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I Like You Like This
A loner girl. A mysterious boy. With their peers and parents against them, can an unlikely love survive?
In 1984 Connecticut, sixteen-year-old Hannah Zandana feels cursed with wild, uncontrollable hair and a horrid complexion. Painfully aware of how invisible she is in high school, she longs to change her pathetic life by attempting to impress a group of popular girls. An ill-fated effort, except that she captures the attention of Deacon, a handsome and mysterious boy who also happens to be her school’s resident drug dealer.
Hannah’s life suddenly takes an unexpected detour into Deacon’s dangerous and seductive world. But when their relationship and her family begin to unravel, Hannah is forced to reexamine a love she once trusted—while Deacon risks it all to win her back.
Perfect for fans of Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland, 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, I Like You Like This is the first book in a poignant young adult series about addiction, sexuality, peer pressure, and first love.
Lose yourself in a powerful coming-of-age love story with I Like You Like This.
In 1984 Connecticut, sixteen-year-old Hannah Zandana feels cursed with wild, uncontrollable hair and a horrid complexion. Painfully aware of how invisible she is in high school, she longs to change her pathetic life by attempting to impress a group of popular girls. An ill-fated effort, except that she captures the attention of Deacon, a handsome and mysterious boy who also happens to be her school’s resident drug dealer.
Hannah’s life suddenly takes an unexpected detour into Deacon’s dangerous and seductive world. But when their relationship and her family begin to unravel, Hannah is forced to reexamine a love she once trusted—while Deacon risks it all to win her back.
Perfect for fans of Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland, 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, I Like You Like This is the first book in a poignant young adult series about addiction, sexuality, peer pressure, and first love.
Lose yourself in a powerful coming-of-age love story with I Like You Like This.
264 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 2017
87 people are currently reading
833 people want to read
About the author
Heather Cumiskey
3 books34 followersOriginally from Long Island, Heather Cumiskey is the daughter of a television veteran and a fearless homemaker. With three older brothers, she often turned to the teen book section in her town library in search of the answers when it came to girl stuff, boys, and coping with parents.
She received her Bachelor of Arts in English at State University of New York at Albany where she also studied dance and choreography. For more than two decades, she has worked as an advertising and marketing copywriter.
When she’s not writing, she lends her legs, lungs, and heart to help individuals with limited mobility train for and participate in mainstream running events. I LIKE YOU LIKE THIS and I LOVE YOU LIKE THAT is her first duology for young adults.
She received her Bachelor of Arts in English at State University of New York at Albany where she also studied dance and choreography. For more than two decades, she has worked as an advertising and marketing copywriter.
When she’s not writing, she lends her legs, lungs, and heart to help individuals with limited mobility train for and participate in mainstream running events. I LIKE YOU LIKE THIS and I LOVE YOU LIKE THAT is her first duology for young adults.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
October 13, 2017
I did not like I LIKE YOU LIKE THIS.
Cumiskey's debut sorta warns the reader this isn't going to be a fluffy happy read but nonetheless I was not prepared for how painful, awful, and unlikeable the characters, circumstances, and plot would be. The book opens up with one of the countless verbally abusive and neglectful moments the protagonist suffers at the hands of her parents. For really no reason that I felt actually explained their behaviour. Shortly thereafter we're introduced to a group of typically vicious mean girls. There's also a drug dealing love interest who comes out of nowhere and is hot and cold, forceful, and obsessed with Hannah -- a girl with big hair, bad skin, and who hates herself -- for no apparent reason. And then, after pushing through abrupt, confusing, and poorly transitioned scenes and moments, we're left with an ending that not only left me cold but also seriously confused. There's also the fact that the author made a point to set this in the eighties, with a few references to that decade, but for no reason that seems relevant. But that's basically how I kind of felt about this whole read. I just didn't get the point.
I cannot recommend this story and I will not read the sequel (if there is one).
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Cumiskey's debut sorta warns the reader this isn't going to be a fluffy happy read but nonetheless I was not prepared for how painful, awful, and unlikeable the characters, circumstances, and plot would be. The book opens up with one of the countless verbally abusive and neglectful moments the protagonist suffers at the hands of her parents. For really no reason that I felt actually explained their behaviour. Shortly thereafter we're introduced to a group of typically vicious mean girls. There's also a drug dealing love interest who comes out of nowhere and is hot and cold, forceful, and obsessed with Hannah -- a girl with big hair, bad skin, and who hates herself -- for no apparent reason. And then, after pushing through abrupt, confusing, and poorly transitioned scenes and moments, we're left with an ending that not only left me cold but also seriously confused. There's also the fact that the author made a point to set this in the eighties, with a few references to that decade, but for no reason that seems relevant. But that's basically how I kind of felt about this whole read. I just didn't get the point.
I cannot recommend this story and I will not read the sequel (if there is one).
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
October 7, 2017
Release Date: November 7, 2017
Thanks to She Writes Press for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
Heather Cumiskey’s debut novel I Like You Like This is an honest tale of finding a way out of the dark not by following the light at the end of the tunnel but by being the light itself.
It’s 1984. Hannah Zandana grew up scorned and ridiculed by her parents and schoolmates for her physical appearance. She had big, wild hair and acne on her face that made people twitch their nose in disgust. Hannah longed to have friends, to be appreciated. She wanted so bad to belong that she covered her face in makeup and bought the nicest clothes. She even hung out with fake friends. Hannah was too hard on herself, which caused her to suffer anxiety.
Deacon Giroux was rich and handsome. He had everything but lacked the most important thing in his life: the love and warmth that his parents should have cocooned him. Alone, like Hannah, he had his own way of coping up with what he didn’t have by selling drugs. With this he felt powerful. It consumed him as he fed on it.
During one of her missions to fit in, Hannah decided to buy drugs from Deacon to impress her so-called friends. From then on, everything changed for the two of them. The good blurred with the bad as night kissed day at twilight.
The characters and their situations were very relatable to me. I believe that at some point in our younger years, we’ve all been through Hannah and Deacon’s struggles in trying to find our own place. We were puzzle pieces turning left and right, wondering where we belonged best.
I know for a fact that a number of youths have struggled with parental issues. We’ve all been drowned by neglect and strangled by our efforts of trying to get their attention. To be honest, this book opened up some of the seams that I’m still trying to mend in myself and it was a bit difficult for me to read through Hannah’s experiences. I’ve been there and it was as if I was looking at myself.
I believe this book is more suitable to mature YA readers due to its sexual content. The scenes weren’t explicitly detailed, but it would still be best to read this cautiously and at your own risk.
Related to that, I would like to discuss a particular scene wherein
The ending was something I was half-expecting but I am very excited if there would ever be a sequel, since there are no announcements about one yet.
This is a very promising debut and I would surely read the author’s future books. Highly recommended!
Thanks to She Writes Press for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
Heather Cumiskey’s debut novel I Like You Like This is an honest tale of finding a way out of the dark not by following the light at the end of the tunnel but by being the light itself.
It’s 1984. Hannah Zandana grew up scorned and ridiculed by her parents and schoolmates for her physical appearance. She had big, wild hair and acne on her face that made people twitch their nose in disgust. Hannah longed to have friends, to be appreciated. She wanted so bad to belong that she covered her face in makeup and bought the nicest clothes. She even hung out with fake friends. Hannah was too hard on herself, which caused her to suffer anxiety.
Deacon Giroux was rich and handsome. He had everything but lacked the most important thing in his life: the love and warmth that his parents should have cocooned him. Alone, like Hannah, he had his own way of coping up with what he didn’t have by selling drugs. With this he felt powerful. It consumed him as he fed on it.
During one of her missions to fit in, Hannah decided to buy drugs from Deacon to impress her so-called friends. From then on, everything changed for the two of them. The good blurred with the bad as night kissed day at twilight.
