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3.27 AVERAGE
3.27 AVERAGE
*received a copy from netgallery in exchange for an honest review*
who doesn't like a cute little summery romance book amiright
who doesn't like a cute little summery romance book amiright
This was a very cute quick read. I liked how Harpie didn't let Kat get away with a lot of the crap that she pulls and calls her on it. In the beginning we see that Kat flirts with her friends boyfriend and doesn't feel any remorse for it. I didn't really like Kat in the beginning because of this and eventually she did grow on me as she grew as a character.
If you are looking for a quick read in between series, then I would suggest this one for you. It was well written, decent plot, and character development (if really only in one character, better than none).
I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
This arc was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you are looking for a quick read in between series, then I would suggest this one for you. It was well written, decent plot, and character development (if really only in one character, better than none).
I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
This arc was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
#30secondreview typically bad love triangle where a friend is a shitty friend to her cousin and picks a passing summer fling over lifelong bonds. melodrama galore.
*I receive a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
This was my first book by Rebecca Phillips, and I was pleasantly surprised. Truth be told, I picked up this book several weeks ago and only read about 10 percent before putting it back down. At the beginning, Kat came across as self-absorbed and superficial. I mean how could you blatantly come on to your best friend’s boyfriend and not really get why she was upset? The excuse of “this is just the way I am” is pretty lame. Granted, said best friend completely overreacted but still. I was hoping for an MC that had a little more depth and was disappointed because Kat clearly lacked that.
However, several weeks past and I found myself in a bit of a reading slump. So I decided to pick this back up again and I’m glad I did. What I failed to realize initially is there’s a reason Phillips makes Kat act the way she did as she completely transforms in the book. It was great to see Kat grow and be comfortable in her own skin and to realize that there are consequences for how someone acts.
I enjoyed reading about her and Harper’s relationship and how close they were. I also liked the romance between Kat and Emmett. This turned out to be a good YA romance and I’m interested in seeing what else Phillips has written.
This was my first book by Rebecca Phillips, and I was pleasantly surprised. Truth be told, I picked up this book several weeks ago and only read about 10 percent before putting it back down. At the beginning, Kat came across as self-absorbed and superficial. I mean how could you blatantly come on to your best friend’s boyfriend and not really get why she was upset? The excuse of “this is just the way I am” is pretty lame. Granted, said best friend completely overreacted but still. I was hoping for an MC that had a little more depth and was disappointed because Kat clearly lacked that.
However, several weeks past and I found myself in a bit of a reading slump. So I decided to pick this back up again and I’m glad I did. What I failed to realize initially is there’s a reason Phillips makes Kat act the way she did as she completely transforms in the book. It was great to see Kat grow and be comfortable in her own skin and to realize that there are consequences for how someone acts.
I enjoyed reading about her and Harper’s relationship and how close they were. I also liked the romance between Kat and Emmett. This turned out to be a good YA romance and I’m interested in seeing what else Phillips has written.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Most of the story is pretty easy to read and I'd say it's well written and I did have fun.
The characters are pretty alright, especially the dads, they were really good, and I liked the subplot with the newest novel of the series. I also enjoyed the setting and I did think that Kat's emotions were pretty alright and I could also see where most of the stuff was coming from. I also think this book emphasizes how important communication is (even though nobody does it), so I guess that's nice?
However I really dislike the beginning and how this whole problem starts: Kat allegedly flirted with the boyfriend of her best friend. And I say allegedly, because she didn't. But somehow, that never comes up in the book, like, ever. Everyone thinks she did, and after some time she agrees, but she really really didn't do that. Girls and boys can be friends, and all she was was friendly. Like she behaved 100% innocent. Poking somebody in the shoulder? Smiling? Laughing? I behave like that with everyone, and I can assure you I'm not flirting. So I really didn't like how in the end she apologized for behaving wrong and how everyone immediately hated her and just never listened. I'm not saying she shouldn't have apologized, or that she's behaving perfectly always, but her behavior at that moment was absolutely normal, and I wish that just anybody would have acknowledged that she didn't actually flirt. And sadly this comes back a lot. But she's just a very touchy human being and that shouldn't immediately be seen as flirting and I really dislike how this whole book makes it look like it is, and how friendships between girls and boys seem to be pictured as impossible. I feel like it really sends the wrong message.
