This book was extremely messy, and that made it a more enjoyable read but also means that I have a multitude of issues with it.

The experience of reading this book felt the most like being 18 again of any other YA contemporary book I’ve read. I think it accomplished this by feeling like it was set firmly in the mid 2010s while being published in 2021.

Speaking of the publication year, I found the sheer number of Harry Potter references in this queer post-TERF Rowling book to be in incredibly poor taste. No one asked for this and it tells trans readers that you don’t really care about them. Yikes.

Scottie and Irene were cute, but I think I enjoyed the (mostly straight) side characters more. Annoying when that happens.

Why was everyone Catholic? Odd choice.

I really did like how flawed everyone was. Every character in this book had all sorts of Issues, and that made it feel much more real.

I hate Charlotte a lot. Glad the book does too.

This came so close to being the first piece of teen media to get college application timelines correct, but it still failed by having characters write their common app essays in like potentially early February. That’s not how anything works.

And of course the book refuses to say the word “lesbian.” Fun fun fun!