I feel like I liked the original book okay, but the graphic novel series has really made me like it so much more. This adaptation just really works! DI feel like I liked the original book okay, but the graphic novel series has really made me like it so much more. This adaptation just really works! Definitely ready for the final installment, and will probably reread the original book again before long as well. ...more
I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to push through this one. I did not read the premise before I started it and had no idea what it was going to be I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to push through this one. I did not read the premise before I started it and had no idea what it was going to be about, and I am just SO uncomfortable with what the main character is doing. It is really stressing me out that at this point in the book she has seen this guy three times and has still not told him she’s not who he thinks she is. REALLY STRESSING ME OUT! Which I think is probably the exact opposite effect reading this book is supposed to have. I’m going to try a little longer, but…
Okay, nope. I have completely stalled out on this one, which, yes—it’s super dumb that I am THIS UNCOMFORTABLE about it, but I am just dreading reading it at this point. And I hardly read anything at all anymore because I am so tired and unfocused, so I’m going to at least let the things I do read not give me panic attacks. Ha!...more
This might be my new fave of Menon's...I just really liked both Pinky and Samir, and liked their dynamic, and liked the conversations they have and thThis might be my new fave of Menon's...I just really liked both Pinky and Samir, and liked their dynamic, and liked the conversations they have and the ways they help each other see themselves from another perspective. The family issues are compelling, Pinky's relationship with Dolly is super sweet and supportive, despite said family issues, and just. It's super cute!
Merged review:
This might be my new fave of Menon's...I just really liked both Pinky and Samir, and liked their dynamic, and liked the conversations they have and the ways they help each other see themselves from another perspective. The family issues are compelling, Pinky's relationship with Dolly is super sweet and supportive, despite said family issues, and just. It's super cute!...more
I feel like this one is just super not memorable and there’s so much build up over THE SECRET and then it ends Uhhhh…that’s the end? Really? Okaaaaay…
I feel like this one is just super not memorable and there’s so much build up over THE SECRET and then it ends up being totally nbd. And the brother and best friend thing…I feel like I’ve read that exact scenario soooo many times before. But at least this was less infuriating than the library one?...more
I left my book at home a couple of weeks ago and needed something to read at lunch, but it’s summer, and the library (especially the one I work at) isI left my book at home a couple of weeks ago and needed something to read at lunch, but it’s summer, and the library (especially the one I work at) is slim pickings at the moment! But luckily I spotted a new book by Shaun David Hutchinson, and since I’ve read a couple of his other ones and really liked them, I grabbed this off the shelf without having the slightest clue what it was about. I mean, other than the pretty giant clue of the title, that is.
There were several times in this book that I found myself losing patience, or bored with what was going on, or just generally not connecting, but then somehow every single time, right around then, there would be some little twist that would change my perspective. It’s pretty neat! There were bits I kind of had an idea of early on, but only in a very general way, and I think the way Hutchinson pulls everything together in the end is really well done.
Anyway, in the end I thought it was sweet and fun, and I totally loved the Noa/DJ/Jenny dynamic. I think it’s supposed to be a stand-alone, but if Hutchinson were to write a sequel? I’d be down!...more
Okay, this one...I really feel like I would probably love it in print, but for some reason the audio is just not working for me. I constantly find mysOkay, this one...I really feel like I would probably love it in print, but for some reason the audio is just not working for me. I constantly find myself setting it aside for other things, and at this point it’s dragged out for...a long time. 6 months? I don’t know. I’m definitely still interested in the story, so I actually do think I’ll get back to it at some point, just...if I can get my hands on a print copy. I think I’m just done with trying to force my way through the audiobook....more
This was super cute, and I really loved the relative lack of angst! I think my favorite thing, though, was main character Avery’s relationship with heThis was super cute, and I really loved the relative lack of angst! I think my favorite thing, though, was main character Avery’s relationship with her younger sister Lauren. So sweet! Also the band name, ha....more
I’m...just really struggling to get into this one. I find the writing really...okay, I’m not sure if this makes any sense at all, but I find the writiI’m...just really struggling to get into this one. I find the writing really...okay, I’m not sure if this makes any sense at all, but I find the writing to be a little too present somehow. Like, I just can’t lose myself in the story because the tense and the way the background is laid out keep getting in the way for me. It feels a little too stiff, maybe?
