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Ann, Not Annie
Ann, not Annie, is tired of her nominal existence and has vowed to turn things around by dating the hottest guy in school, Jacob Waters. Easier said than done since Jacob isn’t even aware she exists. The truth is, due to Ann’s lively temper she spends more time in detention with the rest of the school rejects than she does fantasizing about Jacob Waters wearing spandex. Her best friend and devout alien believer, Lisa, doesn’t like the changes she’s seeing in her BFF. Neither does Danny Feller, a fellow detention inmate and resident lost boy who has started keeping an extra watchful and unwanted eye on Ann. When a chance encounter in an empty hallway changes everything, Ann finds all her dreams coming true and she is well on her way to living the perfect life she’s always wanted. But appearances aren’t always what they seem and Ann is going to have to face not just cold hard facts, but also her past.
294 pages, Paperback
Published September 22, 2017
10 people are currently reading
2325 people want to read
About the author
Sage Steadman
10 books146 followersSage Steadman was awarded a master’s degree in social work from the University of Utah. While pursuing her passion for writing, she worked as a licensed mental health therapist. She published her debut novel, "Snowflake Obsidian: Memoir of a Cutter," in 2010 under her pen name, The Hippie, and since, re-released the second edition under her real name. The novel has been deemed an “idyllic” read, filled with love, humor, romance and heart. She is also the co-author of the gritty and inspiring historical fiction novel, "Upon Destiny’s Song," alongside classical guitarist, Mike Ericksen. She is also the author of the YA novels, "The Waking Dream," and "Ann, Not Annie." Sage is heralded as a talented writer who tackles her novels with a witty, raw and honest approach. She currently lives near Salt Lake City, Utah with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
August 28, 2019
Thank you to Book Tasters and Sage Steadman for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
High school, teenagers, dysfunctional family, and growing up.
This is the teenagiest book I’ve read all year and, man, was it fun.
Ann, Not Annie is about a teenager with a drunk mother and dead father who is trying to get through life and high school the best she can.
The first thing I noticed about this book was how Sage Steadman does not sugar-coat her characters and their personalities. She does not write a nice and adorable MC with a hard life who still manages to be the golden girl we all feel sorry for. Her main character is bitter and angry and hates everyone. She doesn’t know what she wants and can’t make good decisions. She bad-mouthes people she considers “dull and cliche”, but given the opportunity, she would switch lives with them. She is stubborn and jealous, and not someone you’d want to be friends with. And I found this absolutely relatable.
All the anger the MC carried around with herself started to affect her every decision and action in such a palpable way. And the author never once shied away from showing that.
“Feeling angry served the dual purpose of keeping others at a safe distance while drowning out all other competing and overwhelming emotions.”
Ms. Steadman knows exactly how to write a real, honest-to-God teenager. In that age we’re all a bunch of stupid emotional bombs whose brains make no sense, even to them. It’s very refreshing to read a Young Adult book featuring a real teenager. Thank you!
Another thing that I found refreshing about this book was the narrative. Ann, Not Annie is not written through your usual all-knowing voice of the narrator or the MC’s point of view, but from someone else’s perspective, with their own opinion and view on things. I really liked that. I haven’t read many books written in this way. It was very interesting for me when the narrator suddenly disagreed with the MC and felt the need to inform us that they were “her words, not mine”.
In short, the book was the coming-of-age story of Ann (not Annie) and her journey to accept her father’s death and find herself in the process. And I really enjoyed all of it.
My only problem was how the female characters in the book treated each other, with the best friends calling each other whores and sluts. And how normal that was in the book. I think some people don’t see this as a huge problem, but I can’t stand these types of behaviors in my books. And even though a character criticizes this and points out how demeaning it is for the characters to be doing this, I still could’ve done without the whole ordeal.
Another point that I’d like to mention is how this book dealt with rape. Even though it talked about how it isn’t the victim’s fault (with the victim saying it’s her fault, and a dude saying no), I feel like it just talked about it but did not show how it wasn’t her fault and how harmful victim blaming really is. This is a grave issue in our society and if you get the chance to talk about it, then you definitely must. Ann, Not Annie had the perfect platform to talk about it, but it kind of glossed over it instead. I appreciate what the book tried to do by portraying rape and harmful relationships, but I also feel like it could have gotten more in depth and covered a lot more in that sense.
But other than that, the book was great. The character growth in the story is real. And God knows how much I love that in my books.
I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun teenage book dealing with real life problems while still managing to be light and laughable.
This review was originally published on my blog, Rosaline's Rolls & Scrolls
September 7, 2018
Actual Rating 3.5
“Thank you to Book Tasters and Sage Steadman for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”.
Ann, not Annie is the story of a girl who is running away from reality by using her anger to shield her from people, thoughts and herself Until she met Danny who is eager to help her to enjoy the real teen life. But Ann has a new idea, which is to become Gf of too hot senior Jacob, who is clearly not a right choice.
On the other hand her life at home sucks, Her mother is an alcoholic who doesn’t care about her children’s life, elder brother broke all the strings from home and younger is so neglected.
Lisa is her best friend, but Ann’s dark nature doesn’t allow anyone to be near her, and Lisa is also going away from her day by day just due to her nature.
The story is not entirely new or different from other YA, But the writing her is good to hook you, and there are some cute illustrations also.
Our MC Ann is same stupid YA character who always first runs towards the wrong choice.CLICHE.But the worst character is her mother she is so annoying and selfish, I felt for Tommy who is the younger child and need more attention than anyone but he is neglected the most.
Overall it was an interesting read.
“Thank you to Book Tasters and Sage Steadman for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”.
Ann, not Annie is the story of a girl who is running away from reality by using her anger to shield her from people, thoughts and herself Until she met Danny who is eager to help her to enjoy the real teen life. But Ann has a new idea, which is to become Gf of too hot senior Jacob, who is clearly not a right choice.
On the other hand her life at home sucks, Her mother is an alcoholic who doesn’t care about her children’s life, elder brother broke all the strings from home and younger is so neglected.
Lisa is her best friend, but Ann’s dark nature doesn’t allow anyone to be near her, and Lisa is also going away from her day by day just due to her nature.
The story is not entirely new or different from other YA, But the writing her is good to hook you, and there are some cute illustrations also.
Our MC Ann is same stupid YA character who always first runs towards the wrong choice.CLICHE.But the worst character is her mother she is so annoying and selfish, I felt for Tommy who is the younger child and need more attention than anyone but he is neglected the most.
Overall it was an interesting read.
November 4, 2017
Ann, not Annie exceeded my initial expectations of what I thought this book was going to be — a cute account of an unnoticed high-school girl finally getting the attention she desperately craved by dating the hottest boy in school. And while that’s partially what this book was about on its surface, much of the story went quite deep and completely broke my heart.
Reminiscent of a more grown-up version of Dork Diaries with the cute illustrations peppered throughout, Ann, not Annie confronts many important issues including depression, parental death, substance abuse, and sexual assault. Ann finds herself in a deep depression after the death of her father almost a year ago. Not recognizing the fact that she is depressed, she feels as though her behavior is only affecting her and not those around her. She’s built a wall and refuses to allow herself to feel anything, particularly anything positive. A devastating side effect of losing someone you love, and it’s only until she finally confronts her father’s death does she realize the impact that her depression has also had on those around her. Add to that, her older brother is away at college and refuses to visit, leaving Ann to act as the parent to her younger brother because their mother spends the majority of her time in various stages of alcohol abuse.