Just like forgiving Nate felt like the wrong message. Like… yeah, sometimes people do deserve forgiveness, and maybe he did, too, but it took I think a week for Kat to be like "yeah, he's trying, you probably should give him a chance", after he was homophobic, insulted her dads, was pretty sexist the whole time, and more or less tried to force Harper to kiss him. He was also an asshole for… I think 5 years? I'm not sure about the number, actually. But after all of that I found it really weird that Kat was just okay with forgiving him, especially since we sadly do not see any of his changed behavior before that, and only a very little of him after the decision. (Or maybe I'm forgetting something.) I think Harper should have higher standards than "but he's cute", and I think everyone else in the universe should, too, so forgiving him this fast didn't feel right.
So while the whole book was nice to read and I enjoyed the overall story, and also the message of communication is important, I really disliked how homophobia wasn't that big of a thing and easily forgivable, everyone practically abandoned Kat for (not) flirting and that kind of came across as justified in the narrative. Also the book never really addressed how Kat felt responsible for everything, and when it did, it didn't do anything about it. Made me kind of sad.
It's not actually a bad book, or I don't think so, but I don't think it's a good one either, sadly.
The characters are pretty alright, especially the dads, they were really good, and I liked the subplot with the newest novel of the series. I also enjoyed the setting and I did think that Kat's emotions were pretty alright and I could also see where most of the stuff was coming from. I also think this book emphasizes how important communication is (even though nobody does it), so I guess that's nice?
However I really dislike the beginning and how this whole problem starts: Kat allegedly flirted with the boyfriend of her best friend. And I say allegedly, because she didn't. But somehow, that never comes up in the book, like, ever. Everyone thinks she did, and after some time she agrees, but she really really didn't do that. Girls and boys can be friends, and all she was was friendly. Like she behaved 100% innocent. Poking somebody in the shoulder? Smiling? Laughing? I behave like that with everyone, and I can assure you I'm not flirting. So I really didn't like how in the end she apologized for behaving wrong and how everyone immediately hated her and just never listened. I'm not saying she shouldn't have apologized, or that she's behaving perfectly always, but her behavior at that moment was absolutely normal, and I wish that just anybody would have acknowledged that she didn't actually flirt. And sadly this comes back a lot. But she's just a very touchy human being and that shouldn't immediately be seen as flirting and I really dislike how this whole book makes it look like it is, and how friendships between girls and boys seem to be pictured as impossible. I feel like it really sends the wrong message.
Just like forgiving Nate felt like the wrong message. Like… yeah, sometimes people do deserve forgiveness, and maybe he did, too, but it took I think a week for Kat to be like "yeah, he's trying, you probably should give him a chance", after he was homophobic, insulted her dads, was pretty sexist the whole time, and more or less tried to force Harper to kiss him. He was also an asshole for… I think 5 years? I'm not sure about the number, actually. But after all of that I found it really weird that Kat was just okay with forgiving him, especially since we sadly do not see any of his changed behavior before that, and only a very little of him after the decision. (Or maybe I'm forgetting something.) I think Harper should have higher standards than "but he's cute", and I think everyone else in the universe should, too, so forgiving him this fast didn't feel right.
So while the whole book was nice to read and I enjoyed the overall story, and also the message of communication is important, I really disliked how homophobia wasn't that big of a thing and easily forgivable, everyone practically abandoned Kat for (not) flirting and that kind of came across as justified in the narrative. Also the book never really addressed how Kat felt responsible for everything, and when it did, it didn't do anything about it. Made me kind of sad.
