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angievdbroeck's review against another edition
4.0
Review verschijnt op mijn blog! https://boenkerop.wordpress.com/
bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. More complete review to come.
Full review:
After feeling like I've been in a bit of a slump with YA lately, I'm thrilled to find another contemporary author whose books hit me right where I like to be hit. This book's blurb suggests that fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell will like this book, and for once I agree with a book's blurb. I haven't read much John Green, but I have read everything Rainbow Rowell has written because I love her style, and I can confidently say I think readers who enjoy her work will enjoy this book as well. I'd also throw in that fans of Stephanie Perkins are likely to find a lot to love in this book. Some minor spoilers to follow.
So what is it about this book that ties it to those other authors? A lot of it has to do with the voice. I feel like a lot of people tend to see teenagers are this monolithic entity, as if all teens are exactly the same: partying, staying out late, and making an art of defying their parents. This, however, doesn't offer a complete picture of teenagers. I speak from personal experience as both a former teenager and someone who has worked extensively with teenagers. What's fantastic about this book is that it's about a different sort of teenager, one who's precocious, smart, and mature for her age, but who still has a propensity for screwing up in a big way.
I absolutely adored Josie in all her frustrating, maddening, beautifully flawed wonder. As a highly intelligent and gifted teen, she tends to look at the world from a different perspective from her peers. At first I admit I was a little annoyed by the way the book used languages as a device, but it really does make sense. Over the course of the novel, it becomes apparent how hard it sometimes is for Josie to find her place in the world, so in many ways she is like a foreign visitor trying to talk to the natives, which ultimately makes the language device very apt. There's a core to Josie that she doesn't share with many people as she morphs from one culture to the next, trying her best to fit in but never quite finding her place. This makes her sister's engagement have greater impact, because Josie feels she risks losing one of the few people to see the real her, someone who understands her and loves her not in spite of her quirks, but because of them.
It took me a while to really get what was going on with Kate's fiance, Geoff, but when I did, I admired the brilliance of the writing. I don't want to get too in depth with it as I feel it's one of the major elements of the story. I will say, though, that I often found myself annoyed by how oblivious everyone but Josie seemed to be to Geoff's undesirable traits. McCahan does such a masterful job of weaving the story through Josie's eyes that it took me a while to understand why no one else notices the bad side of Geoff, and when I did figure it out, the payoff was well worth the confusion.
The romance was another element I very much enjoyed. I don't always like romances because I think that many of them focus on the superficial aspects of attraction and love at the expense of the more cerebral aspects, but that's not the case with this book. Josie wants to date and finds herself attracted to a few boys, but she also needs to feel that intellectual connection. This element ties the book strongly to Rainbow Rowell's work, and that of Stephanie Perkins. The romances that appeal the most to me are the ones where it's crystal clear to me why the characters end up together, where I can see how the way they think and their values mesh in a way that goes above and beyond physical attraction. I was rooting for Josie to end up with who she ended up with, because it was clear to me how well the two characters meshed, that they understood one another on a level that no one else understood.
I devoured this book and was sad when I'd finished reading it. I'm excited to add Erin McCahan to my short list of authors whose books I will immediately push to the front of my to-read pile.
Full review:
After feeling like I've been in a bit of a slump with YA lately, I'm thrilled to find another contemporary author whose books hit me right where I like to be hit. This book's blurb suggests that fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell will like this book, and for once I agree with a book's blurb. I haven't read much John Green, but I have read everything Rainbow Rowell has written because I love her style, and I can confidently say I think readers who enjoy her work will enjoy this book as well. I'd also throw in that fans of Stephanie Perkins are likely to find a lot to love in this book. Some minor spoilers to follow.
So what is it about this book that ties it to those other authors? A lot of it has to do with the voice. I feel like a lot of people tend to see teenagers are this monolithic entity, as if all teens are exactly the same: partying, staying out late, and making an art of defying their parents. This, however, doesn't offer a complete picture of teenagers. I speak from personal experience as both a former teenager and someone who has worked extensively with teenagers. What's fantastic about this book is that it's about a different sort of teenager, one who's precocious, smart, and mature for her age, but who still has a propensity for screwing up in a big way.
I absolutely adored Josie in all her frustrating, maddening, beautifully flawed wonder. As a highly intelligent and gifted teen, she tends to look at the world from a different perspective from her peers. At first I admit I was a little annoyed by the way the book used languages as a device, but it really does make sense. Over the course of the novel, it becomes apparent how hard it sometimes is for Josie to find her place in the world, so in many ways she is like a foreign visitor trying to talk to the natives, which ultimately makes the language device very apt. There's a core to Josie that she doesn't share with many people as she morphs from one culture to the next, trying her best to fit in but never quite finding her place. This makes her sister's engagement have greater impact, because Josie feels she risks losing one of the few people to see the real her, someone who understands her and loves her not in spite of her quirks, but because of them.
