What I Thought Was TrueAuthor: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Source: ARC borrowed from Adventures of a Book Junkie
Review by: Jenn
Synopsis: Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.
3 stars out of 5 stars
What I Thought Was True was a cute read and I love the relationship that Fitzpatrick created with Gwen and her family. The love and affection she feels towards her them is also being overpowered her feeling of being suffocated by them and being stuck forever in Stony Bay. Huntely Fitzpatrick did a wonderful job at showing Gwen mixed feelings.
I love Gwen's family. All the ties and responsibilities and dynamics that goes on in that family is so real and fresh and something I don't typically seem to find in books. It was a page out of my family, that's how real it felt. Huntley did that wonderfully.
As my first Huntley Fitzpatrick's book, people have been raving about her other book My Life Next Door, I have to admit that didn't love this book. In fact I felt like the book was kind of slow and I didn't love Cass. We get so much back story and I felt like it slowed down the pace of the book. At one point, I was so irritated because I felt like the reveal of Gwen's and Cass's problem took forever to be told.
That's not say that I didn't enjoy the story because I did, I just didn't love it. I will be giving Huntley's book another try because I did enjoy her writing.
I just finished writing my review for this and I completely agree with you (although I ranted a bit in my review). I ended up hating Cass. What happened between he and Gwen (the after part). What? Why didn't he go after her? Why didn't he try and get in touch with her and talk about it? That made no sense. And then when he did…what? I still don't understand what happened because he never explained it. Why did his best friend know what happened? Was there some sort of plan? Why was he looking down at the ground and looking all guilty?
ReplyDeleteAnd the fact that all of that was withheld for so long from the reader. It's not like it was a murder mystery or something. I think the author didn't let us know because otherwise no one would like Cass and be rooting for them to get together. And why did she ever even start having feelings for him again without any sort of explanation/resolution?
And the best friend? Also ended up hating her. And her dad? What was up with him and the advice he gave her about her job? What???
I loved My Life Next Door, so this one was such a disappointment. Sorry for my rant, but all of this ended up driving me crazy. ~Pam