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So Glad to Meet You
Seventeen-year-old Daphne Bowman, a bookish drama nerd in public school, might never have crossed paths with Oliver, the popular, outgoing mascot for his private school's football team, but one event has bound them inextricably. Daphne's older sister, Emily, and Oliver's older brother, Jason, who were high school sweethearts, died by suicide together seven years earlier.
When Daphne uncovers Emily and Jason's bucket list—a list comprised of their "Top Ten" places to visit before they die—she knows she has to tell someone. The one person who might actually get what she's going through and who might not think it's silly that she wants to complete the list, is also someone she's never spoken to—Oliver Pagano. Throwing caution to the wind, Daphne sends Oliver a Facebook message that will come to change the course of both of their senior years—and maybe their entire lives.
Tackling grief with a wry voice and an unflinching eye, So Glad to Meet You tells the story of two people who, in searching for what they've lost, end up finding what they never knew they needed—each other.
When Daphne uncovers Emily and Jason's bucket list—a list comprised of their "Top Ten" places to visit before they die—she knows she has to tell someone. The one person who might actually get what she's going through and who might not think it's silly that she wants to complete the list, is also someone she's never spoken to—Oliver Pagano. Throwing caution to the wind, Daphne sends Oliver a Facebook message that will come to change the course of both of their senior years—and maybe their entire lives.
Tackling grief with a wry voice and an unflinching eye, So Glad to Meet You tells the story of two people who, in searching for what they've lost, end up finding what they never knew they needed—each other.
284 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2018
5 people are currently reading
1380 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Super
1 book66 followersLisa Super is a brunch enthusiast based in Los Angeles. She's worked on a number of TV shows ranging from pop culture phenomenons (Flavor of Love) to traumedy gold (One Mississippi). While every day in LA is an adventure, traveling with her husband across the globe is her favorite hobby. SO GLAD TO MEET YOU is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
April 19, 2018
3 “So glad to have read you” Stars
Disclaimer:Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
➽ FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED:
Buddy reading this with the best, this tough cute devil😙
You may be wondering why it took me so long to read, this average book. Is not that book’s fault, is my buddy’s fault. Yeah, I am totally blaming her for being so nice and easy to talk to. We literally end up talking for like 4 hours during our buddy-read instead of actually reading.
I LIKED THIS BOOK
I really did, but it didn’t blow me away. After reading the synopsis I was waiting for a very emotional read. It deals with the two siblings of a teenage couple who committed suicide, and how they follow a list of things to do they left behind. Mild trigger warning for a book dealing with suicide aftermaths, but is honestly very light. This became a contemporary romance really quickly and I felt I was the only one who felt there was a big MATTER to acknowledge in the room. But let’s break it into parts and discuss what I enjoyed and what I didn’t.
The writing. It was very chunky and it didn’t flow well, at least at the start of the book. I feel after the 30% the writing style started to develop and it possibly got better or perhaps it was just me getting used to the lack of soft flow. Yet I don’t judge the book only for this, because I didn’t receive a finished copy, so this could be improved. This book was written in the third person but it changed point of view between Oliver and Daphne, so I did enjoy getting both sides of the story.
The plot. I kinda feel a bit cheated on this. I was waiting for an epic journey of grief and adventure, but that honestly took the backseat to focus on the relationship between the two main characters. This is a character-driven book, definitely. Although is not slow at all, it actually moves a bit too fast in my opinion. The time jumps from one chapter to another were quite big. But yeah it focused too much on the romance which for some reason lessened points for me because I feel we never went deep into the grief subject.
The characters. I really enjoyed both of our mc’s voices, they were quite distinct from each other. Oliver is a very teenage boy like character, assholy but not the hateable kind. I really enjoyed the fact he was the mascot of his school team instead of the star player or something, it was very refreshing. He also had a fixation on black bras for some reason, we joked a lot about that with Nadhira. Daphne, on the other hand, was more peculiar and it gave me a few manic pixie vibes although Nadhira says it was more of the friend of a manic pixie. She had a very retro-thrift store fashion and was apparently very very smart. Okay, that last bit was kind of funny, because Oliver could discern how smart she was just by looking at her, a small roll of eyes to that.But I enjoyed how direct her character was, the honesty was on point. For our side characters, the ones that most stood out for me where Janine (bushy eyebrows which I relate with), Daphne’s father (broken soul I kinda want to protect) and Penny (who was very annoying but still not hate deserving).
The relationship. I was rooting for them, but at the same time, I was like can you please talk about the fact you siblings were in a relationship killed themselves together. I mean a case like that would be news in my country for months, and the fact that this was taken very casual in the book, was weird to me. I did like the fact they could understand the other situations and challenge to be better and upfront their mechanisms of defense. I did like how sex was a very present theme in their lives because is a teenager thing contrary to many ya contemporary books out there. And the sex scene we get was so cute but real. Yey.
Grief. I loved how the author showed us the different ways people deal with grief, from small habits they make to full-on bad decisions. But I still felt a bit unsatisfied by the end of the book, I wanted more of this theme. I don’t know maybe is just me. A factor I did enjoy was how this is after seven years of the death of their siblings, but grief is still marking their current lives.
In summary, I enjoyed this book, it was a pleasant surprise but it didn’t make a huge impact in my life. I recommend this book if you are in the mood of a YA contemporary that deals with a heavier subject but stills fall in the light-reads section.
”Daphne agreed with Janine, but she also knew that people who owed her the most had no idea how much they’d borrowed.”
Disclaimer:Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
➽ FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED:
Buddy reading this with the best, this tough cute devil😙
You may be wondering why it took me so long to read, this average book. Is not that book’s fault, is my buddy’s fault. Yeah, I am totally blaming her for being so nice and easy to talk to. We literally end up talking for like 4 hours during our buddy-read instead of actually reading.
I LIKED THIS BOOK
I really did, but it didn’t blow me away. After reading the synopsis I was waiting for a very emotional read. It deals with the two siblings of a teenage couple who committed suicide, and how they follow a list of things to do they left behind. Mild trigger warning for a book dealing with suicide aftermaths, but is honestly very light. This became a contemporary romance really quickly and I felt I was the only one who felt there was a big MATTER to acknowledge in the room. But let’s break it into parts and discuss what I enjoyed and what I didn’t.
The writing. It was very chunky and it didn’t flow well, at least at the start of the book. I feel after the 30% the writing style started to develop and it possibly got better or perhaps it was just me getting used to the lack of soft flow. Yet I don’t judge the book only for this, because I didn’t receive a finished copy, so this could be improved. This book was written in the third person but it changed point of view between Oliver and Daphne, so I did enjoy getting both sides of the story.
The plot. I kinda feel a bit cheated on this. I was waiting for an epic journey of grief and adventure, but that honestly took the backseat to focus on the relationship between the two main characters. This is a character-driven book, definitely. Although is not slow at all, it actually moves a bit too fast in my opinion. The time jumps from one chapter to another were quite big. But yeah it focused too much on the romance which for some reason lessened points for me because I feel we never went deep into the grief subject.
The characters. I really enjoyed both of our mc’s voices, they were quite distinct from each other. Oliver is a very teenage boy like character, assholy but not the hateable kind. I really enjoyed the fact he was the mascot of his school team instead of the star player or something, it was very refreshing. He also had a fixation on black bras for some reason, we joked a lot about that with Nadhira. Daphne, on the other hand, was more peculiar and it gave me a few manic pixie vibes although Nadhira says it was more of the friend of a manic pixie. She had a very retro-thrift store fashion and was apparently very very smart. Okay, that last bit was kind of funny, because Oliver could discern how smart she was just by looking at her, a small roll of eyes to that.But I enjoyed how direct her character was, the honesty was on point. For our side characters, the ones that most stood out for me where Janine (bushy eyebrows which I relate with), Daphne’s father (broken soul I kinda want to protect) and Penny (who was very annoying but still not hate deserving).
The relationship. I was rooting for them, but at the same time, I was like can you please talk about the fact you siblings were in a relationship killed themselves together. I mean a case like that would be news in my country for months, and the fact that this was taken very casual in the book, was weird to me. I did like the fact they could understand the other situations and challenge to be better and upfront their mechanisms of defense. I did like how sex was a very present theme in their lives because is a teenager thing contrary to many ya contemporary books out there. And the sex scene we get was so cute but real. Yey.
Grief. I loved how the author showed us the different ways people deal with grief, from small habits they make to full-on bad decisions. But I still felt a bit unsatisfied by the end of the book, I wanted more of this theme. I don’t know maybe is just me. A factor I did enjoy was how this is after seven years of the death of their siblings, but grief is still marking their current lives.
In summary, I enjoyed this book, it was a pleasant surprise but it didn’t make a huge impact in my life. I recommend this book if you are in the mood of a YA contemporary that deals with a heavier subject but stills fall in the light-reads section.
April 18, 2018
This book is about two teens whose siblings took their life together and started to meet up and do the list their siblings left in the world.
One word: Anticlimatic.
Tbh this was kinda fun and cute to read. This book is very entertaining but I was expecting something more deeper, something more emotional.