It's not actually a bad book, or I don't think so, but I don't think it's a good one either, sadly.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I fell head over heels with Phillips' writing when I read [b:Faking Perfect|22859815|Faking Perfect|Rebecca Phillips|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414109096s/22859815.jpg|42427705] so when I saw she had another book coming out, I knew I just had to read it. And I'm so glad I did because ANY OTHER GIRL was so good. It was the perfect summer romance novel and I loved every second of my reading of it.
I think the best part of it was that even though it was clearly a romance novel, there were so many other layers to it with Kat worrying she was too much for other people and trying to bring attention to herself rather than those around her. I think it was written so well because I felt Kat taking the weight of the world on her shoulders so that the people she loved didn't have to.
I think one of the best things that Phillips does is to make contemporary feel so realistic and write characters that everyone can relate too, even if they have their own quirks. And just like with FAKING PERFECT, our heroine wasn't exactly the perfect girl, but she owned her imperfections and they made her who she was. And I loved that. I liked that she wasn't so caught up on what she wasn't the best at but actively worked to be better every day. I highly recommend this one to everyone.
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
I fell head over heels with Phillips' writing when I read [b:Faking Perfect|22859815|Faking Perfect|Rebecca Phillips|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414109096s/22859815.jpg|42427705] so when I saw she had another book coming out, I knew I just had to read it. And I'm so glad I did because ANY OTHER GIRL was so good. It was the perfect summer romance novel and I loved every second of my reading of it.
I think the best part of it was that even though it was clearly a romance novel, there were so many other layers to it with Kat worrying she was too much for other people and trying to bring attention to herself rather than those around her. I think it was written so well because I felt Kat taking the weight of the world on her shoulders so that the people she loved didn't have to.
I think one of the best things that Phillips does is to make contemporary feel so realistic and write characters that everyone can relate too, even if they have their own quirks. And just like with FAKING PERFECT, our heroine wasn't exactly the perfect girl, but she owned her imperfections and they made her who she was. And I loved that. I liked that she wasn't so caught up on what she wasn't the best at but actively worked to be better every day. I highly recommend this one to everyone.
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
This and more reviews are posted on Angel Reads
I was received an e-arc of Any Other Girl by Rebecca Phillips by Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feeling about the book.
I didn’t realise that when I asked to review Any Other Girl that I have already read a book by Rebecca Phillips, it wasn’t until I started reading that I noticed that the writing style and characters was similar to something that I have read before – and then it clicked. Rebecca Phillips is the author to Faking Perfect which I read at the start of the year and I enjoyed. You can check out my review for that here.
Once I figured out that I had previously read a book by the author, I was even more excited to read Any Other Girl, but I didn’t like it as much as I like Faking Perfect. However I still did like it.
Our protagonist, Kat Henley has a reputation – one that she doesn’t realise she has but after a disaster of a party at the end of her junior year she has a plan. A plan that when it comes to boys, especially those that aren’t hers:
Don’t touch.
Don’t smile.
Don’t charm.
Kat doesn’t mean to flirt, it’s just in her nature. She likes to draw attention to herself so they don’t pay attention to what makes Kat different – having two gay parents. But this has come at a price and Kat has finally had enough. She cannot lose anyone else.
I truly loved Kat. She was out there, had a pretty amazing style and didn’t care what people thought about her, but then she realised that her over friendly manner of treating boys, was also losing her friends.
Kat is the type of person that loves to touch, but not in a bad way. It’s how she shows her affection, even if it’s just a friend. She holds this presence that has most boys falling on their feet and makes those with girlfriends feel uncomfortable. She doesn’t mean to do this, it just happens and she loses many people because of this.
The reader gets to see Kat grow so much throughout Any Other Girl and that is what I loved most. The character development of Kat was incredible throughout. The readers sees her smile, break down, fall and get back up.
I truly loved most of the characters in Any Other Girl. I loved Kat’s parents. Her Dads were just awesome. Harper her cousin who is also going through some stuff of her own, was sweat – I enjoyed her.
Emmett. I have a love/ hate relationship with him. He is charming and nice but there was parts where I want to hit him across the head. He tires so hard to live Harper but it just doesn’t work and I understand that but when he keeps on pushing Kat, I just wanted to yell.
