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hnbb's review against another edition
2.0
It was a fun concept. I enjoyed it and then it got really slow. It plodded along. I understand there were some important events, but I think it could have happened at a quicker or more interesting pace. Not one I would recommend or read again. Not interested in the 2 sequels. There was light swearing and locker room humor, too.
eatingwords's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this novel.
I liked the premise of the story and the characters.
Cameron was at the beginning that kind of jerk that somehow everyone still likes. At least on the outside. But when things start to change for him, Cameron starts to think about his behaviour. I really liked his character development. It was from mean/semi-nice to pretty cool.
I also liked Wesley's and Liesel's character. Wesley because he was just such a good friend, although you wouldn't have thought so and also because of his artsy stuff. Liesel is just a character that we learn about pretty late in the book. I just loved her kindness, her warmth and most of all I thought she had such a cute name. Liesel, hah..
The only reason this novel doesn't get a five-star-rating was that I knew pretty early how Cameron's disease took place.
Other than that I cannot wait to read the sequel :)
I liked the premise of the story and the characters.
Cameron was at the beginning that kind of jerk that somehow everyone still likes. At least on the outside. But when things start to change for him, Cameron starts to think about his behaviour. I really liked his character development. It was from mean/semi-nice to pretty cool.
I also liked Wesley's and Liesel's character. Wesley because he was just such a good friend, although you wouldn't have thought so and also because of his artsy stuff. Liesel is just a character that we learn about pretty late in the book. I just loved her kindness, her warmth and most of all I thought she had such a cute name. Liesel, hah..
The only reason this novel doesn't get a five-star-rating was that I knew pretty early how Cameron's disease took place.
Other than that I cannot wait to read the sequel :)
kaitortot's review against another edition
4.0
This cover just really makes me want cake. Mmm.
I really liked the main character, Cameron. He was, by no means, perfect, which is what made him so likable to me. It’s always fun to read books with a male protagonist--especially ones written by a male author. Different perspectives!
I wish some of the supporting characters had been developed a bit more, but they were fun too! Sometimes it’s hard to really get to know secondary characters when a book is in first person. I found myself becoming attached to quite a few of the characters. I’m excited to revisit them in the next book, Happy Birthday to Me Again.
Happy Birthday to Me is really a classic story, but told in a fresh way. Aging was a new tool to bring about change in the main character, which was entertaining to read. Throughout the book, the story reminded me of Beastly quite a bit and I enjoyed that. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be the same kind of deal, but I liked the similarities.
I really liked the main character, Cameron. He was, by no means, perfect, which is what made him so likable to me. It’s always fun to read books with a male protagonist--especially ones written by a male author. Different perspectives!
I wish some of the supporting characters had been developed a bit more, but they were fun too! Sometimes it’s hard to really get to know secondary characters when a book is in first person. I found myself becoming attached to quite a few of the characters. I’m excited to revisit them in the next book, Happy Birthday to Me Again.
Happy Birthday to Me is really a classic story, but told in a fresh way. Aging was a new tool to bring about change in the main character, which was entertaining to read. Throughout the book, the story reminded me of Beastly quite a bit and I enjoyed that. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be the same kind of deal, but I liked the similarities.
bungleboo's review against another edition
3.0
review posted over at:~
http://themidnightreaders.blogspot.com/2011/04/happy-birthday-to-me-review.html
I was asked to review this book by the author and I must admit I wasn't looking forward to it at first, I really don't like the front cover but you should never judge a book by its cover! I the book in just a few hours before bed and actually it was a nice little read with some loveable characters.
The book follows the story of Cameron the popular seventeen year old who is the star of the basketball team and is dating the hottest girl in school. He seems to have everything but one morning he wakes up and realises he is aging and soon learns he is aging a year a day.
I didn't mind Cameron to much before he started aging, he was the typical popular guy around school. But once he starts aging we are shown a completely different side of him as he goes on a journey of self discovery. I really warmed to him and started to feel sorry for him as his life seemed to be coming to an end.
