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nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
4.0
This review and many others can be found on my blog - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I'm a huge fan of Les Mis (the musical - I'm sad to say I haven't read the book yet), so when I saw this book up for review, I just had to get it. I was curious how Hale would incorporate characters inspired by the classic.
The book started out a little shaky for me, but it got a lot better by the end. Destiny and her brother are the only Mormons in their Baptist school and they are treated with disdain and outright hatred by many people there (especially the adults). Destiny just keeps her head low and tries not to make waves. But she has had a long-time crush on Isaac, and when she is cast as Eponine against his Marius in a school production, she finds that the play is mirroring life for her a bit more than is comfortable.
What I loved:
Character growth.
Like I said, I was a bit nervous at the beginning of this book - really for at least half the book, maybe more. I just wasn't sure if I could root for these characters (see my negative point below). But, in the end Isaac and Destiny won me over. Destiny is strong in her Mormon faith, and her attraction to Isaac is an issue - she is only supposed to date Mormon boys. I have to admit that there were times in the book when I wondered if she wouldn't have just been better off with Preston, the Mormon boy who was infatuated with her, especially since we were privy to Isaac's inner thoughts and he was more than a little uneasy with Destiny's faith. But, throughout the book, Isaac learns to be more open-minded and see Destiny for who she was, not for the details of her religion. He decides that he needs to learn about the Mormon faith himself and not depend on the prejudices of his father. By the end of the book, I was on Destiny and Isaac's side - which was impressive because I didn't know if I would get there.
The play.
As I suspected, I was enamored with the parts of the book that had to do with Les Mis. The book didn't mirror the Eponine/Marius/Cosette relationship super closely, but the parallels were definitely there. And I got to relive memories of many of my favorite songs from the show!
Friendship.
I also really enjoyed the friendship between Hannah and Destiny. They were great fun together and they seemed to share a real bond (though Hannah did occasionally take things a little too far when she was trying to get Isaac and Destiny together, though).
The negatives:
Religious fundamentalism.
There was definitely a strong religious message to this book. As an evangelical Christian, I don't mind this necessarily, but all of the talk of characters trying to convert each other made me a little uneasy. All of the Baptist characters seemed to worry that Destiny was out to prey on weak Christians and convert them - meanwhile Isaac seemed to think that he needed to convert Destiny back to the Baptist faith. I was also pretty put off by the extreme hate that a lot of the Baptists showed toward Destiny - very un-Christian in my opinion. I just was never quite sure how to feel about it all. I did learn more about the Mormon faith, which I found interesting. And, by the end, the book had moved more toward tolerance and understanding, so it definitely got better. And, to be fair, this religious intolerance was there for a reason - so we could see growth in the characters. I was just worried for quite awhile.
I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in this series! I struggled a little bit with my rating on this one because I wasn't sure about the book at first, but I ended up landing on 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author and YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
I'm a huge fan of Les Mis (the musical - I'm sad to say I haven't read the book yet), so when I saw this book up for review, I just had to get it. I was curious how Hale would incorporate characters inspired by the classic.
The book started out a little shaky for me, but it got a lot better by the end. Destiny and her brother are the only Mormons in their Baptist school and they are treated with disdain and outright hatred by many people there (especially the adults). Destiny just keeps her head low and tries not to make waves. But she has had a long-time crush on Isaac, and when she is cast as Eponine against his Marius in a school production, she finds that the play is mirroring life for her a bit more than is comfortable.
What I loved:
Character growth.
Like I said, I was a bit nervous at the beginning of this book - really for at least half the book, maybe more. I just wasn't sure if I could root for these characters (see my negative point below). But, in the end Isaac and Destiny won me over. Destiny is strong in her Mormon faith, and her attraction to Isaac is an issue - she is only supposed to date Mormon boys. I have to admit that there were times in the book when I wondered if she wouldn't have just been better off with Preston, the Mormon boy who was infatuated with her, especially since we were privy to Isaac's inner thoughts and he was more than a little uneasy with Destiny's faith. But, throughout the book, Isaac learns to be more open-minded and see Destiny for who she was, not for the details of her religion. He decides that he needs to learn about the Mormon faith himself and not depend on the prejudices of his father. By the end of the book, I was on Destiny and Isaac's side - which was impressive because I didn't know if I would get there.
