May 2020 Book Notes: Natasja Eby

 I'm super excited to share these new finds with you today: "Knockout Girl" and Standup Guy" by Natasja Eby are truly good books. I've moved them into my top faves. I don't often win anything, but I've won two free books this month and "Knockout Girl" was one of them. I enjoyed it so much, I bought the sequel, "Standup Guy." Read on to check out my reviews for each of them on Goodreads.

 Book Review: Knockout Girl by Natasja Eby

 

Knockout Girl by Natasja Eby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! I won it in a giveaway which I entered because the blurb of the upcoming book caught my eye. I'm not into sports really, but I was able to relate to these characters. (I might be married and have teenagers of my own, but I remember my high school years well.)

First thing I noticed was the first person perspective of the story. It's told from the MC's point of view. I had gotten tired of this but I think it's because sometimes it comes across as somewhat stilted. I was so pleased to see a lively narration of the events that unfolded in the MC's life. The way that she overcomes her troubles, makes new friends, tries new things and stands up for what she believes in are so well done.

Speaking of well done, the characters in this story are beautifully crafted. The interaction between characters and dialog seemed to be spot-on to me. I couldn't wait to see what they'd do next or how they'd react to a new situation.

I enjoyed this book so much, I bought the second one in the series. (That review coming next!) I think what I liked more about this book than many other books geared toward teens is that it's an enjoyable, rich story while remaining a clean read. Pre-teens could read this book without parents having to worry. I can't stress how much I appreciate a rich story that doesn't rely on shock factor as its selling point. Knockout Girl is one of my new favorites. Well done, Natasaja Eby! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful story! 

Book Review: Standup Guy by Natasja Eby

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Standup Guy by Natasja Eby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great sequel! Natasja Eby continues the story she began in Knockout Girl and we hear the tale from two different points of view. Standup Guy is just as well done as Knockout Girl, the tale just as rich, while remaining a clean read. I don't always like sequels because I feel like they more often fall flat rather than adding something of value to a story. I'm so happy to say this sequel was more than worth my time. I've added it to my favorite books.

I was pleasantly surprised by the healthy, positive messages in both this book and the previous one. The strong heroine, supportive friends, people working through their problems and not giving up...it's all so well done! I absolutely will purchase the next book from this author. I'm looking forward to it so much!

If you enjoy teen stories, teamwork, strong characters, and drama that is neither over-done nor melodramatic, you should read both this book and Knockout Girl.

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 It isn't often you find a clean read with such rich storytelling. I highly recommend you read these, just to see how a "simple" tale of teenage life can turn into something you're totally invested in because the author is good at what she does. If I can write half this well, I think I will be OK. And I'm also wondering if Disney would pick this up and run with it. Or better yet, Netflix originals...or YouTube TV! I think a lot of people would enjoy seeing this story come to life.

Don't forget to come back Friday to check out the writing challenges I'll be tackling in May, along with a few of the daily responses. I doubt I'll tackle three again, but I'm definitely going to be working hard on things concerning book two that are not manuscript related. The chapter posting on Wattpad will continue. I thought I might halt that for a while because I need to make a ton of changes (POV isn't solid enough yet, plot needs a good bit of honing), but the basic storyline is probably enjoyable enough. I won't really know unless I get some feedback, though. Anyway, if you're following along, thanks for reading it! If not, but you're interested, please do check it out by visiting my home page and scrolling down to the Wattpad link for "Over Land & Under Stone."

Thanks so much for reading my blog. Your visit is appreciated so much!