Take a photo of a barcode or cover
jamgrl's Reviews (197)
This book was so amazing, I actually can’t get over it. I started the audiobook Friday afternoon. It is Saturday night. I’m still processing.
(I want to note that the audiobook is super well done- I am so in love with the reading.)
Why do I already know this will go down as a favorite?
-This book is fun and modern from the get-go; the characters are real and I really connected with them and their life stages as a young millennial reader.
-The way the story is told is masterfully done- it is gripping the whole way through, giving us just enough info to get us interested while maintaining enough mystery to keep us wanting more. Even at the very end! I’m so excited to start book 2.
-Listen, I love Sci Fi. This book doesn’t read as a Sci Fi book at all and I love that. This is ultimately about a headstrong and flawed person trying to navigate relationships while finding her own purpose, but in the effed up way a real person in her early 20s with lots of student loans and bad relationship skills might when her life is taken over by viral fame, rather than your typical chosen one stuff. She knew nothing about science and I cared about her in a deep way. This book is also about the internet, and who better is there to write about the internet than Hank Green??
-Okay, I was buzzing at chapter 6 because, although some hints had been dropped, and I was hmming, I was still shocked to see (or rather, hear) IN WORDS a declaration that the protagonist was bisexual. As a bi woman, just this was enough to get me excited, but it doesn’t stop there! Her bisexuality was weaved into the book really well. I so appreciated that stigmas of bisexuality were brought in in a very real way and that it also was a very casual part of her character. I loved it. Thank you, Hank. (I have one critique about this, which is that at one point she describes herself as “half gay, half straight”, which I don’t love, but I am otherwise so incredibly excited about this representation, and even if I would never describe my sexuality that way, it’s not unreasonable that someone else might.)
Bottom line: GO LISTEN (or read, but really the audiobook is so good!) TO THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW, even if you are not at all into Sci Fi, seriously.
(I want to note that the audiobook is super well done- I am so in love with the reading.)
Why do I already know this will go down as a favorite?
-This book is fun and modern from the get-go; the characters are real and I really connected with them and their life stages as a young millennial reader.
-The way the story is told is masterfully done- it is gripping the whole way through, giving us just enough info to get us interested while maintaining enough mystery to keep us wanting more. Even at the very end! I’m so excited to start book 2.
-Listen, I love Sci Fi. This book doesn’t read as a Sci Fi book at all and I love that. This is ultimately about a headstrong and flawed person trying to navigate relationships while finding her own purpose, but in the effed up way a real person in her early 20s with lots of student loans and bad relationship skills might when her life is taken over by viral fame, rather than your typical chosen one stuff. She knew nothing about science and I cared about her in a deep way. This book is also about the internet, and who better is there to write about the internet than Hank Green??
-Okay, I was buzzing at chapter 6 because, although some hints had been dropped, and I was hmming, I was still shocked to see (or rather, hear) IN WORDS a declaration that the protagonist was bisexual. As a bi woman, just this was enough to get me excited, but it doesn’t stop there! Her bisexuality was weaved into the book really well. I so appreciated that stigmas of bisexuality were brought in in a very real way and that it also was a very casual part of her character. I loved it. Thank you, Hank. (I have one critique about this, which is that at one point she describes herself as “half gay, half straight”, which I don’t love, but I am otherwise so incredibly excited about this representation, and even if I would never describe my sexuality that way, it’s not unreasonable that someone else might.)
Bottom line: GO LISTEN (or read, but really the audiobook is so good!) TO THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW, even if you are not at all into Sci Fi, seriously.
Listen, this book is phenomenal. But I couldn’t give it 5 stars, as much as I loved it, because the end came, and... is it too crude to say a book all about sex doesn’t have a climax? I was left unsatisfied, which was a big let down precisely because the book was otherwise so good.
Natalie’s recounting of her history is compelling and visceral and feels so incredibly authentic. There is even a sense of unreliable narration throughout the book where she admits to not remembering details or she has to go back and recount things she forgot, which I really love.
