How To Love by Katie Cotugno → Start Date: November 2nd, 2013

[Katie]

Vicki and I will be reading How to Love. Anyone else is welcome to join.

[Vicki]

Katie, thanks for making the thread. Will this be our first buddy read together? I am excited to get together with you.

[Katie]

Yeah, it will be our first. I'm new to the group, so I've never done one before.

[Katie]

Are you ready for this tomorrow?

[Vicki]

Katie, yes, I am ready! I had jury duty yesterday and then went to my niece's for dinner so didn't really get on GR much so I missed this.

Since you have never done a BR before, and it appears it's just you and I, we have a couple options:

One: Read when you want and report back (post) whenever you have something to say (often one or more will get ahead and others behind since we read at different speeds and unplanned interruptions/events occur). Or we simply say let's report back every 5 or 10 chapters, depending on the length. The end of ch. 10 is page 58 on my NOOK

Two: We plan a scheduled reading speed and try to stick with it. That is decided upon by the participants.

This particular book has 53 chapters, so we could decide to read any number of chapters or pages a day. I prefer chapters because some have a Kindle, some a NOOK, some a paper/hard book, etc.

Example for this book:

Day 1: Ch. 1-10
Day 2: Ch. 11-20
Day 3: Ch. 21-30
Day 4: Ch. 31-40
Day 5: Ch. 41-53

We can agree on a schedule such as the above, or say let's just read and post back every 5 or 10 chapters, in which case one person might finish day one and another in a week, or whatever.

What is your preference? Have you started it? I haven't as of yet.

[Katie]

I haven't started the book yet. I think it would be better to come back every 5 or 10 chapters and post since I don't know if I would be able to keep with a set schedule. I would probably fall behind during the week because of school.

[Vicki]

This is definitely a quick, light read, and I'm really glad that you asked for a buddy read because I am loving it.

Covers through chapter 5:

Sawyer: First, I love the name! It's original and I haven't seen it in other books. (view spoiler)[ I know that he "just disappeared" but I don't know the reason for that yet, so I'm reserving how I feel about him. I am not sure he knows that Hannah is his baby (at least that is what I got), so again I'm reserving my feelings. He did say, "I want to see that baby of yours." (hide spoiler)]

Reena: (view spoiler)[ She must not watch Teen Mom LOL or she might not have gotten pregnant at the tender age of 16. She is head over heels in love with Sawyer, and she has his child, so I get it. (hide spoiler)]

Allie: (view spoiler)[ A thief? Why? Their family has a housekeeper so they aren't hurting for money. I'm wondering why she's taken this route and why Reena will go with her to places where she can steal and Reena could be arrested as an accomplice. Then we find out that Sawyer gave her the necklace and she "didn't know Reena was serious" about how she felt about Sawyer. I'm not buying it. (hide spoiler)]

Roger and Lydia: (view spoiler)[I'm wondering if, since they've lived near Reena's family and are so close to her parents, they know whose baby Hannah is. I don't have to much to say about them yet. (hide spoiler)]

After and Before chapters. I love how she flashbacks and then flash forwards to present day.

Kincaid/Cade: No real thoughts on his character yet except perhaps he should have (view spoiler)[ known Reena would have wanted to know that Sawyer might be back. After all she IS Cade's sister. (hide spoiler)]

Soledad: (view spoiler)[ She seems to be a good stepmother and has raised Reena for a lot of years. So far I like her. (hide spoiler)]

Reena's dad: (view spoiler)[ I don't like that he wouldn't speak to Reena for so long when she told him she was pregnant. Yes, he'd be disappointed since she was SO young, but if he went from the priesthood as a goal to marrying Reena's mother, he at least should understand young love and hormones. Be disappointed and then move on to be supportive when his daughter needs her daddy the most. (hide spoiler)]

Lauren Werner: I simply wonder why (view spoiler)[ Reena hates her so much. Allie is friends with her, so that's a little unusual. (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

I have read the first 5 chapters now, too. I am really enjoying this so far, and I look forward to reading more of it.

(view spoiler)[I agree that I don't know what to think about Sawyer yet. I don't know if he knows Hannah is his. I like Reena so far, and I understand why she is worked up about Sawyer coming back. I feel like Allie should have realized that Reena liked Sawyer. I think that Cade and Reena's dad should have told her that Sawyer was back. I like Soledad as well. And I think we'll find out more about Lauren Werner later. I wondered about her too. (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Now I've read through chapter 10. This is a really good book so far. I'm enjoying the story and characters.

(view spoiler)[It is really interesting to read the Before and After because of the situation with Sawyer. I already know that he left, but in the Before chapters she has a crush on him and he hasn't left yet. It should be interesting to see what led up to him leaving. Shelby seems like a good character, and I don't have any opinion on Aaron yet because he hasn't been in the book very much. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Katie, I had to finish another book and have been gone most of the day at church, but I should be able to catch up and read through chapter 10 tonight.

