Other Words for Love

Literally love this book.

Read it, its amazing. Seriously.

Great!

Must read!

Ari-you are my hero!

Ari, Evelyn, mom, dad, Summer, Leigh. I could see a little of myself in all of these characters, and I'm 30! Definitely not just for teens. I fell in love with this book, couldn't put it down. Thank you Ms. Rosenthal for giving readers the ending we needed, for completing the story (so often I'm left feeling..."so now what?"), for creating believable characters and for giving us Ari. Please write more!!!

Cool

Sounds really good

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Love isn't always happily ever after.

This book is a must read for the highschool set! I love this book because the story is real, it is not a fairytale love story; and is realatable and could very well happen in reality. This story is about girl finding love and also finding out who she is and where she is going in life. It will keep you flipping the pages till the ejd and tug at the strings of your heart. I highly recokmend it.

Definitley a page turner!

OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE is a must read for teens. Through the ups and downs of this well written novel you will keep flipping the pages until you have read it all. The relationship between two younge adults leaves you wanting more and more. Worth the money definitley.

Great Read!!

I was a bit skeptical about reading this but I loved it! Definitely buy it, it's worth the money.

More than a Five-Star Book

OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE is a fantastic book, the kind you don't find very often, especially in YA. It's the kind of book that you still feel burning in your heart and in your hands when you finish that last page.

Ari Mitchell, the main character, transcends the usual YA protagonist. She's got her insecurities, but she also knows that she has good qualities to share. The problem is, she doesn't appreciate herself enough, nor do the people around her...her back-stabbing best friend, Summer, her screw-up sister, Evelyn, or all those boys in school who just don't give her a second look. (I kept thinking, "Ari, don't worry! Smart girls like you always end up with the best guys, it just takes a little longer to find them...the guys have to grow up and realize what a quality woman is!")

Ari's mother is among the few who see all that Ari has to offer. She tells Ari that she's pretty, smart, and headed for a good future. OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE needs to be understood and viewed in a historical context, and that's why the 1980s setting is so crucial to the story. Ari is part of Generation X, which includes the first young women who weren't told to get married, have kids, be a Betty Crocker and join the PTA. Ari's mother probably had those things forced down her throat, but she broke away as much as she could. She became a teacher, and had children, but one of those children (Evelyn) broke her heart when she had a baby at eighteen and has a simple life of homemaking and being a part-time cashier at the local grocery store. Now, with the world having changed so much, Ari's mother wants everything for her daughter that she didn't have: a satisfying career, the ability to support herself, and an exciting, full, rewarding life. She wants the best for her daughter, even though she's much too pushy in trying to make Ari do things her way.

Ari doesn't know which way to go. She also sees that Evelyn is depressed, that she hasn't fulfilled her potential, and that she's let down their parents. These conflicting thoughts often make Ari as depressed as Evelyn.

Then along comes Blake...rich, handsome, blue-eyed, sweetheart Blake, every girl's dream, who has an interest in Ari that grows into a serious, sexy, relationship that is supposed to have a future. Ari can't believe her luck, and she starts to see herself as someday "having it all"...Blake as her future husband, beautiful kids, money, a home, and a career as an art professor at a college in her hometown of New York.

But wait. Blake's father isn't happy with Ari. To him, she's too middle-class, too serious with his son, a girl who is tempting Blake away from his college studies and his planned-out future as the successor to his father's Manhattan law firm.

But Blake doesn't want to be a lawyer. He loves Ari. So he doesn't have to obey Daddy anymore, does he? Blake is twenty, and he has a mind of his own.......

Or does he?

No. Unfortunately, he doesn't, and Ari is left heartbroken. She's left to work through this misery, to shove through thick, dark, stormy clouds in the hope of sunshine.

Does she find it? Yes, she does, and in a way that isn't from a silly romance novel (or most romantic YA). The ending, like the rest of OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE is real, heartfelt, and absolutely beautiful.

Smart,edgy YA read with positive message. Great for teens AND adults!

I'm an adult reader who loves YA, and OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE is one of the best YA novels I have come across. It's a book that I'll give to my daughter (now 12) when she's older, because in addition to this book being very entertaining and tearjerking, its also inspirational.

