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Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things
Pride and Prejudice meets Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot in this humorous and heartfelt debut about a loving, quirky family on the hunt for the mythical Sasquatch.
Hunting for monsters was never so awkward.
It's bad enough that Samantha's parents, charter members of the Northern Ohio Bigfoot Society, have dragged their daughter around forever, hunting for yetis. But now they're doing it on national TV, and worse, in front of an aristocratic prep-school crew including a boy who disdains Samantha's family.
But when he scorns her humble Ohio roots, she becomes determined to take him down. As they go to war, their friction and attraction almost distract them from the hint that Sasquatch may actually be out there somewhere...
Hunting for monsters was never so awkward.
It's bad enough that Samantha's parents, charter members of the Northern Ohio Bigfoot Society, have dragged their daughter around forever, hunting for yetis. But now they're doing it on national TV, and worse, in front of an aristocratic prep-school crew including a boy who disdains Samantha's family.
But when he scorns her humble Ohio roots, she becomes determined to take him down. As they go to war, their friction and attraction almost distract them from the hint that Sasquatch may actually be out there somewhere...
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 8, 2017
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1385 people want to read
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April 24, 2020Please note that my 10 year old went on and rated my book 5 stars from my own Goodreads account. It's so embarrassing but I can't figure out how to delete it. Lol.
P.S. she hasn't even read the book.
P.S. she hasn't even read the book.
June 1, 2017
Um, did anyone really think this wouldn't be less than five stars from me? It's kind of 4.5, BUT I DONT EVEN CARE. So much Sasquatch love...I do mean Wood Ape. But seriously, sooooooooo cute. And sooooo much Bigfoot. *still squealing forever*
Review coming sooner to the release date, yeti or not (which is my new favorite catchphrase ever).
Review coming sooner to the release date, yeti or not (which is my new favorite catchphrase ever).
August 7, 2017
There are so many things about this book that I just absolutely loved! First of all, I’m a huge Jane Austen fangirl, and Pride and Prejudice is, of course, my favorite of her books. So any retelling is bound to pique my interest. I also really enjoy books that poke a bit of fun at reality television. So combine those two elements in a setting that is truly unique and absolutely hilarious, and you have a recipe for a novel that is guaranteed to be a good time.
There are certainly some parts of this story that parallel P&P, but it definitely has enough of its own storyline to keep readers guessing at what is going to happen next. The nods to the original story were fantastic though, and will certainly add an extra bit of fun for readers of Austen.
I adored the Berger family. The fact that the parents were such enthusiastic and unabashed believers in Bigfoot (aka Wood Ape) was absolutely charming. I think any fangirl/fanboy can relate to that kind of devotion. The Berger sisters themselves were perfect adaptations of Lizzy, Jane, and Lydia and each had their own modern twist and original take on the classic characters.
The romance in this story was as sweet and endearing as one would expect from an Austen retelling. And I really enjoyed how the authors gave some additional depth to some other characters who didn’t necessarily have that in P&P itself.
The fact that this story is all about a reality show competition where two teams face-off to try to find Sasquatch is absolutely hilarious. I adore that premise. It is so creative, original, and just so much fun.
This is definitely a book that would be enjoyed by readers of many, many different genres, and I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to enjoy it myself.
There are certainly some parts of this story that parallel P&P, but it definitely has enough of its own storyline to keep readers guessing at what is going to happen next. The nods to the original story were fantastic though, and will certainly add an extra bit of fun for readers of Austen.
I adored the Berger family. The fact that the parents were such enthusiastic and unabashed believers in Bigfoot (aka Wood Ape) was absolutely charming. I think any fangirl/fanboy can relate to that kind of devotion. The Berger sisters themselves were perfect adaptations of Lizzy, Jane, and Lydia and each had their own modern twist and original take on the classic characters.
The romance in this story was as sweet and endearing as one would expect from an Austen retelling. And I really enjoyed how the authors gave some additional depth to some other characters who didn’t necessarily have that in P&P itself.
The fact that this story is all about a reality show competition where two teams face-off to try to find Sasquatch is absolutely hilarious. I adore that premise. It is so creative, original, and just so much fun.
This is definitely a book that would be enjoyed by readers of many, many different genres, and I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to enjoy it myself.
April 25, 2017
Raise your hand if you love Pride and Prejudice. Raise your other hand if you need a Sasquatch-themed YA in your life. Both hands proudly in the air? Then this one's for you. Alderdge and DuBois-Shaw have created a fantastic, funny heroine that you can't help but relate to. Even if your family doesn't hunt Sasquatches (sorry, Wood Apes) everyone has their embarrassing family secret that can fill that spot. Also, can we talk about the Mr. Darcy character? Devan is a dream and a half. Talk about swoony. Their banter was spot-on and I loved the way they worked together to out-smart the reality TV show runners.
I flew through this book in one sitting. Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things will charm your big furry feet off.
I flew through this book in one sitting. Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things will charm your big furry feet off.
January 17, 2018
DNF @50%. Oh book, I had such high hopes for you.
