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pause_theframe's review
4.0
I adored this book. It was a blend of happiness and new found romance, yet a brutal story of just how hard life can be. It also shares a great lesson about how to pick yourself back up off the floor and start again, to try and build your life back up.
It has lovely characters, with lots of detail, personality and excitement, to really help you feel a part of the story. I liked the added rivalry between the two mains, with their blossoming friendship and more. It really added some fun to it, and honour that was soft and fun.
It was a realistic and very emotional read, both in happiness and sadness, so be prepared to be pulled right in and find a connection with the characters.
*I chose to provide my honest review.
It has lovely characters, with lots of detail, personality and excitement, to really help you feel a part of the story. I liked the added rivalry between the two mains, with their blossoming friendship and more. It really added some fun to it, and honour that was soft and fun.
It was a realistic and very emotional read, both in happiness and sadness, so be prepared to be pulled right in and find a connection with the characters.
*I chose to provide my honest review.
lyndajdickson's review
5.0
Ellie is a member of an improv theater group and, when she meets Jason, a member of a rival improv group, they form an immediate connection. With some new friends and a huge comedy competition coming up, things are looking good, but a freak accident brings Ellie crashing down - quite literally. What happens next will break your heart into little pieces and then put it back together again.
Ellie's story is based on the author's own experiences in battling chondrosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. The author states that "the upside of tragedy is that it can be transformed into art." And that is exactly what she has done. A Messy, Beautiful Life is a touching account of a young girl's experience with cancer at a time when she should be fully living her life. The story is so good that I forgot to take notes, but I loved Ellie as well as her support group of Jason, her friends, her mother, and especially her stepbrother Craig.
Cute and funny and sad. Don't miss this one.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post (2 October): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com/2017/10/a-messy-beautiful-life-by-sara-jade-alan.html
Ellie's story is based on the author's own experiences in battling chondrosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. The author states that "the upside of tragedy is that it can be transformed into art." And that is exactly what she has done. A Messy, Beautiful Life is a touching account of a young girl's experience with cancer at a time when she should be fully living her life. The story is so good that I forgot to take notes, but I loved Ellie as well as her support group of Jason, her friends, her mother, and especially her stepbrother Craig.
Cute and funny and sad. Don't miss this one.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post (2 October): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com/2017/10/a-messy-beautiful-life-by-sara-jade-alan.html
shellysbookcorner's review
3.0
The cover of this book and the blurb caught my attention which made me curious to read. The book was a decent read but I had a hard time connecting to the story or characters. The main character is diagnosed with cancer but I felt like the author really didn’t get too invested with Ellie’s struggle. Yes, Ellie did have issues and was in denial but I wanted to see more angst and more struggle with her diagnosis and recovery. With the way the book was billed I was expecting more grit and raw emotion. This book had a quick gloss over certain areas and I would have liked the author to have gone into more detail and I feel like I would have enjoyed the story a lot more than I did. I did like the whole improv aspect which is something that I’ve never read about in YA or Romance. So I give the author credit for being creative.
*Review copy was provided by Netgalley*
For more reviews check me out at: http://www.shellysbookcorner.com
*Review copy was provided by Netgalley*
For more reviews check me out at: http://www.shellysbookcorner.com
sasha2599's review
5.0
Oh my goodness- this book was so full of feels! Alan was absolutely masterful at bringing comedy into an automatically angsty situation. It was charming and had perfect dialog. What an amazing friend group she created for Ellie- all believable, honest characters. A must read!
**I voluntarily read an advance copy**
**I voluntarily read an advance copy**
breerashel's review
4.0
***ARC provided by publishers via Netgalley in exchange of honest review***
Wow! This book had it all...humor, drama, and complicated issues. It's a heartwarming story of a girl fighting to stay positive amid terrible news and struggling with her new normal.
