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sandiereads's review
3.0
Considering how much I admire the author, I found the book a tad underwhelming. Still a good read, but not nearly as good as her other books.
omurphy's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
melbsreads's review
3.75
Trigger warnings: cheating, alcohol abuse
I read and adored The Last Time We Say Goodbye when it came out and basically haven't read anything by Cynthia Hand since. So when I read the premise of this, I was super excited because it sounded right up my alley. And for the most part, this was pretty enjoyable. Ada's ready to lose her virginity to her boyfriend of six months until she finds him cheating on her. And then on a family holiday to Hawaii, she finds out her mother is having an affair. So she throws caution to the wind and decides to have sex herself, feelings be damned.
Ada's a character who's full of rage and grief. She adores her stepfather, the parent who's present more often than not as her mother is a surgeon, so she feels betrayed by her mother on two fronts. She's trying desperately to control the things in her control, but everything keeps getting in her way, which just makes her rage worse. There's a general sense of awkwardness between Ada and Nick, which was pretty adorable. And for all that the blurb makes it out to be a YA romance, it's a first and foremost a family drama.
All of that being said, the ending was INCREDIBLY abrupt to the point where I thought my Kindle was missing a chapter. So. There's that.
I read and adored The Last Time We Say Goodbye when it came out and basically haven't read anything by Cynthia Hand since. So when I read the premise of this, I was super excited because it sounded right up my alley. And for the most part, this was pretty enjoyable. Ada's ready to lose her virginity to her boyfriend of six months until she finds him cheating on her. And then on a family holiday to Hawaii, she finds out her mother is having an affair. So she throws caution to the wind and decides to have sex herself, feelings be damned.
Ada's a character who's full of rage and grief. She adores her stepfather, the parent who's present more often than not as her mother is a surgeon, so she feels betrayed by her mother on two fronts. She's trying desperately to control the things in her control, but everything keeps getting in her way, which just makes her rage worse. There's a general sense of awkwardness between Ada and Nick, which was pretty adorable. And for all that the blurb makes it out to be a YA romance, it's a first and foremost a family drama.
All of that being said, the ending was INCREDIBLY abrupt to the point where I thought my Kindle was missing a chapter. So. There's that.
the_cover_contessa's review against another edition
3.0
I want to thank Harper Teen for supplying me with a copy of this book to read and review.
I won't lie, I had high hopes. I have always loved Cynthia Hand and her writing. Angels, contemporary, collaborations, she seems to be able to take it all on.
That being said, this is not her greatest work for me. If you are looking for a drama filled book with a self-centered teen (I know, I know, that's typical in real life, too!) who makes serious errors in much of what she does and chooses, this one is for you. Is it a lesson? Probably. Did she learn it? In my opinion, no.
The main character is 16 year old Ada who seems to be fixated on fixing her life with sex. Do 16 year olds think about it? Sure. Do they obsess on it? Maybe. But for me, it was way too large of a part of this book. I found her constant return to and reiterations of it tiresome and ridiculous. I also had issue with her sister letting her flounder and wallow in her own self-pity.
Overall it was a fast read but considering my affinity for picking books up by this author, not one I can see myself recommending. Too much drama without real situations for my taste.
I won't lie, I had high hopes. I have always loved Cynthia Hand and her writing. Angels, contemporary, collaborations, she seems to be able to take it all on.
That being said, this is not her greatest work for me. If you are looking for a drama filled book with a self-centered teen (I know, I know, that's typical in real life, too!) who makes serious errors in much of what she does and chooses, this one is for you. Is it a lesson? Probably. Did she learn it? In my opinion, no.
The main character is 16 year old Ada who seems to be fixated on fixing her life with sex. Do 16 year olds think about it? Sure. Do they obsess on it? Maybe. But for me, it was way too large of a part of this book. I found her constant return to and reiterations of it tiresome and ridiculous. I also had issue with her sister letting her flounder and wallow in her own self-pity.
Overall it was a fast read but considering my affinity for picking books up by this author, not one I can see myself recommending. Too much drama without real situations for my taste.
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
This was a really great read, loved spending this time with these characters! I could feel for them, even though I've never seen cheating in real life.
allisonsbeautifullife's review against another edition
3.0
Predictable but still cute read. Especially loved the setting and I am wishing I could be sitting on a beach in Hawaii right now!
maresi's review
4.0
I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperTeens. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
After Ada Bloom’s first time with her boyfriend doesn’t go as (he) planned, she finds herself alone – still being a virgin. As she travels to Hawaii with her family on one of her mother‘s work trips, she vows to change at least one of these issues. Soon she finds that her own problems may not be the only ones she has to take care of, as she soon realizes that her mother and her older sister also need some taking care.
