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Fixing Delilah
Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.
She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.
Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?
Rich with emotion, Sarah Ockler delivers a powerful story of family, love, and self-discovery.
She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.
Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?
Rich with emotion, Sarah Ockler delivers a powerful story of family, love, and self-discovery.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2010
137 people are currently reading
16402 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Ockler
8 books2,320 followersSarah Ockler is the bestselling author of six young adult novels: The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, #scandal, The Book of Broken Hearts, Bittersweet, Fixing Delilah, and Twenty Boy Summer. Her books have been translated into several languages and have received numerous accolades, including ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults, Girls' Life Top 100 Must Reads, Indie Next List, and nominations for YALSA Teens' Top Ten and NPR's Top 100 Teen Books.
Sarah is a champion cupcake eater, tea drinker, night person, and bookworm. When she's not writing or reading at home in New York, she enjoys taking pictures, hugging trees, and road-tripping through the country with her husband, Alex.
Visit her website at sarahockler.com.
Sarah is a champion cupcake eater, tea drinker, night person, and bookworm. When she's not writing or reading at home in New York, she enjoys taking pictures, hugging trees, and road-tripping through the country with her husband, Alex.
Visit her website at sarahockler.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 657 reviews
April 1, 2012
The hardest thing for me to say about a book is that I felt indifferent to it.
Well, scrap that. It’s easy to say. “I feel indifferent about this book.” There, done.
What’s difficult is articulating why. When a book hasn’t evoked any particularly strong feeling, positive or negative, I find myself staring at my keyboard with nothing much to say. Except things like “nice”, “okay”, “fine” – which make for an extremely dull review.
And Fixing Delilah was those things: nice, okay, fine. I don’t harbour negative feelings towards it. I didn’t want to fling it down mid-read in irritation. There was simply no emotional investment for me in the book, and therefore no real payoff upon finishing it.
Ockler’s writing is excellent. Slightly lyrical, but with a crisp, witty edge, and she injects some wry humour into her teenage-girl-and-family-secrets story. However the sharp one-liners feel weighed down by the ponderous pacing, and Delilah’s voice is blunted by a plot so stretched out, it loses much of its tension.
Despite this, I enjoyed the characterisation of Delilah, and felt that Ockler had created a believable (if somewhat predictable) arc to her story. Delilah’s response to strained family relationships, and the gradual unearthing of long-hidden secrets, were authentic. Possibly the strongest element of the story was Delilah’s resultant anger and attempts to push people away when she perceives them to have let her down. In that sense, I found her emotional reactions realistic and well portrayed.
On the other hand, the greatest weakness for me lay in the plot itself and the cast of characters, which seemed formulaic. The organised, business-like sister and the free-spirit sister. The boy meets girl, girl loses boy angst. I found this rang a little hollow, the tropes a little too familiar for me to muster much engagement in them.
As a lover of contemporary YA, this just lacked the rawness I look for, the strong, compelling thread of tension.
Ultimately, I felt disappointed with Fixing Delilah. Not because it’s a bad book, because it isn’t. It’s well written and the premise is interesting. But because it failed to leave a strong impression. Because I found myself having to resist the urge to skim. Because I probably won’t think about it again now that I’ve closed it. And it’s this lack of impact, either good or bad, that is difficult to express.
Fingers crossed that this won’t be the case for Twenty Boy Summer.
Well, scrap that. It’s easy to say. “I feel indifferent about this book.” There, done.
What’s difficult is articulating why. When a book hasn’t evoked any particularly strong feeling, positive or negative, I find myself staring at my keyboard with nothing much to say. Except things like “nice”, “okay”, “fine” – which make for an extremely dull review.
And Fixing Delilah was those things: nice, okay, fine. I don’t harbour negative feelings towards it. I didn’t want to fling it down mid-read in irritation. There was simply no emotional investment for me in the book, and therefore no real payoff upon finishing it.
Ockler’s writing is excellent. Slightly lyrical, but with a crisp, witty edge, and she injects some wry humour into her teenage-girl-and-family-secrets story. However the sharp one-liners feel weighed down by the ponderous pacing, and Delilah’s voice is blunted by a plot so stretched out, it loses much of its tension.
Despite this, I enjoyed the characterisation of Delilah, and felt that Ockler had created a believable (if somewhat predictable) arc to her story. Delilah’s response to strained family relationships, and the gradual unearthing of long-hidden secrets, were authentic. Possibly the strongest element of the story was Delilah’s resultant anger and attempts to push people away when she perceives them to have let her down. In that sense, I found her emotional reactions realistic and well portrayed.
On the other hand, the greatest weakness for me lay in the plot itself and the cast of characters, which seemed formulaic. The organised, business-like sister and the free-spirit sister. The boy meets girl, girl loses boy angst. I found this rang a little hollow, the tropes a little too familiar for me to muster much engagement in them.
As a lover of contemporary YA, this just lacked the rawness I look for, the strong, compelling thread of tension.
Ultimately, I felt disappointed with Fixing Delilah. Not because it’s a bad book, because it isn’t. It’s well written and the premise is interesting. But because it failed to leave a strong impression. Because I found myself having to resist the urge to skim. Because I probably won’t think about it again now that I’ve closed it. And it’s this lack of impact, either good or bad, that is difficult to express.
Fingers crossed that this won’t be the case for Twenty Boy Summer.
January 31, 2011
Favourite Quote: "That thing in my chest lurches sideways and I take a deep breath, count to ten and bury it, way down deep."
If I had to use one word to describe this story it would be GORGEOUS. From the writing to the characters to the plot, everything about this book is absolutely gorgeous.
Fixing Delilah is a story of a mother and a daughter who are lost from each other and a family that is hiding secrets. It it a story about finding yourself and reconnecting with the ones you love.
I have been dying to read this as I love Twenty Boy Summer and I knew that I could count on another book full of alluring writing and I wasn't disappointed. Again, I was stuck trying to pick just one quote as Ockler really has a way with words. She has an eye for details, can captures emotions perfectly and has a way of making everything sound beautiful. It is an emotional read but not quite to the same extent as Twenty Boy Summer which made me cry.
What drives this story is the characters. Delilah is someone that I can understand. She acts reckless and feels like she doesn't know who she is anymore. She has a witty but always heartfelt voice. She is character that grows and changes as the story goes on and it is wonderful to watch.
There is also a distinctive and just as strong bunch of secondary characters that play an important part of the story especially Delilah's family. And it was nice to read a story for a change that family was the main focus.
However the romance that is in the book is delicious. Patrick is the boy next door, who can sing, plays guitar and works for his Dad's constructions business during the summer (which means a few swoon worthy shirtless scenes). Patrick and Delilah had some really sweet and tender moments together (and some hot and steamy moments too) like this:
"He lifts my chin until our eyes meet and his lips brush over mine, soft at first, dandelion seeds blown against my mouth like a wish, and then....completely. Hungry. Suffocating and desperate and I don't want it to stop. I've never been kissed liked this before - not by Finn or the celebrity crushes in my head. Not even in my craziest dreams."
Overall, Fixing Delilah is another outstanding story from one of my favourite writers.
If I had to use one word to describe this story it would be GORGEOUS. From the writing to the characters to the plot, everything about this book is absolutely gorgeous.
Fixing Delilah is a story of a mother and a daughter who are lost from each other and a family that is hiding secrets. It it a story about finding yourself and reconnecting with the ones you love.
I have been dying to read this as I love Twenty Boy Summer and I knew that I could count on another book full of alluring writing and I wasn't disappointed. Again, I was stuck trying to pick just one quote as Ockler really has a way with words. She has an eye for details, can captures emotions perfectly and has a way of making everything sound beautiful. It is an emotional read but not quite to the same extent as Twenty Boy Summer which made me cry.
What drives this story is the characters. Delilah is someone that I can understand. She acts reckless and feels like she doesn't know who she is anymore. She has a witty but always heartfelt voice. She is character that grows and changes as the story goes on and it is wonderful to watch.
There is also a distinctive and just as strong bunch of secondary characters that play an important part of the story especially Delilah's family. And it was nice to read a story for a change that family was the main focus.
However the romance that is in the book is delicious. Patrick is the boy next door, who can sing, plays guitar and works for his Dad's constructions business during the summer (which means a few swoon worthy shirtless scenes). Patrick and Delilah had some really sweet and tender moments together (and some hot and steamy moments too) like this:
"He lifts my chin until our eyes meet and his lips brush over mine, soft at first, dandelion seeds blown against my mouth like a wish, and then....completely. Hungry. Suffocating and desperate and I don't want it to stop. I've never been kissed liked this before - not by Finn or the celebrity crushes in my head. Not even in my craziest dreams."
