You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Book Review: [tell me three things by Julie Buxbaum]
⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Possible spoilers below
I gave this book a solid three stars because, while it had a compelling start and a promising concept, it ultimately fell short of a five-star read for me—particularly in the second half.
The story opens with a strong emotional hook: we meet the female main character grappling with the recent loss of her mother. The cause of death is alluded to as a terminal illness, possibly cancer, but it’s never fully explained, leaving me somewhat confused and wishing for more clarity. After her mother’s passing, the protagonist moves to a new town to start fresh, setting the stage for what initially feels like a heartfelt journey of healing and self-discovery.
Soon after settling in, she begins receiving mysterious emails from someone calling themselves SN—short for “Somebody Nobody.” This email thread adds a layer of intrigue and emotional intimacy to the story. However, a significant frustration I had throughout the book was the lack of information about SN. Readers are kept in the dark about how this character obtained her email and, even by the end, these questions remain unanswered. The slow-burn aspect between her and SN also felt too drawn out. They don’t actually meet in person until the last 20 minutes of the book—and even then, their scenes are shared with two other characters, which dilutes the emotional impact of their long-awaited encounter.
The pacing from the middle onward began to lose its emotional grip. While characters were introduced and given subplots, I found that deeper character development was lacking. The female protagonist’s internal world and relationships felt underexplored, and we don’t get meaningful insights into her past until very late in the story. Similarly, Ethan’s background is only revealed near the end, and by that point, it felt like too little, too late.
Another missed opportunity was the relationship between the main character and her best friend. I think their friendship should have been a grounding element from the beginning rather than something introduced later. Starting the story with her in a new place made it harder to connect with her or her support system early on.
In conclusion, while the book starts strong and has moments of emotional depth and suspense, it struggles to deliver a satisfying ending. The unresolved plot points and lack of payoff in the main romance left me feeling more confused than fulfilled. I appreciated the author’s ambition, but I think the message and story needed a bit more clarity and cohesion to truly resonate.
⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Possible spoilers below
I gave this book a solid three stars because, while it had a compelling start and a promising concept, it ultimately fell short of a five-star read for me—particularly in the second half.
The story opens with a strong emotional hook: we meet the female main character grappling with the recent loss of her mother. The cause of death is alluded to as a terminal illness, possibly cancer, but it’s never fully explained, leaving me somewhat confused and wishing for more clarity. After her mother’s passing, the protagonist moves to a new town to start fresh, setting the stage for what initially feels like a heartfelt journey of healing and self-discovery.
Soon after settling in, she begins receiving mysterious emails from someone calling themselves SN—short for “Somebody Nobody.” This email thread adds a layer of intrigue and emotional intimacy to the story. However, a significant frustration I had throughout the book was the lack of information about SN. Readers are kept in the dark about how this character obtained her email and, even by the end, these questions remain unanswered. The slow-burn aspect between her and SN also felt too drawn out. They don’t actually meet in person until the last 20 minutes of the book—and even then, their scenes are shared with two other characters, which dilutes the emotional impact of their long-awaited encounter.
The pacing from the middle onward began to lose its emotional grip. While characters were introduced and given subplots, I found that deeper character development was lacking. The female protagonist’s internal world and relationships felt underexplored, and we don’t get meaningful insights into her past until very late in the story. Similarly, Ethan’s background is only revealed near the end, and by that point, it felt like too little, too late.
Another missed opportunity was the relationship between the main character and her best friend. I think their friendship should have been a grounding element from the beginning rather than something introduced later. Starting the story with her in a new place made it harder to connect with her or her support system early on.
In conclusion, while the book starts strong and has moments of emotional depth and suspense, it struggles to deliver a satisfying ending. The unresolved plot points and lack of payoff in the main romance left me feeling more confused than fulfilled. I appreciated the author’s ambition, but I think the message and story needed a bit more clarity and cohesion to truly resonate.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
It’s more of a 4 than a 5 since the entire read I was contemplating throwing my phone at a wall-again (I think that’s like the second time this month) but maybe it is a 5 because I was fairly obsessed with it and decided I’d forget my sleep schedule before the upcoming first days of school and start the school year off with insomnia so maybe it is like a 4.5, maybe
Come on Jessie! You know who SN is!!
This book is adorable.
This book is adorable.
I started this engrossing YA book sitting by the pool this afternoon and just finished it at bedtime. Can’t remember reading a 300-page book in one day before. 4-Stars
Originally read in July, 2018. Happy to re-read this again for
#MMD ModernMrsDarcy.com Book Club pick for May 2019 and
ModernMrsDarcy.com 2020 Summer Reading Guide
It’s been a VERY long time since I was in high-school but I think Buxbaum hits the nail right on the head. I don’t remember that time as being either a positive or negative experience — just part of my history. I kind of remember the emotional aspect but then, I didn’t have the loss of a parent to deal with at that time. That really changed the whole dynamic of the story. This is my second read and I still enjoyed it as much as the first time. I really love the epistolary format. It worked well for this book.
Originally read in July, 2018. Happy to re-read this again for
#MMD ModernMrsDarcy.com Book Club pick for May 2019 and
ModernMrsDarcy.com 2020 Summer Reading Guide
It’s been a VERY long time since I was in high-school but I think Buxbaum hits the nail right on the head. I don’t remember that time as being either a positive or negative experience — just part of my history. I kind of remember the emotional aspect but then, I didn’t have the loss of a parent to deal with at that time. That really changed the whole dynamic of the story. This is my second read and I still enjoyed it as much as the first time. I really love the epistolary format. It worked well for this book.
This was a light read. It was cute and cliche and predictable. The characters were stereotypical. The story was a little bland. But it was the perfect quick read after finishing ACOTAR.
Amazing
Love love love. I cannot express how absolutely engrossed I was in this book. Recommend 100% to anyone and everyone
Love love love. I cannot express how absolutely engrossed I was in this book. Recommend 100% to anyone and everyone
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The story was captivating to me. The characters loveable the mix of friendship new love and connection through grief very relateable
I truly enjoyed this well written book by Julie Buxbaum. Each page has kept me going to the next, I was too curious to find out who “SN” is! Plus, I always enjoy Julie’s writing and reading this book was really fun for me.
Three things:
1. I could very much relate to Jessie’s character. Although she has gone through so much at a young age, positivity reigns out of her.
2. I like the concept of having a mysterious friend but in a good and romantic way. I had my theories of who it was at the beginning but it was totally different from the ending.
3. I like waffles too!
To be honest, I’m having a hard time writing a review about this book because it’s one of those books I really had fun reading so I feel like there are no words that could describe how good this book is. It’s one that definitely took me out of a book slump. I highly recommend this book if you’re up for a light romantic read. Plus, I think this book would do great for any age.
Three things:
1. I could very much relate to Jessie’s character. Although she has gone through so much at a young age, positivity reigns out of her.
2. I like the concept of having a mysterious friend but in a good and romantic way. I had my theories of who it was at the beginning but it was totally different from the ending.
3. I like waffles too!
To be honest, I’m having a hard time writing a review about this book because it’s one of those books I really had fun reading so I feel like there are no words that could describe how good this book is. It’s one that definitely took me out of a book slump. I highly recommend this book if you’re up for a light romantic read. Plus, I think this book would do great for any age.
Good story but mature content. Too old for my 6th graders; much better suited for high school.