Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
This book was great! It was written so beautifully, it had me hanging on every word from the very beginning. Not to mention the writing style; I felt like I was sitting down with Clara herself drinkin tea while she tells me her story. Deb Caletti really made the characters so real and tangible that it was all the more investing to read.
It was an intense story, alternating from past to present of Clara and Christian's relationship; the whole way through the book you can feel the tension and know that at some point it is going to snap. However, the book was kind of lagging on, particulary in reaching the climax which ends abruptly.
Despite that, the story is beautifully crafted and has some very lovable characters. Clara's father is just about the coolest and most laid back person ever; his and Clara's banter was great to read. And of course Finn and his family, who are hilarious and sweet (not to mention the adorable stalker seagull).
Overall, I really enjoyed this book; I think it's a great read but it was missing something that could've taken it from great to fantastic.
It was an intense story, alternating from past to present of Clara and Christian's relationship; the whole way through the book you can feel the tension and know that at some point it is going to snap. However, the book was kind of lagging on, particulary in reaching the climax which ends abruptly.
Despite that, the story is beautifully crafted and has some very lovable characters. Clara's father is just about the coolest and most laid back person ever; his and Clara's banter was great to read. And of course Finn and his family, who are hilarious and sweet (not to mention the adorable stalker seagull).
Overall, I really enjoyed this book; I think it's a great read but it was missing something that could've taken it from great to fantastic.
dark
emotional
mysterious
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide
As a fan of some of Deb Caletti's other works, I must say I was a bit disappointed with her latest book, "Stay." She was very brave to try to tackle such an important topic as obsessive love in relationships, but somewhere along the line I think she fell a bit short. The characters were believable but still a bit bland, and the whole novel left me feeling uneasy, not to mention it felt like the author was beating the reader over the head with her use of metaphors and "deep insights." The footnotes were a creative touch at first but near the end I was getting sick of them. All in all, not her best work, I must say.
Reread Dec. 2016: I love, love, love Clara's growth throughout the novel and I love the way she shared her story. Finn felt a little flat, and I might have actually really liked to see some of the story from HIS point of view........................and maybe even some chapters from Christian? Either way, Deb Caletti rarely disappoints (The Fortunes of Indigo Skye is the only book I haven't been madly in love with), and this book is worth the read!
This book was adorkable (that's one of my favorite words.)At first, I thought oh Clara and Christian are going to me and wind up happily ever after. Then I see that I've only read like two chapters, and then I thought well, obviously something bad happenings. When we first met Jack and Finn they annoyed me, but I grew to like them. Every time I read Clara and Christian, I thought about Clara and christian from Unearthly. Then I saw Finn or someone else's name, and thought oops, wrong book.
Stay by Deb Caletti
Simon Pulse, 2011
313 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars
Source: Received a free egalley from GalleyGrab in exchange for an honest review.
Looking at the cover I wasn't sure that I'd read any Deb Caletti before until I glanced through goodreads to discover that I had in fact read two previous books and enjoyed them but it looks like the general cover design of her books has changed (if that makes no sense, look at her books on goodreads and notice the similarities between the covers of four of the books.)
I began the story somewhat confused as it is told in alternating chapters between past Clara and her relationship with Christian and present Clara and her attempts to get away from his emotional abuse and to heal herself. Once I understood the format, though, it was smooth sailing. I really appreciate a good contemporary with strong emphasis on the characters. Clara, her writer-father, and Christian all had strong personalities that jumped off the page and drew me into their story.
See Clara and Christian saw each other across the room at a basketball game and it was like fate. Soon they were an established couple but as the story unfolds, hints of Christian's jealousy and paranoia begin to flare up. Watching their relationship build to this point and Clara's dawning realization that their relationship is inappropriate was engaging and made me grasp my book (or rather nook) all the more tighter. Why do people stay in an abusive relationship? Well, Clara explains the many good times and the history she shared with Christian and it takes her a very long time to get away from his machinations. Although I found him frightening, I was hooked.
However. I found the other part less interesting. Clara and her father have left their home for a beach town, telling everyone they're in Europe in order to escape Christian who had become increasingly intrusive and frightening to Clara. She and her widowed father embark on new romances and attempt to mourn the loss of Clara's mother, a character who overhangs the story despite her death. I wasn't invested in the new romance for either character and I mostly read through those parts to see the inevitable return of Christian and the conclusion of their story.
There are also footnotes throughout the story that act as, usually humorous, asides from Clara to the reader. I love that in a book (see my love of Terry Pratchett) and that helped lighten the overall mood of the book, which as you can tell is rather bleak at times. The story as a whole is also beautifully written and perfect for a long and lazy afternoon on the couch.
Warning: Language (the f-word) and using the Lord's name in vain; some sexual content but very discreet.
Recommended for fans of Caletti and Sarah Dessen and of darker contemporary YA. A gripping read.