The play.
As I suspected, I was enamored with the parts of the book that had to do with Les Mis. The book didn't mirror the Eponine/Marius/Cosette relationship super closely, but the parallels were definitely there. And I got to relive memories of many of my favorite songs from the show!
Friendship.
I also really enjoyed the friendship between Hannah and Destiny. They were great fun together and they seemed to share a real bond (though Hannah did occasionally take things a little too far when she was trying to get Isaac and Destiny together, though).
The negatives:
Religious fundamentalism.
There was definitely a strong religious message to this book. As an evangelical Christian, I don't mind this necessarily, but all of the talk of characters trying to convert each other made me a little uneasy. All of the Baptist characters seemed to worry that Destiny was out to prey on weak Christians and convert them - meanwhile Isaac seemed to think that he needed to convert Destiny back to the Baptist faith. I was also pretty put off by the extreme hate that a lot of the Baptists showed toward Destiny - very un-Christian in my opinion. I just was never quite sure how to feel about it all. I did learn more about the Mormon faith, which I found interesting. And, by the end, the book had moved more toward tolerance and understanding, so it definitely got better. And, to be fair, this religious intolerance was there for a reason - so we could see growth in the characters. I was just worried for quite awhile.
I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in this series! I struggled a little bit with my rating on this one because I wasn't sure about the book at first, but I ended up landing on 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author and YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
lolasreviews's review against another edition
4.0
I got a copy in exchange for an honest review
I really enjoyed Destiny, it was a great book and as soon as I started it I just wanted to keep reading. I really like Cindy her writing style and I think it's great she managed to write about that deals with religious issues without it being too much, but more about that later.
While from the blurb I imagined the book would start with the musical casting scene soon, it didn't. Actually quite some things happened before that. Some parts of the story are a bit predictable, but Destiny is still a very enjoyable read. Also because I haven't read or seen Les Miserables I felt like I was missing something at some points, I didn't see the connectiongs between this book and Les Mis and I also had some trouble following some of the conversations about Les Mis in the story. Luckily most important parts are explained. Destiny had that keep-reading-feel and although I would've liked some more explanation about Les Mis, the Mormons and the Baptists I really enjoyed the story.
Destiny is about two people from a different religious background that fall in love with each other, at some parts I felt like the whole world was against them and I was really rooting for their relationship. Really I was surprised at how some of the Baptists in this book acted towards the Mormons. Especially Isaac's dad, he was the worst of them all. I really wanted they opened their eyes and actually learned a bit more the Mormons and base their expectations on facts.
Religion plays a part of the story in Destiny, let me start by saying I am not a religious person and I haven't read a book so far where religion actually played a part, sure in some books it got mentioned, but in this book religion is part of the storyline. I actually liked learning about the Mormons and Baptists, as far as I know here in the Netherlands these two reiligious don't exist or have only few followers, so I didn't knew a lot about them going in. The most important things are explained although I sometimes felt like I was still missing pieces because I know so little about it. Cindy does a grat job to integrate religion into the story, but it's not too much. Sure it's an important part, but it wasn't like Cindy is trying to convince readers to become Mormon or something, it's just part of the story and that's it.
I liked Destiny from the start, she is a bit of a goody-two-shoes, always following the rules and she was just a nice girl. I really liked her from the start. I didn't like Isaac at first, I am not sure why, he just seemed a bit too perfect and cliché, but as I got to know him better I also started to like him more and found out what a sweet guy he actually was. Hannah added a nice touch to the story, but I got annoyed at her personality sometimes, she just seemed a bit too eager to push Destiny and Isaac together and told sort-of-secrets a bit too easily. I really couldn't stand Olivia, she is Destiny's sister and she is such a little annoying bitch sometimes. On the other hand I really liked Destiny her big brother Michael, he was a great guy and I liked how important he was to the story too, sometimes in books sibling feel like a bit of a fill-up, but Michael actually was a character and he interacted a lot with destiny. Preston was a great character too, although I actually felt a bit bad for him sometimes. He is such a nice guy and did everything for his sisters and mom.
