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Tastes Like Winter
When home no longer feels like home - where can you go?
When your best friend won’t listen - who can you turn to?
When love makes you feel weak - how do you protect your heart?
With constant fighting at home, Emma decides working at High Street Books and practicing avoidance is the best method to save her from more heartache.
She doesn’t expect to meet Jake, the shop owner’s nephew,
who makes her stomach do crazy things.
But Jake is intent on pushing her away, and Emma must ask herself:
Is he scared? Or is he hiding something?
Tastes Like Winter is a story of love, family, and friendship and,
when everything is uncertain, trying to figure out where you fit in.
When your best friend won’t listen - who can you turn to?
When love makes you feel weak - how do you protect your heart?
With constant fighting at home, Emma decides working at High Street Books and practicing avoidance is the best method to save her from more heartache.
She doesn’t expect to meet Jake, the shop owner’s nephew,
who makes her stomach do crazy things.
But Jake is intent on pushing her away, and Emma must ask herself:
Is he scared? Or is he hiding something?
Tastes Like Winter is a story of love, family, and friendship and,
when everything is uncertain, trying to figure out where you fit in.
300 pages, ebook
First published September 13, 2014
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 16, 2014
One of my absolute favorite movies is Life as a House. It is a beautiful film about a troubled young teen navigating the waters of teenage life who is forced to spend the summer with his father tearing down and rebuilding a house. There is this one scene in particular that gets me every time. Hayden Christenson's character is watching his divorced parents dance to a song on the radio and the look on his face is a bittersweet one. It is through his facial expressions that we see just how much their divorce has affected him, as they were happy once. The reason I bring this up is because Tastes Like Winter evoked many of the same feelings as that particular scene in Life as a House.
I commend CeCe for bringing such a difficult issue to light as I feel divorce gets overlooked these days because of how common it is. The reality is, kids are incredibly affected by hearing their parents fight and we see that firsthand with the main character Emma. She is tired of their constant bickering and the fact that they both try to use her as an excuse. She wants to run away from the discontent at home and not feel the weight of her parents' problems. Emma's relationship with both her mom and her dad are very prevalent in this novel and we see how she navigates those waters, as well as deal with other changes that are emerging in her life.
I enjoyed Emma's character. She is realistic, but still a teenager at the same time. Not only is she dealing with her parents, but she is also starting to feel some distance growing between her and her best friend Genna. Genna is her confidant, but lately, Emma feels Genna just doesn't get what's going on with her family situation, as she has two parents who are very in love and happy. Instead of just being an ear to listen, Genna tries to find an explanation for everything, and that is something that Emma really struggles with. Genna will also be going off to college in the fall, and as much as Emma wants them to remain close, sometimes friendships drift apart.
While Genna is involved in sports, Emma ends up spending most of her time working at a bookstore. It is here that she meets Jake Addler, who is her boss's nephew. Jake, while a couple years older, gets her and the two form a bond over literature and start an easy friendship. However, the more time they spend with one another, the more the lines of friendship start to blur and soon Emma finds herself falling for Jake. However, Jake is a pretty complex guy. He has known tragedy in his life and has never truly come to terms and accepted what has happened in his past. He feels an immense amount of guilt over it, which causes him to keep people at an arm's length. I think he wants to let Emma in and just when you think he will, he ends up pushing her away and retreating. This is how Emma and Jake's relationship goes for most of the novel, which drove me a bit crazy. Just when Jake would do something sweet and I'd be in full on swoon mode, he would pull away and confuse Emma even more. To be fair, he does try to warn Emma off saying that he wouldn't be good for her, but he can't stay away from her either.
The realistic nature of this story is what really stands out for me. I love that Carroll has tackled topics so prevalent for teens. Family problems, crushes, disconnecting from friends are all a part of growing up and Carroll really brings those things to the forefront of the novel. The ending is a bittersweet one and it definitely leaves things open for a sequel, as I feel there are some things there that need to be resolved.
The writing is very detailed and very matter of fact, and I typically prefer to be shown instead of told things. However, this is something that did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the novel and the story that Carroll has created. I am looking forward to reading what she writes next!
*Received a copy of this book via the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
I commend CeCe for bringing such a difficult issue to light as I feel divorce gets overlooked these days because of how common it is. The reality is, kids are incredibly affected by hearing their parents fight and we see that firsthand with the main character Emma. She is tired of their constant bickering and the fact that they both try to use her as an excuse. She wants to run away from the discontent at home and not feel the weight of her parents' problems. Emma's relationship with both her mom and her dad are very prevalent in this novel and we see how she navigates those waters, as well as deal with other changes that are emerging in her life.