I’ve heard so many good things about this one, and I really want to like it, but the style is not working for me at all, or maybe I’m just not in the right mood? Either way, I have soooooo many library books at home, and it’s taking me so long these days to get through even things I’m enjoying. I’m going to move on. But maybe I’ll give it or another book by Winters a try some day....more
Things I liked about this contemporary teen romance:
1. Very little angst--no love triangles, and no annoying fights resulting from a lack of communicaThings I liked about this contemporary teen romance:
1. Very little angst--no love triangles, and no annoying fights resulting from a lack of communication. There is one brief fight, but it's barely one, and is actually handled pretty maturely, basically with an "I'm mad at you, but give me some time and let's talk about this later," and not a "That's it, we're breaking up and everything is OVER!"
2. The friends. Meg is adorable, and so are Cullen and Zack.
3. The family dynamics. Vada's dad definitely sucks, but I absolutely loved her relationship with stepdad-to-be Phil. Phil is amazing! And Luke definitely has some issues with his mom and dad, and sometimes with Cullen, as none of them really get his desire to NOT be famous. But I like that by the end they seem to be figuring each other out, and it's clear that his family loves him and are all coming from a place of respect for his talent.
4. Okay, I also liked that both main characters have had crushes on each other for a long time, and that it still takes them awhile to figure out how to move forward. It seemed realistic, in that they don't just immediately jump into a relationship. They take some time to talk and become friends first. And even then they're both unsure about how the other feels about them, so there's a lot of embarrassment and awkwardness. But it's sweet!
Now for the thing I didn't love: the musical references. I guess I'm super picky about musical references in books? And I think partly I just didn't really get their musical preferences. Like, they're both kind of obsessed with Adam Duritz from Counting Crows? Partly I'm wondering how many teens these days are listening to Counting Crows (seems fishy to me), but also, I just never really got what was so awesome about Counting Crows even when they were big in the 90s, so I just couldn't connect. And their other references felt so...mainstream, I guess, even though they're both supposedly like, music supernerds or something. I mean, possibly these songs are less mainstream now, since a lot of the music is 20 years old at this point, but they were definitely fairly mainstream when they were new. So yeah. I didn't really buy the music aspect.
But still. It's cute. If you're looking for a teen romance of the less dramatic variety, this might work perfectly for you (especially if you're really into Counting Crows)....more
I enjoyed this one a lot--I really liked the dynamic between the two main characters, and the concept of Howl is super fun! the story is light and sweI enjoyed this one a lot--I really liked the dynamic between the two main characters, and the concept of Howl is super fun! the story is light and sweet, but does touch on a few serious issues. And it's not all about the romance, but also about friendship, and expectations and growing up when you don't quite feel ready yet. I'm definitely planning to check out some of Solomon's other stuff soon....more
Finally got around to this one, and I really like this adaptation. Great art, and I love how the Simon and Baz bits are interspersed, and Levi’s face Finally got around to this one, and I really like this adaptation. Great art, and I love how the Simon and Baz bits are interspersed, and Levi’s face and puppy dog charm and Reagan’s attitude come through perfectly!
Uhhhhhh. Okay. This was CLEARLY my least fave in the series. Why? Let’s see. Did not like either of the main characters, an awful lot of stupidity, toUhhhhhh. Okay. This was CLEARLY my least fave in the series. Why? Let’s see. Did not like either of the main characters, an awful lot of stupidity, too many typos, and I dunno. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood? My dog just died and I’m super sad and in need of dumb fluff to get to sleep at night, but this just seemed…too dumb?
