3.75 stars

There was the overwhelming feeling of growth and acceptance to this story that was really lovely. And the eccentric personalities of Paintbrush created a vibrant and lively setting that was filled with a strong sense of community. I also loved seeing Mitchell and Josie finding themselves. It was a great story with a strong cast of characters, those it did take me a bit if time to get into.

I received this copy from the publisher (Blaze Publishing) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Paintbrush by Hannah Bucchin is a book that surprised me in just how much it draws you in. I’m not one for contemporary, so I was very unmotivated to read this book (having requested due to the gorgeous cover). I was very pleasantly surprised by the great writing style that Hannah uses, and she way she drew me into the odd world of the Indian Paintbrush Community Village.

**Spoilers**

The plot twist of Mitchell’s mum leaving his dad was a shock — I personally believe she would be pregnant, not in love with another man! I felt for poor Mitchell so much, and Hannah really wrote his feelings in a way that causes the upmost empathy for this poor teen (or maybe I’m just super empathetic?).

Watching Josie and Mitchell get together was, however, very sudden to me. Obviously the feelings had been there for a while, given their long friendship, but I felt like it was a very much “Now kiss” type get together, rather than that slow questioning phase most best friends turned lovers have.

This book was very predicable in it’s plot line — We knew something was going to happen to Libby to cause her to be sorry for her attitude of recent times and we knew Josie would leave Paintbrush — there wouldn’t be an ending if Mitchell just said ‘fuck it‘ and stayed, would there?

Overall, I really enjoyed just reading a book that had an easy flow to it, a good writing style and an easy to understand plot line. I gave it it’s four stars because it truly was a well imagined and thought out book, only holding off a fifth star due to the slight shallowness of the characters and plot. I do recommend this book to anyone who wants just a quick fun read about some quirky teens who have a pretty carefree sense of humour!

Lately, many YA contemporaries seem to try too hard to be funny, but Paintbrush flows with a natural humor that had me laughing out loud (at parts--this isn't necessarily a humor novel). Paintbrush exudes an aura of clarity and kindness. It's heartwarming, well-written, and I really enjoyed reading it. The characters are genuine and multidimensional, and in the vein of Sarah Dessen, we get to experience a great ensemble cast of characters, the stars being high school seniors Mitchell and Josie, who are seemingly so different but alike in the best ways. The story takes place in a commune in North Carolina, which makes for a fresh and interesting setting.

I loved the main characters Josie and Mitchell so much. Josie is such a funky and lovable character. Her style of fashion made her stand out as a main character and really protrayed her background. I also loved how she is not scared to speak the truth no matter who she is with or who its about. Mitchell is also a lovable and connectable character. I felt very connected to him as a character and just wanted to give him a hug throughout the whole book with the situatuion he was in and how he was struggling with his feelings. 

I loved being able to follow their relationship and how it grew. Within the book their was so many characters and we were able to learn most of their own background stories which made me feel more involved with the book. I felt like i was an actual character in their community. The scenes within the book where they were at the lakes were just beautiful and made me feel like i was there in the summer time instead of fall. 

I gave this book 5 owls/stars as it just made me happy the whole time reading it and i connected to it so much.

I like to intersperse different types of stories between the usual genres I read. I always like a good coming of age tale. The commune setting was very unique and the budding romance between Mitch and Josie very sweet.

Although I'm not usually into contemporaries, I did enjoy this book. I kept wanting to read it every free moment I could find. So many emotions.

Really interesting setting, and premise. I felt that the main characters significant family issues were resolved too quickly, and unrealistically.

I don't usually go for the friends-to-lovers theme because I find it is always cliche and lacks depth but Bucchin has converted me with Paintbrush. It was artsy, lyrical, the character development and depth was extraordinary. A perfect read for a cloudy day.

Paintbrush by Hannah Bucchin is what I call a genuine YA romance. It's set in a kind of hippie community and it's about two eighteen-year-old friends -but not really friends- who eventually fall in love with each other.
They both have lived in the Paintbrush community since they were children and grown up together. Until they started High School. They were still friends but something changed. Mitchell is tired of the Paintbrush kind of living and as he got back to the real world he tried to act as a normal guy and not as the guy from the weirdo community. On the other side, Josie is ok with her life style, indeed she loves doing gardening and doesn't really care if she can't watch TV during the day or if she has to see an old topless woman doing yoga everyday. Nope, OK, maybe she doesn't really want to see <i>that</i>. Mitchell and Josie go to school together, but as soon as they enter in the building it seems they don't know each other. Until something happens in Mitchell's life and the only person who can really understand and listen to him is Josie. They started spending time together and they find out that it's not bad at all.


"All the best people are messy."


At first, I said that this YA romance is very genuine and that's because Mitchell and Josie's love story isn't the kind "oh I've just met you and I'm already in love with you". They know the worst parts of each other, they aren't strangers, and this is even better because their love has straightened through the years. It's beautiful to read how they finally understand what they truly feel for each other and read every changes in one's behaviour while the other is around.
So the love story is completely worth it, same as the world building. I must say that I'm not the trekking type of girl, actually I hate the mountain. But this book and each description of the habitat where Mitchell and Josie lived made me want to climb a mountain and swim in a cold lake. Just not so me. But seriously, this book is absolutely gold, and precious and I think that in some ways it's very different from the other YA novels. To be true, I got tired of YA, but I read this one in one sitting.
It's funny, it's lovely, it talks about important things that may happen in our life and you absolutely need to read it.

Ps: Mitchell and Josie are both bookworms, so go read this book right now!!!!

