Review: Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Poppy
Release date: September 1st 2015
Pages: 246
Genre: Young Adult contemporary romance
Source: NetGalley - I received a free eGalley of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
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On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan have only one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night leads them to family and friends, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Jennifer E. Smith's books are reliably fluffy romances - they're never too deep, and the character development and writing aren't the best, to be honest, but they're always fun, and Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between is no exception. 

I really like the premise of Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between. I love when YA books are set in that in-between-space after graduating high school and leaving for college, and the situation in this book is definitely relatable. I found myself looking back on myself right before leaving for college, and also relating Clare's transitions back to my current transition, having just graduated college and heading off to grad school in the fall (especially because me and Clare will be going to the same school!). I also love the premise of a couple deciding whether or not to stay together - in comparison to all the books with drama about a couple trying to get together that end at the "happily ever after," it's refreshing to read a book that actually explores what happens after.

I've read some reviews that were annoyed by Clare's indecisiveness and complained that she spent the whole book going back and forth between breaking up and staying together. But I didn't mind that at all because, well, wasn't that the point of the book? I understood Clare's indecisiveness; it makes sense to struggle with this when you consider that that Clare and Aidan love each other but that Clare is very practical about how hard it would be to sustain a long-distance relationship as freshmen in college. I also love how Jennifer E. Smith decided to resolve this issue; I was scared that, this being a romance(-y) novel, the ending would be cliched and overly happy, ignoring the reality of the situation and making the whole book kind of pointless. But the way she decided to end this book works perfectly; it'll satisfy readers who want a happy ending without being too dramatic or unrealistic.

To be fair, this book isn't perfect. Like I said earlier, Jennifer E. Smith's writing and characters aren't always the strongest, and I found the characters in Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between to be a little underdeveloped. It's not that any of the characters are bad, necessarily; they're just nothing special. Clare is the typical studious YA MC, and Aidan is the typical jock that turns out to be a sweetheart. The secondary characters, like their friends Scotty and Stella and their parents, are also relatively typical with no unpredictable developments. But, as usual in Jennifer E. Smith's books, I didn't really mind this, because it's a fun, fluffy read nonetheless.

If you're looking for depth, unique characters, or stunning writing, Jennifer E. Smith's books probably aren't for you. But if you're in the mood for a fun, fluffy story that you can finish in a couple of hours, Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, just like the author's author books, is perfect for you.

Review: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E Smith

Title: This Is What Happy Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Poppy
Release date: April 2nd 2013
Pages: 416
Genre: Young Adult contemporary romance
Source: Bought a signed copy at Books of Wonder!
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Through a series of funny and poignant messages, Graham and Ellie make a true connection, sharing intimate details about their lives, hopes and fears. But they don't tell each other everything; Graham doesn't know the major secret hidden in Ellie's family tree, and Ellie is innocently unaware that Graham is actually a world-famous teen actor living in Los Angeles.
When the location for the shoot of Graham's new film falls through, he sees an opportunity to take their relationship from online to in-person, managing to get the production relocated to picturesque Henley, Maine, where Ellie lives. But can a star as famous as Graham have a real relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie's mom want her to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The cover of this book is so cute! I love the font that just screams happy, and the picture is right between cute and cheesy. And that's what the actual novel is like too - it's a really cute love story, even if it's not all that realistic. It's more of a teenage-girl-fantasy than a meaningful love story, but it's a cute, charming, entertaining story nonetheless.

Really, cute is the only way to describe this novel. Yes, there are times when it gets a little too unrealistic and melodramatic (especially the drama between Ellie and Graham in the middle seemed unnecessary to me), but the story is so cute that I didn't really care. It's not even really supposed to be realistic - the premise itself is too good to be true, so you come in expecting exactly what you get: a crazy-dream type of set-up and a cute love story.

This Is What Happy Looks Like isn't just a love story, though - I enjoyed the smaller storylines just as much as the main one. Her family background is equally as out there and fun to imagine, and her friendship with Quinn has its fair share of drama, too. I really liked these storylines, and I wish we would've gotten to know even more about these parts of the novel. Especially at the end, I would have liked some more development in the family storyline.

One of the things I liked best about the novel were the first few pages, consisting entirely of Ellie's and Graham's emails. I wish we would have gotten to see more of those, even. I don't think we got to see enough of how the relationship between Ellie and Graham started - we see how they started talking, but I still don't know how it went from a couple of casual emails to a relationship involving emotions strong enough to make Graham convince the producers to shoot his latest movie in Ellie's hometown. I think getting to see more of their emails would have helped make their relationship more relatable.

The pacing is one aspect that I think could use some work. Jennifer E Smith's writing is absorbing, for the most part, but the pacing is what kept pulling me out of the story. The narrative switches a lot, from present to flashbacks, and it wasn't always clear what situation we were in. I think it has something to do with the point-of-view - since we have alternating chapters, the narrator would often go back to tell something that happened earlier from the other one's perspective, and that confused me in parts. The transitions didn't always make it clear whether we were in the present or the past.

