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briannareadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this one! I didn't know if I would enjoy this story very much because, while I read Dear Martin and loved the message, I wasn't a huge fan of the writing and pace of the story. This wasn't so much a problem here!
The story follows Rico Danger who, with the help of the rich white popular boy at her school, tries to find the woman who she sold the winning lotto ticket to while at her job at the gas station. The whole situation gave me major In the Heights vibes, and the mystery behind "who has the winning lotto ticket and what will they do with the money" is very interesting! Especially coming from people who don't have money, like Rico Danger in this book, and the characters in In the Heights.
The topic of money was super important in this book, obviously. And I really liked it. Yeah, the idea that the rich white boy also has real problems too is a bit of a cliche, but I loved the way that Nic Stone talked about these subjects. That everyone has choices, although some are harder for some people.
And I loved the way Zan and Rico learned this. There is a point in the book where Zan says, even though he and Rico come from completely different economic classes, they both feel like they don't have choices when they really do, and I really liked that scene. And I really loved Rico and Zan together. Zan was so in love in Rico and it brought me back to cute high school romances where guys try to flirt with you in cheesy ways but it actually feels kind of nice? And I loved the way that throughout the book, Zan learned to ask Rico what she wanted instead of demanding her to do stuff.
But, I did feel like that was thrown out the window a bit at the end. Zan and Rico spend a lot of their relationship bickering about how Zan is always so demanding and needs to ask her about things first! But this takes a 180 at the end when he gives her half of the lottery money that just a few pages before Rico adamantly refused. While I don't see how else the ending would have gone (Zan would have just been an asshole if he kept the money), it also made it seem like Zan was Rico's knight in shining armour and Rico would not have been able to make it without his help. The ending was wrapped up rather quickly
And I wish Nic would have dove into their cultural backgrounds a bit more. As someone who is white and Afro-Latina, having all of these identities represented in the main characters was so great! Both of these characters are mixed-raced and I like how it's confusing. I like how it's not a simple, I'm half this and half this, but more like "I'm a mix of all these things because family is confusing and that's okay," which resonated with me a bit more. But I wish it was expanded on. Zan being white-passing and Mexican interested me a lot and I wish that was touched on more!
Those are basically my only complaints (besides the seemingly endless sentences and words in parentheses that I felt were not needed) and I really loved this book!
The story follows Rico Danger who, with the help of the rich white popular boy at her school, tries to find the woman who she sold the winning lotto ticket to while at her job at the gas station. The whole situation gave me major In the Heights vibes, and the mystery behind "who has the winning lotto ticket and what will they do with the money" is very interesting! Especially coming from people who don't have money, like Rico Danger in this book, and the characters in In the Heights.
The topic of money was super important in this book, obviously. And I really liked it. Yeah, the idea that the rich white boy also has real problems too is a bit of a cliche, but I loved the way that Nic Stone talked about these subjects. That everyone has choices, although some are harder for some people.
And I loved the way Zan and Rico learned this. There is a point in the book where Zan says, even though he and Rico come from completely different economic classes, they both feel like they don't have choices when they really do, and I really liked that scene. And I really loved Rico and Zan together. Zan was so in love in Rico and it brought me back to cute high school romances where guys try to flirt with you in cheesy ways but it actually feels kind of nice? And I loved the way that throughout the book, Zan learned to ask Rico what she wanted instead of demanding her to do stuff.
But, I did feel like that was thrown out the window a bit at the end. Zan and Rico spend a lot of their relationship bickering about how Zan is always so demanding and needs to ask her about things first! But this takes a 180 at the end when he gives her half of the lottery money that just a few pages before Rico adamantly refused. While I don't see how else the ending would have gone (Zan would have just been an asshole if he kept the money), it also made it seem like Zan was Rico's knight in shining armour and Rico would not have been able to make it without his help. The ending was wrapped up rather quickly
And I wish Nic would have dove into their cultural backgrounds a bit more. As someone who is white and Afro-Latina, having all of these identities represented in the main characters was so great! Both of these characters are mixed-raced and I like how it's confusing. I like how it's not a simple, I'm half this and half this, but more like "I'm a mix of all these things because family is confusing and that's okay," which resonated with me a bit more. But I wish it was expanded on. Zan being white-passing and Mexican interested me a lot and I wish that was touched on more!
