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swirlnswing's review
4.0
This had some Real Life Ugly™️ that I wasn’t expecting. There was a whole lot of sweetness and a good amount of swoon, and a whole lot of focus on a girl who is smart, knows it, and refuses to back away from that aspect of herself.
So refreshing, frankly.
So, so great.
So refreshing, frankly.
So, so great.
beckylej's review
4.0
Eden has long fought against what she sees as a possible and maybe inevitable fate. Determined not to take the same path as either her biological mother or her father, she avoids most social niceties and focuses instead on her academics. A full scholarship is her best hope for a good college, and the Peyton Scholarship in particular seems to be the answer. With valedictorian all but in the bag, it seems she's on the right path for a ticket straight out of her hometown.
But Eden has a few obstacles in her way. The first is Ash Gupta, her primary rival in everything academics. The second is her father. And when Eden and Ash are forced to work together time after time, it seems their rivalry could be in danger of becoming attraction.
The Possibility of Somewhere is a sweet and charming read. Eden, a somewhat foul-mouthed teen who closes herself off from everyone around her, immediately draws the reader in and rallies you to her side. Her home life isn't great, but it also isn't tragic, and she has the means and determination to do whatever it takes to ensure her future.
But that determination has a down side: Eden has no friends. She doesn't allow anyone to get close, especially when the few times she's made exceptions have backfired. But Eden's armor proves to be no protection against the new girl in school.
Mundy, a transfer from California who turns out to be the daughter of one of Eden's teachers, forces her way in and proves to be just the first big change of Eden's senior year. And Mundy proves to be exactly what Eden needs in her life - someone who will bring her out of her shell, offer her a shoulder to cry on, and will stand in Eden's corner no matter what. Though it turns out Mundy isn't the only one in Eden's corner by a long shot.
I loved The Possibility of Somewhere. It was an overall light read (which it turns out I needed) but it also tugged at my heartstrings more than just a little bit. I loved that, as mentioned above, the story wasn't oh, so tragic. I loved that Eden had obstacles in her way but wasn't broken by them. And I loved that in the end, with a few exceptions, Eden had a strong support system behind her - and she comes to realize it, too.
Like I said, sweet and charming!
But Eden has a few obstacles in her way. The first is Ash Gupta, her primary rival in everything academics. The second is her father. And when Eden and Ash are forced to work together time after time, it seems their rivalry could be in danger of becoming attraction.
The Possibility of Somewhere is a sweet and charming read. Eden, a somewhat foul-mouthed teen who closes herself off from everyone around her, immediately draws the reader in and rallies you to her side. Her home life isn't great, but it also isn't tragic, and she has the means and determination to do whatever it takes to ensure her future.
But that determination has a down side: Eden has no friends. She doesn't allow anyone to get close, especially when the few times she's made exceptions have backfired. But Eden's armor proves to be no protection against the new girl in school.
Mundy, a transfer from California who turns out to be the daughter of one of Eden's teachers, forces her way in and proves to be just the first big change of Eden's senior year. And Mundy proves to be exactly what Eden needs in her life - someone who will bring her out of her shell, offer her a shoulder to cry on, and will stand in Eden's corner no matter what. Though it turns out Mundy isn't the only one in Eden's corner by a long shot.
I loved The Possibility of Somewhere. It was an overall light read (which it turns out I needed) but it also tugged at my heartstrings more than just a little bit. I loved that, as mentioned above, the story wasn't oh, so tragic. I loved that Eden had obstacles in her way but wasn't broken by them. And I loved that in the end, with a few exceptions, Eden had a strong support system behind her - and she comes to realize it, too.
Like I said, sweet and charming!
writerjholland's review
3.0
Read the full review on http://www.talesbetweenthepages.comThe Possibility of Somewhere tackles some heavy issues: poverty, interracial dating, class and income disparity, kids with autism, etc. The book is mostly successful at tackling these issues.
Eden is very poor. Her family lives in a trailer. Her biological mother is the talk of their small town and leaves Eden with a nasty legacy. Her only chance at college is getting a scholarship. And the only way to do that is to be valedictorian. Unfortunately, she has some stiff competition--Ash Gupta. I think the author did a nice job representing the hardships of poverty and academic achievement. As someone who has been very poor and has dealt with the fallout of being very poor in a small town, Eden's plight was an authentic one.
I have conflicted feelings about Ash though. I know the author vetted her writing with Indian-Americans she knew, but sometimes he felt dangerously close to stereotyped. But, I'm not Indian-American, and I don't know how much veracity my opinion really has, so take it with a grain of salt.
I do applaud Day for making her love interest a POC. There is far too little of that in contemporary YA. Eden and Ash's relationship really exposes the kind of racism that happens in small, rural towns. To be honest, it exposes the kind of racism that happens everywhere.
