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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
yvonne_cl's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Bullying
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Body shaming, and Fatphobia
Minor: Animal death, Car accident, and Drug use
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