Any Other Girl is a heart-felt novel that deals with, self-image and what it means it be you. How trying to someone isn’t why people love you. First love and how it doesn’t also run smoothly. And what it’s like to carry burdens for those we love, even if it means being someone else.
Any Other Girl deals also with what it’s like to be a teenage with two gay parents – how it can hurt the child just as much, maybe even more with how awful some people can be in the world.
I quite liked Rebecca Phillips writing, it’s easy to read and understand but is also beautiful and tell a strong story. Phillips is excellent at capturing the life of a teenage, and how they thing and feel.
I really enjoyed Any Other Girl. It’s a beautiful novel that takes us on a journey through thick and thin, what it’s like to be family and teaches us to be ourselves.
I was received an e-arc of Any Other Girl by Rebecca Phillips by Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feeling about the book.
I didn’t realise that when I asked to review Any Other Girl that I have already read a book by Rebecca Phillips, it wasn’t until I started reading that I noticed that the writing style and characters was similar to something that I have read before – and then it clicked. Rebecca Phillips is the author to Faking Perfect which I read at the start of the year and I enjoyed. You can check out my review for that here.
Once I figured out that I had previously read a book by the author, I was even more excited to read Any Other Girl, but I didn’t like it as much as I like Faking Perfect. However I still did like it.
Our protagonist, Kat Henley has a reputation – one that she doesn’t realise she has but after a disaster of a party at the end of her junior year she has a plan. A plan that when it comes to boys, especially those that aren’t hers:
Don’t touch.
Don’t smile.
Don’t charm.
Kat doesn’t mean to flirt, it’s just in her nature. She likes to draw attention to herself so they don’t pay attention to what makes Kat different – having two gay parents. But this has come at a price and Kat has finally had enough. She cannot lose anyone else.
I truly loved Kat. She was out there, had a pretty amazing style and didn’t care what people thought about her, but then she realised that her over friendly manner of treating boys, was also losing her friends.
Kat is the type of person that loves to touch, but not in a bad way. It’s how she shows her affection, even if it’s just a friend. She holds this presence that has most boys falling on their feet and makes those with girlfriends feel uncomfortable. She doesn’t mean to do this, it just happens and she loses many people because of this.
The reader gets to see Kat grow so much throughout Any Other Girl and that is what I loved most. The character development of Kat was incredible throughout. The readers sees her smile, break down, fall and get back up.
I truly loved most of the characters in Any Other Girl. I loved Kat’s parents. Her Dads were just awesome. Harper her cousin who is also going through some stuff of her own, was sweat – I enjoyed her.
Emmett. I have a love/ hate relationship with him. He is charming and nice but there was parts where I want to hit him across the head. He tires so hard to live Harper but it just doesn’t work and I understand that but when he keeps on pushing Kat, I just wanted to yell.
Any Other Girl is a heart-felt novel that deals with, self-image and what it means it be you. How trying to someone isn’t why people love you. First love and how it doesn’t also run smoothly. And what it’s like to carry burdens for those we love, even if it means being someone else.
Any Other Girl deals also with what it’s like to be a teenage with two gay parents – how it can hurt the child just as much, maybe even more with how awful some people can be in the world.
I quite liked Rebecca Phillips writing, it’s easy to read and understand but is also beautiful and tell a strong story. Phillips is excellent at capturing the life of a teenage, and how they thing and feel.
I really enjoyed Any Other Girl. It’s a beautiful novel that takes us on a journey through thick and thin, what it’s like to be family and teaches us to be ourselves.
This was so adorable??? I am in love with everything.
Kat is so authentic, I loved her personality and how incredible she is! And her dads are the best, honestly!!!
Emmett is such a sweetheart! I felt so bad for his mom and what they had gone through with his father but he's still so sweet to everyone. Swoon.
Family and friendship are a hinge part of this book and both got A+ representation I just loved reading everything about it.
Kat is so authentic, I loved her personality and how incredible she is! And her dads are the best, honestly!!!
