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Any Other Night
"I look at my hands, wondering if Michael's here in the gym, watching us. Knowing him, he'd probably be up to no good.
A strange thought passes through my head. I could just see Michael's ghost pranking his own moment of silence. I almost tense up, expecting firecrackers to go off at any minute."
So thinks Ryan Mills, as he grieves for his best friend Michael.
Any other night, Ryan would have driven Michael to Emily's sweet sixteen party at the Breakers Club. Instead, determined to win over the birthday girl, he goes to the party early and alone, setting off a chain of events that ends with a car accident in which Michael dies.
Ryan blames himself for what happened to Michael. As far as he's concerned, he doesn't deserve to have love or ever be happy again. Then he learns Michael left a secret behind. Ryan feels compelled to take on his friend's unfinished business, and in the process, changes his life forever and becomes a man.
This book was published in October 2011 under the title Loving Emily. In May 2012, it was reissued with its content unchanged as Any Other Night.
A NOTE ABOUT CONTENT: in this book, some characters use profanity, engage in nonexplicit sexual activity, or take illegal drugs.
A strange thought passes through my head. I could just see Michael's ghost pranking his own moment of silence. I almost tense up, expecting firecrackers to go off at any minute."
So thinks Ryan Mills, as he grieves for his best friend Michael.
Any other night, Ryan would have driven Michael to Emily's sweet sixteen party at the Breakers Club. Instead, determined to win over the birthday girl, he goes to the party early and alone, setting off a chain of events that ends with a car accident in which Michael dies.
Ryan blames himself for what happened to Michael. As far as he's concerned, he doesn't deserve to have love or ever be happy again. Then he learns Michael left a secret behind. Ryan feels compelled to take on his friend's unfinished business, and in the process, changes his life forever and becomes a man.
This book was published in October 2011 under the title Loving Emily. In May 2012, it was reissued with its content unchanged as Any Other Night.
A NOTE ABOUT CONTENT: in this book, some characters use profanity, engage in nonexplicit sexual activity, or take illegal drugs.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2011
25 people are currently reading
1360 people want to read
About the author
Anne Pfeffer
6 books354 followersAward-winning novelist Anne Pfeffer grew up in Phoenix, Arizona reading prodigiously, riding horses, and avoiding rattlesnakes and scorpions. After living in Chicago and New York, she escaped back to the land of sunshine in Los Angeles. She has worked in banking and as a pro bono attorney, representing abandoned children in adoption and guardianship proceedings. Anne has a daughter living in New York and is the author of four books in the YA/New Adult genres.
Learn more at AnnePfefferBooks.com.
Learn more at AnnePfefferBooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
December 8, 2012
Leaving his best friend Michael alone at the birthday party of his crush Emily to go and talk to her, Ryan has no idea what's about to happen. When he gets home he finds out that Michael never made it that far - instead he died in a car accident. Ryan is haunted with guilt, made worse by the fact that Michael wanted to tell him something just before he walked away. The secret is more shocking than he could have imagined and Ryan determines to do the right thing by Michael and take on the responsibility that came with it.
On the face of it, this book looks like it's just about Ryan's attempt to get Emily to fall as in love with him as he is with her. This perception was certainly stronger when the book was titled Loving Emily. But like so many other readers, I find the new title so much more apt, because this book is about far more than just their relationship. It's about love, loss, building new relationships with people, guilt, surviving and moving on. It takes a complex issue and deals with it exceptionally well, and this made it a very compelling read.
Ryan is surprisingly mature for a sixteen year old boy, even before he finds out what Michael got himself into. I really appreciated reading from his perspective. He comes from a wealthy background, but he's much more down-to-earth than you might expect, and his character goes through a lot of growth. He feels guilty about his best friend's death even though it wasn't his fault, and this helps drive his actions. But apart from that, he's a genuinely good guy who wants to help out and doesn't like shirking responsibility; he doesn't seem to mind taking on something that had nothing to do with him in the first place and he becomes a really admirable character. His attempts to reconnect with his parents despite their obliviousness and continual absence was moving. Emily was a likeable character and, although not as strong as Ryan, I could still see where she was coming from.
Despite a possibly unremarkable appearance, Any Other Night, once you open it, reveals itself to be a complex, emotional story that refuses to let go. It's always wonderful being unexpectedly surprised like that, and I'm definitely glad I finally got the opportunity to read it. I look forward to seeing what else Anne Pfeffer comes up with.
This review is also posted on my blog.
On the face of it, this book looks like it's just about Ryan's attempt to get Emily to fall as in love with him as he is with her. This perception was certainly stronger when the book was titled Loving Emily. But like so many other readers, I find the new title so much more apt, because this book is about far more than just their relationship. It's about love, loss, building new relationships with people, guilt, surviving and moving on. It takes a complex issue and deals with it exceptionally well, and this made it a very compelling read.
Ryan is surprisingly mature for a sixteen year old boy, even before he finds out what Michael got himself into. I really appreciated reading from his perspective. He comes from a wealthy background, but he's much more down-to-earth than you might expect, and his character goes through a lot of growth. He feels guilty about his best friend's death even though it wasn't his fault, and this helps drive his actions. But apart from that, he's a genuinely good guy who wants to help out and doesn't like shirking responsibility; he doesn't seem to mind taking on something that had nothing to do with him in the first place and he becomes a really admirable character. His attempts to reconnect with his parents despite their obliviousness and continual absence was moving. Emily was a likeable character and, although not as strong as Ryan, I could still see where she was coming from.
Despite a possibly unremarkable appearance, Any Other Night, once you open it, reveals itself to be a complex, emotional story that refuses to let go. It's always wonderful being unexpectedly surprised like that, and I'm definitely glad I finally got the opportunity to read it. I look forward to seeing what else Anne Pfeffer comes up with.
This review is also posted on my blog.
December 3, 2011
This book is SO UNEXPECTEDLY AMAZING!!!
Halfway through.
May stay up late tonight to finish.
She's NAILED guy POV, and nailed the YA experience.
LOVE
Okay. I stayed up late to finish.
It has been so long since a book just knocked my socks off. I think anyone who rated this anything lower than a 4, just didn't appreciate her use of language the way they should have. This is not an ordinary YA coming of age kind of book. It was a good guy, trying so hard to do the right thing, and still feeling like he was screwing it from every end. I ADORED Ryan. I LOVED this ending. I loved this ending like I loved the ending of With or Without You.
SO good, and still left a bit of room for imagination and hope.
LOVE
Also - books for me are so much about language. I have a MILLION highlighted parts in this. I can't wait for her next to be out :D
Halfway through.
May stay up late tonight to finish.
She's NAILED guy POV, and nailed the YA experience.
LOVE
Okay. I stayed up late to finish.
It has been so long since a book just knocked my socks off. I think anyone who rated this anything lower than a 4, just didn't appreciate her use of language the way they should have. This is not an ordinary YA coming of age kind of book. It was a good guy, trying so hard to do the right thing, and still feeling like he was screwing it from every end. I ADORED Ryan. I LOVED this ending. I loved this ending like I loved the ending of With or Without You.
SO good, and still left a bit of room for imagination and hope.
LOVE
Also - books for me are so much about language. I have a MILLION highlighted parts in this. I can't wait for her next to be out :D
May 20, 2012
This book was a pleasure to read and experience. I wish I could remember how I found it, so I could properly thank the wonderful Goodreads friend who recommended it, and try to reciprocate with an equally charming book. The story starts with MC Ryan so smitten with his lovely classmate Emily that he tells his life long friend Michael (boys don't do bff's, sorry)he'll have to drive himself to Emily's sweet sixteen party so Ryan can get there early and maybe have a chance at conversing with Emily before she gets swept up in the festivities. When Michael does finally arrive, trashed with his scuzzball new friend Chase, Ryan tries to help his friend out, despite his egregious party manners, but things don't work out and Michael drives off alone. Cue the music for uh-oh, some bad stuff is about to happen. When it does, Ryan blames himself, especially his desire to be with Emily, for Michael's death. Ryan has some other issues to deal with too. His parents are emotionally and physically absent, leaving Michael and his charming twin second grade sisters alone most of the time with their surrogate parent, Rosaria, the housekeeper of their Hollywood mega mansion (I hope she has help, this sounds like one of those places where dusting is a full time job!) Academically, he's in a bit of a slump, and he gave up on tennis after Michael's earlier overdose drove an even deeper wedge between Ryan and the fam. Speaking of tennis, Michael's brief encounter with Chrissie, the cute aspiring actress who works in the pro shop, has left some complications. Ryan sees helping Chrissie as a way to redeem himself for failing his friend, but things get complicated. As his reluctant relationship with Emily deepens (he doesn't deserve to be happy, when M is dead!), the conflicting commitments he's made pull him in different and demanding directions.
Not that many YA books like this (a family drama, coming of age with romantic overtones) feature a male protagonist, so that is a refreshing change. It's always great, to me, to know what the guy is thinking, they are usually so opaque, and to be left wondering what is on the girl's mind. Ryan is a great character, he initially comes across as a little too good to be true, but as you come to know him you begin to understand where his maturity and seriousness have come from. The way the romance develops with Emily is sweet and tender, and yes, very intense. The supporting characters are interesting, well developed and real feeling (Emily's father, especially is quite the piece of work), and contribute to the rich immersive world the author creates. Seeing Ryan find his way as he tries to do the right thing (and it's not easy sometimes to figure out what that is!), is touching and draws you deeply into the world of the story. This is really a wonderful book, and I urge you to give yourself over to the pleasure of enjoying it!
Note: This book has been retitled as "Any Other Night," and has a new cover now. You can find it here!
Not that many YA books like this (a family drama, coming of age with romantic overtones) feature a male protagonist, so that is a refreshing change. It's always great, to me, to know what the guy is thinking, they are usually so opaque, and to be left wondering what is on the girl's mind. Ryan is a great character, he initially comes across as a little too good to be true, but as you come to know him you begin to understand where his maturity and seriousness have come from. The way the romance develops with Emily is sweet and tender, and yes, very intense. The supporting characters are interesting, well developed and real feeling (Emily's father, especially is quite the piece of work), and contribute to the rich immersive world the author creates. Seeing Ryan find his way as he tries to do the right thing (and it's not easy sometimes to figure out what that is!), is touching and draws you deeply into the world of the story. This is really a wonderful book, and I urge you to give yourself over to the pleasure of enjoying it!
Note: This book has been retitled as "Any Other Night," and has a new cover now. You can find it here!
December 14, 2012
Any Other Night
What is with books making me cry lately?
I swear this one was yet another tear jerker, at least for me it was. Ryan is a good guy, I mean honest to god good guy. Did I love the romance in this book? Yes, I love most romance, but for once the actual story itself is what compelled me to burn through this book so quickly. While this story centers mostly around Ryan and what he deals with after Michael’s car crash, there are also so many more teen issues explored through the course of this book.
I think my favorite character in this book was Ryan. I like all of the supporting characters too except for Ryan’s Mother. She just rubbed me the wrong way. Anyway I digress. Ryan’s life changes in one night and everything he’s ever known falls out from beneath his feet. Loosing Michael did a hell of a lot more damage to him then he initially realizes.
The guilt he feels for his best friend’s death is present through most of the story and for a good portion of the time he has no one to talk to and nowhere to go to let out all the emotions he’s feeling. His parents are always out, his friends don’t understand and the person he counts on the most is dead.
There are several great twists in this story and while I don’t want to give them away I need to say that I really like how much Emily is there for Ryan. She makes him feel like he’s not alone. The thing about Ryan’s guilt though is it winds up opening so many doors for him, from Emily, to the teen center, and quite a few things in between.
Ryan grows up a lot throughout the course of the story and figures out what kind of a man he is because of Michael’s death. The whole experience changes him. I really enjoyed how this was written and it’s definitely one of those stories that’s worth checking out.
What is with books making me cry lately?
I swear this one was yet another tear jerker, at least for me it was. Ryan is a good guy, I mean honest to god good guy. Did I love the romance in this book? Yes, I love most romance, but for once the actual story itself is what compelled me to burn through this book so quickly. While this story centers mostly around Ryan and what he deals with after Michael’s car crash, there are also so many more teen issues explored through the course of this book.
I think my favorite character in this book was Ryan. I like all of the supporting characters too except for Ryan’s Mother. She just rubbed me the wrong way. Anyway I digress. Ryan’s life changes in one night and everything he’s ever known falls out from beneath his feet. Loosing Michael did a hell of a lot more damage to him then he initially realizes.
The guilt he feels for his best friend’s death is present through most of the story and for a good portion of the time he has no one to talk to and nowhere to go to let out all the emotions he’s feeling. His parents are always out, his friends don’t understand and the person he counts on the most is dead.
There are several great twists in this story and while I don’t want to give them away I need to say that I really like how much Emily is there for Ryan. She makes him feel like he’s not alone. The thing about Ryan’s guilt though is it winds up opening so many doors for him, from Emily, to the teen center, and quite a few things in between.