I thought that the author gave an interesting take on all of the emotions and conclusions that a person would draw during the process of finding out that they have cancer. Ellie displays quite a few emotions/reactions throughout the book and seems to go through the grieving process with regards to her cancer. I loved how Ellie tried to be strong for everyone around her. She didn't want to bring anyone down but inside she was crumbling under the weight of all that cancer could mean for her life. She was a great character who made me laugh and cry. I related to how awkward she was around Jason and how deeply she felt everything.
I thought that the author included some interesting relationship dynamics within the story mainly in Ellie's blended family with her divorced parents, stepmother, and her stepbrother. It was interesting to witness the "normal" relationship dynamics and see how they changed due to Ellie finding out that she has cancer.
I enjoyed all of the aspects of the story with the exception of the timing of everything in the book. I would have liked for the author to take more time to develop things in the book. It seemed as if things happened very quickly and I would have liked the flow of the book to be a bit slower to be able to soak everything in. An example of this would be how it seemed very sudden how Ellie found out that she had cancer. I think that the author was trying to have it be humorous but the joke didn't land for me. Despite this, I thought that the topic was handled tastefully.
https://fictionedtodeath.blogspot.com/2017/10/a-messy-beautiful-life-by-sara-jade-alan.html
Wow! This book had it all...humor, drama, and complicated issues. It's a heartwarming story of a girl fighting to stay positive amid terrible news and struggling with her new normal.
I thought that the author gave an interesting take on all of the emotions and conclusions that a person would draw during the process of finding out that they have cancer. Ellie displays quite a few emotions/reactions throughout the book and seems to go through the grieving process with regards to her cancer. I loved how Ellie tried to be strong for everyone around her. She didn't want to bring anyone down but inside she was crumbling under the weight of all that cancer could mean for her life. She was a great character who made me laugh and cry. I related to how awkward she was around Jason and how deeply she felt everything.
I thought that the author included some interesting relationship dynamics within the story mainly in Ellie's blended family with her divorced parents, stepmother, and her stepbrother. It was interesting to witness the "normal" relationship dynamics and see how they changed due to Ellie finding out that she has cancer.
I enjoyed all of the aspects of the story with the exception of the timing of everything in the book. I would have liked for the author to take more time to develop things in the book. It seemed as if things happened very quickly and I would have liked the flow of the book to be a bit slower to be able to soak everything in. An example of this would be how it seemed very sudden how Ellie found out that she had cancer. I think that the author was trying to have it be humorous but the joke didn't land for me. Despite this, I thought that the topic was handled tastefully.
https://fictionedtodeath.blogspot.com/2017/10/a-messy-beautiful-life-by-sara-jade-alan.html
xokristim's review
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this whole book. I don’t know much, if anything about improvisational comedy, or stand up comedy, and I loved that Ellie was so involved in it. I’ve always loved going to improv shows or to see stand up comics perform. I really enjoyed seeing a part of what goes on behind the scenes of shows. I thought the story as a whole flowed wonderfully and made me not want to put the book down.
I thought this was going to be “just another book where the main character has cancer”, which is honestly why I requested it. I don’t know why, but I’m very interested in these types of books. I found right away that this wasn’t going to be that typical type of book. Ellie was such a wonderful main character who had such a great sense of humor. I will say the reason I didn’t give the book 5 stars is because the book contains *gasp* insta-love. I just can’t handle instal-love in books and this one was quite typical. Luckily all of the other character relationships made up for this. I found myself laughing way more than I expected to while reading, but didn’t make light of the situations, which takes talent.
I would definitely recommend this book to fans of The Fault in Our Stars, Me Earl and the Dying Girl, Zac & Mia, and Side Effects May Vary. I personally found this book on par or even more enjoyable than those books I just mentioned. I also can’t finish this review without mentioning how absolutely stunning the cover of this book is!
I thought this was going to be “just another book where the main character has cancer”, which is honestly why I requested it. I don’t know why, but I’m very interested in these types of books. I found right away that this wasn’t going to be that typical type of book. Ellie was such a wonderful main character who had such a great sense of humor. I will say the reason I didn’t give the book 5 stars is because the book contains *gasp* insta-love. I just can’t handle instal-love in books and this one was quite typical. Luckily all of the other character relationships made up for this. I found myself laughing way more than I expected to while reading, but didn’t make light of the situations, which takes talent.