Ann at only 15 years old has endured more than most adults in her short number of years, and this book was an often painful and heartbreaking account of a girl who so desperately wants the life of a “normal” high-school girl, which is where Jacob Waters comes in. The most popular boy in school has set his sights on Ann, and she knows that he’s just what she needs in order to feel “normal” and noticed and like a person deserving of anything other than the platter of disappointment she’s been handed. The problem with Jacob Waters is that he’s superficial, he doesn’t care so much who Ann is, so long as he gets what he wants from her when he wants it. Ann is blind to all of that because it’s Jacob Waters, the boy she’s fantasized about for years, and by falling in with Jared and his equally vapid group, she’s missing out on the opportunity for something that is real, something that is true with Danny Feller.
The story is narrated by an unknown quantity and I loved that aspect because it gave an interesting account of what the narrator sees in Ann that Ann and those around her do not. Mix that bit of uniqueness in with a story that’s both fun and realistic, and Ann, not Annie is sure to appeal and please many readers, both young adults and adults alike. Highly recommend, and I’ll definitely be watching for anything else by this author.
* I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads giveaways.
Reminiscent of a more grown-up version of Dork Diaries with the cute illustrations peppered throughout, Ann, not Annie confronts many important issues including depression, parental death, substance abuse, and sexual assault. Ann finds herself in a deep depression after the death of her father almost a year ago. Not recognizing the fact that she is depressed, she feels as though her behavior is only affecting her and not those around her. She’s built a wall and refuses to allow herself to feel anything, particularly anything positive. A devastating side effect of losing someone you love, and it’s only until she finally confronts her father’s death does she realize the impact that her depression has also had on those around her. Add to that, her older brother is away at college and refuses to visit, leaving Ann to act as the parent to her younger brother because their mother spends the majority of her time in various stages of alcohol abuse.
Ann at only 15 years old has endured more than most adults in her short number of years, and this book was an often painful and heartbreaking account of a girl who so desperately wants the life of a “normal” high-school girl, which is where Jacob Waters comes in. The most popular boy in school has set his sights on Ann, and she knows that he’s just what she needs in order to feel “normal” and noticed and like a person deserving of anything other than the platter of disappointment she’s been handed. The problem with Jacob Waters is that he’s superficial, he doesn’t care so much who Ann is, so long as he gets what he wants from her when he wants it. Ann is blind to all of that because it’s Jacob Waters, the boy she’s fantasized about for years, and by falling in with Jared and his equally vapid group, she’s missing out on the opportunity for something that is real, something that is true with Danny Feller.
The story is narrated by an unknown quantity and I loved that aspect because it gave an interesting account of what the narrator sees in Ann that Ann and those around her do not. Mix that bit of uniqueness in with a story that’s both fun and realistic, and Ann, not Annie is sure to appeal and please many readers, both young adults and adults alike. Highly recommend, and I’ll definitely be watching for anything else by this author.
* I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads giveaways.
June 20, 2024
I am grateful to the Book Tester team for giving me this book for free in exchange for a fair review.
At first, I thought I was dealing with a story about the teenage love of the main character of the book, but later on, the book had more to say... important issues such as the death of parents, rape, depression, drug abuse, etc. .. expressed. which was appreciated. (Of course, I think the author could have talked more and more deeply about the issue of rape, considering that it was provided in the book and this issue is one of the big problems in our societies. slow... although it is respectful and valuable to express it to the same extent.)
Throughout the book I thought that maybe all this girl wants (literally) is to have a normal life where she can live as a high school girl and not as a parent to her younger siblings, or to As an orphan, or as someone suffering from depression and...
Overall, this book is a coming of age story and a journey to accept grief and face life. A book that is not slow to read and entertains you.
It was very refreshing for me to read this book.
At first, I thought I was dealing with a story about the teenage love of the main character of the book, but later on, the book had more to say... important issues such as the death of parents, rape, depression, drug abuse, etc. .. expressed. which was appreciated. (Of course, I think the author could have talked more and more deeply about the issue of rape, considering that it was provided in the book and this issue is one of the big problems in our societies. slow... although it is respectful and valuable to express it to the same extent.)
Throughout the book I thought that maybe all this girl wants (literally) is to have a normal life where she can live as a high school girl and not as a parent to her younger siblings, or to As an orphan, or as someone suffering from depression and...
Overall, this book is a coming of age story and a journey to accept grief and face life. A book that is not slow to read and entertains you.
It was very refreshing for me to read this book.
September 8, 2017
Ann's father died in a car accident a year ago. But she didn't just lose her father that day: now, she never sees her Uncle Joe or her older brother William, and her mother lives in a constant alcoholic haze. At fifteen, Ann is virtually left to raise her thirteen-year-old brother Tommy on her own. No wonder she acts out and gets sent to detention all the time. It's there that she bonds with social outcast Danny - over Thoreau, of all things. When things start getting a bit too serious, Ann makes some poor decisions and ends up hurting those closest to her.
The anonymous narrator immediately piques our curiosity, telling the tale of Ann, not Annie, "who, despite her best efforts, fell in love." We follow Ann on her journey of self-discovery and, hopefully, learn a few things along the way. I love Ann's doodles, which are scattered throughout the book and depict her (bad) moods. I wish there were more of these illustrations; however, I can see why she doesn't need to draw them when she's feeling "happy". Another of Ann's endearing qualities is her habit of looking up the meanings of her dreams - which are disturbingly accurate. Ann is surrounded by a cast of great support characters, some of who are variously referred to by first name, last name, or nickname. Stick with it, and you'll eventually work out who's who. Another naming issue: Ann's mother's name is Meredith Grey (as in Grey's Anatomy).
While the story is interesting and flows well, I found some of the plotlines hard to believe (e.g., Jacob's interest in Ann, his clique's easy acceptance of her, and Ann's drinking). However, everything becomes relevant, and things wrap up nicely in the end. I'm glad that Ann finally seeks out the help of an adult, showing teenage readers that they don't have to solve everything on their own.
The author's knowledge of mental health issues is apparent in her writing. This is a helpful book for teens dealing with an alcoholic parent or the death of a loved one, but it also addresses issues such as self-esteem, popularity, friendship, and rape culture. The book ends with Discussion Questions that are useful for opening up a dialogue with teens on some of these pertinent issues. Note to author: for ebook readers, use chapter titles or hyperlinks to the relevant sections instead of page numbers.
An enjoyable, satisfying read.
Warnings: coarse language, alcohol abuse, underage drinking, sexual references, sexual assault.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post (8 September): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...
The anonymous narrator immediately piques our curiosity, telling the tale of Ann, not Annie, "who, despite her best efforts, fell in love." We follow Ann on her journey of self-discovery and, hopefully, learn a few things along the way. I love Ann's doodles, which are scattered throughout the book and depict her (bad) moods. I wish there were more of these illustrations; however, I can see why she doesn't need to draw them when she's feeling "happy". Another of Ann's endearing qualities is her habit of looking up the meanings of her dreams - which are disturbingly accurate. Ann is surrounded by a cast of great support characters, some of who are variously referred to by first name, last name, or nickname. Stick with it, and you'll eventually work out who's who. Another naming issue: Ann's mother's name is Meredith Grey (as in Grey's Anatomy).
