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A Million Miles Away
Perfect for fans of Nicholas Sparks, this breathtaking story of love and loss is guaranteed to break your heart and sweep you off your feet.
When high school senior Kelsey's identical twin sister, Michelle, dies in a car crash, Kelsey is left without her other half. The only person who doesn't know about the tragedy is Michelle's boyfriend, Peter, recently deployed to Afghanistan. But when Kelsey finally connects with Peter online, she can't bear to tell him the truth. Active duty has taken its toll, and Peter, thinking that Kelsey is Michelle, says that seeing her is the one thing keeping him alive. Caught up in the moment, Kelsey has no choice: She lets Peter believe that she is her sister.
As Kelsey keeps up the act, she crosses the line from pretend to real. Soon, Kelsey can't deny that she's falling, hard, for the one boy she shouldn't want.
When high school senior Kelsey's identical twin sister, Michelle, dies in a car crash, Kelsey is left without her other half. The only person who doesn't know about the tragedy is Michelle's boyfriend, Peter, recently deployed to Afghanistan. But when Kelsey finally connects with Peter online, she can't bear to tell him the truth. Active duty has taken its toll, and Peter, thinking that Kelsey is Michelle, says that seeing her is the one thing keeping him alive. Caught up in the moment, Kelsey has no choice: She lets Peter believe that she is her sister.
As Kelsey keeps up the act, she crosses the line from pretend to real. Soon, Kelsey can't deny that she's falling, hard, for the one boy she shouldn't want.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
July 8, 2015
This review can be found at Carole's Random Life.
This has to be one of the most predictable books that I have ever read. When I read the blurb for a book, I usually make some kind of guess about where I think the story will eventually go. I like it when my guess is completely wrong because that means the book took a lot of unexpected twists and turns. I like twists and turns. I also like it when my guess is kind of right and the story ends how I thought it would but the way it happened was completely different than anything I could have imagined.
This book told the exact story that I had guessed it would. After finishing the book, I decided to a very small survey. I had my 14 year old daughter read the blurb and asked her how she thought the story would end and she nailed it. I then decided to really shake things up so I asked my husband the same thing. My husband NEVER picks up a book and is probably the exact opposite of the target audience and you know what...he knew how this book would end too. I need a little bit of unexpected to fully enjoy a story.
I didn't hate the book but I don't feel like I gained anything by reading it. I really didn't feel anything for any of the characters and found every single one of the be rather flat. There was never any kind of stand out moment in the book that hit me emotionally. This is the kind of book that I will most likely forget about before too long. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this book to other readers.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - Poppy via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
This has to be one of the most predictable books that I have ever read. When I read the blurb for a book, I usually make some kind of guess about where I think the story will eventually go. I like it when my guess is completely wrong because that means the book took a lot of unexpected twists and turns. I like twists and turns. I also like it when my guess is kind of right and the story ends how I thought it would but the way it happened was completely different than anything I could have imagined.
This book told the exact story that I had guessed it would. After finishing the book, I decided to a very small survey. I had my 14 year old daughter read the blurb and asked her how she thought the story would end and she nailed it. I then decided to really shake things up so I asked my husband the same thing. My husband NEVER picks up a book and is probably the exact opposite of the target audience and you know what...he knew how this book would end too. I need a little bit of unexpected to fully enjoy a story.
I didn't hate the book but I don't feel like I gained anything by reading it. I really didn't feel anything for any of the characters and found every single one of the be rather flat. There was never any kind of stand out moment in the book that hit me emotionally. This is the kind of book that I will most likely forget about before too long. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this book to other readers.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - Poppy via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
February 5, 2021
I absolutely loved the author's The Memory Book so I already have a preconception of the author's writing. Indeed, I still enjoyed the writing here. It's easy to relate with, witty, and touching as well.
“She was slowly finding out that you don’t just get to miss the parts you liked about someone who had died. You had to feel the whole weight of them, tugging at you.”
Admittedly, I didn't like this as much as the other book because I found this one very predictable, quite unbelievable and a little too romantic for my taste. I guess I just wanted to believe this was going to be different because I had faith in the author. Lol.
It's understandable though because this one was written before 'The Memory Book' and I'm glad I leveled my expectations when I read this so I ended up still liking it. As a whole, it's still a likable YA read about loss, grief, falling in love, moving on, and going for your dreams.
“She was slowly finding out that you don’t just get to miss the parts you liked about someone who had died. You had to feel the whole weight of them, tugging at you.”
Admittedly, I didn't like this as much as the other book because I found this one very predictable, quite unbelievable and a little too romantic for my taste. I guess I just wanted to believe this was going to be different because I had faith in the author. Lol.
It's understandable though because this one was written before 'The Memory Book' and I'm glad I leveled my expectations when I read this so I ended up still liking it. As a whole, it's still a likable YA read about loss, grief, falling in love, moving on, and going for your dreams.
July 1, 2015
Oh my, this one made me teary a few times. Mourning a loved one is so hard and the story portrayed that really well- the regret of not paying enough attention, the ache of missing them. For most part, I understood why Kelsey felt the need pretend to be her sister to comfort Peter, her sister's boyfriend who was deployed in Afghanistan. I think I needed a better resolution though. That said, the story was handled really well and the writing lovely. Full review tk.
July 2, 2015
*3.75 stars*
I've never given that kind of weird decimal rating, but this one was hard to rate.
I've never given that kind of weird decimal rating, but this one was hard to rate.
August 18, 2015
This is one of those stories that can be a hit or a miss for most people, depending on how they can relate to the characters and the situation presented.
I must confess that this is tricky, and I understood Kelsey's decision to keep Michelle alive for one person. I am still unsure of how much it was for herself and how much for his benefit, but sometimes we just need to hold on to an illusion, because that's the only way we can move forward without breaking apart.
On the other side, the romance was so and so. There were some things Peter enjoyed about Kelsey, things not related to his actual girlfriend, but I am not sure if those were enough to call it love at any point in their lives. You see, in real life, replacing someone with a simple replica doesn't actually work and I wanted this story to convince me otherwise, but I was left with a feeling of doubt still.
But.. this is an entertaining story, you want to see how things enfold and where the characters end up in the end, so I hope that you will enjoy this quite a bit more ;)
Happy midnight reading!
I must confess that this is tricky, and I understood Kelsey's decision to keep Michelle alive for one person. I am still unsure of how much it was for herself and how much for his benefit, but sometimes we just need to hold on to an illusion, because that's the only way we can move forward without breaking apart.
On the other side, the romance was so and so. There were some things Peter enjoyed about Kelsey, things not related to his actual girlfriend, but I am not sure if those were enough to call it love at any point in their lives. You see, in real life, replacing someone with a simple replica doesn't actually work and I wanted this story to convince me otherwise, but I was left with a feeling of doubt still.
But.. this is an entertaining story, you want to see how things enfold and where the characters end up in the end, so I hope that you will enjoy this quite a bit more ;)
Happy midnight reading!
July 6, 2015
I expected this one to be a bit more angsty than it was. I never felt the emotional impact that the book was trying to portray. Also, Peter forgave Kelsey way too quickly.
I have more thoughts that I'll share in my review.
Thanks to Danielle for sending me a copy of this book! <3
June 13, 2015
Here's the situation: I really liked A Million Miles Away. I probably could have loved A Million Miles Away if it wasn't for one kind of big issue. Either way, I liked a lot more than I didn't, so I consider it a win. Plus, it gave me the feels, so that is always a big plus! This is going to have to be a likes/dislikes situation, so...
Things I Liked:
The characters were fabulous and multi-faceted. Kelsey was very flawed, but still likable. You could see that she was coming from a place of genuine concern even when you wanted to grab her, shake her shoulders, and scream in her face. She exhibited some amazing character growth during the course of the book too! Then there's Peter, and my goodness, how could I not swoon over him? He was such a sweet guy, but with so many problems of his own- I mean, he was fighting in war torn countries and stuff, how could he not?
Plus there is actual family interaction in this book! It isn't just Kelsey trying to figure out what to do next, it's the whole family learning to function in the world without Michelle. It's both heartbreaking and hopeful, and absolutely refreshing.
The emotions were heavy and I liked it. I mean, just think of the key words in the synopsis: Twin sister dies, Boyfriend deployed to Afghanistan.. how would you not have a huge case of the feels? A sibling dying would be horrific, but I think it really does hit twins harder. And poor Peter... he is not only literally fighting for his life in some forsaken desert, he doesn't even know that his girlfriend is dead! But there are other emotions too, this isn't all full of tears. There are lighthearted moments, and moments where you (again) want to shake Kelsey, and a lot of moments of pride for how far the characters have come.
I really loved the writing. It was beautiful, and considering the subject matter, it was important for it to be so. It flowed very well, and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I could hardly put the book down, because I was so eager to continue on the journey with Kelsey.
My problem:
I really only had one problem with this story, in a sense, because it all falls under the same heading: Believability. The first thing that I didn't quite understand is how it didn't seem like a lot of people were really that concerned about Michelle's death, outside of her family. I mean, maybe we just didn't see that part, but I would have liked to know it existed. My other, much more major believability issue was that a lot of things tied together a bit too easily for my liking throughout the story. I have to be very vague here, but some reactions didn't make sense, some conclusions didn't make sense, and some things were way too coincidental for me to believe.
Bottom Line: I did like this a lot, and I think it is absolutely worth the read, especially if unrealistic bits don't bother you. Even if they do, I think the story itself and the lovely characters and writing make this book worth it!
**Thanks to Novl Newsletter for the review copy**
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
Things I Liked:
The characters were fabulous and multi-faceted. Kelsey was very flawed, but still likable. You could see that she was coming from a place of genuine concern even when you wanted to grab her, shake her shoulders, and scream in her face. She exhibited some amazing character growth during the course of the book too! Then there's Peter, and my goodness, how could I not swoon over him? He was such a sweet guy, but with so many problems of his own- I mean, he was fighting in war torn countries and stuff, how could he not?
Plus there is actual family interaction in this book! It isn't just Kelsey trying to figure out what to do next, it's the whole family learning to function in the world without Michelle. It's both heartbreaking and hopeful, and absolutely refreshing.
The emotions were heavy and I liked it. I mean, just think of the key words in the synopsis: Twin sister dies, Boyfriend deployed to Afghanistan.. how would you not have a huge case of the feels? A sibling dying would be horrific, but I think it really does hit twins harder. And poor Peter... he is not only literally fighting for his life in some forsaken desert, he doesn't even know that his girlfriend is dead! But there are other emotions too, this isn't all full of tears. There are lighthearted moments, and moments where you (again) want to shake Kelsey, and a lot of moments of pride for how far the characters have come.
I really loved the writing. It was beautiful, and considering the subject matter, it was important for it to be so. It flowed very well, and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I could hardly put the book down, because I was so eager to continue on the journey with Kelsey.
My problem:
I really only had one problem with this story, in a sense, because it all falls under the same heading: Believability. The first thing that I didn't quite understand is how it didn't seem like a lot of people were really that concerned about Michelle's death, outside of her family. I mean, maybe we just didn't see that part, but I would have liked to know it existed. My other, much more major believability issue was that a lot of things tied together a bit too easily for my liking throughout the story. I have to be very vague here, but some reactions didn't make sense, some conclusions didn't make sense, and some things were way too coincidental for me to believe.
Bottom Line: I did like this a lot, and I think it is absolutely worth the read, especially if unrealistic bits don't bother you. Even if they do, I think the story itself and the lovely characters and writing make this book worth it!
**Thanks to Novl Newsletter for the review copy**
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
June 13, 2016
Michelle Maxfield died the day her soldier-boyfriend Peter was sent to Afghanistan. Kelsey, her identical twin, was the only one privy to their relationship and it hurt her more to learn that there was this side of Michelle that she never knew of. While Kelsey aspired to become a dancer, Michelle was into arts and Andy Warhol. She and Peter had a lot in common, something Kelsey wasn't really aware of.
Their parents, clearly devastated of their daughter's passing, decided to cope up by inviting other people and support groups into their home, for guidance, attention and acceptance. But Kelsey was having none of it. The day she was supposed to retrieve something in Michelle's room, was the day when Peter video called her from out of nowhere. Clueless of what happened to his girl, Kelsey pretended to be Michelle and soon we found Kelsey slowly falling in love with him.
The movie Mrs. Winterbourne (by Brendan Fraser) was what readily came to my mind when I first read the synopsis of this book. The mistaken twin identity, pretensions, falling in love with the different person. Somehow, I thought it would all fall back to one place, but in the grand scheme of things, I realized my assumptions were dashed and burned. This is no Winterbourne at all.
A Million Miles Away was rather poignant but realistically believable. The things Kelsey did were something I might have done myself, if I were a twin mourning my sister's loss. Sure, the plot was predictable and had been tried on other novels, but Lara Avery made this story more convincing and heart-rending. Although I was a little apprehensive with the ending, it sent me the right vibes and had me sighing like a romantic fool. Overall, my experience with this book was great!
Note: I received this ARC book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Their parents, clearly devastated of their daughter's passing, decided to cope up by inviting other people and support groups into their home, for guidance, attention and acceptance. But Kelsey was having none of it. The day she was supposed to retrieve something in Michelle's room, was the day when Peter video called her from out of nowhere. Clueless of what happened to his girl, Kelsey pretended to be Michelle and soon we found Kelsey slowly falling in love with him.
The movie Mrs. Winterbourne (by Brendan Fraser) was what readily came to my mind when I first read the synopsis of this book. The mistaken twin identity, pretensions, falling in love with the different person. Somehow, I thought it would all fall back to one place, but in the grand scheme of things, I realized my assumptions were dashed and burned. This is no Winterbourne at all.
A Million Miles Away was rather poignant but realistically believable. The things Kelsey did were something I might have done myself, if I were a twin mourning my sister's loss. Sure, the plot was predictable and had been tried on other novels, but Lara Avery made this story more convincing and heart-rending. Although I was a little apprehensive with the ending, it sent me the right vibes and had me sighing like a romantic fool. Overall, my experience with this book was great!
Note: I received this ARC book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2015
Read Full Review Over At fANGIRLconfessions
I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.
After finishing A Million Miles Away, I jumped straight into You And Him And Me, and I immediately noticed a subtle " connection " between both books. While their stories were completely different, they shared common concepts or aspects as I like to call them, and because they were so similar, I decided to create what I call a " Contemporary Mashup " for this review.
So sit back, relax, and let's break these titles down!
A Million Miles Away is centered around two twins. Kelsey and Michelle. Kelsey is the wild child of the two, the popular party girl, handstand-keg-drinker, and co-captain of her high school's dance team. Michelle -- my personal favorite, is more laid back. She's a bit of a hipster, is incredibly artsy, and had an obsession with my FAVORITE artist Andy Warhol. Both had boyfriends, (OF COURSE) Kelsey with the wannabe comedian Davis, and Michelle with Peter, a guy enlisted in the military. The story takes a turn for the absolute worst when Michelle suddenly passes away, leaving her twin sister behind to pick up the pieces. Well if you ask me, Kelsey picked up one piece too damn many, but we'll get to that.
#girlwhatareyouthinking?
You And Me And Him follows our main character Maggie, and her best friend Nash. Being overweight and having a gay bestie really isn't the formula for " popular " in their small hometown, so our duo is casted as the " outsiders ". Mags works at a vintage record shop, which is pretty dope, while Nash worked as the over-bearing friend, meaning he did nothing but irk my nerves. In comes Tom, the new guy on the block, and soon the story becomes a tangled mess of feelings and wrecked friendships.
#thisbookwasoverdramaticallyconfusing
I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.
After finishing A Million Miles Away, I jumped straight into You And Him And Me, and I immediately noticed a subtle " connection " between both books. While their stories were completely different, they shared common concepts or aspects as I like to call them, and because they were so similar, I decided to create what I call a " Contemporary Mashup " for this review.
So sit back, relax, and let's break these titles down!
A Million Miles Away is centered around two twins. Kelsey and Michelle. Kelsey is the wild child of the two, the popular party girl, handstand-keg-drinker, and co-captain of her high school's dance team. Michelle -- my personal favorite, is more laid back. She's a bit of a hipster, is incredibly artsy, and had an obsession with my FAVORITE artist Andy Warhol. Both had boyfriends, (OF COURSE) Kelsey with the wannabe comedian Davis, and Michelle with Peter, a guy enlisted in the military. The story takes a turn for the absolute worst when Michelle suddenly passes away, leaving her twin sister behind to pick up the pieces. Well if you ask me, Kelsey picked up one piece too damn many, but we'll get to that.
#girlwhatareyouthinking?
You And Me And Him follows our main character Maggie, and her best friend Nash. Being overweight and having a gay bestie really isn't the formula for " popular " in their small hometown, so our duo is casted as the " outsiders ". Mags works at a vintage record shop, which is pretty dope, while Nash worked as the over-bearing friend, meaning he did nothing but irk my nerves. In comes Tom, the new guy on the block, and soon the story becomes a tangled mess of feelings and wrecked friendships.
#thisbookwasoverdramaticallyconfusing
August 7, 2015
Wait. I actually don't know what to feel about this book. Uhmmm I guess it was an okay read but ughh I had a hard time grasping/connecting with the characters. Maybe it's because of the characters falling quite flat for me. Their personalities just weren't out there. Though, I fully understand why Kelsey felt the need to pretend to be her sister, Michelle, in the eyes of her sister's boyfriend - Peter. I understand her reasons for doing it. I also did find the interactions between Kelsey and Peter cute. The fact that Peter was recently deployed in Afghanistan hindered for more interactions between them to occur in which made it hard for me to be really on board with this Kelsey-Peter ship. But as I've said earlier, they were cute.
I expected for it to be an emotion-packed book considering the story line revolves around death, grief, guilt (and more). But it ended up lacking the thrill and the punch in the gut feel that I knew I would have loved and I knew that will definitely work in favor of this book.
I liked that particular moment towards the ending wherein Kelsey and her mother talked about their feelings. I know I would have appreciated that scene more if it was given more time to settle in (and yep, more feelings laid out for the readers). In my opinion, it was rushed and add the fact that the chapters were too short.
Though, I liked the ending. It was fitting. It was something that both Peter and Kelsey needed to do in order to move forward. An okay read.
I'll probably come back to this post once I've already gathered all my thoughts about A Million Miles Away.
I expected for it to be an emotion-packed book considering the story line revolves around death, grief, guilt (and more). But it ended up lacking the thrill and the punch in the gut feel that I knew I would have loved and I knew that will definitely work in favor of this book.
I liked that particular moment towards the ending wherein Kelsey and her mother talked about their feelings. I know I would have appreciated that scene more if it was given more time to settle in (and yep, more feelings laid out for the readers). In my opinion, it was rushed and add the fact that the chapters were too short.
Though, I liked the ending. It was fitting. It was something that both Peter and Kelsey needed to do in order to move forward. An okay read.
I'll probably come back to this post once I've already gathered all my thoughts about A Million Miles Away.
June 21, 2015
This was a premise I've seen before and I'm always interested in the motivations behind such a decision, so I was pretty eager to read it
First off, I really liked the writing and the way the story was structured. It was like Kelsey was in a bubble. We didn't really get to see a lot of her friends and family; everyone just scratched the surface. It's all Peter and Michelle all the time and it was such an effective way to show how she was struggling with life after Michelle's death and pushing everyone away.
I don't agree with Kelsey's lying, but I understand why she does it. The subject matter is real and it comes across on the page. I could empathize and keep rooting for this girl.
My only complaint is that I wanted more. I always do. The way the ending happened was perfect for the story and I did really like it, but I would have just just a bit more. A chapter. A page. Hell, even a paragraph.
All in all, it was a quick read that definitely gave me a case of the feels.
**Huge thanks to Poppy and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
First off, I really liked the writing and the way the story was structured. It was like Kelsey was in a bubble. We didn't really get to see a lot of her friends and family; everyone just scratched the surface. It's all Peter and Michelle all the time and it was such an effective way to show how she was struggling with life after Michelle's death and pushing everyone away.
I don't agree with Kelsey's lying, but I understand why she does it. The subject matter is real and it comes across on the page. I could empathize and keep rooting for this girl.
My only complaint is that I wanted more. I always do. The way the ending happened was perfect for the story and I did really like it, but I would have just just a bit more. A chapter. A page. Hell, even a paragraph.
All in all, it was a quick read that definitely gave me a case of the feels.
**Huge thanks to Poppy and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
August 7, 2015
I am an emotional mess upon finishing this one. Expect a more coherent, detailed review when I can gather my thoughts properly. In the meantime, put this book on your TBR if you have not already.
June 21, 2016
4 stars: I love it
Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC (advanced review copy). I am not paid for this review, and my opinions in this review are mine, and are not effected by the book being free.
I wanted to read A Million Miles away because losing your twin sister has to make for an emotional read. Then she makes the decision to pretend to be her sister because she begins falling for Michelle's boyfriend who is in the military.
The book does have us briefly beet Michelle before she died, and it did set up that the sisters were close, but also that they fought physically and that it was up and down. Michelle is an artist and more dreamy than Kelsey, and she seemed to attract lost souls, and would always fall back on Kelsey when they didn't work out. Kelsey is athletic and seems to be more popular. But when she meets and talks to Peter the day Michelle died, the day that he shipped out to Afghanistan, she is surprised by how much she likes him, and he seems genuine, their relationship making Michelle happy instead of it seeming like a project. Peter really seemed to care for her as well.
I connected with Kelsey because her grief at losing Michelle was a lot like my grief losing my dad. She didn't all out bawl and be emotional in the outside. She felt kind of numb, like it wasn't real almost. Then she felt a lot of physical pain and her emotional pain manifested in withdrawing. She did eventually start crying about everything, which I guess is where our similarities end.
