Take a photo of a barcode or cover
828 reviews by:
olivialandryxo
[E-ARC provided by Netgalley. This doesn’t affect my opinion or the content of my review.]
[Quote from the e-ARC.]
I went into Just for Clicks expecting a cute read, nothing more. I didn’t expect to read the entire thing in less than twelve hours. It was cheesy and overly dramatic at times, but I loved it.
This novel is a fluffy contemporary that also explores very relevant things such as family, identity, and the negative side of fame. I think these elements were woven into the story very well, and added something special to it.
The main reason I loved this so much is because I managed to become so invested. I cared about the characters and what happened to them and how they felt. I sympathized and raged and mourned with them. There were many instances in which I wanted to hug Claire, and knock some sense into various other characters. Claire’s mom and sister could be terrible sometimes, but they weren’t shallow. They had reason, even if it was unfair or misguided. Then there was Rafael, the soft new boy who is technologically clueless and always had a joke at the ready. I found his story interesting.
It was really interesting to read about the social media aspect of Claire and Poppy’s lives. The story delved into the personal and mental toll of an online persona, how fame can affect people, and in general what it honestly means to be famous.
Admittedly, the format of my copy was a bit off-putting and jumbled, but that doesn’t affect my thoughts on the book. I don’t think that can really be helped, and I’m sure it’ll all look great in the finished copy. After each chapter there are texts, emails, social media comments, or some other form of interaction that I think helped immerse me in the story. It was fun to read the sponsor emails, though there were only a handful, because they could be a bit ridiculous.
The slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance was where the unnecessary drama came into play, but it was also, arguably, one of the best parts. Claire and Rafael fit together so well. I loved each of them on their own, so of course I was rooting for them as a couple.
The character arcs throughout the novel are admirable. I liked seeing Claire grow, and other characters as well. It felt genuine, and although I did really dislike some characters at some moments, I was happy for all of them.
There’s even a bit of a mystery present in the last third of the novel — at least I thought so. Even though it was fairly simple to figure out what the big twist was, I liked following along as certain characters dealt with the aftermath. I liked that answering questions led to mending relationships.
There was something present in this novel that I haven’t read much of: Claire loves to code. It was admittedly a minor element, but I liked it nonetheless. She wore coding pun shirts and designed a forum and there was a specific cute scene that involved coding. It’s not a common hobby for YA protagonists, at least not to my knowledge, so I was especially appreciative of its inclusion.
Although this is random and equally minor, I also liked how much Claire loved Halloween. She inspired me to reconsider my thoughts on the holiday.
[Quote from the e-ARC.]
Just for Clicks has a cute cover and an even cuter story, full of emotions, drama, romance, friendship, and more. At this rate, I can’t wait to see what McDowell writes next. I highly recommend you pick up this novel when it releases on February 19!
”All I want is to be a normal kid who can post whatever normal, boring crap I please without worrying about disappointing my family or upsetting hundreds of thousands of strangers. It’s a simple wish, and I hate how impossible it feels.”
[Quote from the e-ARC.]
I went into Just for Clicks expecting a cute read, nothing more. I didn’t expect to read the entire thing in less than twelve hours. It was cheesy and overly dramatic at times, but I loved it.
This novel is a fluffy contemporary that also explores very relevant things such as family, identity, and the negative side of fame. I think these elements were woven into the story very well, and added something special to it.
The main reason I loved this so much is because I managed to become so invested. I cared about the characters and what happened to them and how they felt. I sympathized and raged and mourned with them. There were many instances in which I wanted to hug Claire, and knock some sense into various other characters. Claire’s mom and sister could be terrible sometimes, but they weren’t shallow. They had reason, even if it was unfair or misguided. Then there was Rafael, the soft new boy who is technologically clueless and always had a joke at the ready. I found his story interesting.
It was really interesting to read about the social media aspect of Claire and Poppy’s lives. The story delved into the personal and mental toll of an online persona, how fame can affect people, and in general what it honestly means to be famous.
Admittedly, the format of my copy was a bit off-putting and jumbled, but that doesn’t affect my thoughts on the book. I don’t think that can really be helped, and I’m sure it’ll all look great in the finished copy. After each chapter there are texts, emails, social media comments, or some other form of interaction that I think helped immerse me in the story. It was fun to read the sponsor emails, though there were only a handful, because they could be a bit ridiculous.
The slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance was where the unnecessary drama came into play, but it was also, arguably, one of the best parts. Claire and Rafael fit together so well. I loved each of them on their own, so of course I was rooting for them as a couple.
The character arcs throughout the novel are admirable. I liked seeing Claire grow, and other characters as well. It felt genuine, and although I did really dislike some characters at some moments, I was happy for all of them.
There’s even a bit of a mystery present in the last third of the novel — at least I thought so. Even though it was fairly simple to figure out what the big twist was, I liked following along as certain characters dealt with the aftermath. I liked that answering questions led to mending relationships.
There was something present in this novel that I haven’t read much of: Claire loves to code. It was admittedly a minor element, but I liked it nonetheless. She wore coding pun shirts and designed a forum and there was a specific cute scene that involved coding. It’s not a common hobby for YA protagonists, at least not to my knowledge, so I was especially appreciative of its inclusion.
Although this is random and equally minor, I also liked how much Claire loved Halloween. She inspired me to reconsider my thoughts on the holiday.
”’There’s no pressure to buy the right gift or make the perfect meal or say the right thing. It’s nothing but fun. I love the idea that for one night a year, I can be anyone or anything I want.’”
[Quote from the e-ARC.]
Just for Clicks has a cute cover and an even cuter story, full of emotions, drama, romance, friendship, and more. At this rate, I can’t wait to see what McDowell writes next. I highly recommend you pick up this novel when it releases on February 19!
2.5 stars
[ARC provided by the publisher. This doesn’t affect my opinion or the content of my review.]
I Do Not Trust You has a catchy title and an intriguing premise, so I was looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver.
First off, though this isn’t related to the story itself, I think it’s marketed incorrectly. On my copy, it’s categorized as a thriller, and I love a good thriller. But this is more of a contemporary adventure with heavy mythological influences.
I enjoyed the first 100 pages. I thought the story was interesting and fast-paced, but before I got to the 200 page mark, I was losing interest. To be honest, the events of the novel began to feel formulaic, and often the only change seemed to be the location.
I did appreciate the global scavenger hunt aspect of the story; we visit France, Norway, Egypt, India, Indonesia, and possibly more countries that I’m forgetting. I liked the tidbits of culture and mythology woven into the chapters. However, I have seen a few readers question the cultural accuracy. I’m not qualified to discuss that, but I think it’s at least worth mentioning.
While I liked our protagonists, M and Ash, I never connected to them. I read their story without truly caring for them. At times, they felt a bit stereotypical: M was the smarter than usual but just as stubborn girl, while Ash was the aloof boy with a bad past. He’s even British, for crying out loud. I have nothing against M or Ash, but I do feel like I’ve seen them before.
