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caitlin_hamilton2003's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
courtvaderbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Challenges 2017:
Bibliothon: Hyped Book
Booktubeathon: Read Along for Booktubeathon, Someone on the cover, Read outside cover to cover, and read in one day.
Content Warning: One Character has Suicidal thoughts and the other has a physically abusive parent.
I overall enjoyed this book. It warmed my heart. Even with the roller coaster of emotions that the friendship endured.
Bibliothon: Hyped Book
Booktubeathon: Read Along for Booktubeathon, Someone on the cover, Read outside cover to cover, and read in one day.
Content Warning: One Character has Suicidal thoughts and the other has a physically abusive parent.
I overall enjoyed this book. It warmed my heart. Even with the roller coaster of emotions that the friendship endured.
laurenl5876's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
Juniper Lemon's happiness index could have been really good, but I don't think it ended up being for me. It was cheesy and cliché at times, but it handled grief well.
Juniper Lemon's happiness index could have been really good, but I don't think it ended up being for me. It was cheesy and cliché at times, but it handled grief well.
elizabethcolls_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kelseydiane93's review against another edition
4.0
When I first started this, I said to myself: I am too old for this book. And then fifty pages in: hmm this isn't half bad.
150 pages: wait this is actually written extremely smart for its genre?
200 pages: ok I'm going to finish it one day.
End: that was a really good book.
Israel was smart. This was a book about loss, hard situations, and most importantly friendship. I dig it. And I rarely dig contemporary and I think it did an excellent job of projecting ideas and themes.
150 pages: wait this is actually written extremely smart for its genre?
200 pages: ok I'm going to finish it one day.
End: that was a really good book.
Israel was smart. This was a book about loss, hard situations, and most importantly friendship. I dig it. And I rarely dig contemporary and I think it did an excellent job of projecting ideas and themes.
sofiabookathought's review
5.0
This was a so deep, sweet and strong reading, all at the same time, I've enjoyed it alot
4.5/5 Stars
I want to thank Penguin Random House UK Children's and NetGalley for providing me with this copy in exchange for an honest review
You can find this one and more of my reviews on my blog A Book. A Thought.
The story follows Juniper who recently lost her sister, so we can see her trying to cope with the pain of having lost a loved one. and how it has impacted on her daily life.
One day Juniper finds a letter addressed to a mysterious "YOU", a letter of rupture written by her sister but which has never been sent, reason why Juniper decides to begin to look for this person to discover who he/she is , but it's also a quest that Juniper hopes will help her close the hole she's been feeling since her sister left
I've really enjoyed the characters, I think everyone has given something special and unique to the plot, although we found some characters that may seem cliché , I think they all play a very important role in the Juniper's life and from the beginning they help with her search in some way or another, besides it's always good to have a great variety of personalities to analyze and to be able to observe different points of view
One of the things I liked the most is the strength that Juniper has during her journey, I think even though she's shattered and deep down she knows she'll never get over what happened, she really tries and every time she falls she gets up again , I admire this character a lot, I can't imagine having such a loss and how he behaved during the book is understandable, in the end I feel that she had a great learning
As I said before the story focuses on the Juniper's search for this person who is totally unknown and mysterious for her, and has been Great, is a very good idea, also make you stay very expectant and make you want to discover what happens next. It has a very deep side that is how to deal with the loss, the suffering, how going forward, the feeling of guilt and many things that have really touched me. In spite of them the book doesn't become too overwhelming or heavy at all, it's fun, light and has given me all those beautiful feelings that I was looking for in a book, I would surely re-read this one
I'm not totally sure about the end, I feel it should have been a bit more closed, but this is of course only my point of view, maybe you feel right about it , I still have enjoyed it, but I feel it had the potential to continue a little bit more
I recommend that you take this book if you're looking for a light reading but full of emotions and with a super important topic as it's how to deal with the loss and to go ahead after it. It has made me spend very beautiful moments, so I would love you to decide to read it to make you feel the same way
4.5/5 Stars
I want to thank Penguin Random House UK Children's and NetGalley for providing me with this copy in exchange for an honest review
You can find this one and more of my reviews on my blog A Book. A Thought.
