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Something Like Normal

by Trish Doller (Goodreads Author)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 6,729 ratings · 949 reviews

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each othe...more

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published June 19th 2012 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

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Lists with This Book

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

2012 YA Contemporaries

17th out of 239 books — 1,800 voters

2012 Debut Authors (Young Adult & Middle Grade)

56th out of 793 books — 4,492 voters

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Community Reviews

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Sep 02, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity by: Kay

Shelves: new-adult-college

"You might not remember me, but --"
"Travis Stephenson," she interrupts, her words like a roadblock. "Welcome home. Now leave me alone."

It's always nice to come across a book that has a little bit of everything. Something Like Normal definitely covered its bases in the emotion department. If there was an emotion left to be discovered, I couldn't tell you what it was. Everything from fear, anger, joy, sorrow, caution and anticipation was explored. This particular (male) narrative was somewhat d...more

like 90 likes · see review

May 12, 2012 Ariana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc-galley

“War is only half the battle” - what a beautiful tagline <3

Dear Travis,

I know you’ve been through a lot and I care for you with all my heart.
I love the honesty with which you describe your world with the good and the bad, I love how you know when you’re wrong, how you are sad to be right, how you want to say you’re sorry but the apologies get stuck in your throat, how happy you would be to find some light in the darkness of your nightmares, how much you need to be held in fragile arms becaus...more

like 37 likes · see review

Dec 17, 2012 Mitch Cave rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: already-know-im-going-to-rate-5-sta, books-about-death, give-me-this-book-now, i-d-very-much-like-to-read-this-pl, i-so-wanna-read-this, it-sounds-good, realistic-fiction, male-protagonist, male-protaganist

GAAAAH!!!! I soooo want to read this! Sounds like my kind of book, with the Marine aspects and the Afghan war. And plus, FINALLY a YA romance book from the GUY'S prospective!!!!!!

One thing I must say, negatively, is this cover...

I still can't wait to get my hands on this, though.
Soon, my pretty. Soon you will be mine.

like 17 likes · see review

Jun 02, 2012 Janina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, problem-focused, male-pov, for-review, on-my-kindle, death-loss-grief, made-me-cry, older-ya-vibe, read-in-2012, unputdownable, let-me-down, young-adult-fiction

When I first finished Something Like Normal, I clicked the four star button with fervour and conviction. Yet, upon thinking back now – a little over a month later – I can't deny that the story left little impact on me. And that makes me sad. Trish Doller's debut is exactly my kind of awesome – contemporary YA focusing on grief and guilt – but still, it was not nearly as earth-shattering and meaningful as I had expected it to be. Now, I think that partly, my extremely high expectations are to bla...more When I first finished Something Like Normal, I clicked the four star button with fervour and conviction. Yet, upon thinking back now – a little over a month later – I can't deny that the story left little impact on me. And that makes me sad. Trish Doller's debut is exactly my kind of awesome – contemporary YA focusing on grief and guilt – but still, it was not nearly as earth-shattering and meaningful as I had expected it to be. Now, I think that partly, my extremely high expectations are to blame for that. I have learned that it's always best going into a book not expecting anything and letting yourself be surprised – but that's a hard thing to do when an author talks about her main character being inspired by Jonah Griggs beforehand.

At the same time, while my expectations were not met, I have a hard time finding faults with this book and writing an in-depth review stating my reasons for not connecting with it as deeply as I had hoped. I breezed through Travis's story in a few hours, I even teared up a few times – but in the end, his story did not stay with me and that little something special was missing.

Now – as I said before – I am not completely sure what the reasons for this are. Might it be that I have just read to many books on grief in my life? The topic seems to be rather in vogue right now. Contemporary without a dead parent, dead sibling, dead boyfriend or dead best friend is hard to come by and in a way, this may have made me become jaded. I have also stopped judging books by the amount of tears that flowed while reading. I always thought that if a book was able to make me cry, it must be something special indeed, and deserving of a high rating. In a way, I almost felt emotionally pressured into giving it lots of stars. I was always thinking: Come on, this book has made you cry (!), how can you give it any less than four stars? And I know I have no-one else but me to blame for that approach.

