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fatimareadsbooks's review
4.0
Many thanks to the publisher, HarperCollins, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my views and opinions below.
When I first read the premise of this book, my first instinct was to roll my eyes and think "Yeah, totally, that's so plausible." A minor leading a senior group on a tour around Europe as a replacement for her older sister who was arrested, and as a result, grounded? Uh, yeah, sureee. I soon realized that if you just roll with it and continue reading, you'll find that it isn't much of a deterrent after all. So in this review, I'm going to put aside all my doubts & opinions about the implausibility of the premise just because the rest of the book was enjoyable enough to nullify that flaw.
Let me tell you, Wanderlost was a very adorable, cute, fluffy, charming read. Adorable, cute, fluffy, charming reads are my favorite kind of reads! I flew through this book and I was so sad to see it end. Aubree was an amazing heroine. I loved how she a) stepped out of her comfort zone and b) managed to handle everything that got thrown her way. She didn't do it perfectly, of course. She fumbled her way through and messed up quite a few times, but in the end she still persevered -- with the help of her friends and family. Her relationship with her sister was emphasized in this book, and it was such a pleasure watching them try to reconnect & fix this relationship.
This wouldn't be a contemporary review if I didn't talk about the romance. The romance in this book gave me soo many heart palpitations. I could swoon over Sam for hours on end. From the moment we are introduced to him, he is charismatic, charming, and funny. His lines had me grinning widely at the page... like a goof. He's definitely my favorite character in this book. What bothered me, however, was how Aubree still wouldn't tell him her secret. He was so nice and charming and an overall good guy that I knew what Aubree was hiding would hurt him very much. I was practically screaming at her to just tell him!!! Still, their relationship was truly something to read. It had its bumps along the road (see what I did there), but in the end, their pull toward each other was just too strong. All the feels, man.
Another thing that I really admired about this book was the way the senior characters were written. I'm so glad they weren't just a bunch of wise, warmhearted, wool-knitting grandparents, because that's usually the way old people are written in books. They all had realistic personalities and were extremely dimensional, encompassing all the flaws and shortcomings of a normal person. I was actually able to connect and care about every single one of the group.
The setting of this book was breathtaking. The descriptions of the different countries in Europe the group group visited made me want to go there myself. I can understand why Aubree fell in love with every place she visited. The writing made me easily picture Aubree there with Sam, leading the tour group and having adventures together.
In short -- ignoring the plot holes & inconveniences that this story presents -- this was an extremely adorable book with excellent writing and lovely themes. The dynamic characters and swoon-worthy romances are an added bonus! Still, there are quite a few flaws, but the story's overall enjoyableness definitely negates them. A perfect summer read with just the right amount of adorableness!
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When I first read the premise of this book, my first instinct was to roll my eyes and think "Yeah, totally, that's so plausible." A minor leading a senior group on a tour around Europe as a replacement for her older sister who was arrested, and as a result, grounded? Uh, yeah, sureee. I soon realized that if you just roll with it and continue reading, you'll find that it isn't much of a deterrent after all. So in this review, I'm going to put aside all my doubts & opinions about the implausibility of the premise just because the rest of the book was enjoyable enough to nullify that flaw.
Let me tell you, Wanderlost was a very adorable, cute, fluffy, charming read. Adorable, cute, fluffy, charming reads are my favorite kind of reads! I flew through this book and I was so sad to see it end. Aubree was an amazing heroine. I loved how she a) stepped out of her comfort zone and b) managed to handle everything that got thrown her way. She didn't do it perfectly, of course. She fumbled her way through and messed up quite a few times, but in the end she still persevered -- with the help of her friends and family. Her relationship with her sister was emphasized in this book, and it was such a pleasure watching them try to reconnect & fix this relationship.
This wouldn't be a contemporary review if I didn't talk about the romance. The romance in this book gave me soo many heart palpitations. I could swoon over Sam for hours on end. From the moment we are introduced to him, he is charismatic, charming, and funny. His lines had me grinning widely at the page... like a goof. He's definitely my favorite character in this book. What bothered me, however, was how Aubree still wouldn't tell him her secret. He was so nice and charming and an overall good guy that I knew what Aubree was hiding would hurt him very much. I was practically screaming at her to just tell him!!! Still, their relationship was truly something to read. It had its bumps along the road (see what I did there), but in the end, their pull toward each other was just too strong. All the feels, man.
Another thing that I really admired about this book was the way the senior characters were written. I'm so glad they weren't just a bunch of wise, warmhearted, wool-knitting grandparents, because that's usually the way old people are written in books. They all had realistic personalities and were extremely dimensional, encompassing all the flaws and shortcomings of a normal person. I was actually able to connect and care about every single one of the group.
The setting of this book was breathtaking. The descriptions of the different countries in Europe the group group visited made me want to go there myself. I can understand why Aubree fell in love with every place she visited. The writing made me easily picture Aubree there with Sam, leading the tour group and having adventures together.