Ari Mitchell, the lead character in the story, is a strong girl and a good example. I loved that she's not unrealistically strong like a cheesey caricature superhero. She's real. She gets hurt, she cries, she does things when she's in a weak spot that she regrets later. But she LEARNS from these things, and she grows and matures, and thats one of the many things that made me connect with her.

OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE has a great mix of edginess and softness. I love edgy YA novels, and this one definitely is edgy. It dives into tough issues like teen pregnancy, sex, depression, and more while still being a page turner. FIVE STARS and then some!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing!

I devoured Other Words For Love like it was a freakin' bowl of ice cream. The book is the best. It combines sexiness and romance with a serious story about self-discovery. It's very well-written, inspiring, and I'm in love with it. Amazing, amazing, amazing.

Amazing!!!

I devoured Other Words For Love like it was a freakin' bowl of ice cream. The book is the best. It combines sexiness and romance with a serious story about self-discovery. It's very well-written, inspiring, and I'm in love with it. Amazing, amazing, amazing.

Smart, edgy YA read with positive message. Great for teens AND adults!

I'm an adult reader who loves YA, and OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE is one of the best YA novels I have come across. It's a book that I'll give to my daughter (now 12) when she's older, because in addition to this book being very entertaining and tearjerking, its also inspirational.

Ari Mitchell, the lead character in the story, is a strong girl and a good example. I loved that she's not unrealistically strong like a cheesey caricature superhero. She's real. She gets hurt, she cries, she does things when she's in a weak spot that she regrets later. But she LEARNS from these things, and she grows and matures, and thats one of the many things that made me connect with her.

OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE has a great mix of edginess and softness. I love edgy YA novels, and this one definitely is edgy. It dives into tough issues like teen pregnancy, sex, depression, and more while still being a page turner. FIVE STARS and then some!!!!!!!!!!

AMAZING

This book was amazing one of the best books ive ever read. Its perfect for girls and i couldnt put it down. You hav to read this!!!!!!

You need to read this book!

Believe the hype on this one. Buy it. Read it. I mean that. Go get it right now.

I had heard that this book was good, and it wasn't a lame and shallow romance, and that's so true. This story is not just about Ari and her boyfriend, Blake. It's about Ari and her mother, Ari and her best friend, Ari and her sister, Ari HERSELF.

That's the main point of the story: ARI, and how she figures out what's important and that she needs to love and appreciate all that's good about her. Don't expect just a romance because even though you'll get the romance, you'll get other things, too. MANY other things that mean a lot more.

I LOVED the ending. Ari could have been a wuss, but...NO. She was strong. She was an independent woman. She didn't let anyone wipe their dirty feet on her. I was just PROUD of that girl.

This book completely sucked me in and didn't let go. I'm sort of having withdrawals now that I'm finished. My advice is to get a copy of it. Like I said before. Get it now. You'll thank me later. Seriously, you will.

You need to read this book!

Believe the hype on this one. Buy it. Read it. I mean that. Go get it right now.

I had heard that this book was good, and it wasn't a lame and shallow romance, and that's so true. This story is not just about Ari and her boyfriend, Blake. It's about Ari and her mother, Ari and her best friend, Ari and her sister, Ari HERSELF.

That's the main point of the story: ARI, and how she figures out what's important and that she needs to love and appreciate all that's good about her. Don't expect just a romance because even though you'll get the romance, you'll get other things, too. MANY other things that mean a lot more.

I LOVED the ending. Ari could have been a wuss, but...NO. She was strong. She was an independent woman. She didn't let anyone wipe their dirty feet on her. I was just PROUD of that girl.

This book completely sucked me in and didn't let go. I'm sort of having withdrawals now that I'm finished. My advice is to get a copy of it. Like I said before. Get it now. You'll thank me later. Seriously, you will.

A sophisticated YA novel for teens and adults

Having read so many other 5-star reviews, there are only a few original things I can add. But first I have to agree that this book is extremely well-written, that the characters have depth and are compelling, the protagonist (Ari) is very sympathetic, and that the story is a gripping tear-jerker. I was also impressed with this novel's realistic portrayal of teen sex, teen pregnancy, dysfunctional familial relationships, death, depression, loneliness, feminism (it's veiled, but it's there), and becoming an adult.

