Reviews

Out of Character by Jenna Miller

bookishmillennial's review against another edition

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emotional funny 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? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

I adored Jenna Miller’s other book “We Got The Beat,” and I highly recommend it. A friend let me borrow the physical copy of this book, and I am so delighted I read this too. Jenna Miller is easily becoming a favorite YA contemporary author for me!!!! 

This book follows Cass, a fat lesbian teenager who navigates her mom’s abandonment, and begins to dive deep into her online role playing game and community. Cass is carrying a lot in this book (teenagers carry a lot, I will die on this hill): 
  • Classwork and grades
  • College applications
  • The book series she is fixated on, which translates into finding fandom and found family online 
  • Online friendships (which I can attest to, just like offline relationships, it takes a lot of effort to maintain sometimes)
  • A new girlfriend/romance! 
  • The aftermath of her mom up and leaving, and ghosting Cass & her dad for a few months (like, not even a phone call, wtf) 
  • ^^^ the above is what I would say is a huge mindfuck & would rock anyone’s world (my world at sixteen or seventeen would have absolutely been rocked, so I am not speaking for everyone, but holy shit)

I appreciated that Cass made selfish, messy decisions. I think we all do, and I think it’s authentic to how we would have handled things as a young adult too. I can’t say for certain I would’ve made different choices than her, and I appreciate this vulnerability in showing this fallibility. 

Overall, I knew who Cass would end up with, but I enjoyed the journey to get there! :D 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

elizabethkore's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

sedatedbookworm's review against another edition

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4.0

This was a delightful read! I loved reading about a queer girl who uses Discord and is a complete nerd while having divorced parents, almost too relatable. I think my only criticisms of this book are that it's kind of obvious of who Cass ends up and what friendships have a falling-out and which ones don't. But I understand why the book is written the way it is. I loved all the friendships that Cass has too, and I feel like I got to know every character really well and nobody was forgotten about either. Would love to read this author's future work! 

izzys_internet_bookshelf's review against another edition

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2.0

2/5

I found it to be alright. The writing in the book felt off to me though, like it wasn’t someone in high school so to say.

dqrklightning's review against another edition

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emotional

3.5

emmaroot's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted 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

4.5

I really liked it! I didn’t put it down for awhile so that’s always a good sign.  I liked the queer fatness nerdiness of it all, of situations I’ve felt I’ve almost been in. Except I think I made all the opposite decisions as the main character? Which made it interested and frustrating and good. 

I struggled when Carina came off as a villain for ghosting then coming back a little defensive/ rude when everyone was annoyed at her (and in my opinion being rude too, though maybe I’m in the wrong?) I feel like there’s just a lot of hurt feelings there, and since I apparently relate to Carina more than them that stung a little, mostly cause she doesn’t get a redemption when the middle school ex boyfriend and the mom sorta do. Maybe that’s just life? You don’t always see other people’s redemptions and they can happen much later? But also I wish she got some attention at the end because it would have made the theme stronger of not avoiding your problems. I’m 10 years older than these characters and only just starting to learn that
. But overall I’d recommend!

cassie_books8's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

janienefe's review

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lighthearted tense 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? Yes

2.5

lyoungthebookfae's review against another edition

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5.0

I highly enjoyed this book! A great look at leading two lives, and trying to balance that. Also a fantastic handling of parents divorcing when you’re a teen! I have a lot in common with the main character, Cass, and I just adored her to pieces. There were so many times I wanted to give he hug and tell her she didn’t need to hide or keep lying. Absolutely highly recommended!!

corvingreene's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-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? Yes

5.0

I read this for a book club, and I'm so glad I did, because I ended up loving it. It made me so emotional, as my favorite YA novels do, allowing me access to that inner child domain. I loved that the focus of this sapphic love story wasn't on coming out and the trauma of being queer, but just a typical nerdy teen experience. This is definitely one I'm going to reread. It gave me vibes of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, which is one of my favorite books. Cass and Cather would definitely be good friends.