Who I Kissed

Mar 28, 2012 Janet rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Um. I wrote it, so it's kind of necessary for me to love it. Hee hee.

May 11, 2013 Kat (Le Pauvre Cœur) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dis-is-funneh, eh, le-sigh, stupid-heroine, sucky-writing, watch-for-flying-tables-everybody

Oh my god.
I have a peanut/any kind of nut allergy. That would really suck if my boyfriend kissed me right after he ate a hazelnut sandwich and I died. O_o

ZOMG, IT'S SO CREEPY. HEHEHEHE.

After Finishing

Sam just wants to fit in. She's one of the best swimmers at her new school and crushing on the totally hot Zee, who also happens to be one of the best swimmers in school.
When Sam's invited to Taylor's senior swimmers-only party, she goes only because Zee might be there. At first, everything is awkw...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Paige Bradish rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read and am reviewing Who I Kissed from Around The World ARC Tours for an honest review.

I didn't realize how deep Who I Kissed would actually go! It's a story of a girl named Samantha and she's a swimmer. One night while at a party her crush Zee abandons her to make out with another girl so she decides see wants to get back at him by making out with someone else. Unfortunately she chooses the wrong guy. Reason being because the guy she kissed Alex has a peanut allergy and she had a peanut butt...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Mickey (I'm A Book Shark) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, ala12, arc

See full review here!

First of all, this cover really does the book no justice. I have to say this because I had the TOTAL wrong impression of what this book was going to be about! I feel like I have to always say this, but more often than not I tend to pass on reading the description of books. I just genuinely like to read, and covers generally draw me in. This book looked very interesting at ALA, and I got it signed by the author. I thought it was more of a light teen romance, but that's defini...more See full review here!

First of all, this cover really does the book no justice. I have to say this because I had the TOTAL wrong impression of what this book was going to be about! I feel like I have to always say this, but more often than not I tend to pass on reading the description of books. I just genuinely like to read, and covers generally draw me in. This book looked very interesting at ALA, and I got it signed by the author. I thought it was more of a light teen romance, but that's definitely NOT what this book is. At all, really. Even with the title.. but I was so wrong.

And that turned out to be okay! Since it took a total turn for the "I have no idea what's going to happen next," I was able to stay much more interested than I originally thought. Well, I probably would have been just as interested in a teen romance since that's what I thought I was getting myself into. But this book is about death, grief, forgiveness. There's a bit of the romance stuff in there, but this book is about Samantha's journey after a significantly sad event occurs in her life.

Sam is strong but totally broken after the "event." She basically gives up, tortures herself by going back to school, and tries to get lost in a relationship that is barely even there. She has to work through her emotions with the help of her father, her kooky aunt, and some pretty good friends. Some things we just need to fix on our own time, I guess. I don't know how I can relate this story to my own life, but I can definitely feel myself inside Samantha's shoes. She had something horrible happen, and getting through it must be just like she describes it. It sounds awful, but I think most people would react the same way. That makes this book a little enjoyable in a way.

I really enjoyed this. I read it in a few hours because I couldn't put it down. Not because I had to know what happened to Sam, really. More because I liked being inside their lives. They were a fun group of people, and I'd like to read more about them for sure. Check this book out if you're ready to be so deceived by this cover, if you like a a bit of darkness in your YA, and if you need a book to pull you out from anything that's dragging you down.(less)

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Nov 07, 2012 Wanda (Good Choice Reading) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, read-in-2012, reviewed

This story is better than I expected. Love the awareness it will bring to young readers regarding food allergies.

This book wasn't at all what I expected. I expected a YA about a bunch of high school kids making out and just being irresponsible kids. But it wasn't like that all. Can you envision yourself kissing a guy. Now picture that he dies right before your eyes because of an allergy reaction? Well this is the exactly scenario that happened in this book. What happens during the rest of the b...more This story is better than I expected. Love the awareness it will bring to young readers regarding food allergies.

This book wasn't at all what I expected. I expected a YA about a bunch of high school kids making out and just being irresponsible kids. But it wasn't like that all. Can you envision yourself kissing a guy. Now picture that he dies right before your eyes because of an allergy reaction? Well this is the exactly scenario that happened in this book. What happens during the rest of the book made me so sad.

Each character was a written perfectly. The author didn't just write a book just for the sake of writing, she wrote a story with so much meaning to it. She invested in each character. They all had a perfect role. Sam is a young girl who just doesn't know better. She kissed a boy she hardly knew and paid for it in the harshest way possible. Sam became known for killing a boy and Alex became a poster child for peanut allergy. The exposure made Sam even guiltier to the point that she basically died with Alex. Her guilt consumed her and killed her identity.