Natalie talks a lot about her experience with bisexuality and her body image issues and how they impacted her and her relationships. These conversations are incredibly on point.
It would be really hard to not recommend this book because I connected with it really strongly and was invested in all of Natalie’s stories. I think it’s almost there, a simple “aha” moment would have been enough. Ultimately, the resolution felt unearned and the final relationship felt underdeveloped, especially after all of these incredible stories-it was a real let down. But the way the author takes us through Natalie’s youth and coming into her adulthood and into herself through her romantic and sexual encounters is just so freaking good that I think it is worth the read regardless.
Natalie’s recounting of her history is compelling and visceral and feels so incredibly authentic. There is even a sense of unreliable narration throughout the book where she admits to not remembering details or she has to go back and recount things she forgot, which I really love.
Natalie talks a lot about her experience with bisexuality and her body image issues and how they impacted her and her relationships. These conversations are incredibly on point.
It would be really hard to not recommend this book because I connected with it really strongly and was invested in all of Natalie’s stories. I think it’s almost there, a simple “aha” moment would have been enough. Ultimately, the resolution felt unearned and the final relationship felt underdeveloped, especially after all of these incredible stories-it was a real let down. But the way the author takes us through Natalie’s youth and coming into her adulthood and into herself through her romantic and sexual encounters is just so freaking good that I think it is worth the read regardless.
I have mixed feelings.
For one, there is something distinctly creepy about an older Henry visiting underage Claire. I know it is meant to be sweet, and I was weirdly kind of okay with the visits when Claire was a little girl (it gave me Raggedy Man Doctor Who vibes), but the visits when Claire was a teenager made me pretty uncomfortable. It made me think too much of older men grooming teenagers and, the thing is… that is kind of what was happening. There is also a double standard in this book, where Claire is devoted to Henry her entire life, starting before she even has a strong sense of self, whereas Henry doesn’t have to be.
I do not love the predetermined nature of the time travel in this book. I kept wanting someone to prove that they could change, that they had agency over their futures! I understand the appeal of a destined love story, of knowing everything will work out and not having to worry if “the one” is out there. It’s just not for me- I’ve never been a lover of destiny or soulmate plots.
All of this being said, I did enjoy the book. It is really rich and long in a way that really allows us to be fully in these characters’ lives. I liked Henry and Claire and liked the explorations of their relationships with their parents and how their parents impacted them. I liked seeing them navigate an adult relationship and cultivate friendships. I liked learning about their detailed histories. The Sci-Fi element of the genetic disorder that causes the time travel is interesting, as is the way information and plot details are uncovered out of order.
The audiobook is excellent.
(Spoilers ahead)
My issue with the end
I would have really loved to see Claire come into herself and show who she was without Henry, to see how she lived her life when she no longer had to wait for Henry, but she never stopped waiting, even after we get the letter telling her to be free! I think the book handled grief well, I just wish I’d gotten some sense of the full life she had next- you know the end of Titanic, where we see all the things Rose did? I would have liked something like that.
For one, there is something distinctly creepy about an older Henry visiting underage Claire. I know it is meant to be sweet, and I was weirdly kind of okay with the visits when Claire was a little girl (it gave me Raggedy Man Doctor Who vibes), but the visits when Claire was a teenager made me pretty uncomfortable. It made me think too much of older men grooming teenagers and, the thing is… that is kind of what was happening. There is also a double standard in this book, where Claire is devoted to Henry her entire life, starting before she even has a strong sense of self, whereas Henry doesn’t have to be.
I do not love the predetermined nature of the time travel in this book. I kept wanting someone to prove that they could change, that they had agency over their futures! I understand the appeal of a destined love story, of knowing everything will work out and not having to worry if “the one” is out there. It’s just not for me- I’ve never been a lover of destiny or soulmate plots.