Ryan grows up a lot throughout the course of the story and figures out what kind of a man he is because of Michael’s death. The whole experience changes him. I really enjoyed how this was written and it’s definitely one of those stories that’s worth checking out.
June 14, 2012
This book was a pleasure to read and experience. I wish I could remember how I found it, so I could properly thank the wonderful Goodreads friend who recommended it, and try to reciprocate with an equally charming book. The story starts with MC Ryan so smitten with his lovely classmate Emily that he tells his life long friend Michael (boys don't do bff's, sorry)he'll have to drive himself to Emily's sweet sixteen party so Ryan can get there early and maybe have a chance at conversing with Emily before she gets swept up in the festivities. When Michael does finally arrive, trashed with his scuzzball new friend Chase, Ryan tries to help his friend out, despite his egregious party manners, but things don't work out and Michael drives off alone. Cue the music for uh-oh, some bad stuff is about to happen. When it does, Ryan blames himself, especially his desire to be with Emily, for Michael's death. Ryan has some other issues to deal with too. His parents are emotionally and physically absent, leaving Michael and his charming twin second grade sisters alone most of the time with their surrogate parent, Rosaria, the housekeeper of their Hollywood mega mansion (I hope she has help, this sounds like one of those places where dusting is a full time job!) Academically, he's in a bit of a slump, and he gave up on tennis after Michael's earlier overdose drove an even deeper wedge between Ryan and the fam. Speaking of tennis, Michael's brief encounter with Chrissie, the cute aspiring actress who works in the pro shop, has left some complications. Ryan sees helping Chrissie as a way to redeem himself for failing his friend, but things get complicated. As his reluctant relationship with Emily deepens (he doesn't deserve to be happy, when M is dead!), the conflicting commitments he's made pull him in different and demanding directions.
Not that many YA books like this (a family drama, coming of age with romantic overtones) feature a male protagonist, so that is a refreshing change. It's always great, to me, to know what the guy is thinking, they are usually so opaque, and to be left wondering what is on the girl's mind. Ryan is a great character, he initially comes across as a little too good to be true, but as you come to know him you begin to understand where his maturity and seriousness have come from. The way the romance develops with Emily is sweet and tender, and yes, very intense. The supporting characters are interesting, well developed and real feeling (Emily's father, especially is quite the piece of work), and contribute to the rich immersive world the author creates. Seeing Ryan find his way as he tries to do the right thing (and it's not easy sometimes to figure out what that is!), is touching and draws you deeply into the world of the story. This is really a wonderful book, and I urge you to give yourself over to the pleasure of enjoying it!
I read this under the name "Loving Emily," a couple of months ago, and Anne let me know that she's changed the title and the cover. The passage of time has only confirmed my initial enthusiasm and enjoyment of this one, whatever it's called. Nice new cover, btw!
Not that many YA books like this (a family drama, coming of age with romantic overtones) feature a male protagonist, so that is a refreshing change. It's always great, to me, to know what the guy is thinking, they are usually so opaque, and to be left wondering what is on the girl's mind. Ryan is a great character, he initially comes across as a little too good to be true, but as you come to know him you begin to understand where his maturity and seriousness have come from. The way the romance develops with Emily is sweet and tender, and yes, very intense. The supporting characters are interesting, well developed and real feeling (Emily's father, especially is quite the piece of work), and contribute to the rich immersive world the author creates. Seeing Ryan find his way as he tries to do the right thing (and it's not easy sometimes to figure out what that is!), is touching and draws you deeply into the world of the story. This is really a wonderful book, and I urge you to give yourself over to the pleasure of enjoying it!
I read this under the name "Loving Emily," a couple of months ago, and Anne let me know that she's changed the title and the cover. The passage of time has only confirmed my initial enthusiasm and enjoyment of this one, whatever it's called. Nice new cover, btw!
December 11, 2012
Ryan Mills is pretty much like any other high school junior--in love with a beautiful, unattainable girl, best friends with guy who is like a brother, and no real clue about what he wants to do with his future. But one thing's different--his dad is an Oscar winning director, and neither of his parents are ever home. Ryan therefore has a particularly difficult time dealing with the accidental death of his best friend, Michael.
Then Ryan learns that Michael had a few secrets...and one of them is something that will change Ryan's life drastically. Ryan definitely did not dream of passing his junior year of high school in such a stressful way.
I must admit I was hooked on this book at the very beginning, as events moved quickly. But after Michael's death, the plot rather dragged for me. However, events improves towards the end, and I ended up enjoying this novel a great deal.
Ryan is a truly great guy, especially for a sixteen year old. He does harbor some resentment towards his parents, but after his explanation of why, I don't blame him. Even though his father is a world-famous director, Ryan is not a pretentious jerk. After Michael's death, he blames himself and feels he has some sort of cosmic debt to pay. I have a feeling that even before his best friend's death, he was still a nice kid, though.
I thought that Ryan and Emily's relationship moved sort of fast, and in the end I was happy with how things were between them. It felt like real life. I think the author has a gift for that; the whole time I was reading, I had no problems believing I was in the head of a teenage boy...and all the things that entails!
I loved that the plot dealt with so many intense moments that the majority of teens have to go through: fighting with your parents, losing your virginity, trying drugs, and much more. There were lots of really intense moments, but there were also some funny ones. The book had a great balance.
This book was about so much more than dealing with the death of a lifelong friend. Ryan grew a great deal throughout the course of the book, and I am truly impressed with the man he was growing into. I have no doubt that he will go on to do great things, independently of his father's name.
I commend the author for writing such a gripping novel, and I would be happy to read anything else released by her!
Then Ryan learns that Michael had a few secrets...and one of them is something that will change Ryan's life drastically. Ryan definitely did not dream of passing his junior year of high school in such a stressful way.
I must admit I was hooked on this book at the very beginning, as events moved quickly. But after Michael's death, the plot rather dragged for me. However, events improves towards the end, and I ended up enjoying this novel a great deal.
Ryan is a truly great guy, especially for a sixteen year old. He does harbor some resentment towards his parents, but after his explanation of why, I don't blame him. Even though his father is a world-famous director, Ryan is not a pretentious jerk. After Michael's death, he blames himself and feels he has some sort of cosmic debt to pay. I have a feeling that even before his best friend's death, he was still a nice kid, though.
I thought that Ryan and Emily's relationship moved sort of fast, and in the end I was happy with how things were between them. It felt like real life. I think the author has a gift for that; the whole time I was reading, I had no problems believing I was in the head of a teenage boy...and all the things that entails!
I loved that the plot dealt with so many intense moments that the majority of teens have to go through: fighting with your parents, losing your virginity, trying drugs, and much more. There were lots of really intense moments, but there were also some funny ones. The book had a great balance.
This book was about so much more than dealing with the death of a lifelong friend. Ryan grew a great deal throughout the course of the book, and I am truly impressed with the man he was growing into. I have no doubt that he will go on to do great things, independently of his father's name.
I commend the author for writing such a gripping novel, and I would be happy to read anything else released by her!
December 24, 2011
I failed to win this book from Goodreads, so I decided to take a look at a few free chapters from Amazon. I was interested enough to give it a try.
By the middle of the book, I was impressed. At first, I wasn't sure about if I believed Ryan as a protagonist, but by the end, I was drawn in to his development, strength of character, and his overall journey from a typical 16 year old guy without direction to someone with goals and immense growth. I was moved. More than I could ever expect. I loved his interactions with Chrissie, which to me I think she was probably more of the female protagonist than the brief wisp of Emily.
I thought the interactions with his family were dealt very well, and his grief and guilt over Michael, poignantly handled.
I do agree with another reviewer who mentioned that "Loving Emily" as a title didn't really fit with this book. I'm not sure what it should have been titled, but I don't think it did the book justice.
My other surprising favorite relationship was that of Ryan and Jonathan. Their brief conversations together really touched me, perhaps more than anything else in the book.
I'm actually hoping that Ryan will find someone other than Emily who can match him in growth and character.
I was very impressed by this book and the writing. Strongly written and many times beautiful. I will definitely follow this promising author's work from now on!
By the middle of the book, I was impressed. At first, I wasn't sure about if I believed Ryan as a protagonist, but by the end, I was drawn in to his development, strength of character, and his overall journey from a typical 16 year old guy without direction to someone with goals and immense growth. I was moved. More than I could ever expect. I loved his interactions with Chrissie, which to me I think she was probably more of the female protagonist than the brief wisp of Emily.
I thought the interactions with his family were dealt very well, and his grief and guilt over Michael, poignantly handled.
I do agree with another reviewer who mentioned that "Loving Emily" as a title didn't really fit with this book. I'm not sure what it should have been titled, but I don't think it did the book justice.
My other surprising favorite relationship was that of Ryan and Jonathan. Their brief conversations together really touched me, perhaps more than anything else in the book.
I'm actually hoping that Ryan will find someone other than Emily who can match him in growth and character.
I was very impressed by this book and the writing. Strongly written and many times beautiful. I will definitely follow this promising author's work from now on!
March 10, 2013
Any Other Night was a nice novel, mostly due to the male narrator, one who throws in bits of humor even in the darkest moments. Despite the fact that Any Other Night deals with very difficult topics, it never gets too depressing, and as the story progresses, it turns into a tale of hope for all parties involved.
Ryan was an interesting character to follow. I liked watching him grow and finding himself, though I can't say I would support him in his decisions regarding Emily. The romance starts out sweet, grows stronger, only to fall flat in a crucial moment. I am not sure I would want a person like Emily come back to me, as Ryan wishes her to do.
One of my greatest problems was the cast. I always feel detached from super-rich characters, and Any Other Night is brimming over with such. So I didn't feel much sympathy after some great revelations, especially given the history of family relations.
The parts that got me were the memories of the friendship with Michael and Ryan's grief. These passages felt most sincere. While I wish the other characters were more fleshed out, I liked Ryan and Chrissie, who felt like a breath of fresh air, and these are the things that make reading Any Other Night worth the while.
Ryan was an interesting character to follow. I liked watching him grow and finding himself, though I can't say I would support him in his decisions regarding Emily. The romance starts out sweet, grows stronger, only to fall flat in a crucial moment. I am not sure I would want a person like Emily come back to me, as Ryan wishes her to do.
One of my greatest problems was the cast. I always feel detached from super-rich characters, and Any Other Night is brimming over with such. So I didn't feel much sympathy after some great revelations, especially given the history of family relations.
The parts that got me were the memories of the friendship with Michael and Ryan's grief. These passages felt most sincere. While I wish the other characters were more fleshed out, I liked Ryan and Chrissie, who felt like a breath of fresh air, and these are the things that make reading Any Other Night worth the while.
June 11, 2012
***Originally reviewed as Loving Emily, the book's original title. The review stands as is since none of the content inside the book changed.***
This book was so amazingly fantastic that I am still working on picking my jaw up off the floor. I have tried time and time again to come up with the perfect words to describe what I am feeling and all I can say that this story is bitter-sweet in the best way possible. It was a beautiful, sad story. It was also a complex, happy story. It definitely made me cry, but it sure as heck made me laugh too. It left me feeling happy and completely in love with Ryan but also a bit sad that some of it all wasn’t just a bad dream. Really, if you ask me, any book that pushes you through so many emotions in such a short amount of time is bound to be a good one. I knew from the very first moment I was entered into Ryan's world, I would love everything about it. Every character was so well-rounded and complex, that Anne could have easily written the story from any of their perspectives. We learn so much about so many people that you come to love and adore them by the time the story is over. The events flowed with perfect timing and it was just an all-around entertaining, tear-jerker of a story.
Ryan is your average 16-year-old guy with a very non-average life. He has his sights set on Emily, a girl he has been in love with for over a year. Ryan also has a best friend, Michael who is a bit of a mess but is ALWAYS there for Ryan. And then there's Ryan's family, an uber famous director for a father, twin sisters that keep him on his toes, a barely there mom, and Rosario, the house keeper that has practically raised them. Their family is unconventional to say the least and Ryan doesn't necessarily like it like that.
Ryan's life is complicated and there are things he would love to change about it, but for the most part it's going good especially when he just may have a chance with Emily. This is when disaster strikes. Ryan loses his best friend and convinces himself it is his entire fault. Things progress with Emily but there is still this guilt lingering over Ryan that holds him back. Then an unexpected person, Chrissie, becomes one of the most important things to him because she just may be carrying Michael's baby. So of course if you enter another girl into the picture, the new girlfriend would obviously get jealous. Jealous girlfriends, complicated situations, more responsibility than anyone should have to handle, plus a debt that Ryan thinks he must pay off to earn his good Karma back. Yeah, and you thought it sounded like a sticky situation before?
