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Grimbaud #1
Love Fortunes and Other Disasters
In the tradition of Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic, one girl chooses to change her fortune and her fate by falling in love.
Love is real in the town of Grimbaud, and Fallon Dupree has dreamed of attending high school there for years. After all, generations of Duprees have successfully followed the (100% accurate!) love fortunes from Zita’s famous Love Charms Shop to happily marry their high school sweethearts. It’s a tradition. So she is both stunned and devastated when her fortune states that she will NEVER find love.
Fortunately, Fallon isn’t the only student with a terrible love fortune, and a rebellion is brewing. Fallon is determined to take control of her own fate—even if it means working with a notorious heartbreaker like Sebastian.
Will Fallon and Sebastian be able to overthrow Zita’s tyranny and fall in love?
Love is real in the town of Grimbaud, and Fallon Dupree has dreamed of attending high school there for years. After all, generations of Duprees have successfully followed the (100% accurate!) love fortunes from Zita’s famous Love Charms Shop to happily marry their high school sweethearts. It’s a tradition. So she is both stunned and devastated when her fortune states that she will NEVER find love.
Fortunately, Fallon isn’t the only student with a terrible love fortune, and a rebellion is brewing. Fallon is determined to take control of her own fate—even if it means working with a notorious heartbreaker like Sebastian.
Will Fallon and Sebastian be able to overthrow Zita’s tyranny and fall in love?
343 pages, Paperback
First published May 12, 2015
About the author
Kimberly Karalius
7 books230 followersKimberly Karalius is the author of LOVE FORTUNES AND OTHER DISASTERS and its sequel LOVE CHARMS AND OTHER CATASTROPHES. If you gave her a wish bone, she would wish fervently for snow in Florida. Living in Florida certainly has one big perk: going to Disney World. Which she does. Frequently.
Kimberly holds an MFA in fiction from the University of South Florida. Her fiction has appeared in literary journals such as Luna Station Quarterly, The Medulla Review, and Hogglepot. Her chapbook, POCKET FOREST, was published by Deathless Press in August 2013.
Kimberly holds an MFA in fiction from the University of South Florida. Her fiction has appeared in literary journals such as Luna Station Quarterly, The Medulla Review, and Hogglepot. Her chapbook, POCKET FOREST, was published by Deathless Press in August 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 406 reviews
June 2, 2015
More reviews and bookish fun at Deadly Darlings!
If I was asked to describe this book in one word, my immediate answer would be cute. Love Fortunes and Other Disasters just exploded with cute. It was cuteness overload.
Despite being written in third person POV, I found it easy to sympathize and empathize with Fallon. She may seem a bit juvenile and childish at first, but as the story progressed, her determination and faith shone. And after a few chapters, she didn't seem too immature anymore.
This book was actually whimsical and dabbled a lot in magical realism, which I wasn't expecting. Some scenes and details were kind of ridiculous and incredibly unbelievable, especially as you reach the end. This might be something that most readers will frown upon like I did, but once I got past that, the book was really enjoyable as a whole.
I was incredibly surprised with how much I liked how the main romance developed. Sebastian was actually one of those guys who liked to date casually, and I appreciated how he didn't make up any excuses and he wasn't sorry for his past. He had a legitimate reason--he wanted to date--and he didn't need to suck up to Fallon to apologize for something that he didn't do wrong.
The romance itself was adorable to watch as it developed. Fallon and Sebastian weren't really the best of friends at first, and then Fallon suddenly develops a crush on Sebastian, which I thought was really cute.
But see, this book wasn't just about these two. We also have romantic interests for Fallon's best friends, Anais and Nico. I liked the romance with Anais and her love interest--it was cute. Nico's romance, on the other hand, made me roll my eyes and want to rip his hair out. His character in general is really weak and immature.
The friendship in this book was also lovely. Everyone supported everyone, and they were willing to go through extreme lengths to help one another.
Overall, if you're okay with extremely unrealistic plots and are looking for a light, whimsical and cute read, I'd totally recommend you to give Love Fortunes and Other Disasters a shot.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
If I was asked to describe this book in one word, my immediate answer would be cute. Love Fortunes and Other Disasters just exploded with cute. It was cuteness overload.
Despite being written in third person POV, I found it easy to sympathize and empathize with Fallon. She may seem a bit juvenile and childish at first, but as the story progressed, her determination and faith shone. And after a few chapters, she didn't seem too immature anymore.
This book was actually whimsical and dabbled a lot in magical realism, which I wasn't expecting. Some scenes and details were kind of ridiculous and incredibly unbelievable, especially as you reach the end. This might be something that most readers will frown upon like I did, but once I got past that, the book was really enjoyable as a whole.
I was incredibly surprised with how much I liked how the main romance developed. Sebastian was actually one of those guys who liked to date casually, and I appreciated how he didn't make up any excuses and he wasn't sorry for his past. He had a legitimate reason--he wanted to date--and he didn't need to suck up to Fallon to apologize for something that he didn't do wrong.
The romance itself was adorable to watch as it developed. Fallon and Sebastian weren't really the best of friends at first, and then Fallon suddenly develops a crush on Sebastian, which I thought was really cute.
But see, this book wasn't just about these two. We also have romantic interests for Fallon's best friends, Anais and Nico. I liked the romance with Anais and her love interest--it was cute. Nico's romance, on the other hand, made me roll my eyes and want to rip his hair out. His character in general is really weak and immature.
The friendship in this book was also lovely. Everyone supported everyone, and they were willing to go through extreme lengths to help one another.
Overall, if you're okay with extremely unrealistic plots and are looking for a light, whimsical and cute read, I'd totally recommend you to give Love Fortunes and Other Disasters a shot.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
August 13, 2017
Booktubeathon 2017 book number FOUR!
Possibly a 2.5/5 stars
I enjoyed this book for the most part. The concept is super interesting and the integration of magic and charms is fun and unique. However, the plot felt a little disjointed. I guess it all made sense but it just didn't fit well together for me. The pacing was definitely not totally there and it saved a lot of the major plot points for the last 30 pages. BUT the characters were great and it was still adorable. I just found the high schoolers in a town all about love crying over people they barely knew to be a little much at times.
Possibly a 2.5/5 stars
I enjoyed this book for the most part. The concept is super interesting and the integration of magic and charms is fun and unique. However, the plot felt a little disjointed. I guess it all made sense but it just didn't fit well together for me. The pacing was definitely not totally there and it saved a lot of the major plot points for the last 30 pages. BUT the characters were great and it was still adorable. I just found the high schoolers in a town all about love crying over people they barely knew to be a little much at times.
March 31, 2016
An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher for review.
What a cute imaginative world! I can't even imagine a little town that was obsessed with love like this. The setting and backdrop was probably one of my favourite creative aspects of the story. Grimbaud is a vital part of the story and I love how detailed Kimberly Karalius weaved the little town in the story. It's almost like it was a set character to admire and love. Not only was the setting imaginatively woven, but the use of charms was as well. Weather charms, silencing charms even cheating charms. Imagine being able to conjure up charms for use in your daily life or in this case, your love life. Helping you, and guiding you. I think the confidence charm was such an inspiring one to see, but also because it's also needed in reality. The two aspects of the book made it so much more exciting than if it was set in a contemporary realistic world.
Fallon is a snob, excuse my straight forward wording but it's true. Having the highest standards isn't necessarily a bad thing but I also liked seeing her loosen her rigid control over clean environments and snobby attitudes. When shopping at a store she normally wouldn't shop at, it was a little entertaining to read about how inexperienced she is to wear such low quality clothing. I think Sebastion was there to help her mellow out. He's your typical cheeky charming ladies man who ends up falling in love and denouncing what he really wants. His story was just as well developed as Fallon's and I couldn't help but admire what these two characters would do for love. I also loved that that was a LBGT relationship thrown into the side. It was just the cutest thing to see.
Though the story was predictable, and the way that spinsters and bachelors were depicted gave me pause.. It still made so much sense that being single is such a negative aspect because it's also what we see in society today. Written well, with a highly creative setting, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters left me with a happy smile on my face.
An ARC copy (provided by the publisher) was requested for review.
RATING 3/5
QUOTES
"Life is about making mistakes. If you don't take chances, blindfolded and frightened as you are, you're not really living, are you?" (37)
"A library, no matter how big or small, is a careful balance of love and responsibility. A machine, if you will, cranked by those who care most about reading." (49)
"We're born with china toys in our bodies and we let people smash them over and over again." (96)
"No one messes with my friends. I may be small and cute, but I've got a sharp tongue and I'm not afraid to use it." (149)
"There's nothing wrong with wanting to fall in love." (173)
"You learn that it's not about you. It's about making them happy." (188)
What a cute imaginative world! I can't even imagine a little town that was obsessed with love like this. The setting and backdrop was probably one of my favourite creative aspects of the story. Grimbaud is a vital part of the story and I love how detailed Kimberly Karalius weaved the little town in the story. It's almost like it was a set character to admire and love. Not only was the setting imaginatively woven, but the use of charms was as well. Weather charms, silencing charms even cheating charms. Imagine being able to conjure up charms for use in your daily life or in this case, your love life. Helping you, and guiding you. I think the confidence charm was such an inspiring one to see, but also because it's also needed in reality. The two aspects of the book made it so much more exciting than if it was set in a contemporary realistic world.
Fallon is a snob, excuse my straight forward wording but it's true. Having the highest standards isn't necessarily a bad thing but I also liked seeing her loosen her rigid control over clean environments and snobby attitudes. When shopping at a store she normally wouldn't shop at, it was a little entertaining to read about how inexperienced she is to wear such low quality clothing. I think Sebastion was there to help her mellow out. He's your typical cheeky charming ladies man who ends up falling in love and denouncing what he really wants. His story was just as well developed as Fallon's and I couldn't help but admire what these two characters would do for love. I also loved that that was a LBGT relationship thrown into the side. It was just the cutest thing to see.
