3.5 stars... This was a really great contemporary novel and from what I've heard, its depth has exceeded those of Sarah Dessen's previous books. I've 3.5 stars... This was a really great contemporary novel and from what I've heard, its depth has exceeded those of Sarah Dessen's previous books. I've only read one other Sarah Dessen novel, Just Listen, which I also enjoyed, but not enough to hastily read her other books. So when John Green gave a shout-out to Saint Anything, I made this my second. I recognize the complexity of the plot lines and the tough subjects were handled with care and empathy. I admired the diversity of the characters, even when some characters frustrated the heck out of me. The themes and motifs were obviously stated, but still great. Although it wasn't a favorite, I don't really have anything negative to say about this book. *Read via audiobook*...more
Okay. I needed some time to think. And now I've determined I need to finish reading Marrow before I rate and review this book. IT ALL PIECES TOGETHER.Okay. I needed some time to think. And now I've determined I need to finish reading Marrow before I rate and review this book. IT ALL PIECES TOGETHER.
I enjoyed the first two books of this series so when I started this one, I was expecting to enjoy it equally. I had Somewhere between 4.25-4.5 stars.
I enjoyed the first two books of this series so when I started this one, I was expecting to enjoy it equally. I had no idea THIS is what I would get, or that this was exactly what I needed to read and hear right now.
Jessica and I are very similar students, are in the same age group (albeit a decade apart) and although I'm not as cynical as she is, a lot of the worries, struggles, inquiries, and insights she has in this book mirror my own right now. Her mistakes and her desperation to find her own path and answers are so relatable for me that I was constantly empathizing with her. She's one of the most flawed characters I've ever read about in a contemporary novel, and by that I mean she is dynamic and utterly human. She isn't a stereotypical character where I can pinpoint every decision she will make just because they "fit" who she is. Although I had a sense of who she was as a person, her searching brought depth to her character and led to dozens of potential outcomes depending on what her next move would be. Her journals (basically the book) is unfiltered and even when it is TMI, it felt good to read someone else's thoughts on a variety of topics.
A lot of times while I read, I can easily point out the mistakes a character makes during the course of a book and label them as stupid mistakes, but with Jessica, I couldn't pass much judgement on her because so many of her mistakes are things I could make myself. Even when I didn't agree with her decisions, I could rationalize her mistakes and understand her POV.
I'm not saying this is a masterpiece or is THE book for everyone, but at this point in my life, this book has brought me comfort in a way I couldn't have predicted....more
Getting reacquainted with Jessica's snark and b****ing during an iffy plot beginning led to a shaky start. After pushing through the first 100 pages, Getting reacquainted with Jessica's snark and b****ing during an iffy plot beginning led to a shaky start. After pushing through the first 100 pages, the book fell into a good rhythm and I started flipping through it fast until I was immensely enjoying it. Jessica Darling had great character growth with coming-of-age epiphanies and introspection. I enjoyed the messages of this sequel, the romance was delightfully fulfilling, and the wrap-up to her senior year brought me right back to mine. I am content right now....more
This is a fun, short collection of poems encouraging girls of every age to love their curls. I've always loved my curls and I wish all curly girls didThis is a fun, short collection of poems encouraging girls of every age to love their curls. I've always loved my curls and I wish all curly girls did too! I support Dove in urging other girls to not feel the need to emulate other hairstyles, but I also want to emphasize on girls embracing their natural hair, curly or not! The poems in this book are simple and great for young girls, and the drawings are lovely!! Definitely targeted towards a younger audience, but the message transcends all ages and ethnics....more
This book is impossible to rate accurately, seeing as how I cannot gauge my reactions or emotions to any of it. The story line and its character were This book is impossible to rate accurately, seeing as how I cannot gauge my reactions or emotions to any of it. The story line and its character were infuriating and disturbing and toxic and under normal circumstances I would disapprove of anything this book offered. Except I don't because I loved it like an addict needs their vice. Tarryn's words are my vice and I need more....more
I read this for a political science class I'm taking in Italy this May! The first 50-70% was really hard to get through because there were dozens uponI read this for a political science class I'm taking in Italy this May! The first 50-70% was really hard to get through because there were dozens upon dozens of Italian-named buildings, streets, and people that I just couldn't keep straight! i.e. "The trattoria Castel dei Cesari, just above the church of Santa Prisca, provided a dramatic view across the Circus Maximus to the Palatine." For someone who isn't familiar with Italian geography or the language, it was really hard to get through. But I was able to get a small grasp on the main concepts, which were the ways Mussolini transformed Italy (particularly Rome) during his rule from the 1920s to 1940s, and found them interesting.