I enjoyed Emma's character. She is realistic, but still a teenager at the same time. Not only is she dealing with her parents, but she is also starting to feel some distance growing between her and her best friend Genna. Genna is her confidant, but lately, Emma feels Genna just doesn't get what's going on with her family situation, as she has two parents who are very in love and happy. Instead of just being an ear to listen, Genna tries to find an explanation for everything, and that is something that Emma really struggles with. Genna will also be going off to college in the fall, and as much as Emma wants them to remain close, sometimes friendships drift apart.
While Genna is involved in sports, Emma ends up spending most of her time working at a bookstore. It is here that she meets Jake Addler, who is her boss's nephew. Jake, while a couple years older, gets her and the two form a bond over literature and start an easy friendship. However, the more time they spend with one another, the more the lines of friendship start to blur and soon Emma finds herself falling for Jake. However, Jake is a pretty complex guy. He has known tragedy in his life and has never truly come to terms and accepted what has happened in his past. He feels an immense amount of guilt over it, which causes him to keep people at an arm's length. I think he wants to let Emma in and just when you think he will, he ends up pushing her away and retreating. This is how Emma and Jake's relationship goes for most of the novel, which drove me a bit crazy. Just when Jake would do something sweet and I'd be in full on swoon mode, he would pull away and confuse Emma even more. To be fair, he does try to warn Emma off saying that he wouldn't be good for her, but he can't stay away from her either.
The realistic nature of this story is what really stands out for me. I love that Carroll has tackled topics so prevalent for teens. Family problems, crushes, disconnecting from friends are all a part of growing up and Carroll really brings those things to the forefront of the novel. The ending is a bittersweet one and it definitely leaves things open for a sequel, as I feel there are some things there that need to be resolved.
The writing is very detailed and very matter of fact, and I typically prefer to be shown instead of told things. However, this is something that did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the novel and the story that Carroll has created. I am looking forward to reading what she writes next!
*Received a copy of this book via the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
September 18, 2014
First off I want to call a spade, a spade! The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is I beta-read a copy of this book. CeCe is a blogger friend of mine and I love her to bits so if I hated her book it would be awkward but I wouldn’t pretend otherwise. Thankfully I love it and I’m excited to share my thoughts on it today.
First Line of Tastes Like Winter by CeCe Carroll:
“The wind rushes past me, tickling my cheeks as I soar higher and higher, flying though the air.”
My thoughts on Tastes Like Winter by CeCe Carroll:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it’s relatable. We all know what matters to teenage girls – family, friends and boys – not necessarily in that order! And that’s what Taste Like Winter deals with. First point in its favour is that it isn’t over dramatic but instead focuses on realistic, everyday scenarios such as a family breakup. I don’t seem to read about this a lot in contemporary YA books and seeing Emma’s pain and conflicted thoughts over her mother make for a thoughtful and captivating read.
Emma wants to pull her mother closer but feels she must push her away and make her more independent. It just feels so realistic and made for a very poignant, emotional storyline. Her relationship with her father is even more troublesome but I appreciated that both parents are such a huge part of the storyline. All too often in YA books, the parents are only barely mentioned and I love that the family and friendship themes were just as important as the romantic theme.
I also really enjoyed the romance. It was swoony and tender but a world away from a perfect relationship. It was frustratingly, refreshingly real. I get tired of reading about perfect first loves that have a few ups and downs but eventually sort themselves out. That doesn’t happen in real life. And the push and pull of this relationship feels a lot more authentic to me. Emma and Jake are beyond cute together and have lovely chemistry but with a cargo load of baggage, it was never going to be smooth sailing for them.
Emma is a strong lead; she is smart and witty and I loved that she didn’t change or try to fix Jake. I smile when we see independent characters like this in fiction as they are great role models for younger readers. And Jake is mixed up but thankfully not a macho cliché or a bad boy. I fell for him after five little words….corded biceps and moleskin notebook!
One of my favourite things about the book is that Emma is such a book lover. And I don’t mean she has a token book in her bag or on her locker. We see her read, she works in a book shop, she talks about books and books play a huge part in her relationship with Jake. I think all bibliophiles will love this element of the book. And whatever bad things you might find to say about Jake, he sure knows how to give great surprise pressies.
I did find initially that the pace was on the slow side. However once you really get in to it, the characters just draw you in and then you get drawn into all the romantic ups and downs and then that is the moment when it really starts to shine.
Overall I feel privileged that I got to beta-read this book and got to experience the highs and lows of such a sweet romance. And that moment when I discovered where the title came from made my heart jump with feels. Read it and you’ll know what I mean. The final verdict is two very enthusiastic thumbs up from me.
Who should read Tastes Like Winter by CeCe Carroll?
