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julie_reads15's review
4.0
Summary
Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index by Julie Israel is a young adult contemporary novel about learning to deal with grief, with a hint of romance.
Sixty-five days after sixteen-year-old Juniper's older sister Camilla's unexpected death, Juniper finds a break-up letter from Camilla addressed t 'You'. This distracts Juniper from filing away her latest index card from her daily ritual of keeping a Happiness Index, causing her to lose the card. Her Happiness Index was her sister's idea before the accident to identify the positives. She now uses it as a coping mechanism and also identifies the negatives.
Juniper goes on a mission to find 'You' so she can deliver the letter as she believes it's what Camilla would've wanted. She's also on a mission to find her missing index card as it houses a secret she doesn't want anyone to know.
Along the way, Juniper discovers a few secrets from her classmates. Guilt-ridden because of her sister, she tries to make amends by helping those around her.
The novel tackles a lot of issues such as bullying, abuse, and suicidal thoughts, while still providing fun teenage experiences, humour, and romance.
Review
I loved the feeling of youth in this novel. It had the perfect teen angst aura. The settings, traditions, and feelings were described so beautifully and vividly. I wish I could write like this.
Juniper was a likeable character. I loved her passion for art an the projects she worked on in the book. Even if she sometimes went about things the wrong way, she had good intentions. I liked how she wanted to help others.
I loved how Juniper formed strong new friendships. Her friends were well developed with secrets of their own.
I loved how the novel was about new beginnings and learning to move on, but Juniper still found ways to acknowledge her sister. Camilla was well characterised through flashbacks and memories.
I loved the mystery element surrounding 'You'. However, I was hoping the ending would have more closure. I understand why the author chose this ending, and it's an important moral, but it felt like a bit of a let down since the whole story was leading up to this moment.
I would've liked to have seen more interaction between Juniper and her parents. Juniper had a mostly negative relationship with her parents, and they were absent most of the time. Juniper's relationship with her parents was patched up too quickly near the end.
I loved how some of Juniper's index cards were included in the novel. This was a nice quirky touch and helped to further Juniper's characterisation and her grief.
The novel had a great balance between lightness and darkness, positivity and grief.
I recommend this book for anyone who's 13 years and older and wants to read a YA contemporary novel about love and loss and learning to live again.
Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index by Julie Israel is a young adult contemporary novel about learning to deal with grief, with a hint of romance.
Sixty-five days after sixteen-year-old Juniper's older sister Camilla's unexpected death, Juniper finds a break-up letter from Camilla addressed t 'You'. This distracts Juniper from filing away her latest index card from her daily ritual of keeping a Happiness Index, causing her to lose the card. Her Happiness Index was her sister's idea before the accident to identify the positives. She now uses it as a coping mechanism and also identifies the negatives.
Juniper goes on a mission to find 'You' so she can deliver the letter as she believes it's what Camilla would've wanted. She's also on a mission to find her missing index card as it houses a secret she doesn't want anyone to know.
Along the way, Juniper discovers a few secrets from her classmates. Guilt-ridden because of her sister, she tries to make amends by helping those around her.
The novel tackles a lot of issues such as bullying, abuse, and suicidal thoughts, while still providing fun teenage experiences, humour, and romance.
Review
I loved the feeling of youth in this novel. It had the perfect teen angst aura. The settings, traditions, and feelings were described so beautifully and vividly. I wish I could write like this.
Juniper was a likeable character. I loved her passion for art an the projects she worked on in the book. Even if she sometimes went about things the wrong way, she had good intentions. I liked how she wanted to help others.
I loved how Juniper formed strong new friendships. Her friends were well developed with secrets of their own.
I loved how the novel was about new beginnings and learning to move on, but Juniper still found ways to acknowledge her sister. Camilla was well characterised through flashbacks and memories.
I loved the mystery element surrounding 'You'. However, I was hoping the ending would have more closure. I understand why the author chose this ending, and it's an important moral, but it felt like a bit of a let down since the whole story was leading up to this moment.
I would've liked to have seen more interaction between Juniper and her parents. Juniper had a mostly negative relationship with her parents, and they were absent most of the time. Juniper's relationship with her parents was patched up too quickly near the end.
I loved how some of Juniper's index cards were included in the novel. This was a nice quirky touch and helped to further Juniper's characterisation and her grief.
The novel had a great balance between lightness and darkness, positivity and grief.