Those are basically my only complaints (besides the seemingly endless sentences and words in parentheses that I felt were not needed) and I really loved this book!
reading_rachel's review against another edition
4.5
Such a quick, fun read. Nic Stone’s writing is fantastic.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I liked the story bit of suspense as they where looking for the ticket, and I keept hoping they would. It was a fun read but also had it's feelings and hardship in it
ngreader's review against another edition
4.0
FULL DISCLOSURE: I read an ARC of this book that I got at 2019 ALA Conference. This is reflected in some of the problems I read in the text that I won't reference here.
So the biggest problem I had is that I didn't really feel like Rico and Zan resolved the issues about money that was prevalent throughout the book. Zan still controlled how Rico got money so she wouldn't just spend it crazily, which isn't really giving much credit to Rico. Rico still seemed mad at Zan until the last like three pages of the book. It may have been because this was an ARC but it didn't feel fully fleshed out like Dear Martin and Dear Justyce did.
So the biggest problem I had is that I didn't really feel like Rico and Zan resolved the issues about money that was prevalent throughout the book. Zan still controlled how Rico got money so she wouldn't just spend it crazily, which isn't really giving much credit to Rico. Rico still seemed mad at Zan until the last like three pages of the book. It may have been because this was an ARC but it didn't feel fully fleshed out like Dear Martin and Dear Justyce did.
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Nic Stone is, to me, the female Jason Reynolds and if I could marry her I would...or we could be best friends, which is what I really hope for. LOL
This book was phenomenal. From start to finish I was on Rico’s side and felt for her the entire time. I loved that Stone wrote from animate objects’ POV because it was the only time I got to see outside Rico’s head. I want a sequel. So. Bad. Rico and Zan deserve a second chance and another love story. I’d read it the day it comes out
This book was phenomenal. From start to finish I was on Rico’s side and felt for her the entire time. I loved that Stone wrote from animate objects’ POV because it was the only time I got to see outside Rico’s head. I want a sequel. So. Bad. Rico and Zan deserve a second chance and another love story. I’d read it the day it comes out
ccmcc87's review against another edition
4.0
This was my very first ARC and I have to say it couldn’t have been a better first opportunity! I enjoyed getting to know Rico and her story. I always read with the eyes of my students and I can tell you that this book will be wildly passed around the school. Can’t wait to see it hit the shelves!
verypeculiarpages's review against another edition
4.0
This is my second Nic Stone book and both of them have been completely IMPOSSIBLE to put down. I started both with the intention of reading a few chapters and next thing I knew I was reading the last page. Her joyful personality comes through so clearly in her writing and it is supremely contagious.
This book was just so fun to read! The premise hooked me immediately and her characters are so real and charming and hilarious. Rico was a delightful narrator and her inner monologues were great. I especially enjoyed some of her nicknames for Zan in the beginning (my favorites were “toilet tissue Titan” and “pee pee paper prince”). Zan is a complete dork, Jax is the cutest, Jess is awesome and Ness is fabulous. I loved the random chapters that were narrated by inanimate objects— so creative and fun!
The plot kept me entertained throughout and though I guessed the big twist early, I was still shocked by how it played out! Stone’s writing is just so easy to read and I enjoy it so much. The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me but overall I liked this very much!!
This book was just so fun to read! The premise hooked me immediately and her characters are so real and charming and hilarious. Rico was a delightful narrator and her inner monologues were great. I especially enjoyed some of her nicknames for Zan in the beginning (my favorites were “toilet tissue Titan” and “pee pee paper prince”). Zan is a complete dork, Jax is the cutest, Jess is awesome and Ness is fabulous. I loved the random chapters that were narrated by inanimate objects— so creative and fun!
The plot kept me entertained throughout and though I guessed the big twist early, I was still shocked by how it played out! Stone’s writing is just so easy to read and I enjoy it so much. The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me but overall I liked this very much!!
calypsogilstrap's review against another edition
4.0
I love Nic Stone! Great realistic fiction story appropriate for middle and high. Not a romance kind of. But what a great narrator!
shinesalot's review against another edition
5.0
This is a PHENOMENAL audio book and story. Hard working Rico connects with super rich classmate Zan on a wild escapade to find the possible missing winner of a $106 million dollar Jackpot lottery ticket. As the two get closer to finding the ticket holder and their relationship grows more complicated the story just grips you. The best part - Rico's prom dress, the ticket, a dollar bill from Rico's Christmas bonus all chime in with hilarious and poignant observations throughout the story.
Awesome read. Appropriate for all middle through high schoolers.
Awesome read. Appropriate for all middle through high schoolers.