It was never explicitly stated, and there was no kiss as far as I can remember, but it’s fairly obvious that M and Ash are falling in love. In most cases, I’m the hopeless romantic, shipping every ship whether it’s canon or not. But here, I wondered why. I don’t believe the two had any chemistry. It could’ve been a great enemies-to-lovers romance, or focused on the adventure while they became friends. Neither of those ended up happening, and I’m not a fan of what did happen.
One aspect of this novel felt unbelievable to me — how important M and her father were. Basically, there’s a cult that worships the Egyptian god Horus, and another that worships Set. The Set cult wants to gather the pieces of this Set statue that, if put together, can supposedly reincarnate the god and destroy the world. The Horus cult wants to stop that from happening. But in order to find those pieces, the Set cult has M’s dad translating this ancient map, keeping him a prisoner.
What I find unbelievable is that M and her father are the only people in the world with enough knowledge of these lost languages to be able to crack the code. No other archaeologists or linguists or people of any profession could’ve done the same thing. In our modern world, how likely is that? I get that it’s likely that way to increase tension and further the story, but it still bothered me a bit.
Something else that had me raising an eyebrow was how easy certain parts of the hunt were for M and Ash. Don’t get me wrong, there were codes and enemies and natural obstacles. I’m referring to the fact that they were in historical monuments, sacred spaces, sneaking around late at night or in the early morning and going to areas that were likely forbidden. Where were the guards? The alarms? Surely buildings like the Notre Dame have security.
Lastly, I want to talk about the ending. No spoilers, but it felt anticlimactic. The novel — at least, the ARC — has 313 pages, and what I believe to be the climax didn’t occur until nearly 300 pages in. Even with the fight scene and all of those details, I didn’t think it was worth all of the build-up. After the battle, the end felt hastily done, without enough details given to satisfy. This is a stand-alone, but to me, the end almost felt like it was setting up for a sequel. I think another chapter would’ve been beneficial.
Although I wanted to like it, I Do Not Trust You didn’t work for me. I had a lot of minor complaints that kept adding up, and now here we are. I’d recommend this novel to fans of mythology and scavenger hunts, as long as you don’t go in with high expectations. I don’t think I’ll be reading more from either of these authors.
[ARC provided by the publisher. This doesn’t affect my opinion or the content of my review.]
I Do Not Trust You has a catchy title and an intriguing premise, so I was looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver.
First off, though this isn’t related to the story itself, I think it’s marketed incorrectly. On my copy, it’s categorized as a thriller, and I love a good thriller. But this is more of a contemporary adventure with heavy mythological influences.
I enjoyed the first 100 pages. I thought the story was interesting and fast-paced, but before I got to the 200 page mark, I was losing interest. To be honest, the events of the novel began to feel formulaic, and often the only change seemed to be the location.
I did appreciate the global scavenger hunt aspect of the story; we visit France, Norway, Egypt, India, Indonesia, and possibly more countries that I’m forgetting. I liked the tidbits of culture and mythology woven into the chapters. However, I have seen a few readers question the cultural accuracy. I’m not qualified to discuss that, but I think it’s at least worth mentioning.
While I liked our protagonists, M and Ash, I never connected to them. I read their story without truly caring for them. At times, they felt a bit stereotypical: M was the smarter than usual but just as stubborn girl, while Ash was the aloof boy with a bad past. He’s even British, for crying out loud. I have nothing against M or Ash, but I do feel like I’ve seen them before.
It was never explicitly stated, and there was no kiss as far as I can remember, but it’s fairly obvious that M and Ash are falling in love. In most cases, I’m the hopeless romantic, shipping every ship whether it’s canon or not. But here, I wondered why. I don’t believe the two had any chemistry. It could’ve been a great enemies-to-lovers romance, or focused on the adventure while they became friends. Neither of those ended up happening, and I’m not a fan of what did happen.
One aspect of this novel felt unbelievable to me — how important M and her father were. Basically, there’s a cult that worships the Egyptian god Horus, and another that worships Set. The Set cult wants to gather the pieces of this Set statue that, if put together, can supposedly reincarnate the god and destroy the world. The Horus cult wants to stop that from happening. But in order to find those pieces, the Set cult has M’s dad translating this ancient map, keeping him a prisoner.
What I find unbelievable is that M and her father are the only people in the world with enough knowledge of these lost languages to be able to crack the code. No other archaeologists or linguists or people of any profession could’ve done the same thing. In our modern world, how likely is that? I get that it’s likely that way to increase tension and further the story, but it still bothered me a bit.
Something else that had me raising an eyebrow was how easy certain parts of the hunt were for M and Ash. Don’t get me wrong, there were codes and enemies and natural obstacles. I’m referring to the fact that they were in historical monuments, sacred spaces, sneaking around late at night or in the early morning and going to areas that were likely forbidden. Where were the guards? The alarms? Surely buildings like the Notre Dame have security.
Lastly, I want to talk about the ending. No spoilers, but it felt anticlimactic. The novel — at least, the ARC — has 313 pages, and what I believe to be the climax didn’t occur until nearly 300 pages in. Even with the fight scene and all of those details, I didn’t think it was worth all of the build-up. After the battle, the end felt hastily done, without enough details given to satisfy. This is a stand-alone, but to me, the end almost felt like it was setting up for a sequel. I think another chapter would’ve been beneficial.
Although I wanted to like it, I Do Not Trust You didn’t work for me. I had a lot of minor complaints that kept adding up, and now here we are. I’d recommend this novel to fans of mythology and scavenger hunts, as long as you don’t go in with high expectations. I don’t think I’ll be reading more from either of these authors.
~ January 2019 ~
This is either my fourth or fifth time reading; I’m not sure. I’ve lost track. To this day, it’s the only book I was assigned in school that I enjoyed. However, this time around, I lowered my rating from five stars to four. There were a couple of things in the writing that seemed mildly offensive to me, and if I’m being honest, I don’t know what I’d think of this novel if I read it for first time now.
Even though I’m not as in love with this as I used to be, it’s a nostalgic read. This book will forever have a place in my heart.
And “‘Stay gold, Ponyboy,’” gets me every freaking time. AHHHHH.
***
5-1-17: I just finished my fourth reread and it was just as amazing. I think I'll always love this book, and I think the last four or five chapters will always break my heart.
I originally read this in seventh grade, but the dates shown are my reread. I read this again in early 2016 and forgot to mention it here, and I'm sure I'll reread it this year too. The only book I've read in school that I've liked at all, and I absolutely love it. It broke my heart though.
This is either my fourth or fifth time reading; I’m not sure. I’ve lost track. To this day, it’s the only book I was assigned in school that I enjoyed. However, this time around, I lowered my rating from five stars to four. There were a couple of things in the writing that seemed mildly offensive to me, and if I’m being honest, I don’t know what I’d think of this novel if I read it for first time now.
Even though I’m not as in love with this as I used to be, it’s a nostalgic read. This book will forever have a place in my heart.