The story follows Juniper who recently lost her sister, so we can see her trying to cope with the pain of having lost a loved one. and how it has impacted on her daily life.
One day Juniper finds a letter addressed to a mysterious "YOU", a letter of rupture written by her sister but which has never been sent, reason why Juniper decides to begin to look for this person to discover who he/she is , but it's also a quest that Juniper hopes will help her close the hole she's been feeling since her sister left
I've really enjoyed the characters, I think everyone has given something special and unique to the plot, although we found some characters that may seem cliché , I think they all play a very important role in the Juniper's life and from the beginning they help with her search in some way or another, besides it's always good to have a great variety of personalities to analyze and to be able to observe different points of view
One of the things I liked the most is the strength that Juniper has during her journey, I think even though she's shattered and deep down she knows she'll never get over what happened, she really tries and every time she falls she gets up again , I admire this character a lot, I can't imagine having such a loss and how he behaved during the book is understandable, in the end I feel that she had a great learning
As I said before the story focuses on the Juniper's search for this person who is totally unknown and mysterious for her, and has been Great, is a very good idea, also make you stay very expectant and make you want to discover what happens next. It has a very deep side that is how to deal with the loss, the suffering, how going forward, the feeling of guilt and many things that have really touched me. In spite of them the book doesn't become too overwhelming or heavy at all, it's fun, light and has given me all those beautiful feelings that I was looking for in a book, I would surely re-read this one
I'm not totally sure about the end, I feel it should have been a bit more closed, but this is of course only my point of view, maybe you feel right about it , I still have enjoyed it, but I feel it had the potential to continue a little bit more
I recommend that you take this book if you're looking for a light reading but full of emotions and with a super important topic as it's how to deal with the loss and to go ahead after it. It has made me spend very beautiful moments, so I would love you to decide to read it to make you feel the same way
foreveryoungadult's review
Graded By: Rosemary
Cover Story: Awkward, Party of One
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 8
Talky Talk: Secrets and Li(st)s
Bonus Factor: Mysterious Loner Dude, Art Projects, Lists
Relationship Status: Let Me Count the Ways
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Awkward, Party of One
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 8
Talky Talk: Secrets and Li(st)s
Bonus Factor: Mysterious Loner Dude, Art Projects, Lists
Relationship Status: Let Me Count the Ways
Read the full book report here.
fangirlfury's review against another edition
5.0
Update: My full review of Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index is now up on the blog! You can find it here:
https://fangirlfury.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/review-juniper-lemons-happiness-index/
7/19/17: 4.5/5 Stars
Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index has been on my radar for a while, so with it being the Booktube-athon pick this year, I decided to read it and ended up enjoying it more than I expected to! Full review to come next week!
https://fangirlfury.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/review-juniper-lemons-happiness-index/
7/19/17: 4.5/5 Stars
Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index has been on my radar for a while, so with it being the Booktube-athon pick this year, I decided to read it and ended up enjoying it more than I expected to! Full review to come next week!
romanaromana's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars.
(Here are some trigger warnings. To add: death of a sister; brief suicidal thoughts. Nothing in this review except mentions of losing a sister and associated grief).
Happiness.
It has been 65 days since Juniper lost her sister. She knows because for every day that has passed, she has an index card weighing up the days positives against its negatives. Except, with Camilla gone, the negatives almost always dominate. But when Juniper finds a heartfelt letter Camilla addressed to an anonymous 'You' the day of her death, she realises there could be someone else out there missing her sister as much as her. As she embarks on a quest to deliver Camilla's letter to its rightful addressee, Juniper hopes to begin filling the holes her sister has left behind. That is until she loses one of her precious index cards - one which reveals her own secret from that tragic day. If she doesn't find You and the misplaced card soon, the holes will keep expanding until eventually, there is nothing of her left.
