Scan barcode
chaptercharms's review
3.0
Thank you to the author, Rebecca J. Caffery, and SRL Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I've been in a reading slump this month, but this was such a quick and easy read and getting lost in the world of these characters definitely helped to pull me out. It's a great YA LGBT+ contemporary romance, that also has a very distinctive vibe and style that I think fans of books like Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Noah Can't Even by Simon James Green will really enjoy.
One of the best aspects of this book is the characters. They all felt very well developed and distinctive, each with their own dreams, hopes, fears, problems, likes, dislikes, and so much more. I think sometimes it can be really easy for books with fairly big casts to neglect characters and have them appear very flat, but this was not the case for Cherrington Academy. I wish we had more time with the girls as they were often more on the periphery, but I still feel like we learn a lot about them.
I also liked that the characters felt like very realistic teenagers. I often got annoyed with their actions as they constantly made situations worse for themselves (especially Logan and Isaac), but adult hindsight is 20/20 and these characters really felt like they were still learning about their themselves and the world. They made mistakes, they said things they shouldn't have said, they were dramatic, and much more. I think the young audience this is aimed at will really be able to relate to the characters and the sticky situations that they get themselves tangled in. Things constantly were falling apart then being pulled back together before falling apart again because of their actions which I think people will really enjoy if they like fast-paced contemporaries with a lot of action.
As always, diversity and representation are really important to me and I loved how there were several LGBT+ characters in this book and that they were friends. However, I do think there were some aspects of the LGBT+ representation that could have been improved, for example, there was a lot of homophobia or biphobia from other characters that is never fully addressed.
It also touched on the topic of mental health a few times which I wish had been explored a bit more. It shows the importance of seeking help and taking care of your mental health which is a really important message for a young adult audience. However, there were a few moments that I feel needed further developing otherwise they have the opposite effect, for example, Logan makes a throwaway remark about OCD that didn't hit right to me and I think would have worked better if his mental health had been framed more and he had been portrayed with OCD.
Overall, this was a great fast-paced and easy to read contemporary with some fantastic characters. I know there's a sequel already in the works for next year so I really hope some of the things that were only beginning to be touched on in this book will be touched on more in this sequel, such as the topic of mental health. It will be great to see how the characters navigate the fall out of the events in this first book and to see where they will go next as they mature and grow.
TWs: Homophobia, Terminal Illness
I've been in a reading slump this month, but this was such a quick and easy read and getting lost in the world of these characters definitely helped to pull me out. It's a great YA LGBT+ contemporary romance, that also has a very distinctive vibe and style that I think fans of books like Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Noah Can't Even by Simon James Green will really enjoy.
One of the best aspects of this book is the characters. They all felt very well developed and distinctive, each with their own dreams, hopes, fears, problems, likes, dislikes, and so much more. I think sometimes it can be really easy for books with fairly big casts to neglect characters and have them appear very flat, but this was not the case for Cherrington Academy. I wish we had more time with the girls as they were often more on the periphery, but I still feel like we learn a lot about them.
I also liked that the characters felt like very realistic teenagers. I often got annoyed with their actions as they constantly made situations worse for themselves (especially Logan and Isaac), but adult hindsight is 20/20 and these characters really felt like they were still learning about their themselves and the world. They made mistakes, they said things they shouldn't have said, they were dramatic, and much more. I think the young audience this is aimed at will really be able to relate to the characters and the sticky situations that they get themselves tangled in. Things constantly were falling apart then being pulled back together before falling apart again because of their actions which I think people will really enjoy if they like fast-paced contemporaries with a lot of action.
As always, diversity and representation are really important to me and I loved how there were several LGBT+ characters in this book and that they were friends. However, I do think there were some aspects of the LGBT+ representation that could have been improved, for example, there was a lot of homophobia or biphobia from other characters that is never fully addressed.
It also touched on the topic of mental health a few times which I wish had been explored a bit more. It shows the importance of seeking help and taking care of your mental health which is a really important message for a young adult audience. However, there were a few moments that I feel needed further developing otherwise they have the opposite effect, for example, Logan makes a throwaway remark about OCD that didn't hit right to me and I think would have worked better if his mental health had been framed more and he had been portrayed with OCD.
Overall, this was a great fast-paced and easy to read contemporary with some fantastic characters. I know there's a sequel already in the works for next year so I really hope some of the things that were only beginning to be touched on in this book will be touched on more in this sequel, such as the topic of mental health. It will be great to see how the characters navigate the fall out of the events in this first book and to see where they will go next as they mature and grow.
TWs: Homophobia, Terminal Illness
amanda_shortman's review
4.0
I actually found this a challenging read, not because the story isn't good, but because the characters are so flawed and I kept wincing and waiting for it all to implode, which it inevitably did. But that's why I've given Cherrington Academy 4 stars - a group of teenage characters, all trying to figure out life and relationships, whilst living in a boarding school situation where they are around each other all the time? How could it not be messy?
My only real complaint is that I would have liked to see more. Sometimes the story moved a little too fast for me, and I craved a bit more depth. But as it's part of a Duology I am looking forward to seeing the characters develop further in the second book.
