And We Call It Love was a story in the form of verses. It was a story of two best friends and how their friendship stayed strong despite all the people who were trying to keep them apart.

I love this writing form because there's no lenghty descriptions and it keeps "happening". There's not a dull moment.

The story itself was pretty beautiful and sweet. It portrayed Clare and Zari's friendship so nicely. The storyline was believable and something that happens way too often.

And We Call It Love was a story that said that no matter how good your life is, if you can't share it with your best friend, you ARE going to be miserable.

Quoting a few lines from the book, just to give you an idea of how beautiful it was:

"Love is like

an invisible string,
and no matter
where you go
or what you do
or how long
it is between talks,

it never breaks."

This book was received as an ARC from West 44 Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I could not stop reading this book mostly because I am in love with the layout and writing style Amanda Vink has chosen for this book, it's perfect and correlates with the plot fantastically. Our young adult readers can totally relate to Zari and Clare's story and the dilemma Clare went through in saving Zari from her abusive relationship. I know our readers will be reading this book multiple times and they'll talk about it non-stop. I will also be excited if this book someday turns into a box office hit.

This book will definitely find its home in our YFiction collection and will be loved by our readers. That is why we give this book 5 stars!

Zari and Clare are best friends, they write songs and poetry whilst busking in their spare time until life changes...



Zari has strict parents whom want her to work hard all the time and have a strict career goal in sight to aim for. So when she starts dating Dion her parents are delighted as he's the boss's son.



While Clare has a single mum after her dad passed and struggling to make ends meet she busks on the streets to help her mum out with cash. Zari's brother Wilson starts busking with her too.



However controlling parents and an angry, domineering boyfriend soon try to part Zari and Wilson from seeing Clare and soon everything right once is now very very wrong.


Highlighting the dangers of unstable relationships and raising awareness of unhealthy relationship behaviour this book it was gripping with chilling action but also heart warming in the display of friendship we see.



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

I don't think I've ever read a story which is written in a poetic form, so this was something which drew me to this book initially, as I quite like poetry. Unfortunately for me, in a story, this wasn't something I particularly enjoyed. I think I'm going to stick to prose narratives from now on!

While the book explores some issues like family, importance of female friendship as well as abuse, it felt a tad simplistic to me. I feel like even though this is definitely a Teen or Y/A novel, it's quite simple in tone and I feel like younger teens would enjoy this more as opposed to a more mature audience.

I feel like everything was resolved so fast and there wasn't really any development of character or plot. Perhaps this is because the book is so short? I'm not sure but I wasn't really impressed.

The only positive of this book is the focus on friendship, and specifically that of female friendship. This is the only part of the book I felt was well done and I semi- enjoyed, as I'm always looking for books which represent this theme as it's something important in my own life.

Overall, while the premise and form sounded promising, And We Call It Love isn't a book I'll be returning to, hence the 2 star rating. I'm sure there are people who will enjoy this book though, especially if you want to try something new and if you enjoy poetry.

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and West 44 Books for approving my request and sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


3,5 stars.

A book written in verse isn't my usual cup of tea.
But I'm always searching for books about female friendships where I can see something in them about myself or my past and I thought I could give it a try.

This book is about Clare and Zari, best friends since they met and with two different background - Clare is always supported by her mother no matter what and Zari feels the pressure due to the father's failed dreams.
Zari's parents despise Clare and they push their daughter into taking an internship with her father's collegue and soon Zari meets his son, Dion.
In the beginning, everything seems fine but soon Dion shows his manipulative and violent side and, agreeing with her parents, forces Zari to choose between them and Clare.

But Clare, even though she's being ignored, tries to stay close and to help Zari anyway - even more when she notices bruises on Clare's body.


I think this is a good book for middle grade readers because it introduces themes like family, friendship and abusive relationships. An older reader or one more accustomed to this kind of themes will know the way they are affronted here barely scrape the surface.

I liked the way the story was told based on the passing seasons - Clare and Zari's friendship is the same: from the warmth of fall through the cold winter to the awakening in spring.

Based on the plot, I tought the story was told only by Clare's perspective and I don't know if the physical copy is going to have some mark in it to distinguish both of the voices, but at first it was very confusing for me to recognize who was talking - then it got better the more I read.

"And We Call It Love" is a book about the strength of a friendship even when you don't talk or see the other everyday and about the courage to step up and intervene because the victim has to know she's not alone - because it takes more than silence to break a true friendship.

