Thursday, September 17, 2020

When You Get The Chance By: Tom Ryan & Robin Stevenson

When You Get The Chance
Author: Tom Ryan & Robin Stevenson
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Published: May 2021
Format: ARC Paperback
Pages: 272
Rating: 3.5/5
Summary:
Follow cousins on a road trip to Pride as they dive into family secrets and friendships in this contemporary YA novel -- perfect for fans of David Levithan and Becky Albertalli.
As kids, Mark and his cousin Talia spent many happy summers together at the family cottage in Ontario, but a fight between their parents put an end to the annual event. Living on opposite coasts -- Mark in Halifax and Talia in Victoria -- they haven't seen each other in years. When their grandfather dies unexpectedly, Mark and Talia find themselves reunited at the cottage once again, cleaning it out while the family decides what to do with it.
Mark and Talia are both queer, but they soon realize that's about all they have in common, other than the fact that they'd both prefer to be in Toronto. Talia is desperate to see her high school sweetheart Erin, who's barely been in touch since leaving to spend the summer working at a coffee shop in the Gay Village. Mark, on the other hand, is just looking for some fun, and Toronto Pride seems like the perfect place to find it.

When a series of complications throws everything up in the air, Mark and Talia -- with Mark's little sister Paige in tow -- decide to hit the road for Toronto. With a bit of luck, and some help from a series of unexpected new friends, they might just make it to the big city and find what they're looking for. That is, if they can figure out how to start seeing things through each other's eyes. 




Review:
First, I would like to thank Hachette Book Group Canada for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! This was originally set to publish May 2020, but has been pushed back a year, which is why I've read and reviewed it now.

Alright, I seriously wanted to LOVE this one, especially since it's set in Toronto, where I live... but I just couldn't. I'll say though that this was definitely an interesting and fun adventure of a book, and I think it had potential to be even more amazing, but it just didn't do that for me.

I also really loved the Muskoka vibes written in this book, it seriously had me wishing I was hanging out there with Mark and Talia! I felt like with Mark and his little sister, there was a somewhat teachable moment that others can learn from. However, I do feel like there were moments that were explained too much, it was almost overkill.

Personally for me, I felt like there was just a little too much happening all at once, and I was hoping for some more oomph or drama to take it home. That being said, this was definitely a story that was more than just about two teens trying to make it to the city for Pride, and I loved that! From the beginning to the end, Mark, Talia and their parents really grow from who they were at the beginning of the novel. This book definitely opens your eyes to a lot of things, and I totally was trying to think of certain locations that were described since I live right there!

Overall, this was a good book, with fun, silly and cute moments. I personally wish that they stuck with either the cottage house or going to pride, because I would've loved to have seen more to the story either way. I do think this is a book people should read, and I'm sure there are many other people who will love it more than I did, so definitely check it out.

That's all for my review, I hope you enjoyed it!

So until the next time, Keep Reading!
Your Graduated Bookworm!! :)

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