 stars. 2.5 stars? I feel like I didn't do a great job of explaining why I didn't like this book. I just didn't connect with it, or feel some type of way about it. It was just there.
December 10, 2015
Joy-ride my ass.
Boy, am I pissed. This book statistically got worse after 60%. And to think it had such an amazing potential in the beginning. *sigh* It starts off with a bang but turns into ‘meh’ towards the end. What an trainwreck.
Meet Carly. She is slaving herself for her parents who were deported to Mexico because they were undocumanted Immigrants. She needs a ton of money to get them back to U.S. Hence the slaving and no-real life besides that.
Meet Arden. An ex footboll player who spends his time pranking people because of his painful family drama.
One day, two worlds collide and our soap opera begins.
You’ve read it right.
But, hey it was all good until we hit 50-60% mark. But then suddenly the book became too soap operaish for my taste. Meet the reason why: Bastard aka Arden’s father.
Prick.
Asshole.
Son of a-
Racist.
You name it, he has it. Oh, he is also two dimensional. He is just in the story so that we can have a over-the-top villain. A unrelistic, unreal, un-everything over the top villain who has lots of over-the-top scenes in the story.
At that certain point (where we hit the 50-60% mark) because of things getting too unrealistic all I wanted to say was:
...but I obviously like torturing myself cause I continued the book
(duh)
The storyline was atrocious after that point but damn it, I really really liked the characters in the first half. I loved they werent walking stereotypes even though they were definitely acting out cliched soap opera scenarios but then suddenly they became walking stereotypes of your everyday soap opera. WHHHHY?! Why ruin it?!
And don't even get me started on that ending. That was sure anti-climactic and so sappy and sugary and perfect and GAG. And UGH. Full of lots of UGHs.
Another problem was; even though I liked seeing an attemted close examination of immigration, I feel like Anna Banks didnt digg deep enough into issues of illegal immigrants. A lot of stuff they had to endure either happened before or off screen. I can say it was realistically portrayed but I still wanted more on the issue.
Things I Liked:
* The romance isn’t the big focus, although it is a big part. I loved how smitten Arden became. It was adorable. I do love a romance that starts antagonistic, with all the sparks and chemistry. I loved how slow burn the romance was in this one.
* Carly’s internal struggle and the guilt she dealt with over her family because she wanted a normal life was done very well. On one hand, she wanted her family back more than anything, but at the same time, she just yearned to be a normal girl and deal with normal things. Not once, she wanted to throw her family out of window because of a random boy she’ve just met. I was really impressed by that. But am I rooting for her? NO. Am I rooting for Arden? Again no. Why? I just dont. Care.
In fact, this thing was SO bad, it would almost be funny...if the damned thing hadn't you know, bored me towards the end. Like I said earlier; it had lots and lots of UGHs.
My face when they deal with Arden's father off book (scene).
My face when all the drama suddenly disappear into thin air. Like puff. For example; even though I spent the whole book despising Carly’s parents for forcing her to work, I wont even get to meet them or there wont be closure for that? WHAT.THE.HELL.
So...Do I recommend it? NAH. There are way better books out there.
“I appreciate what this book was trying to do so diversity gets 3 stars
But my bored mind wants to give it 2 stars instead
My heart on the other hand says I should give it 1 stars cause it stole my fucking precious time.
So overall 2,5 stars.
I think.”
Boy, am I pissed. This book statistically got worse after 60%. And to think it had such an amazing potential in the beginning. *sigh* It starts off with a bang but turns into ‘meh’ towards the end. What an trainwreck.
Meet Carly. She is slaving herself for her parents who were deported to Mexico because they were undocumanted Immigrants. She needs a ton of money to get them back to U.S. Hence the slaving and no-real life besides that.
Meet Arden. An ex footboll player who spends his time pranking people because of his painful family drama.
One day, two worlds collide and our soap opera begins.
You’ve read it right.
But, hey it was all good until we hit 50-60% mark. But then suddenly the book became too soap operaish for my taste. Meet the reason why: Bastard aka Arden’s father.
Prick.
Asshole.
Son of a-
Racist.
You name it, he has it. Oh, he is also two dimensional. He is just in the story so that we can have a over-the-top villain. A unrelistic, unreal, un-everything over the top villain who has lots of over-the-top scenes in the story.
At that certain point (where we hit the 50-60% mark) because of things getting too unrealistic all I wanted to say was:
...but I obviously like torturing myself cause I continued the book
(duh)
The storyline was atrocious after that point but damn it, I really really liked the characters in the first half. I loved they werent walking stereotypes even though they were definitely acting out cliched soap opera scenarios but then suddenly they became walking stereotypes of your everyday soap opera. WHHHHY?! Why ruin it?!
And don't even get me started on that ending. That was sure anti-climactic and so sappy and sugary and perfect and GAG. And UGH. Full of lots of UGHs.
Another problem was; even though I liked seeing an attemted close examination of immigration, I feel like Anna Banks didnt digg deep enough into issues of illegal immigrants. A lot of stuff they had to endure either happened before or off screen. I can say it was realistically portrayed but I still wanted more on the issue.
Things I Liked:
* The romance isn’t the big focus, although it is a big part. I loved how smitten Arden became. It was adorable. I do love a romance that starts antagonistic, with all the sparks and chemistry. I loved how slow burn the romance was in this one.
* Carly’s internal struggle and the guilt she dealt with over her family because she wanted a normal life was done very well. On one hand, she wanted her family back more than anything, but at the same time, she just yearned to be a normal girl and deal with normal things. Not once, she wanted to throw her family out of window because of a random boy she’ve just met. I was really impressed by that. But am I rooting for her? NO. Am I rooting for Arden? Again no. Why? I just dont. Care.
In fact, this thing was SO bad, it would almost be funny...if the damned thing hadn't you know, bored me towards the end. Like I said earlier; it had lots and lots of UGHs.
My face when they deal with Arden's father off book (scene).
My face when all the drama suddenly disappear into thin air. Like puff. For example; even though I spent the whole book despising Carly’s parents for forcing her to work, I wont even get to meet them or there wont be closure for that? WHAT.THE.HELL.
So...Do I recommend it? NAH. There are way better books out there.
September 11, 2015
I reallllly liked this book. This is the first book that i read with a Mexican female lead because theres not many YA books with hispanic characters and i hate that but I think Anna Banks did i great job with this book!
July 4, 2015
Quick review for a not so quick read. I wanted to like this book more than I actually did; there were parts where it had me, but far too many times, I was also very frustrated with it. Kyla Garcia and Andrew Eiden did a wonderful job with the audio narration, which probably played into how much I liked it and how easy the read went down despite its shifting perspectives and styles (first person female view vs. third person male view).
This book, to me, felt a bit all over the place for what it was and quite misleading. Carly Vega doesn't really feel like a shy girl (despite what the blurb of this book says). Not even close as far as the description of this novel is concerned, it's more or less she's trying to keep a low profile on behalf of her family's circumstances, which are palpable for what they are. She's also uneasy because of the class differential between her and the company she eventually keeps. She's the embodiment of the stereotypical hot-blooded Latina girl who loses her temper at the drop of a hat. (And no, the whole "Did I just say that?" questioning she constantly does in this book doesn't convince me of the personality notation.) Matter in point, I would say that "Joyride" is a stereotypical portrayal for many things with an over the top "Hollow"-wood portrayal that undermines some of its better moments.
Carly struggles to make ends meet as she works a corner store job in the hopes of helping her brother smuggle her parents back into the U.S. after they were deported. When she meets Arden (unwittingly, since he's donning a mask and wielding a gun when they first meet - him with the intention of trying to teach his uncle a lesson about driving while drunk). The two of them hit it off and play pranks on random people, but it's a notation which allows Arden and Carly to have a much closer relationship than expected. as they both realize what it means to have "fun" and to not live to the expectations that their families place upon them, whether it's Carly's added responsibilities and financial burdens trying to raise money to bring her parents to the U.S. in conflict with her personal goals, or Arden trying to fight his father's expectations of him following his sister's suicide.
I think Arden's father's role showed his anatgonism and racism towards Carly and the relationship that Arden and Carly share, but there wasn't much dimension to him. There was very little about him that wasn't "all or nothing" for portrayal. As serious of an issue as illegal immigration is and the level of corruption and racism that this book had, it still fell flat for me. The romantic relationship between Carly and Arden had some nice moments, but again - it was undermined by stereotypes and portrayals that seemed to lack focus. I think after a certain point, when the book started getting into what was keeping Arden and Carly from having a relationship, it started throwing the conflicts into warp speed only to end with a unsatisfying and quick resolution that transitioned into the HEA. I didn't like how the transition was made and I felt thrown out of the book for all the build-up emotionally that the book tried to show. There were many questions that weren't answered and left in the air just for the sake of bringing Carly and Arden together.
Some promising moments and motivations, but I can't say that it was as strong of a read as I'd hoped it'd be.
Overall score: 2/5 stars.
This book, to me, felt a bit all over the place for what it was and quite misleading. Carly Vega doesn't really feel like a shy girl (despite what the blurb of this book says). Not even close as far as the description of this novel is concerned, it's more or less she's trying to keep a low profile on behalf of her family's circumstances, which are palpable for what they are. She's also uneasy because of the class differential between her and the company she eventually keeps. She's the embodiment of the stereotypical hot-blooded Latina girl who loses her temper at the drop of a hat. (And no, the whole "Did I just say that?" questioning she constantly does in this book doesn't convince me of the personality notation.) Matter in point, I would say that "Joyride" is a stereotypical portrayal for many things with an over the top "Hollow"-wood portrayal that undermines some of its better moments.
Carly struggles to make ends meet as she works a corner store job in the hopes of helping her brother smuggle her parents back into the U.S. after they were deported. When she meets Arden (unwittingly, since he's donning a mask and wielding a gun when they first meet - him with the intention of trying to teach his uncle a lesson about driving while drunk). The two of them hit it off and play pranks on random people, but it's a notation which allows Arden and Carly to have a much closer relationship than expected. as they both realize what it means to have "fun" and to not live to the expectations that their families place upon them, whether it's Carly's added responsibilities and financial burdens trying to raise money to bring her parents to the U.S. in conflict with her personal goals, or Arden trying to fight his father's expectations of him following his sister's suicide.
