Sneak Peek Sunday ft. Blog Tour: Our Year of Maybe by Rachel Lynn Soloman

I’m so excited to be on this blog tour! Here is one of my highly anticipated reads, Our Year of Maybe by Rachel Lynn Soloman. Last year, Soloman debuted with her novel You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone, which was also featured right here! Check that out here. I was lucky enough to win an ARC in Rachel’s newsletter.

Title Our Year of Maybe

Author: Rachel Lynn Soloman

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Expected publication: January 15, 2019

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult

My rating: 4/5 Goodreads stars

Aspiring choreographer Sophie Orenstein would do anything for Peter Rosenthal-Porter, who’s been on the kidney transplant list as long as she’s known him. Peter, a gifted pianist, is everything to Sophie: best friend, musical collaborator, secret crush. When she learns she’s a match, donating a kidney is an easy, obvious choice. She can’t help wondering if after the transplant, he’ll love her back the way she’s always wanted.

But Peter’s life post-transplant isn’t what either of them expected. Though he once had feelings for Sophie too, he’s now drawn to Chase, the guitarist in a band that happens to be looking for a keyboardist. And while neglected parts of Sophie’s world are calling to her—dance opportunities, new friends, a sister and niece she barely knows—she longs for a now-distant Peter more than ever, growing increasingly bitter he doesn’t seem to feel the same connection.

Peter fears he’ll forever be indebted to her. Sophie isn’t sure who she is without him. Then one blurry, heartbreaking night twists their relationship into something neither of them recognizes, leading them to question their past, their future, and whether their friendship is even worth fighting for.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | iTunes

About the Author

Rachel Lynn Solomon lives, writes, and tap dances in Seattle, Washington. Once she helped set a Guinness World Record for the most natural redheads in one place. She’s the author of You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone (out now from Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse), Our Year of Maybe (1/15/19), and Today Tonight Tomorrow (2020). A short story of hers will appear in the anthology It’s a Whole Spiel (Penguin Random House/Knopf, fall 2019).

Review

This was such a fun read!! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I absolutely loved Rachel’s debut, You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone and I had high hopes for this one. One of the main characters and I even share a name!

I love the dual POV in the book. I felt that Rachel really got into their heads, and it was well written. Sometimes I felt more connected to Sophie, but other times I felt more connected to Peter. I wish I could meet them IRL! I especially liked the new dance friends that Sophie makes. They reminded me a little of Bebe and Denice from Eleanor & Park.

There are a lot of different elements in this book, from religion to sexuality, Soloman writes in a respectful but real way. I’m always captivated by her writing. Each piece is woven in with skill that I admire greatly.

I really like her realistic portrayal of sexual health and masturbation in this book. This is also done in You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone, and it needs to be done much more often in YA. This fights against the stigma, especially for women, in a positive way, and this definitely won points in my book.

Religion is another theme embedded within this novel. I like how Peter wants to find his and what it means to him while Sophie doesn’t really practice. It provides a good picture of how people approach this topic. I related to Peter when he talked about being caught between worlds, how he didn’t feel like he was enough of something to really claim the label. I often feel this way toward my race (Asian) because there is such a stigma and discussion about what makes someone “truly” something.

For the sake of keeping this from getting too long (seriously, I could wax poetically about this book all day), I’m going to wrap it up here. I really hope you guys read this amazing book!

Playlist

Here’s a playlist I created for the book! Unfortunately, I don’t know much Rufus Wainwright, much to Peter’s chagrin. I did include a lot of angsty songs (this book is so angsty and I love it), and one BTS song that I felt really fit the book!

Favorite Quotes

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the books!

He is the earth, and I am the moon.
I have never been enough, and he has always been too much.

There’s something else, though, something that takes me a few moments to identify—a pang of missing. Like I miss Sophie even though she’s right here, gliding along the ice in her gray beanie, fiery hair peeking out from beneath it.

Giveaway

Prize: One (1) SIGNED copy of Our Year of Maybe.

Terms & Conditions: US only, please read the terms on the rafflecopter

Run time: January 9-20th

Link: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d9681b86336/

Tour Schedule

January 9th

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club – Welcome Post

January 10th

Charis Rae – Review | It Starts at Midnight – Review + Favourite Quotes | The Clever Reader – Review + Dream Cast + Favourite Quotes

January 11th

Read.Sleep.Repeat.org – Interview | A Court of Coffee and Books – Review + Favourite Quotes | Kait Plus Books – Review + Favourite Quotes

January 12th

Literary Meanderings – Guest Post | Sinfully Wicked Book Reviews – Review | Morgan Vega – Review + Playlist + Dream Cast

January 13th

The Mind of a Book Dragon – Review + Playlist + Favourite Quotes | Blunt Book Blog – Review | Amy’s Booket List – Review + Favourite Quotes

January 14th

Utopia State of Mind – Guest Post | Camillea Reads – Review | We Live and Breathe Books – Review

January 15th

The Heart of a Book Blogger – Interview | Blossoms and Bullet Journals – Review | Moonlight Rendezvous – Review + Playlist | The Layaway Dragon – Review