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Landslide #1
Days Like This (A Landslide Novel) by Danielle Ellison
Sometimes the only thing standing between fear and hope is you. Almost a year ago, nineteen-year-old Cassie Harlen had a lot to deal with. A stack of college acceptance letters waiting for answers, a proposal from the boy next door, and a mother whose most recent bipolar episode left Cassie hurt and confused. Tired of cleaning up the messes caused by her mother's disorder, of resenting her mother for not being there, and scared of being trapped by an inevitable future—which included marrying Graham Tucker—Cassie did the only thing she could think of to keep from ending up like her she left.Graham never knew why Cassie walked away. He woke up one morning and she was gone—along with the life that he’d created around her. After eleven months, Graham has a new plan for his future. One that doesn't involve Cassie Harlen.When Cassie's mom nearly burns down her house, Cassie’s forced to return home. Back to a mother she’s tried to ignore and the guy she’s been unable to forget. Graham doesn't know how he's going to spend the whole summer living next door to the person who broke his heart without letting those old feelings push through to the surface.Neither does Cassie.
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First published June 2, 2015
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About the author
Danielle Ellison
7 books173 followersDanielle Ellison is a nomad, always on the lookout for an adventure and the next story. In addition to writing, she’s the founder and coordinator of the NoVa TEEN Book Festival. When she’s not busy with books, she’s probably watching her favorite shows, drinking coffee, or fighting her nomadic urges. She is newly settled in Oklahoma (for now) with her cat, Simon, but you can always find her on twitter @DanielleEWrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
June 5, 2015
DNF @ 29% BWAHAHAHA I JUST COULDNT ANYMORE. SORRY NOT SORRY. I regret NOTHING.
THIS BOOK, it burns! THIS IS NOT A CUTESY SUMMER READ. I repeat: THIS IS NOT A CUTESY SUMMER READ. THAT COVER IS A LIE!
What I LOATHED WITH THE BURNING RAGE OF A THOUSAND SUNS about this book:
1.) Its pretentious writing. I know I'm not an expert on that department but it was pretty obvious how the author was trying way too hard to be deeeeeeep and incite some inspiring quotes but all of that just came out forced to me. Instead of being moved I just LOLed all the way.
2.) Cassie may have just beaten Lexi and now tops my most hated characters of all time. Graham describes Cassie as different, eccentric and contagious. Well, if that's the case I'mma run the other way now. If she's so contagious I don't wanna catch her cold demeanor.
Another description Graham has of Cassie is "full of energy and passion and everyone else had to run to catch up to her work." LOL, what a lie. Am I reading the wrong book? Nope, I don't think so. I think we're talking about another Cassie here. The only words I could use to describe the Cassie I know are annoying, selfish, loveless and a coward. DO NOT LIE TO ME THAT COVER HAS ALREADY FOOLED ME.
Case #1:
Cassie walked away from her bipolar mother and loving fiance because she just couldn't take it anymore. She left to get away from it all but what does she do on her free time? Whine about it. Ugh, enough!
Case #2:
Her mother is in the hospital after their house got burned but she puts off visiting her because she has finals. This girl has got her priorities straight, y'all. Bitch, if I were you, I'd hop on the first train right away not only because I'd get a free pass on my exams but because IT'S MY FREAKING MOTHER IN THE HOSPITAL.
3.) All the whining and woe-is-me'ing. Oh man, if Cassie and Graham were real people, we would not be friends. I have no tolerance for people like them. Full of energy and passion, my ass. All these two ever did was whine. Yawn. (See: number 2)
4.) Graham can't stop pining after Cassie, it was just sickening. I know it was supposed to be true love for them but Graham is so annoying, too, that I just didn't feel sorry for him. Booyah!
5.) It's so PREDICTABLE, it's boring. I don't mind if a book is predictable as long as it's well written because it cancels each other out for me but as I already said, I didn't like the writing so...you lose book, I win.
There are books that move you and there are books that rage you. It's pretty obvious that this book is the latter. Days Like This is just a sad, pathetic and awful attempt at making an emotionally moving book and instead of being touched, I got another headache coming.
Adios. Off to the hospital. It's my second headache for the day now.
An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
THIS BOOK, it burns! THIS IS NOT A CUTESY SUMMER READ. I repeat: THIS IS NOT A CUTESY SUMMER READ. THAT COVER IS A LIE!
What I LOATHED WITH THE BURNING RAGE OF A THOUSAND SUNS about this book:
1.) Its pretentious writing. I know I'm not an expert on that department but it was pretty obvious how the author was trying way too hard to be deeeeeeep and incite some inspiring quotes but all of that just came out forced to me. Instead of being moved I just LOLed all the way.
2.) Cassie may have just beaten Lexi and now tops my most hated characters of all time. Graham describes Cassie as different, eccentric and contagious. Well, if that's the case I'mma run the other way now. If she's so contagious I don't wanna catch her cold demeanor.
Another description Graham has of Cassie is "full of energy and passion and everyone else had to run to catch up to her work." LOL, what a lie. Am I reading the wrong book? Nope, I don't think so. I think we're talking about another Cassie here. The only words I could use to describe the Cassie I know are annoying, selfish, loveless and a coward. DO NOT LIE TO ME THAT COVER HAS ALREADY FOOLED ME.
Case #1:
Cassie walked away from her bipolar mother and loving fiance because she just couldn't take it anymore. She left to get away from it all but what does she do on her free time? Whine about it. Ugh, enough!
Case #2:
Her mother is in the hospital after their house got burned but she puts off visiting her because she has finals. This girl has got her priorities straight, y'all. Bitch, if I were you, I'd hop on the first train right away not only because I'd get a free pass on my exams but because IT'S MY FREAKING MOTHER IN THE HOSPITAL.
3.) All the whining and woe-is-me'ing. Oh man, if Cassie and Graham were real people, we would not be friends. I have no tolerance for people like them. Full of energy and passion, my ass. All these two ever did was whine. Yawn. (See: number 2)
4.) Graham can't stop pining after Cassie, it was just sickening. I know it was supposed to be true love for them but Graham is so annoying, too, that I just didn't feel sorry for him. Booyah!
5.) It's so PREDICTABLE, it's boring. I don't mind if a book is predictable as long as it's well written because it cancels each other out for me but as I already said, I didn't like the writing so...you lose book, I win.
There are books that move you and there are books that rage you. It's pretty obvious that this book is the latter. Days Like This is just a sad, pathetic and awful attempt at making an emotionally moving book and instead of being touched, I got another headache coming.
Adios. Off to the hospital. It's my second headache for the day now.
An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2015
I was provided a copy of this book by Bookish World Press in return for an honest review.
This book was:
SPOILER WARNING- Read at your own risk!
According to this book, Love means that you'll only find each other truly appealing/attractive if you're yelling at each other. Because that's TRUE romance. Yup, nailed it! 10 out of 10! (please note the sarcasm)
Welcome, Ladies and Gents to the land of Emmeline's nightmare.
On the agenda we will have,
-1 Selfish lady who hurts everyone, but it's okay, as long as she did it to spare them 'pain'...by making them go through more pain...righto then.
-1 guy who fixed up his life after heartbreak only to want to go back to the same person who broke his heart in the first place.
-2 people lusting after each other WHEN THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PARTNERS!
but awww, that's okay, ITS FREAKING ROMANCE!
- 1 other heartbroken dude who was ditched like yesterday's trash, but that's okay he wrote a song about it and became famous.
So, doesn't that sound appealing!?
Look, if you're tuning in to this review, it's because you wanted to know my honest opinion, so no hate.
Alright, so the plot.
Cassie ran away. She's good at that.
She couldn't handle life at her little old town, with a bipolar mother and a loving fiance.
So she left in the dead of night, leaving broken hearts behind.
Now she's trying to reinvent herself,
But she isn't happy.
Only one person is key to her happiness and she let him go.
During her reinvention she meets another guy, she likes him. But it's purely physical right?
Her mother is taken to the hospital.
Cassie needs to go back,
how will she deal with facing the past and leaving everything new behind?
Especially when the one she loves seems to have moved on.
That cover...that cover...it lied, LIED! It promised something lovely and cutesy. What I got was...the opposite of that.
I can't explain the depth of my dislike for the main character, Cassie.
I'm sorry, but that's NOT what you do when you love someone.
Yea sure, you can be scared of becoming something scary and following into the footsteps of a less than favorable person. But seriously?
I think i wanted to throw my tablet against the wall once or twiceokay 10 times
There is a bunch of whinging, whining, moaning and woe is me in this book.
The two main character honestly pissed me off. They both have perfectly nice and loving partners and what do they do? sleep with the partners will thinking of the other person. EWW!
How can you be so cruel?
Oh and this book has a serious case of using sex as a tool to forget another person. GROSS!
So of course, the partners are placed in the background, it's not like they were just used, chewed out and dumped without a second thought. But that's okay right? This is a romance!
The couple wanted to get physical every time they fought.
Excuse me, but...that relationship SOUND UNHEALTHY!
This story teaches bad things on relationships!
Its not about forgiveness, at least not to me. Sure there are some forgiveness themes to this book, but honestly, it was more about selfishness to me.
I didn't like it, I will not reread it.
Good day and adios!
-The Book Herald.
Tweet me @thebookherald
This book was:
SPOILER WARNING- Read at your own risk!
