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2.5 AVERAGE
2.5 AVERAGE
Wow that book was painful to read. I don't know what it was but there was no connection at all. The description and the actual content were two different things. And the way the story jumped all over the place left much to be desired. I didn't like Leah, or Leah's family, or Shane, or even Duffy. Honestly I'm not sure what the point was. I had heard from others that this book wasn't what you think it to be but I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt and see for myself. Sadly everyone that said not to read this was right. It definitely was not the book for me.
I liked this book. It wasn't too deep, but still had an alright main message/moral to the story. Very descriptive with great imagery.
Really enjoyed this book, having a character breaking free of the paths laid down by her mother, and 2 older sisters. Really enjoyed it!
Expected a love story and got a story of a girl in search of her own identity, it certainly kept my interest.
this book in my opinion is that I really didn't like it.Because it din't have as much romance as I wanted it to.
But I do kinda like the plot of the story but I'm not that much of a fan.
And another thing that I really didn't understand is that they met because he was in a car and she just got in the car with him and that's how they romance started.I just wanted a little bit more excitement then what the book had given me
But I do kinda like the plot of the story but I'm not that much of a fan.
And another thing that I really didn't understand is that they met because he was in a car and she just got in the car with him and that's how they romance started.I just wanted a little bit more excitement then what the book had given me
Lesson learned from "Kiss Crush Collide" - vivid, telling descriptions do not make a cohesive story between two characters, especially if your two primary leads are about as interesting as watching paint dry. No, I wouldn't say they're that uninteresting, but I don't think they ever realized their full potential to make the work amount to more than what it offered. It didn't live up to the description of the book all that much.
The cover of this, in my opinion, is breathtakingly beautiful. I could write a review on the cover itself, actually. There's a level of intimacy between the guy and the girl here that has my mind dancing with possibilities. The colors, the lighting, the proximity of the two subjects, all blend together amazingly well. Somehow my eye falls on the design of the guy's tattoo, the wave pattern, which kind of fits the theme pretty well - this cresting of emotions in which they rise and fall. So to the person who designed this cover - you rock. I think that's one of the reasons why I was extra excited to pick this story up. The description (barring comparisons - I'll get to that in a bit) also seems something of a story that I would like. I like watching opposing characters attracted to each other and the point at which they finally realize that they're in love. Of course, I prefer a good love story to develop the characters as well as the relationship.
It gets trickier with the fact that there's a cheating scenario going on, but I figure as long as the story handles it realistically, I can roll with it to see how it turns out.
This one...was more on the insta-love connection side of things. And even then, you take one character that's not very likable and try to pair them with another character that's not very likable, both of them aren't exactly going to crush together in a good way for the reader unless there's some element that makes it ultra convincing. Even if I don't quite like one of the characters in the relationship, I can usually jump on the train a little more if one of them at least have some redeeming qualities. Sometimes it's the girl, sometimes it's the guy (though I've read a lot of books with dislikable boys as of late - somehow I hope that's a trend that changes if only because it feels like it's saturating the market a bit too much. But I digress.)
I can say from the experience of this book that neither Leah nor Porter are very likable when they're first introduced and it's hard to say whether or not they ever become remotely likable. For me, they never did.
Leah's a bit on the spoiled side of things - in one point of the book, she describes herself - paraphrased - as being the type of girl who gets everything she doesn't deserve and thus steals opportunities from people who deserve it. Okay. For the sake of the argument, I rolled with that. Her sister's getting married and is a little self absorbed too. They come from a seemingly well to do, perfect family. Leah already has a "perfect" boyfriend. She somewhat rambles a bit on her life and I'm thinking - it's not really hooking me, but I'm going to get through it.
Then in comes Porter at a country club. Sharp green eyes, tossled hair, crooked smile. I have a beef with crooked smiles by now - they're used too much in YA, though I know it's a common point of attraction.
