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summerofchels's review against another edition
4.0
Contemporary-A-Thon challenge #7 (book #8!): read a book with pink on the cover (okay kinda cheating but Aldo says it counts!) - COMPLETE!
This was one of my TBR jar picks for February and I decided to pick it up on a whim today and was very pleasantly surprised! I thoroughly enjoyed this, even though the ending was MEGA cheesy. It was still such a fun book and I’m pleased to have read it l!
This was one of my TBR jar picks for February and I decided to pick it up on a whim today and was very pleasantly surprised! I thoroughly enjoyed this, even though the ending was MEGA cheesy. It was still such a fun book and I’m pleased to have read it l!
dxr's review against another edition
3.0
This book was fairly lighthearted with somewhat of a reveal but the love interest was pretty obvious. That was likely intentional and created some slow-burn but it was mostly really annoying. Especially since the ending that we were all so patiently waiting for, was so short. Speaking of annoying, I found the main character irritating but also relatable so perhaps the actual issue is with me. I also found the story to be unrealistic with how friends and plans work.
xpaiged's review against another edition
1.0
I've been sitting on this review for a long time because I wanted to put into the right words just how exactly God-awful this novel is.
I read The Museum of Heartbreak book as recommended by Lauren Conrad's book club. This book is centered around one of the most pathetic and irritating main characters ever dreamed up. If the book's main character is disgustingly unlikable to the point where you're rooting for her self-proclaimed nemesis, you know it's going to be an uphill battle.
Now, the main character, Penelope Marx (not to be mistaken for Karl Marx although the book definitely would've been more interesting had he been the protagonist) is seventeen years old. I know I'm not seventeen but I was seventeen not long ago and I am still a young adult and, mind you, this book was recommended in a young adult book club. Now that that's out of the way, let's discuss this a little further and why I'm using this to support my young adult novel cliches.
This novel contains minimal drama, no character development and excessively quirky everything without having any substance. The main characters all follow a specific stereotype ranging from blank piece of paper best friends, attractive ass holes and queen bee mean girls to the best friend who's been there all along to main characters who are quirky and awkward.
Now, in case you think I'm being a little bit harsh, let me share a few actual excerpts from the novel. These are actual things that the author actually wrote in this book. Ahem.
"Her grandmother had taught us the trick during one of our summer trips--how smelling an entire jumbo bag of M&M'S was almost better than eating the candy itself"
First of all, who sniffs M&Ms? Second of all, they don't even smell good. Is this some puff, puff, pass weird candy snorting crap?
"Without taking his eyes off his notebook, Eph made a fart noise, his de facto response anytime anyone mentioned a word that rhymed with fart"
The use of the phrase "de facto" mixed with "fart" in one sentence is poetic genius.
"I immediately wept like a giant baby-faced baby for still wanting to go to the festival"
A baby faced baby? What an astute description.
"He kissed me, and I thought of tearing mint leaves, of licking salt water off my lips, of the mornings you wake up heart alive, no alarm"
What. What?
"It was stunningly, amazingly, beautifully fall outside, the sky a ridiculous color of a crayon."
Use more adverbs, will you?
"'Can I be totally nosy and ask if you guys kissed?'
Birds stopped mid-sky. Horns stopped mid-honk. A baby stopped mid-cry."
The world STOPPED because someone asked Penelope about something that dIDN'T EVEN HAPPEN. I'm ripping my hair out.
Save a chunk of your life and don't read this shitshow, please. It's too late for me but save yourself.
I read The Museum of Heartbreak book as recommended by Lauren Conrad's book club. This book is centered around one of the most pathetic and irritating main characters ever dreamed up. If the book's main character is disgustingly unlikable to the point where you're rooting for her self-proclaimed nemesis, you know it's going to be an uphill battle.
Now, the main character, Penelope Marx (not to be mistaken for Karl Marx although the book definitely would've been more interesting had he been the protagonist) is seventeen years old. I know I'm not seventeen but I was seventeen not long ago and I am still a young adult and, mind you, this book was recommended in a young adult book club. Now that that's out of the way, let's discuss this a little further and why I'm using this to support my young adult novel cliches.
This novel contains minimal drama, no character development and excessively quirky everything without having any substance. The main characters all follow a specific stereotype ranging from blank piece of paper best friends, attractive ass holes and queen bee mean girls to the best friend who's been there all along to main characters who are quirky and awkward.
Now, in case you think I'm being a little bit harsh, let me share a few actual excerpts from the novel. These are actual things that the author actually wrote in this book. Ahem.
"Her grandmother had taught us the trick during one of our summer trips--how smelling an entire jumbo bag of M&M'S was almost better than eating the candy itself"
First of all, who sniffs M&Ms? Second of all, they don't even smell good. Is this some puff, puff, pass weird candy snorting crap?