There are so many characters that were written in this novel that brought so much to the story. Sam was pretty lucky to have her father there for her. He stuck by her giving her support. Then she had eccentric aunt with her little dog. Since Sam's mom died when Sam was a little girl, her aunt loves her like she was her own. She's there, pushing Sam to forgive herself and not to give up on life. Then you have Zee, the boy Sam likes. When he's not dealing with the loss of his best friend, he's actually someone Sam needs. He's a good guy who feels a little lost after losing his best friend. There are more characters that are just as good but I don't want this review to keep going.

Overall, this story brings a lot to the table but mostly it brings nut allergy awareness to the table and the severity of it and what a person and their family go through because of it. Who I kissed was written with a personal meaning behind it. Ms. Gurtler's son has a peanut allergy so this story is very personal to her. I think she did a good job with the story and the meaning behind it. I give this book a 4 stars and a definite Good Choice for Reading.

http://www.goodchoicereading.com/2012...(less)

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Nov 28, 2012 Katy rated it 3 of 5 stars

[Read May 17, 2012 & Edited Nov. 28, 2012]

3.5 stars - Bouncing between 3 and 4...

I liked this book. I thought it had a lot of potential, telling the story of a new, insecure girl who made a poor choice one night and ended up having to deal with some serious consequences.

I really liked Sam. What happened was truly tragic and probably pretty traumatic, especially in situations with so many "what ifs." I honestly sympathized with what she was going through - her own guilty, the way the kids tre...more [Read May 17, 2012 & Edited Nov. 28, 2012]

3.5 stars - Bouncing between 3 and 4...

I liked this book. I thought it had a lot of potential, telling the story of a new, insecure girl who made a poor choice one night and ended up having to deal with some serious consequences.

I really liked Sam. What happened was truly tragic and probably pretty traumatic, especially in situations with so many "what ifs." I honestly sympathized with what she was going through - her own guilty, the way the kids treated her at school, how she learned to heal. What I liked most about this book was Gurtler had a way of making Sam not overly depressing, but at the same time, make us connect with her.

However, I also felt there were too many things that were weird about the book.

First of all, I think it was awfully busy with a bit too much drama put into book, such as her mother's illness and death or the whole Theresa situation.

Which brings me to the relationship she had with her father and her aunt. While I'm glad she has such a close and open relationship. I mean who tells their dad (view spoiler). A normal dad would probably be waving a shotgun at his daughter's date rather than be so cool about it. It was just weird things like that that throws the story off and make it not so realistic. Oops, I had missed the three dots at the top of the page signaling a new scene. :P

And when reading the author's note about why Gurtler had decided to write this book, I was kind of disappointed that promoting peanut allergy awareness was not more prominent in the book. I'm not saying bog down the story with facts. But it didn't seem to have a major role in the book except for the reason why Alex died and a tiny bit of information about what Sam wanted to do to help at the end.

Overall, it's an enjoyable book. A quick, almost light read considering the subject. Now I have to go get some Jelly Belly, courtesy of Zee planting the thought in my head.(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Britta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Who I Kissed is an heart wrenching story of coping with grief. Not the grief of a family recovering after the premature death of a son and brother, but the guilt and torment faced by the girl who accidentally kills him with one innocent kiss.

While at one of the few parties Samantha has decided to attend, she notices the boy who was watching her swim the other day. In a moment of weakness, they end up sharing a kiss that proves fatal. Alex goes into anaphylaxis and is pronounced dead on the way...more Who I Kissed is an heart wrenching story of coping with grief. Not the grief of a family recovering after the premature death of a son and brother, but the guilt and torment faced by the girl who accidentally kills him with one innocent kiss.

While at one of the few parties Samantha has decided to attend, she notices the boy who was watching her swim the other day. In a moment of weakness, they end up sharing a kiss that proves fatal. Alex goes into anaphylaxis and is pronounced dead on the way to the hospital. All because Sam kissed him after eating a peanut butter sandwich.

Some people read the synopsis and have a moment of disbelief, as if the story couldn't possibly be good because the premise is so odd. If any variation of this thought pops into your head, immediately grab hold of it and fling. Or better yet, set it on fire and burry the ashes. Who I Kissed is so much more than the story of a boy dying from an allergic reaction. Not only does Samantha have to deal with the tormenting of her peers, the mass media attention, the hurt appearance of Alex's sister in the hall way, the dissolution of an important friendship, and the fading of her dreams, but these events are all added to the important family matters that have been filed away and ignored. The story isn't about Alex, it isn't even about server peanut allergies. Not to downplay Alex's role, but he is more of an instigator to events than the subject of the novel itself.

I love this book so much that I am getting confused just thinking about it. I have read and reviewed Gurtler's first two novels, I'm Not Her and If I Tell , both of which I very much so enjoyed, but Who I Kissed definitely takes the cake. I appreciated how real Sam's emotions were. She wasn't put down by the media attention or the ridicule of classmates, but rather she was destroyed by herself. It is her choice to limit her dreams and happiness. It is her who doesn't want to feel better, who thinks she has to suffer for what she did. She is continually torn between wanting to be punished and wanting to forget. Before she confronts Alex's family, she really has to deal with herself first.