She was helping her mom delete Michelle's facebook account when she got the first message from Peter. She had intended to tell him, she even went to a recruiting office to try to get word to him, and that is when she realized she didn't even know his last name. And oh how it's wrong, but she feels like she misses Michelle just a little bit less when she is talking to him. And she doesn't want to hurt him or distract him, she really did worry about his safety. But more and more, she realizes how much she cares about him, and she rationalizes not telling him, more and more.
I appreciated that this book dealt with grief in a number of ways, showing how it effected Kelsey differently than her parents, and how they dealt with it in numbers, hosting a support group at their house, and talking it out. It was kinda sad because it felt like Kelsey was lost to them they were so caught up in losing Michelle and trying to deal with that. But their eyes were finally opened again to their living daughter, and a good balance was found in remembering the loss of Michelle and trying to live life instead of it passing them by.
One of Kelsey's friends did find out what she was doing with Peter, and they had a pretty big blow out. But I did appreciate that her friend spoke the truth to her, but it was sad that they stopped hanging out and talking for awhile. But eventually they repaired the breach, and made their friendship solid again.
A Million Miles Away seemed realistic not only in the grief part, but in what Peter shared while he was deployed. His letters, skype sessions, and when they were in person, he shared the difficulties he faced. He lost some in his unit, and he was afraid, and didn't want to go back, but at the same time felt that drive and loyalty to the others he served with. He dealt with the things that they tried to desensitize the soldiers to otherwise they could lose their minds. He developed muscle memory and had issues back home with louder sounds that could be mistaken for gunfire. It really gave me a renewed thankfulness for the men and women who serve, and a better understanding of what they might feel or think.
It was hard because Kelsey does have a boyfriend, and it is some form of cheating. Don't know to what degree, but she def had a deep emotional attachment to Peter. Thankfully this did end up handled pretty well, and Kelsey made some good decisions for a change.
I did appreciate that the truth finally came out, and that she took responsibility and quit making excuses for herself. I did like the way it was handled and wrapped up. It gave a lot of hope for healing, and hints of something sweet between the two for the future.
Bottom Line: Great premise, executed well with characters I liked.
Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC (advanced review copy). I am not paid for this review, and my opinions in this review are mine, and are not effected by the book being free.
I wanted to read A Million Miles away because losing your twin sister has to make for an emotional read. Then she makes the decision to pretend to be her sister because she begins falling for Michelle's boyfriend who is in the military.
The book does have us briefly beet Michelle before she died, and it did set up that the sisters were close, but also that they fought physically and that it was up and down. Michelle is an artist and more dreamy than Kelsey, and she seemed to attract lost souls, and would always fall back on Kelsey when they didn't work out. Kelsey is athletic and seems to be more popular. But when she meets and talks to Peter the day Michelle died, the day that he shipped out to Afghanistan, she is surprised by how much she likes him, and he seems genuine, their relationship making Michelle happy instead of it seeming like a project. Peter really seemed to care for her as well.
I connected with Kelsey because her grief at losing Michelle was a lot like my grief losing my dad. She didn't all out bawl and be emotional in the outside. She felt kind of numb, like it wasn't real almost. Then she felt a lot of physical pain and her emotional pain manifested in withdrawing. She did eventually start crying about everything, which I guess is where our similarities end.
She was helping her mom delete Michelle's facebook account when she got the first message from Peter. She had intended to tell him, she even went to a recruiting office to try to get word to him, and that is when she realized she didn't even know his last name. And oh how it's wrong, but she feels like she misses Michelle just a little bit less when she is talking to him. And she doesn't want to hurt him or distract him, she really did worry about his safety. But more and more, she realizes how much she cares about him, and she rationalizes not telling him, more and more.
I appreciated that this book dealt with grief in a number of ways, showing how it effected Kelsey differently than her parents, and how they dealt with it in numbers, hosting a support group at their house, and talking it out. It was kinda sad because it felt like Kelsey was lost to them they were so caught up in losing Michelle and trying to deal with that. But their eyes were finally opened again to their living daughter, and a good balance was found in remembering the loss of Michelle and trying to live life instead of it passing them by.
One of Kelsey's friends did find out what she was doing with Peter, and they had a pretty big blow out. But I did appreciate that her friend spoke the truth to her, but it was sad that they stopped hanging out and talking for awhile. But eventually they repaired the breach, and made their friendship solid again.
A Million Miles Away seemed realistic not only in the grief part, but in what Peter shared while he was deployed. His letters, skype sessions, and when they were in person, he shared the difficulties he faced. He lost some in his unit, and he was afraid, and didn't want to go back, but at the same time felt that drive and loyalty to the others he served with. He dealt with the things that they tried to desensitize the soldiers to otherwise they could lose their minds. He developed muscle memory and had issues back home with louder sounds that could be mistaken for gunfire. It really gave me a renewed thankfulness for the men and women who serve, and a better understanding of what they might feel or think.
It was hard because Kelsey does have a boyfriend, and it is some form of cheating. Don't know to what degree, but she def had a deep emotional attachment to Peter. Thankfully this did end up handled pretty well, and Kelsey made some good decisions for a change.
I did appreciate that the truth finally came out, and that she took responsibility and quit making excuses for herself. I did like the way it was handled and wrapped up. It gave a lot of hope for healing, and hints of something sweet between the two for the future.
Bottom Line: Great premise, executed well with characters I liked.
January 7, 2016
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book.
This is a tough one to rate.
I really liked the way the author presented Kelsey's grief over her sister's death. How through getting to know her sister, she ended up learning a lot about herself. When she realized she didn't know her sister as well as she thought was beautiful and sad at the same time. How much time do we actually take to get to know our siblings? I loved that the author didn't use the twin sister trope of being best-friends-forever. Kelsey and Michelle's relationship was rocky and loving one at the same time, like most sibling's relationships actually are.
*SPOILERS* But at the same time I didn't like that the book ended with on a happy note. What she did with Peter was really horrible and she shouldn't have been rewarded in the end. She never really suffered the consequences of what she did and that rubbed me the wrong way. *END OF SPOILERS*
Her character development is the only one present in the whole book, all other characters stay the same through out it. We get only glimpses of her relationships with everyone else. Her friend being mad at her for what she was doing was a little weird and childish. Her parents being completely engrossed in their own grief was ok, but I wish I had seen more of them. And Peter, even though there are some sings of sadness in him, didn't actually change with the war. I still don't know if that is plausible.
It is a nice book about grief, but the lack of consequences for the protagonist's actions did not satisfy me in the end.
This is a tough one to rate.
I really liked the way the author presented Kelsey's grief over her sister's death. How through getting to know her sister, she ended up learning a lot about herself. When she realized she didn't know her sister as well as she thought was beautiful and sad at the same time. How much time do we actually take to get to know our siblings? I loved that the author didn't use the twin sister trope of being best-friends-forever. Kelsey and Michelle's relationship was rocky and loving one at the same time, like most sibling's relationships actually are.
*SPOILERS* But at the same time I didn't like that the book ended with on a happy note. What she did with Peter was really horrible and she shouldn't have been rewarded in the end. She never really suffered the consequences of what she did and that rubbed me the wrong way. *END OF SPOILERS*
Her character development is the only one present in the whole book, all other characters stay the same through out it. We get only glimpses of her relationships with everyone else. Her friend being mad at her for what she was doing was a little weird and childish. Her parents being completely engrossed in their own grief was ok, but I wish I had seen more of them. And Peter, even though there are some sings of sadness in him, didn't actually change with the war. I still don't know if that is plausible.
