Forget-Her-Nots

This book os awesome!!!!

A realistic love story involving an ancient lore with a modern twist. Five stars!!!!!!

Kritters Ramblings

Wow. From the description I thought this book was going to be too out there for me - boy was I wrong, dead wrong. I purchased because she was going to be coming to my local indie bookstore and I had seen earlier that her signings were eventful with flowers and more than your normal author visit. I am more than glad that I grabbed this one.

A young girl who has recently lost her mom and is now trying to figure out where she goes from there. I will not spoil this one because I want everyone to stop what they are doing and go grab this one. Throughout this book, she is learning the language of flowers and just for that reason this book is whimsical and romantic. I definitely know what flowers I want included in my bridal bouquet and what ones to send to my mom to make her feel loved.

A book for young and old, mothers and daughters - each will enjoy this read for a different and unique reason. I will be passing this one off to my mom. A short and sweet review for a short and sweet book.

Check out the blog tomorrow for my visit to One More Page to see Amy Brecount White and her tussie-mussies.

Let Down

When I first heard about this book I was extremely excited about reading it. Right away I tried to put it on hold only to find out that the library did not own a copy. A couple of months later I saw the book again. It was at the library which suprised me. In a happy way. With no hesitation I checked out the book. However the book did not deliver on what it said it would. The book drags. Many people say how they could not get past chapter three. Well I was able to get to chapter six and I can honestly say that it felt like the prologue still. Laurell was "figuring" out what her mother was trying to tell her but to me it felt forced. She gets one letter and because it happens to have a flower attached to it that must mean that she can harrness the power of plants. Also it felt as if there were only two characters: Laurell and everyone else because every characters had the same voice and they were all interchangeable. The last thing that really bugged me about the book was how the author tried to make the reader feel bad for Laurell by making everyone be grade A brats to her. She was just as rude to the people around her and I felt nothing for her or any of the other characters.

Forget the name, but not the smell

Don't be fooled by the simplistic cover - there is a lot going on in Forget-Her-Nots that will keep you turning the pages to see what exactly is going on with Laurel and the flowers. From the jacket summary (different from the synopsis above), I completely did not pick up on the "magical" vibe - I just figured that the flowers were more like the coffee drinks in The Espressologist and the matchmaking went from there. How far from the truth was I! I'm not sure if enough time was spent on the Laurel's relationships with the other characters. There were brief glimpses, but nothing that I felt really solid. Perhaps that is indicative of Laurel's introverted nature, but the other characters seemed to have more story to them - and it would have been interesting to catch more than a glimpse! Especially Laurel's grandmother. Forget-Her-Nots would probably be good if you are looking for a cozy read to curl under the blankets with, but not if you're expected a page-turning action-packed magical mayhem.

sweet and charming

In doing research for a project on the Victorian Era, Laurel comes across a book about the language of flowers. As she researching. she recalls memories of her mother's love for flowers. Each flower has a meaning, a language most people realize it exists. Laurel presents on a unique day, when the boys are visiting campus.

She learns more and more about flowers while giving them to other girls to help them fall in love, remember facts for tests, and keep love on course. Laurel finds herself finally gaining a friend at the boarding school, but all the pressure and judgment starts catching up with her.

There's something dark going on with Laurel. Something's eating her up inside. She struggles to understand her mother's death and the connection with flowers, dealing with school and social pressures, and finding a way to reach her grandmother. Can she figure out what it is before it's too late?

A great romantic tale about a girl struggling to find herself after her mother's death and learning she's inherited a special gift. I loved reading about the different meaning of flowers and how Laurel uses them to help others, including herself in the romance department. I'm hoping this story will continue.

Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com

Laurel is starting over at a new school after her mom's death. She's attending her mom's alma mater, Avondale Prep School, and she's finding that the school holds more and more keys to her past.

It all starts with a speech on the language of flowers in her English class. When Laurel gives the bouquet she made to her English teacher and soon after Ms. Spenser finds love, Laurel starts to discover she has a gift with flowers. When rumors start to fly about Laurel's gift, all the girls want them, especially before prom.

