Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall

Title: Signs Point to Yes

Author: Sandy Hall
Format I Read: ARC
Pages: 272
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Stars: 4
Goodreads Link

This book is a short, sweet read that has perfect summer vibes. I read Signs Point to Yes way back in June, when I was drowning in dystopian fantasy that I just couldn't seem to finish (An Ember in the Ashes, Snow Like Ashes, etc). This was the perfect breath of fresh air that I need to get me out of my funk. I'll be real with you: Signs Point to Yes probably won't win any awards for depth, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't a great read!

For those who are unaware, Signs Point to Yes is Sandy Hall's (author of A Little Something Different) second novel. The synopsis is as follows:

Jane, a superstitious fangirl, takes an anonymous babysitting job to avoid an unpaid internship with her college-obsessed mom. The only problem? She’s babysitting the siblings of her childhood friend and new crush, Teo.

Teo doesn’t dislike Jane, but his best friend Ravi hates her, and is determined to keep them apart. So Teo’s pretty sure his plans for a peaceful summer are shot. His only hope is that his intermittent search for his birth father will finally pan out and he’ll find a new, less awkward home. Meanwhile, at Jane’s house, her sister Margo wants to come out as bisexual, but she’s terrified of how her parents will react.

In a summer filled with secrets and questions, even Jane’s Magic 8 ball can’t give them clear answers, but Signs Point to Yes.

Overall, I really enjoyed Hall's sophomore novel. It was fluffy, fun, and quirky. Yes, the characters were a wee bit lacking. The only thing that Jane ever seemed to do (beside moon over Teo) was write fan fiction. Sure, she was adorkable, I guess. But she was just a little too awkward to be realistic. The dialogue was painfully embarrassing, and the exchanges between Jane and Teo made me want to bash my head into a wall because of second hand embarrassment. But it was all dealt with so well that I loved it. Everyone in the book was just so frank! Jane would say something dumb and acknowledge how dumb it was. I thought that was adorable. The writing style, the dialogue, and the characters just really clicked for me. It may not work for everyone, but I really enjoyed it, nonetheless!

Beyond that, the characters also had some interesting depth. I loved the college debate between Jane and her mom. I really appreciate the books that are beginning to argue that college isn't the only route to go after high school. It's so refreshing to see that perspective, to see people actually talking about how there are other options. I also really enjoyed the Margo storyline, though it was very small. It was cute, but also real. We got to see both sides of her bisexuality--the giddy "OMG I think that girl likes me" and the panicked "what if my parents disown me." I thought that was very interesting and I loved her character. She added a little something extra (or a little something different--see what I did there)!

In addition to my love for Margo, I had an undying love for Teo's little sisters. Keegan, Piper, and Rory were an absolute riot. By the end of the book, I so desperately wished that I had younger siblings. They were such great comic relief, while still managing to give you that bubbly "aw" feeling. Honestly, I really loved all the characters (for their actual character and personality), other than Jane. I didn't hate Jane, but I didn't love her either. But I adored everyone else--even Ravi, who's a total brat. Every conversation with Ravi--whether it was between Ravi and Teo, Ravi and Jane, or Ravi and Margo--made me giggle. Another one of the minor characters that really stood out was Jane's dad. He was absolutely hilarious. I swear, I laughed in all of his scenes.

Actually, I laughed in almost all of the scenes! If I wasn't laughing, I was definitely grinning like an idiot. Signs Point to Yes was just one of those feel-good books that makes you want to skip around in the sunshine and chase rainbows. It was fluffy enough that you could ignore the handful of flaws that it had. Definitely a must-read if you're looking for a couple of laughs and a tickle in your tummy!