I initially started this book greatly enjoying Samantha and her family. I loved that this was a mash up of P&P involving Bigfoot and a reality tv show. I was willing to suspend belief just because the synopsis sounded great and I always get a kick out of fun Austen adaptations. Unfortunately, the execution felt short of the premise. I just couldn't get into any of the characters in this book. There was so many of them and they were all doing different things and the plot was just far enough removed from P&P that I didn't always get who was who and/or why they were there in the first place. We had the five Bergers's (Bennet's), we had Devan (Darcy), Kyle (Bingley) and Caroline (don't ask me why she was the only character to keep her name from the original, that was an annoyance. Either keep all the same names/nicknames or change them all. Don't do one out of twenty). And then we had Jake (Wickham I guess but without the Wickham backstory/plot), Colin (not Mr. Colin), Beth, Dr. DeGrew, Mindy, Hall, Ernie and a host of other characters that I just couldn't get into.
I think that was the biggest reason I stopped reading and skipped to the last chapter. I just couldn't feel or understand any of the characters. They were all cute and funny, but with no real depth and even the love/hate relationship Sam and Devan had fell flat. I think I'll stick to re-reading old fanfiction AU's when I want a fun and unusual P&P mash up. This one did not hold my interest.
I initially started this book greatly enjoying Samantha and her family. I loved that this was a mash up of P&P involving Bigfoot and a reality tv show. I was willing to suspend belief just because the synopsis sounded great and I always get a kick out of fun Austen adaptations. Unfortunately, the execution felt short of the premise. I just couldn't get into any of the characters in this book. There was so many of them and they were all doing different things and the plot was just far enough removed from P&P that I didn't always get who was who and/or why they were there in the first place. We had the five Bergers's (Bennet's), we had Devan (Darcy), Kyle (Bingley) and Caroline (don't ask me why she was the only character to keep her name from the original, that was an annoyance. Either keep all the same names/nicknames or change them all. Don't do one out of twenty). And then we had Jake (Wickham I guess but without the Wickham backstory/plot), Colin (not Mr. Colin), Beth, Dr. DeGrew, Mindy, Hall, Ernie and a host of other characters that I just couldn't get into.
I think that was the biggest reason I stopped reading and skipped to the last chapter. I just couldn't feel or understand any of the characters. They were all cute and funny, but with no real depth and even the love/hate relationship Sam and Devan had fell flat. I think I'll stick to re-reading old fanfiction AU's when I want a fun and unusual P&P mash up. This one did not hold my interest.
October 19, 2017
2.5 Stars
Did you ever stop to think that maybe Bigfoot doesn't believe in you either?There was this lightheartedness and overdramatic cheesyness that worked worked perfectly together to create a humorous quick read. The reality tv drama mixed with all things Bigfoot were so ridiculous, but it worked for the story. I also really liked the quotes at the beginning of the chapters. They added to the atmosphere and kept reading the story fun. Unfortunately, I didn't like any of the characters and found the relationships to be underdeveloped. With this being such a short book, quite a few scenes felt rushed and dialogue forced - making the characters more unlikable. This wasn't a bad story by any means, I just wanted more from it.
January 10, 2018
Rating 3.5 Stars
I'm ashamed to say this took me months to finish. This was lying next to my bed for days and I would pick it up and read a chapter or two then get distracted by the Nintendo Switch or another book and/or audiobook. I guess I should have DNFed it but I was invested enough to continue, especially since I love me some Pride and Prejudice retellings; especially one so bizarre and original as this.
The whole plot of the Finding Bigfootesque Reality TV Show was super amusing. The characters all had a similar personality to the character their representing only more modern language and more petty teenager drama and sabotage.
Sam was an interesting protagonist. She could be mature but also childish. She also has a prideful streak (like Elizabeth Bennett) and defended her family's eccentric personality. She also wasn't constantly drooling over Devan even after she fell hard for him, she still kept her focus on the game and winning the money to save her family from going Bankrupt and also the opportunity to go to school. All in all I didn't really have really quams about her and that's a rare thing.
Devan was a great portrayal of the ever dashing, ever broody and judgmental Mr. Darcy. But of course he had a more modern twist and was actually of ethnic background instead of just being a typical white man. It was a nice twist and his feelings for Sam and trying to profess them were just as cute as when Mr. Darcy tried to win Elizabeth's heart.
I guess the only thing I didn't particularly like was the lame ending. It was really kind of Kyle, Caroline, and Devan to pretty much forfeit the chance of winning but it made it too easy tie up of the plot. It would have been way more interesting if they won and Sam's family had a moment of panic and hopelessness but somehow found another way to get the money (maybe through the wealthy Devan *wink* *wink*). Also I did not like that Mary and Kitty(Catherine) were excluded from this retelling they could have made for interesting characters too so it just seemed lazy of the authors to just exclude them so they don't have to deal with writing out their personality's and scenes.
I would still recommend this book despite its flaw for someone who is just looking for a cutesy, silly light read.
I'm ashamed to say this took me months to finish. This was lying next to my bed for days and I would pick it up and read a chapter or two then get distracted by the Nintendo Switch or another book and/or audiobook. I guess I should have DNFed it but I was invested enough to continue, especially since I love me some Pride and Prejudice retellings; especially one so bizarre and original as this.
The whole plot of the Finding Bigfootesque Reality TV Show was super amusing. The characters all had a similar personality to the character their representing only more modern language and more petty teenager drama and sabotage.
