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The Leaving Season
Middie Daniels calls it the Leaving Season—the time of year when everyone graduates high school, packs up their brand-new suitcases, and leaves home for the first time.
It happens every late August, but this year Middie’s boyfriend, Nate, is the one leaving. Nate, who’s so perfect that she can barely believe it. Nate, who makes her better than she is on her own. Nate, who’s promised to come back once he’s finished his gap year volunteering in Central America.
And when he does, it’ll be time for Middie to leave, too. With him.
But when tragedy strikes, Middie’s whole world is set spinning. No one seems to understand just how lost she is… except for Nate’s best friend Lee.
Middie and Lee have never gotten along. She’s always known that she was destined for great things, and Lee acts like he’s never cared about anything a day in his life. But with the ground ripped out from under her, Middie is finding that up is down—and that Lee Ryan might be just what she needs to find her footing once more.
It happens every late August, but this year Middie’s boyfriend, Nate, is the one leaving. Nate, who’s so perfect that she can barely believe it. Nate, who makes her better than she is on her own. Nate, who’s promised to come back once he’s finished his gap year volunteering in Central America.
And when he does, it’ll be time for Middie to leave, too. With him.
But when tragedy strikes, Middie’s whole world is set spinning. No one seems to understand just how lost she is… except for Nate’s best friend Lee.
Middie and Lee have never gotten along. She’s always known that she was destined for great things, and Lee acts like he’s never cared about anything a day in his life. But with the ground ripped out from under her, Middie is finding that up is down—and that Lee Ryan might be just what she needs to find her footing once more.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2016
22 people are currently reading
2970 people want to read
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April 29, 2016
3.5 Stars!
**A big thank you to Harper Collins for providing a free copy of this book to me through a Goodreads Giveaway**
"One of our last kisses, I thought, for a full year. I kissed him greedily, swallowing him up with my lips, my hands. Across town, across the country, were other girls like me doing the same thing? It was the leaving season, after all, the dog days of summer, when high school grads went off to college for the first time. Those of us left behind were desperate to hold on, afraid if we let go, we might me forgotten or cease to exist. Or maybe that was just me."
It's that time of the year. Summer is coming to an end. The most recent high school grads pack up and all mostly leave home for the first time. This year, It's Meredith Daniel's ( Middie for short ) boyfriend of 5 years, Nate Bingham's turn to go. Rather than college right away, he's decided to have a gap year, volunteering in Central America. When he returns in a year's time, it'll be time for Middie to leave too and they'll both go to Lewis & Clark together.
After Nate's left, Middie begins her senior year of high school. Then tragedy happens. The village Nate is volunteering in is attacked and 67 are killed...including the volunteers. Nate is presumed dead. Middie's whole life turns upside down. Without Nate, the future seems bleak and Middie can't work up the motivation to become excited about her school work or future at college anymore. At first there is denial, from both her and Nate's parents ( who travel to Honduras to attempt to find out more about Nate's fate ). But everyone else accepts that Nate is gone and start planning memorials and grieving his loss. Nate was very well known and loved in their town, so nearly everyone is feeling the pain of losing him in some way.
Nobody quite seems to know how to treat Middie though. People tell her to take time for herself, that everything will be okay and things will go back to normal eventually. The only person who seems to understand what Middie's feeling and doesn't treat her differently is Lee Ryan, Nate's best friend.
"Middie, you're tired.
Middie, you're sad.
Middie, go home.
When I looked at my friends, my teachers, my parents, all I saw was pity in their eyes. They're sympathy was too much -- too trite, too saccharine. I knew they cared about me, about Nate, but they didn't know what to do or say much beyond It'll be okay.
Only Lee treated me like a regular human being, not like a fragile glass figurine that would shatter into a million pieces if someone said the wrong thing.
They start out not getting along all that well, but through their shared grief form a grudging friendship. They can be honest about how they feel about Nate's loss with each other, can show the other the pain they're feeling. Soon enough, with Nate being gone, different feelings develop as they start to move on.
Even though it seems like romance is the main theme of this book, I thought that it was more about Middie's self discovery. It asked the question of who are you when you are defined by another person? And who do you become when that one person is gone?
"What do you want, Middie?
What are you doing for the rest of your life, Middie?
When are you going to go back to normal, Middie?
Normal.
Meaning, back to the person I was.
But why did they want me to be that person? That person was who she was mostly because of Nate Bingham. He was the one who planned everything. He was the one who had life all figured out. Without him...who was I?"
Middie could be a bit frustrating at times with her attitude about life and was sometimes a bit harsh to Lee, but I did like that she didn't seem to be your typical cookie cutter MC...she had a lot of different emotions going through her at once, which is realistic and relatable. I didn't see the twist that was coming in the story, but then again I'm not exactly the best at making those kind of predictions...So it ended up going in a different direction than I expected, but I really enjoyed the ending of this. It was a really enjoyable read.
"I loved Nate. I loved who he was in my life. But I wanted to have more experiences in my life.
Tell us about an experience that defines you.
I didn't want the definition of me to be Nate.
I wanted more firsts in my life, and even some seconds and thirds. I let go of the box. I let go of Nate."
"Tell us about an experience that defines you.
One? There is no one experience -- no one person, no one event -- that defines me. As Walt Whitman once wrote ' I contain multitudes. ' Life is messy. Plans are written and rewritten, tossed up and down and around. The only way to find out who you really are is to take a risk, a leap, a walk under a waterfall. When you stop worrying that you'll have nothing, then you know you're on the right path."
**A big thank you to Harper Collins for providing a free copy of this book to me through a Goodreads Giveaway**
"One of our last kisses, I thought, for a full year. I kissed him greedily, swallowing him up with my lips, my hands. Across town, across the country, were other girls like me doing the same thing? It was the leaving season, after all, the dog days of summer, when high school grads went off to college for the first time. Those of us left behind were desperate to hold on, afraid if we let go, we might me forgotten or cease to exist. Or maybe that was just me."
It's that time of the year. Summer is coming to an end. The most recent high school grads pack up and all mostly leave home for the first time. This year, It's Meredith Daniel's ( Middie for short ) boyfriend of 5 years, Nate Bingham's turn to go. Rather than college right away, he's decided to have a gap year, volunteering in Central America. When he returns in a year's time, it'll be time for Middie to leave too and they'll both go to Lewis & Clark together.
After Nate's left, Middie begins her senior year of high school. Then tragedy happens. The village Nate is volunteering in is attacked and 67 are killed...including the volunteers. Nate is presumed dead. Middie's whole life turns upside down. Without Nate, the future seems bleak and Middie can't work up the motivation to become excited about her school work or future at college anymore. At first there is denial, from both her and Nate's parents ( who travel to Honduras to attempt to find out more about Nate's fate ). But everyone else accepts that Nate is gone and start planning memorials and grieving his loss. Nate was very well known and loved in their town, so nearly everyone is feeling the pain of losing him in some way.
Nobody quite seems to know how to treat Middie though. People tell her to take time for herself, that everything will be okay and things will go back to normal eventually. The only person who seems to understand what Middie's feeling and doesn't treat her differently is Lee Ryan, Nate's best friend.
"Middie, you're tired.
Middie, you're sad.
Middie, go home.
When I looked at my friends, my teachers, my parents, all I saw was pity in their eyes. They're sympathy was too much -- too trite, too saccharine. I knew they cared about me, about Nate, but they didn't know what to do or say much beyond It'll be okay.
Only Lee treated me like a regular human being, not like a fragile glass figurine that would shatter into a million pieces if someone said the wrong thing.
They start out not getting along all that well, but through their shared grief form a grudging friendship. They can be honest about how they feel about Nate's loss with each other, can show the other the pain they're feeling. Soon enough, with Nate being gone, different feelings develop as they start to move on.
Even though it seems like romance is the main theme of this book, I thought that it was more about Middie's self discovery. It asked the question of who are you when you are defined by another person? And who do you become when that one person is gone?
"What do you want, Middie?
What are you doing for the rest of your life, Middie?
When are you going to go back to normal, Middie?
Normal.
Meaning, back to the person I was.
But why did they want me to be that person? That person was who she was mostly because of Nate Bingham. He was the one who planned everything. He was the one who had life all figured out. Without him...who was I?"
Middie could be a bit frustrating at times with her attitude about life and was sometimes a bit harsh to Lee, but I did like that she didn't seem to be your typical cookie cutter MC...she had a lot of different emotions going through her at once, which is realistic and relatable. I didn't see the twist that was coming in the story, but then again I'm not exactly the best at making those kind of predictions...So it ended up going in a different direction than I expected, but I really enjoyed the ending of this. It was a really enjoyable read.
"I loved Nate. I loved who he was in my life. But I wanted to have more experiences in my life.
Tell us about an experience that defines you.
I didn't want the definition of me to be Nate.
I wanted more firsts in my life, and even some seconds and thirds. I let go of the box. I let go of Nate."
"Tell us about an experience that defines you.
One? There is no one experience -- no one person, no one event -- that defines me. As Walt Whitman once wrote ' I contain multitudes. ' Life is messy. Plans are written and rewritten, tossed up and down and around. The only way to find out who you really are is to take a risk, a leap, a walk under a waterfall. When you stop worrying that you'll have nothing, then you know you're on the right path."
February 9, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a YA contemporary romance about a girl who believes her boyfriend is dead, so starts dating his best friend.
Meredith (Middie) was an okay character, and she did seem pretty upset when Nate went missing, but I just didn’t connect with the characters all that well.
The storyline in this was about Middie trying to cope after the small village where her boyfriend Nate was working on his gap year was attacked, and 67 people killed. After this she accidentally fell in love with his best friend, and then the twist came. Unfortunately though it seemed quite obvious right from the start what the twist would be, and I spent the majority of the book just waiting for the twist to happen, and hoping that the book would pick up a bit after that.
The ending was okay, although someone was always going to end up hurt. The ending was though, again, a little predictable.