Overall, Fixing Delilah is another outstanding story from one of my favourite writers.
August 28, 2016
I love to read about things that I can relate to because I feel like it's someone validating my experience in life. I guess I had the urge to read something like this. Though this really doesn't relate to my personal experience I know it will speak some truth to others who had to grow up without a father or mother, and have to figure out why things have to be always so hard?
Delilah has hit a pretty sucky time in her life. Her mom is always working and doesn't seem to have time to answer Delilah's questions. As of late her grades are slipping, she has a "non-boyfriend", she no longer has any real friends, and to boot she accidentally stole some lipstick. Needless to say her life at the moment doesn't feel magical. Her summer plans change drastically when her mother announces that her grandmother just died and that they are going to spend the summer in Vermont. They haven't been there for eight years and there are some skeletons in the closet to deal with when they get there.
I absolutely adored all the characters. I felt like I was there with them, and that they were showing their true selves to me. I can feel Delilah's frustration at her mom for keeping secrets. The dynamic between her mom and aunt was pitch perfect. Not a perfect relationship, and one with lots of tension but that's how real relationships are like. They are broken but try to build back bridges while they are in the home where they grew up together. There were so many things involved in this story, but I want to keep quiet and promote to read this book. Though I could guess what the secret was, it is a juicy one and the real foundation of the book is Delilah's life changing summer. Delilah learns about her heritage, her family, and how to fall in love.
The last couple of weeks have been kind of hectic for me. Nothing bad, just busy and I was thinking of how I didn't have enough time to read and wondered why it was so important to me. I never thought I read to escape, but in a sense that rings true. For a little while I want to read about someone else's struggles and problems. I want to root for somebody else, and see things from a perspective other than my own. This book definitely offered that and that's a mark of excellent storytelling.
Delilah has hit a pretty sucky time in her life. Her mom is always working and doesn't seem to have time to answer Delilah's questions. As of late her grades are slipping, she has a "non-boyfriend", she no longer has any real friends, and to boot she accidentally stole some lipstick. Needless to say her life at the moment doesn't feel magical. Her summer plans change drastically when her mother announces that her grandmother just died and that they are going to spend the summer in Vermont. They haven't been there for eight years and there are some skeletons in the closet to deal with when they get there.
I absolutely adored all the characters. I felt like I was there with them, and that they were showing their true selves to me. I can feel Delilah's frustration at her mom for keeping secrets. The dynamic between her mom and aunt was pitch perfect. Not a perfect relationship, and one with lots of tension but that's how real relationships are like. They are broken but try to build back bridges while they are in the home where they grew up together. There were so many things involved in this story, but I want to keep quiet and promote to read this book. Though I could guess what the secret was, it is a juicy one and the real foundation of the book is Delilah's life changing summer. Delilah learns about her heritage, her family, and how to fall in love.
The last couple of weeks have been kind of hectic for me. Nothing bad, just busy and I was thinking of how I didn't have enough time to read and wondered why it was so important to me. I never thought I read to escape, but in a sense that rings true. For a little while I want to read about someone else's struggles and problems. I want to root for somebody else, and see things from a perspective other than my own. This book definitely offered that and that's a mark of excellent storytelling.
January 5, 2023
Beeen there, done read that. It's so cliché and déjà vu, it kinda hurt my eyes to read this. So Ockler used the concept of former-childhood-BFFs to introduce the romance. Okay.
Problem #1: It is very unlikely that after 8 years with no contact whatsoever, Patrick and Delilah still have this very friendly relationship as soon as they see each other. Like he calls her "baby", and hugs her and yada yada. Unrealistic.
Problem #2: A romance like that feels underdeveloped. Just because they USED to know each other doesn't mean that it's enough for us readers. I need to witness a real relationship, and providing extra long descriptions of how hot and perfect he is is not enough, sorry.
Problem #3: It's too easy to predict the romance. So she arrives at this vacation house and she's like "Oww I used to be friends with Little Ricky, I wonder what's he like now?". OF COURSE now he's called Patrick and is like, the hottest guy in North America. OF COURSE he hasn't forgotten her and OF COURSE, he doesn't have a girlfriend or anything
So Problem #4: The plot is annoying, pathetic, badly executed, unconvincing, and unbelievable. So yeah.
And did Patrick have a personality? I think not. It seemed like his whole purpose was to be perfect. Golden eyes, guitarist player, handsome body, adorable smile, you name it. Whatever. Ever heard of the saying, "Perfection is overrated?"
The family secret was okay, I guess, but once Delilah learns what it is, she never discusses it with Rachel or, I don't know, anyone really. It's like she knows, cool, and that's it. As far as I was concerned, after reading what felt like 5465 chapters of anticipation and suspense and stuff, I wanted her to take part in one of those legendary Hannaford fights. . It didn't deliver.
Problem #5 The writing. That was a huge problem for me. Am I the only one who was really bothered by the quality of the writing? I do think it needed a lot of editing.
Also what does this mean?
Huh? Seriously feel free to explain it to me if that, somehow, made sense to you.
The writing is just so awkward and weird.
So it's weird when she describes random stuff:
It's weird and pathetic when she describes stuff relating to Patrick:
It's weird when she describes the weather:
Aaaaand it's weird when she slut-shames:
So yeah. This book wasn't my cup of tea, and that's probably the understatement of the year. But two stars because I'm feeling very generous. And because it doesn't deserve to be in my 1 star shelf. It was kinda okay. But it still sucks.
Problem #1: It is very unlikely that after 8 years with no contact whatsoever, Patrick and Delilah still have this very friendly relationship as soon as they see each other. Like he calls her "baby", and hugs her and yada yada. Unrealistic.
Problem #2: A romance like that feels underdeveloped. Just because they USED to know each other doesn't mean that it's enough for us readers. I need to witness a real relationship, and providing extra long descriptions of how hot and perfect he is is not enough, sorry.
Problem #3: It's too easy to predict the romance. So she arrives at this vacation house and she's like "Oww I used to be friends with Little Ricky, I wonder what's he like now?". OF COURSE now he's called Patrick and is like, the hottest guy in North America. OF COURSE he hasn't forgotten her and OF COURSE, he doesn't have a girlfriend or anything
So Problem #4: The plot is annoying, pathetic, badly executed, unconvincing, and unbelievable. So yeah.
And did Patrick have a personality? I think not. It seemed like his whole purpose was to be perfect. Golden eyes, guitarist player, handsome body, adorable smile, you name it. Whatever. Ever heard of the saying, "Perfection is overrated?"
The family secret was okay, I guess, but once Delilah learns what it is, she never discusses it with Rachel or, I don't know, anyone really. It's like she knows, cool, and that's it. As far as I was concerned, after reading what felt like 5465 chapters of anticipation and suspense and stuff, I wanted her to take part in one of those legendary Hannaford fights. . It didn't deliver.
Problem #5 The writing. That was a huge problem for me. Am I the only one who was really bothered by the quality of the writing? I do think it needed a lot of editing.
Also what does this mean?
Patrick laughs and puts his arm around me, pulling me close in his old magnets-on-the-fridge way.
Huh? Seriously feel free to explain it to me if that, somehow, made sense to you.
The writing is just so awkward and weird.
So it's weird when she describes random stuff:
"The lipstick-stealing, school-skipping, off-in-the-woods-with-someone-I-barely-know kind of girl."
"When it‘s everyone-else-is-in-bed quiet like this."
"Only instead of getting the handsome, tough-but-emotionally-wounded police escort."
"As the all-news-all-the-time station drones on..."
"She engages her award-winning, smile-as-you-dial communication skills."
"The bed looks just-made."
"As a line of jingle-jangle silver bracelets slides."
"She lived for back-to-school time."
"Mom looks at me with big, sad, please-forgive-me eyes." (Isn't it better to just write, like "Mom looks at me with pleading eyes, silently willing me to forgive her."? No?)
"With an economy-size mayonnaise jar."
"His coffee cup inside its eighty-percent-post-consumer-recycled heat sleeve."
"We find a good fireworks-watching place"
"Unscathed by life‘s garden-variety heartaches."
It's weird and pathetic when she describes stuff relating to Patrick:
"He flashed his up-to-no-good smile."
"Little-Ricky-now-Patrick nods."
"Run a hand through his sticking-out-everywhere summer hair"
"With his amber-honey eyes."
"Looking at me in his just-a-second-too-long way."
"He sings. Goose-bumps, holding-our-breath, lumps-in-our-throats, tears-in-our-eyes, all-we-need-is-love kind of sing." (Btw, she's serious.)
"We are now too close, no-air-left-in-the-room close."
"And I get all wood-elf-princess-warrior like the first time I was with him."
