The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
rennegade's review against another edition
5.0
I started this one right after finishing [b:Far from the Tree|33830437|Far from the Tree|Robin Benway|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1501680687s/33830437.jpg|54757933] , and I enjoyed it just as much!
The cover is a bit misleading to me. Without reading a synopsis, it looks like a cutesy YA romance. While there was some romance, and it was actually really cute, the book was much more than that. I loved the friendship between all of the characters. The author did a great job of showing the grey with non-custodial kidnapping. Once Oliver was returned, it was expected that he would hate his father and assist in any way possible to bring justice, but things were a bit more complicated than that after being raised by him for 10 years.
Emmy's parents drove me nuts, but I can understand how the fear and trauma of a local kidnapping could turn parents into the overprotective nightmares that they became.
Overall, it was a great story with a sweet ending that left me sad that my library doesn't have any more of her e-books available. I am going to look elsewhere, because I now want to read everything she has.
The cover is a bit misleading to me. Without reading a synopsis, it looks like a cutesy YA romance. While there was some romance, and it was actually really cute, the book was much more than that. I loved the friendship between all of the characters. The author did a great job of showing the grey with non-custodial kidnapping. Once Oliver was returned, it was expected that he would hate his father and assist in any way possible to bring justice, but things were a bit more complicated than that after being raised by him for 10 years.
Emmy's parents drove me nuts, but I can understand how the fear and trauma of a local kidnapping could turn parents into the overprotective nightmares that they became.
Overall, it was a great story with a sweet ending that left me sad that my library doesn't have any more of her e-books available. I am going to look elsewhere, because I now want to read everything she has.
life_as_emmalee's review against another edition
4.0
Sweet, tender, friendship. Everything I could have asked for in a sweet YA novel. I loved Emmy and Oliver. Emmy has an amazing sense of humor and I loved the honesty between Emmy and Oliver. I loved the friendship dynamic that Emmy, Caro, Drew, and Oliver had. A sweet book.
laughlinesandliterature's review against another edition
3.0
* I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
So I have to give Emmy & Oliver credit, because this wasn’t your standard coming of age story. In fact if anything the love story felt secondary to everything else that was happening to Oliver. I thought the way the author handled this potentially delicate situation was perfect. She did a fantastic job showing how Oliver is torn between two parents, and I think that his emotions would absolutely be valid in the real world.
This story is told from Emmy’s perspective, but she handles Oliver and all that he’s going through with extreme grace. I also thought it was interesting how the author showed how other kids who were around Oliver might be affected by his disappearance. As a parent, I can absolutely understand their desire to keep their child safe and while I can admit they went overboard I think that Emmy did a pretty good job of being understanding. This book was incredibly well written and the subject matter was handled appropriately. There were a few moments of teenage immaturity that I found annoying especially for kids in such precarious positions. Overall, I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend for fans of Young Adult, Romance, and Contemporary
*This review was first posted on Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2016/05/emmy-oliver-by-robin-benway-review.html*
So I have to give Emmy & Oliver credit, because this wasn’t your standard coming of age story. In fact if anything the love story felt secondary to everything else that was happening to Oliver. I thought the way the author handled this potentially delicate situation was perfect. She did a fantastic job showing how Oliver is torn between two parents, and I think that his emotions would absolutely be valid in the real world.
This story is told from Emmy’s perspective, but she handles Oliver and all that he’s going through with extreme grace. I also thought it was interesting how the author showed how other kids who were around Oliver might be affected by his disappearance. As a parent, I can absolutely understand their desire to keep their child safe and while I can admit they went overboard I think that Emmy did a pretty good job of being understanding. This book was incredibly well written and the subject matter was handled appropriately. There were a few moments of teenage immaturity that I found annoying especially for kids in such precarious positions. Overall, I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend for fans of Young Adult, Romance, and Contemporary
*This review was first posted on Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2016/05/emmy-oliver-by-robin-benway-review.html*
poorashleu's review against another edition
5.0
Originally posted here
mmy and Oliver is the story of two best friends that grew up right next door to each other and were everything to each other, even at a young age. Unlike that moment at the age of seven that rips apart an entire neighborhood. Oliver’s father kidnaps him and Emmy’s life is ever the same. While one expects the child who was kidnapped to forever be changed, but no one thinks of those who were left behind.
