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Second Kiss #1
Second Kiss
'Even my most humiliating moments seemed funny somehow when I told them to Jess.' Gemma Mitchell is a normal girl who somehow gets herself into abnormally embarrassing circumstances. And while she thinks she's the biggest loser in school because of them, there are a few people in her life who would disagree. One of those people is her best friend, Jess Tyler, who is opposite to her in every way. He's popular, good looking, athletic, and intelligent, and he can't get enough of Gemma. But while Gemma is dealing with problems like wrong locker combinations and Valentine's Day dances, Jess is living in a world of serious issues that are foreign to Gemma, until she realizes that he's holding on to her for dear life. Humorous and true to life, Second Kiss is an entertaining saga about a boy and girl who find that their lives have a lot more meaning once they have shared them with each other.
237 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2010
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11724 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
December 28, 2010
(4.5 stars)
I really liked this one!
Second Kiss was a really enjoyable heartfelt story about coming of age and the awkward and clumsy way you stumble through becoming a teen, school, family and first love.
Jess and Gemma are such an irresistible couple and I found myself really looking forward to there moments. They have a natural and easy chemistry that I thought was very honest and beautiful not to mention adorable and very, very sweet. I loved how there friendship never wavered and they were a total constant in each others lives. Especially when they had to face some family hardships along the way.
It's so hard to find your voice at that age, so some of the scenes were filled with a lot of tension you could cut with a knife which made it even more delicious.
The writing is well done and while the storyline was rushed in some places, I still really enjoyed the way these characters were handled. This is exactly how a teenager would act when they are unsure, scared, nervous and vulnerable. Natalie Palmer delivered a set of well defined characters to a very realistic plot-line and nailed it! I'm hoping that Jess and Gemma's story doesn't end here. I definitely want another round with these two!
All in all, I thought this was a fast, light, sweet and lovely story that had me gushing like I was a teen all over again and I just really loved it!
Well done!
I really liked this one!
Second Kiss was a really enjoyable heartfelt story about coming of age and the awkward and clumsy way you stumble through becoming a teen, school, family and first love.
Jess and Gemma are such an irresistible couple and I found myself really looking forward to there moments. They have a natural and easy chemistry that I thought was very honest and beautiful not to mention adorable and very, very sweet. I loved how there friendship never wavered and they were a total constant in each others lives. Especially when they had to face some family hardships along the way.
It's so hard to find your voice at that age, so some of the scenes were filled with a lot of tension you could cut with a knife which made it even more delicious.
The writing is well done and while the storyline was rushed in some places, I still really enjoyed the way these characters were handled. This is exactly how a teenager would act when they are unsure, scared, nervous and vulnerable. Natalie Palmer delivered a set of well defined characters to a very realistic plot-line and nailed it! I'm hoping that Jess and Gemma's story doesn't end here. I definitely want another round with these two!
All in all, I thought this was a fast, light, sweet and lovely story that had me gushing like I was a teen all over again and I just really loved it!
Well done!
December 30, 2010
Second Kiss by Natalie Palmer is such a cute and heartwarming coming of age story. The plot and characters do a great job of grabbing the reader’s attention and pulling you into their lives as they experience life lessons, embarrassing moments, family issues and young love.
To be honest, I’m surprised this book wasn’t picked up by a better known publisher because I feel it definitely holds a spot worthy of attention along-side young adult contemporary novels out there on the market. It wasn’t hard to come by, but it was disappointing not to find it on the YA shelves at the larger bookstore retailers.
About the book: Gemma Mitchell is your typical, self conscience fourteen year old who simply wants to fit in at school, with friends and at home. But as much as she tries, mishaps as innocent as forgetting her class schedule, inviting a few friends over for her non-birthday party, trying to open the wrong locker, and jumping into a freezing lake seem to land her in precarious situations. Lucky for Gem, her best friend Jess Tyler is always close by to rescue her or simply lend a shoulder to cry on. But Jess and Gemma’s worlds couldn’t be more different. As they battle the struggles that come along with growing up, they find themselves in a relationship that means more to them than simply just fitting in.
I liked how their story is steady and yet captivating the whole way through. It was great to see how honestly Palmer depicts her characters when it comes to first love, family trials, and friendship tribulations.
At first, I felt Gemma was too young of a MC to carry this story, but all of a sudden I fell into her narrative and the topics the author infused in this book are worthy of attention as she pens a honest novel about how young adults deal with divorce, family illnesses, betrayal and the confusion of falling for someone that you always saw as your best friend.
Great book that I hope will get the attention it deserves.
To be honest, I’m surprised this book wasn’t picked up by a better known publisher because I feel it definitely holds a spot worthy of attention along-side young adult contemporary novels out there on the market. It wasn’t hard to come by, but it was disappointing not to find it on the YA shelves at the larger bookstore retailers.
About the book: Gemma Mitchell is your typical, self conscience fourteen year old who simply wants to fit in at school, with friends and at home. But as much as she tries, mishaps as innocent as forgetting her class schedule, inviting a few friends over for her non-birthday party, trying to open the wrong locker, and jumping into a freezing lake seem to land her in precarious situations. Lucky for Gem, her best friend Jess Tyler is always close by to rescue her or simply lend a shoulder to cry on. But Jess and Gemma’s worlds couldn’t be more different. As they battle the struggles that come along with growing up, they find themselves in a relationship that means more to them than simply just fitting in.
I liked how their story is steady and yet captivating the whole way through. It was great to see how honestly Palmer depicts her characters when it comes to first love, family trials, and friendship tribulations.
At first, I felt Gemma was too young of a MC to carry this story, but all of a sudden I fell into her narrative and the topics the author infused in this book are worthy of attention as she pens a honest novel about how young adults deal with divorce, family illnesses, betrayal and the confusion of falling for someone that you always saw as your best friend.
Great book that I hope will get the attention it deserves.
March 21, 2012
To be honest, I couldn't finish this. I wish the author put in the summary that this was a story about middle schoolers. I thought this would be a young adult novel, but it was more suited for middle school. It was mostly juvenile talk and I couldn't stand the way the characters talked and gushed over basically nothing. I got confused simply by reading the first few pages of the novel. I wasn't sure how old the characters were until like 1/4 way through the book. I thought they were high schoolers, but nope. Only 8th graders. That would explain why I didn't feel that this novel was suited for myself. Other people might enjoy it, but it was only okay for me...
Edit:
I actually forced myself to finish to the half way point. I have to admit, I was a bit curious because I couldn't just end the novel. And I know the story line's predictable, but ugh. I can't face leaving a book unfinished, but I couldn't go on. I wasn't interested any longer. I might continue it another day though. Anyways, I guess she goes into ninth grade! So yay, but it wasn't really that great for me. I didn't feel that Gemma was a very developed character, and I she seemed mature in a way yet not mature in another way....if that makes sense. But it bothered me that Gemma didn't know what an ICU was. I feel that most people would know that, and she's in 9th grade... I don't know. The problems the characters face are realistic because those situations do occur. I just couldn't get into the novel...
I tried to. I ended up skimming some parts, even though it was only half way.
