caroni's review
4.0
I have to admit that I was at first not very convinced by the cover which looked waaay too girly for comfort. And I thought - silly me - that it would be a book about high school relationships and cheerleaders being mean and jocks being jocks and all that. But this book is so much more than that. The plot contains the very essence of what goes down in schools such as the importance of peer pressure, and issues of rape or homosexuality etc.
I really enjoyed the characters and how they are described. I prefer Jo the Nerd and how she doesn't let herself touched by a random guy. You go, girl ! Whereas Josie seems way too concerned by popularity to care for her real friends anymore.
I think the character of Tori, Josie's/Jo's friend when she's with the It girls, is very sweet and it shows that you shouldn't judge someone from their look or for who they hang out with.
I love how her father is so fascinated with the Queen. I find, in general, that the adult characters are very truthful and full of those little habits that make them funny and adorable (and utterly annoying if they're your parents). Geeky moms rule! As for Rachel, the goth rebel friend of Jo, she is a very interesting character, I like how she defends the woman cause by insulting jocks in the bathroom. I don't know if it is, but it looks like a reference to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (Melinda warns the other girls of a certain guy getting too friendly by writing it in the girls bathroom). I definitely can't wait to read Swapped by a Kiss to learn more about her !
There are two sides to peer pressure which are very well described in the book. The first one is the influence Chelsea and co. have on Josie and other girls in their high school. These chicks, who are a complete minority by the way and very stupid also, autoproclaim themselves cool and force everyone into their vision of what is acceptable and what is not. Earth would be quite the boring hot spot if they had their way, but when you look at women magazines and websites nowadays, you realise that they still exist, you just learn not to pay attention to it anymore.
The second one is the pressure from the boys to have sex. This is, for me, very well described in the book. Maybe it's just an American thing: the "first base", "second base" etc. but I find it hilarious as in ridiculous the way everything is broken down in steps, like in a self-help book. Through the story of Kendis, we learn that when a girl isn't ready and chooses to say how she was forced by the boy, her friends treat her like a pariah and no one believes her. Again, it reminds me of the Laurie Halse Anderson book Speak which you should read if you haven't, and how difficult it was for Melinda to say what happened to her. I like how Luisa Plaja cleverly hints at those subject without making the book entirely serious.
The story is told alternatively from Josie the Cool to Jo the Nerd, and I like how, from that one different choice she made in the closet, they are different on the outside, but still the same person inside. It is very well written.
This is such a beautiful book, I laughed for half of it and cried for the other half, and I learned plenty (like on how to differentiate British from American). I would advise it to any girl, even if you don't read Chick Lit, because you'll see that most of what is written will hit home.
I really enjoyed the characters and how they are described. I prefer Jo the Nerd and how she doesn't let herself touched by a random guy. You go, girl ! Whereas Josie seems way too concerned by popularity to care for her real friends anymore.
I think the character of Tori, Josie's/Jo's friend when she's with the It girls, is very sweet and it shows that you shouldn't judge someone from their look or for who they hang out with.
I love how her father is so fascinated with the Queen. I find, in general, that the adult characters are very truthful and full of those little habits that make them funny and adorable (and utterly annoying if they're your parents). Geeky moms rule! As for Rachel, the goth rebel friend of Jo, she is a very interesting character, I like how she defends the woman cause by insulting jocks in the bathroom. I don't know if it is, but it looks like a reference to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (Melinda warns the other girls of a certain guy getting too friendly by writing it in the girls bathroom). I definitely can't wait to read Swapped by a Kiss to learn more about her !
There are two sides to peer pressure which are very well described in the book. The first one is the influence Chelsea and co. have on Josie and other girls in their high school. These chicks, who are a complete minority by the way and very stupid also, autoproclaim themselves cool and force everyone into their vision of what is acceptable and what is not. Earth would be quite the boring hot spot if they had their way, but when you look at women magazines and websites nowadays, you realise that they still exist, you just learn not to pay attention to it anymore.
