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kelby14's review
5.0
Originally turned away from this because of the title, the mall is anything, but heaven to me, but I cracked open the book and was so happy. This books was heartfelt and funny. I wish I had read it in high school. This seems like the perfect book for a teenager faced with balancing friendships, s difficult family life, and college applications, but not just for them, for adults who went through it too. It's short and written in a block text, which at first appears poetic, but is actually more of a dream-like quality. It was a short but meaningful book, loved every minute of it.
klherring's review
3.0
This was a decent quick read. The voice of the main character seemed a little immature for her age and I've read similar books I preferred, but this was okay.
sgvaz51's review
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
suzannedix's review
4.0
A fast, free verse novel about a girl who needs to come to terms with the fact that she is not a very good person. An interesting premise (Tessa is able to self-analyze her past mistakes while in a coma) and offers an uplifting ending.
Sex and underage drinking are frequently mentioned so this is best grade 8 and up. I'm going to move this one from my middle school section to Teen.
Sex and underage drinking are frequently mentioned so this is best grade 8 and up. I'm going to move this one from my middle school section to Teen.
heyitstay19's review
3.0
This book was really weird. I was really confused for awhile. I also didn't get the point of the free verse and the book in general. The god thing was it's a short read.
muddypuddle's review
4.0
Told in verse format, I guess you would call this a partial modern-day "Christmas Carol", since Tessa is only visited by the ghost of her past. It's really cute and insightful, and sad, too. Not SAD sad, just enough to feel badly for the little girl Tess was growing up. And her future is yet to be written!
nanaboo's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked how this book was written. I'm really liking Wendy Mass as a writer. A lot of the Young Adult books I read are talking too much about sex for me to approve of them as a book for a teenager, or to recommend them to my nieces and nephews. Wendy Mass's books have been great.
queendumpling's review against another edition
When I first picked this book out of my library for a "blind date" activity that they do each year, I didn't think that I would like this book at all. It seemed like something that I would normally never pick, but I read the flap and it seemed decent, so I decided to give it a shot. I sat in bed and finished it all in one shot, I found that I just couldn't put it down, even though it didn't have all that action that I usually read.
The first thing one should take note of is not formatting of the book. Not the traditional paragraphs, but more like a long poem. At first I thougt that this was strange, but I soon felt that this was the way that fit the telling of the story best.
In any case, I found the book enjoyable. There were sad moments that were balanced out with humor nicely. I thought that Tessa was a well rounded character from the start, and the interactions between the characters felt natural. The way how things all fit together, seemingly meaningless in the beginning, but held so much depth later on, made Tessa's life more real, and believable.
I think the best part about this for me was how I could connect to this. I found myself crying at various parts, and for me, any book that can make me shed tears is a worthy book indeed.
Personally, I am glad that I have read this book. It made me stop and think about things, reminisce, and reflect. Not too many books can actually do that for me. So I am glad that this chance coincidence with fate lead me to picking up this book today.
The first thing one should take note of is not formatting of the book. Not the traditional paragraphs, but more like a long poem. At first I thougt that this was strange, but I soon felt that this was the way that fit the telling of the story best.
In any case, I found the book enjoyable. There were sad moments that were balanced out with humor nicely. I thought that Tessa was a well rounded character from the start, and the interactions between the characters felt natural. The way how things all fit together, seemingly meaningless in the beginning, but held so much depth later on, made Tessa's life more real, and believable.
I think the best part about this for me was how I could connect to this. I found myself crying at various parts, and for me, any book that can make me shed tears is a worthy book indeed.
Personally, I am glad that I have read this book. It made me stop and think about things, reminisce, and reflect. Not too many books can actually do that for me. So I am glad that this chance coincidence with fate lead me to picking up this book today.
ianuh's review
3.0
Not what I expected. I read this before but stopped because I got sucked into a reading slump but boy oh boy! I liked how it was written, the stories within the story and the overall moral of it. Definitely enjoyed it.
sarug's review
4.0
That was really good. And the ending was perfect, in my eyes. This book could have easily become too preachy or fluffy, but it wasn't.