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rynstagram's review against another edition
3.75
*review based on an ARC
A Black Girl Magic, queer love story at a music festival... aka an amazing recipe for a rom-com! I guess it wasn't super funny, but it has the feel of a rom-com.
This book had a slow start but I was crying by the end. (Good crying, though.) Toni and Olivia are so well-written that I didn't even have a favorite narrator, which is hard to do when a book has multiple narrators. The concept of the Farmland Music and Arts Festival was really well thought out and added so many layers to the story; it was the perfect venue for this romance to blossom! (Okay, sorry, I'm being a little cheesy. But rom-coms are supposed to be cheesy, right?)
A great example of how having a crush on someone doesn't have to ruin your friendship with them, how friendships and people change but that's okay, how apologizing is sometimes enough and sometimes not enough. There are some heavy topics in here, but--with incredible finesse--Leah Johnson weaves them together with the lighter and more fun parts of the narrative.
I did sometimes feel like the characters' thoughts were a bit too on-the-nose, like they were telling us verbatim what we should be getting out of a scene or moment rather than just letting us feel it. It doesn't bother me when this is done once or twice, but towards the end, there were so many moments like this that it detracted from what was happening and slowed things down more than they needed to be.
Peter was such a great character, too. He was like a puppy dog person and just the best dude ever. Everyone needs a Peter in their life to force them to look on the bright side! Plus, his random US president facts were always delightful. Peter could fit in with the characters of a John Green book easily.
A Black Girl Magic, queer love story at a music festival... aka an amazing recipe for a rom-com! I guess it wasn't super funny, but it has the feel of a rom-com.
This book had a slow start but I was crying by the end. (Good crying, though.) Toni and Olivia are so well-written that I didn't even have a favorite narrator, which is hard to do when a book has multiple narrators. The concept of the Farmland Music and Arts Festival was really well thought out and added so many layers to the story; it was the perfect venue for this romance to blossom! (Okay, sorry, I'm being a little cheesy. But rom-coms are supposed to be cheesy, right?)
A great example of how having a crush on someone doesn't have to ruin your friendship with them, how friendships and people change but that's okay, how apologizing is sometimes enough and sometimes not enough. There are some heavy topics in here, but--with incredible finesse--Leah Johnson weaves them together with the lighter and more fun parts of the narrative.
I did sometimes feel like the characters' thoughts were a bit too on-the-nose, like they were telling us verbatim what we should be getting out of a scene or moment rather than just letting us feel it. It doesn't bother me when this is done once or twice, but towards the end, there were so many moments like this that it detracted from what was happening and slowed things down more than they needed to be.
Peter was such a great character, too. He was like a puppy dog person and just the best dude ever. Everyone needs a Peter in their life to force them to look on the bright side! Plus, his random US president facts were always delightful. Peter could fit in with the characters of a John Green book easily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Gun violence
Minor: Racism, Sexism, and Biphobia
foreverinastory's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
I loved this! It was so fun and just what I needed right now. Leah Johnson can do no wrong in my mind.
Rise to the Sun is a dual POV contemporary romance that revolves around the Farmland Music & Arts Festival. In it we meet Olivia, she's recently ended a toxic relationship, has asthma and needs something fun to do with her best friend, Imani. Our other narrator is Toni, Farmland has been her home, just like music has. But one year ago Toni lost her father to a robbery and shooting and she's still trying to process her grief and figure out what comes next for her.
While this book still addresses serious topics: gun violence, sexual harassment, distributing naked photos of minors, and grief, it also is such a joyful book. This book is definitely more joy than trauma and seeing the MCs be happy and live fulfilling lives at this festival made me happy. I enjoyed this book so much and I can't wait for Johnson's next book.
Rep: Black bisexual female MC with asthma, Black lesbian female MC with PTSD and anxiety, white heterosexual male side character, Black sapphic female side character, white sapphic female side character.
CWs: Body shaming, chronic illness (asthma), death of parent, mental illness (anxiety & PTSD), panic attacks, racism, sexism, sexual harassment including sexual coercion, bullying. Moderate: abandonment, gun violence, grief.
Rise to the Sun is a dual POV contemporary romance that revolves around the Farmland Music & Arts Festival. In it we meet Olivia, she's recently ended a toxic relationship, has asthma and needs something fun to do with her best friend, Imani. Our other narrator is Toni, Farmland has been her home, just like music has. But one year ago Toni lost her father to a robbery and shooting and she's still trying to process her grief and figure out what comes next for her.
While this book still addresses serious topics: gun violence, sexual harassment, distributing naked photos of minors, and grief, it also is such a joyful book. This book is definitely more joy than trauma and seeing the MCs be happy and live fulfilling lives at this festival made me happy. I enjoyed this book so much and I can't wait for Johnson's next book.
Rep: Black bisexual female MC with asthma, Black lesbian female MC with PTSD and anxiety, white heterosexual male side character, Black sapphic female side character, white sapphic female side character.
CWs: Body shaming, chronic illness (asthma), death of parent, mental illness (anxiety & PTSD), panic attacks, racism, sexism, sexual harassment including sexual coercion, bullying. Moderate: abandonment, gun violence, grief.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Abandonment, Grief, and Gun violence
starlessnights's review against another edition
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Violence
themixedpages's review against another edition
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Gun violence
Minor: Blood
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gun violence, Biphobia, Bullying, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Infidelity, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
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