The second one is the pressure from the boys to have sex. This is, for me, very well described in the book. Maybe it's just an American thing: the "first base", "second base" etc. but I find it hilarious as in ridiculous the way everything is broken down in steps, like in a self-help book. Through the story of Kendis, we learn that when a girl isn't ready and chooses to say how she was forced by the boy, her friends treat her like a pariah and no one believes her. Again, it reminds me of the Laurie Halse Anderson book Speak which you should read if you haven't, and how difficult it was for Melinda to say what happened to her. I like how Luisa Plaja cleverly hints at those subject without making the book entirely serious.
The story is told alternatively from Josie the Cool to Jo the Nerd, and I like how, from that one different choice she made in the closet, they are different on the outside, but still the same person inside. It is very well written.
This is such a beautiful book, I laughed for half of it and cried for the other half, and I learned plenty (like on how to differentiate British from American). I would advise it to any girl, even if you don't read Chick Lit, because you'll see that most of what is written will hit home.
onceuponabookcase's review
5.0
When her mother gets a job in the USA, Jo goes with her. It’s America, of course she’s going! But what she doesn’t expect is to become two different people. During a game of seven minutes in heaven, Jo is picked by the hottest guy in school, and something weird happens while they’re in the closet; Jo is at a fork in the road and can take two paths – so she splits, and takes both. Josie the Cool, friends with the it girls and girlfriend of Jake Matthews, and Jo the Nerd, social outcast and friends with the “freaks” live very separate lives, but will they manage to become one person again?
W-o-w! Well, if I loved Luisa’s other book, Extreme Kissing, then I adored Split by a Kiss! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book, or how annoyed with myself I am that I read the whole book so quickly! It was too good!
Compared to Extreme Kissing, I would say Split by a Kiss is a more grown up book, with more references to sex, but also in the issues covered; friendship, loyalty, and most importantly, being true to yourself. I enjoyed this book for several reasons, but one of the main ones was that I related to Jo so much – not in what she does, or experiences, but in how she feels, and what she likes. I was Jo the Nerd at school, I knew exactly how she felt like a loner, and more, like not wearing make-up much, and not wearing designer clothes (on principle mostly, they cost far too much!). But unlike this Jo, I never tried to fit in. Jo does try, and she tries real hard, and as upsetting as it is to read, she learns invaluable lessons along the way.
What was great about this book, also, was how believable Luisa’s writing was, because it was spot on. I have this preconceived idea that American authors write “American” books, and British authors write “British” books, but aren’t able to do the other. Luisa corrected my thought. The teenagers in this book are just as American as they are in books by American authors. There’s no over use of cheesy, stereotypical American phrases, or any stereotypes, but Jo sticks out for being British. I suppose it helps that Luisa has actually lived in America.
This book would make a great film; think Mean Girls or perhaps Never Been Kissed, but with a British girl. I’ve never seen it, but I’ve always been told I would like Sliding Doors, and from what I’ve heard of it, Split by a Kiss is like that two – but at school.
I love how Jo talks about the differences between America and the UK, from language right down to plug sockets. It was cute. I also loved the fact that a band was involved; put a band or a musician in a book, and I am going to love it – guys with musical talent? I’m sold.
What I loved most though, was what Jo learnt about herself; who she is, what she wants, and forgetting about everyone else. Both paths Jo takes have their fair amount of problems, and the ending of the book, how the story was resolved, was just awesome!
There’s one thing about the book I’m not so keen on though; the cover. It’s cute, it’s girly, it implies a fluffy, cute story for the younger end of the YA range. In my opinion, I think it’s a cover that would be overlooked by older teenagers, which would be a terrible mistake. There is so much more to this book, and so much any reader could get out of it, and I think the cover overlooks all this.
However, Split by a Kiss is a truly amazing book, and I am so glad there is going to be a sequel! I can’t wait to find out what happens with Jo next!
W-o-w! Well, if I loved Luisa’s other book, Extreme Kissing, then I adored Split by a Kiss! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book, or how annoyed with myself I am that I read the whole book so quickly! It was too good!
Compared to Extreme Kissing, I would say Split by a Kiss is a more grown up book, with more references to sex, but also in the issues covered; friendship, loyalty, and most importantly, being true to yourself. I enjoyed this book for several reasons, but one of the main ones was that I related to Jo so much – not in what she does, or experiences, but in how she feels, and what she likes. I was Jo the Nerd at school, I knew exactly how she felt like a loner, and more, like not wearing make-up much, and not wearing designer clothes (on principle mostly, they cost far too much!). But unlike this Jo, I never tried to fit in. Jo does try, and she tries real hard, and as upsetting as it is to read, she learns invaluable lessons along the way.