Edit:
I actually forced myself to finish to the half way point. I have to admit, I was a bit curious because I couldn't just end the novel. And I know the story line's predictable, but ugh. I can't face leaving a book unfinished, but I couldn't go on. I wasn't interested any longer. I might continue it another day though. Anyways, I guess she goes into ninth grade! So yay, but it wasn't really that great for me. I didn't feel that Gemma was a very developed character, and I she seemed mature in a way yet not mature in another way....if that makes sense. But it bothered me that Gemma didn't know what an ICU was. I feel that most people would know that, and she's in 9th grade... I don't know. The problems the characters face are realistic because those situations do occur. I just couldn't get into the novel...
I tried to. I ended up skimming some parts, even though it was only half way.
December 30, 2012
Ok, so when I started reading the book I had no idea it was going to be about a bunch of middle schoolers, the look of dissapointment on my face was priceless when I realized she was in 8th grade (I try to stay away from immature writing) but then, I decided to give it a chance because of all the good reviews, the storyline looked descent, an so far the writing was descent (great actually, caught exactly the things a 14/15 year old would say) too.
I am so glad I gave it a chance! This brought me back to my middle school years and first crushes first kisses and best friends who became strangers in a blink of an eye. After reading so many YA books it was so refreshing to read a book that didnt talk about sex or lust and desire. It was so real to me, I didn't want it to end. It left me craving for more, and now I can't seem to find another book to read without comparing it to this one.
I'm not good a reviews, in fact, this is my first review and I've read hundreds of books, but I felt like I needed to give this book the credit it deserves. Ill definitely be reason it again some time.
I am so glad I gave it a chance! This brought me back to my middle school years and first crushes first kisses and best friends who became strangers in a blink of an eye. After reading so many YA books it was so refreshing to read a book that didnt talk about sex or lust and desire. It was so real to me, I didn't want it to end. It left me craving for more, and now I can't seem to find another book to read without comparing it to this one.
I'm not good a reviews, in fact, this is my first review and I've read hundreds of books, but I felt like I needed to give this book the credit it deserves. Ill definitely be reason it again some time.
October 5, 2012
This was majorly cute. The bond Gemma and Jess shared was so special and it was so blindingly obvious they were in love with each other but theres young love for you, at least they finally admitted it no matter how long it did take them.
Gemma and Jess both have serious daddy issues and both made my heart ache a little. It really does tug on your emotional heart strings when ones got cancer and the other a wife beater. And I must've chocked down at least 5 lumps in my throat and blinked away god knows how many tears.
You got to see these two young people develop and grow up and you feel like you've got to defend them and look out for them.
I just wanted to scream at Gemma sometimes though when she kept banging on about Trace when Alex- a popular, sweet, amazing guy was right there head over heels in love with her.
' When you first told me that Trace kissed you I was so mad. Not because you had your first
kiss, because you're beautiful and you deserve to have your first kiss with a guy that you like. But
because the honest truth of the matter is-I was hoping that I would be your first kiss. And even more
truthfully, I've always sort of hoped that I would also be your last kiss.'
Yes it's a little bit cheesy since he's 16 and she's 15 but you can't deny that it is not the cutest thing ever.
My favourite scene though has to be the lake scene.
And because I'm a top reviewer ill share part of it with you all!
He smiled at her. It wasn't just a smile to be polite. It was the Jess smile.
The Jess smile that belonged to me.
Without giving myself time to consider the consequences, I got up from the dirt, removed my Nike tennis
shoes, dug my toes into the sand, and then set off running toward the water. I ran as fast as I could and
finished with a cannon ball into the ice cold liquid. I was so shocked with what I had just done that the
temperature of the water didn't register to my brain. All I could feel was the slushy mud under my feet as my
head sank beneath the water. All at once I felt a million tiny jabs of ice pierce every inch of my body. Myhead throbbed as the water swirled around it, jabbing at my eyes and inner ears. The pond was quite
shallow so my head bobbed back up within a couple seconds, but even though my mouth was well out of the
water again, I couldn't catch my breath. I opened my eyes, though I could barely make out the figures
standing on the shore in front of me. I blinked the water away from my eyelashes and was finally able to
gasp on a breath of air.
I heard Jess's voice. "Gemma! Are you crazy?" His voice was strained as he side-stepped along the
water line to get closer to me. All the girls were quiet, though as I continued to blink I could tell that they were
watching with wild excitement, especially Drew. Jess looked terrified as he began pushing his way toward
me through the knee-deep water. I tried standing up as the water must have only been four feet deep where I
was, but the mud underneath me was too loose, and I couldn't get my footing. I tried swimming toward Jess,
but my arms and legs were too cold. I could barely feel them attached to my body. They felt more like blocksof ice attached to me with staples rather than arms and legs. The girls on the beach began shrieking with
terror as they realized that I was drifting further away. Before I knew what was happening, Jess was at my
side, chest-deep in the water.
"Here, take my hand." He reached for me, and I tried to reach back, but my arm felt like it weighed a
hundred pounds.
"I don't think I can," I spoke quickly. I was starting to panic. My body had never felt immovable like this. All I
could do was cock my head back to keep my face out of the water, but my feet were sinking into the mud,
and it was getting harder and harder to stay above the waves.
Jess moved quickly toward me until the water was up to his chin. "Grab my hand, Gemma." He reached
out as far as he could, but the water was lapping me away from shore, and his fingertips were still six inches
away from my bobbing body.
"I'm freezing Jess. I can't move my-" I couldn't even finish my sentence. A piece of my hair fell against mycheek. It felt stiff and cold like an ice cycle.
"Gemma!" Panic screamed from Jess's eyes as he dove toward me. He was completely buried in the
icy-cold liquid. And within seconds I felt him wrap both of his arms firmly around my waist. His grip felt like
thorns against my body as he dragged me to the shore that was a mere ten feet in front of us. I felt so
helpless. I couldn't move any part of my body, and yet somehow every part of me was shaking
uncontrollably. Jess dragged me to the dry sand, and Drew handed him his sweatshirt, which he had quickly
discarded before jumping in the water. He wrapped it around my shoulders, but it only pressed my icy
clothes closer to my skin. Drew handed her jacket to Jess next.
"Will this help?" Her expression was eager and sincere.
Jess was breathing hard. He must have been freezing himself. "Yes, but not with all these wet clothes on
her. I'm going to go to the road and flag someone down to help us. You need to take off her wet clothes and
cover her up with the dry jackets."The next thing I knew Jess was gone and the four girls were hovering over me, carefully taking off my
soaking sweatshirt and jeans. I was embarrassed but relieved to have the heavy clothes that might as well
have been sheets of ice removed from my body. One of the girls draped Jess's jacket over my shoulders
and zipped it up, while another girl fashioned a sort of skirt for me with Drew's jacket. I felt another dry jacket
wrapped around my head and two others swaddling my feet and lower legs. I felt like a mummy, but it was a
hundred times better. I heard Jess's voice before I had realized he had returned.