The writing is choppy, it's obvious that this is a debut author but after a while the writing slowly becomes better. (This is the arc so it might get better with the published copy)
For the characters,
Daphne is the quiet, nerd who dreams of going to Berkley and Stanford. She's quirky, intelligent, have lots of comebacks and is definitely anxiety ridden. Her mother is preoccupied with work 24/7 and her father became an alcoholic after her sister's death
Oliver is the popular, outgoing guy who's scared of commitments. He's kind of a womanizer and he's pretty emotionally detached but I really liked him. His parents are on the richer side but they're in a constant state of denial of his brother's death.
The subject matter is death and it's very heavy. Which makes me really question about the motive of this book. Like this is a very heavy subject but with how the author wrote this book, it seemed like it was just a cute contemporary novel with the whole grief thing as just an accesory.
Overall the book finished in an unresolved manner and it left me feeling very... unsatisfied.
So it's definitely a 3 star for me.
Buddy read with this weirdo✨
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
One word: Anticlimatic.
Tbh this was kinda fun and cute to read. This book is very entertaining but I was expecting something more deeper, something more emotional.
The writing is choppy, it's obvious that this is a debut author but after a while the writing slowly becomes better. (This is the arc so it might get better with the published copy)
For the characters,
Daphne is the quiet, nerd who dreams of going to Berkley and Stanford. She's quirky, intelligent, have lots of comebacks and is definitely anxiety ridden. Her mother is preoccupied with work 24/7 and her father became an alcoholic after her sister's death
Oliver is the popular, outgoing guy who's scared of commitments. He's kind of a womanizer and he's pretty emotionally detached but I really liked him. His parents are on the richer side but they're in a constant state of denial of his brother's death.
The subject matter is death and it's very heavy. Which makes me really question about the motive of this book. Like this is a very heavy subject but with how the author wrote this book, it seemed like it was just a cute contemporary novel with the whole grief thing as just an accesory.
Overall the book finished in an unresolved manner and it left me feeling very... unsatisfied.
So it's definitely a 3 star for me.
Buddy read with this weirdo✨
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2018
I had no expectation with this but was really surprised! The characters (mainly Daphne!) were super cool and I loved them so much! The story was very unique and beautiful and I really enjoyed how Daphne and Oliver tried to finish the list, even though I couldn't stand Oliver sometimes. Also I had the feeling that the plot was rushed on some parts but maybe that's just me. But the end! I even cried some tears (but it was a long day so...), even though I'm normally not that sentimental with books!
Overall I really really enjoyed this!
Thank you Netgalley for providing me this arc!
August 11, 2018
I adored this book! Equal parts moving, funny and romantic, this is both a breezy, entertaining adventure and a surprisingly thoughtful and real exploration of a subject I’ve rarely seen written about: distanced grief. While suicide plays an important role in the plot, it’s not really what the book’s about; it is far more interested in the way ripples of tragedy continue to touch lives years later, the way grief dulls, shapes, becomes familiar, the way life and love can flourish in spite of --- or maybe because of --- seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
But all this talk of grief is probably leading you wrong. This is not a sad book by any means, and if the premise makes you expect walking wounded characters wallowing in sorrow, you’ll be surprised to meet Daphne and Oliver, who are strong, adventurous, funny --- dare I say happy? --- teenagers, just as concerned with drama tryouts and prom as they are with their families’ dark mysteries. The slow-burn romance that develops between them as they crisscross the city redefining their siblings’ bucket list makes this a delicious, fast and fun page-turner. I couldn’t put it down, and the wonderful last scene makes for the perfect payoff.
I loved the way So Glad to Meet You slyly subverts the concept of Instagram-perfect bucket lists by celebrating the adventure that can be found in the familiar and mundane. This book is a love letter to Los Angeles --- not the glossy postcard, La La Land idea of Los Angeles, but the less glamorous, donut shops and Taco Tuesdays Los Angeles that feels like the lived-in backyard of two very real teenagers. I never knew what Daphne and Oliver would come up with next as they found clever ways to complete the list, but I quickly learned it would be believably real, fun, and grounded in gentle affection for a rarely-seen side of LA.
It is hard to believe this is a debut novel. Lisa Super writes with a strong, confident, poetic voice that is simultaneously witty, exciting, and heartbreaking --- a voice that I think will appeal as much to adults as to younger readers. I for one can’t wait to read whatever she writes next!
But all this talk of grief is probably leading you wrong. This is not a sad book by any means, and if the premise makes you expect walking wounded characters wallowing in sorrow, you’ll be surprised to meet Daphne and Oliver, who are strong, adventurous, funny --- dare I say happy? --- teenagers, just as concerned with drama tryouts and prom as they are with their families’ dark mysteries. The slow-burn romance that develops between them as they crisscross the city redefining their siblings’ bucket list makes this a delicious, fast and fun page-turner. I couldn’t put it down, and the wonderful last scene makes for the perfect payoff.
I loved the way So Glad to Meet You slyly subverts the concept of Instagram-perfect bucket lists by celebrating the adventure that can be found in the familiar and mundane. This book is a love letter to Los Angeles --- not the glossy postcard, La La Land idea of Los Angeles, but the less glamorous, donut shops and Taco Tuesdays Los Angeles that feels like the lived-in backyard of two very real teenagers. I never knew what Daphne and Oliver would come up with next as they found clever ways to complete the list, but I quickly learned it would be believably real, fun, and grounded in gentle affection for a rarely-seen side of LA.
It is hard to believe this is a debut novel. Lisa Super writes with a strong, confident, poetic voice that is simultaneously witty, exciting, and heartbreaking --- a voice that I think will appeal as much to adults as to younger readers. I for one can’t wait to read whatever she writes next!
June 27, 2018
RATING: 3/5
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Seventeen-year-old Daphne Bowman, a bookish drama nerd in public school, might never have crossed paths with Oliver, the popular, outgoing mascot for his private school's football team, but one event has bound them inextricably. Daphne's older sister, Emily, and Oliver's older brother, Jason, who were high school sweethearts, committed suicide together seven years earlier. When Daphne uncovers Emily and Jason's bucket list—a list comprised of their "Top Ten" places to visit before they die—she knows she has to tell someone. The one person who might actually get what she's going through and who might not think it's silly that she wants to complete the list, is also someone she's never spoken to—Oliver Pagano.
This is a debut novel and you can tell from the writing style. Not much happens in the story. The bucket list doesn't play as big of a role as you would expect (other tan bringing the two main characters closer together). It lacked depth and emotion, in my opinion. I felt neutral about the characters; they weren't great but I didn't dislike them either. One thing I did enjoy was the way the story flowed. Like I said, not much happened, but what did kept me interested.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for an emotional story nor if you want a cute contemporary. It's not lighthearted or heart-wrenching. The book falls in the average category.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Seventeen-year-old Daphne Bowman, a bookish drama nerd in public school, might never have crossed paths with Oliver, the popular, outgoing mascot for his private school's football team, but one event has bound them inextricably. Daphne's older sister, Emily, and Oliver's older brother, Jason, who were high school sweethearts, committed suicide together seven years earlier. When Daphne uncovers Emily and Jason's bucket list—a list comprised of their "Top Ten" places to visit before they die—she knows she has to tell someone. The one person who might actually get what she's going through and who might not think it's silly that she wants to complete the list, is also someone she's never spoken to—Oliver Pagano.
This is a debut novel and you can tell from the writing style. Not much happens in the story. The bucket list doesn't play as big of a role as you would expect (other tan bringing the two main characters closer together). It lacked depth and emotion, in my opinion. I felt neutral about the characters; they weren't great but I didn't dislike them either. One thing I did enjoy was the way the story flowed. Like I said, not much happened, but what did kept me interested.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for an emotional story nor if you want a cute contemporary. It's not lighthearted or heart-wrenching. The book falls in the average category.
July 24, 2018
Coming of age is perfected in Lisa Super's So Glad to Meet You. The reader is taken on a journey with Oliver and Daphne in completing the list that each of the older siblings had created for the top 10 things they wanted to do when they dated before they committed suicide together 7 years prior. Both are looking forward to the upcoming escape of leaving their houses that are no longer the same since their older siblings death and the shadows and memories that college provides. Each has handled their grief and the aftermath differently, just as their parents have handled it all in almost the opposite ways. Not many books, especially young adult ones handle the ramifications of the survivors of suicides and this book is such a touching one that will linger in the readers' mind. Thanks to Diversion Books and Netgalley for allowing me access to an ARC of this special book.
August 1, 2018
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book told the story of Daphne and Oliver.
Their brother and sister were dating and killed themselves.
Seven years later, Daphne finds a list her sister made and decides to contact Oliver and tell him about it.
I thought I would like this book but I couldn’t.
I rolled my eyes a lot and I guess the whole thing was just unbelievable to me. I couldn’t get into the story, especially since I didn’t really like the characters.
Also, lots of slutshaming…
At least, it was pretty short.
This book told the story of Daphne and Oliver.
Their brother and sister were dating and killed themselves.
Seven years later, Daphne finds a list her sister made and decides to contact Oliver and tell him about it.
I thought I would like this book but I couldn’t.
I rolled my eyes a lot and I guess the whole thing was just unbelievable to me. I couldn’t get into the story, especially since I didn’t really like the characters.
Also, lots of slutshaming…
At least, it was pretty short.
August 10, 2018
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Isabella Stocka
How would you cope with the death of a loved one? Will you be able to continue your life and do not look back? Daphne has to ask herself this question every day for the past seven years and she constantly thinks back to the day her sister and her boyfriend committed suicide. Emily and Jason had both depression and stopped taking their medication. They left no note. They left their families with no explanation. But, one day after school Daphne finds a box of Emily’s things hidden under a floorboard, which included a bucket list.