Anne created a character you will love, I mean totally and completely love. I am the older sister to three boys so I am fairly certain I know how they act and I can guess what they are thinking. For someone who has no sons, Anne wrote the male character perfectly. Ryan’s voice was so strong throughout the story. It was like getting inside the head of a real-life teenage boy. He is a genuine guy; he is kind and is always trying to do the right thing no matter how screwed up his life gets in the end. He has so much potential to be something great and wonderful, you just spend the whole book wondering when he will realize it too. The love he has over his sisters, Ro, Michael, Emily, Chrissie, and even the baby just astounded me. He has the best of intentions but things just never seemed to work out for him. My heart truly went out to Ryan because of this. I wanted to take away the guilt over Michael's death, I wanted things to just work out with Emily, I wanted to be there to comfort him as he felt like a zamboni was driving over his chest. He seemed real to me, he acted just like a 16 year-old boy would and I can't say I've seen one done better than Ryan. Anne truly did such an amazing job with this character.
Okay, now that you see how much I can gush about just one character, just imagine what I can say about every other character! Some of them may not have been my favorite but they seemed real and alive to me so that’s enough reason to at least mention them!
Michael is one character you really get to know which sounds odd because he is the only one who is technically not there. I think I would have loved Michael regardless of his screwed up life. He was confident and easy-going. He loosened Ryan up and let his own confidence rub off on him. I think he made Ryan a stronger person whether he knew it or not. Anne put so much of Michael into this story that I eventually began to miss him even though I never even knew him. I just felt like I did. He was a great person with a troubled life. I can see why Ryan was so crushed by his death not only because Michael was his best friend, but because Michael was a truly great friend to lose.
Emily is another character you learn a lot about. I must say, I didn’t like her as much as I loved the other characters but I am kind of thinking that is the way it is supposed to be. She is sweet, super smart, and really good for Ryan. She helps pick up the broken pieces of him after Michael’s death so naturally I love her for that. But where Ryan is strong, selfless, and responsible, Emily is selfish, jealous, and thinks of her own feelings more than Ryan’s. Ryan tries so hard to be there for everyone so when he spends a little less time with Emily, she throws a fit about it. At first I got really irritated but then I really thought about it. It’s not that she is spoiled and snobby, she is just a normal teenage girl and normal teenage girls want their boyfriend close by all the time; Emily is no different at all! The thought of another girl around, romantic relationship or not, is just too much for her handle sometimes and she really doesn't feel comfortable with the whole Chrissie situation. So there were moments where I really didn’t like Emily but I could still see why she appealed to Ryan so much. If her character were any different the story just wouldn’t work.
As for Ryan’s family, they were all incredible, maybe a bit screwed up, but still incredible. Every family is dysfunctional and Ryan’s is no different. I hated how distant and cold his parents were at first but the more you got to know about them, the more you can understand and sympathize. Yeah, what they did by ignoring their kids was never right, but just getting their side of the story surely helped my love for them in the end. Ryan’s sisters were so adorable! They looked up to their big brother so much it just made my heart melt. Any younger sibling can sometimes be a nuisance but Ryan always made time for his little sisters. Oh and we can’t forget about Ro, she is so amazing! She takes care of Ryan and his sisters as if they were her own. She is strict with them but I think that is what makes them all such great kids regardless of their flashy lifestyle.
I adored Chrissie throughout the whole book! She is a free spirit, someone who doesn’t let the bad times get her down, and when it comes down to it, she is the exact type of friend that Ryan needs. Chrissie is maybe a little too flippant for my own personal liking but it suits her character. She truly believes that things will turn out okay in the end and in her case they somehow do. I wouldn’t force her situation onto anyone (being pregnant at a young age, with the father of the baby dead) but she handles it with grace and ease, and of course the help of Ryan. She is like a bright ray of sunshine in this whole story. Ryan suffers a lot, and some of it is because of the situation that Chrissie and Michael have gotten him in, but she makes these tough times bearable for him.
I know that this review is all over the place but I am just hoping you guys can trust me on this one. You will LOVE this story. It was so great from start to finish. Every character was so well written whether I loved their personalities or not. And it has a beautiful message behind it! That is like a triple whammy in YA contemporary fiction! You will go through a slew of emotions while reading Loving Emily, it has some hysterical highs and depressing lows, but it makes the book that much better. I really couldn’t have picked a better book to start 2012 off with.
This book was so amazingly fantastic that I am still working on picking my jaw up off the floor. I have tried time and time again to come up with the perfect words to describe what I am feeling and all I can say that this story is bitter-sweet in the best way possible. It was a beautiful, sad story. It was also a complex, happy story. It definitely made me cry, but it sure as heck made me laugh too. It left me feeling happy and completely in love with Ryan but also a bit sad that some of it all wasn’t just a bad dream. Really, if you ask me, any book that pushes you through so many emotions in such a short amount of time is bound to be a good one. I knew from the very first moment I was entered into Ryan's world, I would love everything about it. Every character was so well-rounded and complex, that Anne could have easily written the story from any of their perspectives. We learn so much about so many people that you come to love and adore them by the time the story is over. The events flowed with perfect timing and it was just an all-around entertaining, tear-jerker of a story.
Ryan is your average 16-year-old guy with a very non-average life. He has his sights set on Emily, a girl he has been in love with for over a year. Ryan also has a best friend, Michael who is a bit of a mess but is ALWAYS there for Ryan. And then there's Ryan's family, an uber famous director for a father, twin sisters that keep him on his toes, a barely there mom, and Rosario, the house keeper that has practically raised them. Their family is unconventional to say the least and Ryan doesn't necessarily like it like that.
Ryan's life is complicated and there are things he would love to change about it, but for the most part it's going good especially when he just may have a chance with Emily. This is when disaster strikes. Ryan loses his best friend and convinces himself it is his entire fault. Things progress with Emily but there is still this guilt lingering over Ryan that holds him back. Then an unexpected person, Chrissie, becomes one of the most important things to him because she just may be carrying Michael's baby. So of course if you enter another girl into the picture, the new girlfriend would obviously get jealous. Jealous girlfriends, complicated situations, more responsibility than anyone should have to handle, plus a debt that Ryan thinks he must pay off to earn his good Karma back. Yeah, and you thought it sounded like a sticky situation before?
Anne created a character you will love, I mean totally and completely love. I am the older sister to three boys so I am fairly certain I know how they act and I can guess what they are thinking. For someone who has no sons, Anne wrote the male character perfectly. Ryan’s voice was so strong throughout the story. It was like getting inside the head of a real-life teenage boy. He is a genuine guy; he is kind and is always trying to do the right thing no matter how screwed up his life gets in the end. He has so much potential to be something great and wonderful, you just spend the whole book wondering when he will realize it too. The love he has over his sisters, Ro, Michael, Emily, Chrissie, and even the baby just astounded me. He has the best of intentions but things just never seemed to work out for him. My heart truly went out to Ryan because of this. I wanted to take away the guilt over Michael's death, I wanted things to just work out with Emily, I wanted to be there to comfort him as he felt like a zamboni was driving over his chest. He seemed real to me, he acted just like a 16 year-old boy would and I can't say I've seen one done better than Ryan. Anne truly did such an amazing job with this character.
Okay, now that you see how much I can gush about just one character, just imagine what I can say about every other character! Some of them may not have been my favorite but they seemed real and alive to me so that’s enough reason to at least mention them!
Michael is one character you really get to know which sounds odd because he is the only one who is technically not there. I think I would have loved Michael regardless of his screwed up life. He was confident and easy-going. He loosened Ryan up and let his own confidence rub off on him. I think he made Ryan a stronger person whether he knew it or not. Anne put so much of Michael into this story that I eventually began to miss him even though I never even knew him. I just felt like I did. He was a great person with a troubled life. I can see why Ryan was so crushed by his death not only because Michael was his best friend, but because Michael was a truly great friend to lose.
Emily is another character you learn a lot about. I must say, I didn’t like her as much as I loved the other characters but I am kind of thinking that is the way it is supposed to be. She is sweet, super smart, and really good for Ryan. She helps pick up the broken pieces of him after Michael’s death so naturally I love her for that. But where Ryan is strong, selfless, and responsible, Emily is selfish, jealous, and thinks of her own feelings more than Ryan’s. Ryan tries so hard to be there for everyone so when he spends a little less time with Emily, she throws a fit about it. At first I got really irritated but then I really thought about it. It’s not that she is spoiled and snobby, she is just a normal teenage girl and normal teenage girls want their boyfriend close by all the time; Emily is no different at all! The thought of another girl around, romantic relationship or not, is just too much for her handle sometimes and she really doesn't feel comfortable with the whole Chrissie situation. So there were moments where I really didn’t like Emily but I could still see why she appealed to Ryan so much. If her character were any different the story just wouldn’t work.
As for Ryan’s family, they were all incredible, maybe a bit screwed up, but still incredible. Every family is dysfunctional and Ryan’s is no different. I hated how distant and cold his parents were at first but the more you got to know about them, the more you can understand and sympathize. Yeah, what they did by ignoring their kids was never right, but just getting their side of the story surely helped my love for them in the end. Ryan’s sisters were so adorable! They looked up to their big brother so much it just made my heart melt. Any younger sibling can sometimes be a nuisance but Ryan always made time for his little sisters. Oh and we can’t forget about Ro, she is so amazing! She takes care of Ryan and his sisters as if they were her own. She is strict with them but I think that is what makes them all such great kids regardless of their flashy lifestyle.
I adored Chrissie throughout the whole book! She is a free spirit, someone who doesn’t let the bad times get her down, and when it comes down to it, she is the exact type of friend that Ryan needs. Chrissie is maybe a little too flippant for my own personal liking but it suits her character. She truly believes that things will turn out okay in the end and in her case they somehow do. I wouldn’t force her situation onto anyone (being pregnant at a young age, with the father of the baby dead) but she handles it with grace and ease, and of course the help of Ryan. She is like a bright ray of sunshine in this whole story. Ryan suffers a lot, and some of it is because of the situation that Chrissie and Michael have gotten him in, but she makes these tough times bearable for him.
I know that this review is all over the place but I am just hoping you guys can trust me on this one. You will LOVE this story. It was so great from start to finish. Every character was so well written whether I loved their personalities or not. And it has a beautiful message behind it! That is like a triple whammy in YA contemporary fiction! You will go through a slew of emotions while reading Loving Emily, it has some hysterical highs and depressing lows, but it makes the book that much better. I really couldn’t have picked a better book to start 2012 off with.
December 22, 2011
To say I had low expectations for Loving Emily is an understatement - the melodramatic cover with the creepy guy in the back; the too-long description; everything about this book screams small publishing - you know, not enough editing, too many typos, etc. And while it's far from perfect, I ended up really, really enjoying Loving Emily!
Honestly, I think the cover, title, and description are kind of misleading. They make it seem like the main storyline is the romance between Ryan and Emily. But for me, that's not the most important part at all - it's a coming-of-age story, it's about family, it's about grief, and yes, it's about love. But I don't like how the title and cover let you believe it's just romance.
Ryan is a good character. He's easy to relate to and a really sweet guy. He's always trying to do the right thing, and you can't help but feel for him and want the best for him. There are a few scenes, though, where the male point-of-view is a little unrealistic, in my opinion. Yes, it's LA, so maybe it's different, but I still thought the descriptions of appearance were a little strange - I don't think it's realistic for a guy to notice what color shoes people are wearing. But then again, what do I know about being a guy?
The family's situation is a storyline I really enjoyed reading about. Ryan's dad is a famous director, so he and Ryan's mom are almost never home, and Ryan has two adorable younger sisters. I really liked reading about how the situation affected Ryan and how it developed throughout the novel.
I also liked the grief-storyline. Ryan and Michael's friendship is portrayed realistically and relatably, and Michael's grief is heart-felt and honest.
The romance is the only storyline I had a problem with - maybe it's because the romance is the storyline I enjoyed the least that I mind how the cover, title and description focus on that. Anyways, the romance is a little too insta-love for me, and I think it's unrealistic how quickly the two develop such strong feelings for one another. Emily's character fell flat for me, and I feel like the reader never really got to know her. Yes, she has some interests and character traits, but her portrayal is too superficial, in my opinion. Since I never really got her as a character, I had a hard time relating to Ryan's and her relationship.
I also don't get why, in the beginning, Ryan wants to keep himself from falling for Emily. He says abandoning Michael when needing him gave him bad karma, so he needs to do a lot of good to make up for that, which makes sense, but somehow, he thinks he can't be with Emily because it would mean getting even more bad karma. I'm no expert on karma, but... why would falling in love be bad karma?
My favorite storyline is one I can't talk about without spoiling the book - I really liked reading about Michael's secret, the "unfinished business." The storyline and the relationship that comes from this secret seemed a lot deeper and more realistic than Ryan's relationship with Emily, if I'm being honest.
But none of those storylines is what I liked best about Loving Emily - it's the coming-of-age and Ryan's character growth. I loved reading about how he grows as a person and figured out who he is.
I can't justify giving Loving Emily more than three stars because I did have some problems with it - it could have used some more editing and copyediting, the whole story is a little-drawn out, so it got boring in places (it's only 276 pages, but the font is really small compared to most YA books, so it's actually pretty long), and I didn't like the romance. But still, I really enjoyed Loving Emily, a lot more than I thought I would. A good protagonist and a nice cast of secondary characters and an interesting plot make this a great coming-of-age story. This is the kind of book that makes me happy to be a book-blogger - it's great to know I can promote a good book people probably haven't heard much about.
Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...
Honestly, I think the cover, title, and description are kind of misleading. They make it seem like the main storyline is the romance between Ryan and Emily. But for me, that's not the most important part at all - it's a coming-of-age story, it's about family, it's about grief, and yes, it's about love. But I don't like how the title and cover let you believe it's just romance.
Ryan is a good character. He's easy to relate to and a really sweet guy. He's always trying to do the right thing, and you can't help but feel for him and want the best for him. There are a few scenes, though, where the male point-of-view is a little unrealistic, in my opinion. Yes, it's LA, so maybe it's different, but I still thought the descriptions of appearance were a little strange - I don't think it's realistic for a guy to notice what color shoes people are wearing. But then again, what do I know about being a guy?
The family's situation is a storyline I really enjoyed reading about. Ryan's dad is a famous director, so he and Ryan's mom are almost never home, and Ryan has two adorable younger sisters. I really liked reading about how the situation affected Ryan and how it developed throughout the novel.
I also liked the grief-storyline. Ryan and Michael's friendship is portrayed realistically and relatably, and Michael's grief is heart-felt and honest.
The romance is the only storyline I had a problem with - maybe it's because the romance is the storyline I enjoyed the least that I mind how the cover, title and description focus on that. Anyways, the romance is a little too insta-love for me, and I think it's unrealistic how quickly the two develop such strong feelings for one another. Emily's character fell flat for me, and I feel like the reader never really got to know her. Yes, she has some interests and character traits, but her portrayal is too superficial, in my opinion. Since I never really got her as a character, I had a hard time relating to Ryan's and her relationship.
I also don't get why, in the beginning, Ryan wants to keep himself from falling for Emily. He says abandoning Michael when needing him gave him bad karma, so he needs to do a lot of good to make up for that, which makes sense, but somehow, he thinks he can't be with Emily because it would mean getting even more bad karma. I'm no expert on karma, but... why would falling in love be bad karma?
My favorite storyline is one I can't talk about without spoiling the book - I really liked reading about Michael's secret, the "unfinished business." The storyline and the relationship that comes from this secret seemed a lot deeper and more realistic than Ryan's relationship with Emily, if I'm being honest.
But none of those storylines is what I liked best about Loving Emily - it's the coming-of-age and Ryan's character growth. I loved reading about how he grows as a person and figured out who he is.
I can't justify giving Loving Emily more than three stars because I did have some problems with it - it could have used some more editing and copyediting, the whole story is a little-drawn out, so it got boring in places (it's only 276 pages, but the font is really small compared to most YA books, so it's actually pretty long), and I didn't like the romance. But still, I really enjoyed Loving Emily, a lot more than I thought I would. A good protagonist and a nice cast of secondary characters and an interesting plot make this a great coming-of-age story. This is the kind of book that makes me happy to be a book-blogger - it's great to know I can promote a good book people probably haven't heard much about.
Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...
December 16, 2012
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Ryan's life is falling apart and there is nothing he can do about it. Left bereft by his friend's death, his growing feelings for Emily make him feel bad, like he is betraying Michael's memory. Add in the fact that Mitchael had a potent secret, and you have a potent, enjoyable, teenage read.
Pfeffer has a good mix of past and present at the beginning of the novel to really expose what Michael was like when he was alive, and why he meant so much to the protagonist.
Opening a novel on a party scene, even one with a seemingly Mexican theme is a pretty thrilling beginning! It won me over, and I had to keep reading.
By avoiding introducing the fact that Ryan is a rich boy (except the mention of his car) until after the party, we sort of see more clearly that he is more than just a rich white guy who likes girls and partying. By the time I read that section, I already liked him too much and couldn't be too prejudiced against him for his parents.
The Chrissie storyline really forced Ryan to grow up, to become more responsible. The theme of not knowing what you are going to do with your life and being anxious about it is one that would resonate with many teenagers and young adults.
Grief and denial play a heavy role in Ryan's life. These feelings are mied with the attraction he feels towards Emily. Ryan treats his parents like crap, and you know there must be a reason behind that, but nothing is made certain. Tidbits of information are fed to the reader at just the right time to enhance our understanding.
The use of drugs in this novel is not glamorised in any way. It seems horrifically easy how these teenagers are able to get them though. So many lives potentially wasted. I would have said the thrills of drugs weren't worth any of the other problems associated with their use, and this novel definitely confirms it.
I read this novel before having seen the cover, and now that I do see it, it makes it seem a bit like it's more a romance than anything, but that's not true! It has depth and detail, and makes you want to read more. The new title of 'Any Other Night' is far more appropriate than 'Loving Emily'.
This novel is a gem, particularly for the reluctant teenage male reader. I'm not saying girls won't enjoy it too, just that it might be a good option for males. For me, this is in the realms of Brent Runyon's amazing writing. I look forward to further novels from Pfeffer.
Ryan's life is falling apart and there is nothing he can do about it. Left bereft by his friend's death, his growing feelings for Emily make him feel bad, like he is betraying Michael's memory. Add in the fact that Mitchael had a potent secret, and you have a potent, enjoyable, teenage read.
Pfeffer has a good mix of past and present at the beginning of the novel to really expose what Michael was like when he was alive, and why he meant so much to the protagonist.
Opening a novel on a party scene, even one with a seemingly Mexican theme is a pretty thrilling beginning! It won me over, and I had to keep reading.
By avoiding introducing the fact that Ryan is a rich boy (except the mention of his car) until after the party, we sort of see more clearly that he is more than just a rich white guy who likes girls and partying. By the time I read that section, I already liked him too much and couldn't be too prejudiced against him for his parents.
The Chrissie storyline really forced Ryan to grow up, to become more responsible. The theme of not knowing what you are going to do with your life and being anxious about it is one that would resonate with many teenagers and young adults.
Grief and denial play a heavy role in Ryan's life. These feelings are mied with the attraction he feels towards Emily. Ryan treats his parents like crap, and you know there must be a reason behind that, but nothing is made certain. Tidbits of information are fed to the reader at just the right time to enhance our understanding.
The use of drugs in this novel is not glamorised in any way. It seems horrifically easy how these teenagers are able to get them though. So many lives potentially wasted. I would have said the thrills of drugs weren't worth any of the other problems associated with their use, and this novel definitely confirms it.
I read this novel before having seen the cover, and now that I do see it, it makes it seem a bit like it's more a romance than anything, but that's not true! It has depth and detail, and makes you want to read more. The new title of 'Any Other Night' is far more appropriate than 'Loving Emily'.
This novel is a gem, particularly for the reluctant teenage male reader. I'm not saying girls won't enjoy it too, just that it might be a good option for males. For me, this is in the realms of Brent Runyon's amazing writing. I look forward to further novels from Pfeffer.
October 20, 2011
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS AT READING, EATING AND DREAMING I WAS BLAIR WALDORF
**Loving Emily was given to me by the author for an honest review.**
Well, I must say that this novel surprised me. Loving Emily wasn’t your typical young adult romance. It was a realistic young adult novel that included a sweet romance, but it was also packed with relatable experiences and challenges that young adults face in today’s world. I went into this story expecting the romance between Ryan and Emily to be the novel’s focal point, but after reading this novel, I realize that this story highlights some issues that are even more important: the aftermath of a big loss, struggling with guilt, addictions, realizing and reaching your full potential, following your dreams, just getting by v. doing your best, taking what you are given v. working for something more, doing the right thing even when its hard and more.
Ryan’s struggles are significant and relatable. Death is a hard thing to cope with. Dealing with your best friends death is even harder. And blaming yourself for the death of your best friend must be the absolute hardest things to deal with. I can’t even imagine. Loving Emily was an inspiring novel, and young adults who suffer from their own guilt or grief can really take away from this novel.
The male point-of-view made this novel. I really loved Ryan’s character, his voice, and the way his mind worked. Ryan blames himself for his best friend’s death. Ryan doesn’t think he deserves to be happy or to have anything good in life because Michael isn’t able to have those things anymore. Ryan falls into a really hard spot when Emily, the girl that Ryan has had a crush on for years, starts to show interest in him. Ryan is torn considering how he feels about Emily:
“If girls were flames, most girls would be a single match, a mere Bic lighter. Emily, on the other hand, would be an inferno- a raging, thousand-acre forest fire.” – Excerpt from Loving Emily
The romance between the two main characters, Emily and Ryan, was sweet and unique. Their relationship felt very real to me. It wasn’t too much too fast; it progresses at a realistic pace. I think young adults will be able to identify with a lot of the challenges they face in their relationship.
I gave Loving Emily by Anne Pfeffer 3 STARS (3.5 STARS). This was a really good read, and I highly recommend this book to young adults.
-XOXO
READING, EATING AND DREAMING
**Loving Emily was given to me by the author for an honest review.**
Well, I must say that this novel surprised me. Loving Emily wasn’t your typical young adult romance. It was a realistic young adult novel that included a sweet romance, but it was also packed with relatable experiences and challenges that young adults face in today’s world. I went into this story expecting the romance between Ryan and Emily to be the novel’s focal point, but after reading this novel, I realize that this story highlights some issues that are even more important: the aftermath of a big loss, struggling with guilt, addictions, realizing and reaching your full potential, following your dreams, just getting by v. doing your best, taking what you are given v. working for something more, doing the right thing even when its hard and more.
Ryan’s struggles are significant and relatable. Death is a hard thing to cope with. Dealing with your best friends death is even harder. And blaming yourself for the death of your best friend must be the absolute hardest things to deal with. I can’t even imagine. Loving Emily was an inspiring novel, and young adults who suffer from their own guilt or grief can really take away from this novel.
The male point-of-view made this novel. I really loved Ryan’s character, his voice, and the way his mind worked. Ryan blames himself for his best friend’s death. Ryan doesn’t think he deserves to be happy or to have anything good in life because Michael isn’t able to have those things anymore. Ryan falls into a really hard spot when Emily, the girl that Ryan has had a crush on for years, starts to show interest in him. Ryan is torn considering how he feels about Emily:
“If girls were flames, most girls would be a single match, a mere Bic lighter. Emily, on the other hand, would be an inferno- a raging, thousand-acre forest fire.” – Excerpt from Loving Emily
The romance between the two main characters, Emily and Ryan, was sweet and unique. Their relationship felt very real to me. It wasn’t too much too fast; it progresses at a realistic pace. I think young adults will be able to identify with a lot of the challenges they face in their relationship.
I gave Loving Emily by Anne Pfeffer 3 STARS (3.5 STARS). This was a really good read, and I highly recommend this book to young adults.
-XOXO
READING, EATING AND DREAMING
November 28, 2012
Any Other Night by Anne Pfeffer is so much more than a love story. It's a story of first love, heartache, and guilt. Ryan has been in love with Emily ever since he saw her dog giving her big, wet puppy smooches in front of the school while he was waiting for a ride. As he says,
“I would trust a dog's judgement. This girl had to be excellent.” {Any Other Night, Chapter 2}
I knew right from that moment that I would enjoy this book. Who doesn't love a guy who develops a crush based on the girl's dog? That's seriously cute.
Ryan broke my heart, while at the same time making me fall in love with him. After a tragic accident, he feels guilty for loving Emily, for wanting to talk to her. But it's his love for Emily and his own moral code (even if he doesn't realize it) that helps him overcome his grief and set him on a road of healing.
Emily has that adorable girl-next-door kind of vibe to her. Sometimes in books told from a guy's point of view, the love interest can come off shallow. "She's so pretty" or "She's so perfect." But Emily doesn't come off that way. Emily is smart and cute and her relationship with Ryan actually brought tears to my eyes at times. She could get on my nerves on occasion (Give Ryan a break, girl!), but nothing that made me dislike her.
Any Other Night was a roller coaster from start to finish, making me feel like an emotional mess. Right off the bat it drags you in with a terribly realistic turn of fate that sets off a chain of events that will leave you rooting for love to save the day. There are scenes containing sex and drugs in this novel, so it's not for the younger set, but it doesn't detract from the novel at all. I'd recommend this for readers who enjoyed books like Beautiful Disaster and Easy.
“I would trust a dog's judgement. This girl had to be excellent.” {Any Other Night, Chapter 2}
I knew right from that moment that I would enjoy this book. Who doesn't love a guy who develops a crush based on the girl's dog? That's seriously cute.
Ryan broke my heart, while at the same time making me fall in love with him. After a tragic accident, he feels guilty for loving Emily, for wanting to talk to her. But it's his love for Emily and his own moral code (even if he doesn't realize it) that helps him overcome his grief and set him on a road of healing.
Emily has that adorable girl-next-door kind of vibe to her. Sometimes in books told from a guy's point of view, the love interest can come off shallow. "She's so pretty" or "She's so perfect." But Emily doesn't come off that way. Emily is smart and cute and her relationship with Ryan actually brought tears to my eyes at times. She could get on my nerves on occasion (Give Ryan a break, girl!), but nothing that made me dislike her.