"Good job. She's already looking better." I felt tired, and though not quite so icy, I still felt cold. I dreamed
of being home in front of the fireplace drinking hot chocolate. Again I felt Jess's grip-this time under my
shoulder blades and my knees as he carried me away from the lake and through the trees. Jess loaded me
into the backseat of a car. I recognized the man and woman in the front seat as the Bartons, an older couple
that lived on our street. I heard Jess and the four girls saying something outside, and then Jess slipped onto
the backseat next to me and held me close to him as the car made its way down the road. He rubbed my
arm with his hand so vigorously I thought the jacket might start on fire. Shame overwhelmed me as I thought
about myself jumping into the freezing cold lake at free will. This whole catastrophe would have been a
completely different situation, almost romantic, had I been thrust into the pond by an unexpected gust of
wind. But the fact that I jumped in made me feel like an idiot. Maybe I was remembering it wrong. I was
probably in shock and thinking incorrectly. Maybe I hadn't jumped in after all! When my lips felt thawed
enough to move, I said in a frail whisper, "What happened?"
Jess looked down at the top of my head that was nuzzled into his chest. "You jumped into the water," he
replied callously.
I had jumped into the water, and Jess was upset about it, as he rightfully should be. "Why?" I felt so tired
and weak. I meant for the question to be rhetorical. I didn't expect Jess to know the answer, but he sighedand said, "I could make a guess.".
This scene is where Gemma started realising she felt more for Jess than just friendship. I found it amusing how far she went to get his attention back. And he was like a modern day hero *swoon*
Gemma and Jess both have serious daddy issues and both made my heart ache a little. It really does tug on your emotional heart strings when ones got cancer and the other a wife beater. And I must've chocked down at least 5 lumps in my throat and blinked away god knows how many tears.
You got to see these two young people develop and grow up and you feel like you've got to defend them and look out for them.
I just wanted to scream at Gemma sometimes though when she kept banging on about Trace when Alex- a popular, sweet, amazing guy was right there head over heels in love with her.
' When you first told me that Trace kissed you I was so mad. Not because you had your first
kiss, because you're beautiful and you deserve to have your first kiss with a guy that you like. But
because the honest truth of the matter is-I was hoping that I would be your first kiss. And even more
truthfully, I've always sort of hoped that I would also be your last kiss.'
Yes it's a little bit cheesy since he's 16 and she's 15 but you can't deny that it is not the cutest thing ever.
My favourite scene though has to be the lake scene.
And because I'm a top reviewer ill share part of it with you all!
He smiled at her. It wasn't just a smile to be polite. It was the Jess smile.
The Jess smile that belonged to me.
Without giving myself time to consider the consequences, I got up from the dirt, removed my Nike tennis
shoes, dug my toes into the sand, and then set off running toward the water. I ran as fast as I could and
finished with a cannon ball into the ice cold liquid. I was so shocked with what I had just done that the
temperature of the water didn't register to my brain. All I could feel was the slushy mud under my feet as my
head sank beneath the water. All at once I felt a million tiny jabs of ice pierce every inch of my body. Myhead throbbed as the water swirled around it, jabbing at my eyes and inner ears. The pond was quite
shallow so my head bobbed back up within a couple seconds, but even though my mouth was well out of the
water again, I couldn't catch my breath. I opened my eyes, though I could barely make out the figures
standing on the shore in front of me. I blinked the water away from my eyelashes and was finally able to
gasp on a breath of air.
I heard Jess's voice. "Gemma! Are you crazy?" His voice was strained as he side-stepped along the
water line to get closer to me. All the girls were quiet, though as I continued to blink I could tell that they were
watching with wild excitement, especially Drew. Jess looked terrified as he began pushing his way toward
me through the knee-deep water. I tried standing up as the water must have only been four feet deep where I
was, but the mud underneath me was too loose, and I couldn't get my footing. I tried swimming toward Jess,
but my arms and legs were too cold. I could barely feel them attached to my body. They felt more like blocksof ice attached to me with staples rather than arms and legs. The girls on the beach began shrieking with
terror as they realized that I was drifting further away. Before I knew what was happening, Jess was at my
side, chest-deep in the water.
"Here, take my hand." He reached for me, and I tried to reach back, but my arm felt like it weighed a
hundred pounds.
"I don't think I can," I spoke quickly. I was starting to panic. My body had never felt immovable like this. All I
could do was cock my head back to keep my face out of the water, but my feet were sinking into the mud,
and it was getting harder and harder to stay above the waves.
Jess moved quickly toward me until the water was up to his chin. "Grab my hand, Gemma." He reached
out as far as he could, but the water was lapping me away from shore, and his fingertips were still six inches
away from my bobbing body.
"I'm freezing Jess. I can't move my-" I couldn't even finish my sentence. A piece of my hair fell against mycheek. It felt stiff and cold like an ice cycle.
"Gemma!" Panic screamed from Jess's eyes as he dove toward me. He was completely buried in the
icy-cold liquid. And within seconds I felt him wrap both of his arms firmly around my waist. His grip felt like
thorns against my body as he dragged me to the shore that was a mere ten feet in front of us. I felt so
helpless. I couldn't move any part of my body, and yet somehow every part of me was shaking
uncontrollably. Jess dragged me to the dry sand, and Drew handed him his sweatshirt, which he had quickly
discarded before jumping in the water. He wrapped it around my shoulders, but it only pressed my icy
clothes closer to my skin. Drew handed her jacket to Jess next.
"Will this help?" Her expression was eager and sincere.
Jess was breathing hard. He must have been freezing himself. "Yes, but not with all these wet clothes on
her. I'm going to go to the road and flag someone down to help us. You need to take off her wet clothes and
cover her up with the dry jackets."The next thing I knew Jess was gone and the four girls were hovering over me, carefully taking off my
soaking sweatshirt and jeans. I was embarrassed but relieved to have the heavy clothes that might as well
have been sheets of ice removed from my body. One of the girls draped Jess's jacket over my shoulders
and zipped it up, while another girl fashioned a sort of skirt for me with Drew's jacket. I felt another dry jacket
wrapped around my head and two others swaddling my feet and lower legs. I felt like a mummy, but it was a
hundred times better. I heard Jess's voice before I had realized he had returned.
"Good job. She's already looking better." I felt tired, and though not quite so icy, I still felt cold. I dreamed
of being home in front of the fireplace drinking hot chocolate. Again I felt Jess's grip-this time under my
shoulder blades and my knees as he carried me away from the lake and through the trees. Jess loaded me
into the backseat of a car. I recognized the man and woman in the front seat as the Bartons, an older couple
that lived on our street. I heard Jess and the four girls saying something outside, and then Jess slipped onto
the backseat next to me and held me close to him as the car made its way down the road. He rubbed my
arm with his hand so vigorously I thought the jacket might start on fire. Shame overwhelmed me as I thought
about myself jumping into the freezing cold lake at free will. This whole catastrophe would have been a
completely different situation, almost romantic, had I been thrust into the pond by an unexpected gust of
wind. But the fact that I jumped in made me feel like an idiot. Maybe I was remembering it wrong. I was
probably in shock and thinking incorrectly. Maybe I hadn't jumped in after all! When my lips felt thawed
enough to move, I said in a frail whisper, "What happened?"
Jess looked down at the top of my head that was nuzzled into his chest. "You jumped into the water," he
replied callously.
I had jumped into the water, and Jess was upset about it, as he rightfully should be. "Why?" I felt so tired
and weak. I meant for the question to be rhetorical. I didn't expect Jess to know the answer, but he sighedand said, "I could make a guess.".
