Don’t let the cute cover on this clean YA book fool you. This book is angst filled. Nellie Samsin is driven and will be the class valedictorian at higDon’t let the cute cover on this clean YA book fool you. This book is angst filled. Nellie Samsin is driven and will be the class valedictorian at high school graduation in two weeks. Her thoughts are filled with college plans and maybe getting her first kiss. But tragedy strikes her family. Her best friend has recently tricked her so she turns to long time friend Jensen Nichols for comfort and support. Jensen has had a crush on Nellie for years but has been firmly put in the friend zone till now. He gives her a place to escape. He has his own secret. He is actually the author of a national best selling fantasy series.
I understand wanting to love the blooming romance between the pair. They are sweet together. But so many parts of this book feel juvenile to me. She is in shock and is angry, I don’t even think she has hit the grief stage. But she is making very impulsive and reactive decisions. And I didn’t see them as something to cheer and support. She has grandparents and others she can turn to but doesn’t. And his secret doesn’t feel worth the time he spends stewing over it.
The story could take place anywhere but I did enjoy and recognize the Utah real and less real references. I don’t mind sad books but this story didn’t hit me emotionally. It really is a romance that blooms during a tragic moment. With YA books I don’t expect a long term HEA but I really wasn’t satisfied with where the books ends, especially with no resolution with the mother’s storyline. This wasn’t a good fit for me but I can see that others enjoy it more. Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review....more
I love the cover for this YA book and it absolutely drew my attention. Cara Weaver is eighteen and a senior in HS. What she wants most is to get out oI love the cover for this YA book and it absolutely drew my attention. Cara Weaver is eighteen and a senior in HS. What she wants most is to get out of her small town suburb of Seattle. But she didn’t get accepted to her universities and will be staying in-town for junior college. She thinks a ticket out of town is to prove there are ghosts and she has been ghost hunting all through her teens. She is surprised after an evening trying to contact a boy who died the year before that she actually can hear him. Aiden, was a year ahead of her and died in a fall at an abandoned warehouse. She wants him to help show ghosts exist but he wants to help his sister Meredith to feel happy again. He wants Cara to take his sister to prom.
The problem is that trying to befriend and date Meredith is all based on lies. And even after best friend Holly points it out Cara is determined to see it through. Aiden and Cara actually have a funny, bantering relationship which is one of the strengths of the book. With his coaching he helps Cara with Meredith. Cara is the harder person to like in this story. She is often angry and lashing out and doesn’t ever consider that she may be wrong. At the 90 point of the book I’m still not sure I like her, so it is hard to root for a relationship with Meredith. Her language is coarse and tone mocking even to her best friend. I was perplexed about her applying to big cities and international colleges if she didn’t have the ability to get into her own state university.
I did enjoy Aiden’s personality. The story could just have easily been helping Aiden and Meredith have a moment so he could move on to the afterlife. Considering the story has a lot of tragic moments from the past the novel reads lighter. I’d recommend it for high school and up. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)...more
Wish You Weren’t Here is as sweet as the cover makes it look. And if you ever went to summer camp and enjoyed it, you will probably add an extra star Wish You Weren’t Here is as sweet as the cover makes it look. And if you ever went to summer camp and enjoyed it, you will probably add an extra star to your rating. Juliette is one of seven kids in a high achieving family (both parents are doctors). Summer camp has been the one thing that she does that is hers. She has her own achievements, friendships and time to be a kid here. And she is intense about it. Okay she is a bit off put-tingly intense about a lot of things.
Priya is her life long frenemy. They attend the same school and parties. They are both smart, waiting for their acceptances to Yale. Priya is also an influencer, always styled and perfect. They aren’t really enemies, no one sabotages the other, they've been competitive and not friends. So when Priya shows up at camp and is her cabin mate it is all a bit much for Juliette. Especially for how easily her friends like the actually really nice Priya.
This is a summer camp novel. The scenes are usually about camp activities. S'mores around the campfire, activities to let kids be kids. Priya wants to study set building and design and decides to work on the camp musical. Juliette, sidelined by an injury, helps her. This is all fun and sweet. Throw in some confessions of insecurities and finally a night of shared kissing and this book will leave you feeling happy. The epilogue is lovely too. Easy YA novel to recommend for middle school and up. Thank you to Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review....more
The set up has strong potential. Dayana moves from Brazil to London after the death of her mother. She is moving to stay with her father who left ten The set up has strong potential. Dayana moves from Brazil to London after the death of her mother. She is moving to stay with her father who left ten years earlier to find a better life. He just never managed to bring his family there and instead marries and is trying to be a good step-father to a daughter that is almost the same age as Dayana. There is a lot to unpack right there, enough to fill a lot of Reddit pages.
