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The Lost Boys #1
The Lost Boys
An intensely addictive romance novel about girls, ghosts, and forbidden love, ideal for fans of Stephenie Meyer Fate has brought them together. But will it also keep them apart? Having moved to a strange town, 17-year-old Joey Gray is feeling a little lost, until she meets a cute, mysterious boy near her new home. But there’s a very good reason why Tristan Halloway is always to be found roaming in the local graveyard. Perfect for fans of Stephenie Meyer and Lauren Kate, The Lost Boys is a magical, romantic tale of girl meets ghost.
501 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2013
53 people are currently reading
2257 people want to read
About the author
Lilian Carmine
12 books143 followersLilian Carmine is the author of the popular Lost Boys Series. The Lost Boys Trilogy was published by Random House and can be found in the UK, USA, CA, AU and South Africa. The trilogy was translated and published at Portugal, Brazil, Turkey and Italy.
The Lost Boys had over 34 million reads online at Wattpad in 2013. Lilian is also the author of the Romance novel 'Bad Luck' which had over a million reads at Wattpad.
Lilian works as illustrator, animation script writer, comicbook author and translator. She is currently working in her next romance novels, and her new comicbook project based on her 'Magical Creatures' short stories.
The Lost Boys had over 34 million reads online at Wattpad in 2013. Lilian is also the author of the Romance novel 'Bad Luck' which had over a million reads at Wattpad.
Lilian works as illustrator, animation script writer, comicbook author and translator. She is currently working in her next romance novels, and her new comicbook project based on her 'Magical Creatures' short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
April 10, 2019
"..I thought about how odd it was being sad at the idea of not seeing someone I'd just met two days ago, someone I barely knew. Tristan had made such a big impact on my life already"
"...someone I barely knew.."
"...two days ago..."
This book really has potential. And it was wasted. Because of this: !!!!! And this: !!!!! and a lot more of this: !!!!!!!!
The Lost Boys a.k.a The abundance of !!!! The repetition of very bugged me too. I guess very is the author's favorite word.
This is an example of Insta-Love gone wrong (okay what's new with that) well, this went horribly wrong.
HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW THE GUY (even if he's cute or not) YOU DO NOT FOLLOW LIKE A PUPPY, BECAUSE IDK, YOU MIGHT GET KILLED OR SOMETHING. But of course our protagonist, Joe, is a smart and genius girl who doesn't listen.
"My resolve to get the hell away from him faltered and vanished in the brightness of his smile"
I still gave Joe a chance though, I'm not that ruthless. And I admit that the plot is really mystifying. When I'm trying to ignore the abundance of exclamation marks and Joe's losing brain cells, I focus more on story. I really want to know the guy's secret and how did he become a ghost. The book also said that Joe was kind of a witch so that aspect should be exciting but it still failed to deliver. I understand that this is a first in a series but I can't ignore that the teen drama was taking over the whole book.
Character development was Nada! in this book. Which sucks because it was badly needed. The characters were all over the place. It's like the author don't have a concrete idea on how her characters should act. I wasn't impressed on how things ended too so NO, I won't be reading the second book. I'm doing it for my own good.
nevermind
December 31, 2014All right. I'm done.
What is this book? Is it a joke? I keep staring at my e-reader in bafflement every couple of pages.
For the first few chapters I wasn't sure whether I was going to finish this one, but then I decided I'd go ahead and stick with it. So I pulled up chapter nine and was immediately presented with these gems:
Why are there so many exclamation marks? They're all over the book, too. Not just that paragraph. Anyway, let's continue.
What is this. Seriously.
Tristan is a ghost magically brought back to life within the first few chapters. The dates on his tombstone say 1938-1950. No, I didn't type that wrong. No, you're not terrible at math. He's twelve years old. How did no one catch that? Anyway, he also dresses like a greaser with his slick hair and leather jacket, even though that wasn't a thing yet in 1950. And he's twelve.
There are various other problems throughout the book, like caricatures instead of characters, needless dramatics, and unnatural dialogue. Everyone keeps saying damn, and in ways nobody actually uses that word. "You're damn right!" "I was damn sure you'd cave in!" Okay, maybe those aren't that weird, but I've never heard a teenager talk like that.
Maybe a stronger reader can make it all the way through this book and nitpick everything that's wrong with it for a really amusing review. But I could only last a quarter of the way through.
What is this book? Is it a joke? I keep staring at my e-reader in bafflement every couple of pages.
For the first few chapters I wasn't sure whether I was going to finish this one, but then I decided I'd go ahead and stick with it. So I pulled up chapter nine and was immediately presented with these gems:
Thank God for my mom! She was The Man! A Man with a Plan. Well, a Mom with a Plan. But you know what I mean.
Because of our special magic bond, wherever I was going to be from now on, Tristan needed to be close nearby. WITH ME! Wasn't that absolutely amazing?
I couldn't believe my luck! It was the best news ever! I wished I could just pack him up in a suitcase and go already!
Why are there so many exclamation marks? They're all over the book, too. Not just that paragraph. Anyway, let's continue.
I laughed so much when he saw the microwave working for the first time! That was so hilarious! His eyes looked like two big saucers. It was like having my own private Back to the Future Boy. Only backwards because he was from the past and was now stuck in the future.
As my special treat of the day, I made him watch my favorite movie of all time: Jurassic Park! That was a blast!
What is this. Seriously.
Tristan is a ghost magically brought back to life within the first few chapters. The dates on his tombstone say 1938-1950. No, I didn't type that wrong. No, you're not terrible at math. He's twelve years old. How did no one catch that? Anyway, he also dresses like a greaser with his slick hair and leather jacket, even though that wasn't a thing yet in 1950. And he's twelve.
There are various other problems throughout the book, like caricatures instead of characters, needless dramatics, and unnatural dialogue. Everyone keeps saying damn, and in ways nobody actually uses that word. "You're damn right!" "I was damn sure you'd cave in!" Okay, maybe those aren't that weird, but I've never heard a teenager talk like that.
Maybe a stronger reader can make it all the way through this book and nitpick everything that's wrong with it for a really amusing review. But I could only last a quarter of the way through.
February 23, 2014
I requested this because of the pretty cover and the blurb. What I expected was some light, fluffy, fun. Unfortunately, The Lost Boys did not deliver. I struggled to keep reading before I hit 100 pages! I've learned a very valuable lesson though. Always check the page count! This puppy was over 500 pages, unnecessarily long.
Now, the idea for the story had lots of potential. Who doesn't love handsome gentlemen ghosts, graveyards, witchy magic, and boarding schools? My problem was with the execution. The writing style was choppy and the 16 year old MC came across much younger to me, maybe 12? I was wondering if this was more of a middle grade book, but a few mature scenes quickly settled that it's definitely not.
I'm not a writer, but I can certainly identify what works for me and what doesn't. It was overwritten. I don't mean that it had purple prose, but that each scene was described to death. Simple scenes are detailed & repetitive, not counting on the reader to make connections. When someone yells or shoves somebody, we assume they're angry. Being shown and then told in great detail all the time makes the reading drag, so this book was a slow go for me. I believe this story could've been pulled of if it had been edited & chopped down by about 200 pages! I know that's harsh, but it's easier to read less than stellar writing and still appreciate the story if it's a quick read.
I'm giving it 2 stars because this appears to be written by a very young author and I see potential that wasn't quite tapped.
Now, the idea for the story had lots of potential. Who doesn't love handsome gentlemen ghosts, graveyards, witchy magic, and boarding schools? My problem was with the execution. The writing style was choppy and the 16 year old MC came across much younger to me, maybe 12? I was wondering if this was more of a middle grade book, but a few mature scenes quickly settled that it's definitely not.
I'm not a writer, but I can certainly identify what works for me and what doesn't. It was overwritten. I don't mean that it had purple prose, but that each scene was described to death. Simple scenes are detailed & repetitive, not counting on the reader to make connections. When someone yells or shoves somebody, we assume they're angry. Being shown and then told in great detail all the time makes the reading drag, so this book was a slow go for me. I believe this story could've been pulled of if it had been edited & chopped down by about 200 pages! I know that's harsh, but it's easier to read less than stellar writing and still appreciate the story if it's a quick read.
I'm giving it 2 stars because this appears to be written by a very young author and I see potential that wasn't quite tapped.
February 7, 2014
I think comparing THE LOST BOYS series to Twilight saga is a grave insult and blasphemy to Joey & the boys. SERIOUSLY. This freakin'ly awesome and rockin' novel shouldn't even be mentioned with "that other story" in the same sentence!
Anyways, even though I've already read this on Wattpad til TLB On Tour (Book2), I'LL DEFINITELY BUY A COPY UNTIL THE END AND FROM THE START!!!
Hi Lily! lots of love to you <3
#TLBquoter
#FilipinoFan
-paula :)
Anyways, even though I've already read this on Wattpad til TLB On Tour (Book2), I'LL DEFINITELY BUY A COPY UNTIL THE END AND FROM THE START!!!
Hi Lily! lots of love to you <3
#TLBquoter
#FilipinoFan
-paula :)
February 20, 2014
So typical. So damn predictable. (Pg. 86)
This quote, my friends, pretty much sums up the entirety of this novel. Bland, with a been-there-done-that sort of storyline, and with characters and dialogue that made me cringe along the way. Needless to say, I was massively disappointed in this one—the cover is gorgeous, the blurb enticing, but the contents of the book failed to live up to my expectations. I wasn’t, of course, expecting an amazing read—but at the very least, I was hoping for a light, fun read which would make me smile.
Alas, this book did not achieve anything close to that.
The Lost Boys by Lilian Carmine follows the story of seventeen-year-old Joe Gray, how she (yes, she; her being a girl and having a masculine name is constantly referenced through the story, which is highly irritating) moves to a new home, and begins to fall in love with Tristan Halloway—a boy who died when he was seventeen in the 1950s. The novel also has musical undertones and the majority of it takes place in a boarding school. This novel had potential pouring off it, if only done in a better, less clichéd way.
One of the main faults of this novel, for me, was the author’s writing. I am not sure how different my review copy is to the actual published version, but I hope for reader’s sake, it’s a lot different. Lilian Carmine’s writing reeks of amateur-ness, as though she hasn’t quite grasped the idea of how to write properly, and is blundering along through the novel. If this were a first/second draft—fine. But a published novel? The publishing industry is a highly competitive (and subjective) one, and really, for a novel to sell well, the writing needs to be of a stronger caliber.
I pushed angrily at his chest. Take this line, for example. If the main character is pushing at someone’s chest, the author should let it speak for itself instead of telling the reader she’s angry. The connotation of pushing someone’s chest is enough for the reader to grasp that she’s pissed off. There were also many more instances of unnecessary adverbs during this book.
“I’m sorry for my bad manners, ma’am. I didn’t mean to shout. I hope you’ll forgive me, it was disrespectful of me,” he apologized. The sentences implies apologizing, so why add that pointless dialogue tag? This was just one of the many moments that made me wonder whether this had been edited properly. On more than one occasion, the dialogue tags chosen by the author pulled me from the story.
There were also some unbelievable elements to the novel. For a story to be enjoyed properly, it must be within the realms of probability (which the obvious exception of the fantasy/paranormal elements; that’s not what I’m talking about). For example, there is a mix up on the boarding school’s behalf, and she gets sent to the boys’ dorm instead of the girls. Please. There would be plenty of forms that would have to be filled out in order for someone to attend a boarding school; as if they would make such a simple mistake. I don’t know how a prestigious boarding school could make that mistake. Yes, Joe is typically a guy’s name, but it’s not that uncommon that a girl could have that name. I’ve seen it before. She’s put into the boys’ dorm with the excuse of there not being any more rooms left in the girls’. Riiiiight. To me, this just sounds like a lazy way for the author to introduce key characters—eg, Seth and other members of the band—instead of navigating around the slightly unbelievable plotline to find a different way. As far as I am aware, boarding schools would have a strict policy against this for obvious reasons; what was more, nobody seemed to blink an eye at this. There were vague references to her mother during this time, but she seemed unrealistically okay with it.
And then there is the bitchy, rich, blonde girl, who, by some weird twist of fate, becomes the main character’s best friend. Why someone would want to be best friends with someone like her—especially with the manners she displayed at the beginning—is completely beyond me. There also wasn’t really an adequate explanation given as to why she turned from a bitch to a sweet, nice girl in two seconds flat. Her character was flimsy and underdeveloped to say the least. The same goes with pretty much every other character in this novel.
For a good deal of this book, nothing much happened. It lacked tension, suspense, good writing, and characterization. Simply put: this is not a book I will be buying.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an e-review copy.
This quote, my friends, pretty much sums up the entirety of this novel. Bland, with a been-there-done-that sort of storyline, and with characters and dialogue that made me cringe along the way. Needless to say, I was massively disappointed in this one—the cover is gorgeous, the blurb enticing, but the contents of the book failed to live up to my expectations. I wasn’t, of course, expecting an amazing read—but at the very least, I was hoping for a light, fun read which would make me smile.
Alas, this book did not achieve anything close to that.
The Lost Boys by Lilian Carmine follows the story of seventeen-year-old Joe Gray, how she (yes, she; her being a girl and having a masculine name is constantly referenced through the story, which is highly irritating) moves to a new home, and begins to fall in love with Tristan Halloway—a boy who died when he was seventeen in the 1950s. The novel also has musical undertones and the majority of it takes place in a boarding school. This novel had potential pouring off it, if only done in a better, less clichéd way.
One of the main faults of this novel, for me, was the author’s writing. I am not sure how different my review copy is to the actual published version, but I hope for reader’s sake, it’s a lot different. Lilian Carmine’s writing reeks of amateur-ness, as though she hasn’t quite grasped the idea of how to write properly, and is blundering along through the novel. If this were a first/second draft—fine. But a published novel? The publishing industry is a highly competitive (and subjective) one, and really, for a novel to sell well, the writing needs to be of a stronger caliber.
I pushed angrily at his chest. Take this line, for example. If the main character is pushing at someone’s chest, the author should let it speak for itself instead of telling the reader she’s angry. The connotation of pushing someone’s chest is enough for the reader to grasp that she’s pissed off. There were also many more instances of unnecessary adverbs during this book.
“I’m sorry for my bad manners, ma’am. I didn’t mean to shout. I hope you’ll forgive me, it was disrespectful of me,” he apologized. The sentences implies apologizing, so why add that pointless dialogue tag? This was just one of the many moments that made me wonder whether this had been edited properly. On more than one occasion, the dialogue tags chosen by the author pulled me from the story.
There were also some unbelievable elements to the novel. For a story to be enjoyed properly, it must be within the realms of probability (which the obvious exception of the fantasy/paranormal elements; that’s not what I’m talking about). For example, there is a mix up on the boarding school’s behalf, and she gets sent to the boys’ dorm instead of the girls. Please. There would be plenty of forms that would have to be filled out in order for someone to attend a boarding school; as if they would make such a simple mistake. I don’t know how a prestigious boarding school could make that mistake. Yes, Joe is typically a guy’s name, but it’s not that uncommon that a girl could have that name. I’ve seen it before. She’s put into the boys’ dorm with the excuse of there not being any more rooms left in the girls’. Riiiiight. To me, this just sounds like a lazy way for the author to introduce key characters—eg, Seth and other members of the band—instead of navigating around the slightly unbelievable plotline to find a different way. As far as I am aware, boarding schools would have a strict policy against this for obvious reasons; what was more, nobody seemed to blink an eye at this. There were vague references to her mother during this time, but she seemed unrealistically okay with it.
And then there is the bitchy, rich, blonde girl, who, by some weird twist of fate, becomes the main character’s best friend. Why someone would want to be best friends with someone like her—especially with the manners she displayed at the beginning—is completely beyond me. There also wasn’t really an adequate explanation given as to why she turned from a bitch to a sweet, nice girl in two seconds flat. Her character was flimsy and underdeveloped to say the least. The same goes with pretty much every other character in this novel.
For a good deal of this book, nothing much happened. It lacked tension, suspense, good writing, and characterization. Simply put: this is not a book I will be buying.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an e-review copy.
July 11, 2021
This review is way better to read on my blog, where there are GIFs. And bullet points.
All I knew about The Lost Boys before I started reading was that it was a paranormal romance about ghosts. I wasn’t even sure of that, because people have been comparing it to the Twilight series, but I guess I can see where that comparison comes from. Don’t get me wrong, this is better than Twilight. It’s about friendship, ghosts, and MAGIC!
I really liked Tristan (and his friendship/relationship with Joey) in the beginning of the book, but as the story progressed, he became less and less likeable. If you’ve read the book, you know what happens… *wiggles eyebrows*
So many boys everywhere! And they’re all good looking!
The less awesome things:
- Too! Many! Exclamation! Points! Seriously. It was like she was excited about everything and/or screaming all the time, and it really got on my nerves.
- From the cover, I thought the whole thing was going to be set in the graveyard, but most of it is actually set in a boarding school.
- The book is unnecessarily long (512 pages). The beginning and end of the book has a lot of fantasy aspects, but the middle was really just a bunch of high school drama. It dragged on for a long time, and made me unsure of what the focus of this book was.
- Although I liked the group of friends Joey has at school, I felt like they became too close too quickly.
Overall: interesting concept but the writing could’ve been better. It’s an easy read that you don’t want to think about too much. If you like paranormal romance with magic elements, make sure to check this one out!
Thanks to Ebury Press for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review!
All I knew about The Lost Boys before I started reading was that it was a paranormal romance about ghosts. I wasn’t even sure of that, because people have been comparing it to the Twilight series, but I guess I can see where that comparison comes from. Don’t get me wrong, this is better than Twilight. It’s about friendship, ghosts, and MAGIC!
I really liked Tristan (and his friendship/relationship with Joey) in the beginning of the book, but as the story progressed, he became less and less likeable. If you’ve read the book, you know what happens… *wiggles eyebrows*
So many boys everywhere! And they’re all good looking!
The less awesome things:
- Too! Many! Exclamation! Points! Seriously. It was like she was excited about everything and/or screaming all the time, and it really got on my nerves.
- From the cover, I thought the whole thing was going to be set in the graveyard, but most of it is actually set in a boarding school.
- The book is unnecessarily long (512 pages). The beginning and end of the book has a lot of fantasy aspects, but the middle was really just a bunch of high school drama. It dragged on for a long time, and made me unsure of what the focus of this book was.
- Although I liked the group of friends Joey has at school, I felt like they became too close too quickly.
Overall: interesting concept but the writing could’ve been better. It’s an easy read that you don’t want to think about too much. If you like paranormal romance with magic elements, make sure to check this one out!
Thanks to Ebury Press for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review!
August 9, 2016
I absolutely think this book is BETTER than Twilight novels.
No offense.
I read "The Lost Boys" first on Wattpad about a year ago and it was magical. I even thought that Lily was truly the real 'witch' here. I was immersed, way too much, with her writings. It's like she puts spells in every word of her writings. She tells us about the adventure of the Lost Boys with such a nice flow and how every little events attached to my brain and I can't help but to remember every tiny-little-bit details about her characters, Joey along with her Lost Boys friends. It's like they're real, their awesomeness is just for infinity and beyond!
She makes her characters alive.
I was, FOR REAL, a fan with the Lost Boys (GO TRISTAN! #TLBArmy) Ahehe. Gosh, can I say that I just head over heels with all of the characters there and of course, Lily?
She even put a damn playlist in her novel as soundtracks in every chapters (that was when I read it on the Wattpad at least and she said she will put it too in the book? #oops #wasthisaspoilerornot) and I always find it suits with the story so much until I even said to her on how her novel should have been a movie too.
It will be a dream come true.
Overall: 5 Stars just the way to put how AMAZING this novel is.
Thank you Lily!!
No offense.
I read "The Lost Boys" first on Wattpad about a year ago and it was magical. I even thought that Lily was truly the real 'witch' here. I was immersed, way too much, with her writings. It's like she puts spells in every word of her writings. She tells us about the adventure of the Lost Boys with such a nice flow and how every little events attached to my brain and I can't help but to remember every tiny-little-bit details about her characters, Joey along with her Lost Boys friends. It's like they're real, their awesomeness is just for infinity and beyond!
She makes her characters alive.
I was, FOR REAL, a fan with the Lost Boys (GO TRISTAN! #TLBArmy) Ahehe. Gosh, can I say that I just head over heels with all of the characters there and of course, Lily?
She even put a damn playlist in her novel as soundtracks in every chapters (that was when I read it on the Wattpad at least and she said she will put it too in the book? #oops #wasthisaspoilerornot) and I always find it suits with the story so much until I even said to her on how her novel should have been a movie too.
It will be a dream come true.
Overall: 5 Stars just the way to put how AMAZING this novel is.
Thank you Lily!!
February 9, 2014
The Lost Boys is a YA(?)romance story about a girl with certain perceptive powers and a ghost.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The writing is quite immature and choppy; the characters are flat and the protagonist's voice is quite annoying. There are no grammar, spelling, or technical issues with formatting. Unfortunately I had great difficulty reading this book, having to stop ever so often and fill my time with another book is rarely something I do. I almost decided not to finish it halfway through and throw myself at the mercy of NetGalley but then decided to just push through all the exclamation points and choppy sentences. There is one redeeming quality in the writing where the writer wrote a very sweet and tasteful sex scene without all the graphic details. There is cussing, some sensual love scenes, and witchcraft. The cover is nice. A dull read.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The writing is quite immature and choppy; the characters are flat and the protagonist's voice is quite annoying. There are no grammar, spelling, or technical issues with formatting. Unfortunately I had great difficulty reading this book, having to stop ever so often and fill my time with another book is rarely something I do. I almost decided not to finish it halfway through and throw myself at the mercy of NetGalley but then decided to just push through all the exclamation points and choppy sentences. There is one redeeming quality in the writing where the writer wrote a very sweet and tasteful sex scene without all the graphic details. There is cussing, some sensual love scenes, and witchcraft. The cover is nice. A dull read.
Read
January 9, 2014 This one is going to be a DNF for me. I hate to do that, but I just can't read anymore...this book is beyond silly! One minute its a creepy ghost story (that part was good) then its a boarding school story, then its a girl joins a boys' band story and makes all these "boy" friends, now its a makeover story! Can't take it!
June 24, 2013
I've read this book before in Wattpad and I immediately fell in love with the characters. Wonderful story indeed about timeless friendship. It's nice to know the story was officially published.:)
January 9, 2014
i loved the premise. but when i got into the story i immediately wanted out. i can stand mistakes at advanced level but if its has fundamental issues i am never forgiving. comparing this to twilight is an insult for i distinctly remember adoring twilight, this book not so much. there is unrealistic writing here and less emphasis was given on the paranormal function. furthermore the novel is lengthy, what could be said usefully in half the book was extended to more pages for commonplace stuff.
i agree it made me laugh here and there but i wish the author exploited the plot to its fullest potential.
with revision, this book can be made better and can go on par with works of established and experienced authors.
i agree it made me laugh here and there but i wish the author exploited the plot to its fullest potential.
with revision, this book can be made better and can go on par with works of established and experienced authors.
March 29, 2013
I read this a while back when it was available for reading on Wattpad. I remember it being a great book, I loved the characters. I can't wait to get a physical copy of this when it comes out.
January 8, 2014
Definitly more like 2.5 stars. I really don't understand all the rave reviews but I will get to my own later.
First I have to say that after reading the synopsis for the The Lost Boys and even in it's beginning stages I was really excited for this book. After reading the first 15/20% I just knew it was going to be amazing, possibly end up on the favorite shelf. Yeah.. not going to happen. I got the exact opposite reaction of what I was expecting.
Joe Gray moves to a new town with her mother and then one day she decides to take a walk in her new town, long story short she ends up in a graveyard where she meets a boy whom she has no idea is actually a ghost. They become friends and then somehow Joe ends being able to do a spell that brings him back to life without even realizing or knowing how she done so. Anyway it's a basic tale of girl meets boy, boy meets girl... blah, blah, blah.
I guess I was under the impression of this book being more on the fantasical side when really the only thing you actually read in the book that is fantasy/paranormal/magic is at the beginning and more towards the end. The middle is just fluffed up with a whole bunch of high school drama... well suppose to be high school. Sometimes the way these kids acted and talked throughout the book actually caused me to be embarrassed for them! Yes, in my head I was going Oh my god, did they really just say/do that. If there had not been a little bit of cursing and a few sexual scenes I would definitely say this book was middle school.
I will admit that there was one instance in which there were a tear or two brought to my eyes but that was it. Needless to say I wanted so much more from this book. I guess I just had my expectations set to high from all the wonderful reviews I read about it beforehand. I have no idea where all the praise comes from. I feel like I read an entirely different book!
First I have to say that after reading the synopsis for the The Lost Boys and even in it's beginning stages I was really excited for this book. After reading the first 15/20% I just knew it was going to be amazing, possibly end up on the favorite shelf. Yeah.. not going to happen. I got the exact opposite reaction of what I was expecting.
Joe Gray moves to a new town with her mother and then one day she decides to take a walk in her new town, long story short she ends up in a graveyard where she meets a boy whom she has no idea is actually a ghost. They become friends and then somehow Joe ends being able to do a spell that brings him back to life without even realizing or knowing how she done so. Anyway it's a basic tale of girl meets boy, boy meets girl... blah, blah, blah.
I guess I was under the impression of this book being more on the fantasical side when really the only thing you actually read in the book that is fantasy/paranormal/magic is at the beginning and more towards the end. The middle is just fluffed up with a whole bunch of high school drama... well suppose to be high school. Sometimes the way these kids acted and talked throughout the book actually caused me to be embarrassed for them! Yes, in my head I was going Oh my god, did they really just say/do that. If there had not been a little bit of cursing and a few sexual scenes I would definitely say this book was middle school.
I will admit that there was one instance in which there were a tear or two brought to my eyes but that was it. Needless to say I wanted so much more from this book. I guess I just had my expectations set to high from all the wonderful reviews I read about it beforehand. I have no idea where all the praise comes from. I feel like I read an entirely different book!
February 24, 2014
(I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
At over 500 pages, i knew The Lost Boys would be a long read... but it ended up feeling about 1000 pages long, because of how dull it was!
Joe annoyed me.
She talked about random stuff all the time, and just wouldn't shut up.
Every time she talked, i thought the same thing:
I just wanted her to stop rambling.
The whole "I'm Joe. Yes, Joe. I know i'm a girl" thing started doing my head in after the third time she mentioned she had a boys name.
Her mum was just as annoying.
She thought that constantly telling Joe that Tristan was cute was okay... but it's not. It's creepy.
I wouldn't have been surprised if there was a love triangle between Her, Joe and Tristan!
I found it ridiculous that she let Joe sleep in the boys dorm at school.
I also found it ridiculous how she managed to afford to pay for tuition for Joe and Tristan at the boarding school, and bought Tristan loads of clothes. Joe said that they had always struggled with money, until her mum got this new job... So how could she afford to buy Tristan plenty of clothes like that, and promise him tuition.. when she had only been at her new job for a couple of days - therefore, not receiving her first paycheck yet?
The other characters weren't much better either.
Overall, Boring and ridiculous.
At over 500 pages, i knew The Lost Boys would be a long read... but it ended up feeling about 1000 pages long, because of how dull it was!
Joe annoyed me.
She talked about random stuff all the time, and just wouldn't shut up.
Every time she talked, i thought the same thing:
I just wanted her to stop rambling.
The whole "I'm Joe. Yes, Joe. I know i'm a girl" thing started doing my head in after the third time she mentioned she had a boys name.
Her mum was just as annoying.
She thought that constantly telling Joe that Tristan was cute was okay... but it's not. It's creepy.
I wouldn't have been surprised if there was a love triangle between Her, Joe and Tristan!
I found it ridiculous that she let Joe sleep in the boys dorm at school.
I also found it ridiculous how she managed to afford to pay for tuition for Joe and Tristan at the boarding school, and bought Tristan loads of clothes. Joe said that they had always struggled with money, until her mum got this new job... So how could she afford to buy Tristan plenty of clothes like that, and promise him tuition.. when she had only been at her new job for a couple of days - therefore, not receiving her first paycheck yet?
The other characters weren't much better either.
Overall, Boring and ridiculous.
December 20, 2013
I admit, I picked this one up because I really liked the cover. The soft shades of blue are very appealing and once I saw all the rave reviews on Goodreads from when this was on Wattpad, I couldn't resist, I had to see what all the fuss was about.
I know, I know, why do that to myself? Haven't I learned by now that I should avoid all those pesky gorgeous books that are all the buzz? Haven't I been burned enough in the past to know better?
Apparently not because I picked this right up, without even hesitating. I mean really, this is a ghost story and I do love a good ghost story.
Too bad this never turned out to be the read I was hoping for. I was never drawn into the story and could never connect with the characters or storyline at all. Things moved too quickly for my liking with trusting one another and falling in love. Even the mom's absolute trust and acceptance in everything was a little baffling to me and slightly unbelievable from a parent stand point.
The writing felt immature and overly done. This was a pretty long story that I think could have been cut in half and still held all the meat it needed to to make it substantial.
Sadly this one just never wowed me.
I think with some very fine tuning and tweaking this could be a fantastic story that could live up to all the 4 and 5 star reviews and that pretty cover, but as it, it just didn't do it for me.
I know, I know, why do that to myself? Haven't I learned by now that I should avoid all those pesky gorgeous books that are all the buzz? Haven't I been burned enough in the past to know better?
Apparently not because I picked this right up, without even hesitating. I mean really, this is a ghost story and I do love a good ghost story.
Too bad this never turned out to be the read I was hoping for. I was never drawn into the story and could never connect with the characters or storyline at all. Things moved too quickly for my liking with trusting one another and falling in love. Even the mom's absolute trust and acceptance in everything was a little baffling to me and slightly unbelievable from a parent stand point.
The writing felt immature and overly done. This was a pretty long story that I think could have been cut in half and still held all the meat it needed to to make it substantial.
Sadly this one just never wowed me.
I think with some very fine tuning and tweaking this could be a fantastic story that could live up to all the 4 and 5 star reviews and that pretty cover, but as it, it just didn't do it for me.
January 15, 2014
Fore more reviews please check out www.readingtsinoy.blogspot.com
My Summary:
Joe meets Tristan at the local cemetery where she gets lost after doing a good deed for a neighbor. Though he seems unusual in manners as well as in clothing, Joe feels intense attraction and agrees to meet him again….and again…. many times over, at the cemetery.
Friendship and more blossom fast between the two. One New Year’s eve, they agree to meet again at the cemetery where the impossible happens: Joe finds out that Tristan is a ghost AND after a bit of accidental magic, he becomes human again. A miracle indeed but with a catch, Joe and Tris can not be separated for long periods as they will get violently sick. Joe’s mother has no choice but to allow Tristan into their home.
Both start going to a nearby boarding school where they meet a band made up of 4 boys who collectively call themselves The Lost Boys. Tris and Joe who both have musical backgrounds join the band. It helps that Tris and Joe end up sharing a room with Seth, the sort-of leader of the band. Joe also befriends the richest and most beautiful girl in the entire school, Tiffany, who later ends up with Seth.
Just when things are going well, Tristan pulls away from Joe without any explanation. She finds out that there is a threat on Tristan’s life, a countdown of sorts, to when everything goes back to what it was: Tristan dead and gone.
My Review:
The premise of the book is what drew me to read it. I thought it was something new and exciting, with lots of possibilities.
But the first chapter immediately made me question this. The writing was quite juvenile, with the author seemingly wanting to get ideas on paper so fast that she rushed through many moments that could have been better.
And though I know that fiction calls for suspension of disbelief, it’s still too far fetched how all of a sudden Joe has witch blood in her family which helps bring Tristan to life, this without further explanation on the how and why, and left practically ignored after Tristan’s transformation. It’s as if the author just wanted a fast excuse for making him a live human being and nothing more.
The book is also long….really long….with many scenes and characters that need not be included. I do like the band, and I like the boys that make up the group. They are all sweet with good contributions to the whole story. It’s just that it dragged after a while. Plus I didn’t know what the focus was: was it the love story? High school animosity? Ghost angle? The boy band?. There are just too many elements forced to mesh in one go and it’s disturbing.
That said, this book still had something going for it. After all the hits and misses, I still wanted to finish the book. The love between Tris and Joe felt real and oh so sweet. They have great chemistry and I can’t help but root for them. I even like the almost-but-not-quite third party Henry. His is a character I would like to see more of in the future, same with Tiffany and Seth.
Overall, despite the length, lack of explanation, exaggeration and lack of focus, I would still recommend The Lost Boys to those who want a romantic, exciting and no-brainer read.
My Summary:
Joe meets Tristan at the local cemetery where she gets lost after doing a good deed for a neighbor. Though he seems unusual in manners as well as in clothing, Joe feels intense attraction and agrees to meet him again….and again…. many times over, at the cemetery.
Friendship and more blossom fast between the two. One New Year’s eve, they agree to meet again at the cemetery where the impossible happens: Joe finds out that Tristan is a ghost AND after a bit of accidental magic, he becomes human again. A miracle indeed but with a catch, Joe and Tris can not be separated for long periods as they will get violently sick. Joe’s mother has no choice but to allow Tristan into their home.
Both start going to a nearby boarding school where they meet a band made up of 4 boys who collectively call themselves The Lost Boys. Tris and Joe who both have musical backgrounds join the band. It helps that Tris and Joe end up sharing a room with Seth, the sort-of leader of the band. Joe also befriends the richest and most beautiful girl in the entire school, Tiffany, who later ends up with Seth.
Just when things are going well, Tristan pulls away from Joe without any explanation. She finds out that there is a threat on Tristan’s life, a countdown of sorts, to when everything goes back to what it was: Tristan dead and gone.
My Review:
The premise of the book is what drew me to read it. I thought it was something new and exciting, with lots of possibilities.
But the first chapter immediately made me question this. The writing was quite juvenile, with the author seemingly wanting to get ideas on paper so fast that she rushed through many moments that could have been better.
And though I know that fiction calls for suspension of disbelief, it’s still too far fetched how all of a sudden Joe has witch blood in her family which helps bring Tristan to life, this without further explanation on the how and why, and left practically ignored after Tristan’s transformation. It’s as if the author just wanted a fast excuse for making him a live human being and nothing more.
The book is also long….really long….with many scenes and characters that need not be included. I do like the band, and I like the boys that make up the group. They are all sweet with good contributions to the whole story. It’s just that it dragged after a while. Plus I didn’t know what the focus was: was it the love story? High school animosity? Ghost angle? The boy band?. There are just too many elements forced to mesh in one go and it’s disturbing.
That said, this book still had something going for it. After all the hits and misses, I still wanted to finish the book. The love between Tris and Joe felt real and oh so sweet. They have great chemistry and I can’t help but root for them. I even like the almost-but-not-quite third party Henry. His is a character I would like to see more of in the future, same with Tiffany and Seth.
Overall, despite the length, lack of explanation, exaggeration and lack of focus, I would still recommend The Lost Boys to those who want a romantic, exciting and no-brainer read.
February 25, 2014
2.5 stars
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and Netgalley.)
17-year-old Joe has just moved to a new town for her mother’s new job, when she meets Tristan.
Joe is instantly attracted to Tristan, but doesn’t get why they always have to meet in a graveyard.
Who or what is Tristan? And can Tristan and Joe ever be together?
I’m going to be generous and give this book 2 and a half stars, but boy did this book have issues.
The characters in this book annoyed me. Joe had a case of verbal diarrhoea. Every single moment of her life was narrated to us, from putting on her pyjamas to carrying a vase of flowers for someone. So much of this book was filled up with Joe’s mindless chatter or narration, about things that didn’t even move the story along, that this book could easily have been half the length it was, and infinitely less irritating.
Tristan irritated me because all he did was hide stuff from Joe, tell her the truth for pity’s sake!
And Joe’s mother. Dear me. This woman was crazy. Who leaves their teenage daughter alone in a house, with a naked boy who you know that she likes, who you’ve barely even met, asleep with the naked boy on the sofa, to pop to the shop? Who then adopts said stray, and pays for him to attend the same fancy boarding school as her daughter, even though up to 2 days ago, money has been tight. Really? Really? And telling your daughter repeatedly how cute her boyfriend is? Yuck. Just Yuck.
Let me assure you that I used the words ‘really?’ and ‘what?’ a lot during the course of this book. It seemed like every chapter even more ridiculous things happened, from Joe’s mother basically adopting Tristan, to Joe telling everyone at school that he was her brother?! Incest much? Not forgetting the fact that they allowed Joe to sleep in the same room as both Tristan and Seth – I know she has a boy’s name, but can you really leave her sleeping in the same room as two boys that she fancies? Sooner or later they’re going to do the deed.
The romance in this was also irritating – because not only did we get a love triangle, but because Joe told everyone that Tristan was her brother, we had a pseudo-incest thing going on, which was just wrong.
I’m not going to go through everything else that annoyed me with this book, because I’d be here all day! I really do think that this book could be improved with a bit of editing though, ignoring the irritating bits, the fact that there was so much in there that didn’t need to be made this book even more painful.
The ending was also pretty darn ridiculous. The solution to their little problem came about so simply that it was a joke, the hmm, ‘offer’ that the lost boys got was in the realms of fantasy, and the whole darn thing was just silly. I was glad that it was over though!
Overall; slow and irritating,
5 out of 10.
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and Netgalley.)
17-year-old Joe has just moved to a new town for her mother’s new job, when she meets Tristan.
Joe is instantly attracted to Tristan, but doesn’t get why they always have to meet in a graveyard.
Who or what is Tristan? And can Tristan and Joe ever be together?
I’m going to be generous and give this book 2 and a half stars, but boy did this book have issues.
The characters in this book annoyed me. Joe had a case of verbal diarrhoea. Every single moment of her life was narrated to us, from putting on her pyjamas to carrying a vase of flowers for someone. So much of this book was filled up with Joe’s mindless chatter or narration, about things that didn’t even move the story along, that this book could easily have been half the length it was, and infinitely less irritating.
Tristan irritated me because all he did was hide stuff from Joe, tell her the truth for pity’s sake!
And Joe’s mother. Dear me. This woman was crazy. Who leaves their teenage daughter alone in a house, with a naked boy who you know that she likes, who you’ve barely even met, asleep with the naked boy on the sofa, to pop to the shop? Who then adopts said stray, and pays for him to attend the same fancy boarding school as her daughter, even though up to 2 days ago, money has been tight. Really? Really? And telling your daughter repeatedly how cute her boyfriend is? Yuck. Just Yuck.
Let me assure you that I used the words ‘really?’ and ‘what?’ a lot during the course of this book. It seemed like every chapter even more ridiculous things happened, from Joe’s mother basically adopting Tristan, to Joe telling everyone at school that he was her brother?! Incest much? Not forgetting the fact that they allowed Joe to sleep in the same room as both Tristan and Seth – I know she has a boy’s name, but can you really leave her sleeping in the same room as two boys that she fancies? Sooner or later they’re going to do the deed.
The romance in this was also irritating – because not only did we get a love triangle, but because Joe told everyone that Tristan was her brother, we had a pseudo-incest thing going on, which was just wrong.
I’m not going to go through everything else that annoyed me with this book, because I’d be here all day! I really do think that this book could be improved with a bit of editing though, ignoring the irritating bits, the fact that there was so much in there that didn’t need to be made this book even more painful.
The ending was also pretty darn ridiculous. The solution to their little problem came about so simply that it was a joke, the hmm, ‘offer’ that the lost boys got was in the realms of fantasy, and the whole darn thing was just silly. I was glad that it was over though!
Overall; slow and irritating,
5 out of 10.
April 9, 2014
Reading phenomenon on Wattpad, a social network free amateur writers and passionate readers, with over 33 million readers the story of Lilian Carmine called Lost Boys series, drew attention of Random House that decided to publish the trilogy in four different languages.
After much waiting, fans of the series were thrilled with the launch day which was yesterday October 24, 2013. The English and Italian first book version of the series is called The Lost Boys and now is available on amazon.com among other sites.
I don’t know where to start, or what facts approach, since seeing this story published with such prestige makes me so excited that my thoughts are everywhere. But I think the beginning will be more coherent.
At Christmas 2010 I got a tablet as a gift, and without quite knowing what to do or how to use, I started surfing the internet and came across the Canadian website Wattpad, I don’t remember exactly how it happened, but it was love at first sight, I did my registration and in minutes had thousands of totally free books available wherever I was. Off course among so many stories there is a lot of crap, but I had the good fortune to encounter The Lost Boys right away, this was one of the first novels I read on Wattpad app by then installed on my tablet. I was so fascinated with the story that I started reading the sequence in the series that was still in progress, had waited anxiously for the uploads of each chapter that Lilian made, to feed my addiction of Joey and Tristan, the protagonist couple of this novel full of fantasies and adventures.
The truth is that the brazilian Lilian Camine brings brilliance and creativity that engages the reader in a way we really feel like living those moments with the Lost Boys gang.
So, to the point, The Lost Boys tells the story of Joey, a heroine to be proud of, full of life, bold, sassy and a loose tongue, she easily makes us laugh and cry, and as she comes across a beautiful ghost wandering the cemetery near her new home, she finds herself seeking excuses to wander among tombs and tombstones. But even tough Tristan Halloway is charming, polite and so beautiful it will take your breath away, he is not the only guy in the saga. From Bad boy to comedian, the author gives us a taste of each of these personalities in The Lost Boys guys. Now if dare, you can tell me, what’s your favorite Lost Boy?
After much waiting, fans of the series were thrilled with the launch day which was yesterday October 24, 2013. The English and Italian first book version of the series is called The Lost Boys and now is available on amazon.com among other sites.
I don’t know where to start, or what facts approach, since seeing this story published with such prestige makes me so excited that my thoughts are everywhere. But I think the beginning will be more coherent.
At Christmas 2010 I got a tablet as a gift, and without quite knowing what to do or how to use, I started surfing the internet and came across the Canadian website Wattpad, I don’t remember exactly how it happened, but it was love at first sight, I did my registration and in minutes had thousands of totally free books available wherever I was. Off course among so many stories there is a lot of crap, but I had the good fortune to encounter The Lost Boys right away, this was one of the first novels I read on Wattpad app by then installed on my tablet. I was so fascinated with the story that I started reading the sequence in the series that was still in progress, had waited anxiously for the uploads of each chapter that Lilian made, to feed my addiction of Joey and Tristan, the protagonist couple of this novel full of fantasies and adventures.
The truth is that the brazilian Lilian Camine brings brilliance and creativity that engages the reader in a way we really feel like living those moments with the Lost Boys gang.
So, to the point, The Lost Boys tells the story of Joey, a heroine to be proud of, full of life, bold, sassy and a loose tongue, she easily makes us laugh and cry, and as she comes across a beautiful ghost wandering the cemetery near her new home, she finds herself seeking excuses to wander among tombs and tombstones. But even tough Tristan Halloway is charming, polite and so beautiful it will take your breath away, he is not the only guy in the saga. From Bad boy to comedian, the author gives us a taste of each of these personalities in The Lost Boys guys. Now if dare, you can tell me, what’s your favorite Lost Boy?
November 19, 2013
Joey Gray has just move to an entirely new town, and feels instantly nervous at not knowing anyone. But after helping a neighbour to take some flowers to her husband, Joey finds herself lost in a graveyard. Seeing a mysterious but cute boy nearby, she asks him for directions, and the two strike up a friendship, but just who is this strange boy she is drawn to? And why do their meetings keep happening in a graveyard?
I really liked this, I’ve recently been trying new genres and this book sounded so intriguing that I couldn’t wait to start it. The Lost Boys is so easy to get into, I liked Joey as a character straight away, she made me laugh with her observations and her voice really spoke to me. And Tristan…oh I fell in love with Tristan straight away and his way of talking, his personality, everything.
I loved reading about the adventures of The Lost Boys, and I was particularly excited about Joey’s involvement, and the bond that she created with all of them. It felt as though I was reading about a group of very best friends, and I was so pleased to share their journey and activities with them.
The Lost Boys is adventurous, gripping and has such a magical sense about it. The romance is beautifully written, and this book is perfect for readers who are looking for something exciting to read!
I really liked this, I’ve recently been trying new genres and this book sounded so intriguing that I couldn’t wait to start it. The Lost Boys is so easy to get into, I liked Joey as a character straight away, she made me laugh with her observations and her voice really spoke to me. And Tristan…oh I fell in love with Tristan straight away and his way of talking, his personality, everything.
I loved reading about the adventures of The Lost Boys, and I was particularly excited about Joey’s involvement, and the bond that she created with all of them. It felt as though I was reading about a group of very best friends, and I was so pleased to share their journey and activities with them.
The Lost Boys is adventurous, gripping and has such a magical sense about it. The romance is beautifully written, and this book is perfect for readers who are looking for something exciting to read!