It is a nice book about grief, but the lack of consequences for the protagonist's actions did not satisfy me in the end.
August 9, 2015
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This was truly a remarkable story about a girl named Kelsey, who loses her twin sister, Michelle, in a devastating car accident. This dealt with the loss of her sister and how she coped to try and make things right. She was so lost and wanted a way to keep her sister with her, so she started talking to her sister's boyfriend, Peter. She does not intentionally fall for him, but as time passed she realized she fell in love with him. While she may not have gone about it the right way, I felt so bad for her and was rooting for her to over come her obstacles.
What I Liked
I loved the writing. The words were so eloquent and beautiful. I just about loved everything about it. I really liked Kelsey's character. She was bubbly, smart, funny, and handled the death of her sister the only way she could cope. Yes, she pulled away from her friends a bit much, but I don't think she did that to be mean. Sometimes people separate themselves in devastating situations because that's all they know how to do. Some people like to be left alone. I liked how Kelsey grew into her own skin and started to realize how she and her sister were different, yet they were also alike. She knew her sister loved her in the end. I also enjoyed the chemistry between she and Peter. While he was away in Afghanistan, they wrote emails, letters, and talked to each other through Skype. They grew connected in a way that was very true, mostly honest, and nothing sexual at all. It was the way they connected through just plain old talking that I liked them all the more. I also, liked that when Kelsey realized Peter liked her for her and not her sister, she slowly became her true self. It was beautiful.
What I Didn't Like
Although I thought Kelsey handled herself pretty well, I think she may have gone a little overboard with the situation of Peter. I think she should have told him the truth from the beginning, or at least shortly after. I think the situation between the two would have been dealt with better, but then again this wouldn't be a book after all. Maybe if she told the truth from the beginning, they might have connected faster because he would know it's truly Kelsey and not Michelle. Also, I think Kelsey's parents should have been there more for her. They basically abandoned her because they were grieving all on their own. I know they are sad, but they can't forget they have another child to take care of. By the time, her parents realize what has happened, it's a little too late to do anything.
Overall, I really thought this was a beautiful, profound story. It was breath taking and had me in tears. I would read this again in a heart beat, and I will eventually! I would recommend this to anyone who loves romantic novels, or anyone that likes stories of personal growth. I will definitely be buying myself a finished copy when it comes out.
This was truly a remarkable story about a girl named Kelsey, who loses her twin sister, Michelle, in a devastating car accident. This dealt with the loss of her sister and how she coped to try and make things right. She was so lost and wanted a way to keep her sister with her, so she started talking to her sister's boyfriend, Peter. She does not intentionally fall for him, but as time passed she realized she fell in love with him. While she may not have gone about it the right way, I felt so bad for her and was rooting for her to over come her obstacles.
What I Liked
I loved the writing. The words were so eloquent and beautiful. I just about loved everything about it. I really liked Kelsey's character. She was bubbly, smart, funny, and handled the death of her sister the only way she could cope. Yes, she pulled away from her friends a bit much, but I don't think she did that to be mean. Sometimes people separate themselves in devastating situations because that's all they know how to do. Some people like to be left alone. I liked how Kelsey grew into her own skin and started to realize how she and her sister were different, yet they were also alike. She knew her sister loved her in the end. I also enjoyed the chemistry between she and Peter. While he was away in Afghanistan, they wrote emails, letters, and talked to each other through Skype. They grew connected in a way that was very true, mostly honest, and nothing sexual at all. It was the way they connected through just plain old talking that I liked them all the more. I also, liked that when Kelsey realized Peter liked her for her and not her sister, she slowly became her true self. It was beautiful.
What I Didn't Like
Although I thought Kelsey handled herself pretty well, I think she may have gone a little overboard with the situation of Peter. I think she should have told him the truth from the beginning, or at least shortly after. I think the situation between the two would have been dealt with better, but then again this wouldn't be a book after all. Maybe if she told the truth from the beginning, they might have connected faster because he would know it's truly Kelsey and not Michelle. Also, I think Kelsey's parents should have been there more for her. They basically abandoned her because they were grieving all on their own. I know they are sad, but they can't forget they have another child to take care of. By the time, her parents realize what has happened, it's a little too late to do anything.
Overall, I really thought this was a beautiful, profound story. It was breath taking and had me in tears. I would read this again in a heart beat, and I will eventually! I would recommend this to anyone who loves romantic novels, or anyone that likes stories of personal growth. I will definitely be buying myself a finished copy when it comes out.
November 5, 2015
I want to thank Poppy for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.
I love the theme of this story: girl loses her identical twin but is reluctant to tell said twin's boyfriend (who is far away) that she has died.
Kelsey's sister, Michelle, is dating Peter. When Peter gets deployed and Michelle dies, Kelsey finds herself in the position of having to tell Peter the news. But she just can't bring herself to do it. And that's when things get out of hand and she can't go back to put them right.
I will say I didn't love Kelsey's character. While she is supposed to be less self-centered than Michelle, I don't find that to be the truth as the story progresses. I actually hate that she keeps so many secrets. I hate more that she gets away with them. At the same time, I understand her need to keep Michelle's spirit alive. I cannot fathom to understand how it would feel to loose a sibling, let alone a twin. It must be like having part of yourself ripped away. So, while I didn't agree with Kelsey's actions, I kind of understood how they could have come about.
I really loved Peter's character. The fact that Kelsey (who he thinks is Michelle) keeps him going while he's deployed is sweet and endearing. He's a good guy, which is a nice turn from the bad boys we see in so many of these types of books. It's no wonder Kelsey felt the need to keep him safe.
I think the ending of this book was probably my favorite part. The fact that things come to a head and there is drama about it made it feel all the more real. At first I didn't think things would turn out the way they did, but I was happy when Kelsey was eventually held accountable for her actions.
Overall I liked this book. It's not a typical romance, seeing as the character are so far away from each other. It almost has that Sleepless in Seattle feel with the two characters being so far apart. Fans of contemporary romance will enjoy this melancholy and heart twisting story.
I love the theme of this story: girl loses her identical twin but is reluctant to tell said twin's boyfriend (who is far away) that she has died.
Kelsey's sister, Michelle, is dating Peter. When Peter gets deployed and Michelle dies, Kelsey finds herself in the position of having to tell Peter the news. But she just can't bring herself to do it. And that's when things get out of hand and she can't go back to put them right.
I will say I didn't love Kelsey's character. While she is supposed to be less self-centered than Michelle, I don't find that to be the truth as the story progresses. I actually hate that she keeps so many secrets. I hate more that she gets away with them. At the same time, I understand her need to keep Michelle's spirit alive. I cannot fathom to understand how it would feel to loose a sibling, let alone a twin. It must be like having part of yourself ripped away. So, while I didn't agree with Kelsey's actions, I kind of understood how they could have come about.
I really loved Peter's character. The fact that Kelsey (who he thinks is Michelle) keeps him going while he's deployed is sweet and endearing. He's a good guy, which is a nice turn from the bad boys we see in so many of these types of books. It's no wonder Kelsey felt the need to keep him safe.
I think the ending of this book was probably my favorite part. The fact that things come to a head and there is drama about it made it feel all the more real. At first I didn't think things would turn out the way they did, but I was happy when Kelsey was eventually held accountable for her actions.
