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Here So Far Away
Award-winning author Hadley Dyer’s YA debut is smart, snarky, and emotionally gripping, about a rebellious cop’s daughter who falls in love with an older man, loses her best friend, and battles depression, all while trying to survive her last year of high school.
Feisty and fearless George Warren (given name: Frances, but no one calls her that) has never let life get too serious. Now that she’s about to be a senior, her plans include partying with her tight-knit group of friends and then getting the heck out of town after graduation.
But instead of owning her last year of high school, a fight with her best friend puts her on the outs of their social circle. If that weren’t bad enough, George’s family has been facing hard times since her father, a police sergeant, got injured and might not be able to return to work, which puts George’s college plans in jeopardy.
So when George meets Francis, an older guy who shares her name and her affinity for sarcastic banter, she’s thrown. If she lets herself, she’ll fall recklessly, hopelessly in love. But because of Francis’s age, she tells no one—and ends up losing almost everything, including herself.
This is a gorgeous, atmospheric, and gut-wrenching novel that readers won’t soon forget.
Feisty and fearless George Warren (given name: Frances, but no one calls her that) has never let life get too serious. Now that she’s about to be a senior, her plans include partying with her tight-knit group of friends and then getting the heck out of town after graduation.
But instead of owning her last year of high school, a fight with her best friend puts her on the outs of their social circle. If that weren’t bad enough, George’s family has been facing hard times since her father, a police sergeant, got injured and might not be able to return to work, which puts George’s college plans in jeopardy.
So when George meets Francis, an older guy who shares her name and her affinity for sarcastic banter, she’s thrown. If she lets herself, she’ll fall recklessly, hopelessly in love. But because of Francis’s age, she tells no one—and ends up losing almost everything, including herself.
This is a gorgeous, atmospheric, and gut-wrenching novel that readers won’t soon forget.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published March 20, 2018
22 people are currently reading
2837 people want to read
About the author
Hadley Dyer
24 books39 followersHadley Dyer is the author of Here So Far Away, Johnny Kellock Died Today, winner of the Canadian Library Association's Book of the Year for Children Award, and other acclaimed titles for children and young adults. She has worked in the children’s book industry for more than twenty years and for multiple organizations promoting the cause of literacy and reading, including CODE, IBBY Canada, and the Canadian Children's Book Centre. Raised in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, she now resides in Toronto.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
March 6, 2018
Lately I've been going into books without re-reading the summary of the book, I've been finding that I've been able to get into a book much more this way, and I like the process of figuring things out as they come along. So, you could say I was intrigued with the unravelling of George's life in Here So Far Away, from her dad having his leg amputated and not sure if he could go back to his job as a police sergeant, to George and her friends drifting away from what used to be a tight knit friendship and to her falling for someone she never expected. It was a lot for George to deal with especially as she didn't really feel that she had anyone she could confide in with her feelings for this guy, and to top it off, when things came into light later on, it was clear that George really couldn't tell anyone with both of them potentially getting into trouble. The time spent with this romantic interest, I really enjoyed, I know people may question how George could fall so hard and fast for him, but for me both of their feelings appeared truly genuine. Also with the obstacles in the way, it would seem the right thing to do would be to break things off, but despite attempting to, it wasn't always possible. One of the reasons for my low rating for this book, is that I felt as if I didn't really get the emotional depth and impact from the story that I would have expected. Several major things happened in George's life, one which even though I didn't see coming, I felt as if I wasn't left as reeling as I would have expected, which is a real shame as I felt this book had the potential to be a great read for me. This aside, I'm sure other readers will go on and enjoy this book a lot more than I did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2018
I could not put this book down. This book has so many different emotions. It is a story of a girl by the name of George Warren her given name Frances because her father was sure she was going to be a boy. She goes by George instead of Frances. She has ups and downs at school trying to stay in a click at school, but ends up alone. She is trying to find love, but cannot find love in her small town. Her father works for the police department, but is not working due to his foot being amputated due to diabetes. She works at a lighthouse to make some money and meets a newcomer who has comes to the lighthouse looking for his friend's lost pig. She gets the urge to kiss him on the spot. He is shocked, but offers to meet her at the town bar later on. They do meet up at the bar, even thou she is underage she ends up persuading the bartender to serve her. He does not realize she is only a young girl in her teens and he is much older. He has come to town to work at the police department where her dad works. It has a lot of ups and downs. They fall in love, but are afraid what will happen if her father and the police department find out what is going on between them. It ends sadly, but I think it makes George grow up and learn to deal with life better. A must read.
May 11, 2018
I have such mixed feelings about this one. It's not that I didn't like it, but it's a case of I thought I would like it so much more.
• I didn't relate to any of the characters. That created a distance between me and the story and I was never fully invested.
• In particular, I could not relate to main character George. She seemed to shun intimacy and mocked others for any show of genuine emotion. She had this sarcastic veneer and the glimpses beyond that were too infrequent for me. Plus, it started to feel like her life was one bad decision after another.
• I wasn't sold on the romantic relationship. I liked the conversations between George and Francis. I liked that George had someone who challenged her. But I never felt an actual romantic connection, so when 'I love you's' were exchanged I actually stopped and thought Really? Huh... okay.
• I liked George's friend group. Their interactions, the arguments, the taking sides, the coming back together... it all felt realistic. (Although I'm left wondering what purpose Sid served... ?)
• The family issues. I don't even know what to say. I wanted to smack both her parents most of the time.
• Rupert was a great secondary character. Really liked Rupert and I especially liked how both George and Francis looked out for him (and Shaggy the pig).
• Francis remained an enigma. I never felt I knew him at all. Maybe that was intentional, maybe not. But I never really understood his motivations, his real feelings, or his real intentions.
• Overall, I was left feeling rather underwhelmed. George made plenty of bad/questionable choices (Joshua, the drinking/drug use, Francis, the lying/covering up) and at the end I wasn't sure of how much growth or change had really occurred.
• I didn't relate to any of the characters. That created a distance between me and the story and I was never fully invested.
• In particular, I could not relate to main character George. She seemed to shun intimacy and mocked others for any show of genuine emotion. She had this sarcastic veneer and the glimpses beyond that were too infrequent for me. Plus, it started to feel like her life was one bad decision after another.
• I wasn't sold on the romantic relationship. I liked the conversations between George and Francis. I liked that George had someone who challenged her. But I never felt an actual romantic connection, so when 'I love you's' were exchanged I actually stopped and thought Really? Huh... okay.
• I liked George's friend group. Their interactions, the arguments, the taking sides, the coming back together... it all felt realistic. (Although I'm left wondering what purpose Sid served... ?)
• The family issues. I don't even know what to say. I wanted to smack both her parents most of the time.
• Rupert was a great secondary character. Really liked Rupert and I especially liked how both George and Francis looked out for him (and Shaggy the pig).
• Francis remained an enigma. I never felt I knew him at all. Maybe that was intentional, maybe not. But I never really understood his motivations, his real feelings, or his real intentions.
• Overall, I was left feeling rather underwhelmed. George made plenty of bad/questionable choices (Joshua, the drinking/drug use, Francis, the lying/covering up) and at the end I wasn't sure of how much growth or change had really occurred.
July 7, 2018
#readEHthon Book #2
The first two parts of this book were great. I was into the story, I was reading at a decent pace...and then the third and final part started. I wasn't expecting the story to swing in that direction and it felt a little like a cop-out in my opinion.
Stay tuned for a full review coming soon!
May 5, 2018
This book destroyed me. I could tell it was going to be a book that needed Kleenex nearby but I didn't see the particular event coming and it was written so that it hit you hard.
