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bekaaaah's review against another edition
2.0
Sarah is a bright high school student with the whole future ahead of her. Her worries consist of which college she’ll go to…and her crush on twenty-one-year-old poetry teacher, Mr. Haddings. Everything changes in an instant when Sarah is hit by a car—and the driver turns out to be her long-time crush. This intense story follows Sarah and Mr. Haddings thoughts as they struggle to live with the consequences of the day she was hit.
I struggle with a lot of mixed emotions pertaining to how I feel about Hit, so writing this review is really difficult for me. Especially since I don’t like writing negative things about someone’s hard work and I truly believe every book has something to offer. But I also have to be honest about my opinion…which is just that, my opinion. I’m going to try and make this easier for myself by simply sharing both what I liked and what I didn’t like. What I liked—my favorite part of this book was the poetry. I adore poetry and the poems included in this book were just beautiful. I liked how the book was separated into three parts—three days. It made it easy to follow along. Another positive was that Hit is undoubtedly one of the most unique stories I’ve read. An interesting fact is that it was inspired by a true story, making it all the more intriguing. The last thing I’d like to mention is that the writing style was incredibly easy and I read the book fairly fast thanks to the lovely storytelling…a big upside for me. Now onto the hard part—what I didn’t like. My main complaint would be that we barely get a background on the characters before the chaos ensues, making it almost impossible to become invested in the story. Certain characters were downright annoying and unbearably selfish, which considering the intense circumstances I guess could be understandable as well as realistic. However, as the reader, having a severe dislike for all of the characters is obviously a huge downside. Though the first part of the book held promise, it went downhill starting with day two. There was just so much unneeded drama and angst—making the book seem overall, for lack of a better word, shallow. And adding romance to the story? All it did was annoy me as it was incredibly inappropriate and not at all romantic.
I gave Hit a 2 star rating, because while I didn’t enjoy it I thought it had admirable aspects that I truly did appreciate—like the lovely storytelling and intriguing plot. I have read a lot of positive reviews from fellow readers who enjoyed it, one of the main reasons I was so excited to check this book out. But alas, we can’t all like the same things all the time and unfortunately that was the case with Hit…all it left me with was disappointment.
**I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FROM BOOKLOOK BLOGGERS IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.
http://www.willbakeforbooks.com/2014/11/review-hit-lorie-ann-grover/
I struggle with a lot of mixed emotions pertaining to how I feel about Hit, so writing this review is really difficult for me. Especially since I don’t like writing negative things about someone’s hard work and I truly believe every book has something to offer. But I also have to be honest about my opinion…which is just that, my opinion. I’m going to try and make this easier for myself by simply sharing both what I liked and what I didn’t like. What I liked—my favorite part of this book was the poetry. I adore poetry and the poems included in this book were just beautiful. I liked how the book was separated into three parts—three days. It made it easy to follow along. Another positive was that Hit is undoubtedly one of the most unique stories I’ve read. An interesting fact is that it was inspired by a true story, making it all the more intriguing. The last thing I’d like to mention is that the writing style was incredibly easy and I read the book fairly fast thanks to the lovely storytelling…a big upside for me. Now onto the hard part—what I didn’t like. My main complaint would be that we barely get a background on the characters before the chaos ensues, making it almost impossible to become invested in the story. Certain characters were downright annoying and unbearably selfish, which considering the intense circumstances I guess could be understandable as well as realistic. However, as the reader, having a severe dislike for all of the characters is obviously a huge downside. Though the first part of the book held promise, it went downhill starting with day two. There was just so much unneeded drama and angst—making the book seem overall, for lack of a better word, shallow. And adding romance to the story? All it did was annoy me as it was incredibly inappropriate and not at all romantic.
I gave Hit a 2 star rating, because while I didn’t enjoy it I thought it had admirable aspects that I truly did appreciate—like the lovely storytelling and intriguing plot. I have read a lot of positive reviews from fellow readers who enjoyed it, one of the main reasons I was so excited to check this book out. But alas, we can’t all like the same things all the time and unfortunately that was the case with Hit…all it left me with was disappointment.
