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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
Probabilmente mi starò ripetendo, ma come scrive la Cherry, nessuno lo fa. Il suo modo di coinvolgere il lettore è stupefacente perché le pagine parlano direttamente con chi legge, trasmettendogli sentimenti ed emozioni che spesso nemmeno sono scritte tra le righe.
La storia di Landon e di Shay mi ha presa in contropiede. Mi aspettavo qualcosa alla High&Lo o alla Eleanor&Grey, invece mi sono trovata davanti uno young adult al cento per cento dove il tanto promesso odio/amore non era poi così tanto al vetriolo. Non per questo meno bello, è pieno di battutine e sarcasmo, ma mi aspettavo qualcosa di diverso, forse.
Landon e Shay mi hanno ricordato tanto Jamie e Landon da "I passi dell'amore" di Nicholas Sparks. No, non pensate subito alla tragedia. Il loro rapporto però ci assomiglia nel migliore dei modi. Landon soffre di una profonda depressione mascherata da un'apparenza da bad boy, mentre Shay è la ragazza gentile e ben voluta da tutti, solo che tra loro non corre buon sangue. Nemmeno loro sanno perché, ma non si sopportano. Almeno in apparenza.
Se l'inizio di questo libro non mi ha convinta al cento per cento (come per Eleanor&Grey era stato più o meno la parte finale), la Cherry non ci ha comunque messo molto a convincermi che invece questo libro era proprio per me. E il motivo è proprio Landon. Sì, è vero, la Cherry non nuova a personaggi maschili spezzati che hanno bisogno di qualcuno che gli tenda una mano, ma nel caso di Landon... boh, sarà il tema della depressione che per me è tanto importante e che la Cherry tratta con delicatezza e consapevolezza, sarà il modo in cui è l'amicizia ciò che regge davvero queste pagine, sarà che anche io vorrei i Quattro Cavalieri più uno quando sono nel mio angolo più buio, sarà quel che sarà, ma Landon è tutto ciò che in questa generazione è andato perso negli adolescenti.
Anche Shay, per quanto apparentemente viva una vita perfetta, ha i suoi demoni, ma ho trovato lei un po' più semplice, un po' più superficiale. Lei è la luce che sconfigge le tenebre, lei sarà sempre una figura positiva.
Il romance è uno slow burn dei più belli, dei più genuini. Mentre leggevo avevo contemporaneamente il cuore spezzato eppure traboccante di emozioni. Ero lì che giravo le pagine pronta a vedere il futuro di questi due bellissimi personaggi e poi è arrivata la fine.
Sì, è vero che è un duetto questa serie, ma è altrettanto vero che questo libro non ha un vero e proprio cliffhanger. Se vi piacciono gli young adult e i finali HFN, questo libro potreste tranquillamente leggerlo senza timore del prossimo che deve uscire.
Se invece, come me, non vedete l'ora di sapere cosa ne sarà delle nostre due anime perse, beh, non ci resta che attendere Dicembre (uscita inglese!) per scoprirlo!
La storia di Landon e di Shay mi ha presa in contropiede. Mi aspettavo qualcosa alla High&Lo o alla Eleanor&Grey, invece mi sono trovata davanti uno young adult al cento per cento dove il tanto promesso odio/amore non era poi così tanto al vetriolo. Non per questo meno bello, è pieno di battutine e sarcasmo, ma mi aspettavo qualcosa di diverso, forse.
Landon e Shay mi hanno ricordato tanto Jamie e Landon da "I passi dell'amore" di Nicholas Sparks. No, non pensate subito alla tragedia. Il loro rapporto però ci assomiglia nel migliore dei modi. Landon soffre di una profonda depressione mascherata da un'apparenza da bad boy, mentre Shay è la ragazza gentile e ben voluta da tutti, solo che tra loro non corre buon sangue. Nemmeno loro sanno perché, ma non si sopportano. Almeno in apparenza.
Se l'inizio di questo libro non mi ha convinta al cento per cento (come per Eleanor&Grey era stato più o meno la parte finale), la Cherry non ci ha comunque messo molto a convincermi che invece questo libro era proprio per me. E il motivo è proprio Landon. Sì, è vero, la Cherry non nuova a personaggi maschili spezzati che hanno bisogno di qualcuno che gli tenda una mano, ma nel caso di Landon... boh, sarà il tema della depressione che per me è tanto importante e che la Cherry tratta con delicatezza e consapevolezza, sarà il modo in cui è l'amicizia ciò che regge davvero queste pagine, sarà che anche io vorrei i Quattro Cavalieri più uno quando sono nel mio angolo più buio, sarà quel che sarà, ma Landon è tutto ciò che in questa generazione è andato perso negli adolescenti.