Dayana is rightfully angry and acts out. She also sets out to explore London meeting Diana while she is escaping from Buckingham Palace. They become friends in just a few outings. And Diana helps the other get a part time job at the store her mother manages.
This YA book feels a bit juvenile (One Direction obsession) and reads like fan fiction. (Not that there isn’t good fanfiction out there.) Dayana is impulsive and it is always someone else's fault. She is actually angry when Diane accuses her of not keeping a big secret, when in fact she didn’t keep the big secret and Diane is outed publicly. More time is spent to resolve the sister conflict than the romantic one so that felt off. And the declaration of feelings seems to arrive out of the blue.
The book is translated from Portuguese and is appropriate for middle school and up. It isn’t bad, but there are many YA novels with good LGBTQIA+ representation that I’ve enjoyed more. (2.5 Stars)...more
The book begins with a very fun fantasy premise. Once every ten years in a small California town there is a lottery. The winner gets to choose to brinThe book begins with a very fun fantasy premise. Once every ten years in a small California town there is a lottery. The winner gets to choose to bring back someone who is dead back to life for thirty days. The person can only be recognized by those who live in town and they can’t share anything about the afterlife.
Wilson (Wil) Moss wins and chooses to bring back her childhood best friend Annie LeBlanc. For their senior year of high school Annie’s family sends her to a private school and Annie disappears from the friendship. At the same time Ryan who was the third person in the friend group also stops being friendly to Wil. When Annie returns Ryan is still antagonistic to both. Wil wants her friends back and not to feel lonely. She also gets caught up in the idea that there may be a way for Annie to stay alive.
With the premise and the blurb I thought the focus would be on keeping Annie from returning to the dead. Instead there is Wil going to her first party or getting drunk and singing karaoke. This is a YA book but the group break up is very juvenile. The feelings are spelled out better later but doesn’t totally explain why Ryan has been such a jerk for over a year. And I couldn’t get into wanting them to be together. A possible romance feels stuck in without purpose. I did like Wil’s mother and Wil’s relationship to her ex-step father.
Overall it is a sweet story, it deals with friends, feelings and relationships. But the middle feels muddled and slow. It doesn’t help that the blurb, while technically correct, gives a misleading impression of what the story is about. Recommend for middle school and up. Thank you to St. Martins Press for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review....more
Castillo Torres (Cas) wants to be an events planner. She likes to plan and control everything. She is still in high school and plans events for her scCastillo Torres (Cas) wants to be an events planner. She likes to plan and control everything. She is still in high school and plans events for her school. But now she wants a side hustle to plan events with the ultimate prize being an internship with an event planner to A-listers. When a Disneyland vlogger thinks she already works for the big events planner she books her Star Wars themed quinceanera with Cas. The vlogger also is a love interest for her sister Po who is a year older. But things of course don’t go smoothly. And it doesn’t help that the web of lies is catching up with her.
This is a very, sweet, wholesome (a few kisses) YA novel. It is also a story of Cas and her family still reeling from the death of her mother two years before. Grief is felt by each of them and it affects them individually. It is one of the reasons Cas seeks control in her life. There are a ton of Disney references, everything from movies, characters and Disneyland rides and foods. I love Disneyland and Disney but it was a little over the top for me. The Grief is handled well. As is the pressure on teens from social media. Recommend for middle schoolers and up.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review. (3.5 Stars)...more
Astra Vaughn is 17 and has the ability to see and talk to ghosts. It is a gift or curse she inherits from her mother. Astra comes off as a struggling Astra Vaughn is 17 and has the ability to see and talk to ghosts. It is a gift or curse she inherits from her mother. Astra comes off as a struggling loner in the beginning of the story. She wears multiple sweaters because ghosts bring coldness and she wears headphones to tune out ghosts speaking to her. Isla, a teen roughly her age, begins talking to her at school and follows her home. Isla has a list of things that she wants to do and Astra agrees to help her. Along the way they become friends. If they finish the list will Isla go away? And then the author adds in a new twist.
This is a YA book aimed at younger teens and up. Nothing is very gruesome even though ghosts appear often with their cause of death visible. It reminded me of Meg Cabot’s YA Mediator series which I love. Astra seems to be OCD or neurodivergent but it is never explicitly stated. The relationship between Isla and Astra is sweet and the helps go in both directions. Astra blooms with her new friendship and even makes a new friend at school too.
I loved the beautiful cover (that at the moment is not showing on Goodreads). This is easy story to recommend for 13 and up. ...more
Very wholesome and inclusive YA-teen story. Hayley and Talia were born the same day and have grown up forever as best friends. At fifteen going on sixVery wholesome and inclusive YA-teen story. Hayley and Talia were born the same day and have grown up forever as best friends. At fifteen going on sixteen neither has been in a relationship or even shared a first kiss. So this summer they make a plan (strategy) to go on outings to really put themselves in places to meet new people. It is simple things like going to the pool, beach, parade etc.
I like the easiness of the plan and yet things don’t go smoothly. The story was surprisingly more angsty than I was expecting. Not with big drama but including anxiety, a big panic attack and pressure regarding Hayley’s basketball dreams. Hayley is often very stressed. Both moms are accepting and Hayley's mother is a stand out for her understanding of Hayley and how she helps with her anxiety. But even with all that going on and likable characters I didn’t get butterflies for them or even need them to be more than friends. I’ve swooned over YA books for teens before and this one didn’t do that for me. Still this is a good read geared for younger teens and up. Thank you to Abrams Kids for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review. (3.5 Stars)...more
Claire Tucker seems to be friendly and welcoming when she is tour guide to Nora Thomas during a school trip to Alaska’s capital city of Juneau. Nora hClaire Tucker seems to be friendly and welcoming when she is tour guide to Nora Thomas during a school trip to Alaska’s capital city of Juneau. Nora has some quirky edges being raised in an overly protective household and some anxiety with OCD tendencies. They both are very smart and connect quickly. The story jumps a few months to where Claire has now moved with her dad to Nora’s town of Anchorage. They have been staying in touch anticipating being able to be together. Their budding romance takes a turn when Claire’s very odd best friend Ethan shows up from Juneau claiming to be staying with a host family. I don’t want to give spoilers but he often lies and the girls find themselves in a mystery that includes a dead body.
This is YA mystery romance novel and while the story is okay I thought elements were missing in both categories. I lot of the getting to know you romance is done off the page, when the girls are waiting to move closer to each others. The little word game play doesn’t mean romance to me. And on the mystery side the teens make a lot of stupid decisions. And Ethan to me was unlikable. I get he had a hard upbringing but his treatment of Claire is incredibly poor especially when she is the only one who genuinely wants to help him. And I have a really big pet peeve of people calling you nicknames when repeatedly ask them not to. I do not find it endearing in any way.
I read this almost all in one sitting so I was engaged while reading. But the story won't stay with me long. I did like Alaska as the setting but it really could have happened anywhere. ...more
Former best friends Jana Rubio and Maddy Parsons are having a horrible night. They are seniors in high school and have been BFFs since elementary schoFormer best friends Jana Rubio and Maddy Parsons are having a horrible night. They are seniors in high school and have been BFFs since elementary school. Now things are changing. Maddy has a boyfriend who takes attention and time that she used to spend with Jana. And Jana feels her whole year has been overwhelming. Her mother was in a serious car accident and she had to step up in ways to help the family. She has a need to be in control and doesn’t always see other perspectives.
Six end up going as a group to a music festival two hours away. When the driver ends up losing his keys while crowd surfing. The book follows the group as they divide up and try to find the keys. There are also flashbacks to other moments in their friendship. Jana’s feeling of letting her parents down is relatable for most teens. This was a quick read but there were moments where I felt the plotting was slow. And while I liked the resolution between friends I kind of wished for Jana to get some counseling or skills for her to deal with the pressures she was feeling. And to find ways to communicate better with her parents.