While the story is interesting and flows well, I found some of the plotlines hard to believe (e.g., Jacob's interest in Ann, his clique's easy acceptance of her, and Ann's drinking). However, everything becomes relevant, and things wrap up nicely in the end. I'm glad that Ann finally seeks out the help of an adult, showing teenage readers that they don't have to solve everything on their own.
The author's knowledge of mental health issues is apparent in her writing. This is a helpful book for teens dealing with an alcoholic parent or the death of a loved one, but it also addresses issues such as self-esteem, popularity, friendship, and rape culture. The book ends with Discussion Questions that are useful for opening up a dialogue with teens on some of these pertinent issues. Note to author: for ebook readers, use chapter titles or hyperlinks to the relevant sections instead of page numbers.
An enjoyable, satisfying read.
Warnings: coarse language, alcohol abuse, underage drinking, sexual references, sexual assault.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post (8 September): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...
October 10, 2024
First I wanna say thank you to @booktasters_ for the opportunity to read this book for free and give my honest opinion about it 💕
Let's be real here, this cover is not the best, and I was on the fence about this book because of it (mostly), but I am SO glad that I gave it a go. This was a pleasant surprise and I liked it way more than I thought I would! Ann is probably one of the best teenage characters I've read ever. She was frustrating, annoying, angry and oh so relatable! A++ for character development. You just wanna punch her in the face most of the times, but at the same time you're rooting for her and want her to succeed so bad. I am so glad that she found her way back to herself 💕 I also LOVED Danny, I know I shouldn't swoon for an highschool romance, but here we are, he's worth it 🤷♀️
Another thing I really liked was the writing style and the fact that you only find out who the narrator is until the very end, and everything all of a sudden makes perfect sense 🥰🫶
It's not easy writing about heavy subjects with humour and I think Sage did it perfectly. I might need to add more of her work into my list 👀
Absolutely worth the read imo. 🫶
Let's be real here, this cover is not the best, and I was on the fence about this book because of it (mostly), but I am SO glad that I gave it a go. This was a pleasant surprise and I liked it way more than I thought I would! Ann is probably one of the best teenage characters I've read ever. She was frustrating, annoying, angry and oh so relatable! A++ for character development. You just wanna punch her in the face most of the times, but at the same time you're rooting for her and want her to succeed so bad. I am so glad that she found her way back to herself 💕 I also LOVED Danny, I know I shouldn't swoon for an highschool romance, but here we are, he's worth it 🤷♀️
Another thing I really liked was the writing style and the fact that you only find out who the narrator is until the very end, and everything all of a sudden makes perfect sense 🥰🫶
It's not easy writing about heavy subjects with humour and I think Sage did it perfectly. I might need to add more of her work into my list 👀
Absolutely worth the read imo. 🫶
September 21, 2017
The Review
What is going on??? All the books I am reading recently are sooooo good and I end up loving them o.o I guess despite the business of this month I got luck in the books department and that is totally OKAY with me! And this book was beyond my expectations it was like a tornado that came from nowhere it sucked me inside its vortex and did not let go of me until the very end... And I must confess I have a thing for tornados they look disturbingly beautiful, dangerous (duhh eye rolling) with that deadly quiet and devastation they bring after they have passed through you.
I am sorry if you find this comparison weird, but this is how this book felt to me and I loved every bit of it regardless of the pain it brought with itself.
Ann, not Annie was really amazing, I loved the way it was written the sketches were a great touch. The way the chapters were entitled was awesome they were relatively short and it felt like flying through the book.
The writing style just had me since the very beginning at the mention of the aliens... Sage has become really an author I would be looking forward to read more of and I cannot wait to put my hands on the physical book, I MUST HAVE IT no matter what!
I don't really want to spoil anything I am just going to say that Ann and Danny felt like they were me, their problems and how they handle them. The humour in this book is really great, subtle I'd say and you all just have to read it for yourself and experience how great it is!
And OMG Tommy he is soo cute I wanted to hug him and just squeeze him
I gave it 5 stars and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT REALLY!!!
April 27, 2018
One thing I really enjoyed about this YA book are the squiggly drawings scattered throughout - it reminded me of the notes we used to pass back and forth when I was in high school (about the time Fred Flinstone was there too). It gave the novel an endearing quality.
The book centers on Ann (please don't call her Annie), who is a true "nobody" longing to be a "somebody" at school. She spends quite a lot of time in detention with her best friend, and she swoons over the best looking guy in school. Another boy has his eye on Ann, and they find they have one big thing in common - Henry David Thoreau's "On Walden Pond". It's the book Ann's brother left behind when he left home, hoping to never return. She wants to find a clue in his favorite book as to why he hasn't come home. Ann's father has died, her mother has become a raving alcoholic, William has left home, and Ann is left with the mess.
It's a good read for adolescents, and as such is somewhat predictable (the gorgeous guy is suddenly single when the good guy has finally admitted he has a crush on her - what's a girl to do type of thing).
The book centers on Ann (please don't call her Annie), who is a true "nobody" longing to be a "somebody" at school. She spends quite a lot of time in detention with her best friend, and she swoons over the best looking guy in school. Another boy has his eye on Ann, and they find they have one big thing in common - Henry David Thoreau's "On Walden Pond". It's the book Ann's brother left behind when he left home, hoping to never return. She wants to find a clue in his favorite book as to why he hasn't come home. Ann's father has died, her mother has become a raving alcoholic, William has left home, and Ann is left with the mess.
It's a good read for adolescents, and as such is somewhat predictable (the gorgeous guy is suddenly single when the good guy has finally admitted he has a crush on her - what's a girl to do type of thing).
October 25, 2024
3.65/5
Ann, Not Annie is about a high schooler struggling with her life(trying to be a normal teenager) after her father's death. With her elder brother away and her mother being an alcoholic, Annie tries her best to hold her family together.
Annie needing to move on with her life and experience new things like her friend Lisa asked her to.
Rather than focusing on the good things of life, she ends up making some wrong decisions. These situations makes her realize that she is not the girl she used to be(she probably will never be her oldself).
I liked how this book focused on dealing with life after the death of loved ones. It also shows how much it affects the children who have an alcoholic parent. And though this book should have focused more on the sexual assault, I was satisfied to see Annie healed and make the right decision.
Ann, Not Annie is about a high schooler struggling with her life(trying to be a normal teenager) after her father's death. With her elder brother away and her mother being an alcoholic, Annie tries her best to hold her family together.
Annie needing to move on with her life and experience new things like her friend Lisa asked her to.
Rather than focusing on the good things of life, she ends up making some wrong decisions. These situations makes her realize that she is not the girl she used to be(she probably will never be her oldself).
I liked how this book focused on dealing with life after the death of loved ones. It also shows how much it affects the children who have an alcoholic parent. And though this book should have focused more on the sexual assault, I was satisfied to see Annie healed and make the right decision.
April 8, 2021
Thank you Booktasters and Sage Steadman for the e-copy of this book.
I give this book 3,5. I liked this book, it was an easy read.
It's a coming of age story about Ann, trying to deal with all the various things that are happening in her life as a teenager.