In short -- ignoring the plot holes & inconveniences that this story presents -- this was an extremely adorable book with excellent writing and lovely themes. The dynamic characters and swoon-worthy romances are an added bonus! Still, there are quite a few flaws, but the story's overall enjoyableness definitely negates them. A perfect summer read with just the right amount of adorableness!
Follow me on my blog, Book Whizz | Bloglovin' | Twitter
karen_hallam's review
5.0
What an adventure! First of all, if you’ve read any of Jen Malone’s books, you know she lures you in with her captivating voice, always humorous, wise and worldly, and so much fun. Wanderlost surpassed my expectation. I smiled nonstop reading this book.
Seventeen-year-old, Aubree Sandler is about to spend her summer before college, luxuriating by the pool in Ohio with friends, until her upstanding sister, Elizabeth is arrested. Things change fast, when her sister, the upwardly-mobile-congress-hopeful, does some fast thinking, (it’s her forte) and sends Aubree in her place as a tour guide for a group of senior citizens through Europe.
Reluctantly, Aubree heads off. Her landing is less than smooth, and one thing after winds up happening to test her resolve. (Love this book!) She has to keep up with the lie, pretending to be her older sister. This lands Aubree deeper and deeper into a place of no return. When she meets the boss’ son, Sam (omg! Love him) what a swoony gentleman, her choices become even stickier. Aubree faces hard choices, all while touring some of Europe’s most enigmatic and magical cities.
It felt like I was on the whirlwind tour! With a side of romance--and you wouldn’t believe the suspense! Heart-racing adventure. Did I say how much I LOVE this book? A great read from upper middle-school to high school. It's so, incredibly charming!
Seventeen-year-old, Aubree Sandler is about to spend her summer before college, luxuriating by the pool in Ohio with friends, until her upstanding sister, Elizabeth is arrested. Things change fast, when her sister, the upwardly-mobile-congress-hopeful, does some fast thinking, (it’s her forte) and sends Aubree in her place as a tour guide for a group of senior citizens through Europe.
Reluctantly, Aubree heads off. Her landing is less than smooth, and one thing after winds up happening to test her resolve. (Love this book!) She has to keep up with the lie, pretending to be her older sister. This lands Aubree deeper and deeper into a place of no return. When she meets the boss’ son, Sam (omg! Love him) what a swoony gentleman, her choices become even stickier. Aubree faces hard choices, all while touring some of Europe’s most enigmatic and magical cities.
It felt like I was on the whirlwind tour! With a side of romance--and you wouldn’t believe the suspense! Heart-racing adventure. Did I say how much I LOVE this book? A great read from upper middle-school to high school. It's so, incredibly charming!
rlstrayer1's review against another edition
DNF at 8%
21 year old sister gets arrested because 1) the cop doesn't believe her ID is real, and 2) they went to high school together and apparently he's an asshole
Not to mention, I already cannot stand the MC. She is whiny and ridiculously annoying.
That was just chapter 1.
21 year old sister gets arrested because 1) the cop doesn't believe her ID is real, and 2) they went to high school together and apparently he's an asshole
Not to mention, I already cannot stand the MC. She is whiny and ridiculously annoying.
That was just chapter 1.
lifeasjanedoe's review
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
somelostbliss's review
5.0
4.5 - 5 stars
It was ADORABLE. Sam was the cutest guy ever. I want one of my own. I'm serious. Also, Aubree was a very refreshing character and reading about her and Sam just had me... Gah! I ship it.
The plotline was a bit over the top but eh.. I only ask for a book to entertain me and this did the job plenty.
It was ADORABLE. Sam was the cutest guy ever. I want one of my own. I'm serious. Also, Aubree was a very refreshing character and reading about her and Sam just had me... Gah! I ship it.
The plotline was a bit over the top but eh.. I only ask for a book to entertain me and this did the job plenty.
thelaurajay's review
2.0
It was cute. Contrived at times (almost all times so I just went with it anyway), but cute. Also, code red manic pixie dream boy.
nicolemhewitt's review
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Loved this coming of age story about a girl who discovers she's much more adventurous than she imagined herself to be! With a super adorable love interest and a main character who shows incredible character growth throughout the book, I highly recommend this one!! This is the sort of book that's all sorts of adorable and just has you constantly either swooning or laughing out loud.
What Fed My Addiction:
Humor!
My husband and kids had to keep asking me what was so funny while I was reading this one. There were so many moments that had me laughing out loud - mostly adorable moments between Aubree and Sam!
Realistic romance.