“With You All The Way“ is a young adult contemporary novel that is marketed as a modern Judy Blume which is not an exaggeration. Cynthia Hand‘s most recent novel deals with traditional topics such as first love, loss of innocence, sisterhood and family, but she does a great job of adding a modern flair to these issues. Ada is not a “typical“ YA heroine since Hand tried hard to make her extra relatable, making her not the typical quirky leading lady but like an authentic teenager. Sometimes, however, the characterization feels a bit off. Abby for example, Ada‘s five year old sister frequently uses words or phrases that are very atypical for a child that age. Ada does state in her narration that Abby is special, but the way she articulates feels weird nonetheless. I also didn‘t particularly like the way Nick was introduced and how he further developed as a love interest (?). Even though Ada and he were roughly the same age he felt so much younger and more immature than her at the beginning and then all of a sudden, as the plot required, they were both equally mature at some point. I feel like the author wanted to stress that we were getting Ada‘s unreliable first impression of Nick, but it still felt a bit strange from a reader‘s perspective, not to say cringy.
What I really liked was the relationship between the Bloom sisters, especially Ada‘s and Afton‘s relationship was very relatable and authentic.
All in all I enjoyed this book a lot and I flew through it while reading it, mostly due to the narrative style of Ada telling the story almost as if the reader were her BFF. I did have the feeling that the end was a bit predictable and everything felt a little rushed once the final showdown came, but I can still recommend it if you want a light and breezy YA read that will swoop you in a summery mood.
After Ada Bloom’s first time with her boyfriend doesn’t go as (he) planned, she finds herself alone – still being a virgin. As she travels to Hawaii with her family on one of her mother‘s work trips, she vows to change at least one of these issues. Soon she finds that her own problems may not be the only ones she has to take care of, as she soon realizes that her mother and her older sister also need some taking care.
“With You All The Way“ is a young adult contemporary novel that is marketed as a modern Judy Blume which is not an exaggeration. Cynthia Hand‘s most recent novel deals with traditional topics such as first love, loss of innocence, sisterhood and family, but she does a great job of adding a modern flair to these issues. Ada is not a “typical“ YA heroine since Hand tried hard to make her extra relatable, making her not the typical quirky leading lady but like an authentic teenager. Sometimes, however, the characterization feels a bit off. Abby for example, Ada‘s five year old sister frequently uses words or phrases that are very atypical for a child that age. Ada does state in her narration that Abby is special, but the way she articulates feels weird nonetheless. I also didn‘t particularly like the way Nick was introduced and how he further developed as a love interest (?). Even though Ada and he were roughly the same age he felt so much younger and more immature than her at the beginning and then all of a sudden, as the plot required, they were both equally mature at some point. I feel like the author wanted to stress that we were getting Ada‘s unreliable first impression of Nick, but it still felt a bit strange from a reader‘s perspective, not to say cringy.
What I really liked was the relationship between the Bloom sisters, especially Ada‘s and Afton‘s relationship was very relatable and authentic.
All in all I enjoyed this book a lot and I flew through it while reading it, mostly due to the narrative style of Ada telling the story almost as if the reader were her BFF. I did have the feeling that the end was a bit predictable and everything felt a little rushed once the final showdown came, but I can still recommend it if you want a light and breezy YA read that will swoop you in a summery mood.
labraden's review against another edition
4.0
As her family attends an annual medical conference in Hawaii, Ada is upset over discovering her boyfriend has been cheating on her. To make things worse, she's fighting with her sister, and she thinks her parents' marriage is in trouble. In the meantime, she is trying to figure out what sex is and why it seems so difficult. When she runs into geeky Nick, who she knows from previous conferences, she decides that he is a safe choice for her first time, so they make a plan to meet on the final night of the conference when nobody will miss them. As the time to meet Nick gets closer and she becomes more confused about the anger she feels with her sister and her parents, Ada begins to wonder if maybe she simply isn't ready for such a big step.
With You All the Way is a fairly realistic view into family dynamics and the insecurities that surround people who in trying not to hurt one another, manage to cause the most pain. Ada seems like a fairly typical teenager with common goals and feelings, but she still displays a very dry sense of humor that makes her likable, even when she isn't making the best choices. In the beginning, Nick fits the stereotype of the nerdy game player, but as the story progresses, he shows himself to be much more than a geek and becomes very easy to like. Overall, this is a good family drama that centers around the teenagers and the issues and self-doubt they often face. 4 1/2 stars.
With You All the Way is a fairly realistic view into family dynamics and the insecurities that surround people who in trying not to hurt one another, manage to cause the most pain. Ada seems like a fairly typical teenager with common goals and feelings, but she still displays a very dry sense of humor that makes her likable, even when she isn't making the best choices. In the beginning, Nick fits the stereotype of the nerdy game player, but as the story progresses, he shows himself to be much more than a geek and becomes very easy to like. Overall, this is a good family drama that centers around the teenagers and the issues and self-doubt they often face. 4 1/2 stars.