Sparks fly. As Leah says, quote:
"I don’t need to drive off in a suspiciously borrowed car and end up making out with some random guy. It was a whole year before I even let Shane put his hand up my shirt. He tried many, many times, and I fought him off, protecting my turf against what I knew would be an inevitable march forward. It’s boobs first, then down the pants, undies off, and then, after that, everything is fair game.
I didn't really feel convinced of the reason given - there wasn't really any immediate emotional connection as to what attracted Leah to Porter - more lust than romance. She notes his appearance, but it feels static. The scene where they hooked up was vividly described, though, and there's a lot of references to Leah's boobs being big and getting in the way and it doesn't feel really all that humorous or evoke the sense of awkwardness that the author's going for. It's mostly just…weird.
Much of the book somewhat jumps to the surrounding action going on around Leah, but while this could potentially be interesting, I felt a bit lost in the sea. The details are described as passing matters, and you never really get a sense of connection to the events going on around Leah. Per example:
The last three days of school drip by. The parties, the yearbook signings, even the final class photos feel uneventful. I am listless, wilted, my pulse slow and slippery like water in a garden hose that’s been left in the sun.
There is no breeze or breathing room at home. And our kitchen table is the front line in a silent war, France versus the traditional wedding. A bunker of bridal magazines flanks the left side of the breakfast nook, A Guidebook to French Phrases and an unfolded map of the Paris Métro dominate the right, leaving the silver salt and pepper shakers unprotected in the middle of no-man’s-land on the flowered tablecloth.
And there are many more passages that feel like a disconnect, even with Leah sister's upcoming marriage and such. I'd rather hear Leah talk about what excites/motivates/intrigues her than what bores her (cardinal rule: anything boring to the main character's likely going to be boring to the reader). Even when she mentions the fact that her parents "made" her quit the swim team and struck a deal for her to take up lifeguarding instead, I didn't get any sense of regret/heartbreak from her character though she *says* she's heartbroken. Again, the disconnect relates to more of the telling than showing and evoking a sense of the reader aligning with the primary character. It feels the same way in scenes where Porter shows up as well.
Actually, to correct this - Porter's name isn't "Porter" but Jon Duffy, "Duffy" notably. That somewhat threw me as well because we don't learn the character's real name for a little while out, even when the name on the cover has him as "Porter". This is revealed in the environmental details of the work ultimately, but I think I would've rather had the cover of the work say that his name was Duffy rather than Porter, because it really wasn't a big secret where the character's true name was a hidden necessity (unlike in "Incarnate" where you're dealing with reincarnated souls, or Paige Harbison's "New Girl" where the narrator's name isn't revealed for a while because of wanting to give emphasis to the character's identity.) When Leah's confused about Duffy's identity as well - it's a telling sign that the reader's reaction going to be like "Wait, what?" It probably would've been consistent to stick with just one name throughout the work, instead of jumping between Porter and Duffy in places.
I didn't like how this book dealt with the cheating scenario either - there's not really a sense of urgency in what Leah and Porter are doing in their relationship - unlike what the description for the book entails. I kept waiting for the clash, and for Leah to realize "oh crud, crud, crud - what am I doing?", but she's really like a mechanical doll - her thought process being more on the level of "I didn't really cheat. Oh wait, I guess I did. Oh…this is wrong."
Actually, I think I should let the text speak for itself:
I am not cheating, I think. Can I cheat on someone that I am not, technically, even going out with? I watch an old couple in red bicycle helmets chugging up the park hill like candy apples.
“I am not cheating,” I say clearly. I am certain of that. But with a long, raggedy breath I search for what I actually am doing.
“I am undecided,” I conclude.
and
“You need to choose, Leah,” Duffy breathes into my ear as he drags his lips lightly across my cheekbone. He rests his forehead against mine. “I won’t be your second choice.”
God, I didn’t mean to cheat. Because this whole thing with Duffy, well, it just kind of happened. He just kind of happens. He shows up, and my blood runs hot, and like that, I am off course, spinning. He has never been part of the plan.