I’d highly recommend this to those who like contemporary YA with realistic story lines with lots and lots of romantic tension. Also recommended if you like reading about bookish main characters.
Thanks to CeCe for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
First Line of Tastes Like Winter by CeCe Carroll:
“The wind rushes past me, tickling my cheeks as I soar higher and higher, flying though the air.”
My thoughts on Tastes Like Winter by CeCe Carroll:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it’s relatable. We all know what matters to teenage girls – family, friends and boys – not necessarily in that order! And that’s what Taste Like Winter deals with. First point in its favour is that it isn’t over dramatic but instead focuses on realistic, everyday scenarios such as a family breakup. I don’t seem to read about this a lot in contemporary YA books and seeing Emma’s pain and conflicted thoughts over her mother make for a thoughtful and captivating read.
Emma wants to pull her mother closer but feels she must push her away and make her more independent. It just feels so realistic and made for a very poignant, emotional storyline. Her relationship with her father is even more troublesome but I appreciated that both parents are such a huge part of the storyline. All too often in YA books, the parents are only barely mentioned and I love that the family and friendship themes were just as important as the romantic theme.
I also really enjoyed the romance. It was swoony and tender but a world away from a perfect relationship. It was frustratingly, refreshingly real. I get tired of reading about perfect first loves that have a few ups and downs but eventually sort themselves out. That doesn’t happen in real life. And the push and pull of this relationship feels a lot more authentic to me. Emma and Jake are beyond cute together and have lovely chemistry but with a cargo load of baggage, it was never going to be smooth sailing for them.
Emma is a strong lead; she is smart and witty and I loved that she didn’t change or try to fix Jake. I smile when we see independent characters like this in fiction as they are great role models for younger readers. And Jake is mixed up but thankfully not a macho cliché or a bad boy. I fell for him after five little words….corded biceps and moleskin notebook!
One of my favourite things about the book is that Emma is such a book lover. And I don’t mean she has a token book in her bag or on her locker. We see her read, she works in a book shop, she talks about books and books play a huge part in her relationship with Jake. I think all bibliophiles will love this element of the book. And whatever bad things you might find to say about Jake, he sure knows how to give great surprise pressies.
I did find initially that the pace was on the slow side. However once you really get in to it, the characters just draw you in and then you get drawn into all the romantic ups and downs and then that is the moment when it really starts to shine.
Overall I feel privileged that I got to beta-read this book and got to experience the highs and lows of such a sweet romance. And that moment when I discovered where the title came from made my heart jump with feels. Read it and you’ll know what I mean. The final verdict is two very enthusiastic thumbs up from me.
Who should read Tastes Like Winter by CeCe Carroll?
I’d highly recommend this to those who like contemporary YA with realistic story lines with lots and lots of romantic tension. Also recommended if you like reading about bookish main characters.
Thanks to CeCe for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
September 16, 2014
Originally posted on my blog: Tangled Up In Books
I received a copy of this book from the author for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway my review or my rating!
You know how you come across those books that really toy with your emotions? They bring you up and then back down over and over again? They make you smile, they make you tear up and sometimes they even make you angry? Tastes Like Winter was one of those books for me. From this debut novel I can already tell that we can expect good things from CeCe Carroll in the future.
Emma's character was a lot like looking back at my teenage self. She was very real to me. A lot of what she went through at home with her parents was pretty close to identical to what I did with mine. So it was easy to just slide into her shoes and understand what she was going through.
Jake was a hard one for me. I started out really liking him. He was all mysterious and sort of closed off and that intrigued me. I wanted to know more about this guy. The more you find out though, the more you realize he's a big mess. I always seem to like the messy ones the best. Sure, like Jake, they frustrate me at times beyond all reason. But I rarely give up on them and root for them to the end and they're the ones that stay with me the most after all is said and done.
There was a constant push and pull with these two. I never knew from one chapter to the next if I was rooting for them to happen because they would be so freaking cute if they did. Or if I just wanted them to work out their stuff and call it good. It's so bittersweet. This book really grabbed hold of my emotions and didn't let go after I was finished reading. It left me thinking about it for days. I'm looking forward to seeing what's going to come next from CeCe. I'm not sure my emotions are but they'll have to learn how to deal.
I received a copy of this book from the author for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway my review or my rating!
You know how you come across those books that really toy with your emotions? They bring you up and then back down over and over again? They make you smile, they make you tear up and sometimes they even make you angry? Tastes Like Winter was one of those books for me. From this debut novel I can already tell that we can expect good things from CeCe Carroll in the future.
Emma's character was a lot like looking back at my teenage self. She was very real to me. A lot of what she went through at home with her parents was pretty close to identical to what I did with mine. So it was easy to just slide into her shoes and understand what she was going through.