Any Other Night was a roller coaster from start to finish, making me feel like an emotional mess. Right off the bat it drags you in with a terribly realistic turn of fate that sets off a chain of events that will leave you rooting for love to save the day. There are scenes containing sex and drugs in this novel, so it's not for the younger set, but it doesn't detract from the novel at all. I'd recommend this for readers who enjoyed books like Beautiful Disaster and Easy.
January 27, 2014
So this is one of those books I bought a long time ago because it sounded good, and the reviews were great. But I never could remember what it was about and just kept thinking it was another one of those cookie cutter "New Adult" (even though technically it doesn't meet classifications for that genre) type stories.
But I for some reason I decided what the heck, I'm going to get to it sooner or later. And boy did I get a lot more than I was expecting. It's not cookie cutter. It's well written, with just enough character detail to give it dimension, while not being too overbearing. You feel what Ryan is feeling, but at the same time you almost want to smack him for being such an idiot. It's an intense story that really explores that sense of kinship we sometimes feel with our best friend. And just how far we're willing to go for them.
The one thing I will say is that while most people may feel that the content may be a little risque for some young adult readers, the content is nothing that doesn't come up in the course of a high schooler's life. Maybe not directly, but at some point they hear about it. The instances of it in the story I think are handled very realistically. Overall I really enjoyed this one. I have so few criticisms, that while it didn't blow me totally away (I usually reserve 5 stars for those) it was SO close that I give it a solid 4.5 stars.
But I for some reason I decided what the heck, I'm going to get to it sooner or later. And boy did I get a lot more than I was expecting. It's not cookie cutter. It's well written, with just enough character detail to give it dimension, while not being too overbearing. You feel what Ryan is feeling, but at the same time you almost want to smack him for being such an idiot. It's an intense story that really explores that sense of kinship we sometimes feel with our best friend. And just how far we're willing to go for them.
The one thing I will say is that while most people may feel that the content may be a little risque for some young adult readers, the content is nothing that doesn't come up in the course of a high schooler's life. Maybe not directly, but at some point they hear about it. The instances of it in the story I think are handled very realistically. Overall I really enjoyed this one. I have so few criticisms, that while it didn't blow me totally away (I usually reserve 5 stars for those) it was SO close that I give it a solid 4.5 stars.
September 23, 2013
I wanted to love this book, I really did. But I just...didn't. That's not saying it was horrible, it just wasn't for me. I couldn't connect to Ryan. His voice did nothing for me. I felt bad for the things he went through, but that was the extent of it. I come across so many books that I just love and wanna live in their stories. But this one, I started it, I put it down, I forgot about it. And then looking through my kindle, I saw it and remembered I started it but didn't finish it. And not just once, but maybe twice, or three times. I cant remember now. So I read it some more, hoping I'd get sucked into the story enough to finish. But sadly, I put it down and once again forgot about it.
I hate when I read a book that doesn't touch my heart, my soul enough to care to finish it. I'm an emotional person and yet I didn't feel emotionally invested in Ryan's story. Sorry Ryan, it's not entirely your fault. I just needed a gripping, engaging story that holds onto me and doesn't let go. Maybe it was just me. Who knows? And everyone that knows me, knows how much I favor the guy's pov over the females. So that sucked to not fully enjoy it. But we can't like 'em all I suppose.
Even though this book had its moments and even though it didn't work for me, hopefully it'll work for others.
I hate when I read a book that doesn't touch my heart, my soul enough to care to finish it. I'm an emotional person and yet I didn't feel emotionally invested in Ryan's story. Sorry Ryan, it's not entirely your fault. I just needed a gripping, engaging story that holds onto me and doesn't let go. Maybe it was just me. Who knows? And everyone that knows me, knows how much I favor the guy's pov over the females. So that sucked to not fully enjoy it. But we can't like 'em all I suppose.
Even though this book had its moments and even though it didn't work for me, hopefully it'll work for others.
June 1, 2012
I read this when I won this as an arc when it was published as "Loving Emily." I couldn't resist the urge to tell people about this book, so I'm reposting my review here.
I couldn't even imagine going through what Ryan does.
This was one of the only times I empathized and connected with a male character. Normally, I feel disconnected because I just can't relate to the guy, but that wasn't the case here.
I even shed some tears, and I was honestly rooting for Ryan the entire time.
Though, Emily was not my favorite character (maybe because I actually liked the fictional guy?), but at the same time, I understood where she was coming from. She was scared, and Ryan showed responsibility beyond his years.
This is one of those books I think teens should read.
The emotions were raw.
The problems were real.
And everyone was relatable; no one was perfect.
I couldn't even imagine going through what Ryan does.
This was one of the only times I empathized and connected with a male character. Normally, I feel disconnected because I just can't relate to the guy, but that wasn't the case here.
I even shed some tears, and I was honestly rooting for Ryan the entire time.
Though, Emily was not my favorite character (maybe because I actually liked the fictional guy?), but at the same time, I understood where she was coming from. She was scared, and Ryan showed responsibility beyond his years.
This is one of those books I think teens should read.
The emotions were raw.
The problems were real.
And everyone was relatable; no one was perfect.
December 6, 2012
Anne pens "Any Other Night" a story about a boy coming of age and life's difficulties he endures. The plot flowed smoothly making it a nice easy read and Anne's characters were believable and easy to relate to. Actually I did not find the content to be offensive, but be warned there is language, non-explicit sexual activity and talk about drugs. Recommended for older teens and adults.
This review is based on a complimentary copy which was provided for an honest review.
This review is based on a complimentary copy which was provided for an honest review.
February 13, 2012
A great YA novel. Ryan and Emily are great characters with a dept of emotions and great chemisty together but I also found that the author still made time for the side characters and made them just as important. I would love to read more for Ryan and Emily so fingers crossed for a second book but if not Loving Emily ended in nearly a perfect way.
May 22, 2012
I liked this book more and more as I got into it. I really liked reading the book from Ryan's POV and seeing him go through the death of his friend. I thought there was good plot and character development as well as an emotional aspect throughout the book!
January 11, 2012
Soldier Rock.
February 4, 2012
It was really well written and I really liked the story behind it... just make sure you're a teen! :) Otherwise, it was really good.
January 9, 2012
This book was so amazingly fantastic that I am still working on picking my jaw up off the floor. I have tried time and time again to come up with the perfect words to describe what I am feeling and all I can say that this story is bitter-sweet in the best way possible. It was a beautiful, sad story. It was also a complex, happy story. It definitely made me cry, but it sure as heck made me laugh too. It left me feeling happy and completely in love with Ryan but also a bit sad that some of it all wasn’t just a bad dream. Really, if you ask me, any book that pushes you through so many emotions in such a short amount of time is bound to be a good one. I knew from the very first moment I was entered into Ryan’s world, I would love everything about it. Every character was so well-rounded and complex, that Anne could have easily written the story from any of their perspectives. We learn so much about so many people that you come to love and adore them by the time the story is over. The events flowed with perfect timing and it was just an all-around entertaining, tear-jerker of a story.
Ryan is your average 16-year-old guy with a very non-average life. He has his sights set on Emily, a girl he has been in love with for over a year. Ryan also has a best friend, Michael who is a bit of a mess but is ALWAYS there for Ryan. And then there’s Ryan’s family, an uber famous director for a father, twin sisters that keep him on his toes, a barely there mom, and Rosario, the house keeper that has practically raised them. Their family is unconventional to say the least and Ryan doesn’t necessarily like it like that.
Ryan’s life is complicated and there are things he would love to change about it, but for the most part it’s going good especially when he just may have a chance with Emily. This is when disaster strikes. Ryan loses his best friend and convinces himself it is his entire fault. Things progress with Emily but there is still this guilt lingering over Ryan that holds him back. Then an unexpected person, Chrissie, becomes one of the most important things to him because she just may be carrying Michael’s baby. So of course if you enter another girl into the picture, the new girlfriend would obviously get jealous. Jealous girlfriends, complicated situations, more responsibility than anyone should have to handle, plus a debt that Ryan thinks he must pay off to earn his good Karma back. Yeah, and you thought it sounded like a sticky situation before?
Anne created a character you will love, I mean totally and completely love. I am the older sister to three boys so I am fairly certain I know how they act and I can guess what they are thinking. For someone who has no sons, Anne wrote the male character perfectly. Ryan’s voice was so strong throughout the story. It was like getting inside the head of a real-life teenage boy. He is a genuine guy; he is kind and is always trying to do the right thing no matter how screwed up his life gets in the end. He has so much potential to be something great and wonderful, you just spend the whole book wondering when he will realize it too. The love he has over his sisters, Ro, Michael, Emily, Chrissie, and even the baby just astounded me. He has the best of intentions but things just never seemed to work out for him. My heart truly went out to Ryan because of this. I wanted to take away the guilt over Michael’s death, I wanted things to just work out with Emily, I wanted to be there to comfort him as he felt like a zamboni was driving over his chest. He seemed real to me, he acted just like a 16 year-old boy would and I can’t say I’ve seen one done better than Ryan. Anne truly did such an amazing job with this character.
Okay, now that you see how much I can gush about just one character, just imagine what I can say about every other character! Some of them may not have been my favorite but they seemed real and alive to me so that’s enough reason to at least mention them!
Michael is one character you really get to know which sounds odd because he is the only one who is technically not there. I think I would have loved Michael regardless of his screwed up life. He was confident and easy-going. He loosened Ryan up and let his own confidence rub off on him. I think he made Ryan a stronger person whether he knew it or not. Anne put so much of Michael into this story that I eventually began to miss him even though I never even knew him. I just felt like I did. He was a great person with a troubled life. I can see why Ryan was so crushed by his death not only because Michael was his best friend, but because Michael was a truly great friend to lose.
Emily is another character you learn a lot about. I must say, I didn’t like her as much as I loved the other characters but I am kind of thinking that is the way it is supposed to be. She is sweet, super smart, and really good for Ryan. She helps pick up the broken pieces of him after Michael’s death so naturally I love her for that. But where Michael is strong, selfless, and responsible, Emily is selfish, jealous, and thinks of her own feelings more than Ryan’s. Ryan tries so hard to be there for everyone so when he spends a little less time with Emily, she throws a fit about it. At first I got really irritated but then I really thought about it. It’s not that she is spoiled and snobby, she is just a normal teenage girl and normal teenage girls want their boyfriend close by all the time; Emily is no different at all! The thought of another girl around, romantic relationship or not, is just too much for her handle sometimes and she really doesn’t feel comfortable with the whole Chrissie situatiopn. So there were moments where I really didn’t like Emily but I could still see why she appealed to Ryan so much. If her character were any different the story just wouldn’t work.
As for Ryan’s family, they were all incredible, maybe a bit screwed up, but still incredible. Every family is dysfunctional and Ryan’s is no different. I hated how distant and cold his parents were at first but the more you got to know about them, the more you can understand and sympathize. Yeah, what they did by ignoring their kids was never right, but just getting their side of the story surely helped my love for them in the end. Ryan’s sisters were so adorable! They looked up to their big brother so much it just made my heart melt. Any younger sibling can sometimes be a nuisance but Ryan always made time for his little sisters. Oh and we can’t forget about Ro, she is so amazing! She takes care of Ryan and his sisters as if they were her own. She is strict with them but I think that is what makes them all such great kids regardless of their flashy lifestyle.
I adored Chrissie throughout the whole book! She is a free spirit, someone who doesn’t let the bad times get her down, and when it comes down to it, she is the exact type of friend that Ryan needs. Chrissie is maybe a little too flippant for my own personal liking but it suits her character. She truly believes that things will turn out okay in the end and in her case they somehow do. I wouldn’t force her situation onto anyone (being pregnant at a young age, with the baby of the father dead) but she handles it with grace and ease, and of course the help of Ryan. She is like a bright ray of sunshine in this whole story. Ryan suffers a lot, and some of it is because of the situation that Chrissie and Michael have gotten him in, but she makes these tough times bearable for him.
I know that this review is all over the place but I am just hoping you guys can trust me on this one. You will LOVE this story. It was so great from start to finish. Every character was so well written whether I loved their personalities or not. And it has a beautiful message behind it! That is like a triple whammy in YA contemporary fiction! You will go through a slew of emotions while reading Loving Emily, it has some hysterical highs and depressing lows, but it makes the book that much better. I really couldn’t have picked a better book to start 2012 off with.
Ryan is your average 16-year-old guy with a very non-average life. He has his sights set on Emily, a girl he has been in love with for over a year. Ryan also has a best friend, Michael who is a bit of a mess but is ALWAYS there for Ryan. And then there’s Ryan’s family, an uber famous director for a father, twin sisters that keep him on his toes, a barely there mom, and Rosario, the house keeper that has practically raised them. Their family is unconventional to say the least and Ryan doesn’t necessarily like it like that.