And the last one (which made me want to throw my book against the wall):
I haven’t made a choice. Ever. I’ve always waited for someone to make it for me—Shane, Yorke, Freddie, my mother, even Duffy. It’s finally my turn, ready or not.
I grip my fingers under his hand and brace myself for the good-bye ’cause I am scared of giving up all the things I will have to give up if I give up Shane. My whole senior year, my whole life, everything will be different, and I am worried that I won’t be brave enough.
And there’s nothing wrong with Shane. He’s nice. He’s fit. He’s supercute. He smells good. Occasionally he’s funny. I’ve got it good. I get that. But my whole life has been about going along, living with what has been given to me, which is kind of hard to bitch about, because I’ve been given a lot, but that doesn’t mean I have to drive around for the rest of my life with his hand weighing down my leg, does it?
Ugh.
I'm not going to say that Meredith isn't a writer with potential, because she actually does some of the descriptions well, but it's hard to get into and meandering in points, which makes it hard to hold interest. Plus, an unlikable set of passive protagonists combined with more lust than romance made it difficult to connect.
Now, the advertisement of it says "For fans of John Green, Sarah Dessen, and "Perfect Chemistry" - the latter written by Simone Elkeles. For my own reading experience, I ignored these comparisons, because I wanted to see how the book would stand on its own. I've read John Green (still have yet to do quite a few reviews of his books, but I've loved his work) , I've read two Dessen books ("Dreamland" being my favorite so far) and I've never read "Perfect Chemistry" or any of its companion books (*hangs head in shame*). Usually though, my experience has been whenever I hear a book is the next [insert ultra popular book, series, or author here], I get weary because it usually ends up being nothing like the aforementioned and its success rides more on the comparison rather than the book's own individual merits.
There wasn't really any of the trademark humor (Green), sweetness (Dessen) or direct conflict ("Perfect Chemistry") to warrant the comparison. For me, I was more disappointed at what it didn't offer rather than the comparisons. On one hand, I saw where the story was coming from, but at the same time, it just didn't provide the connection it promised.
Overall score: 1.5/5
The cover of this, in my opinion, is breathtakingly beautiful. I could write a review on the cover itself, actually. There's a level of intimacy between the guy and the girl here that has my mind dancing with possibilities. The colors, the lighting, the proximity of the two subjects, all blend together amazingly well. Somehow my eye falls on the design of the guy's tattoo, the wave pattern, which kind of fits the theme pretty well - this cresting of emotions in which they rise and fall. So to the person who designed this cover - you rock. I think that's one of the reasons why I was extra excited to pick this story up. The description (barring comparisons - I'll get to that in a bit) also seems something of a story that I would like. I like watching opposing characters attracted to each other and the point at which they finally realize that they're in love. Of course, I prefer a good love story to develop the characters as well as the relationship.
It gets trickier with the fact that there's a cheating scenario going on, but I figure as long as the story handles it realistically, I can roll with it to see how it turns out.
This one...was more on the insta-love connection side of things. And even then, you take one character that's not very likable and try to pair them with another character that's not very likable, both of them aren't exactly going to crush together in a good way for the reader unless there's some element that makes it ultra convincing. Even if I don't quite like one of the characters in the relationship, I can usually jump on the train a little more if one of them at least have some redeeming qualities. Sometimes it's the girl, sometimes it's the guy (though I've read a lot of books with dislikable boys as of late - somehow I hope that's a trend that changes if only because it feels like it's saturating the market a bit too much. But I digress.)
I can say from the experience of this book that neither Leah nor Porter are very likable when they're first introduced and it's hard to say whether or not they ever become remotely likable. For me, they never did.
Leah's a bit on the spoiled side of things - in one point of the book, she describes herself - paraphrased - as being the type of girl who gets everything she doesn't deserve and thus steals opportunities from people who deserve it. Okay. For the sake of the argument, I rolled with that. Her sister's getting married and is a little self absorbed too. They come from a seemingly well to do, perfect family. Leah already has a "perfect" boyfriend. She somewhat rambles a bit on her life and I'm thinking - it's not really hooking me, but I'm going to get through it.
