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Visions #1
Crash
If what you see is what you get, Jules is in serious trouble.
Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.
What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow.
The vision is everywhere—on billboards, television screens, windows—and she’s the only one who sees it. And the more she sees it, the more she sees. The vision is giving her clues, and soon Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she has been in love with for as long as she can remember.
In this riveting start to a gripping series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa McMann, Jules has to act—and act fast—to keep her vision from becoming reality.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2013
About the author
Lisa McMann
72 books7,060 followersLisa McMann lives and writes in the Phoenix area. Her newest middle grade fantasy series is called The Forgotten Five. Book one, Map of Flames, was an instant NYT bestseller. It's about five supernatural kids, raised in a deserted hideout, who enter civilization for the first time to search for a hidden stash left behind by their missing, criminal parents.
Book two, The Invisible Spy, is on sale now! Book three, Rebel Undercover, is coming summer 2023, and book 4 will be out in spring of 2024.
Also out now: CLARICE THE BRAVE. It's a story of hope against all odds, about sibling mice who get separated in a mutiny and vow to find one another again.
Lisa's other books include the NYT bestselling THE UNWANTEDS and UNWANTEDS QUESTS series, the GOING WILD trilogy, the YA paranormal WAKE trilogy, the VISIONS trilogy, CRYER'S CROSS, DEAD TO YOU, and INFINITY RING: The Trap Door.
See what's new and where Lisa will be at her
LinkTree.
You can find more info at Lisa'a website, lisamcmann.com, interact with her on Facebook or Twitter, or ask questions on her Instagram.
Book two, The Invisible Spy, is on sale now! Book three, Rebel Undercover, is coming summer 2023, and book 4 will be out in spring of 2024.
Also out now: CLARICE THE BRAVE. It's a story of hope against all odds, about sibling mice who get separated in a mutiny and vow to find one another again.
Lisa's other books include the NYT bestselling THE UNWANTEDS and UNWANTEDS QUESTS series, the GOING WILD trilogy, the YA paranormal WAKE trilogy, the VISIONS trilogy, CRYER'S CROSS, DEAD TO YOU, and INFINITY RING: The Trap Door.
See what's new and where Lisa will be at her
LinkTree.
You can find more info at Lisa'a website, lisamcmann.com, interact with her on Facebook or Twitter, or ask questions on her Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,167 reviews
January 9, 2013
Oops, sorry, that was the book I wanted this to be. Let's try again.
This is a dull story about the forbidden romance between two teens from warring families. Jules' obsession with Sawyer is almost as creepy as Edward Cullen watching Bella sleep and it's incredibly easy to forget about the whole mystery involving the visions because the actual focus of this novel is the angsting, the I want him but I can't have him/he'd never want me/he's so perfect and I'm so average. Meh. The characters and their complete lack of chemistry with one another are definitely what let this book down - such a shame when it sounded so interesting.
Though this book is called "Crash" and promises a tale about Jules' visions and what she will do about it, this whole element of the novel feels like a subplot in a disappointing romance story. In fact, it seems strange to me whenever I remind myself that this is actually a paranormal novel where the protagonist sees visions. It's just that everything about it reads like a contemporary romance and the supernatural bit doesn't seem to quite fit in with the rest - it's there merely to be the catalyst for Jules and Sawyer's relationship because she is forced to talk to him despite the family feud.
Which is another thing that I just didn't care about. The conflict between the families has passed through two generations because both families own competing pizza delivery places in their small town. Oh, and apparently Sawyer's grandfather stole a sauce recipe from Jules' grandfather and had it patented. Or something. Does anyone actually care anyway? Does anyone care whether creepy stalker Jules and boring Sawyer get together? Does anyone even care if that stupid vision thing is real and they all die? I know I didn't. Giselle summed it up perfectly when she said "I couldn't have cared less if the vision came true. It would certainly have made it more exciting."
Did I like anything? Yes. I enjoyed reading about the relationship between Jules and her brother and sister, they're very close to each other and Trey is probably the most interesting character in the book. Other than that, though, this was almost total disappointment. If you're curious, I actually really enjoyed the first two books of McMann's Dream Catcher series, I thought the relationship there felt much more genuine and I cared about both characters. This, however, is just not for me and I won't be reading the sequel.
November 22, 2012
I'm weary of books sometimes, but more often than not I surprise myself by loving them. So this is why I still gave Crash a try knowing it's written by the same author who wrote one of my least favorite books of all time. It's unfortunate, but this is a sign that me and Ms McMann simply aren't meant to be. I have to learn to move on, regardless of the temptations that may come about.
Jules Jules Jules, you had such potential! You see visions! And there are body bags in your visions! I wanted to like this plot, and Jules, so much, but I just couldn't. The way she speaks, the obsession towards pizza boy, her superficial personality and lack of development, it all adds up quickly and unforgivably. Let's get a quick example shall we?
"I mean, I watch him, though. Like, all the time, but I'm not a creep or anything. And I eavesdrop."
Yes, Jules, those are, in fact, signs of a creep. Like, don't kid yourself! This quote that we come upon early in the game was a very good sign that Jules and I wouldn't get along. Throughout most of the book, she's either dwelling on this old family grudge that keeps her and Sawyer apart *le sigh*, or she's complaining about her visions, on which she eventually acts for no other reason than her own selfishness. This leads to even more stalkerish behavior; for instance, hiding out in his parking lot and frantically running home when his mother sees her.
After all this creepy, you would think--or hope--that Sawyer would run screaming... *shakes head disappointedly*! Is Sawyer any more likeable than Jules? Maybe if he had enough personality to even be liked or disliked. He's the lesser of two evils, sure, but nothing more than a name on a page. As you can guess, this leads to a romance that is, at once, extremely predictable and plain. I couldn't have cared less if the vision came true. It would certainly have made it more exciting.
The only thing I liked in this novel was the family aspect. This is a family who lives, works, and breathes together. They're around each other every minute of every day, turning siblings into the best of friends. Again, we would have needed more character development for me to truly care about these people. In the end, they were more or less there for filler and plot conveniences.
Characters were clearly the fall of this book. This plot could have been extremely engaging if it had something to give it life. Instead, in addition to its predictability, it quickly became tiresome--the same vision over and over with no progression, suspense, or hint of tension. I did garner a trace of curiosity on how it would play out when she tells someone about them. Though this may be because I was hoping they would lock her in a cage and I could be done with this book.
Alas, this is where my disastrous relationship with McMann comes to an end. It was short lived with very little chemistry, but you know what they say: One woman's trash is another woman's treasure. Or something.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Jules Jules Jules, you had such potential! You see visions! And there are body bags in your visions! I wanted to like this plot, and Jules, so much, but I just couldn't. The way she speaks, the obsession towards pizza boy, her superficial personality and lack of development, it all adds up quickly and unforgivably. Let's get a quick example shall we?
"I mean, I watch him, though. Like, all the time, but I'm not a creep or anything. And I eavesdrop."
Yes, Jules, those are, in fact, signs of a creep. Like, don't kid yourself! This quote that we come upon early in the game was a very good sign that Jules and I wouldn't get along. Throughout most of the book, she's either dwelling on this old family grudge that keeps her and Sawyer apart *le sigh*, or she's complaining about her visions, on which she eventually acts for no other reason than her own selfishness. This leads to even more stalkerish behavior; for instance, hiding out in his parking lot and frantically running home when his mother sees her.
After all this creepy, you would think--or hope--that Sawyer would run screaming... *shakes head disappointedly*! Is Sawyer any more likeable than Jules? Maybe if he had enough personality to even be liked or disliked. He's the lesser of two evils, sure, but nothing more than a name on a page. As you can guess, this leads to a romance that is, at once, extremely predictable and plain. I couldn't have cared less if the vision came true. It would certainly have made it more exciting.
The only thing I liked in this novel was the family aspect. This is a family who lives, works, and breathes together. They're around each other every minute of every day, turning siblings into the best of friends. Again, we would have needed more character development for me to truly care about these people. In the end, they were more or less there for filler and plot conveniences.
Characters were clearly the fall of this book. This plot could have been extremely engaging if it had something to give it life. Instead, in addition to its predictability, it quickly became tiresome--the same vision over and over with no progression, suspense, or hint of tension. I did garner a trace of curiosity on how it would play out when she tells someone about them. Though this may be because I was hoping they would lock her in a cage and I could be done with this book.
Alas, this is where my disastrous relationship with McMann comes to an end. It was short lived with very little chemistry, but you know what they say: One woman's trash is another woman's treasure. Or something.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
December 18, 2015
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
This book is wonderful! Or it would be...
Jules has this crush on a boy from her family's enemies. As both have parents who own Italian restaurants, even though they used to be friends, they just can't anymore because their families hate one another.
All I knew was that I wasn’t allowed to play cheetahs and bears with Sawyer anymore.
But Jules starts seeing this vision of a terrible explosion...
That can end with her love's life. So now she has to live her life and ignore the visions all around her. Or try to do something about them.
This is the beginning of the snow that I see in the vision, I think. The beginning of the end
This book is much more than just another paranormal story. As their daily lives are so ordinary and close to real that I could really relate to the story. Even though there's the vision part everyday of Jules's life, it's just a normal routine, without going to witches' places or reading cards. She is innocent and even though sometimes it's too much, she grew into me.