"All amber-goldEdward-Cullen-styleeyes and playful dimples."
"His sewed-on smile.
It's weird when she describes the weather:
"Like a billion brilliant rain-stones plink-plink-plinkering to the floor." (WHAT THE FUCK?)
"The sun is shining white-hot."
"Full of the white-hot, double-dare summer intensity."
"The late-day sun."
"Holding the late-night Vermont air."
Aaaaand it's weird when she slut-shames:
"She nods toward a honey-haired, C-cup Jezebel seated at a nearby table."
"Jezebel the stalker-slash-fan-club-president is back again"
So yeah. This book wasn't my cup of tea, and that's probably the understatement of the year. But two stars because I'm feeling very generous. And because it doesn't deserve to be in my 1 star shelf. It was kinda okay. But it still sucks.
July 22, 2015
There's a reason Sarah Ockler is one of my favorite authors. After loving both The Book of Broken Hearts and The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, I have no idea why I waited so long to read Fixing Delilah, but it's just about as amazing as those two. For one, Sarah's writing is utterly gorgeous. She has a way with words that sucks me right into her stories and pulls me along effortlessly. I could read them forever. Her characters are always wonderful, too. Delilah is a girl my heart immediately connected with. She's angry and confused about the secrets her mother is keeping from her, the memories that are just beneath the surface she can't quite reach. There's a story behind her aunt Stephanie's death, and the reason her mother hadn't talked to Delilah's grandmother for eight years, up until her death. On top of that, Delilah feels invisible at home, so she has started to lash out in her own way. For all the chaos her life has been in lately, she's understandably soft and vulnerable, yet she is tough, too. I love that she never gives up in her search for answers about the past, and I was as caught up in the mystery of it as she was. But the journey that she's on is every bit about herself as it about her family history. She has to heal, too, and it's a beautiful thing to watch. Then there's Patrick, the boy from her childhood who she has never quite forgotten. He's like an open book, genuine and completely smitten with Delilah. Their romance, though it does descend into some drama at the end, is uncomplicated and passionate and achingly sweet. It's exactly what Delilah needed.
If you enjoy stories with family secrets, sprawling mansions, hidden diaries, and summer love, I definitely recommend Fixing Delilah. It's a must for contemporary YA fans!
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
If you enjoy stories with family secrets, sprawling mansions, hidden diaries, and summer love, I definitely recommend Fixing Delilah. It's a must for contemporary YA fans!
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
March 10, 2011
Sarah Ockler debuted with Twenty Boy Summer ~ an addictive, emotional yet fun must read for fans of contemp YA. I became an instant fan of her writing and themes handled so dexterously for teens. Twenty Boy Summer was like a blend of Sarah Dessen mashed up with The Sky is Everywhere (Jandy Nelson) in a cute little beach read with a huge emotional punch.
Anyways, I was MOST thrilled to read her sophomore novel, Fixing Delilah.
Fixing Delilah is quite different to Twenty Boy Summer, but equally as gorgeous.
Ockler's prose is JUST STUNNING. Gorgeous and lyrical and surprising. It's the sort of book you don't want to skim ahead. Each sentence is written to be savoured ~ it's a book where I'm crushing big time on the writing. The way Ockler finds the perfect rhythm with her prose, and the eye for details and the gift she has for expressing emotion sets her apart as a talented author to keep your eye on.
As for the story ~ it is another book set over summer. Not at the beach this time, but in a small country town. The plot focus's on relationships: Delilah's relationships with her mum, her mum's relationship with her sister, family relationships and secrets from the past AND Delilah's relationship with The Boy Next Door.
The Boy Next Door is Patrick and I'm sure he is leaping onto people's literary crush lists all over the world. He's one guy you really should meet ~ often shirtless, plays guitar, sings, mucks around and is Delilah's childhood playmate. Ockler also knows how to write some verrrry sweet make-out scenes heating it up while keeping it PG. SWOON
It's a classic coming of age. Working through your stuff and growing up, Delilah's character ARC was wonderfully done, subtle and quiet and ultimately touching.
This is very much a book for fans of literary fiction. It's plot may not be as dynamic/addictive as Twenty Boy Summer for some readers, but the setting is just as rich and it's a book you can fall into and find yourself lost in.
I ADORED it and plan on re-reading it. It's on my keepers shelf, guys :)
Anyways, I was MOST thrilled to read her sophomore novel, Fixing Delilah.
Fixing Delilah is quite different to Twenty Boy Summer, but equally as gorgeous.
Ockler's prose is JUST STUNNING. Gorgeous and lyrical and surprising. It's the sort of book you don't want to skim ahead. Each sentence is written to be savoured ~ it's a book where I'm crushing big time on the writing. The way Ockler finds the perfect rhythm with her prose, and the eye for details and the gift she has for expressing emotion sets her apart as a talented author to keep your eye on.
As for the story ~ it is another book set over summer. Not at the beach this time, but in a small country town. The plot focus's on relationships: Delilah's relationships with her mum, her mum's relationship with her sister, family relationships and secrets from the past AND Delilah's relationship with The Boy Next Door.
The Boy Next Door is Patrick and I'm sure he is leaping onto people's literary crush lists all over the world. He's one guy you really should meet ~ often shirtless, plays guitar, sings, mucks around and is Delilah's childhood playmate. Ockler also knows how to write some verrrry sweet make-out scenes heating it up while keeping it PG. SWOON
It's a classic coming of age. Working through your stuff and growing up, Delilah's character ARC was wonderfully done, subtle and quiet and ultimately touching.
This is very much a book for fans of literary fiction. It's plot may not be as dynamic/addictive as Twenty Boy Summer for some readers, but the setting is just as rich and it's a book you can fall into and find yourself lost in.
I ADORED it and plan on re-reading it. It's on my keepers shelf, guys :)
February 4, 2016
I loved this book so much, it's really the kind of story that got me hooked on, and keeps me reading YA. The story is intense - why did Delilah's mom stop speaking to her own mother 8 years ago, the day of her father's funeral? And why is Mom so vague on the subject of Delilah's own dad, a one night stand whose death is the subject of Delilah's curiosity and concern. Now 16, Delilah has come to feel adrift in her own life when they receive the news of her grandmother's death. Their return to the little New England lake town where Delilah and her Mom spent so much of her childhood, and were so happy, is bittersweet. Part of the reason for that is that Delilah and her Mom have grown apart lately, separated by Mom's obsession with her high powered job. Another part of it is Delilah's loneliness and pervasive feelings of disconnectedness from school and her former friends, who have been unsupportive, even cruel. That sketch boyfriend she's hanging with isn't helping, either. The return to the lake house brings back memories, and also reawakens Delilah's curiousity about their estrangement from her grandmother, and the secrets her Mother is so anxious to conceal, especially those relating to Delilah's deceased Aunt Stephanie, who died just before Delilah was born. The setting is beautifully and poetically evoked. You really feel you are remembering your own childhood summers as Delilah reconnects with feelings and friends from those long ago days. One of those friends promises to be something more, too, if Delilah can manage not to bungle it with her temper and her pride. But secrets have a way of coming back to life, and their power to hurt (and possibly heal) is sometimes beyond what can be foreseen, or intended. The story of Delilah's summer is one that any reader of great contemporary YA should embrace, as soon as possible!
March 3, 2011
Already a fan of Sarah Ockler, Twenty Boys Summer, I was really looking forward to seeing what her next book would bring.
Truly, Sarah is gifted when it comes to writing strong characters in a thought provoking plot. This was a beautifully written book!
Fixing Delilah is an emotional story about a mother and daughter, a deep dark secret, family, love and self-awareness.
I simply adored these characters, there is so much depth into each of there personalities and I loved that when together, they seem to be some how stronger.
The relationship between Delilah and her mother is shaky and scattered, but there is a real bond there that goes much deeper. I can even say the same thing between Claire and Rachel. What happened in their past was shocking and all I kept thinking about was, I gotta hear what this big secret is, and it better be good, and wow, was it ever! I completely understand why Claire did what she had to do and don't even think she made a terrible mistake, she should have told Delilah sure, but I understand the why's. I also thought it was really clever to see some of the same lines drawn between Stephanie and Delilah character and Casey's role was also quite brilliant.
Powerful stuff!
The romance aspect, in one world was simply adorable. Peter is just such a sweetheart and some of the things he says really melted me. Even his song in the end really pulled at my heart strings. I loved that they were childhood friends who found each other again and while they still have a few obstacles to face, it ended on a happy hope, which I thought was perfect.
Overall, I really loved this one! I'll read anything Ockler puts to pen!
Smart, stunning and strong! Fixing Delilah is another great read!!
Truly, Sarah is gifted when it comes to writing strong characters in a thought provoking plot. This was a beautifully written book!
