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The Sunnyvale Mysteries #1
Isa and the Guy Next Door
My name Isa Isabella Anders, Isa for short, and I've always been the girl that never fit in. This is kind of a problem since I've had a huge crush on Kyler, my next-door neighbor who's one of the most popular guys in school.
But I'm pretty sure he's never going to see me as anything else except the weird girl who lives next door. And that's okay. I've learned to accept that. I have bigger problems to worry about anyway, like the fact that my family has been keeping a secret from me for years. It's something that's always bothered me, so when I take a summer trip overseas with my grandma and cousin, I decide to poke around and see if I can solve the mystery.
But solving an old family secret is proving to be more complicated than I thought.
Enter Kai, Kyler's younger brother. Kai used to be my sworn enemy, but now he's offering to help me figure out the mystery surrounding my family.
I'm not sure why he wants to help me, but I guess there's no harm in it.
What we end up discovering, though, is way darker than I ever could've imagined.
But I'm pretty sure he's never going to see me as anything else except the weird girl who lives next door. And that's okay. I've learned to accept that. I have bigger problems to worry about anyway, like the fact that my family has been keeping a secret from me for years. It's something that's always bothered me, so when I take a summer trip overseas with my grandma and cousin, I decide to poke around and see if I can solve the mystery.
But solving an old family secret is proving to be more complicated than I thought.
Enter Kai, Kyler's younger brother. Kai used to be my sworn enemy, but now he's offering to help me figure out the mystery surrounding my family.
I'm not sure why he wants to help me, but I guess there's no harm in it.
What we end up discovering, though, is way darker than I ever could've imagined.
135 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 2, 2015
357 people are currently reading
3678 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Sorensen
418 books20.1k followersJessica Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she's not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
September 14, 2015
3 Stars!!
Isabella Anders is a 17 years old girl who never fit in in her family. She feels no one understands her and feels her family hates her. A junior in high school her greatest accomplishment is her own blog. She loves baggy clothes, comic books and everything with zombies. She doesn’t have any friends and every day she tries not to feel invisible especially when she’s around her sister Hannah, who catches the eye of everyone, including Kai and Kyler, the two boys who live next door. For years, Isa lusted over Kyler who is older than her, the most popular guy in their school and who despite the fact he always treated her with kindness and respect, he never showed any kind of romantic interest in her.
Isa’s life changes when she is sent in Europe with her grandmother and her cousin. She wants to reinvent herself, to find who she really is, to find out what she wants to do with her life. She also finds out some of her family’s secrets, secrets that change her. But she’s willing to do anything to find out the truth.
I liked this one, but IMO compared with the author’s other books it was pretty lame. And I’m talking about the plot. The secret/s I mentioned above were just meh…(I expected more) and they were pretty obvious, at least for me. As for the characters…well, what can I say?!? As always this author’s characters are damaged, have their own issues and/or flaws. Isa was very easy to like from the beginning. I liked a lot her personality and her character development is done well. She also can be a relatable character.
“The Year I Became Isabella Anders” is also a coming of age story. You can see how different Isa is after these three months. She more confident, stronger and I can only say I liked this “new Isa”. So I liked this aspect of the story. As for the side characters, most of them were entertaining – Isa’s grandmother and cousin and of course the two brothers, Kai and Kyler. I don’t know (yet) which one I prefer for Isa, but I liked both of them. Both were great with Isa, sweet, caring and protective.
The story doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, but with an interesting revelation and I admit I’m a little intrigued. Needless to say, I will read the next book in the series even if I didn't love this one.
Isabella Anders is a 17 years old girl who never fit in in her family. She feels no one understands her and feels her family hates her. A junior in high school her greatest accomplishment is her own blog. She loves baggy clothes, comic books and everything with zombies. She doesn’t have any friends and every day she tries not to feel invisible especially when she’s around her sister Hannah, who catches the eye of everyone, including Kai and Kyler, the two boys who live next door. For years, Isa lusted over Kyler who is older than her, the most popular guy in their school and who despite the fact he always treated her with kindness and respect, he never showed any kind of romantic interest in her.
Isa’s life changes when she is sent in Europe with her grandmother and her cousin. She wants to reinvent herself, to find who she really is, to find out what she wants to do with her life. She also finds out some of her family’s secrets, secrets that change her. But she’s willing to do anything to find out the truth.
“I have to know. Have to understand. Where I came from. What makes me tick. What makes me so strange. What makes me...well, me.”
I liked this one, but IMO compared with the author’s other books it was pretty lame. And I’m talking about the plot. The secret/s I mentioned above were just meh…(I expected more) and they were pretty obvious, at least for me. As for the characters…well, what can I say?!? As always this author’s characters are damaged, have their own issues and/or flaws. Isa was very easy to like from the beginning. I liked a lot her personality and her character development is done well. She also can be a relatable character.
“The Year I Became Isabella Anders” is also a coming of age story. You can see how different Isa is after these three months. She more confident, stronger and I can only say I liked this “new Isa”. So I liked this aspect of the story. As for the side characters, most of them were entertaining – Isa’s grandmother and cousin and of course the two brothers, Kai and Kyler. I don’t know (yet) which one I prefer for Isa, but I liked both of them. Both were great with Isa, sweet, caring and protective.
The story doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, but with an interesting revelation and I admit I’m a little intrigued. Needless to say, I will read the next book in the series even if I didn't love this one.
July 9, 2020
3.5 stars!
