Bex is an American who spends a year abroad in college, studying at Oxford, where she meets fellow student, prince, and future king, Nick. They fall iBex is an American who spends a year abroad in college, studying at Oxford, where she meets fellow student, prince, and future king, Nick. They fall in love and secretly date for a few years but can never be seen in public without too much scrutiny, and Bex feels like she's never living up to the standards expected by Nick's family. Years later, they're engaged and their wedding is hotly anticipated as one of the biggest events, but Bex can't stop worrying about what's to come.
I first heard of this book when it was nominated for one of the Goodreads Choice Awards and thought it sounded like a fun read, so I picked it up. And indeed it was a very cute story! The story kind of jumps around in time a little, beginning with Bex preparing for the wedding and then dropping into how they first met, years earlier, and everything that happened between their first meeting and their wedding day. The story was a lot of fun and didn't ever feel too cheesy or "perfect"; there were a number of details included showing how difficult life in the spotlight could be, including how Bex and Nick couldn't go out as normal couples do, or how Bex's every move was closely monitored because of how every slight misstep would get heavily scrutinized. I liked the way this was handled, showing how fame and fortune comes with responsibility as well and that it's not necessarily as glamorous as we think!
This book reads a LOT like Kate Middleton / Prince William fanfic, with just enough details changed to be acceptable. It read so much like fanfic that after finishing the book, I looked up to see whether it was originally published as such. Apparently not (although I did discover that I'd read a previous book by these authors - weird coincidence!). Reading like fanfic isn't necessarily a bad thing; the book was certainly entertaining, and it did make it easy to picture the characters, since they were seemingly all based on real people!
The romance between Bex and Nick was cute, and I liked the surrounding cast of characters as well. I couldn't always remember the backstory for all the supporting characters, but they still rounded out the story nicely. Additionally, everyone seemed to grow (in ways both good and bad!) throughout the story, so it was fun to see how all the characters changed over time. This book spanned so many years, it would be strange if all the characters stayed static; seeing how they all matured or not was interesting. Even the relationship between Bex and her sister, once best friends who could not be separated, changed over the course of the book, and although it wasn't always for the better, it was easy to understand how Bex's engagement changed so much - for everyone.
This book felt slightly longer than it could have been, but the story did move along nicely. I never tore through the pages, but I also never felt bored and did enjoy it. Cute story overall and anyone looking to live out their British princess fantasies will probably devour this!...more
This is the companion novel to Every Day, which dealt with someone named A who woke up every morning in someone else's body, shifting to a new person This is the companion novel to Every Day, which dealt with someone named A who woke up every morning in someone else's body, shifting to a new person every day, and never having any constant in life until A meets and falls in love with Rhiannon. This book features Rhiannon as the main character, spanning the same timeline that the first book did, only from Rhiannon's eyes instead of A's. Rhiannon is kind of frustrated, with a boyfriend who barely seems to care about her, until one day he suddenly does and makes her fall in love with him all over again. But, as Rhiannon later finds out, it wasn't her boyfriend himself that day but A in her boyfriend's body. Rhiannon then finds herself falling for A and A's personality, feeling like she has more of a connection with A than anyone else but can't share this secret without sounding crazy.
I didn't remember all the details about Every Day, which is probably a good thing because this book definitely followed the same storyline quite closely. The main new things in this book that weren't noted in Every Day was Rhiannon's personal life, from her up-and-down relationship with Justin and her tenuous relationship with her friends due to their dislike of Justin. It was frustrating to read about Rhainnon's insistence on staying together with Justin when he was so clearly not right for her, not to mention a terrible boyfriend in general. But, I do think the author did a good job depicting such a relationship, one that isn't abusive but also isn't good and everyone but Rhiannon could see it.
The growing relationship between A and Rhiannon was definitely the main thread in the book, and the whole reason the book existed. I liked how Rhiannon gradually began to trust that A's story was indeed the truth and how she started relying on A more and more, even though she understood that they couldn't manage a future together. It was the sort of situation so odd that there just wasn't an obvious "happy ending" in store.
This ended at the same place where Every Day ended, making it a solid ending but also leaving the reader dangling, since we now know what Rhiannon was thinking at the end of all this. I wish the story had continued further than it did so I could have seen what happened next. Because I remembered how the story ended in the first book, it wasn't a surprise the way this ended. While it was fun to see the exact same story told through someone else's eyes, I wish there had been more "new" revelations in here instead of it just recapping the same timeline. But who knows - the way this ended set it up for a continuing story, and I hope that a third book is indeed written so it will bring these stories to a real conclusion. This was a good story overall, but so much of it repeated the first book that it felt like a retelling that left more questions hanging. Worth reading for fans of Every Day, and they can be read in either order. ...more
Angela Gillespie writes a Christmas letter to friends and family every year on December 1, usually painting quite a rosy picture of their lives that yAngela Gillespie writes a Christmas letter to friends and family every year on December 1, usually painting quite a rosy picture of their lives that year. This year, she's frustrated about a lot of things, getting frequent stress-induced headaches, and can't seem to find the words to brag about the family's achievements. To get it out of her system, she writes a very honest summary of what each family member has been up to over the past year: her husband, Nick, barely talks to her anymore and is obsessed with genealogy research; twin daughters Victoria and Genevieve are both having meltdowns, Victoria's caused by an affair with a married man, Genevieve's caused by her inability to honor a non-disclosure agreement; her other daughter, Lindy, has moved back home and does nothing but mope around; her son, Ig, has an imaginary friend despite being too old for one; and Angela herself has dreamt up an imaginary life, in which she married an old boyfriend instead and had the perfect life together, frequently escaping from her real life to the perfect one in her mind. This honest letter accidentally gets sent out, right before the entire family gathers for Christmas, and suddenly everyone is forced to confront their faults and band together in order to weather the fact that everyone else knows their business.
