REVIEW: Puddle Jumping by Amber L. Johnson

Puddle Jumping by Amber L. Johnson

My rating:

Love, for those lucky enough to experience it, is extraordinary.

Oh my goodness. This book. I can't even begin to express how much I loved every minute of this. It was short, but you'll feel it. You'll feel love love through its pages, and it makes you believe how true love is really out there. This is how you write a love story. You should make the readers feel that they, like the main characters, are falling in love too. After reading Eleanor and Park, which disappointed me, this has been a very good rebound. Excellent even.

THE STORY

Lily and Colton's relationship started as an unusual childhood friendship.

When they were younger, Lily would come to Colton's house to babysit him, even if he's only a year younger. 

His parents think, it is a good way for him to socialize, because Colton has a hard time making friends.

Because Lily has a wild-streak in her, she got into all sorts of trouble while she was at the Neely's place, which caused Mrs. Neely to stop her from visiting Colton.

Years have passed, Lily was on her last year in high school, when she sees Colton.

Colton has been homeschooled, so this was the first time he attended a real school

Lily felt really excited in seeing her childhood friend.

Now knowing the truth about Colton having Asperger's, she tries to help him settle down well in school.

They spent time together like they used to when they were kids (only without the freaky accidents she always get herself into).

They got closer and closer, until she feels something. Something she wasn't expecting.

She wasn't expecting to feel something strongly for Colton. She also wasn't expecting, for Colton to feel the same way for her.

MEET THE CHARACTERS

Lily

Lily is one of the best female protagonist I've read in a while. I like how strong she was despite all the challenges they've gone through to make their relationship work. I also found it extremely amusing, how accident-prone she was when she was younger. Well, she was still a clutz, a little bit, but not as much anymore when she grew up.

Relationships are hard. You have to always compromise with each other. You always have to make adjustments, so that both parties could make the relationship work. For Lily and Colton, most of the time, it was Lily making the adjustment for them both. She understood Colton's needs, and she accepted all of that. Colton's condition didn't make her love him less, it made her love him more. At times, it was a struggle, especially since she couldn't tell if Colton really loves her. But Colton has his own ways of showing her how much she means to him. Oh Golly!! I can't even. talk. right. now. *sob. sob* Just remembering all those sweet moments, and those hard moments between these two, brings tears to my eyes. Their relationship, is nothing short of beautiful.

Another reason why I loved Lily was because I see myself in her. I see how persistent she was in making things work, in being more understanding even if it hurts.

Love? Sometimes it's so big it hurts.

She accepts the pain that sometimes accompanies being with someone like Colton., I've been in her position, so I understand why she's holding on to Colton. I understand why she was trying to be everything he needs her to be. Because she loves him.

Oh dear. I don't think I could really say in words, how much these two made me feel. It is one of the most heart-warming, tearjerking love story I've read in a while. In such a short book, I felt tons of emotions as I was reading this.

Colton

I loved how Colton was not the typical hot badguy-turned-goodguy type of hero. He has that fatal flaw that not most male heroes have. He has Asperger's. But still, that doesn't make me love him any less.

"She's paint by number; you're a watercolor."

Colton, sometimes, could not express himself directly to Lily. That was one of Lily's frustrations. There was even a point where, Lily was almost giving up, but then it turns out, Colton has been expressing his feelings for her to someone else. Mrs. Neely told Lily how much her effect was to Colton. She made him better. Her persistence, her love, her understanding, Colton could feel all that and he is trying to make himself better for her. Of course, we could only see this book on Lily's POV, but the actions that Colton does, it was enough for me to be convinced that he loves her as much as she does him.

Colton made me realize how some people express love in different ways. Not everyone could be outspoker about how much they love you, some will show it to you at the way they know best. And for Colton, it was through painting. I love that freakin scene. It made me cry buckets of tears man! I really wish someone could do that for me.

MY RATINGS

WRITING: 20

PLOT: 20

CHARACTERS: 20

UNPREDICTABILITY: 20

PACING 10

ENJOYABILITY: 10

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Oh yeah baby! I gave this book a perfect score!

WRITING: The writing was awesome. I couldn't express how much I loved how this book was written.

PLOT: Simple, but direct to the point. There were no hidden or mixed plot lines. It was about a boy and a girl. The boy has Aspergers. The girl loves him. The boy loves him back. She tries to make it work. He works with her. Happily ever after. Compared to Eleanor and Park, this is a way better book. This book deserves all the hype it's currently having.

CHARACTERS: They were well-rounded characters, all of them. Lily and Colton. Their parents. Their friends. I liked how Quinn supported Lily. You'll see what I'm talking about when you read it.

UNPREDICTABILITY: This book, didn't allow me to guess at all. I just wanted to go with the flow. I didn't see any reason to know how this book was going to end. I just loved every tiny bit about this.

PACING: A+ for the pacing. I couldn't have asked for a better one.

ENJOYABILITY: Isn't it obvious yet how much I freakin love this???

FINAL RAMBLING

This book was just perfect. I just love it to bits. I won't be forgetting this book anytime soon. I just couldn't think of anything else to say, I think I've already said it all. Haha.

Puddle Jumping was a short read. I'm sure some of you could read this in one sitting. For a book this short, but could manage to make you feel all sorts of things, that is saying something. I wish all authors would know that, a good story doesn't have to have so many storylines. You just have to make sure that you use the words to envoke the feelings of the readers. I think that is really the key to a successful story. If you were able to bring out feelings that weren't there when the readers started reading, the you have just made a good book my friend. But of course, the feeling should be something positive, not negative.

I want to continue gushing and gushing about this book, but I'm afraid I'll bore you guys out if I do. I highly recommend this for those who want a clean romance, that will pull some heartstrings. This book was absolutely perfect. I would like to thank Yasmine and Kat Stark for recommending this wonderful book to me!

It's a true story of a girl falling in love with a boy.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

And I wouldn't want it any other way.

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