With Something Like Normal, I can't deny that there wasn't any deep connection on my part with the story itself and especially Travis, the main character. Yes, I cried for his friend – but I never really got Travis. His voice might be authentic for a male his age, but I could not really forgive him his weaknesses. And at only 224 pages, I had the feeling the book was too short to really give his character and the relationships portrayed the time to evolve in depth. I can safely say that I have forgotten most of the minor characters' names, and I always felt like Travis's issues with his brother and father were handled superficially and - concerning his dad - coloured only in black and white.

A short note on the cover: When I first saw it, I was sad a book about a soldier returning from Afghanistan got such a kissy kissy cover - while the book does focus more on romantic entanglements than I could have guessed from the description, I don't think contemporary readers have to be lured into reading it by displaying only that aspect of the story.

So, in the end, I would just say: I do not not recommend this book, it just didn't resonate with me personally – but I enjoyed it while it lasted.

Thanks a lot to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the review copy.(less)

like 22 likes · see review

Jun 19, 2012 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2012, top-picks

This book got so many things right, I don't even know where to start. Maybe with Travis, who is one of the most realistic male voices I've read in a long time. More than simply having a great voice though is the fact he's authentic. He's not perfect and he makes mistakes. This isn't a book where the Marine is an automatic hero just because he's a Marine. Yeah, that experience makes Travis tough but it also makes him more vulnerable, too.

The family dynamics with Travis and his father, as well as...more This book got so many things right, I don't even know where to start. Maybe with Travis, who is one of the most realistic male voices I've read in a long time. More than simply having a great voice though is the fact he's authentic. He's not perfect and he makes mistakes. This isn't a book where the Marine is an automatic hero just because he's a Marine. Yeah, that experience makes Travis tough but it also makes him more vulnerable, too.

The family dynamics with Travis and his father, as well as with his brother and mother, are done so well. It was a painful but honest look at what happens when a family crumbles.

And the romance just worked. I loved every second of what happened between Travis and Harper because it revealed so much about who he was and who she was and why they deserved one another. It's an imperfect relationship, but it's also healthy because of that.

I cried three times reading this. First, (view spoiler)

Travis reminded me so much of one of my best friends, too. Could picture Travis and him hanging out and shooting the shit together.

Without doubt this book will appeal to male and female readers. It reminded me a LOT of CK Kelly Martin's "I Know It's Over" in terms of writing, the spot-on male voice, and the way a flawed male can work through his flaws to ultimately understand who he is and even forgive himself for it.

Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/06/s.... I can't believe I read this in one sitting.

(less)

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Apr 23, 2012 Carla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Don't even know what to say. Speechless. Unflinchingly beautiful in that raw special way. Best contemporary novel I've read in a long long time.

*edited*

Sometimes you finish reading a book and you don't quite know what to do with yourself. You sit in the quiet and thoughts are richocheting off each other in your mind and your heart aches from happiness, you then you get that feeling. You know the one. Where it feels like something has planted roots inside you and it's growing, growing, grow...more Wow. Don't even know what to say. Speechless. Unflinchingly beautiful in that raw special way. Best contemporary novel I've read in a long long time.

*edited*

Sometimes you finish reading a book and you don't quite know what to do with yourself. You sit in the quiet and thoughts are richocheting off each other in your mind and your heart aches from happiness, you then you get that feeling. You know the one. Where it feels like something has planted roots inside you and it's growing, growing, growing. And it grows so fast and quick that before you know it, it's everywhere. All inside you. It's in your head and it's in your heart and it's under your skin. That's this book.

What can I say that hasn't been said hundreds of times about hundreds of books. Read this book? nope, not strong enough. A promising debut? nah, too trite. I love this book, and so will you! true, but not quite what I'm looking for. I'm trying hard to not just type the words "love" and leave it at that, because really, that's all I want you guys to know. That I love this book. I love this book so much that I can't forget it. So much that I don't want to forget it. So much that I have carried it around with me ever since I finished. And I think you will love it to, and I'm going to tell you why.