I know a lot of people have a problem with the age difference but big age differences never effect me. One of the reasons is probably that I found George so relatable and her whole thought process and feelings surrounding Francis and that situation and her friends. For some people her attitude to plan her future so it would fit with him was stupid or unreal. But to me it seemed very real and relatable. I was rooting for George and Francis even though I had this hollow feeling that something was going to stop them. And the aftermath with George was so heartbreaking.
I'll definitely read this again. Some of the jokes/banter flew right over my head and I didn't understand them until several pages later but I didn't feel this took away from the book. If anything it will make a re-read better.
I know a lot of people have a problem with the age difference but big age differences never effect me. One of the reasons is probably that I found George so relatable and her whole thought process and feelings surrounding Francis and that situation and her friends. For some people her attitude to plan her future so it would fit with him was stupid or unreal. But to me it seemed very real and relatable. I was rooting for George and Francis even though I had this hollow feeling that something was going to stop them. And the aftermath with George was so heartbreaking.
I'll definitely read this again. Some of the jokes/banter flew right over my head and I didn't understand them until several pages later but I didn't feel this took away from the book. If anything it will make a re-read better.
July 6, 2018
I sobbed 😭😭😭😭
I haven't cried this hard for a book in a while 😖😪
RTC
I haven't cried this hard for a book in a while 😖😪
RTC
March 14, 2018
George is probably the first ever YA protagonist that I’ve been able to connect with. She’s almost ten years younger than me at the beginning of the novel, but I still remember what it was like to be a teenager and I am amazed that I finally found a character to connect with.
George is called the Enforcer in her group of friends, because she’s the muscle. Nothing fazes her; some boys call her a slut because she had sex, a girl gets catty because she’s upset her boyfriend gives George attention. These are things that would have broken any other protagonist and made her get all humiliated and bright red in the face, and then sullenly hide somewhere. Not George. She kept her head high, dismissed them as unimportant, and moved on with her life.
My current friends call me BrenDad, because I am no-nonsense when it comes to safety or bullying. A guy is trying to grab my friend’s ass, or someone is trying to fight our friend, or a friend is just too drunk and wanders away. I won’t stand for it, and my friends love me for it but also like to tell me I’m scary as hell sometimes. George seemed precisely how I was at 16. Faking the confidence until I actually had it, not being swayed by cattiness or bullying. I wish this girl was real (although the timeline of the book would dictate that she be several years older than me).
I think the ending with George and Francis was a little bit too neat, tied up in a pretty bow. Of COURSE it ended that way, because that’s the cleanest ending we could have hoped for. George has royally screwed up in some departments, too, which made me like her less. She wouldn’t just suck it up and apologize to Lisa for what she said, and it made her age that much more obvious. No one fights quite like a teenage girl can, and she seemed very young during that whole exchange.
George reminded me of my younger days, I (surprisingly) enjoyed the romance aspect, and I loved that this was a group of kids who smoked weed sometimes and drank. Not all of us were angels growing up, okay!? Just because I love books doesn’t mean I don’t go out and do raucous things! The story was a tiny bit flimsy—okay, a lot flimsy—but I enjoyed George so much that it offset all the negatives.
George is called the Enforcer in her group of friends, because she’s the muscle. Nothing fazes her; some boys call her a slut because she had sex, a girl gets catty because she’s upset her boyfriend gives George attention. These are things that would have broken any other protagonist and made her get all humiliated and bright red in the face, and then sullenly hide somewhere. Not George. She kept her head high, dismissed them as unimportant, and moved on with her life.
My current friends call me BrenDad, because I am no-nonsense when it comes to safety or bullying. A guy is trying to grab my friend’s ass, or someone is trying to fight our friend, or a friend is just too drunk and wanders away. I won’t stand for it, and my friends love me for it but also like to tell me I’m scary as hell sometimes. George seemed precisely how I was at 16. Faking the confidence until I actually had it, not being swayed by cattiness or bullying. I wish this girl was real (although the timeline of the book would dictate that she be several years older than me).
I think the ending with George and Francis was a little bit too neat, tied up in a pretty bow. Of COURSE it ended that way, because that’s the cleanest ending we could have hoped for. George has royally screwed up in some departments, too, which made me like her less. She wouldn’t just suck it up and apologize to Lisa for what she said, and it made her age that much more obvious. No one fights quite like a teenage girl can, and she seemed very young during that whole exchange.
George reminded me of my younger days, I (surprisingly) enjoyed the romance aspect, and I loved that this was a group of kids who smoked weed sometimes and drank. Not all of us were angels growing up, okay!? Just because I love books doesn’t mean I don’t go out and do raucous things! The story was a tiny bit flimsy—okay, a lot flimsy—but I enjoyed George so much that it offset all the negatives.
June 20, 2018
I feel so guilty giving this book such a low rating because I usually love every book I read (as you can tell from my page, I literally give every book 4-5 stars) so you can imagine how much it pained me to give this book such a low rating. But I gotta be honest. This book was difficult to get through. I mean PAINFULLY difficult to get through. I wanted to stop reading at every chapter but I pushed myself through it for the sake of my reading challenge. First of all, I didn't relate to any of the characters, they were kind of weird so I couldn't connect to the book. Second of all, this book was so slow, I stopped paying attention and then I had no idea what was going on. It was excessively long, like this book could be cut down by 150 pages, and there needs to be more action. It was soooo dry. I hated the fact that the girl's name was George Francis, because I kept thinking it was a guy, and then I would get more confused with what was going on. Also why is this town so sus like why are there like a billion secrets? I just didn't feel like the story was cohesive, and there was no implicit message, it just goes over your head, and makes you want to sleep. It kind of put me in a reading slump which sucks.
Read
March 2, 2018DNF around 23% in. I just can't connect with the characters or story, which is a huge bummer since it has an interesting premise.
September 1, 2020
This book feels like a silent movie. You have to imagine the events, the characters' feelings, etc.. It keeps you guessing and I wonder how it's possible to like and dislike a book at the same time.
May 28, 2018
3 out of 5 stars
December 4, 2017
A special thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I don't like to give negative reviews, especially to a Canadian author. My mother also taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all. But here is my dilemma...as a reviewer, I am obligated to provide feedback.
So here goes...I couldn't relate to the main character, George, at all. The dialogue was trite, and the story itself was simply not engaging and at times bordered on ridiculousness. For me, it was a struggle to even finish.
Dyer really needs to up her game in this genre. There are so many outstanding YA novels out there that are deserving of your time. Here are some of the ones that have left me completely gutted and honoured to have read them: The Hate U Give, All the Bright Places, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, A List of Cages, One Half From the East, and Andrew Smith's Winger and Stand-Off.
That being said, Dyer is a champion of literacy here in Canada, and I admire her efforts and contributions to the children's book industry.
I don't like to give negative reviews, especially to a Canadian author. My mother also taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all. But here is my dilemma...as a reviewer, I am obligated to provide feedback.
So here goes...I couldn't relate to the main character, George, at all. The dialogue was trite, and the story itself was simply not engaging and at times bordered on ridiculousness. For me, it was a struggle to even finish.
Dyer really needs to up her game in this genre. There are so many outstanding YA novels out there that are deserving of your time. Here are some of the ones that have left me completely gutted and honoured to have read them: The Hate U Give, All the Bright Places, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, A List of Cages, One Half From the East, and Andrew Smith's Winger and Stand-Off.
That being said, Dyer is a champion of literacy here in Canada, and I admire her efforts and contributions to the children's book industry.
April 24, 2018
This started off being somewhat interesting, but then turned out to be super boring. I ended up skimming through the last forty pages or so. I didn’t really care about George, our narrator. She didn’t seem to have a personality, go to work at the farm, school of course, then she’d randomly get drunk and go to parties because “that’s what you do” in this small town. I think this took place in Canada, but it could’ve been America or England for all I knew. It was hard to get a since of place for this book, and a sense of time. I know some chapters were headed with the year 1992 or 1993, but nothing gave me the impression that it was early 1990s to me.
