Just Finished Reading … Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

Being Sloane Jacobs
by Lauren Morrill
To be published on January 7, 2014
By Delacorte BFYR

Source: Thanks to Random House for approving me for an e-ARC on Netgalley.


Summary from Goodreads: Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life. Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over. When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.


My take: Being Sloane Jacobs is a cute movie mash-up on a page: take The Parent Trap and The Cutting Edge, mix them together, and what do you get? A fun YA Prince and the Pauper story.

Sloane Emily Jacobs is a nearly washed-up teen figure skater and the daughter of a DC politician, while Sloane Devon Jacobs is a scrappy Philly-based hockey player with dreams of a sports scholarship. They check into the same Montreal hotel -- but after a run-in and quick bonding session, decide to check out as each other. So Sloane Emily goes to hockey camp, while Sloane Devon goes to figure skating camp. Trouble ensues as Sloane D. has to learn to be an ice princess and Sloane E. has to figure out how to avoid bodily harm on and off the ice. I love fish out of water stories, and it was really fun that both of these girls felt so completely out of place. And, of course, Sloane D. learns that being an ice princess isn't all rhinestones and air kisses, while Sloane E. learns that she's tougher than she thinks. There is a bit of romance, a mean girl, a prank or two, and then -- of course -- the girls' covers are eventually blown and they have to figure out how to clean up their mess.

Being Sloane Jacobs is told in alternating first person by the Sloanes. I liked both POVs, but thought that the hockey scenes felt more vivid and detailed than the ice skating sequences. The pressure facing teen athletes is an interesting topic for contemporary YA, and I wished the book had time to explore that, but Being Sloane Jacobs is definitely not a Serious Issue Book -- it's pure entertainment. I loved the fact that the book was set in Montreal, a city I've always wanted to visit. And I thought the story wound up the girls' life-swap in a realistic yet satisfying way -- though those alternating chapters did get head-spinningly short at the end.

Like most life-swap stories, Being Sloane Jacobs was improbable yet enjoyable. There is no new ground broken here, but the book takes a well-trod path and makes walking it -- or skating it?-- pretty fun. Although Being Sloane Jacobs does skew toward the young end of YA, I think that older YA readers who have serious 90s nostalgia for Olsen twin movies like Switching Goals will also find a lot to enjoy here.

Love books like this? A while back I did a post called "If You Like Books Like the Cutting Edge," which you can find here. (And I thought I was the only one obsessed with that movie.)

Then, if you love YA fish out of water stories as much as I do, here are some recommendations for you.

Comments

  1. I'm definitely reading this and hope to find it more satisfying than Meant to Be where I was super annoyed by the male lead. I'm hoping two heroines means twice the fun!

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    1. It's one of those books that makes sense while you are reading and then afterwards, you think,"yeah, that could never happen." But a very fun read!

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  2. Sounds adorable and fun. I'm kind of in *fun* book mode atm :-)

    Although my memory of my one vist to Montreal is that of rude people and strip clubs lol

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. If you are in a "fun book" mood, this is perfect!!

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  3. What a fun premise! I will have to check this out.

    I didn't end up finishing Meant to Be, though it was more my own mindset at the time. It was a cute book that reminded me a lot of Anna and the French Kiss, though a little less swoon-worthy :) I can see actual teens liking these books though. Sometimes my older self gets a little impatient with teen characters.

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    1. I think about that all the time: do we expect too much -- or too little -- from teen characters??

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  4. I liked the look of this one but it was US only on netgalley. Glad it was worth reading, think I will have to get a copy ☺

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    1. It was a perfect lighthearted ending to Thanksgiving weekend! Hope you enjoy :)

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  5. Sounds like a really nice book! Does it get confusing having two Sloane's in the narrative? I guess if they alternate POV it wouldn't be too hard?

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    1. I did have to stop and orient myself a few times -- but the only way the story worked was that they had the same name.

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  6. I really want to read this! I'm glad to see you enjoyed it.

    S.Huston @ Head In The Clouds
    http://readbookswilltravel.blogspot.com/

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  7. This does sound like a fun read. I like the sporty settings, but not too sure about it being more younger YA.

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    1. It does have a Disney movie kind of feel -- except for one "damn" on the first page, it's 100% PG -- as a parent I'm always thrilled to find great books for the 12-14 set and this is perfect for them!!

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  8. This sounds pretty good. I have heard lots of things about it.

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  9. Hmmm. Even before you said it, I immediately thought The Cutting Edge + The Parent Trap. I didn't love this author's first book, but it was a lot of fun. This one actually appeals to me more, but it's good to know that it's nothing groundbreaking. If I get my hands on this I'll be reading it on a rainy day when I want something fun.

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    1. I love both of those movies, so I was so up for this!!!

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  10. Okay, so from your review I think this book will be everything I want it to be. I'm going to have to get my hands on it.

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  11. I'll be reading this the end of this month or early next month. I'm so glad you liked it! Sometimes I need a pure entertainment book to relax to. :)

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