This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: This Is What Happy Looks Like

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Release Date: 1st April 2013

My Rating: 2/5

Blurb:
If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

In A Nutshell:

This Is What Happy Looks Like was a quick, predictable, romance read but it didn’t quite have the ‘awwww’ moments that I so desperately wanted.

My Review:

Having read and enjoyed The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, I was keen to try another, longer, novel by Jennifer E. Smith. This Is What Happy Looks Like was a quick, predictable, romance read but it didn’t quite have the ‘awwww’ moments that I so desperately wanted and that I found in Statistical Probability.

This Is What Happy Looks Like was a nice enough story, and the adorable and totally random prologue gave me hope, but unfortunately the almost 400 pages that followed just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Reading it, I found myself skimming pages, hoping to find something ‘more’ but unfortunately it just didn’t happen.

Ellie and Graham are quite endearing and I think I could have warmed to them more if I had had a chance to get to know them through their emails, the same way we are told they got to know each other. Instead, after their initial emails (the prologue), we are thrown straight into their first meet-up and the predictable problems surrounding that and I don’t think that as the reader we feel invested or enthusiastic enough about their relationship to really care where the story goes.

Thankfully, this has not deterred me from trying the other Jennifer E. Smith novels I have in my possession. I can only hope they resemble The Statistical Probability instead.

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

Release Date: 2nd January 2012

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

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 18C. 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.

In A Nutshell:
A light, quick, romance novel that is great for escaping but could otherwise benefit from being longer with more character development.

My Review:
The first word that comes to mind after finishing The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is ‘sweet’. My first thought is ‘that was too short’. It is a story about Hadley, a girl who is desperately trying to avoid coming to terms with the fact her dad is getting married to a woman she has never met.

Set over twenty-four hours, Hadley misses her flight to London the night before the wedding, and has to get the next flight out of JFK, which means waiting around the airport for another 3 hours. This is not something easily done by someone who suffers from claustrophobia and is anxious about seeing her dad again. Up pops Oliver, a cute guy with an English accent who offers to help her with her bags and who they find out has the seat one over from Hadley.

I am a hopeless romantic and I do love these types of stories where people meet in a moment of serendipity. They just make me go ‘Awwww’. Oliver is funny, sweet and manages to calm Hadley down as she begins to freak out about being on the plane. Of course he has his own issues as every hero does but we are not supposed to know what those are until Hadley figures it out later.

For the most part I was completely caught up in the story. I do however think the story needed bulking up a bit more, particularly during the middle; I wish their time on the plane had been developed more. It felt like the plane ride was over too fast and I just would have liked a little more as I really enjoyed the conversations between Hadley and Oliver and Smith’s writing style.

Overall, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a sweet, contemporary teen romance which was an enjoyable and quick read.

Also, I know it is only the beginning of the year but this cover will definitely make my list for favourite covers of 2012!

The Best of 2012

I couldn't find any End-of-Year surveys this year that could quite live up to the one Nomes from inkcrush ran in 2011, so I decided to reuse a bunch of the questions she had and add a few of my own.

I read 33 books this year which is way less than in previous years. My reading challenges were even more of a disaster, completing only two out of the four I participated in. I'm quite disappointed about this but since I started studying again this year, I suppose I did pretty well considering my free time was cut down significantly. Here's hoping I can do better in 2013!

The Best of 2012

The reviews for all the books mentioned below can be found here.

Favourite Books Read  In 2012

I read so many amazing books and I can only cut it down to my top five: The Fault In Our Stars, Skin Deep, Wonder, Pushing The Limits, Saving Francesca.

Most Powerful Book

I was going through a bit of a difficult time when  I was reading Speechless by Hannah Harrington and I just felt like the novel was speaking to me. Wonder by R. J. Palacio was also amazing and I challenge anyone to read this and not be affected by it.

Brilliantly Funny

I constantly had a smile on my face while reading Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan.

Best Ache-Y, Heart-Breaking, Tear-Jerker Read

Without a doubt, Everything Left Unsaid by Jessica Davidson and The Fault In Our Stars by John Green fit this category perfectly. Make sure tissues are within reach when you read these!

Delicious Rainy Day Comfort Read
The Statistical Probability Of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith is a quick, light, romance story that is perfect for those days curled up on the couch.

Biggest Emotional Roller-Coaster

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green had me chuckling and smiling to myself, then moments later in tears, and then back smiling again. It was so amazingly sad and wonderfully witty at the same time.

