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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
DNF @ 18%. Just not connected to the writing, story line, and characters, and not a big fan of music festivals/singing plot lines that arent musicals lol. Just not for me rn!
This is an absorbing read that left my heart aching for Toni and Olivia (and Imani). I love how much depth there is to both characters and everyone’s interactions. This could easily have been a much simpler summer love story, and I would have enjoyed that too, but instead it felt much more messy and realistic. I appreciated Olivia’s journey to recognizing both her faults (and the damage they’ve caused) as well as her self-worth. I know I’m the last one on the Leah Johnson train, but let me just confirm what everyone’s been saying: she’s a star.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
Absolutely beautiful from start to finish. I wasn’t sure what to expect because it’s so different from Johnson’s debut, but it’s just as charming and full of heart, with characters who stick in your mind just as much.
“To the Black girls in the back row at live shows, to the queer girls still trying to figure it out, to the Midwestern kids who have yet to find a home in their bodies—it’s time to press play on our happy endings.”
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
This book is exactly what I hope for when I read contemporary YA: sweet, earnest, breezy, and serious, all at once, with a sprinkling of dazzlingly lyrical lines that left me breathless. Some of my favorite character tropes got some good rep here too: we've got bisexual disaster Olivia, loveable himbo nerd Peter, creative genius ice queen Toni, and takes-none-of-your-shit-but-actually-takes-all-of-your-shit bestie Imani. There are tears, there is mud, there are asthma attacks, there is poor cell phone reception, and there is kissing, and I love all of it.
I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did since the premise isn't really my thing. However, after hearing such good things about it from other YA authors I'm into, I gave it a read and am so glad I did!
The characters felt incredibly realistic to me, something that doesn't always happen with teenagers in YA books. Olivia dates a lot because it makes her feel special and loved, Toni closes herself off in response to a traumatic loss. Both read like actual teenagers navigating complicated emotions. Despite neither wanting a romantic relationship with the other, Olivia and Toni fit together so well that it happens anyway. The relationship develops quickly, as the book takes place over the three day festival. However, given how impulsive Olivia is, the atmosphere of the festival, and how big emotions can feel as a teenager, I did not find this to be unrealistic.
Overall, I'd say anyone looking for a cute YA romance should read Rise to the Sun. It's fresh, sweet, and the characters shine.
The characters felt incredibly realistic to me, something that doesn't always happen with teenagers in YA books. Olivia dates a lot because it makes her feel special and loved, Toni closes herself off in response to a traumatic loss. Both read like actual teenagers navigating complicated emotions. Despite neither wanting a romantic relationship with the other, Olivia and Toni fit together so well that it happens anyway. The relationship develops quickly, as the book takes place over the three day festival. However, given how impulsive Olivia is, the atmosphere of the festival, and how big emotions can feel as a teenager, I did not find this to be unrealistic.
Overall, I'd say anyone looking for a cute YA romance should read Rise to the Sun. It's fresh, sweet, and the characters shine.
Another great romance! A little more drama than Johnson's first novel and less commentary on bigger issues. However, it was a quick and awesome read!
Leah Johnson has knocked it out of the park again! I adored the characters in this one, I loved how real, messy, and vulnerable these girls were allowed to be. Their growth throughout the story was so well done, and I loved getting to see the journey they took both individually and together. This novel also tackled with grace a lot of really important issues that teenagers these days face: gun violence, death of a parent, violation of privacy and defamation of character from a former partner. I also loved the way it wasn't just about romance, it was also about self discovery and friendship, healing and trauma. Overall it was a fantastic novel and I'm so excited for it to publish!
3.5✨
I loved You Should See Me in a Crown but Rise to the Sun didn’t quite pull me in the way I hoped it would. It was still cute and tackled important themes but I wasn’t a huge fan of the pacing and I found myself getting distracted very easily. I’m excited for Leah Johnson’s future books but this one didn’t quite meet my expectations.
I loved You Should See Me in a Crown but Rise to the Sun didn’t quite pull me in the way I hoped it would. It was still cute and tackled important themes but I wasn’t a huge fan of the pacing and I found myself getting distracted very easily. I’m excited for Leah Johnson’s future books but this one didn’t quite meet my expectations.