Overall I liked this book. It's not a typical romance, seeing as the character are so far away from each other. It almost has that Sleepless in Seattle feel with the two characters being so far apart. Fans of contemporary romance will enjoy this melancholy and heart twisting story.
August 14, 2016
Kelsey and Michelle are twins and although they look exactly alike, they are very different from each other. Kelsey is a dancer, whereas Michelle is an artist and lives a more bohemian lifestyle. Kelsey has been with the same boyfriend for years and Michelle dates around, that is until she meets Peter. Peter is about to be deployed to Afghanistan and after their goodbyes, Michelle is tragically killed in a car accident, but Peter doesn't know this. Obviously, this rocks Kelsey's family's world. After some time passes, Kelsey is reminded of Peter when she encounters him trying to Skype with Michelle. Planning to Skype with him and tell him what happened to Michelle, Kelsey starts the Skype session; however, things don't go as planned. Kelsey doesn't gain the courage to tell him the truth, because he says all of these things that make her feel guilty and that Michelle is his rock and lifeline in the unpredictable world of Afghanistan. As more time goes by, Kelsey continues to "pretend" she is her sister and true feelings start to develop. Now she is in over her head and Peter doesn't know the truth yet. Fans of young adult romance will enjoy A Million Miles Away. Although I didn't agree with Kelsey's actions throughout the novel and it was a tad predictable, I still found it to be a compelling read.
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
January 26, 2017
Something funny happened on the way to me finishing this book: I decided I no longer cared about any of the characters. I think it was around the scene where Kelsey goes Christmas tree shopping. All I could think about was how sorry I felt for the poor kid carrying the Christmas tree for her! And really, if I'm a third of the way into a book and I'm connecting more with, basically, a non-character, then it's time to just let. The book. Go! I'm pulling an Elsa, because my time is too precious to read about characters I feel absolutely nothing for.
My rating: DNF
My rating: DNF
dnf
July 6, 2015Não terminado.
A capa prometia tanto e a comparação com Nicholas Sparks dava-me ainda mais vontade de ler o livro. (Embora já tenha enjoado do autor há uns bons anos atrás).
Simplesmente não consegui engolir esta estória e não gostei da moral que o livro estava a passar. Não suporto mentiras e estava-me a ser impossível compreender os motivos da Kelsey e compactuar com as suas atitudes. Além disso a morte é o mote para o plot do livro e é muito mal explorada...simplesmente não gostei.
A capa prometia tanto e a comparação com Nicholas Sparks dava-me ainda mais vontade de ler o livro. (Embora já tenha enjoado do autor há uns bons anos atrás).
Simplesmente não consegui engolir esta estória e não gostei da moral que o livro estava a passar. Não suporto mentiras e estava-me a ser impossível compreender os motivos da Kelsey e compactuar com as suas atitudes. Além disso a morte é o mote para o plot do livro e é muito mal explorada...simplesmente não gostei.
February 17, 2015
Yay for YA contemporary romances! I really enjoyed reading A MILLION MILES AWAY, and I love the cover! It hooked me from the start and I read it within a day. My review will be posted closer to the release date.
Want to read
June 8, 2015Should I or shouldn't I?
This sounds like it'll piss me off more than it'll bawl my eyes out.
Urgggh, I'll go for it and hope I don't lose my shit.
This sounds like it'll piss me off more than it'll bawl my eyes out.
Urgggh, I'll go for it and hope I don't lose my shit.
January 9, 2023
This was sweet! It wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever read or anything, but it was actually 100% believable the way Kelsey got sucked into pretending to be her sister.
July 23, 2015
I mean, I didn’t hate the book. I completed reading it and I wasn’t miserable while I was reading, so I guess I didn’t hate it.
Doesn’t mean I enjoyed it.
A Million Miles Away is the story of twins, Kelsey and Michelle. Kelsey is the free-spirited, partying, wild twin, where Michelle is artistic, deep kind. The book continues to be their story until one day, Michelle dies in a car crash. And unbeknown to Michelle’s boyfriend Peter, the girl who keeps replying to his emails and answering his calls is actually Kelsey.
So the story is supposed simple. Kelsey takes Michelle’s place in Peter’s life because she feels the need to protect Michelle’s memory, ends up staying there because she falls in love with Peter, gets caught, and is left alone. And for the most part this is what happens. Except, it pissed me off that it happened that way because from the hype that arose around this book, I was expecting more—more drama, more angst, more everything!
Kelsey was an average character, and one for whom I basically felt nothing. I know she was supposed to rouse my interest, and possibly my sympathy, but swear to God, I felt nothing. Maybe it was just me, but this girl was dull. She was supposed to be the wild child who did as she liked, but I never got that impression about her at all. She was popular in school, and she drank at parties but that doesn’t make a free soul. In addition, while her heart was in the right place, her way of going about replacing Michelle was, frankly, stupid. There was no other way it would have ended, except with her getting caught.
Peter was just bleh. He was an Army guy and I respected that but there was nothing about him that made me want to cheer for him. He was sweet and clueless and…that’s all really. He was a complete gentleman to Kelsey, and never pushed her too far but seriously. That is all.
Kelsey’s parents were a fun lot. Before the car crash, they reminded me so much of my own parents…and it was so sweet. They were hip, in the way parents are, and when parents know that they’re hip, they just try harder in the cute way they have. I love, love, loved both of them…until the crash. True relationships are tested in trying times and Kelsey’s parents failed miserably in that particular test. Their daughter died and they were just so struck by their grief that they more or less turned a blind eye to Kelsey’s. And this majorly pissed me off because I always thought parents are responsible to all their children—especially the living, breathing ones.
By the time I reached the end, I was tired and bored. The chain of events that started with the first email that Kelsey sent was supposed to begin a series of events that would eventually wreck her relationship with Peter in the long run. No such thing happened (the universe lives to disappoint me) but I was kind of expecting it. And then, after shit hit the fan, the book got even more pathetic. Everything was smoothed over, and all the loose plot holes were tied up, almost frantically. It was pathetic.
I’m one of the very few readers who have been majorly disappointed by this book but I find that I’m quite okay with that. The book was overhyped and I’d kept high expectations from this book, leading to a terrible reading experience, and all round sadness.
*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*
Doesn’t mean I enjoyed it.
A Million Miles Away is the story of twins, Kelsey and Michelle. Kelsey is the free-spirited, partying, wild twin, where Michelle is artistic, deep kind. The book continues to be their story until one day, Michelle dies in a car crash. And unbeknown to Michelle’s boyfriend Peter, the girl who keeps replying to his emails and answering his calls is actually Kelsey.
So the story is supposed simple. Kelsey takes Michelle’s place in Peter’s life because she feels the need to protect Michelle’s memory, ends up staying there because she falls in love with Peter, gets caught, and is left alone. And for the most part this is what happens. Except, it pissed me off that it happened that way because from the hype that arose around this book, I was expecting more—more drama, more angst, more everything!
Kelsey was an average character, and one for whom I basically felt nothing. I know she was supposed to rouse my interest, and possibly my sympathy, but swear to God, I felt nothing. Maybe it was just me, but this girl was dull. She was supposed to be the wild child who did as she liked, but I never got that impression about her at all. She was popular in school, and she drank at parties but that doesn’t make a free soul. In addition, while her heart was in the right place, her way of going about replacing Michelle was, frankly, stupid. There was no other way it would have ended, except with her getting caught.
