I really can with this one.
I tried to come up with the story but just don't conect.
I though this going to be a light read but I can't start focusing and the read was slow and tedious.
Sorry, maybe wasn't the moment for me to read it

I'm not the biggest fan of basketball, or all sports really, in my contemporaries but this was a fun one, albeit a bit emotional and heavier than I would have expected it would be. I loved the friendship between Tabby and Matt. I also loved reading from Matt's point of view, which happens very rarely in YA. Very sweet, very poignant, and reminded me of being a teen.

I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!

I really enjoyed reading this romance and the boy next door. I found it very realistic and couldn't wait to see what happened in this book. Sorry, I tried to read this book but then lost interest in this book. I found it again and loved it. very much.

This book was not what I expected at all. I was excpecting this book to be a cutesy book about some nerdy boy who falls in love with the girl next door/best friend, she doesn’t reciprotae his feelings but throughout the book he slowly wins her over. We see these books all the time, and I’m not saying anythings wrong with that…just that this wasn’t one of those books. This book made me bawl, I cried soooo hard. Something happens that was so unexpected to me and you get to see how Matt reacts to it and it was so heartbreaking.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

"Seriously, how can you see a person nearly every day of your life and never think a thing of it, then all of a sudden, one day, it's different?"

* * * * 
4 / 5

A Short History of the Girl Next Door ripped out my poor unsuspecting heart and stomped all over it. I was expecting a slightly cliche novel that either follows movie plotlines and the nerdy guy gets the girl after other guys treat her like dirt, or one where the guy is all angsty but then finally makes peace with his unreturned feelings. Instead I got a totally novel and bold book that features an honest and heartbreaking portrayal of unrequited love (and loads of basketball!).

Matt Wainwright has two main problems. The first is that he wants to make varsity basketball but keeps losing his focus and his temper on the court; now his chances aren't looking that great despite his religious practice regime. The second is that he is desperately in love with the girl over the road that he has known since childhood, Tabby, who in turn seems to be falling for Liam Branson, senior and all around great guy. Matt even thinks he's great, which is even more infuriating to him because how is he going to get a chance now?

"And what good does it do me to agonise over Liam Branson?"

I found Matt super-relatable. He's got a sweet relationship with his baby brother, Murray, loves basketball, gets on well with his family and particularly his adorable grandparents, and is pining for his childhood friend (been there, done that). He's definitely flawed. He engages in locker room talk, isn't the greatest friend to Tabby at times, is angry and bitter but also he really, really tries to make things right. He's funny and tries really hard in English class and recognises when he makes bad decisions.

The first half of the book is typical high school stuff. Then there's this massive, steamroller of a plot twist. I had a few ideas about what might happen, but I really didn't expect it. No spoilers here, but prepare to bust the tissues out.

"I love you too." I know we're saying two different things, that her words don't mean the same as mine

There were only a couple of things that I didn't like that much. First off, Tabby and Liam's relationship doesn't get that much development, though this is understandable as we are viewing everything through Matt's eyes. I'm not particularly familiar with American terms, but Tabby is a junior and Liam a senior, and it seems that Reck explicitly highlights their age difference but never really does anything with it? I thought for sure it would be a plot point, but it isn't so why not just make them both the same age? And there's a fair chunk of guys trash-talking women.

This book is primarily about emotional pain, but it was also full of love: Matt and his family were particularly delightful. A Short History of the Girl Next Door was raw and relatable and really tugged at my heartstrings.

My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book.

I have no strong opinion about this book. It's more than just a love story, even a story of hopeless infatuation. Alt least it starts out that way. It seemed pretty clear to me that the crush was not reciprocated. I was not prepared for 200 pages of embarrassment. I almost felt cheated by the death, the premature end to the crush without actually addressing her response. At that point, it becomes a fairly standard exploration of grief.