**I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FROM BOOKLOOK BLOGGERS IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.
http://www.willbakeforbooks.com/2014/11/review-hit-lorie-ann-grover/
gardenrose's review against another edition
3.0
Nice and light simple read. I didn't expect much going into it and wasn't surprised at all. It was a generic romance.I didn't like how there was no character or plot built up or background. But, it's nice to pick up if you want something quick.
tjlcody's review against another edition
1.0
Didn't particularly like this one.
I think the thing that irritated me the most was just how vicious Sarah's family was towards Haddings.
I could understand that level of viciousness towards someone who was drunk, or having a full texting conversation and hit someone- but ffs it was an accident. Like Sarah's dad pointed out, it was something that could have happened to anyone (and everyone thought he was a jerk for pointing out the freaking truth).
But they all acted like he did it deliberately. They acted like the guy just ran her down for the hell of it, maliciously, and I just- It was a remarkable amount of vitriol towards someone who just glanced down for a second. Everyone's done that driving at least once, and if you say you haven't, I say you're flat-out lying to me.
They just kept harping on this "WHY DID HE DO THIS TO SARAH?" thing, and it's just... It's unrealistic. Shit happens. They talk he did it maliciously, and I'm sorry, but I just don't buy it.
I also didn't buy how, after all that, all it took was a punch to the eye and the guy was suddenly forgiven by everyone. Not especially well-written.
I think the thing that irritated me the most was just how vicious Sarah's family was towards Haddings.
I could understand that level of viciousness towards someone who was drunk, or having a full texting conversation and hit someone- but ffs it was an accident. Like Sarah's dad pointed out, it was something that could have happened to anyone (and everyone thought he was a jerk for pointing out the freaking truth).
But they all acted like he did it deliberately. They acted like the guy just ran her down for the hell of it, maliciously, and I just- It was a remarkable amount of vitriol towards someone who just glanced down for a second. Everyone's done that driving at least once, and if you say you haven't, I say you're flat-out lying to me.
They just kept harping on this "WHY DID HE DO THIS TO SARAH?" thing, and it's just... It's unrealistic. Shit happens. They talk he did it maliciously, and I'm sorry, but I just don't buy it.
I also didn't buy how, after all that, all it took was a punch to the eye and the guy was suddenly forgiven by everyone. Not especially well-written.
kkayleen's review against another edition
1.0
i only picked it up because i have a student/teacher thing and unfortunately this was the absolute worst execution of student/teacher i've ever seen. she has no idea how he feels about him... he breaks up with her through a poem... and yet she was caught in between his legs, biting her lip, in the middle of a high school? my ass. 🙄 what in the hell did one single character even look like and what were their interests besides an obsession with poorly written poetry and the same classic poetry everyone "loves." it's like Grover was never actually a high school girl.
also can someone please tell me why Sarah's younger brother was literally only consumed by how she looked and then by her best friend? not an ounce of genuine concern. trash. world's flattest characters.
"oh Cydni & her mother, Chantelle, are here?"
WHO WRITES LIKE THAT
also can someone please tell me why Sarah's younger brother was literally only consumed by how she looked and then by her best friend? not an ounce of genuine concern. trash. world's flattest characters.
"oh Cydni & her mother, Chantelle, are here?"
WHO WRITES LIKE THAT
amandamccormick's review against another edition
5.0
After receiving a full-ride scholarship to Mills College for Girls, it appears Sarah's future is all laid out before her … that is until she walks into a poetry class led by Mr. Haddings, a student teacher from the nearby University of Washington. Suddenly, life on the UW campus seems very appealing, and Sarah finds herself using her poetry journal to subtly declare her feelings for Haddings. Convinced Mr. Haddings is flirting back, she sets off for school in the rain with a poem in her back pocket—one that will declare her feelings once and for all.
Mr. Haddings has noticed Sarah's attention; the fallout from any perceived relationship with a student is too great a risk, and he has decided to end all speculation that morning.