This scene is where Gemma started realising she felt more for Jess than just friendship. I found it amusing how far she went to get his attention back. And he was like a modern day hero *swoon*
March 12, 2012
aaawwwwwww estos tipos de libros me encantan, son tan frescos y te llevan en una nube llena de amor juvenil y te hace recordar esos tiempos de escuelas que matarias por volver a pasar o no regresar ahi, jajajaja...
Gem, esta chica-adolescente habia veces que queria pegarle pero habia que entenderla era joven, un niña casi y bueno casi todos hemos pasado por ahi y cometemos muchos errores y no pensamos mucho las cosas pero de repente algo te golpea tan fuerte que es tiempo de madurar y crecer de prestarle atencion a cosas muchos mas importantes y no hacer mucho drama con cosas que tienen facil solucion...
Jess, aawww ese chico es un dulce, tan maduro pero tan lentooo, jajajaja eso lo veiamos venir pero se demoraron tanto tiempooo pero de todas maneras fue especial y siempre leiamos esos momentos que te hacian suspirar.
Al principio fue un libro divertido, con tonterias de adolescentes que el problema mas grande eran "la gente popular" y no tener amigos pero poco a poco el tema del libro va variando y entramos en otros mas complejos como maltrato familiar, alcoholismo y leucemia, que son temas fuertes pero no profundizo mucho sobre ellos, hubo cabos sueltos pero que solo nos queda llenarlos con esperanza pensando que todo saldria bien.
Gem, esta chica-adolescente habia veces que queria pegarle pero habia que entenderla era joven, un niña casi y bueno casi todos hemos pasado por ahi y cometemos muchos errores y no pensamos mucho las cosas pero de repente algo te golpea tan fuerte que es tiempo de madurar y crecer de prestarle atencion a cosas muchos mas importantes y no hacer mucho drama con cosas que tienen facil solucion...
Jess, aawww ese chico es un dulce, tan maduro pero tan lentooo, jajajaja eso lo veiamos venir pero se demoraron tanto tiempooo pero de todas maneras fue especial y siempre leiamos esos momentos que te hacian suspirar.
Al principio fue un libro divertido, con tonterias de adolescentes que el problema mas grande eran "la gente popular" y no tener amigos pero poco a poco el tema del libro va variando y entramos en otros mas complejos como maltrato familiar, alcoholismo y leucemia, que son temas fuertes pero no profundizo mucho sobre ellos, hubo cabos sueltos pero que solo nos queda llenarlos con esperanza pensando que todo saldria bien.
April 22, 2015
Cover: Makes you smile
My Rating: 76/100
Overall: Alright
Page Turner: Sure
Recommend: Sure
COMMENTS: A heart-warming romance well played out. I honestly picked it up because of the title that wasn't explained until, literally, the very end. So worth the read, I started and finished it in one day.
My Rating: 76/100
Overall: Alright
Page Turner: Sure
Recommend: Sure
COMMENTS: A heart-warming romance well played out. I honestly picked it up because of the title that wasn't explained until, literally, the very end. So worth the read, I started and finished it in one day.
September 12, 2011
Quietly Perfect.
This book did exactly what it says on the tin. :) It was a young YA romance, refreshingly frank, innocent and with the perfect boy next door as the hero. There were no criminals, or blood thirsty vampires. The life lessons learned were true to life and age appropriate. I wouldn't mind giving this book to a twelve year old to read and I think they'd enjoy it just as much as I did.
The storyline was fairly straight forward and covered quite a bit time-wise. Girl has next door neighbour best friend with family problems. Girl realises she maybe likes him more than she should. There were plenty of high school moments, although most didn't not feature Jess. This book was a refreshing read, and just what YA market (now seemingly more interested in a 17+ audience), needs.
I really liked Gemma. She grows up a lot in this story: she finds her footing as it were. It's not the story where the loner girl suddenly becomes popular, if anything it's the opposite and I guess that makes her transformation even more meaningful. She starts to stand up for herself, know right from wrong and stick to it. I also loved how independent and caring Jess was. He was also observant and funny; I wish I'd had someone like that living next door to me growing up!
This novel doesn't have crazy twists and turns, but it's still very compelling and I finished it in a single evening. Thank you Ms Palmer for writing something traditional, but fresh, with a main character who is 100% human in all senses of the word.
This book did exactly what it says on the tin. :) It was a young YA romance, refreshingly frank, innocent and with the perfect boy next door as the hero. There were no criminals, or blood thirsty vampires. The life lessons learned were true to life and age appropriate. I wouldn't mind giving this book to a twelve year old to read and I think they'd enjoy it just as much as I did.
The storyline was fairly straight forward and covered quite a bit time-wise. Girl has next door neighbour best friend with family problems. Girl realises she maybe likes him more than she should. There were plenty of high school moments, although most didn't not feature Jess. This book was a refreshing read, and just what YA market (now seemingly more interested in a 17+ audience), needs.
I really liked Gemma. She grows up a lot in this story: she finds her footing as it were. It's not the story where the loner girl suddenly becomes popular, if anything it's the opposite and I guess that makes her transformation even more meaningful. She starts to stand up for herself, know right from wrong and stick to it. I also loved how independent and caring Jess was. He was also observant and funny; I wish I'd had someone like that living next door to me growing up!
This novel doesn't have crazy twists and turns, but it's still very compelling and I finished it in a single evening. Thank you Ms Palmer for writing something traditional, but fresh, with a main character who is 100% human in all senses of the word.
September 30, 2011
I decided to read "Second Kiss" because I wanted to read something sweet and romantic. I thought this book might be it but I was kind of right and wrong at the same time.
"Second Kiss" start with the sweet details of Gemma and her best friend, Jess who live next door. However, after that I'm bored with Gemma and the story. I think the story is too slow and Gemma is so annoying. Then, when I about to stop reading it, the story's picking up again.
For characters...I think every character in "Second Kiss" are tough. I feel sad when I find out about Jess'dad and Gemma's dad. I love Jess, though. He's so cute and selfless. Gemma, she like every normal girl who has doubt in herself; it show from the way she told the story or talked about herself. Sometimes I think she’s so smart but at the same time incredibly stupid. She do grow up at the end of the story. However, those characters make this story interesting or less interesting in their own way.
Overall, "Second Kiss" is not that bad...at least the beginning and ending are sweet and a little bit romantic. So two stars for this book.
"Second Kiss" start with the sweet details of Gemma and her best friend, Jess who live next door. However, after that I'm bored with Gemma and the story. I think the story is too slow and Gemma is so annoying. Then, when I about to stop reading it, the story's picking up again.
For characters...I think every character in "Second Kiss" are tough. I feel sad when I find out about Jess'dad and Gemma's dad. I love Jess, though. He's so cute and selfless. Gemma, she like every normal girl who has doubt in herself; it show from the way she told the story or talked about herself. Sometimes I think she’s so smart but at the same time incredibly stupid. She do grow up at the end of the story. However, those characters make this story interesting or less interesting in their own way.
Overall, "Second Kiss" is not that bad...at least the beginning and ending are sweet and a little bit romantic. So two stars for this book.
January 21, 2013
I LOVED this book!
This story is about a young teenager - 14/15ish - and her true-to-life teenaged life. The chapters are the perfect length and intriguing, making this book an easy read. I loved that the story is clean - no pre-mature sexual explorations - just innocent, young love.
