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53rd out of 234 books
—
485 voters
Fixing Delilah
by
Sarah Ockler (Goodreads Author)
Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.
She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.
Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romanc...more
She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.
Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romanc...more
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
December 1st 2010
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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I love to read about things that I can relate to because I feel like it's someone validating my experience in life. I guess I had the urge to read something like this. Though this really doesn't relate to my personal experience I know it will speak some truth to others who had to grow up without a father or mother, and have to figure out why things have to be always so hard?
Delilah has hit a pretty sucky time in her life. Her mom is always working and doesn't seem to have time to answer Delilah'...more
Delilah has hit a pretty sucky time in her life. Her mom is always working and doesn't seem to have time to answer Delilah'...more
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Fixing Delilah reminds me of Saving Francesca which I read a few months back. I enjoyed these two stories as they are a little about lost/broken girls and a lot about family and frienship. Delilah’s story just happens to be clothed in a little more mystery.
With her grandmother dead, she, her mother and aunt return to their hometown. There she finds an old friend, discovers another one then (re)discovers her family's past. She finally gets answers about a lot of things. BUT I just kept weaving t...more
With her grandmother dead, she, her mother and aunt return to their hometown. There she finds an old friend, discovers another one then (re)discovers her family's past. She finally gets answers about a lot of things. BUT I just kept weaving t...more
I'd been reading so many paranormal romances and was craving a really good contemp, and I totally got one. This book was, in short, AMAZING. It's got complicated parent-kid relationships, first love, SUMMER! (which is quite awesome to read about during winter, as you know), super-cute, repeat, super-cute love interest, family secrets, and beautiful writing. Delilah was a complicated yet relatable character, and her narration was So. Much. Fun to read! She had such a great sense of humor, and her...more
3 likes · like · see review
I'd already read 20 boys of summer and Bittersweet by this author, so I was weary of what this one would bring. But it actually was a nice surprise, with relatable characters. The not-so-good though was the plotholes and contrived fillers.
I liked the whole setting of the book (I just love summer books, I can't help it), with the lake, the family house, the former best friend and the small-town charm, as well as most of the storyline.
However, some things just felt too unbelievable. The mother w...more
I liked the whole setting of the book (I just love summer books, I can't help it), with the lake, the family house, the former best friend and the small-town charm, as well as most of the storyline.
However, some things just felt too unbelievable. The mother w...more
1 like · like · see review
Wow, what a great story. Sarah Ockler certainly has a way of writing that draws me right in. I read this book in one sitting and that was mainly because I got so involved in the story and it was so easy to read and before I knew it I had finished and a few hours had passed. This is a story about relationships, mother, daughter, sister, friend and it is also about family, about people and how they cope with the things that happen. There were also three separate times where i found myself with tea...more
"We all long for what could have been." This is a quote repeated several times throughout Fixing Delilah, one that I really love. Having not yet read Ockler's debut Twenty Boy Summer, I was pleasantly surprised by her lyrical yet simple way of writing and the rhythm the events were woven together. She certainly knows how to write her stories and make fantastic characters; Delilah was wonderful and had me captivated from the start.
Despite how much I loved Delilah's character, she is not my favori...more
Despite how much I loved Delilah's character, she is not my favori...more
Delilah's family is torn apart from a long time feud.
Although I thought the love interest was a great story line, I thought the basic plot seemed a little skimmed over. It's a tough topic, though, for any family - so many secrets - that it's hard to find a balance between really wallowing in the horror and understanding the motivations of Delilah. I would have loved more back story and more understanding of the mom and sisters, but it was a nice short read, so that may be a nice trade off at tim...more
Although I thought the love interest was a great story line, I thought the basic plot seemed a little skimmed over. It's a tough topic, though, for any family - so many secrets - that it's hard to find a balance between really wallowing in the horror and understanding the motivations of Delilah. I would have loved more back story and more understanding of the mom and sisters, but it was a nice short read, so that may be a nice trade off at tim...more
3 likes · like · see review
Full Review on the blog @ My Precious www.thecallawayfam.blogspot.com
Summary: Delilah Hannaford is on a path to self destruction. In the last month she's been accused of shoplifting, caught sneaking back into her bedroom late at night after having meaningless sex with her "non-boyfriend", dented her mom's car and she nearly flunked out of her junior year in high school. It sure didn't help the night she was discovered climbing back through her bedroom window was the same night her mother found o...more
Summary: Delilah Hannaford is on a path to self destruction. In the last month she's been accused of shoplifting, caught sneaking back into her bedroom late at night after having meaningless sex with her "non-boyfriend", dented her mom's car and she nearly flunked out of her junior year in high school. It sure didn't help the night she was discovered climbing back through her bedroom window was the same night her mother found o...more
The review was published in my blog:
http://readwriteleave.blogspot.com/20...
