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Shallow Pond
Sisters uncover an unbelievable family secret
Barbara “Babie” Bunting is constantly mistaken for her sisters, but she’s determined not to end up like her family. She doesn’t plan to stick around Shallow Pond after graduation, and she certainly won’t be ruined by a broken heart. That is, until fellow orphan Zach Faraday walks into the picture, and Babie can’t deny their chemistry.
When her oldest sister, Annie, comes down with a mysterious illness—initially dismissed as “love sickness”—Babie and Zach start investigating what exactly killed the girls’ mother and why their late father became so consumed by grief. What they find changes everything.
Barbara “Babie” Bunting is constantly mistaken for her sisters, but she’s determined not to end up like her family. She doesn’t plan to stick around Shallow Pond after graduation, and she certainly won’t be ruined by a broken heart. That is, until fellow orphan Zach Faraday walks into the picture, and Babie can’t deny their chemistry.
When her oldest sister, Annie, comes down with a mysterious illness—initially dismissed as “love sickness”—Babie and Zach start investigating what exactly killed the girls’ mother and why their late father became so consumed by grief. What they find changes everything.
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
757 people want to read
About the author
Alissa Grosso
13 books196 followersAlissa Grosso is the author of several books for adults and teens. You can find out more about her and her books at AlissaGrosso.com.
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December 3, 2014If I had more time I would have finished the entire book, but sadly I'm not so free therefore I'm unable to finish this book, so no rating.
As a YA the concept is fresh and it obviously has potential, but both the writing and the characters are bland, plus in the middle of the book I'd already managed to guess at the final plot twist (Yes, I skipped and took a look at the ending part before I returned the book to the library) therefore it doesn't seem to be a big loss for me to stop reading Shallow Pond anyway.
As a YA the concept is fresh and it obviously has potential, but both the writing and the characters are bland, plus in the middle of the book I'd already managed to guess at the final plot twist (Yes, I skipped and took a look at the ending part before I returned the book to the library) therefore it doesn't seem to be a big loss for me to stop reading Shallow Pond anyway.
April 14, 2013
This is a really difficult book to review without giving away spoilers!
From the brief synopsis I read, I initially assumed this would turn out to be a book about witches. I read "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" when I was younger, and for some reason the title "Shallow Pond", along with the cover, made me assume this was about witches. Three sisters with a mysterious secret? They're obviously magic. But I was wrong.
So, what is this book about, then? It's narrated by Barbara (a.k.a. Babie) Bunting- the youngest of the three Bunting sisters. She's an orphan, being raised by her eldest sister, Annie. The Bunting sisters have always lived in Shallow Pond, and the beginning of the book has Barbara worrying that she will never be able to escape the same fate. Barbara obsesses over the dangers of falling for new boy in town (who also has a mysterious past) Zach.
I found the opening of the book a bit repetitive. Barbara! Relax! You don't have to avoid all contact with Zach- you can talk to him and still leave for college in the fall. Barbara was a narrator who seemed to me to exaggerate her situation a lot. However, I still found her likable enough to want to continue with the story.
About halfway through reading this, I gave up all hope of anything supernatural occurring. If it hadn't even been mentioned or hinted at by then, I figured it wasn't happening. But the somewhat random mention of sex offenders started to make me nervous that the secret in the girls' past had something to do with child abuse.
Anyways, once I got to the Big Plot Twist, which is revealed to Barbara (and to us) about 2/3 of the way into the book by Annie, I was like: what the WHAT? Barbara, at this point in the book, assumed that she had everything figured out, and I was going along with her theory. Then we find out that basically everything we were led to believe was a lie.
That was a bit shocking, and I have to say I like that it came out of nowhere, because I like when books are unpredictable. So, despite the fact that this revelation comes from left field, the rest of the story makes sense. And then, when we find out the truth about Zach, it all comes together. I found the ending slightly abrupt- I noticed that I was on the Epilogue and was a bit surprised, but actually everything gets pretty well tied up.
Overall, this book started off a bit slow, but got much more surprising and interesting than I expected! I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a YA read with a mysterious plot, and some unexpected plot twists.
Thanks to the publishers, who via NetGalley provided me with this e-book for review!
From the brief synopsis I read, I initially assumed this would turn out to be a book about witches. I read "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" when I was younger, and for some reason the title "Shallow Pond", along with the cover, made me assume this was about witches. Three sisters with a mysterious secret? They're obviously magic. But I was wrong.
So, what is this book about, then? It's narrated by Barbara (a.k.a. Babie) Bunting- the youngest of the three Bunting sisters. She's an orphan, being raised by her eldest sister, Annie. The Bunting sisters have always lived in Shallow Pond, and the beginning of the book has Barbara worrying that she will never be able to escape the same fate. Barbara obsesses over the dangers of falling for new boy in town (who also has a mysterious past) Zach.
I found the opening of the book a bit repetitive. Barbara! Relax! You don't have to avoid all contact with Zach- you can talk to him and still leave for college in the fall. Barbara was a narrator who seemed to me to exaggerate her situation a lot. However, I still found her likable enough to want to continue with the story.
About halfway through reading this, I gave up all hope of anything supernatural occurring. If it hadn't even been mentioned or hinted at by then, I figured it wasn't happening. But the somewhat random mention of sex offenders started to make me nervous that the secret in the girls' past had something to do with child abuse.
Anyways, once I got to the Big Plot Twist, which is revealed to Barbara (and to us) about 2/3 of the way into the book by Annie, I was like: what the WHAT? Barbara, at this point in the book, assumed that she had everything figured out, and I was going along with her theory. Then we find out that basically everything we were led to believe was a lie.
That was a bit shocking, and I have to say I like that it came out of nowhere, because I like when books are unpredictable. So, despite the fact that this revelation comes from left field, the rest of the story makes sense. And then, when we find out the truth about Zach, it all comes together. I found the ending slightly abrupt- I noticed that I was on the Epilogue and was a bit surprised, but actually everything gets pretty well tied up.
Overall, this book started off a bit slow, but got much more surprising and interesting than I expected! I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a YA read with a mysterious plot, and some unexpected plot twists.
Thanks to the publishers, who via NetGalley provided me with this e-book for review!
July 9, 2013
It is going to be next to impossible for me to talk about this book without any spoilers. But I'll give it a try. I went into this read expecting a contemporary mystery with deep dark family secrets because, well, that's what the blurb says. However, it turned out to be far more complicated and convoluted than I ever imagined. I really wanted to like this one. It has a great premise. Small town girl meets mysterious new boy. Together, they uncover a life-shattering secret. Drama and mystery ensue. Actually it was more like whiny, self-involved girl meets new boy with crazy unbelievable back story and discovers she has an even more unbelievable back story (and not unbelievable in a good way). There were so many twists in this book that it was hard to see how everything would fit together in the end and it really didn't for the most part. To make matters worse our main character, Babie, kept jumping to every possible conclusion except the correct one in each situation. I couldn't understand why she wouldn't just talk to her older sisters about what was going on. It was infuriating. Speaking of sisters don't get me started on Annie and Gracie. Annie is a lifeless character who just mopes around the house all day and refuses to see a doctor even though she's been sick for months. Gracie is spoiled, bitchy and lacks the capacity for human compassion.