I love this author's ability to create believable worlds, complicated families, beautiful scenery, and emotional relationships; this book was no exception. I fell into the world almost immediately, and although the narration jumped around between the various family members, it was never jarring and simply made sense, getting an idea of what was in everyone's head. It was easy to understand how the family dynamics had landed this way, and it was interesting to see how everyone fit together based on what was going on in their own lives and the way they regarded the decisions of others.
The premise this novel was built upon was quite cute. So many people send out holiday letters, but how many actually tell the truth about everything that's going on? I liked the idea of Angela's letter being brutally honest, embarrassing everyone she mentioned - including herself!
For all that I liked about this book, however, I didn't think there was nearly as much depth or complexity to it as they should have been. It also seemed very light and shallow compared to the author's other books. There was a large cast of characters and everyone had their own issues, but many problems seemed to be wrapped up quickly or not really delved into, as if the problems were a plot point but nothing to be dwelled on. I wish there'd been more detail and explanation! The three daughters all seemed quite immature, which was fine, but none of their stories included a lot of character growth. I wanted to see a little more growth and a little more resolution to the issues they were dealing with. Each had a love interest, for example, and all those stories wrapped up quickly without giving the reader much of a chance to "see" how they ended; instead, the love interests either appeared and all was well, or they disappeared with a short explanation. It needed more!
I did like this book overall, but it didn't seem to contain as much heart as I'd have liked, nor were the resolutions completely satisfying to me. It was a sweet novel that I enjoyed, but it lacked the little details that make a story magical. Still, there were definitely lovely touches that kept it interesting. I'll still look forward to the author's next book; this one just wasn't one of my favorites....more
Cassandra's spending the summer in a Massachusetts beach town with her family. She isn't having a great time until she meets Lawrence on the private Cassandra's spending the summer in a Massachusetts beach town with her family. She isn't having a great time until she meets Lawrence on the private beach behind her house. She hasn't seen him around town before, and they soon realize they're only able to meet on the beach. Cassandra's living in 2015, and Lawrence lives in 1925. They fall in love almost immediately, and then Cassandra looks up Lawrence in old newspapers, only to realize that she needs to help him change the past because his life is in danger.
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book, but I didn't enjoy the actual story as much as I'd hoped. The beginning seemed really awkward to me, almost like it was forced, and I had a hard time sympathizing with Cassandra and understanding her behavior. The interactions between Cassandra and Lawrence didn't make me feel any sort of chemistry between them, and it was hard for me to believe that the two of them felt like they were falling in love because it just didn't seem all that developed.
Once the mystery part of the story got underway, it picked up quite a bit. I was curious to find out what was going on around Lawrence, since his uncle seemed to be involved in something shady, and I had no idea how it was going to be resolved. I kept reading out of interest in this and to find out how the author would bring it all together in the end.
I thought the end was satisfying in some regards but confusing in others. None of the supporting characters were very complex and they seemed all but forgotten by the end, leaving me confused as to why any of them played roles earlier on. Also, I didn't understand how the story was able to end as it did, since a large part of the ending depended on something that would not have been possible based on conditions at the beginning of the book (can't get more detailed without spoilers!). I didn't mind the ending by any means; I was just confused at how it could happen.
While reading, I wondered if this would have been a book I'd devour at a younger age, and I probably would have. The idea behind the story was really cute, and I liked the story itself. I just didn't feel like the characters were as developed as they could have been, and the supporting cast was weak. I wanted to connect with the characters more or be carried away by the story, and that didn't happen. But this was a quick read and decent overall....more
This was an excellent overview of how the Wright Brothers came to invent the airplane, their struggles to address problems that other inventors had alThis was an excellent overview of how the Wright Brothers came to invent the airplane, their struggles to address problems that other inventors had also encountered and the way that their invention became so popular around the world. It was written in a very straight-forward manner and was quite readable, much more so than the author's last book, John Adams, which I felt had more of a dry textbook vibe that kept it inaccessible to casual readers.
