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The Stillburrow Crush
Sixteen year old, Carrie Paxton, isn't the most popular girl in her small town of Stillburrow. But that's never concerned her before. Her life revolves around her writing, and she loves her job as the student editor of the school paper.
But when she gets assigned to interview the football team's beloved quarterback, she takes one look into Luke Carter's blue eyes and is a goner. Suddenly, she doesn't like her lowly rank so much. Then her dreamy, popular crush surprises her when he starts to act as if he likes her in return. But there's no way Luke Carter could possibly ever like a nobody like Carrie Paxton. Is there?
But when she gets assigned to interview the football team's beloved quarterback, she takes one look into Luke Carter's blue eyes and is a goner. Suddenly, she doesn't like her lowly rank so much. Then her dreamy, popular crush surprises her when he starts to act as if he likes her in return. But there's no way Luke Carter could possibly ever like a nobody like Carrie Paxton. Is there?
202 pages
First published January 1, 2010
82 people are currently reading
4901 people want to read
About the author
Linda Kage
51 books5,536 followersLinda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy.
Published since 2010, she first went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature, then graduated with a Bachelor's in Arts-English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.
She currently lives with her husband, two daughters, a cat named Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas.
She started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club, then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now, she's all over the place with her romance reading tastes.
A few of her favorite things have been:
Stranger Things, Supernatural, Cheers, Teen Wolf, Umbrella Academy, Outlander, Yellowstone, Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Shawshank Redemption, Dirty Dancing, Harry Potter, Tangled, A Walk to Remember, Dr. Pepper, Roast Beef with mashed potatoes and onion rings, the poem "Equipment" by Edgar A. Guest, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Published since 2010, she first went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature, then graduated with a Bachelor's in Arts-English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.
She currently lives with her husband, two daughters, a cat named Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas.
She started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club, then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now, she's all over the place with her romance reading tastes.
A few of her favorite things have been:
Stranger Things, Supernatural, Cheers, Teen Wolf, Umbrella Academy, Outlander, Yellowstone, Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Shawshank Redemption, Dirty Dancing, Harry Potter, Tangled, A Walk to Remember, Dr. Pepper, Roast Beef with mashed potatoes and onion rings, the poem "Equipment" by Edgar A. Guest, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
July 27, 2015
3.75 Stars
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This is a young adult story about the school’s editor and the wealthy quarterback’s unlikely (to them) fall into love. Linda Kage added more to this book as the heroine’s brother tale was unraveling at the same time and made this one a well written and told tale.
Luke and Carrie's fall into friendship and more in this small Kansas town was a push and pull feel (how I loved his poems) while watching Marty and Abby’s sad tale play out along side them was just flat out heartbreaking.
Overall, this story doesn’t have a lot of heat but did have butterflies and a sad side story to boot. I would love to visit these characters again if the author every decides to come back to this group!!
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This is a young adult story about the school’s editor and the wealthy quarterback’s unlikely (to them) fall into love. Linda Kage added more to this book as the heroine’s brother tale was unraveling at the same time and made this one a well written and told tale.
Luke and Carrie's fall into friendship and more in this small Kansas town was a push and pull feel (how I loved his poems) while watching Marty and Abby’s sad tale play out along side them was just flat out heartbreaking.
Overall, this story doesn’t have a lot of heat but did have butterflies and a sad side story to boot. I would love to visit these characters again if the author every decides to come back to this group!!
May 27, 2014
"Every other girl in school thinks you're the hottest thing since
the microwave."
This sentence cracked me up big time. I laughed so hard tears started rolling down my cheeks.
Have I told you how much I hate when people put labels on other people? He's fat, she's a slut because she was seen in company of two different men in a matter of days, she's a drug addict because she looks awfully pale, he's poor because his jeans are ripped; and of course the other way around - his mother is a maid and his father a mechanic = that means he's a piece of trash and if I shake hands with him, I'll catch some deadly disease and die on the spot, ... etc. Come on people, I feel sorry for you.
I liked the overall storyline, it differed a bit from the standard the majority of young adult novels seem to follow these days. A bit.
The heroine, in my honest opinion, was not "bluntly truthful", she was bitchy and over-opinionated. Sometimes (mostly in the first half of the book) Carrie was a little over the top, but she also had good moments. At times she comes off too harsh. The words she uses to describe her friend, how she treats E.T., and other people... ("He once told me when I was sitting by him in the lunch room, that at times he felt so smart he thought his head would explode from all the knowledge it contained. I told him to grow up. Then I took his chocolate milk and drank it.").
A heck of a defence mechanism! However, does she have a genuine reason to act this way?
Some parts of her personality traits got on my nerves. She sees something that is not there, like every time Luke says something, she twists his words and is offended - why o why? She's overreacting and blowing things out of proportion.
"You know, Carrie, it's only important because you're making it important."
Luke has a point.
But I like the way she gets back at people when they do or say something bad about her.I liked her spunk and witty responses. Also, her honesty was refreshing, that's what I loved most about the whole thing. She likes a guy and she tells him that, and is not embarrassed by her confession. Kudos!
Oh, one thing bothered the beejezus out of me. What century does this story come from? 18th? 19th? Banker's son cannot date a mechanic's daughter, and mechanic's son cannot be with a principal's daughter? Stillburrow really is stuck in a time capsule.
"There was no way Luke could like me just because I was me. It went against all the rules of social order in Stillburrow."
Oh bollocks!
I hated Luke's initial cowardice when it came to seeing him with Carrie. If I was her, I'd probably kick his ass and then ignore the hell outta him. His behaviour is so not attractive!
It pleased me immensely when he stopped being such a wuss. Finally! I was beginning to worry there for a second I might have to think of a way to kick some literary ass.
The second half of the book surprised me (pleasantly), because I was starting to hate the story and Carrie and the overall vibe this book was projecting. However, certain things blew my mind. I couldn't have thought of a better twist myself! So 3*** turned to 4****, solely because of the original scenes. And because it made me laugh. It's been a long time since I've laughed with such ease.
I do agree with other Goodreaders about the title of the book and the cover. Come on! -.-
the microwave."
This sentence cracked me up big time. I laughed so hard tears started rolling down my cheeks.
Have I told you how much I hate when people put labels on other people? He's fat, she's a slut because she was seen in company of two different men in a matter of days, she's a drug addict because she looks awfully pale, he's poor because his jeans are ripped; and of course the other way around - his mother is a maid and his father a mechanic = that means he's a piece of trash and if I shake hands with him, I'll catch some deadly disease and die on the spot, ... etc. Come on people, I feel sorry for you.
I liked the overall storyline, it differed a bit from the standard the majority of young adult novels seem to follow these days. A bit.
The heroine, in my honest opinion, was not "bluntly truthful", she was bitchy and over-opinionated. Sometimes (mostly in the first half of the book) Carrie was a little over the top, but she also had good moments. At times she comes off too harsh. The words she uses to describe her friend, how she treats E.T., and other people... ("He once told me when I was sitting by him in the lunch room, that at times he felt so smart he thought his head would explode from all the knowledge it contained. I told him to grow up. Then I took his chocolate milk and drank it.").
A heck of a defence mechanism! However, does she have a genuine reason to act this way?
Some parts of her personality traits got on my nerves. She sees something that is not there, like every time Luke says something, she twists his words and is offended - why o why? She's overreacting and blowing things out of proportion.
"You know, Carrie, it's only important because you're making it important."
Luke has a point.
But I like the way she gets back at people when they do or say something bad about her.I liked her spunk and witty responses. Also, her honesty was refreshing, that's what I loved most about the whole thing. She likes a guy and she tells him that, and is not embarrassed by her confession. Kudos!
Oh, one thing bothered the beejezus out of me. What century does this story come from? 18th? 19th? Banker's son cannot date a mechanic's daughter, and mechanic's son cannot be with a principal's daughter? Stillburrow really is stuck in a time capsule.
"There was no way Luke could like me just because I was me. It went against all the rules of social order in Stillburrow."
Oh bollocks!
I hated Luke's initial cowardice when it came to seeing him with Carrie. If I was her, I'd probably kick his ass and then ignore the hell outta him. His behaviour is so not attractive!
It pleased me immensely when he stopped being such a wuss. Finally! I was beginning to worry there for a second I might have to think of a way to kick some literary ass.
The second half of the book surprised me (pleasantly), because I was starting to hate the story and Carrie and the overall vibe this book was projecting. However, certain things blew my mind. I couldn't have thought of a better twist myself! So 3*** turned to 4****, solely because of the original scenes. And because it made me laugh. It's been a long time since I've laughed with such ease.
I do agree with other Goodreaders about the title of the book and the cover. Come on! -.-
August 25, 2011
We could live in the same town with someone all our lives, work along side someone, or sit next to someone at school all year, but still not know them at all. Can we really know someone? Or do we see what we want to see? Do we see what society tells us to see in a star quarterback, rich kid, mechanic’s daughter, or high school drop out?
Stillburrow Crush asks readers those very questions and more about expectations, roles we play, and appearances. There is a lot going on in such a short book, but it all fit together without feeling preachy or overcrowded. Stillburrrow may be a small town, but it is filled with characters, stories, and gossip galore.
Carrie Paxton is the Lois Lane with a hell of a bite newspaper reporter in town, who walks a very fine line between sharp wit and a childish stomp your feet temper tantrum type attitude. I liked her though, her strength and loyalty shines through at the right times. Luke Carter is that all around seemingly perfect, popular, handsome, built like a god quarterback, which every town seems to have except mine! Where was my cute quarterback with a heart of gold? ;) Anyway…Carrie and Luke find themselves talking, flirting, and learning what is truly inside their hearts with such a fun, frustrating, snarky, and at times sexy tone. I truly had fun watching their crush build and take shape with every smirk, grin, phone call and hang up. It made my heart smile and giggle.
For me though, the heart of this story was family. The pressures we can put on each other, but also the protectiveness and security we can feel within a family came through loud in clear in these pages and characters. The Paxton family had me in tears, covering my mouth holding in sobs at one point. This story definitely touched my heart.
I enjoyed my stop in Stillburrow and I suggest you swing by for a visit too. See what you find. The people may surprise you if you look deep enough.
Stillburrow Crush asks readers those very questions and more about expectations, roles we play, and appearances. There is a lot going on in such a short book, but it all fit together without feeling preachy or overcrowded. Stillburrrow may be a small town, but it is filled with characters, stories, and gossip galore.
Carrie Paxton is the Lois Lane with a hell of a bite newspaper reporter in town, who walks a very fine line between sharp wit and a childish stomp your feet temper tantrum type attitude. I liked her though, her strength and loyalty shines through at the right times. Luke Carter is that all around seemingly perfect, popular, handsome, built like a god quarterback, which every town seems to have except mine! Where was my cute quarterback with a heart of gold? ;) Anyway…Carrie and Luke find themselves talking, flirting, and learning what is truly inside their hearts with such a fun, frustrating, snarky, and at times sexy tone. I truly had fun watching their crush build and take shape with every smirk, grin, phone call and hang up. It made my heart smile and giggle.
For me though, the heart of this story was family. The pressures we can put on each other, but also the protectiveness and security we can feel within a family came through loud in clear in these pages and characters. The Paxton family had me in tears, covering my mouth holding in sobs at one point. This story definitely touched my heart.
I enjoyed my stop in Stillburrow and I suggest you swing by for a visit too. See what you find. The people may surprise you if you look deep enough.
April 4, 2010
When I started reading this book, I thought it would be just like every other chick flick but I was pleasantly surprised by the end. It's a funny and endearing story about Carrie and the moment her life starts changing.
First I have to say I loved Carrie and Luke’s relationship. At the beginning I found her paranoia over her social and economic differences a little annoying but once she started opening herself up, the way they acted around each other made me smile every time.
I loved all of the characters, mainly because they all seemed so real and relatable. For example, Carrie wasn't popular but she wasn't the biggest loser in school either. What I'm trying to say is that the author didn't feel the need to highlight the characters qualities just to make the reader sympathize with them or dislike them. This for me was the book’s strongest point. While reading it, the story was believable. There weren’t this amazing and one of a kind events that you only see in movies and change the characters’ lives forever. For me it really did feel like reading about how daily and ordinary events change someone’s life, out of their own journal.
TSC is a fun, light read that will really capture your attention and distract you from reality. For me it was a real page turner and even managed to male me cry and giggle at some parts.
First I have to say I loved Carrie and Luke’s relationship. At the beginning I found her paranoia over her social and economic differences a little annoying but once she started opening herself up, the way they acted around each other made me smile every time.
I loved all of the characters, mainly because they all seemed so real and relatable. For example, Carrie wasn't popular but she wasn't the biggest loser in school either. What I'm trying to say is that the author didn't feel the need to highlight the characters qualities just to make the reader sympathize with them or dislike them. This for me was the book’s strongest point. While reading it, the story was believable. There weren’t this amazing and one of a kind events that you only see in movies and change the characters’ lives forever. For me it really did feel like reading about how daily and ordinary events change someone’s life, out of their own journal.
TSC is a fun, light read that will really capture your attention and distract you from reality. For me it was a real page turner and even managed to male me cry and giggle at some parts.
September 30, 2019
Carrie ha sido empujada a entrevistar al mariscal de su instituto, Luke. En el primer encuentro no acaban bien, más bien acaban gritándose, pero ninguno puede sacar al otro de su mente. Pero las diferencias entre ellos son muchos obstáculos y los miedos son muy poderosos si no los combates.
La historia es relativamente fácil de leer. Es corta pero tiene su parte de drama que me ha hecho llorar, por cierto.
Me gusta Luke, es dulce y todo un caballero aunque al principio la historia va demasiado rápida para mi gusto, dado que la historia tampoco es muy extensa no le puedes pedir más.
En cuanto a Carrie, ella es la inseguridad con piernas. La entiendo, supongo que es un cliché pero se entiende.
Mi único fallo para esta historia es que si incluso Carrie y Luke acabaron bien, el hecho de dejar a Marty a la espera de que "ya lo superará" me resultó un fastidio. Me dio mucha pena el pobre chico, y yo también creo que a Abby sus padres la obligaron a ir a la clínica para algo más que una revisión, y que ese accidente fue de todo menos un accidente... Ha sido un poco duro pero recomiendo la historia aún así.
La historia es relativamente fácil de leer. Es corta pero tiene su parte de drama que me ha hecho llorar, por cierto.
Me gusta Luke, es dulce y todo un caballero aunque al principio la historia va demasiado rápida para mi gusto, dado que la historia tampoco es muy extensa no le puedes pedir más.
En cuanto a Carrie, ella es la inseguridad con piernas. La entiendo, supongo que es un cliché pero se entiende.
Mi único fallo para esta historia es que si incluso Carrie y Luke acabaron bien, el hecho de dejar a Marty a la espera de que "ya lo superará" me resultó un fastidio. Me dio mucha pena el pobre chico, y yo también creo que a Abby sus padres la obligaron a ir a la clínica para algo más que una revisión, y que ese accidente fue de todo menos un accidente... Ha sido un poco duro pero recomiendo la historia aún así.
October 3, 2014
A very nice and refreshing YA book about a 16 year old Carrie and her life in a (very) small town. It's a story about growing up, about family, about social status and of course about love.
Carrie is a daughter of the town's mechanic and an aspiring journalist who develops a crush on the most popular boy in school, who is (in her opinion) waaay out of her league.
But Carrie isn't just your regular high school girl.
She's a smart ass with a smart mouth who just can't keep her opinions to herself, and to make matters worst, she just can't lie, so her big mouth gets her in some awkward situations.
She's really angry at herself for liking Luke, and she's even angry at Luke for "making" her like him.
Finally, he smiled...and I wanted to kick him. He had a row
of bright white teeth with a bit of an overbite, and a dimple I
could've fallen into.
I hated him for that grin. I mean, how dare he look at me
with those blue orbs and display such a genuine smile?