According to this book, Love means that you'll only find each other truly appealing/attractive if you're yelling at each other. Because that's TRUE romance. Yup, nailed it! 10 out of 10! (please note the sarcasm)
Welcome, Ladies and Gents to the land of Emmeline's nightmare.
On the agenda we will have,
-1 Selfish lady who hurts everyone, but it's okay, as long as she did it to spare them 'pain'...by making them go through more pain...righto then.
-1 guy who fixed up his life after heartbreak only to want to go back to the same person who broke his heart in the first place.
-2 people lusting after each other WHEN THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PARTNERS!
but awww, that's okay, ITS FREAKING ROMANCE!
- 1 other heartbroken dude who was ditched like yesterday's trash, but that's okay he wrote a song about it and became famous.
So, doesn't that sound appealing!?
Look, if you're tuning in to this review, it's because you wanted to know my honest opinion, so no hate.
Alright, so the plot.
Cassie ran away. She's good at that.
She couldn't handle life at her little old town, with a bipolar mother and a loving fiance.
So she left in the dead of night, leaving broken hearts behind.
Now she's trying to reinvent herself,
But she isn't happy.
Only one person is key to her happiness and she let him go.
During her reinvention she meets another guy, she likes him. But it's purely physical right?
Her mother is taken to the hospital.
Cassie needs to go back,
how will she deal with facing the past and leaving everything new behind?
Especially when the one she loves seems to have moved on.
That cover...that cover...it lied, LIED! It promised something lovely and cutesy. What I got was...the opposite of that.
I can't explain the depth of my dislike for the main character, Cassie.
I'm sorry, but that's NOT what you do when you love someone.
Yea sure, you can be scared of becoming something scary and following into the footsteps of a less than favorable person. But seriously?
I think i wanted to throw my tablet against the wall once or twice
There is a bunch of whinging, whining, moaning and woe is me in this book.
The two main character honestly pissed me off. They both have perfectly nice and loving partners and what do they do? sleep with the partners will thinking of the other person. EWW!
How can you be so cruel?
Oh and this book has a serious case of using sex as a tool to forget another person. GROSS!
So of course, the partners are placed in the background, it's not like they were just used, chewed out and dumped without a second thought. But that's okay right? This is a romance!
The couple wanted to get physical every time they fought.
Excuse me, but...that relationship SOUND UNHEALTHY!
This story teaches bad things on relationships!
Its not about forgiveness, at least not to me. Sure there are some forgiveness themes to this book, but honestly, it was more about selfishness to me.
I didn't like it, I will not reread it.
Good day and adios!
-The Book Herald.
Tweet me @thebookherald
December 21, 2015
If someone could please just explain the literary value of this “book” to me, that would be great. Thanks.
There are some books I've come across in my journey as a blogger that I feel like should have never existed. Not because they were written badly, or because of their plot, or bad editing. And because I am a very character-centric reader, most of the time, you can guess what my main issue with these books is.
The people in this book are cancers, and they need to be nuked off the face of the planet because how dare they live. What gives them the right to live among humans when they are clearly the fucking plagues of the earth?
Here’s a little something about our female MC, Cassie: She’s a fucking idiot. All she does is leaves a la Edward Cullen which was okay in 2008 but it’s a terror to read in 2015. And it didn’t even work in 2008, btw. And her reasons? Purely, a 100% selfish. She was a grade A idiot, and the fact that I read through 200 something pages of and about her means that I should be getting my Nobel Peace Prize soon. She’s described as being “full of energy” but heaven help me, this girl used all of this aforementioned energy in being a gigantic pain in my ass! I think she was supposed to be portrayed as flawed, human, and dear me, she just turned out to be this super monstrous disease by the end of the book. Her reasons for leaving were skewed, her reason for coming back to her hometown was taken after much deliberation (WHILE THE WOMAN WHO GAVE BIRTH TO HER WAS IN A HOSPITAL) and I still have no clue why she was still breathing at the end of the book.
I have practically nothing to say about our love interest Graham Tucker, because he is practically a piece of cardboard with a cock and balls. He was a stupid fuck, and just seemed to get stupider and, you guys, it. was. painful. Let us not even touch on the love quadrilateral that this book had (Spoiler: The two dumbfucks are made for each other) and HE PROPOSED MARRIAGE TO HIS GF WHEN THEY WERE 18. Who the fuck does that?
Ladies and gents, this story is NOT about forgiveness and redemption and romance. It is a god awful book with horrid characters and life is too short to read stuff like this, people. Let’s all move the fuck on, shall we?
I WAS PROVIDED A FREE ECOPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE OF AN HONEST REVIEW. THIS DID NOT IN ANY WAY, HOWEVER, INFLUENCE THE CONTENT OF THIS REVIEW.
There are some books I've come across in my journey as a blogger that I feel like should have never existed. Not because they were written badly, or because of their plot, or bad editing. And because I am a very character-centric reader, most of the time, you can guess what my main issue with these books is.
The people in this book are cancers, and they need to be nuked off the face of the planet because how dare they live. What gives them the right to live among humans when they are clearly the fucking plagues of the earth?
Here’s a little something about our female MC, Cassie: She’s a fucking idiot. All she does is leaves a la Edward Cullen which was okay in 2008 but it’s a terror to read in 2015. And it didn’t even work in 2008, btw. And her reasons? Purely, a 100% selfish. She was a grade A idiot, and the fact that I read through 200 something pages of and about her means that I should be getting my Nobel Peace Prize soon. She’s described as being “full of energy” but heaven help me, this girl used all of this aforementioned energy in being a gigantic pain in my ass! I think she was supposed to be portrayed as flawed, human, and dear me, she just turned out to be this super monstrous disease by the end of the book. Her reasons for leaving were skewed, her reason for coming back to her hometown was taken after much deliberation (WHILE THE WOMAN WHO GAVE BIRTH TO HER WAS IN A HOSPITAL) and I still have no clue why she was still breathing at the end of the book.
I have practically nothing to say about our love interest Graham Tucker, because he is practically a piece of cardboard with a cock and balls. He was a stupid fuck, and just seemed to get stupider and, you guys, it. was. painful. Let us not even touch on the love quadrilateral that this book had (Spoiler: The two dumbfucks are made for each other) and HE PROPOSED MARRIAGE TO HIS GF WHEN THEY WERE 18. Who the fuck does that?
Ladies and gents, this story is NOT about forgiveness and redemption and romance. It is a god awful book with horrid characters and life is too short to read stuff like this, people. Let’s all move the fuck on, shall we?
I WAS PROVIDED A FREE ECOPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE OF AN HONEST REVIEW. THIS DID NOT IN ANY WAY, HOWEVER, INFLUENCE THE CONTENT OF THIS REVIEW.
March 30, 2015
A complicated story of self-discovery, first love, and the hope of second chances. DAYS LIKE THIS left me breathless. Every word, every lyric, every raw, authentic emotion pulled me in deeper and deeper. Real life is messy. It's complicated, it's imperfect, and sometimes it hurts. But the hope of forgiveness, of redemption and love, keeps us fighting another day. Cass and Graham are two incredible people, tested by life, strengthened by fire, who cling to that hope. They deserve their second chance. And their story truly touched my heart.
April 15, 2017
Wow! Yes, that was my first thought while reading this emotional story. Cassie has a lot on her plate (from getting accepted to colleges to dealing with her bipolar mother), not to mention a proposal from Graham (boy next door). She's tired of all the drama and so she leaves. But when her mother sets fire to the house, she has no choice to return. Can she reconcile her life, her relationship with Graham and find her place in the world or will it all be for naught? This is an excellent, moving book about becoming an adult and holding onto what really matters. Loved Graham! Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
May 30, 2015
2.5/5
I was looking forward to reading Days Like This because of just how cute that cover was. I had the impression this was going to be a light-hearted NA read, but it turned out to be a very typical book with the running away from the past storyline. I struggled quite a bit with the main character, Cassie, of Days Like This at the beginning because some of her decisions had me scratching my head. I hated how she ran away from places without even bothering to inform her family and friends. Being close to my mom, I was also appalled by how she was able to abandon her mother, who suffers from bi-polar. I just didn't have a good impression of her. She did wind up growing throughout the book and I was grateful for that, but that first image was something I couldn't forget. I also wanted more out of the romance from Days Like This, particularly, I wanted to see more of them interacting in the past to get a good feel of their relationship. I also wasn't a fan of how they were involved with other people in the book and they would constantly think of each other while they were with them. It was strange and I hate emotional cheating more than anything in books. In the end, I failed to really see the strong emotional connection between Graham and Cassie. I do think Danielle Ellison has a lovely writing style and I would love to read more from her in the future, if they don't contain any pet peeves of mine. If the elements I talked about don't bother you in books, I would recommend Days Like This.
I was looking forward to reading Days Like This because of just how cute that cover was. I had the impression this was going to be a light-hearted NA read, but it turned out to be a very typical book with the running away from the past storyline. I struggled quite a bit with the main character, Cassie, of Days Like This at the beginning because some of her decisions had me scratching my head. I hated how she ran away from places without even bothering to inform her family and friends. Being close to my mom, I was also appalled by how she was able to abandon her mother, who suffers from bi-polar. I just didn't have a good impression of her. She did wind up growing throughout the book and I was grateful for that, but that first image was something I couldn't forget. I also wanted more out of the romance from Days Like This, particularly, I wanted to see more of them interacting in the past to get a good feel of their relationship. I also wasn't a fan of how they were involved with other people in the book and they would constantly think of each other while they were with them. It was strange and I hate emotional cheating more than anything in books. In the end, I failed to really see the strong emotional connection between Graham and Cassie. I do think Danielle Ellison has a lovely writing style and I would love to read more from her in the future, if they don't contain any pet peeves of mine. If the elements I talked about don't bother you in books, I would recommend Days Like This.