The characters and their situations were very relatable to me. I believe that at some point in our younger years, we’ve all been through Hannah and Deacon’s struggles in trying to find our own place. We were puzzle pieces turning left and right, wondering where we belonged best.
I know for a fact that a number of youths have struggled with parental issues. We’ve all been drowned by neglect and strangled by our efforts of trying to get their attention. To be honest, this book opened up some of the seams that I’m still trying to mend in myself and it was a bit difficult for me to read through Hannah’s experiences. I’ve been there and it was as if I was looking at myself.
I believe this book is more suitable to mature YA readers due to its sexual content. The scenes weren’t explicitly detailed, but it would still be best to read this cautiously and at your own risk.
Related to that, I would like to discuss a particular scene wherein
The ending was something I was half-expecting but I am very excited if there would ever be a sequel, since there are no announcements about one yet.
This is a very promising debut and I would surely read the author’s future books. Highly recommended!
September 13, 2017
***I received a complimentary copy of I LIKE YOU LIKE THIS by Heather Cumiskey in exchange for my honest review***
In 1984, Hannah, an emotionally abused teenager, hoping to become popular befriends Deacon, the local drug dealer.
I was in undergrad in 1984, so I remember that era fairly well. I'm not sure why Cumiskey chose to set her story during that heat, unless she didn't want to use technology in the plot. Aside from lack of electronics and throwing in a few blasts from the past, like Endless Love's Christopher Atkins, I'm not sure why the year mattered. She used a few slang words from the 80s, but also terms that weren't used until later.
I wasn't a fan of Cumiskey' writing style which didn't hold my interest. There was a stark lack of tension and an abundant use of passive voice. She did an adequate job of showing vs telling, but it wasn't enough to interest me. The characters felt flat. I can't think of a reason to recommend I LIKE YOU LIKE THIS.
In 1984, Hannah, an emotionally abused teenager, hoping to become popular befriends Deacon, the local drug dealer.
I was in undergrad in 1984, so I remember that era fairly well. I'm not sure why Cumiskey chose to set her story during that heat, unless she didn't want to use technology in the plot. Aside from lack of electronics and throwing in a few blasts from the past, like Endless Love's Christopher Atkins, I'm not sure why the year mattered. She used a few slang words from the 80s, but also terms that weren't used until later.
I wasn't a fan of Cumiskey' writing style which didn't hold my interest. There was a stark lack of tension and an abundant use of passive voice. She did an adequate job of showing vs telling, but it wasn't enough to interest me. The characters felt flat. I can't think of a reason to recommend I LIKE YOU LIKE THIS.
November 27, 2020
Strange book, not sure what to make of it. Starts out with a girl with acne trying to cover her face in concealer to face school. Bad mum, low self esteem, bratty little sister. Then over the course of the book just about everything awful happens to her and she survives. Hannah is a survivor. Seems there is a sequel, not sure about that. Read at your own risk, but the book is sometimes very engaging if all over the place.
October 13, 2017
~ I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~
Facing extreme difficulties within youth is common for the majority of teenagers, therefore Cumiskey’s debut novel certainly covered topics many find relatable. Bullying, anxiety, drugs, abuse, etc. are all prominent features of Hannah’s life. Is it any wonder that she has such low self-esteem?
Unfortunately I struggled to enjoy this text, not due to the authors writing abilities as I found it fairly easy to read as the style was relatively laid back. It’s just I found the story to be quite lacklustre, focussing way too much on the uncomfortable romance rather than the turmoil taking place in Hannah’s home and school life which were largely unexplored. Additionally the “insta-love” made me frustrated. Who falls that hard for a guy within a few months? It seemed unrealistic and shouldn’t have been the main theme of the book. When covering topics such as the abuse and bullying, I stand by the notion that the book should at least attempt to resolve these issues in order to reassure a reader, rather than ignoring them in favour of wooing your audience with a strange love interest.
Deacon was an oddly unnerving character, and rather than convincing me that he’s a decent guy underneath his tough exterior, I was left with creepy vibes. Especially at one particular chapter where Hannah made clear that she didn’t want to move too quickly and he continued to overpower her and ignore her outright refusal. He was manipulative and downright disturbing as he took advantage of how naïve she was.
Furthermore I remain confused as to why the book took place in the 80’s. Ultimately this novel could have been set in the modern era and it wouldn’t have made any difference, and you forget it’s even set in this period until you get a rare timely reference; I just don’t see the point in stating the time period when it has no actual effect on the storyline.
Facing extreme difficulties within youth is common for the majority of teenagers, therefore Cumiskey’s debut novel certainly covered topics many find relatable. Bullying, anxiety, drugs, abuse, etc. are all prominent features of Hannah’s life. Is it any wonder that she has such low self-esteem?
Unfortunately I struggled to enjoy this text, not due to the authors writing abilities as I found it fairly easy to read as the style was relatively laid back. It’s just I found the story to be quite lacklustre, focussing way too much on the uncomfortable romance rather than the turmoil taking place in Hannah’s home and school life which were largely unexplored. Additionally the “insta-love” made me frustrated. Who falls that hard for a guy within a few months? It seemed unrealistic and shouldn’t have been the main theme of the book. When covering topics such as the abuse and bullying, I stand by the notion that the book should at least attempt to resolve these issues in order to reassure a reader, rather than ignoring them in favour of wooing your audience with a strange love interest.
Deacon was an oddly unnerving character, and rather than convincing me that he’s a decent guy underneath his tough exterior, I was left with creepy vibes. Especially at one particular chapter where Hannah made clear that she didn’t want to move too quickly and he continued to overpower her and ignore her outright refusal. He was manipulative and downright disturbing as he took advantage of how naïve she was.
Furthermore I remain confused as to why the book took place in the 80’s. Ultimately this novel could have been set in the modern era and it wouldn’t have made any difference, and you forget it’s even set in this period until you get a rare timely reference; I just don’t see the point in stating the time period when it has no actual effect on the storyline.
November 5, 2017
For the lovers of Young Adult Fiction
I like you like this revolves around one of the most common themes we come across- abuse and drugs. Hannah is constantly criticized by her parents. They make it a point to make her life as miserable as possible. Her father calls her names such as 'whore', 'harlot' etc and her mother never takes stand for her. Hanna constantly looks for attention and tries to be friends with the popular gang of girls in school. But they don't care about her either. Among all this chaos, Hannah meets Deacon, the most popular guy- handsome yet shady. Deacon and Hannah come close over the next few days. But Deacon's life as a drug dealer is causing trouble in paradise. Also, Hannah is struggling to take a stand for herself. Will Deacon save Hannah or will he bail out at the first instance he gets?
A fast-paced book, what stands out is the writing style and the time the author has taken to write every tiny emotional turmoil Hannah goes through. The plot get's intense sometimes with issues such as bullying, self-harm, drugs and physical and mental abuses. These are a constant part of the plot. This is your average been-there-read-that plot. But the style of writing does stand out.
It's a captivating and heart-breaking story of a girl who goes through crap for no fault of hers.
I like you like this revolves around one of the most common themes we come across- abuse and drugs. Hannah is constantly criticized by her parents. They make it a point to make her life as miserable as possible. Her father calls her names such as 'whore', 'harlot' etc and her mother never takes stand for her. Hanna constantly looks for attention and tries to be friends with the popular gang of girls in school. But they don't care about her either. Among all this chaos, Hannah meets Deacon, the most popular guy- handsome yet shady. Deacon and Hannah come close over the next few days. But Deacon's life as a drug dealer is causing trouble in paradise. Also, Hannah is struggling to take a stand for herself. Will Deacon save Hannah or will he bail out at the first instance he gets?
A fast-paced book, what stands out is the writing style and the time the author has taken to write every tiny emotional turmoil Hannah goes through. The plot get's intense sometimes with issues such as bullying, self-harm, drugs and physical and mental abuses. These are a constant part of the plot. This is your average been-there-read-that plot. But the style of writing does stand out.
