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follypotter's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I had a hard time finishing this one. The main character was grating on me from the first page in. Chelsea is the stereotypical 16yo mean girl from the early 2010s who judges everyone around her, really only cares about her ex or her beau, and never makes any movement towards growth other than learning to apologize when people are mad at you and not getting back together with her ex that was terrible to her. I know I thought this book was just okay when I was that age, but now it’s so painful to read and upon reflection I am concerned about how I once viewed her actions throughout the book as valid.
misajane79's review
4.0
Let's be honest: that fourth star was given simply because of the setting: a living history museum. The first two chapters had me in hysterics. I know way too many people that are exactly like this, both teens and adults.
Chelsea is a great character: a little rebellious, not super thoughtful, and still trying to figure things out. In other words, a typical teen.
I'm not sure if folks who don't have a connection to living history will love this quite as much, but I've already started recommending it to all sorts of friends.
Chelsea is a great character: a little rebellious, not super thoughtful, and still trying to figure things out. In other words, a typical teen.
I'm not sure if folks who don't have a connection to living history will love this quite as much, but I've already started recommending it to all sorts of friends.
trisha_thomas's review
4.0
I loved this one.
Chelsea / Elisabeth Connoley was hilarious and bright, witty and yet very very stuck and clueless about love.
Fiona, Ezra and Dan - and the whole reenactment community - was such a fun addition to this story that really helped it stand out
and the war was awesome!
Chelsea / Elisabeth Connoley was hilarious and bright, witty and yet very very stuck and clueless about love.
Fiona, Ezra and Dan - and the whole reenactment community - was such a fun addition to this story that really helped it stand out
and the war was awesome!
maggiemaggio's review
4.0
4.5 stars
This is going to be a GUSHING review because I loved this book so much I don’t even know if I can form coherent sentences. But I will try. This is just such a “ME” book. I love history, I love a good kissing romance, and I love a smart, spunky main character. Let’s go through all of those, shall we?
The history? I love history, I majored in American Studies in college so I’ve been a fan of American history for a while. While I wouldn’t say historical reenactment villages like the one where Chelsea works have ever been my thing, I still loved the concept. A big part of the story is also about the “war” that happens between Chelsea’s colonial village and the Civil War reenactment village that’s across the street. I LOVED all of this. It was so funny to hear what the Colonials thought of the Civil Warriors and vice versa. Who knew historical reenactors were so nuts??
I’m skipping ahead to the amazing main character that is Chelsea. She was just the best. She was funny, she was smart, she was snarky…she was pretty much everything I want in a main character. I can’t even begin to describe how many times I laughed out loud while reading this book. Chelsea’s hilarious observations, awkward situations, and her completely wacky parents were all fantastic. I even loved her best friend and I am not normally a fan of best friends. There were points where I wished Chelsea would just get over her ex-boyfriend, but ultimately even that storyline helped reveal how amazing Chelsea is. Really I just want Chelsea to be my new BFF.
The romance was really great, too. I loved how it was more of a slow-burn romance and even though there were issues around them getting together there was never any crazy drama. There was also kissing, lots of kissing. Swoon.
What didn’t I love? Two things. First, there’s part of the story where a graveyard gets vandalized and while it’s treated in a serious way in the story, I didn’t think it was really handled as seriously as it should have been. Maybe it’s just me, but I think cemeteries are sacred places and I can’t imagine respecting someone who would destroy a 250 year old grave. Second, the cover. I would love to own and re-read this book, but with this cover that is not happening. I guess the girl is supposed to be Chelsea, but she doesn’t really look like how I thought she was described. Also, I see no reason for her to be dressed in a hideous green leather trench coat while standing trying to catch what I think are raindrops on her tongue. It’s truly bizarre.
Bottom Line: I have my complaints, but really they’re minor when it comes to this amazing book. The history, the humor of the main character, and the romance all worked together to make a book that’s pretty damn near perfect, in my opinion.
