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Morgan Rawlinson #1
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out
Being sent to your room is one thing. But being sent to another country?
Morgan's boyfriend dumped her on the last day of school - it seemed the only thing to do was to hack off her hair and dye the stubble orange. Unfortunately, Morgan's parents freaked and decided a change of scenery would do her good. So they're sending her off on a bike tour of Ireland.
But Morgan gets more than she bargained for on the Emerald Isle - including a strange journey into some crazy, once upon a time corner of the past. There, she meets fairies, weefolk, and a hunky warrior-dude named Fergus, and figures that she's got some growing to do-and she doesn't just mean her hair.
Morgan's boyfriend dumped her on the last day of school - it seemed the only thing to do was to hack off her hair and dye the stubble orange. Unfortunately, Morgan's parents freaked and decided a change of scenery would do her good. So they're sending her off on a bike tour of Ireland.
But Morgan gets more than she bargained for on the Emerald Isle - including a strange journey into some crazy, once upon a time corner of the past. There, she meets fairies, weefolk, and a hunky warrior-dude named Fergus, and figures that she's got some growing to do-and she doesn't just mean her hair.
218 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2007
13 people are currently reading
1826 people want to read
About the author
Maryrose Wood
22 books1,031 followersSending big hugs and loveawoo to all.
I'm so pleased to introduce you to my new book: Alice's Farm, A Rabbit’s Tale. In stores on September 1st; available for preorder now.
Alice is an eastern cottontail. Genus sylvagia, species floridanus. About three pounds full grown, if she makes it that far.
Life at the bottom of the food chain is no picnic! But that doesn’t worry Alice much. She's too busy doing all she can to save her beautiful farmland home—not just for herself, but for all the creatures of the valley between the hills.
Yup, all of ’em! Even that new family of farmers who just moved into the big red
house across the meadow. They don’t know much about farming, being from
the city. They mean well. But they’re easy pickins for the local apex predator (he's a real estate developer, in case you couldn't tell).
But Alice has a plan to help.
Rabbits helping farmers? That’s awfully unusual, isn’t it? Well, you're right
about that, young’un!
Let’s put it this way: Alice is no ordinary rabbit.
With loveawoo,
Maryrose
p.s. — If you could use a little extra pluck and optimism right now, please help yourself to THE SWANBURNE ACADEMY GUIDE TO SHELTERING IN PLACE.
You can download it right here:
www.swanburneacademy.com/freeguide
I'm so pleased to introduce you to my new book: Alice's Farm, A Rabbit’s Tale. In stores on September 1st; available for preorder now.
Alice is an eastern cottontail. Genus sylvagia, species floridanus. About three pounds full grown, if she makes it that far.
Life at the bottom of the food chain is no picnic! But that doesn’t worry Alice much. She's too busy doing all she can to save her beautiful farmland home—not just for herself, but for all the creatures of the valley between the hills.
Yup, all of ’em! Even that new family of farmers who just moved into the big red
house across the meadow. They don’t know much about farming, being from
the city. They mean well. But they’re easy pickins for the local apex predator (he's a real estate developer, in case you couldn't tell).
But Alice has a plan to help.
Rabbits helping farmers? That’s awfully unusual, isn’t it? Well, you're right
about that, young’un!
Let’s put it this way: Alice is no ordinary rabbit.
With loveawoo,
Maryrose
p.s. — If you could use a little extra pluck and optimism right now, please help yourself to THE SWANBURNE ACADEMY GUIDE TO SHELTERING IN PLACE.
You can download it right here:
www.swanburneacademy.com/freeguide
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
March 11, 2015
This kind of reads like two different stories, awkwardly smushed together. On on hand, a fairly traditional fairy story. On the other, a fairly traditional "girl gets dumped, is healed by another guy" story. Neither are particularly good.
Let's get one thing out of the way first: the main character is awful. Morgan is an incredibly unlikeable character for most of the book. She lost me within the first few chapters, when she intentionally torments her little sister to the point of tears, solely because she wants her poor little sister to be every bit as miserable as she is. She's like this to almost everybody she meets in the book until far too late. She's lost me long before she starts to improve her behavior at all.
The modern day story is pure wish fulfillment, so there really isn't much to say. Morgan lands herself a hot Irish guy with a cute accent, yay! Never mind that he's twenty and she's sixteen, or that they obviously live a whole ocean apart. Never mind that she has a history of making incredibly bad relationship choices (her previous boyfriend was a piece of work) and that she intentionally starts pursuing poor New Guy as a disposable rebound. Never mind that she spends much of the book acting like a petulant thirteen year old and he often reads significantly older than twenty. Never mind that she's an ocean away from anyone she knows because her parents thought it was a marvelous idea to send a heartbroken sixteen year old on a biking tour in another country without any friends or family. Put all that aside, and you have... a relationship with absolutely no chemistry to it. None. Problematic and passionless, my favorite combination!
The fairy story was less problematic, but more boring. It felt like several short stories tossed together with a dull framing narrative. And I really didn't like how Morgan crossed between the two worlds: she falls asleep. It's all very convenient, isn't it? She doesn't have to worry about being missed if she only psychically travels when she's safely asleep. Or blackout drunk, whatever. I don't have much to say about the fairy story because I was so incredibly bored by it. I just wanted to get it over with.
Honestly, I might have liked this book better if the main character had been less awful. But then again, maybe not.
Let's get one thing out of the way first: the main character is awful. Morgan is an incredibly unlikeable character for most of the book. She lost me within the first few chapters, when she intentionally torments her little sister to the point of tears, solely because she wants her poor little sister to be every bit as miserable as she is. She's like this to almost everybody she meets in the book until far too late. She's lost me long before she starts to improve her behavior at all.
The modern day story is pure wish fulfillment, so there really isn't much to say. Morgan lands herself a hot Irish guy with a cute accent, yay! Never mind that he's twenty and she's sixteen, or that they obviously live a whole ocean apart. Never mind that she has a history of making incredibly bad relationship choices (her previous boyfriend was a piece of work) and that she intentionally starts pursuing poor New Guy as a disposable rebound. Never mind that she spends much of the book acting like a petulant thirteen year old and he often reads significantly older than twenty. Never mind that she's an ocean away from anyone she knows because her parents thought it was a marvelous idea to send a heartbroken sixteen year old on a biking tour in another country without any friends or family. Put all that aside, and you have... a relationship with absolutely no chemistry to it. None. Problematic and passionless, my favorite combination!
