Book review - The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl

Title: The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl
Author: Melissa Keil
Genre: realistic fiction
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Rating:

nice, a little slow

Summary (provided by publisher): Alba loves her life just as it is. She loves living behind the bakery and waking up in a cloud of sugar and cinnamon. She loves drawing comics and watching bad TV with her friends. The only problem is shes overlooked a few teeny details. Like, the guy she thought long gone has unexpectedly reappeared. And the boy who has been her best friend since forever has suddenly gone off the rails. Even her latest comic book creation is misbehaving. Also, the world might be ending-- which is proving to be awkward. As doomsday enthusiasts flock to idyllic Eden Valley, Albas life is thrown into chaos. Whatever happens next, its the end of the world as she knows it. But when it comes to figuring out her heart, Armageddon might turn out to be the least of her problems. 

My opinion: There are some things I really like about this book. Alba is very comfortable with her body and her personality. She and her friends don't worry about what people think of them. In fact, they might be a little too self-assured and Keil asserts their individuality a bit too strongly. And they are preternaturally talented as a group. In spite of these mildly unrealistic elements, they have very real concerns. They struggle with future planning. They want more but don't always know how to get it. Or, in Alba's case, don't even know what they want. And they don't necessarily come to any real conclusions. The plot is somewhat predictable and moves a little slowly. Given that it centers around a potential apocalypse (which is a nice parallel to the major life change that is looming for the characters) there isn't a great deal of drama. Not a good choice if you're looking for a thrilling read but nicely introspective.

More information: The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl releases to the American market April 1.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.