Travis is home on leave after spending the past year in Afghanistan wearing a really sexy uniform serving his country in the marines. His family are waiting at the airport, except, this is weird right? this shouldn't feel so strange to Travis, this is home, but this is some fucking weird shit. His mom is super YAY happy to see him (ILY Travis's mom!!), his dad is a major dickface as per usual and his brother is being a total dude and banging his "girlfriend", so basically it's a shite welcome home. Not to mention that his comrade and BFF 4 LYF Charlie died in combat, which blows chunks the size of fists. Throw in the fact that he can't handle life in this town where guns aren't shooting and bombs aren't blasting and nightmares are tearing him to shreds and well, Travis is a bit, shall we say.....fucked. And there is the matter of a hot girl who has a mean right hook aka Harper aka The Boss aka The Shit aka BE MY FRIEND PLEASE?

Travis? I would hit that like a freight train.

Ahem.

Trish has a way of intoxicating you with her characters. You start off with Travis and you're like, oh shit, this burns a little and it's hard to swallow and it makes you shudder and do weird hand gestures. Then you want some more and now it doesn't burn so much, now it's smooth skin with a bit of a kick. And it goes down so good that before you know it you feel all buzzed and excited. Then you get a taste of Harper and you're like WELL HOLY SHIT, she's like straight up tequila shots right to your brain. And by this point you're like I LOVE YOU ALL. I LOVE EVERYTHING. GROUP HUG. Because you're all drunk off these characters.

Okay, in all seriousness, Trish knows where it's at when it comes to realistic characters. I have never wanted to punch a fictional dude in the face so badly. Because Travis! Y U NO LISTEN. He makes bad choices and does some stupid things and I'm like, duuuuuuuuude what gives? And Harper is so kick ass it is not even funny. She's feisty and sassy and in my head she wears a leather jacket and smokes cigarettes and listens to 80's rock and drives a convertible that's all black and shiny (leave me be! that's what my brain thinks is cool!!!!1!) She doesn't actually do any of those things but whatevs, that's not the point. My point is this - never before have I known characters to feel so real to me. I think should they stroll into my house right this second, well, I wouldn't even bat an eyelid. They're so genuine that I have a hard time believing they're not real. (no jokes, I spent a good half hour convinced they were real and Trish was playing a joke on us). They are flawed and engaging and so full of love it fucking hurts.
I had this whole speil in my head about Travis and Harper and you know what, I don't even want to tell you guys. Because the best things are left unsaid and this isn't something you want to read about here; that's something waiting for you to discover. So go find the treasure.

And the writing is a dream. Proper lush. Lush enough to devour in one go without stopping for breath. And to say it packs a punch is an understatement. It will kick you relentlessly, it will tear at your heart and squeeze and sqeeze until you feel like you're going to burst. Then it will soothe you with hugs and tender touches. It is in a word; devastating. Her writing is devastating to behold. One of the best books I have ever read.

I'm stopping now, I promise (soz for the rambling folks). But let me just leave you with this - Words are funny things. They can be shared and passed along. They can form connections between people, no matter the distance. They have power. They can light sparks of thought in your minds and set fire to your heart. They can start wars and end them. And they can be put together into sentences, to make paragraphs, which then become books. And when they're put together in the right way by the right person, they can become something amazing. And that is this book. This book isn't something like normal. It isn't even something like amazing. It's something the likes of which you have never read before. And you are going to love it.(less)

like 27 likes · see review

Jul 09, 2012 ~Tina~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kobo-own, favorites, young-adults-older, read-2012

"But what has been done can't be undone. My best friend is dead and I'm never going to be the same Travis Stephenson."

On a month-leave from the Marines, Travis Stephenson is finally home after a year in Afghanistan, only he doesn't really feel like it's his home anymore. He enlisted fresh out of high school to escape his father, whom Travis will never be good enough in his eyes and a year away still hasn't made their relationship magically perfect, in fact, it's probably worse. His (ex)-girlfrie...more

like 12 likes · see review

Jun 15, 2012 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, debut-novels, crushworthy-guys, dawson-leery-cried

"In war, there are no unwounded soldiers."
- José Narosky

Something Like Normal is about a 19-year-old Marine who returns home after serving in Afghanistan for a year. Travis Stephenson is physically intact, but after spending a year on active duty and seeing his best friend get killed, his emotional scars manifest in a form of PTSD. Travis doesn't even feel like he's home because home to him is with his fellow Marines, not his parents' house in Florida where he never lived up to his father's expe...more

like 30 likes · see review

Feb 24, 2013 Hallie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Okay, this is tough, because some of my reading friends have liked this one a lot, and I can see the story in there that was liked so much, but.

