delfinmac's review
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, Child death, and Vomit
ania_star's review
5.0
It's just one of those books that pull at your heartstrings, make you feel and love and cry right along with all the characters...
CJ, her sister, and her mother had a horrible car accident. And she was a sole survivor. Living with guilt is eating her every day. With only her father and her left, they drifted apart. In summer, her father drops her off at her grandma's place, which she hasn't seen since she was little, and speeds off.
She feels very lost and just wants to spend the summer alone and aways from everyone.
Enter grandma. She was probably my favorite character in the whole book. :)Eccentric just so much fun. :) She pushes her, and not so gently, to get back out again. She makes friends, gets a job, and even falls in love.
The more time she and Jeff spend together, the more of his story comes out. They both had a hard life and help each other to see light again.
It's such a beautiful story of what living with guilt and grief doest to you, but also about second chances and seeing the light at the end.
So awesome!
received from Filles Vertes Publishing
CJ, her sister, and her mother had a horrible car accident. And she was a sole survivor. Living with guilt is eating her every day. With only her father and her left, they drifted apart. In summer, her father drops her off at her grandma's place, which she hasn't seen since she was little, and speeds off.
She feels very lost and just wants to spend the summer alone and aways from everyone.
Enter grandma. She was probably my favorite character in the whole book. :)Eccentric just so much fun. :) She pushes her, and not so gently, to get back out again. She makes friends, gets a job, and even falls in love.
The more time she and Jeff spend together, the more of his story comes out. They both had a hard life and help each other to see light again.
It's such a beautiful story of what living with guilt and grief doest to you, but also about second chances and seeing the light at the end.
So awesome!
received from Filles Vertes Publishing
kattheblackbelt's review
3.0
ARC provided via Edelweiss+ in exchange for honest feedback.
Rating: 3
I got through about 60 percent of this book. I did enjoy the characters for the most part, the main character and MeeMaw were my two favorites, however, I just found the story to start to become uninteresting. I know this is a contemporary book so there isn't much going on, but I felt that the romance became way too heavily featured towards the midpoint of the story.
Rating: 3
I got through about 60 percent of this book. I did enjoy the characters for the most part, the main character and MeeMaw were my two favorites, however, I just found the story to start to become uninteresting. I know this is a contemporary book so there isn't much going on, but I felt that the romance became way too heavily featured towards the midpoint of the story.
kkjduke's review
3.0
ARC provided via Edelweiss+ in exchange for honest feedback.
Rating: 3
I got through about 60 percent of this book. I did enjoy the characters for the most part, the main character and MeeMaw were my two favorites, however, I just found the story to start to become uninteresting. I know this is a contemporary book so there isn't much going on, but I felt that the romance became way too heavily featured towards the midpoint of the story.
Rating: 3
I got through about 60 percent of this book. I did enjoy the characters for the most part, the main character and MeeMaw were my two favorites, however, I just found the story to start to become uninteresting. I know this is a contemporary book so there isn't much going on, but I felt that the romance became way too heavily featured towards the midpoint of the story.
si0bhan's review
4.0
As Much As I Ever Could is a story that quickly pulled me in and had me more than happy to power through the book in a single sitting. Once I stared, I was desperate to see how everything came together, and I could not put it down.
As Much As I Ever Could is a book filled with emotion, one that deals with heavy topics well. I fell for the characters and all they had been through, crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. I admit to seeing some of the aspects coming – there were certain things you knew would play out considering the characters and what they had been through – and I do feel the romance developed a bit too quickly, but this wasn’t enough to lessen my enjoyment. I was hooked, I devoured it, and I’m certainly curious to see what else the author has to offer.
All in all, As Much As I Ever Could has me eager to read more Brandy Woods Snow.
As Much As I Ever Could is a book filled with emotion, one that deals with heavy topics well. I fell for the characters and all they had been through, crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. I admit to seeing some of the aspects coming – there were certain things you knew would play out considering the characters and what they had been through – and I do feel the romance developed a bit too quickly, but this wasn’t enough to lessen my enjoyment. I was hooked, I devoured it, and I’m certainly curious to see what else the author has to offer.
All in all, As Much As I Ever Could has me eager to read more Brandy Woods Snow.
candacerobinsonauthor's review
5.0
I’ve come to learn that if it’s contemporary, Brandy Woods Snow does not disappoint!
As soon as I dove into As Much As I Ever Could, I fell in love with CJ! She was awesome and has a brain full of baggage that she has to deal with. And then there’s my boy! Jett! Loved him! And he was the perfect book boyfriend! Plus, he drives fast cars! Now put these two characters together and you get swoon galore!
There was some great side characters too! Memaw! I want a Memaw in my life!
