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The Reece Malcolm List

by Amy Spalding (Goodreads Author)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 773 ratings · 164 reviews

Things I know about Reece Malcolm:

1. She graduated from New York University.
2. She lives in or near Los Angeles.
3. Since her first novel was released, she’s been on the New York Times bestseller list every week.
4. She likes strong coffee and bourbon.
5. She’s my mother.

Devan knows very little about Reece Malcolm, until the day her father dies and she’s shipped off to live w...more

Paperback, 352 pages

Published February 5th 2013 by Entangled Teen

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2013 Contemporary YA

30th out of 181 books — 778 voters

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Community Reviews

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Feb 11, 2013 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, debut-novels

What do you do when you're sad? Me? Les Miserables (Original London Cast), Disc 1, Track 5: I Dreamed a Dream
Upset about a boy? Wicked, Track 8: I'm Not That Girl
Outraged over something? Ragtime, Disc 2, Track 15: Make Them Hear You
Getting ready to parrrrty? Rent (Original Broadway Cast), Disc 1, Track 14: Out Tonight

Why yes, that is a Korean edition of the Les Miserables Original London Cast. I needed emotional support on my first trip to Korea after being castigated for not speaking Korean we...more

30 likes · like · see review

Apr 21, 2013 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: rainy-day-re-reads, 2013-favorites, swoooon, debut-author-2013, kick-ass-heroines

Rating: 4.5 Stars

As a teen, it feels as if I read less of teen fiction and more of adult. Statistically speaking, this isn’t true. Nearly all the novels I pick up are YA, but I tend to pick the more serious type; more brooding, more depressing, and infinitely more likely to make me burst into tears rather than laugh out loud. Why? I have no idea. I guess you could say I’m a snob. I read reviews where people describe a novel as being “fun” and automatically discard it from the list of novels I ho...more

15 likes · like · see review

Feb 04, 2013 Natalie (Natflix&Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

I loved this cute contemporary YA novel about family, friendship, first love, and...musical theater.

The Reece Malcolm List follows Devan, a teenager girl who has just lost her father, and her move to LA from St. Louis to live with the mother she has never known--the famous writer, Reece Malcolm.

Reece grew up with her father and her stepmother, Tracy. She was never really close with her father and she knows that Tracy wishes Devan was never born as Devan is the product of her father's infidelity...more I loved this cute contemporary YA novel about family, friendship, first love, and...musical theater.

The Reece Malcolm List follows Devan, a teenager girl who has just lost her father, and her move to LA from St. Louis to live with the mother she has never known--the famous writer, Reece Malcolm.

Reece grew up with her father and her stepmother, Tracy. She was never really close with her father and she knows that Tracy wishes Devan was never born as Devan is the product of her father's infidelity. Devan grew up never knowing who her mother even was, until the day Tracy catches her reading one of Reece's books. After her father's death, arrangements are made for Devan to live with Reece and the book opens with her arrival to LA.

I really enjoyed this book. It perfectly hits that elusive sweet-spot between light and serious. We watch as Devan settles into LA, both in her mother's house where her boyfriend, Brad (a truly wonderful character) is also in the process of moving in and as she settles into her new school, a private performing arts high school. Devan meets and falls into a group of friends that are all unique and wonderful in their own ways on her first day. She also meets the oh-so-cute Sai, a boy who has also just moved to LA from St. Louis with his recently divorced father. Sai almost immediately starts dating the school's local hottie, and Devan starts dating someone, too, but there is a spark between them that doesn't seem to want to go away. Sai and Devan, along with a couple of their other friends, are involved with the school's music program and are soon trying out for the upcoming musical.

I highly recommend The Reece Malcolm List. Like I stated earlier, I found the tone to be just perfect. It isn't just another contemporary YA romance. A good portion of the book is about Reece and Devon (and Brad) and the way they are adjusting to this new family life. The characters aren't perfect, they make mistakes and have arguments and feel awkward. The writing was fast-paced and easy to read, the relationships were real, and the romance was very sweet. I will most definitely be on the look-out for Amy Spalding's next book.

*I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (less)

9 likes · like · see review

Feb 06, 2013 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of E Lockhart, Jennifer Echols' Comedies or Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker

Shelves: 2013, contemporary-ya, fun-reads

This review was originally published on Clear Eyes, Full Shelves.

We walk outside to the parking lot. Sunshine and blue skies. Again. I open my mouth to let her know about the name mistake, except that I really like the thought of being Devan Malcolm. And if I tell her, she’ll call up New City, get it fixed, and I’ll have to go back to being Devan Mitchell. And suddenly she’s the last person I want to be.