I really enjoyed Jared Reck's beautiful writing, and the theme of the story was great. The story only fell a little short for me because I might have read too much of this similar theme in other books so I almost felt burnt out from it. If I would have read this another time then I would probably feel differently about it.. But overall, I think it's a great book for teenagers and has a good cast of relatable characters!

I HAVE NEVER CRIED SO HARD READING A BOOK. Or laughed. Or laughed AND cried at the same time. I cannot even begin to express how much this book has touched me to the point of never wanting to release it from my grasp. A Short History of the Girl Next Door is incredibly funny, heart-warming, and heart-breaking--such an EXCELLENT read.

What I Loved:

EVERYTHING. I loved absolutely every single word and sentiment expressed in this book. A Short History of the Girl Next Door had me laughing from page one and falling in love with every character introduced. I wish I could just step into these pages and hang, if just for a few minutes, with Matt and Tabby, as well as Matt's lovable family.

Gosh, there are so many things to love about this book. Supportive family, loving friendship, great teacher guidance, self-discipline. And it's not a book that showcases a perfect life or about leading a perfect life, it's a book that is ultimately about appreciating what you have. The little things. The big things. Enjoying the moments that make you happy and appreciating the people who are part of those moments.

I feel grateful for the opportunity to read Matt's unrequited love story. This boy is as sweet as they can get and there were a million times that I wished I could be there for him. Matt is a great human being and a great brother, the kind that takes the time to play Candy Land almost every night while making funny voices for his brother's stuffed animals. He's also a talented basketball player who strives to improve every day with admirable discipline. Seriously, he's a fantastic character. How can you not love him?!?!

I also adored the way he speaks about Tabby, the girl next door. He truly loves and respects this fierce but gentle girl whose company is precious throughout the novel. However, what I most admired about Matt is how, even if it would break his heart to see Tabby with another guy, he'd hope and wish for her well-being. That doesn't mean that he would not often hope that she'd realize HE is the one for her!

Being inside Matt's head was hands down the best thing about this book. His internal monologue was often hilarious, creating scenarios for how he wishes things to play out and mocking his own imaginary romantic movie, while comparing it to how things actually turn out. His thoughts are exactly how I imagine a sweet 15-year-old teenager to be and I enjoyed being privy to them. (Even with the constant use of swear words.)

I have to say that this book caught me off guard and before I knew it, I was a sobbing mess in the middle of the night. Even now I feel like breaking down. How does one go from laughing out loud just a few seconds ago to crying your heart out in the next few? How can one NOT feel when everything is easily relatable which makes it a 100 times more real? I FELT it. I felt every emotion that Matt goes through. His shock. His anger. The resentment. The unbearable pain. The unfairness of it all.

This book shook me to my core. I was not expecting such a plot twist right in the middle, but I cannot deny that it's splendidly executed. Author Jared Reck did a great job writing this novel that balances life's beautiful moments with heart-wrenching realities.

Final Verdict:

A Short History of the Girl Next Door now belongs in my top favorite reads of 2017 list. It is beautifully painful and it certainly leaves a lasting impression. Grab some tissues and go read this book!

The story of grief is at times humorous and tragic. The storyline is compelling about how grief can consume oneself. I think for a first novel it’s pretty good but also has a feeling of trying very hard to be cool.

Awkward high school freshman Matt Wainwright has two goals in life. He wants to elevate his basketball skills from JV to Varsity and get the girl: his longtime next-door neighbor and unattainable best friend Tabby. Unfortunately, life doesn't follow Matt's plans. He systematically chokes and is error prone whenever Tabby is around, which prevents him from disclosing his true feelings for Tabby. After a school tragedy leaves Matt reeling as he risks losing everything important to him.

