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suspencebooks's review against another edition
5.0
Well, that’s growing up, isn’t it?” my dad said. “You don’t always have to know. And things aren’t always fair. You just have to keep moving forward. A step in one direction.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / 5
(*fair warning: there will be spoilers at the end but they will be heavily marked*)
You know how you hear songs, or see a movie, or in this case read a book at the exact right time? That’s how I felt while I read this book. Before I went into it, I thought it would just be a decent book because it was one of the many books I have waiting to be read, and within a few pages I was hooked.
We follow Emmy and Oliver who live next door to each other, and one day, Oliver is kidnapped by his father and returns 10 years, YEARS, later and we follow what ensues afterwards.
^That was all I knew about it before reading it and seeing what happened. However this book is so much more than all of that, it touched on so many important topics like family dynamics, rough relationships between parents, homosexuality, and dealing with preparation for college.
The writing was soooooo good and compelling and this book was also hilarious. I laughed out loud so many times during this book, and then would switch to crying, and then laughing while crying, and crying from laughing too hard.
This book is a must read; I honestly can’t recommend it enough.
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Okay, so the characters were absolutely amazing. I loved Emmy, Oliver, Drew & Caro and found them all so real to read about. Also, Oliver’s stepsisters Nora and Molly were so hilarious. I remember laughing out loud so many times from reading about them talking to Oliver about their pizza limitations.
Some of my favorite moments from this book were whenever they went to the party at Drew’s house and they all got drunk, and Caro was an emotional drunk talking about The Great Gatsby and then whenever Caro and Emmy went back to Caro’s house and Emmy whispered about how she kissed Oliver and Heather was under all the mess and said something like good for you. It was so funny omg
I loved how it dealt with Drew being gay, and how he felt about how his parents wouldn’t stand up for him because his grandma wouldn’t accept it and she paid for his parents’ mortgage. Then having his brother step up, and being overprotective was also really powerful to read about.
Reading about the family dynamics of Maureen and Oliver, and how they had the argument over dinner about Maureen not liking the person Oliver was now, and how Oliver’s father still raised him. It was such a real climax of the book ending with the twins crying and seeing the emotions just felt so raw. Likewise, whenever Emmy gets accepted into UCSD, and she can’t tell her parents because they’re too overprotective of her and whenever she showed them her wetsuit.
I don’t have enough praise for this book. If you read it, I’d love to talk to you about it and see your opinions. I hope you loved it as much as I did :)
•••••••••••••••••••••••••
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / 5
(*fair warning: there will be spoilers at the end but they will be heavily marked*)
You know how you hear songs, or see a movie, or in this case read a book at the exact right time? That’s how I felt while I read this book. Before I went into it, I thought it would just be a decent book because it was one of the many books I have waiting to be read, and within a few pages I was hooked.
We follow Emmy and Oliver who live next door to each other, and one day, Oliver is kidnapped by his father and returns 10 years, YEARS, later and we follow what ensues afterwards.
^That was all I knew about it before reading it and seeing what happened. However this book is so much more than all of that, it touched on so many important topics like family dynamics, rough relationships between parents, homosexuality, and dealing with preparation for college.
The writing was soooooo good and compelling and this book was also hilarious. I laughed out loud so many times during this book, and then would switch to crying, and then laughing while crying, and crying from laughing too hard.
This book is a must read; I honestly can’t recommend it enough.
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
B
E
L
O
W
Okay, so the characters were absolutely amazing. I loved Emmy, Oliver, Drew & Caro and found them all so real to read about. Also, Oliver’s stepsisters Nora and Molly were so hilarious. I remember laughing out loud so many times from reading about them talking to Oliver about their pizza limitations.
Some of my favorite moments from this book were whenever they went to the party at Drew’s house and they all got drunk, and Caro was an emotional drunk talking about The Great Gatsby and then whenever Caro and Emmy went back to Caro’s house and Emmy whispered about how she kissed Oliver and Heather was under all the mess and said something like good for you. It was so funny omg
I loved how it dealt with Drew being gay, and how he felt about how his parents wouldn’t stand up for him because his grandma wouldn’t accept it and she paid for his parents’ mortgage. Then having his brother step up, and being overprotective was also really powerful to read about.
