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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
This is the first book that I've read for the first time entirely on my Kindle. Although I liked reading on it and all, this proved to be a bit of a problem. Why?
I couldn't sneak a peek at the back (easily). I do this with every book and with this one, I didn't do it until I was basically finished.
Other than that, however, I enjoyed this novel. I thought it was very interesting. I'm a new Levithan reader so I guess this was a good start to get used to how he writes. I actually liked Cohn's writing too although at first, I thought I would like Levithan more.
Alright, so this is the story of two lonely-ish people: Dash and Lily. Dash is this emo-ish kinda guy (at least that's the impression I got) who's parents got divorced badly and he lives with his mom. Lily is a soccer playing dork with no friends. Both of these teens' parents abandoned Dash and Lily to go away on vacation or whatever. Lily's brother wants her to get a boyfriend and because she has trouble talking to people in general, he devises a plan to get her one. He tells Lily to write in this notebook, instructions on where to go and how to do things, hoping a boy finds it in a bookstore. Turns out, Dash, in the bookstore, finds this notebook and follows Lily's instructions. And then he writes instructions back, leaving the notebook to the respective person. And on and on. That's basically what occurs in the book (as you can guess from the title).
So overall I liked it. I guess I wish that Lily and Dash had done more together or something. I know that most of what they did was pretty realistic but I still wish something else had happened with them (a smooch more maybe? haha). Anyway, pretty good book. I'll have to try to read more Cohn stuff.
I couldn't sneak a peek at the back (easily). I do this with every book and with this one, I didn't do it until I was basically finished.
Other than that, however, I enjoyed this novel. I thought it was very interesting. I'm a new Levithan reader so I guess this was a good start to get used to how he writes. I actually liked Cohn's writing too although at first, I thought I would like Levithan more.
Alright, so this is the story of two lonely-ish people: Dash and Lily. Dash is this emo-ish kinda guy (at least that's the impression I got) who's parents got divorced badly and he lives with his mom. Lily is a soccer playing dork with no friends. Both of these teens' parents abandoned Dash and Lily to go away on vacation or whatever. Lily's brother wants her to get a boyfriend and because she has trouble talking to people in general, he devises a plan to get her one. He tells Lily to write in this notebook, instructions on where to go and how to do things, hoping a boy finds it in a bookstore. Turns out, Dash, in the bookstore, finds this notebook and follows Lily's instructions. And then he writes instructions back, leaving the notebook to the respective person. And on and on. That's basically what occurs in the book (as you can guess from the title).
So overall I liked it. I guess I wish that Lily and Dash had done more together or something. I know that most of what they did was pretty realistic but I still wish something else had happened with them (a smooch more maybe? haha). Anyway, pretty good book. I'll have to try to read more Cohn stuff.
I read a book.
This is a big deal. A book started a full out mental break down last spring. I tried two more books and disaster struck that I barely avoided. The fact that I tried again matters a lot.
And the book I chose? I saw this was on Netflix’s again and remembered that I liked it. So I thought I would give the book a try.
And I read it all day. It was bliss. The kids gone at school, Asher gone at preschool than nap. And it was silent. Beautiful amazing silence. With giant fluffy blanket Amit’s boss sent him for Christmas. Like I can’t say enough about how fluffy this blanket was.
Then this book became something else. I got my COVID booster shot today and thought I was fine.
I’m not.
Then with a thousand blanket covering me this book kept my mind off my sense of dying. The minutes, the breathes. Each one a little easier.
Then it ended! There is a second and a third, and I have a whole night of agony ahead of me that needs a distraction.
Now what did I think of the book? Cute. I had a heart attack when he spent the night with his ex- but it turned out ok. Can’t wait for the next one! I need more kissing!!!!
This is a big deal. A book started a full out mental break down last spring. I tried two more books and disaster struck that I barely avoided. The fact that I tried again matters a lot.
And the book I chose? I saw this was on Netflix’s again and remembered that I liked it. So I thought I would give the book a try.
And I read it all day. It was bliss. The kids gone at school, Asher gone at preschool than nap. And it was silent. Beautiful amazing silence. With giant fluffy blanket Amit’s boss sent him for Christmas. Like I can’t say enough about how fluffy this blanket was.
