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laurenbookishtwins's review against another edition
3.0
I received a free copy via Edelweiss
First Impressions: A little disappointed but a good summer read and a pretty unique premise. I think I would have liked it a lot more had it been more friendship focused but a lot of it was romance centric and insta-love which was a big turn off for me.
Review: Four girls, Zoe, Tali, Joy and Luce, were once best friends. One summer, everything changed. At their Camp reunion years later, the four girls meet up again, brought together by Joy, the one who left. A photo booth and a camera flash and the four girls are transported back that summer when they were fifteen and they have a chance to figure out where it all went wrong.
I was rather looking forward to Proof of Forever, and whilst I really enjoyed aspects of it and flew through, it's safe to say I'm a tad disappointed. The blurb makes it seem very friendship orientated, and whilst some of it is, I felt it was bogged down with romance, and that romance was rushed considering it was something like five days they were there and they fell in love in that time. That's really my only qualm with Proof of Forever and I quite enjoyed the characters, particularly Luce. There's quite a bit of diversity within the cast, too. We have an African-American, a Filipino,
The ending was quite sad, if not a little rushed and I enjoyed the message about friendship, but I do wish that it was more focused on that.
Overall, an enjoyable contemporary summer read, but a lot more focus on romance that I would have liked.
First Impressions: A little disappointed but a good summer read and a pretty unique premise. I think I would have liked it a lot more had it been more friendship focused but a lot of it was romance centric and insta-love which was a big turn off for me.
Review: Four girls, Zoe, Tali, Joy and Luce, were once best friends. One summer, everything changed. At their Camp reunion years later, the four girls meet up again, brought together by Joy, the one who left. A photo booth and a camera flash and the four girls are transported back that summer when they were fifteen and they have a chance to figure out where it all went wrong.
I was rather looking forward to Proof of Forever, and whilst I really enjoyed aspects of it and flew through, it's safe to say I'm a tad disappointed. The blurb makes it seem very friendship orientated, and whilst some of it is, I felt it was bogged down with romance, and that romance was rushed considering it was something like five days they were there and they fell in love in that time. That's really my only qualm with Proof of Forever and I quite enjoyed the characters, particularly Luce. There's quite a bit of diversity within the cast, too. We have an African-American, a Filipino,
Spoiler
a terminally-ill teenager and a bisexual character.The ending was quite sad, if not a little rushed and I enjoyed the message about friendship, but I do wish that it was more focused on that.
Overall, an enjoyable contemporary summer read, but a lot more focus on romance that I would have liked.
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
Not a long review, just a short one to express my thoughts. I would go into it more, but this book is build on surprises and I don't want to ruin any of them.
I always have a soft spot for books about camps, they do seem like a good deal of fun. Lakes, swimming, cabins, games, talent shows, too bad about the food though, but oh well, making friends and meeting each other each year, and much much more. But what if you add time travel to the equation? What if you add: 'You get a second chance' to the mix? Well then you get this book.
We have 4 characters, each with their secrets, their goals and their feelings. These girls had been best friends, until 2 years ago when stuff happened and the girls quickly lost sight of each other.
With each page and each time a character gets their say we find out slowly what is going on with them, and why they are doing what they are doing. It was really interesting to find out what truly happened between the group of close friends. What made them break up? Did they just drift apart or is it something different? What is Joy hiding and why did she break off all communication 2 years ago?
I did like the fact that when they time travelled, the only thing that changed was how they looked, they reverted back to 15-year old. Which brought on some hilarious situations, one lost her boobs, the other regained her long hair, and a few other things.
I did like how they tried to keep things the same, but I was more delighted when I found out that they also didn't want to keep everything the same, that they were trying to change stuff, that they were seeing this as a second chance to do things differently. They also learned several things while being in there, things that they didn't see when they were 15, but can now see with all that they know now. But, there were also revelations. Things that they didn't know back then, things that festered and that slowly boiled until it was revealed.
Since this might be a bit spoilerish, I will hide it behind spoiler tags. I know, I said I would keep it spoiler free, but I just have to mention it.
I didn't entirely like that it seemed like all these girls were doing at the camp was flirting and trying to get into the pants of boys. At times it distracting quite a bit. I was like: "Hey you guys, you have to get back to the future, no time to screw around." I knew they were trying their best, but at times it just felt like they weren't. Like they suddenly discovered that hot boys were more important. And yes, I still liked the romance, but I just didn't expect it to be this much.
I can also say that I was a tiny bit disappointed that they tried to go back. I know, they had to get back, but I just felt sad. Sure, not everything went ok in this world, but for most of the book I felt like the girls changed (often for the better), and that they should take this chance to change more.
Ah yes, the drama was at times just too much, it was just silly how these girls don't care to listen to each other, don't care to just for once shut up, open up and let the other party tell you what happened.