It's a captivating and heart-breaking story of a girl who goes through crap for no fault of hers.
July 12, 2022
It was an OK book but the ending leaves you wanting to read more
January 3, 2018
0/5 stars
DNF I just reached too high a level of anger to carry on.
Great if you're up for reading a book that is offensive in more ways than one. The protagonist is head over heels for a drug dealer, but when a Peruvian girl who is minding her own business and then gets insulted for it and portrayed as a bad person for wearing clothes that other people don't tend to wear?? Like, um, wtaf is up with that? I don't understand the logic of this plot and I am not finishing this book. it does NOT deserve my time and I hope fewer people read this book because we DO NOT need it. EVER.
DNF I just reached too high a level of anger to carry on.
Great if you're up for reading a book that is offensive in more ways than one. The protagonist is head over heels for a drug dealer, but when a Peruvian girl who is minding her own business and then gets insulted for it and portrayed as a bad person for wearing clothes that other people don't tend to wear?? Like, um, wtaf is up with that? I don't understand the logic of this plot and I am not finishing this book. it does NOT deserve my time and I hope fewer people read this book because we DO NOT need it. EVER.
November 7, 2017
This book swallowed me whole and the ending keeps haunting me. It's a heartbreaking story about family and being outcasted. I hope I could tell in this review the exact feeling I've felt. Hannah and I both fell in love with Deacon. I understand what the author and the characters are trying to pertain in this novel and I appreciate that. The book contains drugs and other adult issues but I don't find it too disturbing so far. This book was so good! This made me have to think a lot and I love books that challenging my mind and love reading new situations. It's just so good to know that there are some guys out there who will see your hidden beauty despite of all your physical flaws. I love Deacon because he see Hannah's perfection and he only look into her eyes and not to the absence of a beauty in her face. Her wild hair and horrid complexion are all to him. Cumiskey has her own way with words and storytelling. It's an easy light read. I giggle for how many times between Hannah and Deacon because the chemistry is obviously sparkling. The descriptions of love/ sex scenes is so unique. It didn't show a fully detailed love making and I saw the author's respect to her readers because of that. The scenes are not vague but it leaves a lot to the readers' imagination unlike some books with too many unnecessary sex scenes, too descriptive and poorly written that make you think are reading a porno story and they're there because it adds to the story not for the sake of it. It does not have too many supporting characters, hence the readers can keep the track of the events if the book is read in more than one session. It's a bit of a cliff-hanger though, and I hate books like that because it makes me want to demand more. But upon reading the chapter where Deacon died, I suddenly lost interest to continue reading because he's my favourite character. It's like the spice that gives thrills to the food I'm eating unexpectedly gone. Then I decided to continue it no matter what and glad to know that Deacon survived the shot. I'm looking forward for the sequel because I'm badly itching to know the next chapters. So I'm recommending this to you guys if you're looking for something to read this coming winter. This is perfect and I'm sure you will enjoy this one as much as I do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2017
Author, Heather Cumiskey tackles a lot of sensitive issues in this book. I Like you Like This is written with a maturity that will be appreciated by all readers. A beautiful masterpiece! The main protagonist, Hannah starts out in a cocoon and by the end of the story has emerged into a beautiful butterfly.
It was easy to connect with Hannah. The way she was verbal and physical abused by her family and schoolmates, brought me the reader on an emotional connection with Hannah. It was as if besides Deacon, I was her only true friend. This book is so relevant to today's society. The things that Hannah experienced makes it easy to see why young people commit suicide. We need to help encourage and embrace diversity and not look down on it. I know when I was younger, I was bullied for my nationality. I was only in the second grade; way too young to have to deal with this.
Deacon was misunderstood as well. Hannah and Deacon were two lost souls in the sea of life. They only had each other as lifesavers. Deacon surprised me by the gentle spirit that he shown towards Hannah. The connection they shared went way beyond a physical one. This book is a truly must read!
It was easy to connect with Hannah. The way she was verbal and physical abused by her family and schoolmates, brought me the reader on an emotional connection with Hannah. It was as if besides Deacon, I was her only true friend. This book is so relevant to today's society. The things that Hannah experienced makes it easy to see why young people commit suicide. We need to help encourage and embrace diversity and not look down on it. I know when I was younger, I was bullied for my nationality. I was only in the second grade; way too young to have to deal with this.
Deacon was misunderstood as well. Hannah and Deacon were two lost souls in the sea of life. They only had each other as lifesavers. Deacon surprised me by the gentle spirit that he shown towards Hannah. The connection they shared went way beyond a physical one. This book is a truly must read!
January 16, 2023
Inside the Smile of the Person
Heather Cumisky writes a stunningly penetrating novel that looks with tender insight into the pain families hide. I Like You Like This: A Novel is a heartbreaking look at all aspects of each family member.
As a teenager, the worst pain to feel is loneliness, second only to being rejected for something that the social group considers unforgivable.
In the parent's role, it is unacceptable to be seen as a "broken family" or as socially unfit and, worst of all, unable to take care of your own children.
Heather Cumisky masterfully mixes all of these situations with drug addictions and unwanted pregnancies, along with the dark secrets that both children and parents seek to withhold but, instead, destroys relationships.
I found myself angry and anxious, bitter and battered, ecstatic and euphoric and, finally, empty but hopeful. This book is definitely not just for young adults, a wise parent could learn a lot in the reading of the novel.
Heather Cumisky writes a stunningly penetrating novel that looks with tender insight into the pain families hide. I Like You Like This: A Novel is a heartbreaking look at all aspects of each family member.
As a teenager, the worst pain to feel is loneliness, second only to being rejected for something that the social group considers unforgivable.
In the parent's role, it is unacceptable to be seen as a "broken family" or as socially unfit and, worst of all, unable to take care of your own children.
Heather Cumisky masterfully mixes all of these situations with drug addictions and unwanted pregnancies, along with the dark secrets that both children and parents seek to withhold but, instead, destroys relationships.
I found myself angry and anxious, bitter and battered, ecstatic and euphoric and, finally, empty but hopeful. This book is definitely not just for young adults, a wise parent could learn a lot in the reading of the novel.
October 10, 2017
I Like You Like This by Heather Cumiskey
Oh my goodness!!! I absolutely couldn’t put this book down! I can’t wait till the next book comes out! I’m still thrown about Hannah’s flashbacks when she used there is so many questions left there! I loved hers and Deacon relationship I can’t wait to see how he finds his way back to her!!! 5 Stars!!!
Oh my goodness!!! I absolutely couldn’t put this book down! I can’t wait till the next book comes out! I’m still thrown about Hannah’s flashbacks when she used there is so many questions left there! I loved hers and Deacon relationship I can’t wait to see how he finds his way back to her!!! 5 Stars!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2019
A tad on the dull side. I thought it had so much potential but it lacked in so many ways and I was mostly bored while reading. I didn’t like or really connect to any of the characters. I will say that I did enjoy some of the pop culture references (80s baby right here!).
October 5, 2017
Hannah's home life stinks. Her school life also stinks. She thinks maybe a talk with the local dealer and then a party with a small group of girls she badly wants to be friends with will help. Deacon, a senior and the local dealer, has problems as well. Deacon's home life stinks too. When these 2 lives intertwine, secrets get revealed. People get hurt. This book invokes so many feelings, sadness, anger, it's an emotional roller coaster. Well written. Well worth 5 stars. Well worth reading.
October 22, 2017
I Like You Like This
A Novel
by Heather Cumiskey
She Writes Press
Teens & YA
Pub Date 07 Nov 2017
I am reviewing a copy of I Like You Like This through She Writes Press and Netgalley:
It’s 1984 Connecticut and sixteen year old Hannah Zandana feels cursed. Her hair is wild and controllable, her complexion is bad, and she constantly picks at her face. Her parents do not help, they are constantly belittling her, and shaming her.