Then we get to the big event of the book, which incidentally is not finding out why Annie is sick. I can't tell you what that event is because some of the most interesting parts of the book involve the build up to said event. Of course then everything goes completely downhill. By the time I got to the main twist in the book everything was so far out there that I had completely lost interest. I felt like I had been completely mislead about the plot, it felt gimmicky and ridiculous. I know I sound like I'm being harsh but I just had such high hopes for this book. I feel the same way I would feel if someone handed me a horror movie and it ended up being a romantic comedy with no warning. That being said you may read this book and be totally blown away by the twists and turns. They just weren't for me. If I can say anything positive it is that the pacing was good and for awhile I really was eager to find out what was going on. I just wish the plot and characters would have been more to my liking.
Then we get to the big event of the book, which incidentally is not finding out why Annie is sick. I can't tell you what that event is because some of the most interesting parts of the book involve the build up to said event. Of course then everything goes completely downhill. By the time I got to the main twist in the book everything was so far out there that I had completely lost interest. I felt like I had been completely mislead about the plot, it felt gimmicky and ridiculous. I know I sound like I'm being harsh but I just had such high hopes for this book. I feel the same way I would feel if someone handed me a horror movie and it ended up being a romantic comedy with no warning. That being said you may read this book and be totally blown away by the twists and turns. They just weren't for me. If I can say anything positive it is that the pacing was good and for awhile I really was eager to find out what was going on. I just wish the plot and characters would have been more to my liking.
April 25, 2013
'I guess I should have seen it coming. History has a tendency of repeating itself, and the Buntings had already shown themselves pretty much incapable of getting out of Shallow Pond. I don't know why I thought I should be different.'
Shallow Pond is a normal town where nothing ever happens.
Barbara 'Babie' Bunting has lived in Shallow Pond all her life. And the only image of it she finds appealing is that of it getting smaller and smaller as she drives away to college. College means a new beginning, change, excitement and a chance to be known as something other than the youngest Bunting sister, constantly living in the shadow of her two older sisters.
'I held out my hand to him.
"Friends?" I asked.
"Friends," he agreed and shook it.'
Babie has seen what a broken heart can do. And she swears she won't let herself fall for anyone - ever.
But when Zach Faraday walks into Shallow Pond, Babie begins to realise that she can't always control her life, or how she feels. And that sometimes falling can be the sweetest death of all, losing your heart completely to another person.
Shallow Pond is a town with unexpected depths. And something dark lurks beneath the deceptively still surface.
Mysterious illnesses, fake ashes, old friends, tangled memories, coincidences and old photographs all combine to create a vivid picture - forming the base of a secret that not only changes everything Babie thinks she's ever known, but will make her questions herself and the ones she loves.
Sometimes a reflection is just as powerful as the real thing.
Be prepared to be shocked, as Shallow Pond leads you on a tale that is misleadingly mundane...until the truth comes to light. Part sci-fi, part romance, this story is not one you want to miss.
Shallow Pond is a normal town where nothing ever happens.
Barbara 'Babie' Bunting has lived in Shallow Pond all her life. And the only image of it she finds appealing is that of it getting smaller and smaller as she drives away to college. College means a new beginning, change, excitement and a chance to be known as something other than the youngest Bunting sister, constantly living in the shadow of her two older sisters.
'I held out my hand to him.
"Friends?" I asked.
"Friends," he agreed and shook it.'
Babie has seen what a broken heart can do. And she swears she won't let herself fall for anyone - ever.
But when Zach Faraday walks into Shallow Pond, Babie begins to realise that she can't always control her life, or how she feels. And that sometimes falling can be the sweetest death of all, losing your heart completely to another person.
Shallow Pond is a town with unexpected depths. And something dark lurks beneath the deceptively still surface.
Mysterious illnesses, fake ashes, old friends, tangled memories, coincidences and old photographs all combine to create a vivid picture - forming the base of a secret that not only changes everything Babie thinks she's ever known, but will make her questions herself and the ones she loves.
Sometimes a reflection is just as powerful as the real thing.
Be prepared to be shocked, as Shallow Pond leads you on a tale that is misleadingly mundane...until the truth comes to light. Part sci-fi, part romance, this story is not one you want to miss.
April 29, 2013
3.5 stars
I received this book from NetGalley.
Barbara Bunting looks just like her two older sisters and is tired of being confused with them. Her main goal in life is to not end up like her sisters. She wants out of Shallow Pond as soon as possible and refuses to let anything stand in her way. Then Zach moves to town and everything changes.
This book was very interesting. I found the first part of the book hard to get through because I had no idea where the author was going with the story and it just kind of kept repeating itself. But then it got interesting. There were several twists and turns that I did not see coming which kept me on my toes while reading. At the beginning of the story I was not really sure if I was going to like Barbara. She seemed to have a one track mind and really could care less about anything else except getting far away from Shallow Pond. She really did not seem to have much of a personality until several chapters into the book when she finally seemed to step out of her little bubble and found her own personality. I liked her a lot more from that point on. Zach was the typical love interest in a YA story. Extremely attractive, shows up out of nowhere and is inexplicably drawn to the main character of the book. Other than that there was not much to him. Overall, I liked the book. Once it got going it kept me engaged and kept me guessing and I really liked the ending.
I received this book from NetGalley.
Barbara Bunting looks just like her two older sisters and is tired of being confused with them. Her main goal in life is to not end up like her sisters. She wants out of Shallow Pond as soon as possible and refuses to let anything stand in her way. Then Zach moves to town and everything changes.
This book was very interesting. I found the first part of the book hard to get through because I had no idea where the author was going with the story and it just kind of kept repeating itself. But then it got interesting. There were several twists and turns that I did not see coming which kept me on my toes while reading. At the beginning of the story I was not really sure if I was going to like Barbara. She seemed to have a one track mind and really could care less about anything else except getting far away from Shallow Pond. She really did not seem to have much of a personality until several chapters into the book when she finally seemed to step out of her little bubble and found her own personality. I liked her a lot more from that point on. Zach was the typical love interest in a YA story. Extremely attractive, shows up out of nowhere and is inexplicably drawn to the main character of the book. Other than that there was not much to him. Overall, I liked the book. Once it got going it kept me engaged and kept me guessing and I really liked the ending.
July 18, 2017
*STRONG LANGUAGE*
WHY THE EVER LOVING FUCK DID I READ THIS? WHAT LEVEL OF FUCKED UP WAS THIS? CAN I UNREAD THIS? CAN I GET BACK THE TIME I SPENT ON THIS? I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE WITH EVEN A BIT OF SANITY BECAUSE I GENUINELY FEEL LIKE PUKING AFTER THIS.
If only i could bring myself to explain why i absolutely detest this book, i would, but i cant relive those moments. i cant. Maybe some people would find this book alright but if you wanted something that wasn't something out of a nightmare, this isn't the book for you. The main character is a bitch. the plot sucked. The romance was terrible even for someone like me who can accept insta love.
