BLOG TOUR: Normalish by Margaret Lesh [Review & Giveaway]

Hi darling! I am really excited to be taking part in the blog tour for the contemporary young adult novel Normalish by Margaret Lesh. If you're interested in following the rest of the tour to the end or even to the next stop, click HERE for the list of the awesome blogs participating. In the following you'll find my review of Normalish, a little about the author Margaret Lesh, and an international giveaway! 

Happy Reading! xoxo

-Kaede

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Normalish

By: Margaret Lesh

Review by: Kaede

Publisher: Musa Publishing

Pages: 175 (E-book)

Series: N/A

Format: E-Book Review Copy

Source: Xpresso Book Tours 

Purchase: Amazon

Fifteen-year-old Stacy questions the strange world of high school, love, her role in a harsh universe, and life, in Normalish.

People tell you high school's so great and wonderful, but they're lying. It's mostly horrible and full of disappointment. It sucks. Your best friend abandons you. The jerk you're in love with pretends to be into you, and then the big dump. The boy you've really clicked with as a friend decides to go all crushy over you, so you break his heart just like yours was -- smashed into little pieces. Your sister goes mental, and you get involved with a guy who’s even crazier than she is (who you know is a very bad idea, but you do it anyway). Math only adds another stink of failure to the whole thing. High school blows. Just ask freshman Stacy. She’d want you to know.

Going into Normalish, I had no set expectations. If I liked it, then I liked it. If I didn't, then I didn't. Because I had somehow managed to formulate such a simple idea, I decided to go with it because I honestly wasn't sure what to quite expect, much less hope for. The cover leaves me with much to want, but the general synopsis made it seem like something that I could enjoy under most circumstances. And enjoy I did. 

One look at the cover should indicate some sort of sweet or fluffy read. In a way, I guess it is. But overall, most fluffy contemporary novels don't usually fall far from that spectrum. 

Normalish marks freshman Stacy York's transition into high school, which is, if Stacy is anything to go by - the oddest of things. Still trying to come to terms with her father's death and her former best friend just dropping her, Stacy isn't sure what she wants and what she needs. She's a lot more fragile that she'd admit, but she does manage to overcome it all. Even when the hot guy she is certainly not stalking isn't displaying the slightest interest in her. And the guy who was suppose to only remain a best friend is expressing interest that leaves Stacy unsure, because going down that route is not what Stacy had in mind for their relationship. 

Chad, who was said best friend that was in love with the main character, is slightly stereotypical. Being characterized as the semi-geeky sweetheart isn't going to do him much favors in my long list of hottest guys in Young Adult literature. However, it's clearly seen that he genuinely cares about Stacy, even if she isn't quite reciprocating of the same feelings. Even if she isn't always nice to him. But I liked that when she wasn't kind, Chad didn't let his feelings get in the way and let her walk all over him. 

In turn, Chad wasn't the only potential "love" interest of the story. There's also Bobby and Anthony, and both were essential to the story in their own ways. Anthony served as the popular major player jerk, who Stacy thinks she wants. She really doesn't. Because not only is he selfish, he's manipulative of girls' feelings. I don't like guys like that. Especially guys who do that for no reason.

Bobby, on the other hand, is remarkably intriguing. Like a unpredictable child, Bobby isn't exactly the calmest person you'll ever meet. He has his own set of problems, and certainly isn't perfect. He handles things differently than most people, but does that make him any less real? In fact, I think that attribute makes him only that much more human. Like he's someone that anybody could know. Somebody that people can love, even if he is a bit messed-up. 

While I didn't love Normalish, I did enjoy it. It wasn't Take-My-Breath-Away amazing, but it was a solid good read. There's much potential in Margaret Lesh's writing. While there's definite room for progression, I can still wholeheartedly recommend Normalish without hesitation. If you're a fan of cute contemporaries mixed with humor and tragedy, Normalish may just be the book for you. 

Overall, while this book isn't the most spectacular piece of writing I've seen, but it's worth the read. You're able to, if you read from beginning to end, witness the impressive growth of Stacy York from a vulnerable girl to somebody who's willing to accept what fate brings her. Things don't end off perfectly though. It isn't one big happy ending tied off with a bow, which I really liked. But, you know, things happen for a reason. 

And that's something Stacy York now knows.

3 ½ coffee cups!

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Add NORMALISH to Goodreads

Find Margaret Lesh on Goodreads | Website | Twitter

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I'll bet you thought that was it, didn't you? A'ha! I knew it! Wait...what? You didn't think that was it? Ermm, well...err - JUST FORGET I SAID ANYTHING AND ON TO THE GIVEAWAY. 

RULES & INFO: 

• Open INTERNATIONALLY 
• Contest ends January 28th, 2013 
• No cheating. Cheaters never prosper. 

PRIZES: 

• One $25 Amazon Giftcard

 • One e-book copy of Normalish 

• Normalish bookmarks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx