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Salvation
A smart, unexpected romance from an award-winning author.
Salvador Resendez--Salva to his friends--appears to have it all. His Mexican immigrant family has high expectations, and Salva intends to fulfill them. He's student body president, quarterback of the football team, and has a near-perfect GPA. Everyone loves him.
Especially Beth Courant, AKA the walking disaster area. Dreamy and shy, Beth is used to blending into the background. But she's also smart, and she has serious plans for her future.
Popular guy and bookish girl--the two have almost nothing in common. Until fate throws them together and the attraction is irresistible. Soon Beth is pushing Salva to set his sights higher than ever--because she knows he has more to offer, more than even he realizes.
Then tragedy strikes--and threatens to destroy everything that Salva has worked for. Will Beth's love be enough to save him?
Thoughtful and romantic, this is a beautifully written story about following your heart and fulfilling your potential.
Salvador Resendez--Salva to his friends--appears to have it all. His Mexican immigrant family has high expectations, and Salva intends to fulfill them. He's student body president, quarterback of the football team, and has a near-perfect GPA. Everyone loves him.
Especially Beth Courant, AKA the walking disaster area. Dreamy and shy, Beth is used to blending into the background. But she's also smart, and she has serious plans for her future.
Popular guy and bookish girl--the two have almost nothing in common. Until fate throws them together and the attraction is irresistible. Soon Beth is pushing Salva to set his sights higher than ever--because she knows he has more to offer, more than even he realizes.
Then tragedy strikes--and threatens to destroy everything that Salva has worked for. Will Beth's love be enough to save him?
Thoughtful and romantic, this is a beautifully written story about following your heart and fulfilling your potential.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2013
12 people are currently reading
3789 people want to read
About the author
Anne Osterlund
5 books5,391 followersAnne Osterlund grew up in the sunshine of Eastern Oregon and graduated from Whitworth College. She lives in a cute little yellow house with her best feline friend, Simba, and her own library of young adult books. She enjoys immersing her students in language, literature, and imagination. Anne has written five novels: Aurelia, Exile, Redemption, Academy 7, and Salvation. She has dreams of many more in the future. Unveil the intrigue on her website. www.anneosterlund.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
September 11, 2012
Quirky Thoughts From the Author:
I first met Salva and Beth in the middle of a collision. Papers, pencils, the contents of Beth’s backpack, and point of view everywhere!
Yet neither of them bothered to introduce themselves. Oh, no; they were both far too busy telling me about each other. According to her, he was one of those “patronizing--and annoying--organized people.” And according to him, she was “the walking disaster area.”
There was plenty of evidence to support both claims. Though I got no names out of that collision, and I had no idea there was a book coming.
I didn’t find that out until Pepe shoved Salva into the prologue. Pepe is Salva’s best friend, and he’s pretty certain he knows what Salva needs: by this I mean who Salva should date, what sport he should play, what he should do with his life, where he should go to college, and when Salva should be brave enough to introduce himself to an author--aka yours truly--and demand that author write his story.
In this case, Pepe was right: Salva has a heck of a story.
If I wanted to be cheesy, I could pitch it as “Perfect Chemistry meets Romeo & Juliet;” but then you’d assume you know the end. And you don’t.
Because you can’t. Until you know Salva & Beth.
I first met Salva and Beth in the middle of a collision. Papers, pencils, the contents of Beth’s backpack, and point of view everywhere!
Yet neither of them bothered to introduce themselves. Oh, no; they were both far too busy telling me about each other. According to her, he was one of those “patronizing--and annoying--organized people.” And according to him, she was “the walking disaster area.”
There was plenty of evidence to support both claims. Though I got no names out of that collision, and I had no idea there was a book coming.
I didn’t find that out until Pepe shoved Salva into the prologue. Pepe is Salva’s best friend, and he’s pretty certain he knows what Salva needs: by this I mean who Salva should date, what sport he should play, what he should do with his life, where he should go to college, and when Salva should be brave enough to introduce himself to an author--aka yours truly--and demand that author write his story.
In this case, Pepe was right: Salva has a heck of a story.
If I wanted to be cheesy, I could pitch it as “Perfect Chemistry meets Romeo & Juliet;” but then you’d assume you know the end. And you don’t.
Because you can’t. Until you know Salva & Beth.
July 13, 2015
I thought this book wasn't gonna elicit any special feelings from me that I was so ready to start my review with "Oh, I've read this plot a thousand times already and this one is no different nor any better." How I would've regretted it because those last chapters, man! THEY MADE ME BAWL MY EYES OUT LIKE A BABY.
Salvation made me cry and made my heart hurt and I could blame it on the fact that I was having my period when I read this but I'd be totally lying if I said that.
This book may not be on my favorites list but rest assured that if you are looking for a realistic coming-of-age novel that's filled with diversity and social issues that are truly handled well, this book is it.
Salvation made me cry and made my heart hurt and I could blame it on the fact that I was having my period when I read this but I'd be totally lying if I said that.
This book may not be on my favorites list but rest assured that if you are looking for a realistic coming-of-age novel that's filled with diversity and social issues that are truly handled well, this book is it.
January 15, 2013
For me, while this wasn't an issue book, it was a very powerful read. And an important one. The thing that really hit me hard and made me think so much was that Salva is from an immigrant family. His parents got Visa's so they're legal, but they don't necessarily have anything easy. His father works incredibly hard so that Salva can study hard and be the best he can be. And Salva is the head of the class, the most popular, the smartest, the class president... the list goes on. But Salva's mother died when he was younger and he has younger sisters that he has to care for and he also feels a lot of pressure from his father. In the book we really see how hard immigrant Mexican families have it, but while some may pull their kids out of school to help out, Salva's father is the opposite. And while Salva does agree with his, he does want to be the best he can be, but his dreams are not the same as his fathers.
Finding YA books with minorities as main characters is surprisingly difficult. And when we do it's often not something that's addressed much. In this book we see that Salva is angry with the way people look down on them, how they have to give in to authority because they are afraid of being deported (or having those they know get deported). We see more of their side of things. And I think this is so important. Where I live there are a lot of Mexican immigrants. A lot of the kids were born here but they still face the prejudice and it's not in their control. Their family moved here so they can have a better life, but sometimes it's hard to find the good when they have to deal with so much. Salva has things good as far as that goes, but we see how it is, what his father fears and all that. This is an important subject because so many people don't think to see things from the other side.
Okay, enough about that. This is about Salva, who you already know about now. But Salva isn't so great in his AP English and like everything else he does he needs to do well. So he asks the class brainiac, also called the walking disaster, Beth, to help. Beth has liked Salva for years but had finally gotten it through her head that she would never get him, so she's a bit afraid of allowing herself to get very close to him. But as you have probably figured out, they do get close and eventually more happens between them. I really loved that a lot of time passes with them working together and really getting to know each other before anything happens. So there's no insta-love and there's no love triangle. The way the romance progresses is realistic and full of that fantastic tension that we all love (at least I know, I love it). And when that kiss happens I know that you'll all swoon right out of your socks because this is not some average every day kiss. Nope, it's certainly not folks! And I loved that these two communicated. Once they were declared a couple, anyway. There's not a ton of drama involved and that was like a breath of fresh air for me. Loved that!
This felt more like Salva's story to me, but we get a lot of Beth's story as well and see what she's thinking and has going on. She has an absent mother and is still grieving the loss of her grandmother. While her issues weren't as numerous as Salva's she's definitely going through stuff as well. And she's was a strong character with a strong personality. While she may duck her head around school to avoid being made fun of, she doesn't hesitate to tell Salva straight up what she thinks about his situation and schoolwork, etc.
I loved this book. Absolutely loved it! The story, the characters, the romance, it's all great! And while it may all seem so predictable and all that, it's not. There's actually a big thing that happens at the end that totally surprised me.
While I would think this is probably a stand alone I would love a sequel or a companion. I want to know how things go in their future and I would definitely love more of these characters!
You can find this review, and others like it at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
Finding YA books with minorities as main characters is surprisingly difficult. And when we do it's often not something that's addressed much. In this book we see that Salva is angry with the way people look down on them, how they have to give in to authority because they are afraid of being deported (or having those they know get deported). We see more of their side of things. And I think this is so important. Where I live there are a lot of Mexican immigrants. A lot of the kids were born here but they still face the prejudice and it's not in their control. Their family moved here so they can have a better life, but sometimes it's hard to find the good when they have to deal with so much. Salva has things good as far as that goes, but we see how it is, what his father fears and all that. This is an important subject because so many people don't think to see things from the other side.
Okay, enough about that. This is about Salva, who you already know about now. But Salva isn't so great in his AP English and like everything else he does he needs to do well. So he asks the class brainiac, also called the walking disaster, Beth, to help. Beth has liked Salva for years but had finally gotten it through her head that she would never get him, so she's a bit afraid of allowing herself to get very close to him. But as you have probably figured out, they do get close and eventually more happens between them. I really loved that a lot of time passes with them working together and really getting to know each other before anything happens. So there's no insta-love and there's no love triangle. The way the romance progresses is realistic and full of that fantastic tension that we all love (at least I know, I love it). And when that kiss happens I know that you'll all swoon right out of your socks because this is not some average every day kiss. Nope, it's certainly not folks! And I loved that these two communicated. Once they were declared a couple, anyway. There's not a ton of drama involved and that was like a breath of fresh air for me. Loved that!
This felt more like Salva's story to me, but we get a lot of Beth's story as well and see what she's thinking and has going on. She has an absent mother and is still grieving the loss of her grandmother. While her issues weren't as numerous as Salva's she's definitely going through stuff as well. And she's was a strong character with a strong personality. While she may duck her head around school to avoid being made fun of, she doesn't hesitate to tell Salva straight up what she thinks about his situation and schoolwork, etc.
I loved this book. Absolutely loved it! The story, the characters, the romance, it's all great! And while it may all seem so predictable and all that, it's not. There's actually a big thing that happens at the end that totally surprised me.
While I would think this is probably a stand alone I would love a sequel or a companion. I want to know how things go in their future and I would definitely love more of these characters!
You can find this review, and others like it at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
January 24, 2013
Salvation is Anne Osterlund's first Contemporary YA novel, and for it being her debut in the genre I think it is excellent. First, I was really impressed with how Osterlund really captured the pressure and struggles many Mexican families have to go through. Being a Mexican myself, I found it incredibly easy to sympathize with Salvador, and I really think that everyone will be able to relate to him.
Salvador is a really smart boy, he has done everything that was expected of him. He is the golden boy, he has fulfilled his father's wishes, has never let down his friends and has always followed the rules. He's a good boy. This is where Beth comes in, the walking disaster. I had this idea that Beth wold be this wild girl that throws Salva off balance or something, but no, turns out she's literally a disaster. Walks-and-trips, drops-everything, can't-paint-without-making-a-mess sort of disaster. She thinks Salva can be more than good, that he has much much more to offer. She helps Salva discover the biggest wish of all - his own.
Salva's father only wants the best for him and his family, which is why they brought them all to the States. The next step, if for Salva to actually be someone, not just an ordinary Mexican worker, to look down at and to treat as less. Again, Osterlund surprised me here, this is what we strive for, this is defined as our success. At least in my city and with my peers it is, we all want jobs in the States, it is the biggest goal of some of us, which is sad and something that is also marked in the novel, staying in Mexico or going back is not an option, it's a step backward. It was so easy to understand Salva's father, no matter how uptight he seemed, and it was easy to understand Salva as well, his own desperation and decisions he makes toward the end of the book, how he finds his own voice despite everything else.
Beth was also a great character, she knew how much someone or something had to offer and she didn't expect any less. It almost felt like she was that little voice in the back of our minds telling us to push forward and I really wished I was more like Beth, who honestly had every reason to be disappointed in life, and yet, she kept pushing.
I really liked Salvation, the ending was great, it had my heart pounding and just wondering 'How is this going to have a happy ending?!!! in fact how will this end at all?!!" I thought there was even a sequel I didn't know about, but no worries, it is wrapped up perfectly well. It was a great story and all of the characters will stick with me for a long time, especially Salva and Beth :)
Salvador is a really smart boy, he has done everything that was expected of him. He is the golden boy, he has fulfilled his father's wishes, has never let down his friends and has always followed the rules. He's a good boy. This is where Beth comes in, the walking disaster. I had this idea that Beth wold be this wild girl that throws Salva off balance or something, but no, turns out she's literally a disaster. Walks-and-trips, drops-everything, can't-paint-without-making-a-mess sort of disaster. She thinks Salva can be more than good, that he has much much more to offer. She helps Salva discover the biggest wish of all - his own.
Salva's father only wants the best for him and his family, which is why they brought them all to the States. The next step, if for Salva to actually be someone, not just an ordinary Mexican worker, to look down at and to treat as less. Again, Osterlund surprised me here, this is what we strive for, this is defined as our success. At least in my city and with my peers it is, we all want jobs in the States, it is the biggest goal of some of us, which is sad and something that is also marked in the novel, staying in Mexico or going back is not an option, it's a step backward. It was so easy to understand Salva's father, no matter how uptight he seemed, and it was easy to understand Salva as well, his own desperation and decisions he makes toward the end of the book, how he finds his own voice despite everything else.
Beth was also a great character, she knew how much someone or something had to offer and she didn't expect any less. It almost felt like she was that little voice in the back of our minds telling us to push forward and I really wished I was more like Beth, who honestly had every reason to be disappointed in life, and yet, she kept pushing.
I really liked Salvation, the ending was great, it had my heart pounding and just wondering 'How is this going to have a happy ending?!!! in fact how will this end at all?!!" I thought there was even a sequel I didn't know about, but no worries, it is wrapped up perfectly well. It was a great story and all of the characters will stick with me for a long time, especially Salva and Beth :)
September 10, 2019
I have loved everything I have read from this author. I own most of her books and have read them to my daughters. I enjoyed this one a lot. It had an edgy feeling. Reminded me of Amy Harmon or Kristen Randle's books and I love them. Salva is the hero of the school and has the hope of his family and peers on his shoulders. I love learning about all that people don't see and the silent battle that goes on behind the facade. Beth is awesome. I loved her quiet strength and the struggles that she holds close. These two had an up hill battle and the book was real and I loved that. This is a good read and I hope Anne continues to write. She was amazing at creating a princess and a realm and a girl that flew spaceships and now she has done well in contemporary. Love how I never know what is coming next.
-There is no sex scene in this book. They do kiss and talk about it. The other characters mention it more. There is mention of sexual comments but we don't get details.
-Language- There is a couple of swear words, nothing overly offensive. She uses F and a dash to say the F word.
-Violence- There is a accident that is has a bit of gore.
-Political- there is a lot here about emigration and some of the people are illegal immigrants. This is handled well and is not a us against them issue more just about creating a better future.
-There is no sex scene in this book. They do kiss and talk about it. The other characters mention it more. There is mention of sexual comments but we don't get details.
-Language- There is a couple of swear words, nothing overly offensive. She uses F and a dash to say the F word.
-Violence- There is a accident that is has a bit of gore.
-Political- there is a lot here about emigration and some of the people are illegal immigrants. This is handled well and is not a us against them issue more just about creating a better future.
January 19, 2013
This was so disappointing. Maybe when I have calmed down and stopped sobbing over just how betrayed I felt that this book kinda sucked, I will be able to actually write a review.
First off, the setting. So modern. Very different. Not a bad thing by itself. But with all these "modern" characters that are so...ugh. I mean, all of them are or at one time (except Beth) have been sleeping around. They're crude and annoying. Not very likable.
Salva and his friends are Catholic though they sure as shooting never show it. Sure Salva and them go to Mass (which was never capitalized in the book, by the way) but only because they are afraid of their parents. They sleep around. And Salva doesn't have the greatest attitude towards the Catholic Church. It's not horrible but not great. In any case, Salva isn't living his faith. And, yes, I'm aware that that is not the point of the book, but if you're gonna bother making a character Catholic... can they at least try?
The romance: What happened here? Goodness. Beth has been crushing on Salva since the eighth grade. He took no notice. Now she is finally getting the boyfriend of her dreams and all they can do is make-out? Try to throw in a meaningful conversation and then Salva just goes after Beth like there is no tomorrow.
The story: *ahem* What?
So what was that all about? Just stupid.
I was expecting something worthy of Anne Osterlund. But I gotta say: Salvation was pretty bad.
ANNE!! What happened to the amazingness that used to be your books?
After finishing this book I was just thinking of all the reviews that I read that made me really excited:
And this was me:
(And, yes, I found myself a giant Hershey's chocolate bar to hug and eat. I also crawled into my sock drawer....)
I was just SO freaking excited for this book...and it was SOOOOO disappointing.
First off, the setting. So modern. Very different. Not a bad thing by itself. But with all these "modern" characters that are so...ugh. I mean, all of them are or at one time (except Beth) have been sleeping around. They're crude and annoying. Not very likable.
Salva and his friends are Catholic though they sure as shooting never show it. Sure Salva and them go to Mass (which was never capitalized in the book, by the way) but only because they are afraid of their parents. They sleep around. And Salva doesn't have the greatest attitude towards the Catholic Church. It's not horrible but not great. In any case, Salva isn't living his faith. And, yes, I'm aware that that is not the point of the book, but if you're gonna bother making a character Catholic... can they at least try?
The romance: What happened here? Goodness. Beth has been crushing on Salva since the eighth grade. He took no notice. Now she is finally getting the boyfriend of her dreams and all they can do is make-out? Try to throw in a meaningful conversation and then Salva just goes after Beth like there is no tomorrow.
The story: *ahem* What?
So what was that all about? Just stupid.
I was expecting something worthy of Anne Osterlund. But I gotta say: Salvation was pretty bad.
ANNE!! What happened to the amazingness that used to be your books?
After finishing this book I was just thinking of all the reviews that I read that made me really excited:
And this was me:
(And, yes, I found myself a giant Hershey's chocolate bar to hug and eat. I also crawled into my sock drawer....)
I was just SO freaking excited for this book...and it was SOOOOO disappointing.
December 24, 2012
My very favorite thing about Salvation is the subject matter. As we readers know, YA fiction tends to focus on a particular type of character: white and upper middle class. Sure, there's nothing wrong with those sorts of character, but there are a lot more types of people in the world, and fiction is meant to reflect life.
In Salvation, both of the main characters, Salva and Beth are both very poor, but very bright, standing a chance to get out of their town, where most people work at the onion factory. Beth lives in a battered trailer with her mother, who struggles with alcoholism. Luckily, Beth has a trust put aside for her education, if not for anything else. Salva, however, needs to get a full ride to whatever college he attends, which should be possible since he has a good shot at being the valedictorian.
Salva, short for Salvador (and also a pun on the title), is also Mexican (and note the lack of whitewashing on the cover!). He and his friends rule the school, the most popular kids at Liberty High. Beth has had a crush on him since eighth grade, but he's never paid any attention to her before. This changes when he needs her help to pass AP English, his weakest subject. Of course, in working together, they grow feelings and it's super cute.
Their relationship comes to be very slowly, really before either one of them particularly realizes it. Salva and Beth have so many preconceived notions about one another, whether good or ill, and watching them come to appreciate one another for real is just touching. Also, they flirt with Shakespeare, which has to be the best way to flirt. Never have I liked the death scene in Romeo & Juliet more. Best of all, once they finally do get together, it's really awkward, just the way fledgling relationships are with parents and how to act at school and how to act with one another.
Towards the end, I worried things were going to a bad place plot-wise, one of melodrama and needless tears, but Anne brought things together. All of the plot threads come together to make a satisfying ending, though not an unreservedly happy one. Of all of her books, I think this one definitely has the most serious message, one that will be wonderful for teens. Salvation is all about taking action, fighting for rights, doing your best, and finding your passion.
Salvation is written in third person limited, following Salva and Beth. The book might have been more powerful in first person, because, as it is, I never was able to completely bond with the characters. I really love Salva, but Beth proves a bit trickier. Beth is a quiet character, and I think really seeing through her eyes would have been a beautiful thing, because she clearly does not see things the way that I do.
If you're looking for YA with diversity in both race and socioeconomic status, Salvation is a delight. Populated with lifelike characters and a lovely message, I highly recommend Osterlund's latest to lovers of contemporary novels.
In Salvation, both of the main characters, Salva and Beth are both very poor, but very bright, standing a chance to get out of their town, where most people work at the onion factory. Beth lives in a battered trailer with her mother, who struggles with alcoholism. Luckily, Beth has a trust put aside for her education, if not for anything else. Salva, however, needs to get a full ride to whatever college he attends, which should be possible since he has a good shot at being the valedictorian.
Salva, short for Salvador (and also a pun on the title), is also Mexican (and note the lack of whitewashing on the cover!). He and his friends rule the school, the most popular kids at Liberty High. Beth has had a crush on him since eighth grade, but he's never paid any attention to her before. This changes when he needs her help to pass AP English, his weakest subject. Of course, in working together, they grow feelings and it's super cute.
Their relationship comes to be very slowly, really before either one of them particularly realizes it. Salva and Beth have so many preconceived notions about one another, whether good or ill, and watching them come to appreciate one another for real is just touching. Also, they flirt with Shakespeare, which has to be the best way to flirt. Never have I liked the death scene in Romeo & Juliet more. Best of all, once they finally do get together, it's really awkward, just the way fledgling relationships are with parents and how to act at school and how to act with one another.
Towards the end, I worried things were going to a bad place plot-wise, one of melodrama and needless tears, but Anne brought things together. All of the plot threads come together to make a satisfying ending, though not an unreservedly happy one. Of all of her books, I think this one definitely has the most serious message, one that will be wonderful for teens. Salvation is all about taking action, fighting for rights, doing your best, and finding your passion.
Salvation is written in third person limited, following Salva and Beth. The book might have been more powerful in first person, because, as it is, I never was able to completely bond with the characters. I really love Salva, but Beth proves a bit trickier. Beth is a quiet character, and I think really seeing through her eyes would have been a beautiful thing, because she clearly does not see things the way that I do.
If you're looking for YA with diversity in both race and socioeconomic status, Salvation is a delight. Populated with lifelike characters and a lovely message, I highly recommend Osterlund's latest to lovers of contemporary novels.
July 21, 2013
Salvation is a YA romance novel, but it is so much more. It goes so beyond: boy meets girl, they fall in love, they overcome all the obstacles … happy end. A foremost because it is dealing with some really important contemporary social issues; like immigrants and their status and position in USA.
Salvation is not just a YA romance novel; it is also a coming of age story, story about prejudices. It is also the story about reaching your full potentials and that fear is the worst restrain mechanism that on can have in itself and that one should be free of fear in order to live his/her dreams. This is a story about immigrants (legal and illegal), people on the margin, their dreams and beliefs in better future for them and their children.
Characters, all of them major and secondary, are so complex and full of personality. My favorite was Beth. What a fighter and survivor. I liked her especially because she was the princess in shining armor that saves her prince. Beth is definitely one of those female YA character that is strong, determined and independent. My heart was with her a whole time and I was so happy that in the end things turn out fine for her.
Salvation is very strong and realistic story, and the end of it is just like that, open, realistic and satisfying.
This was a great emotional read that kept me at the edge of the seat. I highly recommend it to all readers who enjoy YA dealing with social issues. Actually I would recommend it to anyone. Looking forward to next Osterlund’s contemporary YA book.
Salvation is not just a YA romance novel; it is also a coming of age story, story about prejudices. It is also the story about reaching your full potentials and that fear is the worst restrain mechanism that on can have in itself and that one should be free of fear in order to live his/her dreams. This is a story about immigrants (legal and illegal), people on the margin, their dreams and beliefs in better future for them and their children.
Characters, all of them major and secondary, are so complex and full of personality. My favorite was Beth. What a fighter and survivor. I liked her especially because she was the princess in shining armor that saves her prince. Beth is definitely one of those female YA character that is strong, determined and independent. My heart was with her a whole time and I was so happy that in the end things turn out fine for her.
Salvation is very strong and realistic story, and the end of it is just like that, open, realistic and satisfying.
This was a great emotional read that kept me at the edge of the seat. I highly recommend it to all readers who enjoy YA dealing with social issues. Actually I would recommend it to anyone. Looking forward to next Osterlund’s contemporary YA book.
January 15, 2013
Nothing like Spanish phrases mingled with an adorable love story to snuggle with on a warm January day.
There's just something about Mexican characters. Whether it's the lingo, their swagger, their passionate nature or the food (my stomach growled in that scene where Salva's sister makes tamales - yum!!) but they're a winning part of any book. 'Salvation' was no exception :D
Review to come :)
There's just something about Mexican characters. Whether it's the lingo, their swagger, their passionate nature or the food (my stomach growled in that scene where Salva's sister makes tamales - yum!!) but they're a winning part of any book. 'Salvation' was no exception :D
Review to come :)
February 1, 2013
Life was unfair, and sometimes that wasn't a bad thing.
This is such a gorgeous story. Salva and Beth are both smart. They both want to make something more for themselves and are extremely poor. They both have harsh parents. They share a lot in common but at school they're at opposite ends of the social hierarchy. Their romance moves slowly and skips large sections of time. I was okay with that.
Salva is a high-achiever. He excels in academics, sports, and in the looks department. He's Mexican. Salva is ambitious. He wants to get out of town.
I found his relationships fascinating. First, there's his childhood friend Charla the bombshell. Everyone expects them to get it on, including the parents, but Salva's not interested. She's ditzy, bitchy and has a learning disability. Salva is frustrated with the way she gets lumped with him all the time but he still feels it's his duty to protect her.
Secondly, there's his father. Salva highly respects and admires him. His father works hard and believes in tough love. But he's so stubborn and prejudice and think there's only one way to happiness so he forces it down his children's throats.
Those tears were his father's, and Salva knew, for the first time, the unbelievable feeling of making someone else's dream come true.
Salva is a lovely character. I loved seeing him fall for Beth and how even though everything's out of hand he does everything within his means to protect those he cares about. It's a beautiful combination of childlikeness and maturity.
Beth just stared at him like a deer in headlights, though a very pretty deer.
I have a liking for a girl who's disorganised. I don't know why. I guess it makes her more real. Beth's also absent-minded. I liked that the author doesn't forget this. Y'know how some authors give their character a characteristic to introduce them to you but then just leave it out as the book goes on and more important stuff happens? Yeah, well I liked that Beth continued to be a “walking disaster”. Beth lives in a trailer with her alcoholic but working mother. She's always crushed on Salva and feels he's out of her league. She's intimidated by his high school status and his elite crowd.
I'm not sure about the ending. It's good, but maybe a bit too much for too little pages.
4.5 Stars
This is such a gorgeous story. Salva and Beth are both smart. They both want to make something more for themselves and are extremely poor. They both have harsh parents. They share a lot in common but at school they're at opposite ends of the social hierarchy. Their romance moves slowly and skips large sections of time. I was okay with that.
Salva is a high-achiever. He excels in academics, sports, and in the looks department. He's Mexican. Salva is ambitious. He wants to get out of town.
I found his relationships fascinating. First, there's his childhood friend Charla the bombshell. Everyone expects them to get it on, including the parents, but Salva's not interested. She's ditzy, bitchy and has a learning disability. Salva is frustrated with the way she gets lumped with him all the time but he still feels it's his duty to protect her.
Secondly, there's his father. Salva highly respects and admires him. His father works hard and believes in tough love. But he's so stubborn and prejudice and think there's only one way to happiness so he forces it down his children's throats.
Those tears were his father's, and Salva knew, for the first time, the unbelievable feeling of making someone else's dream come true.
Salva is a lovely character. I loved seeing him fall for Beth and how even though everything's out of hand he does everything within his means to protect those he cares about. It's a beautiful combination of childlikeness and maturity.
Beth just stared at him like a deer in headlights, though a very pretty deer.
I have a liking for a girl who's disorganised. I don't know why. I guess it makes her more real. Beth's also absent-minded. I liked that the author doesn't forget this. Y'know how some authors give their character a characteristic to introduce them to you but then just leave it out as the book goes on and more important stuff happens? Yeah, well I liked that Beth continued to be a “walking disaster”. Beth lives in a trailer with her alcoholic but working mother. She's always crushed on Salva and feels he's out of her league. She's intimidated by his high school status and his elite crowd.
I'm not sure about the ending. It's good, but maybe a bit too much for too little pages.
4.5 Stars
January 21, 2013
My favorite thing about the novel was that the ending came out of nowhere. It was not at all what I was expecting and just as I was getting to know the characters and what to expect Osterlund changed the game and made me reevaluate everything. It is writing like this that takes me completely by surprise that I fall in love with and I think that is why I loved Salvation so much, it took me by surprise.
The book centers around Beth described as the “walking disaster area” and Salvador “Salva” who is class president, captain of the football team, and has a perfect GPA. He really is Mr. Right, and I was nervous beginning this novel that he might be too perfect. Salva though definitely has his faults, and that made him all the more likable.
One of the main themes of this novel is the pressure to do better then your parents did and to go to college. It was told through Salva’s perspective, so the perspective of a first generation Mexican-American, but a lot of it rang true for me. I remember how much pressure my parents put on me to do better then they did and to excel in school. Although, they were supportive when I was in high school and undergrad, I never really felt like they were truly proud of me until I began Law School. Despite Salva and I being from very different backgrounds I could relate him in a lot of ways.
I also enjoyed the relationship between Beth and Salva. It was a little bit formulaic in the fact that they are paired for a school project and then come to realize they have feelings for each other but this didn’t stop me from rooting for the two of them. Beth and Salva have both been through so much that above all I wanted them both to be happy and they were happy together.
Overall, I really enjoyed Salvation. The novel took me by surprise and had me rooting for the characters. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys contemporary novels and liked Pushing the Limits, or Perfect Chemistry.
The book centers around Beth described as the “walking disaster area” and Salvador “Salva” who is class president, captain of the football team, and has a perfect GPA. He really is Mr. Right, and I was nervous beginning this novel that he might be too perfect. Salva though definitely has his faults, and that made him all the more likable.
One of the main themes of this novel is the pressure to do better then your parents did and to go to college. It was told through Salva’s perspective, so the perspective of a first generation Mexican-American, but a lot of it rang true for me. I remember how much pressure my parents put on me to do better then they did and to excel in school. Although, they were supportive when I was in high school and undergrad, I never really felt like they were truly proud of me until I began Law School. Despite Salva and I being from very different backgrounds I could relate him in a lot of ways.
I also enjoyed the relationship between Beth and Salva. It was a little bit formulaic in the fact that they are paired for a school project and then come to realize they have feelings for each other but this didn’t stop me from rooting for the two of them. Beth and Salva have both been through so much that above all I wanted them both to be happy and they were happy together.
Overall, I really enjoyed Salvation. The novel took me by surprise and had me rooting for the characters. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys contemporary novels and liked Pushing the Limits, or Perfect Chemistry.
March 15, 2013
I’m a big fan of Anne Osterlund. I’ve read all of her other novels and truly enjoy them. She is a talented writer and I’m always completely engrossed in her stories. While Salvation was beautifully written, I didn’t connect with the story or the characters as much as I usually do in Osterlund’s novels.
I loved the concept of the story. Two very different characters, both working diligently to overcome personal obstacles and better their lives, and falling in love in the process. They were both very passionate about their education, which was nice to see, and though they expressed it in different ways, they were both very dedicated to their families. Though Beth’s family wasn’t whole after the passing of her grandma. Her mom did step it up toward the end of the novel, but it was a little to late.
Basically the story is Beth and Salva helping each other through some tough times.
There was a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming, but the whole ending did feel a little rushed. Overall, I thought the concept of the story sounded fabulous, I just didn’t particularly connect with it or the characters.
I loved the concept of the story. Two very different characters, both working diligently to overcome personal obstacles and better their lives, and falling in love in the process. They were both very passionate about their education, which was nice to see, and though they expressed it in different ways, they were both very dedicated to their families. Though Beth’s family wasn’t whole after the passing of her grandma. Her mom did step it up toward the end of the novel, but it was a little to late.
Basically the story is Beth and Salva helping each other through some tough times.
There was a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming, but the whole ending did feel a little rushed. Overall, I thought the concept of the story sounded fabulous, I just didn’t particularly connect with it or the characters.
January 18, 2013
ok! dat was different!
and definitely NOTHING like the 'Perfect Chemistry' series i was expecting!
it was more than just romance
it was more about Salva and his struggle to find his 'salvation'
story line is pretty neat
dint go as i predicted at all
so it ensured i read through the entire book just to know what happens next
Beth and Salva were really cute
i really hope the long distance works for them
that being said, as much as i try to ignore it or stay in denial, the book lacked the 'oomph' factor
i mean i had it all, a good story, strong characters, trauma settings
but the 'chemical X' was missing
and that is unfortunate, coz with that extra zing the book could've become a total hit
Anne made a good job of avoiding cliche's
but cliche's are cliche's for a reason, because they work!
ps: LOVE the cover
and definitely NOTHING like the 'Perfect Chemistry' series i was expecting!
it was more than just romance
it was more about Salva and his struggle to find his 'salvation'
story line is pretty neat
dint go as i predicted at all
so it ensured i read through the entire book just to know what happens next
Beth and Salva were really cute
i really hope the long distance works for them
that being said, as much as i try to ignore it or stay in denial, the book lacked the 'oomph' factor
i mean i had it all, a good story, strong characters, trauma settings
but the 'chemical X' was missing
and that is unfortunate, coz with that extra zing the book could've become a total hit
Anne made a good job of avoiding cliche's
but cliche's are cliche's for a reason, because they work!
ps: LOVE the cover
November 16, 2013
Wow this book left me speechless. It was just amazing.
The connection with the characters was immediate, i could feel their emotions. When Salva and Beth had to do the scene in the school cafeteria my tummy was twisting with nerves as I was there with them, and when a book can make you feel this way it's really worth reading.
I've read all of Anne Osterlund books and I loved every one of them.
The connection with the characters was immediate, i could feel their emotions. When Salva and Beth had to do the scene in the school cafeteria my tummy was twisting with nerves as I was there with them, and when a book can make you feel this way it's really worth reading.
I've read all of Anne Osterlund books and I loved every one of them.
December 30, 2012
Not what I was expecting, but still a decent/good read. Review to follow.
October 8, 2014
Sweet but dealt with some serious issues. I got totally swept up into Salva and Beth's love story. What happens next?? This story needs a sequel.
January 11, 2024
Trying to cry quietly in the back of the car. 4.5/5
March 12, 2013
When I first saw the cover of Salvation and read the synopsis, I knew that this was a story that I had to read. This story was about Salva, and his life experiences that lead him to a journey of self-discovery, and self-realization about the person he wanted to be, and the person that he had to be. His whole life, Salva had been looked up to, and respected by both his peers, and his elders. He was a people pleaser, and most important in his life, was to make his father proud by fulfilling his father's dream of Salva attending a state college, and making the most of his education. Salva had a very close-knit group of friends. Pepe (his best friend,) Char (the girl he'd grown up with since childhood,) Tosa, Luka, and Linette that were all in the popular crowd at Salva's high school. However, his friends were not as intelligent (with the exception of Luka), hard-working, or ambitious as he was. Salva was in all AP classes, on the high school football team with his friends, ASB president at his high school, and well-liked by everyone. He planned to get a scholarship to a state college, and major in engineering. This was his father's dream for him, and was his mother's as well, before she got cancer, and died. While in AP English, Salva struggled with getting good grades, (a first for him,) and asked Beth, a girl in his English class to tutor him. Little did he know, Beth had a crush on him since middle school. Beth was highly intelligent, very disorganized, and Salva referred to her as "the walking disaster area." After much persistence from Salva, Beth agreed to tutor him. As Salva and Beth got to know one another, she made him see his life in a whole new way. Beth taught him how to be a more critical thinker, question everything, and express his thought, opinions, and emotions. Beth ultimately made Salva a stronger person, and they fell in love along the way...
Overall, Salvation was a great story! The plot was slow-building, but then it took off, and picked up pace. I enjoyed the multi-cultural flavor of the story. Ms. Osterlund did an excellent job of showing the traditional values, customs, and harsh struggles of immigrants. "La Familia," took priority in the traditional mexican culture. Everyone pulled together, and worked as a team towards the success of the family as a whole. The youth was expected to respect their elders, and the elders were expected to contribute to the family in any way that they could. I could see the family structure so clearly, along with the customs, and culture in this story. I was impressed with how well Ms. Osterlund demonstrated the internal and external struggles of the second generation Mexican-Americans, (the children,) and how their ideas and thoughts conflicted with the more traditional values and roles of the parents. The whole cultural aspect of Salvation was both enlightening, and honest.
Another aspect I thought was beautiful to watch was Salva's self-discovery of who he was, and who he wanted to become. Salva made immense character growth in this story. At the begining of the story, Salva tried to please everyone, keep his mouth shut, instead of expressing his thoughts, emotions, and opinions, and let fear stop him from being the best that he could possibly be. By the end of the story, with the guidance of Beth, Salva expressed his thoughts, and emotions, stood up for his beliefs, was honest with himself, as well as his father about what he wanted, and didn't let fear stand in his way of persuing his dreams.
I was a little disappointed with the lack of romance and passion between Beth and Salva in the story. I felt like most of the story, Beth, and Salva kept their feelings for one another to themselves, and I would have liked to see them get together sooner. Also, I didn't feel the connection between Beth and Salva as strongly as I would have liked, until the end of the story. There romance was extremely slow building, perhaps a little too slow building for my taste.
My Rating:
Overall, this is an excellent story that touched on the traditions and values of the Mexican-American Culture. Salvation was about the difficult journey to self-realization, and self-actualization. It was about discovering who you are, letting go of other people's expectations for you, and learning how to realize what is important in your own life, what you are passionate about, and making your own decisions. I give Salvation, by Anne Osterlund 4 Beautifully Transforming Stars! If you enjoy stories about culture, self-discovery, and with great character growth, Salvation is a great choice for a bookish escape!
For more reviews visit A Bookish Escape at http://www.abookishescape.com
Overall, Salvation was a great story! The plot was slow-building, but then it took off, and picked up pace. I enjoyed the multi-cultural flavor of the story. Ms. Osterlund did an excellent job of showing the traditional values, customs, and harsh struggles of immigrants. "La Familia," took priority in the traditional mexican culture. Everyone pulled together, and worked as a team towards the success of the family as a whole. The youth was expected to respect their elders, and the elders were expected to contribute to the family in any way that they could. I could see the family structure so clearly, along with the customs, and culture in this story. I was impressed with how well Ms. Osterlund demonstrated the internal and external struggles of the second generation Mexican-Americans, (the children,) and how their ideas and thoughts conflicted with the more traditional values and roles of the parents. The whole cultural aspect of Salvation was both enlightening, and honest.