I recommend this book for anyone who's 13 years and older and wants to read a YA contemporary novel about love and loss and learning to live again.
achapterahead's review
5.0
Read 7/25/17 - 7/26/17
5 Stars 100%
Third book for the 2017 Booktube-A-Thon
Quick note for all who are wanting to read this (the book not my review) but might be triggered by some of the content Ive got a few content warnings.
CW: Death, Parental Abuse, Underage Drinking, minor Suicidal Ideation
Please tread carefully and take care of yourselves <3
I am going to be 700% honest here, I was a little turned off to the idea of this book. I saw the American cover and I basically just absolutely refused to spend ANY money on it. I was going to just get it from overdrive but it wasn't ON overdrive so I finally broke down. I got the audiobook fully intending to just listen to it so I could have the group book read and then return it and get something else instead.
Needless to say from seeing my rating, this book was not what I was expecting. After finishing this I literally took another look at the cover and thought to myself 'you know maybe it's not that bad of a cover. Actually this is a pretty good cover.' And it is! As much as it still kind of makes me want to cringe, it actually really accurately represents the theme of the book and really captures the main character.
This is one of those books that I just want to physically hug and own 7 copies of and tell everyone to read constantly but I honestly couldn't even tell you why. I don't necessarily have any deep connections to the main character or what shes going through but I still found so many lines and emotions that I connected to. I found myself not wanting to do anything else and every time that I turned off the audio book to do something else I would end up just sitting right back down and turning it back on again. I just wanted to know what happened next and how it ended and I was completely hooked (which- for me- almost never happens with contemporary books.)
I laughed and I cried and I groaned and I theorized and I had so so many emotions but at the end of it all I think that I read this book at the exact time in my life that I needed it. There were so many things that the character did and said and the way that she saw things really made me take a step back and look at life from different perspective.
Listening to this audiobook all day and taking in this story just felt like a nice warm hug on a pretty crappy day and I'm super thankful for that. I don't think that this book is for everyone but I would definitely encourage everyone to at least give it a chance. Like I was, you might find yourself to be pleasantly surprised.
5 Stars 100%
Third book for the 2017 Booktube-A-Thon
Quick note for all who are wanting to read this (the book not my review) but might be triggered by some of the content Ive got a few content warnings.
CW: Death, Parental Abuse, Underage Drinking, minor Suicidal Ideation
Please tread carefully and take care of yourselves <3
I am going to be 700% honest here, I was a little turned off to the idea of this book. I saw the American cover and I basically just absolutely refused to spend ANY money on it. I was going to just get it from overdrive but it wasn't ON overdrive so I finally broke down. I got the audiobook fully intending to just listen to it so I could have the group book read and then return it and get something else instead.
Needless to say from seeing my rating, this book was not what I was expecting. After finishing this I literally took another look at the cover and thought to myself 'you know maybe it's not that bad of a cover. Actually this is a pretty good cover.' And it is! As much as it still kind of makes me want to cringe, it actually really accurately represents the theme of the book and really captures the main character.
This is one of those books that I just want to physically hug and own 7 copies of and tell everyone to read constantly but I honestly couldn't even tell you why. I don't necessarily have any deep connections to the main character or what shes going through but I still found so many lines and emotions that I connected to. I found myself not wanting to do anything else and every time that I turned off the audio book to do something else I would end up just sitting right back down and turning it back on again. I just wanted to know what happened next and how it ended and I was completely hooked (which- for me- almost never happens with contemporary books.)
I laughed and I cried and I groaned and I theorized and I had so so many emotions but at the end of it all I think that I read this book at the exact time in my life that I needed it. There were so many things that the character did and said and the way that she saw things really made me take a step back and look at life from different perspective.
Listening to this audiobook all day and taking in this story just felt like a nice warm hug on a pretty crappy day and I'm super thankful for that. I don't think that this book is for everyone but I would definitely encourage everyone to at least give it a chance. Like I was, you might find yourself to be pleasantly surprised.
thelibraryskeeper's review against another edition
3.0
I had ordered this book to read along with everyone during booktube-a-thon and it ended up making it to my library much later than I expected. I missed reading it for book tube, but I'm glad I got around to it. I adored the friendships in this book so so so much - also the romance was straight up adorable.
I felt a bit unfulfilled at the ending, as I read the entire book asking one question along with juniper and didn't get an answer at the end... Overall I'd give this a solid 3.5.
