The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl

by Melissa Keil

Mike Lawrence (Illustrator)

"Maybe the earth will continue to spin, and
the stars won't implode for a bazillion more years, but I know, with a certainty my stupid brain has done its best to ignore, that this moment - right here, with the people
I love most - is not going to last."
Alba is facing one of the most important summers of her life. School is over and while her friends want to escape their sleepy hometown, she just wants to stay put.
But when a viral video about the end of the world announces that Eden Valley is the only safe place to be, thousands of people descend on the town. Amidst parties and prayer circles, Alba feels like her world has turned upside down. At least she's got Cinnamon Girl - the comic-strip alter ego she's created...
A funny and unique feel-good read about how to keep on being yourself when everything around you is changing, perfect for fans of Rainbow Rowell, Non Pratt and John Green.

• ISBN10: 1561459054
• ISBN13: 9781561459056
• Publish Date: 1 April 2016 (first published 11 February 2016)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Peachtree Publishing Company
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[Bianca]

...the awareness of something slipping through my fingers that no amount of wishing can preserve. I can’t help but feel like a giant piece of my heart is breaking, knowing this part of my life I’ve loved so much is coming to an end.

This was a sweet story of friendship, of growing up, and of figuring out who we want to be. It’s about having fears and worries about the unknown future, which I think is always relatable. ++ I really adored the childhood friends-to-lovers slowburn in this.

[leahrosereads]

This was mildly entertaining and a quick read, but nothing grabbed my attention here (outside of the minimal art work - that was great!)

The characters were a bit of a bore and the plot itself was pretty lackluster. I'm not sure I'll be picking up another book by this author any time soon.

[Sarah Says]

More #LoveOzYA gold!
Cinnamon Girl is a humorous, feel good story of growing up, friendship and the almost end of the world.

[Kelly]

Cool main character ✔
No instant love ✔
Quirky ✔
No dodgy love triangle ✔
Intelligent ✔
Uniquely Aussie ✔
Witty ✔

Loved it? ✔
Haul ass and buy a copy, you won't be sorry.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/09/incredible-adventures-of-cinnamon-girl.html
I really enjoyed Melissa Keil's debut novel Life in Outer Space, but I absolutely adored The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl. Alba, a nickname derived from her surname, isn't your typical small town girl. She dreams of taking her comic book characters to the world, but as her circle of friends and best friend Grady graduate from school, she realises that she may only have a few months before she is forced to say goodbye. She struggles to leave the only life she's known behind and venture out into the world, which is something I too experienced when I finished school all those years ago.

Her sidekick is best friend Grady, the two of them growing up together both being raised by single mothers. He's the typical boy next door with a twist. He's not perfect, but he complements Alba's personality, it's a pity his drive an ambition has yet to encourage her to see the world outside of Eden Valley. Life is seemingly perfect, until Daniel breezes back into town. Daniel isn't the same overweight child that left the valley, and now returns as a low grade soap star. The secondary characters were incredibly vivid and well developed, and although don't play a pivotal role in the storyline, they provide sassy banter and each bring a unique and charming element each in their own way.

Alba is brilliant. She's sassy, strong and has an offbeat and unique sense of style, a rockabilly pinup girl who lives for her characters. She's not flirtatious, she doesn't expect compliments, she knows she's an attractive girl with curves that draw attention. But besides from doubting her own future, I loved that she was confident with a healthy and realistic body image. Something we don't generally see in young adult today. She doesn't need a boyfriend and doesn't seek the approval of others for validation. She's what teen girls should be portrayed as. Young adult authors take note, this is how you create a quirky and off beat young adult contemporary, that no doubt readers will fall in love with.