Sam was an interesting protagonist. She could be mature but also childish. She also has a prideful streak (like Elizabeth Bennett) and defended her family's eccentric personality. She also wasn't constantly drooling over Devan even after she fell hard for him, she still kept her focus on the game and winning the money to save her family from going Bankrupt and also the opportunity to go to school. All in all I didn't really have really quams about her and that's a rare thing.
Devan was a great portrayal of the ever dashing, ever broody and judgmental Mr. Darcy. But of course he had a more modern twist and was actually of ethnic background instead of just being a typical white man. It was a nice twist and his feelings for Sam and trying to profess them were just as cute as when Mr. Darcy tried to win Elizabeth's heart.
I guess the only thing I didn't particularly like was the lame ending. It was really kind of Kyle, Caroline, and Devan to pretty much forfeit the chance of winning but it made it too easy tie up of the plot. It would have been way more interesting if they won and Sam's family had a moment of panic and hopelessness but somehow found another way to get the money (maybe through the wealthy Devan *wink* *wink*). Also I did not like that Mary and Kitty(Catherine) were excluded from this retelling they could have made for interesting characters too so it just seemed lazy of the authors to just exclude them so they don't have to deal with writing out their personality's and scenes.
I would still recommend this book despite its flaw for someone who is just looking for a cutesy, silly light read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2022
The idea itself had potential, but the craft of the writing didn't follow through. The narrator seemed constantly judgemental of every other character, and while that can be an interesting trait to be explored, her judgement seemed confirmed as all side characters were rather shallow and one dimensional. Samantha was mean and never asked to question her venom.
As a Pride and Prejudice retelling, it keeps some basic plot elements but misses the character growth and change of heart that Austen made great.
Also, and this is a petty point, but it's kind of hard to agree with our narrator that her parents are embarrassing or a burden. Dude, your parents are happy people who love each other and you, and they're professional bigfoot hunters!! That's cool!! They made you T-shirts!! They just seem fun.
As a Pride and Prejudice retelling, it keeps some basic plot elements but misses the character growth and change of heart that Austen made great.
Also, and this is a petty point, but it's kind of hard to agree with our narrator that her parents are embarrassing or a burden. Dude, your parents are happy people who love each other and you, and they're professional bigfoot hunters!! That's cool!! They made you T-shirts!! They just seem fun.
October 1, 2017
The re-imagined cast of Pride and Prejudice hunting for Sasquatch on a reality show! This book was every bit as funny as I thought it would be with plenty of heartwarming family time thrown in for good measure. A fun read.
December 21, 2017
I loved this book!!! It was not what I expected but it was still awesome!!! For a longer review go to Buttons Book Reviews.
November 20, 2019
Sasquatch + reality TV + Pride and Prejudice is not a combination I’d have ever thought of, but it ... actually worked really well? Cute, lots of fun, great character dynamics.
September 9, 2017
Actual rating: 3.5
Basically Pride and Prejudice but with Bigfoot and reality TV.
And when I say basically, I mean this is an /actual literal/ retelling. A poor and socially embarrassing family; a sweet, kindhearted older sister who tries to see the good in everyone; a sharp-tongued second oldest, our protagonist; a wild, boy-crazy younger sister (I suppose Kitty and Mary were taken out to make things simpler); a Perfectly Nice Guy who has a thing for the older sister; a Snobby Rich Socially Awkward Guy who disapproves; the protagonist and the Snobby Rich Socially Awkward Guy TOTALLY HATING each other (except yeah okay he's kind of cute... and wait, he seemed pretty nice just then... hold it nope he just said rude stuff about my family DEFINITELY DESPISE HIM); etc. Even the main plot points follow the same formula.
Now that I'm on goodreads and looking at the reviews and main blurb, I see that this isn't really a surprise to anyone else. But I had just picked this up at random at the library, and /nowhere/ on the inside flap did it mention /anything/ about Pride and Prejudice. The first clue I got was when Devan said "The Bergers are certainly not attractive enough to tempt us" and I was just like "?? okay so this guy is literally Mr. Darcy why," but then as I kept reading it finally clicked and I realized that it wasn't just a weird random coincidence but VERY INTENTIONAL and tbh it was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed figuring out which characters corresponded with the originals and predicting what would happen next or what twists they would take on the original story.
There was also some nice diversity; "Mr. Bingley" is Korean, "Mr. Darcy" British-Indian, and the entire "Bennet" family is Jewish. I'm not one to believe that diversity in and of itself makes a good story, but the rest of the book is solid enough to stand on its own, so it was nice to see.
Very fun. Kind of a quick, brain-candy sort of book, nothing that resonated with me on a deeper level, but definitely enjoyable. Relatively clean, too, as far as YA goes; there was some swearing, of course, and a couple off-color jokes from "Elizabeth," but the romance never goes beyond kissing, which I appreciate. If you enjoy Bigfoot and creative Pride and Prejudice retellings, then I'd recommend it.
Basically Pride and Prejudice but with Bigfoot and reality TV.