Don't for a minute think that the plot is going to fall the usual contemporary pattern of: problem, drama, getting better, solution. It rises and falls, and drags emotions every which way. Just in case you needed one more incentive to pick up this novel.

If you love contemporary novels, or even moderately like them, Who I Kissed should be moved to the top of your to-read pile.
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Sep 22, 2012 Kim Baccellia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Once again, Gurtler doesn't disappoint in this story of forgiving yourself. Powerful and gripping! Yes, Gurtler is the YA Jodi Picoult!

YA Books Central review: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaficti...

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Feb 09, 2013 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: tag-nominees-2012-13

Samantha is a promising swimmer hoping to beat a national record and earn a scholarship to college. She moves to a new town to train with a better coach but despite her great teammates she still feels lonely. When a team mate invites her to a party, Sam reluctantly goes trying to overcome her shyness and, possibly, talk to Zee, her super hot team mate who has sorta kinda been flirting with her lately. Things go horribly awry at the party. Kids are drinking and smoking, but Sam, in training, does...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Madison rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had my reservations going into this book but turns out I stayed up into the wee hours to finish it!! I didn't expect that. But anyhow here we go!!
Plot: Meet Sam, new girl in town who just wants to swim and get through high school and maybe flirt with the hot Zee, a fellow swimmer. So when she goes to her friend Taylor's party and Zee starts flirting well how could she resist!! But things turn bad. Zee ditches Sam for Katilyn and while she's nursing her heart, she stumbles upon Alex, the cute g...more I had my reservations going into this book but turns out I stayed up into the wee hours to finish it!! I didn't expect that. But anyhow here we go!!
Plot: Meet Sam, new girl in town who just wants to swim and get through high school and maybe flirt with the hot Zee, a fellow swimmer. So when she goes to her friend Taylor's party and Zee starts flirting well how could she resist!! But things turn bad. Zee ditches Sam for Katilyn and while she's nursing her heart, she stumbles upon Alex, the cute guy checking her out earlier, and so to make Zee jealous she kisses him. And than he dies. In.her.arms!!! Turns out she shouldn't have had that peanut butter sandwich because Alex had an alergic reaction. What entails after is the story of how Sam copes with this mess and how she messes up(big time) with the wrong people and ends up with the right. Full of jelly bellys, hot study sessions, and of course swimming!!

SPOILERS!!!!!!!

Alright so first off I really hate Casper there was no need for him to do that to girls and than the whole Theresa twist at the end? I couldn't get over it! He seems really superficial and he boasts his brain way too much. I just really hated the guys in this book in general except ironically, the one who dies. Zee pissed me off he acts way too hot and cold and he wasn't even that great of a guy!! He should have either been angry or hook up with her! But no of course not! And Sam's dad just seemed a little off like he was hard in the begging and than this happens and boom everything's okay??

But I loved Aunt Allie can't I have an aunt like that???!?
Also the whole story seemed really far-fetched at first but the whole actual controversial piece the author craftily pulled in really brought a realistic piece to the table!

Overall I surprisingly could not put this book down!! Not so much romance as some people would like but a really interesting find!!

P.S. the whole thing with Sam's mom was unwarranted and kind of predictable but than again it was a minor subplot.(less)

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Oct 17, 2012 Hayley G rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gurtler's titles are always a great choice for those looking for a quick contemporary fix, in their YA.

I especially loved this one, because I am a swimmer myself, so I enjoyed having that hobby in common with Samantha. She's a strong heroine, faced with some unusual circumstances, and I enjoyed reading from her first-person, present tense narrative.

There are some sad moments Who I Kissed, and you feel a sense of injustice for Sam, while she did use Alex to make another boy jealous (a common pra...more

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Oct 11, 2012 The Fictionators rated it 3 of 5 stars

The description of this book is pretty spot on with what happens. Swimming star Sam kisses a boy that she just met at a party and he dies--right then.

