Hey y'all! I'm super excited to be a part of the blitz for Christine Duval's Positively Mine. This book was previously published as Freshman Forty, which I read, reviewed, and adored! If you missed my review, you can read it below. I'm thrilled for Ms. Duval getting a publishing deal. But I'm even more excited because Laurel's story is going to continue! Yay!
I have all the details for the book, an excerpt, my review, and a giveaway for y'all!
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Positively Mine by Christine Duval
(Freshman Forty #1)
Published by: Bloomsbury Spark
Publication date: December 19th, 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
Synopsis:
It is four weeks into her freshman year of college, and Laurel’s first test was unexpected. Discovering she’s pregnant isn’t exactly what she had planned for her first semester, and while she intends to tell her emotionally-distant father, being away at school makes it all too easy to hide.
An imperfect heroine plagued by bad choices and isolated during what should be the best time of her life, readers are sure to identify with Laurel as she confronts teen pregnancy, in secret.
An imperfect heroine plagued by bad choices and isolated during what should be the best time of her life, readers are sure to identify with Laurel as she confronts teen pregnancy, in secret.
Positively Mine is also available from iBookstore
**Trailer**
“The holidays can be stressful for everyone, but especially if you’re pregnant or just had a baby. As you leave here tonight and deal with potentially difficult people or situations over the holidays, I want you to focus on acceptance. In other words, don’t try to control the uncontrollable, and don’t try to change a person who can’t be changed. People are who they are. With acceptance comes forgiveness, and with forgiveness comes inner peace, and we can all use some of that.”
Her words strike a nerve, and I can’t help speaking up. “But what if the problem isn’t that you can’t accept them, but they can’t accept you?” I ask.
“In what way?”
“It’s like, with my father, I’m the symbol for everything that has gone bad in his life. So instead of us getting closer, he pushes me further away. And now he’s getting married, and he’s about to start a new life with someone, and I’m afraid I’ll never get the chance to show him that I’m a real person, that I exist.”
The entire group is looking at me, staring actually. Kyle is the first to speak up. “But you aren’t giving him a chance to accept you. You haven’t even told him you’re pregnant and you’re five months into it. You push him away as much as he does you.”
“That’s not true.”
Audrey chimes in. “It is, Laurel. You’re nice and all, but you’ve told, what? Two people you’re pregnant, other than us and a couple of doctors. You drive an hour to a support group when there is probably one right near Milton. How much longer are you going to keep this secret? If you told your dad, maybe he’d see that you’re a real person. Real people screw up.”
“Wow.” I wrap my arms across my chest. I feel invaded.
Hmm, what do I want to say about Freshman Forty. It is sweet and poignant. It's frustrating and inspiring. It was an emotional roller coaster, not unlike being pregnant! ;) But in the end, it gave me a happy glow.
Laurel has just begun her freshman year of college. And she's found herself in quite a predicament. One I'm grateful to never have faced. I believe she handles it in a realistic way - in a way that many other 18 year olds might...she hides it. She doesn't tell her dad, she doesn't tell the dad. But she's coping the best way she can.
Although I'd like to think that I'd have handled things differently...I'd have gone to my parents or I would have told the baby's father, I really admire Laurel's strength. She made a life altering decision ON HER OWN. She did what she had to, what she could do. Laurel is not perfect. She makes mistakes, has made mistakes. But she takes ownership of those mistakes in her own way. I think she's pretty gutsy for trying to take care of herself. Even if she might be mistaken about her ability to do so.
I do appreciate the fact that Laurel was fortunate in her circumstances, as not all young women facing an unplanned pregnancy have the options Laurel had. I also believe Laurel was well aware of this fact. She was very fortunate in finding a few friends who were aware of her situation and were very supportive. I enjoyed the friendships Laurel was able to build, with people she eventually felt comfortable enough with to share her problems with. I was also proud of Laurel and her dad for finding their way back to one another. And some of those revelations they each had...I shed more than a few tears.
I would hope that anyone reading Freshman Forty would take away a few lessons. The value of open communication being one. It's a message for both parents and young people. Freshman Forty is an extremely poignant tale that's engaging and well written. It's definitely worth reading.
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