The secondary characters are of course important in any story and I really like Wesley who is Cameron's best friend. Sometimes I thought the worst of Wes but he great in the end!! Cameron's family also play a large part in the story and I love all the different reactions from them, I love his little sister. And now for the other 'main character'... Liesel. I just don't understand why she isn't in the story that much! She actually plays a very important part in Cameron's life and we don't see that much of her until the end of the story.
For a short story Happy Birthday to Me is a nice read that doesn't has you completely hooked but there was enough of something to keep me reading and wanting to know what would happen to Cameron. I love the hospital scene and just wish there had been more of this throughout the book.
I thought the book ended well so I'm intrigued to see what is going to happen in the next two books
http://themidnightreaders.blogspot.com/2011/04/happy-birthday-to-me-review.html
I was asked to review this book by the author and I must admit I wasn't looking forward to it at first, I really don't like the front cover but you should never judge a book by its cover! I the book in just a few hours before bed and actually it was a nice little read with some loveable characters.
The book follows the story of Cameron the popular seventeen year old who is the star of the basketball team and is dating the hottest girl in school. He seems to have everything but one morning he wakes up and realises he is aging and soon learns he is aging a year a day.
I didn't mind Cameron to much before he started aging, he was the typical popular guy around school. But once he starts aging we are shown a completely different side of him as he goes on a journey of self discovery. I really warmed to him and started to feel sorry for him as his life seemed to be coming to an end.
The secondary characters are of course important in any story and I really like Wesley who is Cameron's best friend. Sometimes I thought the worst of Wes but he great in the end!! Cameron's family also play a large part in the story and I love all the different reactions from them, I love his little sister. And now for the other 'main character'... Liesel. I just don't understand why she isn't in the story that much! She actually plays a very important part in Cameron's life and we don't see that much of her until the end of the story.
For a short story Happy Birthday to Me is a nice read that doesn't has you completely hooked but there was enough of something to keep me reading and wanting to know what would happen to Cameron. I love the hospital scene and just wish there had been more of this throughout the book.
I thought the book ended well so I'm intrigued to see what is going to happen in the next two books
ashreads10k's review against another edition
2.0
Happy Birthday to Me is basically a mix between The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (in reverse), and Beastly by Alex Flinn. I thought I would enjoy it quite a bit, because it seemed interesting, but, honestly, I'm not that impressed.
Brian Rowe is definitely a talented writer, but his style wasn't consistent. I think it could use a bit of polishing, and it'll be really good. He just wrote with these little quirks that bugged me--like his overuse CAPITALIZING WORDS. ENTIRE SENTENCES WOULD BE CAPITALIZED, AND IT JUST MADE EVERYONE SEEM LIKE THEY WERE HARD OF HEARING AND SHOUTED ALL THE TIME. You see how that starts to lose its potency the more you read it? Also, there were just some grammar mistakes regarding the dialogue that bugged me too. But Brian does have a talent for writing, with nice descriptions and a pretty quick moving pace. Things didn't take long to build up, which was good.
I also had issues with a lot of the characters. They were just so... cold. I've seen a lot of people complain about Cameron's dad, and with good reason! Cameron's father was a plastic surgeon, and he was so preoccupied with superficial looks and things like his son getting a basketball scholarship that he didn't seem to care that his son was pretty much on the fast track to death. I really hated him, and he never really redeemed himself in my eyes. None of the other characters really stood out for me, either. Cameron annoyed me for a good majority of the novel, with his arrogance, and his girlfriend and 'best friend', Charisma and Wesley fell flat.
I found the concept of the novel pretty cool though. The fact that there is actually a disease called Progeria that causes rapid aging is really fascinating. I thought Brain Rowe did really well in describing the subtle changes in Cameron's appearance, leading up to the more dramatic changes of his growing old.
I'm undecided as to whether I want to read the sequel, because I feel like Happy Birthday to Me ended in a good place, and could definitely be a stand-alone novel. I give this novel 2 out of 5 stars.