Also, the other characters were really well explored. Her brother is the cutest and sweetest of all and I could feel their love and friendship. Also, the story get a plus treating issues like depression seriously.
I mean, my grandfather killed himself—he had a wife and kids and grandkids, and a business that he loved, and he just ended it all. Those good things in his life weren’t enough for him. They couldn’t stop his disease.
And retreated how families thinks about it with honesty. As a view from them.
It’s probably wrong that Trey and Rowan and I all hope he stays invisible, holed up in his bedroom on days like these, but it’s just easier when he’s out of sight. We can pretend depressed Dad doesn’t exist.
The thing about the book is that it's intriguing. It's a fast read and really light. As we live with Jules we get the desperation of believing in her or, as a fruit of a dysfunctional family, think that she really is crazy. And you can't really know for sure until the end. And it surprises you.
Or not. You have to read to find out :D
But what I will say is that it could have been the perfect ending. BUT THEN THAT HAPPENS and I was okay with not crying before (because I was prepared for that) BUT WTH WAS THAT???? I wasn't expecting a cliffhanger!!
Plus I have to say that the mentality of these people were kinda.... Twilightishly wrong.
It’s not like I don’t have other shit to do besides moon around after a boy. I mean, I watch him, though. Like, all the time, but I’m not a creep or anything. And I eavesdrop. That’s how I know about him volunteering at the Humane Society.
“He follows you around, he watches you. I see him.”
After six rings, it stops.
I wait a minute more, and then scroll through the caller ID list. Stare at his number, then reluctantly hit delete, and it feels like the breakup we never really had.
Yeah guys... Not really healthy...
But the book was great for only capturing my attention and making me live a life that wasn't in my world in just that page quantity. I know it's not everybody's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it.
This book is wonderful! Or it would be...
Jules has this crush on a boy from her family's enemies. As both have parents who own Italian restaurants, even though they used to be friends, they just can't anymore because their families hate one another.
All I knew was that I wasn’t allowed to play cheetahs and bears with Sawyer anymore.
But Jules starts seeing this vision of a terrible explosion...
That can end with her love's life. So now she has to live her life and ignore the visions all around her. Or try to do something about them.
This is the beginning of the snow that I see in the vision, I think. The beginning of the end
This book is much more than just another paranormal story. As their daily lives are so ordinary and close to real that I could really relate to the story. Even though there's the vision part everyday of Jules's life, it's just a normal routine, without going to witches' places or reading cards. She is innocent and even though sometimes it's too much, she grew into me.
Also, the other characters were really well explored. Her brother is the cutest and sweetest of all and I could feel their love and friendship. Also, the story get a plus treating issues like depression seriously.
I mean, my grandfather killed himself—he had a wife and kids and grandkids, and a business that he loved, and he just ended it all. Those good things in his life weren’t enough for him. They couldn’t stop his disease.
And retreated how families thinks about it with honesty. As a view from them.
It’s probably wrong that Trey and Rowan and I all hope he stays invisible, holed up in his bedroom on days like these, but it’s just easier when he’s out of sight. We can pretend depressed Dad doesn’t exist.
The thing about the book is that it's intriguing. It's a fast read and really light. As we live with Jules we get the desperation of believing in her or, as a fruit of a dysfunctional family, think that she really is crazy. And you can't really know for sure until the end. And it surprises you.
Or not. You have to read to find out :D
But what I will say is that it could have been the perfect ending. BUT THEN THAT HAPPENS and I was okay with not crying before (because I was prepared for that) BUT WTH WAS THAT???? I wasn't expecting a cliffhanger!!
Plus I have to say that the mentality of these people were kinda.... Twilightishly wrong.
It’s not like I don’t have other shit to do besides moon around after a boy. I mean, I watch him, though. Like, all the time, but I’m not a creep or anything. And I eavesdrop. That’s how I know about him volunteering at the Humane Society.
“He follows you around, he watches you. I see him.”
After six rings, it stops.
I wait a minute more, and then scroll through the caller ID list. Stare at his number, then reluctantly hit delete, and it feels like the breakup we never really had.
Yeah guys... Not really healthy...
But the book was great for only capturing my attention and making me live a life that wasn't in my world in just that page quantity. I know it's not everybody's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it.
November 7, 2012
Is there anything more disappointing then the CRASHING mediocrity of a book that you were genuinely excited about?!
This is the book version of a movie where you see all the good parts in the trailer. The back cover sounds great and then the story is just MEH...
So the basic premise of this book is that Jules is constantly seeing visions of a huge "crash." And one of the victims is the guy she likes, who also happens to be the son of her families "arch nemesis"/rival pizza restaurant owners.
Actually now that I see it written in black and white I am a little surprised at my original enthusiasm. I mean really? The Romeo and Juliet of pizza dough and pepperoni? It's just not as exciting as it sounds.
I must say the Crash/Vision part of the books was described in a very unique way and at first was very interesting but after you have read 75% of a book and nothing has actually happened you stop caring how creatively the author is describing the vision and start praying it WILL JUST HAPPEN ALREADY!! Talk about slow. And the romance has the same problem. 90% of it is the pining unrequited kind which is, let face it, really boring.
And my final compliant.(I promise.)The MC Jules, constantly keeps substituting the word God for dog.
As in "Oh my dog! I can't believe this book was written by the same author that wrote the very awesome Wake Series!" Lame!
This is the book version of a movie where you see all the good parts in the trailer. The back cover sounds great and then the story is just MEH...
So the basic premise of this book is that Jules is constantly seeing visions of a huge "crash." And one of the victims is the guy she likes, who also happens to be the son of her families "arch nemesis"/rival pizza restaurant owners.
Actually now that I see it written in black and white I am a little surprised at my original enthusiasm. I mean really? The Romeo and Juliet of pizza dough and pepperoni? It's just not as exciting as it sounds.
I must say the Crash/Vision part of the books was described in a very unique way and at first was very interesting but after you have read 75% of a book and nothing has actually happened you stop caring how creatively the author is describing the vision and start praying it WILL JUST HAPPEN ALREADY!! Talk about slow. And the romance has the same problem. 90% of it is the pining unrequited kind which is, let face it, really boring.
And my final compliant.(I promise.)The MC Jules, constantly keeps substituting the word God for dog.
As in "Oh my dog! I can't believe this book was written by the same author that wrote the very awesome Wake Series!" Lame!
December 16, 2012
I really, really wanted to love this book. I mean, it had a beautiful cover and an interesting blurb. What's not to like about that? Unfortunately, despite its promising premise, the book failed to deliver. Suffice it to say, I was disappointed.
I think the thing that frustrated me the most was that the plot had so much potential. Things started going downhill pretty fast, though. The story started dragging and got rather repetitive. It was the same vision over and over again. There was really no mystery, no suspense, other than the uncertainty of when the vision would take place. Sorry, but that wasn't enough to keep me engaged. Crash wasn't overly long to begin with, but even so, it felt like it was longer than it needed to be. Everything could’ve been resolved much sooner. That probably would've been the case had the vision not been used as a tool to bring theforbidden romance into focus. A romance that didn't work for me. I couldn't care less about Jules and Sawyer as a couple.
I had a hard time connecting with Jules. In fact, I had a hard time liking her in general. She's kind of a stalker. I know she has reason to be worried, but come on. As for Sawyer…well, I don’t really have an opinion of him. He was just there...someone for Jules to obsess about it.
All of the characters were flat and not fully developed. Even the whole family rivalry thing wasn’t enough to keep me interested. It was overly dramatic and made to seem like it was something bigger than what it was.
I will admit to being curious about how the vision would play out in the end. I just wish I didn’t have to endure everything else to get there. There was a ton of filler. Maybe I would’ve enjoyed it more had the characters and plot been meatier. That being said, however, I wouldn't say I hated the book. It was just 'okay' for me.
I think the thing that frustrated me the most was that the plot had so much potential. Things started going downhill pretty fast, though. The story started dragging and got rather repetitive. It was the same vision over and over again. There was really no mystery, no suspense, other than the uncertainty of when the vision would take place. Sorry, but that wasn't enough to keep me engaged. Crash wasn't overly long to begin with, but even so, it felt like it was longer than it needed to be. Everything could’ve been resolved much sooner. That probably would've been the case had the vision not been used as a tool to bring the
I had a hard time connecting with Jules. In fact, I had a hard time liking her in general. She's kind of a stalker. I know she has reason to be worried, but come on. As for Sawyer…well, I don’t really have an opinion of him. He was just there...someone for Jules to obsess about it.
All of the characters were flat and not fully developed. Even the whole family rivalry thing wasn’t enough to keep me interested. It was overly dramatic and made to seem like it was something bigger than what it was.
I will admit to being curious about how the vision would play out in the end. I just wish I didn’t have to endure everything else to get there. There was a ton of filler. Maybe I would’ve enjoyed it more had the characters and plot been meatier. That being said, however, I wouldn't say I hated the book. It was just 'okay' for me.
January 26, 2012
Crash was a book I was really excited about. I love mystery, suspense and action stories, especially if a little swoony romance is thrown in. Crash was exactly that.