And “‘Stay gold, Ponyboy,’” gets me every freaking time. AHHHHH.
***
5-1-17: I just finished my fourth reread and it was just as amazing. I think I'll always love this book, and I think the last four or five chapters will always break my heart.
I originally read this in seventh grade, but the dates shown are my reread. I read this again in early 2016 and forgot to mention it here, and I'm sure I'll reread it this year too. The only book I've read in school that I've liked at all, and I absolutely love it. It broke my heart though.
.jpg)
CW: gore, murder
[E-ARC provided by Netgalley. This doesn’t affect my opinion or the content of my review.]
I wasn’t sure what to think of Spectacle going in, but I ended up quite enjoying it. Although it was a bit grotesque at times, it wasn’t excessive enough to detract from my enjoyment or turn me away from the story. Additionally, there were many elements that, when combined, I found fascinating.
I liked all of the characters, something that doesn’t happen to me very often. Curious, perceptive Nathalie; sweet yet aloof Christophe; bold, mystical Simone; supportive, lighthearted Agnès — they were all so well-developed and empathetic, easy to root for. Their dynamics were interesting as well.
One aspect I especially favored was the lack of romance between Nathalie and Christophe. At the first signs of her crush, I rolled my eyes and hoped for nothing to come of it; as the story progressed, I actually began to hope for the opposite. I was even the slightest bit sad when Christophe told Nathalie he was engaged. Despite my changing feelings, I can say that I think the lack of romance makes this novel stand out.
Primarily, this is a murder mystery novel, and it was written exquisitely. I guessed multiple times who the murderer — nicknamed the Dark Artist — was, and never was I right. Each murder was more grotesque, each reveal brought more intrigue and confusion, and honestly it was all great. I liked the inclusion of magic and science and how that was connected to the mystery as well.
If you know me, you’ll know I’m a sucker for Parisian stories, and have been ever since I began learning French a few years ago. This is set in 1880’s Paris, and I loved the tidbits of culture and language interwoven. As minuscule a detail as it is in the grand scheme of things, every time a French phrase was included and I could translate, it put a smile on my face. More French YA 2k19.
However, as good as this novel was, there were a couple of things I wasn’t a fan of. First is the pacing. While I was intrigued from the beginning, I feel that the first half was slower and the second half picked up, but was a bit hectic. In general it felt somewhat uneven to me, though again, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story. It’s something I noticed upon finishing.
My other issue is the ending. It was somewhat of a cliffhanger, and thus not very satisfying. As I write this, I’m not sure if Exposition — Zdrok’s novel set to release next year — is a sequel or not. If it is, there’s nothing to worry about. If it isn’t, well, I wish that the story had been better resolved. These characters deserve better, even if it makes the story longer. I suppose we’ll have to see what happens.
Despite those complaints, I had a lot of fun reading Spectacle. I believe fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and The Diviners will enjoy this, though I advise you take that with a grain of salt because I’ve not read either of those novels. I’m saying this based on what those I follow and trust have said. That aside, I can’t wait to see what Zdrok puts out in the future!
[E-ARC provided by Netgalley. This doesn’t affect my opinion or the content of my review.]
I wasn’t sure what to think of Spectacle going in, but I ended up quite enjoying it. Although it was a bit grotesque at times, it wasn’t excessive enough to detract from my enjoyment or turn me away from the story. Additionally, there were many elements that, when combined, I found fascinating.
I liked all of the characters, something that doesn’t happen to me very often. Curious, perceptive Nathalie; sweet yet aloof Christophe; bold, mystical Simone; supportive, lighthearted Agnès — they were all so well-developed and empathetic, easy to root for. Their dynamics were interesting as well.
One aspect I especially favored was the lack of romance between Nathalie and Christophe. At the first signs of her crush, I rolled my eyes and hoped for nothing to come of it; as the story progressed, I actually began to hope for the opposite. I was even the slightest bit sad when Christophe told Nathalie he was engaged. Despite my changing feelings, I can say that I think the lack of romance makes this novel stand out.
Primarily, this is a murder mystery novel, and it was written exquisitely. I guessed multiple times who the murderer — nicknamed the Dark Artist — was, and never was I right. Each murder was more grotesque, each reveal brought more intrigue and confusion, and honestly it was all great. I liked the inclusion of magic and science and how that was connected to the mystery as well.
If you know me, you’ll know I’m a sucker for Parisian stories, and have been ever since I began learning French a few years ago. This is set in 1880’s Paris, and I loved the tidbits of culture and language interwoven. As minuscule a detail as it is in the grand scheme of things, every time a French phrase was included and I could translate, it put a smile on my face. More French YA 2k19.
However, as good as this novel was, there were a couple of things I wasn’t a fan of. First is the pacing. While I was intrigued from the beginning, I feel that the first half was slower and the second half picked up, but was a bit hectic. In general it felt somewhat uneven to me, though again, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story. It’s something I noticed upon finishing.
My other issue is the ending. It was somewhat of a cliffhanger, and thus not very satisfying. As I write this, I’m not sure if Exposition — Zdrok’s novel set to release next year — is a sequel or not. If it is, there’s nothing to worry about. If it isn’t, well, I wish that the story had been better resolved. These characters deserve better, even if it makes the story longer. I suppose we’ll have to see what happens.
Despite those complaints, I had a lot of fun reading Spectacle. I believe fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and The Diviners will enjoy this, though I advise you take that with a grain of salt because I’ve not read either of those novels. I’m saying this based on what those I follow and trust have said. That aside, I can’t wait to see what Zdrok puts out in the future!
3.5 stars
CW: death of parents, suicide, grief, substance abuse
If I’m being honest, I probably wouldn’t have picked up You’d Be Mine if the publisher didn’t send me a copy. I’d heard little about it and wasn’t very interested. However, upon finishing, I’m glad I read it. It’s a quick but fun read that I think will bring a little something new to YA contemporary.
To start, I loved the country music aspect. I don’t know much about country music beyond a few songs by Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line, and a longtime obsession with Taylor Swift before her transition to pop. But I loved Under the Willows, and if they were a real band I would absolutely listen to their music on Spotify. The concert scenes and epilogue at the CMAs were my favorite in the entire novel.
Annie was a brilliant, sweet, resilient, and fierce protagonist. I loved reading from her perspective and following on her journey. She makes the best of every situation, writes killer songs, and deserves a hug. She also deserves better, but I’ll come back to that.
I liked the focus on friendship in this novel. Under the Willows consists of Annie, her cousin Kacey, and their friend Jason, who’s Puerto Rican. Their relationship never wavers, despite the drama and strain of touring across the country and dealing with their increasing fame. Admittedly, I felt Jason was a bit of a static, stereotypical character, but I didn’t dislike him.
Remember how I said Annie deserves better? I’m talking about the love interest and the other protagonist, Clay. I get that he’s had a rough couple of years, he’s grieving, he doesn’t know if who he is is who he actually wants to be. I felt bad for him, but every time he started to grow on me, he turned around and did something that made me dislike him again. He was your typical bad boy with a tragic past, falling for a girl he thinks is too good for him and refusing to actually talk about his feelings. Now, I get that miscommunication is fairly common among teens, and I’m not trying to take away from that. I don’t expect every teen to be articulate and mature all the time; that’s not realistic. Clay just got on my nerves.
