You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
Review posted in Raves and Reads
Who knew that e-mails have the power to change the course of a person's life?
Indeed, it can be an acceptance to your dream college, dream job.
It can be from a person you dearly miss
Or a stranger, who would bring to your life something you haven't been expecting.
I know the feeling of being able to talk to someone transatlantic, or even somewhere within your state. The feeling of being able to tell that person anything about yourself because with them, you're a clean slate. They don't know anything unless you tell them what you want to tell. In this case, it's the only thing that had me worried for the Ellie's welfare.
That is why I ask you a question:
If a random e-mail lands on your inbox, would you respond to it or delete it?
On another note, I love them both. They feel like real people to me. Their problems, particularly Graham's, are ones people go through. It's not centered on his involvement in the entertainment industry. Same goes to Ellie's. If you get past the initial concept, you'd see that she also has the similar problem with Graham. They both miss what a home feels like (and I don't mean the infrastructure, rather the feelings that a home encompasses).
I would really like to see a spin-off/stand-alone novella with Devon and Quinn as the main characters. They have an interesting story and it would be nice if it can be told.
Overall, the email thing aside, This is What Happy Looks Like is a story on crossing rickety bridges and finding that happy place once you get to the end.
Who knew that e-mails have the power to change the course of a person's life?
Indeed, it can be an acceptance to your dream college, dream job.
It can be from a person you dearly miss
Or a stranger, who would bring to your life something you haven't been expecting.
I know the feeling of being able to talk to someone transatlantic, or even somewhere within your state. The feeling of being able to tell that person anything about yourself because with them, you're a clean slate. They don't know anything unless you tell them what you want to tell. In this case, it's the only thing that had me worried for the Ellie's welfare.
That is why I ask you a question:
If a random e-mail lands on your inbox, would you respond to it or delete it?
On another note, I love them both. They feel like real people to me. Their problems, particularly Graham's, are ones people go through. It's not centered on his involvement in the entertainment industry. Same goes to Ellie's. If you get past the initial concept, you'd see that she also has the similar problem with Graham. They both miss what a home feels like (and I don't mean the infrastructure, rather the feelings that a home encompasses).
I would really like to see a spin-off/stand-alone novella with Devon and Quinn as the main characters. They have an interesting story and it would be nice if it can be told.
Overall, the email thing aside, This is What Happy Looks Like is a story on crossing rickety bridges and finding that happy place once you get to the end.
A great summer read, even the pages felt sun kissed.
As you may know, I have not been a huge fan of contemporary YA, especially since I started blogging, so when I received a copy of This is What Happy Looks Like I was skeptical. I loved the cover and the concept seemed really cute, so I picked it up. AND I am so glad I did! Not only was it cute and adorable but it made me fall in love with contemporary all over again!
This is What Happy Looks Like follows two teens, Graham and Ellie. But their story is not your average love at first sight, it was love at first email. A mistaken email encounter brings these two unlikely people together and their journey is filled with gossip, drama and difficult emotions. Graham is a movie star and Ellie is a small town Candy Shop worker. They should never have met, and they should never have fallen in love...but sometimes you can't control everything.
This book was a very fast read, one that I finished in just one day, on transit, in between working 8 hours :)It was fantastic. Not overly dramatic, the conflict between the two main characters was realistic and done very well. I loved the chemistry between Graham and Ellie, especially at the beginning within their emails.
Now that I have finished this book, I really want to read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. I think I have found my new favorite Contemporary author :)
This is What Happy Looks Like follows two teens, Graham and Ellie. But their story is not your average love at first sight, it was love at first email. A mistaken email encounter brings these two unlikely people together and their journey is filled with gossip, drama and difficult emotions. Graham is a movie star and Ellie is a small town Candy Shop worker. They should never have met, and they should never have fallen in love...but sometimes you can't control everything.
This book was a very fast read, one that I finished in just one day, on transit, in between working 8 hours :)It was fantastic. Not overly dramatic, the conflict between the two main characters was realistic and done very well. I loved the chemistry between Graham and Ellie, especially at the beginning within their emails.
Now that I have finished this book, I really want to read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. I think I have found my new favorite Contemporary author :)
This book was sweet and simple but almost too simple. There wasn't any depth and all of the twists were predictable.
“I'm not sure I'm quite finished saying hello yet.”
I'm not sure either... I started this book yesterday afternoon and here I am.
This was such a fast read and so cute! I find myself searching for books with sweet romance, because they make me happy. This book definitely made me happy. It was cute and predictable, but that didn't make it less worthy. It was great. The writing was astonishing and easy to follow. I loved the way Smith played with the words. It was never too much nor boring. It was sweet and had a meaning.
So, if you're looking for a cute book that leaves a smile on your face, you should read this one!!!! < I'm serious.
This Is What Happy Looks Like is kind of a modern fairy tale. Two people brought together by fate. One of them a movie star and the other just a small town girl with a secret past.
Ellie and Graham get in touch by a wrong misspelled e-mail-address. When Henley, Ellie's town, turns into a movie-set, both Ellie and Graham finally find out who's the person behind all those emails they sent to each other.