The fairy story was less problematic, but more boring. It felt like several short stories tossed together with a dull framing narrative. And I really didn't like how Morgan crossed between the two worlds: she falls asleep. It's all very convenient, isn't it? She doesn't have to worry about being missed if she only psychically travels when she's safely asleep. Or blackout drunk, whatever. I don't have much to say about the fairy story because I was so incredibly bored by it. I just wanted to get it over with.
Honestly, I might have liked this book better if the main character had been less awful. But then again, maybe not.
April 15, 2017
Europe! Ireland! Leprechauns! Faeries! Goddesses! Oh, this book was fun, and I might even read the next one!
January 17, 2012
I was tricked into reading this book. I thought it was about a girl of my age trying to cure a heartbreak and her hair was just the first of many changes she had to make under heartbreak-hangover-caused impulses.
Well, it wasn't.
The first few pages didn't get me hooked so I thought of putting it down and I could have moved on with my life. But I kept reading anyway. I thought Morgan's voice wasn't that strong and sure she's sad about her recent breakup, but I didn't feel for her. I didn't feel like she was broken enough. Then the magic stuff started and that shocked me. I don't read fantasy books, only romance novels. At first the dreams and visions were a bit too random for me but I'm glad I kept on reading...
Truth is, Morgan kinda grew on me. I finally got her humor and her personality. And maybe she didn't show the reader [me, you, us, whatever] how depressed she was because she herself was trying to ignore emotions that wouldn't lead anywhere. After a while, I couldn't put the book down, I just had to know the rest of her story. Fantasy clashes with reality, and in the end I felt like I went through a weird, but nice, fairy tale... one that's age-appropriate. (I'm sixteen)
So basically I liked this book. If I had read this two years ago, I would probably have loved it.
But give it a try. For me, it was a great ride. I miss Morgan :)
Well, it wasn't.
The first few pages didn't get me hooked so I thought of putting it down and I could have moved on with my life. But I kept reading anyway. I thought Morgan's voice wasn't that strong and sure she's sad about her recent breakup, but I didn't feel for her. I didn't feel like she was broken enough. Then the magic stuff started and that shocked me. I don't read fantasy books, only romance novels. At first the dreams and visions were a bit too random for me but I'm glad I kept on reading...
Truth is, Morgan kinda grew on me. I finally got her humor and her personality. And maybe she didn't show the reader [me, you, us, whatever] how depressed she was because she herself was trying to ignore emotions that wouldn't lead anywhere. After a while, I couldn't put the book down, I just had to know the rest of her story. Fantasy clashes with reality, and in the end I felt like I went through a weird, but nice, fairy tale... one that's age-appropriate. (I'm sixteen)
So basically I liked this book. If I had read this two years ago, I would probably have loved it.
But give it a try. For me, it was a great ride. I miss Morgan :)
June 13, 2013
Step right up folks, because you are about to experience something you never have before! *cheesy circus music inserted here*
No seriously everyone, I don't know where to start with this book. I'm stuck between the striped buzz cut, the princess dress, the garden gnome slathering himself with sunblock, and the ridiculous enchantments. This book was unlike anything I have read. If you want your mind blown in a nice quiet manner, go ahead and give this book a try.
The book starts out with Morgan, your average teenage girl with a big attitude on her. At first that attitude annoyed the crap out of me, just cuz she was being difficult because she could. And usually I would understand that, seeing that I'm a teenage girl as well, but she did it all the time. After awhile she sorta calmed down, which was nice. Morgan has just been banished to not her bedroom, but to another country. And from here on I refuse to repeat the summary.
Morgan like I said earlier, was very annoying. After awhile you got past it. Her sarcastic humor made me laugh pretty often too. What I really loved about Morgan was watching her change. She went from a girl with a bitter heart, attitude problem, and dry sarcastic smart mouth to a happy girl with great memories, new friends, and the same humor, but a bit more cheerful. Her adventures in Long Ago Land were pretty funny too.
I'd rather not talk about the rest of the characters because, as enjoyable as they and their almost doubles were, there are to many of them, and it would sorta ruin the book for you guys. So instead I shall be talking about her wonderful adventures.
You see, this book was great, but I sorta feel like it could have taken up more time if it wanted to. It had 3 dang prophecies to fulfill and she managed it in 218 pages. Any Suzanne Collins fanatics here? Anyone remember the Gregor the Overlander series? Or are you all just Hunger Games fans? Anyways, for those who do remember, it took 6 books, all 300+ length to solve all the prophecies. And I really enjoyed all the characters, so I sorta wish it would have been longer. Which is also the reason I shall be reading the second and third book, though I already read the synopsis for the 2nd and well.... yeah. But I will read it nonetheless!
So quick summary of my own here:
I enjoyed this book a lot. It felt lacking in the sense of length. The characters were funny. My mind is still having problems handling all the sights I have seen/imagined in this book.
No seriously everyone, I don't know where to start with this book. I'm stuck between the striped buzz cut, the princess dress, the garden gnome slathering himself with sunblock, and the ridiculous enchantments. This book was unlike anything I have read. If you want your mind blown in a nice quiet manner, go ahead and give this book a try.
The book starts out with Morgan, your average teenage girl with a big attitude on her. At first that attitude annoyed the crap out of me, just cuz she was being difficult because she could. And usually I would understand that, seeing that I'm a teenage girl as well, but she did it all the time. After awhile she sorta calmed down, which was nice. Morgan has just been banished to not her bedroom, but to another country. And from here on I refuse to repeat the summary.
Morgan like I said earlier, was very annoying. After awhile you got past it. Her sarcastic humor made me laugh pretty often too. What I really loved about Morgan was watching her change. She went from a girl with a bitter heart, attitude problem, and dry sarcastic smart mouth to a happy girl with great memories, new friends, and the same humor, but a bit more cheerful. Her adventures in Long Ago Land were pretty funny too.
I'd rather not talk about the rest of the characters because, as enjoyable as they and their almost doubles were, there are to many of them, and it would sorta ruin the book for you guys. So instead I shall be talking about her wonderful adventures.