But everything changes when Mr. Haddings feels a thud on his front bumper when he glances away from the road, and finds Sarah in the street with blood pooling beneath her. - Book Information
I received a copy of this book from Book Look Bloggers in exchange for an honest review, and I'm honestly glad that I did! What I thought was going to be a cute little story turned into something much deeper and thought provoking than I realized.
The description above actually gives away most of the plot of the novel, but it is the way that it unfolds after her crash that truly catches my attention. There is wonderful character development, as well as an opening for questions; are the events playing out this way JUST because Sarah was in a crash... or were these decisions that each character would have made all along?
Something that I also really enjoyed about this novel was the fact that it's told in dual perspectives. Chapters are led by either Sarah or Haddings, and doing so really gives us a perspective and taste for both individuals and their story.
The only thing about this book that I didn't like (that I loved) was the fact that we aren't given a complete conclusion. We're left to wonder... and that's actually a beautiful thing. If a book leaves me screaming "More, More!" Then the author did a good job.
5/5 stars. I think it's pretty amazing!
Mr. Haddings has noticed Sarah's attention; the fallout from any perceived relationship with a student is too great a risk, and he has decided to end all speculation that morning.
But everything changes when Mr. Haddings feels a thud on his front bumper when he glances away from the road, and finds Sarah in the street with blood pooling beneath her. - Book Information
I received a copy of this book from Book Look Bloggers in exchange for an honest review, and I'm honestly glad that I did! What I thought was going to be a cute little story turned into something much deeper and thought provoking than I realized.
The description above actually gives away most of the plot of the novel, but it is the way that it unfolds after her crash that truly catches my attention. There is wonderful character development, as well as an opening for questions; are the events playing out this way JUST because Sarah was in a crash... or were these decisions that each character would have made all along?
Something that I also really enjoyed about this novel was the fact that it's told in dual perspectives. Chapters are led by either Sarah or Haddings, and doing so really gives us a perspective and taste for both individuals and their story.
The only thing about this book that I didn't like (that I loved) was the fact that we aren't given a complete conclusion. We're left to wonder... and that's actually a beautiful thing. If a book leaves me screaming "More, More!" Then the author did a good job.
5/5 stars. I think it's pretty amazing!
babs_books's review against another edition
2.0
I have extremely mixed feelings about Hit. The premise was intriguing, I really liked the briefness Grover wrote with and how quickly the story moved. I loved the small details she put in about the hospital procedures (like CAT scans making you feel like you need to pee). I instantly connected with Sarah and was rooting for her, I understood her families anger and difficulty coping. The parts of the book through Sarah’s head I really enjoyed.
What I didn’t like: the fact that Sarah is discharged at the end of the book. It seemed inconceivable to me that she was emergency airlifted to hospital, had emergency brain surgery and is discharged on day 3, when they’re still unsure of permanent brain damage. Surely the risk of complications alone would get her a few extra days in a general medical ward. Instead she appears to be discharged straight from ICU. For somebody who seemed to have taken time on the small details, like mentioning catheterisation and drains, it seemed like a strange leap to make. I also found Haddings character extremely unlikable. I understood he himself was young, but he was still an adult. Him denying any feelings and insisting to remain professional while sending her mixed messages infuriated me. I also hated that he basically stalked her. I get guilt, and I could emphasise with him over his shock of the accident but it seemed to me that his motivations were selfish, not wanting Sarah to be okay because her cared about her but so he could confess his feelings to her/set her straight, depending on how he was feeling at the time.
Overall, there were too many problems with this book for me to enjoy it. I feel like if it was dual perspectives between Sarah and her family, or even Sarah and a random hospital nurse/doctor I would have enjoyed it more. Or if the book had been longer and went more into Sarah’s recovery, how her and her family dealt post crash I might have given it more stars. As it stands this story holds a lot of promise but just doesn’t deliver.