When just the right book comes along at just the right time, it's a real treat. Such is the c...more

14 likes · like · see review

Feb 01, 2013 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2012

Devan's voice in this book is knock-out and one of the most authentic teen voices I've read in a long time. Readers who love theater, who love performance, and are looking for the kind of family story that will make your heart break and then swell will want to pick this one up.

Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2013/02/t...

5 likes · like · see review

Mar 08, 2013 Lisa O. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit

Sweet story but it didn't give me any particularly strong emotion.
There's also the fact that I don't seem to bond with books about musicals in general - I HATE that there's always a gay sidekick and voilà! here there was one too...
It's clear that the author is good at characterization; even with a bunch of side characters, all of whom could have bee cardboard-made and just made to support the MCs, I found their stories and their personalities well portrayed and with lives of their own. The only...more

5 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Jasmine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, ya

Reasons I loved The Reece Malcolm List:

1. Devan! The heroine is smart and funny, but also a little lost and confused, and I loved watching her figure a few things out about herself and her life and others.

2. Reece Malcolm! Oh Reece, she is so mysterious and difficult and generous and cranky and aMAzing.

3. Reece and Devan! I love their relationship and the way they figure things out and how to be a mother and daughter (and how not to be), and how scared they are of each other.

4. Brad! Reece's boy...more

4 likes · like · see review

Feb 18, 2013 tonya. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, contemporary, arcs, favorites-of-2013, laughs, swoons, ya

Things I know About The Reece Malcolm List:

1) It will make you laugh.
2) If you are at all into musical theatre, it will make you sing. If you’re not into it, it’ll probably give you the urge to check it out.
3) It will make you want to go to LA (even if you live in Southern California, and hate the traffic, like me).
4) It will make you a little giddy.
5) It will make you cry. (But mostly in the happy way.)

This might be my favorite read of 2013, so far. I went in with zero expectations, but finishe...more

9 likes · like · see review

Feb 03, 2013 Trish Doller rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-enough-stars

I read this in draft form and you guys, it's SO good. I can't wait to see it on shelves and re-read the finished version.

Added 2/3/13: This book gets SO many things right.

6 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Trisha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: grief-loss, music, romance, ya-literature

I was totally caught up in Devan's quest to learn anything and everything about her mysterious mother, Reece Malcolm.

Devan is a very quiet, solitary girl, and her move to LA to live with Reece Malcolm is written with much affection and dry wit. Her love of and talent for singing provides readers with a glimpse into the lives of teenagers who love show choirs, musical theatre and performance. I liked Devan's mish mash of friends and her acceptance into this tight group.

Devan and Reece Malcolm's r...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 23, 2013 Mandee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Mandee by: Maggie

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, ya-lit, realistic-fiction, 2013-release, february-2013-release, received-via-book-swap, i-have-a-copy, usa, review-on-the-blog, favourites, singing-and-dancing

The Reece Malcolm List is the debut novel of Amy Spalding, and is set in L.A. Devan Mitchell grew up with her father and step-mother in Missouri. Her father died three months ago and she’s been flown to L.A to move in with the mother she’s never met, Reece Malcolm, who lives in Burbank with her English boyfriend, Brad. Devan has started a list of things she knows about her mother and continues to add to it as she slowly gets to know her.

I really felt for Devan as she grew up with a father who ra...more The Reece Malcolm List is the debut novel of Amy Spalding, and is set in L.A. Devan Mitchell grew up with her father and step-mother in Missouri. Her father died three months ago and she’s been flown to L.A to move in with the mother she’s never met, Reece Malcolm, who lives in Burbank with her English boyfriend, Brad. Devan has started a list of things she knows about her mother and continues to add to it as she slowly gets to know her.

I really felt for Devan as she grew up with a father who rarely talked to her or paid her any attention, and a step-mother who openly despised her. She was never even told who her mother was which I found shocking, and sad. Devan pieces together the facts surrounding her birth and starts writing The Reece Malcolm List. Devan also loves singing, choir, and theatre and that was a big part of this book. I loved the descriptions of daily life at her new performing arts school, and the relationships between her new group of friends.

I found Reece to be such an odd character at first. She’s so detached and offers Devan no explanation as to her absence, and she was quite insensitive, but completely believable. I adored her boyfriend, Brad, he balanced out Reece perfectly.

Usually I find characters who purposefully lie or don’t communicate annoying but in this case I felt it suited the story and was true to the personalities of the characters. Devan is quiet and keeps a lot of thoughts and feelings to herself but I felt that was natural for a girl who grew up with parents like hers. And Reece is so abrasive that she must be used to pushing people away and not really noticing, or caring.

I thought the ending was perfect, there was closure regarding the main hurdle for Devan, but it wasn't tied up too forcefully or unrealistically. The character development was so well done, I was really impressed with the changes in the personalities and the communication that finally occurred.

A bonus for me was the setting as this time next month I will have spent a week in L.A. I loved the mentions of the places that Devan visits so I made a list and hope to visit some myself.

To sum it up The Reece Malcolm List is fun and heartfelt. It manages to tackle family issues and friendships with a playful background of singing and choreographed dancing.(less)

5 likes · like · see review

Dec 22, 2012 elyse rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, girlie, grrrlie, young-adult

First of all, in complete truthiness, I do know the author and think Ms. Amy is a fabulous and wonderful person but that is NOT why she gets 5 stars for this wonderful novel!

Devan Mitchell's father died 3 months ago and now she is on her way from Misouri to Los Angeles to live with her mother, the bestselling novelist Reece Malcolm, whom she knows nothing about except for a few tiny details. Devan collects facts for her "Reece Malcolm List" as she moves into her mother's house and life. Things a...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 29, 2013 Nomes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, crushing-on-the-writing, faves-of-2013, i-own, quietly-awesome, rainy-day-comfort-reads, you-make-me-smile, kindle

This was refreshingly addictive with a great vibe.

Mostly, I loved Devan's voice in this. She was so fun to read. This contemporary YA has moving to a new school , getting to know (or not) an estranged mum, a huge musical element (I don't even like musicals-- well, I sometimes like the stories, I just don't like the bits where the people sing, haha--, but I loved this book).

This was fun and breezy with some high emotional moments to give it some depth. Very much looking forward to Amy Spalding'...more

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 03, 2013 Barbara ~*Lindt Ninja*~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, ya, netgalley, arc

If you’re a fan of Fame, Glee or Smash; if you consider yourself a theater, choir or musical geek, nerd or freak or if you’ve got season passes to any Broadway theater, you’ll love this. If you’re like me, and are none of the above, guess what? You’ll love this too. Anyone who’s interested in a YA contemporary with characters that are so real you feel like you can pick up the phone and call them will love this smart heart-tugging story.

With a few swipes of a pen and some paperwork, Devan Mitchel...more If you’re a fan of Fame, Glee or Smash; if you consider yourself a theater, choir or musical geek, nerd or freak or if you’ve got season passes to any Broadway theater, you’ll love this. If you’re like me, and are none of the above, guess what? You’ll love this too. Anyone who’s interested in a YA contemporary with characters that are so real you feel like you can pick up the phone and call them will love this smart heart-tugging story.

With a few swipes of a pen and some paperwork, Devan Mitchell finds herself on a plane heading to Los Angeles following the sudden death of her father. Her biological mother has claimed her, albeit sixteen years too late as far as Devan is concerned. Her mom is the wildly successful author Reece Malcolm and all she knows about her are a handful of basic facts she was able to wring out of the internet. Any hopes for a warm and fuzzy relationship with her mom vanish when they meet – Reece is not the maternal type. She’s brusque, impolite and would rather throw money at Devan than really deal with her. The one bright spot for her is the fabulous school she gets into that specializes in performing arts. Singing and performing are the things she does well and when she gets to school and is selected to join the best classes, she feels at home.

I loved Devan, in part because she felt so authentic. Her life was obviously a little extraordinary, but her reactions to things were what I could see many people doing. I loved how she handled school, her insecurities about being the new kid and not really knowing her shifting place in the group of Chorus kids. She knew the boy she was sort of hung up on was with someone else but that didn’t mean she wasn’t attracted to other people, she moved on and it was convincing. The romantic plot was there, but it wasn’t everything or even the main part of the story. Her relationship with her mom was probably my favorite part of the story. She didn’t try to pretend anything with her was better than it was, and she kept up with her list, using it like a diary when they have a moment that leaves an impression. Their outings, arguments, stiff little conversations and attempts to get close to each other were fantastic.