So she "decides" she just wont be crushing on him anymore....after all, he's gourges and sexy and rich....basically he's blessed with awesomeness, and she's not.
But for some reason Luke just keeps coming around and calling her, and it's driving her crazy....actually it's driving them both crazy (isn't that sweet?).
"That's it," I said, and stuck my nose in the air. "I don't have
a crush on you anymore, Luke Carter." And for emphasis I
sniffed out a little "Humph."
His eyebrows must have shot up on that one because he
sounded startled when he said, "You have a crush on me?"
"No," I replied regally. "I just said I didn't."
"But you did before?" I had him completely baffled. "I
thought I heard your brother say you had Rick Getty's picture
all over your wall."
I cringed. Just how much had he heard in the store? Oh
well, I'd worry about that later. "That was last year," I said.
"You're the hot topic this year."
....
"I take it that the reason you keep bugging me has
nothing to do with romantic intentions, then?"
There was a pause. And then, "Of course not," he said with
such emphasis, it suddenly had my brain whirling.
No romantic intentions, huh? It hurt. I can't deny it. But I
was too curious to let a thing like that bother me. Remember,
I'm an investigative journalist at heart. I was going to get to
the bottom of this. If the guy was going to break my heart I
was going to find out why.
I usually don't like heroines that are so outspoken and brutally honest, most of the time I find it rude, but Carrie's character was brilliantly done, she had a right amount of outspokenness in her but not to much to be considered rude.
Luke was a wonderful character as well. He's nice and understanding....but he too is having trouble dealing with his feeling for Carrie, and Carrie is not making it easy for him.
She feels like their different social status is making it impossible for them to really be together. They live in a small town so everybody knows everybody's business, and she feels like people in town wouldn't like it if poor little Carrie was dating rich handsome Luke....plus she's positive that Luke doesn't even like her like that.
Usually I would find the "Carrie's denial" part annoying, but Linda Kage does a great job. Basically, when it comes to boys, Carrie is like many, many, many other teenage girls out there....she's scared and insecure, and the only way to deal with that is to deny that anything's really happening, and to claim that it's all in her head.
There are other things going on in this book, and to be honest, it almost steals the thunder from the "romance" part....that part to is very well written....I actually got misty eyed at one point.
Carrie's bother, her parents and other town's folk are important for this story, but essentially this is a book about Carrie.
It's a really nice book with a horrible cover (it's like a poster for a really bad third-rate TV film), and the title isn't much better ("The Stillburrow Crush"? Really? You couldn't come up with a better title?)
But you know what they say.... don't judge a book by it's cover (or it's title)....just read it :)
Carrie is a daughter of the town's mechanic and an aspiring journalist who develops a crush on the most popular boy in school, who is (in her opinion) waaay out of her league.
But Carrie isn't just your regular high school girl.
She's a smart ass with a smart mouth who just can't keep her opinions to herself, and to make matters worst, she just can't lie, so her big mouth gets her in some awkward situations.
She's really angry at herself for liking Luke, and she's even angry at Luke for "making" her like him.
Finally, he smiled...and I wanted to kick him. He had a row
of bright white teeth with a bit of an overbite, and a dimple I
could've fallen into.
I hated him for that grin. I mean, how dare he look at me
with those blue orbs and display such a genuine smile?
So she "decides" she just wont be crushing on him anymore....after all, he's gourges and sexy and rich....basically he's blessed with awesomeness, and she's not.
But for some reason Luke just keeps coming around and calling her, and it's driving her crazy....actually it's driving them both crazy (isn't that sweet?).
"That's it," I said, and stuck my nose in the air. "I don't have
a crush on you anymore, Luke Carter." And for emphasis I
sniffed out a little "Humph."
His eyebrows must have shot up on that one because he
sounded startled when he said, "You have a crush on me?"
"No," I replied regally. "I just said I didn't."
"But you did before?" I had him completely baffled. "I
thought I heard your brother say you had Rick Getty's picture
all over your wall."
I cringed. Just how much had he heard in the store? Oh
well, I'd worry about that later. "That was last year," I said.
"You're the hot topic this year."
....
"I take it that the reason you keep bugging me has
nothing to do with romantic intentions, then?"
There was a pause. And then, "Of course not," he said with
such emphasis, it suddenly had my brain whirling.
No romantic intentions, huh? It hurt. I can't deny it. But I
was too curious to let a thing like that bother me. Remember,
I'm an investigative journalist at heart. I was going to get to
the bottom of this. If the guy was going to break my heart I
was going to find out why.
I usually don't like heroines that are so outspoken and brutally honest, most of the time I find it rude, but Carrie's character was brilliantly done, she had a right amount of outspokenness in her but not to much to be considered rude.
Luke was a wonderful character as well. He's nice and understanding....but he too is having trouble dealing with his feeling for Carrie, and Carrie is not making it easy for him.
She feels like their different social status is making it impossible for them to really be together. They live in a small town so everybody knows everybody's business, and she feels like people in town wouldn't like it if poor little Carrie was dating rich handsome Luke....plus she's positive that Luke doesn't even like her like that.
Usually I would find the "Carrie's denial" part annoying, but Linda Kage does a great job. Basically, when it comes to boys, Carrie is like many, many, many other teenage girls out there....she's scared and insecure, and the only way to deal with that is to deny that anything's really happening, and to claim that it's all in her head.
There are other things going on in this book, and to be honest, it almost steals the thunder from the "romance" part....that part to is very well written....I actually got misty eyed at one point.
Carrie's bother, her parents and other town's folk are important for this story, but essentially this is a book about Carrie.
It's a really nice book with a horrible cover (it's like a poster for a really bad third-rate TV film), and the title isn't much better ("The Stillburrow Crush"? Really? You couldn't come up with a better title?)
But you know what they say.... don't judge a book by it's cover (or it's title)....just read it :)
June 27, 2011
I've been sitting at my desk for ten minutes thinking about how best to describe The Stillburrow Crush. I guess all I can do is try...
Sixteen year old Carrie Paxton lives in a small town and sees herself as the odd girl out. As editor of the school's journal it's her job to get Stillburrow's very own star quarterback Luke Carter to answer some questions about the teams latest game. She certainly didn't anticipate the effect Luke has on her without even trying. Crushing on him isn't something she's particularly proud of. When he suddenly starts showing interest, Carrie's confusion approaches an all time high. Picture her with a thought bubble above her head - a mega-sized questionmark in it.
Reading the synopsis most will come to expect an American "Plain Jane falls for Jock" love story and they wouldn't be completely wrong in doing so. Now prepare for the big but (because there is definitely one just around the corner):
This story is about so much more! It's about the joys and hardships of living in a small town where everybody knows each other. It's about parents raising their children. It's about misconception and clarity. It's about your way to find happiness and the realization that it means to face not only good things, but also loss and anger along the way. It's about the relationship between siblings and how it takes one to understand the other. It's about fear to be who you really want to be and that special person who gives you a swift kick in the butt. Last but not least (no more starting sentences with "It's about" afterwards) it's about teenagers finding out what love means.
Did I scare you off yet? I really hope not!
I don't want to mislead you. The book doesn't have some big unbelievable whopper of a plot. It's simplicity is what makes it complex. Carrie's story might as well be yours or mine. You shouldn't just skip through it, for I can guarantee you'd miss the hidden meaning that can be found between the lines.
Luke wasn't what I would call the perfect hero. Carrie, too, could be a handful. I loved their squabbles and how Carrie just had to always have the last word. Her thoughts had my head spinning. Other times I could only smile in amusement. While reading I was often thinkging how close to reality it came, what Kage so beautifully wrote about. The tone of the book in some way reminded me of the TV show Friday Night Lights. I should add that there's no sex (not counting any insinuations) - to be honest that wouldn't have felt right anyway. You'll see what I mean when you read it yourself! 5 heartfelt stars to The Stillburrow Crush by Linda Kage.
Beware of Spoilers!
A few of my favorite quotes for those of you who are interested:
° "...how dare he look at me with those blue orbs and display such
a genuine smile?"
° "Get a crush on the best looking, most popular, rich boy in
school. How original."