The later chapters talked more about what happened as Italy officially entered the war and how he interacted with Hitler, which was a lot easier to understand because it was more of a history lesson (with minimal Italian names) than a description of all the buildings, borgate, schools, etc.
Overall, it was interesting to learn about Mussolini's affects on Rome, but I didn't love it, because it was hard for me to grasp the meaning of the text alongside the Italian terms I wasn't familiar with....more
Update post-read on 7/12/15: Never Never: Part Two is half the size of the last book, but this series has been purposefully split into small chunks (lUpdate post-read on 7/12/15: Never Never: Part Two is half the size of the last book, but this series has been purposefully split into small chunks (legal reasons, read below) so I went into it expecting something short. They're similar to an episode of my favorite TV series: picking up the SECOND the previous ended, packed with 48 hours of trouble and confusion, and cutting off on the usual cliffhanger. Part One was crammed with countless clues so the mystery was extremely stimulating. Since Part Two handled about half of the clues from last time and introduced only a few more, it wasn't AS influencing as Part One, but it was still engaging, keeping me on the edge as I flew through it, and bringing me even closer to the characters! I wish we had more time with Charlie in this one (Tarryn's writing brings me to my knees), but I understood the necessity. And if I'm being critical, I wish Part Two had ended as tortuously as Part One had, with more at stake, but apart from that, I hope the final installment is just as long, if not longer, than Part One because there is so much I want and need to know!
UPDATE from 1/14/15: Okay. As I'm reanalyzing Never Never's plot and all its mind-boggling mysteries, I'm holding my horses and trying to figure out WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON. Also, I have been enlightened that Never Never was published this way (independently and in novellas) due to the contract Colleen has with Atria and the fact that Tarryn Fisher isn't contracted with them. Now that I understand the logistics, I am not upset like I was before. You may proceed to read my tangles of confusion below, but know that I'm now completely on board with Never Never: Part Two and Part Three and am psyched to read the rest of the series! This novella series really is brilliant and I definitely recommend them! And if you would like to see my thoughts on Never Never: Part One, click !
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OLD REACTION: Never Never: Part Two? Is the next book going to be called Never Never: Part Three?
I'm sorry, but the more I think about this the more upset and disappointed I become. I feel like we're being played here. Never Never was so short, not nearly as long as it should have been to be considered a novel. I loved it, don't get me wrong, but I was still disappointed with how much we didn't get in the first book. I assume the rest of the series will make up for that.
But now the sequel's title has been revealed and it's called Never Never: Part Two? Why weren't these two "parts" just combined to make one book and labeled within the book Part One and Part Two? Are all the books in this series going to be less than 200 pages? I can't help but feel like everything is being stretched out for unnecessary suspense and money purposes? I don't know, I'm confused, and I know right now that Colleen would never do anything to us without it being necessary and wouldn't play us like that, but like I said, I'm just confused.
The ebook was reduced to a very reasonable price when it was determined Never Never was going to be a series, which is so thoughtful of Colleen and Tarryn, but if each book is going to be printed, they're going to about $8.99, like Finding Cinderella (a Colleen Hoover novella the same length as Never Never). And if the sequels follow Never Never's lead with page length, this is going to be a huge money sucker for me and other readers who prefer paperbacks over ebooks.
I'm not trying to be dramatic, but this whole situation just doesn't feel right to me. I'm a huge Colleen Hoover fan. HUGE. I've been reading, hardcore loving, and following her books and social media accounts since 2012 (love you to death, Colleen!), but since I don't really understand the reasoning behind all these Never Never things I'm questioning, I'm starting to worry.
