Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Depth of Field by Chantel Guertin

Depth of Field by Chantel Guertin 

Series: Pippa Greene #2
Published: August 12th, 2014
Publisher: ECW Press
190 pages (paperback)
Genre: Contemporary young adult
Acquired this book: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

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{Read my 4-star review of The Rule of Thirds}

Two weeks in New York City should be the time of Pippa’s life: she’s attending the prestigious Tisch Photography Camp, her boyfriend, Dylan McCutter (two months and counting!) is coming with her, and their parents are 500 miles away. Talk about lights, camera, (swoony, unchaperoned) action! But what should be 14 unforgettable days of bliss turns into chaos when her one and only nemesis, Ben Baxter, proves to be surprisingly more complex than she could’ve ever imagined, and her Tisch mentor, a renowned photographer, seems to have a lot more to do with her parents’ past than anyone wants her to know. Is Pippa out of her depth?

 

Depth of Field is the continuation of Pippa Greene’s story from The Rule of Thirds. Pippa is a young photographer; photography was something she shared with her dad, who died the year before. He was a professional photographer, and his passion for the art was something he passed on to Pippa.

One of the things I liked best about The Rule of Thirds was how authentic Pippa’s voice was. She was basically a regular 16-year-old girl who had insecurities, made mistakes, and learned a few things about life and love along the way. I still liked Pippa in Depth of Field, but she seemed…different. In a way, this book felt like it was part of a different series. Maybe it’s because there was a different setting, plus so many new characters and we didn’t get to see Pippa’s boyfriend and best friend, who were quite prevalent in the first book, but it felt almost too different.

Just like with The Rule of Thirds, there was a lot of stuff packed into this little book. At just under 200 pages, Guertin managed to tell a lot of story, which is quite impressive. Oddly enough, even though Pippa seemed really different in this book, I connected with her more in some ways. I understood her better, I think. When I was 17, I went to France for 10 days, and even though we had chaperones, we had a lot of free time, so I can understand Pippa’s excitement at having freedom, and the not-so-great choices she made. She’s an unchaperoned 16-year-old in NYC, of course she’s not going to be a saint! Also, having lost my own dad to cancer at a young age, I could understand Pippa’s desire to do anything to stay close to him, plus honour his memory. A lot of her choices and interests in life revolve around her dad - what he liked, what he did - and I can understand that, but I also hope she’ll find some of her own interests and passions, and become her own person.

I wasn’t sure if this book was the second in a duology or part of series, so the cliffhanger ending surprised me. The Rule of Thirds left me feeling like some things were left too open, and I felt the same with Depth of Field. There were a lot of unanswered questions and loose ends, and even though there’s going to be another book (at least I assume there is), it felt too open. It would have been nice if at least one aspect of the story had been tied up enough to leave me feeling satisfied but wanting more, instead of ‘Ugh, that’s how it ended?’

Overall, Depth of Field is a good continuation of Pippa’s story. If you enjoy realistic YA fiction with an authentic voice, I’d recommend this series. I’m looking forward to seeing where Pippa goes next and how she handles the hurdles ahead.

 

ECW Press was generous enough to send me an extra copy of Depth of Field to give away to one lucky winner! There's one free entry, and then you can do as many or as few entries as you like. ;-)

 

*Open to Canadian residents only (sorry everyone else, shipping is expensive!)

*Must be 16 years old or older to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the entire tour line-up for more reviews, giveaways, and other fun stuff!

Words of Mystery - Friday, August 1 - Giveaway & Review

Sukasa Reads - Saturday, August 2 - Review & Giveaway

Stay Bookish - Monday, August 4 - Tisch Camp post, Dream Cast, Giveaway

Booking it with Hayley G - Tuesday, August 5 - Excerpt & Giveaway

The Book Belles - Wednesday, August 6 - Review

Read My Breath Away - Thursday, August 7 - Review

Write All the Words! - Friday, August 8 - Review & Guest Blog

Ramblings of a Daydreamer - Sunday, August 10 - Review & giveaway

The Book Bratz - Monday, August 11 - Review & Giveaway

  

Have you read The Rule of Thirds or Depth of Field? What did you think? If you haven't read them, are they on your TBR list?

 
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