Reece is a horrible mom, which makes her a great character. Actually, Reece is a pretty prickly, hard to decipher woman, which makes her character strong enough to balance the big school musical half of the story. Her friends and loved ones tolerate her, and she knows it. There’s something about her that makes it worth it, and as I kept reading, she started to work some kind of magic on me and against my will, I started to like her. She wasn’t a perfect person by any means, but she had believable character growth and setbacks through the book.
Devan’s friends at school are a very big part of the story, bringing all of the musical and choir elements in naturally. I loved that the author didn’t make them too over-the-top, but still gave them strong personalities with complicated relationships and messy reactions when the dynamics of the group changed. I was never into the Drama, Choir or Music club stuff, but I knew people who were and everything about this part of the story rang one hundred percent true to me.

If there were any weak areas for me, they were minor and didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the story. Devan was a little too perfect at singing and slid into her place with the musical a little too easily. There were a lot of ups and downs with relationships, which I didn’t mind at all since it was very normal for teenagers who hang out together. I didn’t particularly like Devan’s big crush Sai though. I didn’t feel like I knew him that well or how he felt about Devan. He seemed like kind of a player, to be honest.

Theater and music geeks will adore this, I guarantee it. It’s been ages since I’ve been around an empty auditorium for my required classes there, but reading this, I could almost smell the well-scarred stage and paint from the props for an upcoming show. Devan is a wonderful narrator, honest and sensitive and her continuing list about her mom is one of the highlights of the book. This is another one that’s going on one of my “top” lists for the year.

Review copy courtesy of Netgalley and Entangled Teen(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 05, 2013 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, yabc-reviews

That moment when you're super curious about a book but have pretty much no expectations, and it turns out to be completely awesome. I am living this moment. The Reece Malcolm List caught my eye with it's kooky cover and blurb, but I really knew nothing about it. Turns out The Reece Malcolm List is a deliciously funny and honest book about family, boys, and musical theater.

Reece Malcolm is Devan's Mitchell's mother, and this, along with four other facts, equals the sum total of Devan's knowledge...more That moment when you're super curious about a book but have pretty much no expectations, and it turns out to be completely awesome. I am living this moment. The Reece Malcolm List caught my eye with it's kooky cover and blurb, but I really knew nothing about it. Turns out The Reece Malcolm List is a deliciously funny and honest book about family, boys, and musical theater.

Reece Malcolm is Devan's Mitchell's mother, and this, along with four other facts, equals the sum total of Devan's knowledge about Reece. After her father's death, Reece's lawyer picks Devan up in St. Louis and flies with her to L.A., her new home. Every chapter opens with a continuation of Devan's list of things she knows about her introverted, prickly mother. Their relationship forms the core of the story, much more important than the romance or Devan's calling to perform in musicals.

Reece definitely probably will not be winning any mother of the year awards, but I really love her character. She does not act remotely like the stereotypical mom (either in the neglectful or involved sense), but, through her gruff exterior, you can see her attempts at affection. Being of an emotionally clumsy, somewhat taciturn disposition myself, I totally get Reece. She's a very permissive parent, allowing Reece to go out and do pretty much whatever she wants, but very much a present one, as is Reece's live-in boyfriend Brad. They have a lot of family dinners and shopping excursions, and she always knows what's going on in Devan's life. Plus, Reece probably wouldn't do anything too objectionable anyway, so really deserves to be trusted with that freedom. I also love the fights that they have, because they were very much true to life, full of intentionally brutal comments that later result in regret.

Devan, too, delights me and, other than being somewhat reserved and highly talented, is very much unlike Reece. Except when it comes to music and acting, Devan worries and constantly apologizes for things. She bottles up her emotions, polite to everyone even when they're rude, until she explodes and delivers a tirade. Devan's narrative voice includes a lot of humor, teen angst, and passion. She also just feels a hundred percent like a real teenager.

All of the other characters are fantastic too, even some of the lesser characters like Mira receiving some real consideration. What I love best about this book is how honestly teen it feels. The relationship drama, while full of angst and a huge portion of Devan's mental lanscape, does not come off as the most important aspect of her life. As much as she stresses thinks about boys, she does not act like her life will be ruined without a boy or like she's in true love forever. Plus, all of the relationships in here feel so real, awkward, ill-defined, and messy. Despite that, Devan's narration definitely keeps the book on the happier end of the contemporary scale, because her love of theater helps her maintain balance and perspective.

My only slight reservation deals with the writing style, which for the most part I love. The storytelling sounds completely like Reece, and really helps throw you into her head, so that is fantastic. The only questionable element is the use of strikethroughs to express Devan's confusion about her emotions. They are a bit too cutesy, and I really think Spalding got Devan's emotional state across perfectly well without that.