What was great about this book, also, was how believable Luisa’s writing was, because it was spot on. I have this preconceived idea that American authors write “American” books, and British authors write “British” books, but aren’t able to do the other. Luisa corrected my thought. The teenagers in this book are just as American as they are in books by American authors. There’s no over use of cheesy, stereotypical American phrases, or any stereotypes, but Jo sticks out for being British. I suppose it helps that Luisa has actually lived in America.
This book would make a great film; think Mean Girls or perhaps Never Been Kissed, but with a British girl. I’ve never seen it, but I’ve always been told I would like Sliding Doors, and from what I’ve heard of it, Split by a Kiss is like that two – but at school.
I love how Jo talks about the differences between America and the UK, from language right down to plug sockets. It was cute. I also loved the fact that a band was involved; put a band or a musician in a book, and I am going to love it – guys with musical talent? I’m sold.
What I loved most though, was what Jo learnt about herself; who she is, what she wants, and forgetting about everyone else. Both paths Jo takes have their fair amount of problems, and the ending of the book, how the story was resolved, was just awesome!
There’s one thing about the book I’m not so keen on though; the cover. It’s cute, it’s girly, it implies a fluffy, cute story for the younger end of the YA range. In my opinion, I think it’s a cover that would be overlooked by older teenagers, which would be a terrible mistake. There is so much more to this book, and so much any reader could get out of it, and I think the cover overlooks all this.
However, Split by a Kiss is a truly amazing book, and I am so glad there is going to be a sequel! I can’t wait to find out what happens with Jo next!
sammeehicks's review
4.0
4.5 Stars
I really, really loved this! I didn’t want to put it down – I loved the story and the characters were brilliant, especially our main character Jo/Josie. I found her funny and sweet and really enjoyed spending time with her. The other characters were great too. I really loved Tori and her brother Albie, as well as David and Rachel.
The premise was excellent. I was a bit nervous about how it would work and whether it would be confusing but it wasn’t at all. I instantly knew if it was Josie or Jo, not just because of the font change and picture but also because Jo and Josie’s ‘voice’ was different enough to keep them separate but still believable as the same character. I enjoyed both scenarios (although I would have been Jo the Nerd and slapped him one!) and I loved how the different paths were really dissimilar to begin with but as time went on started to have more and more similarities. I really liked the parallels in the stories – how some choices were the same but with different people and I loved how things seemed ‘fated’. I adored the ending – I was definitely rooting for that one!
I also loved that the story was set in the US. It really reminded me of my school exchange trip when I was 14. I completely identified with the differences in sayings – how often did I get a packet of crisps when I had been dying for chips!. And there’s nothing quiet as mortifying as realising I really should have asked for an eraser and not a rubber if the stunned silence was anything to go by... I would have so loved to have had the opportunity to live there for a year like Jo – so it was great to live it vicariously through her.
Also, any book that has references to Buffy will get my vote – although I would have to agree with Ablie and say I loved season 2 the best:)
Overall - aaah-some!
I really, really loved this! I didn’t want to put it down – I loved the story and the characters were brilliant, especially our main character Jo/Josie. I found her funny and sweet and really enjoyed spending time with her. The other characters were great too. I really loved Tori and her brother Albie, as well as David and Rachel.
The premise was excellent. I was a bit nervous about how it would work and whether it would be confusing but it wasn’t at all. I instantly knew if it was Josie or Jo, not just because of the font change and picture but also because Jo and Josie’s ‘voice’ was different enough to keep them separate but still believable as the same character. I enjoyed both scenarios (although I would have been Jo the Nerd and slapped him one!) and I loved how the different paths were really dissimilar to begin with but as time went on started to have more and more similarities. I really liked the parallels in the stories – how some choices were the same but with different people and I loved how things seemed ‘fated’. I adored the ending – I was definitely rooting for that one!