Need a little more? Sam has been flirting around with her friend, Zee, when his former flame comes up to them at a party. When Zee starts making out with his old girlfriend, Sam turns her attention to Alex. It's really sweet:

Alex's hand slips around my waist, pulling me tighter. This boy knows what he's doing. His kiss is soft and sweet, with a h

...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-100-book-challenge, 2012-release, arcs-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews

This book was a pleasant surprise for me. I'm trying to branch out a bit more in my reading of YA contemporaries, something I don't read a lot of, and I really liked Janet's writing style and her story telling. She did an incredible job at creating a realistic story that deals with heartache, grief, love, learning to forgive, moving forward, choices, consequences and variety of other topics readers will easily relate to. The thing I was most impressed with in Who I Kissed was Janet's ability to...more This book was a pleasant surprise for me. I'm trying to branch out a bit more in my reading of YA contemporaries, something I don't read a lot of, and I really liked Janet's writing style and her story telling. She did an incredible job at creating a realistic story that deals with heartache, grief, love, learning to forgive, moving forward, choices, consequences and variety of other topics readers will easily relate to. The thing I was most impressed with in Who I Kissed was Janet's ability to bring awareness to food allergies, and mental illness without it being preachy or heavy. While both things are a huge factor in the lives of the teens in this book, it's their relationships, and the choices they make that really drew me into the story.

Life is about choices. No matter how big or small they are, they shape us, and our future. I liked that, that was a theme with Samantha's story. It's those choices no matter how planned out or spur of the moment they are, that turned her life upside down, and took her on a different course that she had planned. Like that time she ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, not realizing the deadly effect it could have on Alex, the guy she barley knew and kissed at that party. I really enjoyed getting to know Samantha. She's someone I felt like I connected with right away, and I enjoyed her strong voice. I sympathized with and I cheered her on. I understood her pain, and sorrow as well as her motivation to continue on. I liked that while she had a support group of her dad, her close friend and her aunt, the choice was always hers to get through the tragic event that has now changed her life.

In this web of sorrow, heartache and grief, comes something powerful, and it's Samantha and her will to just live. To take one day at a time and to try and cope with all that's gone around her and try to make things right in a new kind of way. The thing I loved about this book is how real the characters felt. It's not just Samantha, but her dad, her aunt, her crush Zee, her best friend, and Alex's family. I got their emotions, I understood their motives, and I liked that there is more to what really happened that night at the party than we're first made to believe. This is a book that unravels perfectly revealing just enough I need to know at all the right moments. It's a story that includes first kisses, the first kisses you wish you got, new romances, hope, hate, bullies, crushes, family relationships, and so much more. Most importantly it's book about forgiving and moving one. I love the way Janet tackles all the emotional sides that happen in this book, and puts it in a realistic high school setting. It's not just about Samantha, but about Alex's family, his best friends, and those that surround both Samantha, Zee and those who knew Alex best.

There's so much more I want to say about this book, but I'll just say it's one I'd recommend picking up. I really enjoyed Janet's writing style and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books. There is some mild language, mentions of sex/fooling around, and tastefully written sex scene, and a lot of talk about grief and coping with the loss of a loved one/good friend. It's a book that may not be for everyone, but it's one I felt was realistically written, and one I'd probably read again.(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult

Even having a family member with a nut allergy, I don’t really think much about it beyond making certain that the food he eats doesn’t contain it. I wouldn’t necessarily think about my touching him, even giving him a quick kiss hello, and what I had been eating. I can’t say the same now.

Sam isn’t a bad kid. She works hard to be a great swimmer, doesn’t drink, doesn’t do drugs, and tries to take things in stride. But when she tries to impress Zee, fellow swimmer and hottie, she kisses Alex – and...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Kelly Hager rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sam killed someone. It was a mistake, but that doesn't make her feel better.

Here's what happened: she went to a party (which she never does) and was flirting with her crush who was already pretty drunk. He started making out with someone else right in front of her and so she started flirting with someone else and making out with HIM (which she never does) and all that would have been fine (except for probably some residual embarrassment later) except for two things: she had had a peanut butter...more Sam killed someone. It was a mistake, but that doesn't make her feel better.

Here's what happened: she went to a party (which she never does) and was flirting with her crush who was already pretty drunk. He started making out with someone else right in front of her and so she started flirting with someone else and making out with HIM (which she never does) and all that would have been fine (except for probably some residual embarrassment later) except for two things: she had had a peanut butter sandwich before the party and he was allergic to peanuts.

Her name has been kept out of the papers and off the TV news, but of course everyone at school knows she did it. And it's nice that the world at large may not know but that doesn't make her Facebook experience any more pleasant, you know?

But what's even worse is that Sam knows she deserves every horrible thing they say to or about her---because she killed someone.

I enjoyed this book. I'd heard that story from a few years ago where someone died after kissing someone who had eaten peanut butter, but I didn't remember much about it except for that one fact. There are apparently people who are advocating for peanut-free schools, and just as many people who are like, "But my kid loves peanut butter!" And ultimately it comes down to this: does your kid love peanut butter so much, they won't care if they accidentally kill someone else just so they can have a Reese's Cup with lunch? Because if so, there may be a problem with your kid.

The thing with this book is that it shows how a bunch of ordinary decisions can lead to a catastrophe. Nobody is careful 100% of the time, and honestly it would never even occur to me to see if someone had a peanut allergy on a first date. Although Sam and Alex (the guy) never were even dating, per se---which makes it even worse for Sam, because she feels like what kind of girl would kiss someone they didn't even know? (To which I say, oh, sweetie, it's a kiss. It's not like you married a total stranger.)