Reading about the family dynamics of Maureen and Oliver, and how they had the argument over dinner about Maureen not liking the person Oliver was now, and how Oliver’s father still raised him. It was such a real climax of the book ending with the twins crying and seeing the emotions just felt so raw. Likewise, whenever Emmy gets accepted into UCSD, and she can’t tell her parents because they’re too overprotective of her and whenever she showed them her wetsuit.
I don’t have enough praise for this book. If you read it, I’d love to talk to you about it and see your opinions. I hope you loved it as much as I did :)
evaxreading's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
4.25
bookgirl1209's review against another edition
4.0
This is a sweet young adult novel.
It has the pre-requisite angsty story - a young boy kidnapped by his father returns home after 10 years, a teen girl with over protective parents who don't understand her - but the characters are likeable and the plot isn't too much of a stretch.
The teen characters - especially the uninterrupted friendship of Drew, Caro and Emmy - are realistic. Much of teen friendships is made of inside jokes and tremendous loyalty - this is portrayed well.
The parental unit could have been fleshed out a little more but by not doing that Benway gives you the feel that you can't really understand fully why they do what they do and isn't that what the teen years are really about? Not knowing why your parents do what they do or think how they think?
It has the pre-requisite angsty story - a young boy kidnapped by his father returns home after 10 years, a teen girl with over protective parents who don't understand her - but the characters are likeable and the plot isn't too much of a stretch.
The teen characters - especially the uninterrupted friendship of Drew, Caro and Emmy - are realistic. Much of teen friendships is made of inside jokes and tremendous loyalty - this is portrayed well.
The parental unit could have been fleshed out a little more but by not doing that Benway gives you the feel that you can't really understand fully why they do what they do and isn't that what the teen years are really about? Not knowing why your parents do what they do or think how they think?
cgreaderbee's review against another edition
2.0
The fact that I didn't really like this book was both surprising and disappointing.
I did not care for or connect with any of the characters. I didn't really like Emmy or Oliver very much, nor the relationship between them.
Oliver and Emmy were neighbors and best friends up until Oliver was kidnapped by his father when he was seven. Emmy has held on to the memory and loss of Oliver for all this time, until one day the moment everyone had all been waiting for but basically given up on - Oliver is found. Now he's back in the house next door, and the past and the present are forced together despite all the time and events that took place in between.
Ultimately, Emmy and Oliver rekindle their friendship and "more" (No spoilers people; you can read the title and see the little pink heart on the cover). I could appreciate the emotional turmoil as Oliver struggled with the demons of a past he never chose and his conflicting feelings about his parents. Even Emmy had her own drama, longing to be free and independent under the strict reign of parents who feared losing her as they saw Oliver be lost so many years before.
But like... I just didn't really care? There were a couple good insights, but ultimately I just didn't connect with their thoughts or dialogue. And without that connection, the drama and feelings of all these characters wound up feeling ... for lack of a better word, dumb.
I also didn't like the flashbacks to when Emmy and Oliver were kids. Obviously it was supposed to be told from the POV of children, but they just felt bland and stupid. I agree that the point of those flashbacks was to give you a better understanding of the Emmy and Oliver of the past and therefore strengthen the reader's connection with the Emmy and Oliver of the present. But as I feel it rather failed to do that, they just felt pointless.
And that ending chapter - The "Wave" - was so unrealistic and cheesy. Like seriously? UGH.
Okay, I am done with my vent fest. From the reviews I have looked through, I am in the minority in how I felt about this book. But alas, there it is.
I did not care for or connect with any of the characters. I didn't really like Emmy or Oliver very much, nor the relationship between them.
Oliver and Emmy were neighbors and best friends up until Oliver was kidnapped by his father when he was seven. Emmy has held on to the memory and loss of Oliver for all this time, until one day the moment everyone had all been waiting for but basically given up on - Oliver is found. Now he's back in the house next door, and the past and the present are forced together despite all the time and events that took place in between.