I genuinely wish to unread this. Fuck this. Im so done.
WHY THE EVER LOVING FUCK DID I READ THIS? WHAT LEVEL OF FUCKED UP WAS THIS? CAN I UNREAD THIS? CAN I GET BACK THE TIME I SPENT ON THIS? I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE WITH EVEN A BIT OF SANITY BECAUSE I GENUINELY FEEL LIKE PUKING AFTER THIS.
If only i could bring myself to explain why i absolutely detest this book, i would, but i cant relive those moments. i cant. Maybe some people would find this book alright but if you wanted something that wasn't something out of a nightmare, this isn't the book for you. The main character is a bitch. the plot sucked. The romance was terrible even for someone like me who can accept insta love.
I genuinely wish to unread this. Fuck this. Im so done.
July 25, 2013
View the full review here:
http://www.iswimforoceans.com/2013/07...
Barbara is the baby of the family. An orphan with two older sisters raising her, she's certain of only one thing: her life is messy...and weird. Shallow Pond is a tiny town - too tiny for Barbara's dreams - and she's counting the days until she can go to college and escape her past and the town's nothingness altogether. But there's something that's holding Barbara and her family in Shallow Pond. There is something darker and more unknown about her very own destiny, and she'll have to uncover that before she can ever truly find herself and escape Shallow Pond forever.
There's something to be said for reading books with little, to no hype at all. I love being able to go into a book entirely blind, formulating my own opinions from the get-go and never having those other reviews fighting for their views to come to the forefront of my mind. Shallow Pond offers readers an intriguing, mysterious and engaging premise. From veteran author, Alissa Grosso, we're given a story of sisters who, outwardly look similar, but they couldn't be more different underneath it all. Fast-paced and well-plotted, Shallow Pond is a guessing-game from start to finish, never revealing the truth until readers are absolutely ready for the big reveal.
I read Shallow Pond in one day. Actually, I read it in about six hours total. It's an engrossing tale that winds you into the mystery from page one. There was a lot that I loved about this book, but I definitely had a few issues with it, as well, though some of them might by petty preferences. Barbara was a tricky character for me. She was so carefully guarded that it made it difficult to get a firm grasp on who she was as person. Plus, her identity was so wrapped up in those of her sisters, Annie and Gracie, that we're never exactly sure who she is and, instead, define her by her desire to escape Shallow Pond for good. When Zach Faraday enters the picture, we watch as Barbara's shell slowly cracks around her, but she keeps replacing it again, and again, and again, though I'm sure she didn't even really know what she wanted. There were times when we got to see this vulnerable girl succumb to the desire to be around Zach, though we're not sure where the desire stems from. Other times, however, she pushes him away almost violently, and we can't help but get annoyed by the constant flip-flopping. It was almost like whiplash over and over. Her sisters are clearly defined with Gracie being the boy-crazy middle child and Annie being the soft-spoken eldest daughter - though the latter remained somewhat of an enigma throughout. We're also offered a handful of secondary characters including her best friends but, at times, they felt more like filler characters, simply adding elements to the pages. Plus, there was a constant sort of derision between Barbara and her friends, which eventually just felt too much like the age-old teenage drama that I wanted to so badly to escape. In terms of highlights, however, the author does a fantastic job with the mystery element and subsequent reveal. I'll be honest and say that of all the scenarios in my mind, that was never even an afterthought. Plus, the foreshadowing is carefully balanced, so we never know too much too soon. Now, if I might be petty, I did have an issue with some of the action verbs of the novel. In normal conversations, despite the frantic and frenzied nature, I would not use "screamed," "shrieked" or "shouted" throughout. I think they pulled me out of the moment and displaced me a bit, which was unfortunate. Furthermore, I think that the final chapters of the novel could have been drawn out further, giving us more backstory and more of an understanding as to why, exactly, their lives had been molded as such.
All in all though, Shallow Pond is a quick, fast and engaging read. The writing style is easy to follow, and the mystery element is extremely well done. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I definitely recommend this story to fans of YA looking for a fast-paced, mystery and sci-fi story.
I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
http://www.iswimforoceans.com/2013/07...
Barbara is the baby of the family. An orphan with two older sisters raising her, she's certain of only one thing: her life is messy...and weird. Shallow Pond is a tiny town - too tiny for Barbara's dreams - and she's counting the days until she can go to college and escape her past and the town's nothingness altogether. But there's something that's holding Barbara and her family in Shallow Pond. There is something darker and more unknown about her very own destiny, and she'll have to uncover that before she can ever truly find herself and escape Shallow Pond forever.
There's something to be said for reading books with little, to no hype at all. I love being able to go into a book entirely blind, formulating my own opinions from the get-go and never having those other reviews fighting for their views to come to the forefront of my mind. Shallow Pond offers readers an intriguing, mysterious and engaging premise. From veteran author, Alissa Grosso, we're given a story of sisters who, outwardly look similar, but they couldn't be more different underneath it all. Fast-paced and well-plotted, Shallow Pond is a guessing-game from start to finish, never revealing the truth until readers are absolutely ready for the big reveal.
I read Shallow Pond in one day. Actually, I read it in about six hours total. It's an engrossing tale that winds you into the mystery from page one. There was a lot that I loved about this book, but I definitely had a few issues with it, as well, though some of them might by petty preferences. Barbara was a tricky character for me. She was so carefully guarded that it made it difficult to get a firm grasp on who she was as person. Plus, her identity was so wrapped up in those of her sisters, Annie and Gracie, that we're never exactly sure who she is and, instead, define her by her desire to escape Shallow Pond for good. When Zach Faraday enters the picture, we watch as Barbara's shell slowly cracks around her, but she keeps replacing it again, and again, and again, though I'm sure she didn't even really know what she wanted. There were times when we got to see this vulnerable girl succumb to the desire to be around Zach, though we're not sure where the desire stems from. Other times, however, she pushes him away almost violently, and we can't help but get annoyed by the constant flip-flopping. It was almost like whiplash over and over. Her sisters are clearly defined with Gracie being the boy-crazy middle child and Annie being the soft-spoken eldest daughter - though the latter remained somewhat of an enigma throughout. We're also offered a handful of secondary characters including her best friends but, at times, they felt more like filler characters, simply adding elements to the pages. Plus, there was a constant sort of derision between Barbara and her friends, which eventually just felt too much like the age-old teenage drama that I wanted to so badly to escape. In terms of highlights, however, the author does a fantastic job with the mystery element and subsequent reveal. I'll be honest and say that of all the scenarios in my mind, that was never even an afterthought. Plus, the foreshadowing is carefully balanced, so we never know too much too soon. Now, if I might be petty, I did have an issue with some of the action verbs of the novel. In normal conversations, despite the frantic and frenzied nature, I would not use "screamed," "shrieked" or "shouted" throughout. I think they pulled me out of the moment and displaced me a bit, which was unfortunate. Furthermore, I think that the final chapters of the novel could have been drawn out further, giving us more backstory and more of an understanding as to why, exactly, their lives had been molded as such.
