smitch29's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
I thought this was an excellent debut novel for Julie Johnson. I kept me entertained all the way through. I must say that I thought this novel was an odd mix of deep and shallow at the same time. There were points where I thought there was a great emotional connection between characters and the reader that really propelled the book into a 4-star-rating range. Though there were other times that left me questioning how young Julie Johnson thought her readers were. I felt like sometimes things were reiterated and just overly explained to the point where I felt I had picked up a book for 12 year olds.
This book was definitely written on the cusp on the Young Adult genre. I think it embodies many qualities of a teenage reading level and entertainment value, but with a bit more adult edginess and sensualness.
Despite every once in a while wishing this book was written a tad older, I thought the main characters were fascinating and fun to read. They were witty and wise, but vulnerable in a very human way when the need arose. The heroine, Brooklyn, spent most of the novel battling demons her had long ago let consume her until she began to live in numbness. She quickly learns, that the hero, Finn, is the one person who throws a ratchet in her carefully constructed walls. As their relationship grows, we see an ominous outside force threatening to ruin things.
I feel like in real life, more external and random forces and conflicts cause trouble for relationships, and in this book they seemed to only really have to deal with internal issues that just arose from their own personal issues.
One last side note, there were random plot holes that weren't really a big deal or have really any impact on the story, but they were just annoying as were a few grammatical errors.
I thought this was an excellent debut novel for Julie Johnson. I kept me entertained all the way through. I must say that I thought this novel was an odd mix of deep and shallow at the same time. There were points where I thought there was a great emotional connection between characters and the reader that really propelled the book into a 4-star-rating range. Though there were other times that left me questioning how young Julie Johnson thought her readers were. I felt like sometimes things were reiterated and just overly explained to the point where I felt I had picked up a book for 12 year olds.
This book was definitely written on the cusp on the Young Adult genre. I think it embodies many qualities of a teenage reading level and entertainment value, but with a bit more adult edginess and sensualness.
Despite every once in a while wishing this book was written a tad older, I thought the main characters were fascinating and fun to read. They were witty and wise, but vulnerable in a very human way when the need arose. The heroine, Brooklyn, spent most of the novel battling demons her had long ago let consume her until she began to live in numbness. She quickly learns, that the hero, Finn, is the one person who throws a ratchet in her carefully constructed walls. As their relationship grows, we see an ominous outside force threatening to ruin things.
I feel like in real life, more external and random forces and conflicts cause trouble for relationships, and in this book they seemed to only really have to deal with internal issues that just arose from their own personal issues.
One last side note, there were random plot holes that weren't really a big deal or have really any impact on the story, but they were just annoying as were a few grammatical errors.
skaarke's review against another edition
4.0
I bought this book on a whim basically. I saw it somewhere on Facebook, and without knowing anything about the author or the plot, I one-clicked. It. Is. Fantastic! While I could totally see where the story was headed, it still did not disappoint. Finn is every girls dream and Brooklyn is sarcastic and strong. Great story, great chemistry, great flow. I will one-click this authors next book!!
kashish's review against another edition
4.0
WOWWW!!!! Loved it soooooooo very much!!
This book was everything. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Romance, humor, suspense, death, life, heartbreak, friendship, fame, family, past, future and I'm gonna stop now. I felt EVERYTHING. Every. Damn. Emotion.
I literally needed a moment to soak in everything after that ending. Oh, and THE ENDING. It was perfect.
The last scene before the epilogue was so gut wrenching, I wanted to cry.
I listened to the audiobook version (which made the experience all the more profound) or else I'd have piles of quotes marked on my kindle.
It told me that happily-ever-afters aren't necessary, happy-right-nows are.
It wasn't just a love story. It wasn't just Bee's and Finn's story. It was a story about Brittany and how she learnt to live and laugh again. It was about her relationships with her mother, Lexi, Dr. Angelini, and even her "father". It was about killing the devil for good.
All in all, the story was deep, intense and so, so beautiful.
If this didn't convince you to read the book, maybe this text from the book will:
“Maybe there aren’t any happily ever afters, or white knights who ride in on valiant steeds to save the day. Maybe, in real life, Prince Charming isn’t always perfect – he’s just as flawed as everyone else in the tale. And that princess, alone in her tower? She’s not perfect either. Birds don’t braid her hair every morning, she can’t serenade wild forest creatures into servitude, and she doesn’t even own a ball gown. But she’s also smart enough to know not to accept poisoned apples from strangers, or prick her finger on deadly spindles.
She doesn’t wait around for a prince to charge in and slay the dragon. Maybe she saves herself and in the end, rides off into her own goddamned sunset.”
This book was everything. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Romance, humor, suspense, death, life, heartbreak, friendship, fame, family, past, future and I'm gonna stop now. I felt EVERYTHING. Every. Damn. Emotion.
I literally needed a moment to soak in everything after that ending. Oh, and THE ENDING. It was perfect.
The last scene before the epilogue was so gut wrenching, I wanted to cry.
I listened to the audiobook version (which made the experience all the more profound) or else I'd have piles of quotes marked on my kindle.
It told me that happily-ever-afters aren't necessary, happy-right-nows are.
Spoiler
But of course I sighed in huge relief when I found out that this book is not going to have a sad ending.It wasn't just a love story. It wasn't just Bee's and Finn's story. It was a story about Brittany and how she learnt to live and laugh again. It was about her relationships with her mother, Lexi, Dr. Angelini, and even her "father". It was about killing the devil for good.
All in all, the story was deep, intense and so, so beautiful.
