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Aspen
One quiet night in Boulder, Colorado, Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor made a mistake.
In the next instant, her life changed forever.
Aspen doesn't want to remember the car accident that killed Katelyn Ryan, a sleek-haired popular soccer player. But forgetting is hard-- because Katelyn may have died -- but she didn't leave. Her ghost is following Aspen around, and heading into senior year, it's kind of a problem. Especially when Katelyn's former boyfriend Ben appears to be the only person at school with a clue as to how Aspen feels.
Popularity, Homecoming Court, hot guys - none of these things ever mattered to Aspen. She's been busy trying to keep her stoner mother Ninny in line and out of unemployment. But with Ben sitting next to her in Physics and her therapist begging her to remember all the things she wants to forget, Aspen is thrust into a vivid, challenging world she can't control ... and doesn't want to.
A darkly funny, emotionally gripping story of opening up, letting go, and moving on, Aspen is about the best-worst accident of your life ... and what comes next.
In the next instant, her life changed forever.
Aspen doesn't want to remember the car accident that killed Katelyn Ryan, a sleek-haired popular soccer player. But forgetting is hard-- because Katelyn may have died -- but she didn't leave. Her ghost is following Aspen around, and heading into senior year, it's kind of a problem. Especially when Katelyn's former boyfriend Ben appears to be the only person at school with a clue as to how Aspen feels.
Popularity, Homecoming Court, hot guys - none of these things ever mattered to Aspen. She's been busy trying to keep her stoner mother Ninny in line and out of unemployment. But with Ben sitting next to her in Physics and her therapist begging her to remember all the things she wants to forget, Aspen is thrust into a vivid, challenging world she can't control ... and doesn't want to.
A darkly funny, emotionally gripping story of opening up, letting go, and moving on, Aspen is about the best-worst accident of your life ... and what comes next.
236 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
23 people are currently reading
1272 people want to read
About the author
Rebekah Crane
10 books606 followersRebekah Crane is the author of The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland and other young-adult novels. She found a passion for this genre while studying secondary English education at Ohio University. She is a former high school English teacher, a yoga instructor, and the mother of two girls. After living and teaching in six different cities, Rebekah finally settled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to write novels and work on screenplays. She now spends her days tucked behind a laptop at seventy-five hundred feet, where the altitude only enhances the writing experience.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
April 21, 2014
Aspen is one of those books that take you by surprise because of how compulsively good they are. I was not prepared for the richness and depth of this novel.
After a car accident that killed the most popular girl in her school, and left her physically, emotionally, and mentally scarred, Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor - fabulous name, by the way - is the subject of many wide-eyed stares and bathroom gossip. She doesn't want to be pitied by the the people around her so in turn she shuts them off. She also begins to see the ghost of Katelyn Ryan after that fateful day. Although for the most part the ghost doesn't do Aspen any harm, she's still spooked out. She feels like she's in debt or something.
Aspen is a wonderful narrator. Her thoughts are honest amidst the string of lies she feeds the people around her. I love her frank sense of humour, I love her unique character and attitude, and I love her bombastic hair. I think she's a very relatable character. I think a lot of teens can identify with her struggles in school, peers, and family. I also love her knack for memorising definitions. I thought that was pretty cool and worthwhile. I might try and do that sometime.
Speaking of family, Aspen's mom, Ninny, is a strange sort. She's unlike any other parent figure I've ever read in young-adult. She smokes pot, goes through a lot of strange dudes or 'uncles' as she likes to call it, and is every bit of sassy, spunky, and sexy appeal. Most of the time, Ninny acts like a child and Aspen has to play parent. I think it's because of her early pregnancy and lack of family-planning knowledge. But what I admired most about her is her love for Aspen. Even if she does a lot of ridiculous things, I really felt her sincerity and responsibility in raising her daughter.
I really loved reading about Aspen's quirky best friends, Kim and Cass. Both have awesome yet insanely different personalities and sense of humour. I absolutely adored their banter and exchange of witty remarks. But I wanted a bit more screen time with them. I actually wanted to see arguments and hurtful words tossed at because friends do that right? And I wanted to see their breaking points and how far will they go to salvage their timely friendship.
There's also Suzy Lions - the best friend of the late Katelyn Ryans. Reading about her, my initial thought was she's a huge biatch and her friendly approach to Aspen is all plastic. But I was really surprised when Suzy really wanted to forge a new friendship with Aspen. Who knew the day would come where the higher class would side on with the lower class? Anyway, I really liked her and how all she wants is to seek a new happiness or friend. I thought there was a perfect balance of contagious cheerleader giddiness and girl-with-secrets-from-the-past in her character.
And then we have Ben Tyler, the love interest, also known as the former boyfriend of the late Katelyn Ryans - everything seems to be connected to her, eh? I thought he was very charming and he and Aspen really compliment each other. Scratch that, they are meant for each other. I liked Ben's vulnerable side and his desire to let go of his past and move on. I mean, if I were in his shoes I guess it'd be hard to wake up every morning knowing your girlfriend has gone to oblivion. But here's where Aspen comes in - she's like that beacon of hope for him. I also really liked his gentle and laid-back nature. He makes me want to lie down on a bed of roses and write poems about clouds and bluebirds. What.
Plot-wise, I thought it was executed perfectly. The pacing was just right. And the events leading up to that satisfying ending were on-point. But what made me really love this book is the writing. I think it's just lovely and straightforward.
Overall, Aspen is a literary gem. This is a great representation of what YA should be. Poignant, earnest, and inspiring. I recommend this to everyone who's reading this review right now, and of course, those lovers of young-adult contemporary.
*An ARC was given in exchange for an honest review.
After a car accident that killed the most popular girl in her school, and left her physically, emotionally, and mentally scarred, Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor - fabulous name, by the way - is the subject of many wide-eyed stares and bathroom gossip. She doesn't want to be pitied by the the people around her so in turn she shuts them off. She also begins to see the ghost of Katelyn Ryan after that fateful day. Although for the most part the ghost doesn't do Aspen any harm, she's still spooked out. She feels like she's in debt or something.
Aspen is a wonderful narrator. Her thoughts are honest amidst the string of lies she feeds the people around her. I love her frank sense of humour, I love her unique character and attitude, and I love her bombastic hair. I think she's a very relatable character. I think a lot of teens can identify with her struggles in school, peers, and family. I also love her knack for memorising definitions. I thought that was pretty cool and worthwhile. I might try and do that sometime.
Accidental mistake sounds poetic. Like I don't mean to do it, but my mistake produced something beautiful.
Speaking of family, Aspen's mom, Ninny, is a strange sort. She's unlike any other parent figure I've ever read in young-adult. She smokes pot, goes through a lot of strange dudes or 'uncles' as she likes to call it, and is every bit of sassy, spunky, and sexy appeal. Most of the time, Ninny acts like a child and Aspen has to play parent. I think it's because of her early pregnancy and lack of family-planning knowledge. But what I admired most about her is her love for Aspen. Even if she does a lot of ridiculous things, I really felt her sincerity and responsibility in raising her daughter.
There are two kinds of cool: people who are obviously cool, and people who are secretly cool because they know it's totally lame to actually say you're cool.
I really loved reading about Aspen's quirky best friends, Kim and Cass. Both have awesome yet insanely different personalities and sense of humour. I absolutely adored their banter and exchange of witty remarks. But I wanted a bit more screen time with them. I actually wanted to see arguments and hurtful words tossed at because friends do that right? And I wanted to see their breaking points and how far will they go to salvage their timely friendship.
Happiness isn't given in life. And when you're happy, you should hold onto it.
There's also Suzy Lions - the best friend of the late Katelyn Ryans. Reading about her, my initial thought was she's a huge biatch and her friendly approach to Aspen is all plastic. But I was really surprised when Suzy really wanted to forge a new friendship with Aspen. Who knew the day would come where the higher class would side on with the lower class? Anyway, I really liked her and how all she wants is to seek a new happiness or friend. I thought there was a perfect balance of contagious cheerleader giddiness and girl-with-secrets-from-the-past in her character.
Maybe life isn't about seeing ourselves. Maybe it's about letting other people see us.
And then we have Ben Tyler, the love interest, also known as the former boyfriend of the late Katelyn Ryans - everything seems to be connected to her, eh? I thought he was very charming and he and Aspen really compliment each other. Scratch that, they are meant for each other. I liked Ben's vulnerable side and his desire to let go of his past and move on. I mean, if I were in his shoes I guess it'd be hard to wake up every morning knowing your girlfriend has gone to oblivion. But here's where Aspen comes in - she's like that beacon of hope for him. I also really liked his gentle and laid-back nature. He makes me want to lie down on a bed of roses and write poems about clouds and bluebirds. What.
Plot-wise, I thought it was executed perfectly. The pacing was just right. And the events leading up to that satisfying ending were on-point. But what made me really love this book is the writing. I think it's just lovely and straightforward.
Overall, Aspen is a literary gem. This is a great representation of what YA should be. Poignant, earnest, and inspiring. I recommend this to everyone who's reading this review right now, and of course, those lovers of young-adult contemporary.
*An ARC was given in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2014
There needs to be more books like this for YA. Straight up. While I have a major girl crush on Crane- I'm overly picky about my YA... it's not my go-to genre- but, THIS book is a confident, funny, endearing story- and a stellar sophomore novel by Crane.
The characters are solid, real and I fell in love with them. The main character, Aspen, is a refreshing, quirky girl suffering from PTSD in her final year of high school... oddly enough, I related to one of the other characters (Suzy) more, which made me understand and love Aspen from that point of view.
The story line is compelling- especially if you've had moments in your teens years where you felt like hiding the truth (and who hasn't?).
Crane's dialog is beautiful and magnetic. It's real and humorous. It hits hard at times, but there's always that humor to bring you back- a key ingredient to those tough trials of life.
Bottom line: Read this book.
The characters are solid, real and I fell in love with them. The main character, Aspen, is a refreshing, quirky girl suffering from PTSD in her final year of high school... oddly enough, I related to one of the other characters (Suzy) more, which made me understand and love Aspen from that point of view.
The story line is compelling- especially if you've had moments in your teens years where you felt like hiding the truth (and who hasn't?).
Crane's dialog is beautiful and magnetic. It's real and humorous. It hits hard at times, but there's always that humor to bring you back- a key ingredient to those tough trials of life.
Bottom line: Read this book.
May 2, 2014
I need to time to process feels. But wow, this showed the essence of YA Contemporaries- honest-to-god characters that are trying to get through life and just dealing with the aftermath of things. LOVE IT. Full review to come.
October 1, 2014
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I am a super critical reader/reviewer. I usually call out any annoyance I encounter in my reviews regardless of how minuscule it is. It goes without saying that I don't give out many 5 star ratings. As a general rule, any books that I give 5 star ratings to must meet 2 of the 3 following criteria:
1. Go on my favorites shelf. check
2. Make me feel the need to purchase a physical copy (I read on Kindle 98% of the time.) check
3. I know I'm going to re-read the book. check
That being said: I don't have anything bad to say about Aspen. I know... That's really shocking coming from me, but Aspen is phenomenal.
The best thing about this book is the overall message that it's okay to be yourself. All of the main characters in this book are apologetically true to themselves. Great example: Ninny.
"Ninny" is what Aspen calls her mother. Ninny was very young and didn't even know she was pregnant when Aspen was born. Her parents immediately disowned her and she has raised Aspen on her own ever since. Ninny is not what you would consider a traditional parental figure. She smokes a lot of weed, sleeps around, can't hold down a job, doesn't clean up after herself, encourages Aspen to have sex, and is just generally irresponsible. BUT Ninny is not painted as a villain in this novel. Aspen and her friends adore her anyway because she's a good person and she loves them.
I thought this was so unique. A lot novels use the "terrible parent" trope as an excuse to bring their characters conflict and create angst. It's lazy. My least favorite is the rich, works too much, and doesn't give a crap that his daughter is different dad. Awful. Ninny is a crappy mom, but she's a a wonderful, if strange, person. For example:
"My mom taught me how to braid. We used to practice on my dolls. She would say every respectable girl knows how to braid."
"You never taught me."
"I couldn't care less if you're respectable." Ninny ties a rubber band around the end of one braid. "I care that you're you."
Ninny and her relationships with the other characters is truly my favorite thing about this novel. I love the way the author made it okay for Ninny to be different. She made it okay for Aspen to unconditionally love (and like) her mother even if she didn't act like a mother most of the time.
The rest of the book was lovely too. It's never made clear whether or not Aspen is actually beautiful or if Ninny just thinks she is because she's her mother. But it is made clear that Aspen has out of control blonde hair, she wears bell bottoms, tie dye, and Birkenstocks, and usually has charcoal smeared on her face. I thought this was nice. Aspen is unequivocally herself and she still has great friendships and a love interest despite walking to the beat of her own drum. The author didn't paint her as the beautiful girl who wears black and too much makeup in order to hide her beauty because she's soooooooo different and superior. Gag.
I don't want to get too far into the accident and resulting events part of the book, but I will say that this is very well done. Aspen's reactions to them and the events that tale place afterwards struck me as very realistic.
Overall, this book was wonderful and I very much recommend that you read it. Now.
Read this review on my blog: Crazy Something Maybe
*Side note for my reviewer friends: if you decide to request this on NetGalley, I want to warn you that the quality of this ARC is terrible. The formatting is so off that it's sometimes VERY hard to read. You can't always tell who is saying what during the dialog because the spacing is so jacked up.
Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I am a super critical reader/reviewer. I usually call out any annoyance I encounter in my reviews regardless of how minuscule it is. It goes without saying that I don't give out many 5 star ratings. As a general rule, any books that I give 5 star ratings to must meet 2 of the 3 following criteria:
1. Go on my favorites shelf. check
2. Make me feel the need to purchase a physical copy (I read on Kindle 98% of the time.) check
3. I know I'm going to re-read the book. check
That being said: I don't have anything bad to say about Aspen. I know... That's really shocking coming from me, but Aspen is phenomenal.
The best thing about this book is the overall message that it's okay to be yourself. All of the main characters in this book are apologetically true to themselves. Great example: Ninny.
"Ninny" is what Aspen calls her mother. Ninny was very young and didn't even know she was pregnant when Aspen was born. Her parents immediately disowned her and she has raised Aspen on her own ever since. Ninny is not what you would consider a traditional parental figure. She smokes a lot of weed, sleeps around, can't hold down a job, doesn't clean up after herself, encourages Aspen to have sex, and is just generally irresponsible. BUT Ninny is not painted as a villain in this novel. Aspen and her friends adore her anyway because she's a good person and she loves them.
I thought this was so unique. A lot novels use the "terrible parent" trope as an excuse to bring their characters conflict and create angst. It's lazy. My least favorite is the rich, works too much, and doesn't give a crap that his daughter is different dad. Awful. Ninny is a crappy mom, but she's a a wonderful, if strange, person. For example:
"My mom taught me how to braid. We used to practice on my dolls. She would say every respectable girl knows how to braid."
"You never taught me."
"I couldn't care less if you're respectable." Ninny ties a rubber band around the end of one braid. "I care that you're you."
Ninny and her relationships with the other characters is truly my favorite thing about this novel. I love the way the author made it okay for Ninny to be different. She made it okay for Aspen to unconditionally love (and like) her mother even if she didn't act like a mother most of the time.
The rest of the book was lovely too. It's never made clear whether or not Aspen is actually beautiful or if Ninny just thinks she is because she's her mother. But it is made clear that Aspen has out of control blonde hair, she wears bell bottoms, tie dye, and Birkenstocks, and usually has charcoal smeared on her face. I thought this was nice. Aspen is unequivocally herself and she still has great friendships and a love interest despite walking to the beat of her own drum. The author didn't paint her as the beautiful girl who wears black and too much makeup in order to hide her beauty because she's soooooooo different and superior. Gag.
I don't want to get too far into the accident and resulting events part of the book, but I will say that this is very well done. Aspen's reactions to them and the events that tale place afterwards struck me as very realistic.
Overall, this book was wonderful and I very much recommend that you read it. Now.
Read this review on my blog: Crazy Something Maybe
*Side note for my reviewer friends: if you decide to request this on NetGalley, I want to warn you that the quality of this ARC is terrible. The formatting is so off that it's sometimes VERY hard to read. You can't always tell who is saying what during the dialog because the spacing is so jacked up.
April 24, 2014
ASPEN is the kind of book you wish would never end. The characters are finely drawn, the world is carefully created, and the relationships are meaningful and realistic. Aspen herself is such a relatable, likable character that I find myself wondering what's going on in her life now!
I wish there had been more characters like Aspen when I was reading as a teen. She's flawed, and often conflicted, but she' a great friend, a devoted daughter and all around just a good person. As readers we get to see her grow and come to terms with the difficult transition between teen and young adult. It's not always pretty, but it's heartfelt and true-to-life.
My favorite part of the book was definitely her relationships and interactions with her friends and mom. The comic relief provided by her best friends Cass and Kim (one of whom is a boy, yay!) made me laugh out loud several times. And I have to mention, Ben, the dreamboat - slightly tortured, witty and kind. In short, he's an irresistible triple-threat.
Read ASPEN, love Aspen, and join me in hoping somehow we get a sequel!
I wish there had been more characters like Aspen when I was reading as a teen. She's flawed, and often conflicted, but she' a great friend, a devoted daughter and all around just a good person. As readers we get to see her grow and come to terms with the difficult transition between teen and young adult. It's not always pretty, but it's heartfelt and true-to-life.
My favorite part of the book was definitely her relationships and interactions with her friends and mom. The comic relief provided by her best friends Cass and Kim (one of whom is a boy, yay!) made me laugh out loud several times. And I have to mention, Ben, the dreamboat - slightly tortured, witty and kind. In short, he's an irresistible triple-threat.
Read ASPEN, love Aspen, and join me in hoping somehow we get a sequel!
June 1, 2014
For a full and edited review go to Blame it on the books
4 Stars
“Maybe life isn’t about seeing ourselves. Maybe its about letting other people see us.”
Aspen is as emotionally lifting as it is destroying, its full of beautiful quotes and moments. Some were sad, but most made me laugh and smile. It wasn’t any bit of a surprise for me when I went on Goodreads and I saw all the 5 star reviews.
Aspen was involved in a car accident with Katelyn Ryan, a popular girl at her school. Aspen got out of the accident with an injured leg while Katelyn never got up again. Returning to school and normal life, nobody blamed Aspen (unlike every other car accident book ever) but they constantly reminded everyone how perfect Katelyn was. Aspen can’t remember anything of the car accidents but from what we can peace together it had something to do with her phone. She’s guilty about what happened and instead of talking about it she tries to act like nothing happened which is a huge mistake because she sees Katelyn everywhere, haunting her.
“I grab my phone and throw it out the car window. It shatters on the road, broken to pieces. When I glance back at the passenger seat, Katelyn is gone.”
Aspen was such an amazing character, she was so real and down to earth. She was quirky and even though I was fighting with her half the book to just talk to someone, It’s not something you could hold against her.
“I think its kind of weird that she displays stuff from places she’s never been, but who am I to judge? I see a dead girl.”
This book had a deep story but it didn’t make you hate your life, or become senselessly depressed. Instead it mixed the shallow subjects with the emotional problems beautifully.
Our main guy is Ben who had “eyelashes like snuffleupagus’s on Sesame Street.” It was odd because he was Katelyn’s boyfriend at the time of the accident. At first I was instantly weirded out and I wasn’t sure if I could even finish the book, but the deeper I got into the book the more I could see everything from Aspen’s point of view.
The rest of the characters were quirky and odd (which I love). It starts with Aspen’s mom, who she affectionately calls Ninny. She spends half the book smoking crack and having sex with a different guy.
“You want to know what I believe in? When you meet someone oand youre drawn to tahat person for a moment in time. But that’s it. It fades like everything else. And theres nothing wrong with that. I’d rather spread my love.”
Next we have Cass and Kim, they are aspen’s best friends who are secretly inlove with each other. I only wish we could have seen more of them, they were so fun and light hearted while still being supportive. Last is Katelyn’s best friend Suzy, who feels bad for Aspen and starts to become best friends with her, she’s another character that I was prepared to hate but in the end I loved.
“You know what Im really mad at Katelyn for? I’m mad at her for not living. Happiness isn’t a given in life. And when you’re happy you should hold onto it.”
The story line was pretty unpredictable, we get glimpses and hints but we don’t hear the whole story until the end. With everyone talking about how perfect Katelyn was, I was dying to hear what her friends had to say about her.
Overall this is a thrilling book that keeps you hooked from page one. It’ll make you laugh and cry but you’ll love it. I look forward to reading more from Rebekah Crane.
4 Stars
“Maybe life isn’t about seeing ourselves. Maybe its about letting other people see us.”
Aspen is as emotionally lifting as it is destroying, its full of beautiful quotes and moments. Some were sad, but most made me laugh and smile. It wasn’t any bit of a surprise for me when I went on Goodreads and I saw all the 5 star reviews.
Aspen was involved in a car accident with Katelyn Ryan, a popular girl at her school. Aspen got out of the accident with an injured leg while Katelyn never got up again. Returning to school and normal life, nobody blamed Aspen (unlike every other car accident book ever) but they constantly reminded everyone how perfect Katelyn was. Aspen can’t remember anything of the car accidents but from what we can peace together it had something to do with her phone. She’s guilty about what happened and instead of talking about it she tries to act like nothing happened which is a huge mistake because she sees Katelyn everywhere, haunting her.
“I grab my phone and throw it out the car window. It shatters on the road, broken to pieces. When I glance back at the passenger seat, Katelyn is gone.”
Aspen was such an amazing character, she was so real and down to earth. She was quirky and even though I was fighting with her half the book to just talk to someone, It’s not something you could hold against her.
“I think its kind of weird that she displays stuff from places she’s never been, but who am I to judge? I see a dead girl.”