6 out of 10
“Miss u, love u, NM4eva.”
This was a YA contemporary romance about a girl who believes her boyfriend is dead, so starts dating his best friend.
Meredith (Middie) was an okay character, and she did seem pretty upset when Nate went missing, but I just didn’t connect with the characters all that well.
The storyline in this was about Middie trying to cope after the small village where her boyfriend Nate was working on his gap year was attacked, and 67 people killed. After this she accidentally fell in love with his best friend, and then the twist came. Unfortunately though it seemed quite obvious right from the start what the twist would be, and I spent the majority of the book just waiting for the twist to happen, and hoping that the book would pick up a bit after that.
The ending was okay, although someone was always going to end up hurt. The ending was though, again, a little predictable.
6 out of 10
October 10, 2015
What happens when you lose the person who defines you? When is it okay to move on? Is it ever okay? What happens when you realise you'd like to be someone else, someone more like you, the real you, the without-that-other-person you?
I really enjoyed his book. I was intrigued to see where it would go, what its focus would be - grief, romance or self-discovery? We get a little of each, but I'm happy to say that it's mainly the latter two. And by then, I was captivated by the story.
Middie is about to start her senior year of high school. Her long-term boyfriend, Nate, is leaving for Central America where he plans to spend his gap year in a volunteer program. Middie is sad to see him go and spends her time desperately trying to stay in contact and reassure Nate of just how much she loves and misses him. NM4eva. But then the worst happens. The village Nate is staying in is attacked and all who were there are killed. Middie's life is completely turned over. She doesn't know who she is without Nate, can see no meaning in going to school or planning for college. The only person who understands is Lee, Nate's best friend. Lee and Middie slowly work through their hate relationship to form a truce in grief. But hanging with Lee is different than Middie expected, he is different than expected. And maybe, Middie is a little different than she ever expected, too.
When the story starts Nate is still alive and is just about to leave for Central America. Reading the first chapter was a little heartbreaking, knowing what was coming. And yet it is the perfect way to introduce us to the Middie who loves Nate. It makes Nate's death all the more understandable in the way that it impacts Middie. What follows is the inevitable news and Middie's grief and confusion. The time of this section flows quickly as the days turn into weeks for Middie. And of course, the bright spots are her interactions with Lee. They have always bumped heads, fighting over Nate and being jealous of the time the other gets to spend with him. But like two magnets who repel but when switch and slam into place, Lee and Middie work together. I loved their interactions, their fights, their chemistry. For me, this book was always going to be about Middie with Lee (sorry Nate). What surprised me, though, was that this book was far more about Middie's self-discovery than it was about romance. And yet the romance is enchanting. Lee is a live-in-the-moment kind of guy and that makes for adventures and acting on impulses and all those sorts of things that make readers go...sigh.
I didn't like Nate. Everyone in the book thinks he is perfect, perfect for Middie, but I thought he was too controlled (and far too controlling). So this book wasn't a tear-jerker for me. Okay, he's dead, moving on (harsh, I know, sorry). I also didn't like the way Middie sometimes treated Lee. Her condescending attitude - not cool. But hey, she's human. Mistakes and learning from them are par for the course. And I think she does learn, though she slips up a bit. Some people might be worried about the potential for love-triangle drama or issues with cheating or moving on too soon. I didn't have a problem with any of that, don't think they played any great part in the story.
You might have heard from other reviews that this book contains a twist. Maybe someone will give away spoilers or maybe you'll see it coming like I did. But that's not the point. This isn't a murder mystery, it's not about guessing the right clues. It's a book about Middie finding who she wants to be and choosing the people who best help define that person.
I enjoyed the writing style, quickly being sucked into the story. I liked the great range of characters, everyone from Middie's younger sister Emma to Middie's group of friends who are supportive but never pushy or in her face. I loved the scenes between Middie and Lee. I loved Lee, who is impulsive and sweet and just a little bit dangerous (especially to a girl's heart). I liked the end, nicely wrapped up but not tied with a bow. But ultimately this is Middie's story. She is the focus. She is the heroine of her own story and the writer of her own future, and I really liked that.
The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Find more reviews on my blog Madison's Library.
I really enjoyed his book. I was intrigued to see where it would go, what its focus would be - grief, romance or self-discovery? We get a little of each, but I'm happy to say that it's mainly the latter two. And by then, I was captivated by the story.
Middie is about to start her senior year of high school. Her long-term boyfriend, Nate, is leaving for Central America where he plans to spend his gap year in a volunteer program. Middie is sad to see him go and spends her time desperately trying to stay in contact and reassure Nate of just how much she loves and misses him. NM4eva. But then the worst happens. The village Nate is staying in is attacked and all who were there are killed. Middie's life is completely turned over. She doesn't know who she is without Nate, can see no meaning in going to school or planning for college. The only person who understands is Lee, Nate's best friend. Lee and Middie slowly work through their hate relationship to form a truce in grief. But hanging with Lee is different than Middie expected, he is different than expected. And maybe, Middie is a little different than she ever expected, too.
When the story starts Nate is still alive and is just about to leave for Central America. Reading the first chapter was a little heartbreaking, knowing what was coming. And yet it is the perfect way to introduce us to the Middie who loves Nate. It makes Nate's death all the more understandable in the way that it impacts Middie. What follows is the inevitable news and Middie's grief and confusion. The time of this section flows quickly as the days turn into weeks for Middie. And of course, the bright spots are her interactions with Lee. They have always bumped heads, fighting over Nate and being jealous of the time the other gets to spend with him. But like two magnets who repel but when switch and slam into place, Lee and Middie work together. I loved their interactions, their fights, their chemistry. For me, this book was always going to be about Middie with Lee (sorry Nate). What surprised me, though, was that this book was far more about Middie's self-discovery than it was about romance. And yet the romance is enchanting. Lee is a live-in-the-moment kind of guy and that makes for adventures and acting on impulses and all those sorts of things that make readers go...sigh.
I didn't like Nate. Everyone in the book thinks he is perfect, perfect for Middie, but I thought he was too controlled (and far too controlling). So this book wasn't a tear-jerker for me. Okay, he's dead, moving on (harsh, I know, sorry). I also didn't like the way Middie sometimes treated Lee. Her condescending attitude - not cool. But hey, she's human. Mistakes and learning from them are par for the course. And I think she does learn, though she slips up a bit. Some people might be worried about the potential for love-triangle drama or issues with cheating or moving on too soon. I didn't have a problem with any of that, don't think they played any great part in the story.
You might have heard from other reviews that this book contains a twist. Maybe someone will give away spoilers or maybe you'll see it coming like I did. But that's not the point. This isn't a murder mystery, it's not about guessing the right clues. It's a book about Middie finding who she wants to be and choosing the people who best help define that person.
I enjoyed the writing style, quickly being sucked into the story. I liked the great range of characters, everyone from Middie's younger sister Emma to Middie's group of friends who are supportive but never pushy or in her face. I loved the scenes between Middie and Lee. I loved Lee, who is impulsive and sweet and just a little bit dangerous (especially to a girl's heart). I liked the end, nicely wrapped up but not tied with a bow. But ultimately this is Middie's story. She is the focus. She is the heroine of her own story and the writer of her own future, and I really liked that.
The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Find more reviews on my blog Madison's Library.
February 18, 2021
After having read a lot of heavy, serious literature, I was looking forward to read a feel-good, lighter read. Even though the story was pretty predictable, I liked Meredith somehow because she was just so innocent and young. Up to half the book, I felt good and I loved the families and friends around the main characters. But then, the story didn't develop much further and I didn't like how the story ended. Meredith's development was good to see but I felt the ending was kind of misguiding. Anyway, I'm not really a fan when a good girl gets together with a bad guy with no real depth. Unfortunately, this was one of the books which was too short to develop some sympathy to Lee and thus, Meredith's actions.
October 8, 2015
Yikes!
Not a fan of this story because it was a typical cheese fest. I knew what was going to happen and I kept cheering for the bland, good girl and the 'bad boy but so not bad' to get caught. I'd say this book was a waste of time, but I won't. It did made me reach for my popcorn. I wanted to witness the drama but I was disappointed, again. There was no drama. Every character was cardboard cutout nice and I was glad to be done with it.
Not a fan of this story because it was a typical cheese fest. I knew what was going to happen and I kept cheering for the bland, good girl and the 'bad boy but so not bad' to get caught. I'd say this book was a waste of time, but I won't. It did made me reach for my popcorn. I wanted to witness the drama but I was disappointed, again. There was no drama. Every character was cardboard cutout nice and I was glad to be done with it.
April 4, 2016
Review
This book was pretty cheesy, kind of predictable, sort of love triangley and you know what?? I kind of really liked it. It was quick and cute and just what I was in the mood for.
Meridith, or Middie as she is known, was someone I really felt for, for a number of reasons. Once Nate leaves for Honduras she is kind of lost. When you are with someone that long you can become really complacent. SO when he is gone she starts to things she normally doesn't, spend more time with people she normally didn't and maybe start to dress a different way. Different doesn't mean bad either. She is just a young women becoming her own person. Also, when something awful happens, of course she will change or react in ways maybe not everyone understands.
Lee was our typical misunderstood loser type. But he has layers man! I thought he was a good guy and was a good friend for Meridith in the way he knew how to. With them both missing Nate, they were there for and understood each other. Nate seemed like a good guy. Perfect in fact. Which we know what that sometimes means in books - boring. I liked him but he lacked the layers for me.
This was quick and sometimes cute, sometimes sad and sometimes a bit cheesy. If you can handle all that I would say to give this one a try.This review was originally posted on Rebel Mommy Book Blog
This book was pretty cheesy, kind of predictable, sort of love triangley and you know what?? I kind of really liked it. It was quick and cute and just what I was in the mood for.
