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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Review copy via publisher.
If you’ve been reading this blog long enough, you know I’m a sucker for any adaptations of Romeo and Juliet and when I read that “This Train is Being Held” was being compared to West Side Story, I was excited. West Side Story is my mom’s favorite musical so I grew up watching the movie many times, singing the songs, etc. I have even used it in my classroom when I taught Romeo & Juliet (my student’s reactions were hilarious). I’ve performed in the play, seen the play numerous times, so suffice it to say, I know a lot about West Side Story. Well, after reading this novel, I can say that aside from Isabelle being from the Upper West Side and Alex being from the Bronx, that is about as close to West Side Story as I saw.
The basic premise of the story, two kids from different worlds falling in love after meeting on the train over time, is a good one and one that I enjoyed, however there were many times the premise of the novel didn’t match up to the reality. I liked both Isabelle and Alex separately as both of their individual stories were very compelling; Isabelle’s family is falling apart financially and dealing with her brother’s and mother’s mental illness, while Alex is receiving pressure from his father to be a big baseball star because his dad played for the Yankees. The times that Isabelle and Alex are together are very sweet and their relationship is a very slow burn which was refreshing to read in a contemporary YA romance. However, the mechanics involved to make this slow burn happen, for me, was unrealistic. Isabelle’s and Alex’s first encounters were completely by happenstance, however once they exchange numbers, I feel like we should have seen their relationship move at a bit faster pace. The idea was that between both of their schooling, her ballet, and his baseball, they didn’t have much time to spend with each other, hence the encounters on the train. Again, very sweet, but in this day and age, teenagers are always on their phones. I feel like while Isabelle and Alex might not have been able to see each other often, they at least would be communicating in some way all the time, whether through text, Instagram (which they do), Snapchat (is that still a thing?), or whatever is the site to be on these days. I mean, I’ve had students somehow manage to find my Instagram and message me about their homework! I just did not find that aspect of characterization and world building believable in this novel and it prevented me from fulling engaging with the story. I felt that in order for the tension to work, to have something prevent Isabelle and Alex’s “happy ever after”, this “communication problem” that the two had just didn’t fit into the world of the story, hence making the story a bit unbelievable.
The plus of this story is that Isabelle and Alex were very well written and I feel like they complimented each other well. Both are very head-strong teenagers with a fairly good sense of self, and the family relationships were written very well. Isabelle had a good relationship with her brother and many of those scenes felt very tender and authentic. Alex’s relationship with his mother was very honest and sweet. Even the parents that both had conflict with (Isabelle with her mom, Alex with his dad) you could still sense the love and respect that both had for their respective parent. For me, I feel these outside relationships were the strength of the book and what made Isabelle and Alex also work.
Recommendation: Honestly, I’m not too sure what I recommend for “This Train is Being Held” because it was a pleasant read and the family relationships are worth it. The romance is very heartwarming and sweet, so if that is your jam, go get this book.
If you’ve been reading this blog long enough, you know I’m a sucker for any adaptations of Romeo and Juliet and when I read that “This Train is Being Held” was being compared to West Side Story, I was excited. West Side Story is my mom’s favorite musical so I grew up watching the movie many times, singing the songs, etc. I have even used it in my classroom when I taught Romeo & Juliet (my student’s reactions were hilarious). I’ve performed in the play, seen the play numerous times, so suffice it to say, I know a lot about West Side Story. Well, after reading this novel, I can say that aside from Isabelle being from the Upper West Side and Alex being from the Bronx, that is about as close to West Side Story as I saw.
The basic premise of the story, two kids from different worlds falling in love after meeting on the train over time, is a good one and one that I enjoyed, however there were many times the premise of the novel didn’t match up to the reality. I liked both Isabelle and Alex separately as both of their individual stories were very compelling; Isabelle’s family is falling apart financially and dealing with her brother’s and mother’s mental illness, while Alex is receiving pressure from his father to be a big baseball star because his dad played for the Yankees. The times that Isabelle and Alex are together are very sweet and their relationship is a very slow burn which was refreshing to read in a contemporary YA romance. However, the mechanics involved to make this slow burn happen, for me, was unrealistic. Isabelle’s and Alex’s first encounters were completely by happenstance, however once they exchange numbers, I feel like we should have seen their relationship move at a bit faster pace. The idea was that between both of their schooling, her ballet, and his baseball, they didn’t have much time to spend with each other, hence the encounters on the train. Again, very sweet, but in this day and age, teenagers are always on their phones. I feel like while Isabelle and Alex might not have been able to see each other often, they at least would be communicating in some way all the time, whether through text, Instagram (which they do), Snapchat (is that still a thing?), or whatever is the site to be on these days. I mean, I’ve had students somehow manage to find my Instagram and message me about their homework! I just did not find that aspect of characterization and world building believable in this novel and it prevented me from fulling engaging with the story. I felt that in order for the tension to work, to have something prevent Isabelle and Alex’s “happy ever after”, this “communication problem” that the two had just didn’t fit into the world of the story, hence making the story a bit unbelievable.