Jake was a hard one for me. I started out really liking him. He was all mysterious and sort of closed off and that intrigued me. I wanted to know more about this guy. The more you find out though, the more you realize he's a big mess. I always seem to like the messy ones the best. Sure, like Jake, they frustrate me at times beyond all reason. But I rarely give up on them and root for them to the end and they're the ones that stay with me the most after all is said and done.
There was a constant push and pull with these two. I never knew from one chapter to the next if I was rooting for them to happen because they would be so freaking cute if they did. Or if I just wanted them to work out their stuff and call it good. It's so bittersweet. This book really grabbed hold of my emotions and didn't let go after I was finished reading. It left me thinking about it for days. I'm looking forward to seeing what's going to come next from CeCe. I'm not sure my emotions are but they'll have to learn how to deal.
July 2, 2014
This is my debut book. I hope you all love it!
September 18, 2014
Tastes Like Winter is a realistic and honest read, bringing to light a topic that seems to only be brushed upon in the book world. Divorce is such a common part of society these days that it often gets overlooked and pushed aside, almost as if it is shrugged off ones shoulders. It is often ignored how this affects the lives of others involved. Especially the kids.
When you first start reading, you are introduced to the world Emma lives in and how every day she seems to tip toe around her parents and find any excuse to stay out of the house. The constant bickering between her parents has left her tired and annoyed. While her relationship with her mom is good, the relationship she has with her dad is somewhat non existent as he would rather spend his days working or in his study. It’s no wonder Emma wants to keep working even as the school year starts back and find any excuse to avoid home.
Emma’s character is one I truly enjoyed. She is a teenager facing some big changes in her life. Not only is she navigating her parents crumbling marriage, but her relationship with her best friend is beginning to change as well. Her best friend, Genna, is confident and athletic, while Emma is the opposite. However, these two have seemed to make it work for several years, but Emma feels as if Genna just doesn’t understand what she is going through with her parents constant bickering. Genna is also a year older and will be going off the college in the fall. It’s a difficult time for any teenager, but the reality is, some friendships drift apart.
I love that Emma works at a book store and like her, I wish one could get paid to be a professional reader. At her job at High Street Books, Emma meets her boss’ nephew, Jake. He’s nineteen and has a lot of baggage. Despite the minor age different, Jake and Emma understand one another and form a bond that is unlike anything Emma has ever experienced before. However, there are some walls to overcome with Jake. He has experienced tragedy in his life and has made some choices that have earned him somewhat of a reputation around their small town. Much of their relationship is back and forth. One minute, Jake does something sweet and swoon worthy, then he is pushing Emma away and holding her at arms length. Granted, he does try and warn her off, but he can’t even stay away. The connection they have is just too much for either one of them to ignore.
Tastes Like Winter was hard for me to put down and step away from. I loved how the author touched on the various topics common in a teenagers life this day and age. She really brings light to divorce from the kids point of view, the reality of a drifting friendship, and the confusing emotions one feels when experiencing a new crush. It is a book one can relate to one way or another and I encourage you to give it a try and add it to your TBR pile.
When you first start reading, you are introduced to the world Emma lives in and how every day she seems to tip toe around her parents and find any excuse to stay out of the house. The constant bickering between her parents has left her tired and annoyed. While her relationship with her mom is good, the relationship she has with her dad is somewhat non existent as he would rather spend his days working or in his study. It’s no wonder Emma wants to keep working even as the school year starts back and find any excuse to avoid home.
Emma’s character is one I truly enjoyed. She is a teenager facing some big changes in her life. Not only is she navigating her parents crumbling marriage, but her relationship with her best friend is beginning to change as well. Her best friend, Genna, is confident and athletic, while Emma is the opposite. However, these two have seemed to make it work for several years, but Emma feels as if Genna just doesn’t understand what she is going through with her parents constant bickering. Genna is also a year older and will be going off the college in the fall. It’s a difficult time for any teenager, but the reality is, some friendships drift apart.
I love that Emma works at a book store and like her, I wish one could get paid to be a professional reader. At her job at High Street Books, Emma meets her boss’ nephew, Jake. He’s nineteen and has a lot of baggage. Despite the minor age different, Jake and Emma understand one another and form a bond that is unlike anything Emma has ever experienced before. However, there are some walls to overcome with Jake. He has experienced tragedy in his life and has made some choices that have earned him somewhat of a reputation around their small town. Much of their relationship is back and forth. One minute, Jake does something sweet and swoon worthy, then he is pushing Emma away and holding her at arms length. Granted, he does try and warn her off, but he can’t even stay away. The connection they have is just too much for either one of them to ignore.