This book had a deep story but it didn’t make you hate your life, or become senselessly depressed. Instead it mixed the shallow subjects with the emotional problems beautifully.
Our main guy is Ben who had “eyelashes like snuffleupagus’s on Sesame Street.” It was odd because he was Katelyn’s boyfriend at the time of the accident. At first I was instantly weirded out and I wasn’t sure if I could even finish the book, but the deeper I got into the book the more I could see everything from Aspen’s point of view.
The rest of the characters were quirky and odd (which I love). It starts with Aspen’s mom, who she affectionately calls Ninny. She spends half the book smoking crack and having sex with a different guy.
“You want to know what I believe in? When you meet someone oand youre drawn to tahat person for a moment in time. But that’s it. It fades like everything else. And theres nothing wrong with that. I’d rather spread my love.”
Next we have Cass and Kim, they are aspen’s best friends who are secretly inlove with each other. I only wish we could have seen more of them, they were so fun and light hearted while still being supportive. Last is Katelyn’s best friend Suzy, who feels bad for Aspen and starts to become best friends with her, she’s another character that I was prepared to hate but in the end I loved.
“You know what Im really mad at Katelyn for? I’m mad at her for not living. Happiness isn’t a given in life. And when you’re happy you should hold onto it.”
The story line was pretty unpredictable, we get glimpses and hints but we don’t hear the whole story until the end. With everyone talking about how perfect Katelyn was, I was dying to hear what her friends had to say about her.
Overall this is a thrilling book that keeps you hooked from page one. It’ll make you laugh and cry but you’ll love it. I look forward to reading more from Rebekah Crane.
March 17, 2014
Note: I received an Advanced Reading Copy of ASPEN in return for an honest review.
Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor lives with her weed-loving mother in Boulder, Colorado. A few weeks before the start of senior year she's in a terrible car crash. Katelyn Ryan, the teen driving the other car, is killed. It's a horrible, bloody experience and it marks Aspen in ways that have nothing to do with her broken leg or the nasty scar across her forehead.
What's worse, Katelyn's ghost is haunting Aspen. Not in the paranormal sense. Crane's book is firmly set in reality. This ghost is more of an accusing phantom rather than an interactive citizen of the hereafter. Her appearances become more frequent as Aspen finds herself being drawn deeper and deeper into Katelyn's popular-girl world. Katelyn's best friend, boyfriend, homecoming crown...Aspen acquires them all. Not by any conscious effort. She has her own BFFs. Kim and Cass are oddballs like Aspen, and they stick with her throughout the novel. The coming loss of these friends (via graduation and what will follow) is a second ghost haunting Aspen. She has no idea what she wants for her own future or, given how quickly life can turn, if what she wants even matters.
Throughout the book, Aspen is caught between her own refusal to face the real facts of the accident and a compulsion to learn all she can about Katelyn, who turns out to be more complicated a personality than the people who knew and loved her will admit. I can't say too much more about this without spoiling the book. I do have mixed feelings about the big reveal. Aspen's actions before the accident were potentially deadly. The other, more direct, cause of the crash seems to minimize that. I'm not so sure that was the way to go.
That said, Crane does a beautiful job creating a believable fictional universe. Her Boulder is rich with detail--and one of the most effective evocations of place I've read in a long time. Her characters are complex and fully realized. I rank Crane's "Aspen" up there with Amy Harmon's "Fern" (from the novel MAKING FACES), whom I came to love beyond reason. Crane's novel shares the same humanity and heart as Harmon's bestseller.
ASPEN is a fabulous read. I highly recommend it.
Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor lives with her weed-loving mother in Boulder, Colorado. A few weeks before the start of senior year she's in a terrible car crash. Katelyn Ryan, the teen driving the other car, is killed. It's a horrible, bloody experience and it marks Aspen in ways that have nothing to do with her broken leg or the nasty scar across her forehead.
What's worse, Katelyn's ghost is haunting Aspen. Not in the paranormal sense. Crane's book is firmly set in reality. This ghost is more of an accusing phantom rather than an interactive citizen of the hereafter. Her appearances become more frequent as Aspen finds herself being drawn deeper and deeper into Katelyn's popular-girl world. Katelyn's best friend, boyfriend, homecoming crown...Aspen acquires them all. Not by any conscious effort. She has her own BFFs. Kim and Cass are oddballs like Aspen, and they stick with her throughout the novel. The coming loss of these friends (via graduation and what will follow) is a second ghost haunting Aspen. She has no idea what she wants for her own future or, given how quickly life can turn, if what she wants even matters.
Throughout the book, Aspen is caught between her own refusal to face the real facts of the accident and a compulsion to learn all she can about Katelyn, who turns out to be more complicated a personality than the people who knew and loved her will admit. I can't say too much more about this without spoiling the book. I do have mixed feelings about the big reveal. Aspen's actions before the accident were potentially deadly. The other, more direct, cause of the crash seems to minimize that. I'm not so sure that was the way to go.
That said, Crane does a beautiful job creating a believable fictional universe. Her Boulder is rich with detail--and one of the most effective evocations of place I've read in a long time. Her characters are complex and fully realized. I rank Crane's "Aspen" up there with Amy Harmon's "Fern" (from the novel MAKING FACES), whom I came to love beyond reason. Crane's novel shares the same humanity and heart as Harmon's bestseller.
ASPEN is a fabulous read. I highly recommend it.
September 5, 2014
I MADE A PLAYLIST FOR THIS BOOK! AND YOU CAN LISTEN WHILE READING MY REVIEW HERE.
Aspen surprised me... I know it's my fault because I don't read blurbs, but what I really expected from this book is nothing but rainbows and unicorns and sunshine. In short, I thought it was a fluffy read. Don't get me wrong, the book wasn't depressing or very sad. Nothing like that. Though, I did get teary eyed at some point. Let’s just say that ASPEN is a lightly dark read. I know, that's so weird. How can a book be lightly dark?! Well, let's put it this way.. Aspen is deep. Poignant. And absolutely unforgettable.
It's a story about Aspen, she's a tree.
No, I'm just kidding.
Aspen is wonderful, smart and a riot! I love this girl to bits. She's so.. transparent. What you see is what you get. She got involved in a car accident and obviously, she's the survivor. The girl who died in the other car is one of the most popular girl in their school, Katelyn. And now, she's appearing to Aspen every now and then as a ghost. And why is that? Well, only Aspen knows. And of course, Katelyn.
You won't believe how I loved the relationships here in this book. Between Nini (Aspen's mother) and Aspen, between Aspen and her bestfriends, between Aspen and Ben, basically between Aspen and everyone! It’s so dynamic. Crane’s characters are realistic. Freakin’ authentic. Genuine. Through out the book, I felt like Aspen was just with me. Sharing me this story amd I’m just right beside her, listening intently. She’s a magnificent narrator.
Rebekah Crane’s writing is humorous. Sharp. And highly entertaining! Think Rainbow Rowell. It’s quirky and full of heart. Putting down the book is not an option. Aspen’s plot is well thought. It’s funny with a slight touch of drama and it’s profound. You don't have a choice but be attached to her characters and be emotionally involved to Aspen's story. I don't know what to say anymore except READ IT. I know we all have a lot in our plates right now but if you want to unwind.. laugh and read something light with depth, Aspen is for you!
Aspen surprised me... I know it's my fault because I don't read blurbs, but what I really expected from this book is nothing but rainbows and unicorns and sunshine. In short, I thought it was a fluffy read. Don't get me wrong, the book wasn't depressing or very sad. Nothing like that. Though, I did get teary eyed at some point. Let’s just say that ASPEN is a lightly dark read. I know, that's so weird. How can a book be lightly dark?! Well, let's put it this way.. Aspen is deep. Poignant. And absolutely unforgettable.
It's a story about Aspen, she's a tree.
No, I'm just kidding.
Aspen is wonderful, smart and a riot! I love this girl to bits. She's so.. transparent. What you see is what you get. She got involved in a car accident and obviously, she's the survivor. The girl who died in the other car is one of the most popular girl in their school, Katelyn. And now, she's appearing to Aspen every now and then as a ghost. And why is that? Well, only Aspen knows. And of course, Katelyn.
You won't believe how I loved the relationships here in this book. Between Nini (Aspen's mother) and Aspen, between Aspen and her bestfriends, between Aspen and Ben, basically between Aspen and everyone! It’s so dynamic. Crane’s characters are realistic. Freakin’ authentic. Genuine. Through out the book, I felt like Aspen was just with me. Sharing me this story amd I’m just right beside her, listening intently. She’s a magnificent narrator.
Rebekah Crane’s writing is humorous. Sharp. And highly entertaining! Think Rainbow Rowell. It’s quirky and full of heart. Putting down the book is not an option. Aspen’s plot is well thought. It’s funny with a slight touch of drama and it’s profound. You don't have a choice but be attached to her characters and be emotionally involved to Aspen's story. I don't know what to say anymore except READ IT. I know we all have a lot in our plates right now but if you want to unwind.. laugh and read something light with depth, Aspen is for you!
December 11, 2013
Apen was a great read! I have the pleasure of interning with Rebekah and I've learned so much from her! I have seen Aspen from the very beginning before edits, during edits and the final product! I LOVE THIS STORY.
Aspen is a gutsy girl with frizzy blonde hair who just happens to see a classmate walking around, the kicker is she's dead. Aspen was in a car accident that included her classmate Katelyn, the ghost haunting her. Katelyn's boyfriend Ben and Aspen seem to be brought together by fate, being lab partners and sitting by each other in class. Every one misses Katelyn and it seems Aspen is being drawn into a new life by being invited by popular girls at school, Ben talking to her and she's nominated for Homecoming Queen!
As if that's not enough she has to worry about her Mom, Ninny, a free spirited hippie who loves smoking pot. But there's a reason Aspen is seeing Katelyn and it's a secret she might not be able to keep.
Rebekah did a wonderful job writing from the mind of a teenager. I truly felt that I was reading a teenage point of view. The story flowed and kept me wanting more. I loved Rebekah's book Playing Nice and Aspen was the best followup novel I could ask for. It has smexy chemistry between Aspen and Ben, fun friendship with the side characters Kim and Cass. I love their banter toward each other. I wanted them to be my friends!
This books is defiantly a must read so add it to your TBR list on Goodreads!. And I think I'll go get a tie-dye shirt like Aspen, because I heard that's all the rage in Boulder, Colorado. :)
Aspen is a gutsy girl with frizzy blonde hair who just happens to see a classmate walking around, the kicker is she's dead. Aspen was in a car accident that included her classmate Katelyn, the ghost haunting her. Katelyn's boyfriend Ben and Aspen seem to be brought together by fate, being lab partners and sitting by each other in class. Every one misses Katelyn and it seems Aspen is being drawn into a new life by being invited by popular girls at school, Ben talking to her and she's nominated for Homecoming Queen!
As if that's not enough she has to worry about her Mom, Ninny, a free spirited hippie who loves smoking pot. But there's a reason Aspen is seeing Katelyn and it's a secret she might not be able to keep.
Rebekah did a wonderful job writing from the mind of a teenager. I truly felt that I was reading a teenage point of view. The story flowed and kept me wanting more. I loved Rebekah's book Playing Nice and Aspen was the best followup novel I could ask for. It has smexy chemistry between Aspen and Ben, fun friendship with the side characters Kim and Cass. I love their banter toward each other. I wanted them to be my friends!
This books is defiantly a must read so add it to your TBR list on Goodreads!. And I think I'll go get a tie-dye shirt like Aspen, because I heard that's all the rage in Boulder, Colorado. :)
June 5, 2014
This was just absolutely fabulous! I just could not stop reading.
Aspen is a high school girl, not the popular click girl, just a girl. An accident changes all that. After the accident she becomes the person everyone want to know, wants to be friends with. She just wants to be "Aspen" again. Her mother is not what most people would consider a traditional mom. She is pretty cool though, in a "my mom is a friend" kind of way. Kim and Cass are her best friends and they are hilareous. Aspen is a smart alecky type girl who is honest to a fault and has an addiction to definitions.
Katelyn Ryan is the other girl involved in the accident, she is killed. Aspen is haunted by her spirit. Aspen thinks Katelyn is there to punish her for the accident and she is losing her mind to try to shake the guilt.
Ben was Katelyn's boyfriend. Ben is Aspen's lab partner. There is a connection between them that goes deeper than grief.
This is a tale of grief, tragedy, love, and friendship. There is humor spread all the way through. This was a great read! Sometimes and accident is just an accident, but sometimes it's not!
Aspen is a high school girl, not the popular click girl, just a girl. An accident changes all that. After the accident she becomes the person everyone want to know, wants to be friends with. She just wants to be "Aspen" again. Her mother is not what most people would consider a traditional mom. She is pretty cool though, in a "my mom is a friend" kind of way. Kim and Cass are her best friends and they are hilareous. Aspen is a smart alecky type girl who is honest to a fault and has an addiction to definitions.
Katelyn Ryan is the other girl involved in the accident, she is killed. Aspen is haunted by her spirit. Aspen thinks Katelyn is there to punish her for the accident and she is losing her mind to try to shake the guilt.
Ben was Katelyn's boyfriend. Ben is Aspen's lab partner. There is a connection between them that goes deeper than grief.
This is a tale of grief, tragedy, love, and friendship. There is humor spread all the way through. This was a great read! Sometimes and accident is just an accident, but sometimes it's not!
July 4, 2016
There is SO much I love about this book, from the characters to the setting to the hilariously pithy dialogue that actually sounds like teenagers (and not just parodies of them). It is such a beautiful character study of a girl trying to find her way in the world while making peace with an unfortunate incident in her past. The character of Aspen is organically quirky, authentically cool and written with so much spice and tenderness you can't help but fall in love with her (and wish you could go shopping with her for the ultimate tie-dye too!)This book keeps its humor while tackling all the big stuff: sex, drugs, rock and roll, redemption and self-acceptance. But even simpler than that, it is just a great story. Crane is enormously talented and I can't wait to read her next book. Until then, I can't wait to buy a copy of Aspen for my two YA nieces who I know are going to devour this book and love it as much as I did (bonus if it inspires them to stop straightening out their awesome curls!!}
August 12, 2016
Such a great, unique story. Fantastic characterization, and Rebekah Crane captured the Boulder lifestyle perfectly.
July 5, 2014
Also posted on my blog: http://living-a-thousand-lives.tumblr.com/post/90840303176/aspen-by-rebekah-crane
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Netgalley.com
The Cover
I love the cover, it made me want to read the book instantly. The font is very catchy (can fonts be catchy?), the background colour is beautiful and the girl in the picture or at least her head look really like how Aspen is described in the book (though I'd imagined her hair a bit more "dirty blonde"-ish).
The Story
A terrible car accident changed Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor in an instant. But she is the "lucky" one, she survived the other driver, Katelyn Ryan, a popular girl in Aspen's class, died. Her "ghost" still haunts Aspen and reminds her every day of the tragic event which she so desperately wants to forget. Aspen is plagued by surviver's guilt and just wants to go through senior year unnoticed but when the new school year begins she is suddenly the centre of attention and has become popular all of a sudden. This makes her uncomfortable and makes her feel even more guilty because those people who try to be her friends (or more) were Katelyn's friends. Add her stoner mother, whom Aspen has to look out for, and you can see that Aspen has a lot on her plate: Dealing with old and new friends, trying to let go and heal (physically and mentally) from the accident, and moving on.
The Protagonist
If there was a support group for traumatised fictional characters I would send Aspen there in an instant. I'd wrap her in a warm blanket and give her hot chocolate and then hug her until she felt better. Aspen has gone through so much and my heart broke so many times reading about her struggles. She's suffering from PTSD and is ridden with guilt about the accident. She is trying so hard to understand who Katelyne was but at the same time trying to move on and just forget. Aspen never cared for popularity but she also never judged the popular crowd. When Suzy, Katelyn's best friend, befriends her, she is surprised, not because Suzy is popular but because they never had anything to do with each other before. Aspen is not afraid to be herself, she wears tie-dye shirts and Birkenstocks and walks around with charcoal on her cheek (though unknwowingly most of the time) unapologetically. She always speaks her mind. Because her mom is rather immature and at times irresponsible she has to assume the role of the adult at a young age. She loves to look up definitions of words because it helps her make sense of the world and gives her a sense of stability and security. In short, Aspen is pretty awesome.
The Heart Rate
After returning to school for the new school year, Aspen is assigned a new lab partner in physics. As destiny is cruel (or is it?) her partner is Ben Tyler, Katelyn's boyfriend. These two hit it off immediately because there seems to be an understanding between them. They help each other heal. Ben is a great guy. He is witty and empathetic and charming. He's struggling a lot with Katelyn's death and, like Aspen, is trying to find a way to let go and move on. He is not afraid to be Aspen's friend, even if it made people gossip and whisper about them, the boyfriend of the dead girl and the girl that surivived the accident make for a lot of gossip fodder. Aspen and Ben's relationship develop slowly but steadily but it wasn't just "out of convenience" or because of guilt or anything. They had a real connection and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy to see them get closer.
The Good
- Good Friends: Aspen's best friends since childhood are Kim and Cass and these two are pretty amazing. Kim is Korean and has to deal with a "tiger mom" but that is the only stereotypical thing about her. She's smart, sarcastic, loves to use the f-word, and has a nose piercing. I just really like Kim and I would love to read more about her, maybe in a sequel that focuses on her starting college in Stanford. (Great, now that this idea is in my head, I really, really want it. Please, Rebekah Crane?) Cass is also a really good friend and very sassy. One of Aspen's new friend is Suzy and I adore her. At first I was worried that she had a hidden agenda for befriending Aspen, she had her reasons but she genuinely wanted to become friends with Aspen. She never tried to "make over" Aspen but instead actually admires Aspen as she is. Like with Ben, Aspen's connection with Suzy is partly because they both have to deal with Katelyn's death. So the friendships in this book are really awesome and there is never a competition, at least not over a boy, which is refreshing. I feel like in so many books and movies the focus ins on romantic love and friendship and platonic love is being overlooked.
- Ninny: Ninny is Aspen's mom. Yes, she is a stoner, yes, she is irresponsible, but she loves Aspen. You have to put yourself into Ninny's shoes, she had a baby at 16 during a concert and after that has been abandoned by her parents soon after with a small trustfund as "compensation". Ninny brought many "uncles" home but the real love of her life will always be Aspen. She would never intentionally hurt Aspen, though she did make a lot of mistakes. When you hear her side of the story you can understand her a bit better, why she does the things she does, which are partly because she wants to do things differently than her won parents who have hurt her so much. She is a very affectionate mother, maybe a bit "improper" at times but that is what makes her unique. I just really love their mother-daughter relationship.
- Realistic: The teenagers are incredibly realistically portrayed. They swear, they drink alcohol at parties and they talk about sex, and actually have sex. And it's all never glorified or shown as the "right" way to be a teenager. No, it is done matter of factly. All these things are part of teenager's lives, maybe not ALL teenagers, but for a large part of teenagers it is. It's just realistic. The consequences of these escapades are being shown but not in a judgy or preachy way but in a realistic way. It's really refreshing to read about teenagers talking about sex instead of making it a big tabu. It's part of life, yes, even a teenager's and it should be talked about. Nothing is more dangerous than not talkin about an issue. People should not be afraid of sex but they have to be educated about it. I just saw a post on tumblr about how teenagers know to protect their iphones with cases but don't know about having to protect themselves from STDs. By "protecting" teenagers from sex, they are actually even more in danger. Anyway, I didn't mean to digress that much about this topic. TL;DR: Teenagers are being portrayed very realistically in this book and that's a breath of fresh air.
The Bad
- Development: Maybe it's just me but at times I feel like a lot of the development of Aspen and Ben's relationship has progressed "behind the scenes". It didn't feel like they have bonded over night, it definitely developed over time, but I feel like the reader has been left out of some of the bonding moments and I wished we got to see more of that. But then again, this book wasn't about they relationship but it really was more about Aspen dealing with Katelyn's death, a virtual stranger she knew only from chemistry class, so I guess it could also be seen as a positive point that the focus was not on the romance.
The Rating
★★★★★
I requested this book from Netgalley because I was drawn to the cover and after reading the blurb it sounded just like the kind of book that I would love. I expected it to go in a whole different direction though, I expected a light, fun read with maybe a deeper message but I did not such a heart breaking story about loss and how to move on from it. Don't worry though, it's not a super dark and depressing read but it's rather hopeful and at points hilarious thanks to the great supporting characters and Aspen herself. This book was a pleasant surprise and I love being surprised by books. Often it's the other way around, where I have high expectiations but end up being disappointed. I have recommended this book to all of my friends and will definitely check out Rebekah Crane's other novel and look forward to her future ones.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Netgalley.com
The Cover
I love the cover, it made me want to read the book instantly. The font is very catchy (can fonts be catchy?), the background colour is beautiful and the girl in the picture or at least her head look really like how Aspen is described in the book (though I'd imagined her hair a bit more "dirty blonde"-ish).
The Story
A terrible car accident changed Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor in an instant. But she is the "lucky" one, she survived the other driver, Katelyn Ryan, a popular girl in Aspen's class, died. Her "ghost" still haunts Aspen and reminds her every day of the tragic event which she so desperately wants to forget. Aspen is plagued by surviver's guilt and just wants to go through senior year unnoticed but when the new school year begins she is suddenly the centre of attention and has become popular all of a sudden. This makes her uncomfortable and makes her feel even more guilty because those people who try to be her friends (or more) were Katelyn's friends. Add her stoner mother, whom Aspen has to look out for, and you can see that Aspen has a lot on her plate: Dealing with old and new friends, trying to let go and heal (physically and mentally) from the accident, and moving on.