Though the story was predictable, and the way that spinsters and bachelors were depicted gave me pause.. It still made so much sense that being single is such a negative aspect because it's also what we see in society today. Written well, with a highly creative setting, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters left me with a happy smile on my face.
An ARC copy (provided by the publisher) was requested for review.
RATING 3/5
QUOTES
"Life is about making mistakes. If you don't take chances, blindfolded and frightened as you are, you're not really living, are you?" (37)
"A library, no matter how big or small, is a careful balance of love and responsibility. A machine, if you will, cranked by those who care most about reading." (49)
"We're born with china toys in our bodies and we let people smash them over and over again." (96)
"No one messes with my friends. I may be small and cute, but I've got a sharp tongue and I'm not afraid to use it." (149)
"There's nothing wrong with wanting to fall in love." (173)
"You learn that it's not about you. It's about making them happy." (188)
April 10, 2018
Not going to lie, this book was featured in a cover contest (I think in June) and I voted for it because it was CUTE. Then later that same day I went to the bookstore and saw the book and bought it on a whim. So glad I did because the cover is GORGEOUS and the book is SO DAMN CUTE!!!
Anyone who knows me, or who has read my reviews, knows that YA contemporary isn't really my thing. I like a few, but I have a difficult time just reading a cute romantic story with no action or anything in it. But for some reason this book was a total hit with me! I can't even begin to explain how unique this book is. In the town of Grimbaud, everyone gets a love fortune that tells them how their love life will turn out. So this town is centred around love. The main girl, Fallon, gets a love fortune with horrible news, and she's not the only one, so she decides to do something about it with them.
The world that this author has created is just so cute and fluffy. A little town where everything is like Valentine's Day all the time and everyone is happy and in love. I personally would hate it if this really existed, but in this book it sounded adorable.
I had one problem with the book, and not going to lie it was a big problem.. I didn't like the main girl. She was SUCH a pretentious materialistic judgmental character. At times I found her intolerable with her better than everyone else stuck up attitude. I grew to like her, but she never seemed to grow out of that little phase and she just bothered me to be honest. Not enough to ruin the story, thank god, but enough that I was rolling my eyes at her.
Another problem I had were the very weirdly placed time jumps. Moments where she was doing something and thinking something and the next moment she would be somewhere else doing something else and there was no page break to indicate that so I was a bit confused at times.
This book reminded me of a cheesy tv movie. I don't mean that in a really bad way either. Like a really cute TV movie that everyone loves even though it's a little far fetched. You just can't help loving it because it's just so darn cute!!
Well, I've used up my quota for the amount of times I can say cute in a review, so yeah, read this!
Anyone who knows me, or who has read my reviews, knows that YA contemporary isn't really my thing. I like a few, but I have a difficult time just reading a cute romantic story with no action or anything in it. But for some reason this book was a total hit with me! I can't even begin to explain how unique this book is. In the town of Grimbaud, everyone gets a love fortune that tells them how their love life will turn out. So this town is centred around love. The main girl, Fallon, gets a love fortune with horrible news, and she's not the only one, so she decides to do something about it with them.
The world that this author has created is just so cute and fluffy. A little town where everything is like Valentine's Day all the time and everyone is happy and in love. I personally would hate it if this really existed, but in this book it sounded adorable.
I had one problem with the book, and not going to lie it was a big problem.. I didn't like the main girl. She was SUCH a pretentious materialistic judgmental character. At times I found her intolerable with her better than everyone else stuck up attitude. I grew to like her, but she never seemed to grow out of that little phase and she just bothered me to be honest. Not enough to ruin the story, thank god, but enough that I was rolling my eyes at her.
Another problem I had were the very weirdly placed time jumps. Moments where she was doing something and thinking something and the next moment she would be somewhere else doing something else and there was no page break to indicate that so I was a bit confused at times.
This book reminded me of a cheesy tv movie. I don't mean that in a really bad way either. Like a really cute TV movie that everyone loves even though it's a little far fetched. You just can't help loving it because it's just so darn cute!!
Well, I've used up my quota for the amount of times I can say cute in a review, so yeah, read this!
February 9, 2017
When I picked this up I was expecting a cute, cheesy love story and that's exactly what I got. I was pleasantly surprised though because this book was definitely more than a cute, cheesy love story! I loved the elements of magic and charms that were added in, they added an extra element to the story that I quite enjoyed! I also really loved the concept of Grimbaud and the love fortunes, it was unlike anything I've read before. I grew really attached to Fallon and Sébastien as characters and couldn't help but root for them despite their fortunes. I think a part of what made me like them so much was that they refused to believe in their terrible fortunes and did everything they could to change them! And I just adored how the whole story wrapped up, I couldn't have imagined it better myself! All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, I thought it was so cute and I can't wait to pick up the next book! Also, can we all take a second to appreciate how gorgeous the cover is!
June 21, 2015
Very cute story with a unique setting! In the town of Grimbaud everyone goes to the love shop to get their fortune for the year. Fallon is excited for hers since her family has a history of falling in love early. She expects a high school experience filled with love and romance. Heck her mom is basically already planning her wedding! But her fortune looks like that may never happen. The fortune of one of her friends doesn't look so good either. Teaming up with a few others with bad fortune that are against being told their futures they decide to take Zita's love fortune shop down. Love should be a possibility for all and hope should remain.
It was a slow burn without a lot of excitement but it held my attention. Fallon and the heart-breaker Sebastian team up to work on their undercover rebel plans. I'm really not a bad boy lover so Sebastian was hard for me to like at first until I knew his fortune. It was brutal. I wasn't expecting it to be that bad so I forgave him.
This book has a wide range of reviews and opinions and I can definitely understand the different views on it. I can see how some think it is ridiculous for Fallon to believe the fortune and worry about her future. But this is an alternate magical realism universe where these love fortunes are ALWAYS RIGHT! So you have to think in terms of not someone just predicting your future or something. This is something that has been done for a long time and has always been true in the past so it would be hard not to believe it. The fortune is a little bit more vague than I was expecting so I could see how you should still keep some hope open and that it might not be the end all be all but we all know when your in high school everything is important! And society puts so much pressure on all of us of all ages to meet someone and have a boyfriend/girlfriend. I was always asked in high school if I had a boyfriend. I wanted one but never had one in high school and I did worry about it so I don't think it is that ridiculous to pictures teenagers worrying about love. So many of us grow up picturing ourselves following the traditional plan of meeting someone, getting married, having kids etc.
This book reminded me if one of my favorite movies on Netflix called Timer where everyone has a timer on their wrist that tells them how long until they meet their match but the main character's timer is blank. And her sister's says she won't meet her match until her late forties. Great movie! Interesting idea to think about!
It was a slow burn without a lot of excitement but it held my attention. Fallon and the heart-breaker Sebastian team up to work on their undercover rebel plans. I'm really not a bad boy lover so Sebastian was hard for me to like at first until I knew his fortune. It was brutal. I wasn't expecting it to be that bad so I forgave him.
This book has a wide range of reviews and opinions and I can definitely understand the different views on it. I can see how some think it is ridiculous for Fallon to believe the fortune and worry about her future. But this is an alternate magical realism universe where these love fortunes are ALWAYS RIGHT! So you have to think in terms of not someone just predicting your future or something. This is something that has been done for a long time and has always been true in the past so it would be hard not to believe it. The fortune is a little bit more vague than I was expecting so I could see how you should still keep some hope open and that it might not be the end all be all but we all know when your in high school everything is important! And society puts so much pressure on all of us of all ages to meet someone and have a boyfriend/girlfriend. I was always asked in high school if I had a boyfriend. I wanted one but never had one in high school and I did worry about it so I don't think it is that ridiculous to pictures teenagers worrying about love. So many of us grow up picturing ourselves following the traditional plan of meeting someone, getting married, having kids etc.
This book reminded me if one of my favorite movies on Netflix called Timer where everyone has a timer on their wrist that tells them how long until they meet their match but the main character's timer is blank. And her sister's says she won't meet her match until her late forties. Great movie! Interesting idea to think about!
January 30, 2018
"Fallon Dupree was fascinated by people in love. She noticed how easily some couples fit together like puzzle pieces, fingers laced, matching smiles, and the same small, deliberate strides."
If you follow my reviews you'll know that I'm not very fond of romances, I feel like our literature is oversaturated with it and you end up not really caring in the least because why caring for two people falling in love when their being in love is as cliché as cliché itself? But anyway, when I picked Love Fortunes and other Disasters I was actually in the mood for something cheesy and cute, sometimes even the Grinch's heart grows two sizes bigger. Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was about this fictional city, Grimbaud, and its descriptions were far too dreamy not to fall in love with it instantly:
Grimbaud is a city fully based on romantic love. Each year, before school starts, every teenager seeks their own Love Fortune at Zita's shop. She's a renewed Love charmer and never fails to give exact Love Fortunes. She's also the reason why Grimbaud is full of bachelors and spinsters, once condemned by Zita's Fortunes they resign to a life deprived of any romantic attachment. When Fallon, and her friend Nico, are given gloomy Fortunes they join a resistance against the charmer to try and oust her.
"Heartache makes you stronger. Misery is the stuff of good poetry. You’re denying yourself much more than the bad things in life by listening to Zita’s fortunes."
At first I thought that the premise was quite original but it also has its flaws. First of all the supernatural element was underdeveloped. There's magic in this world but it's never addressed as such, every character gives for granted that the reader knows what we're dealing with, I found myself being kept out from entire conversations simply because I wasn't given the means to understand them. The storyline about the resistance was quite messy, everyone wanted to defeat Zita but no one had a clear plan on what to do. I could have made do with these issues of mine if the last quarter of the story hadn't just been an absolute trainwreck. Everything seemed to happen so out of the blue that ended up being simply too unbelievable to be taken seriously.