You see, this book was great, but I sorta feel like it could have taken up more time if it wanted to. It had 3 dang prophecies to fulfill and she managed it in 218 pages. Any Suzanne Collins fanatics here? Anyone remember the Gregor the Overlander series? Or are you all just Hunger Games fans? Anyways, for those who do remember, it took 6 books, all 300+ length to solve all the prophecies. And I really enjoyed all the characters, so I sorta wish it would have been longer. Which is also the reason I shall be reading the second and third book, though I already read the synopsis for the 2nd and well.... yeah. But I will read it nonetheless!
So quick summary of my own here:
I enjoyed this book a lot. It felt lacking in the sense of length. The characters were funny. My mind is still having problems handling all the sights I have seen/imagined in this book.
January 21, 2019
The grammar and capitalization was beyond annoying. Otherwise a quick, light read that wasn't bad.
February 27, 2009
What’s the perfect response to teenage rebellion in the form of a self-performed haircut and orange dye job? Just ask Morgan Rawlinson’s parents, because when this spunky gal does just this after her boyfriend dumps her, and on the last day of school to boot, their solution is the very logical one to send her on a bike tour of Ireland. Depressed at the limited fashion opportunities for bikers, but with not better alternative than sulking away at home, Morgan reluctantly goes. Everyone else on the bike tour seems to be afflicted with a different kind of crazy although he guy who drives the luggage van, Colin, isn’t too bad looking, but what’s really strange are the people she meets after her bike accident—the faeries and wee folk. Caught up in two worlds, modern day Ireland and this same land but in an old Irish myth she never thought was real, Morgan is going to have to figure out how to balance her two missions—to snag hunky Colin and to solve a faery riddle to rid the Ireland of legend form its faery curses.
Witty, hilarious, and creative, Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is a highly engaging and entertaining read that I could not put down. The inclusion of old Irish legends makes the story all the more original and unique, even if it is spun, through Morgan’s frank is sometimes immature perspective, in an amusingly modern way. The only part of this novel I enjoy even more than the faery angle is Morgan’s character. Despite all the ridiculous and unbelievable situations she finds herself in, Morgan remains realistic and lovable. Her intelligence and determination, not to mention her won’t-take-no-for-an-answer attitude, make her a joy to read about. I liked how Morgan is both a little juvenile and yet also mature; Wood captures the teenage girl’s mind so well. My one small problem was that I kept mixing up some of the names from the Irish legend and Morgan’s modern day journey, especially because some were the same. However, I did like the parallels between the people from the Irish legend and Morgan’s tour mates.
Why I Let My Hair Grown Out is certainly a singular and lovable novel, and one with possibly the best cover art of any book I’ve ever seen. Fans of The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King, Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs, and Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst will also enjoy this fantastic read. I look forward to the continuation of Morgan’s story in How I Found the Perfect Dress.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
Witty, hilarious, and creative, Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is a highly engaging and entertaining read that I could not put down. The inclusion of old Irish legends makes the story all the more original and unique, even if it is spun, through Morgan’s frank is sometimes immature perspective, in an amusingly modern way. The only part of this novel I enjoy even more than the faery angle is Morgan’s character. Despite all the ridiculous and unbelievable situations she finds herself in, Morgan remains realistic and lovable. Her intelligence and determination, not to mention her won’t-take-no-for-an-answer attitude, make her a joy to read about. I liked how Morgan is both a little juvenile and yet also mature; Wood captures the teenage girl’s mind so well. My one small problem was that I kept mixing up some of the names from the Irish legend and Morgan’s modern day journey, especially because some were the same. However, I did like the parallels between the people from the Irish legend and Morgan’s tour mates.
Why I Let My Hair Grown Out is certainly a singular and lovable novel, and one with possibly the best cover art of any book I’ve ever seen. Fans of The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King, Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs, and Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst will also enjoy this fantastic read. I look forward to the continuation of Morgan’s story in How I Found the Perfect Dress.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
December 14, 2009
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out was such a fun book! It had me laughing out loud quite a few times and it had me reading straight through to the very end. I seem to be a reading a ton of good books lately and this is just another one that I have to add to the list.
At first, I hated Morgan with a passion. When her boyfriend, who was a huge jerk, dumped her, she assumed it was all her fault and got all mopey. That was when she chopped off her hair and got sent to Ireland as punishment. Well, not really punishment, more like mental help. I just hate girls that put themselves down for their boyfriends and I was glad that she finally grew up. She changed into a great character after she spent some time in Ireland.
Surprisingly, the book didn't have a ton of magic in it. Some of Morgan's time in Ireland was spent in the present and some of her time was spent in the past. It made the story so unique and enjoyable. I also found it cool that the characters from the past were all based on people from the future. They were all the members of the bike tour that she is on. It was a very clever idea.
Ooh and then there was Colin. He was absolutely adorable. He was the perfect Irish boy. Well, more of a man but still. He was sweet, funny, and his accent was to die for. I loved everything about him, especially because he was such a gentleman to Morgan. I can't wait to learn more about their relationship in the next two books.
Overall, Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is unlike any book I have read and I expect that the next two books in the series will be just as good, if not better. If you are looking for a laugh-out-loud funny book then you should definitely pick up a copy of this one. =]
At first, I hated Morgan with a passion. When her boyfriend, who was a huge jerk, dumped her, she assumed it was all her fault and got all mopey. That was when she chopped off her hair and got sent to Ireland as punishment. Well, not really punishment, more like mental help. I just hate girls that put themselves down for their boyfriends and I was glad that she finally grew up. She changed into a great character after she spent some time in Ireland.
Surprisingly, the book didn't have a ton of magic in it. Some of Morgan's time in Ireland was spent in the present and some of her time was spent in the past. It made the story so unique and enjoyable. I also found it cool that the characters from the past were all based on people from the future. They were all the members of the bike tour that she is on. It was a very clever idea.
Ooh and then there was Colin. He was absolutely adorable. He was the perfect Irish boy. Well, more of a man but still. He was sweet, funny, and his accent was to die for. I loved everything about him, especially because he was such a gentleman to Morgan. I can't wait to learn more about their relationship in the next two books.