March 31, 2015
I'm not exaggerating when I say that this book will make you laugh, cry, sing, swoon, and everything in between. 'Days Like This' raises the bar--delivering steamy romance, beautiful writing, and a meaningful story of pain, resilience, family, and identity.
April 24, 2015
DAYS LIKE THIS starts with a beautiful memory that twists into something poignant enough to take your breath away. The rest of the novel follows suit the entire read. Pretty prose and characters who long for things they don't want to will, in turn, make you long for them to find happiness with every flip of every page. I was totally invested in Cassie and Graham's love story, before they'd even set eyes on each other.
Graham. God, Graham. You can just feel the loss spiraling out of him and the way he hungers for the past, no matter how hard he's tried to move forward. And when you put him and Cassie in the same room... They just get each other. And you know they should be together, even if their situations are complicated and messy in the most heartbreaking of ways. There are moments of such sweetness and ones of holy hell hotness. It was a perfect balance of times where your emotions are tugged to the point of almost breaking followed by sexual tension that revs your entire system.
Molly and June, secondary characters who I love as much as I love the main ones. (Hint, hint to Ellison--write their stories. I'll be the first in line for them!) Strong female characters, for the absolute win.
A moving and also completely gripping tension paved the way to a surprising climax that was impossible to put down. Needless to say, I stayed up way too late to finish the story. And even if I was a zombie the next day, I have zero regrets. I was smiling so hard by the end, and I realize now that my happiness at the close was made even stronger by the depth of the journey it took to get there.
A++. Definitely recommend :)
Graham. God, Graham. You can just feel the loss spiraling out of him and the way he hungers for the past, no matter how hard he's tried to move forward. And when you put him and Cassie in the same room... They just get each other. And you know they should be together, even if their situations are complicated and messy in the most heartbreaking of ways. There are moments of such sweetness and ones of holy hell hotness. It was a perfect balance of times where your emotions are tugged to the point of almost breaking followed by sexual tension that revs your entire system.
Molly and June, secondary characters who I love as much as I love the main ones. (Hint, hint to Ellison--write their stories. I'll be the first in line for them!) Strong female characters, for the absolute win.
A moving and also completely gripping tension paved the way to a surprising climax that was impossible to put down. Needless to say, I stayed up way too late to finish the story. And even if I was a zombie the next day, I have zero regrets. I was smiling so hard by the end, and I realize now that my happiness at the close was made even stronger by the depth of the journey it took to get there.
A++. Definitely recommend :)
February 19, 2016
REVIEW
This was Danielle Ellison's first journey into New Adult and she did a phenomenal job!
Meet Cassie and Graham, aka the main character and the boy next door. Yes, they were in love and in a relationship. But unlike the normal cliche, this "next door" relationship didn't work out. It actually ended up with Cassie ditching her whole life to go to college in Indiana! I bet you weren't expecting that- were you? ;) I certainly wasn't!
Something else that was unique was that we, the readers, got to see what happened to Graham even after Cassie left. And unlike most people with broken hearts, he didn’t disassociate himself from her family. He actually ended up talking to Cassie's mother almost every day. I was very happy that the whole novel switched between Cassie and Graham's POVs because I was able to see both sides of the situation. I did not feel swayed to believe one side over the other- they were both believable.
We also watched the new relationships that formed after Cassie and Graham broke up. It was interesting that neither of them were happy, even though they both pretended to be okay. While I don't love the concept of a rebound relationship, it happens and Danielle depicted it in a very realistic manner. Not all love is going to be pure and perfect. It’s a sad truth, but a truth nonetheless.
I also loved that the reader didn't get to learn the true reason why Cassie broke up with Graham until the very end of the novel. It kept me in suspense, and when I found out, it really resonated with me. It certainly was not what I was expecting, and it actually allowed me to re-evaluate Cassie. When the truth finally came out, it appeared as though almost all of the characters reflected back upon their decisions and realized that they had made mistakes. That type of character development made the beta reader (and regular reader) in me very, very happy!
I really enjoyed this book and give it 4.5/5 stars.
Also, I'm not sure if you know, but Danielle is actually one of June's Sunday Street Team featured authors! (For more information on the Sunday Street Team click HERE). She has been generous to donate ONE ebook of an author who blurbed her book to ONE lucky winner! The authors are: Rachel Harris, Chanel Cleeton, and Riley Edgewood.
This review was originally posted on ReadWriteLove28
June 16, 2015
2.5-3 stars.
I picked up Days Like This by Danielle Ellison because I loved the cover and I was interested in the story based on what I read in the summary. Admittedly, I finished this one up and had some mixed feelings about it and I have a feeling it has a lot to do with the characters.
Cassie is the main character and as her story unfolds, we learn her mother is bipolar and this has translated into a rough childhood for Cassie. The one person in her life that she could always count on was Graham, the boy next door who then became her boyfriend. At nineteen, Cassie was not prepared to force a life like the one she has lived on Graham so she sneaks away to college without telling him and this creates the basis of the rest of their relationship.
I have to say, Cassie didn’t win me over. I get that she was trying to make it easy for Graham to move on and not worry about whether she might turn out like her mother or not but what she did was pretty selfish. Most people can’t just turn off their feelings and if Graham really did love her and was ready to spend the rest of his life with her, I can only imagine how heartbroken he would have been when she dumped him. And then when she came back to town and thought their friends would be ok with her and the way she had treated him, I was glad they had his back.
Graham’s mistake was that he centered his life around Cassie and until she left, he wasn’t really thinking about anything other than their life together. I thought it was a good wake up call for him and got him on a path that allowed him to think about what he wanted in life. No matter what though, living next door to Cassie’s mom always gave him moments where he would go back to thinking about Cassie and what they could have been. It was clear that despite the fact that he moved on and had another girlfriend, he hadn’t really moved on and cared about Cassie.
Overall this one was okay for me and it might just be an it’s not you, it’s me type of situation here. Ellison creates a solid story about mental health, love, and second chances, if that intrigues you consider checking it out.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.
I picked up Days Like This by Danielle Ellison because I loved the cover and I was interested in the story based on what I read in the summary. Admittedly, I finished this one up and had some mixed feelings about it and I have a feeling it has a lot to do with the characters.
Cassie is the main character and as her story unfolds, we learn her mother is bipolar and this has translated into a rough childhood for Cassie. The one person in her life that she could always count on was Graham, the boy next door who then became her boyfriend. At nineteen, Cassie was not prepared to force a life like the one she has lived on Graham so she sneaks away to college without telling him and this creates the basis of the rest of their relationship.
I have to say, Cassie didn’t win me over. I get that she was trying to make it easy for Graham to move on and not worry about whether she might turn out like her mother or not but what she did was pretty selfish. Most people can’t just turn off their feelings and if Graham really did love her and was ready to spend the rest of his life with her, I can only imagine how heartbroken he would have been when she dumped him. And then when she came back to town and thought their friends would be ok with her and the way she had treated him, I was glad they had his back.
Graham’s mistake was that he centered his life around Cassie and until she left, he wasn’t really thinking about anything other than their life together. I thought it was a good wake up call for him and got him on a path that allowed him to think about what he wanted in life. No matter what though, living next door to Cassie’s mom always gave him moments where he would go back to thinking about Cassie and what they could have been. It was clear that despite the fact that he moved on and had another girlfriend, he hadn’t really moved on and cared about Cassie.
Overall this one was okay for me and it might just be an it’s not you, it’s me type of situation here. Ellison creates a solid story about mental health, love, and second chances, if that intrigues you consider checking it out.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.
May 19, 2015
4.5/5
Very cute book! Although it is much, much more than your regular light-hearted romance novel, it still made me swoon and left me happy.
I loved the importance that Cassie's relationship with her mom has in this book. While Cassie is scared of her mom's illness, she still wants to be there for her and she loves her dearly. Having a bipolar grandmother, I could relate a lot to the story, but I think that I could've understood it and loved it as much even if I didn't know this illness the way I do. This part of the story brings a lot of sadness and serious topics in the story, which is mostly the reason why it's much deeper than the chick-flick it seems to be.
However, the romance is very, very adorable. If such a love exists, I can only hope that I'll live to see it. The connection between Cassie and Graham has been incredible since day one and their love is stronger than anything that can happen to them. They care and watch out for each other without even meaning to, and I think this is the best part of their relationship.
I loved the music in this book, because there are a lot of references to artists and albums. Also, the lyrics that Cassie writes are a great addition to the story, because they speak more honestly than she can sometimes. As a big fan of music, I really enjoyed learning more about Cassie's passion and I think it gives the story a little bit more interest.
To be honest, I really liked this book. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting it to be, but it turned out to be even better. I'm very pleasantly surprised.
(Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Very cute book! Although it is much, much more than your regular light-hearted romance novel, it still made me swoon and left me happy.
I loved the importance that Cassie's relationship with her mom has in this book. While Cassie is scared of her mom's illness, she still wants to be there for her and she loves her dearly. Having a bipolar grandmother, I could relate a lot to the story, but I think that I could've understood it and loved it as much even if I didn't know this illness the way I do. This part of the story brings a lot of sadness and serious topics in the story, which is mostly the reason why it's much deeper than the chick-flick it seems to be.
