Book Title/Author: Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt
Publisher/Year: Bloomsbury – March 26th 2013
Genre: Contemporary YA
Series: No!
Other Books From Author: Sean Griswold’s Head, Princess for Hire series
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I received this as an e-galley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way swayed my opinion. Pinky swear!
Upon finding out her boyfriend has a secret online girlfriend (a girl whose avatar name is BUBBLEYUM), Mallory declares she’s completely swearing off guys and modern technology as a way to get over Jeremy, avoid the rumors flying at school and make her life less complicated. Her inspiration for “going vintage”? A list of goals she finds in some of her grandmother’s belongings from 1962 when she was in high school. The list includes things like run for pep club (there isn’t even one!), sew a homecoming dress (she doesn’t sew!) and do something dangerous. Making her life less simple ends up being a whole lot more complicated than she realized while she’s running around to start a pep club that Jeremy’s (cute) cousin joins, avoiding Jeremy and learning how to live in the 21st century without her cell phone, internet or the other modern conveniences she’s used to.
This is my latest “work-out” read (I like to workout and read — helps me not think about the pain) and it was just perfect to read while on the treadmill as it was an easy story to get into right from the start. Going Vintage was light and fun and absolutely adorable! It’s the kind of read that is easy to breeze through and is perfect when you are looking for something that isn’t depressing or dark or issue-y. Going Vintage was a happy-making book that dealt genuinely with typical high school experiences and family matters as we watch Mallory struggle through her list and with her new de-modernized life (seriously she says goodbye to all things that didn’t exist in 1962)!
I loved Mallory and watching her learn more about herself through this experiment. She’s your average girl with your typical problems and, while I can’t say she was one of those characters I was like HEY BESTIE, I liked her and found her easy to identify with and relate to. It was just really fun to watch her realize who she was apart from Jeremy (which is SO hard to do when you end a relationship) and stumble and triumph through this list and the breakup. It was the kind of growth I really enjoyed reading. Don’t get me wrong, I love TOUGH issues that shape people but I also really enjoy stories of people who grow and change without all that kind of stuff. I loved watching her maneuver through school with rumors and remember that she HAD friends before Jeremy, stretching herself to try new things and learning what to do with her time now that it doesn’t consist of everything Jeremy. So easy to relate to! Where do you sit? Who can you still talk to? How do you tell your parents? I loved see the light bulb click on that perhaps she didn’t think everything through but I love the way she keeps challenging herself even knowing that perhaps the grass isn’t always greener or that the technology isn’t the reason everything went wrong. I loved watching her learn to enjoy LIFE and new experiences.
Bonus points: YAY for family involvement in the story — sister, grandma and parents (involved in that OMG-MY-PARENTS-ARE-ANNOYING kind of way). They have their problems for sure but it was nice to see a family, who had their own problems and quirks, but were THERE and a positive force.
The only tiny thing I’ll say was that there were a lot of different pieces of this plot outside of the breakup and the list — a storyline with her grandmother, things happening with her parents, NEW boys in the picture. Sometimes some of those pieces felt choppy and not as well fleshed out. I’ll also say that I wish some of the characters were more memorable to me — some were really well written and others just felt more flat for me. PS. I LOVE MALLORY’S GRANDMOTHER THE MOST AND WANTED MORE OF HER!
All in all, Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt was a cute book with a ridiculously fun plot that is easy to get into and was a great story of finding out who YOU are outside of a relationship (a lesson even a married lady like me needs to remember from time to time) among a few other things. It was pretty light, sweet and generally a bit predictable (in some areas and not in a bad way — like how I think of those Disney Channel original movies I used to love — Double Teamed and Cadet Kelly FTW) and I really enjoyed it. I can’t say it is a book that changed my life or blew my mind but I really, really enjoyed it and it was such a fun and refreshing read in the midst of darker or more intense stuff I’ve been reading! If you are looking for a lighter read that is funny, different and so easy to relate to — this is a great one! Weighs in high on the fun scale!
For fans of: lighter reads, a contemporary YA read that is cute and fun and don’t delve into heavy stuff, a romp through high school, great character growth, books without invisible parents or family, sweet romances
Let’s Talk: Have you read this one?? Heard of it? If you’ve read it, did you enjoy it? Who was your favorite character? Did it make you think about all the technology that you rely on because I sure kept thinking about how I could never do it! But it made me honestly want to go on a social media/tv/electronic diet a bit and remember that life happens outside these screens!
DannyBookworm says
Oh gosh, I know I would go crazy without my Phone and Internet… but that’s the point we all rely so much on modern technology.. Anyway, the book sounds cute and like the perfect read after an heavy book 🙂
hope s says
hi I’m hope i go to school in Texas. I am reading this book now and so far I love it. It’s the exact kind of book that I enjoy. I doing a poster for my English class as my book report and I need to know the setting, point of view, theme, and conflict for the book. I would appreciate it if you could help me out if not that’s fine too. If you would like to contact me my e-mail is 18soto@hawley.esc14.net, I’m on Google accounts Oh and by the way your website rocks as well as you do.
Jamie says
Hi thank you for the kind comments on my site! How awesome you get to read this for school! I unfortunately read it so long ago that I don’t remember much to help you and I also honestly don’t have a lot of time to help out with homework even if I did :/ I wish I could help! Good luck! 🙂
Christianna says
This one sounds so cute! Just like the kind of light read that I need in between all the crazy books I like to read! I loved your review and all the good points you had to say about the story!
Ashley says
I’m so excited that this one is coming out soon! I’ve been dying to read it and it sounds like just the kind of book I’m looking for right now. I need something light and I just think the concept is cute!