I remember really loving the first two books, but this one was actually painful at times. Am I the only one who thinks so? Maybe I’m just in a different phase of life now? Whatever the reason, I just could not care about either of these people, and now I’m seriously questioning my judgement on the first two in the series. But I am def not in the mood to go back and reread them to see if it’s me or this book, so we’ll just let it lie and I’ll go back to rereading Food Wars instead, haha....more
This series is just so, so sweet! I really love the way Charlie and Nick talk to each other, and I love the way they interact with Charlie's friends. This series is just so, so sweet! I really love the way Charlie and Nick talk to each other, and I love the way they interact with Charlie's friends. They're all so open and honest and...careful with each other. It definitely deals with some serious issues, but in a way that's just so positive and uplifting and hopeful, and in a way that never comes across as unnecessary drama. Bring on volume 4!...more
I enjoyed this one--I liked Adam and Jolene together a lot, though it did take some time for Jolene to grow on me. I liked Adam's family dynamics and I enjoyed this one--I liked Adam and Jolene together a lot, though it did take some time for Jolene to grow on me. I liked Adam's family dynamics and how his relationships with his brother and his dad grow throughout the book. I also liked how Jolene's relationships with her best friend and Shelley evolve, and how their situations parallel each other a little.
But I never really found myself hooked, or fully emotionally invested. It's a long book. LONG! And at times it felt unnecessarily so. There's a super weird sexual predator plot that felt kind of gratuitous and shoehorned in and icky, so I wasn't really a fan of that, and then there's the whole Erica thing that also felt like just extra drama. I think a number of things could have been cut and the book would have been better for it. But that's just me.
Even with my hesitations, I would certainly recommend it to contemporary YA romance fans, and I'll be looking forward to whatever Abigail Johnson does next!...more
I really enjoyed this! I loved getting both Caleb's and Adam's point of view (I don't always click with going back and forth between two narrators andI really enjoyed this! I loved getting both Caleb's and Adam's point of view (I don't always click with going back and forth between two narrators and almost always like one, but not so much the other) and seeing them gradually get to know each other. I liked the way Caleb's empathy is described. I enjoyed the conversations he has with his therapist and I liked that both Caleb's and Adam's families are involved with their lives--Caleb's sister Alice is especially great.
The only thing is I'm not quite sure I like where it ends. I'm not sure if there's another book planned for Caleb and Adam, but I felt like things weren't left resolved enough for my liking. Reading the afterword, I'm realizing that I guess these characters and this world of Atypicals are from some sort of podcast, and that maybe the assumption is that you're picking up this book because you know the podcast? I didn't and I don't, so...I feel like maybe this would have felt a little less open-ended to me if I knew anything about the rest of the story this takes place in? I don't know.
In any case, I liked this book a lot and will gladly read more by Shippen, especially about Caleb and Adam! But not enough to suddenly start listening to podcasts. Sorry....more
There's a lot I really loved about this one, but I generally don't enjoy bouncing back and forth between two different characters' points of view, andThere's a lot I really loved about this one, but I generally don't enjoy bouncing back and forth between two different characters' points of view, and this one has an omniscient narrator thing going on at times as well, which always felt pretty out place to me when it cropped up. I also sort of feel like there's a little too much packed in and like none of it quite gets the amount of attention it needs.
That said, I liked the points being made, and enjoyed seeing Adam and Zayneb get to know each other. I just wanted more depth and more emotion than I got, I think. ...more
I still love Twinkle the best, but I enjoyed this one more than I did When Dimple Met Rishi, and there is a lot that is really great about this book. I still love Twinkle the best, but I enjoyed this one more than I did When Dimple Met Rishi, and there is a lot that is really great about this book.
Just, for me? A little too cheesy, maybe? I never completely got sucked in, so it took me a lot longer than usual to make my way through it. A lot of times the back-and-forth boy-girl perspectives don't really work for me and while I felt like I got a decent enough grasp on who each of the main characters were, I just could never quite get fully immersed.
Still, I really liked the message, and I liked Ashish's relationships with his family and his friends a lot. I like how things work out in the end for Sweetie too, even though it felt...very sudden, I guess.
In any case, if you're looking for a super sweet romance with a side of familial expectations and body positivity, this might be just what you need!...more
Super cute! I only wish Josie wasn't so dumb the whole time, and I felt like I was kind of skeptical of how quickly he turned it around. Buuuut, I lovSuper cute! I only wish Josie wasn't so dumb the whole time, and I felt like I was kind of skeptical of how quickly he turned it around. Buuuut, I loved their friendship and how excited they are over all the fall festival pumpkin patch stuff! And the art is great. :)...more
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