Firstly I’d like to thank Netgalley and west 44 publishers for sending me this arc for review

Trigger warning for domestic violence

Overall for me I’d give and we call it love a 3/5 stars
The story is told in verse and in a poetic style it revolves around friendship,family,and a love that turns nasty
One of the things that I enjoyed about this book was the friendship of Clare and Zari that was presented in the book and loved how against all odds they came out even better friends and stronger for it.
Another part I liked about this book was the family aspect even though the parents of Zaria could Be horrible at times in the end they was always supportive of there daughters and made sure they was okay.
And finally another positive I enjoyed was the music aspect to the story and how Clare and Zari both have a passion for music and always tried to pursue this anyway they could

One factor of the story that I was a little bit too quick for me was how quick the romance became but I guess that was part of the story and just goes to show the meaning of get to know someone first before you dive right in and just shows how quick someone can manipulate u into doing something for them and not for yourself

Overall I would definitely recommend this book to people it was a super quick and easy read,it’s definitely a darker book The more you read on so take into account if ur in the mood for a read like this or if ur ready to read this book with the trigger warnings

Thanks to NetGalley and West 44 Books for approving my request and sending me an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

And We Call It Love By Amanda Vink. I enjoyed this book for a number of reasons. Stylistically it is written in verse that reflects the relationship between the protagonist through tone and language use. It explores and discusses several relevant themes facing adolescent relationships. The introducing of a new boyfriend, parental dislike of peer influences as well as how one rationalizes being a victim.

Strong characterization enhances the story as it unfolds.

I highly recommend this book.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved, And We Call It Love. The friendship between Clare and Zari was pure and real. They definitely went through things that normal every day kids, or parents, go through. Their lives are sort of drifting in other ways but they still try to find time to see each other.

They also both go through some hardships. Zari with her abusive boyfriend and Clare dealing with hateful words from Zari's mother. From that, she also starts to see less and less of Zari and her brother, who she has a crush on. It was heartbreaking to see these two girls go through what they went through.

I honestly hated Dion and his dad. I rarely say this but.. like father like son. I was so happy that she had Clare with her during that one scene because I don't know what I would've done if they didn't have each other anymore. Then there's the whole aftermath of Zari's mother thanking Clare for saving her precious baby. She had no right to tell her kids to stop hanging out with Clare. She also had no right to call her trash, It was frustrating to read.. but I also couldn't put this book down.

Now I have no idea if the format for this book was supposed to seem like poetry, but I liked it. Honestly, it could've been my kindle/phone.. but in the end, I read it from start to finish in one sitting. I'm glad that I got to meet these two girls and their families. I'm also really happy that I got to try out a new author - I look forward to another piece of work from Amanda.

And We Call It Love is a story about best friends Clare and Zari. When Zari gets a new boyfriend she suddenly isolates herself. Clare just assumes Zari is madly in love; that is until signs begin to show that there may be more going on. So Clare sets out to rescue her friend from a toxic and abusive relationship. Sounds like a loaded story right?



What I liked about the story was the value placed on friendship despite the odds. Unfortunately, I think thats the only thing I liked.

I really hate giving bad reviews because I know this is someones hard work and story, which is always something to be proud of. However, if I’m honest…this one really missed the mark for me. I appreciate the author taking on such a great plot but it was lacking so much info! I literally feel like I got half a story. With that being said, I looked into the book more after I read it and turns out this is a hi/lo verse book. Yes thats an actual thing; I had never heard of it either. Basically it means the book is written to be geared towards those who are not big readers but want a quick, good story, with fast plot and dialog. So considering that was the purpose…I would say the author succeeded. I could see a middle schooler enjoying this one. However, if you are an adult or someone who actually wants to read a full story then this is not for you!

Also, there was a lot of back and forth between the two girls playing narrator so half the time I had trouble knowing who was talking.

http://bookishjem.home.blog/2018/11/12/and-we-call-it-love-review/

And We Call it Love is a poetry based novel that follows two main characters and best friends, Zari and Clare. Zari, from a more wealthy family who gains an internship with a rich and powerful writer her father knows and adores, and Clare, her mother a widow struggling to pay bills and looking to graduate. Clare has a talent for playing the guitar and Zari loves to write the lyrics. 

The novel focuses on love, family, friendship, and even abuse. Zari's parents start wanting her to assess who she hangs out with and what image that sets to others. There's also a string following the loss of Clare's father. And with the two contrasting characters and families of Zari and Clara, it is interesting to see those two opposing sides. However, the portrayal of the abuse wasn't the greatest.  Whilst it still brings those issues to light, to talk and reflect upon them, it still felt clunky and had patches where it could have been more polished. In some places it brought me out from the story and felt more of just a plot device than something truly happening to the characters. 

