The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
moonwhimsy's review against another edition
4.0
Overall an interesting story. It does touch on some subjects that are a bit tricky to deal with but it handles them well. It leaves you pondering a few different things as well about our lives.
calamity_mary's review against another edition
2.0
This one should be a 2.5 star if it was possible.
SPOILERS / RANT
A Certain Slant of Light is a book about ghosts and love. Well, actually it's about the ghosts of 2 adults that possess 2 teenage bodies and then got at it at every chance they got. Mainly, because they're the only 2 ghosts that were ever able to communicate with each other, that they know of and the author tells us that if we were a ghost sudenly able to talk to another ghost after a couple of centuries alone, then surely we would also fall madly in love and carry on to take control of some vacant body so we could have unprotected sex at every turn. Surely we would.
As you can tell I didn not like the book much. Or its notions of love. Mostly because this wasn't about love. It was about two horny spirits.
There was lots I didn't like:
- I did not not care for the part were they have unprotected sex and when the boy/man/ghost manifests his concern for whatever harm they might be doing to heir hosts bodies, the girl just shrugs off any kind of worries about catching any STDs or impregnating a body she knew she wouldn't keep and would be left to deal with the aftermath after they left.
- I didn't like the way a supposed grown woman behaved like the most selfish and self-centered being, only thinking on what would be good for her.
- The suicide scene at the end was idiotic and made me hate the female ghost more.
- The whole mr. Brown subplot was also weak and a poor excuse of plot devise.
- The pregnancy was WAY to obvious and expected.
The story of the actual teenagers and their lives before the possession was more interesting but it was only there as a backstory and in the end didn't have much weight on how the story unfold.
In the end is safe to say that if this was told as a love story between two teens who had very difficult lifes and families and we could just forget the ghost part, then this book would be worth reading.
SPOILERS / RANT
A Certain Slant of Light is a book about ghosts and love. Well, actually it's about the ghosts of 2 adults that possess 2 teenage bodies and then got at it at every chance they got. Mainly, because they're the only 2 ghosts that were ever able to communicate with each other, that they know of and the author tells us that if we were a ghost sudenly able to talk to another ghost after a couple of centuries alone, then surely we would also fall madly in love and carry on to take control of some vacant body so we could have unprotected sex at every turn. Surely we would.
As you can tell I didn not like the book much. Or its notions of love. Mostly because this wasn't about love. It was about two horny spirits.
There was lots I didn't like:
- I did not not care for the part were they have unprotected sex and when the boy/man/ghost manifests his concern for whatever harm they might be doing to heir hosts bodies, the girl just shrugs off any kind of worries about catching any STDs or impregnating a body she knew she wouldn't keep and would be left to deal with the aftermath after they left.
- I didn't like the way a supposed grown woman behaved like the most selfish and self-centered being, only thinking on what would be good for her.
- The suicide scene at the end was idiotic and made me hate the female ghost more.
- The whole mr. Brown subplot was also weak and a poor excuse of plot devise.
- The pregnancy was WAY to obvious and expected.
The story of the actual teenagers and their lives before the possession was more interesting but it was only there as a backstory and in the end didn't have much weight on how the story unfold.
In the end is safe to say that if this was told as a love story between two teens who had very difficult lifes and families and we could just forget the ghost part, then this book would be worth reading.
laughlinesandliterature's review against another edition
4.0
This book definitely surprised me because I was expecting something that had ghosts in it to be more depressing. This book had its sad moments but it wasn't depressing at all. I really enjoyed Helen and I knew even though she thought she had done something terrible that it couldn't be too bad. She just didn't have that feeling to her.
It was very very sweet.
Spoiler
I also loved that she and James met and I felt so terrible that James had to abandon her when it was time to get Billy back in his body. I also felt terrible for Cathy and how she'd allowed him all this power and he turned around and betrayed her. I can't really explain why I enjoyed this book so much just that it sucked me in. And I absolutely loved the ending where Helen's daughter ended up greeting her and you find out she had this wonderful life.Spoiler
...It was very very sweet.
snorasaur's review against another edition
3.0
First read June 2015
5 stars. Favorite book of all time.
Second read December 2018
2.5 stars
Disappointed that I really did not like this book the second time around. The romance just felt archaic to me and I probably would’ve DNF’d this book if it wasn’t for me wanting to see if there was anything redeeming about it. I just didn’t like how spineless and sometimes hypocritical the lead female was and the world of the spirits after death wasn’t explained or very coherent enough.
It kind of shows how I have grow as a reader since I’m definitely more critical of what I read and wanting stories that are empowering, especially to women, rather that a lack luster insta love plot that is just full of cringe worthy moments of outdated gender roles in relationships.
The only saving grace of this book was the ending moment between the mother and daughter bonding over a huge truth bomb that had just been dropped on them. Really touching, but unfortunately could not save the entire book.
5 stars. Favorite book of all time.
Second read December 2018
2.5 stars
Disappointed that I really did not like this book the second time around. The romance just felt archaic to me and I probably would’ve DNF’d this book if it wasn’t for me wanting to see if there was anything redeeming about it. I just didn’t like how spineless and sometimes hypocritical the lead female was and the world of the spirits after death wasn’t explained or very coherent enough.
It kind of shows how I have grow as a reader since I’m definitely more critical of what I read and wanting stories that are empowering, especially to women, rather that a lack luster insta love plot that is just full of cringe worthy moments of outdated gender roles in relationships.
The only saving grace of this book was the ending moment between the mother and daughter bonding over a huge truth bomb that had just been dropped on them. Really touching, but unfortunately could not save the entire book.
lcgerstmann's review against another edition
4.0
I usually chose a book to listen to, as an audiobook, that I'm interested in, but not enough to want to read. This book fell into that category and this ended up being a blessing in disguise! Paranormal romance/young adult literature is a guilty pleasure of mine and amidst all the vampires and werewolves, a ghost story stood out as unique and intriguing to me. I'm not sure what it would be like to read this book silently to myself, I think the prose and excessive imagery would have come off as over-the top and even cheesey, but the young women who was the narrator for the audiobook had such a hauntingly beautiful voice that was perfect for a ghost story! Most of the book was stressed and intense, especially the strict Christian household and the sexual abuse accusations at the school! I love happy endings and love stories and I thought that both of these concepts were doomed for the whole story and was very pleasantly surprised with the ending. Listen to this audiobook!!!!!!
mackenzie_h's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting take on the in between of life after life.
lizbizbritton's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
pixieheart42's review against another edition
5.0
An amazing book with an interesting and rather unique plot line. Loved every single moment of it and could not put it down.
loriemegistus's review against another edition
5.0
It's been a long time since I've read a book that has made me so happy that I'm grinning and laughing in glee but then a few pages later I'm sobbing in complete depression. I absolutely LOVED A Certain Slant of Light. I started and finished this book today and just could not put it down. I was captivated by Helen's world from the start. The book eloquently touches on questionable topics and really had me thinking at some certain parts. I love this book and I highly recommend it! I typically don't read a lot of romance but this one really, really touched me.
chloelouise_xiv's review against another edition
3.0
As odd as it sounds, I can't decide whether I actually liked this book or not. Everytime I thought I had this book figured out, it seemed to switch to a different perspective and I was rethinking everything again.
Then again, perhaps a good book is one that keeps you on your toes. :/
Then again, perhaps a good book is one that keeps you on your toes. :/