However, the romance is very, very adorable. If such a love exists, I can only hope that I'll live to see it. The connection between Cassie and Graham has been incredible since day one and their love is stronger than anything that can happen to them. They care and watch out for each other without even meaning to, and I think this is the best part of their relationship.
I loved the music in this book, because there are a lot of references to artists and albums. Also, the lyrics that Cassie writes are a great addition to the story, because they speak more honestly than she can sometimes. As a big fan of music, I really enjoyed learning more about Cassie's passion and I think it gives the story a little bit more interest.
To be honest, I really liked this book. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting it to be, but it turned out to be even better. I'm very pleasantly surprised.
(Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
June 2, 2015
*3 stars*
I had some trouble getting into this book at first because of how I couldn't connect with the heroine, Cassie. She ran away from her first love and from her bipolar mother for what I thought were selfish reasons. She still kept in touch with her mother. But I felt like Cassie left her hanging in the balance since very few people actually knew her mom was bipolar. Then, when she had to go back home because her mother was in the hospital, she ran away from her current life. She ran from her current boyfriend, friends and, had she not caught Cassie trying to sneak away, her best friend. I'm glad she owned up to her actions in the end and I did like that she eventually attended a therapy session with her mother. June, Cassie's best friend, was by-far my favorite character!! I loved how she helped Cassie confront her feelings, knowing exactly when to be humorous or serious.
Full review to come.
I had some trouble getting into this book at first because of how I couldn't connect with the heroine, Cassie. She ran away from her first love and from her bipolar mother for what I thought were selfish reasons. She still kept in touch with her mother. But I felt like Cassie left her hanging in the balance since very few people actually knew her mom was bipolar. Then, when she had to go back home because her mother was in the hospital, she ran away from her current life. She ran from her current boyfriend, friends and, had she not caught Cassie trying to sneak away, her best friend. I'm glad she owned up to her actions in the end and I did like that she eventually attended a therapy session with her mother. June, Cassie's best friend, was by-far my favorite character!! I loved how she helped Cassie confront her feelings, knowing exactly when to be humorous or serious.
Full review to come.
June 22, 2015
Likes:
- the writing. While at some points the writing felt a little forced and unnatural, I did enjoy the authors writing style.
Dislikes:
- selfish characters. I just didn't like either character or any of the depictions they made.
- no emotion. I never felt ANYTHING while reading this book. Not even a little bit of hate for the book and characters, for me I was just very disconnected to the characters and book as a whole so it came off as boring.
**A copy of this book was provided via Netgalley for review**
- the writing. While at some points the writing felt a little forced and unnatural, I did enjoy the authors writing style.
Dislikes:
- selfish characters. I just didn't like either character or any of the depictions they made.
- no emotion. I never felt ANYTHING while reading this book. Not even a little bit of hate for the book and characters, for me I was just very disconnected to the characters and book as a whole so it came off as boring.
**A copy of this book was provided via Netgalley for review**
November 24, 2015
I really wanted to love this book.. The blurb was great and I expected so much more. It took me forever to get myself to read and finish it but things just didn't work for me.
*This arc was kindly provided by Bookish World Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
*This arc was kindly provided by Bookish World Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
July 25, 2015
**ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 stars.
"We were nothing, but we were everything."
This was such a nice surprise! I love it when I find books by authors I know absolutely nothing about, and they turn out to be a good one. This book was just a sweet story about self-discovery and finding that happy ending and the good side of the life you've been given.
Days Like This introduces us to the life of a girl who's had to deal with a sick mother her entire life, a mother who's more of a child than she is. Then, we have a boy, who's the king of guy who'd give his life for the girl next door, and you could say he has, in a way. Cassie Harlen has been running away from her life for the last year searching for a second chance in life. She turned her back on the mother who had more downs than ups, and a boy she loved (and still does) with all her heart, all because of fear. Fear of the unknown, of the what ifs. What if she turned out to be just like her mom? What if he leaved her? What if he stopped loving her? What if he ended up hating her for what she is or could be? Too many things clouded Cassie's mind, so she had to get away. She wanted to give herself the time and space she needed to find peace, and she wanted to give Graham the time and space to find something better, something that wouldn't end up hurting him at the end... only she realized too late that she had already hurt him.
Life's too short for what ifs, don't you guys agree? We can only count on the things that actually are, embrace the good ones, and learn from the bad ones. During her time off, Cassie managed to "move on", in a way, only not completely. There was still a part of her that wanted, needed to go back. There was a part of her that still cared for the boy next door, and the mother she left behind. They were her family, no matter what. So, when a sudden call makes her go back, she embarks on this roller coaster of a journey, in which she must do her best to mend the things she broke.
"Some things were better off left in the past where they couldn't be touched or changed. Others were full of promise."
First good sign about the book? Well, it had my complete attention. Every time I was reading, I couldn't stop, and the times I wasn't reading, I was thinking about reading it. That's always a good thing, isn't it? Then, we have the characters. Cassie is the kind of girl who's all about the walls she puts up. No one gets in, nothing gets out. She's not one to trust easy, so the people she does trust, know absolutely everything about her. I liked the way she did the things she set her mind to do. When she wanted something, she went after it, even if it was a fantastic happiness, which didn't include Graham. She's determined. I loved her passion about music and how it managed to get the best of her, even when she didn't want it to.
Then we have Graham. Well, what can I say... I fall in love pretty easily. He can't see someone suffering because he hurts too. In this case, he'd had to make his heart stronger for this kind of situations, but still, he couldn't stop caring. He knew when something was wrong with Cassie, like he was still part of her enough to realize it. His good heart was always in the right place, even if Cassie didn't see it. I just loved him. He's looking for a way to move on, but the only way to do that, is to be honest with himself and accept what his heart wants.
I loved Cassie Harlen. I had never really stopped."
I really enjoyed getting inside Cassie's and Graham's heads. They're two different people who manage to complete each other, it's like they share a heart. I wished I could've known more about them as a couple though, it felt like it wasn't enough, but what I did know, I loved it. I truly enjoyed how the story developed, because it managed to explain every single situation in a way that you could see the character's struggles, feel how they were feeling, without getting distracted. It completely kept my attention, from page one.
If you're looking for a nice and light read, this might be a good choice. I liked it a lot.
3.75 stars.
"We were nothing, but we were everything."
This was such a nice surprise! I love it when I find books by authors I know absolutely nothing about, and they turn out to be a good one. This book was just a sweet story about self-discovery and finding that happy ending and the good side of the life you've been given.
Days Like This introduces us to the life of a girl who's had to deal with a sick mother her entire life, a mother who's more of a child than she is. Then, we have a boy, who's the king of guy who'd give his life for the girl next door, and you could say he has, in a way. Cassie Harlen has been running away from her life for the last year searching for a second chance in life. She turned her back on the mother who had more downs than ups, and a boy she loved (and still does) with all her heart, all because of fear. Fear of the unknown, of the what ifs. What if she turned out to be just like her mom? What if he leaved her? What if he stopped loving her? What if he ended up hating her for what she is or could be? Too many things clouded Cassie's mind, so she had to get away. She wanted to give herself the time and space she needed to find peace, and she wanted to give Graham the time and space to find something better, something that wouldn't end up hurting him at the end... only she realized too late that she had already hurt him.
Life's too short for what ifs, don't you guys agree? We can only count on the things that actually are, embrace the good ones, and learn from the bad ones. During her time off, Cassie managed to "move on", in a way, only not completely. There was still a part of her that wanted, needed to go back. There was a part of her that still cared for the boy next door, and the mother she left behind. They were her family, no matter what. So, when a sudden call makes her go back, she embarks on this roller coaster of a journey, in which she must do her best to mend the things she broke.
"Some things were better off left in the past where they couldn't be touched or changed. Others were full of promise."
First good sign about the book? Well, it had my complete attention. Every time I was reading, I couldn't stop, and the times I wasn't reading, I was thinking about reading it. That's always a good thing, isn't it? Then, we have the characters. Cassie is the kind of girl who's all about the walls she puts up. No one gets in, nothing gets out. She's not one to trust easy, so the people she does trust, know absolutely everything about her. I liked the way she did the things she set her mind to do. When she wanted something, she went after it, even if it was a fantastic happiness, which didn't include Graham. She's determined. I loved her passion about music and how it managed to get the best of her, even when she didn't want it to.
Then we have Graham. Well, what can I say... I fall in love pretty easily. He can't see someone suffering because he hurts too. In this case, he'd had to make his heart stronger for this kind of situations, but still, he couldn't stop caring. He knew when something was wrong with Cassie, like he was still part of her enough to realize it. His good heart was always in the right place, even if Cassie didn't see it. I just loved him. He's looking for a way to move on, but the only way to do that, is to be honest with himself and accept what his heart wants.
I loved Cassie Harlen. I had never really stopped."
I really enjoyed getting inside Cassie's and Graham's heads. They're two different people who manage to complete each other, it's like they share a heart. I wished I could've known more about them as a couple though, it felt like it wasn't enough, but what I did know, I loved it. I truly enjoyed how the story developed, because it managed to explain every single situation in a way that you could see the character's struggles, feel how they were feeling, without getting distracted. It completely kept my attention, from page one.
If you're looking for a nice and light read, this might be a good choice. I liked it a lot.
