16 Things I Thought Were True

I absolutely loved this book. I wanted to ring Morgan's neck and tell her to get off her freaking phone and focus on the real world for once. I did like her though, as much as I wanted to slap her silly sometimes. I kind of know how she feels, except I know who my father is, but the fact is that he didn't want me. So in a way, I sort of get it. Though I never once needed him, and she doesn't need her father either, because she has a great family and wonderful friends. Adam, I liked him too. He was pretty real. Beyond that he wasn't the typical guy that appears in most stories I read, and he honestly was that dorky and weird guy in the nerdy-hot kind of way. It was Amy that I full blown fell in love with. She made a mistake and lied in the beginning, but she eventually opened up. She wasn't afraid to jump in and put herself out there. She always spoke exactly what was on her mind, and she didn't lie, no matter what it was she said, it was honest. She definitely was not afraid to be herself and was so out there. Beyond all her quirks and weirdness, she was exactly what a true friend should be. A real friend. That being said, I was not expecting at all what came at the ending and I was heartbroken. I do not want to spoil that for anyone, but I encourage for those to read it. I wished the ending hadn't happened the way it did, but regardless I loved the book to the very end.

I didn't particularly like this story. I feel like there were so many things going on. It wasn't confusing or anything it just felt kind of forced to me like it was trying to hard. I wish there had been more exploration of some of the plot points instead of moving on to another major one. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and being interested in their story. I liked the message that it's important for us to realize we don't always know what's going on in everyone else's life and we shouldn't be quick to judge. It's a lesson I think we should all be reminded of but I don't feel like Morgan actually learned it. In the end I just felt like she was being hypocritical because she was judging people in the lunch room at work and her friend Lexi. The author does more telling than showing with Lexi so it's hard for me to actually picture her as being the "bad girl." Yeah, her posting the video was not something a friend would do but I kind of want Lexi's side of things. Maybe Lexi deeply regretted it. There were things concerning her mother and father Morgan does and later deeply regrets. Also, using dreams as foreshadowing is overused and I think authors need to start getting more creative. I don't see myself wanting to reread this in the future or recommending it to anyone.

It's been awhile since I've read a book that I've loved that much and would read again. This is one of those book. The characters were very realistic, totally enjoyable and relatable. This book is definitely an easy read but keeps you coming back for more, and the story within the book will remain with you.

In this day and age, social media is, like, the mecca of communication. Want to know what your fav. celeb. is up to? Follow him on Twitter. Want to let your friends know what you’re up to right at that very moment (whether it’s momentous or not)? Tweet it out, or update your Facebook status. But with the good comes the bad. Bullying seems to have followed this trend, along with not so sincere intentions (you catch my drift). Unfortunately for Morgan, main character in 16thingsithoughtweretrue by Janet Gurtler, this lesson rings very true for her when her best friend (or whom she thought was her best friend) posts a video of her dancing around in boys underwear…and yes…a potato is involved. Now things are very awkward for Morgan. It seems everyone has seen this video, and won’t let her live it down. Working at her summer job isn’t easy because of it. All the other employees have seen the video and mock her, whether it be to her face, or behind her back but within ear shot. Many a break and lunch hour are spent in a bathroom stall crying and reaching out to her thousands of Twitter friends/followers. But when tragedy strikes at home, comfort and solace are found in her manager, Adam, one who is mean and rude…but is full of surprises. Thinking she’s on her death bed, Morgan’s mother decides to give Morgan what she’s been asking for so many years…the truth about her father. As her mother divulges enough information for Morgan to start her search, Morgan decides that a road trip is in order…one that will lead her to a father she’s never met. And who are her travelling buddies? None other than Adam (the manager mentioned above) and Amy (a home-schooled girl who has no filter and has secrets of her own). But will this road trip lead Morgan to answers she’s been searching for all her life? Or will she be faced with a truth that she wished she had never known. For fans of books that involve a road trip, 16thingsithoughtweretrue by Janet Gurtler is one that you won’t want to miss out on. It has the quest to search for the truth, bonding while travelling with people that you least expect to get along, it has humorous and honest heartfelt moments, it has the “my eyes have been opened up to the truth” scenes… you catch my drift. I’m sure that there will be a character in this book that readers out there will connect with. I’m not talking about just the three travelling amigos. I’m also referring to the supporting characters found in the book. I will admit that Morgan, who is the main character in 16thingsithoughtweretrue, annoyed me at various points in the book. But I’m thinking that it’s because of how I was looking at the story. Had I been a teen reading the events that were taking place, I’m sure I’d be siding with Morgan and her “truths” that come up. I will admit that Morgan’s mother had me fuming. What a secret to keep from your child…and then have her chase a dream that will only end in… never mind. You’ll see what I mean when you read the book. Not only is it truths that are being revealed regarding Morgan’s life, but truths are being revealed all over the place. Even for the adults involved in this book. And Amy…sweet Amy. She grew on me like a second skin, and I adored this girl to pieces. My wish would be that all teens out there has the opportunity to have a friend like Amy. She really would change your perspective on life and things that one found “life altering”. I recommend this book to fans of Janet Gurter’s books (who isn’t? This author is amahhhzing!), those who enjoy a great road trip read, and for those who want a story where you witness characters grow up right before your eyes.

This was one of those books I picked up just to "read for a little while" and couldn't put down. The characters were compelling and the story swept me along. Next thing I knew it was after midnight and I'd finished the book. Very satisfying read.

Great read. I could not put it down! It will make you laugh and cry. Very believable characters... Sequel? We can only hope.

I've read two previous Janet Gurtler books, and for me she's turning out to be quite a hit and miss author for me. For example, the first book I read was How I Lost You which received 5 stars from me on Goodreads and I loved. The second was If I Tell which I really didn't enjoy all that much, and it got a 1 star rating on Goodreads. Having had this up and down experience with Janet Gurtlers books, I was apprehensive going into this one, but because I loved How I Lost You so much, I decided that I had to give more of her books a chance. I'm glad that I did, because this book was fantastic. I really loved how real Morgan felt. She had so much that she was dealing with, and I think the way she was handling it was in an incredibly believable way. Add onto this that you had a fantastic cast of supporting characters, some stand out storylines, and moments that made me laugh and some that made me cry, and you're on to a winner. If all those things weren't enough, there was a road trip aspect, and it was done really well. I am a huge fan of road trips in books, and I've read a fair few of them, and they don't always work perfectly, but this one was great. The people in the car were fantastic, and the way they all interacted with each other was great. I loved the balance of light, funny moments and the heavier dramatic moments. It was done really nicely. The pacing was great, and it was the kind of book that I didn't want to put down because it was just so good at keeping me interested. As for the romance, usually I like to see more of it in a story than we got in this book, but for this particular story I think the more subtle approach was great. It made sense for the story and the characters that it wouldn't be a more prominent aspect of the book. Overall, I'd say that this was a fantastic book, and I would highly recommend it. Rating 10/10

Excellent book.