"Without taking his eyes off his notebook, Eph made a fart noise, his de facto response anytime anyone mentioned a word that rhymed with fart"
The use of the phrase "de facto" mixed with "fart" in one sentence is poetic genius.
"I immediately wept like a giant baby-faced baby for still wanting to go to the festival"
A baby faced baby? What an astute description.
"He kissed me, and I thought of tearing mint leaves, of licking salt water off my lips, of the mornings you wake up heart alive, no alarm"
What. What?
"It was stunningly, amazingly, beautifully fall outside, the sky a ridiculous color of a crayon."
Use more adverbs, will you?
"'Can I be totally nosy and ask if you guys kissed?'
Birds stopped mid-sky. Horns stopped mid-honk. A baby stopped mid-cry."
The world STOPPED because someone asked Penelope about something that dIDN'T EVEN HAPPEN. I'm ripping my hair out.
Save a chunk of your life and don't read this shitshow, please. It's too late for me but save yourself.
buffalojenn's review against another edition
5.0
There are some books that grab you from the first page, with characters that feel authentic enough that you believe them, and yet almost too delightful (and funny) to be real. That's "The Museum of Heartbreak" -- at least it was for me. I immediately connected with our narrator, New York native Penelope Marx, whose heart has been broken. I loved tracking the items that contributed to the heartbreak, which she catalogues with lovely specificity, and seeing her fall for Keats, oh the dreamy mysterious Keats.
But what I truly loved about this book was Eph, Penelope's best friend since the diaper days, who may very well have just overtaken Etienne St. Clair from "Anna and the French Kiss" as my new book boyfriend, which is a serious de-throning if there ever were one. Eph, the drawer of dinosaurs and watcher of David Lynch movies, who's stolen the hearts of many a girl, yet always been just a friend to Penelope. Thus far, that is...
Sure, this book is about the highs and lows of falling in love and heartbreak, but at its core it's about the evolution of friendships -- and being open to new ones, or to changes in preexisting ones.
But what I truly loved about this book was Eph, Penelope's best friend since the diaper days, who may very well have just overtaken Etienne St. Clair from "Anna and the French Kiss" as my new book boyfriend, which is a serious de-throning if there ever were one. Eph, the drawer of dinosaurs and watcher of David Lynch movies, who's stolen the hearts of many a girl, yet always been just a friend to Penelope. Thus far, that is...
Sure, this book is about the highs and lows of falling in love and heartbreak, but at its core it's about the evolution of friendships -- and being open to new ones, or to changes in preexisting ones.
misshappyapples's review against another edition
4.0
I'm just going to give this four stars. It wasn't perfect and I agree with some of the criticism I've seen from others - it's simple and perhaps typical, it's definitely written as YA - but it was charming. And sometimes young people, who are doing everything for the first time, need to read about the times when everything falls apart so they can believe it will be built back up again.
breadandbutterflies's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
blackferrum's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Remaja dan patah hati bukan kombinasi yang baru lagi, tapi cara Penelope "mengumpulkan" patah hatinya dengan bikin museum agak tidak biasa. Umumnya, orang patah hati bakal langsung memusnahkan segala kenangan yang bersangkutan, tapi dikumpulkan? Buat apa?
Meet Penelope, cewek yang naksir seorang cowok ganteng dan rela melakukan apa saja, tapi berakhir merana. Sahabatnya, Audrey, perlahan menjauh dan Pen tahu apa sebabnya, tapi nggak bisa berbuat banyak. Begitupun dengan tingkah aneh Eph, sahabatnya yang lain. Hubungan persahabatan yang tadinya baik-baik saja berubah canggung dan Pen harus melakukan sesuatu agar tidak semakin mendingin.
Karakter Pen terlihat tangguh sebenarnya. Seperti pada remaja umumnya, jatuh cinta bisa bikin perilaku atau otaknya mendadak nggak bisa melakukan sinkronasi. Denial juga bukan hal yang aneh jika kita melihat sesuatu dengan sudut pandang yang kita suka dan yakini. Pen jelas nggak terima ketika Audrey memintanya untuk mempertimbangkan ulang perasaannya menyukai Keth. Audrey sudah keterlaluan menurut Pen, terlebih sekarang sahabatnya itu juga bergaul dengan Cherisse, cewek yang paling Pen hindari (selain karena alasan dia juga menyukai Keth).
Konflik antarsahabat dan percintaan monyet ala remajanya relatable, tapi cenderung datar. Sampai akhir belum menemukan sesuatu yang menimbulkan spark dari buku ini. Kayaknya memang diperuntukkan bagi pembaca remaja yang lagi mengalami hal serupa (dan barangkali bisa mencoba cara Pen buat melepaskan kenangan buruk) atau yah sekadar mengisi waktu luang saja.