The plus of this story is that Isabelle and Alex were very well written and I feel like they complimented each other well. Both are very head-strong teenagers with a fairly good sense of self, and the family relationships were written very well. Isabelle had a good relationship with her brother and many of those scenes felt very tender and authentic. Alex’s relationship with his mother was very honest and sweet. Even the parents that both had conflict with (Isabelle with her mom, Alex with his dad) you could still sense the love and respect that both had for their respective parent. For me, I feel these outside relationships were the strength of the book and what made Isabelle and Alex also work.
Recommendation: Honestly, I’m not too sure what I recommend for “This Train is Being Held” because it was a pleasant read and the family relationships are worth it. The romance is very heartwarming and sweet, so if that is your jam, go get this book.
This was so so good!
At the heart of this story there are relationships between lovers, between parents and their children, and between friends. The realities of life when these relationships are not as tight as they used to be or are changing overtime is really well explored and expressed in this book. I think the author did a great job of showcasing all of the characters as real people with love to give and receive, regardless of their background or relationship to others in this book. Every character felt real, every relationship was nuanced, but most importantly, every relationship felt loving. Even during strained times between people, you could still feel the undercurrent of love between the conversations and feel the stresses for those they care about. Ismée Williams did a fantastic job of expressing these feelings and giving these characters healthy and supportive friendships and family bonds. I especially loved that the male leads were feminists and that characters were sex positive and just so incredibly supportive of each other.
The rest of my review can be found here!
At the heart of this story there are relationships between lovers, between parents and their children, and between friends. The realities of life when these relationships are not as tight as they used to be or are changing overtime is really well explored and expressed in this book. I think the author did a great job of showcasing all of the characters as real people with love to give and receive, regardless of their background or relationship to others in this book. Every character felt real, every relationship was nuanced, but most importantly, every relationship felt loving. Even during strained times between people, you could still feel the undercurrent of love between the conversations and feel the stresses for those they care about. Ismée Williams did a fantastic job of expressing these feelings and giving these characters healthy and supportive friendships and family bonds. I especially loved that the male leads were feminists and that characters were sex positive and just so incredibly supportive of each other.
The rest of my review can be found here!
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars
read on my blog
tw: suicide ideation, suicide attempt
**I received an ARC from Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
I requested This Train Is Being Held because the cover and summary seemed cute. However, I soon realized that this was a much deeper story than I was expecting. This Train Is Being Held is a romance, yes, but it also discusses ethnicity and how we’re perceived because of it.
I really liked both of our protagonists’ narratives. Isa is a dancer, dealing with her father losing his job and her mother and brother who both have bipolar disorder. (I couldn’t tell you the quality of the rep for this, so I would love to share someone else’s review.) Her mother wants her to be a doctor, but she wants to dance. Alex is a baseball player, whose dad went pro for a season and a half and now rests everything on Alex’s future. Meanwhile, he wants to go to college and write poetry, not be drafted right out of high school.
A large part of this book is that they don’t belong together because they’re from two different worlds: Isa from the Upper East Side and Alex from the Bronx. However, they do share a common cultural heritage: they’re both Latinx. But Isa is blonde and white-passing, so people don’t expect her to speak Spanish or have a Cuban mother. Alex is Dominican-American and people treat him differently because he looks it.
It was interesting to read about how Alex is treated better when he’s in a baseball uniform, as if that means he’s worth something more because he has a talent. Yet people still look at him and Isa together and decide that they don’t belong.
Anyways, they meet on the train over the course of two years, which led to a different pacing than I was expecting. I usually like books centered around events, but sometimes this one dragged. I think narratively, it could have been shorter; however, this made the character development very real to me. People change, but only after time passes.
I thought Isa and Alex’s relationship was really cute! I also loved both of their friendships. Everything felt very established and realistic, as if I were reading about actual people’s lives.
Overall, This Train Is Being Held was a very real read, one that talks about race and how it affects how others see us. The characters were incredibly developed; the romance was cute. The pacing was just not for me.
read on my blog
tw: suicide ideation, suicide attempt
**I received an ARC from Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
Sometimes we keep secrets from the people we care about. Because we’re trying to protect them. Or protect ourselves.
I requested This Train Is Being Held because the cover and summary seemed cute. However, I soon realized that this was a much deeper story than I was expecting. This Train Is Being Held is a romance, yes, but it also discusses ethnicity and how we’re perceived because of it.
I really liked both of our protagonists’ narratives. Isa is a dancer, dealing with her father losing his job and her mother and brother who both have bipolar disorder. (I couldn’t tell you the quality of the rep for this, so I would love to share someone else’s review.) Her mother wants her to be a doctor, but she wants to dance. Alex is a baseball player, whose dad went pro for a season and a half and now rests everything on Alex’s future. Meanwhile, he wants to go to college and write poetry, not be drafted right out of high school.