I think Arden's father's role showed his anatgonism and racism towards Carly and the relationship that Arden and Carly share, but there wasn't much dimension to him. There was very little about him that wasn't "all or nothing" for portrayal. As serious of an issue as illegal immigration is and the level of corruption and racism that this book had, it still fell flat for me. The romantic relationship between Carly and Arden had some nice moments, but again - it was undermined by stereotypes and portrayals that seemed to lack focus. I think after a certain point, when the book started getting into what was keeping Arden and Carly from having a relationship, it started throwing the conflicts into warp speed only to end with a unsatisfying and quick resolution that transitioned into the HEA. I didn't like how the transition was made and I felt thrown out of the book for all the build-up emotionally that the book tried to show. There were many questions that weren't answered and left in the air just for the sake of bringing Carly and Arden together.
Some promising moments and motivations, but I can't say that it was as strong of a read as I'd hoped it'd be.
Overall score: 2/5 stars.
June 12, 2015
Edit 6/12/15:
A week after I read this book and I'm still not in the mood to write a review on this. Fortunately, my friend Tamara has written the most perfect review ever and she completely summed up what this book is and the things it made me feel.
Original mini review:
I can't decide between two or three stars so 2.5 it is.
While the first half of the book is lighthearted and made me laugh a couple of times, the second half is a freaking soap opera that was just way too dramatic for my taste.
A week after I read this book and I'm still not in the mood to write a review on this. Fortunately, my friend Tamara has written the most perfect review ever and she completely summed up what this book is and the things it made me feel.
Original mini review:
I can't decide between two or three stars so 2.5 it is.
While the first half of the book is lighthearted and made me laugh a couple of times, the second half is a freaking soap opera that was just way too dramatic for my taste.
October 3, 2016
DNF @ 50%
Oh my God. I was enjoying this but holy crap the characters were ridiculous. Arden was obsessed with being "manly" and Carly went along with all his stupid ideas. I may come back to this one day but for now, it can join my DNF pile. Full review to come possibly.
Oh my God. I was enjoying this but holy crap the characters were ridiculous. Arden was obsessed with being "manly" and Carly went along with all his stupid ideas. I may come back to this one day but for now, it can join my DNF pile. Full review to come possibly.
April 28, 2015
A real and honest side of immigration and family presented in way that only Anna could provide.
Carly is definitely an interesting MC. She's struggling with so many things, that it's delightful to see her let go and be a teenager instead of a 16 year old adult. Arden is different and yet the same. He's got his own set of problems that on the outside seem petty. The two of them together are so much fun.
The plot is a bit more serious than I would have expected, but it's fantastic. It felt very realistic. Not to mention the snarky banter and delicious swoons. There is a bit of heartbreak, but I loved how it was all handled and the ending was perfect.
**Huge thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
**Squishy hugs to the ladies at Macmillan for for sending me a physical arc**
Carly is definitely an interesting MC. She's struggling with so many things, that it's delightful to see her let go and be a teenager instead of a 16 year old adult. Arden is different and yet the same. He's got his own set of problems that on the outside seem petty. The two of them together are so much fun.
The plot is a bit more serious than I would have expected, but it's fantastic. It felt very realistic. Not to mention the snarky banter and delicious swoons. There is a bit of heartbreak, but I loved how it was all handled and the ending was perfect.
**Huge thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
**Squishy hugs to the ladies at Macmillan for for sending me a physical arc**
June 6, 2015
3.5-4 stars
Joyride by Anna Banks gave me lots of feels! I've been looking forward to reading it all year, and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. It's got a really fun romantic set up, plus a deeper, heartfelt message at its core. I think it's fairly unique for a contemporary romance, even providing a twist at the end I didn't see coming and a scarily intense finish. I expected the swoons, but everything else was a fantastic bonus.
Let me get my main criticism out of the way first. The book is told in dual point-of-view between Carly and Arden, which I usually love, but the switch from first person (Carly's chapters) to third person (Arden's chapters) is very awkward. I have no idea why the whole book wasn't written in first person; I can't make any sense of it, unless the author was worried about their voices sounding too alike. But doing it this way made it feel almost like two different books, and it keeps Arden at an unnecessary distance.
Otherwise, the characters are great. Carly is living with her brother Julio, and both of them are working themselves to death so they can smuggle their parents back into the U.S. She misses them and wants to do what's right for her family, but she also values her education and longs for a much brighter future than working in menial labor. But Carly's parents and brother push her to think of the family first, always, so she's having trouble balancing such a full load. Her social life is basically non-existent at this point. Though I didn't feel an amazing connection to Carly, you can't help but to admire her determination and independence. Despite the hard life she's been given, she still dreams big. I sympathized with her frustrations with her family but at the same time loving them more than anything.
Arden is one of the popular boys in school, but ever since his sister died he hasn't been the same on the inside. He's hurting and, unable to sleep, takes to causing mischief throughout their small Florida town. It's a way for him to be close to his sister again, while also filling a void. After a crazy encounter with Carly, a girl he's never paid attention to before, he recognizes a kindred spirit and vows to make her his partner in crime. I think the set up to their friendship and eventual romance is all sorts of adorable. At first Carly completely - and understandably - hates his guts, and it's funny to see him try to win her over. He's relentless. Eventually Carly realizes that she needs this in her life as much as he does; these late night pranks aren't just an escape, but a way to feel alive again. I really enjoyed the progression of their relationship and didn't feel like it was rushed at all. They make a cute pair and are equally smitten with each other.
Outside of the romance is a strong family theme. Arden's father is, in a few words, one of the worst characters I've ever met. Seriously, you will hate him and want to do more than kick him where it hurts. I felt so bad for Arden, but it was great seeing him stick up for Carly (his father is racist) and get out from underneath his shadow. With Carly's family, Anna Banks explores issues of immigration and human smuggling with complexity and heart. There's no easy fix, and it's a horrible situation for everyone. When we learn Julio has been negotiating with a human smuggler, I just knew things were about to go from bad to worse. It's quite the heart-pounding finish, but I'm more than satisfied with where we leave Arden and Carly.
With a romance centered around small town pranks and strong themes of family and love, I definitely recommend Joyride. It's just what the title suggests, with a little bit of heartache sprinkled in as well.
***Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!***
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
Joyride by Anna Banks gave me lots of feels! I've been looking forward to reading it all year, and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. It's got a really fun romantic set up, plus a deeper, heartfelt message at its core. I think it's fairly unique for a contemporary romance, even providing a twist at the end I didn't see coming and a scarily intense finish. I expected the swoons, but everything else was a fantastic bonus.
Let me get my main criticism out of the way first. The book is told in dual point-of-view between Carly and Arden, which I usually love, but the switch from first person (Carly's chapters) to third person (Arden's chapters) is very awkward. I have no idea why the whole book wasn't written in first person; I can't make any sense of it, unless the author was worried about their voices sounding too alike. But doing it this way made it feel almost like two different books, and it keeps Arden at an unnecessary distance.
Otherwise, the characters are great. Carly is living with her brother Julio, and both of them are working themselves to death so they can smuggle their parents back into the U.S. She misses them and wants to do what's right for her family, but she also values her education and longs for a much brighter future than working in menial labor. But Carly's parents and brother push her to think of the family first, always, so she's having trouble balancing such a full load. Her social life is basically non-existent at this point. Though I didn't feel an amazing connection to Carly, you can't help but to admire her determination and independence. Despite the hard life she's been given, she still dreams big. I sympathized with her frustrations with her family but at the same time loving them more than anything.
Arden is one of the popular boys in school, but ever since his sister died he hasn't been the same on the inside. He's hurting and, unable to sleep, takes to causing mischief throughout their small Florida town. It's a way for him to be close to his sister again, while also filling a void. After a crazy encounter with Carly, a girl he's never paid attention to before, he recognizes a kindred spirit and vows to make her his partner in crime. I think the set up to their friendship and eventual romance is all sorts of adorable. At first Carly completely - and understandably - hates his guts, and it's funny to see him try to win her over. He's relentless. Eventually Carly realizes that she needs this in her life as much as he does; these late night pranks aren't just an escape, but a way to feel alive again. I really enjoyed the progression of their relationship and didn't feel like it was rushed at all. They make a cute pair and are equally smitten with each other.
Outside of the romance is a strong family theme. Arden's father is, in a few words, one of the worst characters I've ever met. Seriously, you will hate him and want to do more than kick him where it hurts. I felt so bad for Arden, but it was great seeing him stick up for Carly (his father is racist) and get out from underneath his shadow. With Carly's family, Anna Banks explores issues of immigration and human smuggling with complexity and heart. There's no easy fix, and it's a horrible situation for everyone. When we learn Julio has been negotiating with a human smuggler, I just knew things were about to go from bad to worse. It's quite the heart-pounding finish, but I'm more than satisfied with where we leave Arden and Carly.
With a romance centered around small town pranks and strong themes of family and love, I definitely recommend Joyride. It's just what the title suggests, with a little bit of heartache sprinkled in as well.
***Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!***
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
June 2, 2015
I adored this book! As a hispanic girl, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I get when I see a hispanic book character. Unfortunately, most of the books I read with hispanic characters have them either involved with drug dealers, gangs or cartels. This can get annoying pretty fast. I looooove that this book didn't feature any of that stuff and love even more that other than being a really cute romance, it also deals with some really serious issues like immigration, deportation and discrimination. Kudos to Anna Banks for not only tackling this subject, but pulling it off so realistically. *bows down* I liked this book so much that I heard it and had to listen to the audio again.
After Carly's parents were deported to Mexico a few years ago, Carly and her older brother Julio's life has revolved around getting their parents and their younger brother and sister back to the United States. This is not an exaggeration, these poor kids pretty much slave to try to save enough money to smuggle their family back. Carly works the night shift at a convenience store and her brother works at a construction company and other than the basic necessities, every penny goes to their fund. One night, while one of her regulars was leaving the store, she is shocked to see that a kid is holding her customer at gunpoint. Against all her instincts, she runs outside with the store gun to try to scare the guy away. Turns out that the wannabe robber is none other than Arden, the popular guy at her school, who was only trying to scare off her uncle (with an unloaded gun) from driving drunk. After that night, Arden can't stop thinking about Carly and is determined to befriend her. He thinks she would be the perfect partner for his pranks and after some convincing, Carly and Arden begin a really adorable friendship. The more time they spend together, the stronger their attraction grows. But with Carly keeping secrets from Arden, Arden racism father, and the danger of smuggling her family back, things aren't as simple as first love should be.