The romance was ok but didn't really made me root for the characters. I found the storyline between Nico and Martin more engaging instead. Give me people who genuinely and naturally care for one another, give me a reason to believe these people are in love!
In conclusion I'd still recommend this book to whomever was interested, it's still a cute and light read, not too demanding, that can easily pull in the right reader.
Last but not least, OH MY GOD. THAT COVER IS JUST... TOO MUCH. To whom have you sold your soul Kimberly??
If you follow my reviews you'll know that I'm not very fond of romances, I feel like our literature is oversaturated with it and you end up not really caring in the least because why caring for two people falling in love when their being in love is as cliché as cliché itself? But anyway, when I picked Love Fortunes and other Disasters I was actually in the mood for something cheesy and cute, sometimes even the Grinch's heart grows two sizes bigger. Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was about this fictional city, Grimbaud, and its descriptions were far too dreamy not to fall in love with it instantly:
"Most houses were brick with paneled windows in shades of teal or coral. Cupids lounged above doorways."
"Grimbaud was made up of webbed canals and buildings dating back to the medieval era. Stone cupids and storks, sometimes painted and generally gaudy, huddled in the spaces between windows."
"Smokers spilled ghostly hearts from their mouths."
Grimbaud is a city fully based on romantic love. Each year, before school starts, every teenager seeks their own Love Fortune at Zita's shop. She's a renewed Love charmer and never fails to give exact Love Fortunes. She's also the reason why Grimbaud is full of bachelors and spinsters, once condemned by Zita's Fortunes they resign to a life deprived of any romantic attachment. When Fallon, and her friend Nico, are given gloomy Fortunes they join a resistance against the charmer to try and oust her.
"Heartache makes you stronger. Misery is the stuff of good poetry. You’re denying yourself much more than the bad things in life by listening to Zita’s fortunes."
At first I thought that the premise was quite original but it also has its flaws. First of all the supernatural element was underdeveloped. There's magic in this world but it's never addressed as such, every character gives for granted that the reader knows what we're dealing with, I found myself being kept out from entire conversations simply because I wasn't given the means to understand them. The storyline about the resistance was quite messy, everyone wanted to defeat Zita but no one had a clear plan on what to do. I could have made do with these issues of mine if the last quarter of the story hadn't just been an absolute trainwreck. Everything seemed to happen so out of the blue that ended up being simply too unbelievable to be taken seriously.
The romance was ok but didn't really made me root for the characters. I found the storyline between Nico and Martin more engaging instead. Give me people who genuinely and naturally care for one another, give me a reason to believe these people are in love!
In conclusion I'd still recommend this book to whomever was interested, it's still a cute and light read, not too demanding, that can easily pull in the right reader.
Last but not least, OH MY GOD. THAT COVER IS JUST... TOO MUCH. To whom have you sold your soul Kimberly??
August 4, 2016
Do you remember that one scene in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince where Ron gets drugged by a love potion by mistake and almost dies? This book is like an expanded version of that scene.
That being said, I really enjoyed this book more than I assumed I would. This book deals heavily with magical realism and hints at a setting that is reminiscent of Amsterdam or some other city in Holland. The characters in the story are fighting against a tyrannical love fortune teller who has their town enraptured with her "spot on" love predictions. In the story, each character gets a love fortune that covers their love life in its entirety with extreme "accuracy." Until the main character, Fallon, and her friends challenge the accuracy of the predictions and launches a rebellion, this is just the way the town operates.
One of my favorite aspects of this story is that the story has a lot of diverse characters that include all types of ethnic characters and LGBT characters in major roles of the story.
Besides this I absolutely adored this book and would recommend this book to anyone who wants a sweet contemporary novel that's infused with magical realism.
That being said, I really enjoyed this book more than I assumed I would. This book deals heavily with magical realism and hints at a setting that is reminiscent of Amsterdam or some other city in Holland. The characters in the story are fighting against a tyrannical love fortune teller who has their town enraptured with her "spot on" love predictions. In the story, each character gets a love fortune that covers their love life in its entirety with extreme "accuracy." Until the main character, Fallon, and her friends challenge the accuracy of the predictions and launches a rebellion, this is just the way the town operates.
One of my favorite aspects of this story is that the story has a lot of diverse characters that include all types of ethnic characters and LGBT characters in major roles of the story.
Besides this I absolutely adored this book and would recommend this book to anyone who wants a sweet contemporary novel that's infused with magical realism.
May 3, 2015
The idea is cute, and so is the narrative voice. But it felt a little scattered, and most of the focus is on the convoluted love charm, which is hardly the most interesting part--I found myself pretty bored with what was going on. A shame, because the two ill-fated lovers are kind of cute. Slight, but cute.
Read the first half or so, skimmed a bit of the end. If anyone can tell me what happens with the boy who's in love with the boy who doesn't like boys, I'd love to find out what happened there.
This might've been a good book to recommend to younger YA readers, except sometimes the characters acted like they were older and other times the book felt more juvenile. Still, I might check out another book by this author down the road if it's well-reviewed. With more experience and a great editor, there might be something there.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
Read the first half or so, skimmed a bit of the end. If anyone can tell me what happens with the boy who's in love with the boy who doesn't like boys, I'd love to find out what happened there.
This might've been a good book to recommend to younger YA readers, except sometimes the characters acted like they were older and other times the book felt more juvenile. Still, I might check out another book by this author down the road if it's well-reviewed. With more experience and a great editor, there might be something there.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
May 18, 2015
official rating 2.5
This book was unique and sweet, the premise is unlike anything I've ever read. However it's so super cheesy, and the plot was a bit plain. I would have also appreciated this book even more if the friendship and family love was presented and shown. But overall a decent read.
This book was unique and sweet, the premise is unlike anything I've ever read. However it's so super cheesy, and the plot was a bit plain. I would have also appreciated this book even more if the friendship and family love was presented and shown. But overall a decent read.
April 18, 2021
2 stars
When I head about Love Fortunes and Other Disasters, three main things convinced me to pick it up: that adorable illustrated cover, the fun and quirky premise, and the promise of a hate-to-love romance. For all intents and purposes, this should have been the perfect book for me. But somehow, it ended up being something completely different.
Love Fortunes and Other Disasters tells the tale of the town called Grimbaud, where love fortunes, charms, and hints of magic are real. These love fortunes are seen as binding, so when a group of high schoolers gets less than optimal fortunes, they decide to fight back and try to end Zita's reign over the town. Now, there were a couple of things that I definitely had to get used to in this premise. All of the people in this town take these love fortunes completely seriously. I thought the love fortunes would be more like, "HAHA look it says I'll be alone forever," taken about as seriously as a fortune cookie would. No matter the gender, age, or sexual orientation, the townspeople's lives revolve around these love fortunes and they have no doubts that they will always pan out. Fallon, the main character, gets badgered by her mother about her love fortune - despite the fact that she's a high school freshman, her mother is actually already planning out her wedding. Because, well, she has a love fortune, and that means she's close to finding her true love, and obviously all things will be set. The lives of the townspeople completely revolve around love. And I think it's trying to be comical in a way - in the same kind of style as the movie The Invention of Lying, making fun of our society by greatly exaggerating everyone's actions. But it felt more awkward to me than anything.
For me, the believability was shot because no characters before this had ever had any doubts about these love fortunes. Emma Ward, the current high school librarian, was handed a fortune to become a spinster - lonely forever. She actually left the town and went traveling for a year to get away from it but then came BACK for reasons that never became clear. There are residences set up for Spinsters and Bachelors, doomed to never find love, but I was sitting there thinking, "Can't they just... hook up with each other? If they're all sad about not being in love?" It's like this never occurred to them, and that kind of bugs me.
Something else I had to get used to is that there is definitely an element of fantasy to this story. In this town, there are love charms, weather charms, silence charms, focus charms - there are little bits of magic all around. Some people make it their business to make these charms. I couldn't figure out where to place this world - is it still Earth? Is it a fantasy world? Is it the US or not? It read like a contemporary romance in the US, so whenever something magical happened, I got a bit confused.
Now, the location also confused me, because although this felt like it was set in the US, there were a shit ton of Dutch names. Characters, like Mirthe and Femke De Keyser, Bram De Groote, Ines Aandekaart, Thom Janssens; Places like Verbeke Square, Lambrechts... I'd almost say the book is set in Holland, but then there were non-Dutch random names like Fallon, Anais, Hijiri, etc. Now this might be a strange thing to hone in on and definitely only something that stood out to me because I'm Dutch, but it illustrates the messy world building and premise. This book requires you to just laugh a whole lot of things off. Sense-making is not its priority.
I tried to brush off these things and just focus on the romance, and that at least went a tiny bit better. It is hate-to-love romance though not the best I've ever seen. I didn't connect much to Fallon because her narrative voice was pretty boring, but I liked the idea of the straight-laced, serious, uptight girl being stuck with the heartbreaker boy who flirts with her mercilessly but is probably far from serious. There were some fluttery moments, with banter and nicknames and teasing... but there were also many many clichés, with misunderstandings and purposeful holding back of information... And then the plot got in the way when Sebastian's fortune came to light. Like, that should have made the ship and plot stronger, but I just rolled my eyes at it. The ending was a mess of magic, clichés, and drama, and I just felt exhausted.
Summing Up:
At the end of the day, I kind of get what Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was trying to do, but it didn't work for me. When I should have laughed, I sighed instead. I think this is a unique brand of over-the-top fluffy sillies that just didn't work for me. It was never really bad enough for me to consider not finishing the book, because certainly there was still a hint of amusement and curiosity as to how the story would pan out. (I wanted so badly for it all to make sense.) But it just didn't have that spark for me to really like it.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
People who like unique, over-the-top stories. (I honestly can't compare this to anything.)
