Review: Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Title: Going Vintage
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Published: March 26th 2013
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Buy: Amazon ~*~ Barnes & Noble
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Caution: May contain spoilers

When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in 1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List:

1. Run for pep club secretary
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming
4. Find a steady
5. Do something dangerous

But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far.

My Thoughts:

I am the type of person who grew up loving "vintage" things, only I didn't view them as vintage. Listening to records? Absolutely normal in my house. In fact, I have a record player and about 30 or so records of my own now. So the idea of this story--living simply--was one I liked immediately.

Mallory amused me so much with her commentary and the things she said to people. I find that it's hard to come across protagonists that are truly funny. Some can be "funny" except it's more of an annoying or forced kind of funny. With Mallory, she was just freaking FUNNY. And it was the little things too. One thing in the beginning when she was still dating Jeremy: she would make excuses to NOT kiss him. It was that whole situation that got me invested in the story.

When Mallory starts working on the list, it isn't as "simple" as expected. The times have changed, obviously, so trying to not go online or use a cell phone makes interacting with people difficult, especially when they have no idea what you're doing. Her sister, Ginnie, is extremely helpful and frustrating at the same time when it comes to Mallory's quest. And then there's Oliver--dear, sweet Oliver--who is there for her despite her fears of the possibility of being with Jeremy's cousin.

Going Vintage was a very adorable story. All the characters melded well together, everyone in the family and at school. The romantic aspect between Mallory and Oliver was only a little snippet of the story but the build up and tension made it worthwhile. In the end, Lindsey Leavitt didn't just wrap it up in a bow, it had a realistic ending. It is definitely worth reading.

My Rating: