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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Well, tbh, I'm having a Sarah Dessen marathon since the start of last week. So far, this is my fave. I just like how the way Mclean lives her life, I mean, I can truly understand all those different girls. Why she did that, pretty much smart enough. From all those different personas to coming back to her own self. I hated her mom too but I guess she's lucky enough to have a mom like her, one who truly cares for you, warts and all . And her dad, I've never been that close with my dad, that's why it makes me teary eyed reading those parts that they're together. How much she cares of him and him to her.
I like her relationship with Dave too and to all her friends, especially Heather, Riley and Deb. I mean, I didn't expect that Deb would still be part of the friend circle til the end. How Riley and Heather accepted her. Dave may not be one of the dreamy hot guys we want him to be but I like him, in his own nerdy-straight-forward-optimistic-good-guy kind of way. He may be too good for Mclean but then eventually, I realized that she deserves him, more than anyone. I like Dave and Riley's friendship too, I was expecting of some kind of a love triangle between the three of them but I was surprised that Im glad that they didn't.
Anyway, all in all, I learned that if we truly love a person, we have to accept them, warts and all , even if it's yourself. And yes, I want to have a same matching tattoo with my best friend too, even if how simple it looks. It doesn't really matter, the story behind it counts the most.
I like her relationship with Dave too and to all her friends, especially Heather, Riley and Deb. I mean, I didn't expect that Deb would still be part of the friend circle til the end. How Riley and Heather accepted her. Dave may not be one of the dreamy hot guys we want him to be but I like him, in his own nerdy-straight-forward-optimistic-good-guy kind of way. He may be too good for Mclean but then eventually, I realized that she deserves him, more than anyone. I like Dave and Riley's friendship too, I was expecting of some kind of a love triangle between the three of them but I was surprised that Im glad that they didn't.
Anyway, all in all, I learned that if we truly love a person, we have to accept them, warts and all , even if it's yourself. And yes, I want to have a same matching tattoo with my best friend too, even if how simple it looks. It doesn't really matter, the story behind it counts the most.
Sounds a lot like another book I read, though I don't remember the name of it... but it was about a guy who changed personalities everywhere he moved to, until that one place. And the cover had a boy standing on his head... Anyways.... This was probably one of the best Sarah Dessen books I've read. Yes it's the stereotypical new girl who meets guy but it was more touching and sweet. Great new book. And yep, I added it to best-books-ever. Yay!
This is more of a 3.5 stars for me. I liked it okay, but it felt very similar to Along for the Ride.
Mclean's parents divorced a couple of years ago after her mom cheated on her dad. Since then, she has been living with her dad, a new city every few months. Each time she moves, she reinvents herself. Finally, she winds up in the familiar town of Lakeview where her dad tries to turn around a failing restaurant. Though she doesn't intend to, rather than reinventing herself as Liz, she grows into a new version of Mclean. Balancing a new social life with the knowledge that she might have to leave with the frustrating relationship with her mom is stressful, to say the least. But she might actually like being Mclean this time around.
Can Sarah Dessen start choosing more normal names for our main character please? The weird name baggage is okay for a bit, but I'm over it a little. I also felt like Mclean's struggle was a little too similar to Auden's. They dealt with it differently, perhaps, but the idea behind it was the same. Dave is just a little meh to me. I feel like I didn't get to know him well enough. It was like he was supposed to be Jason combined with Nate or something. But, I LOVE JASON. I want a book just about him! I'm so happy with his cross-book character arc. I'm just so happy he isn't a tool. I HATED Mclean's mom. Not because of the affair, which was where Mclean's anger stemmed from, but that certainly didn't help. No. Mclean's mom was INCREDIBLY manipulative. I hated the way she spoke to her daughter about Mclean wanting to stay with her dad after the divorce. She would say things about how Mclean wanted to punish her and hurt her and start crying to manipulate Mclean into talking to her and spending time with her. Nope. That is how a 15 year old acts, not a grown woman. Nope.
Only two books left! This book would be good for lots of my students: maybe one instance of underage drinking (but lots of consequences of underage drinking are present, unlike her other books), barely any language, etc.
Mclean's parents divorced a couple of years ago after her mom cheated on her dad. Since then, she has been living with her dad, a new city every few months. Each time she moves, she reinvents herself. Finally, she winds up in the familiar town of Lakeview where her dad tries to turn around a failing restaurant. Though she doesn't intend to, rather than reinventing herself as Liz, she grows into a new version of Mclean. Balancing a new social life with the knowledge that she might have to leave with the frustrating relationship with her mom is stressful, to say the least. But she might actually like being Mclean this time around.
Can Sarah Dessen start choosing more normal names for our main character please? The weird name baggage is okay for a bit, but I'm over it a little. I also felt like Mclean's struggle was a little too similar to Auden's. They dealt with it differently, perhaps, but the idea behind it was the same. Dave is just a little meh to me. I feel like I didn't get to know him well enough. It was like he was supposed to be Jason combined with Nate or something. But, I LOVE JASON. I want a book just about him! I'm so happy with his cross-book character arc. I'm just so happy he isn't a tool. I HATED Mclean's mom. Not because of the affair, which was where Mclean's anger stemmed from, but that certainly didn't help. No. Mclean's mom was INCREDIBLY manipulative. I hated the way she spoke to her daughter about Mclean wanting to stay with her dad after the divorce. She would say things about how Mclean wanted to punish her and hurt her and start crying to manipulate Mclean into talking to her and spending time with her. Nope. That is how a 15 year old acts, not a grown woman. Nope.
Only two books left! This book would be good for lots of my students: maybe one instance of underage drinking (but lots of consequences of underage drinking are present, unlike her other books), barely any language, etc.
Sarah Dessen’s books were some of my very favorites in high school. I’ve been rereading some of them over the last couple of years, to see if they stand up to my memory and if I’d pass them along to my daughter when she’s older. I really enjoyed this one, it was super cute and a quick read. I liked all of the characters, Dave was great. “Warts and all.”
I was debating on whether this book deserved *** or ****.
Here's why I would maybe only give it ***:
~Like other Sarah Dessen books I've read, it was very pure and clean. A little too pure and clean.
~McLean-the protagonist in this story- has a creative past, yes. After her mother cheated on her father, scandalously, McLean moved with her father after the divorce about four times. Each time, becoming a different person other than her actual self, McLean(i.e. Beth). And now she's moved again to a town that she just might actually like with friends(and a guy of course) that she might actually not want to leave...and be a true self around.
The thing is though, McLean just reminded me of the other characters in other Dessen books. Like John Green novels, I find that a lot of Dessen's characters are the same. Which brings me to my next bullet point...
~Dave. He was very sweet and all. Mysterious. Nerdy. But I feel again, that I've kinda seen his type in a way, in other Dessen novels.
I'm probably forgetting something, but I'll move on...
Here's why I'm giving it ****:
~For what's it worth, I liked McLean. Even if I have seen her type before. She was funny and honest and I didn't dislike her as much as I usually end up disliking a lot of protagonists in some books I've read.
~And yes, I did like Dave too.
~The plot was original. Not the whole changing identities thing. But the McLean's parents divorce and the restaurant. That was cool.
~I liked McLean's friends, her father and those working at the restaurant. I liked all the little things the author threw in at the end.
So, ultimately, **** won out. I won't say that it was an excellent book....because it wasn't. Rather, it was a long, good summer read that read a lot like Dessen's other novels. But maybe that's okay :)
Here's why I would maybe only give it ***:
~Like other Sarah Dessen books I've read, it was very pure and clean. A little too pure and clean.
~McLean-the protagonist in this story- has a creative past, yes. After her mother cheated on her father, scandalously, McLean moved with her father after the divorce about four times. Each time, becoming a different person other than her actual self, McLean(i.e. Beth). And now she's moved again to a town that she just might actually like with friends(and a guy of course) that she might actually not want to leave...and be a true self around.
The thing is though, McLean just reminded me of the other characters in other Dessen books. Like John Green novels, I find that a lot of Dessen's characters are the same. Which brings me to my next bullet point...
~Dave. He was very sweet and all. Mysterious. Nerdy. But I feel again, that I've kinda seen his type in a way, in other Dessen novels.
I'm probably forgetting something, but I'll move on...
Here's why I'm giving it ****:
~For what's it worth, I liked McLean. Even if I have seen her type before. She was funny and honest and I didn't dislike her as much as I usually end up disliking a lot of protagonists in some books I've read.
~And yes, I did like Dave too.
~The plot was original. Not the whole changing identities thing. But the McLean's parents divorce and the restaurant. That was cool.
~I liked McLean's friends, her father and those working at the restaurant. I liked all the little things the author threw in at the end.
So, ultimately, **** won out. I won't say that it was an excellent book....because it wasn't. Rather, it was a long, good summer read that read a lot like Dessen's other novels. But maybe that's okay :)
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5
the book could have had 4 stars because i enjoyed it while reading, but after thinking about it a bit, it doesn't really deserve them...
probably because i didn't have much experience with the author and i didn't have material to compare, i wasn't disappointed with this book like other readers and fans of sarah dessen.
what i really like about this book was dave. he was witty and funny and weird and easy-going. he's not the best-written male character out there, but he has his charm and charmed me.
i did like mclean and i could empathise with her at the beginning, but i couldn't quite understand her quest to find her identity. it was quite chaotic and without much sense, which in the end it is logic because she is a teenager and not everything makes sense in that time of life. i liked the idea that in lakeview even if she wanted to be somebody else her "real" identity rebelled and surfaced. i liked also her relationship with dave, but i didn't see much development in that aspect during the book. it was easier to see how dave felt for her than the other way around.
i did like the whole restaurant scenery and opal as character. the rest of clique felt a bit diffused for me.
what i didn't like in this book were mclean's parents, particularly her mother. her father was ok, but he was too busy to realise that his daughter had some problems derived from the divorce that perhaps needed to be addressed. but her mother... i could not understand her at all. she pulled and pulled and pulled until mclean snapped and told her why she was angry at her and what does she do? she corners her daughter to make her do what she wants... that is a very good strategy, yes #sarcasm... even if she is desperate to "get back" her daughter, how exactly does that get your daughter back? i... i... i can't... it frustrated me quite a bit while reading ¬¬
in the end, this book is a typical sarah dessen book, i think it is a good start for anyone wanting to begin with the author, it is good to spend a rainy afternoon at home or a sunny day at the beach/swimming pool: nice characters, nice coming of age story, nice and easy to read...
the book could have had 4 stars because i enjoyed it while reading, but after thinking about it a bit, it doesn't really deserve them...
probably because i didn't have much experience with the author and i didn't have material to compare, i wasn't disappointed with this book like other readers and fans of sarah dessen.
what i really like about this book was dave. he was witty and funny and weird and easy-going. he's not the best-written male character out there, but he has his charm and charmed me.
i did like mclean and i could empathise with her at the beginning, but i couldn't quite understand her quest to find her identity. it was quite chaotic and without much sense, which in the end it is logic because she is a teenager and not everything makes sense in that time of life. i liked the idea that in lakeview even if she wanted to be somebody else her "real" identity rebelled and surfaced. i liked also her relationship with dave, but i didn't see much development in that aspect during the book. it was easier to see how dave felt for her than the other way around.
i did like the whole restaurant scenery and opal as character. the rest of clique felt a bit diffused for me.
what i didn't like in this book were mclean's parents, particularly her mother. her father was ok, but he was too busy to realise that his daughter had some problems derived from the divorce that perhaps needed to be addressed. but her mother... i could not understand her at all. she pulled and pulled and pulled until mclean snapped and told her why she was angry at her and what does she do? she corners her daughter to make her do what she wants... that is a very good strategy, yes #sarcasm... even if she is desperate to "get back" her daughter, how exactly does that get your daughter back? i... i... i can't... it frustrated me quite a bit while reading ¬¬
in the end, this book is a typical sarah dessen book, i think it is a good start for anyone wanting to begin with the author, it is good to spend a rainy afternoon at home or a sunny day at the beach/swimming pool: nice characters, nice coming of age story, nice and easy to read...