This is an absolutely heartbreaking book, but worth it to see how Sam reclaims herself by the end. Recommended.(less)

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May 05, 2013 Chelsea N rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 25, 2012 Cocktails and Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenges, ya, blog-tour

Talk about a book that makes you think. Who would have thought a seemingly harmless kiss would lead to death, ridicule and a family to finally to speak about the past? This wasn't your typical YA book full of teenage angst about who loves who and why it isn't it.

Samantha is the new girl at school, trying to fit in while finding her place on the swim team that will hopefully get her into a good college. While she doesn't have many friends, she count two of her teammates amongst her friends, secre...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Cheyenne Teska rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, own, reviewed

Who I Kissed tells the story of a teenage girl who seems to have everything going for her...and the night that changed it all. Sam has always been healthy, both mentally and definitely physically. Unfortunately, when she's the cause of a classmate's accidental death, her life take a turn for the worse. She loses any hope of finding friendship in her new school and she even quits swimming altogether, which was once her entire world. Why should she deserve to have a good life when she took someone...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Suz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2012

Who I kissed is a deeply heart wrenching book full of emotional drama and wonderful teen angst. Janet Gurtler penned an amazing novel that hooked and reeled me in from the start to the finish. It's one of those books that leaves you feeling incredibly emotionally spent, but in a really good way. Several times I asked myself, "WHAT IS THIS I AM READING?!". It was just that good at holding my interest and was so easy for me to connect emotionally with all of the characters in the book.

There is a...more Who I kissed is a deeply heart wrenching book full of emotional drama and wonderful teen angst. Janet Gurtler penned an amazing novel that hooked and reeled me in from the start to the finish. It's one of those books that leaves you feeling incredibly emotionally spent, but in a really good way. Several times I asked myself, "WHAT IS THIS I AM READING?!". It was just that good at holding my interest and was so easy for me to connect emotionally with all of the characters in the book.

There is a beautiful display in the intense burden of struggle for Samantha, that was incredibly palpable and real. It was hard reading this novel sometimes, because of the depressing nature, but Gurtler did such a fantastic job of winning me over with her wonderful character development, intense emotional atmosphere, and wonder story dymanics. It made everything so incredibly realstic and easy to connect with on such a fundamental level of enjoyment and the Samantha's struggle was beautifully displayed and sympathetic. How could she have known that Alex had an allergy to peanuts, when she kissed him in an effort to make Zee jealous? That alone caused a whole new crop of thoughts to pop up and niggle at my brain. The result of what happens after that fatal kiss, is what nearly becomes Samantha's undoing. How in the world does she get to live and enjoy a happy life, when she was the cause of Alex's death? She finds herself in such a horrible emotionally unstable state, that she starts withdrawing from her friends, gives up on swimming, and pretty much life in general.

Who I Kissed is a terribly heart-wrenching and tragic story told. The beauty is in the tragedy and watching Samantha grow and overcome the grief that she didn't mean to cause. The struggle in that alone, will tug at any person's heart and have them sympathizing with her. Janet Gurlter has taken such a difficult topic and spun it into a wonderfully realistic book that anyone would enjoy reading. This is certainly not a book to be missed out on or overlooked.(less)

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Nov 01, 2012 Candace rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Janet Gurtler book, but it definitely is not my last! I had heard some good things about this book and so I read it the very day it came. It was a very fast read that only took me a few hours and it wasn't one that ever bored me, I was interested all the way through.
Sam was such a great character. She's a really good girl who doesn't drink or do drugs. She's very focused and dedicated to her swimming. She recently moved to a new school and it's been her chance to start over. So...more This was my first Janet Gurtler book, but it definitely is not my last! I had heard some good things about this book and so I read it the very day it came. It was a very fast read that only took me a few hours and it wasn't one that ever bored me, I was interested all the way through.
Sam was such a great character. She's a really good girl who doesn't drink or do drugs. She's very focused and dedicated to her swimming. She recently moved to a new school and it's been her chance to start over. So she's starting to make friends and life is going good. But then she kisses a boy she just met in a moment of weakness. It was only a moment, but that kiss causes his death because he's allergic to peanuts and she had ate a peanut butter sandwich. Sam is riddled with guilt and she can't even climb out of bed for some time. She stops swimming, she stops trying to have friends and she just lays there in her guilt. And all of this, her reaction to it all, felt real to me. I thought the grief/guilt stuff was written very well. Sam starts to come out of it and the majority of the book is her finding her way. Getting forgiveness from Alex's friends and family and dealing with the teasing and tormenting at school and just moving forward.
Sam's father and her aunt are important characters in the story and I really loved that. My initial thought was that her father would be a control freak, but it came apparent quickly that he's not, he really truly loves his daughter and only wants the very best for her. And Sam's aunt is a quirky lady who is wicked smart and really knows some tricks to get Sam back to herself.
There is some romance in the book, some good and some bad, but it was part of her journey and while some of it made me scream at her in frustration (in a good way!) it brought her to the place she needed to be. We all make mistakes and Sam is no different. And I thought the ending was pretty perfect. I definitely recommend this book and it will make you think about nut allergies a bit more. Maybe you'll be more cautious when packing a child's lunch, or just washing your hands after eating peanuts when in public. Nut allergies are a serious thing that people die from every year, we shouldn't make protecting those with the allergies an 'inconvenience'.