In an attempt to impress the popular girls and perhaps change her life Hannah takes LSD. She does not impress the girls but gets the attention of Deacon, a mysterious young boy who happens to be the schools drug dealer. Hannah soon founds her life taking a turn into Deacon’s dangerous world of drugs, druggies and dealers. Soon though her relationship with her family comes farther apart and she finds herself having to re-examine what she believes about herself and her family.
Will Hannah be able to save her family, and herself, find out in I Like You Like This.
I give this book five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
September 26, 2017
I Like You Like This by Heather Cumiskey
I received an ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review.
It took me a couple of weeks to finish this book since my daily life's been busy and chaotic with too many things to do at once. The book is surely on the slow pace side after the main characters get together. You can feel it's the author debut novel because it's simple, on the safe side and predictable.
For me it's the kind of book you read when you just finished a very heavy one and you want to just slow down and relax a little bit with a mellow book. Which annoys me a little bit in this book because the author chose to talk about very good taboo things in it. Bullying. Self hate. Drugs. Parenthood. All these teenage drama that turns the person forever when it reaches its adulthood.
I was very excited in the beginning when I started reading thinking she would go deeper into Hannah's family story in ignoring and shaming her, making her feel so worthless that through the book you get so blue reading her self-hate. Then you have Deacon with a family that didn't want him in the first place and for being so lost since he was a child he turned into being a drug dealer to feel power and control over his life. Both just teenagers wanting a little of love, caring and respect. Hannah is always looking for someone's approval, for someone to just notice her and that makes he do anything to try it in the beginning of it, that's how her path crosses with Deacon because the mean/popular girls didn't think she would actually get high.
Something obviously goes wrong and they start caring for each other. The author focused more in their quick, sparkly passion than into the topics I really thought she would go through. I was there desperately waiting for Hanna to step up, to shine through herself and just learn to accept her for her, she was there waiting for her parents approval and after it was Deacon's.
He was very mercurial, very black and white. Sometimes I wanted to just shake him to make him snap out of it. We have another character coming through the story with a troubled past too but I won't get deeper there because it's a twist in the story, I saw it coming right from the middle of the book, but it might be a surprise for some people. A handsome guy that chose to be a loner.
I just wish it could have shown some more of the family, of the bullying, of the teachers doing something which annoys me of how blindly they were through the book. Addiction, depression, self-hate are real things we should start talking about and most of it start in high school when no one is paying attention to the easy target for bullies.
Overall I liked the writing style, it was very simple, it was flowing nicely, the author is very promising if she learns how to swing by the romance in the story and the heavy talk when she choses to approach in her future books. Everyone loves a romance, but it's time to have more than that.
Hannah gets herself at the end but I hated how quickly that happened, like a click in her head and that was the end. I think she could have done that a bit better and more complex, a working in progress for the readers to appreciate and inspire people reading it.
It's a very typical story of high school love and the end is an open one that gets you wondering what might happen to every character in the story since there's no ending to any of them. I'm still in the fence about the ending since for me it all finished like a big question mark over everything.
I would for sure give the author another try because I think she will do wonderful stories once she gets the hang of delivering everything the book has to offer in romantic and heavy talk so I can't wait for next books to come and for the progress to happen!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review.
It took me a couple of weeks to finish this book since my daily life's been busy and chaotic with too many things to do at once. The book is surely on the slow pace side after the main characters get together. You can feel it's the author debut novel because it's simple, on the safe side and predictable.
For me it's the kind of book you read when you just finished a very heavy one and you want to just slow down and relax a little bit with a mellow book. Which annoys me a little bit in this book because the author chose to talk about very good taboo things in it. Bullying. Self hate. Drugs. Parenthood. All these teenage drama that turns the person forever when it reaches its adulthood.
I was very excited in the beginning when I started reading thinking she would go deeper into Hannah's family story in ignoring and shaming her, making her feel so worthless that through the book you get so blue reading her self-hate. Then you have Deacon with a family that didn't want him in the first place and for being so lost since he was a child he turned into being a drug dealer to feel power and control over his life. Both just teenagers wanting a little of love, caring and respect. Hannah is always looking for someone's approval, for someone to just notice her and that makes he do anything to try it in the beginning of it, that's how her path crosses with Deacon because the mean/popular girls didn't think she would actually get high.
Something obviously goes wrong and they start caring for each other. The author focused more in their quick, sparkly passion than into the topics I really thought she would go through. I was there desperately waiting for Hanna to step up, to shine through herself and just learn to accept her for her, she was there waiting for her parents approval and after it was Deacon's.
He was very mercurial, very black and white. Sometimes I wanted to just shake him to make him snap out of it. We have another character coming through the story with a troubled past too but I won't get deeper there because it's a twist in the story, I saw it coming right from the middle of the book, but it might be a surprise for some people. A handsome guy that chose to be a loner.
I just wish it could have shown some more of the family, of the bullying, of the teachers doing something which annoys me of how blindly they were through the book. Addiction, depression, self-hate are real things we should start talking about and most of it start in high school when no one is paying attention to the easy target for bullies.
Overall I liked the writing style, it was very simple, it was flowing nicely, the author is very promising if she learns how to swing by the romance in the story and the heavy talk when she choses to approach in her future books. Everyone loves a romance, but it's time to have more than that.
Hannah gets herself at the end but I hated how quickly that happened, like a click in her head and that was the end. I think she could have done that a bit better and more complex, a working in progress for the readers to appreciate and inspire people reading it.
It's a very typical story of high school love and the end is an open one that gets you wondering what might happen to every character in the story since there's no ending to any of them. I'm still in the fence about the ending since for me it all finished like a big question mark over everything.
I would for sure give the author another try because I think she will do wonderful stories once she gets the hang of delivering everything the book has to offer in romantic and heavy talk so I can't wait for next books to come and for the progress to happen!
October 15, 2017
I quite enjoyed this book - there were a bit of issues with transitioning into different mindsets - I prefer when each person is either labelled or there is a space to show there is another person talking, so I had a bit of a problem following along in a few parts, but since most of the book is Hannah it was not a huge issue.
I read an arc of this book, I saw the description and it immediately spoke to me - being a self conscious acne riddled (adult mind you) I was like, hey first hook line and sinker. Hannah's family life is pretty awful for her, she tries to escape I think using Deacon, their time together was actually quite amazing to read. You get those fluffy romances most YA books have and this was different. I thought it was great.
Onto the ending - if I don't get a book 2, or a novella, or SOMETHING I'm going to be very upset, you can't do that to me! You just cant! I'd totally read this book again, and I would recommend it (to certain members of my family/friends, as I know some people wouldn't be interested in the content there's a lot of drug talk, etc.)
I read an arc of this book, I saw the description and it immediately spoke to me - being a self conscious acne riddled (adult mind you) I was like, hey first hook line and sinker. Hannah's family life is pretty awful for her, she tries to escape I think using Deacon, their time together was actually quite amazing to read. You get those fluffy romances most YA books have and this was different. I thought it was great.
Onto the ending - if I don't get a book 2, or a novella, or SOMETHING I'm going to be very upset, you can't do that to me! You just cant! I'd totally read this book again, and I would recommend it (to certain members of my family/friends, as I know some people wouldn't be interested in the content there's a lot of drug talk, etc.)
September 26, 2017
I Like You Like This chronicles the life of teenager who's parents not only verbally abuse her but abandon her emotionally as well. Her struggle to fit in includes experimenting with drugs. You keep hoping for some great insight into if it is possible that her parents can truly be this horrible, but they just don't give you any excuses to love them.
So she falls for the first person to really give her any type of attention - her newly found drug dealer who turns into her boyfriend.
There's plenty of drama in this book with mean girl attitudes, parties, sex and drugs. Add to that plenty of the "F" bomb and more it adds up to quite the trashy read.
Their relationship, as dysfunctional as it is, actually did seem very real while the relationship with her parents just rang false.
