I got a preview of this book, a "Sneak  Peak" from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. 

In just a short number of pages, I was immersed in an interesting teenager's world and met her three best friends. I was terribly put out when my preview pages ended--I wanted more, and did not want to stop reading until I had every bit of what the novel promised it held for me.  I can't wait!

I finally got my turn with the  local library consortium in Ohio had the ebook available. I was not disappointed, and the whole story came together so well.  A very nice Christmas seasonal read! 

I suspect Teenagers/YA will love this as much as I did.

I am slightly intrigued by this.
I enjoyed Jay's previous book and will have to read this now that it's available.

This was just a preview, but I didn't feel compelled to read the rest of the book. To be honest, the characters were annoying. I would not want to read an entire book dedicated to them as main characters. I have never read anything else by this author, and this book preview doesn't make it likely that I will. Not my kind of book.

(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley.)

I was interested in the book due to the love story and Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love, I really enjoyed the story between them, good read, first time, reading from Jay Asher.  Would recommend the book if you want a love story.

There are few things I love more than Christmas. Christmas lights, Christmas cheer, Christmas families, Christmas Trees, Christmas Love. I was head over heels when I was given the chance to read this book on here, and I'm so so so so thankful to the author and the publisher. I was surprised and delighted to see there were father/daughter scenes of such depth and moving emotion as well, almost bringing me to tears.

What Light by Jay Asher is a clean, young adult romance that takes place during the Christmas season.  This setting makes What Light perfect for a warm, cozy, winter read!  Sierra and her family leave their Oregon tree farm and head to their California tree lot each year around Thanksgiving until Christmas.  This might be their last year doing this, so Sierra wants to make it memorable.  Her friends in Oregon miss her during this time, while her friend in California, Heather, loves Sierra being near.  Heather wants to double date and is trying to find someone for Sierra, but Sierra takes care of that on her own when she meets and gets to know Caleb.  There is a bad rumor going around about Caleb and something he did in the past.  My curiosity kept me reading and I enjoyed the whole Christmas theme.  The realistic kindness warmed my heart.  Caleb introduces Sierra to his mom and sister in an awkward moment.  The relationship between Caleb and Sierra struggles because of gossip, parents and the long distance between their homes and they have to learn how to handle all of these problems if they want to make their relationship work.  A touching romance that's perfect for the holiday season or anytime you want to feel warm and cozy - 4.5 stars!

An enjoyable teen romance book. A great story to read around Christmastime.

I'm so excited for this book. I bought the hardcover. Will be putting up a review of the full book on lindsayjmarsh.wordpress.com

Okay, where do I begin with my review of What Light by Jay Asher? I honestly thought the story started out a bit on the slow side, seemed to be very sweet (and emphasized a certain character's dimple too much), and the 'love' aspect happened too quickly. Despite these things, I found myself picking up the book whenever I could. I mean, this is Jay Asher we're talking about. 

What Light started off slowly and Sierra didn't immediately grab me like other YA heroines have. But--there's always a but--I grew to like her. Over time as her character was revealed, I saw her for the willful, strong-minded, and determined girl she was, especially when it came to the way a new friend was being treated by others. The family business and her parents having to leave their Oregon home to live in a trailer for weeks to sell trees all day long was something I'd never read about in YA and this interested me. In our fast-paced, technology-focused world, seeing one family abide by an old business practice of their ancestors was refreshing as was Sierra's love for her parents and their family business. Since I'm such a nature lover I easily related to her love of pine trees. How a tree could hold such meaning to people and the importance of traditions meant a lot to me.

The attraction between Sierra and Caleb is instantaneous and they flirt a bit. She's warned off of seeking anything more with him by her friend, Heather, but does that deter her? Caleb has a reputation and Sierra is determined to find out exactly what it is. I'll admit my biggest problem with the book was how Caleb's 'incident' was handled. I don't want to spoil the mystery but I did expect something more--especially a discourse about mental health-- something stronger than Sierra reminding her father about the values he instilled in her as her primary argument in support of dating Caleb.

As the story progressed and my concerns quieted down, this couple grew on me. Their relationship seemed like a return to the simpler times of long ago. Perhaps it was the magic of the holiday season along with the ticking clock of the time element (before Sierra has to return home), which made me go along with what I'd otherwise call out as insta-love. I liked their moments together. They were a cute couple. From their meet-ups at the diner to the tree lot, to Sierra's riding along with Caleb on his runs, to the special Christmas mass he takes her to and that special spot on the hill Sierra reveals to him, I found my eyes racing across the pages.

The chapters are short. The writing is tight. Age-wise, I found the characters and their situations to fall on the younger YA spectrum (almost tween-ish) than I expected from the synopsis. The setting is unique. The conflict, as I already stated, could have been handled differently with a more realistic focus on the serious subject matter. As a parent, Caleb's past actions frightened me and I wouldn't want my daughter dating him. Yet, I remember myself as a teen and would have acted similarly to Sierra if there was someone I grew to care for and felt others were unfairly judging him.

I'll reveal one more thing about my reading: What Light made me cry. There's a scene towards the end where Caleb does something very special for Sierra and that moment hit me quite unexpectedly. Not only did it reveal the sneaky type of writer Asher is, I realized these characters had touched me despite my earlier misgivings. One thing's for sure, I'm enjoying the occasional mug of hot cocoa or coffee with the leftover mini candy canes in my house. I bet Sierra and Caleb would approve.

Rating: 3.5
Cover comment: At first I wasn't crazy about the cover, thought it too simple, but after finishing the book I now like it.
Book source: Library

Just in time for the holidays, an emotional romance that is an easier sell to parents than "13 Reasons Why". This sneak peek gave me a taste, although I recommend with reservation because I haven't read the entire book yet.