I thought the author did a good job of capturing what a teenaged girl is like. Between memories of my own childhood and watching my sweet niece at this same age, I really thought the main character, Gemma, was just like her real life counterparts. I found myself thinking, on more than one occasion, that Palmer must have kept a detailed journal growing up or had a super memory... she just really nailed typical teenage girl behavior. Right down to the friendships Gemma had.
Not only am I recommending this to my nieces, I am purchasing it for them. I have full confidence this is a story they will love and their mom will appreciate -- like I said, no sex.
Keep them coming, Natalie Palmer! I can't wait for the sequel!
This story is about a young teenager - 14/15ish - and her true-to-life teenaged life. The chapters are the perfect length and intriguing, making this book an easy read. I loved that the story is clean - no pre-mature sexual explorations - just innocent, young love.
I thought the author did a good job of capturing what a teenaged girl is like. Between memories of my own childhood and watching my sweet niece at this same age, I really thought the main character, Gemma, was just like her real life counterparts. I found myself thinking, on more than one occasion, that Palmer must have kept a detailed journal growing up or had a super memory... she just really nailed typical teenage girl behavior. Right down to the friendships Gemma had.
Not only am I recommending this to my nieces, I am purchasing it for them. I have full confidence this is a story they will love and their mom will appreciate -- like I said, no sex.
Keep them coming, Natalie Palmer! I can't wait for the sequel!
December 29, 2015
★★½
This book could have been so much better had I come to like Gemma. I admit I was hoping Gemma to be more mature, at least enough to suit Jess. But to me, she seemed rather self-absorbed if not really selfish and utterly weak. It did not help that the plot was slow-paced and a little boring. In my opinion, the only good thing about this book was Jess.
This book could have been so much better had I come to like Gemma. I admit I was hoping Gemma to be more mature, at least enough to suit Jess. But to me, she seemed rather self-absorbed if not really selfish and utterly weak. It did not help that the plot was slow-paced and a little boring. In my opinion, the only good thing about this book was Jess.
March 22, 2012
This book it's so amazing i really love it! I can't imagine the amazing of that! I'm so excited for all the book! I love Jess is so cute and Gem is a amazing girl! <3
September 24, 2013
I just adore it!
This pretty much sums up my reaction about the book:
This pretty much sums up my reaction about the book:
July 22, 2021
I liked the book, the story a little slow and sad
March 14, 2011
I needed to read something light and charming and hopeful and delightful, yet not empty because I can't abide empty books, and Second Kiss delivered in spades1.
Gemma and Jess are one of those duos that dumbfounds me; they've known each other since they were knee high to a grasshopper, have lived across the street from each other since they were born, even, and have walked to school every day since Jess's mom offered him as an escort for Gemma on her first day kindergarten2. I'm a military brat since birth, so every time I come across someone like this, my eyes kind of bug out. It seems unnatural to me to be in one place that long, let alone to know someone you're not directly related to for so long, but I so enjoy reading about it. Y'all might find this sort of thing to be mundane, but it's incredibly exotic to my mind.
I loved the relationship between Gemma and Jess. It's the sort of relationship that you either have and are eternally grateful for, or, if you don't, wish you had or spend your whole life looking for.
The story was very character driven. There were some big issues that Gemma and Jess had to deal with as they grew up but it always came back to how they relied on each other to get through those rough patches. Up to a point, that is. Eventually they must learn to stand on their own, and it's a hard lesson to learn for two people who have spent their whole lives sharing each other's burdens.
Second Kiss wasn't just an endearing say-awww-at-the-end-of-every-chapter3 story, though. It also had a lot of humor. Gemma's life is ripe with embarrassing stories that she shares with Jess. He gives her a sense of balance, and, while he may not always make her feel better about her lot, he at least gives her perspective. He also gives her the Jess Smile4. Who wouldn't feel better about having sat by the dumpster all day after being on the receiving end of that? And, no, the story wasn't all smiles and adorableness; Jess, as the synopsis let on about, is dealing with very serious issues that lead him to rely more heavily on Gemma for consolation and strength. Gemma, who is incredibly naive and in some ways childish, has to grow up as she learns to help her friend deal and as she, too, learns to deal with her own drama. She was a bit dramatic at times, but I never found it to be annoying because that's just who she was. My only issue was that Jess sometimes seemed like he had always been 16-17 and Gemma had to grow into him. I suppose it was because he had to grow up a lot faster than Gem5, due in no small part to his home life, but it was due to his God-given nature6.
Another thing I loved about this book was Gemma's family. Her parents were very realistic and loving and, most importantly of all, present. Her family was there through all the drama and she talked with her mom and dad about her life. They weren't just cardboard standee type characters,either, they were just as real as Gemma in their troubles and reactions and failures and triumphs. I loved them.
Anywhoodle.
I give Second Kiss...
...4 1/2 stars.
I can't even explain what it is that I love so much about this book. It was endearing, and sweet, and hopeful, and real, and so full of adorable and love that you simply must read it. Seriously. Second Kiss is my new favorite love story, and Gem and Jess are one of my favorite duos.
i am
zombie giRRRl
& i recommend
this book
footnotes___________________________________________
1 Fear not, Reader, I read this the week after St. Valtentine's Day. The Lenten Reading Challenge lives on!
2 Jess is one year older than Gemma, though lightyears more mature. I loved the contrast of Gemma's dramatic innocent naivete with Jess' wise and stalwart sweetness.
3 Which, BTW, I did. At the end of almost every chapter, I just closed the book for a moment and basked in the charm of this story.
4 The Jess Smile has great power. It could bring about world peace. On the flip side, it could also start wars, if mis-fired...
5 Jess was the only person allowed to call her Gem.
6 He was just an old soul with a very mature outlook on love and life. Oh! I just realized what I like about him so much: Jess was a gentleman, pure and simple. But I digress.
Gemma and Jess are one of those duos that dumbfounds me; they've known each other since they were knee high to a grasshopper, have lived across the street from each other since they were born, even, and have walked to school every day since Jess's mom offered him as an escort for Gemma on her first day kindergarten2. I'm a military brat since birth, so every time I come across someone like this, my eyes kind of bug out. It seems unnatural to me to be in one place that long, let alone to know someone you're not directly related to for so long, but I so enjoy reading about it. Y'all might find this sort of thing to be mundane, but it's incredibly exotic to my mind.
I loved the relationship between Gemma and Jess. It's the sort of relationship that you either have and are eternally grateful for, or, if you don't, wish you had or spend your whole life looking for.
The story was very character driven. There were some big issues that Gemma and Jess had to deal with as they grew up but it always came back to how they relied on each other to get through those rough patches. Up to a point, that is. Eventually they must learn to stand on their own, and it's a hard lesson to learn for two people who have spent their whole lives sharing each other's burdens.