Brian Rowe is definitely a talented writer, but his style wasn't consistent. I think it could use a bit of polishing, and it'll be really good. He just wrote with these little quirks that bugged me--like his overuse CAPITALIZING WORDS. ENTIRE SENTENCES WOULD BE CAPITALIZED, AND IT JUST MADE EVERYONE SEEM LIKE THEY WERE HARD OF HEARING AND SHOUTED ALL THE TIME. You see how that starts to lose its potency the more you read it? Also, there were just some grammar mistakes regarding the dialogue that bugged me too. But Brian does have a talent for writing, with nice descriptions and a pretty quick moving pace. Things didn't take long to build up, which was good.
I also had issues with a lot of the characters. They were just so... cold. I've seen a lot of people complain about Cameron's dad, and with good reason! Cameron's father was a plastic surgeon, and he was so preoccupied with superficial looks and things like his son getting a basketball scholarship that he didn't seem to care that his son was pretty much on the fast track to death. I really hated him, and he never really redeemed himself in my eyes. None of the other characters really stood out for me, either. Cameron annoyed me for a good majority of the novel, with his arrogance, and his girlfriend and 'best friend', Charisma and Wesley fell flat.
I found the concept of the novel pretty cool though. The fact that there is actually a disease called Progeria that causes rapid aging is really fascinating. I thought Brain Rowe did really well in describing the subtle changes in Cameron's appearance, leading up to the more dramatic changes of his growing old.
I'm undecided as to whether I want to read the sequel, because I feel like Happy Birthday to Me ended in a good place, and could definitely be a stand-alone novel. I give this novel 2 out of 5 stars.
nanouni's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t know what to expect when I start this book but finally it was a good read.
In this book, Cameron who is the high school super star is getting one year older each day.
So everything is changing for him and he has to deal with this.
I found the story really original and interesting. Through the book, Cameron is growing up: he learns what is really important in life and which people really care about him.
Even the people around him are changing, especially his dad who learns that the inside is more important than the outside.
So, it was a good book event if it was a little bit predictable.
In this book, Cameron who is the high school super star is getting one year older each day.
So everything is changing for him and he has to deal with this.
I found the story really original and interesting. Through the book, Cameron is growing up: he learns what is really important in life and which people really care about him.
Even the people around him are changing, especially his dad who learns that the inside is more important than the outside.
So, it was a good book event if it was a little bit predictable.
suey's review
3.0
I had a few issues with this book (language, sex talk etc.) but the overall premise of a kid who ages a year each day was interesting enough to keep me reading.
stiricide's review
1.0
This is... this is bad. Like, really bad. Except, not actually bad? It's not like some self published books that are full of spelling errors and typos. It's actually very well formatted. It's just... bad.
It reads like a book written for teenagers, about teenagers, by a) a teenager or b) a teenager's dad, pretending to be identifiable to teenagers.
Every relationship in this book is about as deep as the Kindle I read it on. Cameron, the main character, lacks all possible self awareness. Even his big personal revelations don't stick - 3 pages after realizing tha the's a self centered jerkwad, he's back to acting like an oblivious self centered jerkwad. He falls in love with the secondary female mostly just because she's there. He obsesses over his ex girlfriend because... reasons? He picks fights with everyone who doesn't understand him because... angry?
Then there's Aason, the inexplicable gay kid. It's not inexplicable why he's gay, it's inexplicable why he's there at all. Except as a foil for Cameron to be homophobic about. Because all gay teenagers really love teasing and throwing themselves at the school superstar, y'know. And stalking them in the shower. Totally. All the time. Yup.
There's the maybe developmentally disabled sister (she's 13, but she's written like she's 7), the projecting narcissist plastic surgeon dad (oh, your son has a debilitating degenerative physical condition? I know! Kidnap him before dawn, bring him to your office, and try to plastic surgery-ize him back to normal! That'll definitely treat the cause, not the symptoms! That's absolutely how licensed physicians know how to treat problems!), and the neglected, trope-y mom. There's also a weird accidental incest scene?