Bagian soal museumnya kurang digali lebih dalam. Atau memang dibikin semacam simbolik supaya match dengan judulnya, selain memang pekerjaan ayah Pen di museum.
Btw, bagian konflik keluarga Eph kenapa rasanya agak maksa nyempil begitu, ya. Entahlah, emosinya nggak dapat sama sekali. Tipikal YA LN yang entah konflik atau penyelesaiannya dibikin menumpuk setelah perkenalan yang agak selow.
Meet Penelope, cewek yang naksir seorang cowok ganteng dan rela melakukan apa saja, tapi berakhir merana. Sahabatnya, Audrey, perlahan menjauh dan Pen tahu apa sebabnya, tapi nggak bisa berbuat banyak. Begitupun dengan tingkah aneh Eph, sahabatnya yang lain. Hubungan persahabatan yang tadinya baik-baik saja berubah canggung dan Pen harus melakukan sesuatu agar tidak semakin mendingin.
Karakter Pen terlihat tangguh sebenarnya. Seperti pada remaja umumnya, jatuh cinta bisa bikin perilaku atau otaknya mendadak nggak bisa melakukan sinkronasi. Denial juga bukan hal yang aneh jika kita melihat sesuatu dengan sudut pandang yang kita suka dan yakini. Pen jelas nggak terima ketika Audrey memintanya untuk mempertimbangkan ulang perasaannya menyukai Keth. Audrey sudah keterlaluan menurut Pen, terlebih sekarang sahabatnya itu juga bergaul dengan Cherisse, cewek yang paling Pen hindari (selain karena alasan dia juga menyukai Keth).
Konflik antarsahabat dan percintaan monyet ala remajanya relatable, tapi cenderung datar. Sampai akhir belum menemukan sesuatu yang menimbulkan spark dari buku ini. Kayaknya memang diperuntukkan bagi pembaca remaja yang lagi mengalami hal serupa (dan barangkali bisa mencoba cara Pen buat melepaskan kenangan buruk) atau yah sekadar mengisi waktu luang saja.
Bagian soal museumnya kurang digali lebih dalam. Atau memang dibikin semacam simbolik supaya match dengan judulnya, selain memang pekerjaan ayah Pen di museum.
ruthiemari's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful quick read! Love the characters and the plot. :) When I picked it up it was just what I needed - something meaningful, something fun, with a good dose of romance and drama.
Highly recommend for all YA readers, particularly those who would have loved a book version of the film 'Gallery of Broken Hearts' (not the same, but a similar-ish style).
Highly recommend for all YA readers, particularly those who would have loved a book version of the film 'Gallery of Broken Hearts' (not the same, but a similar-ish style).
me6hara's review against another edition
3.0
I started reading this not knowing what it was about except what the title suggested. Which means I thought it was about someone going trough heartbreak throughout the story. But it wasn't about that.
Its about a girl named Penelope (Pen) whose best friends Audrey and Eph start to do stuff without her. Audrey with her new friend and mean girl cliché, Cherise. And Eph with whatever new girl he was dating. So Pen starts to panic and feel betrayed. That stops when she meets new guy Keats. Which she immediately crushes on and it doesn't take long before he becomes her boyfriend. But at the same time things become complicated when Eph starts to act different with her. Meaning he starts crushing out in the open for the world to see. And things go from there.
I thought the book was great. I liked the story and most of the characters. But half way trough I thought it was too much. I mean, I knew she didn't actually like the boyfriend from the beginning. He was an a-hole. Who doesn't read 'lady novels', is way too obsessed with Kerouac, and is clearly not over his ex. But because Pen doesn't see that she stays with him for longer than necessary.
For the full review visit my blog.
https://bookishisland.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-museum-of-heartbreak-by-meg-leder.html
Its about a girl named Penelope (Pen) whose best friends Audrey and Eph start to do stuff without her. Audrey with her new friend and mean girl cliché, Cherise. And Eph with whatever new girl he was dating. So Pen starts to panic and feel betrayed. That stops when she meets new guy Keats. Which she immediately crushes on and it doesn't take long before he becomes her boyfriend. But at the same time things become complicated when Eph starts to act different with her. Meaning he starts crushing out in the open for the world to see. And things go from there.
I thought the book was great. I liked the story and most of the characters. But half way trough I thought it was too much. I mean, I knew she didn't actually like the boyfriend from the beginning. He was an a-hole. Who doesn't read 'lady novels', is way too obsessed with Kerouac, and is clearly not over his ex. But because Pen doesn't see that she stays with him for longer than necessary.
For the full review visit my blog.
https://bookishisland.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-museum-of-heartbreak-by-meg-leder.html