ashleyholstrom's Reviews (1.38k)

I love what Jenny Lawson has to say about mental illness (especially writing so candidly about trichotillomania and dermatillomania, hayo!), but the rest of it is not really my cup of tea.

"An uplifting coming-of-age novel in which a high school senior figures out how to be himself, Kim Oclon’s Man Up finds David wondering how to come out to his baseball team."

Reviewed for Foreword Reviews.

"Corey Sobel’s magnificent debut novel, The Redshirt, exposes the hypermasculinity of collegiate football as a freshman starts at a Division One school."

Reviewed for Foreword Reviews.

Lovely.

I have read this book so many times and it never gets old––I actually think I’ve read it every year since I’ve gotten it. Definitely one of my favorites.

Jessica Darling and I are soul sisters, I’m pretty sure. My young high school self thought she was so cool, scribbling in speckled composition notebooks, so I began to do the same (Mine are of every color and pattern under the sun). Her wit and sass inspire me, in some loser-ish wannabe way. I get giddy and giggly the first time Marcus’s name is mentioned, and every time thereafter. I cringe every time Sara shrieks OMIGOD! Etc.

Full review at Crooked Prose.

Round two of Jessica Darling! I might love this one more than the first. Throughout the last two years of high school for Jess, there are many more stories to tell. She (finally!) starts dating and writing for her school newspaper. And, of course, begins the dreaded college application process. Her journal entries are just as snappy as ever, and still making me wish I were her friend.

This is just too good of a book to try to squish down into a review. If you liked Sloppy Firsts, you’ll LOVE Second Helpings. It’s just an amazing sequel.

Full review at Crooked Prose.