Don't forget the school librarian, who hates the main character (because he's a 17 year old asshole), but otherwise seems like a perfectly well respected staff member, but once Cameron starts aging, somehow decides that it's totally ok for her to throw herself at him. Right. Women just can't control themselves in the face of attractive men, y'know. Even when those men are 17 year olds in 62 year olds bodies. PS, the librarian is 58, but again, she's written like the author has no concept of age - you'd think she's 88. Hell, you'd think that Cam went from 17 to 102, based on the amount of whining he does the second he turns not-18.
In sum: I hate-read this book so you don't have to. I'm not sure why. I'm stubborn.
It reads like a book written for teenagers, about teenagers, by a) a teenager or b) a teenager's dad, pretending to be identifiable to teenagers.
Every relationship in this book is about as deep as the Kindle I read it on. Cameron, the main character, lacks all possible self awareness. Even his big personal revelations don't stick - 3 pages after realizing tha the's a self centered jerkwad, he's back to acting like an oblivious self centered jerkwad. He falls in love with the secondary female mostly just because she's there. He obsesses over his ex girlfriend because... reasons? He picks fights with everyone who doesn't understand him because... angry?
Then there's Aason, the inexplicable gay kid. It's not inexplicable why he's gay, it's inexplicable why he's there at all. Except as a foil for Cameron to be homophobic about. Because all gay teenagers really love teasing and throwing themselves at the school superstar, y'know. And stalking them in the shower. Totally. All the time. Yup.
There's the maybe developmentally disabled sister (she's 13, but she's written like she's 7), the projecting narcissist plastic surgeon dad (oh, your son has a debilitating degenerative physical condition? I know! Kidnap him before dawn, bring him to your office, and try to plastic surgery-ize him back to normal! That'll definitely treat the cause, not the symptoms! That's absolutely how licensed physicians know how to treat problems!), and the neglected, trope-y mom. There's also a weird accidental incest scene?
Don't forget the school librarian, who hates the main character (because he's a 17 year old asshole), but otherwise seems like a perfectly well respected staff member, but once Cameron starts aging, somehow decides that it's totally ok for her to throw herself at him. Right. Women just can't control themselves in the face of attractive men, y'know. Even when those men are 17 year olds in 62 year olds bodies. PS, the librarian is 58, but again, she's written like the author has no concept of age - you'd think she's 88. Hell, you'd think that Cam went from 17 to 102, based on the amount of whining he does the second he turns not-18.
In sum: I hate-read this book so you don't have to. I'm not sure why. I'm stubborn.
lexsleuther's review
4.0
Many thanks to Patchwork Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
The premise is great, although it's pretty much a modernised Beauty and the Beast. Sure things are changed up here and there but the basic premise is the same. The first thing he asks for in the beginning is a mirror, and he's given one that apparently resembles a miniature tennis racquet. Y'know, sort of like this one;
Yeah, that's the mirror from Beauty and the Beast. I have never seen anyone in real life use this sort of mirror, and I doubt that any hospital has such an oddly-shaped mirror there. I'm pretty sure that in a modern setting, Cameron would have ended up with a round pocket mirror borrowed from one of the nurses. I know your daddy is a plastic surgeon, Cameron, but hospitals are no places for vanity. They do not come stocked with ornate mirrors.
Speaking of Cameron's dad... He's a jerk. I know people are giving Cameron a lot of flak for being an arrogant character, but come on guys, he's SUPPOSED to be a jerk. The whole book is based upon growth and character development. What the hell were you expecting? His dad, however, has no reason to be such a jackass.