And when I say basically, I mean this is an /actual literal/ retelling. A poor and socially embarrassing family; a sweet, kindhearted older sister who tries to see the good in everyone; a sharp-tongued second oldest, our protagonist; a wild, boy-crazy younger sister (I suppose Kitty and Mary were taken out to make things simpler); a Perfectly Nice Guy who has a thing for the older sister; a Snobby Rich Socially Awkward Guy who disapproves; the protagonist and the Snobby Rich Socially Awkward Guy TOTALLY HATING each other (except yeah okay he's kind of cute... and wait, he seemed pretty nice just then... hold it nope he just said rude stuff about my family DEFINITELY DESPISE HIM); etc. Even the main plot points follow the same formula.
Now that I'm on goodreads and looking at the reviews and main blurb, I see that this isn't really a surprise to anyone else. But I had just picked this up at random at the library, and /nowhere/ on the inside flap did it mention /anything/ about Pride and Prejudice. The first clue I got was when Devan said "The Bergers are certainly not attractive enough to tempt us" and I was just like "?? okay so this guy is literally Mr. Darcy why," but then as I kept reading it finally clicked and I realized that it wasn't just a weird random coincidence but VERY INTENTIONAL and tbh it was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed figuring out which characters corresponded with the originals and predicting what would happen next or what twists they would take on the original story.
There was also some nice diversity; "Mr. Bingley" is Korean, "Mr. Darcy" British-Indian, and the entire "Bennet" family is Jewish. I'm not one to believe that diversity in and of itself makes a good story, but the rest of the book is solid enough to stand on its own, so it was nice to see.
Very fun. Kind of a quick, brain-candy sort of book, nothing that resonated with me on a deeper level, but definitely enjoyable. Relatively clean, too, as far as YA goes; there was some swearing, of course, and a couple off-color jokes from "Elizabeth," but the romance never goes beyond kissing, which I appreciate. If you enjoy Bigfoot and creative Pride and Prejudice retellings, then I'd recommend it.
August 1, 2018
this was funny
and weird
and lovely
[Read #3 for Booktube-A-Thon: read a book with green on the cover]
and weird
and lovely
[Read #3 for Booktube-A-Thon: read a book with green on the cover]
January 1, 2019
Got hooked with the word "Sasquatch" and completely reeled in by the Pride and Prejudice retelling and the awesome characters!
November 12, 2017
2.5 star**
This could definitely fall under the category of cute, quick reads, but I would say that it covers anything else.
The characters were nice, but there could have been so much more depth to them. You barely get introduced and its he end of the book. I think that the authors were trying to include so many diverse characters that they all ended up being flat.
The cast included:
-autistic female assistant
-adopted siblings [from mixed races]
- a british indian boy whose parents are in the middle east
- a jewish family that is poor!
- a trash teenage celebrity [I don't know why I was getting Bieber vibes from him]
- a geeky camera dude
- a younger sister that likes to dress provocatively, whose sisters both shame and embrace that side of her?
- absentee parents all around [like the said sister basically wears a thong and pants that half cover her ass [i think she's 15?] and they're just like 'what are you gunna do?', but once she gets caught on filmgoing something indiscreet, they go into angry parent mode... too little too late and it doesn't fit their character development
It was frustrating because there were a few elements that I did enjoy reading about. A sister that gets sick and needs to be nursed back to health by the guy she is crushing on. And a british dude being the main love interest. But they were developed weird. Also, the british stand that was added it felt so cheesy and forced, and like hey maybe they do say those terms in the UK but it didn't feel consistent enough to be genuine.
This could definitely fall under the category of cute, quick reads, but I would say that it covers anything else.
The characters were nice, but there could have been so much more depth to them. You barely get introduced and its he end of the book. I think that the authors were trying to include so many diverse characters that they all ended up being flat.
The cast included:
-autistic female assistant
-adopted siblings [from mixed races]
- a british indian boy whose parents are in the middle east
- a jewish family that is poor!
- a trash teenage celebrity [I don't know why I was getting Bieber vibes from him]
- a geeky camera dude
- a younger sister that likes to dress provocatively, whose sisters both shame and embrace that side of her?
- absentee parents all around [like the said sister basically wears a thong and pants that half cover her ass [i think she's 15?] and they're just like 'what are you gunna do?', but once she gets caught on filmgoing something indiscreet, they go into angry parent mode... too little too late and it doesn't fit their character development
It was frustrating because there were a few elements that I did enjoy reading about. A sister that gets sick and needs to be nursed back to health by the guy she is crushing on. And a british dude being the main love interest. But they were developed weird. Also, the british stand that was added it felt so cheesy and forced, and like hey maybe they do say those terms in the UK but it didn't feel consistent enough to be genuine.
November 15, 2019
Well, I was disappointed. Maybe it was a misunderstanding but I thought there was going to be some kind of romance with Sasquatch. I'm not weird or anything. Novels have romances with vampires, werewolves, and zombies. Frankly, a romance with Sasquatch would have been more interesting than the teens' romances. They were all kind of blah.
Sasquatch, etc. was way over the top on my smirk-o-meter. Why do most YAs have to sound alike? The characters smirk their way through the books. Here's the other irritating thing. I've read a lot of YA recently where all the girl protagonists are always biting their lips, always at one point until they taste blood. Who does this? Nobody bites their lips when they see a cute boy or when they are nervous. This is just lazy writing. Girls do not go around biting their lips and they certainly do not go around biting their lips until they bleed. Are girl characters masochists? Nobody does this! Quit having female characters bite their lips and smirk on every other page. If they bit their lips all the time, like they do in these novels, their lips would hurt too bad to smirk.