Overall, Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is unlike any book I have read and I expect that the next two books in the series will be just as good, if not better. If you are looking for a laugh-out-loud funny book then you should definitely pick up a copy of this one. =]
July 22, 2011
Sparky, sassy and crazy! A great YA read, laughter guaranteed XD
The girl in who's world we're thrown is one hell of a package. Sarcastic should not be her middle or last name, but her first - instead of Morgan, which, as she remarks constantly - is a male name (reference - Morgan Freeman). She's messy, crazy and eccentric, childish and a bit unrealistically-thinking... and she's a lot of fun to follow!
That said, I have to admit - I'm not known for my addiction to fey YA. Actually, I steer clear of such stories because I've had a bad history with them, never finding a good one. And this? This was supposed to be half-fey, half-modern-reality which... admittedly, I didn't think would work well. At.All.
But it did. I learned so much more about modern and ancient Ireland culture, all the while having fun and being unable to get the smile off my aching cheeks. And the fey part? Totally rocked.
I've heard so much about Maryrose Wood's style and way with words, and I've been so intrigued by the other books she's created that I could not wait to take a bite of something she created. Admittedly, I was most eager to buy the paperback on this one because of the gorgeous cover art (it's just soooo funky) and the catchy, loaded with goof-potential title.
I'm very happy I did buy it. And I'd definitely try to get my hands on all her other works - for God's sake, the woman wrote as if she herself was a angsty teen with issues; even better, actually.
So... there you go. If you want some colour and loads of laughs to brighten your read list, pick this one and you'll get it... plus extras XD
The girl in who's world we're thrown is one hell of a package. Sarcastic should not be her middle or last name, but her first - instead of Morgan, which, as she remarks constantly - is a male name (reference - Morgan Freeman). She's messy, crazy and eccentric, childish and a bit unrealistically-thinking... and she's a lot of fun to follow!
That said, I have to admit - I'm not known for my addiction to fey YA. Actually, I steer clear of such stories because I've had a bad history with them, never finding a good one. And this? This was supposed to be half-fey, half-modern-reality which... admittedly, I didn't think would work well. At.All.
But it did. I learned so much more about modern and ancient Ireland culture, all the while having fun and being unable to get the smile off my aching cheeks. And the fey part? Totally rocked.
I've heard so much about Maryrose Wood's style and way with words, and I've been so intrigued by the other books she's created that I could not wait to take a bite of something she created. Admittedly, I was most eager to buy the paperback on this one because of the gorgeous cover art (it's just soooo funky) and the catchy, loaded with goof-potential title.
I'm very happy I did buy it. And I'd definitely try to get my hands on all her other works - for God's sake, the woman wrote as if she herself was a angsty teen with issues; even better, actually.
So... there you go. If you want some colour and loads of laughs to brighten your read list, pick this one and you'll get it... plus extras XD
September 4, 2011
This book isn't your typical faerie story. It's slightly ridiculous in the initial presentation (a family ship their daughter off to Ireland alone on a bike tour), and as always the lead character accepts the idea of faeries without a second thought, but the actual faerie part of the faerie story was done a very unique (to me) manner.
The faerie aspect didn't start until a quarter of the way through the book, and even then, plot-wise, it's completely separate to the rest of the story. It's never fully explained how the two worlds work (and I won't elaborate as I don't want to ruin the plot) but I like the Maryrose Wood worked it. Faerie stories should be FUN, as why shouldn't the author go and use some of that f-u-n? Instead of girl meets faerie, realises she's a faerie, uses faerie powers, why not put a little more oomph into it?
Look, this book isn't deep or meaningful. And Morgan pulls a lot of the tired schtick I get sick of. But she's actually a likable character. She admits she was stuck in a horrible relationship that cost her her friends. She admits that shaving her head may not have been a smart idea, but it was a fairly healthy thing to do. She lied about her age, admitted it, and STILL lost the guy. She learnt to love her sister. She's not super smart, or an athlete, or has any spectacular talents. She's NORMAL. HUMAN. REALISTIC.
Thanks, Maryrose Wood for writing a faerie book I can say I enjoyed all the way through!
The faerie aspect didn't start until a quarter of the way through the book, and even then, plot-wise, it's completely separate to the rest of the story. It's never fully explained how the two worlds work (and I won't elaborate as I don't want to ruin the plot) but I like the Maryrose Wood worked it. Faerie stories should be FUN, as why shouldn't the author go and use some of that f-u-n? Instead of girl meets faerie, realises she's a faerie, uses faerie powers, why not put a little more oomph into it?
Look, this book isn't deep or meaningful. And Morgan pulls a lot of the tired schtick I get sick of. But she's actually a likable character. She admits she was stuck in a horrible relationship that cost her her friends. She admits that shaving her head may not have been a smart idea, but it was a fairly healthy thing to do. She lied about her age, admitted it, and STILL lost the guy. She learnt to love her sister. She's not super smart, or an athlete, or has any spectacular talents. She's NORMAL. HUMAN. REALISTIC.
Thanks, Maryrose Wood for writing a faerie book I can say I enjoyed all the way through!
December 20, 2009
Overall, I thought this book was pretty weak. I can't say I didn't enjoy reading it at all, because I did zip through it pretty quickly and I laughed out loud here and there. However, despite the fun subject matter and my own Irish heritage, I found myself wishing the book had been more carefully pulled together and more stringently edited.
In various sections, I found myself picking out cliched ideas or phrases. The first 25 pages or so kept repeating themselves in a way that made me wonder why the editor didn't suggest combining the first two chapters into one. Morgan is an extremely likeable narrator, but her forays into what she calls the Long-Ago annoyed the heck out of me because there were no explanations and no rules for her travel between time periods, or her apparent identity as a half-goddess. Fantasy books require a good deal of world-building, and this story didn't seem to have much of any, and because there was no specific world with rules and boundaries, a lot of the events of the latter half of the book just seemed ridiculous and contrived.
I almost wished, for that reason, that this had been a contemporary fiction story about a bike tour. I think it would hold up better if it was a teen romance rather than an attempt at fantasy. But though the book didn't really have a lot of literary quality to it, it was a good guilty pleasure kind of read and I'll definitely read the rest in the series, just to see how it all turns out. But this is just not going to be a favorite for me.