So she falls for the first person to really give her any type of attention - her newly found drug dealer who turns into her boyfriend.
There's plenty of drama in this book with mean girl attitudes, parties, sex and drugs. Add to that plenty of the "F" bomb and more it adds up to quite the trashy read.
Their relationship, as dysfunctional as it is, actually did seem very real while the relationship with her parents just rang false.
August 8, 2017
I'm sorry that most of the reading public will have to wait until November to get their hands on Heather Cumiskey's debut YA novel, but am very glad that I was lucky enough to land an ARC! I Like You Like This is a dramatic and sometimes harrowing story, but Cumiskey's characters are very relatable. I felt like I was right there with main character Hannah from the first page, and was nearly as distressed as she was about the challenges she faces at home and at school. There's a lot of darkness here, in love interest Deacon's story as well as her own, but there are also flashes of insight and redemption creeping in around the edges in Cumiskey's vivid prose. I can't wait to find out what happens next, and hope that I Like You Like This, Part 2 will be forthcoming soon!
October 25, 2017
➳ Rate: 2,8 / 5 stars
From the very first pages in this book you knew that this one was gonna be messed up and the next couple of chapters just solidified that. But then, it got better, it had so much potential to be one of those books where meeting that one person leads the heroine to work on whatever is wrong and all that jazz.
However and unfortunately, it wasn't one of those books. As the story progressed and you learned more about the heroine and the hero, things just kept getting more messed up, not just with learning their pasts and the history behind their current family situation but also all this bullshit and drama with secondary characters. Their lives were such a mess but still I adored their weird love story that was brewing. I fell in love with a part of Deacon, the sweet guy he was, most of the time, while he was with Hannah. But Deacon was much more complex than that, there were parts of his life that I did not fully get and I seriously don't think they were explained well enough. A lot of background on parts of the story was just not explained or explained well enough, and that ruined the story a little. I need to fully understand what's going on or what happened before and I just did not get that. And what's worst is I was really enjoyed the book despite all the mess that were these kids, I really was.
But then things got so complicated and messy in the plot, it was disappointing. There were parts were there were flashbacks, and then things that were happening in the present and at a certain point, I didn't know if what I was reading was past or present anymore. Maybe that has to do with how the ecopy was edited, because it was a bit messy in itself too. So, if you read this book, I suggest you purchase a physical copy, I feel like it would more clear on what is past and what is present, because they usually state the dates on the beginning of the chapters, and that's where the ecopy failed, because the chapter part was all malformed.
Even the climax in the story was confusing, and that part of the book pissed me off so much, I was about done. I'm glad the book was ending because if it weren't the case I might have not finished it. I was that mad. Like seriously, that was not the direction I was expecting things to go at all.. and then BAM, that was just a freaking trick. And DAMN IT, that needed to have been explained in great detail okay, you don't just do something like that in a book without explaining it. That seriously sucked!
If this book is supposed to be a standalone, and there's no second part where shit is explained, then I seriously don't even know what to think! I just feel like the story was left very incomplete, and that not only Hannah but myself and every one who reads this book deserved better. I'm so pissed, this story had so much potential, so much and it just did not live up to it, at all. It deserved better. It really did.
➳ARC kindly provided by the publisher, via netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
➳ Pre-Order at: Amazon UK ⁕ Amazon US
➳ Follow me on: Blog ⁕ Instagram ⁕ Facebook ⁕ Twitter
From the very first pages in this book you knew that this one was gonna be messed up and the next couple of chapters just solidified that. But then, it got better, it had so much potential to be one of those books where meeting that one person leads the heroine to work on whatever is wrong and all that jazz.
However and unfortunately, it wasn't one of those books. As the story progressed and you learned more about the heroine and the hero, things just kept getting more messed up, not just with learning their pasts and the history behind their current family situation but also all this bullshit and drama with secondary characters. Their lives were such a mess but still I adored their weird love story that was brewing. I fell in love with a part of Deacon, the sweet guy he was, most of the time, while he was with Hannah. But Deacon was much more complex than that, there were parts of his life that I did not fully get and I seriously don't think they were explained well enough. A lot of background on parts of the story was just not explained or explained well enough, and that ruined the story a little. I need to fully understand what's going on or what happened before and I just did not get that. And what's worst is I was really enjoyed the book despite all the mess that were these kids, I really was.
But then things got so complicated and messy in the plot, it was disappointing. There were parts were there were flashbacks, and then things that were happening in the present and at a certain point, I didn't know if what I was reading was past or present anymore. Maybe that has to do with how the ecopy was edited, because it was a bit messy in itself too. So, if you read this book, I suggest you purchase a physical copy, I feel like it would more clear on what is past and what is present, because they usually state the dates on the beginning of the chapters, and that's where the ecopy failed, because the chapter part was all malformed.
Even the climax in the story was confusing, and that part of the book pissed me off so much, I was about done. I'm glad the book was ending because if it weren't the case I might have not finished it. I was that mad. Like seriously, that was not the direction I was expecting things to go at all.. and then BAM, that was just a freaking trick. And DAMN IT, that needed to have been explained in great detail okay, you don't just do something like that in a book without explaining it. That seriously sucked!
If this book is supposed to be a standalone, and there's no second part where shit is explained, then I seriously don't even know what to think! I just feel like the story was left very incomplete, and that not only Hannah but myself and every one who reads this book deserved better. I'm so pissed, this story had so much potential, so much and it just did not live up to it, at all. It deserved better. It really did.
➳ARC kindly provided by the publisher, via netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
➳ Pre-Order at: Amazon UK ⁕ Amazon US
➳ Follow me on: Blog ⁕ Instagram ⁕ Facebook ⁕ Twitter
January 23, 2018
I really wish that I could give this book 3.5 on here. I actually liked it and am looking forward for the sequel novel. I thought that the story was engaging and language of the book was very easy to read. I found that I could relate to the situations as they seemed authenticate and a bit universal. Perhaps a bit too timeless because it made the awkward band/music reminders that this is supposed to be set in 1984 stand out too much in my mind. I had no issue with the pay phones or the beeper except that the beepers in 1984 were notoriously bad on battery life. Think we are obsessed with keeping our cellphones charged now? You should have seen people with beepers in the 1980s! Wish there could have been some reference to charging the beeper in the book....oh well.
But, you can stop reading now or you can give me a moment or two as I am going to nick pick a little here about the the thing that irks me a bit about those awkward moments to remind us that this is supposed to be 1984:
Now, I was a goth in the 1980s...and that may not make me an expert, but all the references to The Cure and Depeche Mode were a bit much for 1984 since both bands were relatively obscure to the mainstream at that time. In 1984, you really had to go out of your way to get any of The Cure's music much less the band merch. Usually it was a friend of a friend of a friend knows the address to have something shipped from England. So when Peter is wearing a Cure t-shirt without any explanation of how he got it in 1984, I was wanting to know HOW DID HE GET IT? As a matter of fact, I started to wonder how he got any of his t-shirts....local mall had ultra fab music store? At this point I swapped out the Cure t-shirt with a Duran Duran one in my mind just to be safe since the biggest single of 1984 was "Hungry Like the Wolf" and Duran Duran merch was available everywhere even at the mall.
And then when Peter was wearing the Depeche Mode t-shirt, I thought for sure this was an indicator that he was gay because in 1984, the biggest Depeche Mode song was "People are People" which was used during pride marches. Hum...maybe the author meant to put him in a Police t-shirt since everyone was still riding the high of Synchronicity being released in 1983? I mean, I swapped out the Depeche Mode shirt in my mind with a Police one just to be extra safe.
Now, I will leave the U2 alone because at this time, they were a band that was really big in other countries. They had just released The Unforgettable Fire and were starting to be noticed in the US having this grassroots thing going on that by the time Joshua Tree came out, it was an explosion of U2 dominance. That reference fit better for me.
