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    A Little Something Different: Fourteen Viewpoints, One Love Story
    A Little Something Different: Fourteen Viewpoints, One Love Story
    A Little Something Different: Fourteen Viewpoints, One Love Story
    Audiobook5 hours

    A Little Something Different: Fourteen Viewpoints, One Love Story

    Written by Sandy Hall

    Narrated by Will Damron and Amy Rubinate

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The distinctive new crowdsourced publishing imprint Swoon Reads proudly presents its first published novel—an irresistibly sweet romance between two college students told from 14 different viewpoints.

    The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together.

    Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out.

    But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. You'll be rooting for Gabe and Lea too, in Sandy Hall's quirky, completely original novel A Little Something Different, chosen by readers, writers, and publishers, to be the debut titles for the new Swoon Reads imprint!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateAug 26, 2014
    ISBN9781427259783
    A Little Something Different: Fourteen Viewpoints, One Love Story
    Author

    Sandy Hall

    Sandy Hall is a teen librarian from New Jersey, where she was born and raised. She has a BA in Communication and a Masters in Library and Information Science from Rutgers University. When she's not writing, or teen librarianing, she enjoys reading, slot machines, marathoning TV shows and long scrolls through Tumblr. A Little Something Different is her first novel.

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    Reviews for A Little Something Different