What happened near the end (not the actual ending yet) was nice, but it was also a small reason for me to drop the rating a bit. I don't know exactly what I had hoped, but it wasn't really this. That I know for sure. It doesn't match with most Time Travel books I know. Now it all seemed like this wasn't that, but instead something totally different. And that is all I can and will say. You will have to read the book to find out what happens. :)
The ending was terribly sad, and I will warn you, you will probably cry your eyes out. I had my suspicions, but I was hoping it was just a lie. Sadly, it turned out it wasn't. Dear Lord, that ending it just broke my heart. :(
All in all, this book was really great and I truly enjoyed myself even though there were some parts that were just overdramatic and cliché. If you are looking for a good summer camp story with an extra bonus of Time Travel, then I would recommend this book.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I always have a soft spot for books about camps, they do seem like a good deal of fun. Lakes, swimming, cabins, games, talent shows, too bad about the food though, but oh well, making friends and meeting each other each year, and much much more. But what if you add time travel to the equation? What if you add: 'You get a second chance' to the mix? Well then you get this book.
We have 4 characters, each with their secrets, their goals and their feelings. These girls had been best friends, until 2 years ago when stuff happened and the girls quickly lost sight of each other.
With each page and each time a character gets their say we find out slowly what is going on with them, and why they are doing what they are doing. It was really interesting to find out what truly happened between the group of close friends. What made them break up? Did they just drift apart or is it something different? What is Joy hiding and why did she break off all communication 2 years ago?
I did like the fact that when they time travelled, the only thing that changed was how they looked, they reverted back to 15-year old. Which brought on some hilarious situations, one lost her boobs, the other regained her long hair, and a few other things.
I did like how they tried to keep things the same, but I was more delighted when I found out that they also didn't want to keep everything the same, that they were trying to change stuff, that they were seeing this as a second chance to do things differently. They also learned several things while being in there, things that they didn't see when they were 15, but can now see with all that they know now. But, there were also revelations. Things that they didn't know back then, things that festered and that slowly boiled until it was revealed.
Since this might be a bit spoilerish, I will hide it behind spoiler tags. I know, I said I would keep it spoiler free, but I just have to mention it.
Spoiler
There was also the cliché stuff of finding that special someone to care for, or finding out more about the person you found special. Don't get me wrong, I am all for finding your one true love, but it was just a bit cliché with how it happened in this book and how it seemed to happen to each and every character. I can find it interesting when it happens to one or two characters, but all of them?I didn't entirely like that it seemed like all these girls were doing at the camp was flirting and trying to get into the pants of boys. At times it distracting quite a bit. I was like: "Hey you guys, you have to get back to the future, no time to screw around." I knew they were trying their best, but at times it just felt like they weren't. Like they suddenly discovered that hot boys were more important. And yes, I still liked the romance, but I just didn't expect it to be this much.
I can also say that I was a tiny bit disappointed that they tried to go back. I know, they had to get back, but I just felt sad. Sure, not everything went ok in this world, but for most of the book I felt like the girls changed (often for the better), and that they should take this chance to change more.
Ah yes, the drama was at times just too much, it was just silly how these girls don't care to listen to each other, don't care to just for once shut up, open up and let the other party tell you what happened.
What happened near the end (not the actual ending yet) was nice, but it was also a small reason for me to drop the rating a bit. I don't know exactly what I had hoped, but it wasn't really this. That I know for sure. It doesn't match with most Time Travel books I know. Now it all seemed like this wasn't that, but instead something totally different. And that is all I can and will say. You will have to read the book to find out what happens. :)
The ending was terribly sad, and I will warn you, you will probably cry your eyes out. I had my suspicions, but I was hoping it was just a lie. Sadly, it turned out it wasn't. Dear Lord, that ending it just broke my heart. :(
All in all, this book was really great and I truly enjoyed myself even though there were some parts that were just overdramatic and cliché. If you are looking for a good summer camp story with an extra bonus of Time Travel, then I would recommend this book.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
readerjenn's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
ashurq's review
2.0
This book was just so…weird. The girls were in the past, but they could remember everything about the future. There was no real reason why they should need to recreate a photo in order to get back to the future. And then the ending with one of the characters seemed a little dramatic and unnecessary. I also didn’t really like any of the characters.
knallen's review
4.0
This was a very sweet book. It was billed as 'Sisterhood of the (time) traveling pants for a new generation and it was very reminiscent of that. I had a few problems with the book in that the romances seemed very spur of the moment. However, the book primarily focuses on the friendship between the three girls and the lessons they learn during their second chance. It did a great job with this. I really wanted the girls to be older (maybe in college or graduating from college) because two years seemed like an insignificant amount of time to me, but maybe I haven't been a teenager in far too long in that case. Regardless, a charming, fun read perfect for those wanting friendship stories.
lastpaige111's review
5.0
HELLOOOOOOO Lexa Hillyer! This debut novel accomplishes so much! The four narrators are intriguing--their secrets and transformations are super-charged. Even the unlikable character is sympathetic, and mysterious Joy is so well named ;-) I adore the ending but I'm not writing spoilers. It's just the kind of ending I'm trying to write in what I hope will be my debut novel.