Peter was just bleh. He was an Army guy and I respected that but there was nothing about him that made me want to cheer for him. He was sweet and clueless and…that’s all really. He was a complete gentleman to Kelsey, and never pushed her too far but seriously. That is all.
Kelsey’s parents were a fun lot. Before the car crash, they reminded me so much of my own parents…and it was so sweet. They were hip, in the way parents are, and when parents know that they’re hip, they just try harder in the cute way they have. I love, love, loved both of them…until the crash. True relationships are tested in trying times and Kelsey’s parents failed miserably in that particular test. Their daughter died and they were just so struck by their grief that they more or less turned a blind eye to Kelsey’s. And this majorly pissed me off because I always thought parents are responsible to all their children—especially the living, breathing ones.
By the time I reached the end, I was tired and bored. The chain of events that started with the first email that Kelsey sent was supposed to begin a series of events that would eventually wreck her relationship with Peter in the long run. No such thing happened (the universe lives to disappoint me) but I was kind of expecting it. And then, after shit hit the fan, the book got even more pathetic. Everything was smoothed over, and all the loose plot holes were tied up, almost frantically. It was pathetic.
I’m one of the very few readers who have been majorly disappointed by this book but I find that I’m quite okay with that. The book was overhyped and I’d kept high expectations from this book, leading to a terrible reading experience, and all round sadness.
*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*
May 17, 2015
A Million Miles Away... I have a million thoughts running through my head after finishing that. Some of them good and some bad. At first I couldn't understand why Kelsey would do what she did. To me it seemed selfish...why wouldn't you just tell the truth? By now you've read the synopsis and seen what the book is all about. Kelsey and her family are struck by tragedy when her twin dies from a car accident. The day Michelle died, she had dropped her boyfriend, Peter, off at the airport so he could travel to war in Afghanistan. But Kelsey didn't have the guts to tell him that Michelle passed away, so instead she pretends to be her.
As I stated above, I couldn't understand her thinking. Then it hit me and I realized why she did what she did. I won't lie when I say it broke my heart in two. I can't imagine losing a sibling, let alone a twin. It's only natural that she would want to keep Michelle as close as she can; whether or not it was rational. I get it. I do. I might not completely agree with the dishonesty after feelings start becoming something more but again, I can see why it happened.
Kelsey is much different than her twin sister. For one, she isn't as into school as Michelle was and she wasn't an artist like her either. Kelsey was a dancer though and she showed how special she was throughout the book. I could feel her guilt of keeping such a cruel secret from a boy that isn't hers. The timing was just never right. I know that I would never be able to keep something like that from someone. The fallout and consequences are not worth it. Maybe that's why I found myself so annoyed with Kelsey so much. I liked her friends and of course Peter.
Peter really made me love this novel. He's so kind, he's a soldier, and the guy seriously knows how to make a girl feel special. I think we can be adding a new man to our book boyfriend list, ladies! Sometimes the bad boy gets a little old. It's always nice seeing one that you don't have to jump through hoops just to get his attention.
I loved the tone of the story. It had a romantic feel to it yet at the same time it was melancholy. You might think that it's a horrible combination but it isn't. Just look at Nicholas Sparks. I only wish the ending was a bit longer. I liked the way it ended just wanted it to be a little more longer than it was. There were times that I felt the book moved too fast. Guess I just like my books longer.
Overall, I think this is a wonderful YA contemporary romance to add to your shelf. It's deeply emotional and it makes you feel. You'll be rooting for Kelsey, and at times you may want to smack her. I know I did! I know one things for sure, I've found a new author to read and love.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
As I stated above, I couldn't understand her thinking. Then it hit me and I realized why she did what she did. I won't lie when I say it broke my heart in two. I can't imagine losing a sibling, let alone a twin. It's only natural that she would want to keep Michelle as close as she can; whether or not it was rational. I get it. I do. I might not completely agree with the dishonesty after feelings start becoming something more but again, I can see why it happened.
Kelsey is much different than her twin sister. For one, she isn't as into school as Michelle was and she wasn't an artist like her either. Kelsey was a dancer though and she showed how special she was throughout the book. I could feel her guilt of keeping such a cruel secret from a boy that isn't hers. The timing was just never right. I know that I would never be able to keep something like that from someone. The fallout and consequences are not worth it. Maybe that's why I found myself so annoyed with Kelsey so much. I liked her friends and of course Peter.
Peter really made me love this novel. He's so kind, he's a soldier, and the guy seriously knows how to make a girl feel special. I think we can be adding a new man to our book boyfriend list, ladies! Sometimes the bad boy gets a little old. It's always nice seeing one that you don't have to jump through hoops just to get his attention.
I loved the tone of the story. It had a romantic feel to it yet at the same time it was melancholy. You might think that it's a horrible combination but it isn't. Just look at Nicholas Sparks. I only wish the ending was a bit longer. I liked the way it ended just wanted it to be a little more longer than it was. There were times that I felt the book moved too fast. Guess I just like my books longer.
Overall, I think this is a wonderful YA contemporary romance to add to your shelf. It's deeply emotional and it makes you feel. You'll be rooting for Kelsey, and at times you may want to smack her. I know I did! I know one things for sure, I've found a new author to read and love.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 28, 2015
Check out this and other reviews on my blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
This book was so hard to write a review for.
Part of me hates the fact that I liked this book. It reminded me of another one of those books about teenagers doing stupid things and not having to suffer any consequences for what they do. Normally that's a good way to get me to really be critical about a book, but for some reason, I have a soft spot for this one. Maybe it was due to the fact that it had such an interesting storyline. Maybe it was due to the fact that I felt absolutely horrible for Kelsey, because I can't imagine what she had to be going through to lose her identical twin. Maybe it was due to the fact that Peter was over there in Afghanistan, thinking he was talking to Michelle, and only getting by on the fact that he still had her in his life.
Honestly, I think it was all of these things, and the beautiful way in which this story was written. It captured my heart and I felt so many things for not only the characters, but the book itself. It was one of those books that I didn't really want to put down, because I just had to see how everything was going to play out.
Everyone seemed to have mixed opinions on this book, and I could easily see why. There are just so many things that could easily be a deal breaker...especially how Kelsey lies to Peter and lets him believe that she is, in fact, Michelle. Even though her feelings for Peter develop and she falls in love with him, she still doesn't tell him that she's really Kelsey, and that Michelle had actually died. Also, Peter doesn't even pick up on this - not even when he gets some time off duty to go to Paris for a weekend, and she goes with him. So you can imagine how he must have felt when he finally does find out she's not Michelle. But yet, you kind of feel really bad for Kelsey, because the reason she doesn't want to tell Peter she isn't Michelle is because he's been through so much over there, that the only thing holding him together is the fact that he has Michelle, he loves her, and she loves him. Kelsey doesn't want to deny him the one thing that makes him happy and keeps him going, even though letting him think that she is Michelle is...well...not the best way she could have handled the situation.
Was the book good? Yes, it was. It was a really beautifully written novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Would I recommend it? I would, especially if you're looking for a book that will be good at making you feel a ton of emotions all at once. Bring some tissues. And a stress ball (you may want to throw things at some point).
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was so hard to write a review for.