The ending wraps some things up nicely, but the ending is still pretty open too. I am really curious what will happen in the nxt book and how their story continues. There are still a lot of storylines open and questions that need answering.
To conclude: I really enjoyed Destiny, as soon as I started I wanted to keep reading. The religion aspect was nicely woven into the story. I liked learning more about both the Mormons and Baptists although there was a little too less explanation for someone who almost didn't know anything about them before reading this book. I liked most of the character, although it took me some time to start liking Isaac. There where also a few characters which I couldn't stand like Olivia and Isaac's dad. The ending wraps some things up, but also leaves it open enough for the next book.
I really enjoyed Destiny, it was a great book and as soon as I started it I just wanted to keep reading. I really like Cindy her writing style and I think it's great she managed to write about that deals with religious issues without it being too much, but more about that later.
While from the blurb I imagined the book would start with the musical casting scene soon, it didn't. Actually quite some things happened before that. Some parts of the story are a bit predictable, but Destiny is still a very enjoyable read. Also because I haven't read or seen Les Miserables I felt like I was missing something at some points, I didn't see the connectiongs between this book and Les Mis and I also had some trouble following some of the conversations about Les Mis in the story. Luckily most important parts are explained. Destiny had that keep-reading-feel and although I would've liked some more explanation about Les Mis, the Mormons and the Baptists I really enjoyed the story.
Destiny is about two people from a different religious background that fall in love with each other, at some parts I felt like the whole world was against them and I was really rooting for their relationship. Really I was surprised at how some of the Baptists in this book acted towards the Mormons. Especially Isaac's dad, he was the worst of them all. I really wanted they opened their eyes and actually learned a bit more the Mormons and base their expectations on facts.
Religion plays a part of the story in Destiny, let me start by saying I am not a religious person and I haven't read a book so far where religion actually played a part, sure in some books it got mentioned, but in this book religion is part of the storyline. I actually liked learning about the Mormons and Baptists, as far as I know here in the Netherlands these two reiligious don't exist or have only few followers, so I didn't knew a lot about them going in. The most important things are explained although I sometimes felt like I was still missing pieces because I know so little about it. Cindy does a grat job to integrate religion into the story, but it's not too much. Sure it's an important part, but it wasn't like Cindy is trying to convince readers to become Mormon or something, it's just part of the story and that's it.
I liked Destiny from the start, she is a bit of a goody-two-shoes, always following the rules and she was just a nice girl. I really liked her from the start. I didn't like Isaac at first, I am not sure why, he just seemed a bit too perfect and cliché, but as I got to know him better I also started to like him more and found out what a sweet guy he actually was. Hannah added a nice touch to the story, but I got annoyed at her personality sometimes, she just seemed a bit too eager to push Destiny and Isaac together and told sort-of-secrets a bit too easily. I really couldn't stand Olivia, she is Destiny's sister and she is such a little annoying bitch sometimes. On the other hand I really liked Destiny her big brother Michael, he was a great guy and I liked how important he was to the story too, sometimes in books sibling feel like a bit of a fill-up, but Michael actually was a character and he interacted a lot with destiny. Preston was a great character too, although I actually felt a bit bad for him sometimes. He is such a nice guy and did everything for his sisters and mom.
The ending wraps some things up nicely, but the ending is still pretty open too. I am really curious what will happen in the nxt book and how their story continues. There are still a lot of storylines open and questions that need answering.
To conclude: I really enjoyed Destiny, as soon as I started I wanted to keep reading. The religion aspect was nicely woven into the story. I liked learning more about both the Mormons and Baptists although there was a little too less explanation for someone who almost didn't know anything about them before reading this book. I liked most of the character, although it took me some time to start liking Isaac. There where also a few characters which I couldn't stand like Olivia and Isaac's dad. The ending wraps some things up, but also leaves it open enough for the next book.
katrinamarie's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this story! It’s so nice seeing a YA story where the characters have crushes on each other and don’t want to jump the each other’s bones.
I love Destiny. She’s strong in her convictions. She tries to be the best person she can be. Even when who she likes goes against her beliefs. Her character is a perfect role model for young girls. I was on the fence about Isaac. At first I couldn’t stand him. He seems like such a jerk, but he’s also generally a good guy.
