Sandy Hall : A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Warning!! This book is the most adorable book I have ever read. I cannot believe that it took me 6 months to read this gem!

A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT is beautiful, contemporary YA novel written by lovely and extremely talented story-teller, Sandy Hall.


I have got this book as present from the wonderful Sara aka Carpe Librum Girl for Christmas. She has read it herself and was absolutely blown away with this story, so she wanted to share it with me. Due to my busy reading schedule, it's been sitting on my book shelf ever since. Until August Reading Challenge has arrived and with it this book finally got the opportunity to reveal its secrets.


Damm, and what a beautiful tale it was holding between its pages... You know how you find a book, which just blows your mind and you cannot concentrate on anything else but reading the said book? Well this one of those books!

*****

Fourteen Viewpoints.

One Love Story.

Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is a little aloof, Gabe is shy, and it looks like they are never going to work things out.

But something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at the local Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV series. The bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes Lea and Gabe were meant to be together.

*****

Ok. Let's get over with the easy part. The edition. I own the paperback published in 2014 by Swoon Reads, An Imprint of Pan MacMillan Publishing House. 242 pages long, divided into 8 months of observations written from 14 points of view in total. The cover is beautiful. Light baby pink background and dark blue and red writing and drawings forming a collage announcing the title of the book. It's so cute.


The writing is breath-taking. Engaging. Exciting. So unique from other stories. I love that the tale of these two falling in love is told by observations from various people: like Casey ( Gabe's best friend), Sam (Gabe's brother), Maribel (Lea's friend), the bus driver, Vincent, the bench and even the squirrel. It's amazing how many people can actually observe you and notice things like you hopelessly falling in love with the boy from your creative writing class... I love people watching myself, it's a hobby of mine, but what is so original about this story is that at no point we get to actually know the story from the main characters' points of view, but still we love them. We route for them. We ship them. And we believe that they should end up together.

This is a beautiful tale of romance. I was reading with permanent smile plastered on face. It made me giggle. All the way through reading it I just kept saying how adorable this story is. I found myself invested in it straight from the start and wouldn't put it down until I found out how it end.

I love the characters - all of them. The main two - Gabe and Lea, but also the people who watch them like a TV series. There are many of us who can relate to or find something just like us in this story. And that makes it even more extra special. I love that Gabe is shy, even though sometimes I just want to strangle him and make him to tell Lea the truth about his hearing. Bless her, she likes him so much and she tries so hard. They are adorable. Two cutie pies making hearts at each other. It's so wonderful and charming to read their story.

I honestly don't have anything bad to say about this book. I love it. I adore it. I woo over it. It was a pure perfection. A perfect read for any romantic soul. And even if you don't believe in romance, you still won't be able to help yourself but to fall in love with it and its protagonists.


Sandy Hall is publishing a new book later on this year - SIGNS POINT TO YES - I cannot wait to have my hands on it. If it's at least 80% good as this one, it will be worth the read. Mark your calendars for October 20th !! I have already pre-ordered it.

Well done Ms Hall. You have managed to restore my faith in love, romance, happy endings and talking squirrels and benches. I cannot wait to read more from your fantastic pen!