Author: Pamela Mingle
Publication: August 14th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult ~ Historical Fiction ~ Romance
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Cover Rating: 3/5
Overall Rating: 2/5
A romantic time travel story that's ideal for fans of novels by Meg Cabot and Donna Jo Napoli--and, of course, Shakespeare.
Miranda has Shakespeare in her blood: she hopes one day to become a Shakespearean actor like her famous parents. At least, she does until her disastrous performance in her school's staging of The Taming of the Shrew. Humiliated, Miranda skips the opening-night party. All she wants to do is hide.
Fellow cast member, Stephen Langford, has other plans for Miranda. When he steps out of the backstage shadows and asks if she'd like to meet Shakespeare, Miranda thinks he's a total nutcase. But before she can object, Stephen whisks her back to 16th century England—the world Stephen's really from. He wants Miranda to use her acting talents and modern-day charms on the young Will Shakespeare. Without her help, Stephen claims, the world will lost its greatest playwright.
Miranda isn't convinced she's the girl for the job. Why would Shakespeare care about her? And just who is this infuriating time traveler, Stephen Langford? Reluctantly, she agrees to help, knowing that it's her only chance of getting back to the present and her "real" life. What Miranda doesn't bargain for is finding true love . . . with no acting required.
Originally I wasn't planning on writing a review for Kissing Shakespeare since I started this book two years ago and put it on hold until now but here I go.
So obviously I had some issues with this book. As some of you may now, I love historical fiction. I also love time travel... but in the end this book wasn't good enough for me to really like it.
I really liked the concept of Kissing Shakespeare with the time travel and everything. I just wasn't a fan of the writing, the conversations between the characters and the ending. Especially the ending.
Miranda, the main character... I had mixed feelings about her. It's not that I hated her. I just didn't like reading about her. She was an okay character but meh...
At some level I liked Stephen. I felt for him and everything he went through with his former fiancee and the whole time travel thing but sometimes he was a little careless about Miranda's feelings and I didn't like it.
However, I did root for Miranda and Stephen to be together. They did have chemistry and that's why I hated that ending so much. It was an ending that's open for speculation. If it was any other books I would think a second was would come but obviously there isn't a sequel in the making as far as I know. I just wanted a happy ending for them.
I guess I'll have to mention Shakespeare too. I actually don't have much to say about him. I'm pretty neutral on him. Didn't like him but didn't hate him either. As I said before it's a pretty good concept and we all know if Shakespeare would've strayed from his writing, things wouldn't be the same this day.
I didn't care for the writing either. It's probably a personal preference thing but it wasn't good enough to keep me interested. I hate to say this but it's my opinion. I wanted a little more action and a more exciting plot.
Although a bit disappointed by the characters, writing and plot, Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mindle did have a good concept. I liked the time travel and historical part of the book but in the end it wasn't for me.
About the Author:
I live and write in Lakewood, Colorado, and if I peek around one corner of my balcony, I have a wonderful view of the front range of the Rocky Mountains.
I was a teacher and librarian, and somehow, with hard work and a little luck, I've found a third career as a writer. I love the sound of that! In the summer of 2012, Delacorte Press published my debut novel, KISSING SHAKESPEARE, a time-travel romance for teens. In the fall of 2013, my second novel will be published by William Morrow. It's a PRIDE AND PREJUDICE sequel about the socially awkward middle Bennet sister, Mary. If you're an Austen fan, I hope you'll watch for it.
I share something in common with you--I love to read! Besides YA, I love mysteries, historical fiction, mainstream and women's fiction, and fantasy. I'm always curious about what other people are reading, because whatever that is might become my new favorite book!
My husband and I have done several walking trips in England, Scotland, and France. That means going from one town to the next, on foot, sometimes fifteen miles a day! It was on one of these walks that I discovered Hoghton Tower, the setting of KISSING SHAKESPEARE.
Nothing has made me happier than hearing from readers.
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