But it has only been two days since Never Never released and just a couple hours since the sequel has been announced so maybe I'm totally jumping the gun here! Maybe the first book was made so small to create suspense for the 300 page sequels that are yet to come OR Colleen and Tarryn wanted to try something new with having a short-book series and plan on making the sequels incredibly satisfying OR Atria really is planning on when printed in paperback!
I'm just a big ball of confusion right now and don't want to be disappointed by my all-time favorite author's work. :) Colleen often does make blog posts clearing up fan confusions, so hopefully this will be cleared up at some point and in the mean time I'm still holding out hope for the best! :)...more
Sale Alert: Puddle Jumping is 66% off it's original price until December 31, 2015 at 11:59PM! You need this beautiful story on your kindle (read my reSale Alert: Puddle Jumping is 66% off it's original price until December 31, 2015 at 11:59PM! You need this beautiful story on your kindle (read my review for reassure) so seriously grab it now while it's on sale! Link to purchase on:
This spoiler-free review can be found along with many other reviews on
"It begins with a boy. It begins with a boy and ends with a boy, but what story doesn't?"
After a slow reading year, fate has me ending 2015 with a bang. This incredible, heart-warming and -twisting bang of a story. Take one look at Puddle Jumping's official synopsis and you might have a guess as to what this book is about. A chapter into the story you might have a pretty good guess what makes Colton special. But you don't really know Lilly, Colton, and their stories until it all unravels...or blossoms or whatever you want to call it.
This story is so much more than just a love story, and yet, it's normalcy at its core. It's not a "disability" or a pity story and by no means is it romanticizing something that never should be. It's a story of the struggles and triumphs that come with the complexities of life and love. It's a story about how scary new waters are and no matter how ready you think you are, you cannot control the outcome. It's a story about people and understanding and not focusing on the differences.
"When you love someone, their differences fall away. I don't look at him and see anything but him."
Puddle Jumping hit me right where I needed it and then some. I needed the honesty, the raw pain and love it delivered. I needed the doses of selflessness, understanding, and reality that changed my heart on the topic of disability, and without being too forward, I would say others need these things too. By no means would I say I was prejudice or ignorant on this topic, nor am I implying that anyone else is, but the realness of this story put my prior understanding into even greater focus. Before, there was pity in my heart. Now, there is none. I look at this story and there's no "Oh, good for them" or "Bless her heart" about it. I look at Lilly and Colton and love this story for exactly what it is. As the Amber L. Johnson summed up, "It's a true story about a girl falling for a boy. Nothing more. Nothing less."
Although Puddle Jumping is her most well-read book, Amber L. Johnson isn't as well-known or highly-raved as so many of our favorite authors. So if you're hesitant about reading this book you haven't heard of from an author you're not familiar with, please let me reassure you: you need this book in your life. If you can't end 2015 with this incredible story, please start 2016 with it. It's a quick read (121 pages), which is not enough as much as it's just right. By any means, you won't regret it....more
Initial reaction: Wow wow wow wow wow. I just went through a series of emotions throughout the 24 hours I've been reading Mud Vein, and then a whole oInitial reaction: Wow wow wow wow wow. I just went through a series of emotions throughout the 24 hours I've been reading Mud Vein, and then a whole other series in the last 5 minutes as I've been trying to wrap my mind around the conclusion. I needed this. Full review to come soon!
Updated review:
I have fallen in dark, psychotic love with her words.
They are dark, maniacal, true, and emotive. Mud Vein is a shorter book (less than 300 pages) but I felt like it would never end because every word lingers, making me reread and absorb each unspoken and spoken thought, each action the characters makes. Her words fill my heart and drain my soul. They make me fall in love with her flawed characters and go crazy trying to figure out what the hell is going on. I've been more reactive to these words than I have been to any other author's. I've groaned, sighed, squealed, laughed, and bawled my eyes out while reading books. I've even had to pace the room and take breaks because the emotions were too overwhelming; but the words in this novel made me do all that and more. I gasped, threw my kindle down, ran around my room, and attempted to not hyperventilate more than a dozen times. Tarryn's word speak to me as a person, a reader, a writer, and as I read, I am in awe of what she is able to breathe life, and death, into.
