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deepower7's review against another edition
3.0
Boys with no personality and relationships that mean nothing because there was too much going on to develop either.
shirleymak's review
5.0
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH
IT WAS SO CUTE
i demand more books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT WAS SO CUTE
i demand more books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nklosty's review against another edition
5.0
Ms. Morrill is becoming a favorite author of mine. The story of the two Sloanes is witty, humorous, and well-thoughtout. The intertwining of the stories is seem less and kept me interest. 97
reddyrat's review against another edition
4.0
I've been in the mood for fluffy books lately. Gut-wrenching, quotable, John Greeny books are nice and important to read, but often I'm more interested in books whose purpose is simply to put a smile on your face. I shouldn't say "simply," I should say "importantly," because few things are more wonderful than a book that makes me happy. Being Sloane Jacobs is a happy kind of book.
Being Sloane Jacobs is the Parent Trap on ice skates. Two girls named Sloane Jacobs switch places and all the problems in their lives magically go away. Admittedly that synopsis neither gives the story enough credit nor is entirely true, but it's the bare-bones premise of the story.
The story alternates between the voices of Sloane Hockey and Sloane Figure Skating (the book distinguishes them by middle names, but I think using their respective sports is easier to remember). Morrill does a fabulous job of creating to entirely separate voices. Too often, alternating voices read like they're one person. The two Sloanes are very different characters and easily distinguishable by the reader.
At first I didn't think I was going to like Sloane Hockey. She is a stereotypical hockey player: angry, brash, and anti-girly. But her story and her interior voice were much more layered. Her anger was her way of emotionally lashing out at her alcoholic mother and somewhat unavailable father. It's not the way I would deal with things, but it made her actions understandable. Plus, Sloane Hockey has a sense of playful, daring, and work ethic that I respected.
Sloane Figure Skating is put-together and quiet. She deals with her stage mom's pressure and her Senator dad's cheating ways by repressing her emotions and puts on a somewhat prissy stand-offish air. I feel like she is closer to a YA trope than Sloane Hockey, which - for better or for worse - is why I related to her more. She isn't as fun as Sloane Hockey but achieves success at hockey camp through quiet determination.
If you think too hard about the plot of this book, it will quickly fall apart. Realistically, the girls could never have pulled this off so well. Both Sloanes become passable (not the best in camp but surprisingly good) at the other girl's sport in an unrealistic amount of time. They both get a cute guy. They both either win over or beat the mean girls at their camp. Not everything is tied up in a neat little bow, but pretty close. And you know what? That's exactly what I wanted out of this book.
Being Sloane Jacobs is a must-read when you're looking for a book that has a strong sense of fun and will also bring a guaranteed smile to your face. Yes it is predictable and unrealistic, but this is the book you read when you want both those qualities. It is well written, with lovable characters, and a heartwarming story. Highly recommended.
Rating: 4 / 5
Being Sloane Jacobs is the Parent Trap on ice skates. Two girls named Sloane Jacobs switch places and all the problems in their lives magically go away. Admittedly that synopsis neither gives the story enough credit nor is entirely true, but it's the bare-bones premise of the story.
The story alternates between the voices of Sloane Hockey and Sloane Figure Skating (the book distinguishes them by middle names, but I think using their respective sports is easier to remember). Morrill does a fabulous job of creating to entirely separate voices. Too often, alternating voices read like they're one person. The two Sloanes are very different characters and easily distinguishable by the reader.
At first I didn't think I was going to like Sloane Hockey. She is a stereotypical hockey player: angry, brash, and anti-girly. But her story and her interior voice were much more layered. Her anger was her way of emotionally lashing out at her alcoholic mother and somewhat unavailable father. It's not the way I would deal with things, but it made her actions understandable. Plus, Sloane Hockey has a sense of playful, daring, and work ethic that I respected.