The Demarco’s and Angotti’s have been rivals for years. Each have an Italian Pizza restaurant and competition and old accusations keep the bitter rivalry going. This isn’t good for Jules Demarco because ever since she can remember, she’s been in love with Sawyer Angotti. They were once thick as thieves growing up, having all kinds of fun together. This is when Jules longtime crush on Sawyer developed. When their parents find out about their friendship they are not too pleased, and Sawyer drops Jules like a hot potato. So in the here and now, they both attend high school together, but Jules must content herself with pining from afar. *sniff*
I’d imagine us in Bulger Park on a blanket, ignoring the tree frogs and the pigeons and little crying kids. I’d touch his cheek and push his hair back, and he’d look at me with his gorgeous green eyes and that crooked, shy grin of his, and then he’d lean toward me and we’d both hold our breath without realizing it, and his lips would touch mine, and then…
Suddenly, Jules starts having a vision of a terrible crash involving the Angotti’s. At first she thinks she’s going nuts, but as details become clearer Jules knows she has to warn Sawyer, because she couldn’t bear it if she didn’t speak up and she lost him for good. The visions amp up in intensity and in frequency and Jules wonders if there’s anything she can do to prevent a horrible tragedy from happening.
I really enjoyed this story. It had twists and turns and was pleasantly entertaining. Jules is a typical sixteen year-old, but she faces quite a few heartbreaking problems. Her dad is a train wreck, and when I found out everything behind his story I was surprised and angry for the whole family. Selfish man! The men in Sawyer’s family are no better, and I think everyone would be better off if they all just went away! Unrequited love is a romance that always gets to me, and this one was sweet.
Crash was an entertaining and fast read, but I can’t help but think that there was just a little something missing. It was enjoyable but lacked the “wow” factor. I will continue with the series because I want to know what happens. There is a cliff, not a horrible one, just a more like a “to be continued…” sort of situation. No worries, I have Bang on hand and plan to pick it soon!
You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
November 4, 2025
4.5 Stars for Crash: Visions, Book 1 (audiobook) by Lisa McMann read by Allyson Ryan.
Jules is your typical teenage girl. She’s going to school and helping out at her family’s restaurant. She’s normal except for the fact that she’s seeing visions. There’s been a terrible accident, body bags are laid out and she can see that a guy that she has a crush on is in one of the bags. Is this something that is for sure going to happen or is there something she can do to save these people?
Jules is your typical teenage girl. She’s going to school and helping out at her family’s restaurant. She’s normal except for the fact that she’s seeing visions. There’s been a terrible accident, body bags are laid out and she can see that a guy that she has a crush on is in one of the bags. Is this something that is for sure going to happen or is there something she can do to save these people?
November 28, 2016
Quick review for a quick read. There were definitely moments in this book where I had second hand embarrassment for the wrong reasons, but ultimately I did like parts of Lisa McMann's "Crash", the first in her "Visions" series. The story revolves around a young woman named Jules who's family runs a pizza shop. Yet she starts having visions of a car crash that kills several people, including her childhood crush and former friend Sawyer. The conflict trades between Jules' s guilt/working to offset the tragedy and reconcile with Sawyer given his family's falling out with hers (for several reasons).
I seriously side-eyed this book's portrayal of mental illness and found myself thrown out of the story at times because of this. Half the time it was very flippant as per the voice of the heroine and trying too hard to be humored, while the times it did find its tone more serious, it didn't really end up matching with the events that transpired. The narrative also felt a bit long at times because the central conflict kept being put aside where it could've benefited from better pacing.
Also, it's clear to say that Jules was a legit stalker towards Sawyer. I honestly found myself cringing many a time with her efforts to try to keep Sawyer "safe" because of her visions. Like, I wanted to say "Dude, leave the poor boy alone." Sawyer was very forgiving of certain things that Jules did, and I had a hard time really swallowing those events through the narrative (because it was the source of my cringing and secondhand embarrassment to say the least. I really don't like stalker love interests in YA, male or female.)
Still, I did honestly like the overarching story and characters here. There were wonderfully harrowing moments of tension when they hit the ground running and while I somewhat predicted the twist at the very end, it makes me want to read more into the series. I also liked the audio narration on the whole. Interesting read with great ideas, but notable flaws that kept it from being more in my experience.
Overall score : 3 / 5 stars.
I seriously side-eyed this book's portrayal of mental illness and found myself thrown out of the story at times because of this. Half the time it was very flippant as per the voice of the heroine and trying too hard to be humored, while the times it did find its tone more serious, it didn't really end up matching with the events that transpired. The narrative also felt a bit long at times because the central conflict kept being put aside where it could've benefited from better pacing.
Also, it's clear to say that Jules was a legit stalker towards Sawyer. I honestly found myself cringing many a time with her efforts to try to keep Sawyer "safe" because of her visions. Like, I wanted to say "Dude, leave the poor boy alone." Sawyer was very forgiving of certain things that Jules did, and I had a hard time really swallowing those events through the narrative (because it was the source of my cringing and secondhand embarrassment to say the least. I really don't like stalker love interests in YA, male or female.)
Still, I did honestly like the overarching story and characters here. There were wonderfully harrowing moments of tension when they hit the ground running and while I somewhat predicted the twist at the very end, it makes me want to read more into the series. I also liked the audio narration on the whole. Interesting read with great ideas, but notable flaws that kept it from being more in my experience.
Overall score : 3 / 5 stars.
February 22, 2013
One of the things I enjoy most about Lisa McMann's storytelling is how spare it is. There are no words wasted, no characters who are put in just to waste time, everything connects even if you don't see those connections at first.
This gets a solid 4.5 stars for me because there were just a few small things that bothered me. And I do mean they are very small because this was a really great read.
I'd have liked to get some idea at some point what Jules looked like. Completely leaving out her physical description makes it a bit harder for me to connect because I simply can't see her and she remains out of focus. As a character and as the narrator, I enjoyed her voice and I really loved the family dynamics with her siblings. You can feel how much they care for each other.
This story builds and builds and will finally have you on the edge of your seat as Jules tries to figure out if she can change what happens in the visions.
The only negative is I have to wait for the next book.
This gets a solid 4.5 stars for me because there were just a few small things that bothered me. And I do mean they are very small because this was a really great read.
I'd have liked to get some idea at some point what Jules looked like. Completely leaving out her physical description makes it a bit harder for me to connect because I simply can't see her and she remains out of focus. As a character and as the narrator, I enjoyed her voice and I really loved the family dynamics with her siblings. You can feel how much they care for each other.
This story builds and builds and will finally have you on the edge of your seat as Jules tries to figure out if she can change what happens in the visions.
The only negative is I have to wait for the next book.
March 6, 2012
Look at that cover! Simple, beautiful and a bit creepy. I love it! The cover may have lured me in, but it was Lisa McMann’s name that made me scoop it up and plop it in the basket. An author who can sweep me into her story and words with humor, strong likeable characters, swoon worthy boys, and a relaxed, easy flow and tone. She always entertains me from beginning to end.
Crash kicks off a new series and introduces readers to Jules and her family as they struggle, work, and love among the meatballs and pizza of the family business. Throw in a family feud, a cute boy, and death visions….well you get one hell of a book! Jules is seeing visions—actually one vision on a loop almost everywhere she looks. A crash, explosion, and nine body bags including one holding the boy she has loved her entire life, Sawyer Angotti, who also happens to be the enemy. The Angottis and Demarcos run rival restaurants, but their bad blood runs much deeper. A bitter, cold, brokenhearted feud that pulled Sawyer away from Jules years before. But as we all know, the heart wants what the heart wants and--Come on! Hehe…Who wouldn’t fall for the forbidden, sweet-hearted, “hottie”?
”His lashes are superthick, superlong, deep brown, complemented by the green of his irises. Every blink is a sweeping drama, a sexy ornament, a mating ritual. Dear dog, I’m so hopelessly pathetic, I’m grossing myself out.”
Haha…I liked Jules. Her inner voice cracked me up! With a style and sense of humor all her own, she guides us through the “Am-I-Going-Crazy” suspense and mystery. Is the crash all in her head? Is it something about to happen? Can she prevent it? There is A LOT of drama in this story. Some plot points are pretty predictable and others will sound super familiar. But all that does not change the fact that I was captivated from page one! I felt like part of the family.
The family love, strength, and loyalty ruled the action here for me. And hands down, no contest, Trey stole the whole shebang! Trey, Jules’s brother and best friend was the big, thumping heart and soul of this story. With hilarious, big brother pain in the ass ways and a “come-running-as-fast-as-he-can” if you need him love and trust, Trey defined what family is all about. Truly an adorable character and brother. I want one! :D
Soooo…This may not be the most original story, but one told in a wonderful, witty, fun style and voice that stole my imagination and afternoon. My reading heart smiled and sighed with satisfaction.
Oh, btw…..Ms. McMann stirred up my pizza addiction big time! This book should come with a warning—May cause pizza cravings. Haha…I had pizza for dinner two nights in a row!
