Blog Tour + Giveaway: The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

Title: The Promise of Amazing
Author: Robin Constantine
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: December 31, 2013
Source: Balzer + Bray as part of blog tour

Goodreads rating: 3.38 out of 5.00 (160+ ratings)
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Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

Review by Nara


True to its title, from the blurb, this book did indeed promise to be an amazing, "complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love." But was it actually amazing? In some aspects, it certainly was quite good- the romance was cute, the characters well developed, the "villain" creepy and weird and just what the heck was with that kid. However, while reading the book I felt that it wasn't particularly powerful or thought provoking like a lot of "amazing" contemporaries out there. That being said, it was still certainly a very entertaining and enjoyable read and most definitely worth a read.

It hadn't felt good or cleansing or like any of that psychobabble parents and teachers feed you about how the truth shall set you free. It felt like shit.

There were actually quite a few good moral issues touched on in the book- including trust, deception, whether passive participation in a crime is morally wrong- those sorts of things. However, the reason I say it wasn't as powerful as otherwise would have been expected was probably because the issues somehow didn't seem quite so realistic. I mean, it was entertaining enough to read, but difficult to apply to my own life. So I think this was really more of a personal thing, and perhaps others reading this book will find it very thought provoking.

Common sense told me things were progressing way, way too fast, but my heart was enjoying the ride too much. In over my head? More like drowning and loving it.

The romance in the book was certainly a very speedy one- but in the context of the book, it wasn't overly annoying, or what I would describe an "instalove". I suppose the romance was accelerated by the fact that Wren had literally saved Grayson's life- I guess that sort of debt is hard to forget. The interactions between Wren and Grayson were often quite hilarious and snarky, but towards the end of the novel I feel that the quality of the novel dropped slightly- there was just too much drama. I wanted to see some more normal scenes- like dates or conversations or whatever without some sort of unfortunate event occurring.

"Are you stalking me or something?" 

"Ha...Well, I'd rather think of it as strategically putting myself in your path so we can be friends...But if you want to call is stalking, okay."

A cute and enjoyable read, I'd recommend reading this if you like books with an intriguing and relateable main character and a sweet romance.

Liked it

Ratings
Overall: 8/10
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 4/5




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Check out the schedule for the rest of the tour here!