    3.5/5

    56 ratings23 reviews

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    • 4/5
      A delightful book, featuring 14 different perspectives...
    • 4/5
      Cute love story written from many perspectives including a squirrel and a park bench.
    • 5/5
      This was hands down the most ADORABLE book that I have ever read! Instant favorite :D
    • 5/5
      Do we realize how many people watch us? Lea and Gabe are two shy, awkward and undeniably likable college students. When they find themselves in the same creative writing class, it's clear to Inga, the instructor that they are the 'couple' for that semester. She's picked two students every term that she's convinced are made for each other and has often tailored the assignments to help them find each other.Inga's not the only one who realizes that Lea and Gabe are meant for each other. The barristas at the local Starbucks get it, Maxine, the older and slightly cynical but still romantic waitress at a nearby restaurant sees their unconscious attraction, Gabes' older brother Sam in in, as is Lea's roommate Maribel. Heck even the friendly campus squirrel and a bench that thinks Gabe's butt is the best one that ever sat on it gets their unconscious mutual attraction. In fact Lea and Gabe are possibly the least aware of how made for each other they are...At least when they're near each other.Told from fourteen different viewpoints, this is a maddeningly delightful love story. At times you want to scream something like “Can you two get a clue, for heaven's sake?”, but as their history is revealed, particularly the tragic events that affected Gabe during what should have been his sophomore year, you can't help but become sympathetic and start rooting for them to get that bag of clues that's dancing in front of them.This is a risky book. Keeping this many viewpoints clean and interesting is no mean feat, but the author pulls it off quite nicely. Teens and many adults who remember how awkward the dating scene was when they were younger will like this book a lot. It's certainly a good addition for both school and public libraries.
    • 3/5
      Gabe and Lea are the only ones that don’t see that they belong together. A Little Something Different is interestingly told from fourteen different points of view of everyone around them, including a squirrel and a bench. Yes, you read that right. Gabe is terribly shy despite the fact that he does in fact like Lea and Lea, try as she might, she can’t seem to get through to him. Does he just not like her? Does he have a girlfriend? Is he gay? Oh the mental drama we subject ourselves to when trying to determine if a crush likes us back.The most unique aspect about this book is the style of writing. While it wasn’t my favorite at first and the quirky few (namely the squirrel and bench) did seem rather odd, it definitely grew on me. I don’t know about you, but I’m a total people watcher, and it was pretty adorable how so many people took an interest in Gabe and Lea and their seemingly inevitable relationship. Even Victor, the moody kid in their Creative Writing class, couldn’t resist taking an interest in their shenanigans:“…you two assholes are the most annoyingly cute thing I’ve ever seen. I’m annoyed at myself for even using the word ‘cute’. I feel sick to my stomach over using that word.”If you were wondering, I’m a total Victor.So while it was all cute and fluffy fun, there were some downsides that I can’t help but mention. I did wish that Gabe and Lea’s points of view were also included in the mix because while we do get a feel for their thoughts via their friends, it would have been better to have it firsthand. Another thing is I honestly couldn’t see why everyone thought Lea and Gabe were perfect for each other, especially with all the one-sided conversations Lea had with him where he literally said nothing. This happened for MONTHS. There’s shy (and yes, I get it that he was dealing with other issues as well) but after a point I wondered why Lea seriously even bothered. Their interactions with one another gave the story a very adolescent feel and when suddenly they’re at a party getting drunk it kind of threw me for a bit. And then there was the unnecessary lady-bashing when everyone thought Gabe liked this other girl in their Creative Writing class:“There really is no point,” Lea says. “Even if he does like girls, he’s totally into this girl Hillary in creative writing.”“Sounds like Hillary is a skank queen of Cockblock-ville.”But despite Victor and I’s shared moodiness, I still found myself charmed by this simple and sweet tale. It’s definitely one to save for when you’re in need of some serious fluff.
    • 3/5
      Story - 3 StarsAudiobook - 2.5 StarsA Little Something Different lives up to its name. A romance told from everyone's point of view EXCEPT the two involved in the romance was different enough for me to give it a try. I don't know that it necessarily worked for me. The writing is crisp and the characters interesting, but I just never felt invested in Gabe and Lea's relationship. I couldn't even figure out why anyone else, other than the best friend and brother, cared either. Maybe it's because I never got their point of view, that I never really connected with either of them.And while neither Gabe nor Lea is particularly all that likeable, the rest of the cast, those who narrate the story of Gabe and Lea, were so interesting, I couldn't help but continue on. I listened to the audiobook and it's narrated by two different voiceover actors. I thought Will Damron did a great job. He had a wonderful way of inflecting the different personalities into each of his characters. But Amy Rubinate sounded the same with every point of view. To me, they all sounded like Inga.PlotThe plot isn't all that complex and there isn't really a lot of character growth, and yet it's an enjoyable read/listen. The plot is the love story between Gabe and Lea as told by everyone around them. Gabe is painfully shy and awkward and Lea is odd and reserved. It's basically a match made to fail, and yet through the help of overly-interested third parties, they manage to get together enough to talk and allow a weird romance to sort of bud, wither on the vine, and slowly eek out an existence.CharactersThe characters are what make this book worth reading. Not Gabe and Lea, but the others. First there is "Call me Inga," the overly-invested creative writing teacher with an obsession, bordering on