This review originally appeared on my blog.
This is going to be a GUSHING review because I loved this book so much I don’t even know if I can form coherent sentences. But I will try. This is just such a “ME” book. I love history, I love a good kissing romance, and I love a smart, spunky main character. Let’s go through all of those, shall we?
The history? I love history, I majored in American Studies in college so I’ve been a fan of American history for a while. While I wouldn’t say historical reenactment villages like the one where Chelsea works have ever been my thing, I still loved the concept. A big part of the story is also about the “war” that happens between Chelsea’s colonial village and the Civil War reenactment village that’s across the street. I LOVED all of this. It was so funny to hear what the Colonials thought of the Civil Warriors and vice versa. Who knew historical reenactors were so nuts??
I’m skipping ahead to the amazing main character that is Chelsea. She was just the best. She was funny, she was smart, she was snarky…she was pretty much everything I want in a main character. I can’t even begin to describe how many times I laughed out loud while reading this book. Chelsea’s hilarious observations, awkward situations, and her completely wacky parents were all fantastic. I even loved her best friend and I am not normally a fan of best friends. There were points where I wished Chelsea would just get over her ex-boyfriend, but ultimately even that storyline helped reveal how amazing Chelsea is. Really I just want Chelsea to be my new BFF.
The romance was really great, too. I loved how it was more of a slow-burn romance and even though there were issues around them getting together there was never any crazy drama. There was also kissing, lots of kissing. Swoon.
What didn’t I love? Two things. First, there’s part of the story where a graveyard gets vandalized and while it’s treated in a serious way in the story, I didn’t think it was really handled as seriously as it should have been. Maybe it’s just me, but I think cemeteries are sacred places and I can’t imagine respecting someone who would destroy a 250 year old grave. Second, the cover. I would love to own and re-read this book, but with this cover that is not happening. I guess the girl is supposed to be Chelsea, but she doesn’t really look like how I thought she was described. Also, I see no reason for her to be dressed in a hideous green leather trench coat while standing trying to catch what I think are raindrops on her tongue. It’s truly bizarre.
Bottom Line: I have my complaints, but really they’re minor when it comes to this amazing book. The history, the humor of the main character, and the romance all worked together to make a book that’s pretty damn near perfect, in my opinion.
This review originally appeared on my blog.
maddycat8's review
4.0
I thought this book was great nice light read was a cute little pick me up with some great truths and lessons to be learned. The plot was unique in a sense but still held its own. Our narrator, Chelsea, or Elizabeth, as she is called in Essex. Chelsea has been working at Essex for as long as she can remember, her parents work their as well, and you could say that they get a little wrapped up in the whole charade. Every summer there is a war between Essex and the other history park across the street, Reenactmentland. This year, things are different, this year Chelsea falls for the enemy and no one can no about it, not even her best friend. Too add to that her ex-boyfriend is working at Essex as well and she still isn't over him and what they shared before he broke up with her almost 4 months ago. Through the ups and downs of this book I would say that Chelsea grew and became a better person in the end,she is still young and has plenty more growing to do, but by the end she knew her mistakes and realized what she had wasn't perfect. I though Chelsea was sweet and a very relatable character. :)
jennifervu's review
5.0
Sweet, easy, and quick read! The romance was lovely and the war was epic! I also got a history lesson out of this and since I'm in U.S. History, it also helped me with my studies. Win-Win situation! I guarantee you'll love this book! :)
noura_rizk's review
4.0
I'll just quote some of the things that really hit me..
Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it
"you broke my heart. I couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. And when I slept, I couldn’t wake up in the morning because that’s how much I couldn’t face the day"
And I’ve been standing on the same spot now since it’s been over.—Shout Out Louds
I guess I just wanted reassurance that it had been real; we had been happy together.That I hadn’t made up the whole thing
The first person you fall for creates a model for how you approach relationships going forward. Like, it frames how you’ll look at every person who you date after that.
Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it
"you broke my heart. I couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. And when I slept, I couldn’t wake up in the morning because that’s how much I couldn’t face the day"
And I’ve been standing on the same spot now since it’s been over.—Shout Out Louds
I guess I just wanted reassurance that it had been real; we had been happy together.That I hadn’t made up the whole thing
The first person you fall for creates a model for how you approach relationships going forward. Like, it frames how you’ll look at every person who you date after that.
bokbubblan's review
4.0
Enligt mina anteckningar tyckte jag om den här boken. Jag hade däremot inte gett ett rakt besked om hur många tandborstar, men men...
Boken är mysig och rolig så man drar på munnen... OCH SKRATTAR! Den är inte jättedjup, men precis lagom.
De sommarjobbar liksom på ett... jag har verkligen inte en aning om vad vi kallar det på svenska, men då man klär ut sig och låsas leva i en annan tid. Det är kul. Plus att stället som vår huvudkaraktär jobbar på har en konkurrent precis på andra sidan vägen. Och det är lite Romeo och Juliet möter du kommer bli en social piraya. Öhm, jag hoppas verkligen att ingen läser mina osammanhängande omdömen.
Boken är mysig och rolig så man drar på munnen... OCH SKRATTAR! Den är inte jättedjup, men precis lagom.
De sommarjobbar liksom på ett... jag har verkligen inte en aning om vad vi kallar det på svenska, men då man klär ut sig och låsas leva i en annan tid. Det är kul. Plus att stället som vår huvudkaraktär jobbar på har en konkurrent precis på andra sidan vägen. Och det är lite Romeo och Juliet möter du kommer bli en social piraya. Öhm, jag hoppas verkligen att ingen läser mina osammanhängande omdömen.
nextbestcoast's review
3.0
So cute. Dan is adorable. Buut, I mean, the book on a whole wasn't hugely interesting.
poachedeggs's review
3.0
3.5 stars.
This is quite a funny YA chick-lit novel about summertime love, told in the first person. While the philosophical elements (musings on the nature of history and how that plays a part in the protagonist's life as an interpreter in a re-enactment village as well as her romantic relationships) are quite elementary, they are also sweetly authentic - Chelsea Glaser is no brainy creation of [a:John Green|1406384|John Green|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1300041951p2/1406384.jpg], which I find pretty refreshing.
Chelsea's inability to see certain things that are blindingly obvious, though, can get a little unbelievable ()... and this is where I took off a star, especially near the end of the book.
Another quibble I have is with regard to Sales's tendency to side-step the more unpleasant side of life - there are hints that Dan, Chelsea's love interest, has a difficult home situation, but the reader never really gets a clear idea of this, and how this might affect his view of life. For this reason, the resolution to the story rings a little false; I am not sure all the bitterness can just be swept under the carpet, and summertime fun be translated into indefinitely lasting happiness.
This is quite a funny YA chick-lit novel about summertime love, told in the first person. While the philosophical elements (musings on the nature of history and how that plays a part in the protagonist's life as an interpreter in a re-enactment village as well as her romantic relationships) are quite elementary, they are also sweetly authentic - Chelsea Glaser is no brainy creation of [a:John Green|1406384|John Green|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1300041951p2/1406384.jpg], which I find pretty refreshing.
Chelsea's inability to see certain things that are blindingly obvious, though, can get a little unbelievable (
Spoiler
really, Chelsea, you don't get that your best friend Fiona is angry with you not because of 'the war' but because you didn't confide in her?Another quibble I have is with regard to Sales's tendency to side-step the more unpleasant side of life - there are hints that Dan, Chelsea's love interest, has a difficult home situation, but the reader never really gets a clear idea of this, and how this might affect his view of life. For this reason, the resolution to the story rings a little false; I am not sure all the bitterness can just be swept under the carpet, and summertime fun be translated into indefinitely lasting happiness.