I know a few people might be bothered by how much pressure Carly's parents and her brother put on her, but I found it realistic. I know people who are guilted by their parents living in Mexico into sending them money, and it's terrible but it happens. Living in Arizona, 30 minutes away from the border, I'm also aware of how hard it is for illegal immigrants to have a good life here having to constantly hide all the time. Seeing houses and cars on the freeway being raided by immigration is a common occurrence and I really love that Anna Banks didn't gloss over any of that. I was a little bit worried about the ending, because I wanted it to be realistic while doing the story justice, and I was so happy with the ending. There were a few plot twists that ended up surprising me, which is always a plus in books. Other than absolutely loving the romance in this book, it was so much more than that and I loved every second of it. I loved Carly's internal struggle and the guilt she deal with over her family. On one hand, she wanted her family back more than anything, but at the same time, she just yearned to be a normal girl and deal with normal things. I've read and liked this author's previous books, but I have to say that this one is my favorite. I really hope we get more contemporary books by Anna Banks!
Audiobook Comments: This isn't the first audiobook I've heard narrated by Andrew Eiden and I think he gets better and better each time. Out of the 3 audiobooks I've heard, his performance as Arden has to be my favorite so far. I'm so happy that they got a male narrator for Arden's POV scenes and I think he did a really great job. He was completely age appropriate and he pulled off that signature Arden cocky attitude and he sounded totally swoon-worthy. (Always a plus). This is my first audio by Kyla Garcia and I was crossing my fingers that she could pull off an authentic spanish accent, which she totally did! Kayla was so good as Carly and her performance only made me love the character even more. I read the book last month and loved it so much that I jumped at the chance to listen to the audio and heard it a few days again. Made me fall in love with these characters and the story all over again. Joyride was not only a fantastic read, it was also a really great audio.
4.5 out of 5 stars
***
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After Carly's parents were deported to Mexico a few years ago, Carly and her older brother Julio's life has revolved around getting their parents and their younger brother and sister back to the United States. This is not an exaggeration, these poor kids pretty much slave to try to save enough money to smuggle their family back. Carly works the night shift at a convenience store and her brother works at a construction company and other than the basic necessities, every penny goes to their fund. One night, while one of her regulars was leaving the store, she is shocked to see that a kid is holding her customer at gunpoint. Against all her instincts, she runs outside with the store gun to try to scare the guy away. Turns out that the wannabe robber is none other than Arden, the popular guy at her school, who was only trying to scare off her uncle (with an unloaded gun) from driving drunk. After that night, Arden can't stop thinking about Carly and is determined to befriend her. He thinks she would be the perfect partner for his pranks and after some convincing, Carly and Arden begin a really adorable friendship. The more time they spend together, the stronger their attraction grows. But with Carly keeping secrets from Arden, Arden racism father, and the danger of smuggling her family back, things aren't as simple as first love should be.
I know a few people might be bothered by how much pressure Carly's parents and her brother put on her, but I found it realistic. I know people who are guilted by their parents living in Mexico into sending them money, and it's terrible but it happens. Living in Arizona, 30 minutes away from the border, I'm also aware of how hard it is for illegal immigrants to have a good life here having to constantly hide all the time. Seeing houses and cars on the freeway being raided by immigration is a common occurrence and I really love that Anna Banks didn't gloss over any of that. I was a little bit worried about the ending, because I wanted it to be realistic while doing the story justice, and I was so happy with the ending. There were a few plot twists that ended up surprising me, which is always a plus in books. Other than absolutely loving the romance in this book, it was so much more than that and I loved every second of it. I loved Carly's internal struggle and the guilt she deal with over her family. On one hand, she wanted her family back more than anything, but at the same time, she just yearned to be a normal girl and deal with normal things. I've read and liked this author's previous books, but I have to say that this one is my favorite. I really hope we get more contemporary books by Anna Banks!
Audiobook Comments: This isn't the first audiobook I've heard narrated by Andrew Eiden and I think he gets better and better each time. Out of the 3 audiobooks I've heard, his performance as Arden has to be my favorite so far. I'm so happy that they got a male narrator for Arden's POV scenes and I think he did a really great job. He was completely age appropriate and he pulled off that signature Arden cocky attitude and he sounded totally swoon-worthy. (Always a plus). This is my first audio by Kyla Garcia and I was crossing my fingers that she could pull off an authentic spanish accent, which she totally did! Kayla was so good as Carly and her performance only made me love the character even more. I read the book last month and loved it so much that I jumped at the chance to listen to the audio and heard it a few days again. Made me fall in love with these characters and the story all over again. Joyride was not only a fantastic read, it was also a really great audio.
4.5 out of 5 stars
***
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November 9, 2017
I didn't like this book. I don't know how much of it is the book's fault and how much of it is my own fault for picking a book by its cover. I was expecting a cute summer romance, which is not crazy to think given the name of the book and the summery cover. I was expecting the usual boy meets girl, they fall in love, something happens and they can't be together and then everything works out in the end.
I mean, I got that.. But I also got some sort of political statement. Let me explain. Our main character, Carly, is Mexican and she and her brother are trying to smuggle their parents back to the US after they got deported. She works a lot and gives her money to her brother so he can save enough money to pay a guy that's going to help them cross the border. I'm all for representation in books, I'm all for female latin main characters and I'm all for talking about immigration and how it affects today's society.
I just don't think this subject was well portrayed in this book. There were a lot of latin cliches and I know that because I am latin. For such a serious topic (illegal immigrants and how their deportation affects their families), I think this story was too light-hearted. Catching a guy that smuggles people into a country and dealing with the fact that her family won't be able to join her and her brother in the US seemed like a breeze to Carly.. Like no trouble at all because she had a boyfriend. I know Arden (the love interest) is this amazing guy and he seems to love her a lot but still... that was just plain stupid and not normal at all.
Points for the author for having a latin main character and at least trying to shed some light on this issue, but I did not like the way she went by it. And that's why I'm giving this book such a low rating. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone because this book is not a fun, fluffy, YA summer read (which I was looking for to) and I don't think the immigration issue was well represented in it. I also didn't click with her writing style. I hate giving books bad reviews, but I gotta be honest.
For more book reviews and other bookish things: www.letmecrossover.blogspot.com
I mean, I got that.. But I also got some sort of political statement. Let me explain. Our main character, Carly, is Mexican and she and her brother are trying to smuggle their parents back to the US after they got deported. She works a lot and gives her money to her brother so he can save enough money to pay a guy that's going to help them cross the border. I'm all for representation in books, I'm all for female latin main characters and I'm all for talking about immigration and how it affects today's society.
I just don't think this subject was well portrayed in this book. There were a lot of latin cliches and I know that because I am latin. For such a serious topic (illegal immigrants and how their deportation affects their families), I think this story was too light-hearted. Catching a guy that smuggles people into a country and dealing with the fact that her family won't be able to join her and her brother in the US seemed like a breeze to Carly.. Like no trouble at all because she had a boyfriend. I know Arden (the love interest) is this amazing guy and he seems to love her a lot but still... that was just plain stupid and not normal at all.
Points for the author for having a latin main character and at least trying to shed some light on this issue, but I did not like the way she went by it. And that's why I'm giving this book such a low rating. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone because this book is not a fun, fluffy, YA summer read (which I was looking for to) and I don't think the immigration issue was well represented in it. I also didn't click with her writing style. I hate giving books bad reviews, but I gotta be honest.
For more book reviews and other bookish things: www.letmecrossover.blogspot.com
August 6, 2017
So good, and so cute. You don't see much of a Mexican female lead in YA, but this book pulled it off. It discussed some very true topics like poverty, immigration and racism. Mix it in with a good amount of romance, and you got your next summer read.
February 21, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
Need a book to excite you and keep you on the edge of your seat? Joyride by Anna Banks is the book for you! With an inspirarional message and lots of diversity, this book is easily a favourite of mine.
Joyride is such a diverse book! The main character, Carly, is Mexican, which I don't see very often. Anna Banks does such a fantastic job of describing what it's like to deal with racism and poverty at the same time. This book discusses so many factors that can cause a person to live their life with difficulty, such as mental health disorders, the deportation of family members, etc.
Joyride is one of the most inspirational books that I've read in a while. It has such a powerful message: to keep fighting for what you want. Despite the fact that Carly has to work two jobs to raise enough money to get her parents back to America, she doesn't complain. I really admire this trait, because it keeps the story interesting. The reader will keep wondering if the money will be raised and if Carly should trust a stranger with such a large amount.
This book is definitely going to shock readers everywhere with the various plot twists and growing drama. If you can't wait for Joyride's release date, there is an excerpt up on Wattpad. Still interested? Preorder it and take advantage of "The Joys of Preordering Joyride"!
Need a book to excite you and keep you on the edge of your seat? Joyride by Anna Banks is the book for you! With an inspirarional message and lots of diversity, this book is easily a favourite of mine.
Joyride is such a diverse book! The main character, Carly, is Mexican, which I don't see very often. Anna Banks does such a fantastic job of describing what it's like to deal with racism and poverty at the same time. This book discusses so many factors that can cause a person to live their life with difficulty, such as mental health disorders, the deportation of family members, etc.
Joyride is one of the most inspirational books that I've read in a while. It has such a powerful message: to keep fighting for what you want. Despite the fact that Carly has to work two jobs to raise enough money to get her parents back to America, she doesn't complain. I really admire this trait, because it keeps the story interesting. The reader will keep wondering if the money will be raised and if Carly should trust a stranger with such a large amount.
This book is definitely going to shock readers everywhere with the various plot twists and growing drama. If you can't wait for Joyride's release date, there is an excerpt up on Wattpad. Still interested? Preorder it and take advantage of "The Joys of Preordering Joyride"!