Emily & Jason’s Top Ten
1. The Great Wall of China
2. Visit Jim Morrison’s grave
3. Climb Mount Everest
4. Skydive
5. The Sahara Desert
6. Own a pair of designer shoes
7. Niagara Falls
8. Running with the Bulls
9. Go To Outer Space
10. ?
Daphne doesn’t know what to do with this list, but there’s one person in the whole world who would and she wants to share this last piece of her sister with Jason’s brother, Oliver. He receives a friends request from Daphne, who he instantly recognised as Emily’s sister. He does not accept it because he doesn’t want to be reminded of the past. However, Daphne does not give up and confronts him in person at his school. While there, she discovers the school church and finds herself talking to the pastor on my occasions. It is there that Oliver later finds Daphne and they discuss what they should do about the bucket list. They could fulfil it themselves.
The pair are aware they can’t travel the world and leave everyone or not graduate, so they find substitutes in Los Angeles instead. Climbing Mount Everest becomes a hike to the Hollywood sign, visiting Jim Morrison’s grave becomes Marilyn Monroe’s, and visiting the Sahara becomes a trip to the Nevada desert.
Connected through tragedy, they find one another and they both understand how the other feels by talking about their siblings and building a friendship.
So Glad To Meet You shows what happens to those left behind when one person’s choice creates a butterfly effect for the people in their lives. We see how both families deal with their loses—Daphne’s family stopped being one with her mother burying herself in work, while her father starts drinking. Meanwhile, Oliver’s parents unknowingly compare him to his brother and he has that weight on his shoulders to take over the family business one day.
As for Daphne, she feels alone and counts the days until she can finally graduate and move to San Francisco for college. For Oliver, he can’t wait to move to Montana and until then, he won’t deal with his feelings and attempts to cope with one girl after another, as long as she doesn’t want more since he’s afraid of having one.
Isn’t that what love is, though? Except it’s the opposite. Instead of the darkness, you don’t look past the light in the other person. You don’t focus on the bad, the weaknesses, the imperfections. You see what you want to see.
It is nice to see both of them evolve and finding the strength to open up to each other, especially Oliver realising that he has lived in a cocoon and starts to open his heart. There may be some cliches, but it was quite beautiful to see how they find love and a new beginning from something that began as the worst thing in their lives.
So Glad To Meet You is Lisa Super’s debut novel. Super, who works on TV productions and loves travelling, leaves you with a happy ending, but also with two little questions: What did Daphne write under number 10? How did they choose to build their future? There are some hints, but it also leaves a bit of space for your own interpretation.
How would you cope with the death of a loved one? Will you be able to continue your life and do not look back? Daphne has to ask herself this question every day for the past seven years and she constantly thinks back to the day her sister and her boyfriend committed suicide. Emily and Jason had both depression and stopped taking their medication. They left no note. They left their families with no explanation. But, one day after school Daphne finds a box of Emily’s things hidden under a floorboard, which included a bucket list.
Emily & Jason’s Top Ten
1. The Great Wall of China
2. Visit Jim Morrison’s grave
3. Climb Mount Everest
4. Skydive
5. The Sahara Desert
6. Own a pair of designer shoes
7. Niagara Falls
8. Running with the Bulls
9. Go To Outer Space
10. ?
Daphne doesn’t know what to do with this list, but there’s one person in the whole world who would and she wants to share this last piece of her sister with Jason’s brother, Oliver. He receives a friends request from Daphne, who he instantly recognised as Emily’s sister. He does not accept it because he doesn’t want to be reminded of the past. However, Daphne does not give up and confronts him in person at his school. While there, she discovers the school church and finds herself talking to the pastor on my occasions. It is there that Oliver later finds Daphne and they discuss what they should do about the bucket list. They could fulfil it themselves.
The pair are aware they can’t travel the world and leave everyone or not graduate, so they find substitutes in Los Angeles instead. Climbing Mount Everest becomes a hike to the Hollywood sign, visiting Jim Morrison’s grave becomes Marilyn Monroe’s, and visiting the Sahara becomes a trip to the Nevada desert.
Connected through tragedy, they find one another and they both understand how the other feels by talking about their siblings and building a friendship.
So Glad To Meet You shows what happens to those left behind when one person’s choice creates a butterfly effect for the people in their lives. We see how both families deal with their loses—Daphne’s family stopped being one with her mother burying herself in work, while her father starts drinking. Meanwhile, Oliver’s parents unknowingly compare him to his brother and he has that weight on his shoulders to take over the family business one day.
As for Daphne, she feels alone and counts the days until she can finally graduate and move to San Francisco for college. For Oliver, he can’t wait to move to Montana and until then, he won’t deal with his feelings and attempts to cope with one girl after another, as long as she doesn’t want more since he’s afraid of having one.
Isn’t that what love is, though? Except it’s the opposite. Instead of the darkness, you don’t look past the light in the other person. You don’t focus on the bad, the weaknesses, the imperfections. You see what you want to see.
It is nice to see both of them evolve and finding the strength to open up to each other, especially Oliver realising that he has lived in a cocoon and starts to open his heart. There may be some cliches, but it was quite beautiful to see how they find love and a new beginning from something that began as the worst thing in their lives.
So Glad To Meet You is Lisa Super’s debut novel. Super, who works on TV productions and loves travelling, leaves you with a happy ending, but also with two little questions: What did Daphne write under number 10? How did they choose to build their future? There are some hints, but it also leaves a bit of space for your own interpretation.
April 12, 2018
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of SO GLAD TO MEET YOU by Lisa Super in exchange for my honest review.***
1.5 STARS
Daphne’s sister Emily and Oliver’s brother Jason committed suicide together seven years ago, when they were eleven. Now she finds a bucket list they made. She wants to complete the list with Oliver. Can two opposites with s tragic connection work together?
I never connected to SO GLAD TO MEET YOU, possibly because Jason and Emily’s story seemed more interested than their younger siblings. Daphne and Oliver were okay characters, sometimes cute together, but the story and their actions were too predictable. If someone had asked me to guess the story after reading the blurb and before reading GO GLAD TO MEET YOU, I’d have come up with an identical story.
The beginning of SO GLAD TO MEET YOU was filled with purple prose. I was glad when the writing settled down mid way through the book. Lisa Super wrote some clever lines that made me sit back and say I wish I thought of that.
Oliver and Daphne felt less mature than seniors in high school, so I think younger teens enjoy SO GLAD TO MEET YOU more than older ones.
1.5 STARS
Daphne’s sister Emily and Oliver’s brother Jason committed suicide together seven years ago, when they were eleven. Now she finds a bucket list they made. She wants to complete the list with Oliver. Can two opposites with s tragic connection work together?
I never connected to SO GLAD TO MEET YOU, possibly because Jason and Emily’s story seemed more interested than their younger siblings. Daphne and Oliver were okay characters, sometimes cute together, but the story and their actions were too predictable. If someone had asked me to guess the story after reading the blurb and before reading GO GLAD TO MEET YOU, I’d have come up with an identical story.
The beginning of SO GLAD TO MEET YOU was filled with purple prose. I was glad when the writing settled down mid way through the book. Lisa Super wrote some clever lines that made me sit back and say I wish I thought of that.
Oliver and Daphne felt less mature than seniors in high school, so I think younger teens enjoy SO GLAD TO MEET YOU more than older ones.
July 22, 2018
So Glad to Meet You can be a hard book to read. Daphne and Oliver lose their siblings to suicide and this really has an impact on their families. And not in the good sense either. Daphne's mother works 80 hours a week now and her father tries to heal the hurting with alcohol. Oliver's family talks about Jason everyday and how great he was. Except now they're trying to do everything the opposite way with Oliver. He doesn't feel heard.
Both characters have their own way with dealing with all of these emotions. Daphne does her best at school to get out of this town and Oliver does everything the way Jason wouldn't. It's been a few years since Jason and Emily died when Daphne finds the list of their top ten places to visit. Daphne becomes curious and contacting Oliver seems like the best idea.
It takes a bit, but they finally come together to work on this list. The places aren't easy to really do, two high school students can't just up and leave to go visit The Great Wall of China. Daphne and Oliver improvise and slowly get to know each other. I love reading about their adventures together. Each chapter switches point of view, so we can read about what they both think and feel. Being younger when Emily and Jason died, made things hard. There are a few flashbacks of memoires of their siblings and I think they fit this book well.
While working on their list they get to know themselves a bit more. I think doing these things brings them closer to their siblings, but also lets them heal. They start to realize they can be their own person and let go. So Glad to Meet You brings tears to your eyes and a smile to your face. This author did a good job with this one in my opinion. Losing someone to suicide is something I can relate to, so the thoughts and emotions are relatable.
This is really a book people need to experience without knowing too much. I honestly went into this book blind and am happy I did. The only thing that ended up bugging me was the scene where they sleep together. The scene was written in a way that didn't fit this book. Of course, relationships develop, but I don't think we would've missed anything if this scene wasn't written. All in all, I thought So Glad to Meet You was a beautiful book. A journey of healing and experiencing things for the first time.
Both characters have their own way with dealing with all of these emotions. Daphne does her best at school to get out of this town and Oliver does everything the way Jason wouldn't. It's been a few years since Jason and Emily died when Daphne finds the list of their top ten places to visit. Daphne becomes curious and contacting Oliver seems like the best idea.
It takes a bit, but they finally come together to work on this list. The places aren't easy to really do, two high school students can't just up and leave to go visit The Great Wall of China. Daphne and Oliver improvise and slowly get to know each other. I love reading about their adventures together. Each chapter switches point of view, so we can read about what they both think and feel. Being younger when Emily and Jason died, made things hard. There are a few flashbacks of memoires of their siblings and I think they fit this book well.
While working on their list they get to know themselves a bit more. I think doing these things brings them closer to their siblings, but also lets them heal. They start to realize they can be their own person and let go. So Glad to Meet You brings tears to your eyes and a smile to your face. This author did a good job with this one in my opinion. Losing someone to suicide is something I can relate to, so the thoughts and emotions are relatable.
This is really a book people need to experience without knowing too much. I honestly went into this book blind and am happy I did. The only thing that ended up bugging me was the scene where they sleep together. The scene was written in a way that didn't fit this book. Of course, relationships develop, but I don't think we would've missed anything if this scene wasn't written. All in all, I thought So Glad to Meet You was a beautiful book. A journey of healing and experiencing things for the first time.
June 12, 2018
"I hope they found their better."
"Part of me hopes they've had to watch our worse."
Special thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Daphne is ten years old when she and her parents arrive home from dinner to find Emily, her older sister, and Emily's boyfriend, Jason, had committed suicide together. Seven years later both Daphne and Jason's brother, Oliver, are still trying to find their way out of the shadow their siblings joint suicide left on both families. Daphne is a diligent student, while Oliver is doing his best to be the complete opposite of everything his brother was. A bucket list hidden away by the their siblings will bring the two together for a journey neither would ever expect.
I was very skeptical going into this book. At first glance Daphne annoyed me and Oliver made no sense. The more I read though, the more I started adoring them both. They both have different damage left from their siblings suicides and both have dealt with it in different ways. For Daphne, she has a dry wit and just wants to make it to her eighteenth birthday and to college. Oliver avoids any type of relationship and tries to be the opposite of everything Jason was. Jason had a girlfriend, so he could not. Jason went to public school, so Oliver goes to a private school. Jason had a job, so Oliver does not.
I'm extremely surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. The romance in it felt very real and raw. I absolutely loved how they went about doing their sibling's bucket list. Every book I've read with a bucket list has had their characters abandon logic and drop everything to complete the lists. With So Glad to Meet You, it was much more realistic. Daphne and Oliver had to find unconventional ways of completing each item on the lists.
The few things I didn't like were pretty basic. I felt like we got to know how Emily was through Daphne's flashbacks, but Jason was a little underdeveloped as a character. All that we really know about him was that he was Emily's boyfriend and was obviously depressed. I also didn't super love Janine, though she did grow on me by the end. I felt like Penny was an unnecessary character. One of the biggest flaws was how difficult it was to follow some of Daphne and Oliver's conversations. I sometimes had difficulty figuring out who said what.
I definietly recommend this book to people who enjoy (somewhat) dark contemporary YA.
"Part of me hopes they've had to watch our worse."
Special thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Daphne is ten years old when she and her parents arrive home from dinner to find Emily, her older sister, and Emily's boyfriend, Jason, had committed suicide together. Seven years later both Daphne and Jason's brother, Oliver, are still trying to find their way out of the shadow their siblings joint suicide left on both families. Daphne is a diligent student, while Oliver is doing his best to be the complete opposite of everything his brother was. A bucket list hidden away by the their siblings will bring the two together for a journey neither would ever expect.
I was very skeptical going into this book. At first glance Daphne annoyed me and Oliver made no sense. The more I read though, the more I started adoring them both. They both have different damage left from their siblings suicides and both have dealt with it in different ways. For Daphne, she has a dry wit and just wants to make it to her eighteenth birthday and to college. Oliver avoids any type of relationship and tries to be the opposite of everything Jason was. Jason had a girlfriend, so he could not. Jason went to public school, so Oliver goes to a private school. Jason had a job, so Oliver does not.
I'm extremely surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. The romance in it felt very real and raw. I absolutely loved how they went about doing their sibling's bucket list. Every book I've read with a bucket list has had their characters abandon logic and drop everything to complete the lists. With So Glad to Meet You, it was much more realistic. Daphne and Oliver had to find unconventional ways of completing each item on the lists.
The few things I didn't like were pretty basic. I felt like we got to know how Emily was through Daphne's flashbacks, but Jason was a little underdeveloped as a character. All that we really know about him was that he was Emily's boyfriend and was obviously depressed. I also didn't super love Janine, though she did grow on me by the end. I felt like Penny was an unnecessary character. One of the biggest flaws was how difficult it was to follow some of Daphne and Oliver's conversations. I sometimes had difficulty figuring out who said what.
I definietly recommend this book to people who enjoy (somewhat) dark contemporary YA.
April 16, 2018
I adored this book. So so much. I knew when I read the summary that I would. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Daphne is a high school senior whose older sister committed suicide 7 years early with her boyfriend. Together. Daphne's family life fell apart after her sister died and she has had a really rough time. She is a very unique teenager (who keeps to herself and has one best friend) and I LOVE her strength, character, sense of humor, intelligence and confidence. She finds a list hidden in her floor, a bucket list of 9 things that her sister wrote out with her boyfriend before they killed themselves. Daphne is not sure what to do with the list, but then she remembers that Jason (the boyfriend) has a younger brother who is the same age as her--Oliver. She decides, at the very least, she could give him a copy of the list. She finds him and together they decide to do the things on the list as a kind of closure since they didnt really have any. Olive is the opposite of Daphne, outgoing, friendly, popular, handsome with girls lining up to be with him. He refuses to have a girlfriend because of what happened with his brother. The more time Daphne and Oliver spend together, the closer they get, bonding over the list (which they improvise very well) and their lost siblings and the hurt in both of their families. I don't want to spoil the story but it is obvious that they have really come to care about each other and they both have to make changes in their lives so the other one will fit. This is an beautiful story of two teenagers who have each suffered a great loss, and how they come together and help each other heal. Beautiful writing, amazingly real characters and a difficult journey make this a fabulous novel! I highly recommend it! The only thing tht would have made me love this book more is if it had been written in first person, with Oliver and Daphne telling their stories through their own eyes rather than in the third person. It definitely works the way it is but I think it could be better with that one small change.... I will definitely look for Lisa Super's next novel! Absolutely loved this book!!!!
June 21, 2018
I got sent this book in exchange for a honest review, all my opinions are my own and thank you so much to the publishers for sending me this book!
In this story we follow Daphne, a shy geeky girl who isn't the most popular girl at school and Oliver, the jock and golden boy of the school. The thing these two share in common is that both their older siblings committed suicide together. Both of them discover a list of things both their siblings wanted to see and accomplish. Daphne and Oliver bond over their loss and their future plans leaving with a great friendship or more.
I just really liked this book, it was fun yet heartbreaking and just overall a great story.
I didn't necessarily love the characters because they just weren't memorable but I didn't like the romance so there's a positive.
I think that the idea and creativity that went into this book was fantastic and I just genuinely really liked it. This book hits shelves on the 31st July and I just highly reccomend you pick it up!
In this story we follow Daphne, a shy geeky girl who isn't the most popular girl at school and Oliver, the jock and golden boy of the school. The thing these two share in common is that both their older siblings committed suicide together. Both of them discover a list of things both their siblings wanted to see and accomplish. Daphne and Oliver bond over their loss and their future plans leaving with a great friendship or more.
I just really liked this book, it was fun yet heartbreaking and just overall a great story.
I didn't necessarily love the characters because they just weren't memorable but I didn't like the romance so there's a positive.
I think that the idea and creativity that went into this book was fantastic and I just genuinely really liked it. This book hits shelves on the 31st July and I just highly reccomend you pick it up!
April 16, 2018
I really liked the book. The story line was very original. Two teenage lovers commit suicide together and leave a list which a sister finds and connects with the others brother to complete said list. The characters were very likable and i did not want this book to end! I also like the double point of views.
September 6, 2018
Seven years ago, Daphne’s sister and Oliver’s brother committed suicide together, shaking their families to the core. When Daphne finds their abandoned bucket list, she and Oliver decide to complete work through the list- and work through their grief at the same time.
I really enjoyed this book. You care about the characters, even when they’re not making the bes decisions. And I liked how it shows all the small ways grief and loss can affect people. Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Adi Alsaid
I received a free copy of this book from the Goodreads Giveaways
I really enjoyed this book. You care about the characters, even when they’re not making the bes decisions. And I liked how it shows all the small ways grief and loss can affect people. Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Adi Alsaid
I received a free copy of this book from the Goodreads Giveaways
July 19, 2018
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Emily and Jason were high school sweethearts. Emily and Jason committed suicide together. For seven years, their families had been seeking answers as to why this tragedy occurred, and crumbling under their own buried grief.
One day, Daphne, Emily's younger sister, finds a "top ten" list of places Emily and Jason hoped to visit. Since they never got to complete the list, Daphne thought she and Oliver, Jason's younger brother, should finish the list for them.