Amy Spalding's debut sparkles with wit and characterization, and I highly recommend it! I will definitely be reading whatever she happens to write next, and really wouldn't mind if it were more books about Devan. ;)(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Sep 26, 2012 Alycia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: entangled, contemporary, favorites, books-i-worked-on

All I can say is that this book is fabulous. Great voice, fun characters, and boys with awesome hair. It has a little bit of something for everyone. I LOVED it (and so did Sara Zarr, Courtney Summers, Miranda Kenneally, etc).

Here are some of the AMAZING blurbs REECE has gotten:

“Moving and funny—a terrifically satisfying read.”
—Sara Zarr, author of How to Save a Life

"Funny and poignant, this lively book totally charmed us."
—Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, authors of Spoiled and Messy

"Brilliant...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 11, 2013 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

A beautiful story about a mother and a daughter. The main character, Devan, is sent to live with her mom after her dad dies. Her mom is someone she has never met and really has no idea what she is getting into. Together, the two of them forge a bond and really become a family. Its a sweet story. I love all the musical theatre references. While there is love, this story isn't a love story. Its about a teenaged girl forming a bond with the mother she never knew. And it is really well done. 5 Stars...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 28, 2013 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

This book is written for a very specific audience-super nerdy drama kids. Since I was one of those, I loved it. There is a really cute story of coming of age and figuring out who your parents are (even when they disappoint you), especially as people separate from their role as parents. There is also plenty of non theatre related drama. Anyone who has been a part of the process of putting on a play and has been completely immersed in that theatrical world will love this.

Drama geeks are a very sp...more

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May 09, 2013 Winna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

It is really really hard to write, and to find, an excellent YA book. But Amy Spalding's done it, spot on, on her debut novel.

I love everything about it. It's a fun ride with quirky characters, all of which so deep, 3D and real. I was hooked from the very first page, and especially love Devan as a reliable narrator. Sure, she's sometimes timid, selfish, and her snooping around is annoying, as well as some of her inner thoughts, but she's realistic. She's got flaws as much as she's strong and won...more

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May 05, 2013 K rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, pb-wishlist

I started this on a lazy morning and right away wanted to laze away the rest of the day to finish it. I ended up sacrificing sleep, and that’s a big deal in my world.

I wasn’t too excited at first. The cover is a little blah and I figured Reece Malcom was a boy. I don’t usually go for a book about a girl chronicling the attributes of a boy. But, alas, I’m a sucker for good ratings. Reece Malcom—always both names—it turns out, is Devan’s mother. Devan just lost her father and no one was delusional...more I started this on a lazy morning and right away wanted to laze away the rest of the day to finish it. I ended up sacrificing sleep, and that’s a big deal in my world.

I wasn’t too excited at first. The cover is a little blah and I figured Reece Malcom was a boy. I don’t usually go for a book about a girl chronicling the attributes of a boy. But, alas, I’m a sucker for good ratings. Reece Malcom—always both names—it turns out, is Devan’s mother. Devan just lost her father and no one was delusional enough to think that her step mother would want to keep her. But Devan’s never met her mother. In fact, she made an educated guess that she was the daughter of award-winning author Reece Malcom. She just happened to be right. The list from the title is the list of facts she manages to gather about the mysteriously ungoogleable Reece Malcom, things like where she went to school and her bestseller stats. That’s all the prep Devan gets when she leaves St Louis for LA to live with her mother.

Devan’s not necessarily out of her element, though. After years of living with people who weren’t too interested in what she was doing, she figures she can keep her head down and continue to work on her singing. She mentions her love of musical theater to her mother and is immediately enrolled in a great performing arts high school. So while Reece Malcom—who is *not* all hugs and apologies for being completely absent from her daughter’s life—continues to be a mystery, Devan spends her time with kids who are as serious about theater as she is. She steps lightly at home and adds things to her Reece Malcom list and begins to settle into her new city. But occasional shopping trips and dinners out filled with topical conversation can only go on for so long. Devan begins to snoop around the house in the hopes of learning more about the woman who is now her only family. Reece Malcom may not be interested in Devan, but Devan still has a lot of questions. And, if she’s being honest, a lot of pissed off feelings.

I thought this was a great story. The characters and relationships read very real and I felt for a number of these people. Devan’s new life might seem like a pretty good turn of events considering, but it’s very much on shaky ground. She and her mother have to figure out how to be a new type of family and deal with seventeen years worth of questions and issues. I wanted answers to these questions as much as Devan did.

