Happy Friday, friends! I’m back again with a bullet-point review today of a lovely summer read.
The book
Kristen Chandler, Thief of Happy Endings, Published by Viking Books For Young Readers, June 19th, 2018.
Ever since her father moved out, Cassidy feels like her life has been falling apart. So a summer of riding horses at a ranch camp in Wyoming sounds like just what she needs–never mind the fact that she has a paralyzing fear of horses. She’s determined to move past her fear, even if that means taking lessons from the insufferable (yet irresistible) junior wrangler Justin and embarrassing herself in front of the other campers. What follows is a summer of rodeos, complicated friendships, and a wild mustang thief on the loose.
I ENJOYED…
?
- I really enjoyed the setting of this book: a ranch camp in Wyoming. We are getting beautiful scenery and I appreciated that different setting we too rarely see in books, where it’s usually all big cities or places we already know a whole lot.
- I appreciated how the main character, Cassidy grew in the story, from a judgmental main character I had a hard time appreciating, to someone trying to work things out, her fear, being more accepting of everyone, and so on.
- The romance was not obvious, at first and definitely not an insta-love kind of situation. It slowly grew as the characters got to know each other and was not shadowing the main character’s growth, which I appreciated so much.
- The friendships were great – they were not obvious either, took time to build up, but I loved that they were a big part of this story.
I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…
?
- I had a bit of a hard time really getting into the book – maybe it’s because I was more invested in my holiday and life at the moment I have read it, but I also found it a bit hard to get captivated by the story, at first. Thankfully, that changed around the halfway-mark, where I found myself a bit more invested in it all.
- I found the main character a bit judgmental and too quick to label everyone, and that for a big part of the book, which prevented me from completely liking her at first. By the end though, she gets better (see in my positive points!)
- Some other characters were too poorly explored, for me. I would have appreciated to know Alice a bit more, especially, given that she was a character I appreciated a lot – and that seemed to deal with anxiety that was not properly mentioned.
- Some moments in the story and use of the language bothered me. There is one part where Cassidy basically uses cancer as an excuse to call her dad and a bit of ableist language.
OVERALL
If you’re looking for a fun summer read with an interesting setting, I would recommend Thief of Happy Endings, even if personally, I didn’t manage to get totally on board with the story, because I didn’t feel the characters and story as much as I would have liked,
Final rating: 3 drops!
The biggest thanks to the publisher / NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book. This did not, in any way, affect my opinion and this review.
Trigger warnings: alcoholism, domestic violence, some ableist language.
Do you want to read Thief of Happy Endings? Why, or why not?
Do you know other stories with different settings like this one? Let me know in comments!
I’m sorry this wasn’t a great read for you, but I agree, the setting sounds fantastic!
Thank you, Angela! 🙂 The setting was really great, I loved that part 😀
Great review! I’m currently waiting for a copy to be available at my library.
Oh thank you so much! I hope you will enjoy it 😀
Fingers crossed!
Great reviewww <3 This book sounds interesting but tbh I probably wouldn't read it because horses scare me and the main character just gives me the vibes of a character I wouldn't like and probably wouldn't like to read about?
Oh I 200% get that – this book isn’t for everyone and I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re not getting good vibes out of it already. There are so many books to read after all, no need to pick up one you feel would annoy you! 😀
Thank you so much for your sweet comment!! <3 <3
Great review! I haven’t heard of this book but it really sounds like a fun read. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it as much as you hoped. I might give it a shot.
Oh thank you so much, Raven! I hope you’ll give it a shot sometimes, if that sounds like your kind of book, you might love it 😀
I love your bullet point reviews, Marie! <3 My reviews actually always start out like this, but I feel like mine are not cohesive enough, if I don't fully arrange them into a "essay-style" (I have no idea how to describe it, haha) reviews? Whereas yours still flow so well.
I'm sorry this wasn't more than a three-star read for you … I really dislike it if cancer, or any illnesses for that matter, are used as a plot device, in a way. :/ And it's such a shame that a character with anxiety wasn't explored more.
