Friday 28 March 2014

Review: Another Little Piece of My Heart by Tracey Martin

Synopsis
18336825What if your devastating break-up became this summer's hit single? In this rock-and-roll retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, music can either bring you together or tear you apart. 

At her dying mother's request, Claire dumps Jared, the only boy she's ever loved. Left with a broken family and a broken heart, Claire is furious when she discovers that her biggest regret became Jared's big break. While Jared is captualed into rock-star status, another piece of Claire's heart crumbles every time his song plays on the radio. 

The summer after he senior year, it's been months since the big break-up, and Clair is just trying to keep her head down and make it through a tense trip to the beach with her family. But when Jared shows up, and old feelings reignite, can Claire and Jared let go of the past? Or will they be stuck singing the same old refrain?


Opinion
I am a huge fan of the classics and Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen book. So I had high expectations for this modern retelling. I was also a bit skeptical because a lot of retellings I read weren’t that good. But Another Piece of My Heart met all my expectations. And I did find it highly enjoyable to read.

The main character of this book, Claire, had an amazing voice. She was realistic, down to earth, sarcastic at times and very relatable. We all have once had a broken heart and we have all been persuaded in doing something at some point that we regretted later or at least that’s the case with me.  Throughout the book there are a lot of flashbacks at the moments Claire shared with her ex-boyfriend, now superstar Jared. That way we get a brief overview of how their relationship was. Claire says she’s completely over Jared but when she first meets him again after two years it becomes quickly clear that she’s fare from over him. Sure she hates him because he won a Grammy at her expanse but she still remembers the old Jared. And at times she catches a glimpse of that Jared.
Like Claire I could kick Jared’s ass at the beginning of the book. Why did he let Claire go that easily when he knew the reason why she broke up with him and why it was clear that she loved him? And to write a hateful song about her afterwards that is filled with lies? Someone would hate you for less. But at some point during the book my opinion on him changed. He’s still the same old Jared as before he got famous, he’s still nervous when people compliment him on his music but he now knows how to hide it better. And he learned from his mistakes, at least near the end he did. I also loved how the author showed how fame comes always with a price. Jared can’t write music for himself anymore, people have expectation that he has to fulfill or otherwise he will be just another one hit wonder. And people don’t look at you as a person anymore they look at you like you are an object they can own.

I loved Jared and Claire as a couple. Even when they still hated each other’s guts. It was just how they functioned around each other and how they could admit that the other one had some flaws that they had to overlook in order to be with each other.

The plot might not have stuck so closely to the original but I think that it was that what made this book so great.  After all the original was written in the 19th century and this one takes place in the 21st century. And if you try to follow the plot to closely the book might come across forced. I loved the twist the author gave to this book.


I would recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a quick and sweet YA romance book. 


Extra
Title: Another Little Piece of My Heart
Author: Tracey Martin 
Genre: Contemporary, YA
Publisher: Harlequin Teen 
Publication date: December 1st 2013
Pages: 304 (ebook) 

El





6 comments:

  1. I have not read Persuasion but this still looks like a good read. I always like a down to earth main character. I also have not read a decent YA romance book in a while so I will have to check this one out :)

    Thanks for sharing xx

    Alex @ The Shelf Diaries

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    1. It's a real sweet read. I hope you'll like it. :)
      Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. Adding it to my tbr list :)

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    1. I hope you like it as much as I did :D

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  3. I agree - I love this book so much!

    I have not read persuasion. Ahem.

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    1. I'm glad you loved it too!
      And Persuasion is great, you should give it a try :)
      Thanks for stopping by!

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