All I can say is thank goodness The Smiths were never mentioned in this book. ;)
Now one time reference that I did like....that the two movies playing at the theater were obscure titles. In the fall of 1984, "Body Double" was in theaters and both of these other titles were probably made to capitalize off the mystique. But, oh my goodness, do I remember seeing some random stuff at the movies back in the 1980s.
But, you can stop reading now or you can give me a moment or two as I am going to nick pick a little here about the the thing that irks me a bit about those awkward moments to remind us that this is supposed to be 1984:
Now, I was a goth in the 1980s...and that may not make me an expert, but all the references to The Cure and Depeche Mode were a bit much for 1984 since both bands were relatively obscure to the mainstream at that time. In 1984, you really had to go out of your way to get any of The Cure's music much less the band merch. Usually it was a friend of a friend of a friend knows the address to have something shipped from England. So when Peter is wearing a Cure t-shirt without any explanation of how he got it in 1984, I was wanting to know HOW DID HE GET IT? As a matter of fact, I started to wonder how he got any of his t-shirts....local mall had ultra fab music store? At this point I swapped out the Cure t-shirt with a Duran Duran one in my mind just to be safe since the biggest single of 1984 was "Hungry Like the Wolf" and Duran Duran merch was available everywhere even at the mall.
And then when Peter was wearing the Depeche Mode t-shirt, I thought for sure this was an indicator that he was gay because in 1984, the biggest Depeche Mode song was "People are People" which was used during pride marches. Hum...maybe the author meant to put him in a Police t-shirt since everyone was still riding the high of Synchronicity being released in 1983? I mean, I swapped out the Depeche Mode shirt in my mind with a Police one just to be extra safe.
Now, I will leave the U2 alone because at this time, they were a band that was really big in other countries. They had just released The Unforgettable Fire and were starting to be noticed in the US having this grassroots thing going on that by the time Joshua Tree came out, it was an explosion of U2 dominance. That reference fit better for me.
All I can say is thank goodness The Smiths were never mentioned in this book. ;)
Now one time reference that I did like....that the two movies playing at the theater were obscure titles. In the fall of 1984, "Body Double" was in theaters and both of these other titles were probably made to capitalize off the mystique. But, oh my goodness, do I remember seeing some random stuff at the movies back in the 1980s.
August 13, 2020
Family,Heartbreak, Tragedy, A Lost Boy, A Lost Girl,
This book...Gave me ALL the feelings. Seriously, I went through an emotional roller coaster with Hannah and Deacon. Wow!
This story is going to stay with me for WEEKS!
It was very fulfilling, beautifully written, and if you grew up in the eighties or, just love that moment in time, you will love this book.
Hannah: socially awkward, self conscious about her looks, mostly ignored by her family (unless it’s to berate her) feeling like she has no self worth
Meets Deacon, the dark, cool, sexy mysterious, moody, cute guy all the girls want, while buying weed, so she can gain some social standing with her ex friends, means girls, Leeza Gillian, and Taylor.
Hannah is entranced, and not paying attention when the inexperienced nerdy girl that she is, finds Deacon’s sales pitch to good to refuse, purchasing a tab of LSD.
Deacon: Extremely good looking, Rich Kid, son of a prominent politician,—- Drug dealer.
Deacon, falls hard for the shy insecure Hannah while he helps her to recover from her first experience with drugs, while her strict parents are away. After this shared experience, their relationship progresses quickly.
Hannah is over the moon that the mysterious, Deacon Giroux wants to be with her. With her crazy hair and bad acne.
Deacon thinks she’s beautiful with her unusual eye colour, wild hair and quickly attitude.
These two....broken my heart. Their relationship was sooo real in every way.
The cute way they very gently got to know each other even though they both were dealing with HUGE emotional, painful, obstacles.
The dark twists their story took us in.
Deacons family has a secret that was pulls them apart.
His hapless parents, too concerned with their own lives and self importance to notice their sons downward spiral.
*Spoilers*
The tragic character of Toby. (Gosh! His pained plea towards Deacon in the Park...just broke me) half brother, who only wanted acceptance. Just like Deacon did
“Two brothers born months apart, one a jock, the other
a drug dealer, both abandoned, both lost”
Gillian: The ex best friend of Hannah, embarrassed, and too ashamed to let people see her true self so, she seeks revenge on those, she feels, she needs to silence.
Every character in this book plays their part, they are all trying to cope with loss, from her parents, Deacon, his parents, Toby, everyone....
As the book reaches towards the ending you can feel the tension and anxiety building and building just bouncing off the page.
(Also, Remember to keep reading the epilogue has a surprise —-winky face)
The last few chapters that had me crying like a baby.
I was there for Hannah, Deacon, and yes, Toby.
I felt all there pain, anguish, and despair.
Did I mention how much I loved this book! Should be required reading in schools. Just amazing.
FIVE BIG STARS.
This book...Gave me ALL the feelings. Seriously, I went through an emotional roller coaster with Hannah and Deacon. Wow!
This story is going to stay with me for WEEKS!
It was very fulfilling, beautifully written, and if you grew up in the eighties or, just love that moment in time, you will love this book.
Hannah: socially awkward, self conscious about her looks, mostly ignored by her family (unless it’s to berate her) feeling like she has no self worth
Meets Deacon, the dark, cool, sexy mysterious, moody, cute guy all the girls want, while buying weed, so she can gain some social standing with her ex friends, means girls, Leeza Gillian, and Taylor.
Hannah is entranced, and not paying attention when the inexperienced nerdy girl that she is, finds Deacon’s sales pitch to good to refuse, purchasing a tab of LSD.
Deacon: Extremely good looking, Rich Kid, son of a prominent politician,—- Drug dealer.
Deacon, falls hard for the shy insecure Hannah while he helps her to recover from her first experience with drugs, while her strict parents are away. After this shared experience, their relationship progresses quickly.
Hannah is over the moon that the mysterious, Deacon Giroux wants to be with her. With her crazy hair and bad acne.
Deacon thinks she’s beautiful with her unusual eye colour, wild hair and quickly attitude.
These two....broken my heart. Their relationship was sooo real in every way.
The cute way they very gently got to know each other even though they both were dealing with HUGE emotional, painful, obstacles.
The dark twists their story took us in.
Deacons family has a secret that was pulls them apart.
His hapless parents, too concerned with their own lives and self importance to notice their sons downward spiral.
*Spoilers*
The tragic character of Toby. (Gosh! His pained plea towards Deacon in the Park...just broke me) half brother, who only wanted acceptance. Just like Deacon did
“Two brothers born months apart, one a jock, the other
a drug dealer, both abandoned, both lost”
Gillian: The ex best friend of Hannah, embarrassed, and too ashamed to let people see her true self so, she seeks revenge on those, she feels, she needs to silence.
Every character in this book plays their part, they are all trying to cope with loss, from her parents, Deacon, his parents, Toby, everyone....
As the book reaches towards the ending you can feel the tension and anxiety building and building just bouncing off the page.
(Also, Remember to keep reading the epilogue has a surprise —-winky face)
The last few chapters that had me crying like a baby.
I was there for Hannah, Deacon, and yes, Toby.
I felt all there pain, anguish, and despair.
Did I mention how much I loved this book! Should be required reading in schools. Just amazing.
FIVE BIG STARS.
November 14, 2019
SPOILERS
When I first picked up this book and read the summary, I was really intrigued by the premise. But very quickly I found the book to be more disturbing than interesting.
At risk of making a cliche comparison, I saw a lot of parallels between this book and Heathers, an 80s teen movie about a less-then popular girl who falls for a sophisticated loner who turns out to be a murderous sociopath. friend of mine is very heavily opinionated on; for example, she argues that fans of the movie (and now musical) sympathize, even idolize, JD (the principal antagonist) too much. I see Deacon as a similar character to JD. They both attempt to control their girlfriends in som capacity - except Veronica, Heather’s main protagonist, is emotionally stable enough to stand up for herself. Hannah, however, has been neglected and verbally abused by classmates and her parents for years. Deacon latches on to her vulnerability in order to do what he does best: deal. Her creates an affection addict out of Hannah, convincing her that she’s in love with him when in reality, it’s merely the first taste of any positive attention in who knows how long. For Deacon to take advantage of her in such a way makes him as terrible as JD, if not worse.