It's great to read both POV's. To get to know Ellie and Graham. How they both handle things. We find out that Graham's life isn't that glamorous and why Ellie's so afraid of the cameras.
And who wouldn't want to date a celebrity, right? Well, I wouldn't, haha. I guess it's a teenage dream, except Ellie's. That's what gave this book a meaning. Ellie wasn't some kind of screaming fangirl. She was just herself and Graham saw her for her, just like she saw him for him. They got to know each other, without knowing who the person behind the computer screen was. And I guess that's what matters. Getting to know each other for who they really are, not someone they have to be.
10.01.13:
Will write a review for this later; and believe me, I've got A TON to write about this one...
10.04.13:
Maybe I expected TOO MUCH out this book? I mean, it just looked like a FANTASTIC read! The cover (though if it were something else other than mustard yellow, that'd make me happier), the title, the concept!
OK, the concept kind of made me think of that Disney Channel movie, Starstruck. The guy's famous and the girl likes him as a star, but not like in the total fan girl way.
Like, at the beginning, I figured,
Next, it's just...well, maybe. No. Here's the thing. The thing I REALLY didn't like about this book.
The pace. It was just WAY too fast! I could barely keep up. I mean, you met the guy two days ago online & all of a sudden he's here - in your town - and then another two days go by and you're already MAKING OUT? Like what? What'd I miss? When did you two go from being strangers all the way across the country to already mackin' on each other?
Erg. And one more thing. There was just SO MANY descriptive paragraphs. In the beginning, that was awesome. Even in the middle, in the midst of all the tension. But, in the END! OH, JESUS! It just went ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AN ON! I found myself LITERALLY skipping all the paragraphs and heading straight for the dialogue.
Like, really.
Well, I'm sure there are more things that were wrong with that book. But, I really pushed myself into liking it. Though that turned out to only hurt me in the end. Yeah, it gets 2.5 stars, but that doesn't mean I HATED IT.
Maybe if I didn't expect too much out of it, this wouldn't have happened. Oh well. What can you do?
Will write a review for this later; and believe me, I've got A TON to write about this one...
10.04.13:
Maybe I expected TOO MUCH out this book? I mean, it just looked like a FANTASTIC read! The cover (though if it were something else other than mustard yellow, that'd make me happier), the title, the concept!
OK, the concept kind of made me think of that Disney Channel movie, Starstruck. The guy's famous and the girl likes him as a star, but not like in the total fan girl way.
Like, at the beginning, I figured,
Spoiler
oh, the guy has Ellie and her friend mixed maybe THAT'S where it's gonna go. Maybe Ellie is going to feel like meeting him so quick is going to be a mistake and it's better to get to know him a little bit better through her friend before actually coming forward. But, no. That's not what happened. Would've been a bit interesting if it did; but that's OK.Next, it's just...well, maybe. No. Here's the thing. The thing I REALLY didn't like about this book.
The pace. It was just WAY too fast! I could barely keep up. I mean, you met the guy two days ago online & all of a sudden he's here - in your town - and then another two days go by and you're already MAKING OUT? Like what? What'd I miss? When did you two go from being strangers all the way across the country to already mackin' on each other?
Erg. And one more thing. There was just SO MANY descriptive paragraphs. In the beginning, that was awesome. Even in the middle, in the midst of all the tension. But, in the END! OH, JESUS! It just went ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AN ON! I found myself LITERALLY skipping all the paragraphs and heading straight for the dialogue.
Like, really.
Well, I'm sure there are more things that were wrong with that book. But, I really pushed myself into liking it. Though that turned out to only hurt me in the end. Yeah, it gets 2.5 stars, but that doesn't mean I HATED IT.
Maybe if I didn't expect too much out of it, this wouldn't have happened. Oh well. What can you do?
Readable but not thrilling. I got a bit bored in the middle so it took a while to finish.
This book was absolutely adorable. It wasn't perfect certainly but it was perfect for me. It was cliched, true but that was handled so well, I can't even. I mean the whole 'Small town girl meets famous boy' cliche was spun so well! I loved the characters and the romance. Seeing Graham's perspective meant we also saw the facts about being famous apart from the glamour and red carpets. I liked how his side of the story was just as developed as Ellie's and we truly got into his head and see how he despises being recognized everywhere, how he feels like a stranger in his own family. While that's not relatable for me, it's easy to understand and symapathize. Ellie wasn't starstruck at all, though. I liked how cool she was about their relationship, by which I mean how she didn't turn into a snob and immediately start thinking she was better then everyone else because she was dating Graham. Merlin knows that would have been my reaction. XD. Ellie and her mum are goals. Quinn annoyed me for sometime nut I got where she was coming from. I really want to pick up the novella set after this right away but I'm scared it won't measure up to this.
This was a super quick read.
I like other contemporaries more but this is still a worth while read. I will continue with the authors other books as well this summer.
I like other contemporaries more but this is still a worth while read. I will continue with the authors other books as well this summer.
All of the books by this author are incredible and this one was no different !