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August 18, 2026
book: crash
rate: 3.95/5 stars!
date read: 18 aug, ‘26
jules and sawyer — ao haru ride (manga/anime); futuba & koi miscommunication and dynamic vibe.
after school special type of thing like v.e schwab ‘city of ghost’ (book), except, ‘crash’ is darker and serious, whereas ‘city of ghosts’ is a light-hearted like scooby doo half an hour after school episode vibe.
my thoughts:
this was a very fun read and I loved how it ended because now it has ended at a point where I immediately need to read book 2 and I don’t even know what it’s called but I just need to read it. There is family drama. Second chance romance friends to strangers type of tropes rivalry between family businesses deluded family secrets and of course the paranormal supernatural element of having premonitions/visions I would definitely recommend this book. It was a very quick fun. Easy read the beginning did start off a little bit like slow for me but that’s because I’m in my reading slump era but like 3/4 of this book it was all about the visions. Then the last quarter of this book was more so romance and soap opera family drama where you get secrets coming to the surface and yeah I went by very quickly buzz because it goes onto the subsequent book in this book series and yeah the way it ended. I just I’m so excited to pick up the next book.
______plot: a lil’ bit more on the story itself/what it is about.
this book basically is about a girl Jules and she begins to get visions or premonition about her rivalry restaurant and body bags nine of them and in particular it’s the guy she’s been crushing on her childhood best friend/current love interest but there’s like no communication between them so it’s an unrequited love circumstance and she tries to figure out what these visions are. The closer gets to the inevitable event the stronger and more frequent visions get to the point where like it causes dizziness and all she can see all those visions wherever she looks so it disrupt her actual life and she’s got this amazing sibling dynamic with Trey and Rowan her brother and sister respect respectively speaking and I love the sibling dynamic that they’ve got and also when Jules is having these visions she because it’s a personal matter like she’s got a personal interest of course Sawyer being her person that she is in love with she tries to warn him but there’s like this unspoken tension between them where he is not speaking to her and it gets revealed in the story why but I don’t want to reveal any spoilers. Everything that I’ve revealed here is not spoil it all established and anyways so she’s like all alone with these visions and it’s really annoying because just imagine like you can’t even look at things the TV billboards or just you know using your eyes for normal stuff like looking without being bombarded with these horrific visions body bags but if you like these sleuthing a good girls guide to murder or truly devious like the main characters how they are detectives and instead of like being a sook and whining about it they instead take a proactive approach and start dissecting the visions and seeing like what does it all mean and trying to investigate it so that they can begin to understand and prevent the horrific and tragic event then this is for sure the book I would recommend and it takes place around Valentine’s Day so if you are looking for a Valentine’s Day mystery, paranormal/supernatural, YA book then I would add this to the TBR for the upcoming snowy and or Valentine’s Day or some other similar holiday :)
PS: I did write the ladder off of this review using the speech to text function because my hand is still immobile but I will proofread anything all them mistakes typos grammar punctuation and what not I hope that the words which I spoken into the phone actually got transcribed properly my apologies if there’s any errors and typos
rate: 3.95/5 stars!
date read: 18 aug, ‘26
jules and sawyer — ao haru ride (manga/anime); futuba & koi miscommunication and dynamic vibe.
after school special type of thing like v.e schwab ‘city of ghost’ (book), except, ‘crash’ is darker and serious, whereas ‘city of ghosts’ is a light-hearted like scooby doo half an hour after school episode vibe.
my thoughts:
this was a very fun read and I loved how it ended because now it has ended at a point where I immediately need to read book 2 and I don’t even know what it’s called but I just need to read it. There is family drama. Second chance romance friends to strangers type of tropes rivalry between family businesses deluded family secrets and of course the paranormal supernatural element of having premonitions/visions I would definitely recommend this book. It was a very quick fun. Easy read the beginning did start off a little bit like slow for me but that’s because I’m in my reading slump era but like 3/4 of this book it was all about the visions. Then the last quarter of this book was more so romance and soap opera family drama where you get secrets coming to the surface and yeah I went by very quickly buzz because it goes onto the subsequent book in this book series and yeah the way it ended. I just I’m so excited to pick up the next book.
______plot: a lil’ bit more on the story itself/what it is about.
this book basically is about a girl Jules and she begins to get visions or premonition about her rivalry restaurant and body bags nine of them and in particular it’s the guy she’s been crushing on her childhood best friend/current love interest but there’s like no communication between them so it’s an unrequited love circumstance and she tries to figure out what these visions are. The closer gets to the inevitable event the stronger and more frequent visions get to the point where like it causes dizziness and all she can see all those visions wherever she looks so it disrupt her actual life and she’s got this amazing sibling dynamic with Trey and Rowan her brother and sister respect respectively speaking and I love the sibling dynamic that they’ve got and also when Jules is having these visions she because it’s a personal matter like she’s got a personal interest of course Sawyer being her person that she is in love with she tries to warn him but there’s like this unspoken tension between them where he is not speaking to her and it gets revealed in the story why but I don’t want to reveal any spoilers. Everything that I’ve revealed here is not spoil it all established and anyways so she’s like all alone with these visions and it’s really annoying because just imagine like you can’t even look at things the TV billboards or just you know using your eyes for normal stuff like looking without being bombarded with these horrific visions body bags but if you like these sleuthing a good girls guide to murder or truly devious like the main characters how they are detectives and instead of like being a sook and whining about it they instead take a proactive approach and start dissecting the visions and seeing like what does it all mean and trying to investigate it so that they can begin to understand and prevent the horrific and tragic event then this is for sure the book I would recommend and it takes place around Valentine’s Day so if you are looking for a Valentine’s Day mystery, paranormal/supernatural, YA book then I would add this to the TBR for the upcoming snowy and or Valentine’s Day or some other similar holiday :)
PS: I did write the ladder off of this review using the speech to text function because my hand is still immobile but I will proofread anything all them mistakes typos grammar punctuation and what not I hope that the words which I spoken into the phone actually got transcribed properly my apologies if there’s any errors and typos
July 20, 2012
Reviewed @ Enticed by Books
McMann won me over with her Wake trilogy, so I had really high hopes for Crash when it came out earlier this year. Unfortunately, I'm the type of person who wouldn't read a book if it doesn't have majority of stellar reviews and I was a little disappointed when that didn't happen with Crash. But since I had already requested Bang and was approved for it later, I had to read this series, and I have to say that I went in expecting the worst, but ended up loving this book more than ever. Crash has truly left me in awe, I loved how the visions were handled, I loved how every character had a unique personality, I loved the family dynamics and most importantly, I loved the fluid writing. My only criticism is regarding the length of the book, I wish it was cut short because there was too much waiting and not a lot of action. If it were a novella or short story, I have no doubt that Crash would be one of my favorite paranormal/supernatural reads.
Crash is titled very appropriately since it's about Jules having visions of some car crash that leaves a bunch of dead people in it's wake. Initially Jules is not too concerned about the visions, she's not even convinced if those are some sort of premonition or just her mind playing some sick games. As time passes and her visions become more clearer, Jules realizes the importance of her knowledge and starts forming a plan to possibly save the lives of those dead people. I really liked Jules, she was very easy to connect to, had no issues with anyone and was overall a very good, quite and "lost in her own world" sort of girl. Very different from what I'd usually encountered in other reads, but nevertheless a memorable and enjoyable character. Though I felt a little off by her too obsessive nature towards Sawyer. Jules and Sawyer have been best friends since kindergarden and even after they stopped communicating because of their parents rivalry, Jules never stopped loving Sawyer. I get that she was so "in love" with Sawyer but I believe a few flashback would've really helped me understand where Jules was coming from at every point. At times, the too much attraction from Jules' side felt like an overkill, especially when Sawyer's reaction wasn't the same.That being said, I really enjoyed the growth Sawyer showed in his character and I was so proud of him in the end.
All in all, Crash was a fun afternoon read. I loved how easy it was to get in the story and let it entertain us for few hours. Granted that it didn't require any thinking on my part, I still enjoyed how simplistically the visions were handled. There wasn't any scientific explanation or such for Jules' condition, it was something that happened to her randomly. If you're looking for a light paranormal read with a contemporary feel, look no further, Crash most definitely fits the bill.
PS: Oh, also I completely forgot about this, but the one thing that really annoyed me was the excessive use of the word dog as a substitute for God. Ex: "Oh My Dog", "Dear Dog", "Thank Dog" ?!?!? That's the best you could come up with? I really hope this doesn't continue in Bang or I'll be really majorly pissed.
McMann won me over with her Wake trilogy, so I had really high hopes for Crash when it came out earlier this year. Unfortunately, I'm the type of person who wouldn't read a book if it doesn't have majority of stellar reviews and I was a little disappointed when that didn't happen with Crash. But since I had already requested Bang and was approved for it later, I had to read this series, and I have to say that I went in expecting the worst, but ended up loving this book more than ever. Crash has truly left me in awe, I loved how the visions were handled, I loved how every character had a unique personality, I loved the family dynamics and most importantly, I loved the fluid writing. My only criticism is regarding the length of the book, I wish it was cut short because there was too much waiting and not a lot of action. If it were a novella or short story, I have no doubt that Crash would be one of my favorite paranormal/supernatural reads.
Crash is titled very appropriately since it's about Jules having visions of some car crash that leaves a bunch of dead people in it's wake. Initially Jules is not too concerned about the visions, she's not even convinced if those are some sort of premonition or just her mind playing some sick games. As time passes and her visions become more clearer, Jules realizes the importance of her knowledge and starts forming a plan to possibly save the lives of those dead people. I really liked Jules, she was very easy to connect to, had no issues with anyone and was overall a very good, quite and "lost in her own world" sort of girl. Very different from what I'd usually encountered in other reads, but nevertheless a memorable and enjoyable character. Though I felt a little off by her too obsessive nature towards Sawyer. Jules and Sawyer have been best friends since kindergarden and even after they stopped communicating because of their parents rivalry, Jules never stopped loving Sawyer. I get that she was so "in love" with Sawyer but I believe a few flashback would've really helped me understand where Jules was coming from at every point. At times, the too much attraction from Jules' side felt like an overkill, especially when Sawyer's reaction wasn't the same.That being said, I really enjoyed the growth Sawyer showed in his character and I was so proud of him in the end.
