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A review by coco_lolo
The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler
5.0
I had high expectations for Ockler's fourth book after reading Bittersweet, and this went above and beyond anything I had imagined! I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting into, but this was nothing like I expected - and I love it for that. This is without a doubt my favorite of her books so far.
Can I just take a moment to gush about Sarah Ockler's writing? It's phenomenal. Simply beautiful. She has such a way with words that pulls me in and makes me fall in love, which is the reason (besides the plot, of course), that I love this book so much.
Oh my gosh, the characters? I. Loved Them. Jude was such a good protagonist to me: She's lived her entire life following after her three older sisters, always doing as they say, so she's afraid to make any serious decisions on her own. And though this is a part of her that's vulnerable, it's what makes her more relatable. Emilio...that boy is exactly what Jude needed. He's sweet but he knows how to push her, and he's the one who finally shows her how to let go and just live.
Speaking of motorcycles, I had no idea this book would involve fixing up a vintage bike, or a family affected by Alzheimer's disease. As someone who has a loved one suffering from this, I was able to understand much of Jude's thinking as she hoped restoring her dad's motorcycle would help overcome the illness, as well as many of the emotions she experiences. This right here was one of the book's biggest themes, so it didn't focus entirely on the romance, and I absolutely loved this aspect.
The only thing I wish there had been more of was Jude's time in the theater, as well as a bit more with her school friends. I would have loved for her to describe more plays she was in, because I really liked that part of her character!
8/20/16: After reading this for the second time, I believe I love it even more - there honestly haven't been all that many YA books that have sort of staked me through the heart the way this one has. Something I failed to mention in my initial review was how much I appreciated the relationship between the Hernandez sisters, because while I was rereading this, these women's dynamics were one of my favorite aspects; not only that, but I found the older three to be well drawn and interesting, which was something I couldn't say the same for when it came to the main character's sisters in Ockler's sixth book, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids.
Can I just take a moment to gush about Sarah Ockler's writing? It's phenomenal. Simply beautiful. She has such a way with words that pulls me in and makes me fall in love, which is the reason (besides the plot, of course), that I love this book so much.
Oh my gosh, the characters? I. Loved Them. Jude was such a good protagonist to me: She's lived her entire life following after her three older sisters, always doing as they say, so she's afraid to make any serious decisions on her own. And though this is a part of her that's vulnerable, it's what makes her more relatable. Emilio...that boy is exactly what Jude needed. He's sweet but he knows how to push her, and he's the one who finally shows her how to let go and just live.
Speaking of motorcycles, I had no idea this book would involve fixing up a vintage bike, or a family affected by Alzheimer's disease. As someone who has a loved one suffering from this, I was able to understand much of Jude's thinking as she hoped restoring her dad's motorcycle would help overcome the illness, as well as many of the emotions she experiences. This right here was one of the book's biggest themes, so it didn't focus entirely on the romance, and I absolutely loved this aspect.
The only thing I wish there had been more of was Jude's time in the theater, as well as a bit more with her school friends. I would have loved for her to describe more plays she was in, because I really liked that part of her character!
8/20/16: After reading this for the second time, I believe I love it even more - there honestly haven't been all that many YA books that have sort of staked me through the heart the way this one has. Something I failed to mention in my initial review was how much I appreciated the relationship between the Hernandez sisters, because while I was rereading this, these women's dynamics were one of my favorite aspects; not only that, but I found the older three to be well drawn and interesting, which was something I couldn't say the same for when it came to the main character's sisters in Ockler's sixth book, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids.