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yousrabushehri's review against another edition
2.0
I hate it when I don't finish a book. I end up feeling iffy for weeks, but I just can't do it with this book. I picked this book up because I'd recently read Ahdieh's [b:The Wrath and the Dawn|18798983|The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn, #1)|Renee Ahdieh|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1417956963s/18798983.jpg|26724902] and it was EPIC! And I loved her style of writing and her characters were amazeballs! And so, I wanted to read her first book....and honestly, it even reads like a first book. It was a weird experience reading this book.
Adhieh's writing was still amazing in this book. You can really follow through and it feels like a real person is talking to you and not an automated narrator telling you a story -- which I liked. But I got a little confused with the time leaps that this book takes without indicating a few weeks have gone by until later.
So it wasn't her writing that got me to not adore this book, it was just that the story wasn't exactly original. I've read this plot so many times that I'm sooo over it. But I will admit that I did go in expecting a lot from Ahdieh since I adored her The Wrath and The Dawn book, so maybe that could be way I just "liked it". And I think that's why I stopped reading -- even though I was pretty much almost done with the book -- because I could already tell what was going to happen. (plus, I kinda skimmed through.....*shrug*....so I kinda read the entire thing...maybe....)
Anyway, if you're looking for a light romance read about a slightly annoying (at least I found her a little annoying) and an unbelievably good Hollywood actor dude (so unbelievable that it's felt almost fantastical) who end up finding love, then this is the book for you. But no, in all seriousness, this was a good light read. It's a romance book, and so has all the usual things you might find in a romance.
I'm currently obsessed over fantasy/historical books, and this just didn't cut it. :D
Adhieh's writing was still amazing in this book. You can really follow through and it feels like a real person is talking to you and not an automated narrator telling you a story -- which I liked. But I got a little confused with the time leaps that this book takes without indicating a few weeks have gone by until later.
So it wasn't her writing that got me to not adore this book, it was just that the story wasn't exactly original. I've read this plot so many times that I'm sooo over it. But I will admit that I did go in expecting a lot from Ahdieh since I adored her The Wrath and The Dawn book, so maybe that could be way I just "liked it". And I think that's why I stopped reading -- even though I was pretty much almost done with the book -- because I could already tell what was going to happen. (plus, I kinda skimmed through.....*shrug*....so I kinda read the entire thing...maybe....)
Anyway, if you're looking for a light romance read about a slightly annoying (at least I found her a little annoying) and an unbelievably good Hollywood actor dude (so unbelievable that it's felt almost fantastical) who end up finding love, then this is the book for you. But no, in all seriousness, this was a good light read. It's a romance book, and so has all the usual things you might find in a romance.
I'm currently obsessed over fantasy/historical books, and this just didn't cut it. :D
wendy327's review against another edition
2.0
As a Renée Ahdieh devotee, I was very interested to read her official debut, Fanfare, and thanks to Interlibrary Loan, I was able to do so. As a whole, Fanfare was fun and I could see the beginning of Ahdieh’s brilliance, including her ability to weave together an intriguing plot while utilizing beautiful language.
But while Tom and Cris were likeable characters, I found that at times they fell flat. Cris’s motivations were often a bit unclear, particularly when it came to the section of the plot surrounding her ex. At times, I also felt like I wanted some more meat to the story. The stakes at points didn’t feel completely believable and I must admit I rolled my eyes a few times.
However, if you’re looking for a quick romantic read, the novel does have a happily ever after ending that is satisfactory.
But while Tom and Cris were likeable characters, I found that at times they fell flat. Cris’s motivations were often a bit unclear, particularly when it came to the section of the plot surrounding her ex. At times, I also felt like I wanted some more meat to the story. The stakes at points didn’t feel completely believable and I must admit I rolled my eyes a few times.
However, if you’re looking for a quick romantic read, the novel does have a happily ever after ending that is satisfactory.
emiann2023's review against another edition
5.0
Was this book completely and impossibly sappy? Yes. Completely and impossibly unrealistic? Definitely. Did I love every second? You can bet your ass.
Ugh. It was horrendously cliche and our heroine was both badass and overly-perfect. But it was also an amazing read.
This is my new go-to read for when I just need to smile.
Ugh. It was horrendously cliche and our heroine was both badass and overly-perfect. But it was also an amazing read.
This is my new go-to read for when I just need to smile.
lestaslettering's review against another edition
1.0
DNF!!
The most uninteresting, incredibly getting on my nerves like the sound of a chalk dragging across the board, nails scraping on steel, chair being dragged on the ground kind of annoying 30 pages I ever read. And I care about myself better than continuing with the story. So I stopped right there..and saw the name of the author and now I'm like...what?? Am I living in a parallel universe where Renee writes a book this mindnumbingly poor? I'm still confused and in shock. Get me back to the Berenstein Universe , please.
The most uninteresting, incredibly getting on my nerves like the sound of a chalk dragging across the board, nails scraping on steel, chair being dragged on the ground kind of annoying 30 pages I ever read. And I care about myself better than continuing with the story. So I stopped right there..and saw the name of the author and now I'm like...what?? Am I living in a parallel universe where Renee writes a book this mindnumbingly poor? I'm still confused and in shock. Get me back to the Berenstein Universe , please.
ms_gnabi's review against another edition
1.0
Are you looking for a book to read? A book filled to the brim with clichés? The I-Dropped-My-IPod-By-The-Hot-Movie-Star-Who-Is-Not-Cocky-And-Is-Just-Lonely-Even-Though-He-Is-Surrounded-By-His-Entourage-And-Nobody-Can-Understand-Him-Rxcept-For-Her. And she is a totally chill person who definitely does not listen to mainstream music, instead she listens to unique music so when he gets her iPod he is intrigued. Then we go through the whole I-had-my-heart-broken-so-we-can-only-be-friends. Then the phase of oh-I-like-you-but-I'm-not-too-sure-yet. Then we have the media finding out who she is and cussing her on the internet. And his agent is a complete and utter moron who hates her. And he has a gay hair dresser. And last but not least:
*druuuummmm roooollll*
He asks her to marry him and she's super excited and she says yes and obviously even though he's not a shallow movie star, he has to let people know that he will get his wife the biggest diamond ring ever. And then her ex-fiancé finds her and tells her he's still in love with her and she realises oh I cant get back with my ex because he doesn't deserve me but I cant be happy with the hot movie star either because I don't deserve him. Then she spends a whole load of time wallowing in self pity till she finally comes to her senses and goes after the movie star and they live happily ever after. And she has to have a fight with her best friend before she comes to her senses of course. The End.
There are lots more but tbh by this point I was skimming the pages just to get to the end. Maybe I would have enjoined this book a few years ago but now its just MEH.
*druuuummmm roooollll*
He asks her to marry him and she's super excited and she says yes and obviously even though he's not a shallow movie star, he has to let people know that he will get his wife the biggest diamond ring ever. And then her ex-fiancé finds her and tells her he's still in love with her and she realises oh I cant get back with my ex because he doesn't deserve me but I cant be happy with the hot movie star either because I don't deserve him. Then she spends a whole load of time wallowing in self pity till she finally comes to her senses and goes after the movie star and they live happily ever after. And she has to have a fight with her best friend before she comes to her senses of course. The End.
There are lots more but tbh by this point I was skimming the pages just to get to the end. Maybe I would have enjoined this book a few years ago but now its just MEH.
catarinaviegas's review against another edition
3.0
Yeah so I'm not really a fan of Hollywood-star-dates-unknown-girl but I had to read this since it was Renée Ahdieh's debut and I love her books. This wasn't that great to be quite honest, you can see that her writing and her storytelling has really evolved, but there were parts where you could see the raw talent there. It was fun to read something by her in a contemporary setting even though you can't really see the similarities in the writing. One thing that I love and that it's common in her books is the way you just keep reading and don't even feel the time pass. Although this book sometimes felt endless, there were parts where I read for almost a hour straight, which is kind of rare for me.
So yeah, I understand the reason why maybe Renée Ahdieh doesn't really want people to remember that she wrote this book because it isn't her best writing. Even so, it's a solid 3 star book in my opinion. Not her best work, but if you have in consideration that it was her first book, it's great. And besides, I believe that if I had read this book 5 years ago and if I liked this kind of plot, I would like it way more.
So yeah, I understand the reason why maybe Renée Ahdieh doesn't really want people to remember that she wrote this book because it isn't her best writing. Even so, it's a solid 3 star book in my opinion. Not her best work, but if you have in consideration that it was her first book, it's great. And besides, I believe that if I had read this book 5 years ago and if I liked this kind of plot, I would like it way more.
skck09's review against another edition
5.0
I received this book from Revolution Publishing, and didn't know what to expect. The book description says this book isn't your classic fairy tale, but I really think it was just that. It's a book about falling in love with all of your heart because nothing else matters. Renee Ahdieh is an amazingly talented writer, and her story was so well developed.
Cris's fiancee broke up with her 2 years ago, and ever since then, she has nightmares about the day he walked out the door. Everything was going perfect, and then it was ruined in an instant. Cris hasn't dated in those two years, but she still believes in true love. When she meets the spontaneous teenage heartthrob, Tom, she falls hard, but her excessive planning and fear of getting hurt prevents her from loving with all of her heart. Can Cristina let go of the past and take a risk for a chance at the greatest love she will ever experience?
This book is an amazing read for all of those hopeless romantics out there. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down, and when I closed the book, I had a smile on my face and tears in my eyes.
Cris's fiancee broke up with her 2 years ago, and ever since then, she has nightmares about the day he walked out the door. Everything was going perfect, and then it was ruined in an instant. Cris hasn't dated in those two years, but she still believes in true love. When she meets the spontaneous teenage heartthrob, Tom, she falls hard, but her excessive planning and fear of getting hurt prevents her from loving with all of her heart. Can Cristina let go of the past and take a risk for a chance at the greatest love she will ever experience?
This book is an amazing read for all of those hopeless romantics out there. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down, and when I closed the book, I had a smile on my face and tears in my eyes.
theaprilnichole's review against another edition
4.0
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to date a celeb? This is a great book to be able to live out that fantasy. This book ended up being different than I expected. They weren’t teenagers like I think of most YA books. Cris has graduated college and she has been engaged. Tom is a celebrity that has gotten one of those roles that has every teenager drooling over him.
I loved the relationship between Cris and Tom. When we are getting to know Cris at first I had a little bit of a hard time with her bluntness. As the story went on though and you see how Cris and Tom interact and he responds to her you get used to it. I liked it. I liked the way that Tom responds to her and got her to do things she probably wouldn’t normally do or at least not before her failed engagement.
You get to see the highs and lows of dating a celeb. The author did a wonderful job weaving together their love story in and out of the limelight. And the way the two are brought together in the end was perfect and sweet.
(Thank you to the publisher for a copy)
I loved the relationship between Cris and Tom. When we are getting to know Cris at first I had a little bit of a hard time with her bluntness. As the story went on though and you see how Cris and Tom interact and he responds to her you get used to it. I liked it. I liked the way that Tom responds to her and got her to do things she probably wouldn’t normally do or at least not before her failed engagement.
You get to see the highs and lows of dating a celeb. The author did a wonderful job weaving together their love story in and out of the limelight. And the way the two are brought together in the end was perfect and sweet.
(Thank you to the publisher for a copy)
amburhostyn's review
4.0
Fanfare is not a fairy tale. It's a story about a strong woman who ultimately decides that she's the one in control of her own life, and that if she wants to be happy she can be. Cris was such a strong character, and she was super feisty. She was one of those characters that I couldn't help but love. Even though I loved her, there were a couple of times I just wanted to shake her. The biggest thing that was keeping her from being happy was herself. It was one of those times where a person just brings this huge train-wreck that tears through their life on themselves.
That being said, I really liked this story. For most of the story I was impressed by Cris, and when I wasn't, I understood where she was coming from, even if I wouldn't have done the same things myself. She had a killer sense of humour, and she spoke her mind when she believed in something. I really respect her as a character, and by the end of Fanfare I was proud of her too. She stepped up and finally overcame her fears. It takes a strong person to fight for their beliefs and stand up for themselves, but it takes an even stronger person to admit they were wrong and to take risks to try and fix the things they've broken. Throughout Fanfare, Cris expressed both types of strength, and for that I greatly admired her.
Now, as you might have guessed, there is most certainly a boy in this story. This boy happens to be a celebrity, one who bears a striking resemblance to one that I'm sure pretty everyone in the world is aware of nowadays, he's been in some popular movies about a vampire and a regular teenage girl who fall in love...and if you can't guess who I mean by that hint then I'm not quite sure where you've been hiding for the last couple of years. :P Anyways, the actor's name is Thomas Abramson, or Tom, and I thought his relationship with Cris was just plain ole adorable. They complimented each other very well, and while they tended to get each other into situations that probably could have been avoided, their chemistry was palpable and their banter was entertaining and fantastic. I loved the jokes between Tom and Cris, and their email exchanges were hilarious too! :D
Along with Tom and Cris, were their fantastic friends. Cris' friends, Gita and Hana were just awesome! They're the type of friends we all wish we had, or if we are lucky enough to have them, we hold onto them for dear life. :P And Tom's friends in London were hilarious! I especially loved the scene where Cris, Tom, and Tom's friends, Ben and Philip, all played Guitar Hero World Tour together...so funny! :D There was one character that I wasn't a fan of, but to be honest, I'm pretty sure he was designed to be that character everybody loves to hate, so Renee definitely succeeded there. Cris' ex-fiancee, Ryan, who Gita called "Sergeant Killjoy" was the one who cause Cris to be so deluded when it came to love and I believe he was the main source of her problems. I'll admit, I really didn't like him, or how Cris seemed to be so weak around him, but her reactions to him were definitely understandable. I really wish I could have just punched him in the face to make him leave her alone at parts in the book, he just didn't seem to like that she was happy without out him, and the name Sergeant Killjoy did indeed suit him well. :P
I absolutely loved the whole celebrity aspect of Fanfare, and I'll admit, that I've gone through the whole celebrity obsession myself, so it was interesting to read a story where the character got to experience being with someone who was famous, especially since she was the type of person who prefers to stay away from all of the celebrity gossip...although she did admit that it was more because she knew that she's get addicted to it, like Farmtown on Facebook (been there done that too :P haha).
I thought that Fanfare was a funny story with amazing characters, and underneath all of the laughter the message that Cris learned about controlling your own happiness and letting yourself be happy was a strong one. One that I was more than happy to learn. :)
I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to read Fanfare. Renee has a wonderful writing style and this is a fantastic debut. :)
So...celebrities, love em or hate em?
Are you obsessed, are you altogether anti-celebrity, or are you somewhere in the middle?
What are your thoughts on Fanfare, do you think you'd like it?
That being said, I really liked this story. For most of the story I was impressed by Cris, and when I wasn't, I understood where she was coming from, even if I wouldn't have done the same things myself. She had a killer sense of humour, and she spoke her mind when she believed in something. I really respect her as a character, and by the end of Fanfare I was proud of her too. She stepped up and finally overcame her fears. It takes a strong person to fight for their beliefs and stand up for themselves, but it takes an even stronger person to admit they were wrong and to take risks to try and fix the things they've broken. Throughout Fanfare, Cris expressed both types of strength, and for that I greatly admired her.
Now, as you might have guessed, there is most certainly a boy in this story. This boy happens to be a celebrity, one who bears a striking resemblance to one that I'm sure pretty everyone in the world is aware of nowadays, he's been in some popular movies about a vampire and a regular teenage girl who fall in love...and if you can't guess who I mean by that hint then I'm not quite sure where you've been hiding for the last couple of years. :P Anyways, the actor's name is Thomas Abramson, or Tom, and I thought his relationship with Cris was just plain ole adorable. They complimented each other very well, and while they tended to get each other into situations that probably could have been avoided, their chemistry was palpable and their banter was entertaining and fantastic. I loved the jokes between Tom and Cris, and their email exchanges were hilarious too! :D
Along with Tom and Cris, were their fantastic friends. Cris' friends, Gita and Hana were just awesome! They're the type of friends we all wish we had, or if we are lucky enough to have them, we hold onto them for dear life. :P And Tom's friends in London were hilarious! I especially loved the scene where Cris, Tom, and Tom's friends, Ben and Philip, all played Guitar Hero World Tour together...so funny! :D There was one character that I wasn't a fan of, but to be honest, I'm pretty sure he was designed to be that character everybody loves to hate, so Renee definitely succeeded there. Cris' ex-fiancee, Ryan, who Gita called "Sergeant Killjoy" was the one who cause Cris to be so deluded when it came to love and I believe he was the main source of her problems. I'll admit, I really didn't like him, or how Cris seemed to be so weak around him, but her reactions to him were definitely understandable. I really wish I could have just punched him in the face to make him leave her alone at parts in the book, he just didn't seem to like that she was happy without out him, and the name Sergeant Killjoy did indeed suit him well. :P
I absolutely loved the whole celebrity aspect of Fanfare, and I'll admit, that I've gone through the whole celebrity obsession myself, so it was interesting to read a story where the character got to experience being with someone who was famous, especially since she was the type of person who prefers to stay away from all of the celebrity gossip...although she did admit that it was more because she knew that she's get addicted to it, like Farmtown on Facebook (been there done that too :P haha).
I thought that Fanfare was a funny story with amazing characters, and underneath all of the laughter the message that Cris learned about controlling your own happiness and letting yourself be happy was a strong one. One that I was more than happy to learn. :)
I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to read Fanfare. Renee has a wonderful writing style and this is a fantastic debut. :)
So...celebrities, love em or hate em?
Are you obsessed, are you altogether anti-celebrity, or are you somewhere in the middle?
What are your thoughts on Fanfare, do you think you'd like it?
pandemoniumpizza's review
4.0
Fanfare was amazing. After just reading a book that I didn’t like very much, I was starting to feel the beginnings of a reading slump. Thankfully, Fanfare pulled me away from that.
I’m pretty sure that for 3/4 of Fanfare I had a huge grin plastered to my face. The other 1/4 was spent lamenting and hoping that things would turn out for the best. I also laughed out loud a few times. Cristina was the kind of narrator that made me laugh. There were also a couple of times where I could feel tears springing to my eyes. Fanfare is just exceptional.
Fanfare was everything I needed. It was light, it was fun and it was just so enjoyable. It was well-written so I could just breeze through and read this one within no time.
All the characters, except for one for obvious reasons, were fantastic. They all had their own personalities and just added something special to Fanfare. Each character had their own place in the novel and it was great to see how they all worked together.
I’m not normally a fan of just romances but this one had me completely engaged throughout the book and there was never a moment where I wanted to stop reading. I just had to read the whole thing.
Fanfare is a great, fun read. It’s the sort of romance that is really believable. I really enjoyed Fanfare and can gladly say that this one is a good one for fans of romance novels that aren’t incredibly overbearing or for someone just looking for a good, well-written, light and fun read.
I’m pretty sure that for 3/4 of Fanfare I had a huge grin plastered to my face. The other 1/4 was spent lamenting and hoping that things would turn out for the best. I also laughed out loud a few times. Cristina was the kind of narrator that made me laugh. There were also a couple of times where I could feel tears springing to my eyes. Fanfare is just exceptional.
Fanfare was everything I needed. It was light, it was fun and it was just so enjoyable. It was well-written so I could just breeze through and read this one within no time.
All the characters, except for one for obvious reasons, were fantastic. They all had their own personalities and just added something special to Fanfare. Each character had their own place in the novel and it was great to see how they all worked together.
I’m not normally a fan of just romances but this one had me completely engaged throughout the book and there was never a moment where I wanted to stop reading. I just had to read the whole thing.
Fanfare is a great, fun read. It’s the sort of romance that is really believable. I really enjoyed Fanfare and can gladly say that this one is a good one for fans of romance novels that aren’t incredibly overbearing or for someone just looking for a good, well-written, light and fun read.
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