There was a lot about the Wright Brothers that I didn't know, and I finished this book having learned quite a lot. I really enjoyed the look at various problems they were able to pinpoint in previous (failed) designs of various would-be aircrafts and how they studied birds in order to engineer a machine that actually would fly. It was also fascinating to read about how little their invention cost compared to the attempts of others. Putting this into perspective gave a nice sense of what the times were like and made their successful invention even more impressive.
What this book lacked, however, was a bigger insight to their personal lives. The book covered a little about their lives but mainly focused on their inventions and the improvements they made, followed by their attempts to sell their Flyers in the U.S. and in France - things I hadn't previously known about and was quite interested to learn. I finished this feeling like I knew a lot more about how the airplane came to be but not like I knew much about the people themselves behind it. Most of the details about the brothers themselves seemed almost superficial, such as details about their bicycle shop and naming people in their employ but not detailing the specifics of the relationships between the brothers and others. Maybe this sort of information was not available, but because this wasn't specifically noted, the absence of personal stories made this book feel not as well-rounded or complete as it could have been.
All in all, this was a solidly researched book that I think anyone interested in the Wright Brothers and how they came to invent the airplane would easily enjoy. Everything was presented in a clear, concise manner that was easy to read. But the lack of more personal insights, coupled with some of the brief summaries of events that transpired in here, kept me from feeling completely engrossed. Still, an interesting read for sure and an excellent look at how an invention that was a long time coming could change the world....more
This was such an odd book, so much so that it's difficult to even describe the plot! Twenty years after most of Earth's population has been wiped out This was such an odd book, so much so that it's difficult to even describe the plot! Twenty years after most of Earth's population has been wiped out by a deadly strain of the flu, most of the country's infrastructure is gone but there are bands of people traveling across the country, including The Traveling Symphony, containing a musician named Kristen who'd been an actress when little. As a child, she'd appeared in a production of King Lear, the last performance ending when Arthur, the actor playing the title role, dropped dead on stage; the deadly flu strain appeared that same night. She's since had a fascination with finding old magazines featuring articles about Arthur, although she can't remember what life was life before the flu hit. The story goes back and forth in time, following both Kristin's travels in the new world and Arthur's life in the old one.
The best part of the book, for me, was definitely the storytelling. The story was so strange and jumped around in time so often, and with such a thin plot and numerous characters, that I think the writing is what really pulled it off in the end. I enjoyed the author's voice throughout and thought she described the people, the landscape, and the emotions is what kept this book pulsing forward. Often, I wasn't quite sure where the story as going or what I was really reading, but I kept at it because it was interesting.
The actual storyline in here was fairly loose, a tale about the apocalypse that wasn't suspenseful or thrilling but was more about the ways in which people coped with desolation. I didn't necessarily find everything in here logical (I often thought that this vision of the world was not rooted in enough fact), but the author was compelling enough in her vision of this world that I could easily picture it. There was a large focus on how interconnected the world is, and I found this thought very interesting (and quite true).
I'm not sure where I expected the storyline to go, since it was (as stated above) a rather loose plot, and it ended well, albeit not in a way that answered all my questions. A note of hope for humanity lit the ending, but I do wish there had been a little more firm ending since it didn't feel like everything had fully wrapped up. I guess that's how life goes, though, and perhaps that's exactly what the author was aiming for.
Some of the characters in here seemed rather weak, but there were so many characters that I suppose this was bound to happen. I didn't necessarily feel aligned with a specific person but rather enjoyed the vision of this world as a whole. The book overall wasn't something I loved, but I did find the story very engrossing. ...more
It took me quite some time to read this book after it was first recommended to me, but I'm glad I finally did! Jake is a high school English teacher wIt took me quite some time to read this book after it was first recommended to me, but I'm glad I finally did! Jake is a high school English teacher who's told by the local diner owner that he's found some kind of rabbit hole that leads to 1958. The diner owner had been there many times and until he got sick, he was determined to stay in the past to prevent JFK's assassination in 1963. He's now trusted that responsibility to Jake, who isn't sure if he'll be able to succeed. The past is very resistant to change, and the bigger the change, the more there's resistance. But Jake goes into 1958, first testing his ability to change history by trying to change a former student's childhood, and then spending years in the past, waiting for 1963 to roll around and falling in love with a fellow teacher in 1958.
One thing I found interesting about this book is that it focused more on the human relationships than on the actual concept of time travel. There were, of course, rules that Jake figured out as he went along, and the thought of the past being resistant to change was always present, but the majority of the book dealt with regular interactions and human decisions. This was a hefty book - 850 pages! - and there were parts that I felt could have been cut without sacrificing the story, possibly even improving the tightness of it, but I did really enjoy the journey that this book took me on. I was constantly curious where the story would go.
All the characters in here were great! I loved the relationships that Jake developed with others, especially after he was trying to not get too personally invested in the past, but then he managed to both fall in love with a woman, Sadie, as well as with the past itself. The love story in here was on the weaker side - there wasn't any chemistry and it felt like an imagined romance instead of a real one - but I did enjoy the rest of the supporting cast and how Jake grew to care about what their futures would be like, should he fail at stopping the assassination and what would happen if/when Jake returns to the present/future.
