I feel very conflicted about this book. On one hand, I think there’s a lot of promise for the rest of the series. I mean, there’s something really beautiful about the storyline. On the other hand, I can’t get over the insta-love (and not in a good way) and the naïveté of the characters.
I’m giving More Than This 3 out of 5 stars.
Blurb:
I’m giving More Than This 3 out of 5 stars.
Blurb:
*Mikayla*
In one night my fairytale ended. Or it may have begun. This is my story of friendship and love, heartbreak and desire, and the strength to show weakness.
*Jake*
One night I met a girl. A sad and broken girl, but one more beautiful than any other. She laughed through her sadness, while I loved through her heartbreak.
*This is our story of a maybe ever after.*
He was right. It made no difference whether it was 6 months or 6 years.
I couldn’t undo what had been done. I couldn’t change the future.
I couldn’t even predict it.
It was one night.
One night when everything changed.
It was so much more than just the betrayal.
It was the Tragedy.
The Deaths.
The Murders.
But it was also that feeling.
The feeling of falling.
The story is all about Mikayla Jones. I was giddy about the fact that she’s got Filipino heritage. As a Filipino myself, I love reading about characters who share the same heritage as me (like Kam from S.L. Jennings’ FEAR OF FALLING). The story starts with Mikayla getting ready for her senior prom. We also meet Mikayla’s family and I LOVED them. The first chapter made me laugh out loud for real. From that point, the story was built up quite well. Until the middle, that is. And everything just kind of felt apart. The beginning was very intense and emotional and heartbreaking but that was the height of it. The rest of the story didn't quite match the beginning.
Micky, as her friends call her, led a very charmed life. She’s got the perfect family, the perfect boyfriend, and the perfect bestfriend. Well, at least she thought she did. Everything went downhill that night. She finds out that her boyfriend of four years was not as perfect as she though he was, and neither was her best friend. Devastated, she found comfort in the arms of Jake Andrews, baseball pitcher extraordinaire!
But it was as if the universe had it out for Micky that night. Tragedy strikes and she could feel the ground slipping beneath her feet. She’s falling through the nothingness inside her… only to fall into the arms of Jake Andrews.
This is the part of the story that kind of turned me off. A little flirting is all well and good. But the speed at which Mikayla and Jack entered into their relationship-that-is-not-really-a-relationship really made me question their sanity. I can understand how Mikayla wanted to belong to somebody or somewhere after losing absolutely everything in her life. But damn, the insta-love fest gave me whiplash. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against insta-love, as much as it may seem in my reviews. I just think that there’s a certain way of handling that kind of relationship in a story. The way Mikayla and Jake came together felt kind of superficial and forced to me despite of whatever they say they feel about each other. I mean, why would an 18 year old girl move in with a guy she’s known for only a couple of months. Hello, Disney.
It’s also told in alternating POVs. I would’ve loved to read more about how Mikayla processed the implosion of her world. The rug gets pulled underneath her but all she can think about is Jake Andrews? Okay, you’ve got to get your priorities and your emotions straight, girl. And Jake, where do I start with him.
I don’t enjoy saying I disliked a book but I have to. So, here we go. Jake came off as an utter horn dog. It was evident from the very beginning that he felt the need to protect and care for his Kayla but I don’t think that gave him the excuse as to why he’s got a hard-on every time she’s around. Eighteen-year-olds guys… God, I did not miss reading this part of YA.
Even though More Than This features several steamy scenes and a whole lot of sexual tension, I’m still lumping this in the YA pile. I think New Adult characters have that certain maturity that the characters in More Than This definitely lacked.
Also, Jake Andrews kind of felt like a Jack Carter wannabe. Several times, people referred to Jake as “Jake Fucking Andrews”. I mean, if that doesn’t sound like “Jack Fuckin’ Carter” then I don’t know what does. Jake Andrews next to Jack Carter? Haha, that’s cute. And don’t even get me started on the whole pitcher thing. I don’t know if that was deliberate or not. With Jake almost going pro RIGHT AFTER high school, it felt as if he was trying to one-up Jack Carter from The Perfect Game. (Those who’ve read The Perfect Game can probably relate with this rant). Then again, maybe it’s just a matter of circumstance. If I haven’t read The Perfect Game, I may not be as affected as I am. But right now, I can’t help but compare the two male characters. It is what it is, I guess.
Of course, even though I rant about it, there are still some redeeming qualities in the book that makes me want to read the sequels. The two huge revelations at the end of the book sent me reeling. I did NOT expect that. Also, the other characters were all interesting. I can't fault Jay McLean for her writing. It's very breezy to read. I enjoyed some golden nuggets every now and then, as well. Jake and Kayla's letters to Emily were particularly emotional. Of course, I can't leave out drunk Lucy. She's hilarious! Actually, I just love the whole gang. I am particularly interested in LOGAN! Knowing that the next books are about him makes me giddy. I'm keeping my fingers-crossed that books 2 and 3 would be better.