Ryan’s life is complicated and there are things he would love to change about it, but for the most part it’s going good especially when he just may have a chance with Emily. This is when disaster strikes. Ryan loses his best friend and convinces himself it is his entire fault. Things progress with Emily but there is still this guilt lingering over Ryan that holds him back. Then an unexpected person, Chrissie, becomes one of the most important things to him because she just may be carrying Michael’s baby. So of course if you enter another girl into the picture, the new girlfriend would obviously get jealous. Jealous girlfriends, complicated situations, more responsibility than anyone should have to handle, plus a debt that Ryan thinks he must pay off to earn his good Karma back. Yeah, and you thought it sounded like a sticky situation before?
Anne created a character you will love, I mean totally and completely love. I am the older sister to three boys so I am fairly certain I know how they act and I can guess what they are thinking. For someone who has no sons, Anne wrote the male character perfectly. Ryan’s voice was so strong throughout the story. It was like getting inside the head of a real-life teenage boy. He is a genuine guy; he is kind and is always trying to do the right thing no matter how screwed up his life gets in the end. He has so much potential to be something great and wonderful, you just spend the whole book wondering when he will realize it too. The love he has over his sisters, Ro, Michael, Emily, Chrissie, and even the baby just astounded me. He has the best of intentions but things just never seemed to work out for him. My heart truly went out to Ryan because of this. I wanted to take away the guilt over Michael’s death, I wanted things to just work out with Emily, I wanted to be there to comfort him as he felt like a zamboni was driving over his chest. He seemed real to me, he acted just like a 16 year-old boy would and I can’t say I’ve seen one done better than Ryan. Anne truly did such an amazing job with this character.
Okay, now that you see how much I can gush about just one character, just imagine what I can say about every other character! Some of them may not have been my favorite but they seemed real and alive to me so that’s enough reason to at least mention them!
Michael is one character you really get to know which sounds odd because he is the only one who is technically not there. I think I would have loved Michael regardless of his screwed up life. He was confident and easy-going. He loosened Ryan up and let his own confidence rub off on him. I think he made Ryan a stronger person whether he knew it or not. Anne put so much of Michael into this story that I eventually began to miss him even though I never even knew him. I just felt like I did. He was a great person with a troubled life. I can see why Ryan was so crushed by his death not only because Michael was his best friend, but because Michael was a truly great friend to lose.
Emily is another character you learn a lot about. I must say, I didn’t like her as much as I loved the other characters but I am kind of thinking that is the way it is supposed to be. She is sweet, super smart, and really good for Ryan. She helps pick up the broken pieces of him after Michael’s death so naturally I love her for that. But where Michael is strong, selfless, and responsible, Emily is selfish, jealous, and thinks of her own feelings more than Ryan’s. Ryan tries so hard to be there for everyone so when he spends a little less time with Emily, she throws a fit about it. At first I got really irritated but then I really thought about it. It’s not that she is spoiled and snobby, she is just a normal teenage girl and normal teenage girls want their boyfriend close by all the time; Emily is no different at all! The thought of another girl around, romantic relationship or not, is just too much for her handle sometimes and she really doesn’t feel comfortable with the whole Chrissie situatiopn. So there were moments where I really didn’t like Emily but I could still see why she appealed to Ryan so much. If her character were any different the story just wouldn’t work.
As for Ryan’s family, they were all incredible, maybe a bit screwed up, but still incredible. Every family is dysfunctional and Ryan’s is no different. I hated how distant and cold his parents were at first but the more you got to know about them, the more you can understand and sympathize. Yeah, what they did by ignoring their kids was never right, but just getting their side of the story surely helped my love for them in the end. Ryan’s sisters were so adorable! They looked up to their big brother so much it just made my heart melt. Any younger sibling can sometimes be a nuisance but Ryan always made time for his little sisters. Oh and we can’t forget about Ro, she is so amazing! She takes care of Ryan and his sisters as if they were her own. She is strict with them but I think that is what makes them all such great kids regardless of their flashy lifestyle.
I adored Chrissie throughout the whole book! She is a free spirit, someone who doesn’t let the bad times get her down, and when it comes down to it, she is the exact type of friend that Ryan needs. Chrissie is maybe a little too flippant for my own personal liking but it suits her character. She truly believes that things will turn out okay in the end and in her case they somehow do. I wouldn’t force her situation onto anyone (being pregnant at a young age, with the baby of the father dead) but she handles it with grace and ease, and of course the help of Ryan. She is like a bright ray of sunshine in this whole story. Ryan suffers a lot, and some of it is because of the situation that Chrissie and Michael have gotten him in, but she makes these tough times bearable for him.
I know that this review is all over the place but I am just hoping you guys can trust me on this one. You will LOVE this story. It was so great from start to finish. Every character was so well written whether I loved their personalities or not. And it has a beautiful message behind it! That is like a triple whammy in YA contemporary fiction! You will go through a slew of emotions while reading Loving Emily, it has some hysterical highs and depressing lows, but it makes the book that much better. I really couldn’t have picked a better book to start 2012 off with.
Want to read
October 10, 2023I think I read this years ago and liked it.
March 8, 2013
“Any other night” mi è stato donato direttamente dalla sua autrice Anna Pfeffer, la stessa di “The Wedding Cake Girl”. Avevo già adocchiato il libro da Goodreads, come al solito fonte inesauribile di novità libresche per me, ed è stato un colpo di fortuna conoscere e parlare direttamente con la scrittrice. Un argomento molto controverso, un ragazzo che vive di rimorsi e una fine estremamente aperta come se fosse la fotografia di un momento, queste le linee che rendono il libro molto interessante.
Ryan si trova alla festa per il sedicesimo compleanno di Emily Wintraub, la ragazza di cui si è invaghito, ma al contrario di quello che accade ogni altra sera ci è andato da solo lasciando il suo migliore amico Michael a guidare da solo. E quando il giorno dopo scopre che è rimasto vittima di un terribile incidente Ryan si ritrova a dover fare i conti con i propri rimorsi e i segreti che nascondeva Michael, mentre conosce sempre meglio Emily. Le cose non sono semplici e mentre l’anno scolastico si avvicina alla fine deve prendere alcune decisioni importanti.
La storia non ha una trama particolarmente arzigogolata anche se complicata da quello che nasconde Michael. Una delle cose che più rendono interessante il libro è proprio il rapporto d’amicizia tra i due ragazzi. Il passato e il presente si uniscono e scompaiono mentre Ryan fa i conti con il vuoto lasciato dalla scomparsa prematura del suo migliore amico.
Ryan in fondo è il classico figlio di papà, il padre infatti è un regista pluripremiato e non gli ha fatto mai mancare nulla, se non quella vicinanza emotiva che è estremamente importante per un ragazzo che sta crescendo. La madre è una sorta di comparsa, interessata molto più ai party e ai vestiti che non al benessere dei figli, Ryan infatti ha anche due adorabili sorelle gemelle. E questo rende inevitabilmente Ryan un ragazzo fragile, un badass solo in apparenza, che segue Michael in tutti quei scherzi immaturi, i cosiddetti prank, che mette in atto con il suo fedele compagno. Stessa cosa accade a Michael che tra l’altro cade anche vittima di un brutto giro, che lo lascia sull’orlo di un baratro e Ryan può fare ben poco per salvarlo.
L’incidente e le sue conseguenze mettono in prospettiva gran parte dei comportamenti passati dei due ragazzi che devono fare i conti con quello che vogliono. Ryan deve andare avanti, rimettere in piedi la sua vita e si accorge ben presto che non stava andando in una direzione sana, ma stava lentamente cadendo in una sorta di circolo vizioso dettato dal carattere molto più forte e spassionato del suo best friend.
Ed è in questa occasione di rinascita emotiva che Emily ha un ruolo fondamentale. La classica brava ragazza, che viene da una famiglia borghese, meno facoltosa di quella del ragazzo, studiosa, con la testa sulle spalle, capace di guardare oltre le apparenza da finto menefreghista di Ryan e osservarne la vera natura generosa ed espansiva, che si cura del resto del mondo che lo circonda, ma che ha bisogno di trovare la sua identità e mettere a tacere i sensi di colpa.
Nella morte spesso ci si ritrova a ricordare solo i momenti migliori, l’aria viene a mancare, e si viene ad essere riempiti di condoglianze vuote e suggerimenti meschini che non sempre riescono a spezzare il muro di dolore. Ma tutti hanno i propri difetti, nessuno è perfetto e capita anche di dover fare i conti con scelte sbagliate e conseguenze che rimangono solo sulle spalle dei vivi. Sfogarsi a volte può essere davvero la scelta migliore.
Il protagonista è Ryan ed è lui che racconta in prima persona la sua vicenda, ben riuscito e convincente, sia come carattere che come comportamenti e psicologia, segno che a volte anche le donne possono scrivere di caratteri maschili buoni.
Il particolare da non dimenticare? Un portachiavi.
Il libro è n viaggio verso il progressivo superamento della morta nelle classiche fasi che si affrontano: negazione, rabbia, depressione, miglioramento, in uno spiegamento di forze e incontri benefici, che portano a svelare verità sconvolgenti che non si sarebbero mai immaginate.
Buona lettura guys!
Io ringrazio Anna Pfeffer che mi ha concesso la straordinaria opportunità di leggere il suo libro in cambio della mia onesta opinione. Mi dispiace solo di averci messo un secolo, ma le cose da leggere sono troppe.
Recensione anche sul mio blog:
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...
Ryan si trova alla festa per il sedicesimo compleanno di Emily Wintraub, la ragazza di cui si è invaghito, ma al contrario di quello che accade ogni altra sera ci è andato da solo lasciando il suo migliore amico Michael a guidare da solo. E quando il giorno dopo scopre che è rimasto vittima di un terribile incidente Ryan si ritrova a dover fare i conti con i propri rimorsi e i segreti che nascondeva Michael, mentre conosce sempre meglio Emily. Le cose non sono semplici e mentre l’anno scolastico si avvicina alla fine deve prendere alcune decisioni importanti.
La storia non ha una trama particolarmente arzigogolata anche se complicata da quello che nasconde Michael. Una delle cose che più rendono interessante il libro è proprio il rapporto d’amicizia tra i due ragazzi. Il passato e il presente si uniscono e scompaiono mentre Ryan fa i conti con il vuoto lasciato dalla scomparsa prematura del suo migliore amico.
Ryan in fondo è il classico figlio di papà, il padre infatti è un regista pluripremiato e non gli ha fatto mai mancare nulla, se non quella vicinanza emotiva che è estremamente importante per un ragazzo che sta crescendo. La madre è una sorta di comparsa, interessata molto più ai party e ai vestiti che non al benessere dei figli, Ryan infatti ha anche due adorabili sorelle gemelle. E questo rende inevitabilmente Ryan un ragazzo fragile, un badass solo in apparenza, che segue Michael in tutti quei scherzi immaturi, i cosiddetti prank, che mette in atto con il suo fedele compagno. Stessa cosa accade a Michael che tra l’altro cade anche vittima di un brutto giro, che lo lascia sull’orlo di un baratro e Ryan può fare ben poco per salvarlo.
L’incidente e le sue conseguenze mettono in prospettiva gran parte dei comportamenti passati dei due ragazzi che devono fare i conti con quello che vogliono. Ryan deve andare avanti, rimettere in piedi la sua vita e si accorge ben presto che non stava andando in una direzione sana, ma stava lentamente cadendo in una sorta di circolo vizioso dettato dal carattere molto più forte e spassionato del suo best friend.
Ed è in questa occasione di rinascita emotiva che Emily ha un ruolo fondamentale. La classica brava ragazza, che viene da una famiglia borghese, meno facoltosa di quella del ragazzo, studiosa, con la testa sulle spalle, capace di guardare oltre le apparenza da finto menefreghista di Ryan e osservarne la vera natura generosa ed espansiva, che si cura del resto del mondo che lo circonda, ma che ha bisogno di trovare la sua identità e mettere a tacere i sensi di colpa.
Nella morte spesso ci si ritrova a ricordare solo i momenti migliori, l’aria viene a mancare, e si viene ad essere riempiti di condoglianze vuote e suggerimenti meschini che non sempre riescono a spezzare il muro di dolore. Ma tutti hanno i propri difetti, nessuno è perfetto e capita anche di dover fare i conti con scelte sbagliate e conseguenze che rimangono solo sulle spalle dei vivi. Sfogarsi a volte può essere davvero la scelta migliore.
Il protagonista è Ryan ed è lui che racconta in prima persona la sua vicenda, ben riuscito e convincente, sia come carattere che come comportamenti e psicologia, segno che a volte anche le donne possono scrivere di caratteri maschili buoni.
Il particolare da non dimenticare? Un portachiavi.
Il libro è n viaggio verso il progressivo superamento della morta nelle classiche fasi che si affrontano: negazione, rabbia, depressione, miglioramento, in uno spiegamento di forze e incontri benefici, che portano a svelare verità sconvolgenti che non si sarebbero mai immaginate.
Buona lettura guys!
Io ringrazio Anna Pfeffer che mi ha concesso la straordinaria opportunità di leggere il suo libro in cambio della mia onesta opinione. Mi dispiace solo di averci messo un secolo, ma le cose da leggere sono troppe.