Sloane Figure Skating is put-together and quiet. She deals with her stage mom's pressure and her Senator dad's cheating ways by repressing her emotions and puts on a somewhat prissy stand-offish air. I feel like she is closer to a YA trope than Sloane Hockey, which - for better or for worse - is why I related to her more. She isn't as fun as Sloane Hockey but achieves success at hockey camp through quiet determination.
If you think too hard about the plot of this book, it will quickly fall apart. Realistically, the girls could never have pulled this off so well. Both Sloanes become passable (not the best in camp but surprisingly good) at the other girl's sport in an unrealistic amount of time. They both get a cute guy. They both either win over or beat the mean girls at their camp. Not everything is tied up in a neat little bow, but pretty close. And you know what? That's exactly what I wanted out of this book.
Being Sloane Jacobs is a must-read when you're looking for a book that has a strong sense of fun and will also bring a guaranteed smile to your face. Yes it is predictable and unrealistic, but this is the book you read when you want both those qualities. It is well written, with lovable characters, and a heartwarming story. Highly recommended.
Rating: 4 / 5
flowersofquiethappiness's review against another edition
3.0
I'm still not 100% convinced that these girls could have actually carried off such a switcheroo in real life, but it doesn't really matter. Their individual character arcs were fun to watch and their romantic escapades very sweet. By the last page I was grinning happily and what more could you want in a story? :)
sailorkchick's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful story about two young women who get to trade lives for a few weeks and see the other side of the ice rink. Both of them rediscover the strength in them and find a way to deal with the problems they were initially running away from.
gg1213's review against another edition
3.0
My actual star rating would be around a 3.5, I think- and I might write a more extended review later, but my quick thoughts (based on the ARC I have from Random Buzzers)
It's cute read- definitely something I would have really loved a few years ago. It's fun and light and it made me smile at the end- I just wish it would have had a little something more. Something that didn't remind me so much of other books and movies I'm familiar with.
I recommend it for a fun read, but it's not the "Great American Novel" by any means.
It's cute read- definitely something I would have really loved a few years ago. It's fun and light and it made me smile at the end- I just wish it would have had a little something more. Something that didn't remind me so much of other books and movies I'm familiar with.
I recommend it for a fun read, but it's not the "Great American Novel" by any means.
mfumarolo's review
4.0
*Electronic ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley - Thank You!**
If I have a soft spot, it's for cute, romantic contemporary stories. I inhale them, but since I've read so many, I'm also particular. There has to be some humor. There has to be some conflict. There has to be something that makes me think. I found all of this in Lauren Morrill's debut novel Meant To Be earlier this year and they're back in her next book Being Sloane Jacobs.
Sloane Emily Jacobs is the daughter of a US Senator and is a former competitive figure skater. Her mother is determined for her daughter to make a comeback, her father is bribing her to keep a secret, and she is sick of being Sloane with pressure coming at her from every single direction. Then there's Sloane Devon Jacobs, a tough hockey player from Philadelphia who can't admit to anyone that she's lost her mojo when it comes to playing, so she masks it by fighting. But it covers so much more than that, like her complicated relationship with her mother and her fears of being stuck in a life she doesn't want. When the two Sloanes literally run into each other in Montreal where they are each supposed to spend their summers on their respective ice, they decide to pull a Parent Trap-esque switch, each believing the other girl's life is easier. As the summer unfolds, though, each girl learns about the type of Sloane she really is, and who she wants to be.
This book is, in a word, cute. It's all kinds of cute and it has a lot of things I love. Canada. Travel. Life-swapping. Girls who learn to let their walls down. HOCKEY. And that's all on top of the fact that there are TWO cute, crush-worthy boys, too. I only have a few criticisms with this novel. One is in terms of details that didn't quite add up to me. For example, the girls switched lives, but not phones, so why at one point does Sloane Devon get a voicemail meant for Sloane Emily? Also, this book has some truly great secondary characters (I particularly loved Sloane Devon's friend from skate camp, Andy), but at the end of the story I felt like they were sort of forgotten. A little more resolution with them and seeing the supporting cast get some more time would have been welcome.