Tastes Like Winter was hard for me to put down and step away from. I loved how the author touched on the various topics common in a teenagers life this day and age. She really brings light to divorce from the kids point of view, the reality of a drifting friendship, and the confusing emotions one feels when experiencing a new crush. It is a book one can relate to one way or another and I encourage you to give it a try and add it to your TBR pile.
September 16, 2014
Psychocat Reads Review of TASTES LIKE WINTER by CeCe Carroll
(I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Back at the end of July I signed up for the blog tour for TASTES LIKE WINTER. Unlike many of these, I had no real prior connection with the author, but the cover caught my attention, and the blurb tempted me. After all, I do love a good emotionally charged story. Let's see what happened when TASTES LIKE WINTER finally made it into the currently reading spot.
The Characters: The main character, Emma, may be a teenager stuck in a wretched situation, but she handles things in a way that makes her relatable to more than just the teen crowd. I found myself sympathizing with her, cheering for her, and sharing in her frustrations. Even though you see all the other characters (Jake, Genna, Emma's mom, Emma's dad, etc) through Emma's eyes, CeCe has still built them in a way that you can sometimes see more than what Emma does in their actions. Overall, she did a great job of building a cast of characters that were a pleasure to spend time with.
The Relationships: CeCe did an amazing job of capturing the often heartbreaking complexities of human relationships. She kept Emma entrenched in the very real, very raw world of real life. This is no girl meets boy and ride off into the sunset type of book. While I loved the Jake and Emma relationship dance, I also adored how the author wove in the progression of things with Emma and her mom and Emma and Genna.
Too Perfect or Perfectly Flawed: TASTES LIKE WINTER is so beautifully flawed that I stayed up way too late on night reading it and was glued to it during breakfast and lunch the next day. When a book just won't let me step away from it until it is done, you know I'm in deep.
Jen's Final Rating: 5 STARS!! Please let there be another book coming! I'm not ready to let go of Emma and Jake yet.
Psychocat's Final Rating: 5 CLAWS!! She seemed quite smitten by this book, or at the very least very attachd to my tablet while I was trying to read. Mostly I think she approved of the feline references after a few of our recent books were a little too canine heavy for her taste.
(I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Back at the end of July I signed up for the blog tour for TASTES LIKE WINTER. Unlike many of these, I had no real prior connection with the author, but the cover caught my attention, and the blurb tempted me. After all, I do love a good emotionally charged story. Let's see what happened when TASTES LIKE WINTER finally made it into the currently reading spot.
The Characters: The main character, Emma, may be a teenager stuck in a wretched situation, but she handles things in a way that makes her relatable to more than just the teen crowd. I found myself sympathizing with her, cheering for her, and sharing in her frustrations. Even though you see all the other characters (Jake, Genna, Emma's mom, Emma's dad, etc) through Emma's eyes, CeCe has still built them in a way that you can sometimes see more than what Emma does in their actions. Overall, she did a great job of building a cast of characters that were a pleasure to spend time with.
The Relationships: CeCe did an amazing job of capturing the often heartbreaking complexities of human relationships. She kept Emma entrenched in the very real, very raw world of real life. This is no girl meets boy and ride off into the sunset type of book. While I loved the Jake and Emma relationship dance, I also adored how the author wove in the progression of things with Emma and her mom and Emma and Genna.
Too Perfect or Perfectly Flawed: TASTES LIKE WINTER is so beautifully flawed that I stayed up way too late on night reading it and was glued to it during breakfast and lunch the next day. When a book just won't let me step away from it until it is done, you know I'm in deep.
Jen's Final Rating: 5 STARS!! Please let there be another book coming! I'm not ready to let go of Emma and Jake yet.
Psychocat's Final Rating: 5 CLAWS!! She seemed quite smitten by this book, or at the very least very attachd to my tablet while I was trying to read. Mostly I think she approved of the feline references after a few of our recent books were a little too canine heavy for her taste.
September 17, 2014
I reviewed this at MustReadBooksOrDie with my friend Shelley!
Shel: As some of you may know, I don't read a ton of YA because I'm surrounded by it ALL DAY LONG from August to May (I teach high schoolers) and I suppose dealing with their drama in real life makes it hard for me to want to deal with it in my off time. I realize that means that I missing out on some great YA novels and writers and it's something I should remedy...it's on my to do list. All of this to say that when I started reading this novel I went in blind and didn't realize it was YA. Admittedly I was a little wary..for the reasons listed above. So, what did I think? Court: Awww Shel. I tend to agree more lately, that I have shied away because lord knows I am glad I am no longer a teenager...but I was very, very excited about this book because Cece is a blogger like us and we're so proud that she published her debut novel!
