Reviews

Foreverland by Nicole C. Kear

blithesquesttoread's review against another edition

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5.0

I am pretty sure now that all the Middle Grade novels out there are purposely built in a way that will make me cry. There’s no other option apart from the inevitability of this whole scheme. And while we are on this topic, can someone explain me HOW IN THE WORLD do all of them somewhere kind of have the same basic structure but pop out so differently and so touching? I will never understand this beauty honestly.

Foreverland was a lot of things – different, touching, adventurous, fun, emotional, scary (in some aspects, yes it was scary) and most of all MAGICAL. They way it ended was also magical… especially the way it ended. Margaret and Jamie were one of a kind, both facing inexplicable changes and troubles in there lives and hence coming to foreverland to spend their time, to have FUN that seems to be missing from their life. There was a hint of mystery laced through the plot because it wasn’t ever explicitly made clear why both of them ran away from their home, their thoughts, feelings and what further they sought from their little runaway adventure (refuge most of all).

The thing that I liked the most about this book was how open-ended it was. The characters somehow never voiced out how they were feeling, it was through their actions that one could understood what was happening to them. And furthermore, it had mental health rep too – ADHD and it wasn’t ever explicitly mentioned but one of the characters did show some symptoms of OCD. Although as it wasn’t directly mentioned anywhere, I cannot draw my conclusion on the subject.

All in all, I really reaallllyyy enjoyed reading this book, and despite the fact that I loved the ending, I did not want to leave the characters and their story behind. This book was very well character driven which I loved with whole my heart ❤ ❤

Trigger Warnings*: Divorce, Death

Note*: I was provided with a free e-copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review

herbookish_obsession's review against another edition

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4.0

Margaret’s life has been flipped upside down. Her best friend is becoming so distant. Her family is falling apart and she doesn’t know how to handle this situation. In her mind her only option is to run away.

So she does just that. The place she runs away to? Foreverland Amusement Park.

I mean who wouldn’t want to spend a night at an amusement park?

Up until now, Margaret’s had a relatively happy childhood. But middle school is changing everything, her best friend has become distant, and even her family is completely falling apart. She doesn’t know what to do and after some deliberation she decides to run away – to Foreverland Amusement Park. She meets another runaway boy by the name of Jaime whilst adventuring her favourite place. One of my favourite parts of the story was learning about the new mysterious runaway and I really enjoyed watching them go on adventures together. However Margeret soon begins to get homesick and she doesn’t know whether sticking around to learn Jaime’s story is better then going back to the place she has called home for so many years. The question is What will she decide to do? Stay in Foreverland with Jaime, or go back home to her family?

I enjoyed reading about how Margeret overcame fears such as sleeping in a Haunted House or running away from some “bad guys” but as the story continues Margeret starts to realize that running from home was not the best idea. The thing is Jaime is mysterious and she has an inherent need to know more about him seeing as they both have secrets they are trying to unfold. Will Margaret ever go back to her family? Or is her curiosity in Jaime’s story going to keep her in the park?

The two start to hang out together, going on rides, eating food provided by Jaime’s connection Belle, and keeping a low profile. Of course, since the authorities are already looking for Jaime, this is difficult, and when Margaret runs into her former best friend Priya’s family, she knows that her time in the park won’t last forever but first she wants to help Jaime make peace with his past so that he can leave the park as well.

This was a truly enjoyable middle-grade novel that pulled at my heartstrings. I think this book will be great for students to connect with – it has very realistic characters and real-life issues that most middle schoolers can relate to. Life issues such as losing friends and facing problems with your family. It’s perfect for kids who enjoy amusement parks and are on the more youthful side. I cannot wait to get my own copy so my brother can enjoy this story too!

Thank you so much to TurnThePageTours for having me on yet another tour and collaborating with the publisher to provide a free copy of this book for review VIA NetGalley. I always enjoy working with your lovely team and look forward to doing so in the future.

heytherekaity's review

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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popthebutterfly's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Foreverland

Author: Nicole C. Kear

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: mg readers, contemporary lovers

Publication Date: April 21, 2020

Genre: MG Contemporary

Recommended Age: 10+ (fears, running away, some scary moments)

Publisher: Imprint

Pages: 256

Synopsis: Margaret is tired of everything always changing. Middle school has gone from bad to worse. Her best friend is becoming a stranger. And her family—well, it's not even a family anymore.

So Margaret is running away to Foreverland, her favorite amusement park. Hiding out there is trickier than she expects--until she meets Jaime, a thrill-seeking, fast-thinking runaway who teaches Margaret how to stay one step ahead of the captain of security.

At first, this after-hours, all-access pass to the park is a dream come true: sleepovers in the Haunted House, nonstop junk food, and an unlimited ticket to ride. But as the runaways learn each other’s secrets, they must face the reasons they left their normal lives behind. With the Captain closing in and Jaime's future on the line, can Margaret finally take control?

Review: I really liked this book! The book was a great and I loved reading about how Margaret overcame her fears. The book was cute and very age appropriate for middle graders. The book also had well done character development and world building. The plot kept me intrigued in the book throughout the read.

The only thing that slowed my reading down was that there were some slow moments in the book.

Verdict: It was great!
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