tbandlerjohnson's review against another edition
3.0
Main Idea: Anna and Frankie have to deal with their loss out loud instead of ignoring the truth, and the way Sarah Ockler writes the girls through their heartbreak and confusion is beautiful.
I certainly was expecting a LOT from this book as I went into it. I have been hearing so many good things about it. How it is heartbreaking but still so good. Well, I agree! (for the most part).
One year after the heartbreak of the loss of Frankie's brother and Anna's secret love, the girls head to California for a fresh start with Anna's parents. After her brother's death, Frankie has become completely self obsessed and tries to win the affection of any boy that turns her way. Anna is still dealing with the heartbreak of losing the one she loved and keeping it a secret from Frankie. They go with a mission to meet and flirt with twenty boys while hopefully losing Anna's "albatross" (virginity) along the way
Frankie's character really frustrated me as she was self obsessed and boy crazy. But apparently this is the "new frankie" and not how she used to be before Matt died. Anna was a pretty good character and acted as I think I would if I lost someone that special that suddenly. I just don't get going on a mission to seduce boys and lose your "albatross," but then again, I am very different from our main characters!
Overall I really enjoyed this book. The plot moves along quickly with plenty of heart-pounding late night sneak-outs, make out sessions, and boys. But the book goes deeper than that. Anna and Frankie have to deal with their loss out loud instead of ignoring the truth, and the way Sarah Ockler writes the girls through their heartbreak and confusion is beautiful.
I certainly was expecting a LOT from this book as I went into it. I have been hearing so many good things about it. How it is heartbreaking but still so good. Well, I agree! (for the most part).
One year after the heartbreak of the loss of Frankie's brother and Anna's secret love, the girls head to California for a fresh start with Anna's parents. After her brother's death, Frankie has become completely self obsessed and tries to win the affection of any boy that turns her way. Anna is still dealing with the heartbreak of losing the one she loved and keeping it a secret from Frankie. They go with a mission to meet and flirt with twenty boys while hopefully losing Anna's "albatross" (virginity) along the way
Frankie's character really frustrated me as she was self obsessed and boy crazy. But apparently this is the "new frankie" and not how she used to be before Matt died. Anna was a pretty good character and acted as I think I would if I lost someone that special that suddenly. I just don't get going on a mission to seduce boys and lose your "albatross," but then again, I am very different from our main characters!
Overall I really enjoyed this book. The plot moves along quickly with plenty of heart-pounding late night sneak-outs, make out sessions, and boys. But the book goes deeper than that. Anna and Frankie have to deal with their loss out loud instead of ignoring the truth, and the way Sarah Ockler writes the girls through their heartbreak and confusion is beautiful.
kcoccia's review against another edition
3.0
this book was pretty good but not the best book ever. I just don't have a lot to say about it. it was meh
aapueoreads's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve read this book three times. It still hurts every single time. This book is pain from beginning to end. Although it is very YA and we don’t see moments as dark as we might see in NA or other romance novels, it still hurts. I love Anna and everything about how she carries herself in this book. My heart aches still, but I absolutely love this book. I wish we got an epilogue to this book because I didn’t feel like it was quite finished, hence the 4 stars.
But still, it is the only book I’ve read 3 times and that says something.
But still, it is the only book I’ve read 3 times and that says something.
kittypaws9's review against another edition
4.0
After a horrible year, can two best friends make this the summer to remember? Tragedy strikes and leaves two families fighting just to have things back to normal again. Two friends travel to California, to both remember and forget.
I just love Anna. I think she is one of a few of main characters that I have truly been able to relate to. Her best friend Frankie can be trying, but she totally reminded me of a friend from childhood. The boy characters were generally a little too nice and rounded for me. Love generally tended to be a little too neat, but I still got sucked in anyway.
“Twenty Boys” is a realistic look at coping with loss. Don’t discount it because it has “summer” in its name. The book was nothing like I thought it was going to be, and that’s a good thing. Take a chance on “Boys” and you might find a nice surprise.