May 29, 2015
Anna Bank's Joyride was a bit slow in the opening chapters, but picked up the pace a bit after that. The P.O.V. changes were a little anoying, but maybe necessary to complete the author's vision. If you decide to read this book and can get to the middle, it becomes a real page-turne. You'll find yourself, like I did, wanting to see what will come of the relationship between Carly and Ardon. I was definitely seeing a 4-star novel at this jucture, but then a drop off and the story became somewhat anticlimactic. Just the same I can't ignore the intrigue Banks created in the middle, but not enough to outright recommend it. This story deserves a solid 3 stars.
March 31, 2020
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3.5/5 Stars
Carly Vega and Arden Moss live two very different lives. Carly works the graveyard shift at the local convenience store and lives with her older brother after their parents were deported back to Mexico. Arden is the son of the town sheriff and was the star quarterback until he decided he didn't want to do that anymore. He needs an accomplice to pull off bigger and better pranks to make his father as angry as possible. Then he meets Carly.
I thought this book was going to be a cute and fluffy contemporary book about how opposites attract... it ended up having more of a focus on immigration and family. I also think this is supposed to be enemies to lovers... but a very mild version of it since Arden saw Carly and was infatuated with her. I was not the biggest fan of Carly, the book kept trying to say that she was shy, but then she would turn very much into the stereotypical latina girl with the hot temper on the very next page. I did like the banter between Carly and Arden, I thought they were fun together. I liked how it was told in dual POV, but the chapters switched from first person to third person which was a bit strange.
Overall, it was a quick read, and it was entertaining with a great focus on family.
3.5/5 Stars
Carly Vega and Arden Moss live two very different lives. Carly works the graveyard shift at the local convenience store and lives with her older brother after their parents were deported back to Mexico. Arden is the son of the town sheriff and was the star quarterback until he decided he didn't want to do that anymore. He needs an accomplice to pull off bigger and better pranks to make his father as angry as possible. Then he meets Carly.
I thought this book was going to be a cute and fluffy contemporary book about how opposites attract... it ended up having more of a focus on immigration and family. I also think this is supposed to be enemies to lovers... but a very mild version of it since Arden saw Carly and was infatuated with her. I was not the biggest fan of Carly, the book kept trying to say that she was shy, but then she would turn very much into the stereotypical latina girl with the hot temper on the very next page. I did like the banter between Carly and Arden, I thought they were fun together. I liked how it was told in dual POV, but the chapters switched from first person to third person which was a bit strange.
Overall, it was a quick read, and it was entertaining with a great focus on family.
June 3, 2015
Joyride is going to go down as one of my favorite YA contemporary romance books ever. It was perfect for me, not only because it has one of the sweetest romances I've ever read, but also because it tackles the serious and controversial issue of illegal immigrants. After having read Joyride and experiencing Anna Banks' lovely writing, I certainly hope she will delve more into YA contemporary.
For me, the strength of Joyride lies in the main character, Carly. She was a beautifully fleshed out character, whose strengths and weaknesses are highlighted throughout the book. I loved how brave and hard working Carly was and how she did everything without ever muttering a complaint. Carly's circumstances were pretty horrible, what with her having to slum for hours in order to earn money so she and her brother could smuggle her parents back to the United States. It was heartbreaking watching her have to give up things that make her happy to solve a problem that her parents got themselves in. I just wanted to jump into the book and give Carly a huge hug and protect her from all the evil around her. I loved that Carly wasn't the perfect girl and that she came with her flaws, mostly in that she was a bit judgmental when it came to Arden, her love interest. Given all the pressure her parents and her older brother put on her shoulders however, I could see where she was coming from. Arden, was also a protagonist I really enjoyed. He was a sweetheart and even though he tended to be a bit rebellious what with his pranks, he was still a lovely boy, who perfectly complemented Carly. Arden was also going through a difficult time, having lost his pranks partner, his baby sister. His relationship with his father was also incredibly rocky and I don't think I've hated a book father as much as I hated Arden's dad.
I was particularly glad that we got both Carly and Arden's POV in the book. I did find the switch from first person to third person between POVs to be a little bit daunting, but once I got used to the writing style, I was engrossed in the story. The romance in Joyride was very sweet. It started off antagonistically because of Carly's preconceived notions about Arden and her reluctance to want to get closer to anyone, but it was also one that eventually blossomed into friendship and more by the end of the book. I loved how slow burn the romance was. Arden and Carly truly were made for each other and one of my favorite parts about their relationship was how they pushed each other to find happiness and think about themselves for once in their life. Seeing them come together was one beautiful experience for me. While romance was at the forefront of Joyride, it wasn't the only theme tackled. Anna Banks also digs deeper into issues of illegal immigrants. I might come across as ignorant, but I don't know much about about the issue. I did talk to my friend, Nereyda, about it while reading the book and she told me how realistically everything was portrayed. I'm so glad that Anna Banks decided to tackle it in Joyride because I personally learned a lot through it as well. Joyride also managed to surprise me with a few of its storyline, especially towards the end when it came to the smugglers.
Joyride was a beautifully written story, which stood out to me amongst YA contemporary books because of the content it tackled and the characters who I easily clicked with. This is a 2015 book you don't want to miss.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
June 17, 2015It's been SO SO long since I felt this bothered by a book. 2015 seemed to be a good year for me book wise and then this book came along. I think this is my first DNF of the year?
Now I don't usually get ranty but here are just a couple of my thoughts because I am SO FRUSTRATED.
-Why does this book vomit a bunch of stereotypes on us? Don't get me wrong, I ADORE diversity but I feel like it's cheating if the characters are such basic caricatures.
-I could get over the stereotypes though; what really bothers me is that there doesn't seem to be enough focus on the VERY IMPORTANT issue of immigration that the book claims to deal with.
-THE CHARACTERS. I CANNOT EVEN. Carla reminds me of those cliched female leads in PNRs that try to stay under the radar until they meet 'the guy', except this is all happening in a very contemporary and real setting. Also ARDEN. Her reasons for not liking him are so pathetic and basically revolve around her trying not to feel attracted to him. We don't know if she really noticed him before the magical moment of him noticing her! I definitely have more reasons for not liking him than she seems to. For starters, he obviously doesn't take anything seriously and thinks it's funny to prank people (AND THERE WERE GUNS INVOLVED). *shudders*
That's basically how far I managed to get. Maybe if I had given this book more of a chance I could have seen it bloom into something I might have liked but.... THIS ISN'T GOING TO WORK. BYE BOOK. Maybe a while from now you may get another chance but today isn't that day.
Now I don't usually get ranty but here are just a couple of my thoughts because I am SO FRUSTRATED.
-Why does this book vomit a bunch of stereotypes on us? Don't get me wrong, I ADORE diversity but I feel like it's cheating if the characters are such basic caricatures.
-I could get over the stereotypes though; what really bothers me is that there doesn't seem to be enough focus on the VERY IMPORTANT issue of immigration that the book claims to deal with.
-THE CHARACTERS. I CANNOT EVEN. Carla reminds me of those cliched female leads in PNRs that try to stay under the radar until they meet 'the guy', except this is all happening in a very contemporary and real setting. Also ARDEN. Her reasons for not liking him are so pathetic and basically revolve around her trying not to feel attracted to him. We don't know if she really noticed him before the magical moment of him noticing her! I definitely have more reasons for not liking him than she seems to. For starters, he obviously doesn't take anything seriously and thinks it's funny to prank people (AND THERE WERE GUNS INVOLVED). *shudders*
That's basically how far I managed to get. Maybe if I had given this book more of a chance I could have seen it bloom into something I might have liked but.... THIS ISN'T GOING TO WORK. BYE BOOK. Maybe a while from now you may get another chance but today isn't that day.
July 9, 2015
I love you Arden Moss!!!
I honestly thought this would be a typical YA romance that would make me roll my eyes and make gagging noises --- but I was wrong.
Yes, I admit this book would still fall under the predictable love story category but somehow I love it.
Carlotta Vega and Arden Moss are like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. Except in this case, Carly isn't a damsel in distress. I liked how the story progressed and the narration. I adored the characters especially Cletus.
Sure, this story might seem like the typical star-crossed lovers drama but it's still pretty realistic. I liked how the ending turned out. Maybe they can make a movie out of this book?
I honestly thought this would be a typical YA romance that would make me roll my eyes and make gagging noises --- but I was wrong.
Yes, I admit this book would still fall under the predictable love story category but somehow I love it.
Carlotta Vega and Arden Moss are like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. Except in this case, Carly isn't a damsel in distress. I liked how the story progressed and the narration. I adored the characters especially Cletus.
Sure, this story might seem like the typical star-crossed lovers drama but it's still pretty realistic. I liked how the ending turned out. Maybe they can make a movie out of this book?
May 4, 2015
Joyride by Anna Banks is a great YA Contemporary that carries a worthy plot that is not commonly found in Young Adult. A story about the struggles of immigration, prejudice and finding love despite the challenges life brings you is always a story I’m ready to read.
Sixteen year old Carly Vega is no stranger to hard work and constant struggle. She and her brother Julio have not seen their parents since they were deported back to Mexico over three years ago. Since then, Carly and Julio have worked long and hard hours to earn money to bring them back to the states so they can be a family again. However, as important as this is to Carly, she know that the only way she can truly help her family is if she gets a good education to further her chances of a better future.
Arden Moss has lived a somewhat privileged life. Being the son of the local sheriff, he embraces the joys of breaking the rules and causing havoc during his midnight escapades. However, since his sister, who was also his partner-in-crime, died about a year ago, he hasn’t enjoyed his rule-breaking tendences... that is until he meets Carly, a gutsy girl who pulls a gun on him the night he decides to prank an old man with a drinking problem.
I fell for Carly immediately! There was no doubt I’d come to like this head-strong girl that was determined to make a better life for herself. I admired her efforts of trying to get a good education, but never losing sight of helping her family. However, there were moments when I felt she was being taken advantage of by her family, and I somewhat resented them. Expecting her to put her needs and education to the side for the sake of her mother, father and younger siblings seemed a bit unfair and an unrealistic expectation to put on a sixteen year old. I hate to admit, but I experienced small moments of joy when she saved some of her hard earned money and spent it on herself – buying a few pieces of extra clothes and a much needed computer to do her homework. I wanted so much more for this character than what her family felt she deserved.
