Review: Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt ~ Marie Loves Books

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Release Date: March 1st, 2011 by Bloomsbury

Details: 228 pages, hardcover

Series: No

Source: Publisher for Book Tour (Thank you Bloomsbury)

Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary (goodreads):

According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object—an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas—it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking—er, focusing on—Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.

Amazon || Goodreads

o0.| My Thoughts |.0o

I fell in love with the cover to this book when it was released last year. You don't see many YA book covers with boys on the front! I'll admit, I was expecting a light fluffy read with this one. But I didn't get that.

Payton's world is nice and neat. Organized, just the way she likes it (and at her age, I'd probably be excited to buy a planner, sounds nerdy right but hey, it IS exciting) until something in her family happens and her entire organized world is shattered and flipped upside down.

I liked Payton. I liked her organized tendencies, I loved being in her mind and hearing her sarcastic thoughts. She's a very likable character and easy to relate to, and that's always nice. I also admired her concern with her teacher. I liked/hated Jac, you could tell she had the best intentions but she just didn't play them out right. I thought the Valentines thing with Sean was wayyy over the line! I would had been just as embarrassed as she was. Maybe more. I probably would had crawled into my locker and never came out, literally. I LOVED Sean! I loved that he was a real boy with goals and flaws! I loved that he had flaws (is it just me or are there too many flawless boys in YA)! I loved how he treated Payton, how he pushed her but too enough to be pushy. And I absolutely loved how their friendship bloomed (not to mention he had me saying aww out loud a few times). I liked how Payton comes from a strong family. He parents, her brothers, they're all supportive of each other and really close.

The only thing I didn't like was Payton's reaction to her father's illness. I mean, it is wrong to find out you were the last to know but everyone gave her their reasons why and it just annoyed me how she brushed it off and still stomped around like she her reaction was right.

I enjoyed reading about Sean Griswold's head. This is another super adorable contemporary novel that YA needs more of!