Review, Interview and Giveaway of Sean Griswold's Head!

Title - Sean Griswold's Head
Author - Lindsey Leavitt
Published by - Bloomsbury USA
Released - March 1, 2011
Rating - 4 stars!

Synopsis from Goodreads - According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object—an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas—it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking—er, focusing on—Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.


In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.

My Review -  When Payton discovers that her Dad has MS and that her whole family has been keeping this a secret from her, she is furious, and shuts her family out in anger. Payton is of course devastated to find out  her father has this disease and instead of asking questions and trying to understand where her parents were coming from, she lets the fear for her Dad take over.

Due to her Payton's anger and refusal to speak to them, her parents contact the school and make her begin sessions with the school counselor. The counselor suggests she find a “focus object” that she can write about in a feelings journal. The goal is that eventually this object will help her deal with her Father’s illness and finally confront her feelings surrounding it. Payton has a tough time trying to figure out what her focus object should be. She starts making a list of possible contenders, when all the sudden she realizes the object is right in front of her. Sean Griswold has been seated in front of Payton in almost every class since they were kids because of their last names being so close alphabetically. She has been staring at the back of his head for years, but she hardly knows him. Not only does Sean end up being the perfect focus object, but he just may be exactly what Payton needs.

One of the reasons I love Sean Griswold’s Head is because Lindsey Leavitt takes such a serious subject like MS and adds in laughter and romance to make such a winning combination!  One thing is certain, everyone deals with illness and pain differently and so I enjoyed how Lindsey made Payton so realistic in that sense. Through Lindsey we can literally see Payton’s character grow and accept that life has challenges and that life can suck, but it is what we take away from these challenges in life that help mold the person we become.  These challenges and what we learn from it also enable us to develop and sustain the relationships we care about.

The romance that develops between Payton and Sean is sweet and heartwarming. Sean is a gentleman in every sense of the word, and just plain adorable. Again, Leavitt doesn’t go over the top here with their romance but sticks with keeping things sweet, innocent and believable which is such a refreshing change!

Bottom line – A wonderful, heartwarming fast paced read that is a perfect combination of serious subject matter, hilarious commentary and cuteness!

Reviewed by:  Jen

Below please see our interview with Lindsey and details on how you can win a copy of Sean Griswold’s Head!  Also, a big THANK YOU to Bloomsbury for the ARC to review and the book to give away!

INTERVIEW WITH LINDSEY LEAVITT!!!!

1. What are your favorite scenes to write?

The kissing scenes. Or the almost kissing scenes. Or the thinking-about-kissing scenes.

2. Will there be a sequel to Sean Griswold's Head or is it a stand alone?

Stand alone. I’d be open to doing a companion thing with another character, but I think Payton’s story has been told.

3. What are you working on next?

I’m finishing up the third book in the PRINCESS FOR HIRE series. And by finishing, I mean I pretty much just need to write the last chapter or two, which is SCARY and EMOTIONAL and so I’m answering this interview instead.

I also just sold a YA contemporary I’m really excited about called AUTHENTICALLY VINTAGE. Look for that in early 2013.

4. What are your writing habits? Any must haves?


The fact that I write was a hard enough habit to create that I haven’t set many more beyond that. I like a beverage, I like complete quiet. I like the dead of night if I have enough energy to do it.

5. What do you think is your greatest strength as a writer?

Probably humor, which feels squiggy to say because it’s like saying I AM FUNNY, but infusing The Funny into writing comes naturally to me. The other stuff—like words and sentence and paragraphs? I struggle with that.

6. If you could go back and give your unpublished self advice, knowing what you know now, what would it be?

ENJOY YOURSELF. There’s no rush. Seriously, later there will be deadlines and businessy things and EXPECTATIONS. Appreciate this time where you are writing just to write.

7. What is something you love to do when you aren't writing?

Hanging out with my family, whether that be cuddling with my girls or traveling or hitting up the bookstore or swimming or… whatever.

8. I love that you are married to your high school sweetheart, (I am too) does that help inspire romance in your book? Remembering high school romance?

I think it helps inspire the KIND of romances I write, which tend to be gradual. I knew my husband for a long time before I decided I liked him, and then there was a break up and other relationships before we got back together, so all those ups and downs certainly help me tap back to adolescence!

Thanks so much for the interview Lindsey! To win a copy of Sean Griswold’s Head please fill out the form below!