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper se...more

like 8 likes · see review

Jun 28, 2012 Glass rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic-fiction, 2012

Review posted on Ja čitam, a ti?

I picked up this book thinking: "I need something light for this first hot days of summer." Did I get what I wanted? No. Maja from The Nocturnal Library wrote in her review that cover is "misleading" and I have to agree with her. You would expect hot romance and not the story about young man who is trying to fit in after all the horible things he saw and death of his best friend. Actually, he is not even trying to fit in - Travis is just counting days until the da...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Mickey (I'm A Book Shark) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone.

Shelves: 2012, ereader

See full review here!

Yep. 5 stars, guys. This book was AWESOME and AMAZING! I had NO idea what it was about; I'd just heard a lot of really great things. So I thought I'd try it out and DUDE, I was seriously sucked in by the end of the first paragraph! It made me laugh hysterically, and the rest of the book made me FEEL so much. I was up and down, happy and sad, freaking out and just at peace with Travis. Oh yeah, I loved that this was male POV. Trish Doller does an amazing job at that! And Harp...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Tara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-ya-contemporary-challenge, 2012-debut-authors, made-me-cry, swoon, contemporary, awesome, books-i-own

Updated 28/4/2012 I can't quite explain why I love this book so much and I can't seem to find any words strong enough to describe the book, or how I feel about it! I have read it three times now and it is one those books that is like, when you read it you are catching up with old friends (Jellicoe Road and Saving June are also like this for me). Travis, returning home for a few weeks after being in Afganistan meets up with Harper, a girl who he once kissed when he was 13. Their developing relati...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Suzanne Young rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've had a chance to SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL by Trish Doller, and I have to admit that it is one of my favorite books. A hard contemporary with fresh characters so real they leap off the pages. It's unflinching, but relateable. And despite the character's mistakes, I found myself rooting for him.

And there is also a really tender love story that provides a softness to the edges.

HUGE FAN!

like 7 likes · see review

Sep 02, 2012 Jess (Gone with the Words) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, young-adult, read-2012, contemp, male-narrator

Read this review on my blog! --> Something Like Normal by Trish Dollert

What has stuck with me most about Something Like Normal has been how real these characters and story are. They feel like a part of me. Like I know Travis, or like I am Harper. And I think what it is is the fact that we probably all know someone like Travis. In most every generation there have been people from our lives who have fought in some war. It feels real because it is so real and relevant to today. It will strike a...more

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May 21, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, contemporary-ya, ya, net-galley, debuts, male-pov, own-the-ebook-need-a-paper-copy, read-in-march-2012, true-book-love

{This review originally appeared on Clear Eyes, Full Shelves.}

But what has been done can’t be undone. My best friend is dead and I’m never going to be the same Travis Stephenson.

Trish Doller's remarkable debut, Something Like Normal, is one of those rare books that I recommend to nearly everyone. It's an important, timely novel--one that's lingered with me in the months since I read it.

Well before SLN was published (it's out on June 19), I found myself on seemingly every social media site insis...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 12-debut-author-challenge, own-ebook

Travis is home after being in Afghanistan. Things aren’t exactly how he left him. His parents marriage is barely hanging on by a thread. His girlfriend is now dating his younger brother, who is also driving his car.

But the biggest change in Travis’s life now that he’s back, is Travis himself. He’s not only struggling with the emotional scars of war but the loss of his best friend.

I wasn’t sure if I would like this book. It didn’t really seem like my kind of thing, but I gave it a try. And I love...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Alexa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-adult, debut, contemp-challenge, 2012-reads, signed, own, favorites

My mini-review can also be found on my blog Collections.