Fixing Delilah is an emotional story about a mother and daughter, a deep dark secret, family, love and self-awareness.
I simply adored these characters, there is so much depth into each of there personalities and I loved that when together, they seem to be some how stronger.
The relationship between Delilah and her mother is shaky and scattered, but there is a real bond there that goes much deeper. I can even say the same thing between Claire and Rachel. What happened in their past was shocking and all I kept thinking about was, I gotta hear what this big secret is, and it better be good, and wow, was it ever! I completely understand why Claire did what she had to do and don't even think she made a terrible mistake, she should have told Delilah sure, but I understand the why's. I also thought it was really clever to see some of the same lines drawn between Stephanie and Delilah character and Casey's role was also quite brilliant.
Powerful stuff!
The romance aspect, in one world was simply adorable. Peter is just such a sweetheart and some of the things he says really melted me. Even his song in the end really pulled at my heart strings. I loved that they were childhood friends who found each other again and while they still have a few obstacles to face, it ended on a happy hope, which I thought was perfect.
Overall, I really loved this one! I'll read anything Ockler puts to pen!
Smart, stunning and strong! Fixing Delilah is another great read!!
November 19, 2016
This is the third book by Sarah that I've read this year. I can't believe I hadn't picked up anything by her prior 2015. Fixing Delilah has been on my wishlist for ages and the darling friend of mine Rashika gifted it to me for my birthday in August. I hadn't felt like reading much for a few weeks and picked this pretty up on a whim. What a winning decision this was!
Fixing Delilah has a very authentic voice, as always with Sarah's novels. The story is so easy to follow and it's very relatable even if you haven't experienced these sort of tough issues in your life. I found myself aching for these characters for the loss of their loved ones, what-could-have-been's and the hollow that was left behind due to these losses. It was beautiful to see a broken family confront their past and overcome obstacles together. I love how different the three Hannaford women all were, but how they complimented each other as a family. Even through toughest times, even through the hate, ache and sorrow; in the end, after everything has been said and done, they're a true family tied together by their love for each other.
Of course, we have ourselves a gorgeous, adorable romance, just like Sarah loves to write them. I can tell you that I fell head over hells with Patrick Reese and his thoughtful, likable self. It's a "childhood best friend to lovers" romance, which is one of my favorite tropes. When reading the acknowledgements (something I always do), I saw that Sarah inserted little parts of her relationship with her husband in Patrick and Delilah's storyline, and I personally think that the stories where authors insert such an important part of themselves into, are the kind that really pull at your heart strings. Fixing Delilah most certainly did.
I cried a lot; I swooned and laughed and smiled. I also ached and rooted for every single character. I'm so incredibly glad that Sarah, in the novels that I've read so far, always portrays positive girl relationships. She shows how girls can become friends, how they support and root for one another. I think it's so important, especially in Emily's case, since she didn't have lots of good girl friends, and thinking about her friendship with Delilah is making me a bit teary eyed right now. I loved the final scenes these two shared!
This is getting rather long, but I want to speak about one other thing. It's depression. Fixing Delilah shows perfectly how much depression isn't only one person's burden, but all the people close to the person suffering from depression are affected by it. (Another book like this is Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta, if you're interested to seek that out.) Depression is never to be taken lightly. I feel as though the title hides a hidden meaning in itself:
With its authentic voice, this story of loss, confronting the past, moving on and finding oneself, Finding Delilah is a great issue book that deals with diverse topics. It is not to be missed!
*this picspam can be viewed in HQ on my Tumblr
Fixing Delilah has a very authentic voice, as always with Sarah's novels. The story is so easy to follow and it's very relatable even if you haven't experienced these sort of tough issues in your life. I found myself aching for these characters for the loss of their loved ones, what-could-have-been's and the hollow that was left behind due to these losses. It was beautiful to see a broken family confront their past and overcome obstacles together. I love how different the three Hannaford women all were, but how they complimented each other as a family. Even through toughest times, even through the hate, ache and sorrow; in the end, after everything has been said and done, they're a true family tied together by their love for each other.
Of course, we have ourselves a gorgeous, adorable romance, just like Sarah loves to write them. I can tell you that I fell head over hells with Patrick Reese and his thoughtful, likable self. It's a "childhood best friend to lovers" romance, which is one of my favorite tropes. When reading the acknowledgements (something I always do), I saw that Sarah inserted little parts of her relationship with her husband in Patrick and Delilah's storyline, and I personally think that the stories where authors insert such an important part of themselves into, are the kind that really pull at your heart strings. Fixing Delilah most certainly did.
I cried a lot; I swooned and laughed and smiled. I also ached and rooted for every single character. I'm so incredibly glad that Sarah, in the novels that I've read so far, always portrays positive girl relationships. She shows how girls can become friends, how they support and root for one another. I think it's so important, especially in Emily's case, since she didn't have lots of good girl friends, and thinking about her friendship with Delilah is making me a bit teary eyed right now. I loved the final scenes these two shared!
This is getting rather long, but I want to speak about one other thing. It's depression. Fixing Delilah shows perfectly how much depression isn't only one person's burden, but all the people close to the person suffering from depression are affected by it. (Another book like this is Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta, if you're interested to seek that out.) Depression is never to be taken lightly. I feel as though the title hides a hidden meaning in itself:
With its authentic voice, this story of loss, confronting the past, moving on and finding oneself, Finding Delilah is a great issue book that deals with diverse topics. It is not to be missed!
*this picspam can be viewed in HQ on my Tumblr
March 21, 2011
Fixing Delilah reminds me of Saving Francesca which I read a few months back. I enjoyed these two stories as they are a little about lost/broken girls and a lot about family and frienship. Delilah’s story just happens to be clothed in a little more mystery.
With her grandmother dead, she, her mother and aunt return to their hometown. There she finds an old friend, discovers another one then (re)discovers her family's past. She finally gets answers about a lot of things. BUT I just kept weaving these tragic little story lines in my head to explain why they never returned to Red Falls, why the did not stay in touch, etc. etc.. The real version was much better… more plausible and a little more heart breaking.
My favorite part of the whole story was how she reconnects with an old friend. What took me by surprise were the answers to all her questions. LOVED it!
3.5
With her grandmother dead, she, her mother and aunt return to their hometown. There she finds an old friend, discovers another one then (re)discovers her family's past. She finally gets answers about a lot of things. BUT I just kept weaving these tragic little story lines in my head to explain why they never returned to Red Falls, why the did not stay in touch, etc. etc.. The real version was much better… more plausible and a little more heart breaking.
My favorite part of the whole story was how she reconnects with an old friend. What took me by surprise were the answers to all her questions. LOVED it!
3.5
July 31, 2011
Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah
:D
Hey there Delilah, I've got so much left to say
If every simple song I wrote to you
Would take your breath away, I'd write it all
Even more in love with me you'd fall, we'd have it all
:D
Hey there Delilah, I've got so much left to say
If every simple song I wrote to you
Would take your breath away, I'd write it all
Even more in love with me you'd fall, we'd have it all
January 23, 2016
i like cheese. i like cheese on sandwiches and pizzas and crackers. but there is only so much cheese i can take in a book, and this one probably has too much for me.
Fixing Delilah has a great opening chapter. it consists of only one line, but immediately sets the pace and makes you curious. unfortunately, from there on, the beginning is really and truly slack and hard to get through. while it is an easy read (another pointlessly fat book with huge print), and the chapters are short, it was hard to maintain interest in it for the first half or so.
i had trouble with Delilah for quite a while. she was a very "me-me-me" character, where everything seemed centred around her. i did like that she had a non-boyfriend, that she was the kind of girl who would stoop to that, because i think it's an interesting dynamic and different from the typical sympathetic sues we usually get. however, the complaining about her terrible life and her lack of friends and blah-blah-blah was not wringing any sympathy from me.
reading Stephanie's diary pages made me facepalm. honestly? i personally detest lovelorn teenagers raging about how SO IN LOVE they are and WE ARE GOING TO BE TOGETHER FOREVER and HE LOVES ME I KNOW HE DOES etc etc. i'm frankly shocked that Delilah so easily went along with it, i'd expect her to have a more critical reaction than believe in Stephanie's words. especially since she lately remarks she doesn't so much as believe in love or want to give it a go, i see this as a strange contradiction to the personality i believed she had. later on in the book, we get a view on how Steph was obviously over-the-top and mentally unstable, so i guess i can forgive the teen-love-rant-thing.
i did like the characterisation of Delilah's mum. i was easily able to like and sympathise with Claire, she was one of my most liked characters, along with Emily and well... actually, that's all. i didn't have much opinion about anyone. i liked Thomas Devlin, even though he was a bit-part- i really liked the overall idea of him and the story Claire fed to Delilah.
