Everything Leads to You

by Nina LaCour

Paperback, 2015

LCC

PZ7.L13577

Status

Available

Call number

PZ7.L13577

Publication

Speak (2015), Edition: Reprint, 336 pages

Description

While working as a film production designer in Los Angeles, Emi finds a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend which leads Emi to Ava who is about to expand Emi's understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance.

User reviews

LibraryThing member Brainannex
I really loved this book. It's a great read for the more mature of ya readers.
LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
The summer time is a time for romance and Nina LaCour supplies it in Everything Leads to You. Morgan has just broken up with Emi for the sixth time but they can’t avoid each other since they work at the same movie studio, designing sets. Emi’s best friend Charlotte works there as well.

It is the
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summer after high school and Morgan, Emi and Charlotte are working on the same movie. While looking for pieces for a set at an estate sale at the home of a famous and reclusive cowboy actor, Clyde Jones, Charlotte buys a Patsy Cline album as a souvenier. At home she takes it out to listen and a letter drops out. Reading it, Emi and Charlotte discover it is to Clyde’s daughter, Caroline, a daughter no one knew he had. It also refers to his grand daughter, Ava. Charlotte and Emi decide they need to find Caroline and give her the letter.

From the above, you can’t tell this is a love story, but it is, trust me. Giving any more away will ruin it. Charlotte and Emi spend the summer working on a movie, searching for Caroline and Ava and staying in Emi’s brother, Toby’s, apartment while he is away in Europe scouting locations for another movie. His parting words were, “Do something epic while I’m gone.” And indeed they do.

Emi is a great character, self confident in her work, but crumbling at Morgan’s advances to get back together. I’m assuming most people can relate to that. She’s also unsure of her new love, who Ms. LaCour doesn’t hide, but I will. The trio of Emi, Charlotte and Morgan are talented and they bring to light how rooms in movies are decorated, something we rarely think about.HoldStill

There are no surprises (well maybe some surprises) in Everything Leads to You, but there doesn’t have to be to make this a fun book. It is your classic beach read.

If you’re looking for something from Nina LaCour with a little more ‘meat’ in it, try Hold Still. In my Librarything review, I likened it to 13 Reasons Why and the Hate List. No bad company, huh?
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LibraryThing member LibraryGirl11
A charming romance set against the backdrop (pun intended) of set-dressing and filmmaking in Los Angeles. Recommend to fans of John Green or Sarah Dessen who are open to a less traditional love story. Also, see the acknowledgements at the end of the book--CPHS and Terri Evans are mentioned!
LibraryThing member ConnieJo
This was a cute book, and I liked that it featured a lesbian romance without being completely about lesbian romance. The main character is pretty comfortable with her sexuality, so the usual hand-wringing and angsting is absent. Emi does crush on Eva throughout, but she's trying to get over a
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recent breakup, and Eva isn't really dating material until the end of the novel, so that's nice.

Instead, we get to hear a lot about Emi's job as a Hollywood set designer, and the intriguing mystery of who movie star Clyde Jones (think Clint Eastwood) was trying to write to. I loved the way Emi and Charlotte went about their research. They find Eva, who's all about them helping her out with her background, and the slow reveal of Eva's situation and her past, and the past of her mother and grandmother, is wonderful. Charlotte was a great best friend character, and I also loved all the amazing detail we got about how Emi worked to design the sets, and how they were put together, both successes and failures.

I think the only sticking point for me was that Emi was a teen who worked in Hollywood. I have a hard time dealing with stories about easy breaks into Hollywood like this. There's a good explanation about how Emi got her gig, and I liked that she is "naturally gifted," but is still going to college, et cetera. But I know so, so, so many people who have or are trying to get into every aspect of Hollywood, and failed/ are failing. It's really almost impossible, "natural gifts" don't really play a part, and I cringe when I come across stories that make it seem doable, even in the context of fiction. I know a lot of people that have ended badly trying to get in. But this is a personal beef, and not really the fault of the novel.

Basically, a nice novel with an interesting profession, a good mystery, and a cute lesbian romance.
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LibraryThing member WarriorLibrary
Very good book with a little mystery to keep you reading and a great personal story!
LibraryThing member BookishThings
This is possibly one of the my favorite reads so far. Everything Leads to You is about self discovery,and finding out what real love is.

Emi is an extremely likeable character. I love that she has a strong relationship with her family and friends. She’s strong even when she doesn’t think she is.
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I also love that she works hard to follow her dreams. I connected with her so well.

I also want to say that her sexuality wasn’t blanched at, or anything like that. It was accepted, and she didn’t feel the need to hide it or be ashamed. I freaking loved that part. I also enjoyed the behind the scenes look of the film industry. It gives me a whole new respect for the crew. I liked how Emi’s attraction to Ava is gradual. It’s not fast, and rushed. And I think that Emi did a great job when dealing with her ex.

I loved this book, and I can’t wait to read more from this author. I recommended it to so many people already!!!
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LibraryThing member Banoczi_Henrietta
i didn't even finish this, i only got about 80% through, and i did want to finish it, but then i just never did. to be honest i don't think i ever will. it was very boring, it didn't make me feel anything, i didn't get attached to any of the characters, i didn't care for the writing style, i don't
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even know if there was anything i liked in it. i kept reading because i was expecting for it to pick up, but just nothing was happening
i was very excited for this because i haven't really read any books about lesbians and everyone has been talking about this one but it was just a massive disappointment i'm sorry.
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LibraryThing member sunset_x_cocktail
This is one of the most wonderful, perfect romances I have read in a long time. I loved this book from start to finish and by the end I was a blubbering mess of tears. It was that well written.

I loved the LA setting, the inside look at how movies are made, and the characters were wonderful. The
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story centres on Emi, an intern set designer and her best friend Charlotte, who find a letter from a deceased movie star at an estate sale. The letter leads them to find the movie stars long lost granddaughter, Ava. The novel tells the story of Emi and Ava getting to the truth of Ava's past and discovering deeper romantic feelings towards each other.

Its an uplifting and wonderful story. I found it fascinating to see how a movie is put together through the set designer's part, even that of an intern. Emi has such passion and clearly loves her work. Charlotte was a great best friend. Had Emi's back all the way, listened when needed, offered help and advice.

This is one of the slowest building romances ever! When Emi finds the letter and the letter leads her to Ava she has an idea in her mind of how it will all play out...of course it doesn't and her feelings conflict a lot. They both grow tremendously as people throughout the story and build a wonderful connection.

It's just so romantic how it all fits together and plays out. And by the end I was crying my eyes out. I just loved this book so much.

Also, fills a few squares for my Summer Bingo reading challenge this book was about two girls who fall in love so I'm crossing off square- Main Character is LGBTIA
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LibraryThing member yourotherleft
Everything Leads to You is a sweet f/f romance with a bit of mystery, a vulnerable and lovable main character, and a great behind the scenes look at set design for movies. My one quibble is how much older than her age Emi seems, living nearly independently and fully employed in the movies despite
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just graduating high school. I‘ve discovered that I love Jorjeana Marie narrating first person YA narrators in audiobooks. Here she lends Emi the little extra innocence she needs to add realism.
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Awards

ALA Rainbow Book List (Selection — YA Fiction — 2015)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2015)

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2014-05-15

Physical description

8.1 x 0.9 inches

ISBN

0142422940 / 9780142422946
Page: 0.4119 seconds