Something Like Normal featured one of the best male voices I've ever read. Probably the best, since I felt such a strong connection towards Travis. It was so authentic. Honestly, if I were guy, I would want to be someone like him. He was so real and honest. His story had me teary-eyed and my heart breaking throughout. Just thinking about some of the things that happened in this book makes me want to cry! But then, it also had me laughing ou...more

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Jun 23, 2012 FreakChiq rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-release, favorites

"I don’t know if my life will ever be completely normal again, but something like normal is a good start." (p. 208)

Something Like Normal was one of my most anticipated books of 2012, and I'm more than happy to say that it didn't disappoint. Not one bit! It’s the kind of story you cannot put down but don't want it to end either.

Trish Doller did an amazing job with her debut novel and I CAN'T WAIT to read more from her!

like 2 likes · see review

Jul 11, 2012 Shay marked it as to-read

This book was my "I Hate This Cover" winner for the month of June. To all the publishers (I'm thinking of you in particular Disney) who evidently don't value bloggers, you're wrong. Really, really, wrong to the point of moving past misguided into "evil overlord" territory. Why? Because I decided to read a book (this one) that I had basically slushed into "Will Never Read" pile due to bloggers posting about this book. Telling people that it's not a YA romance, but rather a book about a young man...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Book Pusher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Every once in a while you come across a book that sucks you in and immerses you into the world that the author has created. You relate to and feel for the characters as if you know them and are connected to them in some way. This is one of those books. I loved the author’s writing style and was hooked immediately. Her characters really come to life and bring you into their world. When I finished the book , I was like WOW…that was an awesome book!

The story is told from 19 year old Travis’ POV. He...more

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May 29, 2011 Lora marked it as looks-promising

Shelves: g-ya-realistic, lib-to-read

Really liking the sound of this^^

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 18, 2013 Jessica's Book Review rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-star

Read more reviews on my blog | Like me on Facebook

I was so excited to read Something like Normal by Trish Doller. It has been on my To Read list since the summer and finally decided to read it. I had high hopes for this book and when finished I felt disappointed. I think the idea of the book had amazing potential.

Nineteen year-old Marine, Travis coming home from war in Afghanistan to a brother who stole his girlfriend, a father who is a major prick, and a mother who is a little lost herself. Pl...more Read more reviews on my blog | Like me on Facebook

I was so excited to read Something like Normal by Trish Doller. It has been on my To Read list since the summer and finally decided to read it. I had high hopes for this book and when finished I felt disappointed. I think the idea of the book had amazing potential.

Nineteen year-old Marine, Travis coming home from war in Afghanistan to a brother who stole his girlfriend, a father who is a major prick, and a mother who is a little lost herself. Plus Travis is dealing with the death of his best friend who he blames himself for his death while at war. Travis meets Harper, the complete opposite of his ex girlfriend. Harper is sweet, innocent, and is there for Travis when he needs someone the most. Sounds like it could be an amazing book right? I thought so too… a marine coming home could be a wonderful story women could relate to whether they are coming home or their boyfriends/husbands coming home from war. A lost boy finding solace with a sweet girl helping him grieve with what he has been through. But the story felt short of its potential and lost its opportunity to be an amazing book.

Something Like Normal is an extremely fast read all in the POV of Travis. I read it within 3 hours and I think that is where the problem lies. With such a quick read you miss out on great scenes and an emotional pull to the characters and story. I really wanted to get to know Harper more and Travis the main characters more. I didn’t feel connected to them at all or their romantic story at all. I couldn’t stand Travis’ brother or father, even his ex girlfriend I couldn’t stand. I wish the ending had more closure and didn’t wrap up so quickly- I hate when books do that! There isn’t an epilogue but the last chapter “sort-of” describes what the characters are up to now but it was only 3 pages long and doesn’t go into depth about it. I would probably read a second book in the series if there is one just so I could have more of an ending to Something Like Normal.

I think Something Like Normal could have been an amazing book if it was more of an adult read and about 100 pages longer. I did not feel invested in the story or characters and I feel really bad about that because like I said, it had amazing potential.

I give Something Like Normal 2.5 Stars.(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-a-copy

I picked up this book after reading a great review of it on the blog Makeshift Bookmark (a great, mostly YA blog, by the way).

The main character Travis is home on leave from Afghanistan dealing with the death of his best friend, a slightly dysfunctional family, a toxic ex-girlfriend, and a pretty awful case of PTSD. The last thing he expects is to get involved with Harper, a feisty girl he's known most of his life, but who holds a bit of a grudge against him that dates back to the 6th grade.