Then this book became something else. I got my COVID booster shot today and thought I was fine.
I’m not.
Then with a thousand blanket covering me this book kept my mind off my sense of dying. The minutes, the breathes. Each one a little easier.
Then it ended! There is a second and a third, and I have a whole night of agony ahead of me that needs a distraction.
Now what did I think of the book? Cute. I had a heart attack when he spent the night with his ex- but it turned out ok. Can’t wait for the next one! I need more kissing!!!!
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very easy to read, came from the show on Netflix (which I love and re-watch every year) with high hopes. Very easy cozy Christmas read. However, I prefer the show which offers a few more memorable details (and a more epic ending).
A fun Christmas read! Read this because of the show on Netflix and adored it- even with all the little differences between the two. Can’t wait to continue reading the series!
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4 stars
View full review here!
I started reading this book yesterday around 10 in the evening and I think it was 4 in the morning when I finished. I Just Could Not Put It Down. It was the sweetest mix of romance, humor and insightfulness that reminded me of Let It Snow and Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes.
The story revolves around Lily, the sweet, optimistic, Christmas-loving odd girl who spends most of her time with family; and Dash, the smart, bookish, Christmas-hating hipster who prefers to be alone. Set in New York around Christmas time, Lily and Dash are strangers to each other, but that changes once Dash finds a red notebook filled with dares at The Strand, left by Lily. They start an ongoing exchange of dares and thoughts that takes them through the entire city. But they have to figure out if the notebook is more than just a projection of their ideas and wishes.
I personally love it when two authors write a book together, but this one was especially great because I loved their process of writing: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan wrote the book the same way their characters did (Rachel being Lily and David being Dash, obviously): by sending it to each other without knowing what the other would write and what would happen next. I mean, that is just all kinds of awesome! I want to do that!!
Now, the entire setting breathes light romance, which was just what it was. It was cute. A book you want to read on a cold winter's day when you're snuggled up on the couch under a blanket. Dash and Lily were cute. They are those kind of characters you can't help but like, though I liked Dash a little more than Lily. And I loved Boomer! I want him to be my friend--or dog.
Though the love story was light, I liked the fact that Dash and Lily were very different. It made everything a bit more unpredictable. I loved how the notebook changed them and changed their thoughts. But throughout the book I couldn't help but wonder why they liked each other. I get that sharing a notebook with your deepest thoughts can be exciting, but they didn't know each other AT ALL. And I think Lily liked Dash more than Dash liked Lily. Was he really interested in her? Or just good at writing his thoughts down? Oh well, I like to imagine (spoiler..?) that they'll end up staying together for multiple years, and Dash coming to Lily's house for dinner when her entire family is there, and they are the cutest couple ever.
I've heard people say that these characters (mostly Dash) were too pretentious, too smart for their age. Maybe that is true. But I love it when characters are insightful and intelligent. It provides for great thinking--and even greater quotes. My favorite:
"We are reading the story of our lives, as though we were in it, as though we had written it."
No wait, that was Mark Strand. This was my very favorite:
"But isn't this a dance? Isn't all of this a dance? Isn't that what we do with words? Isn't that what we do when we talk, when we spar, when we make plans or leave it to chance? Some of it's choreographed. Some steps have been done for ages. And the rest--the rest is spontaneous. The rest has to be decided on the floor, in the moment, before the music ends."
View full review here!
I started reading this book yesterday around 10 in the evening and I think it was 4 in the morning when I finished. I Just Could Not Put It Down. It was the sweetest mix of romance, humor and insightfulness that reminded me of Let It Snow and Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes.
The story revolves around Lily, the sweet, optimistic, Christmas-loving odd girl who spends most of her time with family; and Dash, the smart, bookish, Christmas-hating hipster who prefers to be alone. Set in New York around Christmas time, Lily and Dash are strangers to each other, but that changes once Dash finds a red notebook filled with dares at The Strand, left by Lily. They start an ongoing exchange of dares and thoughts that takes them through the entire city. But they have to figure out if the notebook is more than just a projection of their ideas and wishes.
I personally love it when two authors write a book together, but this one was especially great because I loved their process of writing: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan wrote the book the same way their characters did (Rachel being Lily and David being Dash, obviously): by sending it to each other without knowing what the other would write and what would happen next. I mean, that is just all kinds of awesome! I want to do that!!