As always with Sarah Dessen books, there's great character development, relatable plots and girls with weird names. But it has way too much more in commom with all her other books. She really needs to find another plot line besides, girl moves, meets boy who helps her solve problems.
This is my first Sarah Dessen book, and while it was very well written, I can only say that for me, it was just okay. Unfortunately, I didn't really connect with the main character, Mclean. Mclean is a girl in her last year of high school who is suffering an identity crisis. Her parents divorced after her mother had an affair with a high-profile basketball coach. Now, for the last few years, Mclean has chosen to live with her dad, even though this means moving four times as a consequence of her dad's occupation as a restaurant restorer. In each of the last three moves, Mclean has adopted a new name and a new persona, essentially to hide from her problems. In the final move during which this story takes place, Mclean doesn't have a chance to choose who she's going to be before she gets "stuck" as Mclean.
And...this is where things go a little off kilter for me. Through Mclean's eyes, we are able to learn all sorts of cool things about every other secondary character in the book. Dave is freaky smart, lives with his super strict parents, and works at a bakery. Riley's been best friends with Dave since just about birth, but she's also good friends with Heather. Heather is a terrible driver. Deb is a keener who rubs everyone the wrong way and thus has no friends. You get the picture. But Mclean? I don't know anything about what she likes or what she hates, and maybe that's the point of the book - she herself doesn't know who she is after so long being these made-up people. For example, she gets roped into building this model town in the attic above the restaurant, but does she enjoy doing it? I don't know!!! Dave gets right into it, putting his superior brain to good use. Deb becomes a drill sergeant, ruling over the building process. But with Mclean, she never says anything like, "I love working on this project with Dave, it's so much fun!" or "I hate this stupid model town, I can't believe I'm stuck building it!" Excuse my lack of eloquence here, but obviously I'm not a writer! I just got a bit bored reading a book about someone with no personality or passion? I ended up not caring if Mclean made nice with her mom, if she was going to move away again with her dad, or where she was going to end up going to college. I cared much more deeply about everyone else in the book, which just threw me for a loop.
Now, if Ms. Dessen decided to write a book about Dave, I'd totally jump on board! He sounds so cute, I really loved his character! Too bad he got stuck living next door to dull ol' Mclean!!!
And...this is where things go a little off kilter for me. Through Mclean's eyes, we are able to learn all sorts of cool things about every other secondary character in the book. Dave is freaky smart, lives with his super strict parents, and works at a bakery. Riley's been best friends with Dave since just about birth, but she's also good friends with Heather. Heather is a terrible driver. Deb is a keener who rubs everyone the wrong way and thus has no friends. You get the picture. But Mclean? I don't know anything about what she likes or what she hates, and maybe that's the point of the book - she herself doesn't know who she is after so long being these made-up people. For example, she gets roped into building this model town in the attic above the restaurant, but does she enjoy doing it? I don't know!!! Dave gets right into it, putting his superior brain to good use. Deb becomes a drill sergeant, ruling over the building process. But with Mclean, she never says anything like, "I love working on this project with Dave, it's so much fun!" or "I hate this stupid model town, I can't believe I'm stuck building it!" Excuse my lack of eloquence here, but obviously I'm not a writer! I just got a bit bored reading a book about someone with no personality or passion? I ended up not caring if Mclean made nice with her mom, if she was going to move away again with her dad, or where she was going to end up going to college. I cared much more deeply about everyone else in the book, which just threw me for a loop.
Now, if Ms. Dessen decided to write a book about Dave, I'd totally jump on board! He sounds so cute, I really loved his character! Too bad he got stuck living next door to dull ol' Mclean!!!