CATCHALL
Ordinarily, this book would probably sit on my review less shelf for longer than a day before receiving a review. I am drastically behind on my reviews, so um…yeah. I'll get to them eventually. The main reason I'm writing my review now is Project Tell Taylor. Even though Taylor Swift isn't exactly my favorite singer, I like doing giveaways and helping others. I was also, through this, offered the chance to read and review Remembrance. But wow! I thought Remembrance sounded intriguing, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did!
THE HEROINE
ELIZABETH DAVENPORT
I really liked Lizzie. She was cute and sweet. Not exactly my favorite heroine of all time, but still up there. She seemed genuine and real, unlike so many YA heroines I could name but won't, because I'm a nice person ;) I was kind of annoyed by her at times, however, when she keeps agonizing over Drew. I understand the feeling--but I don't necessarily want to hear about it for pages and pages. Also, she had some serious indecisiveness going on, and that kind of things grates on me personally. It created a little bit of a divide. But happily, in the end I knew I really liked her. It was her relatability that made her stand out and be special.
THE LOVE INTEREST
ANDREW CARMICHAEL
I really like the name Andrew, so I was somewhat upset that he goes by Drew. This is, however, a totally minor thing. Ah, he is definitely one of my new book boyfriends. He just oozes hotness in this totally amazing way and apparently makes me sound stupid, because I totally do. (And suddenly, I understand why my boyfriend gets so adorably jealous when I talk about guys from books.) Back on topic, Drew is probably my favorite character from Remembrance. I love how he's so protective of Lizzie--it goes to show that he really does love and care about her. The mistakes he makes make him seem stronger and all the more real. He's very human, and I love him for it :)
THE OTHER SECONDARY CHARACTERS
JEREMY
He was a layered character. I completely wrote him off at first, but he surprised me. I didn't expect to find out some things about him that I did, and I most certainly didn't expect him to have such an important role in the story. I found myself pitying him but also admiring him in a strange way. I expect I'll be seeing more of him in future installments, and I'm looking forward to it. Villains can be so much fun, and Jeremy is no different. In a way, his character is heartbreaking.
CHELSEA
Ah, Chelsea. I really didn't like Chelsea. I kind of hated her, if I'm honest. But I can't love every character ever, and I didn't love her. For most of the book I kind of wanted to slap her upside the head. She was annoying and far more selfish than any three people put together should be. I did get the vibe that she genuinely cared about Lizzie, but she cared more about a boy. This is the type of thing I can't stand in a girl. Chelsea was maybe the worst best friend character I've ever read. Unfortunately, I do understand that she kind of did have to be this way for the story to progress the way it did, so I'll cut some slack. I hope to grow to like her more later on.
THE PLOT
I'm usually not a fan of reincarnation or soul mates, because it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. But for some reason, Michelle managed to make me accept the idea. Everything clicks into place flawlessly. The past lives meld with the present in a way that somehow manages to work. It is understandable--I didn't feel lost or confused more than I should have. Things that weren't stated outright were clear enough to see. In general, I liked the plot. It kept me interested. I barely put this book down at all, which resulted in further procrastination of my AP Physics homework, my worst class. That's how good and intriguing the plot of this book was. I almost never felt bored, and when I was bored the action quickly picked back up.
There were a few things I didn't like, like how Lizzie's single mother doesn't care where she is or what she does. There's too much of this in YA, and I don't like these mysteriously absent-or-don't-give-a-damn parents. It's just too unrealistic. And then her mom does pop in randomly to have a "meaningful" conversation with her daughter, and I feel like this was extraneous. But oh, well.
THE ROMANCE
Oh, the romance here was so sweet. Unfortunately, it was a little underdeveloped, but this didn't take away from its beauty at all. The moments between Drew and Lizzie are just so sweet. The love triangles worked in this story as well--there are times when they don't, but in this case they needed to be ere exactly as they were. There's an especially tender moment near the end of the book that I really loved, and Drew and Lizzie's first "date" is going to always be one of my favorite romantic moments in the books. I found it completely gorgeous and absolutely lovely--the chemistry between them was undeniable.
THE WRITING
Michelle has excellent writing, given that this is a debut novel. Even with considering the debut-novel-status, the writing is fantastic! Lizzie's voice is contemporary and easy--it flows and sounds natural, not forced. She sounds like any normal high school girl would, but with her own distinct little something. At times, she can be irritating, but unfortunately most YA heroines' voices are at some point. Still, this was kept to a minimum and the writing here wasn't flawless, but enjoyable. Overall, Remembrance was well-written.
THE ENDING
The ending of Remembrance was so sweet! I kind of didn't like how the conflicts are brought up again, however. I knew well what they were at that point, and that they would most likely be addressed later. I didn't feel I needed to be reminded again. But generally, the ending was pleasant to read. It is redeemed in the last few lines, which are a bit sappy but so sweet I couldn't mind. I genuinely liked this ending, and it definitely left me wanting more.
WRAPUP
Oh, man, I really want to read Vengeance, the story that follows Remembrance, even though it features Chelsea. I just can't resist. I need to know more. And of course, I'll be wanting Timeless once it comes out (and has a cover!). Remembrance has left me aching in a good way. Reading the next books will be no chore.
FINE.