A large part of this book is that they don’t belong together because they’re from two different worlds: Isa from the Upper East Side and Alex from the Bronx. However, they do share a common cultural heritage: they’re both Latinx. But Isa is blonde and white-passing, so people don’t expect her to speak Spanish or have a Cuban mother. Alex is Dominican-American and people treat him differently because he looks it.
“People don’t see color when you’re wearing this. And you, you’re better than I was.” He tugs the brim over my eyes. “This will be yours one day.”
It was interesting to read about how Alex is treated better when he’s in a baseball uniform, as if that means he’s worth something more because he has a talent. Yet people still look at him and Isa together and decide that they don’t belong.
Anyways, they meet on the train over the course of two years, which led to a different pacing than I was expecting. I usually like books centered around events, but sometimes this one dragged. I think narratively, it could have been shorter; however, this made the character development very real to me. People change, but only after time passes.
I thought Isa and Alex’s relationship was really cute! I also loved both of their friendships. Everything felt very established and realistic, as if I were reading about actual people’s lives.
I love my family. I love the island they came from. I don’t love that I tense up every time a cop passes. I don’t love that strangers look at me like I’m someone who’s going to hurt them instead of help. Do I wish I were different? Yeah, sometimes I do. And I hate myself for it. But that wasn’t why I was with Isa. It’s maybe why I’m not with her, though.
Overall, This Train Is Being Held was a very real read, one that talks about race and how it affects how others see us. The characters were incredibly developed; the romance was cute. The pacing was just not for me.
Who knew I’d root so strongly for a baseball player and a ballerina?
This was a really cute novel. I’ve often felt that realistic fiction books are quicker reads than fantasy fiction, and this one was no exception. I flew through it!
Alex and Isa’s characters were beautiful, and they suited each other perfectly. Their relationship’s progression was so so sweet (but also a lil’ spicy) and I loved watching them develop.
I liked that each chapter was dated and that the book’s events realistically took place over quite a considerable period of time. The continuous use of Latinx heritage was amazing, and I found myself quite grateful that I took Spanish in high school.
On top of having a very heartwarming and well-written relationship, the book also tackled very serious topics like cultural expectations/discrimination and mental health. Both were handled and written very eloquently.
The one and only thing I did not like about this book was the main characters’ ages. For most of the book, they’re both sophomores in high school. So, 15 or 16 years old. And I just have a hard time reading about characters getting into serious relationships and committing to big things when at their age, I was soooo far from being capable of those things. But hey! Not all teenagers are the same.
This was a really cute novel. I’ve often felt that realistic fiction books are quicker reads than fantasy fiction, and this one was no exception. I flew through it!
Alex and Isa’s characters were beautiful, and they suited each other perfectly. Their relationship’s progression was so so sweet (but also a lil’ spicy) and I loved watching them develop.
I liked that each chapter was dated and that the book’s events realistically took place over quite a considerable period of time. The continuous use of Latinx heritage was amazing, and I found myself quite grateful that I took Spanish in high school.
On top of having a very heartwarming and well-written relationship, the book also tackled very serious topics like cultural expectations/discrimination and mental health. Both were handled and written very eloquently.
The one and only thing I did not like about this book was the main characters’ ages. For most of the book, they’re both sophomores in high school. So, 15 or 16 years old. And I just have a hard time reading about characters getting into serious relationships and committing to big things when at their age, I was soooo far from being capable of those things. But hey! Not all teenagers are the same.
Another High School Romance I enjoyed. Dangit, I need to revoke that earlier statement about not liking those.
Isa and Alex are dedicated to their sports and are talented. They keep running into each other on the train and their relationship builds. Both have lots of pressure from their families and don’t know how to incorporate each other into their world. They both do push each other to dream big and that more is possible for them.
Tropes: Meet Cute. Third act Break up. Dual POV. Forbidden Love. First love.
Representation: Latine. Mental Health. Class differences. Spanish words mixed in.
Trigger warnings: Suicidal ideation. Gang violence.
Tropes: Meet Cute. Third act Break up. Dual POV. Forbidden Love. First love.
Representation: Latine. Mental Health. Class differences. Spanish words mixed in.
Trigger warnings: Suicidal ideation. Gang violence.
Williams handles a budding teenage romance with the awkwardness, complexity, and thrill of the chase, all while tackling racism, parental pressures, and societal pressures to act in certain ways. Characters are well developed and I like the alternating point-of-view shifts between the two main characters.
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i am very very picky with my YA contemporary choices and unless there is the element of diversity in play i try to steer clear from the genre
i am very very picky with my YA contemporary choices and unless there is the element of diversity in play i try to steer clear from the genre