All in all though, Shallow Pond is a quick, fast and engaging read. The writing style is easy to follow, and the mystery element is extremely well done. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I definitely recommend this story to fans of YA looking for a fast-paced, mystery and sci-fi story.
I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
December 4, 2013
This is a hard book to review without spoiling major plot points, but I'll try. For most of this book, I was just not sure at all what I was reading. Was it a mystery? Was it a romance? Why is there so much angst? Why are Barbara's friends so crappy? And then around 60% in, the book took a massive turn into into sci-fi-ville in a plot device that the story never really fully capitalized on. This is a book that I kept reading because I really wanted to know what the catch was -- you can tell for most of the story that there is something else going on beneath the surface, but no one really knows what is is, our characters included.
Barbara, like the reader, realizes there's something else going on other than her dysfunctional family and sad past, but the conclusions she jumps to are rapid-fire and ... maybe they're believable to her, but they felt ridiculous to me, and the way she latches on to what she feels is the "truth" so early kind of signals to the reader that she is, in reality, probably dead wrong.
I think my biggest problem was that I had to endure far too much nonsense to get to the big reveal. Once we get there, the story gets a little better as the secrets start to come out fast and furious, but this felt like a sci-fi book written for people who don't like sci-fi. The plot twist is shoved in with no thought as to how to make it realistic. Annie is sick the entire book and we never get a good resolution on this, and the explanation feels sort of amateur. There's a lot of very handwaved science, like no one wanted to do any research into any of the science things that would make her sickness believable.
The romance between Barbara and Zach was frustrating, with Barbara doing her best to push him away. Understandable, because she's determined to get out of Shallow Pond, and she's afraid that falling for a guy is going to get her sucked into staying. So of course they fall into can't-be-without-you love. Of course! Before they get there, though, she spends a lot of time refusing to even be his friend, but also totally shutting him, and her friends, out as to her reasoning why. Barbara's friends are crappy, to be sure, constantly jumping to their own conclusions, and I wish they'd all just take a deep breath and use their words.
There were just some weird writing and character choices that frustrated me. Characters, especially middle sister Gracie, were constantly screaming or shouting or shrieking. I've never seen so many said-is-dead dialogue tags in one book, and I just imagined Gracie screaming shrilly every time she was on the page. Which she usually was, because her characterization was just all over the place. Several characters have dark secrets that are actually very serious and sobering but which are never treated with the appropriate gravity and thought they deserve. Barbara volunteers at a women's crisis hotline and for some reason we're treated to her opinion that basically all the women calling just need to tough it up and get over it, which didn't really endear her to me.
This is a book that really just had too much going on and couldn't decide what genre it wanted to be. Combine that with some unsympathetic characters and a sci-fi mystery that falls flat, and you've got an overall frustrating read.
Barbara, like the reader, realizes there's something else going on other than her dysfunctional family and sad past, but the conclusions she jumps to are rapid-fire and ... maybe they're believable to her, but they felt ridiculous to me, and the way she latches on to what she feels is the "truth" so early kind of signals to the reader that she is, in reality, probably dead wrong.
I think my biggest problem was that I had to endure far too much nonsense to get to the big reveal. Once we get there, the story gets a little better as the secrets start to come out fast and furious, but this felt like a sci-fi book written for people who don't like sci-fi. The plot twist is shoved in with no thought as to how to make it realistic. Annie is sick the entire book and we never get a good resolution on this, and the explanation feels sort of amateur. There's a lot of very handwaved science, like no one wanted to do any research into any of the science things that would make her sickness believable.
The romance between Barbara and Zach was frustrating, with Barbara doing her best to push him away. Understandable, because she's determined to get out of Shallow Pond, and she's afraid that falling for a guy is going to get her sucked into staying. So of course they fall into can't-be-without-you love. Of course! Before they get there, though, she spends a lot of time refusing to even be his friend, but also totally shutting him, and her friends, out as to her reasoning why. Barbara's friends are crappy, to be sure, constantly jumping to their own conclusions, and I wish they'd all just take a deep breath and use their words.
There were just some weird writing and character choices that frustrated me. Characters, especially middle sister Gracie, were constantly screaming or shouting or shrieking. I've never seen so many said-is-dead dialogue tags in one book, and I just imagined Gracie screaming shrilly every time she was on the page. Which she usually was, because her characterization was just all over the place. Several characters have dark secrets that are actually very serious and sobering but which are never treated with the appropriate gravity and thought they deserve. Barbara volunteers at a women's crisis hotline and for some reason we're treated to her opinion that basically all the women calling just need to tough it up and get over it, which didn't really endear her to me.
This is a book that really just had too much going on and couldn't decide what genre it wanted to be. Combine that with some unsympathetic characters and a sci-fi mystery that falls flat, and you've got an overall frustrating read.
July 4, 2013
To see my full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
This is a very interesting mystery novel in which Babie works to uncover the truth about her parentage while trying to deny her feelings for Zach, a young man drawn to Shallow Pond to find his benefactor. I loved that Babie was a strong female lead for most of the novel, refusing to succumb to her friends’ attempts to fix up her love life and her sister’s inability to leave Shallow Pond. She has set goals for herself to which she adheres, and it’s awesome to see her push on, even though her heart really does belong to Zach. However, she lapses for a time, which, based on the secret itself, is understandable, but was also somewhat frustrating for me as a reader. Babie goes from being a cool, calm, collected person to someone who is falling apart in a matter of minutes, and while I can completely see the validity in this reaction, it irked me a little because I personally don’t see it as such a big, terrible issues like Babie does. I can’t say I’ve ever been in her shoes, and I know all readers will react differently to the big reveal, but I personally didn’t see it as such a big deal, so her complete attitude shift was difficult for me.
So, the secret. I can’t tell you what it is, or it’d ruin the story, but just know that there is a huge secret in this novel, one that I never saw coming. I loved that Grosso kept me guessing and that the foreshadowing wasn’t over the top like it sometimes can be in novels, and I especially loved that once the big secret was revealed to readers (there are multiple small ones as well), everything else just fell into place. However, I’m a little on the fence in terms of the authenticity of the secret itself. It’s a really cool idea, but as the novel has a very realistic feel throughout, this jarred me a bit. It’s extremely interesting, but I’m a skeptic and I feel it’s more on the impossible side than that of reality, but I also don’t pay much attention to the scientific world, and part of me says that yes, it could happen. Advances are being made as we speak, so… perhaps. But secret aside, this is where Babie’s breakdown happens, and her strong shell cracks to the point that she lost a little of my respect.
Zach is a great male lead: he’s patient, kind, compassionate, and he understands Babie like no other. He has no family aside from a mysterious benefactor who has more than provided for him, and he’s content to wait for Babie to come around to his side of things, to learn that it’s okay to fall in love, and that love won’t force her to stay in Shallow Pond. He’s a good guy.
The end of the novel sped up a little too much for my liking, jumping an entire year, and then jumping further again. It felt like one of those movies that ends and then shows pictures of the cast with a blurb telling you what happened to them after the movie, and while I enjoy that very much in my movies, I would like my novels to keep fleshing out the story. It’s a personal thing, though. I could read all day every day, but can only sit so long in front of a TV, so I assume most readers won’t mind the quick succession of the ending all that much.
