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clairewrobel's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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? No
3.0
agentsong394's review
2.0
The Throwback List has a super cute idea – make a series of Instagram posts about things you wish you’d done in high school. Yet, this book was so slow! There is little to no tension between characters. They just sit around eating and taking pictures. Any drama is resolved within a few pages. The main source of conflict is between Bee and her family. This storyline got real old, real fast as her family treats her with no respect constantly. After the whole story dragged on and on, the last few chapters were rushed, squeezing as many highlights as possible before abruptly ending.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
legalplanner's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Revisiting your things to do before going to college list after your life turns upside down, the Throwback List is just that.
The throwback list follows three friends and not necessarily friends as they work toward completing all of the items on the list for one of the friends. We see them learning how their attitudes are percieved when they don't communicate well with the others. That friendships are a two way street. Most of all, life does not revolve around your job. You are the keeper to your happiness.
The switching of perspectives was a great addition to this novel. Each girl has a distinct personality that comes of a specific way to the other characters, because of that it is easy to dislike the characters in one persons point of view but love them in their own. The diversity of having BIPOC, curvy, skinny, LGBTQIA+ personalities in this story made it so much more enjoyable. You get to really hear about their experiences as each of those characters.
You get to see their turmoil. You are really getting a true glance at adulthood in your late 20s early 30s and how life isn't perfect. I didn't think going into this book that I would get the perspective of your life doesn't end when you turn 30 and you should keep living your life as if you were 20 to an extent. It was a good reflective read and was a really great one to read as I too was heading toward 30.
The throwback list follows three friends and not necessarily friends as they work toward completing all of the items on the list for one of the friends. We see them learning how their attitudes are percieved when they don't communicate well with the others. That friendships are a two way street. Most of all, life does not revolve around your job. You are the keeper to your happiness.
The switching of perspectives was a great addition to this novel. Each girl has a distinct personality that comes of a specific way to the other characters, because of that it is easy to dislike the characters in one persons point of view but love them in their own. The diversity of having BIPOC, curvy, skinny, LGBTQIA+ personalities in this story made it so much more enjoyable. You get to really hear about their experiences as each of those characters.
You get to see their turmoil. You are really getting a true glance at adulthood in your late 20s early 30s and how life isn't perfect. I didn't think going into this book that I would get the perspective of your life doesn't end when you turn 30 and you should keep living your life as if you were 20 to an extent. It was a good reflective read and was a really great one to read as I too was heading toward 30.
morebookspleaseblog's review
4.0
I enjoyed this multi-POV story about friendship and finding yourself. While I would have loved more of Autumn. One of the things I enjoyed was how Anderson intertwined all the friends’ storylines. I think I connected with Jo more than I wanted to. When I moved away from home, I rarely went back, and while I’m Facebook friends with many people from my hometown, I don’t really stay in touch.
This story made me reflect on my own “Throwback List,” and how much of that list I’ve accomplished. It also made me reflect on the timetable I applied to my list. If I didn’t accomplish something on that list in a specified time, I was a failure. “The Throwback List” made me realize it’s not about when I accomplish the goal, but that I accomplished the goal.
I enjoyed this story very much and I look forward to reading more from Anderson!
This story made me reflect on my own “Throwback List,” and how much of that list I’ve accomplished. It also made me reflect on the timetable I applied to my list. If I didn’t accomplish something on that list in a specified time, I was a failure. “The Throwback List” made me realize it’s not about when I accomplish the goal, but that I accomplished the goal.
I enjoyed this story very much and I look forward to reading more from Anderson!
mariahashlee's review
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? Yes
4.0
garlicbreadlvr's review
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
zaineylaney's review
3.0
This book was pretty familiar in it's mechanisms - girl finds her circumstances totally changed and must move back home. The characters are fun and quirky, and the location of a beach town in Oregon was equally as fun. As you read along with these characters, you feel like you know them, like they could be you. But there is hope there that keeps you reading. My only criticism is that there are some parts of this book (towards the beginning) where I got confused with characters and details as they were being introduced. A little tightening up here and everything would be golden. If you are looking for a solid beach read, consider picking this one up.
krisdem96's review
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
kaiphill's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
malenhar's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I should have loved this book, I am dead on the target audience for this. Same age, similar townie background, and in my ways I share some strong characteristics with Jo. However, this book fell flat in many ways. Let's pull a Jo and pro/con this:
Pros:
-Realistic depiction of life in your mid 20s. Figuring out a career, where to live, who to love, etc.
-The actual Throwback List was very fun and my favorite parts of the book were when the group would have to get together as a whole to complete one.
-Funny! Lots of jokes and humor that I enjoyed.
Cons:
-Massively underdeveloped characters. Jo and Bianca had the best development but it still wasn't great. Poor Autumn had nothing going for her. I couldn't connect with her as well because she wasn't a fully developed character. (I feel similarly about Flo and Birdy although they were side characters)
-Jo's relationship with her parents was very underdeveloped too and the payoff for it was lame and not satisfactory. She was so horrible to her family and for what!
-Jo's sexuality should have been touched on a bit more. Without spoiling anything, I was SOOOOO thrown off with one of the choices she made in the last couple of chapters.
-Unsatisfying ending. It was very relastic but unless the author is planning a follow up book, kind of a let down.
Pros:
-Realistic depiction of life in your mid 20s. Figuring out a career, where to live, who to love, etc.
-The actual Throwback List was very fun and my favorite parts of the book were when the group would have to get together as a whole to complete one.
-Funny! Lots of jokes and humor that I enjoyed.
Cons:
-Massively underdeveloped characters. Jo and Bianca had the best development but it still wasn't great. Poor Autumn had nothing going for her. I couldn't connect with her as well because she wasn't a fully developed character. (I feel similarly about Flo and Birdy although they were side characters)
-Jo's relationship with her parents was very underdeveloped too and the payoff for it was lame and not satisfactory. She was so horrible to her family and for what!
-Jo's sexuality should have been touched on a bit more. Without spoiling anything, I was SOOOOO thrown off with one of the choices she made in the last couple of chapters.
-Unsatisfying ending. It was very relastic but unless the author is planning a follow up book, kind of a let down.