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klord3's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Fun story telling for a complicated and difficult topic. I Loved the characters. It Manages to be gripping even though it is also very self reflective.
sarahhmorse's review
5.0
I literally JUST finished this book, like 5 minutes ago, and I’m already wanting to read it again. Trust me when I say I’m not one to immediately run to Goodreads to leave an impromptu review but this book was SO GOOD I had to come sing it’s praises right away.
I love rooting for Joel, I love the very 90s setting, and I love the staff of ROYO Video. This is great storytelling. I appreciate the hint dropping throughout. At times it could almost (maybe) come across as predictable, but if you’re anything like me and hate surprises and sometimes want to read the last page of a book first- then I think you’ll appreciate the way the story builds from this too.
But also. This book is very serious and gives a good bit of perspective on how far society has come since the era it’s set in, but also serves as a stark reminder of how far we still have to go.
Read this, now, as soon as you can. It’ll be a quick read because I promise you’ll have a hard time putting it down.
I love rooting for Joel, I love the very 90s setting, and I love the staff of ROYO Video. This is great storytelling. I appreciate the hint dropping throughout. At times it could almost (maybe) come across as predictable, but if you’re anything like me and hate surprises and sometimes want to read the last page of a book first- then I think you’ll appreciate the way the story builds from this too.
But also. This book is very serious and gives a good bit of perspective on how far society has come since the era it’s set in, but also serves as a stark reminder of how far we still have to go.
Read this, now, as soon as you can. It’ll be a quick read because I promise you’ll have a hard time putting it down.
erincataldi's review
4.0
I adored this book! It was kitschy, profound, funny, and heartfelt - everything I want in a young adult book. Joel has finally been given permission to start a new phase in his life - his counselor thinks that after years of mental hospitals, therapy, and distance from THE BAD THING that Joel is ready to press play on his life. For Joel that means re-entering society and getting a job like a normal teenager. He lands a job at a local video store despite his initial misgivings fits in with the other quirky oddballs who work there. They all go by their favorite movie characters rather than their real names and Joel is dubbed Han Solo. His boss Scarlet (ala Gone with the Wind) is so maddeningly hot it drives him and all the other male employees up a wall. But where he finds true kinship is with Baby (Dirty Dancing), the nonstop puking girl (is it anorexia or something else) who is whip smart and funny. They hit it off and Solo realizes that maybe he isn't the only one with problems - maybe they're all a little frazzled but the key to moving on is making friends and propping each other up. Fantastic. A cast full of characters that readers will laugh with and root for.
moyir90's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
modeislodis's review
5.0
This was great! What I liked most was that these teenagers had really complex emotional lives - nothing reductive in these pages. Then there’s the late ‘90’s setting which was infused with pop culture and very fun for this geriatric millennial to read.
thindbooks's review
4.0
*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
This was a greatly written book. It’s about a 17 year old guy named Joel, who is told by his therapist to get a job which is a step to a normal life. He starts at ROYO video with a new name “Solo” (Star Wars), where he meets a girl named Baby (Dirty Dancing). Now Joel is wondering if he should stay with a new blank slate persona or talk about his past. This was a beautifully written book with raw emotions. You can feel the feelings that the author put into this book. The author approached certain topics in the right way (which I won’t spoil since the summary didn’t say it). I loved the story plot line and the conflicts that the author put in this book. Plus this book takes place in the 90s! The pacing was great and the story was splint into three parts but only in Joel’s pov.
I enjoyed the characters in this book. They were all amazing and real. Most characters had issues that were solved throughout the story and I loved how this book just wasn’t all about the main character. There were supporting characters that were very involved in the book and had their own issues to be solved. Joel, the main character, has an amazing development throughout the story and I enjoyed his growing friendship with Baby. Baby was my favorite character because she was understanding and tried to not let anyone keep her down. The one character I didn’t enjoy is Joel’s mom and you will see why once you read the book.
This book had an amazing ending that was needed for the characters. There are no words to describe how great this book is. I didn’t have any problems with the book but it’s just not a 5/5 star read because it’s not my favorite book (like “wow!”) but I did enjoy reading it. This book has so many raw emotions and amazing character development that I haven’t read much before. I recommend this book to fans of John Green and those who want to read books that deal with mental health.
This was a greatly written book. It’s about a 17 year old guy named Joel, who is told by his therapist to get a job which is a step to a normal life. He starts at ROYO video with a new name “Solo” (Star Wars), where he meets a girl named Baby (Dirty Dancing). Now Joel is wondering if he should stay with a new blank slate persona or talk about his past. This was a beautifully written book with raw emotions. You can feel the feelings that the author put into this book. The author approached certain topics in the right way (which I won’t spoil since the summary didn’t say it). I loved the story plot line and the conflicts that the author put in this book. Plus this book takes place in the 90s! The pacing was great and the story was splint into three parts but only in Joel’s pov.
I enjoyed the characters in this book. They were all amazing and real. Most characters had issues that were solved throughout the story and I loved how this book just wasn’t all about the main character. There were supporting characters that were very involved in the book and had their own issues to be solved. Joel, the main character, has an amazing development throughout the story and I enjoyed his growing friendship with Baby. Baby was my favorite character because she was understanding and tried to not let anyone keep her down. The one character I didn’t enjoy is Joel’s mom and you will see why once you read the book.
This book had an amazing ending that was needed for the characters. There are no words to describe how great this book is. I didn’t have any problems with the book but it’s just not a 5/5 star read because it’s not my favorite book (like “wow!”) but I did enjoy reading it. This book has so many raw emotions and amazing character development that I haven’t read much before. I recommend this book to fans of John Green and those who want to read books that deal with mental health.