I also loved that the story was set in the US. It really reminded me of my school exchange trip when I was 14. I completely identified with the differences in sayings – how often did I get a packet of crisps when I had been dying for chips!. And there’s nothing quiet as mortifying as realising I really should have asked for an eraser and not a rubber if the stunned silence was anything to go by... I would have so loved to have had the opportunity to live there for a year like Jo – so it was great to live it vicariously through her.
Also, any book that has references to Buffy will get my vote – although I would have to agree with Ablie and say I loved season 2 the best:)
Overall - aaah-some!
leahmichelle_13's review
5.0
Jo Reilly has never really been a popular kid. In fact, it seems Jo errs on the side of nerdy and it's only when she moves to the USA that her popularity seems to sky-rocket. Everyone at her new school, The Mill, love her British accent and all of the cool kids want her in their gang. Better yet, the hottest guy at The Mill, Jake Matthews, picks Jo as his seven-minutes-in-heaven partner. However the kiss doesn't go exactly as Jo hoped it would and she faces a decision: tell Jake where to go and risk losing all of her fab new friends or carry on kissing him in her bid to be popular? At that moment, though, Jo splits in two. She's Jo the Nerd - picked on by the cool kids and she's also Josie The Cool - totally popular and dating the hottest boy in school. Will Jo ever be able to reunite her two halves or will she be stuck as two people forever?
As I keep mentioning, I'm a new convert to the fantastic Young Adult genre and Luisa Plaja's books are ones that pop up regularly on both my Amazon wishlist and on websites I visit daily. I was planning on buying both of Luisa's books and I actually asked her if either of her books were the prequel to her third book which is out in April. She told me Split By A Kiss was indeed a prequel and offered to sent me it to read. It arrived last week and I eagerly started it.
Split By A Kiss is an incredibly interesting book. I have never actually read a plot like it - it's kind of like Freaky Friday but it's not. Some may brand the plot completely unrealistic but I actually really loved it. At first I was a bit worried about how the 'split' would occur - would Josie/Jo be aware of the fact she had split into two personalities? The answer is no, Josie/Jo isn't aware of the split. It's written as if it's some sort of dream - how Josie/Jo's life would pan out depending on what decision she reached about kissing Jake Matthews, yet at the same time it was totally real. I may be making it sound more confusing that it actually is so I apologise for that.
The real plot of the story though isn't the split, but the choices you make in school and how it may (or may not) affect you. The real question was whether Josie wanted to be cool and popular and dating the hottest boy in school or if she preferred being Jo the nerd, being ignored by the popular girls and having to be friends with the other misfits (if you will). The answer, unsurprisingly, is Josie/Jo just needed to figure out how to be herself. That's the moral of Split By A Kiss: It isn't about being one or the other, it's just about being who you are comfortable with being. It may sound simple enough but as the book proves, finding your true self seems to be a hard thing to accomplish.
Split By A Kiss is an incredibly easy book to read and I found myself ploughing through it. The books target audience is probably early teenagers but I found myself loving it even though I'm at the end of my teenage years. It's always interesting to hear different takes on high school life in America - and also, what it's like for a Brit living in America - and I think Luisa tackled it well. After all, whenever you see American high schools in films they always have their cliques and freaks and hot guys and whatnot. I liked the sound of The Mill and Luisa has created a good cast of characters, some more shallow than others I must say.
I absolutely loved Josie/Jo. She has a very distinct voice (or voices?) that will talk to many teenagers out there. I found her immensely likeable even when she was both Josie and Jo. It was easy to see why she was so confused about which path was the right one to go on. Her two different paths were vastly different but inside, I could still see the same Jo running through each. I actually really loved Josie/Jo's mum. She proved that, actually, you can still be a bit geeky and still be everything you want to be. I really liked her and I liked that she was quirky and not particularly bothered about it. I can't say I particularly liked any of Josie's so-called friends. Kristy, Chelsea, Chris and Ana were all stereo-typical popular girls and I just couldn't warm to any of them. Tori, however, was a different story and I really warmed to her. Whereas Kristy, Chelsea and co. were paper-thin, Tori had more personality and sparkle about her. I know Jake Matthews was supposed to be, like, the hottest guy in the world but I just couldn't see it. Slapping someone's bum? Seriously. He sounds more like a lech than a hot teenage boy! As for Jo's friends, I liked them but also found them slightly weird. It all becomes clear why Rachel seems to hostile later on in the book but up until it's explained, it does seem strange. I liked David most of the time, too. My favourite male characters though was Albie, Tori's brother. Never once was he off with Josie/Jo and he was always there to help out.