Both Daphne and Oliver were deeply affected by their siblings' deaths. It fueled Daphne's drive to succeed academically, because she saw that success as an escape from the pain and darkness which loomed over her parents. Oliver was determined to not form any "real" attachments, because he saw what it did to his brother, and his main objective was to NOT be anything like his brother. It saddened me that these two were suffering alone for so long, and concealing their grief behind all these other things. I was very relieved, when Daphne and Oliver started opening up to each other, because they could understand each other's pain better than most other people could.
I thought the list was a brilliant way to bring these two together and jump start their healing. My favorite parts of the book were where when they were "visiting" one of the places on this list. The list was difficult to complete as written, because many of the places were way out of reach. Therefore, Oliver and Daphne came up with ways to experience the list without ever leaving California. I absolutely adored the way they substituted sites for those on the list, and each one of those excursions was a very important and meaningful part of their healing journey.
I will admit, it took me a long time to warm up to Oliver. Honestly, he was kind of jerk, but the more I got to know him, the more I understood, that his behaviors were part of his armor to protect himself from caring too much about anyone again.
I was quite pleased with the ending. It was obvious how much progress Oliver and Daphne had made emotionally with respect to the suicides, but I was impressed with the ways their parents were actually taking some action to promote their own healing. I would have loved an epilogue, just because of where the characters were in their relationship at the end of the book. I actually think an epilogue would have pushed this to a solid 4-stars for me. Nonetheless, I was still happy with the conclusion.
Overall: A solid debut exploring two people's journey through their grief and back to their lives.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Emily and Jason were high school sweethearts. Emily and Jason committed suicide together. For seven years, their families had been seeking answers as to why this tragedy occurred, and crumbling under their own buried grief.
One day, Daphne, Emily's younger sister, finds a "top ten" list of places Emily and Jason hoped to visit. Since they never got to complete the list, Daphne thought she and Oliver, Jason's younger brother, should finish the list for them.
Both Daphne and Oliver were deeply affected by their siblings' deaths. It fueled Daphne's drive to succeed academically, because she saw that success as an escape from the pain and darkness which loomed over her parents. Oliver was determined to not form any "real" attachments, because he saw what it did to his brother, and his main objective was to NOT be anything like his brother. It saddened me that these two were suffering alone for so long, and concealing their grief behind all these other things. I was very relieved, when Daphne and Oliver started opening up to each other, because they could understand each other's pain better than most other people could.
I thought the list was a brilliant way to bring these two together and jump start their healing. My favorite parts of the book were where when they were "visiting" one of the places on this list. The list was difficult to complete as written, because many of the places were way out of reach. Therefore, Oliver and Daphne came up with ways to experience the list without ever leaving California. I absolutely adored the way they substituted sites for those on the list, and each one of those excursions was a very important and meaningful part of their healing journey.
I will admit, it took me a long time to warm up to Oliver. Honestly, he was kind of jerk, but the more I got to know him, the more I understood, that his behaviors were part of his armor to protect himself from caring too much about anyone again.
I was quite pleased with the ending. It was obvious how much progress Oliver and Daphne had made emotionally with respect to the suicides, but I was impressed with the ways their parents were actually taking some action to promote their own healing. I would have loved an epilogue, just because of where the characters were in their relationship at the end of the book. I actually think an epilogue would have pushed this to a solid 4-stars for me. Nonetheless, I was still happy with the conclusion.
Overall: A solid debut exploring two people's journey through their grief and back to their lives.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
July 20, 2018
A thoughtful exploration of 'what comes after', as the siblings of two teenagers who committed suicide try to complete the bucket list they left behind. Daphne and Oliver embark on a journey to finish what their siblings started through a dual perspective. SO GLAD TO MEET YOU comes out on July 31st-- be sure to check it out! :)
April 16, 2018
I really loved this book.Thanks Net Galley for the arc. I loved how refreshing Daphne was, if you're like me and are tired of reading predictable, clueless main protagonist then you're going to like this book. I liked both Daphne and Oliver's attitudes, they were angsty but not over the top angsty. I liked that the death of their sibling really changed them and I thought in Daphne's case ( not so much Oliver) that that's what made her a better person. Oliver even says that Daphne wouldn't be nearly as interesting and probably wouldn't like her at all and I think that true. I really enjoyed this book.
May 9, 2018
I absolutely fell head-over-heels in love with this book!! Oliver and Daphne are delightful despite the heavy grief they carry. Their romance was the perfect slow burn that culminated in the absolute best way. The ending had me in tears while leaving me so happy.
July 7, 2018
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
How would you cope with the death of a loved one? Will you be able to continue your life and do not look back?
Daphne has to ask herself this question every day for the past seven years. She has to constantly think back to the day her sister and her boyfriend have committed suicide.
Emily and Jason had both depressions and stopped taking their meds. They have not left a note. They just left their families with no explanation.
One day after school she founds a box of Emily’s things that have been hidden under a floorboard which contained a bucket list.
Emily & Jason’s Top Ten
1. The Great Wall of China
2. Jim Morisson’s grave
3. Climb Mount Everest
4. Skydive
5. The Sahara Desert
6. Own a pair of designer shoes
7. Niagara Falls
8. Running with the Bulls
9. Go To Outer Space
10.
Daphne does not know what to do with this list and thinks about the one person in the whole world who would and she wants to share this last piece of her sister with Jason’s brother, Oliver.
Oliver receives a friends request from Daphne, who he instantly recognized as Emily’s sister. He does not accept it. He does not want to be reminded of the past and therefore does not want to have anything to do with his dead brother’s girlfriend’s sister.
However, Daphne does not give up. Jason’s school is on her way home from her own school so one day she decided to go there to confront him in person. As she was going through the school property she discovers the school church and talks to the Pastor who allows her to come here whenever she feels like needing it. Even doing her homework.
She found Oliver and showed him the list. She fulfilled her quest.
Daphne took upon the Pastors offer and started doing her homework in the church every day. When Oliver finds out he joins her and they discuss what they should do about the bucket list. They could fulfill it.
“Daphne… don’t. Don’t fall for me.”
They know they cannot travel the world and leave everyone and not graduate, so they found substitutes around L.A. to check one thing after another. Climbing Mount Everest becomes a hike to the Hollywood sign. Visiting Jim Morrison’s grave becomes visiting Marilyn Monroe’s. Visiting the Sahara becomes a trip to the Nevada desert.
Connected through a tragedy they finally found each other, another person who understands in what kind of position they are. They finally have each other to talk about their siblings and build a friendship on it.
“I won’t have a girlfriend. Because of Jason.”
“So Glad To Meet You” is showing what suicide can do to the people left behind. One person’s choice can start a butterfly effect on all the people around them. Both families deal with their loses differently. Daphne’s family stopped being one. Her mother buried herself in work while her father started drinking. Oliver’s parents unknowingly compared him to his brother and he had the weight on his shoulder to take over the family business one day.
Daphne feels alone and counts down the days until she can finally graduate and move to San Francisco to go to college. Oliver cannot wait to move to Montana for college and until then he does not allow his feelings and cope with them with one girl after another, as long she does not want to become his girlfriend. He is afraid of having one.
“Isn’t that what love is, though? Except it’s the opposite. Instead of the darkness, you don’t look past the light in the other person. You don’t focus on the bad, the weaknesses, the imperfections. You see what you want to see.”
“So Glad To Meet You” is Lisa Super debut novel. Super, who works on TV productions and loves traveling, leaves you with a happy end but also with two little questions. What did Daphne wrote under number 10? How did they choose to build their future? There are some hints, but it also leaves a bit of space for your own interpretation.
How would you cope with the death of a loved one? Will you be able to continue your life and do not look back?
Daphne has to ask herself this question every day for the past seven years. She has to constantly think back to the day her sister and her boyfriend have committed suicide.
Emily and Jason had both depressions and stopped taking their meds. They have not left a note. They just left their families with no explanation.
One day after school she founds a box of Emily’s things that have been hidden under a floorboard which contained a bucket list.
Emily & Jason’s Top Ten
1. The Great Wall of China
2. Jim Morisson’s grave
3. Climb Mount Everest
4. Skydive
5. The Sahara Desert
6. Own a pair of designer shoes
7. Niagara Falls
8. Running with the Bulls
9. Go To Outer Space
10.
Daphne does not know what to do with this list and thinks about the one person in the whole world who would and she wants to share this last piece of her sister with Jason’s brother, Oliver.
Oliver receives a friends request from Daphne, who he instantly recognized as Emily’s sister. He does not accept it. He does not want to be reminded of the past and therefore does not want to have anything to do with his dead brother’s girlfriend’s sister.
However, Daphne does not give up. Jason’s school is on her way home from her own school so one day she decided to go there to confront him in person. As she was going through the school property she discovers the school church and talks to the Pastor who allows her to come here whenever she feels like needing it. Even doing her homework.
She found Oliver and showed him the list. She fulfilled her quest.
Daphne took upon the Pastors offer and started doing her homework in the church every day. When Oliver finds out he joins her and they discuss what they should do about the bucket list. They could fulfill it.
“Daphne… don’t. Don’t fall for me.”
They know they cannot travel the world and leave everyone and not graduate, so they found substitutes around L.A. to check one thing after another. Climbing Mount Everest becomes a hike to the Hollywood sign. Visiting Jim Morrison’s grave becomes visiting Marilyn Monroe’s. Visiting the Sahara becomes a trip to the Nevada desert.
Connected through a tragedy they finally found each other, another person who understands in what kind of position they are. They finally have each other to talk about their siblings and build a friendship on it.