Shel: Emma and Jake are challenging. They both are dealing with family ugliness and it makes them less than willing to get involved in a relationship..and it's quite understandable as they are too young to realize that they don't have to live in fear of repeating their parents' mistakes. As the novel moves through the school year, we get a taste of the sweet and infuriating romance between Emma and Jake.
Court: That is the perfect description of Jake! He is so sweet, then so hot and so cold, and so very infuriating! OMIGAH. If you wanted a more realistic wishy washy teen hero, we got him. He didn't know what he wanted. And you know how long it took me to realize that is okay? A lonnnnnng time. I related to Emma in that she is having trouble in her coming of age and how she relates to other people. She finds her "people" in Jake and his Aunt at this independent book store, and I loved that that becomes a great setting for this story to unfold.
Shel: CeCe did a great job of capturing the melodrama that is young romance--where every moment is analyzed and questioned and internalized; where worry and angst and hope bloom eternal. She was able to write these teenagers in a way that was realistic--these weren't teens thinking like adults, they were teens thinking like teens, making dumb and smart choices and learning how to deal with it all. I appreciated this; all too often we read a book written by an adult and the teens are either too childlike or too adult and it simply wasn't the case here.
Court: Shel said that perfectly. I really loved this novel. A lot. In that it was so realistic, and I begged for certain things to turn out a different way. Begged I tell you, to the point that Cece had to basically say "Okay, enough. Here's why this is going to be this way, and I know you don't feel this way but it isn't changing so suck it up." Okay, she didn't tell me to suck it up. She was very sweet about it, but I'm telling you, I stage-five-clinged to this idea that things could turn out differently for a certain character while I was reading. I felt a lot of feels during this book, and I might've shed some tears. I loved it a lot.
Shel: I was also happy by the ending; it didn't end in a cliche and I feel like it definitely left the door open for Emma and Jake to revisit us in another book. But even if they don't, I was very satisfied in the realistic way that it ended. Court: Realistic, bittersweet, and beautiful is how I felt about the ending as well. I felt like we got to know these characters in a slow burn type of way, and I didn't want to leave them. I hope people give this new book a shot, because it definitely deserves it!
Shel: As some of you may know, I don't read a ton of YA because I'm surrounded by it ALL DAY LONG from August to May (I teach high schoolers) and I suppose dealing with their drama in real life makes it hard for me to want to deal with it in my off time. I realize that means that I missing out on some great YA novels and writers and it's something I should remedy...it's on my to do list. All of this to say that when I started reading this novel I went in blind and didn't realize it was YA. Admittedly I was a little wary..for the reasons listed above. So, what did I think? Court: Awww Shel. I tend to agree more lately, that I have shied away because lord knows I am glad I am no longer a teenager...but I was very, very excited about this book because Cece is a blogger like us and we're so proud that she published her debut novel!
Shel: Emma and Jake are challenging. They both are dealing with family ugliness and it makes them less than willing to get involved in a relationship..and it's quite understandable as they are too young to realize that they don't have to live in fear of repeating their parents' mistakes. As the novel moves through the school year, we get a taste of the sweet and infuriating romance between Emma and Jake.
Court: That is the perfect description of Jake! He is so sweet, then so hot and so cold, and so very infuriating! OMIGAH. If you wanted a more realistic wishy washy teen hero, we got him. He didn't know what he wanted. And you know how long it took me to realize that is okay? A lonnnnnng time. I related to Emma in that she is having trouble in her coming of age and how she relates to other people. She finds her "people" in Jake and his Aunt at this independent book store, and I loved that that becomes a great setting for this story to unfold.
Shel: CeCe did a great job of capturing the melodrama that is young romance--where every moment is analyzed and questioned and internalized; where worry and angst and hope bloom eternal. She was able to write these teenagers in a way that was realistic--these weren't teens thinking like adults, they were teens thinking like teens, making dumb and smart choices and learning how to deal with it all. I appreciated this; all too often we read a book written by an adult and the teens are either too childlike or too adult and it simply wasn't the case here.
Court: Shel said that perfectly. I really loved this novel. A lot. In that it was so realistic, and I begged for certain things to turn out a different way. Begged I tell you, to the point that Cece had to basically say "Okay, enough. Here's why this is going to be this way, and I know you don't feel this way but it isn't changing so suck it up." Okay, she didn't tell me to suck it up. She was very sweet about it, but I'm telling you, I stage-five-clinged to this idea that things could turn out differently for a certain character while I was reading. I felt a lot of feels during this book, and I might've shed some tears. I loved it a lot.
