Don't Look Back - Jennifer L. Armentrout

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In Her Shoes - Jennifer Weiner

Hi, I'm Lovella Mole and welcome to my second book review.

Okay, I know that I have reviewed another Jennifer Weiner book last week. But I wanted to check this out so that I could compare it to Best Friends Forever, the previous book I reviewed. It is another chick-lit story, but there are some major differences. If you had forgotten about the criteria of the book review, here it is again:

50 % - Story Itself

30 % - Characters

20 % - Writing Technique 

I have a lot of things to say about this book, so I'll begin now so that I would finish quickly haha. I have other things to do (like watching some of my favorite TV shows). Oh, and I guess I should always mention this: SPOILER ALERT.

IN HER SHOES BY: JENNIFER WEINER

STORY

The story is all about two girls - sisters - named Rose and Maggie Feller. Even though they're sisters, they are completely different from each other. Rose is a serious lawyer while Maggie is a serious party-goer. Maggie is trouble, but Rose let her stay with her in apartment for the time being. I could see that they are close even just in the beginning, but Rose didn't like Maggie that much. She is very irresponsible and she's immature.  But along the way, Maggie would slowly change into a person Rose would respect, but not after they had this major fight.

Their mother, Caroline, died when they were still children, and their father, Michael, wasn't that much a father to them. He remarried Sydelle, their stepmother (they also like to call her stepmonster), who wasn't really nice to them. They have a grandmother, Ella Hirsch, who sends them letter all the time after Caroline's death, but Michael hid those letters so that they wouldn't know anything about their grandmother. He didn't want them to be connected with her because he was angry with his mother-in-law, and blamed her for Caroline's death, even though it wasn't entirely her fault.

Overall, I quite like the story. It made me want to have a sister. I don't have any sisters, just three brothers. When I was younger, I remember wishing for a sister, but I didn't have any. It would be cool to have a person who you could look up to and just talk about things you can't mention to your friends and to your mother. There are things reserved for your sister, and it's sad that I wouldn't get to experience that. Anyway, back to the story. I liked Rose and Maggie's hate/love relationship. Sometimes Rose would tolerate Maggie and they would have a good time. Then Maggie would do something stupid and Rose would suddenly hate her. 

I also like Ella's story. It was nice that she tried to get in touch with her grandchildren after a very long period of time. I guess she knew in her heart that Michael was hiding her letters for her granddaughters, which is the reason why they weren't responding to her. I also like her love story with Lewis, because it's kind of cute. No one's too old for a little romance. And when Maggie moved in her with her, she tried all her best for her granddaughter to love her. 

I like Rose and Simon's relationship, even though it was rushed. In the beginning, I thought Simon was kind of annoying, and I think Rose did too. But then I realized that he really loves Rose for real. I even doubted their relationship, and thought that Rose would cancel the wedding or something. So I was surprised to see that they did end up together. Still, they were cute and I like how Simon accepts Rose for who she is.

I like the symbolism of shoes in the book. I like that Rose, Maggie and Ella have the same size of feet and could share something. When Ella gave Rose her pair of shoes on her wedding day, it was touching and sweet. It was as if they had a connection just because of those shoes.

And even though it was quite unlikely, I liked Sydelle, Rose and Maggie's stepmother. She's very misunderstood. I hated her in the start (I mean, who wouldn't?) but it was true that she was just jealous and bitter because her husband and stepdaughters couldn't let go of Caroline. And even though she knows about that, she didn't give up with the Feller family. But, still, she's a bitch sometimes.

So, let's move on to the part that I do not like. There is only one, though. I hated that Maggie used Jim to get back to Rose. I mean, Rose let Maggie stay with her in the apartment. For free, I might add. She kept taking Rose's clothes, going off without her permission wearing her shoes, stealing money... and Rose endured this. And then Maggie slept with Jim. I really hated her for doing that. And I also hated the fact that Maggie didn't even try to apologize to Rose the moment they saw each other for a very long time. I mean, yeah, she was sorry for what she did, but I can't remember her saying those exact words: "I'm sorry."

Overall, the story was great. I enjoyed it and it wasn't boring. It was really fun and so much better than Best Friends Forever. The ending was great, and even though it was a slightly bit rushed, it was fine. I love it.

Overall Score - 46%

CHARACTERS

It says in the cover, "A major film starring Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette." I didn't know who Toni Collette is, but I know Cameron Diaz. Without looking it up in the Internet, I know for sure that Cameron Diaz played the role of Maggie. She's very typecast, and Cameron Diaz likes to play those wild-girl roles. I'm going to watch the trailer after this blog.

Just like my previous review, I would only discuss about the main characters. This book has a lot of characters, but I would only mention Rose, Maggie and Ella.

Rose Feller. She's a serious lawyer, who lives on her own and doesn't like clothes that much. I could imagine her being the type of person who wears those black and grey business clothes. She has a passion for shoes, though, and it's the only thing Maggie likes about her. She was somewhat a nerd back in high school, and that's the only thing I could relate to her. I liked how she changed herself when she kicked Maggie out of her apartment. I liked how she started her pet service, which is so cute. Or maybe it's just because I love dogs and all kinds of animals. She's also very responsible and independent. Some people may relate to her character, but not to me. She's just sometimes too serious and I don't like that.

