Scan barcode
miksbookpicks's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
mhbookalicious's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.0
I think this book is a great YA/teen book! There are a lot of themes (like popularity, family, friends, boyfriends, etc.) that I think can be really helpful to read and see how our teenage main character handles each theme. I would definitely recommend this book to high school students because I think everyone in that subset could really relate to the characters in this book! There is a lot of drama and a lot of mess going on in these characters daily lives and they all have to find ways to sort through everything and figure out what to do next!
Personally, I kind of struggled getting into this book really fast because the main character, Lola, was not very relatable to me BUT I really began to enjoy some of the message that this book represents! I love that there are reminders throughout the book, as Lola begins to try to change and find a new focus throughout the summer, that can remind you as a reader of things like don’t always make things about yourself, listen to others, find yourself in nature, popularity isn’t everything, etc. I really loved these reminders and think that they serve as a great message for this books intended audience!!!
mrskingisreading's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you NetGalley and HaperCollins for the eARC for Lola at Last!
I loved Being Mary Bennet- I really did. Marnie was such a prickly protagonist and she made such enormous growth throughout the book. Based on what we heard about Lola in that book... I thought she was going to be downright insufferable in her own novel.
I was right.
Lola is *the worst* at the start of the book. After getting caught making out with a senior who had a girlfriend, she was ostracized completely. It was to the level where she was sent to boarding school in France, which did absolutely nothing to help her mental state... or her general attitude towards life. Said life completely revolves around recovering what she lost- her popularity and friend group. This, of course, leads to all sorts of self-destructive behavior. After a particularly terrible night, Lola is (not really) given a choice: either have charges pressed for destruction of property, or join 'Hike Like A Girl', a program run by Georgia Drake (sister of her BIL). While she initially is rude and disruptive, she eventually learns that 'nature stuff' can be something in which she takes pride.
What I love best about JC Peterson is her incredible ability to write character growth. It's not linear; they fall back to bad habits and self-sabotage. That said, by the end of the book I just adored Lola. She kept her fire and her sass- but moderated them with empathy. As someone who actually works at a summer camp, it was hilarious hearing her reactions to things like 'the trowel' (IFYKYK). Peterson continues to use P&P as inspiration for characters rather than plots- which makes it both fun to make the connections to the text while it not feeling repetitive in the slightest.
I laughed. I cried a bit. I laughed even more. 100% recommend.
I loved Being Mary Bennet- I really did. Marnie was such a prickly protagonist and she made such enormous growth throughout the book. Based on what we heard about Lola in that book... I thought she was going to be downright insufferable in her own novel.
I was right.
Lola is *the worst* at the start of the book. After getting caught making out with a senior who had a girlfriend, she was ostracized completely. It was to the level where she was sent to boarding school in France, which did absolutely nothing to help her mental state... or her general attitude towards life. Said life completely revolves around recovering what she lost- her popularity and friend group. This, of course, leads to all sorts of self-destructive behavior. After a particularly terrible night, Lola is (not really) given a choice: either have charges pressed for destruction of property, or join 'Hike Like A Girl', a program run by Georgia Drake (sister of her BIL). While she initially is rude and disruptive, she eventually learns that 'nature stuff' can be something in which she takes pride.
What I love best about JC Peterson is her incredible ability to write character growth. It's not linear; they fall back to bad habits and self-sabotage. That said, by the end of the book I just adored Lola. She kept her fire and her sass- but moderated them with empathy. As someone who actually works at a summer camp, it was hilarious hearing her reactions to things like 'the trowel' (IFYKYK). Peterson continues to use P&P as inspiration for characters rather than plots- which makes it both fun to make the connections to the text while it not feeling repetitive in the slightest.
I laughed. I cried a bit. I laughed even more. 100% recommend.
More...