A few parts in here seemed kinda convenient (such as amnesia that lasted long enough to be a plot point, nothing more), but the majority of the story flowed nicely and was quite clever. I didn't fully understand some of the explanations given about how the rabbit hole worked or its affects on others (I never fully grasped how it affected the Yellow-Card Man, for example), but that might just have been me. The story was entertaining enough to keep me hooked. The ending itself was solid and wrapped things up well, if a little strangely, considering that I didn't fully understand or buy the explanations for alternate realities.
Overall, I liked this book and thought the pages flew by. There was so much detail in here, but it didn't really drag and covered so much ground. It was well-researched too, making it interesting from a historical standpoint as well. ...more
Meg is a recent college grad who's offered a position at an outdoor magazine, thanks to her exaggeration of details about outdoor experience. The magaMeg is a recent college grad who's offered a position at an outdoor magazine, thanks to her exaggeration of details about outdoor experience. The magazine is sponsoring an extreme reality show race, and Meg has to hike up Angel's Rest, a steep hike, to keep up with the contestant. Near the top, one of the contestants falls off the cliff, and Meg's the only one who witnessed his fall. She's pretty sure he was pushed off the cliff, but she doesn't have evidence to prove it, so she starts investigating the fall herself, especially since everyone around her seems suspicious in some way and someone thinks Meg knows more than she does.
This was a cozy, cute mystery that was quick to read and kept me entertained. The entire story takes place in Portland and the nearby Columbia Gorge, featuring a lot of hiking trails that I've actually done, so it was really fun to read about places where I've been and see these hikes during someone else's adventures! The setting is definitely what drew me in, especially at first, and I think this would be a fun read for anyone who knows the area.
The mystery itself was light, but it was a cozy mystery after all! Nothing seemed too scary or involved, and there were a lot of red herrings with the characters, which was fun. Thanks to all the possibly suspicious people, I had no idea who the guilty party would be or why. Meg was a likable enough main character, even as naive as she sometimes seemed. I liked her determination to figure things out, even though she was way outside her comfort level (especially considering that she was terrified of heights and did not really like extreme sports).
This was a cute start to this series, and I enjoyed the book enough to pick up the next one. It was a quick read and kept me entertained for a few hours. What more can you ask for?...more
Having enjoyed all the author's previous novels, especially Fangirl (which focuses on a girl who writes fan fiction about a popular magical series; thHaving enjoyed all the author's previous novels, especially Fangirl (which focuses on a girl who writes fan fiction about a popular magical series; the characters in that series are now featured in Carry On), I was excited to read this book. Simon is The Chosen One at Watford's School of Magicks; his annoying vampire roommate, Baz, doesn't show up for their final year of school; his girlfriend, Agatha, seems to like Baz more than she likes Simon; and his best friend, Penelope, is asking all sorts of questions to Simon, who's trying to fight the Humdrum, the enemy of magic that seems bent on destroying the entire world of magic, and especially Simon himself.
This was sort of a riff on Harry Potter, since it featured students/friends at a British magical school and the main focus was on Simon (the Chosen One) trying to figure out how to fight off his enemy. I didn't actually feel like it read like Harry Potter, however; it read more like Harry Potter fan fiction, with a loose plot and more of a focus on a not-particularly-captivating romance. If I hadn't read other books by this author, I probably wouldn't have finished this book. But since her previous books were so good (and since I'd already bought this book), I kept reading. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't good.
The narration bounced around between characters; there were probably almost ten separate narrators, each of whom narrated a few pages at a time. I didn't think the revolving narration added much to the story, since all their voices kinda blended together and, once again, reminded me of fan fiction. Additionally, so much of the driving force behind Simon's actions stem from events that happened earlier in his life, events that are mentioned and described but not truly shown to the reader. Since the reader is just told about what happened as backstory, it doesn't really do much. I never connected with Simon, and I never felt like Simon or any of the other characters were anything more than characters. It was really disappointing. It really did feel like fan fiction, only there wasn't a "real" world that this story was based on, the author created this world herself, and so there was no automatic connection to these characters. The continuous point of view switches did not help, since they briefly let each person narrate but failed to get deeper into anyone's story. Some of the narratives could have easily been removed and the story would not have suffered for it, so why include them at all?
The actual plot in here - Simon trying to fight the Humdrum - was okay, but it felt like more of a subplot than anything, considering how lightly it was threaded throughout the book. Because it wasn't developed very much, I didn't care as much as I wanted to. Additionally, the ending seemed rather quick and left a lot of things unsaid and unexplained. It was just odd. No other way to describe it. The main purpose of this book seemed like the romance, which wasn't particularly captivating for me.