Even though I enjoyed reading The Possibility of Somewhere, it wasn't without its problems. Eden's friend Mundy is nothing more than a plot device. She sits with Eden in the lunch room because she wants to know what it's like to be friends with a poor person? Right. Ash only notices Eden when she wears revealing clothes and a little makeup? Eye-roll. Marnie legally adopts Eden when she was little and NEVER told her? Literally not believable.
But, the story has a lot of heart. It's an enjoyable read if you can get past the problems.This review was originally posted on Tales Between the Pages
Eden is very poor. Her family lives in a trailer. Her biological mother is the talk of their small town and leaves Eden with a nasty legacy. Her only chance at college is getting a scholarship. And the only way to do that is to be valedictorian. Unfortunately, she has some stiff competition--Ash Gupta. I think the author did a nice job representing the hardships of poverty and academic achievement. As someone who has been very poor and has dealt with the fallout of being very poor in a small town, Eden's plight was an authentic one.
I have conflicted feelings about Ash though. I know the author vetted her writing with Indian-Americans she knew, but sometimes he felt dangerously close to stereotyped. But, I'm not Indian-American, and I don't know how much veracity my opinion really has, so take it with a grain of salt.
I do applaud Day for making her love interest a POC. There is far too little of that in contemporary YA. Eden and Ash's relationship really exposes the kind of racism that happens in small, rural towns. To be honest, it exposes the kind of racism that happens everywhere.
Even though I enjoyed reading The Possibility of Somewhere, it wasn't without its problems. Eden's friend Mundy is nothing more than a plot device. She sits with Eden in the lunch room because she wants to know what it's like to be friends with a poor person? Right. Ash only notices Eden when she wears revealing clothes and a little makeup? Eye-roll. Marnie legally adopts Eden when she was little and NEVER told her? Literally not believable.
But, the story has a lot of heart. It's an enjoyable read if you can get past the problems.This review was originally posted on Tales Between the Pages
thereallilycooper's review
4.0
I love contemporary reads so much. There is just something about them that get's my blood pumping at the thought of reading them. It was no different with this book.
Eden is a girl driven to escape the life her dad has planned for her and what she is expected to be. She will do anything to achieve her goal, but she just wasn't expecting the dreadful four letter word: Love.
Individually these characters are insecure, lonely, and unsure of themselves. But together? They compliment the best in each other. It was amazing to see their animosity towards one another blossom into this infatuation in which they can't live without another. That's the best kind of love stories in my opinion.
This book reflects what society tends to jump to when it comes to relationships, looks, or anything that is deemed, "different." Which is why I honestly loved the diversity and unique structure in which this story was shaped upon. I have never read anything quite like it and get by the last page I was deep in love with it.
For a debut novel, the pages held deep thoughts and insights to love, school, and life with different incomes. Great book to read for seniors before they go off to college, or freshman college students starting their new life.
4/5 Stars
Book Playlist:
Drive by: Oh Wonder
You Always Make Me Smile by: Kyle Andrews
Bruises by: Train
2 Broke Kids by: Ruth B
Back To You by: Twin Forks
(Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review)
Eden is a girl driven to escape the life her dad has planned for her and what she is expected to be. She will do anything to achieve her goal, but she just wasn't expecting the dreadful four letter word: Love.
Individually these characters are insecure, lonely, and unsure of themselves. But together? They compliment the best in each other. It was amazing to see their animosity towards one another blossom into this infatuation in which they can't live without another. That's the best kind of love stories in my opinion.
This book reflects what society tends to jump to when it comes to relationships, looks, or anything that is deemed, "different." Which is why I honestly loved the diversity and unique structure in which this story was shaped upon. I have never read anything quite like it and get by the last page I was deep in love with it.
For a debut novel, the pages held deep thoughts and insights to love, school, and life with different incomes. Great book to read for seniors before they go off to college, or freshman college students starting their new life.
4/5 Stars
Book Playlist:
Drive by: Oh Wonder
You Always Make Me Smile by: Kyle Andrews
Bruises by: Train
2 Broke Kids by: Ruth B
Back To You by: Twin Forks
(Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review)
loveisnotatriangle's review
3.0
I will organize this into something more fleshed out and coherent. But quickly after finishing this book:
Hmm. I have a lot of mixed feelings on this. Pacing of the story felt very rushed but I was able to get into the flow of it, and thought it matched the energy of Eden and Ash pretty well. I actually really liked their connection once it got going. They had some great dialogue and I'm always up for an enemies romance, especially one with a Pride and Prejudice feel to it. But around 3/4 of the way through the romance lost it for me and I was never able to capture the thread of the relationship again. Honestly, I ended up disliking Ash a great deal and feeling disappointed in Eden for the way she mooned over him for so long, and the end of this book didn't reverse that for me. I needed a much bigger gesture from him, as always, Eden was the one to take the risk. I also hated Eden's dad and feel very unsettled about how her situation with him just sort of faded out of focus without being fully addressed. I'm not sure what exactly this book is supposed to be saying about that, but it just made me upset. However, I really liked Eden and how hard she worked despite everything stacked against her. And I enjoyed seeing Eden discover what she wanted to do in life and attack that goal. I especially liked watching how her relationship with Kurt affected her.
