Different

by Nancy E. Wood

Good girl Gina is gone. But who is she now?

Gina has been looking forward to getting away from the past that's haunting her at home, starting a new life far away at college. But she never expected that her past would follow her there. Having to meet all new people in a brand new place, all she can do is pretend that she's as normal as everyone else and try to fit in with her new friends. Because who knows what would happen if they found out who she really is?

Different is the crazy, energetic sequel to a girl seeking love and acceptance. The novel paints a vibrant picture of Christian college and the challenges that arise when a teen moves away and starts her new, independent life away from home.

Genres: Contemporary

404 pages, Paperback

Published December 5, 2020

About the author

Nancy E Wood was born into a missionary family and lived in Hungary until she turned twenty. Her whole childhood, she loved reading and stories, writing some of her own, but never believing she actually had the talent to be an author. Speaking multiple languages, she never thought she would be good enough in any to become a wordsmith.

Her senior year of high school, she was encouraged to write short stories, one of which turned into Perfect, a novel that couldn't stay short. After sharing it with a few people, she decided to get it published a couple years later. She went to college in Florida, where she studied English and Music. After graduating, she married and moved to California. She published her standalone book, I’ll Take the Lie, in the summer of 2019 and is currently finishing the Perfect trilogy. She also runs a blog for young women, where she writes relatable and motivational posts that point to God. She has also done some speaking in different Christian schools and youth groups, encouraging teens to pursue Christ through some of the most difficult years of their lives.

Reviews

[Rose | Adventurous Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

even better than the first
rtc

[Olivia Smit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy E Wood's "Different" hits that sweet spot between YA and Adult fiction, targeting college freshmen who are very much NOT in high school anymore, but also not quite ready to enter the adult world. It's a space that is often lacking in fiction, at a time in young people's lives when they are so desperate to be SEEN.

Gina's story can give them that. Here is a protagonist with authentic hopes, dreams, and fears. Her struggles are their struggles, and her hope (found in Christ) can be theirs, too. If you have an older teen girl in your life, this might be the book for them!

//

I was gifted a complimentary copy by the author and was not required to post a positive review.

[Puck · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free ebook copy of Different in return for an honest review. I was in no way pressured to write a positive review.

It's good to venture into other genres, and I am glad I joined Gina for her journey in Different. This book chronicles her freshman year at college, and everything that goes with it. Making friends and joining a band. Homework and work and homework and work. Dealing with the past that still hangs over her. Oh, and boys ……

First off, I found the dialogue in Different very well done and authentic – I can't stand unrealistic jabber! I also enjoyed Gina’s interactions with her friends and watching their relationships grow. As some of the other reviewers mentioned, it was refreshing that the characters were older teens, navigating the tricky patch between school and “official adulthood”.

It was satisfying to see Gina’s challenges mould her into a richer person, and I can certainly identify with her struggle of being different. Even outgoing people without a rough family life or a “darker” past wonder if there is something inherently wrong with them and if they somehow annoy everyone just by breathing. This scene also really resonated with me; I’ll remember the words for a long time:

“Why am I still searching when you are all I need?
“The line from her song ran through her head. She slouched, picking at the cool grass. A gust of wind sent shivers through her.
“Why was it so hard to be satisfied with God? How could she know the cure to her misery and still feel sick?” (p. 270)

On that note, I would have enjoyed a more in-depth look at Gina's spiritual journey. I would have loved more of her conversations with God, of how she walked things out with the Lord and grew in her knowledge of Him and His love of her.

Different offers a lot to enjoy, learn from and be encouraged by. If you are in that annoying stage of older-teen-but-not-fully-fledged-adult, this is for you. If you are wondering why on earth God made you as He did or what you might be doing wrong, this is for you. And if you just want a lovely, clean read for a quiet day, this is also for you :)

Nancy, a special thank you for my copy, your kindness and willingness to answer questions. Thank you very much for the reminder that we don’t have to be perfect to be loved.

[Brianna Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I am not required to give a good review.

