The Disenchantments in Sophomore Reading Challenge

Jun 27, 2011 Alexa rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, arc, early-reviewers, 2011-reads, out-2012

My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

3.5 stars

I felt pretty disconnected at times with The Disenchantments. I love reading from the male POV, and even though I rooted for Colby, he didn't do much for me. Colby's in love with his best friend Bev, and for most of the book, I had a hard time understanding why. Bev was distant and didn't seem to care about Colby's feelings. I just couldn't get myself to like her. Eventually, Bev explained why she had been acting that way. And I got it. ...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Princess Bookie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read2011

My Thoughts: Well, when I first read this description for some reason I thought Colby was a girl. No clue why. Maybe because it talked about an all girls band, I just assumed it was a girl.

Thankfully it wasn't because I like having guys in my story! This novel starts out with Colby (who is a boy lol) hitting the roads with his best friend Bev to go on The Disenchantments tour. This is the name of her band. This book takes course over a week. After the week, the original plan was they were going My Thoughts: Well, when I first read this description for some reason I thought Colby was a girl. No clue why. Maybe because it talked about an all girls band, I just assumed it was a girl.

Thankfully it wasn't because I like having guys in my story! This novel starts out with Colby (who is a boy lol) hitting the roads with his best friend Bev to go on The Disenchantments tour. This is the name of her band. This book takes course over a week. After the week, the original plan was they were going to go to Europe and take a year off college. They were going to explore and do the whole independent thing without parents, rules, and real goals.

This book is so full of art, music, and just plain old fun. The two have been saving to go to Europe for forever and once Bev reveals she isn't going and instead is going to college, Colby is left high and dry since he applied nowhere and has no job prospects. She has ruined his life, at least for a year!

Honestly, I fell right for Colby and didn't like Bev. I never really liked her. I felt like she thought she was better and had stuck up her nose at almost everybody and anybody while Colby is laid back and has a good head on his shoulders.

I loved all the motels they stayed out, all the traveling they did, and all the art/music thrown throughout the story.

The Disenchantments was such a fun and thoughtful book. LaCour really knows how to tell a story and she was so insightful. I also liked Jasper and all the weird people we met throughout the novel. Each one had his own story we could just tell.

I loved Colby!!!!

Overall: I really loved it! Every minute of it. I loved Colby's family. I loved his understanding of things. I loved the side characters. I really liked Meg. I liked all the music and art we got to experience. The Disenchantments was a wonderful novel!

Cover: It's ok but I don't really think it fits the story. It just isn't a great picture. Makes me think of more Hollywood than road trip.

What I'd Give It: 5/5 Cupcakes
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Review Based On Hardcover Edition

Taken From Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com ...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Andi (Andi's ABCs) rated it really liked it

Shelves: would-recommend

Opinion:
I loved loved loved this book! You know I had decided I wasn’t going to read it for a while. It was on my list of books to read but the cover kind of made me not want to rush into it. I mean I hadn’t heard much about it so I figured it wasn’t a big deal to wait. Well I was at the book store with a friend and had her choose between two books. Since she is a non-reader she had no clue what she was choosing and went soley by the bright, shiny colors on the cover. Since she picked it I said Opinion:
I loved loved loved this book! You know I had decided I wasn’t going to read it for a while. It was on my list of books to read but the cover kind of made me not want to rush into it. I mean I hadn’t heard much about it so I figured it wasn’t a big deal to wait. Well I was at the book store with a friend and had her choose between two books. Since she is a non-reader she had no clue what she was choosing and went soley by the bright, shiny colors on the cover. Since she picked it I said what the heck and moved it up on my to read list. Well I must thank her because the book was awesome and it had such a great story.

The book is about four teens, Colby, Bev, Meg and Alexa, as they make their way up the west coast to spots they booked for the band. Colby is the “roadie” and the other three girls are who make up the band The Disenchantments. Colby, Bev and Meg have all graduated from the arts high school they attended in San Fransico and are now getting ready for their next journey. Meg is going to college and Colby and Bev are planning to take a year off and hit up Europe. Not too far into the trip Bev, Colby’s best friend for years, drops a bombshell on him. She is going to college and bailing on their trip that they have been planning for 4 years. Feeling like the rug has been pulled out from under him Colby has no idea what he is going to do now. He had put everything in Bev and their trip and now he is lost. As they move from spot to spot meeting people from all different walks of life Colby slowly has a realization. Maybe it is time to stop talking and start doing.

I know, I know, you’re thinking, ‘Another road trip book??!! ARGH! You’ve read one you’ve read them all.’ I get it I do. I thought the same thing. But The Disenchantments is way more then a road trip book. Honestly I hardly noticed the road trip aspect of the story. Sure I knew they were going from place to place and seeing random things, but it was more then that. The book was about the people. It was about 4 teenagers figuring out what life after high school means, life without each other. It was about Colby realizing that Bev was always going to be there even if she wasn’t there and that he was capably of following his dreams, of doing instead of just saying. It was about Bev no longer running from the past and her feelings. It was about Meg starting a new chapter apart from her sister. It was about Alexa being the one left behind. It was about life and how it can be messy and awkward and panicky but those unexpected surprises are what makes it all worth it.

The book is told from Colby’s point of view and I have to say I am extremely grateful for that. I liked him right off the bat. He wore his heart on his sleeve and I loved that about him. He was thrown the biggest curveball by his best friend, the person he trusted more then anything in the world, and yet he kept going. He was tempted many times to throw in the towel and head home to figure out what was next but he kept going. He stuck around when Meg confided in him about a past problem she had; was there to encourage Alexa when her belief in fate was compromised; and he was there as Bev played games and strung him along all while knowing exactly how he felt about her. He was loyal to a fault and that made him special. I think if the book was told from say Bev’s POV I wouldn’t have liked it as much. She was selfish and wrapped up in her own world and that bugged me about her. She was redeemed at the end, but I don’t think I would have taken to this book the way I did if it wasn’t for Colby. Watching him grow and learn and figure out he could be on his own was a truly awe inspiring experience.

The Disenchantments was a book not about a road trip in the traditional sense of the word. It was more of a journey, a journey of self discovery and friendship and love. It is one of the best books I read this year and I hope you pick it up and feel the same way I did. Bravo Ms. LaCour. You have a new fan in me. ...more

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