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nattyg's review against another edition
4.0
Very good. Had me turning the pages and eager to finish. The ending/epilogue felt rushed compared to the detail in the book. Maybe I would have liked an epilogue from both the characters instead of just the mother.
shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I had a hard time getting through this book. It was well-written, but I think it hit too close to home for me in some aspects. I could really identify with Cam in the fact that she feels out of touch with her teenage daughter. She has the same concerns and worries that I think we all have for our kids. In those respects, this story made me uncomfortable--only because I am feeling many of the same emotions regarding my own daughter. It didn't help matters that the story's most significant events took place on my daughter's and my birthdays! (Bird dated the pages of the novel told on a sort of timeline with flashbacks.)
I did enjoy that the story was told from both perspectives--Cam's (mom) and Aubrey (daughter). Readers will have some insight as the story progresses, but Bird doesn't give much away until the end. You will be in suspense until the last page! Bird also does a good job at tapping into all of our parenting insecurities. Poor Cam is constantly second guessing every decision she has every made and how they now affect her daughter's life. I could totally relate to Cam in that aspect too! I also appreciated Cam's sense of humor. There were definitely some laugh out loud moments to make up for the pages I struggled with! Good balance, Sarah Bird!
While I struggled with this book at times, I did enjoy it overall. I could relate to the characters and I think I can take a lot away from the story from Aubrey's perspective. I need to remember that teenager's point of view when dealing with my own daughter. I would definitely recommend this book--especially for those of you who have been blessed with teenaged daughters! Happy reading!
Reviewed by Joelle for Cocktails and Books
I did enjoy that the story was told from both perspectives--Cam's (mom) and Aubrey (daughter). Readers will have some insight as the story progresses, but Bird doesn't give much away until the end. You will be in suspense until the last page! Bird also does a good job at tapping into all of our parenting insecurities. Poor Cam is constantly second guessing every decision she has every made and how they now affect her daughter's life. I could totally relate to Cam in that aspect too! I also appreciated Cam's sense of humor. There were definitely some laugh out loud moments to make up for the pages I struggled with! Good balance, Sarah Bird!
While I struggled with this book at times, I did enjoy it overall. I could relate to the characters and I think I can take a lot away from the story from Aubrey's perspective. I need to remember that teenager's point of view when dealing with my own daughter. I would definitely recommend this book--especially for those of you who have been blessed with teenaged daughters! Happy reading!
Reviewed by Joelle for Cocktails and Books
heather425's review against another edition
3.0
I'm having trouble rating this book. Three stars seems too low, but four too high. I enjoyed it, the writing was solid, but it didn't blow me away. This story centers around Cam, a lactation consultant and single mother and her daughter, Aubrey. The author allows each character to tell their story by alternating chapters in their own voice. Cam's story is in the present, while Aubrey's story is one year prior. The story centers around Aubrey's senior year of high school and her mom wanting her to leave for college.
I alternated between being furious with Aubrey and completely relating to her. Maybe I can still remember those teen years so clearly, but now I see them through the lens of being a mom. It was hard to just take one side. I did want to smack Cam sometimes for her insistence that college was the only path after high school. There was a time I felt that way, but not anymore. Yet, I also wanted to smack Aubrey and just have her tell her mom what was going on with her. Once Tyler told Aubrey about his past I didn't understand why he couldn't talk some sense into her.
Martin, the dad, and his running off to the cult like Next! was just weird. That part didn't work for me. I also would like another book that centers around Twyla and Dori. Overall, it was a nice light read and I would recommend it to others.
I alternated between being furious with Aubrey and completely relating to her. Maybe I can still remember those teen years so clearly, but now I see them through the lens of being a mom. It was hard to just take one side. I did want to smack Cam sometimes for her insistence that college was the only path after high school. There was a time I felt that way, but not anymore. Yet, I also wanted to smack Aubrey and just have her tell her mom what was going on with her. Once Tyler told Aubrey about his past I didn't understand why he couldn't talk some sense into her.
Martin, the dad, and his running off to the cult like Next! was just weird. That part didn't work for me. I also would like another book that centers around Twyla and Dori. Overall, it was a nice light read and I would recommend it to others.
msethna's review
4.0
I am not sure if this is considered YA or chick lit, but it may appeal to both. The two main character are a mother and daughter switching off each chapter telling their story. The daughter's story starts at the beginning of her senior year and the mother starts on the daughter's last few days before she is supposed to go off to college. The story comes together at the end.
This is made me glad I have two boys, but also think about my own relationship with my mother. It is definitely a quick read and once you get going, it is difficult to put down.
This is made me glad I have two boys, but also think about my own relationship with my mother. It is definitely a quick read and once you get going, it is difficult to put down.
emcbee's review
4.0
I was blown away by the use of the language, and by the way the two narrators were separated by a year. The author was able to believably voice both the mother and the daughter. I did keep getting annoyed at leaving one story to rejoin the other though! Usually when I read this type of book I prefer one narrator over the other, but in this case I connected with both.
colstada's review
4.0
I found this book very relatable and funny. It was a different read for me and I did end up liking it. It's view at relationships is also different. Worth a read if you are looking for something a little different.
heather01602to60660's review
3.0
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. What is interesting to me is how I could identify with the mother (as the parent of a teenage daughter) and yet still have these intense flashbacks of being on the cusp of adulthood and would then find myself identifying with the daughter. There were elements to the story that made me roll my eyes, but the core story kept me interested.
karak's review against another edition
4.0
Aubrey thinks she knows everything, and her mother knows nothing. Cam thinks she knows her daughter, but she doesn't. Aubrey is an obnoxious teenager. Her boyfriend is an unknown quantity- crappy childhood, football hero, all around god on the high school campus. Aubrey's father disappeared into a quasi-cult called Next!, only to reappear 16 years later. The relationships are complicated, and only get more so as time goes on.
shoelady523's review against another edition
3.0
I would give this one 2 1/2 stars if I could. I almost didn't finish it, but there was a bit of intrigue toward the end. Mt pet peeve about this book was the whining the main character did about living in the suburbs. I also did not care for the author's writing style, sometimes I had to reread lines to catch what she meant.
Personal note - I did like that one of the main characters was a lactation consultant, however, I found that some of the activities/information included because of this could really alienate a reader who had not breastfed.
Personal note - I did like that one of the main characters was a lactation consultant, however, I found that some of the activities/information included because of this could really alienate a reader who had not breastfed.