This book talks about various issues like: alcoholism, loss of a parent and rape.
I recommend this book and I'm sure I will read more books by this author.
I give this book 3,5. I liked this book, it was an easy read.
It's a coming of age story about Ann, trying to deal with all the various things that are happening in her life as a teenager.
This book talks about various issues like: alcoholism, loss of a parent and rape.
I recommend this book and I'm sure I will read more books by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2019
“I’m just here to relay a story to you that was once shared with me about a girl named Annie, who, despite her best efforts, fell in love. That, after all, is what the great stories are written about: How people manage to find themselves in love.”
➸ ✩ I was very kindly sent this book thanks to Booktasters in exchange for an honest review and I unexpectedly loved it. It starts off with so much curiosity, I was instantly hooked. We don’t know who’s narrating it and that was something I had in the back of my head throughout it. The prologue set such a nice mood for the rest of the story.
"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."
➸ ✩ Ann has so many emotions flowing through her before the story even begins. Her father passed away and she can’t contact her older brother. She’s in detentions often and her mother is off in her own world. I liked that she was flawed because from the perspective of the narrator it seems unfathomable why she would make some of the choices she did, but when you put yourself in her shoes it's a different story.
“She was no longer pouring her soul into him, but asking him to suck the poison out of her”
➸ ✩ I also loved that one of the first scenes with Danny was him holding a pigeon. That's so fitting to his personality, I laughed.
I liked that in the end, there were characters that came around and we got to see them in a different light. The storyline is slightly cliche, but I loved the little sketches in between. They gave an insight into Anne's mind. There is also a lot of Walden references, quotes mentioned that fit the pace of the story and how Anne's perspective of what the book is saying changes as she goes through the story.
“Be it life or death, we crave only reality.”
"However mean your life is, meet it and live it."
June 13, 2023
Thank you Book Tasters for providing me with the free copy of this book.
This YA book's has the type of heroine who is very unsure what she wants due to her age and the background she grew up with. That was a slight issue for me, despite the fact I have no problem read about teenage troubles Ann seemed completely lost at times. Since the first chapter I didn't like the language she uses with her friends - calling each other sluts didn't particularly appeal to me.
Further on, I couldn't relate to Ann's logic, when a cute wonderful guy shows her his affection, she is so confused and her response is:"I don't even know you!" But when a high school jock asks her for a date, where he's treating her like shit, she's almost over the moon. 😩
It's very clear since the beginning how the story'd evolve.
Danny- the Hero was amazing, and I honestly didn't understand what he sees in Ann.
There's one very sweet aspect to it (rounding my rating up), and that's the narrator. I had tears in my eyes when I found out who it was. 🥺
2.5 stars rounded up and being generous about it 😅
September 20, 2017
I really enjoyed reading this book. The narration was unique, and the characters were relatable. It was an easy read, and the story kept me wanting to read more. I'm sure some will be uncomfortable with the drug and alcohol use, but I see it as realistic, especially in this day and age. I thought this was a great story of a girl who has a tremendous loss all while dealing with hormones, high school, and finding herself.
#TheUnratedBookshelf
#TheUnratedBookshelf
May 7, 2018
Let me start off by being objective. This book was an enjoyable read. The writing was great and detailed in terms of perspective. I didn’t notice how far I went into a book because of how the words flowed with each other like each word was synchronized with each other. For short, The writing style was pleasant and I loved it! It’s one of the things that you should look forward when reading this book.
Additionally, the plot was amazing. There was so much emotional content to it. Big things happened and I was thrown off by the surprises I had never ever EVER expected! The twist was so good and that easily became my favourite part of the book. But of course, you have got to read it to find out about it.
Subjectively though, I found it hard to connect with the book in its first half. It took a while but when it did, the tragedy that Ann was going through strongly exudes so much, I could feel the emotions coming out of the screen (I was reading the e-book version). What she struggled emotionally was so deep that it almost drowns her and lets it all out by getting angry.
I thought I would hate her, but she was a fragile being, simply trying to be strong in her way and that was something likable about Ann Grey. In the end, I felt so proud of her.
The characters in this book may sound cliche but the pain of the character in it is real. This book was a wonderful read and to someone like me who finds it a struggle to understand the emotions of others, this book has served its purpose well. To me, this book is an eye-opener, allowing me to experience what people go through before moving on.
Ann Not Annie is a book about tackling tragedy in one’s life, acknowledging the fact, and realizing that you are not alone in this world.
Additionally, the plot was amazing. There was so much emotional content to it. Big things happened and I was thrown off by the surprises I had never ever EVER expected! The twist was so good and that easily became my favourite part of the book. But of course, you have got to read it to find out about it.
Subjectively though, I found it hard to connect with the book in its first half. It took a while but when it did, the tragedy that Ann was going through strongly exudes so much, I could feel the emotions coming out of the screen (I was reading the e-book version). What she struggled emotionally was so deep that it almost drowns her and lets it all out by getting angry.
I thought I would hate her, but she was a fragile being, simply trying to be strong in her way and that was something likable about Ann Grey. In the end, I felt so proud of her.
The characters in this book may sound cliche but the pain of the character in it is real. This book was a wonderful read and to someone like me who finds it a struggle to understand the emotions of others, this book has served its purpose well. To me, this book is an eye-opener, allowing me to experience what people go through before moving on.
Ann Not Annie is a book about tackling tragedy in one’s life, acknowledging the fact, and realizing that you are not alone in this world.
November 2, 2018
Warning, possible spoilers! No big, specific reveals, but may give away one or two plot points in a vague way!
Annie...sorry, Ann... Ann is having a difficult time in high school. She’s frequently in detention, or sent to the guidance counselor, and seems to only have one friend she can (mostly) count on. It doesn’t take long to realize Ann’s life at home is even messier. In an effort to turn things around, she starts dating the most popular guy in school - but her plan doesn’t pan out as she expected, and she’s forced to face more than she bargained for.
“Ann, Not Annie” is a two-part novel that starts out strong, before it seems to rush toward its ending. Nevertheless, it’s still an important story for teenagers and young adults.
I greatly enjoyed reading Part 1 of this book. The first person narration was animated and fresh. The story itself was layered and poignant; throughout Part 1 the author unfolded it carefully, fitting puzzle pieces together until the entire picture of Ann’s life was made heartbreakingly clear. Ann deals with a real-life gauntlet of issues that many teens and adults alike will have no problem relating to: feeling unloved, anxiety, hating school, not fitting in, alcoholism, family dysfunction, trying to protect herself from feeling vulnerable... and each issue is shadowed by the overarching weight of grief. I thought the first part of the novel set up and shared the magnitude of Ann’s (undealt with) grief rather expertly, preparing me for what seemed like the inevitable event when she must either be released from it or overcome by it.
The foundation for Ann’s grief and impending confrontation with her own feelings were laid so well in Part 1 that, by comparison, Part 2 did not seem as well developed, especially towards the end of the book. Part 2 felt rushed, trying to include and resolve a lot of serious subject matter in a short amount of time. There are reconciliations and confrontations with family members and friends; the discovery of a math genius, rejected and then requited love; a descent into teen partying, alcoholism, and drug use; and the culmination of everything, a sexual assault and its aftermath. With all of these topics to address, none of them seemed to get the full attention they deserved. Because there is so much here to unpack, especially after the sexual assault episode, I think the book should be longer! A Part 3 where the reader can experience, in-depth, the path to conflict resolution for these subjects (or at least most of them), would bring more realism and satisfaction to the conclusion of the story, even if they don’t all lead to happy endings. I enjoyed the writing style enough that I would not have minded reading another 100 pages to explore all the threads and emotions of this story more fully.