You can find this review and others like it on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com (less)

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Oct 26, 2012 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-contemporary-romance, arc, blog-tour, e-galley, for-review, from-publishers, kindle, own

Who I Kissed is a powerful and emotional story – one about life, loss, grief and hope. Samantha is a teenage girl who is dedicated to her prospective swimming career. She spends countless hours in the pool training and many hours trying to keep her school grades up. Sam’s not one for parties but she wants to let her hair down and hopefully can catch the eye of Zee – the guy she’s been attracted to for ages. While at the party, Sam ends up kissing another boy – to make Zee jealous, and unfortunat...more Who I Kissed is a powerful and emotional story – one about life, loss, grief and hope. Samantha is a teenage girl who is dedicated to her prospective swimming career. She spends countless hours in the pool training and many hours trying to keep her school grades up. Sam’s not one for parties but she wants to let her hair down and hopefully can catch the eye of Zee – the guy she’s been attracted to for ages. While at the party, Sam ends up kissing another boy – to make Zee jealous, and unfortunately for her, it ends in a disastrous result and the boy, Alex ends up losing his life.

Talk about the kiss of death huh? Wow, this story was such an eye opener for me. Food allergies aren’t really a priority for me. I don’t have any allergies nor do I know anyone with food allergies so, you can see why I don’t think about them often. However, while reading this book you can see why I’m so intrigued about it. I didn’t even realise food allergies could be so bad – having to watch what other kids eat at school in case something happens to your child. If my daughter had a serious allergy then I’d do anything I could to protect her and as a parent myself, I think we should help others who have allergies too. So I loved how much awareness this story brings to us as readers because I now know the lengths of how serious allergies can be.

I have to admit, I was very hesitant to start this story because I wasn’t sure where the author could take it. It’s a very serious situation and a heart-breaking one at that. We see the characters struggle with grief that it almost consumes them and we see them trying to break free and move on with their lives. The author really takes you on a journey of surviving and it makes this story such a gripping and heart-wrenching read.

I really liked Sam. She’s a teenage girl with her whole life ahead of her and then something as simple as kissing a boy, turns her life upside down. My heart went out to her and I’m glad she had the support of her family there to help her. I also really liked Zee, I didn’t always agree with his choices but from the start you know there’s something about him that you just love. And then of course, there’s Alex – the boy who died. It was such a shame because Alex seemed like a really nice guy. Again he doesn’t always make the right choices but a nice guy nonetheless.

My favourite part of Who I Kissed was definitely the ending and it honestly left me with tears in my eyes. I was praying for a happy ending and I wasn’t sure if that it could fit with the story, but Janet Gurtler really does it well. I take my hat off to her because this was definitely a difficult story to write but she really makes it work and I’d highly recommend this book to anyone.

A big thank you Sourcefire Books for giving me the opportunity to review this book.(less)

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Sep 17, 2012 Lili rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs-i-own, contemporary

I was slightly worried going into this book because I attempted to read a similar book back in 2008 and had to DNF it, but I'm happy to say that this book far exceeds my expectations and was carried out beautifully in a really unique way.

Samantha is a really easy character to connect to. I liked her thought processes, even when she was struggling to forgive herself. This book is pretty much her story to forgiving herself and regaining her strength from a huge accident that she couldn't really co...more I was slightly worried going into this book because I attempted to read a similar book back in 2008 and had to DNF it, but I'm happy to say that this book far exceeds my expectations and was carried out beautifully in a really unique way.

Samantha is a really easy character to connect to. I liked her thought processes, even when she was struggling to forgive herself. This book is pretty much her story to forgiving herself and regaining her strength from a huge accident that she couldn't really control, but unfortunately took part in. She makes a lot of mistakes in an attempt to numb herself from the pain and sorrow that consumes her, but she also learns a lot about herself, her family, and her deceased mother, which makes her stronger. I found this book to be very emotionally involved.

