The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things

This was a touching and enjoyable book about high school students. The two main characters, Sage Czinski and Shane Cavendish, have both experienced way more than their share of pain and suffering. For their young ages, they both have heavy baggage. They were both surprisingly innocent in ways, given all they'd been through, and that made the story come across as tender and sweet. I was rooting for both of them, and wanted good things for both of them. I enjoyed the storyline, and it kept me interested from cover to cover.

Sage Czinski is an upbeat teen, given to altruistic causes and encouraging others. No one would guess the dark secrets from her past. This girl, known as "Princess" around school, believes that she is suppressing her true nature so that she won't be hated, or sent away by her aunt, who has given her a home. When Shane Cavendish moves to town, he and Sage feel an almost immediate connection. Shane has dark secrets of his own, and moving to Farmdale is his last chance to stay out of juvie after going off the rails upon his mother's death. As Sage and Shane try to navigate the pitfalls caused by their pasts, a high school bully threatens the happiness they have found by being together.

I really liked the characters and the story that this book tells. Sage was a very quirky, yet likable character, and Shane was troubled, yet sweet and protective. I liked Sage's persistence and her dedication to her values. Her Aunt Gabby made a great secondary character. My favorite part of the story was when Sage was having a very difficult time and all of the high school students who had received encouraging notes from her over the last several years, put inspiring notes on her locker. This book had some angst, yet it was balanced by hope and sweetness.

Some things in the book are DEEP, but the love story is so cute. I picked this book up at a thrift store for $1.50 and read it in a day and a half. Well worth the money, even if you have to pay $11.99

I've read my first book by Ann Aguirre and it was wonderful. It felt like waking up on your birthday, knowing today was going to be extra special and that's because she's got an extensive back list of books I'm get to read. The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things is a masterpiece and it really took me back to high school.

I can't believe how well written this book is. It's young adult, but the issues Sage and Shane face are some of the same I did while I was growing up. I adored Sage and I adored Shane. These two and perfect for each other. Sage saw Shane on his first day of school and recognized something in him that called to her. She saw a little bit of herself and she didn't let him hide. I absolutely loved what she did with the post-it notes. Leaving a positive message to brighten some one's day is a brilliant idea. Especially when you're struggling with who you are, want to be, life in general, etc. It really showed the best of the old and new her.
My heart broke for her and everything she'd experienced in her short life. I also admired her determination, which border lined on stubborn. She had her principles and she stuck to them. She was also willing to do things to protect the ones she loved and cared for. That made her even more amazing in my eyes.

I loved Shane too. This is a boy who had to grow up before his time. He made sacrifices that he shouldn't have had to made and he was dealing with a situation he shouldn't be in. His pain was tangible, but I loved seeing him happy with Sage. He might have been hurting more than any bullying by Dylan and his friends did, but he didn't let it bother him. After all his pain was much bigger than a bunch of bullies in a small fish tank. It still infuriated me though.

This story is fast paced and gripping. Between Shane and Sage's romance, their activities trying to improve their environment, the drama between Sage and Ryan (her best friend), and Dylan and his bullying, there was a lot going on. Thankfully everything meshed together flawlessly. I laughed while reading this book, and definitely said, "Awww," a couple of times. Of course I sobbed while reading this book too. You see I felt like I was part of this book. I was so invested in what was happening, I didn't even realize I was crying. It was an instinctive reaction. I will say this, Sage thought by being the "Princess of Post-It Notes", a title she hated, she was buying good karma in a way, and she was. My most favorite scene in the book is when that good karma comes back her way.

There's so much more I want to say about this book or talk about, but I can't because it'd giveaway plot points and ruin the story. I've never been so happy to read a book by a new author because like I said earlier, there's a bunch of books Ann Aguirre's already written that I can read at a moments notice. Reading this book has made my day. I hope it makes yours too.