Overall, this book is a great escape to take you out of your own life for a few hours. I finished the whole thing over the course of a few evenings and sneaking pages in during lunch breaks at work. During a particularly stressful time, this was just the kind of book I needed to take my mind off things for a while. I like this book for what it is, and that it doesn't try to be anything else. If you liked Meant to Be or are a fan of Stephanie Perkins-style stories, this one is absolutely worth your time.
Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!
If I have a soft spot, it's for cute, romantic contemporary stories. I inhale them, but since I've read so many, I'm also particular. There has to be some humor. There has to be some conflict. There has to be something that makes me think. I found all of this in Lauren Morrill's debut novel Meant To Be earlier this year and they're back in her next book Being Sloane Jacobs.
Sloane Emily Jacobs is the daughter of a US Senator and is a former competitive figure skater. Her mother is determined for her daughter to make a comeback, her father is bribing her to keep a secret, and she is sick of being Sloane with pressure coming at her from every single direction. Then there's Sloane Devon Jacobs, a tough hockey player from Philadelphia who can't admit to anyone that she's lost her mojo when it comes to playing, so she masks it by fighting. But it covers so much more than that, like her complicated relationship with her mother and her fears of being stuck in a life she doesn't want. When the two Sloanes literally run into each other in Montreal where they are each supposed to spend their summers on their respective ice, they decide to pull a Parent Trap-esque switch, each believing the other girl's life is easier. As the summer unfolds, though, each girl learns about the type of Sloane she really is, and who she wants to be.
This book is, in a word, cute. It's all kinds of cute and it has a lot of things I love. Canada. Travel. Life-swapping. Girls who learn to let their walls down. HOCKEY. And that's all on top of the fact that there are TWO cute, crush-worthy boys, too. I only have a few criticisms with this novel. One is in terms of details that didn't quite add up to me. For example, the girls switched lives, but not phones, so why at one point does Sloane Devon get a voicemail meant for Sloane Emily? Also, this book has some truly great secondary characters (I particularly loved Sloane Devon's friend from skate camp, Andy), but at the end of the story I felt like they were sort of forgotten. A little more resolution with them and seeing the supporting cast get some more time would have been welcome.
Overall, this book is a great escape to take you out of your own life for a few hours. I finished the whole thing over the course of a few evenings and sneaking pages in during lunch breaks at work. During a particularly stressful time, this was just the kind of book I needed to take my mind off things for a while. I like this book for what it is, and that it doesn't try to be anything else. If you liked Meant to Be or are a fan of Stephanie Perkins-style stories, this one is absolutely worth your time.
Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!
brandypainter's review
4.0
Originally posted here at Random Musings of Bibliophile.
4.5 stars
I was utterly enchanted by Lauren Morrill's debut novel, [b:Meant to Be|11721314|Meant to Be|Lauren Morrill|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1331322901s/11721314.jpg|16669543]. When the synopsis for her second novel, Being Sloane Jacobs, was released I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It has such an intriguing concept and I knew that if Morrill brought the same magic she brought to Meant to Be, it would be very good indeed. I was excited when I was approved for the book on NetGalley. It is different from Meant to Be in many ways, but completely enjoyable and excellent in its own right.
The narration switches back and forth between Sloane E. and Sloane D. Due to this and the nature of the story, the set up takes a little longer in this book. I was worried that I would have a difficult time connecting to the characters because of the dual narration (this often doesn't work for me), but in this case I had no trouble. Sloane E. is quietly rebellious, sarcastic, and hiding from some harsh realities she has recently discovered about her father and her family. Discovered in the worst sort of way too. Sloane D. is aggressive, more openly rebellious, and hiding from some harsh realities of her own. Both of their voices ring true and I never, not even in the beginning, had the slightest problem with telling their narrations apart. I enjoyed the supporting characters in each girl's story as well. I like how they both made friends that helped them and had to face challenging personalities they had not encountered before. Both of the girls grew and changed over the course of their story and I really liked how they were not only changed by their different situations but by each other. The most important relationship in this story for me was the one between the girls and I like that they ended with a friendship that never would have occurred under normal circumstances. Both girls have a romantic interest in their stories, but they take a back seat to the story and life the Sloanes. Both boys are pretty great, but I liked that they were sort of on the periphery of what was actually happening.