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
This is a very interesting mystery novel in which Babie works to uncover the truth about her parentage while trying to deny her feelings for Zach, a young man drawn to Shallow Pond to find his benefactor. I loved that Babie was a strong female lead for most of the novel, refusing to succumb to her friends’ attempts to fix up her love life and her sister’s inability to leave Shallow Pond. She has set goals for herself to which she adheres, and it’s awesome to see her push on, even though her heart really does belong to Zach. However, she lapses for a time, which, based on the secret itself, is understandable, but was also somewhat frustrating for me as a reader. Babie goes from being a cool, calm, collected person to someone who is falling apart in a matter of minutes, and while I can completely see the validity in this reaction, it irked me a little because I personally don’t see it as such a big, terrible issues like Babie does. I can’t say I’ve ever been in her shoes, and I know all readers will react differently to the big reveal, but I personally didn’t see it as such a big deal, so her complete attitude shift was difficult for me.
So, the secret. I can’t tell you what it is, or it’d ruin the story, but just know that there is a huge secret in this novel, one that I never saw coming. I loved that Grosso kept me guessing and that the foreshadowing wasn’t over the top like it sometimes can be in novels, and I especially loved that once the big secret was revealed to readers (there are multiple small ones as well), everything else just fell into place. However, I’m a little on the fence in terms of the authenticity of the secret itself. It’s a really cool idea, but as the novel has a very realistic feel throughout, this jarred me a bit. It’s extremely interesting, but I’m a skeptic and I feel it’s more on the impossible side than that of reality, but I also don’t pay much attention to the scientific world, and part of me says that yes, it could happen. Advances are being made as we speak, so… perhaps. But secret aside, this is where Babie’s breakdown happens, and her strong shell cracks to the point that she lost a little of my respect.
Zach is a great male lead: he’s patient, kind, compassionate, and he understands Babie like no other. He has no family aside from a mysterious benefactor who has more than provided for him, and he’s content to wait for Babie to come around to his side of things, to learn that it’s okay to fall in love, and that love won’t force her to stay in Shallow Pond. He’s a good guy.
The end of the novel sped up a little too much for my liking, jumping an entire year, and then jumping further again. It felt like one of those movies that ends and then shows pictures of the cast with a blurb telling you what happened to them after the movie, and while I enjoy that very much in my movies, I would like my novels to keep fleshing out the story. It’s a personal thing, though. I could read all day every day, but can only sit so long in front of a TV, so I assume most readers won’t mind the quick succession of the ending all that much.
August 12, 2013
I received this book from Good Reads First Read.
Shallow Pond is the home to the Bunting sisters, Babie, Gracie and Annie. Babie is desperate to leave Shallow Pond but that is something no one ever does. Her and her sisters have lived in the area forever and the oldest sister Annie has been caring for them since the death of their mother and father who both died whilst Babie was young.
Shallow Pond is described as a small town where nothing ever really happens and along with the fact that Babie wants to, but doesn't leave, reminded me a lot of how Gatlin was described in Beautiful Creatures. I was glad that this was the only similarity as I don't like reading the same storyline in different books.
I enjoyed reading the parts of the book with Babie and Zach as I thought they had an interesting relationship. I especially liked when Babie started to open up as it felt as if she didn't like him in the first place.
I was intrigued from the first page, to find out what was wrong with Annie but felt it was a long time before anything significant happened.
Although I enjoyed the book from the start, I found the first half of the book very repetitive. Babie would go to school, ignore Zach, come home to an ill Annie and do the same for days.
From the middle of the book it really started to get interesting. All the secrets were coming out and I couldn't stop reading. I thought the secret of the sisters was very unique and definately not something I saw coming. If I'd read this before reading the book I don't know whether I would have chosen to read it but surprisingly it didn't feel out of place.
I was pleased to read the prologue as when I could see there was only a few pages left, I was getting worried all my questions wouldn't be answered. Too many books leave unanswered questions.
Overall I thought the book was brilliant. The story wasn't moving anywhere and had no obvious place it was heading at the start but the second half of the book was so good that it doesn't matter.
Shallow Pond is the home to the Bunting sisters, Babie, Gracie and Annie. Babie is desperate to leave Shallow Pond but that is something no one ever does. Her and her sisters have lived in the area forever and the oldest sister Annie has been caring for them since the death of their mother and father who both died whilst Babie was young.
Shallow Pond is described as a small town where nothing ever really happens and along with the fact that Babie wants to, but doesn't leave, reminded me a lot of how Gatlin was described in Beautiful Creatures. I was glad that this was the only similarity as I don't like reading the same storyline in different books.
I enjoyed reading the parts of the book with Babie and Zach as I thought they had an interesting relationship. I especially liked when Babie started to open up as it felt as if she didn't like him in the first place.
I was intrigued from the first page, to find out what was wrong with Annie but felt it was a long time before anything significant happened.
Although I enjoyed the book from the start, I found the first half of the book very repetitive. Babie would go to school, ignore Zach, come home to an ill Annie and do the same for days.
From the middle of the book it really started to get interesting. All the secrets were coming out and I couldn't stop reading. I thought the secret of the sisters was very unique and definately not something I saw coming. If I'd read this before reading the book I don't know whether I would have chosen to read it but surprisingly it didn't feel out of place.
I was pleased to read the prologue as when I could see there was only a few pages left, I was getting worried all my questions wouldn't be answered. Too many books leave unanswered questions.
Overall I thought the book was brilliant. The story wasn't moving anywhere and had no obvious place it was heading at the start but the second half of the book was so good that it doesn't matter.
May 9, 2013
I'll start off by saying that it was absolutely nothing like what I expected. But to be thrown off can sometimes be a good thing. I was definitely not expecting the first half of this book to read like a contemporary novel. The reader is thrown deep into the mind of Barbara, "Babie", your average teenage girl. She is egocentric and full of angst. She is overly dramatic with her desperate need to escape the small town of Shallow Pond. And she is rude and distant to everyone around her. I understand that she wasn't always this way, but only because I was told this. I really wish I had had the chance to see her regular interactions with her friends, instead of wondering why these people stuck around, waiting for her to be nice to them. Barbara is given chance after chance by these friends, and while I respected their loyalty, I wondered what Barbara had done to deserve it.
The first half of the book was frustrating because I could feel the inkling of something great. I just wasn't sure if that something would be achieved by the end. I was mostly happy with the second half of the book. It delves into some dark waters, dealing with controversial topics, toeing the line between right and wrong. While not entirely unique, Grosso does put a wonderful spin on a classic tale. I really enjoyed the subtle undercurrents of love versus obsession.
For dealing with something technical, it was left strangely UNscientific. Good news for laments! Anyone can enjoy this story, but I can definitely recommend this book to teens. Parents will be happy to know that there was only one swear (that I noticed - don't quote me on that!) and the romance was squeaky clean. This was, however, an ARC so there may be changes made before publication. On the plus side, there were very few errors in this draft, so it bodes well for the finished copy.
