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rileyswan's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
4.25
The Worst Perfect Moment was an absolute charm.
The humour was spot on from page one. It's rare for me to read a young adult book where the protagonist's voice is authentically that of... well, a young adult! But Shivaun Plozza pulled through with a consistently accurate depiction of the modern teenage mind: nihilistic and damn hilarious with it. Every comedic moment was timed perfectly, and it was a perfect contrast with the grief-stricken narrative.
Speaking of which, this book had a unique depiction of the afterlife, and dealing with being dead. The main character, Tegan, has been given a heaven in what is apparently her greatest memory, but was actually the location where she spent all her time as her life fell apart around her. Reading about her coming to terms with the complexity of her heaven, and picking apart the entangled feelings associated with the beloathed memory was enthralling.
It felt like reading an episode of The Good Place, but even better because gay people were in it! This book had the perfect combination of normalised LGBTQIA+ identity and explorations of our struggle. Tegan's lesbianism was simply there, inarguable and tasteful, and even more so was her romance with Zelda, the angel who created her imperfect heaven. But that didn't stop Plozza from using Tegan and Zelda's trips through memories and time to retrospectively navigate Tegan's journey through her first lesbian crush and date and heartbreak.
If you love grief narratives, complicated sapphic romances, and unique portrayals of the afterlife, heaven, angels, time travel, and God herself... pick up Plozza's The Worst Perfect Moment!
The humour was spot on from page one. It's rare for me to read a young adult book where the protagonist's voice is authentically that of... well, a young adult! But Shivaun Plozza pulled through with a consistently accurate depiction of the modern teenage mind: nihilistic and damn hilarious with it. Every comedic moment was timed perfectly, and it was a perfect contrast with the grief-stricken narrative.
Speaking of which, this book had a unique depiction of the afterlife, and dealing with being dead. The main character, Tegan, has been given a heaven in what is apparently her greatest memory, but was actually the location where she spent all her time as her life fell apart around her. Reading about her coming to terms with the complexity of her heaven, and picking apart the entangled feelings associated with the beloathed memory was enthralling.
It felt like reading an episode of The Good Place, but even better because gay people were in it! This book had the perfect combination of normalised LGBTQIA+ identity and explorations of our struggle. Tegan's lesbianism was simply there, inarguable and tasteful, and even more so was her romance with Zelda, the angel who created her imperfect heaven. But that didn't stop Plozza from using Tegan and Zelda's trips through memories and time to retrospectively navigate Tegan's journey through her first lesbian crush and date and heartbreak.
If you love grief narratives, complicated sapphic romances, and unique portrayals of the afterlife, heaven, angels, time travel, and God herself... pick up Plozza's The Worst Perfect Moment!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, Abandonment, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, and Car accident
sapphoslibrarycard's review
emotional
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
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
If a book nearly makes me cry, you know it's a good book.
Tegan's tumulus adventure into the afterlife, with the unhelpful help of angel Zelda, is a raw look at the complications of being a teenager and dealing with grief in its many forms and for its many reasons. The book starts with the main character's appearance in the afterlife, heaven, after her untimely death at 16. She's stranded in what her angel tells her is her happiest memory, a depressing gross motel, and Tegan wants nothing than to prove the angel wrong and get her real heaven. Zelda takes her through her memories to relive moments of emotional conflict in an effort to teach her what true happiness is, including disloyal friend groups and a parent leaving.
This book was an emotional reminder to find happiness in the places that happiness truly exists, not where we tell ourselves we should feel happy. Tegan's battle with needing to feel wanted is heartbreaking, but it's an integral part of the story. I think often YA stories can either brush over hard topics or go inappropriately into detail -- this book does neither. It discusses an important part of adolescence and young adulthood in a nurturing and comforting way.
The sapphic representation is endearing in a 16 year old falling in love kind of way -- a little awkward to read as an adult because it's embarrassingly accurate, down to the teasing name-calling and memorizing how many freckles are on a face.
If a book nearly makes me cry, you know it's a good book.
Tegan's tumulus adventure into the afterlife, with the unhelpful help of angel Zelda, is a raw look at the complications of being a teenager and dealing with grief in its many forms and for its many reasons. The book starts with the main character's appearance in the afterlife, heaven, after her untimely death at 16. She's stranded in what her angel tells her is her happiest memory, a depressing gross motel, and Tegan wants nothing than to prove the angel wrong and get her real heaven. Zelda takes her through her memories to relive moments of emotional conflict in an effort to teach her what true happiness is, including disloyal friend groups and a parent leaving.