Even though I thought the ending to be rushed, I’m happy to have read “Ann, Not Annie.” Some of the topics are heavy, but the tone is lightened in areas by the narrator’s informal, amusing voice. The addition of drawings made by “Ann” are also a nice touch, giving us another layer of her psyche to understand as she expresses herself with pictures. Finally, although there is a lot of negative encountered in the book, it’s refreshing that Ann also finds hope and support along the way - we could all use a little more of those things!
“Ann, Not Annie” is a quick read, with a fun writing style, that manages to share a meaningful message. Though there are a few flaws, I liked this book and would try out another of the author’s works!
**I received “Ann, Not Annie” in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Sage Steadman for giving me the opportunity to read it, and for Booktasters for the opportunity to review!**
Annie...sorry, Ann... Ann is having a difficult time in high school. She’s frequently in detention, or sent to the guidance counselor, and seems to only have one friend she can (mostly) count on. It doesn’t take long to realize Ann’s life at home is even messier. In an effort to turn things around, she starts dating the most popular guy in school - but her plan doesn’t pan out as she expected, and she’s forced to face more than she bargained for.
“Ann, Not Annie” is a two-part novel that starts out strong, before it seems to rush toward its ending. Nevertheless, it’s still an important story for teenagers and young adults.
I greatly enjoyed reading Part 1 of this book. The first person narration was animated and fresh. The story itself was layered and poignant; throughout Part 1 the author unfolded it carefully, fitting puzzle pieces together until the entire picture of Ann’s life was made heartbreakingly clear. Ann deals with a real-life gauntlet of issues that many teens and adults alike will have no problem relating to: feeling unloved, anxiety, hating school, not fitting in, alcoholism, family dysfunction, trying to protect herself from feeling vulnerable... and each issue is shadowed by the overarching weight of grief. I thought the first part of the novel set up and shared the magnitude of Ann’s (undealt with) grief rather expertly, preparing me for what seemed like the inevitable event when she must either be released from it or overcome by it.
The foundation for Ann’s grief and impending confrontation with her own feelings were laid so well in Part 1 that, by comparison, Part 2 did not seem as well developed, especially towards the end of the book. Part 2 felt rushed, trying to include and resolve a lot of serious subject matter in a short amount of time. There are reconciliations and confrontations with family members and friends; the discovery of a math genius, rejected and then requited love; a descent into teen partying, alcoholism, and drug use; and the culmination of everything, a sexual assault and its aftermath. With all of these topics to address, none of them seemed to get the full attention they deserved. Because there is so much here to unpack, especially after the sexual assault episode, I think the book should be longer! A Part 3 where the reader can experience, in-depth, the path to conflict resolution for these subjects (or at least most of them), would bring more realism and satisfaction to the conclusion of the story, even if they don’t all lead to happy endings. I enjoyed the writing style enough that I would not have minded reading another 100 pages to explore all the threads and emotions of this story more fully.
Even though I thought the ending to be rushed, I’m happy to have read “Ann, Not Annie.” Some of the topics are heavy, but the tone is lightened in areas by the narrator’s informal, amusing voice. The addition of drawings made by “Ann” are also a nice touch, giving us another layer of her psyche to understand as she expresses herself with pictures. Finally, although there is a lot of negative encountered in the book, it’s refreshing that Ann also finds hope and support along the way - we could all use a little more of those things!
“Ann, Not Annie” is a quick read, with a fun writing style, that manages to share a meaningful message. Though there are a few flaws, I liked this book and would try out another of the author’s works!
**I received “Ann, Not Annie” in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Sage Steadman for giving me the opportunity to read it, and for Booktasters for the opportunity to review!**
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2018
Wow.
This is one of those books that after you finished it, you just sit there for a full minute, thinking about what you've just read.
This book exceeded my expectation completely. Although I actually don't exactly have an expectation, I did not expect it to be this good at all.
This book is an art piece. It took me on an emotional roller coaster and taught me more about life than what I can from my parents in a year. Last time I read a book like this, a YA book with a YA character with such depths was When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. That was in 5 years ago.
In fact, this book actually has a lot of similarities with When You Reach Me. Beside from the similarities between the protagonists (despite their life and family situation), both books mentioned a lot of another book that was very important to the protagonist and the story, except Ann not Annie had a little bit more YA factor in it.
This book exceeded basically in all ways for a good book, but there are few factors that stood out from excellent, to phenomenal.
This book had astonishing character developments. Especially from our protagonist, Ann. She grew so much throughout the book, we get a glimpse to the old, innocent naive Anne before October 5th, then to the broken Ann no Annie, ultimately to Annie, who learned to embrace life the bad with the good, not regret anything and to just move forward.
We felt the pain and suffering she had with Ann no Annie, the fear for her as we watch her start to go down on the wrong path with Jacob and 'the popular group'. Finally, we experienced the relief from her 'realizing', and the joy when she finally found joy.
All this in a nutshell.
This book took me on a breathtaking journey, and I finished in a sitting. I got so much more from what I expected and is a pleasant surprise. If this book receives recognition any less than When You Reach Me, this book is totally underrated. It deserved every attention that it gets.
No way, absolutely no way I'm giving it anything less than five stars.
Absolutely. Amazing.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
This is one of those books that after you finished it, you just sit there for a full minute, thinking about what you've just read.
This book exceeded my expectation completely. Although I actually don't exactly have an expectation, I did not expect it to be this good at all.
This book is an art piece. It took me on an emotional roller coaster and taught me more about life than what I can from my parents in a year. Last time I read a book like this, a YA book with a YA character with such depths was When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. That was in 5 years ago.
In fact, this book actually has a lot of similarities with When You Reach Me. Beside from the similarities between the protagonists (despite their life and family situation), both books mentioned a lot of another book that was very important to the protagonist and the story, except Ann not Annie had a little bit more YA factor in it.
This book exceeded basically in all ways for a good book, but there are few factors that stood out from excellent, to phenomenal.
This book had astonishing character developments. Especially from our protagonist, Ann. She grew so much throughout the book, we get a glimpse to the old, innocent naive Anne before October 5th, then to the broken Ann no Annie, ultimately to Annie, who learned to embrace life the bad with the good, not regret anything and to just move forward.
We felt the pain and suffering she had with Ann no Annie, the fear for her as we watch her start to go down on the wrong path with Jacob and 'the popular group'. Finally, we experienced the relief from her 'realizing', and the joy when she finally found joy.
All this in a nutshell.
This book took me on a breathtaking journey, and I finished in a sitting. I got so much more from what I expected and is a pleasant surprise. If this book receives recognition any less than When You Reach Me, this book is totally underrated. It deserved every attention that it gets.
No way, absolutely no way I'm giving it anything less than five stars.
