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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Everywhere I look, I see a closed door. A dark passage. Locked windows. If there’s a way out, I can’t visualize it. My first Erin Watt novel after almost a year and I am just reminded of how I always end up with an overflow of emotions, pulling my hair out and cussing up a storm on every single character!
As is with any of this duo's novel it started with me wanting to smack the parents and that was when they hadn't even spoken. *shrugs*
The narrator of the story, 17-year-old Elizabeth Jones, a high school senior is now ruled by her parents and schoolmates' expectations after a tragedy struck the Jones Family.
Charles Donelly a.k.a Chase comes with more than his share of baggage to Darling High School where is treated like a pariah.
In true Erin Watt fashion after a momentum was set, threads started coming loose. Emotions were at its peak for almost the entire book. Truths were being revealed in chunks and dropped like little bombs. The frustration level was at new heights and the story was just me flipping page after page to know what was going to happen next.
One Small Thing in the last 10-20% was its pinnacle moment and then suddenly everything came tumbling down and the book ended on a flat note.
The story that was so engaging and gripping and with so much potential to end on a very high and satisfied note, failed to deliver that. It honestly felt rushed and I feel the parents, her friends, especially Scarlett were let off way too easily. I would have preferred Beth cutting ties with every single one of those friends because they are not friends, they are the kind of friends that are around only when it suits them.
The one thing I loved about the book was when the meaning behind the title came to fruition. That was such a beautiful thing to focus on and every "one small thing" just kept getting better and better.
The one thing that really bugged me apart from Beth's juvenile behaviour and the absolute idiocy of every single character in this book, excluding Chase, was grief.
I get it. What the Jones Family suffered was momentous and it was impossible not be changed after that but for Beth's parents to justify some of the really harsh things they did was not short of mental torture, in my opinion.
They — the parents, friends and schoolmates — needed to know that every person deals with grief differently. None of us gets to decide how an individual should grieve, except that person and for Beth's parents' to justify their actions to "protect" her was just a cop-out. Yes, Beth does take a semi-destructive path but rather than be smart about it and make her sit down and make a genuine effort, we had two parents who just went off the hook, if she uttered something that didn't fall in line with their pre-conceived ideas. Oh and their incessant need to "speak" for Beth. I know she isn't smartest cookie and does go off the tangent but you've got to listen to her. Just because they weren't comfortable with a situation, you can't trust those decisions on anyone.
There is protective and then there is stifling and Beth's parents were firmly on the latter.
Another thing was the lack of any redeeming character. Except for Chase. There is not one character who I could sympathise or empathise with or is likeable enough.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes.
Would I recommend it? Since it's Erin Watt, yes and also because reading tastes differ.
3 Stars!
★ Buy One Small Thing (Kindle)
★ Buy One Small Thing (Paperback)
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*ARC gifted by author in exchange for an honest review*
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
There was so much going on but what do you expect from an Erin Watt book?! There were so many cute moments I couldn’t help but let out a loud ‘Awwww!’. So many plot twists that made me angry but also made me gush like no tomorrow. It was such a cute book. I loved it.
This was such a good YA story!! I wish I read it when I was in high school because it had so many great lessons. I could not put this down. I would definitely give it 4.5 stars (it didn't feel quite like a 5 star for me, but was really, really close)!
One Small Thing was an easy, flowing read. It kept my attention from the first page with some twists. I was nervous to read a book by Harlequin Publishers, as I thought it might be too sappy or romantic. I was surprised to find that this book was just the right amount of romance and action. One Small Thing is well-written, and the characters make you feel their emotions through the page. I highly recommend this book! Since her sister’s death, Beth’s parents have not been the same. They have made Beth a prisoner in her home. After sneaking out to a party she meets Chase, a boy that she cannot get enough of, but needs to stay away from… Chase is home, straight out of juvie and has changed since that fateful night. Now, a blossoming, yet forbidden, romance could ruin everything for Beth and Chase during their senior year. For Beth, she can either risk it all or start playing by the rules..
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loveee Erin Watt
One Small Thing. One thing to look forward to everyday. This book is one Small thing and the story and growth the lie characters go through are a true story of grief and how we all are affected by it in different ways. And that one small thing is what gets a lot of people through the day.
~3.5 stars~
**Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review**
I've been a huge fan of Erin Watt ever since I read their book, When It's Real. After that book, I was hooked. I adore their writing! They create such relatable and realistic teenage characters. However, this book. while enjoyable, was not my favorite.
