Dream Things True | Marie MarquardtRelease Date: September 1st, 2015
Publisher: St.Martin's Griffin
Genre(s): Young Adult, Contemporary
Pages: 352
Edition: E-ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: DNF
A modern-day Romeo and Juliet story in which a wealthy Southern boy falls in love with an undocumented Mexican girl and together they face perils in their hostile Georgia town.
Evan, a soccer star and the nephew of a conservative Southern Senator, has never wanted for much -- except a functional family. Alma has lived in Georgia since she was two-years-old, excels in school, and has a large, warm Mexican family. Never mind their differences, the two fall in love, and they fall hard. But when ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) begins raids on their town, Alma knows that she needs to tell Evan her secret. There's too much at stake. But how to tell her country-club boyfriend that she’s an undocumented immigrant? That her whole family and most of her friends live in the country without permission. What follows is a beautiful, nuanced, well-paced exploration of the complications of immigration, young love, defying one’s family, and facing a tangled bureaucracy that threatens to completely upend two young lives.
Evan, a soccer star and the nephew of a conservative Southern Senator, has never wanted for much -- except a functional family. Alma has lived in Georgia since she was two-years-old, excels in school, and has a large, warm Mexican family. Never mind their differences, the two fall in love, and they fall hard. But when ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) begins raids on their town, Alma knows that she needs to tell Evan her secret. There's too much at stake. But how to tell her country-club boyfriend that she’s an undocumented immigrant? That her whole family and most of her friends live in the country without permission. What follows is a beautiful, nuanced, well-paced exploration of the complications of immigration, young love, defying one’s family, and facing a tangled bureaucracy that threatens to completely upend two young lives.
I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.
Dear Dream Things True,
After reading over your material, I Tika from the Baby Boppers Association, has decided to terminate your Young Adult license. You broke our world record for quickest DNF coming in at 4%, then again at 10. It pains me to let go of such potential, but as chairman of this very organization, I must cut out the bad weeds before they grow into ugly bushes. Or whatever weeds grow into. Do they grow? Okay anywho, as of September 12 2015, your termination will be put into effect IMMEDIATELY. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Tika @fangirlconfessions, or visit our website at www.babyboppersreassociation.com/questionsandconcerns.
SEE PAGE 2 FOR REASON(S) OF TERMINATION
(1) All Over The Place.
In your " How To Take Things Nice & Slow " pamphlet, page 35 column 2, was the first exercise learned at TBBA. A completion of atleast 85% was needed to remain in the program, unfortunately it is reported that you scored just below a 10%.
One of the biggest problems I had with DTT, was how nothing really made any sense. From just the first couple of pages, so much is being told with little to no explanation, causing the plot to jump around. It just felt like a hot mess. One minute your main character Alma is talking about not wanting to go to her local high school, to trying to convince her dad to send her with distant family in Atlanta, to kissing and fondling a " probably distant cousin or something, " to being sent off to Atlanta for being a fast ass with said distant-cousin-or-something, to being BACK in her hometown because she has to watch her baby cousins . . .
Surely you can see how this was way too much going on at once.
(2) Unrealistic
As you read in your license contract, here at TBBA we do NOT tolerate unrealistic-ness in our novels. It was as if you said, " Oh yeah, lets make Evan jump into a moving truck, stop it before it rolls into a busy street, then talk to Alma as if he's known her his entire life! " What a grand plan my dear! . . . NOT! This was actually one of the deciding factors in your termination, because come on, that was a bit ridiculous. What ever happened to the times where characters met each other NORMALLY? Like at the mall shopping, or at school, on the soccer team, at a Starbucks, Whole Foods, SOMETHING! If some stranger jumps into my car to save my life, I'm still kicking his behind out afterwards. I don't know you fool, but thanks!
(3) Unbearable Characters.
From the first chapter I knew I wasn't going to like Alma. She came across as a bit ungrateful, which truly rubbed me the wrong way. Evan just exuberates POMPOUS ASS. I could be wrong, but then again I never am.
Best Of Luck!
The Baby Boppers Association Head Bitch In Charge,
Tika.
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