Maggie Feller. Surprisingly, she's my favorite character. If you know me in person, then you would know that I hate girls like Maggie. I didn't like girls who think they're so much better than people. I didn't like wild and annoying girls. She could also be labelled as a "slut." because she kept on sleeping with guys. She slept with Jim, which was so low of her. BUT, and that's a very big but, she changed and that's what matters. When her sister kicked her out, she changed into a whole new person. She is also dyslexic, which means she has a hard time reading and keeping up with most people. This was why she was held back in high school. Because of this, too, people looked down on her, even though she used to be part of the A-list girls in her school. Maybe this was why I like her character. She's imperfect, but she won't let anyone bring her down, and I got to relate to that.

Ella Hirsch. She's Rose and Maggie's grandmother. It's hard having a bipolar daughter, and it's also hard not to be with your granddaughters. But Ella went through with this because she's strong. Some people won't agree with me on this, but she is. She may be too conservative, but she is very caring and very loving. When Maggie called her up since she needed a place to stay, she didn't think twice. Anyone would be lucky to have Ella as their grandmother.

Overall Score - 23%

WRITING TECHNIQUE
This was so much better than Best Friends Forever. It was more mature and funnier. I had more fun reading this because of the writing of Jennifer Weiner. I like her quirky writing style. I like chick-lit novels, and I'm pretty sure that this would appeal more to readers who also like chick-lit novels. Needless to say, I'm giving this a perfect score.

Overall Score - 20%

SUMMARY / RECOMMENDATIONS
I knew from the very first chapter when I read this book that my overall score is going to be bigger, compared to the other one. And I was right, since I'm rating this book 89%. It has a good story with great writing technique. I did not like some of the characters, but that's okay. I recommend this book to sisters of all ages. When everyone will shun you and ignore you, your sister is always going to be with you. Your sister will be your best friend, and the best part is, she's already your family. I also recommend this to grandmothers and granddaughters. I hadn't got the chance to be close with my own grandmother, but if your grandma is still here, then please, please, don't let this moment to pass. Love your grandparents when they're still here.

Best Friends Forever - Jennifer Weiner

Hi! Welcome to my first ever book review. I've always wanted to do this kind of things for a very long time but I was too lazy and I'm always busy for school and friends. And I know I'm in the middle of the school year, but I guess I just want to kill most of my time. 

Quick introduction. I'm Lovella Mole. I'm seventeen and I'm in my first year of college, studying mass communications. I want to be a journalist someday. And no, not that kind of journalist you see in TV. I want to write in newspapers and magazines. I also want to be versatile, since I don't want to be tied down with only one subject. I want to be flexible, so I'm trying to write a lot of things as much as I can. English was my second language, so if I have some wrong grammars in my reviews, I apologize in advance. I've been writing some stories in Wattpad, a popular self-publishing site, and I've been told (not once, and not also twice, but many times) that I should watch out for my grammar. So if you're a real grammar Nazi, I guess you should just brace yourself.

So much for quick introductions. Huh.

Anyway, my criteria for my book reviews is:

50 % - Story Itself

30 % - Characters

20 % - Writing Technique

If you have any problem with my criteria, then that's okay. But, please, keep it to yourself. The title of this blog is "MY Book Reviews", which clearly states that I own it and I'm in charge with everything here. Oh, and by the way, to be fair, I didn't read any past reviews about the book, so I won't be biased about what others think. This is going to be about my own opinion. And do I still have to mention about spoilers?

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER BY: JENNIFER WEINER

STORY

The story was about two girls named Adelaide "Addie" Downs and Valerie "Val" Adler. They've been best friends since they were children. But everything went downhill when they became teenagers. In high school, Addie was really fat and she got bullied a lot. Val was a pretty blonde cheerleader. You know, the typical kind. Still, they were best friends. But something happened and they drifted apart. Now, in their thirties, Val went back to Addie because she needed help for something. And it was only Addie that could help her.

I guess the story was okay. It was really predictable, and really cliche. From blonde cheerleaders to the officer Jordan Novick ending up with Addie. But it was a fun-to-read book. Even though some parts it may be boring, I didn't stop reading. There were things I didn't like, but that is to be expected.

First, I didn't like how Addie got pregnant in the end. I mean, seriously? Did she really have to be pregnant? It was not necessary and I think it was just some way of the author to make a plot twist or something. Or to make the readers go "What?!" Congratulations. It really made me go "What?!" I think it's better if she was diagnosed with cancer. Not because I want her to or anything. It's just realistic. How the hell could she go on with four months not knowing she's carrying a child? Were there no morning sickness? Her period? Craving - maybe. But that's because she used to be fat, so nothing new there. I honestly don't have any idea about pregnancy, but I know enough.

Second, I didn't like how Dan Swansea turning himself in. That was very anti-climatic. I was expecting him to plan some big revenge on what Val did to him. Sure, he deserved it, but God, I want something exciting! Nothing really exciting happened in the story, and that's quite sad. The opening part with Dan waking up was good, though. 