This story is about grief, forgiveness, moving on, and denial. Beth's sister was killed 3 years ago in a car accident. Rachel, Beth's sister, ran out in the street without looking and was hit by a car--it was 100% an accident. But, Beth's parents don't see it that way. They have refused to move on and accept Rachel's death. Beth's mom acts as if Rachel will come back someday. She keeps Rachel's room exactly as it was the day she died, and her cubby space in the mud room is not to be touched. If Beth's stuff is remotely in Rachel's cubby, then she has to move her stuff immediately. Beth's father isn't any better. He tracks Beth's phone and her text messages. Both of her parents see their actions as actions of love and protection. But, all they are doing is suffocating Beth.
This leads Beth to rebel. She goes to a party the night before her first day of senior year. At the party she meets Chase, the guy of her dreams. He's super cute and seems really nice, but best of all he is a distraction. They have a great night together. That is until they realize who the other is the next day at school. Chase is horrified when he learns who Beth is, and Beth is utterly confused when she realizes Chase is a part of her sister's accident. She should hate Chase--like everyone else at school. She shouldn't be able to look at him without feeling angry or sad...but she doesn't. She likes him.
This story is about Beth's internal struggle. Beth is struggling with her feelings for Chase because everyone around her loathes him. She's also struggling with Rachel's loss and her relationship with her parents. Beth has never let herself fully grieve Rachel's death. Throw in her parents’ denial and overprotectiveness, her classmates judgement, criticism, and bullying. Beth is dealing with a lot...and there seems to be only one person who can relate and calm her down...only he's part of the cause of this chaos.
For most of this book, I was at a 4-star rating. It wasn't until the last 20-30% of the book that I changed to a 3.5-star rating. The ending of this book felt a tad rushed to me. There were a lot of twists and reveals thrown in towards the end. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a good twist, but the ending simply felt rushed. There needs to be at least one more chapter in this book where we see the complete fallout of the events after the "reveal/twist" of the book. Instead, Watt chose to gloss over and summarize those events in the last chapter. We get a brief overview of how all of the characters were effected and how they chose to move forward. Other than that, I enjoyed this book. I truly did. The ending was sweet and pretty perfect for this story. I couldn't imagine it another way. I look forward to reading more from Erin Watt!
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**Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review**
I've been a huge fan of Erin Watt ever since I read their book, When It's Real. After that book, I was hooked. I adore their writing! They create such relatable and realistic teenage characters. However, this book. while enjoyable, was not my favorite.
This story is about grief, forgiveness, moving on, and denial. Beth's sister was killed 3 years ago in a car accident. Rachel, Beth's sister, ran out in the street without looking and was hit by a car--it was 100% an accident. But, Beth's parents don't see it that way. They have refused to move on and accept Rachel's death. Beth's mom acts as if Rachel will come back someday. She keeps Rachel's room exactly as it was the day she died, and her cubby space in the mud room is not to be touched. If Beth's stuff is remotely in Rachel's cubby, then she has to move her stuff immediately. Beth's father isn't any better. He tracks Beth's phone and her text messages. Both of her parents see their actions as actions of love and protection. But, all they are doing is suffocating Beth.
This leads Beth to rebel. She goes to a party the night before her first day of senior year. At the party she meets Chase, the guy of her dreams. He's super cute and seems really nice, but best of all he is a distraction. They have a great night together. That is until they realize who the other is the next day at school. Chase is horrified when he learns who Beth is, and Beth is utterly confused when she realizes Chase is a part of her sister's accident. She should hate Chase--like everyone else at school. She shouldn't be able to look at him without feeling angry or sad...but she doesn't. She likes him.
This story is about Beth's internal struggle. Beth is struggling with her feelings for Chase because everyone around her loathes him. She's also struggling with Rachel's loss and her relationship with her parents. Beth has never let herself fully grieve Rachel's death. Throw in her parents’ denial and overprotectiveness, her classmates judgement, criticism, and bullying. Beth is dealing with a lot...and there seems to be only one person who can relate and calm her down...only he's part of the cause of this chaos.
For most of this book, I was at a 4-star rating. It wasn't until the last 20-30% of the book that I changed to a 3.5-star rating. The ending of this book felt a tad rushed to me. There were a lot of twists and reveals thrown in towards the end. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a good twist, but the ending simply felt rushed. There needs to be at least one more chapter in this book where we see the complete fallout of the events after the "reveal/twist" of the book. Instead, Watt chose to gloss over and summarize those events in the last chapter. We get a brief overview of how all of the characters were effected and how they chose to move forward. Other than that, I enjoyed this book. I truly did. The ending was sweet and pretty perfect for this story. I couldn't imagine it another way. I look forward to reading more from Erin Watt!
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*4 Stars*
ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book, and most of the time I couldn't put it down, however the characters did annoy me at times. So let me get that out of the way. Sometimes, Beth was just plain dumb. And yes I know she was going through something horrible, and dealing in her own way, but I questions alot of the decisions she made regarding the parties and such. Also, Jeff, I wanted to smack him upside the head. You'll know why when you read the book.