Arden Moss was a great compliment to Carly. I liked him almost immediately... almost. I’ll admit it took me a chapter or two to warm up to him after he stole Carly’s bike, but he more than made up for it. His intentions were always good and when he made that one fatal mistake that cost Carly a ton, the remorse he felt permeated through the pages of the book. I felt it ten-fold! I only wish his perspective wasn't told in the third person. I'm sure the connection would have been even deeper if I would have heard his story from him directly.
I applaud Anna Banks for crafting a multilayered story about struggling with life, growing up with unrealistic expectations on your shoulders, falling in love with someone so different from yourself, learning to trust, and finding ways to fit in when your culture and inherent responsibilities make you feel like such an outsider. Banks has proven that she knows what it takes to pen a realistic novel that leaves you caring for the characters long after you’ve finished their story. Well done!!
Sixteen year old Carly Vega is no stranger to hard work and constant struggle. She and her brother Julio have not seen their parents since they were deported back to Mexico over three years ago. Since then, Carly and Julio have worked long and hard hours to earn money to bring them back to the states so they can be a family again. However, as important as this is to Carly, she know that the only way she can truly help her family is if she gets a good education to further her chances of a better future.
Arden Moss has lived a somewhat privileged life. Being the son of the local sheriff, he embraces the joys of breaking the rules and causing havoc during his midnight escapades. However, since his sister, who was also his partner-in-crime, died about a year ago, he hasn’t enjoyed his rule-breaking tendences... that is until he meets Carly, a gutsy girl who pulls a gun on him the night he decides to prank an old man with a drinking problem.
I fell for Carly immediately! There was no doubt I’d come to like this head-strong girl that was determined to make a better life for herself. I admired her efforts of trying to get a good education, but never losing sight of helping her family. However, there were moments when I felt she was being taken advantage of by her family, and I somewhat resented them. Expecting her to put her needs and education to the side for the sake of her mother, father and younger siblings seemed a bit unfair and an unrealistic expectation to put on a sixteen year old. I hate to admit, but I experienced small moments of joy when she saved some of her hard earned money and spent it on herself – buying a few pieces of extra clothes and a much needed computer to do her homework. I wanted so much more for this character than what her family felt she deserved.
Arden Moss was a great compliment to Carly. I liked him almost immediately... almost. I’ll admit it took me a chapter or two to warm up to him after he stole Carly’s bike, but he more than made up for it. His intentions were always good and when he made that one fatal mistake that cost Carly a ton, the remorse he felt permeated through the pages of the book. I felt it ten-fold! I only wish his perspective wasn't told in the third person. I'm sure the connection would have been even deeper if I would have heard his story from him directly.
I applaud Anna Banks for crafting a multilayered story about struggling with life, growing up with unrealistic expectations on your shoulders, falling in love with someone so different from yourself, learning to trust, and finding ways to fit in when your culture and inherent responsibilities make you feel like such an outsider. Banks has proven that she knows what it takes to pen a realistic novel that leaves you caring for the characters long after you’ve finished their story. Well done!!
May 1, 2015
This book was such a surprising thrill! I loved Carly and I thought the author balanced a very fine line, examining the struggles of sacrifice for family v. self-preservation and happiness. I thought the first half was stronger for me but I didn't mind the ending! I definitely recommend this book, particularly if you are looking for more diverse books! :)
April 20, 2015
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was wonderful. I have to say I wasn't expecting all that much. I found The Syrena Legacy books to be just okay and didn't really understand why the third one was written in the first place. But Anna Banks is from my hometown and she went to my high school, so I will always be super excited to read her latest release.
The book takes place in Florida. The town is never specifically mentioned, but it's obviously a mix of Niceville and the surrounding areas (where the author is from). It was super weird to read about the Goodwill, high school, the skate park (which I live really close to and drive by several times a day!), the local mall, and a popular restaurant described. It was super cool though and almost made the book even more real to me because I could truly see what the author did when she was writing it. Very, very cool.
This isn't your typical high school romance. It delves deeper than that. Carly is the daughter of illegal immigrants who were deported, leaving her to live with her older brother, Julio. Both children work tirelessly to earn enough money to smuggle their parents and 2 siblings they have never met back over the border. Since she is always working the graveyard shift at a convenience store or studying (so she can get a scholarship) Carly has pretty much been robbed of a childhood. By chance, she meets Arden, a popular attractive schoolmate with issues and secrets of his own, and they become reluctant friends.
I adored this book. I loved how Arden slowly convinced Carly to be his friend and how they very slowly and reluctantly fell in love. The supporting characters were lovely- especially Uncle Cletus/Mr. Shackleford. It was super refreshing to read about a young romance where the characters had real issues that aren't usually written about. I don't know that I've ever read a book about immigration like this before. I loved how Carly struggled to balance her new desire to enjoy and live her own life with her need to support her family and live up to their expectations.
The book was also really unpredictable. I was surprised, multiple times, by the direction it took. I caught myself saying, "No way!" out loud several times while reading. I loved it!
It was so hard not to hate Julio and the rest of Carlotta’s family for the pressure they put on her and the way she was treated, but I did- I hated them. A lot. It was hard, I liked Carly so much that I wanted to like her family. I wanted to be able to see past all their faults and be like they love her. They just want everyone to be together. Unfortunately, as the story progressed, it became more and more clear that they were taking advantage and soon Carly’s only option would be to abandon ship. It’s like when you have a friend with a husband that’s kind of crap, but used to be good to her. They have small children so you want to see it work out, but at some point it’s just too toxic. She’s got to leave him, because even though it’s going to suck and be super sad, it’ll be better for her in the end. Carly’s family situation was truly tragic. She had no quick solutions or really any way to solve the problem. All options were terrible options. No way to fix anything without a lot of heartbreak on the way. Banks did an incredible job bringing this to life. My heart hurt so badly for Carly during any interactions with her family members or when she was being sacrificial for their benefit. I wanted to scoop her up and make it better, but really, there was no way to do so. I am not a wizard.
Every once in a while there was a line or two in this book that made me stop reading, take a deep breath, and say wow. Every once in a while Banks truly blew my mind with the words she wrote.
Also: Arden, what a babe.
Two complaints:
1) I didn't feel like I ever got a very clear picture of what the characters looked like. Arden has green eyes and Carly's hair is black, but I could never fully picture them other than that. I wish there had been more descriptive cues so I wouldn't have had to fill in the blanks myself.
2) The POV switch was painful. Why was Carly's perspective first person and Arden's third? Horrible. I hated this. The entire books should have been written in first person. The switch was so awkward. With every switch, I was taken out of the story and had to readjust to get back into it. I cannot stress enough how terrible this switch back and forth was.
Anna, I know you go to Barnes and Noble in Destin and sign copies of books there. I'll be on the lookout for a signed hardback copy of Joyride on June 2nd because this book is superb.
As always, this review is also posted to my blog: Crazy Something Maybe
This book was wonderful. I have to say I wasn't expecting all that much. I found The Syrena Legacy books to be just okay and didn't really understand why the third one was written in the first place. But Anna Banks is from my hometown and she went to my high school, so I will always be super excited to read her latest release.
The book takes place in Florida. The town is never specifically mentioned, but it's obviously a mix of Niceville and the surrounding areas (where the author is from). It was super weird to read about the Goodwill, high school, the skate park (which I live really close to and drive by several times a day!), the local mall, and a popular restaurant described. It was super cool though and almost made the book even more real to me because I could truly see what the author did when she was writing it. Very, very cool.
This isn't your typical high school romance. It delves deeper than that. Carly is the daughter of illegal immigrants who were deported, leaving her to live with her older brother, Julio. Both children work tirelessly to earn enough money to smuggle their parents and 2 siblings they have never met back over the border. Since she is always working the graveyard shift at a convenience store or studying (so she can get a scholarship) Carly has pretty much been robbed of a childhood. By chance, she meets Arden, a popular attractive schoolmate with issues and secrets of his own, and they become reluctant friends.
I adored this book. I loved how Arden slowly convinced Carly to be his friend and how they very slowly and reluctantly fell in love. The supporting characters were lovely- especially Uncle Cletus/Mr. Shackleford. It was super refreshing to read about a young romance where the characters had real issues that aren't usually written about. I don't know that I've ever read a book about immigration like this before. I loved how Carly struggled to balance her new desire to enjoy and live her own life with her need to support her family and live up to their expectations.
The book was also really unpredictable. I was surprised, multiple times, by the direction it took. I caught myself saying, "No way!" out loud several times while reading. I loved it!
It was so hard not to hate Julio and the rest of Carlotta’s family for the pressure they put on her and the way she was treated, but I did- I hated them. A lot. It was hard, I liked Carly so much that I wanted to like her family. I wanted to be able to see past all their faults and be like they love her. They just want everyone to be together. Unfortunately, as the story progressed, it became more and more clear that they were taking advantage and soon Carly’s only option would be to abandon ship. It’s like when you have a friend with a husband that’s kind of crap, but used to be good to her. They have small children so you want to see it work out, but at some point it’s just too toxic. She’s got to leave him, because even though it’s going to suck and be super sad, it’ll be better for her in the end. Carly’s family situation was truly tragic. She had no quick solutions or really any way to solve the problem. All options were terrible options. No way to fix anything without a lot of heartbreak on the way. Banks did an incredible job bringing this to life. My heart hurt so badly for Carly during any interactions with her family members or when she was being sacrificial for their benefit. I wanted to scoop her up and make it better, but really, there was no way to do so. I am not a wizard.
Every once in a while there was a line or two in this book that made me stop reading, take a deep breath, and say wow. Every once in a while Banks truly blew my mind with the words she wrote.
Also: Arden, what a babe.
Two complaints:
1) I didn't feel like I ever got a very clear picture of what the characters looked like. Arden has green eyes and Carly's hair is black, but I could never fully picture them other than that. I wish there had been more descriptive cues so I wouldn't have had to fill in the blanks myself.
2) The POV switch was painful. Why was Carly's perspective first person and Arden's third? Horrible. I hated this. The entire books should have been written in first person. The switch was so awkward. With every switch, I was taken out of the story and had to readjust to get back into it. I cannot stress enough how terrible this switch back and forth was.
Anna, I know you go to Barnes and Noble in Destin and sign copies of books there. I'll be on the lookout for a signed hardback copy of Joyride on June 2nd because this book is superb.