In various sections, I found myself picking out cliched ideas or phrases. The first 25 pages or so kept repeating themselves in a way that made me wonder why the editor didn't suggest combining the first two chapters into one. Morgan is an extremely likeable narrator, but her forays into what she calls the Long-Ago annoyed the heck out of me because there were no explanations and no rules for her travel between time periods, or her apparent identity as a half-goddess. Fantasy books require a good deal of world-building, and this story didn't seem to have much of any, and because there was no specific world with rules and boundaries, a lot of the events of the latter half of the book just seemed ridiculous and contrived.
I almost wished, for that reason, that this had been a contemporary fiction story about a bike tour. I think it would hold up better if it was a teen romance rather than an attempt at fantasy. But though the book didn't really have a lot of literary quality to it, it was a good guilty pleasure kind of read and I'll definitely read the rest in the series, just to see how it all turns out. But this is just not going to be a favorite for me.
April 16, 2016
The beginning was a two for me I really disliked Morgans character at first. Yes the snarky comments were sometimes funny but they mostly just made her sound like a bitch. She got so much more likable in the second part so 3 stars :) and While I don't mind cultural references at some parts it makes the book seem kinda dated. (like the comment about myspace lol) The thing with the capitalization also annoyed me but I started to get use to it...
August 22, 2009
Pity about the dreadful 'Irish' dialogue, which pretty much ruined this one for me. There was a lot that could have been sharp and funny, if it had been set elsewhere. It *did* give one useful quote about historical language in time-travel fantasy, however, and I might still try the second one, which returns to the States.
August 6, 2016
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is awkwardly situated between middle grade (in terms of structure and writing) and young adult (in terms of content) and the surly protagonist (who has issues with relating to other women as people rather than as sexual competition) is hard to root for. It’s just… eh.
December 25, 2014
Trots att jag tyckte Morgan var ganska omogen i början av boken, så gillade jag hennes berättarröst och bokens utveckling. Ser verkligen fram emot de andra böckerna i serien!
Read my full review at Book Obsession
Read my full review at Book Obsession
August 15, 2011
I figured I would hate this, because I hate books about fairies (especially when "fairy" is spelled with an "e"), but it's adorable.
August 14, 2013
fun and light hearted. inconsistent portrayal of the MC. one kinda stupid generalization of gay men accompanied by a lame fairy/faery joke. some of the fantasy elements were overdone.
March 10, 2024
I’ve read this book countless times. The very first time I read it, I was 16 years old. The same as the FMC. It was 2008. I bought it during the Scholastic Book Fair at my high school. And now I’m 32.. time sure does fly✨ I’m still sad that I loaned my paperback to a friend and then it was never to be seen again😞 So, kindle app it is!
It’s interesting how aging changes perspective. While I was rereading this, I realized how much a brat the FMC started out as. To her little sister, to her parents, to her bike mates, to herself. She was so whiny, bitchy, and miserable and thought the whole world was ending because her douchebag bf broke up with her. I get it. That’s the age. But omg. I was rolling my eyes so hard over her dramatics. I’m glad she grew as a character as the story went on. She learned lessons and realized that she could move on, and that there is SO much more out there.
As for the MMC.. I LOVED him. I loved him then, still love him now. He was so charming and I could hear his Irish accent in my head and just swooned every time. I loved that he put the FMC in her place when she was acting a fool. Respectfully though. I think this was the first romantasy that I’ve ever read actually. It’s funny that it took me so long to realize that I liked this genre, despite coming back to this book throughout the years.
This book is the reason I wanted to try shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, and beamish stout. This is the reason I’ve wanted to visit Ireland. It just sounds so beautiful! This will always remain as one of the books that I’ll pick up over and over again🍀
It’s interesting how aging changes perspective. While I was rereading this, I realized how much a brat the FMC started out as. To her little sister, to her parents, to her bike mates, to herself. She was so whiny, bitchy, and miserable and thought the whole world was ending because her douchebag bf broke up with her. I get it. That’s the age. But omg. I was rolling my eyes so hard over her dramatics. I’m glad she grew as a character as the story went on. She learned lessons and realized that she could move on, and that there is SO much more out there.
As for the MMC.. I LOVED him. I loved him then, still love him now. He was so charming and I could hear his Irish accent in my head and just swooned every time. I loved that he put the FMC in her place when she was acting a fool. Respectfully though. I think this was the first romantasy that I’ve ever read actually. It’s funny that it took me so long to realize that I liked this genre, despite coming back to this book throughout the years.
This book is the reason I wanted to try shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, and beamish stout. This is the reason I’ve wanted to visit Ireland. It just sounds so beautiful! This will always remain as one of the books that I’ll pick up over and over again🍀
September 8, 2023
Imagine parental overreaction when you cut your hair in response to being dumped by a complete jerk of a boyfriend. This is where we meet Morgan. Her parents' response is to send her to Ireland for a week long bike excursion. Her take on the other riders is typical snarky teen as is her attraction to the hot guy who drives the van and maintains the bikes.
What makes everything interesting in a hurry is how Morgan comes to after crashing her bike in a much earlier Ireland where she's seen as Morgaine, a semi ethereal person with the ability to complete three quests to save people in that era. It's quite the thing for her to wrap her head around, particularly when she keeps bouncing between the present and the past.
All of this is handled deftly and she not only gets a happy ending, but the promise of an even better future.
What makes everything interesting in a hurry is how Morgan comes to after crashing her bike in a much earlier Ireland where she's seen as Morgaine, a semi ethereal person with the ability to complete three quests to save people in that era. It's quite the thing for her to wrap her head around, particularly when she keeps bouncing between the present and the past.
All of this is handled deftly and she not only gets a happy ending, but the promise of an even better future.
March 8, 2020
Very YA, but it def. qualifies for the Ireland Then and Now theme. She never actually has sex, but she thinks about it a lot, and does drink. Nonetheless, it's actually a fairly wholesome read. She's having an adventure, after all. And she learns Irish history, and she learns what inner strength and smarts she has. It's not only a funny book, but an exciting one, too. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I'm not much of a fan of most YA. I will consider more by the author.
May 5, 2025
An interesting book it started off as one thing and then flipped into something completely different which I would have loved if it had made any sense. But a lot was left unexplained like why the events happened, and there seemed to be a lot of holes in the plot.
