Want an “at a glance” look at what I thought? Check out my Review On A Post-It or my “Final Thought”
When Charlotte finds herself becoming friends with Julia Buchanan — daughter of a former senator and famously rich family with a tragedy attached to their name — she never could be prepared for the real Julia and everything that comes with being a Buchanan. She’s thrown head first into their intense and mesmerizing world as Julia’s new best friend — the parties, the lavish gifts, the larger than life family (and a certain brother she falls for)….and also the secrets below the surface that threaten to unravel them all.
OMG I LOVE THIS BOOOOOOK. *tweets incessantly about it*
OH MY GOSH YOU GUYS. I loved this book. I freaking loved it and I want to shout it from the rooftops. If you like contemporary YA, you do NOT want to miss this one. My emotions were just overflowing by the end of this book and the last paragraph-ish was EVERYTHING for me. I kind of wanted to tattoo it on my arm.
1. This story staked its claim on me by the first sentence of the prologue: I’m serious. By the time I finished the prologue I was doing a little excited dance on my couch and was strapping myself in because I was READY TO GO after that and I knew I couldn’t possibly prepare myself for what was to come (spoiler alert: I couldn’t at all). I was already so curious about the Buchanan family (who slightly reminded me of the family in We Were Liars as I read on) and, like Charlie, I became so mesmerized and enchanted by them. From the moment Julia and Charlie meet and as she gets deeper into the Buchanan family I wanted to know more and more even when certain things began to seem like red flags and she got so wrapped up in them. I got the same electric energy that Charlie felt by wanting to be around them. There was that allure there to be part of this world that was so unlike her world and I felt it. I get wanting to just be a part of something.
2. THE EMOTIONS: You guys. I bawled at the end of this book. The feelings throughout the book had been bubbling up and just burst forth in the form of tears and it was an obvious reason to cry for me. And the last paragraph. IT WAS EVERYTHING and more. I want to share it but I want you to experience it. It was a rollercoaster of feelings (and not just crying kinds of feelings) and it just, coupled with the plot, propelled me forward. The romance. The intensity of their friendship. The tragedy. The aftermaths. It was SO GOOD GUYS.
3. DOGEAR CENTRAL: I was really, really impressed by the writing in this book. It was so beautiful and there were so many lines that just stopped me in my tracks and made me think or FEEL something. I was dog-earring A LOT with this one which is always a good thing for me. The more I dog-ear, the more I love it. I’ll give you a little taste:
” It’s only in hindsight that we can point, as easily as finding a town on a map, to the moments that shaped us — the moments when choices between yeses and nos determined the people we became.”
+ Plot, writing, characters, FEELINGS
– NADA
Re-readability: Maybe!
Would I buy a copy for my collection? Yes!
There are just these books that you can somewhat pinpoint elements that made you love it but overall it’s just this indescribable feeling you get when you are reading that just takes hold of you and sets your heart to beating just a little bit differently. That was this book for me. I can kind of explain to you why I loved it but mostly I can’t. I just know how I felt about it. Chelsey Philpot’s debut was wholly impressive — it was beautiful, enchanting, devastating and altogether bittersweet. A true smattering of emotions but I finished the book hopeful and with my heart on fire.
* Have you read this one? What did you think? Similar or different from me? I would LOVE to hear regardless!
*If you haven’t read it, does it feel like something you’d be into?
*
Danielle says
Just ordered this because of your review! I hadn’t heard of it before but am drastically in need of one of those tattoo the words all over my body books that take you to another place. I hope I love it as much as you did!
Jamie says
YAY that makes me so happy! I’m telling you…that last paragraph. It’s too long to tattoo but I wrote it down immediately and I’ve been thinking about it. Let me know what you think (either way!!). I’m so hoping you do love it!
Ashley says
I added this book to my to read list a few days ago and am looking forward to getting to it. It sounds exactly like the kind of book I like to read; I’m unfortunately waiting for my library to order it in at the moment, but I’m so glad to see you loved it. It should be worth the wait.
Jamie says
Eee hope your library gets it in quickly!!
Jessica Lawlor says
This sounds amazing! Just added to my list.
Jamie says
Yessss I think you would like it! Also, have you read We Were Liars? Add that one if you haven’t.
Brandie says
Wow, you’ve convinced me to add it to my list. I try to be really picky these days about my growing TBR list, but your love for this book makes me want to try it!