February 11, 2018
*received an ARC for review*
Maybe I'm jaded, but I'm pretty over whiny high school girls and the feelings they have. Most of this book was about 17 year old George (the main girl) either drinking, being rebellious, or fighting with her friends. When she wasn't doing that, she was falling in love with *gasp* a 29 year old musician. I don't know, I just wasn't impressed.
Maybe I'm jaded, but I'm pretty over whiny high school girls and the feelings they have. Most of this book was about 17 year old George (the main girl) either drinking, being rebellious, or fighting with her friends. When she wasn't doing that, she was falling in love with *gasp* a 29 year old musician. I don't know, I just wasn't impressed.
October 31, 2017
oh my heart and so many changes during senior year and in 1992 to 1993. I was a senior back in 1992. older man and a youth in love. loved the friends. loved Rupert
August 21, 2018
Here So Far Away is a beautiful story about a first love that changes George's life forever. This book is funny, realistic and very captivating! I wish I could have read this book when I was in high school.
George is known in her group of friends for being the heartless/straight forward one. If you want the truth, you come to George. Starting senior year was supposed to be amazing, but when one of her friends moves away, and George and her best friend Lisa get into a fight, George is on the outs and her dream of having a fantastic senior year goes down the drain. When George picks up extra work, she meets Francis, a boy who is way too old for her but somehow seems to be exactly what she needs. The only problem with hiding a relationship from everyone you know, is that the longer is goes on, the harder it is to hide.
I went into this book worried that I wasn't going to like it, but I was pleasantly surprised at the level of writing and the creative plot of this story. Its very rare to find a book where the romantic interest has such an age gap, mostly because it is considered so taboo, and while I didn't particularly like that, it was definitely something different and interesting to read about.
I really liked George as a main character. Her attitude and personality really fit the part of a high schooler, which is fantastic because shes a character that plays her age right. She makes mistakes and is definitely not perfect, but that's what made her a realistic character. She goes through a lot of character development throughout the story, and while I'm not a huge fan of the whole 30 year old dating a 17 year old girl, I think this book would be great for students in high school to read, just because it covers dealing with family and how to handle your family during hard times, first loves and heartbreak, losing a loved one, and what it truly feels like to lose your friends and move on. There were a lot of important lessons from this book that I would have loved to share with a high school version of me.
The plot of the story was a little slow at times, but it was definitely interesting enough to keep the reader engaged in the story line. There isn't too much action, but if you enjoy books that focus a lot of romance and character development that I would definitely recommend this one. The world-building is alright, the story is set in a very small town with only one set of traffic lights. A lot of the time we just see George in the same places, so we don't get to explore too much of Hadley's world, but the setting descriptions were very well written and it was very easy to picture where the characters were.
Overall, this book took me by surprise and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. There are some amazing lessons to be learned from this book, regarding love, family and friendships. I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary and people who enjoy reading books with snarky main characters that have a lot of character development. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Happy Reading,
Aneta
George is known in her group of friends for being the heartless/straight forward one. If you want the truth, you come to George. Starting senior year was supposed to be amazing, but when one of her friends moves away, and George and her best friend Lisa get into a fight, George is on the outs and her dream of having a fantastic senior year goes down the drain. When George picks up extra work, she meets Francis, a boy who is way too old for her but somehow seems to be exactly what she needs. The only problem with hiding a relationship from everyone you know, is that the longer is goes on, the harder it is to hide.
I went into this book worried that I wasn't going to like it, but I was pleasantly surprised at the level of writing and the creative plot of this story. Its very rare to find a book where the romantic interest has such an age gap, mostly because it is considered so taboo, and while I didn't particularly like that, it was definitely something different and interesting to read about.
I really liked George as a main character. Her attitude and personality really fit the part of a high schooler, which is fantastic because shes a character that plays her age right. She makes mistakes and is definitely not perfect, but that's what made her a realistic character. She goes through a lot of character development throughout the story, and while I'm not a huge fan of the whole 30 year old dating a 17 year old girl, I think this book would be great for students in high school to read, just because it covers dealing with family and how to handle your family during hard times, first loves and heartbreak, losing a loved one, and what it truly feels like to lose your friends and move on. There were a lot of important lessons from this book that I would have loved to share with a high school version of me.
The plot of the story was a little slow at times, but it was definitely interesting enough to keep the reader engaged in the story line. There isn't too much action, but if you enjoy books that focus a lot of romance and character development that I would definitely recommend this one. The world-building is alright, the story is set in a very small town with only one set of traffic lights. A lot of the time we just see George in the same places, so we don't get to explore too much of Hadley's world, but the setting descriptions were very well written and it was very easy to picture where the characters were.
Overall, this book took me by surprise and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. There are some amazing lessons to be learned from this book, regarding love, family and friendships. I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary and people who enjoy reading books with snarky main characters that have a lot of character development. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Happy Reading,
Aneta
April 8, 2018
I received an eARC from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted on my blog, Turning Pages.
This book is at once a coming of age story, and a story of forbidden romance. The book, as a result, is full of drama, emotional scenes, and romance. I enjoyed seeing a fairly accurate representation of high school friendships and petty drama, though sometimes it felt a little dry. You know, girls fighting over a boy, a boy being a jerk, that kind of thing.
I mostly enjoyed reading about George and her family. Their dynamic is so, so realistic. I also saw some of my own family reflected in it - my dad was sick when I was about to go to university and it put a lot of strain on the family. We see her dad struggle with his new reality and that he may not be able to go back to the police force. That’s a majour lifestyle change not only for him but also for his family. I appreciated how it was handled. He withdraws, he’s angry, he over-eats. Her mom has her own growth which I appreciated. Her brother is sweet.
The romance itself is a tricky topic. Without spoiling anything, the way they initially get together isn’t the greatest, and that doesn’t help the romance . Don’t get me wrong, they have their share of sweet and steamy scenes which I liked. But the romance was not healthy for either of them, and they knew it. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t hoping for things to workout for them, though. The characters are crafted as so human: flawed, quirky, lonely.
The family dynamic and the romance is what made me so hooked to the book. The ending is so emotional, and has a twist I didn’t see coming. I’d just like to blame Dyer for needing kleenex nearby.
Here So Far Away is a quick read, though not without its faults. Overall, while I had some issues with the romance, the story is so human and the book is easy to fall into.
Review originally posted on my blog, Turning Pages.
This book is at once a coming of age story, and a story of forbidden romance. The book, as a result, is full of drama, emotional scenes, and romance. I enjoyed seeing a fairly accurate representation of high school friendships and petty drama, though sometimes it felt a little dry. You know, girls fighting over a boy, a boy being a jerk, that kind of thing.
I mostly enjoyed reading about George and her family. Their dynamic is so, so realistic. I also saw some of my own family reflected in it - my dad was sick when I was about to go to university and it put a lot of strain on the family. We see her dad struggle with his new reality and that he may not be able to go back to the police force. That’s a majour lifestyle change not only for him but also for his family. I appreciated how it was handled. He withdraws, he’s angry, he over-eats. Her mom has her own growth which I appreciated. Her brother is sweet.
The romance itself is a tricky topic. Without spoiling anything, the way they initially get together isn’t the greatest, and that doesn’t help the romance . Don’t get me wrong, they have their share of sweet and steamy scenes which I liked. But the romance was not healthy for either of them, and they knew it. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t hoping for things to workout for them, though. The characters are crafted as so human: flawed, quirky, lonely.