All in all, Crash was a fun afternoon read. I loved how easy it was to get in the story and let it entertain us for few hours. Granted that it didn't require any thinking on my part, I still enjoyed how simplistically the visions were handled. There wasn't any scientific explanation or such for Jules' condition, it was something that happened to her randomly. If you're looking for a light paranormal read with a contemporary feel, look no further, Crash most definitely fits the bill.
PS: Oh, also I completely forgot about this, but the one thing that really annoyed me was the excessive use of the word dog as a substitute for God. Ex: "Oh My Dog", "Dear Dog", "Thank Dog" ?!?!? That's the best you could come up with? I really hope this doesn't continue in Bang or I'll be really majorly pissed.
June 4, 2012
Lisa McMann's latest dive into the paranormal geared towards the young adult combines her penchant for mysticism and perception beyond ordinary.
Visions series follows the same formula as her Dream Catcher series - which I absolutely loved. Her characters has some kind of psychic ability that they're able to use for the common good. In here, Jules gets visions of bad things that will happen in the future and it's up to her to try and stop it or warn whoever's directly impacted by the occurrence. In this case, son of rival family, Sawyer.
The family rivalry rivals that of the Capulet and Montagues. And wouldn't you know it? Julia and Sawyer are of Italian descent. There's something infinitely passionate about the Italians - especially when it comes to food and love. You never, ever covet their recipes the way you covet their spouses.
Jules and Sawyer used to be best friends until their respective families battles against the other made virtual strangers out of them. But even though they've grown apart, they have never stopped being aware of each other's existence. When Jules started having visions of Sawyer dying in a horrific accident involving a crash and explosion, she ignores all her resentment and abandonment issues toward the boy that she's loved forever. It's too bad that all her warnings make her sound like a nut job. Disregarding the ridicule she's bound to get, she sets out to save him even if it meant lying to her parents and risking the possibility of lifetime grounding.
Reading Crash is like talking to one of those Gilmore Girls. You need to get your brain up to speed with the conversation or you'll fall behind. It doesn't mean, however, that the plot moved at a break-neck speed. It's timed right, though fast-paced and ripe with suspense. The romance has the forbidden factor that most romance readers would enjoy. It's the thrilling possibility that they could get caught and the sweet moments when they realize how much they've missed.
Visions series follows the same formula as her Dream Catcher series - which I absolutely loved. Her characters has some kind of psychic ability that they're able to use for the common good. In here, Jules gets visions of bad things that will happen in the future and it's up to her to try and stop it or warn whoever's directly impacted by the occurrence. In this case, son of rival family, Sawyer.
The family rivalry rivals that of the Capulet and Montagues. And wouldn't you know it? Julia and Sawyer are of Italian descent. There's something infinitely passionate about the Italians - especially when it comes to food and love. You never, ever covet their recipes the way you covet their spouses.
Jules and Sawyer used to be best friends until their respective families battles against the other made virtual strangers out of them. But even though they've grown apart, they have never stopped being aware of each other's existence. When Jules started having visions of Sawyer dying in a horrific accident involving a crash and explosion, she ignores all her resentment and abandonment issues toward the boy that she's loved forever. It's too bad that all her warnings make her sound like a nut job. Disregarding the ridicule she's bound to get, she sets out to save him even if it meant lying to her parents and risking the possibility of lifetime grounding.
Reading Crash is like talking to one of those Gilmore Girls. You need to get your brain up to speed with the conversation or you'll fall behind. It doesn't mean, however, that the plot moved at a break-neck speed. It's timed right, though fast-paced and ripe with suspense. The romance has the forbidden factor that most romance readers would enjoy. It's the thrilling possibility that they could get caught and the sweet moments when they realize how much they've missed.
October 7, 2014
Rapid fire review time: Slow start, but fast-paced. This is my fourth Lisa McMann book (the first of my second series) and I thought it was pretty decent. A good series starter. The plot was intriguing, and the ending definitely left me wanting to continue with the series.
March 13, 2025
most basic plotline to ever exist and i hate her writing :D read for school cuz yk i would never pick this up - also why is the cover giving shatter me....
January 24, 2019
I've read other Lisa McMann books and I was a little disappointed with this compared to her others. It doesn't help that I didn't think the narrator was that good. She was a little too dramatic and her voices for the boys weren't great. The story was fairly straightforward with few surprises. Jules begins seeing visions of an accident that kills nine people, including her long time crush and family rival Sawyer. She struggles with what to do and tries to tell Sawyer, which doesn't go over well. Jules was a little too much for me. She kept acting like her life was ending because she was crazy and began to do weird things like abandoning her pizza deliveries and skipping school. I would be weirded out if I got visions, but Jules does not handle it well. The ending tried to be a bit of a cliffhanger to make you want to read more, but I think I'll skip it.
February 10, 2012
What did I think? What did I think?
First of all, Crash is a new series by Lisa McMann, author of one of my favorite series around (Dream Catcher Series) So it was a given that I was going to be reading this book.
Lisa has an incredible talent at creating wonderful, believable characters that pull you into the story and this book is filled with them.
Jules is awesome. I don't know any other way to explain her. She is funny, witty, sweet and snarky... and I loved her voice in this book. She comes across as a real teenager!
"How is it that everyone in my family things I'm out having sex? I don't ever leave this place. There's no time to get pregnant around here!"
What I really loved was the family dynamic though. This wasn't one of those books where the parents were on the periphery, they are involved in her life and it's apparent though out this story. And her brother and sister were wonderful secondary characters as well. Working as a family together in the family restaurant really built a foundation for how they were together as a family. There was no one single person for themselves... they lived for their restaurant. But there were also the times where they could laugh and joke and I found myself chuckling more than once because of their interactions.
"You're on drugs." Rowan turned to our older brother, Trey, and said "Jules is on drugs."
Trey leaned over Rowan to look at me. "Don't do drugs," he said seriously. "Our family has enough problems."
I rolled my eyes and sat back in my seat as the real movie trailers started. "No kidding," I muttered.
So the basic premise of the story is that Jules has been seeing visions everywhere she goes... wait... not visions. One vision. A crash and it's like a movie playing on billboards, in windows, and on street signs. She can't seem to get away from it. The more she sees it, the more she starts to pick up clues and she finally decides that she has to find a way to save the nine people that she sees die, one of which is a boy she's been in love with forever.
Sawyer Angotti.
His vulnerable smile is what gets me-not the charming one he uses on teachers and girls and probably customers, too. I mean the warm, crooked smile that doesn't come out unless he's feeling shy or self-conscious. That one makes my stomach flip.
His family runs the a competing Italian restaurant and there is bad blood between the two. Both she and Sawyer have been warned by their families that they aren't allowed to interact for any reason.
Aside from the forbidden potential romance, there are family secrets... the ones that Jules and her family harbors about her father and the ones Sawyer's family has about his grandfather and mother. Once layer after layer gets peeled away, you're left wondering how anything could be right in the end.
I'm anxious to read the next book in this series because of where McMann left us with Crash. This was a fairly quick read and while it starts out a bit slow, the action really picks up midway through.
If you're looking for something quick and fun, with a little bit of teenage angst and suspense this might be the perfect pick for you. I'll just be over here waiting...patiently.
This review can be found on my blog, Fic Fare;
First of all, Crash is a new series by Lisa McMann, author of one of my favorite series around (Dream Catcher Series) So it was a given that I was going to be reading this book.
Lisa has an incredible talent at creating wonderful, believable characters that pull you into the story and this book is filled with them.
Jules is awesome. I don't know any other way to explain her. She is funny, witty, sweet and snarky... and I loved her voice in this book. She comes across as a real teenager!
"How is it that everyone in my family things I'm out having sex? I don't ever leave this place. There's no time to get pregnant around here!"
What I really loved was the family dynamic though. This wasn't one of those books where the parents were on the periphery, they are involved in her life and it's apparent though out this story. And her brother and sister were wonderful secondary characters as well. Working as a family together in the family restaurant really built a foundation for how they were together as a family. There was no one single person for themselves... they lived for their restaurant. But there were also the times where they could laugh and joke and I found myself chuckling more than once because of their interactions.
"You're on drugs." Rowan turned to our older brother, Trey, and said "Jules is on drugs."
Trey leaned over Rowan to look at me. "Don't do drugs," he said seriously. "Our family has enough problems."
I rolled my eyes and sat back in my seat as the real movie trailers started. "No kidding," I muttered.
So the basic premise of the story is that Jules has been seeing visions everywhere she goes... wait... not visions. One vision. A crash and it's like a movie playing on billboards, in windows, and on street signs. She can't seem to get away from it. The more she sees it, the more she starts to pick up clues and she finally decides that she has to find a way to save the nine people that she sees die, one of which is a boy she's been in love with forever.
Sawyer Angotti.