This book was an emotional reminder to find happiness in the places that happiness truly exists, not where we tell ourselves we should feel happy. Tegan's battle with needing to feel wanted is heartbreaking, but it's an integral part of the story. I think often YA stories can either brush over hard topics or go inappropriately into detail -- this book does neither. It discusses an important part of adolescence and young adulthood in a nurturing and comforting way.
The sapphic representation is endearing in a 16 year old falling in love kind of way -- a little awkward to read as an adult because it's embarrassingly accurate, down to the teasing name-calling and memorizing how many freckles are on a face.
espen05's review
I liked the idea of the book but couldn't get into the book. Altought I can understand the appeal of this book and why people like it I just got kinda annoyied from the prickering between the two main characters. One part I did enjoy were the many details the author included.
ashtheaudiomancer's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.75
Thanks to a coworker who passed along this ARC from a library conference. <3
I am very in my feelings this week for reasons I won't get into, but this really hit me where I live. Exactly what I wanted and needed. I have been frustrated with some LGBTQAI+ reads lately, particularly YA, but this hit the perfect pacing and character development to make me fall in love with it. I also thinks it succeeds in capturing the voice of a realistic modern teenager, as opposed to the overly pithy or clever phrasing I see so much of. FYI the content warnings I included are major themes of the book, but you can probably figure out the "death" part from the plot summary.
Definitely going to look for more of this author's work!
I am very in my feelings this week for reasons I won't get into, but this really hit me where I live. Exactly what I wanted and needed. I have been frustrated with some LGBTQAI+ reads lately, particularly YA, but this hit the perfect pacing and character development to make me fall in love with it. I also thinks it succeeds in capturing the voice of a realistic modern teenager, as opposed to the overly pithy or clever phrasing I see so much of. FYI the content warnings I included are major themes of the book, but you can probably figure out the "death" part from the plot summary.
Definitely going to look for more of this author's work!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Abandonment
cwgoodyear's review against another edition
5.0
The Worst Perfect Moment is a journey through one (dead) girl's saddest memories and the angel leading the way. We follow Tegan who is 16, dead, and stuck at the worst motel in Jersey. Her angel Zelda says that the Marybelle motel is her happiest memory, which means Tegan will be there for eternity. One complaint to upper management later, they have 1 month for Zelda to prove that she chose the right memory and for Tegan to prove that she is emotionally strong enough to not be sent to purgatory. The next month is full of trips to sad memories, confusion, strong emotions, and a bit of falling in love. The feelings of not being chosen, not being the right one, of wanting a parent who doesn't want you back, all hit close to home and I was in tears by the end. I loved the ending, I loved the characters, I loved the story. The writing is a bit on the younger end of YA and insults like "buttface and d*ckcheese" are thrown around a lot, but to me the story and ending overcame that.
Thank you to Netgalley and Holiday House for the arc, all opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and Holiday House for the arc, all opinions are my own.
nerdybookbabe's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have conflicting thoughts about this book. We follow a main character who has died at age 16 and when she arrives to heaven, it is a ratty motel where she spent a long weekend with her dad and sister while her dad kind of falls apart. There is an angel, Zelda, in heaven who is excited and pleased that she made such a perfect replica of the hotel, and quickly becomes devastated when our main character files a complaint that her heaven is wrong. Heaven is supposed to be a replica of your happiest moment while alive. Zelda and the MC have 30 days for an investigation to occur to see if either Zelda's calculations were wrong or if the MC needs to go to purgatory instead of the fast track to heaven.
This was a unique story for sure. But the writing was inconsistent. Sometimes I felt it was snappy, but other times it felt very repetitive and overly young. So many "maybe breaths" and so much calling each other "butt face" and "dickcheese". There's also some teenage "trauma" with friends using each other to get closer to other people, and the MCs mom abandons them (which is definitely rough). I think this overall fell flat for me. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for it? Maybe I'm too old of a reader for it? The MC and Zelda felt more like 13 to me than 16, and maybe it would have worked better as a middle grade book than a YA book? I dunno. I could see teen readers enjoying it but the themes might not resonate with them. Interesting idea, mediocre execution.
I have conflicting thoughts about this book. We follow a main character who has died at age 16 and when she arrives to heaven, it is a ratty motel where she spent a long weekend with her dad and sister while her dad kind of falls apart. There is an angel, Zelda, in heaven who is excited and pleased that she made such a perfect replica of the hotel, and quickly becomes devastated when our main character files a complaint that her heaven is wrong. Heaven is supposed to be a replica of your happiest moment while alive. Zelda and the MC have 30 days for an investigation to occur to see if either Zelda's calculations were wrong or if the MC needs to go to purgatory instead of the fast track to heaven.
