Friday, February 21, 2014

Blog Tour and Review: Just Like A Musical by Milena Veen



Title: Just Like A Musical
Author: Milena Veen
Release Date: 15th November 2013

Seventeen-year-old Ruby Fields has always lived by the rules set up by her foolishly overprotective mother. As a result, she doesn't go to school, she's never been kissed, and almost everything she knows about life is what she has learned from old movies.

But now...now there's this Joshua guy. He's quirky, and he's tall, and he uses “romantic” and “old-fashioned” in the same sentence.

And there's Mrs. Wheeler, an eccentric retired Hollywood costume designer and Ruby's new best friend.

When Mrs. Wheeler ends up in hospital, just after telling Ruby her long-kept secret, Ruby decides to break her mother's rules and embark on a journey that will change her life forever.

Find on Goodreads:

Buy Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Just-Like-Musical-Milena-Veen-ebook/dp/B00HBQUDKS

Detailed Review: This book greatly reminded me of The Fault in Our Stars. And if you have read this latest John Green book, you'll know what I mean.

Even though the book was quite a short read, I felt like I had read a book that was 500 pages long, because each word held the weight of so many words.

What stood out the most to me was the friendship between the main character, Ruby, and an old woman who used to work in Hollywood as a costume designer. A friendship may seem unlikely between the two characters, but if circumstances dictate it, it will happen. 

I present to you, the wonders and miracles of life. 

The characters were oh so beautiful. It's like a version of The Fault in Our Stars (please excuse this comparison, I simply can't help it), where Ruby is Hazel, Joshua is Gus and Mrs Wheeler is Peter Van Houten (but a more cheerful and caring one). It's like insta-love with these characters for me. They have their own trademarks like Ruby's heart problem, Joshua's Tourette's syndrome and Mrs Wheeler's rich but tragic past. If these don't interest you, I doubt anything ever will.

It was Ruby, who I loved most of all. Her hunger for freedom struck a chord in me, because who doesn't want freedom? I am 15, and I want freedom just like her. Freedom to go wherever I want, do whatever I want. It's so easy to relate with her in terms of this. It's also the fact that she's different from other people. She's unique in her own way and she shines the brightest in Just Like A Musical. Her musings about life are both deep and meaningful. She's right when she said 'Freedom lies inside you.' And when she says, 'Life – life was just like a musical. Sad and  beautiful at the same time.', all I could think was, 'This is a great finale to this musical.'

And if I have decided to compare The Fault in Our Stars with Just Like A Musical, it means so much. So much that even words can't convey how touching this book is. A sad but beautiful ending, funny characters, unique circumstances. What more could you want? 

With a satisfied heart, I end my journey in this book. *sigh*

Brief Review: Tragic, beautiful, funny, cute, unique. This is how I would describe Just Like A Musical. It's magnificent how Milena could write such a beautiful story using not just the power of words, but the power of strong emotions- which words can't describe that touch the reader's heart. This, is what makes this novel truly stand out from other books. 

Final Rating:
5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

Your Reviewer: 

About the Author
Milena Veen was born in Belgrade, Serbia. Her first piece of writing, a poem about a walking cherry, saw the light of the day when she was seven. She's been writing ever since.

Milena graduated from University of Belgrade with a degree in psychology. She lives in a little European town with her husband and a mute cat. When she's not writing, she spends her time reading, riding her bicycle, and listening to music. She prefers clouds to sunshine and coffee to tea. 

Author Links:

***GIVEAWAY***
$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

 RULES AND RESTRICTIONS: 
Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 13 or else have parent or guardian’s permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond  or another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity.



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