Different was a good book with some great themes about vulnerability and relationships and trust. It follows the MC as she enters college.

Going into the book, I didn't realize it was part of a series and I hadn't read the first book, so there may have been some previous context that I had to wait for answers on. So for part of the book I wasn't entirely sure what a lot of the hinted at info was.

The story was good, and I enjoyed it for what it was. I don't read a lot of romance and, not a complaint about the story but I just had some difficulties reading the story due to the format I was emailed, which may have attributed to me just having a harder time enjoying it. Without the formatting issue, the story flowed well.

It was written well and remained engaging enough to keep me reading, I was interested in the MC and what she was struggling with and wanted to see the truth unfold.

if you like clean romance, college life, and Christian fiction you'll probably enjoy this story a lot. :)

[Carol Alwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this coming of age story. The characters were well written and have stuck with me. This story is full of newfound freedom, breaking free from the past, and finding love despite challenging relationships.

Gina is off to college and a whole new life. Away from her parents and their strict rules, Gina is confident she can enjoy this new world—but from the start, she feels like she doesn’t fit in. From the way she decorates her dorm room, how she dresses, and how she acts around her new friends, she’s afraid people won’t want to be around her because she’s just too different. And then there’s the matter of her past. Will it follow her to campus? She wants a clean break from the dark parts of her life, but will she get it? And what about love? She’s still heart broken from an ended relationship.

This is book two in the Perfect series by Nancy E Wood.

[Bella Schroeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally, I tend to connect with Gina in Wood's books, but I think I enjoyed getting to know Kyla. I felt as though I was able to connect with her more in this book. Though we do not often see or hear from Kyla in this book, I feel as though she became a very important character to Gina. I love the way that instead of choosing to room with Kyla decided that she wanted to help a freshman. I hope that one day I can help someone in that way. I also loved the way that Kyla almost seemed like a mother to the freshman girls. She was caring and there for them when they needed her.

I have enjoyed getting to see throughout all of the books in the perfect how the title fits in with what is happening with the book. This time I had to work a little harder to see how it fits in with Gina becoming a bad girl now. I did not truly see Gins rebel, but rather I saw her struggling to find where she fits in. Every kid when they enter college has to figure out their place and that is what Gina was trying to do.

That being said I really enjoyed getting to read the next chapter of Gina's life. I enjoyed meeting new characters while learning things about old characters that I had not known. I love the fact that we get to grow up alongside Gina. While some of the parts were prolonged, this will not stop me from traveling alongside Gina on her road through life. I cannot wait to see what comes next!

For full review check out my blog!!

[Trudy Cordle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is totally different from the books I usually read, but it was a really good book!! Gina is going off to college, the first time she's really been away from home and on her own. She has to make her own decisions, make new friends, adjust to being in college, and thinks that she's a bad person. What she did really wasn't that bad, and if she'd just talked to her parents, things wouldn't have seemed so overwhelming. She grows during this first year, and finds that everything isn't always as it seems. One thing she learns, is God is always there, if she just remembers to look to Him!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, was not required to leave a review, and the opinion expressed is my own.

[Becca Wierwille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading about Gina's experiences during her first year of college. So many of her struggles were relatable and kept me rooting for her along the way. At times some of Gina's comments came off a little judgmental or harsh, in my opinion—however, I do think there was also a lot of honesty in showing how she was really feeling. All in all, this is a good story about a girl learning about who she is and what matters to her as she launches into the world.

[Danica · Rating 3 out of 5]

🙃 sigh of relief 😮‍💨

The beginning of the book had me very concerned for what was going to happen but the second half of the book was great, so many good messages.
I would say this second book is more targeted to older high school or college, it just deals with heavy topic but younger high school I think would also enjoy it, I think it depends person to person. 😊

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the joy of journeying with Gina from Perfect to Different. I love how she grows from the good girl we meet in the first story and now that she's at college, she finds her own place in the crowd without forgetting her past. Perfect for teens heading off to their first year of Bible College!