Patrick was... meh. most of this book really had me in suspended disbelief. (suspended disbelief is a sign of good literary technique, unfortunately i was dangling on a thread and my facial expression while reading this book probably showed the same.) cause honestly? being gone for 8 years, it's improbable that they would so easily fall into the best-friends pattern. the story with Patrick is so predictable, hear me yawn. as soon as she mentions it's little Ricky, we already know they'll fall in love and get together and blahdy-blah. but hey, nothing wrong with predictable, if Ockler can write it well, huh? i hoped.
but seriously, again, the quickly developing relationship and the butterflies and jealousy in Delilah's stomach really annoyed me. maybe it's a personal thing, i like good development in stories. and then throw in "by the way, Patrick plays guitar and he's an amazing singer and he has fangirls and this song is just for her and and and..." -cue face of horror.
okay. childhood friend who turns out to be goodlooking after years apart and takes the chance to take off his shirt while working (these pages made me want to slap someone) and also happens to be a muso, because that automatically adds guy value points. (and his father dissapproves of his music. ohnoes.)
whyyyy. why so predictable and so cheesy and so ARGH?
i have nothing personal against patrick. he is genuinely a nice guy. but the way he ticks all those boxes and is just so custom-made for predictable cheese really made me squirm. ugh. enough about Patrick, i haven't even started talking about the actual plot yet.
the idea of family secrets and history and problems is a great one. i think the Hannaford family history is a painful one and easily misunderstood. there's a lot of different elements involved and the trauma experienced by Claire and Rachel is a believable one.
it takes a long time for the book to pick up pace and get to the point, but when you get there, it's worth it. chapters 25 and 26 make for the climax of the book, and i have to admit, it is actually good writing there. i thoroughly enjoyed it. it plays out like a dramatic tv twist, and while i suspected it, i didn't think it was true and i liked it. i really liked that Delilah is the sort to run away and try to forget things by trying to sleep with Patrick, and it's awesome and dramatic the whole confrontation that follows. i think there was some great writing there.
too bad i abhore cheesily romantic lines and flowery descriptive-y stuff about feelings (yes, i am a heartless bastard), because this book is overrun with them. Fixing Delilah could also do with a new typesetter, because i don't like finding brackets in the wrong spot and silly typos.
basically, there is a strong plot, an interesting family drama, some great passages of writing and a lot of potential in this book. it fits neatly into the emotional heartfelt story catered for female teenagers, but it's too chicklit for me. i've tried very hard- sarah dessen, jenny han, justina chen-headley and now this, but i'm going to give up now. i think it's a personal thing, because this genre just isn't for me.
however, Fixing Delilah is one of the stronger examples of this genre of chick lit, and if that's your cup of tea, you'll probably enjoy it. albeit it being tea with cheese in it.
Fixing Delilah has a great opening chapter. it consists of only one line, but immediately sets the pace and makes you curious. unfortunately, from there on, the beginning is really and truly slack and hard to get through. while it is an easy read (another pointlessly fat book with huge print), and the chapters are short, it was hard to maintain interest in it for the first half or so.
i had trouble with Delilah for quite a while. she was a very "me-me-me" character, where everything seemed centred around her. i did like that she had a non-boyfriend, that she was the kind of girl who would stoop to that, because i think it's an interesting dynamic and different from the typical sympathetic sues we usually get. however, the complaining about her terrible life and her lack of friends and blah-blah-blah was not wringing any sympathy from me.
reading Stephanie's diary pages made me facepalm. honestly? i personally detest lovelorn teenagers raging about how SO IN LOVE they are and WE ARE GOING TO BE TOGETHER FOREVER and HE LOVES ME I KNOW HE DOES etc etc. i'm frankly shocked that Delilah so easily went along with it, i'd expect her to have a more critical reaction than believe in Stephanie's words. especially since she lately remarks she doesn't so much as believe in love or want to give it a go, i see this as a strange contradiction to the personality i believed she had. later on in the book, we get a view on how Steph was obviously over-the-top and mentally unstable, so i guess i can forgive the teen-love-rant-thing.
i did like the characterisation of Delilah's mum. i was easily able to like and sympathise with Claire, she was one of my most liked characters, along with Emily and well... actually, that's all. i didn't have much opinion about anyone. i liked Thomas Devlin, even though he was a bit-part- i really liked the overall idea of him and the story Claire fed to Delilah.
Patrick was... meh. most of this book really had me in suspended disbelief. (suspended disbelief is a sign of good literary technique, unfortunately i was dangling on a thread and my facial expression while reading this book probably showed the same.) cause honestly? being gone for 8 years, it's improbable that they would so easily fall into the best-friends pattern. the story with Patrick is so predictable, hear me yawn. as soon as she mentions it's little Ricky, we already know they'll fall in love and get together and blahdy-blah. but hey, nothing wrong with predictable, if Ockler can write it well, huh? i hoped.
but seriously, again, the quickly developing relationship and the butterflies and jealousy in Delilah's stomach really annoyed me. maybe it's a personal thing, i like good development in stories. and then throw in "by the way, Patrick plays guitar and he's an amazing singer and he has fangirls and this song is just for her and and and..." -cue face of horror.
okay. childhood friend who turns out to be goodlooking after years apart and takes the chance to take off his shirt while working (these pages made me want to slap someone) and also happens to be a muso, because that automatically adds guy value points. (and his father dissapproves of his music. ohnoes.)
whyyyy. why so predictable and so cheesy and so ARGH?
i have nothing personal against patrick. he is genuinely a nice guy. but the way he ticks all those boxes and is just so custom-made for predictable cheese really made me squirm. ugh. enough about Patrick, i haven't even started talking about the actual plot yet.
the idea of family secrets and history and problems is a great one. i think the Hannaford family history is a painful one and easily misunderstood. there's a lot of different elements involved and the trauma experienced by Claire and Rachel is a believable one.
it takes a long time for the book to pick up pace and get to the point, but when you get there, it's worth it. chapters 25 and 26 make for the climax of the book, and i have to admit, it is actually good writing there. i thoroughly enjoyed it. it plays out like a dramatic tv twist, and while i suspected it, i didn't think it was true and i liked it. i really liked that Delilah is the sort to run away and try to forget things by trying to sleep with Patrick, and it's awesome and dramatic the whole confrontation that follows. i think there was some great writing there.
too bad i abhore cheesily romantic lines and flowery descriptive-y stuff about feelings (yes, i am a heartless bastard), because this book is overrun with them. Fixing Delilah could also do with a new typesetter, because i don't like finding brackets in the wrong spot and silly typos.
basically, there is a strong plot, an interesting family drama, some great passages of writing and a lot of potential in this book. it fits neatly into the emotional heartfelt story catered for female teenagers, but it's too chicklit for me. i've tried very hard- sarah dessen, jenny han, justina chen-headley and now this, but i'm going to give up now. i think it's a personal thing, because this genre just isn't for me.
however, Fixing Delilah is one of the stronger examples of this genre of chick lit, and if that's your cup of tea, you'll probably enjoy it. albeit it being tea with cheese in it.
November 23, 2018
The book was pretty good.
Delilah wasn't to bad. And Em's gayness was so welcomed. Patrick was fine, (better than Sam from Twenty Boy Summer, sorry it's true).
I did suspect that C.C would be Delilah's true father, but for some reason I was still slightly shook when it turned out to be true. Stephanie and Elizabeth's depression was really sad, and I wish that Ollie the dog was actually alive in the book, it would have been better.
Out of the three books I've read by Sarah Ockler, this is the second best.
Sorry I don't have a lot to say about this book.
4/5 stars
Delilah wasn't to bad. And Em's gayness was so welcomed. Patrick was fine, (better than Sam from Twenty Boy Summer, sorry it's true).
I did suspect that C.C would be Delilah's true father, but for some reason I was still slightly shook when it turned out to be true. Stephanie and Elizabeth's depression was really sad, and I wish that Ollie the dog was actually alive in the book, it would have been better.
Out of the three books I've read by Sarah Ockler, this is the second best.
Sorry I don't have a lot to say about this book.
4/5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2017
Abgebrochen bei 46%
Ich langweile mich so sehr. Das Buch hat absolut nichts Besonderes an sich und die Charaktere interessieren mich alle nicht. Es ist nicht mal schlecht, nur kann ich mit meiner Zeit besseres anfangen, also...
Ich langweile mich so sehr. Das Buch hat absolut nichts Besonderes an sich und die Charaktere interessieren mich alle nicht. Es ist nicht mal schlecht, nur kann ich mit meiner Zeit besseres anfangen, also...