Every time Clay and Annie kissed, I rolled my eyes. That’s not to say that the scenes were badly written or anything, only that I didn’t like Clay and therefore was against my girl Annie having anything to do with him. Or maybe as I get older and closer to no longer fitting the YA age range, I become less of a hopeless romantic and more of a cynic.
I want to take a moment and pause my cynicism to appreciate the two male characters in this novel I actually liked: Annie’s grandpa, referred to as Pops, and Clay’s dog, Brinks. Pops was the sweet but protective, “cut your crap” grandfather I wish I had, and Brinks reminded me of my own dog, Tucker. Besides, how can there be a dog in a novel that I don’t like? It’s impossible.
This is more of a minor detail, but early in the novel, Kacey and Clay’s friend Fitz end up in a relationship that lasts the remainder of the story. Obviously, they aren’t the main focus of the novel and therefore I don’t have many details on them. However, I couldn’t help but feel as if their relationship had no purpose other than a few sex jokes. I can excuse insta-love between protagonists if it’s done well, but in this case it’s between two side characters and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at them.
Perhaps my biggest issue, aside from Clay’s character, was the unresolved thread involving Annie’s parents. Throughout the novel they’re called country music legends. Annie has memories of being young and on tour with them. They’re also called the tragedy of country music, as it’s revealed early on that they committed a double suicide. Annie is determined to make a name for herself without becoming like them; that’s a main part of the story and of her character. But we never find out what actually led to their suicide, if it was fame or stress or mental health or something else. Maybe it was eluded to and I missed it. Whatever the case may be, it’s something that stuck in my head whenever they were mentioned on page.
I didn’t much care for Trina, Clay’s agent, and wouldn’t mention her if not for one small detail that made me possibly too happy: she’s queer. It’s only brought up twice, I believe, but she has a fiancée named Melody. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a minor detail, but hey, it’s the little things that count.
Although You’d Be Mine is by no means a perfect novel, it was fun and full of music. I believe that those who enjoyed The Brightsiders will also enjoy this, as both stories are about music, friendship, romance, and overcoming obstacles. In general, I think contemporary fans will devour this novel, and I, for one, can’t wait to see what Hahn does next.
[ARC provided by the publisher. This doesn’t affect my opinion or the content of my review.]
CW: death of parents, suicide, grief, substance abuse
If I’m being honest, I probably wouldn’t have picked up You’d Be Mine if the publisher didn’t send me a copy. I’d heard little about it and wasn’t very interested. However, upon finishing, I’m glad I read it. It’s a quick but fun read that I think will bring a little something new to YA contemporary.
To start, I loved the country music aspect. I don’t know much about country music beyond a few songs by Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line, and a longtime obsession with Taylor Swift before her transition to pop. But I loved Under the Willows, and if they were a real band I would absolutely listen to their music on Spotify. The concert scenes and epilogue at the CMAs were my favorite in the entire novel.
Annie was a brilliant, sweet, resilient, and fierce protagonist. I loved reading from her perspective and following on her journey. She makes the best of every situation, writes killer songs, and deserves a hug. She also deserves better, but I’ll come back to that.
I liked the focus on friendship in this novel. Under the Willows consists of Annie, her cousin Kacey, and their friend Jason, who’s Puerto Rican. Their relationship never wavers, despite the drama and strain of touring across the country and dealing with their increasing fame. Admittedly, I felt Jason was a bit of a static, stereotypical character, but I didn’t dislike him.
Remember how I said Annie deserves better? I’m talking about the love interest and the other protagonist, Clay. I get that he’s had a rough couple of years, he’s grieving, he doesn’t know if who he is is who he actually wants to be. I felt bad for him, but every time he started to grow on me, he turned around and did something that made me dislike him again. He was your typical bad boy with a tragic past, falling for a girl he thinks is too good for him and refusing to actually talk about his feelings. Now, I get that miscommunication is fairly common among teens, and I’m not trying to take away from that. I don’t expect every teen to be articulate and mature all the time; that’s not realistic. Clay just got on my nerves.
Every time Clay and Annie kissed, I rolled my eyes. That’s not to say that the scenes were badly written or anything, only that I didn’t like Clay and therefore was against my girl Annie having anything to do with him. Or maybe as I get older and closer to no longer fitting the YA age range, I become less of a hopeless romantic and more of a cynic.
I want to take a moment and pause my cynicism to appreciate the two male characters in this novel I actually liked: Annie’s grandpa, referred to as Pops, and Clay’s dog, Brinks. Pops was the sweet but protective, “cut your crap” grandfather I wish I had, and Brinks reminded me of my own dog, Tucker. Besides, how can there be a dog in a novel that I don’t like? It’s impossible.
This is more of a minor detail, but early in the novel, Kacey and Clay’s friend Fitz end up in a relationship that lasts the remainder of the story. Obviously, they aren’t the main focus of the novel and therefore I don’t have many details on them. However, I couldn’t help but feel as if their relationship had no purpose other than a few sex jokes. I can excuse insta-love between protagonists if it’s done well, but in this case it’s between two side characters and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at them.
Perhaps my biggest issue, aside from Clay’s character, was the unresolved thread involving Annie’s parents. Throughout the novel they’re called country music legends. Annie has memories of being young and on tour with them. They’re also called the tragedy of country music, as it’s revealed early on that they committed a double suicide. Annie is determined to make a name for herself without becoming like them; that’s a main part of the story and of her character. But we never find out what actually led to their suicide, if it was fame or stress or mental health or something else. Maybe it was eluded to and I missed it. Whatever the case may be, it’s something that stuck in my head whenever they were mentioned on page.
I didn’t much care for Trina, Clay’s agent, and wouldn’t mention her if not for one small detail that made me possibly too happy: she’s queer. It’s only brought up twice, I believe, but she has a fiancée named Melody. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a minor detail, but hey, it’s the little things that count.
Although You’d Be Mine is by no means a perfect novel, it was fun and full of music. I believe that those who enjoyed The Brightsiders will also enjoy this, as both stories are about music, friendship, romance, and overcoming obstacles. In general, I think contemporary fans will devour this novel, and I, for one, can’t wait to see what Hahn does next.
[ARC provided by the publisher. This doesn’t affect my opinion or the content of my review.]
Although this is a companion novel and not a sequel to My Lady Jane, I’d hoped that I’d love this just as much. Unfortunately, that’s not the case; My Plain Jane was, for lack of a better word, plain.
I want to preface this by saying that I’ve not read Jane Eyre, nor do I plan to. I’ve never been interested in classics, and if the original is as boring and over-dramatic as this retelling, count me out.