But this is written from a teens POV for teens. It is angsty without ever going to mean girl levels. It is about friendship and perceived parental pressures. It is easy to recommend for eighth grade and up. (3.5 Stars)...more
A young adult novel told by Zelda. She and she grew up in Canberra and then went to NYC for a year because of her mothers job. Now she has moved to SyA young adult novel told by Zelda. She and she grew up in Canberra and then went to NYC for a year because of her mothers job. Now she has moved to Sydney for her father’s work. The story has her trying to make friends and adjust to a new school. It also alternates with her doing the same thing in New York. There she met Prim, a young fashion model, who does work for her mother’s modeling agency. Now she is getting to know Stella as they work on a project together for her Drama class.
This is about making friends and first dips into relationships and first kisses. Zel is out to her supportive family so this is really her adjusting to being away from home twice. It makes for an okay story but the two parts didn’t really connect or resonate with me. I could just have easily read the Sydney chapters with Stella and be at the same place at the end of the book. Geared towards younger YA readers and up, there is no intimacy, hard partying or dangerous activities. (3.5 Stars)...more
Ivy Winslow is nerdy and loves her fantasy TV show. This story is told in alternating chapters labeled Present and Past. The Past chapters tell how IvIvy Winslow is nerdy and loves her fantasy TV show. This story is told in alternating chapters labeled Present and Past. The Past chapters tell how Ivy and her neighbor and best friend have diverging interests and are no longer friends. The Present story is how Ivy's fan fiction writing brings her fantasy tv character to life. He says he is her soul mate and can grant her every desire, including being popular, wealthy and having her parents be less helicoptering. New best friend Henry joins in trying to control the fantasy character and Mack gets drawn in as well.
I am not a big fantasy reader nor have I ever been into fan fiction. If you enjoy those you’ll probably like this book more than me. I did like the story and was honestly more interested in the past storyline (before the fantasy character arrives). The author works out the ending in a way that fits the book. I didn’t see Ivy as a reliable narrator, as everything is very skewed to her viewpoint. And really not sure how Ivy brought her character to life. I honestly didn’t see Ivy and Mack as a couple likely to have any sort of a lasting relationship. But the story is cute with nice LGBTQ representation and geared towards younger teens and up. It has some language and doesn’t go beyond kissing.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)...more
Jordan Elliot is starting her junior year in HS and disappointed to learn her assignment for the school newspaper is girls volleyball. It is the best Jordan Elliot is starting her junior year in HS and disappointed to learn her assignment for the school newspaper is girls volleyball. It is the best team in their school but their new captain and she are no longer friends. Mackenzie West is the first junior to be named team captain and wants a successful year for her team. She also knows she messed up a budding friendship with Jordan at the start of their freshman year. She wants a do over to see if they can be friends now.
I really enjoyed the author’s previous book, Out of Character (Feb 2023) and that one hit me more emotionally than this one. This one is a good story dealing with navigating friendships and disappointments. It is realistic that even though Jordan is talented and done her best it doesn’t mean she gets to be editor and chief like she wants. Mack has her own struggles that Jordan didn’t realize from their one summer friendship. I like that the story teaches empathy and has supportive friends, family and teachers. But I didn’t get why the whole original drama was so devastating. Mack didn’t do anything unforgivable and was trying to make her place in a new school. And I didn’t get the build up to the grand gesture. I can easily see this for younger teens and YA’s. It doesn’t move beyond kissing. Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Book, and Quill Tree Books for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review. (3.5 Stars)...more
What a surprisingly wonderful coming of age story. Riley Larson graduates high school and decides to take a bus to NYC to visit her best friend Tom WhWhat a surprisingly wonderful coming of age story. Riley Larson graduates high school and decides to take a bus to NYC to visit her best friend Tom Whitz. Tom used to live and go to school with Riley in VA but moved to NYC with his mom who has gone on to become a famous screenwriter. The two have texted and talked often but haven’t seen each other in two years. A lot of that has to do with Riley’s mom keeping her from seeing him. What begins as a weekend getaway turns into a summer adventure. It means making new friends and reconnecting with old ones. The new found family friend group is great but that doesn’t mean they don’t have their own struggles. The focus is on Riley and Tom but the others are fully developed as characters. As the title suggests the pair wrote a get away list years ago and are now deciding to accomplish it together. It includes things like going to karaoke, a camping trip, making custom brownies etc.
