Mundie Moms

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

WHAT LIGHT by Jay Asher / Blog Tour: Book Review


Hello and welcome to the next stop in the WHAT LIGHT blog tour, hosted by Penguin Teen. I am so thrilled to celebrate TODAY'S release of Jay's newest book! This book is the perfect way to ring in the holidays. I'm thrilled to share my review for WHAT LIGHT, as well as host a giveaway! First, about the book:

ABOUT THE BOOK 



By: Jay Asher

Published by: Razorbill
Released on: October 18th, 2016 - TODAY
Purchase fromAmazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 4.5 Stars - I Really Enjoyed It 
Source: ARC from publisher at BEA 

From Jay Asher, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Thirteen Reasons Why, comes a romance that will break your heart, but soon have you believing again. . . .


Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other.

Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.

By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love.

What Light is a love story that's moving and life-affirming and completely unforgettable.



It's never too early to get into the Christmas spirit. Jay Asher's newest release, WHAT LIGHT, is the perfect YA contemporary to pick up this holiday season. This book has all the makings of a Hallmark Christmas special brought to life within the pages of this book. It's about taking chances, falling love, redemption, second chances, forgiveness, family, and friendship, and it all centers around Christmas time, and Sierra's family's Christmas Tree lot. 

I am not a huge contemporary fan, but Jay Asher had me with this book. I loved the way this story was written. It was was incredibly easy for me to feel like I was there on the Christmas Tree lot with Sierra, or driving around with her and Caleb delivering Christmas Trees, or hanging out with her and her friends. I love it when a book grabs me like that. I don't know if I was more drawn to Sierra, her family, their family run Christmas Tree business, the Christmas season, or the friendships and romances that make up this story. All these elements were brought together a fantastic way, that really made this story heartfelt. 


I really enjoyed getting to know the characters. I absolutely loved Sierra. This girl is such a genuine person. I really admired her for not being so quick to pass judgement on Caleb or anyone. I felt like I really got Sierra. I understood her, and her feelings being split between her seasonal home on her family's Christmas tree lot in California, and her home in Oregon. I admired her for understanding the importance of both places. This may not make sense to you until you read the book. 


I loved getting to know Caleb as much as I loved getting to know Sierra. There is so much more to Caleb then the rumors going around about him. I liked that Sierra saw past those. I loved the way I got to know these two. They just made sense; both their friendship and relationship. They compliment each other perfectly. I really enjoyed watching their relationship slowly develop into something more. I love a romance that's slow burning and perfectly builds up. 


The traditions in this book were heartwarming. From Sierra's family traditions, to the Christmas traditions both Sierra and Caleb's families have, to the most epic gift giving scene. Seriously, that scene *sigh* These moments weren't just beautifully written, there were moments I could relate to.


I love this book's setting! I love the outdoors. Being someone who was born and raised in Oregon, and loved going to the Christmas Tree farms there every year, I felt like Asher really captured the magic of visiting the local Christmas Tree farms. As well as capturing that small town feel. He does a wonderful job at capturing the behind the scenes with the business aspect of it as well with family traditions with Sierra and her family. 


This book was just what I needed to spend the afternoon reading. There's so much more to this book than just the Christmas theme. This book is a wonderful coming of age story that is heartwarming, heartbreaking, hopefully, and oh so good! Now I'm off to make up some hot cocoa with a peppermint stick. I blame Jay Asher for that. haha



FOLLOW THE TOUR

Monday, 10/10 | In Wonderland
Tuesday, 10/11 | Owl Always Be Reading
Wednesday, 10/12 | Once Upon a Twilight
Thursday, 10/13 | Here’s to Happy Endings
Saturday, 10/15 | A Page with a View
Sunday, 10/16 | Buttermybooks
Monday, 10/17 | YA Bibliophile
Tuesday, 10/18 | Mundie Moms
Wednesday, 10/19 | Tales of a Ravenous Reader
Thursday, 10/20 | What Sarah Read
Friday, 10/21 | Fiction Fare

ENTER TO WIN
Thank you to Razorbill/Penguin Teen, we have an awesome giveaway taking place through the duration of this tour. Readers will have a chance to enter to win one of five (5) hardcover copies of What Light by Jay Asher.



NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:01 AM Eastern Time on October 10, 2016 and 11:59 PM Eastern Time on October 21, 2016.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about October 24, 2016. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

OUT TODAY - New YA Releases For 10/18/16


Happy Book Birthday to today's newest releases! Check out which books are hitting bookstore shelves today: 
Which new releases are you looking forward to picking up? 

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