Sasquatch, etc. was way over the top on my smirk-o-meter. Why do most YAs have to sound alike? The characters smirk their way through the books. Here's the other irritating thing. I've read a lot of YA recently where all the girl protagonists are always biting their lips, always at one point until they taste blood. Who does this? Nobody bites their lips when they see a cute boy or when they are nervous. This is just lazy writing. Girls do not go around biting their lips and they certainly do not go around biting their lips until they bleed. Are girl characters masochists? Nobody does this! Quit having female characters bite their lips and smirk on every other page. If they bit their lips all the time, like they do in these novels, their lips would hurt too bad to smirk.
February 13, 2018
A family of Big Foot searchers are about to take part in the new show Myth Gnomers. Our protagonist who is already embarrassed by her family's "hobby" unwillingly takes part.
Like the Sasquatch entailed quotes at the beginning of the chapters.
Samantha's humorous, sometimes snarky POV is a joy to read. Highly quotable funny lines. The characters grab your attention from their first appearance and each have their individuality presented easily and seamlessly.
The antagonism between Samantha and Devan works and presents enjoyable moments, clashing with her incessant need to take care of everyone. Also the the thrown together situation too. The writing makes it feel so natural.
Smile and smirk-worthy, poking fun at shows that deal with finding ghosts etc and the people who take part in them. A we want the underdog to win story. This was surprisingly also full of a lot of heart, and emphasizing important things like do not judge a book by it's cover and people for what they have.
Like the Sasquatch entailed quotes at the beginning of the chapters.
Samantha's humorous, sometimes snarky POV is a joy to read. Highly quotable funny lines. The characters grab your attention from their first appearance and each have their individuality presented easily and seamlessly.
The antagonism between Samantha and Devan works and presents enjoyable moments, clashing with her incessant need to take care of everyone. Also the the thrown together situation too. The writing makes it feel so natural.
Smile and smirk-worthy, poking fun at shows that deal with finding ghosts etc and the people who take part in them. A we want the underdog to win story. This was surprisingly also full of a lot of heart, and emphasizing important things like do not judge a book by it's cover and people for what they have.
December 8, 2017
3.5 stars
This is a hard one for me to review. On the one hand, I absolutely LOVED the premise. A sasquatch-hunting reality show? A snarky protagonist who isn’t afraid to speak her mind but is secretly a giant softie? An Indian-British love interest? Sign me up! On the other hand, I thought the plot was a tad bit too slow for me, and I just wanted a little bit more.
I think, in the end, I definitely leaned in the like side of the spectrum. The characters are very cute, and the relationship between Devan and Sam is definitely one of my favorites. I definitely could see the Pride & Prejudice similarities throughout the story, but I would have liked for their relationship to veer off on its own path at some point. Honestly, that was the thing I most wanted from this book - more relationship, less Sasquatch hunting.
But, all-in-all, it's a fun read and I think a lot of readers will enjoy it.
This is a hard one for me to review. On the one hand, I absolutely LOVED the premise. A sasquatch-hunting reality show? A snarky protagonist who isn’t afraid to speak her mind but is secretly a giant softie? An Indian-British love interest? Sign me up! On the other hand, I thought the plot was a tad bit too slow for me, and I just wanted a little bit more.
I think, in the end, I definitely leaned in the like side of the spectrum. The characters are very cute, and the relationship between Devan and Sam is definitely one of my favorites. I definitely could see the Pride & Prejudice similarities throughout the story, but I would have liked for their relationship to veer off on its own path at some point. Honestly, that was the thing I most wanted from this book - more relationship, less Sasquatch hunting.
But, all-in-all, it's a fun read and I think a lot of readers will enjoy it.
February 3, 2018
This super cute YA contemporary was just what I needed right now.
Other reviews mention that this is a modern Pride and Prejudice retelling, but I've never read the classic so it didn't have any affect on my enjoyment.
The Berger family is from Ohio. They've fallen on hard times and are about to lose their house, when they enter a reality tv show to compete against 3 private school students to find evidence of a sasquatch. Sam's family definitely has more out doors experience and knowledge of the "wood ape" but the students come equipped with the latest technology.
If you knew me, you would understand how this book is perfect for me. Big foot, reality tv, love story... the only thing I didn't like was the main character Sam. She seemed to judge everyone around her and feel like she was the only one capable of doing anything. I don't know if that is a trait that came from the Pride and Prejudice character she's based off of or not, but I'm not a fan of know-it-alls.
Other reviews mention that this is a modern Pride and Prejudice retelling, but I've never read the classic so it didn't have any affect on my enjoyment.
The Berger family is from Ohio. They've fallen on hard times and are about to lose their house, when they enter a reality tv show to compete against 3 private school students to find evidence of a sasquatch. Sam's family definitely has more out doors experience and knowledge of the "wood ape" but the students come equipped with the latest technology.
If you knew me, you would understand how this book is perfect for me. Big foot, reality tv, love story... the only thing I didn't like was the main character Sam. She seemed to judge everyone around her and feel like she was the only one capable of doing anything. I don't know if that is a trait that came from the Pride and Prejudice character she's based off of or not, but I'm not a fan of know-it-alls.