The romance in this book was super sweet but it also felt very real. Aubree and Sam first connected on the phone, and since Aubree was a little flustered because of the problems she'd encountered with her trip, their conversation went quickly awry. In fact, the way the conversation ended was both hilarious and adorable (thinking about it right now makes me laugh and feel all squishy inside). Luckily, Sam was the lighthearted sort, and he saw Aubree's craziness as an opportunity for banter - adorable, wonderful banter! By the time Sam and Aubree met in person, I completely believed that they would feel a spark for each other just based on the conversations they'd had. But as cute and wonderful as Sam was, Aubree didn't instantly fall in love - in fact, the l word was avoided in this book (except in the case of a joke that I won't spoil). Considering the fact that Sam and Aubree only knew each other for less than three weeks, this was really refreshing!
Expanding horizons.
When Aubree started off on her trip, she was afraid of the unknown. She had spent her life in her little Ohio town and was just fine with that - happy with it, in fact. Leading a European trip like this was pretty much terrifying for Aubree. She had no desire to see the world, and she certainly had no idea how to show it to others. So, when Aubree started really enjoying her European vacation, she was kind of amazed. It was liberating for her - both realizing that there were things out there she actually wanted to see AND realizing that she could handle the job - and the pressures involved with it. Aubree ended the book a much stronger person than she was when she began, but she didn't change her core personality (sometimes it bugs me when an MC seems too transformed).
Fun elderly folks.
The members of the tour group were sweet, fun and hilarious in their own rights. I think I loved them all!
What Left Me Wanting More:
Lies, lies and more lies.
While I certainly knew that this was going to be the case going into this book, I did eventually get frustrated with Aubree lying to Sam. There was one point where she had the perfect opportunity to come clean, and she didn't. I did understand her reasoning and her fears about what would happen to Elizabeth if she told the truth, though, so it's not like it ruined the book for me or anything. (And when everything did come out, it was handled realistically, for the most part - all of the problems and consequences didn't just completely go away). Then there was also just the likelihood that all of the lying would have worked quite as smoothly as it did - it didn't seem like Aubree hiding her identity while traipsing across the country would be quite as easy as it was made out to be.
This book was like a breath of fresh air (with just a touch of laughing gas piped in). I enjoyed every minute of reading it and devoured it in one day! I easily give this one 4/5 stars and it's bordering on 4.5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Loved this coming of age story about a girl who discovers she's much more adventurous than she imagined herself to be! With a super adorable love interest and a main character who shows incredible character growth throughout the book, I highly recommend this one!! This is the sort of book that's all sorts of adorable and just has you constantly either swooning or laughing out loud.
What Fed My Addiction:
Humor!
My husband and kids had to keep asking me what was so funny while I was reading this one. There were so many moments that had me laughing out loud - mostly adorable moments between Aubree and Sam!
Realistic romance.
The romance in this book was super sweet but it also felt very real. Aubree and Sam first connected on the phone, and since Aubree was a little flustered because of the problems she'd encountered with her trip, their conversation went quickly awry. In fact, the way the conversation ended was both hilarious and adorable (thinking about it right now makes me laugh and feel all squishy inside). Luckily, Sam was the lighthearted sort, and he saw Aubree's craziness as an opportunity for banter - adorable, wonderful banter! By the time Sam and Aubree met in person, I completely believed that they would feel a spark for each other just based on the conversations they'd had. But as cute and wonderful as Sam was, Aubree didn't instantly fall in love - in fact, the l word was avoided in this book (except in the case of a joke that I won't spoil). Considering the fact that Sam and Aubree only knew each other for less than three weeks, this was really refreshing!
Expanding horizons.
When Aubree started off on her trip, she was afraid of the unknown. She had spent her life in her little Ohio town and was just fine with that - happy with it, in fact. Leading a European trip like this was pretty much terrifying for Aubree. She had no desire to see the world, and she certainly had no idea how to show it to others. So, when Aubree started really enjoying her European vacation, she was kind of amazed. It was liberating for her - both realizing that there were things out there she actually wanted to see AND realizing that she could handle the job - and the pressures involved with it. Aubree ended the book a much stronger person than she was when she began, but she didn't change her core personality (sometimes it bugs me when an MC seems too transformed).
Fun elderly folks.
The members of the tour group were sweet, fun and hilarious in their own rights. I think I loved them all!
What Left Me Wanting More:
Lies, lies and more lies.
While I certainly knew that this was going to be the case going into this book, I did eventually get frustrated with Aubree lying to Sam. There was one point where she had the perfect opportunity to come clean, and she didn't. I did understand her reasoning and her fears about what would happen to Elizabeth if she told the truth, though, so it's not like it ruined the book for me or anything. (And when everything did come out, it was handled realistically, for the most part - all of the problems and consequences didn't just completely go away). Then there was also just the likelihood that all of the lying would have worked quite as smoothly as it did - it didn't seem like Aubree hiding her identity while traipsing across the country would be quite as easy as it was made out to be.
This book was like a breath of fresh air (with just a touch of laughing gas piped in). I enjoyed every minute of reading it and devoured it in one day! I easily give this one 4/5 stars and it's bordering on 4.5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***