It took me a while to really get what was going on with Kate's fiance, Geoff, but when I did, I admired the brilliance of the writing. I don't want to get too in depth with it as I feel it's one of the major elements of the story. I will say, though, that I often found myself annoyed by how oblivious everyone but Josie seemed to be to Geoff's undesirable traits. McCahan does such a masterful job of weaving the story through Josie's eyes that it took me a while to understand why no one else notices the bad side of Geoff, and when I did figure it out, the payoff was well worth the confusion.
The romance was another element I very much enjoyed. I don't always like romances because I think that many of them focus on the superficial aspects of attraction and love at the expense of the more cerebral aspects, but that's not the case with this book. Josie wants to date and finds herself attracted to a few boys, but she also needs to feel that intellectual connection. This element ties the book strongly to Rainbow Rowell's work, and that of Stephanie Perkins. The romances that appeal the most to me are the ones where it's crystal clear to me why the characters end up together, where I can see how the way they think and their values mesh in a way that goes above and beyond physical attraction. I was rooting for Josie to end up with who she ended up with, because it was clear to me how well the two characters meshed, that they understood one another on a level that no one else understood.
I devoured this book and was sad when I'd finished reading it. I'm excited to add Erin McCahan to my short list of authors whose books I will immediately push to the front of my to-read pile.
letsbebookfriends's review against another edition
3.0
*3.5 stars*
I liked the snarky main character, and I often found myself laughing out loud throughout the novel. However, the revelations that often come with coming-of-age stories came too late in the novel. I found that issues were resolved too quickly. I wanted to see the romance develop more, the sisterly bond rebuilt into something deeper, and the relationship with Geoff evolve to something truly significant.
This book had so many things going for it, but I found it to be like a flat soda. While still tastey, the fizzy fun part was missing.
I liked the snarky main character, and I often found myself laughing out loud throughout the novel. However, the revelations that often come with coming-of-age stories came too late in the novel. I found that issues were resolved too quickly. I wanted to see the romance develop more, the sisterly bond rebuilt into something deeper, and the relationship with Geoff evolve to something truly significant.
This book had so many things going for it, but I found it to be like a flat soda. While still tastey, the fizzy fun part was missing.
leafblade's review against another edition
2.0
-I hate Josie
-Sophie acts like she's 13
-Kate is the devil
-Geoff is annoying
-Why does Ethan exist if he didn't play any part at all
-A completely fine and important friendship was ruined
-How eccentric can one character be
-No Josie you're not a genius you're insufferable someone with your IQ should know best
-Too white
-Not enough gay
-Sophie acts like she's 13
-Kate is the devil
-Geoff is annoying
-Why does Ethan exist if he didn't play any part at all
-A completely fine and important friendship was ruined
-How eccentric can one character be
-No Josie you're not a genius you're insufferable someone with your IQ should know best
-Too white
-Not enough gay
iynqpenned's review against another edition
3.0
I really really wanted her to come to the conclusion that she's aromantic, but the book was really cute and fun. I definitely enjoyed it!
radarocco's review against another edition
5.0
милая книга. романтика, юмор, легко читается. прям специально под ситуацию писали. побольше бы таких добрых и милых книг
catcervone's review against another edition
4.0
Our narrator annoyed me at first but I grew to love her so much. This was a great, interesting read that tells a unique coming-of-age teen story. I love the way the author depicted sisterhood too. This book was so different than a lot of YA out there (in a good way).
nklosty's review against another edition
3.0
I was entertained by Josie throughout the entire book, but the story was a little lackluster. 83
mfbr233's review against another edition
2.0
Josie started out as a quirky, intelligent, socially awkward character- tragically, this has become a staple, almost stereotypical, combination of traits in YA literature, nevertheless I still enjoyed the first quarter or so of the novel, however by the middle- or, more so, after the spaghetti dinner- she transformed into a pretentious, pompous know it all who was unbearable. Yes, Kate is attempting to Due to this and the ridiculous behavior of the minor characters, I ended up skimming the rest of the book, which was difficult with all the texting and short scenes.
Spoiler
alter her appearance so she looks like her version of presentable for her and Geoff's wedding, however Josie's response appears to me as rude and childish; it's her sister's wedding, she could bit her tongue and be pleasant, yet nope, it's Josie... Why must she always be correct?beastreader's review against another edition
1.0
I jumped on the band wagon as I wanted to see what this book was all about. I kept seeing it all over the internet. I picked up this book and started reading it. The first four chapters were a blur. Then suddenly I had put the book down and did not come back to it for a while. In fact, by the time that I did come back to the book it was about 4 more books afterwards. I decided to pick it up and try it again. I only got to chapter 6 and put the book down for good. I realized that I did not care for anyone in this book and Josie annoyed me. I thought she was condescending to everyone and this bad attitude grew old quickly. She needed to grow up and quit acting like a know it all. On to the next book thanks.