"Sometimes I wonder if my whole life will pass by this way: me waiting in the shadows, waiting for something to happen. Waiting for someone else to make it happen. Something new or different or crazy or amazing. I've been there for so long, letting everyone else figure it out for me, floating along without much direction or conscious thought. Reacting. Attention-seeking, Mom calls it. Impulsive. Reckless."
(Fixing Delilah...more
http://readwriteleave.blogspot.com/20...
"Sometimes I wonder if my whole life will pass by this way: me waiting in the shadows, waiting for something to happen. Waiting for someone else to make it happen. Something new or different or crazy or amazing. I've been there for so long, letting everyone else figure it out for me, floating along without much direction or conscious thought. Reacting. Attention-seeking, Mom calls it. Impulsive. Reckless."
(Fixing Delilah...more
i like cheese. i like cheese on sandwiches and pizzas and crackers. but there is only so much cheese i can take in a book, and this one probably has too much for me.
Fixing Delilah has a great opening chapter. it consists of only one line, but immediately sets the pace and makes you curious. unfortunately, from there on, the beginning is really and truly slack and hard to get through. while it is an easy read (another pointlessly fat book with huge print), and the chapters are short, it was hard...more
Fixing Delilah has a great opening chapter. it consists of only one line, but immediately sets the pace and makes you curious. unfortunately, from there on, the beginning is really and truly slack and hard to get through. while it is an easy read (another pointlessly fat book with huge print), and the chapters are short, it was hard...more
GRRR i just lost a massive review and so now Im re-typing it. This isnt my day. Must remember to copy my reviews prior to hitting the save button because this isnt the first time it's happened!! *cries*
When i recieved this book from a friend I was pleased but not excited. Ockler's other novels Twenty Boy Summer and Bittersweet, whilst good, didnt quite blow me away. This along with an okay cover and a goodreads average of below 4 meant i wasnt jumping the gun to read it.
So when I did start readi...more
When i recieved this book from a friend I was pleased but not excited. Ockler's other novels Twenty Boy Summer and Bittersweet, whilst good, didnt quite blow me away. This along with an okay cover and a goodreads average of below 4 meant i wasnt jumping the gun to read it.
So when I did start readi...more
After her debut novel, Twenty Boy Summer, I know that I'm gonna love her other books. Without a doubt, Sarah Ockler writes beautifully. It's nice to know that after an amazing and very emotional ride with her first book, delivering the second one is still what I was expecting of her.
Fixing Delilah may be your typical dysfunctional family story but what I love about it is how real the characters are and how emotionally driven and moving it is in between. It just had the right amount of laughter,...more
Fixing Delilah may be your typical dysfunctional family story but what I love about it is how real the characters are and how emotionally driven and moving it is in between. It just had the right amount of laughter,...more
3 likes · like · see review
I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK!
Yup, I wrote "loved" three times. But I this book totally deserves it! This book starts of when your introduced to Delilah, she has no siblings, no father (who she thinks is dead), and a workaholic mother. She gets bad marks, is bullied at school by her "friends", "forgot" that she had lip gloss in her hand when she left the store, and sneaks out with a different boy every night into the forest. What a life. But there was a time where she had a better one, when her...more
Yup, I wrote "loved" three times. But I this book totally deserves it! This book starts of when your introduced to Delilah, she has no siblings, no father (who she thinks is dead), and a workaholic mother. She gets bad marks, is bullied at school by her "friends", "forgot" that she had lip gloss in her hand when she left the store, and sneaks out with a different boy every night into the forest. What a life. But there was a time where she had a better one, when her...more
I loved this book. I picked it up because once I get attached to an author, I find everything she's ever written, and Twenty Boy Summer, Ockler's debut novel, was AMAZING. The woman is a master at imagery.