September 20, 2017
This was a difficult one for me. It wasn't wacky enough to be super-fun, but not serious enough to play on my emotions. The main character, too, seemed to be confused about what she was . . . a kick-ass feminist? A smart girl? A lovesick teen? A pariah?
January 1, 2018
A bit kooky and silly but still had the basic components of Jane Austen. A unique way to end my reading year!
February 16, 2019
Rated a teen book, more of a middle school. Repetitive, predictable.
February 28, 2019
Fun and goofy and a bit of a P&P vibe.
June 5, 2018
Feel free to check out my new blog, Between the Lines!
I have a helpful hint for anyone looking for a title for their contemporary/romance YA book, and because I am a good citizen, I have included an easy to follow template! It looks something like this: ”Love and Other ________”. If you’re feeling particularly fancy, you can have another noun in the list, but only up to two items other than love. Forget about coming up with an original title, because apparently every other YA author has.
Honestly though, this book was cute enough, but was very similar to every other YA contemporary that has been coming out lately. To really make this process easier, I’ve decided to compose a pro-and-con list.
PRO:
Sasquatch--anything that has to do with sasquatch, count me in. The addition of calling it a “wood-ape” never failed to bring a smile to my face.
Reality TV-This book relentlessly mocked reality TV--from the stars to the shows to the actual filming of it. Definitely something that Aldredge nailed in my opinion.
Snarky MC-Anyone who knows me knows that I have an incurable case of sarcasm, so I thoroughly enjoyed reading from the point of view of a girl who suffers the same affliction.
Shout out to P+P-I really enjoyed the aspects that Aldredge pulled and changed from the classic book, Pride and Prejudice, I say that it was respectfully and tastefully done.
CON:
Double Standards--Many times throughout the book, I found myself rolling my eyes at our main character. She would scold her younger sister for something, (let’s say it was her inappropriate clothing choices), but if her mom attempted to scold the younger sister for the exact same issue, our main character would jump to her defense. Honestly, it gave me whiplash. The entire relationship between Sam and her family struck me as strange, and this might have been the most annoying element.
Family Mocking-Anytime Sam opened her mouth, there was a 50% chance that she was about to mock her own family. She makes fun of her parents for believing in Sasquatch, she makes fun of Lyssa for wanting to fit in. There is nothing safe from Sam’s mocking. I understand if she was slightly embarrassed of her family, because they were excessively zany, but mocking her parents as much as she did seemed disrespectful to me.
Boring Plot-In the end, the plot managed to sludge to an acceptable close, but there wasn’t much substance throughout the entire book. I had hoped that the challenges would have been harder or more amusing, or even written about more, but they were glazed over.
Overall, it was a pretty average book. Brought along enough laughs to suffice, enough plot to be acceptable, and enough snark to make it passable.
I have a helpful hint for anyone looking for a title for their contemporary/romance YA book, and because I am a good citizen, I have included an easy to follow template! It looks something like this: ”Love and Other ________”. If you’re feeling particularly fancy, you can have another noun in the list, but only up to two items other than love. Forget about coming up with an original title, because apparently every other YA author has.
Honestly though, this book was cute enough, but was very similar to every other YA contemporary that has been coming out lately. To really make this process easier, I’ve decided to compose a pro-and-con list.
PRO:
Sasquatch--anything that has to do with sasquatch, count me in. The addition of calling it a “wood-ape” never failed to bring a smile to my face.
Reality TV-This book relentlessly mocked reality TV--from the stars to the shows to the actual filming of it. Definitely something that Aldredge nailed in my opinion.
Snarky MC-Anyone who knows me knows that I have an incurable case of sarcasm, so I thoroughly enjoyed reading from the point of view of a girl who suffers the same affliction.
Shout out to P+P-I really enjoyed the aspects that Aldredge pulled and changed from the classic book, Pride and Prejudice, I say that it was respectfully and tastefully done.
CON:
Double Standards--Many times throughout the book, I found myself rolling my eyes at our main character. She would scold her younger sister for something, (let’s say it was her inappropriate clothing choices), but if her mom attempted to scold the younger sister for the exact same issue, our main character would jump to her defense. Honestly, it gave me whiplash. The entire relationship between Sam and her family struck me as strange, and this might have been the most annoying element.
Family Mocking-Anytime Sam opened her mouth, there was a 50% chance that she was about to mock her own family. She makes fun of her parents for believing in Sasquatch, she makes fun of Lyssa for wanting to fit in. There is nothing safe from Sam’s mocking. I understand if she was slightly embarrassed of her family, because they were excessively zany, but mocking her parents as much as she did seemed disrespectful to me.
Boring Plot-In the end, the plot managed to sludge to an acceptable close, but there wasn’t much substance throughout the entire book. I had hoped that the challenges would have been harder or more amusing, or even written about more, but they were glazed over.
Overall, it was a pretty average book. Brought along enough laughs to suffice, enough plot to be acceptable, and enough snark to make it passable.
November 19, 2017
The book went on vacation with me this summer. It was the perfect poolside read — not too serious, but interesting enough to keep my attention despite the noise from splashing, squealing kids. My children thought I was crazy when I brought the book into the pool….it was too hot to sit out, but I couldn’t stop reading!
