3 STARS

I’m going to start by saying that I am a HUGE Jamie McGuire fan (not anymore, she’s a racist bitch).  I will always be a Jamie McGuire fan (until I realized she’s a bigoted asshole). Even though All The Little Lights was wee a bit difficult to read and get into, I will still read anything she writes.

I want to start with 2 issues I have the All The Little Lights by Jamie McGuire.

• Issue #1 – It was long AF for no damn reason.
• Issue #2 – It was advertised as adult romance but it is not. I don’t mind that it leaned more towards the YA side, just don’t try to trick me as a reader.

I’m going to try my best to keep it pretty.

Let’s here what the author has to say. . .

Synopsis

The first time Elliott Youngblood spots Catherine Calhoun, he’s just a boy with a camera, and he’s never seen a sadder and more beautiful sight. Both Elliott and Catherine feel like outcasts, yet they find an easy friendship with each other. But when Catherine needs him most, Elliott is forced to leave town.

Elliott finally returns, but he and Catherine are now different people. He’s a star high school athlete, and she spends all her free time working at her mother’s mysterious bed-and-breakfast. Catherine hasn’t forgiven Elliott for abandoning her, but he’s determined to win back her friendship…and her heart.

Just when Catherine is ready to fully trust Elliott, he becomes the prime suspect in a local tragedy. Despite the town’s growing suspicions, Catherine clings to her love for Elliott. But a devastating secret that Catherine has buried could destroy whatever chance of happiness they have left.

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Look, I don’t like being lied to. This year, 2018, seems to be the year of miscategorizing books. If a book is advertised an adult romance or contemporary romance read but it is not I get a little salty. It reads more like a YA book. I have been trying to read more YA so I would have read it at some point but I was in the mood for a romance novel.

I didn’t enjoy this book much. It was okay. I didn’t hate it but I damn sure didn’t love it either. By the end of this week I most likely won’t remember the details either.

I can normally read a 300 – 350 page book in a day or so but a 400 – 500 page book takes 2 days – max. It took 4 days to finish this book because I was bored. I kept putting it down because I would get distracted with more interesting thoughts in my head. Even though I got side tracked a million and one times, it wasn’t a horrible or overly difficult read.

I quite enjoyed Catherine and Elliott’s relationship. It was pure, deep, and at time visceral. Their feeling poured from the pages and I believed every single emotional they expressed. Their relationship kept me interested and swooning from time to time. I found myself wondering where boys like Elliott were when I was in high school. I loved everything about him.

Catherine’s life difficult to say the least and Elliott’s wasn’t much better. The main difference was that Elliott had a support of family and friends while Catherine had no one. Elliott had a desire to be Catherine’s rock and strength whether she wanted him to or not.

“Don’t look at them. Look at me.” – Elliott

He wanted to protect her and love her.

“She said you weren’t her boyfriend.”

“. . . not yet. I’m having a good night, though. I think I just might talk her into it.”

Yet, there was a darkness to the story that I wasn’t expecting. It was a slow, slow, slow, slow burn story. I think they could have shaved off a good 100 pages and still kept the same story. I will admit I had to skim a few pages as they were repetitive.

There is an interesting plot twist put it doesn’t occur until 85% or 90% of the book and I wish it would have been revealed a lot sooner.

My overall impression of All The Little Lights by Jamie McGuire was not a bad one. The book touches on a lot of social issues that are going on in high school such as bullying. The relationship between Catherine and Elliott was organic and sweet. I don’t feel like I wasted my time by any means and I can see why others might enjoy it more than I did.

 Now here are the most important questions.

Do I recommend this book? Yes and no. If you are looking for a YA book with a sweet teenage love than yes. If you are a die hard Jamie McGuire fan (like me) than yes. If you were looking for a books that fits into the type of stories Jamie McGuire normal writes, no.

Will I read another book by this author? Yes. If Jamie McGuire writes it you can guarantee I’m reading it. I’m NEVER reading anything this racist piece of shit writes.

I kept it nice and pretty here and I’m so proud of myself. I should do some online shopping to celebrate.

Remember to follow all things messy. . .

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