April 28, 2015
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Graham and Cass are childhood sweethearts. Best friends for a decade. It's a classic case of girl meets and falls in love with the boy next door. They've got a beautiful small town life together and are on the cusp of marriage straight out of high school.
And then Cass leaves, cutting ties with a brokenhearted Graham and a mentally-ill mother, unable to explain to them the depth of why she left them behind. But when an unexpected disaster unfolds back home, Cass fulfills her promise to return, and must confront everything she left behind last year.
This is a book about a romance, but at the heart of it is the journey to self discovery. It's about losing your sense of self and gaining it back again.
What I enjoyed most about this novel is that the characters were flawed. Cass was a scared, wayward girl with a misplaced sense of responsibility in the happiness of others until it all came crashing down around her. There were moments when I felt frustration toward the lack communication on her part, and the fact that if she had just shared even a small part of what she was feeling with Graham, they could have both been spared a world of hurt. But then I realized that's life, that's reality. When you have a fear of abandonment, you cut and run. When you have a complex about ruining someone's life because of your own problems, you clam up and spare them the pain. These are realistic characterization issues.
Graham, Graham, Graham. He was WONDERFUL. I'd definitely classify him as a favored book boyfriend. Unbelievably patient, forgiving and solid, he was also not without his own faults. I felt that he was saved from 'too good and perfect for this world syndrome' with the secret that he carried around with him for years. And, of course, that pesky and too nice to hate girlfriend. Because of course he's tried to move on after having his soul crushed by his first love.
What I liked best about Cass and Graham's slow burn from tentative-friends-who-were-former-lovers are the complicated emotional hurdles that were recognized and addressed. There were no easy or instant fixes. There was an obvious attraction and, yes, love that still existed on both of their ends, but the trust was gone on Graham's part. I was rooting for them to rekindle their friendship, and desperately wanted them to be together again.
June, Cass's college best friend, was a surprisingly nice addition. I was initially worried that she was a very interesting throwaway character, but when she reappeared later in the novel, I felt that June helped to give a certain depth to Cass outside of her relationship to Graham and her mother. She was an insightful adviser, helping her to come to wise conclusions. She almost felt like an Alice in Wonderland-esque Caterpillar.
The importance of music was a theme I thought was handled with a deft hand. I felt it's presence throughout the novel. The pages were saturated with it-- the lyrics Cass wrote in her head, the love of old music that she shared with her mother, and the history of her parents. I enjoyed how Cass's taste in music grew along with her journey to discovery. There were times, though, when I felt as if the name-dropping of song titles and constant mention of Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac came off a little inauthentic and cliche. But when the author later tied the greater importance of the band/musician into the story line, I felt that it was a more justified choice.
I enjoyed this book, and felt that it was a stand-out read in the New Adult/Mature Young Adult genre. I'd recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Sarah Dessen or Katie McGarry, but the author definitely has a solid voice of her own.
Graham and Cass are childhood sweethearts. Best friends for a decade. It's a classic case of girl meets and falls in love with the boy next door. They've got a beautiful small town life together and are on the cusp of marriage straight out of high school.
And then Cass leaves, cutting ties with a brokenhearted Graham and a mentally-ill mother, unable to explain to them the depth of why she left them behind. But when an unexpected disaster unfolds back home, Cass fulfills her promise to return, and must confront everything she left behind last year.
This is a book about a romance, but at the heart of it is the journey to self discovery. It's about losing your sense of self and gaining it back again.
What I enjoyed most about this novel is that the characters were flawed. Cass was a scared, wayward girl with a misplaced sense of responsibility in the happiness of others until it all came crashing down around her. There were moments when I felt frustration toward the lack communication on her part, and the fact that if she had just shared even a small part of what she was feeling with Graham, they could have both been spared a world of hurt. But then I realized that's life, that's reality. When you have a fear of abandonment, you cut and run. When you have a complex about ruining someone's life because of your own problems, you clam up and spare them the pain. These are realistic characterization issues.
Graham, Graham, Graham. He was WONDERFUL. I'd definitely classify him as a favored book boyfriend. Unbelievably patient, forgiving and solid, he was also not without his own faults. I felt that he was saved from 'too good and perfect for this world syndrome' with the secret that he carried around with him for years. And, of course, that pesky and too nice to hate girlfriend. Because of course he's tried to move on after having his soul crushed by his first love.
What I liked best about Cass and Graham's slow burn from tentative-friends-who-were-former-lovers are the complicated emotional hurdles that were recognized and addressed. There were no easy or instant fixes. There was an obvious attraction and, yes, love that still existed on both of their ends, but the trust was gone on Graham's part. I was rooting for them to rekindle their friendship, and desperately wanted them to be together again.
June, Cass's college best friend, was a surprisingly nice addition. I was initially worried that she was a very interesting throwaway character, but when she reappeared later in the novel, I felt that June helped to give a certain depth to Cass outside of her relationship to Graham and her mother. She was an insightful adviser, helping her to come to wise conclusions. She almost felt like an Alice in Wonderland-esque Caterpillar.
The importance of music was a theme I thought was handled with a deft hand. I felt it's presence throughout the novel. The pages were saturated with it-- the lyrics Cass wrote in her head, the love of old music that she shared with her mother, and the history of her parents. I enjoyed how Cass's taste in music grew along with her journey to discovery. There were times, though, when I felt as if the name-dropping of song titles and constant mention of Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac came off a little inauthentic and cliche. But when the author later tied the greater importance of the band/musician into the story line, I felt that it was a more justified choice.
I enjoyed this book, and felt that it was a stand-out read in the New Adult/Mature Young Adult genre. I'd recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Sarah Dessen or Katie McGarry, but the author definitely has a solid voice of her own.
June 25, 2015
Find the original review here at This is the Story of My(Reading) Life
Days Like This is one of those books that well I'm reading I'm thoroughly enjoying(hence my good rating), but now weeks later I remember details but not a lot. Maybe that's just because I read a lot...Anyhow, Days Like This was more on the darker side of NA. It doesn't start out in the happiest of ways. It's clear that Cassie is trudging through her life. She's at college, has a boyfriend who's good to her, and friends. But she's still thinking about what she left behind. Cassie did one of those self sacrificing runners. 90% of the time when a character pulls that self sacrificing bullshit I'm more frustrated than agreeing with their decision. Cassie left her boyfriend, soul mate, etc... Graham in the middle of the night when she realizes she doesn't want him to have to try to still love her when she inevitably turns out like her mother. Cassie's mom is diagnosed bi-polar, which has lead Cassie to a lot of difficult times growing up. Graham was always there for her and eventually that lead them into a romantic relationship. Roughly a year after Cassie did the runner, Graham contacts her to come home because of her mom. So Cassie doe what she's good at and runs from her "new" life. Where of course she now has to confront her feelings about Graham and her mom.
What I enjoyed most about Days Like This was the character progression. All the feelings between Cassie and Graham and Cassie and her mom was done pretty realistically. There was no magical fix. Everyone spoke their thoughts and learned how to proceed forward. This book is pretty short too, but the pace was pretty good. Didn't feel rushed. Cassie definitely had her moments when she frustrated me, but I understood she was trying to be selfless. Graham was understandably confused. He never got closure. He still loves Cassie even though he tried to move on with his life sans her. Graham was a really sweet guy, and as hurt as he was you could see how much he still cared and loved Cassie. It was hard for him to keep those feelings under wrap. I was of course rooting for them. And the ending was done really well. Again, quite realistically. I liked how they didn't give up their individual dreams. The resolution Cassie has with her mom was satisfying as well. There's still things to figure out, but they were talking and Cassie was finding herself able to stop hiding how her moms actions hurt her growing up. I could tell they'd be alright down the road.
Ellison was able to give me a well developed story and character arc in not so many pages, and I'm super interested to see what she'll write next.
Days Like This is one of those books that well I'm reading I'm thoroughly enjoying(hence my good rating), but now weeks later I remember details but not a lot. Maybe that's just because I read a lot...Anyhow, Days Like This was more on the darker side of NA. It doesn't start out in the happiest of ways. It's clear that Cassie is trudging through her life. She's at college, has a boyfriend who's good to her, and friends. But she's still thinking about what she left behind. Cassie did one of those self sacrificing runners. 90% of the time when a character pulls that self sacrificing bullshit I'm more frustrated than agreeing with their decision. Cassie left her boyfriend, soul mate, etc... Graham in the middle of the night when she realizes she doesn't want him to have to try to still love her when she inevitably turns out like her mother. Cassie's mom is diagnosed bi-polar, which has lead Cassie to a lot of difficult times growing up. Graham was always there for her and eventually that lead them into a romantic relationship. Roughly a year after Cassie did the runner, Graham contacts her to come home because of her mom. So Cassie doe what she's good at and runs from her "new" life. Where of course she now has to confront her feelings about Graham and her mom.
What I enjoyed most about Days Like This was the character progression. All the feelings between Cassie and Graham and Cassie and her mom was done pretty realistically. There was no magical fix. Everyone spoke their thoughts and learned how to proceed forward. This book is pretty short too, but the pace was pretty good. Didn't feel rushed. Cassie definitely had her moments when she frustrated me, but I understood she was trying to be selfless. Graham was understandably confused. He never got closure. He still loves Cassie even though he tried to move on with his life sans her. Graham was a really sweet guy, and as hurt as he was you could see how much he still cared and loved Cassie. It was hard for him to keep those feelings under wrap. I was of course rooting for them. And the ending was done really well. Again, quite realistically. I liked how they didn't give up their individual dreams. The resolution Cassie has with her mom was satisfying as well. There's still things to figure out, but they were talking and Cassie was finding herself able to stop hiding how her moms actions hurt her growing up. I could tell they'd be alright down the road.