The family dynamic and the romance is what made me so hooked to the book. The ending is so emotional, and has a twist I didn’t see coming. I’d just like to blame Dyer for needing kleenex nearby.
Here So Far Away is a quick read, though not without its faults. Overall, while I had some issues with the romance, the story is so human and the book is easy to fall into.
December 16, 2020
One of the best young adults I’ve read in a long time!
July 18, 2020
First of, I need to say that this is one of the first reviews I write and I do need to say this isn't my first language, so I'm truly sorry if I say something wrong or anything like that, but I felt like I need to review this.
I read this book a while ago, and I had no intentions of writing a review. But then I thought that, in the future, I'd like to know why I had rated this book with 3 (maybe 2.5 stars).
Initially, right after reading it, I considered giving it 2 stars, and so I did.
But now, spending some time thinking about the plot and what I liked (and loved) and what I didn't understand about this novel, it didn't feel right to rate the author so little because of the little details I didn't like, so I did change my rating to 3 starts.
Spoiler Alert
I guess one thing I didn't like about it was that I couldn't identify or understand the main character. Sometimes I felt she was too emotionally disconnected, and since we are reading from her point of view, I was expecting a little more insight than what I would get if I was, I don't know, her classmate, which is what I felt I was, as a reader in her mind. I did like the begging of her romantic relationship, since that was somewhat the start of the novel, I thought it was cute, but as the book went on, it felt as if the author moved from stage 2 of romantic relationship to stage 5 (it was, in fact, her first serious boyfriend, right? I was expecting some steps back from her, as you would, but not everyone is the same, of course). I could tell you other things I didn't like, but they're not that big and important.
One thing I did like was her friendship with the old man that owned the farm house, I felt that the conversations between them were the most interesting in the whole book.
I read this book a while ago, and I had no intentions of writing a review. But then I thought that, in the future, I'd like to know why I had rated this book with 3 (maybe 2.5 stars).
Initially, right after reading it, I considered giving it 2 stars, and so I did.
But now, spending some time thinking about the plot and what I liked (and loved) and what I didn't understand about this novel, it didn't feel right to rate the author so little because of the little details I didn't like, so I did change my rating to 3 starts.
Spoiler Alert
I guess one thing I didn't like about it was that I couldn't identify or understand the main character. Sometimes I felt she was too emotionally disconnected, and since we are reading from her point of view, I was expecting a little more insight than what I would get if I was, I don't know, her classmate, which is what I felt I was, as a reader in her mind. I did like the begging of her romantic relationship, since that was somewhat the start of the novel, I thought it was cute, but as the book went on, it felt as if the author moved from stage 2 of romantic relationship to stage 5 (it was, in fact, her first serious boyfriend, right? I was expecting some steps back from her, as you would, but not everyone is the same, of course). I could tell you other things I didn't like, but they're not that big and important.
One thing I did like was her friendship with the old man that owned the farm house, I felt that the conversations between them were the most interesting in the whole book.
November 30, 2020
0 Stars... Is this YA?
I truly regret getting this book because it was so awful and painful at times to get through. I hoped that it would get better and pushed through because I'm doing the reading challenge. Well, it didn't, but I was already too far in to quit. I knew going in that the story would be about a teenager falling for an older guy, but I wasn't expecting it to be a 17 year old kid and a 29 year old man. Yet, I figured that the relationship would lead to a great message or something like that, but NOPE. The book is so pointless and literally has no real plot. George claims she and Francis were of course "in love", but all the two of them really did was have sex. I hate and I mean hate when authors try to sell sex and lust for love especially in YA literature. Was I suppose to root for George and Francis's relationship to work out? Francis was a COP taking sexual advantage of a minor and you want the reader to be ok with that? It even mentions how George would give oral sex to Francis! Sorry, but I just can't condone the romanticizing of statutory rape.
Honestly, the book was just distasteful and the writing was drier than a desert (my lips are parched right now). I felt nothing for the characters except George's dad and the pig and even after the final Francis situation happened, I was neither shocked or moved---I felt nothing at all. I didn't feel sorry for him and I didn't feel sorry for George. As a matter of fact, the only person I felt sorry for was myself because I just so wanted to be done with this terrible book. I'm not even going to get into the drugs usage. Normally, I'm not really bother too much by that, but the drug stuff just seemed like a poor attempt to add I guess edginess to the book (as though a minor having sex with a 30 year old man isn't enough).
Anyway, this book didn't work for me and I definitely don't recommend it to anyone. Do yourself a favor and skip this one, it's not worth the time. There are too many good books out there to be wasting time on this (Letters to the Lost, More Than We Can Tell, I'll be there, Faking Normal, A Matter of the Heart---just to name a few).
Content: Lots mentioning of sex and sex, etc.
Language: There is some strong language (moderate amount)
I truly regret getting this book because it was so awful and painful at times to get through. I hoped that it would get better and pushed through because I'm doing the reading challenge. Well, it didn't, but I was already too far in to quit. I knew going in that the story would be about a teenager falling for an older guy, but I wasn't expecting it to be a 17 year old kid and a 29 year old man. Yet, I figured that the relationship would lead to a great message or something like that, but NOPE. The book is so pointless and literally has no real plot. George claims she and Francis were of course "in love", but all the two of them really did was have sex. I hate and I mean hate when authors try to sell sex and lust for love especially in YA literature. Was I suppose to root for George and Francis's relationship to work out? Francis was a COP taking sexual advantage of a minor and you want the reader to be ok with that? It even mentions how George would give oral sex to Francis! Sorry, but I just can't condone the romanticizing of statutory rape.
Honestly, the book was just distasteful and the writing was drier than a desert (my lips are parched right now). I felt nothing for the characters except George's dad and the pig and even after the final Francis situation happened, I was neither shocked or moved---I felt nothing at all. I didn't feel sorry for him and I didn't feel sorry for George. As a matter of fact, the only person I felt sorry for was myself because I just so wanted to be done with this terrible book. I'm not even going to get into the drugs usage. Normally, I'm not really bother too much by that, but the drug stuff just seemed like a poor attempt to add I guess edginess to the book (as though a minor having sex with a 30 year old man isn't enough).
Anyway, this book didn't work for me and I definitely don't recommend it to anyone. Do yourself a favor and skip this one, it's not worth the time. There are too many good books out there to be wasting time on this (Letters to the Lost, More Than We Can Tell, I'll be there, Faking Normal, A Matter of the Heart---just to name a few).
Content: Lots mentioning of sex and sex, etc.
Language: There is some strong language (moderate amount)
December 18, 2017
You have to read this book twice. Once to get lost in the story. A second time to get all the jokes. Only then will you find yourself nodding and truly appreciating the smart dialogue between characters and all the lines that went over your head the first time.
The author gets my highest rating on this forum as - just like her main character George, she “never goes for cheap emotion”. I won’t give a full synopsis here, and hope to avoid spoiling anything with this review.
If you’ve come from a small town, you will keenly feel George’s isolation, the agony of her boredom, of waiting for and wanting something better, something more…especially in the wake of being frozen out by a best friend and social group at school, and dealing with an ailing parent and a change in the form of parental roles. This all builds until it seems so understandably easy for this young woman to tip over into the gaping chasm of an inappropriate relationship with an older man, whose professional position places him dangerously off limits.
For those who are giving this to younger readers, the book has some mature themes and situations to be aware of (teenage drinking, drugs, and sex). But the story is oh so honest and supported by a convincing cast of characters: a father (with a recently amputated foot), a brother (with a Victorian constitution, I can’t even stand how much I love that), a delightful elderly employer, a believable friend group, including Bill (a guy friend that sneaks up on you and you might only truly appreciate the second time you read the book) and a pig (that you will find yourself crying over like it’s Charlotte’s web and you are back on the farm).