Ultimately, Emmy and Oliver rekindle their friendship and "more" (No spoilers people; you can read the title and see the little pink heart on the cover). I could appreciate the emotional turmoil as Oliver struggled with the demons of a past he never chose and his conflicting feelings about his parents. Even Emmy had her own drama, longing to be free and independent under the strict reign of parents who feared losing her as they saw Oliver be lost so many years before.
But like... I just didn't really care? There were a couple good insights, but ultimately I just didn't connect with their thoughts or dialogue. And without that connection, the drama and feelings of all these characters wound up feeling ... for lack of a better word, dumb.
I also didn't like the flashbacks to when Emmy and Oliver were kids. Obviously it was supposed to be told from the POV of children, but they just felt bland and stupid. I agree that the point of those flashbacks was to give you a better understanding of the Emmy and Oliver of the past and therefore strengthen the reader's connection with the Emmy and Oliver of the present. But as I feel it rather failed to do that, they just felt pointless.
And that ending chapter - The "Wave" - was so unrealistic and cheesy. Like seriously? UGH.
Okay, I am done with my vent fest. From the reviews I have looked through, I am in the minority in how I felt about this book. But alas, there it is.
emleemay's review against another edition
4.0
“Well, that’s growing up, isn’t it?” my dad said. “You don’t always have to know. And things aren’t always fair. You just have to keep moving forward. A step in one direction.”
Yet another book that has me wondering just what is going on in the book marketing/design world. With a title like Emmy & Oliver and the heart-shaped finger prints on the cover, pretty much everyone will pick this book up thinking they know exactly what they're going to get - a cute romance.
In reality, this book is not a romance. Maybe it's 25% romance at the very most. Rather, [b:Emmy & Oliver|13132816|Emmy & Oliver|Robin Benway|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414589813s/13132816.jpg|18309264] is a coming-of-age story about friendships, family, growing up, life in a small town and learning to be something on your own, separate from your friends and family. To call this a romance would grossly oversimplify a quiet, moving and funny story about all these important things.
Emmy and Oliver were childhood best friends until Oliver's father kidnapped him as a kid. The kidnapping shakes their entire small town and we see the lasting effect it has on everyone else - from the friends Oliver left behind to the parents who become extremely overprotective of their own kids. Then, ten years later, Oliver is found and returned home. Emmy is unsure whether she wants to rebuild what they once had, or even if it's possible, but she is curious about the person who has returned and how much of her old friend lingers beneath the surface.
This is such a sensitive and thoughtful story about many different relationships. There's something about the way Benway handles her characterization that makes us care about every individual in this book. Forget Emmy and Oliver for a second, we also see Emmy's relationship with her two other friends - Caroline and Drew - through some of the best-written dialogue I've read in a long time. And we get a glimpse into the complex relationship Emmy has with her overprotective parents; both her love for them and her frustration with them.
Honestly, I loved these characters and the dynamic between them. I think [b:Emmy & Oliver|13132816|Emmy & Oliver|Robin Benway|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414589813s/13132816.jpg|18309264] is all the more powerful because it feels so real and honest. The people in this book feel both unique and universal at the same time. It is not cheesy, there are no sex gods or instaromances of any kind, it channels some feminist vibes, and friendship is put before anything else. Very highly recommended.
“You’re just a weirdo,” he said. “That’s all.”
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
Yet another book that has me wondering just what is going on in the book marketing/design world. With a title like Emmy & Oliver and the heart-shaped finger prints on the cover, pretty much everyone will pick this book up thinking they know exactly what they're going to get - a cute romance.
In reality, this book is not a romance. Maybe it's 25% romance at the very most. Rather, [b:Emmy & Oliver|13132816|Emmy & Oliver|Robin Benway|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414589813s/13132816.jpg|18309264] is a coming-of-age story about friendships, family, growing up, life in a small town and learning to be something on your own, separate from your friends and family. To call this a romance would grossly oversimplify a quiet, moving and funny story about all these important things.
