Reviews with content warning for Car accident - Mejor que en las películas

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Mejor que en las películas by Lynn Painter

177 reviews

gingeroftheshelves's review against another edition

Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

I needed a little cheesy ya romance and Better than the Movies fulfilled this desire. I now want to watch a ton of romcoms and write my own romance story.

Much of this story reminded me of Morgan Matson's books, specifically Since You've Been Gone aka my favorite YA novel of all time. It felt so nostalgic reading Better than the Movies .

I absolutely fell in love with the characters. Liz did bother me with her lying, especially at the beginning, but her growth was great. I just want to read more about Wes and Liz (please someone tell me how I can read the novella/extra chapters). Lynn Painter did a wonderful job capturing the minds and actions of high school seniors. They were immature at times, but an immaturity that reflected on how I was as a highschooler.

I'd be interested in how this book ages, specially in Liz's song references. I didn't love a lot of the songs she references. I felt most of the songs/artists will be recognizable for future generations, but artists like Bazzi?? Bazzi?? Sure this book was published two years ago, but the songs feel dated even for then.

Particularly, Painter's choice to end the book on "Cue Bazzi" (before the epilogue) was one so cringeworthy that I am considering taking a sharpie to the line. It truly brings you out of the story. The ending was perfect without it.

Sorry for all the Bazzi hate, but I don't understand why Painter worships him on holy ground.

Besides some of the music reference choices, Painter accurately reflects a high schooler's experience. The novel really embraces all the feelings of watching a romcom.

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ceedy's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted sad 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

3.25

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jaymeelhurst13's review against another edition

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emotional 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

4.25

The start of the book was admittedly rough for me which is why it is only a 4.25, but I fell in love with Liz and Wes individually instantaneously and pretty shortly after fell in love with the idea of them! Once the book finally picked up I absolutely loved all of it! I’m also a sucker from rom com references & song references!

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kashiish's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

“but news flash: you’re not a character in a movie. you can wear jeans sometimes and straighten your hair if you feel like it and curse like a sailor and honestly do whatever you want, and she’d still think you’re amazing because you are. i guarantee she would’ve found you charming as fuck when you were smoking a swisher in the secret area— i know i did. ”

the song that describes the book the best is — someone like you by adele

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thebookwhale's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted

2.75

I was soooo exited for this book. Soooo exited. I LOVE LOVE LOVE fluffy cute cheesy romances so so much. But. This didn't live up to the expectations AT ALL.

But first, one positive thing. Luckily, the plot felt reasonable. Like, often when there's enemies/friends to lovers, it just doesn't make any sense that they're not together already. I felt like this wasn't the case here. Also, it wasn't too cringe to read. I loved the romance in the end and I loved how Wes showed that he loved Liz.

BUT
I just really hate Liz so much and I don't even know why. I think she's so annoying, it's unbearable. Second hand embarrassment whenever she's talking. I mean, I think it's cute that she's so obsessed with love, that really formed her character. However, I feel like this obsession with recreating a movie like romance in real life kinda went on my nerves after it was mentioned for 10 times.

In general, this book promised a lot of things it didn't give. For example, the fake dating? What was that? Or better, where? They didn't fake date for a single second, Wes just brought Liz to some events of his friend group. They had a fake friendship, ok, but please don't market it as a book with the fake dating trope.

I also felt like I never really got to know the characters. For example, Jocelyn? She's supposed to be Liz' best friend, but what do we know about her? Nothing.
I get that it's a romance book so the focus will obviously be on that, but that doesn't mean you can just abandon every other character and use them as fillers. Besides Micheal, there wasn't any character that had any significance to the plot, which I think is really sad. You could interpret this in 2 ways:
1. Liz being extremely self centered so that she doesn't notice what the people around her have going on in their lives or
2. just bad writing that is too focused on the main character.
I'd say it is a mix of both

Liz states that she knows Wes a lot better than anyone else, then TELL US? Who is he? Aside from that witty mean guy that tries to steal her parking spot? Ah, he plays baseball, right.
Still, Wes is one of the better characters in this book. Feels weird to me how Liz couldn't have noticed what a great guy he actually is. I would love to read the book on his pov.
Also, Liz' hate for Laney? Seems unreasonable. Yeah, she was mean to you in pre school, but if you always watched her, how did you not notice her change, Liz? She was never actively mean to you in the present. Liz said some things about Laney and also joss that just really felt icky for me.
Whatever. I expected more.
Barely 2.75 / 5

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