Trina says
I already had this on my TBR, but your review is making me move it up in priority! I would go ahead and get it, but I have far too many books I’ve been neglecting lately. Is it as summery feeling as the cover makes it look? I may need that kind of book to get me through the winter!
Rachel says
I put this book on hold at the library but it is SO gorgeous I am so tempted to buy a copy! I’ve met with Chelsey in real life and she is as sweet as you’d think 😉 (We both live in New England…I’m excited to see how she pulls off the setting in EiP!!!). Waiting for the hold on the library is hard hard hard. Your review just made me eager to pick it up when it gets to me though =)
Fida says
It’s on my TBR and you just gote so much more excited for it!! Thank you for sharing your awesome review!
Stormy says
So glad you liked this one! When I saw you reading it on twitter I thought you probably would! This was definitely one of my favorite books I’ve read this year(easily top 15 out of almost 150) and I just got so sucked into it. It didn’t really affect me in an emotional way, I don’t think, but I still loved the story and the writing. I love how it was set up where you knew all along that something would happen towards the end because the writing didn’t work to hide it at all, so there was this air of nostalgia about it already.
Michelle @ Pink Polka Dot Books says
SO glad you loved it!!! I’ve been wanting to read this ever since I saw the beautiful cover back in June. I was hoping the inside would live up to the outside 🙂 Can’t wait to start it and read see what the final paragraph says!! I’m so curious now 🙂
Britt @ Not So Teen Reads says
Went to add this to my TBR and apparently it was already on it. I’m definitely going to bump it up after hearing how much you liked it!
Donna @ OnDBookshelf says
With a glowing review like this, I can’t help but add this to my tbr list. I love the quote that you posted, and can’t wait to see the one at the end (I’ll have to keep myself from reading it before I finish the book).
Holli says
I read this book in one sitting on Sunday night because I saw your comments on Goodreads. It was incredible! I loved, loved, loved it! It reminded me a lot of We Were Liars. I definitely want to re-read this one. your review is great as well! I love your blog, it is a huge part of what helped me get back into reading several years ago when I was slightly in a rut. Thanks for sharing with all of us! Xx -Hols
Sue says
Yay, I am always looking out for another great YA Contemporary! Thank you for the great review 🙂
Rebecca @ Reading Wishes says
I’M SOLD.
This book was on my TBR, but I wasn’t all that excited for it. Now? :O You make this book sound SO GOOD. My interest is piqued! Well played 😉
Reno @ Falling Letters says
Hmmm, I don’t usualky go for YA but this sounds like something I might find myself in the mood for 🙂
Asheley (@BookwormAsheley) says
YES THIS IS SOMETHING I WOULD BE INTO. I KNEW IT WHEN I SAW THAT COVER. DOGGONE IT, I CAN’T WAIT TO READ THIS ONE. I NEEEEEED TO READ IT.
Miss Print says
Oh! I’m pretty happy to see you loved this one as I have a copy waiting to be read from BEA!
Michelle @ Unraveling Books says
I’m so glad you loved this book! I want to read it even more now thanks to you! Hope to get a copy ASAP!
Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books says
I’m so happy you enjoyed this too!! I might have jumped up and down and started spinning in circles when I saw on Twitter that you enjoyed this one just as much as I did 🙂 I totally agree about the quotes. There were so many pretty lines that I took in and loved. This was a very impressive debut. The ending was so heartbreaking and bittersweet and hopeful at the same time. All the feels were just so wonderful…. I definitely see the connection between the Buchanans and the Sinclairs. I like the Buchanans better though! Lovely review, Jamie!
Aly @ My Heart Hearts Books says
I totally wish I liked this book as much as you did, I feel like this is the first book in a while that we’ve disagreed on. I think it’s good to but I wasn’t as in love with it. It just didn’t suck me in the way that it did for you and it certainly didn’t make me cry. But I hope that we can go back to feeling the exact same way about books lol !
Estelle says
SO. I finished this book at my desk at work because I couldn’t stand waiting until lunch and it almost destroyed me. From the beautiful writing to all the feelings and these like ugh connections and disconnections with these people? It killed me. SUCH a great book. IT NEEDS MORE ATTENTION DAMMIT.
Jamie @ Books and Ladders says
This is an immediate buy! Thanks for the great review and putting this on one my radar!