I would definitely recommend this book to fans of The Fault in Our Stars, Me Earl and the Dying Girl, Zac & Mia, and Side Effects May Vary. I personally found this book on par or even more enjoyable than those books I just mentioned. I also can’t finish this review without mentioning how absolutely stunning the cover of this book is!
apagetoturn's review
4.0
A Messy, Beautiful Life by Sara Jade Alan took me through a myriad of emotions. I don't think I've ever chuckled so much during a young adult cancer book, like ever.
"Most people are scared of the pain in their life, they do anything they can to avoid it, to not feel what is really there. Ignoring it merely causes a different kind of hurt."
I really enjoyed Ellie's character, and I loved how different her story was from similar, emotional, books - like The Fault in our Stars or Everything, Everything. Her budding relationship with Jason kind of takes the passenger seat to her budding relationships with the cancer in her leg - but it's a beautiful tale of strength and love despite hardships. I also adored her step-brother Craig (he was probably my favorite character.... and Marshmallow Mateys are the best)! He had such a big heart and while I didn't like him much at the start of the story, he quickly became a notable character. Quinn and Hana remind me of my girlfriends, so that was fun! I also loved the improv & stand up aspects of their high school/college careers. Such a fun addition, and not anything I've read before in a young adult or adult novel.
"Making a fool of myself in front of hundreds of people pretending to be someone else was way easier than in from of one person as the real me."
I really enjoyed the authors writing style as well, and found myself highlighting quotes left and right. It was all from Ellie's POV in first person. It was quickly paced, well written, and extremely entertaining. I will be recommending this to any young adult readers - it's also very clean, just a few kisses and the small mention of "nookie" towards the end.
"Most people are scared of the pain in their life, they do anything they can to avoid it, to not feel what is really there. Ignoring it merely causes a different kind of hurt."
I really enjoyed Ellie's character, and I loved how different her story was from similar, emotional, books - like The Fault in our Stars or Everything, Everything. Her budding relationship with Jason kind of takes the passenger seat to her budding relationships with the cancer in her leg - but it's a beautiful tale of strength and love despite hardships. I also adored her step-brother Craig (he was probably my favorite character.... and Marshmallow Mateys are the best)! He had such a big heart and while I didn't like him much at the start of the story, he quickly became a notable character. Quinn and Hana remind me of my girlfriends, so that was fun! I also loved the improv & stand up aspects of their high school/college careers. Such a fun addition, and not anything I've read before in a young adult or adult novel.
"Making a fool of myself in front of hundreds of people pretending to be someone else was way easier than in from of one person as the real me."
I really enjoyed the authors writing style as well, and found myself highlighting quotes left and right. It was all from Ellie's POV in first person. It was quickly paced, well written, and extremely entertaining. I will be recommending this to any young adult readers - it's also very clean, just a few kisses and the small mention of "nookie" towards the end.
lauraa06's review
4.0
Wonderful YA book that is laugh-out loud funny despite being about a teenage girl facing a cancer diagnosis. Anyone who enjoys John Greene books will definitely also enjoy this. It's about first love, a high school comedy improv group, and the value of friendships and family, oh and cancer. Highly recommend for YA girls or anyone who enjoys YA.
carleneinspired's review
4.0
Life is funny sometimes.
And not always the ha, ha kind. Like that one time where a hot guy tried to kiss me and I fell. Down. Hard. And then found out I had cancer.
I’m trying to be strong for my friends and my mom.
And I’m trying so hard to be “just friends” with that hot guy, even though he seems to want so much more. But I won’t do that to him. He’s been through this before with his family, and I’m not going to let him watch me die.
So, I tell myself: Smile Ellie. Be funny Ellie. Don’t cry Ellie, because once I start, I might not stop.
