From the Bookshelf of YAholics Anonymous!…

This Is What Happy Looks Like (This is What Happy Looks Like, #1)

Jennifer E. Smith

Start date: March 1, 2014

Finish date: March 31, 2014

Discussion: Group Read

Why we're reading this: Contemporary BotM
[close] Contemporary BotM

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Group Read

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What Members Thought

Jun 08, 2014 Audrey Platz rated it it was amazing

As soon as I Picked this book up I knew it was going to be different and catch my attention and it did! I thought it was so funny that the 2 main characters met by mistake and how strong their friendship formed!:) I could not put this book down and there were times when I wished I was living in that town, despite all the paparazzi taking over the cute little town! Throughout the book there were heart breaks, confusion, the past revealing it's self in the most unlikely times and two friends who w ...more

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May 29, 2014 Emma Andje rated it liked it

I was extremely intrigued by the description of the book. When I first started reading young adult books, I read Teen Idol by Meg Cabot and loved it, multiple times at that because I picked it up with a different cover and description at the library and decided to reread it after the realization that it was a book I had previously read. That being said, the summary of This is What Happy Looks Like sounded very similar to Teen Idol, and I knew I had to read it.

Unfortunately, it was a little bit I was extremely intrigued by the description of the book. When I first started reading young adult books, I read Teen Idol by Meg Cabot and loved it, multiple times at that because I picked it up with a different cover and description at the library and decided to reread it after the realization that it was a book I had previously read. That being said, the summary of This is What Happy Looks Like sounded very similar to Teen Idol, and I knew I had to read it.

Unfortunately, it was a little bit of a disappointment; I think I had such high hopes for it, that it might have dissatisfying no matter what. It wasn’t the story itself that fell flat, I think it was the characters, they just needed that extra oomph to make them more lifelike. The ending was also a letdown because it leaves so many loose ends. Thankfully, I have learned in the time since I have read this that there is a short story sequel which deals with some of those pesky loose ends, so I will certainly have to check that out. Normally, I can deal with some loose ends in books, I may not like them, but I can handle them. This didn’t seem to have average loose ends, though, it sort of read as though the author got lazy, or didn’t know exactly how to end it at the time.

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t not like this book, it was still okay and I am glad to have read it, but it could have been so much more. I had read another of her books previously, and also felt that it was just average, even though it is one of my closest friend’s favorite book. You know the old saying, “It’s not you, it’s me?” It may be exactly that in my case, I just don’t think I mesh quite well with this author’s writing, which is too bad, I really hate when that happens. I am willing to continue reading her work, as another old saying says, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.” If this book sounds interesting to you at all, you should definitely check out Teen Idol by Meg Cabot as well before you give this one a try.
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Dec 08, 2014 Abi rated it liked it

3.5 very very cheesy. But I have to admit there was some really cute moments between them.

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Sep 16, 2013 Hayley Dick rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-i-own, re-read, library-books, foreign-language

I'm a sucker for the *everyday girl falls in love with a movie star* YA contemporary trope. Unsure why, but I just am.
I reread this book as I bought the French language edition and wanted to read them side-by-side. I gave that up maybe two chapters in and just read the English version straight through.
Love it. I do love a good fluffy contemporary novel. It's pretty standard as general plotlines go and pretty predictable, but hey, who doesn't love a story like that? ...more

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