° "'I'm not your chauffeur.' 'I know. It's worse. You're my
brother.'"
° "People give out their gossip and their snooty opinions like
they're the Word of God."
° "Just shut up and answer me."
Sixteen year old Carrie Paxton lives in a small town and sees herself as the odd girl out. As editor of the school's journal it's her job to get Stillburrow's very own star quarterback Luke Carter to answer some questions about the teams latest game. She certainly didn't anticipate the effect Luke has on her without even trying. Crushing on him isn't something she's particularly proud of. When he suddenly starts showing interest, Carrie's confusion approaches an all time high. Picture her with a thought bubble above her head - a mega-sized questionmark in it.
Reading the synopsis most will come to expect an American "Plain Jane falls for Jock" love story and they wouldn't be completely wrong in doing so. Now prepare for the big but (because there is definitely one just around the corner):
This story is about so much more! It's about the joys and hardships of living in a small town where everybody knows each other. It's about parents raising their children. It's about misconception and clarity. It's about your way to find happiness and the realization that it means to face not only good things, but also loss and anger along the way. It's about the relationship between siblings and how it takes one to understand the other. It's about fear to be who you really want to be and that special person who gives you a swift kick in the butt. Last but not least (no more starting sentences with "It's about" afterwards) it's about teenagers finding out what love means.
Did I scare you off yet? I really hope not!
I don't want to mislead you. The book doesn't have some big unbelievable whopper of a plot. It's simplicity is what makes it complex. Carrie's story might as well be yours or mine. You shouldn't just skip through it, for I can guarantee you'd miss the hidden meaning that can be found between the lines.
Luke wasn't what I would call the perfect hero. Carrie, too, could be a handful. I loved their squabbles and how Carrie just had to always have the last word. Her thoughts had my head spinning. Other times I could only smile in amusement. While reading I was often thinkging how close to reality it came, what Kage so beautifully wrote about. The tone of the book in some way reminded me of the TV show Friday Night Lights. I should add that there's no sex (not counting any insinuations) - to be honest that wouldn't have felt right anyway. You'll see what I mean when you read it yourself! 5 heartfelt stars to The Stillburrow Crush by Linda Kage.
Beware of Spoilers!
A few of my favorite quotes for those of you who are interested:
° "...how dare he look at me with those blue orbs and display such
a genuine smile?"
° "Get a crush on the best looking, most popular, rich boy in
school. How original."
° "'I'm not your chauffeur.' 'I know. It's worse. You're my
brother.'"
° "People give out their gossip and their snooty opinions like
they're the Word of God."
° "Just shut up and answer me."
March 4, 2010
I've been under a lot of stress lately, mostly with school. So when I sat down with The Stillburrow Crush a couple of days ago, I was hoping it would push away my stressors for a bit by being a funny and cute romance type book. Luckily enough, The Stillburrow Crush completely succeed and went beyond in doing that!
First off, I adored the characters! From the smart, head-strung, and witty Carrie from the surprisingly sweet jock hiding a few secrets named Luke, this book had so many fun and diverse characters that had me in giggles throughout. I really liked how Carrie and Luke's relationship was down to earth and so completely innocent and sweet. Plus, I loved reading their little fight scenes. Since while the tended to be extremely awkward 99% of the time, they were hilarious, no doubt about it.
The plot was for the most part fluffy fun even with the few serious type plot points it had. And while I did find The Stillburrow Crush to be predictable, it did manage to throw in some surprises. Also the cute points it accrued throughout managed to make the predictable-ness not that big of deal.
In all, The Stillburrow Crush is the perfect read for when you want to escape from reality for a while with a page turning book that will have you enthralled! I can't wait to read more by Linda Kage!
Grade: A-
First off, I adored the characters! From the smart, head-strung, and witty Carrie from the surprisingly sweet jock hiding a few secrets named Luke, this book had so many fun and diverse characters that had me in giggles throughout. I really liked how Carrie and Luke's relationship was down to earth and so completely innocent and sweet. Plus, I loved reading their little fight scenes. Since while the tended to be extremely awkward 99% of the time, they were hilarious, no doubt about it.
The plot was for the most part fluffy fun even with the few serious type plot points it had. And while I did find The Stillburrow Crush to be predictable, it did manage to throw in some surprises. Also the cute points it accrued throughout managed to make the predictable-ness not that big of deal.
In all, The Stillburrow Crush is the perfect read for when you want to escape from reality for a while with a page turning book that will have you enthralled! I can't wait to read more by Linda Kage!
Grade: A-
August 1, 2015
Low angst and very readable YA romance between a smart mouthed reporter and high school jock.
Liked the h, she was an original. I liked the H too, but lost almost all my liking when he admitted that he had been ashamed to be seen with h and wanted to make her his secret girlfriend ( or something) in the beginning. I can see why h forgave him bcos he did so much for her. But that would have been a deal breaker for me. Reduced stars for that. Safe romance.
3.75 stars!
Liked the h, she was an original. I liked the H too, but lost almost all my liking when he admitted that he had been ashamed to be seen with h and wanted to make her his secret girlfriend ( or something) in the beginning. I can see why h forgave him bcos he did so much for her. But that would have been a deal breaker for me. Reduced stars for that. Safe romance.
3.75 stars!
March 27, 2011
I can muddle through books which have a clear and linear path from the gate if the characters and dialogue are strong and believable. Unfortunately with this novel, that was not the case. From the prologue it was clear how this story would end and with every new scene I could predict the outcome. Again, I can live with that if, say, the protagonist is believable or there is depth of meaning to the character's actions or voice. Take, for instance, Elizabeth Scott's Bloom. What a fantastic read. There were no intricate plot devices or looming mystery and the story was pretty obvious in its conclusion. What separates this piece from something like Bloom are the characters. I found Carrie to be very one-dimensional. I understood where the writer planned to take her, she was simply not fully realized. Motivation is a huge factor for people, both real and fictional, and for an action to take place it requires inspiration or fear or longing, etc. I never saw Carrie's motivation as being anything more than an oh-woe-is-me-I'm-poor-and-unpopular. There was a great set-up for this character to have more. She lives in nowhere, Kansas, born of young, inexperienced and shamed parents, she has clear self-esteem issues and there are some strange family dynamics, but nothing is ever really explored. For instance, the author makes it a point of reminding us on several occasions that Marty refuses to visit his parents. Why? Alright, I get that things are tense and that perhaps he hasn't lived up to there expectations but again, why? We hear nothing from Marty about his feelings, or his parents for that matter, and that element of the story is left floundering and unrealized.
Another point of contention is the author's constant need to "remind" the reader of certain ideas which had been introduced at earlier points in the narrative. I understand that this is Y/A fiction but that doesn't mean the reading audience is incapable of grasping basic concepts. Please, don't dumb-down the narrative in order to catch the reader up on where you're intending to go, it's disrespectful and short-sighted. Young adult readers are quite capable of following along without such ploys.
There were also some issues with the dialogue. On more than a few occasions I found myself saying "What? Kids don't talk like that!" and I was immediately pulled out of the story. When writing for a particular audience, it is essential to have your finger on the pulse of their methods of communication, since that's a key element to the storytelling. It's okay to miss the mark from time to time as long as the fundamentals are there, in this instance they simply weren't. One cringe-worthy instance of this is when Luke asks Carrie to "go steady" with him. Teens simply don't say that in the twenty first century.
I love a good, mushy, love story as much as the next person, but I have to believe it and I simply didn't believe anything that was happening. Popular boy is interviewed for two minutes by a snarky, high school rag writer and suddenly he's showing up at her house the next day and holding her hand? It didn't ring true. If the author stayed the course with the snarky banter and built off that, it would have been a far more believable endeavor.
I also found the other characters lacking as well. Luke, Marty and Carrie's parents all fell flat to me. They all bore a common tone and there was no clear delineation in their portrayal. It was all too vanilla for me, not enough contrast or color to make any one individual jump off the page and scream "real" to me.