The three sisters in this story follow clearly defined personality profiles that don’t always match up with traditional birth order stereotypes. The main character, Sam, is the middle sister who is constantly trying to keep the peace within her quirky family. She’s the perfect example of the belief that “I can say what I want about my family, but NO ONE ELSE better say anything about them!” I loved her fiery spirit, quick wit, and determination. Next in my favorites list were her parents. They acted like teenagers in love, which is a refreshing sight to see from couples who have stuck it out through a long marriage. Then, there’s Beth — the production assistant who is on the autism spectrum. It’s so nice to see authors give an ASD character a strong, competent role in a successful field.
Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things isn’t the type of book I’d normally choose on my own, but I wanted to see if it was a story my middle school students might enjoy. The conclusion was….this is an adorable teen book that keeps things clean without being too pristine. I’d definitely put this book on my classroom bookshelf. Sam is a good character to push strength into the hearts of those students who feel frustrated by normalcy. Plus, kudos to the authors for finding a way to make a Pride & Prejudice retelling completely new! When reading this with teens, ask them to consider the idea that Sasquatch represents tough-to-achieve dreams and goals. I received this book as part of the blog tour. Opinions shared are mine.
The three sisters in this story follow clearly defined personality profiles that don’t always match up with traditional birth order stereotypes. The main character, Sam, is the middle sister who is constantly trying to keep the peace within her quirky family. She’s the perfect example of the belief that “I can say what I want about my family, but NO ONE ELSE better say anything about them!” I loved her fiery spirit, quick wit, and determination. Next in my favorites list were her parents. They acted like teenagers in love, which is a refreshing sight to see from couples who have stuck it out through a long marriage. Then, there’s Beth — the production assistant who is on the autism spectrum. It’s so nice to see authors give an ASD character a strong, competent role in a successful field.
Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things isn’t the type of book I’d normally choose on my own, but I wanted to see if it was a story my middle school students might enjoy. The conclusion was….this is an adorable teen book that keeps things clean without being too pristine. I’d definitely put this book on my classroom bookshelf. Sam is a good character to push strength into the hearts of those students who feel frustrated by normalcy. Plus, kudos to the authors for finding a way to make a Pride & Prejudice retelling completely new! When reading this with teens, ask them to consider the idea that Sasquatch represents tough-to-achieve dreams and goals. I received this book as part of the blog tour. Opinions shared are mine.
September 25, 2018
This was such a pleasant read, and oddly a very emotional one for me, too. I felt the need to tell my aunt about every chapter along the way. Which, those of you who know me, will know exactly why I can't do that. But, despite starting every chapter with a round of melancholy, each chapter ended with me laughing, feeling rebellious, and wondering whether Sasquatch really does exist or not. Before each chapter is a quotation from some character important in the book's realm of Sasquatch seekers, which lets you know what sort of tone the following chapter has--skeptic, informative, even (dare I say it) saucy.
Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things certainly has me questioning the validity of such things (especially love--because let's get real, the chances of finding and documenting a Sasquatch are as big as finding someone to fall asleep next to every night). But, really, joking cynicism aside, I really loved this book. It had me clutching the pages on the bus, flipping through just so I could find out who won and what sorts of drama were about to happen next.
Aldredge and DuBois-Shaw do a fantastic job working together to write a compelling story about such speculative subjects in such a realistic world. Does this book count as fantasy? Sci-fi, even? Perhaps. Though that's up to the reader to decide for themselves, especially if they feel especially convinced that Sasquatch does exist in this setting by the end of this book (which, I definitely did).
Overall, this was a fun, quick read and kept me entertained for the entirety of the ride.
Review cross-listed here!
Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things certainly has me questioning the validity of such things (especially love--because let's get real, the chances of finding and documenting a Sasquatch are as big as finding someone to fall asleep next to every night). But, really, joking cynicism aside, I really loved this book. It had me clutching the pages on the bus, flipping through just so I could find out who won and what sorts of drama were about to happen next.
Aldredge and DuBois-Shaw do a fantastic job working together to write a compelling story about such speculative subjects in such a realistic world. Does this book count as fantasy? Sci-fi, even? Perhaps. Though that's up to the reader to decide for themselves, especially if they feel especially convinced that Sasquatch does exist in this setting by the end of this book (which, I definitely did).
Overall, this was a fun, quick read and kept me entertained for the entirety of the ride.
Review cross-listed here!
December 22, 2020
Actual rating: 2.5 stars. At first, I thought it was just because I was re-watching that the characterizations of the Berger sisters seemed so familiar. After all, those are pretty common sibling tropes. Then, the names started appearing: Caroline Bing, Netherfield Academy...and the recognizable story beats followed. Suddenly, I found myself facing the truth: I was reading a Pride and Prejudice adaptation and, as I would learn, not a very good one. First off, the description makes no mention of this. In fact, I was under the impression that this story would have survival aspects in it. It's why I picked it up in the first place. Sadly, I was disappointed in this regard. I don't know if the person writing this description never read the book or if they were desperately trying to make it a surprise that it was a P&P adaptation. Anyway, the P&P elements seem to be randomly chosen, until the last third of the book where it pretty much hits all of the beats. Which feels incredibly rushed by the way. Though that might have something to do with the fact that the book is only 250 pages. Meh. Don't bother.