psychotic, for getting these two together. She likes to play matchmaker with a different set of students every semester, and this year she's decided Gabe and Lea are her "it" couple.Then there's Victor, the reluctant creative writing classmate. He's witty, hysterical, and easily my favorite character. Charlotte is the glib Starbucks barista with a chip on her shoulder. I was really pulling for Victor and Charlotte to get together in the end. There's also Inga's wife, a bus driver, Gabe's brother, Sam, who I also adored, Casey, Gabe's best friend, and Lea's roommate, Maribelle. There's also the bench and the squirrel, but neither of those POVs added anything to plot or characterization, so I'm not even sure why they were included.World BuildingThere is little to no world building. It's a generic college campus in a generic town that gets cold and snows in the winter, and there's very little scene setting. I don't know that it needs much in the way of world building, but I would have liked a little more environmental descriptions of the various settings.Top Five Things I Enjoyed About A Little Something Different1. The variety. The various points of view were a riot and made the story more interesting.2. Victor. Absolutely loved Victor. When he talked about wanting to jab a fork in his eye, I laughed out loud.3. Charlotte. Her acerbic wit made her one of the more memorable narrators.4. Sam. He is such a loyal, caring brother, but still a totally cool dude. I would have loved a little Sam/Maribelle romance.5. Will Damron's narration. He does a great job differentiating the character voices.Bottom LineA Little Something Different is different and an enjoyable read. It's not deep or thought-provoking, but if you're looking for some light entertainment, it hits the spot.
    • 5/5
      A Little Something Different is the best book by far that I have read. It is so unique in so many different ways. For instance, I've never read a book with fourteen view points. I loved the squirrel and bus driver and waitress. The plot is just so wonderful! I found myself screaming at Gabe and Lea to get together. There is lots of comedy in this book it is very good.I would recommend it to anyone. (read and reviewed by a middle school daughter)
    • 3/5
      A Little Something Different is the first novel of author Sandy Hall, it also happens to be the first published book from the crowdsourced imprint Swoon Reads. It was book love at first sight for me, just look at that lovely cover! Upon reading the blurb at the back of the book I decided to buy it. I honestly wanted to love the story, and although I found certain parts amusing, I didn't like it as much as other reviewers. The story is cute - too cute that I wanted to read a horror or thriller novel immediately after finishing this book.First there's the multiple pov's - 14 in all excluding that of Lea and Gabe, the main protagonists. Yes, it was interesting to witness their story unfold from various perspectives, but there were too many that it became confusing. Also, it didn't help that the different pov's felt like it was coming from the same person, the tone of voice were very similar, oh except for the squirrel (my favorite pov).Also I really didn't get why all those characters were immediately interested in pushing Gabe and Lea together. What was so special about them? Yes, they are described as attractive, smart and decent kids, but why did they stand out so much? I felt that there's lack of character development to substantiate the interest the main characters attracted.The plot is predictable, but I think the author did a decent job of building anticipation, enough to carry my interest until the last page. I also like the Buffy reference, I'm a huge fan of that show. Aside from some bad language, fake IDs and getting drunk, the story reads like it was written by a young author. Younger readers might appreciate the prose, but I prefer a slightly mature writing style even if the story is about teenagers.Still, I would check out the author's other book/s as well as other titles from Swoon Reads.
    • 2/5
      "A Little Something Different" is a love story told from everyone's point of view but the two people falling in love, from their creative writing teacher to the squirrel in the park, they all know that Lea and Gabe belong together, this is their story. -----------------------------------------------------------------So with my last review I told you all I took four pages of notes, well with this book I had half a page of 'notes' and at the end of the book I realized the only thing I had written down were the characters names... Sadly I don't have a ton to say about this book. I had such high hopes but it really ended up letting me down and I found myself forcing myself to finish reading it. It wasn't the 14 different point of views that I didn't like, to be honest I actually didn't mind it, I adored the bench (sassy little thing) and the squirrel, it was Lea and Gabe. I don't know if I didn't feel a real connection with them because it wasn't told from their eyes or if it was simply the fact that they felt rather one dimensional. I didn't care at all what was going on in their lives or what was about to take place. Lea annoyed me and Gabe was so awkward it made it hard to read chapters with him mentioned. It's kind of sad that the two 'characters' I actually liked weren't even human. I'm on the fence about whether or not I'll be reading more from this author so we'll have to wait and see but for now I wouldn't reccomend this book.Until next time, Ginger
    • 1/5
      It's taken me almost 5 months to finish this... and it was painful. The premise was fantastic and I had hoped that the book would stop dragging with redundancies and blah descriptive language, but nope, hope be damned. The banal dialogue and lack of unique voices were just the start to the struggle I had in reading this book supposedly written for teens, but often times seems like it's written for a 4th grader. It gets one star for trying.
    • 2/5