Emmett is such a sweetheart! I felt so bad for his mom and what they had gone through with his father but he's still so sweet to everyone. Swoon.
Family and friendship are a hinge part of this book and both got A+ representation I just loved reading everything about it.
4.5 stars.
Fast-paced with appealing characters, Any Other Girl by Rebecca Phillips is a gripping young adult novel that touches on quite a few relevant social issues.
Kat Henley's friendliness is often perceived as flirting and as the story opens, a conversation at a party with her best friend Shay's boyfriend ends their two year friendship when Shay accuses Kat of flirting with him. The last weeks of school are uncomfortable since all of Kat's friends are also Shay's friends and they turn their backs on Kat in support of Shay. With her apologies falling on deaf ears, Kat is more grateful than usual to be spending the summer at her family's summer cottage. Eagerly anticipating their last summer together before her cousin Harper leaves for college in the fall, the two girls are delighted to discover a new family is staying at the lake. They quickly invite Emmett Reese to hang out with them and as soon as Kat realizes Harper has a crush on Emmett, she vows to keep her distance from him but will her match making efforts pay off?
Growing up with two dads, Kat learned the best way to deflect negative attention from them was to draw attention to herself. She is naturally exuberant but this attention becomes a way to validate her self-worth and this is where she runs into trouble. She carefully cultivated a girly girl persona to prove to outsiders that she does not need a feminine influence but in doing so, Kat also gives up anything that could be perceived as tomboyish.
Harper is the complete opposite of Kat. Quiet and unassuming, she lacks confidence and her self-esteem took a beating after her parents' divorce. She has never had a boyfriend or made a big deal about liking a boy, so Kat realizes very quickly just how much Emmett means to her. Harper and Emmett have a love of sports in common but their interactions are often awkward and uncomfortable. Tension mount between the cousins once Kat begins to realize that she has feelings for Emmett and that he feels the same way.
Emmett is a nice, polite young man who quietly observes what is going on around him. He is dealing with family issues the best way he knows how and he is just biding his time until he can leave for college. Trying to avoid his parents as much as possible, Emmett uses running as an escape and he has created a safe place to spend time when things between his parents get too bad.
Despite both Harper and Kat liking the same young man, this is not a typical love triangle storyline. Kat's main focus is fixing her cousin up with Emmett and she respects Harper's feelings for him. For his part, Emmett never makes any type of commitment to Harper but once he realizes Kat does not plan to act on her feelings for him, he does make an attempt to see if there is any spark between him and Harper. Only when that fails does Kat even consider a relationship with him, but she remains torn between her loyalty to her cousin and her deepening emotions for Emmett. Kat continues trying to avoid hurting Harper but when the truth finally emerges, the ensuing rift between them seems impossible to repair.
By summer's end, Kat is more self-aware and she has a much better understanding of the impact her behavior has on others. She also realizes that she can maintain her femininity while at the same time participating in the sports she loves. Kat also manages to face Shay and apologize for her actions with her boyfriend without expecting anything from Shay in return. Kat grows and matures throughout the novel and while she makes a few necessary changes, she still retains the traits that set her apart from others and make her unique.
Any Other Girl is a sweet young adult romance that manages to avoid unnecessary angst or drama. The characters are multi-faceted with easy to relate to flaws and imperfections. The storyline is well-developed and Rebecca Phillips adds depth to the plot with sensitive portrayals of realistic situations such as homophobia and Emmett's troubled home life. All in all, it is a heartfelt novel that I greatly enjoyed and recommend to readers of all ages.
Fast-paced with appealing characters, Any Other Girl by Rebecca Phillips is a gripping young adult novel that touches on quite a few relevant social issues.
Kat Henley's friendliness is often perceived as flirting and as the story opens, a conversation at a party with her best friend Shay's boyfriend ends their two year friendship when Shay accuses Kat of flirting with him. The last weeks of school are uncomfortable since all of Kat's friends are also Shay's friends and they turn their backs on Kat in support of Shay. With her apologies falling on deaf ears, Kat is more grateful than usual to be spending the summer at her family's summer cottage. Eagerly anticipating their last summer together before her cousin Harper leaves for college in the fall, the two girls are delighted to discover a new family is staying at the lake. They quickly invite Emmett Reese to hang out with them and as soon as Kat realizes Harper has a crush on Emmett, she vows to keep her distance from him but will her match making efforts pay off?
