Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour Book Review and Giveaway

It’s so hard to talk about those elusive five-star books, isn’t it?  Nina LaCour’s latest book Everything Leads to You is just lovely and I know I won’t be able to articulate all of the reasons why but I’ll give it a shot. This book is part love story, part mystery, and has a Hollywood film set backdrop. The love story happens to be between two girls, and I think this is the first YA I’ve read where the characters’ sexuality isn’t the “conflict” of the book. Very refreshing!

I’m a big fan of LaCour’s Hold Still (about the aftermath of a friends’ suicide) and The Disenchantments (about an all-girl rock band on the road) – both books are fab. But this one is on another level altogether. All the stars!

 

everything leads to you

 

 Book: Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour, Dutton Books, On Sale Now.

Find the Book:  Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | IndieBound

 Find the Author: Goodreads | Twitter | Blog 

The Pitch – Emi Price is a recent high school grad and aspiring film set designer living in Los Angeles. She’s just had her heart broken for the sixth time by her ex-girlfriend Morgan, someone she keeps running into on set. Emi and her BFF Charlotte find a letter at an estate sale for an old Hollywood legend. Getting the letter in the right hands takes them on a mystery that leads to old Hollywood glamour, new relationships, and self-enlightenment.

Location Scouting – This book is a sort of love letter to the LA film industry as much as a romantic love story. Emi’s search takes her all over LA as she follows the threads of the mystery and location scouts everywhere from Venice Beach to The Rose Bowl flea market to Chateau Marmont.

 

Chateau Marmont Hotel in West Hollywood, CA
Chateau Marmont Hotel in West Hollywood, CA

Career you’ll want after reading this book – Emi has the coolest job! She is an up-and-coming production designer for movies. She gets to scour estate sales and flea markets for just the right items to bring the script to life.  As she gets more responsibility she learns to use all her resources and location scout on a budget. Emi knows what she wants and takes such pride in her work – she won’t stop until the most perfect green couch is acquired!

True Hollywood Story – You will get caught in the mystery of Western actor Clyde Jones (a John Wayne/Clint Eastwood type?) whose presence is felt throughout the novel. But he leads to other interesting stories about his estranged daughter and granddaughter.

On-Set Romance – Between the letter and the film Yes & Yes that Emi is working on- everything leads to Ava. Their romance is realistic and slow building and one you want to root for. Plus taco picnics under the skylight! Perfect.

Friendships – Emi & Charlotte’s friendship is wonderful. They are their biggest cheerleaders and also call each other out when they need to. Ava & Jamal also totally have each other’s back. LaCour is always so good at writing about friendship dynamics.

Show Business Families / Family Feud  – We come across a couple different families in this book. On the one hand we have Emi’s family – totally supportive and involved in her life. Emi’s family is mixed-race, and her dad lectures about Pop Culture at UCLA while her mom is a professor of Black studies and gender studies. They are enthusiastic about Emi’s burgeoning career, the mystery, and the Hollywood legend Clyde Jones. Ava’s family situation is more turbulent, especially as Ava is learning more about her birth parents and the mother figure that raised her.

The Script – Nina LaCour writes with such heart and emotion – this book had me totally captivated. LaCour puts as much detail into her writing as Emi does with her film sets and it all works together beautifully. The story within a story worked and added a film noir feel to this contemporary story. The friendships, workplace scenes, romance and mystery tied together seamlessly. I don’t know what else to say- I loved it!

Congrats to AJ who won a copy of Everything Leads to You!

Ornament

10 thoughts on “Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour Book Review and Giveaway

  1. beckireads says:

    That sounds like a really cool book.

  2. Thanks so much for the giveaway! I really want to read this book. Your review is so great! It sounds like a book with lots of cool stuff going on, and it’s not every day you get to read a YA book that gives you insight into something so unique as being a Hollywood film set designer in what sounds like a really realistic way! (:

  3. Tammy Sparks says:

    I’ve heard nothing but great things about this book. It’s sure to be a favorite of many bloggers this year, I’ll bet. And yes, I want her job!

  4. Nara says:

    This book sounds great! It’s not too often that you get LGBT books where the LGBT aspect is something that just happens to be there, rather than a big focus of the conflict. And John Green just recommended it in his latest Vlogbrothers video as well! Clearly it must be a good book 😉

  5. Candice says:

    So excited about this one! I love a good Hollywood story. Add in a mystery and I’m hooked! Haven’t seen the hard copy of this, but glad it’s so pretty! 🙂

  6. […] Lucy It’s so hard to talk about those elusive five-star books, isn’t it?  Nina […]

  7. This looks like such a beautiful book, and it makes me feel silly for having another of the author’s books, The Disenchantments, on my shelf, unread!

    This sounds like such a wonderfully written story about friendship, and I love the setting of LA!

    Mands @ The Bookish Manicurist

  8. Maggie says:

    I had this on my TBR list, but it was one of those books that kind of was just on it and maybe I’d get to it, maybe I won’t. Now that I’ve heard you and Estelle rave about it though I’m going to move it up to read ASAP status. I love a good Hollywood story!

  9. kay says:

    Awesome review! I just finished Hold Still last night and found it to be very moving. Good to hear you found this one to be at least as good! I received this one this week, too, so now I am doubly looking forward to reading it.

  10. […] alert- While you’re here, be sure to check out a couple of giveaways going on now: Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour, and the First Comes Love series by Katie Kacvinsky. Open to […]

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