I felt like I knew Delilah's personality almost from the first three chapters alone. Delilah is the misunderstood child who isn't allowed to ask questions or discuss feelings. Mom is a workaholic. When D's grandmother dies, they must return to Vermont, where she remembers spending most every s...more
I felt like I knew Delilah's personality almost from the first three chapters alone. Delilah is the misunderstood child who isn't allowed to ask questions or discuss feelings. Mom is a workaholic. When D's grandmother dies, they must return to Vermont, where she remembers spending most every s...more
Title: Fixing Delilah
Author: Sarah Ockler
Published: 2010
Summary: When tragedy strikes the Hannaford family, Delilah finds herself back in her childhood summer home. While there, she is surrounded by painful memories and hidden truths that she must face with her mother and aunt.
I've had this on my to-read pile at home for a week or so now and I'd been avoiding it for a bit since I'm currently going through a family crisis of my own and thought it would hit a bit too close to home.
Thankfully, that...more
Author: Sarah Ockler
Published: 2010
Summary: When tragedy strikes the Hannaford family, Delilah finds herself back in her childhood summer home. While there, she is surrounded by painful memories and hidden truths that she must face with her mother and aunt.
I've had this on my to-read pile at home for a week or so now and I'd been avoiding it for a bit since I'm currently going through a family crisis of my own and thought it would hit a bit too close to home.
Thankfully, that...more
The story starts with Delilah's mother Claire receiving news from her sister Rachel that their mother has died, someone none of them have seen in eight years. The reason for their separation is unknown and is the underlying storyline throughout the book. As Delilah and Claire head back to Claire's childhood home for the funeral and to wrap up the estate, family feuds resurface, old friends appear and relationships are tested as secrets are slowly uncovered, leading to a shocking climax.
Delilah i...more
Delilah i...more
Original post here.
This reminded me a lot of Jandy Nelson’s The Sky Is Everywhere. It’s one of my best reads of 2010, so I was a little blah with the similarities. Which means that I was a little biased and was trying hard to point out the ‘un-nice parts’ in the book so I’d end up not liking it (it happens most of the time), but alas! I couldn’t find anything to rant about, so I came to the conclusion that both are similar and different in many good ways and both are very good and worthy reads.
F...more
This reminded me a lot of Jandy Nelson’s The Sky Is Everywhere. It’s one of my best reads of 2010, so I was a little blah with the similarities. Which means that I was a little biased and was trying hard to point out the ‘un-nice parts’ in the book so I’d end up not liking it (it happens most of the time), but alas! I couldn’t find anything to rant about, so I came to the conclusion that both are similar and different in many good ways and both are very good and worthy reads.
F...more
I have a whole bunch of books that have been on my Kindle for a while, so I'm making a conscious effort to read them. This was one.
It's classified as YA and revolves around the dynamics of a fractured family. While none of the things that happen are unpredictable or stunning, it was beautifully written, and makes the reader remember the importance of family, and the beauty of first love. I don't know if a sequel is planned, but the ending easily leaves room for one.
The author clearly remembers...more
It's classified as YA and revolves around the dynamics of a fractured family. While none of the things that happen are unpredictable or stunning, it was beautifully written, and makes the reader remember the importance of family, and the beauty of first love. I don't know if a sequel is planned, but the ending easily leaves room for one.
The author clearly remembers...more
1 like · like · see review
After reading and falling in love with Twenty Boy Summer, I had high expectations for Fixing Delilah, and I wasn't disappointed. Fixing Delilah is a beautiful story of family, loss, and friendship.