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
When I head about Love Fortunes and Other Disasters, three main things convinced me to pick it up: that adorable illustrated cover, the fun and quirky premise, and the promise of a hate-to-love romance. For all intents and purposes, this should have been the perfect book for me. But somehow, it ended up being something completely different.
Love Fortunes and Other Disasters tells the tale of the town called Grimbaud, where love fortunes, charms, and hints of magic are real. These love fortunes are seen as binding, so when a group of high schoolers gets less than optimal fortunes, they decide to fight back and try to end Zita's reign over the town. Now, there were a couple of things that I definitely had to get used to in this premise. All of the people in this town take these love fortunes completely seriously. I thought the love fortunes would be more like, "HAHA look it says I'll be alone forever," taken about as seriously as a fortune cookie would. No matter the gender, age, or sexual orientation, the townspeople's lives revolve around these love fortunes and they have no doubts that they will always pan out. Fallon, the main character, gets badgered by her mother about her love fortune - despite the fact that she's a high school freshman, her mother is actually already planning out her wedding. Because, well, she has a love fortune, and that means she's close to finding her true love, and obviously all things will be set. The lives of the townspeople completely revolve around love. And I think it's trying to be comical in a way - in the same kind of style as the movie The Invention of Lying, making fun of our society by greatly exaggerating everyone's actions. But it felt more awkward to me than anything.
For me, the believability was shot because no characters before this had ever had any doubts about these love fortunes. Emma Ward, the current high school librarian, was handed a fortune to become a spinster - lonely forever. She actually left the town and went traveling for a year to get away from it but then came BACK for reasons that never became clear. There are residences set up for Spinsters and Bachelors, doomed to never find love, but I was sitting there thinking, "Can't they just... hook up with each other? If they're all sad about not being in love?" It's like this never occurred to them, and that kind of bugs me.
Something else I had to get used to is that there is definitely an element of fantasy to this story. In this town, there are love charms, weather charms, silence charms, focus charms - there are little bits of magic all around. Some people make it their business to make these charms. I couldn't figure out where to place this world - is it still Earth? Is it a fantasy world? Is it the US or not? It read like a contemporary romance in the US, so whenever something magical happened, I got a bit confused.
Now, the location also confused me, because although this felt like it was set in the US, there were a shit ton of Dutch names. Characters, like Mirthe and Femke De Keyser, Bram De Groote, Ines Aandekaart, Thom Janssens; Places like Verbeke Square, Lambrechts... I'd almost say the book is set in Holland, but then there were non-Dutch random names like Fallon, Anais, Hijiri, etc. Now this might be a strange thing to hone in on and definitely only something that stood out to me because I'm Dutch, but it illustrates the messy world building and premise. This book requires you to just laugh a whole lot of things off. Sense-making is not its priority.
I tried to brush off these things and just focus on the romance, and that at least went a tiny bit better. It is hate-to-love romance though not the best I've ever seen. I didn't connect much to Fallon because her narrative voice was pretty boring, but I liked the idea of the straight-laced, serious, uptight girl being stuck with the heartbreaker boy who flirts with her mercilessly but is probably far from serious. There were some fluttery moments, with banter and nicknames and teasing... but there were also many many clichés, with misunderstandings and purposeful holding back of information... And then the plot got in the way when Sebastian's fortune came to light. Like, that should have made the ship and plot stronger, but I just rolled my eyes at it. The ending was a mess of magic, clichés, and drama, and I just felt exhausted.
Summing Up:
At the end of the day, I kind of get what Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was trying to do, but it didn't work for me. When I should have laughed, I sighed instead. I think this is a unique brand of over-the-top fluffy sillies that just didn't work for me. It was never really bad enough for me to consider not finishing the book, because certainly there was still a hint of amusement and curiosity as to how the story would pan out. (I wanted so badly for it all to make sense.) But it just didn't have that spark for me to really like it.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
People who like unique, over-the-top stories. (I honestly can't compare this to anything.)
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
October 30, 2016
Since marathoning both Karole Cozzo and Sandy Hall’s books in the past two months, I was eager to see what else Swoons Reads had to offer. When I heard that Love Fortunes and Other Disaster was set in the sort of light-hearted, whimsical fantasy world I’ve recently discovered I adore, I knew I had to grab a copy. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
My biggest problem with this story was that there were far too many moments when I had no idea what was happening. This book is set in a completely unique world: a town named Grimbauld where all the citizens are obsessed with a charm shop called Zita’s which can foretell - with 100% accuracy - how your love life in the following year will unfold. I did love the zany and whimsical tone of this setting. It was just so atmospheric! But like Curio, this world was so complex that I didn’t quite understand it… which meant it was very difficult for me to drudge up the energy to really care about the town’s situation. Some lady named Zita wasn’t letting anyone else make love charms? It just seems a little overly dramatic to conduct a full of a rebellion against that. I wish we had gotten more information about the mechanics and political situation of their world so I could sympathise with the character’s struggles or at least understand them better.
I also don’t think we were ever given a proper definition of what charms are... so I still completely confused about that. Are the objects bewitched with spells? Infused with a potion? Does this means magic exists or is it a form of science? Can anyone make charms or it some sort of hereditary power? Are there other types of magic then? When the twin’s parents collect wind and earthquakes - how do they do it? How do you know the effect a charm will have? Not knowing these things drove me insane and did really retract from the story. Maybe they’ll be touched on in the sequel instead? *Fingers crossed*
The characters themselves weren’t too bad. Fallon was a decent protagonist but I didn’t get overly attracted to her. I did like that she was introverted and her friends embraced that about her. Sebastian would have been a much more brilliant character if he wasn’t cast as the redeemable ‘bad boy’ romantic interest. He was a sweetheart from day one - you weren’t fooling me! - and I just couldn’t understand why Fallon was acting all weird towards him just because he had dated a few people. I also thought the romance advanced a little too quickly. Fallon was sort of starting to realise she had more than friendly feelings towards Sebastian and the next thing we know, she’s telling her friends she was in love? Hmmm, seems a bit too much! I did really like them together but I would have liked a slower development.
Luckily, I fell in love with the secondary characters. I absolutely adored Nico! He was such a cute little cinnamon roll - my favourite type of protagonist - and his little crush on Martin melted my heart, even if it was a little annoying. Anais and Bear were also absolutely adorable, I just wish we had gotten to see more of them. I’d love to see them get their own story later in the series.
Overall?
I loved the whimsical world this book is set in but I needed more answers and world-building before I could get invested in a full-on rebellion. I thought the characters were decent, particularly the secondary characters - Nico! <3 - but I wasn’t fully onboard with the main romance. For a debut, though, this author definitely has promise. This undeniably had a clever premise and I’m hoping the sequel will blow me away.
My biggest problem with this story was that there were far too many moments when I had no idea what was happening. This book is set in a completely unique world: a town named Grimbauld where all the citizens are obsessed with a charm shop called Zita’s which can foretell - with 100% accuracy - how your love life in the following year will unfold. I did love the zany and whimsical tone of this setting. It was just so atmospheric! But like Curio, this world was so complex that I didn’t quite understand it… which meant it was very difficult for me to drudge up the energy to really care about the town’s situation. Some lady named Zita wasn’t letting anyone else make love charms? It just seems a little overly dramatic to conduct a full of a rebellion against that. I wish we had gotten more information about the mechanics and political situation of their world so I could sympathise with the character’s struggles or at least understand them better.
I also don’t think we were ever given a proper definition of what charms are... so I still completely confused about that. Are the objects bewitched with spells? Infused with a potion? Does this means magic exists or is it a form of science? Can anyone make charms or it some sort of hereditary power? Are there other types of magic then? When the twin’s parents collect wind and earthquakes - how do they do it? How do you know the effect a charm will have? Not knowing these things drove me insane and did really retract from the story. Maybe they’ll be touched on in the sequel instead? *Fingers crossed*
The characters themselves weren’t too bad. Fallon was a decent protagonist but I didn’t get overly attracted to her. I did like that she was introverted and her friends embraced that about her. Sebastian would have been a much more brilliant character if he wasn’t cast as the redeemable ‘bad boy’ romantic interest. He was a sweetheart from day one - you weren’t fooling me! - and I just couldn’t understand why Fallon was acting all weird towards him just because he had dated a few people. I also thought the romance advanced a little too quickly. Fallon was sort of starting to realise she had more than friendly feelings towards Sebastian and the next thing we know, she’s telling her friends she was in love? Hmmm, seems a bit too much! I did really like them together but I would have liked a slower development.
Luckily, I fell in love with the secondary characters. I absolutely adored Nico! He was such a cute little cinnamon roll - my favourite type of protagonist - and his little crush on Martin melted my heart, even if it was a little annoying. Anais and Bear were also absolutely adorable, I just wish we had gotten to see more of them. I’d love to see them get their own story later in the series.
Overall?
I loved the whimsical world this book is set in but I needed more answers and world-building before I could get invested in a full-on rebellion. I thought the characters were decent, particularly the secondary characters - Nico! <3 - but I wasn’t fully onboard with the main romance. For a debut, though, this author definitely has promise. This undeniably had a clever premise and I’m hoping the sequel will blow me away.
April 5, 2017
I got to read this in manuscript form on SwoonReads last summer, and this week Swoon graced me with an ARC. I'll post a more thorough review closer to the release date, but I can confirm that this book is indeed even cuter on the inside.
Set in the sort of whimsical world I tried often to write in 11th grade but most often had more success just reblogging pictures of on tumblr, all types of love are covered: romantic love, friend love, family love, and self love.