Growing up with two dads, Kat learned the best way to deflect negative attention from them was to draw attention to herself. She is naturally exuberant but this attention becomes a way to validate her self-worth and this is where she runs into trouble. She carefully cultivated a girly girl persona to prove to outsiders that she does not need a feminine influence but in doing so, Kat also gives up anything that could be perceived as tomboyish.
Harper is the complete opposite of Kat. Quiet and unassuming, she lacks confidence and her self-esteem took a beating after her parents' divorce. She has never had a boyfriend or made a big deal about liking a boy, so Kat realizes very quickly just how much Emmett means to her. Harper and Emmett have a love of sports in common but their interactions are often awkward and uncomfortable. Tension mount between the cousins once Kat begins to realize that she has feelings for Emmett and that he feels the same way.
Emmett is a nice, polite young man who quietly observes what is going on around him. He is dealing with family issues the best way he knows how and he is just biding his time until he can leave for college. Trying to avoid his parents as much as possible, Emmett uses running as an escape and he has created a safe place to spend time when things between his parents get too bad.
Despite both Harper and Kat liking the same young man, this is not a typical love triangle storyline. Kat's main focus is fixing her cousin up with Emmett and she respects Harper's feelings for him. For his part, Emmett never makes any type of commitment to Harper but once he realizes Kat does not plan to act on her feelings for him, he does make an attempt to see if there is any spark between him and Harper. Only when that fails does Kat even consider a relationship with him, but she remains torn between her loyalty to her cousin and her deepening emotions for Emmett. Kat continues trying to avoid hurting Harper but when the truth finally emerges, the ensuing rift between them seems impossible to repair.
By summer's end, Kat is more self-aware and she has a much better understanding of the impact her behavior has on others. She also realizes that she can maintain her femininity while at the same time participating in the sports she loves. Kat also manages to face Shay and apologize for her actions with her boyfriend without expecting anything from Shay in return. Kat grows and matures throughout the novel and while she makes a few necessary changes, she still retains the traits that set her apart from others and make her unique.
Any Other Girl is a sweet young adult romance that manages to avoid unnecessary angst or drama. The characters are multi-faceted with easy to relate to flaws and imperfections. The storyline is well-developed and Rebecca Phillips adds depth to the plot with sensitive portrayals of realistic situations such as homophobia and Emmett's troubled home life. All in all, it is a heartfelt novel that I greatly enjoyed and recommend to readers of all ages.
This was a great coming of age contemporary! I previously read Rebecca Phillips' "Faking Perfect" and really liked her writing voice, so I was happy to get a chance to read another book written by her. Any Other Girl was written in much that same fun fresh voice that I loved in Faking Perfect and had the same overall good flow. I loved that it was very realistic and had just the right amount of conflict without being overly angsty. Kat was an easy character for me to understand and although she didn't always make the best choices ( I mean who did at that age? ) I thought she was relatable and dealt with things a lot of girls her age have. I know that she was trying really hard to deny her feelings to save her cousins feelings and to also prove to herself that she could resist flirting with someone else's crush. It was sad though because you could tell that there was definitely good chemistry between her and Emmett and that it just wasn't going to happen for him and Harper. Kat was really sweet trying to get them together to make her cousin happy despite her own desires. I know others have said they didn't like that she was so invested in her looks, but a lot of girls that age are and the fact that she had gotten that way from trying to prove she was feminine despite her being raised by two fathers made me empathize with her. Overall I really enjoyed Any Other Girl and hope to read more of Ms. Phillips writing in the future. I would absolutely recommend this to lovers of realistic YA romantic coming of age novels.
** I received this book from the publisher in exchange for honest review **
** I received this book from the publisher in exchange for honest review **