The characterization in this novel was incredibly interesting because it highlights every type of teenager out there. It has those that grieve, those that hate, those with risky coping mechanisms, those that lie, those that cheat, those horrible boys that take advantage of girls when they're grieving, and everything in-between. This wide array of characters was extremely welcome and for every bad heckler, there was someone good to stand beside Samantha. They take you on a roller coaster of a ride and never let you sit comfortably, but they helped the story evolve and I really enjoyed the story because of this.

The plot progression in this novel was just right. It wasn't too fast or too slow. It was simply at Samantha's own pace of recovery and self-acceptance. Once her peers began to step in, it sped up slightly because she had the help of others behind her. This is a quick read because of this, and I enjoyed that. I was able to get through it happily in one sitting.

The romance is there and is always in the back-plot, but isn't center stage at every portion of the book. The entire reason that Alex unfortunately passed away is because Samantha kissed him to make Zee jealous. So her love for Zee is always on the back of her mind. As the story continues, her love life is always on her mind simply because she chastises herself for doing something so out of character. She then looks towards boys to help her calm down and temporarily forget about Alex. While things carry out, you may be with her or against her, but in the end, you sit there and realize how her romantic mistakes helped her become a strong girl again. This is all about her emotional struggles and progressions to solidarity, so her decisions were all necessary, even if slightly frustrating in the moment.

I was very satisfied with the ending. It was simple, but pulled together all of the plot points and made me, as a reader, smile because of my attachment and liking of specific characters. It doesn't leave you begging for more and doesn't make a sequel necessary. It simply completes the book efficiently and leaves very little room for complaint. Thus, I really enjoyed this story. It was easy to get through, enjoyable, and emotionally powerful. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a quick read that is about discovering oneself and traveling the long path to forgiveness.(less)

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Nov 12, 2012 Rebekah rated it 4 of 5 stars

What worked: This book had me in a glass case of emotion. In fact, it's quite difficult to write a review because there is just SO. MUCH. Sam puts herself into a terrible situation where she has to live with the most earth-shattering guilt. Not only that, she has all of the ridiculous kids at school making her life a misery when it was an accident. A very tragic accident.
The dynamic between Sam and her dad was very interesting, he comes across as one of those pushy parents that are only concer...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Beth Gordon rated it 4 of 5 stars

For a book geared to young adults, I was surprised by how engaging and "deep" this book was. Main character Sam kisses a guy at a party, and he dies due to a severe peanut allergy after she had eaten a peanut butter sandwich. The book focuses on the guilt she feels and how the rest of the school blames her for killing such a good guy.

The author tried to give Sam some quirks, like the braid, and developed interesting characters like the aunt.

On the downside, you could see the plot twist coming...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Janet Gurtler’s Who I Kissed is the remarkable story of Samantha who accidently kills a boy by kissing him. When Samantha wanted to make another boy jealous, she kisses Alex. He is highly allergic to peanuts and it just happened that Samantha just ate a peanut butter sandwich. Alex’s allergic reaction went into full blast that ultimately took his life while he was on his way to the hospital. Living with this tragic event, she must face all of her peers in shame for accidently killing Alex, a wel...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Bonnie (Words at Home Blog) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, reviewed-2012, netgalley

Review originally posted on Words at Home blog Nov 27, 2012: http://www.wordsathome.ca/2012/11/who...

I had to step back for a little bit after finishing Who I Kissed and it took some time to really wrap my head around what I had read. This is a book that I couldn’t put down, Gurtler so expertly captured the emotions of her characters and their anger, sadness, and despair was literally dripping off the pages. Who I Kissed is an incredibly powerful and emotional story. It is about guilt, relations...more
Review originally posted on Words at Home blog Nov 27, 2012: http://www.wordsathome.ca/2012/11/who...

I had to step back for a little bit after finishing Who I Kissed and it took some time to really wrap my head around what I had read. This is a book that I couldn’t put down, Gurtler so expertly captured the emotions of her characters and their anger, sadness, and despair was literally dripping off the pages. Who I Kissed is an incredibly powerful and emotional story. It is about guilt, relationships, and the ways we can look for validation and acceptance while in the midst of an emotional crisis.

As the new girl in school Sam was just trying to fit in, especially since the rumors at her old school had nearly ruined her. She had found a place for herself on her school’s swim team where she dominated records, had a new best friend, and something was starting to happen between her and the boy she had a crush on. Things were finally started to work out for her, until one night at a party when she was feeling a little bit rejected and a little lonely. Sam made a decision to kiss a boy that she hardly knew and wasn’t terribly interested in just to make her crush jealous. It was completely out of character for her and ended with disastrous consequences. Before the party started Sam had eaten a peanut butter sandwich, and the boy she choose to kiss had an anaphylactic peanut allergy. Alex died that night, and Sam was overcome with grief and guilt. She quit swimming, stopped going out, and spent weeks locked in her room. When she finally ventured out of the house to go to school not only did she find that the whole school was talking about her but they hated her and blamed her for killing Alex. The only friendly face to be found was that of her best friend Taylor, and the boy she liked? Well he was Alex’s best friend.