Sadly, the story didn't truly pick up pace until three quarters in and by that time I really didn't care and I merely finished the book because I simply can't leave things unfinished, especially when I've paid for them. I wanted more, I prayed for more and what is truly sad is that it was all there, right under the surface, but the author didn't excavate deeply enough for it to matter.
Another point of contention is the author's constant need to "remind" the reader of certain ideas which had been introduced at earlier points in the narrative. I understand that this is Y/A fiction but that doesn't mean the reading audience is incapable of grasping basic concepts. Please, don't dumb-down the narrative in order to catch the reader up on where you're intending to go, it's disrespectful and short-sighted. Young adult readers are quite capable of following along without such ploys.
There were also some issues with the dialogue. On more than a few occasions I found myself saying "What? Kids don't talk like that!" and I was immediately pulled out of the story. When writing for a particular audience, it is essential to have your finger on the pulse of their methods of communication, since that's a key element to the storytelling. It's okay to miss the mark from time to time as long as the fundamentals are there, in this instance they simply weren't. One cringe-worthy instance of this is when Luke asks Carrie to "go steady" with him. Teens simply don't say that in the twenty first century.
I love a good, mushy, love story as much as the next person, but I have to believe it and I simply didn't believe anything that was happening. Popular boy is interviewed for two minutes by a snarky, high school rag writer and suddenly he's showing up at her house the next day and holding her hand? It didn't ring true. If the author stayed the course with the snarky banter and built off that, it would have been a far more believable endeavor.
I also found the other characters lacking as well. Luke, Marty and Carrie's parents all fell flat to me. They all bore a common tone and there was no clear delineation in their portrayal. It was all too vanilla for me, not enough contrast or color to make any one individual jump off the page and scream "real" to me.
Sadly, the story didn't truly pick up pace until three quarters in and by that time I really didn't care and I merely finished the book because I simply can't leave things unfinished, especially when I've paid for them. I wanted more, I prayed for more and what is truly sad is that it was all there, right under the surface, but the author didn't excavate deeply enough for it to matter.
January 5, 2015
Hace unos meses leí por encima esta novela, y no me gustó, pero tenía la esperanza de que pudiera gustarme tras una lectura completa. Después de un par de meses dudando, he decidido suspender esta novela y añadirla como abandonados, porque no puedo afirmar haberla leído por completo. Me aburría tanto que me fui saltando muchos momentos. Y ahora no tengo ganas de releer algo a lo que como máximo, le daría dos estrellas. Así que, se lleva una merecidísima estrella, y punto.
Lo que me ha hecho decidirme a valorarla por fin ha sido que no he vuelto a pensar en Carrie ni en Luke ni en las pocas cosas que vivieron juntos.
The stillburrow crush me ha decepcionado muchísimo, no me caben las palabras para expresar cuánto. Esa sinopsis me atrapó. Puede que sea la típica sinopsis de novela juvenil romántica, pero había algo en ella que despertó mi curiosidad, y esa portada tan bien me gustó, creí que expresaba algo sobre la novela. Ahora siento que lo mejor de esta novela es su portada, porque capta bastante la esencia del libro, aunque no del todo.
No logré conectar con esta historia en ningún momento, me aburría leyéndola, me parecía una novela atípica pero excesivamente sosa, con nada que la hiciera especial.
Uno de los aspectos que más me decepcionaron fue el poco peso de la historia de amor. Yo esperaba encontrar una novela muy romántica, pero no, esta novela no trata de eso. Es más, apenas hay un puñado de escenas entre Carrie y Luke. Del sexo no me quejo, porque si no hay amor, tampoco busco eso. Lo más importante en esta novela falta. Una historia de amor coherente, bonita. Es que lo peor de todo es que la novela al final acaba con el típico beso, y fue como "no tiene sentido ninguno".
Entre Carrie y Luke no hay atracción ninguna, no hay química, no hay... nada. Durante el transcurso de la novela su relación es... rara, por llamarla de alguna forma. Ambos dicen que "se hacen amigos", pero no es verdad, solo se utilizan mutuamente. Luke utiliza a Carrie para que valore sus obras literarias, para que le dé el empujón que necesita para luchar por su sueño, ser escritor.
Luke solo busca a Carrie para que le anime a renunciar al fútbol. Carrie quizás es la más sincera de los dos, porque a ella de verdad le gusta Luke aunque no se atreva ni a pensar que él pueda salir jamás con la hija de un obrero.
No llegué a conectar con ninguno de los dos protagonistas. Luke era mucho más que un chico popular, pero también era un rubio muy soso. Carrie era solo una chica intelectual, poco dada a los sentimentalismos. Ninguno de los dos me gustó. Él porque siempre le avergonzaba que le vieran con ella. Y ella porque vivía en su nube desconsiderada de solo-existe-Luke.
También eché en falta ver el punto de vista de Luke, solo Carrie narraba y la verdad es que, me aburría leyéndola. Toda la novela era sosa, demasiado monótona. Fue demasiado decepcionante.
Así que, ¿para qué le voy a dar una segunda oportunidad? No, gracias. Mejor se queda abandonada.
http://mayuamoraprimeravista.blogspot...
Lo que me ha hecho decidirme a valorarla por fin ha sido que no he vuelto a pensar en Carrie ni en Luke ni en las pocas cosas que vivieron juntos.
The stillburrow crush me ha decepcionado muchísimo, no me caben las palabras para expresar cuánto. Esa sinopsis me atrapó. Puede que sea la típica sinopsis de novela juvenil romántica, pero había algo en ella que despertó mi curiosidad, y esa portada tan bien me gustó, creí que expresaba algo sobre la novela. Ahora siento que lo mejor de esta novela es su portada, porque capta bastante la esencia del libro, aunque no del todo.
No logré conectar con esta historia en ningún momento, me aburría leyéndola, me parecía una novela atípica pero excesivamente sosa, con nada que la hiciera especial.
Uno de los aspectos que más me decepcionaron fue el poco peso de la historia de amor. Yo esperaba encontrar una novela muy romántica, pero no, esta novela no trata de eso. Es más, apenas hay un puñado de escenas entre Carrie y Luke. Del sexo no me quejo, porque si no hay amor, tampoco busco eso. Lo más importante en esta novela falta. Una historia de amor coherente, bonita. Es que lo peor de todo es que la novela al final acaba con el típico beso, y fue como "no tiene sentido ninguno".
Entre Carrie y Luke no hay atracción ninguna, no hay química, no hay... nada. Durante el transcurso de la novela su relación es... rara, por llamarla de alguna forma. Ambos dicen que "se hacen amigos", pero no es verdad, solo se utilizan mutuamente. Luke utiliza a Carrie para que valore sus obras literarias, para que le dé el empujón que necesita para luchar por su sueño, ser escritor.
Luke solo busca a Carrie para que le anime a renunciar al fútbol. Carrie quizás es la más sincera de los dos, porque a ella de verdad le gusta Luke aunque no se atreva ni a pensar que él pueda salir jamás con la hija de un obrero.
No llegué a conectar con ninguno de los dos protagonistas. Luke era mucho más que un chico popular, pero también era un rubio muy soso. Carrie era solo una chica intelectual, poco dada a los sentimentalismos. Ninguno de los dos me gustó. Él porque siempre le avergonzaba que le vieran con ella. Y ella porque vivía en su nube desconsiderada de solo-existe-Luke.
También eché en falta ver el punto de vista de Luke, solo Carrie narraba y la verdad es que, me aburría leyéndola. Toda la novela era sosa, demasiado monótona. Fue demasiado decepcionante.
Así que, ¿para qué le voy a dar una segunda oportunidad? No, gracias. Mejor se queda abandonada.
http://mayuamoraprimeravista.blogspot...
June 3, 2011
Original post here.
After reading Elizabeth Scott's Bloom, I have lost faith in perfect boyfriends. But The Stillburrow Crush brought that faith back! I know popular jocks with perfect academic status, perfect family, perfectly handsome face and a characteristic of a perfect gentleman sounds boring. Scott's image of a perfect boyfriend has tattooed on my mind that they are annoying and not fun. They're not even swoon-worthy. But oh, The Stillburrow Crush's Luke Carter has all the characteristics of that perfect boyfriend and yet he's fun, he's interesting, he's swoon-worthy and did I say swoon-worthy? Because I all but melted over him whenever he appeared in the book.
