Review: The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding

Title: The Reese Malcolm List
Author: Amy Spalding
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Entangled Teen
ISBN-10: 1620612402
ISBN-13: 978-1620612408
Source: Publisher
Goodreads   Amazon

Things I know about Reece Malcolm:

1. She graduated from New York University.
2. She lives in or near Los Angeles.
3. Since her first novel was released, she’s been on the New York Times bestseller list every week.
4. She likes strong coffee and bourbon.
5. She’s my mother.

Devan knows very little about Reece Malcolm, until the day her father dies and she’s shipped off to live with the mother she’s never met. All she has is a list of notebook entries that doesn’t add up to much.

L.A. offers a whole new world to Devan—a performing arts school allows her to pursue her passion for show choir and musicals, a new circle of friends helps to draw her out of her shell, and an intriguing boy opens up possibilities for her first love.

But then the Reece Malcolm list gets a surprising new entry. Now that Devan is so close to having it all, can she handle the possibility of losing everything? (Goodreads)

Review

I thought the premise of The Reese Malcolm List sounded fun.  Add the great cover and I thought I would enjoy this read, but I didn’t expect to be completely charmed by it.

Devan has never met her mom, actually she didn’t even know who she was until recently. Now that Devan’s father has passed she is being shipped off to live with Reece Malcolm, her mother. Every chapter begins with a list, like in the description above, of things Devon now knows about her mother as the story grows. I really enjoyed the list; it was always a jumping off point for each chapter.

The relationship between Devan and her mom is strained to say the least, but they both do their best to tip toe around any issues they may have with each other to the point that I was just waiting for one of them to blow up at the other. Devan, even though she is a teenager, is very focused and knows what she wants to do with her life. Devan loves show choir and is amazing on stage. I really loved Devan! She has been dealt some pretty crappy cards in life as of late but she takes everything in stride and does the best with what she has.

My favorite thing about The Reece Malcolm List

Amy Spalding did an amazing job at making the relationships and the interactions between the characters very real. Now let me just say I don’t ever want to go through high school again regardless of the fond memories I have, but I really enjoyed reliving the high school experience with Devan. The way Devan and her friends acted when one got a part that the other wanted in the school play, or when one friend dated a guy that the other was not ready to completely give up was so honest and very high school.

Toward the end I was on the edge of my seat waiting for Devan and her mom to finally have it out and clear the air… That moment does not disappoint! At the end I wasn't given some fluffy “and they all lived happily ever after.” I was given the feeling that things where good, but all the characters would have to continue to work with each other to keep it that way, just like we all do in life. And it made me love this book even more.

Happy Reading,

    

4 Moons- I could read this again!

Recommended For

Teen and up: Actually after reading it I called my sister and told her she needed to read it.