“I won’t have a girlfriend. Because of Jason.”
“So Glad To Meet You” is showing what suicide can do to the people left behind. One person’s choice can start a butterfly effect on all the people around them. Both families deal with their loses differently. Daphne’s family stopped being one. Her mother buried herself in work while her father started drinking. Oliver’s parents unknowingly compared him to his brother and he had the weight on his shoulder to take over the family business one day.
Daphne feels alone and counts down the days until she can finally graduate and move to San Francisco to go to college. Oliver cannot wait to move to Montana for college and until then he does not allow his feelings and cope with them with one girl after another, as long she does not want to become his girlfriend. He is afraid of having one.
“Isn’t that what love is, though? Except it’s the opposite. Instead of the darkness, you don’t look past the light in the other person. You don’t focus on the bad, the weaknesses, the imperfections. You see what you want to see.”
“So Glad To Meet You” is Lisa Super debut novel. Super, who works on TV productions and loves traveling, leaves you with a happy end but also with two little questions. What did Daphne wrote under number 10? How did they choose to build their future? There are some hints, but it also leaves a bit of space for your own interpretation.
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July 20, 2018This review was originally posted at Paperback Princess.
So Glad To Meet You by Lisa Super is a tale of two teens as they go on a self-discovery adventure together, whilst trying desperately to outrun their grief.
Emily & Jason were childhood sweethearts, who seemed to have had it all, until they committed suicide together in Emily's family home.
Fast forward 7 years...
Daphne, Emily's younger sister finds a hidden bucket list created by Emily & Jason. Filled with emotional turmoil, Daphne reaches out to Jason's brother, Olly, in hope that they could work together to complete the bucket list for their long-lost siblings.
So Glad To Meet You is a beautifully written book, told in alternating points of views between the two main characters, along with flashbacks. This story touches on so many important themes, but somewhat still keeping it light enough for a YA audience. I really enjoyed the introduction to serious themes such as teen suicide, depression, anxiety and so much more. I don't feel that many books truly portray the emotional turmoil that most if not all teens go through sometime in their adolescent years.
Daphne is a "what you see is what you get" kind of girl, she's very comfortable in her own skin; Olly is a womanising jock, and both share hidden complexities as they live their lives in fear of history repeating itself.
This was a very character-driven book and a lot of my love for this book was because of the very well-written characters. I absolutely loved Daphne, a girl comfortable in her own skin, a what you see is what you get kind of girl. Olly was different, you may not like him immediately, but as the story continues and Lisa unfolds his character, we soon see who he truly is, and that Olly was so loveable. The characters truly made this book for me.
I quite enjoyed So Glad To Meet You, but I had hoped that Daphne and Olly actually travelled to complete the bucket list, having said that, I enjoyed their resourcefulness and interpretation of the list. I did feel a bit cheated in that department.
I also wished there was more flashbacks part, I became heavily invested in Emily and Jason's story straight away and wish this was more two tales intertwined into one, but this didn't reach that expectation for me.
So Glad To Meet You by Lisa Super is a wonderful book, that touches on serious but necessary themes, loveable and complex characters that will have you cheering them on till the very last page. A very character-driven young adult contemporary with a beautiful plot line that will move your heart strings not just for the love and grief, but everything else in between.
So Glad To Meet You by Lisa Super is a tale of two teens as they go on a self-discovery adventure together, whilst trying desperately to outrun their grief.
Emily & Jason were childhood sweethearts, who seemed to have had it all, until they committed suicide together in Emily's family home.
Fast forward 7 years...
Daphne, Emily's younger sister finds a hidden bucket list created by Emily & Jason. Filled with emotional turmoil, Daphne reaches out to Jason's brother, Olly, in hope that they could work together to complete the bucket list for their long-lost siblings.
So Glad To Meet You is a beautifully written book, told in alternating points of views between the two main characters, along with flashbacks. This story touches on so many important themes, but somewhat still keeping it light enough for a YA audience. I really enjoyed the introduction to serious themes such as teen suicide, depression, anxiety and so much more. I don't feel that many books truly portray the emotional turmoil that most if not all teens go through sometime in their adolescent years.
Daphne is a "what you see is what you get" kind of girl, she's very comfortable in her own skin; Olly is a womanising jock, and both share hidden complexities as they live their lives in fear of history repeating itself.
This was a very character-driven book and a lot of my love for this book was because of the very well-written characters. I absolutely loved Daphne, a girl comfortable in her own skin, a what you see is what you get kind of girl. Olly was different, you may not like him immediately, but as the story continues and Lisa unfolds his character, we soon see who he truly is, and that Olly was so loveable. The characters truly made this book for me.
I quite enjoyed So Glad To Meet You, but I had hoped that Daphne and Olly actually travelled to complete the bucket list, having said that, I enjoyed their resourcefulness and interpretation of the list. I did feel a bit cheated in that department.
I also wished there was more flashbacks part, I became heavily invested in Emily and Jason's story straight away and wish this was more two tales intertwined into one, but this didn't reach that expectation for me.
So Glad To Meet You by Lisa Super is a wonderful book, that touches on serious but necessary themes, loveable and complex characters that will have you cheering them on till the very last page. A very character-driven young adult contemporary with a beautiful plot line that will move your heart strings not just for the love and grief, but everything else in between.
July 28, 2018
Warnings: Discussion of suicide, substance abuse
The premise of this book was supposed to be about a bucket list. The main characters’ (Daphne and Oliver) older siblings had committed a double suicide, and now 6 years later Daphne finds a ’10 places to visit before dying’ kind of list and they both decide to try to do the things on the list in a bid for closure. These two have been strangers to one another for the most part, only recognizing each other by name. Which is why a lot of the plot is about them getting to know each other, and developing into a romance.
The main obstacle for the romance is Oliver’s decision to never date (because his brother did and look how that turned out). Flawed argument, considering he is willing to be every bit like a boyfriend except slapping a label onto it. Daphne doesn’t know this for a long time, and starts falling for him but hides it because she isn’t sure he has feelings for her or not. Also, she has been forbidden to date by her parents (same reason). So their friendship grows in that span, with them discussing their siblings, and how they affected them. The bucket list itself is interpreted to practicality, since they don’t actually have the budget to get to the places mentioned in the list. There are some cute moments between them, and a lot of drama with Oliver’s current non-girlfriend and Daphne’s ex-best friend, Penny.
Even with the interesting concept, though, this book is pretty slow-paced, and boring. The bucket list is rarely the focus, and you could say it is character-driven, but honestly I didn’t feel anything for the characters, so it was mostly a chore to finish reading this. Oliver and Daphne also rubbed me wrong, in different ways - Oliver because of his non-sense decision, and Daphne because of her girl hate and superiority because ‘she is not one of those girls’. Both of them have the common thought process of beautiful and popular girls being vapid, so you could say they were made for each other. Oliver is also drawn to her because ‘she is not one of those girls’. *eyeroll* Yeah, so by the end I could barely care about what they did or did not decide to do about each other.
In short, a book that should have been interesting but wasn’t.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Diversion Books, via Edelweiss.
The premise of this book was supposed to be about a bucket list. The main characters’ (Daphne and Oliver) older siblings had committed a double suicide, and now 6 years later Daphne finds a ’10 places to visit before dying’ kind of list and they both decide to try to do the things on the list in a bid for closure. These two have been strangers to one another for the most part, only recognizing each other by name. Which is why a lot of the plot is about them getting to know each other, and developing into a romance.
The main obstacle for the romance is Oliver’s decision to never date (because his brother did and look how that turned out). Flawed argument, considering he is willing to be every bit like a boyfriend except slapping a label onto it. Daphne doesn’t know this for a long time, and starts falling for him but hides it because she isn’t sure he has feelings for her or not. Also, she has been forbidden to date by her parents (same reason). So their friendship grows in that span, with them discussing their siblings, and how they affected them. The bucket list itself is interpreted to practicality, since they don’t actually have the budget to get to the places mentioned in the list. There are some cute moments between them, and a lot of drama with Oliver’s current non-girlfriend and Daphne’s ex-best friend, Penny.
Even with the interesting concept, though, this book is pretty slow-paced, and boring. The bucket list is rarely the focus, and you could say it is character-driven, but honestly I didn’t feel anything for the characters, so it was mostly a chore to finish reading this. Oliver and Daphne also rubbed me wrong, in different ways - Oliver because of his non-sense decision, and Daphne because of her girl hate and superiority because ‘she is not one of those girls’. Both of them have the common thought process of beautiful and popular girls being vapid, so you could say they were made for each other. Oliver is also drawn to her because ‘she is not one of those girls’. *eyeroll* Yeah, so by the end I could barely care about what they did or did not decide to do about each other.
In short, a book that should have been interesting but wasn’t.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Diversion Books, via Edelweiss.
September 7, 2018
So Glad To Meet You
Written by Lisa Super
Genre – Young Adult, Grief, Romance
2.5/5 Stars
Daphne and Oliver are two 17 year olds from very different worlds. Daphne is a quiet girl, who prefers the thrift store look and being as invisible as possible. After high school, she plans to attend Berkeley University or Stanford, and she has worked extremely hard to achieve that goal. Oliver, on the other hand, is an athletic douche bag, who preys on girls who are willing to shower him with attention, while he chooses not to commit to any relationship. These two have history, 7 years ago, their older siblings were in a serious relationship when they committed suicide together.