Case in point, when Cameron first begins to realise that he's ageing, he gets quite a bit of stomach flab. This is understandably freaking the poor guy out, but what does his daddy suggest? He interrogates him about his diet and then forces his 17 year old son to get liposuction. You'd think this is a temporary insanity, but when his kid really begins to age he also tries to force him to get a facelift. He goes on about how he wants his son to be perfect and even screams at him for eating a single slice of chocolate cake because sugar apparently destroys your body's physical perfection or whatever. The author clearly intends to make the father do this, since he has a major 180° turnaround later in the book, but that doesn't justify him being such a jerk. I was going to go on about how that's totally unrealistic, but really he's the kind of jackass parent who yells at his child for not living up to his convoluted expectations because he sees his child as another of his own achievements. What's the bet that his reaction would have been equally over-dramatic and condescending if Cameron had developed an eating disorder? I bet he'd probably have yelled at his son for making him guilty. Heaven knows he slapped his kid in the face for developing a disorder that could kill him in a few weeks.
Urgh. For every kid out there that has a parent like this, words cannot express how much pity I feel for you. It sure as hell made me sympathise with Cameron.
That scene with Cameron's mom? Yeah, freaked me out. The one with the librarian? That freaked me out too. I don't know if that was intentional but ICK.
His mom and sister are pretty nice, if not bland, and his girlfriend is a (insert an expletive of your choice here). Wesley (one letter off being the prettiest boy alive) is a fantastic friend and he does something at one point that I can't talk about because SPOILERS but it's really very sweet. I wish I had the courage to support my friends the way he does. Cameron is lucky to have a friend like him.
So, about that Cameron, eh? I liked him. Sure he's a jerk, but he learns to appreciate who he is. That's not why I like him though. I like him because his punishment doesn't fit his crime, and not once does he sit around moaning about it. Okay, sure, he acted like a jerk, but why should he die for it? He's a teenager! Not just any teenager either, but a top-notch basketballer who's extremely good-looking and dating the most popular girl in the year. Of course he's cocky! Seriously? Pro-tip for the villain in this story;
Voldemort out, b*****s.
Despite the fact that he's pretty much dying for being himself, Cameron chooses to spend what's left of his life making the most of the time he has left and showing the people around him just how much he appreciates them. Now that's maturity. How can you not like a guy who's inherently good but occasionally prone to a few weaknesses? It's why we're human to begin with, and I really thought that Cameron was pretty mature in dealing with the cards he was dealt considering he was an entitled jerkbag to begin with. I liked him, and I rooted for him, and I sympathised with him. That's good enough for me.
Some things aren't explained enough (i.e. Liesel's powers), but since there are sequels I'm assuming that will be tackled in those books. The main problem, Cameron's ageing, is explained to the supporting characters as a unique type of Progeria (it's a disease that his father hasn't even heard of despite having gone through Med school which isn't very reassuring for his patients). It's well-explained and is a very believable explanation. Bravo to the writer for actually giving a method for how such an odd illness could be explained to other people.
There are a few grammatical issues, but a lot less than expected considering it's self-published. This was a particular gem;
"Liesel put her heads against my chest and started crying." Dude, is she a hydra?
There was nothing that made it difficult to read, though. It's written very simply (hence why I got through all of it in one sitting) but it's coherent enough, and the author is perfectly capable of writing dialogue that not only sounds like something a real person would say but also sounds distinguishable from character to character. No small feat.
I definitely do recommend this if you're looking for a quick read, but don't expect it to shake your world off its axis. It's fun, light and easy to get through, kind of like a well-made lemon meringue pie.
So why not? Just don't use any candles.
The premise is great, although it's pretty much a modernised Beauty and the Beast. Sure things are changed up here and there but the basic premise is the same. The first thing he asks for in the beginning is a mirror, and he's given one that apparently resembles a miniature tennis racquet. Y'know, sort of like this one;
Yeah, that's the mirror from Beauty and the Beast. I have never seen anyone in real life use this sort of mirror, and I doubt that any hospital has such an oddly-shaped mirror there. I'm pretty sure that in a modern setting, Cameron would have ended up with a round pocket mirror borrowed from one of the nurses. I know your daddy is a plastic surgeon, Cameron, but hospitals are no places for vanity. They do not come stocked with ornate mirrors.