Another aspect I thought was beautiful to watch was Salva's self-discovery of who he was, and who he wanted to become. Salva made immense character growth in this story. At the begining of the story, Salva tried to please everyone, keep his mouth shut, instead of expressing his thoughts, emotions, and opinions, and let fear stop him from being the best that he could possibly be. By the end of the story, with the guidance of Beth, Salva expressed his thoughts, and emotions, stood up for his beliefs, was honest with himself, as well as his father about what he wanted, and didn't let fear stand in his way of persuing his dreams.
I was a little disappointed with the lack of romance and passion between Beth and Salva in the story. I felt like most of the story, Beth, and Salva kept their feelings for one another to themselves, and I would have liked to see them get together sooner. Also, I didn't feel the connection between Beth and Salva as strongly as I would have liked, until the end of the story. There romance was extremely slow building, perhaps a little too slow building for my taste.
My Rating:
Overall, this is an excellent story that touched on the traditions and values of the Mexican-American Culture. Salvation was about the difficult journey to self-realization, and self-actualization. It was about discovering who you are, letting go of other people's expectations for you, and learning how to realize what is important in your own life, what you are passionate about, and making your own decisions. I give Salvation, by Anne Osterlund 4 Beautifully Transforming Stars! If you enjoy stories about culture, self-discovery, and with great character growth, Salvation is a great choice for a bookish escape!
For more reviews visit A Bookish Escape at http://www.abookishescape.com
January 21, 2013
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Overview of Novel: Beth is known as the walking disaster. She has a knack for running into people, for not fitting in, and just for blending in the background. Salva is the opposite. He's popular, football captain and student body president. Basically, he's everything Beth isn't.
But Beth has had a crush on him for years. He's never noticed her. And then when they are in AP English, her paper gets read out loud and Salva gets a D. Suddenly Slava is noticing her. He convinces her to tutor him. But Beth is worried she's set herself up for failure. She's not even sure Slava will notice her as more than a friend, and then when tragedy strikes, it's up to her to save him. But what makes her think that she's enough to save him?
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: Let me start out by saying, I love Anne Osterlund. I've read every single one of her books and every single one of her blog posts.
Basically, I think this author's writing is exceptional. This book was no exception. It wasn't like I expected it would be. In fact, it was very different than I expected, but I still loved it.
Beth and Salva were interesting characters. Even though, I'm not very similar to either one of them, I still loved learning more about their characters. This book dealt with issues of race and racial prejudice, dealing with crappy family situations, and finding your own dreams and reaching for those.
All of those themes made this book a memorable read for me. I love when books have a deeper underlying message and this book fits that bill.
Anne Osterlund's writing was beautifully crafted, but really that isn't surprising. I've already said I love her writing.
I guess I just loved this story because the characters seemed so realistic, the plot was entertaining, and it had a deeper underlining message. Basically, it had everything I like in a good book.
So why 4 stars? This one was tough to rate. I loved it. I loved the characters, the plot, and the writing. However, I felt like Anne Osterlund developed such a great world with such conflicts and real problems and then the ending just felt slightly rushed. I would have liked to have seen it more drawn out.
There was just so much build-up and then it kind of ended. Don't get me wrong, I loved the book and the ending was great. It just needed to be better to earn a 5.
In Summary: Anne Osterlund's book is incredibly written. Fans of Simon Elkeles, Sara Zarr, and retellings of Romeo and Juliet will adore this book. Osterlund is a master at characterization and that shines through.
The Wrap-up: I loved this book. It was beautifully written and Anne is one of my favorite authors. If you love realistic contemporary novels, then I recommend this one for you.
Love,
Danica Page
Taking it One Page at a Time
Overview of Novel: Beth is known as the walking disaster. She has a knack for running into people, for not fitting in, and just for blending in the background. Salva is the opposite. He's popular, football captain and student body president. Basically, he's everything Beth isn't.
But Beth has had a crush on him for years. He's never noticed her. And then when they are in AP English, her paper gets read out loud and Salva gets a D. Suddenly Slava is noticing her. He convinces her to tutor him. But Beth is worried she's set herself up for failure. She's not even sure Slava will notice her as more than a friend, and then when tragedy strikes, it's up to her to save him. But what makes her think that she's enough to save him?
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: Let me start out by saying, I love Anne Osterlund. I've read every single one of her books and every single one of her blog posts.
Basically, I think this author's writing is exceptional. This book was no exception. It wasn't like I expected it would be. In fact, it was very different than I expected, but I still loved it.
Beth and Salva were interesting characters. Even though, I'm not very similar to either one of them, I still loved learning more about their characters. This book dealt with issues of race and racial prejudice, dealing with crappy family situations, and finding your own dreams and reaching for those.
All of those themes made this book a memorable read for me. I love when books have a deeper underlying message and this book fits that bill.
Anne Osterlund's writing was beautifully crafted, but really that isn't surprising. I've already said I love her writing.
I guess I just loved this story because the characters seemed so realistic, the plot was entertaining, and it had a deeper underlining message. Basically, it had everything I like in a good book.
So why 4 stars? This one was tough to rate. I loved it. I loved the characters, the plot, and the writing. However, I felt like Anne Osterlund developed such a great world with such conflicts and real problems and then the ending just felt slightly rushed. I would have liked to have seen it more drawn out.
There was just so much build-up and then it kind of ended. Don't get me wrong, I loved the book and the ending was great. It just needed to be better to earn a 5.
In Summary: Anne Osterlund's book is incredibly written. Fans of Simon Elkeles, Sara Zarr, and retellings of Romeo and Juliet will adore this book. Osterlund is a master at characterization and that shines through.
The Wrap-up: I loved this book. It was beautifully written and Anne is one of my favorite authors. If you love realistic contemporary novels, then I recommend this one for you.
Love,
Danica Page
Taking it One Page at a Time
January 29, 2013
I always love reading story with opposite characters. Although there are many books with story like this, I never get enough reading it. And what could be more interesting reading a book about a quiet nerd girl who falls in love with a popular school athlete boy.
Salva is a son from Mexican immigrant. His father believes in order to improve their live he has to have good education. So he makes his way to became valedictorian, he also a talented athlete. Unlike his friends, he wants to pursuit it outside his town. He dream big and set his hope high. Until his senior year, he hasn’t met someone who has dream as big as his. Then he met Beth. She’s a daughter from a single parent mother. She’s clever and ambitious. She put her dream on one of Ivy leagues universities. All she cares about is reach her dream and not to end up like her mother. And just like other female students, she has a crush on Salva.
What I like from this book:
- As a YA contemporary, this book was not only about high school romance but also about culture and prejudice. Being a minority citizen, Salva’s father has some kind of prejudice to his surrounding and people in common. While Salva who is more American than Mexican thought he should think and act out of the box. Salva’s father with his prejudice has reasons to think like that as much as Salva. The prejudice and culture clash describe well in this story. It gave me more description about Mexican immigrant more than other YA contemporary books that I have read.
- The Shakespeare Play. I don’t know whether it really happen in high school or not, but I like the idea to play certain part from English literature anywhere around the school. I think it’ll make student more interested in English literature. A scene when Salva and Beth played was awesome. I can picture it and feel it.
- There are surprises along the story. I love the unpredictable story. Story with twists and surprises. This book have it, in some parts, I could not guess where the story goes.
What I didn’t quite like:
- I have a problem to feel Salva & Beth relationship. It wasn’t insta-love. Their relationship built months before admit their feeling. But all the time their spent their time together didn’t feel real to me. And when they admit each other feeling, I feel it was too rush though they have spent time together for a couple of months.
- A couple of time the narrator said a few months has passed but didn’t describe what happen on those months other than Salva & Beth studied together. It made me feel less connected to the story and their relationship.
I think it’s better if the story written through Salva or Beth’s POV or even both of them POV instead of third person. It’ll make the story more connected to me because I’ll get more pictures about Salva & Beth’s feeling. But in the end I still like this sweet story.