His vulnerable smile is what gets me-not the charming one he uses on teachers and girls and probably customers, too. I mean the warm, crooked smile that doesn't come out unless he's feeling shy or self-conscious. That one makes my stomach flip.
His family runs the a competing Italian restaurant and there is bad blood between the two. Both she and Sawyer have been warned by their families that they aren't allowed to interact for any reason.
Aside from the forbidden potential romance, there are family secrets... the ones that Jules and her family harbors about her father and the ones Sawyer's family has about his grandfather and mother. Once layer after layer gets peeled away, you're left wondering how anything could be right in the end.
I'm anxious to read the next book in this series because of where McMann left us with Crash. This was a fairly quick read and while it starts out a bit slow, the action really picks up midway through.
If you're looking for something quick and fun, with a little bit of teenage angst and suspense this might be the perfect pick for you. I'll just be over here waiting...
This review can be found on my blog, Fic Fare;
August 20, 2018
This was so damn weird. I think the best part of this was the fact that it was so damn short. So Julia spends this book getting these strange visions of impending doom about her long time love Sawyer. Vomiting already I know. Not only that, but she continually stalks him and keeps trying to warn him about it. Yes this girl is slightly crazy. The sad thing was that I actually started to ship this incredibly unhealthy and weird relationship!
There really wasn't much of a plot besides the visions and Julia trying to do something about it. It repeated about four times before actually happening. Really boring cycle with some additional family drama thrown in. Overall, boring and repetitive but at least it was short and the ending was kind of cute.
There really wasn't much of a plot besides the visions and Julia trying to do something about it. It repeated about four times before actually happening. Really boring cycle with some additional family drama thrown in. Overall, boring and repetitive but at least it was short and the ending was kind of cute.
November 9, 2017
4.8 Stars!
I really liked this because it is a simple paranormal plot line that is just written so well. I enjoy this author's style and her sense of humor. This is a very light paranormal. McMann focuses on other aspects of the characters ... and I thought that was a really nice touch. Definitely, give this one a try. You will not be disappointed. I read it in five hours. It just flew.
I really liked this because it is a simple paranormal plot line that is just written so well. I enjoy this author's style and her sense of humor. This is a very light paranormal. McMann focuses on other aspects of the characters ... and I thought that was a really nice touch. Definitely, give this one a try. You will not be disappointed. I read it in five hours. It just flew.
December 6, 2015
3 stars.
When reading a book, there comes a chance where the main character is either likable to some people while others do not like him or her. We all have different opinions. I for one have read some books where the MC wasn't likable while others I loved them.
Jules is a character that falls in the middle of likable and unlikable.
The premise of Crash is that Jules, our MC, has been getting visions of a truck hitting a building, causing it to explode, and 9 body bags appearing. And one of those body bags contains Sawyer, her life long crush since she was little. So now she must find a way to save Sawyer and those other 8 people. Easy, right? Wrong. How can she save them if no one believes what she is seeing. Especially when Jules starts to doubt herself by thinking the crash won't happen and she is just going insane.
It sounds great. well... yes and no.
I had some problems reading Crash. Specifically, the plot and the characters.
To start off, the plot felt like a sub plot instead of an actual plot. It took a backseat for half of the book. The book focused on the angst that is Jules and her complicated relationship with Sawyer. You see, Jules' family and Sawyer's family are rival pizzeria owners. So, it comes to no surprise that Jules isn't allowed to see Sawyer, and vice-versa for him. Literally, the plot was just about Jules trying to deal with the angst of not being with Sawyer and her pinning over him.
"I love him. But my family. But I love him. But. Agh! My stupid visions! But Sawyer! Sawyer, my love."
(I'm surprised she didn't nickname him Soy Sauce.)
I am not exaggerating when I say that. Literally, that's what 50% of Crash was. Just stupid angst and not focusing on the fact that Jules has VISIONS! She can see into the fucking future and instead of wondering why she has it, she just focuses on Sawyer and their damn family rivalry. A rivalry which I didn't give two shits about. I did not care why there was a rivalry nor do I care if it's resolved.
All of that was the plot while the visions Jules keeps on having is the sub plot.
By the looks of it, this should be a two or one star rating. But I will admit, I did like this book to an extent.
Aside from the bullshit angst and bullshit rivalry, the vision aspect is what I liked about this story. Just think about it. One day, you're walking down the street and the next thing you notice, a billboard shows you a vision of something happening. Then you see it any flat surface you see. It drives you crazy knowing that something is going to happen and that you may or may not be able to prevent it from happening. You don't know why it is happening. I have to give props to Lisa McMann for adding that affect to the novel. If it were me, and I had these visions, I wouldn't know what to do. So Jules does have some of my sympathy towards her and her endeavors.
Plus, the relationship between her siblings was one of the best things about this book. Trey and Rowan do bring life to the book and their personalities make them stand out more.
And if I may add, this is the first book in a trilogy. And while the first book was...okay, I am looking forward to reading the sequel. Sequels can either make or break a series. Maybe in the next book, Bang we'll find out more about these visions. And maybe see some character growth. And hopefully, the main plot won't be the sub plot. Fingers crossed.
Overall, a good decent book. Not the best but not the worst. Library read, if anything.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
When reading a book, there comes a chance where the main character is either likable to some people while others do not like him or her. We all have different opinions. I for one have read some books where the MC wasn't likable while others I loved them.
Jules is a character that falls in the middle of likable and unlikable.
The premise of Crash is that Jules, our MC, has been getting visions of a truck hitting a building, causing it to explode, and 9 body bags appearing. And one of those body bags contains Sawyer, her life long crush since she was little. So now she must find a way to save Sawyer and those other 8 people. Easy, right? Wrong. How can she save them if no one believes what she is seeing. Especially when Jules starts to doubt herself by thinking the crash won't happen and she is just going insane.
It sounds great. well... yes and no.
I had some problems reading Crash. Specifically, the plot and the characters.
To start off, the plot felt like a sub plot instead of an actual plot. It took a backseat for half of the book. The book focused on the angst that is Jules and her complicated relationship with Sawyer. You see, Jules' family and Sawyer's family are rival pizzeria owners. So, it comes to no surprise that Jules isn't allowed to see Sawyer, and vice-versa for him. Literally, the plot was just about Jules trying to deal with the angst of not being with Sawyer and her pinning over him.
"I love him. But my family. But I love him. But. Agh! My stupid visions! But Sawyer! Sawyer, my love."
(I'm surprised she didn't nickname him Soy Sauce.)
I am not exaggerating when I say that. Literally, that's what 50% of Crash was. Just stupid angst and not focusing on the fact that Jules has VISIONS! She can see into the fucking future and instead of wondering why she has it, she just focuses on Sawyer and their damn family rivalry. A rivalry which I didn't give two shits about. I did not care why there was a rivalry nor do I care if it's resolved.
All of that was the plot while the visions Jules keeps on having is the sub plot.
By the looks of it, this should be a two or one star rating. But I will admit, I did like this book to an extent.
Aside from the bullshit angst and bullshit rivalry, the vision aspect is what I liked about this story. Just think about it. One day, you're walking down the street and the next thing you notice, a billboard shows you a vision of something happening. Then you see it any flat surface you see. It drives you crazy knowing that something is going to happen and that you may or may not be able to prevent it from happening. You don't know why it is happening. I have to give props to Lisa McMann for adding that affect to the novel. If it were me, and I had these visions, I wouldn't know what to do. So Jules does have some of my sympathy towards her and her endeavors.
Plus, the relationship between her siblings was one of the best things about this book. Trey and Rowan do bring life to the book and their personalities make them stand out more.
And if I may add, this is the first book in a trilogy. And while the first book was...okay, I am looking forward to reading the sequel. Sequels can either make or break a series. Maybe in the next book, Bang we'll find out more about these visions. And maybe see some character growth. And hopefully, the main plot won't be the sub plot. Fingers crossed.
Overall, a good decent book. Not the best but not the worst. Library read, if anything.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
February 23, 2013
As much I wanted to like this, I couldn't find myself to. Crash has an entertaining protagonist named Julia (or Jules), which helped me enjoy the story, but I'm left completely unsatisfied with how the book led to the ending (there has to be a word [e.g. climax, resolution, etc] for that sort of situation). There were tons of rambling and reminiscing that had no place in the plot, choppy sentences, and the use of "dog[s]" that made me want to pull my hair out.
It was difficult to feel a connection with the characters, excluding Jules (although she was whiny). It seemed as if McMann tried a bit too hard to make Jules' siblings cool because of the conversations between each other. A lot of the humor was forced and I didn't even crack a smile, although I did laugh out loud during a few scenes. The amount of [pointless] lists used—there had to be about eight—throughout Crash overwhelmed me to the point where I skipped them:
The rivalry between the family was pathetic. All throughout Crash I couldn't help but think, that's the reason why they basically want to rip each other's heads off? Over pizza ? Not only that, Jules' and Sawyer's parents were an irritating mess. Who holds grudges for over FIFTEEN YEARS? The last time they had sex probably must have been when the Demarcos had Rowan; they had so much anger in them that needed to be smoothed out. Hey, it happens.
McMann wanted to go for suspense I should guess, but the plot itself was predictable. Some readers would probably think the ending had a crazy plot twist, but with the writing style, it wasn't hard to predict situations and the ending even after one sentence.