Daphne finds a relationship bucket list written by Emily and Jason, prior to their deaths. Daphne sends Oliver a friend request on Facebook, in hopes that he would complete the bucket list items with her. Initially Oliver ignores the request, knowing that talking to Daphne would bring back painful memories. Her persistence takes her to his high school football game, where he is the mascot. The two agree that they must complete the list together.
“So Glad To Meet You” was a quick read on stay in bed day. I had expected this book to be right up my alley. Unfortunately, this book played out like a Lifetime movie, which some people enjoy, just not me. The writing style was a little choppy for me. I felt there could have been more emotional depth, as it dealt with grief and romance. Oliver’s character was a royal jerk, who slut shammed girls and used them. Daphne’s character had such a low self esteem and she allowed Oliver to play with her emotions. That is a big turn off in this book. A game of cat and mouse. As always, please remember, books are like art and each piece will move us as individuals differently.
Written by Lisa Super
Genre – Young Adult, Grief, Romance
2.5/5 Stars
Daphne and Oliver are two 17 year olds from very different worlds. Daphne is a quiet girl, who prefers the thrift store look and being as invisible as possible. After high school, she plans to attend Berkeley University or Stanford, and she has worked extremely hard to achieve that goal. Oliver, on the other hand, is an athletic douche bag, who preys on girls who are willing to shower him with attention, while he chooses not to commit to any relationship. These two have history, 7 years ago, their older siblings were in a serious relationship when they committed suicide together.
Daphne finds a relationship bucket list written by Emily and Jason, prior to their deaths. Daphne sends Oliver a friend request on Facebook, in hopes that he would complete the bucket list items with her. Initially Oliver ignores the request, knowing that talking to Daphne would bring back painful memories. Her persistence takes her to his high school football game, where he is the mascot. The two agree that they must complete the list together.
“So Glad To Meet You” was a quick read on stay in bed day. I had expected this book to be right up my alley. Unfortunately, this book played out like a Lifetime movie, which some people enjoy, just not me. The writing style was a little choppy for me. I felt there could have been more emotional depth, as it dealt with grief and romance. Oliver’s character was a royal jerk, who slut shammed girls and used them. Daphne’s character had such a low self esteem and she allowed Oliver to play with her emotions. That is a big turn off in this book. A game of cat and mouse. As always, please remember, books are like art and each piece will move us as individuals differently.
July 18, 2018
I got this ARC via NetGalley
2.5/5
While this was your average sad contemporary, I found the way it was marketed really flawed. In NG, it's tagged under "LGBT+" and there's only a lesbian side couple that's mentioned maybe three times, not very extensively. The coming out scene was at like 70% in. THIS IS NOT AN LGBTQIAP+ BOOK!!!!!!!! And it's awful that it's using those small, almost irrelevant side characters as a way to catch people's attention.
Also, the way minorities were treated in this book was a bit eh. Both main characters are white and straight, and it seemed like everyone around them wasn't. And when you do that, you're trying to prove that you're not racist/homophobic and it's instrumentalism at its best.
Plain main characters whose only trait is "having a dead sibling". Constantly pulls on heartstrings to make itself look deeper. The romance wasn't necessary at all, and I would've loved if it wasn't a thing. As soon as they start dating there is a collage of scenes leading up to them leaving for college, and it felt rushed. It obviously still needs polishing.
But it was a fast read, I guess, and the to-do list the MCs's siblings left was fun. But that's it, really.
2.5/5
While this was your average sad contemporary, I found the way it was marketed really flawed. In NG, it's tagged under "LGBT+" and there's only a lesbian side couple that's mentioned maybe three times, not very extensively. The coming out scene was at like 70% in. THIS IS NOT AN LGBTQIAP+ BOOK!!!!!!!! And it's awful that it's using those small, almost irrelevant side characters as a way to catch people's attention.
Also, the way minorities were treated in this book was a bit eh. Both main characters are white and straight, and it seemed like everyone around them wasn't. And when you do that, you're trying to prove that you're not racist/homophobic and it's instrumentalism at its best.
Plain main characters whose only trait is "having a dead sibling". Constantly pulls on heartstrings to make itself look deeper. The romance wasn't necessary at all, and I would've loved if it wasn't a thing. As soon as they start dating there is a collage of scenes leading up to them leaving for college, and it felt rushed. It obviously still needs polishing.
But it was a fast read, I guess, and the to-do list the MCs's siblings left was fun. But that's it, really.
December 27, 2018
Sad to say that I am not so glad to have read “So Glad to Meet You”. I expected it to be a not-so typical YA romance with the weight of the main characters’ grief pulling them together but also keeping them from fully commiting to a more-than-friends relationship. And yes it is that in some ways but there are lots of disappointing elements here and there:
WEAK MOTIVATION
I get it, they both want to make sense of their shared tragedies so they decided to complete the bucketlist together. But looking back, it seemed so weak to anchor their motivations on the death of their older siblings. The book did not do a good job of making the reader care so much for what’s lost to Daphne and Oliver when Emily and Jason died. Okay, Jason occasionally played catch with the young Oliver. And there’s the casual mention near the end that Daphne looked up so much to Emily to the point of young Daphne emulating her dead sister’s fashion choices. Other than that, Emily and Jason were just a couple of teens who were obsessed with each other and also both were depressed so they kill themselves together.
NOT A RELATIONSHIP TO ROOT FOR
Oliver does not enter boyfriend-girlfriend relationships because, uhm, I honestly forgot the exact reason. Something really vague again about the long-dead Jason and Emily. Oliver’s most defining characteristic is to suffer through lots of blue balls. It’s safe to assume that he posseses a superpower to resist his sexual hormones in the middle of intense make out scenes with the “other” girls vying for his affections. So is Daphne being the little sister of the girlfriend of his dead older brother a justifiable reason to break Oliver’s no-girlfriend policy? Of course not, Oliver is spot on when he said that Daphne “had all the baggage of an ex-girlfriend and he’d never even met her” .
But Daphne is persistent, playing a Goth mystique personality to win Oliver over. While, completing the bucketlist, she knew about Oliver’s commitment issues and yet she often disrespects his boundaries. She creepily went over the lengths of being invited to a house party where Oliver is sure to be attending. Then she flirted and danced with him at that party. And when Oliver blocked her advances with a “Don’t fall for me.”, she got back by confusing him with a fat kiss on his cheek, whispering “I think you’re afraid” and ditching him. There was also this time when Oliver was caught off guard with a spur in the moment kiss from Daphne and although Oliver kissed back, I’m like ew, this is icky and so not consent positive. For me, Daphne’s push and pull with Oliver’s emotions felt more like a sly seduction than pure romantic acts.
In the end, Daphne is just like those other girls who want Oliver to be their boyfriend but she’s way craftier and she played her cards right, so she got the guy. Her being a gothic sister of Emily is just an illusion of depth to her character. And Oliver is just a fellow who goes with the flow. When he finally decided to be Daphne’s boyfriend, it does not feel like that decision came from inside him but more of giving in to Daphne’s Goth mystique seductive acts.
CARDBOARD SIDE CHARACTERS
The book introduced a large cast of characters who did nothing other than be background characters. There’s a potential likable character in Daphne’s sassy bestfriend, Janine. Or potential nuanced antagonists/rivals to Daphne like Katarina and Penny Layton. But these potentials were wasted to give way to completing The List. I am not saying that they have to forego The List because it is the main conceit of the book. I don’t know, I guess you really can’t have the cake and eat it, too. So maybe the book should’ve never mentioned lots of side characters in the first place and just focused on Daphne and Oliver.
Also in relation to this is what felt like a shoehorned diversity. I give props for the book adding LGBTQ and POC characters but like I said they served nothing much to the story.
What’s laughable is that near the ending, all these background characters (aside from Katarina and Penny Layton) played tag with Daphne and Oliver, all looking chummy together. Where did all the insta-friendhip came from? It was so unnatural. It’s like a big musical production where previously unrelated characters are throwing jazz hands to show that they are happy for the main couple.
THE RESOLUTION WAS NOT A REAL REMEDY
They started off as strangers both lost on those seven years of repressed grief. Aside from their inner turmoils, another conflict is that their famillies are understandably different versions of dysfuntional. Then they eventually bonded over a mission to complete The List. And started hitting it of together as a couple and it’s as if their romance magically healed everything. Daphne’s father decided to get into rehab for his alcoholism. Oliver does not resent his family that much. They got acccepted to the colleges that they applied for. Oh wow, let’s all throw some jazz hands again!
OTHER STUFF
The writing is decent with a hit and miss banter between Daphne and Oliver. There were scenes when the characters are full of tears in their eyes, but I felt nothing. The ending does not offer any surprises or big revelations. If there’s anything positive I can say, it is the book’s commitment to The List.
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WEAK MOTIVATION
I get it, they both want to make sense of their shared tragedies so they decided to complete the bucketlist together. But looking back, it seemed so weak to anchor their motivations on the death of their older siblings. The book did not do a good job of making the reader care so much for what’s lost to Daphne and Oliver when Emily and Jason died. Okay, Jason occasionally played catch with the young Oliver. And there’s the casual mention near the end that Daphne looked up so much to Emily to the point of young Daphne emulating her dead sister’s fashion choices. Other than that, Emily and Jason were just a couple of teens who were obsessed with each other and also both were depressed so they kill themselves together.