Jenn @ Give a Hoot, Read a Book says
I can’t wait for this one to come out! It looks so cute…and very similar to one of my favorite, little known books: The Thing About Jane Spring by Sharon Krum. If you’re looking for something else like Going Vintage, I highly, highly recommend this! 🙂
Natalie says
This book sounds so cute!! It makes me kindof want to try and see how long I could go without my cell phone – I would do the internet too, but I need my Book Blogs!! 😉 This book sounds slike the perfect light read, and I’m adding it to my TBR!
Stormy says
I read this book & thought it was really cute! I can see how it would make a good gym read. Light and fun. I liked Mallory more & more as the story went on; she was a little dramatic and quirky, but she had a really appealing voice.
I don’t know if I could give up ALL technology(texting! twitter! blogs!), but there are some I wouldn’t mind so much–facebook, for starters.
Kristilyn (Reading in Winter) says
Aww, I can’t wait to read this now! Honestly, I was totally had at the cover — it’s just so cute! And I love that the family is involved in this book. I hate it when I read a YA book and the family is pretty much nonexistent. I love a good family presence!
I’ll for sure be picking up a copy of this one. Great review, Jamie!
Christina (A Reader of Fictions) says
Secret online girlfriend? That is the WEIRDEST way to cheat on someone. Well, I mean, I’m sure there are weirder ways, but I REALLY don’t want to try to think about them. *tries to push scenarios out of brain*
Oh yay! I love that there’s a focus on her getting to know herself. Too many YA novels have the heroine break up and only find value in herself again when she gets a new boyfriend. You need to love yourself, not have someone else do it! Errr, that sounds vaguely dirty, but you know what I mean!
Yes for sassy grandmas. I’ve noticed that grandmas either say the most inappropriate, hilarious things and drop truth bombs or they’re evil as all get out in YA. Love it!
Quinn @ Quinn's Book Nook says
I liked Going Vintage, but I didn’t love it. I couldn’t understand why Mallory thought the 1906s were such a simpler time. I mean, I understand why she wanted to take a break from all the social networking, but sometimes I thought she was a little silly.
But overall I thought it was a pleasant read.
Tara says
I’m your backwards twin–I loved Also Known As and am now going to read Going Vintage! They both seem like such cute, fun reads and I can’t get enough of those types of books.
Maggie says
This looks really cute, thanks for the review!
Nikki @ Foil the Plot says
I thought about requesting this one on NetGalley, Jamie, and I still think I might. Going Vintage sounds like one of those lighter, not-quite-fluffy-but-not-totally-revolutionary-either sort of reads. I totally dig the concept and as someone who shuns technology (to a small degree) from time to time. I definitely agree with you — it’s all too easy to become so immersed in social media in addition to a relationship that you sort of forget who you are as an individual. It’s important to take that step back and set challenges for yourself so that you can remind yourself about the things that are important and give yourself the opportunity to grow. I think this is going to be such a cute story to read!
Alexa Y. says
This book seriously sounds (and looks) really cute! I haven’t read a lot of contemporary YA recently, so this may be the one that breaks my streak (after Golden, which I read and LOVED, by the way). I haven’t experienced Lindsey’s writing yet, but I’ve only heard good things about it, so I definitely want to give this one a try.
Candice @ The Grown-Up YA says
I’m reading this one right now and it’s SO CUTE! I can’t wait to read more and finish and compare it to my Disney Channel favorite movies! 🙂
Rissi says
I REALLY want to read this one. Based on the cover art alone. Yep, here I am judging the book by its cover. 😉
Erica says
In high school, I didn’t do a ton of activities and mostly just hung out with my friends and did the occasional after-school thing, and I liked that Mallory was like that as well. In so many books the main characters have Interests (capital I) that are so defined and a part of their lives that I always find it refreshing when they don’t.
Molli says
Can I just say how HAPPY I am to see this book getting the love it deserves? I feel like no one knows about it, which is sad because it really was adorable. Mallory’s struggles felt really genuine – I remember going through some of the same things as a teen, and I liked her. I also LOVED that her family was actually in the story, ie not just there and oblivious like so many parents are in YA novels. I mean honestly, parents are not all like that, and it’s so unrealistic to see them constantly portrayed as either evil or checked-out of their kid’s lives. UGH. Sorry, that’s one of my biggest gripes with YA books!
Anyway, yes, I liked this one and I hope the rest of the world does, too. It’s sweet, makes you think and feel some, but isn’t that overly heavy/dramatic “omg the world is ending, must save it!” book. I do get tired of reading those sometimes, so this was a MUCH needed break that still appealed to me. Fabulous review, Jamie!
Rachel says
So at first when I heard about this book I thought it sounded cute but kind of assumed (shame on me) that it would be boring because my life revolves around technology. I AM THE WORST AT MAKING ASSUMPTIONS AROUND BOOKS. This actually sounds really good and fun! I don’t think I’d be able to live like the 1960s. Actually, I know I couldn’t. But it’s neat to hear how she finds out that she’s someone separate from a boyfriend because I’ve had a lot of friends lose themselves once they start dating someone.
Renae @ Respiring Thoughts says
I agree that the family elements were totally awesome in this book. I loved how real all of their interactions with each other were, and how at the end of the book Mallory realized how they all *did* love each other at the end, even if they had issues they’d need to work through.
Siobhan @conversations of a reading addict says
Great review Jamie! I wish i could read and workout at the same time! Would make it less painful 😉
I love books that focus on the family because it shows another version of “love” and one that is very different from a boy/girl love story yet just as important in YA fiction!
Leticia says
So I came across this book on Goodreads and it just seemed like it would be a fun read and I instantly added it to my to be read shelf. I love the idea of ‘going vintage’ and getting rid of electronics! I’ve done it before and it feels great! I read another review by April at goodbooksandgoodwine and decided that it was definitely worth the read. I loved your review of the book! It makes me want to read it that much more! Thanks! : )