November 3, 2010
It's been an entire eight years since Delilah Hannaford has seen her grandmother and now she's dead. Beyond any choice of her own, her mother has kept contact with her immediate family to the bare minimum and their communication between the two of them is almost non-existent. What once was a happy home, a mother-daughter bond similar to that of Rory and Lorelai of the "Gilmore Girls", is now a work-a-holic mom ordering take-out for her lackluster daughter. Delilah hardly recognizes the two of them when they sit together during a car ride back "home", but it's possible that once they arrive things will begin to unravel for them more quickly than they thought possible.
From the very beginning of Fixing Delilah you get the feeling that Delilah is searching for something. She's always looking for answers: Why did her mother stop talking to her grandmother? Why does my mother work so much and notice me so little? Who was my father and who does that make me? Everyone wants to feel grounded, to have a sense of identity, but teenagers (and Delilah especially) seem to have the desire in spades. And Sarah Ockler does a brilliant job of portraying that struggle for identity and individuality.
What I loved about Fixing Delilah though wasn't necessarily Delilah, because at times she kind of got on my nerves a bit. I do cut her some slack because she has a myriad of problems that aren't entirely her own fault. I love love loved the story between Delilah and her childhood sweetheart, Ricky (Patrick). Their story was a bit of the reason I recall picking up young adult novels, the young love and complete abandonment into another person's existence. It's one of those stories where you wait for them to stare at each other from across a group of people just to feel that electricity. Not only that, but the way they support each other the way people in love really do. And Ricky does, through all the trials Delilah goes through in the book he's right there for her waiting for her to move forward with or without his help.
In addition to the romance between Ricky and Delilah, it was the connections between the characters and the setting that truly stood out. First the setting, because I'm a huge sucker for a good Southern setting where you can literally feel the humidity and see the porch swings as you read it. Second, the relationships...not only with her mother, but with her Aunt as well as new friendships. Also, if I could recommend this book to every mother with teenagers I would, because of how Ockler portrays that mother-daughter relationship. As mothers we sometimes get caught up in "getting things done" so that our children have the things they "need" when most of the time they only need us. They need to feel loved and they need someone to listen, or at the very least that's what Delilah needed.
Fixing Delilah was a beautiful book about love and growing up. Delilah was at times a typical teenager, running off with the wrong guy, but in the end discovers who she truly is. Sarah Ockler has done an incredible job portraying so many of the aspects of being a teenager, particularly one with numerous questions and not a lot of answers. This is definitely a book I'd recommend to young adult fans both young and old. A story about finding yourself even when you think the rug has been pulled out from under you and discovering that what matters most are the people you love and who love you in return.
From the very beginning of Fixing Delilah you get the feeling that Delilah is searching for something. She's always looking for answers: Why did her mother stop talking to her grandmother? Why does my mother work so much and notice me so little? Who was my father and who does that make me? Everyone wants to feel grounded, to have a sense of identity, but teenagers (and Delilah especially) seem to have the desire in spades. And Sarah Ockler does a brilliant job of portraying that struggle for identity and individuality.
What I loved about Fixing Delilah though wasn't necessarily Delilah, because at times she kind of got on my nerves a bit. I do cut her some slack because she has a myriad of problems that aren't entirely her own fault. I love love loved the story between Delilah and her childhood sweetheart, Ricky (Patrick). Their story was a bit of the reason I recall picking up young adult novels, the young love and complete abandonment into another person's existence. It's one of those stories where you wait for them to stare at each other from across a group of people just to feel that electricity. Not only that, but the way they support each other the way people in love really do. And Ricky does, through all the trials Delilah goes through in the book he's right there for her waiting for her to move forward with or without his help.
In addition to the romance between Ricky and Delilah, it was the connections between the characters and the setting that truly stood out. First the setting, because I'm a huge sucker for a good Southern setting where you can literally feel the humidity and see the porch swings as you read it. Second, the relationships...not only with her mother, but with her Aunt as well as new friendships. Also, if I could recommend this book to every mother with teenagers I would, because of how Ockler portrays that mother-daughter relationship. As mothers we sometimes get caught up in "getting things done" so that our children have the things they "need" when most of the time they only need us. They need to feel loved and they need someone to listen, or at the very least that's what Delilah needed.
Fixing Delilah was a beautiful book about love and growing up. Delilah was at times a typical teenager, running off with the wrong guy, but in the end discovers who she truly is. Sarah Ockler has done an incredible job portraying so many of the aspects of being a teenager, particularly one with numerous questions and not a lot of answers. This is definitely a book I'd recommend to young adult fans both young and old. A story about finding yourself even when you think the rug has been pulled out from under you and discovering that what matters most are the people you love and who love you in return.
December 10, 2011
I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK!
Yup, I wrote "loved" three times. But I this book totally deserves it! This book starts of when your introduced to Delilah, she has no siblings, no father (who she thinks is dead), and a workaholic mother. She gets bad marks, is bullied at school by her "friends", "forgot" that she had lip gloss in her hand when she left the store, and sneaks out with a different boy every night into the forest. What a life. But there was a time where she had a better one, when her mother wasn't always working, and she went to Red Falls, Vermont every summer to see her aunt and grandparents and childhood friend "little Ricky". When her grandfather died 8 years ago, her whole family got into a huge fight and Delilah never went back, until they get a call that her grandmother "Nana" has died. So they pack up and head out to Red Falls. There she re-unites with "Little Ricky" now known as Patrick and he introduces her to Emily the three become friends and spend the summer together. It's not that easy though. Delilah goes through a roller coaster ride. She falls in love with Patrick, she found out the truth about her father, she learns about her mom's second sister Stephanie, who died at about Delilah’s age, and she learns why she never went back to Red Falls eight summers ago. There are more MUCH more bits of pieces of drama in this book that I adored. "Fixing Delilah" was an entertaining story that kept me up all night wanting to finish!
I picked it up because the title and the cover looked/sounded interesting. What made me for sure check it out though was that in the book jacket there was an reviewer who wrote "Will satisfy fans of Sarah Dessen" and shes like my favorite author ever so, YAY!
I would recommend this book to Shawna because she is the one that started me into Sarah Dessen books in the first place, and I think that this story is definitely very similar to her style writing and plot so a definitely satisfying read for any fan of Dessen.
Yup, I wrote "loved" three times. But I this book totally deserves it! This book starts of when your introduced to Delilah, she has no siblings, no father (who she thinks is dead), and a workaholic mother. She gets bad marks, is bullied at school by her "friends", "forgot" that she had lip gloss in her hand when she left the store, and sneaks out with a different boy every night into the forest. What a life. But there was a time where she had a better one, when her mother wasn't always working, and she went to Red Falls, Vermont every summer to see her aunt and grandparents and childhood friend "little Ricky". When her grandfather died 8 years ago, her whole family got into a huge fight and Delilah never went back, until they get a call that her grandmother "Nana" has died. So they pack up and head out to Red Falls. There she re-unites with "Little Ricky" now known as Patrick and he introduces her to Emily the three become friends and spend the summer together. It's not that easy though. Delilah goes through a roller coaster ride. She falls in love with Patrick, she found out the truth about her father, she learns about her mom's second sister Stephanie, who died at about Delilah’s age, and she learns why she never went back to Red Falls eight summers ago. There are more MUCH more bits of pieces of drama in this book that I adored. "Fixing Delilah" was an entertaining story that kept me up all night wanting to finish!
I picked it up because the title and the cover looked/sounded interesting. What made me for sure check it out though was that in the book jacket there was an reviewer who wrote "Will satisfy fans of Sarah Dessen" and shes like my favorite author ever so, YAY!
I would recommend this book to Shawna because she is the one that started me into Sarah Dessen books in the first place, and I think that this story is definitely very similar to her style writing and plot so a definitely satisfying read for any fan of Dessen.
January 10, 2011
In one of Fixing Delilah's "professional" reviews, it mentioned that fans of Sarah Dessen would love this book. I'm a huge Sarah Dessen fan. She's one of the only authors that doesn't have me rolling my eyes at romance. She is the queen of the airy-summer-fling romance novel. So, I had to check out Fixing Delilah due to the comparison to Sarah Dessen (that and the fact that it was a free Kindle e-book for a while). Unfortunately, it didn't live up to "Sarah Dessen" standard.
My main issue with Fixing Delilah was Delilah. I found her very much "me, me, me" obsessed. I understand that she's a teenage girl and that they're sometimes self-involved, but the only thing Delilah focused on was herself; her pain, her issues. She seemed to think that she was the only life who's life was screwed up. Forget about the fact that her mom and aunt lost their sister (totally not a major spoiler by the way), Delilah was just focused on how sad she was because she never met her and blah, blah, blah. Not only was Delilah self-involved, but she was also very whiny and very melodramatic. Everything was an issue with her, even the mild ones. Plus, the story was told in the first person. Now, I don't have a problem with novels written in the first person, but I think the fact that I was reading every single one of Delilah's thoughts, really led me to be even more annoyed with her. I kept thinking "GET OVER IT!"