December 25, 2014
Ghost love stories are quite limited, especially hot male ghosts. So I was pretty excited to read this one since I enjoyed reading the Mediator series. Because of that, I was expecting a lot out of this novel. It is also said to be “ideal for fans of Stephenie Meyer” which includes me.
I was disappointed on how cliché the beginning was. The boy meets the girl and the sparks fly. But fortunately, the other parts weren't as predictable. Some parts even surprised me and proved that it’s not as lame as I originally thought it was.
The two main characters were a bit dull. They didn't connect with me at all. There were a couple of times where I didn't get the dialogue and that the scenes were unnecessary.
Another thing that just shocked me (not in a good way) is that Tristan’s tombstone says 1938-1950! *thanks heather crews for spotting this thing because it eluded me* The way he acted throughout this novel definitely did not correspond to his age or era!
Now let’s get to the things I liked.
The unexpected friendship between Tiffany and Joey is quite unique and it helped me like this novel. I liked the members of the Lost Boys. They each had a unique character. I also liked the seduction part; I’m not going into detail in case I spoil someone.
Over all, it was a so-so read for me.
Fave quote:
“Boys…It was so easy messing up with them.”
I was disappointed on how cliché the beginning was. The boy meets the girl and the sparks fly. But fortunately, the other parts weren't as predictable. Some parts even surprised me and proved that it’s not as lame as I originally thought it was.
The two main characters were a bit dull. They didn't connect with me at all. There were a couple of times where I didn't get the dialogue and that the scenes were unnecessary.
Another thing that just shocked me (not in a good way) is that Tristan’s tombstone says 1938-1950! *thanks heather crews for spotting this thing because it eluded me* The way he acted throughout this novel definitely did not correspond to his age or era!
Now let’s get to the things I liked.
The unexpected friendship between Tiffany and Joey is quite unique and it helped me like this novel. I liked the members of the Lost Boys. They each had a unique character. I also liked the seduction part; I’m not going into detail in case I spoil someone.
Over all, it was a so-so read for me.
Fave quote:
“Boys…It was so easy messing up with them.”
October 24, 2013
This book is NOTHING like twilight.
I've read it before on wattpad and it is still my favorite that I have ever read on there. I will be buying this book so I can read repeatedly! You should seriously pick this book up because you won't be putting it down until you're finished.
I've read it before on wattpad and it is still my favorite that I have ever read on there. I will be buying this book so I can read repeatedly! You should seriously pick this book up because you won't be putting it down until you're finished.
July 7, 2014
Unfortunately, I didn't get the fascination and high rating for this book. *shrugs* It's really not my type of read.
June 26, 2015
Still missing 50 pages but, honestly, I can´t get through them yet.
February 4, 2014
You can find more reviews at Boricuan Bookworms
eARC Provided by Publisher Via Netgalley
When I committed myself to reading books when I was a kid I never imagined that I'd feel such high quantities of frustration, and a big ball of wibbly wobbly emotions running around like naked people in a forest running from the police. Seriously. I haven't felt like this in a while and, as much as it makes me be confused and ugh, it's a welcomed emotion to combat against family problems and school drama. This review might have a few spoilers because I can't make some points without some small-ish spoilers. Sorry.
I never write a review after barely 24 hours of having read it. I feel like my emotions will make this review weird but this, this book is pure emotions so it's only fair to write about it while I still have those hurricanes in my system.
Seventeen-year-old Joey Gray and her mom move to a strange new town called Esperanza after being offered a big job opportunity. Joe didn't feel like she was leaving much behind in her other town since she barely made close friends or that stuff. Between feeling lost and starting anew, she befriends a mysterious and handsome boy by the name of Tristan. With black hair combed to the side, vibrant grey eyes, and a smile that melts her away, they soon become close friends after their endless walks and hanging out in the weirdest of places: the graveyard. When Joe discovers by accident that Tristan is in fact a ghost only witches and anyone related to the supernatural can see, something miraculous happens. Tristan comes back from the death, and bound to Joe by a spell she unconsciously made in the New Year, marking the beginning of a second chance for Tristan and also for Joe as she falls for her ex-ghost friend.
The premise was very promising, even with the comparison of Twilight. Don't get me wrong, I like Twilight (don't look at me with those judging eyes..) but a comparison with that book is a guarantee to repel anyone relatively interested in this book. Though, I don't feel like it was alike in any way other than the age of the characters and stuff that are usual on teens that age.
Threw a coin in the air which means I will start with what I didn't like here...
The book was supposed to be supernatural/paranormal. We are told about witches and spells and ghost coming back from the grave, plus an entity that has a job as fixing these anomalies out of the order of nature. The problem here was that that about 10% more or less of the book in the beginning was of that and how their lives (of Joe and Tristan) changes. After that we are thrown into a teen drama where they attend a boarding school, make friends, deal with gossip and too horny girls and boys, a band, and love. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing bad with it. But where is my paranormal? It was mentioned here and there but barely present at all. Hello, this book needs that cos the plot goes around that. It's like having the Earth going around the Sun but without a Sun to go around of. That doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe to Sherlock, but that's beside the point.
I also couldn't comprehend the relation of the title and the story itself. The Lost Boys aren't Tristan's ghost friends come back too. They're a band with no witch or wizard powers whatsoever. Why were they in the title then? There's also nothing wrong with that, but, you know, maybe I just over-analyze everything.
This story had so much potential, had so many opportunities to develop into a great story of magic and mysteries with a love story with a deadline that you couldn't escape. There were things unanswered, like how Joe was a witch and how she got her powers. Mom? Dad? Anyone care to explain? The convenient witch next door? No? Okay then... I was given half of what I expected and was handed teen drama with a bimbo slutty horny girl behind the hottest guy at school AKA Tristan AKA Joe's hunky hunky love. The plot was great in general, yet I felt like it might have been a bit better. But that's just my opinion.
Now that I'm done with the bad stuff, let's praise!
While I didn't see much character development that was significant, like maybe Tris of Divergent, Joe was a really likeable character. I was constantly wishing she was real so that we could be friends. I felt like I could relate to some of the things she went through plus how she thought. Because as much as some of us readers complain about female characters that do slut-shamming and stereotype and other stuff we don't like, I'm guilty of doing that some times. I can't help it sometimes. First impressions have a thing on you sometimes. But what made Joe feel real was that after that first moment she would ignore that and see for the good things, depending. As an example we have Tiffany. The blonde, hot body, boobs, smart, funny, and the richest girl in school, cheerleader captain and her squad of girls trailing behind. Gosh I hated her at first as much as Joe did. What surprised me was how Tiffany turned out to be different than I thought, how she changed and Joe accepted her, gave her a second opportunity, forgave and forgot past bad actions and thoughts of the girl. That is something remarkable of a person and the way it was delivered here, it felt real, and I consider that important. Strong-willed, stubborn, funny, self-sacrificing, even selfish and stupid sometimes, Joe felt human and not just words written by someone.
I think Tristan is everything I look for in a guy. Well-mannered, educated, smart, dedicated, compassionate, unselfish, funny, romantic, handsome, cute, with so many flaws and imperfections that make him even more perfect. Why do authors make guys like this?! Why do you make me rise my expectations on men even higher than what they are? Do you want me to be perpetually single for all of eternity? That's not fair. Since I loved Tristan so much, I decided to cast him as Ansel Elgort:
My mind made Tristan be like this probably cos I had recently watched The Fault In Our Stars Trailer and couldn't stop thinking of it... Even if Ansel's hair and eyes are brown while Tristan's hair is black and eyes grey, this would be perfect. So much beauty and perfectness here I feel like I might faint of the feels... <3
So, rounding it all up here, the book was great to be honest. I liked it tons and enjoyed it to no end. It was 512 pages that I ended in three days with little sleep. I don't know how I made it, but I was not putting down that book. A minute without reading was torturous. I thank my school for not giving me homework this last weekend so that I could read in peace. Even with the things I mentioned before that I disliked, the book was overall greatly written, gripping tight the reader in its story. I want to buy it and hug it and put it in a high shelve in my wall and admire it with googly eyes. It has so much romance, so many things that some teens can relate to some times, a fresh escape from normal life into one where it's full of love, possibilities, and friends that are there for you no matter what. Also, what a fine piece of specimen as the love interest. Like I said, nothing like Twilight. I strongly recommend this for anyone searching for a cute, funny, full of feels story with a sprinkle or supernatural here and there. It can be frustrating, but the author knew how to compensate.
That ending though, I can't believe I have to wait for the sequel. So many great things coming this year ah!! <3
eARC Provided by Publisher Via Netgalley
When I committed myself to reading books when I was a kid I never imagined that I'd feel such high quantities of frustration, and a big ball of wibbly wobbly emotions running around like naked people in a forest running from the police. Seriously. I haven't felt like this in a while and, as much as it makes me be confused and ugh, it's a welcomed emotion to combat against family problems and school drama. This review might have a few spoilers because I can't make some points without some small-ish spoilers. Sorry.
I never write a review after barely 24 hours of having read it. I feel like my emotions will make this review weird but this, this book is pure emotions so it's only fair to write about it while I still have those hurricanes in my system.
Seventeen-year-old Joey Gray and her mom move to a strange new town called Esperanza after being offered a big job opportunity. Joe didn't feel like she was leaving much behind in her other town since she barely made close friends or that stuff. Between feeling lost and starting anew, she befriends a mysterious and handsome boy by the name of Tristan. With black hair combed to the side, vibrant grey eyes, and a smile that melts her away, they soon become close friends after their endless walks and hanging out in the weirdest of places: the graveyard. When Joe discovers by accident that Tristan is in fact a ghost only witches and anyone related to the supernatural can see, something miraculous happens. Tristan comes back from the death, and bound to Joe by a spell she unconsciously made in the New Year, marking the beginning of a second chance for Tristan and also for Joe as she falls for her ex-ghost friend.
The premise was very promising, even with the comparison of Twilight. Don't get me wrong, I like Twilight (don't look at me with those judging eyes..) but a comparison with that book is a guarantee to repel anyone relatively interested in this book. Though, I don't feel like it was alike in any way other than the age of the characters and stuff that are usual on teens that age.
Threw a coin in the air which means I will start with what I didn't like here...
The book was supposed to be supernatural/paranormal. We are told about witches and spells and ghost coming back from the grave, plus an entity that has a job as fixing these anomalies out of the order of nature. The problem here was that that about 10% more or less of the book in the beginning was of that and how their lives (of Joe and Tristan) changes. After that we are thrown into a teen drama where they attend a boarding school, make friends, deal with gossip and too horny girls and boys, a band, and love. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing bad with it. But where is my paranormal? It was mentioned here and there but barely present at all. Hello, this book needs that cos the plot goes around that. It's like having the Earth going around the Sun but without a Sun to go around of. That doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe to Sherlock, but that's beside the point.
I also couldn't comprehend the relation of the title and the story itself. The Lost Boys aren't Tristan's ghost friends come back too. They're a band with no witch or wizard powers whatsoever. Why were they in the title then? There's also nothing wrong with that, but, you know, maybe I just over-analyze everything.
This story had so much potential, had so many opportunities to develop into a great story of magic and mysteries with a love story with a deadline that you couldn't escape. There were things unanswered, like how Joe was a witch and how she got her powers. Mom? Dad? Anyone care to explain? The convenient witch next door? No? Okay then... I was given half of what I expected and was handed teen drama with a bimbo slutty horny girl behind the hottest guy at school AKA Tristan AKA Joe's hunky hunky love. The plot was great in general, yet I felt like it might have been a bit better. But that's just my opinion.