As always, this review is also posted to my blog: Crazy Something Maybe
February 23, 2015
You can read this review and more on my blog:
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The story of how a rich guy, and a poor girl fall in love isn’t new. But this time around, the rich guy, Arden, is the son of a racist Sheriff, and the poor girl, Carly, is Mexican. As you would imagine, Arden’s father is not too happy about his son dating Carly, and I hated this prejudice jerk about as much as I have ever hated a villain in any novel. Not only does he say some of the nastiest things, he is a GIANT hypocrite. He honestly believes the hateful crap he says, but as the story progresses, we find out that he mostly just cares about money and power.
Somehow the jerk of a sheriff has managed to raise an amazing young man. Arden is going through a transition when he meets Carly. His sister died a year ago, and he lost all focus. He can’t sleep, he quit football, and his grades are terrible. All he cares about is running around town pranking anyone he thinks deserves it, and he gets away with this behavior because he is charming and the sheriff's son.
Carly is a shy, hardworking young woman who has devoted her life to making good grades and earning enough money to smuggle her parents, who were deported 3 years ago, back into the United States. She lives with her older brother Julio who does nothing but work, and if her brother and parents had it their way, Carly would quit school and spent every waking minute working too.
Everyone’s desire for Carly to quit school is part of the reason I didn’t love this book. Even Arden didn’t respect how hard Carly worked in school, and I kept wondering why. I get that Julio wanted his parents back and I know his parents wanted to raise their two younger children in the states. I also understand that Arden just wanted to spend time with someone he liked, but the lack of support they had for this girl bugged me.
At first, the relationship between Arden and Carly was annoying. She had every reason in the world to give him a hard time, but I was impatient and wanted the cuteness to begin. When she finally did let her guard down, they were sweet. I could tell that they really loved each other. He helped her to learn to relax, have fun, and do things for herself without feeling guilty, but she taught him the value of working hard and gave him someone to love again.
I can’t call this a cute book because it dealt with too many serious issues, but I liked Carly and Arden a lot. They made some stupid mistakes, but they learned from them. I also loved Arden’s Uncle Cletus. He was the glue that held everyone together, and he was pretty funny too.
Not sure who I would recommend this book too. There is no denying that it was well written, but I was expecting more out of the romance. The book made me feel things, but not what I was expecting. I felt more hatred for Arden’s dad than I did happiness when Arden and Carly were together. I never got that warm and fuzzy feeling, and that feeling is the only reason I read books like this. If you want to read a serious book that also happens to have cute romance, this one will work.
This book was very clean, I don’t remember any profanities, and there was no sexual content. The reading level is suitable for ages 12 and up.
The story of how a rich guy, and a poor girl fall in love isn’t new. But this time around, the rich guy, Arden, is the son of a racist Sheriff, and the poor girl, Carly, is Mexican. As you would imagine, Arden’s father is not too happy about his son dating Carly, and I hated this prejudice jerk about as much as I have ever hated a villain in any novel. Not only does he say some of the nastiest things, he is a GIANT hypocrite. He honestly believes the hateful crap he says, but as the story progresses, we find out that he mostly just cares about money and power.
Somehow the jerk of a sheriff has managed to raise an amazing young man. Arden is going through a transition when he meets Carly. His sister died a year ago, and he lost all focus. He can’t sleep, he quit football, and his grades are terrible. All he cares about is running around town pranking anyone he thinks deserves it, and he gets away with this behavior because he is charming and the sheriff's son.
Carly is a shy, hardworking young woman who has devoted her life to making good grades and earning enough money to smuggle her parents, who were deported 3 years ago, back into the United States. She lives with her older brother Julio who does nothing but work, and if her brother and parents had it their way, Carly would quit school and spent every waking minute working too.
Everyone’s desire for Carly to quit school is part of the reason I didn’t love this book. Even Arden didn’t respect how hard Carly worked in school, and I kept wondering why. I get that Julio wanted his parents back and I know his parents wanted to raise their two younger children in the states. I also understand that Arden just wanted to spend time with someone he liked, but the lack of support they had for this girl bugged me.
At first, the relationship between Arden and Carly was annoying. She had every reason in the world to give him a hard time, but I was impatient and wanted the cuteness to begin. When she finally did let her guard down, they were sweet. I could tell that they really loved each other. He helped her to learn to relax, have fun, and do things for herself without feeling guilty, but she taught him the value of working hard and gave him someone to love again.
I can’t call this a cute book because it dealt with too many serious issues, but I liked Carly and Arden a lot. They made some stupid mistakes, but they learned from them. I also loved Arden’s Uncle Cletus. He was the glue that held everyone together, and he was pretty funny too.
Not sure who I would recommend this book too. There is no denying that it was well written, but I was expecting more out of the romance. The book made me feel things, but not what I was expecting. I felt more hatred for Arden’s dad than I did happiness when Arden and Carly were together. I never got that warm and fuzzy feeling, and that feeling is the only reason I read books like this. If you want to read a serious book that also happens to have cute romance, this one will work.
This book was very clean, I don’t remember any profanities, and there was no sexual content. The reading level is suitable for ages 12 and up.
April 21, 2017
This review was originally posted on my blog, Kittens and Books.
I received a free review copy of this book through Netgalley.
Carly is just trying to fly under the radar until she and her brother earn enough money to bring back their parents, who were deported to Mexico years before. Arden is trying to do anything he can think of to make his father, the sheriff, angry. When these two come together, their goals obviously clash.
Arden, who used to pull pranks with his older sister, is seeking another accomplice. Amber has been dead for some time, and he didn’t realize how lonely he felt until Carly entered his life. He knows that she is holding herself back and that she wants to have fun, he just doesn’t realize why.
Carly tries to avoid Arden, but he makes it difficult. And as Arden refuses to give up, she realizes that she might not want him to.
Part of me wishes I didn’t finish this book. I went into it expecting less romance, and for more of the issues in the book to be touched on. Instead, I feel like the romance took over the plot - or maybe it felt that way because I did not like Arden.
From the start, Arden was too forceful. Him being right about what she wanted doesn’t excuse that he forced Carly into a lot of situations she told him she didn’t want to take part in. He stalks her home from school - while thinking that it would sure look like he was stalking her, even though he “wasn’t” - and even steals her bike to get her to talk to him, although she’s made it clear she doesn’t want to. He gets her a higher-paying job, which was nice of him - except then he wants her to quit working her other job on week days, and spend time with him instead. It seems that, no matter how many times Carly explains that she needs the money, he doesn’t believe her.
He’s not an unrealistic character, though. I understand that his privilege would get in the way of him understanding Carly’s money issues, and that he has his flaws which create his problems with being so pushy - he isn’t just that way with Carly, but also with his uncle at the beginning, and his pranks show that attitude often as well. But it was difficult for me to get past his flaws, and I really did not want him and Carly together.
One thing I did like was the balance in this book. It switched easily between cute and real. I did try to like Arden, and it worked sometimes. A scene that stuck out to me was when he mentioned ordering black coffee in front of Carly because sugar and cream did not seem “manly.” He did go out of his way to impress Carly a number of times and, although he went about it wrong (The girl doesn’t care how you like your coffee, Arden!), the emotions there were still sweet to read about. Right after this scene, though, he gets a phone call from his depressed mother, asking him to pick up the medication she’s very dependent on after her daughter’s death. Then he goes straight to work helping his alcoholic uncle with housework.
At the same time, I feel like all these issues were more interesting than Arden and Carly’s relationship. It would have been nice to read more about their family life, and to have all that more fleshed out than it was. And many of these things resolved too quickly, and often unrealistically, at the end. There was also a bit of a time-jump once we did get to the interesting stuff, which felt really disappointing - the plot was finally picking up, and then most of the action was skipped or glossed over.
Overall, I think this would be a better read for those who enjoy the romance. It really was the main plot of the book, and this will likely be a great read for those who like Arden, or who like the idea of him and Carly together. I just didn’t enjoy the romance much, and saw so much potential in the side-plots here, very little of which seemed to follow through.
I received a free review copy of this book through Netgalley.
Carly is just trying to fly under the radar until she and her brother earn enough money to bring back their parents, who were deported to Mexico years before. Arden is trying to do anything he can think of to make his father, the sheriff, angry. When these two come together, their goals obviously clash.
Arden, who used to pull pranks with his older sister, is seeking another accomplice. Amber has been dead for some time, and he didn’t realize how lonely he felt until Carly entered his life. He knows that she is holding herself back and that she wants to have fun, he just doesn’t realize why.
Carly tries to avoid Arden, but he makes it difficult. And as Arden refuses to give up, she realizes that she might not want him to.
Part of me wishes I didn’t finish this book. I went into it expecting less romance, and for more of the issues in the book to be touched on. Instead, I feel like the romance took over the plot - or maybe it felt that way because I did not like Arden.
From the start, Arden was too forceful. Him being right about what she wanted doesn’t excuse that he forced Carly into a lot of situations she told him she didn’t want to take part in. He stalks her home from school - while thinking that it would sure look like he was stalking her, even though he “wasn’t” - and even steals her bike to get her to talk to him, although she’s made it clear she doesn’t want to. He gets her a higher-paying job, which was nice of him - except then he wants her to quit working her other job on week days, and spend time with him instead. It seems that, no matter how many times Carly explains that she needs the money, he doesn’t believe her.
He’s not an unrealistic character, though. I understand that his privilege would get in the way of him understanding Carly’s money issues, and that he has his flaws which create his problems with being so pushy - he isn’t just that way with Carly, but also with his uncle at the beginning, and his pranks show that attitude often as well. But it was difficult for me to get past his flaws, and I really did not want him and Carly together.
One thing I did like was the balance in this book. It switched easily between cute and real. I did try to like Arden, and it worked sometimes. A scene that stuck out to me was when he mentioned ordering black coffee in front of Carly because sugar and cream did not seem “manly.” He did go out of his way to impress Carly a number of times and, although he went about it wrong (The girl doesn’t care how you like your coffee, Arden!), the emotions there were still sweet to read about. Right after this scene, though, he gets a phone call from his depressed mother, asking him to pick up the medication she’s very dependent on after her daughter’s death. Then he goes straight to work helping his alcoholic uncle with housework.
