Mini-reviews: You Don't Know Me But I Know You + Wicked Like A Wildfire

You Don't Know Me but I Know You by Rebecca Barrow

pub 8/29/17 by HarperTeen
Young Adult - Contemporary
Received from pub via Edelweiss

You Don’t Know Me But I Know You is about Audrey who gets two huge unexpected bombs dropped on her: she’s pregnant and she received a letter from the birth mom she's never met for the first time ever. It’s impossible not to connect the feelings she has on each. She’s faced with the same choice her then 17-year old mother was faced with—should she keep this baby or not? The author does a great job of giving Audrey the entire book to weigh her options. To some, it may seem like the choice is obvious but regardless, it is a big decision to make and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. We see Audrey go through a gamut of emotions as she wonders which option is truly best for her and if the choice is something she can live with. I loved that she had a wonderful mother (and pseudo-stepdad) to stand behind her and a very un-stereotypical boyfriend in Julian, who was nothing but supportive despite his own fears. My main reservation was a side storyline that honestly took far too much away from what I felt to be the heart of the book and hence affected my overall feeling on it. It had to do with her best friend’s personal drama, rocky love life and inability to look past her own problems (I know this type of friend very well). I think if the author had done away with that completely or let it play a much smaller role I would’ve enjoyed the book much more.

Do I recommend? If you’re interested in it, I think it’s worth checking out from the library.

Wicked Like a Wildfire (Hibiscus Daughter #1) by Lana Popović

pub 8/15/17 by Katherine Tegen Books
YA - Magical Realism
Received from pub via Edelweiss

Wicked Like a Wildfire caught me by surprise! To be fair, while it does start off a bit slow and I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel initially, I made the decision to keep going and I am so glad I did! It totally paid off because it does find its pacing. But most of all, the world is just so unique and fascinating. I couldn’t help but want to learn more. Iris and Malina are twin sisters and all the women in their family have this magical ability to “gleam” beauty. Iris sees flowers as fractals and interprets that in her glasswork. Malina interprets moods as music, which is then heard in her beautiful violin-playing. But aside from their mother, they’ve never met anyone else in their family and they have to keep their abilities secret. But most importantly of all, they can’t fall in love ever. Then their mother is attacked and it’s up to the sisters (and their friends) to discover the truth of their origins and what else has been hidden from them. We see everything unfold through Iris’ eyes, which may be why I connected to her the most. But her mix of unapologetic attitude, tough but vulnerable girl vibe and just the immense love she feels for people (even though she tries to hide it) struck a chord with me. In comparison, Malina is much more sheltered and cast as the “good girl” but as with everyone in this book, there’s always more than meets the eye. But aside from the magical aspect, I loved the focus on mother-daughter and sister-sister relationships and the huge role it played throughout. The combination of the magic, family, romance (I really like the guy in this one!) and mystery made it a very good read.

Do I recommend? Yes! If you enjoy magical realism, I’d definitely recommend this.