Part of me hates the fact that I liked this book. It reminded me of another one of those books about teenagers doing stupid things and not having to suffer any consequences for what they do. Normally that's a good way to get me to really be critical about a book, but for some reason, I have a soft spot for this one. Maybe it was due to the fact that it had such an interesting storyline. Maybe it was due to the fact that I felt absolutely horrible for Kelsey, because I can't imagine what she had to be going through to lose her identical twin. Maybe it was due to the fact that Peter was over there in Afghanistan, thinking he was talking to Michelle, and only getting by on the fact that he still had her in his life.
Honestly, I think it was all of these things, and the beautiful way in which this story was written. It captured my heart and I felt so many things for not only the characters, but the book itself. It was one of those books that I didn't really want to put down, because I just had to see how everything was going to play out.
Everyone seemed to have mixed opinions on this book, and I could easily see why. There are just so many things that could easily be a deal breaker...especially how Kelsey lies to Peter and lets him believe that she is, in fact, Michelle. Even though her feelings for Peter develop and she falls in love with him, she still doesn't tell him that she's really Kelsey, and that Michelle had actually died. Also, Peter doesn't even pick up on this - not even when he gets some time off duty to go to Paris for a weekend, and she goes with him. So you can imagine how he must have felt when he finally does find out she's not Michelle. But yet, you kind of feel really bad for Kelsey, because the reason she doesn't want to tell Peter she isn't Michelle is because he's been through so much over there, that the only thing holding him together is the fact that he has Michelle, he loves her, and she loves him. Kelsey doesn't want to deny him the one thing that makes him happy and keeps him going, even though letting him think that she is Michelle is...well...not the best way she could have handled the situation.
Was the book good? Yes, it was. It was a really beautifully written novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Would I recommend it? I would, especially if you're looking for a book that will be good at making you feel a ton of emotions all at once. Bring some tissues. And a stress ball (you may want to throw things at some point).
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2016
Kelsey and Michelle are identical twins. They're use to everyone getting them mixed up, even though they are - personality wise - worlds apart. When Michelle dies Kelsey has to learn to go on, but realizes that Michelle's boyfriend, Peter, is unaware of her passing because the news hasn't gotten back to him in Afghanistan. Not wanting Peter's head to be unclear while he's fighting, Kelsey keeps up the pretenses that she is Michelle and that Michelle is doing well, this also allows her to feel as though she is still close with her sister. Unsure when to break the news of what happened to Michelle, Kelsey ends up falling in love and finding herself.
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to. I was also able to finish it within a day. I mean it took me a while to start it up, but once I got to chapter 3 I just sat down and read. I read somewhere that this book was akin to Nicholas Sparks -- and while I love his movies and have yet to read one of his books, I do know that they are over done. You go see a Nicholas Sparks movie and know how the story will play out. Sometimes you only go because you're favorite eye-candy is the lead man. I fall victim to this too, and I tend to love Nicholas Sparks' movies. But that doesn't mean I want to read another one of those types of stories. So this was why I was apprehensive about reading this. But this was not just a romance novel, it was a novel about learning how to move on.
Yes there is a love story, and yes I was hooked because of Peter, but at the heart of it all the moral revolves around Kelsey and how she is dealing with the loss of her twin sister. Kelsey is practically a normal high school teenager. I'm positive most of my friends were like Kelsey in high school. Where Michelle is the artsy type who goes against the norm, such as myself. But after Michelle dies Kelsey has to learns more and more about herself which makes her realize that she has an artsy side to her that she just didn't really know about.
This book is definitely heart wrenching - I mean off the bat you know Michelle will die. And having this little bit of knowledge going into the book I wasn't expecting to get an attachment to her within the first few chapters. I basically assumed that chapter 1 we'd hear mention of Michelle and then bam she'd be dead. But instead Avery makes you ache for Michelle's death. There's other things that you ache for, such as Peter and his well being, or Kelsey and her well being. But that's good - means you're attached to the characters and the story that is unfolding in front of you.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2015...
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to. I was also able to finish it within a day. I mean it took me a while to start it up, but once I got to chapter 3 I just sat down and read. I read somewhere that this book was akin to Nicholas Sparks -- and while I love his movies and have yet to read one of his books, I do know that they are over done. You go see a Nicholas Sparks movie and know how the story will play out. Sometimes you only go because you're favorite eye-candy is the lead man. I fall victim to this too, and I tend to love Nicholas Sparks' movies. But that doesn't mean I want to read another one of those types of stories. So this was why I was apprehensive about reading this. But this was not just a romance novel, it was a novel about learning how to move on.
Yes there is a love story, and yes I was hooked because of Peter, but at the heart of it all the moral revolves around Kelsey and how she is dealing with the loss of her twin sister. Kelsey is practically a normal high school teenager. I'm positive most of my friends were like Kelsey in high school. Where Michelle is the artsy type who goes against the norm, such as myself. But after Michelle dies Kelsey has to learns more and more about herself which makes her realize that she has an artsy side to her that she just didn't really know about.
This book is definitely heart wrenching - I mean off the bat you know Michelle will die. And having this little bit of knowledge going into the book I wasn't expecting to get an attachment to her within the first few chapters. I basically assumed that chapter 1 we'd hear mention of Michelle and then bam she'd be dead. But instead Avery makes you ache for Michelle's death. There's other things that you ache for, such as Peter and his well being, or Kelsey and her well being. But that's good - means you're attached to the characters and the story that is unfolding in front of you.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2015...
May 18, 2018
This read crashed into my world and sucked me in whole. I devoured the book and wished for more reading time. I've never heard of Lara Avery before but the blurb on netgalley intrigued me and I was not disappointed.
Michelle and Kelsey are 17 year old twins, they've drifted in their closeness in their teens as they're so different. One a dancer, one an artist. Kelsey has a long term boyfriend, Michelle falls in and out of love regularly. Michelle has met Peter, who is about to go to Afghanistan on his first tour. Michelle is killed in a car accident on her way home from taking him to the airport. Kelsey is left without her other half and has no way to get in touch with Peter. When he skypes Michelle, she finds it impossible to tell him. What plays out in Kelsey's life and relationship is compelling. There are terrible secrets but there is also love.
This book was a breath of fresh air to read, YA at it's very best. How the story grew, developed and played out had me guessing, unsure and worried for the characters. Lara Avery wrote eloquently and I look forward to more from her.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
Michelle and Kelsey are 17 year old twins, they've drifted in their closeness in their teens as they're so different. One a dancer, one an artist. Kelsey has a long term boyfriend, Michelle falls in and out of love regularly. Michelle has met Peter, who is about to go to Afghanistan on his first tour. Michelle is killed in a car accident on her way home from taking him to the airport. Kelsey is left without her other half and has no way to get in touch with Peter. When he skypes Michelle, she finds it impossible to tell him. What plays out in Kelsey's life and relationship is compelling. There are terrible secrets but there is also love.
This book was a breath of fresh air to read, YA at it's very best. How the story grew, developed and played out had me guessing, unsure and worried for the characters. Lara Avery wrote eloquently and I look forward to more from her.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
March 4, 2017
This is a tough one.. I loved it, because of the true feelings and what nots. But I hated it too, because who does that to someone? But when she told him, you really felt the hope she had. And it made me realize that maybe it's crazy, but if it's love, it's love. The end was beautiful. I'm so glad that it turned out the way it did.
Want to read
June 8, 2015 ARC kindly provided in the exchange of an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley!
Thank you NetGalley!
August 26, 2015
review coming soon
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