I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge romance fan. The only times that romance novels don't make me want to slam my head against the wall repeatedly are the young-adult ones (or one the suspense romance novels and even then that is hit or miss). Mostly because they seem to be less cheesy. Well not Fixing Delilah. This was cheese-galore. The romance was also very cliched. One line in particular that had me roll my eyes was when Delilah mentioned that Patrick looked at her like he was dying of thirst and she was the water. Who says that?! Do people really think in this cliched manner? The only time a line like that even remotely works is in a movie and even then you better have an amazing actor back it up so that it doesn't become cringe-worthy (I'm thinking along of the lines of Emily Blunt's line in The Jane Austen Book Club where she says that the guy looks at her like she's the dish of ice cream and he's the spoon. She got away with it due to her performance). Needless to say, there was a lot of eye rolling and "Seriously?" going on while reading this.
So, why two stars instead of the dreaded one? Mostly because I was intrigued by the whole family dynamics of the story. I was interested in what happened between the grandmother, Claire, and Rachel. That was the only thing that kept me reading (considering that Fixing Delilah moved at a snail pace). Those parts were actually done extremely well and felt true to form. In fact, I could've read a whole book about the three sisters and the mother with minimal eye-rolling.
In the end, I didn't really like Fixing Delilah. I mean, it was okay, but nothing to write home about. Certainly not up to Sarah Dessen's standards (but then again this is the author's second novel and for me Dessen's novels didn't start getting good until the third one).
My main issue with Fixing Delilah was Delilah. I found her very much "me, me, me" obsessed. I understand that she's a teenage girl and that they're sometimes self-involved, but the only thing Delilah focused on was herself; her pain, her issues. She seemed to think that she was the only life who's life was screwed up. Forget about the fact that her mom and aunt lost their sister (totally not a major spoiler by the way), Delilah was just focused on how sad she was because she never met her and blah, blah, blah. Not only was Delilah self-involved, but she was also very whiny and very melodramatic. Everything was an issue with her, even the mild ones. Plus, the story was told in the first person. Now, I don't have a problem with novels written in the first person, but I think the fact that I was reading every single one of Delilah's thoughts, really led me to be even more annoyed with her. I kept thinking "GET OVER IT!"
I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge romance fan. The only times that romance novels don't make me want to slam my head against the wall repeatedly are the young-adult ones (or one the suspense romance novels and even then that is hit or miss). Mostly because they seem to be less cheesy. Well not Fixing Delilah. This was cheese-galore. The romance was also very cliched. One line in particular that had me roll my eyes was when Delilah mentioned that Patrick looked at her like he was dying of thirst and she was the water. Who says that?! Do people really think in this cliched manner? The only time a line like that even remotely works is in a movie and even then you better have an amazing actor back it up so that it doesn't become cringe-worthy (I'm thinking along of the lines of Emily Blunt's line in The Jane Austen Book Club where she says that the guy looks at her like she's the dish of ice cream and he's the spoon. She got away with it due to her performance). Needless to say, there was a lot of eye rolling and "Seriously?" going on while reading this.
So, why two stars instead of the dreaded one? Mostly because I was intrigued by the whole family dynamics of the story. I was interested in what happened between the grandmother, Claire, and Rachel. That was the only thing that kept me reading (considering that Fixing Delilah moved at a snail pace). Those parts were actually done extremely well and felt true to form. In fact, I could've read a whole book about the three sisters and the mother with minimal eye-rolling.
In the end, I didn't really like Fixing Delilah. I mean, it was okay, but nothing to write home about. Certainly not up to Sarah Dessen's standards (but then again this is the author's second novel and for me Dessen's novels didn't start getting good until the third one).
July 9, 2018
*3.5 Stars*
the main character in this book drove me insane and the writing style was just not my taste. but, i loved how this book shed light on mental illness and overall it was a great story. i also loved the family aspects. overall it was an okay book, just not my favorite.
the main character in this book drove me insane and the writing style was just not my taste. but, i loved how this book shed light on mental illness and overall it was a great story. i also loved the family aspects. overall it was an okay book, just not my favorite.
November 10, 2018
Definitely a Contemporary Romance fan's dream book.
This book had total Sarah Dessen-vibes. Delilah felt so much like a Dessen main girl-- strained parental relationship (check!), slightly rebellious behavior (check!), touristy location setting (check!), super swoony/patient to a fault boy (check!). And I mean all of that as a compliment because Sarah Dessen creates stories that you can just sink into and become completely immersed, and this book was very much like that.
Drawbacks: I didn't LOVE Delilah. She had a tendency to be self-centered and make everything about her. It was like Patrick (the boy) and Emily (the friend) weren't allowed to have lives and problems because she was GOING THROUGH SOMETHING. There was also a lot of that kind of drama where if the characters just said 5 words, the misunderstandings wouldn't have happened-- and I tire of that. TALK PEOPLE, TALK!! USE YOUR WORDS!
In the end, I'm glad I read this, and I had a nice feeling reading it. It was like going home after I've been away for a while because books like these are my roots. I will always want to come back to stories that suck me in and aren't super plot driven. I will always want to read books that combine family and growing up. And you should too!!
OVERALL: It was so nice to read a Sarah Ockler book after so long!! This was one I had been meaning to read for years, and I'm glad I finally got to it. It had major Sarah Dessen-vibes radiating, but that's not a bad thing!! I liked getting immersed in the setting and characters, but I wished I liked Delilah just a tad more.
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Pink Polka Dot Books
This book had total Sarah Dessen-vibes. Delilah felt so much like a Dessen main girl-- strained parental relationship (check!), slightly rebellious behavior (check!), touristy location setting (check!), super swoony/patient to a fault boy (check!). And I mean all of that as a compliment because Sarah Dessen creates stories that you can just sink into and become completely immersed, and this book was very much like that.
Drawbacks: I didn't LOVE Delilah. She had a tendency to be self-centered and make everything about her. It was like Patrick (the boy) and Emily (the friend) weren't allowed to have lives and problems because she was GOING THROUGH SOMETHING. There was also a lot of that kind of drama where if the characters just said 5 words, the misunderstandings wouldn't have happened-- and I tire of that. TALK PEOPLE, TALK!! USE YOUR WORDS!
In the end, I'm glad I read this, and I had a nice feeling reading it. It was like going home after I've been away for a while because books like these are my roots. I will always want to come back to stories that suck me in and aren't super plot driven. I will always want to read books that combine family and growing up. And you should too!!
OVERALL: It was so nice to read a Sarah Ockler book after so long!! This was one I had been meaning to read for years, and I'm glad I finally got to it. It had major Sarah Dessen-vibes radiating, but that's not a bad thing!! I liked getting immersed in the setting and characters, but I wished I liked Delilah just a tad more.
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
December 31, 2011
After her debut novel, Twenty Boy Summer, I know that I'm gonna love her other books. Without a doubt, Sarah Ockler writes beautifully. It's nice to know that after an amazing and very emotional ride with her first book, delivering the second one is still what I was expecting of her.
Fixing Delilah may be your typical dysfunctional family story but what I love about it is how real the characters are and how emotionally driven and moving it is in between. It just had the right amount of laughter, grieving, sadness and romance and it is exactly what I love in a book.
The story starts off where Delilah and her mom went back to Vermont after her grandmother died. There, kept a lot of untold secrets that had Delilah a lot of unanswerable questions. About her Aunt Steph's death, her grandmother not communicating to them, and the truth about her father. Basically, it's about how broken their family is. The story kicks off after Delilah found the diary that starts to unravel things. This may tell you it's all about the family dynamics but there is a long gone friendship that have been built again with her childhood friend Patrick who turns out to be "the guy". I know I shouldn't be gushing over him but truth be told, he turns out to be amazing for me. I love how he puts up with Del on how lost she was with herself that he is just there. for. her.
You can tell if it is written exceptionally well if the book gets to you, seeps inside you, turns you over inside out without you even noticing it. That you feel boldly what the characters have been feeling.
xx
Fixing Delilah may be your typical dysfunctional family story but what I love about it is how real the characters are and how emotionally driven and moving it is in between. It just had the right amount of laughter, grieving, sadness and romance and it is exactly what I love in a book.