All of this being said, I did enjoy the book. It is really rich and long in a way that really allows us to be fully in these characters’ lives. I liked Henry and Claire and liked the explorations of their relationships with their parents and how their parents impacted them. I liked seeing them navigate an adult relationship and cultivate friendships. I liked learning about their detailed histories. The Sci-Fi element of the genetic disorder that causes the time travel is interesting, as is the way information and plot details are uncovered out of order.
The audiobook is excellent.
(Spoilers ahead)
My issue with the end
I would have really loved to see Claire come into herself and show who she was without Henry, to see how she lived her life when she no longer had to wait for Henry, but she never stopped waiting, even after we get the letter telling her to be free! I think the book handled grief well, I just wish I’d gotten some sense of the full life she had next- you know the end of Titanic, where we see all the things Rose did? I would have liked something like that.
Aza, throughout the book, is asked: Are you better? Are you better? Are you better? And that’s the thing- everyone wants a battle won, but John Green understands that there is no winning, no finishing, only going on, which is what the book tells its readers so beautifully. Aza’s OCD and the way it comes and goes and the ways it invades her life are emotional and poignant and her journey in this book is, too.
(Spoiler in the next paragraph)
I appreciate that this book emphasizes how important teen romance is and how real and big those feelings are, while acknowledging that time moves forward. That this time can be real and impactful for the rest of your life, even if your life changes. I haven’t seen a lot of YA acknowledge that- that sometimes (often) teen romance is temporary, but the ending doesn’t make it lost. There is something really realistic and beautiful about this, the ability to look back and feel the significance of something while being able to move on. I think media often portrays romance as a game of all or nothing and it is absolutely refreshing to see it portrayed this way instead.
Some other things I liked:
-It hits on relevant political issues organically.
-It approaches class and wealth disparity in real and tangible ways.
-It has a lot of science in it- I loved the juxtaposition of Aza’s focus on the microscopic and Davis’s on the expansive.
-It takes time to think about college and important decisions that are on teen’s minds.
-The metaphors are really layered and thoughtful.
-The bits about Daisy’s fanfiction were really fun and funny.
-John Green knows a lot about Indianapolis
(Spoiler in the next paragraph)
I appreciate that this book emphasizes how important teen romance is and how real and big those feelings are, while acknowledging that time moves forward. That this time can be real and impactful for the rest of your life, even if your life changes. I haven’t seen a lot of YA acknowledge that- that sometimes (often) teen romance is temporary, but the ending doesn’t make it lost. There is something really realistic and beautiful about this, the ability to look back and feel the significance of something while being able to move on. I think media often portrays romance as a game of all or nothing and it is absolutely refreshing to see it portrayed this way instead.
Some other things I liked:
-It hits on relevant political issues organically.
-It approaches class and wealth disparity in real and tangible ways.
-It has a lot of science in it- I loved the juxtaposition of Aza’s focus on the microscopic and Davis’s on the expansive.
-It takes time to think about college and important decisions that are on teen’s minds.
-The metaphors are really layered and thoughtful.
-The bits about Daisy’s fanfiction were really fun and funny.
-John Green knows a lot about Indianapolis
This has a really fun and interesting premise and when the action is happening, it is engaging and exciting. The 80s references are layered and detailed, as are the video game and D&D references. There is a lot in here for nerds!
There was also an excess of infodumps and over explaining that slowed down the story. The world building itself felt very basic, which is totally fine, I just felt too much time was spent on it with not much gain. I didn’t think the political or social commentary was strong. The stakes were also... confusing.
Warnings
-There is some mild toxic masculinity and the way women are framed throughout the book rubbed me the wrong way.
-There is some ableism in regards to mental health.
-There is a transphobic joke.
When this book is in its element- which is when Wade is solving puzzles and discovering plots and actively doing stuff- it’s a pretty cool book!
There was also an excess of infodumps and over explaining that slowed down the story. The world building itself felt very basic, which is totally fine, I just felt too much time was spent on it with not much gain. I didn’t think the political or social commentary was strong. The stakes were also... confusing.
Warnings
-There is some mild toxic masculinity and the way women are framed throughout the book rubbed me the wrong way.