In the end, it’s George’s fall that will get you - even though you are warned of its happening in the tagline of the book. The author lingers there just long enough to give some space around it, for you to truly feel the depth of this young woman’s heartbreak.
I will read it a third time. For any writers out there, the book is worth buying just to study how to do this really, really well.
Thanks to the 'Pop Goes the Reader' blog for the ARC and the opportunity for an early read.
The author gets my highest rating on this forum as - just like her main character George, she “never goes for cheap emotion”. I won’t give a full synopsis here, and hope to avoid spoiling anything with this review.
If you’ve come from a small town, you will keenly feel George’s isolation, the agony of her boredom, of waiting for and wanting something better, something more…especially in the wake of being frozen out by a best friend and social group at school, and dealing with an ailing parent and a change in the form of parental roles. This all builds until it seems so understandably easy for this young woman to tip over into the gaping chasm of an inappropriate relationship with an older man, whose professional position places him dangerously off limits.
For those who are giving this to younger readers, the book has some mature themes and situations to be aware of (teenage drinking, drugs, and sex). But the story is oh so honest and supported by a convincing cast of characters: a father (with a recently amputated foot), a brother (with a Victorian constitution, I can’t even stand how much I love that), a delightful elderly employer, a believable friend group, including Bill (a guy friend that sneaks up on you and you might only truly appreciate the second time you read the book) and a pig (that you will find yourself crying over like it’s Charlotte’s web and you are back on the farm).
In the end, it’s George’s fall that will get you - even though you are warned of its happening in the tagline of the book. The author lingers there just long enough to give some space around it, for you to truly feel the depth of this young woman’s heartbreak.
I will read it a third time. For any writers out there, the book is worth buying just to study how to do this really, really well.
Thanks to the 'Pop Goes the Reader' blog for the ARC and the opportunity for an early read.
May 4, 2018
While I absolutely loved the concept of this novel, I thought the execution was not very well done. One of my biggest problems was the author kept hinting at certain events, expecting the reader to kind of assume what was happening... this made things confusing and I had to go back and reread certain pages because I just got so stumped.
I felt like the ending didn't wrap anything up. The emotions were still so raw and I felt like George didn't grow as a character at all.
I'm giving this book a 3 star because although the story was severely lacking, I still wanted to continue reading to find out what happens next.
The concept was great, right up my alley. I just wish it was done a bit differently.
I felt like the ending didn't wrap anything up. The emotions were still so raw and I felt like George didn't grow as a character at all.
I'm giving this book a 3 star because although the story was severely lacking, I still wanted to continue reading to find out what happens next.
The concept was great, right up my alley. I just wish it was done a bit differently.
November 17, 2018
A beautifully written, very poetic, novel firmly situated in a favourite part of the country.
The characters, as individuals and even if they are not likeable, are what make this book so special… the journey of love and loss… humour and heartbreak all wrapped up together. The relationships between the characters are equally authentic and well crafted.
And the ending… it’s so sad, but really, it was the only way it could have ended. That’s life, sadly.
Things to like about this book:
Salute to my friend Don Aker
True to it’s time
Teen relationships
Family relationships
George
Humour
Elizabeth Bishop: and One Art in particular
The pig! OMG!!
The characters, as individuals and even if they are not likeable, are what make this book so special… the journey of love and loss… humour and heartbreak all wrapped up together. The relationships between the characters are equally authentic and well crafted.
And the ending… it’s so sad, but really, it was the only way it could have ended. That’s life, sadly.
Things to like about this book:
Salute to my friend Don Aker
True to it’s time
Teen relationships
Family relationships
George
Humour
Elizabeth Bishop: and One Art in particular
The pig! OMG!!
March 13, 2018
Plot:
Maybe when Sid left things were going to be different no matter what. August of 1992, Sid moved with his parents’ to Vancouver, leaving the valley, and his friend group since grade seven, behind. For Frances, who goes by her middle name George, this was the beginning of the end. Planning on partying her way through her senior year, her remaining friend group of Bill, Natalie, and Lisa (whom she was closest too), and then off to Aurora University in the city. As for George, anywhere in life was better than the valley. During her lighthouse shift, a stranger came by looking for a pig that ran away. Latching onto him in an impromptu kiss, George knew whoever this stranger was, she needs to see him again. Leading him on that she was twenty, attending the local university, in which the stranger said maybe he would see her again at the local bar. Missing out of the second shack party, she goes to the bar to find her “Come from Away” stranger, whose real name is Francis McAdams. Hitting it off straight away, they stayed until last call, and then an early morning walks on the beach, with the feeling being mutual: “I’d still want to stay up all night talking to you” (137). Then the drama starts. With her father, a RCMP sergeant (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) out on leave due to having to amputate his foot, the station had to hire in outside help in the name of Francis McAdams. Greeting the new office for lunch, Francis sat at George’s family table, and realize the truth about her. Wanted to break off their relationship right there, Francis almost succeeded in getting George out of his life. After all, whatever went down between them, cannot happen. With a new job in a small town, his career will be over if they found out that he, age twenty-nine, hooked up with a seventeen year-old. Yet, George was not done with him that easily. The girl every boy wanted, who thought she was above love, was falling fast for a man that no one thought she could have. With drama brewing between her and Lisa, after Lisa told boyfriend Keith, who told everyone in the school, how much of a slut George is, George spends more time hiding out in abandon parking lots with Francis, and less time with her friends. With the drama of her life spinning out of control, George, whom the boys call the Enforcer of the group, may need her own protector, to protect her from herself.
Thoughts:
The saying love is love, is true in many cases. But age? That is where Hadley Dyer draws her line. Some will read this book and think about this fantastic Romeo and Juliet storyline, where Francis and George are in love and cannot tell anyone. Others (like me) first response will be “ew”, second will be “Oh George, sweetie, what are you doing?”, and so on through the rest of the story. Dyer clearly did not make Francis follow the “divide your age, plus seven, and that is the youngest you can date.” Because even when George pretended to be twenty (legal drinking age in Canada is 19), it was still crossing the line. Besides the yucky romance, the story was a typical teen drama as George is faced with family issues, friend fight, and the fact she desperately wants to get away from this small town. The ending was visible a mile away, yet Dyer still manages to make you feel the impacts of it like you did not see it coming. This book gives off the stereotypical young adult novel vibe, as it is Dyer’s first young adult novel. This book is a perfect summer read, and one that makes you glad you are not part of George’s life.
Maybe when Sid left things were going to be different no matter what. August of 1992, Sid moved with his parents’ to Vancouver, leaving the valley, and his friend group since grade seven, behind. For Frances, who goes by her middle name George, this was the beginning of the end. Planning on partying her way through her senior year, her remaining friend group of Bill, Natalie, and Lisa (whom she was closest too), and then off to Aurora University in the city. As for George, anywhere in life was better than the valley. During her lighthouse shift, a stranger came by looking for a pig that ran away. Latching onto him in an impromptu kiss, George knew whoever this stranger was, she needs to see him again. Leading him on that she was twenty, attending the local university, in which the stranger said maybe he would see her again at the local bar. Missing out of the second shack party, she goes to the bar to find her “Come from Away” stranger, whose real name is Francis McAdams. Hitting it off straight away, they stayed until last call, and then an early morning walks on the beach, with the feeling being mutual: “I’d still want to stay up all night talking to you” (137). Then the drama starts. With her father, a RCMP sergeant (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) out on leave due to having to amputate his foot, the station had to hire in outside help in the name of Francis McAdams. Greeting the new office for lunch, Francis sat at George’s family table, and realize the truth about her. Wanted to break off their relationship right there, Francis almost succeeded in getting George out of his life. After all, whatever went down between them, cannot happen. With a new job in a small town, his career will be over if they found out that he, age twenty-nine, hooked up with a seventeen year-old. Yet, George was not done with him that easily. The girl every boy wanted, who thought she was above love, was falling fast for a man that no one thought she could have. With drama brewing between her and Lisa, after Lisa told boyfriend Keith, who told everyone in the school, how much of a slut George is, George spends more time hiding out in abandon parking lots with Francis, and less time with her friends. With the drama of her life spinning out of control, George, whom the boys call the Enforcer of the group, may need her own protector, to protect her from herself.
