Nothing More by Anna Todd | Book Review

Nothing More by Anna Todd

Reading Group: Anyone who read the After Series

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Living, Loving, And Growing Up In The Big City
New York's skyscrapers and hectic pace are a far cry from where Landon Gibson grew up, and the transition to New York University has been jarring.  But he's getting the hang of things, found a job that pays (some of) the bills, enjoys school, and only occasionally runs into his ex, Dakota.  You know, the one he chose NYU for . . . before she dumped him.

Luckily, his best friend, Tessa, shares a (terribly small) Brooklyn apartment with him.  And given the ups and downs she's had with her own ex, she's a good listener* when he finds himself in something of a love triangle -- a love knot?  Whatever it is, it's a mess.  An exciting mess.  Maybe even an addicting mess, because beautiful girls.

Being young and finding your way in the world is hard.  Landon's always been a positive person.  But in such a loud, demanding city so far away from home means you only get by with a little help from your friends.  And a good pair of headphones.

Landon's going to be okay . . . but the journey sure will be fun to watch.    

*This is weird to me because Landon doesn't talk to her about it much at all.  He actually chooses to keep her out of it because he knows she's in a weird place with Hardin.

Cover: This cover doesn't really have anything to do with the actual book, but it is very pretty.  And it looks like when someone takes a picture of a light, with the out of focus circles that form, which could maybe represent the lights of New York City.

My Review:  Oh sweet, beautiful Landon, what did you get yourself into?  This new book by Anna Todd follows Landon as he tries to navigate old and new flames . . . who hate each other . . . and are roommates.  Small world we live in.  First off, Nora is definitely who Landon ends up with and Dakota is definitely bagging Aiden.  I think this way because at Landon's wedding in After Ever Happy there's something about the bride's sister, but Dakota doesn't have a sister, so it can't be her and Nora does have a sister.  Also the Dakota and Aiden thing is something I have a hunch about because they know each other and she spun for him at the beginning of the book and there's a moment when Landon notices his hickeys and why would Todd bother putting that in the book if it was nothing.  Landon is so sweet, but he's holding onto the past whenever he's with Dakota.  It's all he thinks about.  How they used to do something and memories from Michigan, but the memories are from five years ago and they're different people and it's time to move on.  Which is something I think is really hard for Landon because he is one who loves someone forever, but I think he needs to realize that the love he has for Dakota is no longer romantic love, but more familial love.  Although it hasn't gotten into a lot of detail yet, it is clear that he and Dakota have been through things that will make them permanently linked, it doesn't mean they need to end up married.  It will be interesting to see how it plays out in Nothing Less.  Plus, how perfect would it be for Landon t end up with a pastry chef when he's mom was also a great baker and Landon is the first to admit that's she's one of his best friends.  I think Nora is exactly who Landon needs to get out of his own head and move past Michigan and Washington.   
Although this is the beginning of a new series and you don't necessarily need to read the After Series to read this book I definitely think that you should.  It just helps to know more about Tessa's situation and how she and Landon got to New York.  This book is definitely a slower pace than those books as well, but Landon is not Hessa in any way so that makes sense, but it kind of a shock to move from those books to this one.    

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Before by Anna Todd | Book Review

Before by Anna Todd

Reading Group: Anyone who read After

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: BEFORE Hardin met Tessa he was a raging storm. DURING those first moments they met, he realized he needed to keep her for himself—his life depended on it. AFTER they got together, the world would never be the same.

Hardin and Tessa’s dramatic love affair became a vortex pulling in everyone around them. For the first time these others are given voice as they appear before, during, and after the events in original After novels. Alongside them, Hardin’s account of his first encounters with Tessa—which will change what you thought you knew about the brooding boy and the angel who loved him.

Cover: The cover of this book is yellow and very bright.  It looks almost as if someone tried to take a picture of the sun.

My Review: I bought this book when it was released and I only just now finished reading it.  It took me so long to reread the first four books, but I finally did it.  I loved Before because I love Hardin and his point of view.  As many of you know, I got annoyed with Tessa pretty easily, but I have such a soft spot for Hardin.  I love how half the time he doesn't even know how he offends Tessa and when she gets mad, he gets so confused.  I also liked that the book incorporated more than just Hardin.  It gave insight on Molly and Steph and so many others and it was nice to see where all of the characters came from.  The 'After' section was also something I really enjoyed.  I love Smith, I think he's a funny kid and I love the future Hessa stuff because that's when they're always happy and it's great.  One thing I do wish was in Hardin's section was the "I love you" scene, even if it started when Tessa went to find him at the soccer field.  I loved that part of After, so it would have been nice to get it from Hardin's point of view.  I think this book really ties up Hessa's story nicely and hints at Landon's books enough to get everyone excited for them.  If you loved After and were able to make it through the entire series, this book is definitely a great way to finish it off.     

