Reviews

Zyla & Kai by Kristina Forest

hol3s1nmybutt3rflyw1ngs's review

emotional inspiring lighthearted 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

4.25

charlsys8's review

3.0

⭐️3

To begin with, I took WAY too long to finish this book. I found it to be a chore. I would have been perfectly fine with 100 pages or so being cut from this book. A romance book, particularly a YA romance, should NEVER be 480 pages long. I’m sorry but no.

The book isn't awful by any means, but it doesn't compare to other YA romances that I have read and adored like 'Love Radio' by Ebony LaDelle or anything by Joya Goffney.

The dynamics between Beatrice and Jamal intrigued me more than Zyla and Kai at times, which I thought were dragged on by tropes like miscommunication, foolery, and assumptions, especially in the middle. The structure of the book also didn't appeal to me.

The ‘mystery’ surrounding Zyla and Kai's disappearance at the end was rather lacklustre and anticlimactic.

Despite all this, the romance in this book is filled with cute, light-hearted fluff, which I enjoyed for the most part, but that didn't make it any less of a 3 star read.

Overall, I'm not heartbroken that I didn't love this book. However, some part of me feels a tad irritated that I didn't DNF this book, because it honestly felt like a chore.

sablon's review

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

chaptersandcharm__'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is the book you want a giggly , kicking your feet up in the air type of romance . 

nevaven's review

emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I would not call myself an avid reader but Zyla and Kai brought me to a new world of reading and what type of books I like. Although it’s not the best book, it brings me much happiness and comfort.

tdotrenae's review

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. The age range of high school about to transition to college is probably one of my favorite. Zyla and Kai are two very dynamic characters that are very easy to fall in love with. And I truly enjoyed the flow of the story, and the switching between the past and the present. Towards the end, it felt like I was sprinting to figure out what happened and to see how the story resolved.

Such a cute little story with characters and people that are truly lovable. I love the life lessons that are inner twined in the story and I definitely wish I had a story like this when I was a teenager. They are so many changes that happen for teenagers, and they are developing their personalities and figuring out who they want to be in the future. I truly loved it.

mbtiloves's review

lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

leahkarge's review against another edition

3.0

I hope to never hear the phrase “esophagus butterflies” ever again. 

ethannku's review

4.0

i am a sucker for stories told in reverse, or stories that approach the climactic event from both after and before the event, and this book pulls it off amazingly. i loved that the romance between zyla and kai moved quickly, and that there were timeskips in between chapters, because it kept the pace of the book up and kept me exciting to see the conclusion. this book is a little repetitive in some areas, and there are also times where the book tells instead of shows a lot of major events, especially towards the end, but overall it was an engaging read. also!!! both zyla and kai have unique stories and explore different aspects of being black, although the story isn't explicitly a book about race. as a non-black person, seeing these perspectives approached without the intention to educate nonblack people was actually really nice! i got to see into the lives of black characters without being talked down to, and also without the characters being compromised to account for a non-black audience. it was super cool. also points for casual polyamorous and bisexual representation!

this book is a nice read if you want a little suspenseful slowburn-esque romance featuring an all-black cast!

annawilson's review

mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0