I picked up A Messy, Beautiful Life after I had one of those weeks that weighs on you. I wasn't in the mood for anything, but I was down about some things in my life and wanted to live in someone else's. A Messy, Beautiful Life not only made me take a look at my own life, but it made me both laugh and cry. It's a novel full of emotions, about the struggling of accepting what life hands you and seeing it as a gift, even if that gift isn't exactly what you had hoped for expected. Ellie's life has handed her cancer, a boy who's been through it before with her family, and a group of friends that can cheer anyone up.
"My whole body was light and bubbly. And his lips felt amazing, more amazing than anything I could have imagined."
Sara Jade Alan took me on a journey, one that made me laugh, made me reminisce about my youth,
made me cry (a lot), and made me so thankful for this life we've been given. She tackles the emotions of high school, of first love, and that first big challenge so perfectly. I felt like I was Ellie at times, struggling to accept the prognosis I'd been given, and at other times I felt like her friends, trying so hard to make my friend feel some sort of happiness. On top of all that is the little world that Sara Jade Alan created. A Messy, Beautiful Life takes place during Ellie's senior year of high school. She's not typical though, she's awkward with boys, very smart, and her hobby is improv. I never expected to enjoy a novel about improv, something I usually don't understand, so much. I laughed so hard envisioning a bunch of teens acting out the silly things the characters did. It felt just like high school, that time when the world seems so big and your future is ripe for the picking. It also made the story come to life, it took it from a sad novel about overcoming cancer to a story about the friends and family that help you through the hard stuff in any way they can.
"I wondered how it was possible that my life was at its very best and its very worst simultaneously."
A Messy, Beautiful Life is one of those books that I just needed to read and it was right there when I needed it to be. From the very beginning I was hooked, loving just how cute that first spark of a crush was described. Sara Jade Alan can write, the story flowed just right, and every single subplot in the novel was executed perfectly. I was so in tune with my own feelings as I read and found myself being lifted up by the spirited friends Ellie had in her childhood friends, her new friends, her crush, her mom, and even her surprisingly amazing stepbrother. A Messy, Beautiful life tackles all the bad parts of the book with so much good and really, it is quite a beautiful read. I suggest this one to readers of all ages.
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
And not always the ha, ha kind. Like that one time where a hot guy tried to kiss me and I fell. Down. Hard. And then found out I had cancer.
I’m trying to be strong for my friends and my mom.
And I’m trying so hard to be “just friends” with that hot guy, even though he seems to want so much more. But I won’t do that to him. He’s been through this before with his family, and I’m not going to let him watch me die.
So, I tell myself: Smile Ellie. Be funny Ellie. Don’t cry Ellie, because once I start, I might not stop.
I picked up A Messy, Beautiful Life after I had one of those weeks that weighs on you. I wasn't in the mood for anything, but I was down about some things in my life and wanted to live in someone else's. A Messy, Beautiful Life not only made me take a look at my own life, but it made me both laugh and cry. It's a novel full of emotions, about the struggling of accepting what life hands you and seeing it as a gift, even if that gift isn't exactly what you had hoped for expected. Ellie's life has handed her cancer, a boy who's been through it before with her family, and a group of friends that can cheer anyone up.
"My whole body was light and bubbly. And his lips felt amazing, more amazing than anything I could have imagined."
Sara Jade Alan took me on a journey, one that made me laugh, made me reminisce about my youth,
made me cry (a lot), and made me so thankful for this life we've been given. She tackles the emotions of high school, of first love, and that first big challenge so perfectly. I felt like I was Ellie at times, struggling to accept the prognosis I'd been given, and at other times I felt like her friends, trying so hard to make my friend feel some sort of happiness. On top of all that is the little world that Sara Jade Alan created. A Messy, Beautiful Life takes place during Ellie's senior year of high school. She's not typical though, she's awkward with boys, very smart, and her hobby is improv. I never expected to enjoy a novel about improv, something I usually don't understand, so much. I laughed so hard envisioning a bunch of teens acting out the silly things the characters did. It felt just like high school, that time when the world seems so big and your future is ripe for the picking. It also made the story come to life, it took it from a sad novel about overcoming cancer to a story about the friends and family that help you through the hard stuff in any way they can.
