GROUNDHOG DAY gets a hilarious French twist in this delightful upper middle grade novel about first crushes and friendship when an eighth-grade class trip to Paris goes horribly wrong and the worst day of one girl’s life keeps happening over and over.
Fourteen-year-old Eve Hollis is ready to push through her fears and finally let her crush know how she feels. And what better place to tell him than on top of the Eiffel Tower in the City of Love? But things don’t go as planned, and Eve is sure she’s had the worst day of her life— until she wakes up the next morning to realize the whole disaster of a day is happening again. She’s trapped in a time loop.
Desperate to make it stop, Eve will have to take some big risks and learn from her mistakes or she’s destined to live the most awkwardly painful day of her life over and over again, forever.
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Disability rep: #MentalHealth #ND #Anxiety
BONUS! Check out Julie's #OwnVoices review of Paris on Repeat here: (and yes, this Julie in question is me, founder of YADDB!!)
❝After reading this first book in the Wish & Wander series, I have a wish to make of my own—to travel back in time and give this to my 8th grade self! This book literally feels like it was written to Julie of the (not-so-distant) Past, and I fell head-over-heals in (super cliche!) insta-love with this book from the very first time I spotted it on Netgalley.
First, let’s begin by discussing the quaint Parisian setting! Ever since I was in 3rd grade or so, traveling to Paris had been a dream of mine. I’m fortunate enough that I actually got to see this beautiful city for myself a few years ago, and so I can therefore confirm that every aspect of the city that Amy portrayed here was nearly identical to my memories! Just a little note here, however, that some things have changed (i.e. Notre Dame being fully intact, RIP 😔); however, since I went there before the fire erupted, it proved to be an almost-entirely accurate depiction of the City of Lights.
In addition, I adored the magical realism of this book (and in particular, Amy’s cleverly written take on Groundhog Day). The resolution that Eve (the main character) came to at the end of the book, while a tad predictable for older readers like me, was entirely unique and truly makes for an unforgettable read.
Eve was also such a well-written character! Throughout the course of the novel, she struggled with anxiety, fear of rejection, and despondency over her parent’s recent announcement of divorce, in addition to being a military kid (through her mother), two of which I’ve also personally struggled with (the anxiety/fear of rejection). The anxiety representation in particular was incredibly relatable on such a deep & personal level, and is something that I just wish I could’ve read back in middle school, at the time where I needed that kind of representation the most.
Lastly, I couldn’t end this review properly without giving MAJOR props to the cover designer! The cover of the book was what originally brought this book to my attention, and it is just spectacular beyond words. It didn’t surprise me in the slightest when I learned that it was designed by the incredibly talented Sarah Taplin, who also designed the similarly breathtaking cover for Lovestruck by Kate Watson.
Overall: An adorable and spellbinding rendition of Groundhog Day, Paris on Repeat is the perfect transition read that bridges the gap between Middle Grade literature and YA novels, while also bringing to light important messages about mental health and the meaning and significance of friendship and family.❞ - Julie
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