Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Review: Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald

Title: Getting Over Garrett Delaney
Author: Abby McDonald
Published: January 24th 2012
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Buy: Amazon ~*~ Barnes & Noble
Add to your Goodreads shelf
Caution: May contain spoilers

Can a twelve-step program help Sadie kick her unrequited crush for good? Abby McDonald serves up her trademark wit and wisdom in a hilarious new novel.

Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly one-sided. The object of her obsession — ahem, affection — is her best friend, Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie’s feelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep-blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett’s constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to '80s indie rock — all to no avail. But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder — until he calls to say he’s fallen in love. With some other girl! A heartbroken Sadie realizes that she’s finally had enough. It’s time for a total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of new friends (including the hunky chef, Josh), and a customized self-help guide, Sadie embarks on a summer of personal reinvention full of laughter, mortifying meltdowns, and a double shot of love.

My Thoughts:

It's funny how I buy certain books and put them off to the point where I'm not sure if I can get into them. This book was one of the early purchases I made right after I got my Nook. It sounded like a cute story, and it turns out it really was. It was also the kind of story I could relate to more than I expected.

Why could I relate to Sadie? Because I WAS Sadie back in the day. One-sided love. I'm sure we've all been there at some point, but the feelings she had for Garrett, it was almost like reading my own journal from ten years ago. They were real, and the two of them really had a bond. So, to face the fact that he's found someone else, that's excruciating. Sadie putting forth the effort to get over him, that takes a lot of strength. And Sadie WAS strong, and she kept pushing forward to get over him, even though Garrett, sadly, still had a lot of influence on her. I couldn't help but picture myself as her, struggling with feelings, hoping for something more even though you know you shouldn't. Sadie's friends were a major support, keeping her together through it all.

Getting Over Garrett Delaney was a cute read. It wasn't a typical "girl gets kissed and they live happily ever after" kind of story. Sadie experienced a lot of growth that had nothing to do with falling in love. Abby McDonald crafted a true-to-life young adult experience that a lot of girls can learn from. It would have been nice to have this around all those years ago, maybe it would have opened my eyes a little bit!

My Rating:

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