Meridith, or Middie as she is known, was someone I really felt for, for a number of reasons. Once Nate leaves for Honduras she is kind of lost. When you are with someone that long you can become really complacent. SO when he is gone she starts to things she normally doesn't, spend more time with people she normally didn't and maybe start to dress a different way. Different doesn't mean bad either. She is just a young women becoming her own person. Also, when something awful happens, of course she will change or react in ways maybe not everyone understands.
Lee was our typical misunderstood loser type. But he has layers man! I thought he was a good guy and was a good friend for Meridith in the way he knew how to. With them both missing Nate, they were there for and understood each other. Nate seemed like a good guy. Perfect in fact. Which we know what that sometimes means in books - boring. I liked him but he lacked the layers for me.
This was quick and sometimes cute, sometimes sad and sometimes a bit cheesy. If you can handle all that I would say to give this one a try.This review was originally posted on Rebel Mommy Book Blog
February 26, 2017
Inhalt:
Noch ein Jahr, bis Middie die Schule beendet und mit ihrem Freund Nate aufs College geht. In diesem Jahr möchte Nate über eine Hilfsorganisation nach Zentralamerika, um dort Kinder zu impfen. Middie weiß gar nicht, was sie ohne ihn tun soll, schließlich kann sie ihn dort auch kaum erreichen.
Doch dann geschehen schreckliche Dinge und Nates Zustand ist ungewiss – denn er ist verschwunden, und alle anderen sind tot ...
Middies Welt steht Kopf – eine Zukunft ohne Nate ist unvorstellbar für sie! Niemand außer Lee, Nates bester Freund, kann sie verstehen, aber mit dem ist sie noch nie gut klargekommen. Aber der gemeinsame Schmerz bringt die beiden einander näher...
Cover:
Ich finde das Cover ganz süß, weiß aber nicht genau, wen es darstellen soll. Zu Lee passt es meiner Meinung nach von der Kleidung her nicht, und Nate verschwindet ja ziemlich bald. Aber wenn es nun mal um den Sommer geht, der die beiden abgebildeten Charaktere (Nate und Middie) trennt, dann passt es ja wieder :)
Protagonisten:
Middie – eigentlich Meredith – ist seit fünf Jahren mit Nate zusammen und ist auch sonst jemand, der viele Dinge plant - also nicht spontan ist, nicht abenteuerlustig und in jeder Hinsicht stinknormal. Und gerade ihr Leben wird aus dem Ruder gerissen, sie ist plötzlich orientierungslos und fühlt sich verloren. Sie wendet sich an Lee, der sie an Nate erinnert, aber auch von ihm ablenkt. Im Laufe des Buches entwickelt sie sich weiter, dank Lee, aber auch, weil sie durch die Trennung von Nate bemerkt wie trist ihr Leben war. Nun muss sie eben einen neuen Lebensweg finden und sich verändern, und diese Entwicklung war eingentlich ganz interessant. Ihr Umfeld hat teilweise etwas seltsam darauf reagiert, was mich etwas geärgert hat, aber Middie wirkte auch wirklich planlos in ihren Taten und eben wie jemand, der nach einem schmerzhaften Ereignis auch Hilfe braucht, um sich wieder zurechtzufinden.
Lee scheint der absolut falsche Kandidat zu sein, um Nates bester Freund zu sein, denn er ist einfach mal das genaue Gegenteil. Der eine studiert, hat ein organisiertes Leben und reist als Arzt nach Zentralamerika, der andere schwänzte ständig die Schule, war wohl ständig betrunken oder bekifft und scheint auch keine Ziele zu haben – das ist jedenfalls der erste Eindruck des Lesers und auch der von Middie. Aber je mehr Zeit Middie mit ihm verbringt, desto mehr erfährt man über ihn und desto besser kann man ihn auch verstehen, auch, warum Nate mit ihm befreundet ist. Dann beginnt man auch ihn zu mögen!
Nate konnte ich irgendwie nicht richtig verstehen. Natürlich ist er im größten Teil des Buches abwesend, aber die Dinge die man über ihn erfährt sind widersprüchlich. Mit Middie war er wie sie – normal, sein Leben im Griff, ordentlich und anständig. Lee zufolge war er aber manchmal auch spontan und es gab noch andere Dinge die Middie nicht von ihm erwartet hätte – und das nach fünf Jahren Beziehung! Warum zeigt er diese andere Seite nicht seiner Freundin? Ich konnte mir kein richtiges Bild von ihm machen.
Handlung:
Den größten Teil des Buches fand ich ganz süß! Wie Middie Nates Verschwinden verarbeitet und wie sie sich danach weiterentwickelt. Allerdings gab es zum Ende hin diesen Entwicklungsstopp und Middie begann wieder das Wohl aller anderen über ihres zu stellen. Am Anfang hatte sie sich einfach keine Gedanken über ihre eigenen Träume und Wünsche gemacht, aber nun, da sie etwas besser wusste was sie wollte, war es ziemlich ärgerlich, dass sie die einfach unterdrückte.
Und das Ende kam dann plötzlich sehr schnell. Unerwartet schnell, aber das fand ich trotzdem besser, als wenn es anders gekommen wäre. Ich kann nur sagen, dass ich auf den letzten Seiten ganz hibbelig wurde, weil ich wollte, dass es anders ausgeht!
Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil ist simpel und leicht. Es war unerwartet spannend, durch Nates Verschwinden und die Sache mit Lee. Etwas zwiegespalten bin ich bei Middies Unsicherheit. Einerseits hat es Emotionen eingebracht, weil man Mitleid hatte und mitgefiebert hat, was sie denn nun tun wird, aber andererseits war sie auch leicht zu beeinflussen und naiv, was manchmal nervig war.
Fazit:
"Der Sommer, der uns trennte" war spannender als erwartet, süß, angenehm zu lesen und auch unterhaltsam. Die Charaktere haben sich weiterentwickelt und eine interessante Geschichte über Entscheidungen und übers Erwachsenwerden erzählt.
Noch ein Jahr, bis Middie die Schule beendet und mit ihrem Freund Nate aufs College geht. In diesem Jahr möchte Nate über eine Hilfsorganisation nach Zentralamerika, um dort Kinder zu impfen. Middie weiß gar nicht, was sie ohne ihn tun soll, schließlich kann sie ihn dort auch kaum erreichen.
Doch dann geschehen schreckliche Dinge und Nates Zustand ist ungewiss – denn er ist verschwunden, und alle anderen sind tot ...
Middies Welt steht Kopf – eine Zukunft ohne Nate ist unvorstellbar für sie! Niemand außer Lee, Nates bester Freund, kann sie verstehen, aber mit dem ist sie noch nie gut klargekommen. Aber der gemeinsame Schmerz bringt die beiden einander näher...
Cover:
Ich finde das Cover ganz süß, weiß aber nicht genau, wen es darstellen soll. Zu Lee passt es meiner Meinung nach von der Kleidung her nicht, und Nate verschwindet ja ziemlich bald. Aber wenn es nun mal um den Sommer geht, der die beiden abgebildeten Charaktere (Nate und Middie) trennt, dann passt es ja wieder :)
Protagonisten:
Middie – eigentlich Meredith – ist seit fünf Jahren mit Nate zusammen und ist auch sonst jemand, der viele Dinge plant - also nicht spontan ist, nicht abenteuerlustig und in jeder Hinsicht stinknormal. Und gerade ihr Leben wird aus dem Ruder gerissen, sie ist plötzlich orientierungslos und fühlt sich verloren. Sie wendet sich an Lee, der sie an Nate erinnert, aber auch von ihm ablenkt. Im Laufe des Buches entwickelt sie sich weiter, dank Lee, aber auch, weil sie durch die Trennung von Nate bemerkt wie trist ihr Leben war. Nun muss sie eben einen neuen Lebensweg finden und sich verändern, und diese Entwicklung war eingentlich ganz interessant. Ihr Umfeld hat teilweise etwas seltsam darauf reagiert, was mich etwas geärgert hat, aber Middie wirkte auch wirklich planlos in ihren Taten und eben wie jemand, der nach einem schmerzhaften Ereignis auch Hilfe braucht, um sich wieder zurechtzufinden.
Lee scheint der absolut falsche Kandidat zu sein, um Nates bester Freund zu sein, denn er ist einfach mal das genaue Gegenteil. Der eine studiert, hat ein organisiertes Leben und reist als Arzt nach Zentralamerika, der andere schwänzte ständig die Schule, war wohl ständig betrunken oder bekifft und scheint auch keine Ziele zu haben – das ist jedenfalls der erste Eindruck des Lesers und auch der von Middie. Aber je mehr Zeit Middie mit ihm verbringt, desto mehr erfährt man über ihn und desto besser kann man ihn auch verstehen, auch, warum Nate mit ihm befreundet ist. Dann beginnt man auch ihn zu mögen!
Nate konnte ich irgendwie nicht richtig verstehen. Natürlich ist er im größten Teil des Buches abwesend, aber die Dinge die man über ihn erfährt sind widersprüchlich. Mit Middie war er wie sie – normal, sein Leben im Griff, ordentlich und anständig. Lee zufolge war er aber manchmal auch spontan und es gab noch andere Dinge die Middie nicht von ihm erwartet hätte – und das nach fünf Jahren Beziehung! Warum zeigt er diese andere Seite nicht seiner Freundin? Ich konnte mir kein richtiges Bild von ihm machen.
Handlung:
Den größten Teil des Buches fand ich ganz süß! Wie Middie Nates Verschwinden verarbeitet und wie sie sich danach weiterentwickelt. Allerdings gab es zum Ende hin diesen Entwicklungsstopp und Middie begann wieder das Wohl aller anderen über ihres zu stellen. Am Anfang hatte sie sich einfach keine Gedanken über ihre eigenen Träume und Wünsche gemacht, aber nun, da sie etwas besser wusste was sie wollte, war es ziemlich ärgerlich, dass sie die einfach unterdrückte.
Und das Ende kam dann plötzlich sehr schnell. Unerwartet schnell, aber das fand ich trotzdem besser, als wenn es anders gekommen wäre. Ich kann nur sagen, dass ich auf den letzten Seiten ganz hibbelig wurde, weil ich wollte, dass es anders ausgeht!
Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil ist simpel und leicht. Es war unerwartet spannend, durch Nates Verschwinden und die Sache mit Lee. Etwas zwiegespalten bin ich bei Middies Unsicherheit. Einerseits hat es Emotionen eingebracht, weil man Mitleid hatte und mitgefiebert hat, was sie denn nun tun wird, aber andererseits war sie auch leicht zu beeinflussen und naiv, was manchmal nervig war.
Fazit:
"Der Sommer, der uns trennte" war spannender als erwartet, süß, angenehm zu lesen und auch unterhaltsam. Die Charaktere haben sich weiterentwickelt und eine interessante Geschichte über Entscheidungen und übers Erwachsenwerden erzählt.
September 26, 2015
Madeline and Nate are the couple all their friends aspire to be. They have a plan - college, marriage, kids and the happy life. Part of the plan is Nate spending the year after college on a "Doctors Without Borders"-type mission in Central America while Madeline finishes high school. What they don't count on is rebel forces attacking the village where Nate is volunteering and everyone being left for dead. This tragedy devastates Madeline. In her loss, she turns to Lee - Nate's best friend but not her number 1 fan. Lee doesn't have much use for Madeline and calls her Yoko (after the woman fans blame for breaking up The Beatles). As Madeline and Lee begin commiserating over their shared loss they begin to find common ground and (as happens in these types of books) fall for each other. But then the twist happens (and in this book the twist is not one the reader would expect) and Madeline and Lee have to figure out if they are meant to be together or not.
As a side note, as a librarian I am always looking for books to fill certain holes in my collection. For many years Lurlene McDaniel had a hold the tear-jerker love story readers. But for the last few years her books haven't moved. I'm glad there are authors like Cat Jordan that I can refer readers wanting those types of books to.
As a side note, as a librarian I am always looking for books to fill certain holes in my collection. For many years Lurlene McDaniel had a hold the tear-jerker love story readers. But for the last few years her books haven't moved. I'm glad there are authors like Cat Jordan that I can refer readers wanting those types of books to.
October 19, 2016
"Breathe"
Wow, what a great, heart-wrenching story. Middie has her life planned. Dating Nate, the same boy since middle school, they've now finally made it to their senior year. They plan to go to the same college, him to med school, then marriage and kids. It's all planned.
Until Nate decides he'd like to volunteer for a medical outreach program and the unthinkable happens.
And suddenly, Middie-please-call-me-Meredith's life isn't so organized. It's not so planned out and not so set it stone and she needs to decide who she is. Reaching out to everyone, no one seems to understand her grief.
I know many will judge me for loving this - much as they will judge Merideth - but I love how messy and frustrating the story was. Life is messy. It's failure and it's make mistakes and ask forgiveness. It's unfair and unbelievable and heartbreaking. But it's also beautiful and scary and amazing. And it's life - and you have to decide how you want to live it.
"Joining the circus, wanna come?"
I loved this story for being real and being a struggle.
Wow, what a great, heart-wrenching story. Middie has her life planned. Dating Nate, the same boy since middle school, they've now finally made it to their senior year. They plan to go to the same college, him to med school, then marriage and kids. It's all planned.
Until Nate decides he'd like to volunteer for a medical outreach program and the unthinkable happens.
And suddenly, Middie-please-call-me-Meredith's life isn't so organized. It's not so planned out and not so set it stone and she needs to decide who she is. Reaching out to everyone, no one seems to understand her grief.
I know many will judge me for loving this - much as they will judge Merideth - but I love how messy and frustrating the story was. Life is messy. It's failure and it's make mistakes and ask forgiveness. It's unfair and unbelievable and heartbreaking. But it's also beautiful and scary and amazing. And it's life - and you have to decide how you want to live it.
"Joining the circus, wanna come?"
I loved this story for being real and being a struggle.
February 7, 2016
This is a book about Middie and her boyfriend/ soul mate, Nate. Nate decides that he is going to volunteer abroad for a year. When something bad happens, Middie is left having to cope with it. She turns to Lee, Nate's best friend. When doing so she learns more about herself.
I don't want to create any spoilers here, so I am going to leave this review a little bit vague. I enjoyed the book. It went pretty much how I thought it would, but I realized that I like that. If it had gone the other way, I am not so sure I would have enjoyed it as much. I read it one sitting.
Happy Reading!
I don't want to create any spoilers here, so I am going to leave this review a little bit vague. I enjoyed the book. It went pretty much how I thought it would, but I realized that I like that. If it had gone the other way, I am not so sure I would have enjoyed it as much. I read it one sitting.
Happy Reading!
July 26, 2016
I must admit that I requested this book because I really felt like it would be my kind of read what with the contemporary genre, self discovery, a blossoming romance between seemingly unlikely match. But then I saw the Goodreads rating when I marked it as "currently reading" and it's quite a low one; none of my trusted friends had read it yet and it gave me a small fright that perhaps this may end up as a disaster. I decided to still try it at least since the publisher was generous enough to provide an arc and I'm glad I did, because soon I found myself immersed in Middie's life and wanting to see how it all turns out.
I'm not sure how I feel about the "going to Central America and have that kind of thing happen" part, because it doesn't paint a particularly good picture of Central America to the reader and while these dangers do exist in the world and are a real issue, it was still a bit icky, because there could have been various other ways to create that drift between Middie and Nate. That aside, I enjoyed seeing Middie grow into a person she truly is in her heart and not letting others dictate or put boundaries on who they want her to be. Middie is definitely a character that some readers may not appreciate, but I certainly did. She's flawed and human; she makes mistakes, but she also learns from them. (Most of the time.) There were moments when I wanted to shake her though and tell her to not be so self-absorbed and look at the things Lee is going through as well, especially at some parts in the latter half of the novel. Lee and Middie are both stubborn which creates a bunch of angst, but since I'm the kind of gal who loves angst in her fiction, there were a ton of tears on my part at one point for sure.
One of the things I love the most about The Leaving Season is sex positivity. This book doesn't shy away from (safe) sex talk nor the act itself. Seeing as it's a YA book, obviously it's not anything explicit, but it's not erased or completely fade-to-black. There are some really enjoyable, fun scenes and thoughtful discussions. It is hard to connect to Middie at first since the book jumps right into Nate leaving (and, by the way, Nate is great), so it takes some time to empathize with the whole situation and what happens next, but as a whole, this was a pleasant surprise which made me laugh at times and feel sad feels, which I didn't expect as much at the beginning stages of my reading experience. While not my favorite book of all time, it was exactly what I needed at the time of reading it!
___________________
Original thoughts:
I'll write a proper review in a few days hopefully, but I will say that I was terribly scared before opening this book on my Kindle, because the average rating is incredibly low even though this book sounded amazing? I didn't find amazing, blown-away kind of story, but I did find a book that is relatable in many ways and with a lot of authenticity on many occasions and I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, it wasn't perfect and I had some issues, but I will discuss them in my review. Look out for that!
*my rating is either 3 or 4 stars, I haven't decided yet, but will do so after I have written my review*
____________________
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own and in no way did receiving a review copy affect them.
I'm not sure how I feel about the "going to Central America and have that kind of thing happen" part, because it doesn't paint a particularly good picture of Central America to the reader and while these dangers do exist in the world and are a real issue, it was still a bit icky, because there could have been various other ways to create that drift between Middie and Nate. That aside, I enjoyed seeing Middie grow into a person she truly is in her heart and not letting others dictate or put boundaries on who they want her to be. Middie is definitely a character that some readers may not appreciate, but I certainly did. She's flawed and human; she makes mistakes, but she also learns from them. (Most of the time.) There were moments when I wanted to shake her though and tell her to not be so self-absorbed and look at the things Lee is going through as well, especially at some parts in the latter half of the novel. Lee and Middie are both stubborn which creates a bunch of angst, but since I'm the kind of gal who loves angst in her fiction, there were a ton of tears on my part at one point for sure.
One of the things I love the most about The Leaving Season is sex positivity. This book doesn't shy away from (safe) sex talk nor the act itself. Seeing as it's a YA book, obviously it's not anything explicit, but it's not erased or completely fade-to-black. There are some really enjoyable, fun scenes and thoughtful discussions. It is hard to connect to Middie at first since the book jumps right into Nate leaving (and, by the way, Nate is great), so it takes some time to empathize with the whole situation and what happens next, but as a whole, this was a pleasant surprise which made me laugh at times and feel sad feels, which I didn't expect as much at the beginning stages of my reading experience. While not my favorite book of all time, it was exactly what I needed at the time of reading it!
___________________
Original thoughts:
I'll write a proper review in a few days hopefully, but I will say that I was terribly scared before opening this book on my Kindle, because the average rating is incredibly low even though this book sounded amazing? I didn't find amazing, blown-away kind of story, but I did find a book that is relatable in many ways and with a lot of authenticity on many occasions and I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, it wasn't perfect and I had some issues, but I will discuss them in my review. Look out for that!
*my rating is either 3 or 4 stars, I haven't decided yet, but will do so after I have written my review*
____________________
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own and in no way did receiving a review copy affect them.
February 21, 2016
The Leaving Season is a YA contemporary romance.
The narrator is Meredith/Middie Daniels. She lives in the small town of Roseburg, Oregon. She is a senior in high school.
The Leaving season refers to the time at the end of summer when high school grads go off to college and those left behind are desperate to hold on to them.
All I knew about this book before reading it was that Meredith's boyfriend Nate was going away for a year. I hate spoilers, so I don't like knowing the entire premise before starting a book. But in this case because I only read the first part of the book blurb I was sort of blind-sided by what this story was really about.
Meredith's boyfriend was leaving for a year to do humanitarian work with Global Outreach. Meanwhile she was staying behind to finish her senior year of high school. They planned to go to the same college the following year.