Side Note: I feel like maybe I'm being a little harsher on this than I normally would be because I am currently rewatching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and that is a fantastic adaptation of P&P. Hmmmmm, I think it's fair to bash the book considering it made me waste my time reading it.
Side Note: I feel like maybe I'm being a little harsher on this than I normally would be because I am currently rewatching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and that is a fantastic adaptation of P&P. Hmmmmm, I think it's fair to bash the book considering it made me waste my time reading it.
October 18, 2018
Sasquatch, Love and Other Imaginary Things by Betsy Aldredge and Carrie DuBois-Shaw, 270 pages. Simon Pulse, 2017. $18.
Content: Language: R (106 swears; 6 “f” substitutes); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: G.
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Samantha’s parents have been searching for Sasquatches throughout her life, so when they are invited to a reality TV series to track down Sasquatches the whole Berger family goes. Samantha loves her family but is embarrassed about this obsession, and what is worse is that the reality series has pitted the Berger family against some rich prep kids who have all the scientific equipment with the winner taking home 200K. Samantha is determined to help her family win, but she can’t help but notice the hot prep boy she is competing against. Samantha’s two sisters also have love interests that might mess with their chances at winning the competition.
I was pleasantly surprised by this fun, kooky romance. Sasquatches fascinate me and it was a fun setting for a Pride and Prejudice spin off romance. I would have this book be advisable except for the high swear count. The mature content is make-out sessions.
C. Peterson
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Content: Language: R (106 swears; 6 “f” substitutes); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: G.
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Samantha’s parents have been searching for Sasquatches throughout her life, so when they are invited to a reality TV series to track down Sasquatches the whole Berger family goes. Samantha loves her family but is embarrassed about this obsession, and what is worse is that the reality series has pitted the Berger family against some rich prep kids who have all the scientific equipment with the winner taking home 200K. Samantha is determined to help her family win, but she can’t help but notice the hot prep boy she is competing against. Samantha’s two sisters also have love interests that might mess with their chances at winning the competition.
I was pleasantly surprised by this fun, kooky romance. Sasquatches fascinate me and it was a fun setting for a Pride and Prejudice spin off romance. I would have this book be advisable except for the high swear count. The mature content is make-out sessions.
C. Peterson
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
August 14, 2017
OMG....I loved this book. Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things is about a family, The Berger's, who enter into a reality TV competition about the hunt for Sasquatch/Bigfoot. The main character Sam aka Samantha finds out on the ride to the competition that her family is about to lose their family home. Sam puts away the thought of being embarrassed by her family and puts everything into focusing on winning the huge money prize. At first she think she has the whole thing in the bag after seeing the competition, some kids from a prep school Netherfield. Sam ends up falling for one of the prep school boys Devan, and learns that her family isn't so bad after all.
I loved all the character interactions...
1. Loved when Sam's dad and one of the experts tried to outdo each other.
2. Sam's sister Sophie (who is the oldest) also found love with Kyle.
Didn't really care for Jake (who was just an all around creep. Good Sam's youngest sister Lyssa stopped seeing him) or Colin (who was trying to exploit the personal relationships for ratings).
Would say a lot more, but you have to check out this book. It will make you laugh and the family moments will get to your heart.
I loved all the character interactions...
1. Loved when Sam's dad and one of the experts tried to outdo each other.
2. Sam's sister Sophie (who is the oldest) also found love with Kyle.
Didn't really care for Jake (who was just an all around creep. Good Sam's youngest sister Lyssa stopped seeing him) or Colin (who was trying to exploit the personal relationships for ratings).
Would say a lot more, but you have to check out this book. It will make you laugh and the family moments will get to your heart.
November 11, 2017
The authors here note in the usual vulgar "let's thank everybody we know" afterward that they are "Janeites." That means they are Jane Austen fan girls, and they seem to have taken a lot of poor Jane's characters for this book. Sort of "Pride and Prejudice and Sasquatch."
There are parallel characters here for everyone from the Bingleys to the Bennetts, to Mr Wickham and Mr Darcy--the Darcy character even has an English accent, though he is Anglo Indian for diversity's sake. There's even an evil Lady Catherine deBurgh parallel in the head of the private school whose team opposes the heroine's in the reality show on which they are competing.
The writing here is adequate, and that's about all. And even if I hadn't noticed the Jane thread, I would have found this to be totally formulai, totally predictable YA writing, despite the Bigfoot scenario.
Here's hoping the authors don't try the same game with Sense and SensibilitySense and Sensibility next. Though if they want to redo EmmaEmma, fine with me--I don't like that one.
There are parallel characters here for everyone from the Bingleys to the Bennetts, to Mr Wickham and Mr Darcy--the Darcy character even has an English accent, though he is Anglo Indian for diversity's sake. There's even an evil Lady Catherine deBurgh parallel in the head of the private school whose team opposes the heroine's in the reality show on which they are competing.
The writing here is adequate, and that's about all. And even if I hadn't noticed the Jane thread, I would have found this to be totally formulai, totally predictable YA writing, despite the Bigfoot scenario.
Here's hoping the authors don't try the same game with Sense and SensibilitySense and Sensibility next. Though if they want to redo EmmaEmma, fine with me--I don't like that one.
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