Still, This Is What Happy Looks Like is a novel I couldn't help but enjoy. Not every part of it is perfect, but it's charming, cute, and brings a smile to your face. It's a great summer read that will definitely entertain you!

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight 
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Poppy/Little Brown
Release date: January 2n 2012
Pages: 236
Genre: Young Adult contemporary romance
Source: Bought

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Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.
Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was the perfect book for me to read on my flight. It’s not the most deep, meaningful, or realistic story, but it’s cute and fun, and it kept me entertained on my own (obviously not as exciting) travels.

The story is cute and fun. Yes, the characters are somewhat basic and a little too perfect, but I didn’t mind, because they’re just so cute. Hadley and Oliver’s interactions are witty and entertaining, and I loved reading about them. I really liked how the cute romance is balanced with some darker topics, since we get to learn about both of their family lives. Both the light, fun stuff and the more serious topics kept the pages turning.

If you’re someone who gets hung up on little details, though, this book might drive you crazy, because there’s a bunch of small things that just don’t make sense. For example, why does Haldey have her big suitcase with her at the gate in JFK, but then goes to pick it up in wherever? And why does she live in Connecticut but just drive to JFK? And what’s up with the looong international phone calls and the genius idea to fly to another continent for a single day – don’t you have anything better to spend your money on!? Those little things bugged me, but they didn’t take much from my overall enjoyment of the novel.

Either way, this book was a cute, fun, read. I especially enjoyed reading it while I, too, was at the airport/on my flight, since Jennifer E Smith conveys the atmosphere of it all really well. If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read and don’t care if not everything is realistic, this one’s for you!

Review: You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: You Are Here
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release date: May 19th 2009
Pages: 256
Genre: Contemporary YA
Source: Bought
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Emma Healy has never fit in with the rest of her family. She's grown used to being the only ordinary one among her rather extraordinary parents and siblings. But when she finds a birth certificate for a twin brother she never knew she had, along with a death certificate dated just two days later, she feels like a part of her has been justified in never feeling quite whole. Suddenly it seems important to visit his grave, to set off in search of her missing half. When her next-door neighbor Peter Finnegan -- who has a quiet affinity for maps and a desperate wish to escape their small town -- ends up coming along for the ride, Emma thinks they can't possibly have anything in common. But as they head from upstate New York toward North Carolina, driving a beat-up and technically stolen car and picking up a stray dog along the way, they find themselves learning more and more about each other. Neither is exactly sure what they're looking for, but with each passing mile, each new day of this journey, they seem to be getting much closer to finding it.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars


First off, I love the cover for You Are Here! It's gorgeous, and it actually fits the story, for once! Everything about it is just so beautiful.


And Jennifer E. Smith's writing is just as beautiful. Her prose is gorgeous and vivid - it's what carries the novel, in my opinion. The descriptions of the places they go, as well as the portrayal of the characters' emotions, are spot-on. The author's style is luscious and descriptive and just so nice to read - even though I had some problems with this novel, the beautiful prose has ensured that I'll keep reading whatever Jennifer E. Smith writes.


The characters are good. They're all fully-developed, complex, and realistic. Peter is so sweet, and I loved his quirkiness. Emma is also a well-wirtten character with an interesting personality, but I couldn't really like her as a person, to be honest. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but something about her annoyed me - maybe it's the way she's always complaining and whining about her family, because, well, her family is awesome! I loved reading about each member of her family - they're all weird and different, but in the best way possible.


The plot is... well, there isn't much of a plot. You Are Here is very slow-paced, and nothing much happens. At times I liked the slow plot and how it allowed us to go deeper into the characters' emotions, but there were also times where I got kind of bored, and just wished something would happen. I'm usually a fan of slower books, but the pacing was too slow even for me - if you can't get through a slow book, this one definitely isn't for you.


I'm not quite sure what exactly bugged me about You Are Here, but something definitely did. Technically, You Are Here is an expertly done book, but personally, something about it didn't sit right with me. Maybe it's that it's too realistic - I know, that sounds like such a weird thing to criticize, but the more I think about it, the more I know that's what frustrated me. Generally, a book being realistic is a good thing, but I feel like You Are Here is too realistic, too close to real life - it doesn't make things better or worse or more exciting or just more, like books usually do. I didn't really like Emma, because she's a real person whose head we're living in, not just a character. And real people complain too much, even when we have it pretty good. Real people can't just be happy together, like I wanted Emma and Peter to be. And real life isn't as exciting as fiction usually is - maybe that's why the plot moves so slow. I don't know about you, but I've never had as much fun on a road trip as most YA characters seem to have - my road trips have always been closer to the one in You Are Here than to the ones in all those other, fun road trip books.


It still feels wrong to criticize that You Are Here is too realistic, and I don't want this to discourage you from giving the book a try - we definitely need books like this one, too. But to me, You Are Here read almost like an extended character study - there's not much to the plot, but we do get to know two characters very, very well. And even if it did feel too realistic to me to completely fall in love with this book, I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, especially because of Jennifer E. Smith's gorgeous writing.