Simon Pulse, 2011
313 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars
Source: Received a free egalley from GalleyGrab in exchange for an honest review.
Looking at the cover I wasn't sure that I'd read any Deb Caletti before until I glanced through goodreads to discover that I had in fact read two previous books and enjoyed them but it looks like the general cover design of her books has changed (if that makes no sense, look at her books on goodreads and notice the similarities between the covers of four of the books.)
I began the story somewhat confused as it is told in alternating chapters between past Clara and her relationship with Christian and present Clara and her attempts to get away from his emotional abuse and to heal herself. Once I understood the format, though, it was smooth sailing. I really appreciate a good contemporary with strong emphasis on the characters. Clara, her writer-father, and Christian all had strong personalities that jumped off the page and drew me into their story.
See Clara and Christian saw each other across the room at a basketball game and it was like fate. Soon they were an established couple but as the story unfolds, hints of Christian's jealousy and paranoia begin to flare up. Watching their relationship build to this point and Clara's dawning realization that their relationship is inappropriate was engaging and made me grasp my book (or rather nook) all the more tighter. Why do people stay in an abusive relationship? Well, Clara explains the many good times and the history she shared with Christian and it takes her a very long time to get away from his machinations. Although I found him frightening, I was hooked.
However. I found the other part less interesting. Clara and her father have left their home for a beach town, telling everyone they're in Europe in order to escape Christian who had become increasingly intrusive and frightening to Clara. She and her widowed father embark on new romances and attempt to mourn the loss of Clara's mother, a character who overhangs the story despite her death. I wasn't invested in the new romance for either character and I mostly read through those parts to see the inevitable return of Christian and the conclusion of their story.
There are also footnotes throughout the story that act as, usually humorous, asides from Clara to the reader. I love that in a book (see my love of Terry Pratchett) and that helped lighten the overall mood of the book, which as you can tell is rather bleak at times. The story as a whole is also beautifully written and perfect for a long and lazy afternoon on the couch.
Warning: Language (the f-word) and using the Lord's name in vain; some sexual content but very discreet.
Recommended for fans of Caletti and Sarah Dessen and of darker contemporary YA. A gripping read.
Alright this is going to be hard to write because I don't what I can write that will do the book justice, but WOW it definitely had an impact on me. I have never been in a relationship like Clara had with Christian, but I think it is one that everyone should read (boy or girl because abuse could be either). I think it was powerful for me because it is about the less obviousness of emotional abuse. I stepped into Clara's shoes & definitely felt her fear. The things that Christian did really freaked me out. The scariest thing is that it can happen to anyone & the abuser could look & act totally normal in general. And it can be hard to let go despite what that person is doing) just look at Clara & how it took her (and it never really goes away).
Besides that whole aspect Clara had to work on her relationship with her father & coming to terms with the death of her mother. As well as letting other adults into her life (Annabel & Sylvie). Clara also grew up & learned a long the way, even though the circumstances were not ideal. Of course the bright spot in the story was Finn, who I absolutely adored! The scenes between he & Clara were some of my favorites in the book. Finn's sister Cleo & the seagull Gulliver were also awesome & they made me laugh. Anyway the book as a whole left an impression on me that I won't soon forget. This is the first Deb Caletti book I have read & I plan to read more because I loved this one. I highly recommend Stay!
Besides that whole aspect Clara had to work on her relationship with her father & coming to terms with the death of her mother. As well as letting other adults into her life (Annabel & Sylvie). Clara also grew up & learned a long the way, even though the circumstances were not ideal. Of course the bright spot in the story was Finn, who I absolutely adored! The scenes between he & Clara were some of my favorites in the book. Finn's sister Cleo & the seagull Gulliver were also awesome & they made me laugh. Anyway the book as a whole left an impression on me that I won't soon forget. This is the first Deb Caletti book I have read & I plan to read more because I loved this one. I highly recommend Stay!
Eh. This book was stupid. I found the main character to be moderately annoying the story to be awkward and it didn't really flow. There were too many random things going on between the back and forth of the time frames and the story of the dad and mom etc... I just kind of hated it.
It took me a very long time to really get into this book, probably because I'm not used to Deb Caletti's writing. Once I got over the hump today, though, I really flew through it. I mean, I read the last two hundred pages or so between school and the last few hours. (I know it sounds slow still, but trust me, for this book, it's pretty fast.) I loved the climax best of all; I felt it was written the best and it was just so put together and detailed and beautifully depicted that I ended up enjoying the book, at least the ending. Overall, not so bad. Plus, I like a book with a lot of good quotes and advice, and this book sure comes with plenty of those.
A powerful book about an emotionally destructive relationship and its aftermath. Caletti's writing is beautiful and affecting. This would be a great suggestion for someone who likes Sarah Dessen (particularly Dreamland) or Elizabeth Scott.