Absolutely. Amazing.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
February 11, 2019
Thank you to Book Tasters and Sage Steadman for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sage Steadman pleasantly surprised me with her sensitive portrayal of a teenage mind. The book clearly exceeded my expectations and me as a reader could not help but be a part of Ann's life in all her angst and coming of age passage. The novel itself is a slice of life depiction of a 15-year-old Annie who prefers herself to be called Ann. It documents her fragile and at the same time her strength as a teenager dealing with the death of her father which leaves her mother alcoholic in its wake, an elder brother not being home, a younger brother adding on to her responsibilities. It is in all a story of a kid who is forced to grow up before time, finding and learning the distinction between what is real and that matters to the facades life entails. The novel although carrying all the cliches of a typical high school movie or rom-com or for that matter a book still manages to touch a chord in the portrayals of Lisa the best friend, Danny the sensitive and sensible lover, Jacob the sexist jock (who embodies toxic masculinity and rape culture), the 'popular' Maggie and Krissy and Pam (who are nice human beings as opposed to mean girls), Teller the jock who is not necessarily a prick. The book expertly touches on topics of bullying, peer pressure, stereotypes and breaking them, rape culture, victim blaming/shaming and so on. The character development is smooth in the space they occupy and occur with the only exception of Meredith, the mother which seemed a bit rushed.
The metaphorical significance of the protagonist not being comfortable with her name with her being psychologically uncomfortable with her state of being is beautifully depicted. Self-acceptance is an underlying play in the book. The teenage symbolisms of graffiti-covered room, cheerleading football matches, winter homecoming adds to the entire story. The characters are flawed (as people are in reality), people who make mistakes but the book leaves a lingering message that redemption is possible and that it's never too late to rectify our mistakes and start over.
All in all a pleasant read, a familiar story everyday story but uniquely executed.
Sage Steadman pleasantly surprised me with her sensitive portrayal of a teenage mind. The book clearly exceeded my expectations and me as a reader could not help but be a part of Ann's life in all her angst and coming of age passage. The novel itself is a slice of life depiction of a 15-year-old Annie who prefers herself to be called Ann. It documents her fragile and at the same time her strength as a teenager dealing with the death of her father which leaves her mother alcoholic in its wake, an elder brother not being home, a younger brother adding on to her responsibilities. It is in all a story of a kid who is forced to grow up before time, finding and learning the distinction between what is real and that matters to the facades life entails. The novel although carrying all the cliches of a typical high school movie or rom-com or for that matter a book still manages to touch a chord in the portrayals of Lisa the best friend, Danny the sensitive and sensible lover, Jacob the sexist jock (who embodies toxic masculinity and rape culture), the 'popular' Maggie and Krissy and Pam (who are nice human beings as opposed to mean girls), Teller the jock who is not necessarily a prick. The book expertly touches on topics of bullying, peer pressure, stereotypes and breaking them, rape culture, victim blaming/shaming and so on. The character development is smooth in the space they occupy and occur with the only exception of Meredith, the mother which seemed a bit rushed.
The metaphorical significance of the protagonist not being comfortable with her name with her being psychologically uncomfortable with her state of being is beautifully depicted. Self-acceptance is an underlying play in the book. The teenage symbolisms of graffiti-covered room, cheerleading football matches, winter homecoming adds to the entire story. The characters are flawed (as people are in reality), people who make mistakes but the book leaves a lingering message that redemption is possible and that it's never too late to rectify our mistakes and start over.
All in all a pleasant read, a familiar story everyday story but uniquely executed.
September 22, 2017
Ann, Not Annie by Sage Steadman is a well-crafted and poignant account of a girl struggling to find herself and gain social acceptance as a teenager in the most difficult of circumstances. Through deft narration, the author develops both Ann’s complexity and simplicity in a way that instantly charmed me, and had me rooting for Ann to lift herself up and overcome her pain as she tries to navigate high school as a head of household. The author builds a good bit of tension with Ann’s family predicament that me hoping for Ann to finally catch a break.
As Ann struggles to make good choices and persevere, she eventually recognizes the people and relationships in her life that matter, and ironically it is deep family ties, in this somewhat broken family, that help to pull her through.
In a very clever way, the Ms. Steadman bonds Ann’s relationship to two other characters by their exposure to the writings and quotes of Thoreau. Hidden meanings they don’t understand become revealed to them as they each learn to embrace life on life’s terms despite its imperfections.
For a Young Adult “coming of age” read, this is is certainly one I would want teenagers to read, for Ann’s vulnerability, self reflection, resilience and eventual strength are exquisitely portrayed in an understandable way as to be an inspiration for young readers. The only negative for me was that a few chapters seem to run on a bit at the end, but as a mother of two boys, I think Ann, Not Annie fabulously represents teen life.
4.5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at https://abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
As Ann struggles to make good choices and persevere, she eventually recognizes the people and relationships in her life that matter, and ironically it is deep family ties, in this somewhat broken family, that help to pull her through.
In a very clever way, the Ms. Steadman bonds Ann’s relationship to two other characters by their exposure to the writings and quotes of Thoreau. Hidden meanings they don’t understand become revealed to them as they each learn to embrace life on life’s terms despite its imperfections.
For a Young Adult “coming of age” read, this is is certainly one I would want teenagers to read, for Ann’s vulnerability, self reflection, resilience and eventual strength are exquisitely portrayed in an understandable way as to be an inspiration for young readers. The only negative for me was that a few chapters seem to run on a bit at the end, but as a mother of two boys, I think Ann, Not Annie fabulously represents teen life.
4.5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at https://abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
February 23, 2023
Ann Not Annie review:
It's a YA story about a teenage girl from a somewhat broken family. Pretty much everything you expect from a Y/A high school setting. Social hierarchy, bullying, detention and of course, depression.
Annie's life spiraled out of control the day her father died and mother turned to alcohol. She had to take up the responsibility of being a parent when her older brother left for college, while still juggling everyday life. Ann is a big ball of depression. But not actually a sad character. Like her depression is warranted. And it is.
The problem arose when she was trying to find a coping mechanism and ended up mixing with the wrong crowd.
But, luckily in the midst of the chaos, she found love. And there was a happy ending afterall.
The opening line was really eye-catching, albeit a tidbit confusing, but really good nonetheless. It grasped my attention from the very first page.
The style of writing is nice. It's kind of like mixing a third person with a first person POV. Like maybe a biographical theme. Something like that. Although, it's easy to forget that there's a narrator sometimes.
I like the acknowledgement of clichés. It will not be a YA book if clichés are not talked about.
Overall, it's a comfort read. Despite the depressive theme, there are no overwhelming triggers. But most of it is sad.
Simple plot, relatable characters and maybe one or two grammatical errors.
So yeah, well deserved 4 stars.
Ps: I was given a copy to read, but my review remains unbiased.
It's a YA story about a teenage girl from a somewhat broken family. Pretty much everything you expect from a Y/A high school setting. Social hierarchy, bullying, detention and of course, depression.
Annie's life spiraled out of control the day her father died and mother turned to alcohol. She had to take up the responsibility of being a parent when her older brother left for college, while still juggling everyday life. Ann is a big ball of depression. But not actually a sad character. Like her depression is warranted. And it is.
The problem arose when she was trying to find a coping mechanism and ended up mixing with the wrong crowd.
But, luckily in the midst of the chaos, she found love. And there was a happy ending afterall.
The opening line was really eye-catching, albeit a tidbit confusing, but really good nonetheless. It grasped my attention from the very first page.
