Jenny Bravo

In a way, this book tells a bittersweet story that won't quite ever end. It'll keep you reading and intrigued until the final scene. Even adults could love this honest story.

This story was told through alternating chapters in the past and the present. While this took a little time to get involved in, it ended up feeling very effective and made the parallels very clear. This was an effective way to communicate the message of the story.

This felt like a real relationship and there were so many show more moments that really hurt me while it hurt Wendy and Simon. Bravo wrote very simply but conveyed the emotions in a very deep way. While this didn't follow the traditional model of literary romances, I enjoyed the way this book told an honest story.

It took me a few chapters to get into this book--we were thrown in with very little introduction to the main characters, so navigating through them in the past and the present was challenging. I didn't feel like I got a solid impression of Wendy's two best friends until halfway through the book. Vivian especially provided a very good foil for Wendy.

Wendy's relationship with her younger sister, Claudia, provided an engaging backdrop for the story. They had a big age gap, yet were going through similar experiences, and Wendy was expected to be a role model.

I'm frustrated with the ending, but I'll survive. I'd still reread this--multiple times. This was wholesome and fulfilling and I think anyone who's had a Simon/Wendy relationship will gain a little peace from reading this.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. show less

It took me exactly one week to determine what I’m feeling about this book. On one hand, you could say I enjoyed it, but in a very detached manner. On the other hand, I’d just like to say that there are so many things that irked me while reading this book, so I’m going to have to leave the judging to you – who knows? Maybe you’re going to like it more than I did, because I have seen reviews praising this book.

I found the characters in this story extremely annoying and difficult to show more relate to. The protagonist, Wendy, irks me so much, Simon is self-centered, and Vivian is bitchy. Maybe it’s just how the author intended them to be…

The only character I found to be remotely tolerable is Reese, she’s funny and I liked her. She’s the only one who slaps Wendy with a reality check whenever she drifts off into lala land and starts whining about Simon “not reciprocating her feelings”. An example:

Reese shrugged and sipped at her soda. “What do you want from boys in bars, Wendy? A ring?”

Goddamn, woman. So, generally, I just think Wendy isn’t a very strong protagonist.

…Which brings us to our next point, Wendy & Simon.

The story is told with chapters that alternate from ‘Then’ and ‘Now’, and as a result, it’s pretty hard getting a feel for the characters until later on in the story. I love how the author wrote about Wendy and Simon’s bittersweet love and how she wasn’t afraid to show the ugly sides of a relationship – which I totally admire. However, I didn’t understand their relationship. Why couldn’t Simon love Wendy? What’s holding him back? We never get answers for that. I also found their relationship damaging; they fought over trivial things and carelessly apologized afterwards (which lessened the value and meaning of the apology after the first – oh I don’t know – three times?)

Also, the writing style in this book is different than what I normally read, more inarticulate – which contributed even more to my disinterest and detachment to the characters.

Overall, I just really wanted to enjoy this book but I unfortunately couldn’t. The protagonist is weak and irritating, the other characters were flat and underdeveloped, and the dynamic between Simon and Wendy just didn’t do it for me show less

I read this book via an Amazon KINDLE Unlimited download.

As Christmas Day approached and being the reviewer of Christian books that I’ve become since September 1st, I needed to find something to read/review something which would truly get me into the spirit of the close of the Advent season and to the day our Lord would be born. My desire [prayer] got answered when I came across this book of Christmas poetry by Jenny Bravo.

There’s an intrinsic quality of poetry which can’t be show more duplicated by any other type of writing. Poetry’s quality uses a condensation of words specifically chosen for their meaningful sounds, which is designed to elicit enhanced memories of readers usually connected to a certain event, which in the case of this book is Christmas.

We all know about the message of the angel in Luke 2:10-11 [ESV]
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

While Ms. Bravo, isn’t an angel of the spiritual sort, she’s still an angel for having given her readers poetic messages designed to pull them into the story of the Good News of Great Joy which Luke’s angel had mentioned, and why I’ve given her and her poetry book 5 STARS. show less

I rarely dislike an MC as much as I disliked Wendy. This 'love story' is ridiculous! Simon is an ass and Wendy is stupid. Is just a long lot of nothing - nothing is resolved, we don't get answers to anything (and I really mean anything) and no-one is any different by the end of the book. Simon remains an ass, Wendy is still stupid and her friends are just the worst! This is toxic through and through.