      I just completed ‘A Little Something Different’, and I thought that this novel was a vapid attempt to seem cute, while rather missing the mark. This breakout novel featured the viewpoints of fourteen characters, including a squirrel, to tell the love story of Lea and Gabe. Because the exceedingly short chapters each featured the viewpoints of relatively nondescript acquaintances of Lea and Gabe, the story seemed to lack any degree of depth or character development. Additionally, for me, it was unbelievable that two college students could be so befuddled in their romantic liasons, and I thought that Lea and Gabe would be more appropriately placed in a high school setting, although it might have to be devoid of the alcohol. I was slightly offended by the very simplistic, stilted dialogue between Lea and Gabe, in which the author probably purposely tried to seem clever, but missed the mark vastly, like basting a roast turkey with gasoline. For example, Gabe says, “All that stuff is right and if I was normal and not bad weird, I would have told you stuff and we could have been doing stuff.” How many college students do you know that speak this way? I hope to never stumble upon one.I can appreciate the author’s attempt to produce a story that delves into the exceeding introversion of a young couple as they attempt to develop a relationship, but by a third of the novel, I was so impatient with these two characters, that I just wanted to whip them into place with each other and to call the story done.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book! I enjoyed the book's multiple points of view, at first I wasn't sure how I would like it because I wasn't inside the heads of the main characters, however I ended up enjoying seeing different people's thoughts of the main couple. It was a fun and light read that I flew through.
    • 4/5
      An author who can bring together 14 different point-of-views to create a well-written realistic story about how two people meet and how they may or may not end up together is a genius! Seriously, I really thought that there would be complications in keeping track of all the different characters. But, each one brought in a different perspective and positive vibe, it was exhilarating. I was so committed into seeing not only how the 2 main characters would fare, but also, getting to know each personality - how they stood out and grabbed my attention, how easily they all kept the story flowing without missing a single minute of what was happening and what they all wanted to happen... In this book, all of these characters have one thing in common - whether they want to be or not, they are all within the proximity of seeing Gabe and Lea maybe or maybe not getting together, or quite possibly, falling in love? The perspective jumps from each one depending on where Gabe and Lea are - if they're on the bus, we hear what the bus driver thinks and sees; we also hear from the waitress at the diner, the baristas at Starbucks, the squirrel and bench on the school grounds, and of course, from all their friends, classmates and a teacher too. All very unique viewpoints that clearly want Gabe and Lea to come together and succeed in their own way. Gabe is very shy, and blushes quite easily, which makes all the girls swoon. But often times, he seems distracted and it becomes obvious that something is not right with him. Gabe is struggling with an incident that occurred last semester and he is not ready to deal with it just yet. A part of me wanted to give him a big hug and let him know that things happen and that it will be okay. But another part of me wanted to smack him on the side of the head and tell him to get over it and go get the girl... It was easy to relate to Lea in so many ways. She's smart and seems to know what she wants, and definitely does not want to play games. Confident, but not conceded; but like most girls, because Gabe is so hesitant and doesn't seem like he's quite interested like everyone says he is, she starts to second guess herself and hopes that Gabe would just take the lead. And this happens, many times... "I want to smack their foreheads together. Maybe that will wake them up. How can they both be so blind?"- Victor, creative writing classmateYes Victor - you, a few others and myself wanted to do the same thing to them! However, if the things that kept happening didn't happen, we wouldn't have had this amazing "Gabe and Lea" story. If things are meant to be, they need to take their own course. And it was obvious that Lea and Gabe needed the hot/cold moments to figure things out and eventually talk and finally get to that point where they can be themselves... see the good and the bad. It was so funny to watch everyone around them waiting on the edges of their seats to see how it will all end... Overall, this is a sweet quick read to enjoy at anytime - while trying to kill some time, getting over a reading slump, or just looking for few good giggles and eyerolls! I adored it and will definitely be rereading it soon.*An ARC was sent from the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
    • 4/5
      You know that feeling when you see two random people but you just know they’re meant for each other? When everyone else sees it but them? That feeling where you just want to lock them in a room together and yell "JUST KISS ALREADY!”?"It's in that moment that I know my couple of the semester is going to be Gabe and Lea. [...] Now I have to figure out a way to orchestrate this relationship."Well, in A Little Something Different this feeling is perfectly captured into words. Through 14 different perspectives (including one of a Squirrel, and a Bench) we see the collective frustration of seeing Lea and Gabe constantly skirting around each other but not being together. All these perspectives complete the story in a way. It’s amazing because you get to know everything that’s happening at the same time. It’s not confusing at all.The writing is also very clever. With each character the style changes, so you always know who’s who.I laughed, I giggled, I swooned, and I think I even shed a tear or two. This book is everything I was hoping for and more.This book is the equivalent of eating your favorite comfort food. It’s absolutely perfect with the way it exposed a developing love story and made me feel as if I were watching one of my favorite romantic comedy movies."I think I just got to witness my first collegiate meet cute."LOVED.
    • 4/5
      Cute, simple and quirky. I enjoyed everything about this book from the characters to the multiple viewpoints to the book chapters beginning and ending with each month. This is the perfect little romance read for the summer.
    • 3/5
