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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
I used to love this author in high school. Read tons of her books, and so I thought I would like to read this one, but unfortunately I think I've outgrown it. The story didn't pull me in, it was very slow and I couldn't really relate to the characters in any way. However the story was somewhat intriguing, and it was written well. A lot of the book takes place in the past (in order to explain Louna's history) and it was pretty sad that Louna went through, I feel for her, but unfortunately was too boring to get through it.
Heavy, but different. Sarah Dessen novels are made more complete when reading by crashing waves. Louna and Ambrose reminded me a lot of Remy and Dexter. I loved them :)
3.5* The beginning was kinda slow and the ending was kinda rushed, but overall, i enjoyed it and it was a beautiful story :)
lol Sarah Dessen tries to make herself relevant out of the 2000s by making her characters more diverse via the act of least resistance / most self-congratulatory woke-white-woman move by name-dropping ethnic names throughout. Only, yet again, no character of any importance is diverse, thus rendering Dessen's attempt to modernize (see: ethnic name-dropping, a school shooting being a critical backstory) ineffective. This is just so transparent to me. I mean, how about a POC love interest? Positive adult POC characters? (Mrs. Lin does not count.) Or, gosh, at the very least a Black Best Friend (another white-person move to feel like they're accommodating a "changing audience for the modern times")?
I didn't make it through Dessen's last book (was it [b: Saint Anything|23009402|Saint Anything|Sarah Dessen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1414680105s/23009402.jpg|42576172]? Ah, who remembers) and to be honest, none of her books have made a lasting impression on me since, like, [b: Just Listen|51738|Just Listen|Sarah Dessen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1358270741s/51738.jpg|1032901], so I don't claim this with scienteeeeefique authority, but I think this was the most straightforwardly "romantic" novel of hers since [b: This Lullaby|22205|This Lullaby|Sarah Dessen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1397779294s/22205.jpg|132402]. All of her stories are romances, obviously, but, for better or for worse, there was no tense mother-daughter relationship subplot, no best-friend issue, etc. In fact, we got TWO-for-the-price-of-ONE romances in [b: Once and For All|32078787|Once and for All|Sarah Dessen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494152180s/32078787.jpg|52249829], which, as other reviewers have already mentioned, diluted the impact of both romances a bit. I mean, Ethan was perfect, and Ambrose is dreamy, and as a reader I one swoony romance per book is enough, and more than that is just overkill and makes me antsy and relate to the MC less, because god knows I or many other girls I know have been able to experience two perfect romances within the span of one year.
The thing is, I actually liked Alice in Wonderbreadland, I mean Louna. She's practical, competent, classy. Whereas a lot of Dessen's other MCs I felt had been pacifated by the multitude of their subplots (see: above paragraph) into poor repressed characters who then GREW by BREAKING OUT of their silent shells, Louna seemed less fettered by those things, more sure of herself and her worth despite the tragedy she's experienced. She reminds me of Remy, my favorite Dessen MC, in that way. I would've loved to see Louna being challenged in college; losing her footing and then finding her way in a big city (is it just me, or is Dessen's world of Lakeview/Colby restrictive and unimaginative, despite the fan-pandering cameos of characters and motifs from her earlier novels?); seeing and being changed by different people and cultures while traveling the world.... But I suppose that would've made the story un-Dessen-like, which would defeat the point of reading a Dessen novel, um, I think?
This is the most I've written about a book since I think 2013, and if I'm being overly critical, it's because I love Sarah Dessen so much, and I'm happy that she won the Margaret A. Edwards Award, and I really wish she'd do more for the multitude of teenage readers of color, of which I was one, who have loved her books, been shaped by her books growing up, but who have always had a nagging sense that they wouldn't fit in with her monochromatic Lakeview/Colby world. The best love stories should no longer just belong to white people.
I didn't make it through Dessen's last book (was it [b: Saint Anything|23009402|Saint Anything|Sarah Dessen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1414680105s/23009402.jpg|42576172]? Ah, who remembers) and to be honest, none of her books have made a lasting impression on me since, like, [b: Just Listen|51738|Just Listen|Sarah Dessen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1358270741s/51738.jpg|1032901], so I don't claim this with scienteeeeefique authority, but I think this was the most straightforwardly "romantic" novel of hers since [b: This Lullaby|22205|This Lullaby|Sarah Dessen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1397779294s/22205.jpg|132402]. All of her stories are romances, obviously, but, for better or for worse, there was no tense mother-daughter relationship subplot, no best-friend issue, etc. In fact, we got TWO-for-the-price-of-ONE romances in [b: Once and For All|32078787|Once and for All|Sarah Dessen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494152180s/32078787.jpg|52249829], which, as other reviewers have already mentioned, diluted the impact of both romances a bit. I mean, Ethan was perfect, and Ambrose is dreamy, and as a reader I one swoony romance per book is enough, and more than that is just overkill and makes me antsy and relate to the MC less, because god knows I or many other girls I know have been able to experience two perfect romances within the span of one year.