The writing was beautiful. The one passage that stood out to me more than any other was, "I try to think of him as Little Ricky with braces and freckles, but that only strengthens the invisible pull I feel toward him, the sense of entitlement rising in me as though knowing his past gives me some claim...more
The writing was beautiful. The one passage that stood out to me more than any other was, "I try to think of him as Little Ricky with braces and freckles, but that only strengthens the invisible pull I feel toward him, the sense of entitlement rising in me as though knowing his past gives me some claim...more
Delilah’s summer is hijacked with the news that family matriarch Elizabeth has died. Delilah hadn’t seen her grandmother since a big family fight after her grandfather’s funeral eight years prior. Now the three remaining Hannafords—mom Claire, Aunt Rachel, and Delilah—need to come together to sort the lake house and plan another funeral. There’s tension between the two sisters stemming from old hurts, and between Delilah and her mom after years of loneliness and a latchkey kid lifestyle. But, fo...more
Nov 26, 2010
Melanie Goodman
added it
Sarah Ockler clearly knows how to write about love and loss. Her first book, Twenty Boy Summer, was a heartbreaking exploration of moving on after the loss of a boyfriend. In Fixing Delilah, Delilah Hanniford moves to Vermont for a summer after the death of her grandmother. Delilah hadn’t seen her grandmother in years; her mother wouldn’t take her back to visit after a mysterious fight at her grandfather’s funeral. Relationships, it seems, are not the Hannaford womens’ strong suit–the ties betwe...more
It's been an entire eight years since Delilah Hannaford has seen her grandmother and now she's dead. Beyond any choice of her own, her mother has kept contact with her immediate family to the bare minimum and their communication between the two of them is almost non-existent. What once was a happy home, a mother-daughter bond similar to that of Rory and Lorelai of the "Gilmore Girls", is now a work-a-holic mom ordering take-out for her lackluster daughter. Delilah hardly recognizes the two of th...more
The main characters seemed so real to me and the setting couldn't be better. A lot is left unsaid between the Hannafords, but when secrets are revealed, they will catch you by surprise. There are moments of joy and laughter, and there are moments of sadness and sorrow.
I think the author did a great job of capturing what it feels like to be a teen as Hannah wonders about what could have been and as she is discovering herself. A multitude of emotions are experienced, and sometimes, a storm can su...more
I think the author did a great job of capturing what it feels like to be a teen as Hannah wonders about what could have been and as she is discovering herself. A multitude of emotions are experienced, and sometimes, a storm can su...more
So, here I am. Finished. Finished reading the book I mean.
Before I start with my review, I want to share something with you guys.
Recently I have been going through a phase where no book seem to.....
'connect' with me. If You understand what I mean, then you'll realise how hard that is for a book lover. So thats how I started Fixing Delilah.
I was weary and had no expectation. Well, boy did this book prove me wrong.
This a story about, in my view, a girl who reconnects with all the important people...more
Before I start with my review, I want to share something with you guys.
Recently I have been going through a phase where no book seem to.....
'connect' with me. If You understand what I mean, then you'll realise how hard that is for a book lover. So thats how I started Fixing Delilah.
I was weary and had no expectation. Well, boy did this book prove me wrong.
This a story about, in my view, a girl who reconnects with all the important people...more
In one of Fixing Delilah's "professional" reviews, it mentioned that fans of Sarah Dessen would love this book. I'm a huge Sarah Dessen fan. She's one of the only authors that doesn't have me rolling my eyes at romance. She is the queen of the airy-summer-fling romance novel. So, I had to check out Fixing Delilah due to the comparison to Sarah Dessen (that and the fact that it was a free Kindle e-book for a while). Unfortunately, it didn't live up to "Sarah Dessen" standard.
My main issue with Fi...more
My main issue with Fi...more
3 likes · like · see review
Delilah Hannaford is falling apart. Her grades have crashed and burned, she’s dating this random guy (and by “dating,” I mean hooking up with in the middle of the night) and she barely talks to her friends anymore. You can probably trace it to the fact that her mom’s working ALL THE TIME and so their once-close relationship has completely disintegrated, and her dad died before she was born. Then her grandmother dies and she and her mom move to Vermont for the summer to take care of the estate.