"I wondered how it was possible that my life was at its very best and its very worst simultaneously."
A Messy, Beautiful Life is one of those books that I just needed to read and it was right there when I needed it to be. From the very beginning I was hooked, loving just how cute that first spark of a crush was described. Sara Jade Alan can write, the story flowed just right, and every single subplot in the novel was executed perfectly. I was so in tune with my own feelings as I read and found myself being lifted up by the spirited friends Ellie had in her childhood friends, her new friends, her crush, her mom, and even her surprisingly amazing stepbrother. A Messy, Beautiful life tackles all the bad parts of the book with so much good and really, it is quite a beautiful read. I suggest this one to readers of all ages.
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
saschadarlington's review
5.0
You don’t expect to find yourself smiling or even laughing when reading a novel about a teen who discovers she has cancer and yet I did both as I read Sara Jade Alan’s A Messy, Beautiful Life. Perhaps the reason why the author so ably writes about the topic is because A Messy, Beautiful Life is based to some extent on her own experiences.
Ellie, for the most part, is a typical teen who is discovering herself in her last year of high school. She’s funny and part of an improv group, which is how she meets Jason, the boy she falls for (literally). Their first meeting is a definite “Meet Cute,” during which I was chuckling and grinning. But this is just that kind of book.
One instant I was laughing and the next I had tears in my eyes when Ellie discovers that her world seems to be falling apart. She’s diagnosed with a cancer that strikes deep inside of her leg bone and can’t be touched by radiation or chemotherapy.
“Ha. Whose bone would you want?”
Thinking about it for a second, I said, “The bone of a ninja.[…] Wouldn’t that be cool? My bone would be sullen and mysterious…and then–ka-pow!–kick the crap out of things.”
Jason’s mother just died of cancer, which makes Ellie feel guilty for inviting him into her life so she decides that it would be better if they call it quits. It’s a hard decision, especially when she likes him so very much.
But Ellie as well as her friends approach this period in her life with humor and enlightenment. And that’s another thing I like about this book. It’s insightful and a little bit magical. The cynics out there might call it hokey, but I was touched by what I was reading and it made me feel better, good even. So I feel completely justified in calling this a feel-good book.
“Most people are so scared of the pain in their life, they do anything they can to avoid it, to not feel what is really there. Ignoring it merely causes a different kind of hurt."
And mostly, I would call this the story of hope, of friends and family who support you, who make you smile and with whom you can laugh when things get rough.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ellie, for the most part, is a typical teen who is discovering herself in her last year of high school. She’s funny and part of an improv group, which is how she meets Jason, the boy she falls for (literally). Their first meeting is a definite “Meet Cute,” during which I was chuckling and grinning. But this is just that kind of book.
One instant I was laughing and the next I had tears in my eyes when Ellie discovers that her world seems to be falling apart. She’s diagnosed with a cancer that strikes deep inside of her leg bone and can’t be touched by radiation or chemotherapy.
“Ha. Whose bone would you want?”
Thinking about it for a second, I said, “The bone of a ninja.[…] Wouldn’t that be cool? My bone would be sullen and mysterious…and then–ka-pow!–kick the crap out of things.”
Jason’s mother just died of cancer, which makes Ellie feel guilty for inviting him into her life so she decides that it would be better if they call it quits. It’s a hard decision, especially when she likes him so very much.
But Ellie as well as her friends approach this period in her life with humor and enlightenment. And that’s another thing I like about this book. It’s insightful and a little bit magical. The cynics out there might call it hokey, but I was touched by what I was reading and it made me feel better, good even. So I feel completely justified in calling this a feel-good book.
“Most people are so scared of the pain in their life, they do anything they can to avoid it, to not feel what is really there. Ignoring it merely causes a different kind of hurt."
And mostly, I would call this the story of hope, of friends and family who support you, who make you smile and with whom you can laugh when things get rough.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.