Jessica Sorensen writes some of my favorite YA/NA books. She knows how to tell a good story when it comes to that age range. I enjoyed this one lots. I loved reading about Isabella Anders and the boys next door…
Isa is the type of girl who is who she is and make no apologies. She has the perfect parents and perfect sister, and she’s the one who is a little different. Instead of loving make up and cheerleading like her sister, she loves comics and zombies. Isa is my type of girl. After some family drama, she goes on an adventure with her cousin and Grandma and discovers who she really is.
With all this going on, Isabella finds out there are secrets in her family that directly effect her. Not only that, but she finds herself caught between the boys next door. Kyler, the older brother who she’s always had a crush on is starting to pay attention to her. Then there is Kai. There is just something about Kai #TeamKai. I cannot wait to see what direction this story takes and I’m so happy the next one is out soon!
If you’re look sign for a great YA book (that boarders on NA) about finding out who you are and loving yourself, with a tad bit of mystery and some romance thrown in, pick this one up!
Jessica Sorensen writes some of my favorite YA/NA books. She knows how to tell a good story when it comes to that age range. I enjoyed this one lots. I loved reading about Isabella Anders and the boys next door…
Isa is the type of girl who is who she is and make no apologies. She has the perfect parents and perfect sister, and she’s the one who is a little different. Instead of loving make up and cheerleading like her sister, she loves comics and zombies. Isa is my type of girl. After some family drama, she goes on an adventure with her cousin and Grandma and discovers who she really is.
With all this going on, Isabella finds out there are secrets in her family that directly effect her. Not only that, but she finds herself caught between the boys next door. Kyler, the older brother who she’s always had a crush on is starting to pay attention to her. Then there is Kai. There is just something about Kai #TeamKai. I cannot wait to see what direction this story takes and I’m so happy the next one is out soon!
If you’re look sign for a great YA book (that boarders on NA) about finding out who you are and loving yourself, with a tad bit of mystery and some romance thrown in, pick this one up!
August 5, 2016
4 STARS
This is a new series from Jessica Sorensen and as always she has a unique way telling her stories.The Year I Became Isabella Anders is a YA book that will captivate you like it captivated me! I loved this story and how it developed! There is a mystery around this story that makes you want to read more and more and there are aslo funny moments!!
Isabella doesn't fit in her family and she always lived in her sister's shadow. Whatever happened in her house she was the one who was blamed. But one summer will change her life. A trip with her grandmother and cousin will be the best thing that will happen to her! Her grandmother and her cousin will help her become confident! But she will also learn that there are some secrets that only her parents can give her answers to .. Isabella was a really interesting character that people can relate to! I liked seeing her finally getting more confident and becoming stronger!!
This story is about a girl trying to find herself and learning to become stronger! I'm looking forward to the next book!!
Arc provided for an honest review
This is a new series from Jessica Sorensen and as always she has a unique way telling her stories.The Year I Became Isabella Anders is a YA book that will captivate you like it captivated me! I loved this story and how it developed! There is a mystery around this story that makes you want to read more and more and there are aslo funny moments!!
Isabella doesn't fit in her family and she always lived in her sister's shadow. Whatever happened in her house she was the one who was blamed. But one summer will change her life. A trip with her grandmother and cousin will be the best thing that will happen to her! Her grandmother and her cousin will help her become confident! But she will also learn that there are some secrets that only her parents can give her answers to .. Isabella was a really interesting character that people can relate to! I liked seeing her finally getting more confident and becoming stronger!!
This story is about a girl trying to find herself and learning to become stronger! I'm looking forward to the next book!!
Arc provided for an honest review
September 6, 2015
I love falling in love with a new series and that’s exactly what happened when I read The Year I Became Isabella Anders. I loved the brokenness of the characters and how they found strength. I loved how the story moved quickly and continued to gain momentum until the very end. I was in shock when the book ended I was so engaged I wasn’t even looking at the percentage or where I was in the story.
Isabella is the black sheep in her family. Her sister is the perfect daughter and is constantly receiving her parents praise and attention. I was immediately pulled into the story and had a huge desire to know and understand this family. Isabella is unique and artistic, but I couldn’t see why this would make her an outcast amongst her own family. Shortly after the story begins Isabella is shipped off to her grandmothers for the summer.
During this summer she travels Europe her with cousin and grandmother. She is on a mission of self discovery and learning as much about her past and who she wants to be now. She changes her appearance and becomes more comfortable with who she is, but it still doesn’t prepare her for when she returns home.
The Year I Became Isabella Anders takes you on this journey of self discovery and immediately pulls you in. I loved learning about Isa and cheering her on while she finally decided to live her life. The story is made of some fantastic side characters and had lots of mystery and intrigue. I cannot wait to see what happens next and to see how the story plays out. Definitely one of my Sorensen favorites.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2015
The story is about Isabella Anders. Isabella is a girl who felt that she never fit in, she was never understood, not from family, school and people in general. She feels isolated in her family and her only escape is her drawings and blog.
Everyones attention was always on her sister Hannah, including Kyler and Kai, the brothers that live next door.
The trip to Europe
After being send of to spend the summer at her grandmothers house, Isabella, her cousin and her grandmother take a trip to Europe, were life as she knows it changes.
"I worked so hard to reinvent myself while I was on the trip, but I'm starting to realize the makeover was sorely an outside thing."
I know what the heroine of the story feels like. I was like her.When I was younger, I didn't 'take care' of myself. I wasn't doing my hair or wearing any make-up, I didn't care about the 'famous' people or doing anything remotely cool so I was picked on a lot. About my looks, my different sense of style, my music, my love for reading. Everything. But exactly as Isabella one summer I said fuck them. Stop pressuring yourseld and do whatever the fuck you want. Don't listen to your parents or your so called "friends". And I did it. I became the person I wanted to be. And people liked it. But the fucked up thing is even now if someone says they like me or anything like that I still can't take it seriously, I think they're fucking with me. So sorry for the rant but this story hit home for me.