      Spring is upon us and love is in the air, or between the pages as in the case of “A Little Something Different: Fourteen Viewpoints, One Love Story”. Sometimes other people can see things about ourselves that we, for many different reasons cannot. Such is the case with Lea and Gabe, college students who can’t see love even when it’s right in front of them. Luckily for them, practically everyone else can see the writing on the wall. The author uses people close to the couple, such as roommates and teachers, and people on the periphery of their lives, like bus drivers and baristas. Adding a little humor to the mix the author also gives a campus squirrel a voice and even the squirrel knows that these two are meant to be together. Gabe is very shy and Lea, though not exactly shy is still finding her way as a college student and is reluctant to take risks. This very sweet story will have you rooting for these two from the first pages until the last!If you like “A Little Something Different: Fourteen Viewpoints, One Love Story” then you might also enjoy reading “Fan Girl” by Rainbow Rowell.
    • 2/5
      Did t realize it was YA until I started it. Idea of telling a love story from 14 outsiders viewpoints sounded good but it was to drawn out and fluffy for me. Didn't get to know the main characters well enough to emotionally invest in them.
    • 4/5
      Actual Rating: 3.5 starsFor more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.Swoon Reads is doing this crowdsourcing thing, which I think is pretty cool. I was definitely curious about the quality of the fiction coming out of this new imprint. A Little Something Different is the first title, chosen by the voting of the community, and I’m definitely impressed enough to keep checking out what Swoon Reads puts out, especially since the second one is about ice skating. A Little Something Different lives up to its title in being a little bit different from the average romance novel. It’s cute and fluffy and a delightfully quick read.Sandy Hall, rather than telling the romance from the perspectives of one or both people involved in the romances, chooses to use pretty much every other perspective possible. This technique could easily fail, but Hall pulls it off. You know that quote about how it takes a village? Well, it takes a campus to get Gabe and Lea together. Everyone from baristas to bus drivers to professors to family are all rooting for these too super shy kids to realize that they both actually like each other and make a move. As always with multiple points of view, it’s interesting to see Gabe and Lea through assorted different lenses.The POVs aren’t all the most distinct, but most of the sections are short enough it doesn’t really matter. When they’re all in groups, though, I would occasionally lose track of whether I was in Maribel’s head, Sam’s, or Casey’s. My favorite narrators were, strangely enough, bench and squirrel. Yeah, I’m being serious. On top of all the human narrators, Hall includes a campus bench and a squirrel. This is done to allow for the observation of some moments that occur without any human witnesses. It’s silly, yes, but also their POVs are both hilarious and delightfully distinct. It is in this creativity that the book most shines.The other real draw I felt to A Little Something Different was how truly collegiate it felt. Hall includes things like midnight breakfast, which is indeed much better than regular breakfast despite them having the exact same food. Though the school is most obviously not mine, the experiences fit so well with my experiences, that I was definitely setting it at my alma mater a lot of the time. Also, the college in A Little Something Different is diverse, from the main characters through the cast. There’s no stereotyping at all and it’s never a big thing; it’s just real.However, there were also some things that impinged on my enjoyment. For one, I don’t really ship Gabe and Lea. I mean, at first, it was cute, but I got frustrated. I mean, holy shit, they didn’t even speak to each other for months. It took a full year to get this relationship off the ground, even though they both really wanted it. I don’t remember any college romances being so patient. Things tended to move pretty quickly, because in college you’re together constantly and every day feels like a week in adult life, or maybe even more. So the pacing was a problem. By the end, I definitely was more rooting for them to realize that if they have nothing to talk about ever, then it’s probably not going to work out, no matter how cute they both are.Then there’s Inga, their creative writing professor. Gabe and Lea meet in the class and quickly become her ship of the year. I think it’s cute that Inga likes to choose a couple every year and to root for them to hook up. It’s even fine that she tries to orchestrate as much as she can to help them realize they should be together. Her scenes with her wife, Pam, are great too. Unfortunately, though, I think Inga should be fired. She allows her feelings about her students to impact her grading. She thinks that she has to give Gabe an A for a piece of writing because he’s confessed feelings for Lea, without considering whether the writing itself actually merits the A. More damning, Inga tries to talk Hillary, another student, out of taking the second semester course, not because she doesn’t think Hillary’s a good enough writer, but because Hillary has a crush on Gabe and was getting in the way. Not liking HIllary personally is one thing, but trying to talk her out of a class because she doesn’t like Hillary is unprofessional.Oh, Hillary. I have no doubt I would hate Hillary myself. She’s not very likable and not my sort of person. However, I do think the way this book treats her is over the top. Every single POV character that ever encounters her comments on how awful she is. Her sin? Trying to ask Gabe out. In a book about two people who are totally into one another and won’t make a move, I rather admire Hillary her forthrightness. Lea, maybe instead of calling Hillary names, you should follow her example and ask Gabe out. If you like it, the you should have put some effort in.A Little Something Different is a very fun read, though I’m left with a few qualms. I recommend it if you’re in the mood for something light, fluffy, and, well, a little different.
    • 3/5
      Two shy and very polite college students fall in love over the course of the school year. Despite everyone--roommates, friends, service people, the campus squirrel--seeing how obviously perfect these two are for each other, Lea and Gabe just can't get their relationship off the ground.