I just love Anna. I think she is one of a few of main characters that I have truly been able to relate to. Her best friend Frankie can be trying, but she totally reminded me of a friend from childhood. The boy characters were generally a little too nice and rounded for me. Love generally tended to be a little too neat, but I still got sucked in anyway.
“Twenty Boys” is a realistic look at coping with loss. Don’t discount it because it has “summer” in its name. The book was nothing like I thought it was going to be, and that’s a good thing. Take a chance on “Boys” and you might find a nice surprise.
narniaxisxhome's review against another edition
5.0
If you're looking for a quirky, cute, light read, look somewhere else. Despite it's premise of "the twenty boy summer", a different boy for each day on the beach that makes it seem cute and fun, this book is dark at times, depressing, and yet totally redeeming. (And, to clarify, it is cute and fun at moments, just mostly not.) It made me want to cry at times. It so fast paced and I loved every single page!
The characters. Frankie is probably one of my favorite characters of all time. She has such a great and unique personality, like mispronouncing "big" words. She was just so adorable and one of the many things that made me love this book.
One of the things I didn't really like was that Anna and Sam's relationship seemed totally rushed. Maybe if they had hung out as friends a few days before BAM! it hit her that she likes him, instead of just liking him on site. After all her talk of Matt and throughout the whole book feeling like she was making a mistake because of Matt, this was just so rushed. And, maybe she didn't have to tell Sam about Matt, but if she had just said, "I'm broken, I'm not going to open up right away," then I probably would have liked their relationship better.
Overall though, this was a book that tugged at my heart and I totally recommend it a million times over! It is so well-written and heartbreaking! Definitely a book to read more than once!
The characters. Frankie is probably one of my favorite characters of all time. She has such a great and unique personality, like mispronouncing "big" words. She was just so adorable and one of the many things that made me love this book.
One of the things I didn't really like was that Anna and Sam's relationship seemed totally rushed. Maybe if they had hung out as friends a few days before BAM! it hit her that she likes him, instead of just liking him on site. After all her talk of Matt and throughout the whole book feeling like she was making a mistake because of Matt, this was just so rushed. And, maybe she didn't have to tell Sam about Matt, but if she had just said, "I'm broken, I'm not going to open up right away," then I probably would have liked their relationship better.
Overall though, this was a book that tugged at my heart and I totally recommend it a million times over! It is so well-written and heartbreaking! Definitely a book to read more than once!
donttakemybooks's review against another edition
3.0
This was good. Well-written, atmospheric, bittersweet. My complaints are mostly ones that prove I'm not the audience for this book. The parents were awful, the girls lie and keep secrets constantly and while I know that's not totally unrealistic, really, how stupid are these parents? And then it was a book about grief, which made it feel very sad and heavy and I was just not in the mood for that exactly. Anyways, I liked it, but not enough to justify more than three stars.
koquinn's review against another edition
4.0
Cute, cheap ($2.99 on Nook)read. It made my heart break ...
kricketa's review against another edition
4.0
**read an ARC of this**
anna and her neighbors, matt & frankie (francesca), have been best friends for as long as anna can remember. as anna grows up, her feelings for matt get stronger, and on her 15th birthday, matt returns those feelings when he kisses her after an adorable cake-fight.
but how to tell frankie, matt's sister? matt promises that he will take care of it on their family vacation to california, and matt and anna spend the next month sneaking out at night and stealing moments to be together. but before the perino's trip to california, the three friends are involved in a car accident. matt is dead and anna must keep their secret from grieving frankie.
a year later, matt & frankie's parents decide it is time to face their rental house in california without matt. anna is invited along. frankie, who has grown reckless in her year of sorrow, decides that she and anna will meet twenty boys on vacation, and that one of them will take anna's virginity- frankie's having already been given to a german exchange student called johan. anna, unable to tell frankie that there will only ever be one boy for her, agrees to the plan.