Speaking of Cameron's dad... He's a jerk. I know people are giving Cameron a lot of flak for being an arrogant character, but come on guys, he's SUPPOSED to be a jerk. The whole book is based upon growth and character development. What the hell were you expecting? His dad, however, has no reason to be such a jackass.
Case in point, when Cameron first begins to realise that he's ageing, he gets quite a bit of stomach flab. This is understandably freaking the poor guy out, but what does his daddy suggest? He interrogates him about his diet and then forces his 17 year old son to get liposuction. You'd think this is a temporary insanity, but when his kid really begins to age he also tries to force him to get a facelift. He goes on about how he wants his son to be perfect and even screams at him for eating a single slice of chocolate cake because sugar apparently destroys your body's physical perfection or whatever. The author clearly intends to make the father do this, since he has a major 180° turnaround later in the book, but that doesn't justify him being such a jerk. I was going to go on about how that's totally unrealistic, but really he's the kind of jackass parent who yells at his child for not living up to his convoluted expectations because he sees his child as another of his own achievements. What's the bet that his reaction would have been equally over-dramatic and condescending if Cameron had developed an eating disorder? I bet he'd probably have yelled at his son for making him guilty. Heaven knows he slapped his kid in the face for developing a disorder that could kill him in a few weeks.
Urgh. For every kid out there that has a parent like this, words cannot express how much pity I feel for you. It sure as hell made me sympathise with Cameron.
That scene with Cameron's mom? Yeah, freaked me out. The one with the librarian? That freaked me out too. I don't know if that was intentional but ICK.
His mom and sister are pretty nice, if not bland, and his girlfriend is a (insert an expletive of your choice here). Wesley (one letter off being the prettiest boy alive) is a fantastic friend and he does something at one point that I can't talk about because SPOILERS but it's really very sweet. I wish I had the courage to support my friends the way he does. Cameron is lucky to have a friend like him.
So, about that Cameron, eh? I liked him. Sure he's a jerk, but he learns to appreciate who he is. That's not why I like him though. I like him because his punishment doesn't fit his crime, and not once does he sit around moaning about it. Okay, sure, he acted like a jerk, but why should he die for it? He's a teenager! Not just any teenager either, but a top-notch basketballer who's extremely good-looking and dating the most popular girl in the year. Of course he's cocky! Seriously? Pro-tip for the villain in this story;
Voldemort out, b*****s.
Despite the fact that he's pretty much dying for being himself, Cameron chooses to spend what's left of his life making the most of the time he has left and showing the people around him just how much he appreciates them. Now that's maturity. How can you not like a guy who's inherently good but occasionally prone to a few weaknesses? It's why we're human to begin with, and I really thought that Cameron was pretty mature in dealing with the cards he was dealt considering he was an entitled jerkbag to begin with. I liked him, and I rooted for him, and I sympathised with him. That's good enough for me.
Some things aren't explained enough (i.e. Liesel's powers), but since there are sequels I'm assuming that will be tackled in those books. The main problem, Cameron's ageing, is explained to the supporting characters as a unique type of Progeria (it's a disease that his father hasn't even heard of despite having gone through Med school which isn't very reassuring for his patients). It's well-explained and is a very believable explanation. Bravo to the writer for actually giving a method for how such an odd illness could be explained to other people.
There are a few grammatical issues, but a lot less than expected considering it's self-published. This was a particular gem;
"Liesel put her heads against my chest and started crying." Dude, is she a hydra?
There was nothing that made it difficult to read, though. It's written very simply (hence why I got through all of it in one sitting) but it's coherent enough, and the author is perfectly capable of writing dialogue that not only sounds like something a real person would say but also sounds distinguishable from character to character. No small feat.
I definitely do recommend this if you're looking for a quick read, but don't expect it to shake your world off its axis. It's fun, light and easy to get through, kind of like a well-made lemon meringue pie.