Second Kiss wasn't just an endearing say-awww-at-the-end-of-every-chapter3 story, though. It also had a lot of humor. Gemma's life is ripe with embarrassing stories that she shares with Jess. He gives her a sense of balance, and, while he may not always make her feel better about her lot, he at least gives her perspective. He also gives her the Jess Smile4. Who wouldn't feel better about having sat by the dumpster all day after being on the receiving end of that? And, no, the story wasn't all smiles and adorableness; Jess, as the synopsis let on about, is dealing with very serious issues that lead him to rely more heavily on Gemma for consolation and strength. Gemma, who is incredibly naive and in some ways childish, has to grow up as she learns to help her friend deal and as she, too, learns to deal with her own drama. She was a bit dramatic at times, but I never found it to be annoying because that's just who she was. My only issue was that Jess sometimes seemed like he had always been 16-17 and Gemma had to grow into him. I suppose it was because he had to grow up a lot faster than Gem5, due in no small part to his home life, but it was due to his God-given nature6.
Another thing I loved about this book was Gemma's family. Her parents were very realistic and loving and, most importantly of all, present. Her family was there through all the drama and she talked with her mom and dad about her life. They weren't just cardboard standee type characters,either, they were just as real as Gemma in their troubles and reactions and failures and triumphs. I loved them.
Anywhoodle.
I give Second Kiss...
...4 1/2 stars.
I can't even explain what it is that I love so much about this book. It was endearing, and sweet, and hopeful, and real, and so full of adorable and love that you simply must read it. Seriously. Second Kiss is my new favorite love story, and Gem and Jess are one of my favorite duos.
i am
zombie giRRRl
& i recommend
this book
footnotes___________________________________________
1 Fear not, Reader, I read this the week after St. Valtentine's Day. The Lenten Reading Challenge lives on!
2 Jess is one year older than Gemma, though lightyears more mature. I loved the contrast of Gemma's dramatic innocent naivete with Jess' wise and stalwart sweetness.
3 Which, BTW, I did. At the end of almost every chapter, I just closed the book for a moment and basked in the charm of this story.
4 The Jess Smile has great power. It could bring about world peace. On the flip side, it could also start wars, if mis-fired...
5 Jess was the only person allowed to call her Gem.
6 He was just an old soul with a very mature outlook on love and life. Oh! I just realized what I like about him so much: Jess was a gentleman, pure and simple. But I digress.
July 12, 2012
Second Kiss is a story about how love and friendship can help you get through the hardest times of your life.
Gemma is a normal teenager. As one she goes to school, hangs out with her friends, has her fair share of crushes… more like only one, but whatever. She has a happy home life, awesome loving parents, an older sister who annoys her sometimes, but that’s what big sisters are for (me being one of them). She has a best friend who she’s very close to, a best friend who’s everything to her. Her life is sort of complete, as any teenager’s life can be. It has its drama moments, just like in any other teenager’s life. Friends that come and go, fights and tantrums, bad news, trouble. First loves and first kisses. Gemma’s life is, at the very least, uncomplicated.
Nothing like Jess’. Jess Tyler is a couple of years older than Gemma, he’s her best friend since they were little kids. Jess’ life, in comparison to Gemma’s, is everything but uncomplicated. Unlike Gemma, Jess has serious issues going down, a father that drinks to drown his problems instead of taking better care of his family being the biggest of all. Jess is a protector, you can see it from the start in the way he takes care of Gemma and looks out for her. He protects her, his family, but who protects him?
I fell in love with this book instantly. The friendship between Gemma and Jess warmed my heart and made me hope they could get their happy ending. As problems grow for Jess he holds onto Gemma for support. She’s his rock; she’s what keeps him sane and going. They are a constant in each other’s lives, and their friendship and chemistry flows easily. They face more pain and heartache than most teenagers go through, but leaning into each other they make it through, they keep on going.
I loved how, even though people tried to put them against the other, they didn’t break. Their bond went deeper than that. It was one of those friendships that last forever. They trusted each other completely, never doubting or accusing. And when Gemma’s problems are the ones growing Jess is there for her, just like she is for him.
Second Kiss broke my heart a million times over. I was not expecting it to make me so emotional; I was not expecting it to actually make me cry. I actually tear up now, as I remember all they had to go through. It made my heart ache to see them in pain, but it warmed me to see that they were together and then had someone to count on through it all. I kept hoping for them to finally see how they actually felt towards the others, to see that their feelings ran deeper than just being friends. And when they did, well I was crying again, but this time because I was happy.
Second Kiss was incredibly sweet and tender, and all that much heartbreaking. It was a book I didn’t want to see end. I wanted to see more of the relationship that was just starting. Second Kiss is one of those books that I will forever hold close to my heart, it was a beautiful book, there’s really no other way of describing it… it was unbelievably sweet and beautiful.
Gemma is a normal teenager. As one she goes to school, hangs out with her friends, has her fair share of crushes… more like only one, but whatever. She has a happy home life, awesome loving parents, an older sister who annoys her sometimes, but that’s what big sisters are for (me being one of them). She has a best friend who she’s very close to, a best friend who’s everything to her. Her life is sort of complete, as any teenager’s life can be. It has its drama moments, just like in any other teenager’s life. Friends that come and go, fights and tantrums, bad news, trouble. First loves and first kisses. Gemma’s life is, at the very least, uncomplicated.
Nothing like Jess’. Jess Tyler is a couple of years older than Gemma, he’s her best friend since they were little kids. Jess’ life, in comparison to Gemma’s, is everything but uncomplicated. Unlike Gemma, Jess has serious issues going down, a father that drinks to drown his problems instead of taking better care of his family being the biggest of all. Jess is a protector, you can see it from the start in the way he takes care of Gemma and looks out for her. He protects her, his family, but who protects him?
I fell in love with this book instantly. The friendship between Gemma and Jess warmed my heart and made me hope they could get their happy ending. As problems grow for Jess he holds onto Gemma for support. She’s his rock; she’s what keeps him sane and going. They are a constant in each other’s lives, and their friendship and chemistry flows easily. They face more pain and heartache than most teenagers go through, but leaning into each other they make it through, they keep on going.
I loved how, even though people tried to put them against the other, they didn’t break. Their bond went deeper than that. It was one of those friendships that last forever. They trusted each other completely, never doubting or accusing. And when Gemma’s problems are the ones growing Jess is there for her, just like she is for him.
Second Kiss broke my heart a million times over. I was not expecting it to make me so emotional; I was not expecting it to actually make me cry. I actually tear up now, as I remember all they had to go through. It made my heart ache to see them in pain, but it warmed me to see that they were together and then had someone to count on through it all. I kept hoping for them to finally see how they actually felt towards the others, to see that their feelings ran deeper than just being friends. And when they did, well I was crying again, but this time because I was happy.
Second Kiss was incredibly sweet and tender, and all that much heartbreaking. It was a book I didn’t want to see end. I wanted to see more of the relationship that was just starting. Second Kiss is one of those books that I will forever hold close to my heart, it was a beautiful book, there’s really no other way of describing it… it was unbelievably sweet and beautiful.
“I didn’t get you the most powerful gem in the world just because I think you’re powerful,” he said with a teasing smile. “I got you the most powerful gem in the world because of us.”
August 16, 2012
I’m just finished reading (That Boy) and the urge is there for me to read again another book. I was scanned and looked through my books and saw this one. “Second Kiss”. It caught my attention because I thought, “what about the second kiss?” I was thinking if this story goes like the main character had her first kiss badly, or not with the person she truly loves; and the second kiss the love of her life. As I read further and finished this, well, I guess I got it right.