The style of writing is nice. It's kind of like mixing a third person with a first person POV. Like maybe a biographical theme. Something like that. Although, it's easy to forget that there's a narrator sometimes.
I like the acknowledgement of clichés. It will not be a YA book if clichés are not talked about.
Overall, it's a comfort read. Despite the depressive theme, there are no overwhelming triggers. But most of it is sad.
Simple plot, relatable characters and maybe one or two grammatical errors.
So yeah, well deserved 4 stars.
Ps: I was given a copy to read, but my review remains unbiased.
October 1, 2018
Big Thanks to booktasters and Sage Steadman for the book in exchange for my honest review .
Ann not Annie a yA novel about a high school girl struggling to have a normal life after her Father's death , sounds a cliche but the way it was written made it a great book
The loss of her father was the bitter beginning of a series of struggles and emotional shocks .Her mother became a raving alcoholic throwing all the responsibility off from her shoulders ,elder brother William left for college cutting all the ties with his family .. Ann supposed to deal with the mess while caring of her younger brother Tommy .
Ann kept pushing away all the people who had a desire to help her bff Lisa ,the guy she admired Danny due to her introverted nature and the fear of suffering if she had to lose them one day , Instead she got closer to the gorgeous , playful guy Jacob even with her knowing of his reputation , Ann kept hanging out with the wrong click until she got sexually assaulted , and that's when she wanted to fix everything with people she had hurt and become Annie again .
The book is great for adolescents and adults as well , the reading was enjoyable , the plot was marvellous , the emotional content was highly present I got goosebumps reading those parts , the writing style was detailed and the words completed each other .
My favourite character was Tommy ..cute..
Finally it's a predictable story but you'll enjoy reading it .
Ann not Annie a yA novel about a high school girl struggling to have a normal life after her Father's death , sounds a cliche but the way it was written made it a great book
The loss of her father was the bitter beginning of a series of struggles and emotional shocks .Her mother became a raving alcoholic throwing all the responsibility off from her shoulders ,elder brother William left for college cutting all the ties with his family .. Ann supposed to deal with the mess while caring of her younger brother Tommy .
Ann kept pushing away all the people who had a desire to help her bff Lisa ,the guy she admired Danny due to her introverted nature and the fear of suffering if she had to lose them one day , Instead she got closer to the gorgeous , playful guy Jacob even with her knowing of his reputation , Ann kept hanging out with the wrong click until she got sexually assaulted , and that's when she wanted to fix everything with people she had hurt and become Annie again .
The book is great for adolescents and adults as well , the reading was enjoyable , the plot was marvellous , the emotional content was highly present I got goosebumps reading those parts , the writing style was detailed and the words completed each other .
My favourite character was Tommy ..cute..
Finally it's a predictable story but you'll enjoy reading it .
October 28, 2024
There's a certain beauty to this book of the reality of high school and the coming of age aspect of the characters.
The reality of high school really hits the overall meanness and emotions of being an outcast. I'm not exactly sure how to explain it but so far there were very specific scenes that hit close to home and I think that these parts were so important for the book's appeal.
So far, I would be rating it a 5
The spoilers below:
There's a very relatable and relaxing feeling after having read the book. Seeing Ann's character development since the beginning hit me hard every time she had to go back two steps in order to constantly remind herself that she didn't deserve a good life if her dad was not there to see and hear about it.
I can somehow relate to that feeling because of my loss for my dad too. I stopped doing music because of his love for music and the way I see and hear music because of him.
I also came to love Danny, William and Lisa's characters. The author portrayed them particularly well. Younger siblings getting into mischief and being smart in between the lines. Older siblings trying their best with as many obstacles there are in the way. And best friends just being as absurd as one can be with a best friend.
All the dynamics stretched and reached out to me, reached all the way into my heart where this book will forever be in my heart.
I'll forever keep Annie in my heart as well when having the most difficult of times.
The reality of high school really hits the overall meanness and emotions of being an outcast. I'm not exactly sure how to explain it but so far there were very specific scenes that hit close to home and I think that these parts were so important for the book's appeal.
So far, I would be rating it a 5
The spoilers below:
There's a very relatable and relaxing feeling after having read the book. Seeing Ann's character development since the beginning hit me hard every time she had to go back two steps in order to constantly remind herself that she didn't deserve a good life if her dad was not there to see and hear about it.
I can somehow relate to that feeling because of my loss for my dad too. I stopped doing music because of his love for music and the way I see and hear music because of him.
I also came to love Danny, William and Lisa's characters. The author portrayed them particularly well. Younger siblings getting into mischief and being smart in between the lines. Older siblings trying their best with as many obstacles there are in the way. And best friends just being as absurd as one can be with a best friend.
All the dynamics stretched and reached out to me, reached all the way into my heart where this book will forever be in my heart.
I'll forever keep Annie in my heart as well when having the most difficult of times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2019
My review is 3.7 stars.
A new author in one of my favourite genres, and about the book, well I chose the book on the description, always. At the end of the book I found a sense of satisfaction. Because for a budding author I found this book as interesting. It has a good plot and lovely story weaved around it. I liked the writing style of the author, something new and refreshing.
Characters are lovely, and they are well developed nicely along the book. I liked the MCs. I like the POV but I must say that there was ample spaces where POV could have been better.
If I elaborate my rating:
Language: 3.5 stars
Words/Phrases: 3.7 stars
Characters: 4 stars
POV: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.7 stars
Story-Scenes: 3.7 stars
Dialogues: 4 stars
Overall, I would say a nice read and sure I would like to try more books from the author.
A new author in one of my favourite genres, and about the book, well I chose the book on the description, always. At the end of the book I found a sense of satisfaction. Because for a budding author I found this book as interesting. It has a good plot and lovely story weaved around it. I liked the writing style of the author, something new and refreshing.
Characters are lovely, and they are well developed nicely along the book. I liked the MCs. I like the POV but I must say that there was ample spaces where POV could have been better.
If I elaborate my rating:
Language: 3.5 stars
Words/Phrases: 3.7 stars
Characters: 4 stars
POV: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.7 stars
Story-Scenes: 3.7 stars
Dialogues: 4 stars
Overall, I would say a nice read and sure I would like to try more books from the author.
September 30, 2023
3.5⭐️
I enjoyed reading this book. I love how it tackled the life of a troubled teenager who struggled with dealing with her new reality. The loss of her father and having an alcoholic mother reshaped her personality.
I love how the author depicted the heroine’s struggle to belong. She was lost for so long and didn’t know what she wanted, but I really enjoyed how she found herself and knew who her real friends were at the end of the day.
I enjoyed reading this book. I love how it tackled the life of a troubled teenager who struggled with dealing with her new reality. The loss of her father and having an alcoholic mother reshaped her personality.
I love how the author depicted the heroine’s struggle to belong. She was lost for so long and didn’t know what she wanted, but I really enjoyed how she found herself and knew who her real friends were at the end of the day.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2018
This book is amazing! The conflicts, the plot, the setting are so familiar but because of that and the way of the writer wrote the story is make me binge to read! I finish it in just one seat!