-There is some ableism in regards to mental health.
-There is a transphobic joke.
When this book is in its element- which is when Wade is solving puzzles and discovering plots and actively doing stuff- it’s a pretty cool book!
I know that this is a beloved book!! I really expected to love it. I just... didn’t. There were funny parts and I laughed, but for the most part I felt a bit neutral about it. I think maybe having seen the movie when I was an early teen made it harder in a way, because I already knew a lot of the best jokes.
I think, also, that I simply prefer things with more of a story. This book entirely hinges on comedy (particularly subversion of expectations), which could be great if that’s what you are looking for. The humor is a similar style to something like Good Omens or Monty Python, so if you absolutely love those things, I think this book will work well for you.
It’s also from 1979, so it is fun to explore an earlier take on Sci Fi, and to consider how it was playing on things like Star Trek. The audiobook is excellent.
I think, also, that I simply prefer things with more of a story. This book entirely hinges on comedy (particularly subversion of expectations), which could be great if that’s what you are looking for. The humor is a similar style to something like Good Omens or Monty Python, so if you absolutely love those things, I think this book will work well for you.
It’s also from 1979, so it is fun to explore an earlier take on Sci Fi, and to consider how it was playing on things like Star Trek. The audiobook is excellent.
I can see how people could enjoy this book. There are some genuinely funny moments and it has a great premise, but ultimately, it just doesn’t work. Here’s why:
Nina is inconsistent as a character. What we are told about her and what we see are frequently in opposition with each other. She most prefers to be alone, yet she hangs out with friends multiple times a week. She hates spontaneity, yet she goes to a stranger’s house to craft at the drop of the hat. She has crippling social anxiety, yet she converses with new people easily and even goes to a wedding of someone she doesn’t know.
She has a vivid imagination, which is the strongest part of her character (because we know that only because we see it), and there are some good moments where we see her anxiety, but mostly, narration and dialogue do the work of telling us who Nina is, leaving the action to turn around and refute it.
The love interest and the romance are incredibly boring. The author makes an odd choice in that she occasionally switches to the love interest’s perspective, but this never adds depth. At one point, we get a love interest perspective and in the next paragraph, Nina says in her internal dialogue “I wonder what he is thinking.” But we were just told. (If you are wondering, he is thinking how hot she is. That’s it.) The characters don’t have chemistry or any good reason to be interested in each other.
The romantic plot and the secret family plot are completely unrelated. It felt like there were two different books in this book. Like it was supposed to be a romance book, so the romance was just shoved in there to make it qualify, and then the romantic plot took up too much time being boring and keeping us from the actual plot of the book. Getting the love interest POV moments were weird because the romance and that character just don’t feel like what the book is about.
All of the friends in this book are actually terrible. Both Nina and Tom’s friends ditch them multiple times to try to get them to spend time together even though they each explicitly stated they didn’t want that. Every time Nina sets up appropriate boundaries with friends or the love interest (Tom), this is framed as her being too anxious or anti-social, when actually, she is the only reasonable person in the situation.
Other smaller things I didn’t love:
-Romanticizing of gay men (gay best friend trope).
-Way too many Harry Potter references.
-The obsession with ownership and hoarding of physical books (I say, after reading this as an eBook from the public library.)
-The vague book lover as a character trait thing just did not work for me. At least show me how stories influence the character, rather than focusing on physical book piles.
-References to Millennial experiences felt off and a little gimmicky. (Not surprised to learn the author is not a Millennial.)
Unraveling the mystery of what Nina’s dad was like was interesting, but overall, this book fell flat.
Nina is inconsistent as a character. What we are told about her and what we see are frequently in opposition with each other. She most prefers to be alone, yet she hangs out with friends multiple times a week. She hates spontaneity, yet she goes to a stranger’s house to craft at the drop of the hat. She has crippling social anxiety, yet she converses with new people easily and even goes to a wedding of someone she doesn’t know.