Then in comes Porter at a country club. Sharp green eyes, tossled hair, crooked smile. I have a beef with crooked smiles by now - they're used too much in YA, though I know it's a common point of attraction.
Sparks fly. As Leah says, quote:
"I don’t need to drive off in a suspiciously borrowed car and end up making out with some random guy. It was a whole year before I even let Shane put his hand up my shirt. He tried many, many times, and I fought him off, protecting my turf against what I knew would be an inevitable march forward. It’s boobs first, then down the pants, undies off, and then, after that, everything is fair game.
I didn't really feel convinced of the reason given - there wasn't really any immediate emotional connection as to what attracted Leah to Porter - more lust than romance. She notes his appearance, but it feels static. The scene where they hooked up was vividly described, though, and there's a lot of references to Leah's boobs being big and getting in the way and it doesn't feel really all that humorous or evoke the sense of awkwardness that the author's going for. It's mostly just…weird.
Much of the book somewhat jumps to the surrounding action going on around Leah, but while this could potentially be interesting, I felt a bit lost in the sea. The details are described as passing matters, and you never really get a sense of connection to the events going on around Leah. Per example:
The last three days of school drip by. The parties, the yearbook signings, even the final class photos feel uneventful. I am listless, wilted, my pulse slow and slippery like water in a garden hose that’s been left in the sun.
There is no breeze or breathing room at home. And our kitchen table is the front line in a silent war, France versus the traditional wedding. A bunker of bridal magazines flanks the left side of the breakfast nook, A Guidebook to French Phrases and an unfolded map of the Paris Métro dominate the right, leaving the silver salt and pepper shakers unprotected in the middle of no-man’s-land on the flowered tablecloth.
And there are many more passages that feel like a disconnect, even with Leah sister's upcoming marriage and such. I'd rather hear Leah talk about what excites/motivates/intrigues her than what bores her (cardinal rule: anything boring to the main character's likely going to be boring to the reader). Even when she mentions the fact that her parents "made" her quit the swim team and struck a deal for her to take up lifeguarding instead, I didn't get any sense of regret/heartbreak from her character though she *says* she's heartbroken. Again, the disconnect relates to more of the telling than showing and evoking a sense of the reader aligning with the primary character. It feels the same way in scenes where Porter shows up as well.
Actually, to correct this - Porter's name isn't "Porter" but Jon Duffy, "Duffy" notably. That somewhat threw me as well because we don't learn the character's real name for a little while out, even when the name on the cover has him as "Porter". This is revealed in the environmental details of the work ultimately, but I think I would've rather had the cover of the work say that his name was Duffy rather than Porter, because it really wasn't a big secret where the character's true name was a hidden necessity (unlike in "Incarnate" where you're dealing with reincarnated souls, or Paige Harbison's "New Girl" where the narrator's name isn't revealed for a while because of wanting to give emphasis to the character's identity.) When Leah's confused about Duffy's identity as well - it's a telling sign that the reader's reaction going to be like "Wait, what?" It probably would've been consistent to stick with just one name throughout the work, instead of jumping between Porter and Duffy in places.
I didn't like how this book dealt with the cheating scenario either - there's not really a sense of urgency in what Leah and Porter are doing in their relationship - unlike what the description for the book entails. I kept waiting for the clash, and for Leah to realize "oh crud, crud, crud - what am I doing?", but she's really like a mechanical doll - her thought process being more on the level of "I didn't really cheat. Oh wait, I guess I did. Oh…this is wrong."
Actually, I think I should let the text speak for itself:
I am not cheating, I think. Can I cheat on someone that I am not, technically, even going out with? I watch an old couple in red bicycle helmets chugging up the park hill like candy apples.
“I am not cheating,” I say clearly. I am certain of that. But with a long, raggedy breath I search for what I actually am doing.