Thoughts:
The saying love is love, is true in many cases. But age? That is where Hadley Dyer draws her line. Some will read this book and think about this fantastic Romeo and Juliet storyline, where Francis and George are in love and cannot tell anyone. Others (like me) first response will be “ew”, second will be “Oh George, sweetie, what are you doing?”, and so on through the rest of the story. Dyer clearly did not make Francis follow the “divide your age, plus seven, and that is the youngest you can date.” Because even when George pretended to be twenty (legal drinking age in Canada is 19), it was still crossing the line. Besides the yucky romance, the story was a typical teen drama as George is faced with family issues, friend fight, and the fact she desperately wants to get away from this small town. The ending was visible a mile away, yet Dyer still manages to make you feel the impacts of it like you did not see it coming. This book gives off the stereotypical young adult novel vibe, as it is Dyer’s first young adult novel. This book is a perfect summer read, and one that makes you glad you are not part of George’s life.
September 15, 2021
I have so many mixed feelings about this book. Part of me wants to rate it 4 stars, because I started it at midnight in bed and didn't put it down until 1:30 AM and moved to the couch because the tears wouldn't stop pouring. Another part of me wants to give it 2 or 3 because it just... didn't make sense.
George is not a very likeable main character. Her sarcasm is off-putting and she's not a great friend, but is also surrounded by bad friends, except Bill. He's a gem. She seems to relish in other's misfortune, which makes her hard to agree with. But she is 17. That's what is devastating about this book.
If you are someone who has ever been infatuated by someone older, and then had to pick up the pieces when you finally realized you had been a fun new toy, this book will hit home and tears will stream down your face without you even knowing. Some lines packed a punch:
"I’m afraid I’m not smart enough for you. That I’m okay at a bunch of things but not exceptional at any of them. And for a couple of hours there, and probably from now on, that something will happen to someone I care about."
"If he wasn’t broken, why here and why you? Did you really think your whistling was so damn charming?"
"I knew our love was precarious, every moment as dangerous and delicate as raising the mast of a ship in a bottle, but I’d had this strange confidence that the only thing that could end us before next fall would be getting caught. It hadn’t occurred to me that we could break it off voluntarily, not after we’d said we loved each other. I’d never considered that it would be just like Francis to change his mind."
Francis is intriguing. He's the perfect man, the worst man, the typical older guy in a big age gap relationship. He's charming and likeable, but unpredictable. You never figure him out.
Then the plot twist comes. And that's my beef (sorry to the pig in the book, love you) with this book. Some parts are downright confusing. I consider myself a fairly intelligent reader. I read quickly and skim some long paragraphs, but I'm overall not stupid.
Some parts of this book I had to stop and go, "Wait, what?" Where is it taking place? Who is she talking about? Why is she at a party? Who died? Does she even like this person? Maybe that's the point. But SPOILER: It took me like 10 pages to realize Francis died. And I was disappointed by that. It felt like a cop out, but I also do like that they didn't just end up together. Finding out he was leaving her made me cry without even knowing I was crying.
I love/hate this book. Some parts are weird, and some characters just aren't likeable (@ the dad, what the fuck is his problem? Also I'm scared to step on a pebble now.) Likeable characters, like Matty, aren't given much time. The secondary characters (mainly the pig and Rupert) were great, but her "friends" sucked besides Bill. Her reaction after SPOILER!!!! (Francis' death) was sort of underwhelming. There had to be more to this girl's life than a farm and school and the occasional party. I wanted more of that. Yet I couldn't put it down, so do with that what you will.
Overall worth the read. It's quick and easy and packs a few punches.
George is not a very likeable main character. Her sarcasm is off-putting and she's not a great friend, but is also surrounded by bad friends, except Bill. He's a gem. She seems to relish in other's misfortune, which makes her hard to agree with. But she is 17. That's what is devastating about this book.
If you are someone who has ever been infatuated by someone older, and then had to pick up the pieces when you finally realized you had been a fun new toy, this book will hit home and tears will stream down your face without you even knowing. Some lines packed a punch:
"I’m afraid I’m not smart enough for you. That I’m okay at a bunch of things but not exceptional at any of them. And for a couple of hours there, and probably from now on, that something will happen to someone I care about."
"If he wasn’t broken, why here and why you? Did you really think your whistling was so damn charming?"
"I knew our love was precarious, every moment as dangerous and delicate as raising the mast of a ship in a bottle, but I’d had this strange confidence that the only thing that could end us before next fall would be getting caught. It hadn’t occurred to me that we could break it off voluntarily, not after we’d said we loved each other. I’d never considered that it would be just like Francis to change his mind."
Francis is intriguing. He's the perfect man, the worst man, the typical older guy in a big age gap relationship. He's charming and likeable, but unpredictable. You never figure him out.
Then the plot twist comes. And that's my beef (sorry to the pig in the book, love you) with this book. Some parts are downright confusing. I consider myself a fairly intelligent reader. I read quickly and skim some long paragraphs, but I'm overall not stupid.
Some parts of this book I had to stop and go, "Wait, what?" Where is it taking place? Who is she talking about? Why is she at a party? Who died? Does she even like this person? Maybe that's the point. But SPOILER: It took me like 10 pages to realize Francis died. And I was disappointed by that. It felt like a cop out, but I also do like that they didn't just end up together. Finding out he was leaving her made me cry without even knowing I was crying.
I love/hate this book. Some parts are weird, and some characters just aren't likeable (@ the dad, what the fuck is his problem? Also I'm scared to step on a pebble now.) Likeable characters, like Matty, aren't given much time. The secondary characters (mainly the pig and Rupert) were great, but her "friends" sucked besides Bill. Her reaction after SPOILER!!!! (Francis' death) was sort of underwhelming. There had to be more to this girl's life than a farm and school and the occasional party. I wanted more of that. Yet I couldn't put it down, so do with that what you will.
Overall worth the read. It's quick and easy and packs a few punches.
April 9, 2018
Huge thank you to Harper Collins Canada for this ARC!
I had the pleasure of meeting Hadley Dyer at the OLA Superconference earlier this year, and she was a joy to chat with. Her debut YA novel was something I could tell was close to her heart, and focused on some darker subject matters that for me as a contemporary fan, I easily gravitate towards. George (also known as Frances) is one of those heroines who goes through so much growing up in one story and what she deals with is something I feel like people may have a hard time accepting.
This book looks at an older male relationship at its core. George meets a man named Francis who shares her love of witty banter and sarcasm, but he's nearly ten years older. For those who are uncomfortable by an older male relationship in a story, this likely might not be the book for you. I do want to stress though what an interesting and deep character Francis is given he knows that he shouldn't be with such a younger woman, and to the point where you see it as something he struggles with. His relationship with George is one where you can see all the cogs in their brains turning, they know they shouldn't, and it's a point they debate frequently in the story. I was worried this would squick me out because normally I am not good with this aspect in a story, but here I appreciated that Francis wasn't predatory in any way.
Frankly, I love both characters too. I think outside of the relationship aspect both George and Francis grow so much in this story, and there's a genuineness in the way they are written. They learn from each other, you see that they want to be better people even for each other, but neither of them are necessary in a good emotional place to be in a proper relationship. I think Dyer writes this relationship in such a way where both characters are so well developed that they feel very realistic in their feelings and approaches towards each other.
