Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard

Here's a quick blurb from Ms. Hubbard's gorgeous website: It’s hard to find beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming. Fourteen-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it’s not her mother’s pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances and pickup trucks adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild girl Mandarin Ramey: seventeen, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin.


When the misfits are united for a project, they embark on an unlikely, explosive friendship, packed with nights spent skinny-dipping in the canal, liberating the town’s animal-head trophies, and constantly searching for someplace magic. Grace even plays along when Mandarin suggests they make a pact to run away together. Blame it on the crazy-making wildwinds that plague their badlands town.

But all too soon, Grace discovers Mandarin’s unique beauty hides a girl who’s troubled, broken and even dangerous. And no matter how hard Grace fights to keep the magic, even the best friendships can’t withstand betrayal.

My Take

This book dripped with imagery.  I loved the author's ability to place me right in the setting with the characters.  I also liked the descriptions she used.  One in particular I remember was she described the fenders on an old truck as being 'chubby'.  I could absolutely picture it in that very moment. 

The storyline between Grace and Mandarin drew you in.  I wanted to know where their friendship was going.  Would Grace be pulled down the same paths that Mandarin was travelling?  Is it really the wildwinds that make you release all sense of reason?  I really enjoyed this book.  I'm giving it 5 blown away kisses!

This is also one of the books on the Contemporary Challenge.  Definitely a great read.  Things will slow down here on the blog, as tomorrow I'm having my weight loss surgery.  I'm sure before long, I'll be seeing you around the blogosphere before you know it.  Here's those kisses for LIKE MANDARIN!