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thursday_iris's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
draudreymlau's review against another edition
3.0
This could be a 4 star, but I think I would have had to have read it at a more age-appropriate time. One male character seemed rather sinister, and the women just tear each other to pieces despite everyone being "friends."
arwahjawwad's review against another edition
3.0
Actual Rating: 3.5
"...I thought that maybe that was the point--that instead of happy endings, you get beginnings. hundreds of little beginnings happening every moment, each of them layering into histories deep and tangled and new, histories you count on to remain, no matter what changes the world throws at you."
Now this was a cute read! Light, fluffy and adorable. I just love books like these. But it sure had some issues.
I love Eph. He was everything I wanted him to be but Penelope wasn't. I always have issues with the girls and same was the case here. She was just too "sad and negative" all the time. And oh how much I hate her friends. They annoyed me so much. Like how can you even call yourself a best friend?
The plot was cute with a predictable ending but predictable endings don't seem to bother me. And those illustrations as chapter headings are just so adorable.
It could've been a 4 star read if only the main character was a little more mature.
"...I thought that maybe that was the point--that instead of happy endings, you get beginnings. hundreds of little beginnings happening every moment, each of them layering into histories deep and tangled and new, histories you count on to remain, no matter what changes the world throws at you."
Now this was a cute read! Light, fluffy and adorable. I just love books like these. But it sure had some issues.
I love Eph. He was everything I wanted him to be but Penelope wasn't. I always have issues with the girls and same was the case here. She was just too "sad and negative" all the time. And oh how much I hate her friends. They annoyed me so much. Like how can you even call yourself a best friend?
The plot was cute with a predictable ending but predictable endings don't seem to bother me. And those illustrations as chapter headings are just so adorable.
It could've been a 4 star read if only the main character was a little more mature.
kpud's review against another edition
3.0
I felt like the first chapter was pretty rough, but keep reading.
It's a typical cliched YA romance, with a terrible best friend (though not as bad as Vee in Hush, Hush), but I liked Grace and Miles and thought the museum angle was fun.
It's a typical cliched YA romance, with a terrible best friend (though not as bad as Vee in Hush, Hush), but I liked Grace and Miles and thought the museum angle was fun.
kerryann21's review against another edition
5.0
This novel was absolutely fantastic and just positively adorable. I felt so invested that I yelled at this book a good amount and yet the characters did not listen to me. Also this book made me decide to try dark chocolate kit kats which I now highly recommend.
c_w_t's review against another edition
4.0
full review up here!
i was provided an arc by netgalley and simon & schuster, so thank you to them!
oh man, I loved this book. I loved how raw and real penelope was, I loved that the things she went through were realistic and some of them sucked, but they made me feel like this story really happened. I connected so much with her, and with Eph especially, and I just thought that this was so gorgeous and lovely and bittersweet, it felt like growing up. I love love loved it.
i was provided an arc by netgalley and simon & schuster, so thank you to them!
oh man, I loved this book. I loved how raw and real penelope was, I loved that the things she went through were realistic and some of them sucked, but they made me feel like this story really happened. I connected so much with her, and with Eph especially, and I just thought that this was so gorgeous and lovely and bittersweet, it felt like growing up. I love love loved it.
simsbrarian's review against another edition
5.0
This one is a true delight! Penelope Marx begins the story by letting us know she has known true and devastating (lonely-making, butt-kicking) heartbreak. So she decides to make a "museum" and guides us through what brought her to this point. Each chapter is intro'ed with a museum-catalog style tiny sketch of an item and basic description and then Pen walks us down the trail of heartbreak: from Keats; the charming, dashingly handsome Perfect Guy; to a worryingly distant best friend Audrey; and then to her confusingly amazing other best friend Eph. This is about finding love, losing love, coming to grip with the reality that relationships and lives change and sometimes it's for the worse but sometimes it's for the better.
The prose is delightful; at times simple and at others just gorgeous enough to make you pause before dashing along to follow this enchantingly beautiful and fun tale of Penolope's falling into love, falling out with friends, realizing what's really important to her, and trying to make things right again. There's talk of dinosaurs, and work on a literary magazine, and a fabulous side-character boy finding his own boy to love. The banter is real and often funny and the growth of the characters and depth of relationship issues explored with even the parents of a non-main-character is amazing in such a short book. This is the rare one that could squeeze out a few tears or at least a choked up moment or two for these characters (and all without anyone Dying Beautifully of Cancer!) Pen may find heartbreak, but I never stopped rooting for her and she found a wealth of internal strength that is rare in YA for a character who didn't start OFF already self-assured/confident.
Anything you did not like? Some of the "pop-culture" movies and books were ones I'd argue are not really "classics" but are more "classics to readers around the age of 30, not age 16" but most references are framed in such a way that you can get the gist even if you've never read or watched the material it's pointing back to.
To whom would you recommend this book? Read Alikes? Highly recommended for fans of adorable (YA) love stories with funny, quirky, flawed and fabulous characters such as: The Fault in Our Stars; or Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe; or Fangirl.
Who should buy this book? High schools, public libraries, small book stores individuals
FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
The prose is delightful; at times simple and at others just gorgeous enough to make you pause before dashing along to follow this enchantingly beautiful and fun tale of Penolope's falling into love, falling out with friends, realizing what's really important to her, and trying to make things right again. There's talk of dinosaurs, and work on a literary magazine, and a fabulous side-character boy finding his own boy to love. The banter is real and often funny and the growth of the characters and depth of relationship issues explored with even the parents of a non-main-character is amazing in such a short book. This is the rare one that could squeeze out a few tears or at least a choked up moment or two for these characters (and all without anyone Dying Beautifully of Cancer!) Pen may find heartbreak, but I never stopped rooting for her and she found a wealth of internal strength that is rare in YA for a character who didn't start OFF already self-assured/confident.
Anything you did not like? Some of the "pop-culture" movies and books were ones I'd argue are not really "classics" but are more "classics to readers around the age of 30, not age 16" but most references are framed in such a way that you can get the gist even if you've never read or watched the material it's pointing back to.
To whom would you recommend this book? Read Alikes? Highly recommended for fans of adorable (YA) love stories with funny, quirky, flawed and fabulous characters such as: The Fault in Our Stars; or Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe; or Fangirl.
Who should buy this book? High schools, public libraries, small book stores individuals
FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
thatssostelle's review against another edition
4.0
Pitch perfect look at how many different kinds of relationships evolve when you are 16 -- from the parent to your best friends. I loved Penelope's love for dinos and museums and writing, and how she sets out on her own to widen her friendship circle when life starts to change. It was the right combo of sweet, funny, and a bit sad. (P is also very proud of being a woman, and I loved that! Plus the parents were fab especially her dorky dad.)
Can't wait to see what's next from Leder.
Keywords: NYC, friendships, literary magazine, crushes, great YA families
Can't wait to see what's next from Leder.
Keywords: NYC, friendships, literary magazine, crushes, great YA families