At the same time, I feel like all these issues were more interesting than Arden and Carly’s relationship. It would have been nice to read more about their family life, and to have all that more fleshed out than it was. And many of these things resolved too quickly, and often unrealistically, at the end. There was also a bit of a time-jump once we did get to the interesting stuff, which felt really disappointing - the plot was finally picking up, and then most of the action was skipped or glossed over.
Overall, I think this would be a better read for those who enjoy the romance. It really was the main plot of the book, and this will likely be a great read for those who like Arden, or who like the idea of him and Carly together. I just didn’t enjoy the romance much, and saw so much potential in the side-plots here, very little of which seemed to follow through.
June 9, 2015
4.5/5
Joyride is the book I’ve been waiting for since August of last year. Though I will say that I’m mildly surprised how different it was compared to the Syrena Legacy, I wouldn’t go as far as say that it was a bad kind of a surprise. Banks’ debut series and Joyride honestly can’t be compared due to the nature of their themes, and yet when reading all the books, you know Banks wrote them!
Joyride brings forth a huge and touchy subject. After having her parents deported back to Mexico after being caught as illegal immigrants in the United States, Carly and her older brother Julio scrape by and try to save every last penny in order to smuggle them back across the border. It sounds awful, doesn’t it? Essentially, all Carly has to do is work hard and not bring too much attention to herself. However, things don’t exactly go after plan when Arden Moss, the sheriff’s son, decides to make her his wingman in pranks (they can technically be viewed as crimes).
The relationship between Carly and Arden was an interesting one. I honestly lack opinions on their relationship. Carly and Arden were cute together. That’s it. That’s my entire train of thought. Despite my “shipping” feelings, their relationship brought up several social issues raised in this book. Carly and Arden are pretty much polar opposites. Carly—a daughter of illegal immigrants—and Arden—the son of a notorious sheriff who opposes of immigration all together. This relationship was clearly doomed from the start. The setbacks, not only between Carly and Arden but also in general, were realistic and enraging.
Banks wrote Joyride in a very subjective way. She doesn’t favour any pro or cons, rather just create a realistic—yet dramatic—story. Though I feel like I could leave out the “dramatic” as these things do actually happen and it’s the reality for some people, it still is in fact a dramatic event. Carly is torn between being the provider for her family in Mexico. Not only does she have several jobs as well as school, she doubts whether it’s the right way to bring back her family. At the beginning, it was as if Carly wasn’t a person at all, rather a mere tool used to generate money to bring back her family. And speaking of money, we’re not talking about a small sum here, but a total of $50,000USD!
I believe Joyride successfully accomplished bringing down various stereotypes in people, and not to forget hypocrisy. All rich people aren’t snobs nor are all poor people criminals. I did wish for some more opinionated parts regarding the immigration policies, but at the same time I’m satisfied with what I got. My only (slight) criticism is that certain parts towards the end felt rushed, missing even. I’ll admit that it ruined the momentum for me, and although it only lasted for a moment and I managed to get over it, a part of me refuses to be content with it. Though Joyride’s plot is fairly straightforward, there are plot twists that further prove my minor stereotypical points. And like I mentioned in my first paragraph, Banks has a specific way of writing. It’s personal (with the occasional brackets, which we all know we love) and witty. Joyride isn’t that long to begin with, but the time sure seems to pass quickly whilst reading the book!
Joyride—in my opinion—is suitable for most readers, in particular to those whom enjoy contemporary and/or reading books with ethnic minorities.
And now the long wait for Nemesis continues..
------
28.08.2014
Joyride is the book I’ve been waiting for since August of last year. Though I will say that I’m mildly surprised how different it was compared to the Syrena Legacy, I wouldn’t go as far as say that it was a bad kind of a surprise. Banks’ debut series and Joyride honestly can’t be compared due to the nature of their themes, and yet when reading all the books, you know Banks wrote them!
Joyride brings forth a huge and touchy subject. After having her parents deported back to Mexico after being caught as illegal immigrants in the United States, Carly and her older brother Julio scrape by and try to save every last penny in order to smuggle them back across the border. It sounds awful, doesn’t it? Essentially, all Carly has to do is work hard and not bring too much attention to herself. However, things don’t exactly go after plan when Arden Moss, the sheriff’s son, decides to make her his wingman in pranks (they can technically be viewed as crimes).
The relationship between Carly and Arden was an interesting one. I honestly lack opinions on their relationship. Carly and Arden were cute together. That’s it. That’s my entire train of thought. Despite my “shipping” feelings, their relationship brought up several social issues raised in this book. Carly and Arden are pretty much polar opposites. Carly—a daughter of illegal immigrants—and Arden—the son of a notorious sheriff who opposes of immigration all together. This relationship was clearly doomed from the start. The setbacks, not only between Carly and Arden but also in general, were realistic and enraging.
Banks wrote Joyride in a very subjective way. She doesn’t favour any pro or cons, rather just create a realistic—yet dramatic—story. Though I feel like I could leave out the “dramatic” as these things do actually happen and it’s the reality for some people, it still is in fact a dramatic event. Carly is torn between being the provider for her family in Mexico. Not only does she have several jobs as well as school, she doubts whether it’s the right way to bring back her family. At the beginning, it was as if Carly wasn’t a person at all, rather a mere tool used to generate money to bring back her family. And speaking of money, we’re not talking about a small sum here, but a total of $50,000USD!
I believe Joyride successfully accomplished bringing down various stereotypes in people, and not to forget hypocrisy. All rich people aren’t snobs nor are all poor people criminals. I did wish for some more opinionated parts regarding the immigration policies, but at the same time I’m satisfied with what I got. My only (slight) criticism is that certain parts towards the end felt rushed, missing even. I’ll admit that it ruined the momentum for me, and although it only lasted for a moment and I managed to get over it, a part of me refuses to be content with it. Though Joyride’s plot is fairly straightforward, there are plot twists that further prove my minor stereotypical points. And like I mentioned in my first paragraph, Banks has a specific way of writing. It’s personal (with the occasional brackets, which we all know we love) and witty. Joyride isn’t that long to begin with, but the time sure seems to pass quickly whilst reading the book!
Joyride—in my opinion—is suitable for most readers, in particular to those whom enjoy contemporary and/or reading books with ethnic minorities.
And now the long wait for Nemesis continues..
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28.08.2014
June 25, 2015
**I received this book for free from Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Young Adult, Contemporary
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
Joyride is a standalone novel that features 16-year old Carlotta "Carly" Vega, and 17-year old Arden Moss. The story is told in alternating narratives. Carly in the first person, Arden in the third. This is a story that takes place in Florida where the author calls home. It is a story that touches on two very politically and socially important subjects: Illegal immigration, and human trafficking. I dare say the author has her own opinion on these subjects, and perhaps we can agree that there needs to be further discussions, and less boisterous bluster on what needs to be done.
*Full Review Posting @ Gizmos Reviews* Link to Follow
*Recvd via Publisher* Published: June 2nd 2015 by Feiwel & Friends
*Genre* Young Adult, Contemporary
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
Joyride is a standalone novel that features 16-year old Carlotta "Carly" Vega, and 17-year old Arden Moss. The story is told in alternating narratives. Carly in the first person, Arden in the third. This is a story that takes place in Florida where the author calls home. It is a story that touches on two very politically and socially important subjects: Illegal immigration, and human trafficking. I dare say the author has her own opinion on these subjects, and perhaps we can agree that there needs to be further discussions, and less boisterous bluster on what needs to be done.
*Full Review Posting @ Gizmos Reviews* Link to Follow
*Recvd via Publisher* Published: June 2nd 2015 by Feiwel & Friends
February 8, 2015
****ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.****
My need to keep reading this book was because, I had no idea what was going to happen. You meet these two characters with total different lives and backgrounds that together they are a grenade about to explode. I had lots of theories of what was going to happen, waiting for everything to fall down and break. Waiting until someone ruin each others life. Is one of those books you want to know what is going to happen because the changes of something good happening are minimal. This book talks about immigrants, so it opens a lot of discussion about it and some other themes the book touches. I want to people to read it because we will have different opinions about it. It's the perfect book for a bookclub.
My need to keep reading this book was because, I had no idea what was going to happen. You meet these two characters with total different lives and backgrounds that together they are a grenade about to explode. I had lots of theories of what was going to happen, waiting for everything to fall down and break. Waiting until someone ruin each others life. Is one of those books you want to know what is going to happen because the changes of something good happening are minimal. This book talks about immigrants, so it opens a lot of discussion about it and some other themes the book touches. I want to people to read it because we will have different opinions about it. It's the perfect book for a bookclub.
February 19, 2016
I really enjoyed Joyride! For some reason, as many times as I try, I can’t write an actual review for this book. So, I’m just going to say that I recommend it and I give it 4stars.
June 4, 2015
Review coming soon!
November 16, 2015
Full review to come this week!
August 15, 2015
2.5 stars
Carly, the daughter of Mexican immigrant parents, isn't your typical teenager. Her parents were previously deported, so she spends every waking hour that she's not in school working her butt off and saving every penny, along with her brother, to help get her parents back into the country. She doesn't have time for boys or friends... just work, work, work. And at a pretty unsafe job, to make matters worse. Carly meets Arden, one of the most popular guys in school, and finds herself forming a friendship with one of the most unlikely guys she thought she would ever be seen with. They realize they do have something in common... that they're living their lives based on others' expectations. Carly's passiveness got on my nerves a bit, and so did Arden's extreme cockiness... but again, I quickly fell in love with these two and completely respected them for who they were and how they acted. This unsuspecting friendship blossoms and changes both of them in more ways than one.
I think I liked this story? I'm honestly not too sure. There were parts that I really, really liked... and then some parts where I was rolling my eyes and even considered DNF'ing. Weird, right? I don't know what it was, but parts just kind of bothered me. I can't even put my finger on why.
Here's what I liked: Carly and Arden. I liked their opposites-attract type of relationship, how different and unique they each were. Carly was 100% devoted to her family and knew no other way. She had thoughts that Americans in general were spoiled and didn't work for the benefit of their parents like she was accustomed to. Arden thought people like Carly were far too devoted to their parents and families, and spent little to no time or energy on themselves, which was completely unacceptable to him. Arden liked to have fun and enjoy life, while Carly didn't even know how to have fun. Two extremes that at first didn't mesh well, but after a while really started to feed off each other.