She has a vivid imagination, which is the strongest part of her character (because we know that only because we see it), and there are some good moments where we see her anxiety, but mostly, narration and dialogue do the work of telling us who Nina is, leaving the action to turn around and refute it.
The love interest and the romance are incredibly boring. The author makes an odd choice in that she occasionally switches to the love interest’s perspective, but this never adds depth. At one point, we get a love interest perspective and in the next paragraph, Nina says in her internal dialogue “I wonder what he is thinking.” But we were just told. (If you are wondering, he is thinking how hot she is. That’s it.) The characters don’t have chemistry or any good reason to be interested in each other.
The romantic plot and the secret family plot are completely unrelated. It felt like there were two different books in this book. Like it was supposed to be a romance book, so the romance was just shoved in there to make it qualify, and then the romantic plot took up too much time being boring and keeping us from the actual plot of the book. Getting the love interest POV moments were weird because the romance and that character just don’t feel like what the book is about.
All of the friends in this book are actually terrible. Both Nina and Tom’s friends ditch them multiple times to try to get them to spend time together even though they each explicitly stated they didn’t want that. Every time Nina sets up appropriate boundaries with friends or the love interest (Tom), this is framed as her being too anxious or anti-social, when actually, she is the only reasonable person in the situation.
Other smaller things I didn’t love:
-Romanticizing of gay men (gay best friend trope).
-Way too many Harry Potter references.
-The obsession with ownership and hoarding of physical books (I say, after reading this as an eBook from the public library.)
-The vague book lover as a character trait thing just did not work for me. At least show me how stories influence the character, rather than focusing on physical book piles.
-References to Millennial experiences felt off and a little gimmicky. (Not surprised to learn the author is not a Millennial.)
Unraveling the mystery of what Nina’s dad was like was interesting, but overall, this book fell flat.
This book is very poetic, which is both beautiful and challenging. It is beautifully written, full of play on words and hidden meanings. I also had to focus really hard to keep up and understand it, especially because there is a lot about the setting that just kind of isn’t explained.
This book is very artsy, but also feels modern and funny with its contemporary references thrown in. The mystery and resolution are really well done. It also explores really interesting ideas about parallel timelines/parallel people and places.
I’m not sure that this book is completely my cup of tea, but I can appreciate how masterfully put together the story is and I was definitely invested in the unfolding of Red and Blue’s relationship.
The reading in the audiobook was lovely, but the audio quality was a bit weird andI struggled to keep up with it (probably because this is a book that takes thinking to understand!) so I ended up rereading it with a text copy.
This book is very artsy, but also feels modern and funny with its contemporary references thrown in. The mystery and resolution are really well done. It also explores really interesting ideas about parallel timelines/parallel people and places.
I’m not sure that this book is completely my cup of tea, but I can appreciate how masterfully put together the story is and I was definitely invested in the unfolding of Red and Blue’s relationship.
The reading in the audiobook was lovely, but the audio quality was a bit weird andI struggled to keep up with it (probably because this is a book that takes thinking to understand!) so I ended up rereading it with a text copy.
This book is a fun and fast paced take on the vampire romance trope + murder mystery. The universe is engaging and kept me reading, because I just wanted to learn more about the vampires and other creatures and how they fit into society in this book! The protagonist is naive, but strong, and she has some really funny moments. The Louisiana setting makes this extra fun for me as a Southerner. (The romance is not what kept me reading- it's so-so to be honest.)
Warnings:
Confederate sympathy: Characters in this book are either casually or actively supportive of the Confederacy. Since the book is so lighthearted, I honestly read this as comedic because Confederate history organizations, for example, are quite real, and the vampire being an ex Confederate soldier is just kind of funny to me, but if this is something that will bother you, be aware that there is no condemnation of Confederate sympathy in this book.