Wonderful review, as always! <3
Oh thank you so, so much Lily, this means a lot!! <3 <3 Most of the time, whether I'm writing full reviews or just bullet points, I feel like I am rambling anyway and that makes me nervous haha, I'm so glad you enjoy it <3
Yes, that moment in the book really made me uncomfortable, I wish it didn't happen :/ thankfully, the book as a whole was still entertaining, but I didn't completely loved it, partly because of these things :/
Thank you again! <3 <3 <3
Wonderful review as always, Marie! ☺️? I’m sorry that you didn’t enjoy it that much, but I’m glad that you liked the setting, romance, and friendships in this book. 🙂
Oh thank you so much, Dezzy, you’re honestly the sweetet and all of your comments make me so happy <3 <3
Thank you! 🙂
It is very difficult to rate books when you can’t get into it. But I am glad you were able to connect to the main character
Yes it is a struggle – hopefully other people will get into this story a bit more than I did 🙂
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! <3 <3
Great review! I love this format, you get to the point and you make yourself clear!
OH thank you so much my Sweechie, this means a lot! <3 <3
This is a great review! I’m not sure if I’ll end up reading it, because the main character seems not the best…although I’m glad to see she grows. 🙂 The romance does seem cute though, and the setting!
I completely understand – I wasn’t on board with her at all times, but I liked how she grew in this story 🙂
Thank you so much, Olivia 🙂
Too bad the book wasn’t for you, but I totally get it. I don’t appreciate too judgy characters either and if there are other issues in addition to that, it just really can add up.
I’m glad that, at least, the character changed and grew as the story went on, but I had such a hard time with her for half the book, it was a shame :/
Thank you, Kat! <3 <3
Lovely review as always Marie! I love how you’re so good at pointing out the pros and cons of a book, haha. I feel like the judgmental mc wouldn’t jive with me, and the other characters not being explored enough is just mehh. I do adore the cover and title of this book though!
Oh thank you so much, Aila, that means a lot! <3 <3
I completely understand, this main character is not for everyone haha. But yes, I especially love that title, it sounds so good 😀
I liked this a little bit more than you (3.5/5), and agree, that some of the characters could have been explored a little more, because I thought Chandler assembled an interesting cast, but they were not utilized as well as they could have been. The flashbacks bothered me more though. Sometimes, they made sense, but sometimes, they were just awkward and clunky. I loved the setting and learning about the mustangs, and appreciated the focus on friendships too.
Oh yes I agree with you about that – the cast was so interesting as a whole and it could have been explored a bit more. I really liked the characters I got a glimpse of, but felt like they could have been a bit more developed and part of the story overall.
OH I understand, the flashbacks kind of cut the rhythm of the story, at times, the way they were introduced.
I’m glad you enjoyed the setting as well though, it was a great change 😀
Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment! <3 <3
Sorry it didn’t quite work out for you. But the setting sounds awesome and no insta-love! Yay! But I get her fear of horses. At the same time I love a challenge! ♥️
The setting really was awesome! 🙂 I hope you might want to give it a try someday 😀
Thank you so much, Dani! xx
I am sorry that you didn’t enjoy this book as much. But yes, the setting definitely is different and seems wonderful. I don’t think I have ever read a book in such a setting.
Ahh, I hate it when I don’t enjoy the characters. But the story should be there to overcome this. But it seems that even plot was not that good.
I hope your next read is better than this 🙂
Thank you so much, Sim – thankfully I read some amazing books since then 😀
I really appreciated the setting in that one, it was so cool to see a different kind of setting for once 😀
Great review! I am usually up for it but I don’t know I feel like I wouldn’t enjoy this one as much so I think I’m going to skip out on it! Hope your next read is better though!
Oh thank you so much! If you’re not feeling it, better focus on the books you’d prefer to read, there are so many haha 🙂
Thank you! 😀
It’s sad when I feel sad that you only enjoyed a book to 3 stars! But I guess we read so much nowadays that we only really want 4 and 5 star books… I’m so glad you enjoyed the setting! ❤️ I love when I get something out of a setting even if the rest of the book is meh for me and I good ending does help immensely. I’m glad you are enjoying your real like too though 😉
Thank you so much, Dani! Yes, the setting for this book was really great and different from the usual ones, too, which I loved 🙂