First, I got rather annoyed at the repeated mention of Jane’s plainness. It’s in the title. It’s mentioned in the beginning of the novel. I would’ve thought that’s more than enough, but apparently it isn’t. Throughout these 450 pages, it kept. coming. up. People would use Jane’s plainness as an insult. It would be brought up in her chapters, because she couldn’t fathom why Mr. Rochester would possibly love someone like her. It got very old, very quickly. Not to mention that it’s typical for a character like Jane to be excessively described as plain but actually be pretty, even in a simple way. If the cover model is any indication, she’s not plain.
This novel took me a week to read, something that rarely ever happens to me. Although I was busy with standard things as well as the release of a new game in my favorite series, I often had free time that I could’ve used to progress and just…didn’t. The more I read of the story, the less I cared about the characters. As much as I wanted to, I didn’t care about any of them. I wasn’t invested in any of their stories. I’m typically an emotional person, and I felt next to nothing as I read.
Also, I’m not sure why everyone was so ridiculously dramatic?? I was almost constantly telling multiple characters to calm down, albeit silently, as I read.
Moving beyond the characters, the story was quite convoluted. I knew going in that it was a Jane Eyre retelling with paranormal elements, and while it certainly was that, it was also more, if that makes sense. It felt like a bunch of smaller plots threaded together rather than one overarching plot. One thing would happen, they’d resolve it, sprinkle some drama, rinse and repeat. The connection between these instances felt weak at best. I think this is the result of Hand, Ashton, and Meadows trying to cram too many elements into one story. There’s treachery of both the regular and royal variety, family issues, romance gone wrong, and a handful of other things.
While on the topic of romance, I have to say that I don’t understand why Jane fell in love with Mr. Rochester. In addition to being significantly older than her and having an unpredictable temper – though that’s solved later, because things™️ happen – he didn’t have much of a personality, and therefore no likable qualities to speak of. As far as I know, she liked him because he was tall, dark, and brooding; the phrase was used directly more than once in the novel.
I liked the concept of the Relocation of Wayward Spirits society, of ghosts and talismans, seers and Beacons. With a bit more polish and elimination of a couple of excess mini plots, I think this could’ve been the base for a truly intriguing story. However, in the novel as it is, I feel it was overlooked.
All in all, My Plain Jane was a novel with potential, but ultimately mediocre in many, if not all elements. It wasn’t as entertaining or humorous as My Lady Jane, and when My Calamity Jane releases, I’ll read it in hopes that this was merely a fluke.
I want to preface this by saying that I’ve not read Jane Eyre, nor do I plan to. I’ve never been interested in classics, and if the original is as boring and over-dramatic as this retelling, count me out.
First, I got rather annoyed at the repeated mention of Jane’s plainness. It’s in the title. It’s mentioned in the beginning of the novel. I would’ve thought that’s more than enough, but apparently it isn’t. Throughout these 450 pages, it kept. coming. up. People would use Jane’s plainness as an insult. It would be brought up in her chapters, because she couldn’t fathom why Mr. Rochester would possibly love someone like her. It got very old, very quickly. Not to mention that it’s typical for a character like Jane to be excessively described as plain but actually be pretty, even in a simple way. If the cover model is any indication, she’s not plain.
This novel took me a week to read, something that rarely ever happens to me. Although I was busy with standard things as well as the release of a new game in my favorite series, I often had free time that I could’ve used to progress and just…didn’t. The more I read of the story, the less I cared about the characters. As much as I wanted to, I didn’t care about any of them. I wasn’t invested in any of their stories. I’m typically an emotional person, and I felt next to nothing as I read.
Also, I’m not sure why everyone was so ridiculously dramatic?? I was almost constantly telling multiple characters to calm down, albeit silently, as I read.
Moving beyond the characters, the story was quite convoluted. I knew going in that it was a Jane Eyre retelling with paranormal elements, and while it certainly was that, it was also more, if that makes sense. It felt like a bunch of smaller plots threaded together rather than one overarching plot. One thing would happen, they’d resolve it, sprinkle some drama, rinse and repeat. The connection between these instances felt weak at best. I think this is the result of Hand, Ashton, and Meadows trying to cram too many elements into one story. There’s treachery of both the regular and royal variety, family issues, romance gone wrong, and a handful of other things.
While on the topic of romance, I have to say that I don’t understand why Jane fell in love with Mr. Rochester. In addition to being significantly older than her and having an unpredictable temper – though that’s solved later, because things™️ happen – he didn’t have much of a personality, and therefore no likable qualities to speak of. As far as I know, she liked him because he was tall, dark, and brooding; the phrase was used directly more than once in the novel.
I liked the concept of the Relocation of Wayward Spirits society, of ghosts and talismans, seers and Beacons. With a bit more polish and elimination of a couple of excess mini plots, I think this could’ve been the base for a truly intriguing story. However, in the novel as it is, I feel it was overlooked.
All in all, My Plain Jane was a novel with potential, but ultimately mediocre in many, if not all elements. It wasn’t as entertaining or humorous as My Lady Jane, and when My Calamity Jane releases, I’ll read it in hopes that this was merely a fluke.
3.5 stars
The Disasters is a lighthearted YA science fiction novel, and while I did enjoy it, it wasn’t as good as I’d hoped.
The story features a diverse ensemble cast. Nax, the protagonist, is bisexual and possibly Muslim, though I’m not sure about the latter. Asra is Muslim, Rion is black and queer, and Zee is a Russian-Kazakh trans girl. I loved the dynamic between the five of them, the banter and the use of the found family trope. It’s executed very well, and at times I forgot they’ve known each other for such a short time.
However, the characters themselves felt a bit flat. I don’t really know much about any of them. I did like and care for them, but I would’ve liked to know more than what’s presented on the surface.
The antagonists also felt flat to me. An explanation was given, but it was brief and made their plans seem rather extreme. I wish motives had been better explained.
I think the biggest issue here, in relation to my previous two points, is the emphasis on action rather than story or character development. As soon as the first chapter, things are already going downhill, and from there the pace rarely slows. While such an action-packed plot was entertaining, I believe it led to neglect of other aspects. Who are our protagonists? Who are our antagonists? Additionally, in the last third, a handful of scenes felt too fast, and even rereading a paragraph didn’t allow me to fully understand what was happening. I like fast-paced stories, but not at the expense of other elements.
Another thing I found slightly disappointing was how misleading I, personally, found the premise. Not very much time is spent in space beyond a few fights and escapes, and I don’t think anything really counted as a heist. The crew did have to do a few dangerous things in order to stop the terrorists, but that was the extent of it. Maybe almost-adult me is just too hard to please.
Something that took me by surprise, though, is the romance. It’s very minor and technically, nothing is established, but I still became unexpectedly invested. Nax has to figure out his feelings toward both Case and Rion, and they have feelings for him as well. It was an interesting addition to the story, for sure. Who knew a couple of kisses and some hand-holding could add so much tension and emotion? I’d love more of this, specifically.
