REVIEW and GIVEAWAY
A Prom to Remember
by Sandy Hall
A Prom to Remember by Sandy Hall is currently on tour with Xpresso Book Tours. The tour stops here today for my review, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
Love it or hate it, you’ll never forget it. In this heart-warming novel, Swoon Reads star, Sandy Hall, explores a classic high school celebration, capturing every relatable and hilarious teen milestone along the way.
Cora: Dating Perfect Boyfriend Jamie. Has NO IDEA how to break up with him …
Paisley: Anti-prom. Somehow nominated her anxiety-ridden best friend for prom king …
Henry: Hates social situations. Invited to prom by the most popular girl in school. SEND HELP!
Otis: Half of one of the cutest couples in his class. Not quite ready for a post-prom hotel room …
Lizzie: Shy. Excited to go to prom. With a boy. Whose name she doesn’t know.
Cameron: Loner. Over high school. Just wants to meet the mysterious girl who’s been leaving him notes …
Jacinta: Unnamed Nerd Girl #3. Determined to become the star of her own life, starting with prom …
Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan’s young adult imprint Swoon Reads, A Prom to Remember, from Sandy Hall (author of A Little Something Different), is a funny and cinematic look at the biggest dance of every high schooler’s life.
Excerpt
Henry walked out of school with his backpack over his shoulder and his baseball glove in hand. He’d turned in the direction of the baseball field when he saw it.
The most terrible thing.
A promposal of epic proportions. This was no little moment in the hall that could be skirted around. This was happening in the front of the school at the end of the day.
He burned with the shame of second hand embarrassment as a girl asked a boy to the prom right there in the middle of the school lawn. In front of God and parents picking up freshmen and students exiting the building and EVERYONE.
He was never sure if what he experienced in these moments was an overload of empathy or an overload of sympathy. Whatever it was, it was nearly crushing him. He couldn’t move as he watched Margie Showalter hold up her hand-lettered and glittered sign that read: STEWART SMITH, WILL YOU GO TO PROM WITH ME?
She was smiling broadly and obviously trying to hold the sign steady in the breeze. Henry could see little flecks of glitter fluttering off into the air and blowing around. He imagined where those pieces of glitter might end up. A bird’s nest, someone’s unsuspecting ice cream cone, the sewer.
And then the worst thing happened. The absolutely worst thing imaginable.
Stewart Smith said no.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]
Praise for the Book
“Told from the perspectives of a diverse group of seniors, this romance explores first love, break-ups, promposals, and the anxiety and anticipation of an after-prom hotel room stay. Hall adeptly balances seven different voices without using stereotypical teen tropes. ... Twists and turns and the intertwining of stories will keep readers engaged. Highly recommended for all teen collections.” ~ School Library Journal
“The story was refreshing and sweet. There wasn’t the angst and drama of relationships but the very real feelings many have in their senior year about to go off. We got to see the lives of different characters play out and what they thought and felt leading up to prom and after. The characters were ones you just can’t help but love. Their friendships were precious and you can see how those friendships helped them and grounded them as well. Watching them figure themselves out and their feelings was engaging and sucks you in. A truly fun adorable book.” ~ hello-booklover
“Read this book for a light-hearted, fun, low-angst, quasi-drama-filled read that will leave you feeling all gooey and bubbly.” ~ Elley Murray
“This book felt like the prom version of the movie Love Actually. You read from the perspective of different characters and find out how they all intertwine on Prom night. A light, cute, fun read if you enjoy the YA contemporary genre.” ~ Erin C.
“A Prom to Remember is a quick read bursting with Hall’s trademark charm and wit, chock full of diverse, three-dimensional characters and solid relationships.” ~ K.A. Cozzo
My Review
By Lynda Dickson
The story is told from the points-of-view of seven different characters who are diverse in background, physical type, and sexuality. We follow Cora, Paisley, Jacinta, Cameron, Henry, Lizzie, and Otis as they navigate the weeks before prom. They deal with the usual teenage issues such as finding a date and the perfect outfit, but they also deal with deeper issues such as sexuality, anxiety, and step-families. Initially, it’s difficult to remember who’s who, and it’s hard to see how all the characters’ stories will intersect or why some of them are even relevant. But it all comes together in the end. And at least it’s told in the third person, so you can’t forget whose story you’re reading.
I love how Jacinta, who considers herself a bit-player in her own life, ends up bringing everyone together but also gets her own happy ending. Ironically, she also has the most mentions in the book, so I would consider her the main character. Strangely, this is the second young adult book in a row that I have read featuring platonic male-female relationships and bisexual teens (and I’ve only read two of the latter).
A light and fluffy feel-good read, perfect for the prom season.
Warnings: mild coarse language, underage drinking (but not drunkenness), LGBTQ themes, M/M sex talk (not explicit).
About the Author
Sandy Hall is the author of A Little Something Different, Signs Point to Yes, and Been Here All Along. She has a Master of Library and Information Science from Rutgers university. After spending several years as a teen librarian, she decided to try writing books instead of just reading them. It worked out pretty well. When she isn't writing, she enjoys Netflix marathons, Broadway shows, taking long scrolls through Tumblr, and living in New Jersey.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a print copy of A Prom to Remember by Sandy Hall (US/Canada only).
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