This was a unique story for sure. But the writing was inconsistent. Sometimes I felt it was snappy, but other times it felt very repetitive and overly young. So many "maybe breaths" and so much calling each other "butt face" and "dickcheese". There's also some teenage "trauma" with friends using each other to get closer to other people, and the MCs mom abandons them (which is definitely rough). I think this overall fell flat for me. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for it? Maybe I'm too old of a reader for it? The MC and Zelda felt more like 13 to me than 16, and maybe it would have worked better as a middle grade book than a YA book? I dunno. I could see teen readers enjoying it but the themes might not resonate with them. Interesting idea, mediocre execution.
acourtoffairytale's review
4.5
4.5 ✨️✨️
Oh my god, I loved this so much.
Both Tegan and Zelda we're beautifully written. There were moments when I was dully immersed in the story, and I felt 14 years old again, going through the motions with Tegan.
I could relate so much with her and her experiences in love, friendship, and family.
The Mrs. Chiu character is a real sweetheart, too. Every quote she said was a real eye opener. Also, her plot twist had me laughing so much because I never saw that coming.
I devoured this book in a day, I cried so much, laughed so much at the sparky remarks Zelda mades, at the jokes they share...
And as if I wasn't already ugly crying, you throw there Robbie and Mary's story, and I'm sobbing uncontrollably. That got to my heart, and I'm going to be thinking about them for days.
Overall, I think this book has all, but also, I think you have to go into it thinking it's middle grade. YA, it's a bit far-fetched.
Also, I take 0.5 stars out of this because:
1. The Kindle Edition was awful, with no chapters separations, chapters ending, and beginning on the same pages...
2. Sometimes, I felt this was a supernatural/Destiel fanfiction, which confirmed it with the Tumblr Destiel comment. Don't get me wrong, I love supernatural with my body and soul (i have it tattooed, there's no denying), but it threw me off so much that it blew the atmosphere when reading.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARCs✨️
Oh my god, I loved this so much.
Both Tegan and Zelda we're beautifully written. There were moments when I was dully immersed in the story, and I felt 14 years old again, going through the motions with Tegan.
I could relate so much with her and her experiences in love, friendship, and family.
The Mrs. Chiu character is a real sweetheart, too. Every quote she said was a real eye opener. Also, her plot twist had me laughing so much because I never saw that coming.
I devoured this book in a day, I cried so much, laughed so much at the sparky remarks Zelda mades, at the jokes they share...
And as if I wasn't already ugly crying, you throw there Robbie and Mary's story, and I'm sobbing uncontrollably. That got to my heart, and I'm going to be thinking about them for days.
Overall, I think this book has all, but also, I think you have to go into it thinking it's middle grade. YA, it's a bit far-fetched.
Also, I take 0.5 stars out of this because:
1. The Kindle Edition was awful, with no chapters separations, chapters ending, and beginning on the same pages...
2. Sometimes, I felt this was a supernatural/Destiel fanfiction, which confirmed it with the Tumblr Destiel comment. Don't get me wrong, I love supernatural with my body and soul (i have it tattooed, there's no denying), but it threw me off so much that it blew the atmosphere when reading.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARCs✨️
fanboyriot's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
5.0
♡ Afterlife
♡ Sapphic
♡ Chaotic Angel
This book was way better than I anticipated, definitely worth the hype I had for it. I really enjoyed the character development and how everything came together. The setting of this book was so good, all the details were amazing—from the tampon in the motel pool or the slimy mushrooms at breakfast, it was literally so well detailed!
The story was a good mix of humor and heartbreak, touching on more depressing moments as the main character coming to terms with being dead, that her heaven was a place she had some of the worst memories.
Also Zelda was amazing, I loved her so much.
This book talks about some heavy topics as well such as abandonment issues and neglect, failed friendships and childhood crushes, and of course death.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Spice Level: n/a
Angst Level: 💧💧💧 (5/5)
POV: First Person
Release Date: 14, May 2024
Rep: Lesbian (Main Character), Lesbian (Side Character), LGBTQIA+ (Main and Side Character)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Abandonment
Moderate: Grief and Car accident
Minor: Toxic friendship
tfstepakoff's review
4.0
This was so cute! A few tears there, a few cringes there, the overall message was great. I originally requested it because I wanted a light, queer read but this has much more substance to it. It’s not light all the time, but it’s balanced very well with all of the dark parts. It’s not just a romance, it reminded me of what life is about. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!