Now, the entire setting breathes light romance, which was just what it was. It was cute. A book you want to read on a cold winter's day when you're snuggled up on the couch under a blanket. Dash and Lily were cute. They are those kind of characters you can't help but like, though I liked Dash a little more than Lily. And I loved Boomer! I want him to be my friend--or dog.
Though the love story was light, I liked the fact that Dash and Lily were very different. It made everything a bit more unpredictable. I loved how the notebook changed them and changed their thoughts. But throughout the book I couldn't help but wonder why they liked each other. I get that sharing a notebook with your deepest thoughts can be exciting, but they didn't know each other AT ALL. And I think Lily liked Dash more than Dash liked Lily. Was he really interested in her? Or just good at writing his thoughts down? Oh well, I like to imagine (spoiler..?) that they'll end up staying together for multiple years, and Dash coming to Lily's house for dinner when her entire family is there, and they are the cutest couple ever.
I've heard people say that these characters (mostly Dash) were too pretentious, too smart for their age. Maybe that is true. But I love it when characters are insightful and intelligent. It provides for great thinking--and even greater quotes. My favorite:
"We are reading the story of our lives, as though we were in it, as though we had written it."
No wait, that was Mark Strand. This was my very favorite:
"But isn't this a dance? Isn't all of this a dance? Isn't that what we do with words? Isn't that what we do when we talk, when we spar, when we make plans or leave it to chance? Some of it's choreographed. Some steps have been done for ages. And the rest--the rest is spontaneous. The rest has to be decided on the floor, in the moment, before the music ends."
Oh, I completely forgot I had to write this review...
Well, what to say about Dash and Lily?? The book is charming and nice and very Christmas-ish and wintry... except for Dash's philosophical tendencies and Lily's childish behaviour, I liked it a lot and had fun reading it.
I loved the whole idea of the book of dares, it was funny and different, even if it was completely unrealistic... But the authors don't try to make you believe the whole thing could be possible outside the book, so it felt right. I don't know... like in a movie... Because it's a movie, you accept it, well, it happens the same with the book (except for the losing-a-lose-boot part - I may have missed something in the description of the boots, because I don't think it's that easy to get your foot out of one of these boots without stumbling and probably falling on your nose, even if it's too big for you fO.o).
Anyway, the book was perfect for the weekend when I read it (or the weekend was perfect for the book I read). It was snowing and very cold outside, my boyfriend was occupied with work and I had tea and cookies and sweets and the whole sofa and blanket for myself. Under these circumstances it was impossible not to enjoy the book xDD
Well, what to say about Dash and Lily?? The book is charming and nice and very Christmas-ish and wintry... except for Dash's philosophical tendencies and Lily's childish behaviour, I liked it a lot and had fun reading it.
I loved the whole idea of the book of dares, it was funny and different, even if it was completely unrealistic... But the authors don't try to make you believe the whole thing could be possible outside the book, so it felt right. I don't know... like in a movie... Because it's a movie, you accept it, well, it happens the same with the book (except for the losing-a-lose-boot part - I may have missed something in the description of the boots, because I don't think it's that easy to get your foot out of one of these boots without stumbling and probably falling on your nose, even if it's too big for you fO.o).
Anyway, the book was perfect for the weekend when I read it (or the weekend was perfect for the book I read). It was snowing and very cold outside, my boyfriend was occupied with work and I had tea and cookies and sweets and the whole sofa and blanket for myself. Under these circumstances it was impossible not to enjoy the book xDD
Enjoyable, I mainly only read it to watch the movie and compare. I enjoyed the characters and I enjoyed the events but it just wasn’t an amazing read for me. I do recommend though since it was a fun holiday read!
I wanted to write a really nice, well-worded review here about the beautiful, eloquent writing in this somewhat pedantic YA fiction book, but words are escaping me for now. All I know is I love this book and its exquisite and thought-provoking wisdom. I expected this book to be a cheesy, juvenile love story set in NYC at Christmas. But what I got was a provocative, unique tale that fulfills every bookworms dream to meet their next love in a notebook between their favorite books on a shelf in their favorite local bookstore. Striking and thought-provoking, this unique story is one that I won't soon forget.