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hannahloves2read14's review against another edition
4.0
super cute. love the emphasis on friendships & discovering yourself.
lxmns's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I didn't like Jamie so I was kinda disappointed that Quinn got back together with her at the end , but otherwise a good book
literarycrushes's review against another edition
2.0
I’m not a huge YA reader, but I am encouraged by the surge of LGBTQ+ stories that have been coming out (pun intended) in recent years. But even with the recent popularity of books (& films & shows) like Simon vs. the Homosapien Agenda, I haven’t noticed as many lesbian/bi-focused stories reaching the masses. That being said, I was excited when I read a review for Katie Heaney’s newest YA novel, Girl Crushed.
I really wanted to like this novel… and I did. I just didn’t love it. To start with the positives, I liked that it was about the struggle high school relationships/ breakups that just so happened to be between two girls rather than another book about what it’s like to come out as a millennial/gen-Z. The characters were not reduced to stereotypical butch/femme archetypes and their relationship struggles felt authentic. But the plot felt flat and predictable from about the fifth page onwards and rarely elicited any emotions deeper than the occasional, “aww, cute!”
I recommend this book for young readers as a modern companion to more influential and probing books like Annie on my Mind and Rubyfruit Jungle.
**after reading a few reviews on Goodreads I want to add a trigger warning that some readers felt this book was biphobic (and there were possibly some now deleted tweets by the author suggesting this). I did not personally feel it was biphobic, but there were also some comments about a possible re-write that happened, which may have been the version I read.
I really wanted to like this novel… and I did. I just didn’t love it. To start with the positives, I liked that it was about the struggle high school relationships/ breakups that just so happened to be between two girls rather than another book about what it’s like to come out as a millennial/gen-Z. The characters were not reduced to stereotypical butch/femme archetypes and their relationship struggles felt authentic. But the plot felt flat and predictable from about the fifth page onwards and rarely elicited any emotions deeper than the occasional, “aww, cute!”
I recommend this book for young readers as a modern companion to more influential and probing books like Annie on my Mind and Rubyfruit Jungle.
**after reading a few reviews on Goodreads I want to add a trigger warning that some readers felt this book was biphobic (and there were possibly some now deleted tweets by the author suggesting this). I did not personally feel it was biphobic, but there were also some comments about a possible re-write that happened, which may have been the version I read.
faeliah's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I knew how this was gonna go in the end and I felt like it was dealt with beautifully and so realistically
guybrush's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
reads_cats's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
theamazingrj's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
amalauna's review against another edition
The writing was fine. I couldn’t get into the story.
aubspowell's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Spoilers
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At one point Jamie and Quinn argue and Jamie blames Quinn for only dating her because they were the only two lesbians at the school and Quinn argues that it's not the case but the way the author tells the story of Jamie and Quinn that's definitely the way it feels. It was very hard for me to read the end of this book. I was really rooting for Ruby and Quinn but instead Quinn goes back to Jamie. I was pretty disappointed if I'm honest.
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At one point Jamie and Quinn argue and Jamie blames Quinn for only dating her because they were the only two lesbians at the school and Quinn argues that it's not the case but the way the author tells the story of Jamie and Quinn that's definitely the way it feels. It was very hard for me to read the end of this book. I was really rooting for Ruby and Quinn but instead Quinn goes back to Jamie. I was pretty disappointed if I'm honest.
kimbyy's review against another edition
1.0
As a person who generally consumes more MLM stuff than WLW media, it was… interesting. It feels like it’s somehow stereotypical but I don’t know enough about wlw media so I won’t comment on it. The person reading the audiobook sort of puts me off liking the book because she doesn’t sound how I think the main character would sound. What happens is that a soccer girl, Quinn is dumped by her girlfriend, Jamie, them being basically the only openly lesbian people at their school. Anyway, Quinn has to get over Jamie and also learn how to be just friends with her again while she also woos this rich girl, Ruby, who’s the singer of a band. AND THEN SHE GETS BACK WITH HER EX?? Like, didn’t they already rehash the problems with their relationship? Weren’t there problems?? Isn’t it weird to go back and forth from friends to lovers to friends to lovers??!?!? I don’t know. I was half sleeping and half playing the pizza game in the car while listening to this.