That being said, I’m not trying to bash Heathers or other stories about emotional manipulation. I find them fascinating, in fact. What I don’t like is when emotional abuse gets confused for love. If this was written and marketed as a book about a cycle of abuse among teenagers, I would more than likely be writing a positive review. But, as it is, it’s supposed to be a tragic but touching love story or something like that. Please give me one or the other; make the two events disjoint, in Statistics speak (Math and English don’t have to shun each other!!)
There were a few things I liked about this book, however. I liked that it was told from multiple perspectives. It added layering to the central story. I also liked Cumiskey’s writing style. I’m not sure how to describe it, just that I liked it. If it wasn’t for the plot, I think I would’ve really enjoyed this book.
I just wasn’t sold on this book, so I don’t think I’ll be reading the sequel.
When I first picked up this book and read the summary, I was really intrigued by the premise. But very quickly I found the book to be more disturbing than interesting.
At risk of making a cliche comparison, I saw a lot of parallels between this book and Heathers, an 80s teen movie about a less-then popular girl who falls for a sophisticated loner who turns out to be a murderous sociopath. friend of mine is very heavily opinionated on; for example, she argues that fans of the movie (and now musical) sympathize, even idolize, JD (the principal antagonist) too much. I see Deacon as a similar character to JD. They both attempt to control their girlfriends in som capacity - except Veronica, Heather’s main protagonist, is emotionally stable enough to stand up for herself. Hannah, however, has been neglected and verbally abused by classmates and her parents for years. Deacon latches on to her vulnerability in order to do what he does best: deal. Her creates an affection addict out of Hannah, convincing her that she’s in love with him when in reality, it’s merely the first taste of any positive attention in who knows how long. For Deacon to take advantage of her in such a way makes him as terrible as JD, if not worse.
That being said, I’m not trying to bash Heathers or other stories about emotional manipulation. I find them fascinating, in fact. What I don’t like is when emotional abuse gets confused for love. If this was written and marketed as a book about a cycle of abuse among teenagers, I would more than likely be writing a positive review. But, as it is, it’s supposed to be a tragic but touching love story or something like that. Please give me one or the other; make the two events disjoint, in Statistics speak (Math and English don’t have to shun each other!!)
There were a few things I liked about this book, however. I liked that it was told from multiple perspectives. It added layering to the central story. I also liked Cumiskey’s writing style. I’m not sure how to describe it, just that I liked it. If it wasn’t for the plot, I think I would’ve really enjoyed this book.
I just wasn’t sold on this book, so I don’t think I’ll be reading the sequel.
April 28, 2020
I wanted to like this book, I really did, but I just couldn’t. It was not good.
I nearly gave up half way through, but because it was fairly short and easy to read, I did manage to get through it all. I think it got a bit better in the second half so I’m glad I pushed through a finished it.
The premise was decent, it was similar to a lot of classic contemporary that I would enjoy, however there was just something about the way the plot went and the writing style that I couldn’t get into. It was described as not very happy and light, however it was a bit darker than I expected in some aspects, with the hints of homophobia and shaming that weren't addressed or challenged.
I liked the idea of it being set in the 1980’s and there are a few references to landlines and payphones, however I didn’t find the time to be clear from the start so I often forgot throughout reading it of the setting.
I didn’t find any of the characters to be likeable, which can be ok if it’s done well or relevant to the story. I think in this story though, Deacon (and probably Hannah too) were meant to be liked or at least redeemable, however for me I just couldn’t like them. I also think that the supporting characters were very underdeveloped. There were quite a few secondary characters mentioned, Hannah’s parents and sister, Deacon’s parents, Gillian, Taylor, Jade, Toby etc., but I don’t think any of them were well written. They were very much surface characters, and not well developed enough to make you invested in the story or the plot twist relating to Toby.
In terms of the relationship between Deacon and Hannah, it was very much an instalove story. Deacon had never noticed or cared about Hannah, and vice versa except for her mentioning how hot he was multiple times. However, Deacon sold her drugs, watched her be ill afterwards and suddenly was in love with her. I found their relationship (and really the whole plot) to be really unrealistic.
I also didn’t enjoy the writing of the novel. I think it was very basic writing, and the language was very cringey in parts. I thought Deacon’s chapters especially and his dialogue felt very force and unnatural. The multiple perspectives also didn’t work well often. It seemed like it would work best just from Hannah’s POV, and the others seemed placed randomly and flitted between them in a strange way. It was also sometimes unclear who’s POV it was.
I read it fairly quickly, and sometimes enjoy a light read to distract myself, however I probably wouldn’t recommend it as I didn’t enjoy it overall.
I nearly gave up half way through, but because it was fairly short and easy to read, I did manage to get through it all. I think it got a bit better in the second half so I’m glad I pushed through a finished it.
The premise was decent, it was similar to a lot of classic contemporary that I would enjoy, however there was just something about the way the plot went and the writing style that I couldn’t get into. It was described as not very happy and light, however it was a bit darker than I expected in some aspects, with the hints of homophobia and shaming that weren't addressed or challenged.
I liked the idea of it being set in the 1980’s and there are a few references to landlines and payphones, however I didn’t find the time to be clear from the start so I often forgot throughout reading it of the setting.
I didn’t find any of the characters to be likeable, which can be ok if it’s done well or relevant to the story. I think in this story though, Deacon (and probably Hannah too) were meant to be liked or at least redeemable, however for me I just couldn’t like them. I also think that the supporting characters were very underdeveloped. There were quite a few secondary characters mentioned, Hannah’s parents and sister, Deacon’s parents, Gillian, Taylor, Jade, Toby etc., but I don’t think any of them were well written. They were very much surface characters, and not well developed enough to make you invested in the story or the plot twist relating to Toby.
In terms of the relationship between Deacon and Hannah, it was very much an instalove story. Deacon had never noticed or cared about Hannah, and vice versa except for her mentioning how hot he was multiple times. However, Deacon sold her drugs, watched her be ill afterwards and suddenly was in love with her. I found their relationship (and really the whole plot) to be really unrealistic.
I also didn’t enjoy the writing of the novel. I think it was very basic writing, and the language was very cringey in parts. I thought Deacon’s chapters especially and his dialogue felt very force and unnatural. The multiple perspectives also didn’t work well often. It seemed like it would work best just from Hannah’s POV, and the others seemed placed randomly and flitted between them in a strange way. It was also sometimes unclear who’s POV it was.
I read it fairly quickly, and sometimes enjoy a light read to distract myself, however I probably wouldn’t recommend it as I didn’t enjoy it overall.
November 27, 2017
** This was given to me by Netgalley to review and these are my honest opinions **
Release Date: 07th November 2017
The writing style was so confusing for me, the characters seemed to be all over the place once I was in Hannah's point of view in the first person and then the third back to first and then I am at Deacon's without any information so I had to back track to see where he started and I just had to push through even though I didn't want to. Don't get me wrong I like the idea / plot of the book but I think the character swapping needs a bit more thought in. Description wise made me feel as though I was there feeling the emotions the characters where in, I felt every pain and every laughter.
Characters where okay, you had a good sense of them there wasn't to much description to be able to picture them personal but it was okay. I like the character of Hannah because she is this shy girl who no one likes but them at the end in some bits she comes out of her shell but sort of in a bad way with bully one liners which made me think that wouldn't happen in real life... Deacon's character was goodish but I thought something was missing, like maybe he had more history or he was into something more than just drug dealing.. I don't know something just felt missing for me.