I love the message this book sends. People think that prejudices only ever boil down to race, and that’s not the case. All types of people have to deal with prejudice. This one happens to focus on religion. It was a fascinating read, and I learned so much.
I recommend this book to any age. Even at almost 30, I learned a few things.
lifeandliterature's review against another edition
4.0
bigotry:
noun
1. intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself.
Destiny Clark is a Mormon who attends a Baptist high school. She doesn't preach her beliefs to anyone. She doesn't try to convert people to her way. She just goes about her life quietly and gracefully. Destiny has had a crush on the school heartthrob Isaac Robinson for quite a while now, but she knows nothing will ever come of it. He is dating someone else. And then there are their religious differences. But then they are cast together in the school production of Les Misérables, and as they spend time together rehearsing, they both come to realise that Isaac has developed very strong feelings for Destiny. But Destiny and Isaac will have to face so many hurdles and roadblocks if they are to have any sort of relationship.
I have a whole host of people in my life who have very different religious beliefs. Some are Catholic. Some are Mormons. Some are Anglican, and some have no faith at all. It makes not one iota of difference to me. What matters is how you treat me. What matters is the love in your heart. What matters is the goodness in your soul. So reading Destiny had me dealing with a whole range of thoughts based around peoples beliefs when it came to religion.
"You Mormons are all the same. You suck our people into your web of lies." I opened my mouth to defend myself, but before I could speak, he bellowed, "I will not have my son involved with you people."
One emotion I felt a lot of while I was reading this book was anger. Anger towards the adults for sticking so solidly to their positions on Baptists versus Mormons. There were times when their opinions were quite hateful and incredibly judgemental. And what was sad was that they had passed those beliefs onto their children, who could be even more hurtful in the things they said and did.
Religion plays a big part in this book. It's not just an occasional mention. The whole storyline is based around the religion and beliefs of the characters. But when I got to the end of the book, it wasn't the religion that stood out for me. It was the growth of the characters, and in particular Isaac. Him and Destiny could teach the adults in this book a few things about acceptance. Isaac doesn't start out as the guy we get at the end of the book. In fact I didn't warm to him straight away. He was his fathers son and held onto his beliefs quite firmly and I couldn't see him changing as the story went on. But he proved to be a much stronger character than I originally gave him credit for and by the end of the book I loved him.
I'd been seeing him all this time as a drool-worthy, celebrity-type guy to fangirl over. I had no idea who he truly was, and I was beginning to wonder if he was more beautiful on the inside than on the outside.
Destiny and Isaac's romance is forbidden, but these two characters know their feelings and fight hard for what they have found with each other. I loved Destiny from the start. I just got a feeling of calmness from her. She has her doubts and insecurities about her, just like any other teenage girl, but it took a lot to rattle her.
Cindy Ray Hale's writing style was very easy to read. There were a few times when the characters felt a little bit younger than what they were supposed to be, but other than that, Destiny was an incredibly enjoyable read. I can always tell if a books done it's job by how invested in the characters I am, and I was rooting for Destiny and Isaac till the very end.
4/5 Forbidden Love Stars.
noun
1. intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself.
Destiny Clark is a Mormon who attends a Baptist high school. She doesn't preach her beliefs to anyone. She doesn't try to convert people to her way. She just goes about her life quietly and gracefully. Destiny has had a crush on the school heartthrob Isaac Robinson for quite a while now, but she knows nothing will ever come of it. He is dating someone else. And then there are their religious differences. But then they are cast together in the school production of Les Misérables, and as they spend time together rehearsing, they both come to realise that Isaac has developed very strong feelings for Destiny. But Destiny and Isaac will have to face so many hurdles and roadblocks if they are to have any sort of relationship.
I have a whole host of people in my life who have very different religious beliefs. Some are Catholic. Some are Mormons. Some are Anglican, and some have no faith at all. It makes not one iota of difference to me. What matters is how you treat me. What matters is the love in your heart. What matters is the goodness in your soul. So reading Destiny had me dealing with a whole range of thoughts based around peoples beliefs when it came to religion.
