Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
this is one of my favorite books that i’ve read this year. this felt like reading a book about myself. it made me look around and see if someone was watching me through the cameras lol. it introduced a character that i have never read about before in this organic way- an “unconventionally unattractive” young woman who has a undying yearning for romance and a pretty bad perception of life and herself because of it. i am that girl and i have never seen it done that way. the harsh criticism for the main lead being “lame” and “flat” more-so a problem with the readers than it is with the author’s writing. the exact problem that people like Molly face is feeling so abnormal that your entire personality deflates on itself. you spend so much time watching others, wondering why they just seem to like..get it. get everything? anyways, i feel like this story does a good job at showing that- the yearning, the uncertainty, and even the self-righteous (annoying) people that tell you “your time will come” “you just have to put yourself out there” blah blah blah. i will admit though that this story is lacking something. i feel like a lot of good conversations come out of it, but it wasn’t expanded upon? Molly talked about what her fatness meant to other people, but what did it mean to her? why wasn’t there any development there? What about her know-it-all sister Cassie? Why wasn’t there a conversation about how Cassie was also a 17 yo girl with little knowledge about the world too? Why were we just to believe that Cassie was wise beyond her years? Why weren’t we able to see her cracks? Molly often calls herself a bad person, so why was there no development concerning the other character’s bad moments? i know we are seeing from Molly’s point of view and her thoughts but idk…i just wish there was more. and she gets the guy in the end so what was the point of any of it y’know? lol. anyways, an overall good read. i’ll definitely be reading it again to capture some moments i might’ve missed.
I was a big fan of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda so it was no surprise to me that I enjoyed the writing style of this one too. Loved the little cameo from Simon. I particularly love all of the dialogue between the characters and Molly's inner monologue (yay to the Arrested Development and Lin Manuel Miranda references) and how realistically it portrays how teenagers act, talk, and think. I loved Cassie and Molly's sisterly love and Reid is just an adorable love interest. I am way past my high school days but I wish I had come across a book like this when I was younger because I definitely possessed the same insecurities and self-doubt that Molly did about romance and relationships and feeling behind the curve when it comes to that stuff. But this book has a great message about being yourself and experiencing life at your own pace, which I think is such an important thing for young people to hear. Definitely a fun and very sweet read.
Someone from book club recommended this ya novel as a comfort read and it served that purpose. It felt formulaic as ya often does—a first person narrator with something that makes them “different” just trying to be “normal.” Here Molly is fat, a twin, and a sperm-donor baby with two moms. And she’s obsessed with having never had a boyfriend, but she’s only 17 so really that seems pretty typical. Ultimately still a sweet story that had me rooting for Molly, but nothing too special.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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:
Yes
I gave this book a solid 5 stars. It was everything I look for in a book: diverse, charming, engaging, and developed. I loved the honesty of every word written and how connected I felt to the main character. I related to Molly on such a deep level I nearly cried. This book has a plethora of representation and not once did I feel it was forced or unnatural. From varying sexuality to racial diversity to mental health inclusion, this book captured my attention and heart. It was well written, heart warming, and such a quick read for me because I was so engrossed in the story. I wanted more, more, more every flip of the page.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A perfect YA novel, full of romance and diversity and family drama. Perfectly captures what it's like to be the girl who never thinks she'll actually find a boyfriend, the girl who everyone says has "such a pretty face." Cheers to the amazing scope of family created by Albertalli and every teen will find someone to relate to in this novel. This book deserves so much love!
Oh my gosh this book was adorable and sweet and just made me gush so much. I got super invested in the main character (Molly's) feelings and the stuff that was going to happen even if it was slightly predictable it was still totally adorable and just what i needed right now. There's also a ton of diversity in this book that just fits together seemlessly and honestly does not feel forced at all which is amazing!