I can't wait to read the continuation of this. And hope the heroine finds her way too.
---------------------------------
This was such an emotional read for me.
I don't understand how some "parents" could treat their children like that. I just can't. Some people seriously should be checked out before being allowed to have kids.
Jessica Sorensen delivered an amazing, emotional coming of age story.
---------------------------------
PS #1 The secret was kinda too obvious which was a bummer. I would have liked it much more if it was handled differently.
PS #2 TEAM FUCKING KAI ALL THE WAY!
#TeamKAIBELLA
God they make a shit ship name xD
September 8, 2015
3.5 stars
Even amongst her family, Isabella doesn’t feel like she fits in. While everyone is prancing around, looking perfect Isa would rather spend time in her room, enjoying a manga or working on her latest piece of art. When her parents decide to send her off to stay with her grandma for the summer, Isa doesn’t mind. Maybe being someplace other than here will make her feel better about herself. While she travels from one place to another, her cousins and grandma allow more of Isa’s personality to show. And as that occurs, Isa begins to like herself more.
When she returns home, she’s a changed woman and her neighbor Kai Meyes definitely notices. Having undergone a recent change himself, Kai is intrigued by the differences he sees in Isa and yet, deep down he knows she is the same girl he fell in love with.
The more I read, the more I saw the similarities in Kai and Isa. They’re pretty much mirror images of one another. Neither of them fit into their own families well. They certainly don’t fit into the cliques at school and they like to use humor or sarcasm to keep others at bay.
This book is all about self-discovery, of finding who you truly are and overcoming a past that threatens to drown you. Isa learns something about her family that shocks her and while it hurts, it also sheds more light on their actions and why they treat her the way they do. I liked reading about her journey. You can definitely see how far she’s come from how she is in the first chapter and who she becomes by the last.
Even amongst her family, Isabella doesn’t feel like she fits in. While everyone is prancing around, looking perfect Isa would rather spend time in her room, enjoying a manga or working on her latest piece of art. When her parents decide to send her off to stay with her grandma for the summer, Isa doesn’t mind. Maybe being someplace other than here will make her feel better about herself. While she travels from one place to another, her cousins and grandma allow more of Isa’s personality to show. And as that occurs, Isa begins to like herself more.
When she returns home, she’s a changed woman and her neighbor Kai Meyes definitely notices. Having undergone a recent change himself, Kai is intrigued by the differences he sees in Isa and yet, deep down he knows she is the same girl he fell in love with.
The more I read, the more I saw the similarities in Kai and Isa. They’re pretty much mirror images of one another. Neither of them fit into their own families well. They certainly don’t fit into the cliques at school and they like to use humor or sarcasm to keep others at bay.
This book is all about self-discovery, of finding who you truly are and overcoming a past that threatens to drown you. Isa learns something about her family that shocks her and while it hurts, it also sheds more light on their actions and why they treat her the way they do. I liked reading about her journey. You can definitely see how far she’s come from how she is in the first chapter and who she becomes by the last.
September 17, 2015
BR with Momo!
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
September 10, 2015
Damn you Jessica Sorensen for making me fall in love with an other of your series! Team Kai all the way! <3
Rating 4.5/5
Review coming soon!
Rating 4.5/5
Review coming soon!
May 30, 2023
4.75 / 5 stars
The Year I Became Isabella Anders is proof that Jessica Sorensen is still one of my favorite guilty pleasure reads author for a reason.
I have a love-hate relationship with her writing. I love and adore all of her N.A. contemporary series, while I have a weird relationship with her paranormal and ya series.
I loved The Secrets. I really loved The Coincidence series. Secrets, Coincidence, Unbeautiful, and Nova all had me devouring the books like candy that I couldn't get enough of.
But her paranormal series? Ehhh. I couldn't get into them at all, and I know I'm not the only one who felt that way.
And her YA series? I adored Unraveling You (which I still think is some of the most progressive YA series I've ever read. Not because of the plot, but because Sorensen wrote and gave us a male lead that wasn't a typical macho/masculine love interest, but instead was broken, soft, and shy. [I don't know why, but I just like it when authors give us more than just the usual, "alpha male" love interest]). I liked The Illusions of Annabella, but there wasn't the... spark that all of her other books had in it.
There's one thing Sorensen does well and that's writing broken characters. Don't believe me? Read the Nova series and you'll understand where I'm coming from. (Or Coincidence, or Secrets, or literally any of her series). What makes each and every one of them unique is that while they're all broken, they all are fighting different issues and struggles. Her characters aren't carbon copies of one another, making each one of them distinctive in their own ways.
Yet, while her books center around broken characters, there's an underlying sense of hope, healing, and learning to move on. (It's why I'll always adore her contemporary series to her paranormal series, because it's focused more on character growth than anything else).
Isabella Anders is, like all of Sorensen's other protagonist, a lost and somewhat broken girl. The black sheep in a picture-perfect family, she's always treated like an outcast, an outsider, and as a person that does not belong.
What I love is that this book, despite the excerpt, was not romance oriented. Yes, there was a love triangle (something I hate), but it didn't feel that much like a love triangle. By the end of the book, it's pretty clear who Sorensen intends to be Isa's endgame love interest.
I adored Isabella's strength to put up with those who tried to knock her down. She's a strong character, despite being treated and abused by toxic people.