My only real complaint is that I would have liked to see more. Sometimes the story moved a little too fast for me, and I craved a bit more depth. But as it's part of a Duology I am looking forward to seeing the characters develop further in the second book.
cameronjames's review
emotional
funny
fast-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? Yes
3.0
alfie_and_books's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I have feelings. I have questions. I loved the characters but why were they so dramatic? I loved the plot but why did elements come out of nowhere? Why was the ending like that? Have ordered book 2.
abigailpatricia8's review
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
#CherringtonAcademy by @rjcafferyauthor rated ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ on #goodreads and #storygraph
Wow, what a rollercoaster of emotion!!! Thank you @perellapages for the recommendation and gift 🧡 I bought its sequel #ComingHome seconds after I finished - its already arrived and it will be my first read of November for sure! (🙄 at my TBR right now😂)
I loved Logan from the very first moment I opened this book, and didn’t realise it would be as hard hitting as it was!!!
A boarding school drama that I could not put down. It was a lot of fun, but there were emotional roots which added a lot of depth to the story. Definitely check the TW’s before reading!
The representation in this book is brilliant too - very diverse.
I love, love, love the found family trope - and in this case especially Charlie - I actually think I might love him as much as, even maybe a little more than Logan! His scenes broke my heart, but Charlie is a perfect role model and fantastic friend!
The shock on my face when the truth coming out was nearing… I felt all the pain of actually being there with the characters. Isaac however - I felt deserved more negativity from the situation than he got. Especially at the ending of this book (WHAT?!), and I hope to see that happen in book 2!
You can definitely tell that these are teens trying to find their way in life, experiencing heartbreaks, lust, love, friendship and more but it all comes together perfectly!
There was a slight grammatical error on page 33, where their should be there. But this does not for one second take anything away from the book. Here for the drama (and more) and cannot wait for Coming Home!!
#book #books #bookish #bookstagram #bookworm #bookshelf #booklover #bookrecommendations #bookreview #booktok
Wow, what a rollercoaster of emotion!!! Thank you @perellapages for the recommendation and gift 🧡 I bought its sequel #ComingHome seconds after I finished - its already arrived and it will be my first read of November for sure! (🙄 at my TBR right now😂)
I loved Logan from the very first moment I opened this book, and didn’t realise it would be as hard hitting as it was!!!
A boarding school drama that I could not put down. It was a lot of fun, but there were emotional roots which added a lot of depth to the story. Definitely check the TW’s before reading!
The representation in this book is brilliant too - very diverse.
I love, love, love the found family trope - and in this case especially Charlie - I actually think I might love him as much as, even maybe a little more than Logan! His scenes broke my heart, but Charlie is a perfect role model and fantastic friend!
The shock on my face when the truth coming out was nearing… I felt all the pain of actually being there with the characters. Isaac however - I felt deserved more negativity from the situation than he got. Especially at the ending of this book (WHAT?!), and I hope to see that happen in book 2!
You can definitely tell that these are teens trying to find their way in life, experiencing heartbreaks, lust, love, friendship and more but it all comes together perfectly!
There was a slight grammatical error on page 33, where their should be there. But this does not for one second take anything away from the book. Here for the drama (and more) and cannot wait for Coming Home!!
#book #books #bookish #bookstagram #bookworm #bookshelf #booklover #bookrecommendations #bookreview #booktok
lgbtrepinbooks's review
3.0
Thank you sooooo much to SRL publishing for sending me an e-copy when I couldn’t find one! Cheers to the sequel!
Recommendation: 7/10
Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, cheating, blackmail, lying, death, cancer, therapy
Representation: Gay, Bisexual, Questioning
Cherrington Academy is a contemporary YA novel about a boy who changes schools mid junior year to escape his bullies. Logan makes new friends, falls in love, experiences heartbreak, and more in the halls of his prestigious boarding school. He navigates the remainder of the school year as well as a web of lies and betrayal that leads to a cliffhanger ending.
Overall, this was a good book! Personally I like a happy ending and do not enjoy cliffhangers, but I am very excited for the sequel! I felt all of the characters were fully developed and I enjoyed learning about a full cast rather than staying one character’s head. They each felt different and distinct. My only wish is a perspective shift rather than Logan solely narrating.
I liked the mention of mental health and the healthy stigma to therapy that was illustrated in the book. And I also loved how the characters were just queer and no one made a huge deal about it- very refreshing!
Recommendation: 7/10
Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, cheating, blackmail, lying, death, cancer, therapy
Representation: Gay, Bisexual, Questioning
Cherrington Academy is a contemporary YA novel about a boy who changes schools mid junior year to escape his bullies. Logan makes new friends, falls in love, experiences heartbreak, and more in the halls of his prestigious boarding school. He navigates the remainder of the school year as well as a web of lies and betrayal that leads to a cliffhanger ending.
Overall, this was a good book! Personally I like a happy ending and do not enjoy cliffhangers, but I am very excited for the sequel! I felt all of the characters were fully developed and I enjoyed learning about a full cast rather than staying one character’s head. They each felt different and distinct. My only wish is a perspective shift rather than Logan solely narrating.
I liked the mention of mental health and the healthy stigma to therapy that was illustrated in the book. And I also loved how the characters were just queer and no one made a huge deal about it- very refreshing!
More...