I felt a bit unfulfilled at the ending, as I read the entire book asking one question along with juniper and didn't get an answer at the end... Overall I'd give this a solid 3.5.
catinesse's review against another edition
2.0
Full Review:
https://tackfictionblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/16/juniper-lemons-happiness-index-by-julie-israel-review/
Let me start by saying I didn’t expect much from this book when I first began reading. I had never heard of Julie Israel, never used Netgalley and had not heard of the book prior to receiving my copy. That being said, I’m so glad I stumbled upon this little gem and it completely outdid all of my expectations.
The story centres around a girl named Juniper Lemon and this lost index card (65). Juniper (in memory of her recently lost sister) writes a number for each day on an index card – a sort of indication of how she rated the day. 65 days after her sister’s passing Juniper loses index card 65 whilst at school and her journey begins with the simple task of finding it. Initially the book reminded me of Fangirl (Rainbow Rowell) in terms of its tone and voice but it quickly became clear that this was more than just a coming of age story. Israel opens up a whole complex and compelling narrative from simply a lost card and really makes it into something special. The ‘underdog vibe’ and diversity of high school characters (the typical bad boy, renowned nerd, new kid and bitchy female bully) kind of toys with the line of being cliché but most of the characters are actually explored beyond that surface level and, ultimately, Israel balances this out really well.
I really liked the way she introduced characters in such a natural way (despite the circumstances under which some of them meet). In particular the friendships between Juniper and the characters she bonds with because of Camilla are simply beautiful. I loved the individuality she gave her characters and Kody and Camilla were the kind of believable, ridiculous friends one really hopes to have in high school. There were moments with them where she (Juniper) suddenly seems to relax and recover a part of herself and that was wonderful to read. I often read parts on the brink of happy tears (though the rest were definitely sad ones.) It really deals with loss in a clever way by telling us of its unbearable qualities and difficulties and sneaking in the positives gently so we actually perceive Juniper’s healing.
The ‘You’ aspect keeps the narrative from stagnating and as I was reading I was a little conflicted that this might take away from the message. Pleasantly, I was wrong and Israel expertly kept the thread from swinging too far away from her harrowing and important subject matter; the ending is perfectly nuanced to both celebrate Camilla’s life but also to bring closure to Juniper’s. Throughout the book she expertly weaves humour and grief together. Everyone has their own coping mechanisms and this little book has so much to teach about love, loss and understanding. It was beautiful to read and actually, I believe, almost restorative. Sometimes it was simply the way Israel talked about grief that had me brimming with tears; and it’s such a realistic demonstration of it. Grief affects people not just when something directly related happens but during the everyday moments in which the person lost is absent. This book really made me feel that.
It also was a nice sized book from a casual reader’s standpoint. It didn’t take too long to read and left me feeling bookishly satisfied. The only real thing I was disappointed by was my own choice to read a digital copy! Both covers (US and UK) are so cute and would’ve made gorgeous #Bookstagram pictures!
But anyway, it was a thoroughly good read and I’m glad it came into my life.
4 out of 5
https://tackfictionblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/16/juniper-lemons-happiness-index-by-julie-israel-review/
Let me start by saying I didn’t expect much from this book when I first began reading. I had never heard of Julie Israel, never used Netgalley and had not heard of the book prior to receiving my copy. That being said, I’m so glad I stumbled upon this little gem and it completely outdid all of my expectations.
The story centres around a girl named Juniper Lemon and this lost index card (65). Juniper (in memory of her recently lost sister) writes a number for each day on an index card – a sort of indication of how she rated the day. 65 days after her sister’s passing Juniper loses index card 65 whilst at school and her journey begins with the simple task of finding it. Initially the book reminded me of Fangirl (Rainbow Rowell) in terms of its tone and voice but it quickly became clear that this was more than just a coming of age story. Israel opens up a whole complex and compelling narrative from simply a lost card and really makes it into something special. The ‘underdog vibe’ and diversity of high school characters (the typical bad boy, renowned nerd, new kid and bitchy female bully) kind of toys with the line of being cliché but most of the characters are actually explored beyond that surface level and, ultimately, Israel balances this out really well.
I really liked the way she introduced characters in such a natural way (despite the circumstances under which some of them meet). In particular the friendships between Juniper and the characters she bonds with because of Camilla are simply beautiful. I loved the individuality she gave her characters and Kody and Camilla were the kind of believable, ridiculous friends one really hopes to have in high school. There were moments with them where she (Juniper) suddenly seems to relax and recover a part of herself and that was wonderful to read. I often read parts on the brink of happy tears (though the rest were definitely sad ones.) It really deals with loss in a clever way by telling us of its unbearable qualities and difficulties and sneaking in the positives gently so we actually perceive Juniper’s healing.