Her prose is way better than mine--worth studying for craft purposes.
Hillyer's been in the publishing world for some time and her list of colleagues is peppered with glitterati. She belongs in that group.
Her prose is way better than mine--worth studying for craft purposes.
Hillyer's been in the publishing world for some time and her list of colleagues is peppered with glitterati. She belongs in that group.
eletricjb's review
3.0
A pleasant reading experience, but I didn't really get the sense that these four girls ever liked each other, even though they all kept insisting that they did. Kind of the poor man's Traveling Pants, where the thing that makes that work is the friendship. (The dying friend at least made me way less furious in this one, oops, spoiler. Also don't read that last Traveling Pants book if you don't want to be enraged.) At least the girl I thought from the second or third paragraph should be gay actually was gay this time. I gave it an extra star for that. Also, it takes place in New Hampshire, hooray.
sarareadsxxx13's review against another edition
2.0
So let me start differently. I liked this book, I really did and without one thing it could have been 4 stars instead of 2.
SPOILERS BELOW!
I am sick of it. You read a light summer read and it turns into a cancer book during the end. You had no idea and as a person who tries to avoid cancer books this is not okay when it surprises you. Nowadays it feels like authors feel the need to put someone suffering from cancer or dying from cancer or whatever into their books. To make it more exciting or tragic or not as boring, i don't know. But it is unnecessary and I am not only talking about this book. It happens in a lot of contemporary books, but it's not even hinted at in the synopsis. It doesn't even only happen in contemporary, it also happens in [b:The Lost Prince|12614410|The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey Call of the Forgotten, #1)|Julie Kagawa|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335463790s/12614410.jpg|17632083] for example, a fantasy book where you would never expect this.
Dear Authors, YOU DO NOT NEED CANCER IN A BOOK TO MAKE IT INTERESTING! I know cancer happens in real life and it is hard enough already, I don't have to read about it. If you wanna kill characters, kill them but skip the cancer story, it seems desperate and IT IS NOT NECESSARY!
And please if some book contains a cancer story and it isn't obvious from the plot or synopsis, PLEASE MARK THESE BOOKS!
I suffer from hypochondriasis, which means i get anxious and afraid when talking, hearing, reading about diseases because I get afraid I will get them (I know it is kinda normal but in my case it isn't), cancer is the worst of all and so books with cancer trigger something and it could end in a panic attack for me. THAT'S WHY I AVOID CANCER BOOKS! And it is not fair if you have no idea that it will happen because you aren't warned.
The story was amazing and i love summer stories but it ruined the whole book for me that Joy died from cancer and suffered through the last half of the book. This is not okay.
AGAIN AUTHORS YOU DON'T NEED CANCER IN A BOOK TO MAKE IT INTERESTING!
SPOILERS BELOW!
I am sick of it. You read a light summer read and it turns into a cancer book during the end. You had no idea and as a person who tries to avoid cancer books this is not okay when it surprises you. Nowadays it feels like authors feel the need to put someone suffering from cancer or dying from cancer or whatever into their books. To make it more exciting or tragic or not as boring, i don't know. But it is unnecessary and I am not only talking about this book. It happens in a lot of contemporary books, but it's not even hinted at in the synopsis. It doesn't even only happen in contemporary, it also happens in [b:The Lost Prince|12614410|The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey Call of the Forgotten, #1)|Julie Kagawa|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335463790s/12614410.jpg|17632083] for example, a fantasy book where you would never expect this.
Dear Authors, YOU DO NOT NEED CANCER IN A BOOK TO MAKE IT INTERESTING! I know cancer happens in real life and it is hard enough already, I don't have to read about it. If you wanna kill characters, kill them but skip the cancer story, it seems desperate and IT IS NOT NECESSARY!
And please if some book contains a cancer story and it isn't obvious from the plot or synopsis, PLEASE MARK THESE BOOKS!
I suffer from hypochondriasis, which means i get anxious and afraid when talking, hearing, reading about diseases because I get afraid I will get them (I know it is kinda normal but in my case it isn't), cancer is the worst of all and so books with cancer trigger something and it could end in a panic attack for me. THAT'S WHY I AVOID CANCER BOOKS! And it is not fair if you have no idea that it will happen because you aren't warned.
The story was amazing and i love summer stories but it ruined the whole book for me that Joy died from cancer and suffered through the last half of the book. This is not okay.
AGAIN AUTHORS YOU DON'T NEED CANCER IN A BOOK TO MAKE IT INTERESTING!
readwithtabi's review against another edition
2.0
A bubble-gum cliche teen 'coming of age' summer camp rom-com that had a great premise but overall fell flat and had a sloppy ending. It's like the author put so much work into the development of the characters that she got to develop the storylines to their full potential. I kept reading for answers, but was very disappointed.
jules0321's review
3.0
2.5 rounded up. The best part about this book was that one of my students loved it, and annotated it for me as a gift on the last day of school. As I read her comments I could “hear” her - the sweetest student gift!