This Is What Happy Looks Like: A Review

(Whoopie pies!!)

Spoiler caution! :-)

What do you think is under the title?

• I think it talks of the things that make our main characters (most specifically Ellie) happy.

Summarize the story in your own words:

• It all started with an e-mail. When Graham Larkin, a famous teenage celebrity accidentally enters the wrong e-mail address and sends it to Ellie O'Neill, a small town girl, everything started to change. They told each other about just about everything and somehow felt very much attached to each other -- without actually knowing who this newfound bestie is. Without Ellie actually knowing that she's befriended someone the famous Graham Larkin everyone gushes on about.
• Now Graham goes to Maine (aka Ellie's home state) too shoot/film his latest movie and here, they go [beating all the odds,] from e-mails to actual conversations, picnics and personal meetings.

In general: (didn't like it, okay, liked it, loved it)

• I liked it a lot.

Why?

• I liked it because it's light and warming and cute and fancy! :-) Those words I just have stated are words that come out a lot in book reviews (besides 'poignant' which I don't think I'll use anytime soon), but it's really the words you could use to describe this novel. I've read a lot of reviews beforehand and they all agree on one thing: it's like a dream come true. I second this one. Especially for the fangirls out there. (Because [spoiler!] to get close to a celebrity? Why the hell not?)
• I liked the fact that it had two point of views. Although I liked Graham's POV better because I'm a sucker for guy narrations so that one right there is sort of biased.
• Besides that though, I liked Graham's POV because we somehow get an insight on how it's like to be famous. He actually got me really guilty. About how much I scream, wail and sob over people I really know nothing of but their celebrity status. Or maybe it's just me who felt this way whilst reading the novel. /i don't know, it just was all over me that I feel like they think it's crazy wrong when people clam and cry over them like that.
• In general, though, I liked it because it was so amazingly written. Although I had quite some difficulties (in the beginning) in adapting myself into the third person point of view [because I'm not really exposed to third person POV stories]. The author never neglected though. Even though I paused from reading every now and then, I don't feel out of place when I came back to it moments later.
• I liked the fact that it's unique. Just like what I had said above, the third person point of view. There's connection despite the fact mentioned earlier and we get enough background to understand the characters and the way they are.

Favorite scene:

• The ending and/or the last chapter. (let me spoil you a bit) The Lobster Pot. The Whoopie pies. The bet.

Least favorite scene:

• The fight between Quinn and Ellie through the duration of the novel. I thought it was stupid and immature.

One quote you liked:

• “Nothing's all that scary if you can see it coming.”  
• “Maybe growing up was really nothing more than growing away: from your old life, from your old self, from all those things that kept you tethered to your past.” “Maybe growing up was really nothing more than growing away: from your old life, from your old self, from all those things that kept you tethered to your past.”  

Make a three to five song playlist for the novel:

• Please Don't Say You Love Me- Gabrielle Aplin
• All About Us- He is We ft. Owl City
• If These Sheets Were The States- All Time Low (for future!extension)
• Everything Has Changed- Taylor Swift ft. Ed [fucking] Sheeran (sCREAMS)

Rate it by stars/rubber ducks:

4 ducks!!

Would you recommend it?

• YES! Do read it! It's lighthearted and warm and nice. :-)

Last words:

• I'd hate to think of what would happen after the told ending. I'm pretty sure it would pain me in the heart.
• Jennifer Smith is now officially one of my new favorite authors. I'd definitely  check her new novel (The Geography of You and Me) when it comes out!

'Til next time!

:-)