I loved George. I saw myself in her, especially in that she uses self-deprecating humour and sarcasm as a means to hide her true self -- someone who is isolated, afraid, and living with series doubts regarding her family situation (he father can no longer work), how she'll pay for college, if she's able to repair her friendships, and come to terms with whatever it is she has with Francis. You see a heroine who makes terrible choices, behaves in unlikable ways, and yet she's someone we all know, and for me I can appreciate the layers that she has. I won't lie and say I didn't yell at the book with some of the decisions she made (I yelled a lot), but part of me knew that George is so smart and sharp and yet she knows the decisions she makes are bad and she's okay with it.
This book was such a slow burn for me, but it's one I grew to appreciate as I read on. I loved Dyer's writing style and I found it so engaging. This is not the kind of book you can just whip through as there is so many little nuances within the story that I feel like on a second reading, I may enjoy even more.
I had the pleasure of meeting Hadley Dyer at the OLA Superconference earlier this year, and she was a joy to chat with. Her debut YA novel was something I could tell was close to her heart, and focused on some darker subject matters that for me as a contemporary fan, I easily gravitate towards. George (also known as Frances) is one of those heroines who goes through so much growing up in one story and what she deals with is something I feel like people may have a hard time accepting.
This book looks at an older male relationship at its core. George meets a man named Francis who shares her love of witty banter and sarcasm, but he's nearly ten years older. For those who are uncomfortable by an older male relationship in a story, this likely might not be the book for you. I do want to stress though what an interesting and deep character Francis is given he knows that he shouldn't be with such a younger woman, and to the point where you see it as something he struggles with. His relationship with George is one where you can see all the cogs in their brains turning, they know they shouldn't, and it's a point they debate frequently in the story. I was worried this would squick me out because normally I am not good with this aspect in a story, but here I appreciated that Francis wasn't predatory in any way.
Frankly, I love both characters too. I think outside of the relationship aspect both George and Francis grow so much in this story, and there's a genuineness in the way they are written. They learn from each other, you see that they want to be better people even for each other, but neither of them are necessary in a good emotional place to be in a proper relationship. I think Dyer writes this relationship in such a way where both characters are so well developed that they feel very realistic in their feelings and approaches towards each other.
I loved George. I saw myself in her, especially in that she uses self-deprecating humour and sarcasm as a means to hide her true self -- someone who is isolated, afraid, and living with series doubts regarding her family situation (he father can no longer work), how she'll pay for college, if she's able to repair her friendships, and come to terms with whatever it is she has with Francis. You see a heroine who makes terrible choices, behaves in unlikable ways, and yet she's someone we all know, and for me I can appreciate the layers that she has. I won't lie and say I didn't yell at the book with some of the decisions she made (I yelled a lot), but part of me knew that George is so smart and sharp and yet she knows the decisions she makes are bad and she's okay with it.
This book was such a slow burn for me, but it's one I grew to appreciate as I read on. I loved Dyer's writing style and I found it so engaging. This is not the kind of book you can just whip through as there is so many little nuances within the story that I feel like on a second reading, I may enjoy even more.
Read
January 18, 2022Technically not a spoiler but is spoiler sorta? (DNF)
I didn’t really wanna rate this book tbh. This will sound harsh but I honestly tried pretty hard to even get through this by around maybe page 77 or so I realized this was not for me. I usually try to push through & never DNF a book but this was my 1st DNF of this year. Got it for Christmas & tried really really hard but it seemed like I didn’t connect with any characters, the 1st few pages felt like “drinking, making out, I wanted to lose my virginity pretty quick so I did but don’t like him just wanted it out of the way”. Which is fine honestly but it just felt…. Bland? None of the characters ever stuck with me & I couldn’t even tell you past a girl named Lisa because she’s mentioned a good bit.
The chapters felt like someone had wrote more but it was lost during print. When I started to follow the concept of “we’re in shops stealing & we’re walking to a mall”, I turned the page & somehow she’s now in or about to go into a bar across town? Most books I read are like this but for this one I couldn’t process what in the world was going on ever & had to re-read multiple times to figure stuff out. & I did not enjoy any bits with that tall guy she kissed at all. Every time he’s mentioned being near he just jumps up, & runs away balling his eyes out a lot. It goes from the unfortunate kiss (which is understandable to run & cry about) straight to when she can just be near or slightly touch him maybe say 3 words & he’s running away crying.
I just couldn’t figure out why I didn’t like this that much. I don’t really read a lot of romances/anything close to it & I was trying so hard I felt awful for not continuing on & trying to find a “maybe this gets better” moment. I even looked up reviews or YouTube reviews (what very very little to be found) & I just let it be spoiled for me entirely because Ik I won’t be finishing this ever most likely, plus what I heard it’s a “meh” kind of rollercoaster. Nothing too exciting I feel like happens & the ending left some clueless I think. Take for granted again, I read near 80 pages only before quitting & I normally read fantasy/thrillers not this type of writing. So is it for me? Absolutely not & that’s okay with me. If I missed out then that’s okay too. But by all means read it if you keep looking into it but if you’re looking for an amazing trip I’d settle back into your carousel ride just in case.
Again this is purely my opinion amongst others not counting your own possibly. Do not be feel ushered away with my review I just didn’t want to continue something I didn’t personally enjoy. & by the looks of it, most of the reviews is 4 stars so maybe I missed out some by not reading it. But regardless, if you decide to read this I hope you like it.
I didn’t really wanna rate this book tbh. This will sound harsh but I honestly tried pretty hard to even get through this by around maybe page 77 or so I realized this was not for me. I usually try to push through & never DNF a book but this was my 1st DNF of this year. Got it for Christmas & tried really really hard but it seemed like I didn’t connect with any characters, the 1st few pages felt like “drinking, making out, I wanted to lose my virginity pretty quick so I did but don’t like him just wanted it out of the way”. Which is fine honestly but it just felt…. Bland? None of the characters ever stuck with me & I couldn’t even tell you past a girl named Lisa because she’s mentioned a good bit.
The chapters felt like someone had wrote more but it was lost during print. When I started to follow the concept of “we’re in shops stealing & we’re walking to a mall”, I turned the page & somehow she’s now in or about to go into a bar across town? Most books I read are like this but for this one I couldn’t process what in the world was going on ever & had to re-read multiple times to figure stuff out. & I did not enjoy any bits with that tall guy she kissed at all. Every time he’s mentioned being near he just jumps up, & runs away balling his eyes out a lot. It goes from the unfortunate kiss (which is understandable to run & cry about) straight to when she can just be near or slightly touch him maybe say 3 words & he’s running away crying.
I just couldn’t figure out why I didn’t like this that much. I don’t really read a lot of romances/anything close to it & I was trying so hard I felt awful for not continuing on & trying to find a “maybe this gets better” moment. I even looked up reviews or YouTube reviews (what very very little to be found) & I just let it be spoiled for me entirely because Ik I won’t be finishing this ever most likely, plus what I heard it’s a “meh” kind of rollercoaster. Nothing too exciting I feel like happens & the ending left some clueless I think. Take for granted again, I read near 80 pages only before quitting & I normally read fantasy/thrillers not this type of writing. So is it for me? Absolutely not & that’s okay with me. If I missed out then that’s okay too. But by all means read it if you keep looking into it but if you’re looking for an amazing trip I’d settle back into your carousel ride just in case.
Again this is purely my opinion amongst others not counting your own possibly. Do not be feel ushered away with my review I just didn’t want to continue something I didn’t personally enjoy. & by the looks of it, most of the reviews is 4 stars so maybe I missed out some by not reading it. But regardless, if you decide to read this I hope you like it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2017
I received an ARC of Here So Far Away via NetGalley.
