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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I listened to this on a road trip, and I loved it so much. Only caveat i had was that I wished the plot slowed down a little. It seemed like everything was in constant movement that I never got to just feel along with the characters like it did in "You Should See Me in a Crown". Still a great read.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I honestly couldn’t really stand these characters. I know it’s YA, but it felt incredibly juvenile, and I had a hard time feeling any chemistry between the main characters. I’m giving points for queer representation, but the romance felt forced to me.
I listened to the audiobook, and one of the narrators kept dropping the end of their sentences, which made it hard to understand what was going on sometimes.
I like Leah Johnson and have read and loved You Should See Me In A Crown, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
I listened to the audiobook, and one of the narrators kept dropping the end of their sentences, which made it hard to understand what was going on sometimes.
I like Leah Johnson and have read and loved You Should See Me In A Crown, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
I saw this author speak on a Zoom event through JCPL.
I struggled to keep the characters straight in the book.
I struggled to keep the characters straight in the book.
Not in the mood to write a long or semi-eloquent review for this one. I enjoyed Leah Johnson’s debut and found it charming, can’t say the same about most of this one. Toni was easily the better of the two protagonists, and I don’t just mean this because of the “hey! I connect with her over having a dead dad who loved music!” deal. Olivia left her friend in the dust so many times that I was cheering Imani on when she called her out. (Olivia gets self-sabotaging towards the end, but somehow, that still feels selfish? And poor Imani should have gotten a better friend.) Many difficult topics are in this novel, but some are barely written about, not in a deft way but in a way that seems kind of careless..?
The beginning started off cute and very fluffy, but the instalove drove me up the wall, and that last half was rough…also Peter felt like he was trying a little hard to have golden retriever energy.
The beginning started off cute and very fluffy, but the instalove drove me up the wall, and that last half was rough…also Peter felt like he was trying a little hard to have golden retriever energy.
This is such a wonderful story about trying to find yourself, falling in love and just being able to cope with being a teenager. Taking place in one weekend at a music festival, Toni and Olivia are searching for ways to be true to themselves and find each other along the way.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Not as strong as Leah Johnson's debut young adult novel, but a nice follow up. Olivia and her best friend Imani go to a three day music festival and are determined to have a great best friend weekend. Olivia needs to escape a situation in Indianapolis with a boy and this is the perfect getaway. Imani makes her promise that this weekend is just for the two of them and not for falling in love (something Olivia likes to do on a frequent basis), but those plans quickly get de-railed. Toni and her best friend, Peter, have attended this festival yearly and are excited to hang out and enjoy the sunshine and music. For Toni, it's a last hurrah before she starts college at IU. When she rescues Olivia from a camping mishap and subsequent asthma attack, the two find themselves linked for the whole weekend. Together they are going to enter the talent show, find all the golden apples, and maybe fall in love. I loved the setting, and I loved their backstories - I just didn't appreciate how quickly they both threw off their best friends. Not cool. Other than that - good story!
literally NO ONE is doing sapphic contemporary YA like leah johnson. no one!!!!
lighthearted
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:
Complicated