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michellesantiago's review against another edition
4.0
The blurb above does a good job summarizing Heart With Joy so I'm not going to reiterate it again. The story was told in first-person perspective through 15-year-old Julian. He was very likable and you can't help but feel for him in the beginning after his mother left and he wasn't sure how to talk to or act around his dad. It was great reading how their father-son relationship changed throughout the book. I also liked that Julian's hobby is cooking and how it became more than a hobby as he gained more confidence in his cooking and experimented with recipes. But as much as I liked Julian, I thought he was too... perfect. I kept thinking as I was reading this book that Julian is the kind of son I want to have (you know, if I decide to have kids): sweet, understanding, thoughtful, wakes up at the crack of dawn to help little old ladies feed birds and walks the cat (yes, I said cat), would rather stay home and cook for dad than go out with friends... Hmm... maybe I'm being a cynic.
The other characters were great too, like Julian's neighbor Mrs. Peters. She was a sweet old lady whose hobby is bird watching and gave Julian milk and cookies as well as a new appreciation for birds, and Tia, Julian's love interest who shares his passion for cooking. The only character I didn't like was Julian's mom. I don't know if she's supposed to be a sympathetic character but I found her to be self-serving and selfish--I wouldn't have been as forgiving and understanding as Julian if I was in his situation especially if after finding out what she did before she left for Florida.
If you're looking for crazy twists and surprises you won't find it here. It's just a simple, straightforward story about finding that [sometimes elusive] something that makes you happy and fills your heart with joy. Besides that, it's also a story one's relationships, about family, friendship, love and forgiveness, and even death and loss. I love coming of age stories and Heart With Joy was a refreshing, feel-good kind read with wonderful characters. I thought the writing was great as well--it's understated but it will sneak up on you, grab you and make you care for the characters and leaves you satisfied after you read the last page.
The other characters were great too, like Julian's neighbor Mrs. Peters. She was a sweet old lady whose hobby is bird watching and gave Julian milk and cookies as well as a new appreciation for birds, and Tia, Julian's love interest who shares his passion for cooking. The only character I didn't like was Julian's mom. I don't know if she's supposed to be a sympathetic character but I found her to be self-serving and selfish--I wouldn't have been as forgiving and understanding as Julian if I was in his situation especially if after finding out what she did before she left for Florida.
If you're looking for crazy twists and surprises you won't find it here. It's just a simple, straightforward story about finding that [sometimes elusive] something that makes you happy and fills your heart with joy. Besides that, it's also a story one's relationships, about family, friendship, love and forgiveness, and even death and loss. I love coming of age stories and Heart With Joy was a refreshing, feel-good kind read with wonderful characters. I thought the writing was great as well--it's understated but it will sneak up on you, grab you and make you care for the characters and leaves you satisfied after you read the last page.
dianafdez's review against another edition
5.0
This book doesn't need any paranormal stuff to be amazing and that's something that I don't find often!
Julian is trying to cope with his mother leaving to Florida. His mother refused to take him and said she had to help with the motel her family owned and to finish her fifth unpublished novel. Julian knows there's more to it than his mother tells him and when he asks her he finally gets his answer that he may not like. Throughout the book Julian makes a connection with his father that he never thought possible and also finds what he wants to do with his life.
I loved how Julian changed and matured through the whole book as he met people that help him figure out who he is. To me he seemed to be like many fifteen year old kids would be while at the same time being someone who was trying to figure things out in his life. Another thing that I loved was that he can cook! That's one thing that many male characters aren't able to do.
I liked how his relationship with his father changed so much. At first they didn't really talk and seemed to be two people who had to live together while not knowing who the other was. At the end Julian had to take a tough decision and the time he spent with his father greatly influenced him. I loved Mrs. Peters! She was a great character that loved birds but that also helped Julian deal with his life.
This is such a short read that holds many things. It shows that we need to do the things that make us happy and not try to something that will make us unhappy. This is one of those books that I think everyone should read just because it's something different to what's out there but that is just as good!
Julian is trying to cope with his mother leaving to Florida. His mother refused to take him and said she had to help with the motel her family owned and to finish her fifth unpublished novel. Julian knows there's more to it than his mother tells him and when he asks her he finally gets his answer that he may not like. Throughout the book Julian makes a connection with his father that he never thought possible and also finds what he wants to do with his life.
I loved how Julian changed and matured through the whole book as he met people that help him figure out who he is. To me he seemed to be like many fifteen year old kids would be while at the same time being someone who was trying to figure things out in his life. Another thing that I loved was that he can cook! That's one thing that many male characters aren't able to do.
I liked how his relationship with his father changed so much. At first they didn't really talk and seemed to be two people who had to live together while not knowing who the other was. At the end Julian had to take a tough decision and the time he spent with his father greatly influenced him. I loved Mrs. Peters! She was a great character that loved birds but that also helped Julian deal with his life.
This is such a short read that holds many things. It shows that we need to do the things that make us happy and not try to something that will make us unhappy. This is one of those books that I think everyone should read just because it's something different to what's out there but that is just as good!
trupti's review against another edition
2.0
Heart with Joy is about a 17-year-old boy Julian whose mom left him and his father because she said she wanted to help her parents with their motel and complete writing her book. But Julian knows it’s more than that. He plans on going to Florida to his mother for the summer, and possibly to settle there. He is not as close to his father as he was with his mother, so staying with his father is not really appealing to him.
Julian takes up cooking and other household activities after his mother goes away. Slowly, he discovers that he really likes cooking and is possibly even passionate about it. He gets acquainted with his next door neighbor, who is a really old woman, who has a passion for birds.
Heart With Joy is exactly that, finding something that fills your heart with joy instead of going through life just because you have to. It’s a coming of age story, where Julian begins to understand his father, his mother and his own heart. It’s an easy read and its a very simple and quite story. I enjoyed knowing more about birds as a hobby and also loved the glimpse of recipes given in the book.
I had a problem with what a sweet, understanding teenager Julian is. I haven’t met any teenager who is as well adjusted and has his priorities in place and also who has such insight into things. But maybe I’m just being cynical.
It’s a good book though, definitely worth a try if you like YA or like quite stories.
Julian takes up cooking and other household activities after his mother goes away. Slowly, he discovers that he really likes cooking and is possibly even passionate about it. He gets acquainted with his next door neighbor, who is a really old woman, who has a passion for birds.
Heart With Joy is exactly that, finding something that fills your heart with joy instead of going through life just because you have to. It’s a coming of age story, where Julian begins to understand his father, his mother and his own heart. It’s an easy read and its a very simple and quite story. I enjoyed knowing more about birds as a hobby and also loved the glimpse of recipes given in the book.
I had a problem with what a sweet, understanding teenager Julian is. I haven’t met any teenager who is as well adjusted and has his priorities in place and also who has such insight into things. But maybe I’m just being cynical.
It’s a good book though, definitely worth a try if you like YA or like quite stories.
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