I don't know if you can tell but I really loved Split By A Kiss. It was a fresh and fantastic read and I think the plot is so unique that you must pick this up and see for yourself. Luisa Plaja has created some loveable characters and it makes me so incredibly happy that they're coming back for a second time in April in Swapped By A Kiss. I for one cannot wait.
As I keep mentioning, I'm a new convert to the fantastic Young Adult genre and Luisa Plaja's books are ones that pop up regularly on both my Amazon wishlist and on websites I visit daily. I was planning on buying both of Luisa's books and I actually asked her if either of her books were the prequel to her third book which is out in April. She told me Split By A Kiss was indeed a prequel and offered to sent me it to read. It arrived last week and I eagerly started it.
Split By A Kiss is an incredibly interesting book. I have never actually read a plot like it - it's kind of like Freaky Friday but it's not. Some may brand the plot completely unrealistic but I actually really loved it. At first I was a bit worried about how the 'split' would occur - would Josie/Jo be aware of the fact she had split into two personalities? The answer is no, Josie/Jo isn't aware of the split. It's written as if it's some sort of dream - how Josie/Jo's life would pan out depending on what decision she reached about kissing Jake Matthews, yet at the same time it was totally real. I may be making it sound more confusing that it actually is so I apologise for that.
The real plot of the story though isn't the split, but the choices you make in school and how it may (or may not) affect you. The real question was whether Josie wanted to be cool and popular and dating the hottest boy in school or if she preferred being Jo the nerd, being ignored by the popular girls and having to be friends with the other misfits (if you will). The answer, unsurprisingly, is Josie/Jo just needed to figure out how to be herself. That's the moral of Split By A Kiss: It isn't about being one or the other, it's just about being who you are comfortable with being. It may sound simple enough but as the book proves, finding your true self seems to be a hard thing to accomplish.
Split By A Kiss is an incredibly easy book to read and I found myself ploughing through it. The books target audience is probably early teenagers but I found myself loving it even though I'm at the end of my teenage years. It's always interesting to hear different takes on high school life in America - and also, what it's like for a Brit living in America - and I think Luisa tackled it well. After all, whenever you see American high schools in films they always have their cliques and freaks and hot guys and whatnot. I liked the sound of The Mill and Luisa has created a good cast of characters, some more shallow than others I must say.
I absolutely loved Josie/Jo. She has a very distinct voice (or voices?) that will talk to many teenagers out there. I found her immensely likeable even when she was both Josie and Jo. It was easy to see why she was so confused about which path was the right one to go on. Her two different paths were vastly different but inside, I could still see the same Jo running through each. I actually really loved Josie/Jo's mum. She proved that, actually, you can still be a bit geeky and still be everything you want to be. I really liked her and I liked that she was quirky and not particularly bothered about it. I can't say I particularly liked any of Josie's so-called friends. Kristy, Chelsea, Chris and Ana were all stereo-typical popular girls and I just couldn't warm to any of them. Tori, however, was a different story and I really warmed to her. Whereas Kristy, Chelsea and co. were paper-thin, Tori had more personality and sparkle about her. I know Jake Matthews was supposed to be, like, the hottest guy in the world but I just couldn't see it. Slapping someone's bum? Seriously. He sounds more like a lech than a hot teenage boy! As for Jo's friends, I liked them but also found them slightly weird. It all becomes clear why Rachel seems to hostile later on in the book but up until it's explained, it does seem strange. I liked David most of the time, too. My favourite male characters though was Albie, Tori's brother. Never once was he off with Josie/Jo and he was always there to help out.
I don't know if you can tell but I really loved Split By A Kiss. It was a fresh and fantastic read and I think the plot is so unique that you must pick this up and see for yourself. Luisa Plaja has created some loveable characters and it makes me so incredibly happy that they're coming back for a second time in April in Swapped By A Kiss. I for one cannot wait.
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