Emmy and Oliver were childhood best friends until Oliver's father kidnapped him as a kid. The kidnapping shakes their entire small town and we see the lasting effect it has on everyone else - from the friends Oliver left behind to the parents who become extremely overprotective of their own kids. Then, ten years later, Oliver is found and returned home. Emmy is unsure whether she wants to rebuild what they once had, or even if it's possible, but she is curious about the person who has returned and how much of her old friend lingers beneath the surface.
This is such a sensitive and thoughtful story about many different relationships. There's something about the way Benway handles her characterization that makes us care about every individual in this book. Forget Emmy and Oliver for a second, we also see Emmy's relationship with her two other friends - Caroline and Drew - through some of the best-written dialogue I've read in a long time. And we get a glimpse into the complex relationship Emmy has with her overprotective parents; both her love for them and her frustration with them.
Honestly, I loved these characters and the dynamic between them. I think [b:Emmy & Oliver|13132816|Emmy & Oliver|Robin Benway|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414589813s/13132816.jpg|18309264] is all the more powerful because it feels so real and honest. The people in this book feel both unique and universal at the same time. It is not cheesy, there are no sex gods or instaromances of any kind, it channels some feminist vibes, and friendship is put before anything else. Very highly recommended.
“You’re just a weirdo,” he said. “That’s all.”
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
laurenc26's review against another edition
emotional
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
madsbooknook's review against another edition
3.0
I am giving Emmy & Oliver three stars because it is a quick read for romance lovers. It is very cliche and predictable in terms of the plot and there is not much growth between the characters.
pragreads's review against another edition
3.0
Cute? Check.
Heartwarming? Check.
Intriguing plot? Check.
Moving romance? I guess.
New, original, 5 star idea? Sadly, no.
Look, don't get me wrong. The characters were pretty great. The family dynamics were (suprisingly!) portrayed realistically. The plot was interesting enough to hold my attention.
It just wasn't... there. It didn't make cry or question my existence. It didn't work its magic on me like it did on so many other people. Which is fine, you know? If I love every book I read, there'll probably be something wrong with me.
But yeah.
The title gives it all away, tbh. Emmy and Oliver. That'swhat who this book is about. Not about kidnapping, not about the gay best friend, not about choosing your own life.
It's just about Emmy and Oliver.
It's them coming back to each other.
Them finding each other.
Emmy & Oliver finding themselves.
This really spoke to me for some reason. You don't have to know somebody to love them. Even yourself.
Heartwarming? Check.
Intriguing plot? Check.
Moving romance? I guess.
New, original, 5 star idea? Sadly, no.
Look, don't get me wrong. The characters were pretty great. The family dynamics were (suprisingly!) portrayed realistically. The plot was interesting enough to hold my attention.
It just wasn't... there. It didn't make cry or question my existence. It didn't work its magic on me like it did on so many other people. Which is fine, you know? If I love every book I read, there'll probably be something wrong with me.
But yeah.
The title gives it all away, tbh. Emmy and Oliver. That's
It's just about Emmy and Oliver.
It's them coming back to each other.
Them finding each other.
Emmy & Oliver finding themselves.
I didn’t recognize the girl in the reflection. But I liked what I saw.
This really spoke to me for some reason. You don't have to know somebody to love them. Even yourself.
anapacchioni's review against another edition
4.0
Bom, li a primeira metade do livro em um dia, porque ele me ganhou com a história de amor de infância. Os enredos ficaram meio arrastados depois da metade, pareceu muita informação e pouca ao mesmo tempo.
Vale a pena ler sim, é um romance lindo e um grande aprendizado sobre seguir em frente (em todos os sentidos).
Vale a pena ler sim, é um romance lindo e um grande aprendizado sobre seguir em frente (em todos os sentidos).
fredav's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up from my shelf on a whim and really ended up enjoying it. It is the story about Emmy getting back her childhood bestfriend after he is kidnapped by his father 10 years earlier. The friendships in this book were great and I enjoyed the realistic aspect of how the parents interacted with the teens and actually cared about what they were doing. A great young adult novel about friendship and love.