The Protagonist
If there was a support group for traumatised fictional characters I would send Aspen there in an instant. I'd wrap her in a warm blanket and give her hot chocolate and then hug her until she felt better. Aspen has gone through so much and my heart broke so many times reading about her struggles. She's suffering from PTSD and is ridden with guilt about the accident. She is trying so hard to understand who Katelyne was but at the same time trying to move on and just forget. Aspen never cared for popularity but she also never judged the popular crowd. When Suzy, Katelyn's best friend, befriends her, she is surprised, not because Suzy is popular but because they never had anything to do with each other before. Aspen is not afraid to be herself, she wears tie-dye shirts and Birkenstocks and walks around with charcoal on her cheek (though unknwowingly most of the time) unapologetically. She always speaks her mind. Because her mom is rather immature and at times irresponsible she has to assume the role of the adult at a young age. She loves to look up definitions of words because it helps her make sense of the world and gives her a sense of stability and security. In short, Aspen is pretty awesome.
The Heart Rate
After returning to school for the new school year, Aspen is assigned a new lab partner in physics. As destiny is cruel (or is it?) her partner is Ben Tyler, Katelyn's boyfriend. These two hit it off immediately because there seems to be an understanding between them. They help each other heal. Ben is a great guy. He is witty and empathetic and charming. He's struggling a lot with Katelyn's death and, like Aspen, is trying to find a way to let go and move on. He is not afraid to be Aspen's friend, even if it made people gossip and whisper about them, the boyfriend of the dead girl and the girl that surivived the accident make for a lot of gossip fodder. Aspen and Ben's relationship develop slowly but steadily but it wasn't just "out of convenience" or because of guilt or anything. They had a real connection and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy to see them get closer.
The Good
- Good Friends: Aspen's best friends since childhood are Kim and Cass and these two are pretty amazing. Kim is Korean and has to deal with a "tiger mom" but that is the only stereotypical thing about her. She's smart, sarcastic, loves to use the f-word, and has a nose piercing. I just really like Kim and I would love to read more about her, maybe in a sequel that focuses on her starting college in Stanford. (Great, now that this idea is in my head, I really, really want it. Please, Rebekah Crane?) Cass is also a really good friend and very sassy. One of Aspen's new friend is Suzy and I adore her. At first I was worried that she had a hidden agenda for befriending Aspen, she had her reasons but she genuinely wanted to become friends with Aspen. She never tried to "make over" Aspen but instead actually admires Aspen as she is. Like with Ben, Aspen's connection with Suzy is partly because they both have to deal with Katelyn's death. So the friendships in this book are really awesome and there is never a competition, at least not over a boy, which is refreshing. I feel like in so many books and movies the focus ins on romantic love and friendship and platonic love is being overlooked.
- Ninny: Ninny is Aspen's mom. Yes, she is a stoner, yes, she is irresponsible, but she loves Aspen. You have to put yourself into Ninny's shoes, she had a baby at 16 during a concert and after that has been abandoned by her parents soon after with a small trustfund as "compensation". Ninny brought many "uncles" home but the real love of her life will always be Aspen. She would never intentionally hurt Aspen, though she did make a lot of mistakes. When you hear her side of the story you can understand her a bit better, why she does the things she does, which are partly because she wants to do things differently than her won parents who have hurt her so much. She is a very affectionate mother, maybe a bit "improper" at times but that is what makes her unique. I just really love their mother-daughter relationship.
- Realistic: The teenagers are incredibly realistically portrayed. They swear, they drink alcohol at parties and they talk about sex, and actually have sex. And it's all never glorified or shown as the "right" way to be a teenager. No, it is done matter of factly. All these things are part of teenager's lives, maybe not ALL teenagers, but for a large part of teenagers it is. It's just realistic. The consequences of these escapades are being shown but not in a judgy or preachy way but in a realistic way. It's really refreshing to read about teenagers talking about sex instead of making it a big tabu. It's part of life, yes, even a teenager's and it should be talked about. Nothing is more dangerous than not talkin about an issue. People should not be afraid of sex but they have to be educated about it. I just saw a post on tumblr about how teenagers know to protect their iphones with cases but don't know about having to protect themselves from STDs. By "protecting" teenagers from sex, they are actually even more in danger. Anyway, I didn't mean to digress that much about this topic. TL;DR: Teenagers are being portrayed very realistically in this book and that's a breath of fresh air.
The Bad
- Development: Maybe it's just me but at times I feel like a lot of the development of Aspen and Ben's relationship has progressed "behind the scenes". It didn't feel like they have bonded over night, it definitely developed over time, but I feel like the reader has been left out of some of the bonding moments and I wished we got to see more of that. But then again, this book wasn't about they relationship but it really was more about Aspen dealing with Katelyn's death, a virtual stranger she knew only from chemistry class, so I guess it could also be seen as a positive point that the focus was not on the romance.
The Rating
★★★★★
I requested this book from Netgalley because I was drawn to the cover and after reading the blurb it sounded just like the kind of book that I would love. I expected it to go in a whole different direction though, I expected a light, fun read with maybe a deeper message but I did not such a heart breaking story about loss and how to move on from it. Don't worry though, it's not a super dark and depressing read but it's rather hopeful and at points hilarious thanks to the great supporting characters and Aspen herself. This book was a pleasant surprise and I love being surprised by books. Often it's the other way around, where I have high expectiations but end up being disappointed. I have recommended this book to all of my friends and will definitely check out Rebekah Crane's other novel and look forward to her future ones.
June 11, 2014
*Received a digital galley thanks to In This Together Media via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Oh boy oh boy, you're in for a treat if you ever decide to read Aspen by Rebekah Crane. This little gem made me laugh insanely throughout the whole book with its dry humour and out of the norm characters. It's also a book that makes you feel all giddy inside, but also sad for the main character, Aspen, as she deals with the aftermath of the car accident she was involved in that kills a girl named Katelyn, whom she used to know from her school.
I don't kn0w why but I thought the whole homecoming court was going to be a big thing in this book since Aspen went from a nobody to a big somebody. It's weird how surviving a car accident automatically gives her a boost in the popularity department and everyone just wants to get to know her, much to her dismay. I'm glad all of this doesn't go to Aspen's head and instead of being a story about newfound popularity, it turns out to be a small journey of how she deals with the traumatic event and unwanted feelings that may complicate things more.
I liked Aspen's personality. She is smart, funny (dry humour funny) and she's a good friend. I loved the relationship she has with her two best friends, Cass and Kim, and even with her boss at the place she works for. She's also a good daughter even though her mother, Ninny isn't exactly the best mom in the whole world. But, I have to say, at times I did question if Aspen was a nice person. She goes around trying to find out and prove that Katelyn wasn't the perfect person everyone was saying she was. In a funny way, she would say something mean like correcting someone when he said a nice fact about Katelyn that wasn't true. Oh well, I think this may have had to do with the "trying to get rid of the guilt" thing, besides, her ability to be blunt and straightforward happened to make her sound harsher. I still think she was cool.
THE BEST part about this book were the characters, hands down. I just about became a laughing mess every time they came up with something ridiculously funny. Like Ninny with her "studying" innuendos, Ben (love interest) keeping up with Aspen's humour, Cass running away from guys trying to beat him up shouting Olives at the top of his lungs, Kim trying to change her name to something less Asian, and even Mr. Salmon hating kids and teaching in general. Oh, the laughs *wipes tears*. You have to read it to get it, seriously funny.
All in all, Aspen is a great book with a little bit of everything. I may have focused a lot on the humour side, but there's also a cute romance, heartfelt moments and lessons to be learned like a mentioned earlier on. I highly recommend it and I can't wait to read more from this author!
*Find this review also at The Reader and the Chef.*
Oh boy oh boy, you're in for a treat if you ever decide to read Aspen by Rebekah Crane. This little gem made me laugh insanely throughout the whole book with its dry humour and out of the norm characters. It's also a book that makes you feel all giddy inside, but also sad for the main character, Aspen, as she deals with the aftermath of the car accident she was involved in that kills a girl named Katelyn, whom she used to know from her school.
I don't kn0w why but I thought the whole homecoming court was going to be a big thing in this book since Aspen went from a nobody to a big somebody. It's weird how surviving a car accident automatically gives her a boost in the popularity department and everyone just wants to get to know her, much to her dismay. I'm glad all of this doesn't go to Aspen's head and instead of being a story about newfound popularity, it turns out to be a small journey of how she deals with the traumatic event and unwanted feelings that may complicate things more.
I liked Aspen's personality. She is smart, funny (dry humour funny) and she's a good friend. I loved the relationship she has with her two best friends, Cass and Kim, and even with her boss at the place she works for. She's also a good daughter even though her mother, Ninny isn't exactly the best mom in the whole world. But, I have to say, at times I did question if Aspen was a nice person. She goes around trying to find out and prove that Katelyn wasn't the perfect person everyone was saying she was. In a funny way, she would say something mean like correcting someone when he said a nice fact about Katelyn that wasn't true. Oh well, I think this may have had to do with the "trying to get rid of the guilt" thing, besides, her ability to be blunt and straightforward happened to make her sound harsher. I still think she was cool.
THE BEST part about this book were the characters, hands down. I just about became a laughing mess every time they came up with something ridiculously funny. Like Ninny with her "studying" innuendos, Ben (love interest) keeping up with Aspen's humour, Cass running away from guys trying to beat him up shouting Olives at the top of his lungs, Kim trying to change her name to something less Asian, and even Mr. Salmon hating kids and teaching in general. Oh, the laughs *wipes tears*. You have to read it to get it, seriously funny.
All in all, Aspen is a great book with a little bit of everything. I may have focused a lot on the humour side, but there's also a cute romance, heartfelt moments and lessons to be learned like a mentioned earlier on. I highly recommend it and I can't wait to read more from this author!
*Find this review also at The Reader and the Chef.*
March 17, 2014
My copy was provided by Netgalley.
Aspen used to be a nobody at school. No one knew her name and the only way people recognized her was her crazy hair. The only thing weird about her is her mother who is a stoner with a weird boyfriend who smells and has holes in his pants where there definitely shouldn't be any holes. Yet one night, Aspen made a mistake that changed her life forever.
She was involved with a fatal car crash. She lived with only a cast and a scar as a reminder of the incident. The other driver died. She was a popular girl who was a known partier. Aspen could never replace a girl like that and it seems as if Katelyn won't let her forget it. With Katelyn's ghost haunting her, Aspen has to deal with newfound popularity as well as coming to terms with what happened that night and who Katelyn really was.
I really liked this book! It was fun and entertaining. It made me laugh out loud at some points and it was so humorous. Many books deal with heavy stuff like this book did, but unlike other authors, Crane made this book enjoyable and easy to relate to.
Crane did a fabulous job at writing in a teenager's view. Aspen was a very relatable character and Crane wasn't trying too hard to make her think like a teenager. She just let Aspen develop on her own and Crane did an amazing job. I really felt like I was in a teenager's mind in this book and as Aspen experienced things in the book, I felt like I was experiencing them along with her. I could relate with her like with her hating her hair and how she doesn't particularly like popularity. Aspen was a smart aleck and she made some witty remarks I wish I could make in real life.
Crane made this book very believable. It wasn't paranormal really except for Katelyn's specter hanging around, but she wasn't really a ghost. Aspen's pain and guilt seemed to conjure up this figure that basically tormented Aspen until she could admit the truth. The story felt very real and as if it could happen in real life.