The ‘You’ aspect keeps the narrative from stagnating and as I was reading I was a little conflicted that this might take away from the message. Pleasantly, I was wrong and Israel expertly kept the thread from swinging too far away from her harrowing and important subject matter; the ending is perfectly nuanced to both celebrate Camilla’s life but also to bring closure to Juniper’s. Throughout the book she expertly weaves humour and grief together. Everyone has their own coping mechanisms and this little book has so much to teach about love, loss and understanding. It was beautiful to read and actually, I believe, almost restorative. Sometimes it was simply the way Israel talked about grief that had me brimming with tears; and it’s such a realistic demonstration of it. Grief affects people not just when something directly related happens but during the everyday moments in which the person lost is absent. This book really made me feel that.
It also was a nice sized book from a casual reader’s standpoint. It didn’t take too long to read and left me feeling bookishly satisfied. The only real thing I was disappointed by was my own choice to read a digital copy! Both covers (US and UK) are so cute and would’ve made gorgeous #Bookstagram pictures!
But anyway, it was a thoroughly good read and I’m glad it came into my life.
4 out of 5
aburgess15's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very good and quick read. The story of Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index goes through the next school year after losing her sister in a car accident during the summer. I think it goes through all the stages of grief that we all can relate to. My favorite page in the book was 332...
janaybrazier's review
3.0
It's taken me almost a month to read this book. I picked it up at the end of August but ended up putting it down when Tower of Dawn came out and then I only just got around to picking it up again to finish it. It was a good book but for me it didn't stand out as an amazing book. I did really like it. Juniper's character was interesting and I really liked reading the parts with Brand in, but it just didn't wow me. I'd still recommend it. It's a good YA contemporary read.
pantsreads's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5
Super cute story! I got real frustrated with Juniper at times, but overall really enjoyed the book. And for all of Brand's faults ... sah-woon!
Super cute story! I got real frustrated with Juniper at times, but overall really enjoyed the book. And for all of Brand's faults ... sah-woon!
cosy_novel_niche's review against another edition
4.0
Yaaaay! The 7th and last book for Booktube-a-thon 2017. Challenge completed :D
A video review will follow soon
A video review will follow soon
girlinthepages's review against another edition
3.0
*3.5 Stars*
I'll admit, even if it hadn't been for my blogging bestie Lauren adoring this book, I was immediately drawn to Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index last year when I first heard about it because I fell in love with the cover. I'm generally not a fan of real people on book covers, but I loved loved loved the juxtaposition of the pink and festive confetti with Juniper's facial expression- almost like she's bracing herself for something. This juxtaposition of brightness with anxiety, surprise with resignation, is actually extremely relevant to the themes in the novel, which while functions as a coming of age story that has a lot of heart, humor, and positive relationships, also has a melancholy thread of grief running constantly throughout.
Juniper Lemon (I love that her name apologetically sounds like the flavor of a candy and the why behind it is never explained) is one of my favorite contemporary protagonists that I've come across. She's earnest and honest in her narrative but also vulnerable and just overall seems like a really kind yet sad person- I found myself just wanting to give her a hug the entire book. Coping with the death of her sister, she embarks on her junior year of high school carrying the guilt and silence of a family in mourning, while trying to navigate all of the other trauma that high school naturally brings: bullies, boy drama, etc. While the book hits all of the typical high school novel tropes (I saw a reviewer- I can't remember who- mention this book REALLY brought the high school nostalgia on and I have to agree), it also focused a lot on grief in really interesting ways. Rather than it being heavy and in the reader's face all the time, it could be found in all of the little rituals Juniper carries out to cope, from her happiness index cards to leaving Dala horses around town to her art projects that all honor her sister and her grief in a certain way. This novel shows the protagonist taking her grief and turning it into something constructive, using it to create, which I found so unique!
A Few Things I Really Enjoyed:
+ Friendship Goals- Juniper gradually accumulates a new friend group throughout the story that is sort of a hodgepodge of people with all different interests but they all work together so well and I know what it's like to be part of a group of friends where everyone is super different, and it's often the most rewarding kind!
+ Dala Horses- I though this was such a cool touch, incorporating an element from Juniper's family's background (traditional Swedish painted horses) into the story, and I love the one on the back cover!
+Mystery- I actually wasn't expecting this book to have such a mystery at it's center (AKA I probs should have read the synopsis all the way lol) and I was getting sort of a Nancy Drew vibe from Juniper at times which I loved.