[Katie]

I didn't mean to read as much of this book yet as I have, but I had trouble putting it down because I am loving it so much. I have finished chapter 21.

(view spoiler)[I love how it is obvious that Reena cares about Hannah. Though she is too young to be a mom, she is still a good mom to her daughter. She leaves Hannah with her family sometimes, but she actually takes responsibility for her daughter and raises her. What happened to Allie must be awful for Reena since they hadn't made up from the fight that they were in. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Katie, no worries! :o)

I am on chapter 17 and I am glad some questions are being answered.

Allie: (view spoiler)[ Poor Allie. I know she car wrecked and died but I haven't read if there was a particular cause for it yet. She was too young to die! (hide spoiler)]

Sawyer: (view spoiler)[ Evidently he left because of Allie's death. Is that what you got out of it, too? I guess he didn't know about the baby and now he wants to be a daddy, so kudos to him for that. I think leaving and not contacting anyone was irresponsible and inconsiderate, but I don't think Reena has good enough reason to treat him so badly for not being there for Hannah because he didn't know. (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

I agree with the things that you said. (view spoiler)[Allie's death was definitely too young and very sad. I do agree that her death probably has some connection to Sawyer leaving. And he definitely didn't know that Reena was pregnant. If he had known, I feel like he wouldn't have left and he would have been a dad to Hannah back when she was first born. (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

I'm partway through chapter 37.

(view spoiler)[Chapter 35 was a really good chapter. The scene at dinner was intense, with Sawyer showing up, and Reena getting mad at all the parents. The scene also made me realize that Sawyer didn't even know how his and Reena's families had treated Reena during her pregnancy. He didn't know how alone she had been through all of it. (hide spoiler)]

[Lady]

ive finished this book ....

and to everyone that thinks sawyer left because of allie's death, well it was not because of that for sure.

Anyone knows what's up with the slurpee, i dont really get that part..

the only thing about this book is that the characters seems to be too old soul for age 18 and 20. I my self is 20 years old and i just can't imagine my self going through all of that. In my mind, i always thought that theyre older until they remind me again that reena is still 18 years old.
It would have been better if reena got knocked up at 18, it would have been more realistic to me at least.

Tell me what you guys think of this novel! im having a "novelgasm" and im not ready to go back to reality yet. im still living in this novel's world . :p

Definitely worth a re-read sometime in the future.

[Vicki]

Katie, I am on chapter 25 but haven't been able to read hardly any the past couple days because of jury duty and yearbooks' first deadline is Monday. I'll have a 3 day weekend so keeping my fingers crossed. How far have you gotten?

Lady, I haven't read anything about why he left yet but you didn't use a spoiler so now I why Sawyer DIDN'T leave.

I'm glad you loved it! :o)

[Katie]

I've read through chapter 47, so I don't have very much left. I'll probably finish today and post some more thoughts under spoilers when I finish. Whenever you post stuff on what you've read, I'll be here to discuss.

[Vicki]

Okay, thanks! I hate it when I have TOO many interruptions!

[Katie]

I finished the book, and I loved it.

(view spoiler)[I liked reading about the romance between Reena and Sawyer. They had so many problems, but they still loved each other. I agree with something Sawyer said near the end about him being a good dad. I think that both he and Reena were good parents to Hannah. And the thing about him giving Allie the keys is interesting. I can see why that would make him feel guilty. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

I agree that Sawyer and Reena were (view spoiler)[ pretty good parents, especially for their ages. I've seen comments that their being good parents was unrealistic, but I disagree. I've seen and known of many very young parents who've been excellent parents. Family support is important. Oftentimes the pregnancy/parenthood grows a person up and they do step up to the plate. (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Yeah, (view spoiler)[I think it really just depends on the situation. Some people probably wouldn't get more responsible even if they became pregnant young, but others would step up and be a good parent to their child. (hide spoiler)]

[Lady]

vicki, im so sorry i didnt know how to use the spoiler thing.
did i ruin it for you?

[Vicki]

Lady wrote: "vicki, im so sorry i didnt know how to use the spoiler thing.
did i ruin it for you?"

No, no worries. :o)

[Vicki]

I finished last night but have been busy all day! I was happy to find out that (view spoiler)[Sawyer did stop before leaving town after all. :o) I loved how it ended with Reena stopping to see if Sawyer wanted to go with her and Hannah, (hide spoiler)]

Reena's father: (view spoiler)[ I am SO glad that he finally realized how wrong he was to not be there for his daughter during her pregnancy and for treating her so poorly since she got pregnant. Yes, he's disappointed, but she's a really good mom, especially considering her age. He should have been proud of her all along. (hide spoiler)]