Ahh and I absolutely enjoying the doodles! That’s super cute! And Tommy!!! He is so precious! I really want him to be my little brother! :((
Ahh and I absolutely enjoying the doodles! That’s super cute! And Tommy!!! He is so precious! I really want him to be my little brother! :((
June 5, 2018
Not gonna lie, I was expecting your typical Young Adult book all about the woes of high school going into this. But what I actually got was so much better! This book deals with some very heavy topics and does so very skillfully (and realistically). I really loved this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone.
August 25, 2023
Thank you to BookTasters for a copy of this book. Ann, not Annie is about a relatively naive girl named Ann who has a horrible home life. She’s essentially running away from her problems and the main love interest is the only reason to keep reading this book. Overall, it’s a very predictable book but young readers will probably adore this one.
Read
May 7, 2018Ann, not Annie is a wonderful book.
The author writes exhaustively about a little girl who was unable to grieve and eventually became an angry and disturbed kid.
This is actually a very tricky subject but the author did justice to this storyline.
In the book, you can read and understand all the processes she went through, you can feel all her pain and several emotions.
This was an awesome read for me
The book is so real, I got some quotes I love which I written out...i might just stick them to my wall as well.
The author writes exhaustively about a little girl who was unable to grieve and eventually became an angry and disturbed kid.
This is actually a very tricky subject but the author did justice to this storyline.
In the book, you can read and understand all the processes she went through, you can feel all her pain and several emotions.
This was an awesome read for me
The book is so real, I got some quotes I love which I written out...i might just stick them to my wall as well.
August 4, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this one. The short comics in between chapters were fantastic; I wish there would have been more. Ann's greater awareness of the world around her as the story progresses was also done particularly well.
There's a point in the story where Ann's best friend points out all the ways in which Ann's life has become a cliche, which felt like a sort of playful admission by the author. This book has a lot of the popular, albeit overused, tropes in young adult literature: a love triangle, alcoholic parent, classic literature that is used as a device for self-discovery, and others that will go unmentioned as to avoid spoilers, which is why I think it would serve well as an introduction to young adult fiction. It's not as if any of this is done poorly; it just felt like a combination of a lot of other books I've already read. The narration style was different, however, and while I didn't care too much for it, I'm sure others would feel differently.
There's a point in the story where Ann's best friend points out all the ways in which Ann's life has become a cliche, which felt like a sort of playful admission by the author. This book has a lot of the popular, albeit overused, tropes in young adult literature: a love triangle, alcoholic parent, classic literature that is used as a device for self-discovery, and others that will go unmentioned as to avoid spoilers, which is why I think it would serve well as an introduction to young adult fiction. It's not as if any of this is done poorly; it just felt like a combination of a lot of other books I've already read. The narration style was different, however, and while I didn't care too much for it, I'm sure others would feel differently.
September 7, 2021
Thank you book tasters. I've got to say I found the opening interesting but Ann's bad attitude got me giving the eye roll too. Nice happy ending. I couldn't positively say i had a favourite character. it certainly wasn't Ann. Her love interest could compete for my affections. the rest were so typical high school did i mention annoying? i would say it is a good thing that I've got all this feelings after reading this. the author has done a good job after all. teen and adult readers may while away some time with this if they are looking for a fast-paced light read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2017
I love coming of age novels. They’re so mundane that they’re relatable. I don’t expect anything too taxing but not necessarily boring either. They’re the perfect quick contemporary read. That’s why I was so excited when I got a chance to read Ann, Not Annie.
Her best friend and devout alien believer, Lisa, doesn’t like the changes she’s seeing in her BFF. Neither does Danny Feller, a fellow detention inmate and resident lost boy who has started keeping an extra watchful and unwanted eye on Ann.
When a chance encounter in an empty hallway changes everything, Ann finds all her dreams coming true and she is well on her way to living the perfect life she’s always wanted. But appearances aren’t always what they seem and Ann is going to have to face not just cold hard facts, but also her past.
To be honest, I didn’t have any expectations for this book. I was willing to pick it up and forget about it in a week. Ann, Not Annie changes the whole game for contemporary YA novels. We have our sarcastic and complex MC Ann who’s dealing with too much on top of school. She has speaks without thinking and basically hates everything. At first glance, she’s you typical YA character. Angsty, somewhat depressed, confused. But what sets her apart is the acknowledgement of who she is. Ann doesn’t think she’s unique or special just for having feelings. He self realization sets this book apart because the reader can overlook her imperfections because Ann isn’t supposed to be perfect. Ann’s mature enough to know everyone in high school is going through their own personal hell and her problems aren’t as big as others.
The writing was refreshing. Most YA contemporaries with strong subject matter try to hard to be poetic or “distant”. Ann, not Annie proves that you don’t have to project struggles in a poetic way to get your point across. Ann may not be wise or deep but she’s able to accept reality without a bias. It’s a realistic portrayal of struggle with writing that’s like how most teens talk.
The little drawings in this book made me laugh but that’s not the best part. It’s that the love story didn’t feel forced. Its initially a story about Ann’s infatuation with Jacob Waters so of course we’ll see some love. But the love in this story isn’t stupid or exaggerated. It’s pure. There’s a sense of unity between characters which doesn’t happen often in YA novels. It decided to go against the dog eats dog setting of YA novels and makes it something more relatable. There’s good and there’s bad. Find the good.
Final Thoughts: A wonderful novel everyone should read.
(Pssssttttttt... like this review? Check out https://willreadanything.wordpress.com )
Her best friend and devout alien believer, Lisa, doesn’t like the changes she’s seeing in her BFF. Neither does Danny Feller, a fellow detention inmate and resident lost boy who has started keeping an extra watchful and unwanted eye on Ann.
When a chance encounter in an empty hallway changes everything, Ann finds all her dreams coming true and she is well on her way to living the perfect life she’s always wanted. But appearances aren’t always what they seem and Ann is going to have to face not just cold hard facts, but also her past.
To be honest, I didn’t have any expectations for this book. I was willing to pick it up and forget about it in a week. Ann, Not Annie changes the whole game for contemporary YA novels. We have our sarcastic and complex MC Ann who’s dealing with too much on top of school. She has speaks without thinking and basically hates everything. At first glance, she’s you typical YA character. Angsty, somewhat depressed, confused. But what sets her apart is the acknowledgement of who she is. Ann doesn’t think she’s unique or special just for having feelings. He self realization sets this book apart because the reader can overlook her imperfections because Ann isn’t supposed to be perfect. Ann’s mature enough to know everyone in high school is going through their own personal hell and her problems aren’t as big as others.
The writing was refreshing. Most YA contemporaries with strong subject matter try to hard to be poetic or “distant”. Ann, not Annie proves that you don’t have to project struggles in a poetic way to get your point across. Ann may not be wise or deep but she’s able to accept reality without a bias. It’s a realistic portrayal of struggle with writing that’s like how most teens talk.
The little drawings in this book made me laugh but that’s not the best part. It’s that the love story didn’t feel forced. Its initially a story about Ann’s infatuation with Jacob Waters so of course we’ll see some love. But the love in this story isn’t stupid or exaggerated. It’s pure. There’s a sense of unity between characters which doesn’t happen often in YA novels. It decided to go against the dog eats dog setting of YA novels and makes it something more relatable. There’s good and there’s bad. Find the good.
Final Thoughts: A wonderful novel everyone should read.
(Pssssttttttt... like this review? Check out https://willreadanything.wordpress.com )
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