Ellison was able to give me a well developed story and character arc in not so many pages, and I'm super interested to see what she'll write next.
June 9, 2015
OH MY GOD I ADORED THIS - Danielle Ellison made me have so many feelings and I'm really happy I got to experience them while reading Days Like This.
Review time
“On the pretty days when we’d drive, she put the car on cruise and I’d slide into her seat, like sliding into her shoes. It was easy and exciting as I’d steered us along the empty roads. Mom would stand up in the seat next to me. I’d watched her, studied her movements and the delicate way she did everything. I’d wanted to be just like her.”
Days Like This is a punch to your heart. The good kind. It completely consumed me, to the point I just read it from one go and slept like at 4 am. It was worth the missing hours of sleep, definitely. This book filled me with joy and sadness and swooning times ten.
Cassie and Graham’s story was a ride. It was. It went through ups and downs and rights and lefts and many, many spinning circles. It was intense and took my breath away several times without announcing. My heart ache every time and I just wanted to make it all better for them. I wanted the cuties to be happy and live forever after and it hurt my heart whenever they felt sad or pain. This book took me unexpected and it surely left an imprint in me.
Danielle Ellison wrote an amazing book with lots of heart-wrenching moments but it had its special times and cute scenes as well. I enjoyed this book way too much and definitely showed of my nonstopping reading that day.
“I’ve been home three minutes and Graham Tucker was already a song. I guess he always had been. Maybe he’d been the chorus in every song.”
I’m so happy to have read this book. And I surely recommend it to everyone out there: YOU. NEED. THIS. IN. YOUR. LIFE. Cassie and Graham’s story is so important.
Review time
“On the pretty days when we’d drive, she put the car on cruise and I’d slide into her seat, like sliding into her shoes. It was easy and exciting as I’d steered us along the empty roads. Mom would stand up in the seat next to me. I’d watched her, studied her movements and the delicate way she did everything. I’d wanted to be just like her.”
Days Like This is a punch to your heart. The good kind. It completely consumed me, to the point I just read it from one go and slept like at 4 am. It was worth the missing hours of sleep, definitely. This book filled me with joy and sadness and swooning times ten.
Cassie and Graham’s story was a ride. It was. It went through ups and downs and rights and lefts and many, many spinning circles. It was intense and took my breath away several times without announcing. My heart ache every time and I just wanted to make it all better for them. I wanted the cuties to be happy and live forever after and it hurt my heart whenever they felt sad or pain. This book took me unexpected and it surely left an imprint in me.
Danielle Ellison wrote an amazing book with lots of heart-wrenching moments but it had its special times and cute scenes as well. I enjoyed this book way too much and definitely showed of my nonstopping reading that day.
“I’ve been home three minutes and Graham Tucker was already a song. I guess he always had been. Maybe he’d been the chorus in every song.”
I’m so happy to have read this book. And I surely recommend it to everyone out there: YOU. NEED. THIS. IN. YOUR. LIFE. Cassie and Graham’s story is so important.
May 14, 2015
Days Like This took me on an emotional roller coaster and left me fragile. Graham and Cassie are tragically beautiful. Danielle Ellison spins this heartbreaking story of second chance love with skillfully chosen words and beautiful characters. The story alternates between Graham and Cassie's points of view, allowing the reader to feel what both are feeling. This approach makes it easier for the reader to see how both mirror one another, both in love, both fighting it, and both in emotional pain.
Cassie ran away from the one person who was her first everything and could ultimately break her. She went off to college and pretended she was happy even while she was suffering. Cassie comes home because she has to, for her mother, and maybe a part of her comes home for Graham. She is tormented, caring, compassionate, and a bit lost. It is easy to see that Cassie aches each day with the knowledge of how she broke her and Graham.
Graham tried to pick up the pieces Cassie left behind and move forward. He realizes he hasn't moved as forward as he would like considering he always ends up having coffee, which he hates, with Cassie's mother and checking up on her. Eventually, Graham has to call Cassie home because her mother is in the hospital. Graham is noble, loyal, tormented, loving, and also a bit lost.
Love is what makes us, destroys us, and ultimately saves us. Love is simple, it is everything else in life that gets in the way. Cassie and Graham must realize for themselves that true love never really dies, that distance doesn't make a deep rooted bond fade, and that the greatest risk yields the ultimate salvation for them both. This story will make you ache, laugh, roll your eyes, and weep for joy. There's a happy ending and an incredible journey that leads the reader to it.
Cassie ran away from the one person who was her first everything and could ultimately break her. She went off to college and pretended she was happy even while she was suffering. Cassie comes home because she has to, for her mother, and maybe a part of her comes home for Graham. She is tormented, caring, compassionate, and a bit lost. It is easy to see that Cassie aches each day with the knowledge of how she broke her and Graham.
Graham tried to pick up the pieces Cassie left behind and move forward. He realizes he hasn't moved as forward as he would like considering he always ends up having coffee, which he hates, with Cassie's mother and checking up on her. Eventually, Graham has to call Cassie home because her mother is in the hospital. Graham is noble, loyal, tormented, loving, and also a bit lost.
Love is what makes us, destroys us, and ultimately saves us. Love is simple, it is everything else in life that gets in the way. Cassie and Graham must realize for themselves that true love never really dies, that distance doesn't make a deep rooted bond fade, and that the greatest risk yields the ultimate salvation for them both. This story will make you ache, laugh, roll your eyes, and weep for joy. There's a happy ending and an incredible journey that leads the reader to it.
June 8, 2015
didn't love this one. full review soon.
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**Note: This book was provided to The Book Hookup by the publisher via Net Galley but that did not in any way influence this review
A synopsis that promised gritty and heart breaking, but somehow never translated the emotions across the words. Basically, the writing just didn’t work for me.
I’m giving the book props for the idea of storyline itself. I love when characters have been through hell, and then have to claw their way out because they are strong. And here, ugh…Cass is weak so it never ended up working for me. I understand she had to deal with so much, but her pattern of leaving, of bailing on anyone who cared about her or needed her was pretty terrible. Once…ok, I could maybe forgive…but doing again and again was just not cool.
The romance here was tough too. The Rohan relationship was odd. I get that it didn’t work, but how could he even like her when she was so cold? Graham’s wasn’t much better..he had a girl he was using too. But then Cass and Graham were supposed to be epic….yet they didn’t feel that way to me. There’s no way they could go back to friends if they were engaged. Just no. So it just never sat well with me when they tried that at first. I don’t know how Graham could even forgive her like that. It was tough to swallow.
The rest of the story was kind of predictable, but maybe if you want an easy read this might be the book for you.
Ultimately it was a “meh” read. I found myself putting it down often.. I don’t think I was crazy about the writing style. Good luck!
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**Note: This book was provided to The Book Hookup by the publisher via Net Galley but that did not in any way influence this review
A synopsis that promised gritty and heart breaking, but somehow never translated the emotions across the words. Basically, the writing just didn’t work for me.
I’m giving the book props for the idea of storyline itself. I love when characters have been through hell, and then have to claw their way out because they are strong. And here, ugh…Cass is weak so it never ended up working for me. I understand she had to deal with so much, but her pattern of leaving, of bailing on anyone who cared about her or needed her was pretty terrible. Once…ok, I could maybe forgive…but doing again and again was just not cool.
The romance here was tough too. The Rohan relationship was odd. I get that it didn’t work, but how could he even like her when she was so cold? Graham’s wasn’t much better..he had a girl he was using too. But then Cass and Graham were supposed to be epic….yet they didn’t feel that way to me. There’s no way they could go back to friends if they were engaged. Just no. So it just never sat well with me when they tried that at first. I don’t know how Graham could even forgive her like that. It was tough to swallow.
The rest of the story was kind of predictable, but maybe if you want an easy read this might be the book for you.
Ultimately it was a “meh” read. I found myself putting it down often.. I don’t think I was crazy about the writing style. Good luck!
June 2, 2015
The overall feel of this story wasn’t necessarily a happy one. Cassie left for college, leaving behind her bi-polar mother and an amazing fiance, without a word of explanation. She wanted to start over, become someone new. Even after almost one year she can not let go of her ex-boyfriend, and her mother is still a constant in the back of her mind.
When her mother tries to burn down the house, Cassie has to come back home. Seeing Graham again, only confirms she never let him go and her feelings for him are still strong. Unfortunately it looks like he did move on.
Graham never understood why Cassie left like that, never gave him an explanation. With her being back home, and living next door, he’s often reminded of what he lost. He tried to move on, but his heart was never fully into it. His feelings for Cassie never left.
While these two try to figure out what is going on between them, it isn’t an easy journey. There is a lot of anger and confusion from Graham’s side. While Cassie has to face her fears with the people in her life.
I liked the realness of the story the most. There is no magical solution for Cassie and Graham’s relationship and neither for Cassie and her mom’s. Both need a lot of work, talking and facing reality to make it through.
All the characters are flawed, which made it easier to get into the mindset. Some reactions took me by surprise, but also showed me how people react different to certain situations. There was also some frustration from my part, though that’s mostly because I can be impatient for a happy ending.
Days Like This is a real and heartwarming story about second chance love.