I’m not sure if this was deliberate or not but for me it made it not quite as enjoyable as it could have been.
I’m not sure if this was deliberate or not but for me it made it not quite as enjoyable as it could have been.
January 27, 2020
I read it when I was in high school and LOVED IT. It was one of the first books I chose to read on my own and not because it was on the schools' mandatory ready list. It's written in such a way that I can STILL remember what I pictured in my head for the bike path. I have to read it again!
July 28, 2022
This book started out really great but took a twist that was unexpected. It did seem like there was two different stories going on and sometimes it wasn’t clear when it was switching between the two. The end was disappointing and I almost didn’t finish it.
May 8, 2018
Did not love this one.
Read
January 3, 2021Promotes a relationship between a 16 year old and a 20 year old that continues even when the older one learns that Morgan is not 18 (as she had originally told him).
April 21, 2022
Absolutely adored this book. I read it in high school. Perfect for teens. It's fun and a bit emotional. A must read. The second was just as wonderful.
May 28, 2024
Read as a young adult and loved it.
June 29, 2012
Wood, M. (2007). Why I Let My Hair Grow Out. New York: Berkley Jam.
9780425213803
218 pages.
So, I'm going to begin with a random tangent. The author of this book's name is Maryrose Wood. Doesn't that just create pretty images of flowering trees in your mind? Blue skies and the sun above the tree...maybe a fluttering hummingbird pausing over one of the flowers to drink....
I wonder if she liked growing up with her name. I don't think I'd be opposed to having such a pretty name. Not at all.
Appetizer: Since her boyfriend broke up with her, Morgan's been feeling a little lost. Separated from her best friend and unhappy, Morgan lashes out at her parents and little sister, so much so that they decide to send her on a bike riding trip through Ireland.
While Morgan is far from happy to be on the trip, she does manage to distract herself with the "tall, beefy, basically okay-looking" Colin who is one of the guides on the bike tour. But after her plan to attract his attention hits a kink, she goes it alone and off the map on her bike, which results in an accident that sends her back in time to "Long Ago," where she meets Irish warriors of legend and is welcomed as the half-goddess Morganne, the answer to a prophecy.
I like that the story plays with the way femininity is presented with hair. When Morgan cuts her hair super-short, strangers compare her to Sinead O'Connor (except Morgan went with red and orange stripes). She presents a tough exterior, but also worries about being mistaken for a boy (which, speaking as a girl who's had super short hair cuts in the past, rang true). When Morgan is sent back through time and becomes Morganne, a goddess from Celtic mythology, her hair is once again magically long.
With the jumping back and forth in time, the humor and modern language, Why I let My Hair Grow Out feels kind of like an absurd dream. It's interesting, but also a little scary to think about deeply because there may be no sense to be made of it all. (The won't be scary for most, but when you're considering using the book in your dissertation, it becomes scary.)
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is the first book in a trilogy, with How I Found the Perfect Dress and What I Wore to Save the World following it.
Dinner Conversation:
"The first thing I did was take scissors to my bangs. Snip, snip. Or maybe I should say, bang, bang. My heart was beating kind of hard.
It looked okay. The hair formerly-known-as-bangs was sticking up and out, like the brim of a baseball cap that was tilted way back on my head. Too jaunty for my current state of mind, though. I picked up the scissors again" (p. 1).
"Wait," I said. Time to turn up my attitude. "Wait. You want me, by myself, to go ride a bike across a foreign country with towns named, Dingle, just because I cut my hair? Isn't that a little extreme?" (p. 13).
"He was holding a much smaller, handwritten sign of his own. It read:
I come to fetch the bonnie Morgan.
Hope your arse is ready for the trip!
Your friends at The Emerald Cycle Bike Tour Company
I guess he could tell by the dumbstruck and pissed-off look on my face that it was me standing in front of him, because he unslouched himself and actually tapped his finger to his forehead in a dorky little salute.
"The bonnie Morgan, I presume!" (p. 17).
"The nightmare reality of putting my skinny arse on a bike seat for an entire week was starting to sink in, and it was not a good feeling. But anything had to be better than being stuck at home with my white-lipped, worrying parents and robot-girl Tammy, with the total lack of Raphael echoing through every square inch of my open-plan house, my no-name town, my ruined and empty life" (p. 18).
"I was on the ground, but I wasn't sure how long I'd been lying there. I opened my eyes.
The long gray muzzle of a horse was pushing gently against the side of my head. I felt its hot breath on my cheek.
"Fergus!" the horse cried. "Look who's come back!" (p. 57).
"I'd have to bluff, but I wasn't worried. When it comes to BS I knew I had a talent. We're talking about someone who made it all the way through Mrs. McKinney's chemistry class without ever figuring out what the periodic table was. With a B-minus average, thank you" (p. 150).
To Go with the Meal:
Although probably best as a fun read, this book could be used to encourage teen readers to explore Irish myth.
A teacher could also focus on Morgan's emotional development, how she let her boyfriend Raph consume and control her, how she works to figure out who she is through rebellion, and how given the choice, if she has sex, it'll be protected.
Tasty Rating: !!!
9780425213803
218 pages.
So, I'm going to begin with a random tangent. The author of this book's name is Maryrose Wood. Doesn't that just create pretty images of flowering trees in your mind? Blue skies and the sun above the tree...maybe a fluttering hummingbird pausing over one of the flowers to drink....
I wonder if she liked growing up with her name. I don't think I'd be opposed to having such a pretty name. Not at all.
Appetizer: Since her boyfriend broke up with her, Morgan's been feeling a little lost. Separated from her best friend and unhappy, Morgan lashes out at her parents and little sister, so much so that they decide to send her on a bike riding trip through Ireland.
While Morgan is far from happy to be on the trip, she does manage to distract herself with the "tall, beefy, basically okay-looking" Colin who is one of the guides on the bike tour. But after her plan to attract his attention hits a kink, she goes it alone and off the map on her bike, which results in an accident that sends her back in time to "Long Ago," where she meets Irish warriors of legend and is welcomed as the half-goddess Morganne, the answer to a prophecy.
I like that the story plays with the way femininity is presented with hair. When Morgan cuts her hair super-short, strangers compare her to Sinead O'Connor (except Morgan went with red and orange stripes). She presents a tough exterior, but also worries about being mistaken for a boy (which, speaking as a girl who's had super short hair cuts in the past, rang true). When Morgan is sent back through time and becomes Morganne, a goddess from Celtic mythology, her hair is once again magically long.