I got many flashes to John Green's novels while reading The Short History of a Girl Next Door, but it didn't have the same emotional punch or moments of epiphanies. Where the author does succeed is the authentic voice and the inner monologues. Matt's voice is that of an authentic freshmen teenager filled with insecurity, awkwardness, and self deprecating humor. His infatuation with Tabby feels real and we spend a lot of time with Matt pining Tabby. The second half has a tragic twist that brings out Matt's grief-induced selfishness, self-pity, and occasional outright cruelty. Matt's warm relationship with his grandfather unveils some surprises and sets Matt on the road to deal with his grief and loss in a positive manner.

The book's short chapters, brisk pacing, and the in-depth descriptions of basketball will make this book appealing to reluctant readers. I had hoped we would spend more time Matt on his road to recovery, but it ends in an uplifting note.

Matt is in love with his best friend and next door neighbor, Tabby. He's too nervous to tell her, and now Tabby has met someone, Liam Branson, a popular senior.

I feel like I can't say anything about Jared Reck's debut without spoiling it. I went into this book with certain expectations. I kind of thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I was wrong. This book went in a completely different direction. SPOILER: And it wrecked me. So many tears.

I thought A Short History of the Girl Next Door was a pretty fabulous debut. Jared Reck really honed in on the teenage experience. I wasn't at all surprised to find out that he's a high school teacher and consequently has close first-hand experience with teenagers day in and day out.

This book was just not my cup of tea and I was not able to finish it. Thank you for this opportunity, though!

I read this book in a day and I liked it enough after I read it but after sitting on it a while I don't really think this book was very unique. There was a boy who was too much of a pansy to admit his feelings to his best female friend. She starts dating some high school guy and they kind of stop talking after that. Something bad ends up happening and the guy never got to say what he should have said years ago so he is this emotional, angry teenage boy who doesn't think anyone else has the right to be angry about this girls death. The end was sort of okay and healing started to happen.

5 Stars - Sweet, Hilarious and Painfully Gorgeous

A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck is a hilarious, sweet, and heart-breaking story that hit me so hard I don’t know what to with all these FEELS.

This book is SO AMAZING!! The emotional depth is wonderfully executed from beginning to end. The plot is interesting, heartfelt, and utterly beautiful. The writing is also painfully gorgeous and riveting. I should warn you now… be prepared with a box of tissue and maybe some of your favorite comfort food. I thought I knew just how the story would turn out, but Reck surprised me with the most achingly astounding plot twist. I actually went back and reread that one part just to make sure what happened really happened. And it did...and it shattered my heart and made me hurt so much... BUT I LOVED IT!

The characters are absolutely fantastic -- well-developed, realistic, and perfectly flawed. At first, I wasn’t quite sure I would like Matt, but by the end, he’s definitely stolen a big chunk of my heart. While he’s a bit awkward, sometimes frustrating, and quite angsty, Matt is also genuine, incredibly sweet, and adorable in every way. I really enjoyed seeing the story unfold through his eyes. His voice is so raw and relatable and my heart just broke for him. I loved Tabby! She’s such a wonderful character -- caring, loyal, smart, and beautiful. Tabby also has this amazing lively personality that just makes everyone want to be near her. I could definitely see why Matt fell so hard for her. Even his family members, specially his little brother, Murray, love Tabby. Speaking of Murray, he is so cute and spunky and I just wanted to hug him. The other supporting characters are pretty awesome and adorable -- Matt’s grandparents, his parents, his best friend, Tripp, and the wonderful teachers.

This book seriously wrecked me, but in a terribly wonderful way -- painful to read, emotional all the way, and so incredibly full of heart. Matt’s unrequited love for Tabby made me feel so many emotions. It made me smile, laugh, and cry... then cry some more. (cue the waterworks!) I had to stop a few times to breathe and get myself together. My eyes hurt and swelled up from crying so much... but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. I loved spending time with Matt, his family, and Tabby, and yeah... I really miss them all.