The only additional comment I can make is that I was sincerely impressed with the author's ability to capture time and place. Nothing is overdone. It's just there, working quietly to create the setting. For example, there is a scene where Ari is inside her boyfriend's brother's apartment in New York City, and she says: "There was a window. . .I saw gargoyles on the neighboring building. Or maybe they were dragons. . .I saw spooky angel faces with apple cheeks and rosebud lips."

Those types of passages are throughout the novel, and they made me back up and savor the words.

The time period is also well-done, and the decade's position between the new millennium and the 1960s-70s is subtly pinpointed: "I wished I could sleep in a fairy tale instead of on Evelyn's rickety old canopy bed from when Lyndon Johnson was president."

I also relished so many of the emotional images that are woven into this intricate story. Ari's sister Evelyn became pregnant as a teenager, and the author portrays this situation with a sad image: "I wondered if this was how my sister had felt when she left home with her pregnant stomach and her princess phone."

Being an adult who reads YA literature, I was highly impressed with this novel, which I enjoyed tremendously, and I recommend it for teenagers who can handle mature themes, and for adults who appreciate sophisticated YA fiction.

A sophisticated YA novel for teens and adults

Having read so many other 5-star reviews, there are only a few original things I can add. But first I have to agree that this book is extremely well-written, that the characters have depth and are compelling, the protagonist (Ari) is very sympathetic, and that the story is a gripping tear-jerker. I was also impressed with this novel's realistic portrayal of teen sex, teen pregnancy, dysfunctional familial relationships, death, depression, loneliness, feminism (it's veiled, but it's there), and becoming an adult.

The only additional comment I can make is that I was sincerely impressed with the author's ability to capture time and place. Nothing is overdone. It's just there, working quietly to create the setting. For example, there is a scene where Ari is inside her boyfriend's brother's apartment in New York City, and she says: "There was a window. . .I saw gargoyles on the neighboring building. Or maybe they were dragons. . .I saw spooky angel faces with apple cheeks and rosebud lips."

Those types of passages are throughout the novel, and they made me back up and savor the words.

The time period is also well-done, and the decade's position between the new millennium and the 1960s-70s is subtly pinpointed: "I wished I could sleep in a fairy tale instead of on Evelyn's rickety old canopy bed from when Lyndon Johnson was president."

I also relished so many of the emotional images that are woven into this intricate story. Ari's sister Evelyn became pregnant as a teenager, and the author portrays this situation with a sad image: "I wondered if this was how my sister had felt when she left home with her pregnant stomach and her princess phone."

Being an adult who reads YA literature, I was highly impressed with this novel, which I enjoyed tremendously, and I recommend it for teenagers who can handle mature themes, and for adults who appreciate sophisticated YA fiction.

I Loved It!!!

this is without a doubt one of the best books ive read. it's extreamly well written. there are comical moments, intense moments, deep moments, and very emotional moments. i cried at the end because it was so good! the writing really drew me in and i felt like i was apart of the book. the characters are realistic and so are the events. i read it in about 3 days! i couldnt put it down! such a great book and is recommended to mature teens, young adults, and adults!

Other Words For Love

I personally love this book. it is one of my favorites. i can relate in some ways, but because we are just 'kids' those older than us tend to dismiss our emotions alot of the time. the author really takes you into how Ari felt throughout this entire ordeal. she should have listened to her friends, then maybe she wouldnt have been hurt so badly, but in the end it is always our decision. we can see this with thia story. it is z must read. i read it quickly and then told all my friends about it:) i was glad to see that it ended the way it did.

Not what I expected.

This book was good but it was not memorable. I loved the way the story was written but I was frustrated because of how lame the story line was. This girl is heartbroken over her first love 1) she fell in love too quick 2) she ignored her friends old and new 3) half the problems she brought on herself. Also the author only mentions the year the book takes place once 1980's and it was easy to forget. this story was ok.... I didn't care for it.