Now that I'm done with the bad stuff, let's praise!
While I didn't see much character development that was significant, like maybe Tris of Divergent, Joe was a really likeable character. I was constantly wishing she was real so that we could be friends. I felt like I could relate to some of the things she went through plus how she thought. Because as much as some of us readers complain about female characters that do slut-shamming and stereotype and other stuff we don't like, I'm guilty of doing that some times. I can't help it sometimes. First impressions have a thing on you sometimes. But what made Joe feel real was that after that first moment she would ignore that and see for the good things, depending. As an example we have Tiffany. The blonde, hot body, boobs, smart, funny, and the richest girl in school, cheerleader captain and her squad of girls trailing behind. Gosh I hated her at first as much as Joe did. What surprised me was how Tiffany turned out to be different than I thought, how she changed and Joe accepted her, gave her a second opportunity, forgave and forgot past bad actions and thoughts of the girl. That is something remarkable of a person and the way it was delivered here, it felt real, and I consider that important. Strong-willed, stubborn, funny, self-sacrificing, even selfish and stupid sometimes, Joe felt human and not just words written by someone.
I think Tristan is everything I look for in a guy. Well-mannered, educated, smart, dedicated, compassionate, unselfish, funny, romantic, handsome, cute, with so many flaws and imperfections that make him even more perfect. Why do authors make guys like this?! Why do you make me rise my expectations on men even higher than what they are? Do you want me to be perpetually single for all of eternity? That's not fair. Since I loved Tristan so much, I decided to cast him as Ansel Elgort:
My mind made Tristan be like this probably cos I had recently watched The Fault In Our Stars Trailer and couldn't stop thinking of it... Even if Ansel's hair and eyes are brown while Tristan's hair is black and eyes grey, this would be perfect. So much beauty and perfectness here I feel like I might faint of the feels... <3
So, rounding it all up here, the book was great to be honest. I liked it tons and enjoyed it to no end. It was 512 pages that I ended in three days with little sleep. I don't know how I made it, but I was not putting down that book. A minute without reading was torturous. I thank my school for not giving me homework this last weekend so that I could read in peace. Even with the things I mentioned before that I disliked, the book was overall greatly written, gripping tight the reader in its story. I want to buy it and hug it and put it in a high shelve in my wall and admire it with googly eyes. It has so much romance, so many things that some teens can relate to some times, a fresh escape from normal life into one where it's full of love, possibilities, and friends that are there for you no matter what. Also, what a fine piece of specimen as the love interest. Like I said, nothing like Twilight. I strongly recommend this for anyone searching for a cute, funny, full of feels story with a sprinkle or supernatural here and there. It can be frustrating, but the author knew how to compensate.
That ending though, I can't believe I have to wait for the sequel. So many great things coming this year ah!! <3
Rating: 4 stars
May 20, 2016
17 year old Joey Gray has just moved to a new a town, when she's asked my her new neighbor to help carry some flowers to her husbands grave at the cemetery. As she goes to leave the cemetery she gets a little lost, and that's when she see's him. Tristan, a very cute, very mysterious boy she only ever meets at the graveyard. Looking back, she realises that should have clued her in, but when new years eve rolls around and an accident happens, Joey finds out that not only is he a ghost, but she's just managed to bring him back to life. The catch? He only has a year until a strange cloaked guy Joey calls Vigil, will come to "fix" him aka kill him.
As Joey enrolls at the local boarding school, her mother and herself pretend Tristan is her half brother in order for him to attend too. Due to her boyish name, Joey ends up rooming in the boys block with Tristan, and Seth. Seth fast becomes Joey's friend in the week before Tristan arrives and she knows no-one, and she fast becomes friends with his fellow band mates Sam, Josh and Harry. When Tristan arrives, the two are invited in to the band, The Lost Boys, to avoid music class, and soon an unbreakable friendship forms between the band members. For the first time, Joey has true friends, and she's not the only one.
When Joey first meets Tiffany, she's the classic mean girl, and Joey begins to believe she's already made a nemesis at school when she won't bow down to Tiffany. But Tiffany has always led a life where people only want to be friends with her for her money and who her parents are, and Joey is the lucky person to pass her test, and become her BFF. Joey has friends, she loves her school, she's in an awesome band, and she kinda sorta thinks she might have very strong feelings for Tristan....love type feelings.
But as the true extent of Tristan's situation becomes apparent, Tristan does everything he can to push her away. When it doesn't work, they can no longer fight their feelings for each other, and they have to clue in their friends. As bonds are forged, relationships cemented, and with a deadline looming....can they all work together to keep Tristan alive? Or will heartbreak ensue.
Okay, so, when I read the blurb I kind of figured the whole story would be just these two and she'd eventually find out he's a ghost and then it's all forbidden love, I had no idea what it was really about but I was intrigued. My worry is that the blurb I've seen here on Amazon and Goodreads might put people off reading, because they think it's one thing and they won't find out how awesome it is. SO I've expanded on the original blurb for my review as best as I can to give you more of an idea of what you're in for, because seriously, you will not regret anything more than passing over this book!
I absolutely frikkin loved this book! It wasn't what I was expecting and I was so incredibly surprised and delighted, I think I've found another favourite that I'll re-read again and again.
The whole book was so incredibly unique. I loved that instead of Tristan being a ghost the whole time like I was expecting, he became alive again, and there was more going on in the story than the love angle. I also loved how the mean girl turned out to be the BFF.
The world building was vivid, I could picture everything clearly and lose myself in the words and the images that where being painted for me with them. Never thought I'd say this, but I kinda wanna go to the school, if there's that many hot guys strolling about! The prose was fantastic, The Lost Boys was very beautifully written and each page spilled magic and beauty everywhere. I was hooked from the first page, and engaged the whole way through, nothing could distract me. The flow and the pace where fantastic, there where never any slow or dull moments, and there was just the right amount of drama sprinkled in.
As I've said, the plot is very unique, girl meets ghost, ghost isn't so ghosty, angst, romance, and a story you just can't predict. There was a certain character who's identity I never twigged, and when it was revealed I was incredibly shocked. I was in two minds with the ending, thinking it was going to be heartbreaking and we'd see something happen with her and another character, but then the happy ending came. I loved the mythology of Vigil and his, shall we say, species, not to mention Sky's mythology. Pretty awesome. I can honestly say I have never read anything like this book before. The plot had lots of twists and turns, and covered a lot of ground, and was literally packed with everything you could want, action, angst, romance, and humour.
I loved every single one of the characters. I loved Joey, I felt connected to her, I felt what she felt. All of the characters where so unique, I loved Tiff, just pure loved her. I really thought she was going to be the books resident mean girl, and was loving the fact she turned out to be Joey's best friend, and her reasoning for why she did what she did to Joey just made me feel for her more. I loved Tristan, as Joey said, he's like her very own Back to the Future boy, although he bungled a bit with the trying to do what's best thing. The Lost Boys. Seth, Josh, Sam and Harry. Man I loved them all. I wished I had them as my friends, watching my back. Each was unique and had their own personality, and you come to love all of them.
The characters where all so well written, had so much depth they could each stand on their own whether a main character or a secondary character. There was so much detail to them, and they all came to life and jumped off the page. The relationships where so real, so human, and they kind you can only hope to encounter. They all trusted each other, and when the truth was revealed, they rolled with it.
After reading The Lost Boys, I'm still kind of in a little bubble and slightly still stuck in their world. The Lost Boys is one of the most enjoyable reads of my year so far, and I was incredibly sad when it was over. I didn't want to leave the world, and I didn't want to leave the characters. It's one of those times when you see you're reaching the end of the book and wish for more pages to suddenly appear.
I can honestly tell you, that if you pick up The Lost Boys, you will not regret it. Yeah it's about this huge, epic love, but it's about so much more that the blurb doesn't do justice to. The Lost Boys, to me, is also about friendship, you see so many different friendships in this book, each having something to show you, and teach you. The Lost Boys shows you that true friends are hard to find, but when you do, they'll be your rock, they'll be there for you no matter what, and help you through anything, forgive you anything, and it was truly heartwarming to read.
The Lost Boys is an un-putdownable, fast paced, incredibly unique book that you will never want to end. There's friendship, music, romance, action, and even some mystery along with the magic. Not only is the book enchanting but it will make you laugh as well as make you kind of want to cry.
Do yourself a favour, take a chance, even if it's not in your regular genre, just read the book. It will be hours of fun and entertainment, and you really won't regret it!
As Joey enrolls at the local boarding school, her mother and herself pretend Tristan is her half brother in order for him to attend too. Due to her boyish name, Joey ends up rooming in the boys block with Tristan, and Seth. Seth fast becomes Joey's friend in the week before Tristan arrives and she knows no-one, and she fast becomes friends with his fellow band mates Sam, Josh and Harry. When Tristan arrives, the two are invited in to the band, The Lost Boys, to avoid music class, and soon an unbreakable friendship forms between the band members. For the first time, Joey has true friends, and she's not the only one.
When Joey first meets Tiffany, she's the classic mean girl, and Joey begins to believe she's already made a nemesis at school when she won't bow down to Tiffany. But Tiffany has always led a life where people only want to be friends with her for her money and who her parents are, and Joey is the lucky person to pass her test, and become her BFF. Joey has friends, she loves her school, she's in an awesome band, and she kinda sorta thinks she might have very strong feelings for Tristan....love type feelings.
But as the true extent of Tristan's situation becomes apparent, Tristan does everything he can to push her away. When it doesn't work, they can no longer fight their feelings for each other, and they have to clue in their friends. As bonds are forged, relationships cemented, and with a deadline looming....can they all work together to keep Tristan alive? Or will heartbreak ensue.
Okay, so, when I read the blurb I kind of figured the whole story would be just these two and she'd eventually find out he's a ghost and then it's all forbidden love, I had no idea what it was really about but I was intrigued. My worry is that the blurb I've seen here on Amazon and Goodreads might put people off reading, because they think it's one thing and they won't find out how awesome it is. SO I've expanded on the original blurb for my review as best as I can to give you more of an idea of what you're in for, because seriously, you will not regret anything more than passing over this book!
I absolutely frikkin loved this book! It wasn't what I was expecting and I was so incredibly surprised and delighted, I think I've found another favourite that I'll re-read again and again.
The whole book was so incredibly unique. I loved that instead of Tristan being a ghost the whole time like I was expecting, he became alive again, and there was more going on in the story than the love angle. I also loved how the mean girl turned out to be the BFF.
The world building was vivid, I could picture everything clearly and lose myself in the words and the images that where being painted for me with them. Never thought I'd say this, but I kinda wanna go to the school, if there's that many hot guys strolling about! The prose was fantastic, The Lost Boys was very beautifully written and each page spilled magic and beauty everywhere. I was hooked from the first page, and engaged the whole way through, nothing could distract me. The flow and the pace where fantastic, there where never any slow or dull moments, and there was just the right amount of drama sprinkled in.
As I've said, the plot is very unique, girl meets ghost, ghost isn't so ghosty, angst, romance, and a story you just can't predict. There was a certain character who's identity I never twigged, and when it was revealed I was incredibly shocked. I was in two minds with the ending, thinking it was going to be heartbreaking and we'd see something happen with her and another character, but then the happy ending came. I loved the mythology of Vigil and his, shall we say, species, not to mention Sky's mythology. Pretty awesome. I can honestly say I have never read anything like this book before. The plot had lots of twists and turns, and covered a lot of ground, and was literally packed with everything you could want, action, angst, romance, and humour.
I loved every single one of the characters. I loved Joey, I felt connected to her, I felt what she felt. All of the characters where so unique, I loved Tiff, just pure loved her. I really thought she was going to be the books resident mean girl, and was loving the fact she turned out to be Joey's best friend, and her reasoning for why she did what she did to Joey just made me feel for her more. I loved Tristan, as Joey said, he's like her very own Back to the Future boy, although he bungled a bit with the trying to do what's best thing. The Lost Boys. Seth, Josh, Sam and Harry. Man I loved them all. I wished I had them as my friends, watching my back. Each was unique and had their own personality, and you come to love all of them.
The characters where all so well written, had so much depth they could each stand on their own whether a main character or a secondary character. There was so much detail to them, and they all came to life and jumped off the page. The relationships where so real, so human, and they kind you can only hope to encounter. They all trusted each other, and when the truth was revealed, they rolled with it.
After reading The Lost Boys, I'm still kind of in a little bubble and slightly still stuck in their world. The Lost Boys is one of the most enjoyable reads of my year so far, and I was incredibly sad when it was over. I didn't want to leave the world, and I didn't want to leave the characters. It's one of those times when you see you're reaching the end of the book and wish for more pages to suddenly appear.
I can honestly tell you, that if you pick up The Lost Boys, you will not regret it. Yeah it's about this huge, epic love, but it's about so much more that the blurb doesn't do justice to. The Lost Boys, to me, is also about friendship, you see so many different friendships in this book, each having something to show you, and teach you. The Lost Boys shows you that true friends are hard to find, but when you do, they'll be your rock, they'll be there for you no matter what, and help you through anything, forgive you anything, and it was truly heartwarming to read.
The Lost Boys is an un-putdownable, fast paced, incredibly unique book that you will never want to end. There's friendship, music, romance, action, and even some mystery along with the magic. Not only is the book enchanting but it will make you laugh as well as make you kind of want to cry.
Do yourself a favour, take a chance, even if it's not in your regular genre, just read the book. It will be hours of fun and entertainment, and you really won't regret it!
March 15, 2014
ENG / PORT-BR
I do not even know where to begin this review, but let's go. Never a book disappointed me so much. First, because I am Brazilian, I was delighted to see that an author had managed to debut overseas before entering in national lands. This, by itself, generates great expectations. As a reader, I thought, "wow, this book must be good!".
But I was reading reviews that showed the contrary ... How ever, I happened to like a book whose public opinion was different from mine, so I tried.
I regretted bitterly. I've never seen such a bad book! It recalls the style of fanfics, with the difference that even in fanfics were more talented authors, who developed their characters better and made RESEARCH before writing!
Starts with grotesque errors: mother and daughter move to a very small town (see, SMALL!), where the mother got a job in a ATTORNEY FIRM with stratospheric fees. What?? The problem is not having a high salary at a law office, but this happens in a SMALL TOWN!
Man, I'm graduating in law, I know what I'm talking about. No "high salary" in the area, acting as a lawyer in a SMALL TOWN there.
But, okay, let's try to make this "detail" aside ... But that same small town where the locals make a New Year's party in the graveyard (!), Has a shopping mall with people full of piercing, tattoos and colored hair (!!!) ... Coherence sent regards here.
But, okay! (again!), let's pretend that situate a place in time and space is NOT important, and focus on developing the characters and the story itself.
It was even worse! Joe is so lame, but so lame, that is disgusting. But even that the author has not kept featuring "silly girl", because she set Joe as "powerful" of the play, making it a typical Mary Sue in fanfics: a "perfect" girl who knows how to do everything (smart, good the fight, good with music, who wins friends and draws the attention of men for her beautiness), by passing the "ugly duckling" who has no self-esteem. Aff!!! Has something more worse than this characterization???
Let's focus on the other . Tristan seemed a bipolar character. The impression I had is that there was no characterization for him at all. There a time went he was romantic , time to "Prince Charming", time to angry kid... No hormones of adolescence liable for his actions.
And the other characters, the "lost boys"? Everyone was "perfect boys"! Beautiful, gorgeous, full of charm... Apparently, in the world of this book there is no one "normal", right? They all are "special"!
Besides the characters, had many other unpleasant situations in the reading. The lack of coherence is ingrained in a way throughout the book that verged on the absurd. Joe tells her friends that Tristan is a ghost (detail: scene without any description, she just saying this), and they lack only applaud and celebrate! No more decent reaction, at least to seemed natural (after all , find out that your friend is a ghost should at least leave you scared, no?). They all accept as if that Joe make a communicate that she will do a new haircut next day...
Anyway, I tried to make clear in my comments all that displeased me. I do not like to give a low score for a book, but when I do, I try to describe exactly what I did not like.
Taste is taste; remember this before you resolve to do angry comment on my review. I respect those who read this type of book and give 5 star (although I will not want this person as my friend, and I will never trust in her opinion about something).
--------------------
Eu nem sei por onde começar essa resenha, mas vamos lá. Nunca um livro me decepcionou tanto. Primeiro, por eu ser brasileira, fiquei muito feliz ao ver que uma autora havia conseguido estrear no exterior, antes de entrar em terras nacionais. Isso, por si só, gera enormes expectativas. Como leitora, eu pensei: "nossa, esse livro deve ser bom!".
Mas fui lendo resenhas que mostravam ao contrário... Como já aconteceu de eu gostar de um livro cuja opinião pública era diferente da minha, ainda assim, tentei.
Me arrependi amargamente. Nunca vi um livro tão ruim! Ele lembra o estilo de fanfics, com a diferença de que até em fanfics haviam autoras mais talentosas, que desenvolviam melhor suas personagens e faziam PESQUISAS antes de escrever!
Já começa com erros grotescos: mãe e filha se mudam para uma cidade muito pequena (veja bem, PEQUENA!), onde a mãe conseguiu um emprego em uma FIRMA ADVOCATÍCIA com honorários estratosféricos. Oi??? O problema não é ter um salário alto em um escritório de advogados, mas de isso acontecer em uma CIDADE PEQUENA!
Cara, eu estou me formando em Direito, sei o que estou falando. Não existe "salário alto" na área, atuando como advogada, em cidade pequena.
Mas, tudo bem, vamos tentar deixar esse "detalhe" de lado... Mas essa mesma cidadezinha pequena, onde os moradores fazem uma festa de ano novo no cemitério (!!!), possui um shopping center com pessoas cheias de piercing, tatuagens e cabelos coloridos (!!!!!!!!!)... A Coerência mandou lembranças.
Mas, tudo bem! (de novo!), vamos fingir que situar um local no tempo e espaço NÃO é importante, e nos concentrar no desenvolvimento dos personagens e da história em si.
Foi pior ainda! A Joe é tão babaca, mas tão babaca, que dá nojo. Mas até nisso a autora não manteve a caracterização de "garota tola", pois a colocou como a "poderosa" da jogada, tornando-a uma Mary Sue típica de fanfics: aquela garota "perfeita" que sabe fazer de tudo (inteligente, boa de briga, que conquista amigos e chama a atenção dos homens por ser linda), fazendo-a passar por "patinho feio" que não tem autoestima nenhuma. Putz, quer caracterização pior do que essa????
Vamos nos focar nos outros. Tristan parecia um personagem bipolar; a impressão que tive é que não houve caracterização para ele. Hora se passava de romântico, hora de "príncipe encantado", hora de garoto raivoso... Nem os hormônios da adolescência respondem pelos atos dele.
E os demais personagens, os "lost boys"? Tudo garotos perfeitos! Lindos, gostosos, cheios de charme... Aparentemente, no mundo desse livro não existe ninguém "normal", né? Todos são "especiais"!
Além dos personagens, teve muitas outras situações desagradáveis na leitura. A falta de coerência se entranhou de uma forma no decorrer do livro que beirou o absurdo. Joe conta aos amigos que Tristan é um fantasma (detalhe: cena sem nenhuma descrição, só ela dizendo isso), e eles só faltam aplaudir e comemorar! Nenhum reação mais decente, que parecesse ao menos natural (afinal, descobrir que seu amigo é um fantasma deveria te deixar no mínimo assustado, não?). Todos aceitam numa boa, como se estivesse comunicando que fará um novo corte de cabelo dia seguinte...
Enfim, tentei deixar bem claro em meus comentários tudo que me desagradou. Não gosto de dar nota baixa para um livro mas, quando o faço, procuro descrever bem o que não gostei.
Gosto é gosto; lembrem-se disso antes de resolverem comentar com raiva sobre minha resenha. Respeito quem leia esse tipo de livro e dá 5 estrelas (embora eu não vá querer essa pessoa como minha amiga, e jamais confiarei na opinião dela sobre algo).
I do not even know where to begin this review, but let's go. Never a book disappointed me so much. First, because I am Brazilian, I was delighted to see that an author had managed to debut overseas before entering in national lands. This, by itself, generates great expectations. As a reader, I thought, "wow, this book must be good!".
But I was reading reviews that showed the contrary ... How ever, I happened to like a book whose public opinion was different from mine, so I tried.
I regretted bitterly. I've never seen such a bad book! It recalls the style of fanfics, with the difference that even in fanfics were more talented authors, who developed their characters better and made RESEARCH before writing!
Starts with grotesque errors: mother and daughter move to a very small town (see, SMALL!), where the mother got a job in a ATTORNEY FIRM with stratospheric fees. What?? The problem is not having a high salary at a law office, but this happens in a SMALL TOWN!
Man, I'm graduating in law, I know what I'm talking about. No "high salary" in the area, acting as a lawyer in a SMALL TOWN there.
But, okay, let's try to make this "detail" aside ... But that same small town where the locals make a New Year's party in the graveyard (!), Has a shopping mall with people full of piercing, tattoos and colored hair (!!!) ... Coherence sent regards here.
But, okay! (again!), let's pretend that situate a place in time and space is NOT important, and focus on developing the characters and the story itself.
It was even worse! Joe is so lame, but so lame, that is disgusting. But even that the author has not kept featuring "silly girl", because she set Joe as "powerful" of the play, making it a typical Mary Sue in fanfics: a "perfect" girl who knows how to do everything (smart, good the fight, good with music, who wins friends and draws the attention of men for her beautiness), by passing the "ugly duckling" who has no self-esteem. Aff!!! Has something more worse than this characterization???
Let's focus on the other . Tristan seemed a bipolar character. The impression I had is that there was no characterization for him at all. There a time went he was romantic , time to "Prince Charming", time to angry kid... No hormones of adolescence liable for his actions.
And the other characters, the "lost boys"? Everyone was "perfect boys"! Beautiful, gorgeous, full of charm... Apparently, in the world of this book there is no one "normal", right? They all are "special"!
Besides the characters, had many other unpleasant situations in the reading. The lack of coherence is ingrained in a way throughout the book that verged on the absurd. Joe tells her friends that Tristan is a ghost (detail: scene without any description, she just saying this), and they lack only applaud and celebrate! No more decent reaction, at least to seemed natural (after all , find out that your friend is a ghost should at least leave you scared, no?). They all accept as if that Joe make a communicate that she will do a new haircut next day...