I am new to the author and enjoyed her writing style. The characters and their emotions feel real and authentic. They talk to each other and even though they use social media everything isn’t a hashtag and slang. I also love NYC so having them explore and enjoy familiar locations added to my enjoyment. The group are all still young with only one living on his own with band mates in the city. The rest have part time jobs but money isn’t an issue. Intimacy is kept to kissing only and anything beyond that isn't mentioned. And I really like Riley’s relationship with her mom that is rocky in the beginning but there is communication and always love. I always enjoy finding good YA writers and will look for other books from the author. I would recommend this for younger teens and up.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
Jen is seventeen and trying to figure out so many things. Her best friend Deanna is a 23 year old coworker who is into partying and hooking up. Her faJen is seventeen and trying to figure out so many things. Her best friend Deanna is a 23 year old coworker who is into partying and hooking up. Her father who left her when she was a baby has made contact and wants to get to know her better. She isn’t sure what she wants to do with her life after high school. And she’s hasn’t had school friends in years till now. Stephanie talks to her while she is drawing in the park. And she brings her Jen with her to an after school book club that is LGBTQIA+. She begins as the token straight ally but realizes she may have feelings for Stephanie.
There are so many likable parts of the story. First, I commend Jen’s mom for getting her into therapy and I like that some of those sessions are on the page. The friendship with Deanna was a red flag to me and I was surprised mom wasn’t stopping it. Secondly, the mom is supportive and sex positive and has a good relationship with Jen. I like the openness of the club as well. Some are in the closet still like Stephanie others are out. It felt like a nice safe space you wish for everyone. The dad story adds drama and is an extra pressure on Jen.
I like the story and I have only read a few with asexual main characters. I felt the tone of the book is quiet and serious. It is Jen trying to figure out herself, and she is dealing with a lot of loss at the same time. The epilogue is a nice addition as often YA books leave you with a happy in the moment endings. This is a YA book for ninth grade and up. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review. (3.5 Stars)...more
Very sweet YA, f/f romance, set in Australia. Samira and Alex meet during a two week summer journalism course in Tasmania. Samira is from Brisbane andVery sweet YA, f/f romance, set in Australia. Samira and Alex meet during a two week summer journalism course in Tasmania. Samira is from Brisbane and her father is a successful businessman and conservative politician. Her uncle who also teaches at the college invites her to stay with him. It is a change for her learning to navigate transit, cook meals and even do laundry. But mostly she loves the course and makes good friends while doing it. Alex is bright, driven and local. Even though their time together is brief, there are budding feelings between the two.
Fast forward another year and Samira is back visiting her uncle again and volunteers as an intern for the college paper. And of course she runs smack dab back into Alex. Alex is working for the paper before heading to university in Melbourne. A year older, and both with more experience they easily fall back into their previous friendship. There are some good extras issues going on. Alex’s home life is difficult as the dad and brother work weeks at a time in the mines and mom is distant. Samira has ignored applying for college as her father wants her to stay in Queensland so he can use her as a prop for politics and business deals. And I love that they are investigating real issues for the paper.
I’m new to the author and was blown away at how well the story flows. The kids are age appropriate in behavior and actions. There is very good communication and a good sense of friends beyond the pairing. The romance is closed door and goes slowly from kissing to wanting more. And I love how both girls have to speak up for themselves, respectfully for what they want. Recommend for 9th grade and up. This was published May 2022 and I received a copy from Ylva Publishing via NetGalley. (4.5 Stars)...more
Darling YA novel. This is not a Pride and Prejudice retelling. Instead it is a wholesome time-time travel adventure. Audrey Cameron is a senior in higDarling YA novel. This is not a Pride and Prejudice retelling. Instead it is a wholesome time-time travel adventure. Audrey Cameron is a senior in high school and is wait listed for the art school of her choice. Still recovering from being dumped by her boyfriend she has lost her passion and spark for art. A regular at their family store says he can help her by giving her a coin that transports her to 1812. There she is found and befriended by Lucy Sinclair.
