Fun-FUCKING-tastic !!!! God....I love the story. I wondered why it took a long time for me to finally read it. Now, I know why...it is because of the cover...I mean...come on... an orchid for a novel called ‘Fourteen’...what the heck...so uninteresting and dull...but as soon as I read the first word...It got me hooked up and I even believed that we shouldn’t judge anything from the cover, especially this C.M Smith’s masterpiece. Fourteen. It was not a bad number. It was not that great, either. It used to be an eighteen; so really, a fourteen was pretty damn good compared to what it was a few months ago. It was still a big number, and staring at the jeans lying on my bed,they looked pretty damn big, too. Trust me when I say it is a fucking heart-melting story. I cried after a few pages... Some are heart-broken tears and some others are so happy and heart-warming tears. I wanna say a lot about the book... I really do... but there are a lot of things and believe me when I say it is an overwhelming story in a good way. It made us realize how many typical issues happened in high school. Hey, I lived in a different country but high school setting is always the same. Hard bullies makes us felt like a social outcast and none of the things we do makes us deserve to be one.I really felt broken for Anna. She was such a nice girl and I wonder what the hell wrong with being someone with size more than 2... Hell... What is wrong if we have curvier body that the rest of the people? I really am proud that the big part from Anna is not her size but actually her heart. It is huge enough to care for Evan and thank God Evan realized what an asshole he’s been or I won’t read the rest of the story. I like the epilogue. It is the sweetest heart-melting epilogue. “You are . . .” He chuckled. “You’re perfect for me; you know that, don’t you?” He wrapped his arms as far around me as he could and buried his face into my hair. “You are . . . I have no words for you.” “I love you so much.” I sniffled, burying my face into his shirt. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me and kissing my temple. “I love you too, babycakes.” It made us realize that our choice reflected our future and behind all of those fucking aggravating layers in high school, you will have a true friends and true love (In this case true soul mate) If you are brave enough to let them in and be part of the rest of your live journey. ‘Fourteen’ is definitely will be in my ‘re-read List’ in this 2014.
I began this book thinking the synopsis would be better than the actual book. I assumed Anna would be whiny and annoyingly self conscious. At first I thought she was, but as I got wrapped up in the story I noticed that she was not only acting the way I assumed she would, but it wasn't annoying. She sounded real. Wrongly hurt by people who don't understand her, and trying to get by with defenses up against everyone. But, the great thing is, she pulls it off without sounding annoying, and, instead, makes you feel sympathetic towards her.At one part Even said something to Anna and I heard her respond with "Okay" in my head while I scrolled down to the next page, and that was Anna's exact response to him. I easily imagined their conversations and actions playing out in my head. Evan and Anna are awkward and cute and it warmed me up reading about them trying to smooth over the problems between them and make a connection.The rude comments Anna's classmates would make about her were awful. Even though I know people are actually like that, I can't imagine anyone actually being that cruel to a person for no apparent reason. The poor girl was only slightly heavier than the other girls in the school, but they dogged her and treated her like dirt. It was heartbreaking. It made everything Evan did to make up for the way he previous treated her that much more wonderful.I am very glad I got the chance to read this book, and I suggest you read it, too.
Do You like book Fourteen (2011)?
2.5 stars I think...Although dearly in need of an appointment with an editor for some major syntax issues and an over abundance of completely superfluous commas, I did enjoyed this quick read for what it was - a converted fan fiction. I didn't go into it expecting incandescent prose or an epic adventure worthy of J. K. Rowling, so I wasn't at all disappointed with what I got.The story, while nothing new and certainly not entirely captivating, was fast moving (at some times to the detriment of character development) and had enough ups and downs to keep me interested. Bullying is always a sensitive subject and I thought it was handled very well, not too horrific to read and I enjoyed the reactions of characters in the situations.Overall, enjoyable and quick. A good summer read.
—Alix
This Pg book was so difficult to read yet sweet as ever. I cannot imagine being bullied like that and still finding it in your heart to forgive time and time again. The things Evan said were so harsh and I know he was a changed man, but still, that was a hell of a lot to get over. The transition to dating was so quick... At that instance I didn't feel the connection between them. I mean, the connection was definitely there closer to the end, but I still felt that quick date was a 180 too quickly for me. I kept feeling I wanted someone else to find her attractive and show Evan that she was hot as hell in her own right. Size 14 isn't that big to begin with and I'm sure she was sexy too. All I can say is that Evan is one lucky guy. 4 stars!
—Nualla Dasilva
I really did enjoy this. It was thought provoking and eye opening. While at first, when reading, I wasn't sure if I really liked Anna. The victim of verbal abuse at school, she kept this shell around her and tried to let everything bounce off of her, being used to it since middle school all for being a plus size girl (and not that much more plus size). At first, this kind of annoyed me. I had wanted to see her softer side. It wasn't until I finished the book and actually thought about it that I realized just how strong Anna really was. She never let her tormentors see her cry. For the most part.This was hard to read at times. But I'm sure it's realistic. I never went through what Anna was, nor was I one of those people in school that victimized others. I felt bad for Anna and I was glad to see that Evan get a slap upside the head for the way he's treated Anna for so long.I wasn't expecting to see a romance out of this one. But it was sweet and endearing. Evan's transformation is what made the book. It really did. It showed that people can change (while most wouldn't) but it shows that not everyone is willing to keep doing things when they know them to be wrong. Evan was brave, although I'm sure he didn't feel that way at first, and he was strong, to stand up for what he believed in, even if it meant going up against all of those he had previously considered friends.I highly recommend everyone read this book. It was well written and the story is about one amazing journey of two people. This is definitely worth reading.
—Aimee