I also would’ve liked more about the world. This story is set in 2194, a time where space has been colonized and technology is very advanced. Although the crew only visits the Ellis Station — Earth’s moon — and a couple of planets, I was intrigued by what we were given and a bit disappointed by everything that wasn’t mentioned. Medicine, technology, knowledge of space and what’s beyond Earth…there are so many possibilities in a novel with this setting, and I don’t believe the book delivered in that regard.
Despite my criticisms, The Disasters was a very fun novel to read. I think I would’ve loved this if it was available when I was a younger teen, but there’s definitely still appeal, even though I’m older. I’m not sure yet if I’ll pick up more of England’s work, but I can see myself recommending this one.
The Disasters is a lighthearted YA science fiction novel, and while I did enjoy it, it wasn’t as good as I’d hoped.
The story features a diverse ensemble cast. Nax, the protagonist, is bisexual and possibly Muslim, though I’m not sure about the latter. Asra is Muslim, Rion is black and queer, and Zee is a Russian-Kazakh trans girl. I loved the dynamic between the five of them, the banter and the use of the found family trope. It’s executed very well, and at times I forgot they’ve known each other for such a short time.
However, the characters themselves felt a bit flat. I don’t really know much about any of them. I did like and care for them, but I would’ve liked to know more than what’s presented on the surface.
The antagonists also felt flat to me. An explanation was given, but it was brief and made their plans seem rather extreme. I wish motives had been better explained.
I think the biggest issue here, in relation to my previous two points, is the emphasis on action rather than story or character development. As soon as the first chapter, things are already going downhill, and from there the pace rarely slows. While such an action-packed plot was entertaining, I believe it led to neglect of other aspects. Who are our protagonists? Who are our antagonists? Additionally, in the last third, a handful of scenes felt too fast, and even rereading a paragraph didn’t allow me to fully understand what was happening. I like fast-paced stories, but not at the expense of other elements.
Another thing I found slightly disappointing was how misleading I, personally, found the premise. Not very much time is spent in space beyond a few fights and escapes, and I don’t think anything really counted as a heist. The crew did have to do a few dangerous things in order to stop the terrorists, but that was the extent of it. Maybe almost-adult me is just too hard to please.
Something that took me by surprise, though, is the romance. It’s very minor and technically, nothing is established, but I still became unexpectedly invested. Nax has to figure out his feelings toward both Case and Rion, and they have feelings for him as well. It was an interesting addition to the story, for sure. Who knew a couple of kisses and some hand-holding could add so much tension and emotion? I’d love more of this, specifically.
I also would’ve liked more about the world. This story is set in 2194, a time where space has been colonized and technology is very advanced. Although the crew only visits the Ellis Station — Earth’s moon — and a couple of planets, I was intrigued by what we were given and a bit disappointed by everything that wasn’t mentioned. Medicine, technology, knowledge of space and what’s beyond Earth…there are so many possibilities in a novel with this setting, and I don’t believe the book delivered in that regard.
Despite my criticisms, The Disasters was a very fun novel to read. I think I would’ve loved this if it was available when I was a younger teen, but there’s definitely still appeal, even though I’m older. I’m not sure yet if I’ll pick up more of England’s work, but I can see myself recommending this one.
2.5 stars
CW: child abuse, PTSD, death of family members, ableism
Everything, Everything has been on my TBR for years, and now that I’ve read it, I must admit that I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I read it as a younger teen. It wasn’t terrible; however, I found many elements cliché and in general, this novel wasn’t my cup of tea.
First, I want to say that I did like the doodles scattered throughout. They were fun and added a little something extra to the story.
The main character Maddy is biracial, half African and half Japanese. I can’t comment on the rep, but for the most part I did like her as a character. However, there were times that I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her because she was impulsive and/or ridiculous. She turns eighteen toward the beginning of the novel, so while she’s still technically a teen, she’s also an adult. She’s clearly a smart girl, but sometimes she…doesn’t act like it.
In relation to my last point, many characters seemed to take certain traits to an extreme level. Maddy had a flair for the dramatic and her mom and new nurse were honestly terrible. I liked her mom at first, but as the book went on, I liked her less. (Note that this has nothing to do with her own mental illness.) The only two I liked without fail were Carla and Olly.
Something I noticed as I read was that the family’s financial situation seemed dubious. I don’t recall any mention of financial assistance or struggle, but I’m not sure how they made everything work. An air filtration system like they have can’t be cheap, and having a nurse for fifteen years, if I remember correctly, must also add up. And Maddy can still do some impromptu online clothes shopping, without even asking her mom first? It made me raise an eyebrow, for sure.
I think my biggest issue was the major case of insta-love. I can’t help but wonder if Maddy would’ve fallen in love with Olly if he wasn’t the first boy she ever met. Not to mention that their romance was so fast-paced, and in general I thought it was questionable, especially if we’re talking about the risks Maddy took for Olly and their relationship.
While we’re on the subject of Olly, that boy deserves better. He has a rough, abusive home life, and his romance with Maddy is good for him until she drops him like a hot potato. They kissed, they had sex, they even ran away, and then she won’t even talk to him. I want to give this boy a hug.
This might just be me being petty, but toward the end, I found a small detail unrealistic. Maddy goes a month, maybe more, without reading Olly’s emails, only deletes them as soon as she gets them. Yet they’re sitting in her trash folder, still able to be read. Isn’t your trash folder emptied every thirty days? This shouldn’t be possible? Ultimately this is absolutely insignificant, but I felt like bringing it up anyway. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I knew the end was considered controversial, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. I did guess something similar before the reveal, and while admittedly, I found it interesting, I can see why people wouldn’t like it. I don’t have SCID or any other illness or disability, and I couldn’t find a review by someone with SCID. However, in another review, I did find a link to an article on Disability in Kidlit, and I think it’s worth checking out. Beware of spoilers if you haven’t read the book. http://disabilityinkidlit.com/2015/09/04/review-everything-everything-by-nicola-yoon/
And to be honest, it really does feel like a cop-out.
But despite the issues I had, I did enjoy parts of Everything, Everything. I never thought of DNFing it, and a few moments were genuinely sweet or otherwise emotional. I liked Olly, and if the end was better written, I think this novel could’ve been good. I’m eager to read The Sun is Also a Star and see how Yoon has improved.
CW: child abuse, PTSD, death of family members, ableism
Everything, Everything has been on my TBR for years, and now that I’ve read it, I must admit that I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I read it as a younger teen. It wasn’t terrible; however, I found many elements cliché and in general, this novel wasn’t my cup of tea.
First, I want to say that I did like the doodles scattered throughout. They were fun and added a little something extra to the story.
The main character Maddy is biracial, half African and half Japanese. I can’t comment on the rep, but for the most part I did like her as a character. However, there were times that I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her because she was impulsive and/or ridiculous. She turns eighteen toward the beginning of the novel, so while she’s still technically a teen, she’s also an adult. She’s clearly a smart girl, but sometimes she…doesn’t act like it.
In relation to my last point, many characters seemed to take certain traits to an extreme level. Maddy had a flair for the dramatic and her mom and new nurse were honestly terrible. I liked her mom at first, but as the book went on, I liked her less. (Note that this has nothing to do with her own mental illness.) The only two I liked without fail were Carla and Olly.