With the jumping back and forth in time, the humor and modern language, Why I let My Hair Grow Out feels kind of like an absurd dream. It's interesting, but also a little scary to think about deeply because there may be no sense to be made of it all. (The won't be scary for most, but when you're considering using the book in your dissertation, it becomes scary.)
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is the first book in a trilogy, with How I Found the Perfect Dress and What I Wore to Save the World following it.
Dinner Conversation:
"The first thing I did was take scissors to my bangs. Snip, snip. Or maybe I should say, bang, bang. My heart was beating kind of hard.
It looked okay. The hair formerly-known-as-bangs was sticking up and out, like the brim of a baseball cap that was tilted way back on my head. Too jaunty for my current state of mind, though. I picked up the scissors again" (p. 1).
"Wait," I said. Time to turn up my attitude. "Wait. You want me, by myself, to go ride a bike across a foreign country with towns named, Dingle, just because I cut my hair? Isn't that a little extreme?" (p. 13).
"He was holding a much smaller, handwritten sign of his own. It read:
I come to fetch the bonnie Morgan.
Hope your arse is ready for the trip!
Your friends at The Emerald Cycle Bike Tour Company
I guess he could tell by the dumbstruck and pissed-off look on my face that it was me standing in front of him, because he unslouched himself and actually tapped his finger to his forehead in a dorky little salute.
"The bonnie Morgan, I presume!" (p. 17).
"The nightmare reality of putting my skinny arse on a bike seat for an entire week was starting to sink in, and it was not a good feeling. But anything had to be better than being stuck at home with my white-lipped, worrying parents and robot-girl Tammy, with the total lack of Raphael echoing through every square inch of my open-plan house, my no-name town, my ruined and empty life" (p. 18).
"I was on the ground, but I wasn't sure how long I'd been lying there. I opened my eyes.
The long gray muzzle of a horse was pushing gently against the side of my head. I felt its hot breath on my cheek.
"Fergus!" the horse cried. "Look who's come back!" (p. 57).
"I'd have to bluff, but I wasn't worried. When it comes to BS I knew I had a talent. We're talking about someone who made it all the way through Mrs. McKinney's chemistry class without ever figuring out what the periodic table was. With a B-minus average, thank you" (p. 150).
To Go with the Meal:
Although probably best as a fun read, this book could be used to encourage teen readers to explore Irish myth.
A teacher could also focus on Morgan's emotional development, how she let her boyfriend Raph consume and control her, how she works to figure out who she is through rebellion, and how given the choice, if she has sex, it'll be protected.
Tasty Rating: !!!
May 5, 2024
I doubt that whoever wrote this has ever been to Ireland.
February 24, 2013
I. Love. This. Book.
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out had been sitting on my shelf for years, unread. Then this week I read Kare's review of the series and knew I needed read book, now! I seriously can't believe I waited this long to pick up such an incredible book, be sure you don't make the same mistake as me!
When we first meet Morgan she is going through a rough break up from ultimate d-bag, Raph. She makes the drastic decision to shave all her hair off and her parents freak out that she's about to go off the deep end so they decide sending her to Ireland would help her get past her old relationship.
I never wanted to travel until I read this book. Maryrose Wood's descriptions of Ireland makes me want to hop on a plane and visit a.s.a.p. Also, the accents and the amount of hot boys with said accents makes the country that much more appealing!
My favorite part of the book was the main character, Morgan. Her sense of humor is perfect: very sarcastic, dry and just so witty! My sense of humor is very much like that so I was busting out laughing half the time and the other half I was totally relating to what she was saying.
I loved how this book felt like two genres: realistic fiction and fantasy all in one. When Morgan is on her bike trip through Ireland she is in modern day, but when she travels back to the past she is Morganne the semi-goddess meant to save her people from a fairy's bewitchment of them.
The awesome thing about this time zone conundrum is that there is double the hot Irish guys, double the awesome supporting characters and double the amount of Morgan's awesome sense of humor while trying to soak all this new information in.
I loved how this book was really easy going, it didn't force information on you. It fit into the story so well and you learn Irish folklore while Morgan does so it's not like this info vomit at you while your reading. That's another thing I loved, how the author incorporated old Irish tales into the plot! I've never read a book about them and it was just enough of the stories for me to understand.
The best part of the book was the main character. When we first meet Morgan she is going through a break up from ultimate d-bag, Raph. She makes the drastic decission to shave her hair off and her parents freak out that she's about to go off the deep end and decide sending her to Ireland would help her get past her old relationship.
Awesome Quote:
"Why is it that anytime you do anything new that involves a group of people, the first thing that happens is 'orientation'? Are human beings in such a constant danger of becoming disoriented that we have to keep stopping and orienting ourselves?"
Characters: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Voice: 5+/5
Plot: 5/5
Impact: 4/5
Overall: 5/5
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is unlike any other book. It's an fun, quick, easygoing book that has fantasy and Irish folklore elements weaved perfectly into the story. Morgan is fierce, hilarious and one of my all time favorite main characters. I had so much fun biking through Ireland with her and traveling back to the past to meet some interesting enchanted creatures too. Maryrose Wood's writing is perfection. She does an amazing job at capturing a realistic 'teen' voice and her descriptions of Ireland were absolutely stunning. I can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy: How I Found the Perfect Dress to get more of my Morgan fix.
(I've already ordered books two and three, I'll be compulsively checking the mailbox until they arrive!)
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out had been sitting on my shelf for years, unread. Then this week I read Kare's review of the series and knew I needed read book, now! I seriously can't believe I waited this long to pick up such an incredible book, be sure you don't make the same mistake as me!
When we first meet Morgan she is going through a rough break up from ultimate d-bag, Raph. She makes the drastic decision to shave all her hair off and her parents freak out that she's about to go off the deep end so they decide sending her to Ireland would help her get past her old relationship.
I never wanted to travel until I read this book. Maryrose Wood's descriptions of Ireland makes me want to hop on a plane and visit a.s.a.p. Also, the accents and the amount of hot boys with said accents makes the country that much more appealing!
