Released: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 341
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis: Jill MacSweeney just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she’s been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends—everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she’s somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one.
Mandy Kalinowski understands what it’s like to grow up unwanted—to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she’s sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It’s harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too?
As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn to both let go and hold on, and that nothing is as easy—or as difficult—as it seems.
Review:
I had such high hopes for this book. I mean, it has a 3.95 average rating on goodreads, and everyone I've talked to said that it was such a good book, oh my god, I have to read it right now. And I just didn't like it at all. I guess I did somewhat, since I did finish reading it, but every time I would look at what page I was on, and find myself wishing that I was closer to the last page so I could just finish the book already.
I just didn't like any of the characters, really. I didn't like how rude Jill was. I get why she was, but still. She warmed up by the end, because she got a new boyfriend and everything (okay, I liked Ravi a little bit, fine), but in the beginning she was just such a jerk, honestly. I would have to say that I liked Mandy the best, though, but at the same time I didn't. There was just something about her. I guess I just felt bad for her, honestly. She had such a bad life before she left Council Bluffs. Dylan, Jill's original boyfriend thing, just... I just couldn't with him. There was something about him that made me think that he liked Mandy more than Dylan, which is another reason why I didn't like Jill, because she started to like Ravi, but that's beside the point. Dylan also helped Mandy almost leave Robin's (Jill's mother) house, and even gave her all of his savings. I don't understand that.
The writing style was okay. It was a two person point of view, which was okay and everything. I'm used to it sort of, but I'm not it's biggest fan. I liked getting to be in the mind of both girls, seeing their different but same lives. That was really the only thing that kept me interested in the book. And the fact that I hate not being able to finish a book. There's only been five books that I've never been able to finish, but that's also beside the point.
So many people on goodreads say that it's was so emotional, so captivating, that they cried, blah blah blah. Most of the reviews are four and five stars. I don't get how it was that good, honestly. And it makes me really sad, because this was my first Sara Zarr book, and a lot of people say that she's a good writer, too. And I believe it. On my to-read list that I'm going to read before my first classes start, is Sweethearts. So hopefully I'll like that one, at least.
No comments:
Post a Comment