★★★★
**NOTE: if it wasn't such an addictive and fun read, it probably would have been 2.5 stars given everything else**
Summary:
Sixteen-year old Jackie Howard knows nothing about her new guardian Katherine Walter when she moves from New York to Colorado. After discovering that Katherine has twelve boys, Jackie fears that living in the Walter house isn't going to be easy. It's just icing on the cake that the boys look like Abercrombie models...
**NOTE: if it wasn't such an addictive and fun read, it probably would have been 2.5 stars given everything else**
Summary:
Sixteen-year old Jackie Howard knows nothing about her new guardian Katherine Walter when she moves from New York to Colorado. After discovering that Katherine has twelve boys, Jackie fears that living in the Walter house isn't going to be easy. It's just icing on the cake that the boys look like Abercrombie models...
It's hard to write this review because there are so many problems, yet I don't seem to care. I really enjoyed this story. It was surprisingly easy to shrug the problems off instead of being bothered by them. Ali Novak writes addictive stories that you can't help but love no matter how much you know you probably shouldn't.
I was first drawn to this book because of how it got published. It was found on a website I have browsed before called Wattpad, where people can publish their stories and get feedback from their readers. When it was picked up the author rewrote most of it to fix plot holes and make it even better.
MLWTWB (Novak actually calls it that!) was incredibly hard to put down. I started the book not knowing much other than what I said before late at night and could not stop reading until I finished it well into the next day.
I realize I have mentioned that I have a few problems with the book, but the biggest one doesn't even have anything to do with the story: it's that cover. Could they have done anything more hideous? It has absolutely nothing to do with the story, except maybe point to the stupid love triangle. I seriously think they picked the first picture they found and didn't even bother to edit it.
On to the actual story, however. There are a lot of inconsistencies. For instance, at one point Jackie (the MC) mentions how hard it was to climb the stairs wearing a pencil skirt, but later has no trouble going horseback riding in that same skirt. There's also things that make no sense, such as how one of the MC' sister's clubbing dresses is found in her closet, yet she is shocked to find it. That would mean she has no recollection of packing it or unpacking it. I think she probably would have remembered given the back story.
Even though I think it was not shown well enough how deeply Jackie was affected by her entire family's recent death, Novak did a good job at making me feel the pain. However, most of the times her family was even mentioned was when Jackie felt guilty for being in a relationship so soon after their death. I don't even understand why she feels guilty for that, either.
I really liked the Walter family. At times it felt like there were too many kids; I couldn't keep them straight. However, I really liked how Jackie tried to connect with them all and get to know them better. I liked that there were mixed reactions to Jackie moving in and how their opinions changed as they got to know her.
I also really liked the parents. They were involved with the family, and were always really nice to Jackie. They were not afraid to ground them if they did something wrong, but still trusted them. One thing that did not make much sense was how they did not care about Jackie dating one of their sons. Maybe they didn't even know, but that would not make much sense either. I wish they had sat them down to talk about what they could and couldn't do. After all, she is living under the same roof.
Another thing that did not make much sense was Jackie's personality. She was a rich teenage girl living in New York, but she's never been kissed, she's never been drunk, and she didn't really party. I suppose it is possible for a few people to go against the flow, but she never even mentions being the odd one out.
And let's talk about the love triangle for a second: WHY? Just no. Not only are both love interests brothers, which is borderline messed up (especially since it's simultaneous), but it was unnecessary! I did like how it was solved, but I wish it had never happened.
Although I personally have not read it, I've hear this novel is very similar to Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian. I will read it soon and draw a conclusion from there.
I'm sure there's more, but you get the idea. I've heard people compare this book to junk food: you know you shouldn't eat it, but you still love it. I think they have the right idea. As long as you are able to put all those things aside, you will seriously enjoy this.
I was first drawn to this book because of how it got published. It was found on a website I have browsed before called Wattpad, where people can publish their stories and get feedback from their readers. When it was picked up the author rewrote most of it to fix plot holes and make it even better.
MLWTWB (Novak actually calls it that!) was incredibly hard to put down. I started the book not knowing much other than what I said before late at night and could not stop reading until I finished it well into the next day.
I realize I have mentioned that I have a few problems with the book, but the biggest one doesn't even have anything to do with the story: it's that cover. Could they have done anything more hideous? It has absolutely nothing to do with the story, except maybe point to the stupid love triangle. I seriously think they picked the first picture they found and didn't even bother to edit it.
On to the actual story, however. There are a lot of inconsistencies. For instance, at one point Jackie (the MC) mentions how hard it was to climb the stairs wearing a pencil skirt, but later has no trouble going horseback riding in that same skirt. There's also things that make no sense, such as how one of the MC' sister's clubbing dresses is found in her closet, yet she is shocked to find it. That would mean she has no recollection of packing it or unpacking it. I think she probably would have remembered given the back story.
Even though I think it was not shown well enough how deeply Jackie was affected by her entire family's recent death, Novak did a good job at making me feel the pain. However, most of the times her family was even mentioned was when Jackie felt guilty for being in a relationship so soon after their death. I don't even understand why she feels guilty for that, either.
I really liked the Walter family. At times it felt like there were too many kids; I couldn't keep them straight. However, I really liked how Jackie tried to connect with them all and get to know them better. I liked that there were mixed reactions to Jackie moving in and how their opinions changed as they got to know her.
I also really liked the parents. They were involved with the family, and were always really nice to Jackie. They were not afraid to ground them if they did something wrong, but still trusted them. One thing that did not make much sense was how they did not care about Jackie dating one of their sons. Maybe they didn't even know, but that would not make much sense either. I wish they had sat them down to talk about what they could and couldn't do. After all, she is living under the same roof.
Another thing that did not make much sense was Jackie's personality. She was a rich teenage girl living in New York, but she's never been kissed, she's never been drunk, and she didn't really party. I suppose it is possible for a few people to go against the flow, but she never even mentions being the odd one out.
And let's talk about the love triangle for a second: WHY? Just no. Not only are both love interests brothers, which is borderline messed up (especially since it's simultaneous), but it was unnecessary! I did like how it was solved, but I wish it had never happened.
Although I personally have not read it, I've hear this novel is very similar to Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian. I will read it soon and draw a conclusion from there.
I'm sure there's more, but you get the idea. I've heard people compare this book to junk food: you know you shouldn't eat it, but you still love it. I think they have the right idea. As long as you are able to put all those things aside, you will seriously enjoy this.