A copy of this book was received from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
The first half of the book was frustrating because I could feel the inkling of something great. I just wasn't sure if that something would be achieved by the end. I was mostly happy with the second half of the book. It delves into some dark waters, dealing with controversial topics, toeing the line between right and wrong. While not entirely unique, Grosso does put a wonderful spin on a classic tale. I really enjoyed the subtle undercurrents of love versus obsession.
For dealing with something technical, it was left strangely UNscientific. Good news for laments! Anyone can enjoy this story, but I can definitely recommend this book to teens. Parents will be happy to know that there was only one swear (that I noticed - don't quote me on that!) and the romance was squeaky clean. This was, however, an ARC so there may be changes made before publication. On the plus side, there were very few errors in this draft, so it bodes well for the finished copy.
A copy of this book was received from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2013
Senior Barbara just wants to get out of her small town of Shallow Pond. She does not want to be tied down, especially by a boy, the reason her older sister never left town, only ending up with a broken heart and to raise her younger sisters. When attractive new boy Zack shows up in town, she resists her friends match making, avoiding him at all costs. Meanwhile, her oldest sister Annie's heart-breaker shows back up, only to be interested in wild middle sister Gracie. The strange thing is that all the sisters look alike, enough alike that people mistake them for each other, even with the age differences.
Barbara was not really a character I liked. She was so introverted and independent, she is lucky she still had friends. She cam up with some crazy ideas that she felt her life was, but never revealed them to anyone, just continued to fantasize. I will give her the benefit of the doubt because how would I react in the same situation, where my world is crumbling around me. I really like her relationship with the oldest sister Annie, it seemed to be the only bond that was real in Barbara's life. He relationship with the love interest was not really much of anything. She was mainly very rude an abrasive towards him no matter how nice he was, and then boom they are in love, and then the conclusion that I will not mention. It was awkward, and if I had been him, I would never have dated her.
I absolutely hate Gracie. She tells others secrets to make friends, and she will gladly sell out her devoted older sister to snatch up a guy. She is a total bitch, and I am not one to cuss. She seemed like the young sister, not Barbara.
This was not a romance story, more an anti-romance where love can be a bad thing used to hurt people. I saw the twists coming in the plot so I was not surprised, but it was a very unique concept that I have not experienced in a teen book before.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Barbara was not really a character I liked. She was so introverted and independent, she is lucky she still had friends. She cam up with some crazy ideas that she felt her life was, but never revealed them to anyone, just continued to fantasize. I will give her the benefit of the doubt because how would I react in the same situation, where my world is crumbling around me. I really like her relationship with the oldest sister Annie, it seemed to be the only bond that was real in Barbara's life. He relationship with the love interest was not really much of anything. She was mainly very rude an abrasive towards him no matter how nice he was, and then boom they are in love, and then the conclusion that I will not mention. It was awkward, and if I had been him, I would never have dated her.
I absolutely hate Gracie. She tells others secrets to make friends, and she will gladly sell out her devoted older sister to snatch up a guy. She is a total bitch, and I am not one to cuss. She seemed like the young sister, not Barbara.
This was not a romance story, more an anti-romance where love can be a bad thing used to hurt people. I saw the twists coming in the plot so I was not surprised, but it was a very unique concept that I have not experienced in a teen book before.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
July 26, 2013
3.5
Shallow Pond tells the intriguing story of Barbara ‘Babie’ Bunting, just another teen growing up in a dead-end town… or is she? Ever since she was small Barbara has dreamed of escaping Shallow Pond, and whilst her two older sisters never quite managed to get away Barbara is determined not to make the same mistake.
I spent at least the first third of this book wondering what the point of the whole story was going to be, but not necessarily in a bad way. Let me try and explain… Right from the start the book seemed to detail the mundane daily activities of Barbara and her two sisters leaving me with no idea where the story was headed. However instead of becoming bored and wanting to give up this just made me more intrigued as to what the ‘big secret’ mentioned in the synopsis was going to be. A huge part of what makes this book enjoyable is the plot twists, and whilst some did feel a bit predictable, particularly after the first big reveal, I still think that the idea behind the story is pretty clever.
In addition to being a slightly unusual and different read within the YA genre (at least for me personally) it was also lovely to find another good standalone read. Although they obviously do exist within the genre the focus does tend to fall more on the series/trilogies and I feel like the one-offs can get lost in the shuffle. Whilst some of those series are great reads too I always think its nice to find an interesting standalone that feels complete without a sequel.
Its difficult for me to say too much more without giving away anything about the twist that would ruin the reading experience for you so I’ll wrap things up here. Overall Shallow Pond is a nice quick standalone read with an interesting premise that will keep you guessing… at least for a little while.
*Review copy via Netgalley
Shallow Pond tells the intriguing story of Barbara ‘Babie’ Bunting, just another teen growing up in a dead-end town… or is she? Ever since she was small Barbara has dreamed of escaping Shallow Pond, and whilst her two older sisters never quite managed to get away Barbara is determined not to make the same mistake.
I spent at least the first third of this book wondering what the point of the whole story was going to be, but not necessarily in a bad way. Let me try and explain… Right from the start the book seemed to detail the mundane daily activities of Barbara and her two sisters leaving me with no idea where the story was headed. However instead of becoming bored and wanting to give up this just made me more intrigued as to what the ‘big secret’ mentioned in the synopsis was going to be. A huge part of what makes this book enjoyable is the plot twists, and whilst some did feel a bit predictable, particularly after the first big reveal, I still think that the idea behind the story is pretty clever.
In addition to being a slightly unusual and different read within the YA genre (at least for me personally) it was also lovely to find another good standalone read. Although they obviously do exist within the genre the focus does tend to fall more on the series/trilogies and I feel like the one-offs can get lost in the shuffle. Whilst some of those series are great reads too I always think its nice to find an interesting standalone that feels complete without a sequel.
Its difficult for me to say too much more without giving away anything about the twist that would ruin the reading experience for you so I’ll wrap things up here. Overall Shallow Pond is a nice quick standalone read with an interesting premise that will keep you guessing… at least for a little while.
*Review copy via Netgalley
June 24, 2013
Starting in my usual vein of things, cover wise this books hits a nice neutral. While I detest the use of model (I'm starting to think of models as the path of least resistance), I also enjoy the natural backdrop.
I found it extremely difficult for me to get into Shallow Pond. I blame my lack of energy and focus on the first part of this book. It seemed very slow. Like a roller coaster just starting (shakily) off towards it's highest point. And by high, I mean very high....hence the agonizingly slow start. Honestly, it's snail space beginning is what killed any real love I had for Shallow Pond.
Though I didn't find Shallow Pond my newest BFF in my will-sell-soul-for shelf, it didn't quite earn a die-horrible-death shelf (which I've yet to create but will, just you wait and see!). The book had promising points to it's plot which brought it up from the hate zone and into that lukewarm area of three stars. Here's why:
•Once the roller coaster was able to build up speed, it did so into a interesting plot.
•The writing, while shaky at first, seemed to even itself out once I was able to commit myself to finishing Shallow Pond.
•There were a few WTF, where did that come from plot twists.
