The Good Girl, The Neighbor & The Cyborg

The Good Girl, The Neighbor & The Cyborg

• Apr 24, 2013

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Release Date: January 2013
Publisher: Penguin | Dutton Children's Books
Pages: 368 pages
Series: Just One Day #1
Source & Format: Bought; Hardcover
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there's an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Thoughts on Just One Day

This was one of those books that was so hyped, I figured there was no way it could live up to my expectations. Well, I'm happy to report that I was wrong! I wanted to write a full review for this, but I don't think I can even find the words to describe what I love about this book. I so identified with Allyson - following the rules, being a good girl - and that made me care all the more about her story. For me, the strength of this book wasn't even the romance. We barely meet Willem before he's whisked off the page! What I truly loved was seeing Allyson grow and come into her own. It felt like such a realistic picture of what happens as you become an adult - that questioning of who you are and what you want to do with your life. But don't get me wrong, I am eagerly anticipating seeing the romance conclude in Just One Year. I just wish it was being released sooner! Don't worry, I've already preordered my copy.

So Quotable

"We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day."

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Release Date: June 2012
Publisher: Penguin | Puffin Books
Pages: 394 pages
Source & Format: Gift; Kindle ebook
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them... until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

Thoughts on My Life Next Door

I wasn't sure how I'd feel about My Life Next Door. It was one of my most anticipated books last year, mostly because of the way the cover made me feel. Does that even make sense? Probably not, but oh well! I just could not wait to meet the Garretts - I had a feeling I'd be in love from the very first page! But then the reviews started rolling in, and it seemed like people had more lukewarm feelings that I'd hoped for. I wasn't dying to read this one anymore. For Christmas, my sweet friend gave me a copy of the book and I finally got around to reading it a few months later. I'm so glad I did! This was such a lovely book, and it will make you long for a dip in the pool with the boy next door. There are so many things to love about the first 3/4 of the book, and then THE EVENT happens. I wasn't sure what it was before I started reading, and I won't spoil it here, but I noticed many reviewers expressing dissatisfaction with a twist toward the end. Now that I've read the book, I do understand why. The way it's introduced and handled made me a little anxious. My stomach was in knots because I did not like where the story was going. Thankfully, all was right in the end. However, it did leave the book feeling a little off - the pacing is leisurely for most of the book and then races along right at the end. However, this was definitely a fun read. Aside from a few pacing issues, I found much to love about this sweet summer story!

So Quotable

"The Garretts were my bedtime story, long before I ever thought I’d be part of the story myself."

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Release Date: January 2012
Publisher: Macmillan | Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 387 pages
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #1
Source & Format: Bought; Kindle ebook
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

Thoughts on Cinder

Okay, guys. I'm going to be honest here, and it's going to put me in the minority. While I enjoyed the creativity of Cinder, I didn't really love the book. I think this was one of those "too hyped" things for me. I'd included the book in a Top Ten Tuesday post about series I needed to start, and almost every single comment specifically named this book as one I MUST START IMMEDIATELY. Listening to the masses, I knew that I couldn't put off this read any longer. Now, I wonder if my expectations got the best of me. I understand why everyone loves it so much, and I really did love that it was like nothing I'd ever read before. However, I just didn't completely connect to the story or the characters. I kept being pulled out of the story because I was trying to figure out the world, and I didn't really see the relationship developing between Cinder and Kai. I also felt like the "revelation" was more than a little obvious, so the climactic moment didn't really have the impact on me that was probably intended. All of that being said, I have purchased Scarlet and plan to continue with this series. Just because I didn't crazy love book one doesn't mean I won't hit my stride with the next installment!

So Quotable

“I’m sure I’ll feel much more grateful when I find a guy who thinks complex wiring in a girl is a turn-on.”