Third, I didn't like how Addie's parents died and how her brother got brain damage after the accident. I was really disappointed with this one. How in the world could Addie go through with life after what happened to her? She was fat in high school and because of this, she got bullied. A FREAKING LOT. She also has to endure the bullies she get because of her mother also being a fat woman, and her brother having a sort of mental illness. And then, when Addie was about to have fun in New York, her dad died. She returned home and took care of her mother, and then she died, too. It was all just so sad. And it's very unrealistic how Addie coped up with that really well. I mean, sure, it has been years and she moved on. And I know she has to stay strong for her brother's sake. But I was expecting her to lose her temper about something. It was bound to happen.

There were also a few things that I liked in the story. I liked Jordan Novick's past. Even though it was sad, I liked it and seemed so realistic. I liked Addie's relationship with Vijay, though he was married and was old enough to be her father. She deserved a little happiness, even though for a little while. Still didn't like he got her pregnant, though. And she even mentioned that she didn't care about the father! I also liked the one where Val and Addie went to Cape Cod with Naomi.

Overall Score - 35%

CHARACTERS

Now, this one I like! I love the characters of this book. I could relate to each one of them. They are so realistic and just... seem so real! Because this book has a lot of characters, I'm just going to the stick with the main ones.

Adelaide "Addie" Downs. The main character was the best. I could so relate to her. Not because I'm fat, but because I have trouble with talking to people. I don't get bullied like her, so I don't have any valid reasons why I talk to people just the way she does. She's an introvert, and she likes to keep to herself. That is so me. But she is also very strong - this I am not. When both of her parents died, she was left to take care of her brother who got his brain damaged because of a car accident. She took care of him on her own and she did. She's a great person, who didn't deserve the bash she received from her classmates. And the one where she told her parents Val got raped? She stuck with her conscience and didn't let anything to make her change her mind. I. Just. Love. Her. Plus, her name's really cool. "Adelaide."

Valerie "Val" Adler. She's the second protagonist. She's Addie's best friend, even though she did something to her in their high school years. She didn't have an easy life, too. With her mother being uncaring to everything, she considered Addie's family her own. Yet I didn't like the part where she was happy when Naomi kissed Addie's dad. That was way out of the line and unacceptable. It showed her selfishness. She also get peer pressured easily. When Dan raped her in high school, it made me angry when she said it was her fault for agreeing. I mean, what the hell, girl? You said no and he still kept doing what he wanted and you said it's your fault? And when Addie told everyone Dan raped Val, she told Addie that she was a liar. I mean, jeez, she's your best friend! How can you not be on her side? But in the end, Val was okay. I mean, sure, her character's really annoying but it was bearable.

Jordan Novick. Hah. I love this guy so much. I honestly don't know why. Maybe because of how he was so into Addie even just they met. And the officer cliche that they made when they were having doughnuts. I also felt bad about his past, when his ex-wife, Patti, couldn't have any baby and cheated on him with their dentist. They got divorced but he still loved Patti. Man, you couldn't just give up, could you? He may be a little uncaring towards his wife, but Patti was just way obsessed with having a child. I just wish that there was a little more Addie/Jordan moments in the book. 

Daniel "Dan" Swansea. What's up with nicknames, right? And now we have arrived with the story's antagonist. Was he really? He turned himself in, though... He bullied Addie back in high school and raped Val. And in their high school reunion, Val seduced him, made him take his clothes off, took a picture of him naked and hit him accidentally with her car. Sounds like he deserves it, right? And he did. I was expecting some kind of big revenge from him against Val, and I did wait. But there was none. Instead, he got saved by Holy Mary a.k.a Meredith Armbruster. He realized that what he did was wrong and turned himself in. He also recalled how his mother was so disappointed with him. Did it really take years to make him realize what he did was wrong? Did it also have to be because he got hit by a car and was forced to walk around with a trash bags?

Overall Score - 28%

WRITING TECHNIQUE

This was my first book I've read from Jennifer Weiner. I was in the library, looking for some thing to read and I came across upon this book. Jennifer Weiner's technique of writing was okay. There is some parts that the flashbacks are kind of draggy. It may not be to some people, but it is for me. Obviously, this book's main audience are supposed to be teenagers, or young adults. And she wrote in that kind of style that appeals to them, which is a big plus. There are some minor typos, but I've only seen two. Hah. I know. I'm a bit of a grammar Nazi when it comes to published books like this. I'm weird. All in all, Jennifer Weiner's writing style is perfect for this book. I'm definitely reading another book from her.

Overall Score - 19%

SUMMARY / RECOMMENDATION

To top it all of, the whole book for me is 82%. It's not that bad, but it's also not that good. It's just in the middle. I've had fun reading it, but mostly because of Addie and her attitude towards life. It was a good read and I recommend it to every teenagers with best friends. No matter what the obstacles you're facing in life, your best friend is always going to stay with you. Friends don't leave friends. They take care of each other. When Val got raped and insisted Addie not to tell anyone, she still did. Why? Because she want the person who hurt her best friend to be responsible for his actions. And even though it's been years, they still managed to be friends again.