After a bit of a shaky start, this story completely turned around for me and I fell in love!
Something I've recently realized is that Colleen Hoover doAfter a bit of a shaky start, this story completely turned around for me and I fell in love!
Something I've recently realized is that Colleen Hoover does this thing where she makes me inexplicably love her books even if I don't love every part of it. Maybe this sounds vague because other authors are like this for you, but what I mean is that multiple aspects of her books can make me really disgruntled, her books end with such a punch to the heart that I end up not even caring about the things that previously bothered me.
Let's take Confess for example. The beginning threw me off when I noticed Colleen frequently repeating herself or overemphasizing a character's traits (Auburn's youthful innocence) when the story wouldn't have been compromised without them. (Might I add these repetitions and overemphasizing disappeared as the story continued, but they puzzled me when they were there because that weren't typical for Colleen.) Down the road as Auburn and Owen's relationship grew, I thought it was kind of instalovey, which I do not prefer in romance novels. Additionally, Owen's constant ability to know the reasons behind Auburn's behaviors, although she never voiced them, was questionable (IMO). These aspects of Confess made me doubt how much I would love the book as a whole.
Don't let me fool you; despite the issues I mentioned above, I was enjoying this book splendidly! I found so many aspects of it more than redeeming. The confessions made the story extremely unique and it was executed brilliantly when combined with Danny O'Connor's artwork! I admired how self-aware Auburn and Owen were of their feelings and behaviors, things that would typically be considered "unrealistic" or bad decisions. Through their self-awareness, you were able to see just how they rationalized the things they did, and I absolutely love that in characters. I also loved how quirky and fun Owen was. You don't see that as often as you would expect to in a lead character, especially a love interest, so he was a refreshing character. This book even promotes body-positivity and motherhood, which is fantastic.
After the plot started climbing, I was flipping through the pages faster than you can say Oh My God (see what I did there, fellow Confess readers?) and as the plot was closing in on the end I was thinking, This is a wonderful story! I'll probably give it four stars of happiness! But then, just as Colleen's books always do, the last chapter happened and it tugged on my hard heartstrings so hard it nearly burst from my chest. With that, I was like FIVE STARS! Five incredible, forever-even-when-I-can't loving stars! And then I cried because that's what I do when I love something so much.
I guess in my heart (ya know, the one Colleen mutilates multiple times a year) I always knew this was the main reason for my constant five-star ratings of her novels, but it only just hit me that this is why she is my favorite author. (Excuse me for being slow to the game, guys.) Apart from the obvious aspects like her being a great storyteller with a knack for creativity, her endings never fail to make my heart ache, sing, break, and cry all at once. Colleen's contemporary novels are so memorable, loved, and well-received by me and thousands of other CoHorts because she makes you feel everything.
This review and more can be found on my blog: ...more
This spoiler-free review can be found along with many other reviews on
To all the readers who love contemporary,
For what it wThis spoiler-free review can be found along with many other reviews on
To all the readers who love contemporary,
For what it was, for everything it was, To All the Boys I've Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You are lovely, perfect stories. The family dynamic, the cultural standpoint, the teenage woes, the 2015 relevance, the first-love butterflies, and the different, yet, equally great romantic interests... they were all wonderfully relatable and charming story elements. Jenny Han's words read with such ease that it's always a fun experience to read her work.
The best part of this duology is its moral of living life to the fullest. To opening yourself up to a whole world of possible experiences and opportunities if only you took them; risking the lows and the heartbreaks for moments filled with excitement and love. And even when things don't turn out for the best, at least you feel their effects in full. At least you're not living a half-life. If this hadn't been the message and Lara Jean hadn't learned this throughout the course of the series, I would label this duology as "just another YA contemporary". And I would demand more romance, damn it. I love experiencing and feeling those exciting and joyous moments alongside the main characters of a story! I need to develop strong, emotional connections to characters in order to LOVE a story, you know?
Maybe I'm still demanding more romance, but I suppose I'll concede because of every other lovely aspect this story has going for it.
Sincerely,
Holly
P.S. But seriously, Jenny. Please show us more romance next time! *kisses*...more
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