NOT A RELATIONSHIP TO ROOT FOR
Oliver does not enter boyfriend-girlfriend relationships because, uhm, I honestly forgot the exact reason. Something really vague again about the long-dead Jason and Emily. Oliver’s most defining characteristic is to suffer through lots of blue balls. It’s safe to assume that he posseses a superpower to resist his sexual hormones in the middle of intense make out scenes with the “other” girls vying for his affections. So is Daphne being the little sister of the girlfriend of his dead older brother a justifiable reason to break Oliver’s no-girlfriend policy? Of course not, Oliver is spot on when he said that Daphne “had all the baggage of an ex-girlfriend and he’d never even met her” .
But Daphne is persistent, playing a Goth mystique personality to win Oliver over. While, completing the bucketlist, she knew about Oliver’s commitment issues and yet she often disrespects his boundaries. She creepily went over the lengths of being invited to a house party where Oliver is sure to be attending. Then she flirted and danced with him at that party. And when Oliver blocked her advances with a “Don’t fall for me.”, she got back by confusing him with a fat kiss on his cheek, whispering “I think you’re afraid” and ditching him. There was also this time when Oliver was caught off guard with a spur in the moment kiss from Daphne and although Oliver kissed back, I’m like ew, this is icky and so not consent positive. For me, Daphne’s push and pull with Oliver’s emotions felt more like a sly seduction than pure romantic acts.
In the end, Daphne is just like those other girls who want Oliver to be their boyfriend but she’s way craftier and she played her cards right, so she got the guy. Her being a gothic sister of Emily is just an illusion of depth to her character. And Oliver is just a fellow who goes with the flow. When he finally decided to be Daphne’s boyfriend, it does not feel like that decision came from inside him but more of giving in to Daphne’s Goth mystique seductive acts.
CARDBOARD SIDE CHARACTERS
The book introduced a large cast of characters who did nothing other than be background characters. There’s a potential likable character in Daphne’s sassy bestfriend, Janine. Or potential nuanced antagonists/rivals to Daphne like Katarina and Penny Layton. But these potentials were wasted to give way to completing The List. I am not saying that they have to forego The List because it is the main conceit of the book. I don’t know, I guess you really can’t have the cake and eat it, too. So maybe the book should’ve never mentioned lots of side characters in the first place and just focused on Daphne and Oliver.
Also in relation to this is what felt like a shoehorned diversity. I give props for the book adding LGBTQ and POC characters but like I said they served nothing much to the story.
What’s laughable is that near the ending, all these background characters (aside from Katarina and Penny Layton) played tag with Daphne and Oliver, all looking chummy together. Where did all the insta-friendhip came from? It was so unnatural. It’s like a big musical production where previously unrelated characters are throwing jazz hands to show that they are happy for the main couple.
THE RESOLUTION WAS NOT A REAL REMEDY
They started off as strangers both lost on those seven years of repressed grief. Aside from their inner turmoils, another conflict is that their famillies are understandably different versions of dysfuntional. Then they eventually bonded over a mission to complete The List. And started hitting it of together as a couple and it’s as if their romance magically healed everything. Daphne’s father decided to get into rehab for his alcoholism. Oliver does not resent his family that much. They got acccepted to the colleges that they applied for. Oh wow, let’s all throw some jazz hands again!
OTHER STUFF
The writing is decent with a hit and miss banter between Daphne and Oliver. There were scenes when the characters are full of tears in their eyes, but I felt nothing. The ending does not offer any surprises or big revelations. If there’s anything positive I can say, it is the book’s commitment to The List.
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August 24, 2018
An unexpected romance between two teenagers haunted by a shared tragedy. Engaging dialogue and vivid scenes bring the characters to life in this memorable YA novel. It was delightful to watch the relationship between Daphne and Oliver slowly blossom. This is a must-read novel for romantics and optimists of all ages.
April 18, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley for a chance to read and review.
I loved this story and felt empathy for Daphne and Oliver as they worked through the list, trying to handle their parents' expectations and find their places and deciding what they wanted to be in the shadow of their older siblings' suicides.
Oliver's determination to be the opposite of Jason, including his vow to not be anyone's boyfriend was believable and my heart broke for him and Daphne. When they finally unraveled their feelings for each other, my heart cheered. So many feels <3
I loved this story and felt empathy for Daphne and Oliver as they worked through the list, trying to handle their parents' expectations and find their places and deciding what they wanted to be in the shadow of their older siblings' suicides.
Oliver's determination to be the opposite of Jason, including his vow to not be anyone's boyfriend was believable and my heart broke for him and Daphne. When they finally unraveled their feelings for each other, my heart cheered. So many feels <3
August 18, 2018
4.5 stars
Although it took a few chapters to get into the story [I thought that it would be a lot more melancholy than it turned out to be], I enjoyed reading So Glad to Meet You. Daphne and Oliver have grown up in the shadows of their older siblings, who had once dated and had committed suicide together. Then Daphne finds a bucket list that the two of them wrote in their final days and decides that Oliver should know about it as well. As a result, the two try to recreate going to all the places that Emily and Jason had listed, but never got the chance to do and in the process come to know more about themselves [and of course fall in love].
I thought that So Glad to Meet You did a great job in creating a realistic scenario that would bring the two of them together, not to mention the stellar job of developing these characters’ own individual personalities in the face of their own personalities being overshadowed by their dead siblings. They are honest, funny, with biting wit that really felt true to today’s high school social culture. Not one of them were ever treated as being perfect, but their faults weren’t made to stand out either. Ugh, it was just too good.
The relationship building between the two was adorable as well. Oliver’s vehement objections to any type of relationship sound so childish, but I thought that it added to the pain of the loss he felt from Jason’s death.
One thing that I cannot recall being mentioned was therapy. I know that this happened seven years ago, but if the two of them, not to mention their entire families, are still so hung up about Jason and Emily’s deaths, I would have liked to see more mentions of going to therapy and trying to find some closure over their lives.
Other than that, I really cannot find too much fault in this book. Yeah, Oliver’s friends could have been fleshed out some more, but what they were were enough to continue on with the story. All all the more explicit scenes were tastefully done and there were a number of scenes where consent of both the partners is a key part of the interaction. I was overjoyed to read them. This book felt healthier to me than a lot of YA novels that have dealt with the topics of death, suicide, and sex could ever hope to achieve. LOVED IT!
Final notes:
-Told in alternating third person POV
-Mentions of suicide [by asphyxiation in a car]
-Mentions of alcholism
-Not a complete happily ever after, slightly open ended, but optimistic
-Mentions of depression/medication
-Consent is key in this book
-Tastefully done sex scene [minor graphic content]
Although it took a few chapters to get into the story [I thought that it would be a lot more melancholy than it turned out to be], I enjoyed reading So Glad to Meet You. Daphne and Oliver have grown up in the shadows of their older siblings, who had once dated and had committed suicide together. Then Daphne finds a bucket list that the two of them wrote in their final days and decides that Oliver should know about it as well. As a result, the two try to recreate going to all the places that Emily and Jason had listed, but never got the chance to do and in the process come to know more about themselves [and of course fall in love].
I thought that So Glad to Meet You did a great job in creating a realistic scenario that would bring the two of them together, not to mention the stellar job of developing these characters’ own individual personalities in the face of their own personalities being overshadowed by their dead siblings. They are honest, funny, with biting wit that really felt true to today’s high school social culture. Not one of them were ever treated as being perfect, but their faults weren’t made to stand out either. Ugh, it was just too good.
The relationship building between the two was adorable as well. Oliver’s vehement objections to any type of relationship sound so childish, but I thought that it added to the pain of the loss he felt from Jason’s death.
One thing that I cannot recall being mentioned was therapy. I know that this happened seven years ago, but if the two of them, not to mention their entire families, are still so hung up about Jason and Emily’s deaths, I would have liked to see more mentions of going to therapy and trying to find some closure over their lives.
Other than that, I really cannot find too much fault in this book. Yeah, Oliver’s friends could have been fleshed out some more, but what they were were enough to continue on with the story. All all the more explicit scenes were tastefully done and there were a number of scenes where consent of both the partners is a key part of the interaction. I was overjoyed to read them. This book felt healthier to me than a lot of YA novels that have dealt with the topics of death, suicide, and sex could ever hope to achieve. LOVED IT!
Final notes:
-Told in alternating third person POV
-Mentions of suicide [by asphyxiation in a car]
-Mentions of alcholism
-Not a complete happily ever after, slightly open ended, but optimistic
-Mentions of depression/medication
-Consent is key in this book
-Tastefully done sex scene [minor graphic content]
June 4, 2018
I was fortunate to read an early version of this story and then also be given an ARC to read:) Daphne and Oliver, the MCs, are tied by the joint suicide of their older siblings who had been in love. When Daphne finds a bucket list written by them, she approaches Oliver and they decide to finish the bucket list together. Over the course of their excursions, they slowly connect at a deeper level, realizing that they both understand what it's like to grow up in the shadow of a dead sibling. I loved that this was not an instant love story. Their relationship goes through a series of ups and downs that were beautifully written. I also loved that Oliver was such a broken and misguided character. He made mistakes, but in the end, had such an authentic arc. This book combines beautiful writing, with well-development characters and a lot of heart!
July 20, 2018
This was really sweet and made me feel happy while reading it.
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