In an interesting turn of events, Oliver didn’t know he was kidnapped. He thought his mom left him and his father. He had no idea at all that his father stole him, and carries a lot of guilt about in the decade that he’s been gone. When he’s found, everyone believes and treats him to be the same person that he was when he left. But he was 7 and now he’s 17. Everything changes when you’re actually present, but to be put back into a life you barely remember, it’s like a mini life bomb and has ripple effects. Emmy parents essentially watched her like a hawk and wouldn’t let her do anything. Because of this Emmy actually learned how to surf behind their back, and applied to a four year university behind their back for fear that her parents would be upset with her.
What I loved about Emmy and Oliver were the little moments. The little waves and ripple effects from the Oliver bomb of Oliver being brought back. Oliver’s relationship with not only Emmy but also his mom, his step-father, and his two new sisters. Or the effect on Emmy’s two friends now that Oliver’s back and how there are a lot of growing pains. Although I know nothing about having a friend being stolen and brought back, Emmy and Oliver was still an extremely relatable story, and that’s not just because Emmy is an extremely sarcastic character that I understood on a personal level.
Benway writes my favorite type of books. They are quiet. They are full of family, sarcasm, friendship, love, and finding your own happiness.
mmy and Oliver is the story of two best friends that grew up right next door to each other and were everything to each other, even at a young age. Unlike that moment at the age of seven that rips apart an entire neighborhood. Oliver’s father kidnaps him and Emmy’s life is ever the same. While one expects the child who was kidnapped to forever be changed, but no one thinks of those who were left behind.
In an interesting turn of events, Oliver didn’t know he was kidnapped. He thought his mom left him and his father. He had no idea at all that his father stole him, and carries a lot of guilt about in the decade that he’s been gone. When he’s found, everyone believes and treats him to be the same person that he was when he left. But he was 7 and now he’s 17. Everything changes when you’re actually present, but to be put back into a life you barely remember, it’s like a mini life bomb and has ripple effects. Emmy parents essentially watched her like a hawk and wouldn’t let her do anything. Because of this Emmy actually learned how to surf behind their back, and applied to a four year university behind their back for fear that her parents would be upset with her.
What I loved about Emmy and Oliver were the little moments. The little waves and ripple effects from the Oliver bomb of Oliver being brought back. Oliver’s relationship with not only Emmy but also his mom, his step-father, and his two new sisters. Or the effect on Emmy’s two friends now that Oliver’s back and how there are a lot of growing pains. Although I know nothing about having a friend being stolen and brought back, Emmy and Oliver was still an extremely relatable story, and that’s not just because Emmy is an extremely sarcastic character that I understood on a personal level.
Benway writes my favorite type of books. They are quiet. They are full of family, sarcasm, friendship, love, and finding your own happiness.
heather425's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this story more than I did. Like other reviewers I would love to have had Oliver narrate part of the story. I think hearing his POV would have given it more depth.
vanessa_issa's review against another edition
5.0
Reading Challenge 2017: A book with a title that's a character's name
Romance e drama na medida certa! O Oliver tem uma história muito triste, pois foi raptado pelo próprio pai quando tinha 7 anos e passou a vida toda acreditando que a mãe tinha o abandonado. 10 anos depois, ele descobre a verdade e volta para sua verdadeira casa.
Emmy é sua antiga vizinha e amiguinha de infância. Ela e sua famÃlia acompanharam toda a dor da busca por ele nesses anos. Como não poderia deixar de ser, todos ficam muito surpresos e ansiosos pelo reencontro com o garoto. Porém, as coisas não são tão simples como parecem. Ele não é mais aquele menininho que sumiu, e os outros também já não são como ele se lembrava.