A Short History of the Girl Next Door is a fantastic story full of heart, friendship, love, loss, and never-ending supply of nerds. It’s beautiful, funny, and sad, but so real in every way. Definitely recommend you pick this up if you’re in the mood for some epic FEELS.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m not sure how to rate “A Short History of the Girl Next Door.” If I say too much, it will take away from the surprise. I can say that it was a roller coaster of emotions that takes the reader from crying with laughter to ugly sobbing with heartbreak within the span of just a few pages. If you’re ready for some strong feels and a story that will stay with you long after you are finished, then I recommend it.

All I can say about this novel is that it made me feel all the emotions I wasn't expecting to feel. It was funny, beautiful and incredibly heartbreaking. I didn't expect to love this novel as much as I did, but I'm so glad that I did.

This is a book that teens will probably love, full of angst and unrequited love. But I am not a teenager, and I found reading this book to be very, very hard after the unexpected tragedy that impacts one of the main characters. I found it challenging to deal with the raw pain and anguish felt by those left behind. This is not say that this is a poorly written book, not by any means. This is a great book, but the topics it deals with are among the most difficult that any of us humans face in our lifetimes. And I started out thinking, Oh, this is gonna be a nice teenage love story, so I was completely unprepared for the gut punch. I will recommend this book, however, to my teen readers who are looking for a good, emotionally wrenching story about love and loss.

The unrequited love of the girl next door is the centerpiece of this fiercely funny, yet heart-breaking debut novel.

Fifteen-year-old Matt Wainwright is in turmoil. He can’t tell his lifelong best friend, Tabby, how he really feels about her; his promising basketball skills are being overshadowed by his attitude on the court, and the only place he feels normal is in English class, where he can express his inner thoughts in quirky poems and essays. Matt is desperately hoping that Tabby will reciprocate his feelings; but then Tabby starts dating Liam Branson, senior basketball star and all-around great guy. Losing Tabby to Branson is bad enough; but, as Matt soon discovers, he’s close to losing everything that matters most to him.

What a quick, enjoyable read! A Short History of the Girl Next Door has achieved exactly what so many YA contemporary novels have failed to do the past few years. It has captured the funniest, most precious moments of adolescence with brutal honesty and a seemingly unfiltered narrative that ke
eps you glued to its pages.
Truth is, Matt may not always be a likeable character. He says some stupid things, probably makes some bad decisions. But, as I’ve said in my Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit review, he is a teenager, and teenagers are supposed to make mistakes, are supposed to be imperfect. He may not be the dreamy protagonist of your dreams, but he is definitely a relatable one.

This book took an unexpected turn almost halfway through. I will not spoil it for you, but it’s something that I definitely did not see coming. In my opinion it was a bold, brave move and way for Peck to differentiate himself from other authors. After this – unexpected – turn of events we got to see the characters grow even more, and some important issues were addressed in what I’ve come to think of as Reck’s characteristic way of gut-wrenching honesty.

**An ARC was provided in exchange of an honest review**

Oh my word... I was NOT expecting that, at all. I need to learn to pay attention to a blurb when it clearly states that the book will be heartbreaking. How am I supposed to get over the story when it made my heart whole then crushed it? Readers, don't be scared despite it being bittersweet; the story was so beautiful. The main character, Matt, struggles through unrequited love and pain. I loved him immediately because he's real, sarcastic, and such a romantic at heart. Such an endearing and well thought out character.

The story seems simple. Two best friends that have grown up together, one falls in love with the other, while the other falls in love with a senior. A Short History of the Girl Next Door is not at all simple. Matt was just fine as the best friend of Tabby, until one day "bam!" he's hit with cupid's arrow. And it's all down hill from there. That's when my heart really started to break. But I couldn't stop reading until I finished the book. When I finally did, I was left with that bittersweet feeling. The one where you can see hope in the near distance but still have that empty hole in your chest.

I absolutely believe readers will fall in love with this book. For the mere reason that it has such an incredible cast of characters. It's thoughtful and realistic at the same time. I have a new author to look forward to reading now.


*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.