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siriuspurple's review against another edition
3.0
Seriously, I thought the secret was going to be something bigger than it was.
colleenlovestoread's review against another edition
5.0
When I first began "The Opposite of Me: A Novel" I thought, "Oh no, another book about a stressed out workaholic New York woman who loses her job and finds out what she really wants in life...boring!". Then I progressed in the book and realized it was so much more than that, and that I loved it! I actually did laugh out loud at some of the comments Lindsey makes in her head and got a little weepy towards the end (most of this happening in the confines of my office so I am sure my coworkers now think I am crazy!). This is such a great read that I plan to recommend it to many of my reader friends. I cannot relate to the complicated, mixed-bag-of-emotions relationship between Lindsey and Alex, but the book is written so well that you don't have to have experienced what the characters are going through to really feel what they are feeling. I just can't praise it enough. You will finish the book feeling calm, clear and highly satisfied!
howifeelaboutbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Lindsey and Alex are fraternal twins and complete opposites. One is the "smart" twin, and one is the "pretty" twin. Though Lindsey is on the road to major success at an ad agency in New York City, she's always been jealous of Alex, who things seem to come easy to because she's beautiful. When Lindsey's job spirals out of control, she moves back home to Bethesda, Maryland. There she learns a lot about family, her sister, and who Lindsey really is. Another great read by Pekkanen that will suck you right in.
endlessreader's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, so I've got a crapload of sisters. I have two older sisters and two younger sisters (although the youngest sister is 16 years younger than me and only six so she really doesn't fit into the competitive mold), so I understood the relationship between Lindsey and Alex perfectly. While my sisters and I have all gotten over the whole competitiveness a few years ago, I still remember when it was rampant during our teenage years and it was FIERCE! So, again, I identified with Lindsey on that and that was why originally I intended to give this book five stars. But then, it turned for me.
I liked The Opposite of Me for the most part, but in the beginning I thought that it was wonderful. I loved it and couldn't wait to get back to it when I put it down. I just loved Lindsey and was so curious about her relationship with Alex. But then the sob story happened. I'm sorry, but does EVERYTHING have to have a sob story?! Don't get me wrong, I don't want the very few chick-lits I read to be all fluffy and airless, it's just that that particular sob story has been done to death. I would've preferred a different sob story, one that doesn't happen in every other women's fiction/chick-lit book. And another thing: that HUGE family secret? A bit on the disappointing side and just made Alex seem more like a Mary Sue. And I don't like Mary Sue characters. At all. Also, I didn't buy that crap that Alex said (very mild spoiler here) about not knowing that Lindsey was jealous of her. No one is that oblivious.
Now that I got that off my chest, I have to say that I did like some of the other aspects of The Opposite of Me. I loved the whole dating service storyline. I thought that it was actually a good way to have a dating service. I also adored Lindsey's parents. They were just so cute and hilarious. Speaking of hilarious, Matt was also great. Such a sweet and great friend. Basically, all of the supporting characters in this book were good. Plus, this book was a major (and I do mean MAJOR cause even when I was bitchin about it, I couldn't put it down) page-turner. I basically read it in one day in breaks between my classes.
So, regardless of my little rant above, I did like The Opposite of Me. I thought it was pretty funny and pretty sweet if a bit predictable. However, I would've liked it more if it had been sans big sob story and a little more about the sisters dealing with their issues without that major thing prompting it.
I liked The Opposite of Me for the most part, but in the beginning I thought that it was wonderful. I loved it and couldn't wait to get back to it when I put it down. I just loved Lindsey and was so curious about her relationship with Alex. But then the sob story happened. I'm sorry, but does EVERYTHING have to have a sob story?! Don't get me wrong, I don't want the very few chick-lits I read to be all fluffy and airless, it's just that that particular sob story has been done to death. I would've preferred a different sob story, one that doesn't happen in every other women's fiction/chick-lit book. And another thing: that HUGE family secret? A bit on the disappointing side and just made Alex seem more like a Mary Sue. And I don't like Mary Sue characters. At all. Also, I didn't buy that crap that Alex said (very mild spoiler here) about not knowing that Lindsey was jealous of her. No one is that oblivious.
Now that I got that off my chest, I have to say that I did like some of the other aspects of The Opposite of Me. I loved the whole dating service storyline. I thought that it was actually a good way to have a dating service. I also adored Lindsey's parents. They were just so cute and hilarious. Speaking of hilarious, Matt was also great. Such a sweet and great friend. Basically, all of the supporting characters in this book were good. Plus, this book was a major (and I do mean MAJOR cause even when I was bitchin about it, I couldn't put it down) page-turner. I basically read it in one day in breaks between my classes.