I love this feel of genuine characters and complications that makes a story feel like a slice of real life. Granted, the almost fairy tale quality of Devan’s new life is story enough but the confusion and hurt feelings are what make me feel for her. I was invested throughout her story and wanted everything to work out. (less)

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Apr 23, 2013 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Devan knows very little about her birth mother. At sixteen, she has never met her and her father never spoke of her. By chance, Devan reads a book by Reece Malcom and notices the dedication at the front to Devan. She pieces it together and determines that Reece is her mother. When Devan's father is suddenly killed, she is sent to live with Reece Malcom, the mother she has never known. Devan isn't sure what to expect, and her initial hopes of a joyous, tearful reunion are dashed. Instead Devan an...more

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 18, 2013 Vanessa Gao rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally from my blog: http://just-sitting-thar.blogspot.com...

Again, not a surprise, I read this book while I was traveling in India. (Just for the record, I read a total of four books while I was there: the Silver Linings Playbook, the Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, this book, and a re-read of Anna and the French Kiss.)

This book was an okay read, given that I was on vacation. It's a typical vacation-y read, very relaxing, sort of a no-brainer, easy to follow (and, sorry, Spa...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Jade Walker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemp, rated-b, ng-edelweiss

This book is the dictionary definition of a cushy, cute YA read - not much of a plot, more focused on character and relationship development and I really enjoyed it. This book came along at the perfect time for me, since I had been reading all these really heavy paranormal and dystopian books that are coming out later in the year and I needed something to lighten the tone a little bit and this book did just that.

Devan was a fantastic main character and I really enjoyed reading about her but the...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Brie C. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Source: A review copy was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

I decided to read this book because it seemed to center around a mother-daughter relationship, a premise I found compelling. It certainly delivered more than I expected, and although there are plenty of clichés in the story, it was actually quite refreshing.

Devan has lived in the Midwest with her father and her stepmother her whole life. She’s never met her mother, and until recent...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Source: A review copy was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

I decided to read this book because it seemed to center around a mother-daughter relationship, a premise I found compelling. It certainly delivered more than I expected, and although there are plenty of clichés in the story, it was actually quite refreshing.

Devan has lived in the Midwest with her father and her stepmother her whole life. She’s never met her mother, and until recently she didn’t even know who her mother was. But one serendipitous day she came across a book by famous author Reece Malcolm, a book that was dedicated to her. So after some digging, she finally knew who her mother was, and she even managed to make a short list of all the things she was able to find out about Reece, minor things like where she went to college or how she likes her coffee. But when Devan’s dad dies she has to go live with her mystery of a mother in L.A. and her life suddenly becomes a huge question mark.

Reece and Devan are wary of each other, which makes their interactions awkward and at times even hurtful. But life in L.A. isn’t as awful as expected, and even her hipster new high school is filled with surprisingly welcoming people. There, she finds shelter in musical theater as well as in her new classmates, and she even develops a serious crush on the cute but unattainable guy. However, figuring out Reece Malcolm is what truly drives her days, because by doing so, maybe Devan will be able to figure out her place in life.

This book was engaging, entertaining and full of heart. It has all the potential to be a melodramatic mess, yet Devan and Reece are as far from melodramatic as it gets.

Devan is in a bit of a shock and too afraid to upset the fragile balance in her life, which makes her shy away from confrontations and questions that are more than necessary. Communication is something she has to learn how to do, but in the meantime she’s not throwing temper tantrums.

Reece, on the other hand, is just plain awkward and doesn’t know what to do with Devan. We never get her point of view, yet what we see through Devan’s eyes, paints a clear picture of the most interesting and complex character in the book. This is a woman who left her baby and (apparently) never looked back (due to spoilerish circumstances that make sense). She’s selfish and hurts people without realizing it, but I never dislike her, and she is never a villain. She’s inherently good, but deeply flawed, and I think she would make a fantastic Romance heroine.

Once Devan goes to school, she meets a diverse set of characters (including the token potential gay best friend). One of them is a boy she falls for, but who doesn’t seem to like her that way, so instead of dying of unrequited love, she allows herself to be with someone else and enjoy herself. It smells of love triangle and it’s obvious that the unattainable boy is really into her, but by not being together they get to know each other as friends first and the angst levels in their relationship are quite low. But even better was reading about a girl who knew and respected herself, and demanded the same respect from others.

The book isn’t perfect, though. As much as I liked Devan, I found her too passive and unnaturally well-behaved. Her apparent perfection was grating, because it felt like there was a lot of effort put into making her likeable, and not enough effort put into making her real. But she sets the tone of the story, and it’s so different and refreshing that’s impossible to feel too annoyed. Not to mention that her character brings balance to the dynamic in her relationship with Reece.