That blurb was super difficult to write because Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index has tons going on. I was giddy with all the intricate secrets and problems which bubbled throughout this novel despite its relatively short length. When Juniper found the letter to You I thought that would carry us through the entire story. And whilst it was indeed a key thread which stretches across the narrative, there was so much more to this novel.
I am hugely impressed by Julie Israel's attention to detail in this book. Juniper Lemon's strength truly lies in its nuanced depiction of grief and its commitment to its unique and carefully chosen themes. As said, we have our main mystery - the identity of You - and a second dilemma - the missing index card - but what gives these problems so much weight is their connection to Juniper's grief. Details like Juniper's preoccupation with negative spaces, her artwork, the conflict between remembrance and forgetting, the idea of 'fixing' things and filling gaps...these all combined to fill the story with heart and purpose and add dimension to Juniper's feelings of loss. This was far from the standard lost-loved-one tale I was expecting. I could count on one hand the number of times Juniper's emotions were reduced to sadness and missing her sister, and that made me very pleased. Julie Israel does something different.
What's more, the big mystery/mysteries were genuinely intriguing. The identity of You was never obvious, but Israel gave enough clues and possibilities that the investigation always felt relevant and just on the cusp of being solved. The missing index card gripped me slightly less, but Israel clearly realises that its loss doesn't compare to the ongoing anonymity of You, and fades this particular issue to allow for other things.
A word on character, because I adored everyone in this book. Juniper was a perfect narrator, and a refreshing depiction of a teenager going through a difficult time. I don't particularly need another sad sixteen-year-old doing lots of crying and shouting at their parents, and Israel totally respected my wishes and gave me something entirely different. She gave me witty, honest, a-little-bit-desperate, still-hurting-but-ready-for-progress, wonderful Juniper. Her character felt clear and unbreakable. I just loved being in her head.
Similarly, the supporting cast were such a joy. As Juniper's little gang of acquaintances began to build, I became worried that we would end up with one of those flat groups where every member takes one personality trait and doesn't project anything except said designated trait. But once again, Julie Israel proved me wrong. The secondary characters were as real to me as Juniper, and felt purposeful without being plot devices. What a dream, honestly.
I'll dedicate just a second to the love interest, who I won't name because I don't think it's obvious for at least a little while and I quite enjoyed being taken by surprise (again). He was fab. The relationship built at such a great pace and felt honest and important. I was and remain invested to the last penny.
Finally, I have to say that the climax of Juniper Lemon was absolute SPICE. Wow. I mean hand-over-mouth amazement because everything unravelled so fast and so gloriously, and Julie Israel just wouldn't let up. The shots kept on coming and I was loving it. It is one of those first reading experiences I will pine for, I'm sure.
Minor minor moments of excessive cringe, but I guess that can't be helped when you put death and art in the same book. Israel usually saved it with a witty line though, so I was it's fine.
So much to love. Julie Israel, please write another one.
/////////////////////RE-READ MARCH 2024///////////////////////
Still 5 stars. Still so much love. Still so impressed. Still begging Julie Israel to release something else please please please.
I'm so glad this held up on a second read because it's one of those books I sometimes feared that I only liked because I was in a specific space when I first read it. But nope! Glorious even on the second read!
I remain so in awe of the layers in this novel and the amount of themes, sub-plots and characters Julie Israel weaves so effortlessly into one cohesive narrative, and with the perspective of just one exceptional character.
Also, I would genuinely be down for Julie Israel to write a mystery because she had me more invested in the identity of YOU than in half the murders I have read in fiction, honestly.
Yepyepyep. Glad I chose this one.
(Here are some trigger warnings. To add: death of a sister; brief suicidal thoughts. Nothing in this review except mentions of losing a sister and associated grief).
Happiness.
