Reviews - Girls Like Girls

2.12k reviews for:

Girls Like Girls

Hayley Kiyoko

3.68 AVERAGE

mariereine's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book was a big old heartache in a box! I felt so frustrated and upset on their behalf but it brought me back to the confusion of teen hood and the need to feel loved. Hurts so much ti read but definitely worth it

t_chambers's review against another edition

3.75

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

heleng_reads's review

3.5

fast-paced

I appreciate the importance of having queer narratives and I love the song that inspired this book, but it really took me a bit to reel me in to this one. Still unsure how I feel about the ending, but once the book got going it had me emotionally invested.

amsreader_1's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

barefootmegz's review against another edition

4.0

This story has been written before. It even has the same title… and the same author.
When I heard that Hayley Kiyoko’s debut was titled for her hit single and music video, Girls Like Girls, I thought it was a clever gimmick - I didn’t realise it pretty much was the music video, properly fleshed out. And, if I sound non-committal, I’ll be more clear: it works for me.

Like its namesake, the real joy of Girls Like Girls (besides, well, GIRLS) is its relatability - the OMG YES moments as each character is developed.

Even without the music video we know and love, this novel deserves to be on the shelf. In her author’s note, Kiyoko mentions that her song and music video were made to fill a void, so she could see people like her - queer people - in mainstream media. Girls Like Girls is the book my friends and I needed in high school, and I hope it will be that for current high schoolers.

Thank you to Penguin Random House UK and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

dinonugget13's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

Content Warnings

kattykakes24's review against another edition

1.25

emotional slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I did not have high expectations for this book and I feel like it still was bad. I hated most of the characters most of the book and just when you think they are getting better they backslide.

vianeyreads's review against another edition

3.75

emotional hopeful 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

galacticvampire's review against another edition

4.0

I wasn't expecting much of this book because, well, Hayley Kiyoko isn't a writer. But damn, what a surprise.

I think this has one of the best depictions of sapphic attraction I've ever seen. It's not (only) about the curves and the gaze or whatever else heteronormativity managed to contaminate into the queer experience. It pays attention to details, from the intimacy of touching hair to helping clasp a necklace. The tension!

My only point is that I really disagree with the choice to make the music video the climax, because everyone already knew what would happen and then it just. Ends. The scene could've easily be elsewhere, making the conclusion way more interesting.

anit1726's review against another edition

2.5

emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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