Up until the point when Nate left it was an interesting story. It was basically about a small town couple and it was cute. But then the book took a turn that I was not expecting. I was thinking that Nate was going to go away to college. I was prepared for them to grow apart or something similar. But I was not really prepared for what happened instead. And I really didn't like it. There was something that happened between two characters.
Then the book took another turn that I was not expecting. This one was more interesting, But the timing sort of bothered me.
Then we had the ending, which I didn't love.
Overall, it was an interesting story. But it was just okay for me. I think that I was just expecting something else. It was a quick read. And much of it did seem realistic (small town couple being separated). I just didn't love the direction that the story took. However, I could definitely see people relating to Meredith.
Thanks to Harper Teen and edelweiss for allowing me to read this book.
The narrator is Meredith/Middie Daniels. She lives in the small town of Roseburg, Oregon. She is a senior in high school.
The Leaving season refers to the time at the end of summer when high school grads go off to college and those left behind are desperate to hold on to them.
All I knew about this book before reading it was that Meredith's boyfriend Nate was going away for a year. I hate spoilers, so I don't like knowing the entire premise before starting a book. But in this case because I only read the first part of the book blurb I was sort of blind-sided by what this story was really about.
Meredith's boyfriend was leaving for a year to do humanitarian work with Global Outreach. Meanwhile she was staying behind to finish her senior year of high school. They planned to go to the same college the following year.
Up until the point when Nate left it was an interesting story. It was basically about a small town couple and it was cute. But then the book took a turn that I was not expecting. I was thinking that Nate was going to go away to college. I was prepared for them to grow apart or something similar. But I was not really prepared for what happened instead. And I really didn't like it. There was something that happened between two characters.
Then the book took another turn that I was not expecting. This one was more interesting, But the timing sort of bothered me.
Then we had the ending, which I didn't love.
Overall, it was an interesting story. But it was just okay for me. I think that I was just expecting something else. It was a quick read. And much of it did seem realistic (small town couple being separated). I just didn't love the direction that the story took. However, I could definitely see people relating to Meredith.
Thanks to Harper Teen and edelweiss for allowing me to read this book.
July 1, 2017
”What do you want, Middie?
What are you doing for the rest of your life, Middie?
When are you going to go back to normal, Middie?
Normal.
Meaning, back to the person I was.
But why did they want me to be that person? That person was who she was mostly because of Nate Bingham. He was the one who planned everything. He was the one who had life all figured out. Without him...who was I?”
It’s been quite a while since a YA contemporary book made me feel this infuriated. But man oh man, when I was finished reading this book I wanted to chuck it into the nearest bonfire.
I know what you’re thinking: Katherine, if you hate this book, why the hell do you still read YA? You’re past the age bracket, maybe it’s time to let it go. And my answer is this.
YA can still be timeless, given the right story and plotline. Most of the messages and actions portrayed are ones that adults can A) still resonate with, or B) identify their teenage selves in. A lot of YA protagonists have personality traits and contemporary struggles that I found myself dealing with in high school and as a young adult. Yeah, I may roll my eyes occasionally at their actions since they may seem so stupidly simple or ridiculous, but that’s how teens develop. So there’s still good in the genre (not to mention that it’s strangely addictive at the same time, even though it can get to be repetitive).
However, this book had a special kind of stink, and I’m not talking about all the weed Lee is purported to be smoking.
No; it’s been a long time since I read a book where the main protagonist was such a selfish, unfeeling, narcissistic asshole. And not since Bella and Edward have I read about a couple that was all the above character traits as well.
So let’s begin about what the hell went wrong.
Middie and Nate are high school sweethearts. They’ve been together seemingly forever and nothing is probably going to change that. Middie is starting her senior year, but since Nate graduated the year before, he’s taking a gap year to volunteer in Central America. Goodbyes are made, with Middie knowing he’ll be back before she knows it so they can really begin their life.
Until tragedy strikes.
Look, the synopsis of the book makes it seem like some big mystery for you to solve, but it’s really not: Nate is reported to have been killed by yellow fever while volunteering. Middie is devastated at the loss of her love, and we see her try and move on.
Because while she’s grieving, Nate’s best friend Lee comes into the picture. To say that he and Middie weren’t buddies is a severe understatement: they hated each other. He’s the complete physical and emotional opposite of Nate, and she can’t understand why they’re even friends.
What I had a huge problem with was the last 75% of this book (spoilers abound).
Aside from that really big kerfuffle, the other issue I had with this was the grieving process Middie had. I do get that people grieve differently in different circumstances. But the way the author wrote it made it seem like Middie didn’t care about Nate at all. She wists around and ho’s and hums’, but I never got a sense of sadness, no matter how large or small. I guess I wanted a tiny more display of emotion, but I never got that.
This probably won’t bother some readers, but I couldn’t get past the character’s selfishness on either end.
What are you doing for the rest of your life, Middie?
When are you going to go back to normal, Middie?
Normal.
Meaning, back to the person I was.
But why did they want me to be that person? That person was who she was mostly because of Nate Bingham. He was the one who planned everything. He was the one who had life all figured out. Without him...who was I?”
It’s been quite a while since a YA contemporary book made me feel this infuriated. But man oh man, when I was finished reading this book I wanted to chuck it into the nearest bonfire.
I know what you’re thinking: Katherine, if you hate this book, why the hell do you still read YA? You’re past the age bracket, maybe it’s time to let it go. And my answer is this.
YA can still be timeless, given the right story and plotline. Most of the messages and actions portrayed are ones that adults can A) still resonate with, or B) identify their teenage selves in. A lot of YA protagonists have personality traits and contemporary struggles that I found myself dealing with in high school and as a young adult. Yeah, I may roll my eyes occasionally at their actions since they may seem so stupidly simple or ridiculous, but that’s how teens develop. So there’s still good in the genre (not to mention that it’s strangely addictive at the same time, even though it can get to be repetitive).
However, this book had a special kind of stink, and I’m not talking about all the weed Lee is purported to be smoking.
No; it’s been a long time since I read a book where the main protagonist was such a selfish, unfeeling, narcissistic asshole. And not since Bella and Edward have I read about a couple that was all the above character traits as well.
So let’s begin about what the hell went wrong.
Middie and Nate are high school sweethearts. They’ve been together seemingly forever and nothing is probably going to change that. Middie is starting her senior year, but since Nate graduated the year before, he’s taking a gap year to volunteer in Central America. Goodbyes are made, with Middie knowing he’ll be back before she knows it so they can really begin their life.
Until tragedy strikes.
Look, the synopsis of the book makes it seem like some big mystery for you to solve, but it’s really not: Nate is reported to have been killed by yellow fever while volunteering. Middie is devastated at the loss of her love, and we see her try and move on.
Because while she’s grieving, Nate’s best friend Lee comes into the picture. To say that he and Middie weren’t buddies is a severe understatement: they hated each other. He’s the complete physical and emotional opposite of Nate, and she can’t understand why they’re even friends.
”Lee was Nate’s best friend, but we’d never gotten along much; he was kind of a slacker, known to smoke weed and skip school. He was so unlike Nate, which really tripped me up: How could someone as disciplined and responsible as my boyfriend hang out with a guy who wasn’t much more than a surfer dude- without the surf?”But they gradually become closer, they find themselves becoming unlikely friends, Lee is more than meets the eye and treats Middie like a normal person instead of someone who’s about to break
”Only Lee treated me like a regular human being, not like a fragile glass figurine that would shatter into a million pieces if someone said the wrong thing.”blah, blah, blah, they fall in love. The usual YA clichés. That wasn’t the part that was offensive. Did I think they made a good couple? Not particularly. But I didn’t really have a huge problem with it.
What I had a huge problem with was the last 75% of this book (spoilers abound).
Aside from that really big kerfuffle, the other issue I had with this was the grieving process Middie had. I do get that people grieve differently in different circumstances. But the way the author wrote it made it seem like Middie didn’t care about Nate at all. She wists around and ho’s and hums’, but I never got a sense of sadness, no matter how large or small. I guess I wanted a tiny more display of emotion, but I never got that.
This probably won’t bother some readers, but I couldn’t get past the character’s selfishness on either end.
January 27, 2016
I really enjoyed this little story about grief, love and finding one's self. Meredith is a likable heroine with just enough uncertainty to be a proper YA protag, but not in a self deprecating way. Her two love interests are great, both with their pros and cons ... though I was always rooting for the underdog. The story arc is romantic with just enough drama to keep you hooked, but not get tedious. In the end, Meredith made a decision about which boy she wanted, but mostly about what life she wanted. It was empowering in a sappy love story kind of way. I hope there is a sequel.
This copy was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
This copy was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2016
I really wanted to love this. I was drawn in by the blurb and cover. A strong start and a writing style that completely hooked me made feel like this would be the book I had hoped for. However I found myself unable to connect with Meredith's grief and to a certain extent Meredith herself. The last third of the book just didn't work for me, I didn't feel any sort of connection to Nate or Lee so I wasn't completely vested in the outcome.
I really did enjoy the writing style, I flew through this and couldn't stop reading. I will definitely by reading more from Cat Jordan in the future.
I really did enjoy the writing style, I flew through this and couldn't stop reading. I will definitely by reading more from Cat Jordan in the future.
January 23, 2016
So good! Makes you appreciate life and love and firsts. Full review to come closer to release.
June 1, 2020
honestly such a lovely read. not many times am i unbothered about what boy they ended up with. nice to read a book where i'm really just rooting for the character and the character only.
June 28, 2016
3.5/5 stars
I wasn't sure how this one would go when I originally dove in, but I have to say I really ended up enjoying it.
"How could I write about an experience that defined me when I had no idea who I was?"
I thought Meredith (Middie) was such a relatable character and she's far from perfect. She makes mistakes. She acts immaturely at times. I liked seeing that though. She's young, she's figuring life out, and most of all she's searching for her identity. For so long she has been defined by her role as Nate's girlfriend. She knows what the two of them wanted together, but now that she's on her own, she starts to rethink her future. Nate's absence really made Middie reexamine her life and if she wanted what they once had planned.