the vacation is full of surprises as boys are met, secrets are uncovered, and loss is experienced anew. the perino family and anna struggle with creating new memories when they cannot bear to erase old ones. anna and frankie are wonderful characters: flawed and messy and confusing and real, and their pain never feels contrived or saccharine.
one complaint: the title makes it sound kind of skanky and doesn't really reflect what the book is about. still: highly recommended. out in june 09.
anna and her neighbors, matt & frankie (francesca), have been best friends for as long as anna can remember. as anna grows up, her feelings for matt get stronger, and on her 15th birthday, matt returns those feelings when he kisses her after an adorable cake-fight.
but how to tell frankie, matt's sister? matt promises that he will take care of it on their family vacation to california, and matt and anna spend the next month sneaking out at night and stealing moments to be together. but before the perino's trip to california, the three friends are involved in a car accident. matt is dead and anna must keep their secret from grieving frankie.
a year later, matt & frankie's parents decide it is time to face their rental house in california without matt. anna is invited along. frankie, who has grown reckless in her year of sorrow, decides that she and anna will meet twenty boys on vacation, and that one of them will take anna's virginity- frankie's having already been given to a german exchange student called johan. anna, unable to tell frankie that there will only ever be one boy for her, agrees to the plan.
the vacation is full of surprises as boys are met, secrets are uncovered, and loss is experienced anew. the perino family and anna struggle with creating new memories when they cannot bear to erase old ones. anna and frankie are wonderful characters: flawed and messy and confusing and real, and their pain never feels contrived or saccharine.
one complaint: the title makes it sound kind of skanky and doesn't really reflect what the book is about. still: highly recommended. out in june 09.
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
This was a wonderful, gorgeous book. However, there were one or two things that I didn't particularly like.
Let me first start with what I liked.
First up. Matt's and Anna's relationship. They were so wonderful, so perfect together, and I feel like they had a big future ahead of them. It is so sad this happened to her, that his happened to Matt. No one deserves to die like that. So young, so full of plans, ideas and hopes. A future full of things that he wanted to do. All shattered away by the weakness of the human body.
I could also understand why Matt wanted to keep things a secret. He cares deeply about his sister, knows that this relationship might break her. After all they are all friends, and now 2 of the 3 are in love with each other. Are in a relationship.
I loved the family trip. The descriptions of the beach, the town, the houses, the stores, everything. I just felt like I was there. Enjoying the sun, taking a swim.
The whole grieving/lost part was done pretty well. It was pretty believable how even after a whole year there is still so much hurt, so much pain. After all they lost something huge, something big. They lost a son, a brother, a boyfriend.
I could relate to Anna at most parts. Not always though. Sometimes I found her a bit silly, other times I wished she was just honest and that she would tell Frankie all about Matt. I wish she would be honest, as she was drowning in tears, she was lost and alone. And she pushed that all aside to be with her friend, to take care of her friend.
I think she could have lost most of the grief if she had talked to someone. Anyone, really. She should have talked, not cropped it up and written letters in her journal. She also deserves to cry, to scream, to shout, to talk. I don't think it is healthy to just hold it all back, because of a promise. Because of a hidden relationship.
I am not sure what I thought about Sam. At times, I really liked him and he was a great character. He listened to Anna when she wanted to talk. He was there for her when she needed help. I also love the ending, while it isn't clearly said what happens between her and Sam after she gets back, I still think she will contact him and that they will try to meet at least once again. They have a connection, they had a good time. And he helped her out so much with so many things.
I really disliked Frankie and I hated her when she did that to her best friend. She has no right. Sure, he was her brother, but she isn't the only fucking one grieving. Fuck you. Fuck you so much. Your brother touched many people's hearts, you can't just claim him and expect that everyone caters to your desperate wishes. Sick little bitch. And she was a big hypocrite (I won't spoil anything, but let's just say, when I heard about it, I was soooo pissed).
