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A review by lenoreo
Once and for All by Sarah Dessen
4.0
Check out the buddy review on Mom With a Reading Problem here: https://momwithareadingproblem.com/2021/07/summer-of-love-buddy-read-once-and-for-all-by-sarah-dessen/
Below I included my super rough review while I was waiting to discuss this book with my buddies!
4.5 stars -- Wow. As I vaguely remember from the other 2 Dessen books I've read, that was a perfect mix of quirky, hilarious, well drawn characters and situations with capital E emotions.
I know it says tragedy in the damn blurb, but I wasn't expecting it. Not that level. Not that subject. Those past chapters freaking killed me. Even knowing, piece by piece, what was coming, I still bawled my fucking eyes out. Multiple times. With hubby providing hugs that just made me cry longer (but I think comforting me makes him feel better).
The thing that is different about these YAs, is that in so many ways, the romance isn't the focus. Which is not to say we didn't get romance. In fact, we got 2. And they were so different from one another, so unique.
Louna was an interesting MC to follow, because she is so guarded, but you totally get *why* she's so guarded. Seeing how the events affected her, shaped her, it was heartbreaking to imagine all those hidden people grieving in each of those situations. I both loved and hated getting to see this perspective.
She's a lot more serious than most YA heroines we might follow...or maybe not. But she's so straight-laced -- organized, methodical, stays in the lines. Maybe that's why it was so lovely to see her have that night with Ethan. And maybe that's what made her developing friendship (and more) with Ambrose so fun to watch -- because he shook her up. He brought her into the land of the living again.
I actually had a lot of feelings about Ambrose, which is funny since Louna is our MC. But I could feel so many things about him and how he was...how misunderstood he must be. How people must have treated him for being so different and not fitting into our molds. And yet, it didn't stop him from being who he was. He was kind of unexpectedly adorable, especially for someone who treated women kind of cavalierly. I don't know how to feel about that side of him -- did he ever feel bad about how he treated them? What made him the way he was? That's the bummer part of not having dual POV, but in the end he was there to add to Louna's journey. I just wanted more about him I guess.
I kind of loved that William and Natalie got their own little happy endings too. It was a very rewarding ending in that way.
Below I included my super rough review while I was waiting to discuss this book with my buddies!
4.5 stars -- Wow. As I vaguely remember from the other 2 Dessen books I've read, that was a perfect mix of quirky, hilarious, well drawn characters and situations with capital E emotions.
I know it says tragedy in the damn blurb, but I wasn't expecting it. Not that level. Not that subject. Those past chapters freaking killed me. Even knowing, piece by piece, what was coming, I still bawled my fucking eyes out. Multiple times. With hubby providing hugs that just made me cry longer (but I think comforting me makes him feel better).
The thing that is different about these YAs, is that in so many ways, the romance isn't the focus. Which is not to say we didn't get romance. In fact, we got 2. And they were so different from one another, so unique.
Louna was an interesting MC to follow, because she is so guarded, but you totally get *why* she's so guarded. Seeing how the events affected her, shaped her, it was heartbreaking to imagine all those hidden people grieving in each of those situations. I both loved and hated getting to see this perspective.
She's a lot more serious than most YA heroines we might follow...or maybe not. But she's so straight-laced -- organized, methodical, stays in the lines. Maybe that's why it was so lovely to see her have that night with Ethan. And maybe that's what made her developing friendship (and more) with Ambrose so fun to watch -- because he shook her up. He brought her into the land of the living again.
I actually had a lot of feelings about Ambrose, which is funny since Louna is our MC. But I could feel so many things about him and how he was...how misunderstood he must be. How people must have treated him for being so different and not fitting into our molds. And yet, it didn't stop him from being who he was. He was kind of unexpectedly adorable, especially for someone who treated women kind of cavalierly. I don't know how to feel about that side of him -- did he ever feel bad about how he treated them? What made him the way he was? That's the bummer part of not having dual POV, but in the end he was there to add to Louna's journey. I just wanted more about him I guess.
I kind of loved that William and Natalie got their own little happy endings too. It was a very rewarding ending in that way.