Be...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Hailee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-favorites, ya-fiction, romance, contemporary, angsty, language-driven

Hailee Christman
Doller, T. (2012). Something like normal. New York: Bloomsbury Pub. Children's Books.
Contemporary
Selection process: Reviewed in Kirkus, April 15, 2012

When Travis returns home on leave after being stationed in Afghanistan, a lot has changed. His brother has stolen his car and his girlfriend, his mother is an anxious mess, and his friends don't understand him anymore. The only thing that resembles normalcy is the fact that his dad is still just as hard on him as when he left. As Tr...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Jana (The Book Goddess) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, blog-reviewed, debut-author-2012, comtemporary-challenge-2012, favourites

Also posted at: jana-thebookgoddess.blogspot.com

So, I wasn't going to post this review until it's release date, but since it's someone's birthday today, well I thought why not, right? Just want to warn you that this is just me rambling on and on about how much I love Trish's debut book, and how much I've fallen in love with Travis. Yes, he's MINE.

Late last year, I came across this cover, and was intrigue by it. I was even more intrigue when I read the book's summary and I learned that it's about...more Also posted at: jana-thebookgoddess.blogspot.com

So, I wasn't going to post this review until it's release date, but since it's someone's birthday today, well I thought why not, right? Just want to warn you that this is just me rambling on and on about how much I love Trish's debut book, and how much I've fallen in love with Travis. Yes, he's MINE.

Late last year, I came across this cover, and was intrigue by it. I was even more intrigue when I read the book's summary and I learned that it's about a Marine, from a 19 year old guy's perspective. I was hooked. I NEEDED this book right now. So I was ecstatic when I found out I got approved on Netgalley, and I literally dropped everything so I could read this. I read this in one sitting, and I couldn't get enough. I was crying at some parts, laughing at others. Whatever the scene was, it was emotionally powerful, and I didn't want to say goodbye to this book. I was that invested with the characters. I didn't want to read so fast, because I didn't want it to end, but I just couldn't help it!

Travis is my latest YA crush right now. He was just so real and his emotions were so raw! Oh, not to mention he's so hot!! He is by far the most realistic male protagonist in YA ever (that I've read about). His voice was just so compelling and addicting. He was a dickhead and an asshole at some parts, and I would be lying if I said I wouldn't punch him at one point just to get some sense into his head. But you know, you gotta give the poor guy a break, he's young, he genuinely wants to improve his life, his nightmares are horrible (I can't even imagine being in his position - I would have gone crazy!!). That's not to say he's a moody shit. He's not. He's hilarious, charming, and can be so sweet. I want a guy like him!

Harper is definitely a girl that I admire. My God she is just so forgiving and friendly and nice. Definitely Travis' perfect match. She was feisty, strong and yes girl she can punch! She also remained positive and sweet, even with all the negative rumors surrounding her in the past. Which is all of Travis' fault lol. There was this scene with the baby turtles, and that was when I knew I love this girl to pieces.

I love the romance aspect of SLN because it's realistic, they started out as childhood enemies to friends and then to lovers. They learn and forgive along the way, their relationship is bumpy, real and slow. Exactly the kind that makes me fan myself. There's this scene near the end, when Travis had a breakdown, and Harper was just there holding him, and never letting him go. IT MADE MY HEART MELT. This is how you write a love story people!! (Though I wouldn't really call this a full on love story - it's more about Travis' figuring out his life after Afghanistan).

I really love how with just 224 pages, Trish managed to make us fall in love and root for our characters - Travis, Harper, Travis' hilarious Marine friends, and somehow makes me hate his parents (the family problems are so realistic!), his idiot brother Ryan, and his ex-girlfriend, Paige. OMG I hated Paige so much! Though I do feel sorry at her at the end (haha not really), if I was Harper I would have had a fight with her for doing the things she did in this book. LOL I'm so violent. She reminds me of one of those hoe-bags at my school (yeah, there's that and some uumpa lumpas aswell) that most boys fancy them and fantasizes about them, and you just can't figure out why. Must be the fake boobs.