Something I noticed as I read was that the family’s financial situation seemed dubious. I don’t recall any mention of financial assistance or struggle, but I’m not sure how they made everything work. An air filtration system like they have can’t be cheap, and having a nurse for fifteen years, if I remember correctly, must also add up. And Maddy can still do some impromptu online clothes shopping, without even asking her mom first? It made me raise an eyebrow, for sure.
I think my biggest issue was the major case of insta-love. I can’t help but wonder if Maddy would’ve fallen in love with Olly if he wasn’t the first boy she ever met. Not to mention that their romance was so fast-paced, and in general I thought it was questionable, especially if we’re talking about the risks Maddy took for Olly and their relationship.
While we’re on the subject of Olly, that boy deserves better. He has a rough, abusive home life, and his romance with Maddy is good for him until she drops him like a hot potato. They kissed, they had sex, they even ran away, and then she won’t even talk to him. I want to give this boy a hug.
This might just be me being petty, but toward the end, I found a small detail unrealistic. Maddy goes a month, maybe more, without reading Olly’s emails, only deletes them as soon as she gets them. Yet they’re sitting in her trash folder, still able to be read. Isn’t your trash folder emptied every thirty days? This shouldn’t be possible? Ultimately this is absolutely insignificant, but I felt like bringing it up anyway. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I knew the end was considered controversial, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. I did guess something similar before the reveal, and while admittedly, I found it interesting, I can see why people wouldn’t like it. I don’t have SCID or any other illness or disability, and I couldn’t find a review by someone with SCID. However, in another review, I did find a link to an article on Disability in Kidlit, and I think it’s worth checking out. Beware of spoilers if you haven’t read the book. http://disabilityinkidlit.com/2015/09/04/review-everything-everything-by-nicola-yoon/
And to be honest, it really does feel like a cop-out.
But despite the issues I had, I did enjoy parts of Everything, Everything. I never thought of DNFing it, and a few moments were genuinely sweet or otherwise emotional. I liked Olly, and if the end was better written, I think this novel could’ve been good. I’m eager to read The Sun is Also a Star and see how Yoon has improved.
CW: homophobia, homophobic slurs, conversion therapy, sexual content, drug use, self-harm (There’s only one instance of self-harm in the novel, by a minor character, but it’s graphic.)
I can’t help but wonder if I read the same book so many people love. The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a popular novel that I was truly excited to read, but ultimately, I found myself underwhelmed.
My biggest issue with this novel is the extremely slow pacing. It’s nearly 500 pages and I honestly don’t know why. The first half follows Cameron dealing with the loss of her parents and discovering her identity as a lesbian, while the second half follows her conversion therapy upon discovery of her sexuality. It was a raw, powerful story, but several chapters felt like little more than filler, which somewhat lessened the impact. 150 or even 200 pages likely could’ve been cut without negatively effecting the novel.
I don’t mind character-based stories; in some cases I even love them. However, I can’t like character-based stories if I don’t like the characters themselves. There were only three that I liked: Cameron, the protagonist, Adam, a Native American two-souls person Cam befriended at conversion therapy, and Grandma Post, one of Cam’s two guardians following her parents’ death. Jane – an amputee and Cam’s other friend from therapy – was tolerable, but I didn’t really like or care about her. The rest of the characters, and there were quite a few, fell flat for me. A few were good, others weren’t, but I didn’t care about any of them.
I liked the setting of the novel. It takes place in rural Montana, beginning in 1989 and ending in 1993, and was unlike anything I’d read before. It was interesting to read about the small towns and the ranches and the sense of community, and I liked the descriptions of nature throughout. But one can only tolerate so many descriptions of surroundings before it becomes monotonous, and said descriptions can’t replace plot.
Even though I went into this novel knowing what it was about, the conversion therapy scenes were at times difficult to read. It’s frightening to know that even now, there are people that still think so terribly of being queer, that some queer people still receive terrible treatment for being who they are. Danforth discusses this in an authentic way, no holds barred. Although I had issues with other aspects of the story, I applaud her for this.
I also wasn’t very satisfied with how anticlimactic and open the ending was. I’m not sure how to further explain this while remaining spoiler-free, but I stayed up until midnight to finish and, upon finishing, wondered if I’d somehow gotten an incomplete copy. I would’ve loved more from this story, even one more chapter, to tie up loose ends. If you’re a fan of open endings, you might like it, but personally, I like closure. Not many open endings satisfy me, and this one didn’t.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post is partially a lesbian coming of age story and partially a story that examines the combination of religion and queerness. I enjoyed a few elements, but for the most part, my expectations weren’t met. I didn’t love this novel the way I so desperately wanted to. If I can find a way to see the movie, I probably will, but I’m not sure if I’ll read Danforth’s future novels.
”’I hate sour cream and onion Pringles.’
‘But you love Pringles.’
‘I hate sour cream and onion anything. All lesbians do.’
‘I want you to stop using that word.’
‘Which word? Sour or cream?’”
I can’t help but wonder if I read the same book so many people love. The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a popular novel that I was truly excited to read, but ultimately, I found myself underwhelmed.
My biggest issue with this novel is the extremely slow pacing. It’s nearly 500 pages and I honestly don’t know why. The first half follows Cameron dealing with the loss of her parents and discovering her identity as a lesbian, while the second half follows her conversion therapy upon discovery of her sexuality. It was a raw, powerful story, but several chapters felt like little more than filler, which somewhat lessened the impact. 150 or even 200 pages likely could’ve been cut without negatively effecting the novel.
I don’t mind character-based stories; in some cases I even love them. However, I can’t like character-based stories if I don’t like the characters themselves. There were only three that I liked: Cameron, the protagonist, Adam, a Native American two-souls person Cam befriended at conversion therapy, and Grandma Post, one of Cam’s two guardians following her parents’ death. Jane – an amputee and Cam’s other friend from therapy – was tolerable, but I didn’t really like or care about her. The rest of the characters, and there were quite a few, fell flat for me. A few were good, others weren’t, but I didn’t care about any of them.
I liked the setting of the novel. It takes place in rural Montana, beginning in 1989 and ending in 1993, and was unlike anything I’d read before. It was interesting to read about the small towns and the ranches and the sense of community, and I liked the descriptions of nature throughout. But one can only tolerate so many descriptions of surroundings before it becomes monotonous, and said descriptions can’t replace plot.
Even though I went into this novel knowing what it was about, the conversion therapy scenes were at times difficult to read. It’s frightening to know that even now, there are people that still think so terribly of being queer, that some queer people still receive terrible treatment for being who they are. Danforth discusses this in an authentic way, no holds barred. Although I had issues with other aspects of the story, I applaud her for this.