The Reece Malcolm List is undeniably YA, and a very sweet one at that. There are some dark themes in the book, but it’s an uplifting, happy read. Devan is a teenager and her voice matches what one would expect from a teen, so it might put some non-YA readers off, but it’s not a dumbed down narration; it’s honest.

I highly recommend it, especially to those who enjoy the genre. (less)

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Feb 12, 2013 Aliaa El-Nashar rated it 3 of 5 stars

The idea of a girl forming a list to find out more about her long lost mother had me hooked from the start. It sounded very interesting, and well the cover helped as well obviously, it was very beautiful.

Devan only found out about her mother by accident a year ago, then a few months later her father dies and she's shipped to live with her. Devan has no idea how she should act around her mother, what to say or what to do, so she remains polite and at times works on being invisible, that is, when...more The idea of a girl forming a list to find out more about her long lost mother had me hooked from the start. It sounded very interesting, and well the cover helped as well obviously, it was very beautiful.

Devan only found out about her mother by accident a year ago, then a few months later her father dies and she's shipped to live with her. Devan has no idea how she should act around her mother, what to say or what to do, so she remains polite and at times works on being invisible, that is, when she's not looking all over for clues as to who her mother really is. It doesn't help that her mother won't talk much or that she couldn't have come in a worst timing as her boyfriend had just moved in. Devan is always scared of the idea of being sent away that she never talks about what's going on with her to anyone, she bottles it up and attempts to get well with Reece. She also has a great time at school. Making new friends was never easy before, but now she has a group of them and gets to do the one thing she loves more than anything: Sing. But how long can she keep up the good behavior? How long can she keep a strong face with all the drama and guy trouble ensuing? How long does it take for all of the events of the past few months to finally break her down?

I really enjoyed the premise of the book. It was a new twist to the whole 'child finding long-lost parent' idea, though I had hoped it would end up being better than this. Devan is one of those unique characters because she doesn't actually act out. She was abandoned by her real mother, ignored by her father and treated horribly by her step-mom, she has grounds to be upset and act out. However, she's overly polite, keeping everything in and unable to talk to anyone about the goings on in her life. Her only let out is music, which she relishes in. The group of people she gets to meet at school are branched out I guess. The idea of her and Elijah was a bit ridiculous in my opinion, I didn't get it. On the other hand, Sai wasn't any good either, sometimes I just wanted to punch him for his stupidity. To be honest only Mira and Trevor seemed realistic and believable enough in my opinion. You can't just go to a new school and have best friends straight away, Trevor in a way was going with self-preservation, and Mira was obviously allowed to be wary of the new kid who seems to be surprised that everyone thinks she's really good at singing - when it's obvious she knows it too.

I didn't like the dialogues so much and the character development in my opinion was a bit lacking. I guess as a sixteen year old Devan would have a few words she'd use involuntarily, however the repeated use of 'like' and 'totally' started to annoy me. I mean, sure it could have been on purpose since Reece had used them occasionally to mock Devan, but still, it made her sound very stupid. I had also hoped for more out of her confrontation with Reece. After all, when you read a book about a child that was given up years ago and finds her real mother, you're always on the lookout for when the kid finally breaks down and asks why they were given up, what happened, at some point the curiosity would win out. I thought that part could use a little more work. Reece as a character was complicated, I get that, but the scenes with them together could have used some work. The ending didn't feel the least bit heartfelt or emotional enough especially with all the awful things that had happened to Devan. I had so many high expectations but was sadly disappointed in the end.

The writing is very flowing and it is a very quick read, yet being inside Devan's head the whole time wasn't such a fun experience. At times she would get annoying since she was repetitive and didn't react normally to many things.

All in all, a fun, quick read. Just not one of my absolute favorites.

Rating: 2.5/5(less)

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Feb 06, 2013 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: y-a

I'd say this was one of the sweetest stories I've read in awhile.

It's a heart-breaking story about a girl trying to learn about the woman who gave birth to her then gave her up. I'm adopted so this touched the self-conscious teenage girl I had been. I was never curious about my biological family though they became an escape when teenage angst got the better of the relationship between my mom & I. So watching Devan struggle with all the changes in her life...was poignant.