The plot of Being Sloane Jacobs is brilliant. Who doesn't want to try out someone else's life just once? The Sloanes have the ability to that, but both girls are doing it as an escape from some serious issues they can't handle. There is some rather large wish fulfillment happening in the story. The girls are able to use their new lives to figure out what they want, who they want to be, and how to relate to the other people in their lives. There are consequences and there is some drama as a result of their deception, but Morrill really kept a tight reign on this part of the story. Never did I feel like it was overblown or too much. My only complaint is that both romantic elements seemed a bit tacked on and rushed. I would have been perfectly content if this had just been about the girls.
In a word this book made me happy. It is one of those that you just read and can trust it is going to end well and go along for the wonderful ride. This is the second time I've found this enjoyable experience in a book written by Lauren Morrill and confirms that I will want to read any other book she writes. (The one coming out in 2015 is about a high school band trip! *cue excited squealing*)
I read an e-galley made available via the publisher, Delacorte, on NetGalley. Being Sloane Jacobs is on sale January 7.
4.5 stars
I was utterly enchanted by Lauren Morrill's debut novel, [b:Meant to Be|11721314|Meant to Be|Lauren Morrill|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1331322901s/11721314.jpg|16669543]. When the synopsis for her second novel, Being Sloane Jacobs, was released I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It has such an intriguing concept and I knew that if Morrill brought the same magic she brought to Meant to Be, it would be very good indeed. I was excited when I was approved for the book on NetGalley. It is different from Meant to Be in many ways, but completely enjoyable and excellent in its own right.
The narration switches back and forth between Sloane E. and Sloane D. Due to this and the nature of the story, the set up takes a little longer in this book. I was worried that I would have a difficult time connecting to the characters because of the dual narration (this often doesn't work for me), but in this case I had no trouble. Sloane E. is quietly rebellious, sarcastic, and hiding from some harsh realities she has recently discovered about her father and her family. Discovered in the worst sort of way too. Sloane D. is aggressive, more openly rebellious, and hiding from some harsh realities of her own. Both of their voices ring true and I never, not even in the beginning, had the slightest problem with telling their narrations apart. I enjoyed the supporting characters in each girl's story as well. I like how they both made friends that helped them and had to face challenging personalities they had not encountered before. Both of the girls grew and changed over the course of their story and I really liked how they were not only changed by their different situations but by each other. The most important relationship in this story for me was the one between the girls and I like that they ended with a friendship that never would have occurred under normal circumstances. Both girls have a romantic interest in their stories, but they take a back seat to the story and life the Sloanes. Both boys are pretty great, but I liked that they were sort of on the periphery of what was actually happening.
The plot of Being Sloane Jacobs is brilliant. Who doesn't want to try out someone else's life just once? The Sloanes have the ability to that, but both girls are doing it as an escape from some serious issues they can't handle. There is some rather large wish fulfillment happening in the story. The girls are able to use their new lives to figure out what they want, who they want to be, and how to relate to the other people in their lives. There are consequences and there is some drama as a result of their deception, but Morrill really kept a tight reign on this part of the story. Never did I feel like it was overblown or too much. My only complaint is that both romantic elements seemed a bit tacked on and rushed. I would have been perfectly content if this had just been about the girls.
In a word this book made me happy. It is one of those that you just read and can trust it is going to end well and go along for the wonderful ride. This is the second time I've found this enjoyable experience in a book written by Lauren Morrill and confirms that I will want to read any other book she writes. (The one coming out in 2015 is about a high school band trip! *cue excited squealing*)
I read an e-galley made available via the publisher, Delacorte, on NetGalley. Being Sloane Jacobs is on sale January 7.