You know, I wouldn't be able to do this book justice on my review and I'm probably not even making sense, but that's because Trish Doller has written such a breathtaking and impressive novel. After I devoured this book, I was like WHAT?? THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A DEBUT AUTHOR? Holy hell. If this is Trish's debut, how amazing would her next stories would be?? I'm in love with Trish's writing! It's very direct, and straight to the point, and hooks you from the very first sentence. I can NOT wait for Trish' next book. Her plot and character developments are astounding and impressive, especially Travis' development. Did I mention I love him??

I never cried so much than I did in the epilogue/last chapter. The most beautiful chapter. I re-read it again and again and so much emotions and so much sincerity. It sums up the whole book perfectly. Definitely my favourite part of the book.

I really hope that boys pick up and read this one, too, and won't be put off by the kissy kissy cover. I LOVE this cover, by the way. Anyway, it's one of those books that stay in your head. It's that powerful, and meaningful! This is by far my favourite and best contemporary I've read in a long, long time.

I'm always interested about Marines and the military, and I think this will be the next hot thing in YA. I sure hope it does great! Is it just me, or are military guys really HOT? Like seriously, I just read Try Me (Diane Alberts), Her Forbidden Hero (Laura Kaye) and NOW this. I think I need to get myself a Marine! Anyone with me? ;) (less)

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Jul 12, 2012 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-debuts, favorites, reviewed, finished-copies, on-my-shelf

Can you say awesome?

Let's start with our protagonist, Travis Stephenson. Travis is far from perfect. He's damaged, for very understandable reasons, he's a bit of a rebel, and he's done some crappy things. But this can be said for most teenagers, even if it's not in a way you expect (my rebellion is trusting some people on the internet. I'M SUCH A REBEL, GUYS.) I loved Travis. He was very different from narrators I usually read, in part because HE IS A GUY. He was lovely and gentle at times, but...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Brigid rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Contemporary Romance Fans, Boy POV Fans, Older YA Fans

I picked this up while at Hooray for Books, and the voice grabbed me right away. It's a quick read, and as you'd expect, I'm really enjoying the male POV and the family relationships so far. Reminds me a lot of The Things a Brother Knows. Yay for a fellow Apocalypsie!!

ETA: I gave this book to a coworker and she read the whole thing that night. See? GOOD.

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Dec 20, 2012 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazing

I found this book last night, and it consumed me! This book is incredible, deep and highly emotional. Something Like Normal, is written beautifully; flows so well, that I stayed up all night to finish it!!. It's a about a Guy name Travis and his return home from Afghanistan. It will warm your heart. Something like normal is a fantastic contemporary read. A story about change, growth, healing and family drama... :& *tounge tied* Read the book!

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Jun 18, 2012 Lenore Appelhans added it

Shelves: apocalypsies, 2012-awesome-reads

What struck me first about SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL was Travis' voice. It oozes authenticity and makes you sympathize with Travis despite his obvious shortcomings. I mean, it's definitely gross what he's got going on with his ex-girlfriend and despite probably not deserving the fabulous Harper, you root for their romance to develop.

The story itself is compelling in that raw way that utterly rips out your heart. Travis' experiences in the war have damaged him, and his arc here is one of healing. I...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Shelly LeCompt rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Where do I start. This book made me laugh & cry while reading it. It touched me & really made me think. I loved that it was written from the hero's POV. It gives the whole book a different & more realistic feel to it. It is rare for male POV books to feel real & not just forced from a female author; but this is one of those times. I fell in love with Travis. He is a kind, loving, sexy ex-douchebag that is damaged & lonely from being away at war for so long. He is complic...more

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About Trish Doller

I've been a writer as long as I've been able to write, but I didn't make a conscious decision to "be" a writer until fairly recently. For that you should probably be thankful.

I was born in Germany, grew up in Ohio, went to college at Ohio State University, got married to someone really great, bounced from Maine to Michigan and back to Ohio for awhile. Now I live in Florida with my two mostly grown...more

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Quotes from Something Like Normal

“Maybe it’s time to find a new normal.” — 59 people liked it

“He was the person all of us should be, but most of us aren't. And if I could have taken his place to buy him a little more time in the world, I'd have done it. I'm sorry I couldn't.” — 50 people liked it

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