If you want to read a feel good book about happiness, then this is your go-to book. From characterization to plot to overall tone, I feel like this would be a wonderful book to really get yourself re-inspired in life in regards to your outlook on happiness. I think the only people who won't like this book at all are those Debbie Downers (and no offense to those named Debbie).

"There's always something hidden, and on most days we don't bother to look. But this world is capable of surprising us. All we have to do is slip beneath the surface."

If you wanted me to pick my favorite quotes from this book, this would be an extremely long review. Hell...I might as well quote the entire book itself. But really, [a:Adi Alsaid|4505164|Adi Alsaid|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1292277470p2/4505164.jpg] has so many fun, inspiring things to say. I will admit that at times, there was just an overload of sweetness...much like walking into a candy store and splurging on a little bit of everything. I feel like I would have had more of an emotional attachment to the story if there were more contrasting elements, especially in the characters.

The characters were all wonderful and lively and friendly. But that's just it...I feel like I could see my friends in the main character's friends. The main character even points this out: "He did with them what most people do with friends. He chose characteristics he admired in each and made them his own..."

But...what about those I hate? I believe that there could be room for them as well, can't there? Sometimes, I love to hate those characters in a story.

"I try not to get too offended by seemingly rude people. You have no idea what their motivations are, what their reasons for acting a certain way are...Once you truly understand someone's reasons, it gets harder to take offense." Okay...I guess that's true. Still...I have a right to just not like people, right? Even for the fun of it?

The plot of the story is fairly straightforward. And therefore, much more of the focus of the story goes into the theme and tone of [b:Somewhere Over the Sun|9884167|Somewhere Over the Sun|Adi Alsaid|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1293243727s/9884167.jpg|14776057]. It's what's in the middle that matters: "...and we need not remind our readers that every story begins with life and ends with death and it is the days in between that matter." The true theme of the story is our own journey in life, and what we do with it. And the main character's purpose mimics [a:Adi Alsaid|4505164|Adi Alsaid|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1292277470p2/4505164.jpg], which is to write.

"Unless thoughts are spoken or written or sung or acted upon, there's no evidence that they were ever there." I think I heard this one before...if a tree falls and no one's around to hear it fall, does it make a sound? (The answer is yes). Nonetheless, it's definitely a theme that I wholeheartedly support. We should do the things that makes us happy. But even more than that, I believe that we should be able to do things that make others happy as well. It's not really just about ourselves...it's about others as well. Telling a story so that others may enjoy. Is that too egocentric?

"Retelling the highlights of your life's story can sometimes feel like narcissism. You're editing a whole book and highlighting the best sentence. But talking about yourself is a basic human desire and joy, and people who claim it is egocentric probably don't get asked about their lives enough." Ha...I love that quote!

If you're at that point in your life where you feel like you need just a good, happy book to read that doesn't sound like it's too preachy, then I would suggest this book. Plus, it has lots of great quotes, which is what I'll leave off this review with.

"We met at a coffee shop. Coffee shops are places people go to so they can feel like there may be someone out there for them to fall in love with. Everyone huddled around their steaming paper cups and conversations, looking across the room and convinced that if romance happens anywhere, it happens here."

"Even people who have lived by oceans their entire lives can still just stand there and stare, and I don't think the sense of wonder ever goes away."

"With the sun still hanging around like a full stomach, I wondered why it is that people say perfect moments are few and far between."

"It's absolutely necessary, and every time you are overjoyed, you need to tell as many people as possible, until you tell a grumpy person who decides your happiness is infuriating and punches you in the face and then you are no longer overjoyed." ( )

http://www.girlsjustreading.blogspot.com/2012/11/julies-review-somewhere-over-su... ( )

Here is the first thing you need to know about this book: When you purchase it (and you will purchase it), make sure you buy a highlighter. This is the kind of book that begs to be read with a highlighter, or better yet a notebook and pen so you can jot down your thoughts. This kind of book draws you in, makes you sit in that comfy chair, it'll make you want to stay up at night reading. It will.

Here is the next thing you need to know: I am a crier in real life and during certain movies and/or TV shows but I can count on one hand how many books have moved me to genuine heart wrenching tears. This book is that kind of book. This novel is crazy good. It’s malted milkshake good. It’s little kid laughter good. Think of something you love that is so good it hits you in that stop under your ribcage right below your heart. Yeah, Somewhere Over the Sun is that good.

The novel tells the story of Alan as he travels across North America visiting friends while writing a novel. Alan is unlike anyone else, he has a gift. His gift is that what he writes comes true. He decides to write happy endings into each of his friend’s lives. I kept wishing I had Alan's gift. Although truth be told, I'd probably use it more for evil than good.

This novel is full of surprises. If you have ever dreamed of writing a novel, read this book. He gives such great advice about having a relationship with the reader. If you have ever loved and lost, again and again, (and come on, who hasn’t?) read this book. If you have ever experienced the love for a child or for a parent, read this book. If you like whimsical, if you believe in hope, if you need to be taught optimism, if you need to laugh, if you need a good cry. These are all solid reasons to read this.

Although mainly told by Alan, most of the characters we meet narrate the novel. Mr. Alsaid beautifully tells the story from each characters’ point of view all the while having no idea what the others are thinking. It's magical actually. Knowing this I caught myself clenching my fists and biting my lip because I want to yell at the book, at the characters to give them a clue. I loved the anticipation waiting to see if they would figure it out for themselves. It's like missed opportunities, they are right in front of you but you don't see them. I also loved the relationship Alan has with his family and friends. I love he thought Jesse was born to be loved and won't be complete until someone falls in love with him. Mr. Alsaid brings life to everything Alan encounters, whether it is a bench or a tomato or a dress and shirt for the greatest sex scene ever written.

Mr. Alsaid is insanely good with words. There were so many morsels of goodness in this story.

I love how after laminating over a child’s ability to fall in love, Alan says "If youth is wasted on the young, love is wasted on the old."

I love how he describes love's rejections as "they hit like snowballs. The idea they could hurt was almost silly, but the next day, I'd wake up with bruises all over."

I love how he describes different readers. I'm happy to say I'm a Greg.

I love how M, describing Danielle, says "that the ability to smile at your own sadness was a sign of elegance that he wasn't sure he possessed." I also loved that about Alan he says that "I wanted to tell him that he saw the world in a beautiful way and that if everyone had his point of view, the world would surely be filled with more pleasant people."
Most of all, I love what Robert says about his son Alan's optimism: "Few people can look at raining clouds and see the blue sky that's always above them."

This novel is full of raw vulnerability. It was beautiful to read. I was attached to Alan from the first sentence and my love for him kept growing. I will admit that I suspected the twist in the novel and at the end I saw that I was right. That didn't stop the tears from flowing and even then that didn't diminish the emotion I felt reading it.

Now stop reading this and go buy this book. And don't forget your highlighter. ( )

Lyrical and beautiful expression of love between a father and a son. Perfectly captures my sentiments of words, and feeling a natural calling, a pull to words, experienced by writers and editors and others who work with and toy with language as a way of life.
The storyline is witty, smart, funny, entertaining, warm, deep, and heartfelt. It is completely accessible, and the story is told effortlessly, transitioning with flashbacks and from one point of view to another with characters’ voices distinct and clear. This is rare for any book, but especially for a new writer, I think.

By page 5, I was hooked. By Chapter 3, I was in love. By the end, I had decided to recommend the book to every reader I knew. ( )