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tigger89's review
hopeful
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? No
4.0
There's so much packed into this little novel: body positivity, gender and sexuality, drag, identity, abandonment, religion, even the imposition of adult responsibilities onto childhood. Some of it gets a bit dark, and not in the way that's to be expected from a queer book, so check content warnings. The inclusion of supportive adults was a welcome counter to the dark patches.
I loved the process of Waylon embracing his identity and choosing to face rather than avoid people who made him uncomfortable. I especially liked the way Kyle was handled. We all know a Kyle. We're happy for you bro, but you've gotta stop putting everyone else down in the process of giving yourself a fitness pep talk! I liked that he was portrayed as more than a one-dimensional mean boy, because he really wasn't trying to put anyone down. It's not necessarily intuitive to realize the effects that cheerleading for your own accomplishments might have on others.
I was less a fan of the core romance. I'm not a huge romance fan in general, but even accounting for that, the resolution(events at prom) felt very rushed to me. It was cute, but nothing groundbreaking. I did appreciate how three-dimensional he was as a love interest. He actually had a life, motivations, and problems outside of the protagonist of the novel, which is unfortunately more rare than we'd like.
This isn't typically the kind of book I read(I picked it up for work-related reasons), but it was better than I'd expected. If I was rating just for my own tastes I'd give it a 3, but I'll bump it up to a 4 because I recognize just how Not For Me it is. Despite being #3 in a series, it can be read as a standalone. I haven't read the first two volumes, and I understood everything just fine.
I loved the process of Waylon embracing his identity and choosing to face rather than avoid people who made him uncomfortable. I especially liked the way Kyle was handled. We all know a Kyle. We're happy for you bro, but you've gotta stop putting everyone else down in the process of giving yourself a fitness pep talk! I liked that he was portrayed as more than a one-dimensional mean boy, because he really wasn't trying to put anyone down. It's not necessarily intuitive to realize the effects that cheerleading for your own accomplishments might have on others.
I was less a fan of the core romance. I'm not a huge romance fan in general, but even accounting for that, the resolution(events at prom) felt very rushed to me. It was cute, but nothing groundbreaking. I did appreciate how three-dimensional he was as a love interest. He actually had a life, motivations, and problems outside of the protagonist of the novel, which is unfortunately more rare than we'd like.
This isn't typically the kind of book I read(I picked it up for work-related reasons), but it was better than I'd expected. If I was rating just for my own tastes I'd give it a 3, but I'll bump it up to a 4 because I recognize just how Not For Me it is. Despite being #3 in a series, it can be read as a standalone. I haven't read the first two volumes, and I understood everything just fine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Alcohol, and Bullying
Moderate: Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, and Drug use
alisonvh's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
This book is every bit as endearing and heartwarming as the first two books in the series. Although you don’t need to have read the other two books in order to enjoy this one, I did appreciate that we got a glimpse of the couples from the two prequels and how they’re doing now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Transphobia, Fatphobia, and Bullying
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Addiction
Minor: Death of parent
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