If this didn't convince you to read the book, maybe this text from the book will:
“Maybe there aren’t any happily ever afters, or white knights who ride in on valiant steeds to save the day. Maybe, in real life, Prince Charming isn’t always perfect – he’s just as flawed as everyone else in the tale. And that princess, alone in her tower? She’s not perfect either. Birds don’t braid her hair every morning, she can’t serenade wild forest creatures into servitude, and she doesn’t even own a ball gown. But she’s also smart enough to know not to accept poisoned apples from strangers, or prick her finger on deadly spindles.
She doesn’t wait around for a prince to charge in and slay the dragon. Maybe she saves herself and in the end, rides off into her own goddamned sunset.”
amrobe17's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
madames_des_livres's review against another edition
3.0
Vielen lieben Dank an die Lesejury und den LYX Verlag für die Bereitstellung des Rezensionexemplare! Meine Meinung ist davon selbstverständlich in keiner Weise beeinflusst!
Ich hatte unglaubliche Erwartungen an dieses Buch. Es wäre woll besser gewesen, wenn ich dieses nicht gehabt hätte, den so wurde ich etwas enttäuscht. Damit möchte ich keinesfalls sagen, dass das Buch schlecht ist, aber ebenauch nicht so gut wie ich es mir ursprünglich erhofft hatte.
Im großen und ganzen geht es um Brooklyn, die schon in jungem Alter den Vtlust ihrere Mutter mit erleben musste. Diese wurde bei einem Autodiebstahl erschossen und Brooklyn dann anschließend von dem Dieb mitgenommen. Die Polizei konnte den Dieb glüchlicher Weise recht schnell stoppen, aber Broolyn hat von diesem schrecklichen Tag Albträume und dadurch verursachte Panikattacken. Eininge Jahre später geht Brooklyn nun ans College und stolpert rort eines Tage direkt in die Arme des attraktiven Bad Boys Finn. Dieser scheint ein besondere Interesse an Brooklyn zu haben. Brooklyn merkt bald das sie trotz ihrere nach dem Tod ihrere Mutter um ihre Gefühle errichten Mauern nicht gegen seine Anziehungskraft nicht immun ist. Aber die Vergangenheit streckt immer wieder die Finger nach ihr aus um sie wieder einzuholen...
Was mich von Anfang an besonders neugierig auf das Buch gemacht hat, waren die Thriller-/ Krimielemente. Am Anfang war ich auch recht optimistisch und die Grundidee wirkte solide auf mich. Allerdings ist mir dann im Laufe der Entwicklung der Handlung immer deutlicher gewirden, wie vorhersehbar das Ganze war. Die meisten Ounkte habe ich mir schon Seiten vorher so vorgestellt. Das hat die Spannung natürlich extrem minimiert.
New Adult Bücher sind wohl für ihre Mal mehr oder weniger dramatischen Liebensgeschichten bekannt. Ganz glatt geschieht dort meistens nicht. Dieses Buch war mir aber insgesamt etwas überdramatisch und dadurch auch etwas unrealistisch.
Die Charakter waren mir so semi sympathisch. Vor allem Finn hat mich mit extrem gemischten Gefühlen zurück gelassen. Am Anfang komnte ich ihn, ganz offen gesagt gar nicht ausstehen. Ich habe seine Attraktivität einfach nicht gesehen (hat sich zum Ende hin zwar auch nicht geändert, aber immerhin war er das netter). Dazu kam noch das er auf mich total übergriffig gewirkt hat und damit alles anderes als sympathisch. Im Laufe der Geschichte hat er dann noch ein paar wirklich nette
Sachen gemacht und so wurde es besser. Beste Freunde sind wir trotzdem nicht wirklich geworden. Bei einigen Handlungen, vor allem in letzten Drittel des Buches konnte ich einfach nur den Kopf schütteln.
Brooklyn war mir die meiste Zeit wirklich sympathisch. An einigen Stellen zwar etwas speziel und ich konnte ihre Handlung auch manchmal nicht so 100 pro nachvollziehen. Einges war sehr widersprüchlich. Viele Dinge hat sie gedanklich angefangen und dann einfach unbeantwortet zurück gelassen oder nicht zu Ende gedacht. Insgesamt war sie aber eine wirklich sympathische, starke, selbstbewusste, wenn doch etwas dramatische und im Bezug zu Finn etwa panische Protagonistin.
Der Schreibstil war sehr bildhaft und plastisch. Schauplätze und Personen wurden detailliert und ausdrucksstark beschrieben. Gefühle wurden gut und meistens auch nachvollziehbar geschildert und beschrieben. Insgesamt bekam durch den Schreibstil ein gute Bild von der Geschichte und den Charaktere. Außerdem ließ sich dieser gut lesen und hat dafür gesorgt, dass ich große Teile des Buches i einem Rutsch lesen konnte.
In dem Buch geht es um Trauerbewältigung, aber auch Stalking und traumatiesierende Erlebnisse. Tolle Themen die in diesem Buch allerdings nur so mittelmäßig gut umgesetzt worden sind. Zusammenfassend war es ein schönes Buch für zwischendurch, nicht besonderes oder weltbewegendes, aber insgesamt eine gute Unterhaltung. Ich vergebe 3,5 Sterne und würde es ralle Leser von New Adult empfehlen, die ein schönes Buch für zwischendurch suchen.
mees_grows's review against another edition
4.0
This was well written and intriguing story. I look forward to other books by this author.
aovenus's review against another edition
1.0
You have to have real patience with this story. As the reader, you can already see what's going to happen 2 steps into the book, but you have to patiently wait for the main character to take 50 steps in every other direction to get there.
annica_fourie's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75