Salva is a son from Mexican immigrant. His father believes in order to improve their live he has to have good education. So he makes his way to became valedictorian, he also a talented athlete. Unlike his friends, he wants to pursuit it outside his town. He dream big and set his hope high. Until his senior year, he hasn’t met someone who has dream as big as his. Then he met Beth. She’s a daughter from a single parent mother. She’s clever and ambitious. She put her dream on one of Ivy leagues universities. All she cares about is reach her dream and not to end up like her mother. And just like other female students, she has a crush on Salva.
What I like from this book:
- As a YA contemporary, this book was not only about high school romance but also about culture and prejudice. Being a minority citizen, Salva’s father has some kind of prejudice to his surrounding and people in common. While Salva who is more American than Mexican thought he should think and act out of the box. Salva’s father with his prejudice has reasons to think like that as much as Salva. The prejudice and culture clash describe well in this story. It gave me more description about Mexican immigrant more than other YA contemporary books that I have read.
- The Shakespeare Play. I don’t know whether it really happen in high school or not, but I like the idea to play certain part from English literature anywhere around the school. I think it’ll make student more interested in English literature. A scene when Salva and Beth played was awesome. I can picture it and feel it.
- There are surprises along the story. I love the unpredictable story. Story with twists and surprises. This book have it, in some parts, I could not guess where the story goes.
What I didn’t quite like:
- I have a problem to feel Salva & Beth relationship. It wasn’t insta-love. Their relationship built months before admit their feeling. But all the time their spent their time together didn’t feel real to me. And when they admit each other feeling, I feel it was too rush though they have spent time together for a couple of months.
- A couple of time the narrator said a few months has passed but didn’t describe what happen on those months other than Salva & Beth studied together. It made me feel less connected to the story and their relationship.
I think it’s better if the story written through Salva or Beth’s POV or even both of them POV instead of third person. It’ll make the story more connected to me because I’ll get more pictures about Salva & Beth’s feeling. But in the end I still like this sweet story.
January 12, 2013
Salvation is one of the many books I have been looking forward to reading this year (and that made me really giddy when I started reading it).
What you should know about me is that I’m a hopeless romantic – especially so when it comes to books. I love a romance that takes time and makes one feel like there’s nothing more beautiful than to love and to be loved.
One of the things I liked in Salvation is how the romance played out - it didn’t feel forced or fake in any way and the interactions between Salva and Beth were sincere enough with just the right bit of humor.
Having said that though, Salvation isn’t all about “falling in love”. What I love most about the book is that it has more in store for us readers than what one would assume. It has depth and story that is definitely worth reading.
Salvation is told in Salva and Beth’s POVs. I love reading books with alternating POVs between the main characters – I feel like we’d get to know them better and make our own judgment about them based on how we see them firsthand (and not through someone else’s eyes as is the case when a novel is told only from the POV of the main character).
I adore Beth’s character – how she can be tenacious and brutally honest about what she thinks and feels and still be this girl who can bring the best out of you. She makes one question things and challenge them to not settle on okay but aim to be better.
And Salva? Now who wouldn’t want a guy who can quote poets?
Salvation is a novel filled to the brim (if you know what I mean). It’s about love, friendship, forgiveness, family, but most of all, it’s about LIFE in general – the choices we make and the impact of those choices to the people around us and to our self.
I enjoyed reading Salvation and had a great time. I read it in one sitting if you can believe me ‘cause I just can’t bring myself to put it down. It doesn’t exactly have a light feeling to it with all the drama and such that the characters are going through. I didn’t even expect that “that” would happen at the near end of the book and it was pretty much a twist I couldn’t have foreseen. But tell you what, amidst all the drama and such, you just can’t help but fall in love with the book.
BUT. I settled for a four-star rating ‘cause it felt to me like I was building up this whole pile of great expectation about the book pre-read and it just fell short. (I know, I know it’s unfair to pass judgment about a book you haven’t read purely based on gut feeling.. but with the blurb and the cover, I just can’t help it.)
This is a story you wouldn’t want to miss – must read!
“According to me.” She smiled. “And I’m the only one who matters.”
What you should know about me is that I’m a hopeless romantic – especially so when it comes to books. I love a romance that takes time and makes one feel like there’s nothing more beautiful than to love and to be loved.
One of the things I liked in Salvation is how the romance played out - it didn’t feel forced or fake in any way and the interactions between Salva and Beth were sincere enough with just the right bit of humor.
Having said that though, Salvation isn’t all about “falling in love”. What I love most about the book is that it has more in store for us readers than what one would assume. It has depth and story that is definitely worth reading.
Salvation is told in Salva and Beth’s POVs. I love reading books with alternating POVs between the main characters – I feel like we’d get to know them better and make our own judgment about them based on how we see them firsthand (and not through someone else’s eyes as is the case when a novel is told only from the POV of the main character).
I adore Beth’s character – how she can be tenacious and brutally honest about what she thinks and feels and still be this girl who can bring the best out of you. She makes one question things and challenge them to not settle on okay but aim to be better.
And Salva? Now who wouldn’t want a guy who can quote poets?
Salvation is a novel filled to the brim (if you know what I mean). It’s about love, friendship, forgiveness, family, but most of all, it’s about LIFE in general – the choices we make and the impact of those choices to the people around us and to our self.
I enjoyed reading Salvation and had a great time. I read it in one sitting if you can believe me ‘cause I just can’t bring myself to put it down. It doesn’t exactly have a light feeling to it with all the drama and such that the characters are going through. I didn’t even expect that “that” would happen at the near end of the book and it was pretty much a twist I couldn’t have foreseen. But tell you what, amidst all the drama and such, you just can’t help but fall in love with the book.
BUT. I settled for a four-star rating ‘cause it felt to me like I was building up this whole pile of great expectation about the book pre-read and it just fell short. (I know, I know it’s unfair to pass judgment about a book you haven’t read purely based on gut feeling.. but with the blurb and the cover, I just can’t help it.)
This is a story you wouldn’t want to miss – must read!
“According to me.” She smiled. “And I’m the only one who matters.”
January 13, 2013
4.5 stars
When I started reading this book, I thought I knew where the story was heading. It had all the right flavors- a popular guy named Salvador, “the walking disaster area” called Beth who's been nursing a crush on him for years and a bitchy ex-girlfriend Char.
You could figure out right from the word go that Salva was the type of guy who never spoke up. I had a few "nails on the chalkboard" kind of moments in the first few chapters with Char. Man, how desperate could she get?
Be a gentleman, his father's advice rang in his mind.
Si, papa. But what do you do when she's not a lady?
I thought she would cause major major problems in the book. An for some reason, she irritated me a lot even though she had such a short stint in this book.
The relationship development between Beth and Salva was gradual and subtle. No major drama there. Even though Beth kept thinking thoughts like-
You knew these were his friends. That they meant the world to him. That you could never mean as much to him as they do. You knew
I am prepared. Prepared to walk right by that table without even his acknowledging my existence
Salva just proves her wrong. He drapes his arm over her shoulders in cafeteria announcing to the entire school that they both are dating. And by the way, the Romeo-Juliet scene was EPIC!!!!
And towards the end of the book, I didnt see that coming. But then Anne Osterlund managed to tie up all the loose ends and make a satisfying ending with a really good message. Very REALISTIC.
"I'd rather be a five-second phone call away anytime," she whispered in his ear,"than lose you".
What were a hundred or a thousand or three thousand miles in comparison to the distance between life and death?"
It was a delight to read. And did I mention, how much I LOVED the cover?
I definitely recommend it! :)
When I started reading this book, I thought I knew where the story was heading. It had all the right flavors- a popular guy named Salvador, “the walking disaster area” called Beth who's been nursing a crush on him for years and a bitchy ex-girlfriend Char.
You could figure out right from the word go that Salva was the type of guy who never spoke up. I had a few "nails on the chalkboard" kind of moments in the first few chapters with Char. Man, how desperate could she get?