Sp...more
Sp...more
Fixing Delilah Hannaford
by Sarah Ockler
We all are curious about our parent’s past. What were they like before? What were our grandparents like? Delilah is no different. After her grandfather’s death, a mysterious argument causes Delilah’s mother to whisk Delilah away from the only family she has ever known. Now, a teenager with “issues,” Delilah’s sophisticated, suit-clad mother takes her back to Red Falls—the scene of the conflict—where she discovers a secret that does little to clarify the co...more
by Sarah Ockler
We all are curious about our parent’s past. What were they like before? What were our grandparents like? Delilah is no different. After her grandfather’s death, a mysterious argument causes Delilah’s mother to whisk Delilah away from the only family she has ever known. Now, a teenager with “issues,” Delilah’s sophisticated, suit-clad mother takes her back to Red Falls—the scene of the conflict—where she discovers a secret that does little to clarify the co...more
Reading Fixing Delilah reminded me of watching a slow summer movie. Or sitting out on the back porch in the heat drinking a cold glass of lemonade. The beautiful writing and imagery just made the whole story, no matter how emotional, dramatic or heartbreaking, have a relaxing undertone that can't help but make you feel happy. It's strange that a book that is largely about deteriorating family relationships, death, and depression can still feel that way, but it does.
The Hannaford women, holding...more
The Hannaford women, holding...more
Oct 09, 2012
Sophia.
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Shelves:
brothers-and-sisters,
cliche-love-story,
death,
depression,
disappointing,
eye-rolls-and-frowning,
family-power,
mental-instability,
meh,
mysterious-mystery,
music-is-everything,
painfully-shitty,
plot-what-plot,
pregnancy,
ridiculous-guy,
slowwww,
smoke-sex-alcohol,
so-very-weak,
stupid-hero,
suicide,
summer,
too-cliche,
too-many-repetitions,
too-much-drama,
unconvincing-romance,
useless-and-ineffective,
unsatisfaying-ending,
way-too-predictable,
what-s-the-point,
yawn-booring,
worst-writing-ever
Beeen there, done read that. It's so cliché and déjà vu, it kinda hurt my eyes to read this. So Ockler used the concept of former-childhood-BFF to introduce the romance. Okay. Problem #1: It is very unlikely that after 8 years with no contact whatsoever, Patrick and Delilah still have this very friendly relationship as soon as they see each other. Like he calls her "baby", and hugs her and yada yada. Unbelievable, sorry. Problem #2: A romance like that feels underdevelopped. Just because they US...more
5 likes · like · see review
Things that intrigued me about this book: it was declared to be a self-discovery tale about a girl who has a lot of growing up to do. It was about a girl who has a lot of jacked up family problems. Hey, who doesn't? I did. I wanted to relate to her. I knew there would be a sweet little love story hidden within.
So..
Love story.
Self-discovery.
Messed-up family.
Count me in.
I read a review about this book before I began that compared it to Saving Francesca. While I do think that if you've read either...more
So..
Love story.
Self-discovery.
Messed-up family.
Count me in.
I read a review about this book before I began that compared it to Saving Francesca. While I do think that if you've read either...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young Adult Conte...: #1: Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler (Sep 24-30) | 56 | 70 | Sep 30, 2012 10:15pm |
Sarah Ockler is the bestselling author of novels for teens, including Bittersweet, Fixing Delilah, and the critically acclaimed Twenty Boy Summer, a YALSA Teens' Top Ten nominee and IndieNext List pick. Her latest, The Book of Broken Hearts, hits the shelves in May 2013.
Sarah is a champion cupcake eater, coffee drinker, night person, and bookworm. When she's not writing or reading at home in Colo...more
More about Sarah Ockler...
Sarah is a champion cupcake eater, coffee drinker, night person, and bookworm. When she's not writing or reading at home in Colo...more
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“I was, but then I realized that I was holding on to something that didn't exist anymore. That the person I missed didn't exist anymore. People change. The things we like and dislike change. And we can wish they couldn't all day long but that never works.”
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329 people liked it
“In your entire life, you can probably count your true friends on one hand. Maybe even on one finger. Those are the friends you need to cherish, and I wouldn't trade one of them for a hundred of the other kind. I'd rather be completely alone than with a bunch of people who aren't real. People who are just passing time.”
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263 people liked it
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