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iceangel32's review against another edition
5.0
I will start with this was a really good middle school book. I wish I read it back then. This book was not just about Nola and the boys, it was about loss and change. It showed how different people deal with change and loss. The ending was also good, it was not Disney it was very realistic. This was another great book from Kody.
brandypainter's review against another edition
3.0
A good middle grade story about facing the changes that come with growing up and learning how to adapt. Middle school is a difficult time for friendships and Keplinger captures that difficulty and how the regular hardships of life can make or break them. It is a bittersweet story, but mostly well told. There were parts of the narrative that felt a little too contrived and didn't flow as well as other books of the same ilk, but it is one I can see my middle grade students liking very much.
emilyprinci's review against another edition
3.0
It was a cute story about friendship. Some parts left me a little emotional, I won’t lie. The boys dad leaves and everything changes, and their best friend has to deal with those changes and tries to make the situation better. When she can’t, she does her own thing and finds new friends, but something leads the boys and her back together. I liked that it wasn’t romance focused at all. Loses stars because of the lack of description, made it really hard to visualize the story and characters.
spuriousdiphthongs's review against another edition
4.0
This was a quick read, due to its reading level but it was cute. I enjoyed how it touched on socio-economic status. It also did an excellent job of portraying male-female friendships without a huge implication of romance. All in all, a cute quick read that is great for its intended age group.
wuthrinheights's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The book started out a little slow but after some time, the characters really grow on you. The story was a little heavy, dealing with divorces while growing up. It was a real tear-jerker, and Nola was such an excellent main character, my heart truly broke whenever hers broke. Her narration was so life-like, I felt like I really was in her shoes. The constant flashbacks really helped develop the world of the Swift boys and her. It was a great book to me, where every character had their own developments that warmed my heart.
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Death of parent, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse
izthereader's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
gabieowleyess's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book A LOT. Kody Keplinger just has a way with words that no one else has. I love how she is able to put very important themes into an extremely fun story-line. This one was not any different. I wasn't sure if she could do it with a middle grade book but she did. Can't wait to read more from her. She has easily become one of my favorite authors.
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sonoraslater's review against another edition
It was good, and I liked the story... but I the ending wasn't my favorite.
yapha's review against another edition
4.0
Nola Sutton has grown up in one half of a duplex with the three Swift brothers on the other half. She considers them her best friends, especially Canaan, the middle brother, who is in her grade. But when their father suddenly leaves, the three boys deal with this in different ways, pulling away from Nola and each other. She tries everything she can to fix the situation, and is deeply hurt by the loss of her closest friends. A good story about friendship and loss, and what it means to be a good friend. Recommended for grades 4-8.
maryanne19's review against another edition
4.0
Very different from Kody Keplinger's other books, as this is middle grades. Sweet story of friendship.