Plot was good, I liked Hannah's home situation and when Deacon intervened however I think there should be more to do with Deacon and Hannah at the end, with out spoiling Hannah finds Deacon has done something at the being of the book but it didn't get into anything, no arguing, no asking, no thought just he did this bad thing, she screamed how could you and then it was over and forgot about in the next page. Personally I thought that could grow into a really good part of the plot but it just went Poof! Vanished.. The whole idea of the plot though was good but felt a bit rushed at the end.
Overall I wouldn't go out and purchase the book in all honesty or even recommend to a friend. I would give it 3 stars? 3 1/2 ....
Purchase Here
Release Date: 07th November 2017
The writing style was so confusing for me, the characters seemed to be all over the place once I was in Hannah's point of view in the first person and then the third back to first and then I am at Deacon's without any information so I had to back track to see where he started and I just had to push through even though I didn't want to. Don't get me wrong I like the idea / plot of the book but I think the character swapping needs a bit more thought in. Description wise made me feel as though I was there feeling the emotions the characters where in, I felt every pain and every laughter.
Characters where okay, you had a good sense of them there wasn't to much description to be able to picture them personal but it was okay. I like the character of Hannah because she is this shy girl who no one likes but them at the end in some bits she comes out of her shell but sort of in a bad way with bully one liners which made me think that wouldn't happen in real life... Deacon's character was goodish but I thought something was missing, like maybe he had more history or he was into something more than just drug dealing.. I don't know something just felt missing for me.
Plot was good, I liked Hannah's home situation and when Deacon intervened however I think there should be more to do with Deacon and Hannah at the end, with out spoiling Hannah finds Deacon has done something at the being of the book but it didn't get into anything, no arguing, no asking, no thought just he did this bad thing, she screamed how could you and then it was over and forgot about in the next page. Personally I thought that could grow into a really good part of the plot but it just went Poof! Vanished.. The whole idea of the plot though was good but felt a bit rushed at the end.
Overall I wouldn't go out and purchase the book in all honesty or even recommend to a friend. I would give it 3 stars? 3 1/2 ....
Purchase Here
October 5, 2017
Note: I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
This book touted itself as being for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why, so I went in immediately with preconceived notions (of my own doing) as to what this book would be about content wise. It really wasn't much like Jay Asher's book at all, which is ultimately a good thing. It had it's own ups and downs, it's times to shine, and it's pitfalls.
My main complaint is that our main character, Hannah, rarely gets her time to really shine and overcome her myriad issues. I understood that her relationship with Deacon was making her change and evolve, but we only really see this once or twice and it's only when she asserts herself against the mean girls. I also felt a little let down in the way her family situation evolved and how we got the answers about why they were the way they were. The same goes for Deacon's backstory: it came sort of strangely late in the game.
That said, I really enjoyed Cumiskey's writing style. It flowed nicely, and there is so much promise to be found there. She also has interesting ideas and ways to move the plot forward so it doesn't lag. I just wish some things had been given more attention or had been done in a different way. I think this author is very much worth trying though, and I look forward to her future work!
This book touted itself as being for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why, so I went in immediately with preconceived notions (of my own doing) as to what this book would be about content wise. It really wasn't much like Jay Asher's book at all, which is ultimately a good thing. It had it's own ups and downs, it's times to shine, and it's pitfalls.
My main complaint is that our main character, Hannah, rarely gets her time to really shine and overcome her myriad issues. I understood that her relationship with Deacon was making her change and evolve, but we only really see this once or twice and it's only when she asserts herself against the mean girls. I also felt a little let down in the way her family situation evolved and how we got the answers about why they were the way they were. The same goes for Deacon's backstory: it came sort of strangely late in the game.
That said, I really enjoyed Cumiskey's writing style. It flowed nicely, and there is so much promise to be found there. She also has interesting ideas and ways to move the plot forward so it doesn't lag. I just wish some things had been given more attention or had been done in a different way. I think this author is very much worth trying though, and I look forward to her future work!
March 15, 2025
Honestly, this book was good, but it was a little confusing for me. It starts with a girl who is self conscious with absent parents just trying to fit in, goes to a dark-ish kind of forbidden romance between two outcasts, and it ends with some kind of drug mafia conspiracy, so it’s not totally on topic the entire time. I am looking forward to reading the next book, but am still a little confused as to what is going on.
I’m still not sure about what kind of guy Deacon is. I mean, he deals drugs and makes a living off of basically turning people into addicts and ruining their lives, so that’s a con, but he is really sweet and makes Hannah feel seen for the first time in her life, so that’s a pro. The very end confused me a lot, like is Hannah into something bad and Deacon knows about it and what is going to happen in the next book???
Overall, I think it was a good book once I got into it and it had me hooked for most of it. It did not have a lot of spice at all which I appreciated, just some build up areas that mainly focus on the characters emotions. I would recommend this if you are into a dark, thriller type romance, but it is not sunshine and rainbows for sure.
I’m still not sure about what kind of guy Deacon is. I mean, he deals drugs and makes a living off of basically turning people into addicts and ruining their lives, so that’s a con, but he is really sweet and makes Hannah feel seen for the first time in her life, so that’s a pro. The very end confused me a lot, like is Hannah into something bad and Deacon knows about it and what is going to happen in the next book???
Overall, I think it was a good book once I got into it and it had me hooked for most of it. It did not have a lot of spice at all which I appreciated, just some build up areas that mainly focus on the characters emotions. I would recommend this if you are into a dark, thriller type romance, but it is not sunshine and rainbows for sure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2018
It’s 1984 Connecticut and sixteen-year-old Hannah has a pitiful life; unpopular with a zitty face and big red hair, no friends, and extra-mean parents who dote on her younger sister. Into this scarcity of love and decency walks handsome senior, Deacon, the town drug-dealer, who has his own set of dysfunctional parents and a grudge against the world. This story highlights the sad way kids end up when parents have loads of their own problems and just don’t care about the impact their words and actions have on a child.
I Like You Like This (great book title, by the way!) is a fast read with a lot of action transpiring over a couple of months’ time, that takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride of emotions along with the characters. I found myself caring about Hannah, and even Deacon, and I look forward to a sequel (because the book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, I assume there will be one). Great debut novel!
I Like You Like This (great book title, by the way!) is a fast read with a lot of action transpiring over a couple of months’ time, that takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride of emotions along with the characters. I found myself caring about Hannah, and even Deacon, and I look forward to a sequel (because the book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, I assume there will be one). Great debut novel!
April 21, 2023
Not really sure how to rate this one. I didn't find Deacon's attraction to Hannah to be real. Teenage boys go for looks and the way Hannah is described I just don't see it. I get trying to do something different with the hottest guy in school falling for a girl like her but it just wasn't believable. Her personality didn't make up the difference either. If they would have had some deep spiritual connection based on their similarities it might have been believable but they didn't spend much time talking. I get the mom's addiction problems but the 6 year old too? More than once?? I don't find that believable either. I also don't understand why the 6 year old sister would hate her older sister. She isn't old enough to even understand that but yet she screams in absolute shrieks and profanity at her older sister that she hates her and she fakes being hurt by her to get the mother's attention. Once again she is too young to know how to do that. The writing bothered me at times too.
April 24, 2019
Oh this was just bleak. I'. totally fine with dark books about horrid topics infact they're often my favourite books. This was however a disopicable load of just badness on top of badness. Everything you never want to have do endure is here. It's not even done in an emotinal way it's just throw at you. I couldn't have cared less about the charcters they were all too sad and messy. No resolution, no moral message and certainly no life lesson. This is in no way shape or form a young adult book, hell keep this away from any child at any stage of adolescence they're confused enough as it is without whatever this was. Ick. I feel like i need a shower. Like what was the actual point in this book other than to make me depressed.
I recieved this as an arc from netgalley. This in no way effected my opinion.
I recieved this as an arc from netgalley. This in no way effected my opinion.
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