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dallast1's review against another edition
4.0
This book was perfect. I just wished it went a little slower and was longer. But that might be my fault cause I read it in like a day. But the reason I love this book is because consistent but then it's not at all. It's all over the place but not. It's an amazing story and give so much insight about love and grief. Read it!
siobhano's review against another edition
4.0
Jandy Nelson is my new John Green when it comes to YA heartbreak, the weirdness of life, love and death. (But "The Sky Is Everywhere" is not as good as "I'll give you the sun" or maybe I'm just overly hyped about the latter...)
Lennie has just lost her sister, the lively Bailey, and cannot cope with the grief. As their mother left them when they were small, she lives with her Gram and her uncle, whose way of expressing their grief differs from her needs. She does not know who she is without her sister while finding out that her sister kept secrets, major secrets, from her. Only her sister's boyfriend, Toby, seems to get her and their mutual understanding for their loss brings them closer together - closer than they should be. But Lennie has also met Joe, the new guy in the school band, who brings out the best in her, who makes her question who she wants to be and why. Lennon is torn between her awakening sexuality, grief, love, coming to terms with her loss, finding an identity without her sister, and growing up.
Even though the story has some YA tropes (hot damn gurl, you so beautiful, you're getting all the guys /// soooo cheesy sometimes geeez), I loved the messiness of all the relationships. Everything goes wrong that can go wrong, because people don't know what to do, how to cope. I love how Nelson crafts (partly) dysfunctional families and grief. I will sure read whatever she publishes next...
4,5 Stars
Lennie has just lost her sister, the lively Bailey, and cannot cope with the grief. As their mother left them when they were small, she lives with her Gram and her uncle, whose way of expressing their grief differs from her needs. She does not know who she is without her sister while finding out that her sister kept secrets, major secrets, from her. Only her sister's boyfriend, Toby, seems to get her and their mutual understanding for their loss brings them closer together - closer than they should be. But Lennie has also met Joe, the new guy in the school band, who brings out the best in her, who makes her question who she wants to be and why. Lennon is torn between her awakening sexuality, grief, love, coming to terms with her loss, finding an identity without her sister, and growing up.
Even though the story has some YA tropes (hot damn gurl, you so beautiful, you're getting all the guys /// soooo cheesy sometimes geeez), I loved the messiness of all the relationships. Everything goes wrong that can go wrong, because people don't know what to do, how to cope. I love how Nelson crafts (partly) dysfunctional families and grief. I will sure read whatever she publishes next...
4,5 Stars
sidekicka7x's review against another edition
5.0
I want to read everything Jandy ever writes. Her stories are like poetry and I'm absolutely in love with them. Everything about this book is right. It's so amazing, I do believe Jandy has just become part of my Instabuy Author's.
laurenbachman7's review against another edition
3.0
Jandy Nelson is a great writer, no doubt about it. I LOVED "I'll Give You the Sun," but unfortunately, this one did not live up to my expectations. There were some similar themes interwoven between the two but the execution of this book was not in my taste.
I didn't have any major issues, just minor irritants that added up over the course of the book. The main character, Lennie, made a lot of poor choices in the name of grief that I just couldn't rationalize considering how much she hurt other people. The behavior of some of the characters appeared as an attempt for them to be quirky, but I just didn't find it realistic in many cases. Teenagers don't often speak or act like this, nor is it believable to include proclamations of undying love and devotion with so little basis of a relationship. I recognize the attempt at passion and romance, but I felt it was too lustful and sophisticated for a newly-budding teenage relationship.
As I mentioned, Nelson is a fantastic writer who has a way with words and crafting a story. She creates complicated characters that readers can feel for as they navigate the complications of life. While I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped, and I definitely think "I'll Give You the Sun" is much better, I can't not recommend this for people who like passionate YA love triangle, grief-stricken, quirky family stories who sometimes don't have all the answers.
I didn't have any major issues, just minor irritants that added up over the course of the book. The main character, Lennie, made a lot of poor choices in the name of grief that I just couldn't rationalize considering how much she hurt other people. The behavior of some of the characters appeared as an attempt for them to be quirky, but I just didn't find it realistic in many cases. Teenagers don't often speak or act like this, nor is it believable to include proclamations of undying love and devotion with so little basis of a relationship. I recognize the attempt at passion and romance, but I felt it was too lustful and sophisticated for a newly-budding teenage relationship.
As I mentioned, Nelson is a fantastic writer who has a way with words and crafting a story. She creates complicated characters that readers can feel for as they navigate the complications of life. While I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped, and I definitely think "I'll Give You the Sun" is much better, I can't not recommend this for people who like passionate YA love triangle, grief-stricken, quirky family stories who sometimes don't have all the answers.
laurawantsmore's review against another edition
4.0
This is a really sweet and gripping read. I loved the characters and the idea that even after such a tragic loss life still goes on and the emotions that come with it. I'm very lucky and haven't lost anyone that I have been extremely close with so I couldn't exactly relate to the character but at the same time I could understand what she was going through. This was so well written.
edith01's review against another edition
4.0
I went into this book with high expectations as I absolutely adored I'll give you the sun. I was slightly disappointed at the start because the romance started really quickly and unrealistically but then it became more developed and I got more into the characters. The plot was really interesting and Lennie's arc was so human and you learn all her lessons along with her. And I just love Jandy's writing style so much it's honestly so gorgeous and reads so well. I also loved the music side of the story probably because I'm also a clarinettist but it was really eye opening about what music means and how it can make you feel. Overall it was extremely well written more as you get further into the book.
kaitlyn_meehan's review against another edition
2.0
This book was okay. There wasn’t anything that stood out as astoundingly great or moving in it. But it provides an interesting insight on dealing with grief and how it never truly comes to an end as long as you love that person. For that reason I like it.
mariiixh's review against another edition
5.0
This is definitely my all time favorite book. It was humorous, heart warming, and even heart breaking. I cried a couple times while reading this book...but it is by far the best book I have ever read. It makes you want to fall in love. You start to feel like you are IN the book. You start falling in love with the characters...oh..Joe Fontaine. <3 This is a fantastic book, and I highly recommend it.