"You Mormons are all the same. You suck our people into your web of lies." I opened my mouth to defend myself, but before I could speak, he bellowed, "I will not have my son involved with you people."
One emotion I felt a lot of while I was reading this book was anger. Anger towards the adults for sticking so solidly to their positions on Baptists versus Mormons. There were times when their opinions were quite hateful and incredibly judgemental. And what was sad was that they had passed those beliefs onto their children, who could be even more hurtful in the things they said and did.
Religion plays a big part in this book. It's not just an occasional mention. The whole storyline is based around the religion and beliefs of the characters. But when I got to the end of the book, it wasn't the religion that stood out for me. It was the growth of the characters, and in particular Isaac. Him and Destiny could teach the adults in this book a few things about acceptance. Isaac doesn't start out as the guy we get at the end of the book. In fact I didn't warm to him straight away. He was his fathers son and held onto his beliefs quite firmly and I couldn't see him changing as the story went on. But he proved to be a much stronger character than I originally gave him credit for and by the end of the book I loved him.
I'd been seeing him all this time as a drool-worthy, celebrity-type guy to fangirl over. I had no idea who he truly was, and I was beginning to wonder if he was more beautiful on the inside than on the outside.
Destiny and Isaac's romance is forbidden, but these two characters know their feelings and fight hard for what they have found with each other. I loved Destiny from the start. I just got a feeling of calmness from her. She has her doubts and insecurities about her, just like any other teenage girl, but it took a lot to rattle her.
Cindy Ray Hale's writing style was very easy to read. There were a few times when the characters felt a little bit younger than what they were supposed to be, but other than that, Destiny was an incredibly enjoyable read. I can always tell if a books done it's job by how invested in the characters I am, and I was rooting for Destiny and Isaac till the very end.
4/5 Forbidden Love Stars.
veronica245's review
4.0
This little book is surprisingly good. At the beginning it felt a little heavy on the religious path for me, but as I went along, I stopped noticing it. The story itself was very engrossing and the characters well developed. I am looking forward to the second book.
kelsiestelting's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know if I'd call this a Romeo and Juliet retelling, but it was an absolutely great story, and I'm so so glad (spoiler alert) it didn't end like Romeo and Juliet. I loved Destiny; she was reliably good no matter what. Her parents are awesome, and I can't believe how cool they were about the whole deal... I think it's an awesome read for young adults and adults alike. As a Catholic, I've experienced some similar bigotry (except not to the extent Destiny has) and also some of the curiosity that comes with having a religion with distinct traditions/"rules". I would have given 4 stars, but there were some issues with the editing, especially toward the end. There was one part where it completely cut off in Isaac's part of the story and repeated some of Destiny's part without a chapter break or anything. I'm looking forward to reading the next novel!
signedbysanne's review
1.0
Got a copy in exchange for an honest review
This book wasn't that interesting to me, probably because it may have been written for a little bit of a younger audience, as I am in my second year of uni.
The thing that made it kind of interesting was the religion aspect, I know a thing or two about christianity but not as much about all the different kinds of christians, so it was interesting to learn more about two of these groups. The characters stayed true to themselves throughout the whole story, however some of them, especially the character "aspen" were the standard superficial high school characters, making them completely not interesting. I would have liked to go to this school though, as there seem to be no unattractive guys there. My favorite character was probably Hannah, the only one that had some spunk. Unfortunately the ending was kind of predictable.
Overall it was a quick and easy read and I didn't hate it, but it's just not that exciting.
This book wasn't that interesting to me, probably because it may have been written for a little bit of a younger audience, as I am in my second year of uni.
The thing that made it kind of interesting was the religion aspect, I know a thing or two about christianity but not as much about all the different kinds of christians, so it was interesting to learn more about two of these groups. The characters stayed true to themselves throughout the whole story, however some of them, especially the character "aspen" were the standard superficial high school characters, making them completely not interesting. I would have liked to go to this school though, as there seem to be no unattractive guys there. My favorite character was probably Hannah, the only one that had some spunk. Unfortunately the ending was kind of predictable.
Overall it was a quick and easy read and I didn't hate it, but it's just not that exciting.
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