Love triangle factor: none
Cliffhanger scale: standalone
Hmm. I have a lot of mixed feelings on this. Pacing of the story felt very rushed but I was able to get into the flow of it, and thought it matched the energy of Eden and Ash pretty well. I actually really liked their connection once it got going. They had some great dialogue and I'm always up for an enemies romance, especially one with a Pride and Prejudice feel to it. But around 3/4 of the way through the romance lost it for me and I was never able to capture the thread of the relationship again. Honestly, I ended up disliking Ash a great deal and feeling disappointed in Eden for the way she mooned over him for so long, and the end of this book didn't reverse that for me. I needed a much bigger gesture from him, as always, Eden was the one to take the risk. I also hated Eden's dad and feel very unsettled about how her situation with him just sort of faded out of focus without being fully addressed. I'm not sure what exactly this book is supposed to be saying about that, but it just made me upset. However, I really liked Eden and how hard she worked despite everything stacked against her. And I enjoyed seeing Eden discover what she wanted to do in life and attack that goal. I especially liked watching how her relationship with Kurt affected her.
Love triangle factor: none
Cliffhanger scale: standalone
kkyulkive's review
2.0
not gonna lie, i didn't enjoy this as much as i thought i would, simply because i just couldn't really get on board with ash as the love interest. maybe it was because everything was seen through eden's perspective, but ash just didn't really feel like a solid character who i felt for and understood because honestly, there wasn't much 'book time' for him before he and eden got together. as such, it was hard to sympathise with his struggle to choose between eden and his family, especially when he gave up on her so easily and she, after having literally copped it from her dad, was still willing to fight for him.
i do partially think it's me though - i didn't enjoy this that much because the story was so predictable, and there wasn't sufficient banter to make the romance particularly cute, which made the cliche's a little harder to tolerate. obviously, i have just read too many romance books so while my expectations for an ace romance are sky high at this point, my cold, cynical heart was probably also getting a little sick of all the mush.
i do partially think it's me though - i didn't enjoy this that much because the story was so predictable, and there wasn't sufficient banter to make the romance particularly cute, which made the cliche's a little harder to tolerate. obviously, i have just read too many romance books so while my expectations for an ace romance are sky high at this point, my cold, cynical heart was probably also getting a little sick of all the mush.
rubenstein's review
2.0
I'm so disappointed to say The Possibility of Somewhere didn't live up to my expectations. From bizarre racist outbursts to baffling time skips to a lackluster romance, I had a hard time finishing this one. Its saving grace came in the form of an autistic boy Eden babysat, but even then, his scenes were few and far between. This book is Julia Day's first contemporary romance and it certainly feels like it. The story reads like a checklist of tropes Day wanted to add: rivalry-turned-romance, parents in the way, backstabbing, family drama, roadtrip, new student, etc etc and, sadly, this just didn't work.
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
elizabethdes's review
4.0
I really REALLY loved this book. It was unlike any i've read before and seeing life though the Eden's eyes taught me what it really means to be strong and ambitious.
stacyroth's review
4.0
I won this book as a FirstRead.
Eden Moore is determined to do whatever it takes to get away from her small North Carolina town, where she is considered trailer trash. She has a perfect 4.0 but needs a full ride scholarship to afford college. Ash Gupta is her main competition at her high school. Popular, handsome, and smart, Ash seems to have the perfect life. When Eden and Ash are forced to work together on a project, they get to see each other for who they truly are and like what they see. Eden's racist dad and Ash's immigrant parents would never approve of the two dating. Can they make a relationship work despite their rivalry and their families' objections?
I loved this story! Eden and Ash were so cute together. Eden's new friend Mundy was a great side character; I admire her candor. I just wish we hadn't time jumped so much in the last few scenes of the book.
Eden Moore is determined to do whatever it takes to get away from her small North Carolina town, where she is considered trailer trash. She has a perfect 4.0 but needs a full ride scholarship to afford college. Ash Gupta is her main competition at her high school. Popular, handsome, and smart, Ash seems to have the perfect life. When Eden and Ash are forced to work together on a project, they get to see each other for who they truly are and like what they see. Eden's racist dad and Ash's immigrant parents would never approve of the two dating. Can they make a relationship work despite their rivalry and their families' objections?
I loved this story! Eden and Ash were so cute together. Eden's new friend Mundy was a great side character; I admire her candor. I just wish we hadn't time jumped so much in the last few scenes of the book.