Anyway, I tried to make clear in my comments all that displeased me. I do not like to give a low score for a book, but when I do, I try to describe exactly what I did not like.
Taste is taste; remember this before you resolve to do angry comment on my review. I respect those who read this type of book and give 5 star (although I will not want this person as my friend, and I will never trust in her opinion about something).
--------------------
Eu nem sei por onde começar essa resenha, mas vamos lá. Nunca um livro me decepcionou tanto. Primeiro, por eu ser brasileira, fiquei muito feliz ao ver que uma autora havia conseguido estrear no exterior, antes de entrar em terras nacionais. Isso, por si só, gera enormes expectativas. Como leitora, eu pensei: "nossa, esse livro deve ser bom!".
Mas fui lendo resenhas que mostravam ao contrário... Como já aconteceu de eu gostar de um livro cuja opinião pública era diferente da minha, ainda assim, tentei.
Me arrependi amargamente. Nunca vi um livro tão ruim! Ele lembra o estilo de fanfics, com a diferença de que até em fanfics haviam autoras mais talentosas, que desenvolviam melhor suas personagens e faziam PESQUISAS antes de escrever!
Já começa com erros grotescos: mãe e filha se mudam para uma cidade muito pequena (veja bem, PEQUENA!), onde a mãe conseguiu um emprego em uma FIRMA ADVOCATÍCIA com honorários estratosféricos. Oi??? O problema não é ter um salário alto em um escritório de advogados, mas de isso acontecer em uma CIDADE PEQUENA!
Cara, eu estou me formando em Direito, sei o que estou falando. Não existe "salário alto" na área, atuando como advogada, em cidade pequena.
Mas, tudo bem, vamos tentar deixar esse "detalhe" de lado... Mas essa mesma cidadezinha pequena, onde os moradores fazem uma festa de ano novo no cemitério (!!!), possui um shopping center com pessoas cheias de piercing, tatuagens e cabelos coloridos (!!!!!!!!!)... A Coerência mandou lembranças.
Mas, tudo bem! (de novo!), vamos fingir que situar um local no tempo e espaço NÃO é importante, e nos concentrar no desenvolvimento dos personagens e da história em si.
Foi pior ainda! A Joe é tão babaca, mas tão babaca, que dá nojo. Mas até nisso a autora não manteve a caracterização de "garota tola", pois a colocou como a "poderosa" da jogada, tornando-a uma Mary Sue típica de fanfics: aquela garota "perfeita" que sabe fazer de tudo (inteligente, boa de briga, que conquista amigos e chama a atenção dos homens por ser linda), fazendo-a passar por "patinho feio" que não tem autoestima nenhuma. Putz, quer caracterização pior do que essa????
Vamos nos focar nos outros. Tristan parecia um personagem bipolar; a impressão que tive é que não houve caracterização para ele. Hora se passava de romântico, hora de "príncipe encantado", hora de garoto raivoso... Nem os hormônios da adolescência respondem pelos atos dele.
E os demais personagens, os "lost boys"? Tudo garotos perfeitos! Lindos, gostosos, cheios de charme... Aparentemente, no mundo desse livro não existe ninguém "normal", né? Todos são "especiais"!
Além dos personagens, teve muitas outras situações desagradáveis na leitura. A falta de coerência se entranhou de uma forma no decorrer do livro que beirou o absurdo. Joe conta aos amigos que Tristan é um fantasma (detalhe: cena sem nenhuma descrição, só ela dizendo isso), e eles só faltam aplaudir e comemorar! Nenhum reação mais decente, que parecesse ao menos natural (afinal, descobrir que seu amigo é um fantasma deveria te deixar no mínimo assustado, não?). Todos aceitam numa boa, como se estivesse comunicando que fará um novo corte de cabelo dia seguinte...
Enfim, tentei deixar bem claro em meus comentários tudo que me desagradou. Não gosto de dar nota baixa para um livro mas, quando o faço, procuro descrever bem o que não gostei.
Gosto é gosto; lembrem-se disso antes de resolverem comentar com raiva sobre minha resenha. Respeito quem leia esse tipo de livro e dá 5 estrelas (embora eu não vá querer essa pessoa como minha amiga, e jamais confiarei na opinião dela sobre algo).
January 22, 2022
I read this book when I was in high school so revisiting it now again as a twenty-something-year-old stirred up lots of nostalgia.
When I first read this book back when it was just available on Wattpad, I was heads over heels in love with it! I absolutely loved the themes of friendship, romance and drama mixed with the supernatural. I loved how it ended up being set in a boarding school and the ridiculous
Now, as an adult, my views shifted slightly, largely due to me reading this again under a more critical eye. While I definitely enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane, the story itself no longer suited my taste. Where before I was warmed by the initial quirkiness of the book, I now found the characters and some story arcs immature and unrealistic. When I was younger, I was more invested in the romance and relationships made in the book which satisfied my teenage hormones. Now, I'm a bit more critical of obvious loopholes in the way certain characters reacted and how red flags (e.g. intentionally hurting a significant other to protect them, seducing significant other to get them to admit their mistake) were played off as romantic (although this is typical of fictional romance) and it was a bit cringe for my taste now (but I'm pretty sure I enjoyed this when I was younger when I was a bit more... clueless?).
Other Reviews
I also agree with other reviews that said Joey used way too many exclamation points. I didn't notice that before but rereading it again, yeah... that's a lot of exclamation points, Joey.
Another point brought up by other reviews was the book being overwritten, and I agree with that too. I skimmed over certain paragraphs while reading since I was already familiar with the book and the writing just didn't have the same quality as, say Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, where you savored every word choice, every detail.
In spite of its flaws, this book will always have a special place in my heart.
When I first read this book back when it was just available on Wattpad, I was heads over heels in love with it! I absolutely loved the themes of friendship, romance and drama mixed with the supernatural. I loved how it ended up being set in a boarding school and the ridiculous
Now, as an adult, my views shifted slightly, largely due to me reading this again under a more critical eye. While I definitely enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane, the story itself no longer suited my taste. Where before I was warmed by the initial quirkiness of the book, I now found the characters and some story arcs immature and unrealistic. When I was younger, I was more invested in the romance and relationships made in the book which satisfied my teenage hormones. Now, I'm a bit more critical of obvious loopholes in the way certain characters reacted and how red flags (e.g. intentionally hurting a significant other to protect them, seducing significant other to get them to admit their mistake) were played off as romantic (although this is typical of fictional romance) and it was a bit cringe for my taste now (but I'm pretty sure I enjoyed this when I was younger when I was a bit more... clueless?).
Other Reviews
I also agree with other reviews that said Joey used way too many exclamation points. I didn't notice that before but rereading it again, yeah... that's a lot of exclamation points, Joey.
Another point brought up by other reviews was the book being overwritten, and I agree with that too. I skimmed over certain paragraphs while reading since I was already familiar with the book and the writing just didn't have the same quality as, say Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, where you savored every word choice, every detail.
In spite of its flaws, this book will always have a special place in my heart.
December 1, 2020
This book was a great mix of everything but emotions 😅.
The only thing I liked was the essence of the story, that is, the story itself, the plot, that has great potential to be a good book.
What I didn't like was the fact that I didn't identify with any of the characters, I couldn't "get lost" in the story.
In my opinion, the writing is not very good, there were parts of the story that were perfectly clear to be unrealistic, that is, the writer was unable to convey reality well. Do you know when it’s too much fantasy? Well this book was all like that. I give you three examples:
1) The main character changed schools and in the first week suffered from intensive bulling on the part of the popular girl, in which, with just a brief conversation, they became the best friends ever;
2) The main character meets the popular boy who makes fun of her and she faces him with fear but suddenly she is a black belt in martial arts and manages to face him;
3) The main character goes into depression at some point, and how does she cure her depression? By just looking into the eyes of his best friend. I did not find anything realistic in this because a depression takes time to pass.
Anyway, it was a mixture of events that the main character faced solving them as if she wished it and bam! they were solved.
Another negative point is the translation of this book, I read the book in Portuguese (my native language) and there were a lot of mistakes not only in the words, which were most likely invented (I had never heard them before) , but also the speech expressions.
The only thing I liked was the essence of the story, that is, the story itself, the plot, that has great potential to be a good book.
What I didn't like was the fact that I didn't identify with any of the characters, I couldn't "get lost" in the story.
In my opinion, the writing is not very good, there were parts of the story that were perfectly clear to be unrealistic, that is, the writer was unable to convey reality well. Do you know when it’s too much fantasy? Well this book was all like that. I give you three examples:
1) The main character changed schools and in the first week suffered from intensive bulling on the part of the popular girl, in which, with just a brief conversation, they became the best friends ever;
2) The main character meets the popular boy who makes fun of her and she faces him with fear but suddenly she is a black belt in martial arts and manages to face him;
3) The main character goes into depression at some point, and how does she cure her depression? By just looking into the eyes of his best friend. I did not find anything realistic in this because a depression takes time to pass.
Anyway, it was a mixture of events that the main character faced solving them as if she wished it and bam! they were solved.
Another negative point is the translation of this book, I read the book in Portuguese (my native language) and there were a lot of mistakes not only in the words, which were most likely invented (I had never heard them before) , but also the speech expressions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2021
I read this book because I fell in love with Lilian's 'bad luck' and thought this series would be as good because that book was so warm it made me fuzzy inside a beautiful warm hug it made me depressed because it was that good after finishing it.
As for this book, the characters are supposed to be 17, but some scenes are very silly and childish and others are mature and I see how dumb it is for her to fall in love with him from the first chapter at first sight I'll argue that this is a magic book and about ghost and stuff so maybe maybe this is some spell that brought them together I don't know, I don't want to look too much into it because it's one of those silly books that you acknowledge how ridiculous they are and still let it pass, however there's something that doesn't set right with me as to why the other characters from the band are not very significant.They didn't stick out to me.
Unlike Harry and Seth, Sam and Josh were just filler characters maybe they had more scenes in the original wattpad book but here they were ghost lol -see what I did there? ghost book, ghost characters, Ok, I'll stop.
Also the ending, man! Tf that was so silly that's all it takes?! That's too silly I didn't like it, but I'm still reading the next book in the series maybe stuff will get better, I love Lilian too much to discard the series.
+ I also found it very irritating how she kept reminding us that she's called Joe, a boy's name and I'm thinking 'Imagine how tired we are!'
As for this book, the characters are supposed to be 17, but some scenes are very silly and childish and others are mature and I see how dumb it is for her to fall in love with him from the first chapter at first sight I'll argue that this is a magic book and about ghost and stuff so maybe maybe this is some spell that brought them together I don't know, I don't want to look too much into it because it's one of those silly books that you acknowledge how ridiculous they are and still let it pass, however there's something that doesn't set right with me as to why the other characters from the band are not very significant.They didn't stick out to me.
Unlike Harry and Seth, Sam and Josh were just filler characters maybe they had more scenes in the original wattpad book but here they were ghost lol -see what I did there? ghost book, ghost characters, Ok, I'll stop.
Also the ending, man! Tf that was so silly that's all it takes?! That's too silly I didn't like it, but I'm still reading the next book in the series maybe stuff will get better, I love Lilian too much to discard the series.
+ I also found it very irritating how she kept reminding us that she's called Joe, a boy's name and I'm thinking 'Imagine how tired we are!'
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