{Review+Giveaway} A Blind Spot for Boys by @JustinaYChen

A Blind Spot for Boys by Justina Chen
Pages: 336
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on August 12, 2014
Genres: Caribbean & Latin America, Family, Love & Romance, Parents, People & Places, Young Adult
Source: eARC from Publisher

Shana has always had a blind spot for boys. Can she trust the one who's right in front of her?

Sixteen-year-old Shana Wilde is officially on a Boy Moratorium. After a devastating breakup, she decides it's time to end the plague of Mr. Wrong, Wrong, and More Wrong.

Enter Quattro, the undeniably cute lacrosse player who slams into Shana one morning in Seattle. Sparks don't just fly; they ignite. And so does Shana's interest. Right as she's about to rethink her ban on boys, she receives crushing news: Her dad is going blind. Quattro is quickly forgotten, and Shana and her parents vow to make the most of the time her father has left to see. So they travel to Machu Picchu, and as they begin their trek, they run into none other than Quattro himself. But even as the trip unites them, Quattro pulls away mysteriously... Love and loss, humor and heartbreak collide in this new novel from acclaimed author Justina Chen.

A Blind Spot for Boys is so much more than just a cute young adult contemporary romance. It is about finding yourself, and experiencing new things, and family, and relationships and really so much more. There is also a really cute romance. :p I felt like I was discovering the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu right along with all of the hikers in the story. The beauty in Justina Chen’s book is the writing. It was elegant and detailed. The story flowed along beautifully and I could vividly picture all of the scenes, even feel the horror of the mudslide.

Shana and Quattro have each experienced too much sadness for people their age. Quattro has lost his mother and Shana’s father is suddenly going blind. They are each on this journey, or dream walk hike to Machu Picchu for different reasons. Neither of them are looking for a relationship, and they ended up each finding each other, but for me that was secondary to the whole storyline. It really wasn’t but I still felt like there was a bigger message at play than just a romance. And I loved that about A Blind Spot for Boys.

I enjoyed how real the book felt. Justina Chen didn’t sugar coat things. When Shana’s dad first learns that he will lose his sight in 6 months, he does not take it well. In fact, he doesn’t take it well for most of the book. This might sounds weird, but I really appreciated that. Not that I wanted him to be unhappy and take it out on his family, but come on! I know I wouldn’t be all sunshine and roses if I found out something like that. I would be scared and grumpy and not pleasant. This book is about a different journey for each of the characters. It was a treat to see all of it. And Grace just stole my heart! I loved her!

A Blind Spot for boys is a powerful read. Shana is on the search for the kind of photos that will “crack your heart open” and that is really what this book is about. What will crack the hearts open of each of the characters. Plus it both made me yearn to go to Machu Picchu and at the same time, terrified to. It is such a beautiful place, and A Blind Spot for Boys was a beautiful story.

 

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