One of the biggest factors in this is Nate's best friend, Lee. I liked Lee a lot and I wish we had gotten a bit more development from him. Middie doesn't have to pretend with Lee. He doesn't pretty things up for her and pity her. He's real and he's unashamed of who he is. I really liked that. Middie and Lee were quite the surprise because Lee has some pretty hostile feelings toward her at first, calling her Yoko, and making her feel that she kept Nate from spending time with his friend. Lee is a wild card and he challenges and pushes Middie to be herself.
Middie doesn't handle things in the best way with Lee, but I understand her actions, even though they sucked. When your entire world is shaken up and thrown into chaos, it's natural to freak out. You want nothing more than for things to go back to the way they were, even though it might not be possible. Middie does this. She clings to the familiar and while she wants to go back to the way things were before, it's too late. She's been changed and she's finally figuring out who she is... as an individual.
I am a huge advocate for books where teens are trying to figure their lives out. Let's be honest. It's rare that they have their lives figured out at 17-18 years old. They make mistakes and they learn from them. Seeing them find their own path is an experience that I love reading about.
*Received a copy of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
I wasn't sure how this one would go when I originally dove in, but I have to say I really ended up enjoying it.
"How could I write about an experience that defined me when I had no idea who I was?"
I thought Meredith (Middie) was such a relatable character and she's far from perfect. She makes mistakes. She acts immaturely at times. I liked seeing that though. She's young, she's figuring life out, and most of all she's searching for her identity. For so long she has been defined by her role as Nate's girlfriend. She knows what the two of them wanted together, but now that she's on her own, she starts to rethink her future. Nate's absence really made Middie reexamine her life and if she wanted what they once had planned.
One of the biggest factors in this is Nate's best friend, Lee. I liked Lee a lot and I wish we had gotten a bit more development from him. Middie doesn't have to pretend with Lee. He doesn't pretty things up for her and pity her. He's real and he's unashamed of who he is. I really liked that. Middie and Lee were quite the surprise because Lee has some pretty hostile feelings toward her at first, calling her Yoko, and making her feel that she kept Nate from spending time with his friend. Lee is a wild card and he challenges and pushes Middie to be herself.
Middie doesn't handle things in the best way with Lee, but I understand her actions, even though they sucked. When your entire world is shaken up and thrown into chaos, it's natural to freak out. You want nothing more than for things to go back to the way they were, even though it might not be possible. Middie does this. She clings to the familiar and while she wants to go back to the way things were before, it's too late. She's been changed and she's finally figuring out who she is... as an individual.
I am a huge advocate for books where teens are trying to figure their lives out. Let's be honest. It's rare that they have their lives figured out at 17-18 years old. They make mistakes and they learn from them. Seeing them find their own path is an experience that I love reading about.
*Received a copy of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
February 24, 2016
This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.
The Leaving Season was one of my 2016 anticipated releases. I loved the simplicity of the cover and the description was set to be a fantastic reading experience..... By the rating, you can tell it wasn't the case. I wasn't very invested in the beginning of the story but I will say it was good up until Nate leaves for a missionary trip to Honduras. Okay, I lie. It was good even after he left but then as the description says, a tragedy happened (I knew just by reading the description) that changed Meredith a.k.a. Middie completely, which is very understandable but it wasn't done in a way to seem... Real? The thing is, I didn't even feel sympathy for Meredith. I couldn't find anything I liked about her especially as the story progressed.
Lee Ryan is Nate's best friend in the world. I wasn't sure I was going to like him at the beginning, but I slowly started to. He was a decent character, very honest and he seemed real, from his personality to his job to his hobbies. His friendship with Meredith was one thing I enjoyed of the story but then it was ruined. I felt like some characters were being played because of the indecision of another character and I was so mad. If it had been done well, I might have enjoyed it but I really couldn't (it's two of the tropes I don't like).
There wasn't much happening in the story, which was a let down for me. The story had so much cheese!! I couldn't deal with it. I wish I had enjoyed this one.
I received an eARC from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.
The Leaving Season was one of my 2016 anticipated releases. I loved the simplicity of the cover and the description was set to be a fantastic reading experience..... By the rating, you can tell it wasn't the case. I wasn't very invested in the beginning of the story but I will say it was good up until Nate leaves for a missionary trip to Honduras. Okay, I lie. It was good even after he left but then as the description says, a tragedy happened (I knew just by reading the description) that changed Meredith a.k.a. Middie completely, which is very understandable but it wasn't done in a way to seem... Real? The thing is, I didn't even feel sympathy for Meredith. I couldn't find anything I liked about her especially as the story progressed.
Lee Ryan is Nate's best friend in the world. I wasn't sure I was going to like him at the beginning, but I slowly started to. He was a decent character, very honest and he seemed real, from his personality to his job to his hobbies. His friendship with Meredith was one thing I enjoyed of the story but then it was ruined. I felt like some characters were being played because of the indecision of another character and I was so mad. If it had been done well, I might have enjoyed it but I really couldn't (it's two of the tropes I don't like).
There wasn't much happening in the story, which was a let down for me. The story had so much cheese!! I couldn't deal with it. I wish I had enjoyed this one.
I received an eARC from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.
May 7, 2017
find this and other reviews at http://arcticbooks.wordpress.com!
Thank you to HarperTeen for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
THE LEAVING SEASON was a bittersweet, cute read, and I enjoyed it immensely. This novel follows the story of Middie’s life after everyone believes that Nate, her boyfriend, has died. Through this event, she is able to bring out another side of herself and really discover what she wants and how she wants to live her life.
Although Middie’s actions can be seen as controversial or something to look down upon, I felt as if I could connect and forgive her; grief makes people do things that they may not usually do, and I felt as if I understood her in a way. I’m not defending all her actions, but I understood why she did what she did. I loved how Lee and Middie developed a friendship and eventually, something more; they create little jokes together and have a whole ton of more chemistry than I thought Middie and Nate did. Throughout the romance, Lee’s and Middie’s characters go through slow but major changes from the beginning of the novel and I loved that.
Despite the gorgeous character development of both Lee and Middie, I just felt as if Nate had no personality at all. Yes, he’s essentially perfect and does all these altruistic things, but he’s like a brick, and I felt as if he was a secondary character compared to Lee. He was boring and dull, and that’s where I relate to Middie again; she needed to find something more spontaneous and exciting, and I’m glad she connect with Lee.
This novel reminded me of a Wattpad story, in that it was predictable, but in a sort-of good way. I essentially knew what was going to happen in the plot, and I was just waiting for certain events to happen. Despite that, I really enjoyed this novel (or maybe it was just my 12-year-old self making a reappearance in my reading life).
Overall, THE LEAVING SEASON was bittersweet and cute, and I adored this novel and the romance. I definitely recommend if you like: sort-of love triangles, cute reads, and love stories.
★★★★☆
Thank you to HarperTeen for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
THE LEAVING SEASON was a bittersweet, cute read, and I enjoyed it immensely. This novel follows the story of Middie’s life after everyone believes that Nate, her boyfriend, has died. Through this event, she is able to bring out another side of herself and really discover what she wants and how she wants to live her life.
Although Middie’s actions can be seen as controversial or something to look down upon, I felt as if I could connect and forgive her; grief makes people do things that they may not usually do, and I felt as if I understood her in a way. I’m not defending all her actions, but I understood why she did what she did. I loved how Lee and Middie developed a friendship and eventually, something more; they create little jokes together and have a whole ton of more chemistry than I thought Middie and Nate did. Throughout the romance, Lee’s and Middie’s characters go through slow but major changes from the beginning of the novel and I loved that.
Despite the gorgeous character development of both Lee and Middie, I just felt as if Nate had no personality at all. Yes, he’s essentially perfect and does all these altruistic things, but he’s like a brick, and I felt as if he was a secondary character compared to Lee. He was boring and dull, and that’s where I relate to Middie again; she needed to find something more spontaneous and exciting, and I’m glad she connect with Lee.
This novel reminded me of a Wattpad story, in that it was predictable, but in a sort-of good way. I essentially knew what was going to happen in the plot, and I was just waiting for certain events to happen. Despite that, I really enjoyed this novel (or maybe it was just my 12-year-old self making a reappearance in my reading life).
Overall, THE LEAVING SEASON was bittersweet and cute, and I adored this novel and the romance. I definitely recommend if you like: sort-of love triangles, cute reads, and love stories.
★★★★☆
April 4, 2016
Huge thank you to Harper Collins for sending me this book for review!
Soooo I enjoyed this book WAY more than I had anticipated. I went into it thinking it was going to be a sad contemporary read but it was a lot more.
First off I really enjoyed the writing. It just fit with the tone and voice. This book does suffer from some poor pacing, which bugged me and brought my rating down a bit. Things kinda happen in sweeps to accelerate the time line and it just didn't work for me with such an emotional story.
Also I am both for and against how quickly Middie moved on after "tragedy strikes". I understand first hand how grief can make you do crazy things, but at the same time I'm not sure how well it works in this scenario. I did like how Middie and Lee relied on each other for comfort and how they became close. But some emotional stuff felt a little rushed.
I really enjoyed the characters in this. It's a story about a golden couple and how Middie is defined by her relationship. When Nate leaves she finds that she can define herself. And while this was a story about loss, and there was a romantic sub plot, I felt that the whole point was that Middie had to choose to let Nate define her or find a way to define herself.
I saw a few reviews stating that Middie was a stereotypical good girl and that Lee is a bad boy, but that's really not the case for either. Middie is a part of a relationship that makes her LOOK like the golden girl. And Lee isn't her Golden Boy, but he drives a freaking Vespa... not really bad boy material.
Another thing I liked about this was the exploration of friendships. I really enjoyed seeing Middie develop stronger friendships with her girl friends in the absence of a very all encompassing relationship. I also liked watching her try to come to terms with Her Nate and Lee's Nate. Just shows how people are different around their different groups of friends.