“I am undecided,” I conclude.
and
“You need to choose, Leah,” Duffy breathes into my ear as he drags his lips lightly across my cheekbone. He rests his forehead against mine. “I won’t be your second choice.”
God, I didn’t mean to cheat. Because this whole thing with Duffy, well, it just kind of happened. He just kind of happens. He shows up, and my blood runs hot, and like that, I am off course, spinning. He has never been part of the plan.
And the last one (which made me want to throw my book against the wall):
I haven’t made a choice. Ever. I’ve always waited for someone to make it for me—Shane, Yorke, Freddie, my mother, even Duffy. It’s finally my turn, ready or not.
I grip my fingers under his hand and brace myself for the good-bye ’cause I am scared of giving up all the things I will have to give up if I give up Shane. My whole senior year, my whole life, everything will be different, and I am worried that I won’t be brave enough.
And there’s nothing wrong with Shane. He’s nice. He’s fit. He’s supercute. He smells good. Occasionally he’s funny. I’ve got it good. I get that. But my whole life has been about going along, living with what has been given to me, which is kind of hard to bitch about, because I’ve been given a lot, but that doesn’t mean I have to drive around for the rest of my life with his hand weighing down my leg, does it?
Ugh.
I'm not going to say that Meredith isn't a writer with potential, because she actually does some of the descriptions well, but it's hard to get into and meandering in points, which makes it hard to hold interest. Plus, an unlikable set of passive protagonists combined with more lust than romance made it difficult to connect.
Now, the advertisement of it says "For fans of John Green, Sarah Dessen, and "Perfect Chemistry" - the latter written by Simone Elkeles. For my own reading experience, I ignored these comparisons, because I wanted to see how the book would stand on its own. I've read John Green (still have yet to do quite a few reviews of his books, but I've loved his work) , I've read two Dessen books ("Dreamland" being my favorite so far) and I've never read "Perfect Chemistry" or any of its companion books (*hangs head in shame*). Usually though, my experience has been whenever I hear a book is the next [insert ultra popular book, series, or author here], I get weary because it usually ends up being nothing like the aforementioned and its success rides more on the comparison rather than the book's own individual merits.
There wasn't really any of the trademark humor (Green), sweetness (Dessen) or direct conflict ("Perfect Chemistry") to warrant the comparison. For me, I was more disappointed at what it didn't offer rather than the comparisons. On one hand, I saw where the story was coming from, but at the same time, it just didn't provide the connection it promised.
Overall score: 1.5/5
When I read I book I usually connect with the characters and develop some sort of love for the book but it wasn't happening with this book at all. I honestly didn't like it at all. I don't know what it is about this book but I just didn't enjoy it.
******2.5 star rating*******
How did I manage to finish this book without throwing it against the wall? I honestly have no clue. Kiss, Crush, Collide was utterly awful. It's beautifully intimate cover drew me big time, but oh boy was I wrong. To be honest, the plot line could have been beautifully executed, however the author turned it into a very disorganized disaster. Some key details were not clearly explained. And besides - I disliked a lot of the characters, especially Yorke and Leah's mother. It seems like Valerie and Porter were the few characters who actually had some sense in them. Overall, Kiss, Crush, Collide was a HUGE disappointment.
How did I manage to finish this book without throwing it against the wall? I honestly have no clue. Kiss, Crush, Collide was utterly awful. It's beautifully intimate cover drew me big time, but oh boy was I wrong. To be honest, the plot line could have been beautifully executed, however the author turned it into a very disorganized disaster. Some key details were not clearly explained. And besides - I disliked a lot of the characters, especially Yorke and Leah's mother. It seems like Valerie and Porter were the few characters who actually had some sense in them. Overall, Kiss, Crush, Collide was a HUGE disappointment.
Judging by the cover, this book may appear to be a love story, but that aspect of the story takes a backseat to the main character's familial relationships, which shine. Kiss Crush Collide was a much more than the cover suggests.
Review forthcoming.
Review forthcoming.