What I didn’t like: the fact that Sarah is discharged at the end of the book. It seemed inconceivable to me that she was emergency airlifted to hospital, had emergency brain surgery and is discharged on day 3, when they’re still unsure of permanent brain damage. Surely the risk of complications alone would get her a few extra days in a general medical ward. Instead she appears to be discharged straight from ICU. For somebody who seemed to have taken time on the small details, like mentioning catheterisation and drains, it seemed like a strange leap to make. I also found Haddings character extremely unlikable. I understood he himself was young, but he was still an adult. Him denying any feelings and insisting to remain professional while sending her mixed messages infuriated me. I also hated that he basically stalked her. I get guilt, and I could emphasise with him over his shock of the accident but it seemed to me that his motivations were selfish, not wanting Sarah to be okay because her cared about her but so he could confess his feelings to her/set her straight, depending on how he was feeling at the time.
Overall, there were too many problems with this book for me to enjoy it. I feel like if it was dual perspectives between Sarah and her family, or even Sarah and a random hospital nurse/doctor I would have enjoyed it more. Or if the book had been longer and went more into Sarah’s recovery, how her and her family dealt post crash I might have given it more stars. As it stands this story holds a lot of promise but just doesn’t deliver.
24hourlibrary's review against another edition
2.0
The whole story-in-three-days thing feels so gimmicky here, and tries to make up for prose that simply is mediocre. Characterizations were not as flat as they could've been, though many personalities were simplified and boiled down to particular traits that characters were expected to grow from to show character development. The heroine suffered from the most bland personality, one that featured cliché teenage-girl-attitude and narcissism.
kailey_luminouslibro's review against another edition
2.0
Sarah, a highschool student, is hit by a car on her way to poetry class. In her pocket is a poem to Mr. Haddings, her poetry teacher, whom she is crushing on. When Mr. Haddings accidentally hits his student while driving to work, he has to decide if he will acknowledge his growing attraction to her or continue to act professionally as he has been doing all year.
What first drew me to this book is the lovely cover, so beautiful and hinting about the romantic tragedy within.
This book was okay, not amazing though. It's told from two different perspectives, those of Sarah and Mr. Haddings, which right away gave me a headache, because it takes a very special author with a very good story to pull off dual POVs. It's badly done really; shifting POVs multiple times within one conversation is a no-no in my book.
The random flashbacks don't help either.
The pacing is far too slow, and the plot is one-dimesional. The story takes place over three days, and goes into great detail about the hospitalization of Sarah after the accident. I mean, really exceptional detail- the feeling like you're peeing during CAT scans, the surgery, the waiting room, the catheter, the stitches oozing, the bedpan awkwardness, the vomiting. So many different people threw up in this book that I lost count! Ew. If you like E.R. and Grey's Anatomy, you might like this book!
I did not like that Haddings character was used to basically eavesdrop on Sarah's family. If you needed to write about Sarah's family, then why not use a POV from the family? It made me dislike Haddings character in the beginning.
The characters are deep and complicated, all with different reactions to a crisis. Very realistic and interesting to see how they develop. As they interact and react to the situation, we learn more about them. (For instance, at first I thought Sarah's father must be lazy and unreliable, based on the mother's responses to him; but later on I realized that that is not his character at all. It's the mother who is too overbearing and critical.)
I got very confused about the level of spirituality in Sarah's family. They mention God and prayer, but don't seem to really rely on God during the crisis. They get angry, are hateful, and out of control, and don't seem to care that their actions and attitudes are sinful. They don't even attempt to comfort or evangelize a frightened young man who needs their forgiveness. So are they Christians? or what? Is this a Christian book, or just a regular book with five references to God thrown in by the editor?
Personally, I found myself bored and impatient with the plot, but interested and invested in the characters themselves. It's a great character study, but the story itself needs work.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher or author for review. The opinions stated here are my own, and are not influenced by the publisher or anyone else.
What first drew me to this book is the lovely cover, so beautiful and hinting about the romantic tragedy within.