So, regardless of my little rant above, I did like The Opposite of Me. I thought it was pretty funny and pretty sweet if a bit predictable. However, I would've liked it more if it had been sans big sob story and a little more about the sisters dealing with their issues without that major thing prompting it.
eljabo's review against another edition
4.0
This may be one of my favorite books of 2011. At first I thought Lindsey was a whiny brat, but she quickly grew on me. It was fun to watch Lindsey discover a new side to herself - and I'm a sucker for a life-altering makeover like the one that takes place in this book.
Yes, some of the plot points are cliche, and I figured out the ending pretty early on. However, the characters are warm and well developed, the writing flows and the story is enjoyable to read. It felt a bit like a cozy blanket.
Yes, some of the plot points are cliche, and I figured out the ending pretty early on. However, the characters are warm and well developed, the writing flows and the story is enjoyable to read. It felt a bit like a cozy blanket.
bookworm_mommy's review against another edition
This is potentially the best book I�ve read this summer�or in awhile. Not bad for Sarah Pekkanen�s new book. \nEngaging\n Funny\n Entertaining\n Thought-provoking\nLindsey and her fraternal twin sister, Alex, have always had clearly defined roles in their family, friends, and life. Alex is the beautiful sister and has focused on being the center of attention, sculpting her life and career around her looks and appeal.\nMeanwhile, Lindsey is the smart, successful sister. She has a skyrocketing career in advertising and lives for her work. \nThen her whole world implodes over night. And she left not certain who she is and where to go. Returning home seems the only option. But that means returning to life in Alex�s shadow. However, Alex is about to endure life changes of her own.\nThe sisters learn together how to cope and to begin to discover who they truly are.\nLOVED this book. It was hard to put down. The characters were engaging. The story line wasn�t completely predictable � it was at a comforting level. And, having a sister of my own (who has always been both the �pretty� and the �smart� one), I could relate. Although I�m glad my sister and I each found our own identities apart from what others said about each of us sooner than Lindsey and Alex did.\nI recommend reading this one for sure.\n
njackson14's review against another edition
5.0
Another great book about the love between sisters and the struggles of life.
tara3117's review against another edition
3.0
This book reads like every book I've read recently: two women, one is smart, the other is pretty and they hate each other for what the other one has. Except that they don't hate each other because of some deeper bond, in this case, sisterhood. Welcome to the Chick Lit Pity Party. This book has the added element of tragedy that I'm usually all about. It is of course through that tragedy that we learn about everyone's insecurities and now everyone sees everyone else in a different light and we all have a better understanding of each other. Cue theme music and end credits because I think I'm reading a Full House episode.
There's nothing particularly wrong with this book except that it's lacking originality in a major major way. Wake me up when someone has an original story line...
There's nothing particularly wrong with this book except that it's lacking originality in a major major way. Wake me up when someone has an original story line...
whatsheread's review against another edition
3.0
Labeled as chick lit, I find The Opposite of Me to be more substantial than that. There are life lessons to learn and self-reflection to consider. Ms. Pekkanen's story comes to life through human emotion and her characters' very real issues.
Lindsey is the perfect heroine, in that she faces a challenge and through her own self-reflection, realizes that life is about taking chances. Through her experiences, the reader gets an accurate assessment that we all need to stop and reflect on our lives, determine our wants and needs and adjust them if necessary. We need to understand what success means to each of us. More importantly, we need to enjoy life. To quote one of my favorite movies, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it" (Ferris Bueller). Ms. Pekkanen drives home this advice through Lindsey.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the novel is the lesson in empathy Ms. Pekkanen shares with the reader. Lindsey's main problem is the fact that she never stops to consider what others are experiencing. Lindsey is very self-absorbed, which proves to be one of her main downfalls early on in the story. As she grows and learns to put herself in others' shoes, only then does she begin to move forward with her life. Again, this is a lesson we can all afford to learn.
The Opposite of Me proves to be the perfect summer read. It has all of the elements - humor, heavy on relationships, romantic, a life crisis or two, soul-searching, and a happy ending. It is slightly predictable yet enjoyable and engaging. I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Pekkanen.
Lindsey is the perfect heroine, in that she faces a challenge and through her own self-reflection, realizes that life is about taking chances. Through her experiences, the reader gets an accurate assessment that we all need to stop and reflect on our lives, determine our wants and needs and adjust them if necessary. We need to understand what success means to each of us. More importantly, we need to enjoy life. To quote one of my favorite movies, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it" (Ferris Bueller). Ms. Pekkanen drives home this advice through Lindsey.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the novel is the lesson in empathy Ms. Pekkanen shares with the reader. Lindsey's main problem is the fact that she never stops to consider what others are experiencing. Lindsey is very self-absorbed, which proves to be one of her main downfalls early on in the story. As she grows and learns to put herself in others' shoes, only then does she begin to move forward with her life. Again, this is a lesson we can all afford to learn.
The Opposite of Me proves to be the perfect summer read. It has all of the elements - humor, heavy on relationships, romantic, a life crisis or two, soul-searching, and a happy ending. It is slightly predictable yet enjoyable and engaging. I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Pekkanen.