I adored Isabella's cousin, Indigo! Her grandmother, Stephy! And the boy next door, Kai.
And, like every Sorensen novel, it's not a standalone. It's not a cliffhanger, per se, but it's not a standalone either. Things are wrapped up so that you're satisfied with how it ended, yet peeved that there's so many loose strings. But I'm willing to let it slide, because that's what this series is obviously going to focus on.
Plus, the novel was lengthy enough and not short at all. I was so engrossed with this book that I was disappointed to see it end.
I can't wait for The Year of Falling In Love
The Year I Became Isabella Anders is proof that Jessica Sorensen is still one of my favorite guilty pleasure reads author for a reason.
I have a love-hate relationship with her writing. I love and adore all of her N.A. contemporary series, while I have a weird relationship with her paranormal and ya series.
I loved The Secrets. I really loved The Coincidence series. Secrets, Coincidence, Unbeautiful, and Nova all had me devouring the books like candy that I couldn't get enough of.
But her paranormal series? Ehhh. I couldn't get into them at all, and I know I'm not the only one who felt that way.
And her YA series? I adored Unraveling You (which I still think is some of the most progressive YA series I've ever read. Not because of the plot, but because Sorensen wrote and gave us a male lead that wasn't a typical macho/masculine love interest, but instead was broken, soft, and shy. [I don't know why, but I just like it when authors give us more than just the usual, "alpha male" love interest]). I liked The Illusions of Annabella, but there wasn't the... spark that all of her other books had in it.
There's one thing Sorensen does well and that's writing broken characters. Don't believe me? Read the Nova series and you'll understand where I'm coming from. (Or Coincidence, or Secrets, or literally any of her series). What makes each and every one of them unique is that while they're all broken, they all are fighting different issues and struggles. Her characters aren't carbon copies of one another, making each one of them distinctive in their own ways.
Yet, while her books center around broken characters, there's an underlying sense of hope, healing, and learning to move on. (It's why I'll always adore her contemporary series to her paranormal series, because it's focused more on character growth than anything else).
Isabella Anders is, like all of Sorensen's other protagonist, a lost and somewhat broken girl. The black sheep in a picture-perfect family, she's always treated like an outcast, an outsider, and as a person that does not belong.
What I love is that this book, despite the excerpt, was not romance oriented. Yes, there was a love triangle (something I hate), but it didn't feel that much like a love triangle. By the end of the book, it's pretty clear who Sorensen intends to be Isa's endgame love interest.
I adored Isabella's strength to put up with those who tried to knock her down. She's a strong character, despite being treated and abused by toxic people.
I adored Isabella's cousin, Indigo! Her grandmother, Stephy! And the boy next door, Kai.
And, like every Sorensen novel, it's not a standalone. It's not a cliffhanger, per se, but it's not a standalone either. Things are wrapped up so that you're satisfied with how it ended, yet peeved that there's so many loose strings. But I'm willing to let it slide, because that's what this series is obviously going to focus on.
Plus, the novel was lengthy enough and not short at all. I was so engrossed with this book that I was disappointed to see it end.
I can't wait for The Year of Falling In Love
September 8, 2015
I should have known better... I never learn... I liked the story a lot though.... Story of my life! Now, who knows when I'm going to read "The Year of Falling in Love"?!?!! Oh, Jessica Sorensen.... Bad, bad girl... ;-)
December 29, 2019
After my first read, today was a DNF, I decided to browse the kindle for something to read and came across this Jessica Sorensen book. It has been a long time since I read a Jessica Sorensen book and once I started reading this, I was hooked into the book and it reminded me of why I first fell in love with this author as I have loved everything by her that I had read so far. The Year I Became Isabella Anders is a YA series and reminded me of the early edgy YA series like Breathe for Me by Rebecca Donovan. Isabella aka Isa is the odd one out in her family and they all seem to hate her with a passion. No matter what she does, she gets treated awful - like a Cinderella character. Isabella is being sent to hang out with her Grandmother Stephy - her Dad's mother over the summer. It should be a punishment but as her cousin, Indigo will be there as well, it gives her a break away and during this time she will discover a dark secret about herself. Also during her trip away, she has been getting some threats via an unknown number. Is it her sister Hannah out to get her and playing mind games or something more sinister? This trip also did wonders for Isabella Anders as when she arrives back in Sunnyvale, she feels more confident and ready to step out of her bubble with her new friends and neighbors Kai and Kyler. As I loved this book so much, I read the second one straight after as The Year I Became Isabella Anders ends on a semi-cliffhanger and there is a good storyline that pops up that will make you want to hurry up and read book #2 like I did so that you can see the story develop further. Needing a good YA coming of age/thriller then get reading The Year I Became Isabella Anders by Jessica Sorensen - Book #1 in the Sunnyvale Series.
November 12, 2018
Es un libro ligero y rápido de leer, en el que nos introducen a esta historia llena de buenos momentos, malos momentos, sonrisas y tristezas. Podemos ver el cambio de Isa, cómo era antes y cómo es ahora y me gustó. Paso de ser una chica insegura que dejaba que los demás la humillaran, a una chica segura de sí que entiende que no puede complacer a los demás y que al final de cuentas ella es la que importa.
reseña completa en http://the-old-bookstore.blogspot.com...
reseña completa en http://the-old-bookstore.blogspot.com...
July 2, 2021
This book is called The Year I became Isabella Anders - another name for this book.
Wowwwwwwwwww damn I finished this book. I thought it would be boring but NO it's so interesting and I was hooked onto it. Finished it in 40 mins and I still don't feel guilty for staying up late to read.