The other characters weren't see-through and boring. They all had their distinct personalities and their faults. The romantic interest wasn't some perfect guy with abs. He had his own imperfections and doubts which made him feel very real. Crane's detail throughout the book created very lifelike images in my mind while I read. I really liked her attention to detail and how she essentially created emotions that traveled through the characters into me until I felt like I was actually Aspen.
The story flowed beautifully and I absolutely loved it. I will definitely read it again and again. This was a fun book that hit some difficult points some authors don't dare to elaborate on. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is in the need for an awesome book!
Aspen used to be a nobody at school. No one knew her name and the only way people recognized her was her crazy hair. The only thing weird about her is her mother who is a stoner with a weird boyfriend who smells and has holes in his pants where there definitely shouldn't be any holes. Yet one night, Aspen made a mistake that changed her life forever.
She was involved with a fatal car crash. She lived with only a cast and a scar as a reminder of the incident. The other driver died. She was a popular girl who was a known partier. Aspen could never replace a girl like that and it seems as if Katelyn won't let her forget it. With Katelyn's ghost haunting her, Aspen has to deal with newfound popularity as well as coming to terms with what happened that night and who Katelyn really was.
I really liked this book! It was fun and entertaining. It made me laugh out loud at some points and it was so humorous. Many books deal with heavy stuff like this book did, but unlike other authors, Crane made this book enjoyable and easy to relate to.
Crane did a fabulous job at writing in a teenager's view. Aspen was a very relatable character and Crane wasn't trying too hard to make her think like a teenager. She just let Aspen develop on her own and Crane did an amazing job. I really felt like I was in a teenager's mind in this book and as Aspen experienced things in the book, I felt like I was experiencing them along with her. I could relate with her like with her hating her hair and how she doesn't particularly like popularity. Aspen was a smart aleck and she made some witty remarks I wish I could make in real life.
Crane made this book very believable. It wasn't paranormal really except for Katelyn's specter hanging around, but she wasn't really a ghost. Aspen's pain and guilt seemed to conjure up this figure that basically tormented Aspen until she could admit the truth. The story felt very real and as if it could happen in real life.
The other characters weren't see-through and boring. They all had their distinct personalities and their faults. The romantic interest wasn't some perfect guy with abs. He had his own imperfections and doubts which made him feel very real. Crane's detail throughout the book created very lifelike images in my mind while I read. I really liked her attention to detail and how she essentially created emotions that traveled through the characters into me until I felt like I was actually Aspen.
The story flowed beautifully and I absolutely loved it. I will definitely read it again and again. This was a fun book that hit some difficult points some authors don't dare to elaborate on. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is in the need for an awesome book!
August 22, 2014
I'd give this book 3.5 of 5 stars. Too bad goodreads doesn't do half stars. I did like the book a lot.
But there are always reasons why I don't give a book a 4 or 5 stars. I was thinking about it, then I thought about how I was a little confused in the beginning. My reasons for giving the rating I did was because I didn't think some sentences made sense, a couple grammar and capitalization issues, and it wasn't exactly perfect. A 5 star book is considered perfect to me. No book is ever perfect. A 4 is really good and finalized and everything. This book wasn't. That's why I gave it a 3.5, even though I liked it.
When I was about to start this book, I didn't think I would like it. This book proved me wrong.
During these past 2 months, I've read about 7 books that related to car crashes and recovering from accidents.
I wasn't in the mood to read another book like that.
It was fun to read. I loved all the little jokes between the superstitions of Uma and Kim, lab jokes with Ben, hair problems with Cass, and most of all, the character of Ninny.
Even though she seems like an irresponsible parent that's less mature then her own daughter, I actually appreciated her very much. She tried to give her daughter Aspen the freedom and the choices that her parents never gave her. It was very touching for me to read.
The character of Aspen gives off this sassy and bright vibe. She has this wit that I loved. I enjoyed reading this book from Aspen's point of view. She is insanely hilarious and smart. It makes a brilliant and complex character.
The story however was very simple and really followed the "story wheel". Somehow, I did not mind this. I felt that a more simplistic plot suited the book better because that would leave more room for great character development.
I think there needs to be more YA books like this one. About self discovery, forgiveness, and moving on. It was an enjoyable page-turner. Rebekah Crane's writing style really drew me in.
However, there were some scenes and flashbacks that weren't so clear and visual. This might because I was reading an ARC version. I still think the book was written quite well.
I didn't think there was enough background on Katelyn and the accident. That can be a good or bad thing. It's nice how you are abruptly put into Aspen's troubles when you first start the book instead of a huge introduction. I think that makes a book a little bit more realistic.
I'd have to say that I am now a fan of Rebekah Crane and look forward to reading her other novels if I ever get the chance. You should read this one. I'd recommend it.
But there are always reasons why I don't give a book a 4 or 5 stars. I was thinking about it, then I thought about how I was a little confused in the beginning. My reasons for giving the rating I did was because I didn't think some sentences made sense, a couple grammar and capitalization issues, and it wasn't exactly perfect. A 5 star book is considered perfect to me. No book is ever perfect. A 4 is really good and finalized and everything. This book wasn't. That's why I gave it a 3.5, even though I liked it.
When I was about to start this book, I didn't think I would like it. This book proved me wrong.
During these past 2 months, I've read about 7 books that related to car crashes and recovering from accidents.
I wasn't in the mood to read another book like that.
It was fun to read. I loved all the little jokes between the superstitions of Uma and Kim, lab jokes with Ben, hair problems with Cass, and most of all, the character of Ninny.
Even though she seems like an irresponsible parent that's less mature then her own daughter, I actually appreciated her very much. She tried to give her daughter Aspen the freedom and the choices that her parents never gave her. It was very touching for me to read.
The character of Aspen gives off this sassy and bright vibe. She has this wit that I loved. I enjoyed reading this book from Aspen's point of view. She is insanely hilarious and smart. It makes a brilliant and complex character.
The story however was very simple and really followed the "story wheel". Somehow, I did not mind this. I felt that a more simplistic plot suited the book better because that would leave more room for great character development.
I think there needs to be more YA books like this one. About self discovery, forgiveness, and moving on. It was an enjoyable page-turner. Rebekah Crane's writing style really drew me in.
However, there were some scenes and flashbacks that weren't so clear and visual. This might because I was reading an ARC version. I still think the book was written quite well.
I didn't think there was enough background on Katelyn and the accident. That can be a good or bad thing. It's nice how you are abruptly put into Aspen's troubles when you first start the book instead of a huge introduction. I think that makes a book a little bit more realistic.
I'd have to say that I am now a fan of Rebekah Crane and look forward to reading her other novels if I ever get the chance. You should read this one. I'd recommend it.
March 22, 2014
That's the funny thing about endings. They're usually the start of something new."
Aspen is exactly what I'm expecting it to be. It's a light and funny read but at the same time an eye-opener. How do you really start over again after something that is so awful and traumatic?
"I can't make the past go away even though it's already done..." "Maybe it's not about making it go away. Maybe it's about moving on."
The story is about Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor, a girl who got on a car accident that ended a life of another girl, Katelyn Ryans. It's about how Aspen, even though she isn't the one who died, managed to find her way back to life. This book is about how she finally accepted that some things that already happened cannot be changed no matter how badly she want it to.
I LOVE Ninny, Aspen's mother. Though I cannot say that I actually want one like her as a mom but still she is freaking adorable. I love her honesty. I like that she isn't the kind of parent who decides what their children must be so they could be something that she will be proud of but she wants Aspen to be herself.
The characters are real and funny. These people have flaws and that's what I like about them. Crane made me want to actually hang out with them if I only could. I love Cass and Kim, Aspen's best friends. They are the types of friend you would have want to have in real life. I also liked Ben. Whenever he's in the scene, I find myself grinning a lot. I'm pretty sad about how I've only learned something about Katelyn by the end of the book though.
Sometimes, people really didn't want to acknowledge the truth, hoping that somehow it would actually go away but it wasn't really true. They're like a ticking bomb inside you, waiting to explode and come out until you've been so exhausted and burned out that you couldn't take it anymore. The truth could totally set you free. (so cliche, I know)
Aspen is not an "oh-my-freaking-goodness-this-just blew-my-mind" book but an "okay-that-was-good-and-now-to-the-next-book" read. Although I didn't find this engaging and interesting enough, this book was definitely not a waste of time. Go get this book and read it!
**ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.
April 30, 2014
ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
My first impression of this book after I read the blurb and see the cover was that it’s a typical paranormal romance YA book. I think the cover suits for sweet-cute contemporary YA story, I liked it, though. It’s a pretty cover.
But when I finished reading it, I have to admit that I enjoyed it more than I thought before I read it. It still has sweet-cute romance story with funny dialogues but it didn’t quite as cliché as my first impression. Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor was the main reason I liked reading it. She’s funny, smart, witty, independent and honest. Yes, there are a lot of YA female characters with those personalities but she’s unique. I found that she’s so different because well…she’s unique. There is no one like her as far as I’ve read YA books. I also liked other characters, Kim and Cass, Aspen’s best friends; Ben, Aspen’s lab partner who loves to study with her; Suzy, Aspen’s new best friend and of course Ninny, Aspen’s mom. I have to say that I didn’t quite like most of what Ninny do along the story but she’s unique and fun like her daughter, though she’s not the kind of mom I want for myself.
I also liked the flow of the story. It isn’t too slow but it isn’t too fast either. Aspen tells her story in flashback before and after the accident smoothly. Add it with paranormal thing, Katelyn ghost, makes me curious of the story.
However there are things that are still unclear even when I reached the last page. The author doesn’t tell much about what did really happen with Katelyn, her ghost, and how Aspen who isn’t a popular girl voted as Homecoming queen while at the same time, she also connects with the accident of the most popular girl in their school. I also found that most of characters have unusual, if not odd, names; Mr. Salmon, Mrs. Crabtree, Casanova (yeah it’s a familiar name, but I think it’s quite unusual for kids name nowadays) and Kim Choi (as far as I know both are Korean family names). Aspen is unusual name too but Ninny has reason named her daughter Aspen, so I think I can accept it. And there is one teeny tiny thing that quite distracted me, Kim called her mom Uma. I think it supposed to be Umma which means mother in Korean, I might be wrong, though.
My first impression of this book after I read the blurb and see the cover was that it’s a typical paranormal romance YA book. I think the cover suits for sweet-cute contemporary YA story, I liked it, though. It’s a pretty cover.
But when I finished reading it, I have to admit that I enjoyed it more than I thought before I read it. It still has sweet-cute romance story with funny dialogues but it didn’t quite as cliché as my first impression. Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor was the main reason I liked reading it. She’s funny, smart, witty, independent and honest. Yes, there are a lot of YA female characters with those personalities but she’s unique. I found that she’s so different because well…she’s unique. There is no one like her as far as I’ve read YA books. I also liked other characters, Kim and Cass, Aspen’s best friends; Ben, Aspen’s lab partner who loves to study with her; Suzy, Aspen’s new best friend and of course Ninny, Aspen’s mom. I have to say that I didn’t quite like most of what Ninny do along the story but she’s unique and fun like her daughter, though she’s not the kind of mom I want for myself.