•I like that the author went somewhere different with her plot and didn't use the same formula you seem to find in most YA books these days.
Overall, Shallow Pond wasn't a quick favorite, nor was it even runner up for favorite. It fell quite easily in the middle portion of average. Not bad, not awesome. I think if not for my reaction to the first portion of Shallow Pond, this book would have ranked at least a three and a half.
I found it extremely difficult for me to get into Shallow Pond. I blame my lack of energy and focus on the first part of this book. It seemed very slow. Like a roller coaster just starting (shakily) off towards it's highest point. And by high, I mean very high....hence the agonizingly slow start. Honestly, it's snail space beginning is what killed any real love I had for Shallow Pond.
Though I didn't find Shallow Pond my newest BFF in my will-sell-soul-for shelf, it didn't quite earn a die-horrible-death shelf (which I've yet to create but will, just you wait and see!). The book had promising points to it's plot which brought it up from the hate zone and into that lukewarm area of three stars. Here's why:
•Once the roller coaster was able to build up speed, it did so into a interesting plot.
•The writing, while shaky at first, seemed to even itself out once I was able to commit myself to finishing Shallow Pond.
•There were a few WTF, where did that come from plot twists.
•I like that the author went somewhere different with her plot and didn't use the same formula you seem to find in most YA books these days.
Overall, Shallow Pond wasn't a quick favorite, nor was it even runner up for favorite. It fell quite easily in the middle portion of average. Not bad, not awesome. I think if not for my reaction to the first portion of Shallow Pond, this book would have ranked at least a three and a half.
June 19, 2013
Shallow Pond is a small town and everyone knows everything about everyone, except the Bunting sisters. They are just weird. The rumor at school is that they are a coven or witches! Before you think this is a supernatural book, it is not. Barbara “Babie” Bunting is the youngest of three sisters. Her parents are both dead and she is being raised by her oldest sister, Annie. Barbara cannot wait to graduate and leave Shallow Pond forever. Her sisters stayed behind and she will not make the same mistake. Babie’s plans to leave start slipping through her fingers when Zach Faraday moves into town. He also is an orphan and no one can deny they have chemistry.
Annie has been sick off and on since winter break but when the girls finally convince her to go to the hospital, she insists on visiting a doctor friend of their father. Babie starts questioning everything: Why is Annie still sick? What killed her mother? Why did Annie and her high school sweetheart breakup. After Babie begins to connect the dots, she realizes her life is crazier than she ever imagined. Shallow Pond is a captivating read that throws questions and possibilities at the reader throughout. Readers will find themselves shaking their proverbial head at some of the character’s actions. I enjoyed the book and did not realize where Grosso was going with the story until it slapped me upside the head. I believe any reader who enjoys books about teen issues will not be disappointed with this book.
Annie has been sick off and on since winter break but when the girls finally convince her to go to the hospital, she insists on visiting a doctor friend of their father. Babie starts questioning everything: Why is Annie still sick? What killed her mother? Why did Annie and her high school sweetheart breakup. After Babie begins to connect the dots, she realizes her life is crazier than she ever imagined. Shallow Pond is a captivating read that throws questions and possibilities at the reader throughout. Readers will find themselves shaking their proverbial head at some of the character’s actions. I enjoyed the book and did not realize where Grosso was going with the story until it slapped me upside the head. I believe any reader who enjoys books about teen issues will not be disappointed with this book.
July 28, 2013
cDo you believe there is one special person created just for you?
The Bunting family secrets don't turn out to be what I guesstimated when I read the cover blurp, but Alissa Grosso's characters hooked me right away. This is not another Twilight vampire romance.
Shallow Pond could be any small town USA. I live in a small town, so I understand the drama of everyone knowing all about everyone else. There are few secrets and fewer surprises. But, nothing turns out to be what is "known" as the story progresses.
The teenagers in the novel are spot on, with the typical high school romance, drama, dances, and ho hum high school days. The voice of the characters comes through as authentic and many readers will identify with one or more of the situations.
The Bunting sisters and family, on the other hand, are far from typical. Three identical sisters live together, but have their own individual stories. Yet no one can imagine the real truth which begins to be revealed when the oldest sister becomes ill.
Secrets continue to be revealed in the second half of the novel and at the end the reader is left wondering what could happen in the next chapter of their lives. Lots of what ifs to think about and open ended situations for a sequel. Lover of happily ever after endings, I'll continue to hope for Barbara and Zach.
The Bunting family secrets don't turn out to be what I guesstimated when I read the cover blurp, but Alissa Grosso's characters hooked me right away. This is not another Twilight vampire romance.
Shallow Pond could be any small town USA. I live in a small town, so I understand the drama of everyone knowing all about everyone else. There are few secrets and fewer surprises. But, nothing turns out to be what is "known" as the story progresses.
The teenagers in the novel are spot on, with the typical high school romance, drama, dances, and ho hum high school days. The voice of the characters comes through as authentic and many readers will identify with one or more of the situations.
The Bunting sisters and family, on the other hand, are far from typical. Three identical sisters live together, but have their own individual stories. Yet no one can imagine the real truth which begins to be revealed when the oldest sister becomes ill.
Secrets continue to be revealed in the second half of the novel and at the end the reader is left wondering what could happen in the next chapter of their lives. Lots of what ifs to think about and open ended situations for a sequel. Lover of happily ever after endings, I'll continue to hope for Barbara and Zach.
September 12, 2013
NOTE: I received the eARC through Netgalley.
Let me first say that I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this one. The summary made it sound like an interesting story. However, it turned out to be flat and one of those reads I just want to be through with, you know?
I think this would've made a much better futuristic novel if there were more details provided on how those girls ended up being the same. Not just claiming they were clones and that's the end of it. Seriously, the entire book (except the last few chapters) was full with incredibly silly speculations that made me want to just close it and never open it again.
Like I said, providing the necessary details can go a long way. As it were, we were just presented with a mystery that turned into a secret that simply came out in the open. And we were just left to wonder "what on earth?" There wasn't even a good romance going on to compensate for the dullness of the storyline. So, most of the time I was left wondering why I was reading this book in the first place.
I guess the topics the author addresses are relevant, but the way they're presented is flat and boring. There's talk of abuse, sick obsession, misinterpretation of facts, yada yada. But I couldn't care less. Which makes the book not good enough.
Let me first say that I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this one. The summary made it sound like an interesting story. However, it turned out to be flat and one of those reads I just want to be through with, you know?
I think this would've made a much better futuristic novel if there were more details provided on how those girls ended up being the same. Not just claiming they were clones and that's the end of it. Seriously, the entire book (except the last few chapters) was full with incredibly silly speculations that made me want to just close it and never open it again.
Like I said, providing the necessary details can go a long way. As it were, we were just presented with a mystery that turned into a secret that simply came out in the open. And we were just left to wonder "what on earth?" There wasn't even a good romance going on to compensate for the dullness of the storyline. So, most of the time I was left wondering why I was reading this book in the first place.
I guess the topics the author addresses are relevant, but the way they're presented is flat and boring. There's talk of abuse, sick obsession, misinterpretation of facts, yada yada. But I couldn't care less. Which makes the book not good enough.