Here So Far Away by Hadley Dyer is about love, loss, and growing up in a damn hurry.
George is a snarky 17-year old, with dreams of leaving the small confines of her hometown. However, life throws her a curve ball with the arrival of 'Constable' Francis McAdams: a well-traveled man, of 29-years; he offers the intellectual challenge George has missed in her otherwise unspectacular life. The journey they embark on, with each other, is at the very heart of this story.
I immediately connected with George.
She's awkward, quirky, uncertain, and somewhat misunderstood by those around her; what they see is not what she wants them to get, but she's unwilling to adjust the narrative.
While definitely book smart, the cocoon of her sheltered world has made her a dreamer more than a doer: her entire hope for who she is rests on the idea that she'll find it once she leaves the eyes and ears of her overbearing parents.
Lisa is George's best friend, but she is immediately sucked into the social mores of high school. The two begin to drift apart, and an early betrayal of trust makes for a loss of the bond they shared. As a result, Bill--also a part of George's inner circle--becomes her unlikely confidante.
The brilliance of this story is how every character, both central and periphery, grows. The growth is natural, free of fanfare, and true to the person to whom its attributed.
As the story moves towards it's heartbreaking--and it is heartbreaking--end, George is forced to confront her own ideals, and reshuffle the deck of who she is versus who she wants to be.
In the end, this wasn't so much a story about the relationship of two people as it was about the becoming of a girl into a woman: her regrets, her triumphs, and her burgeoning understanding of how bittersweet life can be.
"Life's a bad writer"...but what it writes, for the most part, is our responsibility.
Life's a bad writer, my father used to say. I think he meant that most of us would write our lives differently, given the chance. If I could choose one year to rewrite, it'd be my senior year of high school, and I'd probably start with the first shack party...
Here So Far Away by Hadley Dyer is about love, loss, and growing up in a damn hurry.
George is a snarky 17-year old, with dreams of leaving the small confines of her hometown. However, life throws her a curve ball with the arrival of 'Constable' Francis McAdams: a well-traveled man, of 29-years; he offers the intellectual challenge George has missed in her otherwise unspectacular life. The journey they embark on, with each other, is at the very heart of this story.
I immediately connected with George.
She's awkward, quirky, uncertain, and somewhat misunderstood by those around her; what they see is not what she wants them to get, but she's unwilling to adjust the narrative.
While definitely book smart, the cocoon of her sheltered world has made her a dreamer more than a doer: her entire hope for who she is rests on the idea that she'll find it once she leaves the eyes and ears of her overbearing parents.
Lisa is George's best friend, but she is immediately sucked into the social mores of high school. The two begin to drift apart, and an early betrayal of trust makes for a loss of the bond they shared. As a result, Bill--also a part of George's inner circle--becomes her unlikely confidante.
The brilliance of this story is how every character, both central and periphery, grows. The growth is natural, free of fanfare, and true to the person to whom its attributed.
As the story moves towards it's heartbreaking--and it is heartbreaking--end, George is forced to confront her own ideals, and reshuffle the deck of who she is versus who she wants to be.
In the end, this wasn't so much a story about the relationship of two people as it was about the becoming of a girl into a woman: her regrets, her triumphs, and her burgeoning understanding of how bittersweet life can be.
"Life's a bad writer"...but what it writes, for the most part, is our responsibility.
November 5, 2021
YA lovers: this one is for you! Seriously.
George is 17 & a senior in high school. She is fierce, feisty, & fearless. She has a solid group of best friends & a town that she can’t wait to get away from. The last thing she expected was to fall in love with an older man & break up with her bestie. She can no longer afford to be fearless for the first time in her life.
I’ve said this before but the older I get, the harder it is for me to enjoy YA. I am at the age where I can’t really relate emotionally to these YA characters anymore. However, I really liked this one!
I felt like I was reading George’s diary. This story felt personal, down to earth, & SO relatable to the teenage girl mind. It was entertaining, engaging, & full of personality; full of George’s personality.
The main character was so fun, so real, & so human. I saw a bit of my teenage self inside of her. I truly didn’t want to put this one down & I finished it in three hours.
This one was simply, a good story.
It had the humor, it had the emotion, it had the heartbreak, & it had the ending conclusion. It’s a book full of some very twisty & dark emotions & situations, but I felt like George really came into herself because of what was thrown at her.
It’s a YA that has a message & an importance behind it. It’s a YA that deals with tough shit & I always think those are the best kinds.
If I read this at 17, I guarantee you I would have cried.
It was fun! It had a backbone to it with a somewhat suspenseful story to keep the reader’s mind wondering to the very end. Easy to read, easy to finish, easy to like. I’m strangely curious why the YA world hasn’t latched onto this one yet!!
4/5 ⭐️ another perrrrfect read for #nohypenovember 🥳
George is 17 & a senior in high school. She is fierce, feisty, & fearless. She has a solid group of best friends & a town that she can’t wait to get away from. The last thing she expected was to fall in love with an older man & break up with her bestie. She can no longer afford to be fearless for the first time in her life.
I’ve said this before but the older I get, the harder it is for me to enjoy YA. I am at the age where I can’t really relate emotionally to these YA characters anymore. However, I really liked this one!
I felt like I was reading George’s diary. This story felt personal, down to earth, & SO relatable to the teenage girl mind. It was entertaining, engaging, & full of personality; full of George’s personality.
The main character was so fun, so real, & so human. I saw a bit of my teenage self inside of her. I truly didn’t want to put this one down & I finished it in three hours.
This one was simply, a good story.
It had the humor, it had the emotion, it had the heartbreak, & it had the ending conclusion. It’s a book full of some very twisty & dark emotions & situations, but I felt like George really came into herself because of what was thrown at her.
It’s a YA that has a message & an importance behind it. It’s a YA that deals with tough shit & I always think those are the best kinds.
If I read this at 17, I guarantee you I would have cried.
It was fun! It had a backbone to it with a somewhat suspenseful story to keep the reader’s mind wondering to the very end. Easy to read, easy to finish, easy to like. I’m strangely curious why the YA world hasn’t latched onto this one yet!!
4/5 ⭐️ another perrrrfect read for #nohypenovember 🥳
May 6, 2018
I randomly picked up this book at the library because it was new YA lit, and I’m always on the lookout to read and recommend books to my students.
Slow to start, this book never gets up off the ground. The main character is snotty and hard to like. As the action continues she keeps coming back to what is supposed to be the growth in her character: that her hard, frozen heart needs to thaw.
In order to do that, the plot allows for her to fall for the 29 year old officer who is taking over her injured father’s position. At first knowing she is under 18, the officer is aloof, but then they fall in love.
Except being in love is somehow only a lot of sex in secret.
Inevitably the relationship comes to an end and the main character is destroyed. Finally she begins to let others into her cold, frozen heart as she grieves.
I did not care about anyone in the book, except for the father who very clearly is struggling with depression but is pretty much ignored by his family.
This book will not make it to my recommendations list.
Slow to start, this book never gets up off the ground. The main character is snotty and hard to like. As the action continues she keeps coming back to what is supposed to be the growth in her character: that her hard, frozen heart needs to thaw.
In order to do that, the plot allows for her to fall for the 29 year old officer who is taking over her injured father’s position. At first knowing she is under 18, the officer is aloof, but then they fall in love.
Except being in love is somehow only a lot of sex in secret.
Inevitably the relationship comes to an end and the main character is destroyed. Finally she begins to let others into her cold, frozen heart as she grieves.
I did not care about anyone in the book, except for the father who very clearly is struggling with depression but is pretty much ignored by his family.
This book will not make it to my recommendations list.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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