+Happiness Index- I loved Juniper's "happiness index" where she logged her positives and negatives throughout the day. It's such a cool alternative to journaling, as it would only take a few second to write out a note card with the main highlights and lowlights of your day.
In a lot of ways, Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index was a really creative story with a melancholy vibe that's so at odds with typical YA narratives, which made me love it in some respects. However, there were some elements that bothered me a bit and impacted my overall rating of the book. I felt like it dragged at times and while the high school setting was vivid, I got a bit bored of it. The relationship was OK and I love that it was an unusual pairing without feeling like a cliché, but the drama at the end was a little over the top, and if Brand had pulled that crap on me you can bet I wouldn't be forgiving him so fast. . I also felt like the end of the book had a real lack of closure which for me personally knocked it down a whole half star because I felt I didn't get the return on investment I was expecting after reading it.
Overall: Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index was a cute and poignant read that is a little different from most of the other YA contemporaries out there. I'm glad I own it (that cover!) but would have loved it even more with a different ending. Also, the cover model 100% captured what I pictured Juniper to look like!This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
I'll admit, even if it hadn't been for my blogging bestie Lauren adoring this book, I was immediately drawn to Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index last year when I first heard about it because I fell in love with the cover. I'm generally not a fan of real people on book covers, but I loved loved loved the juxtaposition of the pink and festive confetti with Juniper's facial expression- almost like she's bracing herself for something. This juxtaposition of brightness with anxiety, surprise with resignation, is actually extremely relevant to the themes in the novel, which while functions as a coming of age story that has a lot of heart, humor, and positive relationships, also has a melancholy thread of grief running constantly throughout.
Juniper Lemon (I love that her name apologetically sounds like the flavor of a candy and the why behind it is never explained) is one of my favorite contemporary protagonists that I've come across. She's earnest and honest in her narrative but also vulnerable and just overall seems like a really kind yet sad person- I found myself just wanting to give her a hug the entire book. Coping with the death of her sister, she embarks on her junior year of high school carrying the guilt and silence of a family in mourning, while trying to navigate all of the other trauma that high school naturally brings: bullies, boy drama, etc. While the book hits all of the typical high school novel tropes (I saw a reviewer- I can't remember who- mention this book REALLY brought the high school nostalgia on and I have to agree), it also focused a lot on grief in really interesting ways. Rather than it being heavy and in the reader's face all the time, it could be found in all of the little rituals Juniper carries out to cope, from her happiness index cards to leaving Dala horses around town to her art projects that all honor her sister and her grief in a certain way. This novel shows the protagonist taking her grief and turning it into something constructive, using it to create, which I found so unique!
A Few Things I Really Enjoyed:
+ Friendship Goals- Juniper gradually accumulates a new friend group throughout the story that is sort of a hodgepodge of people with all different interests but they all work together so well and I know what it's like to be part of a group of friends where everyone is super different, and it's often the most rewarding kind!
+ Dala Horses- I though this was such a cool touch, incorporating an element from Juniper's family's background (traditional Swedish painted horses) into the story, and I love the one on the back cover!
+Mystery- I actually wasn't expecting this book to have such a mystery at it's center (AKA I probs should have read the synopsis all the way lol) and I was getting sort of a Nancy Drew vibe from Juniper at times which I loved.
+Happiness Index- I loved Juniper's "happiness index" where she logged her positives and negatives throughout the day. It's such a cool alternative to journaling, as it would only take a few second to write out a note card with the main highlights and lowlights of your day.
In a lot of ways, Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index was a really creative story with a melancholy vibe that's so at odds with typical YA narratives, which made me love it in some respects. However, there were some elements that bothered me a bit and impacted my overall rating of the book. I felt like it dragged at times and while the high school setting was vivid, I got a bit bored of it. The relationship was OK and I love that it was an unusual pairing without feeling like a cliché, but the drama at the end was a little over the top, and if Brand had pulled that crap on me you can bet I wouldn't be forgiving him so fast. . I also felt like the end of the book had a real lack of closure which for me personally knocked it down a whole half star because I felt I didn't get the return on investment I was expecting after reading it.
Overall: Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index was a cute and poignant read that is a little different from most of the other YA contemporaries out there. I'm glad I own it (that cover!) but would have loved it even more with a different ending. Also, the cover model 100% captured what I pictured Juniper to look like!This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
mckinlay's review against another edition
3.0
So I initially gave this 4 stars but the more I think about it it's closer to a 3. I did really enjoy the romance and the friendships that were formed. But there were things I felt let down by in the end. I do think it's a promising debut and I would read more from the author in the future.