October 9, 2014
I received this copy via Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion.
Babie — the MC — is your typical teen in a small, boring town with dreams of getting away and living a bigger, bolder life elsewhere. She has two big sisters that didn't actually get away from town, and one of Babie's biggest fears is ending up like that. But she's got one thing she's sure they didn't: serious determination. And I respect that. I feel like this aspect of the book, anyone can connect with. There's something in your life — particularly during those years — that you want to get away from. I, personally, felt very similar to Babie when I was her age about getting out of my town, so I really felt connected with her, and it helped to start me rooting for her early in the story. And I was rooting for her until the end.
There was a small problem with the story: it took forever to start. The book spent the first third just talking about Babie and her sisters and pretty normal life stuff. As a plot girl, it was hard to really get into the story as a whole without that. Though, since I liked Babie, i was willing to wait it out a little longer.
And I'm glad I did.
Grosso is good with plot twists throughout the story, that really help to keep the book from being predictable. The same old, same old.
This is a book that anyone who enjoys a good secret, small town vibe YA would like.
Babie — the MC — is your typical teen in a small, boring town with dreams of getting away and living a bigger, bolder life elsewhere. She has two big sisters that didn't actually get away from town, and one of Babie's biggest fears is ending up like that. But she's got one thing she's sure they didn't: serious determination. And I respect that. I feel like this aspect of the book, anyone can connect with. There's something in your life — particularly during those years — that you want to get away from. I, personally, felt very similar to Babie when I was her age about getting out of my town, so I really felt connected with her, and it helped to start me rooting for her early in the story. And I was rooting for her until the end.
There was a small problem with the story: it took forever to start. The book spent the first third just talking about Babie and her sisters and pretty normal life stuff. As a plot girl, it was hard to really get into the story as a whole without that. Though, since I liked Babie, i was willing to wait it out a little longer.
And I'm glad I did.
Grosso is good with plot twists throughout the story, that really help to keep the book from being predictable. The same old, same old.
This is a book that anyone who enjoys a good secret, small town vibe YA would like.
February 9, 2016
This book started out okay, but then it turns into the most ridiculous cloning story ever. A waste of time.
book description:
Annie is the oldest. The sickly one who gave up on her own life so she could raise her sisters after their parents died. Gracie is the wild child. She wants a man so bad, she’ll do anything it takes to get one. Barbara, the youngest, hates being constantly mistaken for her sisters. She wants nothing more than to finish senior year and get out of Shallow Pond—before she succumbs to her unwanted attraction to the new boy in town, Zach Faraday.
When Annie’s enigmatic illness takes a turn for the worse, Barbara begins to search for the truth of her family’s past. But Shallow Pond offers only lies and deceit. The one thing Barbara can trust is her halting connection to Zach—an unsettling bond that may be the answer to a mystery that doesn’t want to be solved.
book description:
Annie is the oldest. The sickly one who gave up on her own life so she could raise her sisters after their parents died. Gracie is the wild child. She wants a man so bad, she’ll do anything it takes to get one. Barbara, the youngest, hates being constantly mistaken for her sisters. She wants nothing more than to finish senior year and get out of Shallow Pond—before she succumbs to her unwanted attraction to the new boy in town, Zach Faraday.
When Annie’s enigmatic illness takes a turn for the worse, Barbara begins to search for the truth of her family’s past. But Shallow Pond offers only lies and deceit. The one thing Barbara can trust is her halting connection to Zach—an unsettling bond that may be the answer to a mystery that doesn’t want to be solved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2016
Barbra Bunting is the youngest of the Bunting sisters. Ever since she could remember all Barbara's ever wanted to do was leave the town she was taught to call home, Shallow Pond. But when Zach Faraday shows up Barbra suddenly starts to question everything she's ever known.
Throughout this phenomenal book dark secrets come to light as Barbra becomes more and more curious about not only her past, but the past that was re-written to ultimately become her future as well.
I strongly suggest this perspective altering book to lovers of the science fiction community and lovers of realistic fiction because this book presents a girl struggling to fit into the town who's "charm" was engraved in her DNA, but at the same time the author managed to throw a sci-fi twist in.
Throughout this phenomenal book dark secrets come to light as Barbra becomes more and more curious about not only her past, but the past that was re-written to ultimately become her future as well.
I strongly suggest this perspective altering book to lovers of the science fiction community and lovers of realistic fiction because this book presents a girl struggling to fit into the town who's "charm" was engraved in her DNA, but at the same time the author managed to throw a sci-fi twist in.
January 12, 2014
I've been an avid MG reader for about four years now, so making the switch to YA can be, at times, difficult. While this book started a little slow, the story held promise and before long I was captivated. I loved every moment of Babie's story, from her turmoil to her innermost longings right down to the daily angst of being a teenager. Babie's secrets would leave most teen girls completely shaken, but despite her often tumultuous feelings, she remains strong. Loved the surprise ending, asserting that a girl doesn't need a boy to be complete.
April 16, 2013
What started out as your basic contemporary novel where girl finds herself and makes peace with her life quickly switched gears with a twist I really enjoyed. A great book for a discussion about nature vs. nurture and genetics vs. individuality. This was something I didn't expect and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to netgalley.com and Flux Books for allowing me access to this title.
Thanks to netgalley.com and Flux Books for allowing me access to this title.
July 23, 2013
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Wow! I did not see this coming. That is best way to describe Shallow Pond without spoiling it.
It took forever to get to the "Wow!" moment but when I finally got there I couldn't stop. I didn't love the book but found the twist to be something of a shocker.
Wow! I did not see this coming. That is best way to describe Shallow Pond without spoiling it.
It took forever to get to the "Wow!" moment but when I finally got there I couldn't stop. I didn't love the book but found the twist to be something of a shocker.
July 9, 2013
I couldn't wait to find out all the secrets and hear the answers to all the mysteries surrounding this family. I found it hard to put down. The way the book ended leads me to believe there is the possibility that there might be a sequel, and if so, I will be watching for it.
I received a free copy of this book from FirstReads program.
I received a free copy of this book from FirstReads program.
did-not-finish
May 5, 2015I couldn't finish it now - maybe another time. There are so many sentence fragments and there is one of the longest run on sentences I've ever seen. I think there's a good idea in there but I'm not interested in wading through the flaws to get there right now.
December 15, 2015
What the fuck did I just read? Everything was moving at a normal pace and then-BAM. plot twist. Plot twist. Plot twist. Every reaction was so unrealistic and the epilogue was wrapped up in a perfectly, disturbing sparkly bow. Like what the hell?
November 29, 2014
Wow... a very interesting read. Definitely couldn't guess the ending for this book. Barbara was a bit closed off for my usual emo tastes but I did love the sisters. I loved Grosso's other books and really liked this.... 5 stars but pretty heavy emotions at times.
March 14, 2013
Great ya book, with a twist or two I did not see coming. Received from netgalley.com
August 13, 2013
Very interesting book.
May 7, 2014
This is a 1.5 star review. And ONLY because the story line was interesting. Everything else, from the writing to the character developments etc, was horrible.
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