This book felt like the author had maybe fallen in love with these characters and this world while writing Fangirl and decided to write a book featuring them because she wanted to give them happy endings. It didn't feel like this was a book that could truly stand on its own. Perhaps if there'd been other books providing more backstory to the characters, showing them growing, or perhaps if there'd been more development to the characters in here, without the continually jumping narration that kept the story quite superficial instead of deep, it might have made for a more gripping read. None of the action felt exciting (because I didn't care about the characters). The romance didn't sizzle (because there wasn't enough character development or buildup). The narration wasn't gripping (because it kept shifting). The ending was confusing and not particularly satisfying (no way to explain this without spoilers).
As much as I've enjoyed the author's other books, and as much as I loved Fangirl, this book was a disappointment. Not a bad book, but it really did read like fairly average fan fiction or the first draft of an epic adventure. I felt bored while reading it, and neither the world nor the characters were developed enough for me to truly care. ...more
Normandy goes to the same art school that her older sister, Kiera, went to, but no matter what she does, she can't seem to escape her sister's shadow.Normandy goes to the same art school that her older sister, Kiera, went to, but no matter what she does, she can't seem to escape her sister's shadow. In the spring, Kiera dropped out of college and moved back in with Normandy and her parents, and no one seems to be interested in causing tension by asking Kiera what happened or making her leave. Kiera's always been rather reclusive and does what she pleases; she's a graphic novelist whose work has legions of fans, and the characters in her novels are obviously inspired by her family, none of whom are depicted in a flattering way. At school, Normandy and her two best friends, Dusk and Neil, decide to form a "truth commission" and ask one person each week to finally admit something that is true. Normandy wants to participate but at home, Kiera seems to be sharing secrets of her own that have Normandy very worried.
I liked the premise of this a lot but thought a lot of it fell flat in the delivery. The truth commission was a cute idea, and I can see a group of friends thinking this would make an interesting project, asking people to admit things that everyone else already assumed were true but things that the person hadn't admitted to themselves yet. But the way it unfolded was strange. It seemed like every time one of them asked someone a question, that person became happy to share and suddenly turned into a good friend. It wasn't believable. Also, the rest of the school seemed to get into this and suggest additional people and specific questions, and I didn't understand how or why their "truth commission" became so popular. There were gaps in the believability for me, and the school parts felt repetitive, with nothing new or interesting popping up to capture my interest.
The story involving Normandy and Kiera held a lot more interest for me. I was curious why Kiera had suddenly moved back in with her family and why she'd disappear for days at a time. The whole family dynamic was not healthy, with their parents not ever wanting to confront problems with Kiera's work skewering them all and not wanting to ask Kiera any questions or for any favors, proving that Kiera held all the power in the family. With the exception of Normandy, the family was extremely unlikeable, especially Kiera. Yet I was intrigued by the story Kiera started telling Normandy, about why she was back, and I loved the way Normandy took it upon herself to investigate what had happened, not wanting to wait for Kiera to tell it in her own time.
This story was told in the form of a "non-fiction narrative", filled with footnotes from Normandy to her teacher, as this was supposedly submitted as a class project. The framing of the story was cute, but the sheer number of footnotes was exhausting, and I didn't see why such a format was truly necessary, since it wasn't like the truth commission project sprung up specifically for a class assignment. It did make for a different way to read, though, so I guess there's that. I didn't love it but didn't hate it.
While reading this, I often wasn't sure if I was enjoying it. I didn't not like it, but I also was never fully drawn into the story and parts of it seemed to lack energy. I did finish it, though, and I'm glad I did because it focused more on Normandy and Kiera in the end, which I felt was the better plot line in here. That said, the way the ending wrapped up was disappointing for me. Perhaps it was believable, but it didn't make for a particularly satisfying finale, showing no character growth for any of Normandy's family members (and there were a LOT of ways in which they could/should have grown!). ...more
4.5 stars. Lauren and Ryan have been together for ten years, but all they seem to do is fight lately. Neither wants to divorce, but both are angry and4.5 stars. Lauren and Ryan have been together for ten years, but all they seem to do is fight lately. Neither wants to divorce, but both are angry and unhappy with each other and with their marriage. They decide on a trial separation of a year, during which they're not allowed to contact the other and instead they can spend the time focusing on themselves and deciding whether or not they want to try being together again.
After reading and thoroughly enjoying the author's latest book (Maybe in Another Life), I decided to check out her previous books and am so glad I did! This was such a sweet story, with flawed but endearing characters and so many thoughtful moments. The entire story is told from Lauren's perspective, and although I saw the world through her eyes, I could also easily sympathize with Ryan during this time. I loved the dynamic between the two of them, and the author did such a great job depicting both the highs and lows of their relationship. Neither of them was perfect, but neither was bad; they were simply human and did not always fit together the way they wanted to. It felt like a honest, realistic look at life in general - not just between two people in a relationship but between people in general.
During their year apart, Lauren definitely grew a lot, and I really enjoyed her journey in this book. Her thoughts about Ryan were all completely understandable, and I liked the fact that it wasn't completely obvious where this was going to end up. Lauren's family members were featured prominently in here, and the dynamics between them were excellent. Everyone had their own personality and I liked how everyone got along and related to each other. Also, although Lauren's family and friends were obviously the supporting cast in this book, they didn't seem one-dimensional and instead all had their own lives and problems. The dialogue between them all was excellent too.