But getting all that out of the way, the book has a fair bit of depth to it, in terms of the issues it deals with (grief, finding yourself and your place after tragedy, growing up, among other things) and because of that I really wanted to know what was going to happen. When would things come to a head? Who would do what?
I liked Chase. He was probably my favourite character of the story to be honest. He seemed the most mature and well adjusted, considering everything that had happened. Yes, he had issues to deal with still, but he just seemed to be moving on in the best way.
In a way, this story also reminded me of 13 Reasons Why (the show, I haven't read the book yet) - and I think that's because there is a huge amount of bullying in this book. Our words and actions, particularly in a place like high school, affect others, and I think thats really highlighted in this book.
Overall, I sped through this fairly fast and I did enjoy the storyline. A horrible situation that yes, does happen in real life, so it gives you something to think about, and feel for the characters. I definitely felt different emotions whilst reading this one.
Not my fave of Erin Watt's books, but I still recommend.
Review also on my blog - One Small Thing - Erin Watt
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ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book, and most of the time I couldn't put it down, however the characters did annoy me at times. So let me get that out of the way. Sometimes, Beth was just plain dumb. And yes I know she was going through something horrible, and dealing in her own way, but I questions alot of the decisions she made regarding the parties and such. Also, Jeff, I wanted to smack him upside the head. You'll know why when you read the book.
But getting all that out of the way, the book has a fair bit of depth to it, in terms of the issues it deals with (grief, finding yourself and your place after tragedy, growing up, among other things) and because of that I really wanted to know what was going to happen. When would things come to a head? Who would do what?
I liked Chase. He was probably my favourite character of the story to be honest. He seemed the most mature and well adjusted, considering everything that had happened. Yes, he had issues to deal with still, but he just seemed to be moving on in the best way.
In a way, this story also reminded me of 13 Reasons Why (the show, I haven't read the book yet) - and I think that's because there is a huge amount of bullying in this book. Our words and actions, particularly in a place like high school, affect others, and I think thats really highlighted in this book.
Overall, I sped through this fairly fast and I did enjoy the storyline. A horrible situation that yes, does happen in real life, so it gives you something to think about, and feel for the characters. I definitely felt different emotions whilst reading this one.
Not my fave of Erin Watt's books, but I still recommend.
Review also on my blog - One Small Thing - Erin Watt
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Erin Watt has a big fan base and I was curious to see if I could get into what everyone has been loving. Elle Kennedy, one half of the pseudonymous writing duo, wrote The Off-Campus series, some genuinely funny and swoony New Adult romances that I absolutely loved. Unfortunately, I did not feel the same about this book.
One Small Thing deals with an incredibly interesting dilemma: What happens if you fall for the person who is responsible for the biggest tragedy of your life? Beth, desperate for an escape from her overbearing parents, goes to a party with a bunch of strangers and hooks up with Chase. She does not know, though, that Chase is actually Charles Donnelly, the boy who was driving the car that hit and killed her sister three years prior. This doesn’t keep her from having feelings, though, and it also leads her to wonder about forgiveness and moving on.
The concept is thought-provoking and rich with potential to explore loss, forgiveness, responsibility, and acceptance. However, the book depends a lot more on the usual romance tropes, a lot of repetitive thoughts about how trapped Beth feels by her parents and how confused she is about her feelings for Chase. It has an almost cartoonishly villainous character that I felt was only there to take some of the tension away from Chase. On the plus side, it was insanely easy to read. But I couldn’t help but be disappointed by the predictability and the repetition.
This type of writing is hit or miss for me, and this particular book just wasn’t my cup of tea, but there are many Erin Watt fans out there and I know I will be recommending this to people who want an angsty, easy to read YA romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
One Small Thing deals with an incredibly interesting dilemma: What happens if you fall for the person who is responsible for the biggest tragedy of your life? Beth, desperate for an escape from her overbearing parents, goes to a party with a bunch of strangers and hooks up with Chase. She does not know, though, that Chase is actually Charles Donnelly, the boy who was driving the car that hit and killed her sister three years prior. This doesn’t keep her from having feelings, though, and it also leads her to wonder about forgiveness and moving on.
The concept is thought-provoking and rich with potential to explore loss, forgiveness, responsibility, and acceptance. However, the book depends a lot more on the usual romance tropes, a lot of repetitive thoughts about how trapped Beth feels by her parents and how confused she is about her feelings for Chase. It has an almost cartoonishly villainous character that I felt was only there to take some of the tension away from Chase. On the plus side, it was insanely easy to read. But I couldn’t help but be disappointed by the predictability and the repetition.
This type of writing is hit or miss for me, and this particular book just wasn’t my cup of tea, but there are many Erin Watt fans out there and I know I will be recommending this to people who want an angsty, easy to read YA romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.