You know that expression "warmth that spreads from your chest..." when the protagonist internally swoons over the love interest? Yeah. I totally felt that not with Luke, but with his relationship with Carrie. They're so cute and so adorable to look at. The characters are all so very likable. Carrie is a straight up honest girl, the editor of the school's paper, who thinks she's not good enough to be with people like Luke. But even if she's aware of this, she's not the type of girl who will back down from him. She's aware of it and is very vocal about it. Though her tendency to downgrade herself could be very uncomfortable.
I love the development of their relationship. Carrie fell in crush with Luke the first time she interviewed him for the school paper. And she is not ashamed of admitting this to him. I love their moments together. Their first phone conversation was epic as well. I took pleasure seeing Luke completely disoriented and baffled over Carrie's blunt attitude. So cute!
Ah, after two days, Luke still makes me feel giddy and bouncy. If you haven't read this book yet, I suggest that you head to your nearest bookstore/library or wherever it is you get your books and pick The Stillburrow Crush. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!
After reading Elizabeth Scott's Bloom, I have lost faith in perfect boyfriends. But The Stillburrow Crush brought that faith back! I know popular jocks with perfect academic status, perfect family, perfectly handsome face and a characteristic of a perfect gentleman sounds boring. Scott's image of a perfect boyfriend has tattooed on my mind that they are annoying and not fun. They're not even swoon-worthy. But oh, The Stillburrow Crush's Luke Carter has all the characteristics of that perfect boyfriend and yet he's fun, he's interesting, he's swoon-worthy and did I say swoon-worthy? Because I all but melted over him whenever he appeared in the book.
You know that expression "warmth that spreads from your chest..." when the protagonist internally swoons over the love interest? Yeah. I totally felt that not with Luke, but with his relationship with Carrie. They're so cute and so adorable to look at. The characters are all so very likable. Carrie is a straight up honest girl, the editor of the school's paper, who thinks she's not good enough to be with people like Luke. But even if she's aware of this, she's not the type of girl who will back down from him. She's aware of it and is very vocal about it. Though her tendency to downgrade herself could be very uncomfortable.
I love the development of their relationship. Carrie fell in crush with Luke the first time she interviewed him for the school paper. And she is not ashamed of admitting this to him. I love their moments together. Their first phone conversation was epic as well. I took pleasure seeing Luke completely disoriented and baffled over Carrie's blunt attitude. So cute!
Ah, after two days, Luke still makes me feel giddy and bouncy. If you haven't read this book yet, I suggest that you head to your nearest bookstore/library or wherever it is you get your books and pick The Stillburrow Crush. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!
December 12, 2012
Everyone plays their own song. They sing their story to the world and leave behind a melody of memories. Sometimes... their song is cut short and ends too early. But that doesn't mean their music was any less sweet or that they left any less of an impression.
It's one thing when a boy writes a letter. Another when he turns it into a song. And a whole lot more when it involves poetry.
This is a pretty good book. A light read yet so full and heavy at the same time. There may be some parts where I skimmedonly because it was info overload but there's also a whole lot of sinking in, tugging my heartstrings, learning about life, and laughing.
Finally, he smiled...and I wanted to kick him.
That was the first funny one. And it was followed by a whole trail of note-worthy quotes and amusing banter.
"I'm not your chauffeur."
"I know. It's worse. You're my brother."
----
"Way to go, Carrie...Get a crush on the best looking, most popular, rich boy in school. How original."
----
Suddenly, I wished Luke Carter was standing right in front of me. So I could choke him.
----
"What's wrong, Lucas? Every other girl in school thinks you're the hottest thing since the microwave."
----
Then I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against the seat. I couldn't have dreamed up a better ride than this. I was sitting in a brand new sports car, with a drop-dead gorgeous guy, and the thump of bass pulsating through my chest. And I thought, maybe I can't have Luke Carter, but I'll always have this moment.
----
"There comes a time in a person's life when they have to make a choice and there is no easy solution—when either option means a big change."
----
And my personal favorite...
"Be careful. If you get too close, you might slip and fall for me."
"Maybe I already have"
♥♥♥♥♥^.^♥♥♥♥♥
It's one thing when a boy writes a letter. Another when he turns it into a song. And a whole lot more when it involves poetry.
This is a pretty good book. A light read yet so full and heavy at the same time. There may be some parts where I skimmed
Finally, he smiled...and I wanted to kick him.
That was the first funny one. And it was followed by a whole trail of note-worthy quotes and amusing banter.
"I'm not your chauffeur."
"I know. It's worse. You're my brother."
----
"Way to go, Carrie...Get a crush on the best looking, most popular, rich boy in school. How original."
----
Suddenly, I wished Luke Carter was standing right in front of me. So I could choke him.
----
"What's wrong, Lucas? Every other girl in school thinks you're the hottest thing since the microwave."
----
Then I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against the seat. I couldn't have dreamed up a better ride than this. I was sitting in a brand new sports car, with a drop-dead gorgeous guy, and the thump of bass pulsating through my chest. And I thought, maybe I can't have Luke Carter, but I'll always have this moment.
----
"There comes a time in a person's life when they have to make a choice and there is no easy solution—when either option means a big change."
----
And my personal favorite...
"Be careful. If you get too close, you might slip and fall for me."
"Maybe I already have"
♥♥♥♥♥^.^♥♥♥♥♥
August 1, 2010
Full review on my website: Amaterasu Reads
I still think they could've done a better job naming this book because the title just makes it look like a shallow, teen novel. But in actuality, it's not. It's so much more and I'm glad I gave this book a chance and read it.
Sure the storyline was a bit cliche, but I liked the way everything unfolded in Carrie's life. I ached for Marty and whatever happened to him and Abby but most of all, I am so happy for Carrie and Luke.
This is probably the first book I've read in a while where the girl admitted he liked the guy around the first few pages of the book. Usually it drags on and on and everything just spilled out in the end. This wasn't. The characters felt real. That they worry about life, family and death. It wasn't a book where the girl tried everything she could to get the guy to notice her, it wasn't mushy or anything. I liked how serious and sweet and deep this book was.
I got goosebumps when Luke read Carrie that poem. It felt special and sweet and I couldn't help but go "awww".
I wish I could say more but a lot of things have been going in my head while I was reading this book. It just wasn't about Carrie having a crush on Luke. It was also about her family and the way people see them in a town as small as Stillburrow. Of her mom's and her dad's past. Of Marty and his relationship with Abby. Of Abby's death. It wasn't just about her and Luke. And I'm glad I've read this. I wish there were more books like this.
I still think they could've done a better job naming this book because the title just makes it look like a shallow, teen novel. But in actuality, it's not. It's so much more and I'm glad I gave this book a chance and read it.
Sure the storyline was a bit cliche, but I liked the way everything unfolded in Carrie's life. I ached for Marty and whatever happened to him and Abby but most of all, I am so happy for Carrie and Luke.
This is probably the first book I've read in a while where the girl admitted he liked the guy around the first few pages of the book. Usually it drags on and on and everything just spilled out in the end. This wasn't. The characters felt real. That they worry about life, family and death. It wasn't a book where the girl tried everything she could to get the guy to notice her, it wasn't mushy or anything. I liked how serious and sweet and deep this book was.
I got goosebumps when Luke read Carrie that poem. It felt special and sweet and I couldn't help but go "awww".
I wish I could say more but a lot of things have been going in my head while I was reading this book. It just wasn't about Carrie having a crush on Luke. It was also about her family and the way people see them in a town as small as Stillburrow. Of her mom's and her dad's past. Of Marty and his relationship with Abby. Of Abby's death. It wasn't just about her and Luke. And I'm glad I've read this. I wish there were more books like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2010
I think The Stillburrow Crush will be one of those reads most people overlook. I know I did the first time I saw it on a tour site, but I decided to give it a try. I'm a sucker for a small town story. I can't help it. I'm from one. Some people might find things in books about small midwestern towns cliché, but all those clichés are pretty accurate. Stillburrow had the hometome vibe going on throughout the whole story, and I really enjoyed it.
