When It Happens

Reader reviewed by Vanessa

Summary: Seniors Tobey and Sara have different goals. Tobey, a known slacker, wants to become famous for his music with his band. Sara, smart and pretty, wants to get into her first-choice college: NYU. Tobey and Sara both have great friends: Mike and Josh, and Laila and Maggie, respectively. But thats definitely not all they have in common. They are both looking for something real in the love department. Sara wants Dave, whom she has been waiting to call her all summer. Dave, popular and gorgeous, seems very interested in her. Tobey, on the other hand, has had his eyes on Sara for a while and will do anything to make her understand they are meant to be. Over time, everything falls into place for Tobey and Sara. And its definitely something real.



My Review (spoiler-free): Ah, this is such an outstanding book. I love love stories like this. This is a real love story (not like Twilight, in my opinion&). I love how its told in alternating points of view (Sara and Tobeys). Susane Colasanti writes very well, I totally could connect with the characterss problems and insecurities. Its like shes one of us. Its amazing. I do have some tiny complaints (I did not rate it five stars as you can see): sometimes I got lost while there was dialogue between Mike, Josh, and Tobey or Maggie, Laila, and Sara. Its like I didnt know who was saying what. Also, Maggie and Laila were hard to differentiate (even though it should have been easy) because they talk alike. I love Tobey for Sara. Hes cute, witty, musical, and laid-back. Sara is very much like me and I liked her as a character. I laughed a lot of times while reading. This book is not all happy-feeling. There are parts where it wasnt all lovey-dovey and serious matters were faced. I hardly read books where the characters are 18-ish. I definitely want to read more. When I finished, I wanted more. In the end, I loved loved loved this book. You should most definitely pick this one up; I promise it wont disappoint.



My Thoughts (read this if youve read the book, it contains spoilers): Yay, spoilers! I thought Dave was such a bleep. He was trying to sleep with Sara& it was so annoying! And hes a virgin; it was hilarious. What he did while Tobey was playing Battle of the Bands was irritating as well. Hes just mad Sara left him for a better guy like Tobey. I feel bad for Sara and her relationship with her mom. I also feel bad about Maggie and what happened with her parents. I understand why Sara got mad about Cynthia being Tobeys first time and it was so adorable how he got her back by doing the boom box scene! It was so wow how they had literally everything in common. They were so meant to be. I wonder what happens to them after the book, when they go to college. I want to read Susane Colasantis other book,Take Me There.

Reposted from whatvanessareads.wordpress.com

Reader reviewed by The Book Girl

Sara has the perfect boyfriend: Dave is funny, smart, unbearably kind, and popular. What more could she possibly want? So Sara is pretty surprised when she cant get slacker boy Tobey out of her head. And it's pretty obvious that he is thinking about her too. What's a girl to do? How can you tell if you've found something real?

Susane Colasanti's debut novel is one to be remembered. It's a playful high school romance that explores first true love and what you'd do to get it. Told from the perspectives of both Sara and Tobey, it gives an insight to the different character's actions that you don't get with just one PoV. Sara brings the role of responsibility and brains to the story. Tobey's competely opposite character, of the laid back, carefree musician, balances hers perfectly. When it Happens explores the fine line of who you are vs who people want you to be toward the beginning and the pressures of knowing when youre ready to take your relationship to the next level.

The use of different fonts to differ between each person helps to keep things organized. The characters are very well developed to the point where you feel like you know them. They're funny, but not unreasonably so, and nothing about the text feels forced. The dialogue is completely realistic to a high school setting and makes the story flow. All around an amazing novel!

Reader reviewed by the book muncher

Its both Sarah and Tobeys senior year of high school. Saras got everything planned out: shes going to attend NYU after she graduates. And shes all set to go with her stellar grades. Tobey on the other hand doesnt plan on attending college. He figures hell win Battle of the Bands and move onto greater things than school. But there is one thing hes sure on: making Sara fall in love with him.

When It Happens was a cute and funny story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Sara and Tobey have the perfect kind of romance that everyone wishes they had. Susane Colasanti understands teen emotions well, especially those of the smart girl and the music junkie. The plot flowed smoothly, and I really liked the alternate narration between Sara and Tobey. If this novel had one flaw, it would be that the story was too perfect, which made it unrealistic. I know I was wondering if everything in this story continued to be this perfect when they started college.

If youre looking for a light, fun, and enjoyable story, When It Happens is the novel for you. Im definitely going to check out Susane Colasantis next novel, Take Me There.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

At the start of senior year of high school, brainy Sara wants to find the perfect boy. She believes Dave, the new jock in town, is the embodiment of perfection, and has the potential to be her dream guy. Meanwhile, slacker rocker Tobey cannot stop thinking about Sara. He's been sought after by plenty of girls, but his feelings for Sara are radically different. There's just something about her that makes him unable to look away or think of anything else.

To everyone's surprise, Dave asks Sara out, and the two of them are soon together. However, Tobey is determined to get to know Sara. From minimal contact, the two find themselves inexplicably attracted to each other. It's the little things that matter to Sara, and Tobeys got it in spades: they share similar interests, quirks, and preferences. However, he is a huge slacker; he doesn't even want to go to college!

Perhaps love can change these star-crossed lovers for the better by the end of the year.

WHEN IT HAPPENS is a cute love story about high school students. Colasanti's dialogue is witty and fast-paced, almost guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. That being said, Sara and Tobey's relationship is not, unfortunately, really something to shout about. At first Tobey's sentiments are sweet, but then they turn cliche. And the whole brainy-girl-lusts-after-jock is overplayed and not at all interesting anymore. Colasanti's attempt to create unique and likable characters is not, in the end, successful.

Reader reviewed by abscae

This book had potential, and while it didn't quite measure up, it was fine for the usual young adult category. On one note, it was funny and kept me entertained but on another, the flow was real choppy. The characters were real enough, but sometimes I just felt that I couldn't relate to them.

Overall, a pretty okay novel for being a first.

Reader reviewed by Tallie

This story is told in alternating chapters beteen Tobey and Sara.
In the first chapter, readers find out that Sara is entering her senior year hoping that she'll find true love. Dave, the most popular guy in school asks her out and thinks he might be the one. She later on finds out that they have nothing in common and is disapointed.
We then meet Tobey who is in love with music adn is in a band. He has true feelings for Sara and his mission, besides winning battle of the bands, is to talk to Sara and prove to her that he is the one for her, not Dave.
From then on, the story deals with how Tobey makes Sara realize that they are meant for each other and fall in love. But as college fastly approaching, straight A student Sara hopes to go to NYU whereas slacker Tobey does not know if he will even pass high school let alone what college he will go. Will they each go their own ways or find a way to stay together? Read it, you will like the ending.

Reader reviewed by bookworm9

The first-person narrative of this book alternates between seniors Sara (a straight A student dreaming of college and the perfect boyfriend) and Tobey (a slacker musician who's just dreaming of Sara). Sara thinks she's well of the way to her perfect relationship when she starts dating popular Dave, but things begin to sour and Sara becomes aware that Tobey's interested in her. What's a girl to do?

I admit this book was *slightly* deeper than the usually cliched high school romance novels, and it was hard to put down, but it still had its flaws. Sara was annoying (particularly in her rejection of Dave for being a "follower," when she was clearly doing the same thing herself), and the small subplot of tension between Tobey and Dave was fairly pointless. While the relationship between Tobey and Sara was cute, the rest of the plot and characters were not fleshed out at all. Read this if you like teen romance fluff, but not if you're looking for something deeper. (And if you're going to read it, read it soon, before the pop culture references become completely obsolete.)