I was completely blown away with how real this story felt. Gurtler didn’t hide a thing and Sam’s remorse, guilt, anger and despair were palpable. It was at times painful to see the way she held herself accountable as well as the ways that she attempted to escape from her guilt. She didn’t believe that she was deserving of the life she was aspiring to because she blamed herself for taking Alex’s future away from him. She quit swimming even though it was her life and began a relationship with a boy simply because he was nice to her. She couldn’t see the truth behind his motives because her mind was so clouded with regret.

Zee was a really interesting character and had the conflicted role of both liking Sam and being Alex’s best friend. How do you continue to flirt with a girl that you really like when she is being blamed for killing your best friend? I can only imagine how difficult the situation would have been for Zee, and while at times I was angry with him for giving Sam the cold shoulder, I don’t know how he could have acted any differently. And even though it was obvious that he was struggling with his feelings and grief, it was still clear that he cared about Sam.

Who I Kissed was a much more complicated and emotional novel than I had originally believed I was in store for. Through paying close attention not only to Sam and her struggle to get through what happened, but also to Alex’s best friend, family members and classmates Gurtler was able to realistically explore the impact that Alex’s death had. Janet Gurtler has written a completely compelling and sensitive novel that struck a cord with me and has me extremely eager to read her other work!

I received an ARC of Who I Kissed via Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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Feb 02, 2013 Anna (Gatsby's Girl) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sam just moved to a new town and is starting to make friends, even if it is just with the kids on her swim team. One of her teammates, Zee, invites her to a party and because she likes him Sam decides to go. But when he spends the party hooking up with another girl, Sam decides to flirt with someone else. When they kiss, Alex has a seizure - and dies right in her arms. It turns out that he was allergic to peanuts and Sam ate a peanut butter sandwhich before the party. She had no clue about his a...more Sam just moved to a new town and is starting to make friends, even if it is just with the kids on her swim team. One of her teammates, Zee, invites her to a party and because she likes him Sam decides to go. But when he spends the party hooking up with another girl, Sam decides to flirt with someone else. When they kiss, Alex has a seizure - and dies right in her arms. It turns out that he was allergic to peanuts and Sam ate a peanut butter sandwhich before the party. She had no clue about his allergies, but now everyone blames her for Alex's death. Sam retreats into herself, in agony over Alex's death thinking that she killed him. She quits swimming and talking to anyone at school, and lets herself be used by a boy she thinks likes her. Will Sam be able to find the strength to move on? Especially when it may never have been her fault at all. I spent the majority of the book feeling really bad for Sam. It wasn't her fault that she didn't know about Alex's allergy. She was just a girl who kissed a guy at a party. How many of us have done that without knowing that sort of thing about the person? Sam has a really supportive Dad and her Aunt is awesome. I liked the depth of her issues of not knowing what really happened with her Mom - the fact that it took this long for them to tell her that her Mom was bi-polar is sort of pathetic. I couldn't understand what she saw in Zee though. I thought he treated her like crap even before what happened with Alex, and then after that he was a total asshole to Sam. I could understand the grief of Alex's family and thought the author handled that really well. My major anger was that Sam went through all of this, when at the end of the book you find out that it wasn't really her fault (and two of the teens blaming her knew that all along). Overall a really thought-provoking read that keeps you guessing the entire time. I recommend it for fans of Sarah Dessen, Susane Colasanti, and Jennifer E. Smith.

VERDICT: 4/5 Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**(less)

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Nov 07, 2012 Jennifer Rayment rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: signed-by-author

will post review tomorrow or next day as i busy mom and book whore (work at bookstore)

The Good Stuff

A sweet and realistic story of grief, guilt, family, relationships and forgiveness
As a mom I found it a thought provoking and challenging read at times. I won't lie I spent much of the story silently weeping. Made me think could I forgive someone who might have inadvertently killed my child. Made me think about my serious consumption of peanut butter and how I will be so much more vigilant about...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Emily (Book Jems) marked it as to-read

Shelves: contemporary, romance, young-adult, color-me-curious, kindle, netalley-e-galley, released, sooner-rather-than-later, sourcebooks, stand-alone, signed

This sounds a heck of a lot like Kiss Me, Kill Me by Lauren Henderson, but I will give it a shot.

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Oct 27, 2012 Kristen My Bookish Fairy Tale rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed Who I Kissed. The storyline of Who I Kissed is definitely unique.

This is an emotional story to say the least. As Sam tries to cope with death of Alex, she finds herself in more ways than one.

To be honest I wasn`t overly interested in this book when I received it for review but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I really loved it.

The character`s are so well developed and it is very easy to get invested whole heartedly into this story.

This is definitely a book about self...more

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