The end of the book was really sweet, although I did think it wrapped up a little too nicely and conveniently, much like the romantic end of a chick flick. This isn't to take away from how sweet it was, but it was just a little too fast for me. After such a nice journey to the ending, I wanted the ending to be longer to show how everything played out. As a whole, however, the book was really well done and I loved the character studies in here. Definitely an enjoyable read!...more
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, since it's based on the Veronica Mars TV show and continues that story (and those characters) in book forI wasn't sure what to expect from this book, since it's based on the Veronica Mars TV show and continues that story (and those characters) in book form. Not everything always translates well from the screen to the page, or vice versa, and some things that were more hyped in the show didn't play as big of a role here (her friends, for example, were in here but not huge characters). But this was quite an engrossing story and kept me entertained, featuring Veronica as now an official private investigator hired to look into the disappearance of a girl during Spring Break.
There was both humor and suspense in here, with a mystery that unfolded nicely. I didn't know where the mystery was going, and I kept reading because I wanted to know what she'd discover next - and how she'd figure it out. I liked that most things weren't revealed immediately and that not everything was exactly as it seemed. It kept me interested and it kept things from being too obvious or simple. The plot twists were great and the pace kept up throughout the entire book.
This might not have a lot of appeal for those who never watched the TV show, but I think the book holds up nicely on its own. An interesting mystery, good writing, and entertaining characters. Very entertaining!...more
I'm sure I'm not the only one who picked up this book because it's being turned into a movie and I wanted to read the book before seeing the movie. ThI'm sure I'm not the only one who picked up this book because it's being turned into a movie and I wanted to read the book before seeing the movie. This is the story of Greg, an awkward high school senior who likes to make movies with his best friend, Earl. Greg's mom forces Greg to spend time with Rachel, a classmate who's just been diagnosed with leukemia. Greg doesn't exactly know what to do with Rachel, since they aren't close, but eventually Greg and Earl show Rachel some of their home movies and start making a movie specifically for her in the hope that it'll help cheer her up.
Greg narrates this book and the way it's put together is definitely different from other books I've read. Parts are written like a normal book, but this is interspersed with dialogue written in movie-script style (since Greg makes movies) and even bullet point lists of what was discussed in a conversation. Additionally, Greg narrates this being fully aware that someone is reading it so he occasionally speaks directly to the reader. It was an interesting approach to narration, and I think it worked.
I enjoyed Greg as a narrator. On occasion, some of his chapters kind of went on a bit too long or went off on random tangents, which was cute at first but less captivating as the book went on. Some of Greg's thoughts and comments were so funny that I laughed out loud. In the humor department, this book definitely did well! There are few books that make you laugh out loud and even fewer that can make you laugh out loud multiple times. The humor in here was definitely one of its better points and one of the main reasons why I kept reading - it was just so entertaining!
The plot, on the other hand, was on the weaker side. I'd say this was more about characters than about plot, but I didn't think the characters were especially deep either. For having such a heavy undercurrent to the story (Rachel having cancer), this was really not a sad book. It was more like this book was about the storytelling than anything else, about Greg's life. And in some regards, I really appreciated this. I love that Greg's life didn't completely change just because he got to know Rachel and I loved that Rachel wasn't so incredibly insightful, simply to pull at the reader's heartstrings. Of course, with that said, Rachel wasn't super well developed so I never really got a feel at all for her personality.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book but I don't know if I actually enjoyed the book itself. It was entertaining and often humorous, but it also seemed rather pointless overall since there wasn't much of a plot and it wasn't a grand character journey. I'm not disappointed I read this, since it was funny at times, but it wasn't something that made a lasting impression. I'm curious how the movie will compare!...more
Coupled with Sloppy Firsts (this book's predecessor), this is one of my very favorite stories. In here, Jessica continues keeping a diary describing hCoupled with Sloppy Firsts (this book's predecessor), this is one of my very favorite stories. In here, Jessica continues keeping a diary describing her life in high school, this time covering her senior year. I reread this recently for what seemed like the billionth time and it was just as charming as ever. Jessica's slightly matured from the girl she was in Sloppy Firsts, yet she still has to deal with all the drama of high school and all the people she doesn't want to be around. Haven't we all felt like that at some point? I loved that she started making decisions about what she actually wanted to do with her time (and with her life), and I also loved she she made poor decisions at times because she thought she "should" do something or that something was the "right" or "normal" choice. Again, we've all had those moments!