Shel: I was also happy by the ending; it didn't end in a cliche and I feel like it definitely left the door open for Emma and Jake to revisit us in another book. But even if they don't, I was very satisfied in the realistic way that it ended. Court: Realistic, bittersweet, and beautiful is how I felt about the ending as well. I felt like we got to know these characters in a slow burn type of way, and I didn't want to leave them. I hope people give this new book a shot, because it definitely deserves it!
June 2, 2018
This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free for a Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Thank you to Cece for letting me take part in this blog tour.
We meet Emma on the first day of school. She has spent the whole summer trying to avoid her screaming parents. Her Dad cheated on her Mum and over the summer they have been arguing constantly. I really sympathised with Emma at this point. When I was 7 or 8 my parents were arguing all the time and eventually they split up. I think it was quite a relief when they finally did because it meant it was over. No more arguing, no more screaming and although I was upset my dad was moving out and all of that it was nice to have the constant arguments done with.
I liked Emma. She is an introvert but also a sweet girl. I could feel all of her emotions pouring off the pages. The hurt over her parent's marriage breaking up, the anger to both of them, the butterflies over Jake, the loneliness when Genna is busy. CeCe's words made me feel it all.
Jake hottt, like DDG hot!! But he is also pretty messed up! He was a bad boy in high school. He had quite the reputation. What with it being a small town where everyone knows everyone and everything it's hard to leave that sort of reputation behind. Jake is trying to clean up his act but his guilt is making it so much more difficult. He doesn't think he deserves anything. While he may have been a bad boy in school he's actually pretty clever .
Genna lovely girl but I could feel that she didn't quite understand Emma's pain through her parent's divorce. I mean I get it her parents are in love and she's never experienced it but I could feel that Emma needed more from her than just an "it's going to be ok". It seemed like Genna wasn't treating it like that bigger deal, when to Emma her whole life was crashing around her.
I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down. I urge you to click that button and buy this, you won't regret it. I can't wait to see what is next from CeCe.
We meet Emma on the first day of school. She has spent the whole summer trying to avoid her screaming parents. Her Dad cheated on her Mum and over the summer they have been arguing constantly. I really sympathised with Emma at this point. When I was 7 or 8 my parents were arguing all the time and eventually they split up. I think it was quite a relief when they finally did because it meant it was over. No more arguing, no more screaming and although I was upset my dad was moving out and all of that it was nice to have the constant arguments done with.
I liked Emma. She is an introvert but also a sweet girl. I could feel all of her emotions pouring off the pages. The hurt over her parent's marriage breaking up, the anger to both of them, the butterflies over Jake, the loneliness when Genna is busy. CeCe's words made me feel it all.
Jake hottt, like DDG hot!! But he is also pretty messed up! He was a bad boy in high school. He had quite the reputation. What with it being a small town where everyone knows everyone and everything it's hard to leave that sort of reputation behind. Jake is trying to clean up his act but his guilt is making it so much more difficult. He doesn't think he deserves anything. While he may have been a bad boy in school he's actually pretty clever .
Genna lovely girl but I could feel that she didn't quite understand Emma's pain through her parent's divorce. I mean I get it her parents are in love and she's never experienced it but I could feel that Emma needed more from her than just an "it's going to be ok". It seemed like Genna wasn't treating it like that bigger deal, when to Emma her whole life was crashing around her.
I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down. I urge you to click that button and buy this, you won't regret it. I can't wait to see what is next from CeCe.
September 20, 2014
I would like to thank author CeCe Carroll for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
When I saw this cover I was intrigued at what the book was about it really is beautiful.
We meet Emma as she is struggling to cope with being in the battlefield that has become home, her friend Genna although she encourages Emma to talk doesn't really listen to her and is more interested in her own worries, as all teenagers are, despite her saying she was there for Emma she didn't really understand.
Emma decides the best course is to avoid her parents as much as possible by working part time in a book shop, whop a book shop in a book I love this. This is where Emma meets Jake. Jake and Emma become close with books being a big part of their relationship, but Jake keeps trying to push Emma away.
I liked Emma and really sympathised with her situation, but I did find the story hard going to start with. I decided to stick with it after reading the final chapter (sorry but this helps me to decide whether to carry on with a book and it worked with this).
I think if you love YA books then you will love this, it's not the best I have read but that's up against some stiff competition. What I will say is it's a great debut and I'm sure CeCe's books will get better and better (look at JK Rowlings Harry Potter series they got better with every book).
The reason I'm only giving this a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars is it was slow to get off with and almost had me giving up, but I'm glad I stayed with it as it turned in to a lovely sweet debut from CeCe.
When I saw this cover I was intrigued at what the book was about it really is beautiful.
