Review - Finding Paris By: Joy Preble

Title: Finding Paris
Author: Joy Preble
Publisher: Balzer and Bray, 272 pages (April 21st 2015)
From: My friend and blog owner Lisa
Format: Hardback
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: An evocative and compelling story of two sisters who would do anything for each other—perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why and Speak. Joy Preble's stirring new novel explores the lengths to which sisters go to protect each other, and the winding road that brings two strangers into each other's lives.

Sisters Leo and Paris Hollings have only ever had each other to rely on. They can't trust their mother, who hops from city to city and from guy to guy, or their gambler stepfather, who's moved them all to Las Vegas. It's just the two of them: Paris, who's always been the dreamer, and Leo, who has a real future in mind—going to Stanford, becoming a doctor, falling in love. But Leo isn't going anywhere right now, except driving around Vegas all night with her sister.

Until Paris ditches Leo at the Heartbreak Hotel Diner, where moments before they had been talking with physics student Max Sullivan. Outside, Leo finds a cryptic note from Paris—a clue. Is it some kind of game? Where is Paris, and why has she disappeared? When Leo reluctantly accepts Max's offer of help, the two find themselves following a string of clues through Vegas and beyond. But the search for the truth is not a straight line. And neither is the path to secrets Leo and Max hold inside.

Review: 2 stars - When I started this book I didn’t quite know what to expect; but I knew being set in California I needed to give it a read.

I like the general idea of the book- scavenger hunt to find Leo’s missing sister following clues around California; but admit I nearly gave up reading half way through. I have recently read Paper Towns by John Green and I thought it was going down the same route, but instead of towns it was finding tourist destinations. The thing that kept me intrigued with this book was that I didn’t know where they were going to end up next. Having visited California a few times, I needed to keep reading so I could relive my memories.

Although I knew there had to be more to this book than just a scavenger hunt, the fact that Paris wanted to save Leo by any way possible if proof of her love for her.

I wasn’t expecting the ‘reveal’ at the end, although I was slightly curious because of that person’s involvement in certain parts of the book.

Finding Paris was an easy read, however at times it just felt live you were going round in circles and as I’ve said above it wasn’t the story itself that kept me reading. The characters are likeable; I can’t however say that I was particularly attached to them.

Finding Paris was not for me sadly, but I think this could be a book that is received differently by different people, as it seems to have very mixed reviews. Passing this onto Michelle at Much Loved Books now, looking forward to hearing what she thinks of it!

Read if you enjoyed John Green’s Paper Towns, M.G. Reyes’ Emancipated, and E. Lockhart We Were Liars.