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chronic_listener's Reviews (166)
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really struggled rating this because on the one hand, I want to liquify this book and inject it straight into my veins. On the other hand, there were a couple of things I didn't really enjoy about it.
But I already know I'll think about it for a long long time, and probably (definitely) will re-read at some point.
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS BOOK
❤️ Wes Bennett
> I loved that he seemed like the main character in this one. Being inside his head and seeing everything through his eyes was a treat.
❤️ the side characters
> all of them just added so much to the story, especially Clark (my boi)
❤️ all the butterflies
> they are so deeply, painfully in love with each other asdfghjsksl
❤️ the writing
> Lynn Painter does YA so well
❤️ Wes Bennett
> have I mentioned Wes Bennett yet??
❤️ so many great quotes !!!
I was absolutely unprepared for the amount of sheer heartache and grief.
The fact that I fell in love with Wes and Liz as soon as I read Better Than The Movies made it hurt so much worse to see what they went through in Nothing Like The Movies.
I genuinely wanted to annotate every. single. thought. in Wes' head, it was so beautiful to see how thoroughly smitten he was with Liz and his determination to get her back.
TLDR; while it wasn't the perfect book, I liked the writing, it made me feel a metric shit ton of emotions and it'll stay on my mind for the foreseeable future. Also I'm obsessed with Wes Bennett.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
While I struggled to get into this at first, once the plot picked up a bit I had a fun time!
This was a fast-paced, high stakes young adult adventure packed with action, humor, teenage angst, and tension.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK
❤️ the premise
❤️ Van slowly warming around Margot
❤️ the chemistry between the main characters
❤️ the banter
❤️ the high stakes
WHY IT WASN'T A FIVE STAR READ TO ME
There were a couple of things that I didn't particularly enjoy in this (mostly the logistics) but I'll chalk it up to this being a fantasy book with teenage characters, they act and reason accordingly.
I definitely rolled my eyes at some of the corny jokes and the overall ridiculousness of a few of the scenes but nevertheless I was entertained, and glad I stuck around until the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first book by this author but it definitely won't be my last - I had such a fun time reading this!
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS BOOK
❤️ the writing
> I felt completely immersed, like I was there with them, in the house, the meadow, the garden, the sunroom, feeling all their emotions alongside them.
❤️ the themes
> loss and grief, burnout, finding happiness in the smallest things, success looking different for everyone, what a healthy relationship looks like, healing
❤️ Sage
> she was pure sunshine, I don't know if I want to be her friend or HER, always with her heart on her sleeve, seeing the best in things
❤️ Fisher
> trying so hard to do and be better, ugh I love him- but also the things he said??? yes chef 🫡
❤️ the relationship between Fisher and Indy, and Sage and Indy
❤️ all the rescue animals
❤️ the "sage" advice
WHY IT WASN'T A FIVE STAR READ FOR ME
The pacing felt a bit off in the end. The first 80% built up to these big events (the race, the restaurant opening) and then the last 20% felt a bit rushed to tie everything up without much focus on these two plot points.
Other than that, I really enjoyed reading this. It made me smile, snort-laugh, tear up, think, giggle and swoon.
The notion that happiness and success look different for everyone and what feels right for you might change over time as you evolve as a person, really resonated with me.
🎧 the narration was *chefs kiss*, especially the chapter in the library where Fisher was basically whispering the whole time 😮💨
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Terminal illness, Vomit, Alcohol