So, there. As much as I liked MORE THAN THIS, there’s still something to be said about Kayla and Jake’s relationship. But I guess what the author is trying to say is that no matter how it began, what matters most is how it would end (or in this case, how it hopefully won’t). I need to read more about Kayla and Jake. I really want to see them in a non-teeny-bopper light.
I know I had some serious problems with MORE THAN THIS. It makes me feel sad that I did not get to enjoy this one as much as the rest of the GoodReads community. It's got a really high star rating and a lot of good reviews. I will definitely be reading the next books in the series.
Micky, as her friends call her, led a very charmed life. She’s got the perfect family, the perfect boyfriend, and the perfect bestfriend. Well, at least she thought she did. Everything went downhill that night. She finds out that her boyfriend of four years was not as perfect as she though he was, and neither was her best friend. Devastated, she found comfort in the arms of Jake Andrews, baseball pitcher extraordinaire!
But it was as if the universe had it out for Micky that night. Tragedy strikes and she could feel the ground slipping beneath her feet. She’s falling through the nothingness inside her… only to fall into the arms of Jake Andrews.
This is the part of the story that kind of turned me off. A little flirting is all well and good. But the speed at which Mikayla and Jack entered into their relationship-that-is-not-really-a-relationship really made me question their sanity. I can understand how Mikayla wanted to belong to somebody or somewhere after losing absolutely everything in her life. But damn, the insta-love fest gave me whiplash. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against insta-love, as much as it may seem in my reviews. I just think that there’s a certain way of handling that kind of relationship in a story. The way Mikayla and Jake came together felt kind of superficial and forced to me despite of whatever they say they feel about each other. I mean, why would an 18 year old girl move in with a guy she’s known for only a couple of months. Hello, Disney.
It’s also told in alternating POVs. I would’ve loved to read more about how Mikayla processed the implosion of her world. The rug gets pulled underneath her but all she can think about is Jake Andrews? Okay, you’ve got to get your priorities and your emotions straight, girl. And Jake, where do I start with him.
I don’t enjoy saying I disliked a book but I have to. So, here we go. Jake came off as an utter horn dog. It was evident from the very beginning that he felt the need to protect and care for his Kayla but I don’t think that gave him the excuse as to why he’s got a hard-on every time she’s around. Eighteen-year-olds guys… God, I did not miss reading this part of YA.
Even though More Than This features several steamy scenes and a whole lot of sexual tension, I’m still lumping this in the YA pile. I think New Adult characters have that certain maturity that the characters in More Than This definitely lacked.
Also, Jake Andrews kind of felt like a Jack Carter wannabe. Several times, people referred to Jake as “Jake Fucking Andrews”. I mean, if that doesn’t sound like “Jack Fuckin’ Carter” then I don’t know what does. Jake Andrews next to Jack Carter? Haha, that’s cute. And don’t even get me started on the whole pitcher thing. I don’t know if that was deliberate or not. With Jake almost going pro RIGHT AFTER high school, it felt as if he was trying to one-up Jack Carter from The Perfect Game. (Those who’ve read The Perfect Game can probably relate with this rant). Then again, maybe it’s just a matter of circumstance. If I haven’t read The Perfect Game, I may not be as affected as I am. But right now, I can’t help but compare the two male characters. It is what it is, I guess.
Of course, even though I rant about it, there are still some redeeming qualities in the book that makes me want to read the sequels. The two huge revelations at the end of the book sent me reeling. I did NOT expect that. Also, the other characters were all interesting. I can't fault Jay McLean for her writing. It's very breezy to read. I enjoyed some golden nuggets every now and then, as well. Jake and Kayla's letters to Emily were particularly emotional. Of course, I can't leave out drunk Lucy. She's hilarious! Actually, I just love the whole gang. I am particularly interested in LOGAN! Knowing that the next books are about him makes me giddy. I'm keeping my fingers-crossed that books 2 and 3 would be better.
So, there. As much as I liked MORE THAN THIS, there’s still something to be said about Kayla and Jake’s relationship. But I guess what the author is trying to say is that no matter how it began, what matters most is how it would end (or in this case, how it hopefully won’t). I need to read more about Kayla and Jake. I really want to see them in a non-teeny-bopper light.
I know I had some serious problems with MORE THAN THIS. It makes me feel sad that I did not get to enjoy this one as much as the rest of the GoodReads community. It's got a really high star rating and a lot of good reviews. I will definitely be reading the next books in the series.
LINKS
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OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES
| MORE THAN HER More #2  |  |  | MORE THAN HIM More #3  |
