the reader in a quiet corner

May 2013 This book is as lovely as I remember. I feel goooood.

Sept.2012When you read about people loving a book, it's hard not to expect to like it. I've read so many books which people gushed over, but when I read it, I was like, meh. Thankfully, Dairy Queen did not disappoint. What a lucky day to have found this on a dark corner of a bookstore. I was never so entertained as much lately, nor did I read a book more quickly. It just made me feel good. I'm sorry it had to end so soon.

DJ Schwenk, the heroine, is charming and utterly likable. I just wanted to root for her up to the end, tell her off when she doesn't say the things she needs to say, but relieved to find out that she turned out just fine.

I can't wonder why this book is a highly recommended YA novel. It's full of the good stuff, the real stuff, on how it's hard to handle family, friends, school and crushes. DJ's cow metaphor is something to think about.

Everyone I looked at, their whole lives, did exactly what they were supposed to do
without even questioning it, without even wondering if they could
do something different.

Basically, that's what this book is about. Being brave enough to look for something you're really happy to do, and do it. Which I really love. That, and the importance of saying things you should.

But it turns out that even if I don’t talk a lot, when it’s something that matters I still have a lot to say.

And what's a book I enjoy without it having that cute romance? Brian-the-jock (could-it-be-that-you're-actually-a-nice-person? Brian) and DJ have such a good chemistry, they look so cool, able to joke with each other like that, and Brian able to say what's on his mind, and DJ who finally has someone to really talk to. Their relationship isn't based on physical appearances (though it's not hard to argue that these two are actually good-looking people), it's not insta-love, and they both just mutually respect each other, despite differences, and the occasional conflict, which they patch up like an old married couple (ugh, how cute is that!) The development of their relationship is something that I respect. I wouldn't mind a Brian Nelson of my own. Not at all.

Dairy Queen is a book one must not miss. And 5 stars, because, it doesn't try hard, it's an awesome YA novel, and, the cuteness.