Wowwwwwwwwww damn I finished this book. I thought it would be boring but NO it's so interesting and I was hooked onto it. Finished it in 40 mins and I still don't feel guilty for staying up late to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2015
**DEBBIE'S REVIEW**
Did you ever get to the end of a book and want to smack the author upside her head with her own book? Well that is exactly how I felt after I finished this one.
Let me start off by saying the story was awesome. I was glued to my chair with my kindle in my hands and devoured every single word of this book. The writing was absolutely flawless and the characters were so realistic and easy to connect with.
Isa was so strong and brave. Her home life was horrible and heartbreaking. My heart broke for the way she was treated. I wanted to crawl into my kindle and give her a hug so many times while reading this book. I loved her relationship with her grandma and understood why she thought so little of herself.
“I live in my own little shell as the outcast. Sometimes I feel like I can barely breathe, like the walls are closing in. My worst fear is that I’ll die in that damn shell, probably by asphyxiation.”
The author created characters that felt so real and wrote emotions raw and heartbreaking at times you felt like you were actually standing there witnessing things as they played out.
Kyler and Kai Meyers are brothers that live next door to Isa. She has had a crush on the one for years and use to be close to the other one. I cannot express how much I hated Isa’s sister Hannah. She was heartless and just cruel. I would of loved to have gotten my hands around her neck so many times while reading this. This book brought out so many emotions and that is what separates a good book from a fantastic book!
“Life is all about the experiences, the good ones and the bad ones.”
This book consumed me and when I got to the end I saw red!!!! This plot is unique and heartbreaking at times but I love how the author still added humor and some fantastic banter between characters. If you are looking for a book that will bring out all sorts of emotions than this book is one you definitely want to read.
Did you ever get to the end of a book and want to smack the author upside her head with her own book? Well that is exactly how I felt after I finished this one.
Let me start off by saying the story was awesome. I was glued to my chair with my kindle in my hands and devoured every single word of this book. The writing was absolutely flawless and the characters were so realistic and easy to connect with.
Isa was so strong and brave. Her home life was horrible and heartbreaking. My heart broke for the way she was treated. I wanted to crawl into my kindle and give her a hug so many times while reading this book. I loved her relationship with her grandma and understood why she thought so little of herself.
“I live in my own little shell as the outcast. Sometimes I feel like I can barely breathe, like the walls are closing in. My worst fear is that I’ll die in that damn shell, probably by asphyxiation.”
The author created characters that felt so real and wrote emotions raw and heartbreaking at times you felt like you were actually standing there witnessing things as they played out.
Kyler and Kai Meyers are brothers that live next door to Isa. She has had a crush on the one for years and use to be close to the other one. I cannot express how much I hated Isa’s sister Hannah. She was heartless and just cruel. I would of loved to have gotten my hands around her neck so many times while reading this. This book brought out so many emotions and that is what separates a good book from a fantastic book!
“Life is all about the experiences, the good ones and the bad ones.”
This book consumed me and when I got to the end I saw red!!!! This plot is unique and heartbreaking at times but I love how the author still added humor and some fantastic banter between characters. If you are looking for a book that will bring out all sorts of emotions than this book is one you definitely want to read.
December 7, 2016
Review to come!
December 28, 2016
Review to come!
May 22, 2016
Sorensen's books are always either a HIT or MISS for me. But I found this one to land smack dab in the middle.
The writing felt very juvenile and amateurish. Hell, the whole plot was very "middle-grade." I wouldn't even want to categorize this as YA. If you strip it down to the bare basics, it's obviously a little love story between Isa and either Kyler or Ash (what's up with these names, btw!). So, there's obviously a little love-triangle action there. Isa's sister, Hannah, brings an interesting flair to the mix - she's Isa's perfect, beautiful, popular -- and evil, older sister.
The thing is, Isa's socially awkward, she has ZERO friends at school, she's into drawing super heroes and wearing baggy clothes, etc. Her sister does NOT make her life any easier, either. BUT, instead of the story taking off in the direction of that 1996 Disney Movie, a la "Wish Upon a Star" where the sisters who hate each other end up switching places and then later develops a deep appreciation and love for each other ..... We end up in CRAZYVILLE.
There's a lot of familial drama that was a bit over the top for my taste. And then there's the whole "make over" that Isa goes through, a la "Princess Diaries" and every other TWEEN movie where the ugly duckling transforms into a beautiful swan after a few dabs of mascara, some new clothes, and an appointment at the beauty salon. Isa goes from NOT to HOT. That's when the story really takes off.... because Kai, and his older brother, Kyler (whom Isa has had a crush on since, forever) starts taking an interest in her. (PFFFFFFT.)
You get the drift. It's really predictable and formulaic, but not always lighthearted. The familial drama is actually kind of dark, and it's definitely not the feel good read that I was expecting. I don't know if that was a PRO or CON of this book, but it's there. Just - FYI.
Despite what may seem like my "complaints" about this book, I really liked Kai. He's really the only reason why I'm rating this book a 3, instead of 2 stars. His character really intrigued me, and I kinda wish the focus wasn't on ISA, but on KAI, instead.
He gave me major feels, and I think his character has immense potential. I also am a sucker for witty dialogue, and this had tons of it. If you're looking for a somewhat cheesy guilty pleasure read, this one may suit your needs. There isn't much sexual content in this book - it's quite clean, so no need to worry about that here either. Like I mentioned earlier, this book should be more in the "MIDDLE GRADE" category than YA...... Just sayin.'