Overall, Crash is an okay read, but that's for readers like me, who actually want a book to feel like a book (AND STICK WITH THE PLOT), not a verbal story. If only there were more interesting visions...
EXAMPLE: When I was reading Crash, I read too many choppy sentences. It was sort of agonizing. I thought maybe the writing would improve. Dear dogs, I was wrong. And I hated that.The writing was just too juvenile for YA fiction.
It was difficult to feel a connection with the characters, excluding Jules (although she was whiny). It seemed as if McMann tried a bit too hard to make Jules' siblings cool because of the conversations between each other. A lot of the humor was forced and I didn't even crack a smile, although I did laugh out loud during a few scenes. The amount of [pointless] lists used—there had to be about eight—throughout Crash overwhelmed me to the point where I skipped them:
Five reasons why the lists, made by Jules Demarco, were frustrating:I don't know, maybe McMann needed a reason to take up half a page.
1. They appeared every so often in vain.
2. There would literally be only five reasons.
3. They went on just like this.
4. They came when you least expected it.
5. They were just annoying.
The rivalry between the family was pathetic. All throughout Crash I couldn't help but think, that's the reason why they basically want to rip each other's heads off? Over pizza ? Not only that, Jules' and Sawyer's parents were an irritating mess. Who holds grudges for over FIFTEEN YEARS? The last time they had sex probably must have been when the Demarcos had Rowan; they had so much anger in them that needed to be smoothed out. Hey, it happens.
McMann wanted to go for suspense I should guess, but the plot itself was predictable. Some readers would probably think the ending had a crazy plot twist, but with the writing style, it wasn't hard to predict situations and the ending even after one sentence.
Overall, Crash is an okay read, but that's for readers like me, who actually want a book to feel like a book (AND STICK WITH THE PLOT), not a verbal story. If only there were more interesting visions...
September 30, 2012
I've only read Cryer's Cross by McMann, but I have several of her other books on my to read list. I really liked the sound of this one and was willing to try it. It wasn't all that I was hoping for.
I liked Jules at first. She lives in a crazy family that owns a pizza shop. She's in love with the boy who's family own the rival pizza shop. There's a whole lot of background story there that involves stolen recipes, etc. So when the parents discover in junior high that Jules and Sawyer are friends, it's quickly squashed. It leaves Jules heartbroken and wondering how Sawyer could drop their friendship in the blink of an eye. She tries to convince herself that she doesn't care, but really she knows his every move. So when she begins to same the vision over and over, she couldn't possibly let him die.
I was ok with the story up until Jules tries to save the day. The first thing she does is try to warn Sawyer and confess her undying love in the same moment. Granted she thinks she's a little on the crazy side and pays her little attention. Her next course of action is to analyze every little detail of the dream, which of course leads to analyzing every little detail around their restaurant. She chalks up her stalker tendencies to trying to save Sawyer. I just found it a little overkill.
The story felt so young even though our characters are not. I felt like I was reading a middle grade fiction book with the way the character behaved and sometimes talked. It felt frightfully simple and I think so many details could have been fleshed out a little better. I also wondered why make Jules father a hoarder? I just complicated the story and added no real substance (although would make an interesting story all by itself).
I did like the end and how the vision changed at Jules manipulated the chain of events. It was interesting to read about and I wish the author would have devoted a little bit more time to. I'm not sure on the next one, I have it for review though.. The end had a sort of cliffhanger to it. But, I felt it was way to convenient to keep the story going.
I liked Jules at first. She lives in a crazy family that owns a pizza shop. She's in love with the boy who's family own the rival pizza shop. There's a whole lot of background story there that involves stolen recipes, etc. So when the parents discover in junior high that Jules and Sawyer are friends, it's quickly squashed. It leaves Jules heartbroken and wondering how Sawyer could drop their friendship in the blink of an eye. She tries to convince herself that she doesn't care, but really she knows his every move. So when she begins to same the vision over and over, she couldn't possibly let him die.
I was ok with the story up until Jules tries to save the day. The first thing she does is try to warn Sawyer and confess her undying love in the same moment. Granted she thinks she's a little on the crazy side and pays her little attention. Her next course of action is to analyze every little detail of the dream, which of course leads to analyzing every little detail around their restaurant. She chalks up her stalker tendencies to trying to save Sawyer. I just found it a little overkill.
The story felt so young even though our characters are not. I felt like I was reading a middle grade fiction book with the way the character behaved and sometimes talked. It felt frightfully simple and I think so many details could have been fleshed out a little better. I also wondered why make Jules father a hoarder? I just complicated the story and added no real substance (although would make an interesting story all by itself).
I did like the end and how the vision changed at Jules manipulated the chain of events. It was interesting to read about and I wish the author would have devoted a little bit more time to. I'm not sure on the next one, I have it for review though.. The end had a sort of cliffhanger to it. But, I felt it was way to convenient to keep the story going.
June 29, 2013
I really enjoyed this book! Lisa, as usual writes powerful novels full of suspense with great characters.
Jules was so relatable and likable. She freaked out over the visions, and it moved her deeply that she was supposed to do something about it. She was a strong character, and I really admired her devotion to her family. They own a restaurant and her and her brother and sister work hard as a part of the family business to help their mom, who is super hardworking and optimistic and their dad who battles with depression and is a hoarder who occasionally is very charismatic and comes to work, but other times holes up in the apartment. But Jules still faces life with this slightly twisted but awesome point of view and a wit that kept me snickering.
The romance was great; a perfect picture of forbidden love because Sawyer is a part of the other Italian restaurant and a family that Jules' has feuded with for ages. It is unrequited at this point because after years of semi-secret friendship in elementary school, their dads clashed and they have avoided each other to keep the familial peace. But Sawyer is a good guy, he volunteers for the humane society for goodness sakes, and I saw the attraction and why Jules couldn't stop watching, and loving him from afar.
I really liked how the mental health issue was woven in, and that Jules had the family history and she had to question if what she saw was foreboding of the future or if she inherited depression and psychosis. I also appreciated how her family worried about her, and confronted her because if you take out the paranormal, it would all point to something to be worried about.
The suspense, the intensity, the romance, and the perfect ending are all boasts of this book, and I can't wait for the next one.
Bottom Line: Suspenseful with a sharp and witty writing style.
Jules was so relatable and likable. She freaked out over the visions, and it moved her deeply that she was supposed to do something about it. She was a strong character, and I really admired her devotion to her family. They own a restaurant and her and her brother and sister work hard as a part of the family business to help their mom, who is super hardworking and optimistic and their dad who battles with depression and is a hoarder who occasionally is very charismatic and comes to work, but other times holes up in the apartment. But Jules still faces life with this slightly twisted but awesome point of view and a wit that kept me snickering.
The romance was great; a perfect picture of forbidden love because Sawyer is a part of the other Italian restaurant and a family that Jules' has feuded with for ages. It is unrequited at this point because after years of semi-secret friendship in elementary school, their dads clashed and they have avoided each other to keep the familial peace. But Sawyer is a good guy, he volunteers for the humane society for goodness sakes, and I saw the attraction and why Jules couldn't stop watching, and loving him from afar.
I really liked how the mental health issue was woven in, and that Jules had the family history and she had to question if what she saw was foreboding of the future or if she inherited depression and psychosis. I also appreciated how her family worried about her, and confronted her because if you take out the paranormal, it would all point to something to be worried about.
The suspense, the intensity, the romance, and the perfect ending are all boasts of this book, and I can't wait for the next one.
Bottom Line: Suspenseful with a sharp and witty writing style.
February 5, 2016
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Jules Demarco sees visions. The same vision over and over again on every reflective surface. A snow plow. A rival restaurant owned by the Angotti’s family to her own family's restaurant. A crash. 9 body bags. When Jules discovers that one of these 9 body bags happens to be the boy she's loved for years, Sawyer Agnotti, she will stop at nothing to stop this crash from happening, even if it means turning her back on her family.
I was so excited to read another Lisa McMann book! I read Dead to You last year and absolutely loved it, so I was hoping that this might be similar in writing style. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I thought the story was going to be more action packed and thrilling, I mean she sees visions!! I was getting Alice from Twilight vibes from the synopsis, but it didn't pan out for me. Jules was one-dimensional and boring, she was kind of annoying and also a bit stalkerish... She pines over Sawyer and obsesses over everything he does to the point where you would think that Sawyer would be creeped out by Jules and her actions, but in the end the romance was predictable and boring. It was also really annoying that she kept substituting the word dog for God. Like why.... WHY. The one aspect of the book I really did enjoy is the relationship between Jules and her two siblings, Rowan and Trey. You could really tell how much they all cared about each other. I really wanted to love this book, I really did. But it fell short for me.
Also, Lisa McMann, why you gotta cliff hanger me again?! It's Dead to You all over again!!! At least there is a second book this time though....
Jules Demarco sees visions. The same vision over and over again on every reflective surface. A snow plow. A rival restaurant owned by the Angotti’s family to her own family's restaurant. A crash. 9 body bags. When Jules discovers that one of these 9 body bags happens to be the boy she's loved for years, Sawyer Agnotti, she will stop at nothing to stop this crash from happening, even if it means turning her back on her family.