This book is a nice quick read about different types of relationships and how they can change at a moment's notice. Someone can go from being a friend to being the most important person in your life.

Amazing book! Beginning with the beautiful cover, and ending with a perfect story! Thank you for writing this!

Wow I really enjoyed this! It was so cute and the characters were so great! I highly recommend it and I think it's perfect for many people who feel like they're ready to leave or reluctant to leave home. I just think the characters were so relatable and I adored them so much! Such an amazing book!

I received an ARC ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

PAINTBRUSH's slow start made it hard to get into it. I wondered what the story was about for the first quarter of the book. After that, some events made the characters come to life and the story took off. But the dual POV didn't quite work for me--the boy's narrative voice sounds a tad too girly for my tastes, and the two POVs were too similar, giving way to confusion.

On the good side, the girl's voice is superb, and PAINTBRUSH's story is really cute. It's also a fast, light read.

I absolutely adored this YA contemporary novel. It was such a feel good read, that i was actually smiling when i finished! I loved the setting and the characters were easy to love. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC!

An intriguing set-up. You certainly don't get many novels set in modern communes. When it comes down to it, though, this is very standard in its plot. Neighbors and best friends discover love. Good kid is thrown by parents marital issues. The unknown at war with the comforts of home. This could just as easily have been set on a standard suburban street with very few changes. That aside, my biggest complaint is with the attitudes towards the female character. Everyone else is making huge life decisions for her, like they know her mind better than she does. Her guy gets her a job and this is seen as sweet rather than manipulative.

A quirky, sweet and moving tale of two high school kids, their unconventional lives, and their relationships along the way. I fell in love with Jodie and Mitchell, their personalities, friendship and overall relationship. Their relatives and their family at Paintbrush are unique, as are so many of their experiences together. I literally laughed at the blue jay scene, and cried at a couple reconciliations, and really just loved this book.
Bucchion has an infectious 'voice', as her characters pull you in and kept you intrigued, while the story itself is intricate and original. I can't believe this is Bucchin's first novel, and I can't wait to read her next literary endeavors.

Great characters in Mitchell and josie. I liked that it was told in alternating points of view. I appreciated that they did not have sex. I did not like the amount t of swearing in this book and felt so unnecessary. A good YA read overall.

Josie wondered what a normal school morning was like. People watching was a prime activity of the Indian Paintbrush Community Village For Substantial Living. Paintbrush is a commune, a safe haven for mountain folk, hippies, eco-freaks, spiritualists, and any lost soul Myra Gilligan the founder takes in. As a result things were pretty bizarre around the commune. Josie and Mitchell were graduating HS in a month. Mitchell and Josie were the only two kids growing up in Paintbrush- although Josie did have two younger sisters. Josie’s family had moved to Paintbrush almost twelve years ago when she was six. Mitchell can’t wait to leave Paintbrush and he works very hard to be a “ normal kid”- captain of the swim team. advanced placement and student council. Josie looks the part of a hippie and is happiest when she is outside gardening. In Mitchell’s opinion Josie looks like she just stepped out of Woodstock. Mitchell’s parents had been young corporate lawyers then they married and had Mitchell and then a big epiphany and sold their apartment and car and all their things and moved to Paintbrush when Mitchell was four. Mitchell’s parents seem so in love then one night at dinner Mitchell’s mom Carrie announces she has fallen in love with a newcomer that had only been there about six months named Joe and Joe loved Carrie. Joe looked like a surfer type to Mitchell. Mitchell is furious and his dad John looks devastated and Mitchell took off. Mitchell got back to Paintbrush early in the morning and Josie was sitting on her porch as she had been worried about Mitchell and wanted to make sure he was ok.
I didn’t really enjoy this to be honest. I found it a little dull and boring. I read until I just couldn’t read anymore and was done making myself. It just didn’t interest me. I am sure others will really enjoy this story.

3.5 stars

Paintbrush is Hannah Bucchin’s debut novel, and I loved it. A charming coming of age story, with colourful characters, realistic drama, hopeful dreams, and gives you that feel good vibe.

Mitchell and Josie both grew up in the same commune, but couldn’t be more different. While Mitchell can’t wait to leave the place, Josie thrives in the community. Besides driving to and from school together, you wouldn’t even really call them friends. Though after a major revelation by Mitchell’s mom, his world is turned upside down.

Graduation is almost here, and meanwhile Josie and Mitchell grow closer than ever before. Big decisions need to be made, feelings are involved, colourful secondary characters to keep you on your toes, and Paintbrush Community Village becomes one fascinating place to be.

Paintbrush is a perfect young adult summer read. Two great main characters, real issues, wonderfully written, inspiring message…what more could you need.

*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

First off let me tell you this book in eBook is only .99 cents man and if you want a paperback? Its only 9.95 for a small publisher that is amazing! Most of them that I have seen the eBook is usually really cheap with the print copy being way WAY expensive. So this rocks man!

Ok, so my review? This book was hit with me. I loved the cover, and the book was a swift read. I am so hit and miss on contemporary books, so I am always scared to start a new one. But this one was so cute! This was a great book about how our lives can change in an instant and how our connections change over the course of our lives. I know that I may still talk with people that I knew ages ago but those conversations are not the same as they were then.

This author did a fabulous job with the characters, setting, and the story as a whole. Everyone was wonderful and I just adored all the characters. The writing was good although some of it felt a little repeatly but I got over it pretty quickly once I got used to it.

This would be a great book for the end of summer before school starts again. I know I really enjoyed it and I cant wait to get a print copy.