I also wasn’t very satisfied with how anticlimactic and open the ending was. I’m not sure how to further explain this while remaining spoiler-free, but I stayed up until midnight to finish and, upon finishing, wondered if I’d somehow gotten an incomplete copy. I would’ve loved more from this story, even one more chapter, to tie up loose ends. If you’re a fan of open endings, you might like it, but personally, I like closure. Not many open endings satisfy me, and this one didn’t.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post is partially a lesbian coming of age story and partially a story that examines the combination of religion and queerness. I enjoyed a few elements, but for the most part, my expectations weren’t met. I didn’t love this novel the way I so desperately wanted to. If I can find a way to see the movie, I probably will, but I’m not sure if I’ll read Danforth’s future novels.
”’I hate sour cream and onion Pringles.’
‘But you love Pringles.’
‘I hate sour cream and onion anything. All lesbians do.’
‘I want you to stop using that word.’
‘Which word? Sour or cream?’”
4.5 stars
CW: homophobia, colorism, emotional and physical abuse, implied rape and sexual assault, hate crimes (Specifically, a gay side character is beaten and killed.)
The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali is a sapphic story I had high hopes for, and it didn’t let me down. This novel took me by surprise; I read it in a matter of hours and I loved it more than I ever could’ve hoped. It was honestly impossible to put down.
Let me start by saying that Sandhya Menon’s blurb on the front cover, “This book will break your heart and then piece it back together again,” is 100% accurate. If not for my significant emotional investment, this likely would’ve been a four star novel. But I became so attached in so little time and that never wavered, so I’m increasing my rating by a half star.
Rukhsana was a remarkably strong protagonist, determined to forge her own path and follow her heart, no matter what. I admired this part of her and how it didn’t interfere with her love and consideration for those important to her, even in the roughest of situations. However, she didn’t feel like a dynamic character. The novel is about her family accepting her sexuality and her friends and girlfriend understanding her culture, rather than any personal growth on Rukhsana’s part. While I do like Rukhsana and applaud her choices, I believe she could’ve been fleshed out more.
Perhaps my favorite part of the story was Rukhsana and Ariana’s relationship. They begin the novel already dating, something I appreciated, and although they have more than their fair share of obstacles, they come back to each other in the end. They’re an innocent couple, but they’re passionate. They complement each other so well, and the fact that they did get a happy ending made me really happy. In stories such as this one, that’s not always the case, so I was especially grateful that Khan made this decision.
I’m white and not religious, so I can’t speak for the Bangladeshi or Muslim rep. However, both were intricately woven into the story, and I liked the elaborate, frequent descriptions of the former’s food and clothing.
I have to applaud Khan on the way she wrote Rukhsana’s large, incredibly complex family. The dynamic changes between different members, and everything was very well-done. I loved Shaila’s supportive, enthusiastic personality, and I appreciate the inclusion of such a close relationship with a cousin. Both her and Aamir, Rukhsana’s younger brother, were present, dynamic, and played a large part in Rukhsana’s happy ending. I also liked Nani, Rukhsana’s maternal grandmother. She was so sweet and wise, and I think she demonstrates that close-mindedness is individual, not generational. When Rukhsana came out and Nani was nothing but supportive, my heart grew three sizes.
In relation to my last point, I think Rukhsana’s parents were written really well. They did despicable things, but they still thought they were helping their daughter. They weren’t evil, only misguided, and the fact that they redeemed themselves, as did Aunty Meena, is another indication of Khan’s literary prowess. The support group and the birthday party were two of the best scenes in the novel, for varying reasons. You’ll understand if you’ve read it.
To be honest, I think the only reason I’m not giving this novel a full five stars is because of one personal issue I have. It’s possible that this is simply me being difficult, but I found a few scenes and conversations to be a bit too far-fetched or, in some cases, cheesy. While these were few and far between and didn’t affect my aforementioned emotional attachment, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes when I came across one.
The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali is full of heavy topics, but they’re handled with care and, alongside other aspects, make for a poignant sapphic novel. If you can handle the content, I highly recommend you pick this up. I can’t wait to see what Khan does in the future.
CW: homophobia, colorism, emotional and physical abuse, implied rape and sexual assault, hate crimes (Specifically, a gay side character is beaten and killed.)
The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali is a sapphic story I had high hopes for, and it didn’t let me down. This novel took me by surprise; I read it in a matter of hours and I loved it more than I ever could’ve hoped. It was honestly impossible to put down.
Let me start by saying that Sandhya Menon’s blurb on the front cover, “This book will break your heart and then piece it back together again,” is 100% accurate. If not for my significant emotional investment, this likely would’ve been a four star novel. But I became so attached in so little time and that never wavered, so I’m increasing my rating by a half star.
Rukhsana was a remarkably strong protagonist, determined to forge her own path and follow her heart, no matter what. I admired this part of her and how it didn’t interfere with her love and consideration for those important to her, even in the roughest of situations. However, she didn’t feel like a dynamic character. The novel is about her family accepting her sexuality and her friends and girlfriend understanding her culture, rather than any personal growth on Rukhsana’s part. While I do like Rukhsana and applaud her choices, I believe she could’ve been fleshed out more.
Perhaps my favorite part of the story was Rukhsana and Ariana’s relationship. They begin the novel already dating, something I appreciated, and although they have more than their fair share of obstacles, they come back to each other in the end. They’re an innocent couple, but they’re passionate. They complement each other so well, and the fact that they did get a happy ending made me really happy. In stories such as this one, that’s not always the case, so I was especially grateful that Khan made this decision.
I’m white and not religious, so I can’t speak for the Bangladeshi or Muslim rep. However, both were intricately woven into the story, and I liked the elaborate, frequent descriptions of the former’s food and clothing.
I have to applaud Khan on the way she wrote Rukhsana’s large, incredibly complex family. The dynamic changes between different members, and everything was very well-done. I loved Shaila’s supportive, enthusiastic personality, and I appreciate the inclusion of such a close relationship with a cousin. Both her and Aamir, Rukhsana’s younger brother, were present, dynamic, and played a large part in Rukhsana’s happy ending. I also liked Nani, Rukhsana’s maternal grandmother. She was so sweet and wise, and I think she demonstrates that close-mindedness is individual, not generational. When Rukhsana came out and Nani was nothing but supportive, my heart grew three sizes.
In relation to my last point, I think Rukhsana’s parents were written really well. They did despicable things, but they still thought they were helping their daughter. They weren’t evil, only misguided, and the fact that they redeemed themselves, as did Aunty Meena, is another indication of Khan’s literary prowess. The support group and the birthday party were two of the best scenes in the novel, for varying reasons. You’ll understand if you’ve read it.
To be honest, I think the only reason I’m not giving this novel a full five stars is because of one personal issue I have. It’s possible that this is simply me being difficult, but I found a few scenes and conversations to be a bit too far-fetched or, in some cases, cheesy. While these were few and far between and didn’t affect my aforementioned emotional attachment, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes when I came across one.
The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali is full of heavy topics, but they’re handled with care and, alongside other aspects, make for a poignant sapphic novel. If you can handle the content, I highly recommend you pick this up. I can’t wait to see what Khan does in the future.