So the writing itself... It was a nice and easy read, and I did enjoy it. It was a cross between a 3.5 or a 3 stars. I even looked at a potential 4 stars. I'm someone who likes to be mentally stimulated by texts that I read. I like to be forced to think about issues from other points of views, so when I can sit there in silence for five minutes thinking about the themes of the text, I want to boost my rating up. There was still my slight issue with the way in which abuse was portrayed, and then there was my slight issue with the writing style itself. As a somewhat Newbie to poetry, and having only ever read one other novel in the form of poetry (Moonrise by Sarah Crossan) I was slightly underwhelmed with the poems themselves. There's also one line where Zari says, "and I am lit." Whether Vink meant for it to be the slang term or she was lightened with happiness, I'm unsure. Fingers crossed it was the latter. However, that's probably just me bringing my own slang to the text. But with a more simplistic writing style, it's probably more suited for younger teens (13 - 15) than any more adult or mature audience. 

The only other issue with this was the way in which it was hard to differentiate between the two characters at the beginning. Whether it was only in the advanced copy I received or if it was intended - it's something to look out for when reading this! 



Overall?
I did enjoy this book and would give it 3 stars for it. These  problems I had were mostly minor and didn't disrupt my reading of it too much. The biggest issue was mostly not being able to tell apart the characters in the beginning, and even then that could have been intentional of the writer. I would recommend this book for young teens of ages 13 to 15, and those who want an easy read but is still drama and thought provoking action from it.

I was a little intimidated when i saw that this book was written completely in verse. I am so glad I stuck with it. Really loved the message and actually really enjoyed the writing style.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of AND WE CALL IT LOVE by Amanda Vink in exchange for my honest review.***

3.5 STARS

When Zari meets Dion, her best friendship with Clare suffers. Neither he nor her parents approve of Zari’s friendship with Clare, her pink hair or her creative spirit. When Clare notices bruises on Zari, she might be the only one who can help her friend.

AND WE CALL IT LOVE, a hi-lo verse novel tackles issues of family, friendship, social class and dating violence. Amanda Vink’s crisp writing tells an important story about dating abuse and how friendship can be the support to help end the cycle. Unfortunately, I thought Vink’s portrayal of the abuse oversimplified a complex problem. Most abusers are careful not to leave visible marks on the face and body. They take time to groom their victims and escalate from controlling, emotional manipulation/abuse to physical. Dion’s abuse happened before he had an emotional control over her— “if you can’t have me, no one will want you” “look what you made me do” . The resolution also felt too perfect.

Middle grade readers will probably enjoy AND WE CALL IT LOVE more than teens who have a deeper understanding of relationship difficulties. Hi-lo can be written with greater character and plot complexity to appeal to a wider audience.

I would suggest AND WE CALL IT LOVE as an important book for tweens and young teens as an introduction to dating violence and the power of friendship to intervene.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated below are my own!

*The book comes out on June 1, 2019.

When I first saw this book would be entirely in verse, I was excited as I rarely read poetry books and I've been meaning to get to more. This book follows two friends, Zari and Claire, and revolves around the importance of friendship, family, as well as darker themes like abuse and manipulation.

Trigger warning: there is depiction of abuse in one specific part of the book so keep that in mind in case you decide to look into it!

My Thoughts:

I was quite unsure at first but I ended up really liking this book. My main issue was that at first I wasn't sure who was talking as the two perspectives seemed similar but as I was going through the book, it became easier to tell them apart.
I really liked how the friendship between the two girls is depicted. You can tell they care about each other so much and they would do anything. When facing such a situation, I loved how there was no doubt what would one friend would do to help the other. Their friendship seemed so healthy and so genuine, it made me happy.

"Some people push for perfection, and they only end up pushing people away"

I also enjoyed how the book tackled family issues. We got three different portrayals of families and I enjoyed looking into both of them. We saw what putting a lot of pressure on kids does to them and how important listening to them is.

Most importantly, I love how this book emphasizes that you never know what truly goes on in someone's mind or life unless you make an effort to listen or get to know them. I appreciate that abuse was not romanticized but it was seen through the eyes of both the victim (we see also the struggle to get away) and of several people outside the relationship. It's so easy to mistake someone's manipulation for love and you can clearly see that here.

Finally, the structure was refreshing. I know it can be distracting for some but to me it seemed as if it was almost symbolising a conversation between two parties. Punctuation increased and the tone became harsher when the topics got more serious. The lines became syncopated when feelings of 'loss', 'falling', and 'hopelessness' were introduced.
And I absolutely love how this ends with a notion of "Fall". We are ready to let go of the past, of all the things that hold us down and we can finally embrace our future by the side of those who care and who influence us positively.

Final rating: 4 stars