My favorite part of the book was the main character, Morgan. Her sense of humor is perfect: very sarcastic, dry and just so witty! My sense of humor is very much like that so I was busting out laughing half the time and the other half I was totally relating to what she was saying.
I loved how this book felt like two genres: realistic fiction and fantasy all in one. When Morgan is on her bike trip through Ireland she is in modern day, but when she travels back to the past she is Morganne the semi-goddess meant to save her people from a fairy's bewitchment of them.
The awesome thing about this time zone conundrum is that there is double the hot Irish guys, double the awesome supporting characters and double the amount of Morgan's awesome sense of humor while trying to soak all this new information in.
I loved how this book was really easy going, it didn't force information on you. It fit into the story so well and you learn Irish folklore while Morgan does so it's not like this info vomit at you while your reading. That's another thing I loved, how the author incorporated old Irish tales into the plot! I've never read a book about them and it was just enough of the stories for me to understand.
The best part of the book was the main character. When we first meet Morgan she is going through a break up from ultimate d-bag, Raph. She makes the drastic decission to shave her hair off and her parents freak out that she's about to go off the deep end and decide sending her to Ireland would help her get past her old relationship.
Awesome Quote:
"Why is it that anytime you do anything new that involves a group of people, the first thing that happens is 'orientation'? Are human beings in such a constant danger of becoming disoriented that we have to keep stopping and orienting ourselves?"
Characters: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Voice: 5+/5
Plot: 5/5
Impact: 4/5
Overall: 5/5
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is unlike any other book. It's an fun, quick, easygoing book that has fantasy and Irish folklore elements weaved perfectly into the story. Morgan is fierce, hilarious and one of my all time favorite main characters. I had so much fun biking through Ireland with her and traveling back to the past to meet some interesting enchanted creatures too. Maryrose Wood's writing is perfection. She does an amazing job at capturing a realistic 'teen' voice and her descriptions of Ireland were absolutely stunning. I can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy: How I Found the Perfect Dress to get more of my Morgan fix.
(I've already ordered books two and three, I'll be compulsively checking the mailbox until they arrive!)
March 10, 2008
When Morgan chops off her long hair, her mother thinks it’s a sign that Morgan’s bottling up too much emotional feelings inside her and sends her off to a bike tour in Ireland. Not only is Morgan an unwilling participant but she’s also realizing that she can’t stand her tour mates. Two days into her trip and Morgan gets a surprise—she can travel back to the past where faeries and enchantments existed.
It starts off interesting enough, which I can hardly say for most stories. It doesn’t drag chapters before you finally get to the real deal. And it’s a nice beginning because you really get to see the kind of grumpy, bitchy Morgan in her break-up days. Her feelings are very expressive even when the author doesn’t provide much inner digging. So from the very start, you’re introduced to this tough girl whose going through some rough times.
But of course, midway is when you actually lose the character. Right when the action happens, where Morgan gets zapped back into Long-Ago-Land, and is mistakenly called Morganne, Morgan kind of loses that edge she has. Her toughness fades and she’s turned into one of those teenagers that doesn’t think and just says whatever pops into her brain. It doesn’t suit the character. Of course, some of it might have to do with the way that the dialogue is written.
Which brings me to my next complaint. I might not be the best consultant when it comes to history and historical facts, but I pretty sure people back then did not say things like, “Dude.” Or string grammatically correct sentences together. But that’s exactly what the people of Long-Ago say. It’s funny, but funny isn’t what I’m looking for. Being a tad more realistic is. If there’s an occasional “aye” “ye” or whatever (I think I’m thinking too much of the medieval period) it will just better suit the time period. And it’s funny, because the character of Colin is written exceptionally well. His Irish slang and regular words are portrayed in a manner that makes me believe that’s how Irish people really talk. So I don’t really understand how the author can give Colin a distinct voice and not the rest of the history-related subjects (even though majority will say faeries aren’t real, therefore cannot be written as “history”, but whatever).
Still wish the author could have elaborated more on the myths, legends of the past about the Irish tales. It’s an interesting topic. I would do research on my own about the faeries, leprecauns and enchantments, but it’s more fun to actually learn about it from reading a book that is based on those subjects rather than it being just a top-to-bottom, straightforward page of information.
But other that, it is quite a nice book. I’ve laughed quite a few times. This isn’t one of those books that goes really deep but it’s entertaining and will help you pass the time.
It starts off interesting enough, which I can hardly say for most stories. It doesn’t drag chapters before you finally get to the real deal. And it’s a nice beginning because you really get to see the kind of grumpy, bitchy Morgan in her break-up days. Her feelings are very expressive even when the author doesn’t provide much inner digging. So from the very start, you’re introduced to this tough girl whose going through some rough times.
But of course, midway is when you actually lose the character. Right when the action happens, where Morgan gets zapped back into Long-Ago-Land, and is mistakenly called Morganne, Morgan kind of loses that edge she has. Her toughness fades and she’s turned into one of those teenagers that doesn’t think and just says whatever pops into her brain. It doesn’t suit the character. Of course, some of it might have to do with the way that the dialogue is written.
Which brings me to my next complaint. I might not be the best consultant when it comes to history and historical facts, but I pretty sure people back then did not say things like, “Dude.” Or string grammatically correct sentences together. But that’s exactly what the people of Long-Ago say. It’s funny, but funny isn’t what I’m looking for. Being a tad more realistic is. If there’s an occasional “aye” “ye” or whatever (I think I’m thinking too much of the medieval period) it will just better suit the time period. And it’s funny, because the character of Colin is written exceptionally well. His Irish slang and regular words are portrayed in a manner that makes me believe that’s how Irish people really talk. So I don’t really understand how the author can give Colin a distinct voice and not the rest of the history-related subjects (even though majority will say faeries aren’t real, therefore cannot be written as “history”, but whatever).
Still wish the author could have elaborated more on the myths, legends of the past about the Irish tales. It’s an interesting topic. I would do research on my own about the faeries, leprecauns and enchantments, but it’s more fun to actually learn about it from reading a book that is based on those subjects rather than it being just a top-to-bottom, straightforward page of information.
But other that, it is quite a nice book. I’ve laughed quite a few times. This isn’t one of those books that goes really deep but it’s entertaining and will help you pass the time.
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