This book was okay, not amazing though. It's told from two different perspectives, those of Sarah and Mr. Haddings, which right away gave me a headache, because it takes a very special author with a very good story to pull off dual POVs. It's badly done really; shifting POVs multiple times within one conversation is a no-no in my book.
The random flashbacks don't help either.
The pacing is far too slow, and the plot is one-dimesional. The story takes place over three days, and goes into great detail about the hospitalization of Sarah after the accident. I mean, really exceptional detail- the feeling like you're peeing during CAT scans, the surgery, the waiting room, the catheter, the stitches oozing, the bedpan awkwardness, the vomiting. So many different people threw up in this book that I lost count! Ew. If you like E.R. and Grey's Anatomy, you might like this book!
I did not like that Haddings character was used to basically eavesdrop on Sarah's family. If you needed to write about Sarah's family, then why not use a POV from the family? It made me dislike Haddings character in the beginning.
The characters are deep and complicated, all with different reactions to a crisis. Very realistic and interesting to see how they develop. As they interact and react to the situation, we learn more about them. (For instance, at first I thought Sarah's father must be lazy and unreliable, based on the mother's responses to him; but later on I realized that that is not his character at all. It's the mother who is too overbearing and critical.)
I got very confused about the level of spirituality in Sarah's family. They mention God and prayer, but don't seem to really rely on God during the crisis. They get angry, are hateful, and out of control, and don't seem to care that their actions and attitudes are sinful. They don't even attempt to comfort or evangelize a frightened young man who needs their forgiveness. So are they Christians? or what? Is this a Christian book, or just a regular book with five references to God thrown in by the editor?
Personally, I found myself bored and impatient with the plot, but interested and invested in the characters themselves. It's a great character study, but the story itself needs work.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher or author for review. The opinions stated here are my own, and are not influenced by the publisher or anyone else.
rosepetals1984's review against another edition
2.0
Quick review for a very quick read. "Hit" is a contemporary, Christian YA work which deals with the tough scenario of a poetry teacher (Mr. Haddings) who accidentally hits his student (Sarah) during one fateful morning he isn't paying attention as she's crossing the crosswalk to go to school. The story takes place over three days (which really isn't realistic, but for the sake of the story - I followed it), and trades between Sarah and Haddings's perspectives. Sarah has to deal with her recovery after having brain surgery and the fact that she once had a crush on this teacher, while Haddings has to deal with the aftermath of what he's done and Sarah's sentiments. It's a story of forgiveness and moving on, but admittedly, I had issues with this story.
For one, the story's written in a very stilted, brief style. While it feels very easy to read (and quick to move through), it lacks development and fleshing out for the weight of the story's subject matter. I really think this book could've amounted to more than what it provided. I found also that the stilted style of the dialogue really hindered the believability of the characters. I also didn't understand why multiple characters were so focused on Sarah's appearance. It felt unnatural and weird the way it was depicted, and I didn't like the fixation at all. I did, for what it was worth, appreciate the root of the story and found it a quick perusal, but I do think it had the potential to be more than what it was. Maybe this would be a decent read for reluctant readers, but I think even then it would still need a bit more to carry it.
Overall score: 2/5 stars
For one, the story's written in a very stilted, brief style. While it feels very easy to read (and quick to move through), it lacks development and fleshing out for the weight of the story's subject matter. I really think this book could've amounted to more than what it provided. I found also that the stilted style of the dialogue really hindered the believability of the characters. I also didn't understand why multiple characters were so focused on Sarah's appearance. It felt unnatural and weird the way it was depicted, and I didn't like the fixation at all. I did, for what it was worth, appreciate the root of the story and found it a quick perusal, but I do think it had the potential to be more than what it was. Maybe this would be a decent read for reluctant readers, but I think even then it would still need a bit more to carry it.
Overall score: 2/5 stars
goandbetori's review against another edition
3.0
This book had a few odd/unrealistic dialogues and a really shallow meaning (I had thought it would make me think after reading the book blurbs).
It was still entertaining, and tackled a really sensitive topic.
It was still entertaining, and tackled a really sensitive topic.