The story starts off where Delilah and her mom went back to Vermont after her grandmother died. There, kept a lot of untold secrets that had Delilah a lot of unanswerable questions. About her Aunt Steph's death, her grandmother not communicating to them, and the truth about her father. Basically, it's about how broken their family is. The story kicks off after Delilah found the diary that starts to unravel things. This may tell you it's all about the family dynamics but there is a long gone friendship that have been built again with her childhood friend Patrick who turns out to be "the guy". I know I shouldn't be gushing over him but truth be told, he turns out to be amazing for me. I love how he puts up with Del on how lost she was with herself that he is just there. for. her.
You can tell if it is written exceptionally well if the book gets to you, seeps inside you, turns you over inside out without you even noticing it. That you feel boldly what the characters have been feeling.
xx
February 7, 2011
I'd been reading so many paranormal romances and was craving a really good contemp, and I totally got one. This book was, in short, AMAZING. It's got complicated parent-kid relationships, first love, SUMMER! (which is quite awesome to read about during winter, as you know), super-cute, repeat, super-cute love interest, family secrets, and beautiful writing. Delilah was a complicated yet relatable character, and her narration was So. Much. Fun to read! She had such a great sense of humor, and her actions and dialogue reeled me in such a way that I was literally crying and laughing out loud along with her, not to mention swooning over Patrick, the guitar-playing, lean-chested (sorry, sorry, I couldn't help myself--he's shirtless a couple of times in the novel...and darn!) love interest. I seriously adore relationships built upon strong childhood friendships, and this one hit the mark brilliantly.
And it's not just hot-guy-swooning that made this book so wonderful, but the realistic ways in which the story unfurled. I think you'd have to read it yourself to understand what I mean by this, but seriously, this is one of the most realistic books I've ever read. The character growth was done splendidly, and the side characters were adorable.
I haven't read Twenty Boy Summer, Sarah Ockler's debut novel, but I am definitely doing so soon, along with every other thing she writes in the future.
And it's not just hot-guy-swooning that made this book so wonderful, but the realistic ways in which the story unfurled. I think you'd have to read it yourself to understand what I mean by this, but seriously, this is one of the most realistic books I've ever read. The character growth was done splendidly, and the side characters were adorable.
I haven't read Twenty Boy Summer, Sarah Ockler's debut novel, but I am definitely doing so soon, along with every other thing she writes in the future.
June 10, 2011
"We all long for what could have been." This is a quote repeated several times throughout Fixing Delilah, one that I really love. Having not yet read Ockler's debut Twenty Boy Summer, I was pleasantly surprised by her lyrical yet simple way of writing and the rhythm the events were woven together. She certainly knows how to write her stories and make fantastic characters; Delilah was wonderful and had me captivated from the start.
Despite how much I loved Delilah's character, she is not my favorite of the book. Patrick is. I think those of you who have already read Fixing Delilah can figure out why and can agree that he is definitely crush-worthy. And for those of you who haven't read it and are looking for why, I'm not telling. I loved learning who Patrick was, his personality, etc. by myself and want it to be the same for you guys too.
For me, Fixing Delilah is one of those books that really means a lot, but in a quiter, less standout way; but a favorite nonetheless. I'm looking out for Sarah's other books with no doubt that they will be nothing short of amazing.
Despite how much I loved Delilah's character, she is not my favorite of the book. Patrick is. I think those of you who have already read Fixing Delilah can figure out why and can agree that he is definitely crush-worthy. And for those of you who haven't read it and are looking for why, I'm not telling. I loved learning who Patrick was, his personality, etc. by myself and want it to be the same for you guys too.
For me, Fixing Delilah is one of those books that really means a lot, but in a quiter, less standout way; but a favorite nonetheless. I'm looking out for Sarah's other books with no doubt that they will be nothing short of amazing.
August 13, 2011
I loved this book. I picked it up because once I get attached to an author, I find everything she's ever written, and Twenty Boy Summer, Ockler's debut novel, was AMAZING. The woman is a master at imagery.
I felt like I knew Delilah's personality almost from the first three chapters alone. Delilah is the misunderstood child who isn't allowed to ask questions or discuss feelings. Mom is a workaholic. When D's grandmother dies, they must return to Vermont, where she remembers spending most every summer until her grandfather's death more than seven years ago, when she was suddenly yanked away and not allowed to return.
Delilah is both nervous and excited about seeing Ricky, her childhood friend. Patrick becomes a yummy male lead, especially when he's helping his dad with construction around D's grandmother's house.
Most everyone can relate to exploring or discovering family secrets!
Once you start reading, the characters (including D's incense burning, eccentric aunt) get in your head, and you won't want to stop.
I felt like I knew Delilah's personality almost from the first three chapters alone. Delilah is the misunderstood child who isn't allowed to ask questions or discuss feelings. Mom is a workaholic. When D's grandmother dies, they must return to Vermont, where she remembers spending most every summer until her grandfather's death more than seven years ago, when she was suddenly yanked away and not allowed to return.
Delilah is both nervous and excited about seeing Ricky, her childhood friend. Patrick becomes a yummy male lead, especially when he's helping his dad with construction around D's grandmother's house.
Most everyone can relate to exploring or discovering family secrets!
Once you start reading, the characters (including D's incense burning, eccentric aunt) get in your head, and you won't want to stop.
April 24, 2015
Every family has got secrets...
But Delilah's tired of being left out of the loop. She and her mom return to Vermont for her grandmother's funeral. A woman they had not seen for the past ten years, after a family fight regarding her father that no one wants to discuss with Delilah. Why did they keep away? Why so much resentment? Are things really better left unsaid?
Death has a way of reminding us that pride isn't always worth it. Ockler kept some really juicy secrets from Delilah in this book and made us sympathize with all sides of the equation. Loved the small town feeling of the book, and found the dialogue realistic with a contemporary plot that was easy to follow.
A great short read.
But Delilah's tired of being left out of the loop. She and her mom return to Vermont for her grandmother's funeral. A woman they had not seen for the past ten years, after a family fight regarding her father that no one wants to discuss with Delilah. Why did they keep away? Why so much resentment? Are things really better left unsaid?
Death has a way of reminding us that pride isn't always worth it. Ockler kept some really juicy secrets from Delilah in this book and made us sympathize with all sides of the equation. Loved the small town feeling of the book, and found the dialogue realistic with a contemporary plot that was easy to follow.
A great short read.
September 25, 2012
Delilah's family is torn apart from a long time feud.
Although I thought the love interest was a great story line, I thought the basic plot seemed a little skimmed over. It's a tough topic, though, for any family - so many secrets - that it's hard to find a balance between really wallowing in the horror and understanding the motivations of Delilah. I would have loved more back story and more understanding of the mom and sisters, but it was a nice short read, so that may be a nice trade off at times.
Although I thought the love interest was a great story line, I thought the basic plot seemed a little skimmed over. It's a tough topic, though, for any family - so many secrets - that it's hard to find a balance between really wallowing in the horror and understanding the motivations of Delilah. I would have loved more back story and more understanding of the mom and sisters, but it was a nice short read, so that may be a nice trade off at times.
February 8, 2016
Oh my goooooooooooosh! This book is remarkable! It's one of those "sucks you right in" type of stories and I thought for sure it would do a number on my emotions. Except for a couple of parts where my heart was in my throat and I thought it would break into a million pieces, the entire story was just so sad and real and heart wrenching. Delilah is so relatable and the friendship between her and Patrick and Emily is just so fun and amazing. Lots of swoon-worthy moments that give you chills and make you tingle from head to toe. One of my favorite reads this year!
September 24, 2016
Debo admitir que este libro me sorprendió, no esperaba que me gustara tanto. El único problema que tuve fue que siento que se dejaron muchas cosas inconclusas y que la relación entre los personajes sucedió muy rápido.
June 1, 2011
I would recommend this book to Sarah Dessen fans.
It only gets 4 stars from me because it was so hard to connect with the story at the beginning. In my case it was more like the half of the book.
It only gets 4 stars from me because it was so hard to connect with the story at the beginning. In my case it was more like the half of the book.
May 24, 2016
I absolutely loved the writing style.
April 24, 2020
Fixing Delilah was decent. It's all about complicated family dynamics and the way that secrets and a lack of communication eat away at relationships. While the ending is effective, Delilah's voice is lacking, so I never felt any sort of emotional connection to this book, and it's the sort of novel that really needs that. Then again, maybe I'm just biased because both Delilah and Patrick love Catcher in the Rye, the worst classic of all time, so I can't possibly like her. On the plus side, I do think Delilah's behavior is very teen, in all of its grumpy, confused awkwardness.
I think this book is worth a shot if the premise appeals, and if Delilah's voice clicks with you it will be great.
I think this book is worth a shot if the premise appeals, and if Delilah's voice clicks with you it will be great.
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