I know this series goes on with three more books, but the pairing of Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings is all I need to read for this story to feel complete. I loved the ending in here - it wasn't perfect, but that's life, and it ended with hope. I might continue by rereading the rest of the books in this series to see how the rest of them hold up to a rereading (I didn't like the others as much on the first read), but I'm not sure. The way this book ends is just so perfect that I kind of just want to bask in it for a while. What a great read and definitely a great reread!...more
It surprises me that I haven't rated or reviewed this book on here yet. I just reread this for probably the tenth time (I first read this in 2001, shoIt surprises me that I haven't rated or reviewed this book on here yet. I just reread this for probably the tenth time (I first read this in 2001, shortly after it was published) and it was just as spot-on now as it was then. Jessica's diary, covering a year while she's a sophomore and junior in high school, is filled with so much ridiculous angst that is totally relatable for everyone who's gone through high school. I love the characters, all the friends that aren't really friends, the crazy classmates that undergo personality changes as they mature (or the opposite), the intriguing love interest, and the relationships between family members.
I picked this book up again wanting to revisit characters that have felt like friends over the years, and the reread did not disappoint. Because the book is set in real time (the year 2000), some of the references are a little dated, but I think that's part of its charm, capturing both a time and a place. It also helps that regardless of the time, the people in this book are timeless. No, this book is not perfect and neither are its characters, but there's something about it that just gets to me and makes this one of my all-time favorites....more
I read some positive reviews of this book when it first came out and I was intrigued by the subject matter. This focuses on Robert Kennedy's quest to I read some positive reviews of this book when it first came out and I was intrigued by the subject matter. This focuses on Robert Kennedy's quest to bring down Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa, who somehow continued to elude successful prosecution but who Kennedy knew was corrupt. Beginning with Kennedy getting introduced to the cases that could be made against Hoffa and how he got interested in pursuing Hoffa for so may years, this book follows Kennedy's career as he continued to fight against Hoffa; in turn, Hoffa dedicated a number of years to trying to take down the Kennedys and their anti-Hoffa campaign.
Much material was covered in this book, and I definitely learned a lot while reading this. I wasn't aware of how much energy and focus Kennedy had put into taking Hoffa down, nor had I realized over how many years this whole "vendetta" played out. I found all the various moles especially interesting, with both Hoffa and Kennedy continually interested in having an inside guy to spy on the other. There was a long cast of characters and everything seemed so complicated. It was amazing to read about all the borderline illegal stuff that went on, yet it wasn't challenged due to laws at the time or for lack of evidence - wiretapping, for example - and all the methods employed by Kennedy trying to find something to get Hoffa and his associates on.
Although I was interested in the events this book covered, it wasn't always told in the most compelling way. The long cast of characters was occasionally confusing, understandable with so many people involved, but the bigger problem was that I never felt a strong compulsion to read on. For me, this lacked a quality that turned the story into something riveting and instead just gave a journalistic account of what happened during the Kennedy vs. Hoffa period; I'm sure this was due to the author being a reporter. I wanted to be more invested in the story than I actually was, but my mind wandered from time to time. Decent book overall and definitely an interesting subject, but it lacked that something extra that could have really drawn me in. As it was, the events were interesting but I didn't come away feeling like I understand the depth of emotions behind the Kennedy/Hoffa rivalry or why it was so personal....more
This was another cute installment in the "It List" series, following Jessica's adventures in junior high. In here, Jessica is trying not to stress outThis was another cute installment in the "It List" series, following Jessica's adventures in junior high. In here, Jessica is trying not to stress out about a "Crushability Test" that her older sister gave her and tries to stay sane while all the girls around her try to make a school dance actually happen.
I found this to be a very cute and funny read - quite enjoyable! I could totally understand where Jessica was coming from throughout the entire book, and her commentary about all the situations was amusing to read. This was such a realistic and humorous look at everyday situations through her eyes, and it was nicely put together in a way that could appeal to all ages, from those about to start junior high to adults. For fans of Sloppy Firsts and the rest of the books about Jessica's high school through adult days, this was a really fun look at all the characters back when they were younger. Very relatable and fun!...more
I'd heard so much buzz about this book, so many rave reviews, that perhaps my expectations were higher than they should have been going into it! But II'd heard so much buzz about this book, so many rave reviews, that perhaps my expectations were higher than they should have been going into it! But I did thoroughly enjoy this book and can easily see why it's so popular, as it manages to bring this story and time to life in a way that captures the ordinary in a very thoughtful way.
This book was quite easy to read and get through, with very short chapters, taking place during World War II. Marie-Laure is a blind French girl whose father used to work at the Museum of Natural History and has fled with either a replica or the original Sea of Flames, a jewel worth so much to so many people; after the Nazis take Paris, they flee to Saint-Malo, a small city where Marie-Laure's reclusive great-uncle, Etienne, lives. Her father makes models of the city, as he did in the old neighborhood, for Marie-Laure so she can get to know her surroundings and "see" where everything is. Meanwhile, a great distance away, Werner is an orphan who's talented with radio repair, so he's recruited by the Nazis to train for a life in their army and, eventually, to use his radio talents for their army.
The story jumped back and forth in time, mainly from 1934 to 1944, and back and forth between the main characters. I don't know if the jumps in time were fully necessary for me to enjoy the story, since I think I was intrigue enough by their developing lives during the war and didn't need to know what'd happen later to be interested! But I didn't think they detracted from the storytelling either, since each jump in time made me curious to know what would happen next.