Definitely one of my favorites of the year. I am now a walking, talking heart-eye emoji after reading this book.
Lit Mix: collected silence
1. Love and Loss -- The Honey Trees
2. Marsh King's Daughter -- Eisley
3. School Friends -- Now, Now
4. Start A War -- Brooke Fraser
5. Every Silence -- Copeland
6. The Joker -- Ives the Band
7. Running for Cover -- Ivan & Alyosha
8. Steal Your Heart -- Augustana
9. Painless -- Mae
10. Love Affair -- Copeland
11. Stolen -- Civil Twilight
12. Tremendous Love -- Merriment
13. Line of Fire -- Sucre
14. Brutal Romance -- Brooke Fraser
15. Shelter -- Eisley
Set in the sort of whimsical world I tried often to write in 11th grade but most often had more success just reblogging pictures of on tumblr, all types of love are covered: romantic love, friend love, family love, and self love.
Definitely one of my favorites of the year. I am now a walking, talking heart-eye emoji after reading this book.
Lit Mix: collected silence
collected silence from cattink on 8tracks Radio.
1. Love and Loss -- The Honey Trees
2. Marsh King's Daughter -- Eisley
3. School Friends -- Now, Now
4. Start A War -- Brooke Fraser
5. Every Silence -- Copeland
6. The Joker -- Ives the Band
7. Running for Cover -- Ivan & Alyosha
8. Steal Your Heart -- Augustana
9. Painless -- Mae
10. Love Affair -- Copeland
11. Stolen -- Civil Twilight
12. Tremendous Love -- Merriment
13. Line of Fire -- Sucre
14. Brutal Romance -- Brooke Fraser
15. Shelter -- Eisley
March 2, 2015
Stuck in the doldrums of a gloomy winter that simply refuses to end, what an absolute pleasure it’s been to escape to the world of Grimbaud and the sweet, charming, and imaginative story Karalius has woven there! Love Fortunes and Other Disasters is an adorable fairy tale for modern times, a refreshing story unlike anything I’ve recently read.
Karalius’ writing is strong and sound, her plot well-developed – once the story really hit its stride, I was completely wrapped up, eager to uncover the stories behind the stories, which were intriguing and original. Nothing predictable about this one, I promise you that! Similarly, Karalius’ characters are completely unique – inventive as her story, inventive as her writing. This book is entirely free of your standard YA stereotypes, and while it took me some time to really figure out these characters, that was only because they don’t fit within any simple two-dimensional molds. I ended up with soft spots for several characters I hadn’t clicked with initially, and this was a pretty cool progression for me. It’s actually really hard for me to pick a favorite, or even favorites! I loved the development of the relationship between our two main characters, initially their banter, and ultimately, their devotion and teamwork in overcoming their fates in the name of love. Ultimately, be it her world development, plot, or characters, Karalius’ charm is in the details, and her imagination is truly a lovely place, where stone cupids come to life and shoot arrows in the name of anything but love, girls wear sweaters with cupid wings stitched onto the back, boys with secret soft spots record the sound of silence, and unseasonably warm winds are bottled to break the chill at later times. God love the whimsy!!! This book itself is its own ray of sunshine, and I believe it would appeal to a very wide range of readers. I highly recommend it.
I received the ARC of this book as a fellow Swoon author and it’s not a secret that I know the author personally, but after reading LFOD I can now say that I not only adore Karalius as a Swoon Sister and friend, but also as an author. I hope my words above convey how sincere I am with my praise of this magical little tale. I promise it will make you smile. And convince you that love, which comes in many forms, is out there for everyone to find.
Karalius’ writing is strong and sound, her plot well-developed – once the story really hit its stride, I was completely wrapped up, eager to uncover the stories behind the stories, which were intriguing and original. Nothing predictable about this one, I promise you that! Similarly, Karalius’ characters are completely unique – inventive as her story, inventive as her writing. This book is entirely free of your standard YA stereotypes, and while it took me some time to really figure out these characters, that was only because they don’t fit within any simple two-dimensional molds. I ended up with soft spots for several characters I hadn’t clicked with initially, and this was a pretty cool progression for me. It’s actually really hard for me to pick a favorite, or even favorites! I loved the development of the relationship between our two main characters, initially their banter, and ultimately, their devotion and teamwork in overcoming their fates in the name of love. Ultimately, be it her world development, plot, or characters, Karalius’ charm is in the details, and her imagination is truly a lovely place, where stone cupids come to life and shoot arrows in the name of anything but love, girls wear sweaters with cupid wings stitched onto the back, boys with secret soft spots record the sound of silence, and unseasonably warm winds are bottled to break the chill at later times. God love the whimsy!!! This book itself is its own ray of sunshine, and I believe it would appeal to a very wide range of readers. I highly recommend it.
I received the ARC of this book as a fellow Swoon author and it’s not a secret that I know the author personally, but after reading LFOD I can now say that I not only adore Karalius as a Swoon Sister and friend, but also as an author. I hope my words above convey how sincere I am with my praise of this magical little tale. I promise it will make you smile. And convince you that love, which comes in many forms, is out there for everyone to find.
February 23, 2016
"This place was magic.It deserved to be free as much as they all did,destroying Zita’s fortunes forever.She closed her eyes and pictured Grimbaud’s many cobblestones and cafés, the Tunnel of Love,the belfry, canals, footbridges,and the whitewashed walls of the villas.
“We’re going to save you,” she whispered."
This book is extremely interesting and unique.The main characters are great,Fallon is a fantastic lady and Sebastian is such a cool character.I also liked Hijiri,Nico and Martin a lot.♥ The story is quite original and sweet.However,it wasn't very believable(yeah,I know,it's supposed to be a fantasy(magic realism?) book,but the world (or town?) building was kind of bad.)Also,even though I really love chick-lit books,this was too cheesy,even for me.The idea was interesting but I felt like the ending was kind of rushed(even though this book has 360+ pages) or poorly executed.The romance,on the other hand,was amazing.Really amazing.
Favourite quotes:
"Life is about making mistakes.If you don’t take chances, blindfolded and frightened as you are, you’re not really living, are you?"
“Final exams,huh? It seems pointless to think about real life again.”
“I find test taking relaxing,” she said.
“I’m not surprised. You probably study.”
__________________________________
*** Reading this for Addicted to Ink's July #inkathon.
Theme: Standalones
March 31, 2016
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
I feel like it has been so, so long since I have had a 5 star book read. But I am super happy to add Love Fortunes and Other Disasters by Kimberly Karalius to my list of favorite 5 star books. This book made my heart smile. It got a little hairy and crazy at the end and I almost took .5 stars off my review rating, and then I about slapped myself. (That is a case of one of those times when I am thinking through my reviewer hat and letting it over weigh my emotions about a book, and I didn't want to do that here.) I just loved this book too much to give it anything less than 5 full stars.
Love Fortunes and Other Disasters is set in the magical town of Grimbaud. I love the cover of the book because its whimsical feel helped me imagine Grimbaud with the same touch of whimsy. Does that make sense? The town also reminded me of the Kissing Town from the tv series The Tenth Kingdom (which is an amazing mini series if you have not watched it yet, you need to!) So the entire time I was reading, I was imagining the kissing town with love in the air, everywhere.
In Grimbaud when you get to high school, you can go to Zita's love shop and get your love fortune. And these fortunes are always right. Always. And with a town whose main focus is on love and finding your soul mate as early as possible, it should come as no surprise that everyone rushes to get their love fortune. So when a small group of teens get fortunes that in some way, shape or form say they will not find love, they band together to try and change their fates. I can't adequately explain how utterly, cute and fun this book is. I even have a perma-smile on my face just sitting here typing this review. I loved Fallon, I loved loved loved Sebastien. I was dying to find out what his fortune was because I knew he was a big softy underneath his flirty exterior. And I loved the two of them together. I want to see more books set in the town of Grimbaud. Please, please please Kimberly Karalius. Tell us what Hiriju does next!
Swoon Reads is a hit as far as I am concerned. I have read about 3 books from them now, and I have loved them all. Their idea of crowd sourcing the YA book before publishing them is genius. Love Fortunes and Other Disasters is a book that I want to share with everyone. I love the idea of these love fortunes, and charms and really just a town that is in love with the idea of love. I loved the characters and the writing was downright enchanting. Kimberly Karalius needs to write her next book ASAP because there is a real possibility that I will just mope and re-read Love Fortunes and Other Disasters over and over again until she gives me something new to read. Read Love Fortunes and Other Disasters- and I will say you are welcome in advance.
I feel like it has been so, so long since I have had a 5 star book read. But I am super happy to add Love Fortunes and Other Disasters by Kimberly Karalius to my list of favorite 5 star books. This book made my heart smile. It got a little hairy and crazy at the end and I almost took .5 stars off my review rating, and then I about slapped myself. (That is a case of one of those times when I am thinking through my reviewer hat and letting it over weigh my emotions about a book, and I didn't want to do that here.) I just loved this book too much to give it anything less than 5 full stars.
Love Fortunes and Other Disasters is set in the magical town of Grimbaud. I love the cover of the book because its whimsical feel helped me imagine Grimbaud with the same touch of whimsy. Does that make sense? The town also reminded me of the Kissing Town from the tv series The Tenth Kingdom (which is an amazing mini series if you have not watched it yet, you need to!) So the entire time I was reading, I was imagining the kissing town with love in the air, everywhere.
