Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
Rise to the Sun delivered the same cute teenage rom com Johnson had made herself known for, only this time amidst a music festival instead of a cut throat prom season. You Should See Me in a Crown was one of my top books of 2020 and I recommend it a lot. This unfortunately means Rise to the Sun has a lot to live up to and it just didn't cut it for me. Olivia is attending her first Farmland Music Festival in an attempt to distract herself from a lingering issue at school. Toni is back at the festival that practically raised her, where her father used to take her every year until he died in an attempt to win the amateur singing competition. The two stumble upon each other, each with a best friend/sidekick in tow and decide to team up to try to win the singing competition and the scavenger hunt. Their instant connection morphs into something more and the festival heals them both in ways they did not imagine.
The story is hella cute and I really enjoyed both the characters and backstories of Olivia and Toni. I also enjoyed their respective best friends, Imani and Peter, and their almost love square turned something way different. I think what lost me was the two perspectives. They were written in similar style and cadence and other that the life details, nothing distinguished Olivia from Toni in language or tone. I looooved Liz Lightly in Johnson's debut novel and simultaneously fell in love with Mack as the novel progressed, not because I was reading Mack's perspective but because she was framed so perfectly from Liz' perspective. I personally felt the change to two perspectives weakened both characters enough that I couldn't form the same connections. Also, I am not a music festival scene kind of girl so was not intrigued at all by the setting (it in fact stressed me out... all those people and camping?!) which was another notch against it.
Though it has the same high energy, cute-a-f romantic storyline with some real examinations of deeper subjects, Rise to the Sun just didn't live up to it's older sibling You Should See Me in a Crown. I'd still recommend it to readers of YA romance, especially LGBTQIA+ romance because it's strong on most levels and will hit you in the feels.
The story is hella cute and I really enjoyed both the characters and backstories of Olivia and Toni. I also enjoyed their respective best friends, Imani and Peter, and their almost love square turned something way different. I think what lost me was the two perspectives. They were written in similar style and cadence and other that the life details, nothing distinguished Olivia from Toni in language or tone. I looooved Liz Lightly in Johnson's debut novel and simultaneously fell in love with Mack as the novel progressed, not because I was reading Mack's perspective but because she was framed so perfectly from Liz' perspective. I personally felt the change to two perspectives weakened both characters enough that I couldn't form the same connections. Also, I am not a music festival scene kind of girl so was not intrigued at all by the setting (it in fact stressed me out... all those people and camping?!) which was another notch against it.
Though it has the same high energy, cute-a-f romantic storyline with some real examinations of deeper subjects, Rise to the Sun just didn't live up to it's older sibling You Should See Me in a Crown. I'd still recommend it to readers of YA romance, especially LGBTQIA+ romance because it's strong on most levels and will hit you in the feels.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
it started so good and i feel like the ending was wayyyy too rushed and toxic
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This would have probably been a one star book for me, if not for the characterization which was beautifully executed. Unfortunately, I've discovered that romances that start over a very short ammount of time is just not my thing, so this one kind of fell flat for me....
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
I really enjoyed this book! Both of the characters felt fully fleshed out and like their own people with their own personalities. I loved all of the important topics this touched on (I will say that it talks about some heavy things so check the tws) The whole music festival setting was so fun. I loved that we had a couple different goals our MCs were working towards it kept me interested for most of the book. I will say that I don’t really know how I feel about the ending the third act break up felt a little odd to me. Overall though I really enjoyed this and loved the characters!
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am happy to have found another great book to recommend to my students and even if this one didn't work for me as well, it's nice to remind myself that I'm not the target audience (I have long since passed being a teen girl) and that I could still enjoy the very human discussion in the book.
At it's core, Rise to the Sun tackles the idea that we shouldn't stop doing what we love or pursuing those we love simply because we live in fear. It just also has a cute teen romance between two girls at the same time. I love the joy that radiates off the page of this book and despite some of the more sensitive topics, two girls falling (literally) into a whirlwind romance during a music festival is never seen as bad or wrong. Both characters were so different and yet meshed so well.
My one complaint is the slight plot bump in the last 80% seemed a bit contrived but, like I said earlier, I haven't been a teen girl who has been slighted in awhile and I can name at least three students I've taught who would behave the same way.
I'm looking forward to putting this book in my classroom library for those looking for a bit of a summer romance during their independent reading time.
At it's core, Rise to the Sun tackles the idea that we shouldn't stop doing what we love or pursuing those we love simply because we live in fear. It just also has a cute teen romance between two girls at the same time. I love the joy that radiates off the page of this book and despite some of the more sensitive topics, two girls falling (literally) into a whirlwind romance during a music festival is never seen as bad or wrong. Both characters were so different and yet meshed so well.
My one complaint is the slight plot bump in the last 80% seemed a bit contrived but, like I said earlier, I haven't been a teen girl who has been slighted in awhile and I can name at least three students I've taught who would behave the same way.
I'm looking forward to putting this book in my classroom library for those looking for a bit of a summer romance during their independent reading time.
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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
Cute af w so much drrraaaaama!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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