Being a matchmaker isn't easy, and Laurel has a lot to discover about the language of flowers.

FORGET-HER-NOTS is a light, refreshing read. It incorporates magic without being over the top, and I finished the book believing in the language of flowers. I know I won't be looking at flowers the same way!

The story takes a bit to pick up, but once it does, it's a fun read. Laurel and her friends are fun to read about - Avondale Prep School sounds like such a fun place, I wish I could visit. Some of the characters weren't completely fleshed out - I had a hard time keeping track of the numerous girls that were mentioned. But Laurel and her teachers were great to read about, and I loved that Laurel got along with her teachers and had great relationships with them.

FORGET-HER-NOTS does a great job of giving a nod to classics such as ANNE OF GREEN GABLES and THE SECRET GARDEN. This story has the same warm fuzzy feel of those books, and Laurel is definitely a kindred spirit.

A fresh, original plot

My thoughts...I really enjoyed this story. Amy B. White takes readers on a romantic and magical journey into a world where flowers can enhance feelings and reactions. This story is very unique and offers a refreshing change to fans of young adult/middle grade literature. While the story is geared to younger readers, it would be enjoyable to readers of all ages, especially those who enjoy flowers. Beyond the flowers, the story has several strong themes. The story uncovers first loves, true loves and love desired. While readers are not smothered with romantic themes, it is tastefully woven into the plot. The heroine also deals with the loss of her mother and her father's struggles to lead his own life. The story also focuses on morals and making choices. In the heroine, Laurel's case, not all of those choices were the right ones.

The read an interview with the author and she described the book as "inter-generational". I think this is a perfect way to describe the characters in the story. This is a YA title, so our heroine, Lauren, and her peers are young. I think a few of them are old souls, like her cousin Rose. To me, Rose was the voice of reason and I liked her character because of it. Some of the choices Lauren made had me wringing my hands. She faced many of the struggles teens face-acceptance, self-esteem, the opposite sex, family stress, and academic pressures. I did see significant character growth in Lauren by the end of the novel. Readers get a chance to see Lauren's interaction with several of her teachers. One particularly, Mrs. Suarez, really seemed to influence Laurel and take on the mother role. Lastly, Laurel's grandmother, while absent, played a big role in the story, especially the mysterious aspects of the plot.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I love the section at the end of the book with the flower meanings. I found myself referring it on several occasions. I even checked some flower names on the web and was pleased to see they were the same as the book. The story is very unique and creative and I would definitely recommend it to fans of YA lit, young and old.

The power of flower

Forget-her-Nots really introduced me to the world of flowers, it has such a unique plot, I have to be honest, I was loosing my interest after the first 3 chapters, the plot seems to drag plus I am a not girly, so flowers does not really appeal to me. But the magic that the Flowerspeaking girl named Laurel Whelan promised me a unique ride and I kept reading.

I like Laurel she was this girl who stood in front of the class and told an amazingly ridiculous story from the Victorian era about the language that flowers bring. I love the fact that she really had no idea about her gift until she reached that first part of womanhood. The traumatic event of losing her mother seems to appeal to me too, she seems stronger and full of life and wonderful memories about her mom and her garden makes me imagine her as a lost angel. She got so much potential, I even cheered when she said... "sorry, I thought you know how to catch" to Tara when she smack her with the frisbee, after a snarky comment. Yet there were parts in the book where she lets people push her around. It's annoying when heroines don't fight back, I was hoping for more snark (and no, the basil incident does not count).

Over all the story was enticing. The flower meanings, the Tussie Mussies, and the vibrant colors and emotions they bring made this book work. It's like a fairy tale that Disney forgot to write. I'm happy for Amy White and may this book be a success.

Join Laurel and her humble beginnings as she join the world of Flower Speakers. Is this going to be a series? I'd love to find out more about Laurel's secret world and how she plays her part in it.

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