Keanu has my heart, but...

Many months ago, I wrote a post called, "You Need More Than A Fancy Title" as a critique to a feminist manifesto I read, and it is time to reiterate this critique for the realm of novels.

How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days

K.M. Jackson captured my attention with this title, partially because of the "How to" reference but mostly because of Keanu Reeves. The Matrix trilogy (the trailer for the fourth movie is out, so I guess it is no longer a trilogy) was one of the first series I got into with my dad, and while the premise was confusing for adolescent me, Keanu captured my heart.

Such was the case for Bethany Lu, Jackson's protagonist, who is shocked to the core by a tweet stating Keanu will soon tie the knot. Because of her love for Keanu, Lu drops everything to find Keanu and stop the wedding, dragging her friend True Erickson along with her.

This is usually the type of book I love to read while I am in school; it's fun, easy to follow, and you tend to know how it will end. All of this holds true for Jackson's novel, except for the writing...I found the writing to be choppy and unwelcoming. This is why you need more than a catchy title to capture your readers and send them on a wild, somewhat outrageous adventure! Readers want to love your books, and I would argue that very few people pick up a book and say, "I hope I hate this," but that does not mean we will allow our hopes to do the work for an author.

2 stars from me, sadly I do not recommend this book.

As always, I welcome everyone's thoughts and questions in comments below, or you can follow me on Instagram (@theopinionatedbookworm1).

Comments

Kamila Knows Best

One of the biggest regrets I had during 2021 was that I let my blog slip through the cracks...which is a pity, because I like to blog. Therefore, I have decided to write once more (hopefully more than once), because I want to talk about Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron. You may recognize Heron's name from her previous works: The Chai Factor and Accidentally Engaged. Both of these novels were well written, humorous, and heartwarming, but I loved them all the more because they are set in Canada and written by a Canadian. Kamila Knows Best stays true to all of these points. Set in Toronto, this adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma was faithful to the original while adding twists and turns that are accurate for a modern retelling. Kamila is an accountant who loves her father, friends, dog and career deeply, but all of these things means she is too busy for a serious relationship -- or so she claims. Kamila also fancies herself a matchmaker, and takes pride in the fact th...

Arc of a Scythe

The end of a trilogy can either be a very frustrating event, or a very melancholy feeling. If the ending is not what you hoped, it can feel disappointing to have invested so much time. However, if the ending is satisfying, as was the case for The Toll by Neal Shusterman, then leaving a series behind can be a concoction of emotions. The Toll The Arc of a Scythe trilogy came to a dramatic, thrilling, wonderful close in the final installment, and while I can say that I enjoyed it, I find it interesting how my interests seemed to change from the story of Citra and Rowan, to Greyson's story. I loved how complex the world got, and the ending was perfectly written, even though I still wanted more. 4 stars from this Bookworm! The only reason it was not a five is because I loved the second one. Second books are great because there is still a build up of tension, fantastic characters, and an ending that does not conclude the whole series and make me wish I could start all over again... Oh w...

The End of the Reading Rut

This reading rut I was in was a painful experience that unexpectedly came to an end when I picked up Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. I was taken on an unexpected journey, torn open while reading about the love story of Eva and Shane. Now that the story is over, I wish it had never ended. 7 days to fall in love, 15 to forget Fifteen years after Eva and Shane first fell in love, they meet again during a writers panel hosted by a mutual friend. Although they had not spoken to each other since their love ended, they were forever in each other's thoughts when writing their respective novels, a fact that only they were aware of. Even after so many years, their feelings are still electrifying, but one question remains, can they overcome the events of the past? Sometimes, reading a romance novel can seem formulaic, but this story broke every formula I have ever experienced in my literary adventures. Each chapter told me something about Eva and Shane that I genuinely did not expect. On...

The Literary Adventures of an Opinionated Bookworm

Search This Blog