It has been 65 days since Juniper lost her sister. She knows because for every day that has passed, she has an index card weighing up the days positives against its negatives. Except, with Camilla gone, the negatives almost always dominate. But when Juniper finds a heartfelt letter Camilla addressed to an anonymous 'You' the day of her death, she realises there could be someone else out there missing her sister as much as her. As she embarks on a quest to deliver Camilla's letter to its rightful addressee, Juniper hopes to begin filling the holes her sister has left behind. That is until she loses one of her precious index cards - one which reveals her own secret from that tragic day. If she doesn't find You and the misplaced card soon, the holes will keep expanding until eventually, there is nothing of her left.
That blurb was super difficult to write because Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index has tons going on. I was giddy with all the intricate secrets and problems which bubbled throughout this novel despite its relatively short length. When Juniper found the letter to You I thought that would carry us through the entire story. And whilst it was indeed a key thread which stretches across the narrative, there was so much more to this novel.
I am hugely impressed by Julie Israel's attention to detail in this book. Juniper Lemon's strength truly lies in its nuanced depiction of grief and its commitment to its unique and carefully chosen themes. As said, we have our main mystery - the identity of You - and a second dilemma - the missing index card - but what gives these problems so much weight is their connection to Juniper's grief. Details like Juniper's preoccupation with negative spaces, her artwork, the conflict between remembrance and forgetting, the idea of 'fixing' things and filling gaps...these all combined to fill the story with heart and purpose and add dimension to Juniper's feelings of loss. This was far from the standard lost-loved-one tale I was expecting. I could count on one hand the number of times Juniper's emotions were reduced to sadness and missing her sister, and that made me very pleased. Julie Israel does something different.
What's more, the big mystery/mysteries were genuinely intriguing. The identity of You was never obvious, but Israel gave enough clues and possibilities that the investigation always felt relevant and just on the cusp of being solved. The missing index card gripped me slightly less, but Israel clearly realises that its loss doesn't compare to the ongoing anonymity of You, and fades this particular issue to allow for other things.
A word on character, because I adored everyone in this book. Juniper was a perfect narrator, and a refreshing depiction of a teenager going through a difficult time. I don't particularly need another sad sixteen-year-old doing lots of crying and shouting at their parents, and Israel totally respected my wishes and gave me something entirely different. She gave me witty, honest, a-little-bit-desperate, still-hurting-but-ready-for-progress, wonderful Juniper. Her character felt clear and unbreakable. I just loved being in her head.
Similarly, the supporting cast were such a joy. As Juniper's little gang of acquaintances began to build, I became worried that we would end up with one of those flat groups where every member takes one personality trait and doesn't project anything except said designated trait. But once again, Julie Israel proved me wrong. The secondary characters were as real to me as Juniper, and felt purposeful without being plot devices. What a dream, honestly.
I'll dedicate just a second to the love interest, who I won't name because I don't think it's obvious for at least a little while and I quite enjoyed being taken by surprise (again). He was fab. The relationship built at such a great pace and felt honest and important. I was and remain invested to the last penny.
Finally, I have to say that the climax of Juniper Lemon was absolute SPICE. Wow. I mean hand-over-mouth amazement because everything unravelled so fast and so gloriously, and Julie Israel just wouldn't let up. The shots kept on coming and I was loving it. It is one of those first reading experiences I will pine for, I'm sure.
Minor minor moments of excessive cringe, but I guess that can't be helped when you put death and art in the same book. Israel usually saved it with a witty line though, so I was it's fine.
So much to love. Julie Israel, please write another one.
/////////////////////RE-READ MARCH 2024///////////////////////
Still 5 stars. Still so much love. Still so impressed. Still begging Julie Israel to release something else please please please.
I'm so glad this held up on a second read because it's one of those books I sometimes feared that I only liked because I was in a specific space when I first read it. But nope! Glorious even on the second read!
I remain so in awe of the layers in this novel and the amount of themes, sub-plots and characters Julie Israel weaves so effortlessly into one cohesive narrative, and with the perspective of just one exceptional character.
Also, I would genuinely be down for Julie Israel to write a mystery because she had me more invested in the identity of YOU than in half the murders I have read in fiction, honestly.
Yepyepyep. Glad I chose this one.