I was so excited to read another Lisa McMann book! I read Dead to You last year and absolutely loved it, so I was hoping that this might be similar in writing style. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I thought the story was going to be more action packed and thrilling, I mean she sees visions!! I was getting Alice from Twilight vibes from the synopsis, but it didn't pan out for me. Jules was one-dimensional and boring, she was kind of annoying and also a bit stalkerish... She pines over Sawyer and obsesses over everything he does to the point where you would think that Sawyer would be creeped out by Jules and her actions, but in the end the romance was predictable and boring. It was also really annoying that she kept substituting the word dog for God. Like why.... WHY. The one aspect of the book I really did enjoy is the relationship between Jules and her two siblings, Rowan and Trey. You could really tell how much they all cared about each other. I really wanted to love this book, I really did. But it fell short for me.
Also, Lisa McMann, why you gotta cliff hanger me again?! It's Dead to You all over again!!! At least there is a second book this time though....
wishlist
December 24, 2011Okay, that synopsis thing just pulled me in. I'm listening, Lisa.
March 26, 2018
Boom! Crash! Bang! This is how it’s done. Crazy cute and adorable read. Appropriate for all ages. Fun, interesting and pleasant. Enjoyed the drama and the love story. Check it out!
July 29, 2018
Jules and Sawyer are from rival pizza company families in a suburb outside of Chicago. While they used to be friends, their parents put a stop to that at the beginning of 7th grade. Now, Jules is 16, still in love with Sawyer, has no friends, and has started to have visions of a fiery crash that kills 9 people, including Sawyer. She has no way of warning him without looking crazy (is she actually crazy? It's a real possibility since mental illness runs in her family) and no way to know when exactly the crash will happen. As the visions get stronger, she knows she is running out of time to warn Sawyer and save his life.
This was just an OK read. I think my middle school kids will like it, especially some of my girl readers who pick up books like When & To Catch a Killer . The writing was not strong, in my opinion, and was very choppy and it lacked some character development. Plus, the ending was a cliffhanger type that seemed forced.
Recommended for grades 7 and up. There is some language (the s-word and f-word a few times) and there is an on-going joke about the "2 big balls" on the top of the family food truck. Spoiler alert: they're meatballs.
This was just an OK read. I think my middle school kids will like it, especially some of my girl readers who pick up books like When & To Catch a Killer . The writing was not strong, in my opinion, and was very choppy and it lacked some character development. Plus, the ending was a cliffhanger type that seemed forced.
Recommended for grades 7 and up. There is some language (the s-word and f-word a few times) and there is an on-going joke about the "2 big balls" on the top of the family food truck. Spoiler alert: they're meatballs.
November 10, 2017
Awesome book! Pleased with my choice of audios I randomly pick for challenges lately! Have to say this book had the biggest cliffhanger ending I've read in a long time, what with I found it totally amazing how I loved it. I can't believe Probably won't read the rest of the series, but this one I enjoyed.
Read
May 11, 2018this book was absolutely amazing. it was stunning the word choices were perfect. i heard words that i hear used everyday by teens. like " my stupid wenis is broken " which i hear come out of teens mouths everyday.
January 4, 2013
3.5 to 4 stars
The pacing occasionally frustrated me, but for the most part, this book is hard to put down. Interested to see what happens next.
Review -
Crash arrived in my mailbox as an unsolicited review copy, and after reading it, I’m glad that I received it as I never would have picked it up on my own. Protagonist Jules Demarco keeps having the same horrifying vision. She sees a snow plow smashing into a building, the building explode, and then seven body bags in the snow. The crash stalks her relentlessly. Every time she looks at billboards, the TV, or computer screens, it’s there, playing out in all of it’s fiery glory. It’s almost like it’s taunting her. She can’t even close her eyes because all she sees is the unrelenting vision of the crash. When she sees one of the faces in one of the body bags, she is shocked. It’s the face of the boy she’s loved since grade school. On the outs with him because of a feud between their families, she’s determined to somehow stop the accident from happening, all the while doubting her own sanity. Who would believe her, anyway, when mental illness runs in her family?
Jules’ is a junior in high school, and her life revolves around the family restaurant. She works there after school and on the weekend, and since she doesn’t have any friends, that’s fine by her. She and her brother are bullied at school because of the family feud between the Demarcos and the Angottis, a rival restaurant family. Their families have been feuding for generations, and her grandfather fell into a depression after the Angottis became more successful and killed himself. Her father isn’t exactly stable either. He’s a hoarder, and Jules hates being in their messy apartment. There are days when her father can’t even find the energy to get out of bed in the morning, so when she starts seeing the visions, she thinks she’s succumbed to mental illness as well.
Wow. I don’t think I would have coped as well as Jules if I started seeing scary visions of some weird accident that may or may not happen. The visions terrify her, but she has no one to confide in. She can’t tell her parents; her mother gets through each day through sheer force of will and a fake positive attitude, and her father can’t be depended on. She doesn’t want to tell her older brother or her younger sister because she is afraid that they will think she’s nuts. She is beginning to think she is nuts! The only thing that keeps her from totally losing it is the urgency she feels about stopping the accident from happening. She needs to save those seven lives, including the life of the boy she still hopelessly loves.
I loved the relationships between the younger characters in this book. Jules and her siblings have each other’s backs, and nothing is going to come between them. They may bicker occasionally, but they are all in this weird restaurant rivalry thing together. All of their former friends picked the Angottis when it was time to choose sides, and now the Demarcos are outcasts. Jules concentrated on keeping her head down and making it through each day unnoticed. The vision compels her to make a difference, to make waves, and she resists at first. She is already mocked enough. But when she finally embraces that there is something that she can do to change the future, she finds it empowering. She finally confronts her feelings for Sawyer in an emotionally charged rant, and she finally stands up for herself. I loved the scene in the library where she finally fights back against the girls who have made her life miserable. Jules is a fiercely intelligent young woman, and she shouldn’t have to take any crap from anyone.
My biggest quibble with the book is the pacing. Since Jules doesn’t have a life, the vision is everything. It is everywhere. It is constantly dissected and picked apart, and frankly, after 200+ pages of that, I grew weary of the vision. That impatience with the crash being played out again and again and again diminished some of the suspense. My other complaint? The entire time I was reading, I was craving a pizza. And I don’t even like pizza!
Grade: B/B+
The pacing occasionally frustrated me, but for the most part, this book is hard to put down. Interested to see what happens next.
Review -
Crash arrived in my mailbox as an unsolicited review copy, and after reading it, I’m glad that I received it as I never would have picked it up on my own. Protagonist Jules Demarco keeps having the same horrifying vision. She sees a snow plow smashing into a building, the building explode, and then seven body bags in the snow. The crash stalks her relentlessly. Every time she looks at billboards, the TV, or computer screens, it’s there, playing out in all of it’s fiery glory. It’s almost like it’s taunting her. She can’t even close her eyes because all she sees is the unrelenting vision of the crash. When she sees one of the faces in one of the body bags, she is shocked. It’s the face of the boy she’s loved since grade school. On the outs with him because of a feud between their families, she’s determined to somehow stop the accident from happening, all the while doubting her own sanity. Who would believe her, anyway, when mental illness runs in her family?
Jules’ is a junior in high school, and her life revolves around the family restaurant. She works there after school and on the weekend, and since she doesn’t have any friends, that’s fine by her. She and her brother are bullied at school because of the family feud between the Demarcos and the Angottis, a rival restaurant family. Their families have been feuding for generations, and her grandfather fell into a depression after the Angottis became more successful and killed himself. Her father isn’t exactly stable either. He’s a hoarder, and Jules hates being in their messy apartment. There are days when her father can’t even find the energy to get out of bed in the morning, so when she starts seeing the visions, she thinks she’s succumbed to mental illness as well.
Wow. I don’t think I would have coped as well as Jules if I started seeing scary visions of some weird accident that may or may not happen. The visions terrify her, but she has no one to confide in. She can’t tell her parents; her mother gets through each day through sheer force of will and a fake positive attitude, and her father can’t be depended on. She doesn’t want to tell her older brother or her younger sister because she is afraid that they will think she’s nuts. She is beginning to think she is nuts! The only thing that keeps her from totally losing it is the urgency she feels about stopping the accident from happening. She needs to save those seven lives, including the life of the boy she still hopelessly loves.
I loved the relationships between the younger characters in this book. Jules and her siblings have each other’s backs, and nothing is going to come between them. They may bicker occasionally, but they are all in this weird restaurant rivalry thing together. All of their former friends picked the Angottis when it was time to choose sides, and now the Demarcos are outcasts. Jules concentrated on keeping her head down and making it through each day unnoticed. The vision compels her to make a difference, to make waves, and she resists at first. She is already mocked enough. But when she finally embraces that there is something that she can do to change the future, she finds it empowering. She finally confronts her feelings for Sawyer in an emotionally charged rant, and she finally stands up for herself. I loved the scene in the library where she finally fights back against the girls who have made her life miserable. Jules is a fiercely intelligent young woman, and she shouldn’t have to take any crap from anyone.
My biggest quibble with the book is the pacing. Since Jules doesn’t have a life, the vision is everything. It is everywhere. It is constantly dissected and picked apart, and frankly, after 200+ pages of that, I grew weary of the vision. That impatience with the crash being played out again and again and again diminished some of the suspense. My other complaint? The entire time I was reading, I was craving a pizza. And I don’t even like pizza!
Grade: B/B+
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