I also really wish Anna would write something about the two years when Hardin lived in Chicago, even if it's just something short and on Wattpad.

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After Ever Happy by Anna Todd | Book Review

After Ever Happy by Anna Todd

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Reading Group Rating: M for Mature

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Tessa and Hardin have had enough surprises.  Their bond is stronger than ever, but ever new challenge they face shakes their foundation-and Hardin's impenetrable facade-to the core.  As the shocking truth about each of their families emerges, it's clear that the two lovers are not so different from each other.  Tessa is no longer the sweet, simple, good girl she was when she met Hardin-any more than he is the cruel, moody boy she fell so hard for.  Tessa understands all the troubling emotions brewing within Hardin, and she knows she's the only one who can calm when he erupts.  He needs her.  But the more layers of his past that come to light, the darker he grows, and the harder he pushes Tessa-and everyone else in his life-away.  After all this time, Tessa's not sure if she really can save him-not without sacrificing herself.  Is love worth losing identity?  She refuses to go down without a fight.  But who is she really fighting for-Hardin or herself?   

Cover: I think the cover of this novel is so cute, with it's pretty colors and sunshine.  It's just so happy, which makes sense given the title and the fact that this story does have a lot of happy moments to it.

My Review: This is definitely my favorite of the After books because this is the one where everything falls into place.  Tessa brakes, but then finally realizes that she needs to be more independent and figure out what she wants out of life.  (Plus, she's less annoying and whiney in this book which makes me very happy)  Hardin reverts back to who he was before Tessa when he finds out about his family, but then he is able to bring himself out of it and finally change to be the man he kept saying he wanted to be.  It was kind of sad that it took Richard killing himself for Tessa and Hardin to figure all this out, but at the same time it had to be something dramatic because the two of them had already gone through things where they said things would be different.  Tessa needed to go through the emotions, or lack thereof, of what she went through when her dad died, as sad as it was.  It brought so many things to light and allowed her to realize that she didn't need Zed (finally, am I right?) and that as much as she loved Hardin, she needed space.  And the space was a good thing because obviously they were going to end up together it was just a matter of when they would be 100% together.  Can you imagine if after 4 books they ended up breaking up?  I would have been so mad.  Also, the epilogue is the greatest thing.  I loved everything about it.  Except I am very confused as to whether they actually ended up getting married or not, but I feel like I read somewhere that Anna Todd explains it better in Landon's books, I don't know though.

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After by Anna Todd | Book Review

After by Anna Todd

Reading Group Rating: M for Mature

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars 

Given Summary: There was the time before Tessa met Hardin, and then there’s everything AFTER... Life will never be the same. 

Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She’s got direction, ambition, and a mother who’s intent on keeping her that way. 

But she’s barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, tattoos, and lip ring, Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to. 

But he’s also rude—to the point of cruelty, even. For all his attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does—until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs her, and when they kiss it ignites within her a passion she’s never known before. 

He’ll call her beautiful, then insist he isn’t the one for her and disappear again and again. Despite the reckless way he treats her, Tessa is compelled to dig deeper and find the real Hardin beneath all his lies. He pushes her away again and again, yet every time she pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper. 

Tessa already has the perfect boyfriend. So why is she trying so hard to overcome her own hurt pride and Hardin’s prejudice about nice girls like her? 

Unless…could this be love?


Cover: The cover of this novel is covered in dark blue-green clouds.  The clouds show that a storm is coming and it almost stands as a warning.  However, rain itself is very cleansing and shows rebirth.  So maybe this cover is saying that although a big storm is coming and it may destroy some things, there is also a new start on its way afterwards.

My Review: I did read this novel on Wattpad so I know what happens.  I think that's why I was a little hesitant to to read it again.  It also makes it a little harder to write this review because I have to focus on just this part of the story, even though I know what happens next.
The story itself is great.  I like that they fight and struggle to understand each other, but still love each other.  I mean obviously Hardin is hiding something so he sometimes acts like it and gets mad seemingly out of no where.
I think you also have to give a lot of credit to Anna Todd for this story.  She wrote it chapter by chapter and uploaded everyday (for the most part).  She wasn't able to go back and change anything and she didn't change that much when it was printed into a real book.  It just shows hoe good of a writer she actually is, no matter what people may say about her writing a FanFiction online.
I did notice that during Tessa's first meeting of Ken Scott he is said to have brown eyes, but then later he has green eyes.  I also didn't like how much Tessa yelled.  She's always yelling at Hardin.  Maybe it's because I can't relate to that, I don't scream at people even when I'm mad so I just couldn't take it seriously when she was yelling at Hardin all those times.

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