I had NOT seen the twist coming and it was so emotional! I also LOVED the ending and the choices that Middie made. This book stuck with me LONG after reading the last page.
Soooo I enjoyed this book WAY more than I had anticipated. I went into it thinking it was going to be a sad contemporary read but it was a lot more.
First off I really enjoyed the writing. It just fit with the tone and voice. This book does suffer from some poor pacing, which bugged me and brought my rating down a bit. Things kinda happen in sweeps to accelerate the time line and it just didn't work for me with such an emotional story.
Also I am both for and against how quickly Middie moved on after "tragedy strikes". I understand first hand how grief can make you do crazy things, but at the same time I'm not sure how well it works in this scenario. I did like how Middie and Lee relied on each other for comfort and how they became close. But some emotional stuff felt a little rushed.
I really enjoyed the characters in this. It's a story about a golden couple and how Middie is defined by her relationship. When Nate leaves she finds that she can define herself. And while this was a story about loss, and there was a romantic sub plot, I felt that the whole point was that Middie had to choose to let Nate define her or find a way to define herself.
I saw a few reviews stating that Middie was a stereotypical good girl and that Lee is a bad boy, but that's really not the case for either. Middie is a part of a relationship that makes her LOOK like the golden girl. And Lee isn't her Golden Boy, but he drives a freaking Vespa... not really bad boy material.
Another thing I liked about this was the exploration of friendships. I really enjoyed seeing Middie develop stronger friendships with her girl friends in the absence of a very all encompassing relationship. I also liked watching her try to come to terms with Her Nate and Lee's Nate. Just shows how people are different around their different groups of friends.
I had NOT seen the twist coming and it was so emotional! I also LOVED the ending and the choices that Middie made. This book stuck with me LONG after reading the last page.
March 5, 2016
Thank you HarperCollins for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Leaving Season has got to be one of the quickest reads ever. I was bored at school and decided to just feel the book out by reading the first page, but 50 pages later, I was surprised to find that I was still goin' strong! I couldn't concentrate for the rest of the day at school because all I could think was: "I have to get home and finish this." When I did get home, I ignored my homework and responsibilities just to finish this book -- in less than 5 hours! If my review doesn't convince you to read this, then the above anecdote should give you an idea of just how amazing this book was.
There was one thing, however, that may have prevented me from giving this a full rating -- it was predictable. I knew what was going to happen and I'm pretty sure everyone who's read this has, too; the " plot twist" wasn't much of a surprise, to be honest, and you'll definitely see it coming from a mile off. Aside from that, I found this to be a really cute, fast read. You get sucked into the story really quickly and won't even notice the pages flying by! The writing style definitely contributed to that. It was easy to follow along and I really enjoyed it.
This is the perfect book to get you out of a reading slump. Even the slowest of readers could finish this in record time because boy did the pages fly by! There isn't much to say about this without spoiling the book, hence the extremely brief review, so I'd just like to beg you to get this book. Funny dialogue, easy-to-follow writing style, awesome characters, and dynamic relationships -- they're what make this such a page-turner!
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The Leaving Season has got to be one of the quickest reads ever. I was bored at school and decided to just feel the book out by reading the first page, but 50 pages later, I was surprised to find that I was still goin' strong! I couldn't concentrate for the rest of the day at school because all I could think was: "I have to get home and finish this." When I did get home, I ignored my homework and responsibilities just to finish this book -- in less than 5 hours! If my review doesn't convince you to read this, then the above anecdote should give you an idea of just how amazing this book was.
There was one thing, however, that may have prevented me from giving this a full rating -- it was predictable. I knew what was going to happen and I'm pretty sure everyone who's read this has, too; the " plot twist" wasn't much of a surprise, to be honest, and you'll definitely see it coming from a mile off. Aside from that, I found this to be a really cute, fast read. You get sucked into the story really quickly and won't even notice the pages flying by! The writing style definitely contributed to that. It was easy to follow along and I really enjoyed it.
This is the perfect book to get you out of a reading slump. Even the slowest of readers could finish this in record time because boy did the pages fly by! There isn't much to say about this without spoiling the book, hence the extremely brief review, so I'd just like to beg you to get this book. Funny dialogue, easy-to-follow writing style, awesome characters, and dynamic relationships -- they're what make this such a page-turner!
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February 23, 2016This is the kind of book that I completely lost myself in. Once I started, I couldn't stop reading it. (Instead of sleeping---my work schedule has changed---instead of watching movies, instead of anything, I was hanging out with this book. So be aware of that going in; it's a time suck.)
It's a grieving book, but it's not that sad of one. Even though there are definitely sad parts, and it's obvious that Middie and Lee both miss Nate, it's not so devastating to read. Their grief is more of a regular ache than a sharp pain, if that makes sense.
This would be a really good vacation book. It's a wonderful escape without being too taxing.
Recommended.
It's a grieving book, but it's not that sad of one. Even though there are definitely sad parts, and it's obvious that Middie and Lee both miss Nate, it's not so devastating to read. Their grief is more of a regular ache than a sharp pain, if that makes sense.
This would be a really good vacation book. It's a wonderful escape without being too taxing.
Recommended.
April 18, 2016
'For the past three months, we had lived in a bubble of our own making, comforting each other, knowing what the other needed, providing what no one else could.'
The Leaving Season is the perfect mix of sorrow & swoon and everything I love about YA novels. Cat Jordan knocked it out of the park with her characters and their story of love,loss and making your own decisions.
The Leaving Season is the perfect mix of sorrow & swoon and everything I love about YA novels. Cat Jordan knocked it out of the park with her characters and their story of love,loss and making your own decisions.
October 13, 2016
Inhalt: Nate wird vermisst! Vermutlich ist er tot. Die Gedanken wirbeln erbarmungslos durch ihren Kopf. Das darf nicht sein. Denn wenn es stimmt, bricht ihre Welt zusammen. Gemeinsam aufs College gehen, verloben, heiraten, all das würde es nie mehr geben. Niemand scheint Middie in ihrem Schmerz zu verstehen. Bis auf Lee – Nates bestem Freund, mit dem sie nie gut klargekommen ist. Aber er ist der Einzige, an den sie sich anlehnen kann. Und plötzlich erwächst aus der gemeinsamen Sorge, etwas Neues … Doch ist es wirklich in Ordnung Gefühle für Lee zu haben? (Quelle: Verlag)
Meine Meinung: Der Sommer, der uns trennte scheint zwar vom Cover her wie ein gewöhnlicher Comng of Age- oder Young Adult-Roman, er bringt dem Leser jedoch eine Thematik, die man noch nicht so häufig in solchen Romanen gefunden hat. So war ich sehr neugierig auf das Buch und fragte mich, wie ich Merediths Geschichte finden würde.
Was würde ich tun, wenn mein Freund in ein Krisengebiet reisen würde und kurz darauf bei einem Überfalll auf ein Dorf alle sterben. Und ich nichts von ihm hören würde. Alle erklären ihn für tot. Ich stelle mir diese Situation unerträglich vor. Die Person, zu der man vielleicht am meisten Vertrauen hat ist verschwunden und alle schließen ab, verbuchen sie als tot und man ist gefangen zwischen Hoffnung und Trauer und muss sich langsam aber sicher mit dem Gedanken abfinden, dass man seinen Freund nie mehr wieder sieht. Und das obwohl man eine ganze Zukunft miteinander geplant hat. Für mich unvorstellbar doch das wird für Meredith Realität, als genau das mit ihrem Freund Nate passiert. Lee ist Nates bester Freund und Meredith hat sich mit ihm eigentlich nie besonders gut verstanden. Doch eines verbindet sie nun. Die Trauer um Nate und die schwere Aufgabe, ihn loszulassen. Und das verbindet die beiden mehr, als sie sich jemals vorgestellt hätten.
Ich muss zugeben, mir war der Handlungsverlauf von Der Sommer, der uns trennte schon von Anfang an mehr als klar und genau so hat sich dieser dann auch entwickelt. Letztendlich ist das genau das, was ich als Minuspunkt sehe, denn auch, wenn zeitgenössische Bücher, besonders Liebesgeschichten, oft gleiche Strukturen zeigen, so schaffen es dennoch viele Autoren, den Leser zu überraschen. Cat Jordan leider eher weniger. Dennoch hat sie es geschafft, mich mit dem Buch zu begeistern und so konnte ich zumindest in großen Teilen über die Vorhersehbarkeit hinweg sehen.
Der Sommer, der uns trennte ist ein wundervoller Coming-Of-Age Roman, der diese Thematik gekonnt einfängt. Meredith ist eine tolle Protagonistin, die schon zu Beginn liebenswert ist und sich durch die Handlung hindurch immer mehr entwickelt, zu sich selbst findet und erwachsen wird. Sie war für mich immer das Herzstück des Buches und hat die beiden Jungs sowie alle anderen Charaktere meilenweit in den Schatten gestellt. Auch Lee und Nate mochte ich sehr gerne. An Meredith Stelle hätte ich mich keinesfalls zwischen beiden entscheiden können, denn jeder ist auf seine Art wundervoll. Nebenbei habe ich mich dann noch ein wenig in Merediths kleine Schwester Emma verliebt. Sie ist wirklich zuckersüß.
Zudem hat mich das Buch gut unterhalten. Die Dialoge haben mir besonders gut gefallen und ich finde, dass mich Cat Jordan trotz der Vorhersehbarkeit des Buches sehr gut unterhalten hat. Nicht nur durch das relativ neue Thema des Buches sondern auch durch die Bandbreite von Gefühlen und Entwicklungen, die transportiert werden.
Fazit: Obwohl die Handlung von Ein Sommer, der uns trennte sehr vorhersehbar war, habe ich das Buch dennoch sehr gerne gelesen. Meredith ist eine tolle Protagonistin und ihre Entwicklung sehr toll und gut gelungen. Cat Jordan spricht in ihrem Werk ein Thema an, das sich keiner so wirklich vorstellen kann und schafft daraus einen warmen Coming-Of-Age-Roman.
