Author: Melissa Kantor
Series: Standalone
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: YA Contemporary
Format: ebook
Release Date: February 17, 2015
Source: egalley received from publisher via Edelweiss
Rating: 2.5 Stars
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***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way changed my opinion of the book. The review below is my open and honest opinion.***
Synopsis
from Goodreads:
Juliet Newman has it
all. A picture-perfect family; a handsome, loving boyfriend; and a foolproof
life plan: ace her SATs, get accepted into Harvard early decision, and live
happily ever after.
But when her dad moves out and her mom loses it, Juliet begins questioning the rules she’s always lived by. And to make everything even more complicated there’s Declan, the gorgeous boy who makes her feel alive and spontaneous—and who’s totally off-limits. Torn between the life she always thought she wanted and one she never knew was possible, Juliet begins to wonder: What if perfect isn't all it’s cracked up to be?
Melissa Kantor once again delivers a tale that is equal parts surprising, humorous, heartbreaking, and romantic. Powerful and honest, Juliet’s story brilliantly portrays the highs and lows of life in high school and will resonate with any reader who has experienced either.
But when her dad moves out and her mom loses it, Juliet begins questioning the rules she’s always lived by. And to make everything even more complicated there’s Declan, the gorgeous boy who makes her feel alive and spontaneous—and who’s totally off-limits. Torn between the life she always thought she wanted and one she never knew was possible, Juliet begins to wonder: What if perfect isn't all it’s cracked up to be?
Melissa Kantor once again delivers a tale that is equal parts surprising, humorous, heartbreaking, and romantic. Powerful and honest, Juliet’s story brilliantly portrays the highs and lows of life in high school and will resonate with any reader who has experienced either.
My
Review:
I really loved Maybe One Day, another Melissa Kantor
book that I read last year, so I was pretty excited for more. And while I did
enjoy this book, it didn’t quite grip me like her last one did. This is a story
about a girl who, from the outside, seems to have everything. But she doesn’t.
She’s under an insane amount of pressure to get into Harvard, to get a perfect
score on her SAT. So when Mom completely loses it, it’s just the icing on the
cake.
I could definitely feel
the pressure that Juliet was under and I felt bad for her. But at the same
time, I think that Juliet was really unfair to both her parents, to her friends
and to her boyfriend. Even to her boyfriend’s parents. The truth is, I really
didn’t like Juliet. She made some horrible decisions in this book, and even
though she was going through a lot, I don’t think that excused her behavior. And
even though she did own up to some of her mistakes at the end, there was this
huge glaring issue that was never resolved, that she never had to atone for and
that made me mad.
Another issue I had was
the family relationships between Juliet, her mother, her father and her
brother. Family was a huge piece of this story with her parents splitting up
and her mom losing it, but I felt like those relationships weren’t focused on
as much as they should have been. I mean, we barely see Juliet’s mom during the
entire book. And we see even less of her dad and brother. The only family
member we really see is her Aunt Kathy and even her relationship with her
seemed surface-level.
And then there was the
ending. The story kind of felt like it just fell off the face of the Earth. I
mean, I guess it was an okay ending, but it was pretty open and I have never
been a fan of open endings. I want to know what’s next for Juliet and while we’re
given hints here and there, we don’t really know for certain what her plan is
and if she’s going to be okay.
But I did enjoy
watching Juliet realize that what her parents and everyone around her wanted
wasn’t necessarily what she wanted.
I liked the music aspect that helped her realize that maybe Ivy League college
right after high school and getting an A in Latin wasn’t what she wanted
anymore. (Although I do think that her “talent” was kind of a fluke…I mean
seriously, no vocal training and you’re just that good?)
I know this review
sounds like I really didn’t like this book. Which isn’t entirely true. I didn’t
not like it; I just expected more
from it. After loving one of the author’s other books, I expected to love this.
But I just didn’t connect to this story as much. I didn’t get all the feels.
And some glaring issues I came across kind of left a sour taste in my mouth.
Have you read this one yet? What did you think about the big issue that Juliet never had to answer for?
Dang, that's a bit disappointing! It's definitely really hard to like a book when the protagonist is really annoying/frustrating, and it sounds a lot like Juliet isn't the most likeable character. And open endings...sigh. I'm usually okay with somewhat open endings in contemporaries, since it's fair enough not to always end in a wedding or whatever, but it's sad when it's TOO open because then you never find out if the characters are okay, even in the short run.
ReplyDeleteYes. I understand that it's not going to be completely tied up, but she was left in the middle of a decision and I don't really know what she chose. *sigh*
DeleteHmmm…this one is on my TBR list, but now I'm not sure. If I don't like the main character, I usually don't like the book. And an opening ending? I realize that's probably more realistic for a contemporary, but I'm not a fan either. It's fiction…tell us what happens!! I'll have to think about whether I'm going to read this one. Thanks for the honest review! ~Pam
ReplyDeleteYeah, I get the whole open ending things in contemp, but this one seemed very unfinished to me. If you read it, I'll be interested to hear what you think!
Delete