I also liked the flow of the story. It isn’t too slow but it isn’t too fast either. Aspen tells her story in flashback before and after the accident smoothly. Add it with paranormal thing, Katelyn ghost, makes me curious of the story.
However there are things that are still unclear even when I reached the last page. The author doesn’t tell much about what did really happen with Katelyn, her ghost, and how Aspen who isn’t a popular girl voted as Homecoming queen while at the same time, she also connects with the accident of the most popular girl in their school. I also found that most of characters have unusual, if not odd, names; Mr. Salmon, Mrs. Crabtree, Casanova (yeah it’s a familiar name, but I think it’s quite unusual for kids name nowadays) and Kim Choi (as far as I know both are Korean family names). Aspen is unusual name too but Ninny has reason named her daughter Aspen, so I think I can accept it. And there is one teeny tiny thing that quite distracted me, Kim called her mom Uma. I think it supposed to be Umma which means mother in Korean, I might be wrong, though.
April 14, 2014
What an amazing story. Oh my goodness where do I start? I am ridiculously in love with this book. When I was asked if I could read it in exchange for an honest review, I immediately said yes. Not because I thought it would be good, but because I believe in supporting the indie community. I wasn’t sure what to expect since lately, most NA books have been very much alike: silly dialogue, instant attractions, bad boy meets good girl and they live happily ever after. Aspen breaks that pattern with believable characters and story line, and catchy conversations. It has just the right blend of drama, romance and wittiness.
This is the story of Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor (how cool is her name?!), a free spirited high school senior, who’s life changes the moment she ends up in a car accident that kills Katelyn Ryan. The ghost of Katelyn follows Aspen around making it hard to forget the tragic accident. Before the accident, Aspen was never part of the popular crowd but that is about to change. The “hot guys” including Katelyn’s boyfriend, Ben, start noticing Aspen and little by little she starts liking the way she feels when she’s around him. They are both hiding something that could jeopardize their friendship but together they learn to move past the hurt and find comfort in one another.
The author does an amazing job developing each character, describing every scene. I could vividly picture Aspen’s mom, her favorite tie-dye shirt, and her quirky best friends. You will instantly fall in love with Aspen; her sense of humor, her strength, and just her whole I-don’t-care attitude. Even Mr. Salmon got under my skin and all in the right way. There are plenty of characters, complementing the story, making it all the more interesting. I laughed and cried (there are some very emotional exchanges between Aspen and her mom) and did not want the story to end. Beautifully written, original, just wonderful. A MUST READ.
p.s. I think Kim and Cass should get their own story ;)
This is the story of Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor (how cool is her name?!), a free spirited high school senior, who’s life changes the moment she ends up in a car accident that kills Katelyn Ryan. The ghost of Katelyn follows Aspen around making it hard to forget the tragic accident. Before the accident, Aspen was never part of the popular crowd but that is about to change. The “hot guys” including Katelyn’s boyfriend, Ben, start noticing Aspen and little by little she starts liking the way she feels when she’s around him. They are both hiding something that could jeopardize their friendship but together they learn to move past the hurt and find comfort in one another.
The author does an amazing job developing each character, describing every scene. I could vividly picture Aspen’s mom, her favorite tie-dye shirt, and her quirky best friends. You will instantly fall in love with Aspen; her sense of humor, her strength, and just her whole I-don’t-care attitude. Even Mr. Salmon got under my skin and all in the right way. There are plenty of characters, complementing the story, making it all the more interesting. I laughed and cried (there are some very emotional exchanges between Aspen and her mom) and did not want the story to end. Beautifully written, original, just wonderful. A MUST READ.
p.s. I think Kim and Cass should get their own story ;)
July 14, 2014
I requested this book for review from NetGalley because I fell in love with the cover the minute I saw it for the first time. Likewise, I also loved the characters in this book, as well the message that forms the heart of this quirky, yet moving, novel.
Aspen is an unusual character. So is her relationship with her mom, but that is exactly what kept me glued to the pages. I was outright fascinated by the reversed-roles bond Aspen has with her mother, whom she fondly refers to as Ninny. Although this is not the only focus point in the story, their interactions were what I enjoyed most. Both these characters grow exponentially, and each has to come to terms with choices they made in the past and the guilt they feel because of these choices.
Falling in love with Ben, who used to be the boyfriend of the now-deceased Katelyn, was never Aspen’s intention. Neither was it Ben’s. As someone who doesn’t care much for YA romance, I have to admit that the romance between Aspen and Ben was rather heartwarming, and like Aspen, a little unusual. Similarly, Suzy, a popular girl who used to be Katelyn’s best friend, goes out of her way to be friends with Aspen. In the beginning Aspen finds this sudden interest a little bothersome, but eventually she learns that Ben and Suzy shares a secret about the fateful accident that took Katelyn’s life, and, like Aspen, they also have mountains of guilt they’re dealing with.
Two memorable characters for me – apart from Aspen and her mother, Ninny – were Cass and Kim; Aspen’s two best friends. They were absolutely hilarious, bringing a lighter tone to a story with a serious message. Aspen is a quick and easy read, perfect for readers looking for a novel with a slightly surreal feel. If you, like me, think this book cover is simply gorgeous, I can assure you it is hiding a story as beautiful as the cover between its pages.
Aspen is an unusual character. So is her relationship with her mom, but that is exactly what kept me glued to the pages. I was outright fascinated by the reversed-roles bond Aspen has with her mother, whom she fondly refers to as Ninny. Although this is not the only focus point in the story, their interactions were what I enjoyed most. Both these characters grow exponentially, and each has to come to terms with choices they made in the past and the guilt they feel because of these choices.
Falling in love with Ben, who used to be the boyfriend of the now-deceased Katelyn, was never Aspen’s intention. Neither was it Ben’s. As someone who doesn’t care much for YA romance, I have to admit that the romance between Aspen and Ben was rather heartwarming, and like Aspen, a little unusual. Similarly, Suzy, a popular girl who used to be Katelyn’s best friend, goes out of her way to be friends with Aspen. In the beginning Aspen finds this sudden interest a little bothersome, but eventually she learns that Ben and Suzy shares a secret about the fateful accident that took Katelyn’s life, and, like Aspen, they also have mountains of guilt they’re dealing with.
Two memorable characters for me – apart from Aspen and her mother, Ninny – were Cass and Kim; Aspen’s two best friends. They were absolutely hilarious, bringing a lighter tone to a story with a serious message. Aspen is a quick and easy read, perfect for readers looking for a novel with a slightly surreal feel. If you, like me, think this book cover is simply gorgeous, I can assure you it is hiding a story as beautiful as the cover between its pages.
March 21, 2014
Advanced Reader Copy provided via NetGalley by In This Together Media in exchange for an honest review.
Actual Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
What happens when a single accident could cause your life to change? One moment, you're only known as the girl who had a nest for her hair, the next you're the most talked about girl in school.
We follow Aspen through her senior year as she recovers from the trauma, gains new friends, being invited to parties and fall for the dead girl's boyfriend, along with her best buds - Cass and Kim - who will always have her back. All the while, Katelyn - the girl who ended up dead after the accident - had no plans on leaving Aspen alone as she takes over her life.
Although the story kicked off a bit slow, I finished reading this book in one sitting. The book's suspenseful enough to keep me up all night.
A must-read for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Tackling the issues being faced by high school teens - from popularity, to parent problems, to drugs and young love.
I found Aspen to be funny and witty. Avoiding the pitfalls of following Ninny's footsteps - getting pregnant with her while she was on a concert during high school and spending most of the time stoned - she's trying to act as responsible as she could. She knows random facts about things and has ADD (Addictive Definition Disorder) which I think might have rubbed off on me a little.
Rebekah Crane created believable characters which you can actually relate to. The dialogues are true to the characters. I found myself laughing out loud at some lines and some just stick to you like unspoken truths in life.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm looking forward to reading more of Rebekah Crane's work.
Actual Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
What happens when a single accident could cause your life to change? One moment, you're only known as the girl who had a nest for her hair, the next you're the most talked about girl in school.
We follow Aspen through her senior year as she recovers from the trauma, gains new friends, being invited to parties and fall for the dead girl's boyfriend, along with her best buds - Cass and Kim - who will always have her back. All the while, Katelyn - the girl who ended up dead after the accident - had no plans on leaving Aspen alone as she takes over her life.
Although the story kicked off a bit slow, I finished reading this book in one sitting. The book's suspenseful enough to keep me up all night.
A must-read for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Tackling the issues being faced by high school teens - from popularity, to parent problems, to drugs and young love.
I found Aspen to be funny and witty. Avoiding the pitfalls of following Ninny's footsteps - getting pregnant with her while she was on a concert during high school and spending most of the time stoned - she's trying to act as responsible as she could. She knows random facts about things and has ADD (Addictive Definition Disorder) which I think might have rubbed off on me a little.
Rebekah Crane created believable characters which you can actually relate to. The dialogues are true to the characters. I found myself laughing out loud at some lines and some just stick to you like unspoken truths in life.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm looking forward to reading more of Rebekah Crane's work.
April 23, 2015
I received a copy of this story from Net Galley. Yay books.
Spoilers ahead...
I kind of have mixed feelings about this book. Here you have Aspen, a girl that was in a head on collision in a car with another girl, katelyn, from her school. Aspen survives while Katelyn, well doesn't. During pretty much through the whole book, Aspen blames herself for what happened to Katelyn. This is why Katelyn's ghost is haunting her. She has a guilty conscience. But where most people wouldn't want people to think they was guilty of anything, wouldn't ask all the questions that she did. I understand that Aspen wants to know more about the girl, but questions make people think.
And the whole part where Aspen is starting her senior after the accident, and everyone's acting like everything is all honky-dory. And Aspen is even somewhat popular now. In real life, it wouldn't happen this way. Katelyn was a popular person. With lots of (mostly make-believe) friends. No one blamed Aspen for what happened. It doesn't matter if it was proven not to be her fault, more people would have blamed her. So that part was hard for me to believe.
I also didn't like that no one realized that something was wrong with Aspen. She had all these classic signs of someone feeling guilt. There were mentions in a few places, but I guess they all chalked it up to her PTSD, which she also clearly had, but no one seemed to notice that at all.
Out of the whole book, my favorite person was Ninny. She had a certain way of looking at life, like "yeah, bad shit happens, but you're still here, so what?" She was a very open person, wanting her daughter to be her own person. I wouldn't want her as a mother though...maybe an older sister, or the cool aunt.
Spoilers ahead...
I kind of have mixed feelings about this book. Here you have Aspen, a girl that was in a head on collision in a car with another girl, katelyn, from her school. Aspen survives while Katelyn, well doesn't. During pretty much through the whole book, Aspen blames herself for what happened to Katelyn. This is why Katelyn's ghost is haunting her. She has a guilty conscience. But where most people wouldn't want people to think they was guilty of anything, wouldn't ask all the questions that she did. I understand that Aspen wants to know more about the girl, but questions make people think.