Achei super interessante a forma como eles relatam o quando foi difÃcil para ele lidar com isso, se sentindo como se tivesse sido sequestrado novamente, tendo que encarar pessoas e situações completamente estranhas novamente.
Emmy também tem uma história muito interessante com sua própria famÃlia. Ela gosta de surfar e já escolheu em qual faculdade quer estudar, mas seus pais não sabem de nada disso. Durante anos, com o apoio dos melhores amigos, ela consegue esconder seus segredos para não causar confusões com seus pais. Porém, um dia, a verdade vem...
O romance entre os dois é bem fofo. Se você está em busca de grandes cenas quentes de paixão, esse livro não é pra você. Mas, para quem gosta de um romance mais inocente e prefere focar nos pensamentos, posso dizer que irão curtir muito essa leitura.
Romance e drama na medida certa! O Oliver tem uma história muito triste, pois foi raptado pelo próprio pai quando tinha 7 anos e passou a vida toda acreditando que a mãe tinha o abandonado. 10 anos depois, ele descobre a verdade e volta para sua verdadeira casa.
Emmy é sua antiga vizinha e amiguinha de infância. Ela e sua famÃlia acompanharam toda a dor da busca por ele nesses anos. Como não poderia deixar de ser, todos ficam muito surpresos e ansiosos pelo reencontro com o garoto. Porém, as coisas não são tão simples como parecem. Ele não é mais aquele menininho que sumiu, e os outros também já não são como ele se lembrava.
Achei super interessante a forma como eles relatam o quando foi difÃcil para ele lidar com isso, se sentindo como se tivesse sido sequestrado novamente, tendo que encarar pessoas e situações completamente estranhas novamente.
Emmy também tem uma história muito interessante com sua própria famÃlia. Ela gosta de surfar e já escolheu em qual faculdade quer estudar, mas seus pais não sabem de nada disso. Durante anos, com o apoio dos melhores amigos, ela consegue esconder seus segredos para não causar confusões com seus pais. Porém, um dia, a verdade vem...
O romance entre os dois é bem fofo. Se você está em busca de grandes cenas quentes de paixão, esse livro não é pra você. Mas, para quem gosta de um romance mais inocente e prefere focar nos pensamentos, posso dizer que irão curtir muito essa leitura.
bookishturtle's review against another edition
4.0
It took some time for the book to really get going. But when I look back now that was necessary because of the circumstances of the book. It was like I was experiencing the same journey as the characters. I loved the family dynamic in this story, Emmy's parents were a constant throughout the story and not put on the back burn like in other ya books. I loved Emmy, Drew and Caroline's best friend triangle and the original Emmy, Drew, Caro and Oliver group. They all really were the best. Emmy and Oliver were so cute together, Oliver isn't the type of guy I would date. Emmy isn't like me either, she was the strong one in the relationship. The book was so different than the blurb made it seem. I thought Emmy and Oliver were the only two best friends, I didn't know they had a group or that Oliver was so young when he got kidnapped. From the blurb I thought she'd be like Emily, haha I just realized they have the same name, from Since You've Been Gone. Emmy and Oliver reminded me of Since You've Been Gone, it kind of made me feel the same way and I guess in some ways the plot was similar.
mdettmann's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this one. Sweet story about Emmy, a girl under lock and key because her parents are afraid something will happen to her because Oliver the boy-next-door was kidnapped by his father when they were 7-years-old. The suffocated Emmy is written with heart and humor and Oliver has his own issues after living a lie with his father on the lamb for almost 10 years. Lots of drama, a sweet romance, and some fun side-characters (Caro was my fav) make for a quick and read.
bookishlovexo's review against another edition
4.0
The characters in this really made the book for me and it's one of my favorite contemporaries I've read.