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jennfischetto's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book right after reading Lisa Schroeder's I Heart You, You Haunt Me. I almost didn't read it because I simply wasn't in the mood for another verse novel, but I'm glad I did.
This story is simple and sweet, about Alice, a girl who lost her mother, lives with her father, stepmother and brand new infant sister. It's about finding your place in the world, dealing with grief and moving on. It's the same message as in the other novel but done differently. I like Alice. She's a good girl. I like how she sticks to her choices when it comes to Blaze. I like how situations cause her to soften her view of Victoria and Ivy. I love how the change in her perception didn't come as quickly and unrealistically as they did in I Heart You, You Haunt Me.
It made me cry, which isn't difficult, lol, but when it happens I know I've really connected with the main character. I love, love, love the situation that turns things around for Alice. I didn't expect it quite like that, although I knew something would happen from the blurb. And the way it was handled makes me smile. Of course, the book is wonderfully written. I'm very happy I read this book! :)
This story is simple and sweet, about Alice, a girl who lost her mother, lives with her father, stepmother and brand new infant sister. It's about finding your place in the world, dealing with grief and moving on. It's the same message as in the other novel but done differently. I like Alice. She's a good girl. I like how she sticks to her choices when it comes to Blaze. I like how situations cause her to soften her view of Victoria and Ivy. I love how the change in her perception didn't come as quickly and unrealistically as they did in I Heart You, You Haunt Me.
It made me cry, which isn't difficult, lol, but when it happens I know I've really connected with the main character. I love, love, love the situation that turns things around for Alice. I didn't expect it quite like that, although I knew something would happen from the blurb. And the way it was handled makes me smile. Of course, the book is wonderfully written. I'm very happy I read this book! :)
ghumpherys's review against another edition
5.0
This was probably more like 4.5 stars, but I'm bumping it up to 5 because the poetry was so beautiful. I read this book (a book in free verse) in one sitting this afternoon. Just like Schroeder's other book I recently read ("Chasing Brooklyn"), her poetry tells a very moving story simply and beautifully. In this story, a girl still dealing with the loss of her mother to cancer gets trapped with her stepmother and newborn half-sister in a snowstorm. The only reason I would give it 4.5 stars was because of some mild language and sexual innuendo with her boyfriend.
joyful808's review against another edition
4.0
Another book by Lisa Schroeder that I just really enjoyed. It is truly an art how she is able to convey so much feeling in so few words. Pulls at the heartstrings.
dairyqueen84's review against another edition
3.0
Alice feels lost ever since her mother died of cancer years before. The only solace she finds is in her boyfriend Blaze and in the music she writes and plays with her best friend Claire at church. Her father has remarried and they no longer cook and make up jingles together and her step mother is expecting a baby girl. Alice is not excited about her new half-sister. Then her life goes from bad to worse; Claire tells her that the church thinks Alice’s songs are too sad and they don’t want them to play and sing anymore. She and Claire stop talking and hanging out and Alice feels even more alone; thank God for Blaze but she even has some confusion about him. Then after her new sister is born, her dad tells her they are driving to California from their Seattle home to visit Victoria’s parents for Thanksgiving. Her dad is called away on business Thanksgiving night and Victoria, Alice, and Ivy make the return trip to Seattle. They wind up caught in a blizzard and Victoria’s and Alice’s icy relationship begins to thaw even as the temperature drops. When Victoria goes for help, Alice focuses on keeping Ivy alive and learns things about herself and her dead mother in the process. The story is told in poems that have an authentic teenage voice.
chloesumner1317's review against another edition
4.0
I love novels in verse. They're just so addicting because you can burn through them super quickly but they still carry the same weight as a regular novel because, often, of the serious issues they deal with.
The situation Alice is presented with sounds awful. Her mother has died of pancreatic cancer, one of the worst cancers the body can sustain, and her father has remarried someone who Alice is not close to at all, and has a newborn daughter coming home today. I felt like crying at some of the emotions Alice was going through-I can't imagine actual having to go through it.
I felt like Claire's role was so, very important. You sometimes need that person that says that you need to stop being so down, because you might not even realize it yourself. And it does take time to come to terms with that.
I admit that I was very skeptical of Blaze. Most characters with his archetype tend to disappoint, they usually skip out, or pressure their girlfriend into having sex, but he didn't. And it was pleasantly surprising.
I enjoyed the author's portrayal of Chico because, I've been to Chico. There really isn't anything there except for a party school. So, that was accurate.
The description of the adventure Alice has with Ivy and Victoria almost didn't seem as bad as it could have. Schroeder could have elaborated more on how cold they were, or how hungry, or how worried Alice got after Victoria left them, but instead everything was mostly focused on Ivy, or Alice's mother. And it was kind of nice.
Overall I enjoyed this book immensely. It was actually quite uplifting.
The situation Alice is presented with sounds awful. Her mother has died of pancreatic cancer, one of the worst cancers the body can sustain, and her father has remarried someone who Alice is not close to at all, and has a newborn daughter coming home today. I felt like crying at some of the emotions Alice was going through-I can't imagine actual having to go through it.
I felt like Claire's role was so, very important. You sometimes need that person that says that you need to stop being so down, because you might not even realize it yourself. And it does take time to come to terms with that.
I admit that I was very skeptical of Blaze. Most characters with his archetype tend to disappoint, they usually skip out, or pressure their girlfriend into having sex, but he didn't. And it was pleasantly surprising.
I enjoyed the author's portrayal of Chico because, I've been to Chico. There really isn't anything there except for a party school. So, that was accurate.
The description of the adventure Alice has with Ivy and Victoria almost didn't seem as bad as it could have. Schroeder could have elaborated more on how cold they were, or how hungry, or how worried Alice got after Victoria left them, but instead everything was mostly focused on Ivy, or Alice's mother. And it was kind of nice.
Overall I enjoyed this book immensely. It was actually quite uplifting.
the_cheesiest_slytherin's review against another edition
5.0
At first I thought this was going to be your average 'parent dies now there's a stepparent I don't like' kind of book, but it actually is so much more than that. It's emotional and so atmospheric. Honestly it's just been a long while since I've cried this hard about a book.
lunarcicles's review against another edition
3.0
Rating: 2.5 stars
Insteresting style but not a good story. It was really short so it didn't feel too heavy but, still, had it had been longer I wouldn't have finished it.
Insteresting style but not a good story. It was really short so it didn't feel too heavy but, still, had it had been longer I wouldn't have finished it.
somanybooksineedmoretime's review against another edition
3.0
Method: paperback
Rating: 3/5 stars
Thoughts: Interesting read
reading_i_like_that_shit's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 love her books. Love the verse style of writing. This book was a good one filled with angst but got lighter as the book went on.