Off the Page Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for OFF THE PAGE! Today I have my review of the book to share with you - and don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy!

Off the Page (Between the Lines #2)

Author: Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance/Fantasy

Release Date: May 19, 2015

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Description:

From #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and her daughter and co-writer, Samantha van Leer, comes OFF THE PAGE, a tender and appealing romantic YA novel filled with humor, adventure, and magical relationships.

Sixteen-year-old Delilah is finally united with Oliver—a prince literally taken from the pages of a fairy tale. There are, however, complications now that Oliver has been able to enter the real world. To exist in Delilah’s world, Oliver must take the place of a regular boy. Enter Edgar, who agrees to take Oliver’s role in Delilah’s favorite book. In this multilayered universe, the line between what is on the page and what is possible is blurred, but all must be resolved for the characters to live happily ever after. Includes twelve full-color illustrations, and black-and-white decorations throughout.

Full of humor and witty commentary about life, OFF THE PAGE is a stand-alone novel as well as a companion to the authors’ bestseller Between the Lines, and is perfect for readers looking for a fairytale ending. Fans of Sarah Dessen and Meg Cabot are sure to appreciate this novel about love, romance, and relationships. 

Off the Page is a cute and light-hearted young adult romance that blurs the line between fantasy and reality. The book is considered a companion novel to Between the Lines, but can be read as a standalone. I hadn't read Between the Lines beforehand, and I could follow everything that happened just fine. Looking back, I wish I would have read Between the Lines first because it gives a better understanding of the characters, their relationship, and the obstacles they had to overcome to get Oliver into Delilah's world. Although not completely necessary, I would highly recommend reading Between the Lines before jumping into this one. 

I found this novel to be a wonderful romantic distraction from what I normally read. I don't usually go for contemporary romance, but the synopsis for the book had me instantly curious as to how the story could be passed as realistic. I'm definitely glad I gave it a chance! Sometimes you just need a break from your usual genres, and I admit that I can be a ridiculously sappy romantic given the right situations. I found a perfect blend of both romance and fantasy within these pages. The characters were well written - especially our two main characters - Delilah and Oliver. They both have very distinct personalities with obvious flaws, strengths, and weaknesses. I could almost immediately connect with both of them, especially Delilah, from the very beginning. The secondary characters in the book were also written in a rounded, distinct way that made them seem just as realistic as the main characters did. 

The book is written in first person point of view, from three different characters - Delilah, Oliver, and Edgar. The story is broken down into separate chapters/sections, depending on who is narrating at the time. If you've read any of my reviews, you know how much point of view matters to me. First person POV is, by far, my favorite style. The reader gets to know so much more than just the surface story - we're privy to the narrator's inner thoughts, emotions, hopes, dreams, fears, everything that makes them unique. This style also allows the reader to see the story unfold from the narrator's perspective, which can be entirely different than another character's would be. By using first person POV, I really believe that the author takes the story to a deeper level. In this novel, we have the opportunity to truly get to know and understand three different characters - and how each one of them responds to events in the story. By the end of the book, I felt like I really knew our three narrators, which created a strong connection with each of them individually and made them feel very realistic. It let me experience the story from three differing sides, along with seeing how each character felt and reacted during the book. It was an exciting experience as well as a roller coaster ride of emotions - but I wouldn't have it any other way.

The plot of the book is fascinating - mainly because of Oliver's character and how he came to be with Delilah. If you put all of that magic and fantasy to the side, you're left with a beautiful story about true love, obstacles that people have to overcome, and what happily-ever-after really means. Like I mentioned above, this was a huge roller coaster of emotions for me. I found myself grinning like an idiot at the book during some parts, while during others I was close to tears or crying my eyes out. It was written with such detailed description and imagery that I was able to slip inside the story almost instantly at the beginning. I felt as if I was right there with the characters as everything in the book happened - and I felt what they were feeling, whether it was happy, sad, confused, or a mix of different emotions. There is no way that I could have simply read this book - it was an experience that will stick with me for a long time to come. I can't say enough about this book, but my only regret was not reading Between the Lines first. I would have had a better understanding of all the characters - from the main ones to the smallest of appearances - along with more knowledge of the history behind the story and how it all came to be. I very highly recommend this novel to every reader - even those who don't normally read this genre. It's an enchanting story written with amazing talent, and everyone should experience it. I definitely recommend it to fans of contemporary fiction, fantasy, and romance - you really need to read this book!

Jodi Picoult is the author of twenty-two novels, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Storyteller, Lone Wolf, Between the Lines, Sing You Home, House Rules, Handle with Care, Change of Heart, Nineteen Minutes, and My Sister’s Keeper. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children.

Author Links:
http://www.jodipicoult.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/jodipicoult 
https://twitter.com/jodipicoult


Samantha van Leer is a junior in high school. She conceived the idea for Between the Lines and pitched it to her mom, Jodi Picoult, who was in the middle of a book tour. In her spare time, Samantha can be found playing softball, doing contemporary dance, acting and singing in musicals, and cuddling on the ground with her two dogs, Dudley and Oliver—for whom the prince in this fairy tale was named.  

Giveaway: (1) SIGNED finished copy of Off the Page - Open to US only!

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*A huge thank you to the awesome people at Delacorte and Random House Young Readers for sending me a copy of the book for review and allowing me to host a giveaway!*