I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publication date: January 24th, 2017
This is a review for the COYER challenge!
For as long as she can remember, it’s been just Ariel and Dad. Ariel’s mom disappeared when she was a baby. Dad says home is wherever the two of them are, but Ariel is now seventeen and after years of new apartments, new schools, and new faces, all she wants is to put down some roots. Complicating things are Monica and Gabe, both of whom have stirred a different kind of desire.
Maya’s a teenager who’s run from an abusive mother right into the arms of an older man she thinks she can trust. But now she’s isolated with a baby on the way, and life’s getting more complicated than Maya ever could have imagined. (Goodreads)
Don’t read the synopsis on Goodreads!
I’ve only put in about half of the synopsis, because the rest is a big spoiler… Well, depending on how you look at it. I read the book knowing the synopsis (quite well) and I still enjoyed it quite a bit, but I was looking for a specific event to happen, which didn’t come into play until the end of the book.
I read Identical a while ago, and for the most part, I didn’t really like it.
I was drawn to it and I couldn’t stop reading it…. But the story was too dark and graphic and just horrible (not the story itself, just the events) for me to really enjoy it. Until the end, because THAT was INCREDIBLE. And it worked so perfectly. Anyhoo, I still only rated it 3 stars. But I knew, even though that book wasn’t my favorite ever, that I would be coming back to Ellen Hopkins. Because her writing. Is just. AGH. I CAN’T.
So yes, the writing is perfect and gorgeous and yup.
No more to be said on that.
And the lesbian romances were perfect and LAFKDSJLADBVK.
See GIF above! No, but really. A lesbian romance is rare in books. Quite rare. And with the protagonist… Even more so. THIS BOOK. HAD NOT ONE. BUT TWO. With both of the main characters. ❤ ❤ ❤ They were so cute.
Ariel’s father has been horrible to her in every way possible.
Yet, she still loves him unconditionally, and thinks he’s just doing what’s best for her. She doesn’t realize that it’s not okay for him to treat her that way. I always have a tough time reading about this kind of relationship between a parent and their child because it’s just so heartbreaking, and I can’t possibly understand the feeling.
The plot is genius and how Ellen how.
I have no idea how she comes up with these amazing plot ideas because WHAT WHERE DID THAT COME FROM. ACK.
I’m sure you’ve all figured out by now that I have NO IDEA WHAT TO EVEN SAY.
My general feelings towards this book are just JESRAIOOEIO and YOU SHOULD READ IT and THE WRITING IS GORGEOUS AND THE WHOLE THING IS JUST GENIUS AND PERFECT.
Mmm, yes. I’m sure you’ll all agree that that was my MOST COHERENT REVIEW EVER. (not) Hope you all enjoyed it anyways! XD
Thanks for the heads-up! I will definitely skip the Goodreads synopsis and just read it 🙂
Great review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
YAYYYYYYY! I’m glad to hear it. XD Awe, thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
No problem! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve never read anything by this author, but ooo this sounds so good!! Great review. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha you should! Thanks so much. 🙂
LikeLike
hahaha I loved this review… I put all of Ellen Hopkin’s books on my TBR a little while ago after reading Crank, but this one is on the top!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awe, thank you so much! I’m glad to hear it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t read any of her books because aren’t they all verse novels? I’m just not a good verse novel reader. But if it’s not, then I might have to give this a chance! (Is it a verse novel, lol?)
Excellent review! I’ve been speechless before, but this looks like a whole new level of speechless: speech-muddled!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha they are! I love books in verse, so you might not enjoy this one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ok thanks for the heads up! I knew I skipped it for a reason! Thank you, whoever this is out of the two of you! (Amy?)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha yes, it’s Amy! Sorry, I hardly ever introduce myself in posts anymore. I mainly run the blog and social media, do you can usually bet it’s me. If it’s Nikki she’ll most likely tell you! She wants to come back to the blog but I know she’s really busy so I’m not sure when that’ll really happen.
LikeLike