Jan 16, 2012

Review: Faking Faith by Josie Bloss


Title: Faking Faith
Author: Josie Bloss
Publisher:  Flux
Publication Date: 11.8.2011
Pages: 240
Genre: Contemporary
Series: No
Source: Purchased paperback

Rating: B

Summary (from Goodreads):
After a humiliating "sexting" incident involving a hot and popular senior, seventeen-year-old Dylan has become a social outcast—harassed, ignored, and estranged from her two best friends.

When Dylan discovers the blogs of homeschooled fundamentalist Christian girls, she's fascinated by their old-fashioned conversation themes, like practicing submission to one's future husband. Blogging as Faith, her devout alter ego, Dylan befriends Abigail, the group's queen bee. But growing closer to Abigail (and her intriguing older brother) forces Dylan to choose: keep living a lie or come clean and face the consequences.

Review:
I have to give kudos to Josie Bloss for this fun, fast, and amusing read. I consumed it in a little over three hours, thoroughly enjoying the vast majority of it. Bloss weaves a lot of subtle storylines in here that could easily seem glossed over in the summary. This novel isn’t just about a girl who royally screwed up (on more than one occasion), but it’s about a girl figuring out who she is, and how she will react and recover when faced with problems.

Dylan is a frustrating main character. I like her, I really do, but I vacillated between wanting to hug her and wanting to shake her. I wasn’t sure there was a limit to how many bad decisions one person could make in a single novel. I’m fairly certain she has the record, though, but there is something about her that I really just like. She has this effervescent soul that made me cheer for her, even when she was digging herself an even deeper hole.

I wasn’t crazy about the way this book ended. It just felt too … open. Maybe I’m just a spoiled girl who likes her happily ever after tied up with a neat, pretty bow, and I felt like I was cheated out of that. The ending was, by far, the low point in an otherwise fun book.

This is a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s not meant to be a hugely philosophical novel, but it is something entertaining to curl up with on a lazy afternoon with the sun streaming in the windows. I recommend checking this book out for yourself. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Buy: Amazon

15 comments:

  1. I keep hesitating in picking this one up, the bad ending scares me. Nothing worse than investing time in a book only to be unhappy with the end.

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  2. Interesting review, the summery to this book caught my attention so I had to look it up. After reading the review not sure I will buy it any time soon but i will diffidently keep my eye open for it ^^

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  3. I've never heard of this one before. Will keep it in mind for when I need a light read although, admittedly, I also like my endings neatly wrapped up with a bow tied around them:)

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  4. Wonderful review. This makes this a book a for sure read for me. Thanks!

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  5. Maybe you're a spoiled girl who likes her HEA's? Maybe? ;p

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  6. I haven't heard of this one, but adding it to my never ending TBR list :) Thanks!

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  7. I recently read this, and I loved it. I loved how the author portrayed these girls honestly, without any kind of slant.

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  8. This looks like a great book, but I am also a fan of endings with some closure that aren't open-ended!

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  9. Excellent review! This book sounds fun and interesting. I like that you were able to read it in a couple hours. The plot is unique and I am curious about how it all turns out.

    Thanks for sharing!
    ~Jess
    http://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/

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  10. Sounds like a good read! I agree with Jessica, I love endings that aren't terribly open ended.

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  11. I personally like open endings, but it drives me crazy when the protagonist is, well, making a ton of bad choices. I'll have to think more ont his - thanks for the insight!

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  12. Sounds interesting thaks for the review I may consider this one on my wish list

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  13. This book sounds good to me since I have read the synopsis, so thank you for the review. I actually enjoyed this kind of funny reads.

    I have no problem with open endings in book series, but in the stand-alone ones... I don't know, it depends on a book, author and his writing.

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  14. Sounds like an interesting premise of a book. My only concern is if it gets too preachy! Thanks for putting this one on my radar!

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