Recensione anche sul mio blog:
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...
November 25, 2012
Check out my author interview with Anne, as part of the
Any Other Night
official blog tour!!
To keep this review simple, I've decided to split it up into "What I Liked" and "What I Didn't Like", since I feel like some parts of this book were outstanding, and others, not so much...
What I Liked:
- As a character, I admired Ryan so much. I know if I was in his position, I'd probably collapse on my knees and just start wailing for hours straight. He definitely shows his strength, and I really felt that his character grew!
- Ryan's relationship with his sisters and family were also pretty realistic, but also a little heartbreaking. I don't really have experience dealing with movie star famous people lol, but his reactions and emotions were reasonable for a teenager boy. His relationships with his sisters and housekeepers are pretty cute though :D
- Even after Michael dies, the author still effectively portrays Ryan's memories of him, and I admired their friendship. Especially "Soldier Rock" - it's just so inspiring!
- As a character alone, Emily was a sweet girl (: I liked that she didn't placidly follow Ryan's needs - instead she did stand up for herself at some points and behaved like a teenager haha! By all means she's not a perfect character, but that's what makes her relatable!
- Ryan also develops some friendships with Johnny, and also a bit with Calvin, which I enjoyed seeing grow! It was definitely a healthy and nice friendship, and it was nice to see that Ryan had someone to lean on. It also made his character seem more realistic :D
- The plot itself was pretty fast paced - I finished the book within a few hours of one sitting!
- The book also deals with alcohol and drugs, which I felt was portrayed realistically, and a bit enlightening (:
- I also liked the author's exploration about karma! Anne talked about it briefly in the author interview, but I liked seeing Ryan get over his loss and learn to live for the better things of life.
- The "secret" that Michael left behind came unpredicted for me, to be honest. It really made a huge impact on the book and was full of realism. One of the reasons why I felt like I liked the book, despite my other qualms about it, was because in a way, this secret spread awareness about this issue. Of course it also affected the plot quite a bit.
What I Didn't Like...
- Of course, although Ryan's a strong character, sometimes he seemed a bit too strong. Apart from his conflicts with his parents, he seemed almost perfect. For example, sometimes he helped Chrissie a little too much.
- Sometimes I also felt like Ryan's grief was skimmed over a little. The book definitely doesn't completely ignore the issue, but it seemed like at some points even though Ryan was saying that he really missed Michael & was sad about it, he didn't show it.
- There were some questions in the beginning, like why Ryan was feeling guilty about Emily that I didn't quite understand.
- Ryan and Emily's initial relationship seemed a little like insta-love. On a positive note though, it does develop into something deeper (:
- Some of the more serious issues of the book, like the "secret", drugs, and alcohol, also seemed to be a little skimmed over. I realize that they weren't the very main point of the story, but I wish that characters like Chase had a bit more involvement.
- The ending with his parents, Michael's parents & Chrissie seemed a bit rushed.
Overall, however, I did enjoy Any Other Night. Considering that I'm more of a fantasy-adventure person, contemporary fans of her other novel The Wedding Cake Girl will probably also enjoy the author's initial debut (:
Source: Review copy provided by author.
To keep this review simple, I've decided to split it up into "What I Liked" and "What I Didn't Like", since I feel like some parts of this book were outstanding, and others, not so much...
What I Liked:
- As a character, I admired Ryan so much. I know if I was in his position, I'd probably collapse on my knees and just start wailing for hours straight. He definitely shows his strength, and I really felt that his character grew!
- Ryan's relationship with his sisters and family were also pretty realistic, but also a little heartbreaking. I don't really have experience dealing with movie star famous people lol, but his reactions and emotions were reasonable for a teenager boy. His relationships with his sisters and housekeepers are pretty cute though :D
- Even after Michael dies, the author still effectively portrays Ryan's memories of him, and I admired their friendship. Especially "Soldier Rock" - it's just so inspiring!
- As a character alone, Emily was a sweet girl (: I liked that she didn't placidly follow Ryan's needs - instead she did stand up for herself at some points and behaved like a teenager haha! By all means she's not a perfect character, but that's what makes her relatable!
- Ryan also develops some friendships with Johnny, and also a bit with Calvin, which I enjoyed seeing grow! It was definitely a healthy and nice friendship, and it was nice to see that Ryan had someone to lean on. It also made his character seem more realistic :D
- The plot itself was pretty fast paced - I finished the book within a few hours of one sitting!
- The book also deals with alcohol and drugs, which I felt was portrayed realistically, and a bit enlightening (:
- I also liked the author's exploration about karma! Anne talked about it briefly in the author interview, but I liked seeing Ryan get over his loss and learn to live for the better things of life.
- The "secret" that Michael left behind came unpredicted for me, to be honest. It really made a huge impact on the book and was full of realism. One of the reasons why I felt like I liked the book, despite my other qualms about it, was because in a way, this secret spread awareness about this issue. Of course it also affected the plot quite a bit.
What I Didn't Like...
- Of course, although Ryan's a strong character, sometimes he seemed a bit too strong. Apart from his conflicts with his parents, he seemed almost perfect. For example, sometimes he helped Chrissie a little too much.
- Sometimes I also felt like Ryan's grief was skimmed over a little. The book definitely doesn't completely ignore the issue, but it seemed like at some points even though Ryan was saying that he really missed Michael & was sad about it, he didn't show it.
- There were some questions in the beginning, like why Ryan was feeling guilty about Emily that I didn't quite understand.
- Ryan and Emily's initial relationship seemed a little like insta-love. On a positive note though, it does develop into something deeper (:
- Some of the more serious issues of the book, like the "secret", drugs, and alcohol, also seemed to be a little skimmed over. I realize that they weren't the very main point of the story, but I wish that characters like Chase had a bit more involvement.
- The ending with his parents, Michael's parents & Chrissie seemed a bit rushed.
Overall, however, I did enjoy Any Other Night. Considering that I'm more of a fantasy-adventure person, contemporary fans of her other novel The Wedding Cake Girl will probably also enjoy the author's initial debut (:
Source: Review copy provided by author.
November 20, 2012
**Originally on Read-A-holicZ, HERE!**
"This book was all around emotional. It was sweet, touching, and raw. It moves you with a force!" =D
This book is one of those books that really surprise's you. I was like, oh this is going to be one of those sad, depressing books. Which in a way it is BUT it also has a sweet romance and a a lot of tough stuff.
Ryan is heavy with guilt that he could have prevented his BEST FRIENDS death. They had a close relationship and even though they seemed a bit apart there at the start you could tell that Micheal was really good at times.
I was crying through the memories and the heartache. [me below] most of the time while reading, i kept stopping and just crying, sometimes I didn't even notice that i was tearing.
DANG, i could feel his guilt and the author writes it so that you can feel the depths of his despair and why he doesn't need LOVE. I loved that the author doesn't put tons of paragraphs on descriptions or explanations, she keeps them short and to the point which i really liked, it kept the focus on the story and the characters itself.
His relationship with Micheal and the events of his death really leave a scar on his heart. What i loved was EMILY. She was his savior, in a way. She brought him calm, she was what made it bearable to go to school, to try to get past the pain. He let her see his grief, his vulnerability. It showed the softer side of Ryan. She's "Hachimenreirou"="perfect serenity-beautiful from all sides" Her and Ryan have fun and she heals him. Make's him FEEL AGAIN.
There are many obstacles for Ryan. He has to deal with Michael's death AND his secret. WOAH that was just WOAH @_@. I mean I thought i knew what it was but then, putting things together i was just as floored as Ryan.
I wanted to punch the crud out of Ryans parents because one thing that makes me angry are parents that aren't there for their kids. =/ I loved Rosario, the housekeeper turned into step in mother for Ryan and his sisters. His sister were cute and they made his more approachable. I loved that he didn't got into a deep desolate dark place, where he hated everybody and talked to no one. He actually stayed sane, and kept it cool for most of the times, which i admire A LOT!
Overall, expect to shed some tears and fall in LOVE! This is a MUST read and it will surprise you. I LOVED that it was tragic yet healing and romantic. I really casts a wide range of emotions, I am DEFINITELY going to read more by this author!! =D
5/5 AMAZING STARS!!
"This book was all around emotional. It was sweet, touching, and raw. It moves you with a force!" =D
This book is one of those books that really surprise's you. I was like, oh this is going to be one of those sad, depressing books. Which in a way it is BUT it also has a sweet romance and a a lot of tough stuff.
Ryan is heavy with guilt that he could have prevented his BEST FRIENDS death. They had a close relationship and even though they seemed a bit apart there at the start you could tell that Micheal was really good at times.
I was crying through the memories and the heartache. [me below] most of the time while reading, i kept stopping and just crying, sometimes I didn't even notice that i was tearing.
DANG, i could feel his guilt and the author writes it so that you can feel the depths of his despair and why he doesn't need LOVE. I loved that the author doesn't put tons of paragraphs on descriptions or explanations, she keeps them short and to the point which i really liked, it kept the focus on the story and the characters itself.
His relationship with Micheal and the events of his death really leave a scar on his heart. What i loved was EMILY. She was his savior, in a way. She brought him calm, she was what made it bearable to go to school, to try to get past the pain. He let her see his grief, his vulnerability. It showed the softer side of Ryan. She's "Hachimenreirou"="perfect serenity-beautiful from all sides" Her and Ryan have fun and she heals him. Make's him FEEL AGAIN.
There are many obstacles for Ryan. He has to deal with Michael's death AND his secret. WOAH that was just WOAH @_@. I mean I thought i knew what it was but then, putting things together i was just as floored as Ryan.
I wanted to punch the crud out of Ryans parents because one thing that makes me angry are parents that aren't there for their kids. =/ I loved Rosario, the housekeeper turned into step in mother for Ryan and his sisters. His sister were cute and they made his more approachable. I loved that he didn't got into a deep desolate dark place, where he hated everybody and talked to no one. He actually stayed sane, and kept it cool for most of the times, which i admire A LOT!
Overall, expect to shed some tears and fall in LOVE! This is a MUST read and it will surprise you. I LOVED that it was tragic yet healing and romantic. I really casts a wide range of emotions, I am DEFINITELY going to read more by this author!! =D
5/5 AMAZING STARS!!
April 3, 2012
Although Loving Emily does focus heavily on a serious topic, this is a cute book in a lot of ways. When we first meet Ryan he is trying to deal with a long-time crush on Emily, and the devastating habits of his friend Michael. I immediately felt bad for Ryan because he was faced with the decision to let Michael's actions alter his plan to talk to Emily. The consequences of his choice will haunt him and be something he can't seem to get over.
Michael's death hits Ryan hard, obviously. He can't shake the feeling that he shouldn't have walked away. It doesn't help that Michael seemed to have something he wanted to share with Ryan. For a while Ryan seems to just float from day to day. He spends time with Emily but holds back from really telling her how he feels. Ryan's relationship with Emily was sweet and romantic. It wasn't all "hot and heavy" from the beginning like some stories. They really seemed to slowly build upon their connection with each other.
Loving Emily doesn't just give us a sweet romance between 2 characters, we really get a good idea of Ryan's life. He has a life that may seem perfect from the outside but he doesn't have the best relationship with his parents, especially his mother. Even though Michael dies early in the story, Ryan shows us how their friendship developed and it was easy to see why Ryan thought so highly of his friend. This was what really seemed cute to me. His accounts of the childhood events he shared with Michael really helped me see how they were just two little boys trying to figure out life.
I won't give away what the secret is but it really puts a whole new spin on this story. At the same time, it made me dislike Emily in a lot of ways. She didn't seem to really grasp what Ryan was going through or why he was so focused on his "task". I thought her actions, while mostly realistic for a teenage girl, made her just seem selfish and uncaring. I'm a hopeless romantic but there were times where I thought that maybe she wasn't even needed in order to have a super strong story. Maybe it should have just been Ryan's journey to make peace with himself.
On the plus side, I adored Ryan's point-of-view and I honestly didn't want to put the book down. I felt very invested in the story and finding out what Ryan would do in his situation. It was gripping, heartbreaking, and realistic.
Loving Emily is honestly a beautiful story. It's so much more than a romance and, even though it deals with a serious topic, it wasn't dark and depressing. A very enjoyable read.
Recommended: People wanting a realistic teen read dealing with death.
Michael's death hits Ryan hard, obviously. He can't shake the feeling that he shouldn't have walked away. It doesn't help that Michael seemed to have something he wanted to share with Ryan. For a while Ryan seems to just float from day to day. He spends time with Emily but holds back from really telling her how he feels. Ryan's relationship with Emily was sweet and romantic. It wasn't all "hot and heavy" from the beginning like some stories. They really seemed to slowly build upon their connection with each other.
Loving Emily doesn't just give us a sweet romance between 2 characters, we really get a good idea of Ryan's life. He has a life that may seem perfect from the outside but he doesn't have the best relationship with his parents, especially his mother. Even though Michael dies early in the story, Ryan shows us how their friendship developed and it was easy to see why Ryan thought so highly of his friend. This was what really seemed cute to me. His accounts of the childhood events he shared with Michael really helped me see how they were just two little boys trying to figure out life.