The thing is, I actually liked Alice in Wonderbreadland, I mean Louna. She's practical, competent, classy. Whereas a lot of Dessen's other MCs I felt had been pacifated by the multitude of their subplots (see: above paragraph) into poor repressed characters who then GREW by BREAKING OUT of their silent shells, Louna seemed less fettered by those things, more sure of herself and her worth despite the tragedy she's experienced. She reminds me of Remy, my favorite Dessen MC, in that way. I would've loved to see Louna being challenged in college; losing her footing and then finding her way in a big city (is it just me, or is Dessen's world of Lakeview/Colby restrictive and unimaginative, despite the fan-pandering cameos of characters and motifs from her earlier novels?); seeing and being changed by different people and cultures while traveling the world.... But I suppose that would've made the story un-Dessen-like, which would defeat the point of reading a Dessen novel, um, I think?
This is the most I've written about a book since I think 2013, and if I'm being overly critical, it's because I love Sarah Dessen so much, and I'm happy that she won the Margaret A. Edwards Award, and I really wish she'd do more for the multitude of teenage readers of color, of which I was one, who have loved her books, been shaped by her books growing up, but who have always had a nagging sense that they wouldn't fit in with her monochromatic Lakeview/Colby world. The best love stories should no longer just belong to white people.
This one was so sad. It wasnt my favorite though
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The insta-love is ridiculous, as always. But overall a good book. Also, I really hate that her friend Jilly is stuck as a permanent babysitter for her younger siblings...why do parents do this to their kids? You had the babies; take care of them yourself or hire sometime else to do it!!
This was a pleasant listen but I have mixed feelings about the overall story.
Firstly, there were basically two timelines running throughout the book - Louna's present-day plot, working for her mother's wedding planning company over the summer while dealing with an extremely ADHD flirt, and the story of the singular day (and very brief aftermath) that she spent with her tragic first-love. The back & forth worked okay but was a little weird too. Hard to root for a new love interest while the insta-love/soulmates story keeps popping up and hanging over your head ominously.
I also didn't know what to think about Ambrose (except his name - I really dislike that name - it's such a cliché rich-boy name). Some of his hyper-activity was funny - like when he was taking notes at the business meeting ("I am a shadow.") but a lot of it was immature and irresponsible. He was a walking train wreck. A high-school dropout (I think?), had lost his driver's license, and appeared to have no ambitions or future plans. Who also had 15 girls on a string at all times. But he's super nice and therefore he's the new love interest we're supposed to root for?
The past story with Ethan was okay. I was willing to believe they were soulmates with an instant connection.
And like other reviews have said, the ending kind of fell apart.
Louna's mom's backstory was kinda random and weird but whatever. William was funny and sweet. It was annoying that literally everyone is paired off by the end of the book except for poor Ben.
Firstly, there were basically two timelines running throughout the book - Louna's present-day plot, working for her mother's wedding planning company over the summer while dealing with an extremely ADHD flirt, and the story of the singular day (and very brief aftermath) that she spent with her tragic first-love. The back & forth worked okay but was a little weird too. Hard to root for a new love interest while the insta-love/soulmates story keeps popping up and hanging over your head ominously.
I also didn't know what to think about Ambrose (except his name - I really dislike that name - it's such a cliché rich-boy name). Some of his hyper-activity was funny - like when he was taking notes at the business meeting ("I am a shadow.") but a lot of it was immature and irresponsible. He was a walking train wreck. A high-school dropout (I think?), had lost his driver's license, and appeared to have no ambitions or future plans. Who also had 15 girls on a string at all times. But he's super nice and therefore he's the new love interest we're supposed to root for?
The past story with Ethan was okay. I was willing to believe they were soulmates with an instant connection.
Spoiler
But I really didn't like that she slept with him (and he just happened to be carrying a condom?) As for the shooting - that was horrible - but since it felt like she barely knew him, her taking a solid year to grieve and her family being so extremely understanding felt dramatic.And like other reviews have said, the ending kind of fell apart.
Spoiler
She falls for Ambrose (who somehow has loved her from the minute he laid eyes on her, yet still continued dangling girls off his arm while trying to pursue her?), yet he has the gall to bring up Ethan and so she immediately runs off and starts fake dating another guy (only he didn't know she was insincere). Then the uber-dramatic she-thinks-Ambrose-dies moment happens and she jumps into his arms out of relief, dumping Ben unceremoniously. All of that felt very cliché. I think we were supposed to not feel so bad for Ben because he had been annoyingly posting pictures of him & Louna constantly to social media and giving her random pecks all the time? idk.Louna's mom's backstory was kinda random and weird but whatever. William was funny and sweet. It was annoying that literally everyone is paired off by the end of the book except for poor Ben.