We meet Emma as she is struggling to cope with being in the battlefield that has become home, her friend Genna although she encourages Emma to talk doesn't really listen to her and is more interested in her own worries, as all teenagers are, despite her saying she was there for Emma she didn't really understand.
Emma decides the best course is to avoid her parents as much as possible by working part time in a book shop, whop a book shop in a book I love this. This is where Emma meets Jake. Jake and Emma become close with books being a big part of their relationship, but Jake keeps trying to push Emma away.
I liked Emma and really sympathised with her situation, but I did find the story hard going to start with. I decided to stick with it after reading the final chapter (sorry but this helps me to decide whether to carry on with a book and it worked with this).
I think if you love YA books then you will love this, it's not the best I have read but that's up against some stiff competition. What I will say is it's a great debut and I'm sure CeCe's books will get better and better (look at JK Rowlings Harry Potter series they got better with every book).
The reason I'm only giving this a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars is it was slow to get off with and almost had me giving up, but I'm glad I stayed with it as it turned in to a lovely sweet debut from CeCe.
September 21, 2014
Emma is an introvert person with a passion for books. She loves to hide in her own world. Especially now that her parents are fighting all the time and seem to be close to a divorce. Emma starts working at a bookstore to be away from home. There she meets Jake, a mysterious and older student, who happens to be the nephew of her boss. He’s got a bad reputation, but Emma has never seen that side of him and she can’t help falling for him.
I really enjoyed this story. Jake is definitely the type of guy I would fall for. He doesn’t talk much about himself, but he gives Emma books as presents. Those books tell bits and pieces of his story. Emma and Jake have conversations about books, music, philosophy, life and more. I could talk for hours about these topics so I really enjoyed those parts. Of course it’s not cool that Jake is not really opening up to Emma, but that mysterious part makes me want to know what is going on in his mind. It makes me want to get to know more about him.
The story somehow reminded me of the books by Sarah Dessen, because of the dialogues and the way the main characters grew on me during the story. I really think that people who enjoyed books by Sarah Dessen will love this story as well.
The full review of this book was was published on: www.onemorerox.com
I really enjoyed this story. Jake is definitely the type of guy I would fall for. He doesn’t talk much about himself, but he gives Emma books as presents. Those books tell bits and pieces of his story. Emma and Jake have conversations about books, music, philosophy, life and more. I could talk for hours about these topics so I really enjoyed those parts. Of course it’s not cool that Jake is not really opening up to Emma, but that mysterious part makes me want to know what is going on in his mind. It makes me want to get to know more about him.
The story somehow reminded me of the books by Sarah Dessen, because of the dialogues and the way the main characters grew on me during the story. I really think that people who enjoyed books by Sarah Dessen will love this story as well.
The full review of this book was was published on: www.onemorerox.com
August 20, 2016
*Spoilers*
I loved parts of this book, the angst, the way the author put me in the head of both Jake and Emma. I like how she handled Emma's parents divorce. That was, surprisingly, a new topic in the YA I've read. I was disappointed, however, at the completion of the book. Though I understand the story completes in book 2, I still do not like sad endings. Yeah, I could buy book 2 and find out what happens, but for me, when one book ends sadly, it takes away any desire to read on.
Still, plot was done nicely. It kept me turning the pages. The setting was painted well and the sub-characters fleshed out nicely. There were a few typos, including "Gennna" with 3 n's, and a spot where a line was skipped that I do not think was intentional.
Story has some cursing, also, reference to sex, but not the act itself. The give and take of the relationship is well done and the emotions are well-painted and believable. Story is a full 4-stars, maybe 4.5. I did really like it, but am still hampered by that sad ending. Recommend to anyone who likes YA with a more pensive feel.
I loved parts of this book, the angst, the way the author put me in the head of both Jake and Emma. I like how she handled Emma's parents divorce. That was, surprisingly, a new topic in the YA I've read. I was disappointed, however, at the completion of the book. Though I understand the story completes in book 2, I still do not like sad endings. Yeah, I could buy book 2 and find out what happens, but for me, when one book ends sadly, it takes away any desire to read on.
Still, plot was done nicely. It kept me turning the pages. The setting was painted well and the sub-characters fleshed out nicely. There were a few typos, including "Gennna" with 3 n's, and a spot where a line was skipped that I do not think was intentional.
Story has some cursing, also, reference to sex, but not the act itself. The give and take of the relationship is well done and the emotions are well-painted and believable. Story is a full 4-stars, maybe 4.5. I did really like it, but am still hampered by that sad ending. Recommend to anyone who likes YA with a more pensive feel.
October 11, 2014
Review to come!
April 4, 2015
this is really a good read
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