Gemma and Jesse are the best of friends ever since. Jesse is one year older to Gemma, but it didn’t matter. They talk almost every night (Jesse tapping the window from Gemma’s room with pebbles, then Gemma going to their porch), and since they’re from the same school, Jesse walks Gem from home to school and vice-versa. They always talk about almost anything – from the smallest things that happened on Gemma everyday to Jesse’s issues about his father. They are very very close that everyone who will see them will actually suspect that they are together (Gem’s mom also wish that it’s true. See? There is really something!). They experienced a lot of hardships together – which made them a lot more close to each other.
I gave 4 stars to this because I liked it, but I’m not that satisfied. First, the “second kiss” happened/was revealed on the last part, which frustrates me whenever they had a moment together and they didn’t kiss. Maybe it’s the style of the author in keeping the readers excited and hooked with the story, but you know, I kept on waiting. The moment that I’ve been waiting for is in the end. Well aside from that, I enjoyed reading this. I love it whenever they have their time together, Gemma feeling loved and being protected. Those scenes were my favorites. I like it when Gemma got jealous with Drew, and when Jesse got angry when Gem’s about to kiss Drew’s brother on her “fake birthday party”, but I love it when he got jealous when Gem told her that she had her first kiss with Trace.
I don’t know if this book has its sequel, but I do hope so, because I’m really looking forward to know more on what happened to Gem’s and Jesse’s lives together. Anyhow, this book is great and is a must-read, so read this if you haven’t.
Gemma and Jesse are the best of friends ever since. Jesse is one year older to Gemma, but it didn’t matter. They talk almost every night (Jesse tapping the window from Gemma’s room with pebbles, then Gemma going to their porch), and since they’re from the same school, Jesse walks Gem from home to school and vice-versa. They always talk about almost anything – from the smallest things that happened on Gemma everyday to Jesse’s issues about his father. They are very very close that everyone who will see them will actually suspect that they are together (Gem’s mom also wish that it’s true. See? There is really something!). They experienced a lot of hardships together – which made them a lot more close to each other.
I gave 4 stars to this because I liked it, but I’m not that satisfied. First, the “second kiss” happened/was revealed on the last part, which frustrates me whenever they had a moment together and they didn’t kiss. Maybe it’s the style of the author in keeping the readers excited and hooked with the story, but you know, I kept on waiting. The moment that I’ve been waiting for is in the end. Well aside from that, I enjoyed reading this. I love it whenever they have their time together, Gemma feeling loved and being protected. Those scenes were my favorites. I like it when Gemma got jealous with Drew, and when Jesse got angry when Gem’s about to kiss Drew’s brother on her “fake birthday party”, but I love it when he got jealous when Gem told her that she had her first kiss with Trace.
I don’t know if this book has its sequel, but I do hope so, because I’m really looking forward to know more on what happened to Gem’s and Jesse’s lives together. Anyhow, this book is great and is a must-read, so read this if you haven’t.
July 22, 2012
I don't like this. Maybe because I'm way passed fourteen. Made me wonder though, would I have done or felt the same thing as Gemma when I was her age, under the same circumstances? I somehow doubt it. The only thing I like about this book is the childhood love aspect of it. Again I'm a sucker for childhood romance. And I really like Jess, saving the book for going down to one star.
*Spoiler*
What I hate,
Gemma's indecisiveness -
I mean Trace VS Jess. Does she even have to think when the latter had done so much for her? I would have preferred the author describing about Gemma's feeling over Jess as a childhood friend rather than comparing him to Trace. I hate it that Gemma is being selfish and all wanting Jess all for herself but she still let Trace get under her skin.
Gemma's choice of friends -
The school is a bloody big place!! I don't think she tried hard enough in making friends. Or rather I have a feeling she is picky with her choice, making her stuck with the worst kind of people. And it happened twice!
Gemma's mentality on popularity -
I'm pretty sure we all had this issue before. Gemma seems to be stuck on this issue quite a lot too, and she's definitely bothered by it. Seems that the book revolved a lot on popularity and peer pressure. But what I don't see is the solution to overcome it.
I didn't really struggle through this book because it's a really light read. But I really don't like the pacing and probably the events that happened in this book, apart from Gemma and Jesse being together. I also wished the ending wasn't as abrupt, but then again there are a lot of things in this book that I wished were different.
*Spoiler*
What I hate,
Gemma's indecisiveness -
I mean Trace VS Jess. Does she even have to think when the latter had done so much for her? I would have preferred the author describing about Gemma's feeling over Jess as a childhood friend rather than comparing him to Trace. I hate it that Gemma is being selfish and all wanting Jess all for herself but she still let Trace get under her skin.
Gemma's choice of friends -
The school is a bloody big place!! I don't think she tried hard enough in making friends. Or rather I have a feeling she is picky with her choice, making her stuck with the worst kind of people. And it happened twice!
Gemma's mentality on popularity -
I'm pretty sure we all had this issue before. Gemma seems to be stuck on this issue quite a lot too, and she's definitely bothered by it. Seems that the book revolved a lot on popularity and peer pressure. But what I don't see is the solution to overcome it.
I didn't really struggle through this book because it's a really light read. But I really don't like the pacing and probably the events that happened in this book, apart from Gemma and Jesse being together. I also wished the ending wasn't as abrupt, but then again there are a lot of things in this book that I wished were different.
January 13, 2012
More of my reviews at www.obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com
My Rating 4.5/5 stars
Gemma Mitchell is a sweet, 14 year-old girl who manages to get herself into embarrassing situations, she is a bit of a loner with very few school friends but relies on her best friend since childhood Jess Tyler to always be there for her. Jess is popular, good looking and absolutely devoted to all things Gemma but she didn’t take much notice in him as more than a friend until she saw others paying him attention.
Gemma was a sweetheart although at times quite naïve and totally oblivious to the feelings Jess had for her and Jess was morally perfect, I adored them together and despite their ages (almost 15 & 16) I loved their sweet little romance and the friendship they shared.
Second Kiss is a wonderful story about personal growth and change, Jess has a hard home life living with an alcoholic and abusive father and Gemma’s father has his own health problems which puts strain on the family; I loved the support and friendship shared despite the emotional journey they were both on.
Second Kiss was such a fun and entertaining read; I was hooked on every word and couldn’t put it down, it was amazing. By the end of the book, I was completely engrossed in each of the main characters and got to know some of the secondary characters quite well.
Second Kiss by Natalie Palmer is written beautifully, it is such a captivating read and I would definitely love to read more by this wonderful author.
My Rating 4.5/5 stars
Gemma Mitchell is a sweet, 14 year-old girl who manages to get herself into embarrassing situations, she is a bit of a loner with very few school friends but relies on her best friend since childhood Jess Tyler to always be there for her. Jess is popular, good looking and absolutely devoted to all things Gemma but she didn’t take much notice in him as more than a friend until she saw others paying him attention.
Gemma was a sweetheart although at times quite naïve and totally oblivious to the feelings Jess had for her and Jess was morally perfect, I adored them together and despite their ages (almost 15 & 16) I loved their sweet little romance and the friendship they shared.
Second Kiss is a wonderful story about personal growth and change, Jess has a hard home life living with an alcoholic and abusive father and Gemma’s father has his own health problems which puts strain on the family; I loved the support and friendship shared despite the emotional journey they were both on.