Vielen herzlichen Dank an Harper Collins und Blogg dein Buch für das tolle *Rezensionsexemplar.
Meine Meinung: Der Sommer, der uns trennte scheint zwar vom Cover her wie ein gewöhnlicher Comng of Age- oder Young Adult-Roman, er bringt dem Leser jedoch eine Thematik, die man noch nicht so häufig in solchen Romanen gefunden hat. So war ich sehr neugierig auf das Buch und fragte mich, wie ich Merediths Geschichte finden würde.
Was würde ich tun, wenn mein Freund in ein Krisengebiet reisen würde und kurz darauf bei einem Überfalll auf ein Dorf alle sterben. Und ich nichts von ihm hören würde. Alle erklären ihn für tot. Ich stelle mir diese Situation unerträglich vor. Die Person, zu der man vielleicht am meisten Vertrauen hat ist verschwunden und alle schließen ab, verbuchen sie als tot und man ist gefangen zwischen Hoffnung und Trauer und muss sich langsam aber sicher mit dem Gedanken abfinden, dass man seinen Freund nie mehr wieder sieht. Und das obwohl man eine ganze Zukunft miteinander geplant hat. Für mich unvorstellbar doch das wird für Meredith Realität, als genau das mit ihrem Freund Nate passiert. Lee ist Nates bester Freund und Meredith hat sich mit ihm eigentlich nie besonders gut verstanden. Doch eines verbindet sie nun. Die Trauer um Nate und die schwere Aufgabe, ihn loszulassen. Und das verbindet die beiden mehr, als sie sich jemals vorgestellt hätten.
Ich muss zugeben, mir war der Handlungsverlauf von Der Sommer, der uns trennte schon von Anfang an mehr als klar und genau so hat sich dieser dann auch entwickelt. Letztendlich ist das genau das, was ich als Minuspunkt sehe, denn auch, wenn zeitgenössische Bücher, besonders Liebesgeschichten, oft gleiche Strukturen zeigen, so schaffen es dennoch viele Autoren, den Leser zu überraschen. Cat Jordan leider eher weniger. Dennoch hat sie es geschafft, mich mit dem Buch zu begeistern und so konnte ich zumindest in großen Teilen über die Vorhersehbarkeit hinweg sehen.
Der Sommer, der uns trennte ist ein wundervoller Coming-Of-Age Roman, der diese Thematik gekonnt einfängt. Meredith ist eine tolle Protagonistin, die schon zu Beginn liebenswert ist und sich durch die Handlung hindurch immer mehr entwickelt, zu sich selbst findet und erwachsen wird. Sie war für mich immer das Herzstück des Buches und hat die beiden Jungs sowie alle anderen Charaktere meilenweit in den Schatten gestellt. Auch Lee und Nate mochte ich sehr gerne. An Meredith Stelle hätte ich mich keinesfalls zwischen beiden entscheiden können, denn jeder ist auf seine Art wundervoll. Nebenbei habe ich mich dann noch ein wenig in Merediths kleine Schwester Emma verliebt. Sie ist wirklich zuckersüß.
Zudem hat mich das Buch gut unterhalten. Die Dialoge haben mir besonders gut gefallen und ich finde, dass mich Cat Jordan trotz der Vorhersehbarkeit des Buches sehr gut unterhalten hat. Nicht nur durch das relativ neue Thema des Buches sondern auch durch die Bandbreite von Gefühlen und Entwicklungen, die transportiert werden.
Fazit: Obwohl die Handlung von Ein Sommer, der uns trennte sehr vorhersehbar war, habe ich das Buch dennoch sehr gerne gelesen. Meredith ist eine tolle Protagonistin und ihre Entwicklung sehr toll und gut gelungen. Cat Jordan spricht in ihrem Werk ein Thema an, das sich keiner so wirklich vorstellen kann und schafft daraus einen warmen Coming-Of-Age-Roman.
Vielen herzlichen Dank an Harper Collins und Blogg dein Buch für das tolle *Rezensionsexemplar.
March 6, 2016
I was honestly really interested in this story because of the cover. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but I had not heard anything about this book so I decided to get it. I liked how the summary on the back sounded. It was exactly the kind of book that I look forward to reading. Even though I knew what was going to happen in the end, I was not looking forward to the moment leading up to it. I still can't believe what actually happened in this book.
I like how Middie handled her grief. No she wasn't crying all the time or looking sad like you would expect her to be. She didn't really focus on anything that reminded her of Nate and that was exactly what I would expect her to do. She was grieving in her own way and it was a perfect way to have a friendship with Lee. They were both grieving the same person and both had great relationships with Nate even if they weren't the same type of relationship.
I find it hard to believe that Middie didn't know certain things about Nate like that he wanted to get a tattoo or about the Mustang... I thought it was weird that Lee and Nate had their friendship and Middie didn't really know about what they did when they hung out or never really asked. Are some couples just focused on each other and their relationship and don't talk about the other friends? Or maybe they just grew up together for so long that their only friendship is really each other?
The friendship between Lee and Middie was great. He really challenged her and wanted her to try new things instead of just live in her comfort zone. With Nate, Middie was the same person she's always been and relied on the future she's been counting on forever... but with Lee she doesn't know what the future will hold. She didn't think she would want all the firsts that came with graduating high school until she wasn't able to experience it anymore.
I liked seeing Middie grow and become her own person without having to be in a relationship. Sure the relationship "ended" without really ending it, but she was able to see what life was life without being in a relationship anymore and it was exactly what she needed to be able to find herself.
Definitely add this book to your TBR. It is a great "finding yourself" type of story.
-Allison (atravelingbook.com)
I like how Middie handled her grief. No she wasn't crying all the time or looking sad like you would expect her to be. She didn't really focus on anything that reminded her of Nate and that was exactly what I would expect her to do. She was grieving in her own way and it was a perfect way to have a friendship with Lee. They were both grieving the same person and both had great relationships with Nate even if they weren't the same type of relationship.
I find it hard to believe that Middie didn't know certain things about Nate like that he wanted to get a tattoo or about the Mustang... I thought it was weird that Lee and Nate had their friendship and Middie didn't really know about what they did when they hung out or never really asked. Are some couples just focused on each other and their relationship and don't talk about the other friends? Or maybe they just grew up together for so long that their only friendship is really each other?
The friendship between Lee and Middie was great. He really challenged her and wanted her to try new things instead of just live in her comfort zone. With Nate, Middie was the same person she's always been and relied on the future she's been counting on forever... but with Lee she doesn't know what the future will hold. She didn't think she would want all the firsts that came with graduating high school until she wasn't able to experience it anymore.
I liked seeing Middie grow and become her own person without having to be in a relationship. Sure the relationship "ended" without really ending it, but she was able to see what life was life without being in a relationship anymore and it was exactly what she needed to be able to find herself.
Definitely add this book to your TBR. It is a great "finding yourself" type of story.
-Allison (atravelingbook.com)
January 29, 2016
I was sent an ARC of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, I absolutely loved the first part of this book, up until the part when Nate left. When Nate left, the story went totally downhill from there. I wasn't really expecting the plot twist that was revealed and I thought that from there, I would start enjoying the book a bit more. I did for a bit but then, nope.
When I started the book, I knew right away what was going to happen and I knew that I didn't want that to happen (not specifying due to spoilers). It was so cliche and it just really decreased the value of the story and plot.
I really enjoyed Middie and Nate's relationship before he departed for his trip but other than that, I was meh on the characters. The plot wasn't super interesting and looking back on it, not much happened which is really disappointing. The writing was pretty quick and easy to get used to which is one of the reasons I kept reading.
Overall, a disappointment for me. I was really looking forward to it but the whole story went downhill, causing me to enjoy it much less than I was hoping I would.
Okay, I absolutely loved the first part of this book, up until the part when Nate left. When Nate left, the story went totally downhill from there. I wasn't really expecting the plot twist that was revealed and I thought that from there, I would start enjoying the book a bit more. I did for a bit but then, nope.
When I started the book, I knew right away what was going to happen and I knew that I didn't want that to happen (not specifying due to spoilers). It was so cliche and it just really decreased the value of the story and plot.
I really enjoyed Middie and Nate's relationship before he departed for his trip but other than that, I was meh on the characters. The plot wasn't super interesting and looking back on it, not much happened which is really disappointing. The writing was pretty quick and easy to get used to which is one of the reasons I kept reading.
Overall, a disappointment for me. I was really looking forward to it but the whole story went downhill, causing me to enjoy it much less than I was hoping I would.
March 18, 2016
The Leaving Season is definitely a deeply moving and heart-touching story that really moved me. It was endearing and heartbreaking all rolled into one very well written story! My hat goes off to the author, Cat Jordan and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
What impressed me most? How Middie grew into her own while grieving for her lost love. How she found herself, defined herself and after a bit of time, stood up for what she knew was right for her.
This book is well worth reading and I highly recommend it! 4.5 Stars!
Thank you to HarperTeen and Edelweiss for the gift of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What impressed me most? How Middie grew into her own while grieving for her lost love. How she found herself, defined herself and after a bit of time, stood up for what she knew was right for her.
This book is well worth reading and I highly recommend it! 4.5 Stars!
Thank you to HarperTeen and Edelweiss for the gift of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2017
This was a terrible book, first of the writing was bad. It seemed to jump around and not really keep up with itself. It just would jump from one event to the other without really explaining how it got there. Also the fact that it was pretty predictable. Every single "twist" could be seen from a mile away. It didn't take much inference to know what was going to happen. Also the characters were boring and cliche. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone and wouldn't read anything else from this author.
July 2, 2016
When you think your boyfriend was dead and eventually you fall in love with his best friend. I was really relaxed reading this novel until the end. Chemistry between the main character Middie and Lee so really sweet.
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