It's not a romance....more

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Feb 02, 2013 Jen Ryland added it

Shelves: netgalley, debut-challenge-2013

Devan's whole life turns upside down when her dad dies and she's whisked off to California to live with her biological mother, Reece Malcolm. Suddenly, Devan's living her dream -- attending a top performing arts school, auditioning for show choir and the school musical and being taken on shopping sprees by Reece, a bestselling author.

But Reece is kind of a private person -- a recluse, really. Devan starts spying on her to find out what makes her tick, and making The Reece Malcolm List: things sh...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Lydia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: family, romance, teen

Characters: At first I liked Devan because her passion for musical theatre and her mission to get to know her mother made her interesting, and she made some smart observations. However, she seemed too perfect - Devan is such an amazing singer and so fashionable, and pretty much every character reiterates this multiple times throughout the book. Her mother, Reece, was interesting because she was really not a stereotypical mother and she had certain quirks - though Devan can't seem to accept her t...more Characters: At first I liked Devan because her passion for musical theatre and her mission to get to know her mother made her interesting, and she made some smart observations. However, she seemed too perfect - Devan is such an amazing singer and so fashionable, and pretty much every character reiterates this multiple times throughout the book. Her mother, Reece, was interesting because she was really not a stereotypical mother and she had certain quirks - though Devan can't seem to accept her the way she is despite expecting Reece to accept her. Reece's boyfriend Brad is funny and nice and also a little too perfect. Her new friends seem like token characters apart from Sai, who at least has some depth, and Mira, the supposedly 'mean' girl who was actually the only one of Devan's new friend group who actually had some personality. I wasn't invested in Devan and the only characters I actually liked were Reece and Mira.

Plot: I thought this book had so much potential, but it just didn't deliver. After her father's death, Devan has to move to LA to live with her mother, who she has never met. She starts writing a list of everything she learns about her mother Reece Malcolm, and most of them seem to be negative things because she isn't the way Devan wants her to be (view spoiler). Despite the title's suggestion that the relationship between Devan and Reece is the story's focus, apart from a few half-hearted attempts snooping through Reece's bedroom and e-mail and never actually asking Reece anything, the story is taken over by Devan's experiences at her new stage school. Devan gets the female lead in the musical (of course), and spends her time angsting over kissing Elijah and having a crush on Sai. The use of strikethroughs showing her confusion over her emotions was somewhat irritating. The story gets monotonous with dinners with Reece and Brad and choir classes and Elijah-vs-Sai. There were maybe a few subtle special moments but they were far too rare to redeem it for me. I was expecting something big to happen as implied in the blurb, but sadly the ending was more of a fizzle. I finally finished the book with mingled relief and disappointment at the lack of any spark.

Other comments: I really wanted to like this book, but I had a really hard time finishing it. It's very typically high school with a typical ending, so I would recommend it if you like that and musical theatre.(less)

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Feb 13, 2013 oliviasbooks rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, ya-contemporary, problem-focused, high-expectations, debut, e-version, the-mother-daughter-thing, cry-a-little, favorites-of-2013, love-story-romance, love-triangle, wring-her-neck, read-2013, a-z-challenge-2013

4.5 stars. Maybe I'll lower my rating later. At the moment I rather feel emotional. I simply dig that mother-daughter-stuff.

By the way: I'd like to know: What's up with Americans (in fiction?) and their love for musical theatre? I think I only know "Cats", "Les Miserables" and "Phantom of the Opera" (or are these from London?), but I can only recognize melodies from the meow-one. And if our schools have a choir at all, it's a noteworthy thing. But four choirs or more? Unreal.

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Feb 05, 2013 Shana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Contemporary teen books can be frustrating, because the world depicted in them is always so much more HIGH SCHOOL than real life. Not so with the Reece Malcolm List, despite the fact that the characters attend a performing arts high school. The main character, Devan, is a surprisingly normal teenager with all the normal types of hangups and anxieties that you'd expect to find in a teenage girl. She isn't the popular cheerleader, but she's also not the total recluse.

This book was really refreshi...more

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About Amy Spalding

Amy Spalding grew up in St. Louis, but now lives in the better weather of Los Angeles. She received a B.A. in Advertising & Marketing Communications from Webster University, and currently works as the Digital Media Planner for an independent film advertising agency. Amy studied longform improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, and can be seen performing around L.A. Her debut novel, THE...more

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“You think you know how you'll react to anything and then a boy shows up and kisses you, and some of that just vanishes.” — 4 people liked it

“He’s wearing a totally normal T-shirt from the mall or whatever, but it hangs on him like the shirt has fulfilled its sole mission in life.” — 4 people liked it

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