I won't give away what the secret is but it really puts a whole new spin on this story. At the same time, it made me dislike Emily in a lot of ways. She didn't seem to really grasp what Ryan was going through or why he was so focused on his "task". I thought her actions, while mostly realistic for a teenage girl, made her just seem selfish and uncaring. I'm a hopeless romantic but there were times where I thought that maybe she wasn't even needed in order to have a super strong story. Maybe it should have just been Ryan's journey to make peace with himself.
On the plus side, I adored Ryan's point-of-view and I honestly didn't want to put the book down. I felt very invested in the story and finding out what Ryan would do in his situation. It was gripping, heartbreaking, and realistic.
Loving Emily is honestly a beautiful story. It's so much more than a romance and, even though it deals with a serious topic, it wasn't dark and depressing. A very enjoyable read.
Recommended: People wanting a realistic teen read dealing with death.
June 18, 2012
originally appeared on:Bookshelf Confessions
I agree with another reviewer that the cover, title, and description are actually misleading. This book isn’t just about “Loving Emily”, it’s about coming to an age, loss, family, grief, guilt, and love. This book was so much more, and a truly inspiring and thought-provoking read.
Ms. Pfeffers created a main protagonist out of a boy’s perspectives- Ryan so perfectly. I can’t help but fall in love with him. His sweet, nice, and would try to do the right thing. A good protagonist and a nice cast of secondary characters, an interesting plot and easy-to-relate-to conflicts makes this book a must-read. His character was so strong, I can’t help but wish a guy like this exist..:)
The family conflict which was apparent in this book, is a situation many could relate to, Ryan’s parents are always almost never home, leaving him and his younger siblings with Rosetta (their housekeeper). It was perfectly pictured how this kind of home affected Ryan so much, where parents unintentionally ignores their children.
The friendship between Ryan and Michael is realistic. I sometimes look forward to Ryan’s musings about their past adventures. Ryan’s grief for the loss is genuine, and I felt for him deeply. It was also so good of Ryan to try to settle Michael’s unfinished business, which I think became the very foundation of this book.
Even though Emily got the title of the book, I don’t think I really like her. She was not portrayed as super perfect, which is good, but she is not that nice too. Also, I think the development of the romance was instantaneous. I know Ryan has his eyes set for this girl long before the accident, but their actual interactions was just that party, and it was just a couple of minutes, and then the next thing I knew, they were a couple. ,I’m a little too harsh here, maybe I was just jealous of Emily..lol… Ryan likes and respects her a lot… But honestly, the author should have credit for this, since if Emily’s character is different, I don’t think this story would work out. Emily is an additional conflict to Ryan’s struggles. And besides, selfish she maybe, but any sane girl would not want her boyfriend to be always around with other girls, love interest or not.
All in all, Loving Emily give me an emotional roller-coaster ride. It was truly a bitter-sweet story. BEAUTIFUL and SAD.
Loving Emily- a great young adult story of growth in matters of family, grief, guilt, love and a person as a whole. Highly recommended to all, especially to teens!
♥♥~♥♥♥ ♥:)♥♥~♥ ♥♥
I agree with another reviewer that the cover, title, and description are actually misleading. This book isn’t just about “Loving Emily”, it’s about coming to an age, loss, family, grief, guilt, and love. This book was so much more, and a truly inspiring and thought-provoking read.
Ms. Pfeffers created a main protagonist out of a boy’s perspectives- Ryan so perfectly. I can’t help but fall in love with him. His sweet, nice, and would try to do the right thing. A good protagonist and a nice cast of secondary characters, an interesting plot and easy-to-relate-to conflicts makes this book a must-read. His character was so strong, I can’t help but wish a guy like this exist..:)
The family conflict which was apparent in this book, is a situation many could relate to, Ryan’s parents are always almost never home, leaving him and his younger siblings with Rosetta (their housekeeper). It was perfectly pictured how this kind of home affected Ryan so much, where parents unintentionally ignores their children.
The friendship between Ryan and Michael is realistic. I sometimes look forward to Ryan’s musings about their past adventures. Ryan’s grief for the loss is genuine, and I felt for him deeply. It was also so good of Ryan to try to settle Michael’s unfinished business, which I think became the very foundation of this book.
Even though Emily got the title of the book, I don’t think I really like her. She was not portrayed as super perfect, which is good, but she is not that nice too. Also, I think the development of the romance was instantaneous. I know Ryan has his eyes set for this girl long before the accident, but their actual interactions was just that party, and it was just a couple of minutes, and then the next thing I knew, they were a couple. ,I’m a little too harsh here, maybe I was just jealous of Emily..lol… Ryan likes and respects her a lot… But honestly, the author should have credit for this, since if Emily’s character is different, I don’t think this story would work out. Emily is an additional conflict to Ryan’s struggles. And besides, selfish she maybe, but any sane girl would not want her boyfriend to be always around with other girls, love interest or not.
All in all, Loving Emily give me an emotional roller-coaster ride. It was truly a bitter-sweet story. BEAUTIFUL and SAD.
Loving Emily- a great young adult story of growth in matters of family, grief, guilt, love and a person as a whole. Highly recommended to all, especially to teens!
♥♥~♥♥♥ ♥:)♥♥~♥ ♥♥
June 5, 2012
When I got the opportunity to read this book, I hadn't really heard much about it. I only knew of one friend that had read it, which was before the cover and title change. She really enjoyed it though, so trusting her opinions I decided to give this book a shot after being contacted with Anne about reviewing it. After reading it, I was extremely impressed. I haven't seen this book getting much attention, but it truly deserves much more than what it is getting. And I hope to persuade some of you to get a copy of it and give it the chance it deserves.
Anne has written a beautiful and very sad/emotional story. Things start off with Michael's death, and Ryan feeling responsible as you can see from the synopsis. While that is a really sad event in the book, there is a lot that branches off from it. The secret Michael left behind is huge, and it not only impacts Ryan but it impacts a lot of people throughout the book. One of the more positive things about this book was the relationship between Ryan and Emily. I found their romance to be really enjoyable, some of it could come off as a little cheesy but in the end I felt it was written very well.
The character building in this book is fantastic. Ryan and Emily are so great together, and they just have these really awesome personalities that make them extremely relatable. Then you have the characters such as Chrissie, who plays a very important role in this book. I really liked her character, she just really added a different atmosphere to the book and once you learn why she is an important character you really start to feel for her. I'm going to stick with my recent habit of not going into a huge amount of character detail, so I will just leave it by saying that Anne really did a great job creating these characters and making them all relate so well together.
The ending really disappointed me. Not in a negative way, it just wasn't what I was expecting to happen. In this case though, I think it really fit in well with the story as a whole. I was left with a lot of questions as to what was going to happen, but I guess that leaves everything open to your imagination. You can pretty much give it your own ending, based on what you're provided with.
As I said before, I really don't think this book is getting anywhere near the attention it deserves. If you're looking for a very good, heartfelt book than I highly suggest picking up a copy of Any Other Night. It's gems like this that make reviewing books worth it, when I am able to help draw more well deserved attention to them. I really hope you all will read this book whenever you get the chance.
Anne has written a beautiful and very sad/emotional story. Things start off with Michael's death, and Ryan feeling responsible as you can see from the synopsis. While that is a really sad event in the book, there is a lot that branches off from it. The secret Michael left behind is huge, and it not only impacts Ryan but it impacts a lot of people throughout the book. One of the more positive things about this book was the relationship between Ryan and Emily. I found their romance to be really enjoyable, some of it could come off as a little cheesy but in the end I felt it was written very well.
The character building in this book is fantastic. Ryan and Emily are so great together, and they just have these really awesome personalities that make them extremely relatable. Then you have the characters such as Chrissie, who plays a very important role in this book. I really liked her character, she just really added a different atmosphere to the book and once you learn why she is an important character you really start to feel for her. I'm going to stick with my recent habit of not going into a huge amount of character detail, so I will just leave it by saying that Anne really did a great job creating these characters and making them all relate so well together.
The ending really disappointed me. Not in a negative way, it just wasn't what I was expecting to happen. In this case though, I think it really fit in well with the story as a whole. I was left with a lot of questions as to what was going to happen, but I guess that leaves everything open to your imagination. You can pretty much give it your own ending, based on what you're provided with.
As I said before, I really don't think this book is getting anywhere near the attention it deserves. If you're looking for a very good, heartfelt book than I highly suggest picking up a copy of Any Other Night. It's gems like this that make reviewing books worth it, when I am able to help draw more well deserved attention to them. I really hope you all will read this book whenever you get the chance.
June 18, 2012
originally appeared on:Bookshelf Confessions
I agree with another reviewer that the cover, title, and description are actually misleading. This book isn’t just about “Loving Emily”, it’s about coming to an age, loss, family, grief, guilt, and love. This book was so much more, and a truly inspiring and thought-provoking read.
Ms. Pfeffers created a main protagonist out of a boy’s perspectives- Ryan so perfectly. I can’t help but fall in love with him. His sweet, nice, and would try to do the right thing. A good protagonist and a nice cast of secondary characters, an interesting plot and easy-to-relate-to conflicts makes this book a must-read. His character was so strong, I can’t help but wish a guy like this exist..:)
The family conflict which was apparent in this book, is a situation many could relate to, Ryan’s parents are always almost never home, leaving him and his younger siblings with Rosetta (their housekeeper). It was perfectly pictured how this kind of home affected Ryan so much, where parents unintentionally ignores their children.
The friendship between Ryan and Michael is realistic. I sometimes look forward to Ryan’s musings about their past adventures. Ryan’s grief for the loss is genuine, and I felt for him deeply. It was also so good of Ryan to try to settle Michael’s unfinished business, which I think became the very foundation of this book.
Even though Emily got the title of the book, I don’t think I really like her. She was not portrayed as super perfect, which is good, but she is not that nice too. Also, I think the development of the romance was instantaneous. I know Ryan has his eyes set for this girl long before the accident, but their actual interactions was just that party, and it was just a couple of minutes, and then the next thing I knew, they were a couple. ,I’m a little too harsh here, maybe I was just jealous of Emily..lol… Ryan likes and respects her a lot… But honestly, the author should have credit for this, since if Emily’s character is different, I don’t think this story would work out. Emily is an additional conflict to Ryan’s struggles. And besides, selfish she maybe, but any sane girl would not want her boyfriend to be always around with other girls, love interest or not.
All in all, Loving Emily give me an emotional roller-coaster ride. It was truly a bitter-sweet story. BEAUTIFUL and SAD.
Loving Emily- a great young adult story of growth in matters of family, grief, guilt, love and a person as a whole. Highly recommended to all, especially to teens!
♥♥~♥♥♥ ♥:)♥♥~♥ ♥♥
I agree with another reviewer that the cover, title, and description are actually misleading. This book isn’t just about “Loving Emily”, it’s about coming to an age, loss, family, grief, guilt, and love. This book was so much more, and a truly inspiring and thought-provoking read.
Ms. Pfeffers created a main protagonist out of a boy’s perspectives- Ryan so perfectly. I can’t help but fall in love with him. His sweet, nice, and would try to do the right thing. A good protagonist and a nice cast of secondary characters, an interesting plot and easy-to-relate-to conflicts makes this book a must-read. His character was so strong, I can’t help but wish a guy like this exist..:)
The family conflict which was apparent in this book, is a situation many could relate to, Ryan’s parents are always almost never home, leaving him and his younger siblings with Rosetta (their housekeeper). It was perfectly pictured how this kind of home affected Ryan so much, where parents unintentionally ignores their children.
The friendship between Ryan and Michael is realistic. I sometimes look forward to Ryan’s musings about their past adventures. Ryan’s grief for the loss is genuine, and I felt for him deeply. It was also so good of Ryan to try to settle Michael’s unfinished business, which I think became the very foundation of this book.
Even though Emily got the title of the book, I don’t think I really like her. She was not portrayed as super perfect, which is good, but she is not that nice too. Also, I think the development of the romance was instantaneous. I know Ryan has his eyes set for this girl long before the accident, but their actual interactions was just that party, and it was just a couple of minutes, and then the next thing I knew, they were a couple. ,I’m a little too harsh here, maybe I was just jealous of Emily..lol… Ryan likes and respects her a lot… But honestly, the author should have credit for this, since if Emily’s character is different, I don’t think this story would work out. Emily is an additional conflict to Ryan’s struggles. And besides, selfish she maybe, but any sane girl would not want her boyfriend to be always around with other girls, love interest or not.
All in all, Loving Emily give me an emotional roller-coaster ride. It was truly a bitter-sweet story. BEAUTIFUL and SAD.
Loving Emily- a great young adult story of growth in matters of family, grief, guilt, love and a person as a whole. Highly recommended to all, especially to teens!
♥♥~♥♥♥ ♥:)♥♥~♥ ♥♥
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