Consent issues: There are two romantic interests in this book and each of them violate our protagonist's consent, though this behavior is not condemned (or it is, but very lightly). I actually read this book in high school and didn't notice the consent issues then, but they were glaring to me now. I attribute this a little bit to changing ideas around consent and I can sort of get past it since I am more interested in the lore and murder mystery. Maybe there are better vampire books out there without consent issues; I think nostalgia is part of what draws me to this series specifically.
Warnings:
Confederate sympathy: Characters in this book are either casually or actively supportive of the Confederacy. Since the book is so lighthearted, I honestly read this as comedic because Confederate history organizations, for example, are quite real, and the vampire being an ex Confederate soldier is just kind of funny to me, but if this is something that will bother you, be aware that there is no condemnation of Confederate sympathy in this book.
Consent issues: There are two romantic interests in this book and each of them violate our protagonist's consent, though this behavior is not condemned (or it is, but very lightly). I actually read this book in high school and didn't notice the consent issues then, but they were glaring to me now. I attribute this a little bit to changing ideas around consent and I can sort of get past it since I am more interested in the lore and murder mystery. Maybe there are better vampire books out there without consent issues; I think nostalgia is part of what draws me to this series specifically.
I’m not sure how to feel about this book. It is really well written, the characters feel unique and have depth. I was drawn into it.
Aster’s character is expertly written, as are Theo, Mesuline, and Giselle. The mystery around Aster’s mom is really layered and interesting to uncover. I really loved Aster’s perspective and I loved getting glimpses of the other characters’ points of view (I wish we could have spent more time with these other characters, though!).
It is hard to read- the main characters experience a lot of abuse and their trauma makes them do and think things that feel gross. I think that there is a lot of value to stories about abuse and trauma and I think it is well done.
This book also talks very directly about race and class hierarchy- the way this is fleshed out didn’t quite work for me. I think there wasn’t enough groundwork laid for why their society was the way it was- it really just took American slavery and put it in a (literal) vacuum, which is interesting in itself, I just felt like much more could have been done and there was a lot of nuance that was missing for me and/or didn’t make sense to me. That being said, there are a lot of really powerful and visceral moments and we are given a compelling depth of history for the characters.
There are multiple unresolved arcs- Theo’s gender identity, Mesuline’s relationship to the events at the end of the book, and then- what happens to this society, anyways? I was really interested in seeing where everything was going- a lot of these arcs ended up feeling underdeveloped.
The resolution was unsatisfying. In that, there wasn’t much of one? I was on board for a lot of the book, and in the end, I just didn’t know what the point was. The end left a bitter taste in my mouth that had me wondering to what end any of the actions in the book were for, afterall. (But not in a devastating 1984 way, in a I don’t know what the author is trying to say here way.)
Aster’s character is expertly written, as are Theo, Mesuline, and Giselle. The mystery around Aster’s mom is really layered and interesting to uncover. I really loved Aster’s perspective and I loved getting glimpses of the other characters’ points of view (I wish we could have spent more time with these other characters, though!).
It is hard to read- the main characters experience a lot of abuse and their trauma makes them do and think things that feel gross. I think that there is a lot of value to stories about abuse and trauma and I think it is well done.
This book also talks very directly about race and class hierarchy- the way this is fleshed out didn’t quite work for me. I think there wasn’t enough groundwork laid for why their society was the way it was- it really just took American slavery and put it in a (literal) vacuum, which is interesting in itself, I just felt like much more could have been done and there was a lot of nuance that was missing for me and/or didn’t make sense to me. That being said, there are a lot of really powerful and visceral moments and we are given a compelling depth of history for the characters.
There are multiple unresolved arcs- Theo’s gender identity, Mesuline’s relationship to the events at the end of the book, and then- what happens to this society, anyways? I was really interested in seeing where everything was going- a lot of these arcs ended up feeling underdeveloped.
The resolution was unsatisfying. In that, there wasn’t much of one? I was on board for a lot of the book, and in the end, I just didn’t know what the point was. The end left a bitter taste in my mouth that had me wondering to what end any of the actions in the book were for, afterall. (But not in a devastating 1984 way, in a I don’t know what the author is trying to say here way.)