Be a gentleman, his father's advice rang in his mind.
Si, papa. But what do you do when she's not a lady?
I thought she would cause major major problems in the book. An for some reason, she irritated me a lot even though she had such a short stint in this book.
The relationship development between Beth and Salva was gradual and subtle. No major drama there. Even though Beth kept thinking thoughts like-
You knew these were his friends. That they meant the world to him. That you could never mean as much to him as they do. You knew
I am prepared. Prepared to walk right by that table without even his acknowledging my existence
Salva just proves her wrong. He drapes his arm over her shoulders in cafeteria announcing to the entire school that they both are dating. And by the way, the Romeo-Juliet scene was EPIC!!!!
And towards the end of the book, I didnt see that coming. But then Anne Osterlund managed to tie up all the loose ends and make a satisfying ending with a really good message. Very REALISTIC.
"I'd rather be a five-second phone call away anytime," she whispered in his ear,"than lose you".
What were a hundred or a thousand or three thousand miles in comparison to the distance between life and death?"
It was a delight to read. And did I mention, how much I LOVED the cover?
I definitely recommend it! :)
October 7, 2015
I am already a big fan of Ms. Osterlund's books. I not only buy a copy for myself but I buy copies for the library where I work. One of the best things about Osterlund's writing is I have no problem recommending her books to both the teens I work with or their parents. She has a way of writing amazing chemistry between the main characters while keeping them PG friendly.
That being said I was really excited when I found out that Salva one her main characters is Mexican. I don't really try to read any particularly ethnicity of books but whenever I run across one that has a Hispanic character I find myself having a special affinity to that book. No different than someone from New Jersey reading a Janet Evanovich book. It gives me a little extra happy.
Salvation is a story about Salvador and Beth both of who are trying to do what they can to get out of their poor struggling surroundings.
Both are striving to use education as their way to escape. I love the slow build to their relationship. The long flirt is always fun. The most important part of the story is that it has a very strong message about what it takes to be true to yourself and yet follow your passion this is especially true in so many lower income neighborhoods. Education is often seen as hindrance to getting a paying job right away and I loved the fact that both Beth and Salva realized that education was actually their salvation...see what I did there come on a little cheesy but it works right, and again a great romantic book with a good message slipped in is always a plus...
That being said I was really excited when I found out that Salva one her main characters is Mexican. I don't really try to read any particularly ethnicity of books but whenever I run across one that has a Hispanic character I find myself having a special affinity to that book. No different than someone from New Jersey reading a Janet Evanovich book. It gives me a little extra happy.
Salvation is a story about Salvador and Beth both of who are trying to do what they can to get out of their poor struggling surroundings.
Both are striving to use education as their way to escape. I love the slow build to their relationship. The long flirt is always fun. The most important part of the story is that it has a very strong message about what it takes to be true to yourself and yet follow your passion this is especially true in so many lower income neighborhoods. Education is often seen as hindrance to getting a paying job right away and I loved the fact that both Beth and Salva realized that education was actually their salvation...see what I did there come on a little cheesy but it works right, and again a great romantic book with a good message slipped in is always a plus...
March 19, 2013
Salvation gives us the story of the lower class people (mainly immigrants) trying to make it in America. Salva is a terrific football player and high school student, yet college is a dream unless he can get a good scholarship. Beth, aka the walking disaster, is white, yet from a poor single-mother home. Stereotypes and prejudices go both ways. To a great extent, I felt this is a modern re-telling of Romeo and Juliet, with a few little twists.
I like the characters and could imagine their interactions with one another. I especially like how bold and fearless Beth is and how she really "saves" Salva.
Content: some language; mention of intimacy between some of the characters, but no graphic descriptions given; kissing.
I like the characters and could imagine their interactions with one another. I especially like how bold and fearless Beth is and how she really "saves" Salva.
Content: some language; mention of intimacy between some of the characters, but no graphic descriptions given; kissing.
February 17, 2024
I seem to have an inability to give Anne Osterlund anything but 5 stars on any of her books. Her books are just that satisfying to read.
The characters are always well-thought out and grow over the course of the story. The writing is beautiful. And Salvation's ending was amazing.
This is definitely a must read.
The characters are always well-thought out and grow over the course of the story. The writing is beautiful. And Salvation's ending was amazing.
This is definitely a must read.
January 25, 2013
REALLY liked this novel!! Here is my review for "Salvation": http://jeracalea.blogspot.com/2013/01...
July 20, 2019
I remembering reading Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund when it first came out and loving the book. Despite how much I loved her work I have never read any of her other books until now.
Salvation is nothing special in terms of the story line for a contemporary novel. Instead it is a book that has had the time taken to make sure that it is well written and enjoyable. This is a book you can just sit down with and fall in love with the characters, the story and the writing. Sometimes I feel like this is missing from many novels. You love either the characters and the writing but not the story. In this case, Salvation is well balanced with Anne Osterlund ensuring that no aspect of her book fails to entertain you.
So why didn't I give it 5 stars. Simply I am not a contemporary fan. However, this will definitely get a re-read in the future.
Salvation is nothing special in terms of the story line for a contemporary novel. Instead it is a book that has had the time taken to make sure that it is well written and enjoyable. This is a book you can just sit down with and fall in love with the characters, the story and the writing. Sometimes I feel like this is missing from many novels. You love either the characters and the writing but not the story. In this case, Salvation is well balanced with Anne Osterlund ensuring that no aspect of her book fails to entertain you.
So why didn't I give it 5 stars. Simply I am not a contemporary fan. However, this will definitely get a re-read in the future.
July 31, 2017
This was close to a 5 for me. I read it a while ago and have had it in my 8th-grade classroom since it was published.
I liked the basic story and the characters, and I especially liked that it is about a Mexican immigrant family who isn't the typical troubled kid often portrayed. I also liked that anyone can enjoy reading the book regardless of gender or ethnicity.
It's also highly readable for 8th-graders.
The one thing I don't like is the cover. I know the author usually doesn't have control over covers, but whoever chose it pretty much guaranteed that most guys in my class don't want to give it a chance.
One more thing I appreciate is that I don't have to have a "warning, mature content" sticker on it.
Keep writing Anne!
I liked the basic story and the characters, and I especially liked that it is about a Mexican immigrant family who isn't the typical troubled kid often portrayed. I also liked that anyone can enjoy reading the book regardless of gender or ethnicity.
It's also highly readable for 8th-graders.
The one thing I don't like is the cover. I know the author usually doesn't have control over covers, but whoever chose it pretty much guaranteed that most guys in my class don't want to give it a chance.
One more thing I appreciate is that I don't have to have a "warning, mature content" sticker on it.
Keep writing Anne!
June 20, 2018
The story is set in the fictional Liberty High school.
Salvador Rosendez is a senior at Liberty. He is also the son of an illegal immigrant.
Osterlund has the characters speak Spanish, which helps the story.
Beth Courant is an introvert who has secretly had a crush on Salva.
When Salva enrolls in AP English, Beth becomes his tutor.
Osterlund's plot addresses several topical issues, including: prejudice and illegal immigration.
A nice romance with a good message.
Salvador Rosendez is a senior at Liberty. He is also the son of an illegal immigrant.
Osterlund has the characters speak Spanish, which helps the story.
Beth Courant is an introvert who has secretly had a crush on Salva.
When Salva enrolls in AP English, Beth becomes his tutor.
Osterlund's plot addresses several topical issues, including: prejudice and illegal immigration.
A nice romance with a good message.
April 30, 2020
I love this book for so many reasons. Salva is an amazing main character, and I love his journey throughout the novel, along with his relationships with his family and his friends. Anne Osterlund is one of my all-time favorite authors, but this is not an "own voice" novel, and that makes me a bit sad. I can't say if it's an accurate representation of Latin American culture, but I do love this book and i think it brings many hard life lessons to life that teens often face.
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