Lucy accepts Audrey's story and for reasons I didn't fully understand they think that Audrey is supposed to find love. Love is the one thing that Lucy wants most but her future is almost set. She is weeks from being engaged to the wealthiest man in the county who is the choice of her father. Audrey learns the rules and customs to fit in as best she can and try to look for love at the parties they attend. But it is Lucy that draws her attention. Likewise, Lucy is having an awakening to new feelings she never expected, but she is trapped by time and her father. I listened to the audio book from my local library and enjoyed the narration and story. This is sweet and fun to imagine. Easily appropriate for high schoolers and up. ...more
Enjoyable YA romance with serious topics. It is the senior year at a STEM high school. Madison Lange is the daughter of a wealthy tech CEO. She is theEnjoyable YA romance with serious topics. It is the senior year at a STEM high school. Madison Lange is the daughter of a wealthy tech CEO. She is the “it” girl at school being a cheerleader, brand ambassador for her dads Fitbod brand etc. But she wants to show she is more than a pretty face. She writes code and wants to win an app contest that provides $45K in college tuition. She doesn’t need the money but it will prove to her dad she can be a serious code writer. Kiara Johnson, is black and a scholarship student at the same school. She wants to win the contest as it will help her become the first person in her family to attend college.
The extra’s beyond the stirring feelings between Madison and Kiara include: racism, cultural appropriation, controlling parent, intellectual property and more. Madison’s father is intentionally cringeworthy. Through the serendipity of timing this is my third YA novel I’ve read in a week's time. And they’ve covered the same type of topics in different settings and countries. I like this story but there are a few holes. Kaira is already a scholarship student and doing outstanding at an elite school she should know many schools and scholarships would be available to her at more than a community college. And I didn’t love the best friend jealousy storyline although it works out as good as can be expected.
Over all a nice wholesome, kissing only, high school romance, with thoughtful representation of racial topics and more....more
(3.5 Stars) This is dramatic, realistic and angsty. It is also memorable and had me feeling lots of emotions. Penny and Tate moms are lifelong best fr(3.5 Stars) This is dramatic, realistic and angsty. It is also memorable and had me feeling lots of emotions. Penny and Tate moms are lifelong best friends forever so the two girls have always been in each other's lives. Tate’s mom has survived cancer once only to be struggling health wise again. Penny’s mom announces she is going to be her living donor for a liver transplant that is to take place in just a week. To help with costs and recovery Tate and her mom will move to Penny’s house. The girls aren’t thrilled but agree on rules to try to keep the stress low for their moms. This is more complicated than just getting along. Penny has already been through a tragedy and she and her mom are barely on speaking terms.
The pressure put on these two girls in the senior year of high school is enormous. They are worrying about bills and things kids shouldn’t have to shoulder on their own. They each have two best friends that are supportive who they can trust. So much of the mother/daughter drama had me gasping. At least there is a grandmother that is a helpful buffer. What comes through the flashbacks to moments when they almost take that step to kiss is that these young women have always been there for each other. They can be angry or fighting and still show up for each other. I so wanted grandmother or another adult to stand up for Penny. But eventually she has to stand up for herself. My star rating reflects that the story is left as a happy for now. There is much healing in the future especially for Penny and her mother. It is unrealistic but I would have liked an epilogue or something more definitive....more
Rhodes and Iliana both are gifted artists and attend the Alabama Conservatory of the Arts. It is an expensive and private HS. Iliana is on scholarshipRhodes and Iliana both are gifted artists and attend the Alabama Conservatory of the Arts. It is an expensive and private HS. Iliana is on scholarship and lives at home while Rhodes comes from a wealthy but overly helicoptering family. Sarah is Iliana’s best friend growing up and is currently Rhodes' roommate which puts them often together. A life changing prize for an artist called the Capstone scholarship is on the horizon and all three girls will be competing. Iliana does not like Rhodes because of an incident from the previous year. Rhodes is struggling with the pressure from her parents and a creative block. The two know how to push each other's buttons in the most negative ways. But both have online identities as Alice and Cheshire with a very deep connection. They write and illustrate together and share their deepest feelings. But the Capstone project is going to bring change for all three girls.
I usually love YA books and if you throw in art it is a big bonus. But I found it hard to connect with the characters. The book shows much of the negative side of the girls. Their anger and frustration is palpable. But you aren’t shown the good bits. We are told that Alice and Cheshire have an amazing, verging on love connection but that has already happened. And Sarah, with how she fits in and is treated by both, again shows them in a more negative than positive light. The story gives POVs for Rhodes and Iliana and there is some self awareness of maybe how they perceived things tainted how things really are. But it comes very late in the story.
I know with YA the ending is usually happy for now as the characters are young and you’re not expecting a HEA. But here I left feeling worn down and I didn’t even know if they would be together for a week. The story is fine especially if you like angsty, high school emotional drama. But it is pitched as a romantic comedy and I didn’t see any humor in the story. ...more