This was definitely more about ordinary people during the war than about any specific plot, and I loved the way everyone was portrayed. There weren't necessarily "bad" people and "good" people, but everyone was human and making decisions that they'd have to live with. The relationship between Marie-Laure and her great-uncle was really sweet, since they seemed to have a sort of understanding, she being blind and he being a recluse, and their personalities already made it so they were forced to depend on others. Werner's focus was mainly on his relationship with his younger sister, Jutta, the only family he still had left. When he's recruited by the Germans army, she argues with him and it's only later that he begins to reflect on her perception and whether he truly believes in the work he's performing.
The end of the book went even further forward in time, showing the lives of some of the people after the war and what happened to them. It was a really well put together ending, tying everything up and showing how life kinda got back to "normal", but it was a different normal and one that only those who lived through it could understand, that their children would never truly know what it was like. I also thought one of the strongest points in the book was the fact that, as one of the people in here noted, there weren't any big "heroes" or whatever, that people were just people, good and bad. This is a perspective of humanity that I feel is often lacking in both books and movies, the fact that there really were so many ordinary, multi-faceted individuals on both sides during this war and how the experiences shaped them; it wasn't all "heroes" and "villains". This is also what I think made this book so believable, because the characters felt real....more
4.5 stars. I had no idea what I was getting into with this book, since I'd heard a lot of buzz about it, but the description didn't exactly entice me 4.5 stars. I had no idea what I was getting into with this book, since I'd heard a lot of buzz about it, but the description didn't exactly entice me - or even make me fully understand what I was about to read! This is told from two viewpoints: Laia, a Scholar whose family has suffered under the Empire, and Elias, a highly trained Mask (a type of soldier) who hates the Empire. After Laia's brother is imprisoned, the Resistance fighting the Empire agrees to help Laia free him, but only if she works undercover and spies for them at the military academy, where Elias is a soldier.
This was quite the exciting read! The author did such a great job describing the world, giving enough information to slowly let the setting and all its rules unfold. The world was similar to others I've read about, a sprawling Empire where the ruling group created a harsh law and punished the various factions as they saw fit; however, the execution of all this was extremely well done and made both the story and the setting feel fresh and new.
I don't know whose point of view I enjoyed more, since both Laia and Elias were fascinating main characters whose adventures kept me enthralled. I could understand the pressure both were under, Laia from the Resistance who wants more and more information out of her, not seeming to understand the pressure she lived under while posing as a slave in the military academy. Elias was stressed from the pressure of trying to stick to his personal morals while also presenting a public face that said another thing.
There was quite a bit of violence in here, possibly to simply drive home the point about this world being so harsh and the rule so terrible to live under, depending on what you were born into. It wasn't overly graphic, but there was just a LOT of it.
The ending of this book set itself up nicely for a sequel, which I am really looking forward to reading! This novel was captivating, and I was so excited to see where it'd go at the end - and now I'm excited to see where the next book will go! ...more
I enjoyed this book so much! Hannah is a woman who hasn't figured out her life yet, so she's been moving from city to city, trying to fit in somehow bI enjoyed this book so much! Hannah is a woman who hasn't figured out her life yet, so she's been moving from city to city, trying to fit in somehow but continuously makes choices that seem to be bad. At twenty-nine, she moves back to Los Angeles, where she grew up, and is excited to spend time with her best friend, Gabby, once more. Soon after Hannah returns, they go out to celebrate and Hannah runs into her old boyfriend, Ethan, who seems to be the only good guy she's ever loved. He seems to still be into her as well, so Hannah has to decide what she wants to do about Ethan... and from there, the story splits into two different narratives, one in which she decides to jump headfirst into another possible relationship with Ethan and the other in which she decides to take things slowly and that if things are meant to be with him, they'll work out somehow.
This was a really sweet story. The characters were far from perfect, which made them occasionally frustrating due to bad decisions, but it also made them more personable and kept the story (and its characters) from being "too" perfect. The friendships in here were really nicely portrayed, and I enjoyed the camaraderie between Hannah and others around her. The story was fairly simple at times, with enough foreshadowing that I guessed a few things that were about to happen, but this occasional predictability didn't bother me all that much because I liked the story enough to overlook more simplistic aspects of it.
The dual stories were both very cute and I had no trouble telling the two worlds apart. The author did a nice job putting a spin on the whole concept of fate and whether two people were meant to be and whether things in life will end up the same regardless of the road one takes. I don't know which "life" I liked reading about more, which is definitely a sign that this plot device was done well! I loved Hannah, regardless of what bad choices she made in each life, and continually rooted for her to succeed and be happy in each life.
I really enjoyed this book overall and a number of parts stayed in my mind after I finished. This is a prime example of how a book doesn't need to be completely perfect to get under your skin and be a truly great read. There was so much emotion in here and so many sweet moments. Definitely a charming read! I'm looking forward to reading more from this author....more