The writing felt very juvenile and amateurish. Hell, the whole plot was very "middle-grade." I wouldn't even want to categorize this as YA. If you strip it down to the bare basics, it's obviously a little love story between Isa and either Kyler or Ash (what's up with these names, btw!). So, there's obviously a little love-triangle action there. Isa's sister, Hannah, brings an interesting flair to the mix - she's Isa's perfect, beautiful, popular -- and evil, older sister.
The thing is, Isa's socially awkward, she has ZERO friends at school, she's into drawing super heroes and wearing baggy clothes, etc. Her sister does NOT make her life any easier, either. BUT, instead of the story taking off in the direction of that 1996 Disney Movie, a la "Wish Upon a Star" where the sisters who hate each other end up switching places and then later develops a deep appreciation and love for each other ..... We end up in CRAZYVILLE.
There's a lot of familial drama that was a bit over the top for my taste. And then there's the whole "make over" that Isa goes through, a la "Princess Diaries" and every other TWEEN movie where the ugly duckling transforms into a beautiful swan after a few dabs of mascara, some new clothes, and an appointment at the beauty salon. Isa goes from NOT to HOT. That's when the story really takes off.... because Kai, and his older brother, Kyler (whom Isa has had a crush on since, forever) starts taking an interest in her. (PFFFFFFT.)
You get the drift. It's really predictable and formulaic, but not always lighthearted. The familial drama is actually kind of dark, and it's definitely not the feel good read that I was expecting. I don't know if that was a PRO or CON of this book, but it's there. Just - FYI.
Despite what may seem like my "complaints" about this book, I really liked Kai. He's really the only reason why I'm rating this book a 3, instead of 2 stars. His character really intrigued me, and I kinda wish the focus wasn't on ISA, but on KAI, instead.
He gave me major feels, and I think his character has immense potential. I also am a sucker for witty dialogue, and this had tons of it. If you're looking for a somewhat cheesy guilty pleasure read, this one may suit your needs. There isn't much sexual content in this book - it's quite clean, so no need to worry about that here either. Like I mentioned earlier, this book should be more in the "MIDDLE GRADE" category than YA...... Just sayin.'
August 13, 2018
This book has marked my goal of 50 books for the year 🤗
So this one centres around family outcast isabella, self proclaimed weirdo who gets a lot of unnecessary stick from her parents and stuck up sister. I reeeally didn’t like her sister, Hannah. Typical cheerleader popular bitch. Her parents weren’t much nicer to be fair.
Isabella was a bit of a cliche though, an outcast who dyes her hair bright colours, sketches superheroes and listens to my chemical romance? I can smell 2006 from here. I was just waiting for her to say “it’s not a phase mom!”
The book really took off when isa is sent to her grandmas for the summer and ends up taking a trip to Europe with the entire senior community and her artsy estranged cousin indigo who promises to show her what excitement is and to get to the bottom of a big family secret. I can only say it kind of explained why her mother was so horrible to her.
When isa returns she’s a different person. I love a revenge makeover and it clearly stirs a few pots. I really liked how close her and Kai started to get when she came back too, he clearly liked her for a long time but as per with these kind of books only the reader can see it.
The romance parts were nicely broken up a bit by the mystery factor surrounding Isa’s mother which is one of the reasons I’m rating it as a 4 star 🌟 read. I was dubious at first but it turned out it was an easy, enjoyable read. I think I’ve definitely been lacking in some comfortably paced YA and this ones given me my fix. I can’t believe it ended on a cliffhanger though!!
So this one centres around family outcast isabella, self proclaimed weirdo who gets a lot of unnecessary stick from her parents and stuck up sister. I reeeally didn’t like her sister, Hannah. Typical cheerleader popular bitch. Her parents weren’t much nicer to be fair.
Isabella was a bit of a cliche though, an outcast who dyes her hair bright colours, sketches superheroes and listens to my chemical romance? I can smell 2006 from here. I was just waiting for her to say “it’s not a phase mom!”
The book really took off when isa is sent to her grandmas for the summer and ends up taking a trip to Europe with the entire senior community and her artsy estranged cousin indigo who promises to show her what excitement is and to get to the bottom of a big family secret. I can only say it kind of explained why her mother was so horrible to her.
When isa returns she’s a different person. I love a revenge makeover and it clearly stirs a few pots. I really liked how close her and Kai started to get when she came back too, he clearly liked her for a long time but as per with these kind of books only the reader can see it.
The romance parts were nicely broken up a bit by the mystery factor surrounding Isa’s mother which is one of the reasons I’m rating it as a 4 star 🌟 read. I was dubious at first but it turned out it was an easy, enjoyable read. I think I’ve definitely been lacking in some comfortably paced YA and this ones given me my fix. I can’t believe it ended on a cliffhanger though!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2016
3.5 stars
From time to time, I like reading YA books who speak to my past emo teenage girl's heart and Sorensen is so good at it. I use to think that her books were so full of cliches, but then I met people who's lifes were as fucked up and realized shit like this does happen to real people too.
I liked that Isa got her make over for herlsef and not to get any of the guys. It felt so good when she got to experience lots of new and crazy things, and she just got to LIVE. Its obvious she's going to end up with Kai, but I wish the book didn't have the two brothers going for her.
It was a nice, short read, and thankfully not as dramatic and dark as her other series. I'll definitely read book 2 right after this one ;)
From time to time, I like reading YA books who speak to my past emo teenage girl's heart and Sorensen is so good at it. I use to think that her books were so full of cliches, but then I met people who's lifes were as fucked up and realized shit like this does happen to real people too.
