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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
sad
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
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A sweet romance that defies the odds. Alex and Isa meet on the subway. They live in two different worlds and they should not be drawn to each other. Isa is a gifted dancer and Alex is a baseball prodigy. They are both keeping secrets about their families. Isa's family has a history of mental illness and Alex has to deal with an overbearing father and racism because of his accent and the color of his skin. There are many issues (racism, mental health, socio-economics, gangs, job loss) to discuss in this quick read.
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt
Alex and Isa’s story begins with an unexpected subway encounter, which doesn’t seem like too much at first, but the moment they shared stays with them. For the next two months, both are keeping an eye out when they’re on the subway to see if they can catch each other again, but due to their busy schedules – Isa with dance and Alex with baseball – it’s two months before they have another encounter. And that second encounter leaves a bigger imprint on them than the first. Then the story really begins.
Both characters come from different backgrounds. Alex is Dominican, living in Washington Heights with his mom and sometimes stays with his dad in Brooklyn. He has a fear of cops, unless he’s wearing his baseball uniform. His uniform gives him respect from white people rather than nervous glances or angry glares. Alex has a great relationship with his mom, step-mom, and little brother, however, his dad really only cares about how great of a ballplayer Alex is.
Isa is half-Cuban, though with her blonde hair and fairer skin received from her dad’s side, she looks like your regular rich, white girl. She lives in on the Upper East Side and goes to private school, then takes dance classes after school and on the weekends. Her mother, while Cuban herself, is prejudiced against Dominicans or anyone not up to their social status. Isa’s home life is slightly more dysfunctional than Alex’s, especially with her mom’s dislike of the time Isa spends on dance. And this is on top of her mom and older brother being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The relationship between Alex and Isa is sweet when they first start meeting up on the subway, as it’s like an escape from their real lives for a very short time. Though because they do get together fairly early in the story, there’s bound to be problems. Part of it is keeping secrets from one another and the other is misunderstandings between them.
While realistic and totally justifiable, Alex’s fear actually made me angry because no one, no matter what your race, should ever have to have fear around cops or any white person in general. Sadly, that’s how our world is, and the author does an amazing job in making that reality show up in this book. She also did an amazing job with how Isa’s family dealt with the mental illnesses of Isa’s mom and brother, and there were a few times where Merritt (her brother) had given me a scare a few times.
Overall, great book and it’s one that I’d probably reread someday. It’s definitely one that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a story like this!
Both characters come from different backgrounds. Alex is Dominican, living in Washington Heights with his mom and sometimes stays with his dad in Brooklyn. He has a fear of cops, unless he’s wearing his baseball uniform. His uniform gives him respect from white people rather than nervous glances or angry glares. Alex has a great relationship with his mom, step-mom, and little brother, however, his dad really only cares about how great of a ballplayer Alex is.
Isa is half-Cuban, though with her blonde hair and fairer skin received from her dad’s side, she looks like your regular rich, white girl. She lives in on the Upper East Side and goes to private school, then takes dance classes after school and on the weekends. Her mother, while Cuban herself, is prejudiced against Dominicans or anyone not up to their social status. Isa’s home life is slightly more dysfunctional than Alex’s, especially with her mom’s dislike of the time Isa spends on dance. And this is on top of her mom and older brother being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The relationship between Alex and Isa is sweet when they first start meeting up on the subway, as it’s like an escape from their real lives for a very short time. Though because they do get together fairly early in the story, there’s bound to be problems. Part of it is keeping secrets from one another and the other is misunderstandings between them.
While realistic and totally justifiable, Alex’s fear actually made me angry because no one, no matter what your race, should ever have to have fear around cops or any white person in general. Sadly, that’s how our world is, and the author does an amazing job in making that reality show up in this book. She also did an amazing job with how Isa’s family dealt with the mental illnesses of Isa’s mom and brother, and there were a few times where Merritt (her brother) had given me a scare a few times.
Overall, great book and it’s one that I’d probably reread someday. It’s definitely one that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a story like this!
sad
tense
slow-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
Bunhead meets basketball guy on the NYC subway. Loved the romance and the way we were brought into the hardships of their lives more than obsessing about their ballet/sports (although those are presented very realistically). I also appreciated the way the Spanish was integrated without the bothersome translations - no "Adios mama, he said, as we said goodbye to his mother" stuff here!
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.