In Grimbaud when you get to high school, you can go to Zita's love shop and get your love fortune. And these fortunes are always right. Always. And with a town whose main focus is on love and finding your soul mate as early as possible, it should come as no surprise that everyone rushes to get their love fortune. So when a small group of teens get fortunes that in some way, shape or form say they will not find love, they band together to try and change their fates. I can't adequately explain how utterly, cute and fun this book is. I even have a perma-smile on my face just sitting here typing this review. I loved Fallon, I loved loved loved Sebastien. I was dying to find out what his fortune was because I knew he was a big softy underneath his flirty exterior. And I loved the two of them together. I want to see more books set in the town of Grimbaud. Please, please please Kimberly Karalius. Tell us what Hiriju does next!
Swoon Reads is a hit as far as I am concerned. I have read about 3 books from them now, and I have loved them all. Their idea of crowd sourcing the YA book before publishing them is genius. Love Fortunes and Other Disasters is a book that I want to share with everyone. I love the idea of these love fortunes, and charms and really just a town that is in love with the idea of love. I loved the characters and the writing was downright enchanting. Kimberly Karalius needs to write her next book ASAP because there is a real possibility that I will just mope and re-read Love Fortunes and Other Disasters over and over again until she gives me something new to read. Read Love Fortunes and Other Disasters- and I will say you are welcome in advance.
Note: Now I am obsessed with finding a book about love spells or charms. Love Fortunes and Other Disasters kind of banned the use of love charms that were not created by Zita, so they didn't play a huge role in the story for the main, main characters. But I do want to find a book- preferably new adult or adult, that does make use of a love spell/charm. Does anyone have any suggestions?This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
July 8, 2016
If you’re looking for a sweet, cute contemporary novel filled with a little bit of friendship, magic, and fun revenge, this is the book for you! I was honestly surprised by just how cute Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was. After reading the synopsis, I was intrigued, but I wasn’t completely hooked. So, you might be wondering how/why I decided to read it. To answer your question, I will go backwards in time to when Danielle (Love at First Page) had a Twitter giveaway and I was one of the winners! I saw that this was one of the ARCs to pick and I decided to give it a try. I am very glad that I decided to read it, and am thankful to Danielle for the amazing giveaway.
From the very beginning, I was hooked on Love Fortunes and Other Disasters. First of all, I loved all of the characters. I was very impressed by how relatable they all were, especially because all of them had flaws and got into situations where the best response was a shrug and…”oops?” Well, maybe those exact words weren’t said, but there were a couple of awkward moments where they did something reckless or something that wasn’t exactly smart. Also, their names were gorgeous and extremely unique. Fallon, Anais, Nico, Camille, I loved them all!
Now, with the title being Love Fortunes and Other Disasters, I’m sure that you are wondering about the romance in this book. Yes, there was some romance, but it wasn’t the typical romance. Also, there was a love triangle, and it did include a girl and two boys, but…the love triangle wasn’t typical. It’s a different pairing- a pairing that is uncommon to see, but I hope to see more in the future. It was nice to see a YA book where this type of triangle was included. I don’t want to say any more than that, for fear of spoilers, but hopefully you can read between the lines. ;)
Overall I really enjoyed this book and give it 4.5/5 stars! I highly recommend this one.
From the very beginning, I was hooked on Love Fortunes and Other Disasters. First of all, I loved all of the characters. I was very impressed by how relatable they all were, especially because all of them had flaws and got into situations where the best response was a shrug and…”oops?” Well, maybe those exact words weren’t said, but there were a couple of awkward moments where they did something reckless or something that wasn’t exactly smart. Also, their names were gorgeous and extremely unique. Fallon, Anais, Nico, Camille, I loved them all!
Now, with the title being Love Fortunes and Other Disasters, I’m sure that you are wondering about the romance in this book. Yes, there was some romance, but it wasn’t the typical romance. Also, there was a love triangle, and it did include a girl and two boys, but…the love triangle wasn’t typical. It’s a different pairing- a pairing that is uncommon to see, but I hope to see more in the future. It was nice to see a YA book where this type of triangle was included. I don’t want to say any more than that, for fear of spoilers, but hopefully you can read between the lines. ;)
Overall I really enjoyed this book and give it 4.5/5 stars! I highly recommend this one.
June 7, 2015
Okay, before anything else, I'd like to enumerate the top two things that I absolutely liked about this book.
Okay, moving on from those two things, this book just didn't put it up for me. I didn't enjoy it as much as I've liked to, especially because I have certain issues with it.
First things first, the book was written in the third person, and sadly, I always have troubles connecting with the characters whenever it is written in that kind of perspective.
Second, the pacing was kind of too slow for my liking, which made me resort to skimming at certain points.
Third, some characters came off as immature and unappealing for me.
Lastly, I did like the whole plot, but the way it was executed was a little bit off for me.
But to be fairly honest, I was kind of in a foul mood when I started this book, so maybe this is a "It's not the book, it's me" situation. Hmm, I don't know. I'm just feeling so-so with this book.
2.5/3 stars!
1. The cover. Isn't it just the cutest? I am a huge sucker for cutesy covers and this one just takes the cake.
2. The storyline. It's whimsical. It's magical. It's fanciful. It's all about love. The people in the book really do take love seriously...as do I. *cue cheeky face* So, the plot---me likey.
Okay, moving on from those two things, this book just didn't put it up for me. I didn't enjoy it as much as I've liked to, especially because I have certain issues with it.
First things first, the book was written in the third person, and sadly, I always have troubles connecting with the characters whenever it is written in that kind of perspective.
Second, the pacing was kind of too slow for my liking, which made me resort to skimming at certain points.
Third, some characters came off as immature and unappealing for me.
Lastly, I did like the whole plot, but the way it was executed was a little bit off for me.
But to be fairly honest, I was kind of in a foul mood when I started this book, so maybe this is a "It's not the book, it's me" situation. Hmm, I don't know. I'm just feeling so-so with this book.
2.5/3 stars!
May 10, 2016
I received this book/ARC from Macmillan Teen as a first reads reviewer on Goodreads. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Magic realism. Fate. Charms. A quirky heroine. A town infatuated with the fortunes of love. And a love to die for.
This book left me giddy and wanting more shenanigans in the town of Grimbaud. For a while, my thoughts of Kimberly Karalius's novel could only be described in short phrases and words, and I still do not think I can do the book justice in sentence form, but I am going to try.
As a person seeking out contemporary reads but in love with fantasy/magic realism, Love Fortunes is the perfect book that interweaves both of these genres. With this novel, Karalius somehow discovered an elaborate formula to perfectly combine elements of Pushing Daisies, The Night Circus, and Francesca Lia Block's modern spin on mythical entities into one--and alas Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was constructed.
As a novel in the Swoon Reads publishing company, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters entwines different snapshots of swoon-worthy moments and memorable characters. The heroine, Fallon, is willing to fight against a love fortune that fate has given her, and change her destiny in the realm of love. As she commits to changing her own destiny, she also begins to help her friends and other people in town who are fated hopelessness and ill fortunes in the "love" category, including the swoony, "I'm-too-good-to-fall-in-love" classmate, Sebastian.
If you are in the mood for a fun, fast-paced story about a quirky and determined female, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters is the book you are destined to read.
Magic realism. Fate. Charms. A quirky heroine. A town infatuated with the fortunes of love. And a love to die for.
This book left me giddy and wanting more shenanigans in the town of Grimbaud. For a while, my thoughts of Kimberly Karalius's novel could only be described in short phrases and words, and I still do not think I can do the book justice in sentence form, but I am going to try.
As a person seeking out contemporary reads but in love with fantasy/magic realism, Love Fortunes is the perfect book that interweaves both of these genres. With this novel, Karalius somehow discovered an elaborate formula to perfectly combine elements of Pushing Daisies, The Night Circus, and Francesca Lia Block's modern spin on mythical entities into one--and alas Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was constructed.
As a novel in the Swoon Reads publishing company, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters entwines different snapshots of swoon-worthy moments and memorable characters. The heroine, Fallon, is willing to fight against a love fortune that fate has given her, and change her destiny in the realm of love. As she commits to changing her own destiny, she also begins to help her friends and other people in town who are fated hopelessness and ill fortunes in the "love" category, including the swoony, "I'm-too-good-to-fall-in-love" classmate, Sebastian.
If you are in the mood for a fun, fast-paced story about a quirky and determined female, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters is the book you are destined to read.
July 10, 2015
Book: Love Fortunes and Other Disasters
Author: Kimberly Karalius
Finished Reading: May 25, 2015 (Monday)
Favorite Quote/s & Line/s:
-"I don't want this to be the end. If I can find love somehow, some way, I want to take it." page 32
-"Life is about making mistakes. If you don't take chances, blindfolded and frightened as you are, you're not really living, are you? Heartache makes you stronger. Misery is the stuff of good poetry." page 37
-"There's nothing wrong with wanting to fall in love." page 173
Review:
This book made me travel to the world of magic. The plot was unique. *I would like to tell you what it was like but it'll become some -sort of- spoiler :(* It's indeed a dreamy read.
Do you believe in fortune? If yes, you should read this. If no, you should still read this one too. What if your fortune told you that you won't have a good future. Are you just going to give up?
Fallon and Sebastian. I loved the character development of these two. They supported each other to get through *something*. I loved the way it ended.
If you want to escape the world of reality, then you should read this book. You'll fall in love with this city. One of my best reads this May.
Author: Kimberly Karalius
Finished Reading: May 25, 2015 (Monday)
Favorite Quote/s & Line/s:
-"I don't want this to be the end. If I can find love somehow, some way, I want to take it." page 32
-"Life is about making mistakes. If you don't take chances, blindfolded and frightened as you are, you're not really living, are you? Heartache makes you stronger. Misery is the stuff of good poetry." page 37
-"There's nothing wrong with wanting to fall in love." page 173
Review:
This book made me travel to the world of magic. The plot was unique. *I would like to tell you what it was like but it'll become some -sort of- spoiler :(* It's indeed a dreamy read.