Most Original and Imaginative

Every You, Every Me was a collaborative effort between author David Levithan and photographer Jonathan Farmer. Farmer would give Levithan a photograph who would then write part of the novel incorporating the photo. When Levithan needed the next photo, Farmer would give him one. This is how the whole book was written. Levithan never knew what image he would be given next, and Farmer didn’t read anything until the first draft was complete.

Best Under-Appreciated, Hidden Gem Book

Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Everything Left Unsaid by Jessica Davidson and Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt are unbelievably powerful and amazing books that deserved far more hype than what they appeared to receive.

I-Had-No-Idea-I-Would-Love This-So Award

I came across Kate Evangelista a couple of years ago before she had an agent or a publishing deal and was quite excited by her writing. The publication of her debut novel Taste in 2012 left me completely blown away. I was eager to read her work, but I honestly had no idea just how much I would love it. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry and Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt were both debut authors who I picked up and was shocked beyond belief how amazing each of their books were. And in 2012, for the first time, I tried an Alyson Noel novel, Fated. Having always rejected reading her other titles since they didn't sound like my kind of stories, Fated pleasantly surprised me.

Can’t Believe You Waited This Long To Read The Book

On the Jellicoe Road, Saving Francesca and Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta. I'm not sure why I never picked these up before this year but I'm sure glad I finally did! Melina is an amazing writer.

Book You Stayed Up The Latest To Finish

Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt. I picked this up just before bed to read the first chapter and ended up reading the entire thing!

Always Recommending This Book Award

Pushing The Limits really did surprise me so much and since Katie McGarry was a debut author, I did my best to get others reading her.

Best Couple

Echo And Noah from Pushing the Limits are definitely my favourite couple of the year.

Who I So Want To Be Best Friends With

Phoenix from Taste by Kate Evangelista is gutsy, stubborn and smart and would make an awesome BF.

Who I Fell Completely In Love With
Noah from Pushing the Limits. Can I just give him a hug? Please?

Who Broke Your Heart The Most

August from Wonder by R.J. Palicio and Noah from Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry.

Characters That Lingered Long After Finishing

Everyone from On the Jellicoe Road. Melina Marchetta's talent at weaving such amazing storylines and heartfelt characters left me completely awestruck for days.

Favourite Best Friends/Friendship Award

This has to go to Kat from Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter. I'd definitely want her on my side as a bestie :)

Best/Worst Character Names

It's always the worst names that stand out and I have to say that I really didn't like Daire and Dace from Fated by Alyson Noel.

Steamiest Scenes

Noah And Echo from Pushing the Limits get this award for their fiery, highly charged and fever inducing chemistry! Phoenix and Demitri from Taste come in as runners-up.

Killer Cliffhanger Award

God damn you Rhiannon Hart! Blood Storm's devastating cliff-hanger definitely wins this one.

Fave Book Title

I'm quite partial to The Colour of Trouble by Gerry Bobsien and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith.

Fave Quotes

“I didn’t tell him that the diagnosis came three months after I got my first period. Like: Congratulations! You’re a woman. Now die.” 

- Hazel, The Fault in Our Stars

"It’s like some people you see sometimes, and you can’t imagine what it would be like to be that person, whether it’s somebody in a wheelchair or somebody who can’t talk. Only I know that I am that person to other people, maybe to every single person in that whole auditorium.

To me, though, I’m just me. An ordinary kid."

- August, Wonder

"Does she know how lonely I feel, even when I’m surrounded by people?" 

- Tai, Everything Left Unsaid

Fave Covers of 2012

I hope I've given you a few books to add to your TBR pile. I really like these questions so I'm going to check with Nomes and make sure she is happy for me to continue on this survey each year. 

Happy New Year all!

The Annual End of Year Book Survey - 2014 Edition

This year, book wise, has been shocking for me. Reading and blogging have been practically non-existent compared to previous years and my Reading Challenges were an EPIC FAIL (again). But when I did find the time, there were some wonderful books and now that I only have one semester of uni left, and half the workload, I hope to get the blog back to its former glory. No promises, But that's my goal.

Until then, I'm going to answer some of the questions that are part of Jamie's 5th Annual End of Year Book Survey over at The Perpetual Page-Turner. I've only read 19 books this year but I'll do my best to answer most of the questions. Here we go...