*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
When her mother tries to burn down the house, Cassie has to come back home. Seeing Graham again, only confirms she never let him go and her feelings for him are still strong. Unfortunately it looks like he did move on.
Graham never understood why Cassie left like that, never gave him an explanation. With her being back home, and living next door, he’s often reminded of what he lost. He tried to move on, but his heart was never fully into it. His feelings for Cassie never left.
While these two try to figure out what is going on between them, it isn’t an easy journey. There is a lot of anger and confusion from Graham’s side. While Cassie has to face her fears with the people in her life.
I liked the realness of the story the most. There is no magical solution for Cassie and Graham’s relationship and neither for Cassie and her mom’s. Both need a lot of work, talking and facing reality to make it through.
All the characters are flawed, which made it easier to get into the mindset. Some reactions took me by surprise, but also showed me how people react different to certain situations. There was also some frustration from my part, though that’s mostly because I can be impatient for a happy ending.
Days Like This is a real and heartwarming story about second chance love.
*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
June 3, 2015
Cover: Adorable!
DAYS LIKE THIS is a novel that will keep you thinking about the characters long after you finish. It deals with some very heartbreaking and painful experiences, but also inspires, offers hope, and makes you swoon. It's a serious NA novel that may very well open your eyes to what it's like living with a mother who is bipolar. Cassie is a college student who fears that bipolar disorder might be in her future too. Needing to escape and fearing that she will be a burden to the boy she loves, Cassie leaves her mom and breaks up with her fiancé Graham to not only survive, but to give her him an opportunity to create a life unburdened by her problems. Unfortunately, walking away doesn't help anyone. It's painful. It's raw. It's honest.
Cassie's situation touched me deeply. Danielle Ellison shows that communication and ultimately love is the key to healing. Readers will love and appreciate Cassie's best friend June and her desire to help Cassie face her problems, instead of running away from them. I love Graham's parents and their kindness toward Cassie, even after she breaks their son's heart. I appreciate how Graham and Cassie struggle to make their way back to each other. I love their bond, their friendship, and their ability to forgive, especially Graham.
If you want a NA novel that will take you on an emotional roller coaster in the very best way, then DAYS LIKE THIS is a perfect choice for you! Congratulations, Danielle, on writing a novel that addresses a very serious issue and shows that there is hope for a HEA!
DAYS LIKE THIS is a novel that will keep you thinking about the characters long after you finish. It deals with some very heartbreaking and painful experiences, but also inspires, offers hope, and makes you swoon. It's a serious NA novel that may very well open your eyes to what it's like living with a mother who is bipolar. Cassie is a college student who fears that bipolar disorder might be in her future too. Needing to escape and fearing that she will be a burden to the boy she loves, Cassie leaves her mom and breaks up with her fiancé Graham to not only survive, but to give her him an opportunity to create a life unburdened by her problems. Unfortunately, walking away doesn't help anyone. It's painful. It's raw. It's honest.
Cassie's situation touched me deeply. Danielle Ellison shows that communication and ultimately love is the key to healing. Readers will love and appreciate Cassie's best friend June and her desire to help Cassie face her problems, instead of running away from them. I love Graham's parents and their kindness toward Cassie, even after she breaks their son's heart. I appreciate how Graham and Cassie struggle to make their way back to each other. I love their bond, their friendship, and their ability to forgive, especially Graham.
If you want a NA novel that will take you on an emotional roller coaster in the very best way, then DAYS LIKE THIS is a perfect choice for you! Congratulations, Danielle, on writing a novel that addresses a very serious issue and shows that there is hope for a HEA!
June 1, 2015
**I was provided an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for providing my opinion.**
Days Like This by Danielle Ellison is a great new adult romance novel. It is a story about first love, self discovery and second chances. It is also a story about family and dealing the illness of a family member. The characters and story are so honest and raw and left me full of emotion.
Days Like This is about Cassie, a young girl who flees her life without a second glance who has to return home due to mother’s illness and has to face her life – past, present and future, and Graham, Cassie’s ex who is finally putting his life back together again after her leaving and had to face tough questions within himself upon her return. These two have so much chemistry you can feel it throughout the book. The story leaves you hoping that these two characters get their happily ever after.
This is a great novel. The story flows really well and there weren’t any flat spots in the plot for me. The author did a really good job of addressing the nature of Cassie’s mom’s illness. The dynamics between the characters is honest and will leave you feeling every emotion under the sun. It is hands down a well written story.
For more reviews, visit my blog at http://heathersbookreviews.com/
Buy now on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1eLhbkI
Days Like This by Danielle Ellison is a great new adult romance novel. It is a story about first love, self discovery and second chances. It is also a story about family and dealing the illness of a family member. The characters and story are so honest and raw and left me full of emotion.
Days Like This is about Cassie, a young girl who flees her life without a second glance who has to return home due to mother’s illness and has to face her life – past, present and future, and Graham, Cassie’s ex who is finally putting his life back together again after her leaving and had to face tough questions within himself upon her return. These two have so much chemistry you can feel it throughout the book. The story leaves you hoping that these two characters get their happily ever after.
This is a great novel. The story flows really well and there weren’t any flat spots in the plot for me. The author did a really good job of addressing the nature of Cassie’s mom’s illness. The dynamics between the characters is honest and will leave you feeling every emotion under the sun. It is hands down a well written story.
For more reviews, visit my blog at http://heathersbookreviews.com/
Buy now on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1eLhbkI
June 16, 2015
Okay, first a disclaimer: I am Danielle Ellison's publicist at Spencer Hill, and we are friends. (By which I mean that she is my friend and I am probably like her annoying-as-hell little sister. As an example, when I heard about this, I whined and begged and pleaded and she let me read the book instead of blocking my email. Danielle is awesome.)
It's told from Cassie and Graham's perspectives in alternating chapters and I absolutely love them both. If you've ever read a love story, it's pretty clear that they're going to end up together, but it's still so fun to see how and how long it takes. (Because oh wow, this book. THIS. BOOK. I want to flail about it but I don't want to ruin a second of it for you. So hurry and read this and find me so we can discuss.)
I think this is my favorite NA novel ever. (And yes, I read Colleen Hoover and Cora Carmack. And no, not just because I know Danielle. In fact, if I didn't know Danielle, this book would make me Twitter-stalk her*) It's sweet and wrenching and just perfect. (AND there will be two companion novels, and I absolutely plan to whine and beg and plead until I can read those two, as well.)
Highly recommended.
* = in a nice way. I am not scary.
It's told from Cassie and Graham's perspectives in alternating chapters and I absolutely love them both. If you've ever read a love story, it's pretty clear that they're going to end up together, but it's still so fun to see how and how long it takes. (Because oh wow, this book. THIS. BOOK. I want to flail about it but I don't want to ruin a second of it for you. So hurry and read this and find me so we can discuss.)
I think this is my favorite NA novel ever. (And yes, I read Colleen Hoover and Cora Carmack. And no, not just because I know Danielle. In fact, if I didn't know Danielle, this book would make me Twitter-stalk her*) It's sweet and wrenching and just perfect. (AND there will be two companion novels, and I absolutely plan to whine and beg and plead until I can read those two, as well.)
Highly recommended.
* = in a nice way. I am not scary.
May 1, 2015
*I received an ARC from Netgalley. All comments are my own.
This is a beautifully written book that looks at how a teen deals and handles her mother's bi-polar disorder. It is hard enough to wade through and learn to grow up, let alone live and be the "adult" when you're only so young. That was what Cassie had to grow up with. Faced with the fear of being a burden to her one true love; her soulmate, Cassie leaves everything behind to try and find herself and lead a different life, only to be dragged back when her mum tried to burn down the house.
A lovely book where we see the main character being to accept the inevitable and that sometimes it's fear that stops you from being able to live and be happy. Graham, Cassie's childhood love and soulmate is still confused as to why she left and her coming back could make or break them.
I loved the two point of views in this book and I thought Cassie's friend June was a stand-out character, acting like the pillar of change for Cassie. Great writing and enjoyable yet emotional read.
This is a beautifully written book that looks at how a teen deals and handles her mother's bi-polar disorder. It is hard enough to wade through and learn to grow up, let alone live and be the "adult" when you're only so young. That was what Cassie had to grow up with. Faced with the fear of being a burden to her one true love; her soulmate, Cassie leaves everything behind to try and find herself and lead a different life, only to be dragged back when her mum tried to burn down the house.
A lovely book where we see the main character being to accept the inevitable and that sometimes it's fear that stops you from being able to live and be happy. Graham, Cassie's childhood love and soulmate is still confused as to why she left and her coming back could make or break them.
I loved the two point of views in this book and I thought Cassie's friend June was a stand-out character, acting like the pillar of change for Cassie. Great writing and enjoyable yet emotional read.
April 28, 2015
This was a quick read for me - one afternoon. But it was a bit more irritating than I prefer. I do not like when people are uneducated about certain things -like mental illness. I felt all along that none of the characters truly understood the bipolar disease. Yes they understood how it was to live with someone with it, but it was treated pretty lightly and without a better understanding. And that frustrates me. The romance or love story was a bit far fetched in my opinion. Girl leaves boy for no apparent reason so boy is broken. Girl retruns and all is forgiven?! A little too easy honestly. Iusually try to find the good in a book - but here, I was more frustrated by the irritating qualities then liked anything about it.
June 4, 2015
I received an ARC via NetGalley.
It's good to be back at reading young adult contemporary romance.