Second Kiss was such a fun and entertaining read; I was hooked on every word and couldn’t put it down, it was amazing. By the end of the book, I was completely engrossed in each of the main characters and got to know some of the secondary characters quite well.
Second Kiss by Natalie Palmer is written beautifully, it is such a captivating read and I would definitely love to read more by this wonderful author.
November 17, 2012
Second Kiss is such a heartfelt story about young love.
Oh, young love. Why do you keep doing this to my heart? I'm a sucker for bestfriends-turned-lovers love story, so would it be a surprise that Second Kiss will appeal to me as much? Well, no.
Though at times, Gemma's character can be quite annoying especially with all the growing up thing and changes. It's okay to freak out about it and have a certain naiveness and innocent but there's such things as too much. I wasn't really fond of the characters, especially the female ones. But the plot and the overall romantic tension between Gemma and Jesse is enough to compel me to love the book.
I'm absolutely in love with how Gemma and Jesse. Their bond is so strong, it's unbreakable. It's so sweet. That's why I love this kind of love story because you're so close with this person that you can absolutely be who you are them then why not just spend the rest of your life with them? They can be both your best friend AND partner in life.
That's basically Gemma and Jesse. How they were there for each other and how Jesse looks out for Gemma. Basically, Jesse is feeling weird about this growing up thing but handles it quite well but Gemma, seems overreacting at times. I don't know why popularity or status have to be such a big deal while Jesse doesn't even give a crap about it.
Anyway, I just have a lot of feels. Again.
Oh, young love. Why do you keep doing this to my heart? I'm a sucker for bestfriends-turned-lovers love story, so would it be a surprise that Second Kiss will appeal to me as much? Well, no.
Though at times, Gemma's character can be quite annoying especially with all the growing up thing and changes. It's okay to freak out about it and have a certain naiveness and innocent but there's such things as too much. I wasn't really fond of the characters, especially the female ones. But the plot and the overall romantic tension between Gemma and Jesse is enough to compel me to love the book.
I'm absolutely in love with how Gemma and Jesse. Their bond is so strong, it's unbreakable. It's so sweet. That's why I love this kind of love story because you're so close with this person that you can absolutely be who you are them then why not just spend the rest of your life with them? They can be both your best friend AND partner in life.
That's basically Gemma and Jesse. How they were there for each other and how Jesse looks out for Gemma. Basically, Jesse is feeling weird about this growing up thing but handles it quite well but Gemma, seems overreacting at times. I don't know why popularity or status have to be such a big deal while Jesse doesn't even give a crap about it.
Anyway, I just have a lot of feels. Again.
December 26, 2012
¡YO QUIERO UN MEJOR AMIGO COMO JESS! Esta es una historia, muy linda. Gemma es una niña muy dulce y tierna, en mi opinión. Tiene que sobrevivir un año sin estar junto a su mejor amigo en la escuela y al mismo tiempo ir creciendo, morí de la risa cuando ella le dijo a Jess que ya usaba sujetador... y la carta final que el le deja a ella antes de ir al Aeropuerto... (Me derrito, me derrito) Tal vez la historia para muchos sea empalagosa, pero, es de esas historias que hacen que cada vez que lees algo importante, se forme un nudo en tu estomago, es de esos tipos de dulces, que piensas que serán empalagosos pero tienen un sabor equilibrado y perfecto. Habla sobre las amistades, y también sobre los conceptos que las personas tienen sobre los demás (Como cuando sus amigas dicen que Jess es super popular, pero en realidad, su popularidad solo está basada en los comentarios de los demás y en realidad, está solo sin la compañía de su mejor amiga Gemma)Como las amistades, o personas que entre más separadas esten, más se alejan (Como las primeras amigas de Gemma)
Yo lo Ame, en especial a Jess...
Yo lo Ame, en especial a Jess...
March 10, 2014
Second Kiss is a lot like Sarah Dessen books. Is a very corny but catchy book about tow bestfriends that are finding out there true feelings for each other. This is such a corny love story but it was very hard to put down the book because you get so attached with the characters and the love story that you can connect to it because some of the things Gemma does of feels a young girl falling in love for the first time or getting her first kiss would also feel.
I thought that because this book was about middle school kid i would just get bored of it and just think i would not like it but at first i thought she was a high schooler and once she said she was in middle school i did not care because the way the book was written it was not like it was written for young kids.
i really recommend this book because it always keeps you hopping for more corny love and not only that but there are also more than just live problems that everyone can relate to but there are also family problems that touch your heart and make you fall in love with the characters eve more
I thought that because this book was about middle school kid i would just get bored of it and just think i would not like it but at first i thought she was a high schooler and once she said she was in middle school i did not care because the way the book was written it was not like it was written for young kids.
i really recommend this book because it always keeps you hopping for more corny love and not only that but there are also more than just live problems that everyone can relate to but there are also family problems that touch your heart and make you fall in love with the characters eve more
October 10, 2011
I was completely enthralled with this one! I had kept hoping and hoping that Gemma and Jess would just turn to each other, but the journey was well worth the wait. I really loved the set up of this book.
Gemma is really emotional, she tries so hard to be brave and make new friends when Jess goes to high school, leaving her in JR High alone. I was about in tears when she realized that she would have to walk to school alone.
It had a few cringe worthy parts, but for the most part, I loved the book. I really felt for Jess and was glad that Gemma was in his life for him to talk to and to have for a support system when things don't seem to go right. I really do recommend this book to be read.
Gemma is really emotional, she tries so hard to be brave and make new friends when Jess goes to high school, leaving her in JR High alone. I was about in tears when she realized that she would have to walk to school alone.
It had a few cringe worthy parts, but for the most part, I loved the book. I really felt for Jess and was glad that Gemma was in his life for him to talk to and to have for a support system when things don't seem to go right. I really do recommend this book to be read.
June 22, 2011
This was a good book, but it was fluff, although very enjoyable. it was defiantly not a thinker, and did not have very much depth, but was a cute little romance that i tore through pretty quickly (half a day) and although you knew the entire time where the book was going to end up it still had a few twists and turns that actually did surprise me.
November 10, 2011
Second Kiss was an emotional story, which I loved reading. I could feel both Jess and Gemma's emotions and heartaches throughout the book. At the end, I cried. I don't usually cry when reading books, but when I do I know I have read a unique book that I will always remember - like Second Kiss.
January 23, 2012
I thought that this would be a sweet story. It sort of was, but I didn't find the characters to be very realistic. Jess was too perfect and Gemma was pretty annoying. I also thought that they acted a bit too young to be in ninth and tenth grade.
October 6, 2010
I thought this was such a sweet coming of age story. It mixed humor with serious situations and I feel that we need more young adult books just like this one. I really enjoyed it
January 28, 2011
i absoultly adord this book, my whole like ive always wanted a Jess. This has one of the best books ive read the last couple months i defintly recomend to everyone and hope so much for a sequel!
August 8, 2012
Simplemente hermoso!!! Jess ♥
October 17, 2012
I truly loved this book. The only but that I have is that it was predictable since the beginning, but that did not stopped me from reading it. Everything is possible when you believe in love :)
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