Overall this was a super fun book filled with emotion and kisses and drama and awesomeness! And the dialogue was so freaking good!
As soon as I dove into As Much As I Ever Could, I fell in love with CJ! She was awesome and has a brain full of baggage that she has to deal with. And then there’s my boy! Jett! Loved him! And he was the perfect book boyfriend! Plus, he drives fast cars! Now put these two characters together and you get swoon galore!
There was some great side characters too! Memaw! I want a Memaw in my life!
Overall this was a super fun book filled with emotion and kisses and drama and awesomeness! And the dialogue was so freaking good!
debz57a52's review
4.0
I am seriously pleased with this book. The characters are very real and dealing with some heavy stuff as best they can and even the supporting characters have an arc. The issues are realistic, and the lessons are hard, but there are no heroes and damsels in distress. Through soul searching, talking to loved ones and therapists, and taking real responsibility, each character does a little growing and makes the positive changes in their own lives, and I loved that.
When I chose this book, I did not realize it was set in South Carolina, at the beach - the place where I spent so much time over the summers as a child too. But the author’s descriptions of the smells and sounds, the weather and the way sand gets everywhere, and the lovely houses on stilts that mean vacation-home to me made me yearn for my summer time childhood.
Finally, I know this is the author’s second book, but on the sentence level, she blew me away more than a few times. Every so often, she included just the right expressive verb, just the perfect simile for how a character felt, or the exact right amount of details for a small facial or hand gesture so I could see it perfectly in my mind. Each time, I was kicked out of the narrative to give a little mental kudos.
I was offered a free copy of the ebook by the author in exchange for an honest review, but I would have bought this book anyway. It fills a hole in my classroom library - so many of my male students asked about racing books and so many of my female student asked about romances that were also suspenseful or action-packed. This will be a great addition.
When I chose this book, I did not realize it was set in South Carolina, at the beach - the place where I spent so much time over the summers as a child too. But the author’s descriptions of the smells and sounds, the weather and the way sand gets everywhere, and the lovely houses on stilts that mean vacation-home to me made me yearn for my summer time childhood.
Finally, I know this is the author’s second book, but on the sentence level, she blew me away more than a few times. Every so often, she included just the right expressive verb, just the perfect simile for how a character felt, or the exact right amount of details for a small facial or hand gesture so I could see it perfectly in my mind. Each time, I was kicked out of the narrative to give a little mental kudos.
I was offered a free copy of the ebook by the author in exchange for an honest review, but I would have bought this book anyway. It fills a hole in my classroom library - so many of my male students asked about racing books and so many of my female student asked about romances that were also suspenseful or action-packed. This will be a great addition.
booksteacupnreviews's review
5.0
*** Note: I received e-copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review. Many thank to publisher. ***
As Much As I Ever Could was wonderful YA contemporary romance that revolved around CJ grieving loss of mother and sister in accident. It was about getting over loss, giving second chance to life and love, learning to love yourself again, accepting the reality than running away, forgiveness, friendship, family, and racing.
Writing was smooth, gripping, and emotive. Loved the setting of Edisto Island, community, and Memaw’s sea themed house and its description. It made me want to pack my things and move in with her for whole summer. There was everything one want in YA contemporary. There was drama, family issues, friendship, car racing, rivalry, teenage angst, romance, misunderstanding, and development.
.
.
.
Overall, As Much As I Ever Could was compelling contemporary with refreshing characters, summery setting and amazing emotional rollercoaster. I highly recommend this book to fans of YA Contemporary.
Read full review on my book blog by following this link- https://booksteacupnreviews.com/2020/05/26/bookreview-as-much-as-i-ever-could-by-brandy-woods-snow-fillesvertespub-ya-contemporaryromance/
As Much As I Ever Could was wonderful YA contemporary romance that revolved around CJ grieving loss of mother and sister in accident. It was about getting over loss, giving second chance to life and love, learning to love yourself again, accepting the reality than running away, forgiveness, friendship, family, and racing.
Writing was smooth, gripping, and emotive. Loved the setting of Edisto Island, community, and Memaw’s sea themed house and its description. It made me want to pack my things and move in with her for whole summer. There was everything one want in YA contemporary. There was drama, family issues, friendship, car racing, rivalry, teenage angst, romance, misunderstanding, and development.
.
.
.
Overall, As Much As I Ever Could was compelling contemporary with refreshing characters, summery setting and amazing emotional rollercoaster. I highly recommend this book to fans of YA Contemporary.
Read full review on my book blog by following this link- https://booksteacupnreviews.com/2020/05/26/bookreview-as-much-as-i-ever-could-by-brandy-woods-snow-fillesvertespub-ya-contemporaryromance/
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