Carrie has got to be the most strong willed, stubborn headed, sarcastic, foot in mouth character I have ever ran across. Linda Kage writes her with so much spunk though she never becomes annoying. She's brutally honest and doesn't care who you are, she'll tell you like it is. Just about everything this girl said made me smirk. The relationship between her and hunky quarterback Luke (don't you dare call him Lucas) was cute and a sweet one. I liked how they were in a way common characters, but they had so much heart they developed very nicely throughout the story.
While pretty predictable, The Stillburrow Crush is actually had some surprises. At one point in the story, my jaw actually dropped. I love when an author can write a shocker, and make it not so out of place. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised how much I did enjoy this book. If you're not a romance fan, I don't recommend you picking this one up. But if you're like me who loves a good guilty romance pleasure read, give this one a shot.
Carrie has got to be the most strong willed, stubborn headed, sarcastic, foot in mouth character I have ever ran across. Linda Kage writes her with so much spunk though she never becomes annoying. She's brutally honest and doesn't care who you are, she'll tell you like it is. Just about everything this girl said made me smirk. The relationship between her and hunky quarterback Luke (don't you dare call him Lucas) was cute and a sweet one. I liked how they were in a way common characters, but they had so much heart they developed very nicely throughout the story.
While pretty predictable, The Stillburrow Crush is actually had some surprises. At one point in the story, my jaw actually dropped. I love when an author can write a shocker, and make it not so out of place. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised how much I did enjoy this book. If you're not a romance fan, I don't recommend you picking this one up. But if you're like me who loves a good guilty romance pleasure read, give this one a shot.
July 27, 2012
I have had this one on my to-read shelf for a while and to be honest I haven't picked it up sooner based on the cover. I got the impression from the cover that this was going to be a teenage girl crushing on the unattainable football jock. This book is so much more than that. Yes, Luke plays football but his sporting prowess is such a small part of his character. He is such a great character and a total sweetheart.
Carrie is also a wonderful character and I loved her voice. She is honest, intelligent and snarky. What's not to love?
This book is a wonderful example of character growth - both Luke and Carrie develop a great deal throughout this book. I love how the author achieves this as the characters evolve naturally in a way that doesn't feel forced or fake.
Linda Kage can be a bit hit and miss with me as I have loved some books and found others just OK. This was a very enjoyable book with some really beautiful moments. If you are on the fence with this one I would definitely recommend that you give it a try.
Carrie is also a wonderful character and I loved her voice. She is honest, intelligent and snarky. What's not to love?
This book is a wonderful example of character growth - both Luke and Carrie develop a great deal throughout this book. I love how the author achieves this as the characters evolve naturally in a way that doesn't feel forced or fake.
Linda Kage can be a bit hit and miss with me as I have loved some books and found others just OK. This was a very enjoyable book with some really beautiful moments. If you are on the fence with this one I would definitely recommend that you give it a try.
May 22, 2016
I think the writing was a little bit random... There were moments that I was confused with the story because there was no continuity between chapters... It was quite nice story though....
September 5, 2012
4 Stars! Well rounded YA read. Although there is a sweet romance lurking in the background, at the heart of the book is a journey about muddling your way through those awkward teen years.
It starts out rather somber and then flashes back to the circumstances and life-changing events that bring us to this moment. Although it doesn’t directly involve the main characters, Carrie and Luke, they are part of this situation by association. It was a pretty good in depth popular boy falls for plain Jane read. Or rather plain Jane hates that she crushes on popular boy, he goes to her for help, or so it seems, and then falls for her. Nothing malicious, very sweet, as Carrie and Luke work their way through family drama, and find comfort and support in one another when tragedy strikes. Carrie finally sees Luke for the good person he is, and the perception she had of him and his family is entirely unfounded. That’s not to say that he was an angel, but when he finally gives in to his feelings, he has no qualms about letting everyone know that Carrie is his girl and defends her when she’s wrongly accused of gossip.
It was very enjoyable, great dialogue, humorous moments, and likeable characters. Even though the ending was bittersweet, Luke and Carrie got their HEA!
It starts out rather somber and then flashes back to the circumstances and life-changing events that bring us to this moment. Although it doesn’t directly involve the main characters, Carrie and Luke, they are part of this situation by association. It was a pretty good in depth popular boy falls for plain Jane read. Or rather plain Jane hates that she crushes on popular boy, he goes to her for help, or so it seems, and then falls for her. Nothing malicious, very sweet, as Carrie and Luke work their way through family drama, and find comfort and support in one another when tragedy strikes. Carrie finally sees Luke for the good person he is, and the perception she had of him and his family is entirely unfounded. That’s not to say that he was an angel, but when he finally gives in to his feelings, he has no qualms about letting everyone know that Carrie is his girl and defends her when she’s wrongly accused of gossip.
It was very enjoyable, great dialogue, humorous moments, and likeable characters. Even though the ending was bittersweet, Luke and Carrie got their HEA!
April 1, 2013
Este es un libro con la típica historia de la chica normal que se enamora del chico más atractivo, rico y popular de la escuela. Me gustó leerlo. Fue divertido y sin duda me hizo reír y/o sonreír muchas veces.
Carrie Paxton es la clase de chica que siempre tiene algo que decir y siempre dice la ultima palabra. Ella nunca se echa atrás y siempre esta lista para responder a cualquier cosa con una respuesta ingeniosa.
Sin embargo, la única cosa que realmente me molestó de ella fue lo mucho que se preocupaba por el status social y todo eso. No paraba de decir una y otra vez que es imposible que a Luke gustara de ella y que nunca podrían estar juntos sólo porque el es hijo de un banquero y ella es hija de un mecánico. Ella era increíblemente insegura. En eso me identifique con ella.
No pude arriesgarme a la posibilidad de que Luke estuviera en mi, Carrie Paxton. Él solo se encontró en un momento de locura y... y me besó. Eso es todo.
Pero dejando a un lado lo mencionado anteriormente, The Crush Stillburrow tiene su lado bueno, como todo libro. Está lleno de realidades de la vida. Lo que pasa con la familia y el hermano de Carrie y todo eso. Esa parte hizo este libro memorable.
June 28, 2012
The Stillburrow Crush takes place in a small town in the Midwest. Stillburrow is one of those towns that are a little behind in the times. Carrie is a spit fire, she isn’t afraid to speak her mind and tell you how it is. Her smart mouth had me cracking up. Then there is Luke, he was such a sweet heart. He had me literally swooning over him. He might have been the only person to really understand and get Carrie, which made me crush on him more. The Stillburrow Crush was a really sweet story that gave me stomach butterflies at moments and then others almost had me in tears. Thanks for the recommendation, Laura.
October 27, 2011
The Stillburrow Crush: A novel about an imperfect, presumptuous, insecure and frustrating girl. Her name was Carrie. She possessed these characteristics yet that was what made me closer to her. She had her flaws but Carrie didn't try to hide it. She was honest, caring and strong-willed. I love her straightforward attitude and overall personality. I thought Stillburrow Crush was just one of those forbidden relationship romance novels. Surprisingly, it was more than that. Issues about gossip, family, social status, financial status and stereotypes were portrayed. Worthwhile read! :)
January 19, 2015
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I expected just another OMG-he-is-so-hot story but this novel has so much more depth than that. I absolutely loved Carrie, the main character. She's strong and fearless and not afraid to speak her mind, even as she's overwhelmed by her feelings for Luke. The story takes a tragic turn--and it's not an exaggeration to say that the town of Stillburrow is changed forever--but I'm very glad I picked up Carrie and Luke's story.
May 28, 2014
Estaba buscando un libro sencillo y sin mucho drama para leer una tarde aburrida cuando me encontre este libro en un blog y decidi darle una oportunidad. Sinceramente me esperaba mas de la historia, pero el libro cumple su proposito de ser entretenido sin grandes problemas. Me gusto, es perfecto para una tarde. Lo que mas me gusto de el libro fueron las escenas entre Carrie y Luke, son divertidisimas y muy dulces.