~ Books Read in 2014 ~

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
Severed Heads, Broken Hearts by Robyn Schneider 
The Diviners by Libba Bray
The Rig by Joe Ducie 
The Sky So Heavy by Claire Zorn 
Amplified by Tara Kelly  
Something Like Normal by Trish Doller 
The First Third by Will Kostakis 
Me Since You by Laura Wiess
Jewel in the Thames by Angela Misri
Every Word by Ellie Marney 
Spark by Rachael Craw
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell 
This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith 
Notes From The Blender by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin  
The Astrologer's Daughter by Rebecca Lim
Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith  
The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

~ Best in Books ~

Best Book You Read In 2014?

The Impossible Knife of Memory, The Diviners and Me Since You. I can't possibly choose between these three. They were/are amazing.

Best Series You Started In 2014? Best Sequel Of 2014? Best Series Ender Of 2014?

Best start to a series was The Diviners and I am thoroughly looking forward to Libba releasing the follow-up, Lair of Dreams, in 2015. Every Word, the follow up to Every Breath, is a wonderful edition to the Sherlock Holmes-inspired novels that have been gracing bookshelves this year. And the best series ender is of course the long-awaited Isla and the Happily Ever After. I just wish it wasn't the end! 

 

Best Book From A Genre You Don’t Typically Read/Was Out Of Your Comfort Zone?

I'm not usually a fan of books set in the past or from the sci-fi genre, but both these books were wonderful surprises. The Diviners is set in the 1920's so automatically I put it in the 'not-my-thing' basket. But it is a crime/murder mystery set in New York so I gave it a go. It ended up being one of my favourite books of the year. Spark is a genetically modified sci-fi with suspense, action and romance that kept me awake until 2am as I had to finish it before bed!

Favourite Cover Of A Book You Read In 2014?

Without a doubt, Wild Awake was my absolute favourite cover this year. The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl comes in second.

Most Beautifully Written Book Read In 2014?

I refuse to choose between The Impossible Knife of Memory and Me Since You.

Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book Of 2014?

Sounding like a bit of a broken record here but... Me Since You.

Book You Can’t Believe You Waited UNTIL 2014 To Finally Read?
Something Like Normal and The Diviners.

Favourite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?

"My earbuds were in, but I wasn't playing music. I needed to hear the world but didn't want the world to know I was listening" - The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

Favourite Couple From A Book You Read in 2014?

Rachel and Mycroft from Every Breath

Favourite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year?

The father/daughter relationship between Andy and Hayley Kincain in The Impossible Knife of Memory and Alba's friendship group in The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl. Also, from The First Third, Billy and Sticks (and Sticks's family, especially when his dad teaches Billy to ride a bike).

 

Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure?

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller (I can't believe it took me so long, Becca!)

Best 2014 Debut You Read?

The Sky So Heavy by Claire Zorn. I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on her second novel, The Protected. 

Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Isla and the Happily Ever After, The First Third, Every Word, and Severed Heads, Broken Hearts.

 

Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?

Me Since You was just incredible but it had me crying for literally half the book. The Impossible Knife of Memory and Something Like Normal also had me reaching for tissue boxes. Coincidentally, all three books discuss PTSD.

Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Severed Heads, Broken Hearts.

Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Spark. Thanks, Rachael Craw. Major Cliff-hanger at the end! Grrrrrrr

~ Blogging/Bookish Life ~

Favourite Review That You Wrote In 2014?

Me Since You and Severed Heads, Broken Hearts

Best Discussion/Non-review Post You Had On Your Blog? 
My post about a Harry Potter Party that I attended. Seriously awesome :)

Best Moment Of Bookish/Blogging Life In 2014? 

I met John Marsden....

Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

My review of Jewel of the Thames was the most viewed post with 3000 views more than any other post. 

Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

My Me Since You review.

~ Looking Ahead ~

One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?

Just One Year by Gayle Forman. I meant to but for some reason just never got to it. Probably because I wasn't the biggest fan of Willem in Just One Day.

Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?

The Howling Boy by Cath Crowley, Cloudwish by Fiona Wood, I Was Here by Gayle Forman, I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson... I could keep going...

2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

The Way We Bared Our Souls by Willa Strayhorn

Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?

Every Move, the third and final book in Ellie Marney's Rachel Watts and James Mycroft series. Also, Lair of Dreams, the followup to The Diviners by Libba Bray.

One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?

I want to get back to reviewing a book a week as I have missed my blog this year. And my TBR pile/cupboard/bookcase looks as if it will tumble over soon!

Happy New Year to you all! May your 2015 be filled with amazing books xx