So why not? Just don't use any candles.
bstaats's review
3.0
Originally posted to Esther's Ever After
Happy Birthday to Me (Birthday Trilogy #1) by Brian Rowe
Release Date: April 7, 2011
3/5 Stars
Goodreads Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he’s aging a whole year of his life with each passing day!
High school is hard enough; imagine rapidly aging from seventeen to seventy in a matter of weeks, with no logical explanation, and with prom, graduation, and the state championship basketball game all on the horizon. That’s what happens to Cameron, a popular pretty boy who's never had to face a day looking anything but perfect.
All Cameron wants to do is go back to normal, but no one, not even the best doctors, can diagnose his condition. When he finds love with a mysterious young woman, however, he realizes his only hope for survival might be with the one person who started his condition in the first place...
After being unsure of what to expect from Happy Birthday to Me, but this is one of those books that proves to you that there are some gems of self-pub books out there. If you're looking for something a little bit outside of the box, and a well-written quick read then this is a good one to look into.
Reasons to Read:
I found Cam to be such an interesting character, and there were times when I really wasn't sure what to make of him. But he's definitely the kind that grows on you- and he's flawed, in a realistic kind of way which I appreciate.
Brian Rowe writes well, and the amount of consideration and effort put into this book is evident. If anything, the ending was a bit rushed and the story lacking some overall depth, but thankfully this is the first of a series which will hopefully assist in these areas with further books. I would have loved to have seen a bit more complexity in both the plot and some of the secondary characters, which fell a bit flat, such as Charisma and Wesley. Cam and his parents, on the other hand, were some that were just jumping off the page with their fascinating actions.
Review copy received from author in exchange for my honest review; no other compensation received.
Happy Birthday to Me (Birthday Trilogy #1) by Brian Rowe
Release Date: April 7, 2011
3/5 Stars
Goodreads Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he’s aging a whole year of his life with each passing day!
High school is hard enough; imagine rapidly aging from seventeen to seventy in a matter of weeks, with no logical explanation, and with prom, graduation, and the state championship basketball game all on the horizon. That’s what happens to Cameron, a popular pretty boy who's never had to face a day looking anything but perfect.
All Cameron wants to do is go back to normal, but no one, not even the best doctors, can diagnose his condition. When he finds love with a mysterious young woman, however, he realizes his only hope for survival might be with the one person who started his condition in the first place...
After being unsure of what to expect from Happy Birthday to Me, but this is one of those books that proves to you that there are some gems of self-pub books out there. If you're looking for something a little bit outside of the box, and a well-written quick read then this is a good one to look into.
Reasons to Read:
- "Beauty and the Beast" minus the Beauty:
Cameron undergoes some serious growth and character development, which is totally endearing to watch unfold. And similar to the Beast, he needs to learn a very important lesson about himself and how he sees others. With a plot like that, it's completely reminiscent of Beauty & the Beast, even if there isn't any cute, book-loving girls in it (besides the ones actually reading Happy Birthday to Me). - A distinctive story:
If you've seen Benjamin Button, then it's the same idea but executed in a very different way. One thing I found particularly refreshing about this story was that it was told from the perspective of a completely ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances. But there really isn't anything that special about him... It's creative and stands out among a plethora of YA novels.
I found Cam to be such an interesting character, and there were times when I really wasn't sure what to make of him. But he's definitely the kind that grows on you- and he's flawed, in a realistic kind of way which I appreciate.
Brian Rowe writes well, and the amount of consideration and effort put into this book is evident. If anything, the ending was a bit rushed and the story lacking some overall depth, but thankfully this is the first of a series which will hopefully assist in these areas with further books. I would have loved to have seen a bit more complexity in both the plot and some of the secondary characters, which fell a bit flat, such as Charisma and Wesley. Cam and his parents, on the other hand, were some that were just jumping off the page with their fascinating actions.
Review copy received from author in exchange for my honest review; no other compensation received.