3.5 Estrellas!!
3.5 Estrellas!!
December 15, 2015
Not too bad...
I enjoyed this book. It was a bit predictable, and a little cheesy, but it was good enough for me to finish the whole book. I liked how the main female MC didn't really hide her feelings. She laid everything out in the open and didn't really care about the reaction of others, or their thoughts. The romance was cute! I recommend this book you're looking for a quick read that will make you smile and blush.
I enjoyed this book. It was a bit predictable, and a little cheesy, but it was good enough for me to finish the whole book. I liked how the main female MC didn't really hide her feelings. She laid everything out in the open and didn't really care about the reaction of others, or their thoughts. The romance was cute! I recommend this book you're looking for a quick read that will make you smile and blush.
December 12, 2014
I really liked this book. I loved the story. Even though initially I thought that Carrie was being difficult with Luke, after time I understood her insecurities.
My only complaint...I wish we got an epilogue or what I would really want is a sequel. I want to know what happened after Luke and Carrie went to college. I want to know how Marty and E.T. are doing. I just want more!!!
My only complaint...I wish we got an epilogue or what I would really want is a sequel. I want to know what happened after Luke and Carrie went to college. I want to know how Marty and E.T. are doing. I just want more!!!
June 9, 2015
A really sweet and cute lovestory. The surprise was that it was not just a story of the highschool star QB falling for the spitfire sassy plain jane but also delved into deeper waters like the social setups of smalltowns and how this can lead to tragedies.
I enjoyed reading this short sweet read from Linda Kage
I enjoyed reading this short sweet read from Linda Kage
June 25, 2012
It is a fun, light read that will really capture your attention and distract you from reality.
I was a little confused by the story sometimes.I definitely think that you should check this book out it may not be as great as I expected but it wasn't bad.
I was a little confused by the story sometimes.I definitely think that you should check this book out it may not be as great as I expected but it wasn't bad.
August 3, 2012
Another stupid love story.
June 10, 2016
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON AFTERWORDS!
So, deciding to read this book didn't come easy. It was back when I'd just started reading contemporary books, and while it did sound like something I might like based on the other contemporaries I tried, the rating on GR wasn't that high, and some of the reviews I had read (and one particular spoiler that was totally out of context) made me hesitant.
But eventually, I decided to give it a shot. And good thing I did, because I really enjoyed this book!
The book, quite surprisingly, opens up with the promise of a death. We find ourselves in the middle of a funeral, but we have no idea whose and what does it have to do with the story. Carrie, our main character and the voice of the story, starts recalling just how we got there.
The plot itself is pretty "standard" - girl at the bottom of the social pyramid meets the boy ruling said pyramid and can't help falling for his charms - and vice versa. What made the book interesting were the characters, starting with Carrie herself.
Carrie is kind of hard to pin down, mostly because I had a love-hate relationship with her. She was kind of mean sometimes, and she had a tendency to overreact, but she was also very honest and sassy. And I love sassy. And I totally approve of how she dealt with loving Luke, even if in real life I'll probably never be able to be like her and just tell the guy I like that I do like that.
Speaking of the love interest... he was very sweet. He wasn't the mean, bad boy jock stereotype at all. I loved how he worked to change Carrie's judgmental view of the rich people in town. Did he make some mistakes along the way? sure. But that just made him so much more real and believable. Really, I don't understand how you can dislike this guy.
As for the two of them together? Once they started (sort of) going out, it was so extremely sweet! Luke is someone who can ground Carrie, while Carrie is someone to inspire and encourage Luke. They just... fit. And the ending on these two... I APPROVE.
What I don't approve of is all the heartache Marty went through *sniff*. Okay, okay, I don't actually disapprove of it, this is just my broken heart speaking...
Old Version:
So, deciding to read this book didn't come easy. It was back when I'd just started reading contemporary books, and while it did sound like something I might like based on the other contemporaries I tried, the rating on GR wasn't that high, and some of the reviews I had read (and one particular spoiler that was totally out of context) made me hesitant.
But eventually, I decided to give it a shot. And good thing I did, because I really enjoyed this book!
"You have a crush on me?"
"No," I replied regally. "I just said I didn't."
"But you did before?" I had him completely baffled. "I thought I heard your brother say you had Rick Getty's picture all over your wall." I cringed. Just how much had he heard in the store? Oh well, I'd worry about that later.
"That was last year," I said. "You're the hot topic this year."
"Me?" I didn't think he was trying to be vain and draw compliments out of me, because the poor boy honestly sounded confused.
I loved it.
The book, quite surprisingly, opens up with the promise of a death. We find ourselves in the middle of a funeral, but we have no idea whose and what does it have to do with the story. Carrie, our main character and the voice of the story, starts recalling just how we got there.
The plot itself is pretty "standard" - girl at the bottom of the social pyramid meets the boy ruling said pyramid and can't help falling for his charms - and vice versa. What made the book interesting were the characters, starting with Carrie herself.
Carrie is kind of hard to pin down, mostly because I had a love-hate relationship with her. She was kind of mean sometimes, and she had a tendency to overreact, but she was also very honest and sassy. And I love sassy. And I totally approve of how she dealt with loving Luke, even if in real life I'll probably never be able to be like her and just tell the guy I like that I do like that.
Speaking of the love interest... he was very sweet. He wasn't the mean, bad boy jock stereotype at all. I loved how he worked to change Carrie's judgmental view of the rich people in town. Did he make some mistakes along the way? sure. But that just made him so much more real and believable. Really, I don't understand how you can dislike this guy.
As for the two of them together? Once they started (sort of) going out, it was so extremely sweet! Luke is someone who can ground Carrie, while Carrie is someone to inspire and encourage Luke. They just... fit. And the ending on these two... I APPROVE.
What I don't approve of is all the heartache Marty went through *sniff*. Okay, okay, I don't actually disapprove of it, this is just my broken heart speaking...
Old Version:
February 12, 2019
No voy a mentir, hay pocas cosas a las cuales no me puedo resistir y bueno perfecto chico popular mariscal de campo+pueblo pequeño+adolescentes siempre sera mi debilidad, no importa que ya sea una persona adulta lo juro que estos dramas me envuelven fácilmente,ya esta,es como mi fantasía.
Así que esta vez Linda Kage nos regala todo el drama adolescente con poco más, si ya se, la protagonista femenina es odiosa por sus inseguridades, no se profundiza en los personajes, es como si la autora tuviera grandes lecciones de vida que desarrollar pero al final no lo cumple resultando plana , cliché y blablabla pero en resumidas cuentas la narración sabe trasmitir las situaciones, me encanta que todo se desarrolle en el pequeño pueblo donde todos se conocen (me descubriste soy una fan de Stars Hollow y Gilmore girls) por lo tanto toda la historia me gusto.
Me resulto acertado que no solo se enfocara en el romance si no que también se tocaran puntos como la familia, ademas el giro que ocurre con el hermano y la novia le aporta algo diferente es decir no todo se centra en Carrie, Gracias.
The Stillburrow Crush al final es una lectura fácil de leer, entretenida, de aquellas que se terminan en un día.
Así que esta vez Linda Kage nos regala todo el drama adolescente con poco más, si ya se, la protagonista femenina es odiosa por sus inseguridades, no se profundiza en los personajes, es como si la autora tuviera grandes lecciones de vida que desarrollar pero al final no lo cumple resultando plana , cliché y blablabla pero en resumidas cuentas la narración sabe trasmitir las situaciones, me encanta que todo se desarrolle en el pequeño pueblo donde todos se conocen (me descubriste soy una fan de Stars Hollow y Gilmore girls) por lo tanto toda la historia me gusto.
Me resulto acertado que no solo se enfocara en el romance si no que también se tocaran puntos como la familia, ademas el giro que ocurre con el hermano y la novia le aporta algo diferente es decir no todo se centra en Carrie, Gracias.
The Stillburrow Crush al final es una lectura fácil de leer, entretenida, de aquellas que se terminan en un día.
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