Anche Shay, per quanto apparentemente viva una vita perfetta, ha i suoi demoni, ma ho trovato lei un po' più semplice, un po' più superficiale. Lei è la luce che sconfigge le tenebre, lei sarà sempre una figura positiva.
Il romance è uno slow burn dei più belli, dei più genuini. Mentre leggevo avevo contemporaneamente il cuore spezzato eppure traboccante di emozioni. Ero lì che giravo le pagine pronta a vedere il futuro di questi due bellissimi personaggi e poi è arrivata la fine.
Sì, è vero che è un duetto questa serie, ma è altrettanto vero che questo libro non ha un vero e proprio cliffhanger. Se vi piacciono gli young adult e i finali HFN, questo libro potreste tranquillamente leggerlo senza timore del prossimo che deve uscire.
Se invece, come me, non vedete l'ora di sapere cosa ne sarà delle nostre due anime perse, beh, non ci resta che attendere Dicembre (uscita inglese!) per scoprirlo!
Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+
My first foray into Brittainy C. Cherry was her fantastic book, Eleanor & Grey. The angst of their story and its happy ending made me fall in love with Cherry’s storytelling. Within the pages of that story, we were introduced to Landon and Shay. Landon is Grey’s best friend since childhood, and Shay is Eleanor’s best friend and cousin. In this book, it’s clear that Landon and Shay have unresolved issues. There is a tension between the two of them, grounded in disappointment and game-playing. At the end of Eleanor & Grey, I wasn’t done with these characters. In fact, I wanted Landon and Shay’s story. And Brittainy C. Cherry has provided a duet for these two, the first book being Landon & Shay: Book 1.
For those of you who read Eleanor & Grey, the Landon and Shay of that book is similar but not quite the same as the Landon and Shay of this first book of the duet. Yes, these two begin this story as enemies. Both of them “hate” each other predicated on their perceptions of the other person. They don’t really know each other personally. Their understandings of each other are based on their preconceived notions and the actions of the other. And those preconceived notions don’t match the real worlds of these two characters. As one can imagine, as the story progresses, these two learn more about each other. This occurs because these two make a bet: the first to fall in love with the other is the winner with all the entitled bragging rights. What each learns about the other through the experience of the bet makes them realize they are more alike than different, and they have deeper feelings than before. At the end of this book, after falling in love, they leave each other for future endeavors. Obviously, Book 2 will show us more of the Landon and Shay of Eleanor & Grey, but I think Cherry has added more depth to these characters than she did in that book. I, for one, am anticipatory for her second book in this duet.
This book is a slow burn. As an “enemies-to-lovers” book, it’s important to realize that it takes quite a bit of story for Landon and Shay to move beyond their “hate” for each other. Cherry develops this story almost tediously as a way to help us understand the characters of Landon and Shay individually. What this does is slow the story down quite a bit. This is a romance that requires patience (never a bad thing), but the true action and depth of the story don’t really begin until about 60 – 70% into the book. Instead, Cherry takes her time in developing Landon and Shay individually so we can feel the depth of their hearts when they finally admit feelings larger than hate. For a reader like me, I found myself wanting to speed up or fast forward, but I waited it out. When the story finally crescendos, the feelings and heartbreak for these two characters tears at your soul. This is wise storytelling; it suggests that the more we invest in the character development, the bigger the emotional payoff. For a romance reader like me, that’s important. I need an emotional connection to my characters within the context of an angsty romance like this one. That is what makes a successful romance in my estimation.
While this book is seemingly about enemies becoming lovers, the real message behind this story is depression. This is the power of Cherry’s story here. Landon lives a life with a mask that hides his deep depression. Cherry shows us all his hurt within the confines of his mind. Every moment Landon hits the page, it illustrates the dire nature of living with depression. He hides it well, except that Shay sees through his mask. It’s her love for him, her tenacity to see him fully, that helps him begin to admit he’s depressed. This isn’t an easy or fast choice in this book. It takes most of the book, much back and forth between these two, for Landon to admit it. When he does, this sets the action forward. Through Landon’s characterization, we are treated to the ways that people can help others with depression, and it begins with seeing them behind their masks. I hope the Landon of Landon & Shay isn’t fully like the Landon in Eleanor & Grey. I hope when we read him in Book 2 he’ll maintain the depth he’s grown in this book. But, this being Brittainy C. Cherry, I know there are strife and tension ahead.
As far as heroines, Shay resides among the best of them. She should be broken. With an addict, liar of a father, she should act out and make poor choices. Instead, Cherry sets her in contrast to the antagonist of the story, Monica. Monica’s life is a mess because her home life is less than ideal. While Shay’s home life is also fraught with issues, she relies on the strength of her grandmother to see her through the difficulties. Like Landon, she too wears a mask at school: the good perfect girl. However, there is something deeper in Shay. And it’s this depth that calls out to Landon. She’s wise beyond her years, intuitive about people. This is what helps save Landon from himself. This is what makes her heroic. Yes, she has the qualities of a typical romantic heroine: looks, strength, and compassion. It’s her intuitive nature, however, that makes her better.
Brittainy C. Cherry’s Landon & Shay calls for patience. It asks for us to wait, to save our judgment until the very last word. If not, we run the risk of unfairly characterizing its story. At its surface, this book looks like an enemies-to-lovers story. Yet, at its depth, it is a story of loving someone through their pain and their hurt and their depression. Cherry does this carefully, plodding along while pouring into the development of her characters. I know when this duet ends my heart will be fuller, and the tension of this book (and probably the next) will have drained away. In its stead, there will be the realization that true love can overcome anything. If you love contemporary, angsty romance, then you’ll find an important story in Cherry’s Landon & Shay.
My first foray into Brittainy C. Cherry was her fantastic book, Eleanor & Grey. The angst of their story and its happy ending made me fall in love with Cherry’s storytelling. Within the pages of that story, we were introduced to Landon and Shay. Landon is Grey’s best friend since childhood, and Shay is Eleanor’s best friend and cousin. In this book, it’s clear that Landon and Shay have unresolved issues. There is a tension between the two of them, grounded in disappointment and game-playing. At the end of Eleanor & Grey, I wasn’t done with these characters. In fact, I wanted Landon and Shay’s story. And Brittainy C. Cherry has provided a duet for these two, the first book being Landon & Shay: Book 1.
For those of you who read Eleanor & Grey, the Landon and Shay of that book is similar but not quite the same as the Landon and Shay of this first book of the duet. Yes, these two begin this story as enemies. Both of them “hate” each other predicated on their perceptions of the other person. They don’t really know each other personally. Their understandings of each other are based on their preconceived notions and the actions of the other. And those preconceived notions don’t match the real worlds of these two characters. As one can imagine, as the story progresses, these two learn more about each other. This occurs because these two make a bet: the first to fall in love with the other is the winner with all the entitled bragging rights. What each learns about the other through the experience of the bet makes them realize they are more alike than different, and they have deeper feelings than before. At the end of this book, after falling in love, they leave each other for future endeavors. Obviously, Book 2 will show us more of the Landon and Shay of Eleanor & Grey, but I think Cherry has added more depth to these characters than she did in that book. I, for one, am anticipatory for her second book in this duet.
This book is a slow burn. As an “enemies-to-lovers” book, it’s important to realize that it takes quite a bit of story for Landon and Shay to move beyond their “hate” for each other. Cherry develops this story almost tediously as a way to help us understand the characters of Landon and Shay individually. What this does is slow the story down quite a bit. This is a romance that requires patience (never a bad thing), but the true action and depth of the story don’t really begin until about 60 – 70% into the book. Instead, Cherry takes her time in developing Landon and Shay individually so we can feel the depth of their hearts when they finally admit feelings larger than hate. For a reader like me, I found myself wanting to speed up or fast forward, but I waited it out. When the story finally crescendos, the feelings and heartbreak for these two characters tears at your soul. This is wise storytelling; it suggests that the more we invest in the character development, the bigger the emotional payoff. For a romance reader like me, that’s important. I need an emotional connection to my characters within the context of an angsty romance like this one. That is what makes a successful romance in my estimation.
While this book is seemingly about enemies becoming lovers, the real message behind this story is depression. This is the power of Cherry’s story here. Landon lives a life with a mask that hides his deep depression. Cherry shows us all his hurt within the confines of his mind. Every moment Landon hits the page, it illustrates the dire nature of living with depression. He hides it well, except that Shay sees through his mask. It’s her love for him, her tenacity to see him fully, that helps him begin to admit he’s depressed. This isn’t an easy or fast choice in this book. It takes most of the book, much back and forth between these two, for Landon to admit it. When he does, this sets the action forward. Through Landon’s characterization, we are treated to the ways that people can help others with depression, and it begins with seeing them behind their masks. I hope the Landon of Landon & Shay isn’t fully like the Landon in Eleanor & Grey. I hope when we read him in Book 2 he’ll maintain the depth he’s grown in this book. But, this being Brittainy C. Cherry, I know there are strife and tension ahead.
As far as heroines, Shay resides among the best of them. She should be broken. With an addict, liar of a father, she should act out and make poor choices. Instead, Cherry sets her in contrast to the antagonist of the story, Monica. Monica’s life is a mess because her home life is less than ideal. While Shay’s home life is also fraught with issues, she relies on the strength of her grandmother to see her through the difficulties. Like Landon, she too wears a mask at school: the good perfect girl. However, there is something deeper in Shay. And it’s this depth that calls out to Landon. She’s wise beyond her years, intuitive about people. This is what helps save Landon from himself. This is what makes her heroic. Yes, she has the qualities of a typical romantic heroine: looks, strength, and compassion. It’s her intuitive nature, however, that makes her better.
Brittainy C. Cherry’s Landon & Shay calls for patience. It asks for us to wait, to save our judgment until the very last word. If not, we run the risk of unfairly characterizing its story. At its surface, this book looks like an enemies-to-lovers story. Yet, at its depth, it is a story of loving someone through their pain and their hurt and their depression. Cherry does this carefully, plodding along while pouring into the development of her characters. I know when this duet ends my heart will be fuller, and the tension of this book (and probably the next) will have drained away. In its stead, there will be the realization that true love can overcome anything. If you love contemporary, angsty romance, then you’ll find an important story in Cherry’s Landon & Shay.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Landon & Shay
This story was so beautiful. Landon and Shay I really don’t have the words. So much pain but so much beautiful love.
This story was so beautiful. Landon and Shay I really don’t have the words. So much pain but so much beautiful love.
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
"Everyone had cracks and cuts that bled into their soul each night. Some people were simply better at hiding them."
Another five star worthy book by Brittainy C. Cherry. I just absolutely love this author's writing. I am amazed by her ability to bring a story and characters to life. The main characters Landon and Shay start of as enemies, but during a party find themselves making a bet of who can make the other fall in love with them first. I loved their banter a lot, and especially Shay held her own even though she is the good girl. Landon acts tough and portrays himself a certain way, but Shay can see through it. I am very happy that Brittainy decided to make their story a duet, because it would've been impossible to tell their story in one book and have it impact me as much as it did. I am also happy that this book focused on their past and how their relationship developed. There is just so much growth in the characters, and this includes development in the relationship with their family.
"I wanted to know his story. His ugly, hard novel. I wanted to read his words, even though they seemed to bleed across the page in the most painful way."
This book isn't just about love, it is also about two characters that are trying to figure things out. Especially, Landon had it really rough and is struggling with his demons. I am just happy he had a great support system around him. This book was emotional, romantic and funny. This book had everything I love in my romance books. I felt such a strong connection with both characters. I was really dreading the end of this book, but Brittainy really nailed the ending in my opinion. I wouldn't have it any other way. It was just so beautiful and fitting. Everything just made sense and that is what I want in my contemporary romance novels. I already look forward to seeing what will happen next for these characters and see them grow even more. Landon & Shay is a MUST-READ for any romance lover. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading this author before then I highly recommend you do.
"Everyone had cracks and cuts that bled into their soul each night. Some people were simply better at hiding them."
Another five star worthy book by Brittainy C. Cherry. I just absolutely love this author's writing. I am amazed by her ability to bring a story and characters to life. The main characters Landon and Shay start of as enemies, but during a party find themselves making a bet of who can make the other fall in love with them first. I loved their banter a lot, and especially Shay held her own even though she is the good girl. Landon acts tough and portrays himself a certain way, but Shay can see through it. I am very happy that Brittainy decided to make their story a duet, because it would've been impossible to tell their story in one book and have it impact me as much as it did. I am also happy that this book focused on their past and how their relationship developed. There is just so much growth in the characters, and this includes development in the relationship with their family.
"I wanted to know his story. His ugly, hard novel. I wanted to read his words, even though they seemed to bleed across the page in the most painful way."
This book isn't just about love, it is also about two characters that are trying to figure things out. Especially, Landon had it really rough and is struggling with his demons. I am just happy he had a great support system around him. This book was emotional, romantic and funny. This book had everything I love in my romance books. I felt such a strong connection with both characters. I was really dreading the end of this book, but Brittainy really nailed the ending in my opinion. I wouldn't have it any other way. It was just so beautiful and fitting. Everything just made sense and that is what I want in my contemporary romance novels. I already look forward to seeing what will happen next for these characters and see them grow even more. Landon & Shay is a MUST-READ for any romance lover. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading this author before then I highly recommend you do.
3.5 ⭐️
Das sschächste BCC Buch für mich die Charaktere waren ok aber die Story hat mich so gar nicht in den Bann ziehen können. Ich weiß nicht ob es daran lag das ich es als HB gehört habe und alle anderen gelesen habe. Aber dieses Buch hat null Emotionen bei mir ausgelöst und die Story war auch etwas, dass es schon ganz oft gab.
Werde den zweiten Teil lesen und gucken ob es mich mehr überzeugen kann
Das sschächste BCC Buch für mich die Charaktere waren ok aber die Story hat mich so gar nicht in den Bann ziehen können. Ich weiß nicht ob es daran lag das ich es als HB gehört habe und alle anderen gelesen habe. Aber dieses Buch hat null Emotionen bei mir ausgelöst und die Story war auch etwas, dass es schon ganz oft gab.
Werde den zweiten Teil lesen und gucken ob es mich mehr überzeugen kann