Do you believe in fortune? If yes, you should read this. If no, you should still read this one too. What if your fortune told you that you won't have a good future. Are you just going to give up?
Fallon and Sebastian. I loved the character development of these two. They supported each other to get through *something*. I loved the way it ended.
If you want to escape the world of reality, then you should read this book. You'll fall in love with this city. One of my best reads this May.
September 14, 2015
So cute!
Por algún motivo este lugar tan peculiar en que se desarrolla la historia me recordó a "La grieta blanca" aunque acá no hablamos de colores sino de lo importante que es el amor (y conocer su fortuna en él) para todas las personas que viven ahí.
Muchos clichés y totalmente teenager pero divertido, sencillo y rápido de leer... además la portada es demasiado bonita <3
Por algún motivo este lugar tan peculiar en que se desarrolla la historia me recordó a "La grieta blanca" aunque acá no hablamos de colores sino de lo importante que es el amor (y conocer su fortuna en él) para todas las personas que viven ahí.
Muchos clichés y totalmente teenager pero divertido, sencillo y rápido de leer... además la portada es demasiado bonita <3
February 17, 2016
Boricuan Bookworms- Book Reviews
This story is all kinds of cute! It’s set in a very quirky town where charms and predictions and magic are an every day occurrence. Every year they congregate in Zita’s Love Charms Shop to get a prediction about their love lives (which always comes true).
I really enjoyed this book! The protagonist, Fallon, was a bit difficult to relate to at first because she was so juvenile and immature. However I realize that she was 15 years old, so seeing her grow and learn throughout the story was really enjoyable.
In fact, I really liked all of the characters in this book. They’re all really nicely developed and I loved how they were all original and easily distinguishable. They all make the story better; I’m excited for the next book because it’s going to be about a character I really liked in this one! :)
This being a Swoon Reads title, you can be sure there was a really cute and swoony romance. Sebastian and Fallon are an unlikely couple at first; Sebastian was the kind of guy who didn’t take relationships seriously while Fallon was the kind of girl who’s life revolved around finding "the one". Fallon can’t stand Sebastian at first, and I always love romances that are like that! As they get to know each other, and see what lies beneath the surface, their romance keeps developing and getting as adorable as ever. By the end I was swooning with their romance because it was absolutely adorable!
I like that this book also has a small thrilling aspect on the side that brings together a couple of characters so they can “rebel” against Zita and her predictions. I thought it was a great way to keep me passing the pages and to guess what was happening next!
I read this in a couple of hours! The way it’s written definitely makes for a quick read, not to mention the writing is so easy to devour! I really couldn’t help but keep passing the pages. The story demanded to be read!
Overall, this is definitely a book that puts the Swoon in Swoon Reads. It was romantic, quirky, and funny. The writing was on point, the characters were relatable and lovable, the storyline was enthralling, and it all wrapped up nicely with a bit of magical realism that really brought the story together. I can’t wait for the next installment in this series!
My Amazon Review.
“You could try me out sometime, you know, with the dating thing.” His tone was teasing. “Who knows? We could fall in love.”
This story is all kinds of cute! It’s set in a very quirky town where charms and predictions and magic are an every day occurrence. Every year they congregate in Zita’s Love Charms Shop to get a prediction about their love lives (which always comes true).
I really enjoyed this book! The protagonist, Fallon, was a bit difficult to relate to at first because she was so juvenile and immature. However I realize that she was 15 years old, so seeing her grow and learn throughout the story was really enjoyable.
In fact, I really liked all of the characters in this book. They’re all really nicely developed and I loved how they were all original and easily distinguishable. They all make the story better; I’m excited for the next book because it’s going to be about a character I really liked in this one! :)
This being a Swoon Reads title, you can be sure there was a really cute and swoony romance. Sebastian and Fallon are an unlikely couple at first; Sebastian was the kind of guy who didn’t take relationships seriously while Fallon was the kind of girl who’s life revolved around finding "the one". Fallon can’t stand Sebastian at first, and I always love romances that are like that! As they get to know each other, and see what lies beneath the surface, their romance keeps developing and getting as adorable as ever. By the end I was swooning with their romance because it was absolutely adorable!
I like that this book also has a small thrilling aspect on the side that brings together a couple of characters so they can “rebel” against Zita and her predictions. I thought it was a great way to keep me passing the pages and to guess what was happening next!
I read this in a couple of hours! The way it’s written definitely makes for a quick read, not to mention the writing is so easy to devour! I really couldn’t help but keep passing the pages. The story demanded to be read!
Overall, this is definitely a book that puts the Swoon in Swoon Reads. It was romantic, quirky, and funny. The writing was on point, the characters were relatable and lovable, the storyline was enthralling, and it all wrapped up nicely with a bit of magical realism that really brought the story together. I can’t wait for the next installment in this series!
My Amazon Review.
November 5, 2015
DNF review. I was about 40% through the book when i realized this wasn't working for both of us (me and the book). Not to mention the fact that this was written in 3rd person POV, which i always seem to have a problem with, i just find it hard to connect with the characters with this kind of POV but it also depends on the writing style (i.e the Lunar Chronicles i LOVE that series and its in the same POV as this). I really want to finish this book but decided not to or i'll just skim through the rest of it! The story is too slow for my liking. If i ever did finish this book it will still fall to my "so-so" reads. The story, the characters, the romance everything is not just coming to me.
What i like about this book is Its cute cover. How can you resist such cute cover? You can't! And the premise, this book has a lot to offer! Romance, fortune and a pinch of rebellion if brought together properly will make a really good story, with proper balance and all. However, this book kind of fail to execute such amazing plot, its just that it kind of annoys me that romance is EVERYTHING, literally EVERYTHING that people in this fictional village think about, its like they depend what their lives are going to be on it! Zita is like their god, she decides what will happen to the people, be it good or bad, everything depends on her fortune like really?? That's wrong! Being alive is not just about romance, get over it people (i know its fictional and all but still!). This book is like defying all odds, the protagonists in this book are determined to change whatever fortune Zita gave them and that's good right? You don't need a piece of paper to determine what was meant for you, you don't need someone to tell you what your future will be, its all up to you.
Maybe one day i'll pick this book up again and might change my thoughts about it but not today, not even soon. I'm sorry if you ever did like this book, it just maybe wasn't for me. I guess i expected too much from this book, and maybe its a "its-not-the-book-its-me" situation. I have no way to know.
What i like about this book is Its cute cover. How can you resist such cute cover? You can't! And the premise, this book has a lot to offer! Romance, fortune and a pinch of rebellion if brought together properly will make a really good story, with proper balance and all. However, this book kind of fail to execute such amazing plot, its just that it kind of annoys me that romance is EVERYTHING, literally EVERYTHING that people in this fictional village think about, its like they depend what their lives are going to be on it! Zita is like their god, she decides what will happen to the people, be it good or bad, everything depends on her fortune like really?? That's wrong! Being alive is not just about romance, get over it people (i know its fictional and all but still!). This book is like defying all odds, the protagonists in this book are determined to change whatever fortune Zita gave them and that's good right? You don't need a piece of paper to determine what was meant for you, you don't need someone to tell you what your future will be, its all up to you.
Maybe one day i'll pick this book up again and might change my thoughts about it but not today, not even soon. I'm sorry if you ever did like this book, it just maybe wasn't for me. I guess i expected too much from this book, and maybe its a "its-not-the-book-its-me" situation. I have no way to know.
June 7, 2016
This was SUCH a cute book! I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did because I honestly didn't know what to expect going into it - the premise of it was kind of strange and confusing but in a "I need to read this to find out what it's really about" way.
This story unfolds and becomes this wonderfully endearing and magical story about love and all of its weird little quirks. It was really easy to catch on to as to what this story is about, and everything about it, from the town to its history with Zita, to the characters, are so charming and it felt like I was reading something like one of those really magical and wondrous bed time stories. This story is so quirky and fun and the characters are so cute, and I loved all of them and all of their relationships. They're such a diverse and sweet group of friends and it was so much fun to read about them going on all of these crazy adventures together to stop their love fortunes from taking over who they are and what they want out of their futures.
Karalius has an amazing writing style and as a reader you're immediately captured by this gorgeous world she's created, and everything in this book just reminds me of pretty pastels and rainbows and cuteness. The plot twist and the action that picked up in this novel was surprising and I was not expecting it, but it was a welcome surprise - I think it made the last half of the novel so much more enjoyable, whereas the first half I was just kinda floating by and getting to know all of the characters a bit better. The pacing of this novel was amazing and I really, really like how the plot unfolded. There wasn't any confusion and everything made sense in the end and although it was a bit predictable, the characters were so much fun to read about that I honestly didn't mind.
This is such a cute start to what I'm sure is going to be an adorable series, and I think Kimberly Karalius is a fantastic author.
This story unfolds and becomes this wonderfully endearing and magical story about love and all of its weird little quirks. It was really easy to catch on to as to what this story is about, and everything about it, from the town to its history with Zita, to the characters, are so charming and it felt like I was reading something like one of those really magical and wondrous bed time stories. This story is so quirky and fun and the characters are so cute, and I loved all of them and all of their relationships. They're such a diverse and sweet group of friends and it was so much fun to read about them going on all of these crazy adventures together to stop their love fortunes from taking over who they are and what they want out of their futures.
Karalius has an amazing writing style and as a reader you're immediately captured by this gorgeous world she's created, and everything in this book just reminds me of pretty pastels and rainbows and cuteness. The plot twist and the action that picked up in this novel was surprising and I was not expecting it, but it was a welcome surprise - I think it made the last half of the novel so much more enjoyable, whereas the first half I was just kinda floating by and getting to know all of the characters a bit better. The pacing of this novel was amazing and I really, really like how the plot unfolded. There wasn't any confusion and everything made sense in the end and although it was a bit predictable, the characters were so much fun to read about that I honestly didn't mind.
