I think my favorites were all right around the middle of the book. The beginning was a tad slow because I just frankly didn't care about Roger (or Brianna for that matter). But this book made me so devoted to Jamie and Claire, even more than Outlander. I think I was in shock the last 50 pages or so. It all happened so fast!!! I knew about the cliffhanger but couldn't figure out how if the book had dragged on so long how could Claire go back to the future so quickly and suddenly? I officially am not letting myself start Voyager until school is out because this book just took over my life. I am hooked.

The email I wrote to my book club partner after finishing (light spoilers):

When Anna's life started falling apart was when I really started to appreciate this book. It constantly felt like it was calling out to me, "this is what would happen if you made these choices." Because Tanner isn't perfect. He doesn't always show me love the way I want him to. I'm not always happy with my life choices. Sometimes I feel lonely even though I know I'm not alone. But the difference is I can get myself out of my own head enough to know that none of what I'm thinking is true. Or if it is, I can push past it. Tanner does love me, in his own way, which Anna realizes after Bruno beats her and kicks her out. She realizes it too late. I do love my dogs despite their annoyances, and Anna realizes she does love Viktor, again after it's too late. Anna does have friends and family she could reach out to, but she chooses her sadness and misery instead. I feel like you and I both constantly choose to get on the happiness train whenever it passes us, because if we were to stay on the platform over and over again we would become Anna. I seriously think we would. Not in the adultery, but in the depression and thought cycle. I feel like that was her big conclusion at the end - she knew the whole time that she was creating this terrible life for herself out of nothing, but she never acknowledged it. And then she did acknowledge it but didn't know what to do with that acknowledgement. She realized she did live in a beautiful town - she used to get depressed about having to die there, but I think she would have felt that way anywhere because that was her depression speaking. She knew that Stephen didn't love her or feel attached to her, but she wanted to believe that because she wanted to place the blame for her behavior somewhere.

All of that is to say, I really really really appreciate this book. So much. As much as I hated Anna pretty much the whole freaking time, I feel like this book was a window into a life that could be created by anyone who doesn't care to put in the effort to create their own happiness. It's a warning and it's a lament. I appreciate it so much. I grieve for Anna and the life she could have had with Bruno it Switzerland had she accepted help from others or cared. This story made me so sad but it was also written so beautifully. I loved the comparisons with the German language and the way nearly everything people said to Anna was taken apart and criticized and turned into a metaphor.

All of this is to say 5 stars from me, surprisingly.

My favorite Dessen book in probably 8 years or more. So much depth. I appreciate the work Dessen put into every character's depth and quality. You could just tell how much more she cared about this book than some of her previous. I loved Layla, I loved Mac, Ames made me so uncomfortable, I both hated and understood her mom, and I was so frustrated by her dad. Sydney was me in high school, although I was lucky to have such a safe and happy family. I adored this book, and I hope future Dessen books live up to Saint Anything.

I loved getting to know the amazing Maisie Dobbs. I loved her intuition and care for every person she meets, and was impressed by the author's care with making her personality so dynamic. Wonderful read!

I liked this book SO MUCH more than the first. I think mainly because the photographs seemed much more content in the plot. I mentioned in my review of the first book that sometimes it was like the author was stretching to make the photographs plausible. Or maybe I was just used to the format now. In any case, the novel starts off exciting and continues as such. Expect the creepiness and haunting nature of the storyline with the photos that came with book 1. I liked Jacob much more in this book. I think that had a lot to do with the fact that this novel was focused much more on the action of the plot than what was going on in Jacob's head.
I did get a bit confused at various points because I didn't remember every detail about the first book. It would have been nice for Riggs to throw in some details that we may have forgotten.

SPOILERS


For instance, I thought that Jacob's dad had met the peculiar children at the end of the first book and knew what Jacob was doing. That was clearly not the case so when I get the first book back from my friend who's borrowing it I'm going to have to look that up.
I had completely forgotten all of the backstory with the wights and hollows and had to go read a plot summary I found online to understand when they mentioned that whole storyline.
I did get a bit confused with all of the time traveling in this story. For instance, all of the peculiar children who lived in Miss Peregrine's loop were a certain age when they were found and brought to her loop. And maybe this was explained in book 1 but I don't remember but were they all there when the loop was created so they're all 1930's-ish kids? Or what about children in like the 70's? Do they just get picked up and brought back to loops in an earlier time? Or like Jacob - what if he'd been abandoned by his parents? Is there a loop for present day kids? I do think maybe that was reasoned through in book 1 and I don't remember, so if you do know please comment and tell me!

Highly recommend. But definitely have to start with the first in the series.

About the same as book one as far as my enjoyment of the story, characters, etc. Excited to see where book 3 takes us.

Favorite of the series so far. It's the first that didn't have a 200+ page section of the book that completely bored me. I know Jamie is possibly the least realistic man ever written but I'm in love with him all the same.

Loved the second read SO much more than the first. While this is still my least favorite John Green book, it actually has my favorite message. I practice (or try to) imagining people complexly every day. I judge people less for their actions. I don't make assumptions about other's motives.

Love Hannah Hart and super super happy for her success and for this adorable book she has created. It's cute and fun and lighthearted and a great bedside/coffee table staple.