I am sorry, but I really think that. Sure, I could also see she was a pretty decent friend. However, real friends don't push each other to lose virginity, to build an entire mission around it. Virginity is something special. And I might be old-fashioned, but I think you should wait with losing your virginity until you find that special person. Until the circumstances are right. Not because a best friend forces you do it, and you crumble under peer pressure.
I didn't like how she was so demanding and acting like a little spoiled princess.
And again, after a certain event, my hate was tripled or even more.
And I know, I know, she was probably grieving, wanting attention from her dear mommie and daddy, but there are just other ways than destroying your body with smoking, hooking up with boys and other things. Urgh.
Again, I think it would have been better had Anna talked to someone. We might not be in this huge pile of poo if it were for that.
At times it was a bit boring, at times I was a bit annoyed, but all in all this was one pretty story. I am really happy that one of my libraries had this book in English (it is so rare to find English books). I am happy I picked it up and that I had a chance to read it.
I would recommend this book to everyone.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Let me first start with what I liked.
First up. Matt's and Anna's relationship. They were so wonderful, so perfect together, and I feel like they had a big future ahead of them. It is so sad this happened to her, that his happened to Matt. No one deserves to die like that. So young, so full of plans, ideas and hopes. A future full of things that he wanted to do. All shattered away by the weakness of the human body.
I could also understand why Matt wanted to keep things a secret. He cares deeply about his sister, knows that this relationship might break her. After all they are all friends, and now 2 of the 3 are in love with each other. Are in a relationship.
I loved the family trip. The descriptions of the beach, the town, the houses, the stores, everything. I just felt like I was there. Enjoying the sun, taking a swim.
The whole grieving/lost part was done pretty well. It was pretty believable how even after a whole year there is still so much hurt, so much pain. After all they lost something huge, something big. They lost a son, a brother, a boyfriend.
I could relate to Anna at most parts. Not always though. Sometimes I found her a bit silly, other times I wished she was just honest and that she would tell Frankie all about Matt. I wish she would be honest, as she was drowning in tears, she was lost and alone. And she pushed that all aside to be with her friend, to take care of her friend.
I think she could have lost most of the grief if she had talked to someone. Anyone, really. She should have talked, not cropped it up and written letters in her journal. She also deserves to cry, to scream, to shout, to talk. I don't think it is healthy to just hold it all back, because of a promise. Because of a hidden relationship.
I am not sure what I thought about Sam. At times, I really liked him and he was a great character. He listened to Anna when she wanted to talk. He was there for her when she needed help. I also love the ending, while it isn't clearly said what happens between her and Sam after she gets back, I still think she will contact him and that they will try to meet at least once again. They have a connection, they had a good time. And he helped her out so much with so many things.
I really disliked Frankie and I hated her when she did that to her best friend. She has no right. Sure, he was her brother, but she isn't the only fucking one grieving. Fuck you. Fuck you so much. Your brother touched many people's hearts, you can't just claim him and expect that everyone caters to your desperate wishes. Sick little bitch. And she was a big hypocrite (I won't spoil anything, but let's just say, when I heard about it, I was soooo pissed).
I am sorry, but I really think that. Sure, I could also see she was a pretty decent friend. However, real friends don't push each other to lose virginity, to build an entire mission around it. Virginity is something special. And I might be old-fashioned, but I think you should wait with losing your virginity until you find that special person. Until the circumstances are right. Not because a best friend forces you do it, and you crumble under peer pressure.
I didn't like how she was so demanding and acting like a little spoiled princess.
And again, after a certain event, my hate was tripled or even more.
And I know, I know, she was probably grieving, wanting attention from her dear mommie and daddy, but there are just other ways than destroying your body with smoking, hooking up with boys and other things. Urgh.
Again, I think it would have been better had Anna talked to someone. We might not be in this huge pile of poo if it were for that.
At times it was a bit boring, at times I was a bit annoyed, but all in all this was one pretty story. I am really happy that one of my libraries had this book in English (it is so rare to find English books). I am happy I picked it up and that I had a chance to read it.
I would recommend this book to everyone.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/