The fluffiness and cutesy romance was enjoyable. I liked their little pranks and the time they spent together. But really the bigger picture of the story revolved around illegal immigrants, a topic I'm honestly not too familiar with. I think readers that are more familiar with this topic and have experienced these issues firsthand would better relate to this book.
Okay, now here's my number one complaint: the switching from first and third person! It was very disjointed and, honestly, pretty confusing. Carly's characters were told in first person, but then Arden's were in third. I've never read a book that switches like this, and I would have enjoyed if the entire book was written in first person. I have no idea why it was done this way, but I wasn't a fan of it.
Overall, I did enjoy a majority of this book. I'm not sure that I would recommend it, unless it was to someone who had first-hand interactions with immigration. I'm assuming the facts and stereotypes in this story were accurate, though since I'm not closely connected with this topic I really can't vouch for their accuracy. I think there will be differing opinions surrounding this book, and it seems like a good book club read where discussion can be had. I'll definitely be interested in seeing what Anna Banks comes out with next.
Audiobook Impressions:
I was having difficulty finding time to read my ARC copy of Joyride, so when I saw the audio was available I grabbed a copy and started it immediately. The fact that it had two narrators was a bonus! Both narrators did a really great job. Again, I was thrown off by the flip-flopping of first person and third person, especially with the two separate narrators. It's weird to hear Kyla saying "I" and Andrew saying "He", but I got used to it after a while.
(Thanks to Feiwel & Friends for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
Carly, the daughter of Mexican immigrant parents, isn't your typical teenager. Her parents were previously deported, so she spends every waking hour that she's not in school working her butt off and saving every penny, along with her brother, to help get her parents back into the country. She doesn't have time for boys or friends... just work, work, work. And at a pretty unsafe job, to make matters worse. Carly meets Arden, one of the most popular guys in school, and finds herself forming a friendship with one of the most unlikely guys she thought she would ever be seen with. They realize they do have something in common... that they're living their lives based on others' expectations. Carly's passiveness got on my nerves a bit, and so did Arden's extreme cockiness... but again, I quickly fell in love with these two and completely respected them for who they were and how they acted. This unsuspecting friendship blossoms and changes both of them in more ways than one.
"Pessimism and reality are usually mistaken for each other."
I think I liked this story? I'm honestly not too sure. There were parts that I really, really liked... and then some parts where I was rolling my eyes and even considered DNF'ing. Weird, right? I don't know what it was, but parts just kind of bothered me. I can't even put my finger on why.
Here's what I liked: Carly and Arden. I liked their opposites-attract type of relationship, how different and unique they each were. Carly was 100% devoted to her family and knew no other way. She had thoughts that Americans in general were spoiled and didn't work for the benefit of their parents like she was accustomed to. Arden thought people like Carly were far too devoted to their parents and families, and spent little to no time or energy on themselves, which was completely unacceptable to him. Arden liked to have fun and enjoy life, while Carly didn't even know how to have fun. Two extremes that at first didn't mesh well, but after a while really started to feed off each other.
The fluffiness and cutesy romance was enjoyable. I liked their little pranks and the time they spent together. But really the bigger picture of the story revolved around illegal immigrants, a topic I'm honestly not too familiar with. I think readers that are more familiar with this topic and have experienced these issues firsthand would better relate to this book.
Okay, now here's my number one complaint: the switching from first and third person! It was very disjointed and, honestly, pretty confusing. Carly's characters were told in first person, but then Arden's were in third. I've never read a book that switches like this, and I would have enjoyed if the entire book was written in first person. I have no idea why it was done this way, but I wasn't a fan of it.
Overall, I did enjoy a majority of this book. I'm not sure that I would recommend it, unless it was to someone who had first-hand interactions with immigration. I'm assuming the facts and stereotypes in this story were accurate, though since I'm not closely connected with this topic I really can't vouch for their accuracy. I think there will be differing opinions surrounding this book, and it seems like a good book club read where discussion can be had. I'll definitely be interested in seeing what Anna Banks comes out with next.
Audiobook Impressions:
I was having difficulty finding time to read my ARC copy of Joyride, so when I saw the audio was available I grabbed a copy and started it immediately. The fact that it had two narrators was a bonus! Both narrators did a really great job. Again, I was thrown off by the flip-flopping of first person and third person, especially with the two separate narrators. It's weird to hear Kyla saying "I" and Andrew saying "He", but I got used to it after a while.
(Thanks to Feiwel & Friends for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
January 30, 2016
Joyride alternates POVs between Carly and Arden. Carly is a Mexican-American who lives with her brother in a trailer park and works the graveyard shift at a gas station so they can save enough money to sneak her parents across the border. Arden is the county sheriff's kid who's only goal in life is to break every rule his father sets for him. Arden was the star of the football team and the golden boy of the high school until his sister died and now he does everything he can to get rid of that image.
During her late night shift one night, Carly is having a conversation with one of her favorite customers, Mr. Shackelford, who drunkenly comes in every night around 1am to buy a new bottle of vodka and discuss the mysteries of life with her. This night in particular, Mr. Shackelford wants to discuss something that touches a nerve for Carly-- why do the poor have it worse than the rich. She dismisses his question and ends their conversation. Next thing you know, she looks up from the counter and sees Mr. Shackelford being held at gun point next to his truck. Going on instinct alone, Carly grabs the shot gun that lives under the counter and goes to confront the robber. She and the robber have a few intense moments of threatening each other to put the gun down or they will shoot. Ultimately the robber takes off (along with Carly's bike) and leaves. Carly and Mr. Shackelford are unharmed except for the fact that Mr. Shackelford nearly had a heart attack and literally pooped his pants in fear.
After speaking with the police and receiving a ride home from one of the deputies, Carly realizes how much danger she really put herself in. She could have been hurt, but she also put her family and their need to stay out of the limelight in danger.
The following day at school, Carly is approached in class by Arden who says he heard about the robbery from his dad. Just from hearing her side of the story, Arden develops respect for the way she handled the situation. Not many high school girls would be able to point a gun in his face and stand their grown. YEAH HIS FACE. HE'S THE ROBBER. His uncle is Mr. Shackelford and he justifies his little prank by saying that he was trying to scare Mr. Shackelford into not driving home drunk anymore. BECAUSE JUST TALKING TO HIM PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A GOOD PLACE TO START. Arden decides that Carly would be the perfect sidekick for his life of pranks.
The next day at lunch, Arden approaches Carly and offers to give her a ride home from school since he knows her bike got stolen during the robbery. The only problem is that Carly didn't report her bike stolen so she immediately figures out that he was the guy. Cue awkward scene of her dumping his lunch of his lap. This only warms Arden's jollies even more and now he is CONVINCED! that he must have Carly as an accomplish. Only now he is facing another problem- now that golden boy Arden has paid quiet little Carly some attention all of the other bros in the school are sizing her up. Arden has to pretend that he is trying to sup her in order to call off the wolves.
Arden follows Carly home that day from school and when she turns off the main road onto a dirt beaten path, he decides to reveal himself. She is pissed when she sees him (shocker, stalker), but softens up when he shows that he has her bike and offers to give it back to her. SUCH A GENTLEMAN. They have a little spat about how he could have done such a thing and that's whenhe reveals everything about Mr. Shackelford being his uncle blah blah blah. The chapter ends with them agreeing that they should be friends.
ANNNNND that's where I called it. NOPE not for me. The book was painful to read at only 16% so I just can't do any further. There are so many cliches and stereotypes that my eyeballs almost fell out of my head rolling. This book is just one big bag of NOPE NOPE NOPE.
During her late night shift one night, Carly is having a conversation with one of her favorite customers, Mr. Shackelford, who drunkenly comes in every night around 1am to buy a new bottle of vodka and discuss the mysteries of life with her. This night in particular, Mr. Shackelford wants to discuss something that touches a nerve for Carly-- why do the poor have it worse than the rich. She dismisses his question and ends their conversation. Next thing you know, she looks up from the counter and sees Mr. Shackelford being held at gun point next to his truck. Going on instinct alone, Carly grabs the shot gun that lives under the counter and goes to confront the robber. She and the robber have a few intense moments of threatening each other to put the gun down or they will shoot. Ultimately the robber takes off (along with Carly's bike) and leaves. Carly and Mr. Shackelford are unharmed except for the fact that Mr. Shackelford nearly had a heart attack and literally pooped his pants in fear.
After speaking with the police and receiving a ride home from one of the deputies, Carly realizes how much danger she really put herself in. She could have been hurt, but she also put her family and their need to stay out of the limelight in danger.
The following day at school, Carly is approached in class by Arden who says he heard about the robbery from his dad. Just from hearing her side of the story, Arden develops respect for the way she handled the situation. Not many high school girls would be able to point a gun in his face and stand their grown. YEAH HIS FACE. HE'S THE ROBBER. His uncle is Mr. Shackelford and he justifies his little prank by saying that he was trying to scare Mr. Shackelford into not driving home drunk anymore. BECAUSE JUST TALKING TO HIM PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A GOOD PLACE TO START. Arden decides that Carly would be the perfect sidekick for his life of pranks.
The next day at lunch, Arden approaches Carly and offers to give her a ride home from school since he knows her bike got stolen during the robbery. The only problem is that Carly didn't report her bike stolen so she immediately figures out that he was the guy. Cue awkward scene of her dumping his lunch of his lap. This only warms Arden's jollies even more and now he is CONVINCED! that he must have Carly as an accomplish. Only now he is facing another problem- now that golden boy Arden has paid quiet little Carly some attention all of the other bros in the school are sizing her up. Arden has to pretend that he is trying to sup her in order to call off the wolves.
Arden follows Carly home that day from school and when she turns off the main road onto a dirt beaten path, he decides to reveal himself. She is pissed when she sees him (shocker, stalker), but softens up when he shows that he has her bike and offers to give it back to her. SUCH A GENTLEMAN. They have a little spat about how he could have done such a thing and that's whenhe reveals everything about Mr. Shackelford being his uncle blah blah blah. The chapter ends with them agreeing that they should be friends.
ANNNNND that's where I called it. NOPE not for me. The book was painful to read at only 16% so I just can't do any further. There are so many cliches and stereotypes that my eyeballs almost fell out of my head rolling. This book is just one big bag of NOPE NOPE NOPE.
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