And the whole part where Aspen is starting her senior after the accident, and everyone's acting like everything is all honky-dory. And Aspen is even somewhat popular now. In real life, it wouldn't happen this way. Katelyn was a popular person. With lots of (mostly make-believe) friends. No one blamed Aspen for what happened. It doesn't matter if it was proven not to be her fault, more people would have blamed her. So that part was hard for me to believe.
I also didn't like that no one realized that something was wrong with Aspen. She had all these classic signs of someone feeling guilt. There were mentions in a few places, but I guess they all chalked it up to her PTSD, which she also clearly had, but no one seemed to notice that at all.
Out of the whole book, my favorite person was Ninny. She had a certain way of looking at life, like "yeah, bad shit happens, but you're still here, so what?" She was a very open person, wanting her daughter to be her own person. I wouldn't want her as a mother though...maybe an older sister, or the cool aunt.
August 9, 2014
OUaT's Review
I really loved reading this book about a senior named Aspen. She has out of control hair that is really curly. She hates it. She has a mother that thinks she still lives in the hippie days. Her mother is always having a new guy every other month and loves to smoke pot. Apen said throughout the whole book that she always calls the men in her mothers life as Uncle. Aspen is just a normal teenager that goes to high school and has friends that love her very much. Until one night Aspen screwed up. She ends up getting into a car accident and when she does she ends up killing the popular girl in the high school. But since Katelyn the popular girl that died won't leave Aspen alone until she tells people the truth how Katelyn died. Aspen always thought it was her fault until she starts hanging out with Katelyn boyfriend which is her gorgeous lab partner. Plus Katelyn friends have been hanging out with Aspen. She can't believe some of the stuff she finds out about Katelyn. Katelyn wasn't that special girl that everybody thought. She was a unhapy girl. Throughout this book you will learn so much about each character.
After reading this book you look at your life and think you have the worse life ever. But that one person that you jealous about in high school thinking they have a great life. They might not. You can't judge somebody until you walk a day in their shoes and see the real truth. This book is a really good book for kids in high school. You will learn a lot of lessons about life that you think isn't important.
September 5, 2014
**This review was originally posted on my old blog for a blog tour on July 25th, 2014. For the full review please feel free to click here.**
Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor…that is a mouth full of a name!
Opening Lines
The Good
Rebekah Crane has created a unique and simple story. I enjoyed the fact that the plot wasn’t too complex and I didn’t struggling to understand everything that was taking place. Every character played their part and there wasn’t a single moment that I felt a character was being used as a filler while reading Aspen. I have to say that Aspen was one of my favourite characters, what I can say? I love when characters are sassy! And Aspen is Sassy with a capital S! I have to say my favourite thing about this whole novel was how real it felt! Rebekah Crane has a way of writing and makes you feel like your witnessing the trauma first hand!
The In-Between
- Developments/Flashbacks: There were some flashbacks that I felt could have used more visual details for the readers. Also, there were developments between characters (trying not to give anything away!) that were not included in the story, it was obvious they took place but there wasn’t enough details for readers to get the full picture.
Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor…that is a mouth full of a name!
Opening Lines
“Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor, get your gimpy butt down here,” Ninny yells from the bottom of the staircase.”
The Good
Rebekah Crane has created a unique and simple story. I enjoyed the fact that the plot wasn’t too complex and I didn’t struggling to understand everything that was taking place. Every character played their part and there wasn’t a single moment that I felt a character was being used as a filler while reading Aspen. I have to say that Aspen was one of my favourite characters, what I can say? I love when characters are sassy! And Aspen is Sassy with a capital S! I have to say my favourite thing about this whole novel was how real it felt! Rebekah Crane has a way of writing and makes you feel like your witnessing the trauma first hand!
The In-Between
- Developments/Flashbacks: There were some flashbacks that I felt could have used more visual details for the readers. Also, there were developments between characters (trying not to give anything away!) that were not included in the story, it was obvious they took place but there wasn’t enough details for readers to get the full picture.
May 19, 2014
Review: I can always tell a book is good if I cry at the end. Why is always different, but the tears always come. Normally, I can tell you why a book hits home with me, but this one was not so easy. I can give you a list of things that were perfect. But when it comes down to why I loved it, I’m stumped. There’s not one answer. And there shouldn’t be. It was just that good.
The Fabulous: If I have to pick one thing, I think the trauma in this book is written really well. It’ll make you cringe.
The Flaws: I’m not sure Ben would get on those bike pegs, but it does create a pretty awesome picture in my head, so this one’s forgiven. And kinda awesome.
Favorite Moments: “I want a bike for Christmas”
Best line: “I think after death might just be the time when we’re most alive to people.”
“I’m pretty sure no one is satisfied with the number on their gravestone.”
“Sometimes what we feel can’t be defined because it would take every word, every sound, every emotion ever created to do it.”
The Fabulous: If I have to pick one thing, I think the trauma in this book is written really well. It’ll make you cringe.
The Flaws: I’m not sure Ben would get on those bike pegs, but it does create a pretty awesome picture in my head, so this one’s forgiven. And kinda awesome.
Favorite Moments: “I want a bike for Christmas”
Best line: “I think after death might just be the time when we’re most alive to people.”
“I’m pretty sure no one is satisfied with the number on their gravestone.”
“Sometimes what we feel can’t be defined because it would take every word, every sound, every emotion ever created to do it.”
April 3, 2014
We've all made a mistake that we ended up regretting, especially as teenagers. Aspen is no different......except in one big way. When we make a mistake, we don't have a ghost following us around, giving us a hard time about it, but Aspen does. I'd love to go on and on, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone.
This book has spunky characters and witty banter. I absolutely loved Aspen's mom, Ninny. She made me laugh multiple times, and I loved that Aspen didn't seem to mind that her mom was a hippy. She'd embraced it and wasn't embarrassed by her mother. The references to Kim's mother were clever and laugh-out-loud funny!
If you enjoy a light, funny, paranormal romance book, this is a must read. Bravo, Ms. Crane, BRAVO!
I received a eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book has spunky characters and witty banter. I absolutely loved Aspen's mom, Ninny. She made me laugh multiple times, and I loved that Aspen didn't seem to mind that her mom was a hippy. She'd embraced it and wasn't embarrassed by her mother. The references to Kim's mother were clever and laugh-out-loud funny!
If you enjoy a light, funny, paranormal romance book, this is a must read. Bravo, Ms. Crane, BRAVO!
I received a eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2019
5 STARS!!
I sure hope that there's a plan to re-publish this book. More people need to read it, especially if they enjoy unique and well-written YA lit that doesn't pander to the fluffy teen romance set. Just a few chapters in and I knew that this was going to be a memorable story. Aspen's refreshing young adult voice was perfectly suited to how she was raised and her surroundings. While also witty, there was an extremely sharp and poignant message that built with a rising crescendo until the end. The last thirty pages were brilliantly written with their manic pace that emulated Aspen's mindset. I found myself feeling her anxiety and then finding that deep breath at the end that filled me with an understanding peace. Aspen was a fabulous story with emotional depth and a subtle and swoony romance.
I sure hope that there's a plan to re-publish this book. More people need to read it, especially if they enjoy unique and well-written YA lit that doesn't pander to the fluffy teen romance set. Just a few chapters in and I knew that this was going to be a memorable story. Aspen's refreshing young adult voice was perfectly suited to how she was raised and her surroundings. While also witty, there was an extremely sharp and poignant message that built with a rising crescendo until the end. The last thirty pages were brilliantly written with their manic pace that emulated Aspen's mindset. I found myself feeling her anxiety and then finding that deep breath at the end that filled me with an understanding peace. Aspen was a fabulous story with emotional depth and a subtle and swoony romance.
April 3, 2014
I received an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for a honest review.
I truly enjoyed Aspen. I loved the characters- Aspen is a high school senior who feels responsible for her pot smoking mother. Ninny is the pot smoking mother who is more older sister than mother. Kim is the Korean best friend who is trying to be an individual despite familial expectations. Ben is handsome and charming but his budding relationship with Aspen is conflicted with his grief over Katelyn.
I bought into Aspen's guilt. I had an idea why she felt guilty and what she didn't tell the police. I was hoping she would put herself out of her misery and just walk into the police station and spill the beans. I was totally unprepared for the resolutions that took place after Aspen saw the hypnotist.
I truly enjoyed Aspen. I loved the characters- Aspen is a high school senior who feels responsible for her pot smoking mother. Ninny is the pot smoking mother who is more older sister than mother. Kim is the Korean best friend who is trying to be an individual despite familial expectations. Ben is handsome and charming but his budding relationship with Aspen is conflicted with his grief over Katelyn.
I bought into Aspen's guilt. I had an idea why she felt guilty and what she didn't tell the police. I was hoping she would put herself out of her misery and just walk into the police station and spill the beans. I was totally unprepared for the resolutions that took place after Aspen saw the hypnotist.
May 18, 2014
Excellent book! Aspen is a high school girl who is not a popular girl. She considers herself odd and is a reflection of her hippie mom whom she calls Ninny.
Before her senior year of high school, she has a car accident. The girl in the other car was the most popular girl in school, Katelyn, and she died while Aspen lived.
When school starts things are weird for Aspen, as she receives acceptance from the other kids that she never had before. After being paired up with Katelyn's boyfriend, Ben, as a lab partner in physics, she finds herself drawn to him.
There's a lot of guilt in this story and Aspen is finally ready to deal with the trauma she went through with the support of her mom, her best friends, and Ben.
I really liked this book and highly recommend it! :-)
Before her senior year of high school, she has a car accident. The girl in the other car was the most popular girl in school, Katelyn, and she died while Aspen lived.
When school starts things are weird for Aspen, as she receives acceptance from the other kids that she never had before. After being paired up with Katelyn's boyfriend, Ben, as a lab partner in physics, she finds herself drawn to him.
There's a lot of guilt in this story and Aspen is finally ready to deal with the trauma she went through with the support of her mom, her best friends, and Ben.
I really liked this book and highly recommend it! :-)
January 29, 2015
**Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book**
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. It was very formulaic young adult fiction, especially with the male love interest. By page 31, I had already figured out what the twist was. However, the book kept my interest, had likable characters, and had some pretty funny parts.
"Uncle Jake drove a two-seater El Camino. I had to ride around crouched in the back so the cops couldn’t see me, which seemed pretty cool when I was three but later I learned about car seat laws." (17)
"'Does this mean you're my boyfriend?'
'I prefer lab partner. It's more intimate.'" (235)
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. It was very formulaic young adult fiction, especially with the male love interest. By page 31, I had already figured out what the twist was. However, the book kept my interest, had likable characters, and had some pretty funny parts.
"Uncle Jake drove a two-seater El Camino. I had to ride around crouched in the back so the cops couldn’t see me, which seemed pretty cool when I was three but later I learned about car seat laws." (17)
"'Does this mean you're my boyfriend?'
'I prefer lab partner. It's more intimate.'" (235)
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