I liked that Isa got her make over for herlsef and not to get any of the guys. It felt so good when she got to experience lots of new and crazy things, and she just got to LIVE. Its obvious she's going to end up with Kai, but I wish the book didn't have the two brothers going for her.
It was a nice, short read, and thankfully not as dramatic and dark as her other series. I'll definitely read book 2 right after this one ;)
October 6, 2015
This is almost like a Cinderella story. A down-and-out quirky girl gets a make over and comes back home with a new level of confidence. Pretty fun idea. I loved Kai and I wish his relationship with Isabella had been a little more fleshed out. I'm assuming that will be happening in the next book, but I felt as if I was being strung along for the entirety of this one-- it just felt like not a whole lot happened, even with the family twist at the end. Also, her family is horrible to the point of not feeling as realistic as it could be. I know there are bad people in the world, but the motivation wasn't there.
Want to read
November 14, 2018💝 FREE on iBooks today (11/14/2018)!💝
Blurb:
Isabella Anders has always been the girl that never fit in. Most days she feels invisible, especially when she’s around her older sister, Hannah, who catches the eye of everyone, including Kai and Kyler, the boys who live next door.
Isabella has had a crush on Kyler for years, but knows he’ll never see her as anything more than Hannah’s little sister, unless she finds a way to standout.
When Isabella gets an offer from her grandmother to travel overseas for the summer, she seizes the opportunity, hoping she’ll discover more about herself. And she does, but not in the way that she expected.
Three months later, Isabella returns home an entirely new person. The change is enough to catch both Kyler and Kai’s attention. But Isabella is still struggling with what she discovered over the summer and until she deals with the truth, she’ll never truly be herself.
Blurb:
Isabella Anders has always been the girl that never fit in. Most days she feels invisible, especially when she’s around her older sister, Hannah, who catches the eye of everyone, including Kai and Kyler, the boys who live next door.
Isabella has had a crush on Kyler for years, but knows he’ll never see her as anything more than Hannah’s little sister, unless she finds a way to standout.
When Isabella gets an offer from her grandmother to travel overseas for the summer, she seizes the opportunity, hoping she’ll discover more about herself. And she does, but not in the way that she expected.
Three months later, Isabella returns home an entirely new person. The change is enough to catch both Kyler and Kai’s attention. But Isabella is still struggling with what she discovered over the summer and until she deals with the truth, she’ll never truly be herself.
September 1, 2017
Wie bei Jessica Sorensen üblich, haben die einzelnen Figuren jeweils ihre Päckchen zu tragen und sehen sich mit Problemen konfrontiert. Die Handlung ist zwar vorhersehbar, aber es unterhält gut. Das Charakterverhalten und die Beziehungen der Charaktere zueinander kommen ein bisschen überzogen und nicht ganz nachvollziehbar daher, aber der Schreibstil ist klasse und das Buch lässt sich sehr schnell lesen.
March 5, 2019
THE FREAKING CLIFFHANGERS!! I am so glad that the 2nd and 3rd book are currently available so I don't have to wait like a crazy maniac needing answers! This book is SOOOO good! the mystery and unanswered questions are making me go insane!
All I did was have bathroom breaks and occasionally took my dog out for his bathroom breaks and read! I had to finish this book today and I did!
All I did was have bathroom breaks and occasionally took my dog out for his bathroom breaks and read! I had to finish this book today and I did!
September 3, 2015
5++++++ Stars
So I took a night to sleep on this review and I still can't put into words what I am thinking.
As with any book by Jessica Sorensen, I was pulled into this story from the beginning. And I couldn't walk away, even if I tried. I read this book in less than 12 hrs - I have not done that in a very long time!
But I digress....this book is just abso-freaking-lutely amazing!! The blurb gives you the perfect overview of this book and I refuse to give anything else away about what happens.
I will say that this book has a Cinderella-like touch to it due to how Isabella is treated by her family. However, it has so much more depth than that. The characters are very well developed and the interactions between each of them, you can get the sense of how the see each other.
I really, really, really love when an author is able to give me the sense of what a character is feeling by not just the words they wrote, but how those words are conveyed. It's very hard to do that with writing and Jessica Sorensen does is perfectly in this book.
I felt so many different feelings reading this story. I felt alot of hatred and disgust towards certain characters. I also felt empathetic towards others. There were alot of mixed emotions and it says a lot about the author when any reaction is evoke anything from me.
Jessica does a phenomenal job of wrapping a bit of mystery and intensity into this storyline. And it unravels perfectly but yet leaves you with more questions.
The book ends in a cliff hanger that will have you begging for more! This book left my mind in an array of thoughts, emotions and has me pondering what will happen next. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in this series!
So I took a night to sleep on this review and I still can't put into words what I am thinking.
As with any book by Jessica Sorensen, I was pulled into this story from the beginning. And I couldn't walk away, even if I tried. I read this book in less than 12 hrs - I have not done that in a very long time!
But I digress....this book is just abso-freaking-lutely amazing!! The blurb gives you the perfect overview of this book and I refuse to give anything else away about what happens.
I will say that this book has a Cinderella-like touch to it due to how Isabella is treated by her family. However, it has so much more depth than that. The characters are very well developed and the interactions between each of them, you can get the sense of how the see each other.
I really, really, really love when an author is able to give me the sense of what a character is feeling by not just the words they wrote, but how those words are conveyed. It's very hard to do that with writing and Jessica Sorensen does is perfectly in this book.