This is such a cute start to what I'm sure is going to be an adorable series, and I think Kimberly Karalius is a fantastic author.
February 12, 2016
Another #RockMyTBR buddy read! This one was quite adorable and cute, even if I was confused at first and not that keen on the book or its world. Since it was a buddy read I decided to push through the "head shaking" moments, even if I wasn't entirely sure if this was a contemporary, paranormal or magical realism... I guess that's part of the charm of it, but it kept bugging me throughout the book.
I didn't instantly like Fallon because for how sensible she seemed, she was completely and overwhelmingly turned upside down by a love fortune, and now matter how accurate they are supposed to be, it just didn't feel as dire to me... but that could be my old age and grunchiness showing.
It was an easy read and once it progressed it got a hold on me and I wanted to know what was being Zita's fortunes and why all the other love charm makers were gone and I was somehow invested in the developing relationship between Fallon and Sebastian, which thank goodness was done through the common ground then friendly then like then love, even if was a bit accelerated at times, but after all Grimbaud is a magical place where love lives.
Some of the secondary characters felt a bit more underdeveloped and carntoon-y so to speak, but I felt that the main ones had quite enough charm and life in them, and I loved that Fallon decided to fight fate and help her friends do the same too. We not only see Fallon's fortune be fought but also her best friends' and I'm glad that there was a gay relationship included and treated no necessarily as a come out story, but just as another relationship threatened by a bad love fortune.
All in all, a very cute read, well deserving of 3 stars because it kept me turning pages to find out what happened next once I got over my innitial confusion.
I didn't instantly like Fallon because for how sensible she seemed, she was completely and overwhelmingly turned upside down by a love fortune, and now matter how accurate they are supposed to be, it just didn't feel as dire to me... but that could be my old age and grunchiness showing.
It was an easy read and once it progressed it got a hold on me and I wanted to know what was being Zita's fortunes and why all the other love charm makers were gone and I was somehow invested in the developing relationship between Fallon and Sebastian, which thank goodness was done through the common ground then friendly then like then love, even if was a bit accelerated at times, but after all Grimbaud is a magical place where love lives.
Some of the secondary characters felt a bit more underdeveloped and carntoon-y so to speak, but I felt that the main ones had quite enough charm and life in them, and I loved that Fallon decided to fight fate and help her friends do the same too. We not only see Fallon's fortune be fought but also her best friends' and I'm glad that there was a gay relationship included and treated no necessarily as a come out story, but just as another relationship threatened by a bad love fortune.
All in all, a very cute read, well deserving of 3 stars because it kept me turning pages to find out what happened next once I got over my innitial confusion.
Want to read
December 24, 2014That's my birthday right there, that is, and Sebastian is offcially my favourite name in the universe and the cover is cuter than all the kitteh in heaven and this is like the sweetest fairy tale ever and so this better be good.
Be a fortune and not a disaster.
Please be good.
Pretty please with a cherry on top.
*fingers, toes and everything else crossed*
Be a fortune and not a disaster.
Please be good.
Pretty please with a cherry on top.
*fingers, toes and everything else crossed*
May 15, 2015
I fell in love with Grimbaud and my heart broke with Fallon's when she received her love fortune. I enjoyed the magical realism of this story. The spinsters and bachelors provided a well-developed cast and the slightly historical setting (cassette tapes!!!) was fun, too.
June 18, 2015
The cover is awesome! However, I became quite bored halfway through. Forgive me.
November 5, 2015
Este libro es taaaan cuqui *o*
May 26, 2015
Four stars: A cute, magical romance set in a charming town.
Fallon is eager to start her first year of high school in the magical town of Grimbaud. Fallon is the latest in a long line of Duprees to attend Grimbaud High School. Each member of her family has also received a completely accurate love fortune courtesy of Zita's Love Charms Shop. Fallon and her friends anxiously wait in line to receive their love fortune. Fallon's hopes are dashed when her love fortune predicts that she will never find love. How can Fallon go forward knowing she is doomed when it comes to love?
What I Liked:
*Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was a sweet, charming, whimsical read set in a magical town. I enjoyed this cute little read, and I especially liked the romance, the magic and the determination of Fallon and Sebastian to avoid their dismal love fates. If you like a books set in a cute and cozy town, with romance and magic, pick this one up.
*I appreciated the romance in this one. It is a romance without all the ridiculousness we find so often in YA. There are, in fact, three romances. The main romance centers around Sebastian and Fallon, two young teens who have received disheartening love fortunes. Instead of sitting back and accepting their fates, they decide to fight back against the one who is responsible for their fortunes. This is a romance that starts out antagonistic and moves into a hesitant friendship before blossoming into something more. It was lovely to watch it unfold. The two secondary romances follow Fallon's two best friends. One centers around a young man who has been desperately in love with another boy since he was ten years old, but he has been unable to tell him how he feels. The third romance is a romance that features a couple who is in love, but one of the participants isn't being true to herself or her partner, as she refuses to let him see her true self. I loved the different romances, the messages and how they all played out. All three romances are without love triangles and unnecessary drama and angst. Sweet and simple for the most part, but they all have some hurdles to overcome.
*I enjoyed the cute and cozy town of Grimbaud. It is filled with magical shops that sell charms and all kinds of delightful things. At the center of town is Zita's Love Charms Shop, the shop responsible for all things related to love and fortunes. It is an interesting and magical town, perfect for those who love a bit of magic.
*The story revolves around a group of students who want to fight their love fortunes. Instead of sitting back and accepting their miserable fortunes, they choose to look for a way to escape their fate. I liked seeing the group come together, and I liked how they used magic and teamwork to change their fortune.
*All in all, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters is a charming read. It is full of whimsy and magic as well as cute romances and working together to fight fate. This is a perfect read for all ages, and I think it would be a lovely read for Valentine's Day or anytime you want something sweet and light.
And The Not So Much:
*I never completely understood all the details between Love and Zita, and how Zita was able to tell all the fortunes. That part of the story was a bit lacking.
*I thought the reasons for the twins participating in the rebellion were weak. There had to be something more driving them to change the fortunes of other just than because they wanted to. Did someone in their family receive a dismal fortune?
*I never understood what the deal was with all the lace shops. They keep coming up, and I though they would somehow tie into the bigger picture, but they never do.
*This is a book where you have to suspend your realistic expectations. It is a fantasy book with magic and love fortunes and all that. Just go in expecting light and fluffy and magic and have fun.
Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was a sweet and charming read. This is a perfect read for those of you who want a book where love conquers all. If you like magic and romance, don't miss this fun little read. This is a book appropriate for all ages, and I think it would be perfect for Valentine's Day.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Fallon is eager to start her first year of high school in the magical town of Grimbaud. Fallon is the latest in a long line of Duprees to attend Grimbaud High School. Each member of her family has also received a completely accurate love fortune courtesy of Zita's Love Charms Shop. Fallon and her friends anxiously wait in line to receive their love fortune. Fallon's hopes are dashed when her love fortune predicts that she will never find love. How can Fallon go forward knowing she is doomed when it comes to love?
What I Liked:
*Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was a sweet, charming, whimsical read set in a magical town. I enjoyed this cute little read, and I especially liked the romance, the magic and the determination of Fallon and Sebastian to avoid their dismal love fates. If you like a books set in a cute and cozy town, with romance and magic, pick this one up.
*I appreciated the romance in this one. It is a romance without all the ridiculousness we find so often in YA. There are, in fact, three romances. The main romance centers around Sebastian and Fallon, two young teens who have received disheartening love fortunes. Instead of sitting back and accepting their fates, they decide to fight back against the one who is responsible for their fortunes. This is a romance that starts out antagonistic and moves into a hesitant friendship before blossoming into something more. It was lovely to watch it unfold. The two secondary romances follow Fallon's two best friends. One centers around a young man who has been desperately in love with another boy since he was ten years old, but he has been unable to tell him how he feels. The third romance is a romance that features a couple who is in love, but one of the participants isn't being true to herself or her partner, as she refuses to let him see her true self. I loved the different romances, the messages and how they all played out. All three romances are without love triangles and unnecessary drama and angst. Sweet and simple for the most part, but they all have some hurdles to overcome.
*I enjoyed the cute and cozy town of Grimbaud. It is filled with magical shops that sell charms and all kinds of delightful things. At the center of town is Zita's Love Charms Shop, the shop responsible for all things related to love and fortunes. It is an interesting and magical town, perfect for those who love a bit of magic.
*The story revolves around a group of students who want to fight their love fortunes. Instead of sitting back and accepting their miserable fortunes, they choose to look for a way to escape their fate. I liked seeing the group come together, and I liked how they used magic and teamwork to change their fortune.
*All in all, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters is a charming read. It is full of whimsy and magic as well as cute romances and working together to fight fate. This is a perfect read for all ages, and I think it would be a lovely read for Valentine's Day or anytime you want something sweet and light.
And The Not So Much:
*I never completely understood all the details between Love and Zita, and how Zita was able to tell all the fortunes. That part of the story was a bit lacking.
*I thought the reasons for the twins participating in the rebellion were weak. There had to be something more driving them to change the fortunes of other just than because they wanted to. Did someone in their family receive a dismal fortune?
*I never understood what the deal was with all the lace shops. They keep coming up, and I though they would somehow tie into the bigger picture, but they never do.
*This is a book where you have to suspend your realistic expectations. It is a fantasy book with magic and love fortunes and all that. Just go in expecting light and fluffy and magic and have fun.
Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was a sweet and charming read. This is a perfect read for those of you who want a book where love conquers all. If you like magic and romance, don't miss this fun little read. This is a book appropriate for all ages, and I think it would be perfect for Valentine's Day.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
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