Even though the main character here, Cassie, was really selfish and annoying, I enjoyed it. I like the writing technique and the dual point of views.
What I like:
1. Graham
2. June's candidness
What I dislike:
1. Cass
2. Cassie
3. Cassie Haren
You can't live your life in fear of what could be ― if you do, you'll never live it.
It's good to be back at reading young adult contemporary romance.
Even though the main character here, Cassie, was really selfish and annoying, I enjoyed it. I like the writing technique and the dual point of views.
What I like:
1. Graham
2. June's candidness
What I dislike:
1. Cass
2. Cassie
3. Cassie Haren
January 13, 2023
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimers: I received an e-galley of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I didn't really go into this novel with any expectations. I'd never heard of the author or the book, but I decided I'd take a chance on it anyway.
I love second chance romance stories, so I figured "why not give it a go?"
This book was one that surprised me. The novel actually tackled some pretty serious, deep issues. Bipolar disorder isn't something I feel like I've read a lot about when it comes to fiction.
I thought Ellison took an intriguing look at the disease and created a memorable story surrounding it.
I enjoyed the characters and the writing. My only complaint was that I thought the novel was a bit slow at times. Other than that I enjoyed it.
The Characters: Both main characters were complex and flawed, which is always a plus. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters.
Major Strengths: Tackling a hard issue and using interesting characters.
Major Weaknesses: Slow plot line at times.
So why 3 stars? It definitely caught my attention, and I enjoyed it. However, it didn't really stand out to me enough to warrant a 4.
Warnings/Side-notes: 16+. Talk of sex and drugs. Fairly tame as far as new adult goes; however.
The Wrap-up: An interesting book with a surprising depth to it.
Disclaimers: I received an e-galley of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I didn't really go into this novel with any expectations. I'd never heard of the author or the book, but I decided I'd take a chance on it anyway.
I love second chance romance stories, so I figured "why not give it a go?"
This book was one that surprised me. The novel actually tackled some pretty serious, deep issues. Bipolar disorder isn't something I feel like I've read a lot about when it comes to fiction.
I thought Ellison took an intriguing look at the disease and created a memorable story surrounding it.
I enjoyed the characters and the writing. My only complaint was that I thought the novel was a bit slow at times. Other than that I enjoyed it.
The Characters: Both main characters were complex and flawed, which is always a plus. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters.
Major Strengths: Tackling a hard issue and using interesting characters.
Major Weaknesses: Slow plot line at times.
So why 3 stars? It definitely caught my attention, and I enjoyed it. However, it didn't really stand out to me enough to warrant a 4.
Warnings/Side-notes: 16+. Talk of sex and drugs. Fairly tame as far as new adult goes; however.
The Wrap-up: An interesting book with a surprising depth to it.
May 30, 2015
This review was originally posted on Fifty Shades of Books
0 out of 5 Stars
*** ARC granted in exchange for an honest review ***
Almost a year ago, Cassie Harlen left both her fiance Graham Tucker and her bipolar mother behind. While she still isn't over Graham, Cassie tries to move on and to make the best out of her life before her mother's disease gets her.
Graham is also trying to pick up the pieces as best as he can, but as he rescues Cassie's mother from a fire and had her hospitalized, he knows he's going to have to make a dreadful call, and face Cassie again.
What I loved about this book:
Nothing, I'm afraid
What I felt needed improvement:
The naive main character
The predictable storyline
The achingly slow pace of the book
DNF at 35%.
I was offered an ARC of Days Like This via Netgalley, and unfortunately, I did not like this book at all.
I have read my fair share of books featuring naive and messed-up heroines, and do not mind as long as there is a character development along the way, but in Days Like This , Cassie Harlen just represented the epitome of what I dislike in a naive and completely disillusioned main character. The reason why I say this is because poor Cassie decided to leave Graham, her boyfriend of six years - the one that just proposed to her (a proposal which, by the way, she accepted before leaving a cloud of dust behind her). Graham is the perfect book boyfriend: he's caring, he is supportive, and the chemistry between the two of them is just perfect.
Now why did she leave him? Well, because her mother has been diagnosed bi-polar, but has had episodes all her life. And then there's the fact that Cassie father left them. So instead of facing the issues (together with her fiance), she just leaves the state and her mother behind (with no one to help her and see if she's actually taking her meds). Her big worries are that she might have the same mental disorder (total BS, since it's not hereditary, and she's been around doctors long enough to now), and that Graham would eventually leave her because of it, just like her father. Moreover, she feels like he deserves better than someone who would eventually represent a burden to him.
But hey, the guy asked her to marry him! Shouldn't he be the judge of that??? God, that feels so much like the plot from Where The Road Takes Me by Jay McLean, only much less credible.
And now that Cassie is back in her hometown because her mother's disease is getting worse (and Graham was the one who rescued her mother from a fire in her house - one that she set), she's gutted to witness that Graham, after giving her tons of missed calls, decided to use the year apart to move on without her: career-wise and relationship wise. Why of course he did, since she was so dumb to leave him without so much of an apology or explanation. How naive can she be? Her behavior was completely out of line and she doesn't have the right to be jealous anymore now that she realizes how she screwed up.
But since Graham is totally lovestruck (and such a good book boyfriend), he obviously still has feelings for Cassie. So up until 35% of the book, when they meet again it's like "I wish I could kiss her/him. Oh but no, I should not be thinking those thoughts - she left me/I hurt him." It's really ridiculous and not creating suspense at all. Especially since we know that Cassie was just too chicken to face the issues head-on. The pace of the story was achingly slow too. 35% into the story, there still wasn't any development or intrigue - the situation still remained the same and the bits of information that the author would drop were way too few and not enough to fuel my curiosity to read on.
And honestly, the moment I noticed that Graham was still pining after Cassie (even though he appeared to have moved on), I knew this story wasn't going to be any good. Predictable, to say the least: they'll probably give in to their attraction, talk it out, and live happily ever after. Had Graham been angry with Cassie, it would have required Cassie to put up a fight, which would have made the story just a tad more interesting.
Upcoming author? Need help with a book cover design?
I'm a freelance graphic designer happy to help you out in exchange for a reader's copy. Contact me!
0 out of 5 Stars
*** ARC granted in exchange for an honest review ***
Almost a year ago, Cassie Harlen left both her fiance Graham Tucker and her bipolar mother behind. While she still isn't over Graham, Cassie tries to move on and to make the best out of her life before her mother's disease gets her.
Graham is also trying to pick up the pieces as best as he can, but as he rescues Cassie's mother from a fire and had her hospitalized, he knows he's going to have to make a dreadful call, and face Cassie again.
What I loved about this book:
Nothing, I'm afraid
What I felt needed improvement:
The naive main character
The predictable storyline
The achingly slow pace of the book
DNF at 35%.
I was offered an ARC of Days Like This via Netgalley, and unfortunately, I did not like this book at all.
I have read my fair share of books featuring naive and messed-up heroines, and do not mind as long as there is a character development along the way, but in Days Like This , Cassie Harlen just represented the epitome of what I dislike in a naive and completely disillusioned main character. The reason why I say this is because poor Cassie decided to leave Graham, her boyfriend of six years - the one that just proposed to her (a proposal which, by the way, she accepted before leaving a cloud of dust behind her). Graham is the perfect book boyfriend: he's caring, he is supportive, and the chemistry between the two of them is just perfect.
Now why did she leave him? Well, because her mother has been diagnosed bi-polar, but has had episodes all her life. And then there's the fact that Cassie father left them. So instead of facing the issues (together with her fiance), she just leaves the state and her mother behind (with no one to help her and see if she's actually taking her meds). Her big worries are that she might have the same mental disorder (total BS, since it's not hereditary, and she's been around doctors long enough to now), and that Graham would eventually leave her because of it, just like her father. Moreover, she feels like he deserves better than someone who would eventually represent a burden to him.
But hey, the guy asked her to marry him! Shouldn't he be the judge of that??? God, that feels so much like the plot from Where The Road Takes Me by Jay McLean, only much less credible.
And now that Cassie is back in her hometown because her mother's disease is getting worse (and Graham was the one who rescued her mother from a fire in her house - one that she set), she's gutted to witness that Graham, after giving her tons of missed calls, decided to use the year apart to move on without her: career-wise and relationship wise. Why of course he did, since she was so dumb to leave him without so much of an apology or explanation. How naive can she be? Her behavior was completely out of line and she doesn't have the right to be jealous anymore now that she realizes how she screwed up.
But since Graham is totally lovestruck (and such a good book boyfriend), he obviously still has feelings for Cassie. So up until 35% of the book, when they meet again it's like "I wish I could kiss her/him. Oh but no, I should not be thinking those thoughts - she left me/I hurt him." It's really ridiculous and not creating suspense at all. Especially since we know that Cassie was just too chicken to face the issues head-on. The pace of the story was achingly slow too. 35% into the story, there still wasn't any development or intrigue - the situation still remained the same and the bits of information that the author would drop were way too few and not enough to fuel my curiosity to read on.
And honestly, the moment I noticed that Graham was still pining after Cassie (even though he appeared to have moved on), I knew this story wasn't going to be any good. Predictable, to say the least: they'll probably give in to their attraction, talk it out, and live happily ever after. Had Graham been angry with Cassie, it would have required Cassie to put up a fight, which would have made the story just a tad more interesting.
Upcoming author? Need help with a book cover design?
I'm a freelance graphic designer happy to help you out in exchange for a reader's copy. Contact me!
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