I felt so many different feelings reading this story. I felt alot of hatred and disgust towards certain characters. I also felt empathetic towards others. There were alot of mixed emotions and it says a lot about the author when any reaction is evoke anything from me.
Jessica does a phenomenal job of wrapping a bit of mystery and intensity into this storyline. And it unravels perfectly but yet leaves you with more questions.
The book ends in a cliff hanger that will have you begging for more! This book left my mind in an array of thoughts, emotions and has me pondering what will happen next. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in this series!
October 21, 2015
It was an obviously lovely read, i mean it is "Jessica Sorensen", but still .
Usually, i am a bit hesitant in reading romance genre by jessica, not beacause they are boring but they are usually predictable (thouugh i love her paranomal without a doubt). However, this one just caught me.
Its actually the simplicity and the down to earth factor of her female leads which create yhe "wow" factor. I can definetly say that after ELLA and MICAH story , this is gonna be one of my new jessica favs in the romance genre.....no jessica book can ever beat ALEX and GEMMA though, truthfully speaking they deserve reality (*wink wink)
Getting carried away here, anyways when i was reading this book, i just didn't realize the end was nearing, and just when i was so close to figuring it out .......dun dun dun.....come the *#@!ing words "TO BE CONTINUED" and i was just so mad , i went "REALLY NOW!"
But coming to face the reality that i was reading a SORENSEN book made be remember she loves to leave us hanging "HIGH AND DRY" like literally.....maybe not literally, but you get the point yea?
BEsides that point, this read deserves all high and drys out there, and this coming from me means alot, cuz i DESPISE cliffhangers and just for the fact i hate love triangles too but then again this is JESSICA, and she ALWAYS manages to snare me into stuff i "donnot like" get the best of me.....
So basically, this book totally comes recommended from me and you should give it a go people, and jessica lovers , you should DEFINETLY give it a go!
LUV YA MS.SORENSEN <3 KEEP UP WITH THE MADDENING STUFF
Usually, i am a bit hesitant in reading romance genre by jessica, not beacause they are boring but they are usually predictable (thouugh i love her paranomal without a doubt). However, this one just caught me.
Its actually the simplicity and the down to earth factor of her female leads which create yhe "wow" factor. I can definetly say that after ELLA and MICAH story , this is gonna be one of my new jessica favs in the romance genre.....no jessica book can ever beat ALEX and GEMMA though, truthfully speaking they deserve reality (*wink wink)
Getting carried away here, anyways when i was reading this book, i just didn't realize the end was nearing, and just when i was so close to figuring it out .......dun dun dun.....come the *#@!ing words "TO BE CONTINUED" and i was just so mad , i went "REALLY NOW!"
But coming to face the reality that i was reading a SORENSEN book made be remember she loves to leave us hanging "HIGH AND DRY" like literally.....maybe not literally, but you get the point yea?
BEsides that point, this read deserves all high and drys out there, and this coming from me means alot, cuz i DESPISE cliffhangers and just for the fact i hate love triangles too but then again this is JESSICA, and she ALWAYS manages to snare me into stuff i "donnot like" get the best of me.....
So basically, this book totally comes recommended from me and you should give it a go people, and jessica lovers , you should DEFINETLY give it a go!
LUV YA MS.SORENSEN <3 KEEP UP WITH THE MADDENING STUFF
June 20, 2016
The Year I Became Isabella Anders (Sunnyvale, #1) by Jessica Sorensen
I am not sure where I got this book, maybe free on amazon one day, anyway I ended up reading The Year I became Isabella Anders and amazed how much I loved this book. I mean it was sad and pissed me off at times, I can't believe how horrible Isabella was treated.
From what I have see this is a trilogy and of course I had to go find book two The Year of Falling in Love (Sunnyvale, #2), I normally don't read trilogies until all the books are published ( I hate waiting).
All I can say now is my god I can't wait to read The Year of Second Chances (Sunnyvale, #3) , I should of known this would be a great series as the author Jessica Sorensen writes amazing stories.
I have rated The Year I Became Isabella Anders (Sunnyvale, #1) by Jessica Sorensen 4 stars.
I am not sure where I got this book, maybe free on amazon one day, anyway I ended up reading The Year I became Isabella Anders and amazed how much I loved this book. I mean it was sad and pissed me off at times, I can't believe how horrible Isabella was treated.
From what I have see this is a trilogy and of course I had to go find book two The Year of Falling in Love (Sunnyvale, #2), I normally don't read trilogies until all the books are published ( I hate waiting).
All I can say now is my god I can't wait to read The Year of Second Chances (Sunnyvale, #3) , I should of known this would be a great series as the author Jessica Sorensen writes amazing stories.
I have rated The Year I Became Isabella Anders (Sunnyvale, #1) by Jessica Sorensen 4 stars.
July 5, 2016
Nope. The writing in this is horrible. Teenagers don't think or talk like these kids, and the cruelty from her family is just over the top. Not for young adult or pre teens. This is by far the worst I've read from Sorensen. Won't make this mistake again.
August 8, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. Jessica Sorensen writes so well, and I truly felt the verbal abuse Isa receives from her mom and sister . I wished that there could've been more story between her and Kai. I felt there was no need to have a mild love triangle. This is the 1st book of 3.
December 22, 2017
DNF 78%
Too long winded. There seems to be so much dialogue about nothing. Filler. I found myself skipping ahead a couple of pages and it not making a difference. I like YA, but this one's not for me.
Too long winded. There seems to be so much dialogue about nothing. Filler. I found myself skipping ahead a couple of pages and it not making a difference. I like YA, but this one's not for me.
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