      Fouteen different points of view move the story along, although the voices begin to feel like a chorus of laments at the missteps this couple take. Beginning with the meet cute episode that Lea's roommate describes, to the creative writing professor who secretly makes Lea and Gabe her personal "project" and on to Gabe's brother, his friends, the Starbucks baristas, the bus driver, and more (!), these first person accounts give readers snapshots into the evolving picture that is Lea and Gabe's budding romance.

      The college setting is idealistically portrayed: no drugs, no sex, minimal drinking and partying, some innuendoes and language (for which the author apologizes to her mother in the acknowledgements). While there is diversity among the characters, it's secondary to the romance and, for the most part, is treated as backstory.

      A quick read and a light tone, A Little Something Different is ideal for readers looking for an innocent romance with a little twist.
    • 4/5
      A fun quirky novel told by various narrators including a squirrel and a park bench. I really enjoyed this book and I am not much of a teen reader.
    • 3/5
      I was very excited to read this as I am a sucker for multiple viewpoints, but I can't say I would recommend it to anyone. None of the characters had depth, although the author's attempt was obvious. It was a very straightforward story. Look they like each other, but they're shy, how cute! That's about it.
    • 4/5
      This was a cute take of two people who finally get together. A